Machina Arcanis: Two Worlds Collided
Chapter 160. The Bustling Dock

The next day, Zetius arrived near the shorelines. Concrete structures had been erected to protect against the occasional tsunami that terrorised this place. The massive dock occupied a large patch of land. P.N.I. bots and forklifts bustled about, performing repairs for the battlecruisers. The erratic grinding and cranking noises reverberated in the distance.

Men in jumpsuits worked eagerly, carrying welding torches and spare parts at the base of the dark battlecruiser parked near the first warehouse. It was a vessel Zetius had never seen before, perhaps a small-to-mid-sized vessel like the Zeigerlich battlecruiser.

The scene took him back to when he visited Hein’s workshop in Hasenwald. He often wondered how the old bunny Wildren was doing at a time like this.

As the cold breeze brushed against his skin, Zetius made his way towards the opposite end of the second warehouse, which was an aluminium grey colour. The floor was also painted with yellow lettering: ‘Repair Dock 2B’.

Cubie yawned, floating lazily next to Zetius, offering no words. He noticed she had grown quiet recently. Their journey to the dreamless realm must have taken a toll on her.

As he rounded the corner, the dark green Zeigerlich came into view. Its surface now shone, bright and new, like those of sports cars. The breach where Zetius had crashed into was now repaired, as if it had never been there. The emblem of the red sun, positioned on the flank, proudly displayed its new alliance with Solis Aeternum.

The soldiers, as they were called here, began loading their supply crates and spare parts into the rear hangars.

Once Zetius approached the vessel, Cubie urged, “There she is!” She turned towards the group of people huddled in front of the military personnel, who were tending to matters, issuing orders, and overseeing the evacuation operation.

Sandria Meinhardt stood gracefully, back straight in her white admiral uniform, wearing her usual crown braid. Surrounded by officials and chief engineers, she held a datapad in one hand and seemed to be absorbed in discussion with a tall man in a similar uniform, Lume Ember Lorne.

Zetius waited patiently, finding a seat on a makeshift stool fashioned from a supply crate. He hunched over, elbows on his knees. Cubie hummed softly in his palm, like a small bird nudging comfortably in its nest.

Suddenly, Astrid appeared by his side, leaning against the barrier. “What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice flat, almost detached.

Zetius turned quickly. “Oh… Astrid, I might ask you the same. But I already saw your father over there,” he returned cheekily.

“Aurelia…” She paused. “Princess Aurelia warned me about his recent behaviour. I’m keeping a close eye on the old man,” she admitted, keeping her eyes fixed on the big man. The admiral of the flagship swept his eyes around until they met his daughter’s stern gaze. He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head before returning to the conversation.

“I’m here to speak with Admiral Sandria,” Zetius confessed, taking the cold air into his lungs. His mission to find Frain had to be resumed at the earliest opportunity — he couldn’t afford to waste any more time.

“Hmmmmmm… she’s no longer Sys Director…” Cubie grumbled, processing the information.

“That’s right, Cubie. She’s now the head of the Zeigerlich battlecruiser,” Zetius told her kindly. A group of knights jogged towards Sandria, completing their report before energetically walking in Zetius’s direction.

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Zetius remembered them — those men used to serve under Rhok’s command but had now defected along with other Zeigerlich crew members. Who could have thought that a certain act of mercy could turn their lives around, helping them find new purposes?

But mercy without proper resolution could lead to such a catastrophic result, like Rhok Wagner. Zetius ground his teeth at the thought.

“If only I knew, perhaps it wouldn’t have turned out this way. I should never have put you anywhere near Armatus ever again. I misjudged your circumstances and thought little of it. On that day, when we celebrated the victory over the Eastern Dam, I saw you there. Sitting alone and surrounded by the rumbles as you were being drowned by the hollow and terror of wars. If I had stopped you then, sending you further away, perhaps—” His train of thought was interrupted by a pat on his shoulder.

“You good?” Astrid asked, her voice worried.

“Sorry, I’m fine,” Zetius held back as he pinched the upper bridge of his nose, right between his brows.

The Silver Knight spotted Zetius, and his face immediately whitened. “Good evening…” he greeted reluctantly. Then he whispered to his subordinates, “That’s the Darkless Knight, you idiots!” They all saluted before politely carrying on with their duty.

After a while, Sandria dismissed the meeting and strode towards Zetius, a smile tugging at her lips. In response, he returned a casual wave.

“Oh, Zetius.” She greeted him with a hug, warmth seeping out of her mechanical facade.

“I didn’t know you were quite a hugger,” Zetius quipped, Cubie resting on his shoulder.

“It’s your fault anyway, making me crave more human interaction,” she grumbled with a straight face, before turning to acknowledge Astrid’s presence.

“Anyway, you seem to be busy with the mobilisation,” Zetius pointed out.

Sandria nodded, gripping her own wrist. “Did anyone brief you about the result of the recent summit?” she asked, to confirm.

“Yes, Aurelia already briefed me about it. So the next stop is the nation of Thylin, huh?” Zetius returned promptly.

“Correct, precisely the Orienic Sea. Yet—” She paused, uncertainty in her dark eyes.

“Nervous?” Zetius jested.

The admiral winced. “Ugh, of course not. Admiral Lume is here to oversee the final preparation before taking off. Nothing can go wrong, I’m certain of that.” Then her expression shifted to seriousness. “I meant to say… I wouldn’t be able to fulfil the promise that we made. About your little lioness, Frain, is it?”

“Huh?” Zetius exclaimed in surprise. All these months, she hadn’t just remembered his words but had committed to them.

He continued, voice softened, but brimmed with conviction. “Admiral, please. The people of Thylin are counting on Solis Aeternum, on you and your crew to protect them. I understand the responsibility and duty.”

Zetius’s words were intended to lift the burden of her unfulfilled task. Yet, regret lingered in her expression.

“Who’s Frain?” Astrid chimed in, hands on her hips.

“A surrogate family, one that I lost before my rebirth,” Zetius responded, his eyes fixated on a distant cloud. A flash of lightning was followed by a rumble of thunder.

“So, what’s your plan? Other than brooding like an idiot,” Astrid snarled, grabbing his collar.

“Mind you, I attempted several teleportations and surveyed the areas before. Unfortunately, there’s no track or anything like that at all. It’s like she vanished out of thin air,” Zetius argued, brushing her hands off. At the same time, Cubie beamed up a holographic map of West Germund with the searched areas marked.

“Frain is like family to Zetius… Then, perhaps she’s my lost sister,” Cubie hummed to herself.

“See? I tried. Now I don’t know what to do anymore,” he told them, and sighed deeply.

“You’ve travelled over a hundred kilometres…”Astrid narrowed her ruby eyes. “Diligent fool, aren’t you?” she quipped.

Zetius grunted, his feelings hurt. “Okay, Genius. What do you suggest?”

Soon, Astrid’s eyes sparked with profound conviction. A brilliant smile spread widely across her face. All implied that Astrid did indeed have a bright idea in her mind.