Ester knew she was going to have to fight to steal her father's ship. She had hoped that she wouldn't have to, to the point that she hadn't even bothered to check Hwarang's weapons systems until now. She breathed a sigh of relief as the system reported back a functioning beam pistol and an uncompromised mounted machine gun. She readied both weapons' targeting systems and prepared for the worst as she closed in on her family's hangar. Two guards in standard issue light mechs appeared from behind the entrance and opened fire. Hwarang's bulletproof coating stopped even the heavier shots from causing any major damage, but it would wear down before she could run past them and get Hwarang in the ship's mech bay. Ester readied the beam pistol and started shooting at the mech causing the most damage; the larger of the two, about fifteen meters tall, holding a shotgun. She tried to shoot to disable the mech's weapon itself, but the guard ended up taking the hit to their mech's chest. The door to the cockpit melted away as the beam dissipated, and the pilot looked up at Ester as she pulled the trigger again before she realized what had happened. She locked eyes with him through Hwarang's display as he disappeared from existence, and she bowed her head in shame. Before she could plead for forgiveness from someone who could no longer hear her, she was cut off by a large blast to Hwarang's left side.
The smaller mech had pulled out a grenade launcher, and was using it to try and avenge his partner's death. The blast threw Hwarang into the wall around the hangar, and Ester rocked herself back to the present as she recovered. She'd have time to think about what just happened once she got away, but for now, she needed to make sure that she didn't end up like that dead guard. She knew that even if she had gone along with her family's plans for her, she would've ended up killing someone eventually, but she had hoped it wouldn't be quite so soon. And she had really hoped that she wouldn't have to do it tonight, let alone twice, just to escape her father's clutches. But she couldn't wrestle with the weight of that now, especially since Hwarang was looking like it couldn't take another direct hit from that grenade launcher. Ester used Hwarang's shoulder mounted machine gun to pepper the smaller mech and distract it from firing anything explosive as she readied the beam pistol again. She took aim, closed her eyes, and squeezed the trigger three times. Once she opened her eyes, the charred remains of the second mech and its pilot were laid out on the ground in front of the entrance to the hangar. Ester choked on her own guilt for a moment before moving on to the hangar and into the Gwiseon's mech bay. She docked Hwarang, pulled a pistol from her bag, and slung the bag over her shoulder. As she observed the mech bay, she was almost glad to be in a ship so familiar to her. It felt like home, and now she would get to take it with her. She hit the button to close the mech bay door with the side of her fist and entered the cockpit. She tossed her datapad on the console and placed her hand on the main screen to bring the ship online. As the engine warmed up, the ship's radio crackled on. "You know, Jin, I didn't actually think you would be able to do it." Ester's father boomed through the ship.
"Motherfucker, of course you would–" Ester started to protest as her father cut her off.
"That's no way to speak to your father. You will address me with respect. You try to steal my ship? After everything I've done for you?" her father said sternly.
"You haven't done shit for me and you know it. The second you had a reason to shut me away from the world and hide your shame, you did. You act like I don't exist! You hate me for wanting better for myself!" Ester shouted back at the nearest speaker, tears forming in her eyes. "And you're such a fucking coward that you knew I would end up here, and you couldn't even bother to show up in person."
"Why would I need to? I have every way to stop you from escaping from the comfort of home. I'll be seeing you soon, anyhow. What does it matter if it's after the guards have pulled you out of that ship or before?" Yujun chuckled as he clicked something loud enough for Ester to hear it.
"Do you think I'm that stupid?" Ester laughed as she relaxed from her previously tensed stance. Her datapad had just finished transferring ship access to her — and only her — and she was just relieved that it had worked before he pressed any button. Her father loved dramatic flair, and delaying his final move until she was able to make sure she had access was easy; the fact that she was able to yell at him and get some catharsis out of it was just the cherry on top. "I cut you off from being able to talk to me anymore, but if you can hear this, thanks for the ship, Dad. Hope I never see you again," she gloated as the ship took off. The second she was clear of the hangar's doors, Ester leaned into the throttle and flew towards her future.
