{Enki | Gait’s Shrine}

This was a rough ride. Where was Justice Lee taking Lucy this time?

“Ugh.”

“She’s waking up.” That was Yito’s voice.

Oh, wait. Lucy remembered. Abresson had drugged her, and her new boys came in to save her.

The Ultimate Mission.

But now where was she? A light whirring sounded around her, and she was stuffed in a cramped space. The other Tritans’ voices sounded teeny on the speakers.

Praw said, “We have to hurry. We have two hours before Gait collides into the hull. I’m surprised Primary Rem hasn’t blown the damned thing yet.”

Lucy almost laughed. About that…

Stressed, Dolton said, “Eminent Lance will need our assistance with the pods once we reach a breakaway point. There’s simply too many for one person to open.”

Yito ordered, “Dolton. Praw. Take the others and go. Lucy and I can retrieve the demolition team together. Right, Lemonade?”

Stupid nickname. Lucy smiled at it in her half-awake state.

Yito’s return smile was in his voice. “That’s right.”

Praw suggested, “We’ll rendezvous in the Pantheon once Gait hits. I’m looking forward to ending this. Good luck to you.”

“And to you, old friend.”

The other voices stopped.

Lucy opened her eyes. Space. Were they in space? The shrine to Gait lingered in the middle of nothing outside the windows of the single pilot cockpit. Her voice came out softer than intended. “Matt.”

The rogue half of Gait came into view, and Yito assured, “As fast as I can, Lemonade. We’ve been rescuing the demo team with Pil platinum magnets.” He shifted storage to let Lucy sit up while he opened the retrieval protocols on the terminals. Into the comms, he urged, “Demolition team. The magnets are on their way. Set all equipment to next phase parameters and the suits will do the rest. You have twenty minutes. Good luck. Over and Out.”

Even woozy, Lucy still managed to repeat the process for the next hemisphere. On the private lines, she asked, “Ginger. This is Morning Star. Are you and Puk all right? Over.”

Through the seamless glass of the transport ship’s windshield, Lucy stared out at the hurtling chunk of planet so near its destination. This was the plan. Set up fake charges to buy Rayne an exit from a fate promised by the Probability Matrix. No “alone and afraid.” The Shadow wouldn’t let that happen. Instead, Gait would destroy Enki as was poetic justice. The Dyson’s Sphere eliminated by its own prison.

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Lucy bit her lip, considering the Tantamount. It was the only unexpected flaw in their plan. Imminent had stolen the colossal Tantamount from Earth’s Volcano Day battle and, as far as she last knew, they were planning to anchor it onto Gait. They wanted to guarantee Rayne resorted to her fate.

Concerned by the uncertainty, Lucy asked, “Do you know if they were successful with the Tantamount?”

Yito shook his head. “No, I’m sorry, I don’t know. Try Matt again.”

She did. No answer.

Her new Tritan friend smiled. It was a little scary, with all the sharp teeth in his head on display. “He’s okay, and look!” Yito pointed. The retrieval ships were transporting people, magnetized to the vessels, back to Gait’s shrine.

Please. Let them be safe.

Lucy was feeling more herself, but the question of the Tantamount wouldn’t rest. “Eminent Lance, this is Morning Star. Come in. Over.”

Lance sounded busy, but patient. “Morning Star. How can I help you? Over.”

“The Tantamount. Do you know if Primary Rem’s team affixed it to Gait?”

“I don’t know. I’m sorry, but I believe he would have detonated it by now. Rem fought the hardest against the Aegis for Enki, and if he could, he would stop Rayne to save it. Keep that in mind. Over and Out.”

Right—

“There, the Emporium!” Lucy shouted and pointed excitedly.

Yito shot her a knowing smile because, of course, he knew where to look for Matt and Puk.

Speak of the devil. The closest blip on the screen matched Puk’s biorhythmic tag. “You’ve found them.”

The smile on the Tritan’s face tightened a bit. “Puk. I found the Mon3 drone. His vital signs measure larger on the scanner than human. It’s having some trouble finding Matt—Incoming.”

Yito brought the small vessel to hover over a demolished, stacked building which resembled a parking deck on Earth. Matching the rotation of the planet strained the vessel, and it groaned under the stress. He told her, “Press the projection key, and it will activate the magnets.”

Worried for Matt but excited to play with a spaceship, Lucy pressed the light key.

Anything containing even trace amounts of Pil platinum should adhere to the surface. It was a rare and expensive metal. They used it for the soles of the demolition team’s boots to capture them in sweeps like this one.

Both Yito and Lucy stared out of the cockpit, searching. Hoping. A significant thud resounded and shuddered the ship. Followed by two smaller thuds before Puk walked upside the ship’s view screen and waved at them, looking ridiculous with his headgear fashioned to accommodate his needle-nose. He smiled and waved, multifaceted eyes shimmering.

Lucy pointed to his comms.

Through the glass, Puk made a cutting motion at his neck and mouthed, “Not. Working.”

Shit.

Again, Yito assured Lucy. “Don’t worry. We’ll find him, then we’ll join the fight in the Pantheon. I’ve got this.” He held up a device. “It monitors the charges on Gait and the planet’s trajectory. We’ll know if it explodes or if it careens into Vi’s Ocean, but we’ll need help to evacuate these people.”

“A Seamswalker.” Lucy knew it was the only way. “Either of them will help. I’m sure…” She heard her voice trail off, staring out at the scenery as the radar swept for signs of life. There was only one thing on her mind now. The man who’d set Lucy on her mission which ended with the ultimate target not even an hour ago. The man who believed in her, who gave her purpose. Her best friend and soul mate.

“Matt, where are you?”

Yito sat up and tapped on the radar. “There.”

Lucy sprung to it. “Did you find him? What is it?”

“It’s human life.”

“Thank Elden.”