Azura’s aircar zipped across the city with ease. The Gellys had eased off since the call, pulling back most of their forces to the Ascension ship looming over us from above. No more Strikers screaming overhead, no more drop ships rounding up humans to be ascended. Just the silence and cold that had swept up across the city. Plumes of snow drifted up against empty buildings. Ice grew over abandoned houses. It was the death of a city.

  But, if we could pull this off, the city would breathe life once again.

  We had to win this fight.

  The aircar touched down just inside the star port, opening up to the frigid cold outside. Thick wind whipped up around us, casting puffs of snow and ice all around as the engines continued to roar. We said our goodbyes to Azura. She wished us good luck in return, taking off into the white wastend, leaving us to our ship.

  The Yiffin II was just where we left her. Our home was wrought with ice and graffiti. Some jackasses thought it pertinent to deface our home with paint. All sorts of words and images, obscene or artistic, were id bare for all to see.

  I let out a sigh, gncing about my crewmates, I smiled. This was it.

  “Let’s get going, shall we?” I led the way, not looking back to see if they were following.

  The loading bay opened with a deep, lurching grind. Ice shattered to the runway as the gate plopped open for us to board the ship. Redwood, Sucker, Mama, Echo, Speck, Captain Uwu, and I took in a deep breath as we stood on the metal ramp. A sense of nostalgia filled my soul. Yami and Ash were the only odd ones out, the two of them agreeing to join the crew and be a part of our family. They would know the feeling soon enough.

  The only odd ball out was Gabriel. He hung back, keeping a distance from Speck. I warned him about the Anthro-Jaguar before we made our way here. I was gd he took that knowledge to heart.

  Walter greeted us with his gravelly voice, “Nice to join us, you zy cocks.” He opened his arms wide , welcoming us to the ship. “The Yiffin is doing great. Just a bit of ice to chip off. The engines are warming up now. We’ll be ready to fly in an hour.”

  “Us?” Captain Uwu stood proud back on his ship, his chest pushed outward, taking in a deep breath. “Who else is here?”

  “Ssshut the door. Itsss freezzzing in here.” The long yellow and purple body came drooping down from the loading bay rafters, “I wouldn’t misss thisss trip for the whole moon.” Slizz coiled up before us, smiling, if that was her smile.

  “Don’t forget about me, you fucks.” Yeti emerged from the doorway into the ship. His bodyguard, Dutch, was right behind him, looming their with her splicer as always.

  Part of me hated the idea of Yeti joining us, but that splicer would be nice when going up against Missionaries. One bst would cut right through their armor. I gnced back at Ash, who had her own handheld version holstered at her waist.

  “I’m here to make sure that Gelly fuck meets his end, even if I die. My whole life has been fighting these assholes, and I’ll make sure everyone of them up there goes down in an inferno of metal and severed dicks before I shut my eyes for good.”

  Uwu pushed forward, grabbing his hand, “Nice to have you abroad, Captain. Just like old times.”

  “You bet your ass it is.” Yeti grabbed his hand back, shacking it furiously.

  Walter spoke up as the cargo bay doors lurched shut behind us, “Alright everyone, take your seats and watch your asses.”

  I followed Uwu towards the flight deck. Mama was showing Yami around the guns and controls, where the armory was and such. Echo was prepping all the guns on the ship, making sure they were in tip top shape. Redwood was inspecting the integrity of the hull. Sucker was with Uwu. Slizz returned to her prized med bay. Speck had stormed off to his quarters. Walter was bringing me a rge container.

  Ash was by my side, shifting like she was not sure what to do.

  I smiled at her, “Don’t be so nervous. You’ll get the hang of this ship. You can bunk with me.”

  Ash’s face lit up, “You mean it? We can be roomies?” She jumped in the air, cpping her hands.

  I already regretted saying that.

  Walter pushed the rge crate up to me on a pulse-jack, “I know this is some big suicide pn for you, but what’s the crate for?”

  I gnced over at Gabriel, “There’s something we pulled back int the day. I figured we might as well put it to good use.”

  Gabriel gnced at the crate, scoffing, “You don’t mean to use this like st time, do you? Man, you’re one for the cssics.”

  Ash furrowed her brow, “What are you two talking about?”

  “Don’t worry,” I pat her shoulder, “Walter, is there something that can mess with the Priests psychic readings? That would cement this pn.”

  Walter scratched his scruffy neck, looking to the ceiling, “Mmm, maybe somethings with some electromagnetic pulses. I think they mess with brainwaves or something. If I remember correctly.”

  “Do we have the supplies for that on the ship?”

  “Yeah, you bet your ass we do. Let me whip something up.”

  “It doesn’t have to be big. Just enough to scramble their brains when they look at the box.”

  “You got it, sexy mama.” Walter spped the box and pushed it off to his workbench.

  “Gabreil, you can bunk across the hall from my room. Might be the safest pce for you there.”

  He nodded and followed me into the heart of the ship. I felt at home. My nerves settled and I rexed as the narrow halls offered a peace I seldom found in life.

  We were just one step away from winning this war.

  This was it. The fight of our life.