AN: Hey guys just wanted to say this chapter will be the end of part 1 of this story and next chapter will enter part two of three planned arcs. The 2nd arc will be shorter then the first and third planned arc but things are going to start getting very interesting. And of course with a new arc, some characters are getting some redesigns which I am currently working on.

The 2nd arc will see tensions rise in the galaxy, Ren start to complete his harem and some other interesting's things happening in his life. 

Quick message from me personally, thank you guys for all the support, it's been awesome to see my writing grow the way it has over the past few months and I hope we continue this together.

Also the NSFW chapter for After Chapter 81 is now out for all patrons, so if you wanna read that its there.

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*Three Months Later*

Captain Aurora was standing outside of the shuttle that was sent to her hangar. She had just met with an unknown fleet that was led by someone named Lucilia Aria Caelum. She didn't recognize her voice or name, but the transmission she received from them is what made her jump at this opportunity. The name is Emilia Rose. The name of her best friend, who has been deceased for years. Not many people knew of their friendship, but there was one person she told about her history with Emilia. That person being Emilia's own son, Ren.

Ren had been gone for months and presumed dead by many, but Aurora had held out hope that somehow he had survived. She had gone day after day regretting not being able to save Ren. She was never very religious, but every night she would pray to any god willing to listen to make sure Ren was okay. She was desperate to see him alive and well.

She walked downstairs with members of various sentinel fireteams, all armed with rifles, and Lena, who was Ren's handler back when he was a member of Fireteam Epsilon. So she wanted to bring her. Aurora knew that since Ren and many other members of Fireteam Epsilon, like Eleonora, Lily, Scarlet, Tyler, Sakura, and Serenity, disappeared, she had been doubting herself and her abilities as a handler. She even tried to quit after the battle; they all left, but Aurora managed to talk her into staying.

Also, there were Keira and Zoe, the mother-daughter duo mechanics on the ship; they were also waiting in the hangar just to see who would come out. Zoe was close to some of the members of Fireteam Epsilon, and she had hope that maybe just maybe they were okay.

Meanwhile, Keira hoped that Eleonora and Ren were still alive. Eleonora would often come down and show her love for sentinels, being the mecha nerd she was, and Keira had a close friendship with Ren's mother, so she also hoped for Ren's safety.

Suddenly the door to the small ship opened, and everyone in the hangar began to fill with anticipation of just who was walking out.

The first two people to step out were two female guards, both armed with unknown rifles, which caused every fireteam member on the ship to immediately prepare to fight.

"STOP!" Aurora yelled. "Put your weapons down."

The fireteam members reluctantly lowered their rifles, and soon a few others stepped outside of the ship, this time some familiar faces.

"Eleonora?" Lena said in surprise.

Eleonora smiled upon seeing Lena and ran up to hug her.

Lena ran up to hug Eleonora. "You're alive...I thought... We thought..."

Eleonora stroked Lena's hair. "It's a long story, trust me." she said with a big smile.

"Eleonora...what's that mark on your arm?" Lena asked, noticing a blue mark located on her arm.

"Thats...another long story." Eleonora said while blushing.

Lena noticed a few other people she knew step out of the ship. Tyler, Sakura, Lily, Scarlet, and Lily.

"YOU GUYS!" Lena yelled excitingly.

Lena ran over to everyone, excited to see them all alive and well again.

The fireteam guards around the ship, who were on edge, are now relieved to see all of these familiar faces. People they thought were lost forever, but they all came back.

Lena then noticed something else. "Scarlet, Lily... Serenity, why do you guys have the same mark as Eleonora but in different spots and colors?"

All three of them blushed, just like Eleonora.

"It's a long story, Lena." Scarlet replied.

"That's what Eleonora said; is somebody going to tell the story?"

"All in due time, Lena." another voice from inside the ship said.

Soon, a boy with black hair and green eyes walked outside the ship. He had a noticeable scar on his neck, but everyone knew who he was.

"Ren!" Lena yelled.

Aurora ran up to Ren, noticing him alive and well. Her eyes swelled with tears; she didn't know how to handle the sudden rush of emotions, so she ran up and hugged Ren as tight as she could.

"I knew you were alive!" she said, crying into his shoulder.

Ren reciprocated her hug and said "It's been awhile, Captain Aurora; long time no see."

Everybody was shocked to see the captain's reaction to Ren. She hadn't shown this much emotion in a very long time, so nobody knew she was even capable of crying.

Aurora started to back away from Ren before she really noticed the scar on his neck. It didn't look extremely old, but it was mostly healed.

"Ren, what happened?" Aurora said, reaching out to his scar. Ren grabbed her hand before she could touch it and shook his head.

"It's... well, a lot has happened since we last met." Ren replied. "Which is why I think we're due for a long talk."

Aurora nodded her head. "Please come to the captain's office; your friends here can come with you if they choose. Lena, you too."

Everyone, but the two guards Ren brought, went with Aurora. The two guards walked back into the ship and locked the doors, still not trusting the people onboard the UNS Eternity.

Ren and the others entered Aurora's office, and she offered them a seat at her long table. Everyone took their seats before Aurora began the conversation.

"So tell me, what have you been through?"

Ren described nearly every detail since the end of his first battle, being saved by a princess of the Empire they had been fighting, telling her the true name of said empire, and describing what their planet was like when he visited. Telling her that he fell in love with the princess. That he visited other planets, meeting Ashastha, and what he has done since.

"You've...been through a lot." Aurora said. "But I need you to clarify something."

Ren looked at her. "You want to know whether I've switched sides in this war or not, right?"

Aurora nodded her head, saying yes. She didn't know anything about what had happened or if perhaps Ren had been compromised.

"To answer bluntly, no, I did not side with the Volarian or Centauri Empire, as you call them." Ren answered.

"But you married one of their princesses, making you a prince, if I'm not mistaken." Aurora replied.

"You're not, but you do mistake one thing. My wife, Lucilia, and I have...separated from the Empire, so to speak with our newfound allies, we are forming a new faction, if you would. Which brings us to our purpose here." Ren replied.

"And what would that be?" Aurora asked.

"I wish for Earth and its fleets to join our faction." Ren stated.

Aurora and Lena were taken aback by what Ren had just said. "That is something...very complicated, not just militarily but also politically."

"I know, but I figured you could be the mediator here. My faction is made up of four Volarian Princess royal armies, another Queen's Empire, and not to mention a few other allies here and there. We are a substantial force, but we need more if we want to take down the Emperor of the Volarian Empire.

"This is something I am not qualified to agree to, you know?" Aurora replied to Ren.

"I know, but you can tell your superiors. Earth right now only believes it is them and the Volarian Empire, correct?" Ren asked, and Aurora nodded her head. "But let me tell you, the galaxy is so much bigger. Don't you think Earth would rather be part of a group that can support them and teach them how the galaxy works instead of being the enemy of everyone?"

"Once again, that isn't my call to make." Aurora replied.

"I know it's not, but my statement isn't just for your government; it's also for your ship and crew. Let's say Earth refuses the deal. Would you be willing to betray your planet and join me?" Ren proposed.

Aurora was taken aback by how Ren was acting. "You aren't the same kid that just graduated from the academy." she said.

"I had to learn a lot, especially for something as massive as fighting the emperor of the largest known galactic empire. So deal or no deal?" Ren asked Aurora.

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