MILO

How can a solar system wide space station just vanish? It was baffling. Milo scratched his head, trying to accept what had happened. At least they had gotten away from The Breach once again. It was lucky that they had not been able to repair their drive cone yet.

“Will she be alright?” Milo asked.

Diego pulled back from Claire, who was lying sedated on the med bay’s table. “Yes. We will need to graft some synthetic tissue to replace the more seriously damaged regions and put some titanium bolts on the bone until it has mended properly. But other than that, she will be alright.”

Milo sank down in the seat, in the corner of the room. “Good.”

Sam stepped into the med bay, holding the acid shotgun in his hands and all the wounds he had suffered in the fight; burn marks across his arms and face. Doc stepped in with his scanner and tools.

“Claire showed calm and laser focus when we were trapped on that ship. Her cunningness made my shotgun work, she also figured out how to align the rig’s arm. We got off some nice shots. She has qualities I had not observed before,” Sam said. “I want her with us the next time. Fully suited.”

Milo nodded. “She will look great in that suit she is hiding in her workshop.”

“But Beth. She will be off my ship,” Sam said. “Or I will peel her open. Metal skin or not. We are crew, we don’t hurt each other.”

Milo felt the knot in his stomach again. A knot of shame. The botched mingling has not been his fault. He was mighty and if he had proved himself against that dragon, they would have acquired a powerful ally. Rahgon, of Celeste Clan. That sounded mighty.

“She thinks I screwed it up,” Milo said. “But she is wrong. I did the exact thing they wanted me to do.”

Sam turned to him. “What are you saying?”

“During these meetings the different clans have different ‘levels of strength’. And to be allowed to approach a stronger clan, you need to prove your worth. I approached this dragon, which looked mighty. Thinking that they would be a powerful ally.”

Sam looked confused. “A dragon?”

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“Yeah. Or at least that creature looked just like dragons and then Beth said how they could fly in space without vacuum suits or ships. And breathe fire through their nostrils. I saw the flames myself,” Milo said. “So I approached them, fully aware of what I needed to do. A lightning bolt across its scaly body would have put it in place. But its claw came down too quick and too hard, I almost passed out by keeping my barrier up.”

“How big was this dragon?” Sam said.

Milo held his hands up. “Like a shuttle. Of flesh and scales hard as rock.”

“I don’t know how these orbs and their companions behave with each other. But I trust you. If they didn’t think you would handle it, they should not have pulled you along,” Sam said.

“Tern wanted me there. My electricity is valuable, since the orbs are able to suppress electrical fields, but not mine,” Milo said. “It makes me a valuable commodity.”

“So you were trying to impress a space dragon with a bit of electricity? That doesn’t sound too good of a plan,” Sam said.

Milo sighed. “I just needed to prove my might to it! How would you have liked a dragon flying by the Final Sight’s side? Fuck Carl, fuck Saif, and their dreadnought. They would have been torched, scorched and clawed.”

“You two. You are looking at this problem from the wrong perspective,” Diego said, speaking up. “She saved both of you and Claire from certain death. You had no out, she gave you one. You should think once or twice on how you treat us others. Me, Leopold, Claire and Dr. Birgitta. We have no powers or combat suits. We have our wits and mortal flesh to keep us safe. I am fucking tired of you running and gunning, cursing and yelling at each other,” Diego said.

Milo’s hands tensed into fists, tendrils came slowly to life.

“When will we have our combat suits? Or any plan to keep us safe when shit hits the fan again. Which it will, without a doubt. Because that is how this story goes,” Diego said.

Sam stepped forward, putting a hand on his crewmate’s shoulder. “Wow. Diego, I did not know. I have not thought about it like that. I thought you were happy that we handled the violent bits and you patched us up afterwards.”

“Of course you have not!” Diego said, pulling away from Sam’s hand. “I am not going to have my legs crushed underneath your fucking rig.”

“We didn’t mean it like this,” Milo mumbled.

The heat, the anger sobered off. Diego had put a valid point on the table. They had no contingency. No plan to keep them safe. But how would such a solution look like?

Diego sighed. “I guessed as much. Leave my medbay, drink some water. I need to attend to Claire.”

“Of course,” Sam said, pulling Milo out the room.

The door slid closed behind them.

“I just thought that we would be enough,” Milo said. “Enough to achieve our goals, save everyone and kick ass.”

Sam sighed. “It has started. The collapse of our crew I warned you it would happen. I will be on the bridge if you need me.”