{Enki | Medical Bay}

Sagan stood on the stairs between the bays, letting Korac have a moment with his mother while Sagan took one for herself.

So many conduits were open, and she could feel the souls tramping through each one. Eager boots, some barefoot, and some on wings—All of them her responsibility. Sagan’s bones were weary with it, her head heavy from it, and her heart was beating fainter for it. Not to mention—

“I’m starving.”

The last of her food was in Korac’s robes after Sagan depleted her own pocket reserves—

Someone whistled.

Below, Xelan stood at the foot of the stairs like a sentinel—One who was holding a Yun chocolate and nut nutrition ration. It was like a gourmet MRE.

Sagan might have drooled as Xelan nodded for her to come get it. “Thank you!” She was halfway down the stairs before a thought occurred to her. “Aren’t you supposed to go with Lam to watch for Tameka’s signal? After all, Rayne’s crazy plan won’t work without her.”

Xelan’s eyes flickered with reproach—caught.

Sagan figured it out and pointed at him. Her voice was a hoarse whisper as she accused, “You stayed to check on Korac, didn’t you?”

He made a show of adjusting the collar, lapels, and sleeves of his straight-up pirate frock. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He refused to look at her.

Sagan laughed, and oh yes, it sounded like a witch’s cackle. It softened when she saw how exposed he looked. Her mentor was stripped bare and left vulnerable. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell.” She reached for the nutrition ration—

Xelan snatched it and dangled it high above her. Curse Icarean royalty and their tippy-toed tallness. He raised a brow at her. Serious, but not serious. “Promise?”

Sagan leveled her flat gaze at him. “I promise. You act like I don’t already keep a Verse’s worth of your secrets—Oooh!” The bag fell in her hand. “Thank you.”

Xelan ruffled her hair and made to turn away.

“Xelan?” Sagan stopped him.

He paused and looked over his shoulder, really hamming up this new look of his. Before they knew it, he’d commandeer a tricorne from an Enki museum or something.

She suppressed the need to laugh, because what she wanted to know wasn’t funny at all. So her voice was soft, unsure, when she asked, “Do you think Rayne can manipulate the Weapon like she described?”

Again, something flickered in Xelan’s eyes, but Sagan didn’t catch it this time as he said, “She told us Elden taught her the techniques needed to do so. I trust her.” Those eyes narrowed, and his foundation sounded less solid when he asked, “Why? Don’t you?”

That was a hard question to answer. In the years since Xelan had passed, Rayne acted more independently from the Shadow. She was with them—yes, always—but more like every move she made protected them. Even if it meant isolating herself. No—Especially so.

How does one trust a martyr?

Trust.

“I trust her to save the Vast Collective…”

Xelan searched Sagan’s eyes. “But?”

Damn, he was quick, or she was that transparent. Sagan swallowed before announcing this flaw of her dearest friend and partner. “Well, it’s just that Rayne—”

“Para, mother wants to see—Oh. You two are just standing down here, stalking me.” Korac finished the stairs, folded his arms to lean against the threshold, and smirked.

Frustrated, Xelan threw his hands in the air. “I am not stalking you!” When he winked at Sagan, she laughed almost involuntarily at how unexpected it was in contrast to their previous topic. He kissed her forehead before turning to walk away. Xelan waved as he said, “I’m heading to Cinder’s Shrine. Tameka will call soon.”

“Damn right she will,” Korac muttered under his breath, watching the other man go. He shook himself and warmed his smirk for Sagan. “How’s my girl?”

“Well, Triss is in a lot of pain. She still won’t let me into the delivery tier. Pablo says it’s taking a while, but Echo will be here—”

A pale finger to her lips stopped Sagan from finishing the update. She peered curiously up at Korac in a way that made her eyes cross.

He chuckled and lowered his hand. “I meant you. How are you? Lil amos will need another nickname, so I can better distinguish between the two of you in our sprawling mountain lodge—”

Sagan gaped at him. She couldn’t help it. Not since before learning Razor was his brother had Korac spoken that many words in such a lighthearted tone. Frankly, she was more than a little affected—

Korac’s eyes closed, and he inhaled gently. When he opened them, his eyes had shifted into Atramentous. On a soft growl, he said, “Watermelon.”

Assume the position.

As Korac surged toward Sagan, she backed against the wall, wrists up for him to pin them. She purred when the exposed skin of her back met the cold material. He lifted her leg to wrap around his ass before he leaned down for a kiss—

“I want everyone to see what it looks like at the heart of Enki.”

Rayne.

“It’s like being in the center of a beach ball with every stripe alternating a continent and an ocean. The shrines are completely invisible as far as I can see. Then there’s the star… It’s still several million miles away, but I can feel its warmth from here.”

Sagan choked back a whimper. There were too many conflicting emotions. Triss was dying upstairs, but at least Echo was on the way. No one knew if Tameka was alive, but everyone talked about her as if she were on her way back to them. Remorse stole Pax, but Celindria died.

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That last one felt hollow.

Sagan expected the First Progeny to die with more of a galactic-destroying bang, but Xelan assured them all the waves of Cascading Light’s effects were her last breaths.

Then there was Rayne.

Korac gently set Sagan straight and kissed the top of her head. “She comes first.”

“Actually, Rayne’s really generous—Oh, you mean…”

His smile was the wryest of the wry, and Sagan felt all the blood rush to her cheeks—

“You gave everyone a hug but me.”

Kyle’s complaint over the earpiece, and the whine with it, made Korac bark out a laugh and Sagan snort into her hand.

“Watch this.” With a wink, Korac said into the earpiece. “Your majesty, this is Silver General. I just want the Porn Baron to mark for the record that I also did not receive a hug. Over.”

Iuo responded, “Roger that, Silver General. I will also note for the record that I have yet to receive one, your majesty. Over.”

A “humph” came across the line, which could only mean Caedes was left hug-less as well.

On the mic, Pehton said, “Don’t worry, Master Graveller. I plan to give you one. Over.”

The secondhand thrill exhilarated Sagan into punching the air. “Yes! They’re official!”

Korac grinned, more with mischief than with excitement.

Sagan asked, “Are you looking forward to giving Pehton shit?”

“Oh, yes.”

Sagan shoved her hands in her pockets to keep from touching him further. Playful swatting could so easily turn into inappropriately timed caressing, moving lower—

Her hand found the dossier drive from Razor buried in there, a reminder of their journey so far. She asked, “Do you think this will work on the bridge?”

Korac peered at it, his voice filled with suspicion. “What could be on it to require this much security?”

Sagan shrugged, uncertain, and shoved it back into her pocket. “Razor said all of Imminent’s secrets, but for all I know, it’s the recipe to Colton’s cheesecake—”

“Seamswalker, come in. This is War King on your private channel.”

Sagan straightened and mouthed, “Rayne,” to Korac before answering, “Go ahead.”

Despite flying an astronomical unit in an hour, Rayne sounded unaffected and rather serene. “Sorry for the intrusion, but I don’t want to disturb the others from their work.” Martyrs gonna mart. “I’m as close to the center of Enki without making best friends with the nameless star. As it turns out, that’s right outside the shrine to Thailea. Can you locate me?” A pause followed before she added, “Oh yeah. I forgot to say ‘Over.’ Over.”

Korac chuffed and smirked at Sagan, who looked a question at him. “Go to her.”

She motioned a finger between them. “I plan to finish what we started.”

“Take from me what you need.”

Sagan Seamswalked into space. Proper, middle of nowhere, nothing but the edges of Enki stretched far on the horizon—Space. No Rayne either. Into her private channel, Sagan mused, “Do you have any idea how hard it’ll be to find you? Can you describe a specific speck of space dust for me? Over.” She poofed, attempting another location.

Rayne giggled. “I have every faith you’ll—”

Sagan poofed beside her and opened her black wings.

“—manage.” Rayne grinned. “Hey, gorgeous. Nice outfit. Sorry I didn’t say anything earlier. You know? Mixed company. I hate making Wingmaster blush.”

Unable to help herself, Sagan did blush. “Right back at you. Hey, where’s Night Killer?”

Rayne gave a cavalier shrug. “I stored it.”

With a crinkle of her nose, Sagan said, “Actually, it’s kinda odd your outfit coordinates with the rest of the Shadow.”

“I noticed.” Rayne’s grin dimmed to a sad smile. “I owe many people hugs.”

Sagan stamped her foot in space. “Stop that. You know what Tameka would say about it.”

Waving her off, Rayne said, “Yeah, yeah. ‘Get off your cross.’” She snickered. “I do owe her a hug.”

With a smile at her girlfriend, Sagan circled slowly to take in the scenery. “Elden, it’s beautiful. Too bad you have to destroy it—Hey, how are we breathing?”

Abruptly, Rayne’s eyes faded in their brilliance as she went off somewhere in her head to return with the answer. “The nanite field converts any nearby gases into oxygen. We happen to be in a nitrogen cloud. The field is also keeping us warm.”

Sagan nodded along, tracking. “So once Tameka starts powering you up, your field could convert all of Enki into atmosphere.”

Again, that distant look before she said, “You’re right, but that’s obviously not what we’re up to. The Weapon will likely do the opposite and burn all the gases.”

That kinda dampened the fun space talk.

Sagan changed the subject. “I found you, so now we can make sure Tameka does, too. I can also Seamswalk you out when it’s time to escape.” She laughed. “It’ll probably be one of those close, down-to-the-wire, cinematic moments.”

Rayne smiled. “Something like that.” Then she buffeted her wings, bringing her closer as she asked, “I have an idea which might help, but I need to speak to Elden alone.”

That tilted Sagan’s head. “How…?”

“Can you open a conduit to the nacre chamber for me? I know you’re overtaxed with all the others—”

Sagan opened the conduit beside them. “If it’s important enough for you to ask me for help, I’ll always give it, Rayne. Always.”

Rayne swallowed hard and couldn’t seem to form words. She simply nodded on her way through the conduit. Sagan lingered outside, musing about their first time in Enki. How the sight of it without a nacre left all the Progeny dizzy. Now, she was in the heart of the Dyson’s Sphere and in awe of the sheer ingenuity.

Sagan couldn’t wait for Tameka to return and see Rayne. Then she’d bring Kyle and Andrew up here. All of them together.

While she waited, she munched on the Yun nutrition ration. Perfect chocolate with a hint of something close to Earth espresso. Would this be enough? All those conduits tugged at Sagan’s limits. Her ability had gloriously blossomed over the last few years, but she wasn’t a goddess. No matter what Korac said in bed—

“Thanks for that. I think it’ll do the trick.” Rayne stared at the bag of food, and her stomach growled loud enough for Sagan to hear in the vacuum of space. “Is that chocolate?”

Sagan laughed and held out the bag to her bestie. “How long has it been since you ate anything?”

Rayne shrugged. “The Martyr Complex kept me hydrated and nourished—Oh my god.” She closed her eyes and moaned. “This is so good.”

“Xelan demanded you wake up when he first found you like that.” Sagan blurted the words out with little thought, but was glad she told her. “He—I’ve never heard a sound like the one he made.”

Rayne looked away. “I… can’t imagine it.”

“I’m naming our daughter ‘Echo.’ I have a slight crush on my mother-in-law. And I know what Nox did to you.”

Sagan’s confessions made Rayne look up. Her voice was soft, almost lost to the vast nothing around them. “I know you do. You told me in Korac’s Verse.” Softer, she said, “That was between Nox and I.”

Sagan frowned. “I’m sorry. I hate knowing without telling you, and since reading all these Verses, I’m so confused about it. If Nox had resurrected instead of Xelan, I’d want to kill him all over again or leave him in an infinite conduit loop. But the Icarus he was to Korac… and the way he wrote to you… Rayne, I don’t know how you manage your confusion.”

Okay. Enough with the prying confessions. Sagan stopped herself from blurting out more things she wanted to say over the last few years and examined her girlfriend.

Rayne floated within the abyss, not alone and afraid, but with love constellated in her bright blue eyes. She smiled, and it was brilliant. “I think you’ll find I’m less confused than I ought to be, but don’t let that upset you. I want to meet Echo and I can’t believe you named your daughter after me. I feel all honored and shit. What does Korac think of it?”

No hesitation. “He loves it.”

The smile crooked into a smirk, confident enough to give Korac a run for his credits. “I’d like to have a few words with him before he goes off and asks you to marry him. You know? Lay down a few ground rules. Like, whenever we’re admiring a beautiful view in space, I get to kiss you.”

Rayne buffeted closer, cupped Sagan’s neck with both hands, and brought their lips together. Soft and sure, Rayne’s kiss took Sagan’s breath away. After a few seconds, they separated by only centimeters, enough to appease the fuse.

To that end, a tear rolled down Rayne’s cheek. “Worth it.” Azure pulsed under her skin, and another tear fell. “You need to get back to the others.”

Now Sagan was crying. “I wish I could stay with you.”

Rayne shook her head. “You won’t miss anything up here. All the action is happening down there. And I’ll see you again when you bring Tameka. I owe her a hug, remember?”

Sagan fought against the lump in her throat to get the words out. “I love you.” A conduit opened behind her.

“I’ve never and will never love anyone more than you, Sagan. I’ll see you soon.”

When Sagan stepped back into the conduit and it began to close, she swore Rayne started talking to her shadow cast by Enki’s sun.