Chapter 6: Evo
Aera’s ship is in bad shape as I tow it through the fading ripples of the solar storm and into the nebula. It will need repairs. Aera is in much worse shape.
The booster is helping, but her head needs stitches, and there’s nothing in the medical kit that will work. I’ve called Rebel and coordinated her care.
Even as I sit in the pilot’s seat, guiding us through the sealscreen into Ravenger’s hangar, I can’t bring myself to let go of Aera’s hand.
I set her ship down, switch off the gravity beam, and land beside her ship. Outside, Titans and human females stack up cargo in a neighboring vessel, a Rogue-style troop transport I’ve not seen before. We don’t have hoverlift beds available, so my only option is to carry my human passenger until we can meet up with Rebel. But as I crouch beside Aera, fear of hurting her makes me hesitate.
In space, I reacted. My Human Protection Programming ran without delay. Now, it is cluttered by a million other thoughts, doubts, and priorities because she is no longer dying. But she still needs care.
I want to call another Brother and have them pick her up. But they will think something is wrong with me. Maybe there is. It’s why I resist. All I see are my hands causing harm. There are too many recordings.
Rebel>>Evo: We are departing Ravenger soon. Where are you?
A deep sigh leaves me. Slipping my arms as carefully as I can under Aera, I gather her close to my chest. My ultromotor racesat the softness and fragility of her body. It is so easy for a Titan to harm a human.
Bone can break beneath just one of my fingers.
Her long, wavy brown hair spills out over my shoulder as I guide her head against me. I close my helmet just in case. Then I get up and carry her down the ramp. I am suddenly aware of my every clomping boot and heavy step as I look down at her sleeping face. Blood still tarnishes her gold-brown skin.
She braved a solar storm alone to reach us, starved, dehydrated, and bleeding out. How humans can be so fragile and yet endure so much, I do not understand. But I am starting to remember why they built us and why they run to us for help.
The moment I set foot into the hangar, Atox calls to me. “Evo, Rebel’s on board. He wants to take her with us since we’re more equipped in this...thing.”
I cross the metal hangar floor and notice pallets of supplies stacked up and strapped down in the corners by the maintenance rooms. Craze’s crew has prepped additional gear in case we need it.
I cautiously carry Aera up the ramp and follow Atox’s direction to a medical bay on the left. Rebel is ready and waiting by a prepped bed. Eleven more have been stuffed in the compartment, along with stacks of blankets and bedding.
“What is this ship’s model?” I ask Atox.
A dark unit with swirls of blue light over his body, chuckles. Castor, a Rogue I have not worked with, rolls out of a compartment in the floor like a ball. He unfolds himself and stands. Pocketing his tools, he wipes up a glob of gear grease from an arm and rakes it over an opening grate in his side that draws the grease inside. “It’s an F I until we name it something better.” Castor closes the ship’s panel. “Engines are optimal, Poppy. They’re ready when you are.”
“Roger.” Poppy, the red-eyed Relic pilot, insisted she fly the rescue mission because she is our oldest pilot. IfCenturionis dead in space without a pilot, she’s most likely to bring it back to life and get it here in one piece.
“FI, yeah. Around females.” Supercharge,Sarge, grumbles as he walks by to help Siphon strap down a pallet of large water jugs. “Vandal insisted we name it theFuck It.”
Siphon tightens the straps and then straightens with effort, and I know he’s loaded up on fuel for the generation units: Sarge and Diesel. “We had time to build but were limited on supplies. Flashbomb came up with the nicer name. He’s real sensitive like that.”
Atomizer solidifies his cloud of tiny dark orbs beside me. “FI is a one-of-a-kind transport, that’s for sure.” He glances down the ramp. “Are you rusted to the ground, Brother?”
Thyristor hustles inside and slaps the Close Ramp button. “Sorry. Had to help with some electrical repairs after the solar storm.”
Beside Poppy, a shadow of myself turns around. Eon gives me a glance before returning his attention to the stars that surround us as we leave Craze’s ship behind.
Eon>>Evo: Status?
Evo>>Eon: She is stable.
Rebel nearly has Aera’s cut stitched together as we line up behind fifteen smaller human Rebel ships.
Eon>>Evo: I was referring to you.
I assess my memory core and my backup, my processing speed, and more. Every status bar is green. I have no warnings. My vision does not flash red and amber like it did when I was hacked.
Evo>>Eon: I...am within parameters. And I am not what is important right now.
Out in space, Rebel Toriszi’s ship ignites an inky portal that will deliver us to the system whereCenturionis located.
