UNELUNA OF 2878
"Uneluna unites sky and road in a steadfast thread. The month descends in silver, preparing the portal. Libeluna opens gently: new radiance in the air. The story continues clear, in a living tide."
SAYMON
I was on one of the uppermost floors of some building in Centrália, looking through the window at the pathetic beings below. They came and went, configuring their miserable biochips in an attempt to protect themselves from the devastating rain. That day, like so many others, had awakened in tears.
CLICK A sharp sound echoed behind me. The door opened easily. Even if I had locked the nanodoor, the nanolocks would bow to her, and the nanopadlocks would dissolve like watercolor paint.
Maia closed the distance between us. A strange sound accompanied her. I had forgotten where I'd last heard it. Perhaps it was an illusory memory. After all, so many cycles had passed.
"What is that?" I stared at the gray ball of fur cautiously sniffing the air.
"What do you think it is?" She had no patience for obvious questions.
The animal explored the place, sniffing everything around it. It would approach something, sniff a little farther ahead, and only then continue walking. Very careful.
"What is it doing here?"
Maia looked at the creature too. "You're gonna take care of Orion."
I drew my shoulders back. "What makes you think I'll take care of… wait, you named the thing?"
She fixed me with a threatening look. "You will… and you'll take very good care of him."
I sighed and returned my eyes to the view. "Whatever."
Maia joined me at the window.
"You really going through with this?" I asked.
"Yes." She cracked her neck. Although her features were soft, almost cheerful, the tension gathered in her shoulders was unmistakable. An untouchable happiness.
"All for a…" Perhaps I had chosen the wrong word. "Distraction?"
Her gaze weighed on me. "What did you say?"
Well, she had given me another chance. But playing with the odds was so much fun.
I hissed, "All for a distra—" The air grew heavy, and her muscles tensed. For an instant, I knew what would happen. Still, I stayed.
The invisible force of Maia's punch struck me. She drove her fist hard into my face, knocking me off balance. I brought a hand to my mouth and watched red blood gather on my fingers. I licked my lips, tasting iron. It was good. I smiled.
Maia grabbed my collar. Her eyes burned with fury. "Never again…" She didn't need to finish. The rage condensed in her aura spoke for itself.
My smile widened. "You've gotten strong."
Maia hauled me upright and cast an unfocused gaze toward the horizon. "Yeah… you can't hit me like you did twenty cycles ago anymore."
"How many times are you gonna bring that up? You know I did it to protect you." I massaged my throbbing jaw.
"Then you know what it's like… hurting someone to protect them," she said. Her pain seemed to gain texture with every letter. A sudden glimmer tinted her eyes, but the cold soon returned to its place, coating them in an opaque varnish.
We remained there, taking in the view.
"Did you do what I asked?" Maia said.
I rested my arm against the glass. "I did. His name is Pavel. He'll be working at the condominium as an android nanoengineer contracted through Kokusai. I made sure of it personally."
"Thanks."
"Are you really sure you're going through with this?" I repeated the question. Perhaps I was looking for a different answer, though I knew it was in vain.
Maia nodded.
I almost smiled. "So… she unchained you?"
Maia gave a lopsided smile. "Shall we?" She turned and stroked the cat.
I stared at the animal lying on the sofa, already seeming at home. Perhaps he understood what was happening better than I did. Perhaps he and I had more in common than I supposed.