She saw her crew’s faces in her mind. Lira’s soft smile, Breck’s laughing face, Gilly’s bright and mischievous eyes. But she also saw others. Countless others, who would never taste freedom again. Innocent lives, people spread all across the galaxy who were simply doing their best to thrive day in and day out.

“There is a way,” Klaren said. “And strangely enough, we have Cyprian to thank for it.”

Dex crossed his arms, brows rising into his hairline. “What way?”

“Nor and Valen cannot open the Void without access to all of Mirabel’s nuclear arsenals,” Klaren said. “Each planet has one, created during the Cataclysm. Cyprian spearheaded the effort during the years I lived on Averia with him. When we were together, I was constantly at his side, in meetings, at meals, where the leaders whispered of their plans behind the scenes. The weapons network can only be accessed by each planet’s leader. But because they are all dead...only their successor has that power now.”

“So Nor has the power,” Andi said. “How does that help us? You said that as soon as Nexus is complete, she’ll use those weapons to blast open the Void.”

“Not quite,” Klaren corrected. “Only a rightful heir, chosen by at least one of the previous system leaders, can gain control of the weapons network. There were countless fail-safes built into the system to ensure this.”

Beside Andi, Dex began to shift uneasily on his feet. Andi shot him a quick glance, and he stilled, but kept his eyes averted from hers.

“So Cyprian’s successor has power now,” Klaren explained. “If Nor is able to get her hands on his successor, and bring them over to her side...then Exonia will be unleashed.” Her expression turned pleading once more. “I am fighting to undo what I began long ago, Androma,” Klaren said, her droid’s voice soft now behind the light of the dying fire. “Because it isn’t always about power. Sometimes it’s about preserving the things that make living truly worth it.”

Her words hung in the air between them like a promise—one Andi wasn’t sure she wanted to believe.

And yet...a part of her did believe it.

“You said you wanted my help,” Andi said. “Why me?”

“Andi,” Dex started, reaching for her hand. His voice was almost pained—as if he already knew what Klaren was going to say. But how could he?

Klaren met Andi’s gaze with those eyes, so much like her daughter’s, rimmed in gold. “We’ve uncovered the identity of Cyprian’s heir, just as Nor likely has, too.”

“Who?” Andi asked, dumbfounded. “And what does that have to do with me?”