Chapter 3
"How's it look?" Varen asked walking alongside Captain Lane. He had been inspecting the airfield for most the day and shook his head at the question.
"Not good. Maybe a dozen Interceptors are serviceable. The rest are nothing but scrap now. There were a few in the hangars that avoided the brunt of the attack. Hardly enough to mount an offensive let alone provide defensive air cover." The man answered.
"Chevalier's air force, what does it consist of?" Varen asked. David thought a moment while they walked.
"Two hundred Interceptors." He answered and Varen swallowed hard.
"Ten to twelve personnel per transport is upwards of 2,400 Pandora and Limiters." Varen said doing the math in his head.
"Mhm, and there's over two thousand Asakura military to potentially throw into the mix as well. That's just Asakura mind you. Freystadt, Midland, the Lowlands, and De Orleana could be brought into the fold too." David explained.
"Against a few hundred of us. I'm flattered they think so highly of us." Varen joked. Captain Lane chuckled shaking his head.
"Don't be. It's a show of force. It's not enough to beat you fairly or even soundly. They will want to crush you harder than you can imagine just to send a message to the world what they are capable of. What happens to those who stand against them." The pilot responded.
"Well, I have no intention of dying just yet my friend." Varen said slapping David's arm.
"I figured as much. I have a friend at the capital in Midland. He oversees a lot of production on the Interceptors. I was planning on taking a bird back there and seeing him." Varen nodded.
"Sounds good. Bring me back good news."
"You got it, I'll bring an army while I'm at it." David joked making Varen laugh.
"Good, I knew I could count on you." Varen said giving the man a wave as he headed back towards the airfield.
"May I speak with you for a moment?" Varen turned hearing a woman's voice and found Amelia standing behind him looking slightly distraught.
"You don't have to ask permission Amelia. What's on your mind?" Varen asked leading her back towards the main encampment.
"Sorry, it's just that everyone speaks to you respectfully and you are a commander." She answered.
"Amelia, when we first met in Spireach you were a fiercely independent girl with aspirations to achieve the goals the E-Pandora project had laid out. You were very defensive of your friends and someone who never backed down from a challenge." Varen responded.
"I suppose so." Amelia answered making Varen look over at her.
"We've been together for quite a few months now and I don't know what happened to that girl. You are passive and frightened. You act like you are meek, but you and I both know that is not the case. What are you afraid of Amelia?" He asked making her swallow hard.
"I'm afraid of being undeserving of everything. In the time that you have met me Chiffon has died, Attia has died, your home has been destroyed, and your friends are at odds. None of those things would have happened if not for me." She answered sadly.
"Do you think we blame you for any of this?" Varen asked.
"I don't know. How could you not?"
"When I was younger I read books about heroes who went on adventures slaying dragons and all manner of creatures. Knights in armor riding out to battle the enemy and although they would struggle from time to time they always returned home victorious. Let's not forget the hero always gets the girl." Varen said winking. Amelia smiled and laughed slightly.
"Uh huh." She nodded.
"I would dream of living such a life. Fearlessly facing monsters and saving the day." He continued.
"And getting the girl." Amelia finished. Varen nodded giving her a thumbs up.
"Exactly. Anyway, the reason I'm telling you all this is because I never once realized that those worlds of fantasy weren't exactly fantasy. Sure, dragons don't exist, but Nova do. What they don't tell you in those stories is the fear that one feels when facing the enemy. I'm always afraid. I'm terrified every time my sword crosses another. Each one could be my last. However, I understand that if I run away others will die. If I run when others need me then I'll never be one of those heroes. When you need me, Amelia…I won't run." He said turning to face her. She looked down at the ground sighing.
"I understand; it's just hard dealing with the guilt." She responded.
"Yeah, now that is something I understand. Just know that we all came for you knowing full well what we risked. No one forced us to do what we've done. I would do it again without hesitation." He answered.
"Thank you. For everything." She said after a long pause of silence. Varen smiled and put an arm around her walking once more towards the camp.
"See? The hero gets the girl!" He exclaimed making her laugh and roll her eyes.
"You wish!" She laughed.
Roxanne placed both her hands on the table looking down at the map of West Genetics. The various number of colored pins tacked into the paper drew her attention across the map as various points of interest. She lingered on the one Varen had placed outside the main gates that led to the open fields of Asakura.
"Ah, Ms. Elipton I didn't think anyone was still here." Sister Margaret said entering the tent. Roxanne turned and bowed respectfully.
"Headmaster, hello." She said and Sister Margaret chuckled lightly.
"I do believe that title has been stripped from me so there's no further need for formalities." Roxanne stood straight and nodded.
"I suppose you're right. We're traitors now." The red head responded as Sister Margaret moved up beside her.
"I've heard much about you Ms. Elipton. Second only to our late Chiffon Fairchild yes?"
"That's correct or so the rankings say. Please call me Roxanne or Roxy."
"Well, Roxanne that means you were in Spireach as well then. Not that I would ever turn away the assistance of someone of your skill, but why are you here?" Margaret asked.
"Yes, I was up there. At first I felt like I owed Varen. Up in Spireach he was injured pretty bad. When Chiffon…did what she did I held him back from trying to stop her. I felt partially to blame for her death and his broken heart. The moment I heard about what he had done I knew there had to be more to it. I only knew him for a few days, but that was enough time to understand that he was not the traitor Chevalier painted him to be. Without much thought I ran. I knew I had to get here as fast as I could so I contacted Ms. Mably asking for her help. We both live in Midland and since she was a student here it was my best chance." Roxanne explained.
"You are risking everything out of a feeling of guilt towards Varen?" Margaret asked and Roxanne shook her head.
"At first, but no, not anymore. Now that I'm here it all sort of clicked into place. I felt drawn to him." She answered making Sister Margaret grin.
"Oh my, how romantic." She joked and Roxanne rolled her eyes.
"Very funny. He's a fine man, but no that's not what I meant. It wasn't a feeling of love or lust. Nothing as human as that. It was more like my stigmata was drawn to him. Charles had told me something similar before everything went down up north. She said that she felt strange, almost as if she was more empowered just from watching him. I didn't understand it at the time, but it's making sense to me here. He's not a normal Limiter, but he's not a normal man either." Roxanne continued.
"There is truth in your assessment yes." Margaret answered and Roxanne looked at her sharply.
"This school…what is it? Varen Askiligar, Chiffon Fairchild, and even Pandora like Elizabeth, Ticy, and Arnette. None of them are normal. Why is it that here at this school these people have become so powerful so quickly? What is it about this place that would cause Dr. Aoi to become so agitated at the thought of losing it?" Roxanne asked and Sister Margaret smiled.
"Started piecing things together have you?" The headmaster winked taking a seat in a nearby chair. She motioned for Roxanne to do the same and she sat across from Margaret eagerly.
"I'm right aren't I? West Genetics isn't just a school is it?" Roxanne asked and Sister Margaret nodded.
"You are correct child. Varen might be a mystery when it comes to the things he can do, but what he is? It has become fairly common knowledge that he is a Novaborn. Chiffon was as well. She was born to Dr. Aoi and Maria Lancelot. A fact that was not public knowledge until shortly after the Novitiate crisis.
On the surface West Genetics is a standard Pandora and Limiter academy. However, it serves as a secondary function. Stigmata research and development is all managed here. The very stigmata in your back came from here." Sister Margaret answered.
"I thought they came from Maria Lancelot?" Roxanne asked quizzically and Margaret leaned forward slightly.
"They do." She answered and Roxanne's eyes widened.
"Holy sh….I mean…Maria Lancelot? This is where she is kept isn't it? Her body I mean." Roxanne said.
"Yes, Maria Lancelot remains here. It is why the Novaborn are drawn to West Genetics. Rin Askiligar would have attended here if not for her death. Varen, her brother, came instead. Chiffon and now her sisters Claire and Charon. They don't know it or even notice it most likely, but all are drawn to Maria Lancelot. I believe that Varen has that same type of power over normal Pandora." The headmaster answered.
"And the Pandora's strength and rapid advancement in their ability to control stigmata?" Roxanne asked.
"Subconscious stigmata conduits between Varen and Pandora near him. A Pandora's stigmata draws from him in small amounts. He can forcibly draw from a Pandora, but the reverse happens naturally. He produces enough stigmata energy that it doesn't present any adverse effects. Girls like Arnette have been with him for a long time. They have absorbed a large amount of energy from him which has enhanced their abilities further than normal." Sister Margaret answered. Roxanne sat back in shock shaking her head.
"Does he know about this? Or the Pandora for that matter?" She asked.
"No, but I suspect he has figured parts of it out on his own. He knows he can communicate and draw from Pandora, but the residual draw that occurs from him is probably unknown to him. Dr. Aoi was the one who uncovered most of this so I believe it would be his place to discuss it with Varen, not myself." Margaret answered.
"Why hasn't anyone told him? Why tell me for that matter?" Roxanne asked.
"If he knew he could empower those around him he would do so in greater quantities. That much energy coursing through a Pandora could cause her to novalize. Furthermore, it could kill him to lose too much too quickly. The risks are far too great. As for why I'm telling you, that is because you gave up your place at Midland Genetics to be here with us. I know what you did for my students in Spireach and once more here. I owe you this much for what you've done." The headmaster answered. Roxanne took a deep breath and let it out.
"This is a lot to take in. Just knowing that after Maria Lancelot died she was kept here for all these years is a surprise." Roxanne chuckled. Sister Margaret laughed and shook her head.
"My dear child. When did I ever say that Maria was dead?"