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Mara knew it was coming.
The Board had eyes and ears everywhere, it was stupid to think she was flying under their radar. She figured she cut a loose end when she discovered Udom’s body rotting in the waste disposal. SubLight denied involvement, it had to be the Board. They wanted Welles, no matter what.
Sophia Akande, the second in command wanted her to turn against him. She knew it was a trap the moment Akande called. Mara only saw red, as they prepared for the Board, no one else knew Mara killed Sophia in the dead of night.
Her only regret was to not kill Rockwell along with her.
Welles allowed himself to be captured, if only to buy her crew more time. She needed to get to his lab quick, she was the only hope the colony had left. It was ironic in a way, Mara always considered herself someone who looked out for herself.
”Hey guys. I got news.”
The crew gathered at the dinner table, she grew to love them all so much. Mara often thought about Parvati’s wish for a quiet life for them all. Looking over to Felix, she wished they had more time together.
”I don’t expect a single one of you to help, take the ship. Do whatever. But he helped me, and I have…I have to get those colonists out. I just…figured y’all should know.”
A heavy silence fell between them. Mara focused on the table, willing herself to not cry.
”You ain’t paying me to think,” Felix said, “I’ll walk into fire you with you.”
Mara finally looked up, his eyes shone with love. She knew she was going to hate seeing him die more than the others, unfair as it was to say.
”Fuck it, yeah I’m in.” Ellie said.
Nyoka laughed, “I hear that.”
Mara glanced at the rest of them, no one faltered. Not even SAM.
”Well…we ain’t gotta go it alone. I can call in favors, and people owe me some fucking favors.”
A nervous laughter broke out, Max setting cups out for everyone. Drinking whatever what was on hand, they figured one last night was all they had to make it through.
Mara wandered off to the cargo bay, legs hanging off the ledge. She was too worried to even notice Felix following her, until he snaked an arm around her waist.
”Hey.”
“Hey.”
She kissed his forehead, returning to her drink. Felix wasn’t the best with words, but he wanted to do whatever he could to help.
”I been thinking, once we corner Rockwell? We pull the trigger together. Me and you.”
She laughed, “what? Like we hold the gun or our own?”
“Come on, babe. We each got a finger on the trigger, holding the same gun. Real romantic stuff, because I love you.”
She shook her head without saying a word.
”The revolution is gonna kick off with a party, just know it.”
Mara wasn’t too sure about that. The colony is out of food, was she wrong for adding another 70,000 mouths to feed?
“Felix…if we don’t…”
”We will.”
”Felix listen, if we don’t make it…”
He shook his head, holding his hand up.
”Felix, what if this is it?”
”Nah, you got this. We’re gonna win.”
Tears welled up, she could only stare at him.
”Workers will walk hand in hand, we’re gonna abolish all those fucking factories. Blow those fuckers up.”
Mara wiped the snot away, “no. I’m serious. Listen to me. If…if we don’t…”
He turned her toward his, shaking her shoulders gently, “we are going to make it.”
She blinked the tears away as he wiped her face, Felix was the love of her life. There was so much more she wished they could do. If this was earth, she might even consider kids. But fucked up as things were…she’d take what comfort she got.
”I love you Felix. Do I tell you that enough?”
He smiled, “I can gather that. I love you too.”
He rubbed her back until she stopped crying. Mara’s head hurt, she didn’t want to think of the blood. But she knew it was going to happen.
“I killed Akande. Last week. I fucked up. She asked me…to be a mole. I said no.”
”Whoa. Where was I?”
”Sleeping. Told her I wanted to meet alone, ran before the guards noticed. I think it’s pay back. They’re gonna kill us. I’m fucking stupid.”
Felix stood up, a dark look in his face.
”If anyone tries shit, I’ll kill them. I won’t let them hurt you, Mara.”
She nodded, not wanting to look at him. Mara wondered if they’ll make it. A smaller piece of her wondered if loving him was a mistake. She didn’t want Felix to die, and he very much might do that.
”Mara, come on. Let’s get outta here.”
She made her calls, no expectations. Telling everyone she ever helped that she was going to end this once and for all. No more Board, no more life as they knew it. She didn’t want an answer immediately, calling Junlei last.
“Just…wanted you to know. I won’t let Parvati get hurt, you know?”
”…I know captain, I know.”
That might’ve been the hardest call, she wasn’t a fighter. Mara didn’t want to leave her a sitting duck on the ship either, but didn’t know what else to do. She wasn’t a milita leader or whatever she was trying to be. Was she even ready to lead? Welles kept alluding to it, overestimating her actual abilities.
You’re more capable than you know, Mara.
Welles killed over 100 colonists on the Hope to get her right. A lot was riding on her, she was the one forced into it. There was more than one occasion where she wanted to bail. She didn’t have a skip drive to leave, but it didn’t mean she ever had to answer his calls.
For awhile, she practically went off on her own. Freelancing, solving a murder that had nothing to do with her, anything and everything.
As she nestled into her bed with Felix, she thought about Myles. Welles had a plan to unfreeze the doctors and scientists first. She had no clue when she’d ever see him again. For all the things she did to save him, she could be 30 or 40 by the time he’s out. What then?
”Mara, you think too loud.”
”Sorry, I know I gotta sleep.”
Felix rolled over to kiss her, “I can help you relax.”
She sighed, “I don’t think so.”
Felix wasn’t great at this stuff, he kept the belief that things were going to work out in their favor, it was all he had.
He was scared, more than anything. Scared of if they fail, if Mara dies, if he fails her. They held each other, listening to their breathing sync up. Felix couldn’t think of this in his wildest dreams. He still woke up wondering if he was still on the docks, until he felt her warm body next to him.
Felix didn’t want to die, not now. He was reckless, always aiming to fight. But he met Mara, he met the crew, and life was worth living more than just the day to day. He wanted that kind of freedom for everyone in Halcyon. He was hopeful, but he prayed to whoever was out there that he was going to live to see the revolution.
In the morning they landed on Groundbreaker, taking as much weapons and ammo their bits could buy. The Board had more firepower than any of them, and Mara was too afraid to land on Byzantium to buy things there. She was tempted to get stinking drunk, at least her death would be painless that way.
If she was really desperate, Adrena-Time would do.
The crew gathered silently back into the ship, they all said their goodbyes. Max thought about his time inside the prison, he didn’t want to go back to that.
Mara was like a daughter to him, he didn’t want to see such young life cut short. He seen it too often already.
”Excuse me, captain?” He said, knocking on her door.
Felix shuffled out of the room, with a pat on the back from Max. Mara gazed into his eyes, unsure of what he was going to say. It was all that on her mind, what her crew was really thinking.
”How are you holding up?”
”Like shit.”
He nodded, there was plenty of empty platitudes he could say. If he was at peace with his life, it didn’t mean she had to be.
Instead he held her hand firmly, watching the vastness of space outside her window. Mara felt warmth radiate off them, a second longer and she knew she would cry.
“You’ll do good, Mara. I know it.”
And he left it at that.
Eventually, Mara left her room.
Ellie and Nyoka promised her, “free drinks at the Yacht Club for life.”
Parvati, scared but determined. She wanted to come back home to Junlei.
SAM in his own weird way, declared his loyalist to cleaning up messes for her.
They had their own plans after all this, but they were determined to go on together. And so, they set course to Tartarus.
Mara sat at the helm, a nervous wreck. There was so few windows, so few variables. Could she sneak around? Could she fight her way out? All the plans in her head ended with her death, she really didn’t know.
Two months ago, it was her 24th birthday. She always made a joke she was going to die at 27, just like the greats. If not, she’d kill herself. It was just a joke, mostly because of her lifestyle at the time. She never expected dogging bullets or claws to be included in her life plan of “fuck it.”
If the Board didn’t kill her today, she supposed she had three years of being a paper weight until they kill her off.
Felix’s lips pulled her back to reality, “baby. It’s okay.”
”Yeah, yeah.”
As they landed, a guard threatened them. Mara did the only thing she could think of, before getting blown to bits.
”I don’t believe you. Lemme see an ID, I think I’d know if you were really the landing pad guard.”
”What? Fine.”
ADA, ever quick on her feet, scanned the ID code.
Suddenly, shouting came from the other side of the screen.
A prison break. A distraction. Things were looking up.
“Okay, fucking go. Before they notice.”
They scanned a copy of the ID, letting themselves in. Felix practically bouncing off the walls, ready to fight.
”Okay, sneak. Fight. Sneak. Got it?”
”Got it,” the crew said.
When Mara called her favors, she really didn’t expect anyone to come. Junlei was busy as ever, Lilya had no reason to go against the Board, and Sanjar wanted in so bad she didn’t expect any sort of potential of a bad mark on his permanent record would allow it.
Yet they arrived. Each person on her side giving a nod, as they created any opening for them to continue.
”We’re gonna make it,” she repeated to herself a few times.
Felix, true to his word, wouldn’t let a single bullet fly past her. Pushing or pulling her every which way to avoid the conflict.
“Shit!”
”Felix!”
A bullet in his arm, they hid behind a vending machine, Ellie quick to stop the bleeding.
”Can you keep moving?”
He nodded.
”Okay, good job kid.”
They continued along, a prisoner who recognized Max helped them to a hidden hallway, leading up to a stairwell tucked away.
”Give ‘em hell.”
It was brutal, the prison was large, her nerves were shot. She couldn’t stop, she willed her legs to keep moving. Even after all this time, the will to fight dried up.
In an elevator, she cried despite herself. Mara feared showing weakness would ruin morale. Instead everyone took turns hugging her, until the doors slid open.
With a deep breath, she trudged along.
”You stupid fucking bitch. You ruined everything.”
”Yeah, yeah.”
Rockwell spat at her, “you think the Board is going to listen to you without me?”
Mara walked up, silently killing him without a word.
She laughed nervously, “that was too easy.”
She wiped the sweat off her brow, let’s find Welles.
”Hello, captain.”
She spun around, wait. It couldn’t be.
”You should check for a pulse next time, I guess you weren’t as smart as I though you’d be.”
”I won’t miss this time, Sophia,” she said trying to mask the tremble.
”We could’ve done good together, captain. I’m doing what’s right for the colony. But you’re just a child, you wouldn’t know a damn thing about that.”
”I’m not gonna do a monologue, get over here and die like the rest of them.”
Sophia laughed, “funny. Good bye, captain.”
The sounds of a mechanical whirl outside the door caused the crew to dive for cover. A large mechanical rapidly fired upon them. Every time Mara peeped over the table she was behind, bullets whizzed above her.
“Felix, what do we do?”
He thought about it, he had a grenade. It’d kill everyone in the room. So instead, he ran out the door, rolling to avoid any hits.
”Felix! Shit, shit, shit.”
The rest followed, shooting the best as they could. The mechanical turned towards Parvati, and Mara ran to push her out of the way.
The bullets hitting her felt like a cheese grater. Mara was afraid to look down at her arm, in case she didn’t have one anymore. As she helped up Parvati, her overalls soaked with blood.
”It’s firing again!”
Mara was losing a lot of blood, and Ellie was too far away. Frantically Parvati did what she could as SAM shot acid from his arm cannon.
It seemed to do the trick. Allowing the crew to hit the mechanical with all they had.
As it blew apart, Mara crawled on the ground in a daze. Hands helped her up to her feet.
”You’re alright. You’re alright,” said Nyoka.
They couldn’t find Sophia anywhere, moving to the holding cell.
“Mara, you did it! You really did it!”
”Thanks, doc. I’m glad.”
Mara was breathing slower now, head dizzy. She needed water, she needed a nap.
”Mara? Mara!”
Last thing she could remember was hitting the cold ground, hard.
The room became hazy, besides her was Myles. Helping her stand, her grandmother. Instead of peace, she felt dread. She didn’t make it, did she?
Mara slumped down a wall, “Ama, please. Don’t wanna do nothing. I’m so tired.”
”We know, we know.”
Myles rested her head in his lap, “ I’ll see you soon, okay?”
She only nodded, before closing her eyes again.
She felt her hair being brushed, causing her to bolt up.
”Shit, I’m sorry.”
“Felix? Oh my god,” she tried to move closer, pain shooting up her entire body.
”Shh, it’s okay,” he carefully scooted himself into the bed next to her.
Finally looking around, she noticed they were in a hospital.
”What happened?”
He smiled, “you passed the fuck out. We won.”
”Shit, really?”
”Yeah. We hunted down the rest of the Board. Doc made a whole speech, things are moving.”
She shook her head, “where’s the parade?”
He frowned, “yeah…you’d think there’d be one. People are…scared, I guess.”
”Are you?”
”No. I uh, just thought things would be different.”
Mara held his hand, giving it a squeeze. He gazed into her eyes, he fell in love again right then and there. He loved her more than anything.
”Things are different, we have ways to fix this.”
He nodded, “yeah. I guess we do.”
Mara finally willed herself to look at her arm, bandaged but still attached.
”Look on the bright side, this little button gives us all the drugs we want.”
A doctor walked by, scolding Felix for getting out of his bed.
”Hey lady. I saved the damn colony, heroes can stay in the same bed.”
”Felix, don’t give me that shit. Go to bed, leave her alone.”
He flashed a smile at Mara, “she’s my wife, don’t I got privileges? Visitation and all that shit?”
The doctor stared him down.
”Can I get some water? Can he stay until you get back?”
She sighed, “yeah. You kids had it rough.”
Felix wiggled to his side, stroking her hair. They laughed bashfully, kissing each other.
”I’m your wife, huh?”
He blushed, “well. Maybe, if you wanna be. I-I like you to be.”
”I will. I wanna be.”
”Is it dumb to say that?”
She shook her head, “real romantic like. We beat the baddies, get married.”
”Yeah.”
The doctor returned, and helped Felix back into the wheelchair he was against using. The rest of the crew had scrapes and bruises. Max had a broken wrist, but it was late and they’d see them in the morning.
As Felix kissed her goodnight, Mara felt good. She didn’t know what the morning would bring, or what could happen in a week. But she felt at peace, for the first time in a long time.
The revolution she pictured was anticlimactic. In the window she could see the hospital staff walk with worry, checking the aetherwaves for any news as it came.
Things were going to change, but she could do it this time. She really could.
Mara closed her eyes, picturing herself in Terra 2. The wind in her face, the sun setting, it was perfect. Her vision of the future included everyone in this, all had a chance to rest and have weekends. Silly as it was.
Parvati wished they could all live somewhere quiet, and Mara smiled to herself as she believed she brought that to her dear friend. To all of them.
Mara Castillo, the woman from earth. The unplanned variable. Finally made it home.