Airo stirred, and opened his eyes weakly.

He was inside a high-tech room, lying in a healing pod. The walls were lined with medical devices and diagnostic screens. Veralla, Zuckeroff, and Kiana stood beside the healing pod, their faces full of concern, which immediately turned to relief when they saw him awakening. Next to them, standing respectfully to the side, was the Council of Dragon Retreat.

"Hey-hey, Boss, glad to have you back!" Zuckeroff said cheerfully.

"Airo!" Veralla called, and leapt onto him, peering closely at his face. "Oh, I am so glad you are well!"

"Ugh, keep a distance," he grunted in irritation, and pushed her head away, though gently. "How long was I out?"

"Almost an entire day," Kiana said. "You were as good as dead, though it turned out people here have quite an advanced medical facility equipped with aethertech. We helped the Council to calm things in the aftermath of the fight during your recuperation, and came here as soon as we were able to."

"I... see," Airo said, yet he wasn't following. "You came here... why?"

"Because you were wounded!" Veralla cried out. "We were worried about you!"

"We owe you for guiding us through that voidscape yesterday, Boss," Zuckeroff said.

"...and for saving my life," Kiana added quietly.

Councilor Itrix stepped forward. "We also want to express our deepest gratitude, Commander Airo. Your actions saved our shrine-town. On behalf of the inhabitants of Dragon Retreat, we hereby thank you from the heart of our souls."

"Thank you, Commander Airo," murmured the rest of the councilors.

Airo studied the people and the little dragon before him with something akin to bewilderment. It had been too long since anyone had thanked him for anything. He turned his head tiredly to one of the walls. There was an HHI viewpanel there, simulating a window. The twin suns shone brightly in the sky, and the crystal facades of the stone temples and cliffside caverns glittered from the reflected light, warmed by the environmental shield. The shrine-town seemed peaceful, as if the nightmare of the previous day hadn't happened. The bodies had been cleared away, and only scattered instances of ruined statues hinted at the horror which had transpired. Airo silently contemplated the scenery, feeling the anxious gazes upon him. He stifled a sigh, and grunted instead. "We cannot remain here. And neither can you," he said to the Council. "This town must be evacuated."

"Evacuated?" Councilor Graam cried out. "To where? This man is delusional!"

"We can go to Kryoon City," Councilor Letira remarked.

"How shall we reach the proposed destination?" Councilor Visorius asked dispassionately. "We still lack an organized migration plan."

"Why should we evacuate in the first place?" Councilor Graam insisted. "We defeated those abominations! They are no more!"

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"Commander Airo," Councilor Usylor asked placidly, "why do you recommend we leave our home?"

"Those... creatures," Airo said, "there will be more of them. This place is not safe anymore."

"Why do you think so, Commander?"

Airo wasn't sure himself. "An enemy never attacks once," he said firmly. "There will be more of them."

"But what are they?" Veralla asked. "They were not humans, yet they looked like such?"

"This is not important now," Airo snapped. "The details can be worked out later. Currently, our goal is to get away from here. Even if we have to walk across the wasteland. Now move away from me so I can stand," he told Veralla, and the dragonet hopped off the healing pod.

"Wait a minute, your condition is still..." Kiana began, then trailed off under Airo's dark look. "Fine, have it your way, Commander."

"Commander Airo, please listen to Lieutenant Kiana, she–" Councilor Itrix said, yet stopped short when he shot her a murderous gaze as well. "Is he always like this?" the fin-headed councilor asked Kiana, who frowned and crossed her arms.

Airo shifted his weight, and tried to rise from the pod. Suddenly, he felt a terrible weakness in his abdomen, and his whole body convulsed. A medical alarm rang out. Airo pitched forward, but Zuckeroff grabbed him, and helped him ease back into the pod.

"There, there, steady now, Boss," the astrior said with a concerned expression.

The room spoke in a familiar voice. "Commander, congratulations on your advancement to Stage Two of the recovery procedures," Yeoman Cloud said merrily. "However, your vital signs are only at eighty percent from their normal parameters. You must continue to rest. I assure you I will take good care for your health. My programming includes the entire medical database of the Galactic Stellar Consortium, and several thousand illegal copies of various treatises from the Union of True Humanity."

"I have no time for resting," Airo said gruffly. His head was swimming as if he was drunk. "SAI, give me parasomatin or some other combat-grade stimulant, and reinforce the injury with nanobandages or medi-gel."

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that, Commander," Yeoman Cloud said in a melodramatically apologetic tone.

"You can't?" Airo growled. "How dare you ignore my orders, you deusforsaken talking computer!"

"Your injury isn't physical, Commander. Your body is completely healthy, actually. The problem lies in your personal energy signature – i.e. the 'soul', as per standard colloquial terms. It has been damaged. I've analyzed the extent of the damage with the available aethertech equipment, and have taken proper course of treatment. However, even with energy infusors turned to maximum output, there's unavoidable downtime in the process. You must rest during that period, Commander."

"I am fine," Airo objected, yet his voice betrayed his words.

"Sorry to say Commander, but your statement is untrue. However, your statement will change status at the end of your recovery, which will happen within the day."

Airo muttered something, and winced when another wave of weakness washed over him.

"Airo, are you all right?" Veralla asked anxiously.

"Yeah, yeah," he said in annoyed tone. He turned his head to the Council. "I want you to organize an evacuation immediately. The sooner, the better. You saw how fast those things move, and more of them might be closing in on the town even as we speak. Another horde might be here in a month, or after three days."

Councilor Itrix responded with something, yet Airo did not hear her. His weakness had transformed abruptly into a bone-deep weariness. His eyes closed on their own. "Remember, they come from the skies," he said. "Use missiles for long-range suppression, then employ the cannons for fire-zone saturation." He was dimly aware he was rambling. He tried to focus his thoughts. "Major... keep... keep at least four interceptors on air patrol at all times..."

No, that happened a long time ago. Now he had to do something else... he could not remember. There was a fight. Yes. He had to prevent a fight. No... He had to start it. Yet... why?

Airo tried to recall his current situation, yet only emptiness answered.