“I can’t say I’m happy about this, but I suppose, since the Federation covered up the Sanctuaries’ existence in the first place, its president ought to be the one to take responsibility and reveal them to the public again. I concede that my presence would otherwise rather draw suspicion.

I suppose as well that I have no need to attend this ‘special viewing’ or whatever, since I saw it all as it was happening. Really though Lheticus, you’re more audacious than I thought, bringing a Memory Gem onto a Sanctuary world. I rather like it.”

A few hours later, some of the staff there had gotten Serayne situated, and someone else had sent for the virtual space capsule I'd used before the Sanctuaries fell at Grosstin's main training facility. While that was all being set up, I reviewed the Memory Gem recording, making sure there were no issues except when it cut out in the "back rooms." There were quite a few parts I'd need to fast-forward through and skip, safely assuming that the political and military VIPs present didn't want this to take all day. That wasn't a problem, though.

I returned to the virtual space, intending to head straight for my games collection—but the entire team was waiting for me the moment I entered. I was quickly overwhelmed by their congratulations, and I do mean overwhelmed.

"A—are you crying?" said Anna.

"I—I'm sorry it's just," I sniffed and continued, "before I arrived at the Tower...I never had anything like this. Don't get me wrong," I paused again as Mewi drew me into a hug, "I never had a bad life. My family was loving, even if some of them were overbearing, and I had, well, I had a few friends at least.

But I...I never belonged anywhere or with an actual group of people like this. I'd given up on ever finding a place I belonged or people I belonged with this much." I was ugly crying now, my voice distorted. "I just don't know how I can ever thank all of you..."

Later, Mewi was gaming with me to help me unwind. We were playing an online game, which restricted our options a lot since to play online against others we were restricted to such games played by others wealthy enough to afford x20 time dilation. Other than the racing game he always kicked my ass at, there weren't much more than a dozen games with their lobbies not barren.

As an aside, MMORPGs were scarce to the point that there weren’t even any which supported so much as a single server at x20 speed.

"I didn't know you felt that way, you know," he said.

"About what, Mewi?"

"Belonging. I mean, you feel like you belong with me, right?"

"There are people I belonged with, and you absolutely were and are one of them, but never a group. Never an actual group or clique or anything. I mean yeah, I had a loving family, but even loving families usually have people you can take or leave, I think."

"I guess...but it's just a little strange. You're starting to seem so much happier that you're here than if the Tower had never taken us. That's kind of what you sounded like."

"I—I wasn't intending to, I mean, I wasn't...I mean, of course if the Tower hadn't started taking people I still could have been happy."

"Just not as happy as you are with this team? You all but said you belong more in this Tower world than our world!"

The game idled, forgotten. "Yeah, maybe I did. And maybe I do."

Mewi gave a long sigh. “Yeah...I don’t know about more than our old world but I can’t deny I feel pretty at home in the Tower by now too. Lheticus...we’re not going to be able to go back, are we?”

I went as far as turning the game feed off. “I think that’s been pretty obvious for a long time, now.”

We embraced, on the couch I’d had placed in my virtual gaming pad. “Yeah...” said Mewi, “At first I tried not to think about it, and throwing myself into Bruzigan’s training helped, but then at some point I realized that I was starting to forget a lot of things about the people I left behind when the Tower took me...”

“I kinda know how you feel,” I said, “I keep cracking these obscure references, mostly in my own thoughts, but you remember the time that one Leech complained?”

“Yeah...you were so calm about telling him off I think you freaked him out more than if you had shouted.”

“Yeah well, that’s all about not forgetting where I came from, ya know?”

“I kinda figured. So...wanna play something else next?”

“Maybe something co-op.”

There was no shortage of those to choose from, and we were in the middle of picking one to start with when I got an alert for someone attempting to contact me also within the virtual space. A screen appeared in front of me, displaying Anna’s face. “Lheticus. I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”

“Not really, did you need me for something?”

“Need? No...I was just sort of thinking...you and Mewi keep playing those games to relax, like, all the time. I never really took up anything just for fun like that, even before I ‘joined’ Shumba. I was thinking maybe you could show me what the big deal was?”

I gave Mewi an inquisitive look. He responded with a cheeky, beaming grin the like of which I’d rarely seen from him. “Oh sure. In fact, we were just about to pick a co-op game, something like that would probably be pretty good for an introduction since we could help you out directly in the game. Come on in.”

So that was how our gaming sessions grew from 2 to 3 people. As for spending time privately with Mewi in the virtual space, let’s just say that we did have...other activities available there.

I didn’t just game and relax, or “relax,” of course. I would be expected to take charge of presenting the intel footage I’d taken from the Memory Gem, which now wouldn’t just be viewed by the rest of the team, but by the president, the Federation Council Chairman, and basically all of the highest ranked officials of the Federation Government. After a solid 12-hour session to decompress, I went over the footage, working out what comments I’d make along the way, where I’d want to pause it for detailed discussion, or fast-forward it when nothing much was happening.

Bruzigan, as the one of us with the most direct political experience with Federation officials, helped me out there. In fact, there was one thing he caught that I was particularly glad of. The look on his face when he saw my Tower First achievement may have been priceless, but after he told me just how much even a single crystal was worth, I agreed that it was for the best if that achievement was kept secret. After all, it wasn’t as though anyone else who cleared all a Sanctuary’s trials was likely to get it.

Of course, Memory Gems were renowned for being unfalsifiable. It was totally impossible to alter the images they showed in any way. However, the one thing that was possible was to erase all or part of the memories stored on one. It was a bit tricky to erase just the very small part that showed the Tower First achievement, and the cut looked far from seamless, but with a little luck, people would have their minds too much on the already incredible perks that came with being recognized as a Sanctuary Guardian to notice.

After a nice vacation in virtual space, I was rousted from the pod early in the morning. By this point, though I had been forewarned by a message from Edwin, plans had extended to the alliance team attending the president’s special address in person.

It would be the first time we were all together outside of the virtual space other than meeting up for Floor missions since the Sanctuaries had fallen. Between that and the speech, this promised to be a huge event even without what would take place behind closed doors afterward.

There wasn’t a need to take a vehicle to the site of the conference, though. After all, the seat of the Area 1 Federation’s executive branch was Sections 1-3 of the Pantheon. With such an event imminent, security in those Sections and several Sections surrounding them was as intense as it was tense. Mewi arrived at Grosstin’s office mere minutes after I’d finished getting ready, which included formal wear that still managed to be quite decent equipment. We went together with Edwin to the Sections of the Federation government offices, and just to be emphatic about it, Mewi had the idea to hold hands through the entire gauntlet of low-level press and uninvited amateurs looking for pictures and video and holo-footage.

We got past that, and were about halfway through the second gauntlet, that of security personnel slated to challenge our identities and our patience, when I heard a voice call out:

“Now, I think that’s enough hassling our most special guest, men. I’ll vouch for these three the rest of the way.”