“I’m fine, really!” Rose said, biting back her annoyance.
She’d heard these questions a billion times, especially from the adults. They’d insisted more than once she should seek a counselor. Her parents, even her usually lackadaisical father, had freaked out when they’d learned she’d fought an alien invader. Rose’s mom had clutched at her for hours, fearing letting go of her baby. Her father, though, changed his usual tune. He’d annoyingly bragged to everyone about his daughter’s heroics, embarrassing her to no end. Now they started paying real attention to her? At least she had that accomplishment over her perfect sister. Her heart skipped a beat when she thought of her sister, her future self's warning returning in perfect clarity.
What's going to happen to you, Sophia? Rose’s chest bubbled with worry. While they’d never been close, she was still her sister. She fought back her anxiety about future disasters, redirecting her attention to her friend.
“Yeah, but the nightmares! I can’t imagine you’ve been sleeping much. I doubt I would after facing that creature.” Vera suppressed a shudder. The other students crowded around their school’s hero, soaking in every word.
“Poor thing. If you need anything, feel free to ask!” Georges had been weird since the attack, too, doting on her. Did everyone think she was a fragile piece of porcelain?
“I’m fine,” Rose said, her tone more insistent. “I haven’t had any nightmares, actually.” This earned her amazed looks from her classmates. In fact, deep in her heart, Rose had to admit the entire situation had been rather fun. What did that say about her?
“Settle down class.” Ms. Sagan said in her rich Brooklyn accent. She adjusted her thick spectacles with her palm. “We can talk after class. Please open your Social Studies textbook to page 177.”
Class passed by without issue, with no monster attacks to speak of. While the school had gotten damaged in the attack, it’d been minimal. It’d reopened days later. Despite this, everyone was still edgy, with rumors running amok about a possible alien invasion.
The president’s address about Altair had done little to diminish public fears. Much to Rose’s surprise, President Okona hadn’t denied the existence of the alien threat. Instead, he urged that humanity work together to fight this menace. While many nations offered their assistance, countries like Russia remained skeptical. To no one’s surprise, the president hadn’t mentioned the existence of time travel. Aliens were a hard enough pill to swallow.
Rose’s cheeks blushed bright pink at the memory of her public handshake with the President of the United States. They’d concocted an outrageous story about her taking control of the Luyten V after its pilot’s sudden, unexpected death, commending her as a hero. Thankfully, the public bought the story, with Rose receiving incredible praise for her heroic deeds. However, it didn’t stop the conspiracy theories. The most outrageous one claimed she was a cloned psychic super soldier. Rose really hoped the turmoil would die already. She really didn’t appreciate all the attention.
“I’m home!” Rose said as she pushed through the front door. Since her mom worked as an architect, she was usually home. Instead of her mom’s voice, her sister greeted her instead.
“Hey, Roe,” Sophia said, using the nickname her family had stuck her with. When she was first learning to talk, Rose had mispronounced her name as Roe, and the nickname stuck. They thought it was cute. Rose, however, found it somewhat exasperating.
“Hey, Soph,” Rose replied, her voice stilted. Since her future self’s message, she’d been rather awkward around her older sister. What was she supposed to do? The fact Sophia needed protecting at all was confounding. Yet Rose couldn’t ignore the warning. An awkward silence hung between them before Rose finally spoke.
“Is Mom home? I tried texting her, but she hasn’t responded yet.” Their mom had a bad habit of ignoring her phone or forgetting to turn it on. “I wanted to ask if I can eat dinner at Vera’s house tonight. We were planning on having a girl’s night together.”
“Sorry, but she’s out with Danny, doing some shopping. Some sale or whatever. But she’ll be home soon enough.”
After a sigh, Rose nodded her thanks and left for her room. But an extended hand stopped her. “Are you doing okay?”
“Why does everyone keep asking that? I’m fine!” Rose put a hard emphasis on the last word.
“It’s just that you’ve been different since the Altair attack. It’s like you have a burden on your shoulders.”
And Rose supposed that was true. Besides the government, nobody knew about the time travel nonsense or their possibly doomed future. Future Rosemary had entrusted her with saving the future. But what could she do? Even discounting the warning about her sister, everything was so overwhelming. Rose felt adrift.
“I’m managing,” Rose replied truthfully enough. Fighting back turbulent emotions, she climbed the stairs upstairs. Stella was streaming in a couple minutes. Rose wanted to watch it before going to her friend’s place. Vera had little interest in vTubers.
“Roe, I’m here for you, okay?” Her sister said as Rose got halfway up the stairs. “If you ever need to talk, I’m here.”
Rose only snorted. “That’s only because you’re curious about the Luyten V.”
But her sister only smiled. “That too. That thing is truly a wonder. I find it remarkable the US developed such a weapon without anyone noticing. I’m amazed it can even walk under its own weight!” Her sister wanted to be a physicist, and an engineering marvel like the Luyten V captivated her.
Rose had a secret smile when her sister parroted the lie the news had given about Luyten V’s existence. Still, the desire to unburden herself was heavy. But she resisted the urge. She’d rather not go into it with her sister, of all people.
“It’s okay. I’ll manage.” Without another word, she returned to her room.
---
“Tsk. You’re asking for miracles here.” The red-headed young man said. While scruffy looking, he had a rugged charm to him, a laid-backed attitude that made him charming. He leaned back in his chair, rotating the toothpick between his teeth. “Ask for something more reasonable.”
The flippant tone somewhat annoyed Sandage, but he was used to Gamow’s cocksure attitude. It came from his ex-hacker background. They’d caught him breaking into a high-security military database for fun. Gamow hadn’t been as sneaky and clever as he’d thought. Instead of throwing him into jail, they’d offered him a high-paying government job. His talent with computers was remarkable, a certifiable genius.
“So, still no luck making the Luyten V respond to anyone else?” Sandage asked, dismayed. “You can’t change the DNA it responds to?”
“I tried that, but the stupid thing ignored my instructions.” Gamow threw up his arms, giving the towering robot a wary glance.
The warehouse bustled with activity as various scientists tapped at workstations or examined their prized giant robot. It’d taken considerable effort to move the massive monstrosity to a secure location. It was temporary until they moved it to a military base in Nevada. The location needed some alterations until it was prepared to accept Luyten V. To everyone’s surprise, the damage the machine had received in its battle against the Altair drone had already healed like they’d never existed. Another frustrating mystery they didn’t understand.
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The ex-hacker lowered his voice to a conspiratorial level. “I swear that thing’s alive. Have you looked into its eyes? They’re way too human for my liking.”
And Sandage glanced over and suppressed a shutter. Was it his imagination, or was the robot staring right through him? “Wonderful. General Kuiper won’t be pleased with that news.”
“I swear. I’d almost think the Luyten V was created from alien technology.”
“What do you mean?” This observation caught Sandage’s attention.
“How the heck did we advance so quickly in only twenty years? Sure, we were at war with Altair, fighting for our lives, but still.”
“You aren’t supposed to know that, Gamow.” The time travel issue was a carefully kept secret. But Sandage allowed the matter to drop, musing on the observation. “Doctor Gold mentioned its composition was unusual, a metal he’d never seen before.” Worse, despite having Luyten V’s blueprints, they were way beyond anything they could currently understand.
“If they figured this out in the future, so can we.” Sandage forced a smile, hoping it to be true. Too much rode on their success.
“Well, if you need a replacement pilot, why not clone Miss Brahe?” Gamow’s expression turned mischievous. “Like Cecilia from Project Dolly.”
“You aren’t supposed to know about that either,” Sandage said, annoyed.
But the ex-hacker only shrugged. “You’re paying me for suggestions, so I’m giving you some.”
“Point.” Sandage fought back his irritation and signed. “It’s an idea.” He wasn’t keen on throwing Miss Brahe into battle again, anyway. He rather liked the young girl and loathed seeing her getting hurt.
“With the world in danger, we can’t discard anything offhand.” Sandage paused as a scientist tapped him on the shoulder. “Yes?”
“Sir, you need to see this.” The young lady said, flustered.
“Okay?” He followed the scientist, with a curious Gamow following close behind. Displayed on the terminal’s screen were short lines of text, but its contents made Sandage’s heart skip a beat. What the heck?!
“Seek out William von Fraunhofer. He lives at this address. It should push you in the right direction. Your friend, Macauley.” Gamow said, reading the message out loud. “Was this in the Luyten V’s database? That’s supposed to be a closed system!”
“I can’t answer that, sir.” The female scientist said, wringing her hands. “It just showed up a few minutes ago. I’ve been here the entire time. There’s no way someone could have assessed my terminal.”
“I see,” Sandage said, finally finding his voice. He furrowed his brow when he scanned the room. He found nothing out of place or anyone without the proper clearance.
“Macauley.” That was a name mentioned in Luyten V’s database. What the heck was going on?
“Hm. Interesting.” Gamow played with his phone. It’d only taken him seconds to find the info he’d been searching for. “He’s a German immigrant who moved to the US ten years ago. Degrees in multiple fields, but specializes in biomechanics.”
“Biomechanics?” Like prosthetic limbs? But he supposed the clue was worth investigating. There was much about Luyten V’s construction that the big-headed scientist still didn’t understand. They discovered hints that the machine creature might contain some organic parts.
“I’ll get in contact with him.” While Sandage loathed accepting help from such a mysterious, anonymous source, times were desperate. Still, who was this Macauley person? Why operate in the shadows?
“Don’t worry. I’ll find them, whoever they are,” Gamow said, reading his thoughts. “I guarantee it.”
“Good. I hate surprises.” He jumped as metal squealed behind him. He turned to see the Luyten V struggling with its restraints. They snapped like twigs, and the machine monster stomped forward.
“What’s going on?” Gamow said, alarmed.
“I don’t know. Nobody’s in the cockpit!” The female scientist cried. People scrambled as Luyten V plodded forward, its gait single-minded. Sandage winced as a fist smashed the garage door open, the metal crumpling like paper. With remarkable speed, the Luyten V dashed into the distance.
Sandage cursed, tapping frantically on his phone. Was this another Altair attack? Impossible. They had another twenty years until they attacked! His blood chilled to freezing when he realized something. They still understood the barest minimum about the Altair. What if the first drone had contacted its brethren? Was this the beginning of the end?
---
“Now let’s read some Super Chats!” Stella’s avatar said, thrusting an enthusiastic arm into the air. This was Rose’s favorite part of Stella’s stream. The jokes, memes, and random questions always made her laugh.
“Thank you for streaming, Stella. With the world on the path of possible destruction, you’ve always been a light that guided my day.” The vTuber read before breaking into a grateful smile. For an indie streamer, Stella’s avatar possessed an impressive amount of animation. “Thank you for the Super Chat! With things so scary, I’m glad to help make your day brighter.”
Stella’s expression turned determined. “But don’t worry. I’ll always be here for you. I won’t let these Altair do as they wish!”
“So brave.” In the chat, people theorized how Stella might accomplish this feat. Did she have some super weapon stored away from her home planet? Did she have her own super mech? Stella’s vTuber gimmick was that she was an unknown alien from a distant planet. She was visiting Earth because humans fascinated her. Rose joined in with the fake speculation, laughing as her ideas became more and more fantastical.
“Huh? What! Impossible!” The vTuber tensed, her expression turning fretful. Rose wondered what Stella was talking about when the chat broke into utter pandemonium. Something about an alien attack in DC.
Rose’s phone was already out, and she stared at the news feed. It showed a blurry picture of a monster towering over buildings standing amongst rubble. Unlike the Altair she’d seen before, this monstrosity was more shark-like, but it stood on four legs like a wolf.
“No! It can’t be.” Rose continued to stare, ice flowing through her veins. This couldn’t be real. The Altair were supposed to attack in twenty years! Not now! But Rose couldn’t deny the nightmare had already arrived on Earth.
“Please, if you’re in DC, evacuate to safety,” Stella said, trying to remain calm. “Let our thoughts and prayers be with them. Help will arrive soon. I just know it.”
Rose slumped in her chair, feeling helpless. She watched in a video feed, missiles being fired into the Altair monstrosity. The military unloaded everything into it, but it did little but annoy the monster. She winced as it smashed through their ranks like toy soldiers.
She yelped as the ground shook, almost falling from her seat. Yet Rose wasn’t afraid. She recognized that gait. After a couple of minutes, the rumbling stopped. Rose threw open her curtains to find what she’d expected, Luyten V standing in her parkway. Thankfully, it didn’t burst through her house like before. Rose was already bounding downstairs.
“You again!” Rose said, staring into the metal creature’s eyes. While its face didn’t show any emotions, it eyed her expectantly.
“You expect me to fight again, don’t you?” Rose said, peeved. “I’m just twelve years old. I can’t do this!”
But the Luyten V only stared back, patient. Rose quivered with pent-up emotion. She wasn’t really considering jumping into the Luyten V’s cockpit, right? She stared down at her phone, watching as the Altair smashed through buildings, killing an untold number of people.
“Help is coming,” Rose repeated Stella’s words, rubbing at her hair. “I’m insane. I’m actually considering this!” But she had little choice.
“Rose!” Her sister said, staring at the machine parked in their parking lot with wide eyes.
“Tell Mom I’ll be back soon. I guess I’ll be having supper at home after all.” Rose sent Vera a quick text, canceling their hangout.
“You can’t be serious!” Sophia said, grabbing her sister’s arm. But Rose only knocked it away.
“I must. I’m the only one who can,” Rose said, determination bubbling in her chest. She’d get into terrible trouble for this, but people mattered more.
“But..!”
“Goodbye, Sophia. Stay safe.” Luyten V’s chest broke open, revealing the cockpit within. With a leap, the tentacles grabbed Rose and pulled her in. She waved her goodbyes, hoping this wouldn’t be their last meeting. She hadn’t a clue how the Luyten V worked.
“But DC’s hundreds of miles away,” Rose said, accommodating herself to the controls. How will we get there? In answer to her question, a light burst into life. “Booster jets? You can fly?”
Without hesitation, she clicked the button. Back panels opened up, revealing twin booster jets, and they flared to life. Her sister fled as they hurled into the air, making a mess of the neighborhood. Rose laughed as they rose hundreds of feet into the air. The sensations of flying were incredible. With a toggle forward, they flew at a blinding speed.
“Let’s go, Luyten V! Let’s smash that Altair and save DC!”