The smoke lingered in the air, and it was a thick reminder of the chaos barely escaped. Zora, Vektar and Micah are sprinting across the jagged outskirts of Songrin, looking over their shoulders every three seconds to make sure they aren't being followed. The ruins glowed faintly like embers of a dying fire, though it was the burning in Zora's chest that truly stole her breathe. They didn't know whether to keep running or finally stop.
"I think..." Micah panted, slowing his pace," we've outrun them. I haven't seen any tracker pings in the last five minutes."
Zora kneeled over a small piece of cracked stone, wiping the sweat from her brows. " Five minutes, seems like we've been running for an eternity.
Vektar's stance remained upright with his mechanical eye scanning the terrain with vigilance.
A few seconds passed and silence filled the air with occasional sounds of breathing and echoes of the busy city.
Then Micah turned to her, his voice more calm than earlier.
"So... Sh... should we go back?" He stuttered.
Zora blinked at him. " Go back... to that death trap? Oh sure! Let's stroll back in and say hi to all the trackers with literal laser beams for weapons."
He smiles awkwardly. "So what now?"
She stared at him, " What do you mean?"
"I mean, what's next, where do we go and what's your plan?"
Zora's mind froze. Why was Micah looking at her like that, asking her such questions.
She glanced at Vektar who said nothing, just watching and waiting. The air became thick with silence.
She wondered why they were both looking at her for answers like she had already won the war or something.
"Why are you asking me?" She snaps."I just woke up from a seven-year nap where my parents died, I've seen my mother's ghost like ten times and I've been on the run ever since." She hisses. " But yeah... you all expect me to just pull out a crown from my back pocket and declare war."
Micah raised both hands," I just thought..."
She interrupted."Yeah exactly, you thought... But maybe don't think so hard next time."
Then behind them, a voice echoed through the air like a splash of water.
"And you have successfully failed your first assignment."
Zora spins around.
"Senn?" She says, eyes narrowed.
There he was, standing casually with his arms crossed, grinning like he had just pulled off the prank of the century.
" I saw you get captured! What the hell is happening?"
Vektar gave a subtle shake of his head.
Micah scratched the back of his neck, looking slightly guilty.
Zora shrugged forward, " was that entire hell show a joke to you?"
Senn smiles." It wasn't a show, it's a simulation and we call it, the mechanic simulator. We run it for every new mechan, rebel or ally who enters the safe house. It's a form of pressure test and congratulations princess, you reaction is the worst I've ever seen."
"I ran because we were being attacked. I saw guns and lasers everywhere. What did you expect? A tea party?"
" I expected you to fight." Senn replied as his tone shifts to become more low and serious." Your mother would have, so would your father... But you, you bolted."
Zora swallowed and the air turned heavy again. Senn stepped closer, pulling out a small tool from his tool belt.
"Let's try something. Pretend I'm a Dromain or tracker that's about to attack you. Imagine it in your mind." He presses the tool gently into her cyborg arm for a few minutes and her arm lights up, transforming into a glowing gamma laser with a spinning core.
She gasps and staggers back.
"What the hell..."
Vektar steps forward quickly," Be careful, that much power without calibration could vaporize you."
Zora's heart races as she looks at her hand, if she could even call it that now. It was humming with heat and unfathomable energy.
Senn folds his arm again. " You don't know what you're made of. Infact, you haven't even scratched the surface... But she knew."
Zora glances at him.
"Your mother," he says.
"Moira designed this bunker just for you and trained us to prepare you. Everything you saw... the trial, the training room, were all strategically put in place for your return."
Senn walked around her slowly." But you will not survive Horam if you keep clinging to fear and ghosts. You must let go of the past or it'll control you, just like it did in the simulation."
He pressed a final button and her arm shifted into its neutral form.
"It's all in your mind," he says calmly, "when you're ready to lead, your body will follow."
Zora stared at the ground for a moment, all the sarcasm leaving her body like fumes, but just when they all thought she was finally taking things seriously...
"Well", she muttered, "next time, I'll make sure to vaporize first and ask questions later."
Senn smirked," now you're catching on."
As they made their way, back to the safe house entrance hidden in a chamber within the ruins, Zora walked beside Micah, with her arms still buzzing faintly.
"You knew?" She asked with a dry tone." The whole time!"
Micah offers a sheepish grin, "I mean... I played my part."
"You played it too well," she says, rolling her eyes. "Do you do this for all the new girls or am I just the lucky one?"
Micah laughs." Wait until you see what your eyes can do when you're fully trained."