S-2879 • L10 Tramaluna • D15 Irrasi
"Tramaluna weaves the sky in full brightness.Irrasi ignites the peak in living silver.The tide sings high, wide, and clear.The story moves forward whole, in open light."
I had improved a lot.
The Witch carried intuitive wisdom into me, helping me endure the torment.
The dizziness and psychosis lessened.
They lasted up to two minutes during each episode.
Black spots occasionally flickered across my vision.
I could eat easily.
I regained my sense of taste and could smell things other than the metallic scent of blood.
"Alright."
Kiara began.
"What do you know about Russia?"
I searched my memory for what I knew of the place.
In 2795, several international conflicts erupted, including a civil war in Russia.
Yvon Mrozov, charismatic, used popular rhetoric to lead a revolution against the last president's attempt at dictatorship.
The turning point came on the day Kemetia Command attacked Moscow.
The rebels, led by Yvon, took advantage of the attack to seize the president's residence.
They took hostages.
They spared those who cooperated and killed those who resisted.
They displayed the president's severed head in the Red Bastion.
A crowd applauded.
Yvon inspired and mobilized the Russians to adopt a new monarchy.
Yvon's son became the last emperor.
The following solar cycles were marked by the rule of empresses.
Sonechka Alexeyev reigned as the current empress.
Internationally admired for her governance and nationally adored by her people.
She transformed Russia into one of the most habitable countries in the world, especially Moscow.
In that horizontal city, a certain harmony prevailed.
Still, much of its success and influence came from the Russian criminal organization.
The criminal Brotherhood, the Vorovskoy mir (Воровской мир), was the most powerful criminal organization on the planet.
A global presence in clandestine operations.
An implacable paramilitary force.
Untraceable cybercrime.
Sex trafficking and illicit pornography, drug trafficking, human trafficking, rare species trafficking, and nanotechnology smuggling.
Other illegal operations—always undetectable.
They controlled Nochnoy Prestol, the Night Throne, the Russian underworld.
"Well, it's a monarchy led by an empress…"
"…and the largest criminal organization in the world commands Nochnoy Prestol," Kiara finished.
"Escorts are usually quiet jobs.
But a princess, especially this one? We'll be taking risks.
Saymon gave very few details about the mission.
Just an address in Salekhard.
I didn't like the place at all."
"Why?"
I massaged my forehead.
The headache threatened to return.
"It's an abandoned district.
But what can we do?
We have to go."
She stood up.
"You're sure you're going?"
"I'm going all the way."
I smiled.
With firmness.
With courage.
Only forward.
"There's something I want to ask."
My voice came out hesitant.
"Can I talk to Takashi?"
My fingers tightened around the blanket.
"I want to know how they are. I need to know."
A knot tightened in my chest when I thought of him.
I confess that, after everything with Kiara, I could only see Takashi as a transcendent being.
Like any other android.
Like any other technology.
Kiara tapped her finger against the headboard.
"It's too risky."
Her gray eyes flashed violet.
"Although… your contract is suspended.
So the search has kind of stopped.
No one should be trying a connection to locate you."
She pressed her lip.
"Alright. Fine."
She flicked her hand and projected the holoscreen.
"Five minutes."
I adjusted my short hair.
Tried to look healthy, aware that Takashi would notice my injuries from afar.
They were obvious.
But I felt he would avoid asking questions.
And I preferred to deal with that first.
The call began.
Takashi appeared on the screen.
Tears came like an avalanche of longing.
I smiled wide.
His familiar presence brought so much comfort, because I had thought I would never see him again.
Not him. Not Riki. Not Hideaki.
That I would die without seeing them again.
I survived.
And now I longed to reconnect with them.
Uncertain of what the future held.
"Ah, I'm so glad you're well!"
My voice caught.
I wiped away the tears.
"How are things?"
Takashi smiled courteously and gave a quick bow.
"Doctor—"
"Akiko is fine."
He frowned.
Hesitated for a moment.
"Akiko…"
It seemed strange for him to call me that, but he quickly recovered.
"Things are well.
Mrs. Relaisse improves each day.
With Liana's help, she has recovered 53% of her memories.
We began treatment for Alzheimer's."
"53%?"
My heart raced.
"That's incredible!"
"We estimate recovery of 87% of cognitive behavior."
"87%?!"
My smile widened even more.
"Ah, I'm so happy to hear that!
Did Hideaki speak with you?"
He nodded.
"Doctor Hideaki confirms receipt of the reports every half lunation, with no comments."
He spoke with his usual calm, but something in him had changed.
Or maybe I was the one who had changed.
Could he feel it?
Could he see something transformed in my expressions?
"Keep going like that."
My tone turned serious.
"And the patients?"
That was my greatest concern.
I feared Josivaldo would take advantage of my absence and change the stimulation parameters in the patients to accelerate the research.
Maybe he was more responsible than that.
He would respect a CMG decision, and yet I had to consider the opposite possibility.
Takashi caught my concern.
"Yes, I receive all results unchanged.
The team is working with the same parameters.
For safety, I blocked access to your computer and the network."
Relief moved through my body.
"Takashi—"
Kiara made a subtle gesture.
Time was running out.
"Well, I have to go.
Keep up the splendid work."
I forced a smile.
"Next time we speak, it'll be face to face.
Until then!"
Takashi bowed one last time.
The connection ended.
My heart beat quickly.
I covered my face with my hands, smiling a great deal.
Kiara watched me.
"So it really worked?" she asked rhetorically.
I let out a muffled laugh.
"I'm so excited to meet them again."
I sighed.
"We're going to talk to Alicia…"
I bit my lip.
Just thinking about uncovering more of Maia's past filled my chest with happiness.
Kiara rested her chin on her knee.
"You really love her, don't you?"
Heat rose to my face.
I buried my head in my hands.
She burst out laughing.
"Stop, that's embarrassing!"
"Ah, if only you knew…"
Silence filled the room.
For a moment, everything seemed calm.
And then—
SCREEECH—BAM!
A loud crash echoed outside.
Immediately, my body tensed and my pulse spiked.
Panic seeped into my veins.
Kiara drew the revolver, rising in one fluid motion, and looked through the window.
"It was just a car accident."
She put the weapon away.
Her gaze dropped to my still-trembling hands.
My heart pumped fear through my body.
Damn.
Would this ever stop?
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.
"The day after tomorrow, we'll catch our flight."
Kiara said, leaning back.
"Use this time to rest."
I lay down and tried to quiet the restless thoughts.
Everything will be fine.
Everything will be fi—
I fell asleep.
S-2879 • L10 Tramaluna • D17 Fluxli
"Tramaluna weaves the sky in ripened thread.Fluxli releases the curve in living silver.The tide traces a path through open air.The story moves forward, steady, in gentle radiance."
A nanojet was waiting for us.
This time, before boarding, one of Saymon's androids received us peacefully.
How many androids could he control?
How was that possible?
Nanotechnology evolved every day, and even so, so many limits remained.
Kiara sat across from me and drew a revolver.
"I'm going to give you a new weapon.
I know that—"
"It's okay."
My voice came out firm.
I held out my hand.
Kiara raised an eyebrow, but asked nothing.
She handed me the gun.
It still felt strange to touch it.
Its weight rested in my palm.
Cold. Metallic.
My hand stayed steady.
It was apprehension.
The memory of all the times I had seen weapons pointed at me.
But this time… this time, I was the one holding one.
I had to learn to defend myself.
I had to protect myself.
I wanted to be less dependent on Kiara.
Those people, so disconnected, had hurt with the coldness of those who forgot that feeling still exists.
They laughed at every blow.
In that moment, I focused on extinguishing any hope of surviving.
But I also carved something into myself:
Never again.
I would fight with everything I had to prevent such a fate.
I would learn to live in this world the way Maia did.
I slid the gun into the holster and tied my hair into a bun.
The TE announced:
"Estimated flight time to Moscow, Russia: sixteen hours.
Have a pleasant trip."
I took the medicine.
I wanted to widen the intervals between panic attacks.
Wanted to give my mind a little more relief.
That way, I could focus on recovering the body.
My mind was still heavy.
But one day… one day, I would overcome this.
Maia and I could be far apart.
And yet, my scars reminded me:
We shared something.
That connection brought me closer to her and helped me understand her life better.
I was on the path to understanding her pain.
The burden she carried.
But it also made me want to be more.
More alive.
More present.
To savor every experience.
The way Maia had awakened me to them.
My path was more than just about her.
There was something beyond that, something dark and silent, slowly drawing near.
My body, my soul, my spirit, and my heart opened themselves to that new universe, which was becoming mine as well.
The nanojet's engine rumbled.
The ground trembled beneath my feet.
A new destination awaited me.
The weight of the gun in the holster felt strange, but necessary in that moment.
My body seemed ready.
My mind… not yet.
But I would go on anyway.
I rested my head against the window.
Outside… endless darkness.
My womb announcing the coming red tide.
Memories of Maia rose.
I closed my eyes and let them take over.