Tempest

23 - Soulmates

Four's Logbook

{NO ENTRY RECORDED}

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Silently, Tobias pulled off his helmet, and set aside the logbook for the third time in as many minutes. Sighing gently, he held the helmet in his lap while he sat.

Every time he attempted to write any of his thoughts, his mind blanked. More specifically, he just lost the motivation any time he tried to find it. The truth of that matter was that he didn't care about anything enough to write about it.

He didn't care about humanity's victory against the Amalgamation, nearly a week ago now. He didn't care about the ongoing negotiations for a truce between the Militia and IMC, now that they'd seen that humanity had almost been it's own worst enemy before the Amalgamates came along. He didn't care about the promotion he'd been given, raising him to just under Sarah Briggs in terms of rank and command.

The only thing he truly cared about was gone now.

Al'cor had offered her condolences, but he couldn't bear to see her. She'd given her reasoning already, standing by the fact that she'd told KT to save his life; whether he agreed with her was a separate issue. It had been bad enough that he was going to die for the Tempest; now, he'd do anything to ensure that it was him who'd activated the damn array, and not KT.

Tyra's death had hit him hard, just the same as it did to Vale. In fact, he hadn't seen the Simulacrum since he'd escaped Chorus; last he heard, she'd taken some leave to have some time to herself, and mourn privately.

But Kay ... well, to say that he'd died a little inside at her ending was an understatement.

He wished that he could do what Vale was, and just leave to be alone for a while. Unfortunately, as indicated by the footsteps bristling against the grass behind him, it seemed that he wasn't allowed to have that luxury.

"Admiral Four," came a young male voice that he could only assume came from a rifleman, "Captain Gates has requested to speak with you ... again."

He sighed. "Tell her no, again."

The man gave a small cough. "I apologize sir, but ... she thought you might say that."

"Thank you, Petrov. I'll take it from here."

He heard the sound of footsteps shuffling away through the grass, and then saw Gates sit next to him on the hill in his peripheral vision. For the second time since she'd met him, she had her helmet off. Her brown hair fluttered gently in the wind, and she stared at him as he continued to look forward and refused to meet her gaze.

"You've rejected every one of my messengers. Figured you'd have a harder time turning me away if I just came myself."

"What do you want?" he asked quietly, his voice not meant as a threat, but distinctly toned to let her know that he'd rather her not be here.

She held her hands up. "I just want to talk, that's all."

He said nothing, which told her that he'd decided it was alright for her to do that.

"'Admiral Four.' It's got a nice ring to it."

He sighed. "I'm just a Rear Admiral, not a full one; I guess that's too much of a mouthful for everyone to say, though."

"Still, you outrank me now," she joked, and faced forward to match his position.

The hill he'd picked was within the plains that the Floating Gardens had been located. Now that the array had been activated, the gravitational anomaly had subsequently disappeared, and all the pretty floating rocks and water had fallen back onto the ground.