“Come on,” Elias said, slightly irritated. “There’s got to be some sort of update.”

  Commander Garrin sat in front of them. The shorn’s broad shoulders were set in that usual, unyielding stance. His eyes never left the data pad in front of him, forearm-blades slightly moving as he continued to swipe through information, each decision made with the precision of someone used to making life-or-death calls without hesitation.

  "We’re doing everything we can," Garrin's voice was deep, almost mechanical. “But as you are well-aware, the only source of anything that could possibly help your planet is located in Conservatory-controlled space.”

  They sat in one of the many war rooms throughout The Resolute Wind, this one being the base of operations for Commander Garrin’s teams. The hum of the ship’s engine was a constant undercurrent, a steady reminder of the distance they were putting between themselves and the slowly degrading planet Nox. Inelius shifted where he stood, leaning against the large circular holo-display in the center of the room. It was currently showing information for a dozen various operations the Commander was keeping tabs on. Elias stood beside him, posture rigid as he faced Garrin.

  “We’ve got a ton of feelers out,” Commander Garrin continued. “Info sources inside the Conservatory, pirate contacts, ruin hunters looking for old technology that might be able to help.” He didn’t look up from the pad, but his tone carried the weight of someone who had been doing this far too long to give false hope.

  “So you keep getting the benefit of our services,” Elias said dryly, exchanging a glance with Inelius, “And we just have to keep waiting while our home slowly bakes.”

  They had been sent on a handful of smaller support ops for the LU over the past several weeks, nothing as intense as Orryx Station, but each had carried some sort of danger. Some missions they deployed together as a full team, as they had on Orryx, others they split up to take on separate ops, or only a couple members were requested for LU support. Aurania had obliged the requests, but she was quickly getting irritated with any deployment that separated her team.

  They’d been tasked with securing supply runs to remote colonies where pirates were known to stage raids, often ambushing supply ships in isolated sectors of space. The encounters with these pirates were tense, full of narrow escapes, and sometimes outright firefights. They’d also participated in reconnaissance missions, scouting unknown regions of space for signs of illegal weapon manufacturing, running into hostile, rogue factions who were determined to keep their operations secret at any cost.

  Then there were the planetary ops. They'd been on a few missions to evaluate the conditions of worlds on the fringes of Union-controlled space, planets struggling with uprisings or unstable environmental conditions. One such mission had turned deadly when they had to exfiltrate a civilian research team from a planet slowly becoming inhospitable due to shifting tectonics, leading to tremors and devastating collapses.

  The most recent operation had involved investigating a deserted station in deep space, a once-thriving outpost now left to decay. The station had been abandoned for years, its systems in disarray and power levels dangerously low. The mission was to recover any remaining data that might benefit the Union and, although they had managed to salvage some useful technology, the place had felt like a tomb.

  As Inelius and Elias made their way through the darkened halls with Riza and Violet, the silence was oppressive, broken only by their footsteps. It had been eerily quiet, almost too quiet. Some of the station’s sections were sealed off by collapsed infrastructure, while others seemed untouched, as though frozen in time. There were signs of a hasty evacuation, scattered personal items left behind in the chaos.

  The unsettling part wasn’t the environment itself, but the nagging feeling that the station’s abandonment wasn’t just a result of age or natural decay. There had been no sign of the crew that had once operated it, and the mission quickly turned into a search for answers. A strange chill ran through the group, unsure whether they were dealing with a simple, forgotten station, or something more dangerous. The mission was taxing, not just physically, but mentally, as the unknown hung heavily in the air.

  Each mission had brought its own brand of uncertainty and risk. And each one added to the feeling that they were no closer to helping Nox.

  Garrin finally looked up, meeting Elias’s gaze, his expression neutral but with a flicker of irritation. “We’re pushing as hard as we can for answers. We have committed a considerable amount of manpower to helping your planet. Unfortunately,” he paused and set the tablet down, looking at each of them, “Nox does not have the luxury of being our only priority.”

  Inelius leaned forward, the cool tension in his shoulders easing slightly as he spoke. “So that’s it then?” His voice was calm, but the undercurrent of frustration was impossible to hide.

  “For now, yes," Garrin confirmed. "But I will keep pushing for a response. I’ve sent a few more inquiries to the other systems, but there’s nothing to act on yet. I understand your frustration, but you’ll just have to trust me. When we know something, you’ll be the first to hear about it.”

  Elias muttered a curse under his breath and pushed off of the holo-table. Fuming, he began walking out of the room, shaking his head.

  Inelius stayed for a moment, fingers drumming on the edge of the table. Finally, he moved to follow Elias, but offered a short, “Thanks Commander,” as he left.

  Garrin simply nodded and returned to his tablet.

  As Inelius stepped out of the command room and into the quieter hallways of The Resolute Wind, Elias let out a long breath. “Well, that was enlightening.”

  Inelius glanced at him, letting out a small sigh. “Yeah, as always with Garrin. A whole lot of nothing. But at least we’re still here.”

  Elias’s lips twitched in something like a smile. “Yeah. For now.”

  The air around Elias still felt slightly tense.

  Inelius smirked a little and shook his head. “Do you wanna sic Riza on him? It’s been weeks but he’s still visibly nervous if he has to talk to her.”

  Elias let out a short laugh, the tension in his shoulders easing a little. "You know, that might actually work. But let’s keep her in our back pocket for now, she’s stressed enough being back aboard an LU craft."

  Inelius gave him a sideways grin. “Fair enough, I think we all are. I’m supposed to meet Raine for lunch down in the pavilion, care to join us?”

  “Honestly,” Elias said, “That sounds perfect right about now.” He pushed off from the wall. “Lead the way.”

  They began walking down the quiet, metallic corridors of The Resolute Wind. The faint hum of the ship’s engines vibrated through the walls as they passed by doorways, the occasional officer or crew member walking briskly in the opposite direction. The low, sterile lighting gave the halls an almost clinical feel, though there was a warmth in the air as they neared the lift that would take them down to the lower levels.

  The elevator doors slid open with a soft hiss, and they stepped inside, the quiet swish of the doors sealing them in. As the elevator began its descent to E deck, Inelius leaned against the polished wall and glanced over at Elias.

  “So, other than the stress, how’s Riza holding up?” Inelius asked. “I’ve noticed she seems happier when you’re around.” His voice was casual, though there was a hint of curiosity behind it.

  Elias gave a small shrug. “She’s good. Mostly focused on the mission, but we have been spending more time together and getting closer…”

  Inelius looked at him warmly. “Really? Only just getting closer? I get the feeling it’s more than that and you just don’t want to admit it.”

  Elias smiled a little. “Ok, yeah maybe. But we’re not really broadcasting it.” His gaze drifted off distantly, like he was thinking about something. “How about you and Raine? You guys just got together before we left Nox, right?”

  Inelius tilted his head, thinking it over. “We’re... figuring things out. We’ve known each other a while, not as long as you and Riza, but still… it’s a nice sort of change that takes some figuring out.” He paused for a moment, thinking about waking up with Raine this morning. “But, it’s good.”

  Elias let out a soft chuckle. “I heard we both got ambushed on the same night.”

  Inelius snorted back a laugh. “Yeah, during that dance, day before we left. They actually roped Raine into helping with you and Riza and then blindsided both Raine and myself with their dastardly plan.”

  They laughed together genuinely for a moment.

  “They’re good people,” Inelius said. “Good friends.”

  “More like family,” Elias said warmly.

  “Yeah,” Inelius responded with a smile. Then after a moment, he added, “We’ll have to get back at them.”

  “Oh for sure.”

  The elevator slowed to a stop, and the doors slid open, revealing the bustling area of E deck. Crew members and civilians alike moved through the area, some chatting in small groups while others hurried toward various destinations. The scent of freshly prepared meals drifted from nearby food stalls, mingling with the quiet murmur of conversation.

  As they approached the pavilion, the hum of activity grew clearer. Clinking utensils, soft music, and occasional bursts of laughter cutting through the air. Inelius spotted Raine first, sitting at one of the circular tables with Brolgar and Brana. Raine waved them over, her warm smile lighting up as she looked up from her conversation with the other two.

  “Hey, you two,” Raine greeted, gesturing to the empty seats. “Join us. The food here’s surprisingly decent.” Then she quickly added, “But nothing compared to Brolgar’s cooking.”

  Inelius gave a nod and slid into the seat next to Raine, offering her a quick smile before turning his attention to Brolgar and Brana. “You two keeping Raine out of trouble?”

  “That is impossible,” Brana said. Her voice was deadpan, but the d’moria girl had a dry sense of humor. She reached across the table to pass them a small plate of something savory.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  “Oh, thank you,” Elias said as he took it.

  “I was just trying to coax Brolgar into a better mood,” Raine said lightly.

  “Oh yeah?” Inelius said, looking at the grumpy d’moria. No one expected him to be in a good mood on any given day, not while grieving two sons. But he seemed to bounce back and forth between bouts of roughly warm moods and staring into the distance.

  At the moment he was glaring a hole in a far bulkhead.

  “Anything in particular happen to upset him today?” Elias asked casually.

  “You-know-who walked by,” Raine said with a slight grimace.

  “Ah,” Elias responded.

  She meant Soren. Brolgar borderline refused to talk to the giant human. No one could really blame him.

  “Here,” Elias said, handing a particularly tasty piece of meat out to Brolgar. “Eat this, it’ll help you feel better.”

  “I d’nah want it,” he answered stubbornly.

  “Your feelings are valid Brolgar, but your blood sugar is also low, and it’s making you hangry.”

  Brolgar finally looked at Elias slowly, “How d’ya know I haven’t eaten already?”

  Elias kept his eyes on Brolgar. “Did he eat yet?”

  “Nope,” Brana answered simply, then took another bite of her wrap.

  Elias shrugged and wiggled the food at Brolgar. “You can be mad all you want, just do it with a full stomach. Doctor’s orders.”

  He finally took the food, albeit reluctantly.

  They spent a couple minutes enjoying their meal, a satisfying mix of warm, spiced meats and soft flatbreads with the occasional crunch of pickled vegetables on the side. Brana munched quietly, but she gently rocked back and forth as she ate, her braids faintly swinging side to side. The tenderness of the meat melted in their mouths, and the rich flavors lingered long after each bite. The soft heat of the pavilion and the lively chatter around them made the whole experience feel like a rare moment of peace amidst the chaos.

  Elias let out a contented sigh after swallowing a mouthful. “Damn, this is really hitting the spot.”

  Inelius nodded, taking another bite. “Yeah, you weren’t kidding Raine. This is better than I expected.”

  “I’ve had better,” Brolgar said, as if he hadn’t just finished shoveling food into his mouth.

  They all laughed as if he had made a joke. Brolgar was beginning to look like his mood was improving.

  “You do make some damn good meals,” Raine said to him. “Do you feed all of us the same thing when you cook or do you make something worse for Soren?”

  Brolgar glared at her a little but didn’t look truly angry about the comment. “I would…” he started. “But Aura will not let meh. Don’t abuse the boy, she says.” He rolled his eyes.

  The table laughed again.

  “Soren sure isn’t doing himself any favors to make up with Brolgar,” Inelius said. “I mean, he’s trying, but…”

  He realized how hard everyone was looking at him, waiting for his next words.

  The humor caught them in his throat.

  “The lad’s an idiot,” Brolgar finished for him.

  Elias looked back and forth between Inelius and Brolgar excitedly. “Wait, what did I miss?”

  Brolgar rolled his eyes again and looked away. His neck was starting to slightly flush.

  Inelius was holding back laughter. “Last night, I was sitting in the common room finishing up a bowl of that rich, smoky stew Brolgar had made, the one with the braised meat and spices.”

  Elias, Raine, and Brana all collectively said, “Mmmm,” as they recalled it.

  “Well I’m sitting there enjoying it,” Inelius continued, “And just doing a bit of light reading. And Soren comes in looking to get some of the stew. And Brolgar, being the ever gracious chef, bowls him up, and hands it over without a word.”

  Inelius paused to take a sip of his drink. “Sorry, spicy. But Soren stands there for a moment, looks like he is trying to think of a way to start a conversation. And it just… I mean you could feel the awkwardness in the air.”

  Brolgar ran a beefy hand through his hair. He was staring off at the wall again, his neck was beat red.

  “So after a few moments, Soren just says, ‘So uh, are you and Brana related?’”

  Everyone burst out laughing, except Brolgar, who slowly lowered his face into his palm.

  “Aww,” Raine finally said. “I mean at least he’s trying, his heart’s in the right place.”

  “Yeah,” Brana said with raised eyebrows. “But his colossal feet keep ending up in his mouth.”

  They laughed some more and Inelius even had to wipe a couple tears away.

  After they quieted a bit, they sat munching on food for a few moments.

  Then Raine piped up, “Wait, so are you two related?”

  Brolgar’s expression immediately hardened, and his posture grew defensive. He turned to her quickly and said, “Jus’ because we may look similar does nah mean that we’re related!”

  Raine made an exaggerated frown and raised her eyebrows. “Whoops, sorry.”

  Then after a moment, Brana flatly added: “Brolgar, we’re cousins.”

  Brolgar crossed his arms, his expression not softening. “And? What’s your point?”

  They laughed some more and as the conversation wound down, people began to trickle away. Brolgar and Brana finished eating and headed off to their next tasks, the soft chatter of the pavilion continued around them, but the table started to quiet as the group shifted toward their own separate plans.

  Raine, still leaning back in her seat, shot Elias a mischievous grin. "So, how are you and Riza? I haven’t had a chance to talk with her much since coming aboard."

  Elias shrugged, a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah, we're doing well, but she’s not big on PDA so don’t expect to see us out holding hands or anything. She’s kind of a private person, especially with how popular she is around the ship. There are times she just... hides from the attention."

  Inelius raised an eyebrow. "Hides, huh? Doesn't sound like Riza at all."

  Elias chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I know. But it’s true. She doesn't mind our team, but when all the newbie LU personnel keep wanting autographs, it just makes her want to escape."

  "Sounds like you’re making it work, though," Inelius commented, grinning.

  Elias nodded slowly, then glanced at the time. "Actually, that reminds me, I've gotta get going soon. I’m putting together a gift for Riza, and I need to finish it before she notices. It’s... a surprise."

  Raine smirked. "A gift, huh? I would imagine Riza’s a hard person to surprise.”

  Elias rolled his eyes but laughed. "Hey, you, Tamiyo, and the Sunshine Sisters managed to surprise both her and me."

  As Elias took his leave, Raine and Inelius lingered for a moment, exchanging glances. They were some of the last people left in the food court, it seemed.

  Inelius stretched in his seat, the sound of the pavilion’s bustle surrounding them. "Well, since they all seemed to have abandoned us, might I interest you in a casual walk? I found a place not far from here that has half-decent ice-cream.”

  “Lieutenant Inelius Drozek,” Raine answered sarcastically. “Are you asking me on an impromptu date?”

  He grinned at her. “I believe I am. Can you find it in your heart to stoop to being on my arm?”

  She gave him an innocent look of contemplation, eyeing each of his four arms one-by-one. Then she said, “Depends, which one were you thinking?”

  They stood and began to stroll through the pavilion with no real sense of urgency. Raine wrapped her arms around the upper arm on his right side and leaned into him as they walked. The space, though large and open, had a subdued feel. It was mostly empty now, save for the occasional passing crew member. The high arching ceilings stretched above them, and the faint ambient lighting cast a soft glow that reflected off polished surfaces. It gave everything a clean, almost ethereal sheen.

  “So what do you think Elias is getting Riza?” Raine finally said.

  Inelius glanced down at her, a small grin tugging at his lips. “I’m not sure, honestly. What do you buy for a legendary cannon sniper?”

  Raine laughed softly. “Gun oil?”

  “Or maybe a subscription to Explosives Monthly,” Inelius said, his grin widening. “I have a feeling he’s trying to go for something meaningful. Maybe something with... sentimental value. He’s the type to overthink it, though, which is why he probably won’t tell us what it is until the last second.”

  “If we ever find out at all,” Raine added.

  “Mmm,” Inelius agreed, nodding thoughtfully.

  Raine raised an eyebrow, playfully bumping her shoulder into his. “You think it’s jewelry?”

  “Could be,” Inelius said. “But it’d be a bit... cliché, don’t you think? I don’t see him as the ‘buying jewelry’ type.”

  “Is Riza even the ‘wearing jewelry’ type?”

  Inelius laughed at that. “I bet she secretly is. She probably has a whole gaggle of bracelets.”

  “Earrings?” Raine said with a grin.

  “Yeah, dangly ones with bullets hanging off them.”

  “No wait,” Raine said excitedly. “Nipple rings. Or a belly piercing, I bet she could pull that off.”

  Inelius laughed again. “You think?”

  “Yeah, she would look great in them. Or maybe a tiara.”

  “You could rock a tiara,” Inelius told her. “It would go great with your purple hair.”

  “You gonna get me a tiara?”

  “I just might. We’ll see if the ice cream shop has any for sale.”

  They fell into a comfortable silence for a moment as they continued their walk. The cool metal of her CIPHER arms wrapped around his warm one felt refreshing. The soft murmur of conversation around them and the distant hum of the ship’s engines created a calming background to their easy stroll.

  Finally, Raine spoke again, her voice lighter. “So, what about you? What would you want as a gift?”

  Inelius smirked, glancing at her sideways. “Well, if you’re asking what I’d want from you, a trip somewhere after saving our planet would be nice. Maybe a small remote cabin, just the two of us.”

  Raine gave him a sidelong glance and chuckled. “Romantic, huh? I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Inelius grinned, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “Hey, I’m a man of simple tastes.”

  Raine smiled at him, her eyes softening. “Yeah, I think I know that about you.”

  Inelius caught the sound of boots walking with purpose against the metal floor, and a moment later, a deep familiar voice interrupted their stroll. “Lieutenant Drozek.”

  Inelius turned to see Commander Garrin walking towards them at a brisk pace. There was a sharpness to his steps that matched the commanding presence he carried. The unyielding way he walked seemed to push through the quiet air, an almost physical reminder of his role.

  Inelius gave him a salute even though he wasn’t actually required to, he just found it made their interactions go slightly smoother. “How can I help Commander?”

  “I’m a man of my word,” Garrin said as he came up to them. He briefly turned and nodded to Raine, simply stating, “Ma’am.”

  Then he continued, “There are some ruins that have been located that might have answers for your team.”

  “Ruins?” Inelius said, intrigued by the subject.

  “Yes, I’ll forward over a more in-depth brief on what we know about them, but they’re old and the Conservatory is interested in them. They have something to do with Aether Dust. More specifically, how to use it to affect gravity, or so I’ve been told.”

  “Many thanks, Commander,” Inelius said. “Have you told Aurania yet?”

  “Not yet. Would you be able to relay the news to her?”

  “I think I can do that.”

  “Thank you, Commander,” Raine said with a big smile and a teasing glint in her eye. Then, before he could protest, she casually reached over, grabbed his hand, and gave it a gentle tug. “Come on, we’re just about to get some ice-cream.”

  The motion was so unexpected that for a second, Garrin simply froze, blinking in surprise. His eyes flicked down to their joined hands, then back up to her, his brow furrowing slightly.

  “I—” Garrin started, but Raine just smiled at him, her grip firm but playful.

  “I wouldn’t fight it, Commander,” Inelius said with a shrug. “She’s basically best friends with Riza.”

  Garrin gave a small sigh, then relented with the hint of reluctant smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.. “Alright, lead the way.”

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