Chapter 214: A Sight You Want To See
By the following morning, Engineers were already working along the northern waterfront.
The exclusion operation continued farther across the harbor, but most of the cargo berths and repair approaches had remained quiet through the night. Observation teams still watched the water, while the improvised charges stayed along the deeper channels until Engineering finished its inspection.
Hans reached the proposed construction area shortly after breakfast.
Part of the port had survived considerably better than he expected. Two warehouses needed demolition, several loading lanes were blocked by abandoned containers, and one section of concrete near the waterfront had cracked badly enough that the Engineers marked it unusable.
The rest looked promising.
Felix stood beside the Engineer supervising the survey.
"How much?"
The Engineer handed Hans the latest plan.
"Enough for both Shipyards, Commander. The northern section has stable ground, direct deep-water access and enough usable frontage for two production basins."
Hans looked toward the harbor.
The previous day’s artillery had left floating debris scattered across several sections, but the water nearest the proposed site remained calm.
"Any contacts?"
"Nothing inside the exclusion area since last night. Observation picked up movement farther outside the harbor twice."
Hans handed the plan back.
"Clear the damaged warehouses and keep the waterfront covered."
"Yes, Commander."
He walked farther inland.
Engineering had checked the surviving port compounds while surveying the waterfront. None received a Strategic Facility designation. Several specialized sites were too damaged to qualify, while the rest were ordinary warehouses, berths, repair spaces, and cargo-control buildings.
The PCV already covered most of the secured port district. Two completed structures were waiting inside Hans’s interface.
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[ Barracks construction complete. ]
[ Power Plant construction complete. ]
[ Structures ready for deployment. ]
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Engineering had prepared both inland sites while the harbor operation continued. Hans placed the Power Plant near the staging network and the Barracks along the secured road leading into the port.
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[ Power Plant deployed. ]
[ Barracks deployed. ]
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The War Factory, Airfield and both Shipyards were still running through their respective queues.
Hans handed the survey plan back to the Engineer.
"Keep these two sections reserved for the Shipyards. The inland yard stays with the War Factory, and don’t let anything move into the Airfield tract."
"Yes, Commander."
The rest depended on the construction queues—something that Hans could wait out.
...
Hans found Kimmy near the waterfront later that morning.
She and Yunera had wandered farther south from the construction area, where an old pedestrian promenade ran along the safer side of the harbor. Their escort remained nearby without crowding them.
Kimmy stood beside the railing.
Hans approached from behind.
"So this is where you disappeared to."
She turned toward him.
"I did not disappear. You knew where I was."
Yunera looked between them.
"You also disappeared yesterday. I heard you were bombing the fishes."
"It had quite a work in it. You should have been there. The sights were spectacular."
Yunera rolled her eyes.
Kimmy smiled.
"I heard most of it."
Hans stopped beside her and looked across the water.
The harbor was considerably quieter than yesterday. A few damaged boats remained near the farther piers, while floating debris moved slowly with the water beyond the seawall.
Kimmy faced the same direction.
"The sea is strange."
"You said the helicopter was strange too."
"That was because everything moved too quickly." She rested her hands along the railing. "This is different."
"Pray tell, how?"
"I can understand what is close to me. The railing, the pavement, the wall below us, the water near the shore... even some of the boats."
Her expression tightened slightly.
"But farther out, it just ends."
Hans looked toward the horizon.
From where they stood, the sea continued far beyond Saicine Harbor until the water met the pale morning sky.
Kimmy could perceive more of the world than she ever had before, but even that had limits.
"What color is it?" she asked.
Hans glanced at her.
"The sea?"
"Yes."
"It’s clear blue."
Kimmy waited. Hans waited too.
"That is all?"
"What else am I supposed to say?"
Yunera laughed behind them.
Kimmy’s mouth twitched.
"You promised that I would see the world one day. I was expecting a more impressive description."
Hans looked back toward the harbor.
"Fine. Darker farther out. Lighter closer to shore. The water turns almost white where it hits the concrete."
Kimmy listened.
"And the sky?"
"Also blue."
She turned toward him.
Hans smiled.
"What? It is."
"You’re making it sound very convenient."
"I didn’t design the planet."
Yunera laughed again before walking farther down the promenade.
"I’ll leave the expert tour guide to his work."
Hans watched her go.
"She abandoned you rather quickly."
"She abandoned you."
Kimmy shifted closer to him along the railing. For a while, neither of them said anything.
The wind coming from the water carried salt through the harbor, along with the distant noise of Engineering vehicles working around the secured port. Somewhere farther inland, machinery continued clearing the future construction sites.
Kimmy tilted her face slightly toward the breeze.
"I like this."
"The smell?"
"No."
"The destroyed harbor?"
"No."
Hans looked at her.
Kimmy smiled.
"Being able to go somewhere."
Months ago, she had needed someone simply to guide her through unfamiliar rooms. Now she had crossed districts with his army, walked through places she had never been able to understand before, and spent the morning exploring a coastal city without anyone telling her where every step should go.
"You’ll see more," Hans said.
"You always give me promises."
"Yeah. I guess I have promised you too many things."
"I don’t think so."
Kimmy moved one hand away from the railing. Her fingers found his, though he did not pull away.
"Another promise?" he asked.
"No."
Her hand settled more comfortably into his.
"This one is mine."
Hans stared at their hands for another second before closing his fingers around hers. Kimmy leaned slightly against his arm.
"Hans."
"Yes?"
"When we go out there, in the future. Can we... I want to see my parents again. I want to see if they’re okay. Am I asking for too much?"
"For now? Definitely a lot."
"I’m sorry if I spoke too quickly. I—"
"You can’t take a joke?!"
"Hans!"
"Alright, we’ll get to that matter in the future. Can we just enjoy the scenery for now?"
"You’ve already ruined it..."
"Then let me make it up for you."
The harbor remained quiet in front of them. And Hans... silently let it stay that way.