Tyr

“You must be the human sent to tame our general,” says Vyken. “You have your work cut out for you.”

“Is this your crew?” Alyssa whispers.

“Act normal if you can,” I say softly, my lips brushing her hair.

“I think I’ve done a pretty good job of taming him already,” Alyssa responds loudly, squeezing my bicep. Vyken raises his eyebrows.

“Tyr?” he asks me. “Have you accepted our gift, then?”

“Your what?” I snap. There is a silence where they all look at each other and look nervous, but pleased. “You did this?” I gesture at the love of my life angrily and she glares back at me.

“Hey,” she mumbles, sorely.

“Yes,” Ashok says finally, stepping forward. I resist the urge to step back. They all stand roughly ten feet away. Who is the traitor? Is it all of them?

“Explain your insubordination,” I address him. I wonder if any of them will pick up on my double meaning.

It’s Axion’s turn to speak. He smiles at me, raising his palms. “General, please. We meant no disrespect. The three of us … when we learned we were to be trapped in that tin can with you once again, we wanted to ensure your mood was lifted, for our sakes.”

Vyken nods. “We thought this the most efficient way to lighten you up.”

I scowl at them, but Alyssa beams at the three of them. “Great thinking,” she says. She squeezes my butt and leans over to kiss me on the cheek.

“Sorry about that,” Ashok laughs. “And truly, really, sorry about this.”

He reaches into his holster and before I can blink, breathe, or think a single thought … there is a blur of spines and brown fur, and Ashok is suddenly riddled with thick needles from head to toe.

He blinks twice, stunned, and his electrogun drops to the ground.

“Ashok!” I roar. The other two crewmembers round on him, guns drawn and pointed right at him as he falls to his knees.

Harrison waddles up, face contorted in fury.

“Hurting pregnant woman!” he squeaks. “How dare?!” He kicks Ashok with his tiny foot, which barely registers.

“Aphrodite says the Merrel have paralyzing chemicals in their spines!” Alyssa gasps. “Was he the traitor?”

Ashok slumps onto his side, stiff as a board.

“Why?” I roar, storming over.

“General, sir, what’s happening?” Vyken yells, circling Ashok with his gun. “He drew on the human!”

“Alko,” I say. “He got to him. How?” I ask. “What did he have against you?”

“Alko?”

“The admiral sent the Prototype up here to kill us.” I gesture through the trees at the wreck. “He must have sabotaged the Paxian transporter. When he learned Alyssa was sent to Aeo instead he tried to get me to go up in the ship he implanted with his own orders. I am sure the ship would have killed us just like it killed my parents.”

Ashok screws his eyes shut and doesn’t respond, his jaw tightening with pain and effort.

“His son,” Vyken says, lowering his gun and shaking his head. “Alko knows about his young child.”

A tear escapes Ashok’s eye and I know it’s the truth.

“Oh, Ashok,” I say. “This is disappointing. We could have figured this out together, as a team. We have always been a team.” I holster my gun and look away.

“How do we get back to Paxia without the Eclipse and without the Prototype?” Alyssa asks.

Harrison raises his paw into the air eagerly. “Combination!” he squeaks. “Combine, combine!”

I look at him, and then I wheel around and stare at the rubble.

Combine.

All the best parts of the Eclipse. All the best parts of the Prototype. None of the overrides. None of the intrusive AI. I look down at the legs that saved my life.

“Alyssa,” I say, knowing that whatever she thinks is best will be the right choice. “Combine?”

She turns to me and rests her palm on my chest with a smile. “Let’s do this. It’s time for a change from that old ship, don’t you think?”

Three days ago a comment like that would have made me furious, for hours. Now … the thought excites me.

Time for a change, indeed.

“Harrison,” I say, and the Merrel squeals with joy. “Would you and your people like to…”

“Please! Please, please!”

I laugh. “We will speak to Wrax about Alko and Ashok. Alyssa you organize the … the combination.”

We nod at each other, turn, and make our way through the forest together.