My hologram stands behind my crew as they watch the ship my physical body was driving burn before them.

"That could have been us," Nicholas whispers.

"We wouldn't have burned," Killa counters. "Just fried all the circuits and froze."

"Oh. Well, that's much better."

Orion takes off his hat. "I worked hard on that body."

Killa turns to Orion. "You don't think she could feel it, could she?"

"He didn't design me with nerve endings," I assure.

Nicholas jumps and yells, "Ghost!"

Orion turns and gives me a sad smile. "Is this all going to be worth it?"

"A human soul is worth a robotic life, even if he is a cyborg."

I turn to find Rose stepping forward. She gives me a small smile. "No offense."

"I am incapable of being offended."

Then we all turn to watch the void of space eventually dull the flames of my ship, too small to combat both the extreme cold and heat of space travel both.

Orion winces and turns back to me. "And how is the ship Silas is on?"

"Stalled and waiting for us to catch up to him."

"Then that we shall."

"And I'll be on the boarding party."

Everyone turns to find Reverend Shipping leaning against the entrance, obviously because his physical frame is still weakened from his blows. But there is something in his eyes that reflects a strength beyond that, something my late physical frame would never have been able to reflect.

Perhaps there is some truth to this theory about souls, because right then, no one- man or mechanical- refuted Reverend Shipping. Even though he is currently the weakest crewmate and could be easily taken down, either by them or an actual enemy. Because he is speaking to them in the language of souls, something I can't communicate back in; only detect.

But detect it I can, and that is something.

Orion turns to me, precisely because he knows I can detect certain things that sometimes not even he can.

I nod. "He should come."

His eyes widen, but he covers his surprise quickly, statistically most likely due to his unease at the thought of the crew believing he takes orders from me and not vice versa.

In reality, it is both ways about equally, with me having a small percentage higher during normal cases, and him having the higher percentage during more integral issues.

What this will turn out to be, remains to be seen.

-Banner by cannibalisticnecro

-Signature by -krystallite