Chapter 13

I never expected to find myself in such a bizarre situation, but life has a funny way of throwing us into the wildest of encounters. As I returned to Cato's chambers, I noticed him talking to the image of a humanoid cat lady. It was Erin. She was indeed in the body of her chimeran project named Erica. Still, I didn't know if I should refer to her as such or as we always knew her. 

I took a moment and gazed at her figure. Erin was dressed in black pants and a blue silky shirt. Her skin resembled that of a calico's fur but was actually that of a human's. The dominant color of it was white but with brown stripes. She had a brown color patch around her right eye. Her short shoulder length hair was blue with half of it combed to one side covering her left eye. She took a moment to gracefully lick her human fingernails as cat claws quickly extended from them. The lady combed her hair a few times as she spoke to Zahra and I as she was asked what should we call her.

"Whichever you prefer!" Her calm British voice was soothing. It was in stark contrast to her brother whom was always seen as a rude and pompous individual. 

My mind raced with questions, confusion, and an intense desire to understand what was happening. However, before I could voice my astonishment, the atmosphere shifted.

Erin brought me up to date on her presence when I returned from confronting Ivon. The Zephyrans heard whispers through the subspace chatter, murmurs of a formidable presence known as "the DAD" breaching our solar system. My expression turned grave as I revealed that the DAD was, in fact, her flagship. The Diamond Arc Destroyer, a vessel equipped with impenetrable armor capable of withstanding any assault.

My curiosity piqued, I listened intently as Erin shared her story. She and her crew had been traversing the vast cosmos when she received Cato's distress call. Without hesitation, she rushed to aid her child, only to encounter with her brother and his crew aboard his Lainhardt Omega. Between the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxies, both vessels did battle. At first, the two juggernauts engaged in a fierce battle, but Eric soon realized the futility of his efforts against his sister's ship. He may have out gunned her but the DAD had superior armor. No weapon in his arsenal could dent the DAD's hull made completely out of a diamond mineral like metallic alloy. Yet her weapons couldn't scratch his urelite alloy hull either—Both were at a stalemate. 

However, the DAD was faster than Lainhardt Omega. She also boasted that her ship could run circles around her brother's pride and joy effortlessly. Shape wise, Lainhardt Omega was a battleship shaped vessel bigger than Rayloria. The DAD was a bit smaller than Lainhardt Omega and built in the image of a wolf spider. It's 8 legs were in fact its massive laser cannons but could be used as engines also. Additionally, there were extra engines within the hull that gave the DAD that extra "kick" during travel.

Erin's seemingly more ruthless and strategic tactics scared her brother into running away as he learned that Erica's personality was more motherly than Erin's. This was noted, as Erin never embraced the roll as a mother, until she spent a lot of time with the Gridth, and traveling with them and the Nexus aboard the DAD, not just throughout the cosmos but through time itself. Erin saw it as her growth to a level she believed her brother would never reach. Erin boasts this being the perk of being the older twin yet Eric will lie and say that he actually is. When asked if she believed if she was either Erin or Erica, the lady vehemently but jokingly replied, "Both!"

As the reality of their encounter sank in, I couldn't help but wonder about the deeper mysteries surrounding the DAD. My mind raced with theories and speculations, but I had no concrete answers. One thing was for certain—Erin was on our side, so it seemed.

Zahra and I gathered around Erin as she beckoned us to come closer. Her eyes were filled with a mix of worry and excitement. It was clear that something big was about to happen.

"Listen carefully," Erin whispered, her voice barely audible over the crashing waves. "Atlantis is no longer safe here on Earth. We need to find a new home for my children."

My heart raced as I absorbed her words. Atlantis, the once hidden city, now faced an uncertain future. Erin suggested that Atlantis should join the DAD. It was capable of housing the entire city within itself. It was a daring plan, but one that held the promise of safety and salvation.

Cato contemplated Erin's proposal. After a moment of silence, he nodded solemnly, understanding the gravity of the situation. Atlantis needed a new beginning, and joining the DAD seemed like the best option. At first Cato wanted to stay and fight but Erin reminded him that even if the Atlanteans were willing to fight to a bitter end, Erin couldn't bear to watch this genocide take place. She would be driven to madness and prone to an evil far greater than her brother knowing her new chimeran body's potential. Cato, understanding his mother's reason, deferred to her better judgment. He ordered all surviving Atlanteans to prepare for an island-wide transport.

As for Zahra, an unconscious Francis, and myself, we decided to leave the island, but not without keeping a safe distance. We climbed aboard a small boat, our hearts heavy with the weight of what we were leaving behind. Erin told us that Francis would wake up soon. The Zephyran's were planning to use Francis as a sleeper agent but she made sure the augments she did to Francis' mind will prevent further tampering.

Erin approached us one last time, gratitude etched across her face. "Thank you for fighting for our cause," she said, her voice tinged with emotion. "We will never forget what you have done for Atlantis."

Our minds were then augmented to always be able to see a Zephyran no matter where they were. This was Erin's thanks for everything we did for them. Cato could do the same but on a limited time scale. Erin revealed to us that Cato's psychokinetic power was a blueprint for what she would later create as a power set within Erica.

Suddenly, as if on cue, the island began to rumble beneath the waves. We watched in awe-struck silence as it slowly rose from the ocean. It was a breathtaking sight, mesmerizing and yet filled with an eerie sense of mystery.

"Farewell me mates!" Erin said to us as her figure dissipated.

Before our eyes, a giant portal materialized, its swirling energy casting an otherworldly glow. Without warning, the island surged forward into the portal, defying the laws of nature, and disappeared within seconds after going through. The portal closed behind it, leaving nothing but a haunting silence in its wake.

We returned to Rayloria only to find our own set of troubles. What happened in Area 51 reached Zyra's notice.