[Past/Present]

  Sunlight started to creep into Nicoash’s room as she finally arrived home. Her parents would wake up soon, and they would probably easily discover what she had been up to the night before. Right now, that didn’t matter to her. She held the gold ring up high. The sun reflected off of its smooth, shining surface, blasting Nicoash’s face with light. She did it.

  Nicoash walked over to her bedside table. She picked up a framed picture of her family that her mother had placed there in an effort to “decorate” her room a bit more. She tossed it to the side before setting the ring down in its place. She couldn’t help but smile the widest she probably ever had as she admired it.

  “One day… I’m going to get out of here….”

  Years later, within the wreckage of the ship that she had stolen to escape, Nico slowly began to regain consciousness. She groaned, reaching up to rub her head as she pushed herself off the console she had been laying on. She panted deeply, scanning her surroundings to remind herself of where she was. She did it.

  She slowly pushed herself to her feet, wincing in pain from the wound to her leg as well as whatever other injuries she sustained in the crash. Right now, that didn’t matter. Words flashed into her mind: memories of the promise she had made to herself as a child.

  I’m gonna leave this planet behind, and I’m going to see the galaxy.

  She started to limp her way through the ship, leaning against the slanted walls to keep herself up. She inspected the ship as she walked, smirking to herself. It was damaged, sure, but it was definitely fixable. She imagined what the ship would look like one day when she would make it her own.

  I’m gonna have my own ship…

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  She rounded a corner toward the back of the ship to find Viz deactivated on the floor. She knelt down next to him to inspect the damage. He was also fixable.

  …my own crew…

  She pushed herself back up to her feet and limped over to where she had tossed her bag when she entered the ship. She picked it up and opened it, peering inside.

  …and no one is going to be able to tell me where to go or what to do…

  She reached into the bag, fishing her hands around for a moment. She pushed aside her slicing kit and her security spike until her fingers felt a familiar thread. She curled her fingers around it and pulled it out of the bag. As the object was freed from the confines of the bag, what lights still worked in the ship reflected off a familiar shining object. Connected to the thread that she had pulled was the ring that she had stolen from the pirates all those years ago.

  …or what I can do.

  Nico couldn’t help but grin at the ring. She pulled the thread over her head, wearing the ring like a necklace as she stood up again.

  I’m gonna show them. I’m going to show them all.

  Nico dropped her bag to the ground and started limping again. This time, she made her way over to the exit ramp. She reached up and slammed her fist on the button. The hydraulic cylinders screeched and the sound of metal scraping against metal pierced her ears as the ramp slowly began to lower.

  Because one day, the whole galaxy is going to know my name.

  Nico slowly limped down the slanted ramp, stepping off into the grass below it. Fresh air filled her lungs for the first time in over a year. She looked around at the rocky outcroppings that surrounded the wreckage of her ship.

  Not as the little farm girl from Ventano, but as the greatest thief and pilot this galaxy has ever known.

  Sunlight began to creep over the rocks, illuminating Nico’s ship. She looked in the direction that the light was coming from before turning to look at her ship. She took a deep breath before walking up to it and reaching up to grab onto parts of the hull that jutted out. She climbed up on top of the ship and crawled over to the back of it before standing up.

  They’re going to know me as the girl who has seen it all and lived to tell the tale.

  A sudden rush of wind blew through her hair, pushing her curly locks out of her face. Nico closed her eyes and smiled at the feeling. She really was free. She opened them once again and looked out at the horizon.

  The girl who can do anything.

  In the distance, the sun slowly crested over the horizon, once again bringing light and life to a vibrant planet. It may not be as bright as Ventano, but right now it was the brightest thing Nico had experienced in a long time. As a child, she thought nothing of it, but now the relief of finally seeing the sun again was enough to make her fall to her knees. Just like on Ventano, there was nowhere she could hide from it, but right now she didn’t want to.