*After all had a great dinner, Jack's InterCom sounded. He was hailed by Amanda, back on the bridge.*
Amanda XO : Jack, proximity scanners picked up a Liberty Navy Avenger dueling with some Nomad morphs, its on 2 clicks away and he can get in our visual range...
Jack: Ready up the guns we don't need any LN to see our current position and have further surprises..
*After some good minutes, Amanda hailed again Jack*
Amanda XO : It seems like the Avenger managed to trick very well the Nomads, and as i assumed is approaching to Terminus..
Jack: When in range open fire !
Amanda XO : Interesting...
Jack : What is it ?
Amanda XO : The Avenger is hailing us and requests to dock aboard...
Jack : Is this a joke ? Or is the Avenger pilot really drunk ?
Amanda XO : Even more... the pilot said, is looking for Dave Synk ...
*Slowly Jack turned his head on Dave, Dave was also surprised*
Jack : Do you have something to do with it ? *makes a long look at Dave*
Dave : Me ? No ! I don't have business with Liberty, even with the Navy ! Liberty doesn't know where i am since i've deleted all of my records remember ?
Jack : Very well then Dave, Amanda... give the Defender green lights, send some security guards on the Dock, and make sure the defense turrets are online..
Amanda XO : Of course Jack !
Jack and Dave went to the Docking Bay accompanied by 4 guards. Jack was a bit stressed thinking that something might go wrong, and Dave was in the middle of the entire situation. They took up the elevator and reached the Docking Bay awaiting for the arrival of the Defender.
Amanda XO : And oh ... the pilot is a women.
Jack : This doesn't mean she couldn't be a spy or even worse an assassin.
Dave : In the middle of Cerberus ? It would be suicide.
Jack : Indeed, remember the ancient history of Earth regarding the "kamikaze" ?
Dave : Ok then, it might be hard risk.
They managed to see how the Defender entered slightly in the Bay, and landed carefully. The "committee" group escorted the pilot at the upper level on the Docking Observation Deck where Jack and Dave were waiting.
Jack : Do you know the name of the pilot ?
Amanda XO : She refused to tell it, i recommend caution.
After a few minutes the pilot entered on the Deck and took out her helmet. Dave was a bit surprised about seeing the pilot like he knew her. Jack saw Dave's face and he put his right hand on his gun, she needed to say only "navy assassin" and she could be more then vanished.
Julia Black: Don't need to be put on pressure colonel Aubrey ?
*Jack was a bit intrigued*
Jack : And what business you may have here miss...
Julia : Julia Black.. and i am here to talk to Dave Synk.
Dave : I am here, isn't too odd for a Liberty Navy pilot to come here at the heart of Cerberus and speak to me ? Anyway... you look familiar to me.
Julia : I almost didn't recognized you Dave, remember me from the Westpoint Academy ? Back on your combat training ? Several years passed since I haven't see you...
Dave : I might.. recall something but... no... still i think i know you from somewhere..
Julia : You know me from Ashley, Dave ! I was one of her closest friend when we all ... well we know what happened Dave... and i am here to give you something.
Julia took out from her pocket an old pendant. Dave when he saw it, some small tears started to fall on his cheeks, and fell slowly on the nearest chair .. looking deeply at the pendant Julia gave to him. When Jack saw the entire scene, he thought that things will be safe and made a sign to the guards to leave the room, he also went outside and waited.
Amanda XO : What happened Jack ? Is everything alright ?
Jack : Don't worry, Dave will handle it, it's something personal...
Back on the room, on a table with 2 chairs...
Julia : She wished that you would have this after she will be pass... It's hard to me to tell you this but... Ashley is dead.
*Dave started to make heavier breaths, and was very anxious*
Dave : But how do you know this !! Don't tell me such things !!! No one knows only me ! How could you know since she is at thousands of lightyears off Sirius !!??
Julia : I received a message from an unknown source Dave, it came on a sub-space frequency and I intercepted by mistake when I was flying in Quebec. I have the log...
Log nr ----
Location Unknown, date 4 May 814 A.S.
My dear Dave
I write to you in this odd circumstances, to tell you a final and friendly "Farewell". You've been the greatest person i could ever met in Sirius, I was very happy with you, we had some great experiences together and If I would have the chance to start again, I would choose the same path, to be again with you ! Since the anomaly we encountered, many things happened, I can't tell you what I really saw here, since this message could be intercepted by any comm array in Sirius, so i will use a special way to send you this. It will reach Sirius on almost 4 years, when i will not be any longer. If Julia will see this message, she will know what to do !
Farewell my love - Ashley
Log Ended
Some good minutes in silence passed.
Dave : Then for all that i aspired it is gone... i will never see her again... It was all because of me, because of my ideas of exploration and stupid goals... ha.. "Dave Synk, the best scientist of the entire human kind" this cost her life ! She died because of me !! *started a burst of cries*
Julia : No no no Davey.... no.. oh you poor guy. *She went near Dave and gave him a strong hug*
Julia : It was destined to happen Dave, it was not your fault. Life is not fair... She is in a better place, and she will be always a part of you Dave ! She always wanted to fulfill your dreams !
Dave : I didn't wanted to see her gone... I promised her that I will come to her someday !
Julia : You did what you could Dave !
Dave : NO ! I can do much more, i will develop a way to jump hundreds of light years and control each anomaly that I may encounter !
Julia : After the first message, i received another one addressed to me, and that's why I came... to take care of you... she knew that you will be alone !
Dave : I am not alone, i am surrounded by lots of friends and especially my closest friend on this entire Sirius, Jack !
Julia : You covered your feelings, with your studies and other operations... and you forgot about the loss you had...
Dave : I'm starting to feel it again... I need some rest... I cannot continue ... If you want i can get you a quarter, I will tell Jack...
Julia : I'm afraid i will stay a bit longer... Liberty doesn't want me anymore, since I did something against their rules, i was getting on their private business and considered me a threat... so I found about Cerberus from trusted sources and also tried to find you...
Dave : Very well then... i think it will be ... nice to see you aboard ...
*He gave Julia a final hug and she told him to be strong, he did what he could, and Dave left. Outside Jack was waiting for more then 20 minutes*
Jack : So ?
Dave : I don't want to discuss about it... make sure that she is treated well... she is not LN anymore... she founded something that she wasn't supposed to..
Jack : But what happened there... *but he saw the familly pendant on Dave's hand and he understood*
Dave : I can say that I am emotionally compromised... very deeply.. Sine I can't get into the operations I will rest for a couple of days and think about what happened. I will try to come at the meeting with the Shadows... if you want we can talk later... in my quarter, in four eyes.
*Dave went to the elevator and pressed the button for the crew quarter's deck*
Rudimentary creatures of blood and flesh, you touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding. - Sovereign
