A Can of Sparky Cola: Chapter 2

The tiny pinpricks of light shine at me as I stand in the Obs Deck, Dylan is long gone and I think about the last few words.

"Either way he won."

We used to watch the stars on Earth, what you could see through the crap in the air. We found a small, quiet area once, and Brendan and I watched the stars, talking in whispers about all the adventures we could have.

I sigh. I should have stayed, helped Brendan to fight, help make a difference.

"You couldn't have changed anything Harper," Rommie says stepping beside me and placing a can on the small ledge I leaning on. "Beka said you might want a can of cola."

I smile, knowing Beka's meaning behind the can. "How did you know what I was thinking?" I ask the AI.

Rommie smiles back. "I know my engineer, Harper."

"Thanks Rommie, and I don't just mean for the Sparky."

I raise the can to her and take a mouthful.

Rommie continues talking. "I can see what you wanted to fight for. Sometimes I have trouble, as a warship, remembering the people."

"That's the only thing on that hunk of rock worth anything, Rommie." I mutter over the can.

"And I'm sorry to say that I found that out too late."

'Me too Rom-doll,' I think silently.

"I ran away again," I say. "Brendan was right. I am a coward."

"You're not a coward, Harper," Rommie says. "Sometimes you have to run, in battle or in life. Look at it this way, if you didn't leave, then I might have been trapped in that black hole forever."

"Yeah but..."

Rommie cuts me off. "And then you wouldn't have gone back to Earth and started the revolt for their freedom."

"Do you think it made a difference?" I ask, my voice bitter.

Rommie nods. "You both started something Harper."

For a second she had lost me. "What?"

"A fight," Rommie said, absently moving a finger up and down the can I had placed back on the ledge.

"Dylan said no matter what happened, Brendan won," I mutter. "Brendan said the same thing about my parents. But I don't know if the price of winning is worth that much."

"The price of winning may not be," Rommie says. "But the price of freedom is. And that's what Brendan gave them, what your parents gave you. Freedom."


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