The light of the twin suns fell across the metal skin of Eidolon, stretching like a crimson blanket as far as the eye could see.
Dotty, at the edge of one of the city's external terraces, watched the android walking a few metres below her feet. Robbed of his free will, he marched towards the gigantic ship that sat on the landing platform with strict, mechanical steps.
Two armed robots standing behind her stepped forward to stop her from coming any closer to the railing. Another robot was watching over that strange helicopter that had brought them to Bella. The blades were now at rest.
A ramp lowered from the huge belly of the Hermes and threw up a cloud of steam. That vapor, stained red by the light of the suns, was pulled apart by the wind. Dotty gritted her teeth and dried her tears with the back of her hand. T1N hadn't said a word to her since Dotty took control of him. Couldn't he fight back? Wasn't he invincible?
Dotty imagined him turning around, facing up to the robots and to his creator, facing up to Eidolon itself. Together they would fight through that sea of creatures and survive another day together in this damned city.
But no matter how long she looked at the android, he never turned. He continued walking up to the circular platform. Behind him came a group of the creatures, slowly, cautiously twitching their feet, afraid of coming too close. They were anxious, impatient to board the ship alongside the android and that poison he carried in his chest. It was as if they knew that his destination lay beyond this galaxy: another world to grind to dust, extinguishing all life in the process. They hoped for a banquet much grander than Eidolon.
When T1N disappeared up the ramp, the creatures threw themselves after him. Group after group arrived at the platform and fought for their place on board, using their teeth and their claws in a bloody battle to not be left behind. No one wanted to stay in this city.
The hatch slammed shut and the Hermes rose in a cloud of smoke that swirled over the platform. A few of the creatures clung to the sides of the ship as it rose. They fell into the void as the nose of the ship turned towards the sky. Its pulse engines flashed into life and the ship swiftly climbed into the heavens.
Dotty stood frozen. She stayed until the ship had crossed the thin atmosphere and disappeared amongst the stars. The only trace of its existence was a thin white streak across the sky.
She took a deep breath and finally turned around. Behind her there were only those two robots, watching her with blank eyes. One of the robots threw her rifle and her backpack onto the ground, then they turned and boarded the helicopter.
The vehicle took off with a rhythmic beating of blades that ruffled Dotty's hair— the hair that wasn't stuck to her cheeks with tears, at least. It sounded like the beating wings of a giant bird as it receded into the distance.
"This isn't over," she said, looking to the heavens.
She put on her backpack and slung her rifle over her shoulder. She ran at the railing, throwing herself over it with all the force her suit could give her, leaping across the rift between the building and the airway below.
She wouldn't die today. She would fight to survive until tomorrow.