Ayre was once again watching over Raven as he slept. She was honestly surprised that they haven't really much been receiving any further requests from ALLMIND. She'd hope that nothing horrible would come due to them rejecting the Release Project so last-minute.
Then again, quite a bit of her luck, Raven's combined, is still too low to prevent bad things from happening. It was great being back in OBSIDIAN WING. Better systems, usual gear. All that good stuff.
Suddenly, she heard the COM system say that Carla was calling. She quickly woke him up, who quickly got to his HUD, still worrying her, not acting groggy, or not as much anyway.
"Let me tell you a story, tourist." said Carla, "After the Fires of Ibis blew the planet up... a secret organization formed, hiding in the ashes. Overseer... The Association of Observers. They monitored the Coral's growth... ready to burn it before the Collapse came."
A graph showed up, revealing a particular point where a limit would be,
"That was their mission." Carla continued, then her voice got heavy almost, "Our mission. Me, Walter... and our fallen friends."
And with that, entire rows of names showed up. This must be what Walter had meant by the word "friends." Thousands of names of those dead came aboard. Walter and Carla were the last ones, or, now Carla herself is probably the last one of them all pretty much by now at this very point.
"RaD was always just a front, a side hustle. It's time for me to get back to my real work," Carla went on, "Let's get down to brass tracks. You've been to Xylem before, right. The floating city created by the Institute? It's hiding a secret, a little something to prepare against the coming Collapse. We need to get to it, and fast. RaD's entire team of hackers is going to be working to take control of Xylem. I want you to deal with Arquebus when they come running to see what we're up to."
Raven hesitated before clicking the button.
"Overseer, the Association of Observers..." said Ayre, sounding scared, "They want to... burn the Coral..."
Raven could imagine her hurt. He still didn't know. Should he side with the Overseers? Or Ayre? What if he... tried both? Burn the Coral but keep Ayre? No... that... that doesn't seem possible. He'd be asking her to stay after basically bringing her kind to near-extinction, leaving her utterly alone.
No.
It's got to be one or the other.
...
OBSIDIAN WING landed near the high tower with a loud thud before it entered Combat Mode.
"Get into position, tourist! It's time!" Carla ordered, "I need you to protect that tower until we've managed to take control.."
The Xylem Control System suddenly boomed, saying something like "Process K." and "Deploying Shield."
Ayre wasn't listening too much however. She was too busy thinking about...well, everything. Even though Raven was here, still with her, she felt... alone.
First, she finds out that Balam and their Redguns, along with Arquebus and the Vespers were fighting over the usage of the Coral, her family for goodness sake, willing to destroy it if anyone not with them gets a hold of it.
They find it exposable once seeing it in the hands of the enemy.
And second, she just so happens to realize that even the natives of Rubicon 3, the Liberation Front, a group she considered her own people, having been an actual Rubiconian herself before the Great Fire, was also fighting over their own use for the Coral, being the ultimate descendants of those who discovered it first.
She was ashamed of them.
Then she finds out that long ago, the Coral was, and still is to this very day, was and is used as fuel to power these "C-Weapons" and data candids. She could only imagine them screaming in pain every time they were used. She was never fully sure if they just burn out, never to be seen ever again, or they just be let go all over again. She just didn't know.
And now, it turns out that 50 years ago, the Overseers were born, preparing to burn the Coral, to destroy her family.
What's even worse was her feeling Raven's stress and confusion and loss. She knew he was considering of carrying out Walter's last wishes but... she just couldn't, no wouldn't, want to see her fighting him.
It'd hurt her.
So much.
In fact, maybe, no, truely, even breaking her heart. She'd probably never recover from something like that.
Her attention was being brought back once she heard Chatty saying that he cracked some of the defense systems. Carla thanked him for the "good job," explaining that it'll buy them sometime. She then asked him how much longer before they have total control.
"Give me five minutes." replied Chatty, "And the corps..."
"...I'm picking up an Arquebus MT squad." Ayre suddenly warned, "...We have to see this through. Raven... I'll support you."
<<Thanks, partner.>>
Carla once again reminded Raven to keep the enemy away as the Xylem Control System said something about readying the plasma cannons. Now that's going to be useful.
"We've got access to support weaponry. Use them if you need the help." Chatty offered.
Ayre would watch as Raven quickly activated the plasma cannons. They were going to need all the help that they can get. Whenever he'd call her "Partner," it made Ayre feel so warm inside. It made her feel comfortable towards him.
Now, seeing his stressed out self, Ayre's wondering if she'll soon no longer be hearing that, meaning that once she stops hearing it, it could mean that they were... no longer friends.
Her bad thoughts were interrupted by Xylem's Control System's voice.
"Xylem Control: Escalating to mid-level privileges." it announced.
"Three more minutes." said Chatty, "Hang in there, tourist."
Suddenly, a few lasers came straight out of nowhere.
"Now we've got snipers!" Ayre shouted in warning.
"Hey, tourist, go clear them out!" ordered Carla.
The snipers began to swarm around the tower, aiming at the shield until it was destroyed.
"...The shield's down!" Ayre warned.
"Crap... We're in trouble now!" Carla cursed, "...Wait! We've got something else... "
Ayre then warned Raven about incoming suicide drones, no vital sigs of any kind within them. Carla told Raven not to miss. The mercenary gave an arrogant grin as he used his missile launchers, taking them all down.
Some LCs dropped by, but OBSIDIAN WING's laser sword just wouldn't have it, slicing them down within two strikes.
"You've been working like a dog..." said Carla, half-joking, "Must be Walter's influence. Guy's a real slave driver..."
Ayre huffed at that. She was beginning to get sick of hearing that. Where's Rusty's encouragement when it's needed? She just wishes that Raven would just be treated like a human by everyone else. He's ultimately not that much different.
Her thoughts were once again interrupted, this time by the Xylem Control System.
"Xylem Control: Escalating to top-level privileges." if announced, "Owner: 'Cinder' Carla."
"...Good job holding out, tourist." Carla thanked, "Now I'll show you... what this city really is!"
The top of the tower glowed red, giving off a shining illumination that could probably be seen from the furthest of distances. Suddenly, massive buildings started to surface.
"The water level's falling..." Ayre analyzed, then realized, "No, the whole city's rising!"
The entire place began to surface like all the way up.
"...You can thank Walter for the tip." said Carla with pride, "I give you the colony ship Xylem... Walter's parting gift!"
...
Raven waited on the edge of the Xylem. This was amazing. It was a floating city. And this is in case the Collapse takes place. Carla suddenly called in.
"...let me fill you in on the plan." she explained, "While you were captured, Arquebus finished their work on the Vascular Plant. It's pulling the Coral through Rubicon's atmosphere and it won't be long till they take it all. We need to burn the Coral before it's too late. Of course, we can't just walk up to the Plant and light a match. No, we're going to need something bigger. A lot bigger. Well? Figured it out? The Xylem isn't just our means of reaching the Plant. It's a giant powder keg. Plenty to set all that Coral off."
Suddenly, the visor glowed red. That meant Ayre was nearby.
"...Is that... the Observers' plan...?" Ayre gasped in horror, "...The corporations want only to devour the Coral. The Observers fear the Coral, and want only to eradicate it."
There was a long pause before the Coral Intelligence spoke again.
"I... I believe in the shared potential of humanity and the Coral." she said, "Raven. I need to ask you something."
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