Free Raine VS The End of the World by Joseph Choi

goals, the procedure was despised, and indeed many left the service on principle alone. Some Elders even resigned.
    But as a result, the Sky Admiral could rest knowing that not a one of the thousands of EDC men and women currently airborne was working for the Queen, and for her, that was worth the loss.
    At this point, every eye in the command room was on Lillian. The Elder Representatives, too, watched intently from back home. Lily cleared her throat and walked into her private office to address them via a static-riddled hologram.
    “Dear elders, I can wait only till morning before departing. Everything’s in motion now. I’m sorry,” she said, unzipping her parka.
    “Why must it be now?” the Russian elder asked. “One or two more days will give us an opportunity to nearly double our forces.”
    You got this, Lily told herself. Just like we rehearsed.
    “Because right now, time is on our side. As of yet we’ve had no leaks. The HDP is still vulnerable, and our plans within the Metaverse will have consequences. Much can change in one minute, let alone an hour, or a day. I’m hoping to avoid a bloodbath. Please trust me when I say we won’t get another shot.”
    It was most of the truth. Raine was already barreling forward on her course, with virtual bloodhounds sure to be hot on her trail in hours. With the drop of the first domino, there was no way to slow down what had been set into motion.
    “We can only hope that you know what you are doing,” the elder from Tibet replied. “Should you fail to take the city, you can be sure that our last peaceful lands will be razed in retaliation. We can’t afford another Jakarta.”
    “I fully understand that,” Lily nodded. “May I address the room now, so that my men don’t lose what little faith they have?”
    The elders quickly conversed amongst themselves via private channels. Within a few seconds, they came to an agreement.
    “Very well,” one of the American Indian Chieftains acquiesced.
    A hologram of Commodore Leandra mouthed ‘good luck’. Lily gave her a thumbs-up in reply. She brushed off her parka, straightened her uniform, and kicked the office door open.
    “Hey, everyone! I know that I’m asking a lot from you all. Every man, woman, and droid in this place is doing their damned best. This will be difficult on all of us,” she continued. “But time is of the essence. One by one, our factories and bases have fallen under siege. Supply routes have been cut off, merchant ships scuttled. This is our best and only chance. What happened in Sector Thir–, I mean, Indonesia – last week wasn’t easy on anyone. But if we turn back now, our families will be next. The only advantage we possess is the element of surprise, and we can’t lose it. Will you fight with me?”
    “Yes, Sky Admiral, ma’am!” the room echoed.
    But Lily could see that many doubts remained. Their reaction was to be expected. As far as they were concerned, she had only been leading the EDC for five of her seven fragmented years with the rebellion, but under her watchful eye, they’d given the Queen the first proper challenge to her reign since her dynasty had come to power, freeing tens of thousands from the Metaverse , not to mention annexing dozens of war factories in as many territories, turning them to their own use, and all under the Overseer’s nose. Yet, even with her wealth of intellect and experience, the truth was that the Sky Admiral was but a young woman, a phantom with no birth records or homeland, and to their knowledge, she had not yet been tested in a battle of this scale.
    On the big screen, the elders looked grim, and appeared to be discussing matters of war and resources amongst themselves, shutting her out. To save face, Lillian knew she had to get the last word in.
    “I know many of you think we are heading towards certain death. They may have superior numbers and firepower, but we’ve got a clockwork course. It’s the second star to the right and