“Can we just get this over with?” Mira huffed. 

Castor didn’t respond and dove into the hallways. 

“I don’t care if you’re important or whatever, just punish me and get this over with,” she spoke a little louder as he did. 

Still, he remained silent to her request, turning around a corner. 

She grunted and dove off after him, following him through the hallways, embarrassed by it all. 

Eventually, they pulled up to the dock to the door she had seen him at earlier. As he landed, the blue flames dissipated and splashed on the floor. He pushed open the door with a handful of flames and walked in. 

She entered after him. 

It was a sparse space. There was a desk nearer the back of the room with two boxes stacked beside it. There was one chair to each side and, in the back, a large arching window facing Helyx. There were some empty cabinets and a couple of blue light fixtures on either side of the room. Structurally it was like the rest of the building: cold metal with polished synthetic floors. 

Castor walked to the other side of the desk and took a seat. 

Mira refused to sit, standing just inside of the doorway. 

“Can you sit down?” Castor asked. 

Mira huffed as if she was about to disagree but inevitably sat down in the cushioned chair. 

“Do you like making a scene?” Castor asked.

“A scene? She’ll be fine.” Mira replied, arms crossed. “If she can’t take a hit, she shouldn’t be here in the first place.”

“Doubling down?” Castor smirked. 

“If that’s what needs to be said, yeah.”

“No, no, Mira, I actually quite respect it.”

Mira looked at him curiously. 

“You’ve got passion, a heart of fire. You want to fight, yes?”

Mira nodded. “I have to fight.” 

“And why’s that?” Castor asked.

“That’s what I was born to do,” she replied. “It's why the stars gave me purple flame.”

“Ooh, I like that,” Castor said, giving a short shiver.

“You’re not mocking me, are you?” Mira asked before divulging more to him. 

“Quite the opposite,” Castor replied. “I think someone with your strength could make a great addition to the Greater Blue Forces.” 

Mira liked that response. 

“Sorry for giving you the cold shoulder earlier. I just wanted to see some proof. And I’m sure glad I did.”

“So you’re recruiting me?” Mira gasped almost excitedly.

“Not so fast,” Castor raised a finger.

“Oh,” Mira frowned.

“I’m here to give you special mentorship, out with the old man Rigel,” Castor informed her. “It's rather sad what’s become of him in his post-prime days.”

Mira’s eyes lit up once again. “I’m ready,” Mira said eagerly. “When can we start?”

“Soon,” Castor replied. “But before we do, can I ask, do you believe yourself to be the only one of your kind?” 

Mira ignited her hands in her unique purple flame. “That’s me,” she answered him. 

Castor held his fingers over his lip. “What if I told you that wasn’t the case?” 

“Huh?” 

“Up until recently, yes, the capital thought you were the only one,” Castor stated, “but we were mistaken. Over the past couple of months, we’ve had repeated reports of a destructive force near the outskirts of Ruber territory. Calls himself Saiph, the purple comet. He’s got one of yours.” He motioned to his chest, where his core would be. The burning balls of plasma that gave them life, that gave humanity the power to inhabit the most inhospitable regions of the universe. 

“How?” Mira asked. “That’s not even possible.” She looked him in the eyes.

“Scientific breakthrough, loaner from a traitor, dumb luck,” Castor said. “Could be for a number of reasons. We need you, though, Mira. You’re the only person whose strength rivals his.” 

Mira nodded. A sense of giddiness ran through her, like she was excited by the prospect of fighting an equal. “I’m ready.”

“I admire your confidence, Mira, but you’ve got a ways to go before you're on par with his skill,” Castor pointed out. “I blame Rigel, but nothing we can’t fix with a little more time. That being said, tomorrow at 8 in the morning.”

“Which training hall?” Mira questioned.

“Starward Hall,” Castor responded. 

“Starward?” Mira questioned. It was an unfinished training hall within the Helyx complex. The construction crew had stated it could take many more solar months for it to be complete, especially given the labor shortage caused by the war. 

“Don’t need the distractions.” He took a second before sitting back. “That’ll be all for today.” He motioned for her to leave. 

Mira stood up from her chair. “I’ll see you then, Legate,” she said, motioning with her hand held to her core in the Greater System’s version of a salute. She wondered what was being done to fulfill his legate role while he was here with her. 

He returned the gesture. 

Her heart was pumping with eagerness, nervousness, and excitement. She pulled the door open with a retractive force of energy and turned back to him once more before she dove from the dock, descending into the hallways. 

There was a sharp twinge in her core as she left. Some uneasy feeling she couldn’t shake. 

She turned the corner, intent on heading back to Violet to break the news to everyone. As she did, she saw Atlas sitting on the dock platform. Evidently he had been waiting for her to get back. 

He looked up to her and instantly straightened up, waving to her. 

Mira floated in front of him. “What are you doing out here?” She asked.

“Waiting for you,” Atlas responded. "It seemed serious. I wanted to make sure you were alright… So are you?”

“I guess you could say that,” Mira replied, a smile creeping across her face. 

Atlas looked at her curiously. “What do you mean?” 

“That man is Castor, a legate of the Greater Blue Forces, and he wants me to join them!”

“Oh,” Atlas responded, scratching the back of his head. “Good for you.” There was a tone in his voice that Mira more or less expected.

“How enthusiastic,” Mira glared. 

“I… I’m sorry,” Atlas replied. “I’m happy for you, I really am. It just scares me, you out there fighting. You know that.”

“This is what I want to do,” Mira said, raising her tone just the slightest.

“I know. I just don’t really understand.”

Mira calmed her tone. “Atlas, I was born for this. I just need you to support me.” 

Atlas nodded, not making direct eye contact. 

“It kept me out of trouble though, right?” she acknowledged, trying to lighten the mood.

“I guess there’s a positive.” Atlas gave a short smile. “Are you going to tell me what happened?”

“Not at all,” Mira replied. “Let's go get some rays.” 

Atlas nodded, still distraught by the information, but knew that trying to get to her was something he’d failed at all his life.