by Parker, Jack
"You know the routine," he told her.
"Yeah," she said. "About two hours, right?"
"I'll be right back," he said as he left the room. Ray just smiled and looked to Abby and Brian. They were giving her a rather skeptical look, one she wasn't sure she liked.
"What?" she asked them innocently.
"Tell us Ray," began Brian as he reclined in the chair, crossing his arms. "How did you manage this one?" Ray just laughed nervously, deciding right then and there what to omit from her story. After all, they didn't need every single detail, right?
* * * *
Andy walked into the hospital room that Aaron was in, and he smiled when he saw the young man sitting up on his bed reading a magazine. There really wasn't much to do in a hospital. With only five television channels, the only real entertainment was playing with the controls for the bed. Unfortunately, that got old after a while as well.
"Hey Aaron," greeted Andy as he ran over to the bed. Leon walked in as well and shut the door behind him. He decided to just lean against the wall and watch them.
"Hey Andy," Aaron greeted with a smile. He glanced over and noticed Leon standing by the door. "Hello Leon."
"Hey," he greeted, a small smile on his face. It was nice to know that the ex-commander was doing well. After all, they had tried so hard to save him. It really wouldn't have been fair if he had died in the hospital.
"Aaron, you'll never guess what I discovered," said Andy, drawing Aaron's attention.
"What is it?" he questioned, wondering if Andy really wanted to say all of this in front of Leon.
"It has to do with that sun symbol," explained Andy. Aaron glanced at Leon, but decided that Andy was smart enough to keep information from people he didn't trust. If he was willing to say it in front of Leon, then Aaron decided he could be trusted. Even though the ex-commander was no longer working for Ramirez, if something or someone was going to endanger Andy, he wouldn't hesitate to take care of it. He wasn't going to let anything hurt his "brother".
"Yeah, what about it?" asked Aaron, encouraging Andy to continue.
"Well, the writing around the sides mentioned the ancient people on Des," explained Andy with zeal. This really was his forte. "I was able to figure out what they used the sacri crystals for since they didn't have Genos back then."
"What?" questioned Aaron, rather curious about the other uses of the brilliant blue crystals.
"They powered magnificent weapons," explained Andy. "Most people see the ancients as uncivilized people who loved wars. They indeed loved wars, but they were in no way uncivilized. They had amazing technology. Their weapons could level entire cities. One of their greatest achievements was creating a sacri powered cannon. Back then, only those with Sacrum could use it. About a hundred years ago, it wasn't like that. Anyone could use them."
"What weapon are we talking about here?" asked Aaron, the curiosity killing him. Andy only smiled as he replied.
"A four point cannon," he said, startling both Aaron and Leon. "Back then, anyone with Sacrum could control them. They are very powerful, but for the ancients, they were beyond comprehension. The destruction possible by those things was limitless. If a person had enough liquefied sacri crystals, the cannon could demolish a city as large as Torran. However, they were modified during the beginning of the GRC, because that kind of power was horrible to use in battle. They made them weaker, and they ran on normal sacri crystals, and even then they were deadly. Also, people could use them even without Sacrum. After all, everyone knows that Sacrum died out with the ancients. No one can have it anymore."
"Interesting," responded Aaron, letting the word hang for a while. If it hadn't been for his battle with Ray, he wouldn't even know what a four point cannon was capable of. After all, he had never seen one, only heard of them. This information made him realize how lucky he was. If the weapon had been toned down, then why had two of those guns nearly killed him and her? He didn't even want to think about what all four could have done. He got the feeling that not him, Leon, or any of the knights would still be standing if Ray had gone all out. Why was hers so much more powerful than the ones from the beginning of the GRC?
"And that sun symbol," began Andy, drawing Aaron's attention again. "I'm still working on it, but I think it's directly related. I know it has something to do with Sacrum and the ancients, but I haven't gotten quite that far yet."
"How much have you told Ramirez?" Aaron questioned, wondering exactly how much information the boy was keeping from his general.
"Only what I told you a while back," he answered while looking towards the window. He let out a long sigh, running a hand through his shaggy brown hair. "He's really been pushing me lately. Ever since you 'died' he's been really angry. He promoted Nathan to commander." Aaron's eyes narrowed, a glare forming on his face. If there was one person he hated, it was Nathan.
"I can't believe he gave my position to that sick jerk," snarled Aaron in disgust.
"Nathan…" whispered Leon. "Isn't that the guy that attacked Ray?" Andy looked back at Leon, as did Aaron. He hadn't known that. What had happened to the ace knight? If she had encountered Nathan without any weapons, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know. He knew that the pervert had a thing for the ace knight. It wasn't a surprise. Ray was both hot tempered and beautiful. She was exactly what Nathan wanted.
"What did you say?" asked Aaron, drawing Leon's attention.
"Ray was attacked by Nathan," answered Andy. "By the time we got there, he had already shot her in the arm." Leon turned away in disgust, remembering the way Nathan had been holding Ray. He suddenly had the urge to run back to forty-ninth and just finish him. However, he knew he couldn't. Besides, Nathan was probably already gone. He would make sure that that man never touched Ray again.
"He didn't do anything else to her, right?" asked Aaron, wondering just what had happened. He couldn't help but worry a little.
"No," answered Leon angrily, "but he probably would have if we hadn't gotten there in time." Aaron and Andy said nothing. Both boys were analyzing Leon's tone. He was extremely angry about this. It's not like they blamed him. However, there was another sound in his voice. Aaron only smirked as he thought it over. A little protective, are we Leon?
"Well," began Andy, interrupting the silence. "I should probably get going. Nathan will probably want to leave soon, and they'll come looking for me." Aaron nodded, deciding that that was probably for the best. They didn't need Nathan finding out about any of this. If he knew that Aaron was still alive, he'd undoubtedly tell Ramirez. Not to mention what he'd do if he found Ray.
"I'll see you later then," said Aaron as Andy turned and began walking to the door.
"Bye," Andy called as he walked out. Aaron just smiled and watched as the door closed behind him. He then turned his attention to Leon. The boy shoved off the wall and was about to leave. "Leon," Aaron called, stopping him. "What you heard from Andy remains a secret. No one, not even Ray, can hear what was said within this room. You understand?" Leon nodded once and then slowly made his way out of the room, leaving Aaron alone once again.
Leon began heading down the hallway, walking rather slowly. He needed to go find Ray. They had a problem to work out. Since they had piloted their damaged Genos into Torran, they had to find a way to get back to the base. The only way he could think of was mooching a ride out of Abby and Brian. He needed to know what Ray thought. The problem would be finding her.
Leon walked up to the receptionist, hoping that she would be able to tell him where Ray was. Everyone at the hospital seemed to know her pretty well from what he could tell.
"Hello," he greeted, and the receptionist smiled sweetly at him. "Could you tell me where Ray is?"
"You mean Ms. Cayden?" she asked, and he nodded. "She's currently in room 141, but I can't let you go in right now."
"Why not?" he questioned, sounding rather disappointed.
"She's currently having the bullet removed from her arm," she explained. "She'll be out for a good two h
ours." Leon just sighed and sat down in one of the nearby chairs. He might as well just wait. It's not like he had anywhere to go. Besides, he couldn't leave without Ray. He needed her to help him get a ride from Abby and Brian.
* * * *
Gordan was standing around in the main room of the GRC headquarters. He was tapping his foot impatiently, waiting for any news on Jace, the sole surviving knight of Trin. He had been waiting for quite a while when the system let out the annoying beep of an incoming message. It was the first time he had ever been happy to hear the dreadful sound. He ran to the console and hit the button, bringing up a man who was standing outside, an ocean view out the window behind him.
"General Gordan," the man began.
"Yes, what is it?" Gordan asked anxiously.
"Um…we found a Geno," he began. "It came up on shore just a few seconds ago." The view switched to the outside of the base, showing Gordan the Geno. It was in its water form, now slowly transforming.
Gordan smiled, knowing that it was indeed Jace. The armor of the Geno was gold. Only the knights were in possession of armor like that. He watched as the Geno changed into its ground form.
"Would you like me to patch you through sir?" asked the official in the background at the harbor base.
"Yes," said Gordan, and he was quickly put through to the cockpit of the Geno. He smiled when he saw the young man sitting in his chair. He looked tired as he rubbed the back of his hand against his forehead. A long sigh escaped his mouth afterwards. He didn't seem to be aware that Gordan was watching him.
The man, Jace, eventually looked to the screen before him, seeming a little startled to say the least. A smile quickly developed on his face.
"Hey general," he greeted cheerfully, but his voice was indeed tired sounding. His bright green eyes drooped a little, only adding to his exhausted appearance. He had probably stayed up for quite a few nights to make sure that he was safe and far from the base. If he had really crossed the ocean in his Geno, which he had, he would have had to stay awake the whole time. Jace really deserved a rest after that.
"Hello Jace," Gordan greeted with a smirk.
"You're looking pretty good sir," he complimented jokingly, running a shaking hand through his rather disheveled red hair. It stuck out in random places, just reaching the top of his ears. A few stray pieces hung down his face, covering a part of his right eye.
"Thank you," responded Gordan, "but I can't say the same to you." Jace just gave a small laugh.
"Yeah, I bet I look terrible," he said. "I haven't slept in days."
"We'll have a room ready for you when you get here," Gordan told him, drawing a relieved look from the young man.
"You're always so good to me," he said. "I'll be there in a few hours, alright? Bye!" With that said, the screen went blank. Gordan just stood there smiling, happy that he had four knights left. Ray would be happy to see Jace. He was going to keep this from her though. Jace probably wanted to surprise her, and he would let him. After all, they had grown up together. It had been years since she had seen him.
Gordan turned around and began to leave the room. He had been in there for hours. He was really starting to get tired. This whole incident had made him lose a lot of sleep. He decided to get some while he waited for Jace. After all, if the knight traveled at the speed of sound, he'd be there in a few hours. Gordan couldn't wait to see the boy again. This was going to be so much fun.
* * * *
Leon sat near the receptionist's desk, bored out of his mind. He had been waiting for what felt like hours. He began to zone out, but a tap on his shoulder quickly snapped him from it. He turned towards the receptionist, a smile on her face.
"You can go see her now," she said. "The doctor is finished with the operation." Leon stood up and began to walk towards room 141. He was surprised to find that the door was wide open and that Abby and Brian were nowhere to be seen.
Leon walked over to the bed where Ray was sleeping. She looked quite peaceful as she just lied on her back, breathing softly from sleep. Leon just watched her for a moment before taking note of the bandages on her arm. It had been cleaned up as well, since there had been quite a bit of dried blood on it from the injury. If this was like her other one though, she'd be better in a few days. For some reason, she healed a lot faster than most people.
His attention soon went to her face, her eyes closed gently. She was sleeping soundly, not making a single sound. Her lips were parted just slightly, allowing the air to escape and come as she breathed.
Leon swallowed hard, feeling a little nervous as he stood there watching her. Ray was a beautiful woman in more ways than one. However, he was currently focused on only one. She looked like an angel just lying there like that. It was hard to believe that that same girl could easily pummel him with one arm tied behind her back. This nineteen year old girl was the ace knight, probably one of the best pilots on the planet, if not the best.
Leon's attention quickly went to the left side of her face, still hidden by her hair. He was starting to get curious as to why she wore it like that. She was always making sure it fell in just the right way. Just what was she trying to hide? Curiosity was getting the best of him, and he reached out towards her. He was about to brush her hair away when he heard Abby and Brian coming down the hall. He quickly pulled away and went to go sit in one of the chairs. Just as he did, Abby and Brian walked in, their eyes quickly going to him.
"Hey Leon," greeted Abby. "How's Aaron doing?"
"Fine," he answered, trying to keep his words as short as he could. He knew his voice would start to shake if he tried to say too much at once.
Abby and Brian walked over and sat next to him, their eyes on Ray as she just slept, not having a care in the word.
"If you guys need a ride back to the base," began Brian, "then we can give you one." Leon just smiled since that's what he was just going to ask. At least that problem had been solved. Now all they had to do was wait for Ray who would probably be asleep for a few more hours. Everything was going well, but Leon quickly remembered the one thing he had forgotten to do. They hadn't gotten any errands done.
He just smiled, not really caring that much. It looks like Chris and dad will just have to starve. For some reason the thought was rather funny to him. After all, they did eat most of the food. Too bad for them. He just sat there, a smug smile on his face as he thought about their expressions when he would tell them that they hadn't brought back any groceries.
* * * *
Gordan sat up in his bed as his intercom system alerted him that a Geno had arrived. He bounded out of the room and down the hall, acting like an anxious child instead of a general. He really was excited to see Jace again. He missed all his knights whenever they left, but Jace had been really hard to part with.
He ran into the hanger and watched as the gold Geno's cockpit opened, releasing the redheaded pilot. He landed with ease on the metal floor, sighing as he stretched his arms. He yawned not long after and then watched as Gordan ran up to him. They both just smiled, though Jace's was a little more forced. He was exhausted, and it was taking all of his strength just to stay standing.
"Hey Gordan," he greeted through another yawn. "I'd love to chat and all, but I could really use some rest."
"Of course," said Gordan as he turned around. "Follow me." They began walking through the base, heading towards the residential area.
"So," began Jace, "have you told them that I'm still alive?"
"Not yet," he responded with a smile, glancing back at the man following him. "I thought you'd like to do that yourself. All of them will be surprised."
"Where are they anyway?" he asked as he looked around the hallway.
"Abby and Brian went into Torran today," Gordan explained as they turned the corner, getting closer to the room that had been prepared for Jace. "And Ray isn't here anymore." That comment nearly stopped Jace in his tracks, but instead his balance faltered a little. He had been hoping that she was. She was one of the main reasons he
had tried so hard to get to Nerid. He had wanted to see her again.
"Where is she?" he asked curiously, sounding perhaps a little worried.
"She's staying with David Solaris and his two sons," replied Gordan, watching as Jace thought this over. It was no mystery why. Any blind man could see it. Jace had always liked Ray ever since they were kids. It was hard to believe that after all those years apart he still cared that much.
"I see," he said, his last word hanging for a while. "I guess I'll have to drop by once I'm rested up."
"I'm sure she'd like that," he said, a smirk on his face. It would be interesting if he did go there. He'd probably ask her a ton of questions and end up asking if he could stay there as well. Dr. Solaris would say yes in order to make Ray happy, and then all hell would break loose. For some reason, he thought it would be entertaining to watch. Too bad he wouldn't get to see any of it.
They turned a few more corners before reaching Jace's room. It had been nicely prepared for him in case he wanted to stay at the base. He probably wouldn't though. Nothing was going to keep him from seeing Ray.
"When you decide to leave for the Solaris base," began Gordan as Jace walked into the room, "make sure you tell me first, alright?"
"Yeah, okay," responded Jace as he closed the door behind him. He walked over to the bed, his eyes slowly closing. He didn't want to bother with changing out of his clothing. He didn't want to bother with the blankets on the bed either. He just fell, letting gravity lead him to the soft bed. He was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.
* * * *
It had been a good two days since the incident in Torran. Everything had been explained to Dr. Solaris and Chris, who ended up going out and running the errands the next day. The repair shop had yet to call in about their Genos. It would probably take a while. After all, there had been so much damage done.
Ray and Leon were currently standing in the hanger, not really having anything to do. Ray was currently teaching Leon how to use a gun properly. If he was going to go holding one of Ramirez's men at gunpoint, he needed to know how to do so properly. Maybe later she'd show him how to fight with a sword as well. She did have a few short swords, but she didn't use them that often.
