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Chapter Text

The telescope repairs were almost complete -but the rest would have to wait until tomorrow.

Obiora stretched out his back until the tension subsided with mild relief. He should have been done with the repairs sooner but one fix led to another problem leading to another fix and another problem. He spent the past two weeks getting to know the telescope more intimately than he had the entire year he worked here. Obiora hoped the professor didn’t mind... Oh, who was he kidding? The professor had stated on multiple occasions how he was welcome to take his time getting the telescope in tip top shape. The man always found busy work for himself with projects Obiora could only dream of.

This job really was a dream.

He could do without the aching muscles, but solving these mechanical issues was fun! Every resolution reassured him that he was very capable of this work. Who was he trying to prove himself to? Who could say? Sometimes Obiora told himself he needed to show his worth to the professor but not once did the man doubt his abilities. Obiora sighed. What he really needed was to go easy on himself. One day at a time.

He gave a pat to the telescope and closed the hatch offering him access to its inner wires. Tomorrow it’ll be fixed. Tonight he needed rest. What time was it anyways? Obiora packed his tools inside a bag and walked across the room to a work bench. He tapped the screen of his cell phone.

“Oh!”

Dawn was approaching soon. He received a text message from his husband wishing him a good night and another hoping he wasn’t staying late at the observatory. Sorry love, Obiora flushed. At least his husband was away with family; it made him feel less guilty about leaving the bed empty. Obiora yawned hard. He considered asking the professor if he could sleep at the observatory for a few hours but the growling in his stomach made him reconsider. He needed something hearty to eat, and a bed all to himself didn’t sound half bad either. The man strapped his tool bag over his shoulder and started for the study room. Now that he wasn’t so lost in his work, he could hear a low chatter.

The further Obiora walked down the hall, the tighter his chest began to feel. Distant audio from a radio grew clearer the closer he approached the study.

“-mattra Tekartha has been scheduled to to be relocated to a maximum security prison based in Chile. And in other news, world leaders at the UN have agreed to begin a clean up program within Australian borders. Due to the dramatic drop in natural resources in recent years, leaders and companies are seeking out ways to recycle equipment or technology in order to keep up with high demand. Many critics are arguing this violates omnic rights since the program does not exclude gathering decommissioned omnics within those borders...”

The air felt thick. Two pens were feverishly scribbling across holoboards with formulas Obiora partially recognized. A single overhead light was turned on, illuminating some of the books and papers cluttered on a long desk. The light outlined broad shoulders hunched over a collection of documents. The professor’s writing matched the pace of the pens floating along the boards.

“Dr. Kaori Torre and Dr. Lucille Delaney have openly criticized the UN, accusing nations of sending military efforts to agitate feral omnics and provoke them into attacking. The two doctors have opened a refugee base for omnics within Australian borders, offering them mechanical repairs and schooling…”

Obiora cleared his throat. “Dr. de Kuiper.”

Everything came to a halt.

The squeeze in Obiora’s chest grew tighter when Siebren turned his attention. His pale blue eyes were unfocused, as if he was suddenly yanked from whatever numerical world he was lost in. The professor smiled.

“I didn’t realize you were still here.” Siebren leaned back against his chair, shifting it to fully face the other. The tightness in the air alleviated, allowing Obiora a moment to breathe. “Have you made any progress on the telescope?”

“Yes,” Obiora responded quickly. “I would like to finish it tomorrow- erm, later today but it’s almost five in the morning.”

“What?” Siebren hastily looked at his wristwatch and was quicker to snatch his phone. Judging by the expression made, Obiora assumed the professor received a very similar set of messages from his wife. “Ah, yes, you’re welcome to work on it later. Get some rest.”

“Thank you,” Obiora said.

“Many nations are working with scientists to find alternate solutions to raw materials. Companies, like Vishkar Corporation, are leading in the effort to refine their alternate methods in order to handle extreme climate changes.”

Obiora paused, “Doctor, how is your family doing?”

Siebren looked up from his phone. “They’re doing fine.” His head tilted slightly, “Why?”

“I was only curious,” Obiora answered honestly. “With the war over, it feels like some new disaster is preparing to hit.”

Siebren’s expression fell somber. “Every year will nurture a new tragedy. Unfortunately, we can’t escape that.” He stood up, making his way to Obiora’s side and rested a heavy hand on his shoulder. “But good things will follow. There’s too many stubborn people who demand a better world.” Siebren gave a gentle. “Which reminds me, when will you and your husband come over for dinner again? Kaori keeps insisting you both stop by.”

Obiora grinned. “We will. I’ll tell you what, when Iniemem returns from his trip, we’ll plan for a weekend.”

“Excellent!” Siebren cheered. His hand moved to the back of Obiora’s shoulders, guiding the man towards the exit of the room. “Take some time to recuperate. If you need the day, you can have it.”

“You say this when we’re so close to having the telescope fully operational!”

Siebren’s grin only widened. “It’s waited this long, a few more hours won’t harm it.”

Obiora wanted to argue but a yawn betrayed any debate he could attempt. “Alright.” He said, accepting defeat. “I won’t be away for longer than a day.”

With that, Obiora left the observatory.

Daytime was already creeping over the horizon. Tired eyes looked towards the stars fading behind a purple and orange blanket of dawn. Down a dirt path, an automated bus waited patiently for passengers— more specifically one passenger. Obiora walked into the vehicle, taking a seat towards the middle of the bus and settled in. A few seconds passed before the sensors on the bus detected no more approaching passengers. The doors closed and it started the route towards town. Obiora wondered if the professor ever used the bus. Every time Obiora called for it, there was no delay in its arrival and Siebren never joined him when returning home. The man always stayed behind in the observatory and was typically present before Obiora arrived. It’s not the most pressing matter but it did force Obiora to admit his curiosity over Siebren’s abilities. Could he teleport? He knew the man could fly by manipulating gravity. Was his commute just a quick flight from here to home? Obiora had so many questions but he was worried it would come off as prying. Siebren was never shy to answer them. He always had an astute explanation about what he knew but it seemed like other topics intrigued him more.

Perhaps it was a touchy subject after…

Obiora looked around himself. He realized that only his tool bag was strapped to his shoulder and he was missing the schematics of his other projects. Obiora quickly slammed his fist over the emergency stop at the front of the bus.

“Emergency stop activated.” An automated voice spoke. “Are you in need of emergency services?”

“No,” Obiora said. “Return to observatory.”

“Request accepted.”

The bus made its way back. When it came to a halt at the front of the building, Obiora leaped out and hurried to the telescope room. He remembered where his other bag was, he just needed to grab it quick and-

Obiora stopped.

Looming over the control panel was Siebren holding some of the blueprints Obiora worked on. His face flushed when he noticed the etchings of a structure that was not the telescope at all. In the files Siebren held were detailed drawings of an entirely different machine: a facility able to collect and mine through asteroids. Some days just left Obiora with long wait times and so he’d fiddle with his pet project to pass the time. He felt shame rise, not wanting the professor to think he was wasting time at the observatory working on fantastical ideas.

“I can explain-” Obiora started.

“Could this work?” Siebren asked, keeping his eyes focused on the blueprints.

“Huh?”

“If you had the resources, could this function as intended?”

Obiora swallowed hard. “Sure but there aren’t enough resources on Earth to even begin the project.”

Siebren’s grin stretched wildly. It almost startled Obiora to see the professor this excited. “They won’t come from here.”

Chapter Text

Numbani was beautiful in the early morning.

The sun was barely rising from the east, painting the low lands with soft oranges and yellows. Beams of sunshine pierced between the city buildings, leaving puddles of daylight across different streets. Adawe International Airport was bustling with over night arrivals. Many walks of life gathered their belongings and made way for the next terminal or the nearest exit. In the midst of the hustle and bustle, Illari stood by a large window. She tuned out the chaos behind her, intent on sharing this moment in a new city with the rising sun. The windows began to tint to reduce the UV exposure but she could still feel the warmth of the sun’s rays behind the glass. Her skin tingled as her body soaked in the gentle light.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

The plane wasn’t the most comfortable ride. Illari had considered taking a boat instead but that would have cost her more time. She was needed now. She never had the luxury of traveling around much of the African continent. Most her days were spent traveling up and down the Americas. From what she could see through the window, Numbani was breath taking. The savanna stretched out far with dry brush and trees peppered across a thirsty landscape. Some few mountains lined the horizon, now just under the rising sun. They weren’t nearly as impressive as the mountain ranges in her home town, but she could still appreciate them. The city below was just as alive as the inside of the airport. People meandered about their day, either occupied with idle conversation or traveling fast on their feet. Cities were never Illari’s preferred place to stay. The loud and crowded paths tended to get overstimulating. Numbani wasn’t much different but there was charm to it. She watched a mother and daughter step towards a kiosk booth and purchase what looked like fruits. Illari wondered if those were sweet. Hunger was beginning to pick at her.

Or perhaps it was the butterflies in her stomach.

“Illari!”

Illari didn’t have much time to turn. From the reflection of the window, she caught a glimpse of shaggy brown hair when suddenly a body threw their arms around her shoulders in a tight embrace. Illari grunted.

“It’s been forever! I missed you!”

“It’s nice to see you too, Sloan,” Illari stiffened up. “Can you let go?”

“Oh!” Sloan immediately released their grip, quick to return their hands to their sides. “Sorry. Ah, I’m just really excited to see you!” Their grin was as wide and bright as their eyes. Illari was almost impressed to see how awake her friend was so early in the morning. “We have so much we gotta catch up with. How’ve you been? How’s Runasapi? Are you still doing cool Inti Warrior stuff?”

Illari grabbed her duffel bag and thought over the questions. “Good. Fine. Yes, I am,” She answered, gesturing for Sloan to follow her. “What about you? How are the Wayfinders?”

“Doing good!” Sloan leaped to Illari’s side, matching her footsteps while they walked out of the airport terminals. “Lots of people are hiring us, so we’ve been crazy busy. I’ve been helping this curator with a little book keeping of Iranian artifacts for a while now.”

“Did you get bored of it?”

“Bored?!” Sloan exclaimed. “No way! She was keeping these artifacts safe during the whole insurgence! We went around parts of the middle east collecting everything that was hidden away. It was insane! I didn’t realize how many historians were risking their lives to keep these precious historical pieces safe during the war. And not just from their own culture, but from almost anyone who asked for help.”

Illari gave a small smile. The war took a toll on many lives but it was heartening to hear stories like the one Sloan shared.

“We got back mist of the artifacts a couple months ago. Her museum is gonna be opening up soon and, since everything’s been running pretty smoothly, I figured I’d pick up another job.”

“And here you are.” Illari said.

“And here I am.” Sloan smiled.

The two made their way to a directory. Illari was instructed to find a specific bus that was stationed towards the eastern side of the airport. Having memorized the directions, she led Sloan towards their ride.

“So what about you?” Sloan asked.

“What about me?” Illari raised an eyebrow.

“Come on!” Sloan nearly bounced as they walked. “Don’t be modest! Raising the next generation of Inti Warriors isn't just something you can just brush aside! How’s it going?”

“It’s been… different.” Illari said. “I don’t know if I can even call them Inti Warriors without solar threading but they have the spirit, just as any would.”

“Anyone promising in your ranks?”

Yes, many, and I don’t want to disappoint them, she thinks. “They’re all very capable.” Illari states. “It’s a little overwhelming sometimes but I know they need a teacher.”

“You’re gonna do a great job teaching them all.” Sloan assured.

Illari exhaled through her nose, “I hope so.”

“Hey,” Sloan gently shook Illari’s shoulder. “Don’t sell yourself so short. You’re a good warrior and I know they see that too.”

Illari could only nod. She wanted to believe that.

Outside the airport, the crest etched over Illari’s forehead illuminated. She ignored the crowds of people shuffling around her to read the signs overhead. Loading dock five. Loading dock six. Seven.

“Think that’s it?” Sloan asked.

A blue bus was parked beside an unloading dock. Illari stepped into the automated vehicle, pulling up an image on her phone and presented it to a thin red ring at the front of the bus. The ring turned blue and the bus came to life, lifting a little further off the ground.

“Next stop: Asteroid Farming Group.” The bus repeated the phrase in other languages.

Illari was the first to take her seat. She decided for a place next to a window and pushed most of her belongings under her chair. A nap would be nice to have but the sun kept coaxing at her like a needy child. She watched Sloan throw their bags over one of the empty seats but held onto one backpack. They scanned the bus a couple of times and decided to plop down next to her. A whole empty bus and they just had to sit right by her side? Illari adjusted herself a little. Sloan set the backpack on their lap and rummaged for a good food minutes, pulling out two energy bars.

“You want one?” They asked, holding out one of the bars to her. “The airplane food is never really good.”

They were right about that. Illari shrugged and grabbed the snack. “Sure.” As energizing as solar rays were, she knew she needed actual food. Illari took a small bite.

“What do you think space is like?” Sloan asked, pulling out two water bottles and handed one to her.

Illari took it without question- the energy bar was too dry. “Cold. And pretty empty.”

“Have you ever been?”

Illari gave Sloan a confused look between her sips of water. “To space?”

“Yeah!”

“I’m not an astronaut.” She responded.

“No but you have cool solar powers and you can fly! Kind of.”

“The closest I’ve ever been to space was probably the airplane I just took.” She rolled her eyes but it didn’t hide the faint smile twitching at the corner of her lips.

“If I were you, I would totally see how far I could fly up into the atmosphere. I bet you could make it to the stratosphere on your own.”

“How far up is that?”

“I think about ten kilometers the closest.”

Illari took another bite of the energy bar. She wondered if other Inti Warriors made it that far on their own. “I guess it couldn’t hurt to try.”

Sloan stomped their feet. “I bet if you practice enough times, you could break through the atmosphere and touch the moon!”

“I don’t have a space suit.”

“Not yet you don’t.”

Illari shook her head, chuckling.

The bus didn’t spend much time in the crowded downtown area, heading straight towards the edge of the Numbani. Beyond the outskirts, it found a dirt path and began the long journey through the savanna. Illari was grateful Sloan decided to busy themselves with journal writing. While she was starting to grow comfortable with their presence, and the warmth of the sun, she found it easier to relax on the bus ride in quiet. The airplane offered little comfort to rest but perhaps here she could...

“Illari?”

Illari stirred awake. She lifted her head slightly from Sloan’s shoulder, squinting at her surroundings.

“We’re here.” Sloan said softly. They made no movement of shrugging her off.

Illari rubbed her eyes. She glanced at the window, blinking a few times before recognizing a massive infrastructure looming over them. She grabbed her belongings, and Sloan quickly shuffled towards the isle. Illari was the first to step off the bus.

“I’ve never seen one of these in person.” Illari breathed.

“They’re so cool.” Sloan said.

The omnium was oppressively large. At this angle, Illari understood how easily hundreds of machines could be manufactured within seconds. The omnium practically pierced the sky, threatening to cover the midday sun. Ramps and trams lined against the outside walls to eventually puncture into the thick framing of the building. Heavy beams stood strong, carrying the weight of iron walls that guarded its inner mechanisms. Would their presence even matter when they stepped foot inside? How easily lost could someone get within the interior of this behemoth made of metals and heavy machinery?

Yet this was the place.

She could feel him.

Illari huffed out a breath and stepped into the shadows of the omnium, entering one of the many mouths of the beast. The inside was no more welcoming than the exterior. The loud crash of machinery echoed deep from within the factory, wailing out the grinding gears and cranes working together. Above, Illari could see steel arms pulling and releasing. There was a pattern of flashing lights coming from drones navigating through the infrastructure. Some were carrying items but most seemed to be observing the main gears at work. All this machinery but where are the people?

Sloan whistled. “This place looks even bigger from the inside.”

“It’s loud.” Illari commented. She turned towards her right, spotting a hallway with a symbol of a tram station. He was in there. “This way.”

Sloan took one final look at the machinery and followed behind. The loud, heavy work gradually deafened the further they traveled into the hall. They approached a set of steel doors with a key card reader to its side. The two glanced at each other.

“You got a key card?” Sloan asked.

“I wasn’t told I’d need one.” Illari answered.

“Hmm…” Sloan looked at the screen. They tapped a symbol requesting for staff assistance.

“Hello.” A digital voice answered. “Welcome to Asteroid Farming Group. How may I help you?”

“Hi,” Sloan leaned in towards the screen. “My name is Sloan Cameron. Can you call someone to ring us inside or something?”

“Sloan Cameron. Verifying... Access granted. Welcome.”

The doors hissed opened.

“Easy enough.” Sloan gestured to the entrance. “After you.”

There was more life within these halls. Hydroponics lined concrete walls with vegetation and varying plant life. Illari could see the way the lights were intentionally set to wash over the greenery. Benches were pushed up against the wall and some few potted plants were set in the middle of the hall, intentionally dividing the walk way. Something told Illari these weren’t here during the original omnium’s operation. Illari watched Sloan approach one of the hydroponics to smell the native flowers blossoming within. She looked down the opposite end of their path, teetering back and forth on whether to go forward or join Sloan. Before she could decide, Sloan was back by her side.

“Where to?” They asked.

Illari heard chatter ahead.

The two continued down the hall to find themselves at an open lobby with access to a second floor. More plants have been propped up nearby seats and along the walls. Lined against the back wall of the second floor were hallways, all numbered to give access to different parts of the omnium. A receptionist desk sat between two staircases. An omnic sat behind the desk, speaking with two other people. The group burst into laughter and that seemed to be comfortable enough to make Sloan saunter up to them.

“Hey, sorry to interrupt,” they started, “my friend and I are a little lost.”

The group looked curiously at Sloan but it was the omnic who spoke first. “How can I help?”

“I’m Sloan and my friend there is Illari. We’re looking for-”

“Oh!” The omnic stood up quickly. “Yes, we’ve been expecting you both! Please! You two are probably so tired, let me take you to your dormitories.”

“No,” Illari interrupted. “The dorms can wait. Where is Dr. de Kuiper?”

“He’s in the middle of running some diagnostics.” One of the bystanders said. “You two should drop your things off first. Get some rest. Eat something.”

“Yes, we have wonderful food in the cafeteria.” The omnic expressed.

Illari was about to argue but paused. Pressure pushed through her body and yanked back so suddenly it made her head spin. She glanced up towards the second floor, straightening out her posture. No one else noticed the soft gray eyes that peered down fondly to her.

“Yeah Illari,” Sloan joined, walking towards her. “Lets drop off our stuff at least.”

“I’m glad to see you both made it here safely.” Siebren’s voice engulfed the room, grabbing everyone’s attention by force. “I hope the plane ride wasn’t too overwhelming.”

“Sieb-my-man!” Sloan exclaimed, pointing at the scientist. “Long time no see!”

Siebren hummed lowly with a fond smile. He walked to one of the staircases and made his way towards the group. Sloan was the first to close the distance between them, taking Siebren’s hand and giving it a good few shakes.

“You’re looking real good! How’s it feel being a dad now?”

Siebren grinned. “Incredible! Perhaps one of these days you’ll have a chance to meet my son.”

“I like the sound of that!”

Sloan stepped back, allowing Illari a chance to approach the man. Their eyes locked for a moment, searching for anything unspoken during the time they were apart. They shared nothing but the content silence that they’ve reunited once again. It eased Illari of any worries she might have had. Illari cleared her throat, breaking the gaze to instead focus on Siebren’s surroundings. She extended a hand out to him.

“It’s nice to see you again.” Illari greeted.

Siebren’s hand found its way to hers. The touch of his calloused palm triggered a swell of energy to collect inside her chest. Illari clutched onto that heat, trying to temper it down, but there was no denying the way her crest flickered just a little brighter over her forehead.

“Thank you for coming all the way out here.” Siebren smiled.

Illari nodded. She loosened her grip but Siebren was quick to tighten his hold on her, pulling her in for a hug. The swell of energy expelled from her body. She shuddered at how quickly the burst warped around Siebren’s body to then soak into his skin. The air burned hot and dry with static bouncing between them. She didn’t fight the comfort of her mentor’s embrace.

“I missed you too.” He said gently. Siebren released her, giving Illari a moment to collect herself. “Jamila, have someone take their belongings into their rooms. I have a lot to go over with them.”

Illari and Sloan removed their bags and set them down next to the receptionist desk. Siebren gestured for the two to follow up the stairs. They entered the hallway labeled with the number four, which brought them to a small tram station. Siebren called for the tram on the right.

“Welcome to the main headquarters for the Asteroid Farming Group.” Siebren said.

“How did you guys get your hands on a whole omnium?” Sloan asked, looking around the station. They noticed how some left over graffiti was painted over or scrubbed away. There were a few posters still up, advertising safety measures and career opportunities in Omnica Corporation. Sloan seemed particularly interested in a sign proudly displaying the OR14 model.

“It wasn’t easy.” Siebren said. “The first challenge was convincing a representative that our project was worth investing the property in. I won’t bore you with the details of the negotiation but we managed to get her to see eye-to-eye with our vision.”

The tram pulled up to the gates. The three of them made their way inside and the tram began its journey to whatever destination Siebren was leading them too. They passed through the interior of the omnium, allowing Sloan and Illari a chance to see more of the construction work occurring. Neither of them could make up what was being made in the heart of the omnium. Illari watched a complex automated system tow around different supplies or gears into some massive hole.

“What’s in there?” Illari asked.

“That,” Siebren peered out the same window, “is where our asteroid will be stored.”

“And how do you plan on getting this asteroid?” Illari asked.

“Yeah,” Sloan leaned back on a seat, placing their hands behind their head. “What is the game plan for this whole project? Are you sending us out there or- Oh! Are you gonna use your gravity powers to pick out an asteroid and launch it towards Earth? Can you do that?”

Siebren raised an eyebrow. “Most likely I could, but I imagine the public would not appreciate having an asteroid launched straight for Earth because of me.” He folded his arms over his chest. “I’m not exactly a trusted figure at the moment.”

Realization settled over Sloan. They made a small, “Oh.”

Illari rolled her eyes, “So we’re flying out there and towing this thing?”

“Let me worry about the method of transportation.” Siebren said. “I asked you both to join me for specific tasks I believe you can accomplish. There’s someone I want you to meet before we go further into detail.”

The tram towed the group towards the back of the omnium, making its way up several floors between the beams that held together the base of the facility. When they reached their stop, Siebren ushered his guests to an open hall lined with heavy duty doors. Windows exposed various office spaces and large laboratories originally intended for the robotic engineers of the past. It’s newer occupants took advantage of the pre-existing space, but instead of robotics, most staff were focused on carving different sized rocks. Illari frowned, wondering where exactly these rocks came from. Neither she nor Sloan were given a moment to ask questions. Siebren brought them to a set of double steel doors, flashing a key card to a screen lock that granted them access inside. Both were quick to recognize this as a control room. The place was dark, only lit by a few floor lights reflecting the blue accents on the walls. Desks and computers faced the back wall displaying large holomonitors. Off towards the left was an elevated floor hosting a large, digital table. There, another person stood waiting.

“Illari, Sloan, this is Obiora Akinyemi.” Siebren gestured to the other man. “He’s the reason this whole project even began.”

Obiora shuffled a bit where he stood. He took in a deep breath, shaking off any nerves creeping up his spine. “It’s-” He cleared his voice, “It’s very nice to meet the two of you. I’ve heard so much about you both from Dr. de Kuiper. It’s a pleasure to put faces on those names.”

“Its nice to meet the other guy who wants to launch me into space.” Sloan remarked with excitement. “So what’re we using to mine this bad boy? Do I get a huge drill?”

“Now hold on.” Obiora gestured at the seats tucked beside the table. “There is a little more to it than just that. Please, have a seat.” Obiora tapped his fingers over the table while the two settled down. A hologram display of a bulky ship appeared just above the table. “This is Oko, or at least a concept of him. It’ll take three construction phases for him to be fully operational and capable to traveling just about anywhere in the solar system. Right now we are focused on phase one. This will be enough to launch him into space and farm smaller asteroids in the main belt. In order to start that, we will need help in fetching this...”

The display of the space craft was replaced by an image of an asteroid.

“Psyche 16.” Siebren introduced. “This particular asteroid is the reason I called for you both.”

“The plan is to send all three of you into the main belt with a couple of mining drones.” Obiora explained. “They will help break down the asteroid into easy to handle sizes. This mission will take time, patience and a lot of training. Something like this would more ideally have a whole crew out in space, but more lives means higher risks. The doctor here has assured me that you are both exceptionally talented people and all he needs to accomplish this mission.”

“What kind of work do you expect out of us?” Illari asked.

Siebren took the liberty of answering her, “Sloan and I will work closely with the drones to ensure they’re performing appropriately and as efficiently as possible.” He gestured to the archaeologist, “We’re also preparing a specialized drill for you. I’d like you to be hands on with the asteroid and keep a vigilant eye for anything myself or the drones might miss.”

“I like it!” Sloan pumped their fist in the air.

“Illari,” Siebren started again, “I’ll need a second in command to oversee power consumption. I’d also like you to manage medical concerns and safety for the team. I don’t anticipate anything dramatic will occur but all of us will be far from home for a few months. It’d be wise to keep records of everyone’s health while on such a foreign environment.”

Her assignments seemed easy enough, and it would be nice to get more practice in on her medical training.

“And,” Siebren added, “I need someone who can provide a power source for a piece of machinery we’ve already sent out.”

Illari’s firm expression fell a little. “How much power?”

“I’d say something akin to your solar flare form,” Siebren answered.

Illari kept silent. She pressed her lips into a fine line and glanced down at the table. There still lingered the model of the factory over a glass surface as well as a ring like structure beside it. Next to each model were estimates of the amount of energy needed to properly power each machine. Illari had some experience with calculating solar energy output, but these numbers were astronomical compared to the simple needs of domestic life. When the silence lingered a little too long, Siebren opened his mouth but Illari spoke first.

“Okay.” She returned her attention to the scientists. “I’ll do it.”

Siebren and Obiora exchanged looks.

Obiora sucked in a breath and smiled politely, “Perfect, then we are all set.” He clapped his hands together. “For the next few months, you both will go through specialized training to prepare for EVAs around the asteroid. Dr. de Kuiper has taken into account your unique abilities for training as well. You’ll be provided all the proper equipment and, in time, the knowledge needed to execute this mission-”

The doors slid open suddenly and a tall, muscular woman nearly jumped into the room. Wide eyes scanned the area until they locked in on Sloan, who responded with a gasp.

“You!” The figure said.

“Me!” Sloan didn’t waste any time getting up to meet the newest member of the room. Both friends let out an excited cry, colliding into each other with arms spread wide for a hug. “It’s been too long, Ace!”

“I know! I know!” Araceli cried back. She let go of Sloan suddenly, taking a look at their body, “Damn, isn’t your abuela feeding you? You’re so thin!”

“What?!” Sloan gasped. “No way! Look at these muscles! You can’t fake these.”

Sloan slid out one arm from a jacket sleeve to better flex their muscles. The invitation led Araceli to squeeze at the bicep. She snorted.

“Yeah, can’t fake it ‘cause there’s nothing there! Now if we’re talking about this-” Araceli flexed her arm, “I’d be impressed.”

Sloan punched her arm and the two broke out in laughter, gently shoving one another.

“Araceli,” Siebren interrupted, “Can you show these two around the omnium? Their dorms should be ready by now.”

“You got it, captain.” Araceli saluted the man.

“I can find my way around later,” Illari said. “I’d prefer to stay.”

“Go with them,” Siebren said. The words sounded more like a command than a suggestion. “I have some additional work to complete but, afterwards, I’d like to talk with you.”

Illari’s gaze locked with the older man’s. When he gave no indication of budging, Illari exhaled and nodded. She got up from her seat and made her way towards the exit.

“Nice to see you again, Illari,” Araceli greeted, her tone calmer.

“You as well.”

“I promise I won’t keep you from the doc for too long,” She reassured.

Illari’s brows furrowed close together. She follow Araceli’s lead outside of the control room and towards the halls of the omnium.

“So what do you guys think of the place?” Araceli asked.

“It’s awesome!” Sloan exclaimed. “Can you guys still make robots here?”

“Nope!” Araceli said, “All automated systems and programming have been repurposed. No God AI’s or affiliated programs in this omnium anymore. We kind of gutted the place and reorganized it.”

“What do they have you doing here?” Illari asked.

Araceli stopped, turned around, and gave a salute. “I’m head gravitational and warp engineer. Basically whatever batshit crazy idea the doc has, I try my very best to make it into a reality.”

“Augh! I hope I get a cool title like that.” Sloan grinned. “You guys are really going to make space travel a thing? Not just from the moon and back?”

“That’s the hope!” Araceli resumed her pace. “If the main mission is a success then there’s no stopping where we can go. We could fly out to Neptune, the edge of the Oort cloud, another star.”

“We could visit alien planets?!” Sloan nearly jumped at that.

“Don’t see why not,” Araceli waved. “I know the doc was talking about making plans to fly out to… oh I forget the star’s name. Basically the next closest star, which is insanely far. Anyway, if the guy can get to the asteroid belt and back in one piece, can’t see why he can’t go out a couple more AU’s.”

“He already traveled to the asteroid belt?” Illari frowned. “On his own?”

“Yeah, didn’t he tell you?”

“No.”

“Oh, well... it all worked out in the end,” Araceli tried to brush off the news, “We did a bunch of test runs and he pulled it off with little problem.”

“Those rocks the scientists are working on,” Illari pushed with more bite to her tone, “Is that from an asteroid he already grabbed out there?”

“Wait-!” Sloan gasped. “He already got an asteroid? Can we see it?”

“Look you guys,” Araceli stopped their progress down the hall, “Yes, Illari, he already flew way past orbit. There aren’t enough natural resources on Earth to even kick start phase zero. We needed to do some test runs on possible methods to travel from here to there anyways. I promise nothing bad happened. You already saw the guy!” Araceli helplessly explained. She offered a small smile, “Come on. The doc asked me to show you guys around and I can’t really do that if you’re gonna ride my ass like this.”

Illari frowned. As much as she wanted to press for more information, she knew she was wasting time. Better to wait later when she can talk to Siebren.

She let Araceli guide them around the omnium with little interruption.

Most of the facility was inaccessible due to the construction happening on the main factory floor. This was also where a majority of the loud collisions originated from. Thankfully, Sloan and Illari wouldn’t be spending their time in the main factory. The western most part of the omnium had been repurposed for the test trials and lab work. Most of the designated areas were makeshift with rearranged machinery or entire structures simply pulled out to offer additional open space. It was almost inspiring how the corpse of this beast still had its usage.

Almost.

The eastern most part of the omnium was where additional work rooms and living quarters were arranged. This space wasn’t altered nearly as much aside form the plethora of native plants and vegetation blossoming along the walls. Araceli took them up several floors until they reached the edge of the omnium. She opened the door to a balcony which was intended for access to the outer parts of the facility.

“If you’re ever feeling stuffy inside, I definitely recommend coming out here.” Araceli said, “Especially for you Illari. You’ll see some of the best sunrises out here.”

Illari considered the offer. The groans of the machinery were muffled all the way up here. It was easier to hear the shift of the wind and singing birds.

“Wow,” Sloan immediately walked towards the edge of the balcony, gazing down their temporary new home. If the factory looked large from below, it was no less threatening up above. They loomed over the savanna. “One heck of a view.”

“With one big price.” Illari stood beside Sloan, frowning at the behemoth.

Sloan looked curiously at Illari, “Watch’ya mean?”

“Omnica got away with destroying so many different ecosystems just to make these factories.” Illari explained. “I always wondered why people didn’t tear them down but I never realized how big these things were.”

“Siebren and Obiora want to dismantle the omnium after Oko is built.” Araceli took her place beside Illari. “If things go well, all of this will be savanna again.”

Illari nodded. “If you need help, don’t hesitate to get in contact with me.”

“I wanna help too!” Sloan raised their hand. “Please let me keep some of the posters.”

Araceli beamed. “I’ll put you down as a volunteer.” Araceli pointed towards the north east. “Numbani is out that way. You can’t really see the city from here until night time. The light pollution is hard to miss. If you’re looking for a break from the omnium, I suggest going to one of the watering hole districts.” She pointed towards the south. “The Zebra District is the closest and its gorgeous. You two have gotta visit it at least once.”

“Already on my to-do list.” Sloan said.

The tour of the omnium took most of the day and they only touched the surface of what was accessible. Araceli ended it with a trip to the cafeteria, introducing the new members of the mission to as many people as possible. Sloan shook hands with anyone willing, but Illari could feel herself draining fast of the many people she was made to greet. Thankfully, Araceli allowed them a chance to eat before escorting them to their dorms.

Illari found her bags tucked up against the side of the wall in her room. The space was small but it served its purpose. It wasn’t as if she’d spend much time in here anyways. A bed was pushed to the far left corner with a window offering a view of the vast savanna. A few cabinets and a dresser with drawers were built into the wall on the right. Illari opened one of the drawers to begin storing away her clothes. She wondered what personal items she would need in space. A toothbrush?

Her thoughts came to a halt as the world shifted around her. She tended to notice the change in the air when he was of closer proximity. It was like an open drain inching closer and closer, gently coaxing her to follow the warping space that had no choice but to fall into the pipe. She didn’t budge though. She stood her ground in the calm stream and waited for the presence to finally stand in front of her open room.

And he does.

“Why didn’t you tell me you went off planet?” Illari asked, facing away from the entrance.

Siebren looked a little surprised. “You were busy,” he started, “and I didn’t think it was vital information that needed to be shared.”

Illari turned her head slightly towards him. “What if you got stuck out there? Or hurt?”

“I’ve traveled through space before,” Siebren reassured.

“You traveled to the moon and back,” Illari snapped. “That is completely different from going out light years to the middle of nowhere.”

“It was actually just under two-hundred and fifty million kilometers.” Siebren corrected. Illari’s eyes flashed bright when she glared at him. He continued, “Do you believe I’m that reckless?”

“No, but sometimes you’re a little too cocky.” She didn’t mean to have such venom in her words. Illari closed her bag and took in a deep breath. “What do you need?”

“Is everything alright?” Siebren asked, stepping into the room.

She flinched. “Yes.”

Siebren looked massive within the tight space of her little living quarters. There was barely enough room for the two of them to stand comfortably. Siebren decided to sit at the side of the bed, allowing Illari space to breathe. She folded her arms, leaning against the dresser door.

“Have you been practicing your solar flare form?”

There it was.

She couldn’t look at him. She wasn’t even sure what to say. The truth, obviously, but how could she explain herself?

“No,” she admitted.

Siebren leaned forward, “Why not?”

Yes, Illari, why not? Her cheeks flushed with shame. No, anger? Illari kept her eyes averted but she could still feel his gaze holding her down, expecting a response. “I don’t know.” She decided.

Siebren was confused by that. “We went over the probable causes for that form and the safest ways to ignite it. Did something happen? We can try running through a few tests first thing tomorrow morning. When was the last time you used it?”

Illari sunk into herself a little more. “Paracas,” she said quietly.

Siebren blinked. “As in when we were in Paracas?”

“Yes.”

“Illari.”

Illari threw out her hands. “It’s not like I didn’t want to! I can’t ignite it without you!”

Siebren straightened his posture, watching her begin to pace the room. “You have demonstrated that you can change without my influence. I even wrote you a dissertation explaining what we observed!”

“A fancy piece of paper isn’t going to stop me from accidentally nuking an entire village. You are!” She said, pointing a finger at the man. “The only reason I didn’t accidentally kill people was because of you!”

“You are perfectly capable of restraining yourself.” Siebren implored.

“I won’t risk hurting other people just so I can get stronger!” She snapped.

Siebren went quiet a moment. Illari saw the way determination quickly vanished from his eyes, replaced with mild frustration. Siebren closed his eyes and exhaled through his nose. “With my assistance,” he said, “do you believe you can change into that form again?”

“I know I can.” Illari said. Her mentor’s eyes opened again, fixed on her.

“Very well,” Siebren stood up. “You’re a very capable warrior, Illari. I know you can do this without my help. I’d like to see you try.”

Illari’s rigid stance fell when she broke their eye contact with him. Siebren stood up to leave, stopping only for a moment at the door.

“Oh, Sombra got in contact with me a few days ago. She asked me to send her apologies; that her hands have been tied recently but she intends on working with the files you sent her.” Siebren said.

Illari was surprised to hear this but welcomed the news. Siebren caught the spark of fire, looking curiously at her.

“Is this something I should be aware of?” He asked.

“I don’t know,” Illari confessed. “It was some documents I found that the Paqarina Group put a lot of effort to hide away. Maybe it doesn’t mean anything now that most of the warriors are gone, but I’ll decide that when I know what she decrypts.”

Siebren nodded and took his leave.

Chapter Text

Everything was quiet, dark.

The absence of her surroundings was blinding but she wasn’t afraid of it. Something pressed around her from wherever she sat and it brought comfort in the darkness. She considered igniting her solar energy to get a look at the world around. She chose not to. Why should she? She was safe. She knew that much. In the comfort of the absence, she hugged her legs and closed her eyes. Or maybe she opened them. It was hard to tell when there was nothing around her but the gentle squeeze she felt upon each breath she took.

Then a pair of stars appeared.

She flinched at the light, suddenly feeling her heart hammer in her chest. A gust of wind blew past her and another pair of stars ignited against the blank canvas surrounding her. The light was piercing, staring directly at her. The pressure around her gradually alleviated.

“No,” she said. “Wait.”

A scream.

Chatter began to fill the absence, more pairs of stars seared through what looked like a night sky. They cluttered overhead, pinning her down with no place to hide. They’re dead. They’re all dead. How could she let this happen?

“I didn’t know. I- I didn’t mean to,” she pleaded.

She could hear people crying. Oh god, the smell of charred building, burnt vegetation and skin. Gone. They’re all gone and now she could only see their eyes staining the night sky. She panicked, trying to find some place to hide from the many lights above. Behind her, the absence recoiled, fleeing from the screams and rancid scent of death. She got up, tears swelling her eyes, blinding her vision but she could see nothing. She ran towards it.

“Please, don’t leave me too. Please!” She begged.

The lights grew brighter, robbing her of the precious absence she grew so comfortable in. Why was she looking away? She needed to take responsibility and face the consequences of it all. She stumbled over the floor, objects now getting in the way. Debris was everywhere, bodies laid in between. She couldn’t look, she didn’t want to. The light was so bright, it was beginning to hurt her eyes. She saw the absence of it all behind a set of doors.

She leaped forward.

The pressure was suffocating but she didn’t care.

She couldn’t look back.

---

Her eyes shot open.

Illari took in a deep breath and swung her legs over the side of the bed. It was early morning. A soft beam of golden light stretched from the window and spilled into her room. Instincts led her towards the gentle stream, reaching a hand out to touch it. Her skin tingled. The heat from the light was quick to stimulate her, sharpening her senses and stirred her wide awake. Illari recalled how the Inti warriors used to joke about sunlight being a better alternative to coffee. Regardless of which was better, a small window of light wasn’t going to fill her morning appetite. She dressed up for the day and began a journey to the cafeteria.

About a month had passed since Illari started training and she liked the routine set out for her. The first week consisted of assessments, seeing what level of physical and mental skills she and Sloan possessed. Admittedly, on-the-field work came fast to her. Siebren was more than impressed with how effective they both were at taking orders and responding to sudden changes in the environment. Safety was their number one priority and Illari took pride in how quick minded she was at responding to any hazards. When Illari and Sloan were put behind a desk, it was a bit of a different story.

Illari didn’t mind her lack of knowledge in geology, she knew it was more Sloan’s field of expertise. Basic astronomy she scored well enough in. Mathematics? It’s not as though she or Sloan lacked the ability to do quick math in their heads, but some of the formulas expected of them to remember- and timing- was a challenge. The moment their written assessment had ended was the only time Illari looked to Sloan for some idea of what they were just tested on. The absolute fear in Sloan’s eyes matched the way Illari felt when the two surrendered their papers. Siebren returned the graded assessment with a curt “I expected better, but we can work on that.” 

Thankfully, today was scheduled for field work.

Illari walked into the cafeteria hall, noticing there was a light crowd this morning. Usually that meant the staff was needed on the main floor as soon as possible. According to Araceli, the Asteroid Farming Group had a skeleton crew compared to what was needed to operate an omnium this size; consisting of a little over one hundred people. Since they weren’t building omnics, the crew size was just enough to manage the reworked factory. Many of the hires were engineers from the Promise Islands with an eagerness to work along side Siebren again. It helped relax Illari knowing her mentor was so familiar with this crew. The staff believed in what they were doing and followed Siebren’s command just as she did. 

Illari grabbed a tray and picked at a few choice items. For a moment, she thought breakfast would be quiet until she felt a presence scurry fast towards her. The warrior prepared herself.

“Good morning!” Sloan slammed their shoulder up against Illari who stood firm in place. Her friend started grabbing food from different platters.

“You don’t have to be up this early.” Illari said.

“And miss having breakfast with you?” Sloan asked.

Illari smiled, “Several hours a day with me isn’t enough for you?”

“Nope! Oh, this looks good,” Sloan reached across Illari to grab a couple fruits. “I caught up with Ace earlier. She said you’ll probably wanna get a good dose of vitamin D today. You’re gonna need it.”

“What for?”

Sloan shrugged. “Whatever Sieb’s got us doing today might need your powers.” They grinned wildly. “Maybe he’ll have you blasting some rocks!”

“Did she say anything about our gear?”

“Nothing, but I think we’ll get them soon.”

The trainees took the nearest available table to sit and eat. Whenever an employee passed by, Sloan would eagerly bring up a conversation they previously had. Illari was impressed at how involved Sloan was with the crew. How did they have the time to catch up with everyone’s life story? Illari listened to each conversation brought up and it offered a little more insight on each person who came across them. Illari wondered if maybe she should be just as involved as Sloan but the time spent socializing sounded more exhausting than it was worth. Better to leave it to the professionals. 

The two finished their breakfast and only lingered in the cafeteria because Sloan was offered a phone with a couple pictures of a house cat that recently birthed several kittens. A lull in the conversation settled when the crew member tried to find another photo. Illari took advantage of the silence to lean into Sloan.

“I’m going to get some sunlight,” she said.

“Want me to come with?”

Illari considered it for a moment. “I’ll go it alone today. Next time.”

She didn’t want to admit it, but she was flattered by the way Sloan’s eyes lit up with that promise. It was nice to have someone who looked forward to doing something with her. Even nicer that it didn’t feel taxing on her energy either. Illari grabbed both hers and Sloan’s trays to be put away. 

The remodeled factory was becoming more familiar with each passing day. The main floor was still inaccessible to her but it made traveling around the omnium a little easier. Many halls and rooms had been removed to offer wider space and, more importantly, made the factory maze less complicated. Less halls and doors meant less opportunities to get lost- not that it stopped Sloan and Illari from occasionally managing it anyway. With anyone else, the situation would have been panic inducing, but Sloan consistently created a fun adventure out of their disorientation. As massive as the beast was, Illari discovered all hallways will eventually lead to the doors of the main factory with signs directing staff to the front of the omnium.

Her current destination was something she had memorized. A lift system brought Illari up several floors to an unremarkable hall. She paused, feeling the hall squeeze and turn ever so slightly around her. Illari sucked in a breath and walked deeper into the twisting corridor. She approached a pair of steel doors with a caution label painted over the center. Illari hesitated, wondering if maybe she should take to the ground floor instead to get her sunlight. She grimaced. No, this wasn’t a private space. If he needed time alone, there were other places he could hide away to. 

Illari opened the doors. 

A wash of sunlight hit her body and ignited every part of her body with energy. The initial shock of fuel was expected, but the heavy hand of gravity’s pressure did make her a little dizzy. It would take some time before Illari’s body was completely charged. Her eyes adjusted quickly to the natural sunlight staring directly at her. To the right, Siebren stood at the edge of the balcony, a little surprised to see her.

“Taking in the morning light?” Illari asked.

“I am,” he smiled. “Care to join me?”

Illari nodded and took her place beside him. She set her hands on the top railing and gazed across the savanna. 

“Will it be this easy to recharge out there?”

Siebren rested his forearms on the top rail. “It depends,” he started. “We’ll be further away from the sun, but there won’t be much to protect us from its radiation. Our suits and any solar powered equipment will pull in most of the energy we use.” Siebren tipped his head to the side. “But there’s always-”

“Yes, I get it.” Illari interrupted. “I know how badly you want your personal battery.”

“You know there’s more to it than that.”

She did know that. If anyone else asked her to do this job, she would have been offended. 

The Paqarina Research Group were highly valued for their brilliant usage in solar energy. They spent so many years perfecting their craft on a sustainable society that people were bound to ask questions. The group extended some knowledge to other countries, but they were quick to find out how many governments wanted to use solar threading to tighten control of the people they governed. Many politicians accused the group of being hypocrites for enforcing law with their Inti Warriors, but the warriors were always more than just soldiers. The Paqarina group did their best to keep their research among themselves, but, eventually, Illari took up that responsibility when they failed.

Now that Illari was the only standing warrior, she knew every ally and enemy she made would represent the ideals of her people. More importantly, it would represent the ideals of her warriors in training. Getting in contact with Siebren some time ago was a gamble. Out of all the people she knew who could help her with an encroaching omnic crisis, he was a lucky draw. Not only did Siebren prove to be an excellent ally when defending her country, but he also helped uncover so many aspects of her powers she thought were lost upon her initiation. 

Was this a way to pay him back?

Illari didn’t think so. Siebren was her mentor, and every moment spent with him was more knowledge uncovered. She didn’t know if she could ever pay him back for what they learned during his time in Peru, but she owed him this. 

Siebren wasn’t an Inti Warrior but he understood their practices. He understood the feeling of being under the sun and how it enriched every cell in the body. He learned how to clutch a handful of energy and guide it. He could mimic so many things she was capable of and this made her feel less alone. She might not understand the depth of his gravitational powers or how it effected his body, but what was a black hole except another phase of a star? 

“I don’t mind,” Illari said. She stared at her forearms, watching the etchings of her solar threading glow a little brighter against her skin. “Especially if it helps people.”

“This is going to help a lot of people.” Siebren assured. “Runasapi will get it’s share in what we bring back too.”

“What am I going to do with a lump of rock?” Illari asked.

“You have plentiful options!” He expressed. “Gather up Runasapi’s leaders and split it among the departments. You won’t realize how many people are in need of something until you ask.”

Illari fell quiet and considered the thought. “Do you think I’ll be any good at this?”

“Negotiations?”

“Leading.”

Siebren glanced at the warrior. Illari had one palm facing upward and a thumb tracing the indents of her fingers. The fuel of solar energy was reaching its maximum capacity and Illari felt so hyper aware of her surroundings. The way Siebren idly warped his surroundings was not so pronounced now. She could sense he was pulling back his powers, as he usually did.

Illari spoke again, “People used to come to the warriors for wisdom and guidance. It always felt like they knew more than anyone else did. I don’t know if that’s true. Maybe they were just good at pretending. I’m grateful my town is giving me a chance to prove myself, but how do you lead during a time of peace?”

Siebren let the quiet between them linger while he searched for an answer. His pale blue eyes reflected the brilliant light from the rising sun, almost making them glow. 

“I think you start off by listening to what people need. It won’t be as glorious as-” Siebren waved his hand towards the horizon, “fighting a titanic machine by the coastline but it’ll be those small moments that matter most.”

“And if I mess up those small moments?”

“Then you learn from it.” Siebren reassured. “Believe me, I spent many years making mistakes, but that shouldn’t be what stops you from trying. I know the warriors before you have gone through the same ordeal, but that’s why they seem so wise. No leaders are perfect, after all” Siebren gestured at Illari’s hand. “When you return to Runasapi, and you’re settled in with your students again, ask the local people how you can help. No matter how small the task is, if you have the time, give it your time. You’ll understand what kind of leader your people need.”

Illari squeezed the thumb she was pressing into her palm. The warriors used to work on projects regarding solar energy production, farming and clean water supply but she can recall a few of those warriors wandering the streets with civilians. Illari used to think they were goofing off, but now she reconsidered her judgment. 

“I’ll try.” She said, looking up at the man. “What’s on the schedule for today?”

“Ah!” Siebren’s pushed himself away from the railing and stood up straight. “It’s exciting. You and Sloan will have a chance to navigate in zero gravity.” The man thoughtfully rubbed his chin. “I would have liked to integrate this with celestial navigation but we’ll be in an enclosed arena during training. We’ll make do. Since we’ll have to practice celestial navigation separately, I’ve scheduled dates we can train while also observing some events in the sky. There’s a meteor shower I’m particularly looking forward to.”

Illari bit her lower lip. “We can’t do it in a class setting?”

“Watch a meteor shower indoors?” Siebren was taken aback.

“No, no, I mean the star navigation.”

“Some material we’ll observe in class but going out in person is so much more rewarding!” Siebren looked at his watch. “I think we’re both charged up. Ready to begin your training?” 

Illari let out a long breath and straightened her posture. She was ready.

“We’ll need to take one of the trams. Araceli and Sloan should be there by the time we arrive.” Siebren said, making his way towards the exit.

“Wait-” Illari stepped forward. She squeezed her hands into fists, quickly considering her next words. “Can we… get there faster?”

Siebren tipped his head to the side. “Faster?”

“The teleportation thing you do.” Illari felt a little childish asking but it’s not as though Siebren kept this ability a secret. He’d been very liberal about vanishing and reappearing with little notice around the omnium. “You said you can do it with other people too.”

The man looked amused. “I can, but it can feel a little jarring for the participant.”

“My body won’t get pulled inside out or crushed, will it?”

“No!” Siebren gasped, shocked by the thought. 

“Then I can handle it.” Illari claimed.

Siebren considered her request for another moment before extending a hand out to her. “Alright. Since it’s a short distance, I don’t see why not.” Illari took his hand and stepped closer to her mentor. “Don’t let go. Close your eyes and take a deep breath.”

Illari sucked in a breath. Her curiosity almost convinced her to keep her eyes open, but she wasn’t eager to hinder her vision when she was due for training. She closed her eyes and the world spun so suddenly that her body fell backwards. Her other hand reached out to Siebren’s arm, bracing herself. She expected her back to crash onto the floor but, instead, her knees buckled down where she stood.

“You’re okay.” Siebren said. 

Just as quickly as the floor was yanked out from under her, it returned. Siebren pulled her close against his body. His solid form offered her something to lean up against and she gladly took advantage of that. She tried to find her footing, balancing herself as if she was expecting the floor to tip over again. The fear of falling was replaced with adrenaline and motion sickness swelled in her stomach. 

“Ough,” She moaned, pressing her forehead against Siebren’s chest. “How do you just do that without getting sick?”

Siebren chuckled. “Practice and having a unique relationship with gravity.” 

Right.

Illari took the moment to recover. She almost regretted asking him to use his teleportation until she saw their surroundings. They were in a massive, empty arena that hosted several spot lights bolted against the edges of the ceiling. Behind the two was a watch tower mounted high on the wall. Towards their front was a boulder sitting in the center of a large, iron made pedestal. No, it wasn’t a boulder, it was an asteroid. Illari swallowed hard, trying to ignore the sharp twisting in her stomach. She still didn’t let go of Siebren.

“What is this?”

“This is the asteroid I brought back. Or what’s left of it.” Siebren rested a hand on Illari’s back, giving her a chance to settle down. “It was impressive but not nearly close to the size of the asteroid we’ll be working on. Still, it makes for good training. I’d like to use it for today’s zero gravity training.” Siebren raised an eyebrow. “Unless you’re feeling unwell.”

Illari sucked in a deep breath. She stepped back, assessing herself. “I’ll be fine.”

“Aaw! How did you guys beat us here?” Sloan’s voice echoed through the room. Illari looked to the doors where Sloan and Araceli walked through. “I thought you were taking the trams.”

“We teleported,” Siebren explained, “more or less.”

“What?!” Sloan gasped. “Without me?! I wanna try!”

“You both will have a chance later.” Siebren said. Illari wondered what that meant. “For the next few weeks, we’ll be focusing on training the two of you in zero gravity movement and navigation.”

“Yes! We’re finally going into space.” Sloan cheered.

“No, we’re not.” Siebren paused, before adding, “Not yet at least.”

“You’re gonna be training in my anti gravity chamber.” Araceli explained. “It’ll be a lot easier to train in here than wasting resources up there.”

“Aw man,” Sloan sighed.

“Launch day will be approaching quick,” Siebren said, “Take to heart everything you learn here. Any margin for error will be very slim beyond the atmosphere.”

“Yes, sir,” Illari said.

“Before I activate the zero grav, I got something for you two.” Araceli instructed them to follow. She walked the small group to a set of lockers nearby a lift system connected to the watch tower. From in the lockers, Araceli pulled out two pairs of shoes, setting each pair in front of their new owner. “These are equipped with boosters and gravitational hooks. On their own, they can get you from point A to point B but they’re mostly intended to keep you from flying out of control. Illari, yours is equipped with specialized thermal boosters that should work with your solar energy. You’ll be able to move faster than what the standard boosters can do.”

“What if I break them?” Illari asked.

“Please do!” Araceli grinned wildly. “At least while you’re here on Earth. Test their limits. The more damage you give them, the better I can improve them.”

“What about me?” Sloan asked. “Do my shoes do something cool?”

“I’m already working on something extra for you.” Araceli seemed excited by this. “But you both gotta learn the standards first so put them on.”

Illari and Sloan got to work removing their shoes in exchange for the space boots assigned to them. Araceli gave Siebren three ear pieces, one of which he put in his ear. She flashed a thumbs up and took the lift system up into the watch tower. Siebren handed off the ear pieces to Illari and Sloan.

An intercom blared with Araceli’s voice. “When you guys are ready, stand in front of the yellow ring at the center of the room.”

Sloan eagerly ran to the yellow circle painted around the pedestal holding the asteroid remains. The heaviness from their boots echoed in the large chamber. Illari wondered if Sloan was comfortable with how big their boots were. The heaviness made her own walk a little awkward, especially with how bulky the soles felt. She stood beside Sloan who bounced where they stood. 

“All doors locked and secured.” Araceli announced. “Anti gravity will initiate in three… two… one…”

Illari grew lighter. She looked at the floor to see her feet lift ever so lightly from the ground. Sloan couldn’t stop giggling beside her, excited to take their first few steps. The archaeologist lifted their arms, instincts telling them to flail a little to try to gain some sort of balance. Siebren casually walked around the two, investigating their posture while allowing them time to adjust to the weightless environment. He reached out, correcting the way Illari and Sloan “stood” and explained the reason for each adjustment. When he was content with their form, he took his place in front of them.

“We’ll start off with something simple.” Siebren pointed at their shoes. “Keep your legs straight and try to point your toes upward.”

Sloan and Illari followed his instructions, both surprised to suddenly get yanked down and have their feet planted on the floor.

“Good,” Siebren smiled. “Doing that will activate the gravitational pull in your boots. If there’s nothing within its range to connect to, it’ll automatically slow down your boosters.”

“So what happens if I do th-IIIS!??” Sloan lifted their heels up and suddenly boosted into the air, getting launched towards the asteroid and slammed against the massive rock with an “Oof-!”. They barely managed to dig their hands into the asteroid, halting their free movement. “I’m okay!” Sloan cried out.

Illari’s hand found its way over her eyes. 

“That triggers the boosters.” Siebren revealed. He gave his attention to Illari. “Lift your heels, slowly.”

There was a bit of resistance, but Illari managed to carefully lift her heels from the ground. She boosted upward. The ascend was slow and it made her twist her body around in an attempt to find some kind of balance. Siebren lifted himself off the floor with ease, staying close to his trainee. He instructed her to use her hips to keep balanced, move her feet far apart when flying slow, and straightened out her back. It was a clumsy flight, but the two managed their way to Sloan who was brushing off the dust clinging onto their uniform. 

“Let’s try to follow my instructions first, yeah?” Siebren landed on the asteroid.

Sloan saluted the man. “You got it, captain.”

“Uhm, Siebren.” 

The two looked up at Illari who was floating in the air perpendicular to where they stood. The warrior tried to kick her feet towards the direction of the asteroid but the motion offered little correction in her alignment. 

“Ah, this is perfect!” Siebren said. “What you’ll want to do to correct your alignment is quickly point your toes downward. This will activate the boosters in the back of your legs. Give it a try. It’ll be a quick motion, just a flick.”

Illari took in a deep breath and quickly pointed her toes downward. A sudden burst of energy pushed her legs forward but it over extended her landing target. Logic told her to simply point her feet towards the asteroid but the lack of gravity left her body at the mercy of her shoes. All she could do was slowly spin back into the ideal position.

“Try it again,” Siebren said. “You’ll need to recognize when you’re aligned with the asteroid and pull yourself down.”

She had everything she needed. Illari let the boosters spin her around again. They didn’t supply much in power but she needed to be aware of her surroundings. Gradually, her body spun around and aligned with the asteroid under her. Illari activated the gravitational pull and, with a quick yank, landed on the asteroid. Sloan clapped for her.

“In time, this will become second nature for the both of you.” Siebren said.

The day was spent getting used to the feeling of zero gravity and navigating around the asteroid. The longer they spent in the chamber, the more Illari was beginning to appreciate the way the Earth pulled her to the ground. Having nothing to grab onto was so foreign but it made Illari recognize how important it was to trust the equipment she had. Siebren was right, there was very little wiggle room for mistakes. In the room, they had the luxury of an enclosed arena with obstacles to catch themselves. While it was frustrating to stumble and slam against the asteroid, it offered more stability than floating in the middle of empty space.

The thought sent a chill down Illari’s spine. She wondered how anyone could be okay with navigating the emptiness of space. Did the absence of anything make Siebren hesitate? Sure, he had more control of his environment than she could ever obtain but that didn’t make the vastness any more welcoming.

Illari had no intention on slacking off on her training, but personally experiencing this space walk made her more intent on perfecting it. If either of her team members stumbled, she would make up for the fall.

---

The briefing room was hot. 

A couple fans were plugged in, allowing circulation as the AC did its best to cough out cold air. Illari wasn’t too bothered by the heat but it did lead her mind to wander while staring at the worksheet papers she was given. The briefing room was set up like a classroom and the only students in attendance were Illari and Sloan. The two stared at LED displays asking a series of questions. Sloan was hunched over their desk, one hand rested under their chin while the other idly scrolled up and down the questions they struggled to answer. Why couldn’t this be multiple choice, they thought. Illari tried to be more practical with the questions she couldn’t quite answer. Siebren was generous enough to provide them with a booklet of formulas and general measurements they would be wise to memorize.

A click from the door at the back of the room pulled both trainees out of their thoughts. They looked over their shoulders, seeing Obiora enter the room.

“Oh!” he gasped. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb.”

“Save us, Obiora!” Sloan whined.

“From what?” The engineer asked, stepping towards the used desks. 

“Math.”

“It’s physics questions.” Illari corrected. “Sloan’s just upset I haven’t figured out the answers.”

“Copying off Illari won’t help you learn,” Obiora chuckled. 

“Hey, I didn’t copy anything, I just had her help me figure out which formulas to use.” Sloan playfully argued. 

“Hm.” Obiora glanced at the booklet offered. “I see no harm in matching each equation to your questions.”

“Really?!” Sloan sat up.

Illari offered no input. As much as she’d like to figure this out on her own, she wouldn’t mind being given some guidance to these questions.

Illari moved a little to the side, allowing Obiora a chance to review the unanswered questions. The confidence in his eyes gradually disappeared with each question he read, now replaced with curiosity and slight confusion. 

Illari was the first to remark on his silence. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” Obiora said, opening up the booklet. “It’s only that I don’t understand why he has you tackling theoretical physics.”

“I told you,” Sloan said.

“I can understand touching subjects a little outside your field of expertise but this is ludicrous.” Obiora turned the LED screen towards himself and began typing out the formulas appropriate for each question.

“Maybe Sieb’s messing with us.” Sloan pondered.

“Considering the fact that neither of you will be given a final exam, I imagine this is meant more for his benefit.” Obiora considered. “Although question 6-F does read like he is messing with you.”

Illari glanced at Sloan who mouthed, “I told you.”

Illari watched Obiora scan the booklet and flip a couple pages back and forth. “Obiora, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“What got you so invested in the idea of asteroid farming?” She asked.

Illari never had much time to converse with Obiora. The man was usually busy on the main floor overseeing construction with Siebren or worked in his office. While everyone had the same end goal, their paths hardly ever crossed. Illari figured now was a good time as any to get to know the engineer. After all, he was dictating a large portion of this project she was supporting. While Siebren’s command was final, she knew Obiora’s opinion could sway her mentor’s decision.

What kind of man was Obiora?

“Oh,” The engineer seemed a little flustered. He scratched the side of his ear, smiling bashfully. “I wouldn’t want to bore you with that-”

“We’re sitting here doing math problems. I doubt it’ll be more boring that this.” Sloan insisted.

“Well, it was more a matter of if this could be done.” Obiora straightened himself out, trying to find the right words. “I’ve always been fascinated by the thought of space travel. It’s thrilling! What’s more inspiring than the potential to explore foreign worlds beyond our atmosphere, studying their environments first hand-”

“Meeting aliens!” Sloan chimed.

“Perhaps,” Obiora grinned. “But the reality is that we are very limited in our technology and resources. The idea of mining asteroids has been around for decades. Having access to the main belt would allow us to make various space crafts, ships for deep space, maybe one day a Dyson Sphere. Its fantastical and I always wondered if it could be done.” There was a glimmer in Obiora’s eyes that Illari recognized when Siebren spoke about the future. The engineer cleared his throat. “But I’m getting ahead of myself. Dr. de Kuiper says its good to have grand ambitions, but our focus is what people need now. Right now, they need Psyche 16 and I trust you two will deliver.”

“How come you’re not coming with us out there?” Sloan asked. 

“I’d love to,” Obiora hesitated, “But on a sturdy carrier ship where I’m not required to step outside. I’m not as bold as Professor de Kuiper or you both.”

“I’m sure it’s not that scary out there.” Sloan waved their hand.

“For you, maybe, but the thought of having little to nothing to grasp is nauseating for me.” Obiora’s voice cracked a little at the idea. “I’m also not a big fan of heights.”

“How can you decide how tall something is when you’re out in the middle of space?” Sloan asked.

“With quick calculations and my brain decidedly saying: Wow, we sure are high up.” Obiora said.

Illari hummed with amusement. She was surprised to discover how many of the employees were enthusiastic about the thought of space travel but seemed hesitant to freely navigate the vacuum of space—  she could not blame them for such a rational fear. Others couldn’t handle the expectation of being away from loved ones or their material things. This mission wasn’t for the faint of heart. 

“I admire you both for your courage.” Obiora confessed. “I wish I had your spirit but the least I can do is ensure you’re all safe beyond our atmosphere.”

“We appreciate it.” Illari said.

---

Knock, knock!

Illari stirred in her bed. She glanced at an LED clock to see it was two in the morning. What the hell? 

Knock, knock!

Illari forced herself out of bed, rubbing groggy eyes and opened the door. She was surprised to see Siebren on the other side with a long bag strapped over his shoulder.

“What’s going on?” Illari asked, trying to wake herself up.

“Let’s go outside.” Siebren said.

Illari raised an eyebrow. “Right now?”

“Yeah!” Siebren was wide awake.

“What about training?”

“Sloan will be going over details of the asteroid’s make and consult their new drill design. You won’t be needed during that so I’m granting you permission to take a rest day. You can sleep in.”

“I would prefer to train.” She weakly argued.

“Come on,” Siebren insisted. “This will be informative. I want to show you something out in the savanna.”

Illari wanted to argue further but something in Siebren’s eyes made her words evaporate. She glanced back at her room and grimaced. 

“Is it a full moon?” She asked.

“No moon tonight.”

Illari grew tense. 

The quiet between them confused Siebren, so he offered what clarification he could muster. “We’re only looking at the stars. I’ll be with you the whole time. I have a flashlight you can hold onto if you’d like.”

Illari huffed out a breath. “Yeah… sure.”

Siebren shuffled with the bag, opening one of the side pockets and handed her a flashlight. She felt a little guilty with how content he seemed upon seeing her accept it but having the light did offer some comfort. Illari pulled a coverall over her pajamas and strapped on a pair of shoes. The halls of the omnium were remarkably quiet. Illari almost didn’t recognize the place with its low lighting. Every morning she was greeted with bright lights and the muffled sound of grinding gears or smashing metal. If she listened closely, the groans could still be picked up. The two went up several floors to one of the balcony access. Illari suspected Siebren found this faster to escape the omnium instead of reaching the ground level. She would ask but he was occupying the space between them with idle chatter of some of his recent celestial observations.

The night was warm. Siebren stepped close to the balcony railing, waiting for Illari to join him.

“You ready?” Siebren asked.

“As I’ll ever be.” 

Illari didn’t have much solar energy stored in her this late into the night, leaving her completely at the mercy of Siebren’s abilities. 

She tried to relax herself when suddenly the space around her grew light and her feet lifted from the ground. Siebren instructed her to let her body lean forward once they past the railing. Illari kept her mind focused on that; lean forward, don’t look up. The two of them lifted higher and much of her weight gathered around her chest. It was a strange sensation, like a set of bricks replaced her heart while everything else wanted to float upwards. The closest Illari could consider it was like swimming. Before she knew it, something launched them forward and the two were flying across the savanna with ease. 

Illari kept her eyes to the ground. The light from the stars made the world visible beneath her. Her vision adjusted to the low illumination, able to see a few trees and bushes shuffle about with nocturnal animals trying to score a meal. Illari wondered idly if Sloan ever tried to travel away from the omnium at this time. They’d have a blast spotting a few animals. The savanna may have looked more magical under a full moon.

Without a watch, Illari could only guess they flew for about 15 minutes before Siebren slowed the speed of their flight. The weight distributed more evenly throughout her body, and Illari’s feet tipped down towards the floor. They descended slowly. The two touched the floor and Siebren got to work with his bag, pulling out a telescope. Illari watched him hum in delight. He was so eager for this moment but guilt was beginning to flood inside her, mixed with the fear coiled at the pit of her stomach. She needed to say something.

“Siebren…”

“Yes?”

“Can I tell…” She hesitated, keeping her eyes fixed to the floor. She sucked in a hot breath and forced herself to speak up again. “I’m scared of going up there.”

“In space?” Siebren asked, pulling out the stand for his telescope. “It might be a little unsettling at first but so long as you follow protocol, you’ll be safe.”

“No, I’m not scared of being in space. At least I don’t think I’ll be. That’s not—” Illari covered her face. She really wanted to back down, tell Siebren to forget what she was trying to say but something in her wanted to spit it out. She couldn’t look up. “Promise you won’t laugh?”

Siebren stopped fiddling with his telescope and gave his full attention to her. She wished he would continued. It was hard to speak with his gaze pinning her down along with the trillions of eyes up above. 

“I promise.”

Illari swallowed hard. “I don’t really like star gazing. I used to. I loved it but… the stars remind me of them.” Siebren glanced up at the trail of stars passing the night sky. “I know its not actually them, I know everything up there is just chemical reactions happening, but it feels like them to me. It’s like they’re staring down at me and all I feel is guilt.” Illari’s voice cracked. “I’m scared they’ll get angry at me. I keep thinking I’ll be punished because I don’t belong up there with them. What even gives me the right to be up there after what I did down here? What I did to them!”

“Illari.”

“I want to help you but what if I screw up? What if you or Sloan end up dead because I can’t control myself? You trust me to do these grand things but I don’t know if I can. I can’t—!”

“Illari!”

Illari was breathing hard, frantic. Her eyes darted across the desert floor, too scared to even try looking up. The stars above offered little warmth; only a collection of eyes that she couldn’t hide from. She shouldn’t be out here. This was a mistake. She hardly noticed Siebren shuffling around her. Something flashed in his hand and a sudden blare of light made her flinch. He grabbed her hands and, out of instinct, her body prepared to soak in the solar energy he held in his palms.

“Pull it in.” Siebren instructed, voice firm but calm.

She followed his orders, allowing the warmth to circulate inside her body.

“Now push it out.”

Illari didn’t want to let go of the energy but its stimuli was beginning to nurture a bud of anxiety. She pushed out the light and it filtered through Siebren’s hands.

“Pull it in.”

The light drew back into her hands, up her arms and through her body.

“Push it out.”

Illari didn’t know how long the two circulated the energy between them but she could feel it’s strength dwindling. Bits of that power was consumed between the two. It didn’t feel so overwhelming when the light was shared and Illari accepted her portion of it. Her markings glowed ever so slightly in the dark.

“How do you feel?” Siebren asked.

Stupid. She shrugged. 

“Can I ask a favor of you?”

“What?”

“I’m going to turn you around, and, when I do, I want you to look up. Only for a moment. If you don’t like what you see, I’ll take you back to the omnium. Can you do that for me?” 

Illari didn’t want to but she hated the thought of disappointing Siebren even further with her nonsense ideas. She only needed to look for a moment, she could do that. Illari gave the okay. Siebren’s rested his hands over her shoulders and gently turned her around. Illari prepared herself, clinging onto the warmth of the little light burning in her chest. She can do this. 

“Okay, look up.”

Illari looked up and gasped.

Something flashed across the sky. She almost believed the spectacle was missed entirely when suddenly another light struck over the heavens. Another and another. It was a meteor shower. With the way so many vivid lines scratched across the sky, it was easy to imagine the stars disappearing, plucked and cast down from where they stood. The stars never strayed, holding down their guard while the meteors ran about like careless children. The celestial phenomenon lasted no more than thirty seconds, but it felt like a lifetime in that moment. The streaks of light grew fewer and the backdrop of the stars came back into focus. Illari hadn’t looked at them for years now, never as intimately as this night. They were beautiful. She still loved the wonder and splash of colors some lights would glimmer. 

“Is that what you wanted to show me?” Illari asked.

“It was.” Siebren smiled. “There’s more that will pass but if you’d prefer to go back to the omnium, we can go.”

Illari swallowed in a deep breath. “No,” she turned around, facing her mentor, “I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?” Siebren asked.

When she hesitated, she cursed at herself. She didn’t want to appear weak but freaking out over nothing seemed more ludicrous. “I don’t want to be scared anymore.” Illari said, “It’s stupid. They’re just stars.”

“You’re right,” Siebren said, “but that doesn’t make them any less important to you.”

Illari frowned at nothing in particular.

“You know, for a while it was hard for me to look at the night sky for too long.” Siebren took a step back, turning his attention to the neglected telescope. “After Talon freed me from quarantine, I was elated to finally see the night sky again. I don’t know how many nights I had missed, but I remembered thinking: Finally, I can see it again. When I did, it was so different.” Siebren lifted the tripod and secured the telescope. He began searching for something with it. “Every time I stood in the silence of night I could hear something in the back of my mind. The longer I stared into the sky, the louder it became and it terrified me. Of course, later I would find out it was my singularity gland trying to enhance my senses to the world around me. But, at the time, I failed to realize how my relationship with the sky was different after my accident. Nothing particularly dramatic changed up there but I did down here. That change was… scary.”

Illari sighed. “So it’s my fault?”

Siebren gave a thoughtful hum, making his final tweaks. “It’s more your responsibility.”

“I didn’t ask for it.”

“When do we ever? I wish I had the answers for you but the reality is, this is something you’ll have to figure out,” Siebren rested a comforting hand over her shoulder, “But you won’t be alone.” 

The man gestured at the lens of the telescope, offering its view to Illari. She took her place beside her mentor and peered in. A spot of red came into focus and Illari was quick to recognize it as Mars. She blinked a few times, trying to adjust her vision to the view.

“There’s a dust storm happening up there right now.” Siebren said. “You won’t be able to see many details but its no less impressive.”

“There’s people up there, right?” Illari asked.

“That’s what Overwatch uncovered.” Siebren stood up straight. He stared towards the night sky at the same direction the telescope was facing. His pupils grew wider, almost expanding as far as his irises reached. Illari could feel that pulling sensation once again and she planted her feet more firmly to the ground. “I wonder sometimes how they managed to get away with it.”

“What do you mean by that?” 

“With the type of objective Lucheng was executing, this mission should have been exposed years ago.” Siebren expressed. “There are so many tracks humans can leave behind; on top of people eagerly searching for life beyond Earth. Radio waves, visual disturbances, probes passing by. Mars was full of biosignatures caused by the Red Promise Team and yet they were able to hide all of that. I wonder how.”

“They never disclosed it?”

“I suspect Overwatch has the information but they’re keeping it classified.”

“That feels kind of shady.”

“I agree.” Siebren folded his arms. “I’ve been heavily considering the idea of making a trip there while we’re in the asteroid belt.”

“Why don’t you?”

“It could be risky.” Both Siebren and Illari met each other’s eyes. “The Red Promise team is now under Overwatch’s protection. If I interfere, the UN may consider it a breach of my agreement with them. They can classify my presence as a threat.”

“It’s not like you’re there to hurt them. Aren’t they stuck up there anyways?”

“Such is the law.”

Illari scowled. He was right. The UN would find any excuse to cuff Siebren and she wasn’t eager to let them have their way. It was unfortunate, but her mentor’s freedom was more important than the lives of a few over confident astronauts. Secrets always had a price to pay.

“Siebren…”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

Chapter Text

The savanna was hot in the morning and it invigorated Illari. She stood out in the open dirt, keeping a short distance away from the dry trees and brush. A few clouds lingered to the west and she wondered if there was a slight chance of rain. It didn’t matter too much to her. She was fully charged and a cloudy day wasn’t going to stop her with the task at hand. Illari made sure to loosen up the tension built in her body. She would have to be extra careful about how she managed herself in space. Any kind of cramps or knots could only be tended to on their designated ship, so she needed to understand her limits.

Sloan casually walked up beside her. They tied back their shaggy brown hair and strapped on a pair of goggles to help protect from the rising sun.

“Think it’s gonna rain?”

“I doubt it.” Illari said. “If it does, we can try again tomorrow.”

Sloan grinned at her. “Can’t handle getting a little wet?”

Illari flashed them a glare. “I can handle rain, I’d just hate to see you slip off your gravity board and eat dirt.”

Sloan playfully scoffed back. Under their arm was the gravity board in question; it was a long, thick board with mag lev tech built along the bottom. Against the ends of the board, boosters had been added. Illari noticed thick etchings from a marker with the name “Venture” scrawled behind the board.

“You already drew on it?” Illari asked.

“Yeah! You like it?” Sloan held up the board so she could get a better look. “Took me a while to figure out how to get the letters on nice. I’m gonna add some colors too. Maybe a few other drawings. You gotta sign it when I’m done.”

Illari raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

“For the memories!” Sloan dropped the board to the ground. It quickly released a low hum and hovered a few inches in the air. “I’m gonna get as many people to sign it when I’m finished drawing.”

That didn’t sound like half a bad idea. Illari wondered if she could get a picture of the team, maybe before their set day to launch. It’d be a nice memento to have and share with her students.

“Let’s hope the dirt doesn’t ruin your hard work.” Illari rolled her shoulder one last time.

Sloan took a step on the board and locked their boots over the surface. “Only one way to find out.”

Illari looked on towards the horizon with determination. “Through the hills and we stop at the reservation sign.”

“Last one there has to do the other’s homework.”

“Huh?” Illari’s surprise lasted only a moment when she saw Sloan’s grin. “Fine! If you want to do my homework that badly.”

“Oh don’t be so sure of yourself!” Sloan barked with a laugh.

“Ready?” Illari asked.

“Set.” Sloan crouched down.

“Go!” They both yelled.

A gust of dirt stirred high in the air from where the two launched. Illari took a running start before her thermal boosters kicked in and shot her forward. Sloan’s board fired up equally as strong, sending them forward and across the hot flat lands. The two steered several feet off the ground, flying across the wide stretch of land within minutes. Araceli had asked them both to push their gear as hard as they could while on Earth, and Sloan was the one to propose this race between them. Illari was never one to turn down a little friendly competition. Her body grew hot while it powered up her thermal boosters. She had been practicing how much energy to output and conserve. Racing like this was a little easier to understand how much power she’d exhausted.

Sloan moved up from their crouched position, holding a steadier balance now that they weren’t picking up speed. Illari wondered if this was the fastest the board could go. She pushed more power into her flight and saw Sloan shove their heel into the back booster to match her speed. The two flew fast under the shadow of a cloud and Illari noticed more were starting to gather above them. The air tasted a little damp but it didn’t stop either of them from pushing faster. Illari’s body grew hotter. She can feel her chest ignite with a fire that illuminated her hair and eyes.

The dry hills were coming up fast.

Illari took in a deep breath and focused. One wrong turn and her race would end in a very painful crash landing. The open landscape suddenly because tight and rigid. While Illari turned left to avoid a cliff side, Sloan turned right. The warrior took an open slit into the hills and weaved fast through her limited terrain. She considered flying up higher to avoid the carved out area but she knew Sloan would brag about being able to navigate the landscape with ease.

Illari spotted a landmark, signaling her approach of the finish line. She was getting close to the other side of these hills. She noticed a figure at the corner of her eyes and Sloan came into view. Oh, they’re probably so happy to know they didn’t fall behind. The two split up again at the approach of the hill, riding the edges of it. Soon, they’ll find a road with a sign of an animal reservation sight and-

“Whoa! WHOA!”

At the sign, a group of elephants were gathered by the designated finish line, with one on the floor being tended to by a local team. Illari and Sloan made a split decision, aiming up and rocketed towards the sky. Illari’s heart pounded hard in her ears, she almost didn’t hear Sloan begin to holler out a “Whoohoo! YEAH!”

A bubble of laughter erupted from Illari and she found herself hollering equally as loud as her friend. The two began to spiral through the clouds, reaching higher and higher into the sky. A particularly thick cloud hovered over them, but Illari didn’t hesitate to break through it. The sunlight struck her with little resistance and she could see the haze of blue above begin to fade. Illari cut the boosters, feeling her power deplete more than she was comfortable with so high in the sky. For a split moment, her body was suspended in the sky, hovering above the clouds and left in the hands of the warmth of the sun.

She glanced downward, spotting Sloan between the clouds and focused on their board. Illari let her body fall back to Earth, reaching Sloan faster than they were falling. Just before she passed her friend, she kicked up her thermal boosters to match Sloan’s speed.

“What happened?” Illari asked.

“Ran out of juice!” Sloan answered. “Probably should have brought a parachute.”

Illari rolled her eyes. She cut the power from her boosters and placed a foot on the center of Sloan’s gravity board. Thankfully, most of the technology the Asteroid Farming Group was producing operated with solar energy. The sun was beating down strong on Illari, and she could feel the board trying to generate more power just as she was. Illari filtered the energy through her body, down to the pads of her shoes, and struck the board with a sudden kick of power. Their free fall suddenly came to a sharp slow down and it almost knocked Illari off the board.

Sloan quickly wrapped an arm around her waist. “I got you!”

“Thanks.” Illari also wrapped an arm around Sloan’s shoulders and glanced towards the ground.

“Thank you for saving me from a crazy death.”

Illari hummed. “I couldn’t let you die. You have my homework to do first.”

“What?!” Sloan gasped. “Nu-uh! No way! I totally reached that sign before you.”

“You totally did not.” Illari mocked back. “I was ahead of you the entire time.”

“That’s just from your perspective. We were evenly matched.”

“I didn’t think you’d be such a sore loser about this.”

Sloan barked out a laugh. “Oh yeah, ‘cause you’re so unbiased. How about we get Ace to be the judge instead?”

“Rematch then?”

“You’re on.”

---

The halls were loud today. Whatever was happening on the main floor was causing quite the commotion. Illari’s curiosity would have gotten the best of her if she wasn’t needed elsewhere. She looked at a window of one of the unoccupied laboratories, spotting her reflection and tidied up her hair. She patted her hands lightly against her coveralls and wondered if maybe she should have worn something more formal. No, she’s over thinking this. Her issued uniform was enough.

This meeting was a doctor’s appointment anyways.

Illari walked further down the gray halls, never straying until she reached a door with a sign labeled “S. de Kuiper”. Illari opened the door and stepped inside a bright room. Behind the desk stood a woman going through a few papers spread across the table. Her striking black eyes flickered up to meet Illari’s. Though no light reflected off that gaze, Illari can see the woman’s expression soften.

“It’s nice to see you again.” The woman said, her tone neutral.

“You too, Kaori.” Illari nodded.

“Please, have a seat.” Kaori moved her hand elegantly, gesturing to an available chair. “How have you been?”

“Fine.” Illari took a seat, glancing briefly at the diagnostics on the papers Kaori was shuffling through. “Congratulations on the baby. How is Oscar?”

A small smile cracked over Kaori’s expression but only for a moment. She also took a seat, neatly folding her hands one over the other on the desk. “He’s doing fine, thank you.”

“I heard he’s augmented.” Illari said. “Does he cause as much trouble as his dad?”

“Not nearly as much,” Kaori hummed, “but we do have to bolt down all the furniture.”

Illari smiled. “I’d love to see him.”

“You should,” Kaori insisted. “Especially now that your training is almost complete.”

The doors slid open and Siebren stepped in, panting lightly. “You haven’t started yet, have you?”

“We were catching up,” Kaori answered.

“Good, good. I didn’t miss anything.” Siebren made his way towards the desk, stepping behind it for a moment to give Kaori a quick kiss on the cheek. He took a seat next to Illari, smiling a little too eager.

“What did you find out?” Illari asked, glancing between the two doctors.

Kaori’s eyes were fixed on Siebren. There was an excitement in him that was ready to burst at any moment. “Would you like to start?”

“Hm?” Siebren leaned in, as if his thoughts were louder than Kaori’s words. “No, no, you may begin.”

Kaori gave Siebren a moment to reconsider but he kept quiet. She turned to Illari with steady eyes locked on her.

“I’ll cut to the point,” Kaori said, knowing Illari would appreciate it, “You were born augmented, Illari.”

Illari’s brows furrowed together and she straightened out her sitting position. She had a sneaking suspicion for a few years now, but the confirmation helped. Illari looked past Kaori, thinking over a million comments and questions. Where could she even begin? She licked her lips, trying to sort through her thoughts and picked something to say.

“How?” Illari asked.

Kaori quickly tapped over the screen on the desk, bringing up various data tables. “The data you and Siebren recovered from the destroyed Paqarina labs had information on Project Solar Flare starting almost 30 years ago.” Kaori pulled up a list of names and highlighted one. Illari recognized it immediately. “Your mother signed up for it upon her initiation. You are the first successful birth of a genetically augmented child. At least among the Inti Warriors.”

“But I’m not the last.” Illari clarified.

“You are not,” Kaori tapped her fingers along the table again. Four more names were highlighted of deceased Inti Warriors, producing another set of names. “Siebren told me you believed one of these people showed signs of augmentation.”

“Her,” Illari pointed, “Nayaraq.”

Kaori changed the highlight color on the name. “The other three names are children suspected of being born genetically augmented. I’d keep an eye on them just in case anything agitates their powers.”

“Is there anything that could trigger it?”

“I imagine the same way you trigger your solar flare form,” Siebren interjected. “You said Nayaraq accidentally burned an animal when she was under a great deal of stress.”

Illari’s hands tightened into fists, worry swelling in her chest. “Yes. There’s a spark in her that I sometimes feel. There have been days I thought she might ignite but nothing ever comes of it.”

“You’ll want to be careful the day you try to ignite it.” Siebren warned.

“Maybe solar threading could help her? Or some variant of it?” Illari touched her palm. “We could try reverse engineering my threads.”

Siebren scrunched his nose, “I’m not so sure.” The two paused, allowing Siebren a moment to explain himself. “Solar threading was intended for your most capable warriors at their purest form. You, on the other hand, can make your own energy without having to recharge it.”

“Not without becoming a ball of plasma.” Illari pointed out.

“As far as we know of.” Siebren corrected. “I do believe we can trigger the energy you make without igniting it to its full potential. Solar threading might be interfering with your energy distribution and potentially over powering you.”

“Solar threading could be the cause of your explosion when the initiation occurred.” Kaori speculated. Illari’s eyes widened at the suggestion, her eyes meeting the doctor’s. “The only way we can know for sure is if we trigger Nayaraq’s form.”

Illari fiddled with her fingers a little. She knew her student would want nothing more than to be an Inti Warrior, and if she could achieve that without needing solar threading, she would. Regardless if the girl had the title, it would be wise to train some sort of self control, but the first task was sparking that flame.

“Illari,” Kaori interrupted her thoughts, “If you can recall, back when you were first registered to my hospital, you were seen by a close friend of mine, Dr. Jasper Adamian. He’s worked close with us to better understand the effects of Siebren’s gravitational powers on his body. With your permission, and that of Nayaraq’s guardians, I would like to send him to Runasapi to run some tests. He won’t do anything excessive, mainly collecting samples and running comparative work with the data collected.”

A big part of Illari wanted to say yes but something quiet tugged at her. The Ministry of Genetics had already poked and prodded at her people for so many years, Illari wasn’t exactly enthusiastic over the thought of another doctor prying who wasn’t Siebren. Not that the man was a medical physician but he understood what it felt like to be under the microscope. She didn’t want to bring discomfort or distrust to Nayaraq.

“Can I think about it?” Illari asked, catching a glimpse of confusion from Siebren.

Kaori, on the other hand, offered an understanding nod. “Take your time. I’ll ask again before the launch.”

---

Illari tapped mindlessly at the holopad on her desk. She’d been staring at the same list of numbers for the past few minutes, her mind racing and body antsy. She needed to move. A run usually helped solve the issue of built up energy. Maybe the gym? Potentially, but that excess energy needed something more in order to deplete. Her eyes flashed up at the desk Siebren occupied. He was tapping away at a few holoscreens while a pen scribbled notes with his gravitational touch. His eyes were kept focused on a single holopad displaying several charts of data he collected. Siebren was busy, but two hours had passed since they began tackling their assignments. They deserved a break.

Illari stood up and walked to Siebren’s desk.

“Let’s spar.” She said.

“I’m busy,” Siebren responded without hesitation.

“We both need a break.”

“I’ll take one when I’m finished.”

Siebren’s pattern of writing and typing didn’t delay as he spoke. Illari would be impressed if she wasn’t the one trying to grab his attention.

“Just thirty minutes.”

“No.”

“Fifteen?”

“You can spar with Sloan, I’m sure they’d be eager to.” Siebren waved his hand, flashing a mildly irritated expression.

“I can’t use my powers on them.” Illari explained.

“A good practice in self restraint then.”

Illari’s eyes grew bright. She knew Siebren wouldn’t resist soaking the radiant light pent up inside, but a steady exhaust of her energy wasn’t good enough. Her muscles were tense, her heart hammered hard in her chest and she desperately wanted to let that energy explode out of her.

She needed a better plan.

“Fine,” Illari went back to her desk, quickly grabbing her holopad and shoved it in Siebren’s face. “Can you look over my corrections before I go?”

Siebren finally dropped his gravitational grasp over his work. He wasn’t pleased to be interrupted like this but he needed Illari’s observations as well. Siebren scrolled through the holopad, confused at the information displayed.

“Some of these are incomplete,” he said, “I can’t work with-”

Siebren paused when he turned his attention to his apprentice. Illari stood at the open exit, waving a holopad mockingly at him. The man glanced down to the desk, quick to realize she swiped the exact device he needed to complete his work. He looked up, and she was gone.

Siebren slammed his palm over the desk, “Dammit, Illari!”

Illari made sure to move light on her feet with the holopad strapped to the back of her belt. She picked her destination the moment she grabbed the holopad. Getting there was going to be a challenge she was eager to tackle. Siebren might be able to warp gravity, but he was still human. Illari timed it carefully; the world spun around her and the open hall twisted as if taking in a deep breath. The moment the room exhaled, Siebren stood strong, feet planted on the ground.

“Illari!”

A bright flash of light erupted from Illari’s body.

“Aurgh!”

The man stumbled back, blinded by Illari’s assault. His stance opened wide and she took the opportunity to slide under his long legs, quickly gaining some distance. Siebren faintly heard her giggles from behind. He furiously rubbed his eyes, his cheeks flushed at how she blind sided him so easily. Emotion conquered over logic, and he found himself sprinting down the halls towards that trail of excess energy. She was in so much trouble.

Illari flashed her ID card over a scanner beside double steel doors, bringing her into the construction site of the main floor. Several months in and the floor was nearly complete. A large, open room with many veins of massive wires snaked from the walls, down to the floor and plugged into an enormous ring-like structure. Nothing sat within the ring except the intricate layout of reinforced plates, some more wires, and a couple of blue lights washed out by the high beams illuminating the enormous room. It was a risk to traverse this area from its narrow catwalks, but she knew Siebren wouldn’t dare damage his project.

She made quick work on her feet, pushing past a few employees who cried out about how this wasn’t a place to play around in. Good thing she wasn’t playing. The room felt heavy and Illari caught a glimpse of the way the drones close by wobbled at the sudden shift in gravity. The disturbance didn’t last long and Illari took advantage of her mentor’s caution. She could hear heavy yet wide steps just above her. Illari glanced upwards, only managing to make out the quick movements of Siebren navigating tight spaces.

He was catching up quick.

Illari darted across several staircases by leaping over multiple steps. She saw a long, open walkway she could use to gain distance and reach the opposite side of the room. She landed the final step with a hard thud. The warrior pushed forward and sprinted her way across the catwalk. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest, adrenaline raced through her blood and mixed with the excited solar energy that pulsed along her threading. If she can just clear this distance, she can make-

Illari’s eyes widened.

She felt it before she saw it.

An explosion erupted near the staircase she was sprinting away from. She only had a split second to see Siebren had used his powers to launch himself across the catwalk, flying at impossible speeds towards her. Illari didn’t waste time thinking and jumped off the catwalk.

“No!”

The distance down was long enough to correct Illari’s quick action. She reoriented herself just in time to activate her thermal boosters and slow her descent. It wasn’t the most elegant chain of events. She could almost hear Siebren criticize her choices, but it rewarded her a shortcut she wasted no time crossing. She caught a glimpse of Siebren looking down from the catwalk and he vanished. Teleportation again? Illari prepared herself, feeling for the shift in the air but it didn’t occur in front of her as she expected. His presence was made known where she landed, making no effort to take a step forward. He vanished again.

What was his play?

Illari crossed the threshold between the main floor and the major hallways. Siebren appeared in the hallway, observing her sudden choice to break left. Doors opened for a few employees who were leaving the laboratories. Illari pushed around the small group and Siebren suddenly appeared on one side of the pathway.

She took the opposite route, making a mental map of the halls she could navigate without cornering herself. She chose one long path hosting several windows peering into empty office spaces, only to be occasionally occupied by the presence of Siebren with each one she passed. At the end of the hall was an open room offering access to different parts of the omnium. Illari stood in the middle, surprised at the lights flickering around her. She hastily scanned each entrance until her eyes locked in on her mentor’s. Siebren occupied the darkest hallway, his arms crossed and pupils bright. The lights wavered and Illari could feel her own solar energy be siphoned by him. That’s when it clicked.

He was trying to exhaust her before intercepting her.

“We wouldn’t need to waste all this time if you’d just spar with me,” she expressed.

Siebren didn’t answer.

The lights gave out around them, engulfing the two in darkness except for the emergency lights that outlined the exits. The pair of pinhole lights staring her down vanished and Illari made a break for it. He was recharged. Good! Then he might actually throw a good punch.

Illari came up to a large set of doors with a familiar symbol of an asteroid painted on the center. She tapped a code into the lock pad, gaining access to the zero gravity room. She stepped inside, keeping alert for any shifts in gravity. The air was quiet the further she moved in. Suddenly, she felt him. Illari looked back as the doors closed and a distinct clank erupted through the room. Her only exit was locked.

“This is the arena you choose?”

Illari’s solar threads illuminated. She faced her opponent who wasn’t too pleased with this prolonged game.

“It was either here or outside,” she said, “but I knew you’d get upset if anything happened to the base.”

Siebren bared his teeth, “If your little stunt caused any damage to the main floor, Illari-”

“I wasn’t the one who blasted across the room with careless force.” Illari pointed out.

If the annoyance in Siebren’s eyes was an ember, his rage was like a wild fire. Maybe poking at his decisions wasn’t the wisest choice but it enlightened her. Illari only ever saw Siebren fight with calculation, keeping his distance and observing the enemy before committing to his next move. She thought she would see more of that, but this heat was deep in him. It was familiar. He was nursing a fire fueled by the humiliation that he couldn’t stop himself. He burned down so much of his composure, he might as well let it collapse. Illari wavered. She may be pushing this too far but she didn’t get a chance to reconsider her decision.

“If you want to spar so badly-” Siebren raised a hand towards the watch tower behind her. Heavy pressure threaded through the operating station and pulled a lever to activate the zero gravity. “We’ll do it on my terms.”

Her body grew lighter and she readied herself.

Months of training prepared her for this.

Siebren made the first move.

The asteroid they were prodding at was broken into multiple pieces thanks to Sloan’s handy work. Each boulder shook before it was launched from its resting place, circling around the diameter of the open room and almost threatened to smash against Illari. The warrior quickly dodged, blasting her boosters away from the massive obstructions now orbiting the room. As she flew back, she felt a faint tug along her shoulders. Siebren suddenly appeared from behind, flying forward and pushed her into one of the flying boulders. Her mentor pinned her face down against the rock, believing for a split second he would swipe back the holopad back, but she was fast to respond. Illari slammed her hands on the surface and pushed all her solar energy into her palms, blasting a huge explosion that forced Siebren to let go of her. The rock nearly split from the sudden eruption, debris flying everywhere, some even smashing violently against the walls that enclosed them. Illari boosted herself out into the open, spotting Siebren who was reorienting himself. His eyes flashed to her, reflecting the light she emitted. Illari cursed. Every time she exhausted her solar energy, he would just eat it up as a resource. She needed to be precise with each attack. His body might fuel up but a punch still left a bruise and Siebren didn’t have the luxury of concentrated healing like she did.

Illari rolled her shoulders and kicked up her boots’ blasters, taking the fight to him.

The two collided hard with one another, shaking the room. Illari threw a few punches reinforced with her solar energy. Siebren managed to block her first few assaults with ease. She filtered most of her power into one boot, sending her foot around to kick the man’s side with incredible force. Siebren let out a cry, gritting his teeth and clutched his side. There, a weak spot. Illari tried to land another punch but Siebren caught her wrist, yanking it close to himself and smashed his forehead against hers.

Illari’s vision almost went black.

Pressure built up inside her chest and her body tightened from the invisible grip on her. She breathed heavy, feeling the holopad jostle and slip out from her belt. Illari focused her power, timing herself as best she could. The holopad made its way out and floated freely in the air. Siebren brought out his hand, using gravity to pull the device back into his possession. He was almost smug about it and that’s when the light in Illari erupted again. The holopad flung away from them and the two watched it fly across the room. They both launched forward, narrowly missing one of the smaller rocks still flying around the room. The holopad wasn’t so lucky, lodging a corner into the surface of a boulder.

Both Siebren and Illari matched in speed. The warrior knew her mentor was stretching himself thin, monitoring multiple objects effected by his gravitational force. She took advantage of his focus, blasting more energy into her boosters and rammed her elbow straight into his wounded side. The thick air around Siebren sucked inward and Illari slammed them both against the rock they aimed for. Illari spotted the device, attempting to lunge forward but Siebren grabbed hold of her ankle before she could make any good distance between them. Illari blasted energy through her boosters, forcing Siebren to let go from the intense heat.

The warrior got onto her feet, facing Siebren again. She could see one of his pupils had split into two, warping around one another like two black holes against the pale golden light of his iris.

No words were exchanged and the collided into one another.

The world was gone in that moment, even the asteroid they brawled on seemed to vanish. Every punch and kick Illari sent between them blasted with hot energy, electricity crackling in the air. Illari braced herself to defend from each punch thrown at her. A shock wave cracked over every assault Siebren inflicted. His power grew stronger and stronger, only faltering each time Illari found an opening on his bruised side and attacked it further.

Reality returned when one of the boulders smashed into the arena they occupied. Illari was forced to push away from the blast of dust and rock. She swiped her hands outward, attempting to clear the debris surrounding her.

Something moved fast and close.

The warrior gasped.

Siebren raised a fist, eyes wild and energy pooling in.

Illari only had a moment to defend herself, bringing her arms up until all that power sent her plummeting down to the floor. The ground cracked from the pressure. With each breath Siebren sucked in, realization settled and he saw Illari curl in on herself.

“Oh…” He gasped. “Oh no.”

The man swung his arms outward, stopping every chaotic motion in the room. The artificial gravity was turned out and he landed quick on the floor along with the boulders around him. Siebren moved quickly towards his student who slowly stood up, cradling her wrist in her other arm. He helplessly watched her grunt, take in a deep breath and yank the sprained wrist with a loud pop! Siebren flinched, but he recognized the way Illari’s veins illuminated. She even had the audacity to faintly laugh at the way her injury recovered.

“Are you okay?” Siebren finally asked.

“Yes, I’m fine,” Illari responded, “It’s a lot easier to fix a sprained bone than shattered one.”

That was a relief, but it didn’t change the discomfort lingering in Siebren’s expression. Illari was quick to notice it. “Siebren-”

“I hope you’re satisfied using me for your entertainment.” He interrupted.

“That wasn’t my intention.”

“I expected better from you.”

“I’m sorry.” Siebren looked surprised. Illari helplessly waved her hand. “You’re right, I should have just asked Sloan but… I don’t know. It’s hard to find balance. I have to be careful with all this power inside me around everyone except you. It was nice to not hold it all back.”

He hated to admit it, but he understood what she meant. Siebren spent every waking moment pulling back his powers, cautious that the world maintained its natural order without him disturbing it too much. It wasn’t often he could allow his powers roam free, even rare that he was allowed to push its limits.

“Perhaps we can find alternate ways which aren’t so… destructive.” He suggested.

Illari rubbed her wrist. “I don’t want to spend hours powering up machines or refueling solar energy reserves.”

“No, something more creative,” Siebren glanced at her wrist, “and fulfilling for you. The last thing I’d want is for you to feel stuck as a battery source.”

“What did you have in mind?”

Siebren clutched his side, grunting at the sharp pain near his rib. “How about this? We can brainstorm some ideas while you repair the damages you’ve done to me.”

Illari smiled. “Deal.”

“You did an impressive job getting out of my grasp on your own.” Siebren remarked with just a hint of pride in those words. “It normally takes several waves of teams to counteract my focus.”

“I think this is perfect evidence that you need more practice with hand-to-hand combat.”

“Do you now?”

“I had a hypothesis; you’re out of practice when it comes to fighting. I ran an experiment, and my point was proven correct.” Illari explained, almost mimicking the mannerism in which her mentor spoke to her.

Siebren grinned wildly. “I suppose I can’t argue with that logic, but I don’t exactly have a reason to keep up with it.”

“I think you should.” Illari said. “I’m not saying this as an excuse for us to spar. People… the world is changing again. It’s good to know how to defend yourself properly when you’re on your own.”

Siebren’s gaze softened. Those words came from experience and they both understood what it was like to fight out of desperation. Illari’s attention caught onto something behind her mentor. She quickly made her way towards the item and picked up the discarded holopad. Illari seemed pleased to see it was still working and handed it back to the man.

“Not that I want you fending for yourself. We’ll always have each other’s back.” She said. “But sometimes we won’t be given a choice and that’s when it will matter the most.”

Siebren balanced the holopad between his hands, examining the few scuff marks now decorating his device. “We won’t have much time to practice while on base but how about in zero gravity?”

Illari considered the idea. “I like the challenge.”

---

Illari looked through the schematics of her holopad. She reviewed the predictions of energy usage the team would need to be conscious of while transporting the asteroid. The amount of power they were collecting was impressive, but not enough to be careless with. Perhaps she could recommend some of the scientists back in Runasapi to help build more solar structures while she was away. The exterior of the omnium had so much open room that could easily be replaced with solar panels. Best of all, once the omnium fulfilled its purpose and was dissembled, all those solar panels could easily be reused for other projects.

“I’m sorry but he’s not seeing anyone right now. He’s busy.”

“Please! It’s very important that I speak with him!”

“You can always leave a message for him, but he won’t be available for the next few months.”

“That’s exactly why I need to see him now!”

Illari glanced towards the receptionist desk. A woman with dark purple and pink hair tied in two buns was speaking with the receptionist. She had a duffel bag and a thick case by her feet. She was antsy. The desperation in her voice made Illari wonder what was going on. Before she realized it, she was already approaching the woman.

“Is everything alright here?” Illari asked.

The receptionist helplessly turned towards Illari who was prepared to escort this stranger out the moment she gave the okay. Quickly, their guest spoke first.

“Yes! I mean… no, I- I need to speak with Dr. Siebren de Kuiper.” The woman hastily explained.

Illari took a moment to look up and down the stranger. They were less than a month away from their launch date and some random person wants to see her mentor? Illari didn’t like the sound of it but she tried to be patient.

“Who are you?” She asked first.

“Oh,” The woman straightened herself out and offered her hand. “You can call me Space Ranger!”

“Okay,” Illari said, “And your actual name is?”

The woman flinched, pulling her hand back. “Uhm… Juno.”

“What do you want with Dr. de Kuiper?”

Juno straightened out her posture, attempting to appear professional in the midst of her anxiety. “I need to speak with him. I was sent by Overwatch and am here to request his help!”

Illari’s vision turned red and her eyes glowed a blinding white. Juno was startled by the sudden illumination that flashed over Illari’s solar threads.

“Whoa,” Juno said. “Are you okay? Is that normal?”

“Get out.”

“Huh?”

“I said get out,” Illari snarled. “He doesn’t have time for you or Overwatch.” Fear crossed Juno’s eyes and it was enough to force Illari to pause herself. Maybe she was being too aggressive. She tempered down the heat in her chest and gestured towards the exit. “The bus can drop you off at Numbani.”

Juno glanced around frantically before she balled her hands into fists. “No,” She said. “If… if he wants me to go away then I will, but I want to hear it from him.”

Why did she have to be difficult? Illari needed to be cautious. She knew some Overwatch agents had special abilities. She didn’t want to be caught off guard if Juno was hiding something.

“Look, his hands are full.” Illari reiterated but with a stern tone this time. “Juno, was it?” The woman nodded. “I’m Illari, I’m a student of his. I can put in a word for you but I can’t guarantee anything will happen. I mean it when I say; now is not a good time. I don’t even know if he’s inside the omnium right now.”

That wasn’t a total lie. Siebren had been teleporting back and forth between different locations that even Illari lost track of him.

Juno fidgeted where she stood. She glanced back at the receptionist’s desk, trying to consider other options before letting out a defeated, “Okay.” She put on her brave face again. “Okay, but you have to swear by it! Pinkie promise!”

Juno extended out her pinkie. Was she serious? The agent pushed her hand a little closer to Illari, insisting she make the connection. The absurdity of it all almost cracked out a chuckle from Illari. She rolled her eyes and wrapped her pinkie around Juno’s.

“Sure, fine,” Illari took her pinkie back quick to gesture at the exit.

Once Juno was out of here, she could go back to work and no one needed to worry about Overwatch. Illari made sure Juno followed close by her side. Just get her out of here.

“I really like your tattoos.”

Illari jerked her head slightly. Juno was looking intently at the etchings on her arms, mesmerized by their patterns.

“They’re not tattoos.” Illari corrected.

“I’m sorry!” Juno expressed. “What are they?”

Why was she prying? Or maybe she was trying to make polite conversation? Illari debated if she should even answer. People have asked about her markings in the past before and, like Juno, many assumed they were tattoos. Illari sighed.

“It’s solar threading?”

Juno blinked twice. “What’s that?”

None of your business. “It’s like… modifications.”

“Oh! What do they modify?”

“I can harness solar energy.”

“Is that why you were glowing earlier?” Juno titled her head to the side. “Can you shoot out lasers or a light beam?”

“Not… really?” Illari wasn’t sure how to answer that, “It’s complicated to explain.”

“Can you make your own light or do you have to get it from the sun?” Juno gasped. “Do you use photosynthesis like a plant?”

“Look at that, we’re here.” Illari unlocked the doors and tapped a few additional buttons. “The bus should be arriving in 30 minutes. There’s a waiting station towards the left when you reach the main exit.” Illari explained.

“Thanks.” Juno hesitated. “Illari, thank you for putting in a word for me. Please tell him its really important. There’s some people who need help and he’s the only person I know who can.”

A part of Illari wanted to keep this a secret, maybe speak up after the mission was successfully executed. Less distractions meant better focus but it didn’t feel right to keep this from her mentor.

Illari only offered a nod. “I’ll tell him.”

Juno stepped through the open doors. She looked back, keeping her eyes locked on Illari’s as they closed.

The world sunk inward and a hand suddenly appeared between the doors.

“There you are!”

Illari’s eyes opened wide at the sudden appearance of Siebren. She almost didn’t notice the way Sloan swayed dizzily where they stood close by a startled Juno.

“Hm, why do I always land on this side of the doors?” Siebren pondered a moment.

Illari tried her best to subdue the panic swelling in her throat. “What do you need?” She asked through a toothy, forced smile.

“Ah! Yes, you have it.” Siebren quickly took the holopad from her hands and scrolled through its contents. “Oh, you did some more adjustments already. Ah! I see you caught that too. I’m glad we agree because I was showing Obiora the power source and-”

While Siebren continued explaining his observation, Illari glanced behind the man to see Sloan had their hands on their knees.

“Are you okay?” Juno asked.

“Yeah… yeah I just need a minute.” Sloan said, sucking in a deep breath. “Teleportation dizziness, it gets to you.” They took another deep breath in and stood at their full height. Sloan ruffled their hair back and smiled warmly. “I don’t think we’ve ever met. Sloan Cameron. Archaeologist and soon-to-be astronaut.”

Juno stared wildly at Sloan, her cheeks burning with a red blush. She failed to acknowledge Sloan offering a hand for her to shake and held frozen in place. Sloan’s smile faltered a little, confused by her lack of reaction. Their fingers retreated into a fist and they laughed awkwardly.

“And you are?” Sloan asked.

“Space Ranger.” Juno managed to croak.

“Oh really?” Sloan perked up a little. “That’s such a cool name! You can also call me Venture. It’s sort of my call sign.”

Juno suddenly let out a laugh. She squeezed the handle of her suitcase tight, pulling it closer to her body. “Yeah, awesome.” 

“What brings you all the way out in the middle of the savanna?” 

The dreamy gaze in Juno’s eyes subdued a little, her main objective coming back into focus. “I’m here to see Dr. de Kuiper.”

Illari saw Siebren’s attention stray at the mention of his name. He was about to turn when Illari grabbed the holopad from him and scrolled through some of the schematics.

“I wanted to ask you about this section right here,” she said, yanking the man forward to usher him towards the main lobby, “because I don’t understand why we’re putting so much power through this station when there’s a port right here.”

“You’re in luck,” Sloan said.

Shut up Sloan. Please, shut up.

“That’s your guy right there.”

Juno’s eyes followed where Sloan was pointing. In the chaos, she hardly noticed who the strange man was that suddenly appeared but now it made sense. Of course!

“Dr. de Kuiper!” Juno shouted, dropping her bags. “Sir, wait!”

Siebren lifted his head. “Who is calli-”

“Actually-” Illari spoke a little louder, “what if we teleport there instead? It’d be a lot easier if I showed you what I mean.”

“Dr. de Kuiper!” Juno turned up by Siebren’s side, that determination in her eyes igniting bright.

“Hello?” Siebren said. 

“I really need your help, sir!”

“Siebren,” Illari attempted to interject, “We only have a few weeks to get everything in order.”

“I’m from the Martian Colony, Project Red Promise-”

“On top of the fact that you need to get ready to adjust Gate-MB.”

“I was sent by Overwatch because my family needs your help!”

“We don’t have time to get side tracked right now and you need to recharge soon for your trip.”

“You’re the only person who can reach them. Please! Time is running out!”

“If we start now I can go solar flare to help you out!”

“Enough!” The room shook as a sudden shock wave erupting through Siebren’s body. Everything fell silent, even the grinding of machinery from outside paused its hard work for a brief moment. Siebren pressed the tips of his fingers on either sides of his temple and sucked in a long breath. “Give me a minute to think.”

Both Illari and Juno shuffled uncomfortably where they stood, not daring to break the silence Siebren was grasping for. When content, he clapped his hands together and faced Illari first.

“Illari, take Sloan and wait at the west entrance of Gate-E.”

“But Siebren-”

“Now.” Siebren ordered.

Illari tried to hide her upset frown by gazing towards the floor. He was giving her no choice in the matter. “Yes, sir.” Illari deliberately turned away from Siebren and walked towards Sloan, beginning her journey to Gate-E as instructed. She managed to catch a little of Siebren’s conversation with the Overwatch agent.

“What did you say your name was?” Siebren asked.

“Juno, sir.” She answered.

Siebren cocked his head to the side. His expression was unreadable when scanning the woman. Was he looking for something? “You said Overwatch sent you?”

“Y-yes.” Juno confirmed, feeling a little nervous. Now that they were alone, she was beginning to realize just how big the man was. She couldn’t pin point why she felt a strange tug to move closer to him.

“Come with me.” Siebren’s voice vibrated in Juno’s chest and rumbled through the halls. 

Was she in trouble? No, she wasn’t a child being scolded by a parent. She came here for a purpose and darn it, Siebren was going to hear her out.