Oriehn

Chapter 41- Alice

Chapter 41- Alice

I stretched slowly, my eyes still closed, and released a soft moan as the ache of my muscles was released. Sitting up on the bed, I looked over to see Ian already dressed and looking at me. "Morning," He offered.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" I frowned. "What time is it?"

"Almost noon, if we are going off of the Lunar station's old schedule," He chuckled, reaching for my head. He leaned in and pressed our brows together and I closed my eyes in contentment. "You needed the rest, after the day you had yesterday."

I chuckled and leaned back. "So what now?" I swung my legs over the side if the bed and walked to stand in front of him. "No elaborate escapes, no more armed conflict with white-clad men? What am I to do today?"

"I had a conversation with the commander this morning." Ian leaned down to put on his military boots, but looked up at me as he was slipping them on. "Sin's father? I believe you know him well..."

"Unfortunately.," I muttered.

"Sin is coming home.," He stated abruptly. I sat down, placing my hand on his shoulder to brace myself.

"What? When?" I looked him in the eye, hope raising in my chest as the smallest corner of my heart began to flutter at the thought of seeing Sin again. "How?"

"Woah, woah," Leanian finished tying his shoes and raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Slow down, Alice. Sin is fine. He devised a way to destroy the mainframe without knowing exactly where it is."

Following Sin's obvious train of thought, I bit my lip. "He's going to blow the whole thing up, isn't he?" I asked as trepidation crawled up my neck.

Ian grabbed my hands, squeezing them gently. "He is. And he is going to be fine. He is a highly trained operative, and escaping from that research facility has become an annoying habit of his. He has practice and experience."

"Right," I laughed. "I am worrying for nothing. So how is he going to do it?"

"Something about hijacking a ship and arming it with enough explosives to demolish the whole facility?" Ian stood up. "Once it is done he will take the ship and direct it towards Crious, meeting a fleet of our own at a rendezvous."

"A welcome party?" I asked hesitantly.

Ian shrugged. "Taliesin is fast becoming a legendary hero. First, he brought back the last-born female," He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear and I smiled up at him. "And second, he single handedly stopped the human war effort, rendering their only source of power, the machines, useless."

Ian walked over to a bag of supplies, drawing out a pair of clothes and boots. He handed me the stack as he continued. "And it is not really a welcoming party, more of an escort. The best surgeons and our commanders will be on board, along with a few elite pilots, to ensure his health and safety."

"So you are going along too?"

"Yeah," He smiled. "I will be piloting the ship that picks his dirty-self up."

"Can I come too?" I pleaded, putting the clothes to the side, for now.

"No, Alice," He sighed. "Crucial Personnel only."

"What could be more crucial that the continuation of an entire race?" I exclaimed. "Is the oracle riding along too?" Huffing, I crossed my arms.

Suddenly serious, Ian crouched down onto his knees, gazing into my eyes. "The oracle is ailing. The deaths of her people have caused her great strife, and in the attack she was wounded. She does not look good."

"You mean-?"

He nodded solemnly. That is your fault too, I thought. "I know you want to see Taliesin," Ian pursed his lips. "And I would be the last person to begrudge you of that. I will see what I can do."

"Really?" I smiled, kissing his cheek softly, he wrapped his arms around me tightly. "Are you sure that this is not just a way to woo me?"

"It is," he leaned back, arms around my back. "Wholeheartedly, at its core, this is a way to woo you." He leaned in, pressing his lips to mine in a slow touch. I returned it timidly, unsure and yet surprisingly excited. But what about Sin? He is coming home. Breaking away, I closed my eyes, veiling my traitorous emotions.

"But I also know that you have a strong friendship with Taliesin," Ian nuzzled my neck softly. "I do not want to stand in the way of that."

I laughed, gripping his cheeks between my hands so he would meet my eyes. "And soon, we will all be together again, just like a true family."

He nodded. "I will speak to the commander. You, get dressed," He ordered. "If there is any new news to tell, I shall come find you." I nodded, and with a final squeeze, Ian hurried off, the tent flaps fluttering behind him.

I dressed in the women's fatigues, brushing through my hair and padding about the tent in bare feet while I straightened it up. Cleaning always kept my mind busy and the anxiety at bay. While it was a tedious chore, the overwhelming sense of productivity after always seemed to lift my mood.

"Are you ready?" Ian stood in the frame, as I made up the bed.

I jumped, clutching my heart. "Oh! You scared me."

"Sorry," He smiled, and asked again. "Are you ready to go?" He straightened out his shirt, running his hand through his hair as he looked to me.

"I can go?" A tentative smile started to grow on my face. Ian nodded, grinning. "Yes! Yes, I am ready to go," I replied excitedly. My arms circled his waist and I hugged him. "Thank you, Ian."

He looked down at my feet, then raised his eyebrows. "I thought I told you to get dressed?"

"You did," I replied, then widened my eyes. "I will." I rushed, shoving my shoes on and hopping on one foot. "Done! Let's go!" I grabbed his hand and he led us to the awaiting pods outside.

Entering the ships, I took my seat in the back, watching as Ian took over the console and flew us just outside of Oriehns atmosphere. Earth was in view, and the surveillance cameras onboard portrayed the busy research facility below.

Rows upon rows of capsules exited the building, and I leaned over my seat to watch closer. "Which one is him?" I asked out loud.

"None, so far," Ian answered without looking back. "They seem to be amassing and headed for Oriehn. We'll know when it's him."

We waited for an eternity, but when the last capsule had left the hangar, worry leaked out into the air. "Where is he?" The commander, pacing the floor in front of the screen, exclaimed. "Where is my son?"

Ian shook his head. "I don't know. I think he is still inside."

"Still inside?" I panicked. "What do you mean he is still in-"

I fell silent, as all eyes on board the capsule were drawn to the screen. With no audio, you couldn't hear the explosion. The roar of the resulting fire was muted. The collapse of the facility into a pile of smoldering rubble held no sound.

But the cries echoed about the pod, and the shouts and exclamations felt as though they were ripped out off our vocal chords. Someone was sobbing loudly. With a shaking fist, I raised it to my open mouth, smothering the noise.

"Sin!" I whispered hoarsely. Tears flooded my gaze. "No, Sin!"

I felt the last pieces of my heart shatter, and I looked over to where the commander, Laius Graile, stood stoically watching the aftermath. "It is done," He announced. "The machines are destroyed, and the war is over, and-" he looked away, wiping his face and covering his eyes as sobs wracked his body.

"And I lost my only child in the process."