--Samantha Amilia Knight—

--Sebastian Ernesto Navarre Ochoa--

Sam sat upright early that next morning, unable to sleep well after her operation. The sun poured in through her opened window blinds, revealing how cramped but tidy the room was, having only enough space for a pair of chairs next to her bedside. She thumbed through another local news article after having already gone through countless ones prior.

All those things I picked up way back. They’re coming up the same here as well. I can’t believe they were PLA related?

And as finished scanning the article for what she wanted, she placed her mobile down on her stomach as she laid her head back with a sigh.

I’ve read all this and still can’t figure out why Tyrus pushed his following into accepting the PLA after all. I thought they wanted independence!? Why did we fight that fight, then?

What did we have to lose what we did?

A knock at the door had her sitting back straight-up in an instant, and without any pain, much to her surprise. “Come in.”

Sebastian eased open the door as he quietly shut it back, waving with a weak smile, showing he hadn’t slept a wink all night. “They said your operation was OK?”

“Yes, thanks,” she answered as he walked up to take a seat. “No, come here,” she instead spoke back with arms out. “Thanks for always being here. I still have so much to talk about,” she continued as he returned the embrace that would go on for a few long seconds as if Sebastian too had a lot weighing on his soul.

“I still worry most about your condition,” he replied as he now took his seat next to her. “Have you called your father?”

She leaned back against the headboard, looking at the ceiling. “He knows it’s just a repair job for what got knocked loose. I thought it was a concussion but it wasn’t, fortunately.” She then looked back over at him, noting he for once wasn’t returning her gaze. “What’s wrong?”

“I…” he slowly started before pausing to take in a breath. He then worked up the courage to look back at her as he continued: “I have two big things I have to say. Things I… had a very ahn… difficult time preparing to talk about.”

I’ve been such a bitch…

Wincing upon hearing those words, her head drooped as her heart began to sink. In her mind she knew what he was about to say. It was all too magical, storybook-like that he had hung around this long.

I completely tossed him aside like he was nothing all this time. I was hoping I could fix this but I don’t even know where the hell to start, but I deserve this, I guess.

As Sebastian started, she had already pictured it. Remembering him holding her hand as she regained her consciousness the other evening, it was like nothing ever came between them and he was there to save her as she had him just prior. But in that next moment she remembered the pictures of him in a hugging embrace with Danielle.

Maybe there was a reason for that, and it’d all be my fault to begin with. Why had I been such a bitch all this time? What was I thinking?!

Sebastian didn’t quite notice the tears starting to form as he spoke nervously: “I was offered a higher paying contract back in South America.”

Hearing that only confirmed what she suspected.

And he’d have every right to accept it. Damn it…

“They said I could work with my family again, but-” he then finally noticed her face on the edge of breaking down as she let out a sniffle that caught his full attention. “Wait, why are you crying?” he added with an embarrassed chuckle. “I’m not going anywhere!”

She thought to explain in the heat of the moment, but that last part had her frozen for a second.

Wait, what?!

“You didn’t accept it?” she finally replied with another sniffle, fixing her posture. “Why not?!”

Sebastian frowned with a smirk. “Do you want me to accept it?”

Flustered, she put her hands up to quickly rectify: “No no- I mean- that’s not what I meant!”

“Why are you crying, then?” he continued with a relaxed sigh. “Never mind. I wanted to tell you what my brother said when I called him.” He leaned in to take her hand to help calm her back down.

What’s going on?! I could’ve sworn…!

She tried her best to slow down her overreaction, taking in a slower breath as she made it clear she was ready to listen.

“He told me he heard the offer, since… it means that I go back to work with him, and I quickly tell him no.”

“Really? But, I thought…”

“I thought you hated me for some reason, and he called me stupid for saying no. But I am a… well… what’s the word.”

After all that hell I put him through, he never had any intention of leaving?

She thought to help him out in his loss of words, but saw him fidgeting with his watch, assuming he was looking up a word.

After another moment he then looked back up to her with a suddenly serious face. “I am a stubborn son of a bitch. I never quit when I am supposed to, and you can’t make me.”

“Pfft,” she laughed at his attempt to explain his feelings. “That came out way more awkward than I think you intended,” she spoke before looking back at him with a smile. “I know. I remember all too well the trouble you got yourself into with that part.” Her smile then quickly faded, looking down and away. “I was so terrible towards you all this time. I thought you’d hate me and want to leave.”

He let out a mixture of a laugh with a sigh, smiling back. “But I know you had a very difficult time, because anyone who-”

“-I was such an idiot- so stupid to think you and Ms. Norris were-”

“Wait, Ms. Norris?” Sebastian stopped her with a tug of her wrist, wide eyed. “Ha? Why would you think about something like that?”

“I saw the pictures of you two hugging, and-”

He started laughing, hand now over his face. “Sam, I was also having a very difficult time. She was like a mother to me, and I had to leave her after so much she did for me. Why would I not hug someone like that? Is hugging a bad thing?”

Sam’s face instantly turned red once more, ashamed of the notion she had never once pondered the cultural differences between Akkadians and his.

Why did I ever assume something like that?- Wait! Why the fuck did I believe Daja so quickly! That bitch- was she honestly trying to warn me or was that a setup?!”

“Anyway, look,” Sebastian went on, clearing his throat and gazing out the window. “I realize one thing, and that’s I have to find something I want in my life. Something to work for.” He took a slow breath before continuing as Sam leaned further in, listening intently. “I used to work to keep my people in my hometown safe from… crazy things. I only knew what was in my small world, and I never wanted to leave. But that was the old me, only leaving because I wanted to get revenge. But now I see so many of those crazy things were caused by bigger, crazier things, happening in other places in the world. I feel like that’s what I want to continue doing… to keep making my world bigger…” He paused as he looked back into Sam’s eyes. “I want to live my new life with my new mission this way if you can stay with me.”

I was about to say the same thing. I have so much old-me to throw away and so much new to start on. Maybe this is my perfect chance to do so.

“I was going to tell you something similar at some point today,” Sam replied, closing her eyes with a faint smile. “I looked back on so much since waking up. I have rethought so much, and I really want to leave the ‘old me’ behind and I really feel beyond fortunate to still have you to walk with me through finding the new me,” she finished as she leaned her head onto his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his left arm embracing her. “Like I was saying, I have so much to talk about. So much I want to fix; to make better. And while I might never forgive myself for what I did to Kerry and Andre, I have to keep moving forward because I still got the feeling I chose right to come all the way here…”

As painful and absolutely fucking terrifying so much has been so far, it feels so odd but yet right to say that.

How strange…

“…And Sebastian, I’m confident I can do better with you here with me.”

She then suddenly pushed herself back before he could respond, sitting upright with a resolve, surprising Sebastian as she put a finger up. “Did you realize how wrong we were to do four-man formations with our LTAC’s designs?!”

Oh my God, did I really just change the topic to that!?

He laughed at the ironic change of subject. “Sam, what are you talking about so suddenly?”

She realized how awkward that came out, yet stuck with that same energy. “I’m serious! We could have done so much better if I had done my part studying like I should have!” She then cowered a bit and looked downward, feeling exposed all the sudden. “I should’ve realized so much more so much earlier,” she continued with a dry chuckle, looking out the window. “My first digital text I ever willingly opened after graduating the academy was a text based on laser communication equipment research. Even texts like guidance systems got my attention, even though my time was supposed to have been on law and political science.”

“I wondered why you could know so much when we first met you. We thought you were maybe one of Hexa’s scientists, not a pilot.”

“Yeah yeah,” she waved his remark off with a smirk, looking back at him as it faded quickly. “I never thought to study the opposition. I just took orders, and that was the one thing missing from my beta OS testing days I got to be part of. I just… blindly followed as if that was all there was to do, but if I had opened up my damn mind, I’d have realized one big thing: four man squads were studied and analyzed to death only to find that only worked in open spaces; the atmosphere, open fields, space itself. That kind of shit- just to realize the opposition never once used formations yet they were so damn clean and efficient.”

Sebastian needed some time to process everything she just threw at him, remaining quiet as she took the time to continue gathering her thoughts that seemed to have been pent up all night.

“Knowing my brother, he did the whole formation thing last war- everyone had to. It’d be natural he found a way to make it better suited for urban combat. It makes me think way back to…”

Shit… this is what I remembered last night dreading the thought I’d have to run this by him. These are the memories I’m sure he least wants to recall.

“… You know…”

Sebastian read her heavy hesitation as a call for help, figuring it had to do with him. “To do with who we saw in Bogota, and even in Dhaka. The Cloaks,” he spoke through his unwillingness, knowing it was unavoidable.

That. I always hate talking about that day. But at some point we both have to get better to prevent repeats.

“They always operated in separate locations but in unison,” she quickly added to hurry past the uncomfortable topic. “The multiple member formations were clearly unorthodox- I mean, very unusual but effective, and I need more time to study some hard black box footage.” She then looked back over to her mobile that lay on her bed. “Which reminds me, even as I try to catch up on the news and try to make sense of all the craziness happening around us, I can’t help but think we’re being held down in a way. Like people who have no clue how to really do what we do, just force us into tactics and shit seen through only those with no actual experience.” She began to frown, now feeling like their losses were not only avoidable by having used better judgment, but also avoidable had they been given more relevant advice.

But by who?

Time passed in silence, Sebastian unable to add anything constructive just yet as he too sat in his own thoughts, understanding where Sam was going but both were too exhausted as was. He leaned back, let out a sigh, then placed a hand on hers once more. “Look, we both have time off. Let’s not waste it, but instead, let’s try to relax… recover… maybe just enjoy some time together.”

“Right,” she smiled with a chuckle soon after, then began to catch herself as her smile weakened. “The old me would love to go drink myself shitfaced after something like this, even enjoy your company the more. But this time, no.” Her voice grew stronger as she straightened up, shaking her head. “I know we are on a timetable and our break isn’t that long, so give me a day or two and I would rather hit up the black box recordings. No way I go into the next duty they assign us with a losing gameplan like every single damn time thus far.”

The two then jumped in reaction to the door making a noise as it opened further, revealing a figure who had been standing there for some time.

“Wait,” Sebastian thought aloud, heavy with suspicion as he stood up, alarming Sam. He got a good look at her face and that was all it took as he started up again: “You are the one my brother talked about. You’re Galatine.”

Sam rarely heard him speak like that in front of her, and something had her strongly believing something bad was about to happen as she started to reach her right hand behind the side of the mattress.

“Well, you two do look a lot alike,” Kaylen replied, then put a hand up as she noticed Sam’s motions. “Hey, easy.”

Sam normally would have been bothered by Sebastian knowing someone like this without having given her prior warning, but she knew to trust him this time. “So then, why did he say Galatine just now?”

“Chill the hell out, kid,” Kaylen brashly replied with her hands now placed on the empty chair next to Sebastian, casually pulling it around to his other side despite Sebastian’s uneasy glare. But before she took a seat, she extended her hand out to Sam. “You did well to survive all that for so long. Glad I could make it in time.”

Why is she talking to us like she knows us?! She thought before putting two and two together. “Wait, Sebastian,” she now looked back at him, puzzled, then back at Kaylen. “You… You’re Galatine?”

Kaylen retracted her hand, now standing back straight up, unamused. “Who names their daughter Galatine? I have an actual proper name, you know.” She then returned Sebastian’s glare back at him. “Che, boludo! Porque no nos presentaste todavia?!” she lambasted in a sudden, thick Argentine tirade, startling Sebastian almost as much as Sam.

Unable to retort on the spot, all he could muster up was: “What? What are you talking abo-”

“-La puta que te pario!” Kaylen huffed in disgust towards him, now spinning back toward Sam, leaving Sebastian grossly offended and further confused. “Ugh, sorry,” she scoffed with a stout shrug of her shoulders, taking in a breath to reset herself, once more with her hand extended. “Kaylen Rodgers.” She waited that long second before Sam cut through her hesitation and caution enough to shake hands for a brief moment, reading the cleared confusion in her eyes. “Yes,” she cut Sam off before she could speak as she backed up to take the empty seat. “Everyone says the same damn thing.”

“But…?” Sam slowly withdrew her hand as she looked back at Sebastian, returning an equally flabbergasted look.

“Kaylen Rodgers, the chick from the Apollyon Massacre this and that, duddudduduh,” she continued with a roll of her eyes and a motion from her hand as she sat down. “Whatever. Look. I only came to introduce myself because some idiot sitting beside me here can’t, and because we are about to become members of the same team thanks to my original pilots becoming incapacitated yesterday.”

“Oh- so wait,” Sam started back up as she figured more out from the context of the situation. “You were the one talking from that LTAC that took down everyone that night? The Galatine… was the name of the LTAC?”

“I technically was the one talking, but yes, that was me.”

“Huh? Technically?”

“That was the machine talking-”

“-Machine?”

“Stop that!” Kaylen blurted out with her hands striking the sides of her seat, causing the other two to once more jump in reflex. “Shit! Let me finish talking!” she huffed once more, straightening herself to continue. “Anyway, I also wanted to ask you if it’s OK that I talk to you first before the officials come and give you the watered-down debriefing of your next assignment, because I could tell you a hell of a lot more than they will or can.”

Wait, next assignment? That sounds a lot like what Sebastian was possibly hinting at earlier, Sam thought as she continued to hesitate giving an answer, looking over to him as if to try to read his thoughts. I bet this might be the same assignment he turned down, seeing that he somehow knows her.

“I can’t tell you yes or no since you aren’t an official, but sorry, it’s likely a no,” Sam firmly responded once her thoughts settled down.

“You don’t even know what you are turning down,” Kaylen began to chuckle sarcastically. “Daughter of Knight.” She then pulled up an image on her watch she then put up on a small holographic display that all three could see clearly.

An image of a heavily redesigned Ap50 frame with extensive weapons and shielding equipment showed up with a detailed list of specifications. It was at the top labeled as the “Hexa PK-02X ‘Arondight’”, colored in an off-purple scheme that reminded her of what she faintly remembered about the Galatine. “You mean to tell me, going by the look in your eyes, that you don’t know what this is? That you aren’t dying to know why I would show you this? You’re a Knight- don’t even start to lie to me.”

“Who are you to keep talking down to her like this?!” Sebastian finally butted in after holding back his disgust.

“You can chill the fuck out, too, you know!” Kaylen quickly returned the disgust.

“Alright, alright.” Sam was thoroughly put off by her insulting confidence, but she was right. She had to know what this was as her curiosity took off like a rocket, yet she knew she had to remain cautious and doubtful. “First, though, why are you doing this for me?”

Kaylen closed the image, taking in another slow breath to slow herself down. “Well, as I said, I knew who you were for a good while now, and I confirmed how solid you two were as pilots. I then saw the reassignment requests for you two- even though flyboy here declined it, it means it hasn’t come to you, yet.”

I knew it! Sam thought as she confirmed her suspicions with delight and relief.

“So, I had to make sure I got a chance to talk to you first, not only because of them trying to make you my new partners in this stupid ass project continuation, but because…” Kaylen faded off as if she remembered something painful. “Because you remind me of him. You remind me of Lance Vrey.”

“Lance Vrey?” Sam perked up as she knew that name fairly well, but was well confused as to why she’d bring that up. “Why Vincent Vrey’s son?”

“I heard you talking about changing tactics up completely,” Kaylen went on in all seriousness as if she didn’t hear Sam’s questions. “And how everyone in charge who has no fucking clue what is and what isn’t, what does and what doesn’t work, keeps forcing the bill on every move to make. It reminds me so damn much of the past, and how much Lance changed everything for us- everyone surrounding him back then. Your initiative here reminds me of his, and it makes me want to invest even just a little of what I have into you if you don’t mind taking this somewhat more seriously.”

Sam looked back at Kaylen with some of her suspicion now withheld; it was like the same eyes Devin spoke to her with. She started seeing sincerity in certain people the more she spoke with others that weren’t from her own safe circle, and she could feel some of her own built-up wall slightly coming down. “You really knew Lance Vrey that well? I mean, that guy was the Confed’s hero up until the end.”

“Tell me about it, and yes… I was pretty close to him from the very start and up until his end,” Kaylen replied with her eyes lowering as she seemingly reminisced on some hurtful memories, looking back at Sam intently after a moment. “You came up from a can’t-get-right rookie to where you stand after only a few mere months. Now I hear you talking up what we all really need to hear after almost dying and also almost nearly losing everyone you had. You really are a Knight, and you really do remind me of Lance at the same time. That’s why I want to help you even more, even your silly boyfriend here to be honest.”

I get that part now, but I wonder why she keeps talking like she knew all about my family- and why she keeps putting Sebastian down like that?! Whatever, I can grill her on that later, Sam thought as she continued to hesitate. The biggest thing on my mind about this whole thing is… Sebastian turned that offer down. I wonder what else was on his mind? I need to find that out first.

“Well, can I get some time to think about all that?” Sam finally spoke, breaking the heavy silence.

“Sure, why not,” Kaylen replied without disappointment or surprise. “Not like I had to have an answer from you today. You technically have until the officials approach you about all this, anyway,” she continued as she slowly stood up as if to leave. “Think things through seriously, though. This is your brother out there, wrecking your whole life, I assume?”

“Yeah, right,” Sam mumbled in response, looking aside.

“I can imagine the pain. I know all about losses, too.” Kaylen then headed for the door, giving Sebastian a firm squeeze on his shoulder before passing. “I’ll tell your brother hey. He’s been the easier one to talk to.”

Sebastian, still confused and offended throughout the whole dialogue, continued to bite his tongue and gave in with a shake of his head. He then saw Sam looking toward him with agreement.

“Thanks, I guess, for filling me in on everything,” Sam spoke up as Kaylen opened the door and then paused for a moment. “And also, thanks for saving me out there. Apologies for my rudeness in not saying it sooner.”

“No need to. It’s part of my job,” she said as she waved without turning, then closed the door.

The two breathed out a collective sigh of relief, however, still at a loss from their new encounter.

Sam looked toward Sebastian with eyes that conveyed “That girl is insane!”

“Tell me about it!” his eyes replied back as the silence continued for a few moments longer. “It makes me think, how does she know so much about us?”

“Hey,” Sam now aimed at changing the subject. “Was that really the assignment you turned down? The same one she offered me?”

“She didn’t offer it to me,” he calmly answered as he leaned on her bedside. “Hexa did. The officers. They never said it included you so I just decided no from the beginning, but it seems like that’s because you never got to talk to them.”

“…That was it?” Sam replied with a slowly growing, goofy smile. “That was the only reason you declined it? You didn’t ask anything else about the details or- never mind,” she finished with a laugh, leaning back against the headrest. “I’m so damn sore. Too tired for this shit.” She then turned her head towards his. “But then again, I know you have to be way worse off than me. You must be dead.”

“No, I’ll be alright,” he replied before laughing. “It’s my brother who’s dead. He mentioned that girl, but never said he knew her so well. I have so many questions for him, now.”

Sam shared the laugh with him for a while, then motioned towards him. “Here, scoot your chair over here so I can have something more comfortable to lean on.”