Children of The Spheres

Chapter 14: Purpose

The three of us step into the Morningstar's medbay, and a young doctor greets us at the entrance. His white coat is neatly pressed, but there's a certain weariness in his posture that suggests too many hours on duty.

"She's stable," he says, anticipating the question. "Overclocked her neural cyberware pretty hard, but no permanent damage. Her implants are operating normally now, but she'll need more rest before she's back on her feet."

"How long until then?" I ask.

"A few days, at least," he says, scanning the datapad in his hands.

Keira crosses her arms impatiently. "Good to know. We'll see her now."

The doctor steps aside without another word, and we make our way deeper into the medbay. Nora's sitting up in her bed, reading a book—actual paper, not a holo. She's in one of those flimsy, open-backed medical gowns, exposing part of her cyberware—a RedLine spinal augment that's hard to miss. It's a sleek, industrial exoskeleton replacing her upper back. The dark spinal column segment runs down her spine, while threaded cables snake between mechanical joints. And just below the neck, etched in red, is the company name, RedLine Biotech.

"Look at you," Keira says with a smirk, stepping closer to the bed. "Still kicking. Knew you'd pull through."

"I'm fine," she says, though her voice is hoarse. "Just... tired." Her brown hair, usually sleek and sharp, is a tangled mess against the pillow. The vibrant energy she always carries is muted, her skin paler than usual, eyes dulled. She looks wrecked. Never thought I'd see her like this.

"Yes, well, you pushed yourself too hard," Kassian says, his voice calm as he stands by the foot of the bed, arms folded. But his eyes betray him—he's worried. "You're not going anywhere for a while."

Nora rolls her eyes, the hint of a smirk playing on her lips. "Oh no, I'm heartbroken. Like I was dying to see the Vossks anyway."

Keira snorts. "Yeah, because who doesn't love getting grilled by Aurelia?"

I smile at that. Aurelia never lets anything slide, and neither does Evander. Wouldn't mind skipping out on him either.

I cross my arms, giving Nora a sideways glance. "You sure you're okay missing out?"

"Oh, trust me, I'm fine. You can have all the fun. I'll sit this one out."

For a moment, the room falls quiet. I notice the way Nora's fingers rest on her book, like she's too tired to even turn the page.

Kassian nods from my side. "Well, rest up. We'll handle things at the facility and be back soon."

Nora smiles again, softer this time. "You better. And don't screw it up while I'm out of commission."

As we turn to leave, I glance back at her—she's already returned to her book, but there's something distant in her eyes. Despite the front she put on, it's clear she's beating herself up over her mistake.

***

The shuttle detaches from the Morningstar, and the descent begins. Zephyra IX spins slowly below us, a barren, desert world under a harsh sun. Jagged mountain ranges and endless dunes stretch across its surface. I've been here before. Not Zephyra IX, but places like it—lesser known low-population worlds where Evander and Aurelia continue their work, hidden from the factions.

We touch down with a heavy thud on the cracked ground, dust kicking up in the thin air. I step out into the blazing heat, the atmosphere biting at my skin as I make my way toward the compound—an old abandoned Ironmark facility, similar to the one on Melekon Prime. Different planet, same deal. The Vossks are always shifting their operations, staying ahead of anyone who might come looking.