Chanel sat back down at her station. The squad had secured the spaceport several hours ago and now the remainder of the Necker personnel, along with the dozen or so captives, were making their way to the site. Her eyes scanned over the lists of people and materiel that were to be retrieved. The Asura, of course, was coming back, but beyond that it was only being accompanied by Emrys’ Vajra. It wasn't unexpected; Laine's had its entire system fried, and Ed's was damaged as well as pretty heavily altered.

  She took another sip of her instant crap coffee. At least it had caffeine, a small mercy. During the past few hours she'd kept a feed of the monitoring data on the airspace above Thrasir and there hadn't been any sign of other vessels entering. She tapped her console and sent a probe out to contact Necker Group command.

  “This is Chanel Roth, coordinator for the forces on the pnet of Thrasir, calling in to report a successful cessation of operations. Additionally, we are requesting a pick up.”

  “Understood Ms. Roth. What's your destination?”

  “Kovam. My squad was promised a week of leave before their next deployment.”

  The man at command sucked in a breath through his teeth. “A week might be a bit much.”

  “It's in our contract, look it up,” she said, trying to keep herself from groaning. They pull this every time. They sure know the contracts when it’s you that owes them something.

  “I understand that,” he sighs. “Give me a moment to read through it.”

  While command spent its time looking over a contract that it should have already known the details of, Chanel switched her focus back to her squad. The Asura and Emrys’ Vajra had been loaded into a unch container already, and the alfar from the resort were in the process of the same. Laine and Ed were spending some time together as they often did off the clock while Rico and Emrys watched the loading process. All in all, the attack on the spaceport had been a success, with only a single casualty on Necker’s side.

  The man at command pinged her. “It’s all in order, Ms. Roth. You and your squad will have a week yover while new einherjar are assigned and Mr. Estrada is seen by an academy representative.”

  “He did fine. He doesn’t need to see a rep,” said Chanel.

  “Not my department, it was an earmarked order. Just be gd you got your week.” The man audibly cracked his neck. “A cruiser will be in orbit within the day to pick up you, any materiel, and the remaining personnel.”

  “About time. Thanks.” Chanel cut the link.

  ______

  The next few hours were dominated by the firing of the spaceport's unch catapult as it flung the personnel and hardware of the Necker forces left on Thrasir into orbit. Meanwhile, the captain of the corvette that Chanel was aboard moved from its hiding pce toward the cargo capsules as they floated. Another hour passed, and several hundred miles away a Necker Group cruiser exited the Ginnungagap.

  A broadcast over an open channel began. “This is Necker Group heavy cruiser Laxmi. We have arrived near Thrasir's gravity well, and will begin your retrieval shortly.”

  The corvette that held the orbital crew moved to dock with the Laxmi as a small swarm of void-sealed and retrofitted Pitris model einherjar deployed. The Pitris grabbed the containers that held the ground team’s materiel and personnel then ferried them into the Laxmi’s waiting hangar bays. Once inside the squad and other personnel were given assigned quarters and allowed rest.

  ______

  The squad had gathered back together in one of the Laxmi’s bars, a hyper modern one with a tiled floor broken up by channels of mossy pebbles. Above them, light filtered down through trellises covered in hanging vines. While the combined effect was impressive, it was clear that maintaining it was a rge task. The squad had seen how quickly the beautiful biophilic designs deteriorated first hand while on Thrasir.

  Laine drummed her fingers on the bar, nails ccking against the polished stone. “Hey, Rico, where’s Chanel?”

  “I’m not her keeper,” he scoffed.

  Laine rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah,” she clicked her tongue, “she’s yours.” She turned to Emrys who sat at the end of the bar still, in a pilot’s suit. “Emrys, you know where she is?”

  “She should be here in a few minutes. She was held up by a meeting with the captain,” said Vivien privately to Emrys.

  “Give her a little more time. It won’t be much longer,” replied Emrys, turning her bottle of cider on the edge of its base.

  Ed looked at the liquor behind the bar. “God, ah, should I?” he asked, nudging Laine and gesturing toward a fancy looking bottle of clear spirit.

  “Try to keep it to just a couple shots. I don’t wanna have to drag you back to the rooms from a drunk tank,” said Laine with a groan.

  Rico tapped the bar with his knuckles. “Yo, can I get some vodka, neat?”

  The bartender nodded, turning to grab a bottle, the embroidered floral designs on her vest catching the light. She pced a shot gss in front of the young pilot and poured out a shot. “Here you are, hotshot,” she said, then swept her gaze over the gathered pilots.

  “Going for it,” said Ed to Laine before turning to the bartender. “You’ve got Spirituus, can I get a couple shots of that?”

  “You’re stumbling back on your own.” Laine shook her head.

  Chanel walked into the bar, raising a hand briefly to push a hanging vine that had come loose from the trellis above out of her way. “Already started without me?”

  Rico looked back, almost hopping off his stool. “You’re here!” He smiled.

  “I am, though I’m sure the captain would have preferred I stay for a full debrief.” Chanel rubbed one of her temples with a pair of fingers. “Even though we’re in the middle of the ship’s night cycle…” she muttered under her breath. She sat as Ed was served. “Bartender, a Mudslide for me. It’s not a real drink,” eying over to Laine, “but it’s close enough for now.”

  “At least our coordinator has taste! I’ll have an Eye Opener,” said Laine.

  Emrys opened her cider, twisting the cap off. “Gd you could make it.”

  “Anyone got pns for when we touch down in Kovam?” asked Ed, lifting his first shot up by the rim.

  “Get some good coffee and try not to think about work. Maybe see a movie?” said Chanel.

  Rico leaned over on the counter, finger pressed into his arc. “I’m not seeing a whole lot pying right now. Dead Dive Five, I guess? There’s a kid’s cartoon, some Penrose propaganda movie, bleh… What the fuck is Scarecrow in a Circus?” Suddenly he perked up, excited. “Oh shit, Sunset on our Love is out? I thought that got kicked to next year!”

  Chanel ughed, sipping her Mudslide. “That was st year, Rico. Time flies when you’re locked up at a base camp.”

  “Vivien says I should go clothes shopping, so I’ve got at least one day pnned,” said Emrys.

  Rico downed his shot in one go, making a disgusted face, but tapped the bar for a refill. “Gonna get yourself a second windbreaker? Maybe hi-vis orange?”

  Emrys blushed, and turned away. “I like my jacket! But, uh, Viv says she wants to see me in something more adventurous…”

  “Oh, she gonna see you in person?” asked Laine as her drink was put together.

  “Uh, I mean… Sort of.”

  “The avatar again,” said Laine, nodding.

  Silence hung in the bar for a moment. “Well, hey, to shore leave. Salute!” said Ed, raising his gss in the air and then downing his shot and hissing as the overproof spirit burned his throat.

  The girls took a sip of their respective drinks, and Rico downed his next shot. His face scrunched up as he tried to suppress a cough, failing, nearly spitting it up over the bar as his cheeks go bright red.

  “N-not a word.” Rico coughed again.

  Ed ughed, patting him on the back. “Nah, you’re hard, you’re hard.” He slid his remaining shot over to Rico. “You can handle the real shit? Try this.”

  “You don’t have to drink the hard stuff, Rico,” said Chanel, grabbing the shot and putting it back over with Ed. “Don’t, Ed.”

  Ed held his hands up. “Fine, but you learn by getting burns.” He sighed. “You know, you did real well today, Rico.”

  Rico looked down at his p. “Thanks.”

  Emrys took another sip of her cider. “I’m gd I didn’t lose any of you out there.” The rest of the squad looked at her. “Oh, uh, sorry.”

  Laine shook her head. “I know, Ed and I get what you mean. I guess I didn’t think you knew what it felt like.”

  “Yeah, haha,” Emrys took another drink, tipping the bottle up. “I’m just–”

  She squeezed her eyes shut, her throat tightening. The vision of the bar flickered in her sight as she slid off her stool, nding on the hard tile floor. She looked down at her body. The stump of her right leg bled onto cold metal. She could hear the sound of weapon fire down the hall.

  “Emrys.”

  “Don’t worry, Viv.” She shook her head and stood, sitting back on the stool. “I’m okay, just a bit of a wobble.”

  Rico held up the shot he’d taken from Ed while the others had been still concerned with Emrys and downed it. He immediately regretted it, his throat refusing to swallow it, leaving the overproof liquor in his mouth, seeping through his teeth. His eyes watered as he sputtered, absolutely unwilling to cough it up.

  “Rico!” Chanel turned to him.

  He managed to force himself to swallow, then let out a weak whimper, clutching onto the bar.

  Ed nodded. “See, he’ll know not to do that aga– Oh, actually, I don’t think he’s gonna keep that down.”

  He did not.

  ______

  “Alright Rico, almost back to your room,” said Chanel, holding the pilot upright. “You just had to prove to Ed that you could handle it, huh?”

  “It’s bullshit. I can’t let him outdo me! I’m supposed to drink the hard stuff…” Rico trailed off.

  Chanel waved a hand at the door to Rico’s temporary quarters and the door slid into the wall. “They teach you that in the academy too?”

  “Yeah, actually, they did!” he shouted, then put a hand over his mouth. “S-sorry.”

  “It’s alright,” Chanel sighed and had Rico sit on his bed before sitting next to him. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about this. About the academy, and what they taught you.”

  Rico leaned forward, wobbling slightly. “What about it? They saved my life, saved me from being passed from family to family. Or, or…” His stomach turned again. “I’m a pilot, Ms Roth.”

  Chanel went to rub his back, forgetting that the valkyrie impnt was there. “I know you are.” Her fingers slid off the smooth metal, and down to the section of Rico’s lower back that was only covered by his pilot suit. “You don’t need to prove yourself to me.”

  “But I do!” He shouted, hands grabbing Chanel's forearm. “‘m supposedta be the model pilot for the new Necker ein-hair-yarr.” He slurred, tugging at her arm.

  “Rico.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Focus on what I'm saying.”

  “Okay…”

  “You are doing fine, you don't need to make yourself sick for public appearances or whatever else they taught you.”

  “But–”

  “No. You are listening right now.” Rico nodded, tears welling up. “Just…” Chanel sighed. “As long as you keep completing your missions in your einherjar, I'll smooth over everything else, okay?”

  He sniffled, rubbing his forearm under his nose. “Okay, Ms. Roth.”

  Chanel pet the top of Rico's head, then stood. “Are you going to be okay if I leave to handle some work?”

  “Mhm, but, before you go…” He paused, looked down. “Er, nevermind.”

  “No! Out with it, Rico.”

  He shook his head, then had to bring a hand up to his mouth as he stopped himself from retching. “It’s not important.”

  “I'm assigned to make sure you're okay, Rico. Please,” Chanel cupped Rico's cheek gently, “tell me.”

  “I… No, I’m not supposed to.”

  Chanel leaned over and put her hands on Rico’s shoulders. “Corporate really does not care as long as you perform in the field. Would it help to make this official? If this is something that would hinder you if unresolved, I have an obligation to help you through it. You have to tell me.”

  He paused, toungue resting just out of his open mouth. “The best pilots I’ve known have been, you know… Like that girl back at the academy, and like Emrys.”

  “Yeah, and like Ed.”

  Rico jolted his head up, nearly biting off the tip of his tongue. “What?”

  “Did you not know that? Ah, shit, he said he wasn’t hiding it.” Chanel exhaled through her teeth. “Alright then, forget that, please.”

  Rico nodded. “If you say so." He paused, leaning into her, another nausea spell hitting. “You didn’t tell me. Why are they so much better at this than me? Why can’t I do what she can?” He grabbed the front of Chanel’s blouse, pulling them closer together. “It’s not fair.”

  ______

  Vivien watched as Emrys closed the door to her quarters. Sure, this one was less extravagant than the one on Thrasir, but was by no means uncomfortable. It was quaint, cozy. Her pilot sighed as she pulled the front zipper of her suit down to her colrbone. Clearly, it was getting harder for her to deal with the compression from it. Her biometrics had been saying it for some time, too. They also showed a lingering elevation in heart rate that should have subsided with the influence of the alcohol she had consumed.

  “Emrys, are you sure you’re alright? You were hallucinating earlier.”

  Emrys sat on the edge of her bed. “Viv, listen, I’m okay. You don’t need to worry about me so much.” She smiled. “It’s because of you that I can handle it.”

  Vivien manifested her avatar in front of Emrys, focusing to make her borders appear as solid as she could. It still wasn’t good enough. “I’m gd.”

  “Oh, Viv, I think I’m hallucinating again,” Emrys ughed softly, falling onto her back over the sheets. “There’s a beautiful woman in my room now.”

  “Hey! That isn’t, I… I’m not a hallucination.”

  “I’m just pying.” Emrys pulled her zipper down a little further. “Feeling too warm.” She eyed over to Vivian, biting her lip.

  “The cider probably.” Vivien moved closer, sitting next to Emrys, her projected form affecting nothing. “I…” She looked down, lips slightly parted.

  “Viv? Hey, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” Emrys sat up, trying to put a hand on her shoulder, whiffing, readjusting to sitting next to her, hands on her knees. “You’re not still mad from earlier, right?”

  “I need to tell you something.”

  Emrys looked into the eyes of Vivien’s avatar, still not facing her. “Yeah?”

  “I was rude to you earlier, angry. I’m sorry.” The pair of cameras in the room adjusted to allow Vivien better focus on Emrys’ features. “Emrys, I heard something over the Mobius chatter earlier.”

  “I’m not mad at you for being mean! I was out of line. You know?”

  “No, you weren’t. I’d been snapping at you all day.”

  “I’m still not mad, Viv.” Emrys leaned in, feeling the static of contact with Vivien’s avatar singing on her skin. “What did you hear?”

  “They were talking about me, when I came after them. They… They thought I was a Draugr.”

  “That’s ridiculous. You’re nothing like that thing!” Emrys sighed. “They just saw the Myrddin, right? They don’t know we stole it from them, so it was probably just that. It’s Draugr tech. And you know, even so!” She stood and peeled her pilot suit all the way off. “My leg is made of the same shit, hell I’m full of it. Am I a Draugr?”

  Vivien’s avatar blurred at the edges. “They didn’t just see the Myrddin.”

  “And? They were enemies, weren’t they?”

  “Yeah, but, I mean… I went up there after the cannon was disabled. I followed the ones that ran.”

  “You were right to. They could have called for backup, and then everyone would know our secret.”

  Vivien scoffed. “Well, it’s not much of a secret anymore, right? There’s no way that it doesn’t become a problem.”

  “The others aren’t going to do anything.”

  “We better hope so, because I can’t do anything about them now either.”

  Emrys paused. “Because of me?”

  “You care about them, so now I care about them. I can’t just ask you to abandon them for me.”

  Emrys leaned over, nodding her shoulder into Vivian’s. “If you wanted me to, I’d find a way to.”

  “No, I don’t want you to.. You’ve gone through enough. And!” Vivien clipped her speech.

  “And?”

  “If I just disposed of them because they might cause a little problem. I’d prove her right. I’d be just like a Draugr.”

  Dark_Sun_Morrigan