Well, I had this chapter mostly ready months ago, but I procrastinated. As a result, I lost all of the original writing of "Chapter 7 part A" when my computer died. So I'm starting from scratch. I'm really, really, sorry for the long wait. I'll warn you that this half-chapter, unlike previous ones, is much more dialogue driven, rather than action-packed. The entire story can't be action obviously, but this'll be quite a long read without any LFO battles. Don't worry though; it all sets the scene for the exciting end of the "book", which I think you'll really like. Now, on to the story…

"Any time—any place, in the world—what's most frightening is not natural disaster, but the hearts of men."

-Gonzy, Eureka seveN manga volume 6-

Chapter 7: Darkness (Part A)


Having acquired the legendary mechanic, Axel Thurston, the Gekko was soaring through the vast night sky, approaching Tresor. A storm was brewing around the rayline that the ship was now gliding on, and would begin any minute now. The gloomy grey thunderheads, barely distinguishable from the rest of the night, which loomed overhead and around the Gekko bore testimony to this fact. It would not be long until the ship itself would be consumed in insurmountable darkness, not long until fear and death would run rampant through the vessel's corridors. The conflict, fast approaching, would not be unlike the coming of the terrible storm which was about to rain down on them. There was no longer anywhere to run; there would be no escaping that fear, that darkness, which would lash out mercilessly at Gekkostate

Unaware of the fate that would soon befall them; the crew went on with their lives, as the journey to the Tresor Laboratories quickly progressed. Although there was now an almost non-existent sense of paranoia present among the members of the rebel group, no one ever managed to speak up about the nagging feelings they would experience every once and again. One of these rare instances was visiting the Gekko's second in command, Hap, as he walked at a gradual pace down the main hallway.


Knowing the inside of the Gekko better than the majority of the crew, Hap strolled along with his eyes closed, an old habit, really. This carelessness, brought about by his experience, would prove to cause a less-than-pleasant event, however. Suddenly, the man felt his foot connect with quite the slippery surface, and said foot was thrown out from under him. This, of course, resulted in Hap taking an uncomfortable fall to the unforgiving, metallic floor. He heard what sounded like the breaking of glass, and quickly looked up to find the source of the noise. Gonzy's tea cup had been shattered, and the contents were seeping into the carpet the man sat upon. This small rug appeared to be the cause of Hap's descent to the ground. He sat up, rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, and quickly apologized to the old fortune teller. "No, it's really my fault for sitting down in such a place" Gonzy replied. "Well, I really should have watched where I was going." Hap responded.

"It's really no trouble, care for some tea?" Gonzy asked the one who had interrupted him. Hap hesitated, tempted to sit down, rest, and enjoy a nice cup of the delicious drink. "I'd love to, but I'm supposed to be watching that Dominic kid about now, to make sure he doesn't try to contact the military or something." Hap told him. "Well, good luck" Gonzy replied with a smile. "Yeah, thanks" Hap said as he turned to leave. As Hap walked away, limping slightly because of the fall he had just taken, Gonzy poured himself another cup of his self-brewed tea. The aged man stared into the murky liquid with a concerned look. "So, in only four days time, they will face their first true trial by fire. Young Renton's character will be put to the test, and his decisions may very well decide the fate of us all…"


Renton, after greeting his grandfather, had left the hangar to finally get some well-deserved rest. Now focusing on the job he had been picked up to accomplish, Axel Thurston eyed the black LFO before him with both awe and unease. "What…is this, exactly, Holland?" the man asked. "Apparently, it's a second Nirvash, I believe Dominic called it 'Type: theEND'. It was Dewey's strongest weapon, to my knowledge, and we managed to acquire it," Holland responded with a bit of pride evident in his voice. After a long, slightly awkward pause, the leader of the Gekkostate decided to speak again. "So, do you think you can fix them?" he inquired, already confident that the man had the capability to fix the machines.

Axel carefully inspected the varying degrees of damage that had been inflicted on the five LFOs sitting before him now. He slowly strolled toward the wrecked Terminus R606, which had been sliced cleanly in half. "This one may never move again, but if you're really attached to it for some reason, I suppose you could spring for some new parts. That is, if they still make parts for this older unit. That could get a bit pricey, though" the expert mechanic advised. Holland said nothing, and simply nodded to indicate his understanding.

Moving toward the blue R808, Axel smiled. "This one doesn't look too bad. Looks like the laser took out its power coupler, but there isn't any other obvious damage." He next made his way over to Holland's LFO, the 909. "You said its movements were becoming delayed and sluggish by the time you made your way back to the ship?" he asked. Holland yawned loudly and then answered with a simple "Yep". Axel, a bit annoyed that the one who had asked for his help seemed completely disinterested in the subject, cleared his throat before continuing. "I'll take a look at the cockpit control systems. Sounds like they could have gotten fried by that energy pulse you mentioned."

The Type: ZERO caused the mechanic great concern, however. "The internal archetype's been ruptured. There's severe damage to much of the armor plating, not to mention that half of the cockpit was completely demolished. That means a need for new control equipment, radar, communications systems, and reconstruction of the cockpit. And if all of that wasn't enough, it needs a new board." Axel Thurston explained. "You can fix it though, right?" Holland inquired again. "No, I can't" Thurston said flatly, quite annoyed by the fact he had been asked this exact question multiple times already. Holland's expression gained a brief look of concern until the old man continued his explanation. "I can't fix it here. The construction is just too difficult to do without a great amount of help from professionals. Even if Renton were to work with me, it just couldn't happen. I doubt you even have the kind of tools aboard the Gekko that we'd need to fix it in the first place."

Once again, the captain of the Gekko nodded his understanding, before explaining his plan. "I figured this would be the case, so I've already made arrangements. At dawn, or a little later, we'll arrive at Tresor. I'm absolutely certain they have the equipment to fix anything we need to repair." He was quite taken aback, however, when the mechanic he was speaking to clenched his hands into tight fists and looked at him with an expression that showed quite a bit of irritation. "I quit working at that place a long time ago, and I don't plan on going back, Holland! I'm sure you've heard that I resigned after making a big scene, haven't you? If I was to go back to the labs after how I acted, I'd look like nothing more than a whiny fool! I seem to remember that you and Morita, the lab chief, never had a good relationship either" the mechanic argued. Holland was silent for a great while before trying to convince the elderly, but still extremely stubborn man. "Yes, but we have to leave petty arguments and disagreements like that behind us now. The entire world is a stake!"

The response Axel Thurston gave him was the last thing Holland had expected. Instead of responding in an angry tone, or throwing some heavy tool like a wrench at him, the mechanic began chuckling. "You talk of leaving petty disagreements behind, Holland, yet you hold a ridiculous grudge against my grandson, if only because the girl chose him instead of you. Don't you think it's time to stop acting like a selfish child?" Axel pointed out in a biting tone.

Holland Novak would have given anything to be somewhere else at that moment, or to come up with some sort of rejoinder the old man's statement, but none would come. Doubt had gained a foothold in the ace pilot's mind, and his attempts to shake it loose were of no avail. Perhaps he had known all along that he was acting like a brat, but did not want to admit it. Even if he hadn't been able to see the kind of person he was before, Axel was about to place a figurative mirror in front of him.

Axel Thurston's voice was dripping with conviction and zeal as he spoke what he knew to be the truth of the matter. "You knew full well what it meant, the implications of it all. It should have snapped in your mind the minute I let that boy come aboard this ship, Holland. It didn't take a genius to see that Renton wasn't meant to live some obscure life in the military, or even one of a great mechanic. He's the son of a so-called hero, and yet, he wasn't made to be overshadowed by his father's legacy. No, because it is now in Renton, not Adroc, that the hope for everything lies. You've done your part in protecting the world's future, just as my son did his. It's time to pass that unfortunate burden down to the next generation! I know firsthand that it's a heavy weight to bear, but that boy has shown that he is perfectly capable of handling it through his actions. You talk of 'saving the world', yet your own actions are one of the main hindrances in the way of that goal"

"If-if I've 'done my part', then what is it that I should be doing now?" Holland asked, unable to hold a steady voice after the verbal beating he had just taken. "I'd expect you to be an example to Renton and help him shoulder the weight that will be placed upon him. You should protect that boy, as well as the rest of them that threw in their lots with you, with your life." Axel said in a kinder, yet understandably serious, tone. "The whole crew, they're risking their lives to defend this planet with an idiot like me… Hap, Ken-Goh, Stoner, Talho, everyone else, they're gaining nothing from this, but taking a huge risk with no guarantees of success…" Holland told himself in his mind, wondering why they would ever do such a reckless thing in the first place. "It had been obvious from the start that they were taking a risk in joining the Gekkostate, but does the majority of the crew even realize what they are fighting for, or for what reason?" Axel, waiting for any reply, just stared at the famous lifter. "You're right; I'll protect all of them. As for Renton….well…being the son of my mentor…and besides, she would have wanted me to accept and look after him, regardless of the situation."

Axel's face gained a stern look after hearing Holland mention Diane. He couldn't help but hold the man slightly accountable for failing to protect her. "Enough. leave me to my work," was the mechanic's cold answer. Holland, not wanting to start another argument, left the hangar without another word. After Holland had vacated the enormous room, Axel turned to the blue 808. "Well, I guess I'll start with you first." Grabbing the tools he assumed he would need, as well as a spare coupler, he climbed on top of the LFO, and began repairing it.


Stoner was hard at work, typing an article for RayOut's next issue. He would intermittently glance away from the screen to "watch" Dominic Sorrel. After confirming the kid wasn't doing anything suspicious, he would let his mind refocus on the commentary about Kute-class coralians. Just recently, he had smoked the last cigarette he had in his quarters, but realized he couldn't walk to the Gekko's shop in order to buy some more while on guard duty.

The same cycle continued for what seemed like hours. Dominic would sit quietly in his chair, occasionally glancing around the room to quell his boredom. The man in a green sweatshirt, wearing a red beret, who had introduced himself as "Stoner", would look up at him every once in awhile, and then continue typing into his computer. With Anemone resting, there was really nothing for him to do. He wondered if he should try to strike up a conversation with the man watching him, but couldn't think of any topics that didn't involve things from his everyday life, such as how Dewey liked his coffee, how to properly take care of Gulliver, and of course, Anemone. "Wow, I really don't know much about current news or culture…" the lieutenant pointed out to himself. He was about to bring up a serious cliché in conversations, the weather, when he realized there were no windows in the room he was being kept in.

With no other ideas, and without thinking it through, Dominic finally asked the next reasonable question that came to mind, "So, do you have any books around here?" Stoner glanced away from the screen of his computer, and then continued typing. Dominic was beginning to feel a bit discomfited until Stoner answered, without even looking at him. "Oh, sure. What kind of books do you like? Perhaps a novel, or would you prefer nonfiction? A book on history, or some sort of thriller? I could really help you out if you're into scary stuff. I've got some vintage horror that was written back on earth, even. Ever hear of Stephen King, kid?"

Not able to recall the last time he had picked up a piece of literature, Dominic regretted ever opening his mouth. "No, I…I can't say that I have…I-" the lieutenant mumbled, scolding himself for opening his big mouth. He was saved from having to finish his completely awkward answer when a man in a T-shirt and shorts entered the room.

"Hey, Stoner, I'm relieving you." Hap told the editor of the Gekkostate's magazine. "Great, I need to run by the shop and pick up some more smokes." Stoner stated, never looking away from his laptop. "We're out of 'em," Hap stated simply. Stoner's head instantly snapped away from the computer, causing his red hat to fall to the floor. There was a slightly wild look in the man's eyes as he spoke "You've gotta be kidding me!" he said. Seeing the violent reaction, Hap couldn't keep himself from laughing any longer, although he had planned to continue the prank by adding that there weren't any cigarettes allowed at Tresor, where they were headed. "Good call, I am actually kidding…" Dominic found it hard to suppress his amusement after seeing the apparently calm man act in such a way. "Come on kid, you're coming with me." Hap said, turning to leave Stoner's quarters. Dominic complied, although not particularly enjoying being repeatedly referred to as "kid". As they vacated the room, Stoner picked up his beret, and placed it back onto his head. "Not cool, Hap. Not cool at all," he quipped. Hap turned to his fellow crew member and started chuckling right before the automatic door closed in his face.

Stoner turned back to his work, having figured out the closing sentences to the article. "The coralian, just as with any other natural phenomenon, should not be feared, but given the proper respect. The scub coral provides the trappar which in turn provides power for much of the technology we utilize today. If we were to lash out, and attack the coral, as the military intends to do, we would be biting the hand that feeds us." He finished typing the final paragraph, and smiled. "Yeah, that has a nice ring to it." Now satisfied with the article, he quickly proofread it, and printed it out. After stapling the pages together, and putting the completed document into a folder with other yet-to-be-published RayOut articles and the pictures that would adorn the magazine's pages, Stoner headed to the Gekko's small shop.


Dominic was nothing short of shocked when the man named Hap handed him a broom and dustpan. "You…you want me to clean?" he questioned. "Yeah, that emergency launch into space we took made a big mess around the ship. There was no time to secure movable objects, so I figured you could at least make yourself useful while you're here, and pick up all the stuff that was thrown around," Hap said while grabbing a magazine on the floor before him, and beginning to read it. "But, how am I supposed to know where all of the stuff goes?" Dominic asked. "To tell you the truth, the ship's never been very tidy or organized anyway, but you can just move any items which fell on the floor out of the way, and pick up trash and sweep as you go. I figure you can clean up this lounge first, then the storage rooms, and move on to the rest of the ship after that. Sound good to you?"

"W-wait…I'm supposed to clean up the entire Gekko all by myself?!" Dominic Sorrel asked, sounding quite surprised. "Well, Moondoggie and Matthieu might be in to help later," Hap said sarcastically, "but I'm sure you'll be fine for now. Matthieu is still whining over some of his records that got destroyed in all the commotion, and Moondoggie is probably wherever Gidget is…but there's always the small chance that they'll feel charitable. I'm sure you'll be fine by yourself for now, though" Hap said, becoming more interested in the Ponte Press mag he had discovered. Dominic sighed, and began collecting fallen objects and placing them in areas that he guessed to be "out of the way", sweeping up as he went along.


Although he felt extremely fatigued, Renton's efforts to remove himself from the waking world were not as successful as he had hoped they would be. After about an hour of tossing and turning around in the small sleeping bag in his room, he finally decided to go ask Mischa for some sleeping pills. He reached the sick bay only to find the red-haired doctor analyzing a substance that resembled blood under a rusted white microscope. She kindly told the teen that she was busy, and asked if his reason for visiting her was urgent. Renton decided against asking for medication, and apologized for the interruption. As he turned to leave, he noticed that the curtain separating the examination table from the rest of the room had been pulled shut, concealing a patient. After craning his neck from where he stood, Renton noticed the hair color of the one behind the screen. This left no doubt that the girl was Anemone, the pilot of the black Nirvash. He considered asking what was wrong with the mysterious girl, but decided against it in favor of not interrupting Mischa.

Now convinced that his efforts to get to sleep were futile, Renton decided to rejoin his grandfather in the Gekko's hangar. When he opened the door, he saw the man standing in front of the 808, wiping his sweat-drenched brow with a sodden cloth. "You already fixed it?!" Renton inquired with all the excitement he could muster. Axel turned around, about to yell at whomever had interrupted him, if only to maintain his appearance as a grumpy old man. When he saw the speaker, however, he gained a slightly stern look. "You're supposed to be resting, Renton," he pointed out. "I couldn't get to sleep" Renton told him as he began to descend the metal staircase to the hangar floor. "Ah, you can't sleep because you're eager to hear some news from your beloved hometown, huh?" Axel inquired sarcastically. "No, I…I thought I might help you out, if that's alright."

"Well, the fact that you're here means you've already made up your mind, so it'll be difficult to deter you. It'll work out well, though, I needed a competent test pilot for the 909," Axel told him. Renton's face gained a look of slight disappointment, since this had been his main job back at the Thurston garage in Bellforest. Axel caught on to this, and finished his explanation. "Of course, I just need to see the problem with the LFO's movement that Holland reported. Once that's out of the way, I'm going to need your help to actually repair it," This explanation lifted Renton's spirits, and he quickly climbed up into the cockpit of the maroon-colored Terminus unit.

With the canopy open, Renton powered on the gigantic, human-shaped machine, stood it to its feet; and waited for further instructions. "Move it around the hangar slowly, see how the joints react!" Axel yelled to his grandson, who was now around 14 meters above him. Renton answered with a simple "alright", and moved the 909 forward. He immediately noticed a lag in response time, but continued his advance. When he attempted to move the right leg ahead for the fifth time, however, the LFO stopped, and began to topple over. Renton, thinking quickly, threw the 909's hands out, and was able to stop the fall before it squished Axel. He rolled the Terminus over on its side, and ran to his grandfather. "You alright, gramps?" he asked with concern. "No need to worry, I'm fine," Axel told the worried boy.

"So, what was your impression of it?" Axel asked his grandson. "The controls seemed to function properly, but it seemed to have a delayed reaction. Also, something seems to have snagged in the right leg." Axel nodded and spoke, taking an opportunity to test his grandson's mechanical knowledge "What do you think is causing the response time lag, Renton?" He thought it over for a bit, and then answered. "Damaged wiring," was his diagnosis of the problem. "That's what I thought, as well," They both nodded simultaneously, and began to grab the tools they would need. While Renton acquired new wiring and soldering equipment from the hangar's storage compartments, Axel grabbed tools such as screwdrivers and wrenches, which they would need to get access to the LFO's internal wiring. An air of professionalism settled on both Thurstons as they began to repair Holland's 909.


After picking up the shards of another broken plate, which had shattered on the floor of the Gekko's galley, Dominic paused to rub his aching back. The two people Hap said "might help" never showed up, so he had been moving from room to room on the seemingly gargantuan ship, cleaning up what felt like an endless supply of garbage. Just after he lifted a somehow-unbroken coffee mug from the floor, Dominic was hit right on the bandage covering his nose with a fast-moving, round, red object, which, after hitting him, soaked him in a blanket of water. He heard loud chuckling, and looked up to find the water-balloon-throwing assailants. He had at first thought that the man named Hap had thrown the water-filled projectile, but then noticed that three small children were standing in the doorway. Their long spree of laughter was ended quickly, however, when a deafening peal of thunder rang out.

The young, startled children were taken completely by surprise, and the younger two began crying in fear. All three of them ran from the room as fast as their feet would carry them, and soon cries of "mama!" were heard. The fact that kids were wrapped up in an anti-government group had of course surprised Dominic, and he was curious to see what kind of mother would permit such a thing.

Dominic moved quickly toward the room's exit, and his sudden movement caused the one guarding him to stand up in surprise. Hap moved to intercept the younger man, thinking he was looking for revenge on the children. When Sorrel halted his advance at the doorway, though, Hap calmed down and went back to reading.

When he looked around the corner, Dominic saw a teal-haired girl facing away from him hugging and comforting the terrified children. The "mother" of the children was none other than Eureka. The difference in race between all of the three children and Eureka was an obvious indicator that they were adopted. The little family soon moved away, and, having had his inquisitiveness eased, Dominic was about to go back to his cleaning duties, but a red-headed woman in a white coat approached him, and told him to follow her. Hap attempted to explain the situation to Mischa, but she told him "I need to speak with him for a minute or two." Now apparently relieved of his watch duty, Hap once again went back to reading the magazine.

Meanwhile, Dominic followed Mischa to the room where Anemone was resting. When he reached the medical room, he noticed that she was lying on a bed, obscured by a large curtain. The sounds that Anemone was making already had Dominic worried even before he drew the fabric back. When he saw the girl, he instantly ascertained that she was in pain. Although she was still asleep, Anemone's breathing was very raspy and deep, as if she had come to the surface of water, and was gasping for air after almost drowning. He gently wiped a few beads of sweat from her forehead, and unintentionally awoke the slumbering teen.

The moment her eyes snapped open, Anemone became aware that she was in excruciating pain. Her hands immediately shot up to grasp her head, which was the main source of discomfort. Peering between her fingers, she was able to identify a blurry image of Dominic standing beside her. "What are you waiting for?! Do something about this, Dominic!" she screamed at the boy. Dominic reached into his pocket in an attempt to locate the satchel he always carried around, which contained an emergency supply of Anemone's medication, as well as a syringe for injecting it. He was absolutely horrified when he failed to find it. The young soldier slowly backed away from the ailing girl, who was watching him expectantly, waiting for relief from her pain.

Dominic's retreat was doing nothing to calm Anemone's fiery temper, and it took all of her willpower to refrain from pummeling him. Finally, Dominic was able to make eye-contact, and spoke in a near whisper. "In-in the confusion…I must have lost the medicine somehow…" The pain and anger became too much, and Anemone rose and lunged towards Dominic, ready to throw a punch. Fortunately for him, the girl's fatigue outweighed her irritation, and she collapsed before reaching him. The surprised lieutenant was able to catch her before she hit the ground, and slowly lifted her back onto the hospital bed. Confusion now filled young Dominic's mind. "Didn't she say she loved me? No, I guess she never really said that…but…was she really planning on hurting me? Was Anemone just using me for comfort after she was rejected by the colonel?"

"What's wrong with her?" Mischa asked relatively calmly, already pretty sure what his answer would be. Startled by the interruption, Sorrel quickly turned around to face the doctor. "Anemone…she needs a certain medication in order to control some harmful personality traits, but I seem to have lost the supply of it I always keep with me. Sighing, Mischa reached into the pocket of her lab coat, and pulled out a small vial filled with a thick red liquid, "would it happen to look anything like this?"

"Why did you take that?! It's very important that I-" Dominic began. "I've simply run some tests on it. Do you know what this stuff does; I mean the actual effects it has on a person, especially at such a high dosage?" "Well, it enhances her ability to pilot theEND, and controls her unpredictable mood swings to a certain degree…" said Dominic, with a certain fearful quality underlying his tone. "Both a stimulant and an inhibitor, but do you know the third, and most curious property?" Without giving the soldier a chance to respond, Mischa continued. "The addition of certain strands of scub DNA and protein to the solution settles Anemone's value as a coralian within a set range. In other words, this girl can't be classified as a human or a coralian."

After it became obvious that Dominic couldn't even begin to grasp what she had just said, Mischa began to explain in further detail. "This girl, how are the coralian characteristics you see in her different from those present in Eureka?" Mischa questioned. "I…I don't know," was all the uneasy youth could find to say. "Her eyes," the doctor began, "the red ring in her eyes does not trace a circle around the pupil, but cuts straight through it. The despicable scoundrels who would like to think they are scientists, the ones who genetically modified a young girl to such an extent, treated her with this drug. As long as any of it remains in her system, even in trace amounts, her 'identity' will never fully manifest. Of course, the medication also keeps her in a state that is much more open to commands; she's easy to control for those whom she has been conditioned to trust." Dominic, struggling to wrap his mind around the information he was being given, began to notice a change in the woman's voice and demeanor. The doctor's seemingly calm exterior was giving way to an angered yet concerned tone.

"Do you have any idea what you've been doing to her by injecting her with this? The extreme boost of the cells' metabolic processes is key to increasing her ability as a pilot, and yet…and yet it is also killing her! The over-exertion of the cells causes their premature death, and will bring about hers as well!"

He had known. Dominic had always known that it was no good, that the medication was harming Anemone. And yet, deceived by Dewey into believing that Anemone and theEND were to bring about the salvation of the world, he had injected it anyway. Adopting the philosophy that "the end justifies the means", he had knowingly harmed the one who was most dear to him. Tears welling up in his eyes, Dominic barely managed to speak. "How long…does she have?" he croaked, his voice leaving him.

"That's all relative to your actions, both in the past and the future" Mischa said, comfortingly. "How long have you been administering the medication at this dosage?" Memory failed the boy, and he could only repeat his prior question in a faltering voice. "How long does she have?" Noticing that Sorrel was on the verge of an emotional breakdown, Mischa moved closer, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Good news, or bad news first?" she asked. Dominic mouthed "bad", unable to bring himself to speak any longer. "At the current rate, Anemone will be dead within ten years, but, if she were to no longer take the medication, her time could be increased by anywhere from twenty to fifty years, maybe even longer, with a little luck"

After taking a few moments to process what he had been told, and calm down, Dominic asked yet another question of the red-haired doctor. "What'll happen to her if she stops taking it?" he inquired. "The emotional and physical ramifications will be in many ways similar to what is experienced by those in rehabilitation from the use of any addictive drug, though to a much higher level. Extreme sickness will no doubt be a part of it, not to mention the fact that she might hate you for putting her through such an ordeal. On the other hand, it's hard to tell what will happen to her human identity. Since she's an artificially made coralian, I'm not sure if she'll finally settle out as a human, or as a coralian, but I'm sure it will be one or the other. There's no telling what will happen to her personality or memories, since both of those are most likely greatly influenced by the drug. It's up to you. To make the hard choice of endangering a relationship to prolong a life or to let that life wither away in order to make a girl 'love' you, if you can even call the responses she gives while influenced by this medication love. That choice is up to you alone."


Holland wondered if it would be worth trekking to the bed in his quarters when his chair in the Gekko's bridge was so comfortable. A torrential downpour had begun moments ago, and every few seconds, a streak of radiant light would rip through the sky, bringing with it a loud roar of thunder. The gargantuan raindrops falling from the clouds were creating a noisy, yet calming rhythm against the metal hull of the ship. Holland suddenly heard footsteps on the metal catwalk above the bridge, and turned to see the Gekko's scantily-clad pilot, Talho Yuki, walking down the stairs.

Talho made her way to the pilot's chair, and leaned over the control panel to ensure that the ship was still on course, or, at least, this was the excuse she used to get close to Holland. Talho had decided, decided to take action, even if it would drive her and Holland further apart. She knew full well that the entire world was in danger, and she was sure that Holland did too, but he seemed only to sit around complacently. Now that Dewey was on the move, everyone's time was running out. She had made up her mind, and decided to confront Holland.

"It won't be long. Your brother will attack us with all he's got, and we won't be able to…" Talho began. Holland slowly raised his head to meet her eyes, and sighed. "I know…I know" he muttered, making no indication that he would converse with her further. Just when the Gekko's pilot gave up all hope and began to walk away, she heard the leader's voice once again. "You were right all along…I've been running away all this time. I'm really nothing more than a coward and a fool." Taken aback by Holland's unexpected response, Talho was unable to say anything at all. "I've been running…and I've just made things worse than the way they were before. Back then…back when we were all together...me, Dewey, Hap, Charles, and the others…I honestly thought that that way of life would last forever…but I was wrong. I had to take some sort of action after I spoke with Norb…I thought I was doing the world a favor, but really I was just being selfish. Why would Norb have asked me to seek out Eureka's partner if I was the one she'd choose? No, it's that kid; he's the one I was supposed to find. I've known ever since Bellforest, since Eureka told me the Seven Swell came from Renton's strength, but I…"

Trying to find some words to comfort the man she loved, Talho began by trying to deny what he had said. "No, you're not a coward, you-" "I am, Talho. All that I've done is hurt others, and put their lives in danger! I've hurt you the most…I really lost sight of what truly mattered." Holland interrupted. She could see the beginnings of tears forming in the man's eyes, the one who always maintained an air of calm and control. It made her think, think about what it must be like to be him. Even Talho, who prided herself in knowing Holland more than anyone else, really hadn't even begun to consider his plight. To understand the heart and mind of the introverted SOF commander and famous ref boarder who had rescued her from her dead-end life in the military was difficult even for her, but she determined that she would at least try. "Holland must feel so lonely. That's right…alone. Even among all of his friends here, there's no one who can really share his pain, or even understand it. He's the only one who knows what it's like to carry such a burden."

"You're not alone Holland! I know you must feel that way, but you're not!" Talho said, beginning to cry herself. She could no longer resist the urge to embrace the pathetic looking man, and did so. "You're not a coward, either. You've carried the weight of the entire world on your shoulders for all this time, and I'm certain that you're the only one with that kind of strength" she spoke in a soothing voice. "I…I feel alone? I guess…I do…" Holland mused to himself. After a short period of silence, Novak spoke once again. "I've decided. I'm going to stop running. From now on…I'll protect those two with all I've got, and not only that…but I'll protect the crew as well. I said before that I'd lost sight of what was really important…and that, Talho, is you. I'm so sorry that I've made you feel inferior to Eureka. I…I love you…and I want to thank you for showing me what to do."

The storm raged on around them, and they couldn't be happier. Holland and Talho were just happy to be together. No other words were spoken between the two that night; they just watched the glorious show going on around them with awe-filled eyes, thankful that they had finally resolved the problem that had kept them apart.


It had been the hardest part of his life up to this point. Compared to explaining to the suffering girl why he wasn't going to alleviate her pain, the military academy and even the loss of his family seemed insignificant. Soon after, Anemone had fallen into a restless slumber, and Dominic, after sitting at her bedside for some time, finally left. Meandering aimlessly down the sprawling corridors which he slightly recognized from his travels while cleaning the ship, he eventually reached a large metal door, which stood out from the normal automatic sliding doors of the Gekko. The door was slightly ajar, and Dominic could faintly hear voices as he approached the entryway. He slowly, and as indiscreetly as possible, peered around the corner of the door and saw Renton Thurston, along with an older man. Without really knowing the reason why, Dominic ducked back behind the metal door, and listened to the conversation going on between the two.

The first recognizable words came from Renton. "Wow, who would have thought that the belt that snagged had to be the one back behind the knee joint." A large metal clang was heard, which Dominic assumed to be the closing of the right leg's access panel. A rough voice eventually answered back, "Yeah, it was a real pain removing all the parts and putting them back in afterwards, but we made good time, not much over an hour."

"So, Renton, what new skills have you learned aboard this ship since you left to begin your training as a mechanic?" Axel asked in a somewhat serious tone. "Well, you see, I…" Renton said, trying to think of something to satisfy his grandfather. "Hmph, I knew it! You've spent all your time chasing that girl around and no time learning," said Axel, in a tone full of false disappointment. "W-wait, I-" the flustered teen began to yell. "Have you told her that you're madly in love with her yet?" the old man said in between laughter. Dominic was certain the boy had a deep red blush on his face, just by the embarrassed way in which he was speaking. "Hey, keep it down! She'll hear you and think that…" Renton pleaded in a whisper. "Well, I guess I'll have to tell her for you if you're that scared, Renton." Axel said, heading toward the exit of the hangar. He began calling, "Eureka! Hey, Miss Eureka! Renton's got something important to tell you!" The man's grandson watched in horror for a moment, and then cried out for Axel to stop. By this time, Dominic was laughing quite loudly at the joke the old man was playing on his family member, all the while he was wishing that he could have played around in the same way with members of his own family.

Because of his laughter, Dominic failed to hear the approaching footsteps. When he finally did look up, he beheld Eureka staring at him with apprehension apparent in her demeanor. He tried to spit out an explanation, but was suddenly grabbed by the collar by the girl, who thought him a military intruder. When Dominic struggled, attempting to explain himself, Eureka shoved him (because of the fact she thought he was a spy) through the hangar door, and over the railing. Dominic yelled in disbelief as he plummeted down to the ground, and landed on his aching back. This ruckus immediately garnered both Renton and Axel's attention. Eureka made her way down the staircase quickly, and was about to incapacitate the intruder when Renton yelled to her. "Eureka, wait!"

Renton explained that Dominic had saved his life earlier that day, and Eureka promptly apologized. Dominic, of course, understood why she thought him a spy, especially because he had indeed been eavesdropping, crouched behind a door. He held no grudge, and actually apologized to her, knowing that it was only natural to react in such a way when once encounters suspicious, unexpected acquaintances.

"My name is Dominic Sorrel" the lieutenant said kindly. "Oh, well I'm Eureka. It's nice to meet you" the mysterious girl responded in an equally friendly tone. "Hello there, Dominic. I'm Axel Thurston, Renton's grandfather. I'd like to thank you for saving him today." Axel said after the two young teens had been introduced. "It was the least I could do, he saved my life too after all…wait, did you say Axel Thurston?!" "Yep, that's him alright." Renton said, overjoyed that Dominic knew of Axel, even though he couldn't say he was surprised, seeing that Dominic had known Renton's name back at the coralian. "I've heard quite a lot about your skills, sir! I'd always had it in my head to visit your garage in Bellforest whenever I got a rest leave from the military, but work really piled up." Dominic said. "Really, and what is it that you would bring there for me to fix up?" Axel inquired. "Oh, well I had a bike stolen awhile back, and it was just returned to me by the police, but in bad condition" said Dominic. Renton remembered the theft of Dominic's bike, and chuckled a bit. "Well, I'd be happy to do what I can to repair it any time. Right now, however, Renton and I need to find a way to fix the R606."

Not really knowing much at all about repairing an LFO, but tempted to work with the legendary mechanic, Dominic made his move. "I…I'm not really any good with complicated stuff like that, but I'd be happy to help out with heavy lifting or any task you can find for me, if you don't mind…" he muttered. "Sure, that would be great." Axel said, happy to have another worker.

Renton suddenly felt very bad, having completely ignored the fact that Eureka was still there. The girl didn't seem to mind; she just watched the three of them intently. "Hey, Eureka…" Renton said, noticing that she was grasping her side. He cringed, remembering that he had given her the rib injury, having thrown her out of the Nirvash. "Maybe…you should get some sleep" he advised. "Yes, sleep would probably be best…" she agreed. She felt the urge to hug Renton again, just as he had done when she was on the hospital bed. That strange act of closeness had taken the small but nagging pain away, if only for a moment. Her resolve drained, however, when Renton made no move to approach her.

"Well, it was great to see you again, Mr. Axel. Sorry for throwing you off the balcony, Dominic" Eureka said as she headed off to bed. The three bid her goodnight, but it was not until after she had left that they realized just how comical the calm way in which she had apologized for almost killing someone was. A loud roar of laughter echoed from the hangar as the three began their work on the 606.


Large green panels on the belly of the Gekko swung open with a deep mettalic groan, and the landing gear snapped into place. There was a sudden jolt when the worn, rubber wheels met the paved runway at Tresor with a screech. The SL-1200 Mk-II gradually lost speed before coming to a gentle stop near one of the gigantic repair garages of the laboratory complex. Holland, along with Matthieu and Hap, slowly walked down the open catapult hatch toward the ground below. Upon reaching the runway, Holland, with a thoughtful look on his face, briefly turned to look at the large scrapes on the end of the hatch, caused by the impact with the Nirvash.

The squall that had occurred the night before had vanished that morning, it was twilight now; the darkness of the early morning hours. It was not long until the one whom they were to meet arrived. Three Tresor staff members, following the lab chief, Morita, approached. Neither Holland nor Morita tended to make things last an eternity with meaningless banter, so the conversation was precise in content. "Why are you here?" the stony eyed scientist asked Holland. "The Nirvash is badly damaged, and the scientists at these labs are the only ones with the capability to fix it," Holland said calmly. "You're a thief and a deserter. What made you think we would have any interest in helping you out?"

"The fact that I told him you would!" a serious yet exhausted voice rang out. The unexpected statement was made by none other than old Axel Thurston, who had worked through the night on repairing the Gekko's LFOs. He strolled at a brisk pace down the ramp extending from the Gekko, and came to a stop beside Holland. For a moment or two, Morita eyed his ex-co-worker with disbelief. "Not only are you back here, but with him of all people…that's enough to convince me that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity" he told Axel. After chattering on his radio for a moment and commanding that the garage should be opened for the Gekko to enter, Morita nodded to Holland. "Alright, let me have a look at the Type: ZERO."


Jurgens was a military man at heart, fulfilling orders to the best of his ability, and using the immense tactical knowledge that his years of experience brought with them when he was given the opportunity to act on his own. The new orders that had just been delivered, though, made him unexplainably ill at ease. Transporting a secretive and elite squad and their small landing craft to a military research facility commissioned by the UF, for some reason, did not sit right with the captain. Loyalty, his most admirable trait would, in any case, obligate him to fulfill the assignment without question.


A behemoth orange and black military flagship was soaring at a brisk pace in the skies above Gearnus city. Normally, the sub-par trappar levels in the area would be inadequate for supporting a ship with the shear magnitude of the Ginga. Recent improvements to the widely-used VRF trappar engines, however, allowed for a much more efficient use of the invisible substance. Dewey, after reluctantly setting down the copy of Frazer's The Golden Bough which he had been reading, opened communications with a certain ship. "I've got a proposal for you, one I'm sure you'll be quite interested in…"

END CHAPTER 7 PART A


Once again, I'm so sorry that I took so long with this. Even though my computer did crash, that was no excuse for it to take this long. I hope this wasn't too boring, as I did my best to bring some character development in the "calm before the storm". Thanks to Transientkarma for taking the time to review, you're the best!

Thanks for reading!

-theEND