Tamiyo awoke an hour before sunrise, surrounded by warmth and silence. The Ghost of Mandachor was dark and pleasantly cool, the main room lit only by the faint amber spill of emergency strips along the floor. Bedding had been laid out in lazy spirals—pillows, blankets, and bare skin scattered by exhaustion like some shipwreck. The air smelled of sweat, dust, and dried alcohol.

  Aurania lay closest to the wall, half-wrapped in a blanket and nothing else, her bronze skin dulled by sleep. One arm was flopped over Violet, who was curled tightly into an adorable ball with her hair tangled across her face. Veolo and Amalia slept back to back, snoring.

  They all bore marks of the barfight: scrapes, swelling, dried blood that hadn't been washed off. They slept in the comfort and safety of one another, the non-lacravida being the only ones even attempting the modesty of clothing.

  Brana was sprawled on her back, one hand still wrapped in the cloth she'd used as a makeshift bandage. In the far corner, Raine’s head rested on Inelius’s chest, purple hair draped like a curtain. Inelius slept lightly, brows still faintly furrowed, even in rest.

  Riza was gone, as was Soren.

  Tamiyo eased upright, bare feet brushing against cool floor plating. She stepped carefully over limbs and clutter until she reached the ship’s simple bathroom. The water pressure was passable, the soap smelled efficient instead of cozy, and it felt like too little reward for how much work would have been required to wash her hair. But the heat at least chased off the sweat, smoke, the sticky substance of whatever had been in those drinks, and the heaviness of her eyelids.

  She dressed quickly in light colors and stepped out into the cold blue breath of pre-dawn.

  Brolgar leaned against the crates at the bottom of the ramp, tending a hot plate with a shotgun strapped to his back. He motioned her over, then offered her a mug of coffee from his thermal canister and breakfast wrapped in a tortilla he had in a pot.

  “Even on guard duty,” she took the offered items with a smile. “Do you ever not have food or drink with you?”

  He laughed but looked confused by the question. “No, lass. That would mean I wouldn’t be doing m’job.”

  She beamed back at him and quickly drained the mug of its invigorating contents. Returning it to him, she said thanks and walked into the morning hush, joyfully munching on her wrap.

  The horizon was only just beginning to brighten, the stars still pale and fading in the upper sky.

  After a short minute of crunching dry dirt underfoot, Riza emerged from behind the hill that overlooked the ship’s clearing. She was wearing tight, dark robes that were damp with sweat despite the cold morning air. Dust clung to her legs like a second skin, and the look on her face was focused and calm, as though she'd left something behind up there; exertion, anger, maybe grief.

  They met near a low fence someone had tried to rebuild with scrap metal and wire.

  “Good morning, Tamiyo,” she said, quiet but firm.

  “Morning, Mama,” Tamiyo chirped. “You leave the big guy breathing?”

  Riza gave a tired smirk. “He doesn’t die easy.”

  “If anyone could do it, my money would be on you.” Tamiyo’s eyes lit up as she activated her medical scanner. “How you feeling today?”

  “Not too bad. A little fatigue maybe.”

  “Any nausea?”

  Riza shook her head.

  “Hmm, okay let me know as soon as you notice it. The morning sickness is likely to start any day now. Hormones are good though! Looks like you’re about twenty weeks along.” Everything else looked normal, so she powered down her scanner.

  Being a personal care CIPHER, Tamiyo already knew how to care for a pregnant human. A lot of it transferred over, but after Riza had broke the news to everyone, Tamiyo had downloaded as much info as she could specific to lacravida so she could accurately monitor. The biggest difference was that the pregnancy was expected to last around 70 weeks instead of 40.

  Tamiyo stared warmly at Riza's hand resting on the very faint belly bump. Then she looked up and saw Riza was staring a thousand yards into the last half of her breakfast wrap. “Did you eat yet?”

  Riza immediately looked away like she could pretend it didn't happen, muttering, “Something small, before we sparred.”

  Tamiyo held out the wrap to her.

  “N-no, that’s yours.”

  “Take it, Riza.” She slowly waved the wrap near the sniper’s nose.

  She tried hesitating a moment longer, then quickly grabbed the wrap and devoured it.

  Tamiyo watched her with a huge smile. “Make sure you drink water.”

  “I know,” Riza said stubbornly, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

  “I’m still going to tell you,” Tamiyo leaned in dramatically and whispered, “Doctor’s orders.”

  “You’re not actually a doctor.”

  “Didn’t say they were my orders,” she walked past Riza and lightly tapped her belly to accentuate the point, then headed up the hill. She yelled back over her shoulder, “And get some sleep!”

  Following the path up the hill, she crested the ridge and spotted Soren on a large sun-bleached rock. He was seated with his back straight and legs folded beneath him. His eyes were closed, his hands rested on his knees, and his chest rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm.

  He looked almost like a statue, except for the faint tremor in his shoulders from exertion. His shirt was off, folded beside him, and his hair was damp with sweat. Red lines criss-crossed all over his skin—minor abrasions.

  Tamiyo approached without speaking, giving him space to finish his meditation. After a moment, his eyes cracked open.

  “Good morning,” he said.

  “Hey, you. Did she fight you with a red marker?” She eased down onto the stone beside him.

  He snorted softly. “Nope, that big ass dagger of hers. Just hard to make me bleed, I guess.”

  “You’re the perfect sparring partner for her. Anyone else wouldn’t last long.”

  “Yeah, but it still hurts like hell.”

  She shrugged. “Get faster.”

  He shoved her off the rock. She let out a dramatic oof as she sprawled into the dust like he’d broken every bone in her body.

  She didn’t move.

  He leaned over the edge of the rock, squinting. “Oh, come on—”

  “Core module damaged,” she said in a robotic tone. “Commencing haunting protocol.”

  He rolled his eyes. “You’re not that fragile, you’re made of some tungsten alloy and caffeine.”

  “Dead tungsten,” she said, eyes still closed. “Tragic, really. Wasted potential. Gone too soon.”

  He laughed. “Come on, who else is going to keep Aurania in check for me?”

  She cracked one eye open. “Still not letting you call her Aura?”

  He shook his head, but he didn’t actually look sad like she expected. She crawled back onto the rock. “How is everything with the two of you, anyway?”

  He didn’t answer right away. He stared off into the horizon, but he looked relaxed. Finally, he just murmured, “Good.”

  She subtly activated her scanner. “You know your heart rate jumps when you think about her?”

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  He looked over and stuck his hand in front of her eyes. “No fair.”

  She batted his hand away and they laughed together. After sitting quietly for a few moments, he finally spoke again. “I talked with her right before we got here. She… was at least a little vulnerable with me.”

  “Oh?”

  He grinned. “I told her I didn’t want to keep wondering if she might be interested in being more than friends, kind of gave her an ultimatum.”

  “...and?”

  “I asked if she wanted me to leave after we save Nox.” A smile broke across his face. “And she said no.”

  Tamiyo smiled back. “It’s a start.”

  “Yeah,” he said quietly. Then, “Of course, being more than friends requires being friends first, so… I’m kind of working on that at the moment.”

  Tamiyo observed him, how he looked while thinking about Aura. It reminded her of how Inelius looked thinking about Raine when Tamiyo had first met them. Then she remembered something.

  “You know, before Raine and Inelius got together, Raine once described their relationship to me as ‘aggressive friendship.’ I admit I know little of flirtation and I’m still figuring out friendship myself, but maybe that’s why Aura is so hostile to you?”

  A sharp but short laugh hit the air, coming from neither of them. A moment later, Aurania walked up the hill, her viridian robes billowing in the breeze. “That’s not the reason. He just pisses me off.”

  Tamiyo wasn't sure what Aurania was going for, but to her, it just felt rude and dismissive. She glared at the towering matriarch.

  Surprisingly, Aurania didn’t return the look. She almost looked ashamed for a split second, then quietly said, “Sorry.”

  There was a tense moment of quiet as the sun began brightening the sky.

  “We’re meeting with Venlin Dread this morning,” Aurania finally said.

  “We’ll be there,” Tamiyo answered, unable to keep the sharpness from her tone.

  “Tamiyo…” Soren said. “It’s alright.”

  “No.” Tamiyo spat and stood up. “She keeps doing this shit. Abrasive all day, then five minutes of kindness every couple weeks. You like her too much to stand up to her attitude, but that doesn’t make it right.” She began to storm off.

  Neither of them tried to stop her, but after she had taken half a dozen steps, she slowed, thinking about her reaction. Slowly turning around, she said, “I’m sorry. I don’t… do well with aggression and intimacy.”

  Aurania closed the distance between them in a flash, picking her up off the ground in a hug. “I’m sorry,” she said sincerely. When she finally set her down, Aurania cast a quick glance at Soren. “He can be irritating, but… I do like having him around.”

  “Maybe tell him that more,” Tamiyo said. Her voice was harsh, but softer than before. “If you’re hostile to someone 90% of the time and only offer tenderness when they look hurt, it’s not love. It’s abuse.”

  Aurania looked hurt, like Tamiyo had slapped her.

  “She’s trying,” Soren said quietly, slowly walking towards them. “I see it in pieces. She’s just handling a lot of stress, I think…” As big as the man was, his posture made him look small, meek even.

  “I will… try harder,” Aurania said.

  Tamiyo’s chest was tight with anxiety. She knew part of it was her own baggage, and she couldn’t solve everything for them.

  She looked back and forth between the duo. “I’m gonna go clear my head,” she finally said, trying to remain composed. “You two fight or fuck, whatever feels right. I’ll see you at the meeting.”

  She turned and stormed off, leaving them both standing there blushing.

  The meeting took place on the top floor of the only three-story building in Boadicea, the interior a stark contrast to the town that lay just outside its doors. Polished stone tile lined the floor, clean and gleaming in the morning light that filtered through tall, dust-free windows. An art deco chandelier hung low over a darkwood conference table with a dozen seats. The air inside was sharp with the scent of citrus polish and abrasive chemicals. It was the kind of place that had been renovated by someone with taste and a need to stand out.

  Venlin Dread stood near the window, one hand holding a cigar, all four gleaming with gold rings. He was a medium height lazarco, dressed impeccably in expensive black threads. The tailored outfit accentuated his strong frame, and a single golden chain hung from his vest, tucked into one of the pockets. His leathery hide was the same black as his outfit, but crimson lines traced across his skin, making him look like a four-armed dragon. He looked nothing like a human, but even Tamiyo couldn’t deny how handsome he was.

  “Ah,” he smiled as the group filed in. “The heroes of last night’s debacle. I trust the saloon’s structural integrity was at least left unharmed?”

  Aurania, walking at the front, gave him a polite nod. “Mayor Dread. Thank you for your hospitality.”

  “My time is yours,” he replied, gesturing to the chairs. “After all, you are here to help. Though I admit, I expected a quieter first impression.”

  Brana grunted and took the seat farthest from the table, letting her chair creak loudly in the process. Veolo stayed standing, her arms crossed, while Violet and Amalia casually slid into seats. Violet was upright and alert, Amalia was eye-banging the mayor.

  Tamiyo took a seat near the center and Soren stood behind her. Inelius sat just across the table as Aurania eased into a chair next to her, testing if it would hold her weight. It did, but not without complaint.

  Venlin let the silence stretch for a moment longer than necessary before settling into his own chair. He took a long drag of his cigar, exhaled a ring of smoke, and leaned back. “I must say, I admire the efficiency. Barely a day planetside and you’ve already made yourselves known.”

  “We didn’t come here to pick fights,” Soren said.

  “Of course not,” Venlin replied smoothly. “But you can understand my position. Our planet is new to the Union, and most of the people in Boadicea didn’t wanna join. They’re looking for an excuse to cast blame. And then a whole mess of exotic outsiders show up and suddenly—chairs are flying, jaws are breaking… I have to take care of my people, you understand.” He took another puff of his cigar, letting his words hang in the air.

  Looking at Aurania, he continued, “You are somewhat in charge of your own town back home, no? How would you handle the presence of outsiders stirring up trouble?”

  The group exchanged glances, and Tamiyo saw more than one set of eyes flick towards Soren. Venlin had no idea how close he was to hitting a nerve.

  “Even outsiders are treated with respect,” Aurania finally answered. “None of my people would ever continuously harass someone who wasn’t interested.”

  Venlin nodded quietly for several moments, staring thoughtfully at his smoldering cigar. Then he smirked and locked eyes with Amalia. “In their defense, my people aren’t used to such beautiful women.”

  Amalia didn’t shy from the attention. Instead, she tilted her head and shifted her posture just enough to accentuate the lines of her neck and shoulder, a half-smile playing at her lips.

  “I myself hold great reverence for the lacravida,” Venlin continued. “I admit I have met very few, but seeing you here now—I can see the stories I’ve heard were not exaggerated.”

  “And what stories might those be?” Veolo fired from across the room.

  “Your formidable prowess,” he immediately answered. “Your skill in combat. I once heard a harrowing tale about someone called… The Ghost of Proxinara. Are you familiar with that one?”

  The team exchanged several more amused glances. He was referring to Riza, though it was likely he didn’t know her name or what she looked like.

  “Yes,” Aurania said, hiding a smile. “But we’re not here to share legends.” She accentuated her last word by wiggling her fingers, as if the legend were made up and not currently napping at the edge of town.

  “I agree,” Venlin nodded. “Let us let bygones be bygones, and I trust you to handle any future insults how you see fit. I hold great care for my people, but I believe they will have received the message after last night.”

  His eyes flashed once more at Amalia before settling on Aurania for business. “In any case, I’m glad you’re here. We could use the assistance, whether my people admit it or not. The infrastructure’s decaying, we have failing power grids, water is short. And the raiders are growing bolder, I understand you’ve already been out to scout some of them.”

  “Yes,” Aurania turned to Inelius. “Major Drozek?”

  Their good Major's eyes locked on Venlin, his posture neither hostile nor yielding. “There’s a decent sized group out at that old relay tower. 30 or so with scavenged equipment, looks like. How long have they been plaguing the town? Are they backed by someone? Some local wanna be warlord?”

  “No, nothing like that,” Venlin shook his head. “Our town is small. I’m sure you’ve been on all manner of grand adventures and fought big wars, but our town is nothing like that. We’re one of the lesser advanced areas of Mol’eyne. Technology is still lagging behind. Part of it’s due to funding, part of it’s the people. But no matter the cause, outlaws just kind of come with the territory. Just more people trying to survive.”

  He pulled a tablet out, tapped it a couple times, and slid it over to Aurania. “I’ve compiled a list of everything we could use your help with. I leave it up to you who does what.”

  Aurania quickly reviewed the tablet, fingers scrolling through line items with a focused expression. After a moment, she set it down and said, “Inelius, take Veolo and Soren and start working on the collapsed bridge east of town. Assess what’s needed and start fixing it if possible. You need supplies, let me know.”

  Inelius nodded and stood up.

  “Brana,” Aurania continued. “The south power grid has some failing junctions, take Amalia and work your magic.”

  Brana said, “Will do, Boss,” as Amalia rose from her seat to glance at the map behind Venlin.

  Aurania thumbed through some more data on the tablet. “Tamiyo—”

  “Mayor Dread,” Violet said abruptly.

  All eyes turned toward her. She hadn’t raised her voice, but her tone was like a blade.

  Venlin’s brow quirked up. “Yes? Miss…?”

  “Violet. We heard there is another lacravida somewhere around these parts, I would like to speak with her.”

  Aurania watched the exchange carefully, but made no move to intervene.

  Venlin tilted his head to one side. “You mean Amaryn?”

  Violet’s posture straightened. “That’s her name?”

  He nodded once. “Yes. Amaryn Lieton. Quiet girl, she’s been here a few years but tends to keep to herself. She lives out beyond the west edge of town. Older place, stone foundation, white flowers around the porch.”

  Violet nodded, then stood. “Thank you,” she said, genuine but cautious.

  Venlin took another drag from his cigar and spoke through smoking nostrils. “Of course. Always happy to reunite kinfolk.” The way he said it made it sound more like a joke than a gesture of goodwill.

  Tamiyo stood as well. “I’ll go with her.”

  Aurania studied them both, then said, “Very well.”

  With that, the team began to move. Chairs scraped against polished tile, Brana stretched her back with a pop, and Veolo was already halfway to the door.

  Tamiyo and Violet left together, descending the stairs without a word. It wasn’t until they were outside again, in the dusty morning light of Boadicea, that Tamiyo finally spoke.

  “You alright?”

  Violet strode with such purpose that Tamiyo almost had to jog to keep up. “We were here 24 hours and they started getting handsy.” She looked back over her shoulder and they locked eyes.

  “She’s been here for years, Tamiyo.”