Page 69 of Taurus's Quest
The streaking light missiles ceased, and a moment later, she felt herself being sucked back to Earth, brought back in defeat. Foiled by the fleshy being, who would pay for their actions.
Pay by having her consciousness shut off.
Chapter 21
“What do you mean the nanobot is gone?” Taurus held Circe in his arms. Soon as his Astraeus released him—after using him and the other Zodiacs as energy missiles to shatter the asteroid they could finally see—he’d grabbed Circe and yanked her away from the machine.
“The dimples are empty. It’s inside her,” Aquarius stated somberly.
“Well, get it out!”
“I don’t know how.”
Aries approached. “She’s not waking up?”
“No.” And it crushed his heart.
“She did a brave thing.”
“Yeah, she did, and now we need to help her.”
“Agreed.” Aries glanced at Sage. “Any idea how we can remove the nanobot without causing harm?”
She shook her head. “I’m afraid not. And I wouldn’t suggest lightning.”
“No shit,” Taurus huffed.
Aquarius snapped his fingers. “Hold on, I know something that might work. An EMP pulse.”
“Pretty sure we don’t have any of those in our armory,” Taurus snapped.
“No shit. Nor do we have anything to detonate in the atmosphere to create one, and I don’t think the sun is due to emit any flares anytime soon.”
“Then why even mention it?” Taurus didn’t mean to sound short, but with Circe unresponsive, possibly forever, he couldn’t entirely control his emotions.
“There is something else that can create an EMP pulse. Stars.”
Taurus glanced overhead and spotted his constellation. “And how do you propose we get them to send one?”
“Ask your Astraeus.”
Such a simple answer and he immediately closed his eyes and concentrated.
So hey, big shiny constellation in the sky, it’s me, your avatar. I know you’re probably tired after bashing that alien ship, good job, by the way, but I don’t suppose you could do me a little favor.
No reply, but then again, no one ever actually conversed with their Astraeus once they became a warrior.
Taurus sighed as he hugged Circe close. “Guess they?—”
His back suddenly heated but, at the same time, turned crazy cold. His breath hissed from him, and his body jerked as something burst free. Not anything he could see, and yet whatever vomited from his body rattled everything and everyone on the rooftop.
“What the fuck was that?” Leo exclaimed.
“EMP pulse,” Taurus whispered as he stared at Circe’s face, more specifically the fluttering lashes.
Her eyes opened, and she stared at him. Said nothing. Just stared.
“Honey? You in there?”
