A blast of frigid air blew through Skylar’s hair and ruffled his cloak, sending up a chill up his spine and through his entire body.

“Ah, this is Commander Skylar Vah’Aris.” Winter stood from one of the two guest chairs. “He is our humble leader.”

Skylar met her halfway to shake her hand but found his attention diverted, not just by her brown hair blowing into his face, but by what he saw at the opposite wall. Across from him, the window was ajar. Not just cracked to let a little air in, but fully open, as if someone needed to escape out of it, something that Skylar had never even considered in all the years he spent in the office. For him, it was just there as a decoration, a way for him to see how over the city, look at the mountains maybe, but never to open.

The man stood, inclining his head towards them Skylar immediately noticed the unusual attire he wore. It appeared to be made of a strange metal that shifted with the light. A crimson-colored spine with rib-like lines protruding at regular intervals went up the front. In the corner of his chest was a small Y-shaped symbol. An ebony cape attached to each shoulder, covering his back. His hair was graying in spots and cut short. He brought with him a bag, which lay on the floor, and a pistol strapped to his side.

“See, I was under the impression that was you, Prime Minister.” He smiled as he spoke, bowing his head somewhat in her direction. “I’m apparently mistaken.”

“Our government is a little unusual, Colonel.” Winter blushed and lowered her voice. She chose her words carefully, trying to avoid offense. “I’m the elected leader of the people, but Commander Vah’Aris has the final say in all matters related to the well-being of the planet.”

“Ah, of course.” The man nodded, continuing to stand. He folded his hands behind his back, carefully looking around the room and studying different trinkets and decorations on the walls, from curved blades to flags from other planets. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Commander, I’d like you to meet Colonel Augusta Ire of the Hyperion Empire.” Winter cleared her throat. “Captain of the Martyrdom-Two, one of the cruisers in orbit. He’s here to negotiate for mining rights.”

The men shook hands, each squeezing hard to assert dominance, Winter watching on in mild curiosity. Something told Skylar the armor Ire wore gave him enhanced strength, but he didn’t let it show, continuing to hold the Colonel’s hand until he was finally the first to release. He met with too many diplomats and foreign leaders to not know how to play this game, to not know it worked.

Skylar moved around the desk to the window, looking out. The brisk, dry air stung his eyes. He gazed over the city and the mountains countless times in his life. Never in a moment such as this, when he was worried with each passing second that he may never get back to it. The blizzard was in a full on frenzy now, its winds whipping the white snow in every direction and obscuring his vision of the ground, but he still imagined he could pick out the brown speck, where he knew they were safe.

He turned to his desk, where the wind knocked over a holographic photo frame. The first photo they took of Xaleyp dazzled and danced with the movement, changing to one of him just a few months ago after a few seconds. His different colored eyes—one blue and one purple—were unusual and off-putting at first, but he grew to love them. He could only hope that he might see them in person again.

“Please, sit,” Skylar said as he set the photo back in place, snapping out of his trance. He gestured to the seat where Ire had been sitting. “I hear we have much to discuss.”

Winter began to sit as well, but Skylar cleared his throat to stop her. She looked at him with a curious expression, her hands the only thing preventing her from landing in the chair.

“Winter, I appreciate you keeping Colonel Ire company, but you undoubtedly should be getting home. I’m sure you’ve had a long day.”

“Sir, are you—” Before she finished the sentence, Skylar glared at her. Her blue eyes looked back, boring into him with the same energy his did to her. For a moment, it appeared she was going to be resolute and stand her ground before she stood upright and composed herself. “Right, very well then. Good day, gentlemen.”

The door hissed as it opened and closed, leaving the two of them alone in the now freezing office. Skylar shifted awkwardly in his chair in the silence that followed, while the Colonel absentmindedly placed one leg over the other and looked out the window. Skylar swore the man was scanning the white sea, trying to pick out the cottage. He turned in his chair himself, pretending to admire the view and gentling tapping his foot on the ground.

“Was it too warm in here?” Skylar asked, nodding towards the window. “One of the attendants could have lowered the heat.”

“Oh, no. Not at all.” Ire’s lips curled. It bore an uncanny resemblance to a tiger getting ready to pounce. “I just enjoy getting fresh air whenever I can. With the amount of the traveling I do, it’s a rare luxury. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, not at all.” Skylar took deep breaths to steady himself. This was his office, not the Colonel’s, even if he was from Hyperia. “I’m glad you made yourself at home. What exactly is it you wished to discuss with me? I am told that you have an interest in our mining operations?”

“Not precisely, Commander.” The Colonel planted his feet on the ground and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “Mining rights, yes, is part of it. One particular objective we are hoping to accomplish today is your permission to establish a training facility in orbit.”

Skylar rose his eyebrows. The generals prepared him for giving up the tritinium, but not this. What could the Hyperions want with a training facility at Stariek, and what induced them to come now?

“No one told you of my request? I tried to make it very clear that I had two desires here. The man who set up this meeting must’ve misheard me. Don’t worry, I know how hard it can be to find good help.”

“My ‘help’ is just fine, thank you.” Skylar tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice but realized as soon as the words came out how hopeless it was.

“Ah, of course.” Ire smirked and nodded. “I meant no disrespect.”

“Why Stariek for a training facility?” Skylar began tapping his foot under the table, trying to keep calm. Could the man hear the rhythmic thumping? Could he see the sweat forming on his forehead? He had to talk slower than normal to keep from stuttering. “From the reports I’ve received, you have plenty of different training facilities around the galaxy. Plenty of mineral rich planets are just waiting to be bought. Perhaps one of those would suit you better?”

“Right to the point then.” Ire leaned back in his chair and brought one hand up to his chin, almost absentmindedly stroking a small tuft of hair in the center. “You see, Commander, Stariek has something that those don’t, something that Hyperia desires.”

“Our tritinium.” Skylar nodded briskly, sure that he was one step ahead of the man, but it was quickly replaced with a look of surprise when the Colonel smiled in a way that reminded him of an animal getting ready to strike.

“Again, you appear misinformed.” The words were slow and calculating. “That is indeed not why we went through all the trouble of arranging this conversation.”

“You don’t want the tritinium?” Skylar shook his head. “I admit, I’m shocked.”

“That’s part of the mining rights.” He waved his hand. “It’s nice, but we came for more. By our calculations, the population of Stariek is approximately four billion. Let’s say forty percent of those are able-bodied, and another thirty percent children. They would make good soldiers, quite an army.”

“You want people? I thought Hyperia relied on robots to do their fighting for them, reserving people just for higher command.”

“Partially correct, but I’m not just going to disclose our secrets to you.” He pulled a datapad from the sack at his side. After tapping a few buttons on the screen, he handed it to Skylar. “At least, not until I know I can trust you. Here are the terms that I brought with me, you may take your time to read through them and suggest any changes that you please.”

The words, while they sounded honest, carried a hint that any suggestion Skylar may make would be rejected without a second thought. He glanced down at it and saw the lines scrolling by, wall after wall of text.

“And if I don’t sign it?” Skylar didn’t read the screen, simply continuing to let it go by. “What would you do then?”

“You saw I came ready for a fight.” Colonel Ire shrugged. “Loss of life is regrettable, but if I must use force, I will.”

“You’d be violating a dozen different galactic statutes if you did that. An unsanctioned, unprovoked attack on a peaceful planet?”

“And who would enforce those? The Galactic Council?” The Colonel sneered at Skylar. “They’re all bark, no bite, and wouldn’t come within a thousand light years of us.”

He was right, and Skylar knew it. The Council hadn’t enforced a single law in decades, and even the thought of bringing up such egregious conduct was a fool’s errand, bound to waste more time than it was worth for the same end result. Having no other choice, Skylar read the lines on the datapad, his brow furrowing further with each word.

This agreement (the “Agreement”) is effective as of the 25th day of October 4996 between the Hyperion Empire (“Hyperia”) and Commander Skylar Rila Vah’Aris (“Stariek” or “The Commander” or “Skylar”) for the immediate transfer of ownership of the planet Stariek (“Stariek”) from The Commander to Hyperia…

It continued for nearly a hundred pages, describing each minute, legal detail about Hyperia’s rights to the planet. A small section hardly a paragraph long defined Skylar’s position, essentially explaining that he would be left in charge as nothing more than a figurehead. Dozens of different clauses filled with legalese and jargon Skylar didn’t understand to the point where only one point stuck out to him, mostly because he wasn’t knowledgeable enough to recognize what to look for.

“Colonel, in Clause Seventeen, Section A, Subsection Four, Line Two, why does it say something about my children?” He couldn’t believe he was seriously considering signing it. “Why are they involved?

“It’s simple, Commander. If you start from the top of the clause, it refers to the army Hyperia conscripts from Stariek. That section, as you pointed out, simply indicates any children you have or will have in the future are to be immediately turned over to Hyperia.”