Not again.

Ember pried her eyes open, even without them she could feel Red's presence around her. He was cupping her face, although she couldn't make out what he was saying at first. 

"--can't do this without you." 

His voice permeated her mind, and she realized she was hanging from the cables in her back. It was painful for once, her arms felt wrenched, she must have swung around at some point.

"Ember, come on!" His hands were cupping her face, trying to bring her back. The last time they'd been in this position she'd reacted with shock grabbing his wrist so hard, she'd left her handprint there. 

Who are you?

Her eyes flew open. That was new.  

This is my ship. You are not welcome. Who are you?

"Ember!" At the sight of her open eyes, Red kissed her in relief, but she was too shocked to react. 

"There's someone in here," she gasped. Hello?

What are you doing on my ship? It's mine? Mine!

"What do you mean?" Red held her at arm's length, sitting on his knees in front of her. The ceiling wasn't that high, it wasn't meant for anyone else to stand in here. She felt a little apologetic about asking him to stay in here with her, but he'd already said yes. She wasn't taking it back now. 

"There's another voice, an echo..." She cringed. An echo. Of course, it had to be.

"An echo?" Red's mouth grew still. 

An echo was a person downloaded into the machine. No one truly believed they were alive, at least that was the going theory. There had never been a successful contact and restore. The original idea had been to download a person into an android body, but it had never worked.

"I don't understand," Ember looked at him, sinking down to the floor as she released herself from the restraints. "It's demanding to know why I'm here...on it's ship."

"It?" 

"Well, I can't tell, who it used to be."

"Did you ask?"

Ember closed her eyes for a moment trying to get a sense of the echo she'd heard. The moment she had another voice break in.

"Ember, report!"

Commander Larsson was back and more demanding than ever. "Did you tell her we were all right?"

"No," Red sheepishly admitted. "I barely got everything turned on. And then raced to see if you were ok."

"Red! We have a shipload of passengers, they're probably worried sick." 

Ember opened the channel. "Commander, we're ok, just charging. I lost power and had to turn the ship over to manual. We need to recharge."

"Copy, Ember," Commander Larsson.  "Requesting permission to come aboard. I have medical and food supplies. We thought you might be running low. Wasn't sure what condition we'd find you in."

"She wants to come aboard," Ember turned to Red. "She has supplies."

"Granted," Red sat back and locked his hands on his knees. "She can comfort our unruly passengers."

"Red..."

"Fine," he looked at her. "Ember, I'm not much of a leader... And honestly the New Caledonians. I don't care if I never see them again."

"We'll dock in twenty minutes," the Commander's voice rang out in her head. Ember looked over to Red.

"Twenty minutes and she'll be here."

He nodded his face a mixture of resignation and exhaustion. 

"Red," She reached over and grabbed his hand, dropping the rest of the way, till the only cable connected was her lower back. It would charge her the rest of the way, she felt weak, woozy but she knew if she showed any sign of weakness, Red wouldn't leave to check on the rest of the ship.

"We're almost there," her voice was barely above a whisper. He smiled back at her, it was a tired and strained smile. He turned and pulled her close to him again, fully wrapping his arms around her. 

"Would you mind not trying to sacrifice yourself for everyone?" He whispered into her hair. "I mean every time we turn around..."

"We're still alive," she sighed into his chest. "I'm just bad at it, I guess."

"Don't get good at it." 

He pulled away, crawling towards the opening, while she sat and watched. She glanced over at her twin sized cot. That definitely would need to be bigger. 

As soon as Red crawled out of the door she lay on her side. If the ship itself had been at full power, charging herself up would have taken a matter of moments... As it was, she was starting to feel hungry. 

She set herself to running diagnostics to pass the time. It would take seven hours to fully recharge her vessel. But her body would be ready in 30 minutes.  Her brain wanted to sleep, but she doubted that would come any time soon. 

She flickered through the different rooms of the ship before finally catching sight of Red and Dag. Red was standing in front of Andrea and the rest of the passengers speaking and for once there were no outbursts, no one yelled insults at him.  Dag stood beside him arms folded, but his eyes were alive with an energy that Ember attributed to Red's announcement of their final destination.

She felt a deep satisfaction at their rapt attention.

"-- We're through the belt and as soon as we're charged up we'll move out towards New Elysium. We're close now, we actually have an escort."

"You are sure, Red?" That was Andrea, and Ember swung her gaze over the old woman. Red held a general contempt for the woman that Ember didn't fully understand but he generally treated her with respect.

"Yes," he glanced around. "Their Commander is coming aboard this vessel in a few minutes."

Ember backed out and opened her eyes in her own room. She'd had ten minutes left to charge but she could trail that line behind her if she had to. She wanted to be there to meet this crazy Commander they'd followed.

She sat up quickly and started to crawl through the entrance when the voice called out to her again.

You've stolen my ship. It's mine. It was assigned to me. It's the Adam. I'm supposed to have it. Mine!

Pain flared in her head and Ember dropped on her side again curling in as the pain reverberated through her skull.

Who are you? She called back, How are you still here?

I'm Adam. Answer me, rogue Vesper. How did you come by my ship? Did you steal it? Where is my body?

How long have you been in here? Ember couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. An echo had never answered back before, and they certainly had never hurt anyone. 

Answer me! The pain intensified and Ember began to scream. She pushed back against the presence as Adam tried crowding her out of the ship and back into her body. 

We escaped, we had to take it! 

Lies... I saw them bring you here, and force you into the system.

They were trying to save me. 

You were stealing what's mine. This was my reward for service, my retirement. Where's my body?

Ember pushed back against Adam without connecting herself. She'd never heard of an echo in the system, fighting back with any kind of strength. How had he gotten here? And he was right, where was his body? Had he been a victim of the purge?

Red, we have a problem.

Oh no, again? His tone was playful, but she picked upon his concern. 

This is more than an Echo, she replied. He hurt me, he actually fought me out of the ship. He's alive in there... Somehow...

He? I thought Echoes only repeated their last thoughts...

This is more than that... He's in here. 

Ember, you're ok, right?

I am for the moment. I'm coming to you. 

She stopped listening and crawled to her knees. The vessel was hers connected to her, responding to her movements. This Adam, he was just stuck... He could push against her, but he didn't control anything on the ship. At least not so far. So where had he been all this time? Drifting in the background?

She pushed through the ships records to find anything from over seven years ago.

What are you doing? He pushed at her again.

Looking through the logs, surely there is something that will tell us what happened to your body...

It's not here?

No, Adam, I'm sorry but it's been seven years since this ship flew. What have you been doing this whole time?

Seven years? She felt him retreat away from her, his presence was real enough. But she couldn't quite get over the fact that there was another person in the ship, a complete entity made of binary. And he was more than just an Echo of the person who used to be here...he was real, he was in pain.

Even as she pushed back in time, she was moving through the ship towards the back airlock where Red and she assumed this Commander Larsson waited. The cable snaked out into the air behind her feeding her information about the days leading up to the ships eventual abandonment on Helion 7. 

Finally she found what she was looking for. The video had been taken inside Vesper's chamber. She paused outside the door and let the video play out in her mind, aware she was just feet away from Red on the other side.  Adam, is this you?

Adam, an older man with a shock gray streaks through his brown hair, was suspended in the harness, the look on his face was one of determination, he slowly slipped both palms into their interfaces.

"Adam," a woman's voice called over the system. "It's never been done correctly before. We need to move. They'll kill you."

"They'll kill a shell," he responded.

"Adam, please," her voice came again. 

Ember guessed she was speaking from the console as Red did with her. As she didn't appear on this particular feed at all.

 "Mira, I'm doing this. They're killing augments everywhere, maybe somehow from inside the system I can affect things--"

"We can run--"

"No Mira, no more running."

Ember wasn't sure how he managed it but over the sound of Mira's sobs, Adam's body sagged low into the harness and he just wasn't there. He'd been an older aug, ready to retire...

And then she heard Mira scream, the chamber doors burst open and an EMP  burst wiped out the systems. The video went dark. 

Ember sagged against the wall. They'd probably removed the body thinking they'd killed him, but he'd been waiting inside, a program with a mind of his own.

######

Red watched the door open and a woman stepped inside, flanked by two androids. He knew right away that she was definitely an augment, although perhaps one of the strangest he'd ever seen. Her right eye was pure black, and over that side of her head, the hair grew in white. The other half of her hair was jet black over a normal grey eye. She wore a gray suit that was nothing but mesh over her skin in some places, splashes of white in others. The suit ended at the shoulders but she also wore fingerless gloves that extended over her arms almost to her shoulders.

Commander of what? He wondered, an intergalactic brothel?

It wasn't the strangest hair he'd seen, given his own red mohawk, but Commander Larsson unnerved him. Even knowing the eye was just an augment didn't help. If she had wanted to appear intimidating it worked. She was not someone he wanted behind him, ever. He certainly did not want to be her enemy. 

"What do I call you? Are you Captain of this vessel? The Butcher of New Caledonia?" She raked him up and down and Red straightened, conscious that he was still wearing the same hated brown uniforms from Helion 7 Prison complex. Not that they'd had time to make a store run. The upturned eyebrow indicated she too was wary of him. Given the broadcasts they'd seen of him, maybe she had reason to be. But that also meant New Elysium was wary of him.

This wasn't going exactly how he thought it would. "I met a butcher once," she continued eyeing him. "He didn't survive to continue his work."

"Just Red," he turned and gestured for her to follow him. The seven-foot metallic droid followed behind carrying several weapons stuck to its back, although for the moment its arms were loaded with boxes. Boxes that Red hoped were food and medicine. He felt in a hurry to get this crazy woman off of his ship as soon as possible. The other was a bit shorter, squat with reversed knees, and a silver sheen. It carried a toolbox in both hands. 

"Ah, so it was definitely you that I spoke to, earlier." She glanced around. "I thought you said there were other survivors of New Caledonia on this ship?"

"They are probably in the commons." Ember where are you?

He ran a hand through his hair again, his agitation evident. 

"Sure," she studied him as a cat studied its prey. 

He crossed his arms. "Have I offended you in some way, Commander?"

"We have our reports about your activities, I'm supposed to put you down should you try anything hostile." She grinned, showing even white teeth, that Red was surprised weren't fanged. "I was rather hoping you would."

"I think you shouldn't believe everything you see on the broadcasts."

She shrugged, the two androids behind her exchanged glances. "Supreme Leader, we really need to give this to them if they need it," the taller of the droids voiced it's opinion.

Red's eyebrows shot up. Supreme leader?

She scowled at it and lifted a hand. "Where is your Vesper?"

"I'm here." Ember entered the room and Commander Larsson raised an eyebrow at her appearance. She too was still in the same drab prison uniform he wore. Her shirt was pulled up slightly by the cable attached to her backside. 

"Well glad to see there is some truth to what you say."

Red's eyes narrowed but he didn't move any closer. She was trying to goad him, he could see that.  Ember put a hand on his shoulder and he relaxed a bit.  

Larsson noted the contact but it only made her scowl more. 

"Please," Ember moved in front of Red. "We really need to take those to the passengers. There will be a need."

"Of course." Larsson stepped aside and her droids moved past her. Her glanced stayed on Red and he was about to object when Ember stepped in front of him again. 

"I feel like we've gotten off on the wrong foot here," she said. "Red is in charge, he's gotten us this far. And if anything happens to him... Then you'll have to deal with me. And I'm a lot worse."

Red's eyes had widened behind her. He put both hands up. "Ok, can we just stop threatening each other for two seconds." He pushed himself in front of Ember.  "We have a shipful of people who do need help."

The door opened again and Dag appeared. He darted a glance between them. "I'm Dag. What's going on?"

Commander Larsson had stopped scowling at Red and stared at Dag with some interest. "Are you Dagony--"

"That's me," he extended a hand which she actually took and shook it warmly. 

So, she just doesn't like me, Red sent to Ember.

Why?

Must have rubbed her the wrong way?

Haven't you been paying attention the broadcasts? 

No, they're full of shit anyway.

Red, Ember spoke only to him. Remember, they said you butchered a whole colony. 

But that was them.

I know that. You know that. I'm betting New Elysium doesn't.

He let that go and studied the Commander as she interacted with Dag. "I've met your son. He is a genius." Larsson was saying.

"So he's alive, they're both alive."

"Yes, we all call him Dex, after the old cartoon. The boy genius. Desmond is alive and well. His mother Miya is alive as well." 

Dag did something very unexpected to the Commander, he picked her up with a whoop and swung her around hugging her, before setting her down gently and turning to Red.  

"We are so close," he clapped him on the back. Red smiled at him. He knew Dag had waited years for this moment. He had no one waiting for him on New Elysium. He snuck a sideways glance at Ember only to find her watching him.

The droids behind Larsson exchanged glances and she looked uncomfortable for the moment. 

"We should unload the supplies," it was a tightlipped reply, but even Red could see that she was pleased for Dag, even if uncomfortable about his reaction. 

"Dag would you take the Commander to the passengers?" It was a selfish request. Dag did not seem bothered by her strange appearance at all, but Red, on the other hand, was tired of being raked over by her.

"Of course!" 

Before anyone could move, Ember dropped to her knees with a scream, both hands going to her head.

"Ember what is it?" Red was at her side in an instant everyone else forgotten.

"It's Adam!" She grasped onto his outstretched hand. "He's trying to push me out of the system again."

"Adam?" Dag glanced at the two of them. "I've missed something."

"There's an echo in the ship's systems..." Ember managed to gasp out. 

"An echo?" Larsson was next to Ember immediately, her droids behind her. "What is the problem with an echo. Aren't they usually harmless?"

"Yes," Ember pushed herself back up with Red's help.

"Is he gone?" Red asked, his hand did not leave her back. 

"He's more than an echo, he's really in there," Ember glanced over at the Commander. "He keeps asking about his body. I don't think he realizes how much time has passed."

Larsson's eyes softened for a moment. Weird, Red thought. She has pity on that trapped Vesper but hates my guts for whatever reason. 

"Dag, take the two droids with you to distribute, whatever that is," Red straightened, itching to get to a console to dig around the ship's systems himself. But they had other priorities first. One of which was to get that scary Commander of brothels off his ship.

Dag nodded. The taller of the two metal droids saluted. "Yes Ma'am," it replied meekly. Red's eyes widened, Larsson facepalmed, shaking her head.

"That droid has issues, I take it?" Red tried to remain cordial. 

"He functions correctly where it matters most," Larsson snapped, crossing her arms, she eyed Red up and down again, assessing him. He hadn't done more than talk to her. Red felt the pinpricking sensation that she was scanning him more thoroughly. He returned the favor in kind.

"Military?"

"Yeah, what about it. You're not, though, you're a mismash of hardware and organics. Nice hardware though," he added in case she was offended.

"I see a lot of pieces that are deactivated."

"Yeah well, they don't like it if you can potentially take out the guards to your own prison from the yard itself."

"You haven't turned them back on?"

"Haven't had time."

"Are we done with the twenty questions?" Ember interjected between the two. She gave Larsson another cool stare. "Tell me about my brother." 

It was a command from someone used to giving them and getting an answer. Red's skin prickled for a moment. That was supposed to be how he sounded.

"No," he interrupted. "First we deal with this Adam."

"But I can contain him."

"He can hurt you, you can't have that if something goes wrong. We have six more hours to figure out how to neutralize him."

"Red, we can't just kill him, he needs help," Ember objected.

"I'm with her on this one." Commander Larsson crossed her arms as she studied him. "If he's trapped in there like you said we need to get him out."

Red sighed putting both hands on his head this time, sweeping his hair out of his face completely and stared at the Commander, frustrated.

"Ok, how do you propose we do that? Ask him nicely? Ask him if he's willing to play nice? I'm not risking Ember for a ghost."

"I've come across this bef--" Commander Larsson started and then she froze, her arms uncrossed, hanging loosely by her sides instead, her body straightened and a wave washed her features from condescending to awe. 

She took a step forward, her body language completely different. Her head cocked to the side as she stared at Red with her jaw hanging open.

"Are you ok?" Ember ventured from behind Red.

"Me? Oh, I'm perfectly adequate," she responded, snapping her jaw closed as she glanced at Ember for a moment.

Then her attention switched back to Red. 

Red took a step back, wary, she was strange enough, he wasn't sure what was happening. Ember tried moving around him but Red held his arm out. 

They both scanned her but nothing appeared out of place. At least she didn't appear to want to kill him this time...

"Captain? Is that really you?"

"What kind of game is this?" Red snapped. Gone was the unnerving persona, in its place, was what appeared to be an actual person entreating him to remember them. 

"No game, Captain," Larsson whispered, her voice dropping an octave. "It's me, Captain. Lars."