Chapter 29: Downtime
Navi could feel the world around her. Finally, something that felt like she might grasp this whole energy thing. She felt calm and clear, but all of it vanished to the howl of Anu. Navi jittered a bit scared from the sudden howl. She looked to Anu and then to Kris.
"Something is here… and it's not of Rem's plane…" Kris spoke rigid as she looked down to Navi. Her eyes trailed through the camp towards Eznik's ship. There, whatever this presence was, it was there. Slowly she set Navi down on the ground. Pulling out a sword from her belt she started to make her way towards the ship.
Navi appeared in front of Kris. "What do you mean not of Rem's plane?" She had heard Miles use the term Rem before but didn't ask about it. Kris stopped in her tracks, a bit shocked from Navi seemingly appearing out of nowhere. That little trick would take time to get use to. It was clear Navi still wasn't attuned all the way to notice the foul energy that was here. "Can you teleport us to that ship?" she twirled her hilt and pointed to Eznik's ship.
Navi looked back, her heart sunk some. Maybe it was just Gotenoo or Zigor, their energy this woman never felt? Why would she just feel it now? Her attention went back to Kris and she flew up and landed on her shoulder. "Um, can you touch Anu?"
Kris stumbled a little after the teleport was over. She glanced to the faerie on her shoulder, it was clear that this faerie would be able to aid them alot in missions. "Whose ship?" she asked as Anu walked in growling. Kris kept close to Anu, she knew that he could feel the energy as well.
"Eznik's… um one of my friends. He left it here. There are two people who are injured. They are of different energies. You sure you're not feeling one of them?" Navi questioned Kris. She jumped off of Kris' shoulder and flew ahead.
Kris followed quietly with the hilt in her hand. She watched Navi fly into a room. She looked into the room at the two who were on medical beds. "Are either of these them?" Navi spoke up, but by Kris' expression it was clear neither of them were the person she was speaking of. Her eyes drifted to Anu who was outside of a door growling quietly.
Walking away from the door, Kris headed to Anu. Looking to Navi who flew up to her. Her eyes trailed to the name, 'Eznik' that was on it. The hilt she had in her hand bursted into flames. "Stay back…" Kris spoke up to the small faerie. She looked to Anu and spoke in another language to him. He backed up some, he seemed ready to attack on command.
Taking a deep breath she opened the door and looked into the room. Crying could be heard in the room. Slowly, she walked into the room with her blade ready. There sitting on the ground holding Eznik's tattered coat was an older woman. She looked to be in her late 20's. She had long blue hair and dark teal skin.
Navi flew up behind Kris looking at the woman. She was familiar but something was off. The age? the color of the skin? "Atia?" Navi spoke out unsure of her own answer. She remembered what Deka and Atia explained, she was from another plane.
Slowly, the woman looked up from the coat. Her once gold eyes were purple and the whites of her eyes black. "N-navi…" She spoke quietly as she lightly gulped. She closed her eyes hugging the coat. "I-i couldn't fight… I was too scared… I couldn't do anything… I just ran…" she whimpered.
The fire on the blade went out as Kris turned on the light to get a better look at this Atia. Kris watched Navi fly up to Atia. What odd group of people did she miss while sleeping? Here an astral being who wouldn't fight? What more seemed to be upset by it? She wasn't too fond of astral beings, it was why she had Anu. What more this one seemed to have emotions.
Navi flew up in her face. "Atia… how did you get out, did you teleport? Why didn't you take Eznik or Gajra with you!?" Her purple lifeless eyes looked to the small faerie. "Because she couldn't without killing them." Kris spoke up on her behalf as she walked over to Eznik's closet opening it. "She had to plane shift, which would kill any mortal she would take with her."
Navi looked back at Kris. Why did she know this? She looked back at Atia who closed her eyes. "What do you mean plane shift? Why would it kill anyone?" She didn't understand. Eznik said… suddenly it became clear and her heart was torn it for it meant Eznik knew he couldn't come back. She should have brought him back. He could have helped Gotenoo and Zigor recover faster!
Kris walked into the closet and pulled out a shirt and pants. "Think of your teleporting instead of sideways, you go up. Where she would plane shift would rip your soul out of your body" She explained as she walked up to Atia. Tossing the clothes onto Atia, she assumed the plane shifted under stress, the astral being wasn't able to shift her clothes with her.
Atia looked at Kris as she walked away from her. She slowly put down Eznik's coat, putting on the shirt and pants. She picked up the coat when she was done. It seemed to be the only thing she felt safe with.
"Why do you know so much about Atia?" Navi questions Kris. "Working with high end energy you need to learn to know what hunts that." She looked to Navi. "Astral beings were known in my dimension for killing our kind a long time ago. So we all have dogs as companions to protect us from astral beings." She spoke up watching Atia closely.
Navi looked to Atia thinking about such but she could see she clearly was in distress. "D-did anyone else make it out?" Atia asked nervously. Navi nodded a little. "Zigor and Gotenoo, but…" she trailed off. "They both are in the medical bay from their injuries."
Atia sat on Eznik's bed. She didn't know what to say, because of her fear of why Eznik is still there and Gajra as well. "I'm sorry Navi, I shouldn't have gone. I stupidly offered more than I could give. I told Eznik I could but I was wrong. "She looked up to the faerie. " I can't be a fighter. I can't protect them…I just couldn't."
Navi looked at her feeling bad for her for she kinda felt the same way about her exploits, letting so many people down. Kris walked up and sat on the computer chair across from Atia. "You went, you fucked up. Not much crying about it is going to do about fixing it now, is it?" She then looked to Navi. "You need to still meditate more to grasp the concept of an aura… though" Looking to Atia. "She should be able to aid you in that process. All she is a manifested aura."
Looking at Kris, Atia wasn't sure why Navi needed to know about the aura. "Why do you need to know this?" she asked Navi. Navi appeared on the bed. "I need to know so I can teleport people without touching them. Kris was trying to help me. I mean I grasp it a lot better but.."
Atia looked to the ground, she was in no state to be too helpful. She still was fighting her own energy. She looked up to Kris, who clearly didn't approve of her presence there. She glanced at the door and then away. She shuddered at the sight of the dog. She prayed it didn't come into the room. She was terrified of dogs.
"Can you help her or not?" Kris spoke up as she got to her feet. "I-i" Atia shook her head some. "I need time…" "Time is clearly what Navi doesn't have. I'll be back in the garden if you want to continue Navi." She headed out of the room.
Navi looked back at Kris then to Atia. She looked like a mess, no battle wounds though. She looked like she still was falling too. "Atia… " Navi spoke up. " I know you did what you could."
Atia shook her head. "No I didn't… I failed all of those kids." She looked at Navi as tears spilled from her eyes again. "I couldn't protect them, please… save them where I have failed." Her voice was quiet, as she looked down to the coat.
Navi didn't know what to say. It was clear that Atia had fallen. She wanted something to say to help her, but she knew there was nothing. "I will." Navi spoke up vanishing.
Kris walked out of the ship and looked up to a shuttle that was landing. She glanced to Anu who was barking and took off to the shuttle. She chuckled some as she headed towards the shuttle. Kris jumped as Navi appeared in front of her.
"I'm ready to keep training" Navi blurted as she appeared. Looking at Kris her ears went low. It was clear she had startled her. "Er.. sorry" Navi apologized to her as she tilted her head as Kris laughed.
"Don't say sorry for something you didn't mean to do." Kris sparked as she pointed to the shuttle that had just landed. "First, let's greet them from their mission. If you think you can teleport us over there." With that request Kris was standing next to the recently landed shuttle. "Nice little skill." Kris chuckled at Navi who was sitting on her shoulder.
"Anu!" a man laughed as he petted the overly excited dog who was jumping up on him. "Oh you've been a good boy, the question is where is.." He looked up at Kris and Navi, his green eyes met with the two. He smiled at them.
"Well, well Kris, it's good to see the daylight even." The older man spoke up, he looked to be in his late 60s. He had grey hair. He petted Anu on the head, his attention went to Navi. "I believe there is a young miss I have not met." He walked up and held out his hand to Navi.
Navi looked at his hand walking onto it. She smiled weakly to the old man, he seemed to be a gentleman. "I am Jacob, miss, I am the leader of all the people here. It is very nice to meet you. I am sorry that you had to be in the company of Kris." He chuckled.
Navi smiled at him and bowed. "I am Navi. Her company is appreciated. She has been helping me learn about the aura." she said as she looked at him. "It's good to meet you Navi. Also it's good to know that apparently Kris has kept her temper to herself."
Kris had her hands on her hip. Her attention went to the group that came out. It was a group of 10, it seemed his extra time away paid off. The numbers were high this time.
Jacob chuckled. "Have you seen my wife? She usually greets me." Kris shook her head, "Haven't seen Quou."
Navi looked at Jacob, he was so old compared to Quou. "She left with Miles and Link." She piped. Kris looked to Navi. "Where did they go?" she questioned the faerie.
"Er.. They were going to meet.. with Miles's brother and get information about a station we need to break into. It's why I need to learn to teleport so we can get our friends out." Navi spoke up. "I don't want to cut our meeting short but I need to get back to learning."
Jacob's joyful expression vanished as Navi expressed herself. Not only his wife left on a mission, it was clear more had gone on. "Navi, would Jaraj know more details of what has happened with you and your friends as well as my wife?" He asked her rather seriously.
Navi nodded. "Yeah, he was trying to help me, but he got Kris to help me." Jacob nodded. "Kris please continue your training with Navi, I need to go have a chat with Jaraj. " He held his hand up and Navi flew off of him.
Navi watched him storm off. "Er.. is he?" Kris started laughing. Navi looked back at her confused. "Oh yes, she is in so much trouble so is Miles when she gets back and if Jaraj had anything to do with it, his goose is cooked as well." She clapped her hands some. " I needed a good on Anu." Anu cried a little as he watched Jacob walk away.
Navi glanced back at Jacob and then flew after Kris. She touched her and they appeared in the garden. She vanished again and reappeared with Anu. Kris looked at Navi, it was clear that she wanted to go back to work. Kris walked over to her mug and sat back down. She took a drink of it.
Navi appeared on the ground in front of her. "So…" Kris glanced at her. "Your goal now is to see the shift in energy around that ship from your 'friend'. If you are able to see that, then you should start to see the auras of more.. simple beings. So we will meditate.. and then focus on trying to learn how to see that aura". Kris explained.
Navi nodded as she closed her eyes as Kris started to guide her into a meditation.
Link plopped down in a seat in the shuttle, he let out a small sigh of relief. He was free of the small act, but from what it looked like all that they got was some stuffed animal. He saw no supplies or plans. It all was still confusing how Miles explained everything. Words are what was exchanged, but he didn't grasp any of those.
Looking to Miles as she pulled off the full face prosthetic. She moved her jaw around a little trying to adjust to not having it on. "I don't think I will ever get used to wearing one of those things. You're lucky you didn't have a full face one Link." she chuckled.
Link winced as he felt a hand on his ear. Opening his eyes he looked to Quou who was gently taking off the earrings. "Very good for your first act!" The child grinned at him. Studying him as he looked away. Slowly she took off all the earrings off of his left ear. "I told you that I would take them off when we were done."
Link chuckled lightly to the child. One of the few people who didn't seem to pick on him. He looked to Miles who picked up the stuff animal that Quou had gotten. Pulling out a knife she cut open the stuff animal. She started to pull out all of the insides.
"Here I was thinking I would get to keep that." Quou laughed as she jumped off the seat next to Link. She moved to his other side to start getting the earrings off his nose.
"If only it was that easy.. you would've." Miles said. She sat down across from the two. She pulled out a small chip that looked to be big as a fingernail. "Chinso" Miles grinned as she looked at it. Pulling her phone out she turned it over putting the chip into it. "Now to see what we got to work with."
Link watched quietly not sure what all was going on. He looked to Quou as she sat down next to him looking at her collection of earrings. "You can pull the nose and chin off." She informed him as she walked over to a bag. "Don't worry if they tear I can repair or make more" she claimed as she pulled out some clothes out of the bag. She pulled off her shirt and then pants, it was clear she didn't care too much about privacy issues.
Link eyes went moon-size as she stared at her doing such but then looked down. He was a bit red, he moved his hand to the fake nose fiddling with it to pull it off. It was clear that the woman had no problem with such action. "Quou, you know there is a young man in the room?" Miles depicted as she glanced up from her phone to Link.
"Point?" Quou spoke up as she got dressed in her true form. She looked up at Link who was a little red. "We all are born naked. Truly. What's the big deal?" She laughed as she stretched. She glanced to Miles. "So anything good?"
"11 spots, 12 hours. 8 hour meet point is where we can strike the guards and take their places. Giving us 4 hours to prep as we go to the station." Miles spoke up. "So means I need to be able to fill 11 spots." She let out a small sigh as she looked over to Link who was looking at the ground holding the prosthetics.
"Me, Jaraj, Link, Ryuk, Feriria. I doubt Sorha will come… so there's 5," Miles crossed her arms speaking out loud trying to come up with a plan.
"What about Navi, Gotenoo and Zigor? They would want to go." Link spoke up as his blue eyes went from the floor to her. "Navi can't take a guard's spot but she's coming. As for the others, don't know how useful they will be with their wounds. I'd rather not take wounded children into battle. So that still leaves me with a lot of spots to fill."
Quou smiled. "I'll go" she volunteered as she sat down next to Miles. "Yes and let your husband kill me. Don't think so. He probably might just kill me for this little mission." she chuckled. "Even with that, it leaves us with 8, missing 3 people. That's if I can count the two I'm not certain of."
"My husband will go." Quou offered. "So there's 9 and Kris, you know she will do anything to get off night shift. Bam! 10 people just need one more. I'm sure we can get one of the new recruits to go." she submitted still running off the adrenaline from going on her first mission.
Miles chuckled as she got to her feet. "So your husband is going to allow you go on a suicide mission, to a high security station when he barely let's you leave the planet?" She looked at her friend. Quou grinned. "I can always get all lovely with him to help convince him."
Miles laughed and looked over to Link. It was clear he was the odd man out in this conversation. Walking up she bent down in front of him. "Hey I know it seems like you did nothing Link but playing my boyfriend helped pull off the whole persona we were trying to present. And it might seem like we wasted time, but I promise you, we didn't. We have a way onto that station that isn't going to raise any alarms. That's a big plus."
Link looked up at her. "But the others, they had a map, armor right, to all blend in, right? How is this going to be any different? Plus 12 hours... " He asked her, he feared that they wouldn't be able to save them all.
Miles looked into his eyes, she could see the concern on his face. "The difference is that this time we are going to be the guards that are assigned to this place. We have the routes and assignments of all the guards. We are going to fit right in. Plus we aren't going to act right away either, we will sit in wait, waiting for the right won't be suspecting us because in our undercover, we will legitimately be there so we will ruffle no fur, raise no query. They will be too busy waiting, surveilling and wondering when we will show, not expecting us to already be there. We are going to blend in, going through the motions and we will get everyone out of there, got it? 12 hours, if we go any sooner we won't be helpful. Sadly, Autum rushed in, hoping a bum rush would have caught them off guard, but she was wrong. It happens. We aren't going to go that route, we are hopefully going to be playing it safer, it's why I contacted my brother. I wanted to make sure that we had the best information possible." she asserted though she assumed Autum had good information, but it was clear that the woman had just rushed in believing time was of a shortage.
Letting out a small sigh he looked to the fake nose in his hand. He felt Miles' hand on his head. "I'm going to be blunt, those kids are probably going through hell there right now. Who knows what goes on at that station? I can't truly tell you just the rumors one hears. Though I can tell you they will all be alive when we get there. All that we can do is fight now, fight to free them all. You need to pick yourself up if you want to be a fighter." Miles instilled as she stood up looking down at him. "This is a time of war, and we have no time to fall. All that we can do is stand on our two feet and keep pushing. Pray to whatever god, goddess you can for a better tomorrow."
Link looked up at Miles. He nodded some as he slowly stood up. Miles put her hand on his shoulder and he actually didn't wince. He looked at Quou who walked up to them. "Well I wouldn't say that we had the best pre-show speech, but it will work." She smirked at Miles. "I believe the show must go on and we will all fight together." Quou put her arm around Miles. "So to Rem, we will fight and live another day!" Quou raved..
Jaraj let out a small sigh as he looked at Jacob as he walked into the tent. He leaned back in his seat as he walked up to him. "We needed her and her skills for this mission. She is with Miles, so she's safe. Then again who knows with those two, they are trouble." tattled Jaraj deciding to just come out with it.
Jacob listened as he sat down in the chair across from him. "And this station you will be breaking into?" he quizzed.. He watched Jaraj look for something on his desk. He looked at the tablet Jaraj held up to him. Taking the tablet he looked at it seeing a wanted poster.
"We are getting Brat and her crew out of a station. Along with that assassin, Black Ash, who tried to kill me a while back" Jaraj spelled out. He knew if he left anything out Jacob would be more pissed off. "I will assume you met Navi, she is a dimensional fairy we are training to teleport us all out of there once we locate everyone. We will be sending a virus into their system and then blowing up the station. Hopefully it will put a dent in the government's research."
Jacob tapped his fingers on the tablet thinking about everything that was said. "What skill did Quou have that was needed on this little mission? Also who is Link? As well, whose ship is parked out there." He interrogated Jaraj.
"She can shapeshift into a child. Apparently, it was needed for whatever Miles had planned. The ship is registered to Eznik Hitaru, Brat's father. He and Brat's crew went to save Brat, but only a couple of them returned from it. As for Link, he is a non-merge from that group who is also going to be helping."
Jacob assumed that this Hitaru took one of their shuttles, leaving them down one. They would also be taking another for this next mission. He didn't like the idea of wasting resources. Then there was the man power that possibly would be going on this mission. He could assume Jaraj and his little group would be all going, but how many others would he need to recruit? He closed his eyes thinking about it. "When will they be returning?"
"Soon, Miles was retrieving information about getting us onto the station. So when she gets here you can bother her about that. Also she was the one who recruited Quou, not me." Jaraj conveyed wanting to make sure he pushed out there it was Miles' idea. He wasn't taking full blame.
"Reason you are doing this? I doubt they are recruits" Jacob inquired. Jaraj closed his eyes smiling, it was clear that he was going to get questioned about everything. "I technically owed a favor and was doing my end of it."
"Using resources that aren't yours to give; handing over a shuttle, and whatever artillery you thought they needed and who knows what else." Jacob interrogated. "None of which are yours to hand out especially for personal business." He snapped. "This isn't some game back when you were in the ranks, when supply was readily available and the price of mess up and loss far less damaging. This is all that we have to survive on and many paid huge prices for the little we have and you would waste what little resources we have on a personal matter of yours?"
Jaraj smirked as he grabbed the tablet and did a couple swipes. He held it back to Jacob. "They paid us well. Also gave us access to an up to date medical center that is in that ship. So, I didn't waste resources. I happen to get cash and trade for parking, the few weapons and the like that they needed and for the shuttle. In truth we robbed them. We desperately needed money and they were more than generous as well as letting us take whatever medical supplies we needed."
Jacob chuckled some. "There's a reason I put you in charge whenever I leave. I can assume that you will be going on this trip to save the group?" He watched Jaraj nod. "Miles, as well as your two troublemakers." He closed his eyes thinking about it. "I will be running this mission and executing it." He spoke up as he got to his feet.
Jaraj stared at him. "But why? I mean this has nothing to do with you." He questioned his leader. "Because, I can assume that one of the Uppers owns the station. Meaning; if we take down the station we will make a nice dent into whatever evil experiment is going on there. Also make them fear us because we can get onto their high security stations. Added reward is a chance to take down an Upper. That is something rare in it's own." Jacob chuckled a little. "You are going to have to try to recruit that faerie." He pointed at Jaraj . "She would be a great companion for our cause."
Jaraj shook his head. "I doubt she will but I might be able to recruit Black Ash though.." He rendered "He would be a good asset, or should I say she?" Jacob looked back at him. "I know who she is, I do listen to the news and grapevine while I travel. Even with all the support for the DG on it, it gives me names who I can try to recruit." he nodded.
"Well great." Miles spoke up as she looked out of the shuttle window as they were landing. "What is it?" Quou asked as she walked up.
"Do you think he will kill me?" Miles looked to her friend. Quou laughed as she leaned up against a chair. "I'll see what I can do. Plus I'm sure he's already finished Jaraj that should've released a lot of his fury.." She looked back at Link who was holding one of his fake horns, studying it. It was clear his mind was somewhere else. "So don't worry, Miles, he will only yell at you. Then you can watch the fun when I tell him I am going on this suicide mission!" She chuckled as she walked up to the teen. She held out her hand to link.
Link looked to Quou and put the horns on her hands. Quou took them and set them down. She bent down looking into his eyes. "Don't look so down. We had a successful mission, no one was hurt, we didn't lose any resources in the process and we didn't get caught. You did a lot to help with it, even if it seemed so little. It's like when someone builds a fire everyone is happy to join in on the finished product, cooking with it, warming oneself with it or just sitting and enjoying the flames, no-one bothers to think that someone dug that firepit, someone took the time to gather those many branches and limbs and the truth is the fire would not be without such actions. Sometimes the parts we play are that of the unsung hero, Link." She smiled at him.
Link smiled back. He was starting to feel more comfortable with these two women who didn't pick on him instead were busy trying to raise his feelings. Still, they kept acting like what they did was some big deal but It didn't feel like much of a mission, though Miles had rattled off information they were going to be a guard post this time. Still the 12 hours that his friends were there drowned in his thoughts. He didn't want to know what was happening to them. He prayed to the goddesses that they would all be alive when they got there.
When the shuttle landed Miles was met outside by a couple others pointing off to the camp. She looked back at Quou and Link who walked out. "Would you both like to join me?" She petitioned and as she watched Quou walk up to her. "I believe I should welcome my husband back." she answered glancing at Link who was dragging up the back.
Link looked at the two women who waited for him to advance. He was not sure what to say. Part of him would rather go find Navi or maybe even check on Zigor and Gotenoo. Looking towards Eznik's ship trying to decide. "Hey, after we say hello, you can show me your two friends on the ship." Quou smiled. "Since a couple of them did come back from the mission or we can go find Navi."
Nodding a little he followed after them. He was a little unsure about everything. He hoped this wasn't some joke or something that they were bringing him to, though Quou didn't seem to be that type. Miles also seemed to look out for him. Yes, he was definitely becoming more sure of them.
"Jacob!" Quou called out as she walked up behind him as he was sitting in his chair. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek several times. "You missed out! Miles took me on my first mission!" Jacob rubbed her arm and looked back at Miles and Link.
"I believe I missed out on more than just your little mission." Jacob spoke up as he moved to his feet. He held his hand to Link. "I am Jacob, I am the leader of this group here." Shaking Link's hand with a firm grip. "Link." He spoke up and his ears went down. Jacob had a sly grin on his face as it was clear that his wife had used her makeup skills on the lad. Also by the looks of it some prosthetics as well. The grin vanished as he looked over to Miles.
Link could tell from Jacobs' expression he wasn't happy with Miles. He rather not be caught up in another awkward argument. Jacobs' attention went back to Link as he spoke up. "It is nice to meet you. I believe Miles, Jaraj and I need to have a conversation about rescuing your friends." He let go of Link's hand as he looked to the two.
"I'm going as well." Quou spoke up as she frowned at his expression. "I am a grown woman, I can do as I please." "It is not safe where we are going Quou, it's not a little stage for you to prance about at." he snapped at her. "I know this is serious and I am going. As you know we could be attacked here at any point! So this place isn't' as safe as you believe it to be"
Link backed up from the bickering couple. His ears low, great even more fighting. He jumped a little as Miles put her hand on his shoulder. "Go ahead and sneak out of here, we will get everyone settled. It's just how we do things around here, no biggie. Once we have a plan I will get you." she smiled to him, she rather not have him get caught up in this fight he might actually come out of it with cuts and bruises.
Link nodded a little as he walked out of the tent. He paused looking back at the tent hearing Miles speak up in the conversation. It was clear that was a fight he did not want to be part of. Not sure where Navi was, he headed back towards Eznik's ship.
Walking into the medical wing he looked to Zigor and Gotenoo who were still resting on the beds. He plopped down on a chair looking to Gotenoo. He hated this down time. He felt like he should be doing something more. Though right now, there was fighting going on among the people who were going to be helping. It was a fight he knew that he wouldn't be any help in. He was relying on the goodwill of these people to help him and his friends. Looking to his hands that were still a brownish-orange color he let out a small sigh.
Getting to his feet he glanced at the two and walked out of the room. His heart hung low, he wasn't sure how to help anyone. Dragging his feet he walked into one of the extra rooms. He looked around the room and noticed Zigor's bag of clothes he had been borrowing from. He walked up, grabbed a couple things and headed to the shower to see if he could get the makeup off.