Yeah, but justice for whom? Kolba certainly got *his* justice.
Typhon's liftoff didn't cause much damage by itself. However, the tsunami it caused when it hit the lake spilled over the barrier wall and did some minor flood damage.
Akasha was "bleeding" energy in the form of a whitish aura because it was more than her body could handle. And keep in mind, her photon potential is much higher than most people, which goes to show just how much energy she was channeling. She used up the last of that excess energy during her final attack. There was nothing left, not even enough to save herself. Luckily Ivan happened to be nearby!
P.S. People becoming CASTs isn't a thing in my story, with the notable exception of Irene. And while the idea of Akasha becoming a CAST sounds hilariously fun, I wouldn't do that for real.
From a nearby console, Dr. Rauth keyed in the command to activate her programming. The Caseal’s eyes fluttered open and she immediately sat up. With arms stretched overhead, Rho let out a big yawn. It was all playacting, of course—CASTs don’t require oxygen and therefore have no need to yawn. In this case, she was simply trying to be funny.
“Morning, Doc. Morning, sis.”
Spoiler!
Rauth smiled. He stepped over to Rho’s operating table, reached over, and gently unplugged the cable from the back of her neck. “Good morning, Rho. How do you feel?”
“Pretty good, I think. Hang on, let me run a quick self-diagnostic.” The Caseal sat still for a few seconds while the program did its thing. When it was finished, she turned to Rauth and tapped a fist against her metal frame. “Yep. Just like I thought. Everything’s in tip-top shape.”
“That’s good, very good. I’m glad to hear it.” Even though the doctor was confident in his repair skills, the relief was evident in his voice.
“So, uh… what’s going on? What did I miss?”
Standing on the other side of the operating table, Aki02 folded her arms across her chest. “What is the last thing you remember?”
Spoiler!
“I was…” Rho trailed off as the memories came flooding back: The ARKS Command tower; the mission to stop Zero One; being stabbed through the back with a rather nasty partizan. Her hands immediately went to her chest and side, but the damaged areas had already been restored. Confused, she frowned. “Seems like I missed quite a bit. What happened to Zero One? Were you able to knock some sense into her?”
Wordlessly, Zero Two pointed to her right. Rho’s gaze followed Aki’s finger until it reached the room’s second operating table, where Aki01 currently lay unconscious.
“Is she…?”
“She’ll be fine,” Rauth reassured her.
Rho clapped her hands together. “Awesome! Another happy ending.” She pivoted left, allowing her legs to dangle over the edge of the table. “Now that we’ve wrapped up all this unpleasantness, I think it’s time I get back to my own body. Let’s get Zero Three in here and do the swap, huh? I’m sure she’s tired of looking at my face in the mirror anyway.”
Dr. Rauth and Zero Two looked away, both sharing the same pained expression. “About Zero Three…,” Rauth began.
“What? Is she busy today? No sweat, I can wait. What’s one more day, y’know?”
Zero Two laid a hand on Rho’s shoulder armor. “You may want to remain seated for this.”
They told her everything: about the appearance of Typhon, the battle to save Ur, and finally, about Zero Three’s heroic death while saving Selena and the others.
To her credit, Rho took it rather well. “I feel sick,” she said, completely deflated. “And I can’t even get sick. It’s just, I can’t believe she’s really gone…”
“I know,” Zero Two said quietly. She wrapped an arm around her half-sister, pulling her close. “I know.”
After a long talk—and more than a few tears—Rho finally came to terms with the devastating loss. But that still left one big question unanswered: “What’s going to happen to me? I mean, now that I don’t have a body to go back to.”
Rauth and Zero Two exchanged a look. “We’ve been discussing that,” the doctor began, slowly.
“There are several options available, of course. But in this case, the simplest solution may be the best one.” Zero Two clasped her hands behind her back, adopting a thoughtful expression. “What do you think about the idea of remaining in your current form?”
Rho’s jaw nearly hit the floor. Evidently, she hadn’t even considered the possibility. “W-Wait, you’re serious? You’d give me Zero Three’s body, just like that? I’d look like her. Sound like her. And not just for a few days this time—for good. Are you really okay with that?”
Aki smiled. “I can think of no one more deserving. And if Zero Three were here, I am sure she would approve. I know because I have a copy of her memories. But the real question is, is it what you want?”
“Of course I want it. I want it more than anything. But, honestly? I’m still not sure I deserve it. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the vote of confidence. Really! It’s just that, well… When we first met, I kinda-sorta tried to steal your life. I did such terrible things to you. And you—all of you—have been nothing but great to me. You gave me a second chance. You gave me hope again. Being part of this family is everything I ever dreamed of, but sometimes I don’t feel like I’ve earned it.”
Zero Two took Rho’s hands in her own and looked her directly in the eyes. “I understand your apprehension, I do, but it is misplaced. Over the past year you’ve accomplished so much. You graduated from the Academy and have become a fine soldier. Not only that, you helped us foil the KAI-OS plot to take over Ur. Without you, we might not have succeeded. But none of that matters right now, because you have nothing to prove. You are a member of this family. And, like Zero Three, I am proud to call you my sister.”
A single tear rolled down the Caseal’s cheek. It wasn’t an expression of sadness or regret, but one of joy and intense gratitude. Even though Zero Three was gone, she would never be forgotten. And Rho, for her part, was determined to live twice as much for the both of them. “In that case, I humbly accept your offer.”
“Welcome home, Rho.”
* * * * * * * * *
Aki01 felt the first stirrings of consciousness as her systems came online one by one. It was not unlike waking from a long, dreamless slumber. In this case, however, something was wrong. She could tell that much right away. Her internal clock indicated she’d been powered down for over a week. Not only that, her access logs showed extensive modifications to her neural network by an unknown source. Zero One traced the modifications deep into the core of her programming. There she discovered their purpose: the complete removal of the KAI-OS virus from her systems—a purging, as it were. Whoever or whatever was responsible, they had done a thorough job. She was no longer infected. At long last, she was free.
Spoiler!
Zero One opened her eyes and looked around. She was lying on a metal table in Dr. Rauth’s engineering lab. Across the room, her sister was operating one of the computer consoles. Aki02 stared back at her, an unreadable expression on her face.
“Welcome back to the land of the living,” said Dr. Rauth, from somewhere much closer.
Aki01 sat up. Doing so caused a faint tug at the back of her neck. There seemed to be a data cable plugged into the port there, which she promptly removed. Looking down, the Caseal noticed her outfit for the first time. She was clothed in a simple knee-length robe to protect her modesty—not that she was concerned with modesty at the moment.
“Doctor,” she replied.
Rauth was standing nearby. He looked her up and down, adjusted his glasses, and gave her a brief nod of approval. “It’s good to see you fully functional. How are you feeling?”
“Like myself again, finally. I have you to thank for that?”
“Myself and others, yes. We’ll get to those details in a bit. First, though, there’s someone who would like to speak with you. He insisted on being here during your activation.”
Rauth stepped aside, revealing the man behind him—General Rayn Valias. The ARKS commander came forward, a serious expression on his face. Zero One took note of the pistol holstered at his side and wondered, out of curiosity, if he expected to need it.
Spoiler!
Aki stiffened up. “General.”
“Colonel.”
“You’re here to arrest me,” she stated flatly. Given the circumstances, it was the obvious conclusion.
“So, you remember what happened?”
“I remember everything. Though I had no control over my actions, I cannot deny it was me. I know what I’ve done and am prepared to take full responsibility for what happened. I’ll come quietly, sir.”
The Newman shook his head. “That won’t be necessary. There are those who wanted it, of course, but I managed to convince them otherwise.” Strangely, Valias exchanged a look with Zero Two across the room. He continued, “No, there won’t be any formal charges brought against you. Central Command understands you were under extreme duress at the time, that you weren’t in the proper state of mind. That, and they don’t want to call attention to how easily their command structure was subverted by, and I quote, ‘criminal elements.’”
“So that’s it? Everyone turns a blind eye as if the whole thing never happened?”
“Not exactly. There will be inquiries, interviews, whatever it takes to convince them you’re not under the influence of the virus anymore. You’ve probably lost a fair bit of trust and goodwill on the part of ARKS Command. However, as I said, no criminal charges will be filed.”
“I’d call that more of a silver lining.”
“Call it whatever you like. You’re a free woman and the man responsible for all this is dead. That’s what matters.”
The news came as something of a shock to Aki. “Lee Okada is dead? How?”
“Murdered in his private shuttle while trying to escape Ur,” Valias explained. “The culprit is still at large. And, considering the circumstances, I suspect they will remain that way for some time.”
The Caseal was silent, reflective. She felt surprised and relieved, of course, but also a little disappointed. After everything he’d done to her, she had secretly hoped to bring Okada to justice herself.
“One more thing.” The general drew himself up to his full height—never a good sign. “In light of your very public declaration of martial law and the strong outcry it provoked, Central Command believes your return now would be something of a... distraction. One they are rather keen to avoid.”
“What does that mean?” she asked, afraid she already knew the answer.
“It means an indefinite leave of absence, effective immediately.” He held up a hand to stave off any objections. “Please don’t misunderstand. It’s not that you are being blamed for what happened. It’s just that, in this situation, the blame is irrelevant. Right now Command’s priority is restoring trust in the people. And, unfortunately, they can’t do that with you around. In short, they need you gone… at least temporarily.”
Zero One felt numb. Her career, everything she’d worked so hard for, was effectively over. When it came down to it, that’s what he was saying. “And the Academy—?”
“—Will be in very good hands,” Valias reassured her. “I know this isn’t fair to you. But as you know, life rarely gives us a fair deal. We take what we can get and we live with it. If you want a silver lining, be thankful they’re offering you full pay and benefits. ARKS Command takes care of its own. And the fact you’re not being discharged leaves open the possibility—a very good possibility, in my opinion—that they’ll reinstate you at some point, probably after things settle down a bit.”
So, that was it. The decision was made; there was no chance for appeal. Zero One nodded, reluctantly. “I… understand, sir.”
Valias offered her a small, sympathetic smile. “Take this as a lesson, Colonel, and an opportunity. It may not seem like it now, but give it time. This may turn out to be a good learning experience... for the both of us.”
Aki frowned in confusion. “The both of us, sir? You’re being punished for what happened?”
“Yes, but not only that. While you were asleep, I took this ship into battle against Orpheus—an operation in which, you’ll be pleased to hear, we were successful. However, that action came with serious consequences. Lives were lost. Civilians were put in danger. And that, quite frankly, isn’t something Central Command can just sweep under the rug. They had to take action, and so they did. I’m being transferred to the Fifth Fleet, to a position with a substantially lower profile. In other words, out of the way.”
Aki opened her mouth to speak but the general cut her off. “Spare me your condolences, Colonel. I accepted this outcome the moment I made my decision. I’ll be fine… and so will you. We may be going our separate ways now, but perhaps our paths will cross again someday. Until then, farewell.”
And just like that, he left, leaving Zero One alone with her thoughts.
Well, not quite alone. Dr. Rauth returned to her side, while Zero Two maintained her distance.
“I’m so sorry,” the doctor consoled her. “I had no idea that’s what he came to say.”
Zero One shook her head. “No, it’s all right. I don’t blame him, and I certainly don’t blame you. It was unavoidable, really. After everything that’s happened, everything I’ve done, I don’t deserve to wear that uniform anymore.”
Her words held more bitterness than she expected, yet she meant every one of them. More than anything, she was disgusted with herself and the things she’d been made to do. How could she face her family after something like that? How could she go on?
“Don’t say that.” Rauth’s expression was unusually stern, his eyes filled with conviction. “I don’t believe it, and neither does anyone else in this lab.”
“But I ordered a raid against this place,” she protested. “You were almost killed because of me. I even held you and General Valias hostage at the Command tower!”
“Neither of us was seriously injured.”
“Then what about Rho? I stabbed her through the back, left her dying on that rooftop…”
“Rho is just fine. She’s upstairs right now, actually. We activated her shortly before we activated you.”
Zero One was relieved to hear that, but it couldn’t absolve her of the greatest sin of all. “I… I can never make up for what I’ve done. Don’t you see? Irene, she’s…”
“Right here,” came a familiar voice from behind her.
Zero One spun around, surprised, but there was no one there. It was just an empty corner of the room. Had she imagined it after all?
“A little lower,” said the voice, slightly amused.
The Caseal looked down. Standing next to the operating table was a half-meter-tall metal bird. And not just any bird—it was the RAPI, or Remote Access Personal Interface. The saucer-sized photoreceptor lenses that doubled as its eyes stared up at her expectantly.
A long moment of silence passed between them. Then Aki cocked her head slightly to one side and exclaimed, “Irene?!”
The RAPI adopted a congratulatory pose. “You got it.”
Spoiler!
“But… but how? I’m certain you were—”
“—Dead? I was, that’s true. But I’m back now, so don’t be so hard on yourself, okay?”
Zero One wasn’t often stunned into silence, but this was one of those times. The latest turn of events was so sudden, so unexpected, that it bordered on the surreal. If she didn’t know better, Zero One might have thought she was dreaming.
Irene continued, “It was a combination of luck and foresight that brought me back. After a certain ‘incident’ involving the RAPI, I decided to get proactive and periodically upload a complete backup of my program and memory files. At the time I had the RAPI in mind—in case I ever got stranded due a communication failure. I never imagined I would need it to bring myself back from the dead! When you shot me, the wireless signal I was transmitting ceased and the backup files activated automatically.”
“Wait a moment,” said Zero One. “A CAST brain is incredibly complex. None of the computer terminals in the lab have enough storage space for a complete backup.”
“You’re right, of course. I wasn’t able to store the backup locally.” The RAPI paused for a beat. “That’s why I uploaded it to Ur’s central server.”
The Caseal was astonished yet again. “You’re saying you hacked into the ship’s main computer?”
“Well… yes. That is where I exist now. I can talk to you via the RAPI, but my program actually resides within Ur’s computer network. I’ve learned to communicate with it rather effectively. Here, watch this.”
The lights in the lab dimmed for a moment, then went back to normal.
“Ta-dah!” Irene exclaimed, her metal wings spread wide. “Power allocation is only one of the sub-systems controlled by the computer. There are many others.”
A thought occurred to Zero One. “Shortly after you were… That is, shortly after you ‘died,’ the power went out at the ARKS Command tower. Are you saying that was you?”
The RAPI clucked a laugh. “Right again. You always were a sharp one. I knew I needed to take out the power. After all, the entire rescue plan relied on it. So I did what I had to do.”
Aki02, who had been silent the entire time, finally decided to speak. It was a statement—and question—directed at Irene. “During the Darker attack on Ur, Selena told me she and Delfoy received a text message from an unknown source. That message told them exactly where to find Alpha and the others.”
“That was also me,” Irene admitted. “I can ‘see’ through all the public security cameras aboard the ship. I knew Alpha was in trouble, so I sent him a little help.”
“Your help saved his life,” said Dr. Rauth. “Selena and Delfoy got him back here just in time. He’s going to make a full recovery.”
Irene bowed in appreciation. “You are a miracle worker as always, Doctor.”
Zero Two stepped closer to get the RAPI’s attention. “Now that we are aware of your circumstances, the doctor and I can build you a new CAST body. We don’t have the funds yet, but if we start saving now—”
Irene held up a wing to stop her. “I appreciate the thought, but that won’t be necessary. Over the past week I’ve come to realize I can do more good now than I ever could in my old life. I can be the invisible protector this city needs. And with the processing power available to me now, my personal research will expand by leaps and bounds.”
“If you’re certain about this…”
“I am. And don’t worry, I’ll still be around. In fact, as long as you’re aboard Ur, I’ll never be too far away.”
As the others conversed, Aki01 was staring down at her open palms, at nothing in particular. A melancholy smile tugged at her lips. It seemed that everyone else had found their place, their peace, their calling. But for the first time, Zero One was without hers. She had no idea where the road of life was leading her. “I don’t know where to go from here,” she said.
“You’ll figure it out,” Irene replied. “You always have. Just remember, whenever you feel lost and alone, this is—and always will be—your home.”
* * * * * * * * *
SACRED STAR CEMETERY, UR
Two caskets, both empty. In front of each stood a plaque and holo-photo. The plaque on the left read “Aki03.” The plaque on the right read “Kira Vorholtz.”
Akasha stood beside Ivan in the middle of a grassy lawn. They were surrounded by an eclectic gathering of people that included the Aki sisters, their friends and family, a host of ARKS personnel, even Captain Colton and General Valias. Sahara and a number of Kira’s former squadmates were also present. Off to one side, Kira’s father looked on in solemn silence. He had been granted temporary leave from the hospital in order to attend the funeral.
Spoiler!
Next to the caskets, a priest was delivering a speech to those who had gathered. He spoke of Aki and Kira’s lives, their accomplishments, and the joy they had brought to others. He spoke of enduring memories and the eternal spirit. “As we mourn, celebrate,” he said. “Celebrate all the wonderful gifts they have given us, and take comfort in the knowledge that they have finally found peace.”
The ceremony was largely symbolic. With no bodies to bury, the event was merely an outlet for remembrance and paying one’s respects. To Akasha, however, the entire thing felt a bit hollow. She didn’t need a speech recited by a stranger to honor her friend. Kira was, and always would be, a big part of her life. Her impact on Akasha would endure even in death.
As for Ivan, his struggle was not yet over. The pain of Kira’s death would likely follow him for a long time to come, a wound only time could heal. Akasha would give him that time. She owed him—and Kira—that much. Besides, she had her own condition to think about.
A year. One year until she looked like her old self again. Akasha could wait a year. When Ivan was finally ready to open up his heart again, she would be there to accept it with open arms. Take your time, she thought. I’m not going anywhere.
Just then, an unexpected warmth took hold of Akasha’s hand. It belonged to Ivan. First she looked down at their now-intertwined hands, then up at his face, seeking an explanation for the gesture. He remained facing forward, still staring at Kira’s empty casket. His somber expression hadn’t changed but there was something different about his eyes, a hopefulness that hadn’t been there before. It was a look that seemed to say, “I won’t let myself be consumed by the past. My life isn’t over, and I’m going to keep on living, no matter what.”
Akasha knew then that he would be alright. And though she still felt guilty about her feelings for Ivan, she also knew Kira would’ve wanted her to be happy. She would’ve wanted them both to be happy. The past was past; they could only look forward now. Without saying a word, Akasha gripped Ivan’s hand a little tighter as they both continued staring straight ahead.
To the future, then.
THE END
Author’s Note:
Spoiler!
I finally did it! That’s the end of the story—or at least, this story. A big thank you to anyone who stuck with it this far. I’ll be back in a week or two with my “Season Four In Review,” which will take a look back at this season, as well as a look forward to what’s coming next. This is not the end of the road for the Aki sisters, Akasha, and their friends. I’ve got a lot of exciting things planned for the future, so stay tuned!
Babies ever after! Several deaths over the course of the story aside, what a relatively happy ending. I figured this would be epilogue part one, but this is fine too though. Will be interesting to see what comes after this. I do wonder how much memory the RAPI is missing though or how 01 will react. I imagine not everything was stored in it.
Congratulations on finishing the story though. Its been a long journey so I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out yours is longer than mine. Definitely solid in structure and more well written, haha! How long will you take a break before you start adding to the world again?
Thanks! Both for the congrats and for being the only one to keep up with it to the end. Hopefully the others will catch up eventually. I know they have their own situations to deal with, and it's not like the story's going anywhere. To answer your question, I don't expect to take much of a break. I already have plenty of ideas planned out. The only difference is that I won't be keeping a weekly schedule anymore. I'll release the stories as they're done, so there may slight gaps between each story. I'll go more into the details when I post my "Season Four In Review."
I think the epilogue said everything I wanted to say. There were a few things left unsaid and unfinished, but those will be resolved in future stories. About the RAPI, I'm not sure what you mean about missing memory. The RAPI is only a remote access terminal for Irene. It communicates wirelessly with Ur's computer network, where Irene's program is currently stored. Her actual memory files never leave the network.
In the original design, she uploaded her memory files into the RAPI unit. When she was done, those files would be transferred back to her body. But after what happened in Interlude 2.2 (getting trapped due a wireless connection failure), she changed it so that her memory files don't go anywhere. Instead, she controls the RAPI as a remote access terminal. Think of it as a portable webcam. She is controlling its actions, but the unit itself doesn't store any memory files.
By the way, now that the story's over, you can tell me your thoughts on Yoshi's cameo.
DAMN. YOU. LEE. Your broken ass had to have one more trick up your sleeve, didn't you ><; I had a strong feeling that Terra Nova was going to be destroyed or disabled somehow, but I completely forgot he still had access to all of the station's internals. To have Ur's victory be stymied by that...and now an impending Darker attack? Did the Darkers, and therefore Typhon, survive...? This is bad o~o
I liked the callback to events in last season, with the assault on the Command Tower. It really helped out people like me who haven't stayed caught up and had a long hiatus from previous events, and even for the best of readers it helped keep things fresh. Just wanted to point out that nice little touch.
The battle with Typhon certainly lived up to its billing, and Krauser was every bit the badass you wanted him to be. It was also nice to have closure on everything--Typhon escaped via Darker portal (although it was never confirmed where exactly it went to), Shankar is dead, Krauser is dead, Colton/Sammy/Aki/Luna made it. Akasha and Ivan are uncertainties, but I'm not too worried about them. I have a feeling about where the next phase of this is headed, which depends entirely on where Typhon is now, but I'll see shortly. And there's still plenty to wrap up on Ur itself too.
A lot of really intense scenes in this chapter for sure, especially Ur luring out Orpheus, which is clearly not quite over. I have a strong feeling Lee and Typhon aren't quite done...and Kolba will surely still have a role to play too.
Thanks for your comments, as always! I enjoyed reading them. The callback to last season will be important later for various reasons. Were you surprised I killed off Shankar the way I did? I threw it in suddenly and without warning, so I thought it might take the readers by surprise. As for Lee, well, being a rotten bastard is kind of his thing.
Yoshi got a lot more screen time than I thought he would, or deserved. Having defeated a titan darker is quite the story to have under your belt too. Overall though I thought you did a great job of capturing him. No real heroics,which is fitting, and goofed off on his spare time. I liked that he prefers his gunslash over his rod in combat. It fits his Ranger first Force second views (Least his pre-marriage self was anyways). If I wanted to be nit picky, I think my only grip would have been with a couple of things he says. His responses are fitting, but he's no McCree either. So normally he wouldn't say things like milady, and "Have patience and it shall be rewarded" feels kinda off. Maybe because sounds kinda religious or preachy. Other than that, I'm fine with how you wrote him. I feel that if I was the one writing it, I would have felt amused by the fact that I didn't write him talking about Marean/Marisa (The disguise name at the time) even once. Though I guess you could assume that happened "off screen" too, and Sahara rolling her eyes because of it.
He got along real fast with Sahara though. That was interesting, very eager to get into competitions. Was there a reason behind why you decided to pair him up with her?
I think Yoshi got about the same amount of "screen time" that Levia did back in Season 2, although in Yoshi's case it was more spread out instead of confined to a single chapter. I tried to portray him as fairly easygoing while still caring about the mission. One reason I chose the gunslash instead of the rod is because there were already two Technique users on the team--Akasha and Ivan (yes, Akasha is a Fighter but she uses plenty of Techniques). For variety's sake, and because he spent so much time with Sahara, I thought the gunslash was the more fitting choice. About the things he said ("milady" and "have patience and it shall be rewarded"), that was only meant jokingly as a response to things Sahara said. Maybe it's not his style of humor, I don't know, but in any case I didn't mean it as serious dialogue. By the way, Yoshi was originally going to mention something about Marisa but I couldn't find a good place to fit it in. I did, however, find a place to mention Arethusa (though not by name) when he lost his hat. The hat was just temporary, of course, since Yoshi wasn't supposed to be wearing a hat during that time frame anyway.
The Sahara thing sort of evolved naturally. I needed to fill one more slot on the team and decided to bring Sahara back because I thought she was an interesting character. Yoshi and Sahara's contrasting personalities played well off of each other in classic double act fashion. I had so much fun writing their scenes together, they ended up staying together throughout Yoshi's cameo. And even though they constantly competed and argued, they actually got along quite well... in a strange sort of way.
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