09/17/20
PART THREE
THE LONG ROAD
Chapter Thirty Three
Alone - (Adjective) Having no one else present.
"Elma. Do you mind if I ask you something?"
The woman smiled.
"Whatever it is you wish to ask must be important if you're talking to me like a stranger, Aeon."
Shaking his head, her brother turned away to admire their surroundings for a moment. Tall rainbow colored spires dotted the farthest reaches of their home. All around them, the ground looked like stained glass, colorful and wondrous. With a land that looks as it does, the people having shimmering skin and crystal hair like the Watchers made sense.
He then returned his attention to Elma who stood on a Watchpoint, a spot that she had a natural affinity towards for most of her life. Aeon's Watchpoint was on the opposite side of the Boundary, yet he always found time to see his sister.
"This thing you want to do...travelling across the cosmos to save a primitive race."
"I've already gotten enough lectures from Grandfather."
Aeon chuckled.
"That's the truth of it, eh? To be honest, he brings me in for a verbal lashing every so often as well, hoping that by keeping me in line, he'll keep you in line. I thought he knew you better than that."
Elma rolled her eyes.
"He knows surprisingly less than his age would imply."
Aeon stepped closer, clearing his throat and putting on his best smile.
"Let's say you go. You reach this planet, you speak to the people there...what do you think will happen? What do you want to happen? Surely you know that these are two distinctly different outcomes."
Elma remained silent, keeping her Sight focused on the worlds in her view. However, even the natural disaster destroying a massive capital city on an ancient planet could not distract her from Aeon's words.
"I've gone to the Archive and studied what we've learned of this planet. Earth. Of its people. Humans."
Elma turned slightly.
"All I've learned has informed me that they would sooner lock you in a cage and rob you of your freedom. They would then do their best to steal all your knowledge and technology just to blow up someone on the other side of their tiny planet."
Elma looked back towards the infinite, finding the Earth with ease.
"Feel free to correct me, sister."
"Why are you asking this of me, brother? You say you studied the history of the Earth and the people there at the Archive right? Then you must know that those histories and texts are there because of me. No one knows humanity better than I do."
"So you're sure? You know for a fact that they won't imprison you? Lie to you? You think they'll work with you? You think you'll be able to befriend them?"
Elma stepped away from her Watchpoint and approached Aeon, her brother taking a cautious step back.
"I don't think they will. I know they will. I've seen the atrocities they've committed just as I've seen the kindness in their hearts...and I've seen several virtuous men and women that I know my message will reach. All it would take...is one."
"One?"
Elma smiled.
"Maybe a few more, ideally a few more but if I can reach one, that's all I will need."
Aeon sighed.
"Welp, I guess I'll have to let Grandfather know I tried my best."
Elma shook her head.
"You didn't but I'll make sure not to tell him that."
Aeon rolled his eyes before turning away. Elma watched him go, his footsteps loud and clear before stopping.
"What kind of friends do you expect to make on Earth?"
"I'm not sure...kind and quiet people perhaps."
Aeon laughed, turning towards his sister.
"Yeah, that seems like a good fit for you...but at the same time I think you should look for someone a tad more...rowdy."
"I think you suffice as it is."
Aeon shrugged.
"Maybe...but you never know. Someone strong willed and stubborn. Sounds a lot like you actually. You might end up bumping heads every moment of every day or...you might end up best of friends."
Elma crossed her arms.
"I guess we'll have to wait and see."
Aeon walked away once more, a confident smirk forming on his face.
"We'll see."
August 20th, 2060
The skies above Mira were always wide, clear and pleasant. Flying over the varied regions, seeing the Indigens roaming and the various hubs of humanity and their allies was a wondrous sight.
Even now as Elma's Prog Ares cut through the skies heading towards the unknown, she couldn't help but look down on the familiar landscapes and commit them to memory. Part of her wanted to believe this trip would be quick but after four years of wanting this moment to be a reality, she knew it would not be an easy task.
The wide green savanna of Primordia gave way to the vast desert of Oblivia, no sandstorms today made the region truly picturesque. Elma's attention moved from the ground below to the mountains that housed the Wrothian home known as the First Fang. She hadn't visited Prince Jiarg in quite a while. There was a small part of her that wanted to stop by to see her ally but any change to her forward momentum was not something she could afford. Any distractions would lengthen the time to reach the source of the signal.
Elma's eyes moved to the device now fitted into her Ares' controls. If Kruse and Kriss were to be believed, of which she had no doubt. then the device would come to life again one week after the last time it received a signal.
The first instance of the device coming to life was on August 3rd when everyone missed it. Kruse caught it on the 10th thanks to Go and then on the 17th it came to life once more. That gave her four days to make as much progress as she could. Once the signal came in, she would realign her heading and hopefully get closer to her ultimate goal.
Taking a deep breath, Elma looked below her once more to see Shore's Edge, the Wrothian port town that was headed by Irina and Sharon with oversight from Ga Buidhe. Irina would still be in NLA for a while yet, aiding the BLADEs she left in charge with any details they may need clarification for before returning to her new home in Oblivia.
Once more, the idea of seeing Ga Buidhe and Sharon presented itself only for Elma to shake her head and push forward. The Prog Ares headed for the oceans between the Origin Continent and the Shield Continent. Shore's Edge was established on this specific coast of Oblivia to make seafaring travel between Oblivia of the Origin Continent and Ostium of the Shield Continent easier. Given what they discovered in Ostium years back, it was a necessity and has since paid off in spades in the same manner as the connection between Noctilum and Rendaelum.
Thinking of Rendaelum and the Qlurian city of Arcus Pluvius, Elma couldn't help but wonder how Phog was doing. A week had passed since he departed NLA, she was fairly certain he at least made it to Noctilum. Phog rarely traveled alone and while there were many BLADE Outposts between NLA and Wetboat town…
Shaking her head, Elma dismissed the idea. Phog would be fine. Despite his temperament he had survived four years on this planet just like everyone else. He was beyond capable. This she knew.
Before he left, he met with his closest friends one last time and told them in all honesty that he didn't expect to message them once his new life started. At least not anytime soon. No one took it personally, everyone wanted Phog to have the space to determine his own life, something his brother's old friends, Albus and Furvus would do everything in their power to ensure.
Reaching down, Elma's hand found Frye's flask. Bringing it up to her face, she looked over the intricate details of the designs along the sides. She'd asked Frye about it in the past, he never had a clear answer. Not just because he was drunk often but because he didn't know himself, the flask was given to him by his father who received it from his mother who received it from her father. There was a good chance that it went on even longer than that.
This was the first time it had been passed onto someone not within the Christoph family. Recalling that final conversation with Phog prompted Elma to shake the flask, the liquid within making its presence known.
As she told everyone including Frye, she did not share his specific taste in drinks but to honor the man who did so much for her, she would stomach it for this trip.
Leaning back in her seat, she set the Prog Ares' autopilot and closed her eyes.
There was nothing she could do but think.
Or read.
A small smile formed on her face as she recalled her final visit to the Voliff home. She dropped off Aegis with Go and then Kruse presented her with a gift. A copy of Moby Dick. Running her hand along the hardcover she nodded to herself. Looking straight ahead to the ocean that stretched on, she decided to get started.
Opening the book, she tilted her head as her eyes flew over the text of the preface. For some reason unknown to her, the long preface about the whale caused her to chuckle. She knew full well the story wasn't particularly easy to read but with all her years and knowledge of human history as a Watcher and from living among them, she didn't imagine it would be at all difficult for her.
Turning page after page she came upon the beginning of the story and so she cleared her throat.
"Chapter One. Loomings. Call me Ishmael..."
On this warm afternoon, Elma found herself standing just outside of the walls of Noah's Cradle. The countless primary defenders of the city were engaged in joint training exercises at the moment. She decided it was best to come by and watch some of the city's most valuable assets working to improve themselves.
It also gave her the chance to see her new friend.
"Colonel."
"General."
With a smile on her face, Elma approached Hideo Kumon. As always, he was happy to see her.
"To what do we owe this visit?"
"Curiosity if anything."
"I see. It is a powerful thing."
Kumon gestured towards the field.
"Right there is my second in command, Tai Alistair."
Elma watched him make short work of his opponents, his gaze was fixed and relatively low. Clearly he was not looking at the people he was fighting, rather he held his head in such a way to use his ears primarily.
"I had heard he was blind. Still surprising to see it."
"I'm his commander and I picked him up first yet I'm still surprised from time to time."
The pair shared a smile as Tai flipped his opponent over and slammed them down on the ground. The official standing nearby signaled the end of the contest. Tai helped his opponent up and shook hands.
Elma's eyes drifted from Tai's victory to the unmistakable crimson mane that belonged to the Corporal. She was as fast as she was powerful, it was a sight to behold.
Jaynix was engaged in team sparring alongside her fiance Lyla, the pair fought in effortless sync and even from this distance, Elma could see that wide grin on Jaynix's face.
"She enjoys the rush of combat, doesn't she?"
Kumon nodded.
"It's in her blood, among many other reasons…"
Elma watched as Jaynix stopped an oncoming soldier's attack, holding his arms in place. Lyla slid under Jaynix's legs and their opponent's, springing to her feet and delivering a savage spinning kick. The man was thrown off balance allowing Jaynix to finish him with one powerful blow.
The fight became two on one and from there was won without effort. The women looked to one another, a tender light in their eyes as the official called for new configurations and matches.
"I'm still amazed by how quickly you had her on the ground, Colonel."
Elma shook her head.
"Seeing her now, I'm sure it was because of her match against her comrades."
Kumon crossed his arms.
"Tai, Sagis and Alto...she may be stronger than them individually but yes, three on one can be rather draining."
Kumon chuckled.
"Perhaps you should go down there and give it another go."
Elma stood in place, watching Jaynix run through another opponent. When the match ended, she decided to shed her black combat outfit, no doubt the heat was getting to her.
Tossing it aside, Jaynix began to stretch as the officials found her next opponent. The Corporal then turned towards Kumon, giving him a thumbs up before noticing Elma.
The Colonel smiled before raising one of her hands for a small wave. Jaynix returned the gesture, her smile was clear and obvious.
August 21st, 2060
Elma sat at the foot of her Prog Ares with a calm campfire lighting the darkness around her. Watching the flames never failed to force her to recall Jaynix's eyes. That determination, dedication and fire was unforgettable.
When she finally finds her, will that same glow be evident in her eyes?
"Four years alone is a lot…"
Elma whispered to the silence around her. Retrieving her datapad, Elma opened up a draft she was working on in between chapters of Moby Dick.
It contained the countless things she had to tell Jaynix about in regards to humanity's four years on Mira. Elma did not realize how much Jaynix had truly missed until she started writing the document.
Of course there were the obvious things like the search for the Lifehold, defending New Los Angeles against the Ganglion, the final battle against Luxaar, the threat of Badul and the Ganglion Remnants.
Elma's eyes continued down the list as more events stood out to her. The establishment of the Bianho Water Purification Plant, securing the Lifehold Archives, allying with the Wrothians, learning about the Telethia, Plumes and the Tainted.
The list went on and on. Elma wasn't present for every task but the other members of Team Elma almost always were. There was also a section of the list she thought would be best to hold off on. Jaynix has been missing for four years, telling her about The Bloody Lobster, Powell, the Celeste Three, Dale Gibbon or anyone else like them could wait.
Elma let out a long and heavy sigh. Recalling so many bad memories in one moment wasn't a good idea but it never failed to remind her of the guilt. Project Exodus, the Coalition. They made hard choices and not everything was agreeable or even morally right but they had to do it and yet after all that, so many things slipped through the cracks.
Reaching the last page of her document, Elma found countless attempts to apologize to Jaynix.
For not finding her sooner, for not ensuring that those brought on board the White Whale were just, for not being more careful, for abandoning her, for everything.
Looking to the flames once more, Elma thought about her last discussion with Phog. She thought he'd hate her for sure but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He thanked her. Would Jaynix respond the same way?
All Elma had to do was remember that she killed Lyla. She killed Jaynix's wife. With that thought on her mind she knew that Jaynix would never forgive her.
"It's fine...I don't deserve it…"
Elma was so used to Irina, Gwin, Kruse, Frye or Nagi telling her that wasn't true. She was so used to the words of support from those closest to her, yet nothing but silence followed her declaration.
Retrieving Frye's flask, she sighed before opening it up and taking a long drink. Coughing and shaking her head she put it away once more.
"You can hate me Jaynix, I won't blame you...just please...be alive…"
Closing her eyes, Elma thought of a bright eyed Jaynix and her full smile.
"Good to see you again, Colonel."
"Corporal."
Elma nodded to Jaynix who smiled.
"So professional."
"Part of the job…"
Elma's eyes began to stray, a wide grin forming on Jaynix's face.
"Oh right, you've never seen me out of my armor, so! What do ya think?"
Jaynix laughed before flexing, Elma rolling her eyes as Lyla joined them.
"You never pass off a chance to show off."
"I spent years on my body, of course I'm gonna show off!"
Elma shrugged before speaking.
"Not much I can say."
Elma looked over Jaynix once more, the muscle in her arms was well defined. Powerful. The scars marring her skin did little to ruin the image of strength Jaynix put forth. The short silence was broken by Jaynix's laughter.
"Words aren't needed. Just admire the view!"
Lyla shook her head before looking at Elma.
"Well, Colonel. Aren't you testing out our Mimeosome technology? Perhaps your natural body would put Jaynix to shame."
The Corporal feigned offense. Elma crossed her arms.
"I'll have to say...no. I may be strong but I didn't bulk up quite like Jaynix."
Reaching over, Jaynix pulled Lyla in and kissed the side of her head.
"You look good regardless, Colonel."
"You as well, Corporal. Agent."
Both women nodded towards Elma as she watched the rest of the gathered soldiers return to their divisions and thank one another for the practice.
"What brings you here, Elma? I mean, Colonel."
Looking at Jaynix once more, Elma shrugged.
"Curiosity."
Lyla giggled.
"Maybe she wants to eat some more of our fantastic food."
Elma smiled.
"Well, the food we shared at the Reapers' base was really good. I won't deny that."
Jaynix retrieved her black combat uniform and threw it over her shoulder.
"Then let's not wait any longer!"
At that moment, Elma's datapad went off. Pulling it out, she noticed a message from Irina.
"We may have to put a pin in that. Work."
Jaynix sighed.
"Bummer. But what can ya do? When it comes down to it, you're probably busier than everyone else save maybe Nagi or the President."
"Can't deny it. Either way, it was nice to see you two again."
Lyla smiled.
"You as well, Colonel."
"Good luck! Let's get together again soon!"
Jaynix called out, the three exchanged nods and waves before parting ways.
For her entire trip back to the Skelletons' Hangar, Elma wore a wide and bright smile.
August 23rd, 2060
The pattern for every day was the same. Elma would fly due east, turn on the autopilot and read more of Moby Dick. Sometimes she would put the book down and work on her report of the last four years of Mira and other times she would sit in silence to observe the oceans she flew over and the islands that dotted the horizon. When night fell, she would land on one of the islands, set up a campfire and reminisce. When she woke the next morning the process would repeat itself.
While part of her worried about overshooting her destination, she also knew that if the signal comes in from a different direction that just means that she's close. Relatively speaking.
At this specific moment, Elma brought her Ares to a stop as a gigantic aquatic Indigen burst out of the ocean not too far from her. The creature looked like a whale but somehow even more massive than those on earth. It's mouth, a gigantic fearsome maw opened as it let loose its alien cry.
The fins that tore free from the water's grasp were large and more like wings which reminded her of the Telethia's own. The Indigen left the water, hovering in the air for several moments as its song resounded across the vast ocean. Then it dove back in, creating a massive spout of water as it vanished beneath the waves.
Elma stood in place after it had gone, awestruck by its alien beauty. She had heard about the monolithic aquatic Indigens from the people of Ostium many times however she didn't travel this way all that often and when she did, she never saw them.
Shula made frequent trips to Ostium and so she saw them more often than not and was always eager to share the story with Elma.
"Darlin' I have so many pictures of these guys but I think it'll better suit ya to see em for the first time with your own eyes. Trust me."
Elma was always tempted to look into FrontierNav for information on the beasts of the sea, but the sincerity in Shula's gaze stopped her every time.
Now, as she stood in place over the calm waters, she was glad she never looked into it. A picture would have done no justice to the creature she just saw.
The ocean was so still now, no one would believe something so large just burst free from the waters. Taking a deep breath, Elma readjusted her heading and took off, feeling lighter than she had since leaving NLA.
"Y'know Colonel...your service history is really impressive. How old are you?"
Elma put her utensils down, her gaze moving to Jaynix whose one eye was studying her with notable intensity.
"Isn't that one of those questions you aren't supposed to ask a woman?"
A wide grin formed on Jaynix's face as she raised one of her hands and slammed it on the table, laughter filled the air around them and a smile came to Elma's face.
"Can't argue with that. You look far younger than your history would lead one to believe."
Elma leaned forward.
"You've been reading about me?"
Jaynix nodded before some form of realization began to dawn in her eye.
"Is that weird?"
Elma chuckled.
"Very weird. I believe they call that stalking."
Jaynix leaned back in her seat.
"Alright, that's enough. We haven't known each other long enough for you to be joking around like that with me."
Elma nodded.
"You may be right. I'm not usually this...carefree with what I say. I apologize."
Jaynix tapped her fingers along the table before shaking her head.
"Nah. It's no big deal, Colonel. I prefer being able to say whatever is on my mind. I really didn't think I'd be intruding on any sort of privacy by looking into your service record. I was just curious."
Elma smiled.
"It's alright. Given how you and the rest of the Reapers reacted when I first went to your camp, I assumed you all knew enough about me."
"We do. Or well, I thought we did. Actually looking into your history though paints a...well it's not a different picture but there is a lot more to it than I would guess. It makes it seem like you're instrumental to the ECP and Exodus."
Elma watched Jaynix's eye before speaking.
"I am the first volunteer for Mimeosome technology. A lot of what they do requires live testing. It's risky so my going along with it is hugely beneficial to the cause."
Jaynix placed one of her elbows on the table, leaning her head on her open palm.
"Yeah, I guess. It's not like your service history has your personal information but you must've come from somewhere fantastic to be able to fight the way you do. Or you had some kind of teacher."
Elma shrugged.
"Maybe a little of both."
Jaynix narrowed her eye.
"Maybe."
"I must say, Corporal. You are far more intelligent than your comrades suggest."
Jaynix laughed.
"That's why I say never listen to anything that comes out of the Blood Brothers' mouths. It's all lies and exaggerations."
Jaynix returned to her meal, Elma watching her devour it almost instantly.
"When it comes to brains in my outfit it's better to rely on Eren but I'm no slouch either. While I do my best work with my weapons, I know that doesn't cover everything and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let someone outsmart me."
Elma nodded.
"I see. Honestly, I doubt most people will even have the chance to try to outsmart you given how fierce you are."
"Best not to risk it."
Jaynix turned her attention to her drink as Elma finished her meal. Once they were done, Jaynix signaled for the waiter while Elma reached for her ECP Card only for Jaynix to stop her.
"No way I'm making you pay, Colonel."
Elma was unable to say anything more as Jaynix produced her Coalition Card and handed it to the staff who went through with the payment and thanked them for their service and patronage.
Outside of the establishment, Elma cleared her throat.
"I have more than enough money, Corporal."
"We're off the clock. Jaynix is fine."
Elma tilted her head as Jaynix turned to her with a wide smile on her face.
"Very well. Jaynix it is. In turn feel free to call me Elma."
Jaynix shook her head.
"Absolutely not. Given how vital you are, the proper respect-"
"No. I call you Jaynix, you call me Elma. That's an order."
Elma smiled watching Jaynix cross her arms and sigh.
"I can't argue with that. Very well. Elma."
August 24th, 2060
On a rather large and rocky island in the endless ocean, Elma stood with her Prog Ares kneeling next to her. She had her eyes on her datapad which was displaying the signals Kriss' communicator was picking up. Or rather the signals it wasn't picking up. Yet.
Today would be the day but there was no telling when the device would come to life so she decided to wait. She knew it went against her own desire to keep moving until she found Jaynix but she couldn't risk anything interfering with the signal otherwise she'd have to wait another week before being able to readjust her heading.
Lowering herself to sit on the ground she thought of all the memories she'd been recalling. All of them came from ten years ago, 2050, the year she met Jaynix.
"That's not entirely true though...is it…"
Elma whispered to no one as the memory of the bright eyes little girl came back to her. A memory she herself had somehow forgotten.
Closing her eyes she thought about the discussions she had with Iris Falkan and other well regarded Mimeosome technicians about what happened in Frye's final moments.
"You're saying that he...appeared in your mind to free you from the Chimera's grasp?"
"Should that even be possible?"
Doctor Falkan had never imagined something like that was feasible by any stretch, even theoretically. As experienced as she was at managing and repairing Mimeosomes, she was not involved with their construction and the finer details of their internal operations rested with the engineers of the technology.
The Koo family.
The patriarch of the family Li Wei Koo had chosen to remain on Earth, handing off his remaining legacy to his son Li Quiang and daughter-in-law Liu Yang. The two of them boarded the Ark Pequod and haven't been seen since the Exodus.
That said, several MMC techs and Vandham himself were able to put their best theories forward.
"It's possible Overdrive had something to do with it. Maybe the Chimera tried to control Frye to stop him from reaching you and in pulling his mind under its sway, it pulled his mind into the same space that yours was in."
Vandham seemed confused the more he thought about what he was saying, but he was being as honest and professional as he could be.
"All we know for certain is that because Frye was able to...mind meld with you, he saved you and thus, saved us all."
Elma opened her eyes.
"Mind meld…"
It wasn't exactly the same as the power she possessed as a Watcher, the power she had used on Jaynix back in 2054 but it was possible that her body, her mind was naturally open to those kinds of connections and so Frye just...found his way in.
There was no clear answer and with no way to go about recreating the situation it left everyone with nothing but theories.
Elma's attention was pulled to her datapad as it began to respond. She felt her heart leap in her chest as she saw the signals coming in. The direction had changed to be ever so slightly Northeast. That was all she needed.
Getting back into her Prog Ares, she set the direction and took off immediately.
She had a lot of ground to cover and one week to do so.
Elma sat in her room in her ECP provided apartment. She didn't spend as much time here compared to the offices at ECP headquarters but it was comfortable and Aegis was always around to lighten the mood even when she was ornery.
In front of Elma was the holographic display of her personal computer with which she could access various ECP and Coalition files, given her role in Project Exodus almost nothing was kept from her.
She had expressed some concern early on but Nagi assured her that the ECP apartment complex was heavily secure both in warding off devious signals and other defensive measures. The only people who stood a chance of breaking in were the people who worked there.
Aegis let out a loud meow before jumping onto Elma's lap and settling down. With a sigh she ran her hand along the cat's back before turning her attention to the screen once more. Currently she was looking through dossiers of several Coalition soldiers. After Jaynix told her that she looked into Elma's own service history, she got curious.
The more she thought about Jaynix's family name: Copeland, the more she couldn't help but feel that the name was...familiar.
Looking at Jaynix's dossier she saw the woman's identification photo that was taken when she started attending Rhadamanthus Academy, back then she had not lost her eye yet. Her gaze was as striking then as it is now. Elma chuckled, she wasn't sure where that came from but it was the truth.
There was a section in the dossier that linked back to Jaynix's personal information but Elma decided to hold off on that, better to hear about it in an open conversation with Jaynix.
Tapping her chin, she started to think about whether this was appropriate or not. It wasn't like she could misuse this information.
"Maybe just...ten minutes. That sound good, Aegis?"
The cat did not reply as Elma opened up Jaynix's service record. The first thing she saw was the various operations that the Reapers had been engaged in since formation. Many of the tasks listed Jaynix as one of five combatants before moving up to seven after Sagis and Alto joined the group. There was also a line of operations done in pairs or groups of three.
Opening several of them randomly, Elma saw the details on what the mission was and how it was achieved. The common thread was the consistency. The Reapers got their jobs done quickly and efficiently.
As Elma browsed, something else became clearer. There were concerns from several oversight officials and after-action reports filed by allied units the Reapers deployed with. It wasn't a common practice but sometimes operations were bigger than even a seasoned seven man team could handle.
A lot of the concerns...the majority were all aimed at the Corporal. Jaynix. Elma saw one report was filed and sent to Detective Birtwhistle who flagged it signaling it was sent further up the chain. The date however seemed to imply that it never got any farther.
Narrowing her eyes, Elma opened it and began reading.
It didn't take long to identify why Jaynix was the subject of such scrutiny.
Not only were the reports by the medical examiners and assorted clean up crew horrifically detailed but the images said more than any words could.
Elma has seen her fair share of combat and brutality on occasion, sometimes things just happen. Her goal with cutting down those who stand against her has only ever been to safeguard Exodus and in doing so, protect humanity.
What she was looking at now, was not that.
The bodies Jaynix left in her wake were torn apart as if by some rabid animal. Elma continued to scroll through the report, thinking about the woman she met only a few weeks ago. She's never seen her in combat but from how she performs in training and how her comrades look to her and speak of her with respect, this was not the image she expected to see.
Closing the report, Elma looked down at Aegis who had long since fallen asleep.
There was more to it. There had to be. While the answers were most likely in the files before her, she knew it would be better to hear it from Jaynix herself.
August 31st, 2060
Standing outside of her Prog Ares, Elma found herself on a rather large island decorated with trees. There were foreign birds resting on the branches and enjoying the deafening silence.
Elma decided to stop here for one very important reason. The thought of finding Jaynix grew stronger every day as did the desire to tell her something she believed that Jaynix deserved to hear. That she had to hear.
Clearing her throat, Elma nodded to herself before speaking. Her voice cut through the silence and sounded three times louder than it usually did.
"Jaynix. I owe you an apology."
Elma's voice trailed off, she sounded too formal. Too professional. The chain of command was something she and Jaynix discarded early in their relationship and she had no intention of picking it back up.
Shaking her head she tried again.
"I'm sorry."
Would that be the right thing to say to Jaynix when she finally sees her again? After four years? It had to be, she had to let Jaynix know that she was the one to carry the blame, the fault. It was her burden.
"I…"
Elma sighed, her voice felt so heavy as she tried to sound out the words she knew she wanted to say. She'd tried this the last few days as well and the tears would always force themselves out of her eyes.
"Jaynix. Even after four years you have to know that my feelings towards you have never changed. I…"
Trailing off again, Elma began laughing. Leaning against her Prog Ares she tried to stop smiling but couldn't.
"This is an apology not a confession of love...try again…"
With a heavy sigh she nodded.
"Try again…"
Crossing her arms, Elma stood there, leaning against the side of her Ares as the nearly infinite amount of words floated in front of her, rearranging themselves into dozens of apologies and confessions.
The words sometimes flowed together very well, getting her point across though she also felt it took too long to get there. Others were too curt, too fast, too harsh. Some combinations continued to be too emotional. That one word kept coming back to her, forcing itself into her sentences.
Love.
Did she love Jaynix? Of course she did. Just like she loved Frye. Just like she loves Irina and Gwin.
Yet it didn't feel right to use it now.
With a heavy sigh, Elma tried again.
"Jaynix. I'm sorry it took so long...I have no excuses but I'm here now. I'll give you anything and everything you need. I…"
Elma closed her eyes.
"...don't use the word. Don't use the word. Don't."
It fit there so well. That stupid, blessed word.
That then got Elma thinking about this from Jaynix's point of view. Did Jaynix love her? If she had asked that question five years ago she was certain the answer would be yes. But now? Were there any warm feelings left in Jaynix's heart in regards to Elma?
Was there any warmth left in Jaynix at all?
Opening her eyes, Elma tried to imagine what Jaynix could have gone through after four years on her own. If she didn't seek them out then perhaps she couldn't. Firebird took critical damage from the Tandem Aghasura Cannon and the Vita's explosion. The Skell would no doubt have crash landed and been completely inoperable. Even if Jaynix was in a good enough condition to travel, it would be by foot. Given how vast the oceans were, there was no way for her to leave the continent she landed on.
Elma brought a hand to her chin, thinking.
Perhaps, she was taken in by natives? The Nopon and L himself lived on Mira before humanity, the Qlurians and the Ganglion got here. There had to be more intelligent life on the planet right? It was massive.
Shaking her head, Elma took in a deep breath and held it before gently exhaling. She felt herself calm down, her nerves began to steady and her mind slowed down.
"That's enough theories for today…"
Elma looked out to the horizon, the beautiful reds and oranges that painted the sky as the sun hid itself from view were mesmerizing.
"Once you find her, you can ask her yourself. No sense in trying to guess something that you can't possibly know."
It was then that her datapad came to life, the signal was picked up once more though far later than any of the previous interceptions. That left Elma worried that the signal was getting weaker. Whatever was sending it out could be failing and if it stopped before she found it, she'd never find Jaynix.
"Please. Just hold on a little longer...please…"
Normally she would consider setting up camp around now but given her concerns, her theories and that damned word, she had to find her. It didn't matter if she skipped out on sleep. She could rest once her task was complete.
Taking out Frye's flask she downed the remaining contents, hoping the sudden influx of overwhelming alcohol would keep her up through the impending night.
Getting back into the Prog Ares, Elma took off. Her gaze was set on the horizon as her Skell veered farther north and shot off across the sky.
Elma sat on a bench, watching as Jaynix ran back and forth with several other Coalition soldiers. Soccer was the name of the game for the day and they all seemed to be quite decent at it.
Though whoever picked this game failed to account for Jaynix's unmatched speed and coordination. Once she got the ball, she practically flew towards the goal.
Laughing, the woman kicked the ball up with her leg then bounced it back and forth with her knee.
"Y'know, it wouldn't be so hard to keep up if your eyes were on the ball."
"They are!"
A man yelled to which Jaynix laughed even louder.
"You think cause I have one eye I can't see y'all staring. I don't know how many of you need to hear this but I'm taken. Happily married."
Jaynix smiled as several other soldiers broke out into laughter, a handful however both men and women seemed visibly crushed by the reveal.
"I wear a ring for a reason!"
With that, Jaynix kicked the ball towards the rest of them and excused herself, heading straight for Elma.
"I imagine you get a kick out of teasing your comrades."
Jaynix smirked.
"I love teasing people in general. It's fun and easy to do when you look like I do."
Elma shook her head as Jaynix flexed, a wide grin on her face before she sat down next to Elma.
"It gets everyone laughing and smiling...it's easy to overlook that kinda stuff. I treasure it."
Elma nodded as Jaynix took a deep breath.
"It's the least I can do y'know. Keep the spirits up. We're all on this impossible mission together, right?"
"That we are."
Jaynix's attention returned to the rest of the Coalition soldiers as the next game began. The ball was kicked across the park with all the soldiers chasing after it, one of the soldiers acting as referee began to call out the action.
"You have a strange way of showing your thoughtful side."
Jaynix shrugged.
"What about you, Elma?"
The other woman thought for a few moments before shaking her head.
"I don't really do that. Most of the meetings and discussions I have with Nagi, the President and the Council are...heavy, to say the least. There isn't a lot of joy in discussing the potential extinction of the human race."
There was a rather long silence that followed Elma's statement before Jaynix let out a whistle.
"Damn. You sure drained the light out of the day didn't ya?"
"Apologies."
Jaynix leaned back against the bench.
"I can't really blame you...I just do what I'm told. You? The Council? The people in charge? For all of you there is no oversight, you make the decisions. I don't envy you and I'm glad I have no interest in rising through the ranks. I'd rather fight one hundred thugs alone than make any of the calls you have to."
Elma smiled.
"I wouldn't wish my job on anyone else either."
Jaynix tapped her fingers along her leg before smiling.
"When it's all over. When we're safe. What do you want to do, Elma?"
Jaynix looked at her, waiting for an answer. All Elma could do was close her eyes and think. Ever since she arrived on Earth she'd been concerned with step after step in her quest to save humanity. She had no time or reason to think about what to do once her mission was complete. Some part of her still held doubts if she could ever complete the mission. Even with Aeon helping her all this time, she wasn't totally convinced that the plan would go off without a hitch.
"Elma? You there?"
Snapping out of her thoughts, she turned to Jaynix. The woman's one eye looked at her with concern.
"I didn't think that question would be that hard to answer. Sorry."
Elma smiled.
"No need to apologize, I didn't think it'd be that hard either but I've never really thought about what to do once everything was...over...I don't know when we'll get there."
The women fell silent, eyes on the game happening in front of them as a goal was scored and one team of soldiers erupted into cheers while the others planned their comeback.
"Maybe I'd like to lie down in the sand on some calm beach. Just...lie there. Warm. Comfortable. Staring up at the sky and watching the clouds...I want to be at peace knowing that I succeeded. That we succeeded."
Elma laughed.
"I suppose that's not the most interesting thing to want but...I think that's what I want."
She turned to Jaynix to see the other woman smiling.
"Nothing wrong with simplicity, Elma. Nothing wrong at all."
September 7th, 2060
Another week had gone by.
Elma turned farther north.
The hope still burned inside her chest.
September 9th, 2060
Something odd happened two days later. Elma's datapad came to life, the signal was louder and clearer.
Elma stared at the readout, amazed and more hopeful than ever. Her heart hammered in her chest.
September 10th, 2060
The next day, the same thing happened.
Readjusting towards the south, Elma took off. She found herself unable to sleep.
September 12th, 2060
The signal came up again, this time it was behind her.
Did she miss it? Currently, the Prog Ares was flying over a rather large continent home to expansive forests that reminded her of Rendaelum, the difference however was the mountains in the distance and the occasional rocky terrain. The biggest mountain along the horizon looked to be a volcano.
Turning back towards the coast, Elma pushed her Ares as quickly as it could go. She was close. She could feel it.
It wasn't long after that when the signal came back.
Off the shore of the continent there was a chain of islands. She saw it then.
Quickly, the Ares took off towards one of the islands and the source of the signal.
Leaping out of the Prog Ares, Elma approached it.
What she found looked to be salvaged and thrown together parts of a Skell. They were reforged into some sort of spear powered by a thruster. The object was impaled in the ground and upon closer examination, Elma could see at the center of the spear was the thing she had been following since leaving New Los Angeles.
It was the internal tracking and distress system of a first generation Skell. The pieces of the Skell were generally unrecognizable but the faded and rusted colors Elma saw belonged to something she could never forget. This spear was forged from pieces of Firebird's armor.
That realization caused Elma to lose all the strength in her legs, she fell to the ground, tears falling from her eyes and weak laughter forcing itself out of her throat.
"She's alive…"
Closing her eyes, Elma let herself feel the moment. The moment she's waited four years from. The moment something definitive would show her that Jaynix Isaiah Copeland was not dead.
Or at the very least, confirmation that Starfall didn't kill her.
Elma had to identify how the spear got here, she had to find out how long it had been here and when it started sending out its signal. With that information, she would be another massive step closer to finding Jaynix herself.
However, that would all have to wait until she could feel her legs again.
Lying on the ground feeling overwhelming emotions. Elma did her best to steady herself before opening her eyes. The hammering in her chest began to fade away as she stared up at the sky, watching the clouds roll by.
For the first time since she told Jaynix of what she hoped to do when humanity was safe, she felt like that impossible goal was within reach.
Smiling, Elma closed her eyes once more, focusing on the smile Jaynix wore when they talked that day on that bench.