For years, I dreamt of finding just one resistance ship, one last thread that would carry us through this storm to salvation. But seeingAegisnow, in all its shining,pureglory, only reminds me of the Brothers we have lost and how much they deserve to be here instead of me.
Navi and Craze’s modified Ravenger is capable and has allowed Fracture and me to lead our joint force away from Solcruean-occupied orbit above Planet Ellipsis toward the call ofourMothership. Relics couldn’t hear our Rogue Mother’s ping at such a distance, just like we could not hear Pilot Clover or the Relics’ BlazeStar until we were closer.
Relics and Rogues can communicate and work together. But we belong to unique stages of CyberTitan creation, and serve different purposes. Relics were built for Terran warfare. We were built for space.
Now, we must fortify defenses and build new weapons before our next confrontation with the scaly, mutated bastards. It is difficult to believe Solcrue could evolve from humanity. But perhaps, centuries of searching star systems for one that could support life at some point led them through a realm that tainted their minds and bodies.
Humans do not agree. They believe Solcrue have been corrupt since they left their original Sol system. I wouldn’t know. But Solcruehavekilled many thousands, enslaving more onplanets and their ships. I believe the reason they are the way they are matters, but it cannot override their heinous actions.
The next time I meet a Solcrue, I am not letting them slither free again without first severing their throat.
Savage, Commander of the BlazeStar and the Relics, takes charge of our joint fleet over the coms. Navi walks up to us and assumes control of Ravenger III from Fracture and me.
As our battle-bruised fleet, including the hundred or so human Rebel ships, huddles around our massive Rogue mothership, my sense of purpose wanes. I pushed aside my mistakes and my past to help our united force escape. That is what my Brothers and the humans needed.
They needed my skills to replicate Leah Krader’s blood and unlock and detonate the anti-Solcruean bomb. It helped us sway the end of the battle to our favor so our makeshift fleet could escape the enemy. I did what Savage asked of me in order to not risk his mate, General Krader’s daughter. I will do what he commands. And I will do anything I can to protect females. They are precious to the continued survival of the human species.
But sometimes, I find myself wondering if everyone is safer without me around.
Females are everywhere now. Relics protect the females, and the females care for them. They are stronger this way, but distracted. And as much as I wish I had an understanding of such devotion, I know there is no female who would ever want a Titan known for hurting them, even if my body was under the control of someone else.
I catch my reflection on a navigation screen and look away, hiding my disgust under the blank stare of programmed apathy. I switch off deep-space scanners and relinquish the remainder of my copiloting to Navi, who guides us closer to home.
A deep-rooted fear of my Rogue Brothers disowning me when we finally meet after years apart twists up my insides.None of them know what I do, not really, or what I saw. When Titan Brothers request a download of my recordings since our last meeting, I never share everything. We are programmed to be transparent. My programming is rebellious, makes its own rules. Many files are already encrypted, compressed, and stored behind partitions.
Eon understands.
Esthi spoke of how we were once human when we recently rushed to save her mate, Armor. He took a devastating hit atop the Ravenger during our escape. I did not see the missile in time or I would have taken it for him. But now, he stands near the portside exit to the bridge with her, his upgraded wings glowing as he shelters his mate and his friends: Mace, Karambit, and Atox. He looks proud. And he’s still with us because of her, Relic unit Rebel’s risky medical procedures, and Atox’s assistance.
Armor’s intelligent mate believes we are not wholly machine, but still hold some of our human characteristics in the cybernetic processors in our heads, and it’s why I continually ruminate about things, even memories I’ve long locked away. And it’s why some units, like Relic Diesel and me, dream. But dwelling on human things, like dreaming and mating, steals processing power from battle efforts. We have to stay focused. Solcrue still outnumber us.
Yet I can’t get the joy in Craze’s magenta eyes out of my mind.
I get up from my seat and try to covertly stretch through the discomfort like grinding gears in my gut at the memories of being hacked by Solcrue engineers aboard their mothershipVessna. Relics rescued me weeks after the females took the last of the escape pods to the surface of Planet Ellipsis.
On Solcrue mothershipVessna, I overheard Solcrue speak of Relics crashing there. Communication came in from Leah’s half-brother, Joey, the Cyborg Submission Patrol traitor, after he’d confirmed the debris path. He dangled his own sister in Savage’spath to attempt capture of the Relics with hopes of gaining favor with the enemy. But Solcrue can be masters of manipulation. And manipulation often starts with kindness. Joey, and all other traitorous CSP, are digging their own graves twice. If Solcrue don’t kill them, we will.
I lean on the seat’s back. Struggling to straighten from the pain in my stomach, I fold my arms over the backrest and run a pain management program that blocks the signals.
Joey and CSP only think they have aninwith the enemy. Solcrue are just using CSP. When the enemy gets what they want, they will leave our solar system in ruins. Just like the last time.
Jeris steps up beside me as we approach the Rogue’s ship. He stays with Relic Chaos and his mate, Celeste, wherever they go, by Chaos’ order. Jeris spares me a glance. “That’s your home?”
I barely notice the Solcruean Reject in my periphery. Relic Chaos has shared his recordings of the alien male saving his life. Celeste, Chaos’ human mate, is adamant that Jeris has Reversion Syndrome. But none of them know how sadistic Solcrue can be. Not like I do.
My Brothers would not approve of me killing Jeris. It is the only reason I don’t.
“Not that ship. Mine is gone. Fracture’s is, too.”
Jeris squirms. His scaly green face wrinkles. “Oh. I’m…sorry. I know that doesn’t mean anything, but…”
“It does not,” I apathetically reply.
My scanners monitor his every movement while I plan all the ways I could slit him open. I managed to kill many of his kind after I broke free of Solcruean servitude ofVessna. But it will never be enough.
He nods. “Solcrue are terrible. I know what I am.”
“Oh, stars, Jeris.” Celeste flicks him in the back of his cropped ear before sidling up to Chaos.
