Kent sat with the wounded, though he considered his own wounds superficial. He gingerly touched the bandage on his shoulder. The turbulence that shook the ship had thrown everyone from their seats. Angelique's finger squeezed her hair trigger when her arm hit the floor. The shot left a scorch mark in the booth's rug, but was otherwise ineffective. The Assassin Drone, however, fired upon registering the use of her weapon. There had been no order to take a kill shot so the machine, acting to disable the threat, hit Kent in the shoulder. The arm would be near useless until he received medical help.

Kent never learned who fired the third shot but it hadn't been him. He'd spent five years in preparation, five years training. When the moment came for The Free Labor Movement's first strike against the tyranny of The Board of Directors, he hesitated because he felt an imperative to save others. He manipulated his way into a private audience with his target, and again he hesitated. This time because his faith was shaken.

Sitting beside a colonial man with a head wound requiring constant rebandaging, Kent wondered what was damaged more: his arm or his beliefs. To realize he'd been lied to by everyone he cared about was jarring. The possibility that Angelique was the one lying occurred to him, but somehow her words felt the most genuine. Maybe she was just a better liar than Seth.

The whole mess was a lot to wrap his head around. Kent felt like a fool, a childlike fool with no concept of what it meant to be human. He had to be taught how to lie, and even then he lacked the guile to improvise. Kent saw then that to be human was to lie, to deal with humans was to be skeptical of everything you are told.

"I don't blame you for being in a foul mood, my friend. I've never been shot, but I hear it's painful." Giles Norman knelt beside Kent and offered a cup of water. Kent took the drink with his good hand and gave it to the injured man who thanked him and drank deeply.

"I'm not upset about being shot. I probably deserved it," Kent grumbled. He'd never felt so cross before.

"Deserved it? Don't be absurd. They say the CEO shot you by mistake. David has convinced the others that her weapons should be confiscated for everyone's sake. He's putting together a delegation to demand action."

Kent shook his head. At that moment he wanted someone to sedate David and shut him and his schemes away in a cubby somewhere.

"David is not a good person."

"He's not. He's never been, but he's ambitious and business savvy."

"Then why be his friend? Why associate with such a man?" Kent's eyes burned. He spoke of Giles and David's relationship, but his mind was on his own and the FLM.

"I would still be a pencil pusher in the textiles division if it weren't for him. I don't like him, sometimes I think I hate him, but he made me the man I am today. He did right by me, and I can't ignore that."

Kent nodded. He understood what Giles meant. He knew what it was like to be no one, and owe someone for molding you into something greater. Kent gritted his teeth. Before he'd agreed to abandon Wilson Nova_1103, he hadn't thought of himself as nothing. He was lost and alone, but he was still a free clone... Seth had sought him out. Despite words to the contrary, why would the Free Labor Movement have need for a valueless Vat Boy? Wilson had been more, but didn't know it. Kent was more.

"You're smiling now," Giles observed. "Did it just occur to you?"

"Yeah, it did. It really did." Kent felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. He was the man The FLM created, but he did not belong to them. He was more than just a tool.

"When we get back, you have a case against THE Chief Executive Officer. You are about to be very well paid, my friend. The universe is about to open her arms wide."

"Wait. what?"

"The lawsu-"

The ship shook again, less violent but no less frightening than the last time. People screamed, chairs and tables toppled, and the lights flickered. Even with only one arm Kent rushed to help the other wounded. He and Giles took a woman down from her gurney to prevent her from falling. The shaking stopped as Kent lost his footing while picking up a little boy. The main hall was filled with the eerie echoes of terrified people.

"ATTENTION PASSENGERS, ATTENTION PASSENGERS. THIS IS ACTING CAPTAIN XAVIER. THE SINGAPORE HAS DOCKED AND WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF EVACUATING. ALL PASSENGERS AND CREW PLEASE PROCEED TO THE MAIN HALL AND WAIT FOR AN ORDERLY DISEMBARKMENT."

The message repeated twice more over the ship's comm system. Elation and relief swept through the survivors. The change in the atmosphere was palpable. The despair melted away, replaced with the heartfelt joy of being rescued from a terrible fate.

Kent didn't cheer. Safety meant making a decision about what to do next, and he was not ready. If he returned home, he would have to confront Seth and explain why he allowed the CEO to live for the second time. Kent knew why he didn't pull the trigger, but he wasn't ready to explain himself. He wasn't sure if he could. If he chose to avoid Earth Prime, and go into hiding it would mean starting over somewhere unfamiliar. The prospect was nearly as frightening as telling Seth that Kent Duffy no longer believed in the cause.

"This is great, Kent. We're saved," Giles said as he helped a wounded canamarian man to his feet.

"Yeah, great."

"Are you okay, my friend?"

"I'm not sure."

"Do you need me to get help? Maybe the Raiel can sing you a song."

"Her name is Nhoni," Kent corrected. "And no. I don't need help. Just need time to think."

"Well, I'll be here if you need anything."

"Thank you."

"We're saved, people!" David declared. His voice carrying across the room, demanding the survivors attention. "We should gather near the entrances in orderly groups. They're going to want information about who we are and who we know. I volunte-"

"No one is safe, not until we know who we're dealing with." The sergeant's voice boomed over the crowd.

"Look, Sergeant Maldonado. I'm sure the people you saved are grateful for your efforts, but we no longer need your services."

Many clapped at the businessman's words. David stood near the center of the hall surrounded by a throng of his cohorts. Sergeant Maldonado waited at the main entrance flanked by the other soldiers. David whipped the survivors into a frenzy of complaints and accusations. He painted a picture of unfair conditions and preferential treatment which he set squarely on the sergeant's shoulders.

The men and women standing with Sergeant Maldonado disputed the false claims, but David spoke over them with even more outlandish accusations. People were beginning to believe it was the sergeant's negligence that cost so many lives during the Flesh Farmer attack.

Kent looked up to the balcony booth where the CEO and her executive service agents watched the escalating confrontation.

"This is nonsense! The ship has been hijacked. Who do you think this acting captain Xavier is?" asked Maldonado. His voice carried like a true drill sergeant.

"Didn't you hear her? She's acting captain. These ships can't just hand over command to anyone. She's probably a member of the ship's crew. Does it matter? We're rescued."

The people clapped, though some faces were strained.

"No one said we were rescued."

"Enough, Sergeant Maldonado. After nearly 24 standard hours, we're safe. I say we collect our things and gather at the entrance in an orderly fashion as instructed."

David didn't wait for the sergeant's retort. He grabbed his blazer and strode toward the entrance. More than half of the gathered survivors followed his lead. The soldiers watched and waited for instructions. Kent glanced up and Angelique was gone.

Unsure of what to do, Kent rallied the other volunteers and coordinated to get the wounded ready to be moved. Giles and Nhoni insisted he take it easy for fear of aggravating his own wounds, but Kent wanted to keep busy. Helping the others kept him from thinking about Seth, Karen, and Bruce. A pair of soldiers came over to help: Ivory, the woman with the cybernetic prosthetic, and one of the Bos, Kent couldn't remember if it was Avery or Santos.

"This whole trip has been insane. First Flesh Famers, then hijackers. What's next?" whispered Bo.

"Spider said the leader of the hijackers was named Xavier... if she's the one coordinating the evacuation we're about to go from a sun to a supernova," Ivory replied.

They either didn't realize Kent could hear them or they didn't care.

"What are we going to do? Maldonado and Carlyle need to do something."

"No offense, but I'd rather put my faith in Spider and his team."

"Where are they? That big blue felarnian should be hard to miss, but I haven't seen them since that jump shook the ship."

"You're right. Shit. We should have stuck with them," Ivory said. She looked around and noticed Kent for the first time. "Mr. Duffy, right?"

"Kent."

"Kent, listen. We're not 100% sure this rescue is legit. It could easily be a part of the hijacking. We-"

"They could be collecting everyone to walk us through the airlocks," the military man interjected.

"Bo!"

"What? The Hortisk used to do it when they stole ships."

Kent's heart was racing. He didn't know much beyond what the Web-Net broadcast occasionally said about the other races. He was suddenly afraid of the prospect of being 'spaced' and of the hortisk, who were banned from human space. He wondered if they were currently in a hortisk controlled region.

"Ignore him, Kent," Ivory suggested. "Here." She handed him a small energy pistol. The weapon was similar to the kinetic handgun taken from him by the executive service agents after he was shot, but half the size. "Hide this and, if things go south, I'll need you to get it to me. Okay? Can you do that?"

Kent hesitated for a moment, unsure what to do. Things were happening too fast and he was getting a little confused. Ivory patted him on the shoulder.

"This is only a precaution. Just get me the gun. You won't need to use it," Ivory assured him.

Bo hid a set of knives on the underside of a gurney. He nodded to Kent and went to help Nhoni rewrap a man's wounds.

"Kent?"

"I can do it. I'll hide the pistol."

"Good. Thank you," Ivory said.

By the time Kent ventured into the foyer of the main hall, David was again orating to the crowd, convincing them to immediately file a complaint with AST and Trappist Station upon disembarking. Survivors from all over the ship had heard Xavier's message and made their way to the main hall. Counting the people still seated inside, the number of survivors had nearly doubled. Looking upon the newcomers, it was clear many hadn't fared as well as those who'd made it to the hall. Kent noticed the CEO and her entourage observed from the balcony level stairs. When she caught sight of Kent, she gave him a sage nod. Not a friendly gesture, but one of acknowledgement. She'd apologized for shooting him, but warned that her agents were watching him.

"I'll say it again, we don't know that this isn't a part of the hijacker's plan. Unti-"

"Sergeant Maldonado, stand down," David cried. "We've done things your way long enough. We appreciate all that you've tried to do, but it's time for more level and civic minded heads to take charge. Isn't that right, Madam CEO?"

"I believe we need more information before any course of action can be taken," offered one of the executive service agents. "Has anyone been able to contact the Core AI? Surely we can find out what is happening from there."

"Actually that is yet another task the sergeant has failed to accomplish," David said. "How many voting citizens do we have among us?" He waited and a little under half the gathering raised their hands. "Good. I propose we take a vote to elect a delegate to lead our band and speak for the people until we are safely onboard a station or EC ship. Do I have a second for the proposal?"

"No! We're not doing that. Until we know for sure, this is a hostile situation that requires military minds in command." Maldonado was losing his temper.

"That right there is the problem. You want to command us, tell us what to do. We are voters, sergeant, we have rights. We h-"

The words caught in David's mouth at the sight of Sergeant Maldonado's pistol pointed at his chest. Panicked people scrambled to get out of the line of fire, while others bravely moved to protect David. Kent felt a twinge of shame. He didn't want anyone to die, but he was not willing to save David Powers.

"Do you see what happens when the military is left in charge? They use their weapons to silence the people."

Murmurs filled the room. More stepped in the way of the sergeant's weapon until he had no choice but to put the firearm away.

"Thank you, Sergeant. I'm glad you see the weakness of your stance. Again I propose a vote and I nominate myself. Of course the madam CEO's hat is in the arena, but up until now she has remained quiet about the goings on. Perhaps she has no desire to lead us through this."

"On the contrary, Mr. Powers, I am more than willing to lead if the people require it. I was content with Ser-"

"Is there anyone else? Obviously only voting citizens should run." David smiled, but it was a mean expression full of privilege and elitism. "We're going to need an arbitrator with a functioning datapad to tally the votes."

A man burst into the room and ran straight to Sergeant Maldonado. He whispered something in the soldier's ear, visibly shaking the man. The sergeant drew his weapon and began barking orders. The already tense atmosphere grew volatile. People slowly moved back into the main hall.

The door opened again. This time armed troops poured into the foyer. They wore heavy tactical body armor and carried high yield rifles. The armament was fashioned of black flexsteel, tinted either pink or yellow, and embroidered with vines and serpents. Their helmets were crafted to resemble the head of a regal woman with hair festooned with severe flowers. Their face plates were all shaped to resemble a beautiful autocrat.

Screams from within the hall drew Kent's attention. More of the troops emerged through the auxiliary entrance. He scanned the crowd for Ivory, reaching for the hidden pistol, but when he caught her eye she shook her head. Kent wasn't sure why she didn't want the weapon, but he lowered his hand. Looking around, it was clear that the troopers had their weapons trained on everyone.

"Everyone remain where you are!" said a trooper in pink hued armor. A man's voice, deep and commanding. "You will be silent and wait for instructions. No one needs to be hurt. When my troopers give an order, you are to respond immediately. I will no-"

"Sir, please. We are grateful for your assistance and will gladly comply," David said. He forced his way through the crowd and stopped in front of the speaker. His retinue smiled and nodded which seemed to make his chest swell. "I speak for the majority."

"What is your name, sir," asked the leader of the troopers, his voice distorted as if speaking into a metal cup.

"David, David Powers." He looked around, searching for recognition on the faces around him.

He returned his attention to the trooper and had a moment to gasp before his brains exploded out the back of his head. Survivors screamed, weapons were drawn, more people died. It was all a blur to Kent Duffy. He was frozen with shock, staring at the mess that had been David's head. Looking down at the lifeless body, Kent realized his was to be the same fate. All escape plans for the initial assassination had been sparse, more reliant on chance than preparation. There was no plan to escape from The Singapore. Seth had intended for Kent to die on the ship.

"Silence!" bellowed the lead trooper.

Kent snapped out of the trance. Six more bodies lay on the floor including the sergeant.

"Failure to comply will be met with immediate lethal force."

A wounded Felarnian man whimpered near the middle of the crowd. He wanted to know why the constructs weren't helping them. Kent glanced over to Asuka-15 and the other stewards. They stood motionless, their Low-Faces frozen in expressions ranging from concern to anger.

"The constructs can accurately gauge the situation," said another pink tinted trooper, her voice high and monotone. "They acknowledge that any actions taken will result in more human death. The machines protect you by doing nothing."

"I am Legionnaire 349," said the original speaker. "You will follow my orders or suffer severe repercussions. I do not repeat myself." He lowered his weapon and swept his gaze across the room of terrified people. "Bring them in groups of ten, shoot anyone that resists."

Legionnaire 349 left the room without another word. Kent looked around. The CEO and her agents had disappeared. Sergeant Maldonado was dead. Captain Carlyle was dead. David was dead. There were no more leaders among the survivors.

Kent felt the room closing in on him. He didn't know what was going to happen, he didn't know what to do, and there was no one to tell him. Kent felt as lost as he did during those first days after his contract had ended.

"What are we going to do?" Giles whispered.

Kent looked over his shoulder and found not only David's former partner, but the raiel and the other volunteers. They all looked to him as if he had the answers.

"You heard the commander," said the female trooper, "Ten at a time. Start with the constructs."

The yellow armored troopers fell into formation and escorted ten constructs out. Among them was Asuka-15. She met Kent's gaze with concern written across her Low-Face. He felt as if he should have said something, but she was gone before any words came to mind. Kent watched in silence like the other survivors, prisoners to an unknown armed force.

The survivors were marched through the halls of The Singapore. The sounds of their shuffling feet sounded at odds with the thunderous clapping of the troopers boots. Teams of the strange soldiers in white tinted armor swept the ship for more survivors. Kent wanted to ask questions, but remembered Legionnaire 349's instructions and remained silent. They were led down the emergency stairwell to the hold of the ship and out through the cargo doors.

The Singapore sat within a launch bay large enough to house six such ships. White and yellow clad troopers unloaded the transport, taking equipment and luggage to place in stacks outside. Hundreds of needle shaped single-pilot fighters lined the walls. Dozens of men and women maintenanced the vehicles. Tapestries hung from the rafters depicting a plain black field and a single violet wildflower.

Once off The Singapore, the passengers were separated by species and then by gender. A young human boy cried and screamed as he was torn away from the canamarian woman who'd been caring for him since the Flesh Farmer attack. A yellow armored trooper put a pistol to his head, but was stopped by a woman with spiky hair. She adjusted her silver tinted armor as she approached. A stocky trooper in pink followed behind her, carrying her helmet. Her eyes were cruel, half of her face was hidden behind a tattoo of a snake pinioned by thorny roses.

"What is the problem, trooper?" she asked.

"Lieutenant Xavier, Sir, the child will not stop crying," the trooper replied.