CHAPTER 1.16 – “The Commanding Girl”

CHAPTER 1.16 – “The Commanding Girl”

Location: Koruch Ship – Bridge / Infirmary

Date: NTC 1446.07.15

When Merry stepped through the door…

No one moved.

A heavy, suffocating silence blanketed the bridge.

It was as if time had stopped.

Every eye was on her.

Merry stood barefoot on the metal floor.

Her wounds had closed, but the scars still burned across her body.

Her eyes were clear, her expression calm.

She was confident.

She stared in silence for a moment.

No one dared speak.

Then she took a deep breath.

“Well… Guess there’s nothing left to do,” Merry said.

The crew didn’t budge.

Merry took a step forward — and they all took a step back.

She smiled.

Then she began walking inward.

Her footsteps echoed through the bridge.

Her face remained calm.

She walked straight toward Thomas.

Stopped in front of him.

The gun he’d used to shoot Korsica was still in his hand.

But it trembled.

His fingers were slick with sweat, his eyes hollow.

Without lowering her gaze, Merry looked him straight in the eyes.

“You think… that’ll do you any good?” she asked.

Thomas didn’t look away.

He swallowed.

Took a deep breath.

“No. It won’t,” he said.

Then he tossed the gun aside.

Clink.

The weapon rolled across the floor, sliding toward the entrance of the bridge.

Merry smiled faintly.

Then turned her head to the others.

“And what about you?” she asked.

No one answered.

The men exchanged glances.

The same unspoken thought filled their eyes “It’s over.”

The first man slowly lowered his weapon to the ground.

"Clink."

The second followed.

"Clink."

Then the third…

"Clink."

One by one, the sounds of metal hitting the floor echoed across the bridge.

"Clink..."

"Clinnk…"

"CLANK!"

Merry laughed aloud this time —

like a gladiator unable to hold back laughter after the battle was won.

“Hahahaha… Nice,” she said.

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She stretched her arms out to either side.

Relaxed her shoulders.

Then spoke with the tone of a commander.

“Now... Get my friends out,” Merry ordered.

Thomas simply nodded.

Without saying a word, he walked over to the main console.

His fingers moved slowly but with certainty across the keyboard.

"CHK—KZZT"

The infirmary door unlocked.

-At the same moment, inside the infirmary-

Yusuf was pacing back and forth.

Rubbing his hands together.

His eyes were locked on the door with worry.

Chatter sat silently in a corner.

Yorgo still lay unconscious on the floor.

“What do you think is happening out there? Did Merry make it?” Yusuf asked.

Chatter lifted its head.

Its eyes looked as if they already knew the answer.

“The door will open soon,” it replied.

Yusuf furrowed his brows.

Trapped between doubt and belief.

“What makes you so sure?” Yusuf asked, startled.

Chatter was just about to answer when—

"Tsssshhh—"

The door opened.

Light spilled into the room.

The silence was broken by a single deep breath.

Yusuf and Chatter turned toward the door.

And Chatter gave its answer.

“Faith, I guess” it said.

Yusuf’s eyes lit up.

He couldn’t stay still.

“Come on! Let’s go to the bridge!” he shouted.

He bolted out the door, running at full speed.

Chatter rose slowly.

First, it looked down at Yorgo.

Then walked over and gently lifted him off the floor.

Laid him onto a stretcher, quietly and carefully.

Then it too left the infirmary.

Meanwhile, after unlocking the door, Thomas turned to Merry.

“So… What now? Are you going to kill us?” he asked hesitantly.

Merry looked at him seriously.

“If you don’t give me a reason to... I won’t,” she said.

At that moment…

Yusuf burst into the bridge, breathless.

His eyes wide with panic.

“Merry!” he cried out.

Everyone turned to him.

Thomas’s eyes welled up when he saw him.

He tried to swallow.

His voice cracked.

“Yusuf…” Thomas said.

Yusuf scanned the room.

He saw Kerim’s body first.

Then, a few steps away, Korsica’s corpse…

“No… no… no…” Yusuf whispered.

He ran to his brother’s side.

Fell to his knees.

Placed his hands over Kerim’s lifeless ones.

Clutched them tightly.

“How… how did this happen!?” he asked, shocked and teary-eyed.

He pulled his brother’s hands close to his chest.

Thomas tried to speak.

But his throat tightened.

No words came out.

Merry stood there, calm.

Her voice was neither loud nor soft.

“I think you understood how,” she said.

At that moment, the bridge door opened again.

Chatter entered.

It was carrying Merry’s clothes.

First, it scanned the room.

Then saw the railgun Thomas had tossed aside.

It bent down, picked it up.

And holstered it on its belt.

Everyone — including Thomas — froze in shock.

No one knew what to say.

Some even stood with mouths slightly open.

Chatter remained unfazed.

Its footsteps echoed across the metal floor.

The entire crew watched in silence.

When Merry saw Chatter, she turned her head.

Smiled.

“Ah, Chatter… Thank you. I was starting to feel a bit chilly,” she said.

Chatter approached.

Though all eyes were on it, it didn’t seem to care.

It held out the clothes.

There was no hint of emotion in its eyes.

“You’re welcome,” it said.

Merry took the clothes.

Began to dress, taking her time.

She glanced sideways at the weapon now holstered at Chatter’s belt.

Her brow lifted just slightly.

Then she returned her gaze to Yusuf and kept dressing.

The crew, watching a mute speak through action,

couldn’t tell if this was real or some strange hallucination.

They all stood frozen.

“This… is impossible…” one man whispered.

Even Thomas remained motionless.

He stared at the scene for a while.

Then slowly shook his head. Came back to his senses.

And muttered to himself: “I can’t deal with this right now…”

Then he turned to Yusuf.

The boy was still beside his brother’s body.

Tears welled in his eyes. His hands trembled.

Thomas stepped closer and knelt.

Gently placed a hand on Yusuf’s shoulder.

He opened his mouth to speak, but guilt stole the words before they could form.

What do you say when your silence caused it all? he thought.

But again, no words came.

And so, in place of apology, he offered the only thing left: silence.