On the bridge of the Coalition flagship, Commander Torque is overseeing the last stages of the battle to repel the Black Arms fighters that counter‑attacked the Coalition fleet after the stealth ships landed on the Black Comet.

"Two enemy fighters left, Commander," the radar operator reports. "And they're both in retreat."

"Don't let them escape," Torque commands. "How's the hangar holding?"

"The boarders have been successfully contained," the operator reports. "The hangar hasn't been breached."

"Why haven't we cleared them out yet?"

"They're tougher than anticipated."

"Patch me through to Lilac."

In the hangar, Lilac unleashes a Dragon Boost, but misses her target as the Black Arms warrior dodges. On landing, her wrist‑mounted communicator beeps. "Not now, Torque!" she answers.

"The boarders should have been repelled by now," Torque replies.

"It's not like we haven't been trying!" Lilac protests.

"I told you not to hold back," Torque reminds.

"Darn it Torque, you know I‑" Lilac begins, only to be interrupted by a brutal gut punch from the Black Arm she was trying to take down.

The alien attempts to capitalise on the winded Lilac's vulnerability, but is prevented from doing so by Carol slashing the backs of his legs, bringing him crashing to the deck. The wildcat then follows up with a Wild Claw to the head, killing the alien instantly.

"You're welcome," Carol winks before Lilac can say anything. "It's necessary," she adds before Lilac can object.

"Killing's… never necessary," Lilac chides, trying hard to recover her breath.

"One day, you'll learn the hard way that's not true," Carol cautions before re‑entering the fray.

Lilac retreats to a safe location to recover. "We'll have the boarders defeated in a few minutes," she reports. "And for the record, I don't approve of your tactics."

"You keep saying," Torque replies. "But at least there's progress. Now‑ Excuse me a moment."

"What have you detected?" Torque asks the radar operator.

"The Black Comet is moving," the operator reports. "It's… It's headed straight for Avalice!"

"It'll burn up on re‑entry, right?" Torque asks, suddenly worried.

"Based on its size and its current trajectory, it'll strike the centre of Shang Mu and destroy the whole city!" the operator reports.

"Forget the fighters!" Torque commands. "All ships, target the Black Comet and destroy it!"

"Torque?" Lilac asks. "What's going on?"

"The Black Comet's on a collision course with Shang Mu," Torque informs.

"What‽" Lilac exclaims. "We've gotta do something!"

"I've directed all ships to fire on and destroy it," Torque assures.

"Will it be enough?"

Torque remains silent.

"We need to get word to Team Dark and the Scarves," Lilac realises. "They'll need to destroy the ship from within."

"I'd inform them if I could raise them," Torque explains.

"Then someone needs to fly over there and tell them in person."

"Negative: I'm not risking anyone if I can help it."

"I'll go."

"Absolutely not."

"Why not‽"

"I'm not risking anyone if I can help it."

"And I'm not letting you out of my sight," Carol interrupts, brushing alien blood from her fur. "Oh, and Torque, FYI, the boarders are all dead."

"I feel sick," Lilac groans.

"We did what we had to do," Carol reminds. "Did I hear Torque correctly?"

"Yes, you did," Torque confirms.

"Then it's up to Teams Dark and Red to save Shang Mu," Carol concludes.

"That doesn't fill me with confidence," Lilac admits.

"I took no pleasure in those kills," Carol assures.

"I know," Lilac accepts.

Lilac's lack of confidence isn't without reason. No member of Teams Dark or Red are aware of the course the Black Comet is on: their focus is entirely on getting to the hangar to make their escape. Their path isn't without obstacles, but fuelled by the power of the Elemental Crystals, they easily smash their way through even the toughest resistance with barely a pause. However, one member of the group isn't happy: Hanna Skarlett.

"When am I going to get to use the Fire Crystal?" she asks after the seventh fight.

"You know how dangerous you are with it," Maria reminds. "And you've now asked eight times, and it's getting annoying."

"We'd proceed much faster with Blaze Kitsune leading the way," Hanna protests.

"The answer's still no," Maria reaffirms. "And stop asking!"

Eventually, the group makes it to the hangar where their surviving craft are parked. Knowing that they're safe, Maria, Tai, Shadow, and Rouge deposit the Crystals inside Omega's torso, returning to their normal selves in the process.

"Since we only have two working craft, we're going to need to get creative about how we occupy them," Rouge informs. "If Omega doesn't object, my suggestion is me and Shadow in one, Hanna, Maria, and Tai in the other, and Omega rides on the hull of whichever he chooses."

"Wait a minute," Hanna interjects. "You mean I could have had some damn room in the cockpit after all?"

"Of all the times to complain about that, you pick now?" Rouge snaps back. "Besides, if Omega was on the hull, who would have been your tail gunner?"

"If I had had the room to fly properly, I wouldn't have needed a tail gunner!" Hanna growls. "And we'd have three ships to get back in!"

"You didn't have to crash!" Rouge argues. "You could have landed normally!"

"With all that damage‽" Hanna spits. "You must be fucking with me."

"Enough!" Shadow and Maria yell simultaneously.

"We can argue about this when we're safe on the Coalition flagship," Shadow informs.

"So, let's get in the fighters, and get off this icky alien ship!" Maria commands.

The group heads towards the two surviving fighters, except for Omega, who starts towards the open hangar door. ++The stars are moving.++

"In the name of the Ancients!" Hanna growls. "Get your tin arse over here now!"

++But we are heading towards the planet,++ Omega informs.

"What‽" the others chorus.

++We will hit the atmosphere in two hours,++ Omega adds.

"I should have known he'd try something so foolish," Shadow growls.

"Wait… Defiler survived?" Tai asks, surprised. "But…"

"Don't blame yourself for this," Shadow assures. "I told you to save your friends instead of ensuring Defiler was dead."

"Does it matter?" Hanna asks. "The Coalition fleet can just blast it out of existence, right?"

"I don't want to run the risk that they cannot," Shadow decides, turning away from the fighters and heading over to Omega. "I need to ensure the Black Comet is destroyed before it can hit Avalice." Shadow opens Omega's torso and takes out the Water Crystal. "I'd rather have the Chaos Emeralds, but this'll have to suffice."

"It won't be enough," Hanna decides, taking the Fire Crystal for herself. "But me with this, that'll be enough."

"I must do this alone," Shadow asserts. "It's my duty."

"And I live on Avalice, making it my duty," Hanna asserts, stowing the Fire Crystal under her halterneck.

"Hanna, what are you doing?" Maria protests. "We need to get off this ship now!"

"I'll find a way home," Hanna assures. "The Crystal will protect me. Tai, get Maria out of here."

Maria makes to argue, but she recognises the look of determination in Hanna's eyes, and knows she won't be swayed. "Come on Tai, let's fly," she sighs in resignation, taking the pilot's seat.

Tai makes to object, then decides better of it, climbing into the gunner's seat behind her girlfriend.

As the felines buckle themselves in, Omega tears the seats out of the other fighter, then climbs into the cockpit and arranges his hands to form a seat for Rouge. It is the only way we'll fit comfortably.

"Let's just hope we don't need the tail gun," Rouge acknowledges, climbing into the fighter and taking the seat offered.

With the canopies closed and sealed, Shadow and Hanna watch as the fighters lift off and fly out of the hangar.

"I assume you have an escape plan," Hanna guesses.

"Not yet," Shadow admits.

"Then I've just condemned myself to die," Hanna concludes.

"You're saving hundreds of thousands of lives," Shadow assures.

"I'm not a hero," Hanna states.

"That makes two of us."

"Why are we doing this?"

"Because someone has to."

"You sound like her."

"Sounds like you could learn a lot from her."

"If you value your limbs, don't ever say that to me again."

Shadow doesn't respond, instead turning to head back into the heart of the Black Comet.

Half an hour later, the two fighters land in the hangar of the Coalition flagship, where Torque, Lilac, and Carol are waiting to meet them.

"Why are there only two?" Carol asks.

"I hope they figured out a way to all get back safely," Torque replies.

The commander doesn't have to wait long for his answer: the canopies open to reveal only four have made it back.

"Where are Shadow and Hanna?" Lilac asks.

"They stayed behind to destroy the Black Comet from inside," Rouge answers.

++I calculated that it would strike the planet,++ Omega explains. ++We concluded that the Coalition fleet might not have sufficient firepower to destroy the Black Comet, but the Elemental Crystals do have enough power.++

Lilac and Carol exchange worried looks.

"Does that mean that Hanna has the Fire Crystal?" Lilac asks.

"Yes," Maria confirms.

"Shadow has the Water Crystal," Rouge assures.

"That might not be enough," Carol thinks aloud.

"It will be if Hanna doesn't lose control of Blaze Kitsune," Maria explains.

"Blaze Kitsune?" Lilac asks, worried and confused.

"Oh poo," Maria sighs.

"We've been wandering around aimlessly for half an hour now," Hanna complains. "When are we going to blow shit up?"

"We still have an hour and a half to figure out an alternative," Shadow answers.

"There isn't one."

"Probably not."

"You want to talk with him."

"I need to find out why he's here."

"Boring. Also, pointless. And stupid. Let's just smash the ship and get out of here."

"Humour me."

"No."

"You don't have a choice."

"Let me guess: you're second in command after Rouge."

"Correct."

"Of course."

"Stop pretending you don't want to shred Black Defiler with your bare claws."

"As tempting as that sounds, I think I'll just burn him. Kinda bored of all this shit."

"Rouge noticed we're rather alike."

"We're nothing alike."

"I agree: you complain more."

"…touché."

In the rearmost chamber of the Black Comet, Black Defiler watches the hedgehog and the vixen as they slowly get closer to him. If you're coming to kill me, it won't save your pathetic planet. Nothing will stop my revenge.