I was terrified as we flew away from Freo. So scared that they’d notice we were gone before we were far enough away. That we’d be called back and unable to do anything as Harvey drugged half the universe.

That didn’t happen.

Halfway through the night, when we were almost at the Council ship, we got the warning from Peggy.

Andy’s back. He knows you’re gone.

I glanced at the flight plan, fear starting to gnaw at me.

How would he react? I was really worried that he’d be angry at us and I know how silly that sounds. We’d flown through the galaxy for years, gone head to head with the Council multiple times and yet this, this made me nervous.

What happened? I asked her.

He’s just come back. Apparently, after the meeting, he was worried about you lot and had a feeling something was going on. He went to your rooms but obviously… she trailed off.

We weren’t there, I finished for her.

Yeah.

Okay, I thought slowly. We’re far enough away that he can’t call us back or send people after us. They won’t be here in time even if he tries.

A light started flashing on my console, red and urgent. I glanced at it before looking away, checking the flight plan again.

We were almost there. There was nothing he could do.

He’s calling us, I told Peggy.

Oh, good. I can stop hiding in the storage closet now. I told him I had to grab some more coffee powder and locked myself in here. There was a pause. What are you going to tell him?

I didn’t have an answer.

I don’t know.

I took a deep breath before flicking the button on our console, answering his call.

“Oh, Aries!” he cried as soon as the line connected, a tiny image of him appearing in the corner of the screen. “I was worried I was too late!”

I couldn’t bring myself to look at him for long. I’d known him for years and the guilt of what we had done was destroying me.

I’d seen him in so many horrific situations, countless funerals of kids who made mistakes whilst out on missions, even at Gem’s funeral, but I’d never seen him look quite so bad.

He was panicked, clearly frantic. His hair was a mess and the look on his face as he stared at me was… too much.

“Hi, Andy,” I said awkwardly, unsure how to greet him.

I felt like we were back on the base. Like I’d been taken to him after being caught sneaking in somewhere I shouldn’t have. My heart was racing, my palms sweaty and I felt the urge to disconnect and ignore all of his other calls just so that I didn’t have to face him.

“Aries, what’s going on? Where are you?” he asked.

It was almost a demand and I could feel his fear.

The fleeting impulse to lie came over me. I wanted to tell him that we just couldn’t sleep and were tired of being cooped up but there was no point.

“Oh, thank the gods, Peggy!” he cried, looking at someone off-screen before his head snapped back to me. “Oh no. Oh, Aries. You’ve gone after him, haven’t you? But, if Peggy is here… when did you leave?”

I glanced at the flight plan out of instinct.

“A little while ago,” I answered with a wince.

“How long?” he demanded, his voice rising.

I swallowed, his desperate shouting scaring me.

I’d never seen him lose control.

“Long enough,” I said softly.

An anguished noise ripped from his mouth.

“Aries, you can’t do this. It’s too dangerous. We don’t know how many Guardians Harvey still has. You can’t take him on alone!” Andy cried.

I swallowed, glancing at the approaching target on the screen to my left.

Soon, we’d be within scanner range. We’d need to act quickly.

“Andy, we need to try. We have to do something. The risk… we can’t wait,” I said, hating the words even as I said them.

They were true, I knew they were, but so were Andy’s.

He stared at me for a moment, fear and heartbreak etched into his expression, before he looked to the side.

“Call Aquila, get her here immediately,” he ordered.

“Yes, sir,” I heard Orion say quietly.

Andy looked in the other direction, staring helplessly at I assumed Elliot.

What’s happening up there? I asked Peggy, unable to see if Andy was doing something more.

I couldn’t see his hands, he could be trying to hack into our ship, to freeze us or bring us back or something. It was making me uneasy but I had faith in Chal. His ship would be impenetrable.

I think he’s communicating with Elliot, Peggy said, sounding shaky.

His fear was making me doubt our decision. I knew it was a stupid one. I knew that I might be flying towards my death, I probably was, but having someone else pretty much confirm it was horrible. It made my stomach sink.

“Aries, you need to wait. We’re going to ready the fighters, send as many people as will answer the call out to come and help you. Please, wait until they get there before you approach the ship,” Andy begged.

“I…” The words died in my throat and I needed to cough so that I could try again. “We can’t. Andy, we can’t waste a second.”

“It’s more important that you live,” he fired back, his words directly going against what we’d been taught on the base what felt like so many years ago.

I shook my head.

“The lives of the many are more important than the lives of the few,” I quoted.

I wished I didn’t believe it. Then, I could make Cas and Cory stay on the ship and I would have gone to the Council ship alone. I didn’t want to risk their lives on this gamble but I knew they’d never let me go alone.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t consider disabling them in some way, drugging them or knocking them out, and going alone though.

“You need to live! We can be there in half an hour!” Andy cried.

I shook my head.

“It’s too late.”

“No, it can’t be. Engage verbal override, code E87-246,” he said suddenly, making me jump.

I froze, terrified that the ship was going to stall or seize, but nothing happened.

“Damn it! You’re not on a Freo ship?” he demanded.

I swallowed and shook my head, eyeing the flight plan out of the corner of my eye. We were getting steadily closer to the red flashing dot.

“How?” he demanded. “Who’s ship are you on?”

I didn’t answer him but he didn’t need me to.

Realisation came over his face.

“Chal. Does he know you took it?”

I shook my head.

I didn’t need to lie. I could have told him the truth and said that Chal is the one who told us everything but part of me knew it didn’t matter. If we were about to die on the Council ship, which did feel pretty likely, I didn’t want people to blame Chal.

I guess it’s too late for that now though. He wouldn’t mind.

“No. Cory took the keys from his office. I don’t think he knows it’s gone,” I lied.

“Call Chal immediately, please,” Andy ordered. “Where’s Aquila? Did you get through to her?”

We’re almost there, I told Peggy solemnly as Andy continued talking to someone off-screen in the background.

A strange feeling had come over me. It wasn’t peace but it wasn’t far off. I knew that it was likely we were going to die, chances are the three of us wouldn’t make it out of there alive, but I also knew how important it was. I knew we were doing the right thing.

What are you going to do? Are you going to wait for the fighters? Peggy asked. I’ll come with them. I’ve already got my flight suit and everything here. I’ll be on the first ship.

She sounded desperate too despite having told us there was no time. She knew we couldn’t wait but I think hearing Andy’s panic made hers worse. She didn’t want to hear us die.

We can’t, Peg, Cas thought softly.

I know. I just…

I know.

My console beeped softly, warning me that we were entering scanner range. Andy must have heard it too because he fell silent, staring at me.

“Are you there?” he asked.

“Almost,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Please. I know the risks but please wait for us. Fornax is already preparing the ships, we’ll be there so soon,” he promised.

I didn’t want to lie to him again. I didn’t want my last words to him to be a lie.

My hand started to reach out towards the button to disengage the call but he must have seen the movement.

“Aries, wait!” he cried.

I swallowed, tears threatening me.

“I…” I wanted to thank him, to apologise, I wanted to say a million things but all I could say was, “I’m sorry.”

The console beeped as I hung up.