Authors
Notes: Sorry about the length of time between this chapter and Captured.
I had a few projects to finish up for my college classes and work got in the
way as well. In addition since the halfway through Torn between Love and
Honor everything has been written as I released. The first chapters leading
up to that had been written about three years ago. I decided to finish the
story a few weeks ago and let the public read it. Hope you are enjoying it.
Chapter 13
Tears of a Cry Lost in the
Darkness
The flight through the gate was
much more difficult this time. Robo knew when he programmed the Blackbird that
it could not take the sheers that were within the time vortex. When the group went
through the vortex, they couldn't feel the sheers because they were no long in
sync with time. The Epoch didn't have any trouble passing through them because
it was designed for them. The Blackbird however was constructed to rain
destruction from the heavens of Zeal. The hull just wasn't strong enough to
face the force of the gravity sheers.
"Rough ride, what's going on
Robo?" Crono asked trying to keep himself in one place.
"The bucket isn't built to take
the stress of intertemporal travel. I can only hope that my calculations are
correct, otherwise…" He stopped before he finished.
"Otherwise what?" Marle asked.
"Otherwise, we become preverbal
stew. These graviton sheers will rip us open like a sardine can and we will fly
off into nothingness." Robo said looking over his calculations.
"What?!" Marle said practically
strangling him.
"Though Lucca knew more of this
then I, I shall try to explain. Gravity is the force the keeps us on the
ground…"
"I UNDERSTAND THAT!" Marle
screamed reminding Robo that she had changed.
"Yes, sorry. Anyway, these gates
are nothing more then gravity in its most compact form. What we are traveling
through are high-energy gravity wells that connect two points in the time-space
continuum. That said, the force of gravity is much stronger in here then it
outside. Therefore; something that either isn't out of sync with time, such as
we are or isn't constructed to take that kind of gravity is blown apart quite
easily. I have calculated our trajectory across the area of the least gravity…
I just hope the ship will hold."
"Why did we have to take the
Blackbird, and why from a different world?" Crono asked as ship began to creak.
"Because the Blackbird was the
only remaining ship with the capabilities to even attempt this. The different
world was because it had been destroyed in ours." Robo concluded, as the creaks
got much worse.
"Alert, hull stress critical."
The display flashed as they could hear the ship breaking apart.
"No good shall come of this."
Robo said looking over the many controls of the ship.
"What exactly can we do?" Crono
asked coming up beside him.
"For starters… pray that we
survive long enough to reach the other end of this time warp." Robo said as he altered
some of his calculations. The three of them looked on, as the end of the warp
seemed to be miles away. As Robo enter a few last recalculations in, the ship
shook violently.
"What was that?" Marle asked
taking hold of Crono.
"Nothing much, just the ship
being torn apart. We have about forty-five seconds until the entire ship gets
ripped away." Robo said as he looked over his work.
"How can you be so CALM!?" Marle
screamed.
"Because, there is the other end
of the gate." Robo said as the air flashed in front of them. They emerged into
a blue sky that was much different from the sky they remembered from journeys
past.
"Well I have some good news and
some bad news." Robo said breaking through Crono and Marle's astonishment at
the sky.
"That being?" Crono asked.
"Well the good news is that we
made it through the time vortex. The bad news is… I can't keep the ship in the
air." Robo said as he frantically adjusted the controls in an attempt to keep
them from falling. They all looked on in horror as the ground edged closer to
them with each passing second.
"Hold on, this is going to be
one bumpy landing." Robo said as he strapped himself in. Crono and Marle did
the same as the ship came in contact with the ground, hard. The jolt nearly
knocked all of them out of their seats. However, they were just at the beginning of their slide as the ship
continued to come apart. The left wing flew off causing the entire ship to go
into a roll that ripped off the right wing. Soon the ship was spinning towards
the ocean in front.
"Anyone for a swim?" Crono
screamed as he took Marle's hand. Robo was doing just about everything he could
in attempt to halt their advance towards the sheer cliffs. However, the
constant rolling of the command pit wasn't helping his balancing systems much.
As shook his head clear and was finally able to get the inertial reducing jets
to fire. The ship came to a screeching halt just as they reached the edge of
the cliffs.
"Water has never been very good
for me, I prefer a hot oil bath myself." Robo said with a chuckle. Crono and
Marle just shook their heads as they released themselves from the restraints of
the ship. They all exited the ship and Marle and Crono were delighted with a
scene that they had not had the chance to witness before.
"So the future did change, by
stopping Lavos we put right what he put wrong." Marle said gleefully.
"Not exactly. You see when I
returned; humans weren't just being ground up like the mother had done to them.
No, Gato was more sinister. He had enslaved them to build all of his robot
minions and then had them all hunted down like wild animals when he enough
robots to build more themselves. He erased my memory and personality protocols
as well as the emotions that Lucca had initially showed me and made me into
that unfeeling thing that Crono first came across. Until that moment, I was one
of Gato most efficient killers. I despised humans more then he. Had Crono not
come along when he did…" Robo said dropping to his knees.
"That wasn't you, that was what
Gato had programmed into you." Crono said coming beside him.
"Yeah, it's just like what
Tempest had me do to those people in the other world. You cannot blame yourself
for actions that you could not control." Marle said looking to Crono for approval.
Crono nodded accepting that she had acknowledged what he had told her.
"It isn't that simple. I did
what I did knowingly… I knew what I was doing. I knew the lives I was tearing
apart, I knew the families I was destroying; you don't have to live with what
you did… I do. Everyday of this journey, I am haunted by the faces, the last
words of the people I slaughtered for nothing more then orders!" Robo screamed
as he moved closer to the cliff.
"Whoa there bubby, that cliff
ain't gonna solve anything." Crono said trying to change his course. Robo just
looked over the cliff and saw the waves crashing below him. He wondered what he
was going to do. He knew that wasn't the path that he had to take, but he
wondered when the time came to do what needed to be done. He thought long and
hard and then realized that he was left alive for this one, superior purpose.
He stood and walked back from the cliff and looked at the sun above him. He
knew what it was like to be under the sun for hours at time, working on Fiona's
forest had shone him that. Then that thought struck him, what he had done for
her and for humanity itself. He looked out over the cliffs but was to far away
to see the main continent. He knew though, he knew that that forest still
existed to this day. It was under his personal protection and he would not let
it be cleared.
"You're right, I have a much
more important mission to attend to. I will restore life to this future just as
I did with all of you before. We do not have that much time. We will stay here
until nightfall, then we will attempt to cross the bridge for the main
continent. From there, we will head to Lab 1 and face our destiny… in whatever
form it decides to take." Robo said as he looked at the sun. Crono meanwhile
walked over to Marle who was staring at the remains of the Blackbird.
"Penny for your thoughts." Crono
said standing beside her. She didn't answer; she just kept looking at the
Blackbird. Crono noticed that she was looking at a particular section of the
fuselage. He noticed there was a small opening there with a ladder that led
into the ship.
"What is up with that area?" He
asked, still receiving no answer.
"Marle?" He asked quietly. She
turned and fell into his arms with tears in her eyes.
"Marle, what's wrong?" He asked
holding her.
"That's… that's where Dalton
held us after we were captured. Without you, I thought we would surely spend
the rest of our lives there. I couldn't let Ayla or Lucca see what I was
feeling. Lucca was going through her own emotional summersaults and Ayla would
have called me weak and wouldn't have listened to anything I said." Marle
stopped as the pain in her heart was becoming unbearable.
"It's over now. We are together
and that is all that matters. If you need to cry then I am right here and
always will be to catch your tears when they fall. You took command and held
you emotions in when that was necessary, now there is nothing stopping you from
feeling what you felt then. My shoulder will always be here for you to cry on.
I will be here to dry those tears until the end of time, I swore to that before
and I reaffirm my pledge now." He said as he looked into her eyes through her
crystal colored tears. The way the sunlight hit her eyes made the green color
become all the more robust, it was still the most beautiful thing Crono had
ever seen. He brought her lips to his and came together in a kiss, confirming
what he said was true.
"Oh Crono… I missed you so much
then. I couldn't think of my life without you." Marle said as tears of joy
washed away the tears of sorrow.
"My life would not exist had it
not been for the effort you made. We are now one and I wouldn't have it any
other way." Crono said as he pulled her as close to him as she could be. Marle
could hear his heart beat through his armor, a sound that she knew quite well.
Through all of this Robo looked on and then looked towards the sky.
"Soon… soon we shall be together
again. I can feel it." He said as he looked at the now setting sun. Marle and Crono separated and then returned
to Blackbird. Marle had a look of sheer anger in her eyes as she addressed the
ship.
"You big hunk of tin, this is
all your fault!" She said as she kicked it. She smiled and then heard a small
rumbling. Crono heard it to as the sound got louder. He reacted just in time to
pull Marle away as the ground below her gave way and the remains of the ships
plummeted to the sea underneath.
"Gee, you and the Blackbird just
don't get along do you? I mean first you blast it and now you kick it off a cliff."
Crono said with a chuckle. Marle pulled herself away from him and then gave him
a sneer.
"Ha ha, very funny." She
retorted.
"Actually, if you think about…
it was." Robo said coming over to inspect what had happened.
"You stay out of this, who asked
you anyway?" Marle said as the smile returned to her face.
"Well, no one; but I thought I
could be of some help." Robo said with a chuckle of his own.
"Whatever." Marle said joining
in the laughing. She looked back at Crono and saw him looking up into the sky.
"What are you thinking?" Marle
asked.
"The last time we were here
together like this, clouds blotted out the sun and there was nothing in the way
of grass or plants. Now looked at it… it's fertile again, just like home."
Crono said looking over at her.
"Yeah, a lot has changed since
we acted to change time." Marle said walking over to him.
"But… look at we have created.
This is a world where humans were hunted and destroy by robots. Did we change
things for the better or for the worse?" Crono said looking down at the ground.
"Crono… don't start doubting our
actions now. We did what we had to do to save the world before and we are here
to do it again. I want a world were our daughter doesn't have to put up with
this darkness and the only way I can do it is with you. You have been telling
me that we are one and that we must do this to save our friends. Please, keep
that flame of hope alive within you… because we all need it." Marle said as she
turned him around. They embraced and Crono knew she spoke the truth. Robo
looked out and saw the sun had slipped beyond the horizon. He knew it was time
to go and he also knew it was time to face the fate that was decided for him
long ago.
"We haven't that much time, we
must hurry to cross the bridge that leads to the Zenan Continent. If we are
caught out here when daylight rises again…" Robo said as he began to move.
"What?"
Crono asked.
"We will be vaporized. Every
morning at dawn, a neutron dispersal field is laid across the world. Anyone
with organic material in their body is painfully vaporized… Gato's way of
cleansing his planet of 'organic filth'." Robo said as Crono and Marle followed
closely behind him.
"Well, that's the last thing we
want. We don't want you do this alone." Marle said.
"Alas, the field would scramble
my systems as well. I would be as dead as you. It was Gato's way of keeping his
troops in line."
"Then we better keep moving. Our
first target is Gato, then we shall find the path to forever." Crono said as he
joined Robo. They walked across a bridge that seemed to stretch for miles.
Crono and Marle had seen technology both from Lucca and from their journeys
here before, but nothing like this. The Zenan Bridge was about a mile long and
it was incredible feet of engineering that took years to complete when it was
completed in 537 A.D. It was rebuilt in
600 after Magus's forces destroyed it. It went much quicker then because it was
the only way to protect the southern part of the confederation from his
attacks. However, those architects would die again if they saw this. The bridge
was constructed of a strange black smooth stone and had yellow and white lines
going across it. The structure itself was constructed of metal, much stronger
then that of 1000 A.D. Robo chuckled to himself at the look of awe on both of
their faces as they crossed the bridge. However, that feeling of lightness
quickly turned to alertness when he detected what he had been waiting to detect
since they had started their journey.
"We've got company. Aerial
drones, about ten of them… nothing we can't handle." Robo said as he armed
himself. Robo said as ten silhouettes appeared on the horizon. Robo was ready
and started firing as soon as they got into range. He took out about three
before Marle joined his assault and blasted one for herself. This continued all
ten had been dispatched, Marle cheered but Robo was less then happy.
"Don't get too excited,
apparently that wasn't all that Gato had waiting for us." He said as twenty
more of them appeared on the horizon. Crono just stood in the background
watching. His weapon was not suited for the battle at hand and he knew that he
would just get in Marle and Robo's collective way by attempting to fight. He
looked around and saw what was coming at them.
"I caused this. I had convinced
myself that it was all right because I had at least defeated Lavos, but look at
what else I have wrought." He said doubting himself. He looked up just in time
to see that one of the drones had snuck around them and was about to attack
Marle. He jumped to action and slashed at but it a strange shield that
prevented his hits from having any effect. However, he had done his job; he
drew the thing off of Marle… only now it was trained on him. He dodged its
attacks but knew he couldn't keep it up. He was nearly gunned down when another
blast hit the drone destroying it utterly.
"Better be careful there… I
might not be here next time to save your skin." A cool, laidback voice stated
from behind. When all was said and done the three of them turned around to see
a very familiar face.
"Johnny!" Marle said.
"You seem to have me at an
advantage there gorgeous, you know me but I don't have the pleasure of knowin'
you." He said as he stood before them.
"Ahh yes, now I remember. Johnny
was one of the few bots that survived being controlled by Gato. He fights and
protects the last remaining humans on the planet." Robo said stepping forward.
Both bots looked each other over, Johnny's arm quickly changed back into its
weapon form.
"Another one of Gato's slime."
Johnny said taking aim.
"Wait… wait, he fought with us
to destroy those other robots and is here to stop Gato." Marle said stepping
forward.
"Well then, I am always glad to
have an extra cat along." Johnny said
"No Marle… he is right. I am
just another piece of slime. In fact, I am the leader of that slime. I am the
bot once called Prometheus." Robo said disarming himself.
"Say what? You mean you are
Prometheus!" Johnny said taking a double take.
"I am afraid so." Robo said
quietly.
"Do you know the suffering you
have caused?! I was originally constructed to entertain humans, now look at me.
Because of you and your kind, my creators were force to make me into a weapon;
I don't even have the ability to race anymore. And now you stand before me… you
will pay for what you have done." Johnny said powering his weapon. Marle was
going to step forward but Crono grabbed her.
"This is something he has to
face." Crono said calmly.
"Fire… you would be perfectly
warranted in doing so. I have caused the deaths of countless millions. I forgot
who I was and killed every living thing I came across without concern, without
joy, without malice. I did it with indifference, I didn't CARE and therefore
must pay. So fire… end both of wretched existences." Robo said calmly.
"What are you talking about!?"
Johnny said as his gunarm twitched.
"Marle did not lie about my
reasons for being here. I am here to put a stop to Gato's madness. But I do
deserve to pay for my crimes. If must do so by your hands then so be it.
However, I am the only one who can get you past the neutron scattering field."
Robo continued.
"You know had to get through the
jaws of death?" Johnny said no wavering.
"Of course I do, I was Gato's right
hand. Allow me to live now and face Gato and I assure you that I will face
justice for what I have done. Remember, I am the only one that can put right
what I have made wrong. I don't ask you to trust and I doubt you ever will. But
know this; If I succeed, none of this will ever happen." Robo finished as
Johnny looked at him.
"You are the only one that can
get passed that horrid field. You live… for now. But if I even think for a
second that you are going to harm what's left of the humans…"
"If I hurt anyone… then I would
expect no less then death." Robo finished for him. Johnny looked at him for a
second with an angry scowl and then looked at Crono and Marle.
"I welcome you both of you to a
very bleak place. Though both of you seem to be very healthy; how have you
escaped the neutron radiation?" Johnny asked shoving Robo out of the way.
"Neutron radiation?" Marle
asked.
"Yes, one of the side effects of
the constant 'cleansing' Gato performs. It has saturated this world with
neutron particles. In small doses there is no effect. But with the large
amounts that are present, organic tissue starts to burn away. That was the
whole reason for it." Robo said coming beside them.
"Yes and you and your boss seem
to think it's a good way of exterminating what you call the filth!" Johnny said
not even looking at him.
"Look, Robo may have done a lot
to you before we found him; but he has changed. He has fought along side us and
with fight along side you if you give him the chance." Crono stated.
"Yes, and if I give him the
chance, he will turn me and every last human over to Gato for slaughter. I
won't now nor will I ever trust this trash, and you can bank on that!" Johnny
said turning from them.
"We don't have time to argue,
dawn is approaching and we must not be outside." Robo said interrupting the
argument about him that didn't involve him.
"To tell you the truth, if it
was just you… I wouldn't mind watching you fry. It is against my directives to
see humans harmed though. Quickly, follow me; I will lead you to a safe place
where you can chill." Johnny said as he changed into an armored and armed
motorcycle and sped off. Crono, Marle and Robo followed behind him as he cross
the bridge to the continent. They caught up to him at the entrance of a small
cavern. They followed him inside just as sunlight broke over the horizon. Marle
looked behind her to see that a forcefield had closed off the entrance of the
cavern. She caught up with the rest of the group as they headed further into
cavern. They finally reached a large inner chamber filled with cots and crates.
Marle looked around and what she saw almost made her sick. The people here were
worse then those that they had first met in future time. Those people were just
weak and small; these… could only be described as the stuff of nightmares. They
had large, purple and black lesions that covered their entire bodies. Though
they seemed to be going about normal business, she could tell that the lesions
were not the only problems. Even the children that were 'happily' playing,
hacked and coughed in between their giggles. These people were sick and she
went right to work to see if anything could be done. She cast auras, cures and
lifes; she even attempted to administer herbal remedies that she had learned
from the castle maids. She did everything she could for three nights straight
and nothing to seem to do more then just make the people more comfortable.
Crono in the mean looked around and saw everything as a mistake he had made.
"I tried to save the future and
in doing so I only pushed it further towards its own demise. God, was I stupid
to think that I could actually change; I am nothing more then a weakling."
Crono said beating himself. Marle overheard and knew she had to act for him.
She was exhausted, sure, but that was just a physical thing; Crono was dealing
with something much worse.
"You are not a weakling. You are
the man I love. We fought and defeated Lavos to save the future, we didn't know
that this was going to be the result; we couldn't of. You can't blame yourself
for the actions of destiny; however what you can do is attempt to fight it.
Which is exactly why we are here! You cannot doubt your actions just because of
one bad outcome, with everything we have experienced together; you would think
that you of all people could see that destiny's word can be rebutted! I brought
you back from the dead doing just that and we will do the same for these
people, even if it costs us our lives. It was you who showed me this and
I am not going to let you forget it. We are one, both of hearts must be strong;
for as long as they are nothing can beat us." Marle said hugging him. He looked
down at the woman he loved and nearly laugh at the role reversal. It was
usually he who was helping her, but he knew that she had the strength to make
that a two way street and she had been doing that for a while. He looked down
at her and kissed her, she had restored his faith in what he was doing with
mere words and knew she would always be there when he needed her, as he would
be there for her.
"You should go rest, I will see
what I can do for them." Crono said as he practically held her up.
"Right." She returned
breathlessly. He set her against the wall and walked into the cavern. He turned
back around and saw her looking at him with those emerald green eyes of hers
and knew just what to say.
"I would not be able to live
without you… thank you." He said as he turned away to check on the people.
Marle picked herself up and walked back to the cavern entrance where Johnny was
standing vigilant guard.
"It really looks beautiful if
you think about it… almost like a prism shell rainstorm." Marle said looking on
in awe at the light show outside of the cavern. Multicolored light filled the
sky and slowly fell to the ground like a spring rain.
"Yes, but beauty had it's price
and every rose has its thorns. If you were to step out into that 'prism rain
shower',' he turned to her, 'you would be vaporized in a blink of an eye. The
only thing left of you would be your armor, perfectly intact. Your hair, your
skin, your organs, everything… gone, painfully I might add." He said turning
back to the scene.
"Why aren't we being affected by
it now then?" Marle asked looking outside again.
"Static electric field stops the
effects of the neutrons." He answered tossing a nearby stone towards the cavern
doorway. When it reached the threshold of the cavern, ripples went out as if he
had throne a pebble in a puddle.
"So what is wrong with these
people?" Marle asking remembering the bruised and scared faces of those she had
been desperately trying to help for the better part of three days.
"Neutrino poisoning. It's what
happens after constant exposure to neutron radiation. I was never strong enough
to erect a field that would block the neutron field as a whole. Those it does
afford protection, it does allow small amounts of neutrino or charged neutron
particles through. Everybody can take small to moderate doses of the stuff
without being effected by it, however if you continually take those doses your
immunity starts breaking down and eventually you fall to it. What you have seen
is the tip of the iceberg, I haven't let you see the worst cases." He said
turning back to her.
She thought about his words… "How much worse could
it get?"
"Come with me." He said taking her away from the
entrance. He led her beyond the area where most of the people were gathered.
When she walked passed it she saw Crono playing a strange game that she had
seen the children playing, she smiled when she thought of all the times they
were going to share with their daughter. Her mind quickly focus and she was
shown the worse thing she had ever seen in her life besides Crono's death. She
looked around the room that Johnny had led her to in horror. She was in room
filled with beds, those beds filled with moaning people, screaming children and
destroyed bodies.
"This is advanced stage Neutrino Poisoning… this is
the end Gato has planned for all remaining humans and there is nothing I can do
about it." Johnny said hold the hand of what looked to be the remains of a
young girl. She was trying to cry but her tears had long since dried up. Her
body was covered with the lesions, but these were much more infected. It looked
like her body was falling apart and in fact, it was. Johnny bowed his as Marle
watched the girl struggle on her last breaths and die in his hands.
"Is there nothing…?" Marle asked tears forming.
"You've done everything that is possible… making
them comfortable. Death is inevitable for the human race… and for me. I have
failed them all." Johnny said solemnly.
"Maybe not. I told you I have a way to get us past
the Neutron Scattering field that surrounds Lab 1 and I think now is the time
we must use it. Marle and Crono posses a magical field around them that
prevents the effects of neutrino poisoning. I believe that after three days of
research, I have come up with a way to strength that field to protect all of us
from the effects of the scattering field. With this we can enter Lab 1 and put
a stop to Gato's madness once and for all. After which, we can get you and
Crono to forever to face off against Tempest. Defeat her there and you set
right what has been put wrong and none of this will ever have happened." Robo
said walking on them.
"Then what are we waiting for. We have a battle to
fight don't we?" Crono stated joining them.
"This is what we are fighting to prevent, let's put
our best into it." Marle said with determination brimming from every corner of
her being.
"I still don't trust you, but if this works and none
of this ever happens… that won't ever matter. Lead the way." Johnny said as the
four of them left the cavern. Robo looked across the sky at the looming
skyscraper that was Lab 1. He knew soon he would face the destiny that was
mapped out for him long ago… he could almost here the tear hit the pool of
darkness that surrounded his heart…