Sher’s expression softened. “I’m sorry. You’re the only two we have with advanced levels of training who spent extended time on Myndalia. You both know the different sides of Kersh, so you’ll look like you belong.” When Clo stared at him, he sighed and reached for her shoulders. “Look. I know the city brings back bad memories. But you won’t have to go into the Snarl, just the transport hub. You and Eris worked well together before Sennett, and I trust you more than any other mechanic we have. I need you both on this.”

Eris glanced at Clo. She only knew scant details about Clo’s past before Nova. Those who lived in the Snarl, a regional name for the slums of Kersh, were the only citizens in the Empire not engineered in birthing centers or under the Oracle’s influence. The Empire made up for this weakness by clustering the natural-born in densely populated urban areas, and carefully controlling the citizenry with drugs and heavy military presence. The existence of such communities had forced the Empire to implement mandatory sterilization five years before. Every citizen in the future would be engineered rather than born.

Clo’s upbringing would have been immensely different from Eris’s. Eris had spent years in the high-rises above Kersh. As long as the floating cities didn’t hover over the Snarl, they had glorious views of the sun reflecting off the marshlands that dotted Myndalia. But like everything about Tholosian society, there was no sense of kindness in that place, nothing more than constant studying and fighting. Every activity was framed by physical and mental deprivation disguised as a lesson.

You have to learn to think quickly in a war, when all hope is lost, and when you haven’t slept for days, her prefect, Mistress Heraia, had once told her. Eris had once gone six days without sleep in response to Mistress Heraia’s words, just to prove she could, and trained every day on top of it. Eventually, even with her body mods, she’d collapsed. They’d nursed her back to health and congratulated her.

Clo sighed. “All right. I’ll do it.”

Sher and Kyla both looked at Eris. She shrugged. “I already signed on. ITI mission, remember? Little chance of success, high chance of death. My favorite.”

Clo’s eyes met Eris’s. “Yeah. I’m familiar with Eris’s favorite hobby. It cost me a leg.”

4.

CLO

One year ago

“I’ve got another mission for us.” The breathless voice made Clo glance up with a grin. Eris was in the doorway of Clo’s quarters at Nova, her hair messy from the run clear across headquarters to find Clo.

“You’re back,” Clo said. “I thought you’d be off for a few moons, stealing ships and kicking ass.”

“I prefer to steal ships and kick ass with you, though.”