[ Fate's hideout, location unknown / September 20, 0078 02:12 ]

"Mom, please…"

"No, Caro, my decision will not change."

Amidst pitch-black darkness, the chair Fate sat in looked like a throne. That chair and she was all that the projection screen in front of her could illuminate.

Caro Ru Lushe and Erio Mondial, the eldest of her three adopted children, stared at her with pained faces.

"But Mother," Erio raised his voice, "what you are doing is suicidal. The Cradle and Signum-san were bad enough but now even the Bureau sent a warship after you!"

"Not after me, Erio. My brother is after the Cradle, and I am just a secondary objective. I will be fine."

"That's what you told us three years ago!"

Fate twitched. Scaglietti's hideout. The Doctor's words hurt her and had it not been for Erio and Caro, she would have died there. Fate looked around herself and, for the first time, realized that the mad doctor may have not been that wrong.

"Erio!" Caro protested.

"Oh," Erio's eyes widened. "Mom, I am sorry, I didn't think…"

"It's OK," Fate avoided his eyes. "I am OK. I am much stronger now. I know what's at stake. I have lost one child already. I will not lose another. And I will not allow any more of my children to get involved with the Cradle."

"I understand, Mom," Caro nodded.

"Can't we do anything for you at all?" Without anger, frustration fueled Erio's words.

"You can," Fate looked at him solemnly. "As long as the two of you sit tight on Supools, I will have the strength to go on. I have to know that you are alright and safe. I need to know that there is still something from my old life to return to once I save Vivio. You are the only ones I can ask of this. Forgive me for being selfish…"

"It's OK, Mom, we understand," Caro assured her. Erio looked down and nodded.

The screen went off with a short buzz, leaving only pitch darkness behind. For a minute, there was only silence.

"Fate, are you done?" A rectangle of light appeared on the edge of darkness and in it, a woman's silhouette. "I have tracked down Claudia's course. She is heading for uninhabited world #41. I think it's called Walder."

Dim lights went on.

"Thank you, Shari." Fate still sat upon her 'throne' in the middle of a large desolate hall. "Please retarget the transporter chamber. I will go there as soon as I can."