Xenosaga: Gottlicher Eingriff

Chapter Three: The Dammerung

Shion blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to make the sleep disappear. For what had to be the hundredth time today she wished that she had her glasses back, instead of the itchy contacts in her eyes. With them in she was always afraid to rub her eyes too much, for fear that the contacts would work their way into the back of her eyes. I really need to get some new glasses one of these days, she thought in annoyance.

She tried desperately to return her attention to the screen in front of her, but it was no use. She had been looking at the Encephalon test-run data for at least four hours, and she couldn't find a single problem with any of the new weapons that KOS-MOS had been given.

Covering a yawn with her hand, she saved her analysis and switched the screen off. Taking a sip of her coffee, she looked out the viewport at the passing stars. So much had happened in the last year and a half, it seemed impossible that things would settle down to normal. And yet, here things were, almost back to normalcy. Gnosis were disappearing as she sat there, the U-TIC appeared to be leaderless and powerless, Albedo was gone, U-DO had collapsed with the destruction of the Omega System, and despite the arguing of the Federation they too seemed to be returning to normalcy. Shion's only regret in it all was that she hadn't seen so many of her new friends in practically a year, with the exception of chaos. Only this morning she, Allen and KOS-MOS had run into the thoughtful youth. He doesn't seem to have aged a day, Shion thought.

"Uh, Chief?" said a cautious voice. She turned around to where Allen stood.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Miyuki called. She said that Director Wilheim wanted to see you."

"Really? What for?"

"I don't know. You were just supposed to report to him with the KOS-MOS data as soon as you were done."

"Oh, all right," she said, copying the information to a disk. She put the disk in its case, then pulled her Vector coat back on. She quickly pulled her hair back, trying to make herself seem at least partially presentable. Finally, after it refused to do a single thing that she wanted, she just gave up on the braid and pulled the top half back, securing it with her blue barrette. "Well, think I'm ready?" she asked Allen, twirling a bit for effect.

"Definitely," Allen said as he walked to the viewport to retrieve his handheld computer. Shion laughed. "What?" he asked, a baffled expression on his face, one that he didn't wear nearly so often now.

"Oh, it's nothing really. I was just thinking how much you've changed. You used to be so... how should I put it? You used to be so nervous around me, and so...insensitve about other people, like uberhumans. And now you actually talk to me like I'm a real person, with the exception of refusing to call me by my name, and you accept the diversity of other people."

"Well, a lot has happened since we were on the Woglinde," Allen reasoned, sounding calm despite the blush she could see starting to stain his cheeks. He turned to the viewport, trying to hid it, but she'd already see the blush. "I've actually met different peoples. A Realian, cyborg, and a U.R.T.V even. And chaos... Well, I don't know if he's an uberhuman or what, but it doesn't matter anymore. They're still my friends. Like you," he added, and she smiled.

"Why, thank you Allen. You're my friend too," she said, walking out the door. "See you tomorrow!"

"Yeah..." he said, still staring out the viewport. She frowned, but didn't say anything. She could ask him what was wrong later. Now, she had to get this report in.

---

"Director Wilhelm?" asked Shion as she entered his office. His back was to her, or rather, the back of his chair was. She stopped a mere ten paces from his desk, and stood there, knowing that he would turn and face her when he was ready. After a moment of silence, his voice sounded, and he turned around, his eyes meeting hers. She tried to keep her gaze steady, although it was a difficult task.

"Do you have the KOS-MOS data I requested?"

"Yes sir." With Director Wilhelm, it was always best to be brief and to the point. Maybe he wouldn't mind more details, but no one knew. He was a total recluse, and no one knew what might and might not offend the Director. Then again, most people didn't end up reporting directly to him anyway. She'd heard rumors, mostly from Miyuki of course, that even the Division heads didn't speak directly to him. Of course, that was all speculation.

"What is your conclusion?"

"All of the new KOS-MOS weapons are working exactly the way they should. There are absolutely no faults whatsoever with any piece of equipment."

"The Second Division will be thrilled to hear that," he said. "After all, they've been working so hard to build all of this, haven't they?" Shion remained silent, unsure as to whether she should reply or not. What if that was merely a comment? Or what if he was expecting her to agree with him? She never could understand politics, and she had always felt that science should not have any invisible, political strings attached. A light chuckle escaped him before she made up her mind.

"Are you frightened of me?" Shion was startled by this. The question seemed to have come out of no where. He was looking at her thoughtfully, his hands clasped together, his eyes still on hers.

"What?" she asked, wondering if she'd heard correctly.

"Are you frightened of me? Most people are."

"Do I seem afraid?" she countered, unsure as to what to say. He looked at her curiously, as though considering.

"No. You seem more wary than anything else. It's rather commendable of you. Most people are frightened of me, and they don't even know why. But as for you, you treat the unknown not as something fearsome, but as something that should be approached with caution."

"Thank you," Shion said. I think... she added in the privacy of her own mind.

"I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable," he said suddenly, gesturing toward the door. "If that is all you have to report, you may go."

"Thank you," Shion said, bowing. She left the room, hearing and feeling the doors swish shut behind her. Now, what was that all about?

---

As Shion left the room, a figure clad in red robes materialized in the spot where she'd stood a mere moment before. Wilhelm was still watching her thoughtfully as she left.

"Sir?" he questioned. "Did everything...go well?"

"Yes, it did." Wilhelm turned back to the window. "You were right. Her inner strength is amazing, and her technical abilities are undeniable. And from what I've seen of KOS-MOS, her abilities are excellent as well. I think... I think it's almost time for KOS-MOS and Shion to reach their full potential."

"What does that mean, precisely?" asked the man, wary of what exactly his master meant. He knew a lot of his plans, but he did not know all of them. Even Voyager did not know everything. Wilhelm did not reply. He merely contemplated the stars outside his window.

"Sir?" he said, trying to provoke a response.

"Don't worry about it. You've done your duty. Now, please be off. I have a lot to plan." When his master spoke like that, then you obeyed. Totally, utterly, completely. Even his concern could not override that instinct within him. He bowed, and disappeared without a word. And there was no evidence that he'd even been there at all.

---

Allen continued to look out the viewport after Shion left, her words and his still replaying within his memory. His little tirade had startled him, but he was sure that in the end it was something that he truly meant. Maybe after all this time he was starting to grow up a little. Sure, he wasn't entire over Shion or anything, but he didn't follow her around all the time, almost like a stalker. His face always grew warm when he remembered the past. But life was a learning experience, right?

He remembered how much she'd chewed him out after he complained about the Elsa's crewmembers. Man, that had been in bad taste, seeing as they'd just been rescued by them. What he'd said appalled him now, but at the time he'd seen no problem with his comment. If he could find any good in the evil that had plagued the universe for the past year and a half, it was that it had seen him on a literal crash course with people that had changed him for the better.

"Allen," said an emotionless voice behind him. He turned to see KOS-MOS standing there.

"Hello, KOS-MOS. I thought you were recharging."

"I have not expended much energy in the past month, and therefore do not require much sustenance. However, I believe that I require further maintenance."

"Really? Why?"

"I have been trying to locate chaos, but my external sensors appear to be malfuntioning. I do not detect him within a 300-kilometer radius."

"Huh, that is weird. I know he's still onboard, I saw him before I came to see Shion," Allen said. He pointed toward a small service chair. "Why don't you sit down, and we'll see what exactly the problem is."

KOS-MOS walked over to the chair, and sat down as she was told to. Allen started up the equipment, then quickly ran an analysis of her OS.

"I don't see anything wrong. Maybe there's something wrong where he is, masking his location. He pulled out his handheld, and placed a call to the bridge. To his annoyance, Miyuki was the one that answered. Damn, I was hoping this was her shift working as Wilhelm's assistant! Miyuki had insisted upon splitting her time between the bridge and down by Wilhelm's office, because then she could pick up the most gossip. He sighed, and resigned himself to his fate.

"Hello, Miyuki."

"Oh, hey there! Aren't you that friend of Shion's?"

"Yes. I was wondering if..."

"Have you heard about Karol and Basil, the two people that used to work on the Woglinde with you?" Miyuki interrupted.

"No, but..."

"Well, they finally hooked up! We kept trying to get them together, but they seemed to be so reluctant about it. Just like I was saying to - "

"Miyuki, please! I need some information," Allen snapped, finally reaching his boiling point. Miyuki stared, shocked. Obviously, no one had ever yelled at her before.

"Oh, okay. No wonder I never remember your name. I don't like rude people," she said. "Now, what do you want?"

"I need to know if there are any areas shielded from sensors within the Dammerung."

"Nope, absolutely none!"

"Well, thanks."

"Hmph, now you're acting nice! Just trying to get more info about Karol and Basil, aren't you?"

"Miyuki..."

"Okay, you win!" said the bright girl. "So, it all started when..."

Allen, in a desperate attempt to save his sanity, terminated the conversation as quickly as possible. As he sat there, thinking, he became aware of KOS-MOS watching him.

"What was that?" she questioned.

"What was what?"

"The face you made when the Vector employee came onto the screen, the same one you repeated when you snapped at her and when you logged off. I have no record of such an emotion in my databanks."

"That? That was just annoyance. I was tried of her gossip, because it bothered me."

"Annoyance?"

"That's when someone is doing something that bothers you and makes you feel frustration, and you really want to get them to stop."

"I see." KOS-MOS was silent a moment. "I shall store that away for future reference."

"Future reference?" he questioned.

"Allen, chaos is still undetected." If Allen hadn't known better, he would have thought that she was trying to distract him. But surely KOS-MOS wouldn't act like that.

"Oh, right. Well, KOS-MOS, I don't know what to tell you. If I can find any Observational Realians they could look for him, but other than that I can't located a malfunction. Maybe there's some place that Miyuki doesn't know about. Doubtful, but possible."

"I see." KOS-MOS stood, and walked to the door. She stopped suddenly, her pupils contracting as information reached her. "chaos has reappeared on my sensors. Thank you for your assistance, Allen."

"Sure thing," he said as she left. She gets weirder and weirder everyday.

---

chaos wasn't entire sure where he was. One moment he had been sitting in his bunk, reading one of the novels that Jr. had insisted that he try, and the next he seemed to have passed out and was currently in a dense forest.

Not entirely sure whether he was dreaming or if he'd been transported here, he started to explore. After all, he would get no where just by sitting around. This was probably something that Nephilim had started, like the time she'd sent him an image of Shion before the Woglinde had been attacked. He looked around, hoping the cryptic young girl would show herself, but she seemed to be in hiding. Resigned to his fate, he started to naviagte the forest, heading toward a surge of energy he felt around the center.

As he approached the center, he realized that his initial thoughts had been wrong. This was not a forest at all; it was a small park within a huge building. One that seemed oddly familiar...

"Yeshua..." whispered a voice behind him, a familiar voice. He turned, but there was nothing there. That's odd... Only Nephilim and Wilhelm know my true name, and I do not sense them here.

"Yeshua..." whispered the voice, with more urgency. "The guardian... the guardian... bring... the guardian..."

And now he knew why it was so familiar. It was so obvious now that he thought about it. He was uneasy here because it was something that he only ever saw in his nightmares. This was a place he'd known he'd have to return to, but it was something that he dreaded. He turned around, knowing that this time he would see the ghosts that had been following him, the ones that had brought him here, and the ones he still saw in his nightmares.

One of them stepped forward, the only one that had a form, though it was faint. She reached her hand out, and he felt a pang of regret pass through him at the sight of his long-dead friend.

"The guardian..." she whispered, pressing a metallic object into his hand. "The time... is now..." With these forceful words, chaos felt himself being hurled from the dream. He awoke, his hands clasped tightly around something cool and smooth. He looked down, and froze at the sight of the necklace with a rune upon it. He closed his eyes and he grasped the necklace tighter. It hadn't been a dream. He'd really been there.

"Why now?" he whispered. "Why, Gabriel?"