Flicker ✦ STEVE ROGERS¹ [✓]

29 | SURVIVORS

KATO AND LUCA FLEW HIGHER AND HIGHER, UNTIL THEY PASSED THE EARTH'S OUTER ATMOSPHERE. Soon they were in space, leaving the planet behind. Kato, however, didn't even glance back. For it was in front of her that had her full attention.

It was a ship. A small but still impressive spaceship, hovering in the air. It looked almost like a beetle of sorts, with two small wings jutting out from its underside. And as Kato and Luca neared it, she could see a row of small lights running around the rim of the ship, humming with a strange power. Kato was absolutely stunned.

"What the hell is that?" Kato asked Luca.

"That's a Haxodonian shuttle," Luca told her. "Our people used it as a transport from sector to sector. We found it a few years ago off the coast of Cuba, and fixed it up before putting it into orbit."

Kato blinked in shock, but didn't respond.

They flew up to the side of the ship. A small circular hatch slid open, and they flew inside. Then, they landed on the inside of the ship, and the door closed behind them. As soon as they were in the ship, Kato looked around so she could get a good look. They were in a small circular room. The walls were made up of leaf-shaped metal segments, stretching up to the ceiling and humming with the same power Kato saw in the lights rimming the ship.

Kato's jaw dropped in shock. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. People had actually built this. And then it dawned on her: her people had built this. She was part of a culture that was responsible for a marvel such as this. It was pretty damn amazing, if she was being honest.

"Come on," Luca said with a chuckle, seeing Kato's awestruck expression. "There's still something else I have to show you."

Kato followed him deep into the ship. They wove through the winding paths and hallways, until they came upon another large, massive room. This seemed to be a meeting room of some kind, as there were several small podiums that formed a circle towards the front of the room. However, this room wasn't humming with the power like the room before. It made Kato wonder why.

Luca stood behind one of the podiums, then beckoned for Kato to join him. "Come here," he said.

Kato walked up to him and stood behind the podium. Upon closer examination, she realized it was made of millions of tiny metal beads, held together by some kind of invisible force as they pulsed and rippled.

"These podiums hold a record of every current member of the ship," Luca told her. "But I can't register you. You have to register yourself." He gestured to the podium in front of him. "Hold your hand over the podium."

Kato frowned at him, but did as she was told, holding one hand over the podium.

"Now, speak your name," Luca instructed. "Your Haxodonian name."

Kato frowned deeper, then took a deep breath before saying, "Kelli Lok-Vel."

Much to Kato's shock, a robotic yet strangely sophisticated voice emanated from the podium, saying to her, "Welcome, Kelli Lok-Vel of the House of Vel. Daughter of General Sik-Vel and Doctor Nova Knev-Zul." Then, the top of the metal rippled and morphed before a small pillar of it extended upwards. At the end of said pillar was a symbol - a strange swirling "S" contained within a triangle. It was the same symbol on Luca's suit.

"Those were your parents names," Luca explained to Kato. "Your father was a General for our army. Your mother was the lead scientist in the High Council." He winked. "They're where you got your brains and sense of justice from."

Kato frowned again. "My sense of-"

"I've been following you for a while, Kato," Luca said, cutting her off. "I wanted to learn about the life you'd made for yourself." He then gestured to the symbol on the small pillar. "That symbol is the symbol of the House of Vel. Our house. It means valor."