The next two weeks are chaotic, to say the least.
Two days after Amity betrays her entire family, the first article shows up. It's sensationalist, denouncing BlightCorp's clear attempts to pressure its legal and illegal competition. The article confuses the visible blackmail with Eda's impending execution, arguing that BlightCorp pressured the emperor into pushing the death penalty for relatively mild smuggling offenses.
Amity's parents fire employees at random, panicking as more and more boycotts are arranged. Amity discreetly joins a few protests outside BlightCorp-affiliated pharmacies, praying that it turns out to be enough.
Luz ends up on the news, talking about how Eda rescued her, and how many lives she's saved. Amity watches the videoclips religiously, because she misses Luz and is probably never going to see her again.
Thirteen days after the first article is released, the government releases a short statement. Eda is officially exonerated. Lilith has quietly been fired, but not before she reorganized the process of pharmaceutical licensing and filled out the necessary paperwork for her sister.
Fourteen days after, BlightCorp decides to declare bankruptcy and minimize its losses. Amity stays away from the court case, citing her mental distress.
She winds up at a shuttle dock, peering up into the sky. It's daylight, so she can't see spacecraft until they land, but it makes her feel less lonely.
Five days of having friends. And now that's gone, and Amity has a normal life to lead, and a few degrees in engineering to get, and a cushy government position to take.
None of which sounds all that great after all.
Her phone beeps, and she checks it. Probably Ed or Em checking on her. Her parents believe that texting is a sign of weak-mindedness.
It's Luz.
We're going joyriding in the Owl 2.0. You in the neighborhood?
Amity squeals and punches the air, then composes herself.
Yes, I'm here – no.
You're inviting me? – no.
She settles on I'm at shuttle dock 57A. Feel free to drop by.
There's a radio silence that only lasts a minute or two, but is far too long, then Luz texts her back.
We'll be there in 5.
Amity hops from one foot to the other, scanning the sky for the distinctive black sail. Around her, people rush into commuter shuttles, or wait for relatives to exit their longer-distance ships. Colonists from Alpha Centauri are arriving the next day, and there's already a substantial welcome party to greet them.
Still no Owl 2.0.
Eventually, Amity gets another message.
We're sort of tied up in customs right now. Drop by when you can.
This one is from Willow.
Huh. One last chance to see all of her friends again, before Amity has to go back to reality.
She heads over to the customs dock.
The Owl 2.0 is newer, more up-to-date, and shinier than the original ship, but it already looks rather lived-in. There's dark scarring around the engines (a newer model), undoubtedly caused by some rather extreme testing, and the aerobrakes already look in need of a few replacement parts. The door has stripes painted across it. They've clearly been applied by a short person not very good at painting, most likely Luz, since the pink peters out toward the top and the blue has dripped down until it's twice as big as the other stripes.
The door opens, and Luz sticks her head out. She's probably trying to be cool, but ends up flailing and grabbing the doorway to stabilize herself.
"Amity! How's it going?"
"It's going better now," Amity responds, truthfully.
"Aren't we going to let her onto the ship?" Willow asks, appearing in the doorway behind Luz.
"Of course we are. Any enemy of the Blights is a friend of mine," Eda says, reaching out to grab Amity's hand and hoist her onto the ship. She's scarily strong for an old lady. "Welcome to the Owl 2.0. New and improved; now with 50% more crew space for our new members."
"You've hired someone new?" Amity asks.
"I certainly have not been hired," Lilith says from behind Amity, making her jump. "Due to my efforts in helping my sister escape, I own half the ship. And I am – currently between employments, so I have chosen to reside with and assist Edalyn temporarily."
"She got fired and had to move back in with her sister, who makes good money for a failure," Eda retorts, laughing. The corners of Lilith's mouth curve upward a few millimeters.
"Need I point out that you make money because I set you free?" Lilith responds.
The sisters continue bantering. It's odd to see Lilith smile, when Amity is used to seeing her impassive face in press releases and in person.
"There's lots of space, if you want to stay too," Luz says. She's trying to be casual about it, but she's grinning like a loon and has clearly been planning this.
Amity can't stay with a group of – well, they're licensed pharmacists now. She has a family.
Ed and Em are away at college, and it looks like her parents will be facing jail time, a nasty little voice in her head reminds her. She could spend the next few months or years on a ship, traveling the cosmos, learning about the real world, with Luz.
With Luz.
Yeah, Amity might be a little bit in love.
"If there's room," she manages.
Luz picks Amity up and spins her around a few times before setting her back down.
"There's always room for more outcasts and weirdos here," she says.
And, honestly, Amity doesn't even mind being called weird.
So she never looks back.