Chapter 15 - Promises Made

Hours passed as Eric and the three girls had fully calmed down and moved to Eric’s dorm room. Eric had fully explained everything that Trinity told him and the group had started to formulate plans on how to move forward. Their goals relied on several outside factors that they needed to play out perfectly for everything to work and for them to save humanity's future.

“So, as quick recap. Eric needs to use the Yatogami to alter both the trajectory and internals of an atomic weapon, a missile, to go above the Elyisan sky and explode, removing Elysium, but not affecting the Earth. To do this, we need to let NAK get their hands on whatever intel they’re trying to obtain from us, as they’re missing certain data on how to craft it.” Laura paused and looked at Eric. “Trinity for sure knows that?”

“Yea, she’s kind of omnipotent. We use her for everything and she watches everything, hears everything.” Eric answered.

“Everything? Like, everything everything? Well, hopefully I never have to meet her. I’ll have to explain a lot of stuff on my computer to her.” Iris said, eyes widened, obviously not joking.

“If we actually do this, whatever weird fetishes you like you won’t be able to watch anymore.” Eric said, making light of it. “But also, you can’t just say that and not expect us all to want to know. What’s on your computer, hm?”

Eric poked Iris repeatedly, teasing her. Alice covered her face with her hands, hiding her blush and smile. Laura pushed up her glasses and pulled out her tablet. Eric was ready for her to scold them, to tell them they have more pressing matters at hand. However, he was shocked. Well, not entirely. She started to fidget with her tablet, bringing up a home screen, or rather a desktop with two cartoonish girls embracing each other, completely nude, but nothing visible.

“I have remotely accessed her computer. We can search it all we like. Nice wallpaper, by the way. I approve.” Laura said, voice as monotone as ever.

Iris blushed and screamed, diving at Laura to grab the tablet, but Laura dodged with surprising alacrity. Iris tackled Laura to the bed, grabbing at her tablet. Eric jumped up and started to laugh, engrossed in the wonderful sight.

“If that’s what you’re so embarrassed about, that’s pretty vanilla stuff. So you like girls, who cares? I thought it’d be worse.” Eric said, shrugging.

“That’s not it! That’s just my wallpaper from my favourite book!” Iris said, still straddling on top of Laura, reaching for the tablet. “And I’m not telling you anything more! Laura! Stop it!”

Laura, with expert dexterity, searched everything on her tablet with one hand as she used the other to struggle against Iris. She gave a monotone, but still oddly cute exclamation of victory when she found all of Iris’ personal files. Her face instantly flushed at the sight and she instantly turned the tablet off.

“I regret my actions sincerely. Iris, please forgive me. I did not know what came over me. You may punish me how you see fit.”

“Y-you you you you.... YOU SAW IT, DIDN’T YOU?!” Iris yelled, readying a punch.

“Yes, I did. I regret trying to show everyone.” Laura spoke sincerely, but squeezed out another line before Iris could connect her punch. “We share the same tastes.”

Iris stopped and stared at her, blinking slowly. She lowered her fist and got up off of Laura, giving her a hand and helping her up. She turned to Alice, bowing. Alice was confused and her already red face blushed even more.

“Alice, my dear sister, I must ask that we allow Laura into our sisterhood. She has perfect taste and enjoys of the finest culture.” Iris pleaded.

Alice stared at her, her face returning to normal as she sighed. “Let’s just get on with the important topic here. Laura, just continue with what you were saying, before Iris turned this into a pervert's dream.”

Iris protested, but it fell on deaf ears as Laura patted down her clothes and began to talk about their plans.

“Right. So, we somehow let NAK get the intel, then we have to keep track of their development of the weapon. We know they have prototypes, but with all known knowledge and current physics, it should still not work.” Laura opened her tablet again, Iris’ desktop flashing quickly before she swiped it away, going back to a hologram of the Yatogami. “Once we know they have it ready, we will have to get Eric to the weapon before they launch it. Eric will then use the Yatogami, and by extension Trinity, to alter the weapon to allow it to pass the ceiling.”

“That’s the easy part. The hard part will be actually getting into enemy lines.” Eric said, sighing and leaning back in a chair. “It’s riskier, but maybe letting them launch it could be the better option.”

“No. We just need to let us get caught.” Iris said, her face still red from the previous excitement. “Let them take us to them.”

“They’d just execute us. And the NAK getting the Yatogami is far too dangerous and risky than letting them have the intel.” Laura rebuked. “No, unfortunately, the only feasible option I see is to be deserters.”

Eric, Iris and Alice’s face filled with a dark grimace. Not because they disagreed with Laura, but because they all knew from the start it was the only option they realistically had. None of them wanted to betray the people they served with and for, but they also knew the weight of their responsibility.

“Look, only I have to be the one to commit an act of treason. There’s no reason for you guys to-” Before Eric could finish, Iris again slapped him.

“Shut up! Nope! We’re all in this together. Plus, once we actually do this, who says there will still be a United Front or even the NAK left? The world is kind of going to restart.” Iris yelled at him.

Restart.

That word elated Eric in a way he didn’t think possible. This entire time he only saw the two options as either destroying or regressing. Restarting the world was not a concept he had considered. His face visibly lit up in confidence and newfound determination.

“Restart. Yea, we’re going to restart the world. I like that.” Eric unconsciously said out loud.

Laura continued to mess with her tablet, bringing up multiple holograms of unique devices. She enlarged each one, as she started to explain her plan.

“These will help you do what you need to do. One is a master key of sorts. I developed it to open any lock, digital or analogue. It’ll let you get into any classified rooms to get the intel. These next two, one is a wide range emp that shouldn’t affect the Yatogami as its powered by an omnipotent, spying pervert who watches Iris when she’s alone. It will disable anything that follows you, but it's on time use. And this last one, this will cover your tracking once you’re off base and free of any tails.”

Laura turned the tablet off and lowered her gaze to the ground. Her usual emotionless face started to turn sour as her mouth frowned and her eyes watered. She slowly looked up at Eric who had a concerned look, his worried eyes staring at her.

“I won’t be able to come with you on this mission. Halford is going to send you guys to the Japanese islands next week. I’ll be staying here. I won’t be able to talk to you guys after that.” She paused, her entire body shrinking in on itself before she burst into tears. “This could be the last time I see or talk to any of you. I only knew you all for a short time, but you’re the first real friends I’ve had. Even you two, Alice and Iris. Yea, I like Eric as much as you guys and the rivalry is fun. I love these silly moments we have. The banter, the teasing, I don’t want that to go away.”

Eric’s face dropped as he heard her cries. He wanted to hold her, but sat there, frozen in realization and fear that he might not be able to see anyone again after this. His family and friends back home, Laura, nor anyone in the military. He also had no guarantee that he’d be able to regroup with Alice and Iris afterward. Nothing was certain if they accomplished their mission.

“Laura, we’ll all be together again. We promise. I won’t let us be apart, even if it takes us years to find you again.” Alice said, her arms wrapped around Laura.

Iris jumped in and wrapped her arms around her too, sharing in Alice’s commitment. Eric wiped his face and finally got up, throwing his arms around the three of them as best he could.

“I won’t let anything stop us from being together.” Eric let out, holding back his tears.

“I love you guys.” Eric said, looking out the window toward the azure burning sky.