“I firmly believe that you are not aproductof the Creators. You are your own species. I know that in my heart as much as I’ve witnessed it here with you and your Brothers. The Solcruebetter start praying to whatever god they believe in for mercy because they have a big debt to pay.”
Thruster plants his hands on his hips, and admiration lights his face.
Savage joins us. “You going to salute her back? Or am I going to have to reprimand you for not remembering your place?”
Thruster straightens and salutes me.
Savage pats his shoulder and turns to me. “Let’s get you aboard so you can help Clover.”
Savage motions me up a ramp with him. “Mother, one human with a cybernetic heart to board. Identification, Kelta.”
“Kelta Toriszi,” I offer.
Savage turns to me, seeming surprised. “Like daughter like father, I see. Heard you were recently in a StarJumpers suit.”
I dip my head. "He taught me everything he could. The others in our rebel fleet, too. I will serve here as best as I am able."
Savage shares a look of approval with Thruster, and then steps into the ship ahead of me.
I barely have time to take in the grand hallways and silver arches of the vessel’s structure before a green-eyed female Titan on very basic mechanical legs greets me. “Kelta!”
I've never been crash-hugged before and stagger backward from her weight.
"I'm sorry!" Clover steadies herself and eases back while Savage watches with scrutinizing eyes. "My legs are not calibrating as fast as I would like them to. Poppy said she'd help me, but she's busy helping the other females who are making their way to the pickup zone."
She waves frantically. “Come, please! I want to get your opinion on a few repairs I’m working on. We’re nearly ready for flight, but Commander Savage wants us to depart this wretched rock in under a week. I’ve got teams working on many projects, but I need another pilot to speak with. I can get Poppy's ideas,but she's not here with me to see what I see. Video transmissions aren't passing through the ore."
I'm already overwhelmed just by her energy. "I'll do whatever I can to help, but can I have a second with Thruster?"
Clover looks at him and seems to realize she’s overstepped her boundaries. She slinks back against the wall. “My apologies. I did not mean to interrupt.”
Thruster’s light is dim and concerns me. “Is there anything I can do to charge you up?”
He grins and kisses me. "Mother has assigned us quarters. I will ensure I have plenty of energy for you later. I'll be docked and charging for a few hours if that's okay. It's been a long time since I had any quality rest."
“I can only imagine. I’ll do what I can here and check on you soon.”
Savage purses his lips, holding back a smile. “Get it out of your systems fast. We’re going to need everyone focused for liftoff if we have any hope of escaping the Solcrue in one piece.”
I salute Commander Savage. Thruster and Clover do the same. He excuses himself and exits the ship.
The cuts that were on his body from welvir claws have already scarred. He really is a beast. I don’t want anyone else to have to encounter them.We need to get offworld fast.
I kiss Thruster one more time and watch as he walks down the hallway. “Alright, Clover. Show me what you need help with, and I’ll do whatever I can.”
“Do you need anything before we start?” she asks. “Commander Savage just informed me that Holo said you were just on a berserker? And then you died?”
“A-firm. But I’m alive. I’m good. Let’s just get this beautiful ship humming again, yeah?”
Clover eyes me, then clutches her hands together and wiggles like a happy dog in the holovids my brother liked to watch. “Ican’t tell you how wonderful it is to be with another female pilot. Putting up with theseBrotherscan be a tough job.”
I laugh and nod. “I know. I had two myself. Just one left, maybe.”
Clover holds out a fist. “For our brothers then?”
I bump her fist. “For our family.”
