"This must have been so painful, you must tell me how you lost all that skin in the first place."

"I thought animals weren't allowed here." 

"No matter what you do or where you go you will soon realise that you are mine, Bone Breaker."

"The curly haired girl was tough. Never said a word even as she bled through her every orifice." 

I don't realise I am gasping till I bolt upright in bed and suck in the air around me desperately. My skin is cold and clammy, heart racing and body shaking from yet another nightmare of Lazarus. 

It has been two days on this planet since the invasion on Earth was announced and we have been preparing ever since. 

Today is the day we have all been waiting for and dreading at the same time. Today we leave for battle. 

I kick the sheets off my legs and stare around the empty room that is still bathed in darkness. Lucian must have left early, the sun hasn't even risen yet. 

I wash up and get ready, slipping on a breather suit, my army boots and then leaving the room. I am almost certain that many must be up already and the shinning lights from the main hall are confirmation enough. 

The luminescent yellow that glares at us from the ceilings above seem to be the only thing that brightens the atmosphere in the room. The hall is filled with aliens and some humans, some who are snarfing down their food greedily and others who pick at their plates not looking interested. 

I see Lucian sitting with General Lyra, Commander Rigel and a few other aliens who look like leaders of their own regimes. He notices me walking to the small table of food laid out for us and waves me over. 

I grab a plate and walk over to them. Both the commander's and the general's plates are filled to the brim but Lucian's is almost empty. 

"Pleasant day Generals, Commanders," I nod at everyone at the table, including the intimidating Reptile looking alien and a small refugee from Cixin. He smiles at me from underneath his mushroom like head in greeting. 

"Officer Aria, I hope you are well rested. We have a long few cycles ahead of us," General Lyra says chirpily, her smile a great contrast to the seriousness on Lucian's face. 

"We can only hope it will end in a few cycles," Lucian mutters and the general tuts in response. 

"Now is not the time for negativity or we may need another one of officer Aria's speeches." She smiles at me but I can't tell if it is a compliment or a jab at me.

"Join us," Lucian shifts to make space for me at an already crowded table and I quickly excuse myself politely after having spotted my friends at another table. 

I greet all the leaders once again before scuttling around a few tables till I reach Joon, Xari, Cat and Rachel. 

"Hey guys," I sit down quickly and place my plate down with a soft thud.

"Hey," Everyone mutters in a sombre chorus.

Joon looks like he didn't sleep at all last night, he keeps playing with his food and staring at his plate. My voice only distracts him briefly as he looks up at me and gives me a half smile. 

"When do your squads leave?" Xari asks Cat and Rachel who are part of the teams who are supposed to seek out and destroy the military bunkers that have been planted on Earth. 

At hearing this Rachel perks up and jumps in her chair, her enthusiasm a refreshing change to the dull morning.

"I have good news," She places her hands in front of her and crosses her fingers before clearing her throat. 

Even Joon straightens up and listens in curiously. 

"We just received news that a prime minister on one of the biggest countries on Earth changed their allegiance after receiving our transmission. They have chosen not to continue serving the empire and have agreed to help us track down all the bunkers in their country." 

My eyes widen in amazement. "That is the best news I have heard in awhile." 

"It's not the only good news," Cat adds. "Commander Pollux was able to track down information by a whistleblower who posted the coordinates we wanted online." 

"Looks like things are looking up for you guys," Xari says and then she chews a large piece of meat on her plate. 

"Well that's just one thing. I heard the new central command will be up and running within a few cycles. Once that happens we can forget an ambush. They'll see us coming from a solar system away," Joon joins the conversation, his tone morbid. 

I punch him on the shoulder lightly. "Come on! Where's the smirking, confident Joon I know?"

He only smiles weakly and then goes back to playing with his food.

Once the sun rises, everyone starts to clear the hall and head to the landing strip where all the ships are. Most of the armies are already up in space, waiting for us beyond the atmosphere. I glance around at the growing number of people but don't see my designated flight partner. 

"Have any of you seen Luna?" My eyebrows crease together in a frown as the sun's rays suddenly grow in intensity. 

Just then I see her jogging towards us with Pollux in tow. He is carrying a bag for her and begging her to eat something. 

"Sorry slept in," She huffs once she reaches me. "How's my shooter? Ready to destroy some space ships?" 

Her smile catches the glow of the sun and her cheeks shine. She definitely looks like the most well rested one here. 

"I will do my best," I reply, feeling my nerves settling in because we are all here now and soon we will be up in space, heading to Lazarus's fleet. His very name is enough to boil me over with rage and cause me to shiver at the same time. 

 "Please, my minions a damn good shot," Remulus suddenly joins in with the rest of our squad. 

"And PG Luna was the best pilot during our training and inductions," Pollux adds proudly. 

"What do you mean 'was'? I still am," She shoots back making him blush. 

A low horn bellows over the fields, echoing in our ears. Time for boarding. 

My eyes instinctively catch Lucian's. We will be flying separately, our destinations different. He will be heading to Earth to fight Lazarus's army head on while I will be heading to the army guarding Pluto. 

It was deemed the best decision to separate the two most wanted on Lazarus's list and although I agree, looking at Lucian now makes my heart heavy. 

Our boots trample the sandy grass, and like magnets we are drawn to each other. The pull becoming stronger the more reality pulls us apart. 

"Remember to strap yourself in when you shoot," Lucian nags once we reach each other, his pale blue eyes filled with worry and apprehension. 

"Remember to rest when you can and refuel when needed," I poke him in the stomach lightly, indicating where he needs fuel the most and his lips pull back into a small smile. 

"Remember to back up and retreat if you're outnumbered and if I give the order," He murmurs, tucking a strand of air behind my ear. His eyes narrow when I smile at him sheepishly. 

He knows how capable I am of doing reckless things. 

"Remember to keep your shields up constantly and keep an eye on your back. They will be targeting you the most," I add softly. 

"That is a given," He laughs and then he catches my eyes narrowing. "That being said, I will do my best." 

"So will I." 

His hands find mine and we grasp onto each other for as long as we can before we have to separate.  He heads to his ship and I do the same, the void between us grows and it's weird how I can literally feel it.

"I hope Pollux packed the food supplies I wanted," Luna murmurs as her hands fly over the control board of our ship. 

I fish around the bags of food Pollux packed, shocked at the vast array of perishables he left for us. When does she plan on eating all of this?

The ship's mainframe is brought to life and the engines groan as the ship begins its lift off. 

Vix, a small sized alien from Cixin who has been training with us heads to the back where the gun thrusters facing our rear lie. I help Luna set up our magnetic fields and settle us in. Once we are done, she rushes to the bag of food and rummages through the packets of algae, beans, dried meat, etc. 

She grabs a packet and tears it open, chewing on the dried meat happily.

"He managed to get everything," Her eyes gleam and then she turns to the window in the control room. "Where is Pollux?" 

I briefly register the panic in her voice before replying. "He's flying with Altair and Deneb, remember?" 

She sucks in a breath of relief. "Oh right. They're coming with us, right?" 

I have to suppress a smile at how huge her eyes look and how they are filled with so much concern. 

"Yes, they are. Remulus and Sirius are flying with Lucian's fleet." 

"Oh, yes. Guess I forgot," She mutters sheepishly and then she rushes to the control room. "Squadran A-15B come in." 

"Present and ready, General," A voice answers. 

Luna proceeds to do this till what feels like the hundredth squadron -the numbers are endless- but once she is done we finally exit the planet with everyone in tow. I glance back at the atmosphere where Lucian and his bigger fleet are preparing for lift off as well. 

He will be going up against a much larger army than us and it causes a bubble of fear to form in my chest. 

"Prepare for hyperdrive," Luna announces, her voice smooth and commanding which is a side of her that I have never seen before. 

I key in the coordinates we have all memorised by heart just as Vix joins us in the control room. We strap in just in time before we are enveloped by brilliant bright white light. 

The darkness that meets us is fleeting as Pluto comes into view from afar and I can see the Plutonian army surrounding its space station located just outside it's thin artificial atmosphere. 

"We're here," Luna murmurs silently as if whispering will keep us off their radars. 

I catch a few red dots from afar that light up one by one like laser beams aimed our way. 

"They know we're here," Luna says in a shaky voice. "Commander's, everyone. Get into formation." 

"Yes, general," Some of them murmur and I don't miss the panic in some of their voices as well. 

The red dots multiply almost every second, dotting the universe and showing us how out numbered we currently are. 

Luna slams her hand down on the threshold of the control board making Vix and I turn to her in worry. 

"I suck at this. I was never the one giving out orders, especially not to a fleet this large." She turns to me, looking for help but I don't know what to do. 

"Maybe you should say something. Something to motivate everyone." I suggest. 

"You're right. You're right. But what?" She taps a finger to her chin for a few seconds and then her expression brightens. She presses the button for transmission and speaks firmly. 

"The time has come for us to finally take a stand against the empire that has been rotting for millennia. Right now we are fighting for our freedom, the freedom of our loved ones and the right to create a new world where we live in equality and prosperity. We will fight this battle with every cell we have and we will win because we must."

I smile at her, proud of her words and how true they are. A burning fire ignites deep in my belly as she raises her hand in the air, her voice raised a notch. 

"Things need to change before it is too late. Before the rot kills us all." 

The moment she finishes her speech I freeze in place, my mind momentarily blank. 

She turns to me happily as a chorus of cheers goes through our intercoms and I force a smile back. 

"That was a nice line. Did you learn it somewhere?" I just have to ask. 

"I don't know. Just kind of came through," She says proudly. 

"Even about the rot?" I croak, curiously dripping from my words. 

"Yeah, a common line in Plutonian speeches," She murmurs nonchalantly. 

My mind is jumbled with thought's of 'S' and Luna but then a laser beam shoots out from afar, aimed right us and then another one. 

"Surrender now and you will not be shot down." A robotic Plutonian voice echoes from the distance. 

Luna clasps her hands around the handles and I strap myself in by the gun thrusters in front while Vix heads to the back. 

"It's time," Luna says and I tighten my fists around the gun handles.

Heyyyy, was desperate for some inspiration for a outer space fight scene and The Bad Batch fell into my hands like a dream hehe. Thanks for your patience and waiting. Your comments in the last chapter were so sweet and motivating. You guys are really the best readers ever :) :)