It descended with a grace that mocked my entire existence. Smooth, effortless, and beautiful.
The ship hummed as it touched down, its doors sliding open to reveal a luxurious interior.
"Move."
Erika barked, first to march in.
Lance followed behind her, and Kara trailed slightly behind. I stood to my feet, wiping the blood from my mouth. I turned to my team, gesturing for them to follow.
The interior of the ASUV was plush. Leather seats with amber lighting and a refreshment bar. It was a far cry from what we arrived in.
Apollo made his way to the front, where Erika was already sitting. A soundproof door separated their compartment from ours.
My team took our seats near the back. Lances and Kara took seats on the side. Lance reached for a wine bottle as the doors closed.
I didn't feel the lift off, or the atmospheric exit.
And since the windows were tinted, I could see out of either. Lance popped the bottle of wine with a grin.
"All of y'all are sitting around gloomy for what? Being sad isn't going to suddenly improve your chances of living." He laughed, drinking from the bottle. "Enjoy your last moments."
I glared at him, clenching my jaw. "I hope you choke on that you prick," I muttered.
Lance laughed, "Aw, is someone mad his friends are about to die? Cheer up, ya dumb fuck. People die, it's a part of life. 'Sides, you didn't have trouble killing those stragglers. What's the difference between their lives and hers?"
He pointed a thumb in Lumina's direction. "Is it that she's pretty? Is she useful? Huh? You think you'd have killed her had she been a straggler?"
I felt my chest tighten.
He was right. He was undeniably right, I'd have killed Lumina, Daniel, and Kara had they been on the other side of that glass. I don't take risks.
But at the same time, I'm not heartless. I'm not, I don't kill because I like it. I do it because it's what needs to be done. To get back to Lola.
I'm no better than this federation, am I? As long as it's for the greater good, I'd do it.
I'm a hypocrite.
Lance grinned, "You were talking all that good shit a second ago. Then you got kicked in your chest. Hard to believe you and I are even comparable."
I leaned forward, resting my face in my hands.
Lance's grin grew.
"There we go, accept the truth. It makes it easier to see the future when you're not distracted by the past. Or something like that."
The journey to the Cradle was long and silent.
The ASUV began its deceleration. The windows cleared to show a moon and a giant, spherical station.
The two entities were connected by thousands of glowing white strands.
The moon itself was massive. Almost the size of Mars. The station, meanwhile, was about the size of a megacity squeezed into a ball.
The Cradle.
Federation Arrowhead destroyers surrounded the station. Their massive cannons pointed out towards the vast space beyond.
Apollo emerged from the cockpit. He walked over towards the window facing the cradle, resting an arm against it. "We've arrived, the birthplace of pilots."
"And the deathbed of dreamers." Erika emerged from the cockpit with a sadistic smile.
We approached an open hangar bay of the cradle. It was swarming with drones and automated turrets, and… people.
But they didn't look normal.
They were dressed in white robes, with long white hair and lifeless expressions.
The ASUV landed with a hiss, the doors sliding open to a wave of electric air. Apollo was the first to step out. He was greeted by one of those dressed in white robes.
A woman.
She smiled softly at him.
"My son, you have returned."
Her voice sounded as if a dozen people were speaking in unison. It echoed and delayed in my ears.
Apollo knelt before the woman.
"Hello, Unity."
The woman, Unity, ran her fingers through his hair. "Oh, how I missed our conversations."
She hummed happily, patting his head absent-mindedly. She then paused, gripping his hair.
"What is this sadness I feel? There is pain, so much pain…" She fell back, and Apollo jumped up to catch her. But that didn't stop the dozens of others from falling over.
Apollo frowned.
"I thought I told you not to connect to my light, you never listen." He gripped her robes, pulling her close. Unity had tears rolling down her cheeks, white, simmering tears.
Apollo helped Unity to an upright position. The woman let out a collective sigh amongst the scattered people in robes.
"I can't help myself, Apollo. Your mind is like a sanctuary of existence. To me, it's the sun in my sky."
Apollo chuckled softly.
"I'm not entertainment."
He flicked her forehead.
She raised a hand to her forehead, pouting. Her gaze shifted toward the ASUV. She lowered her hands and approached.
She didn't walk, but floated a few inches above the ground. When she landed in the ASUV, there was a shift in tension.
I felt like an ant being observed by a curious child.
Unity looked around slowly, first locking eyes with Erika. "Custodi of light, welcome home."
Erika bowed.
Unity turned her attention towards Lance. She raised an eyebrow, tilting her head. "A strong ego, stronger than the bonds that hold your vessel."
Lance smirked, running a finger along his jaw before bringing it to his lips. "It's my secret, don't let anyone else know, okay?"
Unity smiled, "Okay."
She turned her attention toward Kara, who cowered beside Lance. "Too quiet, with nothing to guide the light. You will be consumed."
Kara whimpered.
Unity turned her attention toward Daniel, and she frowned softly. "Too many wants, but all of them are whispers. When they speak in unison, there is nothing but noise. You will be consumed."
She turned her attention toward Lumina.
"Fear. Fear of others, fear of the unknown, fear of the future, and fear of yourself. Fear is noise that repels the light. You will be consumed."
She turned her attention towards me, her smile returning. "Ah, you are like my son. A thousand voices with strong wills. A window into existence itself!" She practically threw herself at me, her arms outstretched.
Zero jumped in front of me, and Unity stopped dead in her tracks. "Where… where did you go, my son?" She had a look of panic and confusion as she reached out a hand.
And the moment she touched Zero, she shrieked for Apollo. It was like a chorus of a thousand voices screaming one note.
Around the hangar, every single robed figure grabbed their heads and wept.
Apollo was in the ASUV faster than I could track. He ripped Unity away from Zero, who tilted her head in curiosity.
Unity babbled incoherently, "It eats, something here is a consumer. Apollo, do not allow it in my sanctuary, please. It'll consume the well, it'll leave nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing…"
Apollo held unity close. He studied Zero, and she studied him. There was a long beat of silence, before Apollo let out a long sigh.
"Erika, stay here with Zero. Well, bring back a vat of light to dip her in. She won't enter the well."
Zero crossed her arms in disappointment. Unity gripped Apollo like he was a lifeline.
"Thank you."
She rose to her feet, quickly stepping out of the ASUV. She moved with a speed that made it clear she never wanted to see Zero as long as she lived.
"Follow me. The well awaits."
Apollo followed after her. Lance chuckled, glancing at Zero as he tossed his bottle aside. "You're so ugly she couldn't even see you, damn that's gotta hurt." He jumped out.
Kara followed closely behind him.
I turned to zero. She looked up at me with an expectant expression. I forced a smile, ruffling her hair. She giggled.
Note to self: Zero consumes light, could be a weapon to use against pilots.
I turned my attention towards Dee and Lee.
"Come on."
We followed Unity deeper into the cradle. Everything was blindingly white. The walls and floor were impossibly smooth. Rooms lined the halls, some filled with massive guardians of white Flowers made of various elements.
Such as fire or water…
Women dressed in robes were everywhere, all sharing the exact same appearance as Unity. They floated with an ethereal grace, tending to any and everything.
This felt less like a military base, and more like a backroom. A place where you'd store everything not meant to be seen.
"This place is kinda freaky, and not in a good way," Lance said, looking into a room where three robed women repeatedly transmuted an object.
From a rock, to a boot to a shirt… and eventually an animal.
It was lifeless, but it was undeniably real.
"Understatement," Lumina grumbled.
Unity eventually led us into a massive room. Its only noticeable features were its size, and the massive lake of cosmic dust in the center.
A lake of pure, white energy. Viscous and heavy.
"Welcome, to my womb, my sanctuary!"
Unity turned around with a proud smile, her arms outstretched in a T-pose.
Apollo stepped to the side.