• • Sunset: Heroes of the Milky Way
• September 13, 2025

Sunset: Heroes of the Milky Way (Chapter 24)

Clayton Knight

The Second Plan

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“So, Terra… is the Tutor working?” I ask. I still think that’s such a dumb and basic name for the thing.

“I’m not sure honestly,” he admits to me. 

It was hard to not be sarcastic. “Wow, how helpful.”

His face scrunches at me. “Rom’s learning, but I’m not sure if it’s going to be enough. For every topic he understands, he wastes too much time on another one.

“He’s trying to cram over a decade of education in a week.”

“Sounds like he’s behind schedule.”

Terra’rork answers with a nod of his head. “He’s learned half of the subjects Alloya wanted him to learn, though compared to everyone else before him… Rom is the most prepared.”

That’s not encouraging.

“Can he win?” I ask another question. Terra’rork looks at me sideways, definitely annoyed with my game of ‘20 questions.’

“It’s certainly possible if they pick a subject he knows, but that’s a fifty-fifty shot and I’m being generous. Then if that subject is chosen, that is also a twenty-five to seventy-five shot if it’s multiple choice,” he continues to explain. 

I’m not gonna lie, I don’t really listen to this. I hear him…

“There will be three sections. One project, one verbal explanation, and a series of questions. He won’t win the verbal explanation based on bias alone. We want him to win the project section and the-”

“Quiz,” I interrupt.

… but I’m not really listening.

“Yes, a series of questions,” Terra’rork tries to re-clarify.

Being the pain in the ass I am, I re-re-clarify, “You mean a quiz.”

Terra’rork gives me a look that just screams, ‘Not today,’ and he looks back to his monitor on the bridge of the ship.

I turn to leave and tell Terra’rork, “I’m going to look for them.”

“If Rom is still using the Tutor, they’ll be in the lounge!” Terra’rork calls to me.

“Thanks!”  

I see Rom wearing the helmet in a current session of class, sitting on the lounge couch across from Alloya, who’s back is towards me. I quickly move to hop up and over the couch and sit next to her. When I land I try to crack a dumb smile, like I used to. 

Maybe it is time for us to just try to be friends again. We were friends before…. forget that, let’s not dwell on that. When I look up to smile at her, she looks at me with a frown.

Well that’s not good, because I know I didn’t do anything.

I ask her, “What’s wrong?”

Then she lifts up her hand towards Rom, and says, “This.”

People are being very vague today. “I need more than just ‘that.’” I mimic her hand motion at the same time.

“I thought this would work, trying to teach him,” she complains. “I figured, I could just plop a teaching machine on his head, let it test him on a subject enough, and maybe after three, four times, he’d get it down. Then we have subjects that take fifteen, twenty tries, and then he needs to take long breaks.”

I think that was definitely an unrealistic expectation, but with the unrealistic expectations she has for herself, I guess I should have saw this coming. 

I point out, “He isn’t a Guardian, he has physical limits.”

Then she scowls. “I understand that, but the physical limits wouldn’t be that big an issue if it weren’t for his mental limits.”

“What do you mean?”

“Guess what subject he keeps getting stuck on? History,” Alloya states as if it’s definitely the worst thing ever. History was definitely the easiest subject for me in school, what’s Rom’s problem? She starts again, though more softly and understanding this time. “The Riverti use a different history for the tests than what they teach the Watree, if they’re taught at all. His brain just can’t get past their version of things, as if either one is 100% true.” 

“So, let’s just skip history and come back to it later. Haven’t you done that before?” 

“Yeah, sure, we have skipped and gone back to one subject,” Alloya fumes again as she holds up for one finger for effect. “That subject is the one we’re trying again.”

I make a look of surprise. I ask her, “Why is history so important?”

“History has been almost exclusively used in the quiz portion of the mental challenge, and he needs to win two out of the three matches to win the mental challenge.” 

After she explains that, I lean back and rub my hand over my face. These goddamn challenges are so complicated. Then again, that’s probably the point. If only the privileged little shits know how to play the game, they can’t lost, and they can placate the ones who aren’t able to know any better.

“How do you know that history is the most popular subject? How do you do all this research?”

Alloya looks at me like I should know better. “We have an advanced supercomputer on the ship, and with the power I have, I read and memorize things easier and faster than you.” I feel like that had two meanings. “If you actually tried to, you could probably do something similar.”

Okay, snap at me why don’t ya, asshole.

“Didn’t you say that you had a second plan?”

Her eyes brighten up, and then instantly look more disappointed, then her disappointment turns to anger. “I remember, and I don’t want to use it. It’s not something that I want to do. It’s a lot of risk for a lot of reward, and the reward is just that everything is ruined for everyone.” 

This idea of hers must be pretty dark and heinous. Usual coming from her.

But not from me.

“Then I’ll do it,” I tell her. 

She turns her head in shock towards me. “What? No. I won’t let you do something that I’m not even sure I would do myself. Worthy leaders don’t tell their soldiers to do things they wouldn’t do themselves.”

Then I smile and tell her, “Then maybe it’s a good thing I’m your friend before your soldier, even when you’re being a dick.”

I can see it in the way her face twitches that she wants to smile. Then we’re interrupted.

“So what’s the plan?” 

We both turn to see Rom taking off the Tutor helmet.

Alloya narrows her eyes at him suspiciously. She practically interrogates him, “I notice that this session was longer than usual. When did it end? How much did you hear?”
“Only enough to prove to me that victory is not assured, and that’s unacceptable to me, I have to make sure this works.”

I chuckle and tell him, “The stones on you. Before you were okay with only winning the one challenge. What changed?”

“Time,” he answers simply, “I’ve been thinking about what you said, and why I was doing this. What is the point in training if not to win? How would we even train someone if I lose? You’re not all going to be here in twenty-five years for the next tournament, if they even have one at this rate, and with the current Guardian on the Riverti’s side, odds are the next one will be too. He will be there to win the endurance challenge.” I smile since I am impressed that Rom seems to have finally figured out the point. “It’s now or never to make a change. If it looks like I’m going to lose, can you wait until then to fall back on this second plan?”  

Alloya assures him, “That would probably be the best time to do it.” 

Then she hesitates. 

“Rom, it includes you, and it can’t be done without your cooperation, and to be honest, I wouldn’t blame you if you become disgusted with me for even thinking of it.”

I look at her in confusion. I’m trying to wrap my head around what she could possibly be thinking. Then I remembered I said I would do it for her.

Rom responds to her with conviction, “Let me decide that. Please Captain, I want someone to help us even if I can’t. I’d sacrifice anything so people aren’t living in caves because hundreds of years ago we decided to hate each other..”

Alloya lifts up her chin and looks at him sternly. “Are you sure of that? This isn’t going to be something you can walk away from.”

“I am,” Rom answers. “Tell me this plan already.”

Alloya’s face grows into one of sorrow. “First, you must realize something Rom. Sometimes people need a martyr more than they need a champion.”