I opened my eyes. Well, what I actually did was blink the grogginess out of them. Sitting up in my metal bed, I scanned my room. It was dark and held almost nothing. I’d only decorated my room back on Epsilon. I hadn’t had time to do the same on the Mainframe. I could do it now with all this extra time. Oh, right. That was what felt off.

It was the first morning since the war had ended.

I glanced at my bladed rifle on the wall. I’d be using it much less now. I looked at my “knight” armor standing beside my bed. I’d probably need a friendlier suit. By ending the war, we’d permanently changed everything.

I haven’t seen Wander since the impromptu celebration that he and the rest of our allies held last night on the Floor of Coalition. It was a bit too sudden in my opinion. We hadn’t even cleaned up the mess that the war had left behind. Why were we already celebrating its end?

Even stating so confidently that the war had ended seemed wrong. We weren’t sure how the rest of the First Division was taking it. The war’s final day had been so confusing. We uploaded a video recording of Frost’s attempted Red City bombing. Hopefully, that would convince anyone who still needed convincing.

What was the procedure for dealing with something like an evil president? Impeachment, sure, but what next? Thanks to Wander, they didn’t even have her in their custody. Not to mention all that stuff she’d said about the “Council.” I was getting ahead of myself…

I hopped out of bed, took my rifle off the wall, brushed my teeth, and hopped into my space suit. Despite my somewhat pessimistic train of thought, there were still many upsides to our victory. It was time to go see Wander’s—I mean, my friends.

I marched out of my room, entering the massive space that was the Mainframe’s top floor. It was the only floor specifically designated for humans. As such, the walls offered an abundance of doors and everyone could have their own room. This floor had been barren, but now it was full of people. Most of them were peeking into unoccupied rooms to see which they liked the best.

The Oppressed. After Surge assured them that the AI wouldn’t steal their livers while they slept, a few of them came aboard. Once Wander began the long journey toward inducting the AI into civilization, little things like this would be more common.

“Morning, Beth.”

I whipped around. A man with salt and pepper hair stood there, looking down at me. I recognized him as Surge, but he wasn’t wearing his usual gray ensemble. No. Now he was wearing a blue button-up shirt decorated with pink trees. He had the gall to top it off with a pair of beige jeans. Just when I thought these people could no longer surprise me.

“What in the galaxy are you wearing?” I looked him up and down. “Why do you even own this outfit?”

Surge sighed. “I thought wearing something colorful would make me more approachable. Sounds like it’s having the opposite effect. I could change, but I don’t have many other ‘casual’ clothes.”

He still hadn’t told me why he owned those pieces of clothing, but I didn’t want to know anymore. I didn’t have to wonder about Surge’s sudden personality shift. It had obviously come about due to Dylan’s dying words: the ones that had begged Surge to be more open. It was thoughtful of him to try, so I’d go easy on him.

Last night, Anderson came clean about his involvement in Frost’s invasion of the Oppressed base. He felt like everyone had to know. A few of the Oppressed were upset, but Surge silenced them. He understood that Anderson was remorseful and decided that it didn’t matter. However, he still assigned him a punishment: he had to finish all of the uneaten food from the party. It sounded like a privilege until you realized how many people were at the party. Plus he had to do it all in one sitting. After he had finished, he sprinted for the bathrooms and didn’t come out for the rest of the night.

“I wish you luck on your…personal journey, Surge. I’m going to go see the others.”

Surge smirked. “Taking some time to relax with your friends? How unlike you. Enjoy the day, Beth.”

I merely nodded and headed for the elevator. Once inside, I turned and gazed at the back of the floor. A certain forbidden door stood back there. It wasn’t the room that was forbidden but the person who had taken up residence in it. I furrowed my brow as the elevator closed shut.

I stepped out onto the fourth floor; the one that the Teras used as a makeshift hospital. Almost every chair was filled with a complete stranger. These must have been people who had previously inhabited White Dwarfs. Rounding up all of the Dwarfs was so colossal a task that we weren’t even close to done yet. Wander and Instructor Manning estimated that what we’d gotten the day before had been only a quarter of them. Once the First Division came to their senses, they’d help with the roundup.

“Beth!” called Instructor Manning as he strode up to me. Trailing behind him was Rebecca Stein, the Rho Hybrid who could no longer use her abilities, and Anderson Oak, the annoying jerk my brother befriended. He hadn’t died in the bathroom after all. “It’s nice to see you on such a lovely, peaceful morning.”

Why was everyone so glad to see me? I used to be enemies with all of these people. Then again, the same could be said for them and the AI. Now it seemed like everyone was getting along just fine.

I averted my gaze. “Yes. Good morning to all of you as well. What are you doing on this floor?”

Instructor Manning pointed out a patient who looked just like him. The man was heavily restrained to the point where he couldn’t even scratch his nose. That must have been Upsilon, the unstable Hybrid I’d been hearing about.

“Isn’t it wonderful? They allowed Upton out of his confinement for proper treatment,” Rebecca said. “Exo told us that he’d dedicate his resources toward helping all of those affected by the war, including Upton, the Dwarf slaves, and everyone from Upton’s hospital, once the First Division allowed that last part. Any day now would be great.”

“Hey, that’s not all. Check that out.” Anderson pointed out another man (much to my irritation), one much younger than Upsilon. This man resembled Anderson although he had Wander’s chocolate hair. “That’s my bro, Ben. He got pretty messed up by being in one of those Dwarfs, so the Tera have been helping him too. I think it’s working. He had an easier time collecting his thoughts last night.”

I felt a twinge of happiness purely because Anderson was so happy. That must have been my inner Beth at work. I used to feel happy for others a lot more before this war. Now most people just irritated me. Brushing people aside just felt more natural than jumping for joy alongside them.

“I see. I hope both of your family members have speedy recoveries. Have a…nice day.” I turned and marched back to the elevator. My cheeks warmed with embarrassment as I did so. When was the last time I’d wished someone a nice day? I was much more comfortable telling people to gear up for battle.

My next, and hopefully last stop was the Floor of Coalition. That was where I’d find everyone else. When the doors opened up to it, I chuckled a bit. Some of the previous night’s balloons were still floating around. Most had risen all the way to the ceiling, where they would remain until their inevitable demise. I shook my head at the ridiculousness as I stepped into the room.

White Dwarfs littered the place, but most of them were mere husks. A group of Mega were huddled around a line of White Dwarfs. I watched as they pried one open and released the human that had been trapped within. They handed the human over to a Kilo, who slung him/her over his shoulder, and marched toward the elevator. The Mega freed the people, the Kilo delivered them to the Tera, and the Tera healed them. There was no way the First Division would reject the AI after this.

Overseeing the whole operation was General Peta. He stood behind the Megas as they worked. He’d requested the job. It seemed like he wanted to improve his relationship with the humans. He’d even stopped referring to them as “bloodbags.” I’d always found that the slightest bit offensive, but I’d never complained.

“Hey, girl!” Kaela waved at me from beside the Megas. She stood with Gamma—I mean, Laura. I strolled over to them, mentally prepping for yet another conversation. This was the most I’d talked to people all year. Kaela bounced with excitement as she motioned to the Megas. “Isn’t this incredible? Surge started the Oppressed to help the galaxy, but it never felt like we were doing anything but fighting. Now we actually are helping. Well, it’s more like I’m watching the AI help people, but same thing.”

Laura chuckled. “Yeah, it feels good to have had a part in this. And now that the war’s over, I can finally get some glasses. I’m tired of squinting all the time, it hurts after a while.”

“Glasses? Why not get some sort of surgery instead?” I asked.

Laura scoffed. “You sound just like Wander. I don’t need some weirdo poking around my eye sockets. Glasses are just fine. They’re kind of cute too.”

“Oh, so I should get some is what you’re saying,” Kaela said.

“You don’t even need them, what are you talking about?” Laura held Kaela’s hand as she giggled. Laura gazed at the White Dwarfs, and her jaw dropped. “Are those my parents?!”

Laura pushed her way past the Megas. Two people were flung over Peta’s shoulders, and both of them were dressed like royalty. Peta laid them both on the floor as Laura stood over them. Their eyes were shut, just like the eyes of everyone else who had popped out of the Dwarfs.

I’d always known that Laura had awful parents. They were why she had spent more time at Wander’s and my house than at her own. Now, by mere coincidence, she was reunited with both of them. I wondered how this would unfold.

“I can’t believe it.” Laura’s breath came out in shaky huffs as her eyes flitted from one parent to the other.

Peta groaned. “Lass, we should get them to the Teras. They ain’t even awake—”

Laura ignited her finger and shot a miniature fireball at her mother’s dress. She did the same to her father’s suit, which burst into flames too.

And people called me extreme.

Within seconds, both parents stirred. Once her mother’s eyes popped open, she shrieked and swatted at the flames. Her father followed suit, screaming in agony as the flames danced up to his chest. Laura called the flames back to her palm and extinguished them. The clothes of her parents were scorched and blackened, but at least the fire was gone. They didn’t seem to have suffered any burns either.

“What is the meaning of—Lauretta?” Laura’s mother gaped at her. She looked her up and down, indicating that Laura had changed her appearance since she’d last seen her parents. “What are you doing here? Where are we?”

“My word…AI?!” Laura’s father scooted away from the Mega and set his sights on Laura. “Explain immediately, young lady!”

“Shut up!” Laura smirked as she ignited her fists. Both of her parents gasped at it. They had no idea what Implants were, so I could only imagine how confused they were. “Both of you need to shut your mouths and listen to me for once. When I lived with you, everything I did was about impressing you two. I was so stupid to waste my time with that. Nothing I did would ever be enough for you. I’ve only been away for like four months, and look at how much better off I am! I’ve got fire powers, I’ve got a girlfriend, and I’ve helped end this stupid war! So, after you’ve recovered from what Frost did to you, go back home, and forget all about me. I’m never coming back.”

Laura whipped around and walked to Kaela’s side. She cupped Kaela’s face and captured her mouth in a kiss. I thought I’d seen anguish before, but Laura’s parents were making me reconsider. Peta chuckled as he picked them up and threw them back over his shoulders. They both protested and pounded his back, but their tantrums didn’t last too long. Their arms slowed down, and then they went limp. They still needed to recover from the time they’d spent in the Dwarfs. Peta marched toward the elevator to presumably deliver them to the Teras.

“And I thought I had family issues.” Nessa waved at me when I turned to face her. I hadn’t noticed she had been standing beside Opifex a few feet away. They must have been absorbed in whatever they were working on. “How’s your day going?”

“Good, I suppose.” I looked at the floor. Nessa and I weren’t the best of friends. We’d clashed before, and she was dating my brother, so it made all our encounters extra awkward. I’d get over it with time. There was no reason to hold anything against her. “How’s yours? I assumed you’d be spending it with Wander.”

“We were together an hour ago, but he’s off having meetings with Exo now. There’s an awful lot to talk about, so I left him to it. Now I’m making Opifex tell me embarrassing stories about him when he was a child.”

“I’ve got some about this one too if you’re interested.” Opifex motioned to me, sending me into a mild panic. Opifex chuckled at what I assumed was the funny look on my face. “Just joking, man. Wander’s got enough of those for the both of you. You can chat for a second, Little Loch Ness. This little invention of ours isn’t going anywhere.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Invention?”

Nessa shrugged. “Once New Selene’s restored, Opifex plans to give his store a makeover. I’ll be working part time to help with that process. We’re making some new tools that we can sell as original products. The Megas are helping out so that we can meet the demand. Assuming there’ll be one.”

Opifex and Nessa going into business together? That sounded nice, actually. These two were extremely similar, so a partnership made sense.

“Congratulations,” I said, and I actually meant it. “Trusting another adult like this should be good for you. It might help you forget about your father. Er…what happened to him? I know you, Anderson, and Wander defeated him in Red City, but I don’t recall us taking him prisoner.”

Nessa grimaced. “Oh. So Wander didn’t tell you? I…I’m not sure if I should either, but we disposed of my father back in Red City. He was too dangerous to keep alive. I didn’t expect Wander to agree with the decision, but I’m glad that he did.”

I froze up. Did I hear that correctly? Wander had gone along with killing Connolly? Then he’d proceeded to spare Frost? Even after I tried convincing him otherwise? Did he just like Nessa more than me, his own sister? That wasn’t how his mind worked, but it still hurt that he would listen to her and not me.

No, it was just because he liked Frost more than Alhabor. Even though she murdered our parents. There shouldn’t have been an ounce of pity left in him for her. He should see her as the actual devil! Instead, they were almost friends. There’s no doubt that, whenever the time for her sentencing came, Wander would go easy on her. I could even see him wanting her out of jail early on good behavior.

I had doubts about going through with my plan, but now I had to.

“Have a good rest of the day, Nessa,” I said as my gaze dropped to the floor. “And don’t worry: your secret is safe with me.”

I turned and headed back toward the elevator. Newfound determination fueled every footstep. I headed back to the sixth floor, the one with all the rooms. My destination was the room in the back of the floor. The one that few people were allowed inside. The only ones with access were the members of Humanity’s Hope and Surge.

There was a good reason why that room was forbidden. The Mainframe lacked proper jail cells. If we wanted to keep someone imprisoned, our best bet was to put handcuffs on them and lock them in one of these rooms until further notice.

I approached the forbidden room’s door, which was locked using a red hand scanner. I willed my suit to disassemble around my right hand and placed my palm on the scanner. The scanner turned green. I tapped it, sliding the door away. Then I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.

The room was dark. I couldn’t see much besides the woman below me. Her magenta hair was in tangles. She wasn’t wearing glasses, but I knew that she needed them. Her hands were cuffed together in white handcuffs with a red glow. The Megas had made them. There was no way out of them without the key.

The former president, Margaret Frost, sat up on her metal bed. She glared at me then rolled her eyes. We’d taken her space suit, so all she wore was a navy blazer and purple jeans. Her loyalty to the color purple was admirable. According to Wander, she valued her mother. Perhaps purple was her favorite color too?

“What do you want?” Frost’s voice was laced with poison. “Did Wander assign you as my warden?”

Frost had watched over Wander when he’d been a child. She’d deemed him the chosen one because he was Michelangelo Locke’s first grandson, so she had focused all of her attention on him and none on me. She had ignored me from the second I was born because she already had Wander. I hadn’t even been a contingency plan. Story of my life.

“Who is the Council? Who are they really?” I asked as I crossed my arms.

Frost scoffed. “What foolishness is this? If you want to interrogate me, leave and return with Wander. He’s the only one I can trust with my information.”

“If someone’s coming after us because we have you, we all need to know.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway. You can’t stop the Council. Knowing about them would change nothing.”

They were supposedly unstoppable? I guess that was a good start. But I could have guessed that already. How was I going to get new information out of her? She’d only talk to Wander, and I couldn’t interrogate her if he was there. I had to resort to other tactics.

“You were a worthy opponent, Frost.” I paced the room, confident that she wouldn’t try anything on me. I could take her if she did. “You nearly had us a few times. I have a hard time believing that the Council is more capable than you. I think I’ll just tell Wander that we have nothing to worry about.”

Frost rolled her eyes. “Flattery will get you nowhere. Besides, you would be lying to him. Do not underestimate the threat that the Council poses to him. Especially now that he’s truly on their radar. Defeating me ensured that.”

Defeating Frost got the Council’s attention? So they’d be after us no matter what. We’d cut off the Hydra’s head, but an unknown had grown in its place.

“Final chance, Frost. If you don’t give me something to work with, I’ll make sure Wander never visits you.”

Frost scrunched up her face. “As if I care! Besides, you can’t keep him from coming if he wants to.”

“Want to bet? Whom will he trust more: the sister he’s known all his life or the woman he dedicated that same life to bringing down?”

I absolutely hated that there was an actual argument there.

Frost scoffed, but I saw the doubt on her face. She loved Wander despite all that had happened. He was the closest thing she had to a son. If he never visited her again, it would destroy her.

“The Council is a secretive organization that has total control over the entire galaxy.” Frost sat straight up. Her eyes held the focus of a trained spy. “Omen Frost established them. They’re the reason why my family holds so much power. If you need an example of their power, take the Red City Incident. When we punished those ruabrum upsetting the balance, I used the Council’s power to erase any evidence of the act. They promised to let me have the First Division if I took control myself, hence my actions. As long as I’m on this ship, they will pursue it in an attempt to recover me. That’s why you need to get me out of here. For Wander’s sake.”

Now the Council actually sounded like a threat. If they could erase entire events, then it wasn’t hard to believe that they could reinstate Frost if they desired it. I couldn’t let that happen…

“So, as long as you’re here, we’re all in danger.” I reached behind my back. “And as long as you’re around, this war could start all over again.”

Frost shrugged. “I suppose. I’m not saying I would do it all again if I could, but if the Council wished it—ugh! Wha…”

Frost shook as she gazed down at her chest…into which I’d sunk my blade. Blood dripped down my blade as I pushed it further into her heart. She gasped and whimpered as the color drained from her face.

I averted my gaze. My stomach was one big knot. Part of me couldn’t believe that I’d just stabbed the former president. Part of me regretted not doing it earlier. Either way, I knew I was justified in doing so. She deserved death for her crimes. Not to mention that her death would get the Council off our backs. They just couldn’t find out that I killed her. Neither could anyone else on the ship.

“Wha…why?” Frost’s eyes went blank as her jaw hung limp. Blood stained her navy blazer red. Her shoulders slumped as her body went limp. The life was fading from her body. “Wander…tell him that I’m sorry. I wish…things had been different. Tell them all…”

I yanked the blade from her chest. She crumpled to the floor with a sickening wet slap. Thank God I hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. However, I didn’t think I could after this. I gazed down at my bloody blade. I’d need to dispose of this rifle. I’d already planned on getting a new suit, so that wouldn’t be a problem.

As I held up my rifle, I realized that my arms were still shaking. I gritted my teeth in frustration. This made me feel weak, but, in reality, it just meant I was human. I’d never killed anyone before. It had to have been the right move, but…it didn’t feel right. I could think this over later, but I had to get out of there before I was discovered.

“Sorry, Frost, but someone had to do it.” I pulled out a cloth and rubbed the blood off my blade. I couldn’t be seen walking around with a bloody rifle. I slapped it on my back and unlocked the door. “Total control over the galaxy? Doesn’t scare me. We won one war, and if it comes down to it…we’ll win another.”

END