W walked into Talulah's room and sat down on the dracos bed. Talulah was happy to see her old friend again, "It's good to see a friendly face, W. You're probably one of the few people here at Rhodes Island who don't want my head. It's been a while since we have last seen each other. How have you been?" the draco asked in a friendly and pleasant voice. She was glad to see the sarkaz woman again. "I've been okay, Talulah. Though a lot of things have happened recently. The worst is that Skadi girl who attacked this place recently. That came out of nowhere. Anyway, enough about me. What have you been up to? The last place I would ever expect you to come is here." W was more interested in what her draco friend had been up to since they had last seen each other rather than talking about herself.
"I've also been through a lot, W. Reunion is no more, I managed to track down Nine and Reunion down in Yan. But I didn't do it alone, I also bumped into Yua while on my travels along with two people called Mostima and Fiammetta. I'm sure you know them." Talulah told her sarkaz friend that their former organisation was no more. The draco also told W that her niece and the two other operators she found her with also had a hand in Reunions downfall. W nodded.
The sarkaz woman did know who the sankta and liberi were but didn't really associate with them. "Interesting, what was Yua doing in Yan? Everyone thought she had died. The doctor and Ch'en were looking for her for weeks trying to find her. They gave up in the end." W remembered the man and the lung leading the effort to try to find their time-travelling daughter, but after a few weeks, they had no success in locating her.
While W would never admit it to anyone, she still didn't like the white-haired lung and probably never would. The sarkaz had at least grown to respect the lung, especially after her efforts in helping her rescue Talulah. W believed that Yua at the very least deserved a more dignified death than being washed out to sea. Someone like the lung deserved a warriors death in W's eyes.
Talulah could see her friend wanted to know why her niece was in Yan, so she decided to explain it to the sarkaz, "I'll tell you why she was in Yan, W. It was because of Skadi, she tried to kill Yua and nearly succeeded if it wasn't for Mostima and Fiammetta finding her when they did. Mostima took Yua to Yan to recover from her injuries. That's when I found her. That's when Yua told me about Skadi and who she truly was, Skadi is from the same future as her. And she destroyed her world." Talulah explained to the sarkaz why the white-haired lung was in Yan, and the draco also told her friend the truth about Skadi. "So is that why Skadi attacked this place? Because she wants to destroy the world again? There has got to be more to it than that Talulah." W wasn't satisfied that the reason the aegir attacked Rhodes Island was to begin destroying Terra again, the sarkaz guessed her friend would know more.
"You are correct W, from what Yua has told me the Skadi from her timeline is in love with the doctor. Or, to be more precise, she is obsessed with him. Skadi believes my sister stole him from her in her timeline, so she wants my sister dead, and Yua as well. I can't let that happen. She needs to be stopped at all costs. Once Skadi has been taken care of, then I can look to find a way to help my fellow infected. For that, I need the doctors help, and now that Yua is infected, he will have more reason to want to help me." Talulah told her friend about why Skadi attacked Rhodes Island. The draco also said to the sarkaz that when they had defeated the future aegir, then she could look for a way to help the infected. Talulah needed the doctor for this, with his time-travelling daughter now infected, he would have to help her to help Yua.
W understood the situation now, but she didn't want to help the doctor. The sarkaz woman wanted to do the exact opposite. W wanted to kill the man for what he had done. However, she had stayed her hand until he remembered what it was that he did. That was the only reason she hadn't tried to kill him, but now W knew she also had to contend with Ch'en and Yua. Neither of the lungs would let her try to kill the man, W was certain if she tried, then both Ch'en and Yua would kill her on the spot. W instead would be satisfied if the man died because of Skadi, while he wouldn't die at her hands the sarkaz woman would accept the fact that at least he was dead.
W knew that her friend would go and help rescue the doctor from the aegir, not only to save the world but also because he was an important part of her plan to help the infected. The sarkaz, however, remembered something about Talulah, something that the draco mentioned during their Reunion days, "Yes, that could work. While it won't get rid of Ch'en, it will at least get rid of Yua. And with Yua going along with Talulah I'll only have to worry about Ch'en, but I have to make sure not to kill her or Talulah will come for my head. Only the doctor needs to die." W thought of a plan that she could put into place once the aegir had been stopped. It would require Yua's cooperation, but W was certain that the white-haired lung would help her aunt.
"Talulah, I know you want to help the infected. But you don't need the doctor for that, you can't trust him anyway. I've got another idea how you can help." What W just said confused the draco, "What are you thinking W? Of course I need the doctor. He is trying to find a cure for oripathy. Without him, Terra may never see the cure. What idea are you going on about?" Talulah wanted clarification on her friends plan. She was adamant, however, that the doctor was a key player in helping all the infected around Terra.
"Listen Talulah, I know that you are a member of Victoria's royalty. I remember you telling me that when we were in Reunion. Victoria's infected are suffering. They need a hero. They need someone who they can look up to and understands their pain, not someone like Nine. Victoria's throne belongs to you. It is your birth right. What I'm thinking is when this whole Skadi situation is done, you should rally the infected together and take your rightful place as Victoria's leader. You can make Victoria a utopia for all the infected across Terra. And since Yua is infected as well, you should take her along with you. Convince her to join you, and both of you can fight for the infected. And let's say you become Victoria's leader...Yua can be your heir. She can carry on your legacy when you are gone." W explained what her idea was to her friend.
Talulah wanted to tell her friend no, that she didn't want another iteration of Reunion to be born. The previous version of Reunion had caused so many innocent people to needlessly die. Talulah, however, knew that she was under the control of Kashchey last time, "Maybe...Maybe I can do it right this time. Kashchey is no longer here, I'm free of him. Maybe I can show Terra what Reunion was truly meant to be, a bastion of hope for the infected. No innocents need to die this time, I can save them...I can save them all." Talulah was beginning to like the idea of rebuilding an organisation like Reunion again, but this time it would be free of Kashchey. His poisonous influence wouldn't affect the organisation this time round. No innocents would die by her or her organisation's hands. Talulah promised she wouldn't let herself or anyone under her banner kill any innocent people this time, and with Yua involved, that certainly wouldn't happen.
Talulah then began to think above her niece and then about her sister, "But Yua and Ch'en, how would they feel about all of this? I'm not sure how Yua would feel, but Ch'en...she would certainly stop me again. But if Yua joins me...Ch'en would fight me again... but she wouldn't fight Yua. I know Ch'en would never forgive me if Yua joined my organisation. She would hate me for it. And the doctor...he would never help me, we would be enemies again. No, I can't do it again. I have too much to lose, I'm sorry, W." Talulah realised that if she built such an organisation again, then she would lose so much that in the end, it wasn't worth it.
After her internal deliberation, the draco then spoke to the sarkaz, "Sorry, W. But I can't go through that again. I've only just found my sister again, I can't stand the thought of us becoming enemies again. Ch'en would never forgive me if I convinced Yua to join me, and I'll never get the doctors help. Whatever you may think of him, I need his help." Talulah gave her answer to her sarkaz friend.
W couldn't believe her friend rejected her idea, "But Talulah, think of the possibilities! Think of all the infected you could save! Isn't that what you wanted?! You could build a society where the infected wouldn't be judged! Don't throw that away! Especially for the doctor of all people!" The sarkaz woman tried to convince the draco to carry on with her idea. "No, W. My decision is final. It's not going to happen. So just drop it. For the sake of our friendship I'm going to pretend this conversation never happened. Now, unless you have anything else you want to say it's best you leave." Talulah gave W her final answer.
The sarkaz couldn't believe her friend rejected her plan. She imagined that Talulah would be more than willing to go along with it. That wouldn't be the case however, the draco didn't want to build a second Reunion and potentially become an enemy of her sister and the doctor again.
W simply gave a goodbye to Talulah, then walked out of her room defeated, her plan to convince her friend had failed. W took some time to think about her failure as she walked around the landship, the sarkaz woman was still in shock. Talulah rejected her plan, "Dammit! I can't believe Talulah is willing to throw everything away for the damn doctor! Damn him! If I can't kill him, I hope that aegir skins him alive!" W cursed the doctor.
In her mind, he should never be allowed to get away with what he had done. The sarkaz wanted the man to pay. As W was walking and cursing the doctor, she soon stopped as W felt another presence watching her. The sarkaz looked around with her gun drawn and was ready to shoot at whoever was spying on her. Nobody else was in the hallway with her, "I know you are there, come on out! Before I blast you out!" W threatened her possible attacker. Her possible attacker didn't show themselves, which only got W more annoyed and angry. The sarkaz was about to fire but felt something hit the back of her head, and her vision quickly faded to black...
When W came too, the first thing she noticed was Kal'tsit standing in front of her, behind the feline was the lupo, Red, and the blue-haired sankta, Mostima. It didn't take long for the sarkaz to realise what had happened, "Really, Kal'tsit? You sent your personal attack lupo after me?" The sarkaz questioned the ancient feline. "Are you really surprised, W? I've told Red to keep an eye on Talulah since she got here. Red told me everything that you and Talulah talked about. What's your game, W. Why do you want Talulah to build a second Reunion and take control of Victoria? And to have Yua join her as well? Do you know what that will do? I should let Ch'en know and have her deal with you for thinking of such a stupid idea. The last thing she wants is to lose her daughter again. Especially if you are the reason." Kal'tsit clearly wasn't happy with what Red had told her what W and Talulah talked about.
"Well why haven't you, Kal'tsit? For you to not have already told her and instead bring me here means you must have a reason for it. Am I wrong?" W could tell that the ancient feline must have a reason for not already telling the blue-haired lung what herself and her sister had talked about. Kal'tsit must have brought her where she was now for a very important reason. "You are right, W. I have brought you here for a reason. I have a question for you. How you answer will decide whether I tell Ch'en or not." W was intrigued, "Go on, Kal'tsit. What do you want to say." The sarkaz asked. Kal'tsit's next sentence shocked the sarkaz.
"Would you like to see Theresa again?" is what the ancient feline said.
"What?! But Theresa is dead! The doctor killed her! What do you mean if I want to see her again?! Explain Kal'tsit!" W wanted clarity on what Kal'tsit had meant, Theresa was long since dead. To the sarkaz, it shouldn't be possible to see her deceased friend again.
Mostima decided to explain what Kal'tsit had meant, "It's simple, W. You can see her again just like how Yua came back to the past...Time-travel. I know how the time machine was built in her timeline. With some time and improvements, it could be possible to send you and Kal'tsit back in the past together. Both of you could see your friend again. You can even save her from her death." Mostima explained how she could see Theresa again to the sarkaz.
W was stunned. She had always wanted to see her friend again that she had lost. If it was possible to save her, W would happily do it without a second thought. The sarkaz knew that there had to be a catch however, nothing was simple when it came to dealing with Kal'tsit. "You know that's what I want more than anything, Kal'tsit. But I know you want something in return, what is it?" W wanted to know the price she would have to pay if it meant saving Theresa from her demise.
"Help us save the doctor, W." Kal'tsit told the sarkaz. W felt sick at the idea of saving the man. Her friends blood was on his hands. The sarkaz woman loathed the idea of having to help rescue him from the aegir. Kal'tsit could see the disgust on W's face and tried to make her see reason, "W, does your hatred of the doctor outweigh your desire to see Theresa again? I hated the man too for a very long time, but I overcame that hatred if it meant we would wipe out oripathy from Terra. You can do the same. If we don't stop Skadi and save the doctor, neither of us will see her again. We will lose our only chance of saving her." Kal'tsit pleaded with the sarkaz woman.
W was torn...
She wanted to kill the man...
But the chance of seeing and saving her friend meant more than anything else to her...
After a hard internal battle, W gave Kal'tsit her answer, "As long as it means we get to save Theresa...I'll do it. But I'm warning you Kal'tsit, if this is a trick I'll do whatever it takes to kill you as well as him. Don't make me regret this decision, Kal'tsit."
Kal'tsit smiled even though W threatened to kill her. The ancient feline was glad W was willing to help, even if very reluctantly. W was a master of explosives. That skill could help them take down the future aegir and save Terra. Kal'tsit wasn't going to let the sarkaz down. Once Skadi was defeated, the two of them would travel back in time and save their friend from her fate.
"Don't worry Theresa...we will save you."