Searching for the Past
A/N: I am SO sorry it took so long to get this chapter up! The last few months have been hectic! Thanks to those of you who have been patient enough to wait it out. I love you guys.
Chapter 10Of course, it wasn't literally Spira. It was, however, a holographic projection of the planet. The faces of all who surrounded it were tinged blue by the hologram's pale light. The mini-Spira hovered of the dome screen of the device, hovering slowly in a perfect imitation of the real thing.
"A hologram?" Lerii asked, baffled.
"A map," Rikku said, noticing for the first time the tiny holes that ran along the circumference of the dome. Super thin, almost invisible, lasers shot out of each and converged to create the image before them. Technology like this was pretty rare, even in that age when machina was quickly becoming more common and advanced with each passing day. Rikku had only seen this kind of hologram once among the gadgets in Eido's workshop.
"Why in the world would someone bring this onto the Celsius?" Buddy asked, scratching his head in an unconscious gesture of befuddlement.
"I'll have to document this," the Guard suddenly said. He was already whipping a clipboard out and writing rapidly, occasionally glancing up at the device in Rikku's outstretched hand.
"Are you sure it isn't Eido's?" Rikku persisted with a look at Buddy. She pressed another button experimentally and it apparently controlled the zoom function.
Buddy shook his head. "I doubt it. Why would he need this when we've got that?" he jerked his head towards the circular object sitting in the center of the Celsius' bridge, the map and navigation console.
"He's right," Lerii piped up in agreement. "Eido would probably love this kind of gadget, he's already told me that he's working on a portable navigation unit that we can use to download—"
"What IS that?"
Rikku glanced over her shoulder, "Speak of the devil. Eido, come here! Take a look at this. Recognize it?"
Lerii hadn't been kidding when she'd said that the device was the kind of technology Eido would love to get his hands on. His pale green eyes were glued to the mini-Spira projection the entire time as he made his way to the group, face awed. Rikku handed the device over to him and they watched as he toyed with it for a few moments, pressing the various buttons to see what their functions were. The others crowded around to watch in awe.
While he was busy doing that, Rikku decided to investigate the rest of the bridge. She walked over to the co-pilot console and plopped into the seat. A screen immediately appeared asking for her login code. Rikku entered the information and then pulled up the log for any recent activity. She wasn't surprised to find that there were a few attempts that fell into the time frame of the break-in. Someone had tried to hack past the security lock but had been unsuccessful; Shinra had definitely been thorough when he'd designed the system.
But why? Eido had said that the sphere data that the Gullwings had collected had been copied. Nothing was missing and so far, there were no signs of tampering with any of the systems. I don't get it. What were they looking for?
"Brilliant. Simply brilliant!" Eido gushed suddenly and Rikku craned her head over her shoulder to see that his face was positively glowing with excitement. The teenager held out the device and pressed a button to make the original hologram of Spira reappear. "It's definitely a map of some sort. But it's much more complex."
"How's that?" Buddy asked, starting to grow impatient.
"Well, take a look closely at this," Eido tapped at one of the buttons and brought a menu up. He scrolled down to select something that changed the mini-Spira into patch of blue with a small, swirl of white that appeared to be moving. "What does that look like to you?"
"A…a hurricane?" Lerii guessed.
"Exactly. Buddy, do you remember that hurricane in the southern ocean that Brother was talking about when we were on our way here from the north?"
Buddy nodded, dumbfounded as to what that had to do with what they were looking at. Eido went on with an excited wave of his free hand to the image, "This IS that hurricane. In fact, this image is an EXACT representation of it in real time. What you're looking at is the very thing that is happening in the southern ocean as we speak."
There was a beat of stunned silence. Finally, the Guard ventured timidly, "How…how is that even possible? What kind of machine does this?"
"Good question. It's pretty advanced, even for us," Rikku said as she logged off and climbed out of the seat to join the others. "Eido, have you ever seen anything like this?"
The teenager nodded, "Once when Shinra and I were working on something to watch weather conditions. I think he may have integrated some components of it into some of the Celsius' systems because I recognize the protocols."
"So…technology at this level…" something akin to accusation dawned slowly onto the Guard's face, "would have to be the work of an Al Bhed."
"And what exactly are you trying to imply?" Rikku coldly demanded, staring him down. Not that she really needed to ask. She could tell by just the way he'd been carefully looking at them that the seeds of suspicion had long been planted in his mind before this. The Guard's expression faltered and Rikku saw a flicker of uncertain fear pass through his eyes.
"N-Nothing, ma'am. I didn't mean to imply anything," he stammered, paling. She could still see how warily he was watching them.
"Look," Lerii stepped in, "standing here arguing about it isn't going to help."
Eido held out the device and added, "As much as I'd LOVE to take credit for creating something like this, I'm afraid I can't. Our machina isn't anywhere near this level. You can check the Celsius all you want and the closest thing you'll find is our weather tracking system. And that's nowhere near this level in complexity."
The Guard didn't seem entirely convinced. He just muttered something about needing to take the strange object in as evidence and snatched it from Eido's hand before scurrying off. Rikku frowned at his departing form. He was probably going to go tell Mako about his findings and by the way that woman seemed to regard the Al Bhed…Oh great.
In the end nothing out of the ordinary had been found besides the ransacked bridge and copied sphere data. The rest of the ship showed signs that someone had hastily searched. However, it was obvious that the bridge had been the focal point of the intrusion. Mako also ordered for the entire airship to be impounded in Bevelle for further inspection. The Gullwings were NOT happy. They were gathered in the Cabin after learning of this development.
"This is such cred! It's OUR ship! Where does she get off telling us what to do!" Buddy seethed. He stopped to his feet from the bed where he and Lerii were sitting side by side. He started pacing, mumbling angrily. ((shit!))
"But Buddy she just wants to be sure that there isn't a time bomb or something. Who know what else they could have done," Lerii spoke up with a shiver at the thought.
Buddy whirled incredulously on her, jaw clenched. "I don't want strangers on my ship poking around, damnit!"
"It'll only be for a few days," Eido interjected in an attempt to calm the enraged man down. When it came to the Celsius, Buddy—as well as Brother—was beyond protective.
Buddy stubbornly shook his head, "That damn Mako is just making a big deal out of some punks trying to steal from us."
"Well, you have to admit," Rikku said at last, knowing Buddy wouldn't want to hear this. Someone had to point it out, though, "these ARE suspicious circumstances."
He looked betrayed. "Yeah, but--"
"Wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry?" Lerii asked her boyfriend exasperatedly. "I mean, what if we got the clear and set off some sort of explosive trying to take off? Honestly! It's not worth dying for, Buddy!"
He looked inclined to disagree. Then again, Rikku reminded herself, Buddy and Brother had almost died trying to get their hands on the Celsius. They had even resorted to eating a poor seagull for survival in attaining this end. To them, the Celsius probably WAS worth dying for.
Eido seemed to realize that this could quickly escalate into an argument between the couple. He sensibly remarked, "Well, maybe something good could come of it since Mako has allowed for us to come to Bevelle with the ship."
'Allowed' was putting it nicely, Rikku thought with a grit of her teeth. The truth was, as Mako had very briskly told them, that the ship was being taken to Bevelle for further inspection for a few days and they were coming with it. Just protocol, she had icily informed them. She'd also coolly brushed off Buddy's initial dismayed protest with a casual sneer, "It's in your best interest if you cooperate. I'd hate to turn on the HoloNet to see that your ship had been blown to smithereens by an attempted assassination on…on one or all of Spira's leaders."
"What good can come out of strangers picking my baby apart?" Buddy asked, turning away from Lerii to look at the younger Al Bhed.
Rikku smiled. Knowing Eido, there was one thing she knew for certain about this situation that truly fascinated him. "You're talking about that little gadget we found on the bridge, aren't you?"
The teenager flushed at his transparency but nodded, "If they let me help them to analyze it, we might be able to find a way to trace it back to whoever made it. That is not something you'd just find anywhere."
Buddy's glum face lit up, "Which could connect us to who broke into the ships!"
"Precisely."
"Well, Cid said he'd be taking Brother to see a doctor here in Luca so they're going to meet us in Bevelle later. Are you coming with us, Rikku?" Lerii glanced curiously at the other woman. The boys looked hopefully at her as well. As much as Rikku loathed involving herself in more trouble, she couldn't—and wouldn't—just leave her friends when they needed her.
She smiled and held up a fist, "Count me in. If someone snooping around our ship and trying to get into our computers is desperate enough to kill someone, then something is definitely up."
Though Bevelle's outward appearance seemed as if it had not changed by very much, Rikku could feel a charge in the air that had not been present two years ago. It was apart of the fruits of Baralai's labors. The young praetor of New Yevon had worked hard to reform the corrupted New Yevon after the harrowing Vegnagun experience. With his friends from their respective factions aiming for the same goal of ending the conflicts as him, Baralai had made the extra effort to impress the notion of a peaceful coexistence with those outside of New Yevon upon the people.
And it showed that his ideals were slowly being accepted. If she squinted, Rikku could make out the bustling business and market district far below. The people looked like ants as they went about their business. Some were browsing the various stands that sold a multitude of things from fruit to discounted airship parts. Others were haggling with vendors over prices while other vendors called out loudly, each vying to be louder than the other to be heard about their products, a scene not unlike that of the market place in Luca. Rikku knew of a stand somewhere down there dedicated solely to machina that was run by a friend of hers. Bevelle had come a long way if the stories she'd heard from Al Bhed who had tentatively settled in the grand city were true.
The pilot of the airship Lotus, a friendly Yevonite named Veriac, announced, "We'll be at the Temple in two minutes."
He and his co-pilot expertly maneuvered the massive airship towards a newly developed docking port for airships belonging to the Temple. The Celsius, set to a remote auto-pilot mode, was strung along below the Lotus by some thick chains. Veriac would have to set it down first, disengage the chains, and then bring the Lotus down for a landing.
"EASY! That's my baby you're toting!" Buddy hollered frantically to Veriac. He was practically one with the window, his face and hands pressed against the domed, clear surface as he tried to maintain sight of the Celsius throughout the entire trip. Mako had insisted that they ride in the Lotus with her and the rest of the Bevelle Royal Guard 'just in case.'
"She's in good hands, I promise!" Veriac cheerfully replied, reaching over to flick some switches and slowly pull up on the control handles. Rikku could see his co-pilot beginning his end of the landing process.
"Ugh…" moaned Buddy in an unconscious imitation of Brother, "you're going to end up dragging her if you try to land at this speed!"
Veriac chimed up, "Don't worry. I won't--"
"Veriac." Mako hissed sternly and the smile faded from the pilot's face at her impatient expression. "Just put the thing down and land. We are pressed for time."
We are? Rikku thought sarcastically, scowling.
"Yes, milady," Veriac answered. He, as promised, carefully hovered in one spot, slowly setting the Celsius to the ground. "Disengaging towing clamps."
Rikku heard a loud thunk as the tough, reinforced clamps that had been all that held the Celsius to the chains connected to the Lotus released their grip. The co-pilot, with Eido and Lerii looming over his shoulder to ensure that he was doing it properly, added, "Setting remote command to the Celsius: auto-pilot sequence to land."
Buddy's massive sigh of relief was what told Rikku that the Celsius was safe and sound on the ground. The Lotus retracted the chains and then flew a few spaces down, coming to a landing herself. The crew began talking amongst themselves, happy to be back in Bevelle. Rikku got the impression that they had been on some sort of mission before being called to Luca.
Mako looked at Veriac, "Get her checked out and ready for the next mission. And have the Celsius looked into immediately. Then you are all dismissed for the day."
"Yes ma'am," Veriac barked faithfully with a salute.
The woman turned to look at Rikku and the others, "If you'd all follow me please."
She swept out of the bridge. Exchanging looks with the others, Rikku followed step, the other Gullwings not far behind. At end of the lowered ramp was a familiar figure waiting for them that it took a few seconds for Rikku to place.
"Welcome back, Lady Mako," spoke a low voice. Rikku's eyes widened in recognition.
"Isaaru?" She exclaimed, stepping around Mako, whose eyes she could feel burning into the side of her head.
The man that awaited them at the bottom of the ramp was dressed in the stiff, formal robes that were the general fashion of Bevelle. His long brown hair was pulled back from his face into a high pony-tail, accentuating his youthful features: warm dark eyes, a long nose, and pale skin. His serious demeanor cracked disappeared for a moment when he saw her, and he smiled.
"Miss Rikku! Hello there. It's very nice to see you again," the former Summoner said. He, much to her chagrin, stepped back and did the respectful bow that was associated with Yevon. No matter how much these people had seen, it seemed those who were once faithful to Yevon still had a few of the false god's traditions deeply ingrained in their ways.
"Where's Pacce? And Maroda?" Rikku asked when she didn't notice two of Isaaru's constant companions and brothers.
"Oh they're running around here somewhere. I think Maroda may be chasing Pacce and the Kinderguardians around since I've been hearing of talks of a great 'treasure hunt'," He answered with a shrug, smiling.
Mako cleared her throat and the jovialness reluctantly faded from Isaaru's face. He gave Rikku an apologetic look that promised they'd continue catching up later, then turned to face the captain of the Bevelle Royal Guard, "Was it a productive trip, milady?"
She began walking down the ramp, purpose in every step, "We've brought back some evidence. Is the praetor back safe and sound?"
Isaaru nodded, "Yes, milady. Gippal also was reported to have been dropped off safely at Djose, and we just received word that Mevyn Nooj is already back in Mushroom Rock Road thanks to the LeBlanc Syndicate. Dakaris has filled me in the situation."
"Good. I'm going to report to Praetor Baralai now," Mako coolly responded. She jerked her head over her shoulder as an afterthought, "Be sure that our…guests are properly accommodated until we are through with the Celsius."
Isaaru inclined his head, "As you wish."
Without even a glance at the Gullwings, she and her men marched away. Lerii watched the Guards and their captain disappear down the walkway and into the heavily guarded back entrance of the Temple. She said in mild annoyance, "She's treating us as if we are prisoners. We didn't DO anything."
"Please do not take any offense to Lady Mako's manner. She's just been very concerned about the well-being of the praetor lately," Isaaru attempted to explain. "She just comes off as…brusque."
"Brusque?" Buddy exclaimed disbelievingly. He was still holding a grudge for how offhandedly his concerns for his precious airship were being treated.
Isaaru blinked at his outburst awkwardly before offering the whole group a placating smile, "I imagine it has been a most distressing day for all of you. Please allow me to take you in as our honored guests. I expect the praetor will be asking to see all of you soon."
Buddy muttered something about 'if that overprotective pedlr lets him' but Lerii—while flushing at her boyfriend's mouth—nodded gratefully to Isaaru, "Please. That would be nice. I could use something to drink." ((bitch))
Rikku fell into step beside Isaaru as he led them towards the back entrance of the hulking red building that was Bevelle's main Temple. She politely asked him how he had been and what he had been up to the past few years. It didn't surprise her to hear that he'd taken quickly to living in Bevelle as a part of Baralai's administrative staff. The young ex-Summoner had the quiet dignity and air of intelligence that many of the priests in Bevelle lacked as stuck in the old ways as they were. Isaaru had become a trusted man that Baralai could rest assured leaving Bevelle in the hands of whenever he went away. Rikku wondered if the well-meaning but slightly naïve Isaaru knew of any of this.
"Miss Paine is also here. She is around here somewhere. I'll tell her that you've all arrived," Isaaru reported whilst turning a corner into a wide, cold corridor with almost no décor aside from some ancient tapestries of Bevelle hundreds of years ago.
"Oh! Thanks!" Rikku said. She'd almost forgotten that Paine had ended up in Bevelle too.
They were presented in a large, surprisingly well furnished guest room with a huge window that overlooked the lower levels of Bevelle. With a promise to have someone come with some refreshments and directions to just find anyone and ask. Buddy and Lerii sank into one of the comfy red sofas and spent a good few minutes readjusting the way they were sitting so that they wouldn't disappear into the super soft cushion. Eido was staring down at lower Bevelle with a contemplative look on his face.
Rikku grew restless only five minutes into this pointless waiting for whatever it was they were waiting for. She'd been on the move for way too long to be comfortable cooped up in rooms like this. She abruptly stood from the seat she'd taken and said, "This is boring. I'm going to go take a look around."
Buddy looked as if he were about to follow but Lerii dragged him back down by the back of his pants with an insistence to 'Oh just be patient, Buddy!' as Eido just nodded towards her in acknowledgement. Unsurprisingly there was a guard posted outside of the door. However, he didn't stop Rikku from leaving and the girl quickly scampered past, not willing to try her luck.
Her thoughts were awhirl as she made her way down the hall. Namely were questions as to who would break into the Celsius? And why? Sure, the Gullwings had stepped on some toes during their stunts. But—come on—it was sphere hunting. Then again, if this WAS the work of a rival group of sphere hunters, why hit the other ships? To cover up the real target? And what about the copied sphere data?
Rikku shook her head violently to clear it, some of the beads in her hair clacking together as she did so. It was obvious this would get her nowhere. Sighing, she contented herself with just trying to get through the temple and maybe out to check out the newly revitalized Business District of Bevelle. If she was going to be forced to stay here until they figured out what was going on might as well enjoy it, right?
She stumbled upon a corridor that broke off into a passage that led to the lower temple and a huge, elegantly decorated archway that was supported by two magnificent golden pillars. Atop the arch were words etched meticulously in stone: To Remember Always. Rikku's breath hitched as it dawned on her what she was standing before.
The Hall of Memories.
After the Vegnagun incident, Baralai had decided to create a place where the many statues commemorating the Summoners that had given their lives in order to protect their beloved Spira a final resting place in a world where they were no longer needed. The idea of the Hall of Memories had been met with astonishing support and cities and towns from all over Spira sent the statues in their possession to find a place in the newly built memorial. Rikku had personally never visited it but she had heard many tales of its grandeur from others she'd met on her travels. Now, standing before it, hesitant to even enter a place that represented such a tumultuous yet important phase of Spira's past, Rikku could understand why it was gaining the reputation it was.
Stop being silly, Rikku. Memories are nice but…oh you know! Rikku rebuked herself, even starting to quote the infamoussaying of her people.
Still, she felt apprehensive stepping onto the smooth, navy marbled flooring. She heard the thud-thud of her footsteps echo into the vast chamber. The room was lit with a soft orange-yellow glow from the enchanted glass bulbs lining the walls. A plethora of statues were scattered throughout, some standing proudly on their pedestals unblemished as others began to show wear from the many years they had endured.
Rikku was careful not to touch them as she walked through. She took in the faces staring back proudly, serenely, frozen by time. What had these people been like? Had they had families of their own? Had they had children they left behind in the name of Spira as her Uncle Braska had done to her cousin? What had they been like as people? What had been their last thoughts before they gave themselves to the Final Aeon, not knowing that in ten years their efforts would be fruitless and the cycle of death connected to Sin would continue? It was a disheartening afterthought.
Upon closer inspection she noticed that each statue had a sphere in front of them that seemed installed right into the floor. She didn't know what they were for until she stepped too near to one. Instantaneously it lit up in a bright purplish glow. Then it flashed and sprang to life. Rikku was startled to find herself staring down at a miniature holographic projection of the summoner that was poised in rigid dignity behind the sphere.
It further amazed her when it began to talk. "My name is Solaira. Hopefully if anyone has found this and is watching…then that means my guardian and I have succeeded and Sin is no more. I…I guess that means that Jankin and I are no more either but…that's okay. We chose this path and I am grateful that our deaths had meaning in the end…"
The face was expressionless; whoever had gone through the trouble of putting such detail into this hologram must not have bothered with the facial expressions. But Rikku could hear the bittersweet smile in the voice. Solaira went on in a brief good bye to her friends and family, and Rikku distracted herself from the sinking feeling of sadness by inspecting the sphere emitting the hologram closer. There was such incredible detail in the hologram despite the lack of facial expression that Rikku knew no ordinary person could have created this. She sucked in a sharp breath as her eyes traced along the rim of the sphere, noting the tiny holes lining the circumference, each with a tiny laser shooting out of them to create the form of Solaira.
"…to honor the union of our two great cities…"
The scratchy voice came out of no where, effectively startling Rikku right out of her thoughts. She whirled, her heart loudly hammering away in her ears. It had been a while since she'd allowed for anyone to be able to sneak up on her. Which was odd because she was sure she didn't sense anyone else entering the through the doors; doors that were still in her line of sight, actually.
She scanned the area around her wildly but saw no one. And yet the voice—by the muffled quality obviously a recording—continued. Rikku tentatively took a step in the direction to find the source, and the projection of Solaira vanished the moment she stepped out of range, cutting the ancient summoner's voice off mid-sentence. This made Rikku momentarily turn her head to regard the now deactivated sphere. The spheres are motion sensitive then. So someone else IS in here.
Rikku followed scratchy voice along the rows of summoner statues. Then she came upon an area where it appeared to be reserved for two particular statues, two that she instantly recognized. One was a figure of a large, imposing man donned in golden armor. His face was calm and wise and it seemed that the sculptor had gone through great lengths to project his proud bearing. His eyes were gems, twinkling in bright specks of topaz or whatever precious stone the sculptor had used.
Zaon, Yunalesca's husband…The first Aeon.
Speaking of the devil, across from him, in the direction in which the statue of Zaon was facing, was the magnificently sculpted figure of Yunalesca herself. Her pale hair billowed out in a fan of white stone, chiseled with meticulous detail line by line to give the illusion or separate strands twirling together. She impassively stared back at her husband, arm outstretched as he reached back for her. Together, they looked to be every bit the honored husband and wife of legends that sacrificed everything for Spira.
Even knowing that Yunalesca had become the source of Spira's suffering from Sin, Rikku found herself feeling sad that the couple before her had had little time to enjoy their life together during the great Machina War, a war so terrible that it would spawn the birth of a thousand years of pain. Rikku's eyes were then drawn to the hologram of Zaon. She'd been so enraptured by the sheer etherealness of the statues that she had not even been paying attention to what he was saying.
"….no price too large to pay if it is to protect the lives of those we hold dearest to our hearts. In my own, I hold two who are very dear to me and with every breath I draw I vow—"
"Did you know him?"
Rikku whirled, startled yet again, mind already yammering away about how she was getting sloppy if people were randomly able to sneak up on her like this. She did not expect to find herself staring down at a little girl, though. Oh great. If a child is able to sneak up on me without me even noticing, I am DEFINITELY getting sloppy.
The little girl stared at her pleadingly, "Can you help me find him?"
"What?"
"I want to go home. Can you help me?" the girl begged, bright eyes staring at Rikku tearfully and afraid. "Please?"
Rikku didn't know what to say at first. Then she kneeled so that they were eye level and said, "Whoa, whoa. Easy now. Are you lost?"
The girl looked down, a hand nervously toying with a part of her dirty, ripped dress. She mumbled, "I think so. They left me. All of them! I just want to go home. I don't like the sea. Help me?"
The sea? Rikku was baffled; they weren't near any sea for miles and miles! She didn't push it when the little girl was obviously so distressed. Instead, she soothed, "Hey, it's okay. Don't cry! I'll help you find your parents."
"Rikku?" a voice called tentatively from the direction of the entrance. Rikku recognized the flat, almost emotionless timbre.
"I'm back here, Paine!" She called back, glancing over her shoulder as the clip-clop of Paine's boots echoed across the stone floor.
A few seconds later the tall woman appeared from behind one of the many rows of statues. She frowned down at the crouched Rikku, "What are you doing? Trying to catch a mouse?"
"Huh? No! I was just talking to this little girl. I think she's lost," Rikku explained. She saw a puzzled look cross Paine's face before the older woman raised an eyebrow at her.
"What little girl?"
It was Rikku's turn to frown. "What do you mean 'what little girl'? That--" She twisted back around with a finger pointed…to an empty spot on the floor. "…little girl." Her head swiveled around wildly in search. "Hey! Where'd you go? He-ey!"
Paine crossed her arms, "Maybe you imagined her."
Rikku threw her an indignant glare, "She was there. I know she was. I was talking to her."
The other woman just gave her a dubious look. After a few moments, she went on, "I came to tell you that Brother and your father just arrived. You might want to go meet them."
"….I guess you're right," Rikku reluctantly agreed. Paine turned and exited as swiftly as she'd come. Rikku hung back for a few seconds, taking another careful look around. Then, conceding defeat, turned to follow her friend out.