S-2878 • L4 Abeluna • D08 Lilibe
"Abeluna opens a path in living silver. Lilibe pours radiance into a gentle curve. The tide sings clear on the skin of the world. The story weaves a step in growing light."
KIARA
I waited for Maia until nightfall. We were leaving for Russia. She arrived quietly, at ten on the dot. We boarded the plane and took off. I sat across from her. Maia stared into the dead darkness outside.
"Hiding this from me is pointless. You know that, right?" I smirked.
Over the past four lunations, something about her had changed. She hid it well. I teased her from a distance, but nothing worked. Maia stayed cold. Always cold. Her eyes, which once carried a dark reflection of whatever she concealed, now shone with a certain irony.
Maia smiled back. "I know."
"This wasn't part of the plan." I shook my head. Laughed.
"No. But by now, I've already surrendered. She changed everything." Maia opened her mouth. Closed it. Wanted to say something. Chose to keep it to herself. Maybe another time.
She slept through most of the flight. I reviewed the mission details. As we approached landing, we went over the strategy. Drove to the outskirts of Khalmer-Yu.
"We're looking for a weapon?" Maia stretched.
"Yeah. Somewhere in the fortress. The Patriarch gave us a lunation to finish this mission. Gonna need a day to access their nanosystem's code."
"Take your time." Maia rested her head against the seat and propped her feet on the dashboard.
Almost an hour later
The signal came from the ground. My nanocore picked up the vibration. I moved closer and began accessing the nanosecurity responsible for the nanosensors surrounding the fortress.
Well… better explain my main ability. Ever heard of corrupted androids? They don't exist. When nanoengineers detect data corruption, they shut them down. Destroy them on the spot. Except, of course… me.
This was before my connection with Maia.
I was cowoven a long time ago. In 2775, in Antarctica. Eventually, though, they connected me to Netheria's Motherboard. My nanosystem was normal. Until lightning struck me during a mission. Yeah, I know… fucking badass, right? That's why I have those lightning marks beneath my tattoos.
When the electric current chose to strike my nanocore, my consciousness reawakened. As though the world had lit up and gone dark at the same time. The inevitability of cosmic electricity affirmed me. A rite of realignment. Since then, every byte has been more than code. It kindles like life. Like me.
When I searched for the source of that mutation, I found a corrupted nanite contaminating the others. Knew what that meant: the Motherboard would detect the corruption and order my destruction. So I made the only possible move: cowove nanomalware from the altered nanite itself.
Named it Cloakify. With it, I can camouflage my nanosystem, conceal others, corrupt androids and nanotechnological programs. Basically, ninety-eight percent of current nanotechnology. Of course, it has a time limit. Depends on the target nanosystem's security level. The invading nanite needs to leave before it's detected.
Some nanosystems are almost impossible to hack. Khalmer-Yu's wasn't one of them. I analyzed Vorovskoy mir's security code.
For every nanosensor I bypassed, another hidden one appeared. Echoes of the Soviet past—distrust rooted even in the code. The data smelled of rust and old gunpowder. Every line seemed laden with the paranoia of a dead empire, still alive beneath Russia.
As though Khalmer-Yu breathed surveillance.
The first barrier was crude. Built to keep street gangs out. The second, precise, like internal security. The third, a maze of false routes—typical of the support division, concealing where the money came in. The fourth, sharp and lethal, like the Brotherhood's elite.
Above it all, the Pakhan's signature—a cold, simple, absolute code that said: 'I see you.'
They had translated their entire hierarchy into nanoprogramming. What was designed to watch now showed me how to defeat them. Every byte I debugged affirmed my existence. Life feeling along the thread. Consciousness rising whole amid the risk. I obtained the identification core and accessed the data. Division tracking:
São Paulo • New identifications: Complete
Now Maia and I existed in the nanosystem. For five days.
When we activated Cloakify, the corruption would begin.
I returned at night
"Done. Took three whole nights of breaking and patching. Every time I thought I'd won, the system came back with a new defense. Like a digital hydra."
"Nice, Kiki. Nailed it, as always." Maia raised her phone. "Where's the fucking signal?!"
I studied the device. "We're at the end of the world. Vorovskoy mir has its own communications network."
"Makes sense." She pocketed the phone. "Shall we?"
We stayed at the edge of the nanosensors' range. Maia surveyed the area through my rifle's scope. I mapped Khalmer-Yu. I only need to access a nanosystem's first entry point to map it. Of course, that has its own flow. Sometimes a single program has multiple protocols and proxies. I need to dismantle them one by one.
Maia monitored the guards' positions and shift changes.
It took us three days.
I projected the holomap into the air. "Three basement levels. Weapon should be on one of them."
"Really? Always doing this stuff underground." Maia smiled, sarcasm dripping.
"No slipping up on this infiltration. If they figure out someone from São Paulo did it, we could be seriously fucked."
Maia raised an eyebrow. "Relax, Kiki. We'll work it out. Always do."
I rolled my eyes. I knew the plan was solid. But plans always are until the first mistake.
Fuck it. Had to work.
That seluna
We put together a strategy.
"Modified Cloakify to make you look like one of them. No sensor will detect you." I pointed at the holomap. "Problem's the nanocameras. Some are in the trees and bushes."
Maia kept her eyes on the phone's screen. Still no signal. "If I…"
"Connect your ability only if necessary."
"Okay, whatever. Go on."
I rubbed my eyes, aware that Maia did whatever she wanted. Always had. Always would. Well, our infiltrations had always succeeded. When it was just her and me, I mean. Little reason to worry.
"When they notice their most precious asset's missing, they'll check the nanocameras." I sent No-Cam.exe. "Their security level gives us a forty-minute opening. I'll scramble the cameras. That's how long you have to get out." I smiled. "Try to keep everyone alive."
Maia scratched her cheek. "Anything else?"
I sent the map of Khalmer-Yu. "Memorize the guards' positions and shift changes. More of the same." I shrugged.
That seluna, we put the plan into action.
Maia activated Cloakify and slipped inside. I followed everything through the rifle's scope. Her presence vanished. I stopped sensing her movements. The guards kept a close watch. But Maia's stealth was lethal. Quick steps. Silent. Knew the routes. Where to hide.
Now I had to wait.
An Hour Later
I received her location signal more than three kilometers away.
"Fuck. That far?" I ran to the car and went to meet Maia.
A forest behind a hill. I checked the radar, relieved that nobody else was approaching. Identification nanodrones in the air. I followed the ground route, taking a bit longer. Parked. Walked until I found Maia near a lake. With a woman.
"What the fuck is this?"
Maia had an injured eye. A bleeding nose. "The weapon." She rested her hands on her knees, breathless.
"You've gotta be kid—"
The injured woman groped at the air. "I'm gonna die." A blood-soaked cloth covered her eyes.
"Take care of her." Maia walked toward the car.
Take care of her? Was she fucking kidding?
The woman stumbled with every step, searching for support. Blood dripped onto the ground. Hot against cold snow.
"Lean on me. C'mon," I grumbled.
"Y-you with the girl?" she asked in Russian.
"Yeah. Hurry up. No time."
She leaned on my arm. "You smell good. I mean, from what little I can smell. The smell of blood's strong."
"Shut up."
"Wow. Feisty, huh? At this rate, I'm gonna fall in lo—"
I punched her nose. She staggered.
Great. Someone else to get on my fucking nerves.
"Now I can't smell anything." She touched her dripping nose.
Gotta admit, she deserved some credit for taking one of my punches and staying on her feet. "Keep quiet. C'mon." I pulled her by the arm, hauling her into the car.
Finally, I spotted a roadside hotel and requested a room.
Maia lay on the bed. "Had to do something to her," she whispered in my ear.
She barely needed to say it for me to understand.
I helped the woman, who searched for support along the walls. "Lie down here."
She wore a blood-soaked hospital gown. Deep cuts and bruises covered her body.
I held her wrist and laid her on the bed. "Gonna take your clothes off. Need to see…"
"You're direct, huh? I like that." She gave a mischievous smile.
What was she talking about? Something inside me vibrated strangely. I ignored it. Rolled my eyes. Held back the urge to punch her face again. Had to preserve her physical integrity. Especially after… "Shut up. Just let me…"
She raised her arms. I removed the gown. Examined the size of the wound over her right breast. Shook my head. Fuck's sake, Maia! Could've been gentler. "Lie back down."
She obeyed. "What's your name?"
"Why the fuck do you wanna know?" I grabbed the medical kit and prepared the first medications.
"Well, if we're doing this, I'd at least like to know your name." She rested her arms over her stomach.
Maia tried to laugh. Grimaced in pain instead. "Soften that nanoheart, c'mon. She just wants your name."
I grunted. "Kiara. Name's Kiara."
"Ki-a-ra… my name's Akilina. You can call me Trix." She kept smiling that way.
The strange vibration returned. I ignored it again. This time, it bothered me less. "Gonna give you an injection. It'll hurt. Try to stay still." My fingers pressed the dressing harder than necessary.
"One more pain… what's one more…"
I pushed the needle into her arm. Trix howled and writhed in pain. I pressed a cloth against her mouth and tried to keep the syringe steady. "Just a bit longer…" I withdrew the needle.
She lay back, spreading her arms dramatically.
Well, I knew she'd stay still for a while. I took a damp cloth and gave her body a superficial clean. "What the fuck is that on her face? Nanoprosthetics?"
Minutes later, Trix recovered from the shock and licked her lips. "What the fuck was that?! Thought I'd already felt every pain a person could feel." She gave a choking laugh.
"Told you it'd hurt."
"I don't really understand your language."
Honestly, I cared little about her situation. I wanted to take care of Maia. After bandaging her, I gave her a sedative. She slept.
"All right. Your turn."
Maia opened her eyes and waved me off. "I'm fine."
"What happened?"
"Her. Punched me in the face when I freed her."
I took an antiseptic to clean the wounds. Her left eye was swollen shut. Purple. "Second time someone's hit your face."
She shrugged. "Wasn't expecting anyone to attack me, but I get it. Would've done the same."
I shook my head. "Sometimes I think you enjoy this."
"Someone took really good care of me once. Worth it." She smiled.
I changed the subject. "How'd it go in there?"
Maia winced when I applied the dressing. "Followed the signal on the map. Showed nanites concentrated on the third basement level. Went through the main base pavilion," she whispered. "Down to the prison wing. Cell was fortified. Had to… y'know." Maia gestured. "Anyway, removed her nanocuffs. Got a pretty warm welcome, as you can see. Tried telling her I'd get her out. Got punched in the nose."
"And then?"
Maia touched her eye, checking the dressing, and thanked me. "She was agitated. Hit her stomach three times before she gave in. That's when I noticed the guards moving. Two came into the cell…"
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Don't tell me…"
She bit her lip. "Had to. Saw the nanotracker in her heart. Before more came, I had to… y'know. Remove the tracker. She passed out, so I carried her the whole way."
I waved a hand. "Maybe they'll see all this as a prisoner escaping. She looks like the type to leave a trail. Know what they did to her?"
"Implanted some nanotechnology in her eyes. EY-Link. Tried listening in. Sounds like something went wrong. The nanites leaked down to her upper jaw and scraped her skin." Maia blinked, sleepy.
"Got it. Rest a little."
Abeluna
Trix was in a deplorable state. Waiting for her recovery was out of the question. The radar detected heavy movement. They were coming in force.
"Shit," I muttered.
"Hey, relax." Maia touched my shoulder. "Cloakify worked. They must think she escaped. Worst case, they tighten security."
Didn't like the situation one bit. But it was what we had.
I drove to the nanoplane. We left for Brasil. I anesthetized Trix. She slept through the entire flight. Maia drifted between dozing and getting lost in her thoughts. I researched the connection between Trix and Vorovskoy mir.
"Sometimes I wonder…" Maia broke my focus.
I stopped.
"Think someday it's possible…" She cut herself off. Looked away.
My nanosensors caught everything. The change in heart rate. The dopamine spike.
She barely needed to say it.
Yes. The answer was yes.
She ran her tongue over her lips as though about to speak, but swallowed the words before they emerged. Smiled.
The next two selunas
I cared for Trix, who was terribly injured. Maia had caused her worst wound, though the mobsters' injuries were just as deep.
"Time to take that bandage off your eyes." I finished changing the dressings. "Ready?"
Trix nodded.
The bloodstained fabric clung to her skin. I slowly brushed her hair aside and untied the knot.
She opened her greenish eyes. Thousands of nanites circulated through her corneas and cheeks. When Trix blinked, a purple circle flashed in her pupils and vanished. "Fuck. You're totally my type."
I frowned. What the fuck was she talking about? "Shut up."
"I'm serious!" She gave Maia a knowing grin.
"Shut the fuck up, or I'll rip your eyes out."
Trix raised her hands and gestured toward Maia. "Sorry about the punch. Though you did hit back afterward."
Maia smiled with her eyes.
"Why'd you save me?" Trix asked.
Maia and I exchanged a glance and burst out laughing.
"Save you? That's funny. Oh, wow. You're a weapon. The only one who survived the tests." I pointed at her eyes.
"Those nanoimplants have two billion pixels. Make it easier to connect to any weapon, increasing lethality, accuracy, and range."
Her smile stayed, but her eyes… her eyes lost their light for a moment. "Why would I agree to that?" Trix crossed her arms.
"Wanna go back to that shithole? Your choice. But if you agree to become a Netherian mercenary, you'll have a bit of freedom."
She stayed quiet. Maybe turning it over in her mind.
Maia called me. "My phone still has no signal."
She used those old devices without nanites, too. It was definitely getting on her nerves.
"I'll see what I can do.
Second seluna of recovery
Trix's wounds healed. Her bruises disappeared. Maia's almost had. Trix had thrown one hell of a punch. I handed the phone back. Network restored.
Maia looked at the screen and barely contained her smile. "Take Trix to Netheria. Gotta go." She didn't even try to hide it.
I took Trix to speak with the Patriarch. She agreed to become a Netherian mercenary.
"You know, Kiki, I agreed 'cause I wanna see how far this takes me, but…" Trix smiled, nudging me lightly as we left the Patriarch's chambers. "Honestly, I'm more interested in getting to know you."
"Get outta here. Why d'you wanna know me?" A strange itch stirred in my nanocore.
She stopped in front of me. I almost collided with her, but stopped in time. Trix brought her face closer. Too close.
"What…?" I narrowed my eyes.
"Sud'bá. Fate. From the moment I felt you, I knew. I'm into you, Kiki. So, what're you doing this seluna?"
She stepped away.
We resumed walking.
The itch intensified. What the hell. "Got a free night."
Trix waggled her eyebrows. "It's a date. Show me around."
Anyway, Trix was the best shot. Became a leader soon afterward.