Titans

[33] Merc

The Genesis [312:51]
Location: Aion Universe

We're explorers, titans of some unclaimed universe, treading across a strange planet, extra-terrestrial rock under our boots, alien stars in the dark sky above our heads. If you look up, you can see distant stars exploding to life like blue and red flowers blooming for the first time. They blossom all across the sky, far enough away that we don't feel the dangerous cosmic aftermath, but close enough to witness the beauty.

Cal's been at it for two days now. He's found stockpiles of usable information. No one asks him what he's read, what he's learnt. No one wants to know.

Atara says, "What are you expecting to find out here?"

We've walked a fair distance from the ship – far enough that it's barely a glowing point on the horizon. Atara swings her flashlight horizontally, scanning the way ahead. Just to my right, Lilith points her torch at the sky, flicking it on and off.

Four quick flashes. Pause. One quick flash. Pause. Quick flash, long flash, quick, quick.

It goes on. I realise it's Morse code. But I'm not entirely sure who she's trying to signal.

"I don't know," I reply. "Something."

We walk on. At one point we reach a long crevice in the ground, too wide to jump across, and have to veer right. It doesn't really matter. Our destination is somewhere. And there's an infinite amount of routes to get there.

For the most part we walk in silence. There's a tenseness to the air, although I doubt Atara feels it. It's there every time I'm in a room with the two of them. Sometimes I wonder if it will ever go away.

I know the truth of it, even if I won't admit it: I still haven't forgiven Lilith. Not completely. And I still feel guilty for the secret I share with her. What would Atara do if she knew her shooter was also her friend?

And then another thought occurs to me, even more unsettling: Who does Atara think shot her? And why isn't she asking us about it?

"Stop," Lilith says. She throws an arm out in front of us.

She aims her flashlight down. Barely a metre from out feet the ground drops out. Beyond there's just a deep, black pit.

Atara shivers. "I didn't see it."

And it's no wonder why. Everything is so dark out here, it's hard to tell the difference between rocky earth and black abyss, even with a flashlight. Aim it in the wrong direction for too long and it's game over.

Atara sends her beam out across the the rift. The light seems to get lost in the night.

"We should go back," I say. "There's nothing out here."

"No, wait," Atara says. She peers into the gloom. "Is that–"

Suddenly there's a jolt. The ground bucks as though trying to fling us into space. I trip but manage to catch myself before flying over the edge of the abyss. Atara falls forward, landing on her hands, head poking over into the dark. Her flashlight rolls out of her grip and over the lip of the rift, a falling star, fading, fading.

The ground is still shaking.

"What are you doing?" Lilith yells. "Get up, get up!"

Atara fumbles back from the edge and I help her to her feet, both of us stumbling as we try to keep steady. The sky cracks thunderously overhead, light splitting up the darkness. Lilith grabs Atara's other arm and starts running.

It's an earthquake. No, it's more. It's the planet turned animate, thrashing and shuddering. It's the three of us, sprinting through the newly-minted day. It's a roaring, the voice of an angry god permeating the universe. It's the ground splitting open and us having to jump, to claw, to grip onto life with white knuckles and desperate hands.