Hopefully, I can pray

"C... Cerviel!"

My head felt like it had been split apart.

"Cerviel! Come... come back!" My fingers danced over the command ring as I tried every command I could think of. My head throbbed with every button press. Thrice, I pressed the wrong button and had to start over.

"C'mon, girl... c'mon..."

Nothing happened.

The world remained dark.

Metal sheared as I felt Cerviel being yanked forward before another blow struck her chest. Weightlessness briefly enveloped me before an impact nearly knocked my breath away. Cracking noises from both legs made me cry out in pain. It was a miracle I didn't black out.

"C'mon, Cerviel." I grit my teeth against the pain. "Please tell me there's something left of you."

"Angel Vega!" Fornax spoke through the earpiece. "Are you there?"

"I... I'm here..." I whispered.

"You're still alive. Good. It looks like you did some damage to the demon. It's stopped its orbital attacks. We're sending an evacuation ship with an escort to retrieve you. Can you help them?"

Are you shitting me? I thought. "I... I don't think so. Cerviel's personality is damaged. Everything... everything is offline."

"Understood."

I closed my eyes. There wasn't anything I could do. I couldn't pilot Cerviel without her personality core. It's a miracle the neural load didn't fry my brain when Purson's axe struck her chest. She must have isolated the neural dampeners before the blow.

Smart girl, I thought.

Your mech is keeping secrets from us

I opened my eyes.

While we cannot upgrade ourselves, we can improve our reasoning within these constraints.

What if…

I know you have been making some modifications. I know that while you're not sentient, you're capable of more advanced reasoning than before.

A blue light blinked on the command ring.

"Cerviel?"

No response.

"I... I'm not sure..." I winced when my headache spiked. "Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I think you did something. I think... you made a backup. I think... you did what Eae couldn't."

Another blue light started to flicker.

"I think you modified yourself. I think you're still there. So come back to me. Everybody needs you. I need you. One last time."

The blue lights flickered twice before dimming.

Please, Lord. Just one last time.

Three lights turned on.

Please, Lord.

Five lights.

Please.

"P... pi-i-i-i-ilot... Veg-g-g-ga.." Every light on the cockpit activated at the same time. "System booting... error... error..."

"Cerviel!" My headache flared at the bright light, but there was no denying my smile. "You're back!"

"Y-y-y-yes, pi-i-i-ilot Vega." I felt the haptic suit come to life as Cerviel spoke. "I'm r-r-r-r-restoring backup systems."

"It's so... so good to hear your voice." I didn't bother wiping the tears from my eyes. "How... how are... you know, never mind. Can you stand up?"

"Yes." Cerviel's frame groaned as she stood up. Twice, she fell to the ground as an arm slid underneath her. I blacked out for a few seconds somewhere in the process. My headache felt better when I came to. I wondered whether she administered a dose of the medicinal cocktail to help me.

"Angel Vega?" I winched when Fornax's spoke. "How are you upright?"

"Long story," I said. "Where's the evacuation ship?"

"About three minutes--" A white beam shot into the heavens. Even my blurry vision could see the explosion.

"Shit!" Fornax cursed.

Two thunderous steps turned my attention to the side. "There will be no rescue for you," Purson said as he turned toward me. "Nor for your people. The Lord of Hell demands your deaths. I will see that his goal is accomplished."

My eyes fell on the broken sword lying between us. Its blade was snapped into three pieces.

"Cerviel," I said. "Activate gauntlet blades."

"Left gauntlet blade damaged. Activating right."

"That's okay."

"Angel Vega," Fornax's voice was strained. "We will launch another ship to evacuate you, but you need to get away from that thing."

"No, Commander. Get out of the system while you still have a chance. Tell everybody what you've seen here."

"What are you--"

"This is Angel Vega, signing off." I pressed the mute button before lifting the cover over a large red button.

"Pilot Vega, are you sure about this?" Cerviel asked when I pressed the button. Red lights flashing throughout the cockpit confirmed that Cerviel received the command.

"It's been fun, Cerviel."

"Yes, pilot Vega."

"On my mark."

Purson readied his weapon as he braced for our charge. Both hands grabbed the axe's hilt as he swung over his head. A last-second twist saved Cerviel's head from the blow, but it struck deep into her shoulder. I cried out when the haptic suit reported the impact. I wouldn't be surprised if the strike cut Cerviel's arm off.

It didn't matter.

It doesn't need to be that long. I'll be waiting for your visit, young Angel.

I'll see you soon, Nova!

Purson bared its teeth as Cerviel's blade sunk into his chest. Our faces were close enough that I could see the white light growing inside his eyes.

"Cerviel, now!"

"Detonating core."