Chapter XIX: What Must Be Done

Crystal lay on her bunk, the dim lighting of the Ravenblade's crew quarters casting soft shadows across the small space. The ship's engines thrummed faintly in the background, a steady reminder of the slip-space journey that would eventually bring them to the Harwen Fringe. But even with the rhythmic hum of the ship as white noise, her mind refused to settle.

The massive hand cannon Asus had handed her rested in her lap, its dark metal frame a stark contrast against the pale fabric of her undershirt. She ran her fingers over the intricate etchings on the barrel, tracing the engraved words "Trust in the Last Shot." There was a weight to the weapon beyond its physical heft—something almost final, as if it carried the unspoken expectation that, when the time came, she would have no choice but to fire.