April helped him up and back to the craft, well they both helped each other. Back at the main ship, the risk she had taken to say goodbye was leaving the Hova. April could not actually penetrate all their minds to take the idea of interfering with the craft from the rest of the crew completely, at least not at her level. What she did was place an area of effect mental "spell" with the center of it being herself.
From her the "spell" would constantly pulse, so that within that specific small range an air of repulsion from her self would exist the closer you are. Under the area of effect, the "spell" was unbiased and would therefore affect April as well hence the need to stay on the craft for her consequent plans, leaving the craft was a mental trigger she set. Since the craft was close to the main ship, as an early preparation April had made, they were all affected. The thought of interfering with the craft was held back in their minds by their own will , like avoiding a really nasty sight or smell to self preserve.
Obviously, this would still have been mentally taxing on April. However, since this was only a subpart of the actions and events back there, It was probable that only one crew member was given the task. This made it easier for April's mind. Many factors are always in play and the crew member tasked with it might have not placed too much importance or thought to it, reducing the weight on April even further, they probably thought it was like going to make a cup of coffee.
They slumped down against the opposite walls as soon as they got in. The door hissed and with the same soft sound from earlier closed. They did not move from the half meter entry "hallway". The inside he had not seen before, last time he was on the craft he was passed out. It was well lit, clean and minimalistic. To some extent it exuded a feeling of warm comfort contrasting with the artificial white lighting.
After taking a moment's glance, Ian closed his eyes in exhaustion and tried controlling his heavy breathing down. They both looked completely worn out, April surprisingly the one to a more extreme state. They sat there for what could have been a minute of silence before Nai's low voice sounded, "Thank you … " He meant for both times but he had never been good at formalities or expressing politeness, it had always felt awkward and like a forced persona to him.
April did not respond yet, her long dark eye lash eyes and dark pupils staring at Nai.
Another moment of silence passed before Nai's voice came again, this time unhurried and sounding guilty, "You were right, you know … I am also a victim … but unless you already know of a way to save him like you said I'm really of no help" he opened his eyes, tilted his head so that their eyes locked and after a heavy sigh he continued, "Why did you help me? Merim was not wrong, I took the body of her brother. The body of your … friend" His voice was pleading the guilt now evident in it.
With a slight chuckle and a soft exhausted voice, "Merim is always on the tip of balance, usually well under her control but I knew something like this … even the thought of it would cause her to loose her usual sharp thought process and act irrationally" April paused for her moment , " What if you are still Nai and your brain or memories got tampered with?"
"I am not" He interrupted, almost rudely.
"Yes, I believe you … I know. Still, her reaction would have been exaggerated, I mean look at you. She probably bashed your head in to try and remove the face of her brother to convince herself before killing you"
"So back there, you and Domnik conspired to help me?"
"No, I had no reason to trust anyone else for help and the least was Domnik … " with a grunt she shifted and fixed her position causing Nai to do the same, Ian winced the injured parts of his body finally catching up to him in the real sense.
"You would have gone through with it on your own? Against your own friends …"
April chuckled at the word but did not explain herself. Ian stared at her, she was pretty but not right now. The blood from her nostrils had gone down one side of her face and was painted on her left cheek, this must have happened either when they "teleported" or when the Hova fell. Her hair was tussled, the paleness to her now sweaty skin had increased and her eyes seemed to miss a certain spark to them they had earlier.
Ian seeing she was not about to continue thought it the perfect moment and person to bring everything up, "Back there, Merim said earth was destroyed three thousand years ago …" The statement said in an inquisitory manner. April studied him for a second, there was a twitch on her brows, "You really do not know?" Ian did not respond only slightly nodding his bloodied head and face. She sighed and with her slight chuckle continued, "Well you heard it right, but as you can see I'm not even twenty years old … I only know the general idea of it all. Do you really know nothing? About the angels, dragons, titans ... all of them and us?"
"Like I said, I'm from earth and before I woke up in 'his' body that is last where I was"
"So what happened exactly? What was earth like? How did humans live back there?" She sounded almost excited even though she looked exhausted.
"You were supposed to be answering my questions first" Ian replied with a small feeling of connection and pride somewhere deep in his heart, like how it would feel to be the only one to speak a foreign language in your class.
"Sorry … " she stroked her hair behind her ears. Her enthusiasm and manner of speaking was showing her age Ian thought.
"It's okay" he empathized, considering how he felt he was surprised and slightly happy that she felt this sentimental to a home she never knew.
"I-I don't really know how to explain, earth was earth to me you know, that was all it was … mundane. It felt massive to me back then, well not now that you guys are talking about off world and space travel"
"People lead their lives, all of us lead by an invisible will. Some had it better than others, others went out of their way to harm others … I really did not get to experience much of it or know much of how it worked, my life was mundane and really directionless if I think about it now" He was not even looking at her anymore, he seemed to be talking to himself staring at the wall.
Nai's voice trailed off like he did not wish to continue, April was looking at him wishing for something he had not really given her yet. "That sounds boring," she said noticing Nai's silence, "but not that much different, it's all scale I suppose"
He turned to her again, this time his face was expressionless, " So you completely believe me?"
"I'm really good at telling when people are lying, it's not me … it's part of my ability's domain … either You are a really good liar, which seems highly unlikely, believe in your own lie to be the truth or it's actually the truth. Let's just say I'm imaginative"
He studied her, not really seeing her as the beautiful stranger anymore, an imprint of who he assumed she was starting to build up in his mind but still not completely trusting her. She had not really answered the question of why she helped 'him'
"So, you've still not answered my question" He said.
"I'm much like you in a sense, I really do not understand much of how this reality and the position humans currently are in … we really are at the periphery of it all you know"
"All I know is this. Most of this side of the universe is made up of systems, much like the sun system of old earth, each containing a planet or planets either with life or Inhabitable. From these planets many races can manipulate different aspects of the nature of the universe all to different limits, it's known as "Adjacency to Astral" or to the universe and even to some adjacency to God"
April sighed and continued, "Some races are more, well "adjacent" if you understand" He did to some extent but let her continue without interrupting to ask, "At the top of such races are the Angels, the Dragons, Titans, Leviathans and apparently humans could be too, well, the rest of this universe refers to the human race as Sapiens. Back then I really can't tell you what happened because I too do not know, what I know is there is no good blood between all these different factions and I assume that a conflict might have led to the destruction of old earth"
"What I know, however, is that is part of the reason why Humans are known as the nomad gods. There is a war out there and everyone is just playing their role to survive, Merim and our crew were part of a three ship scout party for safe planets for our young to grow while avoiding the constant fighting, this is the reality of things"