Portrait

I

Kara is my birth mum which means I was in her tummy until I came out when the Euros came back. Sam is my gene mum which means I’m made of her and also Kara. The other grown-ups are also my mums which means they help bring me up which makes me a grown up. I’m not a grown up but I help bring up the girls who are smaller than me but I'm not a mum because I'm not a grown up, but I'm responsible. Some of the other girls don't have birth mums and Nned has four gene mums but most are like me but it doesn't matter because we're all part of Tempest.

It rains a lot and when it does the forest smells damp and the streets and we wear raincloaks but I like not to which makes Kara cross because I drip on things and she won't let me stay outside until I'm dry like I said.

And they arrived just as you appeared, you child of reconnection. Maybe that’s why Tempest gave you to us. You’ll keep us safe again.

Kara is a Red that means she’s strong and she used to fight Shivans but I'm not allowed to ask her about that except sometimes. She holds me with one arm and its like flying. Sam is a Green which means she’s smart and she does things for a co-op with a computer but I don't understand the numbers. I'm back from the doctor and she says I'm Blue which means I'm good at writing and drawing and singing. Sam says she thought I'd be Green like her. But I like drawing.

I drew her picture and she put it up on the wall. Portrait, by Rin, age seven.

II

1

"No Rin, I'm staying home this time."

She stamped her foot. "But you're a hero! The Euros are back and people have to fight them to stop them! That's what Reds do!"

"I'm sorry. But I can't. I'm hurt. Inside, where you can't see it, but it's there."

"This is why you won't talk about it."

"Yes."

She glared at the floor. "But what good's a hero who can't fight?"

"Rin, apologise!"

"No, stop. It's alright. She needs to learn this - really she's a little late losing her idols. We should have had this talk before. Rin, I'm not a hero. I never was, because I'm just one person. Heroes are people working together. I'm just a person, a weak and fallible one."

"So why'd Londenium give you that thing?"

"That's just... a memento."

2

"She's devouring everything she gets her hands on about the fighting. And some of it's not good for someone her age. Did you guys put her onto this?"

She waited outside the door, motionless.

"Don't we have a filter?"

"Kids find ways."

"I guess so. But I didn't expect to get the complaint from you."

"You think I approve of this because I'm a vet? The last thing I want is for her to go into it."

"All this fighting proves we need people who still will."

"Just what are you saying?"

"She didn't mean it that way, Kara. But she's right. If Rin has taken an interest she's hardly the only one and we can't stop her. It's up to her what she does with her life."

"She's Blue! A war is no place for an artist."

"And a village full of children is no place for an ex-Red."

"I beg your fucking pardon?"

"Cool it, both of you! Len that was... Kara, stop!"

Footsteps. She slipped away.