Warm liquid coursed through her veins. She turned her head, finding a tube running from her arm to one of the robots, some clear substance flowing through it.

"Sasha!"

The voices made her smile. More than she thought she would, especially as she saw the two faces at the edge of her bed. She'd felt both in her memories, but seeing them in the flesh again. Both staring back at her. Mr. Xan. Mr. Erin. Tears welled up, though they were on her before she could say a word, the panther squished in the middle of her liaisons' embraces. She purred, squeezing them both back.

Mr. Erin. He was on his feet again. She didn't feel any casts or bandages over him. But then, it was the same case with Mr. Xan, too. Just seeing him was enough to cheer her up. She nestled between them, savoring the moment as long as she could.

It wasn't until they were pulling away that she realized they were crying too.

"Gave us quite the scare there, kid," Mr. Xan said, wiping his eyes.

Sasha sniffled. "Look who's talking. I outta claw you for making me worry."

"Easy there, Ms. Panther," said Mr. Erin. "You've been out for a while. Best not to rush into another fight."

She snickered. "Uh-huh."

Her joints ached all over, the tube retracting into the robot's chest cavity. The world around her felt so fuzzy compared to the memory space. She looked over to see GT resting by her pillow. Guess I owe you for this. The staff vanished, returning to whatever void it called home. She made a mental note to give it a proper thanks later.

"How long was I out for?" she asked.

"A few weeks," Mr. Xan said. "By the way, you're gonna wanna call that fox friend as soon as you can."

She flinched. CICI! Somehow it slipped her mind how the fox would take her sudden brush with death. She reached to her side but her commpad had disappeared. And her clothes. She was instead draped in a long blue gown, of which gave her the briefest reminders of Shiny. Those mandatory exams. She shivered.

"Looking for these?"

To her relief, Mr. Erin had a stack of fresh clothes in hand, her commpad sitting atop it all.

"Apologies," he said. "The robots had to operate while you were unconscious."

"We'll step outside so you get changed," Mr. Xan chimed in. "Since you're up again, there's some stuff you outta know about. After you call your friend."

She nodded slightly embarrassed. Even if she trusted the two, certain matters were better off unknown to them. As soon as they were out of sight she pulled off her gown, quickly pulling over the top and shorts. Huh. She sniffed the collar. Is that lavender? She shrugged, taking up her commpad to a spread of over 34 messages from the fox's end of the universe.

***

It took several hours to clear the air with Cici. Sasha sighed, pocketing the device after perhaps the longest talk she'd had with her friend in years.

"Unfortunately, that is something every space-fairer must deal with eventually."

Mr. Erin was at her door, the panther groaning as she sunk into the bed. She'd migrated to her room for privacy not knowing it would be the setting for such a long chewing out.

"Cripes," she said. "Never heard her so mad before."

"The ones we love tend to react in unexpected ways. Usually, they mean well."

Sasha sighed. The price of being a rouge graduate was steep indeed.

"So what did you wanna tell me about before? Something else happen while I was out?"

"So to speak, yes. How're your injuries, by the way?"

She stretched her neck. "Still sore, but I can handle it."

"Good."

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

He motioned for her to follow, Sasha finally leaving the infirmary as they instead made their way towards the scanning room. Mr. Xan was already waiting at the table, his screen reflecting holographic images of people with giant horns and axes. He shut it all down when he saw their approach, Mr. Erin rolling his eyes while Sasha pulled up a chair beside him. The scanning bot whirred to life, images projecting onto the monitor behind it. A map of the cosmos.

"Sasha," Mr. Erin began, "it's time I told you more about what's going on out there."

"I thought you already did?"

"He means the nitty gritty stuff," Mr. Xan explained. "Not just about the White Legion and history facts. Right, twig?"

He sighed. "Yes. I suppose not everyone enjoys learning about ancient treaties. I will be leaving that information out."

The screen flicked over, zeroing in on a portion of the universe. A section of galaxies. A cluster. Sasha's eyes grew.

There were ships scattered about the reaches of empty space, each sporting the logo of the AIC. But in front of them all was a large stretch of purple. A substance she couldn't possibly mistake for anything else given she'd closed so many in her short tenure as a graduate. She looked to Mr. Erin, who confirmed her suspicion with a nod.

"That," he said, "is the original Stem Portal."

She stared at the thing. "Original? I-is that actual size? That thing's huge!"

"Yes. Big enough to swallow a planet whole and growing."

"That thing's getting bigger?"

"In increments, yes. It is the source by which all other portals grow. With each planet that falls, the Original expands. Hence why I'm glad you've been closing these portals so readily."

She shifted at that.

Even if it were true, anything that massive was a terrifying thought. She'd seen a few of the ships on screen before. While learning about navigation with Mr. Xan. Each was hundreds of meters long, thousands even. And they were specs compared to the pulsating disk growing with each lost planet. Just imagining it made her fur itch. So that's why we don't let Stems get too big. She shivered. Suddenly she was glad she abandoned the AIC.

"That's what they're fighting?" she asked.

"It's also why they're cracking down on finding graduates. Just as only they can close the Stems and Roots, only they can close the Original."

"Cripes."

He looked at her.

"The man who attacked you and Xan. He was a graduate too, wasn't he?"

Sasha's tail twitched. "Yeah."

"Thought so. Nobody else could take Xan out that easy."

The panda growled. Sasha reached out, a hand on his arm.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Physically, yeah. But kinda hard to get over some rando knocking me flat. I got a rep to keep, y'know." He bared his teeth. "Next time I see that sorry sack a' crap, I'm crushing his head. Nobody makes a fool of Xan. Nobody."

Sasha could only nod at that. Wherever Alexander had gone, she would have loved to get a whack in for payback. But that would have to wait until after her soreness went away. As strong as he'd been, she doubted facing him weakened would do her any good. Even with back-up. Mr. Erin zoomed out again, the screen switching over to a distant galaxy. A cluster on the opposite side of the congregation of ships.

"This is where we are," Mr. Erin said. "And it would be in our best interests to remain that way."

"You mean away from the AIC?" Sasha asked.

"Exactly. That graduate's appearance was no coincidence. It seems the Original Stem has been bleeding activity as of late. Even more so than usual. That has them growing desperate. Enough to want as many graduates on their side as possible. And to cull the deserters."

"Is it really that bad?"

"It's a cosmic war, Sasha. And as much as I'd like it not to be the case, your weapon makes you a part of it."

Her ears fell. Suddenly having GT didn't feel so much like a reward.

"It is important we tread lightly," the weasel went on. "When you broke from the AIC, it forever marked you as a traitor. Us too for choosing to stay on your side."

"Which we'd do again in a heartbeat," Xan said.

"Yes. My thoughts exactly."

They both smiled at her, Sasha brightening up a bit. Cripes, you guys are annoying. The screen finally shut down with a click, the robot slumping over as it went into rest mode. Mr. Erin put a hand on the table, his gaze turning serious.

"Make no mistake," he said, "we were once with AIC, but we don't regret joining with you for a second. When I became a liaison, I vowed I would do everything in my power to help my graduates. And if your mission is to find Ms. Wolf, then that's my mission too."

"Ditto," Mr. Xan said, "though I'm really here 'cause someone's gotta fly the ship."

Sasha rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks."

He put an arm around her neck, Sasha groaning under it. She really was glad he lived. And she'd make sure to keep it that way, whether or not they had an entire association gunning for their heads. Mr. Erin folded his arms.

"Now that being said, if we are to proceed, we have one last matter to address. The first step to staying prepared was getting you up to speed."

Sasha broke from the necklock. "And the second?"

Mr. Erin flashed a grin.

"I believe I told you long ago, Ms. Panther. Your skill is one of gravity, but it can be taken further with practice. And perhaps it's time we put that to the test."

Sasha lit up. "Wait...are you saying..."

The weasel nodded, pulling out his wand.

"Ms. Panther," he said, "it's time I train you how to create your own time displacement fields."

She was instantly beaming.