Azonne’s anxiety spiked within Roxanne. It traveled up and down her body from her head to her toes. A sense of recognition washed over her. Azonne knew this person. They knew each other.

KAYTEL.

Roxanne’s mind immediately traveled into a memory. Not her’s, but Azonne’s. Roxanne found herself in a meadow on the planet Ganlomb, a planet painted in surreal hues. Vibrant purple grass danced beneath trees adorned with lively green and black leaves in this meadow. The air is perfumed with the sweet aroma of violet pollen.

Nestled within this botanical wonderland is a pristine school—a clean, white ranch-style building. Aligned doors open to classrooms with large windows offering panoramic views of the vibrant landscape. Roxanne approached; she could taste the dew in the air.

I am sorry, I cannot control this. I am-I am overwhelmed.

Roxanne didn’t mind. She often had questions about her partner and their former homeworld. She just never pried or sought them out without permission. Azonne’s childhood memories were wiped by her mentor D’Grav, the previous ring-wielder twice removed. Evidently, to protect her from terrible things that happened. Both Roxanne and Azonne often theorized they weren’t truly gone. Nothing was ever really deleted. The lives and memories of everyone who previously served—all 200—were stored somewhere inside Roxanne’s Mind Palace.

Little Ganlomb children played in the grass field outside the building. A mess of them appear to be playing a structured version of freeze-tag. A much smaller group of four girls hovered around a thick black tree. Sides were suddenly picked, making it three against one. The lead one stepped forward and shoved the lone girl to the grass.

It was little Azonne.

“You hurt Altan and Voxin, you freak!” The ring leader shouted. “We’re not playing with you or that dumb rabbit anymore! We’re telling!”

The group of girls ran off. Little Azonne sat crying and clutching at the purple grass. Behind the tree warbled the tar-colored rabbit.

“The shouting one was this Kaytel, I take it?”

I assume so. I am surprised at this memory revealing itself to me now. Its presence is putting a few things into place. The one I genuinely recall is...much more recent.

The scenery shifts to the Capital of Ganlomb, Dosog. Built a millennia ago, it had two components: The Upper City and The Lower City. Azonne was from The Lower City, where her grandmother’s shop and home were located. The top side was new, beautiful, and sleek; the bottom was used, rusted, and bolted together.

Ganlomb were conscripted into serving the armed forces, and their families lived in the Upper City. Many Ganlomb were expected to serve in service of the Protectorate, a set of ruling AIs that, once a generation, chose a living Ganlomb as their front-facing avatar. Those that didn’t or couldn’t—for various reasons—were relegated to the Lower City.

The division didn’t apply to children. They were all taught at the same place until they were considered adults. The graduation ceremonies were a spectacle for the entire city once that day came. They took place at the capitol building. It was situated at the city’s center, a tall, menacing structure. They already happened hours ago, but there was still a crowd. One more ceremony was yet to begin.

Azonne didn’t graduate with her peers. She got pulled after everything that happened. Did private tutoring on her own and met up with D’Grav bimonthly. She went to school only for things that could not be done at home. Mostly things involving physical fitness.

So, no, Azonne didn’t graduate with the other new adults. But she still had a ceremony to take part in all the same.

Today, she would be given the Mantle. Azonne never imagined it would be so soon and so public. But D’Grav was old and ready to move on. She had lived for 1000 years, and with her native species long gone, she allowed Ganlomb to be her final resting place. Azonne’s people were grateful for the honor. The ring-wielder and holder of the Mantle were important to Ganlomb history, taught to all young and old.

Azonne was nervous and paced backstage. An elaborate stage and facade was set up to mark the occasion. A large panorama of space porn—Nebulas, molecular clouds, and stellar nurseries. Currently, the front-facing avatar for the Protectorate gave a speech. Azonne was trying not to listen. She took a second to peek beyond the curtain, almost made eye contact with D’Grav, and quickly backed up into a wall.

“Can’t believe they’re giving it to you,” Kaytel approached Azonne wearing her graduate robe, flanked on either side by her best mates, Voxin and Alnan. Voxin’s skin was darker than her friend’s—almost maroon—while Alnan was the closest shade to purple than either of them was.

Azonne recognized them from the physical fitness classes she attended. She knew them by reputation but little else. They only stared at her and whispered to their other friends but never approached her. She always wondered why.

“They knew you before,” Roxanne said, walking around the four figures. “Pre-memory wipe.”

Clearly.

A naive curiosity had formed on the past Azonne’s face. The other three, well, they did not look friendly. Roxanne had seen it before, from someone who suddenly decided they hated her. It was a horrible look to come across just out in the wild.

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Kaytel, Alnan, and Voxin grew up together. Their mothers were a tight-knit brood that looked after one another. Their shared link was service in the military. Their families took the sisterhood very seriously.

The Ganlomb were once a proud conquering warrior race that grew docile as technological advances progressed. On the backs of their military might and technological superiority, the Ganlomb Military became a force for peace in the known galaxy, and the families of the three had generations of service behind them.

All three girls had medals around their necks, signaling they were within the top 1 percent of the outgoing class. Younger Azonne studied them, somehow feeling self-conscious. Often, she wished she attended enough to get one of her own.

“W-what did you say?” Her younger self stammered, realizing she didn’t quite catch the last statement.

“They told us to leave you alone,” Kaytel continued unabated. “So we did but never thought it meant…this.” Kaytel scoffed rather loudly, and the other two followed suit.

“I don’t understand,” Azonne spit, feeling some backbone. “What’s your problem?”

“You hear that ladies? She doesn’t understand!” All three laughed in unison. Kaytel got in Azonne’s face and rested her hand just by her head and against the back wall. Azonne tried to make her body smaller. A part of her hoped that, if she got small enough, she wouldn’t exist anymore. Voxin and Alnan flanked either side of Kaytel, keeping a lookout for anyone important or…more adult.

“Understand this, freak,” Kaytel spat. “You getting the rings is a total joke! Us three? We’re gonna join the service and become the best of the best!”

“Yeah, and Ganlomb is gonna need us,” Voxin said over her shoulder.

“Since the Cyntaff chose you,” Alnan continued.

“We can’t count on it to keep us safe,” Kaytel finished. “Who could believe in it after it chose a freak like you??”

The three bullies walked away, each sneering in their own specific way, while Azonne simply kept her eyes shut. Her large eyes remained closed until she heard her name. It was D’Grav; she had come to get her. This memory was vivid to Azonne; she thought of it often. The memory froze while Roxanne studied the moment between the two.

She then brought me out to accept the Cyntaff. I remember feeling so relieved. My hero, my mentor, rescuing me from some mean words…

“Hey, words hurt—and you had no idea they harbored those feelings.”

I feel I should have. What did I do to them?

“We could ask.”

I don’t…I don’t know. I hate this.

The memory dissipated around Roxanne, revealing the dirt-covered plateau she currently stood on. Kaytel was in front of her, staring. Her helmet was resting in the crook of her arm. Somehow, the ship had returned and landed behind her during Roxanne’s brief absence. How short, Roxanne couldn’t say.

“You conferred with her, yes?” Kaytel asked.

“With who?” Roxanne squinted one of her eyes. She was trying to play it cool. This transition from the Mind Palace into the real world was intense and still very new to her psyche.

“Azonne,” Kaytel sighed. “She was your predecessor.”

“Riiight,” Roxanne said, hands on hips. “And you made her life miserable!” Kaytel said nothing to this. Instead, she stared at the ground while digging the toes of her black boot into the ground.

“A lot of time has passed,” she muttered as she nodded. “Azonne became Mantle bearer and holder of the Cyntaff. I—we—served the Protectorate honorably. None of us are children anymore. Please, we just want to know what happened to our home.”

“You keep saying we, where are the other two?”

“They remain in orbit around Ganlomb. That’s how we found out. Returning home from a scouting mission,” Kaytel paused and gathered her breath. Under her arm, she cradled her helmet tighter. “At first, we thought it was a trick. But no, it’s just barren, and we’ve been unable to go to the surface. We’ve been afraid.”

“Of what?”

“What we would find. I was the one who suggested seeking out the light-bringer, hoping you were still one of our own. But your presence means that she is dead, too.”

“What is it you really want?” Roxanne cocked her head to the side, hand lazily resting on her back hip. “A story? I don’t believe that.”

“I want to hear it from her,” Kaytel shoved her helmet into the ground and sat on it. “I know how it works. She’s still in there, isn’t she? In a way? Can she come out?”

“…why?” Roxanne lowered her eyebrows, but her posture was unchanged. “Don’t think she feels bad enough? Want to get those last digs in?”

“No!” Kaytel fell silent. She stared at the ground , resting her palms on both her knees. The wind kicked around swirls of dirt. A red sun grew closer to the horizon, and the sky slowly started changing colors. Azonne materialized between them both but said nothing. She was curious about the answer, too.

“We are the last of our kind,” Kaytel said finally. Whatever happened between us…pales in the face of it. She witnessed Ganlomb’s final days. I need to hear how it happened from one of our kin; it will not feel real until then. In truth, I am the holdout; I am the only one who feels that way. It is why I am the only one here.”

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you, but that’s not how the Mantle works-”

“A moment, Roxanne.” Azonne stepped into Roxanne’s light of sight, resting her thumb and index finger against the tip of her chin. “There may be a way.”

Oh great, I love being wrong in front of the straights. And now she’s just staring at me.

“Can I have a moment?” Roxanne asked Kaytel, who appeared non-plussed. She said she knew how it worked, but Roxanne sure did wonder if Kaytel knew that Azonne was walking around her.

“Take your time,” Kaytel nodded but did not stop staring. Roxanne bit her lips to refrain from commenting and turned her back on her. Azonne stood at the plateau’s edge with her hands clasped behind her back.

Okay, I’m listening.

“I believe our consciousness’ can switch places momentarily,” Azonne glanced behind her. “Where I would essentially be piloting your body.”

Okay, weird. How does that work?

“It is part of a defensive failsafe should you ever become incapacitated and are in danger. I think,” Azonne shut her lids, and her eyeballs danced in the sockets. “Yes, it can be activated outside of that context.”

And you actually want to do that?

“I think I should,” Azonne turned around. “Don’t you?”

Roxanne placed both hands on either hip and tilted her head. She wasn’t sure about trying this trick but was immensely surprised that Azonne was game for it. They spoke at length about Ganlomb and her feelings about it. Roxanne was sure she’d chicken out. She was…She was proud of her?

If you think it would help…I guess we can try it. Would it hurt?

“No,” Azonne shrugged. “If you do not feel comfortable, we do not have to do this. I get it.”

No, it’s okay; I trust you, obviously. I just hope it doesn’t feel too weird. How do we do it?

“You should probably sit.,” Azonne told her. Roxanne got down on her butt and crossed her legs; Azonne soon followed suit and took her hand. Energy sparked between them and lit up their eyes. Roxanne’s muscles tensed. A prickly feeling rumbled up and down her body. She saw the world around them melt away, and everything went black.