|Petra Caelaris — Future Architect of the Imperium|
She watched as her sister convinced another group to join them. Petra frowned; she didn't like them. They were weak, far too frail for her liking. However, her brother had ordered their rescue, so she would obey.
She glanced at her sister and nodded. As their brother had explained, her sister and she possessed a gift from their creators. She possessed an affinity for technology and the ability to see flaws in everything. Kassandra could even glimpse the future, a trait Petra found particularly annoying to contend with in combat.
Petra had never once defeated Kassandra. She swore that she would eventually find a vulnerability in that gift and best her sister in a duel. According to her brother, no gift was all-powerful; every ability had its limits. She trusted him implicitly. He was her world, and he was always right.
Her gaze shifted to Ana, her brother's partner and second-in-command. Petra couldn't explain the sensation, but she felt a strange desire to be like Ana. She didn't understand why her two hearts reacted this way, but every time she saw her brother and Ana laughing together, her pulse quickened.
It felt like a weakness, and she loathed it. She resolved to ask her brother about it when he returned from rescuing their other sister. She needed to know how to master these erratic emotions.
As the last human stepped through the teleportation gate toward the Star Explorer, Petra nodded. She looked at the primitive base belonging to the people of this world and clicked her tongue in distaste. There were too many structural weaknesses to exploit; the inefficiency bothered her.
Shaking her head, she activated her personal teleporter. In the blink of an eye, she arrived on the bridge. A hologram displayed her brother in the heat of battle. If not for his specific request that she remain behind, she would be down there at his side.
He moved with astonishing speed, tearing through every fortification the enemy threw in his path. His movements were perfect. To her eyes, there were no openings for the others to land a clean hit. Even when she tried to pinpoint a vulnerability, the focus of her vision seemed to dart around or disappear entirely.
Once again, her brother was right: everything has a weakness, but the key is using those flaws to one's advantage rather than trying to hide them.
She was snapped from her thoughts by the sound of the bridge doors opening. Ana and Kassandra walked toward her. As they walk toward her, she can see weakness in them. Kassandra showed two points of vulnerability, while Ana had only one, and like her brother's, it was constantly shifting.
She knew this was because Ana was composed of billions of nanites that adapted in real-time to keep her combat-ready. Petra felt a surge of inspiration; she wanted to create nanite-based armor for herself.
She gave them a curt nod and returned her attention to the live feed. She intended to absorb every detail of her brother's performance. She yearned to help him in person, but she knew she couldn't truly contribute until she mastered the art of combat.
It was another weakness she was determined to fix.
"It is over."
She turned to see Kassandra watching the feed, her eyes glowing slightly. She knows that Kassandra is peering into the future that she cannot see.
"It's over," Kassandra said. "Brother will finish the rest and rescue our sister."
"Of course," Petra replied. "It is only to be expected."
She nodded with pride. She never doubted the outcome would be anything less than a flawless victory. They watched as her brother entered an ornate, grotesque cathedral and struck down the final priest.
Petra frowned as her brother opened the inner doors. There, she saw their sister. She recognized her instantly, but the sight unsettled her. This new sister was large, nearly as tall as their brother, and Petra found she didn't like that at all.
Kassandra was the eldest, and now Petra was no longer the largest of the three. Feeling a sudden urge to exert herself, she turned to head for the training room, but Ana stopped her.
"What is it, Petra? Is something wrong?" Ana asked gently.
Ana's worried expression made Petra feel a twinge of guilt, but the need to train was overwhelming. She shook her head.
"I need to train," she insisted.
"Now? Don't you want to meet your new sister?"
"Later. I must be the best. Kassandra is the oldest, and this new sister is the largest. I must be the most capable."
"You know Theo doesn't care about those things, right?" Ana pointed out.
"I know. But I want to be the best for him."
Ana offered a small, knowing smile before pulling Petra into a hug. A comforting warmth spread through Petra's body. It felt good—so good that she chose to ignore the new, fleeting vulnerability she saw in Ana that appeared because of this.
"I understand, Petra," Ana whispered. "But don't get lost in that mindset. Trying to improve is good, but it isn't everything. Do you remember what Theo said about perfection?"
"There is no such thing as perfection," Petra recited. "Chasing it is like running into an endless darkness."
"Exactly. It applies here, too. You can't let the drive to be 'the best' consume you. Theo would blame himself if he saw you lose yourself to that kind of shadow."
"Then what should I do? If I am not the oldest or the largest, what am I? I need to be something special so my brother doesn't forget me."
The truth finally spilled out. She was afraid—an irrational, deep-seated fear that her brother would stop showing her affection. She cherished his head pats, his hugs, and every small sign of his love. She yearns for it, and she doesn't want to lose it.
She couldn't bear the thought of losing that warmth.
"Oh, dear."
Ana hugged her tighter. Petra leaned into her, feeling her racing hearts begin to steady. After a moment, Ana pulled back slightly.
"Petra… you know Theo will never stop loving you, right? He built an empire from nothing and then left it all behind just to find you. He is willing to fight the entire universe for his sisters."
"I know…" Petra mured. "But I still want to be the best I can be."
"I understand, and I'll help you. But remember what Theo calls you, Petra."
"Huh?"
"You are his Architect. He has already given you a vital place in his life and his heart. Kassandra is his advisor, and you are his builder. You already have a special place. Trust in him; he will never forget you."
Ana gave her a bright, encouraging smile.
"Don't forget that, okay?"
"Yes."
Petra decided to stay on the bridge for a while longer, finding comfort in Ana's presence. She saw Kassandra watching them with an unreadable expression, though Petra was slowly learning how to decipher her sister's subtle cues. What her sister is showing is an expression of understanding and encouragement.
This ability is also great when Kassandra plans on monopolizing their brother's affection.
She was pulled from her thoughts when her brother returned, carrying the new sister in his arms. She was large, yes, but to Petra's eyes, she looked incredibly fragile. Seeing her like that changed Petra's perspective. Regardless of her size, this was their little sister. She was not a threat to worry about. This new sister is someone she needs to guide. It was Petra's duty to protect and teach her, just as their brother did for them all.
She decided she would gift the newcomer one of her custom-built pistols. It wouldn't be as powerful as her own, but it would be the finest weapon the girl had ever seen.
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