The Ice Warrior

Chapter 59

Mere moments after Wir Eis's arrival everything was carefully explained to Evanescence. The ship, in turn, did so much more at a short time than they expected.

Since she cured all the injuries by using some special nanotechnology, all that was left to do was calm down the humans.

They were all on edge after everything they had been through, but Silv couldn't think of a better person to help them relax than Justin.

Even Arthur seemed to be good at pacifying irrational humans, which shouldn't have surprised Silv since the AI practically helped Rose raise her.

Silv, however, wasn't good with emotions so she slowly backed away from them, needing some escape from so many bubbling emotions.

Deciding that a walk would be good for her, she started marching briskly through the ship which seemed to feel much better, even the prominent color of the ship was no longer striking red.

Only when she reached Rose's temporary resting place did Silv understand where she was going.

Everyone was as well as they could be and Silv did everything that was up to her. Thus, she believed she deserved a few moments to herself.

When she entered the quarters and saw her grandmother's still figure, Silv felt overwhelmed.

It brought home to her that her grandmother was truly gone yet again, and Silv wasn't sure how to bear the sorrow.

"Grandma, I am so sorry for every time I behaved badly or doubted you. I understand now that everything you did, you did to protect me. That's what we do, we support each other," Silv said, a single tear dangling from her eyelashes.

"I never understood how hard it must have been for you to do your job, help the rebels and always be there for me when I needed you," Silv said.

More tears trickled down Silv's face when she thought of all the struggles her grandma suffered in silence. It must have been difficult working for the Government one despised but knowing it was the best way to bring it down.

Wiping away her tears, Silv smiled gently at Rose's pale face.

"We caught Denis. He'll pay for what he did to you but not before he reveals all the Government secrets to us," Silv said.

She tried to imagine what her grandmother would have said, asked, if she was there with her. It was as if she needed the closest thing to speaking to her grandma possible.

"I am ashamed to admit that I almost killed him. And I know what you are going to say but I couldn't help it. He killed you and I was just so furious about it.

"If it was only about his betrayal, I would have been able to control myself but killing you crossed the line," Silv said.

"Do you wish to talk with her?" Arthur said appearing at the entrance.

"Really?" Silv asked.

It made no sense that she would be able to have a conversation with a dead person but Silv was ready to try anything. Anything that would help her feel even marginally better.

"Well, it will not be exactly talking with her, but she would be speaking to you," Arthur explained.

Seeing Silv's confused expression, the AI decided to fully explain the situation.

"My mistress had recorded a message for you before she died. She told me to play it for you in case something happened to her when I deem the time was right. I think the time is right now," Arthur said.

Silv looked at him with watery eyes and a glimmer of hope which was trying to burst through.

Perhaps that was exactly what she needed in that moment, the reassuring voice of her grandmother.

"Miss Silv, should I play the video?" Arthur asked.

"Yes, please," Silv said.

"My dearest Silv, if you are watching this, it means I am no longer with you and I am truly sorry about that," Rose said as her image flickered lightly following her movements.

"I've always tried to teach you what's out there in the world but I am not sure if I did a good job. The need to protect you has always clashed with the need to get you ready for what's out there. As a consequence, I am afraid that I haven't done my best to prepare you for what's out there.

"Maybe it was selfish on my part, but I didn't want to watch you suffer. But now that I am gone, I wonder if that pain might become overwhelming," Rose said.

She was quiet for a few seconds, taking a few deep breaths of air.

"What advice I can give you to fix my mistake is to trust your gut and find a way to have faith in something. No matter what it is, just have faith in something, as life without faith is already lost," Rose said.

Silv couldn't help but wonder how she was supposed to have faith in anything, to trust anyone. After what Denis had done, not only did Silv become more suspicious of people, but she also stopped trusting her instincts.

"You must be wondering who to trust, and I can't fully help you with that. Trust is something that's earned. It takes time.

"However, I can tell you that I have faith in Joe and his boys. They might be the only people on this planet that I believe in besides you and Arthur.

"We have been through so much together, and they've saved my life more times than I care to admit.

"If you want to learn more about my life in general, Arthur has been authorized to give you the passwords for all my diaries.

"Anyway, I am not saying you should blindly trust them. (Never trust anyone blindly.) All I am saying is give them a chance to earn your trust and try to earn theirs," Rose said.

Silv was happy that she was doing at least one thing her grandmother wanted her to do. It felt like she was respecting her legacy in a way.

"Finally, my dear, never forget how much I love you. I know that the Government has never approved of emotions but if there was one thing the old world had right, it's the importance of love.

"No matter what kind of love it is, it can inspire you to do incredible things, perform impossible feats.

"Love, and remember that you are loved. I am so proud of the brilliant young woman that you have become. Never forget that," Rose said with tears in her eyes.

Then Rose gestured for Arthur to stop recording so the last thing Silv saw where loving tears decorating Rose's face.

Tears of her own washed over Silv's face as gratitude and love spread through her whole being.

"My mistress had a lot of love to give but since her own daughter refused to receive it, you got a double dose of it," Arthur said.

"Thank you," Silv said.

"For what?" Arthur asked.

"For showing me this now. I needed to see it." Silv said.

"Silv is needed in the control room," Evanescence said out loud cutting into their conversation.

"I do hope it's not another crisis," Silv mumbled.

"Take Arthur and me there," Silv told Evanescence.

"Transport initiated," Evanescence said.

"Transport complete," Evanescence added seconds before Silv and Arthur materialized in the control room.

"What is it?" Silv asked the moment she saw the gathered group.

"Denis started talking," Joe said the moment he perceived Silv's presence.