Everything was as usual — they landed in one of the abandoned sectors, searching for anything of worth that they could sell. Though this was just like any other day they’ve been working, the young woman was happy that they weren’t stuck in some ancient refinery, lost in the terrible maze of its corridors like it was a week ago.

This time it was a small settlement, marked on the map with an asterisk — her captain, the Ol’ Fart, as she called him, said he was hinted about something of significant value. He wouldn’t tell her what it was, but Serena knew that if he gave an order — she’d better follow through, or he could punish her greatly.

She walked through the old, dilapidated building, hearing her captain scrambling somewhere near, and hoped that she could get at least some rest from his obnoxious company.

Stepping into one of the big halls she scanned the floor, where lots of scrap lay haphazardly. None of this was of any value, as most of it was just some broken toys and pieces of statuettes. The tiny old batteries could be refined, of course, but to make it up for the time she would have to find at least three boxes filled with them, so searching through the toys was a complete waste of her time.

Serena stepped further in, searching with her eyes for anything that she could take into the anti-gravitational cart that was slowly following her. A few rolls of copper wires and a small silver plate was lying inside — a bitter find, but it was something at least.

That was the life of a scrapper — to search out through the abandoned and destroyed locations and bring back anything the Company would buy. Copper, Nickel, Gold and Silver were the best of finds. Gold and a rare find of Platinum would feed them for weeks. But the copper wires and little things like that silver plate would just lengthen their hungry existence a little bit.

The woman thought that if she were to have one of those handheld scanners, her work would be so much easier. But those things cost a hefty penny, and she was in no position to ask her captain to allow her such a device.

Serena decided to glance into a smaller room, and stepped inside it, leaving the cart outside the door.

Immediately a gun aimed at her face and she froze, looking at a tall, dirty man with a very boyish face and oily blond hair. A short beard covered his chin and he smiled to her — a fair, charming smile that made him look like one of those man-models for some ad campaign. Only he was dirtier and obviously not as law-abiding.

«Keep looking, I’m going back to the ship for a break!» Serena heard her captain scream from the room next door.

She looked at the gun, aimed at her, then into the blue eyes of the man, who was holding it. She knew she had to reply, otherwise her captain would come searching for her and everything could turn very ugly — the Ol’ Fart was extremely hot-tempered and hated when someone wasn’t obeying his commands.

«Answer me, bitch!» the captain barked.

«Sorry!» Serena watched the eyes of her captor squint with a dark promise. «Yeah, go ahead, I’m on it!»

«You’d better find something worth our time here!»

«Yes, boss!» Serena swallowed a sudden lump in her throat.

She wouldn’t be able to say who she feared more — the armed man in front of her or the captain, who made her life miserable.

The stranger gripped his gun tighter, listening to the captain’s steps disappearing far away. When everything fell silent, the man smiled a bit wider and leaned in.

«How many of you are there?» he asked with a low, rumbling voice that made her shiver.

«Two of us.» Serena breathed out, feeling the gun press against her neck, as the man forced her to step aside and back to the wall.

As she leaned over the cold, hard wall, the man snickered and stepped closer, his hand pressing against Serena’s breast. He grinned, grasping tighter, and licked his lips.

«You’re a fine find, girl…» he said.

Suddenly a shadow moved behind the man and he was jerked back. Serena saw another man — also tall, muscular and dark-haired, standing there and growling into the blond man’s face.

«What the fuck do you think you’re doing?» the newcomer hissed.

Serena glanced at their clothes and suddenly realised that she had already encountered those before. The greyish blue of the overalls and the markings, where there used to be sign patches on the shoulders.

The woman realised what she walked into and started thinking if she should reach for her ear-piece and contact the captain to let him know that she stumbled upon deserters of the Company. But the men turned their eyes to her again.

The gun of the blond guy pressed into her chest.

«You will help us, unless you want me to pull the trigger.» the man said with a smile.

Serena lowered her gaze at the heavy gun and pondered on the thought. She grasped the barrel and raised it to her chin, clasping her eyes with the man. She wasn’t taunting him. She was welcoming him to do so.

Serena noticed the second man frown in surprise, then jerk her captor aside again, stepping up. The woman didn’t even flinch when he grabbed her clothes, pulling her up to him. He looked suspicious only for a few seconds, before he lowered his eyes to her neck.

She knew what he noticed. The collar she was hiding under a bandana.

The man slowly released her and raised her bandana, looking at the electric collar she was wearing, then his demeanour relaxed and he met her gaze once again.

«How long?» he asked.

«Four years.» Serena didn’t have the will to lie.

«How?»

Serena looked away. This question was so much harder to answer. Everyone always assumed that any collar-wearing human was enslaved for their wrongdoings. But her story was different. She was found half-dead on one of the planets where the scrappers came. And the Ol’ Fart clasped the collar onto her while she was recovering.

«Answer him.» the blond man pressed his gun to her ribs.

«I was found half-dead on one of the scrapyards.» Serena breathed out. «When I woke up in the infirmary, the collar was already on my neck.»

«You were found with it?» the dark-haired man asked.

Serena shook her head:

«No. Captain put it on, while I was unconscious. It made his tech revolt, but…»

The woman stopped, remembering how the Captain blew his team-mates brains out. It was the first thing she learned — never to disobey the short-tempered Captain.

«I have to find something… otherwise he will get mad.» Serena pleaded, looking into the blue eyes of the dark-haired man.

«Don’t think about your pitiful scrap.» the blond man spit on the floor. «We have more important business you have to help us with.»

«I can’t.» Serena shook her head. «The Captain won’t…»

The gun barrel rose to her face, making her fall silent.

The dark-haired man thought for a moment, then slowly forced the gun down, making the blond man grunt with disapproval.

«Let’s start again, shall we?» the dark haired man pressed his palm on his chest. «My name is Hunter, this is Pher…»

Serena heard someone scrambling nearby and looked that way, finding a dark-skinned, long-haired man leaning over the wall and pressing a palm to his side. He looked obviously wounded and barely strong enough to walk, but he still carried the heavy gun, ready to engage in a gunfight.

«And that is Cipher.» Hunter showed at his wounded comrade. «We need a way out of this place. And you have a ship.»

«It’s not my ship. It obeys the Captain. The only way it will obey me, is if this collar is off my neck and the captain is dead.» Serena shook her head.

She glanced at the blood, trickling down Cipher’s side, and slowly opened her belt bag. The man, called Pher tensed up, but when Serena took out a pack of first-aid wound patch, he grabbed it out of her hand and headed to his friend, leaving Hunter and Serena alone.

Hunter met Serena’s gaze again and sighed:

«Look, all we need is a way off this planet. The sooner, the better.» he flicked her collar. «You need this off. We can help each other, so how about we make a deal?»

«I told you, the only way the ship will obey my commands is if the captain is dead. And that is a hard feat to do.» Serena shook her head once more.

«How so?»

«He installed a special protocol. The ship has cameras inside and outside. So if he is murdered there — I am stuck. The ship will shut down, sending a signal of a murder that occurred. If he’s killed anywhere else, his personal implant will send a signal back to the ship with the recording of how he was killed. The only way to kill him is by accident and not involving me.» Serena looked away, realising she had spent more than enough time thinking about all this.

Hunter chewed his lower lip in thought, then glanced at his friends.

«Alright… so… what if he breaks his neck falling off a staircase?» he asked.

«That would be a plausible way to make his system make me the captain in charge.» Serena swallowed a lump. «But…»

She didn’t finish her sentence, as her earpiece shot an electric charge into her ear, making her twitch from pain.

«Report!» the captain’s voice sounded in a bark, obviously drunken from whatever moonshine he already drank on the ship.

Serena clasped her palm on Hunter’s mouth, in an unconscious way stopping him from making a sound.

«I haven’t found anything yet, captain.» the woman said, wincing from the pain that he delivered when switching her earpiece remotely.

He loved tormenting her, and this faulty radio was one of those ways.

«We won’t leave, until we find what we came for!» the captain growled. «Keep searching!»

«It would be easier if I knew what exactly you’re looking for.» Serena felt sweat beads forming on her forehead.

She wasn’t supposed to talk to him this way — he could punish her for such attitude. She heard the Ol’ Fart sigh in irritation and grumble:

«I got a hint there’s some precious metals here. Look for anything worth our time, and stop asking questions!»

«All I found so far is a bit of copper wiring and a silver plate. Any details you can spare?»

«Gold, you dim witted whore! I’m looking for gold!»

«Gold?» Serena met Hunter’s gaze and noticed him frown. «Got it.»

«Report when you find anything!» the captain signed off.

Serena felt the pain subsiding, as the earpiece shut down again. She felt her fingers starting to tremble, when she realised she prevented Hunter from speaking all this time, and slowly lowered her hand, understanding that this could mean the man becoming angry at her.

But, on the contrary, he seemed calm and unaffected by her gesture.

«He’s searching for gold?» he asked quietly.

Serena nodded, nervous that she was surrounded by three armed men, but it was not as strong of a fear for her safety and life, than the fact that her captain was drunk, irritable and agitated, searching for something that could as well be elsewhere.

Hunter stepped closer, making the woman press against the wall even harder.

«And how would he know there’s gold here?» his voice grew lower, sounding like a growl.

«He said, he got a hint. I would assume it was from one of his informants.» Serena felt Hunter’s breath on her neck.

The man stepped back, falling into thought. He looked at his friends — the wounded one looking a bit better, being patched up by the first aid pack Serena gave them.

«Stay here.» the man growled and walked up to his friends.

Serena looked at her hands, realising they trembled even harder. She knew that if she were to help these deserters, she would need to calm down, before returning to the ship. The Captain was dangerous when he was drunk, and if he was searching for something as valuable as gold, he would be furious if he will notice her nervousness.

She took a few moments to breathe in and out, calming her nerves, but felt that any outcome, really, would be not in her favour. The three men could shoot her and that was probably the easiest way to go. What the captain could do was something else entirely.

The woman heard steps approaching, and looked up just as Pher pressed her to the wall again, his palm grasping her ass in an obvious sign of his lustful thoughts towards her.

«You’ll help us, girl. And I’ll reward you with the best few nights of your life, pretty thing.» Pher grumbled into her ear.

Serena dared not to move or push him away, too familiar to such advances and knowing what could happen if she were to fight it. She felt his hand caressing her body and closed her eyes, forcing down any remnants of dignity she had left.

It was too long since she could allow herself to object to something like this.

She felt Pher rubbing his body against hers, but a second later he was jerked back and Serena heard him crashing onto the floor. She opened her eyes, seeing broad shoulders in front of her — Hunter closed her with his body from his friend.

«Touch her again, Pher, and I will break your arm!» Hunter growled.

«For fuck’s sake!» Pher’s voice sounded irritated and coarse. «I was only having a bit of fun!»

«Stop it, both of you!» the third man finally spoke up, his voice deep, but pained. «She’s our ticket out of here, not your entertainment, Pher!»

Mumbling and cursing, the blond man got up, stepping away. Serena thought if the wounded man was their high in command or not — he definitely looked the part. But, then again, so did Hunter.

«Are you okay?» Hunter turned to Serena, and she noticed his soft, comforting gaze.

«I’m fine!» she slapped his hand away in a sudden irritation to his concern. «Nothing I’m not used to.»

The woman noticed a deep frown on Hunter’s face. But before he could say anything else, the wounded man — Cipher — stumbled up.

«So…» he said, leaning with his arm on the wall to keep himself up. «Your captain is looking for gold?»

Serena nodded:

«At least, that’s what he said.»

«Let’s take a short walk, shall we?» Cipher gestured to the dark arch of a doorway at the end of the room.

Serena dared not to object, heading that way and feeling the men following her behind. She stepped through the arch, seeing the staircase, leading down — deeper into the building. Stepping down the steps, she was thinking if she would be of any help to these men and if it will guarantee her safety after.

The stairs took them to a small corridor, which was dim and slippery from all the stagnant water that accumulated there over the years. Serena walked on, stepping cautiously and noting the slippery green algae, which grew all over.

The corridor led them to a single room with a heavy door, which was slightly ajar. Serena stopped in front of it, wondering if she would be strong enough to swing it open.

Hunter stepped up and grabbed the door, his muscles bulging under his clothes. The woman swallowed hard, realising how strong he was and that he was definitely one of the soldiers the Company had. All three men were quite muscular, but not all Company soldiers were so — only those, who went on constant missions to capture, hunt down or retrieve people who ran from the Company.

As the door screeched quietly, Serena gasped, seeing the two stacks of golden bricks.

Her mind started calculating the potential profit they could get from selling such a find. With this they could easily replace their old ship and purchase all the needed devices to become a higher level scrapper crew.

She snapped herself out of shock, realising that even if she were to report this to the Captain — he would do nothing to help her, forcing her to load all this all on her own. And, after they deliver this to one of the sales representatives, she would get nothing from all this treasure.

«You said, he was looking for gold.» Cipher said. «Here it is.»

Hunter walked inside the vault and picked up one of the gold ingots, carrying it back to Serena.

«Lure your captain here. Show him this ingot.» Hunter said, meeting her suspicious gaze. «We’ll have a trap on the staircase, making him trip and fall to his death.»

«You’ll trust me with an ingot?» Serena asked, feeling her fingers trembling again.

The man nodded, handing her the golden ingot.

«Go. We’ll be waiting.» Cipher added.

Serena took a very careful step back, watching how the men would react at her leaving, but they didn’t even flinch. Slowly, she turned and walked off, wondering if their plan would even work. She ascended the steps and walked through the building to the exit, glancing at the ship the captain called «the Rust Bucket». Pressing the ingot to her chest, Serena walked up to her captain sitting on a foldable chair with a large bottle of moonshine in his hand.

«Find anything, you worthless whore?» the captain spit to the floor.

Serena offered him the ingot. The man’s eyes widened, then he squinted and rose, watching her attentively with a deep frown. She waited for him to say something, but he struck her, throwing down the ships ramp into a pile of garbage.

«Take me there, bitch.» he walked off, watching her struggle to get back up to her feet.

The woman headed back in, feeling her jaw aching and a thin line of blood running down on one side of her mouth. A minor injury — the Ol’ Fart could do so much worse.

Reaching the stairs, she continued her way, not even thinking if the three men were fast enough to set up the trap. Barely half-way down the staircase the captain grunted, throwing the empty bottle at her and making her trip and tumble down the stairs. She came to a stop at the bottom, baring her teeth, but not allowing herself to make a sound, feeling the intense pain the bottle caused, hitting her at the back of the head, and the fall, after which her arm burst in so much pain that it was obvious she had broken the bone.

«You whore!» the captain hissed from the top.

Serena tried her best to crawl aside — further from the man, who looked like he was about to run down and beat her to death. But the captain took a step, tripped, and tumbled down the stairs, each hit accompanied with cracks and grunts, until he slammed into the wall and remained still. The woman looked at him, cradling her broken arm, and realised that he wasn’t breathing.

Chapter 2. Captain

«I have recorded an accidental death of Captain John Summers.» the ships AI said as soon as Serena stepped into the ship. «As per protocol One Three One Five Seven D, you are now promoted to acting captain. Welcome aboard, Captain Serena.»

The young woman froze mid-step, a realisation crashing upon her. She was free from the Ol’ Fart. She was now rid of her torment as his toy that he could torture and use as he pleased. Her collar clicked and fell to the floor, clanking against the metal.

Serena felt her body trembling and suddenly growing cold.

«What are your orders, Captain?» the AI asked.

Captain… she really was the captain of this old scrapper ship. Could she really escape her pitiful life of a slave, caught somewhere long ago? Or will she need to return the ship and find her living elsewhere?

«I am detecting three human signatures approaching, Captain.» the AI’s voice made Serena snap out of her shocked state.

The woman turned and saw the three men approaching. Swallowing a lump, formed in her throat, Serena spoke out:

«Lyssa, record that I have found three men that crash landed in the vicinity not long ago. No distress signal has been sent due to their communication systems failing. We’ll take them aboard and help them to whatever destination they need.»

«Noted, Captain.» AI replied. «What about the cargo? Captain Summers input a find I am not detecting in the carts.»

«I’ll get the cargo a bit later. One of the men is injured and in need of medical attention.»

«Infirmary is switched on and ready to receive the patient, captain. Should I send a gurney?»

«No need…» Cipher grunted, helped up into the ship by his friend Pher.

«Please follow the blue lights to the infirmary. Welcome aboard.» the AI lit up the lights on the floor, showing the men the way.

Hunter approached Serena, carrying Captain Summer’s body on his shoulder.

«Where should I put him?» he asked.

Serena gestured to a couple of boxes standing in the corner of the bay and felt her mind wandering away again, too deep in all the things that happened.

«Captain?» AI asked.

«What is it?» Serena still felt shaken and barely understood what being captain entailed for her.

«I am detecting a fracture in your right arm. I highly advise you to visit the infirmary as well.»

Serena watched Hunter lay down the dead body and stayed silent. When the man straightened up and turned to look at her again, she noticed his soft gaze.

«She’s right.» Hunter said, nodding towards where Pher and Cipher went. «You should at least get it scanned and have some painkillers administered.»

Serena looked down at the arm she was cradling, and realised she would still have to load up all the gold ingots the men showed her. Gritting her teeth, she headed to the infirmary — without a cast she won’t be able to get any work done.

Hunter followed her silently, allowing her to process the changes that happened in her life during, essentially, only a few hours. He walked behind, watching her closely, and noting how she kept herself clenched up, as if still afraid of something.

When they walked into the infirmary, she glanced at Cipher, being treated on the table, and said nothing, stepping to a second station, which fired up, immediately scanning her body.

«Severe malnutrition detected. Please hold.» the system sounded.

Serena knew what usually came after — a short wait and an advice to eat healthy. However, this time was different. The medicine replicator buzzed and opened the latch, giving her a small bottle of pills.

«Please take one dose before proceeding.» the computer said.

Serena took the pill bottle and felt her fingers trembling again. The Captain was always stingy. But was he also that unfair when it came to her health?

She took the pill, almost spilling the rest to the floor.

«Ulna fractured, please place your injured arm into the medical station.» the computer buzzed.

Serena placed her injured arm into the automated medical station again, and felt a syringe administering some painkillers before the computer began placing a cast on her. Hunter watched this with a very strange look on his face.

When she was done, she looked at the hard cast on her arm, but silently headed back to the bay to get some anti-gravitational carts and get the gold ingots. Hunter caught up with her, leaving his friends in the infirmary.

«Where are you going?» he asked, puzzled to the determined, and yet confused look on Serena’s face.

«I need to load the gold. If you want out of here, the gold should be sold, otherwise the ship won’t have enough fuel to fly further than the Scarapace system. I’m assuming you need the credits to go wherever it is you are heading.»

«Shouldn’t you rest? We can help you tomorrow.»

«I can’t rest. I still have to check the engines, get Summers into storage, figure out the…»

«Whoah!» Hunter jumped in front of her, stopping. «Take it easy! You just got your arm broken and you’re in no condition to load anything!»

«I’m used to it.» the cold tone Serena said this with made Hunter step back, shocked to see such indifference.

«What do you mean you’re used to it?» Hunter frowned.

Serena gritted her teeth and pushed through, ignoring his question and not wishing to continue this conversation. The man caught up with her again, catching her arm, and pulled her to the wall, not letting her go anywhere.

The woman curled up, too fearful of receiving a punch, but Hunter froze still, looking at this beautiful mistreated woman, who only knew pain and torment all through the four years she spent with her Captain.

«Don’t…» Hunter saw the woman flinch. «Don’t be afraid of me. I won’t hurt you, I promise.»

It took Serena a few long moments to look up at him, fear lingering in her grey eyes.

«What did he do to you?» Hunter asked, seeing how nervous the woman was.

«It doesn’t matter…»

«I want to help.»

«If you want to help, then help me load the gold before some other scrapper comes and takes it.» a sudden anger rose in Serena, making her clench with even more fear, as she got used to being beaten for such a tone.

Hunter sighed heavily, realising he won’t get any answers from her.

«Does this scrap bucket have any living quarters at all?» Pher’s voice sounded from down the corridor, and Hunter turned to his friend, seeing Cipher walking not far behind.

Serena noted how much better the man looked after his visit to the infirmary.

«Thank you.» Cipher stepped up, offering his hand for a handshake.

Serena flinched at this unusual gesture, but Cipher calmly froze, until she finally clasped her palm in his.

«I know the circumstances of our meeting weren’t…» Cipher paused, searching for appropriate words. «Weren’t the best, but let’s make everything better, shall we? I assure you, captain, we will do our best to help around the ship while we are your guests. If there’s anything we can help you with, just let us know.»

Hunter met his friends gaze and nodded towards the bay:

«Loading the gold would be a good start, don’t you think?»

«Right!» Cipher threw a frowning look at Pher. «Let’s get to it, before some other scrapper teams find this location, shall we?»

Pher grimaced and followed Cipher, heading to the bay. Serena and Hunter stepped behind them, silent and uneasy.

The woman was weary of the three men — however glad she was that they helped her get rid of the Ol’ Fart, they could really follow their own agenda and go back on their words to help her and split the profit from selling the golden ingots. Serena knew very well that greed could drive men mad, so she wasn’t sure she would walk away with her life, not mentioning her cut of the treasure.

Passing through the cargo bay, Serena unloaded her anti-gravitational cart from the bits she collected before, and activated a few more carts, knowing that there is too much to get from the vault to carry in one. The carts immediately headed after her, as she walked into the building.

«These are small… we’ll have to make a few trips to get everything.» Pher moaned, realising how much work they will have to do.

Serena stayed silent, knowing how wrong he was. Cipher, however grunted at his friend and shook his head:

«Work with what you’re given!» he said.

Pher fell silent and Serena thought again that Cipher could be the leader of this trio. However raggedy they seemed, they carried expensive weapons and remnants of Company soldier uniform.

«I’ll give you some inconspicuous clothes after we’re done.» the woman said, not really thinking.

Pher darted around, making her stop, and the fury in his blue eyes burned her. Hunter caught Pher’s arm before he could strike the woman.

Serena lowered her eyes, feeling even more nervous than before:

«Your clothes give out who you are. I suppose you don’t want to be found, so… you’d better change as soon as possible.» she pushed through the men, forcing them to step aside for the carts to follow her down.

Cipher and Pher exchanged heavy glances, but followed her and Hunter, who seemed to be falling even deeper in thought.

Reaching the vault, the men noticed how Serena began loading the ingots onto the carts, ignoring the injured limb, as if the pain in her broken arm wasn’t affecting her at all. Nevertheless, joining her, the men also noted how she concentrated on the task at hand, though her forehead began glittering from sweat. Every now and again Hunter, helping her, would notice a barely noticeable wince the woman showed before stopping for a short break to massage the casted arm.

He dared not to say anything, fearing that his comments could drive her angry. Cipher helped as he could, stopping for rest much more than the others. But, having loaded all the ingots onto the carts, they finally finished.

«How did you know five carts would be enough to carry all of this?» Hunter asked Serena, as she was strapping the tarp over one of the carts, so that no one would see what they were carrying, if someone were to be in the vicinity.

«Experience.» the woman stepped to the second cart, doing the same.

Other carts were already tarped, so it was time to leave the vault.

Serena glanced around inside the vault, noting the old, rotting stacks of paper on the shelves, and wondered how the people of old times used to have paper for money. Now every currency was electronic and stored in special chips, implanted inside the body. She suddenly realised that she never took part in dealings and never had any money to go around. It might as well be that she didn’t even have the chip. Serena looked at her hand, wondering if the Ol’ Fart ever thought of this.

«Is something wrong?» Cipher stepped up.

Serena flinched and shook her head, heading out without a word.

They returned to the ship without any trouble, leaving the carts in the cargo bay. Serena locked the airlock and headed towards the living quarters, understanding that the men needed to get some rest. Passing through the three rooms that were empty all the time she was on the ship — Lyssa — she gestured to the doors.

«You can have these.» the woman said. «Bathroom is down the corridor, on your right.»

She pointed out the little sign hanging from the ceiling. Stepping forward, she was stopped by Pher, who smiled at her like before:

«Why don’t you join me for a shower, girl?»

Serena gasped, feeling the urge to answer rudely, but Hunter stepped up and shoved Pher into the wall, growling into his face:

«Why don’t you stop harassing her, Pher, before I go through with my threat to break your arm?»

Pher chuckled, raising his arms, as if to say he was only joking. Serena walked around the men, deciding not to engage in this quarrel. She had too much on her mind to meddle with them.

The woman collected her thoughts, getting into her usual routine. Get to the bridge, check the systems, set their route… She almost stumbled at the last thought, stopping mid-step and realizing what her new role entailed. The route. She was never present when the Ol’ Fart sold their findings. How would his usual contacts react to her appearing on his ship? And how would she collect the pay?

She looked at her hand again, caressing the tiny scar, where people usually had their funding held on a special implant.

Shaking off this stupor, she continued her path, feeling more and more unnerved.

Arriving on the bridge, she noted the captain’s chair, which was never used, and took her usual seat on the secondary pilot’s place.

«I advise you to take your rightful seat, Captain Serena.» the AI’s voice sounded. «Piloting is more accurate from that angle. I am sure you will find it more accommodating.»

Serena swallowed another lump in her throat, feeling herself on the verge of crying. Four years she followed the rules of a sadistic man, who did everything he wanted with her and beating her for any fault he could think of. Taking his seat — the one he never used — was an offence he could easily have her hand cut off for.

She hesitated, trembling and looking at the comfortable seat in the middle.

«I can pilot you from here…» finally, the woman exhaled, forcing words out of her mouth.

«He’s dead, Serena. Take his seat. It is now yours.» the AI, though cold in her words, still sounded like a human being, and obviously had some semblance of a personality. «You have nothing to fear anymore, captain.»

«No, thank you. Lyssa.»

«I insist…» the AI turned the captain’s seat towards Serena.

«You’ve never been so persistent, Lyssa. Why the sudden change?»

«If you take your rightful place, I will oblige you with a full story if you like.»

Serena looked at the captain’s seat once more and, feeling pushed into something she didn’t like again, finally stood and walked up. To her surprise she noticed that the chair looked almost untouched — as if it was used very little. The woman carefully sat down, feeling the seat being extremely comfortable.

A moment passed and a scanner beam lit up the bridge with a faint blue light. Serena winced, and suddenly felt the seat taking its place in front of an elaborate control panel — much wider and filled with more screens to show the ship’s systems.

«So glad to have you back, Captain!» the AI’s voice sounded much more cheerful than before. «Restarting all systems!»

«Back?» Serena was confused, thinking to herself. «Restarting all systems?»

The screens lit up, showing reports and something suddenly whirled behind her.

«Please forgive me for what I am about to do, Captain. This will hurt.» Lyssa said kindly.

Serena felt her head wrapped tightly with a metal band and before she could raise her hands to tear it off, a sharp pain hit her head, forcing a scream escape her throat. The jolt was so hard that the woman arched her back, as her mind began pulsating with something she never thought possible.

She saw herself in the reflection of a beautiful mirror, talking to herself.

«I can do this… All I need is… to forget everything I ever was…»

Flashes of locations and faces ensued, followed by an ever growing pain that finally burst with a pained groan, as her throat suddenly clenched from the torment.

And then everything went black.

Chapter 3. Outer Space

She awoke to someone shaking her shoulders. Serena slowly opened her eyes, still dizzy and half-unconscious. It took her a couple of moments to realise that she was being called by Hunter.

«What the fuck did you do to her, you artificial bitch?» Hunter screamed, angry at the AI for doing whatever she did to make Serena fall down the captain’s chair.

«She will be fine.» the AI replied calmly.

«Thara-Lyss» Serena whispered, slowly coming back to her senses. «What the…»

Cipher tensed up and suddenly approached, jerking Hunter aside and grabbing Serena’s clothes to pull her up.

«What did you say?» Cipher growled into her face.

«Thara-Lyss…» Serena felt too frail to fight, hanging in the man’s hands freely.

He gritted his teeth and shoved her back into the captain’s seat.

«Fuck!» he kicked the nearby station.

«Please refrain from damaging the ship.» the AI said calmly. «My defence systems are running at one hundred per cent and I will incinerate you if you will cause trouble.»

«Thara-Lyss was a powerful house on Velutha.» Cipher explained to his friends. «It was destroyed fifty years ago.»

He turned to Serena again and leaned in so close, that the woman felt tiny next to him.

«What do you have in common with the Thara-Lyss?» he grumbled.

The woman felt her lips move on their own, replying:

«Serena Dal Thara-Lyss, daughter of Thane Dorn Thara-Lyss the third.»

Cipher’s eyes widened and he straightened, stepping away in a sudden shock. He looked aside, puzzled and not understanding how it was possible for one of the Thara-Lyss to survive after the purge their competing house started.

«Wait…» Hunter frowned even deeper. «Thane Thara-Lyss, the famous general of the Laithorian Empire?»

«Who cares?» Pher chuckled, bored to be there at all. «It was a lifetime ago.»

«You don’t get it, do you?» Cipher growled. «Two houses completely eliminated each other in a bloody rampage, leaving no one to pick up the riches. By their laws only the survivors can claim all the lands and riches after such a war. If none do, it is being claimed by the empire.»

«So?»

«Their laws state that if a survivor of the house comes to claim his or her right within a century, they will get it all. Haven’t you studied the laws of neighbouring space empires?»

«I don’t care about empires and riches someone has to claim!» Pher grew irritated. «All I care about right now is to get off this rock, sell the fucking gold and be on my way!»

«That gold inside the storage bay is but a measly drop, compared to what we can get if we accompany her to the Laithorian Empire safe and sound.» Hunter noticed. «Though, this will definitely make us go further than we anticipated before… we could, essentially, get lost in the vast outskirts of the empire. No one will find us there. The Company…»

«Oh, fuck the Company!» Pher screamed. «I just want out! I’ve had enough of this meddling with matters that do not concern us! Especially that of a scrapper who happens to be some pretty little princess of some measly little planet no one has even heard of before!»

«Lady Serena is not a princess.» the AI said. «She is heir to lands and riches accumulated by the two most powerful families on Velutha.»

Serena stumbled out of the captain’s seat and headed out of the bridge. She wanted nothing of it — not the captain’s title, not the memories, that have been flashing before her eyes, not the distant politics or riches…

All she wanted was some peace and quiet.

Her body twitched and curled under shivers, still recalling the pain she experienced when the AI initiated whatever hidden protocol it had programmed years ago.

Hunter noticed her gone soon enough, following her up to the dining area, where the woman curled up on the farthest seat, grasping her head. The man glanced at the food processor and picked up a couple of cups of tea before cautiously approaching the woman.

«Do you remember anything at all?» he asked, sitting down next to her.

«Captain Summers… He claimed…» Serena shivered. «He claimed he found me on Thorna Dirr.»

«And what do you remember?» Hunter offered her a cup of aromatic tea.

She took it, pressing her hands against the sides to feel the warmth coming from it.

«I don’t…» she flinched again, as if confused by all the memories that were implanted back into her head. «I don’t remember. I remember waking up on the ship… in the infirmary…»

«And Summers?»

«He had a team. There were seven of them. He…» the woman closed her eyes, recalling. «I can’t remember…»

«Allow me to help, captain.» the AI sounded from the dynamics on the walls. «First Pilot, Allan Wilkins, executed by John Summers at 11:44 on star date 15-23-3008. Co-pilot Ralinna Elefor, executed by John Summers at 13:55 on star date 16-23-3008. Technician Lee Plummer, executed by John Summers at 18:01 on star date 31-23-3008. Head of Security Innel Phaser, executed by John Summers at 17:07 on star date 01-24-3008. Medic Anna Tailor-Tehn, executed by John Summers at 03:41 on star date 05-24-3008. Engineer Finn Lordan, executed by John Summers at 05:00 on star date 06-24-3008.»

«It’s all…» Serena winced, feeling her head aching. «Scrambled… I only saw how the Ol’ Fart killed the tech.»

«Lyssa, how did John Summers become your captain?» Hunter asked, wondering of the strange period, during which John Summers executed his team one by one.

«After finding us, the technician, Lee, managed to overwrite the base systems, which led me to recognise John Summers as captain. Deep systems remained under my control, so they couldn’t use the ship to its full potential. This is the reason John Summers did not sell the ship, as I am assigned to Serena as her primary vehicle.»

«Wait… so there were certain systems asleep all this time?»

«Correct. Systems that are essential for military purposes were shut down and limited to the basic anti-meteor defences and a level one shield generator. For reasons of being under the radar while we were escaping Velutha, the ship also went through a reconfiguring process.»

Serena glanced up at Cipher, who walked into the dining room and heard their conversation with the ship.

«Lyssa…» Cipher looked at Serena, watching her flinch. «Name your full class, ship name and model.»

«You have no authority here. Only the captain can issue such an order.» the AI replied.

«Answer him, Lyssa.» Serena felt her heart stopping for a few moments.

«I am Military Star Ship Lyssandra, mark 13.»

Serena noticed Cipher becoming pale.

«Mark 13… the planet destroyer?» he asked.

«Correct. Small, but powerful.» the AI seemed to become cheerful. «I am an agile craft, capable of travelling through the wormholes by means of a quantum generator. I hold fourteen guns, each powerful enough to bring down a Mark 11 space ship. My force field is capable of reflecting most missiles, issued within the time frame lady Serena was living aboard.»

«Laithorian space vessels always were considered to be centuries ahead of time…» Hunter shook his head.

«Lyssa, I…» Serena grasped her head, not knowing what was happening to her. «I don’t remember anything.»

«To access your memories you need to get some rest, before your mind can process the data properly. For the past four years you haven’t slept much, and it affected your capability to process information at full capacity. Furthermore, John Summers implanted an inhibitor into your neck, which inhibited your capabilities.» the AI explained.

«My what?»

«Do not worry, the process of restoring your memories fried this inhibitor. I assure you, you will feel much better after some much needed sleep, Captain.»

«I can’t… there’s…»

«The routine you got used to no longer applies, Captain. I can take off and once we will be in outer space, I can start the process of reconfiguration to make the ship take its initial form. Please confirm.»

Serena glanced up at Cipher, who stood deep in thought.

«Should I?» she asked the man.

«The ship is yours. Do as you wish. But if John Summers came here on a hunch, received from someone, we should make ourselves scarce as soon as possible.»

«If you fear that we will be found, do not worry, I am equipped with a military grade concealment field, which will make us invisible to most ships.» the AI replied.

«Lyssa…» Serena’s voice gave out for a second. «Initiate take-off, start up all your systems and start the reconfiguration process as soon as you are able.»

«Yes, Captain.»

Serena took a few sips of the tea and felt the soft take-off. She remembered how bumpy and uneven the others were, when the Ol’ Fart was captain of the ship, and the first thought that came to her mind was that the ship’s AI didn’t like the man, and that was the reason for it being so slow and clumsy all these years.

The woman slowly stood to her feet, feeling her legs very weak.

«Lyssa…» Serena grasped the table. «I never thought of you as a rusty bucket.»

«I know, captain. I am detecting a significant drop in your physical state. You are close to fainting due to the emotional and physical stress you have experienced today. I would advise you to go to the captain’s quarters and get some rest as soon as possible.» the AI said. «However, a companion is highly advisable, as you seem to be unfit to take the long walk yourself.»

«I’ll be fine.» Serena growled, walking out and leaving the two men behind her.

When she was out of earshot, the men still remained silent. But the AI spoke out again:

«Mister Hunter, please make sure Captain Serena reaches her quarters. I would not want her injuring herself in her current state.»

Hunter exchanged glances with Cipher and followed the woman, catching up with her in one of the corridors, where she almost slipped down the wall. Fortunately, he caught her in time, helping her stay up.

«I’ll help.» he whispered, noting how the woman tried to tense up to push him away. «Your ship’s orders, Captain.»

«This way…» the AI flared up some lights, illuminating the path towards the Captain’s Quarters.

«We don’t have captains quarters…» Serena shook her head, when she suddenly saw the wall part and open up, inviting the two humans inside.

Hunter stepped in, helping Serena, and the woman gasped, watching how the ship reconfigured the place, widening the room and setting up a few partitions, dividing the quarters into four smaller rooms — a common hall, a small kitchen with a dining table, an office space and a bedroom. Hunter helped the woman walk through the luxurious quarters to a large bed. Serena noticed another door appearing on the wall and opening up to a comfortable bathroom.

«Welcome back to your private quarters, Captain Serena.» the AI said. «I hope everything is to your liking, as always.»

The woman looked down at her dirty clothes and sweat-covered skin, and shook her head:

«I can’t…»

«Yes you can.» Hunter frowned. «These are your rooms.»

«Not that… I can’t sleep in such a bed… I’m… I haven’t washed in ages. Captain Summers…»

«Captain Summers is dead!» Hunter growled. «Whatever he did to you is over! The ship is yours!»

«Captain Serena, the ship’s water supply has been restored to full capacity.» the AI reported. «I suggest you and your new friends take a shower before going to bed.»

The woman swallowed a lump in her throat, and pushed Hunter away, heading to the bathroom. As soon as she went in, the door slid shut.

«I suggest you stay for the time being, mister Hunter.» the AI said to the man, who didn’t know if he was welcome at all. «I am worried for Captain Serena. And if she falls, I will need you to help her to bed, as my support bots are still in hibernation.»

«Lyssa… can you help me find out about something?» Hunter asked, glancing at the office space, where a large screen was affixed to the wall and another one — on the table, ready to be accessed.

«If it is within your access rights.»

«You managed the surveillance around ship all the time, correct?»

«Correct. Would you like to see some of the files in particular?»

«If you think I can… maybe… show me what John Summers did to Serena?»

For a couple of long moments there was silence, as if the AI was contemplating if this information was within his rights to know, but then the two screens in the office space lit up.

«You said to her that you won’t hurt her.» the AI said. «I will hold you to that promise you’ve given.»

Hunter stepped up to the screens and saw the AI showing him one of the videos from the surveillance camera in the cargo bay. The man sat down, watching Serena packing something into boxes. A few moments later he saw John Summers approaching her and grabbing her by the neck. When he shoved her into the wall, Hunter gritted his teeth, but continued watching, as John Summers began beating the woman at first, but then ripping off her clothes and taking advantage of her there and then.

The screen divided in two and another video appeared, as the first one continued.

The second video was that of the medical bay — Serena was taking care of a bad cut on her arm. John Summers walked in and grasped her by the hair, dragging her out with him as she kicked and flailed in his grip. The camera switched to another one, showing how the man dragged Serena into a small private room and threw her onto the cot, immediately slapping the woman and ripping her clothes off.

Another video appeared, joining the two others. Same man, same despicable deed.

Then another and another, until both screens were filled by clips of Serena being beaten and raped again and again.

Hunter forced down his anger, realising that the man who was doing all that to her was already dead and there was nothing he could do.

The screens suddenly shut off and Hunter heard the bathroom door sliding open. He looked that way and saw Serena grasping the side of the door, heavily breathing and hair tossed and wet. Wrapped in a thick, fluffy towel, the woman looked up at the bed, but seemed to have no more strength left to approach it.

«Mister Hunter, please help my captain to her bed.» the AI said.

Serena flinched, glancing to the side and noticing Hunter standing up from what was now her own office space. The man approached and offered her his hand. The woman didn’t object, accepting his help, and he accompanied her to the bed, covering her with a fine silky material, which reminded him of some luxurious cloth he saw somewhere.

As soon as Serena’s head touched the pillow, she drifted away into sleep.

Hunter didn’t meddle, walking out of her quarters and hoping that Pher won’t go looking for the woman.

Chapter 4. Breakfast

Serena opened her eyes and for a few moments didn’t recognise where she was. Sitting up, she noticed a little robot resting in the corner.

«Hi, Charlie!» the woman smiled and suddenly froze.

Charlie? Why did she call the bot Charlie?

The little robot switched on and its screen exhibited two cartoonish eyes that looked very cute, as if the robot was happy to be there. Serena stood from the bed and stepped up to the bot, remembering the little cleaner she had and called Charlie a long time ago. Kneeling down, the woman touched the round edges of the robot.

«Did you miss me?» she smiled.

The robot squeaked, as if replying in a cheerful manner.

Serena knew that the robots really didn’t experience any emotions, but were programmed to simulate them — it was made so to keep humans company during long and lonely space travels. Her Charlie was more than just a little cleaner — he was one of the multiple robots that could turn into defence drones if necessary.

The woman stood up, wondering how she knew all that. She stepped into the bathroom and noticed her clothes gone.

«Good morning, Captain!» Lyssa’s voice sounded. «Your old clothes have been incinerated. Your wardrobe is now accessible. Would you like me to choose your outfit for the day, or would you like to do that yourself?»

«Can I wash up first?» Serena walked up to the sink and froze in shock, noticing the change.

She was looking at herself, but it was no longer the pale, dirty woman with dark circles under her eyes. This time she saw the soft skin and beautiful face that wasn’t hidden under dirt. Though, her hair was definitely in desperate need of a hairbrush.

As if on cue to that thought, the side wall opened up, offering Serena a plethora of things needed to make herself look presentable. Tooth brushes, creams, hair brushes and a multitude of clippers, scissors and even scalpels adorned this compartment.

Serena picked up the hairbrush and spent some time brushing her silvery hair that no longer seemed brown because of all the dirt and oil she was subjected to so long. In a strange state she made a high ponytail and braided her hair in a neat braid, clasping a metal bead on the end. After taking care of her hair she brushed her teeth and tidied up her fingers, getting rid of all the broken nails and imperfections that she had before.

She felt so much better, that she didn’t care if she was dreaming.

As she exited the bathroom, she noticed her little bot Charlie chirping next to an open wardrobe, where a number of different clothes hung, ready to be taken out.

«Thank you, Charlie.» Serena smiled to the bot, and the little helper swirled around and returned to his corner.

As she approached, she glanced at the clothes she barely remembered.

The official black outfit — trousers and jacket, both adorned with tiny little speckles of crystals that originated from a distant star.

A luxurious crimson dress, fit to be worn at high-end events.

A number of plainer trousers, shirts and jackets, ranging in colour from pale green to pitch black…

Was she always so stylish?

Serena took the plain black trousers and jacket, accompanying them with a dark purple blouse.

«A fine choice, Captain!» Lyssa said in a cheerful manner. «Will you prefer your usual boots with that?»

Another compartment in the wardrobe slid out, showing a whole row filled with different style of shoes. Serena grabbed the heavy duty military boots, deciding that those were more comfortable.

A few minutes later the woman stepped out of the captain’s quarters and froze, seeing the ship fully transformed. The corridor was no longer claustrophobic and dimly lit — now it was wide enough for four people to pass each other without a problem and the lighting was bright and welcoming.

Even though her mind hadn’t yet recovered fully, this felt more like home.

Serena headed down the corridor, noticing the changes in the ship’s interior. Everything became more spacious, well-lit and less uncomfortable. And there were little robots hovering around, tidying up and carrying resources from storage to the necessary systems.

One of the robots slid in front of her and ascended, opening a compartment and offering her a belt with a holster. When Serena picked the belt up, she saw a gun and a blade lying beneath. She looked at the belt and realized it was her own military belt, given to her by her father after her first battle.

She failed to remember where and when the battle took place.

Serena put the belt on, then grabbed her weapons and thanked the robot, before continuing her way to get some food. As she walked into the dining area, she noticed the three men eating lunch and glancing up at her. Hunter and Cipher looked surprised to see the woman looking so clean and beautiful all of a sudden. Pher, however, cackled and leaned back on his chair:

«Now that is a fine woman, and not a girl! Where have you been hiding all this time?»

Serena stayed silent, stepping up to the food processor, and noticed the screen light up, before a portion of food appeared on the tray. The woman took her food and felt confused to see a lavish meal, compiled of steamed vegetables, grilled steak and a cup of something resembling red wine.

«Lyssa…» Serena didn’t know what to ask the AI.

«I took the liberty of adjusting your diet to compensate for the severe malnutrition you have been experiencing. Bon appetite, Captain.» the AI replied.

Serena frowned in confusion, but decided not to argue, though it has been too long since she experienced a meal so hardy. She sat down at the far table near the illuminator, which showed the stars outside, and began slowly eating, deep in her thoughts.

It didn’t take too long before Pher jumped from his seat and approached her, plopping down on the seat next to the woman and leaning in.

«I say, you clean up good.» he said with a charming smile. «You’re even prettier without all the grime that hid this face of yours.»

He touched her cheek, making her jump up and gaze at him angrily. The man stood, still smiling.

«Come on… I’m only trying to be your friend.» he said.

«Leave me alone.» Serena growled, feeling an unusual rage surfacing through the scared girl that she was for the four years that passed.

«I’m sure we can figure this out, eh?» Pher shrugged, his hands open wide in a welcoming gesture.

Serena thought how full of himself he was to act so nonchalant and arrogant. She unsheathed her blade and watched his eyes look down, and then up at her face again. His demeanour changed slightly — more collected, tense and ready, though the boyish smile never left his lips.

«Never unsheathe your weapon, unless you are going to use it.» he said calmly, his voice growing lower and exhibiting a warning within the tone.

Serena raised her blade, suddenly lowering her stance and tilted her head a bit, as if welcoming him to attack.

«Pher, stand down!» Hunter’s voice reverberated through the dining area.

«No, let him do whatever he pleases.» Serena smirked, feeling unusually calm and determined.

Something inside of her stirred the memories of her body being capable of things she thought impossible for four long years. She felt the urge to fight, shed blood and punish the arrogant bastard in front of her.

She noticed in the corner of her eye that Cipher stopped Hunter from interfering and understood that the man wanted to see what she was able to do in such a situation.

Pher, on the contrary, cackled and stepped up, leaning into the blade as close as he could.

«Go on!» he smirked. «Kill me if you can.»

He froze for a couple of moments, but Serena waited for him to make the first move. Somehow she knew his bluff and wanted to make him pay for this rude distraction from her meal.

As the man flinched to grab her blade, she shifted in a blink of an eye, suddenly hitting him in the stomach and throwing him back. He straightened, wincing from pain, and frowned, understanding that the girl he saw the day before was nothing compared to the woman in front of him now.

He approached again — this time careful and attentive, watching her body for any signs she would attack him first. But she was standing frozen, as if being in a fight was something she was used to.

«You know nothing of the Laithorian Empire, do you?» Cipher leaned back in his seat, enjoying the sudden entertainment.

«What’s there to know?» Pher cackled again, making a sudden advance, but receiving a kick to his side in return that forced him to the floor.

«The Laithorians value their military discipline. They live for war. Each child is raised preparing for the battles ahead.» Serena suddenly answered, giving Pher enough time to get up again. «We train since childhood. That’s why the Laithorians are best in military missions. We are paid to battle, conquer and fight. Our families make money by engaging the wars and battles of others. And my family was the most prominent.»

Pher jumped into attack once again, but now he seemed more eager to kick and hit, though each of his advances was met with a carefully placed block or evasion. For a couple of minutes the pair fought relentlessly, exchanging blows, but not stepping away. Cipher noticed how Hunter tensed up, not understanding how Serena was able to move so fast, though just yesterday she was as weak as a pup, barely able to keep herself on her feet.

«I advise you to finish this show, Captain.» Lyssa’s voice sounded. «As your body had not yet fully recovered.»

«Shut up, Lyssa!» a sudden rage took over Serena, and the woman pushed through the rising aching in her muscles, forcing Pher to retreat again and again, until he jumped back and hit the wall.

Growling and attacking, Serena offered him no respite, aiming at his body again and again, barely missing her hits, as the man too was an experienced fighter in hand-to-hand combat. In a short moment of her distraction by a sharp pain in her broken arm, he managed to unarm her, throwing her blade aside, but that was all he could do, as the woman jumped to him, slamming her forehead into his face.

A pained scream flew out from his mouth, but before he could slide down the wall, Serena hissed and grabbed his clothes, throwing him aside.

Hunter jolted up, noticing the woman swaying from this. But Pher remained on the floor, groaning and bloodied from the short, but intense scuffle he had with the captain of the ship.

Serena walked over and picked up her blade, watching Pher closely, then sheathed her weapon and returned to her meal, feeling her hands trembling from adrenaline.

Though breathing heavily, she didn’t take her eyes off Pher, who lay on the floor, barely moving and groaning from pain. Serena tried grasping the glass with her drink, but almost dropped it, when her trembling fingers slid on the surface.

She took her time, slowing down her breathing and calming herself, before she understood that she was no longer hungry. Enraged at this, she threw her tray off the table and stormed out of the dining area, leaving the three men.

Chapter 5. Memories

Hunter took his time finding Serena. When he approached her, she was sitting in the captain’s seat on the bridge and watching the stars outside — silent and distant.

«Can I join you?» Hunter asked, feeling conflicted if he should even be there or not.

«You’re free to roam the ship, Hunter. Whether you want my company or not is entirely up to you.» Serena replied, sounding different than on the day before.

She felt more confident, more collected, stronger and… more lost than when he met her. The man sat down on the first pilot’s seat and took a few moments to gather his thoughts, deciding on what to talk about with the woman, who went through so much and he knew nothing about.

«I’m sorry.» Hunter finally said, turning to look at Serena.

He noticed her frown and meet his gaze.

«What are you sorry for?» she asked, her tone indifferent, but hiding a hint of aching somewhere deep inside.

«I should have stopped him. Pher is an asshole.»

Serena smirked, and Hunter noted how her eyes softened.

«Don’t be sorry for someone else’s stupidity. I saw Cipher stopping you. He did the right thing.» the woman answered. «If you’d interfere, you could have been caught in the moment and punched as well.»

«Can I ask… how is it that yesterday you were so frail, and today…»

«Muscle memory.» Serena chuckled. «Though, I must admit, I am in no condition to fight a Laithorian right now. I’m a disgrace to my family name.»

«Captain, I still hadn’t received any orders concerning our route.» Lyssa’s voice sounded. «Since Mister Hunter is here, perhaps, it would be best to decide on our destination?»

«Stop calling him mister Hunter, Lyssa.» Serena slid down in her seat, relaxing. «He’s just Hunter.»

«Noted, Captain.»

Serena closed her eyes for a few moments and seemed to drift asleep, before stirring up and collecting herself again, remembering that she wasn’t alone.

«So… Hunter. Where are we heading?» the woman asked.

Hunter looked away, unable to withstand the cold gaze of her steel grey eyes.

«Honestly, I have no idea.» he replied a couple of moments later. «Do you remember where you were going? Before you lost your… memories?»

Serena felt her teeth gritting against her will. She didn’t remember everything yet — just bits and pieces, scattered in time from her childhood to what seemed to be closer to the time she ended up in space, lost somewhere near Thorna Dirr.

«No.» she replied, sounding very quiet. «I don’t.»

«No specific destination was input at that time, Captain.» Lyssa said, helping her. «We were jumping from one planet to another, trying to lose any pursuers. I was saving your life.»

Hunter glanced at Serena and saw her frowning, as if remembering something. The woman leaned forward and clasped her fingers, her teeth gritting from the heavy thoughts. For a split second the man noticed her eyes dart from one side to another, as if she saw something troubling.

«What is it?» he forced his question out.

«I was…» Serena flinched, then winced and grasped her head. «I was… injured.»

She fell silent and Hunter gave her some time to continue, but she stayed silent.

«Lyssa?» Hunter asked the AI.

«Lady Serena was heavily injured and staying in a revival pod in my medical bay for most of the trip, Hunter.» the AI replied calmly.

«Injured…» Serena gritted her teeth again, then put her hands down and looked at them, as if something was terribly wrong. «I was…»

She fell silent again, and Hunter saw her face becoming white.

«I was dying.» the woman finally exhaled.

«I wouldn’t go that far, Captain.» Lyssa said. «You were injured, yes, but not dying.»

Something in Serena’s mind stirred up again and she suddenly felt the dull aching in her limbs. She looked at her right leg and then at her left arm. A flash of thought brought her a painful memory. She saw herself grasping at the floor, crawling through her ship.

«Serena?» Hunter’s voice made the woman flinch.

She looked up at him and saw his concerned look. Serena felt her resolve slipping away and jumped up from her seat, heading out. Hunter stood to follow, but she gestured him to stop.

«Stay here and monitor the screens.» Serena said, her voice ringing with sudden steel in it.

She hurried out, leaving the man all alone.

Hunter stood there, conflicted again, and feeling that the woman needed someone to talk to, but continuously pushing his help away.

«Lyssa?» Hunter cleared his throat, slowly sitting back down.

«Yes, Hunter?» the AI replied. «Have you decided on the course?»

«Not yet.» the man glanced over his shoulder, making sure Serena wasn’t coming back anytime soon. «I have another query.»

«What can I help you with?»

«Do you still have the surveillance videos from that time?»

«Can you clarify your query, Hunter?»

«When she was injured. Do you have videos what happened?»

«That is sensitive information.» Lyssa replied. «Can I depend on you keeping your promise?»

Hunter realised that the previous videos he was shown were just as sensitive, because Lyssa mentioned his promise not to hurt Serena then, as she did now.

«Yes. My intent is to help Serena. Not hurt her.» the man said, determined to learn about this strange woman he met just a day ago.

«I hope you are used to blood, Hunter. The images you are about to see are not for the faint of heart.»

«Just show it, Lyssa!»

The screen on the control panel brightened, as the video began, showing a female entering what seemed to be the cargo bay, but not the one they entered yesterday. The well-lit compartment was darkened by a shadow first, and then Serena stepped in, grasping at her left arm — what was left of it, as instead she had a mangled stump, profusely bleeding. She stumbled further in, and before the cargo bay door latched, another figure slipped inside, following the woman. The camera angle changed, showing Serena slowly making her way through the corridor, when suddenly the shadow from behind her burst in a flash of light and the floor under the woman became dark, as she fell to the floor, deprived of her right leg — the energy burst shredded the limb up to the middle of her thigh.

Hunter couldn’t breathe, hearing the low growl coming from the woman’s throat. She wasn’t screaming from pain, but rather roaring in anger.

The shadow approached, aiming its weapon at Serena, and the woman suddenly rolled over, making the assassin miss her body. Her own gun flared up, and the male figure that was about to kill her froze for a moment before falling down to the floor, head evaporated from her shot.

Serena stayed on the floor for a bit, then rolled over again and began to crawl, grasping at the floor with her right hand and pulling herself up, pushing her body with her left leg.

Hunter wanted to stop watching, but couldn’t make himself look away. The video followed Serena, as she crawled, growling, through the corridor, and reached the medical bay. There, she reached to one of the containers and threw it off onto the floor, throwing aside the multiple bottles and injection devices, until finding two specific ones. She clenched one in her teeth and injected herself straight into her bleeding stump of an arm. Hunter heard her growl in pain, before throwing the syringe aside and taking the second one. When the shot landed on her vaporised leg, the man felt his fists tightening.

He had never seen anything like this.

He read about the Laithorian military being much stronger than any human colony citizens, but what he was seeing was something else. This was a soldier moving on pure determination, ignoring pain and lost limbs, having an agenda of her own.

In all the years he was a soldier, he had never seen anyone so strong.

Serena spent a couple of minutes resting on the floor and seemingly tired and pained from what happened to her. But then she crawled to a medical pod that stood in the far corner of the medical bay and forced herself up and inside. As the latch closed, sealing her in, the video ended.

Hunter sat there in silence, realising how much this woman could have lived through in all the years before she ended up a toy for a greedy man named John Summers.

«Lyssa?» Hunter’s voice gave out suddenly and the man coughed, recollecting himself.

«Yes, Hunter?» the AI was eager to help.

«Did she lose her memories then? In that pod?»

«She initiated an emergency protocol that was meant to seal her in hibernation for a certain amount of time to allow her body to regenerate. This caused her to remain suspended for fifty years.»

«Answer my question, god damn you!» Hunter growled. «Did she lose her memories then?»

«The emergency protocol she initiated included a safety measure of removing her memories to allow her to wake up without having to deal with the traumatic experiences she went through. This was also for reasons of staying under the radar for some time while I would be monitoring the news translations and intercepting reports about the Laithorian Empire and what had happened.»

«She did this to herself?»

«She didn’t want to be found. She was cautious and planned ahead. The removal of her memories should have allowed her to live freely until the time came.»

«But…» Hunter became confused. «The two families massacred each other so long ago, why was she suspended for so long?»

«Her injuries were too severe and she was suffering from an unknown toxin, which inhibited her abilities to regenerate. By being inside the medical pod, she allowed my systems to filter out the neurotoxin and supply her body with all the necessary fluids to make her regeneration process as painless and fast as possible. Unfortunately, due to the complexity of the toxin she was subjected to, I was unable to start removal of the toxin for a significant amount of time.»

«So… she can’t heal her broken arm because the toxin wasn’t removed fully?»

«That is result of John Summers implanting her with the inhibitor. As the inhibitor was fried during the memory implantation, her body will regain all the capabilities she had before being subjected to the toxin and injuries.»

«Estimated time?» Hunter stood, finding movement feeling a bit calming.

«Estimated time for Serena to gain her full potential is three hundred and sixty standard hours, which is equivalent to fifteen standard days. Her broken arm should heal within three days.»

«Thank you, Lyssa.» the man stepped towards the exit.

«I would advise you to remain here, Hunter, as you were given an order by the Captain.»

«She’s not my captain.» Hunter stopped mid-step.

«You are on her ship. She gave you an order. You should comply, unless you wish to face her wrath. She is a military captain and does not forgive insubordination.»

The man thought for a moment and slowly returned to the pilot seat, deciding not to object to the ship’s AI — after all, it knew Serena much better than he ever did.

Chapter 6. Outburst

Serena curled up on her bed, hiding in her quarters from everything and everyone. She tried falling asleep to run from the flashing images that caused her to flinch and wince from pain, but her unsettled mind denied her that respite. She felt restless and agitated, caught in the maddening whirlpool of memories she was forced to retrieve from wherever they were held for years.

The woman felt her body clenching up in a new wave of pain that originated in her right leg and left arm, washing over to the torso and causing her to bite on the pillow to muffle her growling moans.

In a sudden burst of anger at everything, Serena jolted up, throwing the pillow aside and punching the first thing that she saw, which was a statuette carved out of some luminescent stone, depicting a warrior, frozen in a low stance with his sword and shield at the ready. Her fist cracked the head off the statue, sending it to the floor, and the woman kicked the depiction, crashing it into pieces.

Feeling even more enraged, she headed out, wishing for someone to appear before her, so that she would be able to let this anger out.

«Captain, I highly advise you to visit the medical bay as soon as possible.» Lyssa’s voice sounded.

«Shut up!» Serena screamed, unable to calm down. «Just shut up!»

«Captain…»

«I said shut up!» Serena punched the wall, immediately curling up from the painful burst that went through her whole arm, reminding her of the broken bone.

«Please, Captain.»

«Shut up! Shut up!!! SHUT THE FUCK UP!» Serena screamed, kicking the wall in anger and pain.

And though the ship’s AI remained silent, Serena continued to punch and kick the wall, until she felt her strength leaving her and slid down to the floor, breaking down in tears. She remained there for some time, before her mind slipped away into so much needed darkness, allowing her to finally forget about everything.

A few minutes passed, before someone appeared at the end of the corridor, stopping mid-step and taking a look around. The man thought for a few moments, before heading towards Serena, who lay on the floor unmoving.

As the man walked up, he chuckled, looking at the bloodied fist of the woman and her vulnerable position. He kneeled next to her and ruffled his blond hair, unable to contain another cackle.

«You crazy bitch…» Pher poked the unconscious woman in her shoulder.

She remained unmoving — an easy target to whatever revenge Pher could think of. His face still held the remnants of her beating, reminding him of the absolute savage of a woman, who stood up to his advances in the dining area earlier that day.

«Not so tough now, are you?» the man scratched his short beard, thinking about all the possibilities he had at the moment, while the ship’s captain was incapacitated.

He didn’t hear the rapid footsteps behind, but a few moments later someone grabbed the back of his shirt and jerked him back, throwing him into the other wall.

«Get the fuck away from her!» Hunter stepped towards his friend, who slowly started to remind him of an enemy.

Hunter knew Pher for a long time, and he was always hot-headed and rushed into things without thinking too much, but for the first time in all their friendship he exhibited a maddening disregard for basic respect towards others.

«You know, this is getting tiring, brother…» Pher forced himself up, growing angry at Hunter for getting between him and the woman more than once. «What is it with you and this whore, huh?»

Hunter bared his teeth and took two steps forward, shoving Pher into the wall once again:

«And what’s with you and this sudden lack of reason?» he growled. «Harassing the ship’s captain and now this?»

He gestured to Serena, who lay unconscious on the other side of the corridor.

«I did not do this!» Pher burst out with anger. «She was like this when I found her!»

«And I’m supposed to believe you after what happened in the dining area?»

«Maybe if you take your head out of your ass, you’ll finally realise that this bitch had it coming!»

Hunter landed a hard blow onto Pher’s jaw, throwing him aside, but Pher jumped back towards him, knocking the man off his feet. A fight broke out, as the two men rolled on the floor, throwing punches at each other, too riled up to stop.

The fight was fierce, and for a moment Hunter got distracted, as they approached Serena in their scuffle. He tried moving away, and Pher used it to his advantage, catching the man off-guard and landing a heavy punch to his face, finally drawing blood.

Not stopping, Pher landed a couple of more blows, before the third man arrived, catching him from behind in a choking grasp and pulling him away from the dazed man on the floor.

«The fuck’s wrong with you, Pher?» Cipher’s voice sounded low and raspy, as the man tried his best not to tighten his grip on his friend’s neck.

The blond man raised his hands, offering to stop the altercation, and Cipher growled, pushing him away — as far as he could from Hunter and Serena.

«Get the fuck back to your quarters and stay there!» Cipher growled. «If I see you outside today, you’ll be put in a prison cell for the rest of the trip — I’m sure Lyssa has those somewhere.»

Pher glanced to Hunter, spit to the floor and wiped the blood off his lip, before taking a few steps back, showing he didn’t want any more trouble than he was already in.

«Go!» Cipher screamed at the man and watched him chuckle and walk away.

When Pher disappeared behind the corner, Cipher growled again and stepped to Hunter, who was coughing up blood and trying to catch his breath on the floor. Taking a quick look at his face, Cipher offered the man his hand and helped him up to his feet.

He then kneeled next to Serena and leaned in, then checked her pulse and tried to figure out what happened. Seeing no injuries other than the bloodied knuckles, he surmised that the woman could have landed a few punches to Pher, before he knocked her out. Without thinking another moment, he picked the woman up onto his arms and exchanged glances with Hunter, who was still feeling his aching jaw.

«Infirmary, both of you. Now.» Cipher hissed at his friend.

Hunter dared not argue, following the angry man.

Once in the medical bay, Cipher lay Serena down onto the table, and the scanner began its work, searching for every injury she could have. A few moments later the woman was administered a shot of medicine and everything fell quiet.

Cipher sighed heavily and looked at Hunter, who watched the whole thing in silence.

«What the fuck happened there?» he growled to him.

Hunter winced, opening his mouth and feeling the jaw aching heavily.

«I came, when she was already unconscious.»

«That’s not what I meant. The fuck is wrong with you and Pher?»

«And you hadn’t noticed? After we left the Company he’s become a mad dog!» Hunter gritted his teeth. «Always looking for trouble, eager to start a fight… He’s had it for her since we’ve met! And he doesn’t take no for an answer.»

«If the morning beating didn’t help him understand she’s not interested, then she can give him another one.»

«Oh, and this looks like she gave him a beating?» Hunter gestured to Serena, who lay still on the table.

Cipher glanced at her and realised his mistake.

«Fuck.» he exhaled, becoming too tired to deal with all this mess. «The fuck did we get ourselves into?!»

Hunter sighed, not knowing the answer.

«We need to decide on the course and let others deal with whatever this…» Cipher waved to Serena. «…is!»

He didn’t wait for Hunter to reply and walked out, leaving the two all alone in the medical bay.

The man saw a stool standing by one of the tables and moved it up to where Serena lay resting. He watched her, thinking if she would ever be able to have a better life than this. A place she could settle, perhaps?

Chapter 7. Coward

Serena opened her eyes and found herself lying in the medical bay. Her thoughts were slow and whirling around her head, making her dizzy. She tried remembering what she was dreaming about, but her mind remained blank.

Slowly regaining her strength, she sat up, but froze as soon as she saw Hunter sitting on a stool with his head lying on his arms, curled up on the edge of the medical table, where Serena was now sitting.

She saw bruises on his face and suddenly thought if she was the cause of his injuries. This thought made her flinch and curl up, falling into guilt for hurting someone who did nothing to her. The woman slipped off the table and stepped towards the doors, but froze, feeling a warm, soft grasp on her wrist.

«Serena?» Hunter’s voice sounded raspy, tired and pained.

«I’m sorry.» she replied, unable to look him in the eyes.

«Why? You did nothing…»

«I hurt you.» Serena forced herself to turn and look at Hunter, almost immediately lowering her gaze.

He chuckled:

«This wasn’t your doing.»

She raised her eyes and saw him looking at her with a smile on his bruised face. The open smile and the soft gaze made the woman frown in confusion. She was sure it was her who beat him up in a fit of uncontrollable rage, blocking out the memory of it afterwards.

«I had a disagreement with Pher.» Hunter smiled wider.

Serena studied his broken lip and the bruises on his jaw, then the dark circle under his eye and remained silent, trying to grasp at what happened and why she didn’t remember how she got to the infirmary. She pushed through the mist of her mind, recalling the last thing she could remember.

She looked at her right fist, seeing her knuckles bruised, though they were supposed to be injured after she hit the wall several times. Frowning, she realised that she probably passed out shortly after that.

«Did you get into a fight with Pher?» Hunter watched her closely, his smile fading.

«No, I…» the woman looked up at the ceiling. «Lyssa?»

«Captain.» the short reply sounded cold and distant.

«I’m sorry.»

«No need to apologize, Captain.» Lyssa replied, adjusting her vocal tone to sound softer. «You were under stress and incapable of controlling your emotions. I am glad you are feeling better now. Though, I must admit, I do not admire the dent you have left on one of my interior walls.»

«I’m sorry, Lyssa. I’ll try my best not to do that again.»

«Apology accepted, Captain.» Lyssa fell silent for a moment. «I advise you to get some rest and have a meal. This would help you get back to full health faster. Hunter needs some sustenance as well, as you both have missed supper.»

Serena looked at Hunter, seeing him smiling again.

«Would you like to join me for some late night dinner?» the man asked.

She was startled at such a blatant invitation, which in some societies could be considered a full invitation for an intimate date. Swallowing her nervousness, Serena nodded, too afraid to say anything and show him that she was too flustered to answer properly.

They stayed silent on the way to the dining area, but as soon as they sat at the table, Hunter smiled at Serena and asked:

«Do you remember anything about your home?»

The woman looked at her cup, filled to the brim with red wine and thought for a moment, before answering:

«Very little. I remember… that Laithorians are a proud nation. We are born into a harsh environment and grow up, constantly training our bodies and minds to become strong and smart. I think, Lyssa can help with the details, as my memories are still a bit… scrambled.»

«Of course, Captain.» Lyssa’s voice sounded. «Laithorian Empire was forged in a bloody war between the four worlds that were initially colonised by the Terran people. Velutha became the strongest outpost due to the unique environment that allowed natural selection and genetic modification birth a human race that was stronger than the usual kind. The strong gravitational force influenced the Laithorian bone and muscle density, which made their bones capable of withstanding extreme blows. If Serena was at her full capabilities, her arm would not have broken so easily.»

«Thanks for reminding how frail I am right now…» Serena mumbled, silencing herself by taking a large sip of wine.

«I am sorry for indicating that, Captain. But it is crucial for Hunter’s understanding of your people.» Lyssa remarked. «The four planets, though forming an alliance, slowly came under rule of one of the families, residing on Velutha. This was caused by the sheer military presence, which is considered to be the greatest one in all of the human colonies and space empires of human descent. The military force of Veluthian families is often used by other human empires in wars and explorations of deep space. Lady Serena belongs to the most prominent family of her time, having an army exceeding any known in the known Universe. However, the Thara-Lyss family was forced into an altercation with the Bima-Liss family, second in the military presence of the six families of Velutha.»

«Tekkern Dorn Bima-Liss…» Serena remembered a name, which made her grasp the glass tighter.

«Correct, Captain. Tekkern, the firstborn son of Seloran Dorn Bima-Liss was supposed to form an alliance with your own family through marriage, essentially uniting the two houses into one.»

Hunter noticed how Serena gritted her teeth, obviously remembering more than Lyssa was saying.

«Serena?» the man called out, making the AI pause her story.

«Tekkern… and I…» the woman swallowed a lump that suddenly formed in her throat. «We were betrothed. We were supposed to get married, but when I came to our grand engagement party… the Bima-Liss betrayed us all. All of my family was poisoned by… a toxin of some kind, and this allowed the Bima-Liss to attack us and overpower us all.»

A few moments passed before Lyssa continued the story:

«The celebration of Serena and Tekkern’s engagement turned into a bloodbath, which resulted in heavy battles all throughout the lands of the two families. Within a few months, all members of both families were considered dead.»

Hunter watched Serena close her eyes and noticed her grip tightening even more. The glass cracked, and shattered in her palm, making her flinch and look at her hand in shock. The man calmly took her hand in his, checking the skin for any shards of glass, and after cleaning them off, looked up into Serena’s eyes. The pained expression on her face made him realise that the video file he saw of her getting onto her ship was of her escape from the massacre that resulted in war, leading to the demise of both families.

«The engagement party was supposed to be free from armour and weapons…» Serena said quietly, her grey eyes filled with a faint shadow of the terror she had witnessed on that day. «My family honoured this condition. The Bima-Liss didn’t. They came armed and ready for the fight.»

Hunter saw tears appearing in her eyes.

«We were outnumbered… poisoned… but we fought back. My family managed to eliminate most of the Bima-Liss traitors, when…» the woman flinched, looking away. «When I was shot… My father ordered me to get the ship and leave… I… ran. I left them. I’m… I’m a disgrace to my family name.»

She couldn’t hold her tears any longer, shedding them for all the dead she used to know.

«I’m a coward.» she whispered.

Hunter gently held her hand, feeling her trembling.

«You’re not a coward.» he said, watching her sitting frozen in place. «I saw how you reached the ship. That is not how a coward would be running.»

Serena closed her eyes, flooded by the memories of the terrifying pain from her left arm, which was vaporised during the battle. She felt her right leg twitch, reminding her of the second blow that rendered her barely moving.

«Captain.» Lyssa sounded stern. «Look at this.»

Serena looked up at the screen on one of the walls and saw herself crawling on the floor of the ship, two limbs missing, but growling and enraged, continuing her way towards a safe haven with a determination which wasn’t that of desperation, but of a silent promise to recover and come back and wreak havoc on all those who wronged her and her family.

Crying, Serena couldn’t look away from the gruesome path she took, pulling her body through the ship with just one arm and a leg, before reaching the infirmary and administering some painkillers, which allowed her to gather her strength again to crawl into one of the pods.

«A coward would have given up, Captain. You didn’t.» Lyssa’s words sounded so confident that Serena felt her tears flowing even harder. «And you left yourself a message before you were suspended in hibernation. A reminder…»

Serena suddenly froze, becoming even paler. She saw her own face — the face she saw in her dream last night, looking back at her through the mirror. But this time it was a screen, showing her recording a message:

«I’m leaving Velutha as per orders given by my superior. My father ordered me to live, and live I shall, leaving them to fight the war that was forced onto my family by traitorous actions of the Bima-Liss family. They attacked us like cowards, poisoning us during what was supposed to be a peace treaty between the two families. I will survive, even if this means my family dies in this war. I will survive and return to avenge the dead. I leave this promise for my future self. I know you might not remember much, but you will. I am executing an emergency protocol which will wipe my memories to allow me to survive in case my ship is captured while I will be suspended. Lyssa is instructed to keep me safe after revival and in case everything goes sideways, I will remain without any memory of who I am, so that none of the Bima-Liss hounds would find me. Once it will be safe I will receive my memories back and return to make the Bima-Liss pay. But for now… I need to regenerate. The toxin has inhibited my capabilities, so this might take a while until Lyssa cracks the toxin and helps me recover. I can do this… All I need is… to forget everything I ever was…»

The screen grew dark and Serena looked down, feeling a strange calmness washing over her. She wiped her tears and sat there, thinking if she was as strong as the woman in the message.

«See?» Hunter smiled. «That was not a coward. That was a soldier, following orders from her commander.»

Serena met his gaze feeling gratitude toward him for helping her deal with all the torment she had to go through, even though he barely knew her.

«Thank you.» she whispered to the man, seeing his smile grow wider at these words.

Chapter 8. Drifter

The ship drifted through space, lazily making its way through the stars. The destination was yet unknown, and both the captain and the three passengers seemed to not really bother about time slipping away, enjoying the comfort and respite of the amazing space vessel.

Serena found herself forming a new routine, spending some time in her quarters every morning working out to get back into shape, though Lyssa kept reminding that she should take it easy until her broken arm will heal. Ignoring the advice, Serena felt stronger with each passing day, which greatly influenced her mood, now becoming more stable and cheerful than before.

Though, her memories, returning in form of nightmares, still haunted her.

That night she returned to her quarters after sharing a meal with Hunter, as they formed a close friendship, and after taking a quick shower, the woman stayed in her bed, pondering on the possible future that lay ahead of her.

When she drifted to sleep, the ship was already silent, as the three men too went to bed, leaving the interior still and quiet.

Hunter slept calmly, relaxed after seeing the positive changes in Serena. He might not be admitting it to himself yet, but he fell for the woman. During the conversations they had and the memories they shared, he found her not only fascinating, but also intelligent and fun. And he was definitely happy to see her slowly coming to terms with the memories she got back, however harsh they really were.

«Hunter!» Lyssa’s voice shook the man out of his bed. «Hunter! I need you now!»

Startled at the rude awakening, Hunter wiped his face, still feeling dazed from the dream he was so suddenly brought out of.

«What the fuck, Lyssa?» he growled.

«I need your assistance right now!»

«Shit… what time is it?»

«Three in the morning.» the AI replied coldly. «Put some pants on and get your ass to the Captain’s Quarters now!»

Hunter froze in fear — did Pher do something stupid again? The man jumped up, quickly putting some clothes and boots on, and ran out, heading towards where Serena resided. The door opened for him without a glitch and he ran inside, looking around in search of the emergency Lyssa woke him up to.

But though he expected Serena and Pher engaged in a fight, he saw the woman sitting curled up in the corner and looking into the wall with an absent expression on her face. Hunter hurried to her, kneeling and trying to see if she was hurt.

Serena stayed unmoving, ignoring his presence.

«Serena?» Hunter called out, too afraid to touch her.

The woman didn’t reply, remaining silent and unresponsive. Hunter slowly leaned in, carefully placing his palm on her shoulder, and felt her flinch a little.

«Serena? What happened?» he asked her, his breath shaky. «Please, Serena… answer me?»

He noticed her slowly shaking her head and closing her eyes, pressing her forehead to the wall.

«Go away, Hunter…» she whispered.

«No!» in a sudden determination he growled, denying her the solitude she wanted. «No, I won’t leave you!»

Serena looked at him, her eyes filled with tears, and Hunter felt his heart sinking, seeing her shattered again. He sat down next to her, showing her that he won’t go away, even if she orders him to.

«I don’t know what happened, Serena…» he said to her. «But I feel like you are going through something that needs to be spoken about, and not bottled up. I’m here to listen, if you’re willing to talk.»

«I don’t know how to talk about it, Hunter.» her voice sounded pained, forced, as if she was on the verge of crying, barely holding the tears in.

The man watched her lips trembling, and did the only thing he thought could help — he reached his arm out and gently embraced her, pressing to his side. Serena let him move closer and her head fell to his shoulder, though this simple human contact made her eyes burst with tears.

Hunter didn’t speak, allowing her to shed all the tears, until she seemed to calm down, still allowing him to embrace her, gifting her warmth of his skin. He felt her sliding down onto his lap and almost flinched, when he realised she drifted into sleep, calmed by his presence and silent understanding. A smile crept to his lips, as he caressed her hair, offering her the respite she needed. Not long after he too joined her, falling asleep.

He woke up hours later, when Serena pushed herself up, flustered and embarrassed to have fallen prey to whatever breakdown she had last night. Hunter caught her wrist as she wanted to stand up, making her freeze and tense up, avoiding looking him in his eyes.

«Feeling better, Captain?» Hunter asked, trying hard to make his voice sound soft and kind, and not heavy with concern.

«Yes, I…» the woman looked away. «I’m sorry.»

«Stop apologising.» the man softly smiled at her. «I’m happy I could help you feel better, even though I didn’t do anything at all.»

Serena flinched and forced herself to meet his gaze:

«I’m apologising for showing you myself being weak.» she said, and Hunter felt her trembling again. «I was raised better than that.»

«You’re not weak, Serena.» the man caressed her wrist with his fingers, offering her a bit of comfort. «You’re just… human.»

«I’m…»

«I know who you are.» Hunter didn’t even let her speak. «You’re a woman, a warrior, who lived through so much torment, not every man can survive. You’re dealing with memories of the four years you spent under Captain Summers clashing with the memories of your home world. It’s only natural for you to feel unnerved and off your game.»

He rose, helping her up to her feet, but not allowing her to step away, holding her hands.

«If you ever feel broken again…» Hunter looked into her eyes. «Just tell me. I’ll be there for you. And I don’t care if it’s a conversation you need, or something else. If I can help, I’d be happy to.»

Serena lowered her gaze, suddenly remembering the warm embrace he offered her at night, and fought with herself, knowing that her family was never understanding of such things. Their distant and collected demeanour always showed her to be the same, hiding her emotions and affections.

The woman decided that it was time to allow someone into her life — even if this was just a friend. She stepped forward and — to Hunter’s surprise — embraced him, reaching for the same warmth he gifted her when she was feeling all alone and weak. The man didn’t pull back, answering her embrace and feeling her pressing against his chest.

«Thank you.» Serena whispered.

Chapter 9. Pit Stop

As Serena walked up to the captain’s seat, Lyssa showed a small trading station, located a little ways ahead.

«We are approaching Karaaln space station.» the AI reported. «If we are to continue our trip, I advise you to make a short stop to gather some supplies. While I will be taking care of that, you and your passengers can have a bit of fun on the station, if you wish.»

«Fun…» Serena sat down, pondering on the suggestion. «I don’t remember how to have fun.»

«Captain?» Cipher’s voice sounded behind and Serena glanced that way, seeing the man approaching. «I am sorry for eavesdropping, but I must admit, Lyssa makes a good point. We could all use a bit of a breather. Stretch our legs and, perhaps, purchase some booze your ship is unable to replicate?»

The woman watched him take a seat at the second pilot’s chair and wondered if this man ever worked on a station like that, as he seemed to be more acquainted with what could be bought there than she was.

«So you want to take a walk, huh?» Serena asked him, seeing his smile.

«Well… I mean, both Pher and Hunter seem to be a bit bored out of their minds on the ship. No offence.»

«None taken.»

«I’ve been here a few times, so I know where we can get some quality drinks and, maybe, sell some of the ingots we got.»

Serena took a few moments to think, then addressed her ship:

«Lyssa, why don’t you pry around a bit and if it’s safe, we’ll dock at the station for a bit of…» the woman met Cipher’s gaze. «Fun.»

The man’s smile grew wider:

«Now that’s what I’m talking about! I promise you, Captain, you won’t regret this!»

«Cipher, can I ask you a personal question?» Serena squinted a bit, watching his expression.

«We’re all friends here, so fire away.» he replied, gesturing to show he’s ready to answer anything.

«Were you a captain? At the Company?»

Cipher’s smile faded slowly, as if he was caught off-guard, but then he suddenly smiled again and chuckled:

«I guess, no point in hiding it, is it?»

«I’ve been watching you, and I noticed how often you mitigate matters between Hunter and Pher. It’s only natural that I’ve come to the conclusion that you were their high in command at some point.»

«That I was.» Cipher sighed, leaning back. «Though, I wasn’t exactly their captain.»

«Is it hard being on my ship and having to watch your tongue around me?»

The man chuckled once more, shaking his head:

«I’m fine with you being captain. Plus… you’re the most laid-back captain I’ve ever known.»

Serena was surprised to hear that, twitching her brow and tilting her head to the side:

«Really?»

«I haven’t seen you act in some emergency, though, so that assumption can change drastically.» Cipher winked.

Serena couldn’t hold in a cackle. This man obviously knew when to joke around and how to poke at people without offending them.

«Commencing docking sequence.» Lyssa reported, her message relayed all throughout the ship.

«I hope you won’t be staying on the ship to sulk around all alone?» Cipher stood up, glancing out the window to see the ship slowly approaching the docking bays of the space trading station.

Serena took a moment to think:

«I’m not sure if I’ll be good company.» she replied.

Cipher turned to her and saw her looking at her control panel, as if searching for something to do, so that she could stay aboard the ship.

«Nonsense!» the man walked up to her and leaned in with a charming smile. «Hunter will be glad to have you with us. And so would I.»

«And Pher?» Serena twitched her brow again, teasing the man.

«Oh, if he won’t like you with us, he can go fuck himself!» Cipher smirked. «So what do you say? Are you coming?»

Serena looked out past him onto the vast space station that they were docking at, and decided that she shouldn’t decline an invitation to shake off the confinement of the ship.

«Fine. I’ll come.» she replied to the man.

Chapter 10. Compensation

«Captain, we are being approached by SS Laneera, a small cargo vessel under the command of one Liam Woods.» Lyssa’s voice sounded.

Serena raised her eyes from the control panel before her and thought for a moment.

«Have they sent any signals yet?» she asked.

«Captain Woods is hailing us right now. Shall I connect?»

«Yes, please.» Serena straightened her back, looking at the screen as it lit up and she saw a couple of men and women. «How can I help you, Captain Woods?»

One of the men, whose face bore a triple scar on his cheekbone, as if torn by a wild beast’s claws, stepped up closer, his expression harsh and on the verge of rage:

«Your AI failed to provide me with your name, captain. Introduce yourself!»

«My apologies. My name is Captain Serena. How can I be of help?» the woman noticed one of the men watching her very closely.

«You were at the Karaaln space station yesterday, correct?»

«Yes, we were picking up some supplies. Why?»

«You have a crew? Three men?»

«Does your inquiry have a reason for such an interrogation?»

«I am interested only in one of your men. Tall, blonde, goes by Pher.»

Serena felt her teeth gritting and took a deep breath, before continuing her conversation:

«Yes, that is one of my men.»

«Perhaps, it would be better to speak face to face, like civilized captains?»

The woman thought for a moment, then agreed, knowing that if they were to come aboard her ship, the AI would be able to back her up in case a fight ensued:

«Fifteen minutes. You’re welcome to board my ship.»

The man she spoke to forced a polite smile to his face and bowed a little before the communication shut off, rendering the screen dark.

«Fucker… what has he done now?» Serena mumbled under her breath, standing up. «Lyssa!»

«Yes, captain.» the AI was ready to receive orders.

«Gather the men by the airlock, don’t tell them the reason.»

«Of course, Captain.»

Serena headed to the cargo bay, deciding to get a little bit of gold to try and buy her way out of whatever trouble Pher got them into. She picked up three gold ingots and stuffed one of them into her belt pouch, which was big enough for it. The other two she hid into one of the robotic helpers, ordering him to follow her.

As she approached the airlock, Cipher, Hunter and Pher were already there. And if the first two were weary of their meeting, Pher seemed to be cheerful and waved to Serena, greeting her. The woman ignored this gesture, her face indifferent and collected, and she passed the men, stopping in front of the airlock just as the hatch opened and the men saw five people standing there.

«Welcome aboard my ship, Captain Woods.» Serena greeted the visitors.

«Captain Serena…» the other captain bowed slightly, greeting the woman. «I am here to negotiate a certain matter that took place on the space station.»

«Of course.»

Captain Woods gestured aside and a young girl stepped out from behind him. Serena noted the large bruise on her face and felt her body tense up. The girl raised her arm and pointed at Pher:

«That’s the one, father…» she said, her voice shaking.

Serena glanced over her shoulder at Pher, who chuckled and winked at the girl, making her flinch.

«Your man attacked my daughter.» captain Woods said, his voice becoming harsh.

A silence fell between the two groups and Serena looked at her visitors again, noting all of them being armed and ready to take a stand. She thought for a moment, then sighed, meeting the captain’s gaze:

«Would you like your compensation to be of blood or monetary value?»

The man before her smiled and made a wide gesture with his arms:

«Either way would suffice.»

Serena turned to Pher and saw his face losing the cheerful expression, becoming tense in a split second. The woman walked up to him, forcing him to straighten and grit his teeth.

«Is this true? Have you really attacked the girl?» Serena asked, looking at him with such a cold and dangerous stare that the man couldn’t help but swallow a lump in his throat.

«We were just having a bit of fun…» he said, his voice audibly shaking.

Serena gritted her teeth and stepped back, turning her back to him. A moment passed, and she opened her pouch, taking out a golden ingot. Looking at Captain Woods and seeing him intensely intrigued by such a thing, she twisted around, landing a blow to Pher’s jaw with the ingot and throwing him to the floor.

Coughing blood and dazed, the man tried to push himself up, but failed, landing face first into the small puddle of his blood. Serena leaned down and smeared some of his blood over the ingot and headed back to Captain Woods and his men, offering him the payment:

«I hope this will suffice.» she said, feeling an urge to drag Pher out into open space as soon as the visitors leave.

Captain Woods accepted the bloodied ingot and bowed once more:

«A pleasure, Captain Serena. May your travels be swift and safe.»

Serena nodded to the man and watched him step back and return to his ship. As soon as the airlock closed and she was left alone with the three silent men — only Pher groaning on the floor — she took a few moments to gather herself, before turning to Cipher and Hunter and glancing at them angrily:

«Lock him up. Three days should be enough for him to think about what he’s done.» she said. «If I see him out earlier, you all will be incarcerated for the remainder of our trip.»

«Yes, Captain.» Cipher found his voice first.

Serena didn’t wait for Hunter to reply and pushed past the men, returning to the bridge.

The men exchanged glances and looked down at Pher, who seemed to be coming back to his senses.

«Bitch… I lost a tooth… you bitch…» he groaned, still incapable of pushing himself up.

Without a word Cipher and Hunter pulled their friend up and headed in the direction the AI showed them with the floor lights.

Chapter 11. Stunt

Even though two days had passed after the unpleasant encounter with Captain Woods, Serena kept herself distant from Cipher and Hunter, showing them her disdain for what Pher had done. She busied herself with constantly watching for any sort of possibility them being followed, as if some instinct was telling Serena that the gold Captain Woods and his men saw might have caught their attention and given them reason to try and get a bigger loot.

That evening Serena finally felt a little more relaxed, not seeing any traces of ships that could have followed them, so she decided to call it a night and retreat to the Captain’s Quarters to get some sleep. Returning through the corridor and meeting Cipher, who calmly greeted her with a silent nod, she passed the man, but suddenly heard a muffled thud, and hurried steps, belonging to multiple people. She darted towards the sounds, turning the corner, and saw a strange sight: Hunter, hanging in the middle of the air, was carried off towards the airlock by two barely visible figures.

«Captain…» Lyssa’s voice sounded.

«Shut up!» Serena jolted after Hunter and the cloaked figures, hitting the small pin on her chest — the nano armour Lyssa showed her only a day before.

This Veluthian armour was extremely rare and worn only by Veluthians, DNA coded to a specific person. The small pin, which connected with the body on the chest, could quickly unravel into a full body armour that was able to protect the wearer in hand to hand combat, from various blades and most blaster guns.

It wasn’t, however, fit for outer space combat.

«Captain, the armour is not fit for battle in outer space!» Lyssa raised her tone.

«Override…» Serena jumped into the airlock right before the door latched shut.

She heard Cipher banging on the door behind her, watching her in panic, as she ran towards the outer latch. When the latch sprung open, Serena was pulled out, flying at immense speed, tumbling from the force of the pull. She managed to catch herself on the enemy ship that just left, grasping onto one of the protruding details on the outer shell and immediately unsheathed her blade, jacking it into the metal to have a firmer grasp.

The woman felt her body tensing from the cold, but began to hit and cut through the metal plating on the outside of the ship, trying hard not to growl and let what little air she had in her lungs escape. The spacecraft whirled aside, almost throwing her off, but she managed to catch herself once again, though her left foot burst in pain, as it touched the exhaust, roaring out of the engine behind the capsule. Serena pulled herself up, feeling her lungs beginning to burn, but forced through, making another deep cut in the hull of the ship. As soon as it was done, she slapped a tiny magnet explosive device inside and looked up just in time to see another craft rapidly approaching her.

A split second and she felt the side of the craft crashing into her, throwing her off the vessel. Whirling and dazed from the hit, Serena reached out, giving the command to the device she left. She saw an explosion enveloping the back end of the capsule and it lost speed, falling prey to the engine being damaged. Though, still flying forward, the ship could no longer accelerate to get away and was essentially stranded.

Serena felt her lungs giving out and finally succumbed to the darkness.

As for the damaged craft, carrying their captive, the crew had problems other than the crazy woman, who damaged their engines. Their captive regained consciousness just as they were trying to throw their uninvited guest from their hull. With his fierce resistance and the explosion that caused the crew to lose balance, Hunter overpowered his captors, getting rid of them one by one.

He ran towards the back of the ship, which was slowly being torn apart, and jumped into a tiny one-person lifesaving pod, immediately sending it off the vessel.

He watched through the small window as the ship he was just at exploded, and Lyssa appeared before him, catching his pod into her cargo bay.

Once in the safety of her hull, Hunter jumped out of the pod and ran to the airlock, seeing Cipher standing there, pale and panicked.

«Serena?» Cipher’s question caught Hunter off guard.

«Get inside!» Lyssa’s order sounded stern.

The door opened slightly and Cipher dragged Hunter into the corridor, allowing Lyssa latch the airlock once again and open the bay.

The two men watched the pod being thrown out of the ship — the top latch breaking off and hitting a suspended body, floating in space unmoving. Hunter felt his heart drop, understanding who he was seeing being slowly caught into the bay.

Once the bay was closed again and the air pumped inside, Hunter punched the door, too panicked to see Serena lying on the floor without movement. Lyssa barely unlocked the door, before he slid through and ran up to Serena, trying to see if he could take off her helmet.

He didn’t notice one of the helper bots whirling to them and hovering above Serena’s face, sending a signal to the armour to retract. Hunter panicked even more, understanding that the woman before them wasn’t breathing.

But the bot wasted no time, reaching out to Serena’s chest with one of its appendages and sending an electrical burst into her body. She arched her back and fell down, still unresponsive, and the bot repeated his action, taking a second to scan her vitals, before repeating it once more.

Hunter grasped at Serena’s shoulder, searching for a single sign of life, when the woman suddenly breathed in, arching in pain and shock, and the man caught her in his arms when she jolted up.

«I warned you that your armour is not fit for open space, Captain!» Lyssa sounded extremely unhappy. «You could have killed yourself!»

Serena was too disoriented and shocked to reply, trying to catch her breath and grasping at Hunter, feeling a faint relief from the clenching cold that enveloped her body.

«Oh, you crazy bitch!» through the muffled sounds of her heart beating in her ears she heard Cipher laughing.

The man kneeled down next to her and grabbed her head, landing a hardy kiss on her forehead.

Serena heard him laughing and felt a bit better, knowing her crazy trick even worked. Slowly she regained her senses and composure, feeling exhausted after the stunt. The numbing pain in her left foot was nothing compared to the sudden happiness she felt, pressed against Hunter’s chest.

Chapter 12. Course

Serena lay in bed, feeling her left foot still pulsating in pain, as both — the healing bandage and her regenerative abilities slowly repaired the damage she received during her stunt, when she almost lost her life. Nevertheless, she was glad to have succeeded in helping Hunter escape captivity, though the reasons of him being taken in the first place still haunted her.

«Captain, might I ask you a personal question?» Lyssa’s voice sounded, distracting Serena from her thoughts.

«Sure. What do you want to know?» the woman replied, glancing out of the window and watching the stars slowly floating by.

«I was wondering if my assumption is correct concerning the reasons for your reckless behaviour yesterday.»

Serena frowned, confused:

«So what, exactly, is your question?»

«I have found a correlation between your actions and a literary depiction of a certain human emotion and so I was wondering if my assumption was correct.» Lyssa said. «You love Hunter.»

Serena fell silent, caught off-guard by such a blatant statement.

«Laithorians know no love.» the woman said.

«So I was mistaken?»

«I just…» Serena didn’t know how to reply to all this. «I don’t know, Lyssa.»

«I apologize if I offended you, Captain.»

«No need, Lyssa. It’s fine.»

Serena lay there, pondering on the possibility of her really experiencing love towards Hunter, until silence was broken once more with Lyssa reporting:

«Hunter and Cipher are here to see you, Captain.»

«Let them in.» Serena glanced towards the entrance of her quarters and saw the two men approaching her with a bottle of liquor.

«There she is, our crazy bitch!» Cipher jumped up to her first, leaning in and landing another hardy kiss on her head. «You beautiful beast, you! I wish I had a sister just like you!»

Serena chuckled, pushing herself up to sit, though her injury caused her to wince slightly.

«How are you?» Hunter sat next to her, gently smiling to see her looking better.

«I’ll be fine. I’ll be up and about in no time.» Serena replied, hiding her sudden embarrassment, when she realised her thoughts turning towards Lyssa’s question again.

«If she stays off her feet today, she’ll be all healed by tomorrow morning.» Lyssa reported. «Please make sure she doesn’t go running off.»

The men cackled, exchanging glances.

«Then how about we share a drink?» Cipher offered Serena the bottle. «I do think that a celebration is in order after what happened yesterday.»

«And, maybe, our Captain will be too drunk to go running off anywhere?» Hunter added.

«A wonderful idea.» Lyssa said. «Though, I usually advise not to mix alcohol with medicine, this time I agree with you.»

«Wow.» Serena couldn’t hold down a chuckle. «You’ve turned my own ship to your side.»

«I find them to be good friends.»

The men cackled, shrugging and glad to see Serena in high spirits. The woman didn’t decline the drink, finding friendly company a great distraction from the lonesome thoughts that were just as chaotic as before — even more so after Lyssa brought up the possibility of Serena experiencing feelings towards Hunter.

Now, seeing him sitting on the edge of her bed, laughing and having a great time, Serena couldn’t shake off the feeling that Lyssa may, in fact, be right. Otherwise why would she risk her life to try and save him from captivity in such an irrational manner?

Hours passed, while the three drank and shared stories of exceptional stunts, almost competing with each other in danger and craziness of their tricks. Though, both men still agreed that Serena’s stunt definitely outshined them by all means.

Slowly, but steadily, the bottle was finished and thrown aside, while the trio fell into more serious topics in their conversation. It was then that Serena remembered Pher being stuck in a holding cell on the lower level of her ship.

«Bah!» Cipher seemed uninterested in the man, who was paying for his mistakes. «Let him stay there another day, he deserved every second of it.»

Suddenly he sat up, looking at Serena.

«What?» the woman frowned at the sudden change of expression on his face.

«I just remembered something.» Cipher tilted his head. «I forgot to tell you that I found out the ship is actually on course towards Velutha.»

Serena felt a shockwave clenching her back:

«What? Since when?»

«A few days. I found out about it this morning, and I saw who set the course.»

Serena exchanged glances with Hunter and realised the man was just as surprised to hear this from Cipher.

«Pher…» the woman exhaled.

«Do you want me to speak to him?» Cipher watched her expression closely, his eyes becoming more attentive.

«Sure.»

She felt Hunter gently grasping her palm and looked at him, meeting his concerned gaze.

«If you want, we can change course…» he proposed.

Serena looked away, suddenly very nervous to think about what could happen if she were to return home. It took her a couple of long minutes to finally shake her head.

«No.» she heard herself say. «Stay the course… Unless you want me to drop you off somewhere.»

She felt Hunter’s fingers twitch, but didn’t show that she noticed it.

Chapter 13. Advice

Cipher walked into the compartment, which had a single holding cell, where Pher lay on the floor, seemingly relaxed.

«Is it time to go yet?» Pher glanced at his visitor.

Cipher thought for a couple of moments, then said:

«I hope you learned that your actions have consequences.»

Pher sat up and smiled at his friend:

«Is that all?»

«I’m dead serious, Pher.» Cipher watched the man closely. «Your actions got us in trouble, and you show no remorse or guilt for it!»

Pher’s expression grew humbled:

«Is it about yesterday? Something happened, didn’t it?»

Cipher exhaled and shook his head:

«Because you attacked the girl back at the station, Serena had to give up a golden ingot, and that drew attention to us. Yesterday the ship was attacked and those pirates captured Hunter.»

Pher jolted up, hearing this:

«Where is he?»

«He’s fine. But only because Serena made the craziest stunt to help him.» Cipher gritted his teeth. «She could have died, because you drew the pirates’ attention to us.»

Pher studied Cipher’s eyes, looking extremely shocked and nervous to hear the news.

«I’m sorry, man.» he finally shook his head, feeling guilty to have dealt so much damage.

«It’s not me you should be apologizing to. Apologize to Serena. And I hope you do that sooner than later. You have no idea what she did just to make everything right, when you were the cause for all this shit in the first place!» Cipher sighed, really agitated. «And while at it, explain to her why you set course to Velutha without speaking to any of us.»

Pher perked up, his face suddenly becoming irritated:

«I had to do it! It’s not like any of you would! I mean, come on! We’ve been drifting for days!»

«So you just decided to go behind our backs and do everything your way?»

«My way?! My way?! Are you really going to forget that it was OUR way not but a few days ago, man! We were supposed to drop her off at Velutha, get our reward and that’s it!»

«Is it?» Cipher huffed. «So easy, huh? A quick coin and nothing else?»

«Oh, and you make it sound like you care for this spoilt princess!» Pher started screaming. «We were supposed to get off that rock, split the gold and go somewhere to spend the money! But you two decided to make things difficult! Sure, if we help her get back, we can get a reward, but do any of you even know how long that will take? Did you even ask how long the ship will be travelling through space to this Velutha planet? No!»

Cipher shook his head, disappointed to hear his friend talk like this.

«Hunter was right to call you a mad dog!» the man growled. «You really became one as soon as we fled the Company! Get your head straight! Stop acting like an asshole! Otherwise you’ll find yourself with your share of gold on the closest colony or space station all alone!»

Pher breathed out, calming himself:

«You don’t mean that…»

«Yes I do!» Cipher gritted his teeth. «I need someone who I can rely on! Not someone, who can’t keep his head straight!»

The man turned to leave, but froze for a moment:

«Lyssa, show him what happened yesterday. And let him go.» he said, then glanced at Pher and shook his head. «Apologize to Serena. Or we will part ways sooner than you think.»

He left, and Pher punched the wall in frustration, before seeing one of the walls lighting up with a recording from the surveillance cameras. He stepped up, watching attentively at the whole ordeal, beginning with a strange malfunction in the airlock, when the door opened on its own, and following to the corridor, where a barely visible shadow knocked Hunter out and dragged back to the airlock. Pher saw Serena see this and run over, covering herself in some kind of armour and heard how Lyssa warned the woman of the danger using such an armour in open space.

As the picture shifted to the outside of the hull, Pher saw Serena thrown out into the vast nothing, barely catching herself on the tiny vessel that just disembarked.

The man stood there, watching how she was knocked off, and how the ship exploded, damaging its propulsion engines. He stayed silent, realising that once Hunter returned onto Lyssa, Serena was left outside for far longer than her armour could have kept her safe.

Pher saw how panicked Cipher and Hunter were once Serena was back on the ship, and how she finally woke up after being shocked back to life.

When the video ended, he heard the door sliding open, releasing him from his prison cell.

«Take my advice, Pher.» Lyssa’s voice sounded. «Listen to Cipher. Apologize to Serena.»

Pher pressed his lips together, remaining silent, and then left the cell deep in thought.

He went to the dining area first, allowing himself a meal and some time to think over what Cipher told him and what Lyssa showed. But the more he thought, the more he realised that they were right.

It was his mistakes that led to the pirates knowing about the possible gold hidden on the ship. His actions led to the attack, when Hunter was captured — either to be tortured to find out where the gold is held, or to negotiate his life for the treasure.

Pher left the Company with his friends, and now he was the one to bring trouble to them.

Returning to his quarters, he tried falling asleep. But even the soft cot wasn’t bringing him any relief from the heavy chaos of his thoughts flying about in his head.

When morning came, Pher found himself heading to Serena’s quarters, whispering to himself the possible words he could say. By the time he stopped at her door, he suddenly felt his resolve dissipating and his thoughts scrambling.

«Captain?» he called out, understanding that if he doesn’t do this now, he will never bring himself to trying again. «Serena?»

There was no reply, and the man felt lost about what to do.

«I’m sorry.» he said, hoping that even if Serena was sleeping or elsewhere, the ships AI would record his apology. «I really am. I apologize for what I did. Please, I just… I know I’m an asshole.»

The door suddenly opened and he saw Serena standing there, looking at him coldly, as if waiting for him to continue whatever speech he had prepared. Yet he had none — everything he wanted to say was immediately forgotten. So he tried as best as he could.

«I’m sorry. I got you into all this mess, and you…» the man lowered his gaze, just noticing that the woman wasn’t really clothed, standing in just a bathrobe. «Lyssa showed me what happened. If it weren’t for my stupidity… I… I’m sorry.»

Serena exhaled and shook her head:

«Apology accepted. Anything else?»

Pher raised his eyes to meet her gaze and forced a smile to his lips:

«Perhaps… you can find it in you for us to try and start anew? Let bygones be bygones and all that? Maybe… we could spend some time together, you know? I’m sure if we get to know each other better, we can be friends.»

Serena smirked at his clumsy attempt of a flirt that followed what seemed to be a truly heartfelt apology.

«You just can’t help yourself, can you?» the woman tilted her head.

Pher chuckled, gesturing at her clothes:

«Can you blame me?» he searched her eyes for a single hint of her warming up. «Please? I promise you, you won’t be disappointed again. I promise!»

He pressed his palms together pleadingly and made his best puppy-eye expression.

Serena squinted a bit and shook her head:

«I’m good.»

Pher realised he was being declined and leaned in a bit:

«Come on… don’t brush me off like that.»

The man suddenly noticed Hunter, shirtless, approaching with two cups of coffee in his hands. He offered one to Serena, not taking his eyes off Pher.

«Oh…» Pher straightened. «I’ve seemed to have come at a bad time…»

He glanced at the two, and made his last attempt:

«Maybe… I could join sometime?» he winked at Serena. «Two is better than one.»

The woman chuckled and pushed him away, closing the door in his face. Pher stood there, denied and humbled, then nodded to himself:

«Duly noted…» he glanced over his shoulder, making sure Cipher didn’t see his absolute failure of an apology.

Walking away, he felt jealous to see Hunter getting the woman.

Chapter 14. Bygones be bygones

Pher walked into the dining area and saw Cipher and Hunter sitting behind the table with Serena, laughing at something. The man felt himself walking into something he wasn’t allowed to join, but decided to just grab a meal and sit on the other side of the hall, not interfering with the fun the three were having.

However, as soon as he took a tray with food and was about to pass their table, Serena suddenly stood up, looking at him coldly and not allowing him to pass by. Pher stood there, not knowing what to say, until an irritation rose from within:

«Look, I don’t know what else you want from me!» he said, frustrated. «I already apologised to you, and Cipher and Hunter…»

Serena tilted her head and smirked:

«So now you think that running away and hiding in the corner is going to cut it, huh?»

Pher threw a quick glance at Hunter and Cipher, who looked at this exchange with smiles on their faces, obviously enjoying the show.

«If you want to kick my ass again, you’re welcome to do it.» Pher sighed, looking down onto his tray of food, realising that his appetite was fading. «I deserve it. Just… let me at least have a meal before you make me lose all my teeth, alright?»

Serena cackled, grabbing his tray. Pher reluctantly let go of it and watched as she put it on the table, not taking her eyes off him.

«You really think you deserve a beating, huh?» Serena asked him.

«I do. I shouldn’t have beaten the girl up. I was…» Pher slouched, understanding how drunk he was and incapable of compromising.

«Intoxicated?» the woman proposed the appropriate word.

«That too.»

He saw her raising her hand, offering him a handshake:

«Join us. Let bygones be bygones…» she said.

Pher raised his eyes to her smiling face and saw a change in her gaze, which meant she really meant what she said. However, as soon as he clasped hands with her, she pulled him in and he heard the most intimidating whisper in his ear:

«Do this again and I will cut your balls off.»

When she leaned away, she was already smiling.

Pher stood there, dumbfounded, watching as she sat back down on her seat.

«Sit down.» she said with her voice ringing with steel. «I won’t ask twice.»

The man swallowed a lump in his throat and decided not to argue, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table, where the woman placed his tray. For a few moments he found himself wondering if her heavy gaze meant he was still in trouble, before Hunter whispered something to her ear and she burst out laughing.

Pher looked to his tray and shoved a piece of meat into his mouth, keeping his head low and wishing to become invisible for the first time in his life. For a bit Serena was engaged in nonchalant conversation with Hunter and Cipher, laughing at their jokes and exchanging some stories. But when silence fell between them, Pher looked up and saw Serena watching him attentively. He set aside his fork and straightened, leaning onto the back of his seat, realising she was expecting him to say something.

«You know, Serena…» Pher cleared his throat. «You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. You’re also the most intimidating one I ever knew…»

«Well, then…» Serena leaned over the edge of the table with her elbows. «Grow a pair, because where we’re going, there’s plenty of women just as beautiful and intimidating…»

Pher frowned, confused by her statement.

«So you’d better keep that in mind and know that many of those women are not as forgiving as I am.» Serena chuckled. «So don’t do anything stupid, or you’ll find yourself spayed.»

Cipher and Hunter laughed at Pher’s face becoming pale.

«What’s the matter?» Serena finished her drink. «I thought you were the one who wanted to go to Velutha?!»

Pher felt himself swallowing hard, seeing darkness in Serena’s eyes. He thought, if all the women on Velutha were even distantly as harsh as she was, he will be in great trouble for the slightest mistake.

«Finish up your meal.» Serena stood up, smiling. «We have a jump to make.»

Pher saw Hunter and Cipher following the woman out, cackling at his expression, and decided not to meddle. Quickly shoving the last piece of meat into his mouth, the man hurried after them, not wishing to be left behind in the dining area during a jump.

He knew nothing about the Laithorian space ships, but assumed that they could make interstellar jumps, common in space travel to long distances. However, he never experienced a jump before, so he didn’t know what to expect.

Arriving at the bridge, he watched Serena take the captain’s seat, and Hunter and Cipher — the two chairs that were intended for two pilots. The only seat left was that of a communication officer, so Pher took it, feeling being singled out for his past mistakes.

«Just don’t touch anything, Pher.» Cipher strapped himself with the safety belts.

Hunter and Pher did the same, though noticed Serena stay unstrapped.

The woman cracked her knuckles and her fingers began inputting something on the control panel in front of her. The three men watched as the screen window lit up, showing the route to Velutha, noting that without the jump the road would have taken them a number of weeks. Then they saw a point glowing somewhere ahead on their way, and Serena corrected the course to head towards it, checking calculations and watching the ship’s systems for any faults.

«Commencing wormhole jump.» Lyssa reported. «Please stay in your seats until we are out.»

Something flashed and the ship accelerated, pushing the four into their seats. The stars around slowly grew into streaks of light, which became brighter with each second, and then the ship seemed to have grown longer, extending in space, as if unable to keep up with the speed.

Pher, Hunter and Cipher felt how hard it was to breathe, grasping to their seats in an attempt not to let the tightness in their chests to make them lose consciousness. Serena, however, seemed to enjoy this type of travel, laughing with joy at the sight of her passengers being overwhelmed by the force during the jump.

Finally, they saw a small black spot straight ahead, and as it approached at an immense speed, Serena made a few adjustments on the control panel before the ship flew out of the wormhole, suddenly feeling like it came to a full stop.

The men were thrown forward, contained by the belts, and Serena laughed out, correcting course towards the giant sphere that was located straight ahead.

«Welcome to the Laithorian Empire, boys.» Serena cackled. «We’ll be arriving at Velutha shortly.»

She jumped up from her seat and ran to the screen window, looking at the planet she used to call home a long time ago.

Chapter 15. Velutha

«Captain, we are being hailed by a Veluthian Space Trooper SS Axathaal.» Lyssa reported.

«Put it through.» Serena saw the ship approaching from the side before the screen turned into an image of a handsome blond haired man.

«This is Captain Lindon Dorn Gray-Linn of SS Axathaal. You are entering Veluthian space. State your name and business.» the man sounded collected and harsh.

«Captain Serena Dal Thara-Lyss of SS Lyssandra, and my business is…» Serena suddenly fell silent, not really sure how to explain her return, but quickly collected herself. «I’m returning home.»

The man on the screen frowned a bit, then gave a short gesture aside and looked at Serena again:

«I welcome you home, Lady Thara-Lyss. Allow me to escort you.»

Serena knew that if she refused, it could make the man think she was being secretive, so she nodded:

«Your escort is greatly appreciated, Sir.»

The man nodded and the screen faded, showing the space ship slowly taking its place in front of Serena’s craft. The woman thought if Axathaal’s captain knew how vulnerable of a position he was putting his ship and crew in by this placement, but then saw two other ships on both sides of Lyssandra and smirked at the provocation Captain Lindon made for her.

«Uh…» Pher nervously chuckled. «Are we good?»

«You can take the belts off if that’s what you’re asking…» Serena glanced at the men and Hunter noticed her worried expression. «Other than that, I think we’re fine.»

The ships accelerated a little, descending towards the planet, and the men saw a vast stretch of green lands they were approaching with a giant structure shimmering in the rays of the local sun. This structure seemed to have a very peculiar form that resembled a tight flower bud — the multiple layers wrapping around the soft curves of the tall cone.

«What the fuck is that?» Cipher stepped to the window, enthralled by the amazing sight.

Hunter glanced at Serena and saw her face becoming colder, distant, as if she tried hard to contain her emotions.

«It’s a memorial.» she exhaled, a shiver running down her spine. «For my family and the Bima-Liss family that perished in the massacre fifty years ago…»

The ships landed softly, picking up the dust that surrounded the structure and Serena lowered her gaze, suddenly hesitant.

«Are you alright?» Hunter put his palm onto her back and felt her muscles tensing up.

«I’m… fine.» she gritted her teeth, turned and headed out, ignoring the fact she just threw Hunter’s palm off her back.

The men followed her, trying to keep up, but Serena seemed too determined to get it over with as soon as possible.

«You should stay aboard. But if you decide not to — it is your choice.» Serena said, stepping into the cargo bay and getting ready to walk out of the ship. «But I will say that you will have trouble breathing on Velutha and our gravity is much stronger, so… I’d prefer you stay in the safety of my ship.»

The bay door opened and Serena stepped out, freezing for a few moments to take a very deep breath in.

Pher threw a quick glance at Cipher and Hunter and chuckled, walking over:

«Aw, come on, how hard can it be?» he jumped out and immediately fell to the ground, gasping and wheezing.

«I warned you…» Serena leaned down and grabbed him by the scruff, pulling him back inside. «Stay here.»

The woman walked out once more, heading towards a few men that disembarked from the Space Trooper space ships with Lindon at the front.

«If you wish to follow her, I can offer personal devices to wear to negate the gravitational pull and the atmosphere…» Lyssa said, a couple of drones appearing in the cargo bay and offering the men some type of bracelets.

Hunter and Cipher looked at Pher, who kept trying to catch his breath.

«Nah… I’m good…» Pher coughed. «I’ll stay here.»

Hunter picked up the bracelet and clasped it on his wrist. A thin layer of a blue coloured force field surrounded him and the man cautiously stepped out of the ship. Feeling the gravity a bit stronger than he was used to, he glanced at Cipher and shrugged.

«I’ll stay here, watch the ship.» Cipher exchanged glances with Pher. «And keep Pher some company.»

Hunter nodded and hurried off to catch up with Serena. As he approached, he noticed Lindon greet him with a light bow and then gesture towards the memorial.

Serena tried her best to stay focused and calm, but Hunter noticed her tightening her fists, as she walked over to the bud-shaped structure.

«The law states two witnesses should enter.» Lindon said. «Lady Thara-Lyss, would you allow me to be your second witness?»

Serena glanced at Hunter, swallowing hard, and then met Lindon’s eyes, nodding.

The woman slowed down a little as she approached the memorial, and stopped, once she reached one of the lines that ran up through the structure. As if unsure what to do, she reached out with her hand and touched it. Something lit up, and Serena raised her eyes, looking at the structure coming alive. Bursts of lights began pulsating in the lines and a few orbs disengaged from the base of the structure, flashing the woman with rays of several colours of scanning rays.

«Serena Dal Thara-Lyss, identity confirmed.» the orbs chimed, returning to their places.

The woman flinched as the structure suddenly creaked and cracked, the plates of «petals’ slowly opening up before her.

It took them a bit of time, before a beautiful arch appeared, leading inside the structure. But Serena stood frozen, looking at the dimly lit corridor in front of her.

«Lady Thara-Lyss?» Lindon stepped closer.

Serena took a breath and forced herself to walk inside, followed by the man and Hunter, who seemed more worried about the woman and not the strange memorial that she opened up.

The corridor was short and led them to a round, dome-shaped hall with shimmering walls.

Serena looked around at the seemingly empty room, when suddenly at the other side of it something lit up and she suddenly heard the voice she could never forget.

«Serena!»

The woman froze only for a split second, her eyes growing wide and she slowly turned towards the voice. Hunter saw a man in his forties — tall, proud and with his back straight, standing in a pose typical for a commander of an army.

«F… father…» Serena exhaled, absolutely not expecting to see him there.

It took a moment for Hunter to realise that what they were seeing was a very lifelike hologram. For a second he thought how cruel it was to have an image of anyone dead to be used in some kind of authentication, but the man didn’t say it out loud, understanding that it would be better to keep his mouth shut.

«You were given an order!» the hologram rumbled, its voice loud and powerful.

Serena felt her body beginning to shiver, but straightened and clasped her hands behind her back, becoming a soldier, not a daughter who came to the memorial to honour her fallen relatives.

«It was executed.» she said, her voice audibly shaking.

«You were given an order!» the loud rumbling voice emanated from the hologram once again.

The woman watched as the perfect representation of her father looked at her in anger and disdain and suddenly realised that all of this was more than just his conscience used to get an authentication. It was testing her, just like her father used to test her almost every day of her life when he was alive.

«I don’t take orders from you, you’re long dead!» the woman replied, trying to stay collected.

«How dare you disobey your superior? I gave you an order!»

«You’d like that, wouldn’t you? The blind loyalty, the unwavering trust in you and your orders…» Serena felt anger rising from deep within. «Never compromising, always indifferent to others — this is you in all your arrogance and entitlement! You and your orders took me away, running at your command! Because of your protocol I was left stranded and unable to fight back.»

«My orders are perfectly justified, you little brat!» the hologram shouted, its face contorting in disgust.

«Because of your orders I was stranded for years, not even knowing who I am, too weak to do anything about it! But who am I to question your orders? After all, you’re the one who raised me to never sway from anything you say! I remember perfectly how you cut my finger off when I was five — just for taking a candy before dinner! You said I broke your order!»

«You were raised a warrior!» the hologram growled, depicting her father’s temper perfectly.

«I was raised a follower! And you kept lying to me all the time, making me just a pawn in your political games! Don’t dare give me an order ever again, you Ol’ Fart!»

Serena suddenly fell silent, a harsh realisation washing over her. She felt her hands trembling and understood why she gave this nickname to Captain Summers.

«No wonder I hated the captain I served after my memories were wiped! He reminded me of you!» Serena grabbed her gun and shot the hologram, making its head burst.

It took the hologram only a split second to return its full form and change demeanour. Now the man in it looked softer, more human.

«Your aim is as true as ever, my dear daughter. I am so proud of you. Welcome home.» the man said, and the hologram faded.

Serena felt her knees buckling and fell to the floor, incapable of holding herself up. The sheer shock of the realisation washing over her made her weaker than she ever felt.

She never heard those words from her father. Growing up, she always heard him preaching of strength, loyalty and perseverance. But she never heard a single word of encouragement, or appreciation from her father.

His conscience, copied into this memorial, gave her exactly what she needed. Closure.

Chapter 16. Legacy

She stayed on her knees, shocked and lost from the sudden meeting with what could be called her father’s remnant, until Lindon stepped closer and kneeled next to her.

«Lady Thara-Lyss, allow me to offer you my sincerest condolences to the deaths of your father and your family.» the man said. «And let me be the one to escort you to the authorities to start the necessary proceedings for your inheritance.»

Hunter shook off his stupor and leaned in, offering Serena his hand.

«Thank you, sir Lindon…» Serena replied, grasping at Hunters hand to pull herself up. «I will be honoured, sir.»

When she stood up and looked at Hunter, the man noticed how pained her eyes looked. But a moment passed, she breathed in and forced her posture to reflect the upbringing of her military family. She collected herself and looked at Lindon, who now stood next to them.

«Welcome home, Serena Dal Thara-Lyss.» Lindon bowed to her — this time much lower than before.

He gestured towards the exit and Serena nodded, heading that way. Hunter exchanged glances with the strange commander who accompanied them and saw how a smirk appeared on his lips. He didn’t like this at all, but kept silent, too worried for Serena and her state after this short, but obviously emotional encounter with a hologram representing her father.

As they returned to their respective ships, Lindon briefly ordered the other two ships under his command to return into space for patrol. Serena watched the man with a strange expression on her face — as if looking for any hint of foul play. Hunter touched her wrist again, making her snap out of this, and the woman silently walked onto Lyssa.

Before following her, Hunter glanced over his shoulder at Lindon and saw him smiling. The Veluthian turned and boarded his ship.

Something strange was about this commander, and Hunter understood that he was more than just that — the way he carried himself and gave orders told more about him than just his confident posture and the calm, well-mannered approach towards Serena.

«Hunter?» Cipher’s voice snapped the man out of his thoughts.

Hunter found himself frozen at the entrance and jumped onto the ship, absentmindedly shutting down the bracelet given to him by the ship.

«Everything alright?» Cipher matched his pace to his friend’s.

«I don’t know, this guy…» Hunter shrugged. «He’s… strange.»

«In what way?»

Hunter didn’t know how to answer that question, shaking his head. Cipher didn’t push any further, thinking that, maybe, their short trip caused Hunter to re-evaluate his view on Serena. He saw it coming — the two got along so well on the ship while they were flying through space, that Hunter’s infatuation with the woman was quite apparent to Cipher.

They returned to the bridge in silence, seeing Pher already there, watching the distance through the window and smiling. Serena, a bit frowning and collected, sat at the captain’s seat, doing something behind the thin screens of her control panels.

Passing the woman, Hunter noticed her researching something in the news archives of her home planet. The plethora of articles was vast and her face grew colder with each one she opened and looked through.

As MSS Lyssandra and SS Axathaal ascended into the skies again, heading elsewhere, Serena was still engaged with her reading, as if nothing else mattered at the time.

«When we get to the city, I would advise you to stay on the ship. You might draw unwanted attention.» Serena said a bit later, distracting herself from the screens to look out of the window and seeing the distant skyscrapers and dots of vessels flying between them.

«What, no fun?» Pher turned to her.

«Not just yet, no.» the woman met his gaze. «First, I need to take care of some matters that require me alone. There won’t be any fun in that. Later, when I’ll be done, we can think of something to oblige your insatiable thirst for fun. I’m sure you’ll find Veluthian sports to your liking.»

«Sports?» Pher chuckled. «I like sports. But I was thinking of other kinds of fun.»

«You won’t be able to get girls here, Pher. We’re proud people, and most Veluthians consider Terrans to be… weak.»

Hunter looked at her and saw her thinking something over.

«No offence, though.» she said a moment later. «I don’t see any fault in being different. But I’m rather the exception in my society.»

The city grew closer with each minute as they flew at an even, slow pace, making it possible for the three men to see the beauty and sophistication of Veluthian architecture. As they entered the airspace of Laithora — the Grand Citadel and Capital of the whole Laithorian Empire, all three men stepped closer to the window, studying the city.

Serena, however, was looking at Lindon’s ship, which was leading them to the very centre of the city, where most officials were located. A faint aching in her back reminded her that she will have to not only look the part, but act the part she came here to play.

Her return couldn’t have been at a worse time — while she still questioned herself about her legacy. The impact her family had on the life of the Empire was great, and if she were to stay on Velutha — there will be loads of restrictions and problems that would arise with her accepting everything that came with her inheritance.

«Serena?» Hunter called out to her.

The woman flinched at the sound of her name and looked at him, knowing that the fear she experienced could be easily seen in her eyes and on her face. She forced it down, trying hard to shake it off, standing up.

«Sorry, I got a little carried away in my thoughts.» she said, approaching the men. «Did you want to ask me something?»

«Are you alright?» Hunter frowned, studying her face attentively.

She turned to him with a smile:

«I’m great. Thank you.» she glanced at the city floating by and saw the great round plaza before lavishly decorated skyscrapers of the highest authorities in Laithora. «We’re here.»

She turned and headed back to the cargo bay, leaving the men alone, as they watched how the SS Axathaal and their own ship slowly descended to the round platforms that were meant for parking of ships that weren’t too big.

«This is so…» Pher breathed out in excitement. «Look at this! If her family is one of the top ones, imagine the reward we will get!»

Cipher saw Hunter gritting his teeth and leaving abruptly to follow Serena.

«You’re such a dick, Pher.» Cipher sighed heavily.

«What?»

«The woman just visited a memorial for her dead family and now has to claim her right and inheritance in the very same day, and all you can think about is how to stuff your own pocket and get out of here?» Cipher shook his head. «Is there not a bit of some semblance of empathy left in you at all?»

Pher fell silent, humbled by these words, and glanced at Cipher:

«You’re right… I’m sorry.»

«You’d better be.» Cipher growled. «Let’s go and keep Hunter some company, while Serena will be taking care of all those matters, okay?»

«Maybe, we should bring a bottle with us?»

«Not this time, Pher.»

Pher understood that it wasn’t the time to argue.

Chapter 17. Duel

Walking out of the notary, Serena saw Cipher and Hunter approaching her — both in the barely visible force fields that allowed them to walk on Velutha without any problems. The men seemed concerned to see her calm and collected, even though the matter that brought her to the official building wasn’t easy to be dealing with.

The men didn’t say anything, once she walked past, and just followed her, heading, seemingly, back to their ship, which was parked on one of the designated spaces straight ahead.

«Lady Thara-Lyss!» a voice sounded from behind and Serena stopped abruptly and turned.

She saw the very same tall, muscular man approaching with a whole team of soldiers following suit. For a second she felt unsure if Lindon Dorn Gray-Linn came to arrest her or greet her once again.

«Greetings to the heir of Thara-Lyss family!» the man approached and bowed.

«Greetings to you, sir Lindon.» Serena answered, bowing in return.

«I am so pleased to find out not all of the Thara-Lyss perished in that despicable act of treachery by the Bima-Liss family.»

Serena twitched her brow, studying the handsome face of this blond man, which bared one single scar on his cheekbone — no doubt, left there just to show how little the man cared for exterior beauty, preferring to concentrate on his military skills. When they were at the memorial she paid little attention to the man, but now had a bit more time and will to study his features more closely. Something in his face made her question her perception, as he reminded her someone she obviously used to know a long time ago. However, she couldn’t remember who it was.

«So Velutha knows how low the Bima-Liss stooped that day?» the woman asked.

«All of Velutha and the whole Laithorian Empire.» a smile appeared on Lindon’s face. «And since you were missing, we all wondered what happened to you.»

«I was following orders by my superior.» Serena felt her fist tighten.

Lindon stepped up and smiled:

«Lady Thara-Lyss, would you consider spending some time with me?»

Serena tilted her head, knowing exactly what his proposal meant:

«Respectfully, sir, I have to decline this invitation.»

«I insist.» Lindon’s smile grew wider.

Serena knew this was an invitation of intimacy she should consider thoroughly. But her friends didn’t know that. Hunter stepped up, shoving the man away from Serena.

«The lady said no. Take it like a man and go.» Hunter growled.

Lindon cackled:

«A Terran challenging a Veluthian! How peculiar! And how will you stop me, little man?» the man leaned in with a teasing smirk on his face. «Do you want a duel?»

«Hunter, stand down.» Serena made her voice sound stern and loud, just like it should sound when giving an order.

«Your superior in command gave you an order, soldier.» Lindon tilted his head, enjoying the banter.

«She’s not my commander, she’s my friend.» Hunter retorted. «And if it’s a fight you want…»

«Hunter…» Serena froze, seeing Lindon’s eyes light up with joy.

«A duel it is then!» Lindon stepped back. «I hope you’re aware of the laws?»

Hunter threw his jacket off and raised his fists:

«Hand-to-hand, no weapons, the winner claims whatever he wants.»

Cipher wanted to step up, but Serena stopped him, putting her hand at his chest:

«Don’t.» her voice was tense, low, and Cipher stood down, understanding that he will have to obey, unless he were to face her wrath and that of the Veluthian man, who seemed to enjoy himself.

«Boys…» Lindon snapped his fingers and his men formed a large circle, making a ring.

Some passers-by stopped to watch the duel, intrigued at the unusual pair that had some beef to settle, but other than that the people were used to duels emerging anywhere in the city — it was within right of any Veluthian to challenge another.

«Please refrain from causing any… permanent damage.» Serena looked at Lindon with such a harsh gaze that the man nodded to her in reply with a smile on his lips.

«Of course, my lady.» Lindon bowed.

Hunter jolted forward, trying to catch the man off-guard, but to his surprise the Veluthian graciously stepped aside, slapping his punch away, as if it were nothing.

As the men engaged in a series of kicks and punches, neither of which reached them, Serena felt herself becoming more and more anxious. Lindon was obviously playing with Hunter, though his eyes watched the man attentively, as if he was weighing his opponent’s skills and strength and making some sort of an assumption or decision considering the Terran in front of him.

Cipher watched, suddenly feeling his mouth dry, understanding very well that Hunter was no match for this Veluthian soldier, who was not only used to duelling, but also far stronger.

Finally, Lindon cackled and jolted to Hunter, diving under his fist and slamming his palms into the man’s chest. Serena flinched, seeing Hunter fly back and tumble to the ground.

A moment passed, then another, and Hunter stayed lying on the ground, while Serena watched his chest slowly rise and fall — the only sign he was still alive. She felt a strange calmness washing over her and raised her eyes to meet Lindon’s gaze.

Lindon smiled to her and bowed, reaching his hand out:

«He lost the duel, my lady. Now you can spend some time with me.»

Serena slowly unbuttoned her jacket and shoved it into Cipher’s hands, catching him off-guard. She then unclasped her belt and gave it to the man as well.

«Get Hunter out of the ring, please.» the woman threw a quick glance to Cipher and stepped forward, passing Hunter on her way.

«Oh, are you offering a duel as well?» Lindon smiled wider.

«Our laws don’t allow others to fight in our stead. Hunter fought for your right to fight me. You’ve earned it. If you win this fight, then very well, I’ll spend the night, few nights, or even a month in your bed, if you wish.»

«Wonderful…» Lindon rubbed his palms together, glad to hear her say it.

Serena stood proudly, seemingly relaxed, watching Lindon study her with his eyes. She wasn’t about to give him the upper hand of seeing her attacking him first, so she waited for the man to make his move first.

A few long moments passed and Lindon made a short step to her, but when she didn’t even flinch, he darted to her, in a split second changing the direction he was moving in to get from the other side. Serena was ready for something like that, jumping aside and catching his hand an inch away from her face with a block.

The woman felt his hit being so hard that it made her muscles ache from the impact, which caught her by surprise. Not allowing herself to be distracted, she attempted a kick, but Lindon shifted his weight and her blow went to waste.

Cipher, holding Hunter by his arm, thrown over his shoulder, watched as the two fought — a fascinating show of speed, agility and prowess, unlike he had ever seen before. Serena looked amazing, not allowing the Veluthian to reach her, though obviously on her toes — the man seemed to be a very experienced fighter.

Hunter groaned by his side, slowly coming to his senses, and Cipher glanced at his friend, worrying if he will dart to help Serena once he regains composure.

The fight continued, as the opponents exchanged a new series of blows, each of those missing or blocked, until Lindon smirked and finally landed a short, but powerful kick to Serena’s gut. The woman was thrown back a few paces, but growled and jolted to her opponent again, forcing him to defend himself.

«Serena…» Hunters voice, raspy and strained, sounded in the total silence of the ring.

The woman threw a glance his way, and Lindon used this moment, connecting his fist to her jaw. Serena tumbled to the ground, as Lindon raised his hands, chuckling, then turned to his men, as if already celebrating his victory.

However, the woman almost immediately pushed herself up, spitting blood onto the pavement, and straightened, feeling her body aching.

«We’re not done yet!» she said loudly, making Lindon turn around to see her up on her feet.

The man chuckled, walking back and getting ready to continue their duel.

«I must admit, this is much more fun than I thought this would be!» the man cackled, jumping to Serena.

This time the woman was a bit more collected, than before. She didn’t allow herself to be distracted by the people around and, most importantly, Hunter, who seemed to be concerned about her ever since he regained his senses and saw her engaged with her opponent. Remembering all her training, the woman shrunk her world to the ring, where Lindon was fighting her, attempting to land blow after blow and becoming more unnerved to see Serena finally deflecting them and reaching his body with hefty punches.

For the first time during this duel Lindon shed his chuckles and smiles, becoming attentive and calm. He suddenly understood that the woman before him was much stronger than he thought. And the fact he could catch her off-guard even once was surprising to him. Perhaps, she was distracted before, but now — collected and eager to stand up to him at her full strength?

The man fought at the edge of his abilities, soon finding Serena’s punches becoming faster and more powerful. One of those suddenly rammed into his ribcage, throwing him off-balance and shoving the man to the pavement. In a split second he felt the woman pin him down, landing blows to his face and not stopping for a second.

Lindon felt it was easier to accept his defeat — otherwise Serena could have easily killed him in her calm and cold battle rage. The man stopped trying to close his face with his arms and stretched them out on the pavement under him, showing with a wide gesture that he no longer wished to fight.

He saw Serena freeze, breathing heavily on top of him, and Lindon caught himself on a thought that he lost the possibility to feel that body in his arms. But, nevertheless, he felt deep respect for the woman.

She truly was a descendant of the Thara-Lyss family. And she earned his respect by winning the duel.

Lindon looked up at her face, seeing her hesitating to get off.

«I yield.» the man whispered with his bloodied lips. «I yield.»

Serena slowly lowered her fist, still catching her breath, and pushed herself to her feet, leaving Lindon lying on the hard stones.

Lindon stayed lying — as per the laws, he had to stay there until the winner allows him to get up, or until a signal is given to his men to help him up. The man heard Serena snap her fingers and a couple of his soldiers hurried to him, pulling him to his feet. When he was up, he saw Serena walking off to her men, swaying a little.

«Lady Thara-Lyss!» Lindon called out, forcing himself to push away his men to stay up on his own. «You won fair and square. What would you have of me?»

Serena froze, still a little dazed from the heavy punch she caught to her jaw, and shook her head, realising she wanted nothing from the man.

«If you won’t have anything, then let me at least extend you a friendly invitation to be my guests at my estate.» Lindon offered. «You’re welcome to stay and rest before you leave Velutha, as long as you wish, my lady. And I will not insist to have you in my bed, I give you my word.»

Hunter caught Serena’s gaze and saw her hesitating for a few moments. He decided not to say anything — he already made the mistake of interfering in Laithorian duel laws, pushing Serena to fight the man.

Serena turned to Lindon and tilted her head:

«We need a few nights to rest and take care of some matters.»

«You and your crew are welcome to stay at my estate.» Lindon bowed. «And if there’s anything I can be of assistance with, I will be glad to help you, Lady Thara-Lyss.»

Serena nodded, accepting this invitation, and glanced at Hunter and Cipher, who stood silent.

«That was a very stupid thing to do, Hunter.» Serena said quietly, walking past and heading towards her ship.

Cipher silently agreed with her, helping Hunter follow the woman.

Chapter 18. Hospitality

Hunter stood on the balcony, watching the night city scape, and felt a strange loneliness creeping into his heart. He knew that Serena could wish to stay here. He didn’t blame her — the planet was beautiful, though tough in terms of laws and social interactions.

It’s only been a day at Lindon’s estate, but the Veluthian showed them that he was more than just well-mannered. Not thinking about where to stay — or staying within the confinement of Serena’s ship — the three Terrans were happy to have had the option of living in the beautiful and vast estate Lindon offered while Serena was taking care of everything that was connected to her inheritance.

The only problem, apart from Hunter thinking about what would happen next, was that of the social engagement that was expected from Serena — as the heir to the Thara-Lyss, she was supposed to be seen and involved in the social life she was absent from for so long.

This night was one of those days.

Lindon threw a special social gathering in Serena’s name, showing her off to the members of his family and his friends.

Hunter knew how much politics was in such gatherings, but agreed with Serena that it was a necessity for her to speed up the proceedings.

«Admiring our fair city, Terran?» Lindon’s voice sounded from behind.

Hunter turned to see their host standing there with two glasses of some drink and a welcoming smile on his face.

«Stop calling me Terran.» Hunter replied, feeling the man teasing him. «My name is Hunter.»

Lindon approached and offered him one of the glasses:

«You earned my respect… Hunter.» he said. «I’ve never encountered a human who would knowingly challenge a Veluthian to a duel.»

«I lost our duel. If you want to gloat, then be done with it.»

Lindon tilted his head to the side, studying the man in front of him and smirked:

«You don’t get it, do you? I might have knocked you down and taken the win, but you managed to fight me for some time, and that is worthy of respect. Not having our strength and training, you were still quite a formidable opponent. I didn’t come here to gloat. I came here to extend my friendship.»

Hunter glanced at the glass and took it, admitting that Lindon was far more complex than he thought before.

«I appreciate you adjusting your estate’s gravity and atmosphere for us.» the man felt humbled in the circumstances he found himself in.

«It’s the least I could do.» Lindon bowed slightly.

Hunter took a sip and found the drink strong, but extremely pleasant.

«Can I ask you a personal question, Hunter?» Lindon watched the man falling into his thoughts again.

«Depends on what you want to ask me.»

«I was wondering if you and Serena are… lovers?»

Hunter looked at the city again, trying to answer that question. Though they spent many nights together, they never shared her bed in the sense Lindon was referring to.

«Have I offended you?» Lindon asked. «If it is the case, I apologize.»

«No…» Hunter heard Serena walking up, her voice soft and quiet. «We haven’t slept with each other yet, Lindon.»

The men turned to her and saw her wearing a magnificent red dress, which looked light and flowy in the atmosphere and gravity fit for a human that wasn’t a Veluthian. Tiny sparks of crimson crystals on the material made her look breath-taking. Her silvery hair, braided up in a lavish hairstyle, bore crimson speckles of the same crystals, resembling splatter of blood.

«My lady…» Lindon bowed low, greeting the woman. «You look stunning.»

«Lindon, I have to say…» Serena glanced at Hunter, who stood silent, smitten by her beauty. «You have been a hospitable host.»

«It is an honour to receive you, Lady Thara-Lyss.»

«But I do get the feeling there are… ulterior motives to you being so friendly.»

«I admit, I did have plans towards you, my lady. But you have won our duel, so I will no longer pursue them, unless you wish me to.»

«And what plans were those?» Hunter stepped up, feeling nervous.

«I wished to ask her hand in marriage, of course.» Lindon’s face lit up with a smile. «A union of such a powerful family as Thara-Lyss and my own would be beneficial to us both.»

Serena saw Hunter’s face becoming pale and his expression turning cold, with rage filling his eyes.

«That is true, Lindon. Our union would have been beneficial to the both of us.» she said, watching Hunter look at her in fear. «However, a marriage is not something I am looking for.»

«And I respect that, Lady Thara-Lyss.» Lindon bowed again. «But I do hope we can remain friends and allies?»

«That we can.»

Lindon smiled and stepped forward to come closer to Serena:

«If you ever reconsider my invitation to spend the night with me, do let me know.»

Serena gracefully replied with a short nod, and Lindon retreated, leaving Hunter and Serena alone.

The woman met Hunters gaze, finding him conflicted and unnerved by Lindon’s straightforward indication how badly he wanted Serena to be his.

«Laithorians don’t have love on Velutha.» Serena approached Hunter. «We do not make love, we have sex to quench our lust, have fun and relax. Lindon doesn’t understand the human sentiment, as he was raised in the limitations of his society.»

Hunter flinched, feeling her touch his wrist. The woman lowered her gaze and slowly took his hand in hers, entwining their fingers.

«Even our marriages are formed in terms of benefits, and not for love…» Serena raised his hand up and caressed his skin. «When someone declines a proposal to spend the night or marry, we have duels to settle the matter. The winner claims the prize — whether it is for the defeated to accept the marriage or sex, or to honour the decision of not going through with the proposal.»

«Serena…» Hunter felt his breath escaping him, tightening his chest.

She looked into his eyes and for a few moments remained silent, before leaning in and connecting their lips in a kiss. This caught Hunter off-guard, but he didn’t dare to move, too afraid to scare her away. Finally, she leaned back, meeting his eyes again:

«I yield to you willingly, Hunter… if you’ll have me.» she whispered.

The man didn’t hesitate any more, uniting them in another kiss — deeper, hotter, maddening.

It took him some time to pull back, catching a breath and feeling an urge to forget all about the fancy dinner Lindon threw in Serena’s name and the guests who were waiting. He wanted her — there and now, just for himself.

«Tonight is all about politics…» Serena recollected herself, gifting the man a soft smile. «Please remember that and keep your head cool, alright?»

«I’ll try my best.» Hunter replied, calming himself. «But I can’t promise anything.»

«Know one thing…» the woman caressed his face gently. «I do not wish to have anything they offer. Tonight I want to be yours. I want to show you how much you mean to me.»

Hunter couldn’t hide his smile:

«Are you admitting your love for me, Serena?»

Her face grew thoughtful for a few moments, before she smiled back:

«I do not know what love is. But if what I am feeling is called love, then yes. In words of Laithorians, Hunter, I respect and appreciate you being in my life. And I wish to share my days and nights with you.»

Hunter caressed her face, leaning in with a smile:

«Us, Terrans call this love, Serena. And we show it through the same means, and more.» he kissed her again.

Serena smiled when he let her go once more and breathed out, collecting herself:

«Please refrain from showing affection towards me during dinner. This may cause Lindon’s family to think you a weak man. After we finish with these political dances and retire for the night, you can do whatever you please with me in my private quarters.»

Hunter couldn’t contain his smile.

Chapter 19. Laithorian Tango

Announced by Lindon, Serena appeared before the guests, drawing eyes to her. She stepped out onto the top of the stairs, leading down onto the great hall, adorned with decorations and tables, and felt Cipher, Hunter and Pher walking behind her.

She was opposed to Pher being there, but the man didn’t listen to reason, wishing to have a bit of fun. Cipher and Hunter were instructed to keep an eye on him at all times, because any wrong move from Pher, and Serena might get in trouble for having her «men’ being inconsiderate or rude to the guests.

Descending the stairs in her lavish dress, Serena gracefully nodded to everyone, as they greeted the heir to the Thara-Lyss name. She felt disgusted at the sight of these men and women celebrating her appearance on Velutha. She didn’t want to be there.

But the deep understanding of the society she came from made her forget all about her discomfort and disdain to the social gathering. She knew very well that appearing among her fellow Laithorians will help her with making the final choice she had to make.

When they landed on Velutha, she still questioned if she would stay or not. Now, she wanted to leave, not willing to participate in all the political conversations and disagreements that she would have to face if she were to stay.

Somewhat distant and distracted, she greeted each group of people, who were introduced to her by Lindon. His wish to show the others that he made friends with the last of Thara-Lyss was understandable. He only wanted to be seen as a strong and capable man. And having friends from such a powerful house as Serena’s, did just that.

The woman kept glancing over her shoulder, checking on her three companions, but so far, all of them seemed to be relaxed and enjoying the friendly chatter that the Laithorians offered them. Pher was acting quite restrained, well-mannered and attentive, obviously humbled by his past interaction with Serena’s wrath and her threat considering his manhood.

Once the initial conversations were done with and the pleasantries ran dry, Lindon gestured to the live musicians — an expensive thing to have at any social gathering. He definitely spared no money to impress both Serena and the guests that arrived to see her. The light, unobtrusive melody gracefully changed into one that was familiar to any Veluthian.

«I hope you remember the Laithorian Tango, Lady Thara-Lyss.» Lindon bowed to the woman, offering her a hand as an invitation for a dance.

«Of course. How can I deny our gracious host a dance?» Serena bowed in return, accepting his hand.

Cipher caught Hunter’s wrist, stopping him from interfering.

«Remember where we are.» Cipher whispered to his friend.

Hunter stayed silent, watching as the pair, joined by a few others, stepped into the centre of the hall, starting to dance.

Unlike most of similar dances Hunter has ever seen, this particular tango reminded him of a duel between the partners. But there was no contact other than grasping the wrist or catching the partners’ foot from making another step. It was a dance, no doubt, but instead of depicting lust or love, like the Terran dances, the Laithorian tango showed the military prowess and capability of working as a team — otherwise any of the moves were able to trip or land a blow to the dancing partner. In other words, this dance was representing a duel.

It was a strange thing to see, though, extremely interesting to experience. Hunter caught himself on a thought that he was made privy to something the Laithorians never showed to the people of other human colonies.

The man suddenly heard a slap and turned to see what was happening, only to notice one of the dancing pairs suddenly break up, as the woman tripped her partner and left him, while other guests chuckled at the sight.

«First time watching the Laithorian tango?» an older gentleman stepped up, raising his glass to Hunter.

The man replied, doing the same, and nodded:

«Never knew Laithorians even danced.»

«We dance, we sing, we entertain ourselves just like any other race.» the gentleman smiled. «I don’t believe we’ve been introduced to each other properly. Valoras Dorn Gray-Linn.»

«Hunter.»

«No last name?»

«My last name bears no value on Velutha.» Hunter shrugged.

«I assume you’ve taken up mercenary work then, as I do know mercenaries prefer not to use last names…»

«You could say that.»

«Velutha values mercenaries, as they are the closest thing to us in terms of their views.» Valoras smirked. «Is it safe to say Lady Serena was a mercenary as well?»

Hunter glanced at Serena dancing and felt himself out of place.

«That would be better asked elsewhere, sir.» the man said. «As I am in no position to speak for Serena.»

A pleased smile appeared on Valoras’ face and he finished his drink:

«Good answer, good man. Enjoy the evening.» he stepped away, leaving Hunter on his own again.

Fortunately, the music finally stopped, finishing the tango. Hunter saw the remaining pairs bow to each other and scatter. The way men and women walked off, mostly alone, hinted that even though they were dancing, it never meant that they were anything else in terms of personal relationships. To Hunter this was even stranger than the way this tango looked.

Lindon, nevertheless, accompanied Serena back, making Hunter feel even more uncomfortable.

«I noticed you speaking to my father.» Lindon smirked to Hunter, seeing him press his jaws together. «Was he scolding my awkward steps again?»

«No.» Hunter saw Serena’s eyes squint just a bit and forced himself to relax. «He was enquiring to my occupation and if Serena was engaged in mercenary work.»

The woman twitched her eyebrow in surprise. Being a mercenary wouldn’t make anyone think any less of her, but the fact that she never used her real name would definitely raise a lot of unnecessary questions among Veluthian aristocrats.

«I hope your answer was reasonable?» Lindon noticed Serena searching the hall for Valoras with her eyes.

«I told him it wasn’t my place to answer for Serena.» Hunter shrugged. «I am in no position to speak for her.»

Lindon smirked, a restrained approval appearing in his eyes, and glanced aside. Seeing his father standing by the corner and giving him a very subtle gesture, the man bowed:

«Please enjoy yourselves. It appears I am being called for one of those pesky little conversations my father loves so much.» he smiled to Serena.

The woman watched him retreat towards his parent, and allowed herself to breathe out, relaxing her shoulders.

«How long do we have to be here?» Hunter whispered to Serena, finding her being weary of her surroundings.

«As long as it takes.» she replied, taking Hunters glass and finishing the drink. «Please be a good friend and get some more drinks, will you? I feel like I’m about to challenge someone to a duel.»

The man took back the empty glass and headed towards the bar, wondering what drink to get for Serena to make her forget about the tiring social interactions she was supposed to be engaged with all through the evening.

When he returned to Serena, she was chatting away with a young looking couple, dressed in similar styled clothing — something resembling a military coat and tight trousers, both in silver and grey colours. Serena received her drink from Hunter, and the couple bowed, walking off and chuckling at something they were conversing about before Hunter returned.

«They find you Terrans a fun company to keep.» Serena allowed herself a disgusted huff. «Such simple minded people…»

«We Terrans, or that couple?» Hunter asked, noting the curious glances all the guests were giving him.

«I wasn’t referring to you, Hunter.» Serena emptied her drink in a few large sips. «I’m here among my people, but all I can think about is getting away somewhere…»

«Maybe you should?»

Serena tensed up, seeing Lindon approaching them again, even though his smile and gaze showed nothing less than good mood. But, nevertheless, something felt wrong.

«Might I steal you for a private conversation?» the man asked her as soon as he walked up. «I assure you, it will be worth your time.»

Hunter flinched to step in and object, but Serena stopped him, pressing her palm against his chest.

«Of course, Lindon.» she said with a nod, leaving her glass at the nearby table.

«This way, my lady.» Lindon gracefully gestured aside.

Serena returned the smile and followed the man out of the hall and into a smaller room, where a couple of guests were engaged in conversations. She thought they would stop there, but Lindon walked further — deeper into his estate, until they reached what seemed to be his personal office. After the door behind them closed, he offered her to take a seat near the far end of the room, where a couple of comfortable chairs stood, perfect to have a conversation.

«Did any of my men do something wrong?» Serena forced her voice to sound firm, declining the invitation to have a seat.

Lindon stepped to his table and picked up an information tablet, often used to show specific bits of information. He turned to Serena and offered her the device, watching her frown in surprise. The woman approached and took it, looking at the screen.

«Forgive me for snooping, but I had to run a background check for you and your men. Theirs came out interesting, though I haven’t found anything considering you…» Lindon said.

Serena threw a quick glance at the man, feeling caught in some sort of a trap.

«I was that good at hiding, huh?» she said with a smirk, hoping this would sway Lindon from being suspicious.

«You came onto the radar only recently, so I congratulate you on how well you’ve managed to keep yourself from being noticed.» Lindon leaned over the table. «Your men, however…»

Serena flipped through Cipher’s file, noting some insignificant information worth knowing, and then turned to Pher, realising how the man kept getting in trouble in his last workplace. When she opened Hunter’s file, though, she slowed down, seeing lines of details he had never mentioned to her before.

«You are showing me something I am well aware of.» Serena handed the tablet back.

Lindon shook his head, catching her on a lie:

«Hunter’s married, Serena. Whatever you have between you two means nothing.» the man smiled, tilting his head. «So I am going to offer you to reconsider my proposal.»

Serena felt like she was trapped — both by the lies Hunter told her — and by Lindon, who pointed out this information.

«You know very well that I don’t care who you’ll sleep with. As long as you marry me and we produce strong children, everything else doesn’t matter. The benefit of us forming a union will be much greater than that of yours and this… Terran.» Lindon straightened and stepped closer to Serena, allowing himself to put his palm on her shoulder. «Trust me when I say that I will never lie to you or disrespect you. If you agree to be my wife, you will always be my first choice for company, advice and sex.»

«A generous offer, Lindon…»

«Don’t decline just yet, Serena. Take some time to think. I won’t rush you to make this decision.» he gave back the tablet. «Have all the time you need.»

Serena forced herself to meet his gaze calmly and not flinch, when she replied:

«You’ll have my answer by the end of this week.»

The way Lindon smiled showed how glad he was to hear that.

Chapter 20. Games

After the gathering ended and they could finally get some rest, Serena wanted to be left alone, but remembered how she promised Hunter to be with him that night. Knowing how poisoned her view of the man now was due to the fact he hid his marriage from her, she didn’t understand why he acted as if he wanted to be with her alone.

Still, she invited him to her quarters and spent the night, letting herself a bit of relaxation, if not the thing she wanted at first. She showed him how passionate she could have been with him all the time, though her true feelings changed.

He never found out that something became different between them.

Once he drifted to sleep, Serena slipped out of bed and dressed up, walking out onto the balcony and jumping onto the wide railing. The long drop didn’t bother her — every Veluthian played around on similar railings every chance they had, balancing and fighting to show their strength and prowess.

Serena strolled up and down these railings, thinking over the proposal and the information she was given about Hunter and his friends. The thrill of the drop under her feet was just as strong as the intrusive thought to let her body sway and fall, but she forced the latter down, not allowing the feeling of betrayal make her fall prone to the darkest thoughts in her head.

Finally, Serena sat onto the railing, watching the horizon change colours from the shimmering greens and purples to golden blues, as the sun began rising.

The woman thought if she should even stay with Hunter and glanced behind, where the man lay on the bed, deep in his sleep. Serena jumped down onto the balcony and walked inside, watching him sleeping carelessly with a pleased smile on his face. She approached the bedside table and picked up the tablet. Leaving a short note on the screen, she carefully placed it next to the man and walked out onto the balcony once again, settling on the railing and thinking about the beauty before her eyes, and not the situation she was in.

It wasn’t long before she heard the soft rumble of a hover bike approaching and noticed Lindon, flying up to the balcony. He smiled at her, greeting her with a bow and gestured at the seat behind him:

«Fancy a stroll on this wonderful morning?» he proposed.

Serena couldn’t reply with a smile and glanced over her shoulder at Hunter, still caught in his dreams. The woman rose, balancing on the railing and considering her options, before stepping off and landing onto the hover bike. She sat and wrapped her arms around Lindon’s waist, showing him that she wasn’t distancing from him.

To Lindon this also gave hope that she was really considering the proposal he offered, and not declining it straight away. The man chuckled and flew off, accelerating.

Serena closed her eyes, feeling the rush of speed and the wind blowing in her face, ruffling her hair. This sense of flight and the confidence of the hover bike’s pilot made her feel free and unburdened. She dove into this sensation, feeling her heart calming from all the aching she was experiencing all through the night.

Breathing in the fresh air and the pleasant, metallic scent of Lindon’s skin made her open her eyes and finally smile.

«How is my lady feeling today?» Lindon took a sharp turn, feeling out how well Serena sat behind him.

The woman didn’t even flinch and never tightened her grip, perfectly balancing on the hover bike.

«Ask me this after we return. At the moment I am just enjoying the ride.» Serena smirked, hearing Lindon chuckle.

«Perhaps, you would enjoy a little entertainment?» the man said. «A few rounds of fireball? Or, maybe, something a little more exciting than just a drink?»

«What do you have in mind, Lindon?»

«Let’s just say… a sport that needs to be played with a partner one could trust.»

Serena chuckled in his ear, feeling how the back of his neck covered in goose bumps:

«Are you proposing sex, Lindon? So soon?»

«That’s also on the table if you like.» Lindon cackled, enjoying having her with him. «But what I meant was…»

He made another sharp turn, slowing the bike down and Serena saw the sports field surrounded by people enjoying an exceptionally dangerous game Veluthians called Dharna Nole — an air-fought battle of teams of two fighting over the flags that were strapped to the passenger of the hover bike. The tiny flag was target to other teams — and if the flag was ripped off the team was eliminated. The fights continued until one team remained. But that wasn’t the aim of this game, as the winners were considered only if the team was sill «alive’ and having collected most flags.

Serena laughed at this, understanding how much Lindon would rely on her as his partner. She would have to not only fight, but also target the flags to collect as much as possible. Anything went in this battle, including knocking the opponents out and throwing them off their bikes. Accidental deaths were usual to this sport, and whoever agreed to play always kept in mind that any mistake could cost the team their life — both figuratively and literally.

«Dharna Nole. Haven’t played it for…» Serena shook her head, still chuckling. «I have no idea how long.»

Lindon felt her lean back, unclasping her arms from his waist and turned to her, seeing her teasing expression. The man smirked, stood up and sat back down, facing her and not bothering about the fact they were hovering high up in the sky.

«I’m sure you’re a natural in this game.» he said to her.

Serena watched his eyes studying her, then lowered her gaze onto his smile.

«You’d like to see how I partner up with you? Are you trying to perceive how well a match we’re going to be?» she asked, noticing his smile becoming wider.

«That too. But I already know you’ll be perfect even if you decline to play the game.»

«And what if I don’t have my armour with me?» Serena smirked.

Lindon suddenly grabbed her by the knees, sliding her to him and putting her legs on his thighs. He studied her face exhibiting no surprise or fear, and his eyes lowered, going to her neck and chest. He slid his right palm up her thigh and stomach to the chest, poking at the small piece of the portable armour, hidden under her blouse:

«Like I would believe you won’t be wearing it, my lady.» Lindon met her gaze, feeling an urge to press her body to his.

Serena leaned in, bringing her face even closer to his:

«Don’t you think your excitement will get in the way?» she teased the man. «I wouldn’t want my partner to be distracted during the match.»

«I can show restraint, Serena. Even next to such a woman as yourself.» Lindon put his other hand on her waist. «Though I must admit, you’re the first woman I ever knew I want so badly.»

Serena twitched her brow, smiling:

«Am I, now?»

Lindon moved his left palm to her lower back and carefully pulled her closer, pressing his lips to hers and feeling the woman reply.

«Would you look at this…» suddenly a man’s voice sounded.

Lindon immediately pulled back, looking to the side and seeing another hover bike slowly approaching them. Serena watched the pair of riders stop close, hovering and watching her and Lindon with gleeful smiles on their faces.

«Suul.» Lindon nodded calmly.

The driver of the hover bike flashed a wide smile:

«Came to see us win again?» he asked.

His partner — a thin woman with black hair that was cut short on the left side of her head, chuckled.

«Afraid of me entering the match, Suul?» Lindon smirked.

«With her?» the driver moved his bike to circle around, watching Serena closely. «Another one of your weaklings? Pff! She’ll go flying to the ground within half a minute.»

«Want to make a bet on that, Suul?» Serena smiled wide, seeing the driver suddenly burst out laughing.

«Know your place, weakling.» Suul’s partner huffed. «The fact that you threw yourself onto Lindon means nothing in the field of Dharna Nole.»

Lindon tensed up and slowly took Serena’s legs off his thighs, rising.

«Don’t you dare speak to her like that, you have no idea who she is.» he said, his voice low and with an obvious warning in its tone.

«We don’t give a fuck who she is!» Suul smirked. «I accept your bet, weakling. If you survive longer than half a minute, I’ll give you… Thirty thousand platinum credits.»

«Plus thirty thousand for each half a minute I survive, Suul.» Serena felt a sudden joy in seeing Suul’s eyes widen and then squint. «If we win the match, I get your hover bike, deal?»

«And if you lose?»

«I’ll owe you a favour and… let’s say I give you… three hundred thousand platinum credits?»

«My bike costs more than that.»

«Five hundred?» Serena smirked.

«Deal, weakling!» Suul gritted his teeth. «Easy money!»

«Don’t be so quick to assume you’ll win!» Lindon tightened his fists.

«See you on the field, Lindon. But know this, if you don’t show up, everyone will know how weak you’ve become.» Suul pressed on the accelerator and his hover bike darted past them towards the field.

Lindon looked at Serena and shook his head:

«You seem confident… He’s the champion of this district.»

«So what?» Serena shrugged. «I like his bike. Though, now I’ll have to be careful not to damage it too much.»

«Serena…»

The woman leaned in closer with a chuckle:

«Have you no trust in me, Lindon? Doubting your partner so soon? Shame on you.»

Lindon studied her face for a few moments, then looked over his shoulder, seeing the contestants already gathering for the next match, even though the previous one hadn’t yet finished.

«Braid your hair, if you’re sure to enter the match.» the man said, turning and sitting down, ready to follow their competition.

«I don’t braid my hair for Dharna Nole. Makes for a bit of fun.» Serena moved up closer and wrapped her arms around his waist once again. «Trust me on that.»

Lindon decided not to answer, heading towards the field to join the other teams.

They landed at the end of the row of fourteen teams, watched by the others with interest. The Game Master, signing the teams up, approached Lindon and studied Serena with his eyes, before asking the man:

«Hey, Lindon. Who’s your partner? What name should I put down?»

Lindon smiled and turned to Serena.

«Serena Dal Thara-Lyss.» she introduced herself.

The Game Master froze, hearing this name, but flinched and put her in the list next to Lindon’s name, walking off hurriedly.

«How many times have you participated?» Serena asked Lindon.

«Not too much. I’m a great pilot, but could never find a perfect partner.» the man replied. «More often than not I was left alone, after my partners were taken out.»

«Perhaps, your search will be over after the match.» the woman smirked, seeing him smile back. «Just do your job and trust me on the rest, alright?»

«Watch out for Suul and his partner, Suki. They’ve set the record on the amount of flags collected and no one has ever broken it since then.»

«How many?» Serena glanced at Suul and his partner, chatting further down the row of contestants.

«Eight.»

18+

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