She remembered a flash of light, something hitting her head. Tears were running down her face, and her arm felt like it was on fire. The Moonrise was exploding before her eyes, as she heard Elara scream in pain before her audio cut out. Everything went dark. A bad dream. It was a bad dream. Elara wouldn’t do that.

Pyralis opened her eyes, being blinded by bright lights. She tried to get up, finding her body was strapped down. She tried breaking free, straining against the leather. She saw that her left arm was missing.

“She’s waking up, shush.”

Pyr saw Doctor Preon standing over her. “Pyr? Do you know where you are?”

The medical ward. She couldn’t be here. She needed to be back out there, fighting alongside Elara. Elara wouldn’t have died like that. She couldn’t have. “Where’s Elara?”

Preon paused for a moment, before turning towards somebody else in the room. Anna. She would know where Elara was. She had to.

“I’m sorry, Pyr.”

“No!” Pyralis screamed at her. “Where is Elara? Why are we here? She’s out there, still fighting!” She had to be. She couldn’t be anywhere else. Elara wouldn’t leave her like that. She was alive.

Anna’s voice shook as she spoke. “She gave us the chance to run, Pyr. It was what she wanted. There was almost nothing left of the Moonrise. I’m sorry.”

She couldn’t be dead. Pyr was going to see Elara again. She was going to come home, and they would kiss, and she would tell Elara that she loved her. “N-No! Ellie is alive! She said we would all come home!” Pyralis was screaming at Anna. Her face was stained with tears.

Preon cut in, “Pyr, please. Stop struggling. Your arm was in bad condition, we had to amputate. Your head was bleeding and your eardrums ruptured in the fight. We did all we could, but you need rest.”

Pyralis didn’t need rest. She needed to look for Elara. Her body could rot and crumble if it meant Elara was okay. She’d be in the wreckage, fighting to her last br- fighting for her life. Anna stepped forward to her side, looking her in the eyes. Why was Anna alive if Elara was dead? “It’s all your fault, Elara was a better pilot than you’ll ever be,” she spat at Anna. “If you’re alive, she has to have lived.”

Anna clenched her fist, tears running down her face. “It’s your own fault she’s dead, you stupid fucking dog. She told you to back me up, and you chased after her like an idiot. Anna swung at the bound Pyralis, cracking her fist against the dog’s face. “Don’t blame me for her death. You almost died to a damn Dragonfly.” Hatred oozed in her voice, rearing back for another swing.

Preon reached to stop her, grabbing Anna’s arm. “Stop.” She wasn’t listening. Anna threw Preon to the side, slamming her fist into the sobbing Pyralis’ face.

“You got so distracted by your murder kink that you spent time grinding against a corpse before you ran to help her, or did you not notice the pool of cum in your suit?” Anna choked on her words, her whole body shaking as she fell to her knees, she rested her arms on Pyr’s body.

“I saved your life, Pyr. The least you could do is thank me. I wanted to save her more than anything. She wanted me to save you. I did everything she wanted.” She got quieter and quieter, sobbing into the table.

Pyralis continued wailing, laying still as Preon freed her from the restraints. Anna continued crying at her side.

Preon ran a hand over their heads, shushing the two. “It’s okay. You could have never expected it. It wasn’t either of your faults.” Lies. Pyralis hadn’t listened. This was her punishment.

Pyr knocked the hand away. She didn’t deserve comfort. She was the reason Elara wasn’t here. She should have died in her place. Elara deserved better. She started to mutter, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Pyralis let out a whimper as Preon put her hand back.

===

She walked into the dormitory, her tail drooping behind her. The door slid open, as she saw her room again. Elara wasn’t here. It was just her room now. Pyralis opened Elara’s personal drawer, finding a drive with a label on it.

For Pyralis. My Sunshine.

Elara’s vial laid by its side. The last bits of Elara that Pyr would ever see. She picked it up, shedding a tear as she put it on. She would never let Elara go.

Carefully picking up the drive, she slotted it into thei- her computer. Just her computer. The machine whirred as it read the data, and she opened the drive. It was filled with pictures and videos, one labeled “WATCH_ME_FIRST”.

Pyralis noted that the message was uploaded yesterday. Elara thought she wouldn’t make it home. She thought that Pyralis would fail. Pyr opened the video.

“Hey, Sunshine. If you’re watching this, I didn’t make it home this time. I’m sorry, Pyr. No matter what happened, you should know I would never blame you. It wasn’t your fault, love.” Elara paused, looking at the camera. Her eyes were watering.

“It was the Imperium’s fault, presumably. I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough to come home with you. I don’t know when you’ll be watching this, but if they’ve promoted you in my place, I’m proud of you. Commander Pyralis. I like how that sounds. You’re forgiven for everything, no matter what you think you’ve done.” The recording chuckled. Her smile burned itself into Pyr’s mind.

Pyr was already crying, wiping her tears so she could see every last moment of the video.

“I love you, Pyr. I’ll never be able to say that enough. The day that you said your first words to me were some of the happiest in my life. I’m honored that you took my surname, and stuck by me this whole time. I love you. This drive contains every picture and video I’ve taken of us. Some from others as well. I hope you like it. There’s some recordings of me just talking, if you ever miss my voice.” Elara smiled, despite sounding as if she was going to break into tears herself. “I hope you can forgive me, Pyr.”

Of course she did. Pyr couldn’t blame Elara, not when she had given her life to save her.

Elara took a deep breath before continuing. “I’ve left my pendant next to this recording, which you’ve probably already seen. If you wouldn’t mind, wear it for me. I’d love to rest by your heart. My first pair of mechanical arms are under the bed. Maybe you’ll get some use out of them, but don’t you go ripping off your arms for it.” She chuckled, as she picked up the arms on the recording. Elara planted a little kiss on the arms, before putting them down.

“Don’t do anything stupid, pup. I’ll be waiting for you at the doors of whatever comes next, whenever it’s your time. Live a full life for me. I’ll be pretty upset if you don’t.” She paused again, choking back a cry. “Sorry, again. I love you Pyr.”

The recording clicked off, and Pyr began sobbing again. She choked as she tried to reply, “I love you, Ellie.”

===

“Elara Callisto was a brave leader, and a selfless person. There is not a person in this base who hasn’t been saved by her skill, and her kindness.” Rhine sniffled, letting a tear fall. “May she rest in peace. I couldn’t have asked for a better Commander, or friend.” She took a swig of a bottle of wine, before pouring some out onto the ground. Rhine stepped off the makeshift podium, taking a seat.

Krill left his seat. He stopped by the grave, dropping in some metal scraps. He whispered something, before walking out of the room in tears.

Faust stood, walking up. They cleared their throat, shaking as they began to speak. “Commander Callisto was an honorable fighter, and the best of us all. I regret not saying more to her before we parted ways that day. She inspired all of us, and fought fearlessly for what she thought was right.” They paused, regaining a bit of composure before continuing. “I am ashamed to not have gotten to know her better. Rest in peace, Commander.” They stepped down, giving a small bow towards the mock grave.

Aleria shook her head as Faust looked at her. She couldn’t stop sobbing, her face in her hands. They nodded, before sitting.

General Alimony Frill rose. He stepped forward, and turned towards the crowd. “Elara was a wonderful colleague, and one of the greatest assets of our group. We will sorely miss her, and her presence in the base. I hope that she is resting well alongside her pride and joy, the Moonrise.” He took off his cap. “Rest in peace, Callisto.”

Finally, Doctor Preon stepped forward. “Since Commander Pyralis is unable to be here today, I am here to say some words in her absence.” She looked down at a paper, reading off Pyr’s speech. “Sorry that I cannot be here today, but I do not think I could speak here next to her grave. Ellie was the love of my life, and more than I could have ever asked for. She was the light of my life, and I will never forget her. I love you, starlight. Thank you for giving a stray dog a chance. See you on the other side.”