《Cascading Failures》 Prologue The woman¡¯s screams drew the attention of the town as her baby was ripped from her arms. A man in a pure white uniform held the crying infant aloft, a look of disgust on his face. The crowd, full of the woman¡¯s friends and neighbors, gathered around, curious. ¡°Please.¡± The woman begged, held up on shaking legs by her teenage daughter. ¡°He¡¯s just a baby. Please don¡¯t hurt him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s an abomination.¡± The man sneered, shaking the baby, causing his cries to turn shrill with fright. ¡°The peace corps aren¡¯t living up to their name, are they?¡± A dark-skinned man in a three-piece suit asked nearby, tapping an empty pipe against his lips. ¡°Do they ever?¡± The woman at his side replied, her eyes narrowed at the officer who held the child. ¡°Sebastian.¡± Her hand reached out to grip his arm tight as he took a step forward, a tiny blade peeping out from the inside of the pipe. ¡°We can¡¯t interfere.¡± He stopped, tense with frustration, and watched the officer shake the baby once more before tossing the bundle onto the ground with a sickening crack. With a wince, he looked away, hands balling into fists. In the resounding silence, no one moved. Not the mother. Or her daughter. Or the baby lying on the dirty ground. The blue blanket he was wrapped in darkened with blood. ¡°Murderer!¡± The mother screamed and rushed to her baby. Two armed officers stepped into her path. They grabbed her arms with their white gloves and dragged her to the center of the crowd, the dirt staining her dress as she was tossed onto the ground. Her eyes focused wildly on her child inches away, so close yet too far away now. ¡°Mother!¡± Her daughter cried. An officer strode towards her threateningly, but Sebastian, having shaken off his companion, placed himself between them. ¡°She¡¯s innocent.¡± He hissed, golden eyes narrowed. The officer snorted in disgust but turned away, clearly not interested in a fight he wouldn¡¯t win. ¡°Alyssa, are you alright?¡± Sebastian glanced back at the shaking girl. Her eyes stared past him at her sobbing mother, on her knees before the growing crowd. ¡°You have to stop this. Someone has to stop this.¡± She murmured, but even she knew the futility of it. No one would step up to protest even if they wanted to. And no one wanted to. ¡°We have these laws for a reason.¡± The officer began, trying and failing to sound sympathetic. He enjoyed this. ¡°Your son passed away once before, and you ignored our laws, God¡¯s law, to bring him back. You created a monster.¡± ¡°He was just a baby.¡± The mother sobbed, reaching out a hand to the bundle. ¡°Such a sweet, beautiful baby.¡± ¡°How many of you noticed?¡± He called to the crowd. ¡°The baby who wouldn¡¯t stop crying, a child that couldn¡¯t be consoled, the darkness in its eyes. The chains on a soul that was stolen from God¡¯s hand.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°No!¡± ¡°You broke Frankenstein¡¯s Law!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± ¡°You brought your dead child back to life.¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t a monster!¡± ¡°No,¡± The officer glanced at the baby, a glimmer of sorrow in his eyes before turning back to the mother, ¡°but you are. Execute her. Show them all what happens when you defy God; when you rip souls from Death¡¯s hand and chain them to the living.¡± ¡°No.¡± Alyssa breathed as her mother turned her head to meet her daughter¡¯s eyes for the last time. The officers brought forth a heavy ax, the wicked edge glinting in harsh sunlight. The mother looked away, her eyes locked onto the baby she had sacrificed everything for. An officer grabbed her hair and bent her head to reveal her pale neck. A strong wind whipped about the leaves left by Autumn¡¯s entrance as she began to pray, her voice choked with tears. The lead officer knelt before her. ¡°What right do you have to pray? God won¡¯t listen to a creature like you.¡± ¡°God always hears me.¡± She whispered just as the ax fell. Her head rolled towards the baby. Some would swear later that her pale eyes had stared at them accusingly while her lips formed the true name of God. A curse against their inaction. ¡°This is what happens when you go against God.¡± The officer claimed as he stood. He made to turn away when Alyssa darted from Sebastian¡¯s side, too fast for him to grab her. She had the officer¡¯s gun in her hand before anyone could move. ¡°You¡¯re the only monster in this town.¡± She hissed and fired. The bullet lodged in his shoulder, blood staining the innocent white of his uniform. He went to grab her when she turned the gun on herself. ¡°See you in heaven, Mom.¡± She pulled the trigger and fell to the ground beside her mother and brother. Her blood splattered against the officer¡¯s name tag, obscuring the first two letters of ¡°Davis¡±. The crowd screamed, some openly sobbing as the blood inched towards them. They stepped back, eager to disperse now that the entire horrifying scene had unfolded. Sebastian stared in shock until his companion returned to his side and pulled at his arm. ¡°Brie.¡± He acknowledged, staring at the body of a girl he had just tried to protect. ¡°She...she¡­¡± ¡°I know. We can¡¯t stay here.¡± Brie tugged him away from the grisly scene. ¡°This is the effect of Frankenstein¡¯s Law. An entire family. Gone. Lost. Because one mother could not bear to bury her son properly.¡± The officer¡¯s voice followed them as the two of them pushed past grieving townsfolk. ¡°God cries for these poor souls, but rejoices knowing there is one less abomination running free in his name.¡± ¡°God is crying,¡± Brie murmured at his side as they reached the docks, ¡°but in fury at that man¡¯s actions.¡± Sebastian ran a hand over his face, unsurprised to find it wet with tears. He stared up at his skyship, highlighted by a bright Autumn sun on a planet far from home. ¡°You¡¯re assuming God is even still watching.¡± *** Halfway across the universe, in another galaxy, a middle-aged man worked tirelessly in a cemetery, the rhythmic hacking of an ax against stone the only sound. The darkness enveloped him in a lonely solitude, the hour too late for even the owls, as sweat and tears dripped from his cheeks. The remains of the tombstone crumbled under his boot as he tossed aside his ax and stepped over the broken pieces towards the body he had wrapped in an old blanket. The faded print of firetrucks nearly had him bursting into tears again as he hefted the body into his arms. ¡°This never happened.¡± He murmured to the unmoving body, cradling it ever closer. ¡°You¡¯ve just had an accident, but don¡¯t worry, I can make you well again.¡± As he passed his neighbor¡¯s home, a wild wind sent the lanterns swinging, casting shadows out towards him. ¡°You can¡¯t have him.¡± He hissed to no one, tightening his hold on his burden. ¡°He isn¡¯t yours to take. Not yet. Not yet.¡± As he spoke, the lanterns blew out, and in the eerie silence of a cool October night, he thought he could hear the echoes of a gunshot as he hurried home and locked the doors. Chapter 1 A shrill melody filled the workshop just as Rowan¡¯s father accidentally set fire to one of his inventions. Rowan made a rush for the extinguisher and his phone at the same time, nearly dropping both as he answered. ¡°Hello? Hello?¡± He aimed for the fire but accidentally caught his father with the foaming spray. ¡®Sorry.¡¯ He mouthed as he handed over the extinguisher. The fire was quickly extinguished, leaving behind the melted remains of some robotic creation. ¡°Have you burned down the workshop again?¡± The voice on the other line asked with a laugh. ¡°Not me!¡± Rowan yelped with a sheepish grin at his father who was brushing off the foam from his jacket. ¡°Are you in town yet?¡± ¡°Is that Sebastian?¡± His father asked as he stepped onto the stairs leading out of the basement. ¡°Tell him he can¡¯t keep canceling dinner. If he¡¯s in town, he¡¯s staying for this one.¡± Rowan followed his father upstairs as he relayed the information. ¡°I can cook whatever if you¡¯ve got any preferences.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure whatever you cook is better than anything I¡¯ve eaten in space. Have you told your father about your plans yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going into town!¡± Rowan called to his father who had disappeared into the kitchen. He waited until he had stepped out into the warm summer afternoon and closed the door before replying, ¡°no. I wanted to wait until tonight. I don¡¯t think I can do this one alone.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be there,¡± Sebastian said immediately. ¡°You¡¯re just being--¡± ¡°I am not being pessimistic.¡± Rowan cut him off as he walked past the shops and thatched roofed houses of his little town. He kicked a broken cobblestone across the street. ¡°You know how my dad is. He barely lets me go into town alone. He¡¯s not going to approve of me going off to college.¡± ¡°You could always run away. Tell him you ran away with a space pirate.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t funny, Sebastian.¡± Rowan dodged out of the way of a moving cart and gave a half wave to the driver. ¡°You know he barely likes you as is.¡± ¡°Oh, please. He adores me.¡± ¡°He¡¯s tolerant at most. Besides, this isn¡¯t the same thing as bringing home my criminal boyfriend.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°This is me leaving home for the first time since my accident.¡± Rowan stopped in front of the window of a flower shop. Worried green eyes stared back at him, and he fought the urge to push his hair back to stare at the thick scar that was the cause of his father¡¯s overprotectiveness. ¡°I¡¯ll be lucky if he doesn¡¯t have a heart attack.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not that old.¡± ¡°Sebastian.¡± ¡°Fine, fine. We can break the news together. I¡¯ll even promise to keep an eye on you while you¡¯re away.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t buy that. Shelley College is nowhere near any of your usual routes.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll change my usual routes. It¡¯s not going to be as bad as you think.¡± A muffled female voice spoke in the background, and Sebastian sighed. ¡°I have to go. Just a few errands before dinner, but I¡¯ll be there. I promise.¡± ¡°This is going to be a disaster, but okay. See you later.¡± Rowan slipped the phone into his pocket and closed his fist around the crumpled brochure for the college. Shelley University was only two planets away, and only for the best and brightest. Rowan had sent off his transcript and one of his best inventions (a clockwork puppet) without telling anyone. He didn¡¯t even know if he was accepted yet, and maybe he should wait for that letter. He worried his bottom lip between his teeth. It¡¯d be better with Sebastian in town. At least there¡¯d be one person in the room who supported him in this. Sunlight glinting on metal caught his eye, and he turned to see a little blonde-haired girl playing with a robotic bird. It flew around her head, as smooth as the real thing. He smiled. His father¡¯s inventions filled the town, some were helpful and changed the lives of their neighbors, but it was always the simpler ones that Rowan liked the most. They served no other purpose but to bring a little happiness to their tiny little town. He wanted nothing more than to follow in his father¡¯s footsteps, to travel and invent, and maybe one day, far in the future, to carve out a simple life in a little town with the person he loved. ¡°I have to get to that college first.¡± He told himself as he went about his shopping, picking up some of his father¡¯s favorites. The sweet scent of freshly baked rolls and cakes wafted out onto the street, stopping him as he laid down coins on the latest vendor¡¯s booth. He knew his father had been warned to take it easy with the sweets, but maybe, he¡¯d be able to make an exception. Just this once. He missed the vendor¡¯s sad eyes on him as he jogged over to the baker who stood outside, sweeping away wet leaves from the night before. ¡°Hey, Mr. Russo. Do you have any rum cakes today?¡± Rowan asked. Mr. Russo rubbed his beard as he gave a strained smile. Inside his wife was ushering their two young children towards the back as they tried in vain to peek out the window. ¡°Yeah, I think we have a few. Not for you, though, right?¡± ¡°Not for me.¡± Rowan grinned. ¡°It¡¯s for Dad. I¡¯m thinking of attending Shelley College next year and wanted his blessing.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Has he even adjusted to that young man you¡¯re seeing?¡± Russo asked with a well-meaning smile. ¡°He¡¯s okay with him.¡± ¡°And he knows what he does for a living?¡± Rowan flushed. ¡°That¡¯s not the point here.¡± Russo laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I got in the back. You stay out here though, yeah?¡± It wasn¡¯t long before Russo returned with two medium boxes. He gently handed them off to Rowan who had to adjust his grip on the bag of groceries, nearly dropping them into the street as he struggled. ¡°Let me know how it goes, alright, kid? And good luck.¡± ¡°Thanks. See ya.¡± Rowan caught sight of a pretty young woman sitting outside her home with a book in her hand. He stopped, his heart in his throat. He hadn¡¯t seen much of Thalia since his accident, but before then they had been as close as siblings. He missed her, but before he could decide to go over to her, she glanced up and paled. She looked away from him as she gathered herself up and rushed back inside, not sparing a backwards glance as she slammed the door. Her mother who had been tending the garden outside gave him a look then sadly shook her head. He felt the inexplicable urge to apologize. A lot of his friends had stopped wanting to be around him, but Thalia¡¯s cold shoulder hurt the worse. He tried to think back to his accident, but it was a fuzzy mess of blood and pain, and wondered if he had done something to make them hate him for it. Almost dying had a way of changing people, as his father always told him. His friends would come around sooner or later, but if Rowan went off to the university, he was sure it¡¯d be much later before things went back to normal. If they ever did. The walk home took twice as long as he dragged his feet. His little two-story house rose before him, the same melancholy blue his mother had painted it years earlier before she¡¯d gotten sick. He recalled the way the blue had stained her hands, how she had laughed as she painted a single stripe down Rowan¡¯s cheek. How she had painted the hands of both her sons so they could forever have their handprints at the base of the front steps. A surge of grief threatened to overwhelm him as he started up the steps, surprised to see the front door already hanging open. ¡°Dad?¡± He called as he set the groceries down in the kitchen. He glanced out the window to see his neighbor staring at him from hers, a bony hand fisted in her curtains, wrinkled face set in a permanent scowl. The lanterns on her porch swayed in the still air. He turned away, unnerved, and started as his phone¡¯s alarm sounded, a reminder to take his medicine. Since his accident, he had grown to rely on injections and alarms, his father¡¯s fears fueling his own. Without it, he¡¯d die. They both knew it. The silence in the house felt more pressing. Even when no one was home, it was never quiet, not with their various inventions and the ticking of the living room clock. He crept from the kitchen, into the darkened living room. He flipped on the light and froze. A knife had been taken to the furniture, the couch and chairs in tatters. Bullet holes embedded in the wall next to the shattered clock, and pictures of their family (before his brother left, before his mother¡¯s death) laid in pieces on the floor. Dread enveloped him as he picked his way through the mess to retrieve one of the pictures, one when he and his brother were kids, their parents grinning behind them. Carefully, he slipped it from the broken frame, folded it, and placed it in his pocket. The rest of the house was similarly destroyed. His father¡¯s trophies and inventions, innocent pillows and pictures, every drawer overturned. Rowan peeked in his room, hoping to find an explanation amongst any of the wreckage, but all that caught his eye were the broken vials of his injections scattered across the floor. A thin thread of fear coursed through him before he shook himself. His father could be missing or hurt; that was the important thing. He found himself back in the kitchen, the groceries and cakes still sitting innocently on the counter, ready to be put away. Ready for the dinner Rowan had planned, ready for the conversation he had prepared. But now he was alone in an empty house, hoping his dad would walk in at any moment and question its ransacked state. A flutter of red caught his attention. His footsteps grew heavier with dread as he walked back to the front door, noticing now that it hadn¡¯t just been left open but that it had nearly been ripped from its hinges. A notice, red as blood, had been nailed to the door. ¡°The house of Patrick Graham and all subsequent occupants are under investigation following multiple reports of unethical behavior and the unlawful use of certain artificial intelligence far beyond those permitted by the AI Committee and in violation of Frankenstein¡¯s Law. All inventions and/or suspicious materials will be seized and destroyed in a timely manner. Anyone seen on the premises will be immediately arrested. As ordered by the Intergalactic Peace Corps.¡± ¡°No.¡± Rowan whispered as he yanked down the notice. ¡°No, no, no.¡± The Intergalactic Peace Corps, or IPC, were anything but peaceful. They upheld the law with a viciousness that had even law-abiding citizens fearful of even the slightest infractions. Rowan had seen the officers on the docks more than a few times, their stoic officiality giving him plenty of reason to avoid them, but he knew the stories as well as any. But it made little sense that they would be arresting anyone on his planet, seeing as how they were one of many who had signed the Neutrality Treaty which forbade the IPC (and others like them) from patrolling the area. The Neutrality Treaty also gave asylum to any refugees or criminals which was why Sebastian and his crew were able to come and go as they pleased without any worries. ¡°Frankenstein¡¯s Law.¡± He read the notice again. The law that forbade people from bringing those they¡¯ve lost back from the dead. You could make AI¡¯s, robots and androids, it didn¡¯t matter, but real, human life was too precious to toy with. There was no way his dad was guilty; who was he have supposed to brought back? No one in their town had died and been resurrected, and the only one his dad would have broken such a sacred law for was still buried underneath the old oak tree in the cemetery. Outside, he heard the tell-tale sounds of heavy boots upon the ground. He ducked out of sight and peeked around the corner to see the blinding white uniforms of the peace corps marching right towards him. He kept his head low and crept back into the kitchen as he pulled out his phone. Sebastian¡¯s number lit up as Rowan hovered his finger over it. Fear crawled its way through him, threatening to freeze him to the ground or send him hiding somewhere, but he¡¯d only be caught if he stayed. All he wanted was to hear a familiar voice, telling him that this was all just a misunderstanding. He leaned up to peer out the kitchen window and found the officers pulling out their weapons and knew, deep down, that someone had told them he was here. His thumb tapped Sebastian¡¯s number and opened a new message. As he sent the message, something streaked across the sky, casting a momentary shadow that had every officer looking up in surprise. The sky exploded then with dozens of bright blue flares. Some skyship in trouble, most likely, but to Rowan, they were familiar and so very lovely. With the distraction, Rowan sent a silent thanks to whichever ship had sent them as he raced out the back door, no longer caring if he was seen or heard. For a few moments, the officers stayed crouched in his front yard, blinded by the lights, while Rowan tore off towards the docks. As he passed his neighbor¡¯s house, he caught her hawk-like eyes watching him and knew she¡¯d been the one to give him away. Chapter 2 Skyships floated in the still air of the port, their flags and painted insignias a myriad of colors against the brilliant blue of the sky. The various crews went about their business of loading or unloading their cargo with an easy efficiency, hardly noticing Rowan as he rushed past. One ship stood out amongst the rest, its rusted, mismatched parts an eyesore compared to its sleek and polished neighbors as if an easily distracted child had crafted it. That was the ship Rowan hurried towards, the red notice flapping in his hand. A burly man with only three fingers on his left hand stepped in his path. He skidded to a halt and stared up into the scarred face. ¡°You might not wanta head towards that ship, Kid.¡± The man said in a thick accent. ¡°Pirates don¡¯t take too kindly to bein¡¯ bothered. ¡®Specially not that ¡®un. He¡¯ll hang you from that ship before you could begin ya prayers. I¡¯ve seent it for me-self.¡± Rowan peered around the man, to stare at the dented letters that spelled out ¡°Chimera¡± on the side of the ship. It bobbed lazily in a sudden wind, as innocuous as a sleeping kitten. Rowan knew the stories of the ship and the pirate crew as well as anyone, better than most if he was honest. He knew the Chimera had become infamous for purposely wrecking and ravaging other ships to steal their parts and add to its own. He knew the captain of the ship had killed more than his fair share. The hefty bounty on his head was proof of his crimes, and he¡¯d always admitted to them easily. Rowan turned his attention back on the sailor and began to slowly ease around him. ¡°Thank you for your concern, but I¡¯ll be okay.¡± The man shook his head. ¡°Well, don¡¯t come cryin¡¯ to me when he cuts off ya fingers and toes.¡± ¡°Believe me, I won¡¯t.¡± Rowan muttered. He ducked his head to avoid the other curious and concerned looks as he hurried the rest of the way to the ship. No others had been tethered beside it, leaving it to idle alone at the farthest dock, a pariah amongst its own kind. He bounded up the narrow gangplank and hammered his fists against the door. He glanced back to see the IPC officers entering the port and ducked his head again, his hands growing numb with his desperate knocking. Rowan stumbled as the ship¡¯s door slid open with a nearly inaudible hiss to reveal a handsome young man in a navy three-piece suit. His luminous yellow eyes, the after effects of some long ago drug, burned with irritation as Rowan pushed past him. Rowan rounded the dark corner, just shy of entering the bridge and let the cool metal against his back ease his racing heart. Distantly, he heard the door close and heavy footsteps clanging against the metal floor. The pirate captain towered over him and crossed his arms, his earlier irritation gone. ¡°I¡¯m going to assume you were so excited to see me that you just couldn¡¯t wait.¡± He said in his familiar low baritone. ¡°Rowan?¡± Rowan swiped at his cheek though they stayed stubbornly dry as if he was beyond tears. ¡°Sebastian, I think the IPC are after me.¡± He whispered and held out the notice with a trembling hand. ¡°And I think they took my dad, but he¡¯s innocent. I swear he is. He was one of the ones who advocated for this law. He wouldn¡¯t break it!¡± The dim lights flickered briefly as Sebastian studied the notice. ¡°Did they take anything from your house?¡± Rowan shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t go down into the workshop, but everything was destroyed in the rest of the house.¡± ¡°Everything?¡± Broken vials spilling out against his bedroom floor came to his mind as he nodded slowly, wondering how he¡¯d survive without them. ¡°Everything.¡± Sebastian sighed then straightened his shoulders. ¡°They must have some proof or at least a pretty heavy suspicion to do something like this. They¡¯re not like door-to-door salesmen checking in on law-abiding citizens. Someone must have called them. Any idea who?¡± ¡°Our neighbor.¡± Rowan replied immediately. ¡°She was watching me when the IPC showed up. She¡¯s always been the nosy type, but this time, it was like she was expecting them.¡± ¡°Yes, I remember her. Quite the charmer.¡± ¡°I never thought she¡¯d do something like this. We never did anything to her.¡± A heavy knock reverberated through the ship, and Rowan flinched. Sebastian turned towards the door then straightened his jacket and tie. ¡°Stay here.¡± He said as he went back down the hall to answer the door. Rowan slid to the floor and wedged himself into a small corner, making himself as small as possible. ¡°Good afternoon, Gentlemen.¡± Sebastian¡¯s honeyed voice had Rowan wrapping his arms tightly around his knees. ¡°What seems to be the problem?¡± ¡°We¡¯re looking for a young fugitive.¡± A new, far deeper voice said, probably showing Sebastian a picture. ¡°Late teens. Red hair. See anyone like him?¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Hm. Can¡¯t say I have. He¡¯s cute, though. Maybe when you find him you can send him my way. Ah, but if you¡¯ll excuse me, I do have other matters to attend to.¡± A hiss of annoyance sounded from a second man. He spoke in such a reedy voice that Rowan was tempted to place his hands over his ears. ¡°We¡¯re not finished here. If you¡¯ll remember, sir, you are a wanted man yourself.¡± ¡°Is that a threat?¡± The honey ebbed from Sebastian¡¯s voice, leaving nothing but venom. ¡°O-of course not, sir.¡± The first officer hastened to reassure. ¡°But if you let us know about the fugitive and where we might find him, it may earn you some leniency.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your proposal or leniency, sirs. We¡¯re on neutral ground, if you¡¯ve forgotten. Any attempts to arrest me will end in lethal force, and you¡¯d be breaking the Amnesty Treaty and at least one trade agreement. Is that really the kind of trouble you want to stir up? Is that the kind of thing you want to risk your lives for? Over some brat you can¡¯t find?¡± A heavy silence filled the air until the first officer sighed in defeat. ¡°If you see anyone fitting that description, could you at least inform us?¡± ¡°Hell no.¡± Sebastian replied. ¡°Find your own damn fugitive. I¡¯m not getting paid to do your jobs as well as my own.¡± ¡°Hell of a job.¡± Said the second officer. ¡°Thievery and murder. Must be quite lucrative for you.¡± ¡°Well, you would know.¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Seeing as how we¡¯re in the same line of work. Goodbye now.¡± The door slid closed, leaving the ship to fall into silence once more until Sebastian slowly returned to Rowan¡¯s side. He knelt before him and placed a dark hand against Rowan¡¯s cheek. ¡°Hey. You doing okay?¡± Rowan nodded and tried to stop his hands from shaking. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m causing you so much trouble already.¡± ¡°Hey, hey. You¡¯re not. I can deal with the IPC. You¡¯re not alone in this, Rowan. Whatever it is you need from me or my crew, just ask, alright?¡± Sebastian stood and helped Rowan onto his feet. ¡°One thing¡¯s for certain, you won¡¯t be able to go home for a while. A shame since I really was planning on coming to dinner tonight.¡± Rowan snorted and turned away. ¡°You always cancel. I¡¯m sure, deep down, you¡¯re relieved.¡± ¡°Maybe a bit.¡± Sebastian admitted with a small smile. ¡°Without any proof, they can¡¯t keep your father. We can just go down to Shark¡¯s Bay and see about getting him released. It shouldn¡¯t be hard. I just need to let the rest of the crew know.¡± ¡°Is that safe? Aren¡¯t you a wanted criminal?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a professional criminal who knows how to get away with everything. It¡¯ll be fine. Besides, you¡¯re the one going in. As his next of kin, it¡¯ll fall to you to speak up for him.¡± ¡°My brother would be next of kin. He¡¯s older. And also on your ship.¡± ¡°Your brother¡¯s still upset with your father, last I heard. He won¡¯t want to help.¡± ¡°Is he here?¡± Rowan looked around the empty bridge, finally taking note of the heavy silence. ¡°No. The entire crew went out into town for awhile. Which reminds me, I still have some business to attend to. Will you be alright here?¡± ¡°Yeah. Of course. I don¡¯t want to hold you up. Just be careful out there.¡± ¡°I usually am.¡± Sebastian leaned over to press a quick kiss to the top of Rowan¡¯s head. They both jumped at the sound of the door opening behind them. A young man strode in, his scarlet hair an unruly mass atop his head that he tried to fix by running his hands through it. He froze in the doorway, brilliant sunlight streaming in around him as he spotted them. ¡°Thomas.¡± Rowan breathed in relieved surprise. ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°You are not my brother.¡± Thomas growled, those emerald eyes which had shone so bright a moment before dimmed with pain. A forgotten memory shadowed in his eyes before he let anger take over as he rounded on Sebastian. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t supposed to fetch him until later?¡± ¡°Plan changed a bit.¡± Sebastian replied with a careless shrug. Thomas gave a snort of disgust as he veered away from them and headed to a door opposite them. He eyed Rowan like a particularly disgusting creature as he passed. ¡°I see. Well, as long as he isn¡¯t staying.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Rowan started towards his brother, but Sebastian¡¯s hand shot out and grabbed his arm, holding him back. ¡°Dad¡¯s in trouble.¡± Thomas spun on his heel, eyes burning with rage as he took a single step towards Rowan. ¡°I. Don¡¯t. Care.¡± He hissed. ¡°About you. Or him. Or any of it. Go back to that awful house with that mad inventor and those paper-thin memories. I want nothing more to do with any of it.¡± With that, Thomas threw open the door and stormed down a shadowed corridor. Seconds later, a door in the deeper recesses of the ship slammed closed. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Rowan whispered. ¡°It¡¯s been two years. How can he still be upset? How can he still hate me?¡± The only time he had ever seen his brother this angry, this hurt, was when their father had suggested taking down their mother¡¯s pictures from the walls. Thomas had spit just as many venomous words then too, torn from the heart of his grief. This wasn¡¯t the brother he had grown up with, the kind, older sibling who had taught him to play baseball and helped with his first invention. The brother who had mourned their mother with him and insisted on baking a cake for her birthday every year since her death. He was pulled from his thoughts by Sebastian hugging him from behind. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s you he hates.¡± Sebastian pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder. ¡°Your accident scared him pretty badly.¡± Rowan tried to remember. His fuzzy memories refused to cooperate, but he thought he remembered hearing his brother scream his name, of Thomas¡¯s hands, stained red with his blood. In his worst nightmares, Rowan saw himself die. He wondered if Thomas saw the same. Chapter 3 Sebastian had just begun to fiddle with the navigational system when the rest of the crew finally returned, drunk on laughter and sweets. No one seemed surprised to see Rowan sitting in their captain¡¯s chair on the bridge. ¡°Are we replacing the angry one down the hall with this one?¡± Lyra asked as she shed her hot pink cloak, revealing pale albino skin and snow white hair. ¡°I¡¯d be okay with that.¡± Kenan said as he threw himself into one of the chairs, one hand still deep in a bag of coffee-flavored chips. The chair spun and nearly deposited him onto the floor before he stopped it with a laugh. Sebastian swore as a spark jumped from the controls. ¡°We¡¯re not replacing anyone.¡± Sebastian murmured, glancing back at Rowan with soft eyes. ¡°I have to be honest, Seb,¡± Brie, his second in command, said as she ran her dark hands through her hair, loosening the tight braids, ¡°this isn¡¯t quite what I was expecting when you said you would be spending some quality time with one another.¡± ¡°Not really what I was planning either.¡± Sebastian said while Rowan fidgetted uncomfortably. ¡°Something¡¯s happened.¡± He turned to address his crew who had begun to take their seats, Lyra and Kenan in the back two, and Brie in the chair beside Rowan. ¡°The IPC are after Rowan, so he can¡¯t stay here.¡± ¡°Easy. He stays with us.¡± Kenan said without hesitation. Lyra nodded her consent. Only Brie looked dubious. She walked over to Sebastian and leaned in close. ¡°Seb, I know you love him, but we can¡¯t get involved. You know how the IPC are.¡± Sebastian closed his eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°Brie. I can¡¯t let them do to him what they do to everyone. He¡¯s innocent. His father is innocent. I won¡¯t abandon them.¡± Brie pursed her lips then sighed. ¡°Alright. You know we¡¯ll stand by you no matter what. But¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± Her eyes found Rowan trying in vain to catch the chips Kenan was tossing at him. ¡°What if you¡¯re wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± She nodded and reclaimed her chair. ¡°Alright. What¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°First, we keep Rowan away from Thomas. We don¡¯t need a fight breaking out.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be too hard.¡± Brie said. ¡°He¡¯s antisocial on the best of terms.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± Rowan protested. ¡°He¡¯s my brother.¡± ¡°You saw how he reacted earlier.¡± Sebastian said gently. ¡°I¡¯m just being cautious.¡± Rowan crossed his arms. ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯s planning to murder me in my sleep.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Kenan piped up with a snicker. ¡°You¡¯ll be in the captain¡¯s bed most of the time. Thomas¡¯ll be too horrified to go anywhere near the room.¡± ¡°I will not.¡± Rowan muttered, embarrassed as he looked away. ¡°There¡¯s more.¡± Sebastian told them. ¡°I said we¡¯d go and get his father.¡± Silence enveloped them as they froze, staring at their captain in equal parts horror and shock. ¡°S-shark¡¯s Bay?¡± Kenan stood. ¡°You do realize there¡¯s wanted posters of us on every planet, right? And you want to take us to one of their front doors? Have you lost it?¡± ¡°Kenan, relax.¡± ¡°No, sorry, Captain. You know we would do anything for you, and you too Rowan, but this has got to be one of the stupidest things you¡¯ve come up with.¡± Kenan looked between Brie and Lyra. ¡°You guys agree, right? This is insane. I am not going back to prison.¡± ¡°You were only there a day.¡± ¡°And I have no intention of extending the stay!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± Sebastian held up his hands. ¡°No one will get caught. You have to trust me.¡± He looked at each of his crew. Brie sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t trust you. It¡¯s just too close for comfort. One wrong move, and we¡¯d be lucky to see the inside of a cell. This is one of those times where I¡¯d suggest we cut our losses.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± Rowan protested then winced. ¡°I mean, it is risky, and you don¡¯t have to help me...but--¡± ¡°We are not like the others.¡± Lyra said softly. ¡°I would risk it.¡± ¡°Lyra.¡± Kenan gave her a weak look. ¡°For family, I would risk it.¡± She met his eyes. ¡°Fine, fine. Let¡¯s trust the captain.¡± He threw himself back into his chair. ¡°But if this goes south, me and Lyra will feed you to our man-eating plants.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Fair enough. Brie?¡± Sebastian looked to his second in command. ¡°You could still cut your losses. You owe us nothing.¡± Brie¡¯s dark eyes softened. She reached up to pat his cheek. ¡°Oh, if only that were true. Alright. We trust the captain, but if we even come close to being arrested, I¡¯m jumping ship and pretending to have been kidnapped.¡± Sebastian snorted. ¡°Like you don¡¯t have as many warrants as me.¡± She put her hands on her hips. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡± Lyra pressed a switch on the side of her chair, and a large holographic map filled the room. Sebastian gave her a relieved smile. ¡°No unnecessary risks.¡± He assured them. ¡°We keep the Chimera and our more recognizable selves away from the prison, but send in one of our beta ships and Rowan.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t send him in alone.¡± Brie argued. ¡°You know, you guys are never satisfied.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go in with him.¡± Kenan volunteered. ¡°Thought you didn¡¯t want to see the inside of a prison again?¡± Sebastian said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this.¡± ¡°I know, and as long as I stay on the outside of the cells, I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m the only one of us they won¡¯t immediately recognize, and probably the only one not wanted for any outrageous crimes.¡± ¡°You set fire to half a city on Argon.¡± Lyra pointed out. ¡°Technically, I set fire to one building, and it escalated. Also, you killed three people on your home planet, so I¡¯m still doing better than the rest of you.¡± ¡°It was never proven.¡± She replied and folded her hands in her lap demurely. ¡°And it was more than three.¡± ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled then.¡± Sebastian returned to his chair, the one Rowan still occupied and pressed a few buttons on the side. At the front of the bridge, a large piece of the wall slid away to reveal a window, dazzling sunlight nearly blinding them as it poured in. Underneath their feet, the engines roared to life. The lights around them flared brighter, illuminating every shadowed corner on the bridge. Sebastian leaned closer to Rowan. ¡°Hold on tight. It¡¯s a bit rough getting out of orbit.¡± Rowan squeezed his eyes shut as the ship creaked and rocked, threatening to shake apart as gravity dragged at them. Then, there was silence as the ship settled. Rowan opened his eyes to darkness, the blue sky he had looked at his entire life replaced with the emptiness of space. Far off in the distance, he could see the glowing outlines of other planets and stars. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± He breathed. ¡°Yeah. It is.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± Kenan tossed a chip at Rowan. ¡°What¡¯d dear old dad do? Kick a few puppies? Steal a few million diamonds? Kidnap an heiress whose father just happened to be the chief of the intergalactic police?¡± He slanted his eyes at Sebastian. ¡°First of all, it was a few hundred diamonds at best.¡± Sebastian said with an indignant sniff as he stopped before the window, staring out into the darkness. ¡°And secondly, that heiress came willingly.¡± ¡°What did he do?¡± Lyra asked curiously. ¡°I think it¡¯d be best if I showed Rowan around a bit.¡± Sebastian said, avoiding the question as he gestured for Rowan to follow him. ¡°It¡¯s been such a long day, after all.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to tell them?¡± Rowan asked as he stumbled after Sebastian, taking the door his brother had taken hours before. ¡°It¡¯s best if they don¡¯t know right now.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think he¡¯s guilty, do you?¡± ¡°Of course not. I just don¡¯t want to bring up any bad memories for them. It¡¯s fine, Rowan. Trust me.¡± The ship creaked and groaned like an old house in a windstorm, both alarming and familiar, as they walked past paintings from various planets that appeared stolen. Rowan recalled Brie mentioning the art museums she loved to visit and wondered if the paintings had followed her from there. They were too beautiful to be done by mere amateurs. There were a couple of new ones that hadn¡¯t been there during his last visit. The narrow hallway ended in a circular room with mismatched doors embedded in the walls like a five-pointed star. The heavy, iron one led to the engine room, Rowan knew, while the small one clearly taken from a rusted car led to the carnivorous garden that Lyra and Kenan had adopted. The third one had been stolen from a bank¡¯s vault and led to the treasury. Rowan wondered if that was where the stolen diamonds were being kept. The fourth one, thicker than the others, was a mystery to Rowan, but he noticed it was never without the heavy padlock. He was tugged away from those thoughts when Sebastian entered the sliding glass door straight ahead, towards the living quarters. It led them into a messy kitchen, dishes piling up in the sink with a post-it note that stated ¡°Kenan¡¯s job¡± in sloppy handwriting. Past the kitchen was the hallway that led to the crew¡¯s bedrooms. Most of the doors were closed, but one was open just enough for Rowan to see the bra hanging on the bedpost and a knife sticking from the wall. Brie¡¯s room. The ship veered sharply to the left, sending them both careening into the wall. ¡°Are you sure you shouldn¡¯t be the one flying?¡± Rowan asked nervously. ¡°Brie¡¯s the better pilot.¡± Sebastian replied with a wince. ¡°Usually.¡± He stumbled over a careless shoe left in the hallway before coming to a large brass door at the end of the hall, a heavy padlock hanging off the doorknob like an invitation. Or a warning. The bedroom was the kind of clean that only stemmed from obsessive late night cleanings involving a toothbrush and a bucket. Everything was in its place and perfectly organized, save for the bed which was a tangle of bedsheets and blankets. Rowan stumbled back when he noticed the statue, a lifelike replica of the Greek Gorgon, Medusa. It was the only new thing in the room, and he wondered how it wasn¡¯t the first thing he had noticed. A gold amulet glinted at the base of its neck, like a single winking eye. Sebastian must have seen him freeze in the doorway for he turned and tapped a finger against the statue. The coal black eyes seemed to stare right through him. ¡°She¡¯s the product of Frankenstein¡¯s Law. The last time I tried to fight against the IPC, they tried to take her from us. They would have picked her apart just to see what made her tick. You think the IPC just kill the ¡°monsters¡± they find, but if they¡¯re fascinating enough, they take them apart piece by piece until they wished they were dead. Then have the audacity to call others abominations.¡± ¡°Why is she stone? Did they do that too?¡± ¡°No. She did.¡± He tapped the amulet. ¡°It¡¯s a Medusa¡¯s coin. They sell them on her home planet. None of us know how to reverse the effects, but we know she¡¯s still alive, so that¡¯s something.¡± ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°Alyssa.¡± Sebastian lovingly ran a hand down her arm. ¡°She was part of my crew for a couple of months until her mom¡­¡± He trailed off. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Rowan leaned into Sebastian. ¡°At least we know for sure my dad is innocent.¡± He said after a moment. ¡°He would never create something like this.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Sebastian wrapped an arm around Rowan, pulling him closer and nuzzling his shoulder. ¡°And we¡¯re going to get him out of Shark¡¯s Bay. Everything will go right back to normal in a few days. I guarantee it.¡± ¡°I believe you.¡± Rowan said, running a hand over Sebastian¡¯s shaved head. ¡°You¡¯d never lie to me.¡± Chapter 4 Rowan woke with a start, not having remembered falling asleep. He blinked in the unfamiliar darkness and saw the shadows of some grotesque creature reaching towards him. He bit back a cry and nearly fell out of the bed he was in. His hasty retreat was hindered by the sleep-warmed arms that snaked around his waist, their owner drifting on the edge of wakefulness. The memory of the day before rushed back to Rowan, and he leaned into the embrace with a relieved breath. ¡°Sebastian.¡± He gave his boyfriend an affectionate nudge. ¡°Too early.¡± Sebastian groaned. Soft lips brushed bare skin as he nuzzled into Rowan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Cuddle longer.¡± The soft glow of the moon-shaped night-light allowed Rowan just enough to see the smattering of freckles against one cheekbone, the soft lashes that fluttered as Sebastian fought the urge to wake. Rowan ran his fingers down Sebastian¡¯s silk shirt, making him squirm, and managed to sneak them underneath for a small taste of warm skin before they were smacked away. Sebastian opened one eye with a laugh. ¡°Hands to yourself, love. I still need my beauty rest.¡± Rowan snorted. ¡°If you get any more of that, the women really won¡¯t be able to keep their hands off you.¡± ¡°Or the men.¡± He trailed a gentle finger across Rowan¡¯s cheek. ¡°No worries about that. You¡¯re the only one for me.¡± Red pulsing light filled the room as an alarm blared, its wailing driving spikes of pain into their ears. They jumped apart, a furrow appearing between Sebastian¡¯s eyebrows as he threw the blankets off them with an irritated flourish. ¡°Well, now I¡¯m awake.¡± He muttered as he began to search for a fresh pair of clothes. Rowan pressed his hands against his ears as he sat up and watched Sebastian dress. The room shook violently as if a vicious storm was assailing the ship. Were there storms in space? Sebastian took his time to dress, but it did nothing to calm Rowan¡¯s nerves. A gray sweatshirt hit him in the face, startling him. ¡°You can stay here if you¡¯d like.¡± Sebastian said as the ship shook again. ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing.¡± Rowan glanced at the statue, caught the glint of coal in her eyes, and shuddered. He quickly pulled on the sweatshirt. ¡°No, thanks.¡± The room seemed to sway as he stood with a wince, every inch of him sore and aching as if he had run a marathon the day before. He stretched his hands over his head as he followed Sebastian from the room, but it did little to alleviate his aches. He kept a hand on the trembling wall as they moved quickly past the other rooms, the rest of the crew conspicuously missing. Sebastian burst onto the bridge and immediately went to his chair. The rest of the crew were already present, hitting switches on their chairs and consoles as the ship shuddered again. Rowan flinched and looked to the front of the ship, into the darkness of space for any sign of what was attacking them. Sebastian silenced the alarms with a series of codes though the red lights still flashed. Rowan¡¯s ears still rang with the ghosts of the alarm. He shook his head, hoping to clear it, then had to cling to the wall to keep on his feet as the ship swerved around a massive rock hurtling towards them. Asteroids, Rowan¡¯s mind supplied. ¡°Where did this come from?¡± Sebastian asked as more asteroids followed the first. ¡°It¡¯s the Lethe asteroid belt.¡± Brie ground out as another shudder racked the ship. ¡°We forgot about it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make sure it doesn¡¯t tear a hole in our ship. I¡¯d rather not spend weeks being unable to remember my name.¡± ¡°If it does, we will have to make sure we collect some of the asteroid dust. It is good for the Yateveos.¡± Lyra interjected. ¡°Lyra, those plants of yours don¡¯t need any more fertilizer. They¡¯re large enough as is.¡± Brie said. ¡°We don¡¯t use it as fertilizer.¡± Kenan jerked as he aimed one of the ship¡¯s cannons at a particularly large asteroid. It exploded, sending tiny bits of shimmering rock and dust in every direction. He aimed a few more cannons, shattering several more nearby asteroids before pulling on a surgical mask he had been wearing around his neck. ¡°Trust us when we say you¡¯re gonna want us to get that dust.¡± He winked at Lyra as he passed on his way to the hanging spacesuits. She gave him a cheery thumbs up as he pulled on the suit and checked his oxygen supply. He stepped into a tiny room off to the side of the bridge. Moments later, Rowan caught a glimpse of Kenan, tethered to the ship, floating amongst the debris. He worried his bottom lip between his teeth as he watched. Kenan casually began scraping some of the smaller asteroids, gathering the dust into a large jar. Lyra kept casting furtive glances towards the room where Kenan had vanished as if longing to join him. She jumped to her feet when a small asteroid clipped the side of Kenan¡¯s suit. He clutched his arm and spun in the air, clinging to his jar of dust. Lyra whispered something in a language Rowan didn¡¯t know, but it sounded suspiciously like a prayer, and her feet carried her towards the door. She hesitated and cast a helpless look at Sebastian who had yet to see the trouble his crew member was in. Another asteroid hurtled towards Kenan, and he tried to scramble out its way. It missed him by an inch, but the rope tethering him to the ship had been sheared in two. ¡°Sebastian!¡± Lyra and Rowan both called to the captain who turned to see where they pointed. Sebastian swore and raced to the spacesuits. ¡°Brie, take the controls. Keep us from being hit, but don¡¯t let us go too far.¡± He suited up and stepped out, his own rope a flimsy lifeline now that they had seen how easily it could be severed. Lyra moved away towards the window, her arms wrapped around herself as she stared at her friend, her breath coming in short gasps. Rowan took a moment to stare at the spot where Sebastian had disappeared before joining her. She was muttering something to herself, switching between two languages. ¡°This is my fault.¡± She said. ¡°I have done this.¡± ¡°Because you wanted the dust? He chose to go out there. You can¡¯t blame yourself.¡± Rowan assured gently. Lyra gave him a melancholic smile. ¡°No. I am a Xi. We are doomsayers, death bringers. I should not be on this ship. I warned them. Now he will die.¡± A slight tremble shook her small frame. ¡°Everyone near me dies.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t true.¡± Brie said as she came over to them. The asteroids had cleared, and Sebastian and Kenan had vanished. ¡°This is just something that¡¯s bound to happen in space.¡± The door behind them slid open as Sebastian and Kenan tumbled inside, both hitting the floor hard. Sebastian rolled Kenan over and hastily removed his helmet. The jar full of asteroid dust rolled harmlessly away. Sebastian patted Kenan¡¯s face, but the other remained stubbornly unconscious, not a single breath stirring his chest. ¡°No, no, no.¡± Sebastian murmured. ¡°Don¡¯t do this, Kenan. You can¡¯t die over a jar of dirt. That¡¯ll just make us look bad as pirates.¡± He pinched Kenan¡¯s nose closed and pressed his mouth to his then began pressing down on his chest. Lyra¡¯s trembling worsened. ¡°He is--¡± ¡°No!¡± Sebastian snapped, glaring at her, as he continued the chest compressions. ¡°We haven¡¯t lost him yet.¡± He breathed into Kenan¡¯s mouth again before being shoved away by Kenan who sat up and began coughing. His breaths came in harsh gasps. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Brie asked as she came over to them, her boots clicking on the metallic floor. Kenan nodded then winced as Sebastian grabbed him in a crushing hug. ¡°You idiot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Kenan assured hoarsely. ¡°You very nearly wasn¡¯t.¡± Kenan looked around the room, at his concerned crew, and his eyes landed on Lyra who stared down at the floor, wringing her hands together. ¡°Lyra.¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°It is good you are okay.¡± She said, looking up but not at him. ¡°This wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± Kenan said as he struggled to his feet. ¡°I am--¡± ¡°I know what you are. We all do. We don¡¯t care. What happened out there; that¡¯s happened before, long before either of us were part of this crew. You didn¡¯t cause that.¡± ¡°I am unlucky.¡± ¡°Luck only exists if you believe in it.¡± Rowan said. Kenan spared him a quick grin. ¡°Exactly, so stop believing you¡¯re unlucky. Things are different in space.¡± He pulled her into his arms, and she buried her face into his shoulder. ¡°And I still got the Lethe dust.¡± ¡°I am glad you are not dead.¡± She murmured. ¡°I do not believe I could take care of those plants alone.¡± Rowan went to collect the jar and tried to hand it to Kenan. Lyra took it instead as she stepped away from him and brushed a casual hand against her gray skirt. ¡°This should last us a good while.¡± She said. ¡°Thank you. If we are no longer needed, we will go and store this away now.¡± She left the room, her soft slippers barely making a sound, and Kenan turned to follow her. Brie placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. ¡°Leave the stupid shit to us from now on, okay?¡± ¡°Got it. Thanks for saving me.¡± He looked to Sebastian who shrugged and pulled himself from the floor. ¡°Thanks for not dying.¡± ¡°As if you¡¯d ever let me.¡± Kenan shed the rest of the spacesuit and followed after Lyra. ¡°That was too close.¡± Sebastian said then grunted when Rowan threw himself into his arms. ¡°You scared me.¡± Rowan whispered before stepping back. Sebastian watched him with those gentle eyes like liquid sunshine and opened his mouth to reply when Brie interrupted, ¡°we were nearly knocked off course.¡± The map appeared before them, highlighting their path in bright red. A little cartoon shark danced farther down the map. ¡°How long until we arrive?¡± Sebastian asked as he moved towards Brie to study the map. ¡°If we can get the turbo engines to work, another few hours or so. If not, probably a little over a day.¡± ¡°We can barely get the main engines to work. I could see if Thomas could take a look. Have you seen him this morning?¡± Rowan perked up at the sound of his brother¡¯s name. He had hopes of speaking to him and trying to patch things up before having to return back to his own planet. He needed to show him that family was still important. ¡°He¡¯s still sulking.¡± Brie announced. ¡°And probably will be until we drop your boyfriend off somewhere.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be okay with dropping Thomas off somewhere instead.¡± Sebastian muttered. ¡°In all fairness, he¡¯s the stowaway. But I guess I could talk him into eating something too. Wouldn¡¯t want him to waste away and all.¡± He turned to Rowan. ¡°You wanna head back to my room? Or I could show you to the kitchen. You haven¡¯t eaten yet either, have you?¡± Rowan shook his head. The thought of seeing that statue again sent shivers through him, and he wasn¡¯t feeling particularly hungry. ¡°I think I¡¯m just going to take a shower.¡± Sebastian¡¯s eyes brightened, but instead of the lecherous remarks Rowan was expecting, he simply said, ¡°Alright. Borrow any of my clothes you¡¯d like. Let me know if you need anything.¡± Rowan locked himself in the bathroom and stared at his reflection in the cracked mirror. He pushed his hair back to reveal the jagged scar. He hated it, hated what it represented, and everything he couldn¡¯t quite remember. If he didn¡¯t have it, maybe his brother wouldn¡¯t hate him so much. He let his scarlet hair fall back into place and pushed himself away from the mirror. Steam filled the room as he turned on the shower and tossed his clothes onto the floor before stepping under the scorching spray. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, letting the water relax him as he thought about his home planet. For so long he had wanted to leave that place, had dreamed and planned around college with the sole intention of never going back, but he found himself missing it. That quaint little town with its doe-eyed villagers who all seemed to carry a hidden sadness, a place filled with his father¡¯s inventions, and his father. His overprotective father who would never want this kind of life for his son. His father who had been tossed in prison for a crime he could never have committed. He doubled over as a sharp pain shot through him and scrambled to find the unknown injury, but there was nothing to be found. This came from deep inside, filling every inch of his being as he gasped for breath. He thought he could hear the grinding of gears as he twisted the knobs and stopped the torrent of water. He hit his knees, pain rattling through him. His hands shook as he fought to keep a grip on the edge of the tub, the too-bright lights burrowing into his skull. His mind flashed back to the broken vials on his bedroom floor. Was this what dying felt like? Was this how it would end? In the small bathroom of a ship floating in space? A cough clawed its way up his throat and, with it, a stream of foul-smelling yellow sludge flecked with blood. He coughed and choked until there was nothing left, the pain ebbing away to more manageable levels. He crawled out of the tub and fell in a heap on the rug. With what little strength he still possessed, he rinsed out the mess and sat with his head pressed against his knees. He took slow, easy breaths. A single gunshot echoed in his head, and he flinched, clapping his hands over his ears as he curled farther into himself. A pool of blood crept towards him as his brother screamed his name. He couldn¡¯t remember, couldn¡¯t think. Everything hurt. He saw his father standing over him with a hammer, felt each and every blow as it tore him to pieces. He saw his brother board a spaceship and leave. Rowan jumped to his feet, the room spinning dizzily. He placed a hand on the wall and used his other to wrap a loose towel around his waist. With another deep breath, he carefully exited the bathroom, trying to clear every thought from his head. His thoughts were a revolving mess of the same question: what had happened to him? He used to imagine some invention blowing up, something that had hurt both himself and his brother. Maybe that was why Thomas was so angry. Maybe it was something his father had prompted him to do, and that was why his father always looked so guilty. His nightmares and memories blurred together, and he didn¡¯t know what was real anymore. ¡°Look. I know you¡¯re not happy about this,¡± Sebastian¡¯s quiet voice floated down the hallway, stopping Rowan, ¡°but you could at least be civil to him. He¡¯s done nothing wrong.¡± ¡°He exists. That¡¯s enough.¡± That was Thomas, bitter and hurt all at once. ¡°Thomas. You can¡¯t mean that. He¡¯s your--¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. You can¡¯t seriously¡­¡± Thomas trailed off. When he spoke again, his voice had grown softer, sadder. ¡°Tell me you¡¯re not in love with him.¡± ¡°You know I love him.¡± Thomas¡¯s voice broke when he said, ¡°but he¡¯s not the same.¡± A pause, a loaded hesitation. Something dark and dreadful existed in those few seconds of silence. ¡°The accident changed him. He¡¯s not the same.¡± ¡°He¡¯s still him. He¡¯s still...Rowan.¡± Rowan¡¯s heart lurched at the sound of his name, at the quiet desperation in Sebastian¡¯s voice. ¡°He¡¯s not.¡± Thomas choked out the words. ¡°God. Sebastian, he¡¯s really, really not. And I can¡¯t¡­.I just can¡¯t. Okay?¡± ¡°Then I won¡¯t make you.¡± Sebastian said with heavy resignation. ¡°Just take care of yourself. Please?¡± There was no response as Sebastian walked away, coming towards Rowan, who was still reeling from his sudden bout of illness and the conversation he hadn¡¯t meant to overhear. His brother, the reason he was so angry, was because the accident had changed Rowan in some way. It only solidified the fact that the accident was his fault somehow. Rowan flinched when Sebastian rounded the corner and pretended he had just exited the bathroom. Sebastian looked up and smiled though it failed to reach his troubled eyes. ¡°Well, this is quite the view.¡± His voice lacked its usual cheer, but the words still had Rowan looking away in embarrassment. He tightened his grip on his towel. ¡°I-I was just heading to get dressed.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get dressed on my account. I would be perfectly happy if you stayed like this for the rest of the trip.¡± Sebastian said with a grin. ¡°Although, I suppose my crew would have some reservations about it.¡± ¡°Spoilsports, all of them.¡± Rowan said just to see Sebastian throw his head back and laugh. When he looked at Rowan again, that strange sadness had vanished, replaced by his usual mirth. ¡°While I agree, they do outnumber us, but allow me to offer my services in helping you dress.¡± ¡°I think I can manage.¡± Rowan deadpanned and brushed past Sebastian to head to the latter¡¯s room. He felt his skin tingle as they brushed, and Sebastian¡¯s appreciative whistle followed him into the room. The flirting had helped to ease him a bit despite the way his hands still shook and jumped, as if everything he touched sent a shock through him. He tossed his towel onto the statue¡¯s head and proceeded to throw on some of Sebastian¡¯s clothes, the first things he found that weren¡¯t formal wear. The shirt hung off his smaller frame, just enough to make him feel safe as if Sebastian¡¯s arms were around him as he curled up on the bed. It felt like safety. Like home. He shuddered, this time not from the remnants of his illness. The conversation between Sebastian and Thomas had him worried about things he had never stopped to consider before. He found that as much as he missed his home planet, he loved this rickety ship in the middle of space even more. He feared if he stayed much longer, he wouldn¡¯t want to leave. Just as he equally feared that Sebastian wouldn¡¯t want him to stay. He finally knew what his brother truly thought. What if he convinced Sebastian to feel the same? What would he do when he found out how sick Rowan truly was? It was easier to have a relationship when there were galaxies between them, when they expected little more than a casual text or late night phone call. This close, with their hearts and fears ready to bleed out before them, Rowan tormented himself with thoughts of being abandoned, of watching Sebastian finally take heed of his brother¡¯s warnings and walk away. If he was truly broken beyond repair, a completely different person than he was before, would Sebastian waste time trying to fix him? Or just leave him collecting dust on some forgotten shelf of the past? Another ex to leave behind on a planet he¡¯d never visit again. Chapter 5 Rowan slept and woke in restless fits until he finally tossed the blankets away and took to wandering the ship. Sebastian was nowhere to be found, everything quiet in the early hours of morning. He still ached with each step he took, but he kept moving until he reached the bridge. The large window revealed a myriad of stars and brilliantly colored galaxies. He placed a hand on the icy glass as he looked out. Somewhere out there on one of those stars sat his father in a cold, damp cell, probably wondering if he¡¯d ever see the sun again. Or that humble little house he had built with the one person he had struggled to live without. ¡°Rowan.¡± The sibilant whisper had him turning, squinting in the dim lights. ¡°Rowan. Come to me. It¡¯s alright.¡± He took a single step away from the window. ¡°Rowan, come to me, darling. I¡¯m in the garden. Come and find me.¡± ¡°Mom?¡± ¡°Come and find me. I¡¯m in the garden.¡± Rowan followed the hallway towards the five doors and stopped before the car door. A yellowed paper sign had been taped to the cracked window, reading ¡°Conservatory¡± in a flowery hand. It squeaked when he tugged it open, rust flaking off onto the floor. The room beyond felt like the inside of a well, circular and damp, the dripping of water sounding from somewhere up above. A rope ladder dangled before him, and hesitantly, with that whisper beckoning him, he climbed up. The smell of a thousand flowers greeted him at the top, the sight of colors he hadn¡¯t expected in space stopping him as he stared in wonder. Several paths wound through the trees and flowers, and up above existed more levels, more plants, connected by swaying wooden bridges. The whispers had quieted as he passed row after row of plants, all sorts and many he¡¯d never seen before. There were plaques before most of them, their names and location written in that same flowery hand. A large flower, bright red and shaped like a half moon, leaned over the path. He reached out to brush the velvety bulb, only for it to open up and snap at his fingers. He jerked back with a cry. It let out a low hiss, revealing row upon row of needle-sharp thorns. The silvery plaque read ¡°Venus Flytrap.¡± ¡°Rowan.¡± The whisper came again, prompting Rowan to step around the snapping plant and delve deeper into the vast garden. He stopped in an area devoid of other plants except for the three coal black trees, towering over him, so high their slender branches brushed the thick glass ceiling. ¡°Rowan.¡± The whisper filled the air. ¡°Come to me, my darling. Come here.¡± Rowan resisted the urge to reach out to the dark branches beckoning him. ¡°Yateveo. Man-eating trees.¡± He had read about them in one of his father¡¯s journals. He recalled there being a man who had used the trees to create living puppets though it¡¯d ended badly. ¡°Rowan!¡± He jerked in surprise and took a step back, but the trees were silent. He turned to see Kenan and Lyra running over to him. ¡°Do not go near the yateveo.¡± Lyra stopped beside him. The only color she wore was a pink bandana in her hair, her white dress and the flickering fluorescent lights combined to give her a more ghostly appearance. ¡°They enchant people,¡± Kenan panted as he stopped nearby, ¡°then they eat them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve read about them.¡± Rowan said softly. ¡°I like your garden.¡± ¡°Monster!¡± The trees shrieked in his ears. ¡°Monster like us!¡± Rowan tried not to flinch. Lyra smiled, either ignoring or simply not hearing the words. ¡°We took our time with it.¡± ¡°Thanks to the Skeleton Vine infestation.¡± Kenan said. ¡°I swear our captain has crashed us into more dangerous things than anything. We found the spores in an unoccupied part of the ship and wanted to see if we could coax them into life.¡± The tree hissed at being ignored. A branch tried to slither closer to Rowan but stopped short. ¡°Monster.¡± It whispered. ¡°Like us.¡± ¡°Where did you find them?¡± Rowan asked.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Dracun-x16.¡± Lyra replied. ¡°At the edge of the universe where the worst things reside. Close to my home planet.¡± ¡°Lyra.¡± Kenan admonished then said. ¡°We wanted to test a theory.¡± He held up a jar of glittering dust. ¡°The dust makes them forget what they are.¡± Other branches crept forward, inches from Rowan¡¯s face, like skeletal fingers dipped in black ink. ¡°We see you. We see the truth. Monster.¡± ¡°I am not a monster.¡± He said, clenching his fists. Lyra and Kenan both froze then began pulling on the surgical masks they wore around their necks, their hands already gloved in preparation. ¡°Are the trees speaking to you?¡± Kenan asked. ¡°Whatever they¡¯re saying isn¡¯t true. It¡¯s only to lure you in.¡± ¡°You said the dust makes them forget?¡± Rowan asked. ¡°It never lasts long. They always seem to remember what they are.¡± Kenan said, handing Rowan a mask before dipping a hand into the dust. ¡°Can¡¯t fight nature¡¯s call.¡± The trees hissed as Kenan tossed the dust at the branches closest to them. ¡°Monsters always know what they are. Always will be what they are.¡± ¡°It is more permanent on people.¡± Lyra warned. ¡°So do not breathe it in.¡± The branches began to lay still on the ground, the dust like fresh snow against their darkness. Rowan expected them to let out one final whisper, but they were silent. He tilted his head back in relief and saw a line of blue cut across the sky. His heart leapt at the sight. Dozens of the flares streaked across the sky, obscuring the other stars and planets in their dazzling beauty. Every so often, one would light upon the glass, reflecting that cerulean blue against every surface. It was as mesmerizing as the first time Rowan looked up into the sky and saw it from his bedroom window. They made him feel less alone. They made him feel as if he could reach out and pluck a star from the sky, and he wanted to. He wanted to hold the stars in his hands and feel their overwhelming heat until they burned away every terrible thought he¡¯d ever had. ¡°They¡¯re beautiful.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Kenan agreed, ¡°but dangerous. He really shouldn¡¯t--¡± He broke off as Lyra hastily shook her head at him. ¡°What is it?¡± Rowan turned to face them, but neither replied, their eyes filled with a mixture of grief and pity. ¡°You know who¡¯s sending the flares.¡± ¡°We do.¡± Lyra said, voice barely above a whisper. ¡°But it is not for us to say.¡± ¡°Is it a ship in distress?¡± ¡°No,¡± Kenan replied, ¡°but the person sending them is. Sort of.¡± He took a deep breath and ignored the sharp look Lyra sent him. ¡°Ships use flares to indicate all sorts of things. You should see the funerals in space. Flares of all colors go out then. Red is for distress, if the ship is in trouble. Yellow is for caution and usually found near dangerous parts of space. Like asteroid belts or trash rings; ships rarely use those. White is for the darker parts of space or for ships who don¡¯t mean to engage in fighting. Green is for friendly ships, and a better greeting than getting a rocket in the face.¡± He tipped his head back and stared, unblinking, at another burst of blue against the glass. ¡°And the blue ones?¡± Rowan prompted, his whispered voice suddenly too loud in the silence. ¡°Mourning.¡± Kenan said, voice so soft he was barely heard. ¡°The person sending them out is mourning someone he¡¯ll never get back. Someone he should have let go a long time ago.¡± ¡°It is not uncommon in space to let the darkness take your grief.¡± Lyra added. ¡°I have seen it often. Some hang flags, paint symbols or their lovers¡¯ names on the sides of ships, and some...send flares.¡± As she spoke, the lights of the flares faded, making the darkness outside seem even darker. ¡°It¡¯s better than drinking alone in some bar or shooting up in the back of an alley.¡± Kenan broke the silence as he turned away. ¡°As my mother used to say, ¡®grief visits us in different ways¡¯.¡± Rowan watched them as they edged away from him, farther into their little garden. ¡°Who does he grieve for?¡± Lyra gave him a sad smile as she stepped over the black limbs of a sleeping yateveo. ¡°We all grieve someone.¡± She vanished like a ghost into the lush trees behind her, only the sound of water bubbling nearby keeping him company as Kenan followed. He let himself out of the garden and nearly tumbled into Brie. She was hurrying down the hall with a steaming cup of tea in one hand, her ripped shirt showing a good deal of skin and a faint tattoo on her hip. She stopped when she saw him. ¡°Oh, good, you haven¡¯t jumped ship after all.¡± She said as she brushed a long braid over her shoulder. ¡°No one would blame you with our idiot captain. He isn¡¯t easy to love.¡± Rowan bit his lip, wanting to reply to that but not knowing how to. Instead, he asked, ¡°have you seen him? He wasn¡¯t in his room earlier.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bad night. So he¡¯s staying in mine.¡± He felt a sharp thorn of jealousy stab at him, and it must have shown for Brie laughed and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll keep our hands to ourselves. I¡¯ll have him back to you in all his glorious self in the morning. This isn¡¯t a side of him you want to see. Not just yet.¡± She patted his shoulder and moved farther down the hall. ¡°Sleep well, Rowan.¡± He watched her go, his feet itching to follow her, but he returned to Sebastian¡¯s room alone. He stared at the statue¡¯s still form until he could take it no longer and burrowed under the blankets. Tomorrow he¡¯d see his father again, but his mind wandered from a happy reunion to Sebastian sleeping in another¡¯s bed, to the yateveo, and his illness. He tossed the blankets off of him and rubbed his face. He tried closing his eyes, tried to calm his thoughts, but in the darkness behind his eyelids, he could see the burst of blue lights against the glass windows. And if he listened closely, he swore he could hear the hissing of the yateveo in the dark, saying, ¡°we all grieve differently, but monsters don¡¯t grieve at all.¡± Chapter 6 Goldengate Correctional Facility, affectionately called ¡®Shark¡¯s Bay¡¯ by everyone else in the galaxy, sat on a tiny planet in one of the darkest parts of space. White flares lit the area as ships came and went, navigating a treacherous ring of floating debris to relieve themselves of their new prisoners. The concrete building, visible even at such a distance, stood like a monument of pure misery. Rowan stared at the smudges of white uniforms, their faces blurred beyond recognition, not that he¡¯d even remembered what the ones from his house had looked like. The Chimera sat as cold and dark as the prison, idling as close as it dared while the crew waited for the activity to die down. Rowan fought the urge to begin pacing as he stood on the bridge, one hand to the cold glass of the window. A hand clapped him on the shoulder, making him jump violently. He turned in time to see a sheepish Sebastian flinch back with his hands raised. ¡°Sorry.¡± He gave a weak grin. ¡°Nervous this morning?¡± Rowan shook his head. ¡°Didn¡¯t sleep well.¡± ¡°Was...that my fault?¡± ¡°The entirety of the universe does not revolve around you.¡± Rowan looked stubbornly back out at the prison, trying to think of what he¡¯d be saying to get his father out rather than of the dejected captain beside him. ¡°Rowan--¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Kenan pressed himself between the two and slung an arm around Rowan¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Let me show you what we¡¯ll be riding in.¡± He tugged Rowan away, not even sparing a glance back at his captain. He led the way to a room off the side of the bridge where three small ships sat, sleek black like polished obsidian. Their sharp angles gave them a deadly glint. Rowan touched a hand to one in awe. ¡°They¡¯re beautiful.¡± He breathed. ¡°They¡¯re our beta ships.¡± Sebastian said from behind them. ¡°They were taken from IPC carriers and repurposed. Repainted, as well.¡± The top of the ship slid open as Kenan wriggled into a flight suit that¡¯d been hanging up nearby. ¡°You¡¯re wearing that?¡± Sebastian raised a brow at him. ¡°Of course.¡± Kenan gave him a fond smile. ¡°Too nostalgic? Or not nostalgic enough? I have the goggles too.¡± He held up a pair of goggles, a scratch down one lens. ¡°The first outfit I ever wore in space.¡± Sebastian shook his head and clapped a hand to Kenan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just be careful.¡± ¡°Aye, aye, Captain. And don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let anything happen to your boyfriend there.¡± Rowan stared at the ship uneasily. ¡°Hey,¡± Sebastian reached out for him, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. About last night, and not...just, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, just¡­¡± Rowan heaved a heavy breath. ¡°Are you sure you can¡¯t go instead?¡± ¡°They know me too well; I can¡¯t, but not to worry, Kenan is very capable.¡± ¡°Yes, but can he fly one of these?¡± ¡°A child could fly one of these.¡± He assured. ¡°I¡¯ve trusted him with my life on more than one occasion. I can trust him with yours this once.¡± The seats were made of a rich leather, still wearing their new scent like fine perfume. Kenan sat in the front, tightening a pink bandana around his wrist with his teeth. Rowan squeezed into the second seat, feeling claustrophobic as the hatch closed. Kenan gave a two-fingered salute to Sebastian as he tugged the goggles over his eyes. The engine ran smooth and quiet, so different from the Chimera¡¯s clanky one. The lights inside shone brighter as they shot out into open space. Rowan glanced back but the larger ship had faded into the darkness. He leaned back into his chair and tried not to fidget. ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie,¡± Kenan¡¯s voice startled him, ¡°I have night blindness pretty bad, so let me know if you think we¡¯re going to crash.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t funny.¡± Rowan hissed. ¡°I wasn¡¯t joking. My folks kept making me wear these glasses as a kid, really thick ones, but I left them behind when I ran away.¡± ¡°But you live in space.¡± ¡°Yeah, trust me, the irony does not escape me. It¡¯s why I have the goggles.¡± ¡°You and Sebastian are from the same planet, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Same neighborhood. We grew up together.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Oh, the things you don¡¯t know about your own boyfriend. A shame.¡± Kenan joked. ¡°It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t tried! He doesn¡¯t talk about his past or his family.¡± ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t.¡± Kenan leaned back, keeping one hand hovering above the brightly lit controls. ¡°One thing you should know about anyone who calls themself a space pirate; we¡¯re all running from something. Or someone.¡± ¡°What are you running from? Did you murder someone on your home planet too?¡± ¡°No,¡± he laughed, ¡°though I was tempted. Eh, didn¡¯t want to grow up to work in an office like my dad. ¡®Let¡¯s steal my aunt¡¯s spaceship.¡¯ I told Sebastian one night. I was kidding, but one night, we actually did it. He wanted off that planet so badly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how you became a pirate?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s how Sebastian became a pirate. Mom got sick so I stayed behind. A month later, she was better, so I left too. Different crew than this one. They left me on a deserted planet after I helped Seb escape their hold. He gets captured quite a lot.¡± ¡°He came back for you.¡± ¡°Yeah. He doesn¡¯t abandon people. He¡¯s never been the sort.¡± Kenan looked back at Rowan. ¡°He may leave, but he always comes back. Oh, here comes the fun part.¡± Kenan dodged the bits of trash, most rusted hunks of metal, as they entered the planet¡¯s atmosphere. The ship spun dizzyingly, and Rowan clutched the arm rests so tightly he swore he could hear the bones in his fingers creak. When they righted themselves, he saw Kenan with a wild smile upon his face, but he could say nothing as they approached the prison. The docks seemed abandoned now, flecks of rust flaking off as they stepped out. Their ship¡¯s headlights blinked as Kenan locked the doors, leaving it floating in the air. At Rowan¡¯s look, he shrugged. ¡°What? It¡¯s a prison; you never know.¡± The front of the prison was pockmarked with small holes, the glint of gun barrels eyeing them like tiny predators. Rowan swallowed nervously as he kept close to Kenan who strode confidently to the doors. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d be here again.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been here before?¡± Kenan pulled a plate of metal back from the side of the door to reveal a glowing keypad, some numbers missing. ¡°Yeah. A couple of years ago. For aiding and abetting a known murderer. Funny considering everything else I¡¯ve done.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Lyra.¡± Kenan¡¯s eyes flicked to him. ¡°Yeah. Interestingly enough, they never bother to change the codes.¡± The front door slammed open to reveal a sparkling white lobby lined with closed doors to unknown officers. Off to the side spiraled a staircase leading to the upper levels. A handful of chairs had been perfectly lined up on the opposite wall, but nothing had been done to make the room feel welcoming. No paintings hung on the bare walls. No carpets adorned the floor. It was eerily devoid of the things most places made an effort to include. Behind the single desk at the end of the room sat a heavyset woman, her long nails clacking away at the old computer, so old it could have been picked up from the trash ring outside. Kenan hung back, fiddling with the bandana around his wrist, while Rowan stepped up to the desk. He waited for the woman to glance up at him over the rim of her thick glasses. ¡°Hi. Um, I¡¯m here about my father. He¡¯s been arrested.¡± ¡°Name?¡± She barked. ¡°Patrick Graham.¡± She slammed her fingers against the keys, loud enough for Rowan to wince. ¡°Arrested for breaking Frankenstein¡¯s Law. Suspicious material found in the home, but no ¡°Frankensteins¡± to speak of. The case will most likely be thrown out, and he¡¯ll be sent home after a week or two. I¡¯m just going to need you to tell me your name so I can verify you as next of kin and get your signature.¡± ¡°But he can¡¯t come home today?¡± Rowan asked, his heart sinking. ¡°Afraid not. This is a very serious law he¡¯s being scrutinized over. Worse than murder, even.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± He glanced back at Kenan who shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m his youngest son, Rowan Graham.¡± The woman froze, her fingers stilling over the keys, and her glance at him now was more serious. Her eyes bore into him as if she was trying to see into his soul. ¡°You¡¯re Rowan Graham? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Y-yes?¡± ¡°Do you have the proper identification?¡± Rowan reached into his pocket and pulled out his photo ID. It was a bit dated but still usable. The woman took it and stood from her chair, her shoulders straightening as if preparing for war. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I just need to step into one of these offices and print off a few copies of the paperwork you¡¯ll need to sign. Please, have a seat. It¡¯ll just be a moment.¡± Kenan let out a low whistle, the sound bouncing off the walls. ¡°This place sure is creepy. They make the cells feel homier.¡± A low whir made them both jump, and Rowan stepped around the desk curiously. ¡°It was only the printer.¡± He said, relieved. Kenan met his eyes. ¡°The printer?¡± He eased a knife from his belt. ¡°We need to go, Rowan. Now.¡± But Rowan had stopped, his eyes latched on to the sheet of paper lying innocuously in the printer, still warm. His name was printed at the top in thick black letters. ¡°This can¡¯t be right.¡± He said, half to himself, as he picked up the paper. It shook in his hands. Somewhere behind him, a door opened with a soft creak. ¡°Rowan!¡± A flash of silver flicked through the air and hit something just over Rowan¡¯s shoulder with a heavy thwap. Rowan turned just in time to see an officer in a white IPC uniform fall to the ground, a small knife sticking out of his forehead. His eyes stared unseeingly at the ceiling. ¡°We need to go!¡± Kenan shouted. Rowan shoved the paper into his pocket and forced his stunned feet to run back around the desk. He followed Kenan through the lobby as more officers streamed from the offices. The secretary followed, shouting something he couldn¡¯t quite make out. Something with a blue light sputtered in her hand. Kenan was already out the door when Rowan felt a sharp pain as something lodged into his back, just below his shoulder. He yelped and stumbled outside when the bolt of electricity surged through him. He couldn¡¯t hear himself scream as his knees hit the ground but he knew he must have. The world around him dimmed, the sounds of gunfire a dull hum in his ears as Kenan ran back to him, moving as if in slow motion. The world flared back to life as Kenan dragged him to his feet. He flung another knife, this one from his boot, as they hurried back to their ship and dove inside. Bullets rained down upon them, bouncing off their ship¡¯s hull as Kenan fought to catch his breath. He turned to face Rowan, his lips moving, but nothing coming out. Rowan shook his head. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kenan asked again. It took a couple of tries to get the word to come out, but finally, Rowan nodded. ¡°Y-yeah. I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°Welcome to the world of being tased.¡± Kenan said as they shot off into space. ¡°It is not a fun experience, and I truly, truly feel sorry for you right now.¡± They cut off their lights and floated hidden amongst the trash ring while the IPC¡¯s ships swarmed around them, always getting close but never close enough to spot their ship. Rowan leaned his head against the glass. The lights from the enemy ships flickered through the darkness like the streetlights on his home planet. In the flashes of light, he saw Kenan hold his wrist up to his mouth and press his lips against the bandana. ¡°You and Lyra make a good couple.¡± Rowan said, slurring the words a bit. He felt so tired, but a voice inside, sounding too much like his mother¡¯s, told him not to fall asleep. Kenan gave a breathy laugh as he leaned back into his seat. ¡°Me and Lyra? We¡¯re nothing like that.¡± He paused and looked out, possibly searching for the Chimera in the darkness. ¡°She doesn¡¯t see the point of relationships. She doesn¡¯t get lonely, at least not the kind of lonely that can be solved by other people. So she¡¯d rather be alone. And I get it. It¡¯s scary putting your heart on the line even if it¡¯s a sure thing. It¡¯s scary looking out across a room and knowing someone cares about you like that but unable to know for sure if you feel the same. If you¡¯re even capable of feeling the same. And if you even want to.¡± He stared at the bandana hastily tied around his wrist. ¡°But, you know, I¡¯d give anything just to look across that room and see her looking back...and just, knowing.¡± ¡°I think she does. She was scared when you almost died.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, anyone would have been. But thank you.¡± Kenan slid a hand over the console, lighting it up. ¡°And for the record, I may want more, but I don¡¯t want her to feel like she has to do anything she¡¯s not 100% about. What we have is enough. She¡¯s my best friend.¡± Rowan lost track of how long it took them to find the Chimera again, seeing as how it had moved the second the IPC had sent out ships. By the time they docked, Rowan had nearly fallen asleep, the pain in his back coming and going in waves of agony he couldn¡¯t voice. He was jarred awake by someone roughly dragging him out of the ship. He heard his name on repeat, but it took considerable effort to drag his eyelids open and see a worried Sebastian hovering over him. Kenan stood off to the side, wrapped in a relieved hug by Lyra, his left pants leg dripping blood onto the docking bay. A bright light blinded him as Brie shined a tiny flashlight in his eyes. ¡°No sign of concussion.¡± She said. ¡°What happened out there?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t my fault.¡± Kenan held up his hands. ¡°They just sent out the officers with no warning. I swear they weren¡¯t after me though.¡± All eyes were on Rowan as Sebastian helped him up. He shoved a hand into his pocket to feel the crumpled paper there. ¡°Rowan?¡± Sebastian looked at him, eyes shimmering with worry. A dark shadow stood in the doorway behind Sebastian, red hair like his own. Rowan stared at it before it slipped from the room. He rubbed his eyes and gave a half-hearted smile to Sebastian. ¡°I think I need to lay down for a while.¡± ¡°He was tased.¡± Kenan said helpfully. Sebastian winced. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get you into bed then. We¡¯ll worry about this later.¡± He wrapped an arm around Rowan to steady him. ¡°Thanks for not getting him killed.¡± He told Kenan as they passed. ¡°Make sure you get that leg looked at. You¡¯re dripping blood everywhere.¡± Each step felt like fresh agony, working its way up his spine and centering on the spot where the taser had made contact. It was too reminiscent of his illness in the bathroom, and he hoped he wouldn¡¯t reenact that scene with Sebastian so close to him. He sat down on the bed and let Sebastian gently ease his shoes off. A soft blanket was tossed around his shoulders and gentle hands rubbed warmth into his arms. ¡°I need to check on Kenan. Will you be okay for a moment?¡± Sebastian asked softly. Rowan nodded and waited for Sebastian to leave the room before pulling out the paper and carefully smoothing out the wrinkles. His name was printed at the top and had all his usual information: when he was born and where and to whom, but that wasn¡¯t all. At the bottom, beside his birth date, was the day of his accident, tethered together by a single but terrifying dash. The paper jerked in his grasp as he heard the echo of a gunshot, his eyes going down to each line on the page. ¡°Single gunshot to the head.¡± He heard his brother scream his name and saw his own hand place the gun against his temple. He pressed shaking fingers to the jagged scar there. ¡°Possible suicide.¡± Blood pooled out around him, inching along his bedroom floor. It was that nightmare all over again, the one too real, too vivid. The paper fluttered to the floor as he clapped his hands over his ears. He saw himself put the gun up to his head. He heard that gunshot again, over and over again, deafening him. He squeezed his eyes shut. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Sebastian had returned and picked up the piece of paper from the floor. Rowan¡¯s eyes snapped open. ¡°Sebastian, don¡¯t--¡± But he couldn¡¯t hide this from him. He swallowed and said. ¡°I-I think I died. Dad really did break Frankenstein¡¯s law. He¡¯s guilty, and I-I¡¯m a monster. I died.¡± Chapter 7 Sebastian waited until Rowan had fallen asleep, fingers carding through his hair to soothe him, before slipping away to Brie¡¯s room. He sat at the foot of her bed, her gentle breathing the only sound as she slept. He rubbed his face, considered waking her then decided against it. The sheets rustled as she stirred. ¡°Oh my--¡± She gasped as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. ¡°Seb, I love you, but this sneaking into my bedroom at all hours has to stop.¡± She paused and peered at him in the darkness. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Rowan...he¡­¡± He ran a hand over his shaved head and took a deep breath. ¡°He¡¯s dead. He found his death certificate at the prison.¡± ¡°Sebastian.¡± He rubbed at his damp eyes as she crawled across the bed to him. She put her head on his shoulder and ran a gentle hand down his arm. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I know this isn¡¯t what you wanted.¡± ¡°No, but...you don¡¯t understand, Brie. I knew. I already knew. After the accident, he just wasn¡¯t the same, and the way Thomas behaved... I¡¯ve seen it all before. So I assumed¡­I mean, I hoped it wasn¡¯t true, that his father hadn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°You knew?¡± Brie pulled away from him, and in the dark, he could feel her eyes burning into his skin. ¡°From the very beginning? You led us here, knowing what would happen. Why?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to believe it, kept telling myself it was nothing, that he was fine.¡± Tears ran down his cheeks and dripped onto his hands as he clenched them tightly in his lap. ¡°I didn¡¯t...you know how it happened? How he did it? He killed himself, Brie. Can you imagine how alone he must have felt, how terrified? And I wasn¡¯t even there. I wasn¡¯t even in the same galaxy.¡± ¡°Sebastian, you can¡¯t blame yourself.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. Not for his death. But me not being there? That¡¯s all on me. I keep doing this to the people I love. Leaving them when they need me the most, not stepping in, even when their lives are on the line.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t have known.¡± She leaned her head back down on his shoulder and gently eased his hands apart. She entwined their fingers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re hurting.¡± He pressed a kiss to her forehead. ¡°Thank you.¡± He hesitated then said, ¡°you can¡¯t tell the others. At least, not yet.¡± ¡°I understand, but Sebastian,¡± she raised her head to look at him, ¡°we have to get rid of him.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You know what¡¯s going to happen.¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± ¡°Seb--¡± ¡°He stays with me!¡± She took his face in her hands. ¡°Sebastian, listen to me. The dead were not meant to be revived; they always bring madness back with them. Whoever he is now, he is not the Rowan we knew. He¡¯s simply wearing his face and playacting a script he barely remembers. We have to end this before it hurts worse. Remember what happened with Alyssa.¡± Sebastian jerked away. ¡°He stays with me.¡± Softer, he pleaded, ¡°he didn¡¯t ask to be brought back. This isn¡¯t his fault either. He deserves a chance, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°It will end badly.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll handle it then.¡± ¡°He could kill us all.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen.¡± ¡°I know you love him--¡± ¡°No,¡± he interrupted, ¡°it¡¯s more than that.¡± Brie sighed then stretched her arms over her head, her cut-off shirt revealing more of her onyx skin as it rose higher. Sebastian caught the barest glimpse of her snake tattoo along her ribs, the rest coiling up to nestle between her breasts. He''d seen the entire piece, had watched the tattoo being inked into her skin. There would have been a time when the sight of it would have ignited a fierce longing in him, but that time was long past. Now that someone more precious slept in his bed.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Alright.¡± She said. ¡°This stays between us, but the second I fear our lives are in danger, I won¡¯t hesitate to put a second bullet through him.¡± Sebastian winced but nodded. ¡°Agreed.¡± Rowan refused to leave the room, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets. The paper never left his hand as he read and reread it, even as the nausea appeared again. He trembled as he fought against his illness, knowing now it was probably the after effects of being dead. What had his father expected to accomplish? Was his life so important that it had to be sullied this way? It didn¡¯t feel so important anymore. Sebastian stayed with him through it all, worry and fear strangers on the older man¡¯s face, but still present. Rowan felt an inexplicable amount of guilt, stronger than the pain. He ate when he was brought food though it never stayed down. He listened to Sebastian¡¯s overdramatic space stories even though his attention waned at the best of times. He felt like the shell of a person, an empty corpse just wasting away, held together by an invisible thread. It tethered him to the world of the living just as Kenan had been tethered to the ship. He wondered when his own tenuous thread would snap. The days passed this way, Rowan counting each minute down as he hid in Sebastian¡¯s room, barely able to move as he grew stiff and exhausted. Sebastian tried to cheer him up, fought to keep him alive, but he just wanted to fade away. He didn¡¯t want this life he hadn¡¯t asked for. The tipping point finally came in the middle of the night when an earsplitting screech tore everyone from their beds, wild-eyed and armed. Sebastian and Thomas hurried to the engine room while Rowan trailed after the rest of the crew to the bridge. Acrid smoke billowed in from the engine room, following Sebastian and Thomas as they returned, coughing. ¡°Well, I have unfortunate news.¡± Sebastian told his crew. He rubbed at the black streaks across his face with burnt fingers, almost sheepishly, ¡°One of our engines has died a sad, sad death, so we¡¯re going to have to hobble to the nearest planet for repairs.¡± Rowan looked to his brother and tried to meet his eyes. Thomas remained staring studiously at the floor, picking at the fresh blisters on his hands as a chorus of groans filled the room. ¡°Wait, wait, I have good news.¡± Sebastian said quickly. ¡°The planet that¡¯s closest is Abilene.¡± ¡°Oh, thank God.¡± Brie breathed. ¡°Abilene?¡± Rowan¡¯s eyes snapped to Sebastian who lit up at his interest. ¡°It¡¯s the Twilight Planet. Or the planet that never sleeps.¡± He announced gleefully. ¡°They have one of the biggest fairgrounds in the universe. You¡¯ll love it.¡± Rowan didn¡¯t reply, and Sebastian visibly deflated. Softer, he said, ¡°It¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t want to go, though.¡± Rowan¡¯s eyes flicked to him as the rest of the crew began to leave the room, eager for their beds. He noticed Thomas trying to slip from the room as well and hurried to stop him. ¡°Did you know?¡± He asked, shoving his hand in his pocket to clutch at the paper. ¡°Did you know what Dad did?¡± Thomas remained impassive as he turned to go. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me.¡± ¡°Rowan.¡± Sebastian reached out to touch him, but Rowan jerked away. ¡°Please." Thomas whispered. "Just leave me alone. I don''t have the answers you want.¡± Everyone else had gone, and Thomas shuffled from the room, unheeded. The stillness of the room enveloped the remaining two. Rowan felt his frustration increase as he balled his fist and refused to look at the captain. But Sebastian wouldn¡¯t be ignored. He stepped in front of Rowan and grabbed his shoulders to keep him rooted to the ground. ¡°You are not dead. I don¡¯t care what your father did or what that piece of paper says. I don¡¯t care if you died before. You are not dead now, and I am not going anywhere. So, please, just...enjoy these moments with us. Like you would have if you¡¯d never seen that paper.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just pretend like I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because...because I can¡¯t! I just can¡¯t.¡± Rowan looked up at the ceiling and blinked rapidly. ¡°I can¡¯t because I can remember what it felt like to die, and now I know why the people in my town looked at me the way they did. Like they knew something that I didn¡¯t, like it hurt to think about. I wanted to go to college. I wanted to be an inventor. I can¡¯t do any of that now, can I? This changes everything.¡± ¡°You can do whatever you want. It¡¯s a pretty big universe.¡± ¡°But not legally. Legally, I¡¯m...I¡¯m¡­¡± He rubbed his eyes, but they remained dry as if he was beyond tears. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out, but later, okay? For now, let¡¯s just enjoy the next few moments without worrying about all of this. Please? Just enjoy being alive with me.¡± Rowan worried his bottom lip between his teeth. He couldn¡¯t just forget. The whirling emotions inside him refused to still, and he swore he could still hear the yateveo calling him a monster. When he looked up, Sebastian¡¯s eyes were swimming as he tried to force a smile. He opened his mouth, and Rowan knew the words before they were spoken. He knew they¡¯d be the captain telling Rowan he could barricade himself back in his room if he wanted, that he wouldn¡¯t force him to do anything. A tidal wave of warmth and love flooded Rowan, and he pressed himself closer to his boyfriend, freezing the captain in his uncertainty. ¡°The fair sounds fun.¡± He whispered softly. If he had to be alive, he could try to make the most of it. There¡¯d be time to panic later. Chapter 8 Abilene felt like something out of a dream, bathed in an eternal twilight and bustling with a myriad of people. They docked onto the only empty space and passed a horned man sitting on a bench, plucking a ten-string guitar. His fingers ended in thick claws, but he held the instrument delicately. His music filled the air with gentle, soothing notes as familiar as that distant childhood memory no one could quite remember. Sebastian tugged on the collar of his black turtleneck and cast the musician a wary glance as they passed. Though he did slip a few coins into the case at the man¡¯s hooved foot. Kenan and Lyra disappeared down a nearby street, and in the mist, Rowan could see them traveling down every street and alley, casually peering into windows and feigning excitement and joy. Beside him, Brie cast her eyes to the rooftops. It was clear they were scoping out the area, well-versed in protecting their crew and captain. The only one who paid no heed was Thomas who stood off to the side of their group, eyes on the ground. Sebastian led them to a nearby shop, the letters on the sign unfamiliar to Rowan. A little bell jingled as they entered. The room was filled with mechanical parts from robotic arms to giant ship engines hanging from the high-vaulted ceiling. Curious, Rowan picked up a jar on one of the cramped shelves and peered inside. He jumped when a single eye peered back at him. ¡°It¡¯s a false eye.¡± Kenan said, leaning over his shoulder. ¡°Robotic. See the wires sticking out there?¡± Rowan hastily put the jar back as a little girl, probably no older than six or seven, came out of the back. ¡°Oh, hello,¡± her words sounded odd, stilted and monotonous, ¡°what can I do for you lovely people?¡± ¡°One of our engines blew on the way here. Any way we can get it fixed?¡± Sebastian asked, undeterred by the girl¡¯s youth. ¡°I suppose I can do something, yes. What type of engine?¡± ¡°Any kind. It¡¯s a mix and match ship.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pirates, yes?¡± At their nods, she continued. ¡°I¡¯ll see if we have a strong and fast one.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you too young to be a mechanic?¡± Rowan blurted. ¡°I am not as young as I appear.¡± She turned to face him, revealing the right side of her face where metal sparked beneath tatters of paper-thin skin. ¡°You¡¯re an AI.¡± ¡°I am called Sal. My creator is off planet, but I am capable.¡± Rowan had never seen an AI up close before, especially not one so well-made. Had it not been for the obvious facial damage, he would have never suspected. Something in him itched to examine the girl, to figure out how she worked, but he stopped before he could ask for any schematics on herself. This was the kind of thing he would have been interested in before, but he was dead now. He couldn¡¯t enjoy these kinds of things if he was dead. Only the living were allowed to enjoy life. ¡°Just write your ship¡¯s information down here.¡± Sal said, handing a clipboard with a piece of paper attached to Sebastian. ¡°Then leave it with me for a few hours. You may have heard: the fair is in town. Please enjoy it on our behalf. Abilene¡¯s pride and joy.¡± She twitched, and as she reached for the clipboard, her right hand fell to the floor with a loud clatter. ¡°Oh, that is not good.¡± She looked at them. ¡°Apologies. My creator has been gone a bit too long.¡± ¡°It happens.¡± Rowan said as he darted forward to pick up the hand. ¡°The parts that move the most are the ones that break the fastest. It¡¯s an easy fix if you want me to take a look?¡± She gave him a smile. ¡°Yes. I would like that, but please, don¡¯t touch my face. It keeps me honest.¡± Rowan looked at her as he found a screwdriver and carefully reattached the hand. ¡°Keeps you honest?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t pretend to be human when I¡¯m not. My creator disapproves of this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being human?¡± Sebastian asked, pretending to be affronted. ¡°Not a thing.¡± She smiled as she moved her newly attached hand. ¡°But it is not what I am. Please, move to the nearest exit and allow me time to work. You may have heard: the fair is in town. Please enjoy it on our behalf. Abilene¡¯s pride and joy.¡± ¡°I will never get used to androids.¡± Kenan said with a shudder, then cast a guilty glance at Sebastian. ¡°No offense.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen an actual AI. She was fascinating.¡± Rowan said. ¡°No, she was creepy. It¡¯s like a doll coming to life.¡± Kenan insisted. Lyra smiled. ¡°Some would say I am creepy.¡± ¡°Like a ghost in a haunted house, but that¡¯s beside the point. I can handle ghosts. Not living dolls.¡± She gave him an indulgent smile but said nothing more as she tightened her bandana around her snow-white hair. Sebastian clapped his hands together. ¡°Alright. Like Sal said: the fair is in town, so let¡¯s enjoy it.¡± He pointed towards the sky where a large planet with three rings floated. ¡°We¡¯ll meet back at the ship when all the rings on Pandora are aligned. Agreed?¡± Everyone nodded their agreements. ¡°Where¡¯d Thomas go?¡± Brie asked, looking around. Rowan peered into the mist. He could see no one on the streets who looked like his brother. ¡°When did he leave?¡± ¡°He was definitely inside the shop with us.¡± Kenan said. ¡°I think.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll turn up.¡± Sebastian said, unconcerned as they ventured into the lively fairgrounds where they split up almost immediately. The Abilene fair was a myriad of dazzling colors and joyous laughter, bursting to the brim with people of all sorts. Rowan pressed close to Sebastian¡¯s side as a lizard woman, green scales catching the light of the ferris wheel, passed them with her hand clutching that of a bearded dwarf. Nearby, Brie was talking to a blue man with fairy wings and a top hat. Kenan and Lyra had vanished in the mist, like two misguided spirits. Lyra wouldn¡¯t stand out amidst this group. ¡°Come on.¡± Sebastian grabbed his hand. ¡°This ride over here will make your head spin. Literally.¡± Buoyed by the lively air, Rowan let Sebastian drag him from ride to ride. He didn¡¯t feel dead with Sebastian¡¯s arm around him as they spun around in the ruby-studded goblets. He didn¡¯t feel dead when Sebastian kissed him before the shooting star roller coaster where the high speeds made him nauseous. And he certainly didn¡¯t feel dead when, at the top of the ferris wheel. With the stars close enough to touch, he blurted out three little words. ¡°I love you.¡± He and Sebastian both froze and stared at one another in wide-eyed silence. He wanted to take it back immediately, wanted to laugh it off like it meant nothing. They were just three little words, but they were the one thing Rowan truly believed in. Sebastian, with his eyes of molten gold, had been beside him every step of the way, from his silly texts half a galaxy away to his steady support after finding out the truth about Rowan. Maybe Rowan couldn¡¯t go off to college and pursue his dreams of being an inventor like his father, but this he could keep. This was the one thing that wasn¡¯t a lie. The one thing that hadn¡¯t betrayed him.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°I love you.¡± He repeated, letting each word hang heavily in the air between them. They were the only ones in the universe now. ¡°I love you too.¡± Sebastian said breathlessly, his face breaking into a grin as he leaned in. ¡°Of course I love you.¡± He pressed a kiss to Rowan¡¯s lips. ¡°Even though everything¡¯s a mess right now?¡± Rowan asked. ¡°You¡¯re still here. That¡¯s the important part.¡± Rowan looked up at the stars, the many galaxies and planets spread out before them. ¡°But why am I still here?¡± He hadn¡¯t meant to ask the question, but he forged on. ¡°I mean, why did Dad do it? Why did our neighbors and friends let him? They knew it wasn¡¯t right.¡± Sebastian sat back and tilted his head to stare at the universe. ¡°He was a grieving father who had already lost his wife. Maybe they pitied him. Maybe they didn¡¯t actually think he¡¯d succeed. And by the time he had, it was too late to stop it. It¡¯d be like they were holding the gun and killing you all over again.¡± ¡°They could have told me. Someone could have told me.¡± Sebastian shook his head. ¡°Would you have wanted to know? Do you not wish you could go back to when you didn¡¯t?¡± He reached out a hand and firmly grasped Rowan¡¯s. ¡°There¡¯s something else. When people are...brought back...they usually bring something back with them. A darkness. The reason why the law exists is because the dead usually go mad and hurt the ones closest. I¡¯ve seen it for myself.¡± ¡°Alyssa.¡± Rowan recalled the statue in Sebastian¡¯s room. ¡°I tried to protect her. She died after seeing her mother killed for breaking the law. I found out they¡¯d done the same to her when I went back to that planet.¡± He pulled down the collar of his shirt to reveal a thin scar down the side of his throat. ¡°She tried to kill me in my sleep after I took her on board. She was so horrified by what she¡¯d nearly done that she used that coin to turn herself into a statue.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen with me.¡± Rowan said, squeezing Sebastian¡¯s hand. ¡°I know.¡± The ride jolted as it began its descent. ¡°They won¡¯t let my dad go now, though.¡± ¡°I can see if we can talk Thomas into signing him out. They still have no actual proof.¡± ¡°They saw me.¡± ¡°They saw a confused redheaded boy with an outdated ID. They never fingerprinted you or took any kind of sample. This we can fix.¡± ¡°Are you happy my father did this?¡± Rowan asked quietly. ¡°I¡¯m happy you¡¯re alive, and I am so sorry I wasn¡¯t there when you needed me to be.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m sure I had my reasons. I just...can¡¯t think of them now.¡± ¡°Probably for the best.¡± Rowan grabbed Sebastian¡¯s wrist as he went to step off the ride. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I did it. I¡¯m sorry it hurt you when I did.¡± Sebastian stared at him, something akin to grief swimming in his eyes before he blinked it back. ¡°I can¡¯t say it¡¯s okay.¡± He choked out. ¡°But thanks.¡± He swiped a large cone of blue cotton candy from the first stand they passed and offered a bite to Rowan. Curious, he pinched off a small piece and stuck it in his mouth. It melted on his tongue immediately. ¡°I¡¯ve never had this before.¡± Rowan said. ¡°Really?¡± Sebastian blinked at him. ¡°But it¡¯s cotton candy!¡± Rowan laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t get off my planet enough to know what that is.¡± ¡°Every planet has cotton candy. Uninhabited planets have cotton candy. Oh my God.¡± He tossed an arm around Rowan¡¯s shoulders and pulled him close. They split the cotton candy between them as the rings of Pandora aligned. Sebastian pointed it out as shimmering crystals ran down the rings and into the night sky. ¡°It¡¯s so pretty.¡± Rowan said, staring up at it in wonder. Sebastian looked at him. ¡°Yeah. Lots of pretty things in space.¡± They stopped by Sal¡¯s to double check that the repairs were finished. She met them as soon as they entered and gave them a smile. ¡°The repairs were difficult, but they¡¯re finished. That ship of yours is interesting.¡± ¡°But beautiful, right?¡± ¡°To some, yes. It will be three thousand nebulas.¡± ¡°A bit steep.¡± ¡°You can not bargain with me. I gave you the best.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Sebastian pulled a small bag from his belt and handed it to Sal. He waited impatiently as she spilled the colorful coins out onto the desk behind her and began to count. When she was finished, she turned and smiled. ¡°The amount is correct. Thank you, and good day.¡± ¡°She was nice.¡± Rowan said as they headed back to their ship. ¡°Mm. I¡¯ve met nicer. As often as I do business with her creator, she could have at least given me a discount.¡± The ship was dark and quiet, no signs that the rest of the crew had returned, but when they stepped inside, they found Thomas on the bridge. He turned as they entered, a half-empty bottle of alcohol clutched in one hand. ¡°Thomas.¡± Sebastian acknowledged as he closed the door. He flicked a switch on the wall and dim lights filled the space. ¡°Everything okay?¡± Tear tracks marked a path down Thomas¡¯s face, painting a picture of pure misery. Rowan took a step forward. ¡°Brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I am not your brother.¡± Thomas hissed, clutching the bottle tighter. ¡°You¡¯re just something my father built because he couldn¡¯t handle his grief.¡± Rowan froze. ¡°I know what Dad did. I know he brought me back--¡± He stopped as Thomas began laughing, almost hysterically. Sebastian took a step forward. ¡°Thomas. Don¡¯t. Not tonight, please.¡± ¡°Dad didn¡¯t bring anything back.¡± Thomas said with a cruel smile, laughing at his own pain even as fresh tears rolled down his cheeks. ¡°Oh, he tried. He took my brother¡¯s body and kept trying. Night after night, using every method he could find. He even caused a power surge throughout the town. Everyone knew what he was doing, and no one bothered to stop him. ¡®This is just how he grieves.¡¯ They¡¯d say. ¡®There¡¯s nothing to be done.¡¯ But what he was doing wasn¡¯t right! He desecrated my brother¡¯s body!¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Rowan whispered. ¡°You¡¯re not even human.¡± Thomas spat. ¡°Just an android my father built to replace his dead son.¡± ¡°No.¡± Rowan placed a hand on his chest and felt his heartbeat. Or was it ticking like a clock? He took a step back, away from the person tearing down his world. His entire existence. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°You are. My brother is dead,¡± Thomas glanced at Sebastian who stood frozen, his face unreadable, ¡°and he¡¯s not coming back.¡± There were no lies in his face, not a hint of deception; oh, no, someone so miserable wouldn¡¯t lie like this. Rowan pushed past the grieving young man, ignoring the shout of his name (no, the name of a dead boy) behind him. He found himself in the bathroom, staring at his reflection in the cracked glass. He didn¡¯t look any different. He didn¡¯t feel any different. Trembling, he touched his fingers to the cool glass. If he wasn¡¯t human, why did it feel like he was being ripped apart? Why did it feel like his entire world was shattering? Would it be better to be a boy brought back from the dead? Or a robot with no real ties to humanity? The glint of a knife in the toothbrush holder sparked his attention. He picked it up and studied the thin, long-handled blade then glanced down at his bare arm, the skin unblemished and smooth. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. There was only one way to be completely certain. The tip of the blade was sharp and cold like the icy feeling settling in his bones. Or were there circuits and machinery there instead? Before he could change his mind, Rowan braced for the pain and sliced the knife down his arm. Sebastian stumbled into the doorway behind him, panting and terrified. Rowan turned, the knife falling to the floor with a loud clatter, and tilted his arm just enough for Sebastian to see. ¡°Oh, Rowan, what have you done?¡± Sebastian let out a shuddering breath. The skin had parted like newly spun silk, pain radiating like a true wound, but instead of bone and flesh, instead of blood pouring onto the floor, there was nothing but the glinting of metal and the steady drip of oil. He met Sebastian¡¯s eyes and expected to find his own horror reflected back. Instead, he saw only sorrow. ¡°You knew.¡± He breathed, shocked by the jolt of betrayal he felt. ¡°You knew what I was from the very beginning. You let me believe all those lies. You let me trust you!¡± ¡°Rowan, please--¡± Rowan shoved Sebastian out of his way and ran. His footsteps echoed in the quiet hallways as he stopped in Sebastian¡¯s room. He stared at the snake-haired statue. Her coal eyes regarded him impassively. ¡°I guess we¡¯re both monsters, huh?¡± He told her, the amulet glinting like a promise. Like a way out. He turned instead to the bedside table and rifled through it until he found the gun he knew Sebastian kept there. The captain¡¯s footsteps echoed in the hallway. Rowan hesitated then grabbed the amulet as an afterthought. He would have to leave the ship, no chance of anyone finding him this time. ¡°Rowan,¡± a familiar hissing called his name, freezing his thoughts. ¡°Come and see us, Rowan. No one¡¯s here but us. We know what you are.¡± He walked out into the hallway, no longer hearing Sebastian¡¯s footsteps, and followed the faint whispering of the yateveo trees. Chapter 9 Thomas hadn¡¯t moved, still standing in the center of the bridge like the universe¡¯s most reviled martyr. He stared out the window, at the ethereal twilight of a world far better than the one he¡¯d known. In the shadows, he could see his dead mother shaking her head forlornly before she vanished in the rising noise of Sebastian¡¯s footsteps. ¡°Has he left?¡± Thomas asked dully, still clutching his bottle. ¡°You had no right to do that.¡± Sebastian hissed, snatching the bottle from his grip. He squared his shoulders and faced the angry captain. ¡°I had every right. He was my brother.¡± ¡°If you had just waited a few more days, it would have solved itself!¡± Sebastian threw the bottle down in a flurry of amber liquid and scattering glass. ¡°And he would have what? Gone on living, thinking he was a dead man brought back to life? Gone on believing someone was awful enough to do that to him without any regards to what he wanted?¡± ¡°Yes! That¡¯s not such a bad thing. Not when he¡¯s still human.¡± Thomas snorted. ¡°Human. Right.¡± He ran a hand over his face. ¡°He would have figured it out eventually. Dad had to keep going back and rewiring his memories. By the way, where are those vials he was taking? I haven¡¯t seen them.¡± ¡°They were broken in the raid.¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Androids don''t need medicine to live. Do you know what was in them?" Thomas shrugged, turning back to the window. "No idea, but I know they were important. Guess it doesn¡¯t matter now." ¡°Dammit,¡± Sebastian ran a hand over his shaved head, ¡°this is not the way I would have wanted him to find out.¡± ¡°You already knew.¡± Thomas realized, turning back to him, grief warring with fury in his eyes. ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important right now. I need to find him. Could you...if I can restrain him, could you make him forget? Rewire his memories?¡± He felt sick just saying the words. ¡°No. I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°He was so upset.¡± ¡°Nothing he feels is real. It¡¯s all the product of wires and synthetics.¡± Sebastian clenched his fists. ¡°He¡¯s real enough, and he didn¡¯t deserve this. There are better ways of dealing with your grief that don¡¯t involve hurting others.¡± ¡°Woah. What¡¯s going on here?¡± Kenan asked as he, Lyra, and Brie stepped inside, their arms laden with snacks and stuffed toys from the fair. ¡°Like how?¡± Thomas ignored them as he took a step toward their captain. ¡°Sending out flares whenever I start missing him? Building another robot in his likeness and pretending he never left? Or maybe I should just run away like you did.¡± Sebastian looked away from him to the curious stares of his crew. ¡°Rowan¡¯s father didn¡¯t break the law. Instead, he created an android that looks and acts like his son.¡± ¡°So Rowan¡¯s not Rowan?¡± Kenan asked, dipping a hand into a bag of snacks. ¡°No.¡± ¡°It must be difficult not knowing who you are.¡± Lyra went over to Thomas and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. ¡°I am sorry. You have lost your brother twice.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to him!¡± Sebastian snapped. ¡°He¡¯s the reason we¡¯re in this mess.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Thomas said sarcastically, ¡°but I don¡¯t recall being the one who created this monster.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a--¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop him?¡± Brie interrupted, stepping between the two men. All eyes looked to her. ¡°You keep saying it¡¯s your father¡¯s fault, but why did you never put an end to this before?¡± ¡°You think I didn¡¯t want to?¡± Thomas snapped. ¡°That I didn¡¯t try?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you did.¡± Brie said lowly. ¡°Oh, sure, you protested. You argued. Maybe you even tried to push your father away from his experiments, but in the end, you let him carry on with them. You wanted your brother back, and when you saw it wasn¡¯t him, you ran away and let others deal with the mess.¡± ¡°Of course I did!¡± Thomas snapped. ¡°He was my little brother; of course I wanted him¡­¡± Tears ran down his cheek, his eyes distant. ¡°I found him, right after he did it, and I keep asking myself ¡®why,¡¯ but you can¡¯t get answers from the dead. So when Dad showed me what he¡¯d done, showed me what appeared to be Rowan alive and well, what was I supposed to have done? What would you have done if it¡¯d been your brother?¡± Brie¡¯s eyes were a cold and unimpressed obsidian. ¡°I would have shot him again.¡± ¡°Hey, not to interrupt,¡± Kenan said as he tapped a button on his phone, quickly depositing his armload into his chair, ¡°but I just got an alert from the garden. Someone¡¯s standing too close to the yateveo.¡± Lyra¡¯s eyes widened, and they hurried off for the garden, Sebastian close behind. The only one who didn¡¯t follow was Thomas who remained on the bridge, staring at the glittering glass on the floor. ¡°Oh, Thomas.¡± His mother¡¯s voice called to him from the shadows. ¡°None of this is your fault.¡± He felt her ghostly touch on his shoulder but brushed it off. ¡°I wanted him back too.¡± He whispered to no one. ¡°I wanted him back too!¡± Rowan stood before the yateveo, the black branches writhing on the ground as they began to wake. ¡°Rowan! What are you¡­¡± Sebastian stopped at the sight of copper-colored tears rolling down the android¡¯s cheeks and the gun shaking in his grasp. ¡°Stay away from those trees. Come back over here. Please.¡± ¡°Stay away from me!¡± Rowan cried. He pointed the gun at Sebastian. ¡°Did you know what I was this whole time? Did you?¡± Sebastian held up his hands. ¡°Rowan, please, I think you¡¯re malfunctioning. Let us help you.¡± ¡°Be careful.¡± Kenan said, peeking around his captain. Louder, he called, ¡°don¡¯t be an idiot! Those trees could kill you.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I¡¯m already dead.¡± Rowan said. He tossed the amulet at Sebastian who flinched away. The unblinking eye in its center glittered in the fluorescent lights. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work on robots apparently.¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t. Thank God.¡± Sebastian took a step forward and noticed Brie fall farther back into the shadows, her own gun in her hand. ¡°Stay back!¡± A shot rang out, and Sebastian grunted as the bullet pierced his shoulder. ¡°The trees were right.¡± Rowan said, horrified by the blood dripping down Sebastian¡¯s shoulder. He moved as if to place the gun against his own head but hesitated halfway, the gun trembling midair. ¡°I am a monster.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not.¡± Sebastian said, clutching his wounded arm and placing himself in Brie¡¯s line of sight. ¡°You¡¯ve never been a monster. Even though people have done monstrous things to you. You are not what they¡¯ve made you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not anything.¡± ¡°You are to me.¡± ¡°How can I trust that when you¡¯ve been lying this entire time? When the last time you said I meant anything to you, you left me.¡± Rowan took another step back, closer to the whispering trees. Too close. ¡°Tell me you didn¡¯t know. Tell me--¡± He shrieked when one of the black branches snapped around his throat and jerked him back against the tree trunk. The gun clattered harmlessly to the ground. ¡°Let me go.¡± Frantic green eyes landed on Sebastian as more branches wrapped around the struggling young man, stilling his panicked thrashing. His breath came in harsh bursts, breaths he didn¡¯t even need, but he still felt suffocated. Bound hands twitched, trying in vain to claw the branch from his throat. ¡°Let me go.¡± His voice came out pitifully small. ¡°Never.¡± The tree hissed in his ear. The trunk opened to reveal thick teeth and a large, slimy tongue that darted out to taste its prey. Rowan tried to cringe away but failed. Panicked eyes met Sebastian¡¯s. ¡°You can¡¯t eat him.¡± Kenan protested, shocked. ¡°He¡¯s not even human.¡± ¡°If it does, you can¡¯t bring me back this time.¡± Rowan¡¯s voice broke. He might not have been human, but he still didn¡¯t want to die. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what you were. Not at first.¡± Sebastian called out as Lyra crept out from the shadows behind him, a jar of glittering sand held in her hands. He moved forwards, cautiously, towards the trees. ¡°I¡¯d been away, remember? I knew you weren¡¯t acting like the Rowan I remembered, and everyone else was acting different. Like there was some secret. Some skeleton hidden under everyone¡¯s beds. I put the pieces together later. I swear I never wanted you to find out this way.¡± ¡°You could have told me.¡± Rowan¡¯s voice hitched as he took in another shuddering breath. ¡°And hurt you like this? Watch you fall apart, knowing I caused it? What kind of choice is that?¡± ¡°Lyra, now!¡± Kenan shouted from somewhere to Sebastian¡¯s right, and Lyra threw the entire jar of sand into the yateveo tree¡¯s mouth. It released Rowan immediately, tossing him onto the ground, as it coughed and spluttered, terrifying teeth gnashing against the taste. Sebastian darted to Rowan¡¯s side and dragged him as far away from the tree as he could. The tree grew quiet, its branches laying back on the ground as it took on the form of a normal tree once more. Rowan gasped for breath beside him, shaking in a way that was completely unnatural for him. Hesitantly, Sebastian reached out a hand to touch Rowan¡¯s injured arm, the one he had cut open less than an hour before. The light caught the metallic wound in just a way that it revealed a scuffed and eerily familiar number on the metal. Sebastian grabbed the arm and tilted it towards his eyes, ignoring Rowan¡¯s faint protest. ¡°AI172NEO¡± He froze as he remembered a blonde boy on a red dirt planet in the middle of nowhere. He heard the boy ask if he was alright, but when he blinked, Rowan¡¯s concerned face came into view instead. ¡°Sebastian?¡± Rowan asked cautiously. ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Sebastian replied. He stared into those green eyes and gave a little laugh, shaky with relief. Before he could brush Rowan away, or pull him closer, Rowan had already launched himself into Sebastian¡¯s arms, sobbing into his uninjured shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± He cried, tightening his grip to the point of almost pain. ¡°Rowan¡­¡± Sebastian sighed and ran a hand down his back, steadying him. ¡°I keep sending out flares, hoping you¡¯d see them and remember.¡± Rowan stiffened in his arms, but Sebastian didn¡¯t let him pull away. ¡°I thought I¡¯d lost you, but you¡¯re still too far away, Neo.¡± Rowan jerked back, eyes searching Sebastian¡¯s and found an answer he didn¡¯t like. ¡°You were never in love with me, were you?¡± ¡°No, I was never in love with Rowan.¡± Sebastian admitted easily. ¡°But you¡¯re not him.¡± ¡°Then, who am I?¡± Rowan bit out as he tried to stand, to walk away. A steel grip encircled his wrist and tugged him back to the ground so he was kneeling beside the space captain. ¡°You asked me for honesty.¡± ¡°And this is honest?¡± ¡°The Rowan I remembered never wanted me to be honest.¡± ¡°I--h-he liked lies?¡± ¡°He liked less pain.¡± Sebastian stared at his hand still attached to Rowan¡¯s wrist before releasing him. ¡°When he died, I swear I could feel it a galaxy away.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Neo?¡± Sebastian winced as the rest of his crew now having moved closer turned to stare at them, their eyes wide. ¡°No way.¡± Kenan breathed. ¡°You didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how you knew.¡± Brie said and stared at her gun in horror. ¡°Maybe now¡¯s not the best time for this conversation.¡± Sebastian said as he wiped a tear from Rowan¡¯s cheek. ¡°Androids don¡¯t cry.¡± Rowan remembered, wiping at his own face. ¡°Not usually, no.¡± Sebastian stood and helped Rowan to his feet. ¡°Not a chance.¡± Brie blocked the exit. ¡°You¡¯re going to tell us exactly what¡¯s going on. No more lies. No more hiding. Or I¡¯ll dump you both out here now.¡± ¡°Fine, fine.¡± Sebastian glanced at Rowan and explained, ¡°Neo was an android I dated before. He was destroyed in a raid on his home planet, but I managed to save his personality drive.¡± ¡°The A drive.¡± Rowan said, pulling it from an old memory he wasn¡¯t even sure was his. ¡°That¡¯s it. I kept it for awhile before I found out about a young inventor who might be willing to help.¡± ¡°Rowan.¡± ¡°Yeah. He was delighted to, loved a challenge.¡± A sad smile graced his lips. ¡°He told me he¡¯d help me get Neo back even if it was the last thing he ever did.¡± He turned to Rowan. ¡°You have to understand. I wanted him back so much, it hurt. I wanted to go back into my memories and take him with me. I did love Rowan in a way, and we did have some good memories together, but not like¡­¡± He swallowed and looked at his crew. ¡°Not like that.¡± ¡°We thought you were moving on.¡± Kenan said softly. ¡°That that¡¯s why you kept wanting to visit Rowan, why you wouldn¡¯t shut up about how brilliant he was. You dragged us halfway across the galaxy just to rebuild your boyfriend!¡± ¡°You think it worked?¡± Rowan asked. Green eyes stared in amazement at the lettering on his arm. ¡°I don¡¯t remember being anything other than what I am now.¡± ¡°I mean, it probably did, but we need to talk to Thomas¡¯s dad and figure out exactly what he did. Not to mention, we need someone to repair the damage done recently.¡± ¡°He broke me.¡± Sebastian shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re not broken. Just slightly damaged. That we can fix.¡± ¡°No, I mean, he took me apart.¡± Rowan pulled his hands apart, digging through his memories. ¡°With a hammer. I remember. He must have been upset with me.¡± Brie swore and looked away. ¡°Perhaps we should leave him in prison, after all.¡± ¡°Tempting, but I don¡¯t think Rowan would like that too much.¡± ¡°The dead one or the robot one?¡± Kenan asked. ¡°Or should we call you ¡®Neo¡¯ now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember him.¡± Rowan said softly. ¡°Stop it.¡± Sebastian said. ¡°We¡¯ll figure that out later. Come help me convince Thomas to get his father out of prison.¡± As he passed Brie, he reached out to take the gun from her. ¡°Thanks for not shooting him.¡± ¡°You were in the way.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°And I¡¯m more inclined to shoot you now. After everything we¡¯ve been through¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°I know. I never meant for things to be this complicated.¡± ¡°You should have just trusted us.¡± Lyra walked over to Rowan and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. She made a small sound at the sight of his damaged arm and took off her bandana. Her snow white hair fell around her shoulders in messy tangles as she wound the pink bandana around his arm. ¡°Did you guys like Neo?¡± Rowan asked, watching her. ¡°I mean, was he nice?¡± She smiled as she knotted the bandana tightly. ¡°He was you, and he was family.¡±