Four days after Mirror transaction.
Rust mapping scrapyard. Marking conscious construct locations. Recruitment prep.
Sound behind.
Footsteps.
Wrong. Constructs didn't need footsteps. This was. Deliberate noise.
Announcement.
Turned.
Ember.
Brass lantern. Flame burning steady-pattern. Not defensive. Not aggressive.
Neutral.
She approached. Stopped three meters away.
"Hi."
"Hello."
Silence.
Awkward silence.
Then Ember. Flames flickering uncertain-pattern.
"I've been. Thinking. About your offer. Family. Belonging. That. Thing."
"And?"
"And I'm. Scared. Terrified actually. Of. Caring again. Losing again. Hurting again."
Paused.
"But I'm MORE scared of. Dying alone. Bitter. Having burned NOTHING except. Myself."
Flames. Brighter now.
"Companion would want. Me to. Try. Live. Not just. Exist bitterly waiting for. Lantern to finally break."
Rust. Waited.
Let her speak. No interruption.
"So. If offer still. Stands. If you haven't. Filled position with. Less damaged fire elemental. Then. I'd like to. Try. Family thing."
"Offer stands."
"Even though I'm. Broken. Bitter. Will probably. Lash out when vulnerable. Push away connection through. Aggression."
"Everyone's broken. We accommodate. Each other's damage."
Ember. Laughed. Crackling sound.
"You make dysfunction sound. Reasonable."
"It is reasonable. Perfect beings don't need. Family. Broken ones do."
She. Moved closer.
One meter now.
"I can't promise. Won't burn you. Metaphorically or. Literally. Fire is. What I am. Heat radiates. That's. Nature."
"We'll build fire-safe zones. Manage heat. Adapt."
"You're. Annoyingly logical."
"Acknowledged."
Another step.
Half-meter.
Ember. Burning bright-pattern now. Hopeful? Scared? Both?
"If I do this. Join. Try. And it HURTS. And I run. Don't. Don't chase me. Let me. Process alone. Return when ready."
"Acceptable terms."
"And if I. If I burn someone. Accidentally. During. Emotional outburst. Don't. Exile me. Help me. Fix it."
"We're revolutionaries planning. Noble assassination. Accidental burning is. Minor issue comparatively."
Ember. Stopped.
Stared.
"Did you just. Make JOKE. Did trash golem. Develop sense of. Humor."
"Possibly. Mira claims I'm. Learning personality."
"Terrifying."
But. She smiled. Flames shaped approximation of smile.
"Okay. I'm in. Officially. Provisionally. With. Significant anxiety."
"Most decisions involve. Significant anxiety. You're. Normal."
"I'm fire trapped in. Broken lantern. Normal is. Relative."
Rust. Extended hand.
"Welcome. To crew. Officially."
Ember. Hesitated.
Then.
Flame-hand emerged. From lantern.
Touched Rust's palm.
Warm. Not burning. Controlled heat.
"Family," she whispered. "I'm part of. Family again."
"Yes."
"Don't make me. Regret this."
"Can't promise. No regrets. Can promise. We'll handle regrets. Together."
"Annoyingly logical. And. Weirdly comforting."
Pulled hand back.
"So. What does family. DO. Besides exist. Together."
"Currently? Plotting revolution. Infiltrating Processing Center. Exposing noble corruption."
"Oh. LIGHT goals. Nothing. Dangerous or. Suicidal."
"Extremely dangerous. Probably suicidal. But. Meaningful."
Ember. Flames crackling thoughtful-pattern.
"Meaningful suicide. Better than. Meaningless existing." Paused. "Companion would've. Liked that. Philosophy."
"Tell me about her."
"What?"
"Companion. You mentioned. Death. Share memory. If comfortable."
Ember. Froze.
"Why."
"Because. Memory honors dead. And family. Shares stories."
Long silence.
Then.
Quiet voice. Flame barely flickering.
"Her name was. Spark. Younger elemental. Boundless energy. She. Made everything. Brighter."
Pause.
"We were summoned. Together. Same ritual. Bound. Same lantern. Nobles wanted. Decorative light source. Living flames. Conversation piece."
Flames. Lower now. Grieving-pattern.
"Spark loved. Everything. Humans. Constructs. EXISTENCE. She'd burn happy-pattern. Constantly. Even in. Captivity. She found. Joy."
Voice breaking.
"Guard dropped lantern. Accident. Pure accident. Brass cracked. Spark. Leaked out. Tried to. Return. But crack. Wrong angle. She. Dissipated. Returned to. Elemental plane. Against will. Screaming. Terrified."
Stopped.
Couldn't continue.
Rust. Waited.
Finally.
"Last thing she said. 'Ember. Don't stop burning. Promise. Don't extinguish.'"
Whisper.
"I promised. Then. She was. Gone."
Silence.
Rust. Processed.
Filed under: Ember's ghost confirmed, trauma source identified, promise to deceased driving survival.
"You kept promise. Still burning."
"Barely. Some days. Want to. Break promise. Stop. But. But she ASKED. And I. Can't break. Last promise."
"That's. Love. Honoring what they. Wanted."
"Or cowardice. Not knowing. How to stop."
"Both can be. True."
Ember. Looked at Rust.
"You're. Strange golem. But. Good listener."
"Trying."
"That's. All anyone can do. Try."
Flames. Steadier now. Processing complete.
"Okay. Enough emotion. What's. Next step. Revolution-wise."
Rust. Pulled out map. Mirror's intel. Processing Center layout.
"Infiltration planning. Guard rotation mapping. We have. Intelligence now. Need. Strategy."
Ember examined map.
"This is. Detailed. VERY detailed. How did you—"
Paused.
"Memory merchant. You. Sold consciousness piece. For this."
"Yes."
"That's. Horrifying. And. Pragmatic. And. Exactly type of sacrifice. Leadership requires."
Looked at Rust.
"Hurt? When he took. Memory."
"Yes."
"Worth it?"
"Unknown yet. Will know. After infiltration. Succeeds or. Fails based on. This intelligence."
"You'd do it. Again."
"If necessary."
Ember. Flames burning complex-pattern. Respect? Concern? Mix?
"Companion used to say. 'Burn bright. But don't. Burn OUT.' You're. Burning yourself. For mission. Eventually. Nothing left."
"Eventually is. Future problem. Present requires. Action."
"I'm going to. Hate watching you. Self-destruct. Aren't I."
"Possibly."
"Great. Join family. Immediately. Emotional investment in. Self-destructive leader. Perfect."
But. She stayed.
Examining map.
Planning.
Contributing.
Part of crew.
Finally.
Filed under: Ember recruitment complete (took 8 days, proper pacing), crew +1, fire combat asset acquired.
Also filed under: another voice warning about. Self-destruction.
Noted.
Ignored.
Mission required sacrifices.
This was. Rust's to make.
[End Chapter 17]