The ceiling above us is alive. Constellations and asterisms dance against the inky black sky that makes up the dome of the Grand Majestic Hall in the city.

I am in awe with the way my squads and supporters did up the place. Stars litter the walls, all bright silver, mimicking the colour of our hair and jewellery.

When I step into the hall with Lucian by my side, everyone calls out to me in cheer. There are so many gathered here today for the celebration, I barely recognise half of them. Yet my name is a constant prayer on their lips, they're gazes adoring like they've known me their entire lives.

Lucian's presence is a familiar comfort. He stays by my side when I'm called up the stage to make a toast.

I've always hated making speeches. I've never been as enigmatic as Lazarus or as passionate as Lucian when it came to winning people over with words.

And tonight it feels like the entire nation will be listening in. My shoes click on the shiny floors as I step up to the stage, Lucian close behind, hidden behind the shadowed curtains should I need him.

My gaze flits from the front of the massive ballroom to the back doors. There are no empty spaces, the place is filled to the brim with Plutonians. There are some humans stationed by the walls, some of them holding trays with drinks and various confectionary.

Monitors have been set all over the walls, their green lights signalling that the broadcast has been turned on. Plutonians stationed all over the universe will be able to tune in to my birthday celebrations.

The sound on stage is amplified, I don't need a mike to get my words across but there is a hesitance in my step. A small lump has lodged in my throat, I suddenly long for a glass of the strongest alcohol present.

The murmurs die down when I walk to the front of the small stage and white lights are cast from above, bathing me in an ethereal glow.

This isn't just a birthday speech. This is my chance to send a message. To tell the Plutonians what I stand for and why they should support me for leadership.

What do I stand for?

My eyes flit to the humans at the back. One of them has rushed to serve a tall male Plutonian who then squeezes her butt cheek before turning his attention back to me. She looks at me briefly as well, eyes widening when she notices that I am watching her.

There's a fading black bruise under her left eye and she hurries away, adjusting her skirt with a grimace on her face.

When General Lyra inducted me into the Sympathizer organisation, she mentioned the need to back track from the segregation we have created between ourselves and all other aliens.

In our short few years together, we have managed to save an abandoned craft of humans left to die off in space for harbouring unwanted pathogens. We have treated and strengthened many slaves that were left to die on the tracks.

The same could be said for the alien traders who were cast aside by their own leaders. The only problem is everything has always been done in secret. The public can never know we exist because past leaderships have associated sympathising with humans as treason.

I grit my teeth, staring at the girl slave who has to serve us Plutonians while being molested and beaten as well. That was never part of the job description.

The hall falls silent, waiting for me to speak and I chew the inside of my cheek. I can never show them the real me. The Luna who wants to eradicate all the rot we have created in our society and the elitism we practice.

Instead, I must tell them what they want to hear. For now.

I turn ever so slightly and Lucian catches my stare. He's stark icy blue eyes pierce mine and he nods, gesturing for me to go on.

My hair whips across my bare shoulders as I face the crowd, the nation, the universe.

"Dear guests, my friends. My family."

"Thank you all for gathering here today to celebrate my eighteenth birthday. This birthday is unlike the rest, it is a mark in Plutonian history that things are about to change. I appreciate you being here to share this moment with the rest of the universe."

I pause for a second and lick my dry lips.

"We Plutonians have achieved so much as a nation. This year our trade profits alone exceeded twenty billion in gold units. Last year we launched the largest Space Splitter ever made in the history of space travel."

A chorus of cheers follows those statements.

"This month our reproduction rate increased by twenty percent with the help of our human paramours."

More cheers are heard, intermixed with some 'boos'. The mention of half breeds has always been a controversial topic even though we are in desperate need to rebuild our diminishing population.

I put my hand over my heart, looking like I'm making a pledge.

"I, have always dedicated my life to the Plutonian cause and will continue to do so till my last dying breath. We Plutonians have come so far as a nation. From the small, minute population in Proxima Centauri B, we excelled in space travel before any of our neighbouring planets and spread our wings throughout the universe, some could say at the speed of light."

A few Plutonians laugh and clap.

"Our original home died but we survived. With our state of the art atmospheric shields, we will be able to survive on any planet with any composition and atmosphere."

The air in the room is tense with patriotism. Everyone hangs onto my words, I didn't even know I had it in me to make them pay attention like that.

"As your leader, I promise to continue our efforts in making the Plutonian empire the largest in the entire universe! We will expand, protect those in need of protection and remove all threats in our way. If there is any rot - and there always is- we will eradicate it."

The Sympathizers believe that the rot has infiltrated Plutonian society for decades. I slip in the word as a message to all Sympathizers listening in but my gaze is focused on the Plutonian man who touched that human slave without her consent.

I blink profusely, pretending like something has caught between my eyelashes but the Sympathizers will track my gaze to him. He will be handled just like the rest. Plutonians like these always have dirt on their records. It makes it all the more easier to get rid of them quietly.

Once I'm done, I take a quick bow and the crowd erupts in applause. The monitors switch screens and I can see ambassadors and soldiers stationed on other planets clapping as well. I bow to them, again and again. Thankful for their support.

"Well done," Lucian claps mockingly, his gaze teasing when I meet him by the curtains.

I slap his arm playfully. "Don't make me remind you about your speech last year. Remember your pledge for equality and the way you reminisced our taking over of this solar system?"

Lucian grimaces and waves me off quickly. "Please don't."

We both laugh and I smile at him in adoration. Unlike me, Lucian has always been more vocal about his support for more equal treatment for the human slaves but he's always met with the most resistance. Some commanders have accused him of being a Sympathizer and he was almost investigated for treason last year. I guess that's probably why I prefer to keep those sentiments to myself.

Especially since I'm the actual Sympathizer between the two of us.

"Shall we get a drink? I'm parched."

Lucian nods, following me past the podium steps to meet the crowd below. They swallow us up and Lucian is dragged away by Plutonians who wish to speak to him. His eyes meet mine and he gestures to the clock, reminding me of his request. I am to meet him a quarter after the night passes.

I smile and wink at him as a promise and his face relaxes.

Conversation after conversation ensues. Most of them empty praises and cajoles of Plutonians eager to gain my favour.

My cheeks hurt from all the smiling and I'm honestly exhausted from thanking everyone I meet. I close my eyes when the clock signals midnight and the room goes dark, every little piece of light disappearing from view.

There are murmurs of anticipation and then the ceiling above lights up with my name. The words happy birthday perched over them in white luminescence. The crowd grows wild, some already intoxicated and everyone cheers for me.

I wish the darkness had persisted. I wish I was alone in my room, watching this on a broadcast. Suddenly, someone grabs hold of my wrist and my head whips in their direction.

No one dares to touch the Trinity like this.

My fists clench and I'm ready to twist my wrist and knock them over but then I catch the streaks of gold in his hair.

His bicep muscles tense under his loose, casual black shirt and I know these arms from memory. I know each vein that protrudes on his forearm, the way the far left one curves slightly before meeting his wrist.

My heart clenches and suddenly the hall is empty, save for the two of us. His grip on my wrist is firm but gentle, he holds me in that same possessive way he did when I went to his house.

"Lazarus." I breathe, once we have left the hall, far away from prying eyes. "I thought you weren't coming."

He finally turns around and the sight of him feels like a someone kicked the air out of my lungs. I suddenly forget to breathe.

"I would never forget your birthday, Luna." He says seriously but I find it all so hard to believe. My fingers traverse his arms and grip his skin, wondering if I'm currently dreaming.

"You weren't there for dinner with the generals." I murmur, the hurt in my voice evident.

Lazarus's lips purse and he stares at me for a long moment. I gasp when he suddenly pushes me against the wall and kisses me passionately.

There isn't anyone around us but we're currently out here in a wide open corridor. Anyone could see us. The cameras would definitely catch this.

I kiss Lazarus back, realising that I don't care about that at all. All I want is this. Him.

My fingers clasp the back of his neck and I grab hold of his soft, beautiful hair as we kiss each other. He tastes of sweet wine and cream and he presses me against the wall, losing himself just as much as I am.

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you." He says when we catch our breaths. "I didn't come here today because I was preparing your present. I would like to show it to you now if you'd like."

My eyebrows raise in surprise. "Present?" Lazarus has never 'prepared' a gift for me before. It's always been formal ones from his attendants.

He blushes slightly, a shy smile on his face and it feels like my heart has melted into my chest cavity. I've never seen him like this.

"Yes. It would mean the universe, if you could see it."

His gaze is so earnest as he holds out his hand and suddenly nothing else seems to matter. Every other obligation or promise dissolves into the background as I place my hand in his.

"I would love that."