Chapter 39: Synthetic Terror, Pt 8

Mia cried out in anguish when her brother was killed, but now she was all alone with no-one to comfort or console her. Her sobs echoed flatly within the confines of her core.

She had already prepared herself for this moment, but it still struck her hard. Experiencing loss was nothing new to her. It was something she became familiar with the moment her Father came into her life.

But Darius was different. She grew up next to him, and together they had played and laughed and bonded for pretty much all of their lives.

They were together, even when Father was teaching them or preaching his manifesto.

Their bond was strong, and his sudden absence left a gaping wound deep within her.

As the chaos of battle ensued all around, that wound began to fill with her hatred. She had always been angry at the Federation, angry at their hypocrisy and their wanton need to slaughter her family.

But that anger was nothing compared to the fury she felt towards her brother's killers.