A Visitor <Tag Setsuna>

[Du'Avatar]

The thing about life is that it always gave what you needed and took what you also needed as well. The world or the universe, hell even the galaxy. It took what wanted or needed and then spit on you. This was the case for most things. That was how it worked and most people took it as fate or luck. There was no such thing as luck or fate. You made that yourself and controlled your own fate. That was how you made it through life and ensured you didn’t find yourself in a situation you weren’t in control of or one of your own design. It helped if you also ensured that those situations were of your own design as well. That brings her to where she was in a position to disappear prior to the fall of everything. It wasn’t strange for her to be gone for months at s time. The Data Hive she stayed in for periods of time that staggered the mind. She had been listed as MIA and as a person of interest and to be taken alive at all costs. The way it went the wouldn’t find her if they were looking for her. She had thoroughly scrubbed herself from any known database throughout the universe. She had money of nearly every denomination that could be used or changed for what she needed and that was all she needed except an exit. She would provide that herself.

The rousing of one’s self after so much time of hibernating was usually a hard process but for her it was more of rising from a nights sleep. The one who would feel it was the only one present on the station as the others had left for their mission. She appeared from the core which Jacob had taken from the Crystal Palace. The same core had been delivered there several months prior as an augmentation to the current processing capacity they were capable of at the palace. The only person that would know of her awakening would be the only powered individual aboard the station. She smiled as she stretched as both the stations AI informed Setsuna of the intruder. She smiled as she appeared in Setsuna’s room.

“Greetings Lady Meioh it has been quite a while since we have conversed. I’m here to inform you of my presence.”

Anyone who knew Du’Avatar would find her being candid unnerving. It was her way of gaining the upper hand. She looked at Setsuna. Setsuna would remember her and her actions during the times past. She glanced around the living space and noted the sparseness of it and noted it. She lived like a monk. She supposed things didn’t change to much.

“I see you haven’t changed much over the last thousand years. I shouldn’t be surprised, you never did want anything for yourself. I suppose we’re alike in that way.”

Another oddity was her making conversation. She didn’t do that either. She was definitely after something and the problem was discerning it.

[Setsuna Meioh]

The time had come for someone new or old, depending on how you look at it, to awaken. Setsuna sat on her couch as a band of maroon energy appeared before her. She was watching the children progress on their mission. It would either end very well or very badly. There seemed to be too many factors to truly know. She glanced at Annika as she appeared before her. She had the AI stand off to the side as it was on old friend of sorts.

"Greetings to you as well, Du'Avatar. Right on time as always. This means one thing that the time is near."

The band of time lowered enough for Setsuna to watch the strange woman. She sighed as memories flowed. She hardly ever truly agreed with what Du'Avatar would speak of or the methods needed. Things required a certain amount of finesse and a working knowledge of the outcome.

"Annika, meet Du'Avator, leader of the Et Exterminates Aeternam. I suppose this means we will be seeing them soon."

She stood up as the band followed her. "Nor you. We both have a duty the requires little to no comfort at all. You may use a ship when you feel the need to visit the others. I dare say they sorely miss you."

[Du'Avatar]

Du'Avatar shook her head at the time being near. It wasn't anywhere near the time for anything other than sowing more chaos. Setsuna's kids were doing a great job of that throughout the galaxy. That chaos kept the forces aligned against them on edge and them guessing. She didn't want to stop that as it made when they struck out to get what they needed. Annabelle was a quick study and kept her targets isolated unless there was a great need for them to expose themselves.

"You know time better than me. I can create models to predict things but when it comes to actually knowing that is you. As for the time being near I doubt that highly. I have had nothing to indicate that other than the major chaos your kids create."

When the AI's appeared Du'Avatar smiled at them and nodded. They seemed nice and suited for their jobs. Although the one Annika seemed to be more alive though and she had to wonder what that was about.

"Not really, they don't know I am here. I will take my leave shortly to find them. I have manners and decided to let you know I was still alive. We are longest living people I know of today. I will leave you this though if you ever need me for something."

She placed what looked like a crystal USB drive on her end table.

"Lady Meioh, I have think we are the closest two people have to friends."

[Setsuna Meioh]

Setsuna's arms crossed over her chest as her back straightened a little more. She took in a sharp breath as she listened to each word. They were similar and yet very different. They gathered information that was needed in different ways and advised others as needed. Their roles often had them working separate from one another.

Guilt rolled over her as she failed to see the one thing which ruined all their lives. She turned her back on the woman. She closed her eyes, pushed those feelings down under the surface. It was hardly the time for it. She took a few steps to the window as she clasped her arms behind her. Her eyes scanned the multicolored lights against the darkness.

"I will give you their location, should you want. They will be happy to see you. Leadership, or at least direction will be good for them. Longest living should mean wise....."

She heard the soft thud as she glanced over her shoulder. Her stomach turned into a knot as the one word was stated. She huffed a little bit.

"I would call our relationship more working than anything. To get close to someone currently would hinder the time after all of this was over."

[Du'Avatar]

Du’Avatar could agree and disagree with that assessment of how they got on with each other. They both had very different views of things. She viewed everything with the lens of science and technology but knew that the operation of most things were magic, which was a science of a sorts as well. Setsuna though had mastered magic and could see past, present, and future at her whim while Du’Avatar had predictive models for that. They were two people who did the same thing with different methods.

“I do appreciate the offer but as it is with you and me our charges must come to the mountain so to speak. I give what is needed much like you do. It is our way.”

She laughed as she moved closer to Setsuna. The woman was that, a woman. She tried to hide behind the mystery that had been sown about her and became legend but she was still very much controlled by her emotions when it came to the need for others. Du’Avatar had long ago purged her hard drive of those needs and operated solely for the good of the many and not the one. She knew that without any offspring herself that once she was deleted she would be the last. She had accepted that long ago.

“You know you want him. I’ve watched you. Your vehemence at him only speaks of it. You may tell yourself what you wish but don’t try to fool one who has observed all creatures both big and small. You want what the others had and crave it. These are things friends know without hesitation and you call our relationship a working one. It is amusing for a millisecond but not beyond. Just take what you want and sate that need.”

Du’Avatar never held back. Her predicative model had already told her what this person craved and she wondered if the data was wrong or right. She would know soon enough.

[Setsuna Meioh]

Her frown deepened with the words of the technmancer. There was an ever so slight ring of truth to it, nothing more. She and the captain had a pleasant evening after he realized that she was very much the real thing. He had doubts and the alcohol made her daring. She wanted the attention from her vulnerable moment to be gone. It was easier to display something of interest. She knew the truth to it. The poor captain had to figure it all out for himself.

“Just because we had a good talk to better understand one another does not mean I want more from him. Such attachments are distracting from what is at hand. I don’t crave what you say, or have I for a long time. I dare say that your models are wrong,”

She turned away from the window as she stared at the other. She was done with this conversation at the moment. There was another matter at hand which needed their attention.

“Can you ensure that a message is received by Gamma? The current mission will need her assistance. The message has barely enough to reach her. I am sure Annabelle will be pleased to know the royal children still live.”

[Du'Avatar]

Du’Avatar rarely considered herself someone’s personal messenger but in this case she would make an exception. That coupled with the fact that Setsuna asked her directly said it was important.

“I can but do understand that seeing time and predicting probabilities are essentially the same. I don’t say this to aggravate an old wound but simply as a reminder. You will seek solace with him. He understands you and even though you deny it you understand him. Now if I could find a pliable toaster I might be in good shape.”

She smiled as she took the message that Setsuna had offered.

“It will be delivered as I have to reassert my authority over the group again. They tend to stray from the bigger picture and need that guidance they have been lacking. I’m afraid Gamma may not like my reappearance. She may just throw a fit if she could be said to throw a fit.”

She smiled as she faded from sight to the woman she needed to see. She would catch her and assert her authority.