The quiet of space didn't help matters at all.

Drifting through the lifeless void, Sasha had little more than her thoughts to distract herself. And they all centered around the same topic. The same two people. Had they already been caught by the AIC?

"I'm glad you came to your senses, Sash," Iris said as they both sat in the panther's room.

After the mess on Ursa, Sulky had admitted to being without a ship due to hers being commandeered. The fact that Sasha had come when she did made things convenient. An easy escape, and she got a one-way trip to the Comet Man. It was a win-win as far as she was concerned.

"Still think this mission's too dangerous," Iris said, "but at least you won't have those two slowing you down. Oh. Sorry."

She didn't respond, her hands turning over her commpad. There'd been no response from either of them. And any signals they had seemed to have disappeared along with those of the AIC attackers. Of Alexander. For the time being, it was only her, a ship full of robots, and Iris. And as much as she'd missed the last, her words did little to help matters.

"It might be tricky," Iris said, "but as long as we work together, the Comet Man should be a non-issue. I can sneak us onboard for a quick kill. I'm not sure what powers your staff has, but if they can help in an ambush, it would speed things along. What can you do, Sash?"

She flicked the screen, the icon still reflecting a lack of signal from either Mr. Erin or Mr. Xan.

"Sasha. You listening?"

She squeezed the device. No matter how much she knew her friend would reject the idea, she found the words coming to her instinctively.

"W-we're going back," Sasha's said.

The wolf's joy disappeared.

Sasha got off her bed, heading straight for the command deck. She couldn't take it. Sitting. Waiting. Wondering what the AIC were doing to them. Wondering if they'd already been taken out. She locked her gaze ahead even as Iris came running after her.

"Sash? Sasha."

"We're going back," the panther repeated. She hit a button on the wall to activate the intercom. "All robots. We're launching an attack. Prepare for battle."

"A what? Hey. Sasha. Sash."

Iris grabbed her arm, panic clear in her voice.

"You can stop joking now, Sash. It's not funny."

The panther shook her head.

"I'm not joking, Sulky." She pulled away. "We're going back for my liaisons. I won't just leave 'em behind."

Iris stared at her, though that quickly changed when she kept walking away.

She'd already reached the front of the ship, doors sliding open to reveal the spread of bots working on flying the ship. Through the giant view window, Sasha could see the wide void of warp space. The comet ship directly ahead. Seeing it so close was more than a little tempting, but the image of Mr. Erin in chains helped her come back to her senses.

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"Navi-bots," she called. "How fast can we get back to Ursa?"

The robots chimed. "Processing."

"Don't process that!" Iris snapped, which did draw Sasha's attention.

It was rare for Sulky to ever raise her voice. Whenever she got mad, she tended to huff and puff, but Iris was more likely to give someone the cold shoulder than to confront them head-on. It was why whenever she and Cici argued, Sasha had to step in to keep the peace. She'd always been the one to raise her voice for her.

Iris's ears fell, the wolf's desperation clear as day in her eyes.

"Did you not see how bad it was back there?" she asked. "Sasha?"

She looked away. "I did. And it's why we're going back. I can't just leave them to deal with that."

The wolf growled. "He's right there, Sasha. Don't you wanna make him pay? Don't you wanna end all this?"

She shrunk at that, the comet ship a constant reminder of everything she knew Iris had been fighting for.

It hadn't moved off its course in the slightest, wherever that might have been. And they were close enough that attacking or boarding was entirely possible. But while they were dealing with him, what was happening to Mr. Xan? Where was Mr. Erin? Elisia had set them up, but who knew what she'd do now that they were subdued. There was an army of AIC members between her and the two guardians who'd saved her more times than she could count. Who were probably even trying to save her now.

She was getting tired of always being saved.

"We're going back," she said.

Iris grabbed her by the collar, eyes flaring with rage.

"Snap out of it, Sash!" she shouted. "You know what that man's capable of? What he's done? If we don't kill him now, thousands die. Is that what you want?"

Sasha pushed her off. "If we don't go back, my friends might die! Or get tortured! Or worse! Is that what you want?"

"I wanna make that jerk pay!"

"And I wanna save my friends!"

Iris glared at her. She glared right back. Best friend or not, she had no intention of changing her mind. After everything her liaisons had done for her, execution or life imprisonment were both equally on the table. But she didn't put it past the AIC to do far worse just to get under her skin. No way she'd let that happen. No matter whose face she had to cave in. Even if that face was backed by her own Goddess.

GT remained quiet on the situation. As did the other robots around them. For several moments, the two only stared each other down.

"Would you perchance like some assistance?"

They both mirrored confusion, gazes turning at the new voice. In front of the view window, a hologram was being projected.

"Pardon the intrusion," a male's voice came through. "It would appear you and I share a common enemy,"

An image of nothing but static appeared, though the audio came to them as if the stranger was in the room with them. Sasha and Iris exchanged glances. The voice sounded oddly familiar, though the panther was more concerned about how it managed to get a hold of their line. Her whiskers twitched.

"Who the heck are you?"

"And how are you calling us?" Iris added.

The male cleared his throat.

"Ahem. That is a matter that depends on who's asking," he said. "This is the ship of Sasha the Panther, correct?"

She frowned, Iris putting a hand on her hilt. Wait a sec... Sasha focused in on the voice, its next words telling her all she needed to know.

"I believe we share a common enemy, my dear," he said. "As for who I am. Well. Aren't you currently in the process of tailing me?"

Her eyes lit up, all the rage she felt towards Iris shifting. The reason why it was so familiar. Why the stranger could call them all the way out in warp space. An area where there were only two ships close enough to make contact. It all made sense as soon as he said that.

The human behind the projector chuckled, his face clear as day in Sasha's mind.

"What was it you called me, again?" he asked. "The Comet Man, correct?"