12-01-2007, 10:30 PM
Author’s Notes
This story takes place several months before the start of the Gundam SEED story arc. If Perrings sounds like a new character, don’t be surprised. Don’t worry, You’ll get to know him better soon enough. As for the lady he’s conversing with, well, let’s just say it’d be really silly if you missed her several appearances. Enjoy!
Chapter 1: Hell, no
"You want me to what?" Perrings exclaimed, as he focused on Cagalli, standing in front of his office. Her eyes met his as the chief representative's daughter made her way in.
Perrings took the moment to relax himself, putting down the day's papers, and slowed his breathing, his elbows now resting on the laquered desk, his hands clasped.
This was going to be a long day.
Cagalli had been looking for Perrings the whole morning, and her impatience was beginning to show in her tone...and the cold glare she was returning to her recently hired bodyguard. The chairman’s idea to hire him, really – she didn’t have a choice.
"You heard me. I want you to train me." Cagalli replied, as she closed the door and made her way to the aluminum chair in front of Perring's desk. Perrings took a closer look at the younger Athha.
15 going 16, Cagalli was a girl coming of age, and Perrings took notice of her maturing figure, as her body's gentle curves became more prominent. This, along with her long flowing blonde hair mad her quite the charming lass.
"Lucky mook, whoever hooks up with her," Perrings thought to himself.
But then, there was her powder-keg temper, her propensity to throttle anybody who crossed her (just him, actually and it was a stunning right hook), and then there was the fact she was flat as a…
Perrings interrupted his thoughts as he remembered her stone-cold gaze…and the right hook.
"If I may ask, Ms. Attha, what's this about?" Perrings said, careful to maintain his formality.
"I just think I can protect myself better if you taught me the basics." Cagalli said, relaxing herself in the chair. "So you feel I can do my job better if I taught you a few tricks of the trade?"
"Nothing too fancy. Just teach me how to use a pistol, and a rifle, if you think I'm up to it." Cagalli replied. Was she getting across to him?
"If that's the case, then you know my answer."
"So does that mean you'll teach me?" Cagalli asked, unconsciously shifting her shoulders in anxiety.
"Hell, no."
Before Cagalli could protest, Perrings raised his hand; He had more to say. "Ms. Athha, when I first arrived here, I distinctly remember you weren't very fond of me." Perrings took a few moments to read Cagalli's reaction.
She was still glaring at him, but not with the dagger-like intensity when she first entered the room.
"If anything, I do recall that you were the first to call me a…" Perrings said, as his voice trailed off. "…what did you call me again?" he continued, scratching his chin in mock forgetfulness.
"…a money-grubbing mercenary…" Cagalli replied as she bits her lips, her tone barely audible. Her eyes were now looking to the side. "Yes, exactly, Ms. Athha."
Perrings rose from his chair, and slowly walked to Cagalli. "When I first arrived here, I was hardly anything you would consider talking to. That line aside, my jaw remembers what it’s like to cross you."
Ah, the right hook.
Perrings by then was slowly circling Cagalli' seat. "So here's my question, Ms. Athha: what the bloody hell are you up to?" By then, Perrings was directly behind Cagalli's chair, his hands gripped on the backrest, face leaning over directly over Cagalli's head…like a guilloutine.
Cagalli hesitated for a moment, before regaining her composure. She inhaled deeply as she gathered her thoughts for her reply.
"Like you said, you think I'm a pain, right?" Cagalli replied, no trace of anxiety left in her voice. "I just want to learn to handle myself, that's all."
"You could have easily gone to the instructors at the base, madam."
"Yes, I know, but—"
"Or is there something you don't want them reporting, Ms. Athha?" Perrings cut off Cagalli again.
His mind went back to a conversation he overheard a week ago near Uzumi's office, concerning a project being conducted at the Orb Union's Heliopolis colony.
The Chairman refused him any information regarding the matter, further stating that it was not among the itineraries for Perring's real job. Cagalli's intentions were becoming clear.
"Ms. Athha," Perrings said gently, as he shuffled to the coffee machine."this wouldn't have anything to do with your father's affairs at Heliopolis now, would it? I assume you're planning a surprise visit on the colony, albeit letting anybody here know about your 'excursion.'"
Perrings paused to view the brown, bubbling liquid in the machine, its vapors fogging the clear glass container. "So you come to me because you want to make your preparations off the books. Is that it?"
"H-how did you--"
"I have my ways of knowing these things, Ms Athha…" Perrings shrugged, as he poured a steaming cup of coffee.
"I have my ways."
He poured a second cup, and offered it to Cagalli. He watched as she took a sip, and placed the mug on top of his desk. "You're a lot sharper than you look." Cagalli said, as she looked at him again.
"I just know what I have to, madam." Perrings replied as he walked to the door, and locked it. He double-checked the windows to ensure nobody was eavesdropping; It was clear.
"Though why you'd seem so intent on planning your on little excursion there… I could never understand why this whole matter has you worked up."
"After all, it's just a research facility, nothing for you to be so pissed off about—"
"It's not just a facility!" Cagalli protested. "They're developing mobile suits!"
"So is ZAFT, madam." Perrings said, as he looked down into his mug. "They're potentially dangerous machines, but what they can actually do on the field is left to a healthy degree of discretion--"
"These aren't normal Suits," Cagalli cut in again. "if Morgenroete managed to get sponsorship from the likes the Earth Federation, this can't be good."
Chapter 1 end
This story takes place several months before the start of the Gundam SEED story arc. If Perrings sounds like a new character, don’t be surprised. Don’t worry, You’ll get to know him better soon enough. As for the lady he’s conversing with, well, let’s just say it’d be really silly if you missed her several appearances. Enjoy!
Chapter 1: Hell, no
"You want me to what?" Perrings exclaimed, as he focused on Cagalli, standing in front of his office. Her eyes met his as the chief representative's daughter made her way in.
Perrings took the moment to relax himself, putting down the day's papers, and slowed his breathing, his elbows now resting on the laquered desk, his hands clasped.
This was going to be a long day.
Cagalli had been looking for Perrings the whole morning, and her impatience was beginning to show in her tone...and the cold glare she was returning to her recently hired bodyguard. The chairman’s idea to hire him, really – she didn’t have a choice.
"You heard me. I want you to train me." Cagalli replied, as she closed the door and made her way to the aluminum chair in front of Perring's desk. Perrings took a closer look at the younger Athha.
15 going 16, Cagalli was a girl coming of age, and Perrings took notice of her maturing figure, as her body's gentle curves became more prominent. This, along with her long flowing blonde hair mad her quite the charming lass.
"Lucky mook, whoever hooks up with her," Perrings thought to himself.
But then, there was her powder-keg temper, her propensity to throttle anybody who crossed her (just him, actually and it was a stunning right hook), and then there was the fact she was flat as a…
Perrings interrupted his thoughts as he remembered her stone-cold gaze…and the right hook.
"If I may ask, Ms. Attha, what's this about?" Perrings said, careful to maintain his formality.
"I just think I can protect myself better if you taught me the basics." Cagalli said, relaxing herself in the chair. "So you feel I can do my job better if I taught you a few tricks of the trade?"
"Nothing too fancy. Just teach me how to use a pistol, and a rifle, if you think I'm up to it." Cagalli replied. Was she getting across to him?
"If that's the case, then you know my answer."
"So does that mean you'll teach me?" Cagalli asked, unconsciously shifting her shoulders in anxiety.
"Hell, no."
Before Cagalli could protest, Perrings raised his hand; He had more to say. "Ms. Athha, when I first arrived here, I distinctly remember you weren't very fond of me." Perrings took a few moments to read Cagalli's reaction.
She was still glaring at him, but not with the dagger-like intensity when she first entered the room.
"If anything, I do recall that you were the first to call me a…" Perrings said, as his voice trailed off. "…what did you call me again?" he continued, scratching his chin in mock forgetfulness.
"…a money-grubbing mercenary…" Cagalli replied as she bits her lips, her tone barely audible. Her eyes were now looking to the side. "Yes, exactly, Ms. Athha."
Perrings rose from his chair, and slowly walked to Cagalli. "When I first arrived here, I was hardly anything you would consider talking to. That line aside, my jaw remembers what it’s like to cross you."
Ah, the right hook.
Perrings by then was slowly circling Cagalli' seat. "So here's my question, Ms. Athha: what the bloody hell are you up to?" By then, Perrings was directly behind Cagalli's chair, his hands gripped on the backrest, face leaning over directly over Cagalli's head…like a guilloutine.
Cagalli hesitated for a moment, before regaining her composure. She inhaled deeply as she gathered her thoughts for her reply.
"Like you said, you think I'm a pain, right?" Cagalli replied, no trace of anxiety left in her voice. "I just want to learn to handle myself, that's all."
"You could have easily gone to the instructors at the base, madam."
"Yes, I know, but—"
"Or is there something you don't want them reporting, Ms. Athha?" Perrings cut off Cagalli again.
His mind went back to a conversation he overheard a week ago near Uzumi's office, concerning a project being conducted at the Orb Union's Heliopolis colony.
The Chairman refused him any information regarding the matter, further stating that it was not among the itineraries for Perring's real job. Cagalli's intentions were becoming clear.
"Ms. Athha," Perrings said gently, as he shuffled to the coffee machine."this wouldn't have anything to do with your father's affairs at Heliopolis now, would it? I assume you're planning a surprise visit on the colony, albeit letting anybody here know about your 'excursion.'"
Perrings paused to view the brown, bubbling liquid in the machine, its vapors fogging the clear glass container. "So you come to me because you want to make your preparations off the books. Is that it?"
"H-how did you--"
"I have my ways of knowing these things, Ms Athha…" Perrings shrugged, as he poured a steaming cup of coffee.
"I have my ways."
He poured a second cup, and offered it to Cagalli. He watched as she took a sip, and placed the mug on top of his desk. "You're a lot sharper than you look." Cagalli said, as she looked at him again.
"I just know what I have to, madam." Perrings replied as he walked to the door, and locked it. He double-checked the windows to ensure nobody was eavesdropping; It was clear.
"Though why you'd seem so intent on planning your on little excursion there… I could never understand why this whole matter has you worked up."
"After all, it's just a research facility, nothing for you to be so pissed off about—"
"It's not just a facility!" Cagalli protested. "They're developing mobile suits!"
"So is ZAFT, madam." Perrings said, as he looked down into his mug. "They're potentially dangerous machines, but what they can actually do on the field is left to a healthy degree of discretion--"
"These aren't normal Suits," Cagalli cut in again. "if Morgenroete managed to get sponsorship from the likes the Earth Federation, this can't be good."
Chapter 1 end