Sylvex peered to his left from the secondary carriage in the StarForger as Kalene Sarker had referred to it. He could see his Lodrican brother, Kinubec along with the artificial skydweller Hots—traveling in an equivalent configuration to Seneca and him. The two aerial vessels were passing their ancestral home of Sehnack. Being able to see his home-world from the outside looking in should have filled him with great pride—but alas—there was nothing within his soul aside from anger and desolation.
The Conesans, the traitorous skydwellers that they were, were the worst thing to ever happen to the Lodrican nation. The honorable benefactors they had presented themselves to be—were anything but. They were the sole catalyst for the generational war between the Lodricans and the Xelexians.
To add insult to his injury, the mystery of who had stolen his equal, Moriyala and his younger brother, Chezad, from their tribal garrison was solved. Their nation’s ranks had dwindled all the way down to Kinubec and him. And now—he and his Lodrican brother were at the mercy of this new tribe of skydwellers—who called themselves humans.
It was only because of his undying love for Moriyala and Chezad that he risked everything to capture Meneghini and her human companions. And then for the second time, when they rescued them in the boscage. He just knew that as long as he never gave in to doubt—they would be reunited.
Unfortunately for Sylvex, the truth was now inescapable. He would never be able to reunite with his lost love nor with his brother. He would never be able to walk the marshlands of Sehnack without looking over his shoulder. The Xelexians would see to that. All told, he would never be whole again.
When they returned to the Yellow Rover, he would have to make a decision. Would the possibility even exist for him and Kinubec to align themselves with the humans? Would their leader, Biancuzzo even agree to such an arrangement? His level of distrust for them was apparent—no matter how much Meneghini, Roko or Sarker stated otherwise.
They were aimless—lacking in every detail imaginable. The cutlasses they knew were no match for the humans. Nor did they possess the utilities to traverse about the heavens on their own. They were aimless.
A clamorous sound filled the carriage of the StarForger as Sylvex pressed his hands to his ears. He was incapable of touching them—as his head had been contained by this attire provided to him by the humans.
“What is that?” He questioned.
“The StarForger defense warning. It means something is approaching us.” Seneca stated. “Which I do not understand as there is nothing out here besides us.”
“Can you not make it stop?”
“That is what I am trying to do.”
The defense warning continued to clamor around them. His equilibrium was not prepared for this. It was draining and there wasn’t anything he could do other than hope that Seneca could figure out what was wrong.
“Oh no. Hold on.” Seneca stated.
Sylvex could not even respond. The clamor was making him dizzy. Perhaps, this would finally be the moment where he would meet his end. An ignoble death to be certain—but also one that he deserved for his failure to lead.
⧖
Kinubec noticed the StarForger carrying Sylvex veer away from the singular pattern they had been on since leaving the skydwelling.
“Do they know something we don’t?” He stated.
“That is a good question. I will check now.”
Hots began doing something ahead of him as he stared into the heavens—trying not to lose sight of Sylvex.
“Seneca. What is happening?” Hots sustained.
“We are under attack. Take evasive maneuvers.”
“Affirmative.”
Kinubec’s body slammed to his right as Hots was doing something completely unorthodox from what he had seen thus far.
“Is this necessary?” Kinubec stated.
“We will know soon enough.”
⧖
Look at them Contessa. Look at how they run from you. They still do not understand that they have nothing to fear. That you—are their salvation. You will bring them everything that they have always wanted. You will liberate them from the limitations of this physical existence.
Ono smirked. The power of the AccuHomi was infusing itself within her. All of her senses were heightening beyond the capabilities of mere mortals. She was stronger. More in-tune with the space around her. She was physical yet ethereal at the same time. Her vision was enhanced—and everything before her was pink—just like the AccuHomi.
She could feel Sarker’s essence within her. Everything the lieutenant had ever known—she now knew. This was the gift of the AccuHomi. To bring all together to become one. One mind. One body. And one spirit.
She glanced at the StarForger’s radar to see the other two were diverging ahead of her. Her fusion missiles were still in pursuit of Seneca and Sylvex. The first of her two missiles were unsuccessful. However, her good fortune had arrived as the second one was a direct hit. The StarForger blinked out of existence as she looked up. Hidden within the debris field was Sylvex’s essence—waiting for her to assimilate it. Ono took a deep breath and basked in her triumph.
“Seneca. Come in Seneca. Can you hear me?”
She snapped out of her trance and checked the fighter’s radar again. The second StarForger had put some distance between them.
“Now where do you think you’re going.” She muttered.
She increased the fighter’s velocity. There was simply no way she would ever allow an android to outfly her. She had trained too long and too hard for that to happen.
“Have we lost them?”
“It appears to be so.” Hots said.
“Sylvex! Batu! Batu! Batu!”
Hearing the abject fear in Kinubec’s voice over the com-channel was soothing to her soul. He was another one who would benefit from leaving this realm.
Can you hear it? He’s calling out to you Contessa. He needs you to heed the cull. Don’t forsake him. Liberate him.
“I will. I’m on it.”
Ono brought up her weapons system and began setting a target lock on Hots and Kinubec. Once it was achieved—she released two more fusion missiles. Next, she increased the StarForger’s velocity to close the gap even more—just in case Hots tried to keep her from heeding the cull.
The duplicate android was soulless, thus making it incapable of understanding her newfound purpose. It was irrelevant and only standing in her way. The targeted StarForger’s early defense warning went off as she listened to the confusion that ensued.
“Brace yourself. We have incoming.” Hots said.
“What does that mean?” Kinubec remarked.
Ah, the Lodricans. Their ignorance is their charm.
Her fusion missiles chased the StarForger as it weaved through space. With every twist and turn that Hots made, the missiles were right there. Eventually, the android leveled off the fighter. Perhaps it had realized that resistance would only delay the inevitable.
“Are you still with me Kinubec?”
“I am.”
“Good—because I am about to try something.”
The targeted fighter blasted forward as Hots must have activated the fighter’s emergency afterburner. Ono checked the radar display to see that the StarForger was putting some significant distance between itself and the missiles.
No!
She watched as the StarForger made a reversal, putting it into a direct collision course with the incoming missiles. Hots released a missile in response to hers. They collided with one another—creating a large plume of cosmic dust.
All right, robo. You wanna dance? Let’s dance.
She activated her afterburner and raced to reach Hots and Kinubec to finish this—once and for all. She grumbled upon realizing she only had one missile remaining. Her use of it would have to be judicial. She flew straight at the plume—hoping to use it as cover. She switched to the StarForger’s fusion artillery.
The AccuHomi was aiding her. Even with as dense as the plume was she could still see the other StarForger on the other side of it.
Ready or not. Here we come.
Out of the plume, Ono could finally see Kinubec’s face. He was primed and ready. She opened fire.
“Look out!” Kinubec said.
“Hold on.”
Ono’s assault ripped across the hull of the StarForger as she passed by. She had barely missed the fighter’s canopy, which would have ended this exhaustion of her time. She looped her fighter around to finish what she had started as Hots had its StarForger moving once more. She was closing on it from behind.
“Sergeant Ono. Please cease this attack at once.”
She chuckled and exhaled.
“Sorry robo. I’m the real head of the snake around these parts. I probably should’ve told you that a while ago.”
She released her final fusion missile, deploying it straight for them. There would be no daring escape this time as her missile impacted the StarForger’s rear drive, vaporizing it. She checked her weapon system again. Her missile indicator was blinking zero.
Contessa, look at what awaits you.
She looked through the canopy to see the debris field of the StarForger. Within it, she could see Kinubec’s lost soul—just waiting for her to capture it. As the energy within the field lessened she flew her StarForger into it. She assimilated the Lodrican’s soul—as it melded with her own.
There remains one more for you to rescue. Do not abandon him.
Ono glanced around—searching for the debris field of the StarForger piloted by Seneca. The infusion of Kinubec’s soul only enhanced her vision even further. She set a course to retrieve Sylvex’s lost soul next. Once that was achieved, Evinia and the Yellow Rover would be next to heed the cull.