The Aftermath

Jay leant in the doorway of Nya's room, his forehead rested on the back of his hand. His introversion was at odds with the Lightning Ninja's naturally energetic countenance. Apart from the fact that Nya was now hooked up to drips and monitors, since their return something had felt very wrong.

Zane had found them. Cole was holding Nya unconscious in his arms. She had yet to awaken from her coma-like state and fill the silent void that Coles' re-counting of their disappearance and time in the forgotten realm seemed to lack.

Jay crossed his arms tightly to his chest. 'Where are you Nya?' He whispered into the quiet room. 'What is it that Cole's not telling me?' He desperately wanted her to wake up, but was uncertain he would like the outcome when she did. He turned away from the room. Across the hall he could see down to the courtyard where Cole was now spending the majority of his time, locked in combat with the sparring equipment. The continual 'thud' of Coles' kicks and blocks only served to heighten Jay's sense of unease.

Perhaps he should talk to Zane. He did after all find them. Could he have seen something or talked to Cole before the team converged on them?

Zane had reacted very strangely when Cole and Nya disappeared. Something Master Wu described as an extreme empathetic response. After the portal had vanished and the remaining team had no choice but to return to the Bounty, Zane had withdrawn into his own system. He had optimised his myriad scanning features and stood sentinel at the helm of The Bounty, day and night, wind or rain searching for some sign. Though nothing came.

Jay needed some empathy now and even if Zane had no answers, he hoped he could help him. He decided to head to the mooring escarpment, where Zane would undoubtedly be working on the Destiny's Bounty II.

He entered the courtyard from the cool dark under croft. Squinting in the bright sunlight, a black silhouette whirled feverishly connecting with the pads of the training structure. Jay's eyes adjusted as he walked across the yard. Cole stopped as he saw him, but neither made an attempt to interact. Cole was breathing hard, drenched in sweat and red from the heat. He had always been intense but this was something else. Jay carried on and left through the gateway, hearing Cole resume his tortuous training.

As Jay walked onto the mooring escarpment he could hear thuds and clanks coming from below the ship. Zane was inside the hull, having pulled the guts out of The Bounty and was cleaning the connection heads to all the drive valves.

'Dude, I really hope we don't need to actually use The Bounty anytime soon'. Jay quipped as he ducked his head down, looking into the cavernous underbelly of the craft.

'Jay. My friend' came Zane's cheerfully monotone welcome. 'Would you be so kind as to help me re-connect the Drive cables? They are laid out in sequence, please be vigilant in the order you pass them to me.'

'Sure.' Said Jay and picked up the first, at which Zane nodded his affirmation. It was quick work, even though there were fifty of the shiny facetted metal cables.

'Fancy a break?' Jay asked when complete.

'I would'. Replied Zane.

They sat in the shade, under the bow of the hull. Looking off the escarpment and across the vast emptiness of sky. A few wisps of cloud snaked below them in what was a beautiful clear day and Jay felt he could stare into the endless blue void forever.

'What is on your mind my friend?' Zane gently asked.

'Is it so obvious Zane?' replied Jay.

'Yes'. Replied Zane simply.

Jay took a deep breath. He hunched his back, slunk his head down between his knees and exhaled. He knew Zane well enough to know that asking him a question was actually quite a tricky thing. If you wanted the correct answer, you had to ask the correct question. It felt very alien to him to be so direct. This was going to be painful.

'Ok. Zane. When you found Nya and Cole…'

'Yes'.

'…'

'Jay?'

'Don't rush me man, I'm… just, trying to find the right question.'

'I understand. Take your time'.

'Nya and Cole. When you found them, before the rest of us arrived. Was there anything that you saw or heard that might not have been mentioned in Cole's re-counting of their realm jump?'

'Saw or heard?' repeated Zane.

'Yes, you know, like… I don't know what, but something. Anything that could explain what's going on?'

'What's going on?'

'Grrr. Zane you metal head, must you be so literal? I am going out of my mind, Nya is still asleep, I miss her…'

'Yes. I understand. You miss her very much.' Zane was silent for a moment, following with 'I do too'.

' You do?'

'Yes. Very much so. As you know Nya and I work closely together. She is responsible for many of my upgrades and subsequent progression as a… being'. Jay listened, sensing this wasn't the time make a glib remark, but to be honest he really didn't have the energy to try, so he stayed quiet. 'You may not realise this Jay, but my AI sensors are continually reading, relaying, processing, reacting and outputting. A cycle that emulates human learning.'

Jay screwed his eyes tight. 'I'm confused. Is this relevant'?

'Yes'.

'Ok, lets run with it. I'm listening'.

'As I progress as a being, daily. My synapses create new links. The infinite possibilities of those links will ultimately allow me to 'feel' new experiences and make links to humans in a way that they understand. This is how we can be friends Jay. The longer I live, the more complex my AI becomes and while I cannot ultimately ever 'feel' in the same way as a human, I can understand what they are feeling and so translate that into my own artificial feeling'.

'Hold the phone metal head. Are you trying to tell me you have feelings for Nya?'

'Yes, of course I do' he continued with a laugh 'She is my very great friend. My best, human friend I would say'.

Jay threw his head back in exasperation and slid his hands down his face. 'Ugh. I don't understand'.

Zane shook his head lightly. 'Jay. My friend. What I am trying to explain to you, is that…' Zane chose his words carefully. 'If I, as a non-human, with a complicated but limited natural ability to create emotional links, is able to develop meaningful relationships, then Cole and Nya after an intense time in a different realm would have developed their relationship through necessity. I believe Cole is in love with Nya and likely the reverse also.'

'Nggggyah! Couldn't you have just said that! Ya' bucket brain!'

'Don't shoot the messenger. As they say.'

Jay was up on his feet. A simmering anger had found its rolling boil. 'I knew it. I knew it. That no good, evil, stinking, dirt pusher' He was pacing up and down, not sure quite where to go or what to do next.

'Jay. Please do not throw yourself over the precipice.' Zane said in a worried tone.

'I'm not going to throw myself off the precipice Zane'. Jay said as he turned and headed back to the courtyard.

'This I am very thankful for'. Zane called in answer to Jay, letting him leave.

His anger growing with every step, he headed back to the courtyard and his so called best friend.

NEXT: CHAPTER 3 - The Confrontation

Where Jay loses it. Cole takes it. Nya sleeps on, oblivious.