Chapter 3 arrives!

As always, any comments and advice are greatly appreciated! Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Welcome to the Earth

With a sudden jolt, I awoke to the metallic shuddering of my chair as our helicopter touched down. Light streamed in through the small windows, forcing me to blink a few times as I adjusted my vision. I didn't know how long we slept, but we were no longer in the arid wastes of Aspina. All around me I saw towering buildings and canals filling a vast ocean that was otherwise empty as far as I could see. More helicopters were landing on pads adjacent to mine, and people were walking en masse towards something out of view to my right. I tried to move, but found myself restrained by Yang's bulk.

The blonde's head was still resting on mine, and her hand had closed around my shoulder. We had both passed out during the trip, but while I was a rather light sleeper, Yang could sleep through a war just outside our house. I slowly reached up and pried her fingers apart from my arm, but she failed to stir.

"Yang…" I whispered. I reached up and gently prodded her face, pushing her cheek into a funny looking position that reminded me of a fish. I giggled quietly as I kept poking. "Yang." I said with a little more force. Nothing. I normally wouldn't do this and risk waking the sleeping bear, but I had no choice. Cautiously, I grasped a small lock of hair and gave a very slight tug, just enough to make the strands taut. Yang stirred as though on command, retracting her arm and pulling her head away quickly. She rapidly blinked her eyes and looked for all the world like she had just woken up late on a calm Saturday, and not at all like a seventeen year old refugee fleeing a war zone.

"Ruby, are we there yet?" she asked. I didn't have to answer as she looked out the window too, realizing we were stopped. A familiar hand cupped my shoulder. I smiled when I turned and saw my mother Summer leaning over me. Her eyes were tired, but her face was still as bright as ever as she spoke to us.

"Hey baby girls, we're here. Your father's up ahead, arranging our housing. Come on, let's go see our new home."

Suddenly I realized we were the last ones in the helicopter, and an eerie quiet descended as my mother finished speaking. The empty seats echoed in my mind with the ghosts of those who were left behind in Aspina. Charred, shredded with metal, lying on the ground unmoving. Yang broke me out of my stupor with a playful shove.

"Get up Ruby! Don't you wanna get out of this tiny little tin can?"

I smiled affirmatively and rose to my feet, a little wobbly. Quickly I recovered and followed my mother outside, onto the helipad. The sun was bright as it beamed down on us like a spotlight, but I didn't have to cover my eyes this time. The helipad was similar to the one in Aspina, but it was situated on a large building that gave me a view of the surrounding structures. They were mostly rectangular skyscrapers, similar to the office buildings of the old, pre-Dismantlement War world. Small canals ran between the buildings, making good use of the watery environment. While at first glance this safe haven seemed pristine and perfect to me, upon closer inspection I noticed something disconcerting.

The canals were molded and worn down from erosion, nearly flooded, and the once white bridges were darkening with age. The former majesty of the buildings was decaying alongside their walls and paint. Windows were dark, silent, ominous. The still water and dilapidated ruins were completely devoid of life. Looking down, I noticed that the helipad was not in fact situated on one of those buildings, but rather a platform extending from some other, larger structure. Turning to follow my mother and sister, I got my first look at the real Line Ark.

My jaw fell unrestrained, eyes widened, as I craned my neck to look up at the incredible feat of engineering before me. Huge support beams as thick as the buildings in the ocean behind me were layered in a triangular pattern coming out of the water, supporting a massive highway that extended for miles in either direction, forming an open-air tunnel. The highway itself was split into three main regions, forming its own enclosed triangle within the supports. Midway through the large beams on either side, a smaller highway was connected. I could the entrance from where I stood on the helipad, and above I could see the larger, central highway that rested at the top of the triangle. Dozens of old runways extended off the side of the central highway where it connected to the support beams, although they were empty.

What really made Line Ark stand out as an architectural marvel was the main building. Extending down to the supplementary highways on the side of the support pillars, two colossal, uniform towers rose high up into the air, pinching the sun in the space between them. In contrast to the dying offices, the towers were rounded and modern, with smooth edges and clean surfaces. The entire structure was a dark brown that seemed to absorb the sunlight as it hit. It was the single most impressive thing I had viewed in my life up till then. Never before had I seen a maritime city, much less buildings so massive they would dwarf a NEXT. My eye caught a glare off the side of the building, and I saw that the tower walls facing parallel to the highway were made completely of glass. Running down the outside wall was another gargantuan window, clear enough that I could see the bustle of people going about work. This had to be where everyone was headed.

Looking back down to Earth, I saw Yang locked in the same awed stare I had just escaped. My mother was just ahead of her, beckoning with a hand. Further along towards the highway gates, I could see our father though the crowd of people, talking with someone who appeared to be a security guard.

"Ruby, Yang, let's go, your father's waiting!" my mother called. I walked forward briskly, catching Yang's limp hand as I sped past, dragging her along with me as I chased after our mother. Yang quickly straightened up and began walking on her own, although she still held my hand.

"What do you think sis? Isn't it huge?" Yang asked, eyes beaming as she turned to me.

"I think huge is an understatement Yang. This thing is colossal. Monumental. And now it's our home! There must be so many places to explore!" I nearly squealed as we walked into the highway gate. The heat of the sunlight disappeared and was replaced with the heat of the crowd as the three of us tried to locate my father. My mother expertly navigated the sea of people, which at the moment was much more active than the actual ocean hundreds of feet below. Elbows were everywhere, and found myself constantly muttering tiny apologies as I came into contact with them, although I doubt it was all my fault.

Yang had always been taller than me, and she took charge in the undulating crowd, pushing through people with steadfast determination as she pulled me forward next to Mom. Soon enough, our little triumvirate was at the front of the gate. My father was speaking with a man in a navy blue uniform, wearing a small, tan patch on his shoulder that displayed a simple black line with a triangle emerging from the median: Line Ark. I couldn't hear what they were saying over the roar of the other refugees, but soon my father turned and walked over to us as the guard was approached by another frantic parent. He addressed my mother first.

"Summer, honey, would you happen to have a data pad? Or even pen and paper?"

My mother felt the pockets of her coat, but came up with nothing. Reaching behind my back, I produced a small, basic data pad from a magnetic clip on my belt. It was the one I used to take notes on NEXTs, companies, and LYNXs when I spoke with Joshua and helped in the garage.

"Here, would this work?" I offered. My father accepted the pad gratefully, and held it up in one hand so we could all see.

"Alright, when we get inside the main building, Ruby, Yang, you two will be directed to a room. This is where we'll be living now, so once you get there make sure there aren't any problems with it. Your mother and I will be heading to the requisition desk with this data pad," He pointed at it with his other hand for emphasis, "so we need everyone to work together on a list of what we think we'll need. These are basic necessities for now, anything else would be too taxing on the kind people here who are sheltering us. Everyone understand?"

We nodded in approval, and the data pad was pressed into my mother's hands. It suddenly dawned on me that we had grabbed literally nothing as we fled Aspina. All we had were the clothes on our backs and whatever was in our pockets. And my data pad. All my little scraps of tech were gone, spare parts saved over years of search and small purchases. I had planned on building Yang a bike for her birthday, which would be approaching quickly now. Disheartened, I knew I would just have to find something else for her.

Leaning over the pad alongside my mother and sister, I started listing off everything I could think of that we would need. A change of clothes, for one. A toothbrush and toothpaste. My mother typed furiously as Yang and I both spoke at once. Pajamas, a comb and hairdryer, maybe another pair of clothes, shampoo and soap, a welding torch and face guard.

The others stopped and stared at that last one, and I blushed as I studied my feet. That probably wasn't completely necessary… but it would have been really nice to have. I doubted any other people were asking for welding torches. Just as Yang opened her mouth to add another item, a loud voice echoed through the gateway.

"Groups A, B, and C! Please report to the front of the tunnel! We will be loading the bus shortly!"

My father, who had been standing back letting the ladies do all the work, quickly motioned us forward.

"We're group B, let's go."

We quickly walked forward, and were caught in the surge of refugees from the other groups as we pushed to the front. The guard who had been speaking before with my father now stepped out ahead of us and barred the exit to the highway, alongside about half a dozen others, all similarly dressed.

"Everyone, please step back! Don't push! Stay away from the highway!"

A low rumbling overtook the roar of the crowd as an eight-wheeled vehicle rolled up behind the guards. It was a dark grey, almost faded looking. It seemed to be made of some kind of dense metal, which was surprising for a civilian transport vehicle. There were no windows in the surface, and the front only had two tiny viewports mounted atop what appeared to be a heavily armored cone on the nose. The entire thing looked less like a bus and more like a tank. But why would we have an armored transport in this supposed safe zone? If the war wasn't here then why would…wait. Requisition desk. That was what my father had said earlier. Not shop or store. Requisition desk. You didn't requisition household supplies, you bought them. You requisitioned equipment. Military equipment. I put two and two together and turned to my father as group A walked towards the rear of the APC.

"Dad, is Line Ark a military force?"

He stood silent in thought for a brief time, his dark grey eyes closed, focused, before responding.

"Not exactly, Ruby. Line Ark was an abandoned corporate center meant to be a headquarters for some unknown company. Whatever corporation built it was then completely eliminated during a war, so the building was abandoned. Yesterday, Aspina received word that the survivors from Anatolia had moved into this area and were starting up an independent, maritime city-state. They wanted to go under the radar of the companies, but they still organized a rudimentary defense force under the guidance of Emil Gustav, the de facto leader of Anatolia. He said that anyone from Aspina was welcome to join them at Line Ark and that Anatolia's Mercenary would be coming to protect us as we made the trip. Your mother and I started packing, but we weren't ready for that attack. I'm sorry."

"Don't be Dad, there was no way you could have known we would be attacked by Omer so quickly. But what do you mean survivors from Anatolia? Were they attacked too?"

"Ruby, let's talk about this later, ok?"

"Group B, please board!" the guard yelled. We broke off our conversations and hastily walked to the back of the "bus". The only entrance was a thick, hatch-like door. Inside, the transport was lined with seats much like in the helicopter. I was in no hurry to return to such a dark and cold space, but at least we weren't in any immediate danger. My family was shuffled into the chairs rapidly, pushed up against strangers and each other. I sat across from my father. There was very little light coming from an overhead bulb, and I could barely see him. Leaning forward, I pressed him for information.

"So what's going on with Anatolia?" I asked. I didn't hear a reply as we were cut off yet again. At the head of the chairs stood a guard from Line Ark. I heard the hatch slam shut as the last of group C boarded, and the guard began speaking in a gruff voice.

"On behalf of Line Ark, I welcome you all. Most of you are arriving from Aspina, although we may have a few late arrivals from Anatolia on board as well. As you heard, Line Ark is a new, independent city-state, meaning we are free of corporate control." The transport lurched forward as we began rolling down the highway towards the main building. "All are welcome, as long as you behave properly and remain on-site. We don't want to attract unwanted attention. Now, when we arrive at the central complex, you will be directed to a room by another guard. While the complex is very large, we are also taking in a large number of refugees, so unless there is a serious issue, room changing is non-negotiable for these first few days while everything is sorted out. Once you are settled, the requisition desk for any supplies you need is in the main lobby where you came in. Are there any questions? No? Then I wish you all good luck." The man finished just as the transport came to a stop. The rear door flew open and people began to funnel out. My mother and Yang got out before me, and my father motioned for me to go before him. I stepped out onto the highway and quickly jumped to the sidewalk, which ran across a large area and ended at a set of glass double doors. We were in a large, open area, but it was still more enclosed than the rest of the highway had been. This must be at the base of the towers.

"Mom, did you finish the list?" I asked.

"Yes Ruby. I don't think we should ask for a welding torch right now. I'm sure they'll need them for other things."

"I wasn't asking about that, I was just curious if you finished…" I replied, still disappointed. We entered the great double doors into a pristine lobby that reminded me of an Aspina research lab. There was an elevator bank sitting across from us, at the end of the path, and to our sides were long, winding desks. The few secretaries were being swarmed by people, and our parents shared an irritated look.

"Alright girls, we're going to check out one of these desks, why don't you two go to the elevators and find our room. We'll meet you up there when we're done." my mother said.

Yang and I nodded and we began walking towards the elevators, where a guard stood with an electronic clipboard, stopping everyone before they entered. We stood in a line for maybe a minute or two before it was our turn. The guard didn't even look up at us as he spoke.

"Last name?"

"Xiao Long." my sister answered. I would let her do the talking.

The man scribbled furiously on the clipboard. "Number of occupants?"

"Four."

After a brief silence, the man spoke. "There's an opening on floor four. Take any elevator, and your family will be in room forty, on the left."

"Thanks."

We stepped into the closest elevator and pressed four. My head rushed as we rose higher and higher. The doors opened up on a large open space, similar in design to the lobby we just came from. But this room was above ground and had a much higher ceiling, with light streaming in through the massive window that served as the wall across from the elevator bank. People were walking around, talking with each other in relative calm. Closer to the window there was a small cafe area, and on the other side of the room, a gym. Children stood against the wall, faces and hands pressed against the glass which overlooked the glittering ocean and old city. It almost felt normal again, seeing everyone going about so casually, like they hadn't just been forced from their homes. I couldn't imagine why this place would ever be abandoned.

The guard said our room was on the left, so I turned and began walking. Yang followed suit, and we quickly found a long hallway flush with the elevator banks, near the end of the building. After a few steps, the outer wall gave way to another massive window, one I had seen from the helipad. Both of us stopped as we looked outside. From where we were, we could see the main highway extending below us, reaching far into the distance as though it would never end.

"Some view, huh." Yang said, a little breathlessly.

"Yeah, it is." I replied slowly. A small detail had caught my attention. Moving closer to the glass, I noticed something odd about the window. I raised my hand and tapped it. The material felt different from the glass of the windows at home. Rougher, thicker. At first I chalked it up to advanced age and lack of maintenance, but then I remembered where we were. A bigwig corporate center, with the best protection money could buy, in this case, from Kojima particles. The windows were made of Aegisterean glass, which could resist radiation even from a NEXT flying right outside. I knew little about the process of Aegisterilizing, but it could be done to almost any building material, and was very important for building NEXTs and anything working in close proximity to Kojima systems.

"Ruby! I found our room!"

I turned to see Yang's head and waving arm sticking from a doorway farther down the hall. I pulled away from the window and quickly made my way to her. She disappeared into the door as I approached, and as I looked inside she wheeled around, standing in the center of our room. There were two beds against the opposite wall, a bathroom off to my right, and a small kitchen area to my left, with a table and some chairs. In the center was a two-person sofa across from a news screen, with a tall lamp on the side closer to the beds. A ceiling fan cast ample light on everything, and I could see it was all very clean and unused. Yang threw her arms out in a grand gesture as she presented the room with a huge smile on her face.

"Well! What do you think! Cozy, isn't it?"

I laughed at Yang's over-enthusiasm. It was cozy indeed, and while it was a little small, I later found that we lucked out with one of the bigger common rooms in Line Ark. I then took the first step into my new home for the next seven years. Immediately I noticed a problem. There were only two beds. And while I loved my sister dearly, she was a cover hog, and I preferred not getting locked in a bear hug while I slept, like what had happened on the helicopter. Thankfully, Yang solved this problem quickly.

"Dibs on the couch!" she exclaimed as she dove for the sofa, stretching out on her back and quickly shifting into a sleeping position.

"Really Yang? You're already tired?" I asked. She glared up at me, a little hurt.

"It doesn't seem like there's much else to do for now. Mom and Dad said they'd meet us here."

"Don't you want to explore, Yang?"

"I'd like to explore these cushions. And we can't just leave Mom and Dad."

"It'll be fine, please, it won't take long." I begged. I gave Yang a big smile and my best puppy eyes. She conceded quickly.

"Alright, fine." She said as she sprung up lithely from the couch. "Where to?"

I paused as I considered our options. This floor seemed almost entirely dedicated to living space, so that left either going up or going down. Floor four seemed like an odd number to be the lowest residential area, so I figured floors one, two and three were of similar design. A sudden though occurred and I walked briskly to the elevator, Yang following behind silently. We stepped inside the first one that opened, and I read over the buttons.

"What do you think Yang?" I asked. The floors were listed up through twenty five.

"How about… thirteen?" she answered. I looked at her disapprovingly, and she shrugged her shoulders with a grin. "Well, if we're going to find something interesting, that's the floor it will be on." I sighed as I pushed the button and we began to rise.