Chapter Three: The Admission Order from the Stars

She raised a hand, and the pod filled with projection light. A star map unfolded. Leon saw red patches spreading along the edge of the galaxy like blood leaking into the sea. Each red point represented a battlefield. Each broken route meant tens of thousands stranded in darkness. "The war is expanding," Ardent said. "The Federation needs pilots, not protected survivors from mining pits. If you want to prove yourself, go to Starsea Main. People there will look down on you. People there will challenge you. People there will try to take Astra-X away. You may return to Helios-9 and live as a guarded witness, or you may enter the center of the storm." Leon closed his eyes.