The Starborn

Chapter 17

VERA spoke, “Quinn, you’re going to have to change into civilian clothes. Your armor will definitely stand out and cause unwanted attention.”

Quinn nodded silently, setting the ship’s autopilot to handle the current course. He stood, the confined space of the shuttle making privacy impossible. Nova sat near the cockpit, her attention seemingly fixed on the vast expanse of stars outside the viewport.

He moved to the back, methodically removing his armor piece by piece. Each segment hissed and clicked as he detached it, revealing the sleek black under-armor beneath. Finally, he peeled the under-armor away, leaving him bare to the waist. He reached for a pair of plain, dark pants and quickly pulled off the rest of his under armor and stepped into them, fastening them securely.

As he turned to grab a shirt, a faint, unexpected pressure grazed his back. He froze, glancing over his shoulder to find Nova standing just behind him, her gloved hand lightly tracing the faint scars etched across his skin.

Her face held an expression of remorse, her eyes clouded with sadness. “You didn’t feel any of these?” she asked softly, her fingers hovering just above a jagged line that ran along his shoulder blade.

Quinn turned to face her fully, his eyes lowering briefly before meeting hers. “No,” he said quietly, his voice steady. “Most of them I got when I was a child. Training injuries.”

Nova’s brows furrowed in disbelief as she moved her hand, now resting it gently over a faint scar on his chest. “Why?” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “Why did you let them do this to you?”

Quinn’s jaw tightened, his expression unreadable. “I didn’t have a choice,” he admitted.

Nova shook her head slowly, her gloved hand brushing against his side as her voice hardened slightly. “Everyone has a choice, Quinn.”

He didn’t respond, his silence heavy with unspoken truths. Then, suddenly, Nova stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him in an impulsive embrace. Her smaller frame pressed against his torso, her arms barely encircling his sides. Quinn stiffened, caught off guard by the unexpected gesture, but he could feel the faintest echo of pressure through the chip’s suppression.

VERA’s voice cut through the moment, soft but insistent. “Quinn, your chip activity is rising.”

Quinn hesitated before tentatively placing his hands on her back, his touch cautious and unsure. The sensation was faint, distant, but it was there—an almost imperceptible warmth.

“Quinn,” VERA warned again, her tone growing sharper. “You’re pushing the chip. Miranda didn’t fix it; she just bought you more time before it overloads.”

Clearing his throat, Quinn gently eased Nova away, his hands dropping to his sides. “We need to go,” he said firmly. “Lucy’s waiting.”

Nova looked up at him, her expression still vulnerable, but she nodded and stepped back, giving him space. Quinn grabbed his shirt and pulled it on in one swift motion, masking the scars that had drawn her attention. Without another word, he strode toward the cockpit, the moment lingering like an unspoken question between them.

VERA spoke softly as Quinn took his seat. “You care about her.”

Quinn didn’t answer, focusing instead on the controls as he guided the ship into its descent.

The shuttle broke through the dense, gray-tinted atmosphere of Togon Bay, its hull rattling slightly under the stress. Togon Bay’s surface came into view—a sprawling wasteland of jagged cliffs and sulfuric mist, illuminated by an ominous greenish-yellow sky. Massive, broken structures dotted the landscape, remnants of some long-forgotten civilization.

VERA broke the silence. “I’m detecting multiple anomalies in the air. Atmospheric toxicity is high. Breathing will be fine for short periods, but prolonged exposure is inadvisable.”

Quinn adjusted the ship’s stabilizers, guiding the vessel toward a flat, rocky outcrop where he could land. “Doesn’t matter,” he said. “We won’t be outside long.”

Nova sat behind him, her gaze glued to the viewport. She looked anxious, her hands clutching the edges of her seat. “Is it… safe here?”

Quinn gave her a glance over his shoulder. “Safe from Aegis? Yes. From the planet itself? Not entirely.”

The shuttle landed with a dull thud, steam hissing from the vents as it settled on the rocky terrain. Quinn stood, securing a compact weapon at his side and pulling his hooded jacket tighter around him. He turned to Nova, who was still sitting, her brow furrowed.

“Stay close to me. Don’t wander off,” Quinn instructed.

She gave a shaky nod, standing and pulling on her own coat, which Miranda had given her. The fabric was lightweight but durable, designed for survival in harsh conditions.

As the ramp lowered, a wave of hot, humid air filled the cabin. The pungent, metallic tang of sulfur stung their noses. Nova winced and coughed, covering her face with her gloved hand.

Quinn stepped out first, scanning the horizon. “Stay sharp,” he said, glancing back at her. “This place has a reputation for predators. And not all of them are animals.”

Nova followed close behind, her boots crunching against the cracked, ashen ground. They moved quickly, heading toward a crumbling stone archway that seemed to lead into an underground structure—exactly where Miranda’s contact, Lucy Wok, was supposed to be waiting.

“VERA,” Quinn said quietly. “Scan the area.”

“I’m on it,” VERA replied. After a moment, she added, “No immediate threats detected, but I’m picking up faint movement to the east. Might just be wildlife. Stay alert.”

As they reached the entrance, Nova hesitated, her eyes darting around nervously. The dark opening loomed before them, the faint sound of dripping water echoing from within.

“Do you trust this Lucy person?” Nova asked quietly.

Quinn nodded, though his tone was guarded. “If Miranda sent us here, it’s for a reason. Lucy was one of her most trusted operatives during her time with Aegis. If anyone can help, it’s her.”

With that, he stepped into the shadowy passage, his hand instinctively hovering near his weapon. Nova followed close behind, her heart pounding as the dim light of the surface faded behind them.

The air grew cooler and damp as they descended, the walls lined with strange, glowing moss that cast an eerie green light. After what felt like an eternity of silence, a voice echoed from deeper within.

“You’re late,” the voice said, sharp and laced with impatience.

Quinn tensed, his grip tightening on his weapon. “Lucy Wok?”

A figure emerged from the darkness—a petite woman with messy, short-cropped hair streaked with silver, her eyes sharp and calculating. She wore a patchwork of scavenged armor and utility belts, a plasma rifle slung over her shoulder.

“Yeah, that’s me,” she said, crossing her arms as she looked them over. Her gaze lingered on Nova before shifting back to Quinn. “So, you’re the infamous Alpha-01. And you…” She pointed at Nova. “You must be the Oracle.”

Nova shrank back slightly, unsure how to respond.

Lucy smirked. “Don’t worry. I’m not here to hurt you. But we need to talk—fast. Because if Aegis is after you, we don’t have much time.”

Lucy gestured for Quinn and Nova to sit at a rickety metal table in the dimly lit chamber. She placed a small, portable data pad in front of her, tapping a few buttons to bring up holographic projections of charts, symbols, and ancient texts. The images glowed faintly in the darkened space, casting an ethereal light across their faces.

“Before Miranda’s signal cut out, she sent me everything she had on Nova,” Lucy began, her tone serious. “She wasn’t just guessing when she called you an Oracle.”

Nova sat stiffly in her chair, her hands folded tightly in her lap. “What does that mean, exactly? Why is everyone so obsessed with me?”

Lucy leaned forward, her sharp eyes locking onto Nova. “Because you’re not just valuable—you’re extraordinary. You’re not from this galaxy, Nova. The Oracles are… otherworldly. Dimensional beings, according to the ancient texts Miranda decrypted. They didn’t originate in this universe. They came from somewhere else—another dimension entirely.”

Nova’s mouth fell open slightly. “Another dimension?”

Quinn stayed silent, his expression unreadable as Lucy continued.

“The Oracles were said to be the ultimate arbiters of time and existence. You don’t just see the past, present, and future,” Lucy explained, her voice low and deliberate. “Your kind could manipulate it. The Oracles had the power to slow time, rewind it, freeze it completely—even create fractures in time itself. That kind of power made them targets. Entire civilizations across the galaxies sought to enslave and exploit them.”

Lucy tapped the data pad, and a hologram of an ancient figure appeared—an Oracle with glowing eyes and shimmering, translucent skin. Around the Oracle stood a group of tall, armored figures wielding curved weapons.

“To protect them,” Lucy continued, pointing to the armored figures, “a group of genetically enhanced warriors was created, bonded to each Oracle. They were called The Eternus.”

Quinn finally spoke, his voice steady. “The Eternus?”

Lucy nodded. “They were more than just guardians. They were linked to their Oracle on a fundamental level—physically, mentally, and emotionally. When an Oracle was in danger, the Eternus felt it. When an Oracle needed help, the Eternus responded instinctively, even if it meant sacrificing their own life. Each Oracle had one Eternus, and the bond between them was unbreakable. It was said they were unstoppable together.”

Nova stared at the hologram, her hands trembling slightly. “So… what happened to them? The Oracles and their Eternus?”

Lucy’s expression darkened. “The Oracles were hunted to near extinction. Those who weren’t killed were captured and drained of their powers until nothing was left of them. Without the Oracles to anchor them, the Eternus faded into legend. No one knows if any of them survived.”

Quinn leaned back slightly, his mind racing as he processed the information. “If Nova is one of these Oracles… then why hasn’t she been bonded to an Eternus?”

Lucy shrugged, but her eyes held a flicker of knowing. “Maybe she hasn’t found him yet.”

Nova’s breath caught in her throat as she glanced at Quinn, her heart pounding. “What does that mean?”

Lucy smirked faintly. “It means that if you’re truly an Oracle, then somewhere out there, your Eternus is either waiting for you—or already by your side.”

Quinn’s gaze didn’t waver, but his jaw tightened. Something about the way Lucy looked between them set his nerves on edge.

“But if Aegis gets their hands on you,” Lucy added, her tone turning grim, “they’ll exploit every ounce of that power. And if you are bonded to an Eternus? They’ll weaponize the both of you—together.”

The room fell silent, save for the faint hum of Lucy’s data pad. Nova shifted uncomfortably, avoiding Quinn’s piercing gaze. She felt an inexplicable pull toward him, a connection she couldn’t yet define.

Lucy stood, slinging her rifle back over her shoulder. “If Miranda sent you here, she trusted me to keep you safe. But Togon Bay isn’t exactly a long-term solution. We need to figure out where to go next—and fast. Aegis won’t stop until they find you.”

Quinn nodded, standing as well. “Then we’ll move soon. But first… we need to figure out exactly what Nova can do.”

Lucy raised an eyebrow. “You sure about that? Unlocking her abilities isn’t going to be easy—or safe.”

Quinn glanced at Nova, his expression firm. “We don’t have a choice.”