“Well, many of my advisers say fatherhood suits me.” Wolf smiled, his voice quiet, “They’re not wrong.”
He looked at Zelda proudly.
“This one, however, will be my last.” He said, “I’ve fathered a lot of children in my time on this plane of existence, Red… I’ve had bastards running around for years. In the culture I was raised in, it’s not unusual to have a lot of children. Hell, you’re not considered a man until you’ve fathered a bastard. However… I’m happy now that I’ve had Zelda here… She will be my heir.”
He looked over at Red(F). He’d changed considerably since they last saw each other. Some of his scars had faded slightly, except the one close to his left eye. His eyes, which had once had some brightness to them, were dark, weary from years of war. His unruly hair, currently done up in a small ponytail, was now flecked with gray.
Closing his eyes, and sighing, he went and placed Zelda gently into a cot, kissing her forehead. Walking back to the seat, he sat back down.
“A lot has happened.” He said, “A lot of things I regret… a lot of things I don’t.”
Tears formed in his eyes. Carefully, he hugged her.
“I am so… so … sorry…” He said tearfully, his shame taking over, “For everything that I have caused you… for everything I caused the GDI… I am so… so… sorry…”
Things got even more complicated as Red(M)’s voice entered the call, the difference in tone indicating he was communicating electronically.
“If you intend to resolve your issues with my colleague and friend, Wolf, might I suggest you think for a moment? Not that I wouldn’t let you do it, given our circumstances, but killing him in a duel, assuming it’s to the death, will be disastrous for relations between our peoples.”
Still seated in his seat, Red(M) had no change in his expression as he continued within the call. “Your people’s future or Green’s head. I trust you have a preference.”
“This is not between our nations. This is between two men.” Wolf said, “Do I have to remind you of all the times you’ve disrespected the laws and customs of my people, or the time you glassed several planets in my empire? The Coalition doesn’t know about all of that. You interfere with me and Green’s dealings, and I will personally make sure the Coalition knows EVERYTHING.”
Don’t be a fool, Red. I know you’ve covered things up. Seraph’s got all the dirt.” He said, ”You let this happen, and you keep the relations between my people and yours out of this, and I promise on my blood and my blade that what you have covered up will remain covered up.”
“You assume I’m going to continue to keep the aforementioned information covered up.” Red(M) answered wordlessly through the call.
“Have your duel if you want, but take heed; look beyond just yourself for once. If Green survives whatever you inflict upon him, his opinion of warriors will only go down further. You will certainly not make a friend of him, but at least this will entertain your needs.”
Red(F) broke in with a nearly indignant hiss. “You’re just going to let Wolf slaughter your friend?!”
Red(M)’s electronic reply was clipped before he left the call. “All progress requires sacrifice.”
Wolf thought about what Red(M) said, and then thought better of what he was doing.
“No, I’m not going to duel him.” He said, his voice changing from the stalwart warrior to shaky, “Something’s off… something is very off… Red, can you get here quickly? I think someone’s trying to manipulate things. Someone’s trying to…”
Red(F) could hear him start to breathe a bit heavier.
“Someone’s trying to manipulate my emotions…” He said before the line went dead.
With the call ended, Red(M) shook his head, to the mild confusion of the other Fleet Admirals and Lumeri.
Red(F), however, could ‘hear’ the remark he made through their link. “All of this resolved when he thinks clearly and puts aside emotional turmoil. Truly, baselines are a tragedy.”
To the Admiralty, Red(M) spoke. “I think we can safely put that aside. We all need some rest, I believe. This assembly is ended.”
With that said, the gathered Fleet Admirals as well as Lumeri nodded amongst themselves and disconnected, their avatars winking out.
Red(M) sat back in his chair before getting up. “Time I went home for today. Red, I think you should meet with Wolf again. Humor him for a bit, will you?”
Red(F) nodded slowly, hugging her male self and giving him a kiss on the cheek as she Blinked away, back to the room where she’d left Wolf off.
“Wolf? You alright there?”
When Red(F) had come in, Yuki was hovering over Wolf, who was still going through what looked like shock. He was breathing heavily, and shaking.
“No, no I am not…” Wolf said, trying to shake himself out of whatever was plaguing him at the moment.
“We have to something… wait… Red… show him your tits!” Yuki said.
“Wha…you’re serious?!” Red(F) half-exclaimed.
Not that she hadn’t done such a thing before, especially given her history with Wolf, but right now really wasn’t the best time to be lewd.
But with Yuki insisting, the Admiral huffed. “Alright, alright, if it’s what he needs!”
She tugged gently on her longcoat, exposing the form-hugging smart fabric bodysuit that was her uniform’s inner half.
Faint shimmers of light rippled throughout the suit as it shifted and flowed across her body, exposing her ample bosom for the two to see.
“There…”
Initiative Archival Network 