Red's eyes snapped open. For a moment he wasn't sure where he was. He was groggy, and there was a chill in the air. Amy was pressed against his side for whatever warmth they could share to fight against the chill.

He breathed out, seeing his breath in front of him. He knew the tactic well. Keeping your captives cold, too cold to focus on escape, compliant. The idea was they would lose the energy and will to fight you when the time came. He shivered as he sat wondering if their captors truly understood how his augments worked.

Amy stirred next to him, her head lolling against his shoulder. She shivered and pressed closer, he wrapped an arm around her while watching his breath dance in the air in front of him.

He reached out, his senses hitting the wall, beyond, there was warmth he could detect just outside the walls. 

Movement, people, so many people. He tried hitting a few frequencies but there was a block, he felt like he was being jammed.

A hissing caught Red's attention. He didn't have to move to know he'd be asleep momentarily. He sighed as he slipped into oblivion again. There was nothing either one of them could but wait and bide their time.

________________________________________________________________________

The trip passed too slowly for Ember. She kept to herself paying more attention to the deep black of space than the two men currently occupying the bowels of her ship. The stars called to her, beckoning her to come and dance among them. That was what she built to do: fly and keep watch, guard the empire.

Destroy.

She pushed that thought aside bringing herself back inside her ship. Her feet touched down and the snap hiss of the cables untethering was the only sound she'd heard in a few days.

The Ember slid through Deep Space honing in on Atlas. Adam flew the Blackstar in their wake, Ember had made a few half-hearted attempts to talk to the former disembodied Vesper but he was in a foul mood and had no interest in discussing anything with the woman he believed stole his vessel.

The door opened abruptly interrupting her from her thoughts.

"Angel, how close are we?" Nova no longer bothered to announce his presence. His sole aim had been to see if he could manage to hide himself on the ship anywhere she couldn't sense. He'd had no issue getting aboard The Blackstar. But Ember's eyes were literally everywhere on the ship, and while he'd made several attempts, she could actually see him from any point on the ship.

Ash was a different story altogether. He was angry, and stayed away from Ember and the forward deck. He knew she could see him, his middle finger was raised often enough in her direction.

"Probably should check on him," Nova muttered. "He has showed me a few things... " He stopped.

Ember was already walking towards the back of the vessel. Ash had taken the last cabin in the rear. Nova had made a few attempts to be genial with him. But the man was obviously biding his time for free.

Ember hadn't let him out of her sight, not trust him to do damage from the inside. He probed everyone once in a while, randomly, trying to catch her off guard. It took all of her fortitude to keep him at bay. While she'd never encountered an augur before, she'd been built with protections to keep them out. They'd really made sure Vespers were far superior to anything an augur could throw at her. Between Ash and Nova she was mentally worn out.

The door opened in front of her and she barely managed to duck as a bowl shattered on the wall next to her.

"My aim must be getting off," Ash muttered turning his cold blue eyes on her. "I'm sure you have better things to do than watch me all day." He lifted an eyebrow as he raked over her body with a sneer. "Unless you like what you see."

"Spare me," Ember snapped. "I'm sure you'd rather carve my insides out."

"It wouldn't hurt my feelings," Ash replied standing to his full height. Behind her she could sense Nova stiffening.

"I just wanted to tell you we are within a day of the Atlas base."

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

She sighed. "Our friends are there--"

"I don't give a fuck, I'm off this damn ship as soon as we are ported. Unless you keeping me around for other reasons?" 

Again his lip curled into a sneer. But the look didn't match his eyes, which were cold, empty. It was so much like Red when she'd first met him in the Helion 7 prison complex it made her heart ache. They were nothing alike on the surface... and yet below that, both were wounded. She closed her eyes and turned to go.

"Tell me what's so special about Red, Neo-Tokyan. Why are you risking your life for him?"

Her eyes opened and she turned back, trying not to let her surprise show. "Does it matter?"

"Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't." He kept his gaze on her. "Tell me about, Red... And I'll teach your friend here a thing or two about infiltrating a computer system without touching it."

Ember sighed and leaned against the wall before sliding to the floor, arms crossed over her chest. She shot Nova a look that silenced any objections.

"What do you want to know?"

"Let's start with, why would any Neo-Tokyan, let alone someone who is as close to fucking god damn royalty get herself a death sentence to be with someone like Red?"

Ember opened her mouth but Ash held up his hand, his smile becoming more sinister. "No princess. I want you to show me."

She froze. "You want me to let you inside my mind?"

"That's the price. Letting me see how it all works from the inside. What makes you tick..." The Augur moved closer.

"No." Nova said pushing forward between them. "Some things aren't worth it."

Ember weighed her options. Nova really needed to know how to use the upgrades that Amy, Red, and Nico had almost died to get. She was the last Vesper around, at least in theory, so what was the harm letting him inside going to do? It wouldn't last forever... Unless his motivation was something else. What if he simply wanted to take her apart from the inside out. They'd be stuck in dead space without her to fly.

She could feel him, just hovering outside her defenses, his wolfish grin, suggesting he had her exactly where he wanted her and he knew what her decision was going to be.

"Nova links up with you," she quietly. Nova stiffened noticeably.

Angel, no!

She ignored Nova's plea, and met Ash's victory filled gaze. If getting Nova back up to where he needed to be so they could break into Atlas headquarters and get Red and Amy out... If this was the cost, she'd pay it ten times over. She hoped Red would understand that.

She closed her eyes.

She was standing in her own mindscape, her private sector in cyberspace, which she'd turned into an open prairie, complete with blue skies, rolling fields of grass, and a gentle breeze.

A wooden door appeared in front of her and she reached forward with a trembling hand and pushed it open.

Nova and Ash were standing on the other side, linked. Nova looked wary, but Ash strode in and through right past her. It was the worst kind of violation as tendrils moved out of him around her mindscape pushing into everything.

"Never been inside a Vesper before," he said grinning. Nova stood beside him, eyes closed. There was a small tendril linking the two. It was just a visual, something she could comprehend in her mind that Nova was seeing what Ash was.

Ash turned to her. "You ready for the painful part?"

Nova took her hand and she felt him link with her. Ash frowned when he noticed. "You might not want to be so close--"

"And you might not want to be so reckless." The two stared at each other momentarily before Ash nodded. If they were linked, Ash would also feel what Nova was experiencing, and Nova had just connected her to their group. Whatever the painful part was Ash was ready for it.

She found him staring at her again, not quite so brash as before. "You'll have to show us the memories," he said. "Otherwise, I can't get in from here. I'm looking for how to get past the defenses, Neo-Tokyans saved the best tech for themselves. You know that. I just want a weakness, a chink in the armor."

"But you want to hurt me."

Ash didn't deny it. "An added side benefit. Only good Neo-Tokyan is a dead one."

She turned to Nova and squeezed his hand. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

He held her gaze for a moment, taking a deep breath. "You sure about this?"

Ember nodded.

She faced Ash again holding Nova's hand tightly.

"I hope you like pain," she whispered plunging them all into the recesses of her memories. All three of them collapsed.

________________________________________________________________________

Atlas showed up on her sensors long before she could see it. Her heart skipped a beat. Ember slowed her travel and adjusted her trajectory slightly..

Nova, I'm almost there.

Coming.

Leave Ash.

He made no reply. Ash had avoided her the rest of the trip, after waking up on the floor of his room. He'd wanted  her memories and he'd gotten them, subjugated to the last detail. She'd never forget the expression on his face when she opened her eyes. Something between shock and awe. Not exactly comforting when his presence haunted the bounds of cyberspace. 

The door slid open and Nova entered, hands jammed into his pockets. He too avoided her gaze.  

She got right to the point. "How do we get inside?"

"Leave that to me." Nova eyed the black planet they were heading towards. "Odds are they know we are coming."

"So they know we're here."

"Not necessarily." Nova linked up with her, felt her hesitation and waited for acceptance.

<Connect y/n?>

<y>

Images flooded her mind from his last trip there. "Slow down," she complained.

"Sorry, it's still new," he admitted. "But here's how I got in, Nico helped me find it the first time, but I can get in again."

"We can..." she said.

"It's better that I get in alone, two is---" She fixated him with a stare that reminded him, even if he was an augur she was still more than capable of dropping him on his ass.   He held up his hands. "I don't have a person on the inside this time, Ash says I should be able to bypass most security and get in but--" He stopped.

"You don't know if he's telling the truth."

Nova met her gaze for the first time in the conversation. "Angel, you really rattled his cage. I mean I know it was hell on Helion 7, but... I don't think Ash was expecting the memories or your ability to hold him there. Is that normal for Vespers?"

She turned away. "I don't know. Jack said he gave me an extra boost, but we never got to go into it. Everything happened... and well now we're here."

Nova turned back to the screen watching his point of entry get closer. "There," he muttered. The ground was rocky, with huge boulders she could drop The Ember between. 

"I see it," Ember whispered. The whole vessel rumbled around them as she did her best to land lightly on the rocky barren surface. Somewhere to the east she sensed Adam did likewise with The Blackstar. He still wasn't on speaking terms with her just yet but Heisenberg was in control with Amy away. Tucked against the rocky surface they should be harder to spot to the naked eye.  And as long as they didn't attract too much attention.

"Suit up," Nova muttered. "Surface isn't exactly friendly. I don't know how long we'll be in before we get caught."

"How'd it happen the first time?"

"A happy accident."

She raised an eyebrow and he gave his trademark cheeky grin. 

"I swear, it was a very happy accident." He turned to find a suit to walk on the hazardous surface.

 Ember checked on Ash, he was laying back in his cot staring at the ceiling. He'd made no move at all and briefly she wondered if they should at least let him know they were leaving. Leaving just him aboard The Ember was a terrible idea. She understood he didn't want to hurt her anymore. It was something else entirely. Tearing her gaze away from the man in her hold she turned to the problem ahead of them. Getting in and getting out unscathed.

"Did I mention the weird thing about this place?" Nova whispered as he slipped a mask on over his face. "They actually have an arena, with carved out seats and everything. We'll be skirting it, trying to get in." He paused using his newfound augments to see inside the base. "I see the prisoner cells, but nothing with their names specifically. Oh man, the heists Amy and I are going to pull with these babies." 

________________________________________________________________________

Red felt a pinch in his arm. His eyes snapped open and he inhaled chilled air. A bright light obscured his vision momentarily but his adjusted and he scanned the room on reflex, his HUD pouring information into his brain before he could fully process it. <hostilities 100+>

What the hell? He was staked to a pole, his hands handcuffed behind him. He tugged uselessly, more of out instinct than hope. He hated the display of weakness but he was still human and couldn't help it.

The crowd behind the glass was actually cheering. He stared at the hated gray Atlas uniforms. They hadn't changed that much since they wore the Orion's Reach Insignia's. New name, same tired ideas.

Where was Amy? Null? Lars? Where are you?

His gaze was drawn to a box in front of him. A box that shifted slightly as something pounded inside of it, as if it was slamming against the side repeatedly. His heart sank as he realized what was about to happen. Son of a bitch.

"Now to test our new weapon," a voice sounded over the comms. The cheering grew louder. 

Red couldn't understand or comprehend. The cuffs released him and he rubbed his wrists stepping back. The ominous pounding from the box grew more insistent the longer he stared at it. 

Then it stopped. Dead silence reigned over the arena. Even  the audience held it's collective breath as the front of the box unsealed with a hiss and fell to the ground.

Amy stepped forward, her bi-color checkered pattern outfit was the same. She looked almost normal in everything except her eyes. They were dead, simply staring straight ahead in front of her. One normal gray eye, one pitch black, both empty. 

Null? Lars? You there? Red tried reaching out to them, but got no response. He ignored the boos from the crowd.

Amy's gaze zeroed in on him. Her movements were slightly jerky when he was used to the natural grace Null and Lars shared when they fought. Neither one of them were in charge. 

Neither one of them had any weapons not that they needed them. This was going to be a bare-fisted fight to the death.

He backed up, his movements only drawing her attention as she waited. Her head cocked to the side suddenly as she listened. He scanned trying to find the message but only found encrypted warbling. Closing that channel down he found himself declassifying her in his mind.

<threat? Y/N?>

<Y>

<Kill?> <N/Detain>

<Invalid> </Detain>

<Invalid/0% predictable success>

Amy lunged forward.

____________________________________________________________________

"No," Nova started to yell before Ember with surprising strength clapped a hand over his mouth and dragged him back against the wall. Not that they were going to be heard over the roar of the audience. The hollowed out rocky chamber was a perfect echo chamber. They'd exchanged their clothes with some unlucky and unconscious Atlas guards down the hallway. 

"Don't reach out to them! If you do, you'll alert them to our position and Red will try and find us. Let's figure out how we're going to do this..." 

She turned and released him looking around to see if anyone had noticed, but all eyes were towards the front. Amy had launched an all brutal assault on Red and he was fending her off as best as he could without hurting her. Sooner or later though, one of them would have to give.

"If he kills her--" Nova started.

"Don't," Ember whispered. "Red would never hurt Null and Lars by choice. You know that."

"And if he doesn't have a choice?" Nova sagged against the wall, his voice barely audible.

"New Elysium was just a test run." Ember pulled Nova further back behind the crowd. "Nova, we need a distraction... Something--"

I can do that.

Ash's looming presence pulled them both in before they could mount a defense against it.  

Ash, what are you doing?  You don't need to get invol--

Bit late for that isn't it, Neo-Tokyan?  He no longer slurred the name as an insult. Besides, your boy here is a bit new, and I wanted to make sure the job was done right. These idiots have plenty of starseed and not enough wits to keep it under lock and key.

How do you know? Nova asked.

Does it matter? 

Ember and Nova exchanged glances. "I guess I didn't teach you everything," Ash sneered as he loomed behind both of them. "Let's say I cause a distraction, you grab your fucking people and go. Got it?"

"What about you?" Ember asked, hesitating for a moment.

Ash's gaze locked with hers as some emotion she couldn't identify played across his chiseled features. "Does it really matter, Ember?"

The crowd roared again and both Ember and Nova's gazes snapped towards the arena where Red dodged Amy's attack. 

Ash snatched Ember's hand forcing her attention back on him. "Do you hear me, Neo-Tokyan? Get your people and get out." The hand holding hers was gentle as she stared up at him her mouth hanging open she could only nod. And then he was gone.

Nova's attention was completely on the arena, his jaw worked. "Is that the only plan we have?"

___________________________________________________________________________

The Explosion knocked Amy into Red's body, slamming them both back against the glass so hard that Red actually saw stars above his HUD before his vision cleared. His first reaction was panic, shoving Amy off of him as if he'd somehow get infected with her virus. 

When she didn't move, it took him half a second to realize the people behind the glass were screaming and fleeing and Ember's voice was in his head. 

Red? Can you hear me?

What are you doing here?

Are you serious?  

Red was overwhelmed for the moment and gasped out loud. Relief flooded through him. They hadn't been stuck in cryo for years on end, all their friends gone. His eyes watered and he struggled not to lose it. He bent down and scooped Amy off the ground. There was still only static from both of them. His New Elysium uniform was torn, and bloodied in some places. None of it was his.  

Red, we don't have much time, Ash is providing us with a diversion, can you get a move on? There's a crack in the glass twenty feet behind you.

Ash? Briefly an image from the past flickered in his mind, a flash that was soon gone.

Move, --- Her voice cut off. The signal was being jammed. 

He had all he needed though, adrenaline surged through his system as his augments registered the crack and he made for it. Amy was so lightweight he barely felt her weight as he moved. He slipped through and pushed his senses out to see if he could find Ember. He picked her out next to the back wall. She was one of the few people not running. Beside her, he saw a splash of purple hair that could only mean Nova had come with her. Red had never been so happy to see the younger man in his life. 

Red made it to them in record time.

"How are they, Red?" Nova made to grab for Amy but Red put a restraining hand on him. They locked gazes and he remembered being in Nova's shoes when he'd carried Ember out of New Elysium.

"I don't know and now isn't the time." His voice was hoarse from being in the ring.

By this time the amphitheater had emptied of cadets from Atlas, but was filling with more experienced soldiers holding weapons. The would be escapees ducked behind the last row.

Back out the way we came?  Ember's voice was in his head again. Her gaze was directed at Nova who nodded. 

Ember led the way, scooting forward until they found the doorway. Red followed her with Amy draped over a shoulder and Nova followed behind.

Another explosion, sounded behind them, rocking them forward. Red's ears rang as he struggled to find his footing. Nova was behind him pushing him forward and making sure Amy didn't slip off of his shoulder.

"Ash says he has enough for one more, keep going--"

More explosions rocked the ground behind them. Red followed blindly, keeping Ember in front of him. Moments ago he'd been trapped in a white freezing room with Null & Lars, the next, he'd opened his eyes and found himself in an arena and his friends were simultaneously disembodied and trying to kill him. 

He registered another presence surrounding them but was struggling to maintain his own sanity. He felt the name Ash should mean something, but at the moment he could barely figure out his own footing. The escape was a blur as he followed Ember's voice, everything sounded far away. 

He made it through doors of Ember's ship. The doors closed around the four of them when the rumbling started. Ember was still standing, the only who could be, cables snapping into her back as she ordered her vessel into space.

Blackness overtook him and the last thing he saw was Ember kneeling over him, a worried expression on her beautiful face as he wondered if he was dying again.

______________________________________________________

"Ember?" Red's voice called her out of her sleep. she was curled into his side, a tiny arm draped over his shoulders. The Ember was running on auto-pilot for the nearest star to charge up. But she had no coordinates set. 

His arm curled around her, pulling her close, and he leaned in and simply inhaled, his body shaking. Ember sat up in alarm, throwing her arm around him. "Red, you ok?" She wasn't used to seeing him break down. He was always the strong one, annoying stoic.

"Yeah," he whispered. He said nothing else for a few minutes, but the shaking subsided. "Where's Lars, Null, & Nova?"

"On the Blackstar," she whispered. "Nova was afraid of not being able to reach them, he wanted her to wake up somewhere familiar."

"Is she...?"

"Infected." Ember looked away. "Nova has been working on an antivirus. He had an idea, said we needed to get to Calliope. The salvation code? Remember?"

"He figured it out." She rested her head on Red's chest, his heart beating was music to her ears. But he was also home, and she wasn't willing to give that up easily.

"Jack did this." 

"Of course he did."

"Are we going back?" She waited for an answer.

"I think we have to," he said sighing. "Who the fuck is going to punch Jack in the face for this if we don't?"