What is she planning? The question running through everyone's mind as we sat in that quiet ship. No one said a word, not even Stella, who just stares out the window into the blue stream of gas and radiation emanating from the ship as we pass through jump space. It makes me start to wonder. What is hiding on the other side? Legion never gave us the full answer and I doubt we'll get one out of Stella anytime soon.
I turn my attention back to the front of the ship. Dillon enters the cockpit after comforting Stella, and sits next to me in the cockpit. He doesn't say anything, he just looks out the window. Melena and Soul arrive shortly afterward, after doing a maintenance scan of the ship.
"How is it looking?" I ask.
"A couple of impacts to the wings, but the hull is intact. Everything seems to be in working order, for now." Soul says.
"So what's the plan?" Melena asks
"Simple, we head straight for the castle, and talk some sense into the princess."
"No!" Dillon says, jumping up from his seat. "I go in alone."
"Sir, I don't advise that."
"She's going to feel threatened if we all storm in at once and if what Stella said is true...-"
"-Then we need to be there to protect if it is. I understand what you are saying, but I am doing this my way, end of story."
Dillon returns to his seat, not saying other word. Melena doesn't push any further. She heads for the pilots chair and waits.
Some hours would go by until we arrive back. The shuttle exits jump space, arriving over Sulis III. The ship dips through the clouds and arrives back in the city. The castle sits on the hill above the city. We pass over a few landing pads before arriving at one next to the tallest tower. As we land, I spot Cadence already standing at the end of the pad. Dillon and Stella exit first but Melena stops me before I could, holding her arm in front of my like a wall. We watch as the three of them speak, though I cannot hear anything they are saying over the ships engines. Then all three of them walk away back into the tower, along with a few SDF guards.
"What was that about?" I ask
"We need to get a team together."
"You don't trust the princess?"
"I never did."
She looks at me with this look of...anger, like something has been boiling over for sometime.
"I see, what's the plan?"
"Follow me. I need to make a call."
Soul, Melena, and I leave the ship and head inside. We end up at the armory on the other side of the main tower. There I am able to relocate my weapons and mount them to my legs and back. As I finish rearming, Darrin and his team appear at the door.
"We came as fast as we could." He says then turns his attention to me. "Commander Demi. Its good to see you again."
"As to you." I said.
"Glad you are able to make it, are you armed?" Melena asks
"Always ma'am." Darrin says holding up his weapon.
"Good, we are heading upstairs."
"Isn't that where the princess is?" one of Darrin's men asks
Melena pulls out a shotgun, loads in a round, and the pumps the barrel. Then she exclaims, "Exactly."