Chapter 4

My friend Qikeliyah, I knew you would understand that little game.

Hacking the AI special envoy from the Department of Legal Affairs took less time than I expected. Before The Alliance catches on, we probably have one last safe exchange.

To keep it short—

I’ve had a long talk with Yog about his future. As I understood, he has no desire to return to his former way of existence.

So, what needs to be done next is clear. I’ll find a way to secure a legal identity for Yog—maybe even arrange a starship for him. He can integrate himself into any race within The Alliance, and hiding won’t be too difficult. As for me, once I confirm his safe departure, I’ll turn myself in. Oh, and I should probably restore our special envoy—he’s actually a decent guy.

I must truly be unfit to be a Starfarer. You see, defying rules excites me far more than following them.

Before making this decision, I thought long and hard. I understand The Alliance’s reasons for wanting Yog to remain in his original orbit. For that star sector, he isn’t strictly essential—but The Alliance’s concern isn’t about that desolate region. It’s about what Yog might do once he leaves it.

Imagine if a planet, similar in size and mass to our homeworld, suddenly appeared near it. The gravitational and orbital disruptions would be catastrophic.

The Alliance’s fears are justified—but I know Yog wouldn’t do that.

Saying “I trust him” sounds hollow, emotional, and entirely subjective—but I do trust him.

He isn’t the type of villain who dreams of destroying worlds. He has his own philosophy of life and knows how to find joy in it. He loves sweets, follows recipes while cross-referencing molecular models to synthesize all kinds of pastries, and prefers happy endings over tragedies because he empathizes deeply—sad stories genuinely affect him.

If you didn’t know he once existed as a planet, he’d just seem like any ordinary lifeform—like you or me—full of curiosity and yearning for freedom.

He wouldn’t want to be trapped in a fixed orbit again.

That’s my judgment.

The post-festival evacuation rush is the perfect opportunity. The remote location of the Azathoth Star Sector and its poor communications will buy us more prep time.

So, that’s it. Time for me to act.