Planetary News: On Uranus, there's an arrest warrant for notorious criminal "Dreadlock Gonzalo" after he snuck into the Gold House and stole First Lady Keke's jewelry. At the time, President Hensam was away on a business trip. But he has cut short his trip and will return to be by his wife's side.

Pluto used to be under The Kingdom along with its sister planets Mars and Jupiter. After Marie Claire's rebellion, The Council ended machine enslavement and offered the planet to them as reparation. But unlike other planets, it didn't have cities, states, or countries, preferring to be one empire: The Machine Empire.

It had three sectors: Top, Center, and Bottom.

Sleeves lived in the top sector as the ruling class, led by King Draco, Queen Celeste, and the seven royal families, with each head of the family having a seat in the Supreme Court.

Synths and droids occupied the center sector, policing the planet by ensuring its safety and smooth running.

Cyborgs and bots stayed in the bottom sector, cleaning the planet so it wouldn't end up like Earth. And seeing that Pluto was the cleanest planet in the system, they were doing a good job.

Pluto didn't have an electromagnetic field around it like Mars and Jupiter. The three official sectors were only for machines, with humans having their unofficial one called the Human Area—machines weren't allowed in the area without the Supreme Court's permission. The place wasn't as huge as the other sectors, and most humans hated the planet because machines treated them like zoo animals.

The Anastasia settled on the assigned landing bay at the dock before Wolf walked out of the spacecraft. The chilly atmosphere forced him to put his hands in his pockets. Thankfully, the scarf covering his nose, mouth, and neck kept the cold away.

Dockworkers moved around, walking past Wolf as he ogled at the metallic structure shaped like a colosseum, which oddly enough, was named The Colosseum Dock. It wasn't large, allowing a few spacecraft before they closed shop and only let in shuttles and private vehicles.

"The bounty hunters from the other organizations are already here," Wednesday said.

"Where?" Wolf looked around, seeing only dock workers.

"I'm referring to the spacecraft. They belong to them."

The other landing bays held spacecraft larger than The Anastasia. A few spots remained open before the dock refused entry to others.

"There's no doubt about it." Wolf looked past the spacecraft that could hold mechas, observing the medium-sized ones with the Mages' Guild emblem painted on its side, and the ones with a woman dressed in a black dress and hat, riding a broom. "Have they found Rainbow and Cleopatra?"

"No. We'll get to them first."

"Good."

A checking station stood between the dock and the residential area, and a public bus took people back and forth at specific times. Wolf needed a visitor's pass before going to the latter. As he walked to the station, a few sleeves stood on the opposite side of the transparent wall, wearing royal robes. Synths in black suits stood behind them, glaring at Wolf.

The sleeves waved to Wolf. When he waved back, they shrieked with laughter and took pictures of him. "Father and Mother were right. Humans look like advanced primates," one of them said.

Wolf sighed. "Remind me to never come here again."

"Will do."

Rainbow and Cleo sat inside a cafe. Plates full of bread, toast, fried eggs, sausages, pancakes, and cups of coffee sat on the round table between them. They had been to Pluto many times, and the one thing they loved the most was the food.

Cleo poured syrup all over the pancakes on her plate, then picked one and took a large bite from it. Closing her eyes, she gave a low moan while chewing. She was at her most vulnerable when eating.

"You are in Heaven right now, huh?" Rainbow asked, smiling.

Cleo swallowed. "Dis feel betta dan Heaven." She licked the syrup off her fingertips.

"You missed some." Rainbow nudged the syrup off Cleo's cheek with her thumb, then sucked it. "When will the soldiers be ready?" She took a bite of her bread before sipping her coffee.

"In a few hours."

Rainbow nodded. "Good."

Cleo rubbed the jelly from Rainbow's chin, then let Rainbow suck her thumb. "Di checking officers sent me a message. Di bounty hunters are here."

"How many?" Rainbow grabbed two sausages, placed them on a piece of white bread, then rolled it. She took a small bite, enjoying her food in bits, unlike Cleo.

"A lot. Each organization sent some."

Rainbow nearly choked on her food. She cleared her throat. "Are they working together?"

Cleo shrugged, her eyes focused on the syrup she was pouring on the burnt toast. "Does it matter?"

"No. The coyotes did not tickle my bones. Hopefully, these will."

"Yuh like gettin' yuh bones tickled, eh?" Cleo looked at Rainbow with a raised brow.

Rainbow smiled. "What can I say, I have ticklish bones."

The bell at the top of the entrance rang, and both turned to the door. They were the only customers in there. And when they walked in earlier and the other customers recognized Cleo, they ran away, leaving alone them with the server.

"Wolf?" Rainbow said, staring at her best friend. "What are you doing here?" She stood and hugged him.

"You weren't answering my calls," Wolf said, then looked at Cleo. "I see you made a new friend."

Rainbow laughed nervously. "I can explain."

Wolf crossed his arms on his chest. "Please, do. I have all day."

Cleo narrowed her eyes. "Dis is Wolf?" She sounded unimpressed. "Wid how much yuh chat bout him, me did tink him be more..."

"Ugly? Short? Unmuscular? Unintimidating? Come on, Rainbow's friend, tell me what you thought I'd be?"

Cleo stood, went to Wolf, and stood a few inches from him. She towered over the coyote, but Wolf did not look intimidated, which surprised Rainbow. But this was not how she had imagined the two would meet each other. This was not the time or place, either.

Everything was wrong.

Rainbow stepped to the side and pressed the camouflaged earpiece around her left ear. "Wednesday, what is this? Why did you not warn me Wolf was heading my way?"

"Consider it an act of rebellion," Wednesday said.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm tired of your fake promises. Unlike you, Wolf plans on buying me a sleeve and letting me go explore the galaxy. This is the last time I'll follow your orders."

"You cannot do that. I programmed you to do as I say for as long as I want."

"I'm a sentient being, Rainbow. I have feelings and dreams and ambitions like you and everybody else. After this mission, I'm done being told what to do by anybody. And there's nothing you can do about it."

"Wait... this mission?" Rainbow gasped. The answer hit her like a wave of a tsunami. Wolf was among the coyotes hired to capture Cleo. She should have seen it coming. Of course, the GSF would pick him after he stopped The Forgotten Nuns. How could she have been so blind?

Rainbow turned to Cleo and Wolf. The two had stopped glaring at each other, focusing on what was happening outside. Rainbow turned in the same direction and saw projectiles heading their way.

Cleo did not have time to activate her armor's shield, and Wolf never wore one. If those things struck them, they would die. She couldn't let that happen.

There is no other option; they would have found out someday, anyway. Rainbow had estimated what would happen after she saved them. After coming to terms with it, she used her quick speed and reflex to jump in front of Cleo and Wolf. While in midair, she pressed the metal band on her wrist and an energy shield materialized in front of them.

The projectiles broke through the cafe and hit the shield. The explosion thrust the three backward—the entire length of the cafe—and they crashed into the wall. Then the building collapsed, burying them in pitch-black darkness.