Re-Awakened :I Ascend as an SSS-Ranked Dragon Summoner Chapter 473: The deal between team 7 and the EDF

Chapter 473: The deal between team 7 and the EDF

The quarters they’d been assigned felt smaller than they had yesterday, like the walls were closing in with every passing hour. Noah sat on the edge of his bunk, staring at his hands while the weight of the tribunal’s accusation pressed down on his shoulders. Planet-killer. Genocidal. Responsible for the destruction of an entire world.

Sophie occupied the chair by the window, her usual composure showing cracks around the edges. Diana paced the length of the room like a caged animal, her momentum abilities making small objects shift whenever she passed too close. Kelvin had given up on sitting still entirely and was sprawled on the floor, tossing a small maintenance tool into the air and catching it repeatedly.

“So we’re just supposed to accept this?” Diana finally broke the silence, her voice sharp enough to cut. “They label us planet-killers and tomorrow we smile and say thank you for the verdict?”

“What else are we supposed to do?” Kelvin caught the tool and sat up. “Tell them about the chaos entity that hijacked Noah’s system and one-shot the planet? They’ll throw us in a psych ward before we finish the sentence.”

“But we didn’t do it,” Diana insisted, stopping her pacing to face them. “We saved two million elves. We destroyed the Eighth’s facility. We did everything right and they’re blaming us for something we had no control over.”

Sophie’s voice was quiet but firm. “The evidence points to Noah’s void energy. From their perspective, it makes sense. They don’t know about Gigarose. They can’t know about her.”

“So what?” Diana’s hands clenched into fists. “We just take the fall? Accept responsibility for genocide because the truth sounds too crazy?”

Noah finally looked up. “Do you have a better option?”

The question hung in the air, challenging anyone to provide an answer they all knew didn’t exist. Diana opened her mouth, then closed it, frustration written across her features.

“This is so screwed up,” Kelvin muttered, resuming his tool-tossing. “We’re sitting here worrying about tomorrow when the tribunal completely forgot about two of our teammates. Lucas and Lyra. Remember them? Apparently the military doesn’t.”

Sophie’s expression shifted. “Lucas they have an excuse for. They don’t believe the Eighth exists, so they think he’s just on Raiju Prime with his family. Playing politics or whatever they imagine S-ranked soldiers do when they go home.”

“But Lyra?” Diana’s voice took on an edge. “What the hell did she have over the military that they’re pretending Team 7 only had four members? She was there. She left with us. She came back before us. And somehow she gets a free pass while we’re on trial?”

Kelvin sat up straighter, his expression darkening. “You know what I think? I think she traded information. Probably told them everything we did, every place we went, every decision we made. Bought her freedom by selling us out.”

“She was working for the Eighth the whole time,” Diana agreed, her pacing resuming with more energy. “The Endless, Infinity soldiers, whatever Arthur calls his little cult. She probably reported everything back to him, then when we caught her, she flipped to save her own skin. Made some deal with the EDF where she gets immunity in exchange for detailed reports on Arthur’s operations.”

“Or she’s actually someone important,” Kelvin suggested, warming to the topic. “Like, her real identity is classified above our pay grade. Could be the daughter of some general or admiral. That would explain the special treatment.”

“Could be a spy,” Diana countered. “Planted in the Vanguard Initiative to monitor us specifically. The EDF wanted eyes on Team 7 because we were too powerful, too independent. Lyra was their insurance policy.”

Sophie shook her head. “You’re both reaching. We don’t know anything about why she got different treatment.”

“We know she’s a traitor,” Diana said flatly. “We know she worked for the enemy, then supposedly switched sides, then somehow walked away from all of this without consequences. That’s enough for me.”

Kelvin resumed tossing his tool. “I hope she’s happy with whatever deal she made. Hope it was worth betraying the people who actually tried to trust her.”

“Can we not do this?” Sophie’s voice carried a edge of exhaustion. “Lyra’s not here. Lucas isn’t here. Tomorrow we face the tribunal’s verdict and we need to be unified, not tearing each other apart over people we can’t do anything about.”

“Unified for what?” Diana stopped pacing to face her. “So we can all get matching dishonorable discharges? So we can be officially labeled as the team that destroyed a planet? What exactly are we unifying for, Sophie?”

“For each other,” Sophie replied, her composure finally cracking. “Because regardless of what the tribunal decides, we’re still a team. We still have each other’s backs. Or are you giving up on that too?”

The silence that followed was heavy and uncomfortable. Diana looked away first, her anger deflating into something closer to resignation. Kelvin stopped tossing the tool and let it rest in his hand.

Noah stood up slowly, drawing everyone’s attention. “I’m going for a walk.”

“Noah, it’s nearly midnight,” Sophie started.

“I need to clear my head.” He moved toward the door. “I’ll be back soon.”

The door slid shut behind him, leaving the three of them in charged silence.

Diana was the next to move. “I’m going to sleep. No point staying awake worrying about a tomorrow that’s already decided.” She headed toward her bunk without waiting for responses, her shoulders carrying tension that wouldn’t ease no matter how long she tried to rest.

That left Kelvin and Sophie alone in the common area. He watched her for a moment, noting the way her fingers twisted together, the way she stared at the door Noah had disappeared through.

“What’s up with him?” Kelvin asked quietly. “And before you say ‘we’re all going through it,’ I know that’s not the whole story. I’ve known Noah since we were at the academy. Something else is eating at him.”

Sophie was quiet for a long moment, debating how much to share. Finally, she sighed. “The place we went today. The Ark. That’s where Noah’s parents abandoned him for. They left him at the academy twelve years ago and came here to serve humanity’s great war effort.”

Kelvin’s expression shifted from curious to understanding to genuinely sad. “Oh. Oh man, I forgot about that. The coin, right? They gave him that eclipse coin and just… left him.”

“He’s been carrying it ever since that night at the gala,” Sophie confirmed. “Probably thought one day he’d come here and they’d be proud of him. That he’d make something of himself and prove he was worth keeping.”

“Instead he shows up accused of genocide.” Kelvin shook his head. “That’s… that’s really messed up.”

He stood up, pocketing the maintenance tool. “I’m going to go find him. Try to cheer him up or at least make sure he’s not doing something stupid.”

Sophie managed a small smile. “Good luck.”

Kelvin headed out into the corridors of Vanguard Station, which had settled into the quiet rhythm of night cycle. Fewer people moved through the halls, and those who did walked with the purposeful stride of personnel on duty rather than the casual energy of daytime traffic.

“Where would the legendary Noah Eclipse go to brood?” Kelvin muttered to himself, checking the training halls first. Empty. The observation decks next. Also empty.

He kept walking, taking turns based more on instinct than logic. “The SSS-ranked soldier himself. Top two SSS ranked soldier and he isn’t number two. Tamer of dragons, slayer of Harbingers, the protagonist of the actual universe. And I’m the sidekick looking for him because he’s having feelings.”

A passing guard gave him a strange look. Kelvin waved cheerfully. “Just looking for my emotionally constipated best friend. Don’t mind me.”

He found Noah eventually in one of the smaller observation lounges, standing at the window with his hands in his pockets, staring out at the stars. The lighting was dimmed for night cycle, making the view beyond the glass more prominent.

“There you are!” Kelvin announced, entering with the kind of energy that felt deliberately too loud for the quiet space. “I’ve been wandering around this station like a lost puppy. Do you know how big this place is? I passed the same maintenance closet three times.”

Noah glanced back, a slight smile touching his lips despite everything. “You found me eventually.”

“Eventually being the key word.” Kelvin came to stand beside him at the window. “Remember when we’d do crazy stuff back at the academy? Like that time we ‘borrowed’ a combat simulator and accidentally set the difficulty to lethal?”

“We almost died,” Noah said, but there was warmth in his voice.

“But we didn’t! And then we got a probation, which was totally worth it because we learned Professor Lim had a secret stash of premium snacks in his office.” Kelvin grinned. “Simpler times. When the worst trouble we could get into was academic probation instead of military tribunals.”

They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, watching ships move in the distance against the backdrop of deep space.

“You know what I miss?” Kelvin continued. “That feeling of knowing we could handle anything because we were too stupid to know we couldn’t. Like, we’d see something dangerous and just… go for it. No overthinking, no worrying about consequences. Just Noah and Kelvin against whatever the universe wanted to throw at us.”

“We were reckless,” Noah said.

“We were awesome,” Kelvin corrected. “And we still are. Tomorrow doesn’t change that. The tribunal doesn’t change that. We’re still the team that fought a four-horned Harbinger and won. We’re still the guys who saved two million elves. We’re still the absolute legends who somehow keep surviving things that should kill us.”

Noah’s smile grew slightly. “You always know what to say.”

“That’s because I’m the best sidekick in history.” Kelvin’s grin faded into something more serious. “But Noah, I need you to hear this. Really hear it.”

He turned to face his friend fully, his usual joking demeanor setting aside for raw honesty.

“Parents are dicks. Like, objectively. The people who are supposed to love you most, supposed to protect you, supposed to be there? A lot of them suck at it. They make choices that hurt their kids and convince themselves it’s for the greater good or some noble cause. They abandon the people who need them most and call it sacrifice.”

Kelvin’s voice softened. “My dad built an empire and barely noticed I existed except when I disappointed him or didn’t want to build a fancy new toy for the EDF. Your parents left you for this place, for this institution that’s now trying to destroy you. Lucas’s dad got himself kidnapped playing political games. Diana’s family probably has their own dysfunction she doesn’t talk about. Sophie’s parents are who knows where doing who knows what.”

He put a hand on Noah’s shoulder. “We all deserved better. Every single one of us deserved parents who showed up, who chose us, who made us feel like we mattered more than their careers or their causes or their pride. And maybe someday, when we have kids of our own, we’ll do better. We’ll be the parents we needed but never had.”

The words hung in the air between them, heavy with shared pain and hope for something different.

“But until then,” Kelvin continued, his grin returning, “we’ve got each other. And honestly? I’d take you as a brother over any blood relation. You’re stuck with me, Eclipse. Forever. That’s the real life sentence here.”

He gave Noah’s shoulder a final squeeze and then stepped back. “Now I’m going to go attempt to sleep before tomorrow’s disaster. Try not to brood too dramatically out here, okay? You’re making the stars look bad.”

Kelvin headed toward the exit, his footsteps echoing in the quiet lounge. Just before the door, Noah’s voice stopped him.

“Kelvin.”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

Kelvin waved without turning around. “Anytime, brother.”

The door slid shut, leaving Noah alone with the stars and his thoughts. He returned his attention to the window, watching ships drift through the void, tiny points of light against infinite darkness.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?”

Noah didn’t turn around, a small smile touching his lips. “I knew you were there.”

Sophie emerged from the shadows near the entrance, moving with that quiet grace she possessed. She crossed the lounge and wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her head against his back.

They stood like that for a long moment, neither speaking, just existing together in the quiet.

“Kelvin’s speech was good,” Sophie finally said, her voice muffled against his uniform. “He’s right, you know. About all of it.”

“I know.”

“Your parents made a choice twelve years ago. It was their choice, their loss. It doesn’t define your worth.” Her arms tightened slightly. “You’re one of the best people I’ve ever known. And tomorrow, regardless of what happens, that doesn’t change.”

Noah turned in her embrace until he was facing her, his arms coming up to hold her properly. In the dim lighting, her eyes reflected starlight from the window, and the worry etched in her features made his chest ache.

“We need to sleep,” Sophie said, though neither of them moved. “Tomorrow is going to be difficult and we should at least try to rest.”

“I don’t want tomorrow to come.”

“Me neither.” She reached up to touch his face, her fingers gentle against his cheek. “But it’s coming anyway. So let’s face it together, like we always do.”

They made their way back through the quiet corridors to their quarters, hands linked, neither speaking but drawing strength from the contact. The station’s night cycle had settled into almost complete silence, the hum of life support systems the only constant sound.

Diana was already asleep, or pretending to be, her breathing steady from her bunk. Kelvin had claimed his own space and was sprawled across it in a position that looked deeply uncomfortable but somehow worked for him.

Noah and Sophie settled into their respective bunks, the small comfort of proximity better than nothing. Sleep was elusive, coming in fits and starts interrupted by thoughts that wouldn’t quiet. Every time Noah closed his eyes, he saw Admiral Kross’s face pronouncing their guilt, saw the evidence displays showing void energy signatures, heard the whispers from the gallery labeling him a planet-killer.

When sleep finally came, it was shallow and unsatisfying, offering no real rest.

Morning arrived with brutal timing. The comm system activated at 0500 hours, far earlier than expected, with Commander Lein’s voice cutting through the darkness.

“Team 7, report to Conference Room 3 immediately. The commanders need to brief you before transport to the Ark.”

Kelvin’s response was a string of creative profanity muffled by his pillow. “It’s not even dawn cycle yet. What kind of sadistic bastards schedule meetings before the sun simulation turns on?”

“Move it, Pithon,” Diana called from where she was already pulling on her uniform. “They said immediately.”

The team assembled with varying degrees of alertness. Diana looked ready for combat despite the early hour. Sophie had that focused calm she got when preparing for something difficult. Kelvin was still half-asleep, his eyes barely open as he fumbled with his uniform fastenings. Noah felt hollow, like something essential had been scooped out during the night and not replaced.

Conference Room 3 was small and utilitarian, designed for quick briefings rather than extended discussions. The commanders were already there, looking like they’d been awake for hours. Brooks had coffee in hand, Mei was reviewing a tablet, Cassandra stood with military rigidity, and Volkov’s expression suggested the news they carried wasn’t good.

“Sit down,” Cassandra said without preamble.

Team 7 took the available seats around the small table. Kelvin immediately put his head down on the surface, earning a look from Diana.

“We received word from the Ark two hours ago,” Mei began, her voice carrying professional calm despite what was obviously stress beneath. “The tribunal has reached a preliminary verdict and they’ve authorized us to present their… offer to you before the formal proceedings.”

“Offer?” Sophie’s voice was carefully neutral.

Volkov moved to stand at the head of the table. “The tribunal recognizes that you’re valuable assets to the EDF. Your combat records, your survival rates against Harbinger forces, your documented capabilities. Despite the charges against you, they understand that losing your services would be detrimental to humanity’s defensive efforts.”

“They’re not discharging us?” Diana asked.

“No,” Cassandra replied. “But the terms of your continued service are… restrictive.”

Brooks pulled up a holographic display from her tablet, projecting text into the air above the table. “This is the deal they’re offering. I’m going to read it exactly as written.”

She cleared her throat and began.

“Article 1: One member of Pathfinder Team 7 must accept full public responsibility for the destruction of Lilivil and all resulting consequences. Said member will receive a dishonorable discharge from the Earth Defense Force and will face criminal prosecution for negligent destruction of inhabited planetary bodies. Sentencing to be determined by military court following formal admission of guilt.”

The room went silent except for the hum of the ventilation system.

“Article 2,” Brooks continued, her voice steady despite the content, “The remaining members of Pathfinder Team 7 will accept immediate reassignment to separate units under direct Ark command. Team cohesion will be dissolved to prevent further unauthorized collective action. Individual assignments will be determined based on combat specialization and strategic need.”

Kelvin lifted his head from the table, suddenly very awake. “They want to split us up?” He said like that was the only bad part he heard.

“Article 3: All reassigned personnel will undergo a probationary period of twenty-four months during which any violation of EDF regulations, regardless of severity, will result in immediate court-martial and dishonorable discharge. No appeals process will be available during probationary period.”

Sophie’s hands clenched into fists beneath the table.

“Article 4: All reassigned personnel are prohibited from unauthorized contact with members of the original seven families during probationary period. This includes but is not limited to Grey, Ares, Sterling, Leviticus, Marrick, Durn, and Veyra family