“Oh, you big baby.” No sympathy from her. The bot had to be the most exciting thing those young ones ever saw in their brief, hard lives. The look of sheer joy in their eyes was well worth any inconvenience the droid experienced. “I bet you enjoyed every minute.”
“Yeah, well. I’m too young for this…” the bot muttered.
Morgan ignored him and stepped into the engine room whereElemiwas. She sucked in a breath when there was nary a male Ozevroc in sight. The empty place made her smile, knowing they were now tucked safely away in the females’ cages. Which they deserved, thank you very much. With each step, her grin widened as her boots clicked in soft rhythm on the now-pristine floor. Her breath caught as she stopped short when her eyes landed on the previously decimated vesselElemi.
The spaceship sat in the same corner she’d always been in, but was now no longer a crumpled, lifeless husk but something else entirely. The smooth curves of her hull gleamed under the bright lights, like polished stones. There were thin veins of light pulsing just beneath the surface, weaving intricate patterns along her organic skin.
It reminded Morgan of a magnificent creature breathing softly in the stillness. The once-jagged scars and scorched metal were gone, replaced by a seamless blend of organic and metallic textures, like muscle fused to bone in perfect harmony.
As she drew closer, a soft hum of energy filled the air, a faint but undeniable gentle thrum of a heartbeat.
The ship’s bioluminescence shimmered alongElemi’ssides, casting faint reflections that danced across the floor. For the first time in weeks, the ship looked whole—no, not just whole—butalive.
Morgan’s hand hovered near the surface of the ship, tracing the faint glow of the veins that pulsed gently beneath her fingertips. She hesitated. Would the ship respond to her touch in a good way?
The answer came as a soft ripple passed along the ship’s hull. The glow intensified for a moment. Then, with a slight audible hiss, a section ofElemi’ssmooth exterior shifted. The lines of the hull peeled back, not mechanically, but fluidly, as thoughElemiherself was stretching open. The organic material folded in on itself, curling gracefully to form an arched doorway.
Morgan inhaled a sigh of wonder as the pulse of energy brightened.
The opening widened, revealing a soft, glowing interior. Warm, inviting air rushed out.
She swore she heard the faintest sigh, likeElemiherself beckoned her inside. Without a word, Morgan stepped through the archway. Inside, the air maintained its constant, comforting warmth. A soft, rhythmic hum vibrated from the floor and seeped through her boots.
The organic walls shimmered with a translucent sheen, almost like a lustrous pearl. The colors shifted from deep blues to silvery whites as the light moved through them.
The floor beneath her had the faintest give, responsive, yet solid enough to support her weight.
Veins of bioluminescence threaded throughout, winding like roots beneath the surface.
Her every step made them flicker and dance, as though the ship hugged every move she made.
“Well, well, darling,”Elemipurred, her feminine voice smooth like silk, a soft, sultry tone laced with just enough arrogance to remind Morgan whose space she was in. “It’s about time you graced me with your presence. Took your sweet time, didn’t you?”
Morgan glanced around, half expecting to see Elemi’s android form, but it was just the ship speaking to her directly now. “Oh, so sorry. I was a little busy, you know,” she muttered, studying the undulating curves of the walls, trying to make sense of how something like this could be so... alive.
The ship let out a delicate, almost amused hum. “I will let your tardiness slide this time, my dear. But do remember I have my standards and do not appreciate being ignored. However, since your absence allowed my precious Arakiba to get the rest he needed, I suspect you and I will get along fabulously.”
Morgan snorted softly as a slight smile tugged her lips as she put a hand over her heart. “I’ll do my best to deserve your continued support.” Freaking diva.
As she ventured deeper, she exclaimed at how the central control station grew from the floor like a living thing. No cold metal or glass met her gaze; instead, the station arched gracefully, its controls woven organically into the ship’s tissue, pulsing faintly with life. The entire structure seemed to shift and breathe, as if emphasizing it was a sentient creature.
“Touch nothing without asking, love,”Elemisaid with a hint of superiority. “I’ve just regained my health, and I’m far too pristine for rough handling.”
Morgan’s fingers hovered above the glowing surface, resisting the temptation to explore further. She curled her fingers to stop herself. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” Ha! She was such a liar. She’d give anything to explore the intricacies ofElemiat the mechanical level.
“See that you keep that in mind,”Elemipurred again. “I like you, Morgan, truly. But let’s not forget who’s in charge here.”
“Oh, please.” JR12 chimed from his perch on Morgan’s shoulder. “You act like we’re in the presence of galactic royalty. Should we bow, or will a sarcastic clap do?”
“Droid.”Elemiresponded in a huff. “I don’t need validation from something that’s barely more than a glorified calculator.”
“You…”
“Okay, JR12, that’s enough.” Morgan admonished the bot. “Let’s not start something that has no ending.Elemi”—she addressed the ship, keeping her voice steady but respectful—“we’d better leave the Ozevroc ship and head out for the Federation Consortium palatial space station as soon as possible.”
For a moment, the ship was silent, as if contemplating the request. ThenElemiresponded in a voice smooth and rich, with the familiar undercurrent of sass. “Oh, darling, you want to gothere? The Consortium is so...“ A fake sigh. “Dull. All those regulations. Hardly the place for a ship of my elegance.”
It was hard, but Morgan resisted rolling her eyes. Not that it would make much difference. “It’s not like we have a choice. Chloe and Aylzrunth are ready to take this ship to Runihura, and they can’t do that while we’re here. We’ve got to put some distance between us and them so they can take those female Ozevroc to a safe place.” She paused. “You wouldn’t want them to suffer any more than they already have, would you?” Who said guilt wasn’t a useful tool?
