One in Twelve Thousandth Percent

Chapter 24:

As we're walking towards the Sim Room, Misaki taps me. "So, Belle and I were looking over this sim while you were asleep. I think that as a team, we can really change things around. Maybe we can even completely avoid the misjump. Can you set the conditions again like you had before?" I nod. "Sure. I mean, we hadn't ever needed to use our powers in combat, so we weren't in any way prepared for what happened. But now, with a little more experience on our belts..." I enter the conditions and set the sim. Then I send the patch signal up to the bridge.

"Craft to Valzeiros."

"Go ahead."

"Sending the patch to you now. Enjoy." She giggles. "Oh, yeah. Hey, Ilirora, go grab some popcorn!" I chuckle and open the room door, then take a deep breath. "Ready?" The girls nod and we all walk in. "Um, actually. I think I'll stick here." Kazumi says. We stop and look back. "Yea, I wasn't in the original event so I don't have a spot in the sim. Just let me know if you switch to a different one." I nod and the three of us go inside.

Inside the room, the scene is paused at the same point I had before. I stand in my spot and the girls take theirs as well.

^^^

Sim Room: Team Attempt One.

"What do I mean, Perry?" This time I don't wince at all. Misaki side glances when she notices. "It makes sense. Perry 'disappears' and 'Kaylin' shows up. You keep the same job, have the same family and everything. You even look similar in appearance, but change your hair and glasses. I don't know why I didn't realize it sooner. It wasn't until you slipped up and mentioned the whole 15 years bit that tipped me off."

"It wasn't a slip up. I was being honest with you, something that I'm now regretting."

"Why does that matter? She's happier living this life." Misaki says. "Oh, and her name is Kaylin. I'd appreciate it if you used the right name."

Hikari spits at the floor this time, but still ignoring her. "You were always the favorite of everyone and you didn't even do anything. Always had the best grades, were given a promotion from supply first. I was going to take care of you if you didn't do it yourself, then maybe I could start getting some of the attention you were hoarding. But then you 'disappeared' and I never saw you again... until you came back looking like this... thing." She gestures at me. Again, no flinching. This is when I eyeball the knife strapped to her hip. From where I'm standing, I can tell that Misaki is eyeing it as well. She had to have seen me during my previous runs.

"Well, I'm finally going to finish what I started all those years ago." Hikari pulls the knife. Suddenly the overhead comms go off and we hear Meira's voice. "FTL jump in ten seconds." Misaki moves in front of me. "Like hell you will." Hikari smiles and reaches for the power circle on her chest. "Now!" I shout.

I slide around Misaki and snap my fingers. Present Day Misaki knows what to do. She sees me throw my transmutation and she boosts it. The sparks hit the floor and run along until it reaches Hikari's feet. Her dupes are already out, but the spell connects and the floor reaches up and holds her feet in place. Well, at least Hikari Prime is unable to move, bringing us down to six that can move. That'll help. Annabelle and another Science officer move to intercept two of them. She powers up her blast and dissipates one of them. Down to five. Good.

Two come after me and two go after Misaki. I move back to that cart from before. I snap and slam my hand down on top of the whole pile of probes, turning them all into daggers. Then I pick up the tray they're sitting on and fling the whole thing at Misaki. "Catch!" She pulls them in with her power, spinning them around herself like a shield. One of the dupes collides with a dagger and is gone. The second just barely dodges a blade. Nice, down to four and this time, she didn't get tackled.