An hour later, people began to emerge from the temple.

Noah stood with Sophie at the base of the stone steps, watching figures file out into the pale light. Most of them he didn't recognize. Strangers, all of them. Men and women in tattered clothes, moving with the careful steps of people who'd forgotten what freedom felt like. Some squinted against the sun like they hadn't seen it in months. Others just stood there, breathing, taking in air that didn't taste like captivity.

Then the familiar faces started appearing.

Damien Grey came first. The king of Raiju Prime looked older than the holos Noah had seen, thinner, with lines around his eyes that hadn't been there before. His hair was still that distinctive grey-silver, but it hung limp past his shoulders instead of tied back properly. He wore simple pants and a shirt that had probably been expensive once but now just looked worn.

Lucy moved before Noah even registered she was running. She covered the distance between them in seconds, launching herself at her father with enough force to make him stumble backward. Damien caught her, arms wrapping around his daughter like she might disappear if he let go.

"Dad." Lucy's voice cracked. "Dad, I thought—"

"I'm here." Damien's hand came up to cradle the back of her head. "I'm here, little storm. I'm here."

Noah looked away, giving them privacy. Sophie's hand found his, squeezed once.

More people emerged. Bruce Hilton appeared next, moving slower than the others, like his legs weren't quite working right yet. The telepath's face was gaunt, cheekbones too prominent, but his eyes were alert. Commander Hight immediately dispatched two soldiers to help him down the steps.

Then came King Aurelius.

Even half-starved and wearing rags, the man made an entrance. He paused at the top of the steps, threw his arms wide, and bellowed loud enough to make everyone turn.

"FREEDOM!" His voice boomed across the courtyard. "Sweet, beautiful, magnificent FREEDOM! I shall never take you for granted again!"

Several Grey soldiers actually smiled. Aurelius descended the steps like he was walking onto a stage, addressing everyone he passed.

"You there, soldier! What's your name?"

"Uh, Bait, Your Majesty."

"Bait! Excellent work today! Simply excellent! When we return to civilization, remind me to send you a case of Ares wine! The good stuff, not the export garbage!"

He continued down, complimenting every person he encountered, shaking hands, patting shoulders. By the time he reached the bottom, half the Grey forces were grinning despite themselves.

"Commander Hight!" Aurelius strode over to where she stood coordinating the evacuation. "Your soldiers performed magnificently! Absolutely magnificently! The Grey family should be proud!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Hight's professionalism didn't crack, but Noah saw the corner of her mouth twitch. "We're just glad you're safe."

"Safe! HA!" Aurelius spun to face the temple. "You hear that, Arthur? I'm SAFE! And you're still a miserable bastard hiding in the dark!" He turned back, grinning. "Feels good to say that without consequences."

More family heads emerged. A woman with sharp features and black hair that hung to her waist. Veyras family, probably. The way shadows seemed to cling to her steps gave it away. A younger man with scars across his bare chest, moving with predatory grace. Marrick, maybe. Beast tamer family.

They all looked wrong. Not injured, exactly. Arthur's prison hadn't relied on physical torture. But there was something in their eyes, in the way they moved, that spoke to time spent in places humans weren't meant to survive.

The numbered women came out in a group. All of them were walking close together like they'd learned not to separate. Some were visibly pregnant. Others carried infants that couldn't have been more than a few weeks old. Grey soldiers moved to help them immediately. They were gentle and careful.

One of the women, maybe twenty-five with dark skin and exhausted eyes, stopped when she saw the Grey uniforms.

"Please, do you know where we are?" Her voice was hoarse like she hadn't been using it. "What planet?"

"Hollowstar," a soldier replied. "Isn't this your home? But don't worry, you're safe now. We're taking you home."

"Home." The woman said it like she was testing the word. "I don't even remember where home is anymore."

Then Vex Marduk appeared, and the mood shifted.

The beast trafficker looked exactly like his reputation suggested. Despite the hard time they all apparently went through, he still had his stocky build. Though his hands were scarred and his eyes never stopped wandering. He moved down the steps with his hands raised, clearly aware of how this would go.

"I surrender to Grey authority," Vex said before anyone could speak. "I was trafficking illegally on Raiju Prime. I'll cooperate fully."

"Damn right you will." Commander Hight gestured, and two soldiers moved forward with restraints. "Vex Marduk, you're under arrest for illegal beast trafficking, endangering civilian populations, and about fifteen other charges we'll detail once we're back on Raiju."

"Understood." Vex didn't resist as they secured his wrists. "For what it's worth, Commander, Arthur was worse than anything I've done. I hope you buried him deep."

"He escaped," Noah said.

Vex's expression flickered. "Then we're all still fucked. Good to know." He said crudely.

The evacuation took another hour. Grey soldiers processed everyone, logged names, provided water and basic medical care. The numbered women were given privacy screens while healers checked them and their children. The family heads gathered in a loose group near the transports, talking quietly among themselves.

Damien had finally released Lucy but kept one hand on her shoulder, like he needed the physical contact to believe she was real. Bruce sat on a transport ramp, letting exhaustion catch up now that survival wasn't required. Aurelius was still talking, animated and loud, telling anyone who'd listen about the conditions in Arthur's prison.

"The man is theatrical, I'll give him that," Aurelius was saying. "Every feeding felt like dinner theater. Very dramatic. Very unnecessary. I told him several times his presentation needed work."

"You told Arthur his torture methods needed work?" Noah asked, walking over.

"Of course! If you're going to be evil, at least be entertaining about it!" Aurelius's grin was manic but genuine. "It's good to see you my friend, Noah Eclipse. How many wives do you have now?" Aurelius asked with a straight face.

"Uhhh~" Noah was too stunned to answer.

"You can't keep count. Excellent! Wonderful! When we return to civilization, you must visit Ares territory. I'll throw a feast in your honor. Several feasts. A month of feasts!" He grabbed Noah's hand, shaking it with both of his. "You saved my life, young man. The Ares family does not forget its debts."

"Just doing the job."

"Nonsense! This was far beyond any job!" Aurelius finally released Noah's hand. "Lucy tells me you've built a faction. Eclipse, yes? Independent operators. I love it. Absolutely love it. When you need resources, contacts, anything, you call on Ares. We'll support you properly."

The other family heads approached more carefully. The Veyras woman introduced herself as Miranda. The Marrick representative was named Kael. Others gave names Noah immediately forgot, too overwhelmed by everything to process properly.

They all said variations of the same thing. Thank you. We're indebted. If you need anything. Eclipse Faction would never want for allies among the original families.

It felt surreal. These were people who'd ruled empires, controlled planets, shaped human civilization for centuries. And they were thanking him like he'd done something extraordinary instead of just trying to stop a madman.

"The other families should have come," Miranda Veyras said quietly. Her voice carried disappointment that cut deeper than anger. "I hear Lucy called for help. Even sent messages of departure for this operation. Made it clear what Arthur was doing. And they chose politics over rescue."

"They were scared," Damien replied. His voice was rough, unused to extended conversation. "Arthur's shown what he can do. Most families would rather appease him than fight him."

"Cowards," Kael Marrick spat. "Every single one including mine,"

"Maybe." Damien's hand tightened on Lucy's shoulder. "But we survived anyway. Thanks to people who didn't have to care but chose to."

They all looked at Noah, at Sophie, at the Eclipse team scattered around coordinating with Grey forces. The weight of that gratitude was uncomfortable. Noah had seen what Arthur could do, had fought him and barely survived. These people had lived in his prison, experienced his particular brand of cruelty firsthand, and somehow kept breathing.

"We should return to Raiju Prime," Commander Hight said, approaching the group. "Everyone needs proper medical care and rest. The other families can send representatives to collect their people from there."

Aurelius groaned dramatically. "More travel. More transports. More sitting in metal boxes pretending I'm comfortable. I miss my ships. My beautiful ships with actual beds and proper food."

"You'll survive, Your Majesty," Hight replied dryly.

"Will I though? Will I really?" But Aurelius was already moving toward the nearest transport, still talking. "Someone make a note. When we return, I'm redesigning all Grey military transports. More comfortable seating. Better ventilation. Perhaps some entertainment systems."

"The transports are fine, Your Majesty," Hight called after him.

"They're adequate at best!"

Bruce finally stood, accepting help from a soldier. He walked over to where Noah and Sophie waited.

"Thank you," the telepath said simply. "I know you came for the family heads, not for me. But thank you anyway."

"We came for you. After all, we put you in this situation," Noah replied. "What will you do now?"

"Return to Earth. Resume my retirement. Pretend the last few months didn't happen." Bruce's smile was tired. "Maybe visit Eclipse headquarters eventually. Buy you kids a drink."

"We'd like that."

Bruce moved toward a transport, and Noah watched him go. Another person saved. Another life pulled back from whatever hell Arthur had created in that temple.

The transports began loading. Grey soldiers helped the numbered women aboard first, made sure they and their children were comfortable and secure. The family heads followed, spreading across multiple ships to balance weight and provide space.

Within thirty minutes, everyone was loaded. The transports began lifting off, rising above the temple that had been their prison, heading toward orbit where the Grey warships waited.

Noah stood with his team, watching them go.

"We did it," Sophie said quietly.

"Yeah." Noah's energy was nearly depleted, his body running on fumes and stubbornness. "We did."

Diana and Kelvin approached from where they'd been coordinating with medical teams. Kelvin's KROME was stored, but he moved like everything hurt. Diana's usual perfect posture was slightly off, favoring her left side.

"Everyone's loaded," Diana reported. "Commander Hight confirmed all prisoners accounted for. They're heading to Raiju Prime now."

"Lucas went with them, right?" Kelvin asked. "To see his family?"

"Yeah, we told him personally to go," Sophie replied. "He deserves time with them after everything."

"Yeah." Kelvin's grin was tired but genuine. "Still sucks though. We finally rescue him and he immediately leaves."

Diana actually smiled. "We'll see him again. He's not the type to disappear permanently."

"I guess." Kelvin looked at the sky where the transports had vanished. "Would've been nice to have the whole team together, even for a minute. You know, before he went off to do prince stuff."

"He'll come back," Noah said. He believed it too. Lucas wasn't someone who stayed away when his people needed him.

"Alright, enough standing around." Sophie activated her comm. "Seraleth, what's our status?"

"All Eclipse personnel accounted for," Seraleth's voice came back clear and professional. "Wounded are stable and receiving treatment aboard the ship. We're ready for departure whenever you are."

"Copy that. We're heading to you now."

The walk back to their ship felt longer than it should have. Exhaustion was catching up, adrenaline fading, leaving behind the reality of what they'd just survived. Noah's ribs ached where Arthur had hit him but his mind kept replaying moments from the fight, analyzing what he could have done better.

Their ship sat where they'd left it, Eclipse symbol visible on the hull. Home, as much as anything was home these days.

Inside, the medical bay was organized chaos. Lila lay on one of the beds, a healer's hands glowing green over her torso where she'd taken damage. She was conscious, talking quietly with the healer about nothing important. Seraleth stood nearby, her own injuries already treated, coordinating continued care.

Kelvin immediately claimed a bed, groaning as he lay down. "I hurt in places I didn't know could hurt."

"That's what happens when you fight a planetary tyrant," Diana said, taking the bed next to his. A healer approached, assessing her injuries as well.

"Worth it though," Kelvin replied. "We saved like, what, forty people? Fifty?"

"A lot of people, kelvin," Seraleth confirmed. "Including the women and their children. Fourteen original family representatives. The rest were various kidnapping victims from across human space."

"Multiple people saved," Kelvin closed his eyes. "That's a good day's work."

Noah found a corner to sit in, letting his body rest while his mind processed everything. Sophie sat beside him, close enough that their shoulders touched.

"You okay?" she asked quietly.

"Physically? I'll survive. Mentally?" Noah exhaled slowly. "I keep thinking about Arthur. About everything he said."

"About wanting a family?"

"Yeah." Noah stared at nothing. "He wasn't lying, Sophie. I could feel it. All that rage, all that hatred, all the horrible things he's done, it all started because he wanted what the other seven had and they took it away."

"That doesn't excuse what he's become."

"I know. But it makes it sadder somehow. Like there was a version of this where Arthur could have been different. Where he could have had his family, his happiness, and none of this would have happened." Noah ran a hand through his hair. "Instead he built a prison and filled it with people, and now we're here."

Sophie was quiet for a moment. "You're thinking about One."

"How could I not?" Noah looked at her. "That kid is Arthur's attempt at building a family the only way he knows how. Through control and manipulation and whatever process he used to arrive at the goal. And somewhere out there, One is still living freely, still being shaped into whatever Arthur may or may not have influenced."

"We'll stop Arthur," Sophie said firmly. "And then we will find one and when we do, maybe One gets a chance to choose who he wants to be."

"Maybe." Noah didn't sound convinced. The kid had been conditioned from birth, raised by someone whose idea of family was fundamentally broken. Even if they saved him, the damage might be too deep to fix.

"Attention all personnel," Seraleth's voice came through the ship's comm system. "We're departing Hollowstar in five minutes. Medical treatment will continue en route. Estimated travel time to Earth is eleven hours. Recommend everyone get rest where possible."

The ship's engines hummed to life. Noah felt the subtle shift as they lifted off, leaving Hollowstar's surface behind. Leaving Arthur's temple and all its horrors. Heading home.

Except home felt complicated these days. Eclipse headquarters was technically home, but it was also a military installation, a faction base, a constant reminder of everything they were fighting. Home used to be simpler. Used to be the academy, or barracks, or just wherever his friends were.

Now his friends were scattered. Lucas was heading to Raiju Prime with his family. Lila was dealing with the betrayal of parents who'd chosen Arthur over her and still hadn't gotten closure. Diana and Kelvin were injured but pretending they weren't. Seraleth was professional as always but carrying whatever emotional weight her culture taught her to hide.

And Sophie was here, shoulder touching his, present in a way that made everything slightly more bearable.

"Get some rest," Sophie said. "You look like death."

"Feel like it too." But Noah closed his eyes, let exhaustion pull him toward unconsciousness, trusting the ship and his team to get them home safely.

The next couple of hours passed in a blur.

Healers moved through the medical bay, their abilities knitting flesh and bone, accelerating recovery that would have taken weeks down to hours. Noah woke twice. The first time to use the bathroom and drink water.

The second time because Diana and Kelvin were talking loudly enough to penetrate his exhausted sleep.

"I'm just saying," Kelvin was arguing, "if Lucas isn't coming back to Earth immediately, someone should tell the recruits. They've been hyping him up for months."

"He'll come eventually," Diana replied. "Family time first, then he'll join Eclipse properly."

"I know, but the recruits are gonna be disappointed. They think he's this legendary figure, and we keep talking about him like he's gonna show up any second."

"He is legendary. And he will show up. Just not today."

Noah smiled without opening his eyes.

'How is Diana ever going to cope with Kelvin's ever busy mind?'

He drifted back to sleep, and when he woke again, Seraleth was announcing their approach to Earth.

"Entering atmosphere in ten minutes. All personnel secure for landing. Eclipse headquarters has been notified of our arrival."

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