Nucleus 1: The Dust of Moon [Mature Sci-fi Romance]

15:50, March 20, 2295

Harald's Encampment 3, Mount Lyell Area, Former Yosemite National Park

Xin woke to stone overhead, struggling to place where he was. His puffer jacket lay folded across his chest. Pushing it aside, he found his torn shirt replaced with a gray thermal, his bloodstained pants swapped for work trousers. Someone had tended to him while he slept.

Luminescent minerals studded the cavern walls, casting everything in soft blue-white light. Portable fusion units hummed along the perimeter, their warmth fighting the mountain cold. Through salvaged transport panels overhead, gray sky pressed down like a heavy blanket. The space had been transformed into a livable refuge—fusion burners, storage containers, even a makeshift shower unit in the far corner.

His black-rimmed glasses sat on a crate beside the simple bunk. Xin reached for them, and the world sharpened as he put them on. That's when he spotted Håkon perched on a nearby container, tiny claws holding a piece of golden fruit. The little Diabolisk's mandibles worked contentedly as he savored what smelled like stewed apple.

An elder in a worn lab coat occupied a salvaged chair, attention fixed on a portable computer screen. Even seated, his height was evident—taller than most Imperials, with the broader frame common to Nordlings. Gray threaded through his beard and unkempt hair, but his complexion remained surprisingly healthy.

Then Xin saw his eyes. Sapphire blue, like northern seas.

Like Lorna's.

Recognition hit like cold water. This was the phantom from Shashan's plains, the figure from visions and whispered legends. Harald Omdal. Lorna's father.

"If the Imperium brought the Moondust Crystal here..." Harald mused, seemingly unaware Xin had awakened. He stirred a pot of herbal tea. "They must have defeated the Stone Guardians I placed there." A plate of stewed apples sat beside him. He speared a piece, chewing thoughtfully. "Perhaps the Neptunians aren't as formidable as they believed."

Håkon trilled inquisitively, tilting his head.

"That's right, boy." Harald poured tea into a steel cup, steam curling upward. "There used to be civilizations on Neptune's moons. They didn't mind teaching me to craft the Crystal, or lending me their Guardians. They assumed the Radi-Mons would devour humanity this century regardless."

The little Diabolisk's posture shifted, scales dulling as he stared at his apple. He understood—the term 'Radi-Mon' included him.

"Ah, engar áhyggjur, little one." Harald's weathered hand found Håkon's head, patting gently. "I know man and Radi-Mon can coexist. We just need to find the path together."

Håkon's eyes closed in relief, mandibles forming what could only be called a smile as he leaned into the touch.

"Mister..." Xin's voice came out hoarse. "Harald Omdal?"

Håkon's reaction was immediate. He spun toward Xin, apple forgotten, blue eyes bright with joy. "Pappa!"

"Hey, boy..." A grin broke across Xin's face despite everything.

"Pappa!" The stewed apple tumbled as Håkon launched himself from the crate, small legs carrying him in a scramble.

"Careful now." Harald's hand shot out, catching the falling fruit with surprising reflexes. He chuckled, setting it on his plate.

"Pappa!" Håkon reached the bedside and vaulted up, pressing his head against Xin's cheek. Tiny claws touched his face with infinite gentleness.

"I'm okay, boy. So good to see you." Warmth flooded Xin's chest as he stroked the Diabolisk's back. Then urgency cut through the moment. "Where's Lorna? Is she—"

Harald's sigh carried both amusement and irritation. "So that's what you Alliance people insist on calling Sigrún."

"Sir, I—" Xin's mind raced. "I think Sigrún's a beautiful name. Though my teammates—"

"—only know her as Lorna, yes, yes." Harald waved dismissively. Their eyes met across the space. "You know who I am."

Statement, not question.

"I do." Xin sat up slowly, muscles protesting. Håkon adjusted smoothly, settling onto his lap. A groan escaped as Xin remembered Skarn's attack, one hand moving to his chest. The killing blow should have left him gutted, but when he unbuttoned the thermal to look, he found something else entirely. Patches of translucent material, like layers of living ice, covered where Skarn's tentacles had pierced him.

"The new tissue my spell wove will integrate fully in a few days." Harald sipped his tea, studying Xin over the rim. "Your new garments are also ballistic weave, in case we need to venture out later. Sigrún went after the Yosemite shard. I sent someone reliable to assist her."

"She's going after—" Xin's glasses nearly slipped as he straightened too quickly. "Does she need help? I could—"

"My daughter is more than capable." Harald rose, moving to the cooking station. He pulled something from storage—an open-faced sandwich that he slipped into the heating unit. "You can help by recovering properly before she returns."

"Thank you." Xin accepted the offered cup of water, drinking deeply. The cool liquid soothed his raw throat. "Sir, were you talking to yourself while I slept?"

"No point in secrets now." The heating unit chimed. Harald retrieved the sandwich, aromas of salmon and herbs filling the space. "I created the Moondust Crystal. Had help from beings who predate humanity to guard it. Thought it would unite our species against Skarn and his Fenris Horde when they emerged this century."

"You..." The implications crashed together in Xin's mind. "Time travel?"

"Your fight with Skarn showed promise. Void attunement, yes?" Harald didn't look up from preparing the plate. "With that Quantum Watch, you might find such spells on the Extranet. But attempting them without proper instruction…" He shook his head. "Eons weren't meant for mortal minds to traverse."

"Then why not retrieve and use the Crystal yourself?" Xin absently stroked Håkon as he spoke. The Diabolisk chirped softly, content.

"I thought 'us humanity' would unite in 'discovery' of it. Put down our differences, work together against the true threat, like those Digital Age movies." Bitterness crept into Harald's voice as he rummaged through containers. "But of course real world people would rather tear each other apart for control. Where are those things you Imperials use... aha!"

He produced a pair of chopsticks—not bamboo or metal, but carved from some creature's bone and chitin.

"Your missed lunch." Harald placed the implements beside the sandwich and offered the plate. "My assistant Olav prepared it."

"Thank you." Xin accepted the food with his right hand—

Suddenly, Harald moved like lightning. His grip clamped onto Xin's shoulder, all pretense of calm evaporating. "Now. Tell me why you betrayed the Imperium."

Håkon's scales rippled, an alarmed trill escaping his throat.

"Why—" The plate trembled in Xin's grip. "I don't understand."

"Don't play ignorant." Harald's fingers dug deeper. "An Imperial engineer with access to Moondust data, no doubt tortured from some Sand Lotus fanatic who thought the Crystal was naturally formed. You had comfort, position, security. No reason to throw it all away for the Alliance." His smile held no warmth. "Unless you're a spy, waiting to deliver the Crystal to your true masters."

Håkon's distress escalated, his trilling becoming a keening whine. The little Diabolisk pressed himself against Xin's chest, scales shifting through anxious patterns of blue and gray.

"I'm not a spy." Xin forced himself to meet those arctic eyes. "I left because—" The words caught. How could he explain Ume? The way Dilinur had threatened her? The moment he realized his comfortable life was built on others' suffering?

No, what had really made him decide to help the Alliance, despite everything the Imperium media said about 'fake freedom, social inequality, wanton, materialistic Alliance'?

"Because?" Harald's grip tightened.

"Because I fell in love with your daughter." The truth tumbled out, raw and unplanned. "At first, I just needed her help to escape. Then I saw who she really is. How she fights for people who can't fight for themselves. How she treats everyone with dignity, even—" He glanced down at Håkon. "Even those others would call monsters."

Harald's expression didn't change. "Pretty words. Love makes excellent cover for betrayal."

"Then look at what I've done, not what I say." Xin's free hand moved to his Quantum Watch. "I stayed when I could have run. After Taiwan, I had the Moondust data. Could have sold it to any buyer in the Five Realms, set myself up on Osram, Venus, Callisto, you name it. Instead?" He tapped the watch, showing the date. "A whole month, we've traveled to so many worlds together. A whole month of watching Sigrún fight this Nucleus Virus. I have to do something about it."

Håkon whimpered at his mother's name, pressing closer.

"I taught myself combat basics from Thomas and Emmanuel. Let them break my wrist learning to fight because maybe, maybe I could protect her better." His voice cracked. "I can't cast spells like you. Can't swing a sword like her. But I stayed. That has to count for something."

Something shifted in Harald's face. Not quite approval, but the hostility ebbed.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

"But—if I'm sensing this right—you've taken the Rakshasa strain yourself." Harald released him, stepping back. "Kathrin's work, I assume?"

Xin nodded, surprised Harald knew. "To be useful. To not be dead weight when she needs—"

"Pappa!" Håkon interrupted, his small claws tugging at Xin's sleeve. The Diabolisk pointed emphatically at the sandwich, then at Xin, making urgent chirping sounds.

"He wants you to eat," Harald sighed, though his tone suggested surprise at Håkon's protective behavior. "He really cares for you."

The tension in the cave shifted, no longer suffocating. Håkon's scales brightened back to their natural bronze. He chittered at Harald, then patted the sandwich plate insistently.

"Eat." Harald commanded as he leaned back.

"I will." Xin picked up the chopsticks—the bone felt strange but balanced—and took a careful bite. The salmon was perfectly seasoned, herbs he couldn't identify mixing with something distinctly alien. His stomach, apparently unaware of the recent tension, growled appreciatively.

Håkon settled back onto his lap, watching each bite with intense focus. When Xin paused to chew, the little Diabolisk would make encouraging chirps, occasionally pointing at the sandwich as if to say 'eat more'. It made Xin smile.

"The red spice is called 'Bodhi Agni'. 'The Fire of Enlightenment' in Devavāṇī. From Arabia Terra on Mars." Harald said, returning to his computer but keeping one eye on them. "Miserable planet, but Olav and I traded with the few merchants brave enough to harvest from Radi-Mon territory. When I was trapped here, I began growing some from seeds in Encampment 0."

"It's delicious." Xin nodded, taking another bite. The bread was some kind of sourdough, dense and satisfying.

"Sigrún always prefers her sandwich with this spice." Harald said contemplatively. "Keep that in mind, if you ever cook for her."

"I will." Xin replied. He then repeated the Devavāṇī word. "Bodhi Agni."

A serene few minutes passed as he ate slowly—partly from habit, partly because he wanted to memorize this spice.

"So, Håkon," Xin ventured between bites, "he's a fast learner."

"Indeed." Harald's typing paused. "He shouldn't be able to form such complex emotional bonds at his age. Diabolisks take years to develop beyond base instincts. Though, his physical growth is... slow at best."

Håkon made a sound that might have been indignation, then reached up to pat Xin's belly with one tiny claw.

"Maybe he's special," Xin said as he reached down with his chopsticks to offer the Diabolisk a small piece of salmon. Håkon accepted it delicately, chirping his thanks.

"Or maybe," Harald mused, "he was meant for something worthy. Something better than fighting wars and killing people."

They fell into comfortable silence. Xin continued eating, Håkon occasionally accepting tiny offerings, while Harald worked at his station. The sandwich was larger than it looked—dense and filling. By the time Xin managed three-quarters of it, his pace had slowed considerably.

"Can't finish?" Harald asked, noting the pause.

"Give me a moment." Xin set the plate aside, hand moving to his stomach. "Not used to eating this much." He gestured vaguely at his chest.

"Understandable. The healing process demands energy, but the body needs time to adjust." Harald stood, moving to pour more herbal tea. "Save the rest. You may need it later."

Håkon chirped agreement, then held out his tiny claws toward Harald, clearly asking for something.

"Ah, you want more apple?" Harald pulled another piece from his plate. "Here."

Håkon accepted the fruit but didn't eat it. Instead, he waddled back to Xin and held it up, making soft encouraging sounds.

"For me?" Xin asked. "But you got it first."

The little Diabolisk pushed it insistently into Xin's hand, then mimed eating.

"Sharing his food with family," Harald observed, something unreadable in his voice. "I wish all Radi-Mons were capable of this."

Xin accepted the small piece. Håkon watched him eat it with obvious satisfaction before scrambling back onto his lap.

"Now then." Harald pulled up a holographic display. Xin recognized it as a personal computer with aging fusion battery. "Sigrún should be nearing the Yosemite shard's location. The signal's weak in those tunnels, but…"

His fingers flew across controls. Static burst from the speakers, harsh and grating. Harald adjusted frequencies, tried different channels. Nothing but white noise.

"Come now," he muttered, hands moving faster. "The relay I placed at Encampment 4 should still be active."

More static. Harald's jaw tightened as he cycled through quantum frequencies. The display showed connection attempts failing one after another.

"Odin's balls!" His fist slammed the console, making Håkon jump. "The rock's too dense. Too much interference from the Zephyrium deposits."

Håkon whimpered, scales darkening with anxiety. He looked between Harald and the silent equipment, making questioning chirps.

"She's out of range," Harald said, though whether to them or himself wasn't clear. He tried again, boosting power until warning lights flashed. "Sigrún, if you can hear this—you have to—you must—"

Nothing.

"The standard QEC won't penetrate that deep," Xin observed, studying the readouts. "But... wait. Lorna's pendant. It has a Moondust fragment, right?"

Harald's hands stilled. "Yes. The Moondust was grown from Zephyrium infused with Lunar psionics. My psionics."

"Then... would Moondust shards resonate at unique quantum frequencies? If we could match that resonance, use it as a carrier wave..." Xin moved closer, pointing at the display. "May I?"

Harald shifted aside, watching intently. Xin's fingers worked the holographic interface, pulling up frequency analyses he'd memorized from his ZenFusion days, working on the Imperium's databases.

"If Moondust is a type of Zephyrium, then perhaps the signal could leap through quantum entanglement regardless of distance or barriers," Xin explained as he worked. "We just need to find the right harmonic. Here—" He isolated a specific wavelength. "This matches the readings from when I worked on the Crystal data in Taiwan."

Håkon perked up, chirping excitedly as he recognized Xin taking action.

"Clever!" Harald admitted. "But we'd need to know her pendant's exact resonance—"

"Which you do." Xin looked at him meaningfully. "You made it. You'd know its signature better than anyone."

Something shifted in Harald's expression—surprise, perhaps even respect. He rejoined Xin at the console, inputting a complex series of values.

"The Pendant of Mánagrát resonates at 4.7 terahertz when active," he said. "If we modulate our signal to match..."

Håkon watched with bright eyes, patting their hands as if to encourage them.

"There!" Xin pointed as a new reading appeared. "Quantum lock established. The pendant's amplifying our signal."

Static filled the cave again, but different this time—structured, like it was fighting through something. Harald leaned forward, tension visible in every line of his body.

"Sigrún?" His voice carried unfiltered concern now. "Sigrún, respond!"

The static shifted, cleared for a moment, then—

A hologram shimmered to life above the workstation. Lorna appeared in miniature, her face streaked with dirt and something darker. Blood, Xin realized with a spike of concern.

"Pa?" Her voice crackled through interference. "Pa, can you hear me?"

"Thank the ancestors!" Harald breathed, relief washing over his features. "How are things? Found the Yosemite shard yet?"

Håkon made a joyful trill, reaching toward his mother's image with both claws.

"Walked the underground passage you mentioned. I also found your lab. Saw your... machine." Something dangerous flickered in her eyes. "The Vöxtr. Olav's with me. We're maybe twenty minutes from the shard's location, but—" She paused, jaw tightening. "I need to ask you something."

"Ask away."

"Did you really design that thing?" The words came out sharp. "The Vöxtr, the machine with all those spheres floating inside?"

Harald's expression closed off. "The Vöxtr served a purpose—"

"What purpose?" Lorna's hologram flickered with her anger. "I saw it, Pa. This massive glass chamber full of... of eggs. Pods all around it like some kind of factory. The Fenormr we met, they said—" Her voice caught. "They said it replicates human eggs. Hundreds of copies from one woman. My... mother."

"Did the Fenormr tell you? About Maren?" Harald's sapphire eyes narrowed.

"They told me..." Lorna's body was shaking with bottled emotions. "that the Vöxtr was meant for me. Instead, mother found YOUR Jokull Horde, chased you out, then used the Vöxtr... herself."

Håkon made a distressed sound, clearly sensing his mother's upset through the connection. He pointed at the hologram with one small claw.

"To have realistic scale against the Fenris Horde—and anyone threatening Nordlings, the Jokull needed a sustainable reproduction method," Harald said carefully. "The Vöxtr was designed to—"

"To turn women into broodmares!" Lorna's laugh held no humor. "They looked at me like I was livestock, Pa. Said my eggs would be 'superior' for that fucking machine. Is that what you did? Create a way to mass-produce Radi-Mons from women's bodies?"

"I never thought Maren would find the prototype, let alone use it! And what you said is a crude interpretation—"

"But is it wrong?" Her voice dropped to something worse than shouting. "Tell me I misunderstood. Tell me you didn't design a machine to harvest women like we're egg farms."

Harald's silence stretched too long.

"Mama..." Håkon whimpered, pressing against Xin's chest. He made small, distressed chirps, clearly wanting to comfort her but unable to reach through the projection.

"If I may," Xin found his voice. "Lorna's right to be angry."

Both Nordlings turned to him—Harald with surprise, Lorna with something like relief.

"I mean, I don't know bioscience. Maybe the theory or mechanism is elegant," Xin continued, one hand reaching out to soothe Håkon by stroking his tiny back. "Maybe it's efficient. But stripping away someone's humanity, reducing them to biological output—I've seen where that leads. The Imperium does it all the time. They did it to Ume." His jaw tightened. "It's wrong, no matter how one dresses it up."

"You don't understand the context." Harald began, pointing a finger at Xin.

"Not all of it, but perhaps enough." Xin met his gaze steadily. "Lorna's mother wants to use a machine that would turn Lorna into something... less than human... on herself. To nurture the Jokull, now misguided from their original purpose. To achieve something that should not be. That's all the context I need to know."

The cave fell silent except for equipment hum and Håkon's worried trills.

"I didn't know Maren had survived," Harald said finally. "The Vöxtr was a last resort, a way to accelerate the Jokull's growth, before Skarn and his Fenris minions could overwhelm us all. It was never... never meant to be Maren's property."

"Of course not. The Fenormr, and Ulrik..." Lorna ran her hand through her blonde hair. "they all said I was meant for the Vöxtr. The perfect crucible."

"Of all the things I've taught him, Ulrik remembers that one..." Harald rubbed his forehead, sighing.

"What am I to you, Pa?" Lorna placed a hand on her chest, her Nordic blue eyes watering with unshed tears.

"You are my last daughter, my most precious daughter." Harald's response was immediate. "The one reason I'm still living, to bring about a better world. Do not doubt that."

"But you still built it. The machine that'd clone my eggs. To birth killing machines." Lorna's image wavered. "What's the difference between you and Skarn now?"

"As the Archmage of Buskerud, I've built many things I now regret." The admission seemed to age him. "Your pendant among them."

That caught Lorna's attention. "What?"

"Sigrún, you must survive the immediate threats. Come back safely with the Yosemite shard." Harald raised both hands, pleading. "I promise to answer all your questions. You deserve to know it all."

"Okay. I will, Pa. Because I... still want to trust you."

"Good. Where exactly are you?" Harald's fingers moved across the display.

"One level beneath the Moondust shard. My pendant's reacting, too. Olav knows—" Lorna paused, her head tilting. Through the hologram, Xin could see her hand move to the beige trench coat's pocket. "There's movement above us. Multiple contacts."

"Jokull? Fenris?" Harald leaned forward.

"No, these are organized." Her voice dropped. "Heavy footfalls. Something mechanical."