Pce: Station The Orbe

  Orion Edri practiced his flight for two hours daily. Piloting was his way of coping with the deaths of Dara and her friend Caleb. When he flew, he felt free; it allowed him to stop thinking about those he had lost and brought him a little closer to his friend Renn. Orion remembered how the two of them used to perform incredible maneuvers together, connecting at the speed of fighter jets. He missed those days.

  {Test completed, Cadet Edri preparing for nding.}

  When he got off the jet, Ezra was waiting for him.

  – You are amazing, Orion. Although, in my opinion, you've become very obsessed with these practices, don't you think?

  – What do you want, Ezra? I don't have time.

  – You'll make time for this. Your father wants to see you. A vessel is waiting to take you to him.

  Orion hadn't spoken to his father in a long time, so receiving a summons now left him disconcerted. He boarded the vessel ,which headed towards the far end of the station. Unbeknownst to him, his father had been at Orbe Station for a week. As expected, Ezra accompanied him, his presence as unpleasant as ever.

  When Orion disembarked, they guided him to where General Edri was waiting. The hallways were filled with soldiers, and security was tight. Ezra and a few other soldiers followed him closely.

  Ezra indicated the door and said, "The general is inside. I'll wait out here while you finish."

  As Orion prepared to enter, he thought about Ezra O'Neill, an enigmatic figure. When Ezra first cimed to be a friend of his father, Orion had been skeptical. Yet, Ezra's ability to move freely through restricted areas using a special pass suggested that his cim might be true after all.

  Orion entered the vast office, seeing his father at the far end, dictating notes to his virtual assistant.

  – Pause the notes," General Edri commanded, motioning for Orion to come closer.

  – Sir, it's a pleasure to see you after so long, Orion said, giving him a formal greeting.

  – Leave the protocols for the other soldiers. You are my son, my pride. Tell me, how are things at Orbe?"

  Orion was surprised; it had been a long time since his father had shown such pride in him. – All good, Father, fulfilling all my obligations.

  – Fulfilling obligations does not necessarily mean all is well. Ezra has informed me about your behavior over the past six months. According to this report, you've been somewhat depressed, missed some meetings during your free time, and become obsessed with piloting a jet."

  – Ezra is very insightful, but you know why I've been..."

  – I know," the general interrupted. – You miss your friends who died. However, I order you to stop obsessing over jet and focus on the tasks assigned to you. Tell me, son, will this behavior bring your friends back? Prioritize what matters most—connecting with future commanders, leading a mothership, and creating strategies to prevent further deaths."

  Orion lowered his head, took a deep breath, and looked into his father's eyes. – Orion clenched his fists, his voice cracking. "Your logic is sound, but—" he swallowed hard, unable to hold back the edge of his voice—"you don't know what it's like. To lose them. Forever."

  General Edri felt a slight hesitation at Orion's words, however the general approached with his gaze intense. – You must stop dwelling on the past. Think about the lives you can save. Battles are coming, and you need to be ready. A real man confronts his fears; you will regret not fighting with all your might. The people who died on that vessel fought and died for others, but you dishonor them by still mourning. Raise your head. We'll meet soon to talk about the future because right now, you're not ready. Dismissed"

  Orion stared at his father with bright eyes. His father did not understand, and Orion still wanted to tell him many things. He wanted to confront him about forcing him to separate from the woman he loved due to his unrealistic expectations. He wanted to express how his father never showed affection for his friends and how, in truth, he didn't even care about Caleb, Renn, or Akiva. All he cared about was becoming a general, which is why he stayed away from his family for so long. But Orion couldn't say anything. His words were blocked. He walked away, a mix of anger and frustration churning inside him. Deep down, he knew his father was right, but he couldn't overlook his insensitivity towards his feelings.

  He left the office with a bitter expression, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

  – That face means you had a good time with your father, I guess," Ezra said sarcastically, wearing an evil smile.

  Orion ignored Ezra's biting words, feeling a sense of emptiness as he departed, each of his father's words echoing in his mind.