I wolf down the Fingerbread and gulp the water in my apartment in Killy. The sounds of war, distant bombs and shouting, is now something that I hear everyday. 

Hurriedly, I check that I've packed my bags before calling, "Noah! Are you ready?"

Noah, my seven year old son, comes into the kitchen, lugging a bulging suitcase. 

He nods determinedly, "Yes, Joanne."

I gaze at him fondly. 

He is so different to me. He has black hair and brown eyes whilst I am blonde with blue eyes. I'd adopted him from the orphanage because, after I'd retired from the Star Travellers, I needed something or someone to busy myself with. 

I sigh quietly, "I wonder if you're doing okay, Hectaar, Stacy, all of you."

I didn't regret quitting the Star Travellers when I'd turned twenty-three; I needed a safer job, what with the war starting the year before I quit. 

Now I was twenty-eight. 

The Star Travellers tended to get into the middle of everything, even wars. It'd been getting too dangerous and I'd reached a certain maturity to see that I needed a safer job. Still, I'd never forget the friends I made there.

"Joanne?"

I shake myself and pick up my suitcase, "Come on, dear, lets go."

I open the door and rush out, hearing Noah follow me. We go down the endless stairs that finally lead us to the exit. There, I bump into a woman who is slightly older than me, auburn hair tied back in a perfect ponytail and green eyes darting. 

She pulls her blue waistcoat tighter around herself, "Sorry."

I smile pleasantly, "No worries."

Then my eyes widen and I open my mouth to shout but the woman beats me to it. 

She exclaims, "Steps! Joanne Steps! Oh, I've been looking all over for you!"

I snap my mouth shut and grab Noah's hand, brushing past Stacy and out the door of the apartment. 

"Unbelievable!" I mutter to myself.

Noah glances up at me curiously, "Who was that? How did she know your name?"

I ruffle his hair, "An old workmate."

Thank goodness he doesn't ask anymore. I hear thundering footsteps behind me and Stacy jumps in front of us. 

I grip Noah's hand tighter, "What do you want?"

Stacy's face saddens, "I've never been on too friendly terms with you, Steps. But surely you ought to be more polite to an old accomplice."

I make my eyes blaze, "An old accomplice, yes. But accomplice no more. I work with the Flame Lawyers now, not with you lot."

I take care not to mention Star Travellers in front of Noah, "I don't want anything to do with you and the others." 

I emphasise, "Never. Again."

Stacy persists, "We need you back, Joanne. You were the best of us, and you still are! We need your help to stop the war." 

She presses something in her ear, "She's here, I've got her."

I flush with anger, "Oh, no you haven't!"

With that, tugging Noah with me, I rushed off into the crowd of people heading for the Town Square. If we got through a portal to Ligonia, we would be safe; the Star Travellers would never guess that I'd hide in the planet of water. I squeeze through the crowd, tightening my hold on Noah so he wouldn't get lost.

"Joanne!! Come back!" I hear Hectaar's voice.

I wipe a tear. 

I regretted being so rude to Stacy. 

However, there was no other way to make it clear that I wasn't going with them. I burst out of the crowd and pull Noah with me. Panting, we sprint towards the Portal with hundreds of people rushing after us. 

Noah's hand slips from mine and I turn around, "No!"

The people push past us and Noah tumbles, dropping his suitcase and tripping over it. I catch him and snatch up his suitcase. Again, we run with the crowd. I catch a glimpse of a portal in front of me. 

Without hesitation, I leap into it, pulling Noah with me.