Chapter 16: AS THE WHOLE GROWS, THE ONE GROWS
Some of the townspeople insisted Lucianna and her crew stay the night to celebrate a victory over Des's tyranny. She refused, partly because they couldn't stay in one place for too long, but partly for another reason. Milo didn't know what this second, unspoken reason might be. He had only seen Lucianna act this seriously once before, when she had asked him to join the crew. Her disposition had completely shifted when that blacksmith mentioned the name "Salopheia."
Before they departed, they gathered up what materials they needed with the credits received from Krol. As the sun crossed overhead, and afternoon gave way to evening, Krol and Rivra chatted with each other, catching up on memories. Milo hadn't seen them since shortly after the brawl in the square with Des.
Lucianna hurriedly transported back to the Herald, mumbling about how she needed to check on Faith. Milo tried to go with her, maybe to investigate her somber mood, but she asked him to help Tereine and Albany buy everything.
(She didn't even try to tease me…)
Tereine hefted the last of their purchase supplies onto the floating pallet used to haul the scrap. She wiped her brow and smiled at Albany and Milo.
"All right! That should be everything we need. Just need to find Rivra and we can go."
"Do you think her and that Scrapster guy are…you know…?"
Tereine doubled over with laughter. Albany shot a glance at Milo, but he only offered a shrug in return. After a moment, Tereine realized Albany was serious.
"Oh, that's right…you joined after me, aye?" She shook her head. "Krol is Rivra's brother."
"Huh?!" Milo and Albany chorused.
"B-but wait! Did you know this whole time?"
"No, but I had a suspicion when Krol pulled out them cards…I remembered Rivra mentioning to me a while ago her brother worked as a Scrapster mechanic and blacksmith, with a…questionable hobby."
Milo clapped a hand over his mouth. "Why does he have that card, though? The one of Rivra…"
"Well, first off, he invented the Scrapette cards. So, there's that. Second, Scrapsters are split into two factions right now: the more traditional, barbarian types who want to adhere to tradition, and the second, more laid-back types who don't put weight on things like nudity, and they typically shun the old practices, like, um, cannibalism."
"Oh, good. We won't have to worry about Krol eating Milo, then!"
"Yeah, being nearly eaten once is enough for me, thanks."
A thought occurred to him at that moment.
"Hey, do you know who Salopheia is?"
Tereine crossed her arms. "No, can't say I do. Should I?"
Albany shrugged. "I've never heard that name, either."
"Oh, okay, forget about it, then."
"Ah, I see you've made good use of the credits I gave you!"
Rivra and Krol waded through the throng of market-goers, who were quick to scoot out of the way. Krol's eyes landed on Milo's torn up suit, and he slapped his own head.
"Gee, I should've grabbed you something to cover up! Can't be pleasant to walk around in those shreds!"
Milo waved his hand. "No, don't worry about it. Faith said I'll be fine, especially since the sun is setting. I might need to take a special bath, though. To help with the radiation? I don't know."
Krol laughed. "Look at you! For being so puny, you sure are brave! Which reminds me, I wanted to thank you. You're one of two people I know who'd put their neck on the line for my sake."
"H-hey, it's not a problem! I'd just hope someone would do the same for me in that situation."
"Ha! How considerate! I've always wished more on Scrapstar were like that." He elbowed his sister. "Isn't that right, Riv?"
"You always were an idealist. But that's what I admire most about you."
Tereine cleared her throat. "Well, we should head back soon. I'm sure the Captain's pacing around like crazy."
Milo turned toward Rivra. "That reminds me…Rivra—"
"Not here," she said. "Let's wait until we're alone. Then I'll answer whatever questions you have."
Krol drew his head back, glancing between the two. He chuckled. "Huh. Must've missed something! Oh well. I hate to say goodbye again after all this time, but I suppose being wanted makes staying in one spot tricky."
Rivra laid a hand on his shoulder. "About that. Krol…how would you like to join us? Become part of the crew? Travel the stars with us?"
Albany's eyes lit up, and she hopped excitedly. "Oh, oh! Let me know your favorite foods, and I can cook them up real good for you!"
Tereine grinned, tossed her bushy hair back. "I'm sure Faith would appreciate having a mechanic and blacksmith around. Take quite a load off her shoulders."
Rivra nodded. "What do you think, Milo?"
Milo held up his hands. "Hey, I've got no problems with it! Krol's…cool."
Krol cocked a brow and glanced over at Albany and Tereine. They each shrugged.
"Ah, sorry…it's Earth slang for, uh…good?"
Krol grabbed Milo and slung him up over his head.
"You think…I'm good? I'm cool?"
Milo nodded.
Krol crushed Milo to his chest, burying Milo's face deep into his beard, which exuded sandalwood and machine oil. A cry of excitement escaped Krol as he squeezed Milo.
"By Cizaroth! No one has called me cool!"
Rivra tapped Krol on the shoulder. "Milo's a bit more fragile than us, Krol…"
He pulled Milo away from his chest, and Milo's head slumped to one side, his eyes rolling in his head.
"By Cizaroth! I've killed him!"
Milo spluttered and coughed, rousing himself from his state of Krol-inflicted asphyxiation. Krol squealed.
"He's alive! Cizaroth has heard me and returned my friend to me!"
"Well," Rivra said. "How about you put your little friend down, and we head on up to our ship? We have plenty of space for you and a workshop."
Setting Milo on the ground, Krol exhaled deeply.
"But, sister…what happens when Father finds out? Won't his search become that more intense? If I stay here, I could throw him off your trail."
"We've evaded Father for years now. I'm more worried about what might happen to you here, on a planet that has metal that can pierce our skin."
Milo's eyes flicked to the bandages on Rivra's right leg, where Des had slashed with her steel-coated talons. He thanked this Cizaroth guy that neither she nor Krol got shot with their rifles.
Krol ran a hand through his beard. "Well, I suppose it'd be nice to see the universe. Oh, I know!" And he fished out the Scrapettes binder from his apron. "I can create a whole new line of cards! Find new beauty across the stars! Wouldn't that be great, Milo?"
(Other beauties?)
Milo's mind drifted to Lucianna, and how she would look on both sides of a card. His face flushed a deep red.
"Oh, he likes the idea! Then it's settled! I'll go with you!"
Tereine struck a pose. "I'll be your first model."
"Oh, excellent! We'll have to arrange some lighting and I'll have to dust off my camera and—"
Rivra coughed. "Anyway. We should be going. Lucianna has probably worn a groove into the bridge with all her pacing."
She contacted Faith over her radio and asked her to transport Krol, Tereine, Albany, and the supplies first. Faith confirmed, and after they had headed outside of the city limits, she teleported each of them as Rivra requested.
After the three had gone, and only Rivra and Milo remained, she cleared her throat.
"Salopheia…how did you hear that name?"
"Oh. The blacksmith mentioned it."
Rivra nodded. "That makes sense. If I remember his voice correctly, that blacksmith has been a staple of this town for years and years. I'm sure he knows all about our old crew and our exploits."
"Old crew? You mean it hasn't always been the way it is now?"
Faith's voice crackled over the radio. "Initiating transport. Prepare yourselves."
Rivra sighed.
"After training tomorrow, we'll talk. You put your life on the line for my brother. But…you did so recklessly. With no skills and your sad physique, I can't believe you were unharmed."
He winced, scrunching his shoulders up to his neck. "S-sorry. I didn't know what else to do."
She gasped and kneeled down, touching his cheek with the back of her hand.
"I was too harsh. I just…I guess I don't want to see you hurt."
Milo reached up, his hand like an infant's compared to Rivra's meat-hook. She gently wrapped her fingers around his hand. A twinge of pain stabbed at his heart. The sound of glass shattering caused him to close his eyes.
(USELESS. UGLY. YOU'LL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING, JUST LIKE YOUR DEADBEAT FATHER!)
"Milo? Is something wrong? Your breathing is ragged…"
"Sorry. Just. Uh. I appreciate the concern. But…I need to get stronger. So I can be useful to you all."
Rivra nodded. "We will make you stronger." She pressed the radio on her collar. "Faith, we're ready."
"Confirmed."
The wavy light enveloped them, and in mere moments, they hurtled through space toward the Herald.
But no matter where he went, that familiar voice rang out in his head:
(JUST GO! I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!)
Milo closed his eyes.
(Mother…)
***
As Milo entered the lab, all Faith could do was sigh.
"Have you caught the Captain's proclivity to destroying my work?"
He looked down at the shredded suit and gave her a sheepish grin.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."
"Please, do not apologize. I have heard humor is often a coping mechanism of Earthbound humans to deal with trauma. Was my attempt not effective?"
(I honestly couldn't tell you were joking…)
Milo put on the biggest, fakest laugh he could muster, channeling the main character from a video game he had played as a kid.
"Oh, it was hilarious! Thank you for the joke!"
Faith nodded. "You are very welcome. Now." Her eyes looked over some screen, hundreds of lines of information flashing by in mere seconds. "According to preliminary scans, you were not affected by this system's solar radiation. That is excellent. I should have a new suit prepared for you by morning."
Milo cocked a brow. "Morning? Does that mean…you'll work through the night?"
"Indeed. How else would I complete my work?"
"Don't you need, like, sleep?"
She shook her head. "I am not functionally reliant on sleep or a circadian rhythm."
"That is kind of cool. Wish I didn't have to sleep."
A ghost of a smile formed on Faith's red lips. "It has benefits. I am afraid you, however, require sleep. I imagine Albany shall finish with dinner soon."
She turned to work on something else, but before Milo could leave, she held up a finger.
"Ah, there is another matter I would like to discuss."
Her fingers danced over a keyboard, and on two separate screens appeared video footage from his fight with Rivra and the more recent exchange in the market square in Coalwatch.
"There was a signal I could patch into down there, so I could observe the square at the Captain's request, in case anything should go wrong." She balled her hand into a fist and rested her chin on it. "Reviewing this footage, it seems to me you are…as the Captain puts it, quite interesting."
His brow knit together. "I don't see how. I was pretty useless both times."
"Inexperienced is more accurate. Everything can have a use, if only you possess the proper knowledge and experience. Observe."
She clicked a button, and the first video played: Rivra dashed across the room in the blink of an eye, cocking her hand back. Milo vividly remembered being swallowed by her shadow as he waited for her fist to punch him clean through.
But as she threw the punch, Milo fell. He didn't really duck so much as he stumbled at the right moment, allowing Rivra's fist to slice past him.
"Okay, I tripped? So what?"
"Now the second video."
The second screen showed Des struggling to her feet as she pulled a rifle from one of her downed guards. She hefted the gun into a firing position, aiming it directly at Milo. She cocked and loaded it. As she did, Milo looked directly at her, right before she fired the bullet.
"I was a sitting duck in that one! Are you making fun of me now?"
"Normally, I would pay these clips no mind. But seeing as you are not a normal human, I studied them closely. Now, tell me, what similarity do you see between these two clips?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Look closely…"
Milo leaned in, squinting his eyes. He re-watched each clip several times, but he really couldn't form any connection between the two. He got lucky in the first video, and he just spotted Des moments before she fired the bullet at him.
"I don't understand. What's so special about these?"
Faith crossed her legs and spun in her chair to face him.
"Do you remember what happened, right before Rivra threw that punch? Right before Des fired that bullet? If you can remember, it might provide some clues. I will give you one hint…Rivra is a common factor."
"Rivra…?"
His jaw dropped.
It took a moment, but the memories came to him in a lucid vision.
(It felt like…time slowed down. Lucianna's voice called out to me.)
He reviewed the second clip again, watching as Des loaded her gun. Milo turned toward Des a few seconds faster than Rivra did. The timing matched that of his ducking out of Rivra's way in their fight.
Faith leaned forward in her chair. "It seems you have made a connection?"
He turned to her and held up his wrist.
"Both times…my wrist would ache. And there was a voice in my head telling me I was about to get hurt."
Faith chuckled. "That sounds familiar. Does it not, Captain?"
The sound of heels clicked on the metal floor, and Lucianna appeared beside Faith, leaning back against a console. She grinned up at Milo.
"Danger sense…one of my people's special abilities. My, how interesting you are, darling~"
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