I didn't get my hot shower. Instead, I got the human equivalent of a dish going through a dishwasher. That's not to say it was unpleasant. It was warm, and I didn't lose any limbs. But it was quick, way too quick. Apparently, I had places to be, at least according to the Extrovert Starmada.

That place was my promotion ceremony. I didn't know what to expect because I'd been a Wavepilot for so long. I wasn't put into active duty until UC65, and then I spent 94 years in mining services before they tried me out as a pilot due to escalations with the Introverts. That meant I served 136 years as a Wavepilot. By my book, that had to be some kind of a record. By their book, it wasn't. I suppose when people don't die permanently, promotions become harder and harder to come by.

I thought it was special because I'd been a Wavepilot for so long. They thought it was special because promotions just don't happen that often. Either way, it was special. How sweet, right?

They put me in a dark red spacesuit with a black collar. The uniform had a thick white line down the left side and a thick black line down the right side. It was a pretty cool outfit actually, and I hoped they'd let me keep it.

The room I was in did not look overly ceremonious. One wall was a depiction of space looking toward the sun. The opposite wall was a depiction of space looking away from the sun into the vast, relatively empty, void. What did catch my attention was the wall I faced. It was made of wood. My scanners told me it was red oak, making this one of the most expensive rooms on Sovereign Starbase.

General @starrygirl kicked us off, with the universal tree symbol, joining her two hands together at the pointer finger and thumb, with her palms out, so that the space between the two hands resembled a tree. There were two primary shapes with this movement. The traditional shape was the tree. It was the most significant. But, if you pressed your finger and thumb together more, it became a dew drop, the symbol for water, which was used more as a farewell.

I made the tree symbol back at @starrygirl. She stood on a small podium, and being on the shorter side, that put her on my eye level, staring back at her space blue uniform, black jacket, and dark oval eyes. This was kind of a huge deal actually. I had never met the General before. It was considered rude to learn too much about a person's origin without them providing the details. But this was our General, so everyone knew a little bit.

@starrygirl was from origin @sunying, whose family came to prominence in Chengdu, China. Her family still owned one of the largest shipyards in the solar system. The Ying Fleet, it was often called. But no one knew too much about @starrygirl herself except for a love of beagles (the dogs) and slippers.

@starrygirl had two guardian bots on either side of her, who looked just like metal humans except that their heads could detach as drones and they fired lasers out of their eyes. The only other people present were @horus and @pixel_princess.

We spoke in official messages here, this being a formal occasion.

starrygirl: "@kittyboy, you have been nominated upon recommendation from First Commander @horus, to rise in rank to a new position within the Extrovert Starmada, upon exception, due to displays of uncommon heroism and egregiously excessive duty to the Extrovert Starmada."

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This all sounded so grand that I found myself beaming from cheek to cheek like an idiot, temporarily forgetting my desire to be free from the war, while I let my ego inflate a bit. I rationalized it by telling myself I'd need a healthy big ego if I was ever going to have the courage to turn my back on the starmada and escape.

I also finally picked up on why @horus was here. First Commander, I thought. @horus had been promoted as well. I wondered what had happened in the moments between Celestial Roamer and the Eternis ship.

starrygirl: "Upon my special order, as authorized under the wartime doctrine of UC161, I hereby grant you the position of Vanquisher. Do you so pledge?"

Holy fuck! Vanquisher!

This wasn't a move from Wavepilot to Bombardier, or Skidpilot, or Cometdriver. Vanquisher meant I was no longer part of a squadron or a fleet. Vanquisher meant I had some autonomy, different missions, special missions, and usually a crew of my own. And I'd get some cool gear and cooler guns!

I was thinking what you must be thinking.

I was thinking, What are they thinking!?!

My eyes got real big, and I turned slowly to @horus, my mouth hanging open. I knew what I wanted to say, but I couldn't get the words out.

horus: "We all know you, @kittyboy. We know your antics. You are a prankster. You have been known to bend the rules, somewhat frequently. But you get the job done, and you don't complain. You seem to always get the job done. No one can name a time when that wasn't the case."

I raised my hand immediately and spoke.

kittyboy: "I can. The bulbous plumeria farm on Itokawa."

I pretty much am the sole reason Itokawa is no longer classified as an asteroid, but rather as a small gravel patch in the solar system where no one of good standing shows their face.

pixel_princess: "You should shut up."

She was right, but I couldn't.

kittyboy: "I'm just putting it out there. I have more examples."

I eyed the metal guardians, pondering what it would take me to say for them to laser me to death. And if they did, would I just end up right back in this room?

horus: "@pixel_princess is here to bear witness, as another who can testify to your commitment and heroism."

kittyboy: "That's all very flattering, and thank you @pixel_princess. I am grateful for your sacrifice. But I'm not a hero."

horus: "In recent history, you are. In the times we face ahead, we need someone who can get the job done. I want that person to be you."

pixel_princess: "As do I. He also happens to be the only one who can figure out where the Eternis will be next. Isn't that right?"

She had me there, but that was because I wanted the ship, not because I wanted the Extrovert Starmada to have the ship.

kittyboy: "The Eternis and I will be good friends, assuming my catnip virus activates successfully."

starrygirl: "So I repeat. Do you pledge?"

Jeepers. I really wanted to think about this. You'd say to turn down a promotion would be foolish, and you'd be right. Did I enjoy being a Wavepilot? No. I think I was clear about that. But it was predictable. It wasn't predictable and safe. It was unsafe and predictable. But that was nice in a weird sort of way. I pretty much always knew I was going to die.

Vanquisher meant responsibility, for myself and for others, for missions of greater significance that required me to think, not just to fly around and shoot stuff in a stupid i35.

So, as was expected of me, and in no part because I felt I had a choice in the matter, I turned to face away from the sun, to the wall that looked out toward the darkness of space that was our vision for the future.

kittyboy: "I, @kittyboy, of origin @henryhound, pledge my eternal being to the Extrovert Starmada as Vanquisher of all who would oppose us."

That felt right and wrong to me, but it would come with great perks, so I swallowed my nerves and embraced the future, standing proud.

Besides, I thought to myself. Fuck these people. I'm a goddamn Vanquisher now, with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto. What better way to find @auroraloon.