LYDIA DEETZ AND FULLMETAL PANIC
Capítulo 6: The other Tessa
Tessa had cried all night after unintentionally listening to the conversation between Mardukas, Kalinin and Utis. There were many things she found out about and not in the best possible way.
She was tormented that her dream of helping people with Mithril was destined to end, and it was painful to learn that her beloved brother Leonard was behind the new virtual drug and the commercialization of force field technology mechas, but Tessa's tears were due to a different motive.
She could not believe that Utis, whom she considered her friend, had deceived her.
"And to think I was starting to feel something for him," sobbed Tessa.
.
.
The next day, Tessa went to tell Lydia everything that had happened, she didn't think anything could be fixed but she needed to tell her everything, tell her friend about how much Mardukas and Kalinin underestimated her, as well as Utis' betrayal.
“I'm sorry, Tessa," Lydia comforted her, "but I don't know, I don't think Mardukas and Kalinin wanted you in the shadows.”
“Then why did they lie to me?”
“You only heard part of the conversation," Lydia said, "I think they wanted to see the best time to tell you everything, especially considering your brother's business.”
“But I'm their captain, they should have told me right away!”
“Please Tessa, just look at yourself like this right now, my friend. If they had told you the truth at first it would have been too much of a shock for you, you would have even entered a phase of denial, not only because of the whole UN-NATO thing with Mithril, but also because you would not have accepted that your brother was part of all this.”
Tessa weighed Lydia's words and gradually understood the attitude of her two trusted officers.
“...You're right," admitted Tessa, who was still crying, "after all, look at me, I'm crying like a child.”
Lydia looked at Tessa with pity while Percy, transformed into a domestic cat, was caressed by the captain to somehow mitigate her grief.
“I better go to the bridge and talk to Mardukas and Kalinin, I need to know all the details of the report... of Utis' report.”
“Will you talk to Utis?” Lydia asked worried.
“I don't know... Friends aren't supposed to tell each other everything.”
“I'm sure he was going to tell you everything. Please, Tessa, don't make a mistake you'll regret later. Let Utis explain himself, let him tell his side of the story.”
Tessa petted Percy the cat a little more, then nodded her head. Lydia hugged her to encourage her and then the captain left Lydia's cabin.
The tension on the bridge was palpable, the entire crew did not know why their captain had failed to meet her daily duties, but whatever it was was sure to be serious as both Mardukas and Kalinin looked tense and worried.
The bridge door opened and Tessa came through, but the captain did not go to sit in her wheelchair, but confronted the two veterans.
“Commander Mardukas Richard, Lieutenant Commander Kalinin Sergeivich Andrei, report to my office in five minutes.”
Tessa said nothing more and came out of the bridge, she had not even shouted or frowned at them, even her voice had a neutral chord that showed no emotion.
Mardukas ordered a couple of directives and then went out with Kalinin to meet Tessa.
When the two men met their captain they gave her the report and apologized for leaving her in the shadows.
“You don't both need to apologize," said Tessa, "I didn't behave as my rank dictates either, I should have gone into that room and asked you for Utis' full report, with my attitude I gave the reason why you wanted to postpone the report.”
“What will you do now, captain?” Mardukas asked.
“If we fail in our mission against Leonard's organization, the permanent members of the UN Security Council will ask for Mithril's removal, otherwise the UN Human Rights Council will ask the UN Security Council for our "neutralization", and this time the five permanent members of the UN Security Council will surely agree," said Tessa.
“But if we succeed...” Kalinin said.
“If we succeed, it will be NATO that will carry out the international policing tasks of the UN and then attack us without warning, NATO's influence will spread across the globe... In the end the cure will be worse than the disease, many countries that are wary of the UN blue helmets and their humanitarian aid missions will accept far less of NATO forces entering their territories," Tessa said.
"I understand your position not to tell me anything at first," Tessa said, "I don't want NATO to become the international police force that will succeed the UN, it would be a disaster, urban guerrilla wars would spread across the globe. The most logical option is to withdraw from this whole affair, the problem with that is that we will give Leonard free rein to destroy Spain with the approval of the UN Human Rights Council.”
“Then it all comes down to preserving the UN status quo and abandoning Spain, or saving Spain and letting the world go to hell," said Mardukas, who contracted Tessa's face with grief.
““I'm sorry...” Mardukas apologized.
No matter what I decide, Mithril will cease to exist," said Tessa trying to look tough, "we can't even defend ourselves because all our mechas have hardware and software that will be destroyed if we try to resist either the UN or NATO.”
“A measure implemented by the UN when Mithril was just forming two years ago," Kalinin said.
“We never had a chance, did we?” Tessa said and looked down like the trunk.
Tessa's face could not be seen, but the two veteran soldiers were sure their captain was crying.
After the meeting, the two veteran officers left the room, but Kalinin turned his face slightly as he was about to leave.
“Otonashi Utis left the TDD-1 early this morning.”
“That's no longer my concern," Tessa replied in a firm voice, though she was screaming with anguish inside.
“Otonashi left me a message: That you go to the ship's neural link... and that he would always think of you... don't miss this opportunity Tessa.”
When the door closed, Tessa started to cry.
.
.
In the afternoon, Tessa said goodbye to Lydia and Percy, who would take a helicopter to take them home.
The cover of the TDD-1 was open and it was possible to feel the salt in the air they breathed.
“Go to where Kalinin told you," Lydia advised her for the last time, "just as he and Mardukas had reasonable grounds to postpone the truth, so Utis had reason not to tell you everything.”
“I don't know...”
“Come on Tessa, I know you're dying to do it," Lydia said.
“I don't want to be hurt anymore.”
“But if you don't go, you'll always regret it, believe me Tessa, the anguish will destroy you inside.”
“Cheer up, Tessa," said Percy this time.
“All right, guys, I'll do it," said Tessa and then the three friends hugged and said goodbye.
.
.
The TDD-1 descended to the depths and Tessa headed for the ship's neural link.
The TDD-1 had three ways of being controlled: the first was conventional, that is, by means of the bridge under the command of the bridge crew who were subordinate to their captain; the second was by means of the ship's artificial intelligence, a method that was used by Gaul, the terrorist who tried to destroy the TDD-1; the third was by means of the neuronal link, which was used by Sousuke's girlfriend to recover the submarine's command, when Gaul wanted to appropriate it.
Tessa got into the capsule of the neuronal link of the ship, and suddenly felt herself floating weightlessly, opening her eyes she saw herself naked and with her hair loose, however, the purple glow of the environment hid all her intimacy.
“Please show me the message Utis left for me.”
“There is no message," replied the ship's AI.
"Sure, it was delusional to think that he would leave me a message in this place, after all, only me and Mardukas, along with Kalinin have access to the ship's neural link."
Tessa was about to leave the virtual connection when something came to mind.
"But I'm sure Kalinin knows that, so why did he tell me to come to this place?"
“Please show me any information about Otonashi Utis, a NATO spy agent.”
“There is no NATO spy agent Otonashi Utis in my personnel files.”
“But the ship's AI coordinated the mission to rescue Utis in Spain.”
“Otonashi Utis, does not exist in my personnel files... that was a pseudonym you thought for the hiring of that man two years ago, before the launch of the TDD-1.”
It was an unexpected blow for Tessa, who opened her eyes wide.
“Explain yourself.”
“Otonashi Utis, a code name assigned by you to the designated agent to investigate the unknown whereabouts of Leonard Testarossa, whom you suspect is linked to members of organized crime and free mercenaries from Russia and Communist China. This agent was selected by you two years ago.”
“No, that's impossible. Did I know Utis? Did I send him to investigate my brother? Did you know that Leonard was involved with organized crime and mercenaries? But I love my brother Leonard. How come I doubted him two years ago? How I forgot all this!”
“Do you wish me to access your memories, Captain Testarossa?”
“...Do it.”
The purple horizon disappeared and was supplanted by a horizon that resembled the granular image on a TV screen that only showed monochrome blue color tones.
In a luxurious hotel room a younger Tessa was talking to none other than Utis Otonashi.
“It would be a real honour to work for you, Captain Testarossa," saluted a younger Utis in a serious and professional way, nothing to do with the savage attitude and lack of discipline that Utis had today.
“I'm not captain yet, but in two weeks it will be the launch of the TDD-1, so I'll command several men and I'm afraid I won't be able to enjoy a vacation like I am at the moment," said Tessa, who wasn't wearing a military suit, but a lovely light cerulean gala suit, which matched her short, loose hair.
"You're good, I don't think you'll have any trouble locating my brother, plus I made sure to clear your record so you can infiltrate wherever you think you need to.”
“Leonard Testarossa, I hear he is an individual of noble ideals.”
“Yes, and they also say that hell is paved with good intentions," said Tessa with a mocking smile and an icy look that she didn't know she had.
This young Tessa, she didn't look anything like her current self. Cold and sarcastic, she exuded a natural aggressiveness which was reflected not only in her voice, but also in her fairy face which, far from looking like a child, showed an unhealthy precocity.
Tessa had a cold sweat running down her back.
CONTINUARÁ…
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