Chapter Text
This is an ordinary day, nothing remarkable. Absolutely nothing!
Until you notice the National Guard. Shields deployed, young guardsmen behind them, nervous. There was an explosion – strange and unusual.
They sent everyone here: police, special police squads, firefighters, and many medics.
So why is the National Guard here? Is this even their job? No.
The people are displeased
— Lock shields! — shouted the commander when he saw the crowd. His men obeyed instantly, closing ranks within a second. Their breathing grew heavier. The helmets were unbearably uncomfortable, but to remove them would mean a blow, one likely to knock you out. A breach that must never happen. — This is an unauthorized protest!
The commander’s words flew from his mouth, but they failed to calm the crowd. In their eyes, the guardsmen were monsters, criminals. Not guardians standing watch, but pawns of the state.
All of this came from a terrorist attack – sudden, unexpected. It happened in a crowded shopping mall. Many died, and the survivors were left with trauma. Psychological or physical, it didn’t matter. They suffered. Irreversibly.
The crowd was angry at the inaction. Understandably so. Their children, friends, relatives died there… but still.
In the Guard’s ranks were people like that too. They weren’t monsters, not beasts. Just people. People in uniform, bound by duty to protect the same citizens now standing against them.
They too were someone’s children, someone’s friends, someone’s relatives. So why must they raise their hands against those they swore to protect?
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[The Day of the Attack]
[30.03.2023]
The shopping mall was crowded. People walked everywhere. Some laughing, some frowning, some simply happy.
A girl was walking too, plush toys in her hand, a smile on her face. Only her wallet was empty, but that was a small price to pay.
— Finally!!! — she twirled around, looking at the toys. Four plushies – characters from the series: Uzi with a crooked smile, N with a simple grin, V with a smirk, and finally J with a frown. She also carried a bag in her left hand, filled with other things, keychains, acrylic stands, and most importantly, a set of stickers. A true fan, and rich fan. He-he-he.
A yellow shirt, suit and tie. Below – skirt and heels. Almost like J, but without braids and stockings. She wasn’t at a cosplay parade, but… she would definitely take part in one. The needed outfit was already in her second bag, along with a wig.
— Well… kkhm… for the look, — she pulled out a pen with the label “JC Jenson IN SPAAAAACEE!!!!” and clipped it to her breast pocket. — Heh heh heh!
Why did she come here? Because episode 7 had just been released – joy! Her paycheck had come in – joy! And the mall now had official merch – joy for all fans. She came to shop, and for something else. Cosplay.
— Too bad there’s no Tessa merch, — she sighed, glancing right and left. Seeing nothing, she walked forward. — And yeah… too bad she died. — Another sigh… then suddenly — EH?! — A surprised squeak.
There was a store. Inside – a plushie. Unusual. A spacesuit with a cap reading “JC Jenson IN SPAAAAACEE!!!!” The helmet had rainbow and smiley stickers… wait… was that… — Tessa?
Technically not Tessa, but Cyn… but still…
— Who cares, I’m buying. — Money is power. The girl entered the store and bought the Tessa plush. The material was good, very good. Strange though that the official shop didn’t carry it. Was it really that hard to make? — Now all five… well, no… I still need Doll and Cyn plushies. — But they weren’t there. She’d have to wait. Wait for release.
At that moment, the explosion thundered. The building shook, people fell. So did she.
…
…
…
When her eyes opened, everything was… fine. Except for a few things.
She had been in the mall, so where was she now? She was dressed in a suit, not a spacesuit. And most importantly, why was it so dark?
— What the hell… — Slowly she got up. Her body felt weak, everything was buzzing. Buttons. So many buttons. Red, yellow, blue. Levers. Something like a screen...dead, black. — Where am I… — She stepped uncertainly toward the console and saw her reflection. Looking back at her was the endless reflection of a helmet. A rainbow and smiley sticker in the corner. A cap reading “JC Jenson IN SPAAAAACEE!!!!” — Oh god…
She staggered back, clutching her chest. This couldn’t be real, right? A trick of the mind? Yes… she must be asleep in her bed, waiting for the store opening. That’s it. Maybe she got too excited and started dreaming strange things?
Humans are strange like that!
— Ha! Ha! Ha! — trying to make sense of it, the girl let out a desperate rasp. Her hand clutched her chest. Why was she in a spacesuit? — Wait… suit… wait, wait… oh god… no, no! No! — She rushed to the screen again, reflection still staring back. Her hands scrambled around her neck, searching for a latch or anything, fear flooding her. — Hah! Not this… khh… — Pressure around her throat eased at last. With both hands she lifted the helmet.
In the reflection was a girl. Dark hair with a few gray strands, swollen greenish eyes screaming of sleepless nights, a tired face.
It was a human. Alive. Not synthetic flesh stretched over drone parts. Everything was intact: eyes, mouth, teeth. Nothing red dripping, nothing grotesque.
— Phew… — relief came for only a second, then vanished. Terror returned, despair, dread. — Why… why am I here?
She rummaged everywhere, searching for anything that could explain what was happening.
Tessa… she found a notebook. An old cover, stickers stuck on it. Exactly in Tessa’s manner.
҉
The girl brought the diary closer to the faint light of the ship’s sensors and began reading. For now, she was afraid to touch any controls. It was clear this was a ship. A one-seater. And she knew nothing about piloting.
The first pages made it clear: this was Tessa’s diary. Later pages revealed it was over a year old. Tessa had kept precise track of time.
The diary was a storm of emotions. Sometimes happy, sometimes regretful, sometimes angry… angry at herself. After [14.08.3051], this anger only grew. She blamed herself for the deaths of others. Parents, people, her friends.
From then on, the diary became nothing but self-hatred. It was heavy, painful. Yet it held other information too.
Tessa was a senior engineer at “JC Jenson IN SPAAAAACEE!!!!”. By virtue of being an Elliott, she had education and work in the company. Her motives were unclear, but it seemed a pitiful attempt to make things right. Humanity wasn’t entirely destroyed… there was still hope.
[21.11.3070]
“I’m scared… so scared. They gave me a mission: to go to exoplanet Copper-9, where research is being conducted with the ‘Absolute Solver’. What do I do? I don’t know… the company’s last order came a week ago, and all my attempts to reach them have failed… did Cyn already get to them?
God… please, let it not be true… I beg you… please…”
The page was smeared with tears. They dried, ruining the ink, making the rest unreadable.
[22.11.3070]
“My parents were right… I’m just a stupid girl… why… why did I bring them? Why did I bring drones from the scrapyard? Why? God… why… answer me…
Mother was right… why didn’t I listen? Why? I want to die…
Die…
Yes…”
Die… the word itself. Horrible. Yet it caught her attention. Could it be… Tessa… no… no…
— What… nonsense… — laughter slipped out, hollow, monotone. Laughter of disbelief. Tessa wouldn’t… right? — I need to… find…
Then came a sound
— Miss Tessa James Elliott, you have arrived at the orbit of exoplanet Copper-9. Begin automatic landing? — The ship’s system gave her no time to think numbers were ticking at the bottom of the screen.
Time to decide – 5 seconds
She didn’t know how to pilot! Damn! Damn, damn! What now? Maybe… delay? Yes… no…
No chance. Shit, shit!
— YES!
— Automatic landing initiated. — The ship plunged down. Probably planetward... where else? — Note: chance of ship survival upon landing… 0%.
— YOU COULDN’T HAVE SAID THAT EARLIER?!