The world disappeared, there was just her still face, those empty blue eyes staring blankly. It felt like there was a pressure building up in his head, a crush of anguish pressing everything in his life out of focus except for the reality of losing her for a second time, losing her for good after clinging to the thought of meeting her again as a light of hope without even realizing it until she was there in front of him. He drew her body to him, holding her in his arms tightly. Rare tears ran quietly down his face as his own body was wracked with pain.
The incredible pain of his own wounds changed and become a sensation of ripping and tearing. Amidst the feelings of grief and fear a mental flash of the medical database that Vindyne had imprinted on him made an appearance, and a strange, complete throe engulfed him. He couldn't breathe, his entire body twitched involuntarily, his arms crushed Ayan to him and for a moment he felt closer to her than he'd ever felt to any thing or anyone. His sight failed, the pain ebbed and his conciousness faded in a rush of exhaustion.
“Jake?” Ayan asked in a whisper from somewhere very close.
He opened his eyes and met hers. They were glad, blue, focused and beautiful. He could hear the increased sounds of weapons fire around them and didn't much care.
“I think you did that,” she said as she reciprocated his embrace.
“I'd do it again if I knew how,” he replied, still not completely sure of what had happened, only that she was dead a moment before but had been brought back to life. “Are you all right?”
“Other than having a backless vacsuit? I'm all better and ready to leave,” She smiled at him.
“Then let's go,” he concluded as he broke their embrace and got into a crouch. There were even more soldiers across the way, and they had brought portable armoured barriers for more cover. As he mentally touched the sidearm he'd captured earlier he realized that the energy clip was empty. Reaching out with his senses only a little further he realized every power cell he had was completely dry and his command and control unit was busy collecting ambient energy, recharging from zero and just coming back online.
“Jason, is everyone in the hangar with the Clever Dream?” Ayan asked over her communicator.
“Just now, oh, and stop dying, willya? My heart can't take it.”
“I'll do my best,” Ayan replied with a little chuckle. “Retreat! We're leaving!” She shouted to Oz and everyone nearby.
Oz nodded and took one of Alaka's arms over his shoulder while another rebel took the other. “Cover us!”
Jake took a power cell from a nearby soldier's belt, loaded it into his captured sidearm and deactivated the safety with the help of the command chip in his comm unit. Everyone behind cover nearest to the hallway exit behind them opened fire on the foyer and beyond, mostly striking the makeshift barricades but causing enough of a commotion to keep the enemy occupied.
They managed to get Alaka to safety, and from there it was a mad rush to retreat down the hallway and long ramp into the more up to date section of the station interior. Within minutes they made it to the broad loading corridor that Dementia had kept secure and clear for the remaining hundred and eighty one refugees and rebels. The heavy quarantine door closed and sealed behind them, buying them precious time as they moved as quickly as they could down the spotless white and green hall. It's pristine appearance was a vast contrast to the ragged and filthy appearance of the group making haste down its length.
As Oz and Jason, at the head of the group arrived at the end the heavy blast doors opened to reveal a scene that could have only been described as serene. The Clever Dream was in the middle of a large hangar, drag marks on the deck indicated that it had been pulled there some time ago by other automations. Several repair and maintenance bots were performing final preparations, and Oz couldn't help but spot a law enforcement android pulling a large power cable free from the Clever Dream's starboard side receptacle.
Many of the ship's armour panels had been raised so supplemental systems could be installed underneath. Heat shielding foam had been sprayed onto bundles of cables that couldn't be run inside the plating, but across and down the length of the vessel's hull. The graceful shape of the ship had been ruined by the vast number of external modifications and the Clever Dream had taken on an exaggerated muscular, almost organic appearance.
Jake and Ayan caught up to the front as the refugees made their way down the ramp ways to the waiting craft. “Whoa, what happened here?” Jake asked, half amused, half stunned as he looked at the Clever Dream and obvious signs of cannibalization on the ships around her.
“Dementia says that when he arrived he was out of fuel and since this port doesn't have licensing for Xetima he had to convert the ship to run on something else.”
“So he cannibalized the surrounding ships,” Ayan finished.
“Alice is going to be pissed,” Jake said as he helped direct the refugees down towards the ship. “Did it work?”
“I'll conference you into his line, one sec,” Jason worked the controls on his comm and a moment later they were all linked with Dementia.
“Hello Jake, it's good to see you again,” it said. It's voice was a deeper, slightly distorted version of Lewis.
“Glad to see you too. Thank you for giving us a ride out of here. I see you've converted the thrusters, can you still break orbit?” Jake asked.
“I have installed a solid fuel booster for that purpose, the only drawback is that we will be visible for approximately nineteen seconds as it fires, but my shields will be able to take at least one direct hit from even the heaviest planetary weaponry.”
“Will there be enough room for everyone?” Oz asked.
“Yes, I have room for four hundred between the cargo hold and the rest of the ship. I've built as many components outside of the habitation and other internal areas for that purpose. Everything is prepared, my reserve power cells have been charged and the Clever Dream's systems have been fully tested. I also have a message from Alice and the Triton for Jacob Valance.”
“What's the message?” Jake asked as the group moved to the rear boarding ramps of the Clever Dream and started loading aboard.
“They are standing by and await your order. There is also some scan data included that indicates that there are thousands of ships in the system, there is a major battle underway.”
“You guys go ahead, I'll take care of directing traffic and fitting everyone in,” Oz told Jason, Ayan and Jacob. “Oh, and do me a favour; make sure this isn't a trap.”
“Be careful,” Ayan said before the three of them ran for the smaller cockpit rampway at the front of the ship.
Jake stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Vernen. He was just about to step onto the rear boarding ramp. “Not him!” Jake boomed as he thrust his finger.
Everyone jumped, startled by the sudden shift in his demeanour from rushed and excited to dire and imposing. Vernen tried to run the rest of the way up the ramp but couldn't get past the people in front.
Before most could see what was going on Jake rushed him, closing the distance in five strides and snatching a half drawn pistol out of the man's hand. Jake tossed the pistol away, sending it sailing through the air behind the boarders and spinning across the scuffed deck. His other hand reached out and snatched a thick fist full of the man's hair, bystanders could hear some of it tear free from his scalp as Vernen was hauled off the ramp and thrust to the deck behind. Jake kicked as hard as he could, turning his chest, his hips and heaving his boot squarely in the center of Vernen's back, sending him sprawling onto his hands. “This waste of skin doesn't set foot on my ship!”