Chapter 27 Roxi #2
“The compliment is not necessary but appreciated. I am honored that you uphold such an important duty without compromise,” I reply.
CAP would act like arrogant, impatient twats if Mother tried to scan them like she should know who they are.
But she can’t without the scan. It’s one of my no-exceptions rules.
“Identity confirmed. Please proceed, Creator Roxi.”
“Thank you, Mother.”
Mother lets me enter the shielded room, then proceeds to scan Fracture.
Thyristor monitors the chambers alongside Relics Rebel and Atox.
At a station to the side, Rogue Ribos runs simulations.
I think he’s looking for a better combination of outputs to match these pods.
Titan pods require a much higher power supply, far more nanosolution, and gear grease.
The few hibernation pods that we rescued fill in the middle of the hexagonal space. The empty chambers line the walls. All of the pods are in the green except one, a Creator with a damaged neuralnet extension platform.
“It’s not critical. But she can’t communicate with anyone else,” Esthi reports.
I glance back at Mother’s security door, one I designed ages ago for critical assets. I never thought I’d have to use one. But I am grateful for it now.
I pull the panel off and open up the communications system. After I rewire a few scorched parts and solder in a fresh chip from Esthi, I delicately slide forward the faint blue glowing neural translator.
“This is where I lose confidence,” Esthi admits.
I handle the gel chip with insulated tongs and don’t break the connection completely. “This will hurt her, but it will bring her back online with the others.”
“Why do you say it like she’s not human?”
“She is. We all are. But we’ve all been reborn and remade many times.”
“Why so many deaths?”
“We tested Titan tech on ourselves first,” I reply. “It seems like the only moral thing to do. If we can’t handle it, we don’t use it.”
One of the cells in the neuralnet link to the communications system is dark.
The gel has dried up from a power disruption.
But I know there is a spare unit tucked in the chamber with extra nanosolution gel.
After stealing a dab from it, I place the translucent blue gel in the damaged cell, and the chip glows brighter.
Sliding it back in, I close up the end of the hibernation pod and initiate the messaging system on the monitor with my credentials.
Creator Roxi>>Creator Ivirri: Do you copy?
Creator Ivirri>>Creator Roxi: I copy! Thank you for restoring my communications and giving me a headache. But it has been lonely being stuck with just my thoughts. Far too many voices and questions in there.
I type on the screen and enter my response.
Creator Roxi>>Creator Ivirri: I am going to connect you to the others.
Creator Ivirri>>Creator Roxi: I am happy to hear you survived Lencio’s infiltration. Was it bad?
Creator Roxi>>Creator Ivirri: It is only me and the few I connect you to. But we salvaged everything we could from Lencio before CSP arrived with Venom Squadron.
I link her chamber to the others in the room. For a few moments, they speak to one another though their eyes don’t open, and their bodies don’t move. I watch their joy fade into heartbreak as they tally up the losses.
Creator Ivirri>>Creator Roxi: Is Garett dead?
Creator Roxi>>Creator Ivirri: Yes. I will get you all up to speed on what’s transpired since, but it will take some time.
I have a debrief soon. You are on Aegis 189 with pilot Lotus.
Chasm is in command. Savage commands the BlazeStar, a repaired ship from Tetrionic Battles that crashed on Ellipsis.
We have many freed human women on board and civilians from Centurion while it is being upgraded to match our level of security.
Creator Ivirri>>Creator Roxi: Where are your Titans? Why do we not hear your team?
Creator Roxi>>Creator Ivirri: They were taken down with coilguns.
Esthi motions outside. “We have them on recirculation systems. Rhee has taken their ultromotors and is working on repairs.”
Hope fills me. “Does she think she can fix them?”
“Yes. But some memories may be missing from Kraken. One of his core drives was damaged. The other is intact.”
I nod. “Thank you. I should be able to recover any necessary recordings for him from the base’s backup drives.”
Creator Ivirri>>Creator Roxi: Then they are lost?
Creator Roxi>>Creator Ivirri: Not necessarily.
They are undergoing repairs with an engine technician.
I am going to extend my credentials to a new CyberTech, a Grey named Esthi.
She has served as a leader among Rebels in recent weeks and helped Relics evade capture during their escape from Ellipsis.
Creator Ivirri>>Creator Roxi: Esthi, I know that name from somewhere.
I guide Esthi to the screen. “Scan your eye, hand, and...”
The screen pulls up a profile for her with her blood sample already in the system.
Creator Ivirri>>Grey Esthielle: Hello, Esthi. I think I remember your parents.
Esthi’s mouth hangs open.
I hug her from the side. “Ivirri is like me, older than she looks. Take your time. Summon me if you need anything.”
Esthi nods. “Thank you, Creator Roxi. I didn’t know what you were before you were taken...”
“And that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Wouldn’t you agree, Grey?”
“Right.” Esthi smiles bashfully.
I turn to walk away and notice Fracture looking over an empty hibernation chamber.
“Fracture…You got approved for entry?”
“Ah!” he shouts in a high-pitched voice that squeaks just before he bursts into a million shards.
I freeze, wondering what on Earth I’ve done. I race through all of the possible programs that may have been initiated in Fracture to make him suddenly scared of me.
Esthi looks over, then laughs, and points. “He’s messing with you.”
I look up at the cloud to see Fracture has formed himself into a floating heart. His essence warps and vibrates softly like a laugh.
Gently touching a piece of him, I expect to see him reform into his Titan body, but he shies away from me and shifts like a crystal cloud in the wind. “Ooh...babe. Not...that one. I don’t want to...embarrass you.”
Heat rises in my face. Esthi waggles her brows but goes back to work like it doesn’t bother her.
“How about you come to me with the piece you prefer?” I reply.
“I do…prefer that one. But…”
A fragment moves toward me and contacts my finger. Fracture forms from his finger to his hand, up his arm, and down his body, eventually setting his feet on the floor again.
“You don’t need me to pull you back together anymore,” I tell him.
Fracture slides his solidified arms around me and pulls me against him. “But it feels so much better when you do it.”