Warhawk’s Sacrifice (The Amnesty’s Adventures #3)

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

S eb awoke to the constant beep of the heart rate monitor and thundering footsteps. The ceiling lights flashed over him. Four blurry images stood on both sides, their bodies bobbing up and down.

He raised his hand to shield his eyes, but nothing moved.

His heart pounded as fear crawled across his body with its icy grasp. He swung his other arm around, slapping the emptiness that filled the bed beside him. The medical instrument rang as his chest tightened. The tube in his throat muffled his scream.

“Doctor, he’s awake!” the husky voice shouted.

“I can see that,” the gruff and annoyed voice said. “Each of you hold him down! How much dranopol did you give him?”

“Four-point-five milligrams, as instructed.”

“Up it by one-point-five. We don’t want to shut down his respiratory system before we get him into the healing tank.”

“Upping the dosage now.”

Seb felt a weight fall across his body like a heavy blanket.

“And nurse Ibra?”

A breathy feminine voice spoke up, “Yes, Doctor?”

“Go ahead of us to nanobiology and check on the status of that tank. Make sure they’re ready for our arrival.”

When the doctor spoke again, his voice sounded distant, as if he was drifting further from Seb. “Captain Warhawk, my name is Doctor Jekar. You’re aboard the Gretro , an FLS medical ship. You’re safe.”

When Seb tried to speak, the doctor softly hushed him. “Don’t strain yourself, Captain. Your entire body is scorched. We’re taking you to our healing tanks. You’ll be feeling better in just a few minutes.”

As Seb continued to fall, panicked voices shouted from afar.

“We’re losing him!” another nurse shouted.

“Get a move on it!” Doctor Jekar commanded. “If we lose him, we’ll all be working in the dust mines!”

Silence filled the void, and the galaxy’s savior felt nothing.

Seb’s eyes crested open. The crichton liquid painted his surroundings in a light-green hue. Several sepix in white overcoats stood in front of him, facing a hologram of a woman. When he squinted, he recognized the orlindrian outline of the head of the GRC.

“What’s his status?” Councilwoman Srivali asked.

“It’s… complicated,” Doctor Jekar said with a heavy sigh. “Anyone else would have died, but the captain has proved quite resilient. Third-degree burns cover his entire body. His right arm and leg were completely disintegrated. The amount of radiation his organs have suffered?—”

“I did not ask for a detailed report of his injuries, Doctor. Will Captain Warhawk survive?”

“He will live, but I can’t comment on the status of his condition. We have the latest healing tank technology aboard, but it’s not meant to heal the complete extent of his injuries. It will keep him alive, but Captain Warhawk will be far from whole. If you want him to be back in fighting shape, we’ll have to resort to other means.”

“Such as?”

“To put it bluntly, he needs a new body. Which is completely outside of my capabilities. However, humanity has done well with cyberware transplantation. We’ll need assistance from the top surgeons the UHC has to offer.”

“I’ll speak with Councilman Giles and get you the resources you need. Until then, do whatever you need to do to see that the captain lives. The entire galaxy is watching, Doctor.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

As the image disappeared, Seb looked down at the right side of his body. Fibrous muscle twisted around the hardened bone. Flakes peeled off of his charred skin. The sight turned his stomach and Seb felt lightheaded. An alarm bellowed into the room as the doctors swarmed his tank. The sound faded as darkness filled his vision.

When Seb awoke, his vision was blurred. He lay in a completely white room with medical beeps providing a synthetic hum. He saw a thin figure off into the distance, cast in all white.

“Iris?” Seb asked.

The person approached his side. When she leaned forward, he didn’t recognize the face staring back at him. The lenses of her cybernetic eyes shifted as she scanned his body. Her skin was smooth and without imperfection, hidden behind layers of muted-green scrubs and a facemask.

“Captain Warhawk, can you hear me?” the woman asked.

Seb nodded before furrowing his brow. “Yeah… Who are you?”

“I’m Doctor Kira London. I’m a cyber-surgeon with the UHC brought in to oversee your care, along with Doctor Jekar with the FLS.” When Seb tried to sit up, the doctor’s eyes widened, and she raised her hand. “Easy! Easy. Your body is still recovering. Try not to move until we get you calibrated.”

“Calibrated? What?—”

Seb froze and glanced down at his body. Except his body wasn’t there. It was completely new. His chest and abs looked more muscular and were completely smooth compared to the light chest hair he used to have. Tracer lines extended down the sides of his abdomen, illuminating the synthetic nature of his new body.

Seb pulled up his hand. After flexing each finger, he rotated his wrist, ensuring everything worked as he expected to. Save for the lack of fingerprint, it looked and felt real.

“Fascinating,” Doctor London said, pulling out a data pad. She scribbled down notes as Seb moved. “Your mind is already controlling the cyberware even before calibration. That’s an excellent sign.”

“How am I still alive?” Seb asked in almost disbelief.

Doctor London froze. “It’s not my place?—”

“Doctor, please. I just woke up with no idea where I am, in a different body. The common courtesy of answering a simple question would go a long way.”

Doctor London’s eyes pointed up as she mulled it over. “From what I’ve been told, you have your friend, Iris, to thank for that. After the explosion of the warp gate, you both were found in a protective bubble. Unfortunately, you had already succumbed to critical injuries.”

The doctor pointed at Seb’s body as she spoke. “When you arrived aboard the FLS medical cruiser, thirty-five percent of your mass was gone, your entire body was irradiated, and you had third-degree burns all over you. You were handed over to Doctor Jekar’s team and placed into a healing tank. They did what they could, but because of the severity of your injuries, my team and I were called in to assist in your recovery. You’ve been rebuilt, Captain Warhawk.”

The final phrase filled Seb with panic. His throat closed, causing his breathing to become erratic. He grabbed the edge of the gurney, crushing the metal bar. His legs kicked rapidly and contorted in unnatural directions. Red exclamation marks popped into his vision while alarms rang throughout the room.

“What’s happening to me?” he groaned.

Several personnel sprinted into the room and swarmed Seb’s side. Doctor London pulled out an autoinjector and plunged it into Seb’s chest. A cool sensation spread throughout his body. His muscles relaxed and the visual alerts faded.

“Apologies for the alarm, everyone,” Doctor London said before leaning next to Seb’s ear. “And apologies to you, Captain. I’ve given you a sedative for now. When you wake up, we’ll take things a bit slower and get you feeling more comfortable.”

Her words rang hollow as the medicine took effect, sending Seb back to the void.

The next time Seb awoke, it was from a beautiful hum. He didn’t recognize the song, but he recognized the voice.

“Nalla, are you there?” Seb asked.

The melody stopped, and he heard small footsteps rush toward him. “Seb? Oh my gods, Seb!” He felt the squeeze of her tail, the scent of her neck, and the wetness of her lips. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t see her, nor could he move.

“My eyes!” Seb exclaimed. “Why can’t I see you!” As panic set in, something pierced his chest and a relaxing euphoria washed over his body.

“Please be calm, Captain Warhawk,” Doctor London said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Everything is fine. We’re all here to help you.”

“Why can’t I open my eyes?”

“Your eyes are open, but your ocular implants are turned off. We wanted to take things slowly to avoid the situation that occurred last time. We’ve allowed Doctor Bashari in the staging room to provide you with some comfort.”

Nalla’s soft lips caressed his cheek, and she whispered in his ear. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.”

As Seb sunk into his bed, Doctor London continued. “We’re going to bring the rest of your systems online and run through some diagnostics. If everything goes well, we’ll get you mobile, and might get you the chance to take some visitors. We just need you to be patient and calm, okay? Do you think you can do that?”

Seb took in a deep breath. He’d thought it was all over. He’d accepted death. But the sound of Nalla’s voice and the thought of seeing his loved ones again gave him the courage to try. “Yeah.”

“Everyone to your places, please.” The room filled with shuffling footsteps, followed by Doctor London’s commands. “Bringing ocular systems online.”

A small dot glowed white in the center of Seb’s vision. It extended to the horizon before shooting upward. The pixelated image sharpened as green text scrolled in the corner of his eyes.

Seb found himself standing with his arms extended in a t-shape formation. Long cables protruded from his body and draped downward. They slithered along the floor before connecting to a central console. Doctor London stood behind it, along with a half-dozen medical staff in full PPE gear. The support staff’s eyes stayed glued to the scrolling data on various holograms.

Seb couldn’t move his neck, but he could see Nalla below him. She looked shorter, and her pink-and-black eyes looked redder than usual. Heavy bags hung underneath them, indicative of her lack of sleep. When she noticed his gaze, she reached her hand up to cup his cheek, but pulled it away at Doctor London’s request.

“Doctor Bashari, please refrain from touching Captain Warhawk until we complete his body’s calibration. The last thing we want is for you to get accidentally injured.”

Nalla frowned in disappointment but nodded as she took a step back. “Yes, of course. My apologies.”

Doctor London clasped her hands together. “Alright, Captain, with your approval, we can begin the calibration of your new body.”

“Please,” Seb groaned. “I feel… trapped in here.”

“I’m certain you’ll feel much better once we conclude.”

Over the next few hours, the doctors performed a modicum of tests both physical and mental. They started with simple tests, first starting with having Seb wiggle his toes and fingers. After mastering the simplest of tasks, they moved onto more complex movements, such as catching a ball. Each assessment focused on a different body part, to ensure he could feel, control, and respond to every form of stimuli.

Once they ensured there was a base-level of stability, they moved Seb to a gym for more rigorous tests. He lifted weights, sprinted, and performed dexterous exercises. Each stage brought Seb more confidence than before. His new body made him feel almost superhuman.

While the tests grew monotonous in the end, the thoroughness gave Seb the reassurance that his body was an upgrade in every sense of the word. Seeing Nalla’s excitement for his quick recovery lit a fire inside of him. This was far from the end he’d accepted at the warp gate. It gave him hope.

After the testing had completed, they moved Seb to a new room. When he walked in, he furrowed his brow.

The room looked completely sterile, with its white tile covered floor and walls. A twin-sized bed sat in the corner. A mounted-desk hung from the opposite wall with a terminal sitting on top of it. Overlooking the room hung a large mirror that Seb assumed was one way. The captain’s skin crawled, not wanting to accept what he already knew this was.

“What is this place?” he asked, glancing about.

“This is your recovery room!” Doctor London said more cheerfully than he liked. “We’ll be keeping you here while we monitor your recovery.”

She approached the side wall, and several holograms appeared. When she waved her hand near them, a mechanical closet extended from the tiled walls, displaying multiples of the same plain white shirts, pants, and slippers.

“It’s been furnished with your comfort in mind,” Doctor London exclaimed. “Everything you would need is here. There’s a stocked fridge with nutritional pastes and water, a holoprojector system for entertainment, and a terminal for any communication. Should there be anything else that you need, all you’d need to do is ask.”

Meaning they’re always listening, Seb thought. This feels more like a fancy cage.

“I’d rather sleep in my own bed.”

Even though Seb couldn’t see her mouth behind the mask, the eye-twitch was telling enough that she didn’t like his response. Still, she held her chipper tone. “I’m sorry, Captain. But you’ll have to stay here for the time being.”

“Why? I passed all your tests successfully. I feel perfectly fine.”

“And that’s great! You’re showing signs of a remarkable recovery. However, we need time to ensure that there are no side effects of your transplants. Everything inside of you is bleeding-edge, state-of-the-art technology. You’re truly one of a kind. But with that comes risks. The hardware inside of you has never been deployed. No one has such a thorough integration as you.”

Seb froze as a wash of déjà vu fell over him. He glanced at Nalla, whose wide-eyes shared similar concern. They’d just gone through this with Roja.

Do I have a chip inside of me controlling my thoughts? Seb wondered, as he paced around the room. Can they hear everything I’m saying? What about what I’m thinking? Do they know I’m going to do something before I am? Are they controlling me? Is this my true prison?

Seb looked down at his hands. He flexed his fingers. While they looked normal, he wondered if they were as much a fabrication as the idea of his freedom. He clenched his fist and stomped over to Doctor London. “I want to leave.”

She stepped back and her eyes darted with concern. “I-I’m sorry, Captain. You have to stay here. It’s not safe?—”

“So, I’m a prisoner?” Seb growled.

“You’re an investment,” a feminine voice boomed over the room’s speakers.

When Seb looked up, the one-way mirror became transparent. The orlindrian head councilwoman of the GRC stood overlooking him with several heavily armed guards. Her hair tendrils twisted into a bun on the back of her head. With years of authority and pride, her small nose tilted up. Her gray suit jacket hung open, revealing the hex-grid of a custom skinsleeve.

“What are you talking about?” Seb asked, crossing his arms.

“Wait a moment. This conversation deserves to be handled face-to-face.”

The councilwoman disappeared from the glass, only to enter the room a moment later. Even though her personal security detail wore shielded helmets, Seb could tell from their body positioning and itchy trigger fingers they were watching his every move.

Councilwoman Srivali extended her hand to Seb. “It’s good to finally meet you in person, Captain Warhawk.”

Seb hesitated, but shook her hand. “And it’s good to meet you as well, Councilwoman Srivali.”

She smiled in appreciation. “You know who I am?”

“Everyone in the galaxy does.”

“You’d be surprised,” the councilwoman said before circling Seb, eyeing him up and down. “So this is what a hundred million credits buys?”

Seb froze. Did she say a hundred million?

Srivali smirked, catching his dropped jaw. “You heard right. That’s the running estimate of all the personnel, hardware, and facilities. All for you.”

Seb couldn’t help but asked the obvious question. “Why me?”

“Because, Captain Warhawk, unlike the millions of soldiers enlisted in the GRC’s militaries, you have given the people something that they couldn’t… hope.”

“Hope?”

“The courage of a lone man, risking it all… The deeds of your actions have caused the Warhawk name to spread across the galaxy like a supernova, Captain. Not to mention your past… A former inmate rehabilitated after a decade of incarceration. Who discovers a precursor and saves the galaxy? It’s quite the tale, don’t you think?”

Seb snorted sarcastically. “Ah, so that’s what this is. You brought me back to use me like some sort of public relations hack. You thought I’d be grateful enough to do whatever it is you say. To tout the good work the GRC has done? You’re out of your fucking mind.”

One of the councilwoman’s guards took a step forward, only to halt when she put out her hand.

Seb smirked. “See. Say the wrong thing and your dogs are ready to issue a beating.”

“There’s no denying that I thought you would have been appreciative of what we’ve done for you, Captain Warhawk, and by extension, that would earn us some good will. But perhaps an explanation of our situation is in order.”

Srivali tapped on her WICI, illuminating the holoprojector of the room. The cracked warp gate appeared overhead. Only one chunk remained, floating aimlessly amongst the thousands of broken ships and debris.

“As you can see, your mission was a success at stopping the Songless’ advance through the warp gate,” the councilwoman stated before tapping again on her WICI. The image shifted, showing an intact warp gate, with thousands of enemy ships pouring from its center. “However, that only stopped one front.”

“Fuck me…” Seb muttered under his breath.

As Srivali tapped on her wrist again, the video sped up until the second gate exploded. “However, your mission gave us valuable intel that assisted UHC special forces in being able to stop the second front as well.”

Seb let out a sigh of relief. “So the invasion is over. We did it.”

Doctor London and Srivali shared a glance before the councilwoman shook her head. “Not quite. While the initial defenses were successful, Songless forces managed to escape. Our forces tracked all leads, but as we’re all aware, space is big.”

The councilwoman shifted the image, showing a planet Seb recognized, Rilon V. “Unfortunately for us, the worst-case scenario happened. Days after the invasion, the GRC lost contact with the arithor homeworld. All communication ceased overnight. Soon after, reports flooded in from survivors who had escaped the homeworld, stating that the arithor had been driven mad, were taking people hostage and worse.”

“Let me guess, people were being turned into blackened-goop and eaten.”

“Exactly. Just like the report we’d received from your companions.”

“So the arithor are completely under their control?”

“Yes, but it’s worse than that. They’ve fused their technology with the Songless’s. The arithor’s domain has been completely converted into manufacturing more soldiers, more ships, and more weapons. The speed of their advance… it’s nothing we’ve seen before.”

“So destroy them. Isn’t that the whole point of the GRC?”

“We’ve been doing our best, but it’s not good enough. FLC forces were already dealing with losses from the war with the sectorum. The UHC has the second largest fleet and is handling the bulk of our defenses, but the arithor and Songless forces are replenishing their losses too quickly. Their rapid expansion is proving too difficult to contain.”

Srivali let out a heavy sigh. “So no, Captain Warhawk, we didn’t just resurrect you from the dead to use you as a glorified advertisement. On behalf of the GRC, the galaxy needs your help.”

Seb paced once again. He’d thought he’d saved the galaxy, but one conflict had just turned into another. They were dealing with an advanced enemy that’d already consumed multiple civilizations. He struggled with answering what more he could do.

But when he saw Nalla looking at him for an answer, he knew it didn’t matter. All he knew was that he needed to try. This was his purpose.

Seb slowly nodded. “Okay, but I’m going to have a lot of demands. For starters, I need my ship, my crew, and a no questions asked budget.”

Srivali laughed approvingly. “I can help you with the first and last, but you’ll need to work on the second.”

“What does that mean?”

“Iris is gone,” Nalla interjected, her shoulders hanging heavy with regret.

“Gone? What happened?”

“After she dropped you off, she stuck around for a while. Things were okay. But I think seeing you and Mischa so badly injured upset her. I think she blamed herself. I tried to speak with her, but she just pulled away. When she heard about the second gate, she left to finish the fight there. After it was destroyed, she disappeared.”

“Disappeared?”

“Yeah, she stopped responding to our communications.”

“What about Mischa? Is she okay?”

Nalla gave a comforting smile. “Mischa’s fine and healthy. After she recovered, she went after Iris. We’ve been in on-and-off communication with her. Last time Eni and Syn spoke with her was a week ago. She told us she was headed into sectorum territory.”

“Sectorum? Why is she going there? It’s banned to outsiders.”

Nalla shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Seb rubbed his chin for a moment, giving him time to think. “We need to bring her back. We need everyone together if we’re going to do this.”

“Agreed,” Srivali said. “The sooner you’re on your feet, the better.”

Seb cocked his brow and pointed about the room. “Yet, according to you, this is my new home for a while.”

“Give us another week to make sure you’re in good fighting shape. That will give me time to put the budget together.”

Doctor London dropped her datapad and shouted. “But councilwoman?—”

Srivali waved her off. “I know your concerns, Doctor London, but this is my project and I get the final say.” She stepped forward and extended her hand to Seb. “So, what do you say, Captain Warhawk? Are you up for saving the galaxy one more time?”

Even though Seb had already made up his mind, he nodded his head back and forth to give the illusion of him still considering it. Once enough time had passed, he clasped Srivali’s hand and smiled. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”