PART VI: Star KillerCSS LEGEND, STAR’S QUARTERS

  No matter what era it is, there’s only one constant when it comes to technology: it’ll always malfunction at the most inconvenient times. Valerie learned this when her modified cell phone refused to call Sireli.

  “Come on, come on! Boot up, you piece of junk!” She sps the device a few times, and finally, the call goes through somehow.

  Now that she knows Bull has no feelings for her, there’s nothing left for her in the Gactic Confederacy. Luckily, the gaxy beyond Human space is full of opportunity. And once she informs Sireli, they can start over together.

  That is if she would pick up.

  “For God’s sake, you four-armed bitch! I don’t have time for this! Pick up the damn phone!!”

  *beep*

  “Huh? ‘New voicemail?’”

  Curious, Valerie taps the button, and a recording of Sireli’s voice pys. It was quite distorted and had a lot of disturbing background noise, but Valerie could make out what she was saying.

  “Vaxa’kiv, when you receive this, I am likely dead.” Valerie gasps in shock. Why? she asked herself.

  Sireli probably knew this was how Valerie would react because the next thing she said was, “I have uncovered valuable information and refused to share it with Ghiio. So, she has sentenced me to death.”

  “I have no allies left, so I will flee for the Lawless Lands, but my chance of escape is slim. Before I am found, there are some things you need to know.”

  There is a short pause, and then Sireli starts talking faster. Whatever was happening on her end, Valerie could tell she was pressed for time.

  “Despite her zeal, Ghiio is far more open-minded than other gactic leaders. She is the most willing to form an alliance with Humanity.”

  "Unfortunately, your own leaders are too set in their distrustful ways. I recommend that you propose my suggestion to another faction if possible.”

  When Sireli mentions reaching out to “another faction,” that gives Valerie an idea. Still, she puts it aside for a moment and focuses on listening.

  “To add to the subject of factions, the Confederacy is not worth your loyalty. You must tell your… male partner your thoughts on this. How he responds will determine if he is unworthy of your loyalty as well. Forgive me, but I believe he is.”

  Now I’m gd I never taught you the phrase “I toldja so,” Valerie comments. For someone who died single, you had good female intuition. Better than mine, at least…

  “The information I found is a secret passage to the heart of the Avnal Ij Asara. Ghiio’s pride will compel her to strike even though we are no match for them.”

  “I sent the coordinates of the passage in your alphanumeric characters. Use it wisely, for you can only use it once before the Avnal Ij Asara seal it.”

  Valerie gasps again, out of shock this time. A metaspace gateway that leads to the Scythe Empire would be the greatest discovery since vanil cupcakes.

  Even though Humanity prevailed in the Scythe Invasion, it came at a huge cost. Centuries of culture were lost, and Earth remains damaged beyond repair. Even now, this resentment fuels much of Human society, especially politics and technological development.

  To avenge their ancestors by destroying their ancient enemy would be the greatest accomplishment in Human history. And since a gaxy-wide civil war is currently going on, this dispy could also reunite Humanity behind the side that did it.

  “That is all the essential information. So, I will end with some personal words.”

  Sireli’s recording is almost over, but Valerie wishes there was more. In fact, given the day she’s had, she also wishes that she’d wake up in Bull’s powerful arms, and he’ll calm her down by saying it was just a bad dream. Unfortunately, if those things could happen, they’d be “hopes,” not “wishes.”

  “You may not believe it, Vaxa’kiv, but I sense something special in you, the strength to change everything. You must make your own path.”

  “One day, you will take that first step. Never be afraid, Valerie Star… Aka’ilun, and live well.”

  The message ends, and Valerie realizes she has started crying again. Then, the screen changes and shows the coordinates Sireli mentioned.

  “Make my own path…” “One day…” Valerie repys those cryptic words in her head. I think I know what I have to do.

  After memorizing the coordinates, she holds up the phone and smiles sadly.

  “Rest in peace, Sireli. Thanks for giving me a push.”

  CRUNCH

  Valerie then crushes the phone in her hand and stands up, filled with new determination. Sireli was right, it was time for her to make her own path. Time to make a real difference and stitch this war-torn gaxy back together.

  However, she was going to need help.

  CSS LEGEND, MIRROR SQUAD BARRACKS

  After making her way to the barracks reserved for Mirror Squad, Valerie gathers them together and expins her situation and her pn. Out of the two dozen people in the room, Raine was the first to react.

  “I think I speak for everyone when I say… Have you fucking lost it!?”

  “Gah! Don’t yell so loud, you’re gonna get us caught!”

  “We can’t defect to the Rebellion, V!” Raine yells, completely ignoring what Valerie just said. “Do you know what’ll happen to us!?”

  “Well, why not?” Valerie asks her. “You were the one who asked if I pnned to do something about the Confederacy’s problems. This is my final answer.”

  “It’s a God-awful answer!!”

  “Lieutenant, the least we can do is hear her out,” said Lewis, addressing Raine by her rank in hopes of calming her down. “What assurance can you give us that the Rebellion is the right side, Vice General?”

  Valerie clears her throat, it’s time for a speech. “The Rebellion is a chance for Humanity to change for the better. To free us from our true enemy: fear.”

  “Fear?” Raine cocks her head.

  “Our Confederacy knows fear keeps us in line. They fan its fmes to tighten their grip over us.”

  “And I refuse to let this stand!” Valerie stomps her foot for emphasis. “They may be beyond saving, but with our help, the Rebellion can take six centuries of mistakes and use them to build something better.”

  “For the sake of yourselves, Humanity, the future, don’t march to the beat of the Confederacy’s drum anymore. Instead, stand with me!”

  “We’re not like other squads. We’re a family, and no family should be forced to split up. I won’t force you to come with me, but let me just say…”

  Valerie removes the GSAF armband she wears on her right arm. “A better tomorrow is possible, but it starts with what you choose now!”

  She then rips it into two, renouncing her loyalty to the Gactic Confederacy. However, instead of filling the room with inspiration, her dispy makes it deathly quiet.

  “But… why now, V?” Once again, Raine was the first to speak up. “This change of heart can’t be just because you and an extie got all chummy. Be straight with us. What actually changed?”

  Valerie sighs. Her big sis may be bumbling at times, but there are moments when she’s way sharper than her machete. Against her better judgment, she decides to come clean:

  “Because Bull is… he was my lover.”

  A few Mirror Squad members gasped, not expecting this twist, but Raine just mumbled, “I knew it.”

  “We’ve been together since the Academy. He said it’d be a security risk if we made our retionship public. I never believed in the Confederacy, I only served for his sake. Now that he made his priorities clear, I just–”

  Valerie stops. There were no words strong enough to express her pain right now.

  “Vice General…” mutters Lewis. “In truth, I enlisted for a roof and a check, not to serve some spineless committee. Half the reason I stuck with this job is to serve with this squad. With you.” The young man becomes louder with every word as his confidence builds.

  “You were right. We are family, a family that you made. And we– I owe you for that.” Lewis stands and salutes Valerie. “So, I’ll follow where you lead, Valerie Star!”

  The rest of the Mirror Squad soldiers nod in agreement. The rookie scout’s words struck a chord with all of them. Because GSAF may be who they fight for, but Mirror Squad is where they belong. Valerie could sense many felt the same as him…

  …except for one.

  “I’m not completely sold.” Valerie shakes her head at Raine’s skeptical tone.

  “Oh, Lani…” she coos. “Did you know we’ve been friends for about nineteen years now? That’s as long as Byleth has been alive.”

  “And st I checked, in all that time, I haven’t steered you wrong once. You never doubted your little sister before, so why start now?”

  “We ain’t even real sisters, Valerie…” Raine scoffs dismissively, making the tter sulk. “Hell, I’m only three months older than you.”

  “Does it really matter if we’re reted by blood? To me, this squad is our family, and you are my real big sister.”

  She reaches her hand out towards Raine with misty eyes. “I love you as much as I loved Isaac, and I already lost him. I don’t want to lose you too… big sis.”

  After a moment of hesitation, Raine makes her choice… and takes her sister’s hand. Of course, she was careful not to extend her cws by accident.

  “Oh, to hell with it!” The lieutenant stands up and pumps her other fist in the air. “Let’s fuckin’ do this, people!”

  “Attagirl!” Valerie cheers.

  “But if we’re gonna commit high treason, V, I hope you prepared more than a badass speech.”

  CSS LEGEND, ARMORY

  Instead of storing equipment, armories on Confederate cruisers are filled with delivery chutes and automated assemblers. Soldiers digitally program load-outs beforehand and receive them in the armory. Any missing components can be rapidly manufactured on demand as well.

  Even though it’s an efficient and secure system, many soldiers still prefer to store their weapons and armor in their barracks. While a viotion of protocol, it’s more convenient, and most officers allow it anyway. Some soldiers even have their own armor stands that allow them to suit up in half the time.

  To avoid arousing suspicion, Mirror Squad divided into groups and took different routes to the armory. Once everyone arrives, Valerie removes the mask and cowl she was using to hide her identity.

  “Everyone all packed?” she asks. “Remember, we’re not coming back here anytime soon.”

  “Yes, but we’re a minute behind schedule,” Lewis informs her. “Raine refused to leave behind her collection,” he snitches.

  “I only took my best trophies, I swear!” Raine retorts while hefting the lumpy backpack on her shoulders. Valerie smirks at her before scanning her bow tie on a console, activating the armory.

  “I can only give you access for three minutes. Take only necessities, nothing more.” The soldiers grab their power armor and weapons of choice as they emerge from the chutes.

  “Wait, don’t turn anything on!” shouts Lewis. He takes out his phone and starts typing some sort of code. “I need to upload a patch that’ll disconnect us from the GSAF network.”

  “Then, hurry!” Valerie orders.

  It took Lewis exactly four minutes and twenty-two seconds to finish. After tying her long hair into a tight bun, Valerie turned around to address her squad as they put on their armor.

  “Alright, we got ten minutes before my ID is deactivated, so synchronize your clocks with mine. We gotta get to a ship before then.”

  She pauses, feeling some unease from her troops. “Anyone who wants to back out, this is your st chance.”

  However, nobody leaves, and Valerie’s heart swells at her squad… no, her family’s resolve. Still, a certain xenohunter quickly rains on her parade. Pun intended.

  “V, we’re outnumbered, like, a million to one,” said Raine. “And I may hate math, but I know how much a million is.”

  “Indeed,” Lewis agrees. “There’s only twenty-five of us; shooting our way through would be impossible.”

  “Maybe, but you forget that I know all of Bull’s strategies. Including how to counter them.”

  Putting a finger on her lower lip, Valerie thinks for a moment. In seconds, she comes up with a pn. “Lewis, hack into the ship’s electrical grid and get control of the lighting. That’ll give us an ace up our sleeve.”

  “Got it,” Lewis answers while tightening one of his vambraces. “Also, I wanted to ask earlier, but should we shoot to kill?”

  Valerie shakes her head. “Regardless of their orders, those are still people who fought beside us,” she expins.

  “Can’t make any promises, V. If I was in their shoes, not hurting the double-crossers would be the st thing on my mind.”

  Raine was right. Valerie and her squad may be well-liked, but the crew of the Legend are still soldiers of the Gactic Confederacy. And once Bull gives the order, they won’t think twice about shooting their former comrades.

  “Then, just do your best, Raine,” Valerie replies. “And that goes for all of you,” she says to the others.

  Finally, Valerie took off her psi-inhibitor bracelet and shivered as the psiotas flowed freely through her veins again. With a series of simple hand gestures, she telekinetically unfolds her power armor and reassembles it around her body in seconds. Raine watches with jealousy while trying to csp the one faulty tch on her chestpte, wishing she could do that.

  Summoning her helmet in her hands, the ex-vice general takes a final look at her reflection in the visor. Her blue pupils are making purple sparks from anxiety, but there’s no turning back.

  “Ready or not, here I come.”

  CSS LEGEND, CORRIDOR

  “I hear more coming ’round the corner. Based on the footsteps, it’s a whole unit this time!” Raine calls out from the front.

  Valerie ordered Mirror Squad to stay together, but Raine volunteered to take point. Using her acute hearing, she could better assess the heavy footsteps of armored Confederates than the others.

  Sure enough, a door to their left opens with a swish, and a band of soldiers in blue armor charge through it.

  “Go, kill those traitors! Fuck them up!” cried their leader.

  Valerie quickly shoots four in the legs, damaging their armor servos. Without those critical components, they won’t be able to walk, much less fight. However, her shots were also non-lethal. They’ll recover in a few days.

  Yet, to her dismay, the others weren’t so merciful. On her right, Raine sneaks up on a trooper and strikes a vulnerable point on his neck with her machete. Using the body as a Human shield, she grips her rotary rifle in one hand and mows down a bunch before taking cover to reload.

  Behind her, Lewis spots a heavy infantryman with a minigun lumbering in his direction. He swiftly hurls his tomahawk at him without a second thought. The heavy bde splits both the poor man’s helmet and his skull, and his body falls with a deafening thud. Valerie knew him, his name was Mika. He owed her ten bucks for watering his bonsai st yesterday.

  As the carnage continues, Valerie’s comm beeps. Without thinking, she answers the call.

  “Valerie, listen to me,” Bull pleads. “You don’t have to do this! I don’t want to hurt you!”

  “Too te for that, General, you already hurt me!” Valerie replied, her voice dripping with bitterness. “Star out!”

  After blocking his comm signal, she shoots the legs of another soldier while behind cover. Without realizing it, Valerie had depleted two of her six magazines. Though the retively lightweight nature of her dual pistols helps when using psionics, it also lowers the number of bullets Valerie can carry.

  “Time check?” asks Lewis. Someone grazed his helmet and damaged his HUD.

  “A little over seven minutes!” Raine yells back from the front.

  Having wasted much of her adulthood on the Legend, Valerie knew the yout of the warship like the back of her hand. The nearest shuttle hangar was twenty meters away and one deck down. In other words…

  “Then, we better pick up the pace!” Valerie swings her arm forward, signaling for everyone to advance. “Mirror Squad, let’s move!”

  They made it about halfway before another squad of GSAF soldiers blocked them off. In seconds, Valerie and her troops find themselves trapped on all sides. While no one on her side was fatally injured, thanks to the Silencer’s psionic efforts, that may change very soon.

  Fuck! Valerie swears mentally. Looking around, she quickly recognized the tactic being used against her. This is “mousetrap encirclement!” It was always one of our favorite maneuvers, I should’ve seen this coming!

  During this short tantrum, a light bulb turns on in Valerie’s head. She still had an ace up her sleeve.

  “Guys, things are looking a little too bright!” Valerie shouts, indicating her pn to Mirror Squad. Once she confirms that everyone got the message with telepathy, she turns to Lewis.

  “On my mark, By…”

  Lewis takes out his phone and hovers his thumb over a big red button on the screen. Soon, another door opens, and more blue-armored soldiers join the fight.

  “Lights out!!” Valerie yells.

  “Copy that!” Lewis presses the button, and the corridor is engulfed by darkness.

  “What the–! I can’t see!” cried a Confederate infantryman.

  Unlike him, the members of Mirror Squad preemptively activated night vision in their helmets. They work together to tacitly guide each other through the confusion.

  “The Vice General must’ve done it!” yelled a field commander. “Stop whining and switch to night vision!”

  “Got it… Aw, nuts! They’re gone!”

  By the time the Confederates regrouped and the lights came back on, they were the only ones in the corridor.

  CSS LEGEND, HANGAR 3-B

  “Dammit, the door’s been locked!” shouts Raine. “And I don’t got enough clearance to open it!”

  “Not a problem.” Valerie approaches it while purple psiotas begin gathering around her right fist. She still had a lot of pent-up emotions to let out. “You might want to take a few steps back,” she warns Raine.

  With a sharp inhale, Valerie points a glowing palm at the heavy metal door…

  BLAM

  The door is forced out of the bulkhead with a violent explosion and nds about twenty meters away with a heavy cng.

  “Lewis, think fast!” Valerie takes her bow tie out of her belt and chucks it to Lewis. “Use it to get one of the long-range shuttles going. Remember to disable the transponders and beacons. It should have enough juice to get us to Rebel space.”

  “Sorry, can’t let you do that.”

  A squad of infantry and bazooka marines enters from the side, led by Bull, who is in full armor.

  “Fire at will!!”

  The marines use their RPGs to destroy all avaible spacecraft. They almost succeed, but Valerie manages to protect the shuttle Lewis was in with a psionic barrier.

  “I should’ve known you’d do that too, General…” she mutters. Clenching her fists, she focuses her anger. Envisioning a lightning storm in her mind, sparks start coming out of her hands. “I don’t want to do this… but you left me no choice!!”

  ZAAAAPP

  Valerie hovers into the air, and psionic lightning arcs from her palms, charging the metal floor underneath the Confederates. The powerful voltage overloads the insution in their armor and incapacitates most of them.

  “Fuu…” she breathes. However, despite the electrifying assault, Bull and five others slowly start to get back on their feet.

  Valerie draws her pistols–

  *click… click*

  That’s not good, she thinks.

  She then checks the magazine pouches on her thigh, but they’re drained as well.

  And that’s even worse…

  She then looks at the rest of her soldiers. Their energy level mirrored her ammo reserve. Times like these called for a retreat, but someone had to distract Bull.

  “I have a feeling I know what you’re gonna do, V,” Raine whispers. “Mirror Squad, get your asses on the ship! Star will hold off the General!”

  Valerie nods firmly. “Do as she says! Tell Lewis to move out of weapons range and wait five minutes! If I’m not there by then, go without me.”

  “For your sake, V, I hope you got better with portals.” As Bull chambers his rifle, Raine dashes into the shuttle, and the others follow. “C’mon, move, move, move!”

  “Forget them! Focus on Star!”

  The shuttle’s engines engage, blowing everyone back. The Confederate soldiers then raise their weapons as psionic energy flows through Valerie’s arms.

  “Just try and stop me,” Valerie taunts.

  Not wasting a second, the five soldiers around Bull open fire. Valerie surrounds herself with a barrier, but one of the bullets hits her in the hip. Ignoring the pain, she quickly teleported behind the wreckage of a gunship and tried to make herself as small as possible. Meanwhile, Bull tells the others to split up and find her.

  Zone defense, eh? Bad call, Isaac.

  After healing her wound, she leaps up from hiding while creating a crescent of psionic swords behind her. When she hits the ground with a tactical roll, they fly toward Bull and his troops, who scatter to avoid them. Two of them get hit in the legs, and the bdes dissipate on contact.

  One of the remaining soldiers runs at Valerie while firing her gun wildly. With impressive agility, she leaps behind a pair of crates stacked together. Instead of going around, the soldier strategically pushes the top one to knock the tall Silencer forward. She then jumps on top of the other and aimed her gun at Valerie.

  “I gotcha now, you gray bitch!” she gloats.

  Rolling onto her back, Valerie uses her arms and core to throw herself forward feet-first, breaking the soldier’s chestpte. She flies back in an almost comical way, hitting her head on a trolley, and the impact knocks her unconscious.

  Meanwhile, a marine smacks Valerie from behind using his rocket uncher as a club. She falls into his squadmate who grabs her in a full nelson. Unfortunately for them, their former vice general has lots of experience breaking out of body locks.

  Valerie quickly sms her fist into her assaint’s codpiece and throws her head back, shattering his visor, while spping away the first one’s rifle. Before he could grab her again, Valerie pulled his legs from under him and then jumped on his head with her elbow. Her attack leaves a big dent in his helmet, and he doesn’t get back up.

  “C’mon, big girl!” The marine unclips his shock baton and extends it, twirling it dramatically. Rolling her eyes at his theatrics, Valerie dispatched him by telekinetically throwing the other crate at his head.

  Meanwhile, Bull waits for his ex-girlfriend to finish tossing grown men and women in power armor like ragdolls. Once the marine is down, the General takes advantage of the opening.

  *bang-bang-bang*

  Having anticipated his move, Valerie nimbly dodges the bullets with two aerial cartwheels while creating another throwing sword. She nds from her third with a spin, and the sword flies at Bull. But to his surprise, all she did was destroy his gun.

  “You didn’t even try to hit me!”

  The General reaches for his pistol, but Valerie destroys it too, before his hand reaches the holster. Quickdrawing in power armor rarely works.

  “I know,” she answers smugly.

  Bull may be a great fighter, but without a gun, he won’t st two seconds against Valerie, Humanity’s strongest silencer. He takes off his helmet and holds up his hands to pcate her, but Valerie isn’t having it. After all, he still had two knives, a gauntlet bde, and his martial arts skills.

  “Listen, I know Sireli showed you a way to destroy the Scythe Empire,” he reveals. “A secret passage that leads to their Core.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Valerie bluffs. Bull shakes his head in disappointment.

  “You may have many skills, but lying is not one of them. I found the pieces of that device you made and had it analyzed,” he says calmly. “Tell us where it is, and maybe we can still salvage this situation!”

  “Hell no!”

  “That information is very critical, Valerie!” he continues. “You’ll be putting a target on your back by hiding it!”

  “You taught me everything you know, Isaac. I can fight off any minions Congress sends.”

  “But why!?” Bull asked in a pitiful voice that Valerie had never heard before. “I don’t understand!”

  “Because I’m done fighting for the wrong side!” She pauses. “For your side…”

  “You mean…” Bull lowers his head and frowns. “So, this is how it ends? After all we’ve been through?”

  Valerie removes her helmet as well, sensing that their st conversation is about to end. She bites her lip and nods.

  “Yes.”

  Bull grips the knife on his right shoulder, then lets go. Right now, he couldn’t kill her, and he didn’t even want to try. Slowly, he turns around and walks away.

  “Get off my ship. Never come back,” he mumbles. “If we meet again… I won’t be so forgiving.”

  Valerie takes one step after him but then stops herself. She tries opening her mouth, but for the first time, she can’t find the words. Eventually, the General disappears through the main doorway. And his st thoughts were about fixing the door Valerie destroyed.

  With a wave of her hand, Valerie conjures a metaspace gateway to her own stolen ship in space. She can faintly hear sighs of relief from the other side. Her squad was waiting for their leader.

  “So long,” she whispers. “My love.”