Chapter 19: Of Whales and Betrayals
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"Uuugnh!"  Celes lifted her head.  She looked around; everyone was knocked
out.  She looked at the viewscreen, the sun.

"Shit!"  She jumped to her feet, closed her eyes and called out "WARP!"
It didn't work.  "WARP!" she cried again.  Her necklace - it was gone.  No
time to find it now, just get Rydia's orb.  She ran over to the semi-
conscious Rydia.  She checked her pockets - no orb.  Where was it?

She shook Rydia.  "WHERE'S THE ORB!"

"Ugnh....  My... room."

Celes took off.  Rydia's room.  Rydia's room.  It was imposible to stand.
She had to consciously think about moving her feet.  Left foot, right
foot, left foot, right foot.  She scrambled halfway to crew quarters.  She
wasn't going to make it.  She scrambled back to the ship's controls.  She
had to get the ship out of the path of the sun.  She pressed a few
buttons.  Had to get the ship away from the sun.  She was able to change
the direction a little, but would it be enough?

She wasn't going to wait and find out.  The ship was flying on its side
now.  She was standing on what used to be the left wall of the crystal
room.  She was going to have to somehow jump over all the debris and other
things if she was going to make it.

She counted to three and jumped.  Landed just past the last of the debris.
Safe!  Not out of the woods yet, though.  Rydia's room.  Rydia's room.
Standing on what would be a wall, she tried to make her way across.  Just
then, a letter fell into her hands.  From Edge.  She didn't want to know.
She tucked it in her pocket and moved on.  She had to climb into Rydia's
room, but was finally able to get the orb.  Back out now.  She managed to
crawl on top of the debris.  Over.  Now get to the others.  She did.  Cast
the spell.

"WARP!"

*****

"So what do we do now, FuSoYa?"  It had been about a day since they had
lost the Whale, and they were all still confused.

"I wish Edge were here; he'd know what to do."

Edge!  Celes remembered the note.  She took it out; it was somewhat burned
from the fires inside the whale, but not too bad.  Still readable.  What'd
it say...?  To Rydia.

She handed it to her.  "I found this while I was looking for the orb."

"Oh." Rydia took it, and read it.  "Oh..." she whispered.

"What?"  The others crowded around, trying to get a look.

Rydia held the letter against her.  "No, don't try it."

"What's it say?" Rosa said.

"It explains why Celes couldn't find her orb shard," Rydia replied.

"It's long.  It says more than that," Rosa said.

"From boyfriend Edge," Celes taunted.

"It's not that bad.  Here, want me to read it?"

"Yes!" The others replied unamiously.

"Alright." Rydia cleared her throat.


    My Dearest Rydia,

        I'm sorry.

        My presence on the Big Whale would have caused open hostility
    between Celes and myself.  But don't you think that my aggression was
    unjustified.

        I did see Cecil, if no one else did.  He warned me of Golbez's
    plot.

        Yes, Golbez.

        He abandoned us on the Moon, Rydia.  Left without even so much as
    a good-bye.  If Rosa hadn't have shown up to save us, I fear that we
    would have been killed, without even little pieces of us to look for.

        Celes is an agent of Golbez, sent to gather the Heroes of Light
    together.  Once together, he would have us all destroyed.

        You may not be aware of it, but Celes intends to hurl the Big
    Whale into the Sun.  I know not if FuSoYa is aware of that fact.  He
    may be in charge of steering, but I think he's in for a real shock.

        Please show this to everyone you deem worthy.  As much as I don't
    show it, I truly care for you, Rydia.  And a plunge into the sun is no
    fitting end for friends as noble as Rosa and FuSoYa.

        In case you must resort to violence, be assured that I have taken
    care of Celes's casting abilities.  Do not worry.  The shard is safe
    with me.

        Know this: I am somewhere on the Blue Planet, stalking Golbez.  I
    know where he is.

        Do not try and stop me, Rydia.  I may not return.  Losing you
    would be a far greater pain than being defeated in battle.

    May the Light shine brightly,

    Edge.


"Remind me to pound him next time I see him." Celes said, making a fist.

"The Big Whale was lost in the sun."  FuSoYa's face was pale as he said
the words.  "And you did think of calling the meeting, taking us away from
our stations."

"You don't really think that I..."  Celes didn't want to finish the
sentence.

Rosa stepped up.  "I believe you, Celes."

Rydia stepped up now.  "So do I."

"You would never do something like that, Celes."  Gogo stepped forward.

They all looked toward FuSoYa.  "I have my doubts, I have my suspicions,
but if you say that you didn't do it, I believe you."

"Thanks, everybody," Celes said, smiling.