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PART III. THE RADIANT

Chapter 9

'Novi, my child!'

 

Atlas ignored the woman's cry, while he was carrying a sleeping boy to the spaceship. The white woman was caught into Eim's time trap and couldn't move. While Eim was preparing a sedative for her, a notification flashed on his e-ward.

 

'Allow me to report, sir, the skiffs have already transferred the last tribe on board. Are we going to leave Icarus-3G?'

 

The professor looked at the secluded gorge beneath the windy valley, where simple empty houses were well sheltered from the storm, but unable to hide their owners from the skiffs. The clouds above were thickening, the weather was getting worse.

 

'Are you sure there aren't any more escapees?'

 

'Yes, sir, only these two.'

 

Atlas made a nod, watching the clouds with a thoughtful smile. Eim prepared an injection and was ready to approach the woman, who fixed her gaze madly on the child. Suddenly, the strong wind appeared around the doctor, and the next moment he found himself in the heart of a violent current. Eim fell onto his knees, and the syringe rolled far away. The man was startled, he couldn't see anything and he thought he would be devoured by this unknown force, but then the furious howl was muted behind the shield of light. As he looked up, he saw Atlas standing beside him.

 

'A fine example of a planet system, Eim.' Atlas said, looking peacefully at the sleeping child. 'This is how miracles are born.'

 

But Eim had little interest to his words and bond this woman and the child shared. Annoyed, he stood on his legs and looked at the winds gathering around the mad white woman, who freed herself in his moment of weakness.

 

'No matter what kind of miracle it is, sir, we will be sure to capture her. I even have an idea which cage will suit her better.'

 

Eim smiled wickedly, anticipating a fierce battle.

 

'A metal one.'

 

***

 

The skies, coloured by the red hue of the amber iris, were about to flash for the last time. Onica heard her heart beating violently as she was keeping her hand on the switch, waiting for someone. It had already been five minutes, but Onica decided to wait until the storm started looming on the horizon. Six minutes… Detectors were blinking, warning about worsening weather, and the skyline was getting blurred. Then finally it started, flashing with red. And in this red she saw a child.

 

Onica felt the smooth surface of the bed, but she didn't rush opening her eyes. She hoped that child would come closer and take her to another dream she sometimes ended up seeing - of a soft peaceful desert with the warm sun above.

 

'Are you getting those nightmares again?'

 

The intelligent ship talked to her in calm, soothing voice, as he felt her restless heartbeat.

 

'I don't think those are just nightmares. Feels much it was something that happened to me once.'

 

Onica sat on her bed and looked through the porthole at placid stars of distant nebula rim. Somewhere there were silhouettes of dying planets at the hem of the destroyer.

 

'Have you ever thought where we are from? I mean… Before we ended up in Ark we all had our lives, goals, bonds… You know, this kind of stuff which got sucked into the damn hungry hole.'

 

'Hmm… I'm not longing for what I don't remember. It just doesn't matter anymore. Now I have you and Eim, I've become a pilot as I wanted… I have another life, maybe even better than I had before.'

 

'Another rusty illusion. It isn't you navigating the ship, but the ship devouring you. Soon you gonna be inseparable, and there won't be such thing as Lee, but only Anchor.'

 

'What's so bad about being a ship? Maybe that is what I was destined for. And in a form of ship I will be more helpful for you and Eim…'

 

'Stop it! I've warned not to talk with me about that crooked freak. He's not trying to save the world, just his own skin! Can't you see that he is manipulating you? Of course you can't, my words have always had no weight to you…'

 

'Onica, it's just… Complicated, okay? I see what he's doing, but… It's not that I mind. He might not love me, but I am glad to be an apprentice of such a…' Lee cut himself short as he felt sister's furious gaze. '…to be an apprentice. I like learning, you know.'

 

Onica sighed.

 

'The only damn thing I agree with you on is that you got me. Doesn't matter what a naïve crook you are, I'll always be with you, Lee.'

 

'I know. I will be always there for you too. We are the best team - the ship and the engineer!'

 

They laughed, and the lamps flashed brighter.

 

'Thank you for repairing me, you are an outstanding mechanic.'

 

'Forget it.'

 

'Once we finish Eim's mission, I promise, I will fly you to another place. With no destroyer in the sky, and where the soft rain falls.'

 

'Haha, deal. But I'd prefer the dry weather, you know.'

 

***

 

It had been a while since Anchor made the fated warp, but Onica still didn't figure out Eim's secret. She watched him training Lee, and as their bond was getting stronger, their abilities began complementing each other, although Eim never shared why it was happening. Lee told that he even could read some of Eim's thoughts, of course those which Eim wanted him to hear, thought Onica. Eim stated clearly that in order to investigate the destroyer, he needed a special crew, but he never explained why he was observing them and what all those records were about. Lee was no help in that, as Eim always found a way to talk his credulous head off.

 

'Getting into the destruction phase,' Lee notified briefly.

 

The view of dangerous rings of hollow destroyer opened to the bridge, and Onica was throwing glances at detectors in concern. The ship was designed to be oppressive towards the destroyer effect, but it was just a ship, and Lee was its unfortunate pilot.

 

'How are you copying?'

 

'Greater than ever, Onica.'

 

'No, I'm serious.'

 

'Well… It's getting harder to move and breathe, but I'm fine, don't worry.'

 

Lee's voice was slightly different, as if he was straining. All his attention was focused on speed and navigation, so that the destroyer couldn't pull them in, and so all functions of his health was now Onica's responsibility.

 

'How far can we proceed?'

 

'It's hard to say, I guess it will be dangerous after the next ring.'

 

'Okay, so we gotta run probes until then. You good to turn around at the next ring?'

 

Onica frowned, when was answered with silence.

 

'Lee, are you there?'

 

'Yes, I am, I'm just… I suppose so. But we might need to go even further.'

 

'What d'you mean?'

 

'Dr Eim didn't mention when we are going to turn back, so I will just wait for his command.'

 

'Lee, are you insane or what?! You've just told that it'd be dangerous out there, can't you put two and two together? You always gotta follow instructions even if they're rusty crankshaft!'

 

'I'm just a pilot, Onica, and Dr Eim is our captain.'

 

'Oh, shut up then! I will have a word with that jerk by myself… Wait. Where is Eim?'

 

The girl turned around to see that at this pivotal to the team moment she was the only one left on the bridge. She rushed to lower level only to see that the door to Eim's room was left opened. He had been here not long ago, and he had left in a hurry.

 

A terrifying realisation came over her.

 

'Lee, turn back, now!' Onica shouted, running through the corridor with blaster in her hands. 'He lied, he wants to throw us into the destroyer!'

 

Alarmed, Lee shifted his gaze on what was going on inside the ship. Onica was running to the tail of the ship, trying to catch up with Eim.

 

'Close the pod, now!'

 

Lee managed to block the evacuation pod the moment Eim stepped inside. Onica raised the blaster and aimed at the doctor.

 

'My dear, you don't want to hurt our Anchor, do you?'

 

There was a hollow smile on his face. Onica narrowed her eyes.

 

'His name is Lee, not Anchor. You'd better explain yourself, doctor.'

 

'Dr Eim, what is going on? Did you plan to travel through the tunnel?'

 

Meanwhile the ship trespassed one more ring. And as Lee said, it got shaky and the route was unstable - the destroyer started to pull them.

 

'Listen to me, Anchor,' said Eim with his usual calm voice. 'After next ring you won't be able to resist destroyer's gravitation anymore. I command you release the pod and turn back.'

 

'So you… decided to travel into the tunnel on your own? But why?'

 

'My theory isn't perfect and there is no other way to prove it as only to get in there, and you are both too important.'

 

'No, no, don't tell me…'

 

'It's okay, my dear. Me and you, we have special connection, you will feel and see everything I am about to witness, and then you will report Atlas. If my guess is correct, we might save the whole humanity. You will save humanity, Anchor, and you will be safe together with your sister. Just release me now.'

 

Terrified, Onica was watching the next ring coming. The ship was under tones of pressure, they were running out of time, and Lee was lost in doubts.

 

'Lee, it's time to turn around! For the bolt sake, turn around!'

 

But Lee was ignoring the nearing threat, anxiously thinking over Eim's offer.

 

'But what if… What if your theory isn't correct?'

 

'In that case we will have one pilot less.'

 

Eim's smile got a bittersweet tint.

 

'Didn't you dream of approaching the destroyer? Discover its secrets? It has been the dream we both shared, and now is your chance to find out, my boy. Either way I won't regret.'

 

Lee was short of breath, but not because the pressure inside the destroyer iris. His eyes were locked on the pod with Eim.

 

'Lee, please, the ring!' cried Onica, seeing the giant ring just in front of them, as they were step away to lose their freedom. But Lee was silent.

 

'Anchor, I command you to release the pod and turn back.'

 

Smile faded from Eim's face, as he was losing patience.

 

'No. I won't give you in.'

 

Eim sighed with disappointment, seeing Anchor changing its direction:

 

'You aren't ready yet.'

 

Anchor maneuvered, getting ready to turn around, but it was too late. They were trapped in the ring, and the next moment gravitation pulled them with unimaginable force, as if something big and greedy grabbed them.

 

Gritting his teeth, Lee pulled all his strength together to break free. Onica fell onto the floor, trying to cling to anything in the violent shake, cosmos around them was grinding with chaos of broken facets. As he was watching the ship gradually crumbling, Eim felt something he had never felt before. The realisation came to him that if Lee continues resisting, there will be nothing left of him near the destroyer core, and he started beating the door of the pod.

 

'Open the door, I will assist you!'

 

But Lee knew that it was dangerous to get distracted. He summoned all his power to accelerate the ship and push it out, but he was quickly losing strength. Anchor was flowing further into the pupil.

 

Onica was trying to reach for her blaster and shoot the pod door open. The portholes burst with glass, and space started pulling everything inside out. Onica managed to cling in time, but the blaster disappeared in the hole. Sense of helplessness overwhelmed her as she saw the nearing eye of destroyer. She cried, pleading:

 

'Help! Do something!'

 

Eim was witnessing what he had done. He wasn't sure anymore of any theory he had carefully built before, of his understanding of Anchor and his doings. But he was sure about one thing, these two could do miracles.

 

He kneeled in front of the pod door, which Onica was clinging to, and spoke with his usual soothing voice:

 

'It's okay, my dear, we will break through. Can you get to the cockpit?'

 

Onica looked at the hallway and stairs to the room where Lee was lying. It was in the inner side of the ship, protected from space winds.

 

'I dunno… I'll try… I'll try!'

 

Her muscles were getting white hot while she was clinging to the wall, slowly proceeding to the cockpit, where Lee was lying pale and week, his eyes half closed. Glowing cables plugged under his skin were releasing sparks. Onica covered her eyes as she couldn't bear seeing him like that, and she started feeling red flames rising inside her like at night of their escape from Icarus7E.

 

'Flux, flux, flux!'

 

'He is loosing strength, you must give him an impulse.'

 

'How?!' shouted Onica hysterically.

 

'With your powers.'

 

'No, I can’t do that, no! Don't make me do that!' Onica kneeled beside Lee, shaking with sobs. 'I'm dangerous, I will kill him!'

 

'Onica, my girl,' Eim's voice was tender like softest bandage. 'You are very, very powerful. No one but you can save him now.'

 

Onica realised that just now Eim spoke her name, which was a rare thing to happen. And she felt that it was the first time in a long while when she wanted to trust and believe in miracle. She pulled herself together and extinguished flames in front of her eyes. She was ready. As she placed her hands cross-wise on Lee's chest, she sent an impulse inside him, sharing with him her energy. One, two… The ship was vibrating, losing parts to the destroyer. Three… Lee suddenly opened his eyes wide and grabbed Onica's hand.

 

'I'm here, it's okay. You gonna do the warp. Ready?'

 

Onica was unusually calm and focused. In other time Lee would be sure it meant another trouble, but now he felt as if she had everything under her control, and he liked this thought.

 

With next impulse Anchor broke free from destroyer's deadly grip and turned into a warping arrow into a shining facet. The rattle subsided, and as soon as Onica put her hands away, Lee lost his senses. Wires began to fade, and the ship was getting the coldness of the space around.

  

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