President Varoufakis had left not long ago along with black suited escort. Oddly, James MacLeod and Admiral Petrov chose to stick around for lunch with Athena’s family.

It was awkward to say the least. The Watanabes were predictably not happy when informed of James MacLeod’s invitation to Athena to join the Nexarm special forces.

Thus, the lunch table was oddly split into two sides with the Mullers in the middle.

Athena ordered her food and the food dispenser rapidly printed her chosen dish atom by atom, molecule by molecule.

The plate slid out, a perfect hamburger along with an apple salad at the perfect temperature each.

Meanwhile, two simultaneous conversations were occurring.

Hikari had no intention of allowing her daughter to participate in the war.

“Athena. I know when you joined the EFSF, you only wanted to… float around in space. This has gotten out of hand.”

“Your mother is right,” agreed Tatsuya as he grumbled. “We’re a doctor and nurse. Your mother’s now also a psychologist. We save lives, not take them. Understand…?”

Athena remained silent, unsure if any words would convince her parents. Deep in her heart, she had hoped her parents would understand. She eventually entered the digital world and retrieved a recording of the terrorists’ acts before sending them to her parents through the neuro circlet system.

Her mother’s breath caught a hitch when watching this recording, while her father’s facial expression hardened somewhat into a frown.

The opposite of the dining table had a far more leisurely atmosphere.

“Admiral,” James MacLeod remarked as he placed a perfectly sliced piece of steak past his lips with a gleaming fork. “I had no idea that you spent your childhood in the orbital colonies.”

“Hah… think nothing of it. You might find it funny but… My parents were sent by my ancestral country, Russia, to spy on the colonies.” He turned to whisper dramatically at the Mullers. “They were worried that the manufacturing centers of the colonies would cause trouble, even way back then.”

“I see.” chuckled James MacLeod. Did that not just happen?

“What do you eat up there?” Selena wondered. John had traveled up to space occasionally, but beyond the work he was tasked with, he rarely talked of much else on his return to Earth.

“This.” Admiral Petrov raised a synthetic cup. The cup was filled with a greenish thick fluid with some thick chunks. “Up there, people call this ‘goop’. Has all the nutritions you need, even if your belly remains half empty. Cheapest to mass-print. I myself still occasionally drink it.”

The man took a swig out of the cup and chewed the chunks. “Taste as shit as ever. But nutrition is nutrition.”

He seemed to revel at himself as he observed the disgusted expressions of James MacLeod and the Mullers.

Post-lunch, James MacLeod and Admiral Petrov finally left.

“Sir and Mam.” James MacLeod maintained his politeness despite knowing the Watanabes’ displeasure. “I, too, am putting my own life on the line. I hope you understand. Earth needs your daughter.”

He then covered his blonde hair with a dark navy leather ivy cap and left shoulder-to-shoulder with Petrov. A group of black-suited personnel surrounded the two as they moved towards the hospital entrance.

“We’ll talk about this more later.” Tatsuya Watanabe beckoned and the group traveled to meet the leading doctor that had watched over Athena during her stay.

They entered a meeting room with a sky blue wooden square table.

“I apologize for not introducing myself properly before,” the leading female doctor said. “I’m Dr. Jeong. This is the lead physio Jenny Wong and neurologist Dr…” She hesitated.

“Mohamad Abdul Bin Ismail.” The neurologist clarified. “In case of confusion, Bin Ismail means I’m the son of my father who was called Ismail. Please just call me Dr. Mo Abdul.”

Dr. Jeong felt slightly embarrassed. Their team was put together on-the-fly for Athena. She simply called the neurologist by the name, Mo, and had never thought of how to introduce the man.

The Watanabes smiled, having resided in Singapore. John Muller was the one who appeared rather confused by the whole conversation with the man’s name.

Jenny Wong wasted no time and began speaking.

“As far as I’m concerned, Athena, you are in perfect condition. Fitter than ever before. The rapid delivery of medical service by the Nexarm’s state-of-the-art medical bay prevented any issues from developing. Although you experienced some action while controlling the Nexarm, your bones are in perfect alignment and you were not involved in any type of motion which would have reinjured your healing bones and supporting musculature.”

It was now Dr. Mo Abdul’s turn.

“Look.” he turned on a hologram that hovered above the square table. His hands continuously motioned as he pointed at an image of Athena’s brain. “See this activation of the motor and sensory areas? We can compare this to a previous snapshot. Your daughter’s brain has only gotten stronger. She’s now able to control a total of twenty neuro devices. Previously, it was only nineteen. With brain overload, the areas should light up and present like this. She has gotten stronger!”

The man constantly thrust in more holograms to better explain what he was trying to express. He seemed to be struggling to explain it properly with layman words and relied on images to demonstrate the change.

“I’m here as the neurobody specialist.” Dr. Jeong smiled. She looked at the Watanabes. “You are already aware of what I do, but to clarify, I essentially ensure that the physical and mental functions are in sync, particularly since there is the dangerous possibility where a body can fail if the brain isn’t calibrated properly with the body under neuroload. Rest assured, your daughter is fine, and as Dr. Mo Abdul has said, her brain is even getting stronger.”

The Watanabes asked a few more questions and after further reassurances, the family left with relieved expressions.

After Athena collected her belongings, the three medical professionals joined them as they left the Neurorevo-funded military hospital.

To the Watanabes’ and Mullers’ shock, they were welcomed out by a fanatical crowd that leapt and cheered in joy at the sight of Athena’s appearance. The crowd was using neuro devices to float holographic banners in the skies. At the same time, many recording devices were active.

On these banners were phrases such as, ‘Athena, Our Saviour!’, ‘Pacific City’s Heroine!’, ‘Goddess Athena!’. It was quite a lot to take in.

These must be the neuro passionates, was Athena’s first thought as she shielded her face.

“You should be proud!” Dr. Jeong, close to her side, pulled her arm down. She, too, shared the same fanatical expression as the crowd. “Everyone has seen your Nexarm battle against those terrorists! Don’t you understand?!”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

A reporter holding a spherical device stepped forth and looked up at a floating recording neuro device.

“This is Harrison reporting! Look at our goddess, Athena! The one who piloted that Nexarm to defend our people! She looks to have fully recovered. You see that divine copper hair golden in the sun?”

He moved forward in an attempt to interview Athena, but was blocked by the glaring Watanabes.

“No matter. A pair of parents defending her daughter is lovely! Doctor? Doctors?” His enthusiasm unquenched, he switched to the group of medical professionals.

“Welcome!” All three medical professionals had bright smiles as they faced Harrison.

“My name is Dr. Jeong. This is Jenny Wong, PT, and Dr. Mo Abdul, neurologist. As medical professionals, we obviously cannot recklessly divulge any client details,” Dr. Jeong spoke. “But I can say this: She is healthier and stronger than ever!”

The medical professionals beamed at all the cameras hoving in the sky. The crowd cheered at their words, as the facility’s security finally opened up a path to the Watanabe’s and Muller’s vehicles.

The Watanabes were silent as their vehicle drove off and the AI led them back towards Athena’s military trainee residence.

At length, Tatsuya Watanabe slumped in defeat.

“Very well. Athena. It is your future,” he muttered.

“Tatsuya Watanabe!” rumbled Hikari. “You agreed with me! I won’t have my daughter dying on a battlefield!”

However, she would fail to change her husband’s mind.

“Don’t you understand?” moaned the man. “The whole world has knowledge of our daughter now with that Nexarm recording. The average person can only control a total of six to eight neuro devices. Athena could originally control eighteen! Now, twenty!”

“Do you understand how she will be seen by anyone of any industry of any influence if she chooses to not join James MacLeod’s Nexarm special force?” Perhaps driven by his inner conflict, he roared again. “Do you?!”

Hikari Watanabe was stricken speechless. What was freedom? Her daughter did not really have that freedom. She never did.

“Mom,” Athena softly intoned. “Lives will still be saved if I prevent further attacks. Lives will also flourish if I ensure the safety of our produce from the belt.” She found her heart ready, even if a small hint of doubt rested in her mind.

The Watanabes remained silent through the rest of the trip.

When they reached the military trainee residential area, a man was already waiting there. It was none other than the handsome blonde, James MacLeod.

“You knew.” Hikari Watanabe hissed with venom.

“I did.” James MacLeod sharply stared right back into the distraught mother’s eyes. “But I will promise you this. Those of the Nexarm special forces will receive the utmost care. Your daughter will have multiple replacement bodies if she ever receives a serious injury. And I will die before she does. That I promise.”

___________________________________________________________________________

T3ST Colony, The Belt, January 7, 1000 Solar Era

“Stop! Stop!” Xeight raged as he shoved a man in uniform to the ground. “This is a mining Nexarm! It’s for recovering the bounty of the Belt!”

In front of him stood Jennifer MacLeod, instructing a group of engineers to refit the Nexarm that Xeight had used for years to mine the Belt.

“Your father ordered it!” harrumphed Jen MacLeod. After the new year, the original grand elder had stepped down, and Enine had become the Grand Elder.

Xeight, now incensed by his father’s ‘betrayal’, jumped in the cockpit of the Nexarm. The Nexarm subsequently sped out of the dock of the T3ST colony and began traveling to a far-off asteroid. Xeight’s intention was to continue his tranquil mining tasks.

Jen MacLeod, somewhat frustrated, saw a small space jet. She ran towards it. Since she was already in a spacesuit, she could immediately activate the space jet and speed after Xeight’s Nexarm.

“Miss! Don’t! You can’t!” The engineers that worked under her yelled out in exasperation, too late to stop the unfolding events.

When all this was conveyed to Grand Elder Enine, the new leader of the T3ST colony could only sigh with a shake of his head.

He had originally thought that Xeight would accept the current turn of events eventually. Unfortunately, this son of his was as resistant as initially. Granted, it had only been close to a month. In comparison, Bone and Yfour was filled with vigor by the events. Those two had even organized a celebration drinking party with their peers upon receiving news of Earth being hit by ‘terrorists’. They believed it was a ‘hidden hand’ of Mars’ twin cities.

Xeight turned on his calming synthwave music again, and began mining the asteroid in front of him. The methodical process of the task gradually brought serenity back to his mind. His thoughts on the impending war remained the same-- the Terrans would fight tooth-and-nail. It would be a pointless and endless conflict, an attritional war that the Terrans had an advantage in.

His father, Grand Elder Enine, had a much different view. Enine believed if they could rally enough of the belt’s colonies, perhaps the Earth Federation would deem the cost of war too high and simply agree to their terms. Surely, if they began winning battles, they would be able to gain the support of many more of the belt’s colonies over time.

There was the complication that the bounty of the belt supplies the cross-planetary companies that sell products to all factions, primarily to the Terrans. The Martians and their allies simply could not exactly attack these companies-- they needed their products as well.

All these factors had popped up during Xeight’s disagreement with his father.

Incoming Communication. Accept?

“Rejected.”

Xeight continued controlling a multitude of light-weight laser and mechanical systems to mine for gold in this small forty-by-forty asteroid in front of him.

Incoming Communication. Accept?

“Rejected!”

Xeight, with his multiple sensory systems, had quickly noticed the following space jet. He was intent on ignoring it.

Then, the space jet traveled to his vision sensor, positioned on the Nexarm where a normal human head would be, and began ramming it. Through these ‘eyes’, Xeight noticed Jen clutching at her neck as if she was choking and running out of oxygen.

He finally relented as he opened his cockpit.

Overjoyed, Jen MacLeod, still clutching at her throat, floated into the Nexarm’s cockpit.

“You bitch.” Xeight glared at Jen. He had closed the cockpit and subsequently checked her suit. “You still had twenty percent oxygen. Why’d you follow me out here?!”

Jen MacLeod stopped clutching at her own neck.

“Well,” she meekly lowered her head as if sorry for her actions. She wasn’t. “I was worried you wouldn’t respond, and if you didn’t, I would eventually run out of oxygen. So, I needed to start indicating that I would run out of oxygen, early!”

Speechless, Xeight promptly returned to ignoring her and continuing his excavation. The oxygen in the Nexarm would last them for many days to come if needed.

“May I?”

Jen MacLeod waited for half a minute but didn’t receive any reply. Still, she tapped her neuro circlet against the Nexarm hull, and connected to the system.

“I need to know how to best tune this to you,” She explained. “I hope you don’t mind.”

Xeight continued giving her the silent treatment. He normally wouldn’t do this, but he had realized that most of the T3ST colony was intent on pursuing their present course. None of his words would change that course.

“Wow,” Jen lips opened in a large O as she observed Xeight’s expert manipulation of the uncountable mining devices during the excavation. Although Xeight rarely used all of his neuro channels, he was still operating a total of thirty plus devices in most situations.

After a short while, Jen bit her lips cutely as she came to a decision. She took off her helmet and her light brown hair swayed in the hair as she floated towards Xeight.

“...” Xeight was bewildered. “The cockpit might have oxygen, but an emergency can occur. Pirates might attack.”

Jen floated into Xeight’s lap and strapped herself into a sitting position on top of him. Xeight was unsure of how to respond as he was assaulted by the woman’s fragrance from her neck and hair as she rested against him.

“I like you a lot. James would also tell me about you whenever I asked. He said that you reminded him of me! And when I observed how you manipulated all those devices…your hands are like magic!” She even took his hand and placed it onto her abdomen.

Stunned, Xeight’s only thought was that this woman was nuts.

“Look… you and I are peas in a pod. Don’t you see? I’m here because I love neurotech. I have no interest in what games the MacLeod family play within themselves or all this other…stuff. You, too, are a man that only wishes to focus on doing…” she gestured one of her arms around, “this.”

“Please…” she begged softly. “I just want to attach the weapon devices. I’ll upgrade the system frame with excessive resources, okay? That means I won’t have to disconnect any of the excavation devices for the weapons. If you choose not to activate any of the weapons, that is your choice… so please just let me observe your hands, okay?”

Xeight finally accepted the T3ST colony’s situation begrudgingly and nodded with a grunt.

Jen continued observing his excavation for a while, but soon unstrapped herself to face Xeight. She began unzipping her spacesuit as well.

“You…” Xeight wanted to remind her that her actions would be dangerous if the Nexarm were to come under attack.

“Shh…” Jen brought a finger to his lips. “Just continue your work. Let me do the rest.”