"Run, or I'll smash in all your heads! That's it—keep moving!"
Commander Peter's roar cut through the crisp morning air, his presence looming over the exhausted trainees. He reminded me of the drill sergeants back at the Fallen Moon facility, the ones who oversaw the pilot cadets' training with the same ruthless energy.
"Dan! Move it, or I'm adding ten more laps!"
Struggling to keep up, Dan—the weaker of the two twins—huffed in frustration and shot us a glare. "How come they don't have to do this?"
He pointed straight at me and Nicole, who were comfortably seated together, while Jason lay stretched out in the sun, enjoying a midday nap. The jealousy on Dan's face was impossible to miss.
"Because they actually did what they were told yesterday and weren't caught sneaking back inside at midnight," Maya answered, snapping pictures of the exhausted group before casually turning her cameras lens toward me and Nicole. Looking down at us, she asked, "You two comfortable there?"
Nicole, sitting on my lap, leaned back lazily against me, her fingers tapping away at her handheld game. I was watching, intrigued by how effortlessly she won match after match.
"Oddly, yes," I admitted.
"I know I am," Nicole said, shifting slightly to get more comfortable. She let out a blissful sigh as she secured her twentieth consecutive win against online opponents. "It's like Firefly is my victory charm."
The device in her hands—the same one she had used to hack and secure her new mind-jackers—had been glued to her since we got back. I had assumed it was just another tool for her computer skills, but now I was curious. "What's that thing you're using called, Nicole? You were using it a lot yesterday."
"It's a D.S.I.—Dual Screen Invader." She spoke without looking up, her focus locked on the falling puzzle blocks she was expertly aligning. "Made it myself using parts from tablets, phones, computers, and consoles. Pretty nifty, if I say so myself."
"It stacks as a high-spec portable gaming PC with unlimited access to any network in the area. Plus, it has its own unlimited 12G data."
"Incredible." I had no idea what half of that meant, but I could tell it was something to be impressed by.
Before Nicole could respond, a groan broke through the air.
"Urgh..." Tom collapsed onto the ground, completely spent. Dan followed moments later, hitting the dirt in exhaustion.
"That'll do for morning training," Peter announced, watching as Valerie and Evan slumped down beside them. "Rest for ten—then Second Lieutenant will handle the second half of training."
A single eye cracked open from Jason's sunbathing spot. "Seriously?"
Peter scowled. "You're joining them, punk."
Before Jason could protest, Peter grabbed him by the head and hurled him onto the ground with the others.
I instinctively hugged Nicole closer, keeping her from suffering the same fate. "Why is the Commander always so angry when talking to Jason? Evan too, for that matter?" I whispered.
Still playing her game, Nicole replied without missing a beat. "Jason used to be part of the Solar Investigative Bureau. That's under the same faction in the Empire that our battalion is constantly at odds with—the Viper Horn Battalion."
I frowned. "Why are we at odds with them?"
"They're damn snitches, that's why," Peter grumbled, clearly overhearing us. "Anytime we do the slightest thing wrong, they go running to the Judicial Office, reporting every little detail to try and get us punished. 'Oh, they did this!' 'Oh, they broke that!' That damn general of theirs is obsessed with laws and regulations. It's annoying how clean he always is—like some kind of madman."
Nicole leaned in closer and whispered in my ear. "They confiscated all the money the Commander won from gambling when he hit it big. He absolutely hates their general's guts."
"Oh..." That explained a lot. Traveler had taught me about gambling before, even played a few games with me. I could understand why Commander Peter held such a grudge against Jason if he used to work for the same people who took away all his winnings.
"Aren't you supposed to be preparing the second half of morning training, Second Lieutenant?" Maya asked, sliding into Jason's now-empty seat. "Not afraid Peter might include you in it?"
At her words, I could feel the Commander's gaze land on me with far too much interest.
"I already set it up earlier, though," I said simply.
Maya raised an eyebrow. "You did?"
Reaching down, I lifted a small, fuzzy creature into view—a baby boar. "Its mother will be here in a few minutes."
Maya's mouth fell open, her brain scrambling to process where and when I had managed to find a baby boar. Meanwhile, Peter let out a loud, booming laugh.
"Pahahaha! Oh, this is going to be fun!"
A shrill squeal suddenly pierced the air. "SQUEEE!!" Bursting through the trees, the enraged mother boar charged forward like a force of nature. The five trainees scattered in a panic.
"Why is it chasing me?!" Dan screamed, just before his sister tackled him out of the way. The boar rammed its tusks into a tree with enough force to snap the trunk clean in half.
For the next hour, the scene played out like some kind of comedy act. The five of them—Jason now included—did everything they could to stay out of the boar's path while Peter doubled over in laughter. When I finally deemed the training sufficient, I set the piglet down. It squealed happily and trotted over to its mother, the two of them retreating into the forest as suddenly as they had appeared.
The battlefield was left in ruins.
Tom had been flung into a tree. Dan had been stomped on repeatedly. Evan had spent the whole time hiding under a fallen log. Only Valerie and Jason still had the strength to remain upright, panting and covered in mud.
Nicole, unfazed, glanced at me. "Why didn't it come over here at any point?"
"Animals have keen instincts," Peter answered, still chuckling as he clutched his stomach. "You might not have realized, but Firefly's been oozing out bloodlust since the mother arrived—kept it well away."
Satisfied, Peter wiped away a stray tear from his laughter. "Nice training plan, pipsqueak. I'll take notes for next time these idiots need punishment."
Before I could respond, Andromeda's voice cut in. [Pilot, two new Constellation Knight energy signatures detected—approaching fast.]
Looking toward the trees, I noticed Peter's posture shift. My gaze followed his as two figures emerged from the forest—a man with a dishevelled look and a woman in crisp, formal military attire.
"Yo!" The man, likely in his mid-thirties, waved lazily before taking in the disaster zone. His brows lifted in mild concern. "What happened here? I was expecting a grand welcome—not to find everyone half-dead on the ground... or in a tree, for that matter" His finger pointed toward Tom, who was still slumped in the branches.
"Heh. As if I'd ever give you a warm welcome, you bastard." Commander Peter smirked as he bumped knuckles with the man, his usual scowl giving way to something that resembled joy—if such a thing could ever be attributed to him. "How was the audience with the Empress?"
"Interesting," the woman answered, casually flipping her twirled black hair over her shoulder. Her voice carried an air of authority—calm, yet razor-sharp. "As of last week, all missions assigned to us will involve the elimination of the Freiheit insurgency. The goal is to completely eradicate them before the next grand war with the Dream Swarm. Things are going to get busy soon."
"More work means more pay, at least," Peter mused, finding the silver lining.
His gaze drifted down to where Nicole and I sat, his amusement shifting to something more evaluative. "Yeah, this is the new recruit. Fresh out of the pilot training program and a Constellation Knight's Pilot." He gestured toward me. "Introduce yourself, pipsqueak."
Nicole shifted off my lap, and I quickly stood beside Peter, straightening my posture before bowing toward the two new arrivals. "H-hello. My name is Firefly, or AKP-11,003. Pilot to CK-14, Andromeda. It's an honour to meet you both."
The man, Tony, eyed me up and down—not in a scrutinizing way, but like he was assessing a new piece of equipment, checking for dents or defects. Finally, he gave a small nod.
"Alright. You pass. Welcome to the battalion."
I blinked. "Excuse me?"
That was... far too easy. Especially considering how Peter had fought me in this very field, trying to drive me away. The boulders were still there. The trees still bore the scars of our battle. And now, all of a sudden, I was just in?
"I have my application form here," I began hesitantly. "Shouldn't it be submitted—"
Before I could finish, the woman—Monica—snatched it from my hands, swiftly signing it with a flick of her pen before folding it and tucking it into her pocket.
"The procedure is done now. Welcome to the battalion, Miss Firefly." She gave me a firm nod. "I am Vice-Commander Monica Dubois, and this is General Tony Gregoria. You can ignore him, as all orders come from me."
Tony raised a brow. "Am I not your superior?"
Monica didn't acknowledge the question, already moving on. "The mission board will be updated soon. Assignments will be given based on available personnel and skill sets. If you have any issues or concerns, come to my room and we can discuss them." Her gaze met mine, unreadable. "I look forward to working with you, Junior."
"Thank you..." I murmured, though something about her tone sent a chill down my spine.
It was the same feeling I got from Freya—an unshakable sense of being prey before a predator. I made a silent decision right then and there: I would never go anywhere near the Vice-Commander's room.
Unconsciously, I reached behind me and clutched Nicole's sleeve. A creeping sense of unease settled in as I felt the weight of their stares. Tony's was simply observant. Peter's grew more annoyed the longer I lingered. And Monica's... hers was impossible to decipher.
All three of them towered over me, like mountain peaks looming in the cold, making my unease grow by the second.
I wanted to leave. Immediately.
"I-I'll head inside," I stammered, taking a cautious step backward. "Thank you for allowing me to join the battalion. I'll await further orders in the living quarters."
With that, I turned on my heel and made a swift retreat, practically dragging Nicole along with me.
Once we were inside, I exhaled deeply, letting out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
"You good?" Nicole asked, raising a brow. "You look like you're under a serious debuff right now."
"Just... a little mentally drained." I rubbed my temple, trying to shake the lingering tension. "Being near all three of them made me feel... crushed. If that makes sense. Please help me out if I ever get cornered by them again."
Nicole smirked. "If you help me escape Peter's future torture sessions, sure."
"Deal."
Satisfied, she stretched before heading upstairs. "I'm gonna play some co-op. You can watch if you want."
I considered it for a moment, then shook my head. "I'll keep working on the garden. I still need to refill the pond and water the seeds I planted."
"Alright. You know where I'll be~!" She called, disappearing up the stairs.
Left alone in the dimly lit lobby, I inhaled deeply, letting the stillness settle over me. I could only hope I would never have to go through a moment like that again.
Though deep down, I had the sinking suspicion that I would.
It was impossible to tell whether their stares held interest in a junior... or the hunger for a test of strength.
Maybe both.
***
"It's hard to imagine such a fragile-looking girl actually took down the mutant KnightMare," Tony mused, watching Firefly work in the garden's empty pond, carefully arranging rocks. He folded his arms, eyes narrowing slightly in thought. "Say, Peter, you no doubt tried kicking her out. What's your take on her as a pilot?"
Leaning back on the couch on the second floor, I shrugged. "She's definitely skilled. Compared to her usual attitude, it's like she flips a switch—one second, she's this harmless kid, and the next, she's a merciless pro. Might just be her programming as an AKP kicking in from the excitement. Otherwise, it's hard to imagine the same girl who's currently teaching herself how to garden could kill anything."
By the window, Monica stood silent, gazing down at Firefly with her usual unreadable expression. Chilly as ever.
"There's one other interesting thing about her," I added, glancing at the two of them. "She's Traveler's apprentice."
That got their attention. Both turned toward me, clearly not expecting such a revelation.
"Apparently, Fallen Moon Base was a little more... experimental with its training this time. They brought in regular pilots to teach the cadets how to produce as much bio-electricity as possible. No one picked her since she ranked dead last. But for some mad reason, Traveler decided to train her himself."
Monica muttered, "Being trained by him would certainly explain how she took down the mutant. Anything else of note?"
I thought for a moment, then just said whatever came to mind. "Eh... she lacks common sense. An efficiency freak. Has the cuteness of a white ferret. Pretty much your average twenty-year-old girl—just quicker on her feet. Oh, and get this—she found Tanya Clefsi in the city yesterday."
Tony stiffened, stepping away from the window. "I'm sorry—what? She found that psycho doctor? The one from before we were even cadets? Right next door?!" He rubbed his temple, baffled. "H-how does that even happen? People have been searching for Clefsi ever since she blew up her lab."
"Yeah, I was shocked too." I reached beside me, pulling out the police report. "Jason and Nicole were with her. Took her out to get some common sense about the outside world, and they came back with a police report and a picture of Clefsi in detainment."
I handed the report to Monica, who took it without a word.
"Oscar will be back tomorrow. His squad will pick her up and escort Clefsi to Palace-World once they restock. Should make the big wigs happy and keep them off our backs for a while."
Tony scoffed, smirking. "Oscar and his boys will be glad to stay out of here, at least." He glanced at Monica before leaning back against the wall. "It's going to take a full month for the sudden redirection of the Nymphas military to start sending new missions our way. You want to try teaching our cute junior a few things, Monica?"
Still reading, Monica said nothing. When she finally finished, she shut the report and shook her head. "Knowing Traveler's temper? If we try to train his student, he might just come and tear this place down. I'd rather not have to rebuild the compound again. Destroying it once when cleaning out its miscreants a few years ago was enough."
"That's... an unfortunately fair point." Tony huffed, looking mildly afraid.
We all had our fair share of crazy interactions with that wannabe philosopher. Best not to provoke him. He has a history of randomised destructive behaviour after all.
"Still, we can't just let the kid do nothing for a whole month." Tony scratched his chin. "Anything we could send her on, Peter?"
"Not as far as I'm aware." I shrugged. My gaze flicked across the second floor to where Nicole was absorbed in her game, barely paying attention to us. "I sent everyone into the city yesterday so she wouldn't just be sitting around. Could send a message to Whistling Claw Battalion's general, see if she has any missions we could take."
Monica dropped the report onto the couch and turned toward the stairs.
"And where are you going?" Tony asked.
She didn't even glance back. "To 'test' our new recruit."
There was something in her voice that sent a shiver down my spine. A sharp, calculating chill.
Tony and I exchanged a glance.
"She won't kill her... right?" Tony asked, sounding less than convinced. "Monica's cold-hearted, but she wouldn't kill someone as harmless as Firefly. Would she?"
I scratched my head, choosing not to answer. "I'm grabbing a beer." Pushing up from the couch, I decided whatever Monica had planned could wait. Right now, I needed alcohol.