“Frida, request communication with the unmarked ship,” I said.

“Communication requested, awaiting response, Captain Aries.”

I glanced across at Cas who was staring straight ahead, his jaw tight and his hands clenched around Frida’s controls. I didn’t need to ask what he was thinking, I knew he was furious at his dad for causing this. I was too. This was unnecessary. If the Council had listened to their concerns earlier, Irision would still be there. People would still be alive. They didn’t need to die.

“Hello, Captain Aquila speaking.”

“Hello, Captain Aries of Crew 761. We have a number of refugees who do not want to return to Nova with us. Can they come aboard?”

“That’s understandable. They may. Dock in the same bay as before. We will have medics waiting for anyone who is wounded.”

The radio clicked off and I turned Frida to face the large ship.

Everything okay back there? Heading to Captain Aquila’s now.

Things are okay. No major injuries, I’ve done what I can for now. Cory replied.

Peg, can you let them know we’ll be there in a few?

I heard Peggy make the announcement and the Irisians talk quietly in response but everything felt strangely muffled. We approached the dock and I noticed for the first time multiple smaller transport ships already docked along the side of it. I wasn’t sure if they’d been there before or if they were some of the ships that had been on Irision. I knew there were some missing now. The ship that we had spoken to before. The one that didn’t make it clear of the blast.

Coming up now. I warned them as the ship bumped lightly against the dock.

I stood on tired and shaking legs. The adrenaline was wearing off by now and leaving me drained.

“They can disembark now,” I told Peggy, looking around at the drawn, pale faces.

She said something I didn’t understand before turning back to me. I didn’t have the energy to say anything to the people now leaving our ship and from the exhaustion etched into the faces of my crew, I knew they felt the same way too. Peggy’s eyes were glossy and I realised belatedly that she hadn’t managed to get any sleep before we came here.

“I’d like to meet Captain Aquila if we have time. I have a few questions.” She said, even through her weariness she managed to be curious.

I nodded, following the crowd of people out of the ship. Just over half were leaving which meant there was enough space for the rest to get settled into the empty seats. Captain Aquila was waiting for us as we disembarked with several other people who I assumed lived on this ship. Some of them had mods as well, one person even had strange external mods covering their eyes. I stared at them, fascinated before looking back to the Captain.

Captain Aquila nodded at me in greeting which I returned awkwardly, unsure what else to do.

“You have our thanks for what you did on Irision.” She said formally.

“We just did what was right.” I shrugged uncomfortably.

“Still, going against the Council couldn’t have been an easy decision especially with their response.”

Confusion washed over me.

“How do you know what their response was?” Cas asked suspiciously.

She looked at us curiously.

“They’ve requested your capture and imprisonment on all Council channels. We have a feed.”

It felt like a thick metal band had wrapped around my chest, refusing to let me breathe properly and slowly suffocating me.

“What?”

Captain Aquila’s eyes took in our shocked faces.

“Ah. You didn't know.”

“No,” I confirmed, my heart pounding.

She looked at one of the other people from her ship who nodded.

“You may stay here if you do not wish to return to Nova.”

I shook my head, trying to shake the fog out of it. We knew this was a risk but I honestly thought that surely after we saved so many people, they wouldn’t arrest us.

I glanced back at Cas and Peggy who looked determined but exhausted.

“We’ve told the people still onboard our ship we’ll take them to Nova. Plus, we wouldn’t want them to come after you too.”

A faint smile flickered on her mouth.

“They’ve been trying for years, they will not succeed. You would be safe here. We can’t promise that if you return to Nova.”

I looked back at my crew.

“Thank you, but we can’t.”

“Very well. We will do what we can to help, should you need it.”

Peggy stepped forwards slightly.

“I was wondering if you could answer some questions before we leave?” Her tone was polite and measured, the way it always was when she was asking a question she already suspected the answer to.

“That depends on the question.” Captain Aquila did that faint smile again.

“Who are you and what is this ship? It’s unmarked.”

“Ah.”

She appeared to be thinking about her answer carefully.

“We are a collection of people who cannot live on a Council planet for several different reasons and do not want to be caught in the Council’s fight for colonisation.” The disgust was obvious in her voice as she spoke.

Peggy nodded thoughtfully, considering her next question.

“How many people live here?”

“It would be safer if you did not know, I think. They will ask you about this place.”

“Why would they ask us about here?” Cas asked before I could.

She smiled more broadly now.

“Again, that is something we should not answer.”

Fugitives, I bet. Gem thought from where she was helping people disembark and eavesdropping.

“Your name though… You were a member of the Space Corps, weren’t you?”

Her eyes fixed on Peggy’s face.

“I was. I was drafted when I was ten.”

“When did you leave?” I asked.

“As soon as I could. I ran when I was fourteen.”

“Why?” Gem asked.

“Not all bases are independent of the Council.” Her face tightened as if she was remembering something horrible.

I nodded, I had heard rumours of that.

“You should be leaving, if you’re still intent on returning?”

“We are.”

“We’d appreciate it if you did not mention our involvement to the Council. The less they know about us the better.” Captain Aquila said.

Told you they were fugitives! Gem thought triumphantly.

“You have our word.”

She took my hand and shook it.

“If others need to hear about us, you may tell them and if you need to return you may.”

“How will we find you again?” Peggy asked, shaking her hand too.

“When the moment is right, Chal can tell you how.”

"You know Chal?”

Her lips flicked up.

“Yes. His influence stretches even farther than most people know. I hope we may work together in the future.”

I almost feel bad for writing about Captain Aquila. I know the Council will probably read this at some point. Or more likely, they'll have a briefing on it without any of them actually reading it. I thought by including her and the ship, it might give people hope. Maybe it will help you realise that you don’t need to stay on your planet, under the Council’s thumb, but instead you could find somewhere else like Captain Aquila’s ship, that’s far away from the Council’s eye. Maybe you could be safe there.

We should have stayed. We could have been safe. The Council wouldn’t have hunted us anywhere near as much. James would have but he would never have found us. We could have survived. Coming back to Nova was dumb, we know that now. If you have the chance, you should take it.

Run.