XX. Epilogue

Celestine laid on the bed, she could smell that the room is sterile with a hint of tulip. She opened her eyes, it was blurry seeing only walls mostly white. She moved her hand but she felt something was attached to one of it. She began to see clearly and saw that she was in a hospital, on the table was her holowatch and a flower vase with tulips on it. She lifted her body and placed her back against the headboard.

There was nobody watching over her, the door then opened. It was her nurse, the nurse gave a wide smile and she smiled back.

"Thank goodness you're awake" The nurse said as she walked over her to check her vitals.

"What happened and where am I?" Celestine asked weakly.

"You suffered some major and minor traumas but we've patched you up. And as for where we are, we're at the Providence."

"The Providence, as in the Zypherians' colony?"

"Yes" The nurse was about to finish up. "Oh and someone's here to see you"

The nurse walked out the door, she leaves it half open as she talks to someone outside. A woman walked inside her room, but it was no ordinary woman. It was the councilwoman.

"Hello, how are you?" The councilwoman asked Celestine.

"I'm fine. Thank you for bringing me here"

"Compared to what you did for us, this is just a small token of appreciation. The nurse told me you're free to go, I suggest you change and we'll continue this outside" The councilwoman walked out.

Celestine went to the drawer and saw a brand new dress, she put it on along with her holowatch. She took the tulips and went out to see the councilwoman standing outside her room. "Did you know what happened?" Celestine asked her.

"What was the last thing you remembered?" The councilwoman asked back.

"I killed M'Khari then I used McGuffin 45, it was Rover's parting gift to me, I bashed it on the console and next thing I saw was a white flash and I pretty much blacked out"

"That might've explained it. You see after a few minutes the beam just went out and destroyed our planet into rubble"

"I'm sorry for what happened" Celestine tried to sympathize with her.

"Don't be our planet was already dead, we were never hoping to go back there, we've already moved forward. M'Khari was just a man who could not move on and grow, and that is what killed him not you"

"Well, how about the council, surely the Splendor was filled with the coup. How did you beat them all."

"You're friend, Rover. He came back and he said he was looking for you, but found us instead... He was the one who beat them all, yet we were grateful anyways"

"So did you gave him a reward?"

"No. He said he came back to save you not us. But if we were to reward him, all we had to do was repair his ship"

"That's Rover alright" She chuckled.

The councilwoman's security detail approached her and whispered something. "Oh my, well I'm sorry Celestine but duty calls... I do hope we can meet again someday"

"Thank you madam councilwoman" Celestine bowed in respect.

"Oh, and I think that the young Rover left a message on your holowatch." The councilwoman told her as she joined her security detail.

She opened her holowatch and saw a notification, it was indeed a message from me. She played it and my hologram showed.

"Hey, I hope you're okay. Sorry if I was not able to help you kick his ass, but the good thing is I found you and they were generous enough to help you... They're actually good people, which makes it funny because they've changed so much. But don't hope I'll change because I'll be me and you'll be you. One thing's for sure if you need me, you know where to find me." She smiled as she opened the door.

"Also I'm sorry I wasn't there to greet you, I have to be early. Shuttles have a very tight schedule... Also I believe we're even now." My message continued, She walks outside to see the Swift, restored to what it was, this was even cleaner than before. She smiles, entered and fired the engines to go into another daring adventure she likes to call job.

"If you're wondering like Celestine where I went after all that was over? Well, I'm here at the gold duck. Talking to you lovely people." I raised my glass as I slowly looked at the people around the bar listening to me. I told them my latest adventure as I stand over on the table located in the center of the bar.

All manner of life was there enjoying and having a merry good time. The smell of beer and vomit filled the room, this is what Gold Duck usually feel like. I raised my hand to the bartender and mouthing for a drink, he delivered it to me and I proposed a lousy toast to everyone. I went down and moved to my table, there was a girl sitting there, it was the girl I flirted earlier before all M'Khari stuff happened.

I know I am tipsy, but I'm not drunk. I can flirt with her. I approached my table and delivered the opening line. "Table's occupied"

She saw me and felt a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry I'm just waiting on someone. I'll leave" she got up.

"Oh, it's okay, you could stay while you're waiting for them." I sat on the chair. She saw and was a little shocked.

"Wow, you're story is good." She said with genuine amazement.

"Did you hear all that"

"Just last part"

"You here on business or pleasure?"

"Pleasure" She smiled at me.

I could feel that I'm doing a good job, I want to make sure that I get her contact. But that was quickly struck over when someone one opened the door. It was a gigantic figure, hairy and feral I might add.

A polar bear just walked in a bar. I swear it could be a good joke, but not for me. The polar was walking upright, he was wearing camo pants with a utility belt, around his body and arms are belt of bullets wrapped around. He walked like he was looking for someone.

I lowered my head, the woman was curious, she was probably thinking this is weird. But the polar saw me and approached my table. He sniffed and gagged.

"Oh you're drunk" he said with a mechanical voice, just like a text-to-speech voice.

"Just tipsy" I replied as I sipped my drink. "What are you doing her strife?"

"I need a pilot and a partner."

"You mean a captain?"

"Your ship is still the way you remembered it" He snickered.

"Can you do it a little later? I'm on a date here" I pointed to the woman.

"Actually I'm here on business now" The woman said as she saw Strife.

"Oh hey julia" Strife greeted the lady. "I thought you were gonna meet us at the port?"

"Wait, you knew her?" I was frustrated and confused which my face did not fail to display.

"Yeah, She's the one who gave us this job" Strife explained to me.

"Actually I'm a reporter and I'll be doing a documentary on our line of work" Julia explained to me.

I planted my face in my hands and groaned. "Oh come-on! You know I don't date people I work with"

"Just get-up, she's expecting you to take this job." Strife added.

"No"

"Yes"

"I'm busy."

"You're not."

I continued to refuse him but the polar bear was running out of patience he grabbed me by the collar and dragged me out of the bar.

"A documentary with a hot lady, this'll be fun"