With a shaky hand, I exited the program, disarming it.
“Arlo!” someone shouted from the entrance.
It was Bryson Kelley.
“Bryson?”
“Did you… is she..?” Bryson was at Eclipse’s side, checking her pulse. His expression said it all. She was dead.
And I’d killed her.
EPILOGUE
Six months ago, I’d been on top of the world. We’d won Space Race. For a brief moment in my life, everything was laid out. I was going to be an executive with the up-and-coming SeaTech, helping Bryson, the CEO, expand into Proxima Centauri. I’d follow in my grandfather Preston Lewis’ footsteps, and be the second of my lineage to fly to the neighboring system.
Then the Velibar had come, and the trail of deception belonging to Elise Post, the sister of the Lead Chair of our Board, had begun. And I’d shot her.
As many times as I told myself she deserved it, that Eclipse had caused more damage to our society than all the Primaries over the course of their two-century reign, I still felt remorse.
“Are you ready for this?” Bryson asked me. He’d arrived from Hawaii with a fleet of twenty to assist the defense against the Liberty insurrection. The moment he’d learned of my location, Bryson had flown his personal transport to find me.
We were all piled into the Board Headquarters, ready for the meeting with the CEOs about the future. It had been a month since we’d returned to Earth, and already things were progressing. My injury had been mended, and I couldn’t even tell I’d ever been shot, except for the round scar that reminded me.
“I’m not sure I should be here,” I admitted. “I’m a pilot, Bryson, not a diplomat.”
“You’d be surprised what one can do when pushed. My wife left Holland when he was a year old. I was new to the role of CEO when my father died. In the span of three years, I lost the two most important people in my life. Did I wallow? Did I give up?”
“No. You took SeaTech into the top ten and raised Holland yourself. And did one hell of a job too,” I told him truthfully.
“I’d have to agree, and that’s what dedication and hard work do. You have the same instincts in you, Arlo. I know it. The way you analyze things. You take the weight of the world and wear it like a badge. You’re a true hero. Whatever we discuss in that room today, you will be a part of it. You’re connected.” Bryson offered me a firm handshake, and I nodded at him, unsure what to say to the praise. “Remember, Eclipse was only out for herself. You saved Primary City and a lot of lives that day. Don’t let this incident haunt you.”
“I won’t,” I promised him, and spotted my crew across the way.
“Go. Talk to them. We have much to discuss after this,” Bryson said.
“I’ll find you.” I walked over to Jade, Luther, and Holland. R11 was with them, all cleaned up and back to normal. There was nothing to fear from Liberty.
The crew of Killer came to join us, and Varn smirked at me. “I can’t believe they let me in on this. I couldn’t have done it without you all.”
Aster rolled her eyes. “Damn right. The way you fly, you’d have died a hundred times if I wasn’t on the guns.”
Jinx glanced at the entrance where the CEOs began to emerge. “What do you think they’ll say about Dutis?”
“I guess we’re about to learn,” I said.
Jade grabbed my arm and held me back while the others entered, finding seats in the auditorium.
“Something on your mind?” I asked her.
She played with her black earrings, brushing her hair away. “I thought we could get something to eat after this. Discuss things.”
We’d both been busy since the attack, and Jade had been named the lead technology officer for the invasion repulsion team.
I bumped her arm with my elbow. “I’d love to. Is this a date?”
“I don’t do labels.” She smiled, walking off. We entered the amphitheater together, the last to arrive.
Octavia was already speaking, and she made eye contact with me. I was assured the death of Eclipse had been justified, but Octavia still seemed uneasy around me, and I couldn’t blame her one bit.
“As I was saying, the crew of Eclipse’s hauler has been quarantined. We’re testing methods to reverse their infections. We managed to freeze the Eris moss creatures and seal them away, thanks to SeaTech’s containment cases.”
I sat between Holland and Luther, Jade one row in front of us in an empty seat.
“We’ve learned a lot, people. The Belt Station is gone. We can rebuild, but Liberty managed to destroy half of our newly minted defense forces. Her attacks have devastated us and set us back years. Anyone associated with the group will be imprisoned henceforth. We will not have room for negotiation on this.”
“What does the rebuild look like?” This from Erik Trevors, the Luna Corp CEO.
Octavia powered up a projection and got to the next point. “We cannot rebuild until all safety protocols have been followed and we are protected from extraterrestrial threats.”
Frank Under grunted. “You can’t be serious. You’re going to keep us shut down? Until what? There will always be a threat.”
“Mr. Under, I’m glad you asked. Since Sage Industries was the top-ranked Primary, we appreciate your assistance on the next mission. We’re sending a fleet to Dutis. Your resources will be used to fund this expedition. Do you understand?” Octavia asked.
Frank muttered under his breath but nodded. “Sage will fund it. Whatever it takes to finish this and get back to business.”
“Good. The Dutis fleet will be led by none other than Arlo ‘Hawk’ Lewis.” Octavia smiled, and I felt two hundred eyes fall on me at the same moment.
I wished she would have warned me this was happening. I didn’t know what to say, and I had nothing prepared, so I stayed sunken into my seat.
“With the assurance of Preston Lewis, we think a compromise
