Chapter 7

"Hello, Stargazers!" With considerable enthusiasm, the cartoon figure gave an enthusiastic wave. Stargazers were what Stella's fans liked to call themselves, apparently. Cecilia stared at the computer screen, somewhat mystified.

Unlike Cecilia's bare, stark room in the facility, Rose's bedroom was alive with personality. Trinkets littered the floor, many disassembled into their component parts in neat piles. Cute stuffed animal toys decorated the shelves, a menagerie of rainbow colors. Multiple clocks ticked away in a perfect rhythmic symphony, never missing a beat.

"It's Superchat time. Ask anything you want." The animated star paused. "Within reason, of course. We don't want a repeat of the volleyball debacle."

"Volleyball debacle?" Cecilia raised an eyebrow.

"It's a long story. Don't worry about it," Rose said, waving a dismissive hand.

"Okay," Cecilia stewed before the dam finally broke. "Why are we watching some cartoon person answer questions? I don't get this."

"It's more anime than a cartoon, I'd say."

"I have no idea what that means."

Rose breathed out a forlorn sigh, muttering under her breath to a higher power for guidance. "We have a long way to go."

Cecilia grumbled to herself, annoyed at how everyone seemed to assume she was some sheltered cavegirl. While she had access to phenomenal cosmic knowledge, it didn't mean she knew everything. Besides, Cecilia figured that if the Akashic Record never bothered telling her about anime, it probably wasn't that important.

"It's simple. Think of Stella as an actress. She pretends to play an intergalactic traveler, and we all play along," Rose said.

"...why?"

"Because it's fun!" Rose smiled, beaming with energy. "People watch Stella because she's entertaining. It's not much different from wrestling, I suppose."

"Wrestling?" Like the ancient sport? What did that have to do with anything?

Rose rubbed her temple. "Never mind. Just watch and learn."

"Thanks for the Superchat! Have I ever visited Japan?" Stella said, reading the blue that had appeared in her chat. The person had donated two dollars to their anime idol. Her digital avatar brightened. "I have, actually! Many times. I love traveling! I've been basically everywhere."

"Yeah, because she's an intergalactic space traveler," Cecilia said dryly. She wondered why the person behind the motion capture invented that silly backstory for her digital avatar.

"No, I think she's being honest about that one," Rose replied, confusing Cecilia further. Was everything the vTuber said fake or not?

Stella continued. "I've visited many cultures across the years. But here's a secret: fundamentally, people are people, no matter where they live. They each have their hopes and dreams and people they love. That's what I like about humanity, that they're dreamers. They make mistakes, but everyone fundamentally wants a better future."

"What's wrong?" Rose asked, catching Cecilia's forlorn expression.

"It's nothing." Cecilia turned away, her mood souring further. Future? What future? With the Earth on the brink of destruction, why was she wasting time watching some silly cartoon person instead of doing something to help defeat the Altair? Yet, what could she do? Cecilia flopped onto Rose's bed, dejected. 

"If you don't like vTubers, that's fine," Rose said, closing her laptop. "We'll do something else."

"Aren't you scared?" Cecilia asked, her voice shaking. "The Altair are coming after you."

"Ah, so that's it," Rose said, catching on to the sudden shift in her friend's mood. She tossed an arm over Cecilia's shoulder and pulled her in close. "I try not to think about it. It's too big for me, so I avoid the issue. Not much else I can do, really."

"But you might die tomorrow."

"I realized that. That's why I'm trying to watch all the Stella streams I can."

"Why?" Cecillia asked, confused. "Why bother with her?"

"Because I like her, okay?" Rose snorted, frustrated her friend wasn't getting it. "I don't need another reason. If my time remaining is short, I'm spending it doing what I love. Watching Stella, hanging out with Vera, being with my family, and hanging out with you. That sort of thing. Heck, I'm even speaking with my sister more often!"

"Oh," Cecilia said, getting Rose's point. It made her feel guilty for rudely dismissing her new friend's interests. Rose was sharing what she loved, and Cecilia was acting like a total spoilsport. 

"But let's talk about something else, please." Clearly, Rose didn't enjoy discussing her mortality. "So you don't like vTubers. That's fine. We can do something else. What do you do with your free time, Cecilia? Besides reading?"

"Well…" Cecilia faltered. There wasn't much else, really. "Movies?" She hedged. It was a safe answer.

"Me too." Rose clapped her hands together. "I have some romantic comedies I've been dying to get through. How about that?"

"Sure." While Cecilia had heard of the genre, she'd never seen one. It wasn't to her surrogate mother's tastes. But hey, why not? She might actually like them.

---

"Are you okay?" Rose asked as Cecilia sniffed, wiping away tears. On the screen, the couple held hands, the gesture tender and loving. After a brief, hesitant pause, they gained the courage to move in for the kiss.

"It's just... so beautiful. I'm just happy they're together... after everything." After fighting and arguing the entire movie, the couple finally realized they loved each other. Happy things always made Cecilia cry.

"That's how these things go." But Rose smiled, pleased her friend enjoyed the movie. "The pair squabble, spend forever pretending they can't stand each other, but eventually realize they can't live without each other. It blossoms into love and they get together. That's movies for you. Nothing like that ever happens in real life, I'm sure."

Rose checked the clock. "How about another movie? We have until 9 before your doctor picks you up."

"Yes, please." Cecilia nodded with enthusiasm. Rose scanned through her collection of DVDs.

"Hmm. This one's pretty cheesy. Let's see if this one makes you cry too." Rose paused as she caught the expression on her friend's face. "Is something the matter?"

"I…" Cecilia wobbled in her seat, using the corner of Rose's bed to steady her balance. She gasped as knowledge filled her. It wasn't like memorizing for a test or studying a subject. No, it was more like someone had jammed a needle into her brain and injected it with the liquid fire of universal knowledge. Accessing the Akashic Record was never a pleasant experience.

"I'll be fine," Cecilia said, regaining her bearing as she stared into Rose's concerned face.

"Okay," Rose said after a hesitant pause. "Do you often get dizzy spells?"

Cecilia took a breath, recalling what she'd learned. It returned with crystal clarity, every word and image etched into her brain forever. She never forgot anything the Akashic Record told her.

"Sorry, Rose, but it's best if I get going," Cecilia said.

"Okay." Rose eyed her with concern but didn't press the issue. She left the room while Cecilia called Doctor Burbidge to pick her up early.

"Are you sure you can't stay?" Rose's mother asked. "We'd love to have you over for dinner."

"Aww! But I wanna play!" Rose's little brother said, throwing a miniature fit. He'd taken an instant liking to his sister's new friend. It'd been a chore to convince him the girls wanted alone time. "You promised!"

"No, I should go. Sorry, Danny, maybe next time." Cecilia said, resigned. The boy pouted, but nodded, making her pinky promise to honor that. 

What she'd seen in her vision couldn't wait. Besides, it reminded Cecilia she didn't belong with normal people. No matter how much she pretended otherwise, Cecilia could never live a normal life.

"Well, come over whenever you like!" Rose said, taking Cecilia's hand in hers. Rose's guilelessness made Cecilia's heart pang with guilt. She knew nothing about Cecilia's true nature or her connection to LUVOLT. Even if it was indirect, Cecilia had lied to the girl by omission.

"How was it?" Doctor Burbidge asked as Cecilia climbed into her car.

"It was fun," Cecilia replied, but her voice trailed off. 

Rose's family had been too kind to her. But what'd they think if they learned the truth about her? Even at school, Cecilia felt like she was playing dress-up, pretending to be someone she wasn't. Cecilia was a clone, a freak with powers beyond their understanding. Powers beyond even Cecilia's understanding. What did that make her, she wondered? Cecilia brooded as they drove to the LUVOLT facility in silence.

"We're here." Doctor Burbidge said as they approached the checkpoint. "I'm curious to see if what you've learned is important enough to drag us here at this hour." The sun had reached its zenith, red light stretching across the horizon, breathtaking in its fiery glory.

"It will be." Cecilia paused before speaking again. "What do you think about Rose?"

"She seems like a nice, courageous girl. Brilliant, too, from all accounts," her surrogate mother replied.

"I think she might be the future. We need to protect her at all costs." Cecilia swore she'd do anything to protect her new friend.

"Back again?" Sandage said, furrowing his brow. "It's the weekend. Why aren't you out enjoying yourself? Unlike some people, you aren't forced to be here."

"I had another vision." This caught the agent's attention. He stood to attention, his focus centered on her.

"Continue."

It was uncanny. The Akashic Record might have provided them the key that they needed. But Cecilia wasn't under any illusions that it'd directly helped her. Its visions were too random for such a fantastical notion. There was no higher power watching and aiding them. Such an idea was unscientific. "I may know how to create a weapon for Luyten V."

"Really? How?" Sandage furrowed his brow.

"But we're talking about technology far beyond our technical understanding!" Cecilia paced the room like a trapped animal. "Heck, we barely understand how the Luyten V functions! There's no way this will work!"

"Cecilia, deep breaths. Let us worry about the logistics," Sandage said, trying to placate the irate girl. "Just tell us what you learned. We'll work out the rest."

"Okay." Despite the agent's reassurances, Cecilia was a bundle of nerves. While this new weapon gave them some modicum of hope, she feared it existed to mock her, that her contribution would end up pointless. Cecilia spent the next half-hour scratching away at notepaper until her fingers went numb. She caught the agent's expression when he scanned through her notes.

"I realize it isn't exactly a weapon, but it's tough and destructive," Cecilia said defensively.

Sandage, however, only gave her a toothy grin. "But it should do. I'll give the order for construction right away. Besides, it's stylish. If it means clobbering the Altair, I'll take a killer squeaky toy!" Despite herself, Cecilia grinned along with him. His exuberant energy filled her, and she couldn't wait to see the Altair get their teeth kicked in.

---

The building was all clamor and noise as a shadowy figure slipped in. The floor creaked with every step, its wooden boards bending under their weight. Okab's ears burned as he entered the room. Unlike the peace of the endless dark or the harmonious bustle of his kind, these humans had no rhyme or reason. They chattered for the sake of chattering, little else. Okab scrunched his face in distaste, but he bore the clamor for the mission. This establishment seemed the best place to begin his search. It stood near where the Red Devil fought with his brethren. The establishment served as a meeting place for humans. Someone must know something. 

"May I help you, sir?" A female human said behind a counter. Her outfit showed a grotesque amount of bare skin, no doubt to attract the opposite sex of her kind. Her floral artificial scent made Okab's nose twitch in distaste. 

"Information." Okab coughed out the unfamiliar language like it tasted like ash. It was so inelegant compared to the telepathy of his people.

"Information?" The female screwed her face. "Look, I run a safe, clean establishment here. I don't care if you're searching for some bounty or whatever. Ask someplace else."

But Okab continued like the woman hadn't spoken. "The Red Devil, who pilots it?"

"The what? You mean the Luyten V?" the woman narrowed her eyes. "Who's asking?"

"Who pilots it?" Okab repeated, his face twisting into a snarl.

"I don't think I will," the woman replied. "I want you to leave my establishment. Go before I call the cops."

"Who pilots it?"

"You heard her." Another human said. The tall male dwarfed Okab by two feet, his burly, hairy arms thick like tree trunks. A human worker drone, no doubt. The man took an intimidating pose, standing mere inches away from Okab. When Okab didn't respond, a burly hand pushed against him. Despite their size difference, the more diminutive Okab didn't even wobble. 

"Huh?" The man's face scrunched up in confusion. With his considerable strength, the blow should have knocked Okab to the floor. "Leave."

"Pest."

"What?" The man screamed, his face twisting in pain as Okab grabbed the arm accosting him. With a simple jerk of his hand, Okab snapped the offending appendage. 

So weak. That's all it took to cause crippling pain? The man whimpered in agony, gripping his mangled arm. Liquid poured from the limb, exposing parts of bone that made the humans pale in horror and disgust.

"What are you?" Fear filled the man's eyes, staggering away in terror. In his haste, he toppled over his own legs and landed hard on his wound. These foolish humans can't even control their own limbs? 

The female screamed, making Okab flinch. He so disliked loud noises. At least the crowd had gone into stunned silence. The woman released a startled gasp as a hand clasped around her wrist, its grip like iron. Her futile attempt to rip herself free only caused the woman more pain.

"Please, take anything from the till. Just leave, please!" The woman said, sobbing as Okab increased the pressure. 

"Who is the Red Devil's pilot? You will answer me."

"Anything, just don't hurt me!" After some difficulty navigating some mechanical device with one arm, she showed him a picture of some foundling girl standing next to a white-suited man with dark skin. 

Okab stared down at the mulling human whimpering under his gaze. She'd long surrendered any chance of freeing herself from his grip and sobbed to herself uncontrollably. These humans were so soft. All it'd taken to break her spirit was a little pain and intimidation? Okab's mouth twisted in contempt. If this was humanity's metal, they'd fall to the Altair in hours. He doubted the Red Devil's champion would offer any tougher resistance. But first, he'd clean up this scum. He was doing the cosmos a favor.