PROJECT: CAYRO

Andrew Clark:

August 26, 2025

16:06 EST

The Autumn

Atlantic Ocean: 28˚28’55” N-71˚56’57” W

“So, this is the son of the great Captain Bracton of the SAF?” Casey asked, her tone dripping with skepticism.

“Yes, Casey, it is,” I replied, irritation seeping into my voice. This line of questioning was already wearing thin.

“Well, why the hell did he come to us? Weren’t you and Star on your way to get him?” John chimed in, echoing the sentiment of the room.

“That’s the question of the day, isn’t it…” Tiffany mused, her voice laced with curiosity and a hint of concern.

I leaned back, crossing my arms as I eyed them all. “I’m going to find that out, and why he was dumb enough to get into the middle of a dogfight when he wakes up. By the way, have any of you seen Star?” I asked, scanning the faces of my crew as we all took a break to eat.

“I think she’s in the hangar with Nick and Desiree. She said her skycar was damaged pretty badly, so they are currently trying to repair it,” Tiffany replied, taking a deliberate bite out of her sandwich.

“Thank you, sweetie,” I said, offering a smirk before biting into my own food. Tiffany shot me a glare that could cut through steel, but I simply chewed and smirked back, unfazed.

Before anyone could continue the conversation, the intercom crackled to life, Nathan’s deep, gravelly voice cutting through the moment.

“Yes, Nathan?” I answered, setting my sandwich down.

“Sir, what’s our heading?” Nathan asked, always direct and to the point.

“It’s the same, the Gulf of Mexico. We can’t take Cayro back. The military will end up finding him,” I explained, the implications hanging heavily in the air.

“So, we are still heading towards Texas?” he clarified.

“Yes,” I confirmed, the finality in my tone ending the discussion.

“Aye aye, Captain,” Nathan replied before the intercom went silent.

As the crew dispersed to return to their stations, I pushed away from the table, making my way to the medical bay. Cayro had some serious explaining to do, and I wasn’t about to wait any longer.

I settled into the empty chair beside Cayro’s bed, my tablet in hand, pretending to review the latest ship reports. In truth, I was waiting for the kid to wake up so I could unleash the lecture brewing inside me. It didn’t take long—he jolted awake, gasping for air, his eyes wild as they darted around the unfamiliar room. The realization that he was back on the Autumn quickly settled in.

I let the silence linger for a moment before breaking it with a sharp, sardonic tone. “So, Cayro, how are you feeling?”

“Um… a bit groggy, why?” he mumbled, still trying to shake off the fog of unconsciousness.

“Well, because you took a nice hit to your head when you fell into the skycar. If Star hadn’t caught you, you’d be a corpse right now,” I stated bluntly, watching him wince at the harsh truth.

“So, how long have I been here?” he asked, trying to piece together the events.

“You’ve been on board for less than a day, unconscious,” I replied, flipping my chair around to straddle it, leaning forward with a steely gaze. “You know something, you’re an excellent boarder. I haven’t seen anyone fly that well in a long time. You pulled off a perfect Drop Out Turn like it was nothing.”

He tried to brush off the compliment with modesty. “My friend Zak would say otherwise.”

I arched an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Sounds like your friend doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about. You’re just like your father. You do things halfcocked.”

The mention of his father sparked a fire in him. “I am nothing like my father!” he spat, the words laced with venom. “He left me to go die in some stupid war, and now I find out he turned me into some unnatural human science experiment!”

Before I could respond, I saw Star appear in the doorway, her expression shifting from anger to deep hurt in an instant. She didn’t say a word—just turned and bolted down the hallway.

“Nice going, dumbass,” I growled, rising from my chair. “Since you’re awake, get up, get dressed, and follow me.”

I didn’t wait for a response, storming out of the room. Halfway to the hangar, I heard him scrambling to catch up, his footsteps pounding behind me. I stopped abruptly, turning to face him, my glare sharp enough to cut.

“Took you long enough to get dressed,” I snapped, watching him struggle to catch his breath.

“You didn’t give me a chance…” he started, but I wasn’t in the mood for excuses.

“I don’t want to hear it. Now, you’re going to help Star fix her skycar. And while you’re at it, you’re going to figure out a way to apologize for the crap that just came out of your mouth. Once you’ve sorted out your attitude and made things right with her, report to my office. We’ll discuss your role on the Autumn during your stay. Do you understand me?”

His shoulders slumped in defeat. “Yes, sir,” he muttered, staring at the ground.

Good, I thought, maybe the kid was finally starting to grasp the weight of the situation. But he had no idea what was coming. Star’s fury would make my anger look like a gentle breeze. Today, he was going to learn that crossing her was the last mistake he ever wanted to make.