Before Rift Apart (Complete)

A Girl Alone

Rivet wasn't the same after watching her brother die. What made her ache worse was the fact she was mad at him even. She knew it was wrong, but she missed him. All of her experiences and what he taught her never prepared her on how to live without him. She hated him for that. She didn't cry when Layden died, but it finally caught up to her. He was gone forever. She started having nightmares, and would wake up crying. Her pain took two extreme forms, because she missed her brother, and she hated him for leaving her. As soon as her crying fit was over, she'd come to her senses by screaming and shouting in anger that he left her alone with no one.

She did it every single day for about 7 months, all while barely living from day to day. One day she woke up, the nightmare was still there but she'd look in the mirror and just give herself a half smile. It was another day like any other, but there was a difference. Inside she finally forgave Layden. She mourned and grieved, cried, screamed and yelled at the top of her lungs. But somehow she always felt that it wasn't just him that died that day, or the Kerchu. She couldn't put her finger on it and she then had realized how the that entire day changed her. She died too. Not all at once, but a little bit everyday. Her healing process had just begun, it was a new day. A better day. Instead of screaming and shouting at her brother's scarf, she picked it up and wore, proudly. She couldn't have him back, but in this way, it's like he never left.

Rivet collected herself long enough to realize she couldn't live like this anymore. She needed to build a life for herself. But she had no idea where to start. "Do I start.. A family or something?" She shook her head. That was not only stupid, but it was jumping the gun really. She had a ship at her disposal, she may as well use it for something other than just a home in space. Her journey into making a life for herself took her to a lush green planet that was home to an old Gelatonium plant the Kerchu had owned. She figured she could use it as a home since, well, the Kerchu no longer had a need for the place. But when she arrived, she was greeted by a rather strange species: the Morts.

Sargasso, Outpost L51, Verdagris Sector: Rivet's in story POV.

"Well hey there stranger! Ya got quite the ship there! Need'er fixed?" The Mort had asked. I smiled a little, at least they seemed friendly. "Well, no. I kind of came here to find a place. But it looks like it's been claimed..." I said disapointed. The Morts all looked at eachother and figured they had nothing to lose by asking me. "Well, if ya run some cargo for us, we can fix up yer ship for free AND pay you and you can get a whoooole place for yerself!" I thought about it. It is a good offer. I nodded. "Yeah, okay, sure. I can do that." The Mort that seemed to be in charge walked up to me and shook me hand. "Ya got yerself a deal then! We can give ya some temporary quarters until you get yer own place! It'll be small but it'll be yers!" It was strange. It was sudden. But it finally felt like maybe I could belong somewhere. "Thanks. I'm Rivet by the way" I told them. They all surrounded me and introduced themselves. Simple yet confusing. Name: Mort. Species: Mort. They were all Mort. I gave a nervous laugh. "Ooooh boy. What did I get myself into?"

3 Years Later, Sargasso, Outpost L51, Verdagris Sector: Rivet's POV.

I sighed while laying in my bed. The hours have been pretty brutal these last several months. I have my own place, my own little shop and workspace, a varied garden. But it was missing other things. I looked over the group picture that was taken when I was part of the Liberation Front. Everyone was in it except my brother Layden, who was out being a leader that day it was taken. The more I looked at it the more I missed everyone in that photo. I picked up the picture and ran my hand over it and hugged it slightly, reminding myself of better days. "I really miss you guys..." I said with another, overly expressed sigh. It's been almost 3 full years since Layden was killed, Jasindu destroyed and Nefarious crowning himself Emperor. I put the picture back and sat up straight as a thought crossed my mind.

"My brother wouldn't want me to just.. Mope around feeling sorry for myself, or for him. He'd want me to do something! Anything! Anything except sit here and waste away." I don't know what else I was thinking. It was like I stepped through a door and locked it. "I'm going to fight Nefarious.. No matter what it takes.." I got up and grabbed my gear and walked outside. Something about seeing the Morts cheered me up. They stayed neutral in the overall conflict that happend between Nefarious and the Alliance of Sectors, but in reality, they did supply the Liberation Front with fuel for their ships. Not necessarily an attack on Nefarious, but they were still helping his enemy. Of course that was well before they took over the Gelatonium plant themselves.

In the end, I didn't feel so alone anymore. Layden was gone, but that didn't mean his dream for a better galaxy had to die with him. I clenched my fists and walked over to my ship, a kind of fire in me burned. Nefarious doused one flame, and now another one burned. The Morts seemed to notice the change but they didn't actually say anything. They watched me go to my ship, and set coordinates for Corson V, Nefarious City. The ship would rise up and take off, and I set up the jump sequence. It would take a couple days to get to Corson V, but that was ok to me. It would give me plenty of time to find a friend. "I hope you're still alive out there Phantom..." It was time to go back, and finish what Layden started. Only this time, we'd fight hard.