“We’ve lost our ship and any way to return home. And now I’m in charge of a collection of walking wounded.”

“Is that what we are?” Robin asked.

“No, I meant—”

“I know what you meant. And I don’t care. No one planned for this scenario. But we adapt. We improvise. We pay attention to the moment. That’s how we get through. That’s the Muungano way.”

“There were some aspects of Muungano’s ways that were steeped in traditions that now made little sense once we find ourselves so removed from the context of a story.” Epyc Ro stabbed at her plate of food. “They ossify, the old ways becoming outdated ideas; the rituals little more than empty gestures.”

“What do you propose?”

Epyc Ro stared at the HOVA insignia on her shoulder. “Maybe it’s time for a new way of doing things. Perhaps it was time to withdraw from the entirety of it.”

“What, like quit Muungano?”

“No. The HOVA.”

Epyc Ro took out her panga blade and sliced the HOVA insignia from her navsuit. She cradled it in her hands. “The Hughes, Muungano, our way of life, were all gone. The HOVA Hellfighters are no more. For what comes next, I don’t think I’ll be able to live up to the Muungano ideals. I will have to find a new way home.”

She tossed the patch into the campfire flames. Robin watched the patch blacken and shrivel before pulling out her own panga and cutting off her patch. By the time she tossed hers into the fire, another landed on top of it. When she looked up, Chandra rubbed her head and back to comfort her.

“What’re y’all doing?” Anitra wandered over.

“Stripping ourselves out of the HOVA,” Robin said.

“I’m down.” Anitra took off her mesh shirt and tossed it in the flames.

“Shit, Anitra, we just burning our HOVA patches.” Robin snatched it from the fire, swatting out any sparking flames.

“When I commit, I commit.” Anitra slipped the smoldering mesh back on.

“If we’re not HOVA no more, who are we?” Robin asked.

“I don’t know yet,” Epyc Ro said. “We need to reclaim our independence. Find out who we are.”

“A name change, then. Something calling who we’re meant to be into being. Name what we want to manifest in the world.”

“Is there going to be a ritual? You know how we love a good ritual,” Anitra said.

Epyc Ro set her plate down. Her hand brushed the elekes. She stood and signaled for Robin to join her. Using both hands to cup the beads, she presented them to Robin.

“Cap’n?” Robin asked.