The Swift boosted eastwards down the highway, her thruster nozzles narrowing to constrict the scorching jets of hot gas. Elsa was lying down below deck, recovering from her ordeal. Ashley was at the helm intently watching news streams, hoping that New England hadn't exploded into chaos.

With the wind whipping through her hair and the warm rays of the sun hitting her face, Anna was feeling on top of the world. She'd been completely successful in her mission, and Titania Haven was now in a better state than she'd found it. She sunk into the handrailing, letting her hands slide outwards. Just when she thought it couldn't get any better, a sorely missed voice came across her infolink.

"Anna..."

'Mama!' The sign she'd been waiting for all this time had finally come!

"... If you're hearing this... Your father and I have been killed..."

Time stopped. Anna's knees slammed into the deck, leaving tiny impact craters, and her inner thoughts broke down from coherence to pure rage until it cut her off from the sensory world. Her head felt like it might split in half, her fists felt like they were about to clench through themselves. Through the quivering mess, she finally realized that she was missing what her mother was saying, and forced herself to pay attention.

"... please be strong sweetie. Your father and I knew the risks when we started. There's an important message for you on the home computer. We'll always love you, and couldn't have asked for a better daughter. Goodbye Anna."

For just an instant, the joyous, beaming light of Anna's soul flickered.

Elsa opened her eyes, and looked around. Something was amiss, her intuition was screaming at her. Despite being weighed down by lethargy, instinct carried her up the stairs and onto the upper deck. Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach at the sight of Anna helplessly sobbing on the ground. In an instant, she made her way to Anna's side, kneeled down, and scooped her distraught lover up in a comforting hug. Gently stroking her shoulder, she whispered "It's okay Sparky, I got you."

The look Anna gave her was almost too much to bear. Streams of pain flowed freely from her eyes and down her face. The words couldn't come at first. Every time she went to speak, she could do nothing but stare back, silently pleading for the impossible. Finally, through choking sobs, she managed to utter: "M-mom just s-sent me a post-mortem."

"What? No!"

Anna buried her face into Elsa's shoulder and wailed. Tears flowed, and soon Elsa was crying as well. They'd left their mark on the world, and since she'd felt that herself, they weren't just impersonal entities – she felt a connection to them. Her heart ached and mourned for the family she'd never get to meet. She'd never get to introduce herself, never get to thank them for the gift of Anna. They'd never have that trepidatious period all families go through when accepting a new member, nor the inevitable bonding afterwards. All that her soul yearned for was lost forever.

This house was once a home; rife with laughter and play. Now it was nothing more than a mausoleum of memories past. Shadows crawled across the walls; if the house was an orchestra it would be mourning through long, drawn out cries of the string sections.

'This is a new feeling.' Anna thought, the door to her father's study staring her down. He had always taken time out of his packed schedule for her, even when she was entirely selfish and deadlines loomed. It was unprecedented for this place to be colored by such sorrow. Anna's heart was tugged out of the depths by a soft, protective squeeze on her hand. Thankful that she wouldn't have to face the ordeal alone, Anna looked at her with something almost resembling a smile.

Eventually, she pushed onwards.

The message from earlier had contained an encryption key for a holographic recording and while entering it, Anna steeled herself for the unknown. She silently prayed that the video contained some kind of miracle, anything to lift her spirits. Breaths and heartbeats came to a halt, all eyes in the room transfixed upon the ghostly hologram of the dearly departed.

Elsa stared in silence. Without fail, every time she'd seen Anna's parents it had calmed her. Something about them filled her with a sense of strength, yet she could never articulate it. It almost felt like a hint of familiarity, as if they reminded her of Gerda and Kai.

Anna felt it too. Her heart finally caught a break from despair and numbness as her father's confident air and mother's loving aura worked their magic.

Within the glowing holographic display, Anna's parents took each other by the hand. Her father spoke up first, in his ever smooth voice. "You must be feeling very lost right now. It isn't fair to you."

Mother spoke up next. "I know we've been distant lately, and I hope you can understand. We have to ask you to be brave again. It won't be easy but we believe in you."

There was no agreement from Anna, who stood nearby, lifelessly looking at the ground. "What if I'm not good enough?"

Nearby, Elsa was leaning towards Anna, her hand outstretched. Just as she went to respond, the hologram cut her off.

"Of course you are, you're incredible. Don't talk like that!"

She gasped at the unexpected response. "Wait it can talk back to you?"

The holographic characters went silent, pausing in unison as the program detected Anna turning away. "Yeah… it's a simple AI that can answer some questions and hopefully provide closure. I'm told they're very helpful."

Elsa's hand finally landed gently on Anna's shoulder and she added, "I'll be here for you too."

Without a word, understanding was painted within Anna's eyes, as clear as day. Elsa gently nodded, and Anna turned back to the holograms. "You had a message for me?" she asked.

The image of her father leaned forward a bit, looking up at her, "Are you sure you're ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be papa."

He turned and went back into his original place, nodding at the other hologram. "Everything is about to change. CyberDynamics has a project called the SWARM. It's the most incredible thing I've ever seen. Anybody with a MedulNode can temporarily merge their minds to form a more powerful one."

"What's it like?" Anna asked.

"Crowds can move together in perfect unity. You can't surround them, you can't break through, they regroup instantly. They can move and think like one being, pooling their intelligence together to solve almost any problem."

Speechless, the two women looked at each other. Elsa quickly compared it against every piece of tech she could think of, as did Anna. Grim agreement was written on their faces in mutual understanding - If Hans assimilated enough drones, stopping him might be impossible.

"It isn't all bad though," Anna's mother said, nudging her husband with an elbow and smiling. "A hivemind of two is... perfect. Isn't it dear?"

Elsa read the innuendo instantly, blushing like a red giant. The prospect of literally sharing a mind with Anna was alluring, bordering on the irresistible. It was one thing to be lost in a world of supple skin and endless thighs, but another world entirely to actually feel Anna's passion directly. She shuddered as she imagined it. Would it be worth putting technology into her body?

The look upon her father's face hardened. "Hans has been stockpiling slaves so he can use them as drones. Now you know why we've been trying to rescue as many as possible. He has to be stopped."

Both parents linked their hands once again, and pleaded Anna to continue their work. "We know it's too much to ask, but please finish this. We can't."

"I will." Anna said, her face hard and cold. A single tear fell to the ground.

Mother spoke up, "One last thing. Though we're gone, we have one last gift for you. There's a space station floating by luna. Call the station manager Kai, and ask him to speak with Elsa. She's your sister, and very... unique. Find her, and tell her we're sorry."

In an event unprecedented since the tragic loss, Anna finally broke a smile. The timing couldn't have been more fortuitous, just when the pain nearly torn her heart down the middle, there was the promise of new family bonds to keep her sane. And not just anyone either! Someone as perfect, smart, loving and gorgeous as Elsa!

But something wasn't right. Why was Elsa crying? That wasn't okay at all!

"Elsa, what's wrong?"

Confused, pleading eyes stared back at her, flooded with tears, mussing what little makeup Elsa had been wearing into a multicolored mess. Her voice cracked as she cried, "Anna... I... I mean we... the VR room!"

"We made love. So what? You think I'm going to stop loving you because you're my sister?"

"I just don't want to lose you. I... I couldn't," Sobs overtook her, and she felt Anna's powerful arms wrap around her. For several minutes, Elsa rocked back and forth in Anna's embrace, pleading the same phrase over and over again. "Please don't leave me."

Gingerly playing with platinum white hair, Anna held Elsa close and gently reassured her, "I'll be whatever you want me to be, as long as I'm allowed to love you."

They sat in silence, holding each other for the longest time. When it finally became obvious that Anna wasn't going anywhere, Elsa began to open up about her thoughts, little by little. "It's kind of funny actually. This explains a great deal."

Curiosity had been piqued, and Anna couldn't help but ask, "What do you mean, snowflake?"

All the introspection and contemplation over the strings of fate, and how they had fallen in love in record time came back to her. This time with an explanation. "From the moment I met you, I knew you were special. It didn't take me long to figure out that we were tied together somehow, I just didn't know it was this."

"Clearly it's fate," Anna said.

"I don't believe in fate, Anna," Elsa started, finally looking her in the eyes. "But I do believe in the theory of genetic attraction. That will have to be good enough for me."

An epiphany occurred to Elsa. While she had been distracted by worrying about losing the love of her life, a much older quest of hers had finally been laid to rest. She rose to her feet, and looked back down at her sister who was sitting cross-legged on the floor, gazing up at her with wide, loving eyes. "If you don't mind... I'd like to go through father's things. I have a family history to catch up on."

Afraid that Elsa might be conflicted about the nature of their relationship, Anna decided it was best to temper her affection, backing away as she stood. "I'll make you something to eat if you want. It'll give you some time in your own head."

Her sister sighed emphatically, and replied, "I don't know how much more soul-searching I can take, after that trip last night but... you're right. I've a lot to think about. Thank you."

Twirling around at the door, Anna tempered her adoration as much as possible, giving a solemn look. "Oh, and Elsa?"

"Yes?"

"We don't have to tell anyone, you know. About us being sisters. Besides, people already accuse me of bestiality because I'm with you. What's one more stone to throw?"

Elsa's vacant expression and continued silence weren't exactly encouraging.

An agonizing half-hour later, and Elsa had finally figured out how to use her wrist interface to connect to her father's computer. Once she'd gotten into it, the long, curved monitor that surrounded her flashed to life. The first place she thought to look was the contact list, and the sight of Kai's name as an 'important' contact flared up some old animosity. Briefly, she entertained calling and pretending to be Agdar, just to see his reaction. Eventually though, she thought better of it, and pressed on to find Dr. Lancaster and all of the associates involved in their underground railroad operation.

What really touched her heart were the journal entries. There was one from 2028, where he was forced to downsize employment at Daedalus Aerospace. Slowly, Elsa's pulse quickened and rage built as she read about her father's despair at being forced by management to trim the 'least-productive' employees, who all just happened to be naturals. There would be no social safety net to catch them, since the government was still in tatters from the recent split. The only joy to be found was in the last paragraph, where he talked about the arrival of baby Anna, who had been delivered without incident.

"Finally I will have a daughter that I can laugh and play with, someone to keep by my side. She's already the light of my life. I know, from the bottom of my heart, that she will be a far better person than I."

She nodded to herself as she read. Anna had already come so far, done so much. If asked, Elsa would say that Anna was without a doubt the better than she was.

"Still... my joy is tainted. No matter how much I beg to see Elsa, Kai won't let me... just like I told him to. She deserves better than this. I can't believe I threw her away, locking her into a prison just because she's different. I hope she doesn't hate me."

Elsa shook her head vehemently. She may have hated him, once. But looking behind the curtain, she saw her pain mirrored within him and any trace of anger was cast aside. With great sorrow she dropped her head and wondered if she'd ever be worthy of the sacrifices made for her.

Silence filled the room; a deathly stillness reminiscent of eternity became Elsa's only companion. She sat motionless, trying to integrate the pieces of her lost family life. She wondered what she might have done in their position. Would she have been that strong? Doubtful, her entire life she'd been an emotional trainwreck, except when she was working. Not just that, but how expensive it must have been to get her there. She couldn't even figure how big of a sacrifice it was, let alone if she was capable of it. An intrusive thought reminded that there was more to be found. She could think about this more later. Another journal entry awaited, this one marked September 2044.

"I got a message from my contact K today. Another test on SWARM was completed. She said that the pieces are starting to come together. They've solved the desynchronization problem. She also mentioned that tempers among the team were getting heated, since their manager kept demanding the inclusion of something called a monarch node.

It's the reason K got ahold of me in the first place. Idunn and I were able to convince her to steal a copy of the project's documentation, but by the time she'd gotten it all the stuff about the monarch node had been chopped up. Despite that, it's still a real eye-opener. I'm not sure what to do..."

Her intuition, and a little help from Snow-G guided her towards the stolen documentation and it wasn't long at all until she had it. A glowing box appeared on the screen, replete with information. One look at how much was there and she grasped for a coffee that was nowhere to be found. 'I can't survive this without coffee!' she cursed to herself. It looked like she'd just have to do it the slow and painful way.

The documentation revealed the full name of the project: Synaptic Wireless Ad-hoc Remote-control Mechanism. It achieved the hivemind connections by taking senses and thoughts from augmented people, digitizing them, and sending them wirelessly to others. Telepathy and impulse sharing were achieved through sensory overrides in the person's medullary implant. Users connect by downloading software from a special device called a root node. The root node could also be used to shut down the entire hivemind, but further reading revealed that this was implemented as a failsafe, and could be removed in future generations if needed.

Hairs stood up on the back of Elsa's neck when she got to a particular engineer's notes. A rare few of the users suffered from bouts of psychosis, possibly caused by sensory overload. Instinctively, she checked the date. The stolen copy of the documents were just as old as the journal entry about them. She kneaded her fingers together on one hand and rubbed her scalp with the other. How long would such a thing take to fix? If they got lucky, Hans' plans might not get far. Then again, she reminded herself, he wasn't exactly a paragon of empathy.

Her nervous tics intensified as she got to the meatier part of the subject. Unfortunately, the section about decision making and control delegation was slathered in redactions, shadowy spots in the field of knowledge that was so desperately needed. There were bits and pieces... something about an alternate mode, references to the monarch mentioned in the journal. The fragments swam around in her mind like a charged storm, theories flashing out in bolts. Ashley and the rest of the underground railroad definitely needed to know about this.

Elsa spoke up as soon as the call went through "Ashley, are you available?"

"Hey! I wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon. You did a great job in Colorado, by the way. Is Anna handling everything well?"

"We're still a little shaken up about it... Anna won't admit it but the world feels... darker, somehow."

"It is... nobody is as reassuring as Idunn was," Ashley said, inflection dropping to the subdued.

No time like the present, Elsa figured. "Have you gotten access to that classified project?"

Hurried shuffling and huffing came across the line, accompanied by a hefty door slam. "Not quite... I keep bashing my head against the walls here but I can't get anything without tipping off security. Why do you ask?"

Shaking like one does when possessing forbidden knowledge, Elsa managed to spit out, "I've obtained everything. Construction schematics, API docs, user manual... Fa- erm, Agdar found everything. You have to see it."

The response was immediate, and Ashley's inflection turned imperative. "Send it to me over that VPN I hooked you up with, and use that e-mail I told you about before we left the Swift."

"Right away. Let me know when you've gone over it. I think we need to decide how to handle this together."

"Yeah, assuming they don't kill me next. Whatever this is, it's big."

"I concur. Please be careful," Elsa said before ending the call.

A knock at the door pulled her out of her daydream and back into the present, and she turned to see her... what was Anna now? Sister? Companion?

Lover?

Whatever she was, Anna stood in the doorway with both a steaming bowl, a mug, and a hopeful expression. Hearts fluttered in unison, and slowly, Anna strode across the room. The hot bowl slid onto the desk, and she leaned over to blow rippling waves into the soupy mixture.

"What is it?" Elsa asked.

"Clam chowder. One of my favorites."

'… And coffee,' she thought, tears of gratitude welling up.

For just a second she was consumed by the impulse, no the need, to kiss Anna. She desired nothing more than to send a heartfelt thanks straight through their connected lips, but just a shadow of doubt about kissing her sister held her back. The desire came forth mangled and tempered, manifesting simply as a caring "Thank you Anna." Before the words had died in the air, conflict gnawed at her.

"So," Anna started, nervously swaying. "What do you think of them? Mama and papa, I mean."

"My whole life I've wondered that." There was a long, silent pause as she pondered. "Mother reminds me the most of myself. The way she holds herself, the way she moves. I do the same thing. Father seems like a good leader, and he clearly puts the needs of others above his own. I really wish I had his strength."

In the glassy reflection of the monitor, Elsa saw Anna with one arm outstretched, reaching just close enough to touch, but pulling back at the last moment. How desperately she wanted to close that gap, and her subconscious whispered venom at her for being too cowardly to reciprocate. With a pained expression, Anna managed to offer, "I think they would be proud of you." She folded her arms, looking away. "You got the best of both."

Once again headed for the door, Anna stopped and clenched her hands on her chest over her heart, closing her eyes. "You can use the guest bedroom down the hall if you want. The house computer can guide you there if you ask."

Speechless, Elsa reached out to empty space, staring at the luminous threshold where her sister had recently stood. 'Anna... I never asked for this.' How selfish she had been in her caution, she thought. Why had she been doubtful? She dug her fingers in forcefully, forming a rock-hard fist. The anger of imagining her lover hurting to spare her feelings exploded into a vicious punch, punishing the desk nearby. Splitting pain shot up her arm, but it barely registered. 'Just kiss her you idiot!'

Powerful blasts of sonic goodness shot out of speakers, reverberating through the room. A fantastic world of light and steel projected out from Anna's massive wall-monitor, her in-game avatar weaving through the arena and wreaking chaos. Hot shots of righteous anger coursed through her, manifesting in twitchy reflexes. She'd replaced each of the enemies in the game with Hans' stupid face and was now exacting her revenge on the lot, yelling at each one as simulated gore showered the game world. Her fury was only amplified by the shreds of inadequacy that haunted her, fearful that she might have pushed Elsa away by being too insensitive to their new issue.

None of the distractions were enough to stop her from nearly having a heart attack when a knock on the open door came. Without even pausing her game, she turned her attention to her newly arrived companion. Elsa's hair was a mess, her makeup was nowhere to be seen, and her eyes almost as red as Anna's hair.

"I need cuddles."

The plush bed compressed under her hand as Anna patted it. "Come here sweetie, I've got all the cuddles."

The distance closed, and Elsa slipped snugly into the arms of her beloved.

"Tell me how you feel, snowflake."

She sniffled, her tears beginning to subside. "A tiny part of me says it's wrong to be in love with my sister. It feels... unnatural. But the more I think about it, the more I think that's just what the world tells me to believe." Elsa quite literally wore her emotions on her sleeve, wiping her eyes and nose with it. "If this is wrong... I don't want to be right."

"Snowflake," Anna started, ignoring the minefield of defining natural. "Do we really even count as sisters? Think about it. You're from the last generation to actually be born. Me? I was grown... in a lab. When I came out of the germination chamber they shot mama and papa up with drugs so that they'd feel the joy of childbirth."

Elsa gasped in fascination. "I had no idea!"

"And not just that... I mean look at how different we are," Anna continued.

Fingers dragged down cheeks, and Elsa briefly found herself disagreeing, reminded that they had much in common. But upon further study the differences became impossible to ignore. "You're right, we're quite dissimilar. And I don't even know what having a sister is supposed to be like."

Anna's voice strengthened, bolstered by conviction. "We can't have a typical relationship. Nothing about us is typical. Do you just pull parts off the shelf? I know you, you build things yourself. And that's what we're going to do. Build our own relationship, no matter what anyone tells us."

Without considering tone or implication, Elsa blurted out, "What would mother and father think?"

Anna gasped breathlessly, eyes wide in shock. She hadn't even considered it, and became rather withdrawn as she started exploring the question. The striking image of Idunn screaming outside a government building, holding up a sign demanding that violence against naturals be declared a hate crime was burned into her brain. The mood in the house when Agdar came home after a long battle with HR was just as poignant. Finally, Anna replied, "I think... they fought hard so that people could be free to live the lives they wanted."

"Even the lives we want?"

"Especially the lives we want."

Their faces were inches apart, repelled by only the faintest of tensions. Elsa gazed straight into her sister's soul, and all she could see was endless, undying love. Gently, she placed her trembling hand upon Anna's cheek. All that was her world was within arm's reach. She barely whispered "Anna... may I?"

"Always."

Their lips met; supportive, but not ravenous. Neither leaned into the other, the meeting of lips entirely mutual. From the sweet kiss, a feeling of complete comfort and acceptance spread throughout both lovers. Healed at last, they separated.

Mechanical eyes flitted in place, searching for a response. In turn, Elsa gently pressed her forehead against Anna's, and their noses just barely kissed.

Her eyes glimmering with a bead of teardrops, Elsa asked "Nothing will change between us?"

"Oh no, there will be change alright. Every day I'll love you more!"

"I don't deserve you Anna."

Anna chuckled, giving a beaming smile back to Elsa. "Well, one day the tech will get there and I'll be as good as you deserve."

'You know that isn't what I meant!'

Her mood was already beginning to lighten. How could anyone be this perfect? Elsa dared not actually question it, she just gave thanks that she was as fortunate as she was. Losing herself in Anna's good humor, she grabbed her bionic lover by the ribs and asked, "Tell me, is synthetic skin ticklish?"

"Hey wait no fair!" Anna exclaimed, writhing under Elsa's touch. She quickly found herself lost in laughter, and the two eventually fell off the bed, tangled in each other's embrace. "And speaking of no fair, I want a rematch for that race!"

Finding ever more enthusiasm for challenge in her newfound personality, Elsa put on a devilish grin, replying "Oh you're on!"

Barreling through the intricate neo-victorian home, the two sisters dashed and danced in an elaborate game. Anna dodged and dipped through the furnishings, letting Elsa gain a massive lead before closing the distance. The back doors flew open and the rambunctious cuties flew out, tearing into the night, the wind at their backs. Elsa's footfalls smashed down into the soft sand, kicking up splashes of lake water that shimmered against the sky like constellations.

For hours they played with each other, feeling out for any new boundaries or dynamics to their renewed relationship. They discovered little change and while Elsa laid her head down on Anna's lap, the two of them looking up at the heavens from the back porch, she decided that it was even better than before. Thoroughly beaten from their romp, they retreated to bed to recuperate. Anna promptly lost consciousness, the gift of instant sleep given to her by augments. Elsa was not so lucky. 24:00 came and went, and sleep was more elusive than it had ever been.

Despite being thankful that her new inner strength prevented the room from becoming a blizzard, Elsa still found herself perturbed. She tossed and turned. Loneliness was less her companion now than usual, her fractured soul beginning to heal but that was precisely what bothered her so. What if she lost this new strength? How was she going to make good on her promise to return Anna's constant heroics?

The underground railroad she'd encountered was comforting, for sure. Knowing that highly augmented people cared about the plight of those like her calmed her nerves a little, but it was impersonal at best. However, the remaining prejudice she had of augmented people had been decimated at the revelation that both of her parents were far from natural. It certainly gave her pause to think about what it meant to be human, about existence and the self, but that line of thinking lead to more questions than answers.

Thinking back to where she'd been a year ago, tucked away safely in the space station, no knowledge of the conflict on Earth, and deeply troubled about her future, the sleepless woman thought about how much she'd changed. There were times when she looked in the mirror and barely recognized herself. Without a doubt she did like the woman she'd grown to be, but the sheer speed at which she'd transformed was more than a little unnerving.

She knew that there was one sure-fire way to be strong enough to protect Anna. And it was starting to look more tempting than ever. But transitioning to something more than human might be too much change. Too quickly. The prospect gave her crawling goosebumps, an instinctual reaction. She really might lose herself, should she walk down that irreversible path.

Exhausted, she looked over to the nightstand, and nearly burst into happy tears. The family portrait she'd noticed in the living room the first night she'd been in the house stood upon it. In one of the most beautiful photo manipulations she'd ever seen, Anna had inserted Elsa into the image, smiling like she'd never smiled before.

Author's Note: I know some might not be happy about this story not being tagged as incest romance. Elsa's family was a mystery to be solved, tagging would have spoiled it. Remember it's just fiction!