I still can’t fix the past. And my brother has already taken his place to continue the misery our family unleashes on the universe.
Elix gently takes the blade from my trembling hand as he encourages me inside the ship. “You’re not him.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because he never felt the way I know you do now. Not once. Not while he destroyed worlds to take what was most precious from us.”
“I thought you didn’t care about stuff.”
Elix shakes his head. “I don’t. I care about you. Now let’s find a way out of this place.”
32: Zariah
My wristband buzzes and beeps in a racket that distracts me from my father’s body. “Zariah, there are three squads approaching your position.”
I look at my wristband.
MONA: Get down.
I throw myself at Elix, tucking him inside my shield so it covers us both.
The ship fires rapidly at everyone but us, advancing into the hangar. My father’s men join forces with my brother’s as the Scintilla becomes visible.
“Come on, you two!” Aurelius, Teol, Gashnaar, and Keo run toward us, shielded with crackling green energy, firing radiant rifles at the approaching squads, and collecting me and Elix.
We hurry to the dropped ramp of the Scintilla and hustle inside. The ramp closes, and MONA backs us out of the hangar, banks hard, and launches into space.
“Federal agents converging on position,” MONA says.
Several deep space patrol ships arrive. A familiar voice calls over a com channel, “Zariah Landing?”
I sigh, knowing we’re going to have lots of paperwork and interrogations in the days to come. “Yes?”
“We received plenty of evidence from MONA that suggests you’re not of interest, but we still want to talk with you. For now, please take care of your injured, and let us do some dirty work for a change.”
“Have at it.”
MONA closes the coms.
Teol comes up and hugs me. She doesn’t speak, she just holds me.
Aurelius walks up to a screen, reading something on it that I can’t see from where I stand. “MONA, what am I looking at?”
“I forwarded them my call recordings and video feeds,” MONA says.
“Your what?” Elix grumbles and clutches the healing wound in his chest.
“I am always listening, Elix. I just don’t always communicate,” MONA says. “I am a medical transport. I always monitor the status of my passengers, caretakers, and their family and friends. So I may monitor any necessary video feed or otherwise to determine the health risks of my charges.”
“Feels like an invasion of privacy,” Aurelius says.
“Why? I do not feel nor do I judge. Except, maybe one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Elix, when you are not on the ship, I feel—empty.” MONA pauses. “I am empty, but I notice the silence. I do not like it. I am on pause. What is the purpose of pause mode?”
“How do you know you don’t like it?” Elix asks, drawing me closer.
