Ricardia knew they were getting close when the Port Promenade emerged from view behind the last line of warehouses. She felt a pang upon seeing the nearby streets; she'd been so hopeless then, running through those streets.

But this time was different - she didn't have to be afraid. This time, she wasn't alone. And if there was one thing that Onyx had taught her, it was this: that Ricardia had more fight in her than she ever could have imagined.

When she looked upon the raucous mess of light and sound, there was a newfound sense of confidence. You're making the right choice, she told herself as they crossed the Promenade. It's time to go back and face what happened. Before, all she could do was run, but she would hold her ground this time - even if it meant dishonoring her family.

"Look," Erin pointed ahead, drawing Ricardia out of her thoughts. "They've got the commercial strips covered."

Ahead of them stretched row after row of docks,

where an eclectic mix of private shipcraft disgorged their passengers. But the flood of people was only one-way; there were no ships retreating back into open space. A moment later, Ricardia could see why: small squads of Purists were dotted here and there, their dark lenses reflecting the glare of the Port's overhead lights.

They came to a screeching halt at the edge of the Promenade, the crowd of people providing a modicum of cover.

"How do we get past?" There was rising panic in Lukas' tone.

"Give me a minute," Erin snapped. "I'll think of something."

Ricardia was about to respond, when suddenly she felt someone's grip fall upon her shoulder. She screamed, whirling around, afraid they'd been tracked down. But then she was face to face with a concerned-looking Sana, and her yell dissolved into a deeply relieved chuckle.

"Oh, Sana," she exclaimed, and the two of them fell into an embrace. Initially on edge, the rest of the relaxed as they saw she wasn't an enemy.

"When you disappeared, we all thought the

worst..." Sana sniffed. "The cameras picked up your fight, but there was nothing we could do when it came to the Purists. Dani tried - really! She asked around, tried to pull in favors, but you were gone."

"You thought about me," Ricardia was shocked at the tears that threatened to fall. "That's what matters."

Sana gripped her arm like a life-raft. "You're leaving, aren't you? I mean, you have to, right? They'll just keep coming-"

"Yes. But I wanted you to come see me. I wanted to say thank you."

"Is it wrong..." Sana hesitated, glanced away. "...to say that I want you to stay? That I'll miss your dances - and you?"

"Oh..." Ricardia leaned over and planted a kiss, feather-soft, on the younger woman's lips. "Thank you for everything," she said. "I'll see you again."

"Ricardia," Erin's voice was gentle, but insistent. "We need to get moving again."

She glanced, away, at the patrols, then back at Sana's earnest face.

"We're pinned down," Ricardia spoke slowly, deliberately. "We need to get past the patrols to get to the ship."

Sana followed her gaze, and nodded slowly. With visible effort, she pulled her emotions back under the surface, replacing her look with one of determination.

"You need an opening," she said. "I can help you with that."

Without waiting for a response, she strode out into the open, but not before giving Ricarida one last squeeze. "I'll tell Cass you said goodbye," she murmured, and then she ran, screaming, across the broad plaza, towards the Purists.

People dodged out of her way as she teared past. "A Factor!" She screamed. "I'm blind! Help! Someone used a Factor on me!"

The effect was instantaneous. The crowd slowed to almost a standstill as passerby stopped to watch the spectacle. The Purists were forced to break past the knots of people as they hurried towards Sana's position.

The group wasted no time in dodging through the crowd, using the commotion as a cover.

They passed Sana, slipped around the Purists that surrounded her. Then they were past the Promenade, and into the commercial strip of the docks.

"Just a little more," Ito panted. "We're so close..." Ricardia could tell, from his inflection, that it was more of a self-motivator than a statement directed at anyone else. Less athletic than the rest of the group, it was clear his stamina was flagging.

Still, slowing down would raise their chances of getting caught, and they were doing so well so far-

Shouting echoed through the Port, and Ricardia turned to see a group of Purists pointing. Unlike most of their comrades, they'd hung back during Sana's outburst, and spotted the group.

"Run," Erin shouted, and they ran breakneck down the walkway between the docks and the bulk of the station.

Dock after dock blurred together in Ricardia's watery vision, the wind from her acceleration buffeting her. Erin sprinted on one side, Lukas on the other. With their vision long since returned, she had to depend on them directing them to the correct ship. Ito was right behind, puffing like an incapacitated steam bot.

"There," gasped Erin, and there she saw it: a disgustingly lavish hulk of a ship, resplendent in the red and gray and white of the Ferrum Rete. A shock of relief ran through her upon seeing the soldiers stationed in front, and prompted her newfound strength.

Erin reached the walkway first. She threw her hand back - not at the others, but pointing towards the doctor.

"Get him on the ship," she gasped, and the soldiers jumped into action. Ricardia risked looking back only after reaching the ship's gangplank, Lukas right on her heels. A fight had broken out between the soldiers and the Purists that had chased them down. Both sides were hunkered down, taking shots from behind ships, containers, and the guard-rooms stationed at the end of each dock. Amidst the screams and chaos of fleeing passengers and port workers, Ricardia spotted the sight of other Purits approaching from a different direction.

"They'd been stationed there for a while, now," she overheard one of the soldiers reporting to Erin. "We'd been scaring them off, but now..."

"Grab the doctor and retreat," Erin commanded. She grabbed her son and jerked her head at Ricardia. "You two are getting inside. Now."

Ricardia wasted no time in scrambling into the open air-lock and the cargo hold beyond.

Dodging panicked crew and hustling soldiers, Lukas led Ricardia through hallways filled with luxurious decor and soft, padded accents until they reached what was unmistakably the ship's bridge.

Ricardia made a beeline for a dark corner of the huge, bustling space, watching from afar as Lukas barreled towards a group of younger people, headed by a wild-looking older man with a shock of gray hair. They huddled together in what was an apparent reunion.

Beyond the group, by the ship's massive viewing windows, was another man, tall and lavishly dressed. He stood, bent over the panel of controls, his posture taut and exuding tension.

Minutes passed, slow as molasses, as the crew hustled two and fro, the man poised for action, and yet Erin didn't show. Then she spotted it. Though the window: Purists scattering, peeling back towards safety.

They made it, Ricardia thought, with no shortage of amazement. We actually made it.

A moment later Erin hurled herself through the bridge's entryway.

"Get us in the air!" She screamed, and the tall man threw himself upon the controls, the ship ripping away from the dock's moorings with a reverberating screech she could feel deep in her bones.