Alex woke up in a coughing fit.

His hands raced towards a tissue box, pulling out nearly five of them and placing them over his mouth and spitting something out.

Looking back at the tissue, he was understandably a bit worried as to why it was covered in blood.

In addition, he had an intense headache and his chest burned in agony. He grit his teeth just to prevent from screaming, but his hoarse breathing said enough about his condition.

"Nice to see you're alive, Admiral." Said a voice to Alex's right.

He didn't need to look to know who that was. It was the ship's most notorious field medic; Corpsman Alabaster Sheild.

Corpsman Shield was from Equestria. Specifically from Manehattan, if he remembered correctly. He'd helped with the operation that replaced Blake's leg and saved at least 36 people during the Vytal Invasion and the Subterrain Battle collectively.

"You haven't the slightest idea. I trust you're the one who patched me up?" Alex asked.

He simply nodded.

"The wound you sustained resulted in the destruction of your liver and sliced open your lung. The Adenienites were able to make an artificial liver that would likely last you another 20 years before having to replace it. As for your lung, we were able to repair some of the damage, but as you can already tell..." Corpsman Sheild was interrupted by another coughing fit.

"I understand. We can get to work on that after I get back to work." Alex started to sit up before more pain immobilized him.

"I'm afraid the stress fighting would put on, especially in the state you're in, could likely kill you. Even if you use your Aura to heal yourself." The Corpsman stressed.

"So I'm out of commission. How long?" Alex asked.

"At least a week and a half, even with our technology." He explained.

Alex sighed, rolling onto his side. He suddenly noticed the dozens of cards and letters sitting at the nightstand

"Where did all this come from?" Alex wondered.

"Most of it's from your friends, some from the other crewmen, and one from Princess Luna." Corpsman Shield pointed to the regal-looking scroll at the center-most area of the nightstand, wrapped in deep blue velvet.

He grasped the scroll, untying the seal and rolled it open.

Adm. Alexander Gabriel Walker,

In regards to the idea of invading the minds of prisoners of war and extracting information such as the location of Kalos Prime, that is something we can not and will not attempt.

We will, however, suggest another plan to discover the location. Celestia and I understand you've worked closely with the remaining Inheritors such as Sirius Da Long, and Qrow and Raven Branwen. We would suggest asking them what they already know of the Headquarters.

There is something we do know of the location. Due to early multi-dimensional instantaneous transport testing, accidental gateways have been generated throughout the past century. Look into disappearances of large ships or aerial squadrons, then perhaps you may find the city.

In the meantime, It would do you well to hear that our Royal Guards, with the combined strength of Remnant's forces, we have pushed back the Red Star as far as the Frozen North. Although we do fear for the safety of the Crystal Empire, we can rest assured that one of our most trusted guardians is ready and willing to defend the city.

Humble regards,

Princess Luna of the Night

Leave it to Princess Luna to be of some benefit. They know something about Kalos Prime!

"I'll leave you alone for the moment. By the way, I can allow visitors if you really want to." Corpsman Sheild backed out.

"Go ahead. Hang out with some friends. Relax, Corpsman." Alex suggested.

"Yes, sir." The Corpsman left abruptly.

Alex picked up another envelope, slicing it carefully with his fingernail. He gingerly pulled open both sides of the envelope and pulled out the card inside.

This card felt somewhat heavy, as though someone had written a note and taped it inside. Folding open the card, he saw in bold yellow lettering 'Read This' and 'Get Well Soon'.

Well, one didn't need to be Nostradamus to guess who wrote this card.

He removed the note inside of the card, unfolding it carefully and clearing his throat.

Hi,

Yeah, not much of an introduction, I know, but you get the idea, right?

So listen, I'm sure you already figured, but the people who tried to help Adam escape we're working with Cinder. We got that off our newest prisoner, Neapolitan. She also told us about some of the other goings-on of the Red Star in Remnant. Including but not limited to another shipment of Syndicate supplies and, yes, more super-weapons.

The good news is that Crimson, for the most part, is out of the equation. Something about a private investigator completely blowing the CIA's military. They've been forced back to pacify the revolution, so no more CIA killers gunning us down, it's more like the 'Red Square', now that you think about it.

Bad news is that they all escaped, got off the ship by stealing a stray Bullhead as soon as we had them cornered. They're still a threat as long as they're working with Cinder, and now that we know they can hop on and kill us off one by one, the Ryders are working with Vinyl on an 'Aura Scanner', which is what Evan and the others are calling it. We can use the machine to figure out what their Aura is, and how much of a threat they are before we engage.

I can explain everything later, I'm kinda running out of room here. :)

-YXL

Behind the letter was a picture taped squarely behind it, her and Vanoss were standing in the training room, with Vanoss wearing the Prototype 'Aura Scanner'. Written in the standard meme form was 'Vanoss, what does the scouter say about his power level?'.

Alex groaned in annoyance.

'Sorry, not sorry XP' was written underneath the photograph.

Alex heard a light knocking on the door, and someone called to him.

"Hello? Alex?" Kat asked.

"Come in." Alex nodded, putting away the card.

Kat walked in, and sat at the foot of his bed.

"How are you holding up?" She asked him.

"About as well as you'd think getting stabbed in the chest would be." Alex bluntly replied.

"Ouch. Didn't that already happen to you, though? With Winchester?" Kat wondered.

"What, that little butter knife?" Alex scoffed.

"Right. So, I was thinking about what to do after all of this is over, I already decided." Kat announced.

"Really?" Alex asked.

"I'm going to go back to Earth after everything ends. I'll help the country and the world get back on it's feet after catastrophes like Bohemian Grove and the Revolution." Kat asserted, smiling proudly.

"So, you're going to be a politician-slash-humanitarian aid worker? Sounds like an interesting combination for a marks-woman from a terrorist organization." Alex shrugged.

"You don't understand. Jäger told me to join because he said I'd change the world, make it a better place." Kat reproached.

"He tricked you into the Militia, didn't he?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

She nodded slightly.

"There was something else I wanted to ask you.. I never actually thought about it all that much.." Alex wavered.

"Okay." She anxiously nodded.

"When I first fought Beta, he said something about this 'Fiore' place you went to after '51. What happened there?" Alex asked.

She looked a little uneasy, like he once felt about his own experienced in Equestria.

"It's fine. I literally can't hurt you or anything, and besides, it's been how many months and you never went back. What happened?" Alex asked.

Kat sighed heavily. She explained a lot about this place she went to. Basically what happened was that Kat had fallen in with the wrong crowd, dark wizards or something. The wizards she mentioned intervened, defeated them all, and gave her a choice; either join them or end up in prison. She chose the first option and stayed with one of them in their home.

She'd been there for about a week, having built her new weapon and explained everything that happened to her with them. The Inquisitors got involved a bit after that.

Theta, who had led the Fiorian branch of the Inquisitors, attacked a few other wizards, killed them in cold blood, and chained their dead bodies to a wall, leaving behind a few shell casings that looked vaguely similar to her own.

After realizing what happened, she didn't wait for them to hunt her down and get revenge. She snuck into their HQ and practically turned their archives upside-down scouring for a way to another universe.

Kat eventually found a way out of that universe, leaving very little trace of what happened to her or where she had gone.

When Kat had finished her tale, she sighed again, laying next to him. It didn't take Alex particularly long to realize she was almost crying. He held her for a moment, reassuring her.

"It's fine. That moment's passed. You're with us now..." Alex wasn't entirely sure what to say, but tried his best to help her, then he remembered just how to help.

"Kat. Here, listen. If you'd like, as soon as we get the chance. We can clear your name if you really want that. You helped me get somewhat over my doubts about all of this. Let me at least try to return the favor."

She sniffed a little.

"I'm sorry, somewhat?" She scoffed.

"There you are." Alex laughed slightly.

She stood up, wiping her eyes and turning to him.

"I don't want that, Alex. They don't trust me at all anymore. I bet if we were to head over there right now, they'd just kill you for defending me." She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Besides, I have unfinished business at Earth. Now tell me.." She sat at the chair, facing him intently.

"What are you going to do when this is over?" Kat wondered.

Alex coughed a little bit.

"This f**king question.. I have a limb in every universe, so to speak. Picking one to stay in the rest of my life is like picking a favorite child."

"What? Keeping it painfully obvious to the other ones which to choose?" Kat retorted.

"Ah... No."

"Riddle me this, what do you have in mind?" Kata insisted.

"I could probably go to Adenien. I'm practically blood there and everyone f**king knows it but me, apparently. Also there's Earth, but I'm not too sure how well that would turn out. Equestria and Remnant are my safest options. I have some experience hunting monsters and all that." Alex shrugged.

"What about Evan and the others?" Kat asked.

"They're probably going back to Earth as well. They're practically famous there, and they've been gone for months." Alex shrugged.

"How long has it been?" Kat wondered.

"Let's see, I was arrested in August... Jäger broke us out at about early September, right?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, the eleventh, I think." Kat nodded.

"And I think we invaded '51 at like three or four in the morning and left at about 5." Alex recalled.

"It's November now, right?" Kat asked.

"Yeah, let me see... November 13, 2016." Alex replied.

"Wow. It feels a lot longer to me." Kat shook her head.

"Two months? It felt like 100 to me." Alex blinked.

"We're still thinking months? I was thinking it felt like 2 or 3 years!"

"You know shit's nuts when you're already thinking about the end of a war and it hasn't even been one month since it started."

"I know. I mean World War II lasted about 6 years, The First Cold War went on for decades!" Kay elaborated.

"Yeah, but America set the Second Cold War aside because of the Militia, and the entire country is having another Civil War. Everything changes, I guess now it seems everything's changing faster and faster." Alex sighed.

Kat looked at him.

"How long were you expecting to spend time with all of us, how long did you think the war would last when you first got into it?" Kat wondered.

Alex sighed.

"When Luna mentioned that the Red Star invaded Equestria, I thought we'd have to be stationed there for at least a year and a half, based on how long these kinds of wars usually last here. And I didn't think I'd be commanding a fleet at all, but in my mind, it was going for another three." Alex explained.

"You expected us to get out of this by June 2020?" Kat did the calculations in her head.

"I'm not even accounting the leftovers, the juntas left over by the Inquisitors." Alex explained.

"You'd suspect that Inquisitors would still be around after the Blood Red Night?" Kat asked.

"Like hell I do. There's bound to be at least one. I mean look at the Inheritors. The Inquisitors practically executed Order 66 and killed most of them, and look at Raven! She's even training an apprentice for chrissakes!" Alex scoffed.

"There you are. You might be able to dedicate you time finding them all." Kat stood up.

"I guess so." Alex shrugged.

"I gotta go, meeting up with Evan and Quill for something. See you around." Kat nodded.

"Sure." Alex replied.

Kat left the room, leaving Alex alone once more.

Reading over Luna's letter, he was starting to think about where exactly Kalos Prime might be... '. 'Look into disappearances of large ships or aerial squadrons.'

'We would suggest asking them what they already know about the Headquarters.'

This might be interesting...