“Come on,” Elias spat, irritation clear in his tone. “There’s got to be some sort of update.”

  Commander Garrin sat in front of them, his shoulders set in that usual, unyielding stance. His eyes never left the tablet in front of him, forearm-blades lightly wiggling as he continued to swipe through information. His day to day routine consisted of making countless life or death decisions.

  "We’re doing everything we can," Garrin responded. “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 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.

  “We’ve got a ton of feelers out,” Garrin continued. “Info sources inside the Conservatory, pirate contacts, ruin hunters looking for old technology that might be able to help.” His tone carried neither hostility nor disrespect, and it promised no false hope. Just cold, military realities.

  “So you keep getting the benefit of our services,” Elias said dryly, “and we just have to keep waiting while our home slowly bakes.”

  For five months now, they'd been running support ops for the LU. They’d been tasked with securing supply runs to remote colonies, often resulting in tense firefights from pirate ambushes. They’d also helped scout for illegal weapons manufacturing, evaluated newly joined Union planets struggling with unstable conditions, and exfiltrated civilian assets in hostile situations.

  Each mission had brought its own brand of uncertainty and risk, exacting a toll on the team that was either physical, mental, or both. And each one added to the feeling that they were no closer to helping Nox.

  Garrin finally looked up, meeting Elias’s gaze. “Look, the support you've given on our ops has been immeasurable. As much as I try to not rely on you all, it is a huge boon having you around, and I know I for one will miss you all when the time has passed. I need you to believe me when I say we're pushing as hard as we can for answers. Unfortunately,” he paused and set the tablet down with a long sigh, “I can only do so much pushing up the chain of command, and Nox does not have the luxury of being our only priority.”

  Inelius tried his best to remain calm. “So that’s it then?” The frustration in his voice was impossible to hide.

  “For now, yes," Garrin said, though even he sounded disgusted by it. "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 irritation 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. He walked out of the room, fuming and shaking his head. Inelius stayed for a moment longer, fingers drumming on the edge of the table. Finally, offered a short, “Thanks, Commander,” and followed after Elias.

  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, but it's not his fault. We're still here. There’s still some sliver of hope.”

  Elias’s lips twitched in something like a smile, but the air around him still felt tense.

  Inelius smirked and shook his head. “Do you wanna sic Riza on him? 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… that sounds perfect right about now.” He pushed off from the wall. “Lead the way.”

  They began walking down the quiet corridors of The Resolute Wind, passing doorways to briefing rooms and the occasional officer or crew member walking briskly in the opposite direction. The 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.

  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? I’ve noticed she seems happier when you’re around.”

  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? If you two think you're keeping anything a secret, then I've got news for you.”

  Elias smiled. “Okay, yeah, I admit it. I guess I just hesitate on reflex because she's always been so private.”

  “You're protective of her,” Inelius noted. “It's good, it's cute. Even someone that powerful needs someone to be vulnerable with.”

  Elias’ gaze drifted distantly. He didn't respond, but his smile went from one ear to the other. Then he shook his head and asked, “How about you and Raine? You guys got together just 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 that morning. “But, it’s good. For all the changes, I wouldn't want to go back.”

  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 her 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 smile lighting up as they locked eyes.

  “Hey, you two,” she 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 her. He pecked her on the cheek and turned his attention to the two d'moria. “You two keeping Raine out of trouble?”

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

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

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

  “Oh yeah?” Inelius looked 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.

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  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 still borderline refused to talk to the giant human. No one could really blame him.

  “Here,” Elias said, handing a particularly tasty-looking 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. “How d’ya know I have nah eaten alreadeh?”

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

  “Nope,” Brana answered, 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 swinging side to side. The tenderness of the meat melted in their mouths, and the rich flavors lingered long after each bite.

  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 countered, as if he hadn’t just finished shoveling food into his mouth.

  They all laughed like he'd 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 but didn’t look truly angry. “I would… but Aura will nah let meh. Don’t abuse the boy, she says.” He rolled his eyes.

  They all 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 excitedly looked back and forth between them. “Wait, what did I miss?”

  Brolgar rolled his eyes again and looked away. His neck was starting to 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 made, and I'm 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 just stands there, looks like he’s tryin’ 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 beet 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 down, 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 he blustered, “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. “And? What’s yer point?”

  They laughed some more and the conversation wound down. After Brolgar and Brana headed off to their next tasks, Raine leaned back in her seat and shot Elias a mischievous grin. "Soooooo. How are you and my new bestie? She’s been all busy with missions and avoiding her fan club, I haven’t really had a chance to talk with her 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. "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 grinned.

  Elias nodded slowly, then glanced at the time. "Actually, that reminds me, I've gotta get going soon. I’m working on 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. Inelius stretched in his seat. "Well, since they all 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 warmly. “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. “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 one of his upper arms and leaned in. The space, though large and open, had a subdued feel. 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. “I’m not sure. What do you buy for a living legend with a sniper cannon?”

  Raine giggled. “Gun oil?”

  “Or maybe a custom dagger.” He shook his head. “Nah, nevermind. She already has a favorite, I've seen her use it. 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.”

  “Mmm.” Inelius nodded thoughtfully.

  Raine raised an eyebrow, playfully bumping her shoulder into him. “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 guessed.

  “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. 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 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 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 glanced over at her. “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 sultry glance. “Romantic, huh? I’ll keep that in mind.”

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

  Raine smiled, 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.”

  He turned to see Commander Garrin briskly striding towards them. He gave 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 glanced at Raine and nodded, “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?”

  “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 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.

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

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

  Garrin gave a small sigh, then relented. “Alright, lead the way.”