I don't know what was happening to me. I had my feelings confused, conflicting at all times with my reason. From her attitude, I realized I was hurting her.

"I am useless," I said to myself, disgusted.

I had to resolve this once and for all. I should have talked about her proposal to come with me on an interstellar mission.

"But how?" I thought.

I didn't even know if I could be an interstellar pilot. My last assignment had been a failure. I don't know if I could overcome the loss of my teammates. Larilion! Although he is my rival, deep down I considered him an example, and my goal was to overcome him. Until now, I did not believe that (Major Captain) Yennir was Guinna's father. She must have been devastated and maybe quit being a pilot. Maybe I...

"NO! I CAN NOT GIVE UP! I HAVE TO BE BETTER THAN IT!" I shouted in thought, remembering my father.

Arriving at sector 31J01 many were gathered.

"Graduation of mourning for the death of (Major Captain) Yennir, of the (Aspirant) Lairilon and the (Aspirant) Justrim, tomorrow morning. Don't be late! You will be notified by the digital bracelet of the time to get together, to start the ceremony. Dismissed!" said (Captain Lieutenant) Teoforid.

I returned to the quarters, discouraged. My friend Kerhnir was not. I did my hygiene and went to bed, thoughtful. The thoughts dispersed the moment I was thinking... about her...

☼☼☼

"Drinihian! Drinihian!"

"What? What?" I said, waking up scared.

"Calm down, Drinihian, is that your bracelet was notifying you," said Kerhnir.

"NOOOO!" I said, jumping out of bed and getting ready desperate.

"What happened?" asked Kerhnir, worried.

"I'm late for the ceremony."

"I think you can be punished! They are strict with these graduations."

"I know that very well," I said nervously.

"Then run," said Kerhnir, almost laughing.

I ignored him, got desperate, and headed for the ceremony site. From what I saw on the digital bracelet, the event had already started, and I was notified of the absence. It wouldn't be cool to go to graduation in the middle of the ceremony, so I decided to stay away, watching.

The ceremony took place in a very sad way. Shortly after it ended, I was notified by the digital bracelet to introduce myself to (Captain Lieutenant) Teoforid. I immediately followed him. From a distance, I noticed his disappointed look at my attitude.

"(Aspirant) Drinihian, it is not because of what happened that you will not do what you are told. You are very lucky, but you will be punished in due course. Follow me."

"Yes, sir," I said.

I accompanied the (Captain Lieutenant) Teoforid and he left me in a white room where someone else was already sitting.

"Guinna" I thought, surprised.

The (Lieutenant Captain) Teoforid ordered me to wait and left. I sat down next to her, and after a short silence.

"He's gone like a hero!" I said trying...

She got up and left my side. She took another chair and sat away from me. We remained silent for hours. For a moment, I lost track of how much time had passed. During that period, I kept thinking about my career, which was going to be jeopardized because of that. For no reason, Micahilla came to mind. I was worried about her. Someone entered the room.

"Gentlemen, follow me!" said the (Major Captain) Golgreen.

"What are you doing here?"

He took us to sector 31J01 and:

"You are suspended for 10 days of your activities, but as you are available aspirants at the moment, we are going on a simple reconnaissance mission."

"Sir, if it's just a reconnaissance mission, why don't they send unmanned drones?"

"You should know that the response time of the control of a drone, over long distances, is not instantaneous and we can face a real emergency, which may depend on decisions on a scale of seconds."

"Emergency?" I asked.

"Let's go!" said (Major Captain) Golgreen, ignoring my question.

I looked at Guinna, but she didn't seem to care. It was weird, because, the (Major Captain) Golgreen, did not do this kind of mission. We changed clothes and boarded the space drone and, in a short time, we were already in space. We proceed at full speed.

"Why so fast?" I asked while eating something.

The (Major Captain) Golgreendid not answered me. I gave up asking questions and didn't care anymore when:

"I'm not sure, but the (Major Captain) Yennir may be alive," said the (Major Captain) Golgreen, seriously.

"What?" Guinna and I said at the same time.

"What? My father is alive! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME BEFORE?" asked Guinna nervously.

"We just heard about it. The (Captain Lieutenant Colonel) Hennmi informed me about this possibility. The superiors did not authorize this mission, because the information came from an unreliable source."

"The (Captain Lieutenant Colonel) Hennmi is that military officer who wanted to bestow Micahilla" I thought.

"But what source ?" asked Guinna, even more nervous.

"A researcher (Assistant). Micahilla!"

"Micah!" I said, surprised.

"Do you know her?" asked the (Major Captain) Golgreen.

I lowered my head and replied:

"Yes."

"She was arrested."

"For what? She had been released," I asked.

"She was arrested again, but this time, for breaking the security of the classified information system."

I was surprised and sad because of her attitude.

"Why did she do that?" I asked myself, thinking.

"Because of that, she concluded that the (Major Captain) Yennir was alive. She picked up a signal from close to our star, and that's where we're going. I hope the source of the signal has not passed the security zone, because if not, it will be too late," said (Major Captain) Golgreen.

"That's why we're going so fast," I said.

"Let's go faster," said Guinna.

"We're already at the limit. In a few hours, we will arrive" said (Major Captain) Golgreen.

Guinna clenched her fists nervously.

☼☼☼

"We're here!" said the (Major Captain) Golgreen.

"Let's move forward!" said Guinna, agitated.

"Let's go carefully. We are almost at the edge of the security zone. The drone will not support this proximity to the star," said the (Major Captain) Golgreen, concerned.

"Nothing on the radar. Hang on! I am tracking something on the radar limit. Move forward!" said.

"We can't go too far. We are almost at the limit."

"I'm getting in touch. It's very weak…," Guinna said.

"Emer.. cy… Emerg… cy. (Major…) Yennir.

"Dad!" Guinna said, thrilled.

"My daughter. Why are you here?"

"We are going to rescue you," Guinna said, crying.

"I'm going, my friend," said the (Major Captain) Golgreen.

"Golgreen! I have Aspirants Larilion and Justrim. We don't have much time," said the (Major Captain) Yennir.

"We're at the limit. Dress up your clothes and launch them into space. Let's get them," said the (Major Captain) Golgreen.

"Affirmative, my friend," said the (Major Captain) Yennir.

"Take control. I'm going to launch myself into space attached to a cable. As soon as I dock with them, move the drone away from the boundary zone. We only have one chance."

"I'm going with you," said Guinna.

"NOOO! I need both here. If the plan goes wrong, I order you to leave."

"But…," Guinna said.

"It is an order and your father would say the same," said the (Major Captain) Golgreen, getting ready, quickly, to launch himself into space.

Without delay, he got ready and launched himself attached to a cable.

"They have already launched themselves into space, I'll get them!" said the (Major Captain) Golgreen, communicator.

He, with the little propellant of the suit, went to the (Major Captain) Yennir and the Aspirants. They also did the same and headed for the (Major Captain) Golgreen.

"It won't work, my friend. The propellant of the suit is failing. You can't take the temperature," said the (Major Captain) Yennir, by the costume communicator.

"NOOOOO!" shouted the (Major Captain) Golgreen.

"I'll get closer!" said Guinna.

"NOOO!" they said (Major Captain) Golgreen and (Major Captain) Yennir, at the same time.

"I will not lose you again, father!"

Guinna ignored the orders and tried to go ahead with the drone.

"What is happening…"

"I blocked the controls," said the (Major Captain) Golgreen, interrupting Guinna.

"NOOOOOO!" shouted Guinna in disgust.

They continued to argue and I took advantage of the situation. I put on the spacesuit quickly, took a roll of portable cable, attached it to my suit, and launched myself into space. It was very difficult to see, even with the filter in the viewfinder. It looked like it was going to be incinerated at any moment.

Going in the direction of (Major Captain) Golgreen, as soon I reached him I fixed my cable in his suit. I went ahead to reach (Major Captain) Yennir and the others who failed to reach (Major Captain) Golgreen. Hoping that the cable I was unwinding would be long enough for me to reach my target, I went to them.

I was almost there when the propellants in my suit started to fail. It was very close and the propellants failed, but I barely managed to catch them. I attached the cable to them. Remotely, (Major Captain) Golgreen released control of the drone and Guinna pulled us.

After a while, away from the danger zone and with everyone on board the drone, they celebrated.

"Dad!" Guinna said, embracing the (Major Captain) Yennir.

"Thank you, Drinihian," said the (Major Captain) Golgreen thanking me.

He went to (Aspirant) Justrim and hugged him.

"My son!" said the (Major Captain) Golgreen.

I looked at them, surprised. My rival (Aspirant) Lairilon came to me and held out his hand.

"Thank you, Drinihian."

I shook your hand and smiled.

Everyone else came to me.

"You will get far in your career," said the (Major Captain) Yennir greeting me.

"Let's go back. We will have a lot to explain!" said the (Major Captain) Golgreen.

"Have you had the mourning ceremony for us?" asked the (Major Captain) Yennir.

"Yes! But I didn't participate!" said the (Major Captain) Golgreen, laughing.

"Thank you for what you did for us, but why did you bring them on this mission?" questioned the (Major Captain) Yennir, (Major Captain) Golgreen, about him bringing us together.

"As I said, we will have a lot to explain," said the (Major Captain) Golgreen.

"Tell me, what were you ordered about that rescue mission? Why are there no others, since it was an emergency mission?" questioned the (Major Captain) Yennir.

When the (Major Captain) Golgreen was going to explain a video call notification interrupted him. On the radar, we saw that we were surrounded by space station patrol drones. By video call, the pilot commander of the patrol of the sector ALPI32L, the military officer (Captain Lieutenant Colonel) Rirnortt ordered:

"All of you are detained for using this space drone without authorization."