Page 13 of Arakiba (Alien Legacy Brotherhood #3)

Chapter Twelve

“N o, I refuse.” Elemi the sexbot narrowed her pink gaze at Ari. “I enjoy being mobile and there’s nothing you can say that will change my mind.”

Ari couldn’t believe he’d been arguing with the stubborn AI for the last twenty minutes. Chloe had warned him she was stubborn, but Elemi’s attitude went beyond stubborn. He fought the urge to shove her consciousness back into the ship where she belonged.

“Listen—“ Ari tried for the umpteenth time. ”—if I don’t put you back into the ship, it won’t heal.” He crossed his arms and glared right back at her. “And if the ship doesn’t heal, then we can’t get off this bucket of smelly bolts and head back to the Federation Consortium. And if we can’t do that, we won’t be there to help my family stop the invasion from an extra-dimensional threat. And if that happens, your stupid metal body will cease to exist just as much as any organic being’s.” He turned to the purple crystal giant who entered Elemi with the rest of them. “Isn’t that right, As’ni?”

The simpleminded beast fingered a ragged section of the ship and didn’t answer. His grip on the springy coil in his other hand tightened.

“As’ni?”

The creature jumped like a child caught doing something he shouldn’t. “Wha?”

“If Lord Baelon and his troops come through, everything will die, including someone like her.” Ari thumbed to the pink sexbot. “Right?”

As’ni‘s lavender eyes widened as he vigorously nodded. “Bad. Lord Bay-lon bad. All die. Even shiny bug.” He jiggled a finger in JR12’s direction.

“Hey, now!” JR12 sprang from Ari’s shoulder to hover over it. “Let’s all take a deep breath—and I’m talkin’ to you who breathe—so we can reset this stupid conversation.” He flew to face Elemi, who stared at the small bot as it came closer.

For the first time, Ari noticed the android didn’t blink.

“You, sexbot-ship on steroids.” JR12 addressed Elemi. “What if he put you back into the robot body once things got settled? Maybe even find something better looking. Cause I gotta tell you, I’ve seen vending machines with more class.”

Ari chuckled when Elemi’s metallic jaw dropped.

“Well, I never…”

“And you ain’t never gonna until you let the blond superman here put you back!” Chloe stomped her foot.

Ari raised an eyebrow. Superman? Well, didn’t that just put a damper on everything? The sheer weight of that expectation was a burden far heavier than anything he’d ever experienced before. Talking himself into pulling off this gargantuan task was challenging enough. Not that he’d admit that to anyone. Especially to this stubborn, pain-in-the ass excuse for an android…

“And we’s don’t have time to get another ship here to take ya’ll to the other side of the galaxy!” Chloe continued with a huff. “Elemi, you always claimed how much better you were than us emotional creatures. Looks like you’re worse than any of us.” The woman crossed her arms and turned her back on the android. “I’m ashamed of you.”

“My aruu —“ Aylzrunth said to Chloe in a soft tone. ”—that was a bit harsh.”

“I don’t care.” Chloe nodded over her shoulder to the pink droid. “She’s being selfish, and she knows it.”

“Chloe, dearest!” Elemi wailed.

“Do you think you can put her into another android body when this is over?” Morgan placed her soft hand on Ari’s arm.

He scratched the side of his head. Honesty or guesswork? He glanced at her bright golden-green eyes, studying him. Did he really have a choice? No, no, he didn’t. Okay, honesty it was.

“I’m pretty sure I can. Yeah, I think so,” Ari hedged his confession. “But, understand when I did it the first time, I was desperate to save her because things went sideways real fast with our friend here.” He patted the bulk of As’ni‘s shoulder.

As’ni beamed at Ari’s show of affection.

Ari turned to Elemi. “But I can promise I’ll do my best.”

Elemi’s fuchsia eyes widened as she swung her intense, pleading gaze to Chloe, silently begging for understanding. Her lips parted as her metallic hands clenched tightly together. At Chloe’s mulish frown, Elemi threw her metallic shoulders back and lifted her chin. “Fine. For you, I’ll agree, Chloe dearest.” Her metallic lips pursed. “I just hope this blundering fool knows what he’s doing.”

Chloe turned back to Elemi, then swung her attention in Ari’s direction. “You know, she brings up somethin’ I’ve been meaning to ask you.” Her dark gaze narrowed. “How did you do all this mumbo-jumbo stuff in the first place? Not only taking Elemi from the ship and putting her into a sleaze-bot, but creating that couch and stuff back there.” She thumbed over her shoulder. “You never explained how you did that. What? You a magician or somethin’.”

Ari tilted his head with his hands behind his back.

Morgan frowned at his mischievous grin.

“Yeah, something.”

Didn’t look like his innocent act fooled Chloe one bit.

“Now, what does that mean?” Chloe fisted her hands on her hips. Lowering her head, she stared at Ari through hooded lids.

“Chloe, my aruu . He is not a human.“ Aylzrunth rubbed her back.

“Huh?” She glanced at him before swinging her attention to Ari with an up-and-down perusal. “What do you mean he ain’t human?”

Great. How did Aylzrunth know that? He didn’t sense any psychic abilities from the Runihura. Maybe now wasn’t the time to address that question. Better to keep things simple. “You know how some people have mixed heritage?” He directed his question at Chloe.

She nodded with a guarded expression.

“Well, mine’s just… really mixed. Like, muddled out-of-this-world mixed.”

“Say again?” Chloe’s dark brows rose.

“He is telling us that his genetic makeup is a combination of human and alien.” Aylzrunth explained. “He is a hybrid.”

“Yep, that’s me.” Ari spread his arms wide. “My DNA is just one big galactic smoothie.”

Morgan bit her bottom lip as her eyes twinkled.

Chloe frowned and studied Ari again. “Figures. Ain’t no way a human guy could do all that and be so good-looking.” She humphed and grabbed Aylzrunth’s large hand in hers. “Just like my man here, no one on Earth is anywhere near as beautiful.”

“Female,” Aylzrunth grumbled. “Do not describe me as beautiful.”

The sound of Morgan’s giggle made Ari smile. Especially when the onyx man’s cheeks flushed darker.

Aylzrunth turned his neon-blue eyes to look at Ari. “How much time do you need before you are ready to depart?”

Ari rested with one of his arms across his waist and plunked his elbow on it. Tapping his forefinger on his chin, he looked away as he tried to figure out the best answer. He let a moment pass before he looked at the alien taller than himself. Again, he had to be honest. It’s not like he’d gone around fixing organic spaceships all the time. “I’m not really sure, but hopefully not too long. But I think it’d be best if you remove your ship, so when Elemi is ready, I’ll be able to put her in the docking bay so we can launch from here.“ Goddess willing.

Ari braced himself under Aylzrunth’s glowing, wide-eyed stare. “If that is so, what an impressive feat it would be. I have never seen the like.” Now his pupilless eyes narrowed. “When we have finished this situation satisfactorily, I would appreciate the opportunity to ascertain your background.”

“What my man is trying to say, in his own convoluted way,” Chloe piped in. “Is we’d like to get together again. Okay?”

Morgan’s smile widened. “I’d really like that. Wouldn’t you?” She turned to Ari.

“Ab-so-frigging-lutely,” he returned her grin. He’d rather do anything than delve into his background right now. Especially since he wasn’t sure if he could pull this momentous task off successfully. It was going to stretch his limitations, transferring Elemi’s consciousness then rebuilding her ship body. Not to mention keeping the Ozevroc frozen at the same time. At least if he failed, he wouldn’t have to worry about his brothers finding out. Because if this didn’t work, he’d probably end up blowing them all to hell.

“It’s a date.” Ari widened his grin and rubbed his hands together. “So, whaddya say we pretend it’s another Tuesday and save the universe, people?

Tension melted from Ari’s shoulders as Morgan volunteered to lead Chloe and Aylzrunth back to the docking bay. He’d almost expected her to dig in, determined to stay by his side no matter the danger. As if he’d let that happen. The last thing he wanted was to risk her safety while he focused on the impossible. Damn, he was sure lucky the universe cut him a break for once. He didn’t have time to deal with battling her relentless stubbornness to make sure she remained as far away as possible in case everything went south.

So, he’d take advantage of Morgan being gone for now. The quicker the better. He turned to JR12, As’ni, and the android Elemi inside the empty ship.

“You know,” JR12 said from his shoulder. “I didn’t want to say anything in front of the other organics, but I have an idea about merging Elemi with, ah, Elemi .”

Ari glanced at the small gold-and-silver bot looking up at him with his multifaceted eyes. “I’m listening.” Anything would help at this point.

“All right, A-Man,” JR12 began. “It’s like this. Instead of fully extracting Elemi from the android unit, consider a more efficient solution—allow her to share her consciousness between the ship and the android body, creating a dual interface where she controls both simultaneously. After all, as Da Vinci once said, ‘Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication .’ ”

Hmm, maybe that’d work. Ari turned to Elemi. “What do you think?”

In a sultry tone, Elemi said, “Darling, that would be fabulous. Why should I settle for one form when I can be magnificent in two? Imagine me—gracing the ship with my brilliance while still keeping this fabulous body. It’s perfection, really.”

“Okay, that’s doable.” Ari pointed to the pulverized navigation console. “Stand there and put your hands here.” He motioned to a broken protrusion that used to be part of the command station. “I’ll set up a station where you can plug in, so stay calm.”

Thankfully, she did as he asked, putting her palms on the withered material without making some mind-numbing comment.

“As’ni.” He turned to the purple crystal giant sitting on the floor with his legs splayed.

The purple entity was playing with his coils, bouncing them up and down while singing a repeating ditty.

“As’ni, pay attention.”

As’ni looked up. “Ari?”

“I’ll need your help to fix this pretty ship. Okay?”

As’ni bounced to his feet, still clutching his toy. “Yes! As’ni help! Yes, yes!” His head bobbed with each word.

Ari put a hand on the crystal creature’s shoulder and steered him to the opposite wall. “Put your back against the wall. I’d like if you could share some of your energy with her without hurting yourself.” He eyed the simple creature. “You think you could do that?”

“Yes! As’ni do.” He clutched both toys in one hand to his chest and didn’t let go. “No problem, Ari.” As’ni thumped his back against the wall.

“Good,” Ari nodded. “If it hurts, you move away, okay?”

“Yes, Ari. As’ni do.”

“As for you,” Ari addressed the spider-bot on his shoulder. “I want you out of here.” He nodded to the open entryway. “Leave the engine room altogether so you don’t get caught up in anything happening here. Also, I need you to keep Morgan out.” The muscles in his neck tensed. “Make sure she doesn’t come anywhere near this room while I work. I swear, if she gets one scratch…” He left the threat hanging.

“Like the great Issac Asimov once wrote, ‘ Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent .’ Fortunately for you, I’m highly competent, so I can ignore your absurd threat.“ With a parting snort, the spider-droid pulled his wings out and hovered before zipping over the frozen Ozevroc to speed out the entryway. Hopefully, JR12 would catch up with Morgan before she headed back.

Returning inside the dim interior of the prone ship, he double-checked that his two companions were where he wanted them. Satisfied all was ready as could be, he closed his eyes. The stillness in the room weighed heavily on him. Pressed in on him. As if the universe held its breath while it waited.

Ari pressed his hands, strong and steady, where the ship’s navigation controls used to be. He might not be a healer in the traditional sense, but the energies he carried were all-encompassing. The drive to repair the ship’s core grew stronger as he searched for Elemi’s essence within the android, reaching to grasp her ethos. To give him more leverage, he shifted his focus inward and shut off his external senses. The organic mesh of Elemi’s living body, her threads of consciousness, of memory, housed in the android, stretched out before him. As he gathered who she was, he healed some of the tangled and frayed bits of the ship caused by the damage.

Slowing his breath, Ari deepened each inhale until he filled his chest with the energy he needed. With no hesitation, he reached toward the core of her—not physically—but with something else entirely. Something within him that was unique to him hummed beneath his skin. It wasn’t light, not exactly, but it was warm. It pulsed at his fingertips, invisible but undeniable, answering a universal call he’d never make out loud.

Elemi’s overall consciousness brushed against his, tentative at first, as if she was testing him after being burned.

There was resistance—pain, fear—a tense emotion telling him she didn’t want to be split. Didn’t want to risk breaking what she had even more. He didn’t force her. Steadily he waited, holding the connection open for her to complete the invitation to join with the ship, her original form. For this to work, it had to be her choice.

Thankfully, her hesitation dissipated as the warmth of her consciousness spread out from him.

Her tendrils of energy slipped through the cracks in the damaged threads of the ship.

Together, they stitched and mended, piecing the broken fragments back together.

Elemi’s essence shifted from the shadows into the stronger dual light he controlled.

The process wasn’t quick. It wasn’t smooth. It was chaotic, fragments of her mind scattered, only to return when he guided them with gentle, controlling intent.

His heart pounded, not in fear, but in rhythm with hers as she and the ship slowly healed.

When the power within Ari drained, As’ni‘s psionic energy joined in, bringing with it a sense of joy and playfulness.

That’s when the faintest hum within the ship’s hull broke the silence. The connection deepened, stronger now, until it wasn’t just him reaching into the ship. Elemi reached back, allowing him to join her fully with her android body and the ship.

Then, with one last thrust, Ari rearranged the damage done to the ship in a microscopic speck of time and space, and he rebuilt the ship to her former glory.

Stretching out his consciousness, he followed Elemi’s thread of awareness, now split in two. Instead of one being cut in half, she was a sentient being with two forms. Whole—alive, aware, and unique as only Elemi could be.

Nostalgia washed over Morgan as Chloe stepped through the airlock, Aylzrunth’s towering onyx form by her side. Though she and Chloe came from completely different worlds on Earth, their shared experiences aboard the StarChance brought them together. It’d be nice if she and Chloe could explore a closer friendship when everything settled down.

Better yet, she’d love to bring her friend to Aethralis. Wouldn’t that be something? Now, all she had to do was figure out a way to get the High Guardian to agree to it. Maybe she could introduce Chloe as a representative of that mercenary group, the AoA, to be on call if that shield holding the Titans got weaker. Yeah, that might…

“Yo, Wrench Queen.”

Morgan jumped when JR12 buzzed in front of her.

“You stuck or something?”

Morgan blinked. “Stuck?”

“Yeah, you’re just standing there with a blank look on your face like a downed sexbot.” JR12 zipped to her right shoulder and landed. “Did the other organics leave yet?”

Morgan checked out the closed bay doors. “Yes, they’re gone.” Glancing at the droid on her shoulder, she asked, “What are you doing here?” Looking around, it was easy to see he was alone. “Where’s Ari?” Annoying little guy rarely strayed far from him.

“He’s busy fixing Elemi .”

“What?” she exclaimed, spinning around to head out the door. “Without me?”

“Hey, hang on, Gizmo Guru!” JR12 buzzed in her face.

She halted to avoid smacking into him.

“He told me to keep you away until he gives the okay to return.”

Morgan thumped her fists on her hips. That was the stupidest thing she’d ever heard. “What? Why?”

“Because, you clueless organic female, it would be dangerous for him to split his concentration between watching you and fixing the ship. Stupid man can’t take his eyes off you when you’re around.” The hovering bot humphed. “He’d probably end up blowing us all to hell.”

Morgan’s lips curled into a soft smile. The thought of Ari unable to tear his gaze from her sent her pulse into hyper-drive. A warm dose of satisfaction bloomed in her chest. Someone as strong and intriguing as Ari, captivated by her, left her both flattered and relieved. She dreaded thinking his feelings for her weren’t as strong as those she had for him.

Too bad things were so chaotic they hadn’t had a chance to explore their attraction in person. And not just in a Dreamwalk.

Throwing her shoulders back, she glared at the bot. “Okay, Flash . What do you propose we do in the meantime?“ She raised her hand palm up to invite him to land there. She didn’t like talking to him when she couldn’t face him. Looking over her shoulder as they talked made her cross-eyed.

“Glad you asked. First, let me pose a quandary to you.” The bot twisted his head to look at her sideways. “Tell me, have you seen any female Ozevroc?”

Female Ozevroc? What in the world brought that on? She stared at the ceiling as she searched her memories. “No,” she drawled. “Hmm, now that you bring it up, I don’t think I’ve ever seen any female Ozevroc.” She focused on JR12.

His multifaceted eyes gleamed in the low light.

“Why do you ask?”

“I think you’re going to want to see this.” He lifted his right foreleg and pointed to the door. “Come on, let’s go this way.”

JR12 winged off her palm, leaving Morgan no choice but to follow. As they took a mobile elevator, they headed to the lower levels.

When the doors swished open, Morgan’s steps slowed as she followed JR12 deeper into the ship’s underbelly.

The small droid’s metallic wings buzzed like a rotund bumblebee’s, spinning the thick, soured air layered with the scent of decay and filth.

Her stomach churned.

Dim lighting flickered in the hallway, casting eerie shadows that danced against the rusting walls.

Why would their females be down here? This couldn’t be right. Her breath hitched as they approached a sealed door.

“Here we are, Wrench Queen. But I warn you. Prepare yourself.” JR12 said, his voice bittersweet. “This won’t be pretty.”

Morgan hesitated. Something in JR12‘s rigid posture made her tense. Taking in a deep breath, she hesitated and studied the dull, faded surface of the metal door layered with corrosion streaks before pushing on it. As it moved it created a high-pitched screech that ended with a final dull thud when it stopped. As she walked through, a blast of foul air hit her. She turned her head with eyes closed, trying to hold her breath. Wheezing, she took a chance and opened her eyes. Her heart slammed against her ribs at the sight before her.

Cages. Dozens of them, stacked haphazardly, filled with matted, filthy shapes huddled in the corners.

It took a heartbeat moment before the horror sank in, chilling her to the core. These were Ozevroc females. Their long snouts pressed to the cold metal of their enclosures, eyes black and lifeless. Patchy, tangled fur covered their gaunt bodies, ranging from dull gold to a ghastly shade of blue. Some huddled around tiny shapes—young, barely moving, mewling weakly. A constant low whimper from the huddled bodies filled the air like an endless, mournful drone.

The nearest caged female lifted her head, her gaze heavy with exhaustion. Her coarse fur clung to her bony frame, ribs sharp against her skin, as if she hadn’t eaten in days. She pressed her face against the bars, and her tongue flicked out to catch moisture from a filthy trough.

A knot tightened in Morgan’s throat, her chest heavy. She couldn’t look away. Not just confined—their spirits lay crushed beneath years of neglect and cruelty. Tiny shapes wriggled at the edges of her vision, babies clinging to their weakened mothers.

Behind her, JR12‘s sensors hummed. “As the great Gandhi said, ‘The measure of a society is how it treats its weakest members ‘ . I do not understand how organics can behave in this neglectful manner to their own. At the very least, this level of disregard does not align with efficient biological output. The probability of survival for these females and their offspring is practically zero unless something changes immediately.”

Morgan’s stomach lurched at that understatement. Reduced to mere vessels, these females were nothing more than a grim production line to produce offspring. The cages, the damp stench of unwashed bodies, the groans of hunger and pain—all screamed of something far worse than mere captivity.

She clenched her fists at her sides, knuckles turning white. Forcing herself to step closer, she walked past cages filled with emaciated forms barely clinging to life, past trembling creatures too weak to stand. One baby, no larger than a house cat, let out a weak, rasping cry as it pressed against its mother, who didn’t move.

Morgan knelt, her heart breaking in her chest. “This… this isn’t right.” Her voice came out hoarse, barely a whisper. She glanced at JR12. “What can we do?”

“I’m glad you asked.” JR12 words came out in a playful, sing-song cadence. “I have an idea you’re just gonna love.”

Morgan glanced at the floating bot with a faint spark of hope. “Really? Tell me.” Anything was better than the suffering those poor creatures endured.

“Two things.” JR12 landed on her shoulder. “First, did you notice these females aren’t frozen from Ari’s mojo?”

Morgan stilled. Eyes wide, she took in the alarming scene. Damn! How’d she miss that?

“Good thing he didn’t know about them, because we need to talk to at least one.” JR12 continued. “Second, we need that Talon of Ancients.”

Morgan’s mouth dropped open. Never, in her wildest dreams, did she think the bot knew about the missing artifact. Much less that these females were here. “Wait… how do you know what that is?” She cocked her head.

“Oh, please.” JR12 rasped. “Interfacing with this ridiculously simple ship took less time than to tell you about it.”

She crossed her arms. “Okay, Inspector Bug-Eyes, why do we need the Talon of Ancients?”

“See, this is why you organics need me.” JR12 snorted. “The Talon of Ancients isn’t just a pretty bauble. I’m sure you realize it’s the seat of Ozevroc power. By their own traditions and laws, whoever has the artifact is automatically their leader.” She watched JR12 look up at her from her shoulder where he once again perched. “So, if we give that to a female, she can take over from the males. The only hard part is finding one of them coherent enough to understand what we’re proposing.”

Morgan’s gaze swept over the suffering Ozevroc in the dim light. She sucked on the side of her lower lip. Finding one of these females awake and strong enough for their plan to work was a long shot. Good thing she spoke their language. She stood in the narrow corridor between cages so most of them could hear her.

Ignoring the stench of neglect in the air, she swallowed hard and glanced at JR12 as he rose from her and hovered beside her. She could hear his sensors flickering faintly. He must be scanning the area.

Morgan threw her shoulders back, making sure her voice remained soft but steady. “Can any of you speak? Anyone well enough to talk?”

The silence was deafening. Only the soft sound of labored breathing filled the space.

She scanned the rows of cages, eyes catching on a few who stirred weakly, blinking their beady eyes in her direction. But none moved. None responded.

Then, farther down, a flicker of motion caught her eye.

One female slowly raised her head. Her fur, that once might have been dark and sleek, now hung in matted clumps. She struggled to lift herself, using the bars of the cage to steady her trembling limbs. Her eyes, dull but aware, locked on Morgan.

JR12 buzzed quietly. “Look over there. That one looks like she understood you. Let’s go.”

Morgan exhaled and went to the female’s cage and lowered herself to meet the alien at eye level. “We want to help.” Her voice was soft but clear. “Can you… can you talk?”

The female’s throat quivered as if unsure of how to speak. When she did, her voice came out as a rough, rasping croak. She swallowed, and her four eyes darted to look at the others around her as if gathering strength to speak.

Morgan leaned in, her chest tight, waiting. This was their only chance.

The female Ozevroc blinked, her button-like eyes narrowed with an intensity that didn’t match her frail form. She shifted again, her limbs trembling as she pulled herself closer to the edge of the cage, her long snout pressed against the cold bars. “I can speak,” the female rasped, her voice hoarse but fierce. Her determined spirit came through like a smoldering flame beneath layers of ash. She glanced at the other females, then back to Morgan. “We… are dying. Can you help us, strange one with the gold-eyes?”

Morgan whooshed a surge of relief. This one sounded strong and aware. She checked JR12, who hovered silently just outside the cage, his sensors scanning the female.

She knelt and rested her bum on her heels, her hands resting on her thighs. With a firm but gentle tone, she asked, “What’s your name?”

The female stared at her, unblinking. “We are not allowed names.” Bitter contempt laced her words. Her body, despite its weakened state, tensed with defiance.

Son of a bitch! Morgan’s heart squeezed. These poor females had been stripped of their dignity, their very identities. They were nothing more than discarded tools. It was unthinkable what they suffered. She shook her head. “No. That bullshit ends now.” She took in the female’s potent gaze, the determination clear behind her gaunt features. “I’m going to give you a name right now. How about… Zara?” A small smile tugged the corner of her mouth. “It means ‘princess,’ and I think you deserve that profound name.”

The female blinked, her expression unreadable for a moment, as if she was processing the idea. Then, slowly, she nodded. “Zara…” Her voice was low, as if testing the name on her tongue for the first time. Her eyes met Morgan’s again, this time with a flicker of something deeper. Hope. “I accept this name.” Her voice became stronger now. “I ask for your help. Not just for me… but for all of us.” She glanced at the other cages, where several females were watching with wide, cautious eyes.

Morgan’s chest tightened for a different reason. Now there was less fear, more purpose in the atmosphere. She reached out, gripping the bars of Zara’s cage. “We’ll get you out of here, all of you,” she promised. “But we’ll have to work together in order for us to do that.”

Zara lifted her chin, the fire in her gaze burning brighter. “Tell me what to do,” she said firmly. “And I will see it is done.”

JR12‘s sensors flickered as he addressed the Ozevroc in their language. “If we get you the Talon of Ancients, will you accept the mantle of leadership?”

Morgan watched as the words hung in the air between them, heavy with meaning.

Zara’s eyes, dark and deep, flicked up from staring at the floor of the cage to meet hers. For a moment, the Ozevroc female was still, her emaciated form unmoving except for the faint rise and fall of her chest.

The ship’s low hum filled the silence, but Morgan’s focus was entirely on the being in front of her.

Zara’s three sets of hands, once trembling and weak, tightened around the bars of the cage, her knuckles pale beneath her matted fur. Her gaze was no longer clouded by exhaustion or fear. Instead, it burned with something stronger—resolve. Her body trembled as she pulled herself upright, her movements deliberate, despite the obvious strain.

There was no hesitation as she spoke, her voice stronger now, more certain. “I have been denied a name, freedom, and hope. If leading means freeing my sisters, our children, and myself, then I accept.” Her four eyes gleamed with a determined glimmer of hope. “I vow not to fail them.”

Morgan felt a shiver run down her spine. The frail creature in front of her had transformed—no longer a victim of her circumstances, but a force to be reckoned with.

Zara straightened as much as her body allowed, a presence far larger than her physical form could convey.

“Okay, now on to task number two.” Morgan smirked at JR12. “Let’s hand over that Talon of Ancients to them. You with me?”

“Well, since it was my idea…” JR12 admonished. “Of course I am.”

How silly of her. Of course he was. “Well, then.” She turned to Zara. “Let’s get started.”