The news had little of note over the next few days. After the announcement of the Sol Directorate’s apparent plans to cut ties with the Federation, little else on the matter had been released. What filled the void was endless speculation, along with reruns of the president’s speech, and occasionally, clips of things Sierra had said. The reluctant celebrity watched herself on the display with poorly disguised unease, despite Elaine’s warm arms around her. 

Sierra oscillated between the Bundeshalle and Elaine’s home while everyone awaited the news on the end of the world. Her lover made the suspense bearable, and Sierra was glad she could at the very least spend these moments with her. 

When more news finally did trickle out of the unwieldy mass that was the Federation, very few had expected what they saw. For their part, Elaine and Sierra, in each other’s arms as had become customary, watched the headline in silent shock as it splayed across the display.

22 MEMBER STATES ANNOUNCE WITHDRAWAL FROM THE FEDERATION

The subtitle crawled across the screen below it:

Following the Departure of the Sol Directorate from Federation Membership, 22 Additional Councilors (17 N and 5 Y) have Announced a Plan to Cease Military and Political Cooperation Until the ‘Resolution of the Earth 721 Incident’

“Calling themselves the ‘Human Commonwealth Coalition’, 23 former member states of the 48 Planet Federation have announced their opposition to the Fed48’s plans for the ‘unrestricted annihilation’ of Earth 721’s population. Citing moral obligations, as well as scientific and pragmatic reasons, nine councilors walked out during the condemnation hearing of the Sol Directorate’s Councilor Balkhi, who initially defied orders to spread anti-721 propaganda. Over the next few days, twelve more councilors, representing powers ranging from the Three Stars Republic to the Great Terran Combine have announced further reasons for their succession from the Federation. The Speaker of the Council has condemned the actions of these councilors as ‘destructively short-sighted treason’, and affirmed that no acts of secession are valid until individual systems hold referenda on the matter.”

They were stunned, and could only continue watching as the report went on. Eventually, Elaine broke the silence.

“This is...this means...ohmygoddess, Sierra...we might fucking live!”

Sierra was trying to comprehend what appeared to be a budding multiversal war, among her companion’s jubilation.

“This was the president’s plan! I don’t...how the...somehow, they did it! Uh, Sierra...I was watching that…” 

Sierra brought up the grid of news channels, settling on a local one. She had to get a better picture of what was happening. The channel she landed on showed a newswoman standing in front of static images of ships that hung in orbit.

“...this one here, it has the Three Stars livery, while this one seems to bear a pro-bombardment faction’s colors. In just a week, the space just outside our atmosphere has become a tense arena of suddenly-opposed empires. No one yet has fired the first shot, and the president has since reached out to the leaders of this newly-formed “Human Commonwealth Coalition”, so named because of the leading state among them, and also, allegedly, the most powerful. The Human Commonwealth was the largest stellar empire represented among the ‘nay’ voters. Some are also calling the separatist organization the ‘Fed23’...”

“Unfrigginbelievable! Sierra, we’re saved!” Elaine pumped her fist in the air. Katrin walked into the room at that moment.

“Did you turn on the news?” she asked, flatly. 

“Whaddya think?” Elaine said, with her trademark wide grin. Eventually she turned to Sierra, who had remained silent. “You’re being quiet about this. I mean, this has to be a good thing, right?” Sierra looked at the floor, examining a thousand little details and seeing none of them.

“The Federation was always...omnipresent…” she said, with an empty expression.

“I’ll say. For my entire life, for my moms’ entire lives…” Elaine reminisced. “They’ve always been up there, eyeing us with contempt.”

“They had rivals, of course, but there wasn’t ever any pretense of them falling to a superior power. They were just there. I remember, the last planet joined them just before I was born. But member states didn’t...leave…”

“Are you ok?” Elaine gave a worried look to the maid who was spacing out. Sierra felt like some aspect of her was drifting unevenly beyond her corporeal form, trying to grasp at the new reality forming around her.

“I feel...very strange…” she admitted. “By all accounts I should be...happy. Voices in the multiverse have deemed us worthy of survival. But I am upset that my first feeling at that notion is...bewilderment…”

Sierra tried to imagine the post-Fed48 existence. And the causes. She had to wonder -- had she, ultimately, been an instrument in a plan to create a schism in a system whose authority spanned universes? How many would die in the resulting power vacuum, should the hegemony indeed collapse? Sierra tried to hold on to the person that had kept her bound to reality. Indeed, as Sierra’s arms were tightly wrapped around her scaly hips, she gave her increasingly concerned looks. Elaine...Sierra wanted to stop the apocalypse for her more than any one person. And if total war was what it took to keep the kill satellites pointed elsewhere until they were all destroyed, that was...good? Elaine, maybe even Sierra, would get to live their best lives…

...at the cost of how many others?

“...Not like this…” Sierra murmured, her voice wavering as emotions welled up inside her.

But really, what had she expected? There was still a vindictive aspect to her, beneath the frills and manners. She had wanted the Speaker to fail in his goal of genocide, and she had done what she could to speak against it.

She had even been granted the platform, a gift from some kindly deity. And there was a much higher chance they’d make it through this than what had been when the people and the government of this planet had been staring down a united Federation. Sierra glanced at the news once more, which was showing that some of the ships were starting to move.

Forming the new battle lines.

Would the Fed48 loyalists prioritize the planet below, or their former allies? Or would there be a deadlock for the rest of time?

“What’s gotten into her?” Katrin asked. “Would’ve thought she’d be the happiest of all upon hearing this.” The fox girl pointed at the display. Newscasters were giving a breakdown of the opposed factions.

Their sudden defenders still seemed rather outnumbered…

Elaine looked at the maid sharing the couch with her. Sierra was thoroughly spaced out, lost in her own thoughts.

“It’s a lot to take in. And besides, she just does this sometimes.” Elaine shrugged, and patted her on the head. Sierra, for her part, continued to wonder.

“Do you really think this is the time for continued doubt?” Sierra faced herself. She looked annoyed. “Did you expect the Federation to just leave after you asked them to?” Sierra observed the phantom, who spoke, barely perceptibly, with two voices. She couldn’t nail down specific aspects of her - the other her - appearance either. Sierra (the real one) stared at the checkered floor underneath her other self. Her face changed, and she was now wearing a sympathetic look.

“I know the uncertainty is scary. We dealt with so much of that in our old life. Our next meal, if the current job would actually pay, if we’d even wake up tomorrow.” She walked closer to Sierra, and placed a cuffed hand on her chin. “This is hardly the worst outcome, right? We’ve been given a fighting chance. The Federation might still try to kill us...but now, look. We have allies, and we’ll be with them to fight them off. Whether they want us up there or not, we’ll insist on it.”

“I…” Sierra shook her head, stricken with cold feet regarding her save-the-world idea. The other her sighed.

“You’ve been through a lot. Would you still align yourself with what you’ve become? Are you a maid, Sierra?”

“Yes.” Sierra finally looked herself in the eye. It was true, wasn’t it? There were certainly worse things she could be. She was unfit for service, perhaps...but she’d keep trying.

“Then do what you must for your ma…” Her double reconsidered her words. “Do what you must for the one you’ve devoted yourself to. She’s right beside you, trying to figure out where you go at times like these. Let her know you’re right here, and that you want to continue to fight for her.”

Sierra’s eyes fluttered back open.

“She lives!” Elaine said, celebratory. Sierra passed a glance at the display. The new headline said “Talerian Ships Still in Orbit”.

Nothing she could do about that, for the time being. Katrin was still in the room, giving her a confused look.

“Your girlfriend’s weird, Laine.”

“Your point?” Elaine turned to Sierra. “You alright?”

“I can still fly, Ms. Elaine. When the fighting breaks out, I will do my best up there to defend you.”

The roommates stared at her for a few moments. Katrin chuckled a bit.

“Your girlfriend is weird, Laine!”

“Sierra. Two things.” Elaine held up two fingers to drive the point home. “One. That’s one of the hottest things I’ve ever heard anyone say to me. Or the silliest, but with you it’s the first. Two, like hell if I’ll let you die up there.”

Sierra sighed, and did her best not to look too crestfallen. This complicated things.

“Of course, Ms. Elaine.”

She was laughing at herself. 

“Maybe not the direction I would’ve taken that,” the other Sierra said, shaking her head with a tiny grin. “You’re still desperately confused, aren’t you? It makes sense. The Federation has been the backdrop of our entire lives, and now it’s more vulnerable than it’s been in a long time.” She paced around herself, dress shoes clacking on the imaginary tiled floor. Her double looked back at her. With a different face, or did the real Sierra imagine it?

“It’s going to be tricky. Of course Elaine isn’t going to want us to go up there. She might even order you to stay. And we might not even be able to do much good!” She smiled. “But I know myself. We stood before the Council after some...deliberation. And I know you want to go into orbit. Because we know that there’s a chance that we might actually be able to help. Didn’t you see how some of the in favor voters joined the separatists? That might’ve been us! No way of knowing for sure, but it’s possible we affected the decisions of some of the most powerful people in our life.” She gave herself a conspiratorial look. But with the first face once more. Sierra wasn’t sure how she could tell, since both looked the same. But she could tell.

“Ms. Elaine doesn’t want to see us die. But we very much do not want to see her die. We’ll be better able to protect her with our...less refined abilities.” She gave a self conscious chuckle. “To be the best maid we can be, we may be forced to disobey an order from our dearest loved one.”

“You spaced out again, there. Are you sure you’re feeling alright?” Elaine looked more worried, this time around.

“It has been a rather strange day, Ms. Elaine.” It had been. First, Ms. Luxe had given her the go ahead to remain at Elaine’s house past curfew, if she chose, so long as she stayed there. Then, Elaine had said, “If you’re wondering where I got all this time on my hands, I kinda quit my job.” She had shrugged as she spoke. “Better places to be when the world’s ending, you know?” Finally, the Federation had broken in two. That was pretty strange. Elaine in the present spoke up.

“Do you need to talk to your doctor friend?”

“It probably wouldn’t hurt. But I am not sure if Dr. Hoffman is busy right now. I’d hate to be the one to interrupt something.” Sierra shrugged. “I suppose I am merely lost in thought trying to figure out how I will sneak out of the atmosphere behind your back, Ms. Elaine.”

“Now listen here, you little shit,” Elaine said in mock anger. 

“What will become of the Talerian vessels in orbit, I wonder?” Chloe murmured. She and Sierra were alone in the lobby, left to their own devices. “I was in orbit when...we spoke. Cross-dimensional communication is not as prolific in Taleria as in the Federation it seems.” Chloe gazed at the display, which showed the president in talks with what was apparently the senate of the Human Commonwealth.

Sierra still watched the other maid warily.

“I can’t say I know,” she said, with a grim look on her face. “Those ships are a reminder of my failure…”

“Mine too, in a way…” Chloe mused. Sierra tried to avoid the display, instead focusing on cleaning. The news was not necessarily bad, but watching it, Sierra found, continued to be exhausting.

Suddenly, however, she had a bright idea. Sierra closed the display.

“The lens is dusty,” she said, unscrewing a glass bubble from a small depression in the floor. 

“I cleaned it just a couple of days ago --” Chloe started. Sierra gave her a serious look. Whenever she had found herself watching the developments in orbit, she found herself wondering just what she could do up there. The surest thing that would happen is that Elaine would be furious with her.

And justly so, Sierra thought to herself. On the other hand, the thought of not doing anything killed her. But she also had no idea how long the current standstill would remain. There were ominous murmurings from outside the atmosphere, of the Federation employing full force against the “separatists and traitors” that had defected. And the Talerians, it seemed, were rumored to be reinforcing their position in the coming...who knew how long. And that would be it, should the coalition lose. Sierra sighed, and took the convex glass to a small station in the very corner of the room, where a worktable would fold out, should she press a button.

Elaine would likely call her later, which she still looked forward to. She would likely complain about the job hunt -- Katrin had insisted she find a way to keep paying her share of the rent when destruction was no longer a foregone conclusion. Elaine had cheerfully suggested that they were probably going to die anyway, but her flatmate was not having it. So Elaine had started filling applications, grumbling that she was “just doing this to keep up some appearance of normalcy for Sierra, who for some reason wants me to live!” 

Sierra polished the lens, but it was proving to be a rather pointless task. Chloe was right that it had just been cleaned. She turned to see the girl waiting behind her, which led her to freeze up momentarily. She gingerly placed the lens on the table. Chloe, however, looked away in shame.

“You have no reason to trust me…” she said. Straightening, she addressed Sierra once again, trying to shake off her feelings. “I’m anxious too,” she tried.

“I have no interest in attacking you,” Sierra said, flatly. Chloe gave her a wounded look.

“The...ship I left from,” Chloe murmured. “I have...had...friends who, as far as I know, remain stationed there.”

“And you probably won’t see them again,” Sierra said. “I’m sorry. It must be difficult. I never really maintained connections, but I know the fear of losing someone.”

“I want to see them again, but...it’s strange,” Chloe said. “If I did, couldn’t it only mean that…” She looked at her hands. “I fear they will accompany the Federation in the attack. But...after what’s happened to me, I can tell they aren’t ready.”

“I see…”

Chloe forced an uncomfortable laugh.

“That would be a strange reunion,” she said. “I’m not sure how I’d feel…”

Sierra nodded silently. Chloe’s meaning was apparent enough. Both maids turned as Ms. Luxe, Morgan, and someone Sierra didn’t immediately recognize emerged from one of the elevators. They curtsied at the newcomers.

“I have news, girls,” Ms. Luxe said, maintaining a brisk pace in their direction. Morgan looked lost in thought, as she so often did, but Sierra’s gaze lingered on the third woman among them. She was sharply dressed in an officer’s uniform, and had stony, albeit smooth skin, textured like marble….oh. Sierra remembered, now.

“Good morning, Ms. Luxe, Ms. Morgan. And, good to see you again, Captain Metzger.” The officer gave a short salute, but it was Ms. Luxe who continued speaking. 

“Apologies for the short notice, but the Captain here informs me that you are being transferred.” Captain Metzger gave a nod.

“I just received the call,” the captain said. “Your presence is requested in the Baltic Sea Military Compound. This is, as the name might suggest, a non-civilian facility, so please refrain from telling any of your compatriots anything specific.” She enunciated that last word to give it emphasis. “Ms. deGaine here will be joining you. Any questions?” She looked at both of them. Sierra had plenty of questions, but it was Chloe who piped up first.

“I am to go as well, ma’am? Captain?”

“Affirmative. The situation in orbit is nearly guaranteed to give way to conflict soon. High Command is debating the roles of you two in the battle to come, given your unique backgrounds and abilities.”

Ah. That made sense. It...had only been a matter of time, hadn’t it? Sierra had effectively, if informally, offered herself in service if it was required. She passed a glance at Chloe, the former ambassador. She possessed no shortage of useful information, in all likelihood. But would she surrender it? Chloe shot her an uneasy look.

“No more questions then? Very well. Outside materials are closely regulated, so please don’t worry about packing. And...if you would like to say goodbye to anyone, please do that now, but remember what I said.”

“I don’t need to contact anyone, ma’am,” Chloe said, running a thumb across the hem of her skirt. Sierra realized she better take the opportunity while she had it, and deployed her holo. She was getting better at navigating the interface, rendering it a short time before a tiny hologram Elaine greeted her.

“What’s up?” The hologram looked around at Sierra’s company. She glared briefly at Chloe, and her eyes were eventually drawn to the captain.

“I’m...going somewhere for a while, Ms. Elaine. I am calling to let you know. I don’t believe I will have my holo during this time.” She looked at the captain, who shook her head.

“I...back up, back up. Where are you going?” Elaine placed her hands on scaled hips, and cocked her head.

“I...can’t tell you exactly, Ms. Elaine.” How could she say it without drawing concern? 

“Does she have something to do with it?” Elaine asked flatly, jabbing a finger at Captain Metzger. The woman herself spoke up.

“She’s being taken to a military base,” the captain said. Sierra could only watch in horror as she continued to speak, and as Elaine made the connections. “She’s going to assist in the fight for our lives, civilian. I’d show some respect, if I were you.”

“And...you’re okay with this, Sierra?” Elaine was talking with deliberate slowness now, attempting to keep her voice level.

“Yes...Ms. Elaine. It is as I have said. I wish to help in any way I can.”

“Oh my goddess, this can’t be happening…” Elaine put her palm to her face, and gently shook her head. “I knew it’d be hard to change your mind about this.” Was it a glitch in the hologram, or did she shudder somewhat? “I guess I thought we were going to be together when we witnessed the end.” She was, in fact, shuddering. And her voice was starting to break somewhat. “But I can’t keep you from doing what you want to do. I really hate to see you...risk it all. But, heheh, you never know...maybe I’m catastrophizing. Maybe they scrapped that ship of yours! Haha, you’ll never escape! But…” Sierra could tell now that she was crying. “Will you at least come back, before, y’know, the lights go out?” Sierra felt tears of her own forming as Elaine spoke.

“Ms. Elaine…” she sobbed, “I will do everything in my power to come back safely. A-and please remember, I w-wouldn’t be doing this if I thought it was the end.”

“You...can come and see her off,” the captain decided. “We leave at 1700 hours.”

“I want to talk about this, Sierra. I’ll be right over,” Elaine said.

They held the embrace for what they wished could’ve been an eternity.

“Sierra…you’re sure you’re okay with this? T-tell me straight if they’re jerking you around, Sierra…”

They were in her room, granted some all-too temporary space.

“I am…going to do this, Ms. Elaine,” Sierra said. “I am going to secure our peace. Once you and everyone else are safe, I will return — I wouldn’t dream of dying! — and we will have the lives we always wanted.”

“And no one’s going to make you do things anymore,” Elaine said, but she still sounded hollow, a bit raw.

“I will flat-out refuse, Ms. Elaine.” She cracked a smile. “I will be indolent and reclusive, a truly terrible example of a maid. Until, of course, we find our own place.”

“Come back safely so I can show you just how much of a pain I am to live with,” Elaine put forth in a near whisper. 

“I’d like nothing more.”

Elaine herself smiled, just a little bit. “Hey…would you care to…ah, so formal, I sound like you! Anyway, follow me into the bathroom? It’s got a mirror, right? I want to try something.”

“Of course, Ms. Elaine.”

“Since Paris I’ve been imagining us doing up each other’s hair, and I looked up some styles that might look good on you…”

Sierra’s eyes lit up, despite everything that loomed outside. “That sounds wonderful, Ms. Elaine!”

“It’s pretty simple, I shouldn’t be able to mess it up.” Elaine entered the bathroom — she ended up following Sierra who had eagerly raced in upon her suggestion. “Well. I’ll try not to let you down.”

Sierra sat on a stool in front of the mirror, while Elaine sidled up behind her. The serpent hummed a bit unevenly to herself as she started gently brushing her hair.

“My little soldier, going off to war,” Elaine sighed. “She promises she’ll come home…”

“I will, Elaine. I swear upon my life.

Elaine snorted.

“Is something the matter?” Sierra asked. The snake began to cackle.

“Well, yeaaaaah!” Elaine shot back. “Your life is what’s at stake…” But she sighed again as her hand passed through her lover’s hair. “Look, I better be honest here, I’ve got no idea what I’m doing…”

“What you’re doing is plenty, Ms. Elaine. Whatever it is, it feels absolutely lovely.”

“Yeah, I know…but I said…I could…”

Sierra saw Elaine shaking her head in the mirror. Her own face was looking back as well, but the reflection couldn’t communicate just what she was feeling — the pins and needles spreading from the serpent’s touch…

And the fear. The reality of what she was doing. She had always been…a runner, not a fighter. Breaking through a blockade? Sure. A heated dogfight? Well…she’d made it this far, hadn’t she? And she’d seen those needles of death in action, but also…

Her train of thought was interrupted by the sounds of shifting coils, and then the breath on her ear as Elaine lowered her head onto the maid’s shoulder, bringing her arms around as well, clutching Sierra tight.

“You can go and do your little saving-the-world thing, I’ve decided…” she whispered into Sierra’s ear. “But you’re gonna have to be able with me like this, full time. Think you can drag me along? Bet you’ll get tired…”

“I fear the captain would have her misgivings,” Sierra said back, matching the whisper.

“Oh. Really? You’re tellin’ me.” Elaine brought her hand up to caress Sierra’s chin. “Next you’ll tell me that she’ll get pissy when I stow away on your ship. Always did wanna go to space…”

“Ms. Elaine.” Sierra stared into the mirror, observing the single tear rolling down Elaine’s cheek before it reached her own shoulder. “Maybe not this year, but someday…I should like to take you traveling with me. Somewhere much further than Paris, even.”

“I’m gonna…gonna hold you to that,” Elaine replied. It was impossible to ignore the wavering of her voice, now. The quiet trembling against the maid’s flesh. Her lover held her ever tighter as they heard distant footsteps in the hall, getting closer. “I’m…oh, Sierra…”

They heard a knock on the door.