Ezra, Trucker’s lackeys, and even Helen who was just listening in the intercoms froze as they heard the monster-like creature spoke.

Trucker and Crux on the other hand, were trying their best to get off of the monster’s grasp.

“You two, don’t move. If I let go of you now, you will bleed to death.”

“Fuck you!”

Trucker threw a kick towards the unknown monster’s face, but instead of doing anything, he felt like he kicked solid wall and the impact of his kick merely worsened the pain of his pierced chest and lungs.

“What do you want!?”

Without wasting any second, Ezra drops his weapons and asks the monster in desperation to save Crux.

“Shoot it, twig! Don’t talk to it—arhg! ”

Though Crux tried to convince Ezra to leave him to die, the monster suddenly twists his arm slightly to make him suffer which mortified Ezra.

“Please! Don’t kill him!”

“Answer my question, are you Celes Empire soldiers?”

When it asked a specific question, all of them fell quiet. The question was simple. However, it carried a lot of weight and hate that they knew if they made the wrong answer, they will all die.

But thanks to that question, Ezra found a ray of hope.

“No, we’re not! The crest on my suit is just something we haven’t erased yet after stealing this from the Empire soldiers.”

“Steal?”

The monster tilted his head in confusion while turning towards Ezra’s direction.

“Yes, this is stolen! We are the Brotherhood of Blood and Steel, we are Empire rebels!”

“Twig! Do—”

“Please, don’t kill him!”

Because Crux tried to stop Ezra from spilling the beans, the monster got annoyed and twisted his arm again. When Ezra saw Crux writhe in pain, he couldn’t stop but cry and plead to the monster.

“Empire rebels… Altair…?”

“Altair… the Altair Alliance, they’re long gone! They disappeared like a hundred years ago! They were destroyed by the Empire. We are the Brotherhood of Blood and Steel. We fight for our freedom against the Empire!”

The monster fell quiet and held his head as if something was hurting its mind. And after a while, it stood up straight while lowering his arms making Trucker and Crux stand then drop on their knee.

“I… remember… yes.”

While talking to himself, the monster’s arm that was piercing Trucker and Crux was suddenly cut off. After that, the arms start shrinking and melding into their wounds and after a while, both their skin and suit were back to normal as if nothing happened.

However, they still suffered from blood loss. When they tried to stand, they nearly fell.

While Trucker was able to keep standing when he forced himself to, Crux had lost too much strength that he had to be caught by Ezra just to keep standing.

As he tried to keep his mind off the pain on his body, Crux looks at the jet black monster from below.

“What are you?”

When he asked, the monster drops on one knee and looks at him face to face. Then after that, the monster’s supposedly “face”, suddenly opens slightly and shows his eyes which shocked everyone.

“Just like you, a soldier.”

***

[Captain, do you really think we can trust them?]

“No, we can’t. But they know what’s currently happening inside the Empire.”

While Phillip was standing far from the Soldiers who are currently resting, Gray started asking him about what they’re going to do.

“Gray, do you still remember the Altair alliance?”

[Searching…]

[Data of Altair alliance does not exist within database of Memory Core]

“You really were wiped clean about it huh.”

[Does this mean that Captain has his full memory from 189 years ago?]

“No, I don’t remember everything yet. But I do know who our enemy is and what we need to do.”

While Phillip was talking to Gray, he noticed that the young soldier was approaching him.

“Sir…”

“It’s Phillip, Phillip Gregory to be precise.”

“Sir Gregory, may I ask some questions?”

[Captain, this might be an interrogation. Should I prepare the Pulse Cannon for intimidation?]

“Alright, kid.”

While ignoring Gray’s suggestion, Phillip turns to the young man with his arms crossed. Thankfully, Gray could only communicate with Phillip and couldn’t be heard by anyone else.

“My name is Ezra and I’m not really a soldier. But I want to ask, why are you here?”

“That’s what I’m curious about too. I’m trying to know where I am and how I can go back… no, I don’t have anywhere to go now.”

“Is it the Altair Alliance?”

“Yes, no… I wasn’t exactly a soldier for the Altair Alliance.”

Phillip looks at this hand and then the Augment suit suddenly moves unnaturally off and then back his skin.

“I was originally a Celes Empire soldier.”

“So you were a defector?”

Because of that question, Phillip’s head ached and made him stagger a bit.

“There was supposed to be someone else too… but I don’t remember who it was.”

While they were talking with each other, they noticed Crux approaching them.

“You don’t have a home? How about you join us?”

Hearing his offer, Trucker at the back groaned loudly and grabbed Crux on his shoulder to make him look his way.

“That freak just nearly killed us! Did he hit your head or something?”

“I know you’re frustrated and scared, but remember the creed of our Brotherhood. It doesn’t matter what you are or where you’re from, if you’re against the Empire, you’re an ally.”

“You don’t need to remind me of our creed!”

“Well you look like you needed some reminder. You’ve been trying to profit from all our spoils for yourself instead of contributing properly to our missions. You forgot what we’re supposed to be fighting for.”

Because he was told by facts, Trucker snapped and threw his fist at Crux’s face. However, Crux stood and received the punch. Instead of punching back, Crux just glared at Trucker.

Trucker knew that Crux was right, but being told by him of all people was something that scratched his ego.

Instead of continuing the argument, Trucker spits on the ground after a quick opening of his visor then turns around.

“Hel, contact HQ, we might need more people and a bigger ship. We might be in for a fight for this big haul.”

[Already ahead of you]

-End of Chapter-