Earth

2027

In the midst of the tall trees of the woods, Rory felt small and lost.

The twisted smile on Morfrain's face lodged a hard rock in her throat. "Where's Jace?" she whispered.

Vehru's stare scanned the perimeter and then stopped, her mouth tightening. Rory didn't need to hear an explanation for the subtle change in her expression before she knew to take off in a sprint through the trees. Spindly branches whacked against her arms as she pushed through for the clearing ahead. Limbs scattered the ground at the edge of the woods, leading to a path of chewed up earth. Her steps faltered when she saw Jace laying against a mound of displaced dirt.

"Jace!" Rory screamed his name, but he didn't stir. Activating her thrusters, she forced herself to him faster, each breath burning as panic consumed her thoughts.

Rory slid down beside him and pressed her hand to his mouth and nose, frozen as she waited for the warmth of his breath. It fell against her, uneven and weak. Relief that it wasn't too late warred with the terror of knowing he must have been badly hurt. Blood stained his nose and swollen lips, drying tacky along his chin and neck. Fiery skin, reddened from a fresh burn, spread out beneath a tattered hole in his body armor. The edges of his suit looked singed.

Rory carefully lifted the thick fabric away from the injury to look for further damage. When her hand brushed his chest, he grunted, head twisting to the side. "I'm sorry." That slight touch had hurt him that badly. "Oh, Jace, what did he do to you?"

When Jace opened his mouth, like he would speak, only a stifled moan escaped. A grimace twisted his face as he tried to draw in breath. His ribs or lungs must have been badly injured.

"It's okay. Don't talk. Don't move."

His fingers twitched and then just barely lifted. Rory grabbed his hand tightly, but twisted when she heard movement.

Morfrain landed with a thud on the ground in front of them, quickly followed by Vehru, who stood between them and the other commander.

"You've made your point," Vehru said in an icy voice. "This is enough."

"This isn't about making points, Vehru." Morfrain's tone held the edge of a chuckle on the verge of being released, while darkness consumed his eyes. "Look at what happens when you play games with me. Your little pets are running wild while we should be leading crucial missions. The Federation would not be pleased."

The way Morfrain talked about them made Rory feel sick. Was there any way for her to get Jace out of here? Even with her hand mods giving her strength, they had nowhere to go.

"Run…" Jace's lips barely moved and the word sounded so much like a groan that Rory had to guess at what he said. His body tensed, trembling with effort as he clearly tried to rise, only he didn't manage to push himself up whatsoever. The strain left him seizing with pain.

"Don't," Rory said. "Stop trying to move."

"Levi…"

Jace wanted her to think of Levi and leave, so one of them would stay alive for him, likely because he believed she couldn't do anything here. So it was senseless to get herself hurt as well. Who could abandon the person they loved though? Last night when she'd tried to convince Jace to fight no matter the costs, she'd very well known this, or something worse, could happen. This suffering couldn't be in vain. Running away would not help Earth resist the invasion and it wouldn't help Jace, either. Rory needed to think of a plan.

"You think I don't know what you're doing?" Even though Vehru had her back to Rory, she knew the low threat in the commander's voice well enough to know exactly how her face looked as she took slow steps toward Morfrain. "Hundreds of years and you still haven't changed. It's the same old playbook. You shattered his ribs just like you did to me. I know what you'll do next and I know it won't work. Jace is different from me."

"You really believe that? I think he's quite similar."

Vehru nodded. "He has Rory there to stop him from getting lost in war and vengeance. So don't waste your time. If you want to kill and replace me, do it yourself. Conquer worlds on your own, unless, you know you just can't compete."

Rory looked down to Jace, grappling with this new information. "He wants you to take Vehru's place?"

His grip on her hand tightened. "He said…" Pain tightened Jace's weak voice as he searched her eyes. "You'd be safe…"

"You'd have a synthetic body."

"All of us…" His voice trailed like maybe he was drifting to sleep.

So, Morfrain had done this to Jace because he'd refused to become Vehru? It must have tempted him to know that Rory and Levi would be safe. But was there a way to use Morfrain's offer without actually conquering any planets? Her mind spun with the possibilities.

"I don't need you, Vehru." Morfrain sounded disgusted. "In fact, I have very little use left for you."

"If you don't need me then why am I still alive?" Vehru's head tilted. "It's because you can't defy the Federation and they won't get rid of me when they love what I'm doing. You're stuck."

"All I have to do is show them how you're ruining this invasion of Earth. When they see that you're working to sabotage me–"

"I'm protecting our assets." Vehru turned and pointed at Jace. "This is one of my top generals and you've just taken him out of combat for at least two weeks while he heals. It'll be a month before he's completely healthy after what you did to him. The invasion may be over by then. We'll have to eat the expense of taking him to the Federation to heal faster."

Morfrain's upper lip curled. "Your general came to me looking to betray you. How will it look to the High Commanders that you've lost control of your officers?"

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"This is the problem." Vehru lifted her hands. "We started on this path so long ago that I don't know if it's possible to stop. You created this war with me when you tormented me. And look at me. I've done the same thing to this family and a dozen other people. We're perpetuating an undeniable cycle of vengeance that can only end in death. Even as I say it, I can't escape it, because you're too dangerous to ignore."

The admission from Vehru gripped Rory's heart as if the commander had reached into her chest. What if there was hope to reach her? Jace would say that could never happen, but Vehru and Morfrain were different. Had anyone ever tried to reach this person who appeared too far gone? Rory wouldn't be naive enough to believe she could convince Vehru to denounce her ways. Still, could she influence the commander enough to use her? With Vehru and Morfrain distracted by one another, Rory had precious time to plan. She had to think.

Morfrain lifted his hands and clapped slowly for Vehru. "You sure can dress up the truth. This is no longer about taking care of your home planet or protecting the universe from me. Power runs through your veins now and you want to climb to the top. Stop pretending otherwise."

"I can fix this broken system and get the Federation their energy without destroying worlds."

He laughed and shook his head. "Wow. You believe that, don't you? It must be nice to be able to tell yourself that your narcissism is altruism. The truth is that your compassion is only cruelty, because you hurt people just as badly as I do. It's no kindness to pity them after."

Jace's hand fell limp in hers. Worried, Rory looked to him to find that he'd just passed out again. Maybe it was better that way. It was hard to focus knowing that he was struggling.

"I'm ready to stop hiding the truth," Morfrain said. "You want to stop me and I want to stop you. It benefits neither of us for the Federation to find out about this conflict. We'll just have to see who comes out on top."

Vehru eyed him. "Once you left me lying in a broken heap like you've done to Jace and I told you one day I would kill you. I never forgot. That day will soon arrive."

"Funny. Your general said the same thing to me today. You're really so certain he won't change his mind and take my offer? You're more alike than you think." Morfrain sneered. "The thought terrifies you. You could not handle Jace having an equal playing field to make you suffer for everything you've done to his family. I love the thought of it."

"You fool." Vehru clenched her fists. "Give them biomechanical bodies and see what they do to you."

Right there Rory had an answer to her question of whether she'd ever convince Vehru to help them get synthetic bodies. The commander understood what the two of them were capable of. It reminded her of the fear that had filled Petrin's eyes when he'd decided that Rory and Jace were too dangerous to be left alive. Vehru had said she didn't underestimate people. She knew that Jace and Rory would put an end to her violence.

Maybe, though, Vehru would have no choice except to help them strengthen themselves so they could fight with her to kill Morfrain. This commander would not be easy for Vehru to defeat. She would need help. And after what he'd done to Jace, he had to die.

Rage consumed Rory's heart.

"We have a planet to conquer and people to get in line." Morfrain's stare shot to Jace and then settled on Rory as that stiff smile crawled onto his face again. "Our spirited discussion can wait until later."

"Don't touch them." Warning filled Vehru's voice. "I told you earlier, that's enough."

"Jace is very stubborn and hard to teach." Morfrain watched Rory again. "And your Witness has not yet had a proper education. She was stupid enough to turn to you. I think you all need to understand that it's time to fall in line."

Rory shifted to cover Jace better, glaring at Morfrain.

"I won't let you kill him," Vehru said. "You've already taken it too far."

"Kill him? I don't want to kill him. A pet is such a wonderful distraction for you. I appreciate you being distracted. I just want us all to take advantage of this learning opportunity, especially you."

"Morfrain," Vehru growled.

"Go to the base, Commander Vehru. You're due back to oversee an important operation. I'll bring these two back when I'm done."

"No. You need to leave."

Rory grasped Jace, looking between the two commanders.

"How can I look the other way after what the Witness did?" Morfrain shrugged. "We can't be so soft on them. Maybe I've been too soft on you."

Vehru raised up in the air, lifting her arms, as her voice raised. "If you go near her, I'll kill you. I won't let you torture them for fun."

Rory's heart seemed to stop beating in her chest. What? Vehru would actually defend her?

"Oh." Morfrain's loud laugh pierced the air. "Only you can hurt her." His voice snapped to silence and his jaw tightened. "Fine."

The movement happened so fast that the sound trailed the clash of their bodies. Vehru and Morfrain collided mid-air and both snapped back as fast as cobras. Rory raised her palms and cast a shield to cover both her and Jace. He shifted on the ground, awake again and struggling for breath.

Vehru charged high into the sky with Morfrain pursuing her, the two of them shining with the light of the full sun.

Discs detached from Vehru's body and opened wide, circling morfrain. Though he did not deploy anything, he did not appear concerned. Morfrain lunged at Vehru with his fist swinging for her fast. Vehru shifted an counter attacked with a kick, but Morfrain had immediately followed his first hit with an uppercut. The two evaded every hit.

They clashed again in echoing booms, their bodies a flurry of motion. Morfrain fired a ball of energy that Vehru deflected with one of her own.

Neither one of them could land a hit on the other. They flew around one another, the dance of punches, and kicks, and blasts seeming perfectly choreographed. Rory could scarcely follow their movements. Two beams of energy connected and shook the earth from the power of the combined blasts. Morfrain swung for Vehru but shifted halfway through to avoid the shot of a laser from one of her discs. They were entirely distracted by one another.

Now was the time.

Rory knew what she needed to do.

"Jace," she said softly, holding the shield with one hand mod so she could bend close to him and kiss his face. "I need you to trust me. Okay? I love you so much."

"I…"

"I know. Save your breath and stay down."

Vehru and Morfrain kept their full attention on one another without appearing to notice the shift in Rory's behavior. They must have been thinking Rory and Jace were helpless in this circumstance. Why pay attention to them? Never before had their weakness, this war they waged against one another, so powerfully presented itself. It was the perfect opportunity to strike.

The commanders were fast, though. Once she started, she'd have to move quickly, or they'd stop her.

"I'm sorry," Rory whispered in his ear now. "I don't want you to get hurt more than you already are or to see me hurt, but I can't let your suffering be in vain. I have to do this."

Though Rory expected him to plead with her to save herself, Jace's eyes barely opened and he stared at her for several seconds before he nodded subtly.

She bit her lip. This wasn't what Jace wanted. They didn't need to talk to share what they felt when Rory could read it in the way he looked at her. But he'd decided to trust her, and that was all she could ask of him.

Not only was their family and everyone they loved on the line, but Earth seemed certain to fall into the Federation's hands. Worse, the battle between Vehru and Morfrain could actually make things more dangerous for this planet. Rory was one of the only people who could do something about it and she could not turn away, no matter the cost.

She breathed in deeply and tried to prepare herself.

Only there was no preparing for doing something that could mean sacrificing her family for just a shot at protecting Earth.

Again, she thought that they didn't have to fight this battle. They could fight for themselves. Only, Rory loved Levi, Jace, and Theo too much to put their lives above an entire planet. That was poison, not love, and it would kill them all just like it was killing Vehru's mother.

No matter what happened, Rory had to fight until the end. She had to win.