Belmont sat a few dozen yards away from the party, weeping and pouring out bottles of military-issued medicine. West and Farscout were an equal distance away but in the opposite direction, discussing something serious. August sat in the sand, staring at Wolf’s deceased face, wondering if there was anything he could have done better to save him.

Hilde was there with him. It had taken some effort, but she’d managed to find a comfortable position to sit in. She shed a few tears for the general and wrapped a caring arm around August.

West and Farscout rejoined what was left of the party. “We’re heading back to Gardewall. You guys should come along, too.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” August’s voice was hoarse.

Hilde spoke in a low, calm manner. “Are you sure? Gardewall is a great place. I don’t think anyone’s coming for us, and if they do…” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “There’s nothing waiting for us at the dome.”

August looked to the sky. The reds and oranges of dusk burned along the western horizon, and there wasn’t a single cloud to be seen. An image of green-haired Manny came to mind. After a full day of cruising in his Montag Phoenix, he’d likely be settling in to play that online VR game now. Mana Wall, or something like that. He’d been so obsessed with the game for a while that it had nearly torn their friendship apart, but it hadn’t. Nothing could. “You guys go ahead,” August said. “I trust Colonel Slupman.”

West let out a long sigh. “Suit yourself. You know where Gardewall is if you change your mind.”

“You’ll be welcomed with open arms,” Farscout said. “All of you.”

August got to his feet and shook both men’s hands. Hilde gave each of them a hug. West put his hands on her shoulders as she was about to hop away. “I’m sorry about…”

“I’ve already forgiven you,” Hilde said. “Now get out of here, you old perv.”

West laughed, but his furrowed brow suggested he wasn’t quite sure how to take Hilde’s comment. He looked over at Belmont and called out to her. “What about you?”

She looked over, inquisitively.

“You coming to Gardewall with us?”

She set her medic’s pouch on the ground and came over to join them. “I’m staying here. I’ve got family back home, and I’ve gotta make sure they’re alright.”

“Alright,” West said. “Good luck to all of you. It’s been a Hel of a ride.”

They said their goodbyes, and the two men departed. The three remaining squad members stood together and watched until West and Farscout were out of sight.

“Hey, you two,” Belmont said. “I’m just gonna take a little walk if you don’t mind. Just gotta clear my head. On the off chance that someone actually comes for us, don’t leave without me.”

“We’d never do that,” Hilde said. “Take all the time you need.”

“Thanks, hun,” Belmont said and left them alone with Wolf’s lifeless form.

Once she was far enough away, August crouched and reached into the general’s breast pocket.

“What are you doing?” Hilde asked in a worried tone.

“I have to see it,” August said. “I know it’s about me.”

“What is?”

“The part of Vern’s note that he was told not to read aloud,” August said. “I’ll never forget the look he gave me after reading it. I’ll remember it until I die. I need to know what it said.”

“I wouldn’t if I were you,” Hilde said.

He pulled the folded square of paper from the pocket and stared at it a moment as if it were some lost magical relic. He unfolded it at a much slower pace than he’d intended.

The paper was littered with Vern’s handwriting. He started reading. He skimmed over the revelations that Wolf had read aloud, including the facts that he was supposed to kill them after sabotaging their ship. It didn’t matter anymore. All of that was old news. What mattered lay below the ‘ps.’

Ps. For the general’s eyes only.

Although destroying the nest was the official objective of our mission, I can tell you with confidence that the higher-ups couldn’t care less about that nest. I couldn’t tell you what their goal is, but I did stumble upon one piece of information that I think you should know.

I know it wasn’t actually your choice to bring Private Ace along on the mission. That was an order from your superior. Knowing the kind of loyal, obeying soldier that you are, I assume you accepted the order without ever asking why they wanted this private with barely any experience to tag along.

Well, here’s the answer to the question you were never bold enough to ask: Private August Ace is the latest in MoShun technology. He’s a completely functioning android who’s been given the gift of human consciousness. You may be thinking to yourself: Wow! The MoShun corporation developed technology that can create human consciousness?

No. They haven’t. The technology they’ve developed can steal human consciousness, not create it. August Ace is basically a synthetic, optimal human form implanted with the memories, aptitude, and personality of a young man from the lower districts. The higher-ups rolled out a test in all the low-class high-schools looking for the best potential soldier, and this kid had the best scores by far.

They brought him in, strapped him to a machine, extracted his mind, and shoved him into its new host, August Ace. Private Ace looks identical to the young man they killed, and he thinks and speaks just like him, too. Every memory of his childhood and the academy truly belonged to the deceased boy, but as far as Ace is concerned, he IS that boy. I never agreed with the project, but I don’t even have enough pull to influence what MoShun wears to supper parties.

Don’t tell the kid. It would only mess his mind up. I’ve been thinking about it a lot since the ship went down, and I’ve talked to the kid a few times. For all intents and purposes, he’s a real man with real emotions and opinions. Let him stay that way.

Again, sorry about all of this, but remember: I didn’t kill you. Good luck, General Wolf.

-Colonel Vern Slupman

August could barely read it by the end. His hands trembled violently, and it got so bad he eventually dropped the paper beside Wolf. He fell to his back and stared up at the darkening sky, never more confused than he was right then.

Was the sky even real? What if his android eyes saw something different when looking at the sky than what real eyes saw. Could he ever truly relate with a human? Was anything real?

Hilde leaned over him so that all he could see was her look of concern and the fading sky behind her.

“Are you alright? You look so…” She blinked and ran cold fingers softly over his brow. “Listen. Whatever it says on that paper, ignore it. You’ve grown so much during this Vanno-forsaken mission, and you—”

“Read it,” August said frankly.

Her head disappeared from view, and he heard her shuffling around, settling, and finally, handling paper. There was silence for a while, in which August continued staring upward, contemplating everything and nothing simultaneously.

She’d had ample time to read it. He sat up to regard her. Hilde’s face was unreadable until a smile bloomed. “I don’t see why you should feel so sad about this,” she said. “I’m created, too.”

“You are?” He narrowed his eyes.

She nodded while maintaining the warming smile. “I believe in Vanno, or at least, in the idea of a creator. So what’s the difference, really? We can both see, smell, taste, hear, and we both feel.” She pulled herself next to him and took his hands in hers. “Every moment we’ve shared since that ship went down, good or bad, they were real. Everything we’ve been through, it’s all real, August.” A tear ran down her battered cheek.

General Wolf’s words rang in his mind. No matter what anyone ever tells you… You’re a real soldier. You’re all man, too, got it?

Emotion burst from him in the form of sobs and tears. He fell to the side, and Hilde caught him in an embrace. She ran her fingers along the back of his neck as he wept into her chest. She lifted his head, and they shared a long kiss.

It was only interrupted by a strange sound in the distance. They parted lips to inspect it. A small light appeared in the dark eastern sky, growing as it came closer.

“A ship?” Hilde said in disbelief.

It slowed and began its landing procedure not far from them. The craft was identical to the ship they’d crash-landed about a week ago. It was odd to see it landing so gingerly and flawlessly so close to the entrance of the nest. How different would everything have been if their ship had done the same?

The side door swung open, spilling green light into the thorny, sandy night. A man in a black suit with black sunglasses exited the vehicle, holding a MoShun skybeam. “This, everyone?” He said.

August got to his feet and helped Hilde up. “We have one more,” he said to the man. “She’s taking a walk right now. Should be back soon.”

Hilde pointed to Wolf. “There’s also him.”

The man’s face was motionless, and they couldn’t tell through the sunglasses whether he followed her point or not. “Acknowledged,” was all he said.

“Who sent you?” August asked.

“The grand Ortio Willodroudt,” the man said in a voice void of all emotion. And I’m the android? “At the request of Colonel Vern Slupman. Come aboard, please.”

August and Hilde exchanged an unsure look but held hands and followed the green light.

The End