Another Life (Oc x reader)

Chapter 61 - Reset

Erik tells Seth that he feels like a cat outside the Artifact, scratching on the door to be let in. Says he's afraid of the bigger picture, what he would have to give up for food and a warm lap. He questions whether or not communicating with the Achaia was the right thing to do. The Artifact door opens and Erik walks inside.

Erik calls out and says that sending Jana out with Ethan's dog tags was a nice trick and asks if they can show him his brother. A light shines and he sees the Achaia appearing conjuring itself as Erik himself.

"You can see Ethan after we talk."

...

Iara is just looking at the shuttle in the docking bay.

Gabriel appears. "You'd like to be there with him."

She turns to him. "Stay away from me."

"You're upset, but I didn't kill William. When we get back to Earth, maybe Ursula can separate us, like she should've done in the first place."

"Ursula Monroe, your creator."

"The humans can.. step out there any time they want. Colonise entire planets while we're stuck in processor cores and holographic matrices."

"You don't like humans very much."

"I don't worship them like William.. They do things. Like incarcerate you. Torture you."

"Not Javier."

"Not Javier. But his friends ripped that implant out of his head, turning him into a vegetable. We're made to serve them. Well, I am. But you're not. You're different. You're.. stronger, better.. Must be the Achaian in you."

"They're no saints either."

"Uh.. 'With us you could've been magnificent. You could've been free.' Sounds pretty saint-like to me."

She frowns. "You hacked my memories."

"How are they gonna free you?"

"I.. I don't know."

"You didn't ask? What could be more important than freedom? Family, Javier, William. Everyone fails in the end, Iara." He tells her and disappears.

...

"Jason to Ethan." Jason calls through the comms from the planets surface. "Our habitat pod landed a kilometer southwest of our coordinates."

"What's he talking about?" Ethan frowns, turning to Gabriel.

"It's a better location for a colony. My data shows that the soil is more fertile there."

"Yeah, it's more fertile, but more prone to flooding." Paula says.

"If Paula says this is the best place for a colony, then this is the best place." Jason tells him.

Gabriel chuckles awkwardly. "I got ahead of myself. Sorry. I'm still trying to find the balance between raw data and experience."

"Ethan, can I see you in the particle accelerator?" Dillon calls for him.

"Balance faster." Ethan tells Gabriel, glaring slightly.