The lights came on with a soft flicker as they entered. It was a cozy space carved from stone and reinforced with metal panels and glowing wires. A few soft mats and tools were scattered around. Against the far wall sat the ship sleek, dark, and unfinished no more. Its surface shimmered with the last layer of plating, just installed that morning.
In one corner, Sharmi stood beside a mirror, frowning at her dusty, torn travel clothes. "Ugh. This outfit looks like it fought a bear."
Sakudara glanced over. "It did, kind of. Remember the moss-wolf last week?"
"I looked better after the moss-wolf," she muttered, reaching into her bag.
She pulled out a folded coat, shaking it out with a soft fwoosh. It was jet black, long and smooth, with a soft faux wool texture. It shimmered slightly under the hideout lights modern and elegant.
She slipped it on carefully.
The coat flowed all the way to her ankles, wrapping her in a dramatic silhouette. The wide lapel collar framed her neck like a cloak. The single button clicked closed, and the back belt was tied into a neat bow at her waist. Her long sleeves covered her arms fully, giving her a sleek, composed look.
She turned toward them. "Better?"
Share gave a slow whistle. "You look like a space queen."
Sharmi raised an eyebrow, then spun once for effect. "That's more like it."
Suddenly
Sakudara turned, his tone suddenly serious. He walked over to the ship, running his fingers along its side.
"It's ready," he said quietly.
Share blinked. "The ship?"
He nodded. "All of it. The last parts we brought today the thrusters, the stabilizer core… it's all installed. Two years of work. Testing. Fixing. Hiding. It's done."
He looked at Sharmi now. "We can leave this planet."
Sharmi's eyes widened a little. "You mean… it can fly?"
"Almost," Sakudara said, a smile tugging at the edge of his mouth. "But I need your help, Sharmi. You're the only one who knows how to link the core to the nav system. Without that, it just sits here like a shiny rock."
She stepped closer to the ship, touching the smooth surface. For a second, she said nothing.
Then she smiled.
"Alright," she said softly. "Let's fly."
The hidden hangar inside the forest buzzed softly. Vines crawled up the metal walls, but the ship in the center looked strong and sharp almost alive. Its body was dark silver, long and smooth like a bird, with glowing blue lights along the sides. Steam puffed from its vents like soft dragon breath.
Sharmitha stood beside the engine, wearing her long black coat now tied neatly at the back with a bow. The full-length fabric flowed like water around her ankles. She pulled her sleeves back, focused, holding a tool that hummed as she tightened a loose bolt near the fuel line.
"Saku," she called. "I fixed the coolant link. But the stabilizer looks… twitchy."
Sakudara was at the front of the ship, under the nose, welding a sharp metal fin into place. Sparks flew, lighting up his face. He pulled off his goggles and gave a quick nod. "We'll have to fly with it anyway. This is our only shot."
Sharmitha stood up, wiping her hands. "Are we really doing this? After two years… we're finally leaving?"
Saku looked at her, eyes steady. "Yes. We have the last parts now. No more delays. This ship will fly tonight."
She smiled, but her eyes were nervous. "Then let's fly."
Inside the cockpit, soft lights glowed on the panels. Sharmitha sat in the co-pilot seat, typing in data. Saku stood behind her, flipping switches on the upper controls. The engines rumbled, a low thunder that grew louder with each second.
"All systems… green," she said.
Saku cracked his knuckles. "Alright. Here we go."