#not 100% sure if phanty planted the bombs on the HAT-1 before or after killing metis but we're assuming after for this one

[attorneys-against-court-violence]

The alternate series of events where Metis kills the phantom instead is kind of hilarious? And we needed to expound on it.

Picture this; you're Athena Cykes, bounding toward the robotics lab like a bunny with a drawing you want to show your mother. She hasn't been there for you in the ways you needed, but you still love her and want to show it in the ways you know how.

The door opens. First thing you see is your mother, standing aggressively, looking weirdly downcast and angry. The second is her katana, stained in a shade of red you've never seen before (as ridiculous as that fact was, in hindsight). The third is this... man? You think? On the floor motionless. He looks... broken. That same red liquid seems to be leaking from him, like one of the many machines in the Space Centre leaking oil. You connect the dots and realise your mother's hurt someone. Badly.

Just after that clicks, your mother stands upright and turns to you. Blissfully setting aside that this is a fucked-up thing for a kid to see, she beams a smile your way and says "Good afternoon, Athena." with all the warmth in her heart. Like she hadn't just irreparably damaged a grown-ass man in her own workspace and home. You're not sure if her voice is re-assuring or just plain uncanny but at least she's safe? And a murderer now?

Who the hell even was that guy?

WHAT WAS HE DOING THERE?!

Answers will have to wait while you're ushered out the room and back to the psych lab. Metis leaves you with PONCO to keep you safe while she deals with the. Situation. She sounds about as panicked as you are behind the assurance but she's always been better at handling such things. That or it's her resting flat tone doing the heavy lifting. Showing her emotions is something she was never so good at.

Simon arrives shortly after and helps Metis with the incident, later informing his co-workers that this "phantom" they had been chasing for so long had been felled by his impeccably skilled mentor. Perhaps he's alive enough to be arrested and face the consequences of his actions, maybe he karked it when the blade entered his body. Either way, justice is served for this total stranger who you didn't even know was a bad guy when you stumbled onto his body. It's been a baffling and frightening day. Conflict of interest prevents Simon from prosecuting but he ensures that whoever happens to be defending her can plead self-defense and reduce/mitigate her sentence without trouble. At least you won't be separated from her over any of this.

Aura doesn't really seem to care that a man died in the laboratory. If anything, she's disgusted that someone would try to hurt Metis and frankly a little too excited over the idea of Metis killing someone who had it coming stone-dead with no remorse. It's only mildly worrying - Aura's just like that and she's exceptionally biased towards your mother for... reasons you find too complex to understand for now.

The HAT-1 launch goes forward as planned. That drawing of yours from the day prior becomes quite the conversation starter for years to come.

It's almost morbidly amusing. The Blackquills seem to think so, anyway.