Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again.-Chapter 724: The Answer is ’No’

Oh no, Sunshine thought, her legs feeling like lead. The vote went sideways.

She stood at the center of the vast, echoing room, her hands clammy and shaking. She tried to tuck them into her pockets, but she didn’t have pockets. She settled for fidgeting with her fingers, looking everywhere but at the Council members.

Commander Melvin, seated at the center, cleared his throat_ a loud, artificial sound that echoed off the high ceilings. He looked tired. Not the ’I need a nap’ tired, but the ’I’m weary of the world’ tired. "Sunshine Quinn," Melvin began, his voice heavy. "The Council has spent a great deal of time discussing your proposal regarding the Prime Core and the assistance of our Master Repairmen." He paused. The silence lasted a heartbeat too long. "Unfortunately, the Council has rejected your offer."

The words hit her like a physical blow_ but she saw it coming. Sunshine flinched, her mouth hanging open. "Why?" she blurted out, the word escaping before she could filter it. "Do you not want the prime core?! You could do so much with such a mineral. Think of the power it wields, the things it can be used to accomplish. I have seen some of those things for myself. Why would you refuse this opportunity?"

"We owe you no explanation!" Zevran barked, leaning forward with a predatory glint in her eyes. "No one questions the decisions of the Council, especially not a certain someone that does not qualify to be a repairman."

Melvin’s hand came down on the desk with a crack that sounded like a gunshot. "Zevran Mephis! That is enough!" He turned a chilling gaze on her. "If you speak out of turn one more time, I will have you suspended from this session and the next three. Do I make myself clear?"

Zevran bristled, her jaw tight, but she sank back into her seat with a muffled huff of satisfaction. "Yes sir, you are."

Melvin turned his gaze back to Sunshine. His eyes softened, shifting from steel to something approaching kindness_ or perhaps just pity. "Sunshine, understand this: in the eyes of the Council, the Prime Core is more of a liability. Earth needs to be rid of it; I am sure that you know it’s owners and what they do.

We are willing to help in that capacity because we feel that helping the earthlings ’get rid’ of it is for the best. As for fixing your sky, I am sorry, but we cannot risk our Master Repairmen on a project that is so dangerous and will earn us new enemies."

Sunshine felt the air leave her lungs. She let out a short, defeated laugh that ended in a shaky breath. She wiped a stray tear from her cheek with the back of her hand. They had cornered her. They knew she was terrified of the effects of the stones. They knew she wanted them gone from her world, and they were using her own desperation against her.

If she handed the prime core for destruction, she would just be handing it over for free. They would get what they wanted at zero cost. This was not something she had anticipated.

She took a deep breath and looked at Melvin. "Please," she whispered. Then, losing all her remaining pride, she decided to beg.. "Please. I’m begging you. I’ll pay any price. I’ll work for the Council for the rest of my life; I will pay in different currencies. Just... help me fix it. Don’t let my world get destroyed." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"The decision is final," Melvin said, though he looked like he hated saying it. "To send our master’s to perform a repair of that magnitude is too dangerous for the organization’s stability."

Zevran made a tiny, satisfied "humph" sound.

Melvin shot her one last warning glance before looking back at the broken girl on the floor. "Truly, I am sorry. I am sure your hopes had been raised so much. And for what it’s worth, I sincerely hope that you find a way to save your planet. When do you plan to turn in the stones for destruction."

Sunshine looked down, her eyes red. Destroying it meant Earth would be safe from the mutations at least, but it also meant losing something that was strong enough to fight the watchers. But at this point? She didn’t have the luxury of choice; the prime core effects were just too dangerous.

Much as she wanted to be vengeful and hold on to the stone, it wasn’t a good choice. She nodded slowly, "I don’t have all the pieces, just a little. I will turn in more as I collect them. Thank you for your time." she choked out.

"The meeting is adjourned," Melvin announced, standing up. "We leave for Pyraeth in one hour to begin the destruction process preparations. Go to Vortan. He will provide you with the gear needed for the atmospheric shifts on Pyraeth."

Sunshine nodded sluggishly. She took a step, her knees trembling, and walked out of the chamber. She felt like a ghost haunting her own body. When she pushed through the waiting room doors, her friends paused. Nine took one look at her face and dropped his bottle of blue fizz. It shattered on the floor, sending pink liquid splashing everywhere.

"Suni?" Nine asked, his voice dropping an octave.

Sunshine didn’t say a word. She just walked toward him, and the moment his legs went around her in a hug, the dam broke. She sobbed into his thorax, her fingers gripping his jacket like a lifeline.

"What am I going to do, Nine?" she wailed, her voice muffled. "They said no. They won’t fix it. Everything is falling apart today; earth will eventually die."

Nine didn’t have a joke. He didn’t have a witty comeback. He just held her, looking over her head at Vortan with wide, helpless eyes.

Vortan let out a long, defeated sigh, leaning his head against the wall. He looked older than he had ten minutes ago. He stared at the ceiling, the light reflecting off his weary eyes. "I told you, "He whispered to no one in particular. "I had a bad feeling."

He looked at Sunshine, then at the floor, and realized that for the first time in his career as a supervisor, he had absolutely no solution to offer. The tunnel Nine had seen the light in. It wasn’t an exit. It was just more darkness. "All you can do is level up fast but even then, it would take you time to become a master repairman. By the time it happens, I am afraid there won’t be much left of your world to save." He whispered.