Our Sun is setting...

[empress_without_a_throne]

[The battle against the NUNE wound up spiraling into other things... which entailed the first formation of Solaris's newest, strongest combiner: SolSavior.  The same machine now returning to the Sakihama Base, triumphant after kicking serious ass.  Reason to celebrate?  Not this time.]

Sara... you...

... Don't be dead out there.  Please don't be dead!  You... we're... the Savior team... and if you're gone then nothing will...

[Yeah, she's been like this ever since the first battle with a new threat -the Indalph- ended.  The Director's granddaughter -her best friend no less- missing and possibly held prisoner, though most likely dead.]

Dido... I'm sorry.  Putting you in danger like that, ordering you to launch with Sara's machine... that's not what you signed up for.

This isn't anything like I thought would...

Comments

[actuallyselfish]

"Mizuki..." Dido says hoarsely. She shudders and drops down onto a chair limply.

"No." She admits quietly. "No it wasn't like what we thought." She lays there, exhausted.

"What do we do now?"

[empress_without_a_throne]

Ken and I... we'll carry on. That's what Sara would've done if things were reversed.

And we'll find another pilot for the ShelLancer somewhere. I'm not going to ask you to risk your life for this on a regular basis.

[actuallyselfish]

Dido lets out a single, wheezing breath.

"Ohthankgod. I just..."

She wrings her hands. "Well, I'm not like you guys. Stick me in combat, and I turn into a babbling, twitchy mess."

She chuckles hoarsely. "Although...Sol-Savior was so juiced up it didn't even matter. Did you know it was going to be like that?"

[empress_without_a_throne]

I knew that the bulk of what you'd have to do is just regulate systems, nothing seriously intensive or timing required.

And... I know all too well just how powerful a Sol machine can be... and like Hetepheres once told me, if you can bring two contradictory powers together, something incredible can come forth.

I just wish... SolSavior's debut hadn't been marred like that.

[a_linear_mind]

[There's a reassuring hand placed on your shoulder Mizuki. Surprisingly, it belongs to Willis who actually looks sincere for once.

He knew what she was going through all too well.]

Good job holding it together til now.

[empress_without_a_throne]

[She sniffles weakly, looking at Willis before giving one of those smiles that's a mix of grateful and sad.]

Well it wasn't like I was going to show those tears to that freak out there. Wouldn't have made the beatdown any better.

[a_linear_mind]

I know, it still must have been hard to hold it back.

[empress_without_a_throne]

I'm just lucky Saturnia went down like the bitch she was...

... What's your take on this though? Do you think Sara's alive?

[abugslife]

I think Sara is still alive.

If she was dead, the Indalph leader would rub it into your face, instead of beating around the bush with double meanings.

[empress_without_a_throne]

I know... and I want to believe that too...

But knowing she's... out there, beyond Earth even. And I can't just act like everything's fine when she could be in danger...

[abugslife]

She is probably in danger, yes. At the very least, the Indalph know her vague location. At worst, she is their prisoner.

We must find a way to find her.

[empress_without_a_throne]

Right...

... One lead could be to ask Seta about this. That one kijin arrived similar to the way the Indalph did, if they use a similar means of breaching reality, then that's something.

[majestic_keiki]

[Having been there out there and seen Mizuki's reactions, Kei approached to try to see if she could do something. Cautiously approaching with a small smile aimed at being comforting, she didn't move too quickly in case Mizuki wanted to be left alone.]

[empress_without_a_throne]

[Considering her best friend's most likely dead, Mizuki appreciates EVERY display that means she's not alone. It takes her a moment of effort, but she still manages to return a smile to Kei.]

She was the first friend I ever made...

[majestic_keiki]

[Gah, sorry about forgetting to reply before.]

I see...I haven't tried something like that myself, but I can imagine what it's like. [Kei managed an awkward smile as she moved closer seeing how Mizuki didn't want to be alone.]

[empress_without_a_throne]

It's not something hard to imagine. But when you're experiencing it, knowing there's not even a protective boundary of just hypothetical discussion...

... That's when it gets to you really. The worrying and waiting... and not having much of a direction to work towards.

Don't ever take your friends for granted, Kei. You never know when something like this can happen.

[ugyuuya]

[Yuuya approaches slowly and sets a cup down in front of Mizuki before he backs up a bit and leans against the wall near where Mizuki is sitting. The drink is tea but upon taking the first sip a weak taste of alcohol is in the drink.]

I don't know if you drink or if this would be considered serving to a minor but it might take the edge off a bit. I have another minus the alcohol if you don't care for it.

[Yuuya motions with another cup in his left hand as he takes a drink out of the cup now in his right. He waits for a few moments before continuing.]

I know we haven't always gotten along as well as we could have and perhaps there's a bit more to my own experiences but I just wanted to say I'm sorry about what happened.

[Yuuya almost seems like he wants to say more but is oddly uncertain and waits for a reply.]

[empress_without_a_throne]

[Mizuki looks at it, raises the cup up and takes a sniff... and then almost immediately puts it back down.]

I'd prefer water... but thanks for the effort.

And I know. You said some things before, I've said some things before... but I really did mean for the best when I had you eat with my parents to start on a new foot.

So... thanks.

[ugyuuya]

[Yuuya hands over the second cup and begins speaking again as he does so.]

Water in that one, I didn't know if the processing and seeping of tea would make it palatable to your or not so I went with something boring but safe.

So I guess I could beat around the bush but with the elephant already so blatantly in the room I guess that would almost be worse. How are you holding up after what happened? I haven't seen the full debrief or transcripts but it's made a buzz with the general staff.

[dolorous_sensei]

I... just want to say thank you. Without SolSavior we'd all end up like those NUNE soldiers...

[empress_without_a_throne]

I wouldn't go that far. Hetepheres's machine was plenty capable of standing up to hers. She was too smug in her perceived invincibility... so when that illusion went crashing down it was almost a joke how easy it was to beat her.

And the only reason we formed SolSavior... is because I wasn't going to settle for anything less dealing with her. Not after what she did to the Solego and what the Indalph might've done to Sara.

[dolorous_sensei]

I'm sorry to hear that. losing a friend like this for the first time must be hard. Moreover, your best friend...

[tillallareone]

[Mizuki, you hear footsteps from a being that is most likely larger than you make their way next to you. One of the Autobots, a little rusted, a little dented and gruff looking.]

...Sounds like you had it rough out there.

Hrm... sorry if this old bot's bothering you by being here, but I'm willing to listen if you're willing to talk.

[empress_without_a_throne]

[Oh wow. Autobots are stupidly old to begin with, so if this one's visibly showing it that's really saying something.]

In terms of the actual battle... not really. Emotionally though, that's a different story.

[tillallareone]

[Kup lets out a grunt, yeah he could see that on Mizuki's face and the condition of everyone else who came back.]

I figured that considering how you Solaris types came back looking worse off than everyone else.

I'm guessing you lost a friend out there?