Before Rift Apart (Complete)

IRIS

Kreeli Comet, Verdagris Sector, 7 hours later, Rivet's POV

Out of the window I looked on and saw the Kreeli Comet and stared in awe. "wooow, the Kreeli Comet? It's beautiful!" I said excitedly. Phantom nodded in agreement I'm sure, although I wasn't paying much attention to him. I actually was only paying attention to the comet up until the collision alarm went. "Oh shoot!" I had to quickly swerve out of the way of an ice fragment, a fairly large one. "Nice flying there Rivet." Phantom said, a little shaken up. I gave a nervous giggle. "uuh, thanks? Totally meant for that to happen... Yeah."

Phantom chuckled to himself while watching me twitch out at the near collision we had, oddly enough being nervous made me a better pilot somehow. So far everything had panned out. We found Kreeli Comet and even better yet, it looked like it had technology. "This has to be it, this MUST be the location of that super computer." I said with hope. "I'm pretty sure it is. Now, can you land this thing Rivet?" Phantom asked. I noded and started the landing procuedures. All the while I stared still at how beautiful this place was considering it was a ball of ice.

After we landed and got out of the ship, I noticed something was bugging Phantom pretty badly so I had to ask. "What's wrong Ski-? I mean Phantom." Usually when I knew someone personally, I asked questions using their name. For a moment I had forgotten Phantom really didn't want his identity known to others. He certainly didn't want his name said around pirates. He was either ignoring me or didn't hear me since he didn't respon to my question. "Phantom, what's wrong? Something is bothering you. What is it?" I asked while looking at him.

He looked over at me. "I'm just wondering if you're really ok. Plus, you never were able to identify those two guys looking over you when you were injured. I'm just worried they may have done something." I stared at him, I myself was a little concerned about not knowing the two unknowns. But I was well and alive now, so did it truly matter now? "I'm fine, well, as fine as I can be all things considering right?" I smiled to reassure him but based on the look he gave me I think I made it worse.

"I can only hope you are. You've been through alot. Far more than anyone could've asked you to. You could have stayed back in Merdian City on Igliak. I wouldn't have been mad." Phantom told me. At first I was taken aback, unsure of how to really respond. "I.. Well I just thought I was needed, that's all. Plus you even said it yourself you need me around." I smiled a little. "And I wonder if that may have been a mistake. I feel a little responsible for what's happend to you." Phantom said with obvious loads of regret in there.

I couldn't stand listening to him belittle himself over what's happend to me over the years. "It's not your fault I didn't listen... If I had just listened to you, I wouldn't have lost my arm. I guess I never really learned self control." I looked at him, hoping that he'd let me take responsability for my own mistakes. "Maybe, maybe not. I should have watched over you better." Phantom said, the regret in his voice more obvious this time. "Is... Is this really about me? Or is this about something else Phantom?" I said with some concern.

He smiled a bit. "It is about you. At least... At least it is now." I understood what he meant, and I wasn't having this conversation. "It wasn't your fault he died Phantom. I learned from him you know. Trust me, it couldn't be avoided. He wanted to help. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose. And losing might mean you lose your life. We're fighting against some pretty tough odds." I said. Phantom looked at me and it seems he finally got what he had been looking for ever since he started watching over me. Forgiveness. He smiled, knowing all was said and done.

After hours of walking and digging through ice we made it to the super computer. We couldn't for the life us figure out how to turn it on, despite figuring out the power cells were still powered up. As I read through it's consoles I finally got a name. "IRIS??" The moment I said it out loud, all the consoles turned on at once. I got up and stared in awe as Phantom tried using a scanner. "Hello Rivet the Lombax , I have been expecting you." IRIS said. I looked at Phantom in surprise as he did to me as well.

"How do you know my name? And... What's a Lombax?" I asked, very confused about the situation. "Lombax, species." It responded. I looked at it, still surprised, but I had to ask the obvious. "Why am I the only one around?" I asked. "Unknown. Lombaxes not native to this dimension." IRIS said. "Dimension...?" I questioned. IRIS gave no response. "Where did they go? Why am I the only one anyone has met? Why did they leave me behind??" I asked, overwhelmed by the sudden information and questions I had for this machine.

"Information unavailable." It said. I looked on at it. "How did you know me? My name?" I asked, wanting to know more. "History knows you, so I do as well." It said. "History...?" I questioned. "Power cells at 3% capacity and lowering." IRIS said. "Wait! No no no NO! Why did the others leave me behind?! Where did they go?!" I questioned, panicking. "Power cells at 2% capacity... Thank you for visiting IRIS." I looked on and ran to one of the consoles, trying to manually access information. "No no no! Please! I have to know!" In that moment it all shut down.

I banged on one of the consoles with my hands and sighed. "No! So close! So close..." Phantom walked over and touched my shoulder to reassure me. "I... got some information out on this tablet if you want it. Anything pertaining to you. Alot of it is redacted, I can't do anything about it. But it might have some of that information you were asking about.." I looked up at him and slowly took the offered tablet. I started to read a little bit of it and smiled. "Thanks." He nodded. "Welcome anytime Rivet. You know that."

I nodded in turn and as we got back to the ship and flew off elsewhere I read through the tablet. A lot of it was stuff I already knew, but something did jump out at me. "Layden knew...?" I kept reading, and was shocked to know that his family was basically asked by someone to keep me, that they didn't just find me like he said. "Why keep that from me all this time...?" I looked out the window, wishing I had been able to ask him, but knowing I couldn't now. "Maybe it was for the best? Maybe there was a reason for all of this..."