Holo stops us just inside the cover of the tunnel and sets down. “One second.”
He gets out and walks to the opening. Holo scans the sky, eyes dancing with multiple colors. Then he returns, lifts the ship, and launches us across the valley into another chasm. We take a deep, dark passageway that snakes through the rock until it dead ends.
He lands and powers down the ship. “Alright, everyone out. Coil’s waiting. We’re leaving within the week.”
“You’re serious?” Thruster asks.
Holo nods. “There’s another mothership inbound. We have to leave before they get here, or we’ll never leave.”
Thruster helps me down the steps, my body still weak from dying…again.
Holo leads us through a crack in the tunnel. Purple light scans us. “Don’t mind that. Shifter’s just checking everyone for rogue bots and traitorous tech.”
A set of purple eyes peeks out of a crevice at us.
Thruster slips an arm around me and throws him a glare. “Mine. Got it?”
I glance back at them, confused.
Thruster clicks his tongue. “Keep your thoughts to yourself, or I’ll knock them out of your head.”
Shifter slips back out of view.
“Problem?” I ask.
“He’s just horny as a hotskin. But I bet I’m not the only Titan that likes the idea of his mate wielding a StarJumper’s suit. It’s pretty hot.”
I gently punch him in the shoulder. “I guess that makes sense. And I much prefer your synthskin against my real skin.”
He growls in my ear and nips at my neck. “That can be arranged.”
Holo rolls his eyes as we stop in a round area with several other Titans who immediately greet their long lost brothers.
Bomber clutches Reactor by the shoulders and shakes him before wrapping him up in a hug. “Diesel is going to be so happy to see you too, Brother!”
Reactor returns his embrace. “I have not touched a Brother capable of tolerating my shell in too long.” Even Shear half-smiles as he nods to whatever it is Morbid, an inky unit, says.
A springy, dark gray Titan with digibadgeCoilgreets me. “Would you like a ride up to see the ship? Clover eagerly awaits your arrival.”
I look to Thruster for approval because I’ve not met Coil. When he motions me to go to him, I reluctantly let Coil hold me against his chest.
“Deep breath,” Coil says. “Let it out when we launch, or you’ll get a hernia.”
“Is that all?” I ask.
He shrugs. “It’s a big jump. Ready?”
“I guess.” I take a deep breath.
“See you up there.” Thruster rockets up the shaft ahead of us.
Coil launches after him. Air rushes from my lungs. We catch up to Thruster, who’s almost out of fuel. But he makes it to the top with us. Coil deposits me, waves, and jumps back down the shaft. I walk to Thruster as the morning sun shines through a mirage onto a massive ship of chrome and glass.
“What do you think?” Thruster asks with a big smile. “It’s the BlazeStar I mentioned that crashed here years ago.”
It's so smooth and seamless. I can't figure out how it will make it off the planet. Titans walk around inside the ship. I can see them through the semi-transparent windows. And, for a moment, I imagine what it was like to look at them for the first time in their own ship—all these beautiful creations of humankind working together like family, fighting for each other and for the future of their Creators, for all of us. I am in such awe that I can't help but cry.
“It’s breathtaking, Thruster.” I turn to him and salute him the way I’ve seen Titans do to one another with a fist over my heart. “And I swear with the last breath in my body that I’m going to help you get off this planet and make the Solcrue pay for what they have destroyed.
