four
HE SLEEPS for twelve hours.
When he wakes up, daylight still fills the mouth of the cave. Robby has redressed himself in his suit and sits cross legged in the sun just outside. Only his gloves hang from his belt and in their place are two shadowhands, solid and perfect in their form.
Bending close, Atom examines the sealed patches on his chest for leaks. Deeming them appropriate, he dons his backpack and assesses the horizon.
Sometime during his hibernation the rain had stopped. The ground is pearlescent with fresh frost under the soft dawn sunlight. A pack of giant ice-deer graze in the far distance. The sight reminds him of his hunger. After Atom consumes a quick breakfast, Robby asks if he wants to see more of the planet. The question appears in his mind without any accompanying agony.
With exhaustion still a heavy cocoon around Atom, he suggests they go back to the ship.
The hike back is short, but Atom's limbs are thankful for the decision when they reach the glossy hide of the ship. Instead of boarding it, however, Atom unlocks a panel in its side. The heavy door unfolds into a ramp that reaches all the way to the ground.
Clambering up the incline, Atom enters the guts of the ship. He walks into the outdoor storage bay, filled with supplies and equipment specifically made for planetside use. Bypassing the tents and heat lamps Atom heads for a dark mass of metal and machinery, and after freeing it from its anchoring straps he cautiously wheels it out into the light.
The Hunter's reflective shell coating paints it a golden hue. Designed for ease of mobility across difficult terrain, the Hunter is most commonly known as a standard planet navigation vessel. Its comfortable, versatile, and fast. Which makes it the perfect vehicle for chasing down a running target on an unfamiliar planet.
The interior would be small, made to only house three people at at time. Two Unity Keepers and their captive, in the case that a captive was ordered to be brought back alive, or as an identifiable corpse.
Hydraulics hiss as its door swings open under Atom's touch. The inside appears clean and hardly used, if at all. Atom reminds himself that this ship had been stolen from a Cadet. This isn't his own Hunter, familiar and scarred and reliable.
But that doesn't matter. The model is the same. It will do.
Robby examines the vehicle while Atom climbs back into the ship for supplies. Robby's bare hands are gliding across the Hunter's reflective coating when Atom emerges, arms full with power cells. Like most modern equipment, the Hunter is primarily solar powered. But because of its long periods spent in dark storage, batteries are necessary for getting it started, and for use on planets with slow rotations, when nights could easily stretch across weeks.
Atom slides three heavy battery cartridges into a panel under the floor of the vehicle. Beside the panel is an empty space for cargo. Atom loads it with spare batteries and provisions.
Beckoning Robby inside, Atom closes the door and takes the pilot seat. His Unity ID slides into the control panel with a satisfying click and the Hunter comes alive with a simple chime. The cabin is filled with warm daylight when the outdoor display monitors turn on.
The four legs that unfold and extend from the bottom of the Hunter are much like that of a dog. Except all sixteen of its joints are capable of rotating in any direction. From experience Atom knows the effectiveness of using them as a trampling method. At full height they raise the hull of the Hunter eight feet from the ground.
They spend the morning roaming across the hills and valleys of the planet. All the while, Robby is a chilly presence in his mind. A breeze streaming through an open window.
His thoughts come in wordless pulses at first, but as time goes by Atom begins to understand the pulses as full sentences. He asks questions and receives the answers as information in his mind instead of frazzling images. He learns that Robby is over a hundred years old, but with no reference for what a year on Robby's planet equates to, Atom doesn't hang on to the number. Robby tells Atom that he has a family, but doesn't get to see them much due to his job as a planetary observer. He says he misses them.
As night falls Robby suggests they make camp at a frozen lake. Atom lays out a sleeping bag in the shelter of a low cave opening while Robby makes a fire. Nestled in the fluffy comfort of his sleeping bag, as comfortable as one can be while wearing a spacesuit inside of a sleeping bag, Atom drifts in and out of sleep.
It isn't long before gives up and wanders down to the lake. A gentle mist rests on the ice's sleeping surface. He sits down on the shore and tries to spot any familiar stars through gaps in the clouds. All he finds is a sense of displacement. A reminder of the distance he has travelled from Earth, and the distance still remaining to cross.
Further down the shore Atom notices a great deer using its sharp hooves to break a hole through the ice large enough for it to have a spot to drink from. The razor sharp appendages rising from its ribs and spine remind Atom of a different creature. They remind him of Robby's threat on the ship.
Hot on the tail of that memory is a chilling fear, unnatural in the hold it has over Atom, and he shakes his head to disrupt the feeling.
Instead he wonders where Robby has wandered off to. Not once in their time together has Atom seen him go to sleep, or engage in any other bodily functions. What does he do during the long hours that Atom has to spend asleep each night? And where is he now?
The fear that hasn't completely dissipated plants an additional thought in Atom's mind. What if Robby has taken the ship and left? What if Atom is alone here, left to spend the rest of his life in this frigid land?
But the Hunter still sits quietly just outside their camp.
And Atom knows better.
The exchange between him and Robby had exposed to Atom just who Robby is at his core. Which is why he knows for a fact that Robby would not steal the ship. He would not break the terms of their agreement like that. It isn’t something he is capable of.
Which is why... Atom has to be the one to take the ship. Because if the connection truly is a two-way street, then surely Robby must've seen Atom's core traits. He must know that Atom has the potential for such actions. He must know that Atom isn't above betrayal.
The deer raises its head from the water and turns its glassy eyes in Atom's direction. It waits for a decision to be made.
Atom stands and finds his way back to camp. He packs his belongings and stifles the dying embers of the fire. The hunter comes alive in stealth mode, silent as sin, purring slightly under his hands. He makes quick work of it, flying across the ground toward the ship's landing point. But without headlights or the aid of directional cameras Atom doesn't see the incoming blur of movement.
Atom is thrown from the pilot seat when something solid and large rams into the hunter, sending it through the air several yards until it lands with a roll that does not stop until the creature ceases its movement by sending a hoof through its hull, pinning it to the ground. It misses Atom, and that's where his luck ends.
The giant tries to shake the vehicle free from its foot and in doing so destroys the interior. Amidst the throttling and countless bruises he will no doubt find later, Atom feels something sharp sink through his abdomen. The pain doesn't immediately hit, until the thrashing begins again with even greater fervor and every movement jostles his body against the impalement.
With one last slam against the ground the giant succeeds in prying off the crumpled hunk of metal and the piece of machinery caught in Atom's guts breaks from from the wall. Above the panicked groans escaping his throat he hears the giant scamper off into the night. On all fours Atom climbs through the massive hole left in the Hunter's hull and plummets to the ground.
Atom doesn't need the warning message pasted on the inside of his helmet to know that his suit is torn in several places. Cold night air quickly seeps through the tears and makes it difficult to stand.
Dawn breaks over the horizon as Atom finds his legs. Digging out the navigation slate from his backpack, he starts walking. Or, limping. He doesn't make it far. A mind numbing wind carries a horde of clouds overhead and within minutes the world is wrapped in an ice storm. Visibility drops to zero. Atom drops to his knees. He'll have to wait it out. Before long the fever comes. It seizes him and drags him through delirium. Unseeing he stumbles through the ice until he slips and falls and does not get up again.
When he opens his eyes blinding sunlight reminds him of the agony of being alive. Overhead, a familiar shape forces its way into focus. Robby. Bending over him.
With great difficulty Atom sits up while his muscles pray for the sweet embrace of dirt and eternal rest. Only meters away the destroyed Hunter mocks his attempt at escape. Through the fog in his brain Atom hears Robby's words.
We had a deal, he says.
I only wanted to show you more lifeforms. I thought you were enjoying this place. You said it is beautiful.
Why did you run?
"What about you?" Atom asks around the shivering of his teeth. "Why haven't you taken my ship? Why didn't you take it and run while I was asleep? You had every chance to. So why didn't you?"
It is as I have already said. I am fascinated by your company. And I trust you to uphold your end of the agreement.
Atom shuts his eyes against the light.
You are afraid of me.
"No. I'm not." He spits out. "I fear nothing."
That isn't true.
"What do you know?"
Robby shuffles closer and places a hand on Atom's shoulder. I won't hurt you, he says.
"I know that. Okay? I know. But Robby, I—That's the funny part. That's what scares me most."
Robby's body takes his weight when Atom loses the last of his strength. His breathing grows shallow and painful. Robby's hands rest on his back and graciously he says nothing more.
This moment of peace doesn't last long. Over Robby's shoulder Atom sees the silhouette of a Hunter crest the hill. Atom twists in Robby's arms, disbelieving. The Hunter skids to a stop mere feet away. From its door jump three white-clad Unity Keepers, with three identical swords, with their sharp tips aimed at Atom's chest.
"There are two of them."
"Who's the other one?"
"This is him, right?"
"What happened?"
"Atom Belov? We are Keeper unit 86. We have orders to terminate your life on sight."
"But first we would like to ask you some questions, will you comply?"
"Who's your friend?"
"They're not armed, sir."
"Patch ID matches up. That's Belov. And he's bleeding. His unresponsiveness could be linked to injury."
"Are they a hostage? You there, can you state your name and rank?"
Two of the sword points sway to the right, locked on their new target.
"Move away from Belov, please."
"If you do not comply, we will terminate you."
"If you do not comply, we will hurt Belov."
"If you do comply, we will treat his wounds."
The arms wrapped around Atom slip away. The movement jostles something in his lungs and Atom collapses into a coughing fit. Wheezing, he tries to reach Robby, tries to keep them out of their grasp. But Robby doesn't resist when they twist his wrists into handcuffs.
"His tag says 'Robby Monroe'. Does anyone know a Monroe?"
"No."
"Not me. Is there anything you want to say, Monroe?"
"If you're a hostage, we can help you."
"If you remain silent we will assume you're an accomplice, and will have to take appropriate action."
"Can you tell us what happened to Belov? Did you do this to him?"
A strong arm hoists Atom to his feet. He struggles and finds his own arms bound behind him. Before he knows it, he's on his back strapped to a bench in the enemy Hunter and there is a woman poking an instrument into the hole in his abdomen. The interior of the Hunter reeks of blood. The overhead lights spin with the slightest movement. Atom squeezes his eyes shut and grits his teeth against the pain.
"You're awake." Says the woman. "Good, now maybe you'll start answering our questions, hm? First off, does it hurt when I do this?"
The pain that comes when she gouges her tool deeper into the wound is searing and Atom isn't himself when he shouts. His body works against him, convulsing against the straps that bind him. A vessel acting in its own interest to escape the pain.
"That's what I like to see." She removes the tool and Atom lies back, heaving and sweating and on the verge of another coughing fit. Leaning close to Atom he sees the woman clearly for the first time, except for the mask covering her nose and mouth. Her dark eyes, surrounded by sickly space-pale skin, offer no humor. "I'll give you pain meds if you answer my next question: Where is the device?"
"Why do you need to know? You're going to kill me anyway."
"It is a bomb. It must be properly disposed of."
"Or repurposed?"
She leans back and looks at him. "What do you mean?"
Atom sees her still wearing her spacesuit. The nametag strapped across her collar reads Riley Doberick. "I mean, how do I know whoever you're working for doesn't want you to retrieve the bomb and bring it back to Earth so that it can cause even greater destruction?"
Riley shakes her head. "Isn't destruction what you want?"
"All or nothing. We all go out together or not at all."
Riley hums at that. "You're insane."
"How do you know about the bomb? Who do you work for?"
"Commander Solarius."
Solarius? That can't be right. Atom narrows his eyes. "See, that's really funny. I'd laugh if I knew it wouldn't send my lungs flying onto your lap. Do you want to know who sent me on this mission?"
"Only if you tell the truth."
"It was Solarius himself."
"I don't believe you."
"The feeling's mutual."
Riley picks up her tool and twists the sharp end between two fingertips. Atom's blood coats her long fingers.
"Why are you doing this?" She asks him.
"The last two people I explained that to ended up dead."
"Is that supposed to scare me?"
"No. I'm just getting tired of repeating myself."
"But it doesn't make sense. Why should you care if Earth blows up tomorrow or in a hundred years? What difference does it make?"
"The difference... The difference is everything. The difference is a nuclear bomb dropped on a town in the middle of the night, and a warning. A warning that comes years in advance, and gives the people of that town a chance to live out the rest of their lives as if each day is their last. Doesn't that sound wonderful? This could be what ends the war for good."
Riley shakes her head slowly. "You aren't just some deployment code, you're a person who should have the brains to see this isn't right."
"No no, don't start acting like you're better than me. Tell me this: What's the difference between you and I?"
"I'm not hellbent on wiping out an entire planet, and everything that lives on it."
"No, but you are a killer. And you seem experienced. How many people have you killed? How long ago did you stop keeping count?"
"I keep the peace. The galaxy would be worse off without us Keepers around to keep it in line."
"What good do we bring to the galaxy with our bloodshed?"
"What good will it bring to destroy everything?!"
"Unity. Total and complete unity. That is the oath I made when I became a Unity Keeper and I intend to see it through." Atom flashes his teeth at her. "Humanity will heal."
Riley leans over to her toolbox and pulls out a syringe. She loads it up with a clear liquid and twists Atom's arm until she finds a vein.
"I'm going to administer a sedative. We'll try these questions again once we're on the ship."
"May the light Unify, sister."
And in the blink of an eye the world goes dark.
--
THE ENEMY ship is large. Atom can assume this from the size and number of holding cells alone. A ship like this could likely house a squad of ten Keepers. Though whether or not this squad operated with ten Keepers is unknown to him. They kept him drugged for the entire ride and when he came to his senses he was already trapped.
In the cell across the hallway sits Robby. Through the haze of his fever Atom presses his forehead against the metal bars to focus on the single suited figure in front of him. With great effort, his thoughts align into words which he casts out across the short distance.
Can you hear me? He asks. He doesn't dare use his voice for the possibility that these cells are being monitored for any type of cohorting.
Robby shifts, and after a long minute his presence rolls across Atom's mind like a balm.
Yes.
Teeth chattering, Atom shuts his eyes and leans into the connection.
I'm sorry about this. I hate to see you locked up. We have to get out of here as soon as possible. When they find out you're not human they will lock you up worse than before and you will never be free. We have to take them by surprise while they still think you're one of us.
I can get out. But I can not fight them.
I'll fight. You just get us out of these cells.
Are you well enough? You are injured. Quite badly.
I'm well enough to fight for our lives. How long has it been since they sent a guard in here?
Two hours.
That long? Okay... be ready. They'll be here soon. They don't like to waste time.
A noise coaxes Atom's eyes open. He watches Robby undress. Watches him carefully fold the suit into his backpack and stand in the center of his cell to wait. Atom watches him and tries to see beyond what his eyes show.
"Are you up for this?" He asks aloud.
I want to get out. I want to return home.
You don't need my help for that, Atom reminds him. If you really wanted to go, you could do it.
I will not leave you, he says, and Atom has no choice but to believe him. He feels the truth of it shining on him like a warm bright light. He feels dirty in its wake. A grimy stain in Robby's brilliant shadow. But this is no revelation. Only a reminder to not forget his nature, and to use it as a means to get free.
The guard comes by fifteen minutes later. A black haired man in a crisp white jumpsuit, sword strapped against his back, strolls in mid-yawn. When he spots Robby he freezes in place and loses all remaining color in his face. Remembering his training he fumbles for the radio on his hip and raises it to his mouth but it's too late. In one fluid motion Robby slips through the bars and smothers the man's face with large billowing hands. Any sounds of struggle he might've made are muffled by the heavy dark matter clawing down his airway. He sinks to the ground, sedated, and Robby flicks his ID card free. He opens Atom's cell first and then opens his own to retrieve his backpack.
Atom crawls over to the guard and breaks his neck. Then he stands and waits for the room to stop spinning before stumbling to the door. Robby reaches past him to unlock it.
The door opens to the surprised face of another guard. Robby blankets his face while Atom steps into a sideroom and retrieves his things. He struggles into his torn suit before opening his backpack and pulling out a roll of emergency duct tape. The life support display on the inside of his helmet stops glowing red as the ventilation steadies itself. Finally he takes his sword and steps out into the hall. The sleeping man lies at his feet. He lifts his sword, but something prevents his blade from meeting its target.
Atom looks at Robby's hand on his arm.
That's enough, he says.
Atom blinks. "Oh, we don't have time for this."
You don't have to kill them.
"What are you going to do, stop me?"
I could.
"Why?"
It's not necessary.
"If we don't finish them now, they will keep coming after us. Are you going to sedate them every single time that happens?"
Robby has no answer, but Atom can't stop now. He can't have Robby getting in his way when it really matters. "It's too late for me to become a pacifist, my friend. My entire life I have killed. It's nothing to me." With a practiced motion Atom uses his free arm to take the knife from his thigh holster and throw it at the sleeping man. It sinks into his chest with a dull thud. Robby releases him and watches the blood flow.
"What difference does it make to you if they live or die?"
None. But I don't think it's 'nothing' to you.
Atom twists away and frees his knife. As he tries to stand, the next door at the end of the hall opens and Riley steps through. Wordlessly she eases into a defensive stance and pulls a knife free from her side. Atom stumbles towards her and swipes at her arm with the bloody knife but she takes him and yanks him to the ground and drives her blade into his chest.
It would've hit his heart if he hadn't twisted at the last second and sent it deep into his shoulder instead. His own knife finds her leg and he swipes at her hamstrings. Riley falls on him and gets her hands around his throat before Robby intervenes.
Atom leaves her with a knife buried in her throat and moves on.
The next room is empty. And the next. Atom beelines it to the nearest airlock and pauses at the door to check the wound in his shoulder, and more importantly, the new hole in his suit. It's best to leave the knife lodged in place for now.
The airlock twists open innocently and Atom jumps out. But he loses his balance and is overcome with another coughing fit just as a suited Keeper rushes at him. Three or four more follow closely behind the first. Through tear-blurred eyes Atom watches as they all drop to the ground under a frenzied whirlwind of darkness. Wheezing he crawls from body to body, methodically detaching their helmets and making sure they never wake up again. Once he's finished, Robby lifts his body and carries him away.
The purple sky overhead blankets his vision until they reach their ship and Atom has to squint against the bright infirmary lights.
Unzipping his chest pocket Atom hands Robby his ID to get the ship up and running but Robby sets it aside and eases Atom onto the operation table. He frees him from his suit and then places a cold hand on his burning forehead. Then the hand drifts lower and covers his nose and mouth. Atom's eyes flutter shut and he inhales deeply.
He wakes up some time later with a dry mouth and a full body ache. He frees himself from the operation table and floats into weightlessness. His chest is bare except for the white bandages around his shoulder and abdomen. His body feels weak and sluggish, but he manages to make his way out of the infirmary and to the bathroom. Slowly he uses a wet cloth to wipe away sweat and dried blood. With shaking hands he shaves his face and head and finds a change of clothes. The soft jumpsuit does nothing to soothe his shivers.
He floats off in search of Robby but another coughing fit consumes him, and brings Robby to him instead. Gloved hands guide him slowly back to the infirmary. Soothing whispers bring his cough down to shallow breaths, and Atom doesn't fight it when Robby straps him back to the table and drips honeyed melatonin through his lips.
When he wakes up, daylight still fills the mouth of the cave. Robby has redressed himself in his suit and sits cross legged in the sun just outside. Only his gloves hang from his belt and in their place are two shadowhands, solid and perfect in their form.
Bending close, Atom examines the sealed patches on his chest for leaks. Deeming them appropriate, he dons his backpack and assesses the horizon.
Sometime during his hibernation the rain had stopped. The ground is pearlescent with fresh frost under the soft dawn sunlight. A pack of giant ice-deer graze in the far distance. The sight reminds him of his hunger. After Atom consumes a quick breakfast, Robby asks if he wants to see more of the planet. The question appears in his mind without any accompanying agony.
With exhaustion still a heavy cocoon around Atom, he suggests they go back to the ship.
The hike back is short, but Atom's limbs are thankful for the decision when they reach the glossy hide of the ship. Instead of boarding it, however, Atom unlocks a panel in its side. The heavy door unfolds into a ramp that reaches all the way to the ground.
Clambering up the incline, Atom enters the guts of the ship. He walks into the outdoor storage bay, filled with supplies and equipment specifically made for planetside use. Bypassing the tents and heat lamps Atom heads for a dark mass of metal and machinery, and after freeing it from its anchoring straps he cautiously wheels it out into the light.
The Hunter's reflective shell coating paints it a golden hue. Designed for ease of mobility across difficult terrain, the Hunter is most commonly known as a standard planet navigation vessel. Its comfortable, versatile, and fast. Which makes it the perfect vehicle for chasing down a running target on an unfamiliar planet.
The interior would be small, made to only house three people at at time. Two Unity Keepers and their captive, in the case that a captive was ordered to be brought back alive, or as an identifiable corpse.
Hydraulics hiss as its door swings open under Atom's touch. The inside appears clean and hardly used, if at all. Atom reminds himself that this ship had been stolen from a Cadet. This isn't his own Hunter, familiar and scarred and reliable.
But that doesn't matter. The model is the same. It will do.
Robby examines the vehicle while Atom climbs back into the ship for supplies. Robby's bare hands are gliding across the Hunter's reflective coating when Atom emerges, arms full with power cells. Like most modern equipment, the Hunter is primarily solar powered. But because of its long periods spent in dark storage, batteries are necessary for getting it started, and for use on planets with slow rotations, when nights could easily stretch across weeks.
Atom slides three heavy battery cartridges into a panel under the floor of the vehicle. Beside the panel is an empty space for cargo. Atom loads it with spare batteries and provisions.
Beckoning Robby inside, Atom closes the door and takes the pilot seat. His Unity ID slides into the control panel with a satisfying click and the Hunter comes alive with a simple chime. The cabin is filled with warm daylight when the outdoor display monitors turn on.
The four legs that unfold and extend from the bottom of the Hunter are much like that of a dog. Except all sixteen of its joints are capable of rotating in any direction. From experience Atom knows the effectiveness of using them as a trampling method. At full height they raise the hull of the Hunter eight feet from the ground.
They spend the morning roaming across the hills and valleys of the planet. All the while, Robby is a chilly presence in his mind. A breeze streaming through an open window.
His thoughts come in wordless pulses at first, but as time goes by Atom begins to understand the pulses as full sentences. He asks questions and receives the answers as information in his mind instead of frazzling images. He learns that Robby is over a hundred years old, but with no reference for what a year on Robby's planet equates to, Atom doesn't hang on to the number. Robby tells Atom that he has a family, but doesn't get to see them much due to his job as a planetary observer. He says he misses them.
As night falls Robby suggests they make camp at a frozen lake. Atom lays out a sleeping bag in the shelter of a low cave opening while Robby makes a fire. Nestled in the fluffy comfort of his sleeping bag, as comfortable as one can be while wearing a spacesuit inside of a sleeping bag, Atom drifts in and out of sleep.
It isn't long before gives up and wanders down to the lake. A gentle mist rests on the ice's sleeping surface. He sits down on the shore and tries to spot any familiar stars through gaps in the clouds. All he finds is a sense of displacement. A reminder of the distance he has travelled from Earth, and the distance still remaining to cross.
Further down the shore Atom notices a great deer using its sharp hooves to break a hole through the ice large enough for it to have a spot to drink from. The razor sharp appendages rising from its ribs and spine remind Atom of a different creature. They remind him of Robby's threat on the ship.
Hot on the tail of that memory is a chilling fear, unnatural in the hold it has over Atom, and he shakes his head to disrupt the feeling.
Instead he wonders where Robby has wandered off to. Not once in their time together has Atom seen him go to sleep, or engage in any other bodily functions. What does he do during the long hours that Atom has to spend asleep each night? And where is he now?
The fear that hasn't completely dissipated plants an additional thought in Atom's mind. What if Robby has taken the ship and left? What if Atom is alone here, left to spend the rest of his life in this frigid land?
But the Hunter still sits quietly just outside their camp.
And Atom knows better.
The exchange between him and Robby had exposed to Atom just who Robby is at his core. Which is why he knows for a fact that Robby would not steal the ship. He would not break the terms of their agreement like that. It isn’t something he is capable of.
Which is why... Atom has to be the one to take the ship. Because if the connection truly is a two-way street, then surely Robby must've seen Atom's core traits. He must know that Atom has the potential for such actions. He must know that Atom isn't above betrayal.
The deer raises its head from the water and turns its glassy eyes in Atom's direction. It waits for a decision to be made.
Atom stands and finds his way back to camp. He packs his belongings and stifles the dying embers of the fire. The hunter comes alive in stealth mode, silent as sin, purring slightly under his hands. He makes quick work of it, flying across the ground toward the ship's landing point. But without headlights or the aid of directional cameras Atom doesn't see the incoming blur of movement.
Atom is thrown from the pilot seat when something solid and large rams into the hunter, sending it through the air several yards until it lands with a roll that does not stop until the creature ceases its movement by sending a hoof through its hull, pinning it to the ground. It misses Atom, and that's where his luck ends.
The giant tries to shake the vehicle free from its foot and in doing so destroys the interior. Amidst the throttling and countless bruises he will no doubt find later, Atom feels something sharp sink through his abdomen. The pain doesn't immediately hit, until the thrashing begins again with even greater fervor and every movement jostles his body against the impalement.
With one last slam against the ground the giant succeeds in prying off the crumpled hunk of metal and the piece of machinery caught in Atom's guts breaks from from the wall. Above the panicked groans escaping his throat he hears the giant scamper off into the night. On all fours Atom climbs through the massive hole left in the Hunter's hull and plummets to the ground.
Atom doesn't need the warning message pasted on the inside of his helmet to know that his suit is torn in several places. Cold night air quickly seeps through the tears and makes it difficult to stand.
Dawn breaks over the horizon as Atom finds his legs. Digging out the navigation slate from his backpack, he starts walking. Or, limping. He doesn't make it far. A mind numbing wind carries a horde of clouds overhead and within minutes the world is wrapped in an ice storm. Visibility drops to zero. Atom drops to his knees. He'll have to wait it out. Before long the fever comes. It seizes him and drags him through delirium. Unseeing he stumbles through the ice until he slips and falls and does not get up again.
When he opens his eyes blinding sunlight reminds him of the agony of being alive. Overhead, a familiar shape forces its way into focus. Robby. Bending over him.
With great difficulty Atom sits up while his muscles pray for the sweet embrace of dirt and eternal rest. Only meters away the destroyed Hunter mocks his attempt at escape. Through the fog in his brain Atom hears Robby's words.
We had a deal, he says.
I only wanted to show you more lifeforms. I thought you were enjoying this place. You said it is beautiful.
Why did you run?
"What about you?" Atom asks around the shivering of his teeth. "Why haven't you taken my ship? Why didn't you take it and run while I was asleep? You had every chance to. So why didn't you?"
It is as I have already said. I am fascinated by your company. And I trust you to uphold your end of the agreement.
Atom shuts his eyes against the light.
You are afraid of me.
"No. I'm not." He spits out. "I fear nothing."
That isn't true.
"What do you know?"
Robby shuffles closer and places a hand on Atom's shoulder. I won't hurt you, he says.
"I know that. Okay? I know. But Robby, I—That's the funny part. That's what scares me most."
Robby's body takes his weight when Atom loses the last of his strength. His breathing grows shallow and painful. Robby's hands rest on his back and graciously he says nothing more.
This moment of peace doesn't last long. Over Robby's shoulder Atom sees the silhouette of a Hunter crest the hill. Atom twists in Robby's arms, disbelieving. The Hunter skids to a stop mere feet away. From its door jump three white-clad Unity Keepers, with three identical swords, with their sharp tips aimed at Atom's chest.
"There are two of them."
"Who's the other one?"
"This is him, right?"
"What happened?"
"Atom Belov? We are Keeper unit 86. We have orders to terminate your life on sight."
"But first we would like to ask you some questions, will you comply?"
"Who's your friend?"
"They're not armed, sir."
"Patch ID matches up. That's Belov. And he's bleeding. His unresponsiveness could be linked to injury."
"Are they a hostage? You there, can you state your name and rank?"
Two of the sword points sway to the right, locked on their new target.
"Move away from Belov, please."
"If you do not comply, we will terminate you."
"If you do not comply, we will hurt Belov."
"If you do comply, we will treat his wounds."
The arms wrapped around Atom slip away. The movement jostles something in his lungs and Atom collapses into a coughing fit. Wheezing, he tries to reach Robby, tries to keep them out of their grasp. But Robby doesn't resist when they twist his wrists into handcuffs.
"His tag says 'Robby Monroe'. Does anyone know a Monroe?"
"No."
"Not me. Is there anything you want to say, Monroe?"
"If you're a hostage, we can help you."
"If you remain silent we will assume you're an accomplice, and will have to take appropriate action."
"Can you tell us what happened to Belov? Did you do this to him?"
A strong arm hoists Atom to his feet. He struggles and finds his own arms bound behind him. Before he knows it, he's on his back strapped to a bench in the enemy Hunter and there is a woman poking an instrument into the hole in his abdomen. The interior of the Hunter reeks of blood. The overhead lights spin with the slightest movement. Atom squeezes his eyes shut and grits his teeth against the pain.
"You're awake." Says the woman. "Good, now maybe you'll start answering our questions, hm? First off, does it hurt when I do this?"
The pain that comes when she gouges her tool deeper into the wound is searing and Atom isn't himself when he shouts. His body works against him, convulsing against the straps that bind him. A vessel acting in its own interest to escape the pain.
"That's what I like to see." She removes the tool and Atom lies back, heaving and sweating and on the verge of another coughing fit. Leaning close to Atom he sees the woman clearly for the first time, except for the mask covering her nose and mouth. Her dark eyes, surrounded by sickly space-pale skin, offer no humor. "I'll give you pain meds if you answer my next question: Where is the device?"
"Why do you need to know? You're going to kill me anyway."
"It is a bomb. It must be properly disposed of."
"Or repurposed?"
She leans back and looks at him. "What do you mean?"
Atom sees her still wearing her spacesuit. The nametag strapped across her collar reads Riley Doberick. "I mean, how do I know whoever you're working for doesn't want you to retrieve the bomb and bring it back to Earth so that it can cause even greater destruction?"
Riley shakes her head. "Isn't destruction what you want?"
"All or nothing. We all go out together or not at all."
Riley hums at that. "You're insane."
"How do you know about the bomb? Who do you work for?"
"Commander Solarius."
Solarius? That can't be right. Atom narrows his eyes. "See, that's really funny. I'd laugh if I knew it wouldn't send my lungs flying onto your lap. Do you want to know who sent me on this mission?"
"Only if you tell the truth."
"It was Solarius himself."
"I don't believe you."
"The feeling's mutual."
Riley picks up her tool and twists the sharp end between two fingertips. Atom's blood coats her long fingers.
"Why are you doing this?" She asks him.
"The last two people I explained that to ended up dead."
"Is that supposed to scare me?"
"No. I'm just getting tired of repeating myself."
"But it doesn't make sense. Why should you care if Earth blows up tomorrow or in a hundred years? What difference does it make?"
"The difference... The difference is everything. The difference is a nuclear bomb dropped on a town in the middle of the night, and a warning. A warning that comes years in advance, and gives the people of that town a chance to live out the rest of their lives as if each day is their last. Doesn't that sound wonderful? This could be what ends the war for good."
Riley shakes her head slowly. "You aren't just some deployment code, you're a person who should have the brains to see this isn't right."
"No no, don't start acting like you're better than me. Tell me this: What's the difference between you and I?"
"I'm not hellbent on wiping out an entire planet, and everything that lives on it."
"No, but you are a killer. And you seem experienced. How many people have you killed? How long ago did you stop keeping count?"
"I keep the peace. The galaxy would be worse off without us Keepers around to keep it in line."
"What good do we bring to the galaxy with our bloodshed?"
"What good will it bring to destroy everything?!"
"Unity. Total and complete unity. That is the oath I made when I became a Unity Keeper and I intend to see it through." Atom flashes his teeth at her. "Humanity will heal."
Riley leans over to her toolbox and pulls out a syringe. She loads it up with a clear liquid and twists Atom's arm until she finds a vein.
"I'm going to administer a sedative. We'll try these questions again once we're on the ship."
"May the light Unify, sister."
And in the blink of an eye the world goes dark.
--
THE ENEMY ship is large. Atom can assume this from the size and number of holding cells alone. A ship like this could likely house a squad of ten Keepers. Though whether or not this squad operated with ten Keepers is unknown to him. They kept him drugged for the entire ride and when he came to his senses he was already trapped.
In the cell across the hallway sits Robby. Through the haze of his fever Atom presses his forehead against the metal bars to focus on the single suited figure in front of him. With great effort, his thoughts align into words which he casts out across the short distance.
Can you hear me? He asks. He doesn't dare use his voice for the possibility that these cells are being monitored for any type of cohorting.
Robby shifts, and after a long minute his presence rolls across Atom's mind like a balm.
Yes.
Teeth chattering, Atom shuts his eyes and leans into the connection.
I'm sorry about this. I hate to see you locked up. We have to get out of here as soon as possible. When they find out you're not human they will lock you up worse than before and you will never be free. We have to take them by surprise while they still think you're one of us.
I can get out. But I can not fight them.
I'll fight. You just get us out of these cells.
Are you well enough? You are injured. Quite badly.
I'm well enough to fight for our lives. How long has it been since they sent a guard in here?
Two hours.
That long? Okay... be ready. They'll be here soon. They don't like to waste time.
A noise coaxes Atom's eyes open. He watches Robby undress. Watches him carefully fold the suit into his backpack and stand in the center of his cell to wait. Atom watches him and tries to see beyond what his eyes show.
"Are you up for this?" He asks aloud.
I want to get out. I want to return home.
You don't need my help for that, Atom reminds him. If you really wanted to go, you could do it.
I will not leave you, he says, and Atom has no choice but to believe him. He feels the truth of it shining on him like a warm bright light. He feels dirty in its wake. A grimy stain in Robby's brilliant shadow. But this is no revelation. Only a reminder to not forget his nature, and to use it as a means to get free.
The guard comes by fifteen minutes later. A black haired man in a crisp white jumpsuit, sword strapped against his back, strolls in mid-yawn. When he spots Robby he freezes in place and loses all remaining color in his face. Remembering his training he fumbles for the radio on his hip and raises it to his mouth but it's too late. In one fluid motion Robby slips through the bars and smothers the man's face with large billowing hands. Any sounds of struggle he might've made are muffled by the heavy dark matter clawing down his airway. He sinks to the ground, sedated, and Robby flicks his ID card free. He opens Atom's cell first and then opens his own to retrieve his backpack.
Atom crawls over to the guard and breaks his neck. Then he stands and waits for the room to stop spinning before stumbling to the door. Robby reaches past him to unlock it.
The door opens to the surprised face of another guard. Robby blankets his face while Atom steps into a sideroom and retrieves his things. He struggles into his torn suit before opening his backpack and pulling out a roll of emergency duct tape. The life support display on the inside of his helmet stops glowing red as the ventilation steadies itself. Finally he takes his sword and steps out into the hall. The sleeping man lies at his feet. He lifts his sword, but something prevents his blade from meeting its target.
Atom looks at Robby's hand on his arm.
That's enough, he says.
Atom blinks. "Oh, we don't have time for this."
You don't have to kill them.
"What are you going to do, stop me?"
I could.
"Why?"
It's not necessary.
"If we don't finish them now, they will keep coming after us. Are you going to sedate them every single time that happens?"
Robby has no answer, but Atom can't stop now. He can't have Robby getting in his way when it really matters. "It's too late for me to become a pacifist, my friend. My entire life I have killed. It's nothing to me." With a practiced motion Atom uses his free arm to take the knife from his thigh holster and throw it at the sleeping man. It sinks into his chest with a dull thud. Robby releases him and watches the blood flow.
"What difference does it make to you if they live or die?"
None. But I don't think it's 'nothing' to you.
Atom twists away and frees his knife. As he tries to stand, the next door at the end of the hall opens and Riley steps through. Wordlessly she eases into a defensive stance and pulls a knife free from her side. Atom stumbles towards her and swipes at her arm with the bloody knife but she takes him and yanks him to the ground and drives her blade into his chest.
It would've hit his heart if he hadn't twisted at the last second and sent it deep into his shoulder instead. His own knife finds her leg and he swipes at her hamstrings. Riley falls on him and gets her hands around his throat before Robby intervenes.
Atom leaves her with a knife buried in her throat and moves on.
The next room is empty. And the next. Atom beelines it to the nearest airlock and pauses at the door to check the wound in his shoulder, and more importantly, the new hole in his suit. It's best to leave the knife lodged in place for now.
The airlock twists open innocently and Atom jumps out. But he loses his balance and is overcome with another coughing fit just as a suited Keeper rushes at him. Three or four more follow closely behind the first. Through tear-blurred eyes Atom watches as they all drop to the ground under a frenzied whirlwind of darkness. Wheezing he crawls from body to body, methodically detaching their helmets and making sure they never wake up again. Once he's finished, Robby lifts his body and carries him away.
The purple sky overhead blankets his vision until they reach their ship and Atom has to squint against the bright infirmary lights.
Unzipping his chest pocket Atom hands Robby his ID to get the ship up and running but Robby sets it aside and eases Atom onto the operation table. He frees him from his suit and then places a cold hand on his burning forehead. Then the hand drifts lower and covers his nose and mouth. Atom's eyes flutter shut and he inhales deeply.
He wakes up some time later with a dry mouth and a full body ache. He frees himself from the operation table and floats into weightlessness. His chest is bare except for the white bandages around his shoulder and abdomen. His body feels weak and sluggish, but he manages to make his way out of the infirmary and to the bathroom. Slowly he uses a wet cloth to wipe away sweat and dried blood. With shaking hands he shaves his face and head and finds a change of clothes. The soft jumpsuit does nothing to soothe his shivers.
He floats off in search of Robby but another coughing fit consumes him, and brings Robby to him instead. Gloved hands guide him slowly back to the infirmary. Soothing whispers bring his cough down to shallow breaths, and Atom doesn't fight it when Robby straps him back to the table and drips honeyed melatonin through his lips.