Local governing bodies aboard the Luofu were hot on Kafka's trail by the time the Astral Express arrived. After no small amount of runaround, the crew (minus Dan Heng, and plus a foxy local Amicassador) was provided with a strange scent-tracking bio-technological mutt. The creature did its job, tracking the stellaron hunter through mara-infested loading docks. Problem was, this all appeared to be part of Kafka's plan.

What they found were some purposefully placed items bathed in a soothing lavender scent.

"Why is this all so familiar," Caelus asked.

"Hmm? Maybe she's your long-lost mother?" March offered.

"No way." Caelus shook his head. "Besides, isn't my mother the research station? I mean, I was 'born' there."

March wasn't sure how to even respond to that. Her face contorted, flummoxed.

"Our guide has found another scent," Tingyun, the local fox-magistrate, said.

The crew rushed after the dog-thing.

"After this is done, though, can we return to Herta Station? We can run around in Caelus's mom again. Maybe get in a few rounds of simulated universe." March giggled.

Yeah, Caelus sighed.I was asking for that one.

"Looks like you caught me," said a purple-haired bombshell.

They had not, in fact, caught her. This was clearly all part of her plan.

Kafka started talking about destiny and inevitable best-case future possibilities and –aeons, she has some stunning reddish eyeliner… what were they talking about?

"I've got a lot to ask you," Caelus admitted, and was ignored.

Plan was to take her to the general of the Luofu. Of course, she was only here because she'd been expecting the group, and she wasn't about to go quietly.

Kafka looked Caelus dead in the eyes and urged him to "make a move, before it was too late."

And then, of course, the SMGS came out.

The crew brandished their weapons – lance, bow, a cane, electro-fans. They'd just managed to dispatch the two cloud knights who'd been persuaded somehow to betray their oaths at the drop of a hat. Then, after a few unserious sword swings, Kafka looked to Caelus once more:

"Listen...are you really going to let a pretty face fight four-to-one all alone?"

All at once, Caelus blocked Welt's cane from an upcoming strike. He leveled his lance squarely at March, his body between Kafka and the crew as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"What!? You've really been some Stellaron Hunter plant this entire time!?" March 7thasked, a grimace of hurt and betrayal on her face.

Caelus took a few swings at March before his senses went off auto-pilot.

"Oh – I'm so sorry. I'm back! Wha-what happened?" he asked, suddenly drenched in a cold sweat.

He'd registered that he was fighting his friends and did it without hesitation. Mercifully, nothing had gotten past March's shields.

"Just stay focused. She can somehow get into our heads," Mr. Yang said.

"Zoning out?" Kafka said slyly. "I can help."

No sooner had Caelus recovered from his surprise allegiance-switch, their enemy rolled a flurry of flash-bangs onto the battlefield!

"Boom!"

A pitch battle continued, with the crew showing some wear and tear.

Caelus swapped his lance for old faithful, the baseball bat. At the very least he wouldn't come back to his senses to discover he'd pierced one of his friend's jugulars the next time he proved allegiance-challenged. The heat of battle and adrenaline kept him focused on the fight rather than her.

They'd broken Kafka's guard! There was an opening. Caelus surged forward, bat aglow with destructive energy, as Welt urged him to hold back.

"Listen...I could sure use a little fire support, dear."

The path was blocked by a barrage of surprise ice arrows. March 7thhad Caelus square in her sights, eyes at once glazed over in a daze and focused on their target. She regained her allegiance sooner and showed a bit more resistance all the way.

"Oh, she got me!" March's dazed confusion turned to an embarrassed wince. "Managed to throw the aim off just enough so they didn't hit you, though. Sorry, Caelus!"

Caelus broke the ice with his bat and ran forward to where Kafka was waiting. They traded blows – sword to bat - until Caelus lined up a perfect home run right to the noggin. That ought to leave her reeling long enough to subdue.

"Get out of my head!" he cried.

Kafka held her sword back at her side, with her gun in the other hand. Just stood there.

The arc of the bat slowed. He had her, but she was just standing there, and he couldn't bring himself to commit. The bat lost all momentum, then flew long without ever even disrupting Kafka's hair.

"How?" Caelus said, mouth agape.

"Interesting. I haven't done anything yet," Kafka said.

Her face was so close now, eyeliner smudged from the rigors of combat. She reached out and grabbed Caelus by his chin, shutting his mouth for him.

"No matter.Why don'tyou help a girl out?"

Without resistance, Caelus nodded. Never mind that they'd just been fighting; that felt like a century ago already. He knew her fromsomewhere, and he knew now that he had to do whatever she said. Familiar perfume, that stylish jacket, magenta tights and black combat boots, the slight grape smell of wine on her breath from last night's celebratory romp. It all meant 'Kafka' and 'Kafka' meant beauty. In an instant, she ceased to be an enigmatic, mysterious, (admittedly quite sexy) rival and became the most beautiful single thing Caelus had ever seen. He swallowed involuntarily, Kafka's fingers still on his chin.

And when the most beautiful woman in the known universe tells you to jump, you don't wait to ask how high. When that same immaculate beauty tells you to aim your bat at your only friends and allies in this quadrant of the galaxy, well…

"Yes, Miss Kafka."

"Good boy."

Caelus turned, bat ready, fully prepared to do battle with those who were his friends mere moments before.

(Had no idea how author's notes worked on this site. I swear I've used it in the past on a different account. But if you're reading this far, just know that I've spruced this fic up with some grammar and consistency checks and am posting it here as I hear there may yet be an untapped audience in these waters. Will post a chapter every now and again until I'm caught up with the, shall we say, master document. Until next time~)