Butterflies of the Dark Star

31 (REVISED)

Fantastic, Nova. Great job. I am an idiot.

"LOCKDOWN A INITIATED. PLEASE REMAIN CALM."

You just pushed him away. You just pushed him away when all he was doing was asking questions. Something he has to do. He has to ask questions. I'm the one who isn't asking questions.

Every loop brought a new, changed experience — something to force her to change the approach. Neo never returned after his previous proclamation to get to the bottom of her time bound cage. If I don't get out of here, he isn't going to come back out at all. Plants shone green in the dimness of light. And if Habitation does fall... they'll die. As with the fluttering holograms of flowers and butterflies mocking her, she sat on the bed and groaned.

But Neo could be the one to figure this out — if he can live that long.

And then... he asked if I wanted to be alone... and I couldn't give him a straight answer. Resentment for her inability to change his fate smothered her lungs. Is it better to keep distance if I know he's going to die? Would that even make it easier? It was no better than allowing him to rush into the black hole, stuck in the event horizon where time stopped.

Nova sprawled across the cushions and listened to the distant alarm. Too many variables and not enough consistency. Lockdown started. If Thuni or Ulin didn't listen to me... they either got away or weren't fast enough. I think it's the waiting I hate the most. Waiting for everything to happen all at once. Her exhaustion worsened with the pass of the loops. I have to rest when I'm able, as much as I can before I do this all over again. Nova burrowed into the cushions and blankets as the voices outside faded. But... Now that I think about it, it's the eastern branch hit last — but that could change too. Everything can change in an instant.

She shut herself from the cruel universe and into the void of her own creation. Starlight tugged a string of dark matter around her throat to block her crying scream. Tick. Tick. Tick. Bright stars disappeared into the grey-coloured eye of the universe. Nova jolted out of her doze at approaching, heavy footsteps. It dragged when it came closer to her door, and she sat up, ready for a fight.

Who now? Who's come to judge me? I know it's not Neo, he doesn't drag his feet.

A choke drove into her throat when Thuni shuffled into the room and let the door shut behind him. "Spacyn."

Caution revved into her nerves, but she lowered her guard when Thuni expressed nothing more. "You weren't who I was expecting. I thought you'd have..." Died, or who the hells know anymore. Nova released the tension in her lips. "What are you doing here alone?" Another question begged for an answer, and she was no better than Neo when it came to it.

Thuni folded his arms and glared at her. "It's about what you said," he said. "I won't mince words with you. What you told us sounds unbelievable." He grimaced, and went pale. "Well, I'll tell myself that for now for my peace of mind. I went on the transit to search my droid, but it was like this nagging feeling screamed at me to not go." He scowled at the holographic lies. "I sent Ulin back to their room, but I wanted to come to talk to you before doing anything... possibly life-altering." He rubbed his arms. "I had deja vu, Spacyn."

Nova lost all her strength at his words. He what?

"So, as hard to believe as what you said is, I am not willing to throw it to the side," Thuni explained. "Which is why I'm baffled that the research team did just that and threw you in here. You don't strike me as the type to pull practical jokes on a scale like that — and I doubt Teimea would joke about that. From the way he was practically fighting a dozen people to get to you tells me there is a lot more going on than I am capable of grasping. So." He sat down on the chair Neo once occupied. "Let's have a chat that they didn't let you finish."