Chapter 14: Family Reunion

Vyran

While Deros and Sis cooked us up some breakfast from the stuff Deros collected, I got to work on fixing up our mechas. Thankfully, the damage was mostly cosmetic.

The Aegis' armor had taken the brunt of the damage, although the Valkyrie wasn't unscathed either. As for Varia's suit, it was currently non-existent. The chip in her head that allowed her to form it was still being repaired. I could only do so much with our limited resources.

As I worked, my mind wandered back to the battle. The enemy's technology, despite its outdated appearance, was remarkably effective. The EMP had almost crippled us, and the railgun... I shuddered at the thought. We needed a plan, and fast.

"Breakfast's ready," Varia called, interrupting my thoughts.

I wiped my hands on a rag and joined them. The food was simple - roasted Kukata nuts, a hearty oval nut native to the island, and some berries Deros had found. But after the long night, it tasted like a feast.

"We need to strategize," I said as we ate. "We can't go head-on against that railgun."

Varia nodded, her face serious. "Agreed. We need to learn more about the enemy, their technology, their tactics."

"I might have an idea," Deros said, and we turned to him. He looked thoughtful, his brow furrowed. "Those mechs... they were old, right?"

Varia nodded. "Yeah, the models were like something from a couple of centuries ago. Like during the era of mecha prototypes."

"I think they might be from a place where tech hasn't advanced as rapidly as ours," he suggested. "Either way, they're relying heavily on what they have. The EMP, the railgun... they're not just weapons to them, they're crutches."

"So if we target those," Varia started.

"They'll be at a disadvantage," I finished.

He nodded. "But, it could be they have more 'wonder weapons' to respond to our attacks."

I hummed. "They seemed prepared to attack us. If they are from a place less advanced than our worlds then they must've done their research."

"Or a history of fighting amongst themselves," Varia said. "It's also possible they tried to think of ways to disable their own forces to counteract against them."

I gasped as it hit me. The EMP didn't affect them. I knew it was specifically directed at us, but...

"Wait," Deros said, "are you saying the EMP was specifically designed to target our tech?"

Varia nodded, an equally serious expression on her face.

"I agree. Think about it. If their technology is less advanced, it would make sense that they would create something that could level the playing field. And the best way to do that is to disable the systems we rely on," I said. "Well, at least by hitting the typical weaknesses of such tech."

Varia sighed. "Our mechs may be more advanced, but some of the ancient weaknesses remain."

Deros looked thoughtful. "That's a good point. But if that's the case, we need to figure out how to counteract it. We can't afford to have our systems go down in the middle of a battle again."

"I've been working on that," I said, digging into my bag to pull out a small, intricate device. "This is a prototype EMP shield. It's not like the big plated armor some of the more modern mechs have, but it should provide some protection."

They both looked impressed, but Varia was the first to break the silence. "That's great, Vyran. But we still need a plan."

I nodded, putting the shield away. "Right. If we're going to take down that railgun, we need to do it fast. We can't afford to give them time to fire it."

"We'll need a diversion," Deros suggested. "Something to draw their attention away from us."

I thought for a moment, then nodded. "That could work. If we can get them to focus on something else, we can slip into their spaceship and take out the railgun."

Varia looked between us, her eyes filled with determination. "Then it's settled. We'll create a diversion, take out the railgun, and then focus on the mechs."

I couldn't help but feel a surge of hope. It was risky, yes. But it was a plan. And right now, that was all we had.

"So, ready to head out? Our first task is to go to the mainland and reunite Deros with his family," Sis said.

Deros blushed a little. "Commander..." He took a deep breath, his gaze steady. "Thank you, for... for everything."

Varia smiled, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "We're a team, Deros. We look out for each other."

There was a moment of silence, a quiet understanding passing between them. Despite the dire circumstances, there was a sense of unity, a bond forged in the heat of battle.

"We should get going," I finally said, breaking the silence.

We quickly finished our breakfast and packed up our temporary camp. Varia and Deros handled the cleanup while I went to get our ship prepared. We were leaving the mechs here. We didn't want the enemy to notice them. Should the situation call for it, I had the abilities of my chip, such as future sight and the power to manipulate gravity to a certain extent.

I also had a limited form of telepathy, which allowed me to communicate with Varia and Deros over short distances, even when our tech communication systems failed.

These abilities were a valuable asset on the battlefield, but they also put a lot of strain on me. I had to be careful not to overuse them, or I could end up incapacitating myself.

Taking a deep breath, I jumped onto the ship. Hopefully, the mainland was fine.

I activated the ship's engines, feeling the familiar hum of energy beneath my feet. Deros and Varia quickly joined me, their faces set with determination. With a final check of our systems, we set off towards the mainland.

As we sped across the water, I couldn't help but look back at the island, now a small speck in the distance. It had served as a temporary sanctuary, a place to rest and regroup. But now, it was time for some recognacanze.

As the mainland came into view, I felt a surge of hope. I could see the city in the distance, its buildings shimmering in the morning sun.

Deros was quiet, his gaze fixed on the city. This was his home, where his family was. I could only imagine the thoughts running through his head.

As we neared the city, we slowed our speed.

Once we docked, we quickly disembarked, keeping our heads low.

I pressed a button on the ship, transforming it into a tiny cube. Tucking away the cube in a little-box I liked to carry in my pants, we headed out to see Deros's family home.

My cybernetic eyes kept staring at the sky for any sign if the enemy mechs. They had descended with us, so they should be on this planet too. Yet everything seemed normal.

The most unusual thing was probably the strange mismatched clothing the Orginal wore. They were naturally an androgynous species, but they could also change their sex and body shape with their hormones.

As we walked through the bustling city, I marveled at the mix of modern and traditional architecture, the sounds of a thriving marketplace, and the vibrant colors that seemed to splash across every surface. It was a far cry from the sterile, uniform structure of Luana, my world's moon, that I had grown used to.

Deros led us through the winding streets, his eyes scanning the crowd. He seemed to know where he was going, but every now and then, he would pause, his gaze distant and troubled. I couldn't imagine what he must be feeling, returning home after such a traumatic experience.

Eventually, we arrived at a small, unassuming semi-spherical house nestled between two larger buildings. 

"This is it," Deros said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Before we could respond, the door flew open, and a group of people rushed out. There were shouts of joy and relief as they embraced Deros, their faces a mix of tears and smiles.

As I watched the reunion, I felt a pang of envy. I missed my parents and little sis. Hopefully, we could return home soon.

Shaking off the melancholy thoughts, I turned to Varia. "We should get to work," I said, my voice steady. "We need to gather as much information as we can."

Varia nodded, her gaze focused and determined. "Agreed. Let's get started."

"You two are Deros's friends, right?"

"Uh, I am actually his commander," Varia said.

"And his crush," I said, giggling.

Deros and Sis blushed.

Deros's father, at least I assumed he was, laughed. Deros did say that most Orginal changed their forms rather often.

"Well, Deros always had good taste," his father said, chuckling.

"Father!" Deros protested, his face turning a deeper shade of red.

His father just laughed again, clapping him on the shoulder. "Ah, don't be embarrassed, son. It's natural."

Turning to us, he extended his hand. "I'm Hakar, by the way. I don't believe we've been properly introduced. It's good to see little De making such fine friends."

Varia shook his hand, a small smile on her face. "Varia. And this is Vyran."

"Pleasure to meet you both," Hakar said, giving us a warm smile. "And thank you for looking out for my son."

"We're a team," Varia said, echoing her earlier words to Deros. "We look out for each other."

Hakar nodded, looking pleased. "Good to hear."

"Come, join us for some coffaa!" Deros's mom said, smiling.

I pressed my temple, looking up what coffaa was. While I couldn't link up to the Internet, I did keep some info in storage should I need it, like brain surgery and chip transplant. 

"Coffaa," my internal database informed me, "is a traditional Orginal beverage made from the beans of the Coffaa plant. It is usually served hot and is noted for its stimulating effect and distinctive flavor."

It sounded interesting. We had something like it back home too.

"Thank you, but we really should get going," I said, politely declining the offer. "We need to do something."

Deros's mom frowned with disappointment.

Varia patted my back. 

"Thank you, we would love to join you for some coffaa," Varia said, accepting the invitation with a warm smile.

Deros's mother beamed and led us into their home. The aroma of freshly brewed coffaa filled the air.

Deros's was practically drooling. Varia giggled at the sight, causing him to blush and wipe away the drool.

I eyed a hologram with several pictures. Deros's parents looked somewhat different in them, but there was something about their eyes that one could just tell it was them.

There was also a handsome black-haired guy with red eyes like their mom holding Deros's hand.

"That's my big bro, Lemal," Deros said, grinning.

"I had no idea Captain Lemal was your older brother," Varia said.

"You know him?"

She laughed. "Yeah, I do. We were in the SPD academy together. He was a smart fellow. Unlike that husband of his."

"Husband?" 

"Yeah, Lemal's married Zerek. They met at the academy, and they hit it off instantly."

My eyes widened. Zerek? He was our next door neighbor. He would always play basketball with me. How did I not know he had married an Orginal?

Deros beamed with pride. "I always looked up to Lemal. He's a hero in the family."

Mom giggled. "Before the communications went down, Lemal sent me some pictures of your niece."

If I hadn't known about the Orginal being hermaphrodites, I would've been very confused as to how those two guys had a kid.

"Can I see?" Deros asked, jumping up and down.

Mom handed Deros her communicator, showing him the images Lemal had sent. Deros marveled at the pictures of the adorable young niece, with her bright eyes and playful smile.

"She's so cute! Lemal must be so proud," Deros exclaimed.

Varia nodded in agreement. "I heard she was a ball of energy, just like her father, Zerek."

Right, Lemal was the mother.

"Let's hurry up and drink our coffaa," Deros said as he gave back his mom her device. He had a spark in his eye. Had seeing his niece given him a new push?