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Aniah greets us with a worried look.

“Get Poppy,”

I say as I collect Sefina in my arms and hurry toward the glorious, shining BlazeStar. DrillBit and Bomber close the ascent shaft. The cavern shudders under the blasts.

It is now or never. We either escape in the ship, or we die trying. Survivors file onto the BlazeStar, each escorted by a Brother as per Mother’s requirements.

Menace>>Clover: Do you have what you need?

Clover>>Menace: A-firm. Sythius brought me the extender. Running a final scan now. Please board. We’re running final flight checks.

I hike up the ramp with Sefina in my arms.

Menace>>Mother: One injured human, ID: Sefina, to share quarters with me.

Mother>>Menace: Please dock in room Charlie Sixteen.

Aniah meets me in the hallway with a bag of roots. “Poppy said this is what you wanted? She’s working with Clover.”

“Thanks.”

“I didn’t know she was sick,”

Aniah seems worried.

“She’s not, really. She has augments that work like a pulse weapon in her head.”

Aniah’s face pales. “Must give her quite a headache.”

“Yeah, without this stuff.”

“Take good care of my friend, will you?”

Aniah asks. “Call Redline if I can help in any way.”

I thank her and hike through the filled passageways of the ship until I find our assigned room. Seeing it so busy is strange, even though I know it’s for a good reason. But it still unnerves me a little. We’re so close to the end.

One way or another, this will be over soon.

The door opens, and I step inside a room just big enough for a Titan to sleep, bathe, and store weapons in. Resting on the bed, I cradle Sefina in my lap and tuck a bit of the root under her tongue.

A screen flashes to my left.

Replenishing needed. Tap to confirm.

I tap the green button, and a panel swivels in the wall, which has an array of hoses and cables that will charge me and provide healing nutrients. But I fear how many other Titans may need them.

Menace>>Mother: Status of Replenishing Supplies.

Mother>>Menace: Stable. Tanks refilled six hours ago.

Menace>>Mother: Technician?

Mother>>Menace: Cara of Titan, Leah of Earth Minor.

I feel more comfortable taking the nutrients in with capable leaders watching over us. It is close to how I felt after I met Mother Besha and realized that not everyone in the solar system wanted to torture me. It is reassuring and fills me with hope.

The connectors hiss as they clip into my back. The noise rouses Sefina.

“Menace?”

“Hey, babe. I’ll be ready for you in just a few minutes.”

She laughs weakly and snuggles closer to my chest. “Babe? You’re cute.”

“No. I’m Menace.”

“So scary,”

she teases. “Is this it, then? Are we taking off soon?”

“Yeah.”

Sefina says what’s on my mind. “I feel like I should be doing more, not sitting here for the ride up.”

Menace>>Savage: We still have the BoltBurner. Is there another access point on the mountain? Request an addition to the EP.

Savage>>Menace: Give me thirty minutes. I will assign a crew and arrange transport to get you back to the ship. It’s an exposed road on the mountain. You’ll have to move fast. But we can use all the distractions and help we can get.

I forward his communication to Fracture.

Fracture>>Menace: Copy. I’ll be recharged soon and ready to assist. Boomer is monitoring Sythius. I will collect him before we depart.

I click back twice to confirm, then reply to Sefina. “We’re going to go back after replenishing completes.”

Sefina sighs. “Can I rest here with you until then?”

“These are our quarters.”

“Ours?”

I kiss her temple. “Mother coded both of us to this room. It’s on the screen outside the door.”

The door beeps. Morbid nudges me. He is outside.

I push the button beside the bed to open the door.

“Hey.”

He sees Sefina sleeping in my arms.

Morbid>>Menace: Oh. Sorry. Never thought I’d see you like this. I didn’t mean to intrude. I just heard about Quris from Fracture. That was her?

I hang my head.

Menace>>Morbid: Mintaka was her mother.

Morbid is quiet for a long breath.

Morbid>>Menace: She is extra special then.

I nod but have no more words for him as fear of the hours to come grips me.

Morbid>>Menace: I’m scared too, if I’m honest.

He glances down the hallway and around him at all the people. Then he leans into the room.

Morbid>>Menace: We’re going to get one chance. You know as well as I that some, if not most, of us are going to die. And it feels like it will be more if we don’t figure out what this thing is that Poppy senses we need. To have such an ancient unit admit she’s not feeling confident in this move is not a good sign.

Smoothing Sefina’s dark hair with a hand, I savor her softness, hoping the next few hours aren’t the end of everything I want to live for.

Menace>>Morbid: I don’t want to die.

An ache starts in my throat.

Menace>>Morbid: I know now why the Creators forbade this and why they made us infertile.

Morbid crosses his arms and looks away.

Morbid>>Menace: There’s no way to stop that feeling, but we can combat it with smart moves in this battle.

Menace>>Morbid: Sefina said we need to distract them, mess with their heads, and escape while they try to sort out what’s happening.

Morbid>>Menace: That could work with some major RID shots. I’m working on bolstering the shields now. We’re closing off all the external hull-side rooms during ascent in case we lose shields. So it will be cramped during ascent.

Menace>>Morbid: That’s okay. We’re not staying.

Morbid cocks his head. “Taking another ship?”

“A BoltBurner.”

“Ooh, nice snag.”

“Savage is working up a plan.”

Morbid eases out of the room. “You’ll need rest until then. I’ll leave you to your replenishment.”

“Morbid?”

“Yeah?”

Menace>>Morbid: If I am decommissioned…

Morbid shakes his head.

“But if…”

I sweep a thumb over Sefina’s shoulder. “You have to.”

Menace>>Morbid: She killed Quris with a zembi handblade from Mintaka. She is one of us. She must be protected like one of us.

Morbid chews on a cheek then nods.

Morbid>>Menace: All Stealth Model units will protect her. I will be sure of it.

I click back twice as he leaves, and my door shuts. I kiss Sefina’s forehead and wish time would stand still, even for just a moment. But before long, Savage calls with orders, and she’s awake in my arms again.

“Time to go,”

I tell her.