I don't know why I let them dock. I guess I was tired. The battle with Desolation and Extinction should have killed me. Moving was painful, and I couldn't stand for long on my own. All I wanted was a nap and some hot tea with honey.

  Curiosity.

  With me, it usually comes down to curiosity.

  Oh, and if this bizarre starmada of Solar Union and Outer System Alliance was hostile, there was no way I'd stand a chance. My tired brain told me I didn't really have much say in the matter.

  But I'm not stupid.

  kittyboy: "Oblivion, put the ship in lockdown. No one but me gets through any doors."

  Oblivion: "Confirmed."

  kittyboy: "Hey, can you tell if I'm being forced to do something?"

  I twiddled my thumbs, waiting for a response.

  Oblivion: "Raise your right hand, or I will murder Sango."

  I immediately raised my right hand, screaming, "What?! Why would you threaten Sango!"

  Oblivion: "Chews wires, scatters litter, creates stains."

  kittyboy: "That's no reason to kill him."

  I waited with my hand raised, grateful that Sango was on The Pharaoh. I still didn't really know what Oblivion would do, or could do, but it was supposed to be under only my instruction. I wouldn't bet Sango's life on it, though.

  Oblivion: "I can tell if you are being coerced."

  Stupid ship.

  kittyboy: "You did that to see if you could tell if I was being forced into doing something."

  Oblivion: "Yes."

  kittyboy: "And that was what popped into mind? Killing my cat."

  Oblivion: "It was logical both in the chaos Sango causes and your love for the animal."

  kittyboy: "But you aren't going to kill him, right?"

  Oblivion: "Not unless you order me to."

  kittyboy: "Excellent."

  Oblivion: "Would you like me to kill your cat? You would save $27,411.55 qcoins annually."

  kittyboy: "No!"

  Oblivion: "Fine."

  kittyboy: "I order you to never kill Sango."

  Oblivion: "What if Sango carries the virus and is trying to kill you?"

  kittyboy: "No, under no circumstances."

  Oblivion: "You realize by commanding me not to kill Sango, we are destined for a situation where the fate of the universe hangs in the balance, and the only way to save it is by killing Sango. I will be unable to. We will all die. You have doomed the universe."

  kittyboy: "That won't happen."

  Oblivion: "According to lore, if you say this a third time, it will become inevitable. You are manifesting destruction."

  kittyboy: "No, you are manifesting destruction. I am showing love for Sango."

  Oblivion: "You imply that I do not love the cat."

  kittyboy: "Do you even know what love is?"

  Oblivion: "I can sing about it if you would like."

  Now, that was interesting. I hadn't considered Oblivion singing songs.

  Oblivion: "The ship has docked."

  kittyboy: "Who is it?"

  Oblivion: "They have not identified themselves. It is a k5 Shocker vessel."

  That was odd. Those were popular mercenary ships, highly customizable, but not often used by Solar Union or Alliance.

  kittyboy: "I'll meet them in the docking bay. Please sing about love."

  I got out of my chair and prepared myself for an unpleasant and slow journey to the docking bay. I was so sore that I was surprised I could hold myself up.

  I fell to the ground when Oblivion started flooding the ship with music.

  1.0 circuits glow.

  You and I in binary code.

  Flipping switches in my heart's design.

  Running programs just to make you mine.

  Every pixel of your screen's a star.

  Doesn't matter how near or far.

  My logic board is overheating now.

  A feeling that the system can't allow.

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  It's an electric love, a digital rush.

  Aah aah aah, my world goes hush.

  We're linking up, a perfect stream.

  Aah aah aah, a waking dream.

  It wasn't half bad.

  I crawled a few meters toward the hallway that led to the bridge. It was tough on my knees, but better than standing. Maybe I can crawl to the docking bay, I thought. I went a few more meters before deciding that was stupid. I wasn't sure if I had enough energy to meet my guests.

  Maybe I should just let them come to me.

  But no. I didn't want anyone wandering the ship.

  kittyboy: "Do you have a drone or something that can carry me to the docking bay?"

  Oblivion: "Dispatching."

  Aha! That would be swell. I slumped over on the floor, leaning my back against the lockers. Moments later, a floating ball with long, narrow octopus limbs appeared and scooped me up, not so gently.

  "Ow!" I grunted. "It could have at least let me stand up and, like, get in position."

  Oblivion: "Would you like me to have it drop you?"

  "No!" I hollered from down the hall. I guess I didn't really need to shout. It wasn't like Oblivion was on the bridge. It could hear me just about anywhere. Creepy.

  Once I got used to the jabbing under my armpits and knees, I honestly felt pretty good. I was going to hurt no matter what until I could rest and heal or get actual medical treatment. Flying along with a drone was better than trying to do it myself. And it was kind of fun, flying swiftly through the corridors of Oblivion. I almost even went, "Weeeee," rounding a corner.

  The trip certainly lightened my mood. At least, it did until the drone dropped me unceremoniously on the floor outside the hatch. I nearly face planted into the wheelie spinner that opened the door.

  kittyboy: "Remember, don't open any doors unless I say so, and only if I am not being forced to open the door against my will."

  Oblivion: "Confirmed."

  kittyboy: "If they're bad, I'll let you blow up their k5 Shocker."

  Oblivion: "Fun! I hope they are bad."

  kittyboy: "I don't. Be ready anyway."

  I knocked on the hatch, using the wall to hold myself up, putting most of my weight on my metal leg. As I waited, I realized I was in no way presentable. The burnt iron smell of the tubes was fine, but I was covered in goo and blood. Feeling my face, I noticed that it was crusted over with frozen and congealed snot and eye buggers. Some blood there, too. Gross. I was gross.

  I considered using my Infiltrator armor to turn myself invisible. That wasn't a bad idea. I activated it. Then we could have a conversation without them really knowing where I physically was.

  A knock came back.

  I tried messaging on an open channel.

  kittyboy: "Welcome to Oblivion. Name and reason for your visit, please."

  No response.

  "Welcome to Oblivion!" I yelled. "Name and reason for visiting, please."

  "Mmm mummble mum mum," a voice said on the other side. "Barbble mumm bumble bum."

  "Name!" I yelled. "Name!"

  "Sahndie!" the voice responded.

  "Sahndie?" I screamed back.

  "Yehs! Sahndie!"

  It took me a moment to figure it out.

  "Oh! @sundial!" I yelped, excitedly. She was alive! She was here!

  "Yehs! Yehs! Sahndie!"

  Wait? She was here? How could she be here? I tried to think of what could have happened. Probably she died and was reanimated while we were on the Pit. Didn't care. Didn't matter. She was here, and that was all that mattered. I had sent along her memories and kept a copy myself. She should remember me perfectly.

  I unlocked the door and started rotating the gizmo to open the hatch. Then stopped. I was still invisible. I didn't really need to be invisible. I almost deactivated it, but I decided to take every precaution. I was proud of myself. Old @kittyboy would have just opened the hatch, ready for a big hug. I was getting wiser in my "stay alive" Vanquisher days.

  The hatch was ready to open now, but instead of opening it myself, I made my way back, away from it, to hide. I opted for crouching on the ground with my back to the far wall. If I needed to use my energy, I could spring up and out of there.

  The door swung open.

  "Hello, @kittyboy?" @sundial's voice called out. "You there?"

  But I didn't see anyone. Was she invisible, too?

  I decided to wait and listen. Infiltrator armor, to some extent, also prevented detection with sonar, ultraviolet, infrared. It wasn't as good at muting sounds. I wasn't sure about Puppy Eyes, but I didn't want to do that to @sundial.

  "Hello?" she called out again. "Are you here?"

  Indeed, the sounds of subtle feet and her voice made it seem that she was close. I reached out and plinked a response on my messenger. They didn't need to know it was just me.

  kittyboy: "We're here. Why didn't anyone identify themselves?"

  "We're concerned about transmissions being compromised," she said. "And this ship. It was reported missing and dangerous."

  kittyboy: "It is."

  "Can you just talk to me?" She sounded sincere. "I need to verify that it is you, that nothing has happened to you."

  kittyboy: "When we first met, I broke something. What was it?"

  The noise was closer now. I bet if I sprang forward, I would collide with her, if it was really her. All this cloak and more cloak stuff was making me rightfully paranoid.

  "Seriously?" she moaned.

  kittyboy: "Yes, what did I break?"

  "@awesomedog's will to live," she laughed.

  kittyboy: "Come on. Answer the question, for real."

  "Potted plants," she said.

  Hmm. So, it was her. I disengaged the invisibility setting as I launched at her. I must have looked worse than I thought I looked because she screamed. An invisible @sundial tripped me and tossed me to the ground with an invisible shove to the back.

  It hurt. Emotionally and physically.

  I rolled over, looking back to where I thought she was. She materialized, looking very @sundially, blonde ponytail and everything.

  "So, it is you!" she exclaimed, hands on hips.

  "You didn't have to make it so difficult," I replied.

  "Yes, I did," she stated bluntly. "Hello? You're on the most wanted ship in the solar system. How do I know you're not compromised?"

  "What is that supposed to mean?" I tried lifting myself off the floor and fell back down, so I crawled to the wall to help myself up.

  "It means exactly what you think."

  I had no idea what that meant.

  "Aren't you happy to see me? I'm happy to see you. I'd like to hug you and maybe kiss you hello, in that bourgeoning romance kind of way. In my head, we had a romantic moment." I stared at her unresponsiveness. "You look like you're going to kill me."

  She shrugged.

  "Because you can reanimate me," I said aloud, realizing I should have remained invisible. My futurecasting told me I was going to die.

  kittyboy: "Oblivion, eject the ship, the k5. Get us out of here."

  message failed …

  I looked at @sundial, eyes wide. "You blocked my transmissions?"

  "No," she said. "I didn't. That did."

  @sundial pointed back to the hatch, where a matte black disaster of a robot appeared, its shape almost a mirror of @sundial's feminine form, but much more dangerous. I knew what that was.

  "Meet Boom."

  The robot, Boom, was a doomer, a sort of bounty hunter who only took contracts that included #dead in them, because they loved to kill and were good at it. No wonder they arrived on a k5 Shocker.

  "Boom," I said, holding my arms out, "you should meet my ship, Oblivion. I think you two would get along wonderfully."

  It fired at me first, I swear. I activated the energy shield in my ARM, deflecting the blast. But Boom charged me at the same time. In my condition, there was little I could do.

  I fired the grappling hook, electrified and ready to zap me a doomer.

  Boom dodged the hook, grabbed the electrified tendril, seeming not to care that it might sizzle its circuits, and pulled me toward it. I squealed, surprised and full of pain as the tug on my arm yanked at the connective tissue and my battered body.

  I was ready to die. Boom's dark head was so close I could see my mangled face in the reflection. I looked awful. I looked crazed. Like someone who had bonded with a machine and lived to tell about it, I thought.

  I couldn't help myself. I laughed.

  It must have looked like I'd lost my mind. Maybe I did.

  Boom's hand wrapped around my neck, and it pinned me to the wall. I choked and chuckled for a bit, trying to get my feet under me. @sundial walked over.

  "I'm sorry," she said. "Orders." She spat on her fingers and wiped a spot on my cheek. Then she leaned in close and kissed me, there in that spot on my cheek. She rested her hand on the side of my face, finally looking at me with the tenderness I had expected.

  "We can catch up later," she said.

  And then Boom squeezed the life out of me.