"Well, not exactly..." She seems to think. "Those people are just as innocent as your father was. Their home was brought down by the Empire. Their wills were taken away, replaced by a program. They worship and obey the Empress now."

I'm really confused at this point. "What empire?! What's going to happen to my dad?!"

She looks away. 

"You're from a Koi-So Rei. 'Soft Planet', in your language. They're the worlds the Empress can take over. Nothing inhibits the chips they use to convert people to the hive mind. Your home is lost, no one can escape at this point. Unless the Resistance can get there in the time limit, of course, but it's a lost cause."

My eyes well with tears. My dad. My friends. Everyone I've ever met or loved. Gone.

Seven looks at me, her eyes filled with what I can only assume is pity. 

"You're alive, aren't you? You're still yourself. No chip in your spine to keep you under her thumb until your mind dies. You can make a difference. Protect the innocents who need help."

Suddenly what fills me isn't grief, but anger. An all consuming rage against Seven, against the resistance who she claims are helping the universe, who FAILED to help my people. My family. My father!

"If you guys knew about this 'empire', why aren't you doing anything about it?! Why was my home destroyed!"

She sighs. 

"We can't be everywhere. Everyone in the organization is doing their best. I'm sorry this happened to you, but all we can do is try to make it so someone else doesn't see it happen to them."

I look down and then away. I don't want to admit that what she says makes sense, but I can't be mad forever. She's right, after all. Every good group has a limit, and I guess theirs is numbers. They couldn't know this was going to happen to my home specifically, and they might not have the amount of people necessary to stop it all. She puts her hand on my shoulder and it feels real, like an actual person is trying to console me.

"I'll set a course for Haven. You just relax, okay? It's hard, what you just went through. Take the time to process this." And with those words she's gone. 

5:47am

Haven. It's a strange looking place. They say it's a secret base but it looks like an entire planet! It's visibly mechanical, but in shape and size it's almost like a real world. How do they even hide it? I guess since space is so vast it wouldn't be too hard, but any detection software would find it pretty easily, no?

Seven helps me dock the ship. We come in slowly and land, the brakes hissing under the weight. The lights suddenly dim and turn red, the alarm blaring in my ears. 

What did I do?! Seven reappears while I frantically look around for some kind of weapon, anything to defend myself here!

"It's alright. You're not chipped and I can vouch for you. They'll ask you a few questions is all."

Armed men and women swarm the bay, surrounding me on every side. 

Someone steps forward, seeming like a person of authority for these people. 

"Come out peacefully and hand over any weaponry! We WILL open fire if you refuse to comply!"

OPEN FIRE?!

"Oh shit oh fuck oh shit--" I scramble to get out, terrified of the other outcome. Seven sighs behind me and follows me out. I raise my arms in compliance, unwilling to be harmed.

"Please, you've got the wrong guy. I'm not dangerous.."

A boy about my age, with fluffy hair, pinkish skin and horns, grabs me and shoves me to the ground face first. He cuffs me and holds my head down. He traces my neck with his fingers. 

"No chip, captain!"

The same voice as before replies. 

"Good. Bring him in for questioning. This is Resistance tech, but he sure as hell ain't one of us. We'll get to the bottom of this."

What the hell did I get into now?...