The suit hummed with low ambient noise. The glow of the city below flickered through the panoramic window, casting dim streaks of light across the table. Buildings reduced to skeletons, roads torn apart like old scars, the aftermath of war still clung to the planet like an unwanted shadow.
Krell wiped his mouth, neatly folding his napkin before placing it beside his plate with an almost ceremonial precision. Every movement was deliberate, controlled, as if he reveled in the weight of what he was about to say. He lingered, letting the silence stretch just long enough to gnaw at the edges of patience, then leaned forward.
"There are a few more pieces of business we need to discuss," Krell said, voice low but resonant, like the distant echo of a storm. "The Federation has processed the final bounty on Drakor Krenna. The sum will be transferred to your account by the end of the day."
Ethan tilted his head slightly, the words rolling past him without landing. His brow furrowed, the exhaustion in his bones making it harder to latch onto what Krell was really saying. "The bounty?" he echoed, like the word itself didn't quite make sense.
"Twenty million galactic credits," Krell confirmed, his smile razor-sharp, teeth gleaming like polished weapons. "For eliminating a Class-One galactic threat, severing the Black Sun Syndicate's stranglehold, and preventing the proliferation of military-grade weaponry across multiple sectors."
Ethan stilled. His heart kicked against his ribs, not out of excitement but out of sheer disbelief. He blinked, recalibrating, as if he'd misheard the number.
Twenty million.
It was enough to buy a new small ship. Not the latest models or a sleek military-grade vessel, but something old yet reliable. Something that wouldn't break apart easily when encountering space pirates. Or enough to retire somewhere quiet, far from the burn of blaster fire and the endless political maneuvering of galactic factions. It was more money than most civilians would see in their lifetimes, enough to carve out a comfortable future on some distant planet or space station where war was just a distant headline.
But to rebuild a world?
It wouldn't even be a drop in the ocean.
For a second, Ethan let the weight of the amount settle over him. He felt the credit count like a stone in his chest, heavy and unmoving. Then he exhaled, slow and steady, shoving the shock down to a place he could process later.
"The Federation sure is generous," Ethan said, voice even, betraying none of the turbulence beneath the surface. He leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing. "I suppose it's fair for me to expect you to dump even more of those credits you got into Kynara's reconstruction as well."
Krell chuckled. A rich, velvety sound laced with something cold and distant. The kind of laugh that didn't belong to a man who fought battles but to one who watched them from balconies. "Oh, rest assured, Kynara's infrastructure and relief efforts are fully funded. As we discussed, the Federation already owns this planet. Billions have been earmarked for reconstruction. There's no need for you to sacrifice your earnings on their behalf."
Ethan's jaw twitched, fingers tapping lightly against the tabletop. The surface barely made a sound, but the rhythmic movement kept him anchored. He looked out the window again, past the fractured skyline and the tiny silhouettes of drones weaving through the air, piecing the city back together bit by bit.
He knew exactly how far twenty million credits would stretch. He could hand over every last credit, and it wouldn't even fix the capital's power grid, let alone rebuild the homes, hospitals, and schools obliterated in the war.
Besides, he'd already paid his price.
In blood. In broken ribs and shattered armor. In sleepless nights spent stitching his own wounds shut because there was no one left to help him. In the faces of the people he couldn't save, faces that lingered in the corners of his mind like ghosts, whispering reminders of every failure. The war had bled him dry, left him scraped down to the bone, and this... this bounty wasn't some altruistic reward.
It was compensation. Payment for the hell he'd walked through and somehow survived.
"I earned it," Ethan muttered, more to himself than to Krell. His fingers curled into a loose fist on the tabletop, knuckles paling. "The planet isn't my responsibility anymore. It never was."
Krell inclined his head, a flicker of satisfaction passing through his gaze. "A pragmatic view. Kynara's future lies in Federation hands now, Mr. Walker. You've already done more for this world than anyone could have asked."
Ethan nodded slowly, pushing away the last vestiges of doubt. He'd already given enough. And he wasn't about to let anyone guilt him into giving more.
He leaned back in his chair, cracking his neck, and folded his arms across his chest. The tension lingered in his shoulders, muscles taut as steel cables, but he forced himself to relax. The bounty was settled. That chapter, at least, was closed.
"Alright," he said, voice steady. "What's next?"
Krell's smile didn't falter. If anything, it sharpened.
"The Federation's investment in Kynara isn't purely charitable," he began, adjusting the cuff of his suit. "The new Unified Kynaran Defense Force intends to establish long-term military outposts across the planet. Bastions against future syndicate and bandit activity. We want your insight, among others in the coalition, on optimal locations for many things. You know the terrain better than anyone after the campaign."
Ethan suppressed a sigh, rubbing a hand across his face. Of course. The Federation wasn't rebuilding Kynara out of kindness. They were fortifying a strategic asset. Turning the planet into a shield against the rot.
And of course, they still needed him. Even after everything.
"Fine," Ethan muttered, glancing toward the stack of holo-maps on the far side of the table. He rubbed his thumb along the scar on his palm, the one that ran like a fault line across his skin. "Let's get this over with."
The meeting wasn't over. Not yet.
But at least he wouldn't be walking out of it broke.
And for now, that was enough.