WHEN HEROES FALL

by Abby J. Reed

  I pulled her in even tighter.

  She had wrapped my ShuShu for me. She asked Scorpia for his body, which now floated behind her on a cot. She had drawn her knife to protect Brody and ShuShu’s body. I smiled at the memory. And now, she saw past all the ugly in my ruined home . . . You watch the shows on-line and love is always instantaneous and perfect and in your face. But Tahnya—being with her wasn’t like that. Caring for her was like nurturing a new planet back to life. Struck with potential, then a quiet patience as you wait for the hard work to pay off. I had a feeling the end result would be worth it.

  She was my person.

  A silent, simple realization.

  My person.

  I kissed the top of her head. “I like what you see. You think you might be able to like it here?”

  She beamed. Her eyes danced with ideas. “Very much.”

  “I doubt it’s as nice as Scarlatti.”

  “I think you overestimate our conditions. I had to fight to get a garden patch. I’ve never had an entire moon before. Besides, you promised me fields of suncots.”

  Maybe she was right. Maybe all this place needed was some dedication and time and love to grow in the right direction again. Time to breathe and grow.

  Maybe that’s all I needed too.

  This place and I needed her.

  “There’s a lot that needs to be rebuilt,” I said.

  Her mouth twitched shyly. “Good thing I have the time.” She held out a torch. “Ready?”

  My eyes misted and a lump formed in my throat. Tahnya and I loaded ShuShu onto the pyre. I took the torch and a deep breath, ready to light the wood.

  “Wait.” Tahnya rushed forward, holding a flower plucked from the ruins. A suncot. I had never seen one grow here before. She tucked the stem into his folded palms so he looked like he held a golden sun.

  I lit the pyre. We watched hand in hand long into the night until the ashes rose to meet the sky and the stars that shone beyond, a magnificent work of art.

  Chapter 67

  BREAKER

  We met on the outer ring of the TriRing Station. The entire top ring had been rented for our private ceremony, and we were the last to arrive. The bottom two rings still bustled with zooming ships, but the top was utterly still. We’d stayed here with Darin and Jensen and my parents for the three dias between the coronation and now. It was a banging trial to get my parents to even visit the Bazaar, but Brody convinced them in the end.

  I still couldn’t believe the time had come.

  We were truly leaving.

  Malani and I stepped off the transport shuttle to Luka, Cal, Brody and my parents, Tahnya, Jupe, and Scorpia. They gathered together, teary-eyed, waiting for us. Well, mainly Tahnya and Cal were teary-eyed. Behind them, Hope was as shiny as the first night I saw her. Her outside had been completely updated, all scratches removed, all broke parts repaired, with a fresh engraving for her name. The First Hope.

  She was so nova, I could barely breathe. Scorpia’s team had done a killer job.

  Jupe approached us first. He looked even taller and leaner than before. He’d swept his onyx hair back into a tail, which made him seem older. His toe tapped a rhythm against the honeycomb ground. He placed a hand on my shoulder. It already felt stronger. “I’m glad to have met you, ese. You too, Malani. Even though you could kick anybody’s ass anytime you wanted. If you both do come back, you’re always welcome to stay with us.”

  Malani’s wings flared. “Thanks. I expect to have some of this famous tea when we get back.”

  Jupe grinned. “You’ll be drowning in it.”

  I gripped his shoulder back. “Thanks for intercepting my ship and for watching out for my brother. I hope all goes well for you.” I gave him a meaningful glance toward Tahnya.

  Red colored his cheeks and he coughed. “Sí, me, uh, too.” He tugged me into a hug, squeezing tight, then gave Malani one as well. He stepped aside.

  Tahnya stepped forward next. Her knees were dirty, as though she’d been gardening right before coming. She placed a jar firm in my palm. “We didn’t have enough stingflies or time to make honey for you, but this should taste similar since it’s made from a related type of stingfly. Jupe helped me track it down. I hope it will remind you of home, of us, wherever you eat it.” She fanned away the gathering tears with vibrant ultramarine nails.

  I gave her a soft hug, inhaling the familiar scent of her hair. “We had a lot of adventures together, you and I.”

  She nodded, still fanning at her eyes. “We did. I’m so grateful for them because they got me here.”

  “You’ll keep him out of trouble?” I thumbed to Jupe.

  “Oh, please. We both know that won’t happen. He’ll be keeping me out of trouble.”

  I grinned. “That’s my girl.” I tucked the jar of honey under my arm and took her hands in mine. “Be happy, Tahnya. Please.”

  Her smile spoke of joy, though her gaze shone with sadness. “I already am. I’m free. What can make me happier than that?” She kissed my forehead, then moved to Malani. “‘Lani, I have so many presents for you. I couldn’t pick one so you get them all.” She pointed to a massive pile over to the side.

  “All of that?” Malani said, overwhelmed.

  “That’s only half. Jupe said the Leech couldn’t bring over any more. So, that’s what I got.” She wrapped her arms around Malani, openly crying. “Come back, okay? I need my girl time.”

  Malani squeezed back. “Tell me about it. But, hey, look at me. You’re gonna be a great Elik, all right? When you’re ready for it.”

  “I’m gonna miss you.”

  “I already miss you. Send beams whenever you can. Scorpia said she’ll put a data port outside the ring to collect them all and to send them through.”

  “I will. I will.” Tahnya gave Malani one last squeeze, then tucked herself into Jupe’s chest to finish her cry.

  I tuned Tahnya out to face Luka. He wore all black, some sort of breathable, flexible leather, save the ever-present minis at his hips. The leather only highlighted the skull-like angles of his face. His arms crossed his thick chest. He turned to Malani. “If you die over there, I won’t be able to come to your funeral.”

  “So don’t die. Got it.” She was grinning. “Same goes for you.”

  Luka nodded once. Then he turned to me. “I don’t do goodbyes.”

  “Glad I’m the exception.”

  “Technically, you’re saving our lives again. So I’d be a khaim-ass not to see you off.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I don’t need an excuse for why you’re here. How about I start: You’re not as bad as I thought you were.”

  “You’re not as bad either. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everyone.”

  I knew he was talking about Brody. “I never doubted it.” I offered my hand. “Fly safe, Luka.”

  He stared at it as though it had grown spikes. Then he thrust his own into it with a hard grip. “Fly safe . . . Brother.”

  I hid my smile as he moved away.

  “Don’t tell me you’re not touched,” Malani whispered.

  “Shut up.”

  She snorted.

  Cal stepped forward, wearing Malvyn’s old Chieftain robes. They’d been tailored and updated to fit him better. He’d knotted ribbons into his dangling curls. Now he even looked the part of chief.

  “Where did you find these?” I plucked at the threads. Scarlatti stones had been woven into the embroidery. “I must say, you fill them out good.”

  “In the wreckage.” He readjusted the robes. “Just my luck they survived, man.”

  “Didn’t want new ones?”

  “People needed some consistency.” He reached out his hands, letting both Malani and me grab one. “I truly hope you find what you’re lo
oking for out there. And I truly hope you come back to tell us what you find.” He swallowed hard, looking upward to calm himself.

  Brody butted in. My parents hovered in the background as he wrapped his thick arms around me, holding tight. I patted his curls like I used to, tried to tame them around his temples. But they, like him, would never be tamed.

  “You’re not so little anymore, are you?” I said.

  “Not so crazed either.” He tapped his neck. His face was now finished, minus freckles and the tiny scars accumulated from compound life and a vague not-quite-right aura to those who knew him best. He looked enough like the old Brody to make him feel right. “Ingrith what this line can do. I can finally think clear. And I remember a little of what I did.” He winced. “I’m sorry.”

  I shook my head. “None of it was your fault—”

  “No. But I took you for granted. That I could’ve controlled.” He inhaled, and the sight of his chest rising and falling, of him being alive, was still thrilling. “I got you a present too.” He dug into his pocket and brought out a handmade chordophone pick with a B carved into one side. “I know you can’t play.”

  I clutched it to my chest. “I’ll treasure it.”

  “And I want you to know . . . While you’re gone, I’m gonna make you proud.”

  I squeezed my brother tight. “I already am.”

  My dad didn’t hesitate as he joined the hug. Then my mom added another layer of arms. “We love you, son,” he said.

  “Come back to us,” my mom whispered.

  When the hug broke apart, my dad’s eyes shone. “My son. The Hero of the Galaxy.”

  Scorpia cleared her throat, and my dad released me. “Please do not spread that around.”

  “We’ll know the truth,” my dad said. He clutched my mom and Brody tight.

  “Time to go,” Scorpia said. “If you keep to the uploaded flank schedule, you’ll have plenty of time to turn on the ring portal before the asteroid comes.” She thumped a fist to her heart. “Fly safe.”

  Tearing myself away from the others was one of the hardest things I’d ever had to do. But even as I turned away, the deep down thrum of excitement reassured me.

  I was made for this.

  While Malani loaded up her arms with Tahnya’s gifts, I finally stepped onto the ramp and inside the ship.

  My breath hitched.

  I’d only ever seen Hope as an old ship. But this—this version of Hope was stunning. Fresh paint. Reinforced floors. From a quick glance around the main bay, I could tell the designers had kept me in mind and made her interior more Circuit friendly. The walkways no longer had holes for crutches to catch, if I chose to use the pair I stole from the hospital. Lifts were installed for frequent use, stairs were adjusted for easier climbing in case the lifts broke, hand rails placed into the walls for quick support. The sexiest batch of tech stuffed the med bay and the garage was filled with a wet dream’s worth of new tools and toys. Pics of the compound, of Scarlatti, of my family and friends hung on the walls. A peek inside my room showed several Circuit attachment options lining the walls. I’d fixed him as best I could with what lay around the hospital. I was already salivating on what I could do with these parts.

  Yup. Hope was right beautiful.

  And the bridge—oh, the bridge.

  The window was repaired, giving a clear view of the stars. A new interface had been installed. It still refused to interact with my cap, but it responded to a specialized bracelet I slipped on at the base of my cap. I’d never been more grateful for Luka teaching me how to pilot over the last couple dias. All the systems had been rewired to be more easily run by a crew of two. The guns fixed, the escape pod replaced, even the chair had been recurved to better fit Circuit. And . . . was that a banging manual? I laughed. They made me a banging manual.

  My throat closed.

  Every time I thought I saw something beautiful, my eye caught yet another stunning detail.

  She was perfect. Utterly perfect.

  Click click whrrrr.

  I spun around. “I don’t believe it. Botty?” Sure enough, my little cleaning bot bristled his way into the bridge. His repainted eye lights flicked on and off. I swept him into my arms, scratching at his sensors.

  Guess Scorpia had repaired him for me too. My entire core had never been so buoyant and so heavy at the same time.

  Through the window, the mound of presents entered the ship, with Malani somewhere beneath them. My heart beat in excitement as the ramp closed behind her. My leg jittered against the ground, waiting waiting waiting until she finally arrived in the bridge and dropped the gifts.

  She stood next to me. “You really think we have a shot of coming back?”

  I looked out at the people I loved. “Yeah. I really think we do.”

  “Optimist.” Malani wrapped her arms around me, planting a kiss on my cheek. “Let’s go see those stars and that ancestral home of ours.”

  I took off Lewis’s pupal seed necklace and placed it in a prominent spot on the interface. May the stars fall.

  Together, we waved one last goodbye through the window.

  Together, we lifted off and flanked.

  ~ ~ ~

  We reached the portal on schedule. It looked like one of the twin moons in eclipse, except silver and manmade. Hope drifted, engines intermittently coming to life to stabilize her right under the portal, where Scorpia said the controls were located. It was so much more massive in person than on a diagram. Truly, the portal was bigger than a moon, easily half the size of Scarlatti. The work required to make such a thing, the design, the ingenuity, the intricacy. Stars, this would be the project of a lifetime.

  Behind us, the asteroid charged as though being drawn straight toward us. Scorpia’s ongoing tracking system said we had twenty mins before it passed through the ring. Twenty mins to turn this monstrosity on.

  Not a problem, Scorpia. Not at all.

  We’d already changed into our new space suits. Malani’s skimmed the angles of her body. It was designed to stop right at the edge of her wings, since the suit refused to interact with the dark matter. She gnawed on her bottom lip as she tugged on her shoes. “So all we gotta do is activate it? Sounds too easy.”

  “I’m okay with easy. Want me to do the honors?”

  “Go right ahead.” Malani shivered. “I’m quite okay with not experiencing open space for a long, long time. I’ll watch from the interface.”

  In the main bay, I removed Circuit and hooked my suit onto my chest. When activated, the nano-tech spread, not unlike how dark matter consumed flesh, spreading over my body, my stump, my head. It didn’t cover my cap but sealed the skin next to it. I breathed deep, testing the oxygen. All was well.

  I strapped on a mini pack to my back, hooked on my tether, and stepped into the airlock. I waved at the camera. Malani opened the outer door.

  I drifted out into open space, every cell alive and tingling. All those blinking stars, glowing like red dots. On Scarlatti, I only ever saw a wedge of stars. Out here, I had all the stars I could ever want.

  Malani’s voice came through my comm unit. “We don’t have forever, you know.”

  “I know, I know.” I activated the pack and bursts of air directed me over the ring and toward the control panel.

  “You there yet?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Fifteen mins and counting. Plenty of time, my ass.”

  I used a combo of pack and leg to skirt over the carved patterns. As I drifted closer to the control panel, the pattern changed into something more delicate.

  An angel wing motif.

  I lowered myself next to the controls. Each angel wing was stamped with feathers, not unlike Malani’s wings. Solterans really loved their precious Angel.

  I hooked myself to the
portal and went to work on opening the control panel. It was an easy on and off switch connected to the most massive circuit breaker I’d ever seen. Whoever designed this had a sense of humor.

  I toggled the switch and leaned back for the ring to activate.

  Nothing happened.

  “Did you do it?” Malani said.

  “It’s not working.”

  “Well, hurry up and fix it. The asteroid will be here in ten.”

  I bent closer, following the lines until I saw what would make the switch viable. My heart sank.

  Above the switch, embedded into the panel was a series of dials, enough for seven symbols.

  “Uh. Malani? We have a problem.”

  “Astook, no.”

  “There’s a code required to make the switch viable.”

  “Scorpia never said there was a code to activate it!”

  “She prolly didn’t know. It’s never been on in her lifetime.”

  “Can you crack it?”

  I spun the dials, a mixture of colors, letters, characters, numbers circled before my eyes. Holy— The amount of computation needed for this many variables? No way in hell for my tiny little brain to crack something like this in the next several mins.

  The smart thing to do was to flank, flank away before the asteroid arrived.

  And then what? If it entered the singularity without the ring on, the event horizon would expand over the galaxy. We’d be dead anywhere we went. Bloody wonderful.

  I glanced to the asteroid. It was larger than the twin suns combined now. And was only growing bigger.

  “Maybe,” I said.

  Malani breathed a sigh of relief. “Hurry. Eight mins and you still have to get back inside.”