Another wave slams into my ship, knocking my helmet against the side of the pod. Rigidity leaves my body. My head lolls back from the thought-shattering hit.
The universe tips and spins. And all I see is the chip, my father's chip, its honeycomb pattern hovering before me.
I don’t know how, but I find the strength to lift one arm and drunkenly capture it in my hand.
Dad…help me.
Tools and gear tumble through the cabin. My backpack drifts by, pieces of MRE bars and crumbs flying out of it. Navigation systems black out. Other systems crack. Thrusters sputter. Screens flicker. Colorful light blazes over the windows.
I clutch the chip to the armor on my chest, unwilling to let this galaxy take this one last piece of my family away from me.
“Please…Anyone.”
Chapter 3: Evo
The digibadge on Eon’s armor is dark. He’s switched off the nano link, so his suit doesn’t share hisskillswith me. He hasn’t forgotten, even after all these years. Titans aren’t the only things that can change me. To avoid the casual bump-shift, I keep my suit’s nano-relay system off unless I absolutely need it.
Eon>>Evo: Request to send recorded data since last meeting.
Evo>>Eon: Confirmed.
A download starts in my core, showing me Eon’s video feed since I last saw him. It begins years ago and shows the CSP officer, Iliad, shoving a boot in Eon’s side, launching my twin out an airlock with a grenade, and then turning on other Titans. I watch Eon’s armor splinter and then feather away from the bright white blast.
I do not have to close my eyes to see his memories replay. Omega Force soldiers often compared it to daydreaming. The difference is that I am also aware of what is going on around me and am monitoring the ships in different parts of the galaxy.
For years, Eon was lost among the debris field, hunting through the space junk of dead battles, repairing himself, cycling between frozen nap cycles and rotating his body to soak up the distant sun, his only source of power. I hear him in the recordings, praying for a chance to kill humans, losing his mind to the maddening darkness and silence, and even breaking down as his hope faded.
I wish I knew some way to ease his emptiness. “I am sorry, Brother.”
Then I receive his recording of a pieced-together scavenging ship in the debris field. He climbs through the remnants of dead battleships, infiltrates the vessel, and kills the CSP onboard. But there is a female he doesn’t harm, one who protects and cares for him. And there is an old man whom Eon heals.
“What happened on the ship?” I ask. “What made you not kill all the humans?”
Recordings include external audio and internal thoughts. But my Brother’s mind is quiet in the replays, which means his decision was not conscious or immediate.
Eon smirks and glances at me.
And then, in the recordings, I find the video of the human female’s skin.
Allof it.
“Raven.” Eon waggles his brows as the recording of them joining Rogue Fleet plays. He has been with them for a while. “She saved the part of me that not even a Creator could fix. She has our kind of loyalty. Her former CSP friend, Lucky, is one of the few who repaired us on CSP ships. I am certain you will approve of them. But don’t get any ideas about Raven. She ismine.”
I had hoped, like many Brothers, that we would win the war and earn our Titan females from the Creators. We lost. CSP’s betrayal makes it impossible to know if we could’ve won. But I am glad to know Eon has found a female who makes him complete, even if we are destined to fail again. At least he is happy with what remains of this existence.
I just wish the revelation didn’t make me feel so obsolete. He is here, but he is also, no doubt, with her in his core. I was relieved when he arrived. Now, I am sinking back into my desire to remain alone. I need my Brother. He does notneedme. He has Raven.
“You are not the only one who was lost because of CSP’s betrayal.” Eon sits back. “Human females are powerful. I heard from Relic unit Redline that his mate, Aniah, saw you break free and protect her and the others trying to escapeVessna.”
“I did. But why have the Rogues not returned to battle in two years? Why not look for the Relics? They needed help.”
Eon stares up at the ceiling like he’s still grateful for it. “Aegis was badly damaged. The nebula sheltered them and slowly powered up the ship. But there are no supplies out here. So they sent out just one crew at a time to salvage what was needed in order to keep a low profile. We are still not ready. Definitely not for this number of humans who need food.”
He looks over at me.
Eon>>Evo: Request download since last meeting.
He was alone in space for years, praying for a chance to kill humans, until he met one he could only love. Eon deserves it after years of torture. I do not.
