Disclaimer: I do not own Star Ocean or its Characters.
Note: OK, I know…It's been a long long time. You know the saying 'when it rains it pours'? Well, I got swept up in a Tsunami. While trying to fish my way out, I haven't kept up a lot with the world of Star Ocean. What inspired me to write more was reading 'Taboo Inhibitions and Crimson Roses' by keeki. So, I'm not completely back on track as far as the characters go, so I do apologize for any OOC that doesn't conform to this fic. I have also tried to put more of this in Albel's point of view.
Star Ocean: The Untold Story
Chapter 17: The Dawn of a New War
She shuffled her feet as fast as she dared. Two trays of food were balanced expertly; one in each hand. She knew she had taken too long, but she wasn't upset. She had learned something in Maria's room that brought her one more step closer to understanding what was going on.
What she learned also lead to questions. Lots of hard, emotional questions.
Her parents, though never around much, had always nurtured her. They loved her and gave her everything they could. She was often left alone but never felt neglected. She knew she was their first and main concern. So why would they do something like this to her? Did her mom know about it or did her dad keep it a secret from his wife too?
She shook the thoughts from her head as she approached Albel's door. Maybe after eating dinner she could go find Fayt. As much as she enjoyed Albel's company, Fayt was the one that would take her concerns to heart and give her a shoulder.
She really didn't need Albel's harshness right now.
"Knock, knock," she chanted as the metal door slid open.
Albel only tilted his head slightly to watch her enter from his seat on the bed. He grunted softly and to her surprise didn't bark at her. When she handed him his tray, he took it with no more force than he would if he weren't irritated.
She glanced at him sideways as she sat beside him; wondering if he was feeling okay. He pressed his lips together as he brought a slice of bread to his face and smelled it. When he finally took a bite, Sophia released the breath she didn't realize she had been holding.
"Sorry it took so long," she mumbled just over a whisper. "I got lost and then sidetracked."
He swallowed his mouthful before responding. "Typical."
She lowered the spoon of potatoes before it touched her lips. "What do you mean?"
"You're always lost or sidetracked."
"Humph! It's not like I mean to be. It's just that I've been through a lot lately."
He opened his mouth, scowling, but quickly shut it again. She could hear a thoughtful hum generate in his throat. Sophia turned to look at him straight on. Had he just stopped himself from insulting her? Was he actually thinking about what to say instead of saying the first thing in his head?
"And before all this? Were you as lost and sidetracked before?"
Popping the potatoes in her mouth, Sophia thought about her life on Earth. "No," she responded after swallowing. "I basically ran the house on my own. My parents were far too busy. I knew what was going on and what would happen next. I was in control of my life. But now…"
"But now, you have no control. You are a fool if you really think you had any control to start with."
She bit her lip and concentrated on his words. He was right, and as always blatantly stated the truth no matter how cold it was. She couldn't fault him. The truth was the truth after all.
"Maybe I only thought I had control. Things seemed so simple back then. Get up, fix breakfast, go to school, get home, wait for Fayt and fix dinner. Everything was on schedule. Everything was planned. Everything was…"
"Boring," he finished.
He was right. She had felt some restlessness, but she had grown to accept it. She was sure adventures only happened in story books. She never would have imagined she would be visiting planets the Federation deemed underdeveloped and therefore off limits. She never would have guessed in a million light-years that her own father would have altered her.
She forced the lump forming in her throat down. Once she was sure not to break out into tears, she spoke. "Yeah, it was boring. But this isn't good. This adventure is filled with heart break, anguish and a lot of unanswered questions."
"So is the way of life."
Thank you Mr. Negativity! She couldn't help but to admire his honesty, but he could use a few lessons on how to communicate. At least not be so harsh and to the point.
But she found that was exactly what she needed. Even more than Fayt's coddling, she needed the truth – stated simple and blunt.
"You're right!" she exclaimed with enough force to cause him to twitch ever so slightly. "Life is that way. But life is also what you make it. I might not have control over what happens to me, but I do have control over how I take it. Do I brood or do I keep going and look for better days? I have the choice and I'm ready to choose!"
She smiled happily as she continued to munch on the food in front of her. After a few bites she realized that the bed was unusually still. She peered over and looked up at the man sitting beside her. She had never been an expert at reading expressions, but she was sure his expression was 'Just what has gotten into this girl? She's crazy!'.
She couldn't stop herself from giggling. Whether he had meant to or not, he had made her feel much better. Her giggles suppressed and a yawn escaped her lips. It had been a long day and she had digested a lot of information. Her plate was still half full, but her stomach rejected the idea of wanting more. She was tired and well ready for some sleep.
She stood and stepped so she was right in front of him. Smiling down at him, she waited only a second before she turned and placed the remainder of her dinner in the disposal. After the tray was freed from her custody, she smiled again at the man on the bed. He had only moved what was required of him to watch her.
"Thanks, Albel. I feel much better now. I'm off to bed."
Albel didn't say a thing as she left the room. Suddenly he felt as if the lights had dimmed a notch. After staring at his own food for minutes, he opted to take one more bite before disposing of the rest of his unfinished dinner.
For some reason, he just wasn't as hungry as he had been minutes ago when she sat beside him.
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Sophia smiled at Woltar as he motioned her into his mansion.
"Come, come my dear. Dinner is ready and it's good to have you back."
Her heart pounded in enthusiasm. She was sure she would never have the chance to return. She was happy that she had found her way back.
Her way back home.
She bowed respectfully and crossed the threshold. Her steps were light as she literally glided along the floor. As if she were a spirit, she sailed through the rooms and to the table. Before her was a feast laid out. She inhaled the aromas of all her favorite Elicoorian dishes.
Seated across from her was Albel. As usual he regarded her with a solemn expression. He was neither impressed nor surprised to see her there.
She scrunched her nose at him as she sat down. "It's good to see you too."
"Intolerable girl," he half snorted.
She winked. "And yet, you tolerate me. How noble of you Sir. Nox."
He had just opened his mouth to respond when a knock issued behind her. His smug expression grew smugger. "Well, are you going to answer the door?"
She looked perplexed at him. Woltar had entered behind her and the maids would answer the door should it need such. Why was he ordering her to answer it?
"Well, girl? It's not going to answer itself."
Her jaw hung at the sarcasm in his voice. It wasn't his usual sarcasm, but one more playful than any she expected to ever cross his lips.
The knock grew louder. Shortly following the banging was a voice.
"Sophia? Come on. Don't do this to me."
It was Fayt. She twisted in her chair to find the door opened and empty. Where was he?
"Sophia! Sophia, wake up."
Sophia opened her eyes slowly to find Fayt hanging over her. She groaned as she pushed the cover off; causing him to jump back in the process.
"Fayt? Why did you wake me up? I was having such a nice dream." She yawned as she stretched.
Mocking a frown at her, Fayt placed both hands on his hips. "Wittcomb called. We're at Federation Station number five. Time to get ready and head out."
Since she had been completely drained, she had slept fully clothed. Even her shoes were still securely tied to her feet. She stood and straightened the skirt to the outfit Woltar had given her. She missed him and Airyglyph more than she realized before her dream.
Perhaps, she missed Elicoor more than Earth.
She took just what time was needed to brush out her hair and be sure her cloths weren't too wrinkled before following Fayt out the door. Along the way to see the Commodore, Fayt engaged her in small talk.
"I'm glad to see you slept okay. I was worried about you last night. I expected you might show up at my door."
She nodded. "I almost did. There are still things that are bothering me, but I can hold the questions for when I see mom and dad again."
He rested his arm around her shoulders. "You sure? If you ever need to talk you know I'm here."
She gave him a sideways smile. "I know Fayt. I can count on you. Were you really worried?"
He shook his head and gave her a coy smile of his own. "Of course! I ran into Maria and she told me about the message found on the database. She said you had already watched it and had to go get dinner for Albel. So, I left and looked for you in Albel's room first. It took a few minutes to pry it from him, but he eventually told me you had gone to bed."
She giggled softly into her hand. "Sounds like Albel."
"Ever elusive."
"Nope. He's not that bad once you get to know him."
He looked like he was ready to branch into a new conversation when they reached the door to the bridge. Sophia was glad the talk had ended. She was thankful that Fayt was still brothering her as he always had, but for some reason she didn't want to talk to him about Albel. What ever relationship she had with him was still mostly untouched and to talk about it felt like it might jinx it.
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Everyone had gathered on the bridge and waited for further instructions. The door opened and Albel caught a glimpse of the couple entering just as Fayt's arm fell off of Sophia's shoulders.
He bit back his first instinct simply because he didn't understand it. He had wanted to separate them somehow. Why, he didn't understand. He assumed it was his protective nature; only he hadn't felt this protective over anyone since Josephina.
Clearly, Fayt wasn't hurting her. He was, after all, her childhood friend and knew her much better than anyone else here. He didn't strike Albel as the kind to hurt those he cared about. Contrary, he would lay his life down for any one of them here and he knew it.
So why did it bother him to see them so close? Perhaps he was lost in a depression from the past. He had been as close to Josephina. He had been to her what Fayt was to Sophia.
No, that couldn't be it. As much as he missed her, he had laid Josephina to rest a long time ago. He held her in his thoughts with admiration. She had lived a good life up till the end. The relationship he had with her was sacred and could not be replaced.
So what was it he wanted from this weak girl from the stars? The Venus Witch should be nothing to him but another girl. Irrational at times, too tender for her own good and way to happy even in the direst of situations.
She was so much like Josephina, but different enough to be her own person. She was Sophia and for reasons he could not determine, she fascinated him.
The pompous General, or who ever he was – Albel hadn't given him much thought – broke his chain of thought.
"Federation Station number 5 is currently under a state of alert. The Executioners have begun to attack the surrounding area. You cannot transport directly to Dr. Leingod's research lab. That area is protected by transport jamming to prevent direct access. You'll have to transport to the nearest location: the Recreational Zone."
The blue haired boy promptly replied. "Right."
"Do what you must do. The fate of the galaxy is in your hands." Wittcomb nodded with the intent of including everyone present even though his eyes stayed fixed on Fayt.
"Yes, sir."
In a thunderous, yet undemanding voice, the Commodore issued his last order. "Move out!"
Albel made an unconscious point to move across the room and to her side. His feet moved independently and he only registered his actions when he stood looking straight down at her.
She gave him a hesitant smile. Her eyes asked the question her lips refused to: Is there something you want to say before we go?
He didn't say a word as the others passed by them. He could feel the stares of them on him as they passed. Tilting his head to the side, he ignored them.
When the last of them had exited the bridge, Sophia spoke softly to him. "Well, it's time. Let's go. The sooner we get this over with the sooner we can go home."
She didn't wait for a response as she took up the tail with him in tow. As they moved through the corridors and to the transporter, there was only one thing on his mind.
Home. He wanted to go home, but there would be something missing. Something he couldn't quite place. Something he couldn't name. She seemed eager to go home, but he wondered what his home really had to offer him.
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Sophia surveyed her surroundings. The cold metal walls around her seemed to boast rudely at her. Despite their voiceless rude tone, she spoke evenly. "We made it. Moonbase..."
"Ah... This is the station in Lunar orbit, Federation Station number 5," Cliff thundered over her as if he hadn't heard her speak. "Otherwise known as Moonbase."
Sophia scrunched her nose at him, slightly disturbed by his interruption. He never noticed her expression. Men like Cliff never meant any harm. And, as annoying as they can be at times, they are essentially good men. Sophia opted to ignore his intrusion.
Fayt stepped to the front of the group. "This is where my dad and his team had their research lab. I've only been here a few times."
"I only came here once when I was really little, myself. I transported directly to the Research Zone..." Sophia stopped talking in mid sentence. She had only been here once and had gone straight to the Research Zone.
She remembered all the things her dad had showed her. All the interesting toys she was given to play with. The way the assistants made the cold touch of metal disc attached to her forehead seem silly and fun.
They had been testing her and she never knew. They were observing her right in front of her eyes but she was too young to understand. She was being researched! She shivered slightly as she hugged herself.
"I guess this time, we'll have to walk." Cliff winked at her oblivious to the body language she was almost shouting. Or so she thought. After his wink he gave her a thumbs-up.
It occurred to Sophia that maybe Mr. Fitter wasn't as dense as he wanted everyone to think he was. She nodded, letting him know she caught his hint.
It was Fayt's turn to be unaware of the interactions of his team members. He glanced at the walkway before them and gave the group his usual grin. "Yeah. But it shouldn't be too far."
"It looks like Dr. Leingod's research zone is to the west from here," Maria chimed in.
Sophia kept her stare straight ahead as they ventured into the base. She didn't want to think too hard about anything at the moment. A little peace was a thing she desperately longed for and recently only something she acquired by forcing unwanted thoughts away.
The group stopped moving when they reached an open area. Each member spread out only enough to explore visually, but not far from backup if it was needed. Sophia found herself standing beside Fayt as he pondered on which direction to take next.
With no warning, Fayt grunted as an object plopped to the floor at his feet. Holding the back of his head, he bent over and retrieved the tiny foe from the floor. The enemy was a stone, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand but big enough to leave a bump from the impact.
"Fayt, are you all right?" Sophia asked in concern.
"Learn to dodge, fool!" Albel uttered sharply.
Nel had taken a defensive position, ignoring the nonchalant attitude from the Glyphian. "Are we under attack?"
Cliff left his current position and joined Fayt. "What is that?"
Leaning over just enough to examine the object in Fayt's hand, Maria responded. "It's…a rock?"
"Where'd that come from?" Sophia asked to anyone who could explain the rock's sudden appearance as she turned to face the direction it had sailed from.
"Say your prayers!" The disembodied voice was shortly given the company of its owner. It didn't take long for Sophia to recognize the assailant – though it took time for the girl to notice Fayt or Sophia. "You ruined our gig! How are we gonna make any money now? It's payback time! Huh?"
"Peppita!" Fayt and Sophia shouted almost in unison.
The girl's eyes light up immediately. "Fayt and Sophia!? What are you doing here?"
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Albel wasn't sure he liked this new comer. He listened as Sophia recounted her vacation with Fayt before all hell broke loose. They had spent a short time with the dancing brat, but long enough to form some kind of friendship.
As Sophia reviewed her recent history with him, Fayt explained the situation to the young girl. She was the picture of a child – totally enthused in the adventure and romance of the story Fayt presented her. Albel watched at the fair haired child absorbed his side of the story. Only a short mention was made of Sophia's stay in Airyglyph.
Fayt may have meant well, but he was self-centered. He would do what he could for others, but he still only held things according to his perspectives. A bad quality for a leader. A true leader had to also think like the enemy. Predict the enemy's moves. The true enemy may have been yet unrevealed, but his motives were evil.
Albel had been labeled wicked by those who did not know what true evil was. He would admit only to himself that he didn't have a full understanding, but Albel was closer than Fayt was to knowing the enemy.
The only thing that kept him from the role of leader was his lack of knowledge. He did not know the stars and therefore his education on such matters had just begun. He really didn't want to be the leader of such a motley group. His place was simply to break from the boredom he had embedded himself in. Simple human curiosity was what drove him to this. Curiosity and the overwhelming instinct to see this through to the end. The reason behind that instinct eluded him, but he didn't fight it.
As cold as others thought him to be, he was no different than anyone else. He sought purpose in his life. Perhaps that purpose rested beyond the stars.
"Wow, what an amazing story," the child piped up in awe.
"That's why we have to hurry on over to the research area. Peppita, why are you guys here?" Sophia asked leaning slightly around Albel to look at the girl head on.
"We came to put on a show-what else! But while we were getting ready, that evacuation announcement came on, and we got shoved in here. I was so mad, I came here to give them a piece of my mind!"
"It's not safe, Peppita. You have no idea how serious this is." Fayt gave her a stern yet gentle look.
The young girl scrunched her nose up much like Albel had seen Sophia do many times. "Yeah, but it's better than doing nothing. I hate the feeling of getting walked all over. It's frustrating, isn't it?"
Cliff nodded and spoke more with sympathy. "Well, yeah."
"You can say that again."
"Right."
Once again he had spoken just as the Aquarian had. She scowled at her. The war might be on hold at home, but the last thing he wanted was to find any similarities between him and her.
Sophia seemed to pick up on his tension and touched him softly on his arm. He withdrew from her, not wanting anyone near him. Things would have been better if the red head had stayed at home. That he was sure of.
"That doesn't change the fact that it's dangerous." Fayt replied. "You need to wait here and leave the rest to us. Can you do that, Peppita?"
The girl thought it over; twisting her head back and forth while swinging her legs. After a few brief moments, she jumped down and smiled brightly.
She was more cheerful than the girl that stood at his side. Albel knew in that instant he didn't like her. Not at all.
"Okay," she responded with a nod.
With that decided, they moved on and away from the annoying brat. Albel could predict it wouldn't be the last they had seen of her. Things that annoyed him always had a way of reappearing.
They hadn't walked far at all when a metallic voice rang from the walls.
"Intruder alert, intruder alert. Intruders detected within facility."
"You don't think they're talking about us, do you?" the blond buffoon asked to the air in response to the computer's chanting.
Before Albel could respond Fayt answered him. "I don't think so."
Albel grunted. Why would someone who knew this technology ask such a stupid question? If the disembodied voice was talking about them, it would have announced their presence to start with. Even Albel, one from an underdeveloped planet could puzzle that together.
Before he could snap at the closest member of the group for their idiotism, another presence made itself known. It looked a lot like a human, but nothing about it was truly human. Spread across its back were wings, split in two on each side.
"What is that?" The Venus Wench asked almost stepping backwards and into him. He dodged her easily; keeping his eyes on the creature.
"I proclaim the will of the Enforcers. You are a plague...to be destroyed."
Instinctively, Albel drew his weapon as the thing spoke. He could taste a battle about to start and he was ready to prove that this thing calling itself a god was a mortal as he was.
"Is...that one of the Executioners?" the blue headed slattern asked.
The ignorance of those around him never ceased to irk him. "Humph, pompous worm."
He heard the Aquarian wench mumble something but was all too happy he had not heard her. It was bad enough that lately they seemed to speak at the same time. At least when he couldn't understand her, it made things a little more tolerable.
"Why are you doing this?" their leader asked; as naive as always.
"The Enforcers shall purify this defiled galaxy. The Proclaimers shall purge the defilement. Prepare to die, irregularities."
His grip tightened on the hilt of his katana. This was it…the moment of battle. The fight between self proclaimed gods and man had finally officially started.
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(A/N) It's a bit shorter than my other chapters, but at least I got something wrote. It feel like ages since life has slowed down enough for me to write - and it feels GOOD:)