Chapter Text
J hung from the roof of the spire.
Nothing new there.
What was new was that this would be the last time for a while that she would be sleeping here.
Though, her slumber didn't last much longer...
[Alarm 7:00 PM] (Wake Up Idiot)
She groaned audibly before slapping her visor, shutting off the alarm.
With a grace gained from experience, J floated down from the roof to the floor below.
She looked around at her quiet, empty surroundings, before stretching and letting out a yawn.
"Another day, another dollar." J mumbled, before climbing into the ship.
She continued her morning routine. Brewing herself some 'JcJenson Industrial Grade Drone Coffee'.
She sat in front of the console, taking a sip of her coffee before resting it on the console.
She looked to her left. Towards the small shelf in the wall. Where a single large bow rested.
Her gaze lingered for a moment before she turned back towards the console.
J cracked her fingers with dramatic effect, "Lets see if this hunk of junk is gonna work." She powered on the console.
The screens in front of her glowed to life, displaying all kinds of code and calculations. Super fancy Sci-Fi stuff.
However she couldn't be bothered by most of it. Wasn't important.
She opened the command console, and began typing.
[ /run locate_home_base
{ locating coordinates ...
{ complete
[ /run chart_course: home_base
{ calculating ...
{ complete
{ open map? Y/N
[ Y
{ opening map screen ...
A map opened on the right side screen.
First a zoom out map of the explored galaxy, highlighting the exoplanets.
Then it zoomed in.
First to the Sol System,
Then Earth,
Then Australia,
Finally, a pinpoint location.
It listed at the top of the screen: [Earth | 2301 JcJen Pkwy., Australia (Alias: Elliott Manor)]
Then it zoomed out, showing a direct path from Copper-9 to Earth.
Now she just needed to be sure this thing was gonna fly.
So she turned back to the command console.
[ /run ship_diagnostic
{ checking ...
{ no errors detected
{ all systems functional
"Good." J said to herself.
However, her happiness was short lived.
Outside she heard something land.
She knew exactly who that was.
The purple gremlin never bothered coming over here. And N had a very distinct style of landing.
That left only one person.
V.
With a groan, J got up and climbed outside.
~~~~~~
Outside she saw V, standing with her arms crossed, over at the spire's entrance.
"What do you want V?" J called out from beside the ship.
"Well first of all, I want to know what you're doing." V replied.
"That's none of your business." J responded, annoyed.
"Really? Because I'm pretty sure my 'former co-worker' leaving the planet is very much my business."
"Why do you care?"
"I don't." V replied, stepping into the spire.
"Then why won't you leave me alone?!"
"Because you're still one of us J! No matter how much you want to pretend like you're not. You are!"
There was a moment of silence. Before V broke it.
"So why?"
"Fine, you really want to know? I'm going to Earth. Happy now?"
"Earth's gone J."
"Don't you think I know that V?! I know it's gone, but I have to look. I have to be sure that there isn't still something left."
"Nothing's left J."
"You don't know that. Neither of us do. That's why I have to go. To be sure if that little freak left something behind."
J turned and began to walk away. But then V spoke, and she stopped dead in her tracks.
"You know, I used to look up to you."
"What?"
"Back when I was a shy, anxious little maid, I saw how tough you were, how brave you were, how well you lead others. I wanted to be that. I wished I could be like you."
J didn't speak, she knew she shouldn't.
"Now I wish you could be like you."
V carefully removed something from her shirt pocket, and gently handed it to J.
J looked at the item in her hands. A pair of small, round, slightly cracked glasses. Unmistakably V's old ones.
"What's this for?"
"It's so you know that it's not too late to try to fix things."
Before J could say another word, V turned around, unfurled her wings, and flew off. Vanishing into the horizon.
J looked at the glasses in her hands for a moment before walking back to the ship.
~~~~~~
Inside, she placed the glasses on the shelf in the wall. Right next to the bow.
She sat down at the console, staring at the screen for a moment. Contemplating.
She could leave and probably find nothing.
Or she could stay and try to make amends.
Who was she kidding? That wasn't worth the effort.
Besides, why should she care what they think?
She began working the control panel, and the ship began to activate.
Good thing she studied piloting before operating.
The engine ignited, and the ship began to leave the ground.
Before J knew it, the ship crashed through the roof of the spire and took off towards space.
The ship had left the atmosphere in only a few minutes.
J began to press the exact sequence of buttons for her travel.
The screen popped up the message: [FTL Jump Ready] | ETA: 3 Days
J pushed the handle forward and in the next second, the ship disappeared from the planet.
~~~~~~
On the surface, V stared quietly into the sky, where the ship had just disappeared.
However her brief peace was interrupted by two pairs of footsteps behind her.
"There you are. We've been looking all over for you." Uzi said.
"Geez, why do you sound so worried? Are you getting soft for me?" V teased.
"Bite me! I only came along because it made N feel better." Uzi replied, defensively
"Right." V said, in her typical sarcastic tone, though she seemed to be thinking about other things.
"Are you good V?" N asked. "Seems like there's something on your mind."
"Nah, it's nothing." V responded, dismissively.
"Well, please come back in a bit. Okay?"
"Sure thing."
Uzi and N flew off back to the bunker. But V stayed behind for a bit.
"I wish you could be like you." V muttered to herself.
She stared a moment longer, before she unfurled her wings, and took off back to the bunker.
~~~~~~
Meanwhile, J sat at the console. Watching as the little indicator for the ship moved along the lines toward Earth.
She looked at the shelf, where V's glasses rested next to the large bow.
She got up, walked to the shelf, and gently picked up the bow. Holding it in her hands like a small animal.
"I'm coming home boss."