"I thought they would never let you go! Bunch of idiots!" Athamo brightened up upon hearing the news. He was obviously happy with the news, but the bureaucracy annoyed him so much he could get in a mood about it. The three of them walked through one of the administration boulevards, filled with gentle light and a crowd of people, giving them the needed relief. It gave her the time to see them before she departed.

It also gave her a chance to see and explore the city again. Their world, Iapatus, wasn't a kind and gentle host. It was a dark and cold world of craters, ravines, caves, and struggle. But the colonists knew that, and they worked hard, very hard to achieve what she saw today.

The boulevard was designed over a vast crevice, following a flow like a river, made of special thick glass and edges of this river were of white reinforced ceramic. The atmospheric dome provided them safety, atmosphere, weather, and sunshine which was all too real sometimes.

From the main flow, they turned into a side structure, with geometric buildings housing the shopping centre. Above their heads grew delicate tree-like structures that provided some shade and additional atmospheric control to smaller sectors of the city. Holograms danced around in the air during the day, and during the night fairy lights or stars glimmered for those who traversed here. As they slowly passed this street, they reached a small opening with a balcony walkway, with two tall columns that were extremely plain to look at, but Pax knew they were adorned with gold-plated lights that appeared in the evening and night. Below them, a huge lake reflected the light like glitter, and people sat by the edge of it just enjoying the day. With a corner of her eye, she noticed a group of priests wandering around and immediately turned around.

"What time exactly is your window?" Ino leaned over the railing, closing her eyes for a while, enjoying the warmth on her face.

"30 minutes after we are on the dark side," Pax made a slight grimace following Ino's steps. "I don't really like these new launch rails, but there is nothing I can do. If I miss this window, who knows when they will let me go."

Her friend only nodded to her words; Pax was sure there was a question in the air she would ask.

"Are you thinking about...?" Ino bit the bullet. And she asked.

"Admiral Thebe doesn't think she would be on the list of the victims." Pax tried not to think about it.

In fact, she would be guilty of trying not to think about it so much she almost forgot about it completely. But that man, on the other hand, was like a lurking shadow.

"Pax, this is your auntie we are talking about! She is your family, and as far as I know, the only family," Athamo interrupted her thoughts.

Both of her friends saw the annoyed curve of her lip, the only and very rare sign of her losing patience. He was touching on old wounds and memories.

"You talk just like the old priestess," Pax said irritatedly.

Delia Montarouve was her mother's sister and the guardian after both of her parents and sister died in the great collapse. With great care, patience, and effort, she raised the girl up in the Scottish Highlands which were relatively safe. She taught her everything she knew of language, history, and made sure she would have a good and broad education. For her, the words would always be "The more you know, the better you will be able to use this knowledge in the dynamic and constantly changing world."

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But in her life appeared somebody who would turn everything upside down. Protau, the pilot, and navigator of the League. Brave and dashing, he filled her head and heart with a thousand stories of distant worlds, astounding technology, and adventures. He became the older brother she never had but always wanted. She was a teenager and keen to make a grand step in her life, so she left. Not without a huge fight that, probably forever, destroyed the bond she and her aunt had.

Pax would rarely think about this, sure that the past would never catch up, that eventually, everything would naturally come to a happy and peaceful end. But that day of the attack, when Admiral Theba told them that something had happened on Earth, she knew it wasn't directed at her friends. It was directed at her.

Later, Pax learned that there had been a bomb detonated in the hospital where her auntie worked. She has been missing since. It was obvious her mind played a clever game, raising shadowy cloaks in her memory. Interrupting with nonsense questions of unknown and probably nonexistent vigilante rescuers. No, her mission is to go back to Earth, go back home, and investigate. She was denied access on Iapetus, but given full allowance to act on Earth.

"When will you come back?" The soft sound of Ino's voice lured her from the depths of her mind.

"Soon, don't worry," Pax replied, her quick smile and raised brows interrupting Ino's worried face. "It's just a quick flight there and back, two or three days on the ground to go round and ask questions and find out the truth."

"Yeah, of course, why would we worry?" Athamo cut in sarcastically. "It's just a quick flight to the closed zone, through the Union Space and spend some time on a planet tormented by violent natural disasters. And probably deal with some unresolved family issues. Did I also add visiting some prison mines? But seriously, Pax... are you going to a priest before you leave at all?"

"Why should I? Is he always like that in the mornings?" Pax made a cynical face towards Ino; she only giggled in response. Since the attack, Athamo insisted that he should stay with Ino to help her and make sure she is fine because of her "injuries."

"We are only expressing our concern," Ino added with a lighter tone. "That's all. Protau is your babysitter, and it's not our job." They laughed at this joke, which only they would understand with the memory he would appear in sometimes impossible situations to save them, and then scold and give a long lecture.

"You two do realise I could take anyone down in hand-to-hand combat, right? It's going to be alright. I should have done this a long time ago; hopefully, it won't be too late." Pax said heavily. There was a weight on her shoulders growing, thinking she left her auntie in a fight to remember her as a spoiled brat and die in an explosion without any closure. But it was the closure that Pax needed.

"It's getting late, Pax," the man had noticed. It was five hours before the moon would hide on the dark side. Suddenly she felt very tired and gave out a quiet sigh. Ino gently took her hand and wrapped hers around as they walked up the stream.

"So..." Ino started in a lighter voice.

"So?" Pax mimicked her tone with a joke.

"All the horrors aside, aren't you a bit excited?"

"Excited?" Pax gave Ino a doubting look.

"I know, I know, it's just work. But, think about this: when all this horror is over, things will get better. You are getting a chance to make a change, maybe to a better one."

"Ino, please. You with your horrible optimism." Pax giggled.

"Maybe you will meet somebody, make friends," Ino pressed, giving her a wink.

"Meet somebody? Pax?" Athamo laughed mockingly.

"I am unfriending both of you!" Pax punched his arm, still laughing as they walked with her to one of the hanging shuttle trains.