God Eater 3 (Complete Retelling)

Chapter 7: Navigator

The next day, Luca and rest wake up with a strange sensation in their backs. For years they have slept on nothing but steel boards, waking up to the sounds of guards yelling or banging on the bars of their cell. The sensation they were feeling was the feeling of healthy sleep. They looked around and noticed that Ricardo wasn't in the room with them. Before they could wonder where he was, the door opened and in came Ricardo, along with Lil and a young girl with purple hair pushing a trolley with food on it.

Ricardo: Hey.
Purple Haired Girl: Good morning, you guys!
Keith: Um, What's that?
Ricardo: What do mean "what's that?" It's breakfast. So go on, dig in.

This was a morning filled with new experiences for them. A soft bed, a refreshed sleep, and now a warm breakfast. They begin eating the food before them, amazed by the taste.

Zeke: HOLY CRAP, THIS TASTES AWESOME!!
Purple Haired Girl: No doubt about that. Ricardo is the best cook in our Port.
Ricardo: Hahaha. By the way, will our guest from Gleipnir be joining us?
Purple Haired Girl: No, she said she already had an MRE and went back to her post. Oh! Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Amy Chrysanthemum. I serve as the Mum's operator and distribute any job requests we receive.
Hugo: Well it's good to meet you Amy. Say, do you happen to know how Sho is doing?
Amy: He's going to be fine. He should be able to leave the infirmary by tonight.
Hugo: Hm, that's good to hear. By the way, what's this about a guest? Does this have anything to do with your cargo?
Ricardo: It does, actually. Originally, we were hired to deliver some cargo to Arrowhead; Gleipnir's main Port. But when we heard about that Ash Storm, we changed course to try and evacuate Pennywort.
Amy: Now we're heading back to our home Port; Chrysanthemum, to resupply. However...
Hugo: "However?"
Amy: I think it'd be better for Miss Hilda to explain.

The group finished their breakfast and all head to the bridge. There, Hilda explains the situation. The core of their problems revolves around the holographic device connected to a chair in the middle of the bridge.

Hilda: All Ash Crawlers are required to have a Resonance Radar equipped. It scans Ash density and Aragami movements, serving as the ships eyes and ears.
Hugo: Is your radar malfunctioning?
Hilda: As the name suggests, it uses resonance to help plot our course. Meaning a God Eater with a high resonance rate is required, and we don't have one with us. Traversing the Ashlands without this radar is like crossing an old rope bridge blindfolded, constantly worrying whether or not your next step will be a hole in the wood. We need someone to serve as our navigator.
Zeke: Navigator, huh? I like the sound of that! Can I give it a try?
Hilda: Hmm... Amy, bypass the authorization system.

Amy prepared the system for Zeke. He walked to the chair, sat down and began to concentrate as hard as he could.

Zeke: Hnnnnnnnnngh... RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!! *pant pant* How's that?!
Amy: Um, sorry Zeke, but it looks like you were only able to produce a two-mile radius.
Zeke: AAAWWWW MAAAAAAN!!!

    Next was Hugo, he also provided less than required results. Then an idea sparked in Hugo's mind, and he asked Hilda a simple question.

Hugo: Hilda, what's the required minimum exactly?
Hilda: Ten miles is the required. We did have a God Eater who, with high resonance rate and years of training, managed up to twenty.
Hugo: Hmm...Then I have an offer: If Luca can get you thirty miles, would you be willing to renegotiate royalties?
Hilda: ...If Luca is really capable of something like that, then perhaps.
Hugo: Luca, the seat's all yours.

Luca sat down and began to concentrate. As he did, the holographic display began glowing.

Amy: Five... ten... Ma'am, the radar is now scanning at thirty miles!
Hilda: Incredible...
Luca: ......

As Hilda stood amazed by the results, the display began to violently glow even brighter. What came next was a shock to everyone.

Amy: H-Huh?! Ma'am, the radius just spiked to forty!
Hilda: What?!
Amy: Now it's at sixty— No, wait, seventy— I-It's now at one hundred miles, and it's still expanding!
Hilda: H-How is this possible?!
Hugo: *chuckle* Luca's always had a knack for resonance, to the point that Pennywort banned the use of Engage. So does this solve our problem?
Hilda: I-I suppose we've found our navigator. Now all that's left is to prep the ship.

With their navigator selected, Ricardo and Amy standby at their stations and prepare the ship.

Amy: Switching to departure sequence.
Ricardo: Energy flow from the main accumulator has been established. Now sealing ash bulkhead layers one and two.
Amy: Resonance radar navigation link complete. Harmonization rate is now at
100 percent. Oracle sensor system is green. Ash density along our plotted course is 0.02ppm, within tolerance.
Ricardo: The bulkheads are sealed and bias field barrier is active.
Amy: All systems green. The Mum is ready for departure.
Hilda: Hugo... Once we leave there'll no turning back. Are you certain about this?
Hugo: We've been waiting for something like this for a long time. We don't plan on turning back.
Hilda: Then in that case... Cast off! Our next destination is Port Chrysanthemum!

With those words, the ship began to move. This was it. Hugo knew it, Zeke knew it, and Luca new it. This was the new path they were waiting for.

Luca: (From here on out; everything changes!)