I pulled away, frustration bubbling up. “So what then? I just stay hidden here forever while my friends back on Earth think I’m dead?”
“Not forever.” His voice dropped, suddenly vulnerable. “Just until we find a better solution.”
Unspoken questions hung between us. Did I even want to leave anymore because I cared about Aeon? Did he want me to stay here with him?
“Fine,” I conceded reluctantly, looking out at the colony around us—a testament to survival and determination. “For now. But we need to start working on a better plan soon.”
He nodded, relief evident in the slight softening of his features. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me quite yet,” I warned, but found myself stepping closer to him. “I’m still mad at you for lying to me.”
“I’m learning that seems to be your default state with me,” he said lightly with a half-grin on his face.
“Only because you keep giving me reasons.” Despite myself, I felt an answering smile tug at my lips.
At that moment, standing in the heart of this impossible colony with this impossible man, I realized my world had shifted in just two weeks.
Earth seemed so distant, a memory growing hazier by the day.
EIGHTEEN
AEON
I watched the tension in Olivia’s shoulders ease slightly as she looked at our colony—the sprawling network of structures we’d built among Planet Alpha’s dense foliage. The last golden rays of sunset reflected off the metal surfaces and created an almost ethereal glow. Something about the view seemed to reach her in ways my words couldn’t.
“Let’s get some food,” I suggested, nodding toward the marketplace where vendors were setting up their evening stalls. “The night market just opened. The synthesized protein has improved since the last time you tried it.”
Olivia raised an eyebrow. “That’s not exactly a compelling endorsement.”
“They’ve implemented new flavor profiles. The spicy variant is... tolerable now.” I felt my lips twitch.
“High praise coming from you,” she replied, falling into step beside me.
We walked in silence through the colony, past the hydroponics dome and the communal gathering space. The paths were busier than usual, clusters of colonists speaking in hushed, urgent tones. I caught fragments of conversations as we passed.
“—Earth threat getting stronger?—”
“—what if they find us?—”
Olivia tensed beside me, catching the same snippets. Her eyes darted from face to face, reading the mounting anxiety in the colony.
At the marketplace, I guided her to a small stall run by Nexus, one of our more creative food engineers. The air smelled of unfamiliar herbs—cultivated from Planet Alpha’s native flora—mixed with the more familiar scents of Earth-based cooking techniques.
“Two of the daily special,” I requested, pointedly ignoring the worried glances from nearby colonists.
Nexus handed us two bowls of something that resembled a stew. “Extra flavor compounds in this batch,” he muttered, leaning closer. “Is it true? About Earth?”
I shot him a warning look. “Enjoy your evening, Nexus.”
We found seats at one of the communal tables. Olivia stirred her food without eating it, her eyes following the movement around us.
“They’re afraid,” she said quietly. “I can feel it. Fear has a distinct energy, you know.”
“Yes.” I couldn’t deny the obvious. “News travels quickly here.”
A female cyborg passed our table, her voice rising unwittingly. “—if they find us, we’re finished. CyberEvolution will erase us all?—”
Olivia’s spoon clattered against her bowl. “This isn’t helping.”
