Earth

2027

Rory clutched the bathroom counter and wiped her mouth with a shaking hand. Over the past three days, she'd forced herself to chase her memories, no matter how it felt when she finally caught them. Theo had struggled to watch her go through it, so she'd tried to convince him to let her be alone, only he refused.

As deep as Rory had gone, there was still more, but it came hard and fast now. That damn Replica had been right. The memories were unlocked and she'd started holding herself back.

Raising her chin, she looked at herself in the mirror, not recognizing who she saw, but uncertain of who would look familiar to her now. If she looked into the eyes of the woman she'd been on Lumiea, that face would look foreign too.

Somehow she no longer felt like Aeryn or Rory and yet she felt like them both.

It was up to her to shape herself and take her own life back. There was no more waiting. She'd waited long enough.

"Did you get sick again?" Theo asked.

"Yeah, but I'm okay."

He opened the bathroom door and the sight of him crushed her heart. There were memories returning to her that were too painful to hold with Theo close. Too confusing. Even so, she wanted him nearby.

If she gave in to the chaos in her heart, she'd never find her way out. "There's more. I'm going to try again."

"Maybe you need a break." Worry clouded Theo's eyes.

"No." Rory settled onto the bed in the dark and breathed out slowly. This morning, she'd remembered taking Levi swimming for the first time, and it had been far too much for her. As deeply as it wounded her to see him and then open her eyes to the reality that he had never had the chance to know her, she wanted desperately to return to him. It was like tearing herself in two.

Theo had respected her space when it came to memories of the family she'd had to leave behind on Lumiea. She would share it with him, but it was still too raw for her, and she suspected it would be for him as well. Despite how it must have pained him, he stayed by her side unless she told him she truly needed to be alone.

Sitting beside her now, he took her hand. "Don't be scared. It won't hurt forever."

Tears pinched her eyes. But it would. Some pains never eased. Theo couldn't understand and she would sacrifice anything to ensure he never experienced what she had.

The present fell away so quickly this time. Soon, she was sitting beside the man who she could barely stand to remember. Even as the past returned to her as viscerally as if she lived it, he remained shadowed, a form in her peripheral vision.

"I'm not going to go," Aeryn said. "She won't choose me. She'd be crazy to choose me." The words poured from her lips and sounded more desperate by the moment. "There's no way–"

"Aeryn–" Jace grabbed her hands.

"–Never in a million years would she choose me."

"Listen to me. If, okay? If she chooses you, if we can't save you, if you're forced to leave and we lose all hope…" His fingers wound with hers. "You won't remember this conversation, but try to store it deeply within your soul, so some part of you knows."

"I won't think about it."

"You have to. There's only a few candidates left and it could be you."

Aeryn looked to where the baby slept and felt as if she was actually losing her mind right there in that moment. Like it would physically rip apart inside her skull. No. No, she would never leave her son. "I said I'm not going."

"Bury this in your heart, Aeryn." Jace lifted her face to him and looked deeply into his eyes. "I want you to live."

She tried to rip his hands away but he held tight. "No, Jace." Bitter tears burned her eyes. "Don't even say it."

"Live without an ounce of guilt." His thumbs ran along her cheeks. "Let go of the past and live whatever life you can."

"You mean you and the baby. Let go of my family."

"We'll be gone if it happens, Aeryn. It's unthinkable, I know. You have to listen, anyway."

It was as if he knew something that Aeryn didn't, or somehow could accept what she couldn't even fathom. "I will never leave you two."

Jace pulled her against him and held her tightly. "We'll always love you, no matter what happens. You'll love us too, even if you can't remember us."

"I could never forget."

With desperation, he clung to her, his voice begging her to listen. "Damn it, Aeryn, I need you to listen. Please. You're not even trying."

"I can't."

"You have to."

"I can't imagine it." She let out a sob and barely croaked the words. "I can't."

Sweet lips kissed hers softly. "I'll take care of him, even if I can't take care of you. I just need to know you'll take care of yourself. I need to know you'll fight for your life and you won't walk the Earth like a dead woman." He kissed away her tears and melted his mouth against hers again with the sorrowful taste of salt spreading over her tongue. "Live. Start a new life." He met her eyes. "Start a new family so you won't be alone."

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Shock and horror socked her in the gut. Aeryn ripped back and slammed her fist against his chest. A soft, pathetic excuse for a hit because she didn't want to actually him hit but she had to fight someone--something. "Stop it."

"If." Pain that looked far deeper than any she'd ever seen in his eyes burned bright–and she'd seen him in plenty of pain. "If Vehru takes you, I had better not come to Earth to find you've wasted your life." Jace gripped her shoulders. "You'd better have made something there worth fighting for."

Rory wrenched from the memory in a cold sweat. Theo held her already, whispering consoling words to her. Her body trembled.

"You need a break," he said.

"There's no time. She's coming soon."

"I'm not asking this time."

"You can't stop me from remembering."

Theo pulled her back and spoke with an unyielding voice. "Rory. You're making things worse right now. Stop."

The tears overwhelmed her then, dropping her back into his arms, as the strength fled her entirely.

----------------------------------------

Rory had decided that she could face anything. It had already happened to her, after all. Now she couldn't help wondering if memories could kill a person.

Theo had convinced her to spend the rest of the day trying not to remember and to just spend time with the dogs. He made lunch while she knelt on the kitchen floor and scratched Benji beneath the chin.

"I wouldn't make it without you boys," she whispered.

They'd started talking when a rush of heat swelled in the room, one she'd felt before, and knocked into them. Chairs skidded across the ground. Rory almost toppled over. Benji sprinted out of the room and peeked his head around the corner.

Vehru had transported into the middle of the kitchen while Theo was flipping pancakes.

She bent over and reached her hand out to Chip. The loving boy had always been too trusting for his own good. He licked Vehru's finger, tail wagging.

"Your dogs really are adorable." Vehru rose and chuckled. "Such good boys."

A strange popping sensation spread over Rory's head. Her vision tunneled, focusing in on Vehru's face. The face of the woman who had stolen her from her family and her world and now threatened her boys.

Rory sidestepped to the kitchen counter, snatched a knife, and lunged for Vehru. The woman slid back without effort.

"Oh my god." Theo turned and caught her around her waist. Ripped her backward. "Rory!"

Wild, uncontrollable rage consumed her body. She screamed with it, swiping the knife for Vehru.

The commander caught the blade with the sharp edge against her palm and ripped it away without even a wince of pain. It left no mark.

"I think you've remembered enough for now," Vehru said.

The only thing that stopped her from trying to claw Vehru's eyes out was realizing that she could hurt Theo or the dogs if she kept fighting.

"Let me go," Rory growled.

"I don't think this is a good idea." Theo grunted as she tried to rip forward one more time. "You can't hurt her like this."

"It's too much. You need some relief." In a flash, Vehru moved forward and grabbed her head. Immediately a numbing sensation spread over her. Her body wilted in Theo's arms. It was like the most powerful medication she'd ever had soothed all feeling.

The fight fled her muscles. Theo was right. This was not the way to fight Vehru. With her emotions too distant now to feel, her rational mind took over.

Rory breathed in deeply and locked eyes with Vehru. "Where are they? What have you done to them all these years?"

"They're fine."

"Fine? My child doesn't have a mother. He isn't fine."

"I understand it's challenging for you to remember when you have feelings and questions–"

"Fuck you." Theo still held Rory or she might have tried for a good swing even with whatever Vehru had done calming her. Just out of the principle of it. "You're something else."

"The leaders of the United Nations are meeting with us soon. I gave you as much time as I could to handle your personal affairs." Vehru looked down her. "You should get ready now. You look terrible."

"I'm going to kill you."

"I believe that you would put forth a valiant effort, but time really is of the essence."

Theo tugged Rory back. "Come on."

"Twenty minutes, Rory. Then we go. This is a very important meeting."

"Wait. We're not leaving the dogs with her." She grabbed Chip and held him close while Theo picked up Benji.

Rory put the dogs in the bedroom and prepared herself quickly in utter shock. Yes, she had known Vehru would come soon, but she was never going to feel ready. Her emotions still felt numb, so instead of feeling panicked, she simply knew that some part of her she couldn't access felt panicked.

Bizarre.

Soon, Rory and Theo both met Vehru in the kitchen.

"I agreed to meet with the leaders virtually due to rather understandable security concerns," Vehru said. "General Price has prepared a secure location for us. Theodore will wait with the General."

He took Rory's hand.

"Our ride will be here soon," Vehru said.

"I take it you agreed to have eyes on you at all times," Rory said.

"As a show of respect, even though no one would be able to stop me from going where I want."

The fog slowly began to lift from Rory's mind as they drove across the base. When she parted with Theo, she told him to be careful, realizing after she'd said it that she was the one about to be alone with Vehru.

Theo kissed her cheek. "I believe in you," he whispered. "Be smart."

"You mean don't run at Vehru with any more knives."

He smiled sadly. "Love you."

"I love you."

After they parted, Rory and Vehru entered a room set up with screens that showed the leaders of dozens of U.N. states.

Back when she'd lived as Aeryn and trained for the coming war, she'd imagined this day going much different. Less talking and more shooting, for example. The meeting opened with introductions in the most surreal act of normalcy.

Rory watched Vehru, knowing that nothing would ever be the same.

"I thank you for agreeing to speak with me and I apologize for not having this talk sooner. I understand that our interactions up until this point have been confusing and distressing. I assure you that there are reasons for what I do. However, I do appreciate the predicament I've put you in." Vehru clasped her hands in front of her. "I would like to formally extend an invitation from the Ephemor Federation for all of the nations of Earth to join us as a tributary state, with eligibility to one day enter as a formal member."

No one exactly cheered at the invite. Serious faces stared back at Vehru.

"You have questions about the Federation and our history with Earth. As our partnership develops, we will trust you with more information. For now, you should know that we prioritize the peace and well-being of all of our tributary planets. I have reports that I will share with you detailing the reduction in crime, poverty, and any number of factors which greatly affect the peace of your citizens."

The President of Germany, an older man named Louis, raised a hand and breathed out deeply. "I believe we would all like to know more about the stipulations of joining the Federation, as I'm sure this world peace you advertise does not come for free."

"We allow your governments to remain in power in your world so that you can function independently. However, we do expect you to follow our laws, including promising our full Bill of Rights to all people on Earth. We do not tolerate any nation harming another or their own citizens. Our laws are non-negotiable."

"And you enforce these laws how?"

The tension behind the question felt like enough to make the room explode.