Orbit over Haven – Battlefront
The enemy fleet broke from hyperspace like claws ripping through the sky—sleek black ships, jagged and predatory, silhouetted by the stars. They came fast and brutal, weapons hot, the unmistakable signature of Grib's former allies. Slavers. Scavengers. Monsters.
Silver Lining surged forward.
"Shields to full. Weapon banks charged. Targeting systems online."
Her voice was calm, resolute—her transformation complete. No longer a prison. A protector now.
In the command center, red lights strobed over your skin as you gripped the rail. De'rax stood beside you, voice cold as iron.
"Priority on disabling engines. No fleeing. No warnings sent. This ends now."
You nodded. "And no mercy for the ones who traffic in chains."
Ty'ris, Ennis, Argo—your crew moved like a single organism. The bridge came alive in the firestorm of battle.
The Battle
It was swift. Brutal.
Silver Lining twisted through the enemy ships with the grace of something born anew. Plasma fire scorched the void. Explosions bloomed in the silence of space like dying stars.
Inside the station, Haven's defense turrets fired from camouflaged panels. Fighters launched, piloted by the brave souls you'd rescued—now defenders.
Your people.
Ty'ris's voice echoed through comms. "Left flank holding. Casualties light—pushing them back."
Then—
A scream. Crackling static.
"Micah's ship—! He's hit! Shields gone—!"
You whipped around, heart lurching. "Micah?!"
Ennis's face was tight. "He's venting… gods. He's not going to make it."
De'rax clenched his fists. "Get him out—now."
"I… I think he rerouted his own power to save our flanking line," Ty'ris said quietly. "They're pulling back because of him."
A blip on the screen winked out.
Micah was gone.
Aftermath – Hangar Bay
Smoke still hung in the air. The last enemy ship had exploded into dust, their threat silenced—for now. Fires were out. Shields lowered. The stars above Haven shimmered in peace once more.
But in the hangar, grief was real.
Micah's name echoed in silence as his flight mates removed the small burnt wing insignia from his ruined helmet. The teen who had once looked to you like you'd hung the stars, who had joked and trained, who wanted to become someone new…
He had. A hero.
You stood beside his flight suit, De'rax at your side, hand locked in yours.
"We'll honor him," you whispered. "He chose freedom. And he gave everything for it."
Ty'ris stepped forward and laid a folded piece of cloth beside the suit—a patch Micah had designed: a phoenix breaking its chains.
The symbol of Haven.
Haven – Memorial Garden, Under the Sky Dome
The entire station stood still.
Beneath the translucent dome that shimmered with soft starlight, the people of Haven gathered—freed slaves, seasoned fighters, families, crew. Everyone. A silence hung over them like morning fog, heavy and aching.
Micah's flight suit stood in the center, empty now, but draped with the phoenix breaking its chains—the symbol he had drawn himself. The windless air did not move it, but the image seemed to burn in every heart.
You stepped forward, a hand on your rounded belly, De'rax at your side.
Your voice was steady, though your heart thundered. "Micah was not born into freedom, but he chose it. He did not grow up with power, but he earned it. And when he had the choice to run, he stood."
You looked across the sea of faces, locking eyes with the oldest and youngest alike.
"He designed this." You lifted the cloth with the phoenix emblem higher. "A chained soul rising in flame and light. Micah believed we were more than survivors. That we were a rising. And from this day forward…"
You turned toward the hangar and back again.
"This is Haven's symbol. Every ship. Every badge. Every flag. His mark will fly with all of us."
A murmur rippled through the crowd, soft but growing. Heads bowed, hands pressed to hearts, some raised in salute.
The silence returned for a long moment—until the ceremonial fire was lit beside Micah's suit, and the people began laying simple offerings of thanks: a wrench, a piece of flight glass, a hand-carved toy.
And then—
You doubled over.
De'rax was at your side instantly, arms cradling you, concern flashing into command. "Love—?"
"It's time," you managed through a breath. "It's—gods—it's really time."
Medical Bay – Aflame with Life
Everything happened quickly after that. Caylee ran ahead, alerting the doctors. Ty'ris and Ennis cleared corridors. Tara—already in the medbay—held your hand while De'rax kissed your forehead, refusing to let go.
The pain was real. Intense. But you knew it wasn't pain alone. It was strength. The fierce, unstoppable rhythm of life refusing to be overshadowed by death.
Two cries shattered the air moments apart—sharp, hungry, alive.
The room went still again.
The med tech smiled as he looked at you, awe softening his tone. "You did it. Twins."
The first baby was laid on your chest—a boy, blinking up at you with wide, wondering eyes, his little hand already clinging to your finger.
"Micah," you whispered, tears falling freely. "Welcome home."
Then the second—a tiny girl with lungs louder than her size. De'rax cradled her gently, voice thick.
"Seren," he said, staring down in quiet reverence. "Our light."
The door hissed open and Silver Lining's voice, unusually soft, echoed through the room.
"Welcome to Haven, Micah and Seren. You are safe. You are loved. You are free."