Ch. 28 Sunbeams

Mars 

The metallic hiss of the pinfeathers doors echoed through the holding chamber, enveloping the Aelorian twins in the dimly lit interior. As the doors sealed shut, a sense of anticipation hung in the air. The brothers had gathered what they believed necessary for the mission, but Drake couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was amiss—an imperceptible itch on his neck.

Drake and Falken had ventured on countless missions, leaving a trail of Imperial corpses in their wake, even killing one of those Thrasher freaks once, all in pursuit of a free universe. But this time was different. Drake sat in silence, his thoughts consumed by the enigmatic sensation. What was this feeling, and why couldn't he pinpoint its source? He pondered the question, feeling the weight of the unknown settle in.

Falken, noticing his brother's contemplative mood, nudged him playfully.

"Hey, lighten up! We've faced worse than aliens or somethin'."

Drake smiled faintly, appreciating his brother's attempt to dispel the tension. However, the unsettling feeling persisted, gnawing at him like an elusive specter. He sighed, resigned that this disquieting sensation wouldn't dissipate until they set foot on Mars.

As the pinfeather transport ship began its descent, the twins synchronized their movements, securing their EVA helmets in unison. The subtle hiss of the helmets sealing echoed in the confined space, marking the beginning of their mission. Simultaneously, they established a connection through their personalized comm links, a modified communication system that traversed concealed channels created by Falken. Despite Falken's outwardly carefree demeanor, he possessed a sharp intellect that he often channeled into his tinkering and imaginative pursuits.

While occasionally frustrated by his brother's seemingly frivolous endeavors, Drake couldn't deny the genius behind his carefree demeanor. Though he wished Falken would redirect more of that intelligence towards their overarching goal, he appreciated the unique dynamic his brother brought to their partnership.

Reflecting on their shared experiences, Drake found solace in that Falken had remained relatively normal even after everything that had happened to them as kids. Relatively being the key term there, as normal as trained assassins working for the shattered talon rebellion could be.

A woman's voice crackled over their comm links, breaking the silence in the confined space. "Hey, boys. I'm your chauffeur again. Y'all ready?"

Falken couldn't resist the opportunity to flirt, exclaiming, "Ah! Soonie, my heart heals when I hear your angelic voice."

Drake, more composed, cut in, "Yes, we are prepared as best we can be, Ms. Soonie."

Sonnie's voice held a hint of amusement towards Falken. "Yeah, I'm sure it does, kid. Well, I'm sticking with you guys this time. Where I drop you off is where I'm staying until y'all get back. I'm gonna need to go dark, but my comms systems will still be online on a lower channel. Y'all think you guys can pick it up?"

Drake began to respond, but Falken dramatically interjected, "Oh, my sweet cherubim, worry not! We could never miss your voice!"

Drake shot a disapproving glance at his brother through his visor. Catching the heat from his brother, Falken let out a dramatic sigh and added, "Yes, Soonie dear, we can pick it up. Just send us the ping, and we'll attach."

After a silent few minutes following the reception of the pinfeather's ping, Soonie's voice broke the quiet, "We're 2 minutes out, boys." Drake stood up, doing a last-minute check on all of his gear, while Falken, still sitting, tossed that odd gadget up into the air again.

Drake gave his brother a pointed look and said, "Okay, you've been tossing that thing since we were given the mission. I know you want me to ask you what it is, so why don't we skip all of this, and you just tell me what it is already?"

Falken caught it one last time. "You're. No. Fun."

With that, he stood up. "It's a surprise, something I've been working on for a bit."

"Is it dangerous?" Drake asked, now side-eyeing the small device.

He could practically see his brother's smile through his helmet as Falken replied, "Oh yes, very."

Putting the small device in his pouch, Falken spoke again, "The only hint I'm giving you is that it's made from a part of the fancy-ass ship that Chancellor we iced had."

Drake thought about pressing his brother further but decided to give up.

Soonie's voice came over the comm link, "Alright, boys, we're here." On cue, they felt the rumbling of the pinfeather cease as they landed on the planet's surface. "I got you pretty damn close to the entrance if I do say so myself. Happy hunting, boys!" With that, the heavy ramp leading into the pinfeather began to hiss as it opened to the red planet. In front of them lay the rest of the ascent up the mountain and the entrance to the cave. Drake couldn't help but be impressed by Soonie; she had gotten them close, only about a hundred yards away, securely landed on the side of a mountain.

Falken took a few determined steps off the ramp and onto the surface. "Well, this place is kinda a shithole, huh?" Drake shortly followed behind him. "It's no Paradisium world, that's for sure, but it ain't that bad. Come on, the boss wants this checked out quickly."

Saying that Drake looked at the display on his EVA suit's wrist and pressed a few times on it, connecting his helmet's camera back up to the Defiance. Falken shortly followed suit, and the twins began their ascent up the mountain.

Sylvanor

Knight Harper led Ralios through the corridors of the Galahad, explaining the ship's various sections and sharing anecdotes about the crew. As they walked, Ralios couldn't shake the feeling that Harper harbored a deep sadness, especially when Ralios mentioned the current cycle was 3662. However, Knight Harper maintained his composure and continued the after-meal tour.

Ralios noticed peculiar details along the way. In the lower floors of the Galahad, the crew's belongings were left in disarray like elsewhere; however, only in these lower floors did some of those belongings bear burn marks. Clothes, display devices, and random items seemed to have inexplicably burst into flame. The sight raised questions in Ralios's mind; when ralios brought this observation up, Knight Harper was also at a loss for what it meant.

During the tour, Knight Harper pointed out various features of the ship, including the common areas and the galley, where Ralios had eaten the strange fernback meat. The smokey, fruity taste lingered on his tongue, a peculiar flavor that seemed odd coming from a living creature.

As they explored further, Ralios couldn't help but wonder about the circumstances surrounding the Galahad and its crew. The burn marks hinted at something unusual, adding to the growing enigmas surrounding him on this forested planet.

When Knight Harper spoke of what he thought had happened, he always hoped it was something positive, if not painless. The more Ralios looked at the Knight, the more he saw a worn-down man who, by all rights, should have broke by now. Ralios couldn't help but think there would be no way he could have survived 3 years by himself here, especially since it was apparently not until recently that Knight Harper managed to get one of the generators working again.

Knight Harper guided Ralios through the winding corridors until they reached the heart of the Galahad—the control room. The entrance slid open with a soft hum, revealing a dimly lit space filled with an array of consoles, holographic displays, and the faint glow of various control panels.

The control room bore the marks of both functionality and chaos. A central command console dominated the space, surrounded by smaller stations dedicated to navigation, communication, and ship systems. The hum of machinery and soft beeping sounds filled the air as Ralios took in the sight. One-half of the control room, however, had sunlight beaming in from outside. Fingers of vines had crept into the room along with other small foliage over time.

Knight Harper gestured towards the command console.

"This is where the captain and navigation officer oversaw the ship's operations. In its prime, the Galahad was a marvel of Sylvaria engineering."

Despite the impressive (yet also dated) technology, there were signs of wear and tear. Some consoles flickered sporadically, and the holographic displays showed signs of distortion. It was evident that the Galahad had weathered its share of the years.

Ralios approached one of the control panels, running his fingers along its surface. The tactile feedback was different from the advanced technology he was used to. "Honestly, I've never seen anything like it; it's before my time, at least."

Ralios looked over to Knight Harper, who quickly hid a pained expression and nodded. "Indeed. Time has not been kind to the Galahad. The years of isolation have taken their toll on both of us."

After thoroughly exploring the control room, Ralios turned to Knight Harper and spoke. "Thanks for showing me around the Galahad; you mind if we get some fresh air?"

"Certainly not Mr. Ralios," Knight Harper said in a bit too respectful a tone.

"Right this way."

Knight Harper and Ralios made their way back out and down to the forest floor. Ralios was grateful for the sunbeams and the warmth they brought with them.