Page 74 of Ava Stargazer

“No.”

Vox sighed. They would need to find ones that were around from back then, when Humans were still being bred.Some will need to recognize her.

Rhutg watched Vox, then said, “Let’s not break too many. With any luck, this time we can do this and then leave without anyone knowing we were here at all.”

Vox nodded, feeling the fatigue from even just this one mind he held in his. He’d had a burst of clarity from the adrenaline, but his mind was already taking on that sluggish feeling. The coating on their mind made them hard to get through and heavy to bear. They would need to be stealthy.The less we need to break, the better.

Ava took the dreaded heat suit from Vox’s hands, which she then put on with disdain. The oxygen mask dangled over it on her neck, beside the biologics, just in case it was needed.

“I grew up here, Vox, my body can handle this,” she said. But her nerves were wired, and focusing on the mundane tasks like this did help keep her calm.

“Humor me,” he said intensely as he wrapped the strap they had spent time preparing earlier around her chest, the playful moments from when she first tried it on, in her alcove, far from her mind.

Vox drew out a sketch of the facility before they left the cargo hall, the layout lifted from the Yar’s mind. He showed her where it started at the entrance they were going to, and how it was sectioned off, with ten sections in total.

Each area had its own separate, distinct operation. It was designed like this, separate, to keep any possible diseases awayfrom each other. There was a central hub in the middle that allowed all the sections to be accessed, farther in. She looked at it, biting her lip.I remember.I think.

They were brought up sometimes to the main receiving room for inspections, and if there was an interested buyer important enough to visit in person, through those halls. She never went back down into any of the other sections, however, just to the main hall and hers. Why her memory retained that information she didn’t know, but she knew that was right. Ava looked and then said softly, pointing with her index finger, “There. The lower right-hand part. That is the section we were in.”

Vox looked down at her. “You are certain?”

“Yes.” Ava felt in her gut that was correct. She moved away from the sketch, which Vox folded and put in his jumpsuit, then stood at the threshold of the cargo bay, looking anxiously at the cold world outside.Here we go.

Part of her wanted to stay in the ship, and that avoidant part warred with the rest of her as she stood there. She was ready to confront this. Ready to see and move on. Her resolve firmed.I’ll regret not going if I don’t do it now. I’ll never get another chance to see. Now that I know more and can understand more.

Rhutg strode out, Zeed following, both flanking her as she and Vox walked ahead. Tiral stayed behind with Fijjak and Pyra on the ship as backup.

The broken Yar was in front, leading the way.

She followed the Yar who walked just ahead of Vox, in that hated robe she remembered.The Yar hurt us. The thought broke through as she stared at the multi-limbed creature. At its eyes, peppered all over its head. A sour taste filled her mouth as she walked behind it. The dark part of her, the same part that secretly felt no guilt when the Vorbax took over the ship, watched and felt no remorse that this one was shattered. Ava averted her eyes from the Yar.

It's already not the same.In her memories, the Yar loomed over her. Now, standing there broken, it was only a bit taller than she was.I’m taller now as well though, so I’m probably the one that changed.And the angle was different too. She only remembered looking up at them. Now she could see the extra antennas on the top of its skull, in between the thatch of hair. Short and stubby.Nothing like Ebel’s or Fijjak’s.

In her scattered memories, the Yar were indifferent more than anything else ... but the isolation and the fear that went with that was enough. She’d only needed their physical reminders a few times, the batons at their sides delivering a painful jolt that brought her to her knees. Ava remembered her and her sisters fearing them, and the batons they carried that she saw them use on others.Manyothers.

And she remembered knowing, even then, that anything in a position of absolute power over someone else was to be feared. Her mother never had any sons, only daughters. The Human males that were bred were more aggressive than Ava and the other females.They got hit the most.They acted up more, especially after they were given the growth shots. Individuals were usually kept separated into family pods but did spend time together if there was a communal lesson. At those times, Ava observed that if they didn’t listen, some Humans were taken away and never returned. She balled her fists at her side, determined.I was so scared and young back then. I need to see what it really was so that I can understand better.

Ava took a deep breath, remembering her talk with Joy. About being a survivor.I will do this. Her eyes fixed on the horizon as they walked, and she focused on Vox’s back instead of the Yar’s. The cold air helped keep her present and aware as she leaned into it.

Vox had them sit by a rock outcropping just out of direct view of the facility. He spoke briskly over the cold. “The AI andoffensive capabilities are online. They have heat and bio sensors. I am close enough now to send the Yar in to disable.”

Ava nodded, her teeth chattering. Her breath made a fog in front of her, something she would be more interested in if it wasn’t happening with the facility looming just ahead.

“Come here.” Vox reached over and pulled her close, warming her in his embrace.

She shook in his arms, looking down and away from the facility for a moment. “You were right on the heat suit.”

Vox just hugged her closer in response, his gaze fixed far away. The wind still whipped around her, the sun distant. She shook in his arms, thinking idly that she hoped Xai didn’t get as cold as this.At least there will be no wind inside.

Both Rhutg and Zeed looked away and over the frosted wasteland while Vox kept his head low, focused on controlling the Yar as it went in the facility.

Vox stood a few minutes later, a faraway look in his eyes. “It did what it could. We should be able to move now without any issue. The AI system is rebooting, but it will not last long, so let’s hurry.”

They walked across the chilled wasteland and Ava couldn’t imagine how much colder she would be without the heat suit. Vox led them to the side of the facility. She scanned the metal wall.What are we even looking for?It was answered a second later when Vox indicated a small opening. It was something they would never have noticed without the knowledge from the Yar.

Unfortunately, there was a camera, not even attempting to be discreet. She looked up at it. The camera was angled to watch the hidden service entrance.Hopefully all of that can be erased.

Vox ducked inside and Ava followed hesitantly, her foot hovering at the entrance as she took her first step back into her birthplace.

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