Chapter 73: Today, Only Trailblazers May Enter
"She is indeed a very cute girl, but compared to me, she's still just a little bit lacking." Stelle stood with her hands planted firmly on her hips, lifting her chin with exaggerated pride.
Firefly blinked, her expression freezing for a fraction of a second before a bright, genuine laugh bubbled up from her chest.
"...Mm, you're right. She's just a little bit lacking compared to you," Firefly agreed, her pace noticeably lighter as she trailed slightly behind the gray-haired Trailblazer. "Where are we going?"
"Just wandering around." Stelle stopped walking backward, pivoting on her heel to fall into step beside Firefly. "I was wondering if there are any snack stalls nearby. Watching Bronya give that big speech in the plaza just now made me hungry."
Stelle led the way, eventually coming to a halt in front of a battered tin pushcart. Plumes of thick, savory steam billowed into the chilly air. Displayed across the metal grill were several simple wooden skewers, heavily laden with thick, oily cuts of roasted Rock Crab legs that sizzled over the open heat.
"Give me a few more skewers of these." Stelle dug into her coat pocket, fishing out a handful of local Shield coins and dropping them into the stall owner's waiting palm.
"Eat up quickly. The texture gets weird once it cools down," Stelle mumbled around a massive bite of crab meat. She completely abandoned any pretense of manners, huffing and puffing out clouds of white vapor as the scalding juices burned her tongue.
Firefly watched her with quiet amusement, then followed her example, taking a small, careful bite from her own skewer.
"...It's delicious." A soft smile touched Firefly's lips, the tension in her features melting away.
The lively atmosphere stretched for a few comfortable minutes before Firefly lowered her skewer.
"In a little while, my script time will be over," she said softly. "I've been really happy being with you, but I can't stay with you for too long."
Stelle stopped chewing. "Are you leaving now? I wanted to show you the photos in March 7th's room, and that ridiculous ice cream machine Rekka built... You didn't even get a chance to check out the Express yesterday."
"If I don't leave on time, the situation that follows will become uncontrollable."
Stelle stared at her, the disappointment pooling in her golden eyes entirely unconcealed. "Can't you stay just a little longer?"
"Mm, I can't. I really want to talk to you more, but... I can't." Firefly shook her head slowly. "...There are many things I know that I cannot tell you. Learning the right information at the wrong time can turn that correct information into something wrong."
Stelle's shoulders slumped slightly, but she nodded. "I'll remember that... Then it's a promise. We have to come out and play together again next time."
"Mm, it's a promise." Firefly smiled, looking for all the world like an ordinary, gentle girl next door.
"You haven't told me your real name yet. He said Sam is just your codename."
Firefly's smile twitched.
'Just how much of my business did that guy spill to Stelle!'
"Firefly," she said, pushing down her exasperation with a certain chaotic variable. "Remember it, okay?"
"Mm-hmm! I've got it!"
The air pressure suddenly dropped. Blinding flames roared into the sky as the towering, mechanical form of Sam materialized around the fragile girl. Firefly took one last, lingering look at Stelle through the visor. Then, the thrusters on her back erupted with a deafening boom, launching her upward. She became a streak of crimson fire tearing across the frozen sky, vanishing into the clouds.
She had to leave. If she stayed any longer, the Interstellar Peace Corporation's hounds would arrive—a direct warning Silver Wolf had transmitted to Firefly's comms just moments prior.
The massive aetherial crystal barrier Rekka had casually constructed the day before had done its job flawlessly. It had blocked the immediate planetary threats, but it had also completely walled off the IPC's approaching fleet. By now, the corporate starships had finally located the single, highly specific entrance he had left open exclusively for the Astral Express.
Large starships still couldn't squeeze through.
'Sorry, only Trailblazers are allowed entry.'
"Leaving just like that. How decisive," Stelle muttered softly, her eyes still tracking the fading red trail in the sky. She took another mechanical bite of her crab skewer. "But next time is a promise... you have to keep your word."
"Stop staring, she's already gone."
Rekka materialized out of thin air, leaning casually against a nearby streetlamp.
Stelle flinched slightly, then turned her head to look at him. "She left so fast." Her golden eyes searched his face, a sudden vulnerability creeping into her voice. "You won't leave, will you?"
Rekka blinked, tilting his head. "Why are you suddenly asking that?"
"I just want to know." Stelle stared at him stubbornly, refusing to look away. "Will you be like her..."
"What are you thinking about in that little head of yours all day?" Rekka sighed, pushing off the lamppost. He reached out, squishing her cheeks with one hand before delivering a sharp, precise flick to her forehead with the other. "I finally found such a comfortable nest on the Express. I've got food, drink, and all of you to entertain me. Why would I leave?"
Stelle rubbed her stinging forehead, her brow furrowing as the unease refused to fully dissipate. "But you change every day. What if one day you turn into a Path that likes to wander all over the place?"
"That's impossible." Rekka shoved his hands deep into his pockets, offering a lazy, lopsided grin. "The Express is my home, and you guys are my family. Besides, wandering all over the place... isn't that literally just Trailblaze?"
Stelle stared at him for a long, quiet moment, searching his eyes for any hint of deception. Finding only relaxed sincerity, the tension finally drained from her shoulders.
Meanwhile, back in the warm, quiet atmosphere of the parlor car.
"Members of the Astral Express, excuse the intrusion."
The mature woman who stepped aboard the Express carried an air of absolute authority, wrapped in elegant tailoring and a predatory smile. She was Jade, a high-level executive of the Interstellar Peace Corporation's Strategic Investment Department.
Her reason for visiting the Astral Express was simple.
The train was currently parked directly in front of the only viable path through the impenetrable aetherial crystal barrier surrounding Jarilo-VI.
An event of cosmic proportions—the manifestation of the Aeon Qlipoth on a forgotten ice world—had naturally triggered massive alarms within the IPC. Yet, their grand fleet had been stonewalled for several system hours, entirely unable to breach the planet's new defensive shell.
Jade sat on the plush velvet sofa, her posture perfectly composed, a picture of corporate grace. Her sharp gaze swept over the antique furnishings of the carriage, analyzing every detail, before finally settling on the shimmering aetherial crystal barrier visible through the window.
"This planet was marked in the Corporation's archives as a dead world, invaded by the Antimatter Legion and having its Paths completely severed by a Stellaron..." Jade's voice was smooth, carrying a subtle, calculating weight. "But now, it seems the situation has taken a rather dramatic turn."
"It indeed has." Himeko sat across from her, nodding politely. The navigator's expression remained warm but guarded. "Even when faced with such a suffocating disaster, the people of this planet have worked incredibly hard to survive."
After a few more rounds of measured, diplomatic small talk, Himeko agreed to reposition the Express to allow the IPC vessels passage.
"However," Himeko added, her tone dropping a fraction of an octave, "this planet has only just emerged from the shadows of a long winter. I'm afraid it might not be able to withstand aggressive development by the Interstellar Peace Corporation just yet."
"Hehe... rest assured, we won't act recklessly."
Jade stood up, smoothing the front of her dress. She turned to leave, but her steps suddenly halted. Her eyes locked onto a small, unassuming object tucked away in the corner of the carriage.
It was a small silver cube, humming with a faint, complex energy signature. A spare stabilizing anchor Rekka had casually tossed there days ago.
"Oh?" Jade's eyes narrowed, a genuine spark of predatory interest flashing in her gaze. "That thing is quite interesting. If there is any intention to sell it, I am willing to pay a highly premium price."
Himeko followed her gaze, her polite smile never wavering.
"That is the personal property of one of our passengers," Himeko replied smoothly. "If you are interested, you can speak with him directly when he returns."
Jade raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.
'Someone who can manufacture such a thing... probably isn't an ordinary passenger.'
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