Eureka Seven: Blank Pages
Fan Fiction by Dan
All places, characters, references copyright 2005/2006 Bones Studios
Chapter Two
Brand New Day
"Yawn…" The Master instructor looked down at his watch.
0500…
Why has it always been a tradition in the military for things to have to start so early in the morning? Marcus thought as he stood just inside the entrance of the training hall, watching the sun slowly rise to bathe the surrounding buildings in a soft yellow glow, listening to the sound of the Academy students' voices echoing through the court yard as they sang "Jodie's" in as the ran along in formation.
Stretching, his shoulders popping - a result of being thrown years before by careless, countless Masters of various fighting arts - he recounted the events from yesterday.
How his newest student, the one 'Born' from the earth …at least that's how he choose to explain it to her…received her first lesson.
The girl, born from the Scab Coral he thought, shaking his head in quiet disbelief.
That is, if you could say that being dug out of a pillar of coral could be considered being born. But the answer Marcus gave seemed to satisfy Eureka, for now. At least she didn't ask about the birds and the bees…Yet.
He laughed out loud at the thought of whoever would have to give 'That' talk.
Still, she really does pick up on things rather quickly…Marcus wondered, continuing to ponder the events that had transpired the day before.
After his impromptu demonstration and dismissing the Academy for the day, Marcus walked up to Holland and Eureka, who were still standing by the entrance to his office.
"As sharp as ever, I see," Holland remarked, a lopsided grin on his face.
"Thanks, but actually I thought the student took the fall quite well, considering." Marcus commented.
Looking down at the girl, the Master Instructor asked:
"Eureka, tell me… what did you… see?"
Her face unreadable, the girl looked into the Master Instructor's eyes.
Eyes…piercing, searching through the pages of her thoughts…
"What…did…I…see?" Unable to convey the thoughts so quickly written on the once blank pages of her mind, furrowing her brows together, eyes softening for just a bit, Eureka appeared…
…Vulnerable.
"Show me!" Marcus harshly bit out, a sudden fierceness in his tone.
With no warning, moving with the swiftness of years of practiced experience, dropping his hips down level with the girls, his eyes level with hers, Marcus threw a punch…full speed with his right hand…right at Eureka's face…
…Make him smile.
…moving with the same ease, just as how she had observed the Master Instructor handling the unfortunate student…pages turning in her head…Eureka slightly stepped to the left intercepting the punch aimed at her face with her left hand redirecting it slightly above her right shoulder…much to the Master Instructors surprise…straight into the path of Holland's midsection, who just so happened was standing a little bit too close behind her.
Sorry for your bad luck, Holland…Marcus thought, his fist catching him, full force, right in the stomach.
Totally taken off guard by the Master Instructors attack, Holland was unprepared. Blue eyes widening at the shock of the impact Holland instantly doubled over.
"You..reeek..ah?" Holland gasped as he hit the floor, the wind knocked out of him.
Hearing the dull thud of the strike, the Assistant Instructor came running over from where he was standing to help Holland. "Are you ok?"
Clearly shocked, the girl looked down at Holland, then up at Marcus who was smiling and laughing.
Noticing the happiness in Marcus's expression…
…a look she so desperately craved, although unsure why, the unseen hands of the girls mind quickly spelled out...
…I made him…
…Smile.
Unnoticed to anyone in the hall, something small took root right then in Eureka's heart: a seed…planted already by the Father...a seed that in the years to come would grow…All it needed was the right person to care for it…
…The Son.
Honk…Honk…
Recovering his thoughts and putting on his black ball cap, Marcus looked down again at his watch and, noting the time, went outside where Edward had just driven up in a military type off-road vehicle.
0545…
Hopping inside the off-road vehicle, the Master Instructor wondered what today would bring.
Together the two Instructors headed out to the training site.
Unseen, sitting cross legged on a hand made what used to be called Persian Rug, the female raised one of her finely shaped eyebrows, enjoying the warmth of the rising sun.
Hearing the door shut, she slowly turned her attention towards the military off-road vehicle where the Master Instructor had just got in.
Watching as Marcus and Edward sped off towards the training site, she turned her attention back to the sun as it rose slowly in the sky.
Smiling as she sipped on the freshly brewed white tea, the female welcomed the beginning of a brand new day.
Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep…
Eureka awoke and, leaning over towards the nightstand, pushed the snooze button on the alarm clock.
0500…
Getting up, wiping the sleep from her lavender eyes, sliding out of bed to find her slippers in the dimly lit room exactly where she had placed them the night before, Eureka thought about what had happened in the training hall the previous day as she walked into the bathroom…The image of Holland rolling around on the floor gasping for air…Marcus laughing…
Smiling at her…
… 'I' made him smile.
Staring at her image in the still, dark bathroom mirror, remembering how the Master Instructor looked at her; the girl suddenly noticed a little color on her pale cheeks…
Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep…
0504…
…looking closer, she realized: it was only the light reflecting off the mirror from the red L.E.D. numbers on the clock.
Switching the light on in the bathroom and going back turning the alarm clock off, Eureka proceeded to begin the day.
Making her bed and walking over to the closet, she opened it and pulled out another set of the only clothes she always ever wore…the black uniform skirt jacket.
Carefully laying the uniform out on the bed, along with matching spandex shorts, underwear, and the thigh holster…Marcus said she would need it later for some reason…taking off her sleep shirt and folding it neatly, placing it on her vanity, Eureka went into the bathroom to shower.
Leaning against the wall of the shower, letting the warm water cascade down her body, the girl wondered what sort of words would be written on the blank pages of her mind today.
Getting out of the shower and wrapping a towel around her, she brushed her teeth, finished drying her hair, and, after combing it down, placed two gold hair clips in it to prevent her unruly bangs from getting in her face.
Going back over to the edge of the bed, she began getting dressed: underwear first, spandex shorts, then the uniform skirt jacket, ensuring that all the buttons were buttoned down in the proper prescribed manner of wear. Strapping the holster around her left thigh, Eureka sat down by the edge of the bed and, slipping on her boots, glanced over at the clock.
0545…
Knock…Knock.
"Eureka, you ready?" came Holland's voice from the other side of the door.
Remembering a phrase from two days before, the girl replied:
"Stand by."
Hanging the bath towel over the door to the walk-in shower to dry and checking one last time to make sure everything was in its respective places, Eureka went and opened the door.
What sort of words will I write down today…Eureka wondered again, closing the door behind her.
Walking with Holland outside the barracks and getting in the car, Holland and Eureka began the long drive to the training site.
Asking Questions
Marcus and Edward stood leaning against the side of the off-road vehicle. It had taken about an hour and a half for them to get to this particular training site, isolated as it was from the normal training areas of the S.O.F. Base.
Glancing at his watch the Master Instructor wondered if Holland had enough foresight to draw an off-road capable car…similar to the one that had transported him and his Assistant Instructor to this old airfield…from the base motor pool.
Eureka and Holland were running late.
Parked next to the vehicle that Marcus and Edward had driven to get there, shining in the early morning sun on the tarmac of the abandoned S.O.F. airstrip, sat two other "vehicles."
At least, not the vehicles as one would say in the normal sense.
Delivered by a heavy-lifter capable trappar transport a little after Marcus and Edward arrived, the two LFO's, in the 'Land Mode' configuration…their front two 'legs' facing down the runway, poised, ready for takeoff, cockpits open…patiently waited for the input from the hands, feet and…emotions… of the ones who piloted them.
Taking a drag from a cigarette and exhaling, the smoke drifting slowly up into the sky, Edward broke the silence of the tranquil setting by asking the Master Instructor a question that had been on his mind since seeing the girl direct the punch Marcus had thrown into the stomach of the hapless Holland, knocking the air from his lungs.
"So, Marcus… what would you have done, had Eureka not redirected your punch…I mean man, I have never seen you move that quickly before!"
Ignoring the question Marcus watched as the smoke from Edward's cigarette drifted, agonizingly slow, up into the air.
"What a horrible wave flow…"
"You didn't answer my question…" Edward began.
"I don't really know…" Marcus glanced over at his best friend. "…Gee, Eureka… Sorry for you bad luck; smashing your face like that…"
"Get real…I know you; you wouldn't have done that without an understanding of how she might react."
"Well that is not entirely untrue…" Hearing the sound of an approaching car, Marcus turned his head and said, "If what I gathered from the little that Adrock let me in on…"
Looking closer, he recognized it as being the same car Holland used to bring Eureka the other day to the training hall.
"…then today should be…" Marcus paused a moment, thinking for a good word to use. "…'entertaining' to say the least,"
Looking at the cigarette hanging from Edward's mouth, and grinning at him he thought to add…
"If I were you, I would probably take that cigarette out of your mouth before you make Eureka think you are on fire from the inside, or something crazy like that…"
"Good idea, I don't feel like having to have to explain to her that smoking is really a bad thing for you to do,"
Still grinning at his friend, a questioning tone in his voice, the Master Instructor sardonically asked, "Then why do you smoke?"
"So…Funny…" Edward dryly responded taking a final drag before throwing the cigarette on the ground, stepping on it then slowly exhaling, the smoke hanging in the air in front of the two Instructors.
"What a horrible wave flow…" Marcus repeated, as the car carrying Holland and Eureka pulled up next to the off-road vehicle.
Silently cursing himself for not requesting an off-road transport, Holland looked down at his watch.
He and Eureka were late.
A little while before, sensing something, the girl looked out the window on her side of the car, noticing, flying through the air, one of the big Light Finding Operation - or LFO's as they were more commonly referred to – S.O.F. transports she had seen before on the large base.
The Nirvash was in there, and that kid was not alone, another was in there with him…
…One Eureka did not know of…
Seeing the Heavy-lifter, the young, grey haired Commander wondered what the Master Instructor had in mind, coming out here near the old, long-since-abandoned test area.
Swerving, avoiding yet another crater sized pot hole, he recalled that the trappar was out here on this side of the base very thin, if non-existent knowing this from his and Charles having explored the base for places to ref on weekend liberty away from the Academy.
Seeing the old air traffic control tower growing in the distance, Holland realized that he was getting close and, seeing tracks from Marcus and Edward's vehicle, started looking for an entrance to the airfield.
"Look Holland, the Nirvash," Eureka said, about as dryly as she always did.
"Yeah Eureka, I see it…" Holland replied.
Finding an entrance to the area close to the flight line, Holland drove the car up next to where he saw the two Instructors leaning against the kind of vehicle more suited to the drive over the old worn out stretch of road that he had been driving on for the past two hours.
Noticing Edward throwing something on the ground and seeing smoke coming out of his mouth, the girl turned her head towards Holland, eyes wide, asking, so innocently…
"Holland, is there something wrong with Edward?"
Bringing the car to a stop, placing it in park and turning off the ignition, Holland opened the door to his side and, leaning over to Eureka, his sky blue eyes looking into those big, innocent, lavender ones, said…
…pleading with her…
"Please…Don't ask…"
Eyebrows coming together, mouth turned down, Eureka frowned…
One Ring, To Bind Them…
The Lieutenant Colonel stood, hands behind his back, looking out through the enormous plate glass window that dominated one side of his office…Contemplating…thinking of the abomination, as he had called it... that "thing" excavated out of a chunk of Scab Coral…
…Eureka…
…My Pawn…
…My Vindication…
…My Hope of redeeming this planet…
Seeing the reflection of the doors to his office silently sliding open in the window, Dewey slowly turned around to find his adjutant along with another man…who was wearing the white lab coat of a scientist…carrying a medium sized box, the type of which one would normally find in a fancy jewelry store, waiting for the Lieutenant Colonel to acknowledge their presence.
Putting aside his thoughts of "Redemption" for a moment, Dewey, motioning for the two men to enter and sitting down at his desk, asked:
"Is it complete?"
"Yes, all in accordance to your instructions..." The man in the white lab coat said, his voice thickly carrying what would have been called on Earth as an Eastern European accent, walking up, setting the dark purple velvet covered box on Dewey's desk, opening it…an eerie red glow emanating from what was contained inside.
Looking down at the device, it reminded Dewey of a line from a story that one of the ancient books he kept in his private collection.
The scientist continued. "…we initially had some problems, but the program should operate just as you requested."
His adjutant, seeing an almost rapturous expression on his superiors face, cautiously spoke up.
"Sir, are you sure you can convince him to give it to her?"
A small, thin smile crossing his lips, his face suddenly returning to a quiet look of contemplation. Standing up from his desk, Dewey answered:
"Oh, I am quite sure that I can convince my younger brother to do what I ask of him."
Reverently picking up the gold plated ring…shaped more like a collar, one that in times past would have been placed around a prisoner's neck…his eyes looking, momentarily, into some unforeseeable place neither of the men could possibly comprehend...
…Looking…
…into…
…The Zone.
As if waking from some long forgotten dream, the Lieutenant Colonel, turned around and, gazing out the window, looked across the landscape towards the area where the "girl" was about to begin her training…
…My pawn…
…My Vindication…
…and remembering the line from the story contained in the old, ancient book, said out loud.
"…One Ring to rule them all."
Practical Jokers
As soon as Holland pulled the car next to where the two Instructors were standing in a very gentlemanly manner, Marcus opened the door for Eureka, extending his hand toward her...
"Allow me…" the Master Instructor said, a glint in his normally serious eyes.
Glancing over Eureka's shoulder, Holland noticed the nonverbal clue and, unable to put his finger on it, continued to get out of the car.
Looking at the offered hand, the girl paused for a second, glancing up at the smiling face of Marcus. Then, with a very serious expression, Eureka's lavender eyes locked onto Edward's face.
Still leaning on the off-road vehicle with a big toothy grin plastered over his face, his dark brown eyes smiling as he looked back into Eureka's, Edward suddenly coughed…white smoke shooting out his nose.
Just stepping out of the car and hearing the cough, Holland stood and looked over the roof, seeing Edward's comical smile saw the smoke come out his nostrils.
Suddenly understanding the "glint" in Marcus's eyes, realizing what was about to transpire and looking down at his feet, the young S.O.F. Commander closed his eyes, bringing his left hand up to his forehead, thinking…praying…
"Please, dear God…not now..."
Too late.
Always quick on the uptake…hearing Edward cough behind him… and seeing the seriousness of the girl's expression on her pale face, the Master Instructor looked into those eyes…
…those big, innocent eyes of Eureka…
…and just couldn't resist.
Turning around to face Edward, using his instructor voice, and winking mischievously at his friend, Marcus yelled out…
"Edward! What have I told you about setting yourself on fire in front of people?"
Not missing a beat, Edward quickly shot back….
"Oh! No! Not again…Water, I need water."
…ran around the car to where Holland was fervently praying to himself…grabbing him by the shoulders...screaming…
"Holland, help me…I'm on fire…!"
"Quick Eureka…" Marcus told her, a mock look of urgency in his eyes, trying not to burst out laughing…"…find Edward some water before he goes up in smoke!"
Gasping in shock, her eyes wide, Eureka quickly turned around in her seat and reached into the small cooler that Holland had brought sitting on the backseat. Finding a bottle of water, she slid out Holland's side of the car, feet first, neatly clipping Edward in the back of his knees, knocking him down to the tarmac.
Marcus came running around the front of the car, standing over Edward…
"Eureka…Hurry put the fire out!" Marcus shouted, pointing at Edward's face.
Opening the water bottle, and looking up at Holland, who was standing there, clearly dumbfounded…
…the girl, with all the sincerity in the world…
….poured the entire bottle of water on Edward's face.
Holland, turning his face upwards towards the clear morning sky, silently wondered…What did I do to deserve this?
Looking down at Edward, who was smiling though his face was soaked, and glancing back up at Marcus, who was slowly turning red from trying not to laugh, then back over at Holland, who seemed to be looking at something up in the sky, Eureka asked…
…so innocently…
"…Did I put the fire out…?"
Marcus and Edward lost it.
Plopping back down in the front seat of the car, Holland put his face in his hands, mentally kicking himself for not noticing the glint in the Master Instructor's eyes sooner.
While the girl…unsure of why the two men were laughing…
…eyes unemotional…
…pages blank…
…just stared.
The Ones We Loved
"You guys are so funny…" Holland said sarcastically as he reached behind the front seat of the car, opening his daypack, and pulling out a dry towel for Edward.
"Sometimes, you just need a good laugh Holland," Edward replied, taking the towel from Holland to wipe the water off his face. "You can't be serious all the time, remember?"
"Yes I remember," Holland replied, recalling the lecture given by the Master Instructor, "How that in the job we do, if we don't find the time to laugh, or find something other than…"
Holland paused, trying to find the right word for the work the S.O.F. was tasked with, and than remembering the word he had taught Eureka continued."…fighting…that we would burn out, and our friends and families would suffer, and we would lose the ones we loved and cared about the most."
Remembering some of the "work" the S.O.F. had required of him to perform, a sad tone in his voice and agreeing with Holland, Edward said, "That is so very true."
Watching as Marcus and Eureka walked over to where the TypeZERO and the other LFO… the Master Instructor's LFO, sat…recalling the painful memories of the Master Instructor's past, Edward turned and looking the younger man in the eye, continued saying, "If anyone knows a thing about personal loss…"
Holland turned his eyes back looking into the face of the Assistant Instructor…
…The Master Instructors best friend….
"…it's him."
Walking a little bit behind Eureka's right, watching the way she now carried herself…A bit more confidence in her step…Marcus suddenly noticed striking similarities to another young girl.
She would have been about her age now…or at least the age Eureka looks…
Momentarily saddened by the thought, Marcus sighed, remembering the young girl.
…If only I had been there…
…I might have been able to have…
…done something.
Hearing the sigh, the girl stopped in front of the Nirvash and, turning around, she saw a familiar look in the Master Instructor's eyes, the look Marcus had given her the first day…
…like how a father would look into his daughter's eyes…
The look of someone who had found in Eureka a way to heal the memories of his past…
…by preparing her for the future…
If only I could have done…something.
Slightly tilting her head to the right, her mouth turned down in a frown and looking up into those amber colored eyes, suddenly saddened by things she could not even fathom...
…big lavender colored eyes looking into the Master Instructor's, asked…
"Marcus…"
She said my name…The Instructor in him noted.
"…is there something wrong?"
Looking down at the pure innocence on her face, recalling the memory of another young girl's sweet expression and, pulling his mind back into the present, smiling at Eureka…
The young girl he had told was born from the planet.
…the Master Instructor, looking up at the TypeZERO replied.
"Eureka…let me have a look at this child of yours,"
TypeZERO
Sitting on the old, worn stretch of tarmac colored in various shades of low visibility grey, the archetype, TypeZERO, the first LFO ever discovered, the prototype for the LFO's, and KLF's to follow, waiting in vehicle mode, or "Land Mode" - approximately thirty feet in length, four wheeled, looking like a futuristic version of a drag racer, the enormous "Ref Board" mounted high above the rear axel acting as a spoiler, arms tucked behind the enormous rear tires, both cockpits open, the two legs extending out from the front cowling, headlights dark, head tucked halfway under the "hood" - the LFO sat there...
…Silently…
…Watching.
Waiting for the girl to answer his request and taking her silence for a yes, Marcus began to climb aboard the TypeZERO.
"Wait…" Eureka said.
Walking up to the TypeZERO, closing her eyes, the girl put her hand on the right side just forward of the rear tire and, for what seemed like a long time but was really only a few seconds, just stood there.
Interesting…The Master Instructor thought.
Opening her eyes and turning back to Marcus, she said…
"Nirvash says it is alright for you to look around…"
…and looking back up at the TypeZERO…
"…and that I should believe in you, too."
"Believe in me?"
"Yes…Marcus…that I should believe in you."
"Well now, I guess since the Type…I mean, Nirvash…is saying that you should believe in me, then let's have a look." Marcus said and climbing up on top of the TypeZERO started looking into the "two" cockpits.
Checking the copilot's side first, settling down into the high performance street car type seat, complete with four harness straps, taking a quick glance at the crawlspace between the two cockpits, where the insert socket was located, he noticed that there wasn't a Compac Drive inserted into the Tsurin type unit socket. Continuing his "walk around," expert eyes checking out every last detail, writing notes in his mind, Marcus saw that the all the equipment on this side of the Nirvash were communications and navigation oriented.
Standing up in the copilot's cockpit and leaning over, looking into the open pilots canopy to check the operator's controls, Marcus raised an eyebrow seeing that they had a sense of familiarity to it, as it was, almost to the tee, the same control type configuration as the one in the LFO setting directly across and to the right of the TypeZERO.
"Eureka, you said that you didn't need a Compac Drive to pilot the Nirvash, correct?"
Walking around the rear and climbing up the other side, where the pilots' cockpit was, the girl lowered herself into the same type of seat, unconsciously folding her hands on her lap, eyes staring at the half moon shaped light gray monitors.
"That is correct…I can pilot it without the need of one…" she said.
Listening to Eureka, her voice as void of emotion as always, and remembering something that Adrock had told him, Marcus speculated that her ability might have to do with the fact that she was unearthed close by where the TypeZERO was discovered.
I wonder if that is the reason why she can mediate between the Nirvash and herself…the Master instructor thought.
…Only one way to find out.
Getting out of the copilot's seat and kneeling down between the two canopies next to the fresh air intake, extending his hand down to Eureka, a big grin on his face, the Master Instructor asked.
"Eureka, do you trust me?"
"Trust…you…" The girl, suddenly looking confused, just sat there.
"Good enough…" Marcus nodded his head and grabbing Eureka by the hand, practically lifting her out of the pilot's seat and made sure she did not accidentally hurt herself when jumping down on the old tarmac. Marcus in the lead as he dragged Eureka along hand in hand, the two walked about twenty yards in front of the LFO's.
The Master Instructor, looking down into the blank expression of the girl's face, said enthusiastically:
"…Time for your first lesson…"
Lavender eyes going wide…
Her mind ready…
…Eureka began writing.
"2nd Lieutenant Yuki, reporting as ordered, sir!"
Rendering a proper military salute, sharply attired in the female class "A" uniform of the United Federation - full sleeve, service dress light grey jacket and knee length skirt along with proscribed flesh tone hosiery, grey pumps highly polished, a rating badge indicating that she was part of the "Information Bureau" - standing at attention in the Lieutenant Colonel's office, Talho Yuki awaited further instructions.
The Lieutenant Colonel stood from his desk and, giving the young officer a quick glance over, returned the salute.
Looking to be in her early twenties, jet black hair cut short in accordance with the current U.F. grooming standards, seeing the subtle look of fierceness behind those hazel eyes, Dewey noticed a small tattoo of a pink "X" underneath her left eye…obviously done sometime before her entry into the service, he thought…well endowed, but with a small waist that even through the cut of the uniform was apparent, her arms and long legs lean and muscular from maintaining a rigorous physical training schedule, the Lieutenant Colonel, looking at the young woman with a warm gentle smile that was anything but, began speaking.
"Thank you for coming over on such a short notice, Lieutenant."
"Yes sir, thank you sir." Talho sharply replied.
"Stand at ease Lieutenant…what was your first name again?" Dewey asked in a tone that, although questioning, had undercurrents of a less than professional manner.
Seductive…Alluring…
Just like Eve in the Garden…he thought to himself, looking at her, remembering a passage from the most ancient of all the books he kept.
"Talho, sir."
"Please…Talho, may I call you that…relax, and have a seat." Walking around his desk and sitting on the edge, he motioned her to come over to the chair in front of him.
"Uh, I guess so sir…" she responded. Noticing the inviting look in his eyes, Talho relaxed her shoulders and took the seat offered her by the Lieutenant Colonel.
Being just commissioned a couple of months before and the newest member of the Information Bureau of the Special Operations Forces, Talho wanted to make a good impression, as this was her first real command, and a good way to start she thought would be to prove herself to the S.O.F's Commanding Officer.
So young, and so naïve as to the ways of the world…Dewey thought, seeing the eagerness to impress him in her eyes.
All he needed now was the right fruit…
"Talho, I require some information on the research of Adrock Thurston…and I need for you to…"
Searching for the correct term, he paused, thinking of the "thing" that resembled a human girl…
"Yes, sir…?" Talho said curious of what the Lieutenant Colonel would ask of her.
…and smiling with his eyes, finding the right word, he finally replied.
"…'acquire' it for me."
To be continued…