Amber’s head was pounding when she woke up.
The room spun as she sat up in bed, the soft hum of the city outside filtering through the window blinds. She rubbed her temples, groaning.

The alley.
The two guys.
The strange man with glowing blue hair.

It must have been a dream.

Still muttering to herself, she padded toward the living room in her loose sleep shirt… and froze.

Two strangers were sitting casually on her couch — one tall, dark-haired guy with a calm but watchful expression, and a young woman with short pink hair and curious green eyes. They were deep in conversation, laughing about something.

Amber’s heart jumped. “What the hell are you doing in my apartment?!”

Both turned toward her. Sophie raised her hands. “Whoa. Easy. We’re not burglars.”

Jace leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. “We helped you last night. In the alley. You were… not exactly sober.”

Amber blinked, struggling to piece the memory together. “…So that wasn’t a dream?”

“Nope,” Sophie said, almost cheerfully. “You were being harassed. Jace stepped in. You passed out. We brought you home.”

Amber crossed her arms. “Well… thanks, I guess. But you didn’t have to stay.”

Sophie’s smile faded slightly. “Maybe you should… not drink so much.”

Amber narrowed her eyes. “It’s my life. I’ll live it how I want.”

Jace cut in before they could start arguing. “We helped you. Now… maybe you can help us.”

He reached into his jumpsuit pocket and activated a small hologram of a man — tall, strong, with sharp features and commanding eyes.

Amber’s expression changed instantly. “That’s… that’s Kael Norven.”

“You know him?” Sophie asked quickly.

“Know him?” Amber scoffed. “He was one of the greatest — if not the greatest — intergalactic heroes the galaxy has ever seen. People still tell stories about him on dozens of worlds.”

Jace’s voice was quieter now. “He’s our father. We’re looking for him.”

Amber’s eyes widened. “Your… father?”

Sophie nodded. “We think he might still be alive.”

For a long moment, Amber stared at the hologram, then at them. Finally, she said, “If you’re really Kael’s kids… then I’m coming with you.”

Jace frowned. “We don’t even know you.”

Amber smirked. “You don’t have to trust me yet. But you’re going to need me. I can get into places you can’t. I know people you’ve never met. And I can get you where you need to go… fast.”

Sophie glanced at Jace. He didn’t like it. But she could see in his eyes — he knew Amber was right.

“Fine,” he said at last. “You can come. But no games.”

Amber grinned. “No promises.”

She disappeared into her room and began tossing clothes into a travel pack. When she reemerged, she slung the bag over her shoulder and adjusted the strap of a compact blaster at her hip.

“First stop,” she said confidently, “is Trenoth. If anyone knows where your father was last seen… it’ll be there.”