U-DO
Chapter 9
This time the catapult was able to respond to the ship automatically, but Jr. still wanted to make sure that all was well.
Ziggy set MOMO down as soon as he thought it was safe and that she would be able to stand on her own. MOMO watched as her exhausted friend sat down against the steel wall.
"Thank you, Ziggy."
"MOMO, you knew I couldn't just let you stay on that ship-but you didn't think things through. Your life was in grave danger."
MOMO walked over to him and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "But you were there so there was nothing to worry about."
"Why do you keep saying things like that?"
"Because I don't want to stop believing in you."
She felt him shuttering slightly under her touch as if it were cold. He made sure not to look directly at her sensing that it would make her uncomfortable.
"I wish that you wouldn't try so hard…" Ziggy looked down from her and slowly his eyes closed from sheer exhaustion.
"Ziggy? Are you alright?"
But he had become unresponsive as she called his name out over and over. Soon she quieted and sat down next to him with a despondent expression fearing the worst.
"He's probably tired," Jr. said finally making it to their position.
/Z
The ceiling was high above him and strange images decorated the vast space. The images weren't created by simple lines but instead by diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. He touched the wall near him and felt the realistic hardness of the jewels. Light reflected off the shiny rocks making the domed room vibrant with color. Ziggy, who stood in the middle of it all, seemed painted in a collage of colors.
Then a bright light sparked in front of him. A little girl by the name of Nephilim soon replaced it. Her characteristic enigmatic expression drew curiosity from him.
"This is your last refuge, Sauer, from the turmoil that rages against your soul. Locked up in their designated prisons, the rage grew stronger. Then the prisons were unlocked and the rage pushes out and proceeds to consuming whatever is in its way. Chaos follows and you retreat to the last place where you must make your stand. The house of your soul remains; shining through among all other things. A soul that has been hidden away from prying eyes, but one that drives fear into those who seek to destroy."
"Little girl…"
"Think on these things, Sauer."
"Ziggy, are you awake? We have to go," MOMO called for the last time.
It was the first thing he heard upon waking once again
"It's just as I feared," Jr. said to MOMO, "We may be too late."
But Ziggy, despite the odds, looked up to MOMO's worried face. He watched as her sad expression became a smile.
"See, I told you-he wouldn't just give up like that. Can you stand, Ziggy?"
Ziggy used the wall as support as he climbed back to his feet. MOMO noticed immediately that he was quite disoriented and for a moment, she knew for sure that he wasn't certain of where he was.
"We made it to the Elsa," MOMO informed him, "We're safe."
"Elsa," he said slowly, "And the Durandal, it's-"
"Right about now, it'll be completely consumed by U-DO," Jr. said as he looked away, "But we can't worry about that now." He looked back over at Ziggy. "I have a plan to fix you up as good as new. As soon as I'm able to get in contact with Gaignun, we could link up and drive the U-DO waves out of your body."
"You can really do that?" MOMO asked looking at him incredulously.
"MOMO, it's what us URTVs were designed to do." Jr.'s gaze remained on Ziggy, "Now all you have to do is hold out until then. Do you think you can do that?"
"I'll try my best."
Jr. saw uncertainty behind his eyes, but it was a completely normal feeling. Not many people who were infected with U-DO would have made it this far. Jr. was anticipating the moment when he went off the deep end. Perhaps he would transform into a monster or arbitrarily start attacking the nearest person-Jr. was quite familiar with the effects of the waves. Ziggy's skin was pallid now and he seemed to have an uncontrollable tremble in his hands, though he was trying to conceal as much from him.
MOMO stayed beside him the entire time as they exited the room. Jr. was in the lead of the trio. Ziggy was lagging, Jr. noticed, in fact he seemed rather faint, but Jr. continued to lead the way. They stepped into the elevator and it shot up to the first floor.
"I think it would be best if you waited in the residential area," Jr. said at last as they stepped out of the elevator.
Jr. could tell that MOMO didn't want to leave Ziggy's side, but he gave her a stern look.
"You want to keep him isolated?" MOMO asked incredulously. "Jr., you can't do that-anything could happen. I need to be there. At least someone needs to be there so he won't-"
"That's enough, MOMO. Can't you see? You've done enough already. We're all looking out for your safety and we can't do that if you keep putting yourself in harms way."
"You know, Ziggy said the same thing. I'm tired of everyone looking after me all the time. I'm fine, okay. Just let me do this."
"Then you'll have to ask him if he wants you to stay. Hey, old man…"
But he seemed to be in his own world. His crimson pupils stared blankly at an arbitrary object.
"Hey, old man," Jr. said shaking him, "Snap out of it."
He slowly turned his attention to Jr. as if in a daze.
"Ziggy, I'm going to stay with you," MOMO said confidently, "Is that alright with you?"
"MOMO…of course not. There's just…there's just too much at stake. I need to be alone."
"Don't say that!" MOMO shouted startling Ziggy.
"I'm sorry, but the most logical thing for you to do is stay as far you can from me. Back there, on Durandal, it could have turned out very differently-"
"But it didn't," MOMO interrupted, "Because you didn't let it. Even when there was no one watching, you were still able to resist."
"I refuse to gamble with people's lives. There is no guarantee that I won't-"
"There's never been a guarantee especially not for my safety."
"MOMO-"
"No-"
"Stop interrupting me!"
MOMO had never heard that tone of voice before from him; she immediately quieted. Jr. was already on guard.
"You try my patience. MOMO, you think you're making things better, but all you're doing is making it worse. It's like waving a slice of cheese in front of a mouse or a steak in front of a dog. Every moment you're near, it becomes more and more difficult-when anyone is for that matter. It is better that I was alone with no temptations."
Tears were streaming from MOMO's eyes by then, but those crimson eyes looked at her with no hint of compromise
"You can't do it all on your own," MOMO said stubbornly.
"I know."
MOMO was surprised by this admission, but he didn't continue.
"Don't follow me," Ziggy warned as he turned from her.
MOMO watched as Jr. led her ailing bodyguard to his quarters. The residential areas were separated in two sections; one for males and one for females. Ziggy had the entire male residential area to himself. He settled himself on the couch with crossed arms.
"Rest if you must, old man. I'll get Gaignun as soon as possible, okay?"
Ziggy looked over at the red headed URTV and nodded knowingly. Jr. took his leave just as quietly. Ziggy's eyes returned to the floor and he stilled himself considerably. Everything about himself felt unstable as if he would fall apart at any moment. His hands shook freely now in his lap making soft clinking sounds on the metal. His entire body trembled and Ziggy could find no way to stop it. All the while, he felt the U-DO waves strange and threatening. He was in constant battle now. His body wanted to exit the room and go to the bridge to finish the job, but his mind wanted to stay where he was and wait.
But he felt so tired. He wondered suddenly if rest would actually do him some good. He had closed his eyes before and nothing bad had happened-in fact, the U-DO waves seemed less active, almost calm. And then he decided he would do just that-he closed his eyes. Then, when he decided that all was well, he made himself a little more comfortable. After all, he was the only person in the room and the couch he sat on was quite long, long enough for him to lie down.
Time seemed to pass quicker as he found himself in a half-sleep. For awhile, he felt completely calm, but then he began to dream. Little did he know of chaos's presence as he entered the room. chaos walked over to the couch and looked down at him with concerned eyes. Somehow, he sensed the waves surging fiercely now within the cyborg.
"Peace, Ziggy," chaos whispered as he placed a calming hand on his forehead. "You're almost there."
His breath had quickened for a few moments, but now it slowed considerably. chaos stayed for awhile sufficiently regulating all of the other's functions until he was comfortable enough to rest peacefully. Ziggy must have figured out then that emotions directly affected U-DO. Someone who was naturally calm had a better chance of maintaining extended control over U-DO than someone who was characteristically hot-tempered. chaos knew that out of all of them if such an infection were to befall them, Ziggy would have been the best choice. Yet U-DO could not be kept under control forever. Eventually, the strain would become too much. For now, Ziggy only needed to remain calm.
Suddenly, the lights overhead became red and started blinking slowly. chaos anticipated the loud siren that would follow. Ziggy was startled from his sleep and once again the U-DO waves became quite active.
"Ziggy, the ship is under attack."
He looked over at chaos with a confused expression, "Under attack?"
"Yes, do not be startled. Concentrate on calming yourself." chaos waited before he continued. "The Red Testament is in his E.S. and is attacking the ship. The shields should keep us safe for awhile, but we'll soon have to retaliate."
"I thought I killed him before. Why is he back?"
"He cannot be killed," chaos answered automatically, "He can only be stalled. His form will regenerate no matter what anyone does to him, but as of now, you are our best chance."
Ziggy's suspicions of chaos knowing more than what was normal was, at that moment, confirmed, but he listened closely. He was grateful that they had someone so knowledgeable on their side. With all the phenomenon that seemed to be occurring lately, it was nice to have someone who could accurately explain the situation.
"What is it that I have to do?" Ziggy asked the other.
"With the U-DO waves that are left within you, you could destroy him for a long period of time. By unleashing the waves on him, you will expend the rest that are in you."
"Unleashing the U-DO waves. That sounds reckless-I was barely able to reclaim myself the last time I did that."
"Trust me, Ziggy, it is the only way."
"Do you doubt that URTVs can do what they were created to do?"
"No, I don't, but this ship will be destroyed before anything like that could occur."
Ziggy suddenly saw how desperate their situation was. "Alright, I'll do it."
He stood up from the couch then just as the door to the residential area opened.
"chaos, Ziggy, the ship is under attack," Shion informed them, "We should all get to the bridge. Are you feeling alright, Ziggy?"
"Shion," Ziggy said momentarily.
"Shion, he isn't feeling well," chaos cut in, "Perhaps he should stay here."
Shion looked over at Ziggy. His skin seemed pasty and everything about him seemed shaky and unkempt. Even his hair seemed disorderly as strands of hair fell onto his forehead. And his eyes, they seemed to glare at anything he looked at. Its crimson tint was still rather unsettling to Shion.
"Maybe he should," Shion replied finally.
"I'll go with you, Shion," chaos said. He turned back to Ziggy then and gave him a knowing look.
Ziggy knew what chaos was trying to convey to him and returned a nearly indiscernible nod. He waited for a few minutes until he was sure the coast was clear before he exited the room. It was do or die.