On the ink-dark sea, the aide watched the Abyssal carrier groups streaming south, his face ashen.
"It's over. We've walked into their trap. We have to warn the Fleet Admiral—now."
Indiana shook her head. "No. We follow orders. We go contact the next Marshal."
"At a time like this you're still clinging to the plan?" The aide stared, unbelieving. "Even if you've fallen out with the Fleet Admiral, you can't just watch him die!"
Indiana's tone was flat. "This is his will."
The aide locked eyes with her, then slowly nodded. "If you say so, then so it is. You keep running your errand—I'm going back. If I can save even one, I will."
He turned to leave. Indiana caught his arm.
"You can't go."
The air congealed. The sea froze.
No wind moved on the water; only far off, the faint drone of carrier planes bled through the dark.
The aide's voice curdled to venom. "When did you figure it out?"
"I still haven't. He did."
"So you and Gorou have been acting?"
"Falling out? Yes. Putting on a show for you? Don't flatter yourself."
The aide turned back, letting the arm she held twist and snap inch by inch.
He bared his teeth in a grin. "Doesn't matter. Gorou is finished. He won't see the sun tomorrow."
"Grant an old lady one wish, will you?"
Her words actually startled him. After a beat, he said, "I'm dead either way, aren't I?"
"Then I'll take that as a yes." Indiana crushed the arm in her grip, brushed her palms as flecks of flesh fell away. "I read your file. Why did you go over to the Abyssals?"
"Not worth it. The world isn't worth it. People like me—when we're born, there's nowhere to put our hands or feet. Some people—every pore gets licked clean the moment they're born."
His rancor and fury oozed from him like a tarry black oil, seeping from every pore.
"Mainland command never wronged you," Indiana said. "You were trained up, you made it this far—you'd already surpassed the class you were born to. You had a future."
"And if I say it was for all humankind, would you believe me?"
Indiana smiled. "You forget—shipgirls can see through lies."
"So I believe you, kid."
"She said the same. Lady Taiho of the Abyssals. I only learned what respect was when I met her. In my whole life, only she ever respected me. To be fair, you other shipgirls are good people too. You're just shackled hard by your worldly dogma." He licked dry lips. "Got a cigarette? It's the only hobby I ever had."
Indiana shrugged. "I don't smoke."
"Shame. Shame." He stared south, lost. Taiho should be right there on that battlefield. "Tell me—do you think there's a perfect world? No oppression or exploitation, no high and low by birth?"
"You can try to reshape the world. Push it toward what you want it to be."
"I'm long past the age for that kind of fairy tale. Poor kids grow up fast. A shipgirl never goes hungry—you wouldn't understand." He crouched, shivering, scooped up seawater and scrubbed his face. "Aren't you going to help your commander? He might live."
"That's exactly what we fought over."
"No wonder." He laughed. "My time's up. Sincerely—may you and your husband be buried in the same grave."
"That's my dream too. Looks hard today. If we can die on the same day, I'll count that as enough."
"I hope you see tomorrow's dawn. I hope the dawn humanity sees someday isn't tomorrow's."
Indiana crouched to meet his gaze level. "I can't agree with what you think or what you did. But I'm glad we met."
"I can't agree with you—or with this world," he said, managing a thin smile. His head sagged. "Watch out. Abyssal flagship. N-class…"
He died. On the surface his body loosened into black water and sank back into the ink-dark sea.
Water benefits all things and does not contend; it dwells where people disdain, and so is near the Way.
The sea holds its silence and takes in everything—evil and dreams—burying all things, youth and desolation alike.
Perhaps it was too much black humor buried in it that turned the sea to ink.
Indiana stood.
The wind had risen, tugging her long hair.
[End of Chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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