Chapter 13

  Sending a Message

  The action on the battlefield had come to a dim. Occasionally a red or orange firework would light up the sky, but there would be no great final show.

  Mira had only been able to land three more flare attacks on unsuspecting Reds. None of them were direct hits. She didn’t know if it was a skill issue or a subconscious issue, but she couldn’t hit her opponents dead on.

  The six guards with them had gotten little action since the ambush. Outside of a quick scuffle with an orange star, they had been left alone. In all likelihood it was due to how sparse the Ruber had become. Was it thousands? Was that how many had been slain in this battle? Mira hadn’t been counting the explosions, but she was positive it was close to that number.

  “I may have to make some adjustments to your training and personal life,” Castor said.

  Mira held her lips closed, watching the sky for more targets as he had requested. Was he taking Atlas and the others away from her?

  “It's abundantly clear my training has been overshadowed by this lingering moral dilemma.” He almost spat saying the words.

  Mira held in her tears.

  Apollo burst through a parted ash cloud and floated down to the quarry. His sword was covered in a thick coat of soot. He landed before Castor. “All but finished, our final surveyors are looking for holdouts and any sign of the purple comet. I saw you were making some use of Mira. Though I do suggest we still do our flyover to give stories for the few survivors to spread back to their homes.”

  Castor nodded.

  Apollo motioned for Mira to put back on her armor and lifted off into the sky.

  She clicked on the metal band.

  Igniting his feet, Castor launched into the air, gesturing for Mira to do the same.

  She took a quick breath from her nebulant before following.

  The six guards followed them. The rookie boy still looked distraught from what Mira assumed to be the friend he asked about earlier. She guessed he hadn’t spotted her yet.

  “Mira, I want you to make a show of yourself,” Apollo told her. "Give them a spectacle they won’t be able to forget.”

  Mira nodded, flame curling her arms and legs. Flaunting her colors, she waved her limbs, creating bright patterns in the sky.

  Mira saw other blue stars below her, all stopping to watch as she passed over the destroyed outpost. In the distance beyond a large boulder, she could make out two bodies, neither in uniform. Their ragged clothes indicated they were Ruber. One she could tell had blue eyes.

  They were a rarity among the Ruber. From her classes, she knew Ruber blues' main purpose usually wasn’t to fight. It was for bridge making, a skill lower-class stars did not possess.

  Castor seemed to notice them as well and dove down.

  “We need to leave the bridgers!” Apollo yelled out to him. He instructed the group to begin circling back around the facility.

  Mira continued her show. It was a numbing practice. At least right now she hadn’t been instructed to kill. But I needed to be a killer, she told herself. It seemed so easy for everyone else. This is all Atlas’s fault, she thought to herself.

  A few surges of light escaped from her hands. She melded the light into blades and struck them at a nearby building support. They burned into the metal, dissolving all the way through. It was frightening how her flame could dissolve through the solid metal. She didn’t even know if she had been fully aware of what she was capable of.

  After her flyover, they returned to the upper rim of the quarry. Other soldiers had also begun to reconvene. Mira watched the boy soldier. He was still frantically searching for his friend, asking people around. She had a feeling she didn’t want to see how that search ended.

  Castor finally returned some five minutes later. Ash covered his hands.

  “What took you so long?” Apollo questioned.

  “Saw a few more,” Castor said. “I wanted to leave a message.” He shook his hands of ash. “They weren’t willing to listen. The bridger is aware of their mistake.”

  Apollo nodded. “Very well.” He turned to the rest of the soldiers, all of them now gathered. “Good work out there, legionnaires. Squadron 4 I’m leaving you here until Legate Taurus returns with a new crew. I doubt they’ll consider reclaiming so soon, but stay undercover and update through the transponder everyday. I know there are still a few around. I hope they think logically and traverse back home. I think this is a battle they’ll remember, and let’s hope they will never again think of stealing from the Greater Systems.”

  **BREAK**

  Mira exited back out the bridge, back at Helyx, accompanied by Castor. It had been four days since she left. It felt longer, so much longer.

  Castor motioned for her to part ways. He was to meet with Arcturus to discuss the mission, future plans, and new accommodations for Mira’s misfires. If anything, it was cruel of him to make her come back here before those were finalized.

  Mira exited out into the hallways. They didn’t look the same to her anymore. She had trained to makeuchus proud—herself proud—but instead she felt guilty, and the tunnels reminded her of her passions. She just wanted to see her friends, her brother, maybe even Rigel.

  Mira could tell from the lighting of the building that it was evening time. She made her approach towards the dormitories, where she suspected them to be at that time.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  She floated in front of the dorm door. Opening it seemed frightening. She didn’t know how she would explain it all to them. But she wanted to. She pulled the door open only to be met with a dark, empty room.

  She sighed. She didn’t know if it was in relief or dismay. Dropping her bag on the ground, she went to hide up in her bed. A slurry of words echoed around her head: scared, weak, stupid, disgraceful. She believed she was those things wholeheartedly. If she didn’t learn to do better, she would be a shame to her nation. She almost screamed those words, hitting her head into her pillow. That was until she heard a soft knock on the door.

  “Mira?” a voice asked.

  “Shit,” Mira whispered to herself, recognizing the voice of her brother. She cleared her throat. “Come in.”

  Atlas opened the door. The lights still hadn’t been turned on.

  “It's dark in here,” he said. “Brace yourself.” The electricity crackled on. He looked up to her bed. “Mira?”

  Her back was turned to him. “Yes, it's me. Good observation.”

  “Do you want to talk about your… trip?” he questioned hesitantly.

  She was silent for a moment, thinking of an answer. “They said I'm the key to finishing the war. They liked what they saw. They want to see more of it. Stars, I killed so many Ruber. So many.” She hadn’t turned to face him.

  “What was it like? Killing?”

  Mira’s face froze. Tears formed in her eyes. “What do you mean?” The words barely slipped out of her throat. “I'm not pathetic; killing is easy.”

  There were a couple of moments of silence. “I’m glad you’re back,” he said. “I was worried sick about you. We all were. Why didn’t you say goodbye?”

  At this point Mira couldn’t hold it in anymore. Tears rolled off her cheeks, and she couldn’t withstand the urge to rub them away.

  “You were right,” Mira struggled to say. “I can’t do it. I can’t fucking do it. I’m a failure. I failed Castor, I failed Emperor Arcturus, and I failed the Greater Systems.”

  “Mira, it was your first time, and I don’t know, maybe… We were talking to Rigel,” he started.

  That set her off, and she swung down from the bed. She faced Atlas, her cheeks wet with purple tears. She jabbed a finger into his chest. “This is your damn fault, you and Rigel. You got in my head. You stopped me from being my full self out there,” she cried. “It's your damn fault!”

  Atlas took a single step back.

  “But you were right,” she finished, dropping her head. “I don’t want to do it. I don’t. I wish I wasn’t born this way. I wish I was someone else.”

  Atlas, unsure how to respond, wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

  Mira’s body was trembling, but she was able to raise her arms and return the embrace.

  “You can be whoever you want to be,” Atlas said.

  “No, I can’t.”

  “You can take us away. We were talking with Rigel. We should go, get out of here, out of the Greater Systems. We could find our own nebula. And you can learn to make bridges, the farthest ones, and with them we can explore the universe.”

  Mira quivered. “I think I would like that…”

  “Really?”

  Mira pulled away from him, the realization hitting her. “Wait, no, we can’t actually leave.”

  “What do you mean? Of course we can. You’re the strongest star in the universe,” Atlas replied. “We can go anywhere.”

  “What about the war? They need me. They still do.”

  “Mira, the war—I think you should listen to what Rigel has to say.”

  “No, I shouldn't listen to him. I can’t.”

  “Mira, is this seriously what you want to do? Be honest with yourself.”

  “Maybe not, but it’s what I’m needed for.” She crossed her arms.

  “Don’t let them tell you how to live, Mira. This is your life, not theirs.”

  Mira huffed. “No, no, I can’t. I'm going to end the war, and then we can be happy.”

  “At least come talk to Rigel.”

  She could see the pain on his face. How she had given him a moment of hope just to tear it away. What could she do, though? She couldn’t abandon an entire civilization. No matter how much she would love to run.

  “Please."

  BREAK

  Castor stepped out onto the Helyx observing balcony.

  “Ah, Castor, you found me,” Arcturus said, looking back at him from the railing. He was draped in his orange toga and held a chalice-shaped nebulant in his hand. “So how was the battle? Did Mira live up to our expectations? I see you didn’t bring her along.”

  “She’s not ready,” Castor replied, leaning against the balcony railing. “She shows flashes of greatness, but she’s hesitant. The passion is not there yet.”

  “Well, I don’t like to hear that,” Arcturus replied. “Do you think you can get things in order soon?”

  “She just needs a push in the right direction.”

  “Anything in mind?”

  “I think I have something,” he said, fixing his attention on the Emperor. A short smile scorned his face. “You have my word that she’ll be ready when you need her next.”

  Arcturus nodded and took a short breath from his nebulant. “You’re the person I would put my coins on. I trust it.”

  Castor stared off into the Helyx nebula “I think it's time we look towards the Miracle Nebula.”

  “You think we can get there with her?” Arcturus smirked.

  “It is her namesake.”

  Arcturus drummed his fingers on his chalice. “Given your persistence to it, I have to think you see something I don’t, but if you truly believe it hosts the energy Ophiuchus needs, then I’m all ears. Though I don’t like wasted energy, so these efforts better not be fruitless.”

  “They won’t be.”

  **BREAK**

  Mira entered the room alongside Atlas. Inside she spotted 6 people, Stephen, Yue, and Rigel being three of them. Alongside them was one other woman instructor Mira didn’t know and two students, both with light blue emblems on their uniforms. One was a girl with ginger hair and pale, freckly skin, and the second she knew to be Sola. The same girl she had put in the infirmary. Mira looked at her, clear discomfort on both of their faces.

  “Mira!’ Stephen yelled. The tension in the room was cut. He ran up to her, pulling her in for a hug.

  Mira had difficulty reciprocating, but she was glad to see her friend.

  Yue waved to her, and Rigel gave her a soft nod.

  “Did Atlas fill you in?” Stephen asked.

  Mira gave a short nod. “I can’t leave with you.”

  Everyone in the room was staring at her.

  “What? Why?” Stephen questioned.

  “I’m needed here, but I… I’ll help you leave,” Mira said. “And when I’m done here, I'll come find you.” She rubbed her arm, glancing over to Sola.

  “We can’t go without you,” Stephen replied. He looked over to Atlas, realizing he had tried to convince her just the same. Stephen resorted to Rigel, hoping he would be able to say something to change her mind.

  He opened his mouth to speak. “I don’t think this is your war to fight, Mira. I know you’ve always felt passionately about it, but I think you should consider—”

  “No, I’ve made my decision. I don’t want to hear some bullshit,” Mira interjected.

  “It's not bullshit, Mira. This fight isn’t one you want to fight,” Rigel said.

  “Just because you’ve been through some shit doesn't mean you know everything,” Mira snapped back. “Look, you’ll be safer without me anyway.”

  Rigel sighed disappointedly. “If you change your mind, let us know.”

  “I’m here to assist in bridge transport. I was told you could teach me.”

  Rigel nodded. “It’s been a while, but you should be strong enough to learn how to conjure a bridge far enough away in a matter of days. Unfortunately, the capital has safeguards in place for rifts and bridges, which is why we need you so we can get somewhere outside their reach. Afterwards we can decide where to flee to. There are plenty of communities on the outskirts that Ophiuchus doesn't have much influence on.”

  “Then that’s the plan. I'm not changing my mind, so don’t ask.” With that said, she looked at all of them. “Let me know when I’m needed.” She turned before she could hear anyone’s arguments or see anyone’s disappointed faces. Exiting the room, she prepared to dive from the dock.

  The door was caught behind her. Mira groaned, turning to meet the person.

  It was Yue. She pulled the door closed behind them.

  “What do you want?” Mira asked.

  “I’m not here to convince you differently,” Yue said.

  Mira nodded her on.

  “I need a favor.” She handed Mira a small brown booklet. “Everything you learn, I want you to write in the book.”

  Mira examined it. A black pen was strapped against the binding. “Why?”

  “I have questions. I won’t get the answers out there. Maybe you can solve them for me. And when you’re done, you can return it to me.”

  Mira sighed. “Fine.” She tucked the item into her uniform.

  “Maybe it will convince you of something too.” She turned and entered back into the room, the door closing behind her.

  Mira shook her head. She drifted off the ledge and into the hallway. Her eyes slipped past the passageway Castor hid behind.