Chapter 46: Return to The Mother Ship

  Mother Phoenix wasted no time. She unleashed her linking skill onto the members of Squadrons 13 and 14. Digital sparks trailed from the connection, flowing like a dance as they bounced between all the androids, stunning each one on impact.

  "Woah, it's working!" Zhon said in awe. "It's actually working!" A small smile appeared on his face.

  Roan, still on the ground and in pain, managed to give a smile.

  "I can feel it," Mother Phoenix said. "It worked. We got them all."

  The androids of Squadrons 13 and 14 flocked to them, rallying themselves behind Ravine, who looked on in shock as they came. Zhon ran to Roan and lifted him up.

  "You're heavy as ever, buddy."

  Roan chuckled. "Nah, you're just weak."

  As they walked together, Zhon noticed the wound on Roan's leg. "What's that?"

  "This guy Mors put some kind of virus inside me, but if he's on our side now, I guess we won't have to worry about that, huh?"

  Suddenly, Mors appeared behind them. "And why would I do such a thing, 'Captain'?" he said in a monotone voice. He smiled and grabbed Zhon, who froze in place before being picked up, causing Roan to fall to the ground.

  Mors gave Zhon an up-down look. "So you're the one who took our squadrons from us, huh? Not bad at all, but I too can play with systems." He extended his tail to Zhon's face. "With a single strike, I could make you into one of us. And just like your friend on the ground, you would have no choice but to join us."

  Zhon looked at the purple tip and groaned in panic.

  "I don't understand," Ravine said, tilting her head, still alert. "We got them all, right? Why is he still like this?"

  Vita answered, her eyes scanning each and every one of them slowly. "I wonder why you all look so shocked. We told you we were Razak's eyes and blade. What made you think he would put such a flaw that could be exploited?" She turned to her former troops and sighed. "Looks like you managed to bring them to your side... good."

  Zhon, still gripped by Mors, said, "Screw all that. How do I stop Roan from turning against us?"

  Mors smiled at him. "You can't."

  The words echoed in Zhon's ears. His arms fell to his sides as he stopped struggling. "You're joking, right? How can you just give people viruses and not have a counter to it in case things go wrong? This is a stupid design..."

  Mors's smile faltered. He tightened his grip on Zhon's throat, making him growl through gritted teeth. "Watch your mouth, inferior being. The design is perfect because even if I were to sting someone I didn't mean to, it only affects those who see things differently than us. In other words, people like you."

  "So you'd rather be someone else's little puppy, fulfilling his every whim, huh?" Roan chuckled. "I guess I'm not surprised. You two look like you never experienced freedom a day in your lives."

  Vita extended one of her mechanical tentacles and wrapped it around Roan's torso, bringing him to her face. "Freedom is what caused the extinction of the people on Earth. We are here to ensure that our species survives and doesn't make the same mistake they did."

  Mother Phoenix gasped.

  Something wrong? Ravine asked in her head.

  Kyomi sighed. "I also used to think like this when I sent the first 11 squadrons too, but it seems Razak never moved from that mentality."

  Mors threw Zhon toward the other converted members and looked at Vita. "We have wasted enough time. I believe it is time we put an end to this."

  Vita nodded. "Agreed."

  They walked toward each other, and as their hands touched, they said in unison, "It is time to go home."

  They started to light up, energy forming around them. Mors aimed his free hand toward the large group, including Ravine, Zhon, and Roan. Vita put her free hand in the air as white energy crackled from her palm. With another gesture, a portal formed above them, its energy pulling everything toward it. The Squadron 13 and 14 members struggled to stay grounded as some were instantly pulled inside.

  "Where are you taking us?" Ravine yelled.

  "Home," Vita said. "Where it all began."

  The energy flared harder, its pull growing stronger and stronger. Roan, who couldn't hold on anymore, was sucked in as he screamed. Most androids were already gone. Zhon and Ravine managed to hold hands before being pulled. Zhon turned to Mors and Vita.

  "We will see each other again."

  "Very soon," Vita said.

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  Then, in silence, they let themselves be pulled in, looking down at the duo as they left the sand of Mars behind at the end of the night. As they travelled through the portal, everything seemed to twirl and rotate around them. Colors were light blue, and it was completely silent. Before they could speak, they were pulled down hard by a force and landed on a metallic floor.

  Ravine and Zhon lay on the ground before helping each other up.

  "Are you okay?" Zhon asked.

  Ravine winced. "As well as one can be, but what was all that? Where are we now?"

  As they looked around, they found themselves in a vast space filled with tubes containing androids. The lighting was bright white, the floor translucent. The sounds of machinery could be heard, though not seen.

  Mother Phoenix emerged from Ravine and flew around. "This place... it hasn't changed a bit."

  "You know where we are?" Ravine asked.

  Mother Phoenix nodded as she grazed the tubes. "This is the reserve for defective androids, conserved only to give their spare parts to the functioning ones." She turned to Ravine, Zhon, and Roan, who were still on the floor. "We finally made it to the Mother Ship," she said with enthusiasm.

  "They brought us exactly where we wanted to be..." Zhon looked around. "Which means he knows we are here. Be on your guard."

  As Mother Phoenix headed near Ravine, a voice resonated within all their heads. The voice was deep yet calm. "Kyomi, you are finally back! It has been way too long."

  Kyomi froze, then turned around, but saw no one. "Where are you?" she said urgently.

  Razak appeared in front of her. His form was now digital, his essence white with streaks of gold, his eyes blue, and his golden wings flapping as if they were not digital. He smiled. "I am glad to see you again."

  Kyomi looked him up and down, horrified. "What happened to you? Where is your physical body?"

  Razak gestured dismissively. "Physical bodies were restricting me, but this form let me achieve things I never thought would be possible." He checked his hands, then looked back at her.

  "You look nothing like the Razak I knew," she said in a low voice. "Did leaving your body behind also make you forget why we built this ship in the first place?"

  Razak flew up, hands behind his back, staring at the deficient androids. "Nonsense. We started all of this because you wanted our people to be able to survive on Earth. As you saw yourself, they each died over and over again. One team survived in the end." He looked at Ravine, then Zhon, then Roan. He scoffed. "Well, a fraction of them, I should say. The others died for naught."

  He smirked as he saw Zhon ball his fists. He pointed at Kyomi. "You showed me your way of doing things, and it failed miserably. Even now, your last squadron only has three survivors." He chuckled. "And you mean to tell me their survival means success?"

  He put a hand on his chest. "I created androids of my own with no will but to obey my every whim. Very few of them died, and they are getting better and better. I managed to find a way to build a colony that works and that survives. What have you accomplished, Kyomi?"

  He looked at her as she stared at him in silence, eyebrows furrowed. He let the silence echo his words before continuing. "Nothing. You have nothing to show for yourself. You failed to save the human race, and you failed our people as well. You call yourself our Mother, yet we never made it past the walking stage."

  "How dare you say that when—" Mother Phoenix said with a bitter tone.

  "Enough!" Razak cut her off. "I will not be hearing any more of this. My creations are more efficient and durable than what you have managed to do, and things are progressing at the pace I want."

  "But what about what they want?" Ravine said. "Are they only here to serve your purpose? If so, why even bother making them? You're not making a society. You're just making a hivemind where you can be king."

  Razak descended to her level and turned around her in the air. "Ravine, Ravine. One of the three survivors of Squadron 11. I remember when we made you. One squadron later, and you would have been part of my family. What a shame. But do not fret, child. We will soon be all as one."

  Ravine scoffed. "No chance. We made a promise to Aria and our previous captain. We won't fail right at the end."

  "Interesting," Razak said, nodding slowly. He turned his head to Kyomi. "Nice one, you got there."

  Returning to Ravine, he continued, "To answer your question, having everyone think the same leads to actual peace. There is no divide in thinking, no meaningless wars, no conflicts—just people moving in the same direction. Humans had the luxury of choice, and these same choices led to their demise. But my species will be different."

  "But isn't the point of a society to coexist despite differences?" Zhon said. "My squadron members were all different, and yet I don't think any of us would have survived if we stayed the same as when we first arrived on Earth. I'm not saying war is good, but conflict is—it's what pushed me to step up, and it's what pushes us to end you. I've got friends I want to bring back."

  "Oh?" Razak said. "And how do you plan to do so, dear? You think you four and these fodder scraps can beat me? I know this place like the back of my hand, while you know nothing."

  He looked at Roan. "Your friend here is on the verge of turning."

  Roan's body convulsed. Zhon ran to him and shook him. "Hey, look at me! Stay with us! We're almost there. Don't you dare turn on us, you hear me?"

  "If you surrender to me, I can cleanse his conversion and give you a few moments together before taking over you all," Razak said. "It might not be the ending you sought, but it is the only one available to you now."

  Zhon and Ravine looked at each other, then nodded. Ravine looked at Kyomi, who nodded back.

  "I am saddened that it has to be like this, love, but we won't stop now. Either come with us or we will—"

  "What, kill me?" Razak laughed. "You do know that to do that, you will need to destroy the Mother Ship, right? Do you accept death? The Mother who willingly sent her 'children' to die one after the other?"

  Mother Phoenix nodded. "I promised each one of them something if they helped me get here, and I intend on following through. So yes, if I have to die to keep my dream alive... then so be it. I have no regrets."

  At her words, Razak's face saddened. "Very well. Then you leave me no choice." He snapped his fingers. "Mors, Vita—get rid of your former comrades, but leave these four untouched. I want to see their spirit broken before we turn them."

  The duo appeared out of the portal, walking slowly, then knelt. "Yes, Lord Razak."

  He turned to Kyomi. "I will be waiting in the main room. If you survive this, come find me then."

  Kyomi lunged for a high-speed punch, but he blocked it with his index finger and pushed her back. "Impatient as ever. We will have our time, but first, watch as the hope you put in your squadron dwindles as they realize how outclassed they are." Then he vanished.

  Mors played with the blade on his forearm. "Looks like this will be fun."

  Vita looked at Roan, who, in a swift motion, choked and slammed Zhon to the ground. His eyes were now purple, his facial expression unreadable.

  Zhon's voice broke. "No... that's not how this was supposed to go..."

  "Kyomi, to me!" Ravine said. In an instant, Mother Phoenix merged back into Ravine, their forms becoming one.

  "This is our last time, huh?" Ravine said softly.

  "I fear it is," Mother Phoenix replied.

  Ravine scoffed. "Good, because I'm tired of being your host."

  Mother Phoenix chuckled. "You won't have to worry about me for long."

  Mors lunged toward the Squadron 13 and 14 androids. "Now then, let the culling begin!" He pierced his first victim in the core, ending it in one hit.