As a star pirate, I got caught by the Federal military. Good news: My identity is special, so they can’t just do whatever they want. Bad news: The one who caught me is my ex-boyfriend, the one I abandoned after staging my own dramatic death. Back then, I wore a disguise, seduced the Federal Academy’s untouchable ice prince, so pure and easy to trick. Before I left, I even gave him a “heart-stopping” farewell, complete with my own staged demise. Now, the cold, handsome man puts on leather gloves and taps my face. A smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, cold and sharp. “Well, well, darling. Still alive, I see?” “All these years you’ve been gone, I’ve truly… missed you to death.” As the second-in-command of the notorious GS pirate organization, I’ve always strutted through deep space, doing whatever I pleased. But today, my luck finally ran out. While taking over a resource planet that had been forcefully occupied, the usual small-time crews, always buzzing and eager for a fight, were nowhere to be found. Instead, a colossal dark presence, hidden until now, suddenly emerged: a pure black military vessel. Its insignia blazed, clearly marking it as belonging to the Federal First Legion. The moment my unreliable uncle, Asher Reid, who was supposed to be guarding the rear, saw the warship, he let out a loud curse and bolted with the rest of our fleet. But not before shouting— “Skylar, I’ll go get the Boss to rescue you!!!” Now, in the boundless depths of space, I was utterly alone, with no one to rely on. Not all Federal Legions are out to annihilate pirates; some even have covert collaborations. Unfortunately for me, I’d stumbled right into the First Legion. Before we could even communicate, we were bundled up and shipped off to the Legion’s prison. Everyone knew that Julian Vance, the First Legion’s commander, harbored an intense hatred for pirates, especially the GS organization. Rumor had it they were responsible for the death of his beloved. Even worse news… I was that “dead” beloved. The door to the dark interrogation room hissed open, letting in a sliver of light. Footsteps approached. I raised my eyes to the man in the black military uniform. Julian Vance’s face was even colder and more handsome than before. Having not had a drop of water in ages, I licked my lips. I awkwardly raised a hand, trying to look innocent. “Hey, long time no see… Julian.”
Julian and I met at the Federal First Academy. As the only son of the GS Boss, my dad, Marcus Reid, had high hopes for me. GS had this ridiculous tradition: its heir *had* to receive a proper military education. In my dad’s words, the only reason GS maintained its top pirate status was because we all read books; we weren’t illiterate savages. I don’t know what tricks my dad pulled. He cooked up a fake identity for me and shipped me off to the First Academy. By sheer coincidence, Julian and I ended up as roommates. Initially, I planned on just coasting through a few years. But then my dad laid down the law: no graduation certificate, no ride home. If my cover got blown after too long, I was on my own. No choice then. A pampered slacker like me had to actually start studying. Turns out, some things just aren’t possible no matter how hard you try. I’d grown up among pirates. Flying a mech to raid a convoy? No problem. But making me pass a theoretical exam? That was the absolute death of me. I’m a *pirate*! Why do I need to learn math and physics? Is that even logical? Desperate, I started eyeing Julian. And found out he was surprisingly pure and easy to trick. There were two kinds of people at the First Academy. One type was me: the slacker who somehow managed to sneak in. The other type was like Julian: excelling in every assessment, a golden boy destined for greatness. Julian was obsessed with training. He’d come back to the dorm, shower, and immediately crash, focused solely on his duties. Like a robot. I knew that ever since enrollment, countless junior cadets had been secretly gossiping about him on the forums. They even rated him as the First Academy’s #1 heartthrob. But he was completely oblivious, totally wasting that drop-dead gorgeous face of his. With such a dense, goodie-two-shoes student, playing hard-to-get would be like winking at a blind man. A direct approach was the only way. One day, after he’d finished showering, I tugged on his sleeve and handed him the keys to the newest mech model. Julian looked down at me, confused, and spoke in a cool tone, “Is there something you need?” I shamelessly edged closer. Taking advantage of my deceptively innocent face, I buttered him up: “Julian, could you help me with mechanical theory? My basics are so bad, I just can’t grasp it.” He thought for a moment, then agreed. I only found out later that Julian was naturally reserved; he was never a good Samaritan eager to help. And given his status, he certainly didn’t care about the mech I’d given him. One time, I was lying with my head in his lap, reading comics, and I deliberately scratched his chin. “Julian, were you already plotting something with me back then?” Julian gave a faint smile, his earlobes turning a faint red. He gently stroked my messy hair. He didn’t deny it.
Learning from a genius made everything click. Julian’s disciplined life gained a new, unexpected element: every evening, he’d dedicate time to tutor me. Because I was so utterly clueless, Julian sometimes got incredibly frustrated. He’d frown slightly, pointing to a historical fact everyone in the Federation knew. “Skylar, didn’t you learn this in elementary school?” I’d nudge him endearingly, a lie instantly on my lips: “I grew up in a remote, war-torn slum planet. I never went to school.” He’d affectionately ruffle my hair, then tutor me even more meticulously. I thought my academy life would continue this way, peacefully. Then, one night at an academy party, we both had too much to drink. I’m not sure who initiated it, but somehow, we ended up sleeping together. Oh no, it should be: I was *slept with*. In the morning, we both sat there, clutching our blankets, staring at each other. Recalling the chaotic love lives of my pirate crew, I tentatively spoke: “Julian, how about we just pretend nothing happened and continue being friends?” “Friends?” He might have been annoyed. Julian gripped my chin, his hot breath ghosting behind my ear, his voice dangerous: “How many ‘friends’ like that do you have?” It wasn’t until he’d kissed me breathless, leaving me practically melting into the bed, that I finally surrendered: “…None. Only you!” “Then what is this?” Seeing him lean in again, I hurriedly replied: “My… boyfriend!” Best friends turned boyfriends, everything just fell into place naturally. I was so happy back then, I actually considered bringing Julian back to the GS after graduation, making him my future partner in galactic domination. I even bragged to my dad that I’d snagged an academy boyfriend. But I never expected… Julian Vance, so simple and self-reliant, was actually the sole son of a Federal High Commander.
Before graduation, Julian asked me which Legion I planned to serve in. He clearly intended to follow me. My smile almost froze on my face. Are you kidding? I’m a pirate boss’s son, I just snuck in to learn a few things. Did he really expect me to become their personal workhorse for the Federation? I told him I hadn’t decided yet, but secretly, I started planning. Julian was from a perfectly respectable lineage. Take him back to GS? Was I trying to blow up our own stronghold? How could I disappear without a trace? My dad and I brainstormed. We set our sights on the final military exercise. That simulated exercise was held in the HC173 asteroid belt near the academy. Julian and I were teamed up, each piloting our mechs, facing off against other students in pairs. The exercise was proceeding normally until my dad, Marcus Reid, leading a fleet of starships, made a spectacular entrance. I was taken hostage. Julian desperately piloted his mech, chasing after us. As we left, I stretched out my hand towards Julian, feigning “deep sorrow”— “Julian…” The next second, the silent void erupted into a spectacular, devastating explosion. No trace of me was left. My dad brazenly abducted me. From then on, the First Academy lost an unremarkable student, and GS gained a leisurely star pirate. Years passed. I became the second-in-command of GS. And he became the First Legion’s ruthless, iron-fisted Commander Vance.
The interrogation room lights were dim. Julian Vance put on leather gloves and lightly patted my face, pulling his lips into a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, cold and sharp. “Well, well, darling. Still alive, I see?” “All these years you’ve been gone, I’ve truly… missed you to death.” The cold touch on my face, those inky black eyes were bottomless. I immediately sensed danger. Julian had become so… unsettling. “The GS has offered to negotiate.” “They’re even willing to trade resource planets for you.” “Looks like you’re quite important to them now.” “Darling, if I recall correctly, four years ago, you were supposedly blown to bits by the GS right in front of me, with no body ever found, right?” “The GS is known for its brutality. How did you survive?” Telling the truth now would be suicide; I wasn’t about to get myself into more trouble. “Hmm?” His long fingers gripped my chin, immensely pressing. Under his intense gaze, my brain worked furiously. “Julian, I had no choice.” Tears instantly welled in my eyes, making me look utterly pathetic and fragile as I gazed at Julian Vance. “Alright, tell me.” His face was calm, as if he’d believe whatever I said. I opened my mouth and let the lies flow: “I didn’t die then; they took me away. They were going to kill me. But they saw I had good physical stats and was a First Academy student, so they forced me to do their dirty work.” “My family was in their hands, so I had no choice but to comply.” The grip on my chin loosened slightly. Julian seemed half-convinced. “Family? What family?” “My father from the war-torn planet, Marcus Reid, he’s with the GS right now. You can check.” He certainly was in the GS, as the Boss. “Julian…” “I love you, but I can’t go back now.” I wiped away non-existent tears, shamelessly kissing the hand near my cheek. Julian’s eyes flickered, and he pulled his hand away. Undeterred, I pressed my face against the smooth fabric of his uniform near his stomach. “Julian, I’m so happy to see you again.” The surroundings fell silent for a moment. For a long time, Julian didn’t react, which made me vaguely uneasy. I looked up, trying to secretly gauge his expression. Looking up, the pale light spilled over his face, and he seemed oblivious to my closeness. “Skylar Reid, you’d better not be lying to me.” Julian’s expression was calm, but his words carried an implicit threat. “Otherwise, once I find out, you’re done for.” The immediate crisis was averted. I wasn’t sure if Julian believed me. But that very night, he disregarded everyone else’s objections and took me out of prison.
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