Okay... hooooly crap. I'd totally drop out of college if I knew that writing could give me a secure future. Jesus, anyway I'm so sorry to have to do this to you guys but here's some more... well, I guess filler. It's part of the story, and if you were to read the last few chapters of said "filler" over a period that was not measured on the geological scale, then perhaps it wouldn't be as crushingly arduous as it is now. I really apologize for throwing yet more crap at you, but I put as much plot-advancement in it as I could, or at least made it build up to the coming events. I'd like to thank you all again for your patience, as I know my updates have literally slowed down to the point where an IV drip looks like Niagra falls, but life's really dragging me all about right now. I told you though, I'm not leaving. This is going to be another one that I'll update later (this chapter, I mean) by deleting and then resubmitting when I have the rest done. So, here it is. Hope it keeps you occupied in the meantime (hopefully it won't be so long).
The walls and floor reflected the dim light that emanated from the ceiling in the form of glowing globes suspended in the air. The ceiling of the station vaulted high into the air, fading into blackness as it approached its apex. On the vast sea of flat ground that were the platforms on which empty speeders were resting in their cradles, there lay the various belongings of a civilization. Clothes, baggage, valuables, and innumerable other items were left as their owners fled to what they hoped was some sort of safety and a chance to survive. Just as it were at the other hub, in the Plains of Ildanesh, peoples' true priorities were shown as they unconsciously cast away their physical belongings.
The slightest of whispers, brought into existence by the gentle shifting of displaced air from the darkness of one of the tunnels into the lobby was heard by nobody. A faint light became visible, bleeding into the vast dimness of the platforms as its source approached from the blackness of the tunnel. With it, the soft sound of wind grew louder, followed by the almost melodic hum of a speeder's levitators. With three occupants inside, it emerged from the tunnel.
Andron looked down from their vantage point as they climbed for a better view of the area. It was just as he had seen on Auraxis. Rail stations had been the same, strewn with belongings, clothes, vehicles; bodies… He saw no bodies, however, as he looked down on the near infinite number of possessions abandoned by their owners. His eyes instinctively scanned for any possible threats, though amid the sea of broken shapes and blends of colors he saw nothing. They were the only people in the entire station, all of the others having disappeared some time before he had arrived. They descended, and he felt his stomach rise inside of his abdomen as his organs lagged behind the rest of his body. In his arms he felt Eruwen grow lighter for a moment before settling back down as they came to rest in a cradle. The speeder eased down, the glow from the cradle becoming brighter as its antigravity generators suspended the vehicle just above the ground.
Aureleth let go of the controls, leaning back in her seat and letting her arms fall in her lap as she exhaled deeply. They had arrived at Telandril, the only place she could think of that stood a chance of being untouched by the war. She should have felt relieved, but all she did feel was tired. She closed her eyes, her face warming slightly without the constant breeze washing over it. The silence after the speeder shut itself down was intense, the only noise coming from her slow heartbeat and breathing, and the nearly imperceptible hum of the other cradles and systems throughout the station. She flexed her fingers, feeling and hearing slight cracks in them as her joints adjusted to being moved after grasping the controls for so long. The speeder shifted, the decrease in volume of the cradle's generators indicating that weight had been removed.
"Aureleth," Andron tentatively called out to her. He so desperately wanted to talk to her, to find what was troubling her, but they first needed to find a safe place. Every passing moment, however, slowly whittled away at his resolve, making him grow more and more anxious. He'd felt it ever since they had started walking after he had shot the Eldar, a distance quickly wedging itself between them and only feeling as if it were expanding. She seemed disconnected, and almost afraid to interact with him, avoiding eye contact and acting in a way he had never seen before, even if they had only known each other for but a week. He felt a small wave of warmth wash over him at the thought of the power of their relationship, forming so quickly and with such strength and passion. That bond that they shared was something he would never let be compromised.
"Yes?" Inwardly Aureleth was cursing herself for becoming so easily torn from her surroundings, Andron's voice being the only thing that brought her back from her thoughts. She met his gaze, attempting to hide the inward dread and turmoil that filled her, though judging by his worried expression, she knew that he was aware of something, though how much he knew or had inferred was a mystery to her.
"Should we look around, first?" Andron gestured to the sea of abandoned belongings with his shoulder, for Eruwen was still in his arms. He nodded to the child's still exposed feet, dirtied and marked with small cuts in numerous places, her toes red and tender. He felt a strong urge to shoot himself in the leg for neglecting her as he had, and had to bite back tears as a sudden wave of self-loathing crashed against his heart. He had meant to get her something for her feet in the fields, and damned himself for having forgotten. Eruwen had not uttered a single complaint, however, and it had simply been pushed to the back of his mind to make way for more pressing matters. Still, he should not have made her undergo such abuse.
"Y… yes, that would be wise. I must plan how we will attempt to make our way to the city. " The idea of digging around in others' belongings was foreign to her, and uncomfortable, however given circumstances it was necessary. Following Andron's gesture to Eruwen's feet, she too, felt remorse at having let her go so long barefooted. She almost tried to cherish the moment, as it drew her away from the other thoughts that were plaguing her. Aureleth sighed inwardly. They could not find somewhere to rest soon enough. She was behaving so unlike herself, even though she was quite different than she had been only a few weeks before. She supposed she then considered herself after she had met Andron to be who she truly was. That notion, however, was something that was possibly uncertain as well.
Andron stood with her in his arms and looked across the platform. On it laid everything from clothes to personal belongings, mementos, and picts: an entire culture taken form in scattered and forgotten belongings. He turned back to the speeder and gingerly placed Eruwen into the seat in which he had ridden, resting her head against the headrest. A lock of hair fell into her eyes, each of its individual strands settling in between her eyelashes. Andron reached out and brushed them away. He glanced up across the empty seat that Aureleth had occupied to see that she had gotten up and walked over to a small terminal a few yards away from the speeder. It showed little signs of life, however she held her hands to it and appeared to be interacting with it somehow. It was most likely on a level that he would never understand. He looked to Eruwen one last time before turning away and beginning to make his way through all of the clutter on the platform in search of something for the child, lasrifle in hand.
Andron walked for several yards, periodically looking from the ground to scan his surroundings, ensuring that they were in fact alone. The air tasted stale, devoid of any presence of life. There had not been anyone in there for some time. Each of his footsteps echoed endlessly throughout the station being carried through the air from wall to wall within the cavernous area. He kept his lasrifle at the ready, the position instilled within him through training and endless patrols. He desperately prayed that there wouldn't be a need to use it. He cursed the reigning silence, for it gave him time and clarity to think. He had dissected and examined the exact same thoughts over and over again nearly until the point of becoming nauseous. Aureleth was not well, and she was doing a poor job at hiding it. The edge of his boot came down on something soft, noticeably different from the flat, hard surface of the platform. He stopped and looked down at his feet, removing his foot from what lay under it. A bag laid on its side, roughly the size of his backpack in the speeder, the bag's ornate buckle lock open, and its contents protruding from within. He knelt down, slinging his rifle on his back and began to peruse what lay within. He removed some articles of clothing: another ornate and multicolored gown and matching undergarments. They appeared to be small, as if for a child.
Andron made to sling the garments over his shoulder, but hesitated before staring intently at them in his hand. He knew that he had no time to think of such things, nor the luxury of safety in doing such things, but he could have said the same for everything he had said, thought, and done over the past week. He held a child's belongings in his hands, the worldly possessions of someone who might or might not be alive. He dearly hoped she was, though the chances of him ever confirming such a thing were negligible. He felt a stirring in his stomach, a small pang of guilt twisting his gut. Andron looked back to the speeder as he plied the fabric of the gown in between his thumb and index finger, and saw Eruwen where he'd left her, asleep. Her clothing was beginning to look tattered, and she desperately needed something to protect her feet not only for comfort but for survival. She needed them, and whoever had owned them would have no use for them ever again, most likely. He slung them over his shoulder. He would likely never find a change of clothes for himself for the rest of his life, but at least Eruwen had options. He'd certainly gone much longer than his current span of time without changing. The thought crossed his mind that one day Eruwen and that child might meet. It brought a flash of a smile to his face.
Andron reached back inside and smiled as he felt his fingertips brush up against something firmer. He grasped the items and removed them, grinning at the sight of footwear. He was thankful that they were not meant for formal dress wear, and appeared to only be for general usage. They were of as average a makeup as possible under the ornate and decorative influence of Eldar design philosophy. He stood, though as he did the strap on the bag became caught on his lasrifle, bringing it up with him. He unhooked it from his barrel and placed it aside. Instinctively his eyes returned to the spot on which the bag had been lying. On the ground, slightly dirtied and showing signs of wear was a small doll. He smiled, and stooped down to pick it up. He turned it over in his hands, examining it. It was soft, and aroused a sense of endearment to him. He had never seen any Eldar younger than Eruwen, but the doll he held appeared to be modeled after a very small child comparable to a human of well under a year's age. It had brilliant blue eyes and short, deep black hair that shined slightly in the ambient light. It was in a small garment of red and blue. He chuckled at the seemingly trivial nature of some of the commonalities he had discovered between his and her people. Doll and shoes in hand, he returned to the speeder.
Aureleth looked up from the console, her connection to the Infinity Circuit which also acted as an information network, to see Andron returning with clothes for Eruwen to wear. She smiled, savoring the emotion as long as she could before it was suffocated again by the prevailing dread and confusion that filled her. Their journey would not be much longer until they had a safe place to rest; a fact she was immensely grateful for.
"Andron," Aureleth released her hands from the console, her connection to the network that permeated the entire craftworld dissolving.
"Hmm?" Andron retrieved his pack from the speeder, placing the doll and clothing inside, as well as the shoes. He would give them to Eruwen later. He hoped he could use them in what he feared would be an uphill battle regarding what she had seen him do. He inwardly frowned at the idea of using bribes, or what he considered to be bribes, but given the barrier that existed between them in terms of communication, he had little other choice.
"The city is mobilizing for war," Aureleth turned from the console. "There are many areas that are empty; I have selected one that is not too distant." She returned to the driver's side to retrieve her weapons.
"How far of a walk is it?" Andron was exhausted. Though he had been in conflicts where he'd been required to endure far longer amounts of time without rest, he felt so drained in his current instance. He hefted Eruwen in his arms, thankful that the weight of his pack balanced him well enough that his back muscles would not give out from compensating for Eruwen's weight in front of him.
Aureleth sheathed her sword before reaching onto the seat where she had placed her shuriken pistol and holstered it as well. Ensuring that they were secured, she turned to him. "It should not be far. This station is near the outskirts of Telandril, which is where we will try to find somewhere to stay."
"Alright. Well, I got everything." Andron hefted Eruwen for emphasis. Where the small expression of humor came from he did not know, but it helped to lighten the darkened mood at least somewhat. He was rewarded, greatly in his eyes, with a glimpse at a smile from Aureleth.
"We must go this way," Aureleth indicated an arch at the far end of the station. It would not be far, at least not in reality. She knew, however, that the last small stretch of their journey to a place where they could enjoy peace would be agonizingly long for her conscience and heart.
Andron had carried Eruwen in his arms, his lasrifle slung over his shoulder nestled against his pack. Much to Andron's relief, the child had stirred slightly, indicating that she was entering a more normal state of sleep. The layout of the station, while different, held a similar atmosphere as the one they had come from, though not quite as morbid. There were no bodies to be found save for that of a former lifestyle of peace and prosperity in the form of what lay strewn across the floors and in the emptiness itself. He had absentmindedly started scanning his surroundings for any signs of children having been there, and found none. He only knew for certain the existence of two children on the entire craftworld. He remembered his own home, the memories he had becoming more and more distorted each time he relived them in his mind. There had been children everywhere… then again, it had been nigh on their only source of happiness. Family was all that they'd had for luxury. The irony of a society so rife with opportunity and ways of spiritual, intellectual, and physical development having cast away what he and his people thought to be so precious was striking. Was it perhaps an inevitable social evolution? It certainly could not work with a species that lived only a century or two if they were lucky.
The drawbacks of such a philosophy had shown, too. Aureleth had shown him clearly that there was a price to pay for forgetting such core elements in one's life. While she outclassed him hopelessly both artistically and in terms of sophistication, she had been deprived of what she had realized was likely most important to her all along. Then, as her home was laid to waste by the primitive, unrefined humans, a haunting memory from her past reentered her life, and became what she cherished most. While their kinds squabbled and fought, they merely attempted to escape it and give each other their respective gifts. Andron understood fully that what they had was beyond precious in the world they lived. He couldn't possibly allow it to be lost.
The outskirts had been empty, just as they had been in Korvashil. No signs of life were to be found, but there was no damage to the city at all. In a way, it was almost more eerie, as if everyone had suddenly been dragged into the Warp, never to be heard from again. The layout of the city was different; no longer were they in the efficient concentric ring layout, but in a highly elevated group of platforms on which sections of the city were built. Between the platforms ran massive bridges, their curvaceous architecture bending and reflecting the sunlight in an artistic manner to match the structures themselves. The smaller platforms, still miles across, in a circular pattern around the larger inner platform that held Telandril's center were where they found themselves.
The houses were similar in construction: multi-floored, somewhat compact though not as much as before, and possessing a nearly organic shape. There was one with its door open, which Andron assumed as well as hoped was the result of its owners simply neglecting to close it in the apparent rush to flee to the city's center which had transpired. As he noticed it, Aureleth broke the silence.
"Over there. There is a door open." She pointed to it.
"Just saw it," Andron replied, beginning to walk in its direction.
"There might be someone inside. We should be careful," Aureleth warned him as she fell in stride next to him, hands on her weapons.
Andron inwardly kicked himself for his carelessness. He knew the risks, and had even assessed them and ran through that possibility in his mind yet he had simply ignored the advice given and went anyway. He desperately needed rest, though he felt that there was a high probability that it would not be found wherever he and Aureleth sat. He sighed. There would be a lot they would discuss, he was sure of it. Some of it he did not yet even know but he felt its presence, lingering questions and those that had yet to be given a form he could fully understand.
Andron grunted in frustration, trying to formulate a way to keep Eruwen safe and within reach in the event that they had to escape quickly. He had only been able to think to leave her by the door. Aureleth took notice of it.
"You wait out here and keep her safe. I will only take a moment," she said as she drew her weapons and slid through the opening in the doorway, careful not to disturb it lest anyone inside hear.
Andron sighed, feeling useless. But, he thought, what were they to do in the event that they needed to run? If Eruwen were left somewhere, and he could not even bear to think of taking his eyes off of her, it would severely hinder them in the event that they had to flee. They knew all too well from many experiences that it was not even a few seconds, but mere fractions that made the difference between life and death. Of course, given the area they at least hoped they were in, there was little chance for such a need to arise. Andron scanned his surroundings, wary for any movement and ready to run for cover and return fire if necessary. His concerns proved to be in vain, however, as Aureleth soon emerged from the abandoned home and beckoned him inside. He hefted Eruwen in his arms, adjusting her position before following Aureleth inside. They again found themselves in the residence of another person, perhaps even a family. Andron noted with bitter irony that the layout happened to be identical to that of Eruwen's old home. He sighed, hoping that such an environment would not bring back the memories that would come with it.
"It's the same…" Aureleth spoke the realization for the both of them.
"I know. I don't want to, but we should go up… we'd be harder to find. You think she'll…"
Aureleth sighed, "I don't know. The most important thing, however, is to ensure that we are not discovered. That takes precedence above all else," she began to walk towards the stairs, an ominous feeling being imposed from elsewhere despite the distance that separated the two places. Andron followed, Eruwen still asleep in his arms.
"Where should we put her?" Andron looked into each of the rooms that they passed, making sure to avoid the one at the very end of the hallway and to the left.
"This should be best. It is farthest away from any entrances," Aureleth indicated the room directly across from the one Andron had been avoiding.
They entered, and within it was a large sleeping mat, and similar furnishings to those in Eruwen's old home. There was no portrait, something Andron was secretly relieved was absent. He gingerly placed Eruwen on the mat before covering her. He removed his lasrifle and backpack, placing them next to the mat before collapsing into a sitting position on its edge with a massive sigh.
"Suddenly I can't endure a fraction of what I used to," he lamented as his eyes travelled between what he knew were the two sources of his heightened levels of anguish and worry in battle. As he watched, Aureleth removed her weapons and placed her helmet at the foot of the mat. She looked exhausted.
"Nor can I…" She looked to him, a sad smile on her face. She returned her gaze to the floor in front of her. Neither of them spoke for several minutes, simply staring at their feet and wallowing in their exhaustion, the only sound being that of Eruwen's soft breaths as she slept. There was so much that needed to be discussed, and it was not only regarding their plans for the future.
She wanted to avoid the inevitable for as long as she could, so she brought up their future plans, or at least those for their near future.
"As of now, it appears that we are safe. Most of Telandril is mobilizing for war, and the outskirts are empty. They have for the most part congregated in the central areas. There is yet to be any fighting nearby, so we can hope that it will remain so." She simply blurted out what she'd learned from accessing the Infinity Circuit, trying to fill the silence with anything to keep them from going where she so dreaded.
"So… what do we do now?" Andron felt frustrated with his lack of usefulness in such a situation, but he lacked any considerable knowledge about their surroundings, and so had to rely almost completely upon her.
"I suppose we can wait here… or we can continue moving farther away. To be honest… I do not know," she admitted.
Andron chuckled. He wasn't sure if he had actually believed that they would have survived as long as they had, but they did. As a result, he felt almost lost. They had been living the past weeks moving from goal to goal, each being relatively close to the other in the grand scheme of time. With their arrival at a place that had yet to be touched by war, and stood at least a sliver of a chance of never seeing it, they had come to the point where considering very long term goals was something they had the luxury of doing. Or, perhaps it was not a luxury. He realized that with the time they now had to consider such things, the reality of their situation, and the challenges that they would have to face if they were to survive came to bear. His train of thought stalled on that point, his exhaustion forbidding him from thinking too terribly deeply about it. Silence reigned once more.
Aureleth felt the tension between them. At that point it was almost palpable, looming over them and beckoning for their attention. She desperately wanted to reach out to him, or more so for him to reach out to her. She wanted to feel the warmth of his embrace, the comfort of knowing that she was in the safety of the arms of the one she loved. She could not muster the courage to do so, however. The tempest of confusion that roared within her was keeping her from being able to fulfill her need. She was almost fearful of it. She did not know how she would tell him what she'd felt, and what she had seen and done. Aureleth realized that the paralyzing fear she felt was that of him fearing her, or losing his trust. She felt tears well up in her eyes, the thought of being alone again nearly too much to bear.
Andron stole a glance at Aureleth, who appeared to be on the verge of breaking down. He knew partially why, though it would only be through her that he could truly understand what troubled her so much. She had been acting horribly strange ever since Eruwen had passed out, and he had been spending all of his time trying to formulate a way to understand it before they arrived at a point where they could talk again safely. That time had come, but he still had no real idea what had happened to her or how he was supposed to help. All he knew was that the sight of her with tears in her eyes and a face poorly disguising agony was not something he'd let go on. As he had done for the past weeks, he decided he would simply act according to what he felt was best.