And that’s when it became clear—
the entire time the head of the SECRET ORDER—Rex—and his subordinate Magus were calmly discussing the fate of the characters…
the Drone,
lying there on the ground,
had been streaming all of it live
to the entire galaxy.
The secret had become…
very public.
The dreadnought carrying Rex slowly rose into the sky,
and no one on board knew yet
that the secret order had just become the galaxy’s main stream. Meanwhile, the galaxy was arguing in the comments—
whether triangles were really a symbol of the Illuminati
or just a convenient shape.
The stream comment section was losing its mind:
TruthSeeker999: I KNEW IT. I ALWAYS KNEW. THE TRIANGLES WERE THE CLUE 🔺🔺🔺
ConspiracyCore: CONNECT THE SHAPES IT WAS OBVIOUS
FreeMemer: OKAY WHERE’S MY ILLUMINATI MONEY 💰
FreeMemer: I’ve been spreading memes for free for 5 years
KennyLives: THE ILLUMINATI KILLED KENNY
KennyLives: I’VE BEEN SAYING THIS
CapsLockDemon: AUTHOR WHY DID YOU KILL KENNY?!?!?!
CapsLockDemon: I KNEW THIS WAS ALL THE ILLUMINATI
ParanoidUser77: AUTHOR STOP STEALING MY WIFI PASSWORDS 😡
AngrierUser88: no seriously give me back my phone photos you piece of shit
FlatNebulaSociety: THIS IS FAKE
FlatNebulaSociety: nebulae are actually flat
CooperateNow: Dear Illuminati, if you’re reading this—I’m ready to cooperate 🤝
SelloutDetected: bro folded instantly 💀
TriangleMaxxer: WE KNEW IT WAS THE ILLUMINATI ALL ALONG 🔺
TriangleMaxxer: TRUST THE GEOMETRY
BurgerInspector: HEAD OF THE ORDER STOP EATING BURGERS AND CONFESS 🍔
FoodWatcher: WHAT KIND OF BURGERS THO
“Unverified claims regarding ‘triangular governance structures’ are spreading rapidly.”
But Dick and Jackie didn’t even look.
Jackie still held the bottle in one hand.
With the other, she caught the incoming drone.
“Alright, that’s enough streaming for you,” she muttered.
And hurried after Dick.
They moved fast, trying to reach Shiori as quickly as possible. Around them, the space marines were already restoring order: pinning down the rowdy ones, shoving them into armored carriers—rough, but not unnecessarily cruel—checking the residents of Dumsta, and dispersing bystanders, ordering them to either move along or get back to their business.
Some still tried to argue. Some shouted. But next to gray armored suits, arguments didn’t last long.
Watching all this, Jackie suddenly started humming quietly to herself:
“Crows fly ’round, they holler ‘Caw, caw, caw.'”
Dick turned and gave her a sideways look.
“What the hell are you mumbling, baby?”
Jackie reached out toward the holo-tablet, silently asking for it.
Dick shrugged and placed it in her hand.
She activated the holo-screen.
“Just remembered a song from Saga of Code,” she said.
“Feast on My Bones. Band’s Red Rodeo Chilly Riders.
Cover’s by old man Harlan ‘Drywind’ Cutter.”
She gave a sly smile.
“While we’re walking… wanna play it?”
Dick nodded.
“Ah, fuck it. Go ahead. Still got a couple minutes.”
Jackie tapped the player.
A raspy voice—Harlan Cutter’s—flowed through the streets of Dumsta, mixing with the rumble of armored carriers and the distant crackle of burning buildings.
The dust began to settle along with the rain, carrying the smell of the ocean.
The panic slowly faded.
Dick muttered under his breath:
“The galaxy’s gone to shit… but it’s still alive. Like always…”
Blindy and Zeros, Shiori and Airi were already inside the bar.
Dick and Jackie stopped at the entrance and looked up at the neon sign:
Three Tits
and below it—
No fists, life hits.
Rain hammered the pavement. Neon, mixed with firelight, blurred across puddles, turning the street into a crooked mirror of dancing lights.
Everything around stayed the same: poverty, street gangs, illegal implant vendors, prostitutes of every possible configuration.
The smell of blood, burnt wiring, and cheap plastic hung in the air, soaking into every corner—even in the middle of destruction.
But the bar was still standing.
Dick took a deep breath and said in his baritone:
“Well… what do you say, Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ Rho…
the hottest DJ in the entire fucking galaxy…
YOU READY?”
Jackie looked at him, nodded, and smiled.
“I’m ready.
What about you, the one and only, everybody’s favorite Dick Melody—ready?”
Dick smirked and shook his head.
“Hell no, I’m not ready.
But fuck… has that ever stopped us?”
He nodded toward the door.
“We came all this way—might as well go in.
Take a look at this dump.
Didn’t travel light-years for nothing.”
He shrugged.
“Would be a shame not to see it.” They went inside.