The landing pad hanger buzzed with activity as Jax and I stepped into the chaos. Workers scrambled over the Razorwing's hull, sparks flew from welding torches, and the rhythmic clanging of tools created a hectic symphony. The air was thick with the smell of fuel and burnt metal, and the hum of machinery reverberated across the expanse.

Zara stood by the Razorwing, barking orders to the maintenance crew. Her dark hair was pulled back into a loose braid, revealing a face that was all hard lines and focused determination. She folded her arms, her expression an unreadable mask of annoyance as we approached.

"Cutting it close, aren’t we?" she said, her tone dry as she gestured to the work being done on the ship. "The upgrades you requested aren't even finished yet, and now you want to leave within the hour. I’m not a miracle worker, Alex."

"Close is better than late," I replied, stopping a few feet away from her. "You think she'll be spaceworthy?"

Zara shot me a look that bordered on offended. "The Razorwing is always spaceworthy, but pushing this hard, this fast... there's no guarantee everything will be running at one hundred percent. If something goes wrong, don't blame me."

"I won't," I assured her. "I just need her functional enough to reach Drakara."

A small smirk tugged at Zara's lips, though it was gone as quickly as it appeared. "Functional, I can do," she said with a nod. "The shield emitters are being recalibrated as we speak, and the weapon systems are receiving a final diagnostics check. The FTL drive’s a bit temperamental, but it should hold."

Jax tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. "Temperamental, huh? That doesn't exactly inspire confidence."

"Do you want me to lie and say it's perfect?" Zara snapped, her eyes narrowing. "We’re lucky to have gotten the parts we needed on such short notice. But if Alex wants to take this ship to Drakara, then he’s going to have to make do."

I felt a sense of relief despite Zara's words. There was a sort of reassurance in the way she took pride in her ship, even when faced with impossible demands. The Razorwing might not be the Vanguard, but it was far more trustworthy in my mind.

"We’re taking the Razorwing," I said as I glanced over to Jax. "Let the Vanguard know to jump in 40 minutes. Zara, did they get you a class 2 FTL drive?"

“Yes.” Replied Zara almost instantly. Her eyes lit up. “They pulled it from a military assault cruiser. Can you believe it? I have Military tech onboard.”

Jax shook his head as he scratched at his chin, giving a thoughtful hum before turning to me. "You know the Vanguard’s captain isn't going to be thrilled about this. They were supposed to be your personal escort to Drakara."

"He can fume all he wants," I said, dismissing the concern with a wave of my hand. "We’ll rendezvous with the Vanguard in orbit around Drakara once they’ve scouted the jump route. For now, I want to keep some distance between us and anything my father set up."

Zara’s eyes flickered with interest as she listened to the exchange. "You really don’t trust your old man, do you?"

My jaw tightened. "Not when he insists on handling things his way. I’ve learned to expect hidden motives."

She studied me for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Alright. We’ll push to get everything done. It should be able to lift off in forty-five minutes. If you’re coming, make sure you’ve got everything you need."

With that, she turned back toward the maintenance crews, barking another set of orders.

Jax made his way toward the Razorwing’s open cargo ramp as I followed behind him. The hum of the ship’s systems gradually rose in pitch as the modifications continued. The interior of the Razorwing was vastly different from the last time We had flown. It had been a worn-down mess of missing panela and a slap-happy collection of wires hanging everywhere.

No. Now everything was cleaned. Wires no longer crisscrossed the walls and roof. Most of the panels had been replaced. Almost making the interior look like a normal ship. A faint smell of oil and metal hung in the air, mixing with the subtle scent of the recycled atmosphere.

I found a place near the main hold to sit, letting out a breath that I hadn’t realized I was holding. My mind was a whirl of thoughts about Drakara. About what awaited me there. Civil unrest, the factions questioning my legitimacy, and the uncertain path ahead weighed heavily on me.

I could feel Jax’s gaze on me. He wouldn’t say it, but I knew he was worried. My adoptive father’s words echoed in my mind. ‘You were raised for this. Don’t let me down.’

"Got that look in your eyes again," Jax said, leaning against a bulkhead with a rare casualness that didn’t quite match the concern in his voice. "The kind that says you’re thinking too much."

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Just... wondering what’s waiting for us on Drakara," I admitted, not looking up. "If the situation’s really as bad as my father says, we’re heading straight into a powder keg."

Jax grunted. "Well, if it’s anything like he described, there’ll be no shortage of people who want to take a shot at you. Best be prepared for things to get messy."

"That’s why I’m taking Zara’s ship," I replied, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of my lips. "If we’re going into a mess, we might as well do it with style."

Jax chuckled, pushing off the bulkhead. "If you can call this style. But hey. I can’t think of an argument against it."

As the minutes ticked by, the Razorwing’s engines finally roared into life, filling the landing pad with a deep rumble. Zara emerged from the cargo hold, wiping grease from her hands with a rag. "She’s as ready as she’s going to get," she announced, her voice carrying a hint of satisfaction. "The diagnostics came back clean enough, and the FTL drive's stabilizers should hold. We’re good to go."

"Then let’s get moving," I said, pushing myself up. "Drakara’s not going to wait."

Zara gave me a sidelong glance as she started up the ramp toward the cockpit. "You sure you’re ready for this, Alex? Going to Drakara isn’t just about showing your face. Once you’re there, you’re in it for the long haul. There’s no walking away."

I hesitated for a moment, feeling the weight of her words sink in. Jax must have talked to her. I let out a sigh as I nodded. "I know. But if I’m going to do this, I’ll do it on my own terms."

Zara’s expression softened, a rare moment of approval crossing her features. Almost like she knew exactly what I meant. "Ok then. I'm packed. I didn’t really have anything holding me here. Let’s go make some noise.”

With the engines roaring to life and the ship trembling beneath my feet, I made my way to the cockpit. The seat beside Zara was waiting for me. As I strapped myself in, I felt a jolt of nerves hit me again. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

The Razorwing shuddered, lifting off the landing pad with a groan as if protesting the strain. Once we were clear of the pad and hanger, we climbed rapidly, the ship rattling against the atmosphere's pull, and for a heartbeat, I wondered if it would hold.

Zara's voice cut through the comms chatter as she spoke with flight control, her tone steady as the ship breached the clouds and the vast blackness of space came into view. I glanced out at the stars, feeling anticipation and dread knotting in my chest. This was it. I couldn’t run from this anymore. The academy option was completely closed to me now.

I let out a long, slow sigh, the breath misting faintly in the cool, recycled air of the cockpit. Drakara was waiting on the other side of this jump—a powder keg ready to blow. Civil unrest, factions questioning my legitimacy… my father’s voice echoed in my head again, a nagging reminder: “You were raised for this. Don’t let me down.”

The Razorwing gave a final lurch as we broke free of the atmosphere, the ship settling into the smooth glide of orbit. I could feel my pulse quickening, the weight of everything pressing down like gravity still clinging to me. Then, Jax’s voice cut through the tension, pulling me back to the present.

“Well, look at that,” he said with a dry chuckle as he unbuckled and stood leaning against a bulkhead, his arms crossed. “We actually made it to orbit without the ship giving us any attitude. I owe you a drink, Zara.”

She shot him a sharp look, the corner of her mouth twitching into what might’ve been a smile. Or is it just a twitch? “Shows how little you know,” she said with a trace of mock indignation. “The Razorwing’s got more grit than you give her credit for. She just likes to keep you on your toes.”

“Yeah, well, let’s hope she’s done keeping us guessing,” Jax shot back, glancing at the console lights with a sceptical eye. “Last thing we need is a temperamental ship when we’re neck-deep in an FTL jump.”

Zara’s gaze softened, her fingers tapping the edge of the controls as she finished her check. “She’ll hold together,” she said, her voice low but firm. “But don’t get too comfortable. If something goes wrong, you’ll be the first I let you know. I mean, somebody will have to fix it. And guess what? You just volunteered.”

Jax raised his hands in mock surrender. “Wouldn’t expect anything less,” he quipped, then turned his gaze toward me, a sly grin spreading across his face. “See? It’s not just you who’s sweating bullets.”

I huffed out a short laugh, the tension in my chest easing a fraction. “Good to know I’m in such confident company,” I replied, the sarcasm in my tone cutting through the lingering unease.

“Confidence has nothing to do with it,” Jax said, giving the Razorwing’s hull a light tap as if to reassure himself. “We’re all just doing our best not to fall apart.”

Zara muttered under her breath. But I managed to catch it. “I’ll give you ‘not fall apart’.”

I shook my head as The comms crackled. Zara started to speak to whoever it was as she set a lazy course out to space. “Ok. We are clear to jump. Heading to the Jump point now.”

I looked out the front viewport as the stars seemed to stretch and shimmer against the dark void like a sea of shattered glass waiting to swallow us whole. The Razorwing’s engines hummed beneath me, a low vibration that ran through my bones.

"Jump coordinates locked," Zara said, her voice calm but her hands moving with a practised urgency over the controls. The ship's systems buzzed, building a charge that seemed to pulse in the air around us.

Jax slid back into his seat, his grin replaced by something closer to determination. "No turning back now," he said, and for once, there was no hint of sarcasm in his tone.

"Never was," I replied quietly, my gaze fixed ahead. The jump point loomed in the distance, a flashing beacon against the black void, the gateway to whatever awaited us on Drakara. My pulse quickened, matching the rhythmic thrum of the ship as we accelerated toward it.

The Razorwing gave a final shudder, and the stars outside blurred into streaks of white as we breached the jump. It was like stepping into a storm, the ship vibrating as though it were about to tear apart, and then everything snapped into stillness, and we were adrift in the endless dark.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. The weight of our course settled firmly on my shoulders. The academy was behind me. Drakara lay ahead, a storm I had no choice but to walk into. But at least now, I was moving forward.

“Next stop, Drakara,” Zara murmured, breaking the silence.

The Razorwing surged onward, and I braced myself for whatever waited on the other side.