[Location: Level 4 - Laboratory Delta]
We didn't go to the Armory. There was no time.
We went straight for Lyra.
The lab was cold. White tiles. White lights.
Dr. Aris was there. He stood over an operating table. Lyra was strapped down.
She was awake.
Aris was holding a laser scalpel. He was hovering it over her eye—her human eye.
"Fascinating," Aris was murmuring into a recorder. "The subject's ocular nerve is fused with alien fiber-optics. If I remove the organic tissue..."
"Get away from her!"
I kicked the door open.
Aris jumped. He spun around, holding the scalpel like a weapon.
"Security!" Aris yelled. "Intruders!"
Two automated defense turrets dropped from the ceiling. Their red lasers locked onto my chest.
"Caelum!" Lyra cried out. Her voice was weak, terrified.
"Vesper, handle the turrets!" I yelled, diving behind a metal counter.
BRRRRT!
Bullets chewed up the metal inches from my head.
Vesper pulled a datapad from her pocket (stolen from the guard). "I'm trying to hack their IFF! Give me ten seconds!"
"I don't have ten seconds!"
I looked at Aris. He was backing away, dragging Lyra with him. He held the scalpel to her throat.
"Stay back!" Aris shrieked. "Or I'll sever her carotid artery! You think I care? She's just a specimen!"
I stood up. I walked out from cover.
The turrets swiveled toward me.
"Caelum, no!" Vesper screamed.
"Aris," I said, my voice dangerously low. I kept walking. "Look at me."
Aris's hand was shaking. "The turrets will cut you in half!"
"They won't," I said. "Because Vesper just looped their targeting logic."
The turrets clicked. They spun around and aimed at Aris.
"What?" Aris paled.
"Code 001: Override," Vesper said from the doorway, holding the datapad. "High Marshall Authority recognized."
Aris dropped the scalpel.
I didn't hesitate. I closed the distance.
I grabbed Aris by the throat with my flesh hand. I lifted him off the ground.
"She is not a specimen," I snarled, tightening my grip. "She is a person. And she has saved more lives in her sleep than you have in your entire miserable career."
Aris clawed at my hand, his face turning purple.
"Kill... me..." he choked. "And... the General... will..."
I wanted to crush his windpipe. I wanted to end him.
"Caelum."
Lyra's voice stopped me.
"Don't," she whispered. "Your hand... it's shaking."
I looked at her. She was crying. But she wasn't looking at Aris. She was looking at me.
I threw Aris across the room. He crashed into a rack of chemicals and slumped to the floor, unconscious.
I rushed to the table. I ripped the straps off Lyra's wrists.
She sat up and threw her arms around my neck. She buried her face in my chest, sobbing.
"I was so scared," she cried. "I couldn't move. I couldn't use the song."
"I got you," I held her tight, stroking her silver hair. "I'm here."
"How touching."
The slow clap echoed from the doorway.
We turned.
Standing there was Captain Silas. Tall, blonde, terrifying. She was wearing the elite white armor of Unit 99. Behind her were four other "Valkyries," weapons raised.
Silas aimed a heavy revolver directly at my forehead.
"Specialist Caelum," she said, her voice like steel. "You look like shit."
"Silas," I sighed. "Can we do this later?"
"General Ironwood wants you alive," Silas said, cocking the hammer. "But he didn't say you had to be walking. Knees. Now."
I looked at Vesper. I looked at Lyra.
We were cornered. No weapons. No armor. And facing the deadliest squad in the Federation.
"Okay," I raised my hands slowly. "You got me."
Silas smirked. "That was ea—"
BOOM.
The entire ship lurched. The lights went out. Emergency red strobes began to flash.
[WARNING. HULL BREACH SECTOR 9. ENEMY BOARDING PARTY DETECTED.]
Silas looked up, confused. "Enemy? Here? We're in deep space!"
I laughed. A dry, desperate laugh.
"I told you," I said. "The signal. We woke her up. And now... they're coming to take their CPU back."
I looked at Silas.
"You want to arrest me, Silas? Or do you want to live?"