Devastation, Completely Broken

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After a few long minutes of holding on to her, Jak finally pulled back, and let his arms fall to his sides.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered softly before he stands up and walks towards the door, not even bothering to let her protest. Jak wasn't feeling great. But determination reared up and settled into his heart, mind and soul. Every inch of him.

He didn't even calculate that he was heading out into the crowd common fields where the newbs were being trained on how to fly. These were youngsters who were either family of an Elite Flyer, or had been specifically chosen from the class taught by Elite Flyers, picked by Elite Flyers.

Jakar had been one of those pupils chosen, so long ago. Only because his father had refused to take claim over his wayward son who left home to learn mechanics.

Jak sighed. He wasn't even sure why he still wanted to have any relations to the Vendretta name. Because it seemed like an honor to follow Derjet and all the Elitists before him.

Now, Jak was regretting ever wanting to keep it.

He sighed again as he casually walked through the fields and as he passed the youngsters shushed and a few even muttered his name. Of course he was well known; he was the only one in any history to not be an Elite Flyer and crash. And the only one stupid enough to go fly in a red zone.

Yet, Jakar Vendretta did not care. He did not care what they said. They were just newbies. They'd never fly as good and as companionated as he and Enstrali were.

Saying her name to himself brought him back to what he was doing. He stopped listening to them, and paid no mind to the footsteps following him - he knew that was Serphinea.

He let out an exhalation of breath when he reached his destination and reached up and pulled the large door open, slipping inside. He looked around the room, it was dark now but from the sunlight he just let in, he could see all sorts of metal and mechanical pieces gleaming.

This was the Dragon's Graveyard. Where literally all pieces went when it was no longer usable. Yet, again, Jak knew her pieces were in here.

He walked over to a control panel and flipped a switch, and the lights kicked on with an eerie hum. He could see Serphinea's shadow as she stopped at the doorway, not entering. He didn't care. He'd do this himself.

Slowly he walked among the piles of parts... muttering the classification numbers under his breath...

"314...619...783....567...... 112.....116....904.....118."

Jak stopped at the pile for 118. Those were Enstrali's parts, all strewn haphazardly into a pile. So disorganized.

"Serphinea." He said quietly as he knelt next to the pile, and picked up a piece. She scurried over quickly and even did so much as to rub his shoulders; he didn't mind. He was starting to like this.

"Yes, Jak?" She whispered in his ear as he noticed she held onto his shoulders, rubbing softly and rested her chin on his shoulder, her chest pressed against his back as she knelt by him.

He let out a soft breath and enjoyed her touch.. "Can you... help me? Get a wheelbarrel or something... I'm taking these pieces. I'm putting her back together."

Serphinea rubbed his shoulders a moment more, softly pressing her lips to his neck before whispering. "Sure thing." Then she got up and walked over to a shed and came back a little while later.

He stood up and together, they moved all the pieces of Enstrali 118 into the wheelbarrel and then took that over to the abandoned air field behind the Dragon's Graveyard.

Once there, he set to work. Organizing pieces by a tiny number on the metal.

"1....6....8....3....5....1...." He said each number as he set the piece in each pile carefully.... it took nearly all day, and the sun was already setting.... before he called Serphinea again.

She came over again, and he muttered, "Go find a tool bag...." before she could even sit by him again.

She nodded and ran back into the Dragon's Graveyard, coming back a little later as he studied the pieces, toting an old forgotten bag, setting it next to him....

Jak was glad he knew his basic mechanics.....and there.... he set to work... picking up piece by piece, finding its partner and began tightening the nuts and bolts together. Sweat ran down his face, and the night went passed. Serphinea had even come and gone, finding food and making him stop to eat.

After three days, and two nights of nonstop work... Jakar was able to collapse back and look up at the dusty, needing to be cleaned, hollow eyed, Enstrali 118. He took a deep drink of cool bottled water that Serphinea handed to him and relaxed a moment. Just before he heard the running of feet, and turned to see a winded Encardo appear.

"This is where you've been?! Your father has been looking everywhere for you!" He panted and then stopped as he looked at the newly put together Dragon.

Jak stood up and brushed his oily dirty hands on his jeans, and turned towards Encardo. "Yeah. I've been here. Working. Now. Tell me. Where's the piece?" He said coolly.

"What....? I...I don't know what you're ... "

Jak stopped him with a hand to his throat. "Don't play games with me, Encardo." He growled then let the man go. Heading back to the Dragon, and touching the wing joint. "Left side, wing ligament is sorely missing a piece.... not identical to the right wing ..explain."

"Maybe... maybe they didn't pick up all the pieces....." he started...

"No. You withheld it. I saw Enstrali's memories."

Encardo froze. "That's.... against the law....."

"Tell me where the last piece is!" He yelled, and got down and walked back to face Encardo.

Who literally shook where he stood. "One... one of the ....workers.....has....has....it.....he.... he... explained ....it to....me..after ....you ....you....left..."

Jak grit his teeth, "Get it from him. Now. Call him. Get it. Now."

Encardo shook as he stepped back, and reached up to play with the ear piece and mumbled a shaky command... "He will...show....soon.."

"Good..." Jak hissed and turned back to look at his Dragon.....

Soon enough, the youngest mechanic ran up and froze as he saw the Dragon, dropping the piece from his hand...

"Oh... I never thought I'd see her again..." He swallowed and stared in awe.

Jak hissed again and shoved the boy from his trance and picked up the piece ....the boy looked at him, broken from his trance and went to cling onto Encardo..... both had fear etched in their faces of Jak. Jak didn't care as he spun back around and then fussed and fitted the piece into its place..testing the joint to make sure it extended correctly...

Then he jumped back down and sighed. Encardo spoke again.

"You are still missing the chip...."

It all crashed in on Jak. Three days of hard work... and the most vital piece was still gone...

The chip.
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