The mining outpost buzzed with noise, shouts in several languages, the hiss of steam vents, and the hum of broken power cores. Kael had been in battlefields quieter than this market square. Varrik's raiders moved through the crowd, weapons casually slung but ready. Kael walked among them, chains on his wrists. Each step was a reminder that he was no longer a pilot or a soldier. He was just an exile being shown off like a trophy. But his gaze wasn't on his captors. It was on her. Lyra Veyra. Even in this haze of smoke and desperation, she stood out, moving like someone who didn't fit in. She moved with intention, eyes searching, her fingers brushing over the strange artifact she had been studying. Varrik caught Kael staring. "You know this girl or not?" he asked. Kael smirked slightly. "Depends. Are you planning to kill her?" Varrik laughed, his scarred face twisting. "Only if she does something stupid." He shot a sharp look at Lyra. "And who are you, wandering out here alone?" Lyra remained steady. "Lyra Veyra. Xenobiologist. I'm here to study crystallized void matter deposits. They say this outpost still holds fragments from the old mining runs." The lie rolled off her tongue effortlessly. Kael almost admired her. She didn't mention her Council background. She knew that would get her killed out here. Varrik tilted his head. "Void matter, huh? Dangerous stuff. Explosive, unstable. It's killed entire crews who thought they could harvest it." Lyra's expression remained unchanged. "That's why it needs to be studied." Varrik's gaze lingered before he waved her off. "Fine. Stay out of my way." Kael let out a quiet breath, relief hiding beneath his calm surface. But Lyra was not finished. She stepped closer, their eyes locking. "You shouldn't be here, Kael," she whispered softly, so only he could hear. Kael raised an eyebrow. "You think I had a choice?" Her lips tightened. For a moment, her mask slipped, and concern showed in her eyes. Then she turned away, blending into the crowd. That night, Kael sat in the raiders' camp at the edge of the outpost. Fires burned in scrap metal barrels, casting shadows on the cracked walls. Raiders laughed, drank, and gambled, their voices echoing through the dark. Kael's wrists still had the magnetic cuffs. He stared at them, flexing his hands and calculating angles. He could escape if he found the right chance. But escape to where? The Frontier wasn't safe; it was a graveyard waiting to happen. "Still plotting?" The voice came from the shadows. Lyra stepped forward, her scanner hanging at her side, soft blue light pulsing. She wore a hood now, but Kael would have recognized her anywhere. He tilted his head. "You're brave to come here." "You're brave to last this long," she shot back. Kael smirked. "Exile must build character." Her eyes softened for a moment. "I saw the trial." Something twisted in his chest. "And did you cheer with the rest?" "No." Her voice was firm. "I watched to see your eyes. I knew you weren't lying." For a moment, the noise of the raiders faded. Kael looked at her face in the firelight. There was no mockery, no judgment. Just certainty. "You believe me," he said quietly. "I do." Silence stretched between them. Then Lyra crouched, pulling a tool from her belt. She tapped his cuffs with the scanner, frowning. "These aren't hard to override. I can get them off." Kael narrowed his eyes. "Why risk it? You don't even know me." Her lips curved slightly. "Maybe I want to." The moment came sooner than Kael expected. The outpost alarms screamed suddenly, drowning out laughter. Raiders jumped up, weapons drawn. A booming voice echoed through the square: "By order of the Interstellar Council, this station is under lockdown. Surrender or be terminated." Kael's blood ran cold. Council ships. Out here? They never wasted resources on the Frontier unless someone important was involved. Varrik cursed and shouted orders. "Move! Secure the docks! Kill anyone who resists!" Chaos erupted. Raiders scattered into defensive positions. Civilians ran, some hiding, others vanishing into tunnels. Lyra's eyes locked on Kael. Without hesitation, she pressed her scanner against his cuffs. Sparks flew. The magnetic locks clicked open and fell to the ground. Kael flexed his wrists, finally free. His heart raced—not just from the freedom but from the fire in her eyes. "Looks like you chose a side," he said. She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the shadows. "Don't make me regret it." Blaster fire illuminated the square. The outpost turned into a battlefield. Raiders clashed with armored Council troopers, plasma bolts flying through the dark. Explosions shook the metal walls. Kael and Lyra weaved through debris, her grip never loosening on his hand. Kael's instincts kicked in—he scanned the battlefield like a pilot reading a star map. "The dock's this way," he shouted, pulling her toward a side corridor. A trooper blocked their path, rifle raised. Kael didn't hesitate—he lunged, grabbing the barrel and pushing it aside as the shot seared past his head. He slammed his elbow into the trooper's jaw, knocking him down. Lyra stared, breathless. "Remind me not to get on your bad side." Kael grinned grimly. "Too late for that." They ran, dodging through the chaos. Overhead, Council dropships came down, releasing more soldiers. Raiders fought back with scavenged cannons, the air thick with smoke. Kael sensed this wasn't random. The Council hadn't come for the raiders. They'd come for him. And maybe for her. They burst into the docking bay—a vast chamber lined with battered ships. Most were junk barely holding together. Kael scanned quickly. One ship stood out—a sleek courier vessel, scarred but functional. He pointed. "That one. Fast enough to outrun a blockade." Lyra hesitated. "You can fly it?" Kael's smirk returned. "I can fly anything." Blaster fire erupted behind them. Troopers flooded into the bay. Lyra's eyes widened. Kael pulled her toward the ship. "We don't have time to argue." They sprinted up the ramp as bolts sizzled past. Inside, the cockpit was dusty with flickering lights. Kael slid into the pilot's seat like it was second nature, hands racing over the controls. Engines roared to life. The ship shook, breaking free from years of dormancy. Lyra strapped into the co-pilot's chair, fingers flying over secondary controls. "You've done this before." Kael glanced at her, impressed. "So have you." Outside, Council ships lined up. Kael's jaw tightened. "Hold on." The courier shot out of the bay, engines blazing. Into the Void Stars opened before them. Council fighters sped in pursuit, weapons flashing. Kael dodged through debris, diving between asteroid fragments. The ship groaned but held. Lyra kept an eye on the scanners. "Three on our tail. Two more coming from the port side." Kael's hands moved with precision, instincts taking over with every turn. The ship skimmed past a tumbling rock, plasma bolts smashing into its surface. Explosions rippled behind them. "Shields failing," Lyra warned. Kael gritted his teeth. "Then we can't get hit." He rolled the ship tightly, engines screaming. A fighter overshot, and Kael fired the ship's single cannon. The bolt hit the enemy's hull, sending it spiraling into flames. Lyra blinked. "Not bad." "Not done," Kael replied. The remaining fighters pressed harder. The courier's hull shook with every near miss. Kael pushed the engines to their limit, sweat dripping down his brow. Finally, the fighters broke off, not willing to chase deeper into the asteroid field. Silence fell, broken only by the hum of the ship. Kael leaned back, breathing hard. "Told you I could fly anything." Lyra smiled slowly. "I'm starting to believe you." The ship floated in the void, engines cooling. Kael powered down unnecessary systems, checking for any pursuit. None followed. For the first time in days, he let himself breathe. Lyra watched him quietly. Then she spoke. "They weren't after the raiders. They were after you." Kael's jaw tightened. "I know." "Why?" "Because I know something I'm not supposed to." He met her gaze. "And maybe because I'm not done yet." Lyra studied him, her eyes softening. "Then I suppose I'm not done either." Silence stretched between them again, charged and unspoken. Kael looked away, his gaze returning to the stars. For the first time since his exile, the void didn't feel like a prison. It felt like a chance.
