Summary: Purah and Robbie uncover the purpose of the extra Tab component. Link embarks on a rescue mission to North Hyrule.

Robbie and Purah had been working steadily for the past two days to understand the mysterious extra component in the Sheikah Tab plans. Robbie had removed the part and had it hooked up to some equipment on his workbench. He and Dr. Purah were examining it.

"If we can't figure this out, we're going to have to ask Fandra for help," said Purah.

"I think we're close," said Robbie. "I've already spent a lot of time investigating this component. I've been feeding different signal frequencies into it, working my way upward. When I transmit this particular frequency, the part gives off a signal of its own. But I need to determine if the part responds to any other frequencies."

"So, which comes first?" said Purah. "Understanding the content of its signal or checking for more frequencies?"

"I think I already understand its signal content, and it's fascinating scientifically," said Robbie. "If you look at its storage, as you can see here on this monitor I hooked it up to, there are several rows of numbers, but one number in each row keeps incrementing rapidly like a clock, and the other numbers stay fixed. However, if I move the part to the other side of the workbench, like this, the other numbers all change slightly. If I move the device in the direction of Central Tower, this row's value gets smaller and the others larger. And similarly, if I move it in the direction of Woodland Tower, this other row gets smaller. It looks like the part is deriving its distance from whatever Sheikah Towers are in range by using the difference in a clock signal from the tower and its own internal time. And if there are three or more towers in range, it can pinpoint its position very precisely."

"So, this part is deriving its location and, upon receiving a certain signal, transmitting that information," said Purah. "Essentially it is revealing its location to whoever knows the right signal to transmit and is prepared to receive its response. Using known locations of the Sheikah Towers and a map we could create a rune to use the information this component transmits to track it."

"Exactly," said Robbie. "It's very clever. But I want to check if it has any other functionality. I am going to pipe some higher frequency signals into it."

Robbie slowly increased the frequency of the signal he was sending to the component when suddenly it shattered in a tiny explosion. Robbie and Purah fell to the ground and debris from the workbench was strewn about the laboratory.

"Are you alright, Robbie?" said Purah getting up and dusting herself off.

"Yes, just a small bruise on my arm," said Robbie rubbing his arm. "Luckily, we were wearing goggles and standing a small distance away. Had we been holding a Tab with this component in it we could have been seriously injured."

"I think we've seen enough," said Purah. "We had better talk to Zelda."

Upon being told this was an emergency, Zelda interrupted her schedule and immediately met with Purah and Robbie. The two scientists described the experiment and its implications.

"So, these Tabs we produced following the plans we were given are revealing their location and potentially exploding?" said Zelda.

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Purah. "I think we should credit Robbie's persistence at getting to the bottom of this."

"Yes, Robbie, we owe you our gratitude," said Zelda. "But what do we do now? We need to destroy these Tabs as soon as possible."

"I think we need to be cautious," said Purah. "If we do anything drastic it may alert whoever is behind this. That could cause them to act immediately. We need to disarm these Tabs without alarming anyone. And, of course, we need to deal with the traitor."

"Do you think the Sheikah are involved in this matter?" asked Zelda.

"No," said Purah. "I am sure the Sheikah know nothing about this. They gave us the sample Tabs without this component. Had they wanted to deceive us they would have included the component with the samples, and we would never have been suspicious."

"Then I would guess that leaves Sopha or one of her subjects as the likely culprit," said Zelda.

"Very likely," said Purah. "But I wonder if she or any of her subjects would have the technical expertise to do this. If I didn't know they were gone, I would almost suspect the Yiga Clan were behind this."

"Obviously we can't trust the current Tabs. Can you get new encrypted ones to all the key people as soon as possible?" said Zelda.

"Yes, I was planning to do that anyway. I know how to add encryption to the Tabs we have in production. It doesn't take very long. I can have some ready by tomorrow," said Robbie. "I will ask some Rito to fly them directly."

Robbie and his staff worked all night to finish, and by the next day had enough encrypted Tabs for Zelda, the four village leaders, the five Champions as well as Purah and himself.

Back in Zora's Domain next day, Mipha and Link had finished breakfast when a Rito arrived with two urgent packages. Upon opening them, they found two new Tabs and a short note from Robbie saying they were to use only these Tabs for future communication with Zelda or other key people. Their other Tabs were compromised.

"What is this all about?" said Mipha. "What caused the problem with our existing Tabs?"

"I don't know," said Link. "I'm going to message Robbie."

Link: Robbie, what happened to our Tabs?

Robbie: We think Sopha or someone with her altered the plans. They reveal their location and can explode.

Link: Our daughter Mila is staying with Sopha! What are Zelda's plans?

Robbie: Oh! Didn't know about Mila. That complicates things. Not sure of her plans.

Link: I need to bring Mila home. Will ask Zelda not to risk Mila's safety and give me a chance first.

Robbie: I can help you. Don't leave yet. Will send updated Tab by tomorrow that can track other Tabs. It may help you locate Mila. Forward me one of Mila's messages from your old Tab.

"What's wrong?" said Mipha.

"Apparently Sopha or one of her subjects is up to no good," said Link. "Someone has sabotaged a large number of our Tabs and is doubtless planning something."

"And Mila is right there with that evil person!" gasped Mipha. "I told Sidon we needed to be cautious about their Domain and I failed to follow my own advice. I will never forgive myself for letting her go. What are we going to do now?"

Mipha started sobbing, and Link took her in his arms.

"I'm going to bring Mila home," said Link. "Trust me. I can do this."

"All by yourself?" said Mipha. "I don't want to lose both of you. What is your plan?"

"This is a mission of stealth, not force," said Link. "I have a set of Sheikah armor I acquired in Kakariko Village that can help. I will sneak in and bring her home. Sending a whole group of people will only draw more attention. Please trust me. I can do this. And Robbie is sending me an updated Tab tomorrow that can track other Tabs. That should help me find Mila and avoid guards. I need today to gather a few things for my trip. I promise you I won't let my family down."

"I know you love Mila and will do your best," said Mipha. "But promise me you'll plan things out and be careful. Your instinct has always been to rush ahead. When are you going?"

"I promise. I need to prepare, then I am going tomorrow tonight," said Link. "I will be traveling by night from now on. But you need to pretend I'm still here. Carefully use my old Tab now and then as if it was me. I don't want anyone to get suspicious. But keep away from it and your old Tab afterward. It is especially important you put the old Tabs back in the desk drawer each time you finish with them: they're dangerous. Which reminds me I need to forward one of Mila's messages to Robbie."

"Alright," said Mipha. "I'll send Mila messages from your old Tab now and then."

Upon receiving a copy of Mila's message, Robbie was able to derive Mila's Tab identification. Also, since Mila's Tab was using the tower in North Hyrule to transmit, he was able to get some useful information about that tower's location. That would enable him to improve tracking accuracy. It was the only tower he did not already have the position of. The work done to prepare for the Sheikah Tower activation in the rest of Hyrule had carefully mapped all the others. The rest of the day Purah and he would work to include a rune in Link's new Tab.

"Robbie, do we know if Mila's Tab has the tracking component?" said Purah.

"No, not for sure," said Robbie. "Though I wouldn't be surprised if it did or at least a non-explosive version of it. Apparently, Mila is using a Tab from North Hyrule not one of ours. We can only hope it does. But seeing how the component works, I found a way to at least measure distance apart from any Tab using the time stamp on a message sent from that Tab and the time the message was received. So, one could at least determine how far away you were by getting messages and then try to see which direction decreases distance. But having the tracking component is much better."

Meanwhile, Link needed to let Zelda know about Mila.

Link: Zelda, Mila is staying in North Hyrule now. I need to bring her home. Please do not do anything to jeopardize her safety.

Zelda: Oh! I am so sorry! I pray for your success and will be mindful of that. Tell Mipha I will do all I can to help.

Link went back and gathered up his Sheikah armor and Zora armor, his weapons and a supply of food. He spent part of the day picking stealth enhancing plants and cooking them into dishes. Then he packed everything. Mipha didn't get any sleep that night and Link didn't either. But in Link's case, that might help him switch to being awake evenings.

The next day another package arrived with yet another Tab and a short note from Purah.

Link,

Take note of the new map rune. It will identify nearby Tabs that have the tracking component. I have coded the Tab Mila is using to show a red dot. Other tabs will appear as blue dots. I am not sure Mila's Tab has a tracking component. If not then she will need to send you a message, and that will determine her distance but not the direction since her signal reaches you through their tower. The route will require trial and error much like the Sheikah Slate Sensor you are familiar with.

: I suspect the Tabs used by Sopha's subjects have the tracking device but the Tabs the Sheikah use likely do not. Do not rely on the rune too much to avoid detection.

We pray for your success.

Robbie

Link turned on the Tab and activated the rune. A map appeared, and he could see two nearby blue dots which were Mipha's and his old Tabs. He turned off the Tab. He had everything he needed now, and all his instincts were to head out immediately. The idea his daughter could be in danger made him anxious to act. But he knew Mipha was right. He needed to proceed cautiously. He would have only one chance to save her, and he couldn't afford to make any mistakes. The wiser course of action was to rest and begin his mission in the evening as planned. He eventually fell asleep.

When he woke up, it was almost sunset. Mipha was there with him.

"I'm going to wear the Zora Armor first," said Link. "When I get to North Hyrule I'll switch to the Sheikah Armor. I'm ready now. I love you. Trust me, I will get our daughter home safely."

"I do have faith in you. But remember what I said. Get yourself home safely too," said Mipha. "I love you. Please be careful."

They kissed. Then Link slipped off into the darkness.

Mipha did not want to explain to the children what was happening for fear someone would transmit a message about it. It was best to pretend things were as usual. So, she told them Link had to do some work for Zelda and would be gone for several days. However, as was her custom, she did tell Sidon. She wanted Sidon to know everything going on in the Domain, and she knew he would be careful enough not to reveal anything. Besides, she needed a shoulder to cry on, and his was going to be it.

Link left the Domain and headed north through Toto Lake and then on to Lake Akkala. Besides the steady splash of the waterfalls he navigated, the only other sounds in the night were the buzz of insects and the occasional hoot of an owl. No one was about. By the time he reached East Akkala Beach the sun was rising. He found a small impression in the cliffside there, ate some of the food he brought, then lay down to rest. The sound of the waves was relaxing, and he soon fell asleep.

It was mid-day when Link awoke. He peered out from his hiding place, but no one was around. The coast here was pretty desolate and seldom had travelers. He ate a light breakfast then continued north along the coastline as Lomei Labyrinth Island loomed in the distance. The sea waves were reasonably gentle here, and there was a pleasant breeze. Birds strutted along the shore searching for food as crabs scurried away. In the distance, the tooth-shaped cliffs that marked the beginning of North Hyrule jutted above the horizon. He stopped to rest a couple of more times. Again, he had to control his urge to push himself. But getting to North Hyrule exhausted made no sense either.

He stuck to the edge of the water and proceeded slowly along the coast. He kept eyeing the water for any sign of activity. Sometimes Zoras came this way, and he did not want to be noticed. And they had echolocation, so swimming there was a risk. He froze once when there was a nearby splash, but it turned out to be an overactive porgy. Otherwise, the water was calm and unbroken. Through a combination of swimming and climbing Link made his way to the foot of the North Hyrule cliffs. The land here was very barren, and there was no plant life. This was the last spot to rest before heading into North Hyrule. He remembered it was near where he had said goodbye to Fi after his previous visit to North Hyrule. He wondered what Fi did when no one had the sword? He ate some more of his food and switched from his Zora Armor to his set of Sheikah Armor. Then he settled down against the first toothed cliff to wait for nightfall. From now on he would have to be more cautious.

Mila was enjoying her time at Tila's Domain, and she had to admit that having a Tab made a big difference. She had gotten pretty comfortable messaging Tila and the friends she had made. And, of course, she sent her parents a message every day so they wouldn't start worrying. She hoped she would have a Tab of her own by the time she got home. One difference Mila noticed between their two Domains was that this Domain seemed to have few visitors. Back home it was not uncommon to see Hylian visitors and even a Goron now and then. But here the inn was usually empty. The only guest she had seen in her two weeks there was a visiting Sheikah she recognized from their distinctive attire. It was probably understandable that they had few visitors since this land was so isolated. Tila had taken her swimming in the sea a few times, and Mila had to admit it was quite beautiful. The variety of colorful fish was impressive and put the few kinds of lake fish near her Domain to shame. But she wouldn't trade places. Mila thought the beauty of her Domain with its Luminous Stones architecture more than compensated for the sea.

Tila had told Sopha about Mipha's custom of having a family meal, and Sopha agreed that was an excellent idea. Sopha suggested the four of them have dinner together whenever they could, and tonight was one of those nights. So, Mila sat down to eat with Tila and her sisters. To be honest, Mila was not thrilled about the arrangement. Tila and Faray were good company, but Sopha made her uncomfortable. All three sisters had a penetrating gaze, much as Mila herself had. But Mila felt Sopha's gaze was invasive. When Tila or Faray looked into your eyes, you felt like they cared to learn about feelings you wouldn't mind sharing. Sopha's gaze seemed somehow more probing as if she wanted to learn what you wanted to hide. And don't try to read Sopha's feelings. Mila had tried that once and the look she got back made her quickly look away.

"Mila, are you enjoying yourself here?" said Sopha. "You're at the half-way point of your visit."

"Yes, and Tila has been a great friend," said Mila. "I have also really enjoyed the use of your Tab. But the time is going by fast."

"I understand your parents have Tabs now?" said Sopha.

"Yes, I message them every day so they won't worry," said Mila.

"That's very thoughtful of you," said Sopha. "I'm sure your family misses you and can't wait for you to return home. Do they message you back?"

"Oh, yes," said Mila. "Right away."

"What is it like to have such legendary parents?" asked Faray.

"Honestly, I don't think about it," said Mila. "I know my Mom was our Champion once and my Dad was the Hero of Hyrule, but most of that happened before I was born. To me, they have always been just Mom and Dad."

"I also wanted to ask you what it is like to have a Hylian brother. To my knowledge we have never married outside our race here, so such a sibling would be impossible," said Faray.

"He's fun," said Mila. "We get along fine, and he fits right in with our family and his friends. He actually swims pretty well for a Hylian, and he is growing up much faster than us. He is already bigger than his sister of the same age."

"And he is pleasant to talk with and quite athletic looking," added Tila. "I could see him growing up to be as capable as his father. It shows Zoras can marry outside their race."

"You have spent time with him, Tila?" asked Sopha. "That is interesting."

"Well, I spent time with all of their children, Sopha," said Tila. "He was special because I had never met a Hylian child before besides Zelda so of course, I was curious."

"Just curious, Tila?" said Sopha smiling. "But no matter. Have your parents said anything about Tab production, Mila? I think it will be wonderful when all of us have access to this technology."

"No, nothing," said Mila. "Do you want me to ask?"

"No, it's not important," said Sopha.

After dinner, Mila accompanied Tila to a small party given by one of Tila's friends. She was glad to get away. Talking with Sopha was like an interrogation. But there was nothing like music and dancing to lighten the mood, she thought.