One day remained until they beat Nox’s ass.

Tameka was practically giddy as she loaded some picnic items into the ATV. She glanced over at Sagan carrying her own haul, “Are you sure you can take us and the quadrobike?”

“I’m fine. I got this,” Sagan assured as she glanced around the hangar with “are we forgetting something” written all over her face.

Rayne toted a bundle of towels. “The boys not helping?”

“Andrew and Kyle are acquiring other refreshments for the festivities.” Tameka despaired at Rayne’s inability to keep towels folded properly in transport. After righting them, Tameka stowed everything neatly on the back.

Pehton walked by with a graceful nod to each of them.

Tameka’s besties both watched her leave and muttered, “Damn.” “Fuck me.”

Not getting it, the redhead raised an eyebrow.

They broke eye contact with the avian woman’s backside and cleared their throats, looking anywhere but at Tameka. Sagan mumbled, “Nothing. Just might not be so bad visiting Gait one day, s’all.”

Rayne nodded. “Nice scenery.”

All three women glanced at each and broke into a laugh.

“Stop objectifying our allies,” Tumu whined as he approached them. “No need invoking Lyriki wrath. You’ll see plenty of that tomorrow.”

Karter jumped in from the corridor. “You’ll never forget a Lyrik in battle. Don’t worry, girls. I know exactly where you’re coming from.” She glanced toward the hospital where Pehton headed. “But they are not for the faint of heart.”

Chris walked into the hangar next. “I didn’t know threesomes were on the table.” He grinned at her until she startled him by pulling him close. “Maybe we can celebrate our victory with Para.” She kissed him.

No “get a room” attitude here. Everyone carried on as if two people weren’t making out in the middle of an open space. Today, each kiss, each hug, each profession of love might be the last. So everyone basked in the moment with each other. Tameka smiled. It was kinda beautiful.

The two came up for air long enough to excuse themselves. Jack passed them on the way in. He rolled his eyes and pointed his thumb back at them. “They’ve been going at it like that for a few days now.” He hopped onto the back of the ATV and patted the grate. “Where we headed?”

Tameka tapped Sagan on the shoulder. “You and Tumu help me with that thing. You know? That. Thing.”

Sagan jumped on the hint train. “Right. We need to work a few things out. Tumu, come with us.”

The Tritan glanced between all the Earthlings and shrugged. “I like things.” He followed the girls to the opposite end of the hangar where they pretended to occupy themselves.

The Progeny planned a day together. They wanted to end this journey the same way it started: the five of them. The rest of their crew understood, and that’s why they stopped by to see them off. Jack complicated the matter. He was Rayne’s family, her only living family. But she couldn’t touch him. In order to distract her from the change she underwent—make her feel as normal as possible—she needed as few reminders of the no-contact rule as possible. Hence the picnic.

“Am I not privy to something?” Tumu asked, finally taking the hint.

Sagan laid it all out, “We can’t take Jack with us. It’s hard on Rayne.”

A strange expression passed over his Tritan features. Guilt? Shame? Tameka glared at him. “Maybe you can help. Seeing as how you’re partially to blame.”

He didn’t deny it. Instead, Tumu offered, “I can introduce Jack to the Collective. Keep him occupied.”

Tameka scoffed, “I wouldn’t trust you alone with him.”

“Yea. We won’t trust you alone with him.”

Both girls crossed their arms and glared at him.

Tumu flinched and looked like a beaten puppy until Tameka suggested, “I’ll see if Caedes won’t mind chaperoning. You two can get to know each other this way.”

Sagan caught on quick, frowning at Tameka’s mention of Caedes. But now wasn’t the best time for Tameka to announce that she needed to live with the Tritans. After they won the war. That was the ideal time.

Lynn and Pablo approached Rayne and Jack.

Tumu nodded. “I accept.”

After Rayne said a few words, Jack’s face fell, and he leaned into Lynn’s side hug. She chafed his arms, providing him the comfort his sister could not.

At the defeated trauma in their leader’s eyes, Tameka walked back over. They needed this day. Just one day where they reset everything to almost normal. “Hey, we all packed up?”

Sagan brightly offered from behind, “Jack, have you met Tumu, Officer of the Third?”

“Uh, no. Actually.”

Tumu held out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Callahan. You’ve been a tremendous help to the fight. I listened to your Story Circles.”

Tameka smiled at Jack’s widened eyes. He asked, “Really?”

“Oh, yes. Brilliant strategy. Hey, are you busy today?”

Rayne glanced between her two friends, curious. Tameka smiled reassuringly.

Jack peered up at his sister, then shook his head. “No, I guess not.”

“Good. How’d you like to meet all the ambassadors from the Vast Collective?” At the glare from Rayne, he added, “With Caedes and I.”

She visibly relaxed at the Icarus’ name. Funny times they lived in.

Her little brother pulled away from Lynn and hopped off the back of the quadrobike. “That would be awesome. Where’s Caedes?”

“Right here.” The bald Icarus walked into the hangar dressed in all black per usual. He shot a small, almost invisible smile to Tameka.

All this loyalty over her hair. She couldn’t help but smile.

“Okay, so.” Kyle and Andrew walked in with a small bin. “I think we’re ready to go.”

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Lynn smiled at Jack. “Go represent humanity.”

He beamed. “I’ll try my best.”

Pablo kissed Lynn’s shoulder and smiled at the group. “You guys have a good time.” The last time weighed heavy in the air. But they all smiled warmly at each other, easing the gravity of the day.

Matt, Lucy, and John wandered in to see them off.

“Be safe out there,” John called.

Matt added, “Have a good time.” He held up a hand in a wave and stuffed it back in his pocket.

Lucy beamed at him as she said, “Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do.”

Tameka side-glanced at them. That made for a short list.

Andrew laughed. “It’s just a few hours guys. We’ll be back.” He hopped into the driver’s seat.

Kyle quietly assumed the passenger seat beside him with his head down.

Tameka and Rayne stepped onto the wheel well and gripped the cross bar.

Sagan smiled at Jack. “You wanna see some superhero shit?”

He grinned at her with an eager nod.

Tameka smiled with the rest of the Progeny as the blond woman lifted the entire vehicle and stepped through the Seam.

Behind them, Jack cried, “No. Fucking. Way.”

The conduit closed, leaving the five Progeny alone in their secret gorge. Sagan tossed the car onto its wheels a smidgen too hard.

Andrew hopped out of the driver’s side and laughed. “You flattened the tires.”

Sagan winced, “It’s fixable, right?”

Tameka patted her on the shoulder while Rayne and Kyle unloaded. The redhead assured her, “Smith will manage. Right, Kyle?” She glanced at him over her shoulder.

The curly haired Progeny sparked a lighter to a joint. Wasted no time. He spoke around it, “Oh, yea. Change of tires. No problem.”

Rayne toted the ice chest to the beach and scoffed at him in mock-disbelief. “You finally found some?”

He nodded. “New recruits. Great folks.”

“The apocalypse is looking up.” Andrew took a drag on a cigarette.

Tameka pointed a finger between them. “Don’t go littering out here. Nature didn’t do anything to you.”

Kyle held up a bin. “Duh. Trashcan.”

The redheaded Progeny adjusted the straps on her bikini top before reaching in for her duffle. With it in hand, she peered around at the others as she took center stage. “What’s first?”

Andrew and Kyle shared a look. The Golden God confessed around his cigarette, “We aren’t ready to get wet yet.”

Rayne rolled her eyes as she spread out a flannel blanket on the beach.

Tameka offered, “What about volleyball—”

“We take the leap,” Sagan declared. Then added, “Sorry to interrupt you, Tameka. But we,” her violet gaze climbed up the canyon wall, “made a pact.”

“Yes, we did. Come on, guys.” Tameka summoned her wings and hovered off the ground.

Kyle stared at the wall. “Jump from there?”

Andrew flew upward. “I’m down for this.”

Rayne peered at Kyle, then over to Sagan. The girl’s problem-solving skills showed like visible computing sequences written on her face.

Kyle noticed, too, “I can’t fly. Sagan, can I hitch a ride?”

“Why haven’t you asked about wings?” Tameka asked.

Andrew shifted uncomfortably in the air.

Kyle answered with a shrug, “I don’t want to push. I’ll get them when I get them.”

“You won’t.”

Everyone looked over at Rayne, whose wings caught the sunlight in a shimmer of gold.

Their leader elaborated, “We let you back in, but we maintain a balance. For those wrongs committed, you’ll wait for your wings.”

“Can I ask how long?”

Rayne looked at her hands as if the answer lay there. “Fifty years. Ten if you behave yourself.”

A tension settled on the group, marring the beautiful picnic. Sagan caught Tameka’s sad glance and gave a nod. Andrew watched their General intently.

Despite the sad topic, Kyle grinned like he ate shit for breakfast. “Heh. Guess I’ll be grounded for fifty years.”

Andrew attacked his hair from the air, ruffling it into a bouncy mess.

Kyle shouted, “Hey!” and swatted at him.

The girls all rolled their eyes and groaned before Sagan offered, “I’ll take you to the top. We’ll meet the others.”

So at the top, they stared down at the red clay stratified drop. Tameka closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The wind blew their hair, carrying the scent of undisturbed summers by the lake. The sun strained to reach them through Nox’s sphere, but the light remained diminished. One perfect day.

“We are the Progeny,” she said, unable to stop herself from speaking to the moment.

The others peered over at her, waiting for the rest. They trusted her to mark it.

“Here in this peace, we are as we started: the five of us together.” Sagan took Andrew’s hand. “Through everything—the battles, the travels, the loss—we remain.” Kyle took Tameka’s hand and, with Andrew’s, formed a chain. “Right now. Right here. We make a promise. Tomorrow will come and go, and we will be the same. Together. The five of us. Let nothing and no one stop us.”

Andrew sniffed. Sagan lowered her head until her short hair covered her face. Tameka swallowed the lump in her throat. Kyle gasped and everyone looked over.

Rayne gripped his hand and white flames erupted along her skin. In her Atramentous, she said, “We are the Shadow Progeny. And we will always remain.”

The lake at the bottom welcomed them. As she surfaced, Tameka shivered with the same adrenaline rush as the last time. Flying never quite compared to the heart-stopping drop this close to her pre-nacre existence. She hoped it stayed that way.

Surfacing, Kyle shouted, “Woo! Fuck that was awesome!” He turned to Sagan, who broke the water next. “Can we go again?”

Andrew chuckled behind Tameka. “I want to eat first!”

A minute passed. Then another. Tameka panicked, “Has anyone seen Rayne?”

Sagan and Kyle rushed the water around, searching the bottom.

Andrew yelled, “I don’t see her on shore.”

“I’m here!” She scoured the ice chest. “I’m starving.”

“Hey! That’s my line.” Sagan waded onto shore.

They laid out on the blankets and ate a feast of their favorite dishes. Tameka made her sweet potato mash, Andrew fried some spicy chicken, Kyle cooked the corn on the cob in the forge, Rayne deviled the eggs, and Sagan provided the beverages.

Tameka rolled over on her back and patted her belly with a groan. “I am so full I might actually get sick.”

“The nacre prevents that,” Andrew explained.

“Yea, well, it didn’t help my tolerance for spicy food. Or lack of one,” Kyle groused.

The Golden God nudged the brunette boy with his feet. “Oh, did somebody hurt their weak little tastebuds?”

“Fuck you, man.” Kyle shoved Andrew off him, and they shook their heads with matching grins.

Tameka glanced over at Sagan. “Whatcha doin, pretty lady?”

She looked up from something in her lap. “Doing what I can to mark the moment.”

They all peered over. It was her sketchbook.

“Hey, that’s me,” Rayne pointed, careful not to touch.

Tameka worried how much holding hands during the leap cost her General. The others admired and smiled, but she couldn’t resist pointing out, “Is that the same one Korac left for you at Fair?”

Andrew nodded at it. “Yea, what’s the deal between you and him?”

She continued with her work, unbothered. “I don’t have to explain myself to anyone.”

Rayne stared off into the lake as she answered for her, “He loves her.” The others listened with rapt attention. “There isn’t anything he won’t do for her. He’d tear the worlds apart to prove it.” Sagan gaped at her. “It’s no longer a matter of if he is or isn’t good for her. It’s a matter of what can stand in his way.” Her blue gaze finally connected with them. “Fortunately, he knows how to treat her right. That counts for something.”

Kyle startled them out of it when he leapt to his feet. “Who’s up for some Frisbee?”

They played in the sun all afternoon, discussed battle gear, and ate some more for dinner. The sun long set as a bonfire burned close by, Tameka opened her eyes. The four of them lay on each other in a Progeny pile, spread out on the blanket. As the bittersweet pain returned to her chest, she allowed herself the thought. The one she kept at bay all day. Almost the perfect day. Xelan’s ghost haunted her. The jokes he’d make. The moves he’d pull in volleyball. The inspirational speeches he’d give. All of it.

With that in mind, Tameka froze as movement caught her eye. Rayne took off down the beach with her wings out. Separating herself from the pile, Tameka followed close behind. On the clifftop, she called out, “Where do you go?”

Rayne stopped and offered without turning around, “I’m sorry, Tameka. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

She shook her head, having none of it. “The last three days you took off for hours at a time. You can tell me.”

The General glanced over her shoulder and made a promise, “I will. And after tomorrow, I’ll even take you there. But I can’t right now. I have to go.”

“He wouldn’t like this, you know?” It hurt her to say this, but Rayne needed to hear it, “He’d want you to talk to us.”

The other woman faced her and explained, “I am a danger to you. The longer I’m around you, the more dangerous I become.”

“Can’t we help?”

Rayne surprised Tameka by crossing the distance between them and wrapping her in an embrace. The white light intensified like earlier. “You do. You have. But I’ve overextended it, and now I have to go. Don’t let the others worry about me. And I promise, I’ll be on time tomorrow.”

She squeezed in their brief connection. The girl’s skin blazed almost too hot to touch. They separated all too soon as Tameka pointed a finger right in her face. “You’d better be, or I’ll find you. Whatever corner of the Earth I have to go to and drag your ass back here, you know I’ll do it.”

Rayne turned back to add, “Oh, and you’re such a bitch for invoking Xelan logic. No matter how right you are.”

Tameka gave a little shrug. Mostly unbothered. “He knew better than anyone you always needed a good kick in the ass.”

“I love you, Tameka.”

“I love you, too.”

Then Rayne took off faster than her green eyes could follow. And it occurred to Tameka that she only caught up to the other woman in the first place because the brunette allowed it.

Staring after her, Tameka sighed. “We will always remain.”