Bits of Love, Lines of Code
Chapter 127: “The Message in the Sky”

Chapter 127: Chapter 127: “The Message in the Sky”

Above the clouds, the world was quiet.

Jet-03 sliced through the atmosphere like a phantom bird, sleek and silent. Inside, the lighting was soft blue, diffused across the polished steel interior. Aoi sat by the window, though there was nothing to see but endless stars and drifting clouds below. Her arms wrapped gently around Hikari, who slept in peaceful oblivion, her tiny fingers curled in a fist near her mother’s chest.

Aoi’s gaze was distant—she didn’t speak, didn’t cry. The adrenaline had faded, replaced by a growing ache. Ren had stayed behind.

She whispered, "You promised you’d catch up... So keep that promise, idiot."

Mid-Flight Discovery

As Jet-03 crossed into unmonitored airspace over the Indian Ocean, a soft chime echoed through the cabin.

"Madam Aoi," Lucia’s voice rang through the speakers, now calmer, as if imbued with something more human, "you have an encrypted personal message. Authorization level: Elysium."

Aoi blinked.

"Elysium...? That’s Ren’s deep layer encryption key."

From the control panel in front of her seat, a projection screen unfolded like a blooming petal. Then, static. A flicker. And then—

Ren’s face appeared.

The Recorded Message

He looked tired but smiled—sincere and warm.

"Hey... if you’re seeing this, then you’re on your way to Offshore Sigma. Which means I had to stay behind."

He paused, brushing his hand through his messy black hair, eyes dropping.

"I know you’re scared. And I know how much you hate being away from me—even if you pretend you’re strong. But I needed to make sure this part of the plan went exactly right."

The camera slightly tilted, showing the workshop behind him—the satellite core, dozens of scattered designs, schematics for suits, reactors, and... a necklace.

"This isn’t just about defense anymore. It’s about legacy. You, Hikari... you’re everything now. That’s why I designed a failsafe only you could activate, Aoi."

The Real Gift

Lucia’s voice resumed after the video ended:

"Would you like to open the hidden compartment?"

Aoi nodded slowly. The armrest clicked. A secret drawer slid out—inside, nestled in a velvet case, was a modified pendant—similar to the one she already had, but with a shimmering violet core and engraved letters on the back:

"For our daughter’s future — Ren."

Aoi’s hands trembled as she picked it up.

"What... what does it do?" she asked.

Lucia answered immediately:

"It contains a direct uplink to StarNest. Should any threat attempt to isolate you or Hikari, this pendant can project a defensive field, signal Ren’s last known location, and—if necessary—trigger full planetary defense."

Aoi let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

"You really thought of everything, huh..."

She hugged Hikari close.

"Even when you’re not here... you’re everywhere around us."

Jet-03 Interior

As Jet-03 crossed into the cloudline of an isolated archipelago, the clouds parted below to reveal a glowing man-made island — Offshore Sigma, a stealth shelter built by Ren years ago and never once used... until now.

As they began descent, Lucia added one final note:

"Ren has asked me to tell you something when you arrive."

"What is it?" Aoi whispered.

"That you’re the heart of everything he’s built. And that even if the world falls apart... the three of you are his reason to rebuild it."

End Scene:

The jet touched down. Aoi stepped out barefoot, Hikari in her arms, the pendant around her neck glowing faintly.

She didn’t feel alone anymore.