I wont say Goodbye

[Jeremy Hunter]

Days passed by. Every other day, she was taken into the interrogation room and asked the same question. She continued to say the same thing, and without fail ended up lying under her covers, her soiled clothes taken to be washed, with the Red Hessian called Henrietta standing guard.

"Why do you care?" Alexis asked after Henrietta had helped her climb into bed; her body was sore all over.
"Why would I not? The enemy of my enemy is my friend most of the time, and so far, you have not proven to be my enemy."
"Wish everything was that simple."
"Ja." She said. "Now rest."

Two days later, Alexis had been given a reprieve from the chamber. Henrietta did not seem surprised; she actually expected it. The Rheinland Revolutionary seemed preoccupied, and, near lunch time, thrust something onto Alexis' chest.

"Leave that on, do not take it off."
Alexis looked at it. A sticker with a red pickaxe? "What is this for?"
"So you do not get shot. Now get ready. Rescue is coming."
"I need to get my locket."
"We have no time!"
"It has all the memories I have now, I can't leave it!"
The woman groaned. "Fine, we'll get your locket. Now brace yourself."

Vierlende shook like a thing possessed. Outside, a Vidar cruiser with two Hiemdall escorts and multiple Odins had launched a raid, catching the patrols off guard and breaching the main hanger. Sounds of fighting filled the station as Red Hessians fought with the Military, catching the bored guards with their pants down, sometimes literally. Blood flowed as cells were open, with Red Hessians joining their fallen comrades. Henrietta dragged Alexis out of their cell and down the hall, accepting an assault rifle from a passing Hessian and gunning down guards as she went.

"Go! All things are there!"

Alexis pushed the door open and stopped. Belongings filled bins, none of it in any way sorted. Groaning, she began to dig through everything, desperately searching for the locket. She was having no luck as the fighting grew closer. If she did not hurry, she was going to be left behind.

"You have fifteen seconds!"

Alexis started to throw bins on the ground, kicking things aside in haste. After the second bin, she found it. Scooping it up and throwing it around her neck, she rushed out.

"Got it!"

Henrietta nodded, firing. The Hessians around them started to speak in rapid Rheineland, and Henrietta responded in kind.

"What's going on?"
"Two Military Cruisers are coming. We must get to the Gunships now!"

The Hessians began to retreat to the hanger, gunning down anything that stood in their way. Alexis saw the nurse that had admitted her lying in a pool of blood, her sightless eyes staring at the ceiling. Closing her eyes, she clung to Henrietta and ran, stumbling onboard the Heimdall. The two gunships pushed off with thier jets, firing as they went. Henrietta pushed Alexis into a seat and sat beside her, buckling in.
The Gunships back out and then turned around as the enemy crusiers arrived, the Vidar moving in to open fire. The Odins were busy, leaving the Hemdalls to run as fast as they could.

"We'll be at the rendezvous with the Hohenheim shortly."
Henrietta looked to Alexis. "We need to get you out of here."
"My ship is in New Berlin, the Junker station."
"I'll arrange transportation soon. First off." She produced a blindfold. "Must keep secrets. I am sorry."
"At least hold my hand so I know I'm safe." Vierlende wasn't fearful for her, but this was.

Nodding, Henrietta slipped the blindfold on Alexis, tightened it, then grasped Alexis' hand. The Heimdall sped towards the RV, and then finally, after what seemed like hours, arrived at it's desitnation.

Vogtland Station.

____________________________

Alexis was huddled in a room with twenty-four hour guards as Henrietta made the arrangements. Not much of a known force in the Hessians, she did her best, until sh argued enough to send the woman to Kreuzberg. Soon enough, Alexis was on her way there, clutching her locket tightly.

When she stepped out of the freighter that had brought her, Henrietta hopped down beside her.

"Where is your ship?"
"There."
Alexis pointed to her Bastet, which Henrietta whistled at. "Full of surprises."
"Yeah..."
"Good luck on your memories." Henrietta gave Alexis a hug. "I'd kiss you...but I don't bat for your team."
Alexis smiled and hugged back. "No worries. Stay safe."
"Not likely. Someone has to fight for the Revolution."

As Alexis boarded her Bastet, she reflected she would never see Henrietta again in person. All she had was a picture on her locket. She sighed. Soon after Alexis had managed to slip into the Omegas, Henrietta Heinkel was shot down and killed during a skirmish in the Omega-7 system.

________________________________

Alexis finally made it to Dublin. She had criscrossed the Omegas, been chased by pirates, talked Corsairs away from her, hid from Coalition forces, resupplied on Freeport 1, and finally made it to Dublin. Soon, she thought. She'd be in Kusari; There, hopefully, she could hide and piece her memory back together.

Hopefully.

Alexis sighed as the Ocean of Memory settled down in the Hood. She just needed fuel before heading into the Taus.

She sat away from her ship, turning the locket over in her hands. Soon, this nightmare would end. She hoped.

---

May you ever walk in the Light, Shizune.