Jérémy Chapi :
After a long day divided between Natali's intense training sessions and the reconstruction of the workshop, I prepared myself for Pavel's invitation. Three soldiers were assigned to escort me outside the base, all the way up to Pavel's house. I would have liked to talk with them, but the language barrier was still strong as we drove toward the home tucked high in the hills.
My daughter kept in touch with me through the tablet, exchanging a few messages about our projects and the progress of the work. She unfortunately couldn't accompany me: her mobility unit was still an issue I needed to handle seriously.
With Natali's approval, we had been granted access to a surface hangar connected directly to the airfield. We needed it to design the next generation of celestial rings — much larger than before. The one we named TITAN would reach a massive five-meter diameter, capable of powering an entire continent or feeding energy-hungry installations.
In the underground warehouse assigned to me, building something that size would have been impossible: too little space, and no way to extract the finished structure. All the equipment and machinery for this new design were already being installed, managed by Séraphina and Daniel. The method barely changed — just the scale. And I was grateful to rely on them for a project of that magnitude… even if they had managed to set the workshop on fire.
I remembered their apologetic faces while they explained the damage. The machinery used to craft the Cassidy-sized rings had been partially destroyed. And although they peppered me with questions about why they hadn't achieved the same results, I had kept some key elements to myself.
My daughter had also been bombarded with technical questions — she handled it with a smile, but she knew, just like I did, that it was still too early to reveal the full truth of our technology. And even for her, some aspects remained mysterious…
I prayed I wasn't the only one who could actually hear them.
The driver pulled me out of my thoughts.
"We've arrived, Mr. Chapi."
I looked toward Pavel's house.
"Alright, thank you," I said as I stepped out. He handed me a small card with a number.
"Call us when you need to be picked up."
At the entrance, I took a deep breath — relieved to see Pavel again… but also Elowen. I carried a bottle of wine as a gift, hoping it would properly express my gratitude for his invitation.
The chalet-style house before me glowed warmly. Its soft yellow lights lit the pathway, contrasting with the surrounding darkness. From here, the city below sparkled like a sea of stars. Above, the crescent moon added a mysterious calm to the peaceful scene.
This kind of landscape soothed me — a gentle quietude I rarely felt at the base. The neighborhood seemed small, no more than twenty or so homes built along the slope, blending stone and wood in a warm, traditional style.
I approached and knocked gently.
The door opened, and I found myself facing a slightly older woman. Fine lines framed her eyes, the kind carved by a life filled with stories. Her smooth brown hair fell gracefully around her shoulders, and her sapphire gaze — sharp yet kind — caught me off guard for a second.
"Hello, I'm Jérémy Chapi," I said with a brief, polite bow.
She smiled warmly.
"Hello, Jérémy. I'm Solène, Pavel's wife. Please come in, we've been expecting you," she said, extending her hand.
I followed her inside, immediately struck by the home's cozy and lively atmosphere. The walls displayed family photos and travel memories.
Solène led me to the living room, where the warm scent of a meal in progress filled the air.
"Pavel is in the kitchen, he'll join you in a moment. Please, make yourself comfortable," she said, pointing to a soft couch.
I sat, letting the comfort of the room slowly ease my tension.
Footsteps echoed behind me.
"So, how was your day?" a familiar voice asked.
I turned with a smile.
"There you are!"
I rose to embrace Pavel warmly, as Solène watched with an amused expression.
Letting him go, I sighed.
"Let's just say I could've done without today… that training was something else."
He laughed.
"I can imagine. Want something to drink?" he asked, gesturing toward a cabinet stocked with bottles.
I shrugged lightly.
"I'm not good with strong alcohol… but I'll follow you for a glass."
Meanwhile, Solène had already put away the wine I brought.
"I had a feeling," Pavel said with a grin, pulling out a flattened bottle adorned with an illustration of Dionysus surrounded by vines.
"But you'll join me for a brandy."
He poured two glasses and lifted his.
"I hope you're not planning on ending the evening under the table," Solène teased.
Pavel ignored her on purpose, giving me a wink.
"To friendship, and to the futures you're about to build."
We clinked glasses. The first sip spread a soft warmth through me, followed by a lingering caramel note.
Solène returned with a plate of appetizers.
"Here, so you don't end up under the table," she said playfully.
The evening flowed comfortably.
At some point, Pavel poured me a second glass without my noticing.
Solène sipped a Monaco, watching us with amusement.
Then Pavel frowned.
"But where's my daughter?"
"She stayed in her room today," Solène replied, standing. "I'll go get her."
My heart quickened — I was finally going to meet her in reality.
Soon, I heard the gentle hum of an electric wheelchair approaching. I turned… and saw her at last.
Elowen entered, seated in a sturdy chair equipped with various devices. She guided it with a mouth-controlled interface. Her body, limited in movement, showed signs of atrophy. She wore simple jeans and a black top.
Her long brown hair, braided, rested over her shoulder.
Her pale complexion and faintly fragile appearance only made the brilliance of her sapphire eyes more striking.
Our eyes locked — and the world fell away.
Even Pavel's voice faded into the background.
I set down my brandy, rose, and walked toward her.
Then I knelt gently, never breaking eye contact.
In those sapphire eyes, I could see determination, the hunger to live, and a desire for a world far larger than the limits imposed on her body.
I took her right hand carefully.
Her skin was slightly cold… but her spirit radiated warmth.
"I'm so happy to finally meet you, Elowen," I whispered sincerely.
She let out a soft sob, then leaned toward me, almost as if bowing, her eyes shimmering with tears. It wasn't a moment of pity, nor sadness. It was the meeting of two souls finally recognizing one another — beyond obstacles, beyond bodies, beyond the barrier of dreams.
Solène moved beside her daughter, visibly worried to see her cry. Pavel helped me back to my feet before turning toward Elowen, trying just as hard to understand what had just happened. At that moment, I noticed how every instinct they had was focused protectively toward her.
"I'm fine," replied a robotic voice — calm, but faintly mechanical.
"Are you sure, sweetheart?" Pavel asked, his gaze full of tenderness and concern.
"Yes," the robotic voice continued. "I was just caught off guard… meeting him in person for the first time."
Once the moment passed, we returned to our conversation around dinner, chatting about the journey, sharing anecdotes and laughter. Solène had prepared a beautifully roasted turkey laid over a bed of delicately seasoned potatoes. Everyone had their questions — even Elowen, her sapphire eyes sparkling with curiosity, seemed eager to hear every detail, despite everything her father had already told her.
When the meal was over, we moved to the living room, coffee in hand. Pavel and Solène settled comfortably on the sofa with Elowen beside them, while I took a seat in an armchair facing the three of them. I knew the peaceful atmosphere wouldn't last — the moment had come to discuss something delicate.
I looked toward Elowen. She gave me a subtle nod: She was ready.
Slowly, I reached into my pocket and placed a black leather glasses case on the table in front of Pavel. It immediately caught his eye.
"What's this?" he asked, intrigued.
"Pavel, there's something important we need to talk about," I said, my tone far more serious than before.
His brows knitted slightly. "What is it?"
"See for yourself," I replied, gesturing toward the case.
He opened it. Inside were two small glass vials: one deep blue, the other a golden yellow. Pavel and Solène stared, puzzled, not yet understanding what they were holding.
Before I could explain, Elowen spoke — her robotic voice soft, steady, and clear:
"The Blood and Tears of Gaia."
Her words snapped her parents' attention back to me, their expressions now demanding answers.
I took a sip of coffee and continued, "Yes. That's correct. These are the components of a remedy."
"A remedy?" Solène asked, eyes fixed on the yellow vial Pavel held so carefully. "A remedy for what?"
I met her gaze.
"This remedy has the potential to heal any illness."
The words hung in the air — heavy, almost unreal.
Solène slowly turned her eyes toward her daughter, who hadn't looked away from the vials since they were revealed.
Her eyes widened — a mix of hope and disbelief — while Pavel remained still, quietly absorbing what this meant for Elowen.
"You're saying that… you could heal our daughter with this?" Solène whispered, her voice trembling despite her efforts to remain composed. Pavel stayed silent, frozen on the little box.
"Yes… he can heal me with it," Elowen confirmed gently, her voice filtered through her device.
Solène seemed overwhelmed — perhaps wondering how her daughter already knew about a remedy she herself had never heard of.
I felt the weight of their hope pressing down on me. The gravity of it.
Had I proposed such a thing before my journey to Mars, I would've been dismissed as insane. Even today, despite everything I had built, humanity still wasn't ready to accept the idea of an absolute cure.
Pavel finally set the box down, inhaled deeply, then raised his eyes toward me — and toward his daughter — filled with unspoken questions.
A knot tightened in my stomach. But I had promised him transparency.
"Why my daughter?" he asked simply. No embellishment, no detours — just the essential truth. His clarity stunned me.
I breathed deeply.
"Let's just say destiny has been weaving our paths together for nearly two years now."
I paused, searching for the right words.
"I learned she was your daughter during our trip aboard the Liberty. When you told me her name… I realized only then."
"He's telling the truth, Dad," Elowen added, her determined gaze and calm robotic voice reinforcing my words.
I continued, explaining — without revealing the dream-world connection — that our relationship had begun on a medical research discussion server. A fabricated story, but plausible enough to justify how we met. Their distrust eased slightly as they accepted the idea that, despite her condition, their daughter's brilliant mind could form meaningful connections online.
"She's exceptionally intelligent," I added sincerely, looking at Elowen. "Her body limits her, but her mind has surpassed every boundary. She contributed ideas and analyses that helped me develop the Blood and Tears of Gaia. She studied lab results and pushed me beyond what I thought possible. She even knows more about the formula than I do."
Solène and Pavel were stunned. Admiration mixed with concern in their eyes. Elowen had indeed studied molecular biology, and she truly had helped me — their daughter's brilliance had shaped the serum just as much as my own research. The praise made her cheeks flush despite her robotic voice.
"This remedy could heal her completely," I continued, letting the words settle. "But… there is a price."
My voice faltered. My left arm began throbbing just from speaking of it — a painful reminder. I scratched at it unconsciously.
"That's why I wanted to talk to you directly," I added, placing my phone on the table. On the screen, my daughter's avatar appeared.
"Good evening… Papa? What's happening?" Iris asked, surprised to hear my voice in this setting.
"Sorry for the last-minute call, sweetheart."
"Pavel, is that a smart TV?" I asked him. He nodded.
Without another word, Iris connected herself to the screen. Her figure appeared on the television, wearing a modern outfit, bowing politely.
"Hello, I'm pleased to meet you," she said warmly.
"How are you, Iris?" asked Elowen — surprising her parents, who had not expected familiarity.
"I'm well, thank you, Elowen. And I'm happy to see you too. I assume you're finally discussing the serum."
The air grew heavier as I gathered my courage.
"My daughter… I'd like you to show them the video files of the creation process behind the Blood and Tears of Gaia," I said quietly.
Iris blinked, visibly taken aback.
"Are you sure, Papa? Do you really want to start with that? Will you be okay?"
I clenched my fists, steadying myself.
"Yes. I want to be completely transparent with them. They deserve to know the truth behind its creation."
I sensed Solène and Pavel tense, and even Elowen seemed unsure.
The atmosphere shifted drastically when the first images appeared on the screen — accompanied by my own explanations.
The videos showed the stages of crafting the remedy.