The entranced look in the eyes of every single citizen as they opened their windows to look at the sun for the first time was awesome to witness. Jessica13 remembered feeling the same way when she had seen her first sunset, and it was a feeling that would never fade. It was funny how being trapped inside for one’s entire life made one appreciate the Outside so much more.
She was settled on a small seat beside the Minato. There was something final about watching the petals open to reveal the sky, but there was still considerable work to be done. The Knights and the Desert Warriors had their work cut out for them to isolate the last few pockets of resistance and make sure no further skirmishes would break out. Peace was the idea, and it was long past time that the FEMA City assholes accepted that.
There seemed little that she could do at this point, though. Most of the work was carried out by the assault mechs that could actually bully other assault mechs into compliance, which left her with little to do until Hammerhand found something that needed repair.
Likely his Excalibur, if and when he ever recovered it.
In the meantime, though, she was content to go through the repairs the Minato so desperately needed. Even so, speakers across the city called for all FEMA City soldiers and fighters to surrender and turn their weapons over, mechanized or not, to the Knights Mechanica for appropriation. He was very insistent that while this was most definitely a coup, it was done so the people of the city could decide who they would have governing them.
An election was in the works too.
"I guess that's what the switch did," Mini commented as she pulled the back panels open. “What are you doing there?"
"I want to try to find that damn inertia dampener. This is the last damn time that I'll nurse bruises from being knocked around in the cockpit all day long."
"Follow the red wiring until you reach a small control panel. It'll light up."
Jessica13 grunted. "Thanks. I would have found it myself, you know."
"Clearly, but efficiency is the idea, is it not?"
She couldn't help a small smile and patted the shoulder armor of the Minato. "Yeah, I guess so."
Chapter Eighty-Five
Three Weeks Later
People had only now begun to take those damn posters down.
Jessica13 had absolutely no idea how much work would go into an election for a city this large, but sure enough, people had come out of the woodwork to decide who would be in charge of rebuilding the city now that the old regime had been overthrown.
Hammerhand had insisted that he and the Knights would only remain for as long as it took for the people to establish their own government and would have no part in how the city was run beyond what he had already done.
She wasn't sure how much people believed him, but it was nice to remain in the same place, at least for a while. Sleeping in an actual bed and being able to work with people to rebuild their homes while enjoying real food had been a treat as well.
Now, however, the election was over, and she basked in the sunlight and enjoyed a cool drink of something sweet and orange.
Robert7 dropped into the seat beside her, carrying a plate of food that had been served after the election finished.
"Do you want some?" he asked and held it out for her.
With a smile, she shook her head. "I already had my fill and was enjoying a quick break before I get back to work. People have offered me food all day since Erica8 was elected as the mayor."
"Suit yourself. It means more for me. But you might want to rethink that. Hammerhand announced that he and the Knights will move out as quickly as possible now that everything's settled and the reconstruction is underway. Maybe he feels staying here for three weeks is a little too long."
She nodded. "I suppose. He doesn't like to remain in one place for too long, and I have a feeling he won't want to stay in this one place in particular for any longer than he has to. There are too many bad memories for him, I expect."
"Being in prison?" the pilot asked around a mouthful of what looked like meal cake.
"I doubt that memory will haunt him. Tinker was one of his oldest friends and the loss impacted him more than he'll ever admit. I think he'll be on a revenge path from this point forward unless the Prophet can convince him to keep hunting for Citta Del Mar."
"But Lady Hoot's raiders weren't responsible for any of the deaths as far as I heard. They weren't even involved in the fight."
"No, but he'll still hold her responsible, I wager. Still, not much in the world can predict what he'll do next."
Robert7 nodded and placed his plate on a small table next to his seat. "What about you? What do you think you'll do next?"
Jessica13 straightened and narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you mean?"
"Do you think you'll head out with the Knights too or have you thought about staying? I know the folks around here wouldn't mind having someone of your skills to help get this city into working order."
She pursed her lips. "I've thought about it, but… Well, the Knights may be a hokey bunch but they're my hokey bunch. I've come to believe in what they fight for and I think I belong with them, at least for now. There will be other FEMA Cities out there—other Auburns and other raiders. They'll need to be stopped, and if the Knights want any chance to succeed, they'll need to have me around. Especially now that—"
While she didn't want to think about it, she also knew it
