{Cinder | 6,000,000 Years Ago}

Silence loved this mountaintop. It overlooked the sprawling city below, filled with thriving Icari. The highest point, referred to as Li Mountain, meant the wind kited her hair and tugged playfully at her wings. Her sharp eyes made out Elden’s audience house from this distance. A humble, squat structure meant to feel welcoming and not at all intimidating. Like her mate. An attribute of Elden she loved very much and would deeply miss.

Silence hugged herself at the thought and turned her back on the view.

The Exalted had been generous and kind, meeting with her in Quet’s Sanctum. “I lament your condition, Surra, but I will not surrender Ishkur to you or Primary Rem. Your intentions are not as pristine as you think. Very few are worthy of owning that kind of power.”

While he spoke, azure light pulsed under Silence’s skin, marking a week left for her. His strange eyes filled with pity, but he held fast to his convictions. Softly, she said, “You know Primary Rem will take Enki from you. He has asked for my army, and I am tempted to let him have it.”

“To force my hand? I would sooner cut it off.”

Silence liked Zero. With a sigh, she decided. “I will retract my support of an Icarean invasion in Enki.” At his relieved smile, she held up a hand. “Your people will die without my race’s involvement. Your species faces destruction. He tells me there is a stratagem the Aegis will employ in desperate times. One which may benefit my search for your Ishkur.”

The Exalted shook his head. “Forgive me, but even if I make such a reckless ploy, you will be long gone.”

Another pulse. Silence smiled, sadly. “I will discover a means to outlast you.”

So, she found herself on the mountain. Along one of its cliffs, Silence discovered the perfect cave to hide her stasis casket, and Remorse assembled it for her. It was powered by her nacre and the sun, and it promised to prolong her life. Without it, she would die soon. Silence tried to tell Elden, but she couldn’t. She would try again when she awakened. Although she’d miss raising her daughter, it was better Savis thought she lost her mother in childbirth.

All the Probabilities said so. Silence would wake in time to stop whatever happens to Li, to find Ishkur, and to prevent the shadow which clouded Savis in the Matrix. Every Probability showed all but the slightest chance of something interfering with her waking—

But that was only slim enough to install a failsafe into the device.

Silence would wake on time and save her family. She’d suffered enough for fate’s toll. Destiny wouldn’t dare ask more from her.

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It wouldn’t dare.

{Enki | Opal Mezzanine | Now}

Silence sought the comfort of her wings to ward off the chill of her cruel past. Rather, she embraced the blazing fire coming from the projection feed. Rayne’s magnesium field was truly impressive. It swallowed the Mezzanine in blinding white light until it receded back from the blue and green hues covering the walls.

“Des.”

Lucas and Smith spared her a questioning look.

Touching a hand to her nacres, Silence said, “Des was her donor. The Tritans typically hid their abilities, but each of them possessed a special gift exclusive to them, like the Progeny. Des could manipulate his nanite field and widen it. The light is all her own, but how it expands is very much from him.”

Smith’s smile took on a bewildered edge. “Why would he give up his life for Rayne’s nacre?”

“Oh, he didn’t give up anything.” Silence nodded with certainty at their curious glances. “The other primaries imprisoned him before they arrived in Enki. They only kept him alive because of their eroded numbers.”

Lucas sounded impressed. “I’d like to hear more about this rogue Primary.”

With her eyes fixed on the action within the projection, Silence said, “In a way you have. He was Tumu’s twin.”

They both peered at her for more, but Rayne and Nox were interacting, and Silence wanted to hear them. Wait… Why was Rayne rooting into her nacre—

Oh.

They all stared wide-eyed as the young woman formed a glorious weapon from nacre ore.

Lucas wore a wry smile as he said, “Rayne named it ‘Night Killer.’”

Bemused, Silence rolled her eyes. “Of course she did.”

Smith argued, “Nox found it flattering. Your grandson has a few issues and many of them center around Rayne.”

The look Nox gave Rayne in the projection confirmed Smith’s observations. So much adoration and respect. So much like his grandfather.

“You’ve cried more in the last few hours than in the entire lifetime I’ve known you.” Lucas’ observations were less welcome only because they exposed a vulnerability Silence would rather keep private.

A vulnerability hollowed out by the same Tritans which Nox and Rayne now defied.

Silence changed the subject. “What of Fury?”

Smith answered automatically, “Celindria deposited her into the Torrentus conduit, and the terraformer reacted as expected.”

Lucas asked with more than a little concern. “Do you think she survived?”

Smith grinned. “Fury versus an eternal storm. Who would I place my money on?”

Lucas spared the other man an incredulous shake of the head.

So, they believed Fury would survive, but that storm was raging when Silence was known by another name. It would make for quite a formidable foe, assuming Tameka survived the firestorm. Something Silence wanted for Xelan’s sake. She wished no ill will on the Shadow. She loved them, but they threatened her mission, and that couldn’t be allowed—

“Look at all those Weapons, and Rayne is simply fearless.” Smith sounded so proud.

Lucas sounded utterly confident. “What has she to fear?”

They both turned and looked at Silence. She spread her wings wide. “Let’s ensure they find Ishkur. Do either of you object to your parts?”

With a sparkle in his golden eyes, Lucas opened his wings with a nod. Smith stepped around to the other man’s back and climbed on when Lucas knelt. The human assured, “We’re prepared, Mother. We’ll come when you call.”

Good.

Silence understood and appreciated their allegiance, even when she wasn’t sure of her own. Her views on ‘family’ had complicated and simplified, shrank and grew for her over the eons she’d lived. It was a funny thing that Silence only realized the meaning of ‘family’ in the last few months. Her last days.

Ishkur would save Silence and the galaxy.

Xelan, her family, would lead her to it.