The drive to campus seems almost to go by in a blur, I mostly keep my eyes closed in a half-hearted attempt to sleep the entire drive away. I never really get to sleep but the trip seems to only take moments to my delight. Once in the dropoff zone I thank the driver and get out of the car metal feet on the ground. I hurry to my dorm to get some shoes on if I am to be outside much longer. At least I don't have to worry about stepping on glass.

As I hurriedly walk through campus I notice the silence on the island. I don't hear anything. Normally campus isn't super loud on its own, but you never realize how noisy a place is until all sound is gone. There are no conversations, no people playing in the quad or any of the parks, and no distant sounds of AMS training or combat. The day isn't exactly nice either. It's overcast and the wind is a little chilly. Of course, it never gets truly cold in this part of California but the cold and gray skies really make this place eerie. I make it to my dorm eventually not seeing another soul. I get into my room and slide on a pair of sneakers and decide to do some exploring.

I wander through the empty pathways and streets looking for anything of interest. A few of the campus restaurants are open and I see people inside but their expressions are solemn and I am not very hungry at the moment. I continue my walk and see most buildings are in fact open and have lights on or people inside but everyone seems very tired or glum. I head for the arena and see it is nearly repaired. The huge building is missing a layer of paint and a final top section where the explosion destroyed it. The damage of the battle seems to be mostly fixed. I leave the area and its ghosts behind and go to the main strip.

The strip is the same as the rest of campus. Quiet and with nearly no one outside. I walk around and see the very hollow-looking people inside eating and drinking. I guess the events the past couple of months have been rather brutal on people who aren't prepared or have great mental fortitude. This mixed with the shitty weather makes for a dreary day that just takes a toll on someone. Just a day to stay inside and do whatever. I hope I'm right about these things as I really don't want anything extra to happen that's shitty. Life is chaotic enough at the moment, we don't need anything else. At least the terrorists, human traffickers, or whatever they are considered now are gone, or at least soon will be gone. This should make everyone happy when this little war ends.

I may not be hungry but I could go for something to drink. I enter what looks like a sports bar and find a seat easily. The waitress is kind but reserved. I order a small order of fried cheese sticks and a soda. The televisions are showing daily sports. I find very few interesting. I have no clue what the rankings are or anything for any of the major sports, plus for football at this time, it is nearly time for playoffs and championships. I'm still a bit mad I missed a couple of holidays. At least I haven't missed Christmas although campus doesn't seem to be in much of a Christmas mood.

I take my handheld from my pocket and check the date, something I haven't been keeping track of. It's December 20th, and I haven't done any shopping, why the hell hasn't anyone told me! That and why aren't there any normal decorations about? I know not everyone is a Christian but the cultural aspect of Christmas shouldn't have just disappeared in nineteen years. I finish my small snack and as I pay I wish the waitress a Merry Christmas. It seems to catch her off-guard but it does put a wide smile on her face. She says to me,

"Well, thanks for that. I haven't been wished a merry Christmas since I was a little girl. You've made my day young man."

I just smile back as I leave and head back out. I find the mall is still open and get to shopping. It is difficult to shop it seems. Firstly I have to decide to who I should get a present to or even a card to. Then from that, I have to decide what they would want or even like. I decide on Dusty, Kassandra, and the old man. I really am not close or even like anyone else, and even though I did just have an issue with Kassandra, she is my benefactor at the very least. I may be mad but she still is taking care of me.

The easiest one is the old man as he seems like the type to just be happy to get anything. Dusty is getting a fairly cheap but good quality speaker, and Kassandra is getting a nice card as I cannot find anything she might like, or that I can ship. In the end, I spend less than two hundred dollars which I find quite nice. I return to my dorm and with a duplicate of Dusty's gift, I begin playing what my handheld considers 'Classic Christmas songs' which are songs from the 2010s all the way to my time. I then begin jamming to the upbeat music and begin putting cards in envelopes after writing a nice message and wrapping the one gift. My music is fairly loud but not extremely so, but I am hoping others do hear it, bring some cheer if I can.

There is a knock on my door and I turn the music down as I go to answer. I crack open the door bracing it with my entire body as I won't' be jumped like that again. On the other side is Genevieve. She doesn't seem mad at the sound but more curious. I realize she may be confused, having been born and raised in the Solar Empire. Their religion is based around their emperor or empress, the Idea of Christmas may be completely foreign to her. I greet her cheerily and apologize if my music was too loud. She shakes her head and then says,

"No, no, the music isn't too loud, it's just the only sound. I'm just quite surprised you are back on campus. I got a general report on what happened in Alaska, and I assumed you got hurt bad, most of all I heard you acted quite heroically despite the situation."

I shake my head and reply,

"I wouldn't say heroic, I just did what was needed to be done when no one else was able. Anyway who the hell is calling me a hero?"

She gives a slight half-smile and says,

" Well, you saved over one hundred imperial women and your actions are leading to the salvation of many many more. That and the high priest is ranting and raving about saving his daughter. Eloise is reclusive after that, but her father wants the savior of the girls to be made a saint or something. I think he was just really worried and is now very relieved. "

I nod along and reply,

"Well makes sense she would be reclusive after what she went through. Also, I doubt she'll want to see my face anytime soon. I may have seen her naked, plus I had to make some pretty nasty lies to escape captivity before I could save them. I nearly gave the poor girl a heart attack."

Genevieve laughs and says,

"I think she'll get over it. Your name hasn't been said nor a picture of you but upon a description from one of the girls described you pretty damn well. Plus how many people do I know are missing a left ring finger?"

I laugh at this and open the door fully offering her entry. She takes my offer and sits in my desk chair and I sit on my bed. She continues,

"... Yeah, but I think what you did was quite good. Maybe not heroic but definitely the right thing to do."

I nod and then ask,

"So space girl, tell me, why are you stuck here? I thought Seraphina is off world at the moment."

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Genevieve gives a low laugh and says,

"She has a palace full of servants and the best soldiers in the empire as her guards. I have duties here to attend to. Especially after the fiasco with the prime minister and whatnot."

Her face drops some and I get what she is probably talking about. That ginger jackass is probably still here and political shenanigans are going on. I let out a long sigh and ask,

"You wanna vent about it or find something else to talk about?"

She shakes her head and says,

"I don't want to make my issues anyone else's."

I reply,

"That's kinda stupid to think, it sounds like the issue is caused because it is other people's issue already. Might as well talk it through it see if the burden can be somewhat alleviated."

She gives a sad smile and then nods slowly before explaining,

" You know the deal that Seraphina and I made with the prime ministers' son? Yeah... He... well has gone beyond our past agreement and is using the current political turmoil to further his own perversions. Pretty much threatening to get his father all riled up again if I... or Seraphina don't attend to his needs, and since I am her most faithful servant... I fulfill those duties. That's pretty much all that keeps me here instead of by my lady's side."

I frown and furrow my brow. I am unsure how to feel almost. I am angry that someone is being that perverse and on the other hand, I don't want to get mixed up in Imperial politics. It's absolutely fucked what's going on but I don't know the culture they have whether or not to have a major problem with the situation. That and the way it sounds, this agreement is keeping major conflict from happening. It's an absolutely fucked situation. I cannot act but I can support Genevieve, despite our rocky relationship no one deserves to be treated as an object for primal desires. I won't act, but if that dick gets smart with me I won't hesitate to rearrange his facial structure.

I let out a long sigh and say,

"I don't know what to say. I don't have any advice. Due to my position and overall place I can't really help in any meaningful way. All I can say is my room is a refuge if you ever need it. Just ask or knock on my door and you'll be allowed entry. Nothing in space or on this planet can get to you here unless they are able to get through me. How's that sound?"

She gives a kind smile. and says,

"I would like that, thank you... I might take you up on that sometimes if I need to."

There is a mad pounding on my door and she stiffens as I walk past her towards the door. I turn the handle and to my great displeasure, Claus Shelford barges through the door. His face is almost matching his hair, bright red. To my surprise up close he isn't overweight like I assumed, instead he is terribly skinny and could really use a few hamburgers and a workout. Another interesting thing, despite being a male from the Solar empire, I am taller than him. The average imperial male is six-four or five. Something to do with the gravity on other planets and during space travel. He stands at a might five foot ten or eleven, and at most weight one hundred and forty pounds. It's almost comical but I keep ti to myself. I simply ask calmly,

"Oh, son of the prime minister, for what do I owe your rude entry?"

He looks me in the eye and scoffs before saying,

" I am here for what I am owed."

I decide to mess with him some. I cock my head and ask,

"What do you mean? I haven't borrowed any money from you, nor have I really interacted with you."

His face reddens even further and he replies more frustrated,

"Genevieve. I am here for her. I need her right now."

I put a fake look of confusion on my face and ask,

" She didn't say she had any business today? I'm sure you can wait for some time right? I was enjoying a wonderful conversation about holiday festivities."

He seems to start glowing at this point and I realize he may have never in his life ever been told no for anything. How in the hell has someone lived for around nineteen years and not matured a single day? He now shouts putting a finger in my face,

"Now listen up you common earthborn trash! I am worth more than a dozen times than you! My time is worth many times more than yours. I don't care if you were having a conversation! I want her now! I will have what I am owed and you big dumb sack of shit will no longer get in my way!"

My face drops into a stoic look of anger. I was angry on the inside at him for barging in from the beginning but I guess my time for fun is over. I don't like his attitude and on top of that, this is my room, my castle, and my domain. He will not push me around here, plus since she is a guest I won't allow that kind of disrespect from an uninvited person. I simply grab his finger and slightly bend it backward. His wrist is wimpy and it goes back too until I place his finger on his own lips and say,

"SHHHHHH, enough talking out of you."

This greatly surprises him and makes him madder and as he starts to respond I interrupt,

"Choose your words carefully or don't speak at all. You came into my room, disrespected me, and from what I can tell, upset a guest who was invited. Make your words count or you may lose function in one hand."

He pauses for a moment considering the threat. He struggles his hand free and takes one of his dress gloves off. He slaps me with it which I understand is a duel challenge but since this isn't the 1800s and not in the Solar Empire, that in fact is assault, and he threw the first blow,

" I WILL NOT BE TOLD WHAT TO DO BY SOME BIG FUCKING EARTHBOR-!"

His sentence is stopped by a right hook. He is down and holding the side of his head screaming and crying as if I just pulled a knife and stabbed him. I squat down and pick him up by his collar and drag him into the hall. I toss him roughly to the other side and say in a stern voice,

"I don't care what you are owed, anyone in my room or domain is under my protection, if they don't want to go, they won't. If you come into my room again I'll make sure you're taken out on a stretcher by a medical team. After that, I hope you'll have a decent gravestone to piss on."

He lays there moaning and sobbing and I leave him returning to my room. I close the door behind me drowning out most of the sounds. I roughly sit down on my bed and give a hearty laugh. I then say to Genevieve,

"What a fucking bitch"

She just stares at me wide-eyed for a few moments before her eyes get a little watery. There is silence for a moment before she says in a quiet voice,

"Why did you do that? It only will cause you trouble. I would've obediently gone with him... Why?"

I shake my head and reply,

"Are you a dog or something?"

She shakes her head and I continue,

"Okay, then you have no reason to be obedient. At least for things that are awful as that. Even a soldier shouldn't blindly follow orders, follow them of course, but not without thought. Also, you are in my room and are an invited guest. I refuse to let some dick tell either me or you what to do."

She keeps looking at me and then says in an almost pitiful voice,

"Why are you like this? Despite my lady and I doing wrong towards you, you still saved my lady's life, you took me fishing, and now you protected me. Why? What have we done to deserve even one of those things?"

I let out a long breath and say,

"It's an archaic way of thinking that my dad taught me. He always told me that a strong man isn't one who took what he wanted. A strong man is a man who protects others who need protection. That answers the first and last thing. The fishing thing was more of a, I like fishing and I like sharing fishing with people. It was never a matter of who you were or how well I've been treated, at the end of the day you two were in danger, while different kinds, it was still danger and if I see someone who needs help in front of me, that I understand needs it, I'll do my best to help out."

She nods along and asks,

"Is that why you fought during the terrorist attack?"

I nod and she then continues in a nearly inaudible voice,

"No one has ever done anything for me before... I've always served... thank you, Mike."

I just nod and stay seated and quiet. I notice the sobs have disappeared. Good, he finally fucked off. She seems deep in thought about something so I don't do anything to break that concentration. She then asks in the same quiet voice while looking at the floor,

"Will you please help and protect me and my lady?"

I think for a moment and respond,

"If I am there and you need help, regardless I will do what I can, but don't call me up about it. What I am saying is, if in front of my eyes, either of you needs help or protection I will do what I can, but I cannot by most likely legal reasons, cannot go out of my way, if that makes sense. At the end of the day, I am a common-born person with no real authority."

I see her smile some and she stands up still looking away from me. She thanks me and leaves the room in a hurry. I hear her door open and close after she leaves. I hear no voices or anyone else. I lie back on my bed and ask myself,

"Oh boy, what have I gotten myself into this time?"

I decide to waste the night and afternoon and kick off my boots. I close my eyes and go to sleep, where nothingness awaits me. Just how I like it. No thoughts mean no potential for bad thoughts. I just hope I didn't accidentally start a civil war in space...