The male backs off, and Fieri leads us out of the room.
I pull the chip of my earlier prize from a pocket and swipe it over my wristband. We follow the map that loads to a door in the lower level, tucked behind the zoo.
I take Brynna’s hand as we descend with Fieri at our back into the rocky tunnels that wind deep into the moon. We enter a chamber where signs and directions light up the cavern and a pathway. We hustle along the offline course toward a distant chamber. But when I get to the end, I discover a cavern that descends into a vast room and spreads between us and the prizes at the other end.
The instructions say to fly, fight, or climb.
“Fight what?” Brynna asks.
Across the cavern is a platform with three glowing prizes. I remove my bands and loosen my wings as a large tail rises from the shadows. And suddenly, I don’t care about the prizes at all.
“Bryn…” I hold her back with a hand as the creature rises from the pit with eyes I know well. It’s huge and peers down at us with fuming breath that smokes.
She gasps. “Is that what I think it is?”
I look back at her. “They aren’t just in your folklore. They’re in ours, too.”
It lowers its head and gives me a once-over with a side glance, snorts, and sinks below the shadows again. Wings rustle.
“We should get going.” Fieri sounds stressed.
I fly across the cavern and land on the pedestal, look over the prizes, and call back to Brynna. “What do you want: a luster cruiser pod, a custom-made suit of armor, or a personal portal?”
“Portal!”
I grab the device, and confetti explodes in the air. I open my wings and soar back to her. “Alright, let’s get out of here.”
We race back through the tunnels and hike up to the main complex.
“Stay with her,” Fieri says, stopping outside Brynna’s ship. “I’m going to stay with DIA.”
“She can fly herself. You’re already here,” I say.
He pauses. “She’s been alone a long time.”
“DIA isn’t Orillium. She’s AI,” I counter.
Fieri shoves us up the ramp. “Your people are nearly the age of mine. Do you think she is really so different? Aura just built her a translator with help from MONA.
“Now you have a brief time until you reach the Mindor system. I suggest you use it in case you never get the chance again.”
His eyes burn with repressed pain, and I instantly know what happened to him and why he is alone. It’s why he finds us rogues and gives us a friend, while we need one.
“Watch your back,” I reply as Brynna closes up the ramp.
He tosses a small case to me. “If she needs it.”
I catch it and look at the orange solution inside. “Thanks.”
“See you in an hour.”
I nod and follow Brynna up to the pilot’s seat as the ramp seals shut.
She throws herself into the chair and brings her ship online. I take the copilot’s seat and assess her defense systems.
“ABR Control, Brynna and Gypsy Star requesting departure from hangar Angel Six.”
“Brynna, Control. You are free to fly.”
