Instantly we are over the capitol hovering high in the sky over the ruined city. I cannot help but stand up and walk to the window to see the desolation that goes on for miles in every direction. Everyone become silent as a sudden rage fills my heart and I ball my fists. My anger spikes my Seed and energy builds up around my hands becoming visible as electrical impulses.  

Suddenly gentle warmth surrounds my right hand and my rage leaves me. I look over to the right and see Ayesha at my side, her hand wrapped around my fist. She works her hand into mine and locks her fingers tightly. I look her in her eyes and smile as we gaze into each other’s eyes.

“Look at us. We’re like one big ol’ moderately happy family,” says Cue.

 He walks in between Ayesha and me putting us both in a headlock. He throws me up into my chair.

“I know those teenager hormones are oozing out of you but, we have an attack to plan,” Cue says.

“How about you let me go before the plan is I blow your brains all over the cockpit,” Ayesha yells as her hand changes into a cannon.

“Guys, calm down,” Naomi says.

“Shut up, cripple,” Ayesha snaps. “And Cue let me go you son of a bit…”

“Whoa. What a dirty little mouth you’ve got,” Chance butts in.

“I am like this because of you!” Naomi says to Ayesha.

Cue lets go of Ayesha seeing she is annoyed enough and retires to his seat. Ayesha focuses her full attention on Naomi completely forgetting Cue is the cause of her anger.

“So you’re going to blame everything that happened to you on me,” Ayesha yells. “I didn’t have a choice!”

“You knew what you were doing was wrong,” Naomi responds.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t born into a rich Gandole family, and my daddy couldn’t give me everything I wanted,” Ayesha says as she grabs Naomi’s chair armrests and leans in to meet her face to face. “Why are you even here? You’re not Aidoshian! You’re not the leader. You’re not even a Black Host! All you’ve been since I’ve been on this team is a liability!”

“And you are a monster.” Naomi says. “You are more weapon than human and your purpose was to end lives. What a sad existence you have; to be so young yet stained with so much blood!”

“Whoa. This team’s got issues,” Chance says.

“Take your shirts off and make this fight interesting,” Cue suggests.

I get up and walk over to Ayesha and Naomi grabbing both of them by the shoulders. “What’s wrong with you two? That’s enough,” I yell.

“If you need me, I’ll be in my room,” Ayesha says as she rolls her eyes. She spins out of my grip and disappears into thin air using acceleration to make a quick getaway.

“Are you okay Naomi? She didn’t mean it,” I say.

“Sweet of you to console me but, you know she meant every word,” Naomi says.

“No,” I say. “Cue made her mad and she…”

   “It’s all right. I did egg it on a bit,” Naomi says. “Truth is I already knew she didn’t like me. I’m usually more professional with my feelings. It won’t affect our mission I assure you. Now go check on your girlfriend. I’m sure she is waiting for you.”  

“G-girlfriend,” I mumble.

“I think you’re more eye candy than a liability,” Cue says to Naomi.

“Cue… shut up,” Naomi responds.

“Human interactions are… interesting to observe, Master,” Tak says as she appears next to me. “When I become whole, I wonder if I too, will react based on emotions instead of logic.”

“Hopefully not,” I say. “Besides you are a program. You don’t have hormones and things like that.”

“My first form was just a program. However now I fulfill nearly all of the requirements to be considered alive. I grow and consist of cells though artificial. I can touch physical objects. Though it is unnecessary I can eat, metabolize energy from food and exert waste. I am female and have the respective reproductive organs and can reproduce.”

“You can reproduce?” Naomi asks as she moves to the edge of her seat.

“Yes, if Master Nova wanted I could bare him a son or daughter,” Tak replies. “The child would share equal genetic code from both of us in the same manner he or she would be if you bore Master Nova’s child.”

“Interesting.” Naomi says. “Can you explain in more detail? Does it require intercourse?”

I turn around and walk off into the hall leaving the two to finish their child-bearing conversation. I find myself standing outside of Ayesha’s door hesitant to knock. A couple of minutes fly by before I decide to.

“Go away,” Ayesha yells.

“It’s me,” I say. “Umm… we really need to talk. Come on. Open the door,” I say softly.

The door zooms open into the dark room. I can only see a silhouette of Ayesha’s figure standing in the doorway. I walk inside and turn on the lights. She sits on her bed not looking at me at all. The door shuts. I sit next to her. I lift my arm to put it around her but, I hesitate unsure of how to handle the situation. I put my hand down. 

“I’m not saying I’m sorry to her,” she starts out.

Her face is a little puffy and it is obvious she has been crying. This makes me even more unsure how to proceed. I thought she would be enraged not tearful.

“She is the one who… I mean look at her,” she says as she stands up. “She is useless. What does she have to gain from helping us?”

“She is the only reason I’m alive. She saved me from not only death but also myself. She is not like other Gandole. She wants us to change this world for the better.”

“She said I’m a blood-covered weapon,” Ayesha says choking up. “I am a monster. If you knew half the things I’ve done, the people I’ve tortured and murdered in cold blood, you’d… you’d hate me! You’d call me a monster too!”

“Is that the reason you have been crying?” I ask.

I hold her hands, pull her to me and wrap her in my arms. I hold her tighter than I ever have and let her cry on my chest. 

“Listen to my heart,” I say softly, “so you know I’m not lying when I say I don’t care about the past. All I care about is this you right now. This beautiful girl right before me poring her heart out to me. What’s done is done.”

“I’m a weapon,” she whispers.

“I’ve never known a weapon to cry or feel remorse,” I say. “Come back up front with me. We have to start the battle plans.”

She moves back out of my hold.

“Okay. I’ll be up in a minute,” she says.

“Alright,” I say as I get up and walk to the door.

“And Nova,” she says as the door opens, “thank you.”

I smile at her as I leave for the front of the ship.

“…During pregnancy I will be unable to teleport around the ship and my functions will decrease ten percent.” I hear Tak say as I return to my seat.

“Thank the heavens,” Cue says. “Stop their conversation.”

“I know now more about pregnancy than I ever wanted to,” Chance adds.

“Master Nova, impregnate me,” Tak says as she bows in front of me.

“What?” I say surprised.

“Now is not the time for anyone to be impregnating anyone,” Cue chastises.

“Especially our ship,” Chance exclaims.   

Naomi says reluctantly. “Although I am interested in the scientific applications behind impregnating a computer hologram, I must agree with Cue and Chance on this one.”  

“Very well,” Tak says. “What are your orders, Master?”
“Yes, well,” I say collecting my thoughts, “we need a way to trace the Myrmidon.”

“There are six Myrmidon suits,” Naomi says. “There is the Alpha-147, then the Gamma, Omega and Zeta-156 and finally the Beta and Sigma-263. The Myrmidon’s location and movement patterns are known only to a handful of people. Messages to the Myrmidon squads come directly from Prime Minister Thurston through a Copy Black Technology radio frequency.”

Cue says, “We find the frequency, listen in on the conversation and we find a Myrmidon.”

“Pretty much,” Naomi says. “But the one I want us to go after is the Alpha.”

“Why?” I ask. “Shouldn’t any do?”

“The Beta and Sigma are outer space,” Naomi says. “The Alpha is the strongest of them.  We want to send a message by taking out their strongest weapon. It will show we are to be feared.”

Chance stands up, “But if that Myrmidon is the strongest, would it be wise to challenge it?”

“I agree there is a limit to what even a Black Host can do,” Cue says. “We are not the first Host group to try to take a Myrmidon down. We are certainly not the most cohesive group either.”

“You’re only saying that because you’re weak,” Ayesha states firmly as she appears at her chair. “I agree with Naomi. If we really want to send a message to those Gandole destroying the Alpha is the way to go.”

“It looks like it’s up to you, Nova,” Cue says. “Time to decide our course of action, Captain.”

I sit back in my chair. This is the moment that will decide our fate. I’m silent for a few moments before a notion hits me. The Myrmidon, the once great symbol of fear, is now almost human in my mind. No longer do I see it as a God that has insurmountable power. No now it is an adversary I feel I can beat. The Vortex will not let me choose any other path. My mind is clear.

“We are going after the Alpha,” I say. “Now those that feed on the blood of war will fear us, the Rift Riders!”

“He sides with his girl,” Chance says. “No surprises there.”

“You better not be lying about that city of gold you promised, Tak,” Cue says.

“It is not in my programing to deceive you, Cue,” Tak says. 

“Tak, can you scan for radio waves going into and out of Aidon,” Naomi asks.

“Yes there is an estimated one hundred thousand seve…”

“How many are encrypted?” Ayesha cuts her off.

“Three hundred sixty-four,” Tak says. “Four however are corrupted. I cannot trace where in Aidon the signals are going.”

“Can you trace their origin,” I ask.

“Yes,” Tak replies.

“Wait, wait,” Cue says. “You’re a supercomputer that is many times more advanced than anything on the planet and you can’t crack one encryption?”

“The signal has been unencrypted,” Tak explains. “It is the data that is corrupted. It appears to be Black Technology in origin. However, it is so perverted, my system registers it as corruptions. It is a tribute to human iniquity to make what should be impossible a reality. I can read this corrupted data if I can study the device creating it. ”

“Where is the origin signal coming from?” Chance asks.

“Dolton, Gandalia Air Superiority base,” Tak says.

“That’s near the capitol,” Naomi says. “That’s not good. We can’t fly into Gandole airspace especially that far inland.” 

“Why is that?” Tak asks.

“We’ll get shot down,” Naomi says.

“Detection will be impossible. I have been upgraded.” Tak says. “I have optical camouflage and your human radar systems are pathetic to say the least.”

“Wow you do have more personality,” Chance says.

“So how do we go about this?” I ask.

Tak points to the crystal table in front of me and everyone turns their attention to it as it begins to glow. Slowly a clear pyramid materializes from specks of light floating in the air. It is no larger than my fist and gains metallic hues as it floats towards me. Ridges carve all around it in alien design.  

I look at Tak. “What is this?”

“It is a nanite canister,” she says. “Open it when you are within ten feet of the device creating the data. Note not the device transmitting the signal. After that I can scan all functions and data of that computer and any other in the room.”

“Me?” I ask. “Maybe Ayesha or…”

“Negative, Master,” Tak says. “The Vortex is the key to unlocking the nanites. Only you can open it.”