"Starfire Never Dies" Political Asset

"..."

New City at twilight was bathed in a warm orange glow. Hanson gazed at the vibrant scene before her and found herself briefly dazed.

Children's clear laughter echoed across the plaza, mingling with the harp music played by street performers. The scent of freshly baked bread and stewed meat drifted from afar, blended with the fragrance of night-blooming flowers from the Elven flower shop.

What moved her most was the long-lost ease on the faces of her fellow Agria citizens—

Women sat around the fountain, sharing weaving techniques. Men held forth in open-air taverns. Even the oldest elders, supported by their grandchildren, strolled leisurely along the carpet of light laid down by the intelligent lighting system.

Even rarer was the genuine warmth the people showed toward the Flame Salamanders warriors.

Near the restaurant district, several children surrounded a guard member who had removed part of his armor, curiously touching the scale patterns engraved on his Power Armor.

Meanwhile, a bartender filled another warrior's cup with fine liquor, while quite a few civilians gathered nearby to raise their glasses in salute.

Such interaction without barriers was little more than a dreamlike illusion in a star sector ravaged by war.

"Ariel."

A deep, resonant voice jolted Hanson from her thoughts.

She looked up to see that Gao Zan had already removed his helmet. Under the streetlights, his sharply defined face resembled a bronze sculpture.

The Third Company Captain looked down at her, revealing those rare dark red eyes—a dominant trait of the Flame Salamanders Gene-Seed.

"You may choose to join the Empire Biological Department." Gao Zan's voice held less of its usual mechanical quality and more of a distinctly human warmth. "You could take up a post in New City."

As he spoke, Gao Zan raised a hand and pointed to