The Old Ship

The old ship carrying Delion had been sailing for quite some time—day and night, without stopping. Yet, the distance covered on the map was still not even half a thumb's length.

As far as the eye could see, there was only sky and ocean. Like twin siblings standing side by side, similar yet not the same, each had its shade of blue, separated by a thin thread-like line.

Delion massaged her temples. The stinging pain reminded her of what the commander had said last month.

"Your condition won't improve if you insist on staying here. We've agreed to transfer you to Zone F012. You'll receive more serious treatment there. Oh, don't be disheartened, Delion. You are our hero. Heal yourself first, then come back here."

Those words, though spoken with good intentions, still pierced her heart. Delion knew that the decision was a subtle way of dismissing her. They no longer saw her as a tough Colonel. They saw her as a burden that needed to be removed.

Her positive thoughts briefly drifted to the possibility of returning after she recovered, but that thought only worsened her feelings of uselessness after reality struck.

Her place had been taken by someone stronger, fitter—someone more deserving than her.

Delion stared out at the vast expanse of the ocean. Her eyebrows furrowed. Waves of emotion raged within her. "If only I hadn't been born a woman," she lamented.

She felt cursed by her own body. A body that, despite having conquered the battlefield, was still the weak body of a woman with limits.

"Colonel Walter."

The call and knock on the door made Delion straighten up again. Her face returned to its rigid, robotic expression. "Enter."

A young girl in a naval uniform saluted after opening the door. "Fuel is running low. This ship must stop at the nearest land, Colonel."

Delion gave a small nod. "Proceed."

"Yes, ma'am."

What could she expect from this old ship? The famine that hit Zone F013 crippled almost every sector. Her transfer could only be carried out this way.

Ironically, this ship was like a symbol of herself. Once glorious, but now just a hunk of old iron, almost useless. It was only a matter of time before it was discarded or destroyed.

...

When the sun was nearly setting on the horizon, Delion finally docked at Okayama, Japan.

The sea breeze brushed her face. Her eyelids blinked to ward off the sting in her eyes, but her face remained expressionless.

She walked straight ahead until she faced a man with a thin mustache and crescent-shaped smile. Beside him, a woman in a kimono stood gracefully like a queen.

"It is an honor to welcome you, Colonel Walter. I am Aizen, and this is my wife, Reiko," the man greeted, bowing in the traditional Japanese way, followed by his wife. From his attire and badges, it was clear that the man was a Captain in the National Border Army.

Understanding the etiquette, Delion returned the gesture in the same manner. "Thank you, Colonel Aizen and Mrs. Reiko. Once the fuel is replenished, we will continue our journey immediately. I hope our arrival hasn't caused too much inconvenience," she replied stiffly.

"We've prepared a banquet for you, so don't be in a hurry to leave. We want to give you a proper tribute. We hope you won't leave empty-handed or face difficulties during your journey. Reiko, please show them around."

"Certainly, my husband."

For some reason, the tribute felt like a veiled insult to Delion. Or perhaps that's just the Japanese way of communicating. She didn't know. Maybe she was just being sensitive right now.

Delion and her crew were escorted to the banquet tent. Like a fragile glass doll, she was treated with extreme gentleness. To her, it felt like discrimination.

She was given chopsticks to pick up tiny pieces of roasted meat, while not far from her, the soldiers and crew were free to eat as they pleased. Reiko's attendants kept whispering as if she were a madwoman playing dress-up in a Colonel's robe. Oh, should Delion mention that she understood a bit of their language?

And Reiko's gaze couldn't lie for too long. Eventually, she began to openly judge Delion. What's so great about a female Colonel in a dangerous zone? Why would a woman go to war? Shouldn't she just stay home, serve her husband, and raise children?

"The destruction of Zone F013 still weighs heavily on our minds," Reiko suddenly said.

"Zone F013 isn't destroyed," Young Ra, the only female crew member Delion had, replied. "We managed to stop the Envoy before they reached the city center."

"Oh, my apologies. But the power was out for three days, wasn't it?"

"That's true. But the situation has changed now. The NSA has taken over. Everything is gradually improving."

"Thank goodness for that. And what about the funeral of Esper Hugh? I heard there was military aggression between Zone F013 and Canada before the funeral."

In her silence, Delion felt her tongue turn bitter. Though she had quietly decided not to engage in the conversation, her ears still worked well enough to listen.

"After the final tribute, the NSA returned him to Canada. After all, it was the NSA who borrowed Esper Hugh from the Canadian Government and placed him in Zone F013. It's understandable that his death caused tension between Canada and our region," Young Ra replied.

"You've been through tough times. Especially since you're a woman. Don't you have any desire to quit? My door is open for you, Miss." Reiko sympathetically patted Young Ra's shoulder.

"A-ah, thank you, Mrs. Reiko."

The conversation continued. Every word from Reiko's lips felt like a slap to Delion. If only she hadn't made the wrong decision back then.

"Tell me, Young Ra, is Esper power really necessary? I can't get much information about it because this country prohibits Esper involvement in defense. Especially after Esper Hugh was declared berserk while fighting the Envoy in Zone F013 and turned against your soldiers."

"Esper involvement is still limited in Zone F013, Mrs. Reiko. But at that time, we didn't have many options."

"It must be difficult to be in your position. As long as an Esper can be controlled, they are an ally. But if an Esper can no longer be controlled, then they are an enemy."

Japanese food is indeed delicious, but Delion had lost her appetite. After forcing her throat to swallow the meat on her plate, she quickly sought fresh air.

Unconsciously, she ended up walking farther away from the pier. She could no longer see any settlements. Even so, she didn't turn back. She preferred to be alone like this.

But something strange was happening. The sand around her suddenly started to tremble, even though the wind wasn't too strong.

"An earthquake?" she thought, remembering that Japan is prone to earthquakes. But this was different. The vibrations felt as if they were coming from something much bigger.

Delion was truly out of luck if an earthquake hit tonight. Worse yet, they were near the beach. It wouldn't be surprising if a tsunami followed.

Suddenly, a flash of reddish light appeared in front of Delion. The light grew increasingly blinding. Delion squinted, trying to see what was happening.

The light stretched, opening a crack in the air. Then, from within it emerged a terrifying figure she recognized—an Envoy.

...

This Envoy took the form of a grasshopper, magnified dozens of times. The creature had eight pairs of legs, three pairs of wide wings, and a pair of horns on its head. The creature hovered down from the crack.

Without hesitation, Delion drew her pistol from its holster and assumed a ready stance.

First came fear. Then, uncontrollable rage. The scenes of Esper Hugh's death, along with dozens of soldiers in Zone F013, were still fresh in her memory. It was a bloody day when Delion's hopes were shattered.

"Keep living, Delion …."