Pilot Error
Takashi Shirogane
2288-2314
And the flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.
There wasnât any body. Just a gravestone added to a long line of fallen Garrison members. Just another stone.
But he wasnât just another stone. This was Shiro. Shiro, my best friend, the professor who had silly test answers, the Garrison pilot who outshone everyone else despite his⊠difficulties.Â
My therapist told me it would take time to process his death. It was too recent a discovery, the emotions too raw. I know I need to acknowledge heâs⊠gone⊠but it doesnât seem⊠right. It just didnât seem like he was actually gone. I would be able to feel him being gone⊠wouldnât IâŠ?
I donât know what time it is. I know everyone else left, after the priest had his last words to say. Even Adam couldnât stay, but who could blame him? After the way he treated Shiro, and now heâd never get a chance to say goodbye or reconcile.Â
I was still sitting here when the rain started. It turned the upturned ground into mud, dirt and water coming together to form something greater than the two of them could ever be alone. The element of ancient buildings and great civilizations sat in front of a tombstone. I thought maybe it would be nice to be able to rebuild Shiro, too, from the ground up.
I couldnât cry. I hadnât been able to since I heard the news from my commander. My heart, my eyes, felt so heavy, but nothing would fall from them, like some sort of emotional blockage. Something was starting to hit different, though, looking at the words in front of me. My nose started running.Â
I really was never going to see my best friend again, was I?
âShiro.â
Brown eyes looked up from the classwork in front of him. He looked so tired, but he still sat up, giving a strained smile. âAsher. Cody. Whatever youâre going by today.â
I forced a small smile, stepping into the classroom. âWhatever youâll call me,â I replied, grabbing a chair from one of the studentsâ desks and dragging it in front of his professorâs desk. I sat down, pulling one of the papers he was grading over to me. âPop quiz? Thatâs unlike you.â
âWell, you know, normally I wouldnât.â His voice was soft, and he dropped his pen in favor of clasping his hands together. âBut this class has been particularly difficult. I thought maybe itâd help shake them into paying attention and studying more, doing the homeworkâŠâ
I nodded. âYou have a typo.â
âWhat?!â he gasped, grabbing the paper from me and looking over it frantically. He looked back up to my smile, his brows furrowing together. âOh, ha-ha.â
My smile spread into a grin. âPerfectionist.â
He sighed, dropping the paper, his elbow on the desk and his head in his hand. He looked down over the papers, a storm brewing in his chocolate eyes.
It was quiet for a moment, as I watched his face, searching for something. I donât know what I was looking for.
Finally, I spoke. âKeith told me about your conversation with Admiral Sanda.â
Shiro let out an even bigger sigh. âYeah, heâs not super happy with me. I told him about the BMD. Sort ofâŠâ
I crossed my arms, leaning back into my seat. âWell, I had to give him the actual name of it,â I countered. âAnd I canât even pronounce the damn thing, or remember more than the acronym. I had to search it online again. BâŠ. Becker Musc-Muscular D⊠DystrophyâŠ? See, I canât even remember it after saying it no more than an hour ago.â
âAnd youâre the one with the medical degree,â Shiro mused.
âNo no no!â I leaned forward, lifting a finger into the air. âI have a social degree, Human Development and Family Studies.â
âHuman Development is medical,â Shiro countered.
â...sort of.â I slouched back into the seat. âItâs more socialâŠâ I shook my head. âLook at me, getting into an argument with you about names and shit and thatâs not even what I came to talk about.â
âIt wasnât an argument,â Shiro defended, his hands returning to clasp in front of him.
I waved it off. âYou knew I would come talk to you about this eventually.â
Shiro hung his head. âNobody wants me on this mission,â he confessed. âFirst Iverson tries to get Admiral Sanda to convince Holt to drop me from the mission, and then Adam tells me he wonât be here when I get back.â
I reached out, putting my hand over Shiroâs hands, still folded together. âShiro, you and I both know Adam talks a lot of shit, but heâs⊠Heâs always there, in the end.â
âNot this time,â Shiro scoffed. âI know it, this really was the last time.â
I was quiet for a minute. Honestly, I hated myself for the hope that swelled in my chest, the excitement that Shiro was finally out of this relationship. But I knew that was selfish, and I held my tongue. I felt my face heat up, hoping that my emotions werenât that obvious to any other observer. Though Shiro wasnât looking at me, still drilling holes into the quizzes scattered over the desk.
I sighed, squeezing his hands. âWhat do you want to do?â I asked.
Shiro looked up at me, finally. âWhat do you mean?â
âWhat do you want to do?â I repeated. âGo make things up with Adam? Go on the mission? What do you want to do?â
He looked at me blankly, the wheels turning in his mind. It took a short moment before his eyebrows furrowed and that determination came back into his eyes. âIâm going on that mission, Asher. No one is going to stop me. I have to do it.â
âThen do it,â I replied simply. âNo one can stop you.â I smiled, my other hand coming to rest on top of his and mine. âThis is the most important thing in the world to you, I know. Iâll still be here when you get back. And hey, maybe itâll get Adam to get his head out of his ass.â
Shiro gave me a small smile. His hands flipped over, taking my own and giving them a small squeeze. âIâm glad my best friend is a therapist,â he joked. âI donât know who else Iâd talk to about this.â
âNot a therapist yet, maybe not ever. But I will be your best friend.â I gave his hands a squeeze back, my heart beating in my throat. âHow about you go do something to calm yourself down? Iâll grade these quizzes for you.â
âAsher, no, itâs my class, and I gave the pop quiz.â
âOh shut up. I have your answer key somewhere in this mess, Iâm sure. Iâll do fine, and Iâll come get you if I have any questions. You need to destress, everyoneâs been beating you down today. Take some time to take care of you.âÂ
Shiro sighed, before finally sitting up, pulling his hands away. âI guess you wonât let me grade these in peace,â he teased. âI guess I could use a snack.â
âThen go eat!â I grabbed the pen he was using, and started searching for the answer key. âIâll be here for a bit, so if you need me, you know where to find me.â
He nodded, getting up and walking to the door. He stopped and looked back. âAsher?â
I lifted my head up, eyes inquisitive. âYeah?â
â...thanks.â Shiro gave me a smile. Really genuine. Then he opened the door and left.
I sighed, looking down at the quizzes. God knows how much I would miss him while he was on this mission. But he needed to do this. I understood that. I just hoped nothing bad would happen.
âWhat are you still doing here?âÂ
I jumped, startled out of my thoughts. The gentle warm colors of the Garrison classroom faded into the greys of the rainy day. Turning my head, there stood Katie, still in the black dress she wore today.
I blinked. I didnât realize someone else would be here. âUm⊠what?â
âEveryone else left like, half an hour ago,â she pointed out. âEven Adam left. What are you still doing here? And sitting in the mud?â
I looked down, noticing that my Garrison uniform pants were stained with mud from the ground under me. I sighed, standing up, resisting the urge to rub my ass. I knew it wouldnât do any good, it would probably just make the mess worse. âAnd what about you, Katie?â I asked, my voice tired. âDid they finish with your dad and brother?â
Katie nodded, looking away for a moment, then back to me. âThey finished Shiroâs.â
âYeah, well,â I mused, looking back at the tombstone. âLetâs just say Shiro and I have unfinished business. I wasnât ready to leave yetâŠâ
âIt doesnât seem real,â she said.Â
âNo, it doesnât,â I agreed, shaking my head. âItâs like, just a few months ago, he was here, and he should be coming back in a few months. It feels like theres this entire⊠process that got interrupted. And they insist heâs dead, butâŠâ I hesitated, but continued. âIt just doesnât feel real. I feel like I would know somehow if he died. I mean, he was myâŠâ He was the love of my life. âHe was my best friendâŠâ
âHe talked about you a lot,â Katie commented, stepping closer to me. âShiro said if I ever needed anyone, I could always look for Asher.âÂ
I gave a weak smile. âI doubt that, butâŠâ
âNo, really,â she insisted. âThatâs why Iâm glad youâre still here.â
My processing was a bit slow given everything that happened, so it was quiet for a few minutes before it clicked. âWait, what do you mean youâre glad Iâm still here?â
âI need your help,â Katie said, stepping forward again, a light coming into her eyes. âI need your help proving that theyâre still out there.â
âThey?â
âMy brother and dad. And Shiro.â
Shiro? Still out there? It was a nice thought. It fit my feelings. But⊠âWe canât deny it, Katie,â I insisted, though there wasnât any conviction behind my words. âWe can't just pretend theyâreâŠâ alive?
âYou know Shiro, Asher. You know Shiro. He would never crash, he wouldnât make a fatal pilot error. You know that.âÂ
I was silent, contemplating her words. Katie had a point, Shiro was an incredibly talented pilot. How could he make an error so bad that the entire flight went missing? An error that was so severe, that they had no choice but to declare the missing crew dead?
I had another question. âWhy are you telling me this? Why not Adam?â
âI tried,â she admitted. âBut he said Shiro was dead. He said something like this was inevitable.âÂ
Rage bubbled up in my chest. âThat asshole!â I spat before I could stop myself. âFour years with Shiro for what? For him to turn his back on Shiro the minute heâs gone? To just forget him?!â I stopped, putting a hand on my chest, looking up at the sky. I took a deep breath, then mumbled, âIâm sorry, Iâm just⊠Well, Adam and I never did get along.â
âShiroâs known you for longer,â Katie pointed out. âAdam was probably insecure about it.â
I snorted. âLike he had anything to worry about,â I bitched. âShiro was head over heels for him. âAdam did this, Adam did that!â God, I was so sick of it. And Adam couldnât pull his thick head out of his ass long enough to see how much Shiro adored him.â
âListen,â Katie interrupted the moment I took a breath. âI can prove that theyâre still out there. I can help you find Shiro, and you can help me find my family. I just need your help.â
I fought with myself. Could Katie really help me find Shiro? Could I see him again? Was it true that somehow, somewhere out there, Shiro really was alive? God, I wanted to believe it so bad. I wanted to see him so badly, to tell him how much I missed him, how in love I was-
I shook my head, looking down, but I couldnât stop myself. I looked up at Katie, determination setting in. âJust tell me how. Tell me how to help.â
I know I could have lost my job for this, but I didnât care. Shiro was more important. Shiro was always more important. I mean, Matt and Dr. Holt were important too, I guess, butâŠ
I had my hand on Katieâs back, making sure she kept the black hood up. My oversized hoodie was even bigger on her. It was comical, but if I wasnât leading her, she probably would have run into something.
I navigated through the Garrison hallways, calling out cheerful greetings to the people passing me by. I hoped I wasnât looking too suspicious.
Everything was going fine. âIversonâs office is just in the next hallway,â I whispered to her. âJust another turn-â
I almost ran right into her. Ugh, this bitch again. âAsher!â she exclaimed in surprise.
I forced a smile. âLinday!â I replied. âHey!â
âWhat are you doing? Donât you have a class soon?â she asked. Then her big blue eyes landed on Katie. âWhoâs this?â
âOh, this is, uhâŠâ I struggled to come up with a name, thinking we should have planned this out before. âTh-This is my nephew, uh, Pidge! Theyâre just⊠I was just going to introduce them to Iverson! They want to join the Garrison this next semester!â
âOh!â Lindsay said, brushing her long ginger hair back. âWell, Iverson is at a meeting right now.â
âOh, right!â I faked. âI totally forgot about that!â Well, Iâll just, uh, show them around some more!â I pushed Katie past Linday. âCome on, Iâll show you the simulators!â
Lindsay looked confused and curious, but called out âOkay, bye!â before continuing down the hall.Â
When she was far enough away, I let out a relieved sigh. âThank God,â I breathed.
âWho was that?â Katie whispered.Â
âAn old ex,â I hissed. âSheâs awful. Come on, thatâs Iversonâs office.â
I walked up to the keypad, pulling out the small slip of paper I kept in my pocket. âLetâs see,â I murmured, glancing between the keypad and the paper. âFour five six seven nine nine two one.â I put the numbers in as I said them, and when I finished, the door slid open. âThere.â I turned to Katie, shoving the paper back in my pocket. âBe quick, and donât stay too long,â I told her. âIâll see you tonight, okay?â
Katie nodded, pulling the hoodie off. âGot it.â She handed my hoodie back to me. âI wonât let anyone know you let me in.â
I nodded. âStay safe.â I gave her a pat on the shoulder before walking past her, heading to the class I was supposed to be teaching.
It felt like a swarm of bees were in my chest, my heart pounding in nervousness. I felt like I was sweating buckets. If Katie really could find some evidence, some proof that Shiro and Dr. Holt and Matt were still out thereâŠÂ
Honestly, I didnât know what we would even do with that mission. But I was determined to find Shiro, no matter what the cost was.Â
A small smile curled my lips. For Shiro, Iâd steal one of those rockets, and fly the entire solar system just to get him back home.
I climbed out of the rover, looking up at the milky red and orange skies. The sun would be setting soon, and before I knew it, a whole sky full of stars would stretch over my head, out into the galaxies beyond.Â
âThat there is Hercules,â he said, pointing up into the heavens. âThatâs his arm, and his torso. And over there, thatâs Corona BorealisâŠâ
âWait, wait, wait,â I giggled. âI still havenât found Hercules!â
Shiro grinned at me. âI just pointed right at it!â
âBut I canât see it!â
We both burst into more giggles, laying on the roof of the Garrison. I felt like my face was going to tear, stretched too far from laughing too much. The night was warm, and our jackets were bunched under our heads, pillowing us from the roofâs concrete floor.Â
I looked over at him, a gentle smile on my lips. I was in awe of that gorgeous smile he always had, brown eyes black in the darkness, staring up into the sky. Itâs like every piece of him wanted to be up in the endless voids of space. His hands rested on his stomach, his black hair shifting as a slight breeze brushed over him. He was beautiful, there was no doubt.
I stared at him silently. I wished so badly I could tell him, that I had the ability and opportunity to tell him what I felt since we were still in school ourselves. I wished I had a way to let him know just how much he meant to me. That I was hopelessly in love-
âI wish Adam was here,â Shiro interrupted my thoughts. âHe never just wants to appreciate the stars.â
I sighed, looking back up at the stars. I felt like I might cry, but the tears wouldnât come, even if I wanted them to. âItâs never really been his interest,â I murmured. âYou know thatâŠâ
âYeah, I justâŠâ he sighed. âI wish sometimes he put as much effort in my interests as I do his.â
âYou know Adamâs never really been interested in doing that,â I came to his defense again. âAnd he doesnât really care if youâre there for his interests, either. Itâs just⊠not in his nature.âÂ
Shiro fell silent, staring up at the stars.Â
I looked at the stars, too, but I was constantly glancing at heaven.Â
Tearing my eyes away from the sky, I started walking up to the small cabin out in the middle of the desert. In front of the door, I knocked. Now, I didnât really know if heâd be there, butâŠ
The door creaked open, showing a dark crack. I smiled and waved, and it opened further, revealing Keithâs messy black hair and purple eyes.
âDo you have any news?â he asked, stepping aside. âAnything about Shiro?â
I walked inside, glancing around. Things here were still the same. âNothing we havenât heard before,â I said. âKatieâs been looking, but⊠the Garrison hasnât been. Thereâs nothing new from them. And you know, Katieâs technology is good, but⊠itâs not theirs.â
Keith sighed, closing the door. âThen⊠why are you here?â
I held up the bag in my hand. âI figured you could use a break from ramen and instant mac and cheese,â I said. âChinese takeout. I got your favorites.âÂ
He gave me a small smile. Keith hasnât given a real smile since Shiro was still around. âCool. Iâll get some plates.â
I followed Keith into the kitchen. âHave you been doing okay?â I asked. âYou know I worry about you being all alone out here. I wish I could have kept you in the GarrisonâŠâ
âI didnât want to stay there.â Keith got two plates from the cupboards, coming over to the kitchen table and setting them down. âNot when Shiro was gone.â
I sat down, pulling the takeout cartons from the bag. âI know, but I promised Shiro Iâd keep an eye on you, and now youâre all the way out here.â
âIâm fine,â Keith insisted, sitting down in the chair next to me.Â
âThat doesnât stop me from worrying.â
We sat in silence, putting food on our plates and taking the first bites. Itâd been awhile since I treated myself to lo mein, and after a day full of classes, I was starving.Â
I was interrupted by Keith. âWhy was Shiro with Adam?â
I blinked in surprise. âUm, he loves Adam,â I said. âIsnât that obviousâŠ?â
âNo, I know!â Keith interrupted. âI know he loves Adam, but youâre his best friend. And you were always the one who was there for him, not Adam.â
Oh, God, Keith figured me out, didnât he? A blush rose up my neck and into my cheeks. âKeith, thatâs what friends do.â
âI wouldnât know. But I know how you always looked at Shiro.â
âGod, I hope youâre the only one,â I muttered. âThat would be so embarassing, if Shiro knowsâŠâ I shoved another fork full of lo mein into my mouth, focusing on chewing instead of what Keith was saying.Â
âI found something new.âÂ
Thankful at the change of subject, I swallowed my noodles, setting the fork down. âWhat did you find now?â I asked, rubbing at my lips with my jacket sleeve. âStumbling through the wilderness?â
âLion carvings,â he replied.
âLion carvings?â I asked.
âYeah,â he said, getting up and walking away from the table. I watched as he walked over to that board on his wall, taking down a few photos, before walking back over to me. âThere was this cave,â he explained, laying the pictures on the table, âjust full of them.â
I examined the photos, my curiosity peaked. âActual lion carvings.â Disbelief was heavy in my tone. âCarvings of lions. In a cave. Cave lion carvings.â
âDo you think some ancient civilization put them there?â He asked.Â
âIâve never heard of a civilization that would do that, not out here,â I replied, picking up one of the photos. âAnd these carvings are like anything Iâve ever studied before. See, I took a lot of art history classes, but no ancient civilization I was taught of ever had this kind of style.â
âMaybe we found something new,â Keith suggested.
âYeah,â I said absently. âJust maybeâŠâ
Today was the day. Itâd been a year. A year and we⊠still didnât know.
If it wasnât for Katie, I definitely would have given up by now. I would have thrown in the towel. I think even Keith was starting to lose hope of ever seeing his adopted brother again. I donât blame him. It hadnât been just another year, it had been a hard year.Â
But still, I know that if it had been me piloting that mission, if I was the one lost in space⊠Shiro wouldnât have given up on me. No one, not even Adam, could have talked him out of believing in me. That was just the kind of guy Shiro was. He always had to be the one to help others, he always saw that spark in other people and pulled it out of them.
I smiled, looking down at the photo in my hands. God, I missed those days, I missed himâŠ
âHappy birthday!âÂ
Shiro jumped in surprise, before laughing. âOh, God, a surprise party?â he exclaimed. âWho set this up?â
âI did!â I jumped up, hand in the air. âWell, it was my idea.â I gestured towards Adam. âAnd he helped!â
âOf course I did,â Adam said fondly, stepping forward to pull Shiro close. âEspecially this year, when you actually have a birthday.â He gave Shiro a short kiss, and I tried not to look away, despite my growing jealousy.
âYeah, I guess it is February 29th, isnât it?â Shiro asked, looking around at everyone. âWow, I canât believe this!âÂ
âWell, believe it!â I said, walking over. âCome on! We got you a cake, presents, the whole shebang!â
âWell, if it was your idea, of course it is,â Shiro teased. He moved away from Adam, pulling me into a hug. âThank you, Cody.â
I squeezed him as tight as I could. I certainly didnât have the muscle he did. âItâs no problem, Shiro.â
He pulled back, a bright smile on his face. âOkay, so cake first,â he decided, turning towards the table. âThen we can do presents.â
âI baked the cake!â Adam declared.Â
âWell, youâre the only one who can make anything in this relationship,â I teased the two of them. âShiro burns everything!âÂ
âNot everything!â Shiro gasped in mock offense. âI can make myself mac and cheese!âÂ
âInstant mac and cheese,â I corrected. âAnd sometimes, you still manage to burn that.â
âAlright, alright!â He waved his hands. âWe get it, youâre my best friend, and youâve seen me burn mac and cheese since we were sixteen. Everyone here knows.â
I smiled, pulling the chair at the head of the table out. âCome sit down,â I insisted. âItâs time to celebrate you.â
âSit down!â Adam insisted, pushing Shiro over to his seat.
âIâm working on it!â Shiro laughed, sitting down.
âCome on, letâs get a photo with you guys!â Jeff said, holding up a camera. âSay âleap year!ââ
âLeap year!â Adam, Shiro, and I called out.
It was such a warm memory. Adam with his arm around Shiroâs shoulders, and me, one hand on Shiroâs shoulder, the other holding up a peace sign. All three of us looked happy, even Adam was giving a warm smile.Â
I cursed myself for not taking more photos. I wish I had more pictures of him, of us. I was so insecure, I didnât realize that one day, all I might have left are pictures. I didnât realizeâŠ
I sighed, my hand laying on the desk, my head hanging.Â
Itâd been a yearâŠÂ
Every moment, every bit of quiet, everything missed him. The sky didnât have the same colors, no songs sounded the same. Everything without Shiro, it wasâŠ
âProfessor Hailing.â
My head snapped up, eyes looking onto Jeff. His green eyes looked so intense, and worry filled my veins. âWhat is it?â I asked.Â
âAdmiral Nnadi needs to see you,â Jeff said.
I got up from my desk, laying the picture down. âWhatâs going on?â I asked, walking over to join him as we walked out of my office. âDo they need another psych consult?â
â...sort of,â he replied, looking uneasy. âWe⊠Weâve had⊠I guess its an extraterrestrial landing.âÂ
Confusion flooded my veins. âExtraterrestrial landing?â I echoed. âYouâre telling me an alien landed on Earth?âÂ
âWe think so,â he said, leading me into the garage. âNot that far from the Garrison, either. They havenât cracked open the vessel yet, but the readingsâŠâÂ
I climbed into the rover, buckling in, and we were off. The desert raced by outside the window. âWhat do we know?â
âVery little. Not long after curfew, at about 2120, something crash landed about four kilometers from the Garrison.â
âFour kilometers?â I echoed. âThatâs⊠thatâs not far!â
âI know.â He nodded. âThatâs it there.âÂ
I looked, and a cold feeling of dread drowned me as I looked upon the alien spacecraft. Its jagged edges, its odd purple coloring. It was so⊠inhuman. I guess it would have been, but⊠everything about it just seemed evil.Â
Jeff parked the rover, and we climbed out, walking over to Admiral Nnadi. âWhatâs going on?â I asked, preparing myself to evaluate an actual extraterrestrial.Â
âYouâre going to want to see this,â she replied, seeming troubled. She led up into the white facility set up not far from the spacecraft. âYou wonât believe who was in that spaceship.â
I was confused, but I pulled on the hazard suit. I was shown into the make-shift facility, and took a breath before walking in. And then, suddenly, the voice from my dreams became clear to me. âLet me go! You have to unpin me!âÂ
My eyes widened, and I rushed into the facility, stopping just inside the doorway.Â
It felt unreal. Everything had, to be fair, but this⊠He was just laying there. Broken, bruised, a scar torn across the bridge of his nose, and his bangs⊠were white? His arm was replaced by⊠some sort of prosthetic.Â
But still, this was Takashi Shirogane. It was still Shiro.
âShiro,â I breathed, my feet heavy as they took steps towards him.
His eyes were wild when they focused on me. âWho are you?!â he gasped, not recognizing me under the suit. âGuys, please, you have to tell them, you have to let me go!â
The two scientists with me were preparing tools and a syringe. It felt so dangerous, so out of place. Everything about this was so wrong.Â
âShiro, you have to calm down,â I urged him. âWe need you to stay calm.âÂ
He looked scared at me, then he looked Iverson, in full quarantine gear, walking up beside me, panic filling his eyes again. âHey! What are you doing?!â he cried out, struggling against the binds that held him to the table.
âCalm down, Shiro,â Iverson commanded. âWe just need to keep you quarantined until we run some tests on you.â
âWhat tests?â I asked Iverson, knowing I wouldnât like the answer.Â
We were both interrupted by Shiro. âYou have to listen to me!â he grunted, pulling against his restraints. âThey destroy worlds!â
Confused, I started, âShiro, what are you-â
âAliens are coming!â he cried, struggling harder.Â
âAliens?â I repeated, flabbergasted.Â
âDo you know how long youâve been gone?â Iverson asked, cutting me out of the conversation.
âI donât know,â Shiro snapped. âMonths? Years? Look, thereâs no time. Aliens are coming here for a weapon. Theyâre probably on their way. Theyâll destroy us. We have to find Voltron!â
âSir, take a look at this,â one of the scientists said, moving beside Iverson. They used a pen to point down at Shiroâs right arm. âIt appears his arm has been replaced with a cyborg prosthetic.âÂ
âPut him under until we know what that thing can do,â Iverson demanded.Â
âNo, no no, no, donât put me under!â Shiro yelled. âNo! Thereâs no time!âÂ
âIverson, this is a bad idea,â I insisted, grabbing Iversonâs arm.
âHailing, back off!â Iverson growled. âYouâre here for a psych eval, and thatâs it! Do not let your personal feelings get in the way of this operation!âÂ
âYou are psychologically distressing him!â I snapped back. âIf youâre going to invite me to do my job, then listen to me!âÂ
âGet out of here!â Iverson yelled, stepping towards me as I stepped back away from him. âWe donât need you as long as heâs unconscious!â
âIâm not leaving him!â I yelled. âYou are causing distress to an already distressed patient-â
We were both cut off as explosions echoed in the distance, but close enough to shake all of us, and the entire temporary facility.Â
âWhat in the hell?!â one of the scientists cried out.
âThat doesnât matter!â Iverson bellowed. âGet back to work! And you!â he turned back to me. âYou need to leave, Hailing!âÂ
âYou have no idea what youâre doing!â I growled back. âYou are just causing more problems by putting him under!â
âThat is none of your concern!â Iverson said. âYou seem to be too clouded by your friendship with Shiro to follow orders!â
âThatâs not what worries me!â I defended myself.Â
âThese readings are off the charts!âÂ
Iverson and I both turned to look at the scientist, before hearing the doors sliding open, turning to look at who was there.
âKeith!â I exclaimed, his eyes narrowing at all of us.Â
âHey!â Iverson snapped, rushing forward with the two scientists.
I knew Hell was coming as Keith got into a fighting stance, raising up his fists. Punching the first scientist so hard he slammed into the standing tray, knocking medical equipment to the ground. He grabbed the other, slamming him over the medical table. Iverson came for him, only to be punched into the table, knocked unconscious and falling to the floor.
I ripped off my hood, showing Keith it was just me, and he gave me a small nod before jumping over Iverson to get a look at who was on the table. I walked up to the other side as Keith ripped his mask off, taking Shiroâs chin in his hand and turning him towards him. Shiro let out a groan.
âShiro?!â Keith gasped.
âWe have to get him out of here,â I interrupted his shock.
Keith nodded, taking his knife and cutting the restraints. He wrapped Shiroâs left arm around his shoulders, pulling him up. Before he could even get Shiro off the table the full way, the doors opened again.Â
âNope! No, you- no, no, no. No, you donât, Iâm saving Shiro!â Lance insisted, shoving the table out of the way, making me step back to avoid getting mowed over by it. He grabbed Shiroâs prosthetic, wrapping it around his shoulders, supporting his other side.
âWho are you?!â Keith exclaimed.
I rolled my eyes, pulling off the hazmat suit.
âWho am I?â Lance gasped, sounding shocked. âUh, the nameâs Lance?â He stood there, staring at Keith, expectant.
Keithâs face was blank, devoid of any recognition he might have had for his old classmate.Â
âWe were in the same class at the Garrison?â Lance pressed.
âReally? Are you an engineer?âÂ
âNo, Iâm a pilot! We were, like, rivals. You know, Lance and Keith, neck and neck!â
âOh, wait, I remember you. Youâre a cargo pilot.â
âWell, not anymore! Iâm fighter class now, thanks to you washing out!âÂ
âWell, congratulations.â Keithâs reply was sarcastic, as they finally started walking out of the facility.Â
âBe careful with him, guys, heâs drugged!â I followed behind them, my worried eyes stuck on Shiroâs unmoving form. I couldnât help but think he was so much more⊠muscular than he was when he left. HowâŠ?
There wasnât any time to think, as we all started walking out, letting Keith lead the way. There was Katie, squatting outside the facility with another student I didnât recognize. He was watching the distance with binoculars, and as we walked out into the desert, he called to us, âOh, man, theyâre coming back, and they do not look happy! Weâve got to go!âÂ
Finally, I saw Keithâs rock behind the large rocks near the tent. Urgency gripped my very being, anxiety pounding against my heart. We all started climbing on.Â
âUh, do you mind if we catch a ride with you?â the unknown student asked, climbing onto the hoverbike anyways.Â
Katie took Shiro from Lance as Keith climbed into the driverâs seat. I helped her pull him up into her arms, checking him over. He was okay, I guess, but still out.Â
As the other student climbed on, the entire bike slammed back, and the rest of us cried out, trying to hold on.Â
âIs this thing going to be big enough for all of us?!â Katie, Pidge, whoever cried out.
âNo!â Keith growled. But the sight of the Garrison rovers coming made him turn the throttle, and we sped off.Â
We all held on, and I watched anxiously as the Garrison brigade got closer and closer.
Lance seemed to have the same idea as I did, crying out, âCanât this thing go any faster?!â
âWe could toss out some non-essential weight!â Keithâs biting sarcasm made me roll my eyes, sighing heavily.
âOh, right!â Lance said, seemingly not getting the jab, looking around for weight to toss off, before his eyebrows furrowed. âOkay, so that was an insult. I get it.â
âBig man, lean left!â Keith yelled out, ignoring Lance.
The student in the back leaned left, and Lance, Pidge, and I cried out in surprise at the sudden turn.Â
Two of the rovers crashed into each other at the sudden turn, and I couldnât help but worry about my colleagues. âAw man, Mr. Harris just wiped out Professor Montgomery!â the student yelled. A moment passed before he commented, âNo, no. Heâs fine!âÂ
âBig man!â Keith yelled, âLean right!âÂ
We all screamed again as we went careening off one cliff onto another, riding the curved walls where another rover crashed.Â
I watched Keith steer the motorbike with precision and eloquence, relying on his instinct and not just his raw skills. Shiro must have taught him a thing or two.
âGuys!â the student in the back cried out, stuttering. âIs that a cliff up ahead?!âÂ
âOh, no no no!â Lance cried, shaking his head.Â
âYup!â Keith grinned, leaning forward.Â
Despite Pidge and Lance crying out various ânoâs and trying to stop him, there wasnât anything that could stop us from flying off the edge of the cliff, going into a nosedive. We screamed, holding on for our lives, and I prayed to whoever was listening that Pidge didnât let go of Shiro.
âWhat are you doing?! Youâre going to kill us all!â Lance cried.
âShut up and trust me!â Keith snapped.Â
Keithâs timing was perfect, straightening out the bike before we hit the bottom, letting us zoom off into the night.Â
Looking back, I saw the one last rover sitting at the top of the cliff. They couldnât follow us, not now.Â
I sighed in relief, looking back at Shiro, putting my hand on his shoulder. âTheyâre not going to get us now,â I whispered. âItâll be okay.â
Weâll be okay.
The rising sun made a perfect orange sky to paint the cliffs and rocks of the desert. And standing on the small hill outside Keithâs family cabin was the man Iâd spent a year looking for.
I walked out quietly, watching as he examined the prosthetic that replaced his right hand. He seemed so different from the Shiro I knew and loved, and yet, so familiar. Somewhere under this new Shiro was the same dork that always lended me pencils, always keeping extras on him, knowing Iâd come to every class and forget all my pencils.Â
I stopped a bit away, just watching him. His shoulders were hunched forward, his head down. He looked so⊠broken.
I sighed, sticking my hands in my jacket pockets. I was so glad I remembered to keep some clothes at Keithâs house. I was more comfortable in my turtleneck and jacket and jeans than my Garrison uniform.Â
Finally, I took a deep breath. âYouâve been gone a long time, Shiro.â
His head raised, before he turned to look at me. He relaxed a bit, seeing it was just me. âHow long?â
I slowly walked up beside him, looking out at the horizon, before looking up at him. âItâs been a yearâŠâ
âA year,â he repeated, pain filling his features. He squeezed his eyes shut, turning away. He looked out upon the horizon line, something Iâm sure he missed while he was gone. The unique landscape that was so⊠Earthly.
I was quiet, watching him. I didnât know what to say. I always imagined that one day Iâd see him, and heâd grin and hold his arms out, and Iâd run and embrace him⊠now, it seemed so cinema-esque. This wasnât a movie. This was⊠so much worse.Â
He looked at me. I guess I was never usually this quiet, this so deep in my thoughts. âDid you think I wasâŠ?â
âEveryone else did.â I smiled a bit, though it was a sad smile. âKatie convinced me that you were still out there, somewhere⊠And I was hopeful she was right.âÂ
âHoltâs daughter?â Shiro asked. âHuh.â
I was quiet for a moment, biting my tongue, before I just decided to say it. âShiro, Iâve missed you, so muchâŠâÂ
He was quiet for a minute. He looked so heartbroken. âI missed you too,â he said quietly. âI donât⊠I donât really remember much from the last year. But I think I thought of you.â
âYou were never off my mind,â I replied. âYou never have been.â
He nodded, looking down at his feet. Then his eyes were dragged back to the prosthetic, bringing his left hand up to hold it.
I didnât know what to say. There was nothing I could say. I wanted to tell him right then how much I loved him, how I was so happy he was home, but it just didn't seem right.
I turned and saw Keith approaching the two of us. I looked back to Shiro, struggling with his thoughts. And quietly, I just turned and walked away, giving a small smile to Keith as I passed him. I doubt it was very convincing.Â
Walking up onto the porch, I went to turn the door handle, but stopped. I looked back, seeing the two brothers in the sunlight.Â
It was beautiful. I never thought Iâd see Shiro again.
I smiled, blinking back tears, before going inside.Â
Wherever he went this time, wherever Shiro decided to go, I knew that this time, I would follow. And nothing in the universe could stop me.


















