Teetering on the edge

The Stellar Assembly fell into a lull in the endless back-and-forth debates. People attended to meals or conversations within their own alcoves; dozens of Sector Commissars and Admirals with their aides. Chatted back and forth. It was a pity that the microphones were muted. The Admiralty was a stark contrast to the rest of the activity; they sat with the sullen, robbed expressions of the upper echelons. All of them were being served the same food every day citizens were issued.

Kitten was still tucked away with her blanket. She traced my movements like I was prey ready to be taken. I pulled myself closer to the far edge of the couch. My eyes wandered back to the wall and his work desk. 

"that poster. kyle's eyes wander to it every time he sees it," Kitten whispered. 

The poster showed the heroine of Kyle's favorite show cradling the protagonist's head after he'd taken a beating in battle.

"why do you and kyle look at it the same way?"

I turned back to face Kitten. "You tell me. Sometimes I wish I knew what Kyle was up to. I hoped we could talk things over, but he still embarks on some ventures and never takes time to rest!" Before I knew it, my hands rose to eye level, shaking.

"what is it about? i never understood it." Kitten stared at the poster."

My hands searched for the remote control, but Kitten handed it to me before I could find it. "I don't know why it's so dear to Kyle. Maybe it's just one of the few characters he ever truly connected to." I quickly changed the channel.

 I scrolled through different recreational services until I stumbled upon the series. I jumped ahead in time and fell just short of the same scene from the poster. The protagonist engulfed in battle, fought alongside his remaining allies against a folly of his own making. 

The rain poured down mercilessly and made their footing uncertain; one by one, they began to fall until the protagonist was surrounded by the three leaders. He loosened his grip and swung his bastard sword in a two-handed arc, turning and twisting in an erratic waltz to keep them at bay. 

Finally, he fell to his knees, clutching his sword for support. He stared up at the night sky as raindrops fell like tears. Then, before death could claim him, the heroine reached him, covered in wounds of her own. She howled like a wolf, crying out for the moon. In quick succession, she felled the enemy's leaders and their entourage until she fell to her knees in front of our battered protagonist. 

They looked eye to eye and her own tears began to fall. She pulled him closer to her chest. "Oh dear, it is okay to cry." Her voice grew more strained with each syllable. Moment by moment, it became harder for her to force the words out before her own voice was drowned in her tears. 

"I'm sorry that you had to be strong when you were meant to be safe." "I don't know why it is so dear to him! I wish I could just ask him. I hoped tonight we could just talk, get these things out. Return to how it was. But he keeps eluding me."

"kyle said that neither his computer harbors secrets nor does he." Kitten whispered. I glanced at his workplace and made my way over to it. Kitten reached for the remote and resumed watching the intermission in the Stellar Assembly. His Computer turned on without a password. I checked his folders for any government secrets but found nothing. 

Of course, he meant it; Kyle had no secrets, only deliberate, obstructive ways to keep anything meaningful out of sight unless you know how to find what you're looking for. He usually kept a journal but he either deleted it or its safed somewhere else.

I went through other folders and applications, but nothing of note could be found. My search only amounted to chat and browsing histories; the computer was mostly connected to recreational sites and for academic resources.

"Kyle…" I sighed his name and made my way to sit next to Kitten. I noticed her glance and slowly inched away from her until I reached the other side of the couch. The Assembly resumed and continued the topic of defense measures and logistics. 

Then, an earth-shaking tremor echoed over the city as the sirens' sang out their symphony of alarm. Kitten rushed to the door, and I ran after her; I seized her arm before she could dash out of the apartment. Her eyes turned on me and she looked like she was about to rip me to shreds. My grip loosened, and I took an unsure step backward before I regained my composure and reaffirmed my grip. 

"You can't go out without a uniform and body cam. You don't know what is going on out there!" 

Her murderous gaze subsided and search lights turned on and swung towards the smoking stump of a building past the gates on the lower city. Kitten unhung her military uniform from the wall while I checked the camera for functionality and its battery life. I shouldn't. My gut turned at the thought of having her go out without a handler. Without Kyle. But I patted her back and pushed her out. 

"You're good to go, Kit." 

She didn't hesitate after hearing my words. One push and she was over the railing. She dashed through the darkness until it swallowed her whole.

"That was the worst thing you could have done." 

"Shut up, you're not real."