"Though nobody can go back and make a new beginning... anyone can start over and make a new ending." — Carl Bard.
Chapter 3
[Engaging warp thrusters. You might want to sit down.]
The hum of the ship deepened. Huiya moved to the command chair, hers, apparently and lowered herself into it slowly. It fit her body too well.
Her hand brushed the armrest, and the controls bloomed to life beneath her fingertips, reacting to her as though they'd been waiting.
As though they remembered her.
She felt the ship surge, then the stars outside the viewport began to stretch, blurring into lines of white as the ship pierced the fabric of space.
There was no turning back now.
She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes, just for a moment.
She didn't dream. Her mind was too full to think of anything else.
When she opened them again, only six hours had passed. The ship was still in warp, engines steady, systems humming softly around her. A low chime sounded.
[You've been quiet.]
"I'm thinking."
[That's a dangerous habit.]
She didn't answer and leaned back on the hair. She didn't need to stir the ship yet.
[You're wondering if you should contact him.]
Her lips tightened. "No. I'm wondering if he'll even remember me as anything other than a disgrace."
[Han Guang'li doesn't forget people. He's the type of man that will help someone if it benefits him.]
"He didn't speak for me.." she said quietly. "When they branded me. When they stripped my rank."
[Maybe you falling out will benefit him. He doesn't take sides.]
"I was hunted Yunhai" she snapped. "They burned every channel, locked every gate. I couldn't even send a message without triggering alerts."
[You still didn't try.]
Silence followed after Yunhai said this, Han Guang'li could have been Huiya's biggest backer if she had contacted him then.
He was the type of man that was loyal to only himself, he didn't take any sides so he could be anyone's weapon and at the same time, their savior.
[So neither of you did. And now you're heading toward each other carrying six years of silence like a weapon.]
That's right, time travelled faster in space. To Liyue it had only be a day but to Huiya, she had been hiding for 6 years.
"I don't even know if I'll speak to him when I get there."
[You will.]
"I don't think it will make a difference."
[But you will, like I said he's a man loyal to himself. If what you bring to the table benefits him, he would follow you.]
Entering Helios space.
[It will take 23 hours to get to the Expanse. Make yourself at home, the ship as autopilot functions. So feel free to explore.]
Huiya breathed out slowly, but it still didn't feel like her lungs. "She trusted him," she said aloud, voice steady but dull.
[Yunhai responded, quiet for once.]
[She did.]
"She thought he would stand for her. Speak when it mattered."
[He didn't.]
"No."
The silence that followed wasn't empty. It pressed.
"She never got to ask him why," Huiya whispered, fingers brushing the window's edge. "And now I'm going to look him in the eyes and pretend to be her."
[You're not pretending.]
"I am," she bit out. "Don't lie to me. This body—this ship—it's all hers. I'm just what's left."
[You carry her. That matters.]
"I carry her mistakes."
[You carry her rage. Her questions. Her unfinished war.]
"And that's supposed to be comfort?"
[No. It's a purpose.]
Huiya closed her eyes.
Six years. To hevr, it felt like a lifetime, running, hiding, learning how not to breathe too loud. To the rest of the galaxy, Huiya had only just disappeared.
Now Huiya was bringing her back. Or the ghost of her, anyway.
[You're not her,] Yunhai said, gentler this time. [But you're the only one left who remembers why she mattered.]
Silence.
"Then I guess I'll make that count."
[You have to, the one who will feel her pain now is you, you are Huiya.]
Hours had passed within a blink of the eye and soon they had gotten to the Expanse.
[Thievery is at its finest here. Be careful with whatever you are talking along. I will put the ship on camouflage, the pirates here are no joke.]
Huiya stretched and got up. The Expanse was like a world on its own, a lot was going on.
"It would be best to put the ship on lockdown. Completely, so no one has access to it."
[Sure we can do that. But pirates have strange tech, that's why they can steal anything, but say..let me pick my form and I'll give you my own advance tech as well.]
"..."
"I don't think I should trust you to do that..."
[-_-]
[What are you trying to imply? Say it directly to my face.]
"..."
"Then I'm saying I don't trust you enough to let you, pick a form for yourself."
[-_-]
[You bit*h!. What do you take me for? I am linked to you, if you die before I can help you accomplish your goal, I will save severe penalties, I don't want that for myself bro.]
".."
"Don't call me a bitch, you asshole. Very well choose your form and give me two advance tech. One for the ship and one for myself."
[-_-]
[I never said I was going to give you two]
"You want to pick your form, yourself or not?"
[-_- You sly bitch. You win this round for sure]
Huiya only clicked her tongue, waiting for it to pick it's form.
[A Zepthorian/Ambrosian mix definitely, long white hair from the Ambrosians, bright blue eyes from the Zepthorians, the strength of an Ambrosian along with the wisdom and height of a Zepthorian. Mhm then with your face and finally age and gender. I'll go with 27 light year, then male.]
".."
Huiya's lips twitched, why did it decide to take her face??
Synchronization complete.
A ding sound was heard and Huiya saw two pair of feet appear before her. She raised her eyes, and for what felt like a long time, searching for his face.
"Just how tall are you? My neck hurts just looking at you!"
[-_-]
[It's not my fault if you're so small? An average Zepthorian male height is 205cm and the women at 190cm. But an average Ambrosian male height is 197cm but their women, haha they're average is 154cm, you are the tallest woman in Ambrosia, at a staggering 179cm. I took Zhao'kyr's height range which is at 221 cm, to think a small lady like you could fight with him.]
"..."