The Clock Strikes Home

The Strider approached the distortion, and Dax resisted its dangerous pull, his anchor working overtime so he didn't get swept away. Yet a few steps away from the growing instability, much to the brawny knight’s confusion, the little girl he was fighting to protect stepped out.

“Liriana, you–!”

Next to her was Rhea, Talia and Jessie all readying their weapons as they looked back at the Aequitas who were about to catch up.

“Dax, we’re containing the distortion! We’ll protect Liriana while she uses her powers!”

“What?! You’re making her do—“ 

“Guys, I think they’re coming…” Jessie interrupted, casting a glance at the army of enemies ahead.

“Dax!” Rhea turned to him again, clutching his shoulder, “Trust us on this.”

The knight didn’t have to hear anything else. He took one look at Liriana’s resolute gaze, and to his teammates and nodded.

“Okay, let’s do this.”

Liriana stepped towards the distortion pulsing wildly, while the squad stood between her and the approaching Aequitas forces.

The chaotic ripple of the distortion sent a wave of heat and light washing over the ruins of Pyrite Reach. Liriana stood trembling, her small frame bathed in its erratic glow as she stretched her hands holding the anchor Rhea gave her toward the breach, attempting to contain it. The effort wracked her body, her knees buckling as sweat beaded down her forehead.

“I… I can’t…” she gasped, stumbling as the distortion pulsed again, its edges jagged and tearing further into reality. For a moment, it felt as though the energy would overwhelm her. She had dealt with plenty of such instances, where the Aequitas would make her tamper with time rifts for their own twisted gain..,

Now it wasn't the same. She had to stop it from spreading, and that was a whole new strain on her body.

Nearby, the squad was locked in a desperate fight. Dax grappled with an Aequitas soldier, their punches heavy and wild, while another came charging at him from the side. He barely ducked in time, slamming his elbow into the attacker to knock them off balance.

Talia’s bow thrummed with energy, but her movements were frantic, her arrows flying to intercept swarms of drones that buzzed dangerously close to Liriana.

Jessie, a blur of movement, deflected incoming strikes from multiple directions, his revolver and sword working in tandem. “Talia, don’t let them through!” he yelled, even as a drone clipped his shoulder, sparks flying.

Rhea cracked her whip, the glowing strands slicing through one drone only for two more to take its place. “We need to hold them off!”

Liriana’s breath hitched as the distortion pulsed again, forcing her back a step. Her arms trembled, her vision swimming. She was afraid, no doubt, her racing heart was testament to that. Yet she knew…

They’re all fighting for me. They’re counting on me.

Like a wave, memories of her days in the time tower flooded her mind. They had come for her, risked everything to bring her back. She couldn’t let them down—not now.

Her small hands steadied as she straightened her back, her green eyes glowing faintly with renewed determination. The distortion pushed against her, wild and untamed, but she dug her heels in, her focus sharpening.

The distortion began to shift, its chaotic edges faltering as Liriana’s power surged. The ripples slowed, shrinking in size as her energy overwhelmed it. The strain was immense, every fiber of her being screaming in protest, but she refused to let go. With one final push, the distortion stabilized, its violent light dimming.

Liriana crumpled to her knees, her body giving out. 

“Liri!” Rhea was at her side in an instant, her arms scooping the girl up with surprising gentleness. “You did it. You did it!”

Rhea’s relief was palpable, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Her decision wasn’t the wrong one…

Nearby, Dax landed a final punch, his opponent collapsing with a groan. He looked toward Reid’s unconscious body and hoisted him over his shoulder without hesitation.

Jessie sheathed his blade, though his breathing was laboured, and a deep cut across his arm dripped blood. “Let’s get out of here before they send more of those stupid flying boxes,”

Talia, nodded as she caught Jessie who lost his footing, his face pale from the overuse of his chrono blade and its time bending ability. With a grin she hoisted his arm over her shoulder, “Got you. No time to waste.”

The sound of the Strider’s engines roared overhead as Mira brought it into position, the hatch opening to reveal her anxious face. “Move it, people! This isn’t the time for hero poses!”

One by one, the squad boarded the Strider, Rhea carrying Liriana and Dax hauling Reid inside. As the hatch sealed behind them, the Strider’s engines roared to full power, lifting them away from the ruins of Pyrite Reach and the Aequitas who couldn’t reach them anymore.

Mira glanced back from her controls, “Is everyone in one piece?”

“More or less,” Dax muttered, lowering Reid’s unconscious body to the floor. He slumped against the wall, exhaustion evident in his every move.

Talie helped Jessie plop down on a bench, cradling his injured arm with a grimace. “Well, Liri did the hard part.”

Talia sat beside him, bow across her lap, her expression softening as she glanced at Liriana, who lay nestled against Rhea’s shoulder, already half-asleep. “She’s incredible,” Talia murmured.

Rhea brushed a stray hair from the girl’s face, her steely expression giving way to a rare, warm smile. “Yeah. She is.”

“Splendid work, Knight.” Jessie joked, looking at Dax and then back at Reid already getting handcuffed by Mira, “You showed ‘im.”

“Well… it wasn’t easy…” Dax sighed, but then smirked, “You look pretty crappy yourself too, Jessie boy.”

“Well, don’t we all?” The young knight simply smiled at the jab, causing Talia to smirk.

“We’ll all receive treatment back at HQ, so hang tight.”

“And we’ll take roboman back for questioning too.” Mira said, securing Reid’s constraints.

“Roboman, as you so eloquently put it, has a 73% likelihood of withholding critical information during initial interrogation. However, probabilities can be… recalibrated.” Tidus followed its creator around the Strider, scanning Reid’s vitals.

“I hope they take us back after our insubordination.” Rhea joked, “But it was worth it…”

The captain smiled down at the girl sleeping peacefully in her lap.

“You can say that again.” Dax nodded, a nostalgic yet happy expression stretching across his ragged features. For he realized that come what may this squad would always have his back. And even if the family he lost that day will never come back, it was in his hands now, to keep this new one safe.

◔

The Chrono Strider touched down in the underground parking level of the Time Tower. The squad barely had time to catch their breath before the sight of Commander Lorne standing at the edge of the landing zone froze them in place. Her arms were crossed, and her sharp gaze bore into the squad like a laser.

Rhea groaned, rubbing her temple. “Great. Of course, she’d be waiting for us.”

Jessie, raised a cocky eyebrow. “Didn’t think we reported to her anymore. Pretty sure we work directly under Thane now.”

Talia shot him a sideways look. “She’s still higher up than us, and if she wants to scold us, she absolutely can. Which, let’s face it, she will.”

Mira sighed, “Oh boy. Here we go.”

Dax, already unbuckling his harness, stood with a resigned expression. “I’ll take the heat. She can blame me for everything.” Without waiting for a response, he strode toward the hatch as it opened with a hiss.

The rest of the squad exchanged uncertain glances before following him down the ramp. To their collective surprise, Lorne didn’t immediately launch into a reprimand. Instead, she simply addressed them in a clipped, professional tone.

“Good work, Squad GX,” she said, much to their astonishment. “Supreme Commander Thane wants to see you immediately. Head to his office, then report to the medical ward.”

“Wait, no lecture?” Jessie blinked in disbelief.

Talia elbowed him sharply.

Lorne stepped aside, gesturing toward the elevator. “Don’t keep the Commander waiting.”

◑

Within the intimidatingly pristine office of the Supreme Commander, there was a heavy silence after the squad reported everything that had happened. Thane was already standing, his hands clasped behind his back. His piercing gaze swept over each of them, lingering just long enough to make them squirm.

“You disobeyed direct orders,” he began, “You left your assigned jurisdiction. You deployed unauthorized tactics. You accessed classified files. You commandeered Chrono Knight resources without proper clearance. And you placed a minor in harm’s way.”

The squad stood at attention, their shoulders stiff, expecting the worst.

Thane sighed, shaking his head. “And yet… Despite your reckless disregard for protocol, you successfully executed the mission. Not only did you rescue an asset and recover a high-value prisoner, but you also contained a growing distortion before it could destroy Pyrite Reach or spread further.”

“Against all odds, you performed admirably. I won’t punish you for your actions this time. But let this be clear: my leniency does not extend to repeated infractions. Are we clear?”

“Understood, Supreme Commander,” Rhea replied crisply, the squad echoing her words.

“Good. The information you uncovered about the Eternal Hourglass is of immense value to the Knights. We’ll try to extract more from Eclipse, Reid Evaris, while he’s here as a prisoner.”

Dax winced at the sound of that. Reid may have been corrupted by the Aequitas, but that didn’t mean he wanted to see him tortured for it. However, his belief in the knights was now firm.

“Now you’re dismissed. Report to the medical ward for treatment, and rest. You’ll need it.”

◕

“So,” Jessie tossed a grin at Dax as they lounged on the couch of the squad room, “What’s the over-under on how mad Lorne actually was? Think she’s saving it for later?”

Dax chuckled, “She wasn’t mad. She was disappointed.”

Talia, always the meticulous one, sighed, “I don’t know… Somehow, that’s worse.”

Mira glanced up from her work, smirking. “What I want to know is, what’s the protocol for celebrating our new official squad member? Do we throw a party? Bake a cake?”

Jessie perked up. “I vote for cake. Or an arcade run. Gotta introduce her to the good stuff.”

Talia shook her head, “You just want an excuse to avoid training.”

“Hey, it’s called team bonding! Important for morale.”

“Interesting hypothesis, Jessie Valis. Perhaps I should compile data on how ‘morale’ correlates with your gaming scores.” As always the sassy drone chimed in.

Before anyone could respond, the door opened. Rhea stepped in, and the squad straightened instinctively. The new squad member of Squad GX followed close behind her, looking nervous but determined.

Of course that was none other than Liriana. Thane had personally accepted Rhea’s request of endacting her in Squad GX’s ranks, since the girl herself felt more at home with its members. And what better place to live in, than the most protected facility in Neotera? Of course new measures had already been drawn in the tower, so as not to have a repeat of last time. Yet with Reid’s defeat, it looked like the girl would be safer now.

The new member in question was now dressed in a Chrono Knight uniform, the crisp white jacket perfectly tailored to her small frame. A military cap perched slightly askew on her head, giving her an endearing yet official look.

Jessie was the first to break the silence, grinning. “Well, don’t you look official, Liri!”

Mira leaned back in her chair, smiling, “Yep, definitely outshining Jessie already.”

“Wow, thanks, Mira.”

Talia nodded approvingly, “The cap suits you.”

Tidus hovered close as well, “Initiating a recalibration of team dynamics. Welcome, Liriana. Please note: I am available for guidance should you require logic amidst chaos.”

Liriana blushed, clutching the edge of the cap self-consciously. “Is it… really okay?”

Rhea rested a hand on her shoulder, her expression uncharacteristically warm. “You’ve earned it.”

“I’m sorry I was cold towards you at first, kid.” Dax kneeled gently before her, “I promise, it wasn’t your fault I was mad at everything.”

When Liriana nodded, Dax reached over to ruffle her hair.

“Welcome to the team, kid.”

The room soon erupted in its usual fun chaos. Jessie even retrieved a holo-camera from the table, snapping a picture of the group despite Talia’s protests.

It wasn’t much that was for sure, yet the girl was happy to call this place home.

As the squad goofed around the room, Dax and Rhea looked at the younger members fondly. The brawny knight smiled, having shed the shadow of his past.

“Thank you, Captain. Rhea…”

Rhea, feeling the unnamed knight who had saved her all those years back look down at her with a smile, grinned as well.

“No need to thank me, or anyone Dax. That’s what family does.”

“Family, huh?” Dax looked on.

“In some shape or form, time always gives you back what you’ve lost.” Rhea smiled finally.