Angel sat near the window, her hands wrapped around her legs, knees drawn up to her chest. She looked fragile as she remained distracted, staring at the Helios station. The station was not floating alone, there were three Dahl ships around it, although small compared to Helios.
"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?" Maxwell could guess what Angel was thinking. Even though Jack had used her, he was still the only living relative she had left.
"Hmh." Angel nodded slowly. Standing up, she wiped a single tear from her face.
Maxwell sighed, taking one last look at Helios. Placing his hand on Angel's head, trying to comfort her.
"You see, the mind is not meant to ruminate. Ruminating is a symptom of— ahh, forget it, I'm terrible at that." Maxwell ran his hand over his face in exasperation; he wasn't good with flowery words. It was better to keep things down to earth.
"Listen girl, what I mean is… at the end of the day, it's the end of the day."
"..." Angel stared blankly at Maxwell before her face twisted into a smile.
"Pfffff hahahaha." Angel put her hand over her mouth just in time to hide her hearty laughter.
"Alright, I think it worked."
"Yeah, almost." Angel hugged Maxwell, the warmth of the hug calming her down a little. "I know you want to avoid this, but I know him. He was left with nothing."
"Just don't overthink it." Maxwell patted the girl on the back a few times, his gaze seeming conflicted for a moment. "When the time comes to do what needs to be done, we'll decide, alright?"
"Right!" Angel stood on tiptoe and lightly kissed Maxwell's lips.
Giving Angel's cheeky butt a light squeeze, Maxwell pulled away. It wouldn't be good to be caught being intimate in a public place; as a leader, he had to set an example for his subordinates.
"Now, let's go see the new Siren." He walked on, looking for the accommodation where the mother and daughter were staying. Unbeknownst to Maxwell, he couldn't see Angel biting her lips in a not-so-modest way.
Stopping at the entrance, Maxwell gave a few knocks before entering. Receiving no answer, he simply walked in, hoping they weren't changing clothes.
Inside was a middle-aged woman, black-haired and excessively thin, clear signs of malnutrition. She seemed quite startled by the presence of Maxwell and Angel. A small head popped out from behind the woman, her large, curious eyes ignoring Maxwell and locking onto Angel's arm.
"Are you like me?" The little girl stepped out from behind her mother and tried to approach Angel.
"Emily!" The girl's mother shouted, pulling her daughter by the arm.
Maxwell was not bothered by the situation and pulled up a chair to sit. It would be good to get comfortable before explaining what had happened to Emily. Angel stood beside him, observing the barely visible tattoos. It seemed Annie was no fool and had dressed her daughter in baggy clothes, making it impossible for anyone to easily see the tattoos.
Clearing his throat, Maxwell tried to communicate.
"Annie and Emily, right? No one hurt or mistreated you?"
"...." Sighing, Maxwell was not discouraged by the lack of response.
"There's no need to feel rushed; I am not your enemy, Annie. I am Maxwell, the head of Ouroboros, formerly Atlas. But you can just call me Max." Maxwell pointed to Angel behind him. "The girl beside me is Angel. And yes, little Emily, she has the same condition as you."
Emily seemed radiant as the sun upon hearing Maxwell's answer, while Annie gave a few pats on her chest to calm herself. The girl beside Maxwell looked healthy and well; perhaps he really didn't want to cause any harm.
"Max, right. I have no idea why your men came after me and my daughter, but look at it from my side." Annie hugged her daughter tighter. "I'm a single mother surviving on Elpis, and out of nowhere, a corporation takes an interest in my daughter to the point of knowing our names. So forgive me if I have offended you."
"Hmm, but isn't it the same color?" Emily ignored her mother's concerns and pulled up the sleeve of her hoodie. Before, only the tattoo on her hand was visible, but upon revealing her forearm, purple tattoos were shown extending to her torso.
"It's true, Emily." Angel stepped closer, extending her arm so the girl could see more clearly. The contrast was quite visible, with Angel's tattoos being white against Emily's purple.
"Each of us has a power that differs from the others. The colors are just a detail."
"Us? Are there others?"
"Hmh, but don't use your powers just yet; we don't want to make a mess here, do we?"
Emily shook her head frantically.
"What has my daughter become? She was sick a few weeks ago, almost succumbing to the illness. I couldn't find anyone who could diagnose her." Annie looked directly at Maxwell, seeking answers. Other than her daughter, she had no other family.
"Siren." Maxwell answered shortly. He was surprised that Annie had omitted the information about The Watcher. Perhaps she thought no one would believe her, or was there some other reason?
Annie's face turned completely pale; she could swear her heart almost jumped out of her mouth. Siren was not a curse, but everyone in the six galaxies knew that Sirens were the beings with the highest bounties among all outlaws. Annie didn't want to believe it, but her reality would now be summed up as being hunted by mercenaries and, if caught, sold to the corporation that made the highest offer.
Watching Annie's shoulders slump, Maxwell couldn't help but feel a bit of pity for the woman.
"I have a proposal for you. I believe that loyalty should be earned through gestures of good faith." Maxwell stood up, standing in front of Annie with his arms behind his back. "Stay with Ouroboros, the future home of the Sisterhood of Sirens, or leave and try your luck in this cruel and indifferent universe."
"Under the wings of Ouroboros, I can guarantee the safety of you and your daughter against other corporations. Shelter, food, and health will be duly provided. In addition, of course, to your daughter's Siren training so she can trust in her own strength."
Maxwell extended his hand to Annie. "What do you think?"
Annie's hand seemed to hesitate for a moment, but seeing how well the interaction between Angel and her daughter was going, she made up her mind.
Firmly grasping Maxwell's hand, she sealed the deal. Annie raised her head and looked directly into Maxwell's eyes.
"We'll stay. Please, take care of my daughter."
"Good." Maxwell smiled broadly.
With everything resolved, Maxwell suggested taking them to the cafeteria. Annie started to decline by instinct, but Emily interrupted her with an excited shout, already holding Angel's hand and pulling her forward. The girl fired one question after another, curious about everything, until, realizing she had gotten too far ahead, she sheepishly stepped back a few paces and asked in a low voice where the cafeteria was.
Maxwell let out a laugh, while Annie was almost shooting daggers with her eyes. After eating and with their moods visibly better, Maxwell asked them to follow him. On the way, Annie watched the operation of the Odyssey in silence. Ouroboros soldiers patrolling the corridors, while, on the outside, Marvins performed repairs on the hull, carrying large metal plates, welding structures, and removing rust that could compromise the integrity of the entire ship.
As they walked, the group arrived at the Titan hangar; Annie looked in disbelief and fear at the large war machines. They didn't need to go that way to reach the upper external hangar, but Maxwell wanted to show off a little. The Titans were a source of great pride for him, even if they were only first-generation Titans. He already had the Blueprint for the Scorch Titan, but he didn't have any pilot dedicated to the Titan, so there was no reason to manufacture one. Maxwell's bets were on Tina, but she wasn't even fourteen yet, so it would take a while before the girl could become a pilot.
Arriving at the outer hangar, the sight of the Goblin caught his attention. Maxwell saw that it was a group composed only of women. At first, he thought it was the third Lancer Assassin squad, commanded by Minerva, but as he approached, he realized it wasn't Minerva.
A woman with an upright posture and a sharp gaze stood out. Noticing Maxwell, she signaled to the group and walked toward him. She had long red hair, but features that strongly resembled Athena.
"Omega Assassin Hera reporting, sir. Leader of the Second Lancer Assassin Squad."
She snapped her heels together and gave an impeccable military salute, being instantly imitated by the other six girls behind her. The movement in unison created a snap that would leave Knoxx in ecstasy. Maxwell scanned the group; there were seven in total, each equipped with light, tactical armor that favored agility over brute strength.
Maxwell remembered how difficult it was to kill a Lancer Assassin. They were incredibly fast, so using too much protection would hinder more than help.
What caught Maxwell's attention the most was a figure on the far left. With black hair and young features, she was visibly the smallest of the group, looking almost out of place among the veterans. Realizing she was under the direct scrutiny of her superior, the small girl puffed out her chest as much as she could, trying to compensate for her lack of height as much as possible. Maxwell felt a twitch at the corner of his mouth. He almost laughed.
Almost.
Quickly recomposing himself to maintain the gravity of the moment, he relaxed his own posture.
"At ease," Maxwell commanded. "Where are you going in such a hurry? I don't remember signing a mobilization order for the Second Squadron today."
"We are preparing for the Constructor recovery mission, sir," Hera replied firmly. "Admiral Knoxx gave us permission to use the Goblin aircraft due to its internal space, and although I didn't pass the Gauntlet, I have proficiency in piloting ships."
Hera's voice trembled as she mentioned she didn't pass the test to become a Pilot. She was second only to Athena, being the corporation's second Omega Assassin. It would be a euphemism to say she wasn't embarrassed for having lost to Minerva, the third Omega Assassin.
"I see. Knoxx is always helpful. The Constructor will be of great help in future conflicts." Maxwell turned to Hera. "How long until the start of the operation?"
"20 minutes, sir. We're just doing one last check-in on the aircraft's systems before departing."
"Hmmm" Maxwell nodded thoughtfully. He looked at Emily, who was watching the Lancer Assassins with eyes shining in admiration.
"I'm going with you, if you don't mind."
Hera looked at Maxwell in surprise but didn't dare refuse.
"It will be a pleasure to have you accompanying us, sir."
Angel puffed out her cheeks, not at all happy with what she heard. She wanted to protest, as she had other plans in mind that didn't involve getting into gunfights.
Maxwell turned to little Emily.
"Emily, before I leave, I need to see something. If possible, try to use your Siren powers." He pointed to the vacuum beyond the hangar's energy barrier. The squadron of Hera positioned themselves laterally, watching with genuine curiosity.
Emily took a few steps forward, her small hands trembling as she looked into the black immensity of Elpis.
Emily tried, concentrated on the tattoos, but nothing happened. The pressure of being the center of attention of a corporate leader and an elite squadron seemed to be blocking her instinct. She looked ready to cry from frustration.
"I... I can't." Emily whispered.
Angel approached from behind, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders. Her white tattoos glowed more intensely. "Relax, Emily. Feel the internal energy; the more you try to force it, the less you feel it."
Emily calmed down under Angel's calm and patient voice. The girl stood with her arms raised for a while, until an agitation in Elpis's atmosphere began to change. Outside, where there was no air to create winds or clouds, somehow the skies of Elpis were torn apart and filled with black clouds.
*Crac* *BOOOOOM*
Lightning bolts descended like the claws of a wild animal, illuminating the lunar surface with a dazzling violet glow. There was no way for sound to be produced in a vacuum, but the phenomenon itself was not of natural origin.
"Climate manipulation... Jackpot" Maxwell murmured. If trained and nourished with the purest Eridium, she could become a weapon of extermination.
Emily relaxed, and the lightning storm ceased instantly. She turned to Maxwell, exhausted, but with a small smile of pride.
"Good job." Maxwell nodded and gave a thumbs up in approval.
"Angel, do me a favor and take Emily and Annie to Tannis. It would be good to check both of their health."
"Ok, be careful out there, I'll be waiting for you."
"Huh?" Maxwell watched Angel's back in confusion as she walked away with the mother-daughter pair. She seemed a bit strange.
Shrugging his shoulders, he entered the Goblin. Their destination was an abandoned structure known as Titan Robot Production, where the Hyperion technician, Gladstone Katoa, was being held hostage by Scavs. Since he didn't know how early or late he was, maybe he was dead, but the chances of him not being there were low due to the beginning of the events of the Pre-Sequel.