Sigma/Star: Aftermath

Chapter 149: Approach

Porter swung his leg back and forth a few times, hand pressed against the wall so he could maintain his balance. It wasn't bothering him anymore, just a simple tweak. If he didn't push things too hard, it wouldn't come up again. So sparring with Sigma was off the list.

The android watched Porter go through the motions, standing next to him. "I could just tell you what's wrong," he said, growing impatient that his abilities weren't in use.

"I like understanding my own body my own way," was Porter's reply.

"But I get to tell you if you have cancer?"

"Sure." Porter stood up properly and continued the walk down the hallway. Ardwen had already left earlier in the morning, in pursuit of assembling some machinery that could help recharge his mobility. He didn't want anyone to talk to him about his state, so Porter had elected to leave him to it. Each of them had their own way of going through things.

Riya had called for them though, to have a discussion. It was only in this moment that Porter realized he had no idea where to go from here. His previous plans had been derailed by being captured. Strangely, he had never contemplated the idea that the others would be looking for him as much as he them. It was possible Raul was out there, or Rex, or Nami, searching for him. Porter felt his chest tighten as memories of Nami went through his mind. He missed that bubbly girl popping out of nowhere to bother him. He missed her passion, her energy. And he hoped it hadn't been snuffed out entirely by what they had all gone through. Like with Riya.

"This is a different version of her?" Sigma asked. The android was doing his best to keep pace with Porter; his longer legs meant he had to slow himself.

"I guess you didn't know her long enough to really get a feel for her." Porter sighed and stopped, leaning against the wall. "She was such a soft, kind-hearted person. There's no Riya in my memories who would ever risk anyone's life just to talk with us. And certainly not one who wouldn't respond to killing innocents in pursuit."

"But she can kill the guilty?" Sigma's irises spun a little. Porter would never grow used to that.

"Well..." The young man thought back to the times on the battlefield. Among them, Riya had the most weapons on her Goliath, and probably had racked up the most amount of casualties over that time, just by sheer volume. Porter had killed a number of people as well, plus whatever the Jahari were if he wanted to count them. "I suppose we all can," Porter finally answered, striding forward past the android. Sigma was by his side again in a second.

"Interesting."

"Yeah the part of you that's all anti-war is kind of interesting considering you're a death machine."

"I am living irony," Sigma replied, unphased in his facial expression. He used so little emotion when he spoke. Porter always felt like he was just getting a grasp on understanding him before it would all disappear the next time they came across a serious discussion.

"What do you think you'd be doing?" Porter asked, as the pair navigated the halls. They were walking in parallel but Porter knew to just follow Sigma. He kept one eye on his brother for any movements indicating a turn. It was a system they had worked out in their time together. "Like, if you hadn't run into us...me. If you were just out there in the world."

"Wander." Sigma closed his eyes and veered right. Porter spun on his heel and stumbled slightly as he did his best to keep up. He forgot Sigma could largely see without eyes. "I would wander. Or maybe drift. Whatever seemed more interesting."

Porter didn't press further. They were quiet the rest of the way there, opening the door to Riya's office and finding her also sitting silently at her desk, going over something on a viewscreen. She tucked it away when she saw them.