Children of The Spheres

Chapter 26: Rising Tides

I step onto the bridge, finding Lance already there with a few of the other crew members. His posture is relaxed, but I can tell by the way his eyes keep flicking to the console that something's on his mind.

"What's the situation?" I ask, keeping it casual, but there's a hint of edge in my tone.

Lance turns toward me, offering a quick nod before speaking. "It's the lab. I haven't received a report from them in a few days, so I sent a hail. No response." He gestures to the display screen in front of him. "Morningstar's scans show reduced power levels in the facility."

I frown, stepping closer to the screen. "Reduced power? Did they say anything about trying to link Beta to the local net like they did with Alpha?"

Lance shakes his head. "No word, but it's possible. Maybe it drew too much power and shut down their systems."

I glance at the readouts, watching the fluctuating energy levels of the lab on the display. Something's off. "I'll check it out," I say, already turning to leave, my thoughts spinning. What could have gone wrong this time?

I leave the bridge behind, the sound of my footsteps echoing through the quiet halls as I make my way toward the Children's quarters. The area is practically deserted, since the Morningstar is so undercrewed for its size—it's more about quality than quantity here. Still, all this space with barely a soul around? Feels like a graveyard sometimes. Rows of empty rooms line the corridor, the others preferring to keep their space far from one another. A part of me appreciates the silence, but it always feels a bit too quiet, like the remnants of something lost.

I stop at Kassian's door, knocking twice before hearing his voice from the other side. "Come in."

I step inside, finding him in bed, casually reading. The title of the book catches my eye—Psychological Effects of Captivity and Conditioning by Dr. Kassia Vorel. Ironic, given our history. But then maybe that's why he's reading it.

"Kass," I say, standing in the doorway. "Lance reported a potential problem at the lab. I'm going to head down to check it out."

He looks up from his book, nodding, but just as I'm about to leave, he stops me. "Wait, Ander."

I pause, looking back at him. His eyes are thoughtful, a little too focused. "What is it?"

His tone shifts, quieter, more introspective. "That conversation we had a few days ago. About Evander." He closes the book and sits up. "I've been thinking. After learning the truth... what do you make of him now?"

I frown, confused by the question. "What do you mean?"

Kassian's gaze hardens a bit as he rephrases, his voice a little more pointed. "Do you think the goal he's working toward... does it really excuse what he's done to us? The things he's done to achieve it?"

I meet his eyes and hold his gaze for a moment. It's a typical Kassian question—philosophical, pushing me to think deeper. I take a breath, considering my answer. "If what he's doing leads to more good than harm, then yes, I think it's justified." Simple math, really. The logical next question would be how do you measure good? But I have a feeling that's not what he's getting at.

Kassian's expression doesn't change immediately, but I see the wheels turning in his mind. He thinks about it, mulling over my response.

"But does it even matter what we think?" I add. "Evander's never given a damn about anyone's opinion. He'll keep going, like he always does."

"You're right. Evander's always kept to his path, never wavering." He pauses, his tone dropping to something more serious, almost solemn. "There are few things so dangerous in a man as a lack of doubt," he says, as if he's reciting something.