Another Lost One

The team was sitting in a saloon after their return from the Yggdrasil region. Jessica sighed; she wondered where to start looking for this Adam Kadmon. Nobody with a weapon in Little Twister seemed to have the ARM in question. It would be so much easier to have the assumed name and/or appearance. But without those clues, she was pretty much sunk. The girl watched Laura chug down a mug of beer.

"Excuse me," a soft yet semi-familiar male voice spoke up, "Can you help me? I was separated from Sis and the rest of the team. But I don't think I can make it to Little Rock without anyone else to help me." Jessica turned to see young Alfred Schroedinger standing there with a desperate look in his eyes.

"Well guys, what do you think? I vote that we should help out. After all, I understand what it's like to be lost and to feel as if you are all alone. I wish I could find my sister and convince her that I am really her twin brother; that I was kidnapped to hurt and break up our family," Vincent told the rest of the group.

Lyla replied, "I agree with Vincent. We in Baskar cannot ignore someone in trouble. Besides, the reason we fought Maya before was because we were in competition with her and she didn't understand that the gem was of no material value. Even one who lived a sheltered life inside the colony knows that a Drifter is often in competition with other ones, and there will be fighting between groups no matter what."

Laura shrugged. "Well, I'll do whatever the rest of you do. There's no gain or loss for me if we get the kid back to his sister. Besides, we're simply drifting around and searching for a job at this point in time so it makes no difference if we go to Little Rock or Jolly Roger. Heck, all that changes is the booze."

"And I," Jessica added, "Think that we should go. I could never forgive myself if I just abandoned someone in need of help. Besides, I understand in the same way that Vincent does. My brother is gone and I want to find him. So what are we waiting for? Let's get going and head for the Sandcraft right now."

S...S

Alfred stuck around with Jessica and Frisky in the gun room. He remembered her words back at the cave where they fought over the gem. "And this isn't a gem you can sell. It is a magical artifact that is sacred to the Guardians. As a priestess, I will not allow this holy relic to be tainted by anyone," she had vowed to Maya. Her dedication to her duty was amazing, yet she did not allow herself to be tied down by anything. Jessica could fight like any wild cat to protect those she loved. But she also had a kind heart.

The girl inquired, "What's wrong Alfred? We'll help you find your sister. I'll admit, despite her love of gems and angry disposition, I can tell she's not a bad person. It is true that female Drifters aren't as respected by our male colleagues. Maya has to fight twice as hard as most people to show her true worth to the world. She may come off as rude and brash, but she is doing what is needed to survive."

Alfred looked both thoughtful and grateful. "Wow, that's the first time anyone has ever told that to me without me saying it first. Nobody seems to understand Sis. She has to be strong to lead us. But in the first few months of travel the other Drifters we met began criticizing her; not for her abilities but for her gender. I don't see the difference between us; both men and women have different ways to go about it however they can still both get the job done. Sadly, people are blinded to think that all girls aren't able to deal with these kinds of issues. They still think that women should stay home to await her Drifter lover's return. Maya, on the other hand, will probably have a man waiting at home for her to come back instead."

"It does seem very plausible," Jessica said, "I would want to either have a boyfriend who travels with me or who is content with the fact that I do travel. Where I come from, women get more respect than the rest of Filgaia. Mainly because ancient legends tell that the Guardians held a preference towards girls. But we have never discriminated against anyone due to their sex. Nobody can help the way that they were born." It made her think back to the Sample; he shouldn't suffer because he was created by science.

"Thanks. I feel a lot better knowing that someone else can see the kindness that lies deep within Maya's heart. The only other person who can do so is someone she's always picking fights with. So we end up leaving and I can't have a real nice conversation with her. Thus, I don't know the extent of her opinions on my sister. However, you shared this information with me willingly; I didn't have to begin the conversation myself. So I know that I didn't just put an idea into your head that you agreed with to be polite. You're nice Miss Jessica," Alfred replied; a small blush covering his nose as he spoke to the girl.

Jessica replied, "Thanks. Oh, and just Jessica will do. I'm assuming you wouldn't want me to call you Mr. Alfred. Or even saying Master Alfred. The Schroedingers are a family with a long history, so it isn't a long shot to say that you get enough of that stuff from other people you know." She smiled at him.

He giggled at her reply. "Yeah, I don't really like the formalities. So it'll just be Jessica then. I'm happy to have someone to talk to who understands me. I mean my whole life I have worried about Sis yet she doesn't want to ask for help. I fear that one day she'll get herself in way over her head in battle."

Jessica put her hand on the boy's shoulder. He needed someone to tell him that his sister would be ok. The problem was that Jessica herself didn't know what fate had in store for Maya. A priestess could only be given the visions a Guardian wants her to receive. And right now they all had to do with the brother she was searching for. But if she discovered something about Maya, she would surely tell him.

"Life doesn't always go in a way we expect," she told him, "I certainly didn't think that my mom would tell me that I had a brother whom I hadn't ever met due to a family tragedy. I never thought I'd have left my comfortable life just to search him out. But here I am, looking for him all over the planet. In short, you might never know what fate will throw in your sister's path. It might very well be something real good. Or it might be a problem that you two have to overcome. Whatever the case, don't give up Alfred."

"Thanks Jessica. It makes me feel a whole lot better to hear those words. She's gonna be ok in the end. Even if we encounter turbulence, we can overcome the problems if we work together. Only, I just hope Sis is willing to ask for help when the time to act is upon us," Alfred joked with his new friend.

Jessica giggled too. Pretty soon, both she and Alfred were laughing hard at the situation. It was one of those moments that a person can forget all of their problems and just be themselves. Alfred didn't think about his fears over what might be, and Jessica let her mind's overactive imagination wander away from Jet's possible plights. The two of them had nothing else here; but they had each other's friendship.

Teefa's Last Words...

Just a lighthearted chapter to brighten the mood of the story.