Note from the Author: I don't own MK, the credit for this brilliant little anime/manga goes to someone else. I'll do my best to keep the background canon, but if I feel the need to change something, I shall. Don't complain, I'm doing this for free. All I can really promise you for this fic is that it will be well written. Yes, it is a continuation, starting up after the last episode of the anime. I don't own the tanks, unfortunately, so the events of the manga are unknown to me. Feel free to inform me if I've made a particularly heinous mistake. Most importantly, enjoy, it's what makes it all worthwhile.

~ Truewind (Otherwise known as Rioroute)

Curriculum 13: Goddess

"Hikura-san? May I have a word with you?"

The aide flinched as Yu turned to face him; the taciturn Pilot's dislike of interruptions was nearly legendary. However, the gaze that Yu turned on him held nothing of annoyance, simply absolute calm and an acute coldness that made his youthful face seem hard. A long, slender blade was in his hand, though thankfully not pointed anywhere near the aide. It was a lovely creation if one could get past its deadly nature; old runes from some ancient language marked in gold on black steel upon its surface. When Yu spoke, the aide needed to snap his attention away from the sword and back to the Pilot who carried it.

"Hai. What is it that you need?"

Hand shaking slightly, the aide presented a tablet from the group of for he held in the crook of his arm. Yu noted the man's consternation with some private amusement, then sheathed his blade traditionally. The process involved swinging the haft up before himself (bringing the blade perilously close to the aide's rather large nose), then sliding the sword fluidly into its scabbard, which hung at his waist. Much as he had expected, the aide let out a small squeak of terror and bolted from the room, dropping the tablet in his haste. Face stony, Yu bent down to retrieve the tablet and scanned the memo quickly.

"Brother, was that really necessary?"

Cool hands and arms garbed in the silk of their home colony closed about his waist from behind, but he did not turn to look at her, continuing to read instead.

"It was the swiftest way to obtain the Instructor's report. Had I allowed the man the luxury of protocol, we would have wasted valuable time with pleasantries."

In a word, Yu might be described as "expedient".

"Only a few moments, onii-san."

"A few moments in battle is death, sister. You have much yet to learn."

Kazuhi simply hugged him closer to herself, and he sighed.

Rioroute's tablet was no less difficult for the high-strung aide to deliver, if in a different way. The door to the apartments of Agui Kemaia's Pilot was open, and the aide had the foolish misfortune to enter unannounced. As a result, he found the esteemed Pilot locked in passionate battle with his Repairer. Muted bumps and thumps marked their wrestling match, and the aide looked on with some embarrassment.

"Er…Mr. Vilgyna?" he ventured hopefully. Instantly, Rioroute extracted himself from the tangle of limbs, and was at the aide's side before the man could blink.

"That'd be me." He said, grinning like a madman. "What do you want? We were relaxing."

"Ha! You call that relaxing? I knew you had a few screws loose, Rio, but I never knew they were that loose!" yelled Phil from her position on the floor. Her knees were bent beneath herself, and she glared up at her partner wrathfully. "I'll bet Erts never insults his Repairer like that!"

To the aide's further astonishment, Rioroute blew a raspberry at Phil and laughed loudly. "That's because his Repairer isn't a violent girl with a temper! And she doesn't throw things at him."

"Why you little…"

Their battle erupted anew from there, and the aide decided that it was time to retreat from the fray. Surreptitiously, he deposited Rioroute's copy of the report on the desk next to the door, then departed. He let out a sigh as the electronic door slid shut behind him.

I wonder if one of the requirements for becoming a Pilot is insanity. He thought, chuckling as he moved on, just two copies of Hijikata's report left to deliver.

When he arrived at the quarters of Erts Virny Cocteau, the door opened before he could even punch the hail code into the console, and Pilot reached out for the tablet. Smiling wanly, Erts made a rather pitiful figure, his eyes sleepy-looking and his skin pale, but he had already proven himself to be an excellent Pilot in the recent flood of battles with VICTIM. Beyond the Pilot, the aide saw that the room's video console had been activated; a boy with brown hair was waiting with some apparent impatience on the other side.

"Mr. Cocteau, this is…"

"Hijikata's report. Yes, I know. Thank you, and please convey my regards to the Instructor when you see him next. I'm sure you are quite busy with your tasks, and can spare little time."

Erts turned away from the aide then, and the door slid shut behind him. As the aide turned to leave, softly whispered words reached his ears.

"Next time, remember to knock on Rio's door."

Feeling fairly confident now, if a little confused, the aide made his way to Gareas' apartments with a spring in his step. When he got there, though, the Pilot did not answer the hail signal, which meant either he was not inside, or wished to be left alone. Knowing that the report he carried was important enough to merit the Pilot's immediate attention, the aide checked his portable console, then frowned. Gareas was not marked on the mini-map of G.I.S., which meant that his Repairer had encrypted the code so that only certain people could track him.

"I will deliver it to him."

Nearly discarding his skin from surprise, the aide whipped around to see the figure of the Top among Pilots, Teela Zain Elmes.

She's as beautiful as they say. Was the first thought to cross his mind as he set eyes upon the green-haired vision of loveliness. Numbly, he extended the last tablet, and she received it briskly. Moments later, she was gone, without a thanks or even a dismissal. The aide noticed that she, like Gareas, did not appear on his map.

"So what's it like, Erts? You know, having your very own Goddess? I'll bet it's awesome, you're really lucky."

Erts gazed thoughtfully at the image of his friend, carefully arranging his thoughts so that they portrayed exactly what he wanted to say.

"I'm not really an expert, Zero, I have not been a Pilot for very long." A necessary disclaimer, since Zero tended to think overly much of Erts and his opinions, something Erts himself did not think was healthy. It reminded him of the way that Gareas had solicited Ernest's opinions. "My impression is that it is a mixture of many feelings at once. It is very different from the PRO-ING. There is a presence inside each of the Ingrids, and they all give me a feeling of great strength." He remembered the sensations of the cockpit; floating, yet at the same time supported from all directions. Heritage had embraced him often during battle, as if she needed contact every so often to make absolutely certain that he was still there. Erts had the unnerving feeling that she had made a personal vow not to let him go as she had Ernest, and she had grown even more attached to Erts than she had been to Ernest. This attachment showed in their extremely high synchronization levels, but Erts could not help but wonder if it would one day hinder the Pilot who came after him. He thought for a few moments on that, then memory struck him suddenly. "You have been inside the cockpit of Eeva Leena, have you not?"

Zero waved that revelation away nonchalantly.

"Only for a little while, and she didn't seem like she liked me much. Are they treating you good up there? That Gareas guy isn't giving you any trouble, is he? I'll come up there, Goddess or no, if he messes with you."

Erts almost laughed, since Zero's expression was so comically serious, but stopped himself when he realized that Zero probably would do it, even if he had to steal a shuttle.

"I am well, Zero, please do not worry about me."

Zero seemed content simply to talk at him after that, so he took the moment to think. Truthfully, his relations with Gareas were terribly strained, though they tended to avoid each other outside of duty.

Gareas avoids me because I look like my brother, and I stay away from Gareas because… He paused in his thoughts, murmuring an appropriate agreement to one of Zero's statements. I suppose I avoid him because I fear what he may yet be driven to do.

Gareas, never completely stable even before the incident, became even more volatile and outgoing with the passing of his dearest friend.

He exists and remains sane only because of his close ties to those around him. Between them, Rioroute, Leena, and Ernest were his support, a triangle of friendship that he relied on for some time. Now, one of those supports is gone, and he is lost without it.

Another part of him, the child he'd thought to have left behind at G.O.A., asked,

How can you be so cold? He was your brother, and your friend as well! You needed Ernest as much as Gareas, maybe more. Be realistic, you might be as crazy as he is.

"ERTS!"

He started, Zero's yell had been loud. The Candidate looked properly abashed as Erts frowned at him, but recovered quickly and smiled impishly.

"You zoned out for a while there."

"My apologies, Zero, I was thinking."

Talking with Zero always did that to him, it provoked uncomfortable thoughts.

But that's not really a bad thing, in a way.

"Don't apologize, just tell me all about it! What's G.I.S. like? Is your new Repairer nice?" Zero turned away for a moment, and returned with a disconsolate frown. "Aw, crap, time's up. Tell me about it next time, okay?'

Erts nodded solemnly.

"Okay, see you later!"

As Zero's face disappeared from the screen, Erts sat back in his chair and tried to marshal his thoughts again. Zero had asked what his Goddess was like, and Erts realized that he did not really know.

Heltage…

Hijikata's report lay idle on his desk.

"Every automic part we add to the Pilot of Agui Kemaia will inevitably reduce his EX count."

Teela's eyes appeared warm as she looked at the doctor who spoke, yet they were somehow hollow. The woman's eyes truly were windows, but there was nothing to see through them, or if there was, it was well hidden.

"Rioroute will remain as Pilot of Agui Kemaia." She replied simply.

"But…but his EX count has fallen to near-critical levels!" spluttered the harried doctor. Phil, who stood off to the side, clipboard in hand, walked over to the glass window that separated her from the examination pod that held her partner. She exchanged a glance with Teela, then turned to the doctor.

"Did you ever wonder why we insisted that Rio be allowed to keep his headband on during your tests, Doctor?"

He shook his head, and she turned back to the pod. She tapped the com link at her wrist twice and spoke into it.

"Rio, take it off. It's time you stopped hiding."

Inside the pod, the doctor was shocked to see Rioroute shake his head slightly.

"We gave him enough sedatives to put down a man twice his size! How can he possibly…"

A piercing glare from Teela cut him off. Phil was still coaxing her Pilot.

"Rio, I know it's hard, and it'll be different, but we've got Erts around now. He'll understand. I understand. Please, take off the headband. Augi needs you."

The doctor had heard of feats of stamina coming from the defensive Pilots who passed through this office that would amaze anyone, but never anything like this. Under the influence of four different sedatives, the big Pilot actually managed to lift his arms up and untie the ever-present headband he wore. Then, there was no time for amazement. The scanners that tracked EX went haywire, counting levels of psychic activity that rivaled an aroused Gareas for intensity. Inside the examination pod, Rioroute's face was a contorted mask of pain, his body tensed with agony. Phil buried her face in Teela's shoulder and began to weep as the cold, feminine voice of the main computer laid down the verdict.

"New EX manifestation detected in subject Rioroute Vilygna, Pilot of Prototype Ingrid, Augi Kemaia. Deliberating." The cold voice paused for only a moment before stating, "EX parameters determined. Match found in archives of previously documented EX manifestations. EX entry code: 0819. EX entry label: Empathy. EX description: 'The ability to sense and/or manipulate the thought processes of emotion. Databank entries exhausted. Concluding inquiry."

As the doctor gaped, trying desperately to sort out the numbers the computers were spewing out, Teela patted Phil's shoulder comfortingly, eyes seeing something beyond the room.

"It has begun." She said softly.

In another part of the spacecraft called G.I.S., Leena Fujimura was enjoying a nice, hot bath. Steamy vapor made her sweat, but she relished the feeling of impurities being slowly washed away. The bubbles were delightful, she could see why Phil had recommended them. Bubblebaths were one of the few luxuries with the potential to be reproduced in space, but Leena rarely had any time for any luxury at all.

Eeva Leena is in top shape, she thought, we haven't had a battle for days. Garu's about to explode.

She sank further into the soapy water with a sigh.

I know he's still mourning for Ernest, we all are, but he's just got to move on! This isn't healthy, it's wearing him out. I've always been able to get him to open up before, so why won't he talk to me now? He hardly says anything to me, and he's right across the hall from me. And when he does talk, it's always about Eeva Leena, or battle tactics.

Frustration set in, but she tried not to let it ruin her bath. She refrained from lashing out at anything, since that might spill some of the hot water, but that did not prevent her from seething. Footsteps met her ears from behind the door, moving quickly and heavily. Leena ignored them; the door was locked, and only she knew the code make it open.

"Minerva!" cried out a familiar voice. Leena gasped.

Garu, no, don't come in here! Dammit, I knew I shouldn't have given him the skeleton key!

Her partner burst into the bathroom, face red with rage. "They did something to Rio! Leena, you've got to come, those bastards are hurting him!"

As Leena wondered what could possibly be happening to Rioroute that would distress Garu so, her partner searched the bathroom for her. When he saw that she was in the bath, he blushed even redder and fled from the room, presumably to wait in the sitting room. She glared at his back for a moment, then sighed and stepped out of the hot water, grabbing a towel off of the rack to dry herself off.

Ah, well, I wasn't really enjoying the bath anymore anyway.

Erts felt the empathic lash, of course he did. It was obviously instinctive, and held nothing back as a trained attack might.

No one on G.O.A. can generate a blast of this magnitude. I certainly can't do this, and I was the best there. But…then who is it?

Before he could begin to narrow down the long list of possibilities, the door slid open behind him. He tried to stand up, but another blast of emotion smashed into him, and he swayed. Strong arms caught him, and he was surprised to see Yu holding him up. In the doorway, Tune and Kazuhi stood; Kazuhi stock still and grim, while his own Repairer trembled.

"It's Rio, Erts." Said Tune, and he seized on the information gratefully. Knowing the source, he was able to throw up a shield that would protect him from the worst effects of the psychic blasts. He still felt them, but at least they were bearable. Yu did not say anything, he simply supported Erts until the younger boy was able to walk on his own. Then, all four of them went to the medical wing.

ON board G.O.A., Clay Cliff Fortran frowned at the computer screen before him, somewhat perturbed. A portrait of Augi Kemaia's Pilot was displayed on the screen alongside his vital statistics. Clay was frowning because it appeared that, upon review of the past several months, Rioroute's EX levels were beginning to drop alarmingly.

Strange thing about it is that he's been low on reserves for months now, at least according to these records. So why is he still Pilot? Very interesting…

Further searches of the records brought up nothing, and his time was past being up anyway. He shut down the console and cleared out of the computer lab before the attendant could kick him out. A familiar glare met him as he stepped through the doorway.

"Saki! How nice to er…see you!" He said, trying to squirm away.

"Oh no you don't, Mr. Fortran! What exactly have you been up to in there? I know very well you've been hacking into G.I.S.' mainframe, and I'd like to know why. We can't afford to lose any more ranks because of your stupidity! So spit it out, buddy."

He sighed and spread his hands, there was no getting around her when she talked like that. "Why do you think I might be searching G.I.S. records?" he temporized.

"If I knew that, would I be asking? Clay, if you get caught, you'll get us both in trouble!" Her tone switched from ire to concern so swiftly he wondered how she managed it.

"So I just won't get caught." He shrugged.

"Tell me why, now."

"All right, you've got me. I did it because…"

He stopped suddenly, mid-sentence. Saki waved her hands around in front of his face, but he did not see her. The floor fell away from him and vanished. Saki's voice still came to him, frightened and frantic, but it seemed that it came from very far away. Blackness surrounded him, and he felt oddly peaceful, simply floating around in what appeared to be open space. He did not want for oxygen or light, it was blissful. It did not last for very long, and he was soon thrust rudely into the confines of steel and harsh light that made up G.I.S. A room burst into existence around him, medical instruments and huge computers appearing everywhere. He was startled to see all of the Pilots and their Repairers gathered in one place. All of them but one. Another room adjoined to the first appeared, and he looked through the glass to see inside. A boy lay inside a transparent ball in that room, his hair flaring with the intense green of EX.

Rioroute!

The Pilot was writhing upon the bed, his fellows looking on in horror. One of them, a boy with a shock of green hair and wearing a blue robe-like outfit, was pounding on the glass, obviously wanting to be let in. Curiously, none of them were actually inside the chamber.

He obviously needs help, or at least some sort of comfort! Is that what it's like to have your EX fade out? I hope not.

Clay could see Erts there, dressed in much the same way as his late brother had been. Clay could only imagine how painful it had to be for the telepath, being so close to an obviously malignant EX reaction, but Erts seemed to be bearing up well under the strain.

But why aren't they helping him? And how is he even having this sort of reaction when his EX is defensive?

Offensive EX, such as the telekinesis required to master the short-range weapons of Tellia Kallisto, as well as the projectile EX utilized by Eeva Leena's Pilot, required precise control or they could go rogue. EX manifestations that were defensive or supportive in nature, like Clay's own memory enhancement, were far less likely to be dangerous, much less cause the sort of reaction Rioroute was undergoing. Clay nibbled at his lip as he watched, trying to absorb every detail he could before his own EX ceased functioning. Erts, his face betraying the strain he was going through, had a few choice words with a woman in white, then opened the door that led into Rioroute's chamber. Gareas tried to leap in after him, but the door slid shut before he made it inside. As Clay watched, Erts typed in a pass code on the console next to the medical pod, opening a circular door in its side. Then, he stepped inside, visibly steeled himself, and took Rioroute's hand in his own. A swish of green hair, and the scene was blocked from his view by a face that held, of all things, amusement. Clay found himself staring into the eyes of the Top, and his knees quivered uncertainly.

"Seer, you will join us soon. None of my sisters awaits you, but your role will be great nonetheless. Now go."

She touched his forehead with her right index finger, and then he was looking into his partner's eyes once more.

Clink…Clink…Clink…

The sound of a cane hitting the floor echoed through the hallways of G.I.S. like a sharp cry in an empty room. At this hour, those halls were deserted, but for the bearer of the cane.

Clink…Clink…

His bones ached abominably, and the muscles in his legs cried out in protest against the unaccustomed use that they were getting. Yet still he pressed on, ignoring the outraged shouts of a body more frail than the mind that directed it. Urgency did not grip him as it did other men, in intervals and spurts. She was a constant mistress for him, embracing him from behind, keeping him a string pulled taut, just short of snapping. He never saw Her face, but She was there all the same, and he was tired...so tired... Fortunately, the shuttle hangar was not far from his quarters, or he might never have made it there on his own. Of course, any aide on board the big ship would have leaped at the chance to help the Crow, this he knew well. Even at this hour, the useless nurses would have woken to coddle him. But that would mean gossip, and then she would know, and he could not afford that, not yet.

Sometimes, he thought, I think that I would rather have my lover's sister in her place. Death must be a kinder mistress than the one I currently entertain.

He chuckled. Grim thoughts for a grim man.

Dr. Kuro, or "Crow", as he had come to be called, posed a harsh figure. Once tall, he was stooped now with age and sickness. Every unnecessary ounce of flesh had been stripped from his figure by his constant battle for life. Crow often saw humanity's fight with the mysterious creatures known as VICTIM as a parallel to his own fight against sickness.

VICTIM are a disease to humans as surely as my own is to me. For every man there are a thousand VICTIM, now, and the odds were never good in the first place.

He sighed as he entered the hangar, his ordeal was only starting. I loved my work once. Long ago, that was. I fought for humanity in my own way, and I was proud. Even…happy. I was a fool. Alas, but it falls to me to see this folly I have made for myself through to its completion.

He was at the console of the smallest shuttle now, the one reserved for the infrequent trip to Zion. A simple hacking sequence overrode the security locks on the shuttle.

No one expects a person to try and get down there, I suppose. Sloppy job done encoding the locks. I'm sure they'll rewrite them as soon as the shuttle comes back, and I pity the man who tries to steal the shuttle after me.

Disabling the alarms required a bit more finesse, but he had done it all before, and knew all of the required stopgaps and pass codes. All too soon, he was inside the vehicle, preparing to depart through the private docking bay.

I'll be damned before I let another go through the same as you. Your sisters were more fortunate, Death took them when we created their Ingrids. But you remained, though your spirit be rent in two. I do not ask why, for you will never tell me. All I know is that our folly must not be repeated. Goodbye, Teela…

As the last airlock was released, and he set the main logic drive to autopilot, he felt it rip through him like wildfire. A purely mental shriek of anguish assaulted him, demanding that he turn back. But he could not turn back, he had configured the logic drive so that it could not be altered until he reached his destination. Sleep took him soon after, but even in dreams he could hear her scream.

"What? You're saying they found Number One with her wrists cut? Last night? Clay, I only thought you were crazy before. Now I'm sure of it."

Yamagi frowned at Clay scornfully, but the other boy was irrepressible.

"Read the report, if you don't believe me!"

Clay slid out of the computer chair and offered it to Yamagi solemnly. The purple-haired boy, still frowning, sat down on the chair in his friend's place and gazed at the screen.

"No…this can't be real. You edited the picture."

"Oh it's real, I assure you. I've run every authenticity check I know, there's no way the electronic signature can be duplicated."

Even as he looked on, horrified, Yamagi had to admit that Clay was thorough. A full copy of the report, written by a G.I.S. operative, lay on the screen alongside an only slightly distorted image of Number One, lying in a pool of her own blood.

"I had to reroute one of the G.I.S. security cameras to get the capture. Knew you'd never believe me, otherwise."

"Have you told anyone else yet? Zero?"

"I think he already knows."

Erts could feel his dear friend calling out to him, demanding an explanation, but he hesitated to reach out to Zero with his mind. Zero's emotions were a raging whirlwind of confusion, worry, and anger, and Erts worried seriously for the boy's sanity. How exactly Zero knew of Teela's attempted suicide was beyond Erts, but the knowledge appeared to have driven Zero more than a little mad, at least temporarily. He sat at her bedside in that moment, gazing at her bandaged wrists, and wondered what had caused her to do this. Erts was unseated from his newly created center; the Top simply didn't do things like this. A few Candidates had chosen death over the loss of memory that the PRO-ING crafts brought, but Pilots were always watched carefully, their mental and emotional states monitored carefully for any sign that they might be unsuitable. The other Pilots had taken it upon themselves to sit at her bedside in turns, so that she would never lack for a guardian. Rioroute was in no condition to watch over her, but Yu and Gareas had completed their stints, and Erts had replaced Gareas. No one was certain when she would wake up, or even if she ever would. A blood transfusion had saved her life, but Erts sensed something else, some finer injury to her spirit that kept her from wakefulness. So it was that when he heard the soft, breathy call, he thought it merely his imagination.

"Erts…"

The second time he heard it, he looked up and saw Teela's eyes flutter open. She reached out for him weakly, but he did not take her hand.

"You are not well, Number One, you should rest."

He tried his best to quiet her and get her to relax, but she would have none of it.

"Please…"

She held out her hand, purposeful even in her weakness. He shook his head, but she glared at him meaningfully, and he relented. Clasping her cool hand between his own, he sighed and sank into trance.

:Try to understand the sacrifices that have been made, Erts.:

He floated in blackness, a sea of nothingness that felt uncannily like space. Visions of times long past flashed before his eyes; Teela smiling at a boy with red hair, Teela lying sick in bed, her mother hovering over her and crooning a forgotten lullaby. Teela in the uniform of a Candidate, the only female Candidate ever to grace G.O.A.'s halls. Teela crying herself sleep at night, Teela armoring her heart against the trials of life that assailed her. He was lost in that ocean of memory, in everything that was Teela Zain Elmes.

:You are not lost, dear Erts. You know the way. Already you have seen him, he is the key. The key is knowing him, that is what makes us who we are.:

:Who?:

A part of him answered, "God", but the sea of Teela told him that was incorrect.

:He is the last star, the sole survivor, the beginning of all.:

:WHO?:

:Rei…:

He was inside a Goddess, but it was not Heltage. There was no separate force, no sisterly presence holding him. His limbs moved of their own accord, swinging a sword he had never held, yet had held for many years. The scene that unfolded before him was horrific; VICTIM was everywhere, eating everything it could, and destroying what it could not eat. He slashed at countless numbers of them before he saw it, a winking orb of light that flickered on the edge of Ernn Laties' sensors. He turned and stared hard at it, seeing the figure of a boy, cushioned by a bubble of his own EX energy from the rigors of space.

:Rei…: He was not certain whose thought that was, his, or Teela's, or even if it really mattered. The scene was whisked away to be replaced by another. He sat again at Number One's bedside, but this time he was not on a ship. Looking up, he saw that the ceiling opened to a heavenly blue sky.

:Pain…: It lashed him like dark lightning, splitting him apart from head to toe. Beside him, Teela writhed and twisted, hurling herself off of the bed. But it did not end, it continued until he…she was divided utterly. Part of her self remained, and the other part flew off to some destination unknown to her. There was a crash, and the flap of a trenchcoat like raven's wings, and then blackness consumed that memory as well.

He came back to himself, dropping her hand as though it was on fire. A realization came to him then.

Teela does not pilot Ernn Laties.

He failed to see as she sat up on her own and began to dress, just as though nothing had happened.

Teela is Ernn Laties!