Laila is alive.

Juniper thought she was dead all this time, but she’s standing right here with a soft smile on her face. So why is it that Juniper wants to scream?

“You’re…a—” Juniper can’t even get the words to form. She’s stupefied by her wife’s confession.

Laila nods. “Yes and no.” She sighs deeply, holding Juniper’s hand. It’s warm and just as soft as she remembers. “Look, it’s a very long story. Why don’t we get inside first?”

Juniper reaches into her pocket, pulling out her lighter. “You mind if I smoke? I know you were trying to get me to quit, but with everything that’s happened, I got the cravings again.”

Laila shakes her head, giving her love’s hand one last squeeze. “Please, if it helps take the edge off.”

Juniper fishes a cigarette out of her pocket. The rain-slick lighter takes a few flicks to ignite, and then she’s puffing away. “It’s…hard to believe you’re real.”

“I know. She led you to think I was dead. Sometimes I felt like I was.” Laila leans back against the brick wall of the building and groans. “I’m sorry, Junebug. That mission wasn’t supposed to go that way.”

Juniper nods, leaning with her partner. “So you…?”

“Yeah.” Laila sighs again, heavily. “I set us up. Finish your cigarette, and we’ll talk inside.”

Juniper takes a drag from her cigarette, blowing smoke out into the rain. “I never stopped searching, you know? In the darkest moments, my memories of you kept me going.”

Laila says nothing, resting her head on Juniper’s shoulder.

“Lately, it’s been…it’s been hard. Some nights, I lie awake just remembering you, and it makes me cry. I should have listened, because you were right. You always were.” She takes another drag, running her free hand through her hair.

“I’m sorry, Laila. We could have been free, and I…I fucked it up.”

Laila kisses her partner’s cheek, that smile never fading. “I know, and it’s okay.” She leans over, grasping Juniper’s dog tags in her hand. “Didn’t realize they were so bloody and dented when we met last. Fuck, I’m sorry. Wanted to go easy on you, but I had to prove my loyalty."

Juniper shrugs. “And I wasn’t sure you were really…real. Thought I was finally losing my mind for certain.”

Laila shakes her head, briefly revealing the scar under her left eye. Laila told her once that it came from a bad fight, that flying shrapnel would have gouged the eye out if she’d been sloppier. “I’m sorry for all the subterfuge. I didn't want it to happen like that.”

“So it was her idea, I take it?” Epsilon’s game makes no sense. Why do all this for one miserable pilot?

She nods, exhaling sharply. “Yeah. There’s a lot you and I need to discuss.” Laila squeezes her wife’s hand, perking up a little. “I missed your warmth. Even after everything, you’re still you.”

Juniper takes a puff, blowing the smoke away from Laila. “I dunno, I don’t feel like me. Hey, Laila? Tell me something. Why did we stay? Why didn’t we leave after losing Eris, like we talked about?” The answer is obvious, but she wants to hear Laila's take.

“We were too stupid and stubborn.” She laughs softly. “After we lost Eris, it got rough. So many missions after that where it felt like, what did we have to live for, you know?”

“…Yeah. I’m sorry. I wasn’t useful during that last mission. I broke down hard, and—“

“It’s okay, June. I shouldn’t have accepted the assignment. The blame lies with me.” Laila hugs her, careful to avoid the cigarette. “Besides, I could never stay mad at you. ‘Til death do us part, right?” From within her uniform, Laila pulls out Juniper’s original set of dog tags, still as pristine as the day they were pressed.

“You kept them?”

Laila’s bright smile is all that she needs to know that things will be okay. “June, honey, of course I did. Even if I’m, y’know. I’m still your wife, and that’s still my wedding ring.”

Juniper takes a long drag, nodding. “I missed you. I need you to know that. Whatever happened to you, we can move past it together.”

“Yeah. You and me, June. That’s how it’s supposed to be.”

This is the Laila she remembers so well. Even if she’s wearing an imperial uniform, it’s her. So then, mission accomplished, right? Juniper’s got her wife back. They can just leave and start fresh.

At least, that’s what Juniper wants.

Laila runs a hand over her wife’s jacket, admiring its new patches. “Guess it’s official. Wardog’s your baby now.” This was always her hope, that one day Juniper would be squad leader. Probably not like this, though.

“Yeah. That night you flew over Volterra was our first official sortie as Wardog.” A chill runs down her spine remembering how that went. They chased each other until Argus broke away and vanished into the night.

Wrapping an arm around her wife, Laila laughs just a little. “Congrats, Captain Sladek. I hope the newbies aren’t much trouble?”

Juniper shrugs, taking a final drag and flicking the smoldering cigarette onto the rainy streets before taking Laila by the hand. “I’m ready to talk, I think.”

“C'mon, I’ve got some coffee brewing inside. Just ration shit, but I made it with love.” Laila winks, leading Juniper inside. There's a dilapidated sign above the door that reads 'Moonbeam Café.' Most of the other signs have faded away, but this one has stood the test of time.

In the years since Tarsus fell, the city was abandoned. The Empire cleaned up many of the unexploded munitions as a sign of good faith, but after the gas attacks, there was no way anyone would rebuild here. The café is in remarkable shape, just as it was the day the city fell. A newspaper dated the day Tarsus died gathers dust in a corner bin. Cobwebs and dust litter the room.

At Laila's direction, Juniper sits down at the only table left, an old booth sat in the corner nearest the kitchen – it's surprisingly dust and debris-free. The smell of coffee is strong in the air, and true to her wife’s word, there’s a small metallic pot boiling over a burner on the counter. Just like old times. When they were in the field for extended periods, she would always come prepared with a little coffee.

Juniper stares out the window at what's left of Tarsus, watching the rain spatter the abandoned streets. Hopefully, the other Wardogs are fine. She hated to run off suddenly, but this meeting had to happen. No way she’ll be able to explain it without sounding insane, but so be it.

Laila sets two steaming cups of coffee onto the table, sitting down across from Juniper. Smells like shit, but that’s ration coffee for you. “I added a bit of cream and sugar. Should give it some taste.”

It tastes like it smells, but Juniper could never turn down a cup from her beloved. “Tastes just like I remember: dogshit mixed with sugar.” She laughs, giving Laila a soft smile. “Gods, I missed you so much. Blamed myself nonstop for… I’m sorry, Lails. I wanted to save you from the hound, or die with you, or… But I-I froze up, and…”

Laila reaches across the table, squeezing her beloved wife’s hand. “It’s okay, Junie. What’s important is we’re together now.”

A quiet, awkward air fills the room. Juniper has so many questions for her wife, but fears the answers. While Laila looks…antsy, as if she wants to be anywhere but here.

“Did you know that Eris is still alive? She was…hounded like me, but deemed a failure and…” Juniper sighs. “We…we fought in Vernio. They rebuilt Ares to look like Argos…”

Laila nods. “So I’ve heard.”

“She’s part of Wardog again. Not much of a talker, but I think she’s okay now. Better than when we captured her, at least.” Juniper takes another sip of her coffee, staring at anything but her wife.

“Good, she deserves a little stability. Even if—” Laila pauses, staring out the window. “None of it is real.”

How is it not real? Eris is Eris. She isn’t on a leash, or underneath a mask. She’s just…Eris now.

The awkwardness doesn’t fade. Both lovers go quiet, staring out the window at the rainy streets of Tarsus. Juniper wants to believe Laila is just sick. She isn’t actually a handler. It’s just another one of Epsilon’s games, designed to break Juniper. After all, she’s the one responsible for so much. Why would she not want to go further?

That’s right, Laila isn’t a handler. She’s not “Subject Iota." She’s Laila Praxian, the best godsdamned thing to happen in Juniper Sladek’s life. Gods, she’s an idiot for even believing Laila's clearly hollow words.

“So…you pilot Argus?” Juniper says after a few minutes of silence.

That familiar smile comes across Laila’s face again. “Yeah. It’s not quite the old hunk of junk it used to be. They stripped down whatever was left after that attack and rebuilt it from the ground up. Funnily enough, Ixion was used as a basis for the redesign.” She laughs softly, squeezing Juniper’s hand.

“So then, those dogs—“

Laila interrupts her. “Spotters, yeah. And before you ask, yeah, I…I got your message when I shot you down in Volterra. I’m sorry, love. I wish I could have taken you back there and then. Wasn’t my mission, unfortunately.”

Juniper wishes she could be surprised. Of course it wasn't. “What was your mission, then?”

“Classified.” Laila smirks, bursting into laughter. “Kidding. No, my mission was a simple display of dominance. And it was to point you towards Gormo. After all, you weren’t well. But there was no other way to get you there.”

“How did you know? I mean, what if—“

“What if Adama approved the expedition?" Laila sneers. "No chance. Old fucker'd shove your desiccated corpse into the cockpit if it could still bag Dorus. The only reason he approved the Gormo trip is 'cause you and Ixion were at death's door."

Juniper pinches the bridge of her nose. She doesn't know why she feels an urge to defend Adama, but she does. "Okay, fair. Adama's a hardass, no denying that." She stops short of giving into the urge and pissing Laila off.

Laila narrows her eyes, but keeps smiling. "I hear the 'but' you didn't say."

Juniper sighs. Nothing gets past Laila Praxian, on or off the battlefield. "…But the old man's also in a tough position. Empire's got more manpower, more supplies, more territory, more reliable technology, more capital…" She counts each one off with her fingers. "What's Adama supposed to do, give up? Let the Empire take every—"

"YES!" Laila screams the word, gripping the table as if she's about to flip it. Her eyes are wild and full of lightning, like an angry god ready to smite a faithless mortal.

Juniper scrunches her neck between her shoulders, cowering. "L-Lails?"

"Oh." The god vanishes in an instant, and she's good old Laila again, which spooks Juniper even more than the scream. Laila gulps down another mouthful of coffee. "Gods, my throat's raw. Sorry about that." And there's that smile again. "But yes, he should give the fuck up. You all should. It's a losing war, Junebug. Just a matter of time." She twirls a lock of fiery hair, staring out the window.

Juniper sips her coffee, studying Laila. She can tell Laila is doing the same behind that pretty smile. For the first time in her life, Juniper Sladek wants Laila Praxian to look anywhere else.

“So…you set us up.” Juniper wishes she could avoid this subject forever, especially after Laila’s outburst. But she needs to know why.

Laila nods. There’s a sad look in her eyes. “Yeah, I…I did. I’m sorry, Junebug. What happened wasn’t the plan, you know?”

“No, I don’t think I do. Explain, please.” Why does Juniper feel…off? The light in here is too bright all of a sudden, and she’s short of breath and can’t quite manage to swallow. Hearing Laila’s voice again is so nice…maybe too nice?

Surely Laila wouldn’t… No, never. She’s acting strange, but… No. Juniper is just tired. She hasn’t slept well in months, and gods know she hasn’t been all there for a while. Whatever this is, it’s Juniper’s issue.

Laila leans back in the booth, rubbing her temples. “First, I should clarify one thing for you: I sold us out, but not for money. Gods, I wish it was for money. It was for you.”

“W-What are—“

“You, Junebug. Can’t be any clearer. I betrayed the rebellion and sold us out and did every single thing I’ve done since for you. Because I love you and we’re partners and you deserved to be happy. We both did.”

Juniper tries to swallow, but her throat is dry. “I don’t understand.”

“Remember, I was with you for every single sortie. I was the one who had to pick up the pieces of you and glue them back together after. You were barely fucking functional by the time I set us up. The guilt, the hero worship, Adama running both of us ragged… It was all killing you, June!” Laila wipes away a tear. “And watching you go through that was killing me. I had to do something.”

“B-but you told me—”

”I LIED, OKAY!? You think that bastard Adama would have given you a break? I asked countless times. Every time, the same bullshit excuse: he couldn't give you a break because you were too beneficial to the cause. Would have been a morale hit for people to know you were human, apparently. So yeah, I sold us out. I cut a deal with Epsilon. We'd get ‘shot down,' and walk free in exchange. But you didn't listen to me!” Laila is only getting angrier by the second, and Juniper wants so desperately to run. But she knows deep down that she deserves her partner’s fury. "YOU NEVER! FUCKING! LISTEN!"

Laila backhands her own coffee cup off the table, her full strength behind the hit. Juniper watches it soar across the room and shatter against a faraway wall.

“I…Y..Y..Y….” Juniper is speechless.

“Things would have been fine if you'd listened for once! We would have surrendered, and after an interrogation, Epsilon would have let us go free. I had her word! But you had to go and disrupt everything!” Who is this? The Laila she remembers would never have been this angry.

…Would she?

“I’M SORRY! I-I was SCARED!” Tears stream down Juniper’s face – she's unable to hold them back any longer. “I thought…I thought you were going to die and I didn’t know what else to do and, and, and you were surrounded and—“ Her words devolve into meaningless sobbing.

A switch seems to flip in Laila's head. All the anger in her expression disappears like it was never there, replaced with a soft smile. Laila sighs and shakes her head. “No, I’m sorry, Juniper. I should have been open with you, but I was afraid that you’d say something. It’s okay, I still love you." She grabs her wife's hands, staring into those gorgeous hazel eyes. "And you know something? She showed me the truth.”

“T-The truth?” Juniper stutters through tears.

Laila smiles wide again, squeezing Juniper’s hands. “That you wanted to be a hound, you needed it. Epsilon set you free from your pain and worries. She sees something unique in me, wants to help me help you.”

Juniper's hands tremble at Laila's brazen confession. She can't be serious, right? “Laila, I love you, but you’re…you’re not well!” Juniper’s heart is racing. She’s scared of what Laila might say or do next.

“Not…well? Junebug, for the first time in I don’t know how long, I'm doing great!” Laila laughs, not letting go of her partner's hands.

“What are you talking about?” A splitting pain runs through Juniper’s head. She wants to say or do something, anything, but her body refuses to fight back.

Laila laughs a little louder, unable to stop herself. “Isn’t it obvious, love? I’m a Handler in training! Except I’m missing something important: my Hound. You."

Juniper’s stomach lurches. Laila’s beaming like a blushing bride, and her hands creep from Juniper’s palms to her wrists. “Surpriiiise! Isn’t that exciting, Junebug? You and me, happy together like we always wanted! It’s our dream!” She chuckles. “Well, closest we can get in reality, anyway. Come home with me, Junie. I’ve missed you so much.”

"But we, we can leave and start a new life! I don't want to keep fighting! Why are we on opposite sides when we both want the same thing!?" Juniper shouts it with tears in her eyes. She's fought too long and too hard to just surrender.

Laila has a creepy smile on her face, as if she's plotting something. But she would never want to hurt the one person she cares about, right? "Here's the thing about that, June. We've got nowhere left to go. It's time to stop running and listen, like you should have back then."

"Back then…" Juniper stares in disbelief, shaky hands grabbing her coffee cup. “What…what happened to Coeus, the info broker?”

Laila perks up, smiling bright. “Oh, that's easy. You’d think an information broker would practice good information security, right?” Laila chuckles, shaking her head. “Honestly, I’m shocked no one splattered her brains all over her dinky little tablet before me.”

“Why!?” Juniper wants to spit her coffee out, but finds herself unable to do so.

Laila laughs, ruffling her lover’s hair. “Aw, Junebug, I had to. She knew too much. She had to go.” Laila is unhinged. There’s no other way to put it. Who is this woman, and what has she done with Juniper’s wife?

“Y’know, June’s told me a lot of sweet stories about you." Mara steps through the door of the café, pointing a handgun at Laila. "Didn’t expect you to be some insane bitch, high off gods know what. You’re pretty fucked in the head, so why don’t you stop bullshitting?”

Laila slow-claps, smirking. “Ah, and here we have the one who set this whole charade into motion, the defector. It’s so lovely to finally meet you.”

Mara sneers. “Drop the wholesome act and let June go.”

Laila rolls her eyes. “Who’s acting? I’m just happy to be with my wife again. Put that gun away, and maybe we can have a properly civil conversation.”

“Fuck you—“

“Lieutenant Saparlo, stand down.” Juniper clears her throat, interrupting Mara. "That’s an order."

“What!? But she—“

“Lieutenant, I gave you an order. Stand. Down. Now.”

Mara sighs, holstering her sidearm. “Fine, fine. But get talking and fast. I’d prefer not to shoot your quote-unquote ‘wife’.” After being ushered over, she stands with her arms folded, staring at Juniper and Laila.

“I’m sorry for her. She’s not usually this reckless.” Juniper rubs her head.

Laila shakes her head, smiling once again. “It’s okay, June. We’ve got a lot to discuss.”

“What are you talking about? We don’t have anything to ‘discuss.' Let June go, and maybe—”

Laila interrupts, clicking her tongue. “Have some respect. If I were here to hurt Juniper, don’t you think I would have by now?”

Mara gives Laila a threatening look. “Okay, so you’re here to talk. But you’re a Handler, looking to make June your hound. What more is there to discuss?”

“Oh, so many things. The way you’ve failed to protect Juniper in spite of all your proclamations, for instance." Laila takes a sip of her coffee, sighing softly. "Did you pay her any actual attention? Or did you just see her as some sexual object?”

“I—What!?"Mara slams her hands onto the table, her face going red. "I’m no saint, I admit, but at least I didn’t hand my giftwrapped wife over to some dommy-mommy freakshow with a dog kink who got her hooked on brain-hollowing juice. No, I saved her from that nutjob! So I'd say I’m doing okay, savior-wise! Better than you!"

Juniper can only watch in silence as the two verbally clash. She knows she should intervene, but she only retreats further into herself, where it’s safe.

“Do you really think I just up and betrayed June? No! Everything I’ve done up until now has been for her. I sold my soul to the Empire to save her from herself. You promised to save her, but all you've done is watch as she throws herself into more and more danger.” Laila squeezes her love’s hand, offering her a soft smile. “It’s okay, Junebug, I’ll handle this.”

Juniper nods, not saying a word.

Mara scoffs. "Aren't you the one who beat the absolute shit out of June and nearly turned Ixion to scrap? You're gonna lecture me about 'letting' my superior officer go out and get near-murdered by you? Get a grip, lady."

Laila's jaw tenses up for just a second, and she exhales a sharp breath. “Tell me something, Second Lieutenant Saparlo. In all your time with Juniper, did you even notice how much her hands trembled? Or how much she stuttered because she was afraid of herself? Or that she kept her muzzle from the kennels buried in her locker?" She gives Juniper’s hand another tight squeeze, followed by another exhale. “You didn’t save her. You damned her to more suffering.”

“I—No, but—Those are subtleties that anyone could have failed to notice!” Mara stammers.

“I NOTICED!” Laila shouts, letting go of Juniper's hand and socking Mara in the jaw. “I cut a deal. It was supposed to be simple! But do you know what happened!? June got in the fucking way, because she was scared and didn’t want to see me die!”

Mara laughs, taking a step back and rubbing her jaw. “Aw, what an inconvenience! And I’m sure that crazy bitch would have honored the deal otherwise, huh? I’m sure she wasn’t champing at the bit to fuck you over and get her a pair of prizewinning pups! ‘I had the entire remaining roster of the famous Wardog Squadron in my clutches, sir, but I let 'em get away so they could fuck in a log cabin!' Does that sound right to you?" She spits on the floor. "Oh, and for the record, you punch like a granny."

“SHE GAVE ME HER WORD! SHE NEVER LIES!” Laila stops short of throwing another punch, because she can see how scared Juniper is right now. “I’m sorry, June. I shouldn’t have let my anger get the better of me.” She sighs, sitting back down with her love.

“Gods, you really are insane, aren’t you? Fuck, even I knew never to trust that cunt.” Mara doesn’t laugh again, just looks distressed.

Juniper knows she should say something, but she's incapable of standing up to Laila. She was always the one who had it together between the two of them. When Juniper was breaking down, Laila stood firm. It would…would be wrong to…Gods, her head…to oppose her now, whennnnn she's only looking outtt for her wife. Right?

"Did Juniper ever share her past with you?” Laila locks eyes with Juniper, and the disappointment in her gaze is clear. “Or did she lie?”

Mara raises an eyebrow, folding her arms again. “Yeah? She’s told me chunks, but I never expected her whole life story. I do know we’re in her homeland, or what’s left of it.” Mara stares at her captain, studying her reaction.

“That’s cute. What, did she tell you that she was a mercenary? Unfortunately, your captain is a liar. See, the truth is that she served the Empire well before Epsilon, even before she met me. Isn’t that right, Junie?” Laila pats her wife’s shoulder.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

Juniper needs to escape, but she’s…she’s trapped. Physically she’s fine, but mentally? It feels…difficult to ignore Laila right now. “…Yeah. It’s true," she says, swallowing whatever pride she had.

“Tell her. For me?” Laila's words are sweet, Juniper can only feel the love Laila has for her in them. What was in that coffee?

“Yes, Laila.” She clears her throat and stands up, putting a hand on Mara’s shoulder. “After the Aurelian resistance fell apart, I drifted along trying to find a purpose. Or that was the plan, until I found out I had lung cancer. During the short war, I got exposed to gas, and…“ Juniper laughs pitifully at herself, wishing she didn't have to live with the memories.

Laila nods her head, motioning for her love to continue. Mara, on the other hand, stands there looking anxious.

“Docs said treatment might work, but I was broke like every other Underworld asshole. So I was pretty much terminal, and the docs gave me a year, maybe two. Got desperate, raided an Imperial Archive to pay for treatment, but all I found were the schematics for a mech. The plans for Ixion weren’t valuable, too many unknown variables for anyone to build without serious cash."

Looking back, it seems like fate that she found them. Or maybe she was cursed to. Who knows?

“I was at death’s door when some high ranking asshole came along, offered me a choice between life or death.” Juniper sighs, staring back at Laila. “I chose life. Got a new healthy set of lungs, and in exchange, I became death.”

“So what? You got a lung transplant and killed people? Big deal.” Mara laughs, pulling Juniper into a hug. “June, I love you. That’s not going to change shit.”

Juniper pushes her away, much to the dismay of the lieutenant. “It’s not… It’s not that simple, Mara. They made me their killer. Civilians on the cusp of organizing a resistance, Imperials deemed 'worthless'… Fuck, I killed children! And these weren't some accidental mech kills. I…I killed my targets with a fucking sniper rifle." Her hands twitch recounting the details.

"Yeah, they had me work as their black-ops killer in exchange for a healthy pair of lungs. They even funded Ixion as further incentive to keep me on a leash!" The tears refuse to stop falling. She can remember the faces of children losing their parents, and then…their little heads when she... All because their parents were rebel sympathizers.

Sure, she ran as soon as she could. That doesn't absolve her. Nothing ever will.

“Do you see now, Lieutenant? Do you see why Juniper carries so much guilt on her shoulders? She never told me, because she was afraid of my reaction. I only learned the truth recently, but it put everything into perspective for me.” Laila reaches over, wrapping her arms around Juniper.

“T…Th..that doesn’t matter! I love June because of who she is, not who she was! She’s…she’s a hero…to me, to so many others…” At that moment, something inside Juniper shatters. Mara was supposed to be better than this. She was supposed to see past the hype and the bullshit.

“It’s okay, June. You never have to be a hero for me. Heroes aren’t real. You, me, the lieutenant here… We’re all just killers. That’s why you should be my hound.” Juniper feels Laila’s warm, soft fingers playing with her hair, and she wants more than anything to just give in. “My obedient hound, who kills for me, obeys my every word, loves me. Hounds don’t feel guilt, just pure and selfless love, and no one puts them on recruitment posters. That’s the life you want, isn’t it?”

“It…is. Gods, I miss you, Lails. I don’t care about this war or either side. I’d do almost anything for you.” Juniper sobs, hating herself for admitting the truth. “I’m broken. I’ve been broken for a long time. And you…you still love me, even knowing—”

“'Course I do, Junebug. Nothing will ever get me to stop loving you, not as long as we’re together.” Laila holds her close, just like old times, when it was only them.

“June, what the fuck are you doing?" Mara shouts, grabbing Laila by her collar. "Do you realize what this insane bitch is doing to you!? She sold you out, and you just, you forgive her!?”

Laila clicks her tongue. “Oh, Second Lieutenant Saparlo, I’ve read so much about you. Your file is just brimming with insubordination. Honestly, I’m surprised they allowed you on that training mission.” There’s a knowing smirk on her face as she escapes Mara’s grip.

“Yeah, well, maybe it was because I know right from wrong. You, on the other hand, seem to have a few screws loose. Did the Empire fuck you up so bad you have to take it out on us?” Mara stands, glaring at Laila.

“Both of you, calm down.” Juniper says it quietly, hoping to avoid a fight and to stop her head from pounding. “Please. I…I don’t want you to fight.”

Laila sighs, nodding. “You’re right, June. I’m sorry. We shouldn’t be fighting like this.”

Mara scowls at Laila, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, fine. What do you want? Us to hug it out and be besties? No thanks.”

“I want a…nngh…civil conversation. Gods, my head is aching so bad right now.” Juniper rubs at her head, wishing for painkillers. “Please, just…don’t shoot each other.”

“I came unarmed, unlike your little turncoat. But don’t worry, June, I won’t hurt her.” Laila smirks, folding her arms against her chest.

Mara looks despondent. Can’t blame her, but she needs to stay out of things that don’t concern her. This is between Juniper and Laila – no one else.

“Mara, why did you follow me?” Juniper rubs her temples in an attempt to calm her aching head, but it's not very helpful.

Mara gives her a concerned look. “Vera went missing, and you didn’t show up to camp. Had to track you down. I’m not letting you go! Don’t you understand!?”

“I…don’t.” Juniper sighs. “I’m sorry. I keep making people worry about me…”

“You don’t get it, do you? I’m not gonna let you go that easily. Isn’t this your homeland!? What happened to liberating it!?” Mara’s face is getting increasingly redder by the second. Gods, it’s sad to watch.

Laila slides out of the booth, staring down Mara. “No, you don’t get it. Juniper isn’t some ideal to protect. She's not a damsel in distress for you to save. She’s a dog. A stray dog, tired of living on the streets. Tired of watching friends come into her life and get themselves killed. And she needs me to take her home."

“Again with the batshit lectures. Juniper Sladek is a person, not a fucking dog! Maybe you’re fucking with her head, or…” Mara steps back, staring at Juniper, hoping she’ll say something, anything to fix this situation. "…Or maybe she really does want this. But she’s not a dog.”

Laila laughs. “You remind me so much of myself when I was younger. So idealistic. Then, you start to realize the awful truth: the world is full of dogs. I'm one of the few humans left, Mara. It's a shame you're not another one - we could've shared June."

“Dog, human, you’re still a bitch.” Mara sneers.

Laila sighs and shakes her head. “I guess it’s time to bring out our final player.” She snaps her fingers, and Vera walks in from the double doors of what used to be the kitchen, a satchel at her hip. The usual fuck-you swagger in her gait is absent. She moves more like a mech than a pilot now – rigid, efficient, slightly spasmodic. But it's her glassy, unfocused eyes that turn Juniper's stomach.

“Honestly, I hate to unveil poor Vera here so soon, but…“ Laila shrugs.

“Vera!? What the fuck did that bitch do to you!?” Mara runs up to her squadmate. She waves a hand in front of Vera’s face, but there is no recognition.

Mara wheels around and punches Laila in the jaw. “You fucking cunt! What did you do to her!?”

Juniper stands suddenly, growling at her lieutenant to back away from Laila. Mara is bad, Laila said so and she knows best, right? Juniper shoves the lieutenant off her wife and throws a punch at her head.

Juniper freezes, her fist an inch away from Mara's face. The fear and shock and disappointment in Mara's eyes nearly breaks her.

“I, I, I, I….” Stammering, she backs away in horror, tripping over her own feet and landing on the floor. Mara was one of only people who gave a shit about this broken hound, back when everyone else saw her as a traitor. And Juniper…Juniper wanted to hurt her.

She really is nothing more than a feral beast, isn’t she?

“It’s okay, Junie," Laila whispers, petting her wife. "You did the right thing.”

“I…I did?”

“Yeah! After all, she’s the one who tore us apart. Don’t worry, though, I forgive you for trying to love her. You thought I was dead. She poisoned your mind.” Laila’s words soothe her wife’s fears just a little. She alwayyys knew what to sayyy, after all…

No, wait, that's not… “What did…you do to Vera?” Juniper mumbles, staring at her love. Her head feels like it's about to split open.

Laila grins, petting Juniper’s head. “The human mind is so…malleable. Give it the right stimulus and you can make it do almost anything. Our lovely Veterinarian fixed Vera up nicely. Don't worry, Junebug – she's not a hound like you. She's been given juuuust enough conditioning to have her relay information." Laila pets Vera’s head, grinning.

Vera was the traitor. Gods, Juniper is an idiot for not seeing it sooner. Eris was the obvious choice, and thus a perfect distraction from the actual traitor.

None of this is right, Juniper knows. It's all downright fucking insane.

“Oh, don’t give me that look, Junie. I even had her bring you a present, because she’s such a good helper. Isn’t that right, Vera?”

“Yes, sir.” Vera groggily salutes, barely able to stay on her feet.

At the snap of Laila’s fingers, Vera pulls a muzzle—Juniper’s muzzle—out of the satchel, presenting it to Laila. “Good girl! Now why don’t you tell your squadmates what you did for your Vet?”

Juniper should be screaming, fighting back, doing literally anything to help Vera and Mara, but every thought and action is just…slowing down.

“Yes, sir," says Vera. "Since meeting the Veterinarian, I’ve relayed all information on Wardog Squadron to Commander Praxian. Captain Sladek’s parachute unit was sabotaged by order of the Commander.” Every word out of Vera’s mouth only confirms Juniper’s paranoia, and also makes her angry with Adama for accusing Eris.

“That’s a good girl, Vera. Would you like to tell your captain what else happened?” Laila smirks.

“VERA! SNAP OUT OF IT OR SOMETHING!" Mara punches Vera hard on the arm, but she doesn’t seem to notice.

“Sir. I ensured that you and Captain Sladek would meet by replaying the subliminal message as ordered.”

Juniper stands there in shock, staring at Laila. "Wait. What did you do?"

“Ever since Epsilon greeted you in the mountains, Vera’s been making sure you hear that song you’ve got stuck in your head. It’s a little ditty from the early days of the Hound program. Project Dogwhistle, they called it back then. Play it at a certain frequency over time, and… Well, like I said, the human mind is malleable.” Laila smirks, ruffling her wife’s dirty blonde hair.

“Funny thing is, Junebug? I played the same thing for you in the days before our final mission together. Epsilon said it'd make you a little more compliant, facilitate our surrender.” She chuckles darkly, shaking her head. "Turns out fear overrides a lot of that programming.”

“Lails…w-what are you talking about? ” This is a nightmare. That's all Juniper can think.

"Aw, are you really that surprised? Not like it worked." Laila shrugs. "But what if it had, huh? Would you still be so disgusted? No, of course not, you'd be happy. We would be happy!"

Juniper stares at her in disbelief. Laila's joking, right? Right?

"Of course," says Laila, "we've been recieving information from you long before Vera showed up."

"…From…?" The room is spinning, and June clutches at her head with both hands. Everything is wrong.

“Oh, that’s right, honey. Vera here was the traitor, but don’t worry. So were you.” She blows Juniper a kiss, laughing. “You’ve been my little turncoat all along, Junebug! Every single sortie, you gave us all the information we needed."

No, that… No. Impossible. She…she would have known, right? Right?

Mara stares in horror at the revelation, punching Laila square in the gut. “You deranged bitch! You…You could have killed June! So many fucking times over! And you’re just…just laughing about it!?” Mara pulls out her gun pointing it to Laila’s temples. “I-I’ll kill you!”

“…Heh, th-that's…cute. The little turncoat thinks she can take me on.” Laila snaps her fingers, giving Vera a look. “Vera, deal with her, won’t you? Junie and I still have things to discuss, and Mara’s being a pest.”

“Yes, sir.”

“H-hey! Leggo of me! Vera! It’s me, Mara!” There is no response from Vera, who mindlessly drags Mara away.

“Juniper, up. Sit with me.” Laila snaps her fingers, and Juniper responds instantaneously, sitting back down across from her love. What is happening?

Laila sighs, staring into Juniper’s hazel eyes. “Gods, your eyes are so beautiful, you know? Reminds me of when I first fell in love with you. That cocky pilot who happily took on the ‘Angel of Death’ moniker. You were attractive back then. Still are.”

She should be scared, or trying to fight back, or doing something. Maybe it’s on account of whatever's in the coffee, but she's too blissed out to even care right now. Juniper can only smile like a lovestruck teenager talking to her crush. She has Laila back – that’s all that matters. After all, Juniper wouldddd do anything for Laaaila, wouldn’t she?

Juniper clutches her head, trying to keep her eyes open. She feels tired all of a sudden. Maybe the lack of sleep catching up to her? That would explain… No. No, Laila must've… “Whhhhat did you ppput iiin that c-c-coffeee?”

“Oh, that? Just something we use for conditioning. Gets the mind nice and compliant before the real fun begins. After all, I wouldn’t want you to try fighting me. Don’t worry, Junebug. It’s not the good stuff – it'll wear off soon.” Laila beams with pride, as if she's done something good. …Hassss she?

No, she…she hasn't. Laila had her wife back in her arms, and then she had Mara dragged away. But isn’t that because she loves Juniper? Laila would do anything for her. She sold them out because she knew it was the only way. She saiiiid…

But could Juniper accept a life as her wife’s hound? Being forced to kill whoever she's told to? …No, of course not. But it seems she no longer has a choice. Gods, she should have seen this coming. All of the signs were there.

Stupid, she’s so fucking stupid. She deserves this. And…at least it's Lailaaaa…

“I have an idea, love. Why don’t you put on the muzzle? I promise I have no ulterior motives. I just notice you staring at it.” Laila giggles, which makes Juniper giggle. Gods, it feels so gooood to be near her again. Maybe…maybe Laila does knowwww best…

“C-could you—“

Laila shushes her wife with a finger to her lips. “Say no more, love.” She guides the muzzle onto Juniper’s face, gently wrapping the leather straps around the back of Juniper’s head and pulling them taut. With a lovely smile on her face, Laila adjusts the muzzle until it fits perfectly.

Juniper breathes deep, relaxing at the feeling of the muzzle on her face. "Thank you, I… Gods, I missed wearing this. I love you, Lails…"

Laila leans in close, kissing her partner’s cheek. “I love you too, Juniper. But this moment of freedom is only temporary. I have to take you back to Epsilon. One way or another, there’s no escaping from this life anymore.”

Can't go back. Not to Epsilon, not to the Empire. Wasn't Laila supposed to be the rational one? Why is she suddenly wanting to take Juniper back to where she doesn't belong?

“…What happened to you, Lails? What about our dream?” The pain in Juniper’s head is only getting worse every time she speaks.

“Juniper, Juniper, Juniper,” Laila tuts, shaking her head. "Our dream was bullshit. You know it, I know it. There is no running from the Empire. Believe me, after I ejected from Argos, I tried. For two fucking months I ran and hid on foot, nursing a godsforsaken broken arm and a concussion. And you know what happened? Epsilon happened. She found me, brought me back. But she never even tried to hurt me. No, she had my wounds seen to, and treated me with respect."

She sighs, rubbing her right arm. “She did it because she saw the potential in me. The one person who could get you back without laying a finger on you.” Laila laughs, grinning at Juniper. “Don’t give me that pouting look, Junie. We both know this was for the best. But don’t worry, I’m not going to drag you back there while we’re still entertaining guests.”

Is this the price they have to pay to be together again? Vera mindbroken, Juniper doesn't even want to think about what's happening to Mara. This entire time, Laila saw right through Juniper. Was this really for the best?

Of course it was. She's just a brooooken animal. It’s better to just accept this and hope that whatever happens now, at leasttt she’ll be by her wife’s side again.

“I have to say, Junebug, you look happier wearing your muzzle again. Tell me, is it tight?” Laila smirks, adjusting the straps until they're almost squeezing Juniper’s face.

“Thank you, Laila…” she mumbles through the haze.

Laila pets her wife’s head, planting a kiss on the bars of the muzzle. “Tell me something, June?”

“Mm?”

“What did you feel in those final moments, before…we were separated?” Laila says it softly, reticent to speak the words.

Juniper stares off into space, recalling every emotion and feeling from that mission. “Guilt. I let you down, I… I should have been stronger, should have been better for you. I failed you when you needed me, and I-I never forgave myself. A-And look at you now! It’s my fault, isn’t it!?” These moments of clarity are fleeting. It takes so much out of her to say that without slurring her words.

Laila hums, gently caressing the muzzle. “After I finished off that Aegis, all I could think in that final moment was that I hoped you’d survive if that was it for me. I ejected and tried to pull you out, but the release wouldn’t budge, and… Look, I know you're scared. But I'm here now. You’ll be okay.”

“B-But I…I…I can’t remember what else I was going to say. Gods, my head is hurting. Fffeeels l-like…I’m gonna pass outttt…” For a brief moment, Juniper thinks she sees the moon peeking through the window of the café. But it’s so rare to see the moon…

“It’s okay, Junebug, I’m here for you. I’m not going to let you go again, not after everything we’ve gone through.” Laila says it gently, just like how she used to comfort Juniper after a nightmare.

The room is spinning and it’s becoming difficult for Juniper to focus on something as simple as speaking. Even so, she manages a question. “Wh-why…meeeee?”

Laila hums to herself, pondering for a moment. "Remember Thrace, that pilot they never stop howling about? Rebel legend, renowned ace...hero?"

Juniper nods.

"Turns out she's an obedient dog, Junebug. Just like you!" Laila strokes her wife’s hair, her fingers exploring the ponytail curiously. "Only difference is you haven't accepted what you are yet, haven't been trained to obey properly. You're the luckiest hound ever, though, because it's my job to teach you, and I love you!"

Right now, Juniper has to find whatever spark of resistance is left in her. Her wife needs help – she’s not well. But what can Juniper do about it?

“Lails, I…can’t do this.” She speaks in a quiet, strained voice, clutching her head. “Please, just let Mara go.”

Laila’s expression flips from love to fury instantly. “What.”

Juniper sighs, adjusting her muzzle. “All of, all of this. I can’t go back with you. I’ve got people who depend on me. Wardog needs me. And, and I also… I want to quit. Stop fighting.”

Juniper jumps as Laila bangs the table with her fist. “Juniper, what the fuck do you think you’re doing!? I’m offering you a chance, a fucking chance to make things better! And you’re going to, what!? Ruin everything we've built together because you had a change of heart!?”

Juniper has to tread carefully. Her beloved can destroy everything with three simple words. She takes a shallow, guiding breath. “No…No…I just…” Juniper trembles at the sight of Laila seething, practically ready to hurt her partner. “I’m free for the first time in, fuck, I don’t know. I don’t want to be under Epsilon's thumb again, but…I don’t want you to control me either.”

Laila glares at Juniper, silent and unblinking. It's the cold glare of a sniper observing a target, waiting for a clear shot.

“…I’m sorry, Lails. I love you, I do. More than anything. But…you’re not you. You’re just…deranged.” Juniper says it quietly, hoping to mitigate her wife’s rage. “I was prepared to let you do whatever, but…not to Mara. She’s innocent.”

“INNOCENT!?" Laila rises to her feet, looming over Juniper. "SHE TOOK YOU FROM ME! SUBJECTED YOU TO UNIMAGINABLE PAIN!" She must see the fear in Juniper's eyes, because she breathes deep, calming herself. "Tell me, Juniper. Do you love her?”

Juniper shakes her head. “I thought I did. But…I was lying to myself. I can’t be who she needs in life. I’m too broken. So no, I don’t love Mara.” It hurts to admit that, but Laila seems to relax a little, chuckling softly at Juniper's admission.

“So what? You're planning to run away again, because 'all you can do is run'? Fuck that, I'm giving you a chance to stop hurting." Laila spits her words, rubbing her temples. “Do you have the faintest idea of what I went through to get you here? No, you don’t.”

Juniper shakes her head and slides out of the booth with a groan. "No more running. I want to leave the battlefield, and I’d prefer to leave with you.” She extends a hand to her partner, hoping she’ll take it. "At the end of this mission, I'm walking away. Lails, I want you to come with me. We can start a new life, ditch our mechs. Hell, I'll figure a way to get rid of this implant. But I can't do it without you. My wife."

“So that’s it, then?” Laila takes the hand, holding her love close. “I’m sorry, June. This is for your own good.” Without warning, Laila rips the dog tags from Juniper’s neck, laughing as they fall to the ground. “You should have listened to me! Now you have to deal with the consequences.”

Juniper’s eyes go wide, psyche beginning to crumble. She bends down to pick the tags up, but Laila snatches them away before she can. There’s nothing left for Juniper to do but curl into a ball on the floor.

Her name, her soul, her entire being has been ripped away from her. The very concept of Juniper feels distant, almost foreign to whatever is left of this shell. No tears fall from her face, not even a whimper, just a silent acceptance of the empty static washing over her psyche.

“Funny thing," Laila says, standing over what’s left of her wife. "Snatch away a hound’s ego totem and the they collapse like a house of cards. You’ll get this back when I think you’re worthy of it, don’t worry.” The thing called Juniper squirms uselessly on the floor like a caught fish, staring at Laila's boots. “Aw, don’t give me that look, Junebug. You know I’m weak to your pouty face.”

“P-please…L-Laila…G-gimme…”

Laila sighs, shaking her head. “I hate to use this, but… Juniper: Off the Leash.” She says it in a resigned tone, as though this is a mere annoyance to her.

JuniperHound screams, eyes going wide, staring at Laila, at the one who dares to use those words. It takes all of JuniperHound’s mental fortitude to not lose themselves to the rage within. Hurts so fucking bad – their head feels like it’s splitting apart. They bash their head against the floor in a feeble attempt to stop the pain, to stop the violent feral thoughts from manifesting.

“Ssssstttttooooppppp!” Even as the blood pours from their forehead, Laila only watches, studying them like a guinea pig. "Ppppppllllleeeeeaaaaaaassssssseeeeeeeeeee!”

“Very interesting. I gotta say, Junebug, I didn’t expect this. You’ve broken the leash, haven’t you? Epsilon told me this was possible, and that some freaks actually managed to do it." She chuckles, shaking her head. "But we can’t have a broken leash, now can we?” Laila chirps, amused and upbeat. She can’t be serious?

No. No, because Laila Praxian was always the sweetest, most loving paaaartner JuniperHound could want. She…Sheeee knew best, she… No, that…that isn’t right. She—She… Fuck, they’re in incredible pain. Need to run, before…before— But there is no running, JuniperHound realizes.

Laila kneels and wraps her arms around JuniperHound's torso, squeezing them harder and harder until the thrashing dies down. Her lips brush against their ear, and she coos: “JuniperHound: Unbreak the Leash.”

“NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOO PPPPPPLLLLLLEEEEASSSSS—“ Juniper’s psyche snaps and splits and fractures all over again. She screams in agony, clawing at whatever is in reach in a vain attempt to hold herself together. This was the horrible truth that she tried so hard to bury. She never broke the leash. Worse, she wanted this all along.

Laila snaps, dragging JuniperHound by the hair to their feet. “Accept the truth! You’re nothing but a broken mutt who needs me to fix you! You live for me!" There is no love in Laila’s eyes, only rage. “Let that hound out of the prison you call your mind! Break! For! Me!" She punctuates the final word by pounding her fist into JuniperHound's stomach as hard as she can. All the breath goes out of them, and they taste copper on their tongue.

“SSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPP!” JuniperHound moans in agony, thrashing their head around and splashing bloody sputum on Laila's cheek.

They tried to survive, tried to live without any more regret and just exist. But they were never actually free. Their leash was simply longer than they thought.

“LLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIILLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

“Shame it had to come to this, Junebug, but—” Laila shrugs, releasing her grip on JuniperHound and watching in delight as her wife’s psyche fractures. “Gotta admit, this is fascinating to observe. You really are nothing but a feral beast that needs me to tame you."

A howl rips from JuniperHound's ragged throat, an animalistic screech from their deepest well of being. The truth is burning itself deep into their very essence. This is the price JuniperHound must pay for defying Epsilon Handler. What’s left of this broken dog is a glassy eyed shell, too weak to fight, too broken to resist the honeyed words of their lover, their partner, their wife, their owner.

Juniper collapses to the ground, staring dead-eyed at Laila. There is no going back from the truth, not with how deep it was burned into Juniper. Everything she fought for led to this. If she hadn’t been blinded by arrogance, she would have seen that.

“Oh, so much better! Wouldn’t you agree, my precious Junebug? You’re so much cuter with a leash, after all. And so much easier to control.” Laila giggles, stroking Juniper’s hair. “There’s just one last itsy-bitsy little thing I need to do, to make sure you don’t run…” In the sweetest, most loving tone possible, Laila gleefully says those words. “Juniper: Off the Leash.”

NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo

Juniper clutches her head, screaming in agony from the searing pain of the words. She's trying so desperately to fight the change, stay whole, but it’s no use. In the span of seconds, Juniper Sladek dies a painful death in front of Laila. There is no freedom, no hunger. Only obedience.

Hound emerges from the remains of Juniper, staring curiously at Laila. This is different than awakening in combat. There is no aggression in her, not even a slight snarl. There is simply: Love. Love for Hound's owner, the one who fixed her and made Hound Hound again. She stares at her owner with a big animalistic grin on her face.

Laila pets Hound’s head, planting a soft kiss on the bars of the muzzle once again. “I’m sorry, June. I didn’t want it to come to this, at least not yet, but you didn’t leave me much choice.” She sighs, motioning for the hound to follow. “Come on, we should…talk. Or I guess…I should.”

They step outside and into the rain once more, huddling underneath an awning. Laila strokes the shell that once was her wife, and she breaks down crying, holding the hound close. “I’m sorry, Juniper. Really! I didn’t want to use the leash! You, you, you just…refused to listen to reason, as always.You left me no choice."

She stares into Hound's dim and blank hazel eyes. “You just…you never fucking listen! Epsilon was going to let us surrender. She didn’t want any of this! She wanted to let us go. Your little side piece is wrong! Epsilon never lies! It's just… She just couldn’t let us go, not after you killed her hound…”

“Would've been a routine interrogation, you know? You and I would give her information on Volterra, maybe hand over our mechs to study, and then we’d be free. I found us a place far from here, untouched by the fighting.” Laila cackles mirthlessly. “Except, haha, I didn't do enough research! Turns out the place was untouched for a reason – the entire area was full of landmines! Hahaha!" She wipes tears from her face. "Fucking ironic, right!?”

Hound stares blankly at Laila, nuzzling against her. The rain is coming down in sheets now.

“Don’t…d-don't give me that look." She breathes deeply, trying to calm herself, but it's no use. "I know! I know, okay!? Hundreds are going to die because I sold my soul to the Empire. You don’t need to remind me! I…FUCK!” Laila punches the pavement hard. “Most of them can fucking die for all I care, but, shit, Mora? Gods, I don’t want her to die. She…she was one of the better ones, you know? She saw past the hero bullshit, gave us space to grieve.”

Hound says nothing, merely nodding along as if she understands.

“Hey… Y-yeah, you’re right!" Mara tousles Hound's hair, sniffling. "If Mora survives, maybe Epsilon can pull some strings, arrange for her capture. Good thinking, Junebug!” Laila squeezes Hound tight, refusing to let go. “When we eventually hit Volterra, though, I’m gonna put a bullet between Adama’s eyes personally. He’s the only one I care about killing.”

“Gods, I don’t even know why I came up with that stupid dream. Where would we go? What would I do? What about you? Did you ever think about that? We’re not normal anymore, June!” Laila is falling apart by the second, and all Hound can do to comfort her is nuzzle her. If there were anything left of Juniper, she would surely feel pathetic."I'm not—"

Laila forcibly turns Hound's head to face her, and then caresses her cheek. “No, of course you didn’t think about any of that! You never thought ahead, always lived in the moment, even when it cost you!" She kisses Hound's forehead. "I knew all along you weren’t a merc, Junie. You were too sweet, too…different from the other mercs I’d met. I never cared. You…you were always special. I saw through that hotshot exterior and found someone I could start a new life with. And…then I…” Laila cries hot tears that splash onto Hound’s jumpsuit, planting yet another kiss on the muzzle.

"I, I lied earlier. You weren't a traitor—not really." She brushes the neural hook on the back of Hound's neck with her knuckles. "It's this thing. It's been feeding data back since the start. Just, just data on you, not—yeah. You'd understand this if you were, well, you." She breaks into a fresh round of sobbing. "E-everything you've gone through… it's, it's my f-fault. I'm so s-sorry, Juniper."

Hound nuzzles away the tears, resting her head against Laila’s chest.

Laila strokes Hound’s hair. “You know the worst part of this? I betrayed Volterra Base and all my friends for you, but…you’re a dog. Only a dog. Isn’t that insane? And I’d do it again, too. Because I love you, even if you are just a dog.”

Laughter finally breaks through her tears. “And, and it’s okay! I’ll do the thinking for us both from now on. You don’t need to worry anymore, alright? I’ll let you be my good dog, as long as you…you kill for me.” Laila laughs again, but much sadder than before. “Gods, what was I even thinking? You're not a person. People don't wear muzzles! Epsilon wants me because I'm a person! And you… Ha! You're just a dog!" Her voice is cracking and she sounds frantic.

Hound tilts her head, but doesn't verbally respond.

“I told you, I know! I shouldn't have used the leash! But there was no other way I could make you stay. You'd have run away again, because all you do is run." Laila laughs quietly, holding Hound close. "You know, Epsilon says I might be able to meet Thrace, if I prove myself." She strokes Hound’s hair, laying back underneath the torn awning.

Hound stares at Laila, nuzzling her hand. “I wish we could have found the resolve to leave on our own. Truth is, I-I was even weaker than you were. Falling apart at the seams. Guess that's obvious now, heh. But, but I put on a brave face for you, because I knew you had it worse.”

“After we lost Eris, I…wasn’t the same. Part of me died that day, realizing I’d never hear her laugh again. Except…except I found her alive in the kennels! Do you know how long I spent staring into those dull glassy eyes searching for anything familiar?" The rain picks up, pounding against the cracked street. "Thing is, Eris was dead. That was my first lesson: the broken dog in front of me wasn’t Eris. It just wore her face." Laila laughs through her sobbing, holding Hound in her arms. "Epsilon says I have a lot to learn still, and she intends to teach me."

Laila dries her tears, steeling herself, and stares up at their two mechs. “None of this has been easy. I wasn’t supposed to make contact in the domed city, only deliver those two vials to the Vet. But…” She laughs a bit more. “I couldn’t help it. Sure, Epsilon chewed me out after, but I…I saw you again after so long.”

There’s a sigh and then she slaps herself. “No! Can’t fall apart now! Just…just need to remember what Epsilon told me. Turn my guilt into a weapon. After all, there’s no other way to save you, Junebug. She was right – you wanted this, deep down.” She scratches underneath Hound’s chin, perking up at the happy reaction. "And I want what you want, you know? We're partners."

She leans back, idly stroking Hound’s hair. “Mm, this won’t do. Your hair is cute like this, but I don’t like that hair tie. Hand it over, Hound. Oh, and your lighter too.”

Hound undoes the ponytail and hands over the hair tie and lighter. She doesn’t understand why Laila wants them, but Hound doesn't need to understand. Hound is only Hound, after all.

Laila drops the hair tie to the ground, where Hound can see. "You know, I have been watching you, Hound. Way back when, I planted a bug in my old camera. Someone was stealing from me then, and I wanted to catch them. Reactivated it to keep an eye on you. Short version: I've seen everything you and the defector have done in our bed.” Laila flips open the old metallic lighter and burns the hair tie in front of Hound. “Shame she’s just another dog. She’s kind of cute.”

Laila’s mouth twists itself into a big bright smile. “In a world full of dogs, I’m so happy to say that I’m human! And you, Junebug? You aren’t! You sealed your fate the moment you put on that muzzle. Doesn't it feel good?”

She waits for a response from Hound, and then snorts. “Oh, who am I kidding? You can’t respond. Dogs don’t speak, do they? No, of course not. That’s why I can still make everything right. Epsilon will be so happy with me! She’s already taught me so much, but the real training begins when I bring you back! This is the only way we’ll be able to live out our dream, but I’m okay with that! And I know you’ll be okay with it too, eventually!" Laila stands, motioning for Hound to kneel at her side. Taking a moment to find her resolve, she clenches her fist tight. “Juniper: On the Leash.”

Hound is submerged in Juniper once more, awaiting the moment it's called for again. But Juniper doesn’t come to right away. She’s still reeling from the loss of her dog tags and the pain in her head. It takes her a minute to stagger to her feet, holding on to the chipped brick wall to ground herself. Laila is there to comfort her, but she isn’t Handler. Handler would rewaaaard her. Laila is just trying to hurt Juniper.

Realizing what happened, Juniper bursts into tears. "Laila…why?"

“I’m sorry, Juniper. This was the only way.” Laila says it in a low voice, almost like she’s been crying. “We have to finish things, you know?”

“Finish things!? Lails, we can just leave! It’s…it’s not too late. Please!” Juniper cries, grasping at her lover’s uniform. “Please, we can forget all this and just live our lives…”

Laila shakes her head, holding her wife in her arms. “We can’t. I’m sorry.”

“W-what are you talking about!?”

“Look, June, you need to wake up and stop with this fantasy bullshit. If we run, Epsilon will find us. If we go back to the rebels? They’ll fucking execute us! I sold them out. Get it through your thick fucking skull, love!” she shouts, digging her nails into Juniper’s flightsuit. "This is the only option left!”

“Lails, please just listen to me. We can walk away right now. Fuck the Empire, fuck the rebellion. We can be free! It doesn’t have to end like this! There’s still a chance for us to—“

Laila shushes her with a finger, shaking her head. “You know as well as I do there are only two ways this can end. Either you kill me, or I seize every opportunity to make you see why you belong at my side.” Laila pulls her wife into a tight hug, refusing to let go. “I’m sorry, love, I really am. But there’s no way around it.”

She passes something into the left pocket of Juniper’s jacket, still holding her tightly. Her lighter, but with a note attached. "Meet me at these coordinates by 0800, or I'll have no choice but to hunt you down, my love. I promise this isn’t a trap. No spotter dogs, no leash, no tricks at all. Hell, I'll even give the dogtags back so you're all there. I want to fight you on equal terms, one last time. Just the two of us.” Laila whispers, breaking the hug.

“Lails! Wait! We…we don’t have to do this!” Juniper shouts as Laila walks off.

She pauses underneath the open canopy of Argus. “Mara and Vera are in the back storeroom. Don’t worry, they’re both alive, or should be.” A small rope deploys, lifting Laila into the cockpit. “I love you, Juniper. I’ll see you again very soon.” In only seconds, Argus clears the ground with a quiet hum to its engines.

Laila is gone again, and it hurts worse this time. They were supposed to get out of here, go someplace better. And instead…instead, Laila wants to fight.

Juniper could punch a wall right now, if she didn't hurt all over. All she can do right now is cry. This shouldn’t have to end in one of them dying. There has to be a better way!

She staggers in from the rain, stumbling through the old cafe. Nothing makes sense anymore. The pieces holding this broken mutt together have all collapsed, and a world of searing pain is all that's left. Every waking second is agony.

Juniper busts open the storeroom door with her shoulder, using what little strength she has left. Inside, Mara is bloodied but breathing. Vera, though, it’s hard to tell. Her face is covered in blood, and flaps of torn jumpsuit fabric drape around the knife stuck in her gut. Gods, it’s sickening to look at.

“H…heyyy, Sladek.” Vera strains a laugh. “Guess I’m…the traitor, eh?”

“Vera, what happened?” Juniper kneels next to Vera, squeezing her hand. “Hey, don’t die on me, okay? We still got a mission.”

“S…she—“ Vera coughs. “Fuckin’ Mara stabbed me, 'cause I wasn’t in control of myself. Snapped…snapped me out of it, but…heh… Guess I’m finally…getting what I deserve.” She wheezes, slumping against the wall. “D-Do me a favor, pull out the knife? If I’m gonna die, I’m gonna do it on my terms.”

Juniper nods, easing the knife out. Vera doesn’t scream. She just closes her eyes and smiles, as if accepting her death. “I’ll get you patched up. You need a medevac.”

“Fuck that,” Vera wheezes, giving Juniper a shaky middle finger. "Sladek, I’m fucked. Look at me. Even if you lug me back to Volterra, they’ll kill me for betraying the rebellion. I got nowhere left to go." She lolls her head vaguely to the left. "Y’mind? Left jacket pocket, my smokes?”

The world is cruel and uncaring. That’s the lesson Juniper has learned, over and over.

“Yeah.” She takes a cigarette from Vera's pocket, guides it between Vera’s lips, and lights it. “Anything else?”

Vera shakes her head, closing her eyes and yawning. “Nah. Figure I’m gonna see Nyx soon. I…I should be good. Get Mara out of here. She doesn’t deserve to watch a stupid bastard like me die.”

Juniper slings Mara’s arm over her shoulders. “Hey, Mara. Time we get out of here.”

“June? What happened?” Mara says groggily. Juniper helps her to her feet. “Last thing I remember was… Shit.”

“Yeah, Vera’s not doing so good. She, uh, she wants me to leave her here.” Juniper says quietly, hating herself for being unable to help a comrade She's useless, time and time again.. “Come on. We need to go.”

Mara scoffs. "You’re gonna listen to her!?"

Vera laughs weakly, shooing them off. “Gods, I’m not…asking for a bullet in my brain, Saparlo. Just…space."

“She needs a medevac, she needs—Fuck, I don’t have any medical supplies, medevac would be near impossible here. Fuck!” A panicked Mara slips free of Juniper’s grasp. “Why are you just standing there!? Fucking help me, godsdammit!”

“Mara. We can’t.”

Mara kneels down next to Vera, crying and squeezing her hand. “FUCK YOU! YES WE CAN! WE HAVE TO GET HER OUT OF HERE!”

“Mara. I’m your commanding officer, I don’t wanna pull rank, but—“

She interrupts Juniper, in a desperate attempt to save the fallen Glass. “June, I know you don’t like her, but we have to do something. She’s…She’s a Wardog, isn’t she!?”

Juniper sighs. “I know. But we don’t have the equipment, I’m…I’m not good either, and…fuck. I’m sorry, Mara, but we have to leave her.” She keeps losing squad members, and each one hurts a little more than the last. This time it was Vera. Eris or Mara might be next. All Juniper’s fault for being a terrible squad leader.

“Come on, give her some space.” Quietly, she bows her head, taking Mara out of the room. “I’m sorry about Nyx.”

“Fuck off, you sappy cunt.” Vera says, coughing. “Get out of here and…close the damn door, so…so I can die…peacefully. I’ll see my bitch sister…soon enough, and then…” She's silent once more, leading Juniper to close the door.

“Vera’s…dead?” Mara stammers out in disbelief. "I…I killed Vera!?"

“…Yeah.”

As soon as they get outside, Mara spills her guts on the cracked pavement. “She’s fuckin'… She's dead! Was there really nothing we could do? Feels like they sent us out here to die. Gods, I…FUCK!” She punches through the glass window, screaming out in frustration.

“I dunno anymore. Look, I’m…I’m sorry, Mara. I got you involved in my mess, and I shouldn’t have. Go find Aurora and Eris, tell them what happened, that the Aurelia op's fucked. Figure out what to do next." Juniper walks off towards her mech, not wanting to leave Laila waiting.

“W-What are you talking about, June!? We can just leave and forget this entire stupid mess, right?” Mara laughs nervously, to no response. “Right, June? I mean, we love each other. Isn’t that enough?”

Juniper shakes her head, leaning against the leg of her mech.. “…I’m sorry.”

“W-What are you talking about!? We love each other, right!? Let’s just fuck off and forget the war!” Mara is getting desperate, but—

“Mara.” Juniper looks her in the eyes. “I don’t love you. I’m sorry.”