Secret Journey
The night before Kiana set off with Bronya and Theresa, in order to get food.
Einstein, as always still working overtime. She was a hardworking person, but she's just forcing herself more and more recently. She miss her homeland, her friends that aren't here with her. She had to keep herself working, researching those machines to help the Hyperion crew - the last survivors from her world.
Sometimes, it is said by some ladies who gives dinner to Einstein in her lab, that she is often found sleeping while hugging the robot that Tesla left for her, a cold object, but it seems it doesn't matter to her, all she hug wasn't just a cold robot, it is also her precious thing, that reminds her about her best friend back in Entropy.
She had alot of friends back in the Anti Entropy, most of them are scientists, although most of them died before the incident, but she still remembers all of them, she even kept some stuffs of them, most of them aren't here, just a few.
The Captain is aware of this, and has helped Einstein on fixing some machines on the ship. But he knew that is simply not enough, Einstein needs something to help her move on from depression.
"Say 'a'." - Einstein said to the Captain, while holding a flashlight on her hand, asking him to open his mouth.
The Captain opens his mouth, letting Einstein check inside.
"Mm... Good color, still hasn't fainted for even a bit. Good. It seems the Honkai infection level has been reduced, now you're slowly recovering." - Einstein said as she turning off the flashlight, and turning over, grab a notebook and taking down some notes.
"Sorry, for asking you to check my infection level every 3 days. You're busy after all."
It seems out the Captain is worry of being infected with Honkai, after he got bit in the chest by one before, but it seems he's okay now.
"No, this is not a big deal, besides, if you're infected for real, who's gonna take care of you? You're an important one here, on the ship."
"What do we have here?" - The Captain picks up a small device that looks like a small, white cube.
"That's a Marker I just made, it marks the first world you guys have explored, the one with Durandal is the only survivor?" - Einstein explains.
"Oh, wait why did you mark it?"
"So we won't accidentally run into that world again, I mean, if that thing somewhat waits for us in that world, then why would we run into that world?"
"True that. But let it laying around here.. is it fine" - The Captain mess a bit with the cube.
"Not really, it is also a thing to open a portal to that world, but who would come in and mess with some machines in the lab?" - Einstein saying, the Captain immediately let it go.
"Wahh!!"
"Don't worry the button opening the portal isn't obvious to pressing, you'll have to press 6 buttons on 6 side of the cubes in the correct order, then push one random button to open the portal." - Einstein explaining.
"I- Is that so... I'm glad... But why made it small?"
"We don't have resource."
"Oh right."
"Captain, can you keep it? If I just leave it here I'm afraid it will be lost."
"Oh... Okay. Anyways, I am planning for a food supply, I'll ask Kiana, Bronya and Theresa to go."
"Sounds good, finally a decent supply trip. Have you picked any world?"
"Anyways.. Einstein, aren't you sleepy? I mean it's 9pm."
"Not really, I am not used to sleep 8 hours a day, I only sleep 3 hours a day."
"I see... Me too, I am not sleepy for now." - The Captain saying, as he gently takes the tools away from Einstein's hands, and turning the lights in the lab off.
"W- What are you doing?"
"Let's go, 2 hours journey or something like that, go and back." - The Captain said as he opens the door, letting the light reflected from the Quantum Realm inside the room, showing her a disc.
"Wait... is that...?"
"Yeah it's yours, I took one of those failed products of your in the corner and repaired it." - The Captain saying, scratching his hair.
"How did you know how to.."
"Ai-chan helped me, she demonstrated every single detail of the machine, by accessing to that camera in the labs." - Captain saying. "Besides I am a Captain, I must have some basic knowledge for these things, right?"
"You're right.. But if you want to do these things next time just ask me for help."
"I want to surprise you tho, also I borrowed another scout drone and scouted a random world earlier, It's totally safe there." - The Captain saying. "Though I don't know exactly what happened."
"....."
"Oh come on don't made that face, Einstein, sometimes why don't you just cast it all aside and enjoy something?" - The Captain said as he smiles to her.
"... Fine, let's go on a trip then, Captain." - Einstein smiles at last, accepting the Captain's request. "Is there anyone else?"
"Nope, two of us." - The Captain saying.
"... Welp.."
"Aww don't worry, I can protect you, I know how to fight, I was trained, what do you expect from Hyperion's Captain?" - Captain saying, pointing his thumb to his own chest. "It's not like we came out of nowhere and became a Captain to enjoy a fancy life with only paperwork in the office, which is true but only 70% true we were also trained to fight."
"Okay, I will believe you in protecting both of us, Captain. Let me grab some stuffs for safety." - Einstein saying to the Captain, it has been a long time since the Captain has seen Einstein smile, and this is the first time the Captain have made the move first, and asked her on something.
"I will be waiting at the hangar, everything is all set." - Captain leaves the room, looking outside the window, it's just like staring into a beautiful scenario of the void, weak light sources connecting each other with many rays of lights, that constantly moves around, they are all connected to each other.
Often, at the end of those connection, there is usually something big, shaped like a hallow orb, only emptiness inside, but the truth is, it is not empty, it is just to small to see, the universe inside it, is too small to look at. These orb, are often called as "Bubble Universes", a small part of the Imaginary Tree, where it connects all those worlds.
"There is no telling of those worlds, made up by man or existed and lasted on its own, Captain, do you think our world was made up by some higher power?" - Einstein approaches the Captain lost in his thoughts, asking him a question.
"I... I don't know, Einstein. But if they exist... and gave us a world... Then did they took it away from us? As a punishment for our curiosity?" - The Captain asked back to Einstein.
"Who knows... We did not deserve every bit of this."
"... That ruins our mood, right?" - Captain asked, Einstein gently nods. "Anyways, everything is all set, do you need anything?"
"I have brought some necessary gadgets as well. And... This." - Einstein shows the Captain, the robot Tesla left her. "It's... a lucky charm."
"... I see." - The Captain don't know what to say, or how to react, he's in a difficult situation, he turned around and starting to turning up the portal to that world, which is outside the ship. "Ai-chan?"
"Yes Captain?"
"Keep defending mode up until we're back. And, if anyone asks, tell them we will be back."
"Yes Captain. Have a safe trip!!!"
Captain and Einstein entered the new world, they landed safely this time, compared to last time where literally everyone passed out for a moment, Einstein and Captain only felt a little bit headache, but it gone away as they look around, they are in the middle of a grass hill. It is midnight, they can see the moon right above them, there is no cloud so they can see everything without the mask's nightvision.
"Alright, marker placed. Portal closed." - Einstein saying, taking the mask off. "Environment, friendly. No toxic air, Captain, you can take the mask off."
"Yeah." - The Captain takes a deep breath, as someone who has been holding their breath for 2 minutes straight. It has been a while since he have breathe such pure air, he feel better, as well as Einstein.
"You said this world is safe."
"Yes, it would seem.. this world won, for somehow, against Honkai. That's why there's no Honkai signature on the scanner." - The Captain saying, as he going to the high place, trying to get a full view around. "Thought I don't know what happened. It was just guessing."
Einstein looks around with the Captain. "But... It has been a while since I saw the green of the nature." - Einstein said, and touching grass.
"Same.." - The Captain speak, still keep looking around, he sees no sign of civilization so far, but there is something in his view, it could be the weird geography structures, but he goes towards it to check.
Einstein followed him all the way, just to with the Captain, knowing that, was a metal plate, has been rusted and corroded, and even mold are growing on it, some mold but there are plants growing on the metal plate, it seems this metal plate has been corroded for a long time, long enough to grow plants on it.
"The..." - The Captain touches it with caution, no doubt, it's the real thing, a real metal plate but can no longer be used.
"... Such huge plate, got destroyed by the environment." - Einstein knocks on it. "We cannot use this thing to repair the ship."
"Yeah... But, Einstein, can you tell how sturdy this one was?"
"Hard to tell. Even with my gears here, I cannot know exactly."
"I see, hopefully there are more nearby, that could provide information of what happened." - The Captain carefully climbing up the plate, and looks around, it is definitely higher than the place he stood before, he have a larger view.
He looks around again, he sees a town this time, looks old and ruined. But he and Einstein have somewhere to go to now, he get down, inform Einstein and then move with her. The way is long, and the two is quiet.
"So... The sky is beautiful, haven't seen one in a long time." - Captain start a conversation, as he have nothing else to talk about.
"Yeah." - Einstein responded, and it just made the two more quiet, as they have no other things to tell about. "By the way, Captain, what did you saw at that place?"
The Captain knows what Einstein is talking about, he don't have to remember it, because what happened there and what he saw, what he heard, what he experienced has been carved into his mind, to him, it was like yesterday.
"I didn't expected it to be another world, same as ours, and the others." - Captain saying.
"..."
"There's... Earth, Moon... but it was nothing like the worlds we know, it was different, as if humanity lost to Honkai, no, I can't tell if they even put up a war to lose with. I feel like there was something else there, that pursued us to the very end, a high power. Completely different from the Herrschers."
"Hm..."
"..." - He looks to Einstein. "By the way, do you feel better being out here on a world like this?"
"Yes, I'm grateful that you asked me out like this, sitting in that laboratory almost all day makes me... Slow." - Einstein stretching a little.
"I see... If you want, you could tell, I can arrange you in some trips for supplies, soon."
"Then, thank you, Captain. For doing all this."
Einstein thanked the Captain, he feels more awkward to deal with this, but at least Einstein is more happier.
The reached the town, as expected, all left are just ruins, of where people used to live. The Captain and Einstein stayed together, and going deeper into the ruins, hope to find something.
"No Honkai signal detected..."
As they didn't notice, on top of a broken down house, there is someone there, observing them. Einstein noticed something, she turns around, looked up but the person was already gone.
"What's wrong?"
"I think I felt someone looked at us. Someone else, here." - Einstein telling the Captain.
"... Then there's people here. Could be a friend. Or a foe." - The Captain said, and coming up to Einstein. "Stay close, we do not know what are-"
The person from earlier, dropped down from on top an old house behind the Captain, right to his back, they held a dagger to his neck.
The Captain calmly grabs the person's hand, and takes the dagger away, and turning over, while making sure to turn the person who was attacking him around too, by using their arm, and pin them down to the ground, having their hand on the back.
The person was weak enough for him to do so in a quick succession.
"Who are you?" - The Captain asks, while look around. "Do you have any friend nearby?"
Einstein also checking around, but she can't see anyone else, it's all just quiet. Too quiet.
"Captain, I see no one else..."
"..." - The Captain focusing on the person, keep asking them. "First off, who are you?"
The person seems to be breathing heavier than a normal person would. For some reasons they refuse to speak, they struggle, but weakly. Like they are exhausted.
".. Let's see what's behind your mask..." - The Captain saying, about to unmask the person.
The person slaps onto the ground, there is a paper, and a pen beneath the hand, the Captain is curious. He looks to the person, giving him time before unmask.
The person, takes the pen and writing down on the paper, without being able to see the paper, but they were able to write a few words. Although the handwriting was bad, but the Captain can read.
"I cannot speak."
Is what the person wrote on the paper.
"..." - The Captain carefully observe the words for a few times, then glares back to the person. "I want to confirm a thing first. You don't have the ability to speak? Or something has happened to your speaking ability?"
The person tries and write something down to the paper, The Captain looked over, he sees "After" on the paper.
"So something happened, right? Now I'm going to pull my hands off, but... Einstein, can you take that gun out? If they do something, shoot them." - The Captain looking back to Einstein, who has come right after to take the hand gun.
After making sure Einstein is in a position to have a clean shot, The Captain let the person getting up. They reached for the paper and their pen immediately, writing down something.
"It better be your name, and what are you doing here. I need to know everything." - The Captain saying, after a few seconds, the person gives him the paper.
"Captain of Hyperion, From Schicksal, and Miss Einstein from Anti-Entropy. I'm pleased to see you again." - The written words on the paper.
The Captain and Einstein were surprised, the person somehow knows their name, and not only that, where they came from. They take out another piece of paper, and begin to write something else on it.
"You two might not know me, but I know well who you two were. At least another version of you." - The new words on the paper.
"... Don't tell me, that you are also someone travelling inside the Quantum Realm, accessing Bubble Dimensions?" - Einstein asks the person.
The person writing down some words, and showing it. "Yes, you are right, Doctor."
"... I can't believe this, we met someone else too? Then who are you? Your name? I think we might have connections in our world." - The Captain asks the person.
The person was supposed to write some words right now, but they just sit there and looking at the Captain. Only after a few seconds, they begin to write some words.
"Can't. Because I did not came from a world that exist both of you."
The next paper surprised the Captain a bit.
"I have travelled in the Quantum Realm, came across many worlds. I met many versions of you two. Every meeting is a first."
"... I don't quite get it, what are you trying to say?" - Einstein asks them.
"I came from another timeline from the Imaginary Tree that has a different history than the world you two exist."
"Imaginary Tree?" - The Captain asks, then he looks back to Einstein.
"... I once discovered a tree through the Shadows of the Realm, and also many reports have telling the existence of a plant inside this realm, but I never thought it is a real thing." - Einstein explaining it to the Captain, but it seems, not even her know it well.
"Then, what is this Imaginary Tree about? You know something of it?"
The person carefully write down some words.
"Not made by men. Purely natural in this Realm. With endless possibilities and timelines."
".... You came from one of them? The timelines?" - The Captain asks.
"Yes."
"How come we haven't known the existence of the Tree so far? But only rumors of it?"
"Because, you guys are not on it. Your world were destroyed right?"
"... How do you know?"
"Your worlds, and the worlds you have been travelling to on the Realms are not natural worlds made by the Tree, but men. Men built these worlds."
"... Why? Who created those worlds?" - Einstein asking the person.
"Because they wanted something, created from the power of the Sea. But failed to get it. All worlds like that get destroyed at a time by their powers, their will. This world's humanity won against Honkai, but their price is their existence, 100 years since their victory, but they brought themselves along with Honkai of this world."
"So you're saying... Our world, is nothing more than..." - The Captain seems to only notice the first details on the papers, he's not reading the rest.
Einstein noticing the Captain is going to ask something that sounds disturbing again, she stops her.
"Enough then, why are you here?" - Einstein asking the person.
"I was lost on the Sea, I got attacked by the Honkai and the Creators."
"Creators?"
"The ones created these worlds. I will tell more, but more importantly is your safety. The Sea is not a peaceful place as you thought. Come to the Roots of the Imaginary Tree, you will be safer there."
"... What if we brought you along?" - The Captain asks.
"... You will get the chance to know everything you want to know, about your existence. Also, I can help you guys increase your survivability."
"... What's your name?"
The person carefully write his name down to the paper.
"Ga'ak."
"... Ga'ak, I don't trust you yet. Your story can be made up by you to trick us." - The Captain saying, while looking to Ga'ak. "But knowing our world got destroyed... And telling us about a safe place, I just don't know, that there is something telling you can be trusted. I will trust you." - The Captain putting his blade back, and giving out his hand to Ga'ak.
Ga'ak looking at his hand for a moment, then takes it, getting up slowly, standing with them. Giving the Captain a paper, and Einstein, Ga'ak gives her one as well.
Einstein opens the paper and looks at its content, it's some hand written letters, but not by Ga'ak. But someone else she knows of. The contents is about a letter of Tesla asking if Einstein is doing well while she's not with her, Einstein tears up a little bit, but she wipes the tears away.
"I cannot do much. But at least, some of the letters I can't deliver then, have some meanings now." - Ga'ak wrote on the new paper, but they throw it away, knowing these two won't notice it anyways, they're busy doing something else.
Einstein close the letter of Tesla, keeping it on her hand, she looked over to the other two, The Captain is turned away, reading the letter on his hand. He cried, a lot, but still trying to hold his cry back, trying not to cry, whose letter was it? Was it from his former crewmates? Or someone else important to him?
More to be reveal, too many mysteries exist.
The next morning.
"You sure this place's worlds are safer? No destruction?" - The Captain asking Ga'ak, who just worked with Einstein to drove the Hyperion to another part in the Sea, closer to the Sea according to him.
"It's safe here, if you want to gather some resources to repair your ship, from an existing civilization hasn't been destroyed yet." - Ga'ak write on a paper.
END OF "SECRET JOURNEY"
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