***
After reuniting, Sam and I spent some time catching up, sharing everything we'd been up to in the past two months.
His first mission had been eliminating a newly spawned Dream Swarm hive on a mining world, killing an infant broodmother before she could burrow too deep underground to be found. His second mission involved reclaiming a critical weapons factory that had been overrun by Dream Swarm on another planet. Then, on his way to Helios Station, the warship he was on received a call for reinforcements from an active warfront—where he ended up slaying a pack of eight Dream Swarm titans by himself.
What Sam had accomplished was... incredible.
Then it was my turn.
I told him about exterminating a group of pirates from a salt refinery vital to the Empire's economy. About helping evacuate a warfront—where I killed a mutant KnightMare and held back an army of Dream Swarm alone. How I lost a duel to Brigadier Verwin. And, finally, how I infiltrated and reclaimed Helios Station—only to lose to that Freiheit insurgent who had a Constellation Knight of his own.
"Wow," Sam said, his voice dipping into something softer. "You had any problems with discrimination for being an AKP?"
I shrugged. "Here and there. The soldiers I've met don't really care about my origins. It's the civilians at the stations who keep their distance. But it's fine." My tone remained even. It didn't bother me.
Seeing that I was unbothered, Sam didn't push the topic. Instead, he grinned. "Heh. You've done way more amazing stuff than I have." His admiration was obvious. "Now I feel like I can't even show off. You fought against two Constellation Knights, while all I've done is crush some insects."
I waved my hands in protest. "I lost both times. And one of them was just a spar. The only thing worth praising is that I made sure the prince got to safety before he left."
Sam's expression twisted. "I still can't get over that. Did they offer you a reward or anything?"
I thought back to what the prince had said before leaving on the ship. "He asked me to go with him, but I refused." My brow furrowed. "Then he said... 'Marry me' for when we meet again."
Sam choked on his spit. "Wh-what?! Do you even know what that means?!"
I tilted my head. "No. I was going to ask Evan, but he takes every chance he can to flirt." I frowned. "What does 'marrying' mean?"
Sam groaned, tapping the grass in thought. "I can't believe you know what flirting is but not marriage," he muttered before sighing. "Okay, how do I explain this... Marrying someone means... giving the rest of your life to them. It's a sacred thing in the Empire. It's like—an advanced form of a relationship between a man and a woman."
I stared at him, unmoved.
Sam rubbed his face. "...It's part of how babies are made," he finally said.
A rush of heat spread from my cheeks to my ears. "Oh. Oh. Oh—aaahhh! What have I done?!" Panic surged through me as I jumped to my feet, running in frantic circles. "I'm a soldier! An AKP! I-I-I can't be marrying the prince! He's a child! Which makes it so much worse! Oh no—how did Traveler know this would happen?!?"
Sam blinked. "What?"
"Traveler!" I nearly shrieked. "He told me how babies are made and joked about me accidentally getting pregnant by marrying a noble!" I whirled on Sam, desperate. "What do I do?! Tell me! You're the only human between us!"
"First of all," Sam said smugly, watching me pace, "babies aren't made just by getting married."
I stopped. "What?"
"When a man and woman love each other very much, they go into bed and—"
"I know!" I snapped, my voice cracking. "Traveler already told me about sex! But why didn't he tell me anything about marriage?!"
Sam shook his head, barely holding back laughter. "I'm really questioning your teacher's priorities. What else did he tell you?"
"Nothing!" I exclaimed. "One thing goes in the other, then boom, nine months later, the woman is pooping out babies. That's what he said, word for word!" I collapsed to my knees, pressing my forehead into the dirt. "I need to run away," I mumbled, voice muffled by the ground. "Desert the military. Hide on some random world where no one will ever find me. Before the Empress executes me for improperly getting engaged to the prince."
"You don't need to go that far," Sam assured me as I whimpered into the dirt. "The prince is pretty young. He'll probably forget all about this in a few months. It's not even a real engagement. He might not even remember you at all if you do meet again by some miracle."
I hesitated. Slowly lifting my face from the dirt, I squinted at him.
"...Can AKPs even get pregnant?" Sam wondered aloud.
I blinked. "Supposedly, it's possible," I admitted. "Traveler told me my human part was first grown using engineered DNA, then surgery was performed to replace or enhance multiple parts of my body with technology—like the chips in my brain and the spirit amplifiers that make my body produce more potassium, sodium, and calcium than a normal human. But as far as Traveler knew, I should still have all the tools for copulation. He joked about it a lot after explaining it to me." I exhaled. "None of my professors ever gave me a definitive answer, though. They avoided me."
"That would definitely explain the growth in some areas over others," Sam muttered. I followed his gaze. He wasn't even subtly staring—his eyes lingered on my thighs, then my shoulders, before he gestured toward them.
"Urgh." I groaned, flopping onto my back. "Are you sure the prince will forget, Sam?"
He chuckled. "I'll give you Draco if I'm wrong. That help?"
I narrowed my eyes.
"I don't remember much from before I turned ten," he added, stretching out his legs. "Other than how horrible of a parent my dad was. If you asked anyone else, they'd probably say the same thing. But if the prince does somehow remember..." A wicked grin spread across his face. "Congratulations on becoming the future Empress."
I shot up. "Give me Draco now if you're just going to make jokes early." I reached for the red beetle, but Sam pulled away at the last second. Then I sighed, deciding to forget about the whole thing and change the topic. "You heard anything about Zero or Freya?"
Sam tapped his chin. "Hmm... I think I heard something about Zero attacking an insurgent stronghold in the Greyrot Quadrant. As for Freya—she got stationed at an archaeology site searching for one of the missing Constellation Knights." He smirked. "Both doing well for themselves, but I bet Freya is bored out of her mind."
"I've heard scholars pick on soldiers when they aren't getting results, so she's probably having fun in her own way," I huffed, now lying flat on my chest in the grass.
"Traveler tell you that?" Sam asked with a wry grin.
"Yes," I said firmly. "Everything he's told me so far has been true."
We fell into a comfortable silence, watching the quiet pond ripple as a stream of water trickled into it from the far side. The peace of this moment was rare, and I liked that. But not everything is meant to last.
"It's been nice catching up, Sam." I pushed myself up from the grass one last time, and seeing me rise, Sam followed suit.
"Where are you going?" He frowned. "We can still talk more, can't we?"
Gesturing toward Evan—who was sulking under the shade of a tree, aggressively eating a toastie—Sam reluctantly understood.
"He's getting restless letting us be alone this long," I explained. "He's supposed to take me to Rogue Raven's base, and he was nice enough to wait so I could talk to you. I shouldn't make him wait any longer."
Sam sighed but didn't argue. "I get it. But... there's still one thing I don't understand." His expression turned more serious. "Out of all the battalions, why that one? I'm not trying to dissuade you—I just want to know. Seeing the galaxy is nice and all, but that can't be your only reason, can it?"
I stepped to the edge of the pond, my toes just barely hanging over the water. "Traveler told me that too many ravens mean death," I murmured, watching the ripples below. "But in truth, they also represent transformation and rebirth. I... want to lay the old me—the one who failed when it mattered—to rest finally. And let the new me—the one who succeeds when I need to—be born."
Sam still looked a little dissatisfied, so I continued.
"Evan warned me not to join his battalion," I admitted. "Called it full of criminals and drunkards." A small smirk tugged at my lips. "But last night, I went through some of their mission reports with Andy. And despite their bad reputation, it's clear they're trying to help. They just—" I searched for the right words. "Operate differently. Not many people agree with their methods, but..." I exhaled. "I think that's exactly where I should be."
Sam ran a hand through his hair, then gave a small, apathetic smile. "You won't be able to change your choice once we get ordained by the Empress in three months," he reminded me. "But since you're so damn firm about it... I won't use that favour you owe me to force you into my battalion before you leave."
I shot him a wary glance.
"...I think Fenrir was planning to do something similar for your punishment when he finds you, though." Sam smirked. "Just a hunch."
I rolled my eyes at his conniving tone and stepped past him. "If you ever need me, I'll come running, Sam," I promised.
He nodded, and I turned away, feeling the weight of our short reunion settle in my chest. Maybe that's what made this moment memorable—because it was fleeting.
"Evan," I called. "I'm ready."
"Finally," he groaned, tossing the last of his toastie into his mouth. "Let's hurry to Hangar-1, then. My ship should have enough space for the both of us." He packed up his heat press and strode ahead, and I gave Sam one last wave before heading off, following the path out of the vivarium.
As we walked, Evan rubbed his hands together like a scheming villain.
"We'll need a way to sneak past the commander," he muttered. "Think your AI can make a distraction?"
"Andy should be able to." I frowned. "Why, though?"
"Fenrir's got it out for my commanders," Evan said plainly. "Plus, excluding you, Rogue Raven already has three pilots with Constellation Knights in its ranks. Adding you makes four—and officially makes us the battalion with the most CKs." His voice took on a mischievous lilt. "I wonder how those fancy bastards in Whistling Claw Battalion will react to that? Heheheh~."
We reached the elevator, and as we stepped in, I placed my pilot helmet on, double-checking the thruster pack resting on my waist. "Andy, are you ready?"
[A distraction and clear path are ready, pilot. Waiting for the signal.]
I took a slow breath, steadying myself as the elevator plummeted through the floors. "On your mark, Evan."
"Okay." He cracked his neck. "Three. Two. One." The doors slid open, and Evan bolted out. "GO!"
[Activating distraction.]
The hangar's intersection lights flickered wildly before cutting out completely, plunging the entire area into darkness.
"Ahh!"
"Why are the lights out?!"
"Don't tell me the electrical grid is on the fritz again!"
Muffled shouts rose as personnel fumbled in the darkness. Evan and I slipped between them unnoticed, weaving through the chaos until we sprinted into Hangar-1 without issue.
"I'm going to need the lights back on!" Evan shouted.
[Reactivating lighting.]
The hangar burst back into full illumination, and Evan instantly cursed. "There! That's my ship!" He pointed to a landing pad two floors up, his voice sharpening with anger. "Who the fuck moved it?!"
I followed his gaze, spotting his ship parked at a higher dock.
"If she's been damaged, I am suing someone!" Evan growled, sprinting toward the stairwell leading to the upper floors.
A sharp voice cut through the hangar. "I found Pilot Firefly!"
My stomach twisted. A man stood pointing directly at me, and others quickly followed his gaze.
"She's in Hangar-1! Someone send a message to the General!"
My heart jumped into my throat. "Oh no—Evan!?"
"Don't just dawdle down there!" Evan bellowed from the landing pad of his ship. "Get up here!"
I turned toward the stairwell—only for the crowd to lunge after me.
"Don't let her get away!"
"Someone catch her!"
"She has an accomplice!"
I sprinted. Adrenaline ignited in my veins as I hit the stairs, but the crowd was fast, gaining on me— I had no time. My thrust pack on my waist ignited and I launched myself up the stairwell, my thruster pack bursting to life with each climbing jump up the wall of the staircase toward the second floor in a single leap.
"Get in the back seat!" Evan barked over his shoulder as the glass shield of his spaceship lifted open. Opening a way inside for him to climb into his seat.
The ship was a sleek grey, its large wings and single tail giving it the silhouette of a predatory bird. But as its thrusters purred to life, it was clear—this was no mere creature of flight. It was a machine built for deep space, a metal beast engineered to carve through the void.
I climbed into the seat right behind Evan, and the cockpit shield sealed airtight over us, cutting off the world outside. As I strapped in, I glanced through the reinforced glass—just in time to see General Fenrir storm into the hangar. His sharp gaze locked onto me immediately, his glare like a dagger.
"Evan!" I warned, pulse spiking. "The general is coming straight for us!"
But in front of me, Evan kept tapping away at the console, unbothered. "Oh, right. I forgot to get that fixed. Eh, it'll last until we get to base." He flipped a few switches, then grinned. "Guess we're just going to go then!"
Grabbing a lever, he shoved it forward. The ship rumbled, thrusters heating up as we lifted off the pad, hovering into the middle of the hangar.
I spotted a familiar slot near my seat and wasted no time plugging Andromeda into the ship's systems, hoping he could assist Evan.
[Emergency hangar lockdown has started.]
"What?" Evan snapped, startled by the sudden declaration. He whipped his head around, and sure enough—the massive hangar doors were closing. "Damn it, they are!" He gritted his teeth, fingers flying across the controls. "Thrusters aren't ready yet. Your AI—Andy, right?—make it stop!"
[Do you wish for that, Pilot Firefly?] Andromeda's voice asked me directly.
I exhaled sharply. It was too late to hesitate now. "Yes. Abort the lockdown."
At my command, the closing doors halted, freezing in place with a sliver of open space remaining. [They have engaged manual emergency shut. The hangar doors will not get any wider, Captain Trey.]
"Well, they're wide enough!" Evan growled. With a final flick of switches, he slammed his foot down on the pedal and twisted the steering. The ship lunged forward, its engines roaring as it twisted ninety degrees on a dime, barely slipping through the gap.
For half a breath, the hangar doors loomed around us, the metal edges scraping dangerously close.
Then—we were through. The black expanse of space swallowed us whole, and Helios Station vanished behind us.
"And we're out! Woohoo!" Evan whooped, his voice crackling with triumph as he angled us deeper into the starry abyss.
The station shrank in the distance, a mere pinprick of light in the void.
"Next stop—Rogue Raven base."