(TATB) Ch 17: First Contact!

(SYDNEY)

The air inside the tent was warm and smelled faintly of burnt metal. I crouched over the workbench, my fingers carefully tweaking the final adjustments on the communicator. Dad sat across from me, his hands steady as he worked on the second device. Between us was a mess of spare wires, tiny screws, and tools we'd scavenged from Skylar's offerings. It wasn't the most organized setup, but it worked.

"We're almost there," I said, leaning back to stretch. My neck cracked audibly. "Man, I can't wait to see the look on her face when this thing actually works."

Dad gave me a small smirk. "Skylar's or Victor's?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "Both, honestly. Skylar's been dying to communicate with us properly, and Victor... well, I think he'll just be relieved to have one less thing to yell at me about."

Dad chuckled softly, his hands not stopping for a second as he tightened a connection. "Speaking of Victor," he said, glancing up at me, "I heard you've been pushing for him to take charge."

"Yeah," I admitted, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. "I think he'd be perfect for it. He's got the right mix of grit and empathy, you know? People respect him. Even Meara listens to him, and that's saying something."

Dad raised an eyebrow. "And what does Victor think about this grand plan of yours?"

"He's... coming around," I said, a little sheepishly. "Slowly. He wasn't exactly thrilled at first, but I think he's starting to see it. I mean, who else would people follow? Meara? The gang from the tank? No way."

Dad nodded thoughtfully, setting down his tools for a moment. "Victor's a good man," he said, his voice quieter now. "But he's also been through a lot. You can see it in the way he carries himself—in his eyes. He's got scars, Sydney. Not the kind you see, but the kind that weigh on a person's soul."

I paused, letting his words sink in. Dad had a way of cutting to the heart of things, and he wasn't wrong. Victor wasn't just some guy from the tank. He was someone who'd been hurt, maybe more than he let on.

"But maybe that's why he's the right choice," I said after a moment. "He gets it. He understands what it's like to lose everything, to start over. That's what this city needs. Someone who's been there."

Dad didn't say anything for a moment, just nodded slowly and picked up his tools again. I took that as his way of agreeing, which was good enough for me.

Before I could get back to work, though, the ground beneath us trembled, the entire tent shaking like it might collapse. Tools clattered to the floor, and I had to grab the edge of the workbench to steady myself.

"She's back," I said, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness twist in my gut. I looked over at Dad, who gave me a knowing smile.

"Time to test it," I said, my voice trembling slightly as I picked up the communicator.

Dad stood, brushing off his hands and giving me an encouraging nod. "Let's see if it works."

I took a deep breath and stepped toward the entrance of the tent, clutching the device like it was the most important thing in the world. Because, for us, it kind of was.

***

(Skylar)

The door to my apartment clicked shut behind me, and I all but collapsed against it, letting out a long sigh. School had been... well, school. Exhausting as always. Add to that an hour of talking to my friend about her latest drama, and all I wanted now was to crawl into bed and sleep for a week.

But as tired as I was, I couldn't help the little spark of excitement that flared in my chest. My feet automatically carried me toward the kitchen, a small smile creeping onto my face.

It was time to check on my Lillis.

I grabbed a small loaf of bread off the counter, pinching off a piece the size of my thumbnail. For me, it was barely a crumb, but for them? A feast. Next, I opened the fridge and pulled out a few slices of deli meat, cutting them into even tinier pieces before pouring a bit of water into a cap from an old bottle.

With my supplies in hand, I headed to my room, my footsteps careful and deliberate. The last thing I wanted was to accidentally cause an earthquake for them—or worse, step on something important.

I stopped at the entrance to my closet, crouching down slowly and peeking inside. "Hey, guys," I said softly, smiling as I looked at the tiny city they were building. It wasn't much yet—some tents here, a few structures there—but it was already more than I'd expected in just three days.

I carefully placed the napkin on the border of the city, setting the food and water down with as much precision as I could manage. "Here you go," I said, watching as a few specks—no, people—gathered near the edge, their movements purposeful and coordinated.

"You guys had a good day, right?" I asked, settling down on the floor. "Because mine was... ugh. Exhausting. Three hours of lectures, and then my friend wouldn't stop talking about her boyfriend drama. I mean, I get it, relationships are hard, but seriously, take a break, girl."

I let out a laugh, more at myself than anything. What was I even doing, venting to an entire city? Still, it felt nice to share.

I started to get up, brushing my hands on my jeans, when something stopped me.

At first, it sounded like static—faint and distant, almost like a radio that wasn't tuned properly. I frowned, leaning closer to the city, my heart skipping a beat.

And then I heard it.

"Hello? Can you hear me?"

My eyes widened. No way. It couldn't be. It had only been three days!

I lowered myself back to the floor, leaning in as close as I dared without blocking their light. "Is... is someone there?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Uh, yes! Hi!" The voice was clearer now, and I could hear the nervous excitement in it. "My name's Sydney. It's... uh, nice to finally meet you properly, Skylar."

I blinked, a laugh escaping me before I could stop it. "Oh my god," I said, shaking my head in disbelief. "You guys are incredible."

Sydney chuckled nervously on the other end. "Well, we try. Anyway, thank you for everything you've done for us. It's been... amazing to have someone like you looking out for us."

I felt my cheeks warm, and I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face. "You're welcome," I said softly. "But honestly? I'm just glad we can finally talk. This is... wow. Just wow."

And for the first time all day, I didn't feel tired at all.