The trio arrived at the point where Rune had crashed into the ship.
All three were clad in pressure suits, even Ash, despite his usual indifference to protective measures. Zwei and the Master had secretly hoped to see him venture into the void without one—partly out of curiosity and partly because they thought his demise would rid them of a troublesome presence. But Ash, ever pragmatic, had donned the suit without hesitation. Staying inconspicuous and alive was his primary goal.
Zwei felt frustrated. Ash was unlike any young man she’d encountered before—calm, composed, and maddeningly deliberate. His lack of recklessness made him all the more unpredictable and difficult to handle.
Since they were now suited up, the ropes binding Zwei and the Master had been removed, though not without Ash issuing a sharp warning beforehand.
The passageway was eerily silent, its vacuum maintained even after the gravity matrix had been restored. Walking felt natural now, as though on solid ground, and bright lights illuminated every corner of the corridor, revealing all its grim details.
When Zwei and the Master caught sight of Rune, their reactions could not have been more different.
Under the harsh lights, the scene became clear. Rune had pierced through the ship’s thick armour with devastating force, the speed of his impact leaving no resistance. A massive breach yawned open in the hull, with Rune wedged halfway inside the ship like a spear thrust into a target.
Zwei's fury burned fiercely. This mech—the cause of the catastrophe—had left the ship crippled and almost entirely destroyed. Only she and the Master had survived; everyone else was lost. The ship was now a sitting duck in the vastness of space, reliant on the slim chance of rescue. If pirates arrived instead, their fates would be far worse. Her own future seemed particularly grim—her appearance marked her for unspeakable cruelties in such a scenario.
Despite her anger, Zwei's concern for the Master far outweighed her grief for the others. From a young age, her training had instilled a single unwavering belief: the Master's safety came before all else. It was this absolute loyalty that had earned her the codename Zwei.
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She glared at Ash, who remained impassive. To him, guilt or responsibility were irrelevant concepts. Survival was a personal obligation, not a shared burden. Like the apex predators on Garbage Planet 6, Ash saw life as a ruthless hunt. Expecting mercy from a hunter was as foolish as a prey forfeiting its chance to fight back.
Meanwhile, the Master stared at Rune in awe. His pale face flushed with excitement as he approached the mech, his admiration spilling over in breathless whispers.
"Incredible! It's a masterpiece! Whoever designed this is a genius!" he exclaimed, running his hands reverently over Rune's battered frame.
Ash paid the boy no mind. Instead, his focus was entirely on Rune.
“Rune,” he called silently, willing the mech to respond. But Rune remained unresponsive, its once-brilliant armour now dull and scarred. A pang of guilt pricked at Ash’s chest. Over their year together, Rune had become more than just a machine—a mentor, a companion, and a link to a world Ash had never dreamed of knowing. Rune had risked everything for him, taking on the Stellar Radiance’s lethal sweep without hesitation.
Now, Rune’s damage was evident, its indomitable frame worn down and fractured. Ash reached for the pendant around his neck, the sub-space controller Rune hated to be confined to. For the first time, Ash used it, though the occasion was nothing like he had ever imagined.
Behind him, Zwei hesitated, her gaze flickering between Ash and the Master. Ash appeared distracted, vulnerable even. A single strike now might end him. Yet, the memory of Ash’s deadly speed and overwhelming strength kept her paralysed.
Her indecision cost her the chance.
Ash activated the pendant, enveloping Rune in a shimmering energy field.
The Master, still perched atop Rune, yelped as the mech vanished beneath him. His panicked cry shattered the silence, and Zwei sprang into action, fear for her ward overriding everything else.
But Ash was faster. Before Zwei could move, he snatched the Master mid-fall, holding him aloft by the back of his pressure suit. The Master flailed helplessly as Ash turned, his expression unreadable. Without a word, Ash tossed the boy into Zwei's arms.
Zwei caught him with a mix of relief and gratitude, her eyes meeting Ash’s briefly before she turned her attention to calming the terrified Master.
“We’re heading to the control room,” Ash announced, his tone brooking no argument. Zwei nodded quickly, not daring to challenge him.
Carrying the trembling Master, she followed closely behind Ash, her mind racing with questions.
Who was this man?
The mech he had just recalled was clearly no ordinary machine. Its design, its capabilities—everything about it screamed rarity and power. Combined with Ash’s unparalleled physicality and combat skill, it was clear he was no common drifter.
Zwei tightened her grip on the Master. Whoever Ash truly was, he wasn’t someone she could afford to provoke.