Lian was released from Mira's clinic after three weeks.
The scar on his chest pulled tight when he walked, but the pain felt distant. Old Jax walked him back to the ruined hab-pod, talking the whole way about small things—food, weather, shifts. Lian didn't speak. He just walked, eyes on the ground.
The pod was the same. Open to the sky. Blood stains faded to brown. Harlan's bed still covered half by the tarp.
Jax stopped at the entrance. "Stay with us, kid. This place ain't good for you."
Lian shook his head once.
Jax left food and walked away.
Lian went inside. He sat on the floor beside Harlan's bed. Back straight. Hands on knees.
Staring.
His blue eyes were voids now. Deep black holes. No light. No life.
Days turned to weeks.
He ate what Jax brought. Drank water from the communal tap. Cleaned nothing. Moved only to sit in the same spot.
Staring.
One dusty morning, boots crunched outside.
The two syndicate men walked in again.
Metal Jaw first—shiny aug jaw, red glowing eye. The shorter one behind, shock baton swinging on his belt.
They stopped when they saw Lian sitting there. Thinner. Dirtier. Still as stone.
Metal Jaw looked around the ruin. "Payment's late, kid. Weeks of it. Debt's on you now."
He stepped closer. "You owe us for the ones we didn't see. So pay up."
Lian turned his head slow. His void eyes looked up at them.
Empty.
He looked around the pod—broken tools, torn blanket, nothing whole.
"I have nothing to give you," he said. Voice flat. Quiet.
Metal Jaw snorted. "Then we take you. Full slave shift. Deep pits. Till you drop."
The shorter one laughed and walked forward. "Or we take pieces now. Teach you respect."
He swung his hand fast—metal-backed glove cracking against Lian's head.
Pain exploded. Lian hit the floor hard, blood in his mouth. Vision blurred.
He stayed down for a second.
Not out.
Something inside him snapped.
Not loud.
Quiet.
Cold.
Lian stood up slow. Body shaking a little. Blood ran from his temple.
The shorter guard laughed again. "Look, he's—"
Lian moved.
Fast.
His hand shot to the guard's belt. Fingers closed on the shock baton. Yanked it free.
The guard grabbed his arm. "Hey—!"
He was stronger. Bigger. Tried to twist Lian's wrist.
Lian didn't fight the twist.
He stepped in close instead.
Pushed the baton up.
Straight into the guard's open mouth.
Deep.
The guard's eyes went wide. He tried to pull back. Hands clawed at Lian's arm.
Lian pressed harder. Forced it deeper. Past teeth. Into throat.
Then turned it on.
Full power.
Blue sparks exploded. Crackling loud in the quiet pod.
The guard's body jerked hard. Smoke poured from his mouth. Eyes rolled back. Skin blackened around lips.
Burned flesh smell filled the air.
He dropped. Twitching. Then still.
Head fried from inside.
Dead.
Lian held the baton there a second longer.
Then pulled it out slow.
He looked down at the body.
And smiled.
Small.
Cold.
Empty.
But real.
Metal Jaw stood frozen. Red eye flickering fast. Hand on his plasma pistol, but not drawn yet.
Lian turned to him.
Void eyes locked on
Baton still humming in his hand.
Metal Jaw took one step back.
"You… you little—"
Lian didn't speak.
Just stood there.
Smiling.
Metal Jaw's hand moved slow to his pistol.
But something in those empty eyes made him stop.
He backed out of the pod.
Fast.
Boots crunching quick on metal.
Gone.
Lian dropped the baton.
It clattered on the floor.
He sat back in his spot beside Harlan's bed.
Staring again.
The smile faded.
But the void in his eyes was different now.
A tiny spark floated deep inside.
Not warm.
Not kind.
Just hungry.
Waiting.