Savior of the Damned

September 17th

The captain closed the door of her quarters as Phaedra sat at the table in the spacious room. Demeter was off with Eldren and Merethyl, who had been with the few people that survived the escape from the flying fortress. The captain had given the orders to take off before the meeting, but requested a discussion with Phaedra.

“Captain—” Phaedra began.

The woman waved her hand. “Call me Simone,” she said, sitting down across from Phaedra. “So, your’re defectors from Aurelius. Why don’t you tell me more about why I should trust you and not throw you off my ’ship mid-flight?”

Phaedra looked at the woman, stark and imposing even as she smiled. “Because I want to do everything I can to bring Aurelius to justice, no matter what.” At Simone’s urging, Phaedra launched into the tale, surprised the other woman didn’t stop her at any point to ask questions.

“I doubt you’re saying all that to just appease me.” Simone said. “As long as you don’t cause trouble for me or my crew, I’ll take you back to Harbor City.”

Phaedra blinked, taken aback. “Just like that? I expected . . .”

“More of a fight?” Simone asked, laughing. “Sure, but it’s clear to me you’re not siding with him. Why do so much to cooperate with us if we’re the enemy?” Simone waved her hand as Phaedra gaped at her. “Plenty of people wouldn’t trust you, but I was there when Sanctuary fell. You’re nothing like that.”

Tension Phaedra didn’t know was in her was suddenly gone, and she sagged in her seat. “Thank you.”

“I will suggest finding something that will convince Temple you’re not a danger, though. They’re not going to take enemies like you just on your word.”

Phaedra looked at her. “You did though.”

“Because I can throw you overboard if you make a fuss and not lose any sleep over it.” She stood up, gesturing towards the door. “Letting you inside and act as if nothing happened, that’s a different thing entirely. I can get you set up with stuff that might help. Pens, paper, things like that. Because I find it hard to believe that you escaped with anything but what you had on you when you fled. Knowledge is also worth something, at least to the right people.”

“Thank you.” Phaedra stood. Simone handed her some pieces of blank paper and some pens and showed her out, shutting the door behind her. Phaedra’s shoulders sagged, and she went to find Torin and Luca.

“Simone suggested starting a list of things you can provide to show you’re on our side,” Phaedra said, coming up to stand next to Torin. “Ways to defeat the Resurrected, for example.”

Luca looked surly. “I figured it would come down to that.”

“Simone will let you use anything you need to make a record.”

“In case they decide to take our information and kill us anyway,” Torin said.

“Or use us to experiment on,” Luca added.

The anxiety both men held radiated off them so strongly Phaedra couldn’t breathe. She wasn’t sure if she was just projecting or if it was some new thing now that they were now bound to her. “If they do, I’m going down as well. And should that happen,” Phaedra paused, “I’ll help you get away.”

Torin met her gaze while Luca looked away. Phaedra looked away first. “You don’t have to do that. You’re not beholden to us just because we’ve known each other what, five months?”

“Hey, I saved your asses. It’s the least I can do. You, both of you,” Phaedra pointed at Luca, who continued scowling, “didn’t deserve what happened. In fact, that’s why I saved you to begin with. I can’t promise you it’ll be smooth, or go as planned, but if things get too hairy, I’ll figure out a way to keep you safe.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Luca murmured as he walked away.

Phaedra looked at Torin, who looked defeated. “On everything I hold dear, I will make sure you both find safety, no matter what happens.”

***

Phaedra wandered into the section of the hold Torin was using to find him drinking, posture full of defeat. “I don’t know if I can do it,” he said, words slurred.

Phaedra took the flask from him and set it down out of reach while he slumped farther forward, putting his head on his arms. She glanced at the notes written in Torin’s careful penmanship and put a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t need to provide all the answers,” she said. “Just prove you’re willing to help.”

Torin’s body heaved, though he made no sound. “How do you know they’ll even take us?” He asked.

“They took me and the rest of us vagabonds in as kids, didn’t they?” she asked, sitting on the stool next to him. “Look, no one is saying you have to solve the problem all by yourself.”

“I just want a break. My entire existence has been hell.”

The sentiment was so close to things Phaedra herself had said and thought over the years that her chest tightened. “That’s why we’re fighting back.”

Torin turned his head to glance at her. “Through it all, you never gave up. I wish I had a quarter of that drive.”

“You survived, and that’s enough. You got you and Luca through it, right?”

Torin shuddered. “I don’t want to think about that place ever again.”

Phaedra patted his back. “I get that.” she glanced at his notes again. “What did you come up with? Maybe I can help.”

With a painstaking slowness, Torin sat up and rearranged his notes. “Resurrected don’t have many weaknesses; the biggest problem is overwhelming their defenses and . . .”

“They’re not going to use that against us.”

He looked at her. “Are you so sure about that?”

“If they try, I promise I’ll help you and Luca find safety somewhere.”

He shook his head. “You can’t promise that.”

She scoffed. “I can and am.” she lowered her hand. “As soon as we land, I can take you away. Just like that. You can find somewhere else and—”

“No.” He looked resolute even as he said it. “I have to be able to live with myself, and I know if I run that’s the end of that.” He sighed and picked up the pen, looking at it. “There are so many questions I don’t have the answer to.”

“I can help with that too,” she said. “Just hold on. It’ll get worse before it gets better, but that’s what we’re fighting for, right? To make things better?” Phaedra tried to smile reassuringly.

Torin took her hand and squeezed it. “Your goodwill is more infectious than anything else I’ve encountered,” he said. “I don’t know how you stay so upbeat.”

“I guess I’ve always held out for victory. Everyone loves an underdog and what else are we right now but that?”

Torin shook his head. “For as long as I can remember, I wanted death. I finally got my wish, just to be brought back. Of course, Resurrected can die again, but what were the odds I’d be one of the lucky ones?” He scrubbed at his face, looking exhausted, before glancing at her; Phaedra could see the weight of everything resting on his shoulders. “Then you came along, brightly burning with your take no prisoners attitude. Everyone fights it when they come back, and there you were no different. But you didn’t give up hope.” He looked away, swallowing. “We all saw it. Aurelius found it funny, like it would be a game to break you. But you did what no one else managed.”

Phaedra laughed, uncomfortable. “You would have figured something out too.”

“No, you don’t understand. It’s not based on ability or skills or anything that can be taught. People follow you, people believe in you, and your can-do attitude is a lot of why.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“I know you don’t see it, but I’m telling you now that people follow you because you’re an inspiration. Flowers bloom wherever you go, and that’s not something that can be learned. You either have it or you don’t.”

Phaedra didn’t know what to say to that, so she said nothing, instead taking a drink from Torin’s flask. He twisted his face at her, causing her to grin for the briefest of moments. “If things get dicey, I’ll help you bug out.”

“I’m trying to make sure it doesn’t come down to that,” he said, taking his flask back. “The weight of the worry that it won’t be enough is too hard to brush aside, though.”

Phaedra smiled; it was an expression full of warmth. “Whatever you come up with will be enough. I promise.”

Torin harrumphed but put the flask down. “I’ll keep working on it,” he said.