The smoke had not cleared in the crash, it almost appeared to be worsened by the fire that had started on one side of the cockpit a few seats back from Pyrus. Zera groaned lightly, shaking her head to clear it as she sat up and suddenly realised what had happened, turning to Pyrus and again, barely kept from screaming.
He sat slumped forward slightly, part of the control yoke snapped off and deeply imbedded in his stomach next to the pipe and other shrapnel already there. She moved to try and see if she could get him out, cursing and fumbling a moment to unbuckle herself, before she looked back at her seat almost instinctively, not really registering that a pipe stuck through the right side of the seat with a jagged edge where she might have been if she had been any bigger.
Quickly looking Pyrus over, she cursed as she could see no way to move him herself, thinking quickly she gently leaned him back in his chair.
"I never thought I'd have my first kiss be this one... I'm sorry..." She muttered before she took hold of either side of his face, opened his mouth gently and kissed him, venting as many of her nanites into him as she could. Zera moved away, gasping when the hatch was forced open and a Firian with four ear-spines quickly scrambled inside. She could tell he was injured, then saw his eyes.
"Xerxes? I thought... You said-" Zera stuttered, eyes going wide as she realised who he was. His knowing smile that she had figured it out without him saying a word was interrupted by a high pitched whine starting from the back left of the ship.
"Zera, I've already told your father the same, but I need you to listen to me." Xerxes gently grasped both her hands with his, neither caring that his hands were coated in his own blood as her gaze locked on his. "Pyrus must live. I don't care what needs to be taken from me, He must live. Do you understand?" Zera's hurried and exuberant nod made him smile lightly, he moved aside and quickly hurried her out. "The second engine's about to go. Get to Sam."
Zera still shook from the shock of the crash and revelations that were going to be explained in a moment, while still lightly in her Father's arms as they walked from the table room to the infirmary, the two Firians on tables next to each other. One of the technicians was in shock at the fact that Pyrus and Magmus himself, lay side by side in his infirmary, and quickly skittered out to meet the group, seeing Khilseith and stiffening.
"My lords, I am at a loss as to what to do..." The Firian, named Ryme, the only one of the medical field who had offered to work aboard the Aurora after hearing that Cinder had done so months ago, wrung his hands lightly from anxiety. Ryme stiffened further as the Ahr'aht in their midst turned into a taller version of his Prince, all of the others gaping but wearing expressions of confusion or rage, Blaze stepping forward and briefly looking to Khilseith.
"Doctor Ryme, it was our Emperor's last wish to see Pyrus live, no matter the cost to him. They have the same blood type, rejection of tissues shouldn't be a concern." Blaze explained, Khilseith nodding sadly as Ryme bowed and went back inside the infirmary, directing the team to asess Pyrus first. Samateus shuddered lightly, leaning heavily on the wall next to the glass, completely lost and feeling useless as the one she saw as a brother and his son were slowly drifting away on her.
"Alright, what the everloving-"
"Enough profanity, please." Khilseith sighed, stopping Blaze from rebuking the angry tirade aimed at them from Jade and placatingly raising a hand palm outward. Jade recoiled, but the venomous rage in her gaze told volumes of how much trouble the Ahr'aht turned Firian could be in if she did not like his explanation. "This is the secret we've been keeping from all of you. Xerxes, my father, was Magmus, former Emperor of Fire, and Pyrus' father. We had no idea we could potentially sire children with the races of the Makers, he only accepted the crown as he had no choice lest there be some outcry and he be outed and killed." Khilseith paused, turning to look at the two inside on tables and shuddering lightly before he turned back to the others, his back to the glass window of the infirmary.
"That Amber had conceived a child from him caused a stir with me and our leading families as to what it could mean for them, not ever considering that it was monumental amongst the worlds whose peoples we were curious about, but did our best to remain apart from. When he and the two others with him returned, he was broken, I barely recognised him, Sam barely recognised him." Cryos and Blaze remained the calmest amongst the group, as Khilseith paused a moment to gather himself again, looking over at Samateus who shifted her gaze only briefly to acknowledge his concern. "He explained everything to us both, in person, showed us his memories briefly, and when he gave me a Firian blood sample and I shifted to a Firian myself, he knew that Amber had been loyal, despite his concerns that Pyrus wasn't actually his, despite their genetics being almost identical. He wanted to go back immediately, to explain everything, but knew he couldn't. Not without upsetting everything he'd already tried to do. He left behind a beacon with Coal, the Vizier, which must have been damaged over the years as we didn't receive the subspace distress signal until nearly a half year later."
"So instead of telling us everything from the beginning, he figured it'd be better to leave it alone? What if something else happened and Pyrus was outright Killed? What about the crown?" Sternum asked, fins still flat back and scowl everpresent.
"I was aware, the first night, in the event something like this happened." Cryos explained, sadly meeting Gravehearts gaze, pained by his shock and the betrayal in his eyes, promptly turning away in shame. "When he returned my Grandmother's Diadem. Once of age, he was going to explain everything to Pyrus... Another week, and everything would have been out in the open."
"No way, a week? Why didn't Pyrus say anything?" Femur seemed more concerned that Pyrus had not said anything about his birthday coming up, nevermind it being his eighteenth and the day he would officially become Emperor. Graveheart had since crossed his arms to restrain himself, shuddering lightly in his barely held rage at the one he had trusted the most to tell him the truth of things, Cryos, doing his best to avoid the Rockian's gaze as he knew his withheld information could have helped explain a great deal of what the Ahr'aht had been doing amongst them in the first place. As Gravehearts thoughts continued to spiral, he calmed, realising that his rage was not going to help now, though his trust in Cryos, his closest friend outside his own people, would be shaken for a long time.
"It's also the day his mother died, albeit a year later. He may not have wished to make a spectacle, he's been quite preoccupied as you all know." Khilseith added, surprisingly calm despite his father and half-brother near death in the room behind him. Jade shook her head and took a step toward the Ahr'aht turned Firian angrily.
"How can you be this calm? Seriously?" Jade growled, Khilseith straightened up but kept his ear spines flat and only narrowed his eyes.
"My father has been near death for almost my entire life. I've been readied for this for longer than all of you have lived combined. I may not know my half-brother, but I am certain Pyrus will understand that I must be impartial." Khilseith hissed, Jade quickly recoiling from his rebuke. Graveheart felt quite betrayed by the secret kept by the Ahr'aht patriarch, but found himself resting a hand on Jade and turning her around, shaking his head solemnly.
"As much as I want to tear a strip off him too, he's not to blame, really, no one is."
"I am." Samateus muttered, the group turning to her in confusion. Khilseith sighed, closing his eyes a long moment before he moved over and placed a hand on Samateus' shoulder.
"No, not directly. You know that. He knew the risks in calling in the favour of his patron, this was unexpected and no Taal could even move while Ashtareen was here." Khilseith explained, cautiously letting go of her arm and crossing his lightly over his chest, seeing that the others were still very confused, he continued. "Ashtareen is a diety of Balance, in all things. We were winning, certainly, the Beast was flung far away, but balance requires sacrifice in equal measures. He probably hoped it would come in the form of his illness worsening, not the circumstances that led to all this. He weighed his options and made a choice he knew was going to likely cause problems, but... Pyrus means more to him than Amber did, than even My Mother had, and that isn't easy to say."
"It was her that kept him on Fire in the first place, which switched to Pyrus when he was born. Amber dying the following year had hurt him deeply, but redoubled his resolve to do everything he could to keep Pyrus safe. The Golden Jubilation was something he had been working on even before receiving the crown of Flame, it was a last hope that peace could be achieved for his son, and those that followed." Blaze explained after a moment of silence, visibly tense and doing his best to keep from glancing into the infirmary, imagining Flare lying on one of the beds making him shudder lightly.
"So wait, if they have almost the same genetics, why isn't Pyrus affected by that weird illness? How do we know taking tissues from Xerxes wont kill him later?" Femur frowned, moving toward and accusingly wagging a finger at Khilseith. Samateus and Khilseith inwardly laughed at how much Femur had taken to looking out for Pyrus, despite his more aloof and often dismissive mannerisms towards others.
"As Firian, neither are affected. We have no idea why, we've done tests at length and nothing has given us any idea as to why it doesn't affect Xerxes as Magmus. However, when he shifts back, he's often declined significantly and needs to use his inhaler or rest for a day or two. When on planet Fire, he had to shift again almost immediately after reverting, so it would accumulate to a point where... well, when he was able to return he spent three months in intensive care." Khilseith explained sadly, having made much the same argument himself in the past. "We tested my genetics in this form too, nothing gave us any even tiny glimmer of why it doesn't affect me, or Pyrus."
After the admissions from Khilseith, for a long time, none spoke, too distraught at seeing one they had respected and trusted, turn out to be someone thought dead and so close to the other, who some had come to see as a Brother or Nephew. Zera found she did not wish to leave, soon moving to stand next to Samateus, who gently curled her wing around and pulled Zera closer, Zera quickly embracing her as she could tell Samateus to be on the verge of tears herself. Sternum was the first to speak after a lengthy session of silence, the others finding no reason to dispute his suggestion.
"We should give them space, time to work... Blaze, as much as it might appear the better course to keep this to ourselves, that something has happened to Pyrus should be made public. His absence suddenly now will raise more questions than if it were kept under the rug." Graveheart frowned, about to object, but Khilseith nodding and gently nudging Blaze led him to stop.
"Pyrus will pull through. Of that I have no doubt. Flare should know the truth, however, and he can help you with an address. If you need my feedback, I am open to you." Khilseith offered the slightest smile, meeting Gravehearts gaze a moment.
**If you wish to rage at anyone, rage at me. I forced him to abandon the Cluster, because he could do nothing further while being an invisible outsider. I forced him to keep his secret regarding Pyrus, as I knew what could happen if this information got out too soon. Pyrus' emotional turmoil will need those he trusted from before our interference to keep him level. I ask you not as his elder half-brother, but as an outsider, be there for him, as I may not be able to.** Khilseith turned away from Graveheart then, sighing and nodding as Blaze asked him for a teleport, but stopped as another Firian, Cinder, ran into the hallway and spotted Khilseith. Cinder, while a bit older and still reeling from the loss of his entire extended family line, knew his Prince, and this strange doppelganger standing next to General Blaze made him frown. Glancing inside past them however, Cinders' eyes widened further, glancing between the two Firians inside, and the two before him.
"Cinder... All you need to know, is that secrets have been kept to protect your Prince. Now, see for yourself." Khilseith's handling the situation lessened the ire directed at him from the others, Graveheart still tense and gritting his teeth lightly at how betrayed he felt, remaining quiet while he watched. Cinder moved to stand closer to the viewing window into the infirmary and gaped, mouthing the name of his fallen monarch and looking almost accusingly at Khilseith.
"Xerxes is my father, and is also your late Emperor Magmus. He's been keeping this secret in plain sight-"
"To protect our Prince, I see as much. Why now, and why are both of them in there?" Cinder angrily cut Khilseith off, ear spines rattling.
"The Beast's attack led my father to call on Ashtareen herself, which accrued some debt that required sacrifice. Xerxes hoped it would heap the sacrifice on him, not spread it to his bloodline... And Pyrus." Khilseith's words took a long moment before Cinder's flame appeared to erupt slightly, realising just what else they were alluding to.
"Damn you! After all this time, you show up now? Why did you not intervene when the Beast devoured our home? Why did he not remain, when he was-" Cinder was promptly cut off by Blaze then.
"He had Bonean poison in his blood. It would have killed any other of us, therefore if it did not kill him, it would have aroused suspicion. He knew it was on the blade that struck him, but had no lasting ill effect as they are immune to most poisons or toxins that would effortlessly kill any other, even when he was in his Firian form. Trust me, I fought with him for him to stay as well as Coal." Blaze growled, Cinder's ire slowly deflating as he looked around at the others, who all nodded that the truth had been spoken by the General. Cinder found he could say nothing else, while still infuriated, he simply moved to the window and gently rest his palms on the window-ledge as he watched, what little he could see through the medical staff working feverishly to help the two badly injured Firians.
"I will stay with them... And provide updates as needed." Cinder glanced to Blaze who nodded and gently patted Cinder's shoulder in thanks before the General nodded to Khilseith and the two were gone. Jade groaned audibly at Khilseith disappearing, Samateus scoffing and sighing herself.
"I'm not going anywhere either. My kin are infuriated that Ashtareen's aid had negative consequence for the young Prince, after everything he has been through. I wanted to slap Xerxes myself many times for not telling him, but waiting for Pyrus' Ascension was understandable and necessary, despite how much he wanted to tell everyone who he had been on Fire... " Zera gently tightened her grip on Samateus, the Taalrulthian almost lovingly looking down at and returning the light squeeze reassuringly, smile only ever so slightly visible. "If they do not make it through this... I cannot support the one that let this happen. Even if that person is Me."
"Now that sounds familiar." Jade turned to look at Graveheart with a slight smirk, Sternum and Femur chuckling lightly and Cryos nodding, though watched Samateus more with concern. "We're here too. While I won't lie, I've half a mind to go in there and try and wake Magmus myself and demand some answers, I... I know there's nothing we can do right now, but wait and give them our support as best we can." Jade moved over to stand closer to Samateus, one hand on a hip and watching the Taalrulthian with Zera clinging to her side. Samateus' good ear remained flat back, but her fierce scowl softened as she nodded, looking down at Zera and giving the Icean a light squeeze, even her feathers appearing to curl around Zera reassuringly, for both of them.
"Thank you, Jade, I'm sorry for all of the misdirection and deceit on my part, to all of you. I hope you do not think less of me and what good we have brought..." Samateus' words were followed up with a brief wave of sadness from her, depression so tangible that the others all stiffened or turned away almost in shame. Zera tightened her grip in response, Samateus offering a brief purr and smile.
"I don't find any fault in what he has done, to protect his Son. Given the same circumstances and choices, I would have done the same for Zera." Cryos announced flatly, Samateus chuckling lightly, easing some of the tension in herself and the others, right ear relaxing slowly. Graveheart glanced at his friend, remembering how Cryos had reacted earlier after the initial crash, and relaxed the tension in his arms and chest, realising that Cryos had kept the secret more at Xerxes' behest, not intentionally to harm him but to protect Pyrus, and the entire alliance in a way.
"Very clever, the whole bit. Though I'm surprised that the beacon left behind was so easily damaged." Sternum mused, Samateus meeting his gaze with a smirk.
"Not damaged, no. Lack of use and maintenance is what caused the delay in our receiving the signal. Likely some slight misalignment in the device and its subspace emitter. No matter, we need to focus on moving forward and supporting those two. I'm not intending to go anywhere else, Sai is probably going to want to get in there at some point but will need a reign to keep her from taking over from Ryme." Samateus met everyone's gaze briefly, before looking to Zera and then back to Cryos who moved closer.
"I'll remain on the Aurora for the forseeable future then, I need to find out the casualties and make arrangements for those lost in the last battle, I suggest those of us who need to do the same focus on that, to give them time to work." Cryos glanced over each of the others, moving to gently rest a hand on Samateus' shoulder before heading back down a different hall, knowing Samateus would take care of Zera in his stead. Jade and Graveheart followed, doing the same to give Samateus support, Jade breifly making certain Zera would be alright, the petite Icean nodding solemnly, turning to bury her face against Samateus' side as she found she could not look through the window before them.
Sternum followed suit, Femur reluctant to follow, but did so anyway, pausing by Zera and Samateus, Sternum turning as he realised his brother had stopped a step behind.
"Hey, I know it's kinda hollow now, but he's a tough kid. He'll be okay." Femur attempted to reassure Zera, Samateus offering him a sad smile as they could only barely hear the Princess sobbing lightly, his fins appearing to droop as he knew there was nothing they could do to help.
"We know, thank you both." Samateus said simply, furthering in a private psionic loop with the two Boneans lingering behind. *She saw him unconscious and bleeding next to her, that's going to haunt her for a while. Go on, I'll keep you updated whenever I hear anything.* Femur and Sternum then bid them farewell before they quietly followed the rest, Femur briefly pausing to let Samateus know wordlessly that if she needed a break from Zera, or everyone really, he knew Pelvus would have an open door to her. Samateus thanked him and sent him off, thinking that it might end up being Pelvus needing a break from everyone once things had progressed.
Capacitor, having lingered behind and remained quietly observing everything with Tekla while the others conversed, padded over cautiously to stand next to Samateus and Zera, Tekla near him, worried for Zera but just as concerned for her betrothed, as he had taken to Xerxes as though the ancient Ahr'aht were his adoptive parent. Samateus offered a low trilling purr, a reassurance, that no matter what, she was still around.
"Thanks... I keep forgetting... He's just as Mortal as the rest of us." Capacitor shook lightly, painfully forcing himself to watch until the blinds were engaged by a technician in the room and the viewing windows went black, reflecting their eyes back at them. Cinder turned to the others remaining, appearing very lost and distraught, yet remained quietly listening.
"He forgets it himself plenty, if this is any indication." Samateus chuckled, offering a smile to Cinder who bowed his head lightly to her, Zera remained with her arms tightly around Samateus' midriff, the slightly taller female Taalrulthian gently rubbing Zera's back, clasping both her back hands under one of her own. "Any loss amongst ours?"
"Three dozen manned craft, Ahr'aht and two from Marsurin. Lead Angel had an energy storage cylinder blow from the excess energy redistribution, but the rest are all superficial. As for the Taal, you probably know more than we do." Tekla offered, able to tell Capacitor was still trying to relax. Samateus cursed, shaking her head as she briefly dipped into the psionic connection she had been supressing since the crash.
"I wasn't paying attention, Sai just let me know seven have died from protecting others... two dozen more are injured and three are in critcal. She's not likely going to be able to do any more for those two than the ones already here..." As she spoke, the door opened and Ryme stepped out, in full surgical scrubs and blood could be seen on the gloves over his hands. Cinder perked up immediately, Zera turning to him as well as Samateus swivelled her good ear forward.
"I wished to provide an update," He paused, continuing when Samateus nodded to him. "Magmus is not as poor-off as our dear Prince, a pipe through his back, broken ribs, puncture to one lung. However... Prince Pyrus is in severe condition, something seems to have helped him from inside, stabilised him enough to get him here, however he is crashing badly..." Samateus barely held the growl behind her teeth as she took in a deep breath. She understood that Ryme was trying to force her to say to save Pyrus, stiffening and wide-eyed when Zera turned and faced Ryme pointedly, shaking visibly herself.
"Pyrus is Priority." Zera's stern and venomous declaration had Ryme recoiling, bowing and skittering back into the infirmary in a breath, Zera promptly turning back and quickly burying her face back into Samateus' midriff. Cinder, Tekla and Capacitor watched in awe at the display, Tekla smiling lightly and nodding that Samateus would likely be the only one able to keep Zera from falling to despair. Tekla and Capacitor bid Samateus and Zera farewell then, the two disappearing via teleport to leave Cinder and Samateus alone with Zera, who had stopped sobbing but still clung to Samateus almost desperately.
**You are chosen of the Luminous one?** Cinder directed at Samateus, who tilted her head curiously at him, and nodded. Cinder moved to lean against the window, staring off at nothing in particular. **You know of the Makers Chosen then?**
**I do. I was under the impression that family line was lost though, early on.**
**Not all, I thought Magmus was of our number when he first appeared, I married into house Pyre, from house FireHawk. A few are still on the Moon, but it is difficult on us to continue our reverence to the Maker when so... Confined.** Cinder sighed audibly, briefly glancing to Samateus, then Zera before shaking his head. **We still try, seeing you, feeling your rage at what has befallen these two, can we ask you to help us? Many wish to spread their wings, but cannot due to secrecy.**
**A week, I ask you wait just that much longer, and the Maker will come. I promise. If it isn't Pyrus himself walking down this hall with him in that time, I will drag the old Cat here myself.** Samateus' grin was met with one almost mirroring her predatory nature from Cinder, Zera catching only the slightest glimpse of Cinder with vicious sharp fangs.