《Torrent》


 Chapter 1

    The universe was a large place. That seemed a rather obvious statement, especially considering the accessibility of education in the modern age, but very few seemed to grasp just how large it truly was¨C until their first time in space, of course.


    And then it was all any of them could think about.


    There was nothing quite like looking down on a planet for the first time. It made one feel both insignificant and mighty at the same time; insignificant because an individual was a small thing indeed, and mighty because that very view was proof that humanity had conquered the stars themselves. But no matter how far humankind reached, the dark between worlds always reigned supreme.


    The universe was a rather large place, after all.


    For that reason alone, the idea of policing the deep black was no more than a fever dream; and the few who could possibly pursue such a herculean task chose not to, for one simple reason. It allowed them space for their own less-than-clandestine operations.


    Of course, this was not without merit for the common folk. Piracy was uncommon, owing to the fact that empty pockets of space were often occupied by particularly well-armed vessels.


    For the common folk, that meant sticking to the established lanes all but guaranteed safety. It was an unspoken rule, of sorts. Trade was the universe¡¯s lifeblood, after all.


    Transponders were a requirement for all spacecraft, of course, but that was really more suggestion than rule. Any captain worth their ship knew how to disable it¨C even if they seldom did so.


    But disconnecting a transponder meant disconnecting from the Common Transit Network¨C which, of course, made another solution necessary. Most organizations¨C criminal or otherwise¨C relied on buoys. They were cheap, simple, and could be maintained autonomously.


    Of course, that simplicity made them vulnerable to tampering, but that was another rule¨C and one written in blood many times over. Never take away a sailor¡¯s means of navigating. That was something sacred; even if those who relied on such devices would have scoffed at the notion. There were few deaths worse than slowly suffocating in the cold dark of space.


    And that rule only extended so far. Aside from tampering and destruction, all else was fair game. There were already many nameless graveyards scattered across both colonized and uncolonized space; often a result of being caught unaware. For that reason, many ships chose to brave the void armed with nothing but their maps and memory.


    The Simo was one such ship.


    It was just one of many in the Intercontinental Colonization Committee¡¯s massive fleet¨C many of them forged by the finest craftsmen in existence, but it stood out nonetheless. For starters, it was one of just 120 interceptor-class crafts. Officially, it carried a kill count of over one thousand¨C and unofficially, just shy of triple that.


    Though the smallest of its class, the Simo was still deadlier than most of its sisters. It carried eight turret-mounted cannons; two pointed in each cardinal direction, as well as six bomb bays¨C two external ones and four internal ones, each capable of carrying a variety of payloads.


    Scarier, still, were the two kinetic cannons mounted at its front. They were simple weapons, far more primitive than anything in the ICC¡¯s arsenal, but effective nonetheless.


    The laws of physics were frightening ones. And out of all its weapons, those invoked the most fear. After all, they only had one real purpose: laying siege to a planet.


    Despite its many armaments, however, the Simo was a stealth ship. It was hardly half the size of its sister crafts, and required a crew of less than fifty. Forty-three, to be precise. That number could be lowered further when operating only the essentials.


    In order to maintain stealth, its external bomb bays usually remained unpopulated, and its internal ones only opened for a fraction of a second when firing. Everything that couldn¡¯t be hidden was covered in radar and light-absorbing material.


    The stealth ship was powered by a single Coral engine. That engine, though small, was capable of pulling 12g maneuvers¨C and without risking the crew¡¯s health. Such were the wonders of Coral. It was as if the universe¡¯s best minds had intentionally engineered the single most useful substance imaginable.


    Despite all of these things, however, there was one thing about it that stood out the most.


    The person commanding it.


    Admiral Stren ran one hand through his hair as he stared into the holo-feed. Once pure black, it was now peppered with white, and a long, jagged scar ran over his right eye. He could have it removed, of course, but chose not to. A soldier¡¯s scars were badges of honor, after all. He was a large man, with broad shoulders, and a height nearing two meters.


    Stren sighed, lowering his hand to clasp both behind his back. Posture was really the only military lesson that stuck, and even then, he¡¯d learned it before joining.


    At fifty years of age, he thought himself old, but knew he was young for his station. The others had underestimated him for that, at first, but they quickly learned their mistake. He paid for his post in blood, after all.


    He shivered at the sight of Torrent. Even from so far away, its ghastly blue-green body took up nearly the entire feed, and no matter how far the Simo¡¯s state-of-the-art sensor suite delved, they failed to reach past 15,000 meters.


    There were structures above and below the surface, but they were all man-made; the dwellings of those who called the watery planet home. Not a single natural structure was to be found, save for the ocean¨C but then, the entire planet was essentially one giant ocean.


    It was unnerving. More unnerving, still, was the knowledge that the planet was filled with Augmented. They really only came in three types. They either killed a normal man in the blink of an eye, struggled until having their head removed, or both. That last kind was particularly annoying to deal with.


    I never thought I¡¯d end up here. Stren knew of the planet¡¯s importance, of course¨C everyone did¨C but he¡¯d only ever thought of it as an important strategic resource; nothing more. He¡¯d been given every pertinent piece of information beforehand, but also knew that his idea of pertinent differed greatly from whatever fool wrote those reports. Not that this expedition had really yielded anything new. They were much too far away for that.


    The sound of someone¡¯s footsteps interrupted the hum of artificial gravity before stopping before his door. That was one of the things he¡¯d noticed about it. The sound. The scientists¨C and there were many of them¨C swore up and down that there should be none, but he heard it all the same. None of his crew did, however, and he was thankful for that.


    ¡°Come in.¡±  As he turned, the cabin door slid open to reveal a single man. He seemed young, no more than 25 years of age at most. That in itself was already cause for concern, but the young man¡¯s appearance could be summed up in two words: pure white.


    His eyes, skin, and hair were all white¨C even his fingernails. His garb, too, was the color of unbroken snow; a simple garment that was more cloak than jacket.


    Stren knew that, if wounded, he would bleed white. He was suddenly very glad that he¡¯d left his weapon out of sight. It was an old thing, passed down through his family, but still deadly. Not that it mattered to the Sulian. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting the presence of someone so¡­ acclaimed.¡± His voice remained calm and level. He¡¯d met more powerful people face-to-face. Rubbed shoulders with them, even.


    The Sulian laughed. ¡°Yes, our employers value my appearance greatly. I personally find it quite ironic. No matter how far our kind delves into the stars, we have yet to find a way of replicating my fair skin.¡± He held out one hand. ¡°My name is Vessa. Pleased to make your acquaintance."


    Stren raised an eyebrow at that. This was not the first Sulian he¡¯d met. ¡°Forgive me,¡± he said, aware that Vessa noticed his expression. ¡°You seem¡­¡± He hesitated, considering his words in an attempt to avoid being rude. ¡°Significantly less detached.¡± He was fairly certain he¡¯d failed, but the Sulian just smiled in response.


    ¡°I happen to take that as a compliment. So please allow me to offer my thanks.¡± Vessa bowed, and his long hair draped over his head like a white veil. ¡°And I must say, " he continued, straightening. ¡°You command a beautiful ship.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± There was no reason to hide his pride, nor did he have any real desire to do so. The Simo was a beautiful ship, forged on Tali and tempered by its system¨C just as he and his crew had been.


    ¡°The stealth configuration is quite impressive. If you¡¯d not so graciously given me your locational data, I never would have found it.¡±


    Stren nodded. As far as he knew, the Simo was the only ship in the ICC¡¯s entire fleet that completely lacked a transponder. Others simply turned them off when necessary.


    Perks of being an Admiral.


    ¡°... Though I couldn¡¯t help but notice that it seems smaller than others of its class.¡±


    That gave him some pause. Not the comment on size¨C only a fool took placed importance on such things¨C but the implication that the young man before him had set foot on another interceptor-class vessel. Multiple, at that.


    Just what sort of role does he play?


    In all his many years with the ICC, he had never seen one of the Simo¡¯s sisters. That was largely due to the sort of missions he and his crew were tasked with, but each and every interceptor was a closely-guarded asset.


    ¡°Different weapons serve different purposes.¡± And the Simo was a weapon, there was no doubt about that.


    ¡°Aptly put.¡± Vessa gestured to the holo-feed. ¡°May I join you?¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡±


    The pale blue-green of Torrent stained the Sulian¡¯s being as he stepped forward. ¡°It¡¯s ironic, isn¡¯t it?¡± He asked, eyes fixed on the holo-window. ¡°They have nothing of value, safe for the most valuable resource in the universe. And that will be their downfall.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather you not linger,¡± Stren said stiffly. Even if he came in a stealth ship of his own, the odds of their being discovered together were exponentially greater than separate.


    Vessa nodded. ¡°A wise decision.¡± His hand disappeared into the folds of his cloak, appearing a moment later with a paper envelope in his hand. ¡°Here. The details of your mission, or so I¡¯m told.¡± His smile returned. ¡°I understand you have a family. You should know, this doesn¡¯t appear to be a short mission.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± He raised one eyebrow. ¡°It seems you possess information I lack. No matter,¡± he added, seeing the Admiral¡¯s lack of concern. ¡°It¡¯s of no consequence to me. I am but a messenger. I have, however, been instructed to observe you reading it. So if you don¡¯t mind¡­¡±


    Stren turned his attention to the envelope. That it was a physical one was odd in itself, but then¨C such were the stakes. He opened it with steady fingers; the letter inside held a single block of text, and under that, a signature.


    ¡°Is it as you expected?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°It is.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then if you¡¯ll excuse me¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    The Sulian stopped mid-step, his back towards Admiral Stren. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°... Do you mind if I ask you a question?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°What do you think of all this?¡±


    Vessa turned back slowly, his pure white eyes alight with curiosity. "That''s an odd question."


    "I''d like a perspective that isn''t so... human."


    "I''m sorry to disappoint you," he answered slowly, "but I lack the capacity to care."


    "A Sulian... quirk?"


    He shook his head. "No. Although my people''s tendency for... callousness is well-deserved, not all of us ascribe to that philosophy."


    "What is it, then?"


    Vessa shrugged nonchalantly. "At the end of the day, I''m human." He pointed towards the video feed. "I know there are people down there. Feel a kinship towards them, even. But they all have lives of their own... Loved ones of their own. Each and every one of the is just as unique as you or I, and and learning about the intricacies of their individuality would take an eternity." His eyes fixed on Stren''s. "They''re simply people. I will mourn their deaths, just as the rest of the universe will, but I know nothing other than their names and home world. They matter... but just barely. This is the choice that every member of our race makes, is it not?"


    It took Stren a moment to parse the meaning of those words. He was a soldier, not a scholar. "You think we choose to ignore the suffering of those around us?"


    the Sulian tilted his head. "Is that not the case? You know that millions are starving across colonized starspace, yet you push ahead regardless."


    "... I never thought of it that way."


    "Then, may I ask a question of my own?"


    "Go ahead."


    "How do you handle it?"


    "Handle what?"


    Vessa gestured to the letter in the Admiral''s hand. "You''ve just been handed a rather heavy duty, yet you spared it little more than a glance."


    "... My daughter."


    He blinked. "Oh. You''re a family man. That''s unexpected."


    "Have you traveled far?"


    "Yes. I skipped across three systems."


    "Then you know how large of a place the universe is."


    "Very large indeed."


    "... There''s no grand reason. It''s like you said. I''ve been to more systems than I count. Seen and met more people than I could possibly remember. But no matter how far I travel, I''ll never find someone like her again. And she''s... my daughter." Stren faltered, unsure if that single word sufficed.


    Vessa''s white lips curved into a smile. "I won''t claim to understand the inner workings of your mind, but I admire your resolve nonetheless. But I wonder... have you stopped to consider whether she''ll think of you as a hero, conqueror, or executioner?"


    "As long as she''s alive to wonder that it doesn''t matter."


    "I see." The Sulian laughed, apparently satisfied with that answer. "Good! I like you." He turned back towards the door. "In any case, that concludes my duty here. Give your men my thanks for their hospitality."


    "May the silver stars above light your path in the dark below."


    "Oh?" He paused partway through. "That''s a new one. How am I meant to respond?"


    "And yours."


    "And yours, then. I''ll be in touch. And... I hope you make it until the end."


    The door clicked shut after those ominous words, interrupting the hum of artificial gravity once again.


    Stren grimaced as he sat behind his desk. I''m going to remove that damned module from my ship. He''d driven the engineers half-mad and the crew even madder before finally realizing the correlation between the two. He''d scolded himself to no end for that- a captain needed to know the ins and outs of his ship.


    He didn''t understand the technical terms, but he understood enough. The ICC techies swore up and down it was safe, but that was simply another reason to doubt it.


    Safety regulations were written in blood, after all.


    This wasn''t the first time the Simo received experimental technology- and it certainly wouldn''t be the last- but one misbehavior was already more than he was willing to risk. He''d wanted to remove it sooner, but they insisted.


    No matter. He would indulge them no longer.


    Stren pulled up a holo terminal with a flick of his wrist. "Ras."


    His head engineer''s face appeared on the semi-translucent screen. "Sir?"


    "Turn off that gravity unit. Rip it off if you have to. Try not to damage it, but if those damned techies don''t want to pick it up, jettison it."


    "Still hearing it, sir?"


    "And I''m sick of it."


    "Right away. Anything else?"


    "How is the stealth coating holding up?"


    "Not well." Ras delivered the bad news without so much as a blink. "The Coral spill off is worse than I thought. It''s degrading fast- and I''m worried about the hull, too. Most ships that orbit even semi-regularly get treated beforehand, and it''s outright required for any that want to land."


    "How long until it becomes an issue?"


    "Hard to tell. Not a lot of other ships use the same composites. There''s no danger right now, but... I wouldn''t push it."


    Stren nodded. He had no intention of doing so. "How long to treat the body?"


    "At least two weeks, not counting travel time. Six if you want me to try and maintain stealth- and I can''t promise anything, either."


    He closed his eyes. Six weeks... "Find us a service area. And take your time. I''ll have to disembark anyways."


    "Sir?"


    "What do you think about all this?"


    Ras'' face scrunched up. "I don''t really have an opinion," he answered after a moment. "Neither does anyone else. Above our pay grade and all that."


    Stren laughed. "Fair enough."


    "We''ll follow you to our deaths, captain. Remember that."


    "All the more reason to be careful."


    "Sir." Ras saluted, then terminated the connection. His message arrived a moment later.


    Stren keyed in the coordinates, then went to lay in his bunk. He felt the planet''s gravity shift as the Simo turned. The filtered air took on a soft blue-green hue as the ship pumped Coral into its many cavities.


    It was an odd thought, to be sure- breathing in rocket fuel, but it would keep the crew safe as they traveled. Just another of the many technologies made possible by Coral, and just one of many reasons behind its value.


    The dim hum of artificial gravity cut off, and for the first time, the Admiral felt himself relax. Sleep came for him soon after; he allowed it to take him, smiling as the void of unconsciousness washed over him.


    He would see his daughter soon.

 Chapter 2

    ¡°¡ªel.¡±


    Lorel stirred.


    ¡°Lorel.¡±


    And then jerked awake at the sound of his name. ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± It took him a second to recognize his surroundings. School. Through the window, he could see that nighttime was already falling; though the dark was kept at bay by the soft glow of Coral.


    That was his second favorite thing about home. It was never truly dark. His favorite thing, of course, was the ocean.


    ¡°Are you awake now?¡± His friend, Loch, asked, calm as ever. He had jet-black hair and dark blue eyes¡ª and as always, held a book in one hand.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lorel answered with a yawn, arching his back and stretching his arms. He regretted that immediately as his neck ached in protest. ¡°Ach.¡±


    Loch shook his head. ¡°It never ceases to amaze me how carefree you are.¡±


    ¡°You certainly don¡¯t sound amazed.¡±


    ¡°Your powers of observation never cease to amaze me, either.¡±


    Lorel smiled. ¡°And your kind words never fail to make my heart flutter.¡± He knew how Loch worked. Other people saw his calm, understated demeanor, and assumed him to be polite¡ª only to be surprised when he was anything but.


    That never failed to irritate him, so he drove them away.


    ¡°What time is it?¡±


    Loch placed his book on his lap, spine-open and checked his holo-watch before answering. ¡°4:45. Classes ended 15 minutes ago.¡±


    Lorel yawned again. ¡°There¡¯s still fifteen minutes to get to there. And we¡¯re basically next door. You could have let me sleep more.¡±


    ¡°I would have, but you take forever to get your act straight.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Fair enough.¡± Lorel put his head back down on the desk and looked up at Loch. Though vaguely androgynous in appearance, his actions and mannerisms were distinctively masculine¡ª if significantly more dignified.


    He kept his grades up just for the sake of it, and little more. That was impressive in itself; the curriculum here was difficult¡ª as it was across the whole planet. Theirs was a young nation, and one whose future was fraught with danger.


    Education was important. Those who fell behind were placed in classes better suited to their needs; but the pacing remained much the same. This was one such class. Lorel and Loch were one of only ten students belonging to it.


    Despite their differences, they both valued their freedom too much. The teachers here didn¡¯t care much what they did, so long as they learned the material. That gave Lorel the freedom to learn at his own pace.


    Which usually involved lectures from his sister.


    Loch, for his part, was just naturally intelligent. What he used his time outside of school for, Loren had no idea, nor did he care. They were friends. That was all there was to it.


    And Loch¡¯s idea of fun was probably reading. The black-haired boy picked his book up with both hands, shutting it with a quiet snap before stowing it in his pack. It was one of his many quirks, insisting on reading physical books.


    Lorel may not have understood that itself, but he understood the sentiment. It was the same reason he never went down in a diving sphere. They were two very different things.


    ¡°We should get going,¡± Loch said, picking his bag up. That was another thing that set him apart. He used an old-fashioned leather briefcase, worn from years of use. A gift from his father, apparently.


    That was hardly surprising. Quirks had a tendency to be a family thing. Lorel knew that from experience.


    ¡°We should,¡± he agreed, groaning as he stood. A result of his awkward sleeping position. Unlike Loch, he brought nothing to school, save for his holo-watch.


    Their school was one of many situated atop the floating city, and together with its higher education programs, was among the finest education anyone in the universe could receive.


    It took them some time to make their way to the bottom floor. Buildings were designed to make the most of the limited space, and more often than not, that meant going up. As a result, the city blotted out most of the sun¡¯s light; but while the lower levels had lights, they were never powered. The ambient Coral glow was more than enough.


    Lorel always found it beautiful. It was a gorgeous color, somewhere between pale blue and green. It permeated every inch of the atmosphere; strong enough to illuminate, but weak enough to make one second-guess their eyes.


    In some ways, though, the city represented what life on Torrent was like. Bright and idyllic on the surface, with a barely-repressed underbelly.


    He eyed Loch as they stepped out onto the streets. Though laconic at best, Lorel knew they shared many of their worries. He was one of the few people that Loch seemed comfortable confiding in¡ª and that was an honor not held lightly.


    ¡°Lorel.¡±


    He flinched at the sound of his name, certain Loch had noticed his stare.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried?¡±


    But that quickly proved not to be the case. Or not the reason for his sudden question, at the very least.


    ¡°¡­ About what?¡±


    Loch stopped walking.


    ¡°You know what.¡±


    Lorel walked two extra paces before stopping. Of course he did. They¡¯d discussed it at length, and on far too many occasions for his taste. ¡°Of course I am,¡± he said, turning to face his friend.


    ¡°Then how can you sleep in class like that?¡±


    He snorted. ¡°As if you can call that a class.¡±


    Loch¡¯s blue gaze turned withering.


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Lorel said, raising his hands in mock surrender. He turned his gaze upwards, towards where the jungle of metal and glass stood. ¡°I just don¡¯t think there¡¯s any point in worrying about it.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    He looked back down at Loch. His features were tense.


    ¡°Do you have a way off this planet?¡±


    Loch shook his head.


    ¡°And if you did, would you want to leave?¡±


    Another shake of the head¡ª but more hesitant this time, Lorel noticed.


    ¡°There you have it. If your mind is already made up, what¡¯s the point in worrying about it?¡±


    Loch seemed to relax as understanding took over his expression. ¡°I see.¡± He sounded thoughtful. ¡°I never thought of it like that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too complicated,¡± Lorel said with a grin. ¡°It¡¯s why we get along so well.¡±


    The black-haired boy raised one eyebrow. ¡°Are you calling yourself simple?¡±


    His grin widened. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being simple?¡±


    Loch shook his head. ¡°I envy you, sometimes.¡±


    ¡°And besides,¡± Lorel continued, ¡°isn¡¯t that why we¡¯re here?¡± He jabbed a thumb at their destination.


    Officially, it was called the Development Facility For Hydrokinetics, or DFH, but everyone who saw it just called it ¡°the facility.¡± It was a large, cylindrical building with too many floors¡ª and windows¡ª to count. How could they not?


    It was also one of the only buildings that went down, into the ocean below. The others of its kind were, of course, the other facilities.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± Loch closed his eyes, and Lorel knew he was mentally filing their conversation away for later.


    ¡°We should get going.¡± Lorel turned on his heels and made for the door. Better to be early than late. The lobby floor was blindingly white, as if perfectly sterile. It was the one place on Torrent that he hated.


    The doorway terminal read their holo-watches as they stepped in. They knew the way even without directions, heading for the single-person elevators that lined each wall.


    ¡°See you on the other side.¡±


    He raised one hand, not even bothering to look at Loch as they took adjacent elevators. It was little more than a small glass capsule, barely big enough to hold a single person. Much to Lorel¡¯s chagrin, there was still more than enough headroom.


    His holo-watch automatically entered floor 1238. He leaned back against the smooth glass with a sigh, fighting the urge to drift back to sleep. Fast as it was, the journey down would still take several minutes.


    The next thing Lorel knew, he woke with a jolt as the elevator jerked to a halt. He rubbed the back of his head with one hand, having bashed it against the interior. After taking a moment to recover, he stepped out.


    This part of the floor was little more than a hallway, nearly too narrow to fit him comfortably. This far down, there was no sunlight, but that mattered little. The glow of Coral was stronger, here, staining the grey walls a calm bluish-grey.


    A door stood all the way to the left, at the end of the hallway; a slab of black set into the grey. Lorel stepped slowly towards it, gazing out the left-hand wall as he walked down the narrow pathway.


    The waters of Torrent greeted him. He could see the city¡¯s other three facilities reaching down from above. Each was a pillar of shimmering light within the blue-green luminescence of Coral.


    If Lorel were on the other side of the building, he would have seen sunlight streaming down into the water, but from here, the city above blocked out all else.


    The door slid open soundlessly as he touched it.


    ¡°Lorel.¡± A familiar voice greeted him. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±


    Doctor Strella sat at the center of the room. He had sandy hair, dark brown eyes, and wore a simple white coat. That was one of the few things that stayed the same no matter where you were. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Supposedly, anyways. It wasn¡¯t as if Lorel had ever been off-planet.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too,¡± he responded. Those words were no lie¡ª he¡¯d known the middle-aged man since his early teenage years. Floor 1238 was his twelfth assignment, but always under the watch of Strella.


    The doctor was taller than a Lorel by a good bit, though the distance between their heights shrank further every year. A number of floating terminals hovered around him; Strella closed them with a flick of his wrist, save for one. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know the drill by now,¡± he said with a wry smile.


    The room was grey, and unlike the hallway, had no natural light. Its lights were the same calm, quiet grey, as opposed to the loud white of the lobby. Rather than a solid wall, the far one was just a curtain of water.


    The floor bore a circular groove, cut into a perfect circle. A small layer of water was trapped within.


    Lorel dropped to one knee, reaching out with one hand as he did so. Spread out like this, it looked like the carving held quite a bit, but it was shallow; holding barely enough to wet the tip of his finger.


    As his flesh came into contact with the tranquil surface, it flowed upward, clinging to his flesh like a second skin. He could feel the sensors held within; rigid specks of metal scattered within the soft, supple fluid.


    ¡°There¡¯s more than usual,¡± Lorel observed off-handedly, molding the water into a glove that shrouded his hand.


    ¡°Just so,¡± the doctor answered with a nod. ¡°And your other¡­ capabilities?¡±


    Lorel raised his other hand at that, poking the watery glove with his finger. Instead of sinking below the surface, it stopped short. This process was always hard to explain, much to the chagrin of his sister.


    He knew the scientific explanation of what he did, of course, but explaining how he did it was another matter entirely.


    Water was gentle and malleable, but only to a point. If struck hard enough¡ª or at the wrong angle¡ª it was stronger than any wall. He could just¡­ convince it to act like that.


    His sister, of course, was not satisfied with that answer.


    Another window popped up in front of Strella. His eyes flitted up and down its length before closing it. ¡°It appears your abilities continue to improve.¡± With a flick of the wrist, he sent the data to Lorel¡¯s holo-watch.


    Lorel half-smiled. That was a good thing, to be sure, but the reason behind those improvements was anything but.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious. Has anyone ever lost their¡­¡± Lorel trailed off, unsure which term was most apt.


    ¡°¡­ Abilities?¡±


    In the end, he borrowed Strella¡¯s words.


    ¡°No,¡± the doctor answered with a shake of the head. ¡°But there¡¯s a first time for everything. This all stems from an abundance of caution. Now, if you would¡ª¡±


    Lorel willed the water to flow back into the shallow groove. It settled in smoothly, its mirror-like surface unmarred by even the faintest of ripples. Not a single drop was out of place.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re as impatient as ever,¡± Strella said flatly, but he was unable to keep the smile from his face.


    ¡°I have something to do after this.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± The doctor raised an eyebrow. ¡°Another dive with your sister?¡±


    Lorel nodded. ¡°What?¡± He asked, noticing something off in his demeanor.


    Strella said nothing for a moment, his expression mired with uncertainty. ¡°We were born into a chaotic era,¡± he finally said. ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Is that a reference?¡± Lorel asked, raising one eyebrow.


    ¡°To¡­ what?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Never mind.¡± Something from one of Loch¡¯s books. Lorel took a moment to settle his thoughts. Despite his calm outward demeanor, those eight words from Strella had sent his pulse racing.


    ¡°I know, doc,¡± he finally said. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing we can to about it.¡± He buried his unease under those words. ¡°The ocean is my home.¡± Lorel grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been hiding a secret off-planet back channel?¡±


    Silence settled around them¡ª and then Strella¡¯s shoulders relaxed as the tension bled away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry your generation has been burdened with such a heavy future.¡±


    Lorel just shrugged. ¡°We all have our part to play.¡± His parents played theirs, and his sister would have one to play in the future. He would play his¡ª so long as he was able.


    Strella smiled sadly. ¡°I hope the day you rue your birthright never comes.¡±


    Lorel shook his head vehemently. ¡°It never will.¡± He knew that as certainly as his own name.


    The last few holo-windows closed. ¡°You know the rules, yes?¡±


    He nodded once. There were only two: no permanent injury¡ª including death¡ª and ability-based attacks only.


    ¡°Then go on ahead.¡±


    Lorel nodded again, stepping past Strella¡ª and through the man-made waterfall. He held his breath as he broke through the curtain. There was no real need for that, but as it turned out, human instinct was hard to suppress.


    Or at least, that was Loch¡¯s theory.


    The facility before him was really more arena than anything scientific, in both purpose and shape. Its waterfall fell from a smooth, single-piece mirror that ringed the entire arena. And though he couldn¡¯t see through it, Lorel knew scientists and military officials alike were watching them closely.


    Eight other figures stood spread out across the circular structure; three boys and five girls. Their intent with that was obvious enough.


    Not that he cared.


    He wasn¡¯t even sure what their names were.


    A small layer of water, just barely thicker than before, lay spread across the entire floor. It held Lorel¡¯s weight as he stepped out towards the center. That was a habit he¡¯d built over the years; a small trick, but a useful one. Just as before, he could feel the sensors spread across its meager form.


    Where¡­?


    He grinned as Loch stepped into the room. The water rippled under his feet as the dark-haired boy made his way over. His bag, notably, was absent.


    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Lorel japed as his friend stopped just a few paces away. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re actually getting worse.¡± He grinned, unperturbed as Loch¡¯s dark blue gaze turned withering.


    ¡°Enough of your jabs,¡± Loch said with a sigh.


    ¡°Fine, fine.¡± Lorel held his hands up in mock surrender. That, of course, only served to irritate his friend further. ¡°Same as always? Ten rounds?¡± He glanced around the room. The other eight, having noticed their bickering, had already ceased their own activities.


    ¡°Look!¡± Lorel raised his voice, now that there was space between them. ¡°They¡¯re here to watch you lose!¡± Even with the distance between them, he could see Loch¡¯s shoulders sag as he sighed.


    This was another of the higher-up''s machinations, but one that he participated in readily. His rivalry with Loch was a highlight of life here on Torrent. And this was their first time assigned to the same floor.


    Lorel was determined to make the most of it.


    Two streams of water rose from the floor; they coalesced in each of his friend''s outstretched hands. ¡°Ready?¡±


    It was Lorel¡¯s turn to sigh. This was one of the reasons Loch never won their bouts. He always insisted on doing things correctly. Whatever that meant. ¡°Ready whenever you are.¡± The moment the words left his mouth, Loch dashed forward.


    He closed the distance in seconds, sweeping both of his weapons in a wide, horizontal arc.


    Even as they closed on Lorel, he marveled at them. Loch was his better when it came to fine detail, there was no doubt about that¡ª but that was yet another reason for his constant loss.


    Water was infinitely malleable; limited only by the imagination of its user. Chaining it to such concrete forms only served to cripple it.


    Still.


    They were beautiful.


    He waited until Loch was in arm¡¯s reach. A curtain of water rose from the floor; drying it for a mere instant before more flowed forth to replace it. The two blades cut through it with ease, but two steps took Lorel through the watery veil and to his friend¡¯s side.


    He grinned as Loch¡¯s eyes widened in surprise¡ª


    ¡°Surprise!¡±


    ¡ª and swept his legs out. Loch went toppling down, kicking up a spray of water. His weapons dissipated as he fell.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten our deal,¡± Lorel said mockingly. ¡°One win, and I owe you a meal! Not that it really matters.¡±


    ¡°I really hate that expression of yours,¡± Loch sighed as he righted himself. He wore a scowl on his face, and he was soaked, having burst through the veil of water. ¡°But no matter how many times I see it, I always fall for it.¡±


    Lorel laughed. ¡°One of the perks of being simple is that you don¡¯t really care what people say.¡±


    ¡°So you say.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, which one of us just went toppling?¡±


    His friend audibly sighed. ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Ready for round two?¡±


    Loch nodded. He clutched his hand to his chest for a brief second, and when he pulled it away, the water followed. It peeled away as a single sheet, gathering in his hand just as before.


    He opted for a single blade this time. It was wider and longer, and unlike the ones from before, was complete with a swept guard. Having calmed, his dark blue eyes were as tranquil as the waters of their home.


    Lorel struck first, this time. He summoned no weapon of his own. Really, that was the best weapon against Loch: uncertainty. He saw it grow in Loch¡¯s eyes with every step he took.


    At the very last moment, Loch raised his blade to counter¡ª


    And Lorel reached out, dragging his fingers across its glass-like surface. Four things happened nearly all at once.


    First, he wrested control away from the other boy.


    Second, he forced the blade to flatten and spread out into a single wide sheet.


    Third, he increased its surface tension. Not enough to hurt Loch, but enough to push him backwards.


    Lastly, Lorel caused the thin layer of water beneath his own feet to erupt.


    The result?


    He sailed up and over the other boy¡¯s head. The sheet of water trailed behind him for a moment¡ª and then crashed into Loch.


    He fell backwards in an almost comical manner. This time, he stood up immediately.


    ¡°You¡¯re distracted,¡± Lorel said slowly. Taking control had been far too easy. ¡°Something wrong?¡± That was a genuine question.


    Hesitance crossed his friend¡¯s face.


    ¡°¡­ Later.¡±


    He nodded once.


    Nothing more needed to be said.


    Their third bout lasted just over two minutes.


    The fourth, more than ten.


    By the fifth, Lorel was forced to create his own weapon. The basis of his construction was a staff; taller than he was, and just wide enough to fit comfortably in his hands. Holding something made of water was an odd thought, to be sure, but any Tidal could do that. Few others could increase surface tension as much as he.


    For all Lorel knew, he was the only one.


    In many ways, their choice of weapon and style of fighting were polar opposites. Loch was precise and controlled; relying on his reaction time and pattern recognition to weather the assault. He formed a second weapon at times, and at others, a shield or barrier.


    And he adapted quickly. Technically speaking, using their powers outside of the facility was strictly forbidden, but that rule was overlooked more often than not. Crime on Torrent was rare, and violence even rarer.


    Lorel spent nearly every spare moment practicing¡ª but something rarely worked against Loch more than once. That was the advantage of an analytical mind: figuring out how to respond to scenarios was easy. Especially ones that he¡¯d seen before.


    For that reason alone, Lorel rarely put any real thought into his actions, instead opting to simply take whatever action he thought best. That was really his philosophy in life.


    It was easier that way.


    His choice of weapon was an extension of that. Its shape was merely a foundation; something made necessary by the ever-shifting nature of combat. He could change its length and width at will, as well as its form.


    At times it was a spear, at times a sword; and at others still, a shield or whip. The whip was Lorel¡¯s favorite. It was like wielding a formless blade. The staff was his second.


    He knew it likely seemed odd to the onlookers¡ª who watched from a safe distance¡ª but no matter their vigor, there was no real danger. That was another reason behind the sensors¡¯ presence.


    And, more importantly, this was an integral part of their friendship. It didn¡¯t matter what anyone else thought.


    Their eighth clash came to an end as Loch mis stepped¡ª


    That won¡¯t work again.


    ¡ª and then nearly won the ninth.


    Loch¡¯s blade widened and then curved as he slipped under it, coming within a millimeter of striking his side.


    He¡¯d miscalculated.


    Barely.


    Lorel swept a curtain of water up from below, catching Loch¡¯s neck with it and violently bringing the other boy down.


    ¡°That¡¯s new,¡± he said, gasping for breath.


    ¡°I figured it¡¯s about time I adapt,¡± the other boy growled.


    Lorel laughed and wiped the sweat from his brow before offering Loch a hand. ¡°It¡¯s past time you adapted,¡± he said with a grin, ¡°but better late than never.¡± He pulled Loch to his feet.


    I¡¯ll have to end it quick.


    He had one last trick remaining. He¡¯d been saving it; if not for Loch¡¯s apparent distraction, he may have already lost.


    As his friend turned back to face him, Lorel focused on the thin layer of water underneath his feet. He¡¯d practiced so much that it was practically second nature, but the technique itself was one part of a whole.


    Just as in their second bout, the water erupted; but forward instead of upward.


    Lorel shot forward.


    It was hard to control. Really hard to control. He imagined it was like trying to ride a greased treadmill while wearing roller skates¡ª though he doubted anyone had ever actually tried to do anything of the sort.


    It was the same sort of thing they did with skimmers; just with a person instead. And it turned out that keeping balance on legs as opposed to a board was much trickier. He¡¯d fallen right backwards the first try.


    And even now, all he could really manage was to remain vaguely on target.


    Oops.


    That was all Lorel had time to think before he crashed into Loch. Their constructs melted away as the sensors trapped within split them apart. Loch caught himself with a cushion of water.


    Lorel, for his part, fell face-first after colliding with his friend. ¡°Oww¡­¡± He dabbed his nose with his sleeve; it came away bloody.


    ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Loch asked incredulously.


    Lorel grinned as he pinched his nose, trying to stem the flow of blood. Hearing Loch curse for the first time made all the practice worth it. ¡°It¡¯s my loss.¡± His voice came out somewhat nasally.


    ¡°The hell it is. I¡ª¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± he insisted, cutting Loch off. ¡°You saw it yourself. I can¡¯t control it. And without it, I would¡¯ve lost. Probably.¡± For a moment, Lorel though Loch would continue to protest¡ª but his shoulders relaxed after a few moments.


    ¡°A tie, then,¡± he said. The billowing water behind him fell back down with an audible splash.


    ¡°Alright. Just¡­ let me stop bleeding and we can get out of here,¡± Lorel said sheepishly. Two drops of blood fell from his nose as he raised his chin, disturbing the still surface below and sending veins of red snaking through the water.


    He glanced around. The others, realizing the spectacle was over, split into their own groups; two pairs and one group of four. Lorel turned his eyes towards the upper ring and waved with one hand. Messing with the higher-ups was his second favorite thing about these visits.


    Even if he couldn¡¯t see them.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Loch flopped down unceremoniously, the still water clinging to his form. ¡°Sparring with you is exhausting,¡± he said dryly.


    Lorel snorted. ¡°How do you think I feel? Nothing ever works against you twice. Do you have any idea how annoying it is to come up with something new every single time?¡±


    ¡°And yet you keep winning.¡±


    He shrugged and pulled his hand away. Satisfied that his nose was no longer bleeding, Lorel strode over to Loch and leaned over to offer him a hand. ¡°If it¡¯s a tie, what are we supposed to do about our deal?¡±


    The other boy grabbed it without hesitation. His grip was firm, and his skin warm and smooth. ¡°Nothing. A tie is a tie. I didn¡¯t win.¡±


    Lorel shrugged. ¡°If you say so.¡± He pulled Loch to his feet. The other boy was surprisingly heavy, considering his slender build. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

 Chapter 3

    It took the two boys some time to reach their destination. Not for necessity, but preference. The food on Torrent was the same no matter where you went. The planet, after all, relied entirely on imports to remain habitable.


    That was one of three reasons they preferred this cafeteria, sitting just under the top floor of the megastructure¡¯s tallest building. The second reason, of course, was the view. Some found it unswerving: an endless plain of water that stretched in every direction.


    But Lorel loved it. As did Loch¡ª even if he pretended not to care.


    And the third reason¡­


    ¡°Empty again!¡± Lorel pumped his fist in the air as they walked through the doors. Empty was a slight exaggeration. There were a handful of patrons; a couple looked up at the noise, only to look back down at their food a moment later.


    He heard Loch sigh. ¡°Must you be so loud?¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s it matter? No one cares.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just eat.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one walking so slowly.


    Another sigh; louder than the last one.


    They¡¯d walked here in silence, fatigued from their session in the facility. Lorel knew Loch was carefully poring over everything he¡¯d seen there, trying to come up with countermeasures. That was just the way his mind worked.


    Lorel, for his part, spent it resting his mind. Clashing with Loch always left him exhausted, both physically and mentally. The silence returned as they ordered their food, now joined by that of the cafeteria.


    They ate quickly and quietly; Lorel, fish and chips, and Loch, a large salad.


    Lorel finished first. Instead of bringing something up on his holo-watch, he set his head down, content to rest until his friend was ready to speak. Technically speaking, he had somewhere to be, but this was important. Aria would understand.


    He turned his head to look out the window. The sun had already set, leaving the soft glow of Coral to illuminate the planet¡¯s surface.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking.¡±


    Lorel turned back to see Loch set his utensils back down on the table. Straightening, he chose to do away with his usual jabs and banter.


    There was a time and place for everything.


    ¡°I know you have been. About what?¡±


    ¡°The future.¡±


    He suppressed the urge to grimace. ¡°Again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±


    ¡°What about the future?¡±


    Loch crossed his arms and fell silent for a moment before answering. ¡°Do you really think we have one?¡± He asked quietly.


    Lorel bristled¡ª but forced himself to stay calm. Loch spoke the truth, after all. ¡°Why does it matter? You said it yourself. You don¡¯t have a way off-planet. And even if you did¡ª"


    ¡°And if I did?¡±


    He stopped short. ¡°Do you?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Maybe.¡±


    Lorel took a moment to think. ¡°I would tell you to take my family and leave me,¡± he finally answered.


    Loch¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that.¡±


    ¡°The ocean is my home,¡± Lorel said, leaning back in his chair. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave it.¡± He closed his eyes, considering Loch¡¯s words. ¡°Do you have a way off-planet? There¡¯s no point in asking me otherwise.¡±


    Loch scowled. ¡°No. Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Then this conversation is pointless.¡±


    ¡°Even if I did, you would stay, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. And I bet my sister would, too. And my parents.¡±


    Loch¡¯s shoulders sagged even further. ¡°Why?¡± He asked, voice hardly audible.


    ¡°The ocean is my home,¡± Lorel repeated, matching the other boy¡¯s tone. ¡°The planet is my home. I don¡¯t want to leave it.¡±


    ¡°And what if it really happens?¡± His friend¡¯s tone dropped even further.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll fight.¡±


    ¡°And if you die?¡±


    ¡°Then I die.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t scare you?¡±


    ¡°Of course it does.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    ¡°Where would I go?¡± Lorel asked. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere. This is my home.¡± He paused. ¡°Do you really think anything will happen during our lifetime?¡±


    Any further down, and Loch¡¯s shoulders would have hit the table. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said miserably. ¡°Something is happening today. I don¡¯t know what. I just¡­ have a feeling. A really bad one.¡±


    That, out of everything said so far, was made Lorel hesitate. He knew better than to doubt Loch¡¯s intuition; and the blue-eyed boy was privy to more information than most. For the first time, he seriously considered leaving Torrent¡ª only to arrive at the same conclusion.


    ¡°¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he finally said. ¡°You don¡¯t have a way off the planet.¡± This was the easiest way to avoid an argument. ¡°If that changes, let me know.¡±


    Loch nodded. ¡°Alright. I need to get going anyways.¡±


    ¡°Me, too.¡±


    They both stood at the same time, matching pace as they made for the elevator.


    ¡°Another dive with your sister?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Tell her I said hi.¡±


    Lorel raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± He grinned. ¡°You have my blessing.¡±


    Loch¡¯s face immediately reddened. ¡°I-it¡¯s not like that,¡± he stammered. ¡°She¡¯s your sister!¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Stop messing with me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not?¡±


    ¡°Why is it a question?¡±


    Lorel shrugged. They rode down the elevator in silence; broken by its ding when they reached the bottom.


    ¡°See you.¡±


    ¡°See ya.¡±


    They headed in opposite directions. Lorel turned his gaze skyward as his steps carried him towards the city¡¯s nearest station. Despite the Coral¡¯s ambient light, the stars above were perfectly visible; silver specks of light against the night¡¯s dark canvas.


    No matter where you were in the city, one was never more than 5 minutes from the nearest rail station. The cars themselves were bulky, boxy things, but given that they hovered nearly four meters off the ground, they made for a smooth ride.


    And they were fast. It took less than an hour to reach one side of the city from the other. It would be faster still if their magnetic tracks were straight; instead, they snaked around and through the many buildings.


    The glass-and-metal door slid open to let Lorel through. There was no one else in the car. That was hardly surprising, considering the time¡ª most would be home by now. Settling down in the nearest seat, he pulled his knees up to his chest. He could feel his hammering heart beat against them.


    I have a bad feeling.


    Those five words weighed on him. Even more so because they had come from Loch; someone who despised making uninformed claims.


    Truth be told, he was scared¡ª but what was there to do about it? There was no way off-planet. That was one of the many problems with lacking crucial natural resources: the need to rely on external sources.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    And, as it turned out, other nations weren¡¯t particularly keen on helping others reach spacefaring status.


    Especially when they had a monopoly on the most valuable substance in the cosmos. And wars these days were fought from space¡ª a little water wasn¡¯t going to stop attacks from the skies above.


    With a sigh, Lorel let his legs fall back down and sidled up against the back of his seat to look out the window. The buildings were little more than a blur of colors.


    There¡¯s no point in worrying about it, he told himself.


    That single phrase had grounded him for so long, but now faced with Loch¡¯s worries, the foundation of his resolve was slowly starting to crumble.


    Lorel took a deep breath and closed his eyes, balling his hands into fists. Stop it, he scolded himself. What you told Loch was true enough. There¡¯s no point in worrying about it if there¡¯s nothing you can do.


    He clung to that, and¡ª slowly¡ª his heartbeat and breathing returned to normal. He opened his eyes just in time to see the tangle of metal and glass above thin, and then recede ever so slightly.


    The sight of the calm, tranquil waters calmed him.


    Just as it always had.


    Lorel stood as his car slowed to a halt. This was as far as they went. Any further, and the ambient Coral would affect their rail system. The cool nighttime air greeted him.


    He watched the train as it sped away back to the city, now laden with more passengers than before. There was still some distance between Lorel and his destination, but he welcomed it. It would give him time to clear his mind.


    After some time, the ground beneath his feet began to slope. Each and every one of the floating cities themselves were technological marvels, capable of housing 2 million people each.


    Torrent held 50 of them, and room for many more. Not all of them were full, however, and some were newer than others; though all had been retrofitted to harvest Coral. A number of smaller ones dotted the planet¡¯s watery surface, but those were research vessels. Not permanent residencies.


    When the ICC was still in control, the city''s outer ring was filled with sand. Something to do with tourists, supposedly.


    After Torrent gained independence that practice had been done away with. Even a seemingly simple resource like sand was too valuable to waste¡ª especially given the odd properties of Coral.


    It took Lorel nearly half an hour of walking to reach the city¡¯s edge, but his mind was clear by the time the vessels dotting the outer ring came into view. This was yet another conscious design: as it turned out, when a planet was made completely of water, being able to travel on or under it became important.


    Boats were popular¡ª and in fact, were usually faster¡ª but submarines were much better at gathering Coral. For that reason alone, the number of underwater vessels far outweighed the number of surface ones.


    Technically speaking, the outer ring was divided into slots; and each craft had a designated parking spot, but no one really ever adhered to it.


    Both types of vehicles came in all shapes and sizes. Some were long and thin, others larger than buildings. Others, still, were little more than spheres.


    Even among all these crafts, however, one stood out above all else. That, of course, was Aria¡¯s.


    His sister¡¯s vehicle was an experimental one, designed from the ground up by her own hands¡ª including the materials.


    The technical details were beyond Lorel, but he understood the basics. The vessel itself was made out of some sort of synthetic crystal. It operated on the same principle as others, using the ambient Coral to reinforce itself.


    Or that¡¯s what she said, anyways.


    He preferred swimming to riding, but it was a beautiful craft nonetheless. Its wing-shaped body looked as if it were cut from a single, solid block of inky black glass.


    And it was big.


    Really big.


    Its design was based on the manta rays of humanity¡¯s home world, and though its cabin was slightly under six feet in height, it was perfectly livable for short periods of time. Others frequently questioned the safety of an experimental vessel, but in nearly a hundred dives, it had yet to fail a single time.


    Aria leaned against its hull, along with its hatch. That was the one thing she still hadn¡¯t quite worked out. This was just a temporary solution. She looked up as Lorel approached. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡±


    ¡°I was with Loch.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± A look of curiosity and¡­ something else flitted across her expression, quickly enough that anyone else would have missed it. ¡°How is he?¡±


    Lorel sighed. ¡°You can just talk to him, you know.¡±


    ¡°Why would I?¡±


    ¡°¡­ This is why I don¡¯t read romance novels.¡±


    Aria tilted her head. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°If I want to bear witness to a long, agonizing, drawn-out, and unsatisfying courtship, all I have to do is look at you two.¡±


    Her face reddened. ¡°He¡¯s your best friend!¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    She groaned. ¡°Stop messing with me.¡±


    Lorel scowled. ¡°Why do you both keep saying that?¡±


    ¡°¡­ You know, even as your sister, sometimes I find it hard to understand you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s part of my charm.¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± Aria responded, her tone matter-of-fact. ¡°So? How is he?¡±


    ¡°¡­ He¡¯s worried.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°The future.¡± He sighed. ¡°He said he has a bad feeling. About¡­ something.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Her brow furrowed. ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lorel agreed. ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± Even his science-minded sister knew better than to doubt Loch¡¯s intuition.


    ¡°Did he say what?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Aria shrugged. ¡°Not much to do about it.¡±


    ¡°If¡­¡± Lorel trailed off for a moment. ¡°If you had a way off-planet, would you take it?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Her answer came immediately. ¡°I want to keep studying Coral.¡±


    Despite himself, Lorel smiled. Their reason for staying, though different on the surface, were one and the same. ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that.¡±


    ¡°Enough talking.¡± Aria pushed herself off the vehicle. ¡°Everything ready?¡±


    ¡°I should be asking you that.¡±


    ¡°I have everything¡­¡± she trailed off with a sigh. ¡°Are you seriously going dressed like that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lorel grinned. He was dressed in cargo shorts and a plain white t-shirt, while Aria wore a thick pressure suit, designed to protect her for a few precious seconds in the event of a mechanical failure. ¡°Only one of us is afraid of the water.¡±


    Aria shook her head wordlessly. ¡°Enough. Send me a message next time.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll bring Loch next time, too.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡°Your face is still red.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Seriously. Enough. I still need to finish the system checks. I thought you forgot about our outing.¡±


    ¡°Have I ever missed one of these trips, sister dearest?¡±


    ¡°No. But knowing you, anything is possible.¡±


    Lorel laughed. ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    ¡°Help me up?¡±


    Before he could move to do so, an unfamiliar sound split the air, causing the two siblings to stiffen and look around. The others gathered did the same. In this context, unfamiliar was usually synonymous with failure.


    And failure could be deadly.


    But there was no scream of panic, no rush of people to help.


    ¡°Look.¡± Aria pointed upwards.


    Lorel¡¯s eyes widened as he followed the direction of her outstretched finger. There, illuminated by the pale green light, was some sort of flying vehicle. It was too high to tell how large it was, but it seemed roughly the size of Aria¡¯s sub.


    ¡°Where¡¯d it come from?¡± He¡¯d seen flying craft before¡ª it was a necessity in this day and age, after all¡ª but they were incredibly rare; and usually much, much larger. As far as he knew, not a single person on Torrent owned a craft such as this one.


    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a spacecraft,¡± Aria said absent-mindedly. Her pale green eyes were fixed on the foreign vessel.


    Those three words, combined with Loch¡¯s ominous warning made Lorel¡¯s blood run cold.


    ¡°¡­ It is?¡±


    She nodded once, then frowned. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.¡±


    ¡°What do you¡ª¡± The last word died on Lorel¡¯s lips as the ship suddenly careened downwards. It righted itself after just a few seconds¨C and then repeated the process.


    And then again.


    And again.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think its engine was calibrated. They work differently when there''s more Coral in the atmosphere. It doesn¡¯t really affect the big supply ships, but something smaller...¡± Aria¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°It¡¯s going to crash.¡±


    ¡°... How much longer does it have?¡±


    She chewed on her lip. ¡°I don¡¯t know. If it¡¯s rated for atmosphere, it¡¯s probably heavy. And its wings look small. They¡¯re probably for stability and steering. Not lift.¡±


    ¡°... Should we evacuate?¡±


    Aria nodded. ¡°That¡¯s probably a good idea,¡± she said absentmindedly, eyes still fixed on the foreign spacecraft.


    Lorel drew in a breath¨C


    ¡°HEY!¡±


    ¨C and shouted at the top of his lungs.


    Aria jumped, startled, and every eye there turned to face him.


    ¡°IT¡¯S GOING TO CRASH! GET OUT OF HERE!¡± His words hung in the air, amidst a combination of stillness and silence. A moment more, and chaos took its place. There was still an order of some sort to the madness, however. That was hardly surprising¨C basic training was required of every water-farer.


    ¡°Was that really necessary?¡± Aria asked, a frown on her face once more. ¡°You scared me.¡±


    Lorel snorted. ¡°You¡¯re the one who said it was going to crash."


    ¡°I know. But you could always just¡­ catch it?¡±


    ¡°How am I going to catch something of that size, sister dearest?¡±


    Her frown deepened. ¡°We both know you¡¯re capable of handling more than that.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I¡¯d rather not deal with the paperwork. And¡­¡± he trailed off, looking back up at the unknown craft. ¡°There¡¯s probably people inside. I don¡¯t know if I can catch it without killing them.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± His sister seemed entirely unconvinced.


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t trust me?¡±


    ¡°Not one bit.¡±


    Lorel clutched his chest in mock pain. ¡°Your words wound me, my dear sister.¡±


    Aria sighed. ¡°Knock it off. And get ready.¡±


    He sighed, already imagining the mountain of paperwork that awaited him. ¡°Fine.¡± So much for their trip. ¡°You should get out of here too.¡± The chances of an explosion were practically nil, but catching a falling spacecraft was hardly a safe endeavor.


    Protecting himself was one thing. Keeping Aria and himself safe while also catching something so heavy was another matter entirely.


    She nodded, but before she could take a single step, the spacecraft swerved out to the side, putting distance between it and the floating city in mere seconds.


    ¡°They probably saw the people down below,¡± Aria said, frozen in place. ¡°I wonder what sort of sensors it¡¯s carrying.¡±


    Lorel stared at her. ¡°Is now really the time to be thinking about that?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°What am I supposed to do? It¡¯s up there. I¡¯m down here. And look,¡± Aria added, pointing at it once more. ¡°It¡¯s getting even further away.¡± So it was. Already, the spacecraft seemed no larger than a ball.


    He frowned. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a Tidal on board?¡± Every vehicle on Torrent was required to carry at least one. But if it came from someplace else¡­


    The two siblings watched as it lost altitude yet again.


    ¡°It¡¯ll crash next time,¡± Aria murmured. ¡°Keep watching.¡± Some of the others present had started returning, their eyes now fixed on the craft in the distance. ¡°Now.¡±


    Just as the word crossed her lips, it crashed down into the ocean¡¯s tranquil surface. Even from here, they could see the massive jet of water that it kicked up¨C and when it cleared, the ship was nowhere to be seen.


    Aria¡¯s frown returned yet again. ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no Tidal on board,¡± Lorel said, his heart pounding in the wake of the spacecraft¡¯s absence. ¡°How long until it breaks up?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I doubt it¡¯s built to handle high Coral saturation. Maybe an hour at most.¡±


    ¡°Where is the Tideguard?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be on their way already.¡± His sister¡¯s eyes took on a faraway look. ¡°But they¡¯ll be too late. Their station assumes that every ship has a Tidal. So if there isn¡¯t one on board¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be too late,¡± Lorel echoed.


    Aria nodded.


    He swore under his breath. ¡°Shit.¡±


    Her brow furrowed. ¡°Language.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°... It¡¯s no reason to swear.¡±


    ¡°You gotta be fucking kidding me.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Lorel paid his sister no mind, instead turning his gaze towards the many vehicles strewn across the outer ring. Where¡­ there. His eyes landed on a one-person skimmer. Really, it was more flotation device than vehicle.


    Cut from a single sheet of metal, the skimmer¡¯s underside bore a special low-friction coating. Only a Tidal could pilot them, but they were fast. Really fast.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± Before he could doubt the course of action, Lorel sprinted towards the skimmer.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Aria cried out from behind.


    ¡°They¡¯re going to be late. I can¡¯t just let them die.¡± Tightening his focus, Lorel willed the water to form a bridge, flowing under the skimmer and connecting it to the ocean. Normally, one would stand or crouch on them, but he opted to lie flat on his stomach, clutching its front on either side.


    It was smaller than he was used to, but that worked to his advantage in this instance. He formed a small current underneath the skimmer, using it to carry him out. That took seven seconds.


    Little by little, he willed it to move faster, and after fifteen more, the warm water whipped wildly at his face. Five more, and the world was little more than a blue-green blur.

 Chapter 4

    The Suni was Tala¡¯s favorite ship. It was a two-seater that just barely qualified as ¡°civilian¡±, and built with a single purpose in mind: speed. Despite being rated for atmosphere, its massive Coral engine was by far its heaviest component, capable of propelling it faster than most long-distance freighters.


    Its body was composed of several metal panels joined at its front, lending it an angular, cone-like appearance. The main cabin lay just underneath its tapered point; while the engine was as far from center mass as possible, allowing for tight turns.


    Having been forged well after the discovery of Coral, a portion of its cockpit was made of tempered glass. She preferred seeing the world with her own eyes, rather than relying on cameras.


    Although information about the ship itself was purposefully kept sparse, Tala had set many records in it, and flown it over many more planets. Never once had she doubted its capabilities¨C until now.


    Tala knew something was wrong the moment she entered Torrent¡¯s atmosphere. It was nothing so pronounced as a damaged engine, or a cracked hull, but she felt it nonetheless. The ship shuddered once, and then was still.


    Too still.


    It plummeted downwards.


    Stricken by panic, she pulled the nose up as far as possible, but it mattered little. The small threusters on the Suni¡¯s meager wings¨C if they could even be called that¨C were designed for stability, not lift.


    What¡¯s wrong?


    Tala reached over with her right hand, pulling up a complete overview of the ship¡¯s systems. They all read perfectly.


    Shit.


    That was bad.


    Really bad.


    She could adjust for a known issue. But an unknown one? That was a bigger problem. It meant either the computer systems were damaged¨C more than the ship could compensate for¨C or the atmosphere posed greater problems.


    As for which was more likely¡­ that was obvious.


    Tala let out another curse, this time aimed at her own stupidity. She knew the dangers of flying into unknown atmosphere for the first time, yet had deluded herself into thinking prior experience would keep her safe.


    That was a mistake.


    Potentially a deadly one.


    And to make matters worse, the Suni was a high-speed spacecraft. It eschewed many of the conventional safety features of standard ones to remain lightweight¨C including ejection seats. Normally that would have been enough to keep it from certification, but circumventing silly little things like regulations was a simple task for an Admiral¡¯s daughter.


    Her father, of course, disapproved. Not that he did much about it; he was absent far too often for that.


    ¡°Tala.¡± The voice of Vanu, her copilot-slash-bodyguard, came over the intercom, calm as ever despite the apparent danger. ¡°The engine flow is irregular.¡±


    Swiping her finger across the holographic HUD, she saw that he was right.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    ¡°... Language.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re about to die, and you¡¯re worried about my foul mouth?¡±


    ¡°Stay calm,¡± Vanu said soothingly. ¡°Panic will do you no good.¡±


    Tala gritted her teeth, intending to rebut, but stopped. He was right. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm as she gripped the controls once more. Landing without incurring a fatality would be difficult, but not impossible.


    ¡°Designate crash zone when ready.¡± That was Vanu¡¯s way of telling her to take whatever time she needed. Time, unfortunately, was something they had precious little of.


    Tala pulled up the sensor feeds. Even without doing so, she could see the floating city to her right; a collection of metal-and-glass spires that scraped the skies above. Any other time, she would¡¯ve stopped to admire the technological marvel, but that was decidedly more difficult to do with death approaching quickly.


    She heard Vanu mutter a curse of his own at the feeds. ¡°There¡¯s people below. Lots of them.¡± He was right¨C a wave of people swept across the city¡¯s outer ring, no doubt aware of the peril the Suni posed.


    Tala closed her eyes, considering her options. It didn¡¯t take long for her to reach a decision. ¡°We¡¯ll crash away from them, in the ocean.¡±


    Vanu fell silent. Just as she was about to repeat herself, he responded. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Tala nodded, though she knew he couldn¡¯t see the gesture. ¡°I¡¯m not going to risk people¡¯s lives because of my stupidity.¡±


    ¡°... Your father is going to be upset.¡±


    Her chest tightened. ¡°Let me worry about him.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± Despite his initial reluctance, Tala could hear a note of approval in Vanu¡¯s tone, and she knew she¡¯d made the right decision. ¡°No need to designate a crash zone, then. Focus on slowing the approach.¡± Even with their doom quickly impending, his dry wit made her smile. ¡°Angle it as best you can.¡±


    Tala nodded. ¡°Diverting Coral to main cabin.¡± The dull whisper of the Suni¡¯s engine quieted even further as the blue-green substance flooded the cockpit. The spacecraft was perfectly capable of surviving the crash¨C although remaining intact was another thing altogether¨C while the Coral would keep them from being flattened.


    That said, it would still hurt.


    A lot.


    The Suni was still rapidly losing altitude. Faster, even, now that the Coral flow was split. A number of alarms flashed on the holographic HUD; Tala silenced them all. They told her nothing she didn¡¯t already know. She was vaguely aware that this stunt would result in the loss of the craft, but that was a distant afterthought in the face of crisis.


    This is going to hurt.


    That was her last thought before slamming into the ocean. The sheer force of the impact threw her forward, causing the seat straps to constrict against her torso. This was not her first crash-landing, but it was by far the most violent.


    The Coral-laden air strained Tala¡¯s lungs, and for a moment, she was afraid they would burst. Water kicked up against the cabin''s glass viewport¨C and then the darkness claimed her.


    She had no way of knowing how long unconsciousness lasted. When she came to, the cockpit was bathed in a dull brown-red light; a result of the Coral¡¯s glow mixing with the red alarm lights.


    It took Tala a moment to recall the events that had just transpired. Torrent. Crash. That last thought jolted her from her stupor. Already, the Suni was completely submerged.


    That was bad.


    She knew little about submarine design, but she knew that keeping pressure in was much easier than keeping it out. And, more than that, there was no way of knowing how well the spaceship would handle high Coral saturations.


    Likely not well, though, considering everything that had happened prior.


    Tala groaned as she reached for the harness¡¯ buckle, her arms and chest sore from the rough landing. Nothing seemed to be broken, and she was still breathing, at the very least, but they would still need a battery of medical tests once they were safe.


    She cursed her stupidity yet again, but forced her mind from such useless thoughts. There would be time for that later.


    Assuming they survived this, anyways.


    Tala undid the clasp and promptly collapsed onto the hard floor below. Though unbroken, her legs were weak and shaky; completely unable to hold her weight. ¡°Vanu?¡± She asked. There was no reply. Unconscious, disabled¨C or dead.


    She gritted her teeth, and¨C bit by bit¨C forced herself into a sitting position. That small movement alone took nearly two minutes; precious time, considering their precarious position. The glow of Coral was stronger, now that they were below Torrent¡¯s surface.


    Another warning panel flashed onto the HUD: Hull integrity 79%.


    That was much, much lower than she¡¯d expected¨C and it would only degrade faster as the pressure increased.


    Tala pounded on her legs with a growl. ¡°Work, damn you!¡± Slowly¨C so agonizingly slowly¨C the feeling in her legs returned. She hobbled over to the control panel¨C only to find it completely unresponsive.


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    This time, Vanu didn¡¯t protest her use of language. Didn¡¯t¨C or couldn¡¯t. She wasn¡¯t sure which. Taking a deep breath, Tala forced herself to calm. Panicking would do nothing to stop whatever happened next.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The emergency release. It would still function without the onboard computers¨C but Vanu was still unresponsive. Opening the cabin would flood his compartment, and Tala couldn¡¯t possibly hold her breath long enough to rescue him. More than that, he¡¯d warned her of the potential dangers. And she¡¯d overruled him. Again.


    This time, the consequences would be deadly. The logical thing to do was to escape. Someone must have seen their crash¨C help would arrive at some point¡­ just perhaps not until after they were dead.


    Before Tala could come to a decision, she heard a tapping sound coming from above. Thinking herself mad, she looked up, expecting to see nothing¨C and instead found a boy peering through the cabin''s glass front.


    He had black hair, pale green eyes, and paler skin that seemed to shine in the ambient light. Though the Suni had descended some ways by now, he seemed perfectly at ease.


    Seeing Tala¡¯s eyes widen, he grinned and waved¨C a gesture completely at odds with the situation.


    Before she could respond, he brought both hands up, signing something that was completely lost on her. Seeing her unresponsiveness, the dark-haired boy opened his mouth, then closed it and puffed his cheeks.


    The meaning of that, at least, was clear.


    Hold your breath.


    Tala watched, dumbstruck, as he maneuvered so that both his feet were pressed up against the glass. His fingers found purchase on something, somehow¨C and he pulled.


    Nothing happened¨C


    Then the ship shuddered and groaned¨C


    And in the next instant, the entire front of the Suni was torn clean off. Before Tala could even process what had just occurred, the ocean rushed in. It happened far too quickly for the human eye to register; the water was at bay one moment, then swallowing everything the next.


    Some part of her expected the water to be cold, but it was warm. In another situation, it may have been comforting.


    The rushing water should have slammed Tala against the Suni¡¯s interior, but somehow, the boy¡¯s hand found hers first, pulling her through the gaping hole in the ship¡¯s frame. His grip was firm but gentle, his flesh warm against hers even among the oceanwater.


    She struggled against his grasp, trying to indicate, somehow, that Vanu was still there¨C still there, in the spaceship, his compartment no doubt flooded by now. How long would he last? They weren''t even supposed to be here. If he died...


    But the dark-haired boy spared her not a glance as they rose to the surface. They seemed caught in a current of some sort, and it carried them to the surface in less than a minute. Without it, she would have drowned before breaching it.


    Tala gasped as her head broke the surface. The boy¡¯s hand guided hers to his¡­ vehicle? That didn¡¯t seem quite right¨C it was just a sheet of shaped metal, completely lacking any sort of propulsion unit.


    She shook her head. Unimportant.


    But the boy spoke before she did.


    ¡°Is there anyone else in the ship?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tala eked out in between gasping breaths.


    ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°Just one. My copilot.¡± She took another breath, intending to tell him where on the sinking spaceship, but the boy dove as before another word could cross her lips. The only proof of his presence were the tiny ripples spreading from where he¡¯d been just seconds ago.


    Tala blinked, wondering if she had somehow hallucinated the whole thing¨C it seemed likely, given that he¡¯d practically ripped the Suni apart with his bare hands. And yet, here she was on the surface, still breathing.


    Not a hallucination, then.


    Some distant part of her consciousness seemed to know the answer; but it was muddled by fear, panic, and adrenaline. That same adrenaline made her hands tremble uncontrollably, in spite of the water¡¯s warmth.


    Stay calm. What would dad think?


    In.


    Out.


    In.


    Out.


    In¡­


    And out.


    Finally, her trembling stopped. She took a breath and prepared to dive¨C despite knowing the futility of her efforts- only to yelp as the water¡¯s surface erupted next to her, rocking the small metal vehicle that she held. The boy¡¯s head became visible as it settled¨C along with Vanu¡¯s. His wheat-colored hair clung to his face, and his eyes were closed.


    ¡°Vanu!¡± Tala cried.


    The green-eyed boy paid her no mind, throwing Vanu¡¯s body up onto the metal sheet and hoisting himself up afterwards.


    Tala scrambled to do the same, pulling herself up onto the¡­ craft? She still had no idea what it even was. She rushed to Vanu¡¯s side as the boy rolled him onto his back.


    ¡°Is he alive?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The boy¡¯s voice was eerily calm, given the situation. ¡°He was unconscious when I found him. His lungs are probably filled with water.¡±


    Tala nodded. He would have experienced far more turbulence than she. ¡°Can you help him?¡± She asked, voice still numb with shock. If he died because of her recklessness¡­


    ¡°Quiet.¡± The boy¡¯s voice was brusque yet sharp, leaving no room for argument. She fell silent as he ran one hand across Vanu¡¯s body, rising from his torso to his lips. A small stream of water gushed, coalescing into a small sphere beneath his palm.


    For one agonizing second, nothing happened¨C and then Vanu coughed. It was a horrible, gut-wrenching sound that expelled even more water.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be alright,¡± the green-eyed boy said calmly.


    Tala stared at him wordlessly as the previously distant answer finally clicked into place. ¡°You¡¯re a Tidal.¡± It was perhaps the most obvious statement she¡¯d made in her life.


    The boy raised one eyebrow. ¡°Did you think otherwise? I kinda tore your ship in half. Sorry about that, by the way. Didn¡¯t think there was really any other option, with the whole sinking thing and all.¡±


    It took her a moment to process that. His words were casual; flippant, even, as if this was a regular occurrence.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Tala said with a shake of the head. ¡°You saved us. Thank you.¡± Now free from the clutches of death, she took a moment to inspect the strange boy. The hair that she thought black was instead deep navy in color; gleaming wetly in the ambient Coral''s glow.


    His eyes were sea-green; that odd shade a half-step removed from being blue. The same color as the Coral that surrounded them. He seemed around the same age as her; no older than seventeen, at the very least.


    ¡°I¡¯m¨C¡± Tala, she wanted to say, but Vanu bolted upright before she could finish, emerald eyes wide with panic. They widened further at the sight of the boy.


    He reached for his weapon¨C and the navy-haired boy uttered a single word.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± He stayed perfectly still as the water surrounding them erupted. It rocked their small platform, throwing Vanu off-balance. Tendrils of water snaked forth from the spray, grabbing hold of both his hands. The whole thing happened in less than a second.


    ¡°I may not expect you to kowtow to me, but I saved your lives,¡± the boy said. His voice was icy; completely devoid of the jovial attitude from before. ¡°This seems a poor way to thank me.¡± The watery tendrils pulled backwards, slamming Vanu onto his back. ¡°If you¡¯d prefer to wait for the Tideguard, I¡¯m more than happy to leave you here.¡±


    Tala stared at him. Weakened as he was, Vanu was a soldier¨C and a well-trained one at that. Yet he was powerless against a single boy. She bristled¨C and then relaxed. Neither of them had the strength left to swim back. And, moreover, the boy was right. He had saved them. Reaching for a weapon was a poor way to repay that.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, bowing her head slightly. ¡°My companion just came back from the brink of death. He¡¯s disoriented.¡±


    Silence fell for a single, agonizing second¨C and then the boy nodded. ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    Tala blinked. She hadn''t expected him to concede the point so easily.


    He looked back down towards Vanu. ¡°if you reach for your weapon again, I¡¯ll drag you to the bottom of the ocean.¡±


    Tala shivered. Not just at the implication, but how easily he¡¯d uttered those words. ¡°We don¡¯t want any trouble,¡± she said quietly.


    The boy tilted his head. ¡°That¡¯s an odd thing to say. You just crashed a spaceship onto a planet that doesn¡¯t have spaceships. Do you think the Tideguard is just going to let you walk away?¡±


    Tala fell silent, unsure how to navigate the situation. The Tideguard were mentioned in the many reports and books she¡¯d read, but only by name. She knew very little about them. ¡°We don¡¯t want any trouble,¡± she repeated.


    The boy looked back down at Vanu. ¡°Are you going to give me trouble?¡± He asked.


    For a moment, she feared the blonde soldier would lash out, but he shook his head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± The boy relaxed, and the tendrils dissolved into shapeless water, running over the smooth metal surface to rejoin the ocean. ¡°Have you ever ridden a skimmer before?¡±


    ¡°Skimmer?¡± Tala asked, unfamiliar with the word.


    The corners of his lips curled up into a slight smile. ¡°That¡¯s a no, then. I suggest you hold on.¡± As he spoke, the platform they were situated on began to move. Slowly, at first, and then more rapidly.


    ¡°Are you doing this?¡± She asked breathlessly.


    The boy nodded. ¡°Congratulations,¡± he said, somewhat sarcastically. ¡°You can now say you¡¯ve ridden a skimmer.¡±


    It made sense. Tidals could create currents at will¨C this was probably the fastest method of transportation on this watery world.


    ¡°... I¡¯m Tala,¡± she said, offering a hand.


    He didn¡¯t take it, instead closing his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m Lorel. Sorry, but I need to focus.¡±


    Tala got the distinct impression that those words were spoken more out of a desire to avoid conversation.


    Fair enough.


    Silence fell as they sped towards the floating city. It took less than five minutes. The skimmer slowed as it approached, gliding gently up onto the artificial shore. A girl walked up as the boy hopped off.


    Two things about her were immediately apparent.


    First, she was the boy¡¯s sister.


    Second, she was smart. Not the pseudo-intellectual type that thought the universe depended on them to run, but intelligent. She shared Lorel¡¯s pale skin and sea-green eyes, but where his were jovial¨C whimsical, even, hers were sharp and analyzing.


    And her hair was bright pink. While the boy¡¯s deep navy was unnatural, it was more likely due to his being Augmented. Hers was dyed, no doubt.


    Is she a Tidal too? That seemed improbable¨C she likely would have aided in the rescue if so.


    ¡°Is that everyone?¡± Her voice was gentle and soft, a complete contradiction of her sharp outward appearance.


    The boy¨C Lorel¨C shrugged. ¡°According to her.¡±


    Tala cleared her voice before speaking. ¡°It was only myself and my copilot. Again, thank you for saving us.¡± She bowed her head again, and when she raised it, both siblings were staring at her. ¡°What?¡± She asked, somewhat uncomfortable under their combined gaze.


    Lorel snorted. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize copilots carried weapons and dressed in military uniforms.¡±


    ¡°Lorel!¡± The pink-haired girl smacked the back of his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about my brother. He rarely thinks before he speaks.¡±


    ¡°I choose not to think before I speak,¡± he corrected. ¡°Life is easier that¨C hey!¡± He cried out as his sister smacked him again.


    ¡°I¡¯m Aria,¡± she said, holding out one hand.


    Tala accepted it with no small amount of gratitude. Her skin was smooth and warm. ¡°Tala,¡± she responded. ¡°And¡­ don¡¯t be too hard on him. It¡¯s true. He saved us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! You hear that! And now I¡¯ve got all sorts of paperwork to look forward to¨C¡± Lorel ducked under Aria¡¯s swing this time. He opened his mouth to say something more, then stopped short, eyes widening. ¡°Speaking of paperwork¡­¡±


    Tala turned around just in time to see a group of five push their way through the gathered crowd. They all wore the same dark blue uniform gilded with golden highlights. Though she had never seen them before, she knew without a doubt that they were part of the Tideguard.


    ¡°What¡­¡± the question died on her lips as she turned back to find Lorel striding away with his sister in tow.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Aria cried, struggling, but apparently unable to break his grip.


    ¡°If I have to do a ton of paperwork, I¡¯m going to do it after our trip,¡± Lorel declared. ¡°Dad will cover for us¨C even if he¡¯ll hate doing it.¡±


    ¡°But¨C¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t go now, it¡¯ll take ages for you to get another opportunity. Do you really want to wait that long?"


    Her shoulders deflated. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go! The paperwork will be there when I get back.¡±


    ¡°... Fine,¡± Aria half-heartedly acquiesced.


    Tala watched as a tendril of water just like the ones that had restrained Vanu reached out to grab hold of the two siblings. She saw the pink-haired girl¡¯s body tense, then relax as it lifted them into the air.


    A second, smaller one reached out to grab a perfectly round disc, cut from some sort of pitch-black material. The two tendrils deposited the siblings and hatch alike atop a nearby craft. It was cut from the same material as the disc¨C a hatch, she realized¨C and clearly shaped after the aquatic beasts of humankind''s home world.


    Aria descended first, her hot-pink hair disappearing into the strange vehicle¡¯s body.


    Lorel grabbed the hatch and made to follow suit before turning around to look down at Tala. ¡°Goodbye!¡± He called out with an exaggerated wave. ¡°We¡¯ll probably never see each other again, so you should just forget all about me.¡± And with that, he dropped down.


    A low hum filled the air as¨C presumably¨C the crystalline craft came to life. Like the skimmer, it had no visible propulsion unit; instead, the calm tide rose to swallow it, and when it receded, it was gone.


    After a moment, Vanu broke the shocked silence. ¡°What the fuck just happened?¡±


    Tala decided not to point out the hypocrisy. Mostly because she agreed with the sentiment.

 Chapter 5

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I let you talk me into this,¡± Aria groaned for the umpteenth time. The twenty-seventh time, to be precise. Lorel had decided to keep count after the 5th.


    ¡°But you did,¡± he responded, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes. ¡°And unless you¡¯ve got a time machine stashed away somewhere, there¡¯s no going back to change it. So we might as well make the most of it.¡±


    He paused, half-expecting her to say that she did, in fact, have a time machine. When she didn¡¯t respond, Lorel continued. ¡°You could¡¯ve gone without me, too, y¡¯know. I¡¯m really the only one they wanted.¡±


    She fixed him with a dour glare. ¡°And then mom and dad would be angry at me instead.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± he nodded. ¡°So stop worrying about it. What¡¯s done is done. We might as well make the most of it.¡±


    Aria audibly sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ just don¡¯t expect me to stick up for you.¡±


    ¡°I would never,¡± Lorel replied, voice filled with mock outrage. His sister just sighed again and turned back to the controls. ¡°So? Where are we going this time?¡± That question, of course, brought her glare right back.


    ¡°Seriously? You dodged the Tideguard, and you don¡¯t even know where we¡¯re going?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°I never know where we¡¯re going. And what difference does it make?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re incorrigible,¡± Aria half-growled.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a compliment¡­ never mind.¡± She shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re going to sector seven.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s in sector seven?¡±


    ¡°Coral¡­ and Svyke.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Something to do with your secret project?¡±


    His sister¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Yes. But,¡± she added looking back at the controls, ¡°best not to talk about it. Not so close.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. How far are we? I assume he¡¯s on his floating laboratory.¡±


    Aria nodded. ¡°Not far. We¡¯ll be there soon.¡± She lapsed into silence, and though her hands continued to fly across the interface, Lorel knew her mind was elsewhere.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking about those two,¡± he said quietly.


    His sister¡¯s head jerked halfway up, as it did whenever she was caught off guard. ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your brother,¡± Lorel snorted. ¡°And besides,¡± he added quietly. ¡°You¡¯ve always been easy to read.¡±


    Aria¡¯s hands stopped moving. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    She sighed again, kicking up a tuft of her hot-pink hair. ¡°He was wearing a military uniform.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.


    ¡°The girl wasn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°... You saved them, and you don¡¯t even remember what they look like?¡±


    Lorel shrugged. ¡°I saved them because it was the right thing to do. That¡¯s it. And I remember what the guy looks like.¡±


    ¡°... Why one and not the other?¡±


    ¡°He tried to pull a gun on me.¡±


    Her head whipped back around at that. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that.¡±


    ¡°Not like we had time,¡± he pointed out. ¡°And besides, it was just one soldier. And we were surrounded by water. I¡¯d have to be a pretty poor excuse of a Tidal to let him beat me.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Aria muttered. ¡°But still¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re more interested in the girl, though,¡± Lorel interjected, not wanting to dwell on the topic.


    ¡°I am,¡± Aria mused, more to herself than anything. ¡°She was wearing some sort of jumpsuit. And she looked young¡­ but she was the pilot? That doesn¡¯t make much sense.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m literally a teenage soldier,¡± Lorel said dryly. ¡°Are you really surprised?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± his sister said, a note of frustration creeping into her voice. ¡°Just¡­ something about it bothers me.¡±


    ¡°Let me know when you figure it out.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The submarine beeped, as if it had been waiting for the two to finish their conversation.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Aria made an odd gesture with her hands, and the craft tilted up ever so slightly. Being just barely below the waters surface, it only took them seconds to break it.


    ¡°Even if I tell you to stay here, you won¡¯t¨C right?¡±


    Lorel answered immediately. ¡°Absolutely not.¡± For all their banter¨C and as much as he annoyed his sister¨C she was precious to him. Far too precious to let her meet someone like Svyke alone.


    ¡°Alright.¡± She readily acquiesced. And then added, in a smaller tone, ¡°thank you.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Any time, my dear sister.¡±


    ¡°And there you go again.¡± Aria pushed past him with a sigh, pushing the hatch up and to the side. ¡°Just let me do the talking.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    Lorel pulled himself up once Aria was clear. Now that the dark of night had truly fallen, it took his eyes a moment to adjust to the Coral¡¯s bright. They had stopped just in front of a floating structure, roughly the size of a house of old.


    Though, truthfully, it looked like little more than a floating box set atop a floating ring, he knew it was filled with scientific equipment¨C and too many documents to count. And physical ones, at that. Svyke claimed it was for security, but Lorel just thought him half-mad.


    Or completely mad. It depended on the day, really.


    He followed Aria onto the submarine¡¯s curved wing. It bobbed once as they reached its tip, then righted itself as they stepped off.


    His sister hopped from submarine to floating structure, and as Lorel followed, a portion of the cube¡¯s wall fell away, revealing Svyke.


    The old, wizened spy seemed even worse for wear than usual. His bone-white hair, aged beyond his years, fell down his scalp in an uneven wave. Similarly-colored stubble, interlaced with its former black spotted his chin and lower cheeks. His faded military uniform had once been dark blue, but now it was a pale, ice-blue.


    ¡°Aria. Good to see you again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too,¡± she said, her tone uncommonly brisk. ¡°Do you have them?¡±


    Svyke laughed, completely unoffended. ¡°Business as usual, I see. Good, good.¡± One wizened hand dipped beneath the fabric of his uniform, reappearing moments later with two envelopes. ¡°The first is for your father. The second is for you. And for the boy¡­¡± his other hand reached into his pant pocket, withdrawing a handful of small glass rods. ¡°A new compression algorithm, taken straight from the ICC.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    He handed the letters to Aria and tossed the glass tubes to Lorel. He panicked for a moment before realizing they were bound by a rubber band.


    ¡°Got you, didn¡¯t I?¡± Svyke said with a sly grin.


    Lorel sighed. ¡°Enough of your games, old man. Is this all?¡± He asked, inspecting the small bundle. They were roughly the length of his pointer finger, but less than half the width.


    ¡°Yup,¡± the spy nodded. ¡°They¡¯ll carry more than the last load put together, I can promise you that.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡± He pocketed them with a shrug. They were really just an added bonus. ¡°If that¡¯s everything, we¡¯ll be on our way.¡±


    Aria nodded and jumped back onto her craft. As Lorel turned to follow, Svyke called out to him.


    ¡°Lorel.¡±


    That was enough to make him pause. The spy never referred to him by name¨C only ever ¡°boy,¡± or ¡°Augmented.¡± Sometimes ¡°boy.¡±


    He really hated that last one.


    The surprise on his face must have been evident¨C or perhaps not, given Svyke¡¯s occupation¨C because the spy laughed gleefully upon seeing his expression. ¡°I heard you rescued a damsel in distress¡­ and someone dressed in an ICC military uniform.¡±


    Lorel scowled. ¡°How did you know that? It happened an hour ago. At most.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a spy, boy. Information is my trade. Do you think I¡¯d miss something happening right under my nose?¡±


    ¡°... No.¡±


    ¡°Then quit wasting my time.¡± The spy¡¯s jovial attitude disappeared. ¡°That girl you saved¨C Tala. I have a feeling you¡¯ll be seeing her again. You should take advantage of that while you can.¡±


    ¡°You said that information is your trade.¡±


    ¡°That it is.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s not much of a feeling, is it?¡±


    Svyke grinned crookedly. ¡°Always knew you were a smart one. Despite how you act. Don¡¯t be mistaken, boy. I give this information freely because your grand rescue puts you in a unique position. Befriend her, and maybe you can change our future¨C even if only slightly.¡±


    Lorel bristled. ¡°I saved them because it was the right thing to do,¡± he spat. ¡°Not because I expected or wanted something in return. Unlike you, I¡¯m not willing to use and lie to people to serve my own goals.¡±


    The spy tilted his head. ¡°Even if doing so could save the lives of many more?¡±


    He had no answer to that.


    Svyke''s expression suddenly became very tired. ¡°I understand. You have a stronger sense of morals than most. I admire that. I shouldn¡¯t try to tarnish it. But you should consider my words.¡±


    ¡°Do I even need to point out the contradiction there?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he said, his tone amused. ¡°But humans are contradictory beings, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    Lorel, once again, had no answer for that.


    ¡°Enough,¡± Svyke said, waving his hand. ¡°You should get going. Spending time like around an old fogey like me doesn¡¯t suit either of you.¡±


    Lorel wanted to point out that he was the one who continued the conversation, but he knew it was pointless. He turned to follow his sister¨C and then stopped, struck by a sudden thought. ¡°Did Loch come to you recently?¡±


    ¡°See? Smart.¡±


    The floating platform shook as Lorel¡¯s anger spilled into the ocean below. ¡°If you ever hurt either of them, I''ll make sure you forget what it feels like to breathe air.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, boy, I have no intention of crossing you. I¡¯m a spy. The shadows are our lifeline.¡±


    The sub tilted slightly as he stepped after Aria. She had already opened the first letter, and was reading its contents, completely enraptured.


    ¡°This is it,¡± she murmured. ¡°What I needed.¡±


    ¡°... Do you trust Svyke that much?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. But his information has always been good.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± he admitted, looking down at the glass rods in his hand. They seemed so small, but the spy had never been wrong before. And these were likely to be experimental, stolen from some secret ICC compound.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, you know,¡± Lorel said quietly.


    ¡°Yes I do.¡± His sister didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°You¡¯re playing your part. I have to play mine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± he growled. ¡°My part doesn¡¯t involve taking information from a spy.¡±


    Aria raised her face at that, pointedly looking at the glass rods in his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll toss these overboard if it helps prove my point.¡±


    ¡°You have your talents. I have mine. How can I just stand by and watch?¡±


    Lorel sighed and pocketed them. As much as he wanted to argue it, he knew there was no point. ¡°Fine. Just promise me you won¡¯t stick your neck out too far.¡±


    She agreed readily. ¡°I promise.¡±


    Satisfied with that, he climbed down after her. ¡°So. Sector seven. What are we after there?¡±


    ¡°Same thing as always. I want to measure the Coral density and take some samples. It¡¯ll be a useful data point, even if nothing else comes of it.¡±


    Lorel understood the words, but little else. It was like his sister said¨C they each had their talents. The submarine thrummed to life again as Aria brought up the holo-terminal.


    ¡°How deep?¡±


    ¡°A little more than twenty-five hundred meters.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow at that. ¡°Twenty-five hundred? Did you get permission to take this thing so deep?¡±


    Aria huffed. ¡°Of course I did. Not everyone is as reckless as you.¡±


    ¡°Hey. I take offense to that.¡±


    She smirked. ¡°Because it¡¯s true?¡±


    ¡°... Maybe. Probably. Definitely, actually.¡±


    ¡°You really just don¡¯t care, do you?¡±


    ¡°I do care,¡± Lorel said seriously. ¡°That¡¯s why I asked.¡± But he¡¯d known it was a baseless question. They both took safety seriously. It was something their parents drilled into them from a young age¨C and the only reason they were allowed to go on these excursions.


    ¡°How far are we from sector seven?¡±


    ¡°Another two hours.¡± She turned to look back at him. ¡°You want out?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Already?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I want to practice something.¡± And today¡¯s events, combined with Svyke¡¯s ominous words had left him rattled.


    Aria shrugged. ¡°Suit yourself. Here.¡± She handed him an earpiece and then paused, further words clearly on the tip of her tongue.  ¡°You shouldn¡¯t listen to Svyke.¡±


    ¡°... Weren¡¯t you the one who said his intel has always been good?¡±


    She grimaced. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you mean?¡±


    Her frow furrowed, as it always did when she was thinking hard about something. ¡°I like you the way you are. Even if you¡¯re annoying. If you did what he said, I don¡¯t think you would be you anymore.¡±


    Lorel sighed. ¡°Why are you both acting like I saved them as some part of a scheme to steal her heart?¡±


    His sister shrugged again. ¡°She was pretty.¡±


    ¡°Was she?¡± Lorel asked dryly. ¡°Like I said. I wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh,¡± she said, clearly unconvinced.


    ¡°Unlike you and Loch, I don¡¯t daydream about my one true love.¡±


    Aria¡¯s face instantly turned bright red. ¡°You¨C!¡±


    Lorel chuckled and pulled himself out of the hatch. Svyke¡¯s lodging was still within reach, but the old spy was nowhere to be seen.


    Just as well.


    He lodged the small communications device into his ear canal, wincing as the cold metal stung his fragile flesh. He tapped it once to turn it. ¡°Can you hear me?¡±


    His sister¡¯s voice came through as if she were still standing next to him. ¡°Loud and clear.¡±


    Lorel smirked. ¡°I can just hear how red your face is. Seriously, can you two just get together already? Watching the two of you is painful.¡±


    ¡°Enough. If you don¡¯t hop off soon, I¡¯ll throw you off.¡±


    He knew it was an empty threat¨C safety first, after all¨C but obliged anyways, stepping back down onto the vehicle¡¯s wing. Letting his will seep into the ocean below, he took a tentative step onto the water¡¯s surface.


    It held his weight.


    Taking a deep breath, he placed his other foot in front of the last.


    Again, it held his weight.


    Lorel stood there for a moment, reveling in his connection to the waters of his home. This had always calmed him. Even as a child, he¡¯d always found the ocean¡¯s calm soothing, and that feeling only grew as he aged.


    ¡°You should go ahead. There¡¯s a good chance I¡¯ll just fall flat on my face.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for letting me know. I¡¯ll be sure to record now.¡±


    ¡°I aim to please.¡±


    He waited until Aria¡¯s craft submerged, then willed the water underneath his feet to flow forward. Not quickly¨C a mere fraction of what he¡¯d used against Loch¨C but it still threw him off balance.


    ¡°Whoa.¡± Lorel stumbled forward, catching himself on one foot¨C only to stumble again. Growling in frustration, he forced it to a halt. Why is this so difficult, dammit? Taking another deep breath, he stepped forward, this time willing the water to flow as his foot touched down.


    He nearly lost his balance again. But it was easier like this; not unlike walking on a treadmill.


    Just a very slippery one.


    Lorel made it five more paces before faceplanting¨C just as he¡¯d predicted. He tore his will back as he fell into the water, so that he simply sank instead of striking a solid surface. The sound of Aria¡¯s laughter came through the earpiece.


    ¡°Not as spectacular as I¡¯d hoped.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up,¡± he growled, finding purchase on the ocean¡¯s surface once more. ¡°You want to see something spectacular?¡±


    ¡°Should I be worried?¡±


    ¡°Worried? About little old me?¡±


    ¡°About myself. Your experiments tend to be destructive.¡±


    Lorel grinned, though he knew Aria couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°You know me so well.¡± Bunching his knees, he forced the water underneath his feet to erupt, sending him flying into the air; just like in the facility. But now, with more water at his disposal, he could take it a step further.


    As he landed, he forced the shock of the impact through the water under his feet, causing it to cave in¨C and then come crashing back up a split second later.


    The resulting jet of water flung him even further into the air.


    Too far.


    ¡°Crap.¡±


    Svyke¡¯s dwelling was little more than a large box against the blue-green light below. Lorel counted¨C it took him nearly ten seconds to land. A flurry of bubbles stormed around him as he plunged beneath the surface, and summoned current brought him back to the surface.


    ¡°What the fuck was that?¡±


    ¡°I dunno. I saw a video. Thought it might be fun to try.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be trying that again, though.¡±


    ¡°You better fucking not. You¡¯ll break your neck!¡±


    ¡°No I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that!¡±


    ¡°Yes I do. But you¡¯re right. I won¡¯t try that again. For now, anyway.¡±


    ¡°For now?!¡±


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t think it might be useful?¡±


    No response.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t feel it down there, did you?¡± Aria¡¯s sub was some ways below now, making the massive craft look smaller than usual.


    ¡°No. It would take a lot more force than that.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Is this why you didn¡¯t bring a skimmer along this time?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Like I said, I wanted to practice.¡±


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re not practicing¡­ whatever the hell that was.¡±


    ¡°I dunno¡­ I am pretty reckless, after all.¡±


    Aria sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding.¡±


    ¡°I know. Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    The water¡¯s surface swelled ever so slightly as the underwater vehicle began its slow crawl forward. That was one of the problems with submarines: they were terribly slow compared to their surface-dwelling counterparts. For now, though, that worked in his favor, granting ample time to practice.


    Lorel took a step forward, this time adjusting his posture to account for the movement below. He still staggered¨C unsurprising, considering how unnatural this was¨C but didn¡¯t fall or stumble.


    Down below, Aria stayed silent, no doubt taking the opportunity to collect as much data as possible. Still, he could feel the water that her vehicle displaced.


    ¡°When are you going to name that thing, anyways?¡±


    ¡°Whenever it¡¯s complete.¡±


    ¡°And how long is that going to take?¡±


    ¡°A long time. I want to make sure everything works flawlessly.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh.¡±


    ¡°You could at least try to sound interested.¡±

 Chapter 6

    Stren hated being parted from the Simo. Other ships, in comparison, were slow, bulky things. And they were loud. Particularly the carrier-class one that he now rode, owing largely to its crew of nearly two hundred. Humans were noisy creatures, as were the systems necessary to support such a large group in the inhospitable vacuum of space.


    ¡°You¡¯re frowning again, sir.¡±


    That was Cori, his first mate. He was tall, with sandy hair, and a slender build that bordered on being thin. Despite his fragile frame, however, he was a vicious fighter¨C and an even better crewman.


    ¡°Am I?¡± Stren raised one hand to his face, finding that he was, in fact, frowning.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re remiss to be away from the Simo, sir, but this is important,¡± Cori said, unable to hide his slight smile.


    ¡°I know it is,¡± the Admiral responded with a sigh, ¡°but that makes it no more pleasant. Let¡¯s get this done and get out¨C before the corpies have a chance to stick their noses into it.¡±


    As if on cue, two holo-terminals opened before the men. They each bore only two words: ENTERING ATMOSPHERE. Ten seconds more, and the lumbering spacecraft jolted.


    The Simo would have landed by now, he thought irritably. He knew why these were his orders, of course; the effectiveness of stealth diminished greatly once an enemy laid eyes on it. The fact that the higher-ups allowed reconnaissance from the interceptor in the first place was surprising.


    And, of course, this was a peacekeeping mission.


    For now, anyway.


    It took the large, lumbering craft nearly half an hour to reach the landing zone, and another five minutes to make touchdown. Torrent housed only ten spaceports, and though this was the largest, it was just barely enough to accept the large hauling ship.


    Stren growled, stumbling slightly as another jolt ran through the massive craft. He¡¯d half a mind to commandeer the ship, put his own crew in charge, but he knew that was the height of foolishness. There was a world of difference between piloting the Simo and this behemoth¨C and mistakes in something this size would be catastrophic.


    ¡°We appear to have landed, sir,¡± Cori said, his voice deadpan.


    ¡°You don¡¯t say.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I do.¡±


    A smile tugged at the Admiral¡¯s lips, but he chased it away. ¡°None of that once we leave this room, Cori.¡± This was by far the relationship he preferred to keep with his crew, but there was a time and place for everything.


    ¡°Of course, sir.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s be off.¡±


    The two made their way down to the lower part of the spaceship¡¯s hulls. The soldiers stole a glance as they passed, but only for the briefest of moments, opting to focus on the work at hand. That was good to see¨C each and every one of them understood the role they played.


    ¡°Who are we meeting with today?¡±


    ¡°The de facto leader of the planet.¡±


    ¡°They have one of those?¡±


    ¡°Sort of. The planet is split into ten sectors, each housing five of their floating cities. Each one has their own local leader, but they all seem¡­ not subservient, but they tend to to listen to the leader of the first.¡±


    ¡°Is he an Augmented?¡±


    ¡°Supposedly not.¡±


    ¡°Supposedly?¡±


    Cori nodded. ¡°Information about Torrent is tightly regulated. It was easier a century or so ago, but things have changed since then. Most of what we know comes from people who worked on the planet. Teachers, doctors¡­ that sort of thing. Most of those positions have since been taken over by natives, and very few descendants chose to leave the planet afterwards.¡±


    ¡°And those who did are bound by the Accords.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    The Accords were the one piece of legislature upheld across the many galaxies that humanity had colonized. They were an old thing, far older than any living human, but their words were law¨C and for good reason. They guaranteed a certain quality of life for every human, regardless of their home planet. Under the Accords, information was also a protected substance. Breaking the Accords was a one-way trip to prison, no matter who you were.


    Even the ICC was subject to that rule.


    They were just one of many factions across the universe, after all¨C and the others would salivate at the opportunity to diminish their influence.


    ¡°What do you think of all this, Cori?¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°Of our mission here.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t pay me to think, sir.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m asking you to.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± A look of consideration crossed Cori¡¯s face. ¡°Even if you ask me that, I¡¯m not sure. We¡¯re soldiers¡­ just like you. Not moral compasses. We¡¯ve always looked to you for guidance. You lead, we follow. It¡¯s simple like that. But if you¡¯re asking whether our mission here is morally wrong¡­¡± He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But if not you, it¡¯ll be someone else. I¡¯d at least like to think that you¡¯ll be more merciful.¡±


    ¡°Mercy, eh?¡± Stren let out a dry laugh. ¡°I seem to remember being awarded for how many our motley crew has killed.¡±


    Another shrug. ¡°Some people deserve to die.¡±


    ¡°Surely you don¡¯t think the people here deserve to die?¡±


    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t,¡± Cori answered, somewhat briskly. ¡°They¡¯ve done nothing wrong.¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    His face hardened. ¡°They have a natural monopoly on the most important substance in the world. That¡¯s hard to swallow.¡±


    ¡°So it all comes down to necessity?¡±


    Cori nodded. ¡°I suppose. It¡¯s like I said¡­ at the end of the day, if not you, they¡¯ll send someone else. I at least have faith that our crew will try to avoid unnecessary casualties¡­ and prevent them where we can. And besides, as far as I can tell, the threat is real. We''re just... Taking advantage of it.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Stren came to a stop before the bulkhead door. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Any time, sir.¡±


    As if spurred on by Cori, the large metal panel swung open, letting sunlight stream in. it was soft and gentle, unlike the harsh light of the two¡¯s homeworld. The door itself hit the ground below with a metallic clang, forming a ramp. Soldiers marched out on either side of it, their pace and cadence perfectly matched.


    Stren would have done away with the formalities on most other days, but he understood the significance of the gesture. He was here as a representative of the ICC¨C that carried weight.


    Cori followed one pace behind as he strode down the ramp.


    Each of the soldiers raised one hand in a salute as they passed, but his eyes were fixed on something else; three foreign figures quickly approaching. They all wore the same uniform; dark blue embroidered with bright gold. Though he had never seen them before, he recognized them immediately. The Tideguard. The planet¡¯s Augmented military unit.


    Even without any prior information, Stren would have recognized the man in the center as their leader. He was tall, with pale gold hair and dark blue eyes. His thin frame seemed at odds with his broad shoulders, and though he seemed no older than 40 years, an age beyond time was written on his face.


    He bowed as the Admiral approached, one hand held over his heart. ¡°We welcome Admiral Stren, envoy of the Interstellar Colonization Corporation.¡± His voice was warm and smooth, without a hint of unease.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Stren said, returning the gesture. Cori did the same at his side. ¡°Might I ask who it is I¡¯m speaking with?¡±


    ¡°My name is Nira.¡± The golden-haired man answered as he straightened. ¡°Commander of the Tideguard. I¡¯ll be your escort for the duration of your stay here on Torrent. Please don¡¯t hesitate to ask if you find yourself in need of anything at all.¡± Though he seemed genuine, his dark eyes were cold.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the Admiral said, a touch unnerved. He¡¯d seen eyes like those many times before. The Commander was taking his measure. And he was no doubt an Augmented¨C killing those gathered here would be a simple matter.


    ¡°Please follow me.¡± Nira turned, the blue-green glow parting as he strode towards the building he¡¯d come from. It was made mostly of glass, as was the city beyond it. The spaceport at which they¡¯d landed was on the outskirts of the city; no doubt placed there to avoid potential damage to the megastructure.


    Stren forced his pace to remain slow and steady, languidly following a few meters behind. He was a guest here, and a representative of the ICC¨C not someone to be ordered around. Neither Nira or his two companions seemed to care.


    ¡°Any information on this man?¡±


    Cori shook his head. ¡°None beyond his name and rank.¡±


    Those damned Accords. ¡°Any combat data on the Tideguard?¡±


    ¡°None at all. Scientists from multiple factions have tried to lure one off-planet, but no dice. One thing¡¯s for certain, though.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Tangling with a hydrokinetic on a planet made of water is a terrible idea.¡±


    The Admiral smiled at that. ¡°True enough.¡± He paused. ¡°You should go back to the ship. Make sure no one steps out of line.¡±


    His first mate stiffened. ¡°Absolutely not, sir. I¡¯m here as your bodyguard¨C¡±


    ¡°Against people who could drown us with a thought,¡± Stren interjected. ¡°That¡¯s why I want you there. To keep the others in line.¡± He didn¡¯t quite trust the ICC crew. They were well-trained, no doubt, but for many of them, this was their first deployment. Not only that¡­


    ¡°You don¡¯t trust the scientists.¡±


    The Admiral smiled. ¡°You know me so well.¡± He¡¯d seen firsthand the many lines they were willing to cross in the name of science. It was a trait that the ICC actively searched for in their scientists, but one that never sat well with him. Soldiers, after all, were often the ones who paid the price.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Cori said, his voice stiff. ¡°By your command.¡± And the sound of his footsteps grew quieter.


    Stren turned his attention back to the three Tideguards, increasing his pace to catch them. One had turned to observe the exchange, and his dark blue eyes fixed on Cori¡¯s receding figure for a moment before turning back to the front.


    ¡°Is your companion well?¡±


    It took the Admiral a second to realize Nira¡¯s question was directed towards him. ¡°Yes. I asked that he stay behind to keep the peace.¡± Did he hear Cori¡¯s footsteps, or was it something else? It was always difficult to tell with Augmented.


    ¡°I see.¡± The Commander¡¯s voice was perfectly neutral. He stopped short as they came within a meter of their destination, sharply turning on his heel. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of the details regarding today¡¯s meeting,¡± he said briskly.


    ¡°But to reiterate: you will be meeting with the unofficial leader of Torrent. While this meeting will take place on our planet¨C due to necessity¨C your meeting space is to be treated as neutral ground by both parties, and we expect all present to abide by the laws of the Accord.¡±


    Nira paused, giving time for his words to sink in. ¡°The three of us shall be present. Do you wish to bring any other members of your faction with you?¡±


    Stren shook his head. ¡°Not in the slightest.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any weapons?¡±


    He smiled wryly. The odd timing of this question was conducted with purpose. It was a message; that even if he did have a weapon, it was of little use. ¡°Just one.¡± The Admiral reached for his waist, removing the firearm from his waist.


    Nira¡¯s icy facade cracked for the first time. ¡°This is an old thing.¡±


    Stren nodded. ¡°Passed down in my family for generations. I expect it back once our meeting concludes.¡±


    The Commander nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Those words, more than anything, gave Stren some sort of comfort. The Tideguard before him understood the importance of a soldier¡¯s weapon. That, at least, was some form of common ground.


    ¡°If you¡¯ll follow me.¡±


    The building¡¯s interior was pristine. The glass walls shone with the light of Coral, ebbing and flowing irregularly, undulating with every passing second. A number of others dressed in military uniforms¨C not all Tideguards¨C stood rigidly with their backs to the wall, each guarding a door.


    A single table, made of metal and glass, stood in the center. A single man sat at its far side.


    Nira made a gesture with his hand, and the ring of military personnel stepped out of the building at one. ¡°They will remain outside¨C for your safety and ours.¡± He moved to stand at the other man''s back.


    Stren nodded. It mattered little. He followed the Augmented to the table. Two cups sat atop its smooth surface, each holding a steaming liquid. The man seated behind it had jet-black hair and dark green eyes.


    ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± His voice, just like Nira¡¯s, was perfectly calm. ¡°I understand you¡¯re from Thali,¡± he continued. ¡°I hear this tea is favored on that planet.¡±


    The Admiral reached for the closer of the two cups. He took a sip, surprised at the familiar taste¨C tangy citrus with a subtly sweet aftertaste. ¡°My thanks.¡±


    The blue-eyed man nodded. ¡°Luxuries are easily acquired here.¡± He took a sip from his own cup before leaning back in his seat, fingers laced over one knee. ¡°My name is Sai. You are Admiral Stren, yes? I¡¯ve heard much about you. Are you to be our executioner?¡±


    Stren blinked, caught off guard.


    The man¨C Sai¨C smiled wryly. ¡°I thought it best to do away with the subtleties and hidden meanings. If you¡¯d prefer them, however¡­¡±


    The Admiral shook his head. ¡°No. This suits me just fine.¡± He hesitated. ¡°But why meet with me, then?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a weapon, not the wielder,¡± Sai responded. ¡°I thought it in our best interest to take your measure.¡± He sighed. "And it''s not as if you''re the only weapon held at our throats. Make no mistake, I¡¯ve always been aware of our nation¡¯s precarious situation. Our home was always destined to become a battlefield. I hoped we would balance on the edge until the end of my days, but it seems that¡¯s not meant to be.¡±


    His words, though far more complicated, were reminiscent of Cori¡¯s. ¡°And if it¡¯s not me, it¡¯ll be someone else.¡±


    Sai nodded. ¡°Exactly. You may be a weapon, but ultimately, you will be the one who decides the scope of damage. That is why you''re here, is it not? In response to one of your many competitors?¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why you agreed to this meeting? To take my measure?¡±


    The wry smile returned. ¡°In part. I also believe that these things are best done face-to-face¡­ and I consider myself a good judge of character. It¡¯s important.¡± He leaned forward. ¡°So, I ask again: are you to be our executioner?¡±


    ¡°Nothing has been decided yet," Stren answered honestly. "Officially, I''m here as a peacekeeper. It might happen. It might not."


    Sai laughed. It was a cold, mirthless sound, devoid of any warmth or joy. "You wouldn''t be here otherwise," he said lightly. "Every other nation covets our abundance of Coral. It''s no secret."


    The Admiral nodded slowly. "It''s as you said. There are... People more morally unscrupulous than the ICC. That''s why I''m here. But... I¡¯m a soldier. I¡¯ll follow my orders. Whatever they may be. I look after more than just my own life,¡± he added somewhat hastily. ¡°There are people that follow me. People that I need to protect.¡±


    Sai nodded. ¡°I understand. Our positions are similar in that way, though they differ in scale. I may rue this day, especially in those to come, but I understand. I bear you no ill will. All I ask is that you keep the casualties to a minimum¨C  even as we struggle in response.¡±


    Stren grudgingly found himself respecting the man before him. No- not grudgingly. He was someone deserving of respect. Admiration, even.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can.¡±


    Another nod. "That''s all I can ask." The green-eyed man drained his mug, then stood. "If there is nothing more on your agenda, I''ll take my leave."


    "Already?" Stren tried- and failed- to hide his surprise.


    "As I said. I consider myself a good judge of character." Sai gestured towards the entrance of the building. "While you''re free to travel the planet as you wish, I ask that you allow an officer to remain by your side at all times, should you choose to leave the confines of your ship. For your own safety."


    The Admiral shook his head. "I won''t be staying on the surface long."


    "Very well." Sai offered a shallow bow. "I understand your hesitance, but I hope you see the beauty of our planet before its fall."


    "May I ask you a question?"


    "You may, though I will not guarantee you an answer."


    "If I were someone less agreeable, what was your planned course of action?"


    His green eyes narrowed. "What is the purpose of that question?"


    "You aim to take my measure. Is it so wrong of me to do the same?"


    "That was dependent on your character. If you were only mildly disagreeable, the outcome here likely would have been no different."


    "And if I was highly disagreeable?"


    The consideration on his face was clear. "On the extreme end, we may have killed you." His voice was light and matter-of-fact, a stark contrast to the brutality of his words.


    Stren narrowed his eyes. The answer was yet another means of taking his measure, he was sure. "Even though such an act would have violated the Accords?" He was here as a peacekeeper- not a conqueror.


    "Even still."


    "Why?"


    Sai tilted his head. "Why else? For the sake of my people."


    "I don''t follow."


    "The limits of war are decided by those guiding it. If condemning myself might ease their woes, that is a small price to pay."


    "You say dangerous things with such ease."


    He laughed. "A result of my upbringing, perhaps. Everyone on this planet is raised with the knowledge of our home''s precarious position. It''s instilled a sort of... Defiance in us."


    "That seems like a harsh upbringing."


    "Perhaps. But lying to our children would be harsher still."


    "... I understand."


    The black-haired man stepped around the table to offer Stren one hand. "I won''t lie and say that it''s been a pleasure- but I''m glad to see that you seem reasonable."


    The Admiral accepted it after a moment of hesitation. "I understand," he said tersely. "I can''t stop what''s to come, but I''ll do what I can. I give you my word."


    Sai''s face softened ever so slightly. "Thank you." The sincerity in those two words was apparent.


    "Then I''ll take my leave as well." Stren''s holo-watch beeped as he stood. Frowning, he looked down at it- and then choked on his own breath as he read the displayed message.


    Across from him, Nira''s actions mirrored his own.


    "Wait."


    "Yes?"


    "I''m afraid I''ll have to take you up on your offer." He sighed. "I apologize. It seems my daughter has caused some trouble."


    Sai raised an eyebrow. "Your daughter?"


    Stren bristled ever so slightly. "Yes."


    "Don''t interpret ill-intent where there is none," the green-eyed man said coolly. "If she''s here on this planet- without your direct assistance- the Tideguard will have quite a few questions for her. I''ll make sure nothing comes of it."


    "... Thank you."


    "A small price to pay for your favor. Not that I expect anything of the sort," he added with a knowing smile. "Nira. Go with him."


    The golden-haired Tideguard stepped forward at that, his previously troubled expression nowhere to be seen. "Follow me, please."


    Stren followed him as he stepped towards the building''s exit.


    "I may owe you an apology."


    He stopped short. Of all the possible words, those six were the most confusing ones Nira could have uttered. "Whatever for?"


    "I just received a report that my son was involved in the incident regarding your daughter. There''s no sign of harm, but he has a rather... Unique disposition."


    "How unique?"


    The Tideguard''s lips curved into the slightest of smiles. "Very unique." He paused before continuing, and his icy demeanor returned. "You''re free to traverse the planet as you wish. Sai has chosen to trust you. I ask that you don''t take it lightly- from one soldier to another."


    "Sai?" That was an odd way to address one''s direct superior.


    "I was his friend before I was his subordinate." He paused again, and his voice turned even colder as he spoke. "I trust Sai''s judgement. But if you try to harm anyone during your stay here on Torrent, I will be forced to intervene." His words were devoid of anger and threat alike; the held only the cold certainty of death.


    "You may not believe me, but I have no desire to harm the innocents."


    "I understand." Nira held one hand out, the old firearm balanced on his palm. "I''ll return this to you. I do, however, ask that you keep it hidden." His action, of course, held another meaning: the weapon itself was of no consequence.


    "Thank you. I''ll do just that." Despite that, Stren was glad to have it back. Its smooth, worn metal brought him no small amount of comfort.

 Chapter 7

    <div>


    "Are we there yet?"


    "This is the twelfth time you asked."


    "When did you start keeping count?"


    "After the fifth."


    "So that means we''re close, right?" Lorel asked, grinning as the sound of his sister sighing came through the earpiece.


    "As much as it pains me to say, yes, we are."


    "Should I start descending, then?"


    "Give it a few minutes." He nodded, despite knowing that Aria couldn''t see him. Two hours had already passed since they first set out, and though their location looked no different than anywhere else on the planet, there was no reason to doubt her navigation.


    "You''re still thinking about those two from earlier."


    "How can I not be? If anything, you''re the odd one for not sparing it another thought."


    "I''m never going to see them again. What point is there in thinking about it?" Lorel paused. "There''s something you''re not telling me." It was a statement, not a question.


    Aria fell silent on the other end.


    "You know I hate it when you keep things from me," he said, vaguely annoyed. She was the one who always insisted on transparency, after all.


    "I know."


    "So?"


    "So what?"


    "Spill."


    She fell silent again, for longer than before.


    Lorel followed suit, giving her the necessary time to collect her thoughts. Aria would speak when ready; she was like Loch in that sense- yet another reason the two needed to get rid of whatever inhibitions they had.


    "What do you think Svyke has been giving me all these years?" She finally asked.


    He thought about it for a moment. "Information."


    "About what?"


    "Technology."


    "What sort of technology?"


    "Coral."


    "Right. But what sort?"


    "I don''t know," he admitted. "I never thought too much about it." It was like she said: they both had their part to play. Technically speaking, they were both members of Torrent''s military, but their talents lay in completely different areas.


    "Officially, I aid in the development of new Coral technologies for defense of Torrent. Unofficially, that means..."


    "Weapon systems." Lorel''s voice came out as a whisper.


    "Not quite," Aria responded tersely. "They''re not really weapons. They don''t cause direct damage, but..."


    "But the outcome is the same."


    "Pretty much." She paused. "You don''t sound too surprised."


    "I''m not," he responded slowly. "Some part of me probably knew already. But that doesn''t explain why you''re still thinking about those two."


    "... They''re the people who might be affected by it. Seeing them in person is... Strange."


    "If it bothers you, you should quit."


    Aria responded immediately. "I don''t want to."


    "Why not?"


    "The same reason as you", she answered, her voice quiet. "This is my home. If I can help defend it, then I think I should. And what about you?"


    "What about me?"


    "You''re a Tidal."


    "Thank you for pointing that out, sister dearest. I would have never realized that otherwise."


    Another sigh. "You know what I mean."


    Lorel felt his heart beat quicker, just as it had before, but he forced it to steady. "I just... Don''t think there''s any point in worrying about it," he said, repeating what he told Loch earlier in the day. "Even if I could leave, I wouldn''t. It''s like you said. If I can help defend it, then I think I should."


    "Do you really think you can handle it?" Aria asked quietly.


    "... You and I are very different people, sis. I''m sure that I''ll be able to handle whatever the future holds. Are you?"


    "... I don''t know. But that''s no reason to hide. Not when I think I can make a difference. I think I would regret that more."


    "Alright." Lorel chose not to press it further. Their reasons were much the same, and, more than that, he had no desire to cause his sister unnecessary distress- no matter how much he enjoyed annoying her.


    "I''m more worried about you."


    "Why?"


    "I spend most of my time in a laboratory," Aria answered, her voice flat. "If anything happens, you''re going to be on the front lines. Those are two very different things."


    "Only one of us is a Tidal, sis."


    Silence fell again, for much longer this time.


    "And you think that''s a good enough reason? To fight?" Her voice suddenly sounded very small. "And maybe die?"


    Lorel flinched as his sister''s words brought his own worries rushing back. "I think it''s a reason," he answered slowly, suddenly glad that Aria wasn''t there to look him in the eyes. "I won''t know whether it''s good enough until it actually happens."


    He shook his head in a futile attempt to clear his thoughts. "Are we there yet?"


    It took Aria a moment to answer, and he knew she''d also made a conscious choice to stop pressing the matter. "Just about. Descend whenever you''re ready."


    Thanks, sis.


    Lorel turned his attention back to the waters below. He''d still stumbled a number of times over the course of their journey here, but had, at the very least, avoided falling entirely. True mastery would still take some time, but this was a good start.


    "What''s your current depth?"


    "Five hundred meters."


    "Target depth today is twenty-five-hundred meters?"


    "Correct."


    "Wait at current depth before descending any further." Those words were unnecessary; but yet another lesson drilled into them by their parents.


    "Waiting."


    "Beginning descent."


    Lorel closed his eyes released his grasp on the thin layer of water below his feet. A sense of calm washed over him as he sank into the warm ocean of Torrent, chasing away the worries that plagued him on the surface.


    He opened his eyes slowly, marveling at the sight that greeted him. It was dark beneath the floating city, but out here, light spilled into the water from every direction, mingling with that of Coral to create an endless tapestry of living light.


    Kicking to keep his head just below the surface, he took a breath.


    It was no different then breathing air. Lorel let out a sigh of relief. He did this every time- and each was no less nerve-wracking than the last. Aria seemed not to mind, but he hated the idea of diving without the freedom of swimming.


    Taking another breath, he reveled in the sense of belonging that being underwater brought. His life lay on the surface, but it was here, down below, that he felt most at peace.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Reaching out, Lorel grabbed hold of invisible currents. This was yet another thing that he found difficult to explain, and yet another source of frustration for Aria. The ocean was a large, powerful thing; he could seize a part of it. Direct it.


    The current flowed into being, carrying him down towards Aria''s craft. It took nearly ten minutes to reach five hundred meters; he felt the pressure increase, but it was no more than a slight discomfort. His scuffle with Loch had been many times more painful.


    Lorel winced as the pale blue-green glow grew stronger. The deeper you went, the denser the Coral, and the brighter it got- just another of the planet''s many oddities. He stopped right above Aria''s submersible, careful not to catch the craft with his current.


    He let it dissipate, swimming to the submersible''s front.


    "Everything okay?"


    He held one thumb up. Of all the many things that technology provided, the ability to speak underwater was not one of them.


    "Check in every two-hundred and fifty meters."


    Lorel nodded.


    Aria''s vessel descended, more slowly than before. He followed close behind, watching and feeling for the slightest hint of structural failure. It had never failed in any of their dives, but that was no reason to be careless with her safety. It was one of the many reasons their parents only allowed them to go on these excursions together.


    No matter how deep they dove, there was neither flora nor fauna. Neither lasted long on the planet; something that still puzzled scientists and researchers alike. The fact that the planet was made entirely out of distilled water likely played a role- as did the presence of Coral- but there was still no definitive answer. And humans seemed to fare just fine, which only added to the confusion.


    It was rather ironic. Coral was the most valuable resource in the universe, but it was Torrent''s only resource. Everything else- building materials, electronics, medicine, and so on had to be traded for. That in itself was no real issue, but their dependence on other nations was crippling in many other ways.


    "Five hundred meters."


    Lorel descended first this time, keeping one watchful eye on his sister''s submarine. At this depth, the pressure suit she wore would only protect her for the briefest of moments. It didn''t matter how much she trusted her creation- Aria was his only sister.


    "Seven-hundred and fifty meters."


    The vehicle stopped for longer this time, and though Lorel couldn''t see through the submarine''s smoky, quartz-like exterior, he knew Aria was hard at work calibrating its many different sensors.


    Righting himself, he waved his hand before folding his fingers into a series of signs. All good? Rather than any sort of lesson, sign language had been an outright requirement from their parents.


    "All good." Despite the depth, her voice came through the earpiece perfectly fine. "Everything fine on your end?"


    No problems here.


    "Good. I''ll do a full systems check once we reach fifteen hundred meters. It''ll take some time. You still have the cells that Svyke gave you?"


    Lorel fished them out of his pocket.


    "Alright. I don''t need a perfect count, but try to remember how long it takes to fill up. I meant to take a look at them beforehand... I can''t believe I forgot."


    He shrugged. It''s been a chaotic day.


    "No thanks to you."


    I aim to please.


    "One thousand meters."


    Lorel closed his eyes. This deep, he could feel more than he saw. The ocean itself felt like an extension of his body; perfectly still save for the movement of Aria''s submersible and the tiny bits of Coral-infused water that he breathed in. It brought him comfort- just as it had so many times before.


    "Twelve hundred and fifty meters."


    He opened them. The glow of Coral was nearly blinding, now. He''d been as deep as five thousand meters before; any deeper, and it started to physically hurt. Not for depth or pressure, but the sheer amount of Coral that emanated endlessly from the planet''s center.


    The deepest dive recorded was nearly ten thousand meters; a record set by an unnamed diver. Lorel would go deeper than that, some day.


    "Fifteen hundred meters. Stand by for full system check." Aria paused. "It''s going to take some time."


    Nodding, Lorel willed another current into being, pulling himself to the top of the vessel''s bow. For all the solace of Torrent''s warm embrace, his sister''s presence was no small comfort. Though they walked different paths, they had remained at each other''s side regardless of what came their way- and that was the way it would always be.


    "You should start filling up the cells now. The density between here and twenty-five hundred meters won''t be that great."


    He felt the warm water displace as he reached into his pockets for the small glass cylinders Svyke had given him. Their real name was something far longer and much more complex, but most people simply referred to them as cells; after all, they served a nearly identical purpose and function.


    They were smaller than the last few Svyke had given him, but for all of Lorel''s distrust, the grizzled spy was certainly good at his job. His age alone was proof of that.


    There were three in total; slim glass rods that were barely the length of his index finger. Each was entirely indistinguishable from the rest, and bore a small metal cap on one end. Lorel pried the first off with his hand, unwilling to risk damaging it.


    The effect was immediate, if short-lived. The Coral''s blue-green glow flickered once, as if the surrounding water had blinked, then came surging back. It happened twice more as he did the same with the remaining cells.


    For all of Coral''s many uses, this odd property was no doubt its most convenient. It could be stored in glass without fear of accidental ignition. If not for that, their ancestors likely would have had to abandon the planet.


    Lorel let the glass rods fall from his hand, turning them in place with a tiny current. He could see the Coral held within; a blue-green haze that crested and undulated, as if mimicking the waves that lapped against the city''s artificial shores.


    Looks like Svyke was telling the truth. They were less than a fifth full- already a marked improvement from the last few he''d received. Hopefully Aria will be able to reverse-engineer them later. She would figure something out- one way or another.


    "Lorel." As if on cue, her voice came through the earpiece.


    Immediately, he could tell something was wrong. It was subtle; nothing so pronounced as a panicked voice, but present nonetheless. Stricken by a moment of fear, Lorel grabbed hold of the cells, extending his senses to search for the slightest hint of anything wrong.


    He found nothing.


    "I''m okay," Aria said hurriedly, no doubt realizing the panic she''d caused him. "No problems here. But... Mom and dad sent a message. I''m forwarding it to you now."


    His holo-watch vibrated once, displaying a three-word message: Come back. Now.


    Lorel frowned. This was not the first time they''d shirked their responsibilities- and it was unlikely to be the last- but never before had their father demanded a prompt return. Then again, they''d been gone for some time already; this was likely all the leniency he could give them.


    But still, Aria''s work was crucial. If he was asking them to return immediately, it meant there was something at play.


    Is it because we dodged the Tideguard, or because of the two strangers? He shuddered as Loch''s words whispered in his ear. I have a bad feeling.


    "We should head back," she continued, voice trembling ever so slightly. "Can you help me surface?"


    Are you sure that''s a good idea? Lorel signed. They''d practiced before, but only ever with smaller crafts- and nothing even remotely shaped like the experimental one she was in now.


    "Yes," Aria responded, her voice steadier than it had been just moments ago. "I wanted to put it to the test today either way. Now is as good a time as any."


    If you''re sure.


    "I''ll let you know the moment something reads wrong."


    Alright.


    Pocketing the small glass rods, Lorel pushed himself off the submarine''s edge, letting himself fall down below it. This was unnecessary, but it was always easier to use himself as a reference point.


    He close his eyes, feeling for the submarine. That was simple enough; where the ocean was soft and supple, Aria''s craft was stiff and rigid. And slowly- so, so slowly- Lorel stirred the tides, guiding them under the surface of his sister''s vessel and gently guiding them upwards.


    Physically speaking, this was no more difficult than any other task. He was a Tidal- the waters of Torrent were his to command. On a technical level, though, raising it was the most challenging thing he''d ever attempted; infinitely more difficult than the stunt he''d pulled against Loch.


    Pushing too hard in one spot would flip the submarine. He was sure the vehicle could handle it- Aria wouldn''t have suggested it otherwise- but that was hardly reason to needlessly endanger her.


    The craft began to rise, cradled by the net of currents that Lorel wove across its smooth surface. He lifted it slowly at first, then faster as he grew more confident.


    Aria stayed silent, save for the depth readings as they ascended. Partially not to break his focus, he was sure, but also likely because she was busy recording information about her creation''s performance. Some things stayed the same regardless of circumstance.


    The inky black vessel broke the surface first. Even from his position some ways down, Lorel felt the disturbance. He waited for the waters to settle before surfacing a few meters away, blinking as the blue-green glow subsided.


    "Lorel!"


    Aria stood partway out of the hatch. Lorel kicked his way over, pulling himself up onto the wing. "Did they say anything else?"


    She shook her head. "Nothing new. I checked."


    "Do you think it''s because of the Tideguard, or...?" He didn''t finish the question.


    "I don''t know." Aria''s unease was apparent. "But if they''re telling us to come back early, it must be something serious."


    He nodded. "What do you want to do?"


    "What else? We go back."


    "Dunno. We could always run away."


    She glared at him. "To where? There''s nowhere to run to."


    "So you''re saying the problem is just that we have nowhere to hide?"


    "What? No, that''s not the-" Aria sighed. "Why are you doing this now, of all times?"


    Lorel stepped over the wing, hoisting himself up to look his sister in the eye. "Because you''re worrying," he said gently. "You still have to pilot this back. Focus."


    She scowled. "How are you so calm?"


    "I''m not. I''m worried, too." He seated himself on the hatch''s lip, twisting to pull his sister into an awkward hug. Her body stiffened, then trembled. "But there''s a world of difference between being worried and being anxious. Theres nothing we can do about it right now. Focus on what''s right in front of you."


    Bit by bit, Aria''s trembling subsided. "You''re soaking wet," she said, pulling away.


    Lorel grinned, then reached over, pinching her shoulder and pulling the water away as a single stream. He did the same with his own clothing, coalescing both streams into a single ball before tossing it back into the ocean. "Feeling better now?"


    She nodded. "Yes."


    "So? What do you want to do?"


    "We..." Aria took an audible breath. "Let''s just head back." she said after a pause.


    "Are you sure?"


    She nodded. "There''s nothing else for us to really do."


    "We could probably stay a little while longer. It''s not like they have a tracker on us." He paused. "Do they?"


    "Not that I know of. But if they were going to track anyone, they''d probably be tracking you."


    He laughed. "That''s true. I guess I should have asked that before I helped you surface."


    "It''s not like it would change anything."


    "You never know."


    Aria arched one eyebrow. "You know you''re technically part of the military, right? They''re your direct superiors."


    "Yeah. Technically. And the risk of being court-martialed is a lot less immediate than the risk of you crashing this thing."


    "Crashing into what, exactly?"


    "An iceberg?"


    "There are no icebergs on this planet."


    "First time for everything."


    She sighed. "Whatever." And then added, in a smaller voice, "but thank you."


    Lorel grinned. "Any time, sis."


    "Do you want to help speed up the return journey?"


    "Not in the slightest."


    "Why am I not surprised?"


    "I''d be worried if you were. Why would I be in a rush to get chewed out by dad?"


    Aria rolled her eyes, then dropped back down the hatch. Lorel followed suit, unwilling to leave her side- for the time being, at least.


    Of course, saying it out loud would earn him a smack. So instead, he chose a different topic. "Did you get the data you needed?"


    "Sort of."


    "Sort of? That doesn''t sound very scientific."


    "What I got was in line with what I expected. I can extrapolate the rest." She paused. "Do you even know what I''m looking for?"


    "Not in the slightest."


    "Why do I even bother?"


    "That''s a good question."

 Chapter 8

    <div>


    Tala could tell her father was angry.


    Well.


    Angry wasn''t really the right word. He didn''t really get angry- at least, not in the traditional sense. Not anymore. Her theory? He''d long since exhausted that emotion, particularly in the wake of her mother''s death. Disappointment was a closer match, but still not quite right.


    It was strange. She hardly remembered the black-haired woman that had birthed her, yet her life- and death- still impacted them in such profound ways.


    Tala shook her head. That was beside the point. Even if her father was angry, she could hardly blame him. She''d crashed a spaceship and nearly gotten herself killed- not to mention Vanu, as well.


    They were seated in a plain white room aboard an ICC command ship, normally used for interrogations.


    Her father had yet to say a word- no doubt waiting for her to start the conversation.


    "I''m sorry."


    He arched an eyebrow at that- the one cut in two by a pale white scar. "What exactly are you sorry for?"


    She chewed her lip. This was a test, of some sort. Her father was more than happy to leave her to her own devices, so long as she took the necessary precautions. The fact that she hadn''t, in this case, was what he was upset about.


    "I''m sorry I didn''t think ahead." In hindsight, it was obvious that the planet''s atmosphere would affect the engine- which, of course, only made it all the more embarrassing that she hadn''t thought of it. True, none of the reports she''d read about the planet made mention of it, but that was no excuse.


    Her father nodded once. "Good."


    Tala blinked. "That''s it?"


    He tilted his head. "Do you want a severe punishment?"


    "No, but..."


    Her father sighed. It was a tired, world-weary sound; one she imagined would come from someone much older than he. "I think losing the Suni is punishment enough." He grimaced. "And it''s not entirely your fault, either. I scoured the network. There''s not a single mention of the problem you ran into today. For all I know, you were the first to enter Torrent''s atmosphere in a ship of that size."


    She winced at the mention of her beloved ship. "Is there no chance of salvaging?"


    He snorted. "Not in the slightest. It''ll have broken up by now. And if what you told me is true, I''m not sure there''d be much point."


    Tala took no offense at that statement. It was a rather unbelievable tale, after all; not just being saved by a single boy her age, but that he''d ripped the Suni apart with his bare hands. And yet she''d witnessed it firsthand.


    Such was the power of Augmented.


    "You should be thankful. This city''s leader has gone out of his way to smooth things over for you. They''ll release you after asking just a few questions."


    "Is that where you were? Meeting with the city''s leader?"


    Her father nodded.


    "Why are we here, dad?"


    "Officially? To keep the peace and prevent Torrent from being taken over by hostile forces."


    "And unofficially?"


    "You know I can''t tell you that."


    She sighed. "Worth a try."


    Her father''s gaze hardened. "The Augmented that saved you. Did he do anything strange? I was told he had an odd disposition."


    "... Not exactly."


    "Not exactly?"


    "Vanu tried to pull his gun."


    "... I imagine that didn''t turn out too well."


    "It didn''t. He... Threatened to kill Vanu." Tala shivered, remembering the ice-cold certainty the boy had spoken with. It was difficult to reconcile his age with the brutality of his words. "I think he would have. But... I told him Vanu was disoriented. He seemed to accept that reasoning."


    He leaned back in his chair, running one hand through his black-and-white hair as he did so. "It seems you were lucky, all things considered."


    She nodded once. It was the truth, plain and simple.


    "You''ll be headed off-planet as soon as I can arrange transport for you."


    "But-"


    "No buts." Her father''s voice was sharp. "It''s too dangerous for you to be here. Even if the people we''ve met so far have been understanding, there''s no reason to believe that would continue. If you still had a ship, that would be one thing, but with the Suni destroyed, you have no quick way off-planet if things go south."


    Tala felt her shoulders sag, but knew she had no room to argue. The Suni was gone because of her recklessness, and in some ways, that stung more than her brush with death. "Alright."


    "That doesn''t mean you''ll be leaving right away," he continued, more gently than before. "Entering and leaving this planet is strictly regulated. I don''t want to imagine what you did to get clearance. I want you off-planet before six months pass. Is that clear?"


    "Alright."


    "Tala."


    She looked up at the sound of her name. "Yes?"


    "This... this is supposed to be it. After this, I''m done. I''ll... I''ll make time for us. It''ll be just the two of us. I promise."


    Tala smiled. She knew her father loathed these talks. He was the type to show his feelings through his actions rather than words. His absence was proof of that, in some contrarian way; he did what he did in order to provide for her. As a child, she''d loathed it, but she''d come to understand it with time.


    "And... You can take a ship of your choice."


    She looked up, unable to keep the exuberance from her voice. "Really?!"


    He chuckled softly. "Yes, really. A pilot needs a ship. You can take any you want. Except for the Simo, of course."


    Tala huffed. "I wouldn''t want to take the Simo anyways." That was true- no matter how much she admired it, the Simo was her father''s craft through and through. Taking it away from him would be like cutting off his arm.


    "And," her father continued, reaching for something out of view. "I hope you didn''t think I forgot your birthday."


    "Of course I didn''t."


    "I''m glad to hear that." He placed a white box on the table, nudging it over to her. It was plain, adorned with only a single red ribbon. "Here."


    Taking it in one hand, Tala pulled the ribbon loose. It seemed out of place; older and more worn than the box, and thicker, as if created for another purpose altogether. Opening it revealed a shimmering silver bracelet. It was a simple thing, little more than a thin metal band. She recognized it immediately. It was the bracelet her father wore every day. One of the few remaining keepsakes from her mother.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "I can''t take this from you." She replaced the box''s top, intending to return it to her father- only to find herself stopped by his strong, worn hands.


    "Yes, you can." His voice was gentle but firm. "I always meant to pass this down to you. I''ve had it for long enough. It''s time you had a piece of her to carry with you."


    "And what about you?" Tala asked, her voice trembling.


    "You''re the only piece of her that I need."


    "... Wouldn''t that mean it makes more sense for you to keep this?"


    Her father audibly sighed. "Please don''t ruin this moment." He out, taking one of her hands in both of his own. His skin was coarse and rough, worn by time and hardship alike, and his grip steady.


    "What if I lose it? Or... Or break it?"


    "Do you think the chance of my doing so is any less?"


    It was rather hard to argue with that.


    "And," he continued, picking up the bracelet with one hand, "it''s Thalian silver. Strong enough to withstand re-entry. Although that''s no reason to be careless with it." He gently pulled her fingers straight, sliding the metal band up to her wrist. The corner of his lips curved into a slight smile. "It fits perfectly. Take good care of it."


    Tala nodded mutely, unsure what to make of this gift. Lacking memories of her mother was easier, in some ways, but hard in many others. It was difficult to miss something that you never truly had, yet simply being around others her age had made her aware of that absence.


    That was an odd feeling.


    Her father leaned back, arms crossed, that slight smile still on his face. It vanished just a moment later. "You''ll be staying on this ship for a week." His tone left no room for argument. Not that she would have argued anyways. Fault or not, she''d nearly gotten herself killed- and likely jeopardized her father''s mission in the process.


    "Report to the medbay. I know the Tideguard did a preliminary check, but I want to be sure they didn''t miss anything." His tone softened again. "It''s a shame about the Suni, but you made the right choice. Landing away from the city."


    There was a hint of pride in his voice; barely present, but enough to make Tala smile.


    "I have matters to attend to. We''ll talk later." And then he was gone, the sliding door shutting soundlessly behind him.


    Tala sagged back in her seat, covering her face with her hands as she stared up at the gleaming white walls. This was the first moment to herself she''d had since the crash. Everything that followed was a frenetic rush; being separated from the Vanu, ushered away by the Tideguard, being subject to their blatant hostility- and then the embarrassment of having to face her father.


    She pushed that thought to the side with a sigh as she stood. It was over and done with. There was no point in dwelling on it- she was sore, sure, but she''d been absurdly lucky, all things considered.


    I need to go find Vanu. Her soldier-turned-bodyguard had been whisked away by the Tideguard, but she had no doubt he was somewhere on the ICC ship. Her father would leave no one behind.


    She stepped out the door-


    "Boo."


    -- only to jump as his voice sounded right next to her ear.


    "Got you." Vanu said, smiling wryly.


    Tala laughed and threw her arms around him. "I''m glad you''re okay."


    "Of course I am. Some water and a little crash landing isn''t going to do me in." His voice turned serious. "Although that Augmented might have done me in if you hadn''t intervened. Thank you."


    "You don''t hold it against him, do you?"


    Vanu extricated himself from her embrace, shaking his head. "Not at all. If anything, I''m thankful. It''s like you said: I was disoriented. Although," he added after a brief pause, "I admit I''m still not too sure what to make of him."


    She smiled wryly. "That makes two of us." A large portion of her journey to the ICC ship had been spent mulling over their encounter with the navy-haired Augmented. "I wonder if we''ll see him again."


    "Part of me hops so. I''d like to thank him."


    "... And the other part?"


    "The rest of me dreads the headache I''m I''d get from interacting with him."


    Tala laughed. "I know what you mean." She turned to the right. "Come on."


    "Where to?"


    "The medbay. Dad wants me to get checked. Did you already stop by?"


    "No." She heard the sound of his footsteps behind her. "But the Tideguard already inspected me."


    There was something in his voice that she couldn''t quite place. "Did they... Mistreat you?"


    "No." His tone tightened. "They don''t seem to keen about our presence here, though. It may be best for you to remain out of sight until we''re given leave."


    "Not a chance. We''re going to be here some time. I''ll go crazy if I have to stay cooped up here all the time." Tala ran one hand over the ship''s smooth walls as she strode towards the medbay, her mother''s bracelet glinting in the sterile white light that poured from above.


    Anyone else her age would have been starry-eyed, but she''d been born on a ship just like this one. Practically grown up in it.


    "And what exactly are you going to do? There''s not exactly much to see on this planet."


    "You don''t think those floating cities of theirs are interesting?"


    "I think I would rather not rely on machines to keep me from drowning in my sleep."


    "There''s never been a case of a sinking city. I doubt they''re going to start now. And supposedly they all power themselves by harvesting the ambient Coral. Don''t you think that''s incredible?"


    "... Whether or not I think it''s incredible has nothing to do with whether it''s safe or not."


    "We survived a crash landing today. I doubt anything else we do here will be quiet as dangerous as that."


    He seemed not to have a response for that one.


    They walked in silence for a few minutes more before rounding the corner to the medbay. Its door slid open as Tala came to a stop in front of it.


    "... Wait for me?"


    Vanu smiled knowingly. "Of course."


    Tala took a deep breath and stepped in, grimacing as the scent of antiseptic and medicine washed over her. That scent always stirred mixed feelings- it permeated the few memories of her mother that still remained.


    The medbay doctor- a middled-aged man with sandy hair- looked up as she stepped in. "Tala Stren, correct? Your father told me to expect you."


    She nodded.


    "Then, if you would, please."


    At his instructions, she took seated herself, wincing as the hard metal nodes dug into her back. The tiny current was uncomfortable for a fraction of a second, and then no more.


    "You crashed into the ocean here, correct?"


    "Yes."


    His brow furrowed as he scanned the holo-terminal''s information. "Nothing seems terribly out of place, considering. Your cardiovascular and respiratory systems are somewhat strained, however- which is to be expected, considering the nature of your accident. Are you feeling any sharp pains?"


    "No. I''m just sore... Everywhere."


    The doctor laughed at that. "It seems the Coral did its job, then. I''m not sure if you''ve seen what the results of crashes looked like pre-Coral." He closed the terminal. "Modern drugs can do quite a few things, but unless you''d like me to replace your bones and organs, there''s not much I can do for you."


    Tala laughed, then coughed as her chest ached in response. "I think I''ll just deal with it."


    "Good choice. I can offer you some pain medication, but aside from that, my only real recommendation is that you spend a week resting and check in again afterwards."


    She shook her head. "I''m fine." She preferred to avoid taking medicine whenever possible. And, truthfully, she deserved to suffer for a little while- it would serve well as a reminder to avoid being so reckless in the future.


    "Then you''re free to leave."


    Vanu was leaned up against the wall opposite the door, arms crossed; he looked up as she exited the medbay. "How was it?"


    "Fine. Body''s just a little strained- and sore."


    "Glad to hear it."


    "What about you?"


    He grimaced. "A little bit worse for wear. Not too surprising- the crash knocked me unconscious, and my lungs were filled with water for a little while. Still, I got lucky."


    Tala felt a twinge of guilt. "I''m sorry." It was her fault that he''d been put in harm''s way. If it hadn''t been for that lone Tidal...


    She shivered. That was an unpleasant thought.


    Vanu pushed himself off the wall, reaching out to pull her into a brief hug. "Hey, I knew the risks." His breath was warm against her skin. "If I was really worried, I would have kept you back, no matter what."


    Tala pulled away. "Was my father upset?"


    He smiled wryly in that wolfish way of his, returning to his position leaning against the wall. "I assume so. He''s hard to read. But I think he understands that once you put your mind to something, there''s no keeping you from it."


    Tala smiled in response, hearing the truth in his words. She was stubborn- something that caused no small amount of grief to her father. It was a difficult balance, allowing her the freedom befitting someone her age, and keeping her out of the universe''s many dangers.


    It was one of the many reasons she loved her fathers, despite his frequent absence.


    "Will there be any lasting damage?"


    "The Tideguard said not. And I imagine they''re rather well-versed in that sort of thing."


    She snorted at the sardonic response, but was unable to keep the relief from her voice. "Seems like you''ll be fine. I''m glad to hear that." If he''d been crippled because of her...


    Vanu laughed. "I''ll be fine. I just need to rest for a little while." He paused. "Which, if I''m not mistaken, is what you should be doing right now."


    "True enough." Even those two words stirred the latent pain that stretched across her entire body. "The doctor recommended a week of bedrest."


    "Are you going to listen to him, for once, or do I need to tie you to your bed?"


    Tala laughed dramatically, turning away to hide the pain the expression caused. "I intend to listen to him, for once. I''m sore, tired, and just... Want some time to think." Funny how a near-death experience left one with the need for quiet.


    "I''m glad to hear it. Your father has assigned a bunk for us. Shall we be on our way?"


    She nodded, reaching out to run her hands across the walls as she followed Vanu. Her eyes, of course, found the bracelet on her wrist. Its smooth metal was cool against her skin; a stark contrast to the few warm embraces that she remembered. The dismay in her father''s eyes when parting with it had been clear, but she knew whatever desires he had came second to that of being a good father.


    His existence itself was contrary, in that way. He stayed far away in order to provide for her; to protect her. And no matter the cost to himself, he wanted her to be happy.


    Even though all she wanted was for him to be happy.


    Tala sighed, letting her arm drop back to her side. She''d thought about this, agonized over it too many times to count. I thought I was done with this. Shaking her head, she followed close behind Vanu, her every step echoing through the ship''s walls.

 Chapter 9

    <div>


    Lorel could tell his father was angry.


    Well.


    Perhaps angry wasn''t the right word. He certainly got angry, mind you, but his way of expressing it was certainly well outside the realm of what could be considered "normal." It was a cold, icy fury that was, in many ways, more terrifying than the alternative.


    The four of them- himself, Aria, and their parents, were seated at the dining table; parents on one side, siblings on the other. The fact that they hadn''t been whisked away by the Tideguard the moment they beached was proof enough that their parents had pulled some strings- and no doubt added to their father''s anger.


    "Do you know why I''m angry?"


    He considered his father''s question. "I imagine there''s a few reasons. Which are you the most angry about?"


    "What do you think?" His father''s response was little more than a growl.


    That was clearly the wrong response. "That we dodged the Tideguard?"


    "At least you''re self-aware enough to realize it."


    "I aim to please."


    "You are aware you''re being scolded right now, right?"


    "Nira." His mother stepped up from behind, placing one hand on his father''s shoulder. "You raised them to be independent. You can hardly blame them for acting as such."


    Lorel nodded. "You should listen to mom. And why is she-" he pointed to Aria- "Not a part of this? She was also involved!"


    "Hey!"


    He shrugged at her protest. As far as he was concerned, fair was fair. She didn''t have to go along with his whims, but she''d chosen to.


    His father sighed. "If you''re so self-aware, then I''m sure you can figure it out on your own."


    It took Lorel a second to comprehend the meaning of those words. "Because she wasn''t actually involved?" Now that he thought about it, that was certainly the case. Aria had been a witness, sure, but not a participant. Not in the same way he was, at the very least. And those sorts of nuances mattered.


    "Exactly. She was just a witness. You, on the other hand, used your powers without sanction-"


    "There wasn''t any other choice! They would have died otherwise!"


    His father continued, completely unbothered by his outburst. "Threatened someone who was on this planet as a representative of the ICC, and not to mention, tore their ship in half. I don''t even want to begin thinking about how much a ship like that would have cost."


    "It''s not like the cost really matters." Flippant as that statement was, it was the truth. Coral was the universe''s most important resource, and Torrent its only supplier. Even if he were to sell the Coral he harvested half its usual price, he could comfortably pay it off before year''s end. Especially if Aria could recreate the new cells Svyke had given him.


    "I dread the horrors you''ll inflict on the universe the day you manage to find your way off-planet."


    "Then it''s a good thing I have no desire to leave. And what was I supposed to do? Just stand by and watch them die? The Tideguard wouldn''t have made it on time!"


    "No, you did the right thing."


    "Then what''s the problem?"


    "The problem", his father emphasized the word, "is that you just left- and practically coerced me into covering for you. Tell me, did you even think your actions through?"


    "Not really. Acting without thinking is sort of my specialty."


    His father sighed again, more loudly than before.


    "Nira, dear, you should stay calm," his mother interjected, her lilting voice tranquil and soothing. "Regardless of what he says, I''m sure Lorel expected to be punished for his actions. I suggest you mete it out and be done with it."


    Yet another sigh. "Very well." Lorel''s father raised his head, looking him in the eye. "You''re grounded for two weeks. Both of you. I understand that you both have duties outside of this household. Lorel, you may continue your activities at the DFH, but I expect you to return home directly afterwards. And, Aria. Your research is important. I can''t in good conscience tell you to spend less time at the lab, but I expect you to either be there, or here at home. Do I make myself clear?"


    Lorel''s shoulders sagged as he let out a sigh of relief. His bouts with Loch would continue, even if their after-training activities would have to be put on pause.


    As for his sister, well. Her "punishment" could hardly be construed as such, but his father''s words were true enough. Her work was important- and she''d played a decidedly lesser role in the day''s earlier fiasco.


    "Yes."


    "Good."


    His father made to stand, and then paused, as if struck by a sudden thought. "The two people that you saved today- was there anything strange about them?"


    "You mean besides the fact that one was dressed in a military uniform and had a gun? Or that they crash-landed in a spaceship on a planet that doesn''t have spaceships?"


    "Yes."


    He thought about it for a moment. "They seemed about my age. I didn''t really notice it in the moment, but in retrospect, that seems odd. And only one of them- the boy- was dressed in a military uniform. I guess that''s also weird. The girl didn''t seem like she was military, but the boy seemed to follow her orders. Is that weird enough?"


    "Anything else?"


    "The girl called him her copilot. I guess that would make her the owner of the ship. Which I guess makes sense? It didn''t seem like a military ship."


    "What makes you say that?"


    "I don''t think a military ship would have a glass front, Coral or no. And I didn''t see any weapons." Lorel paused. "Not that I would really know what to look for. But it looked like it was built for speed."


    "And you would know what that looks like?" His father asked dryly.


    He shrugged. "I think that much would be apparent. I assume hydro and aerodynamics follow similar principles." Aria remained silent, which was proof enough that he was right.


    "Alright." His father leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes for a moment before standing. "Despite everything that came afterwards, you did well. Although I would have preferred you salvage the ship as well."


    "So why the punishment?"


    The trace of a smile flitted across his face. "This and that are two very different things."


    "Thought so. Oh well. It was worth a try."


    "Now if you''ll excuse me, I have to go finish cleaning up the mess you made."


    Lorel watched his father leave the room, his mother just a half-step behind. Even as their child, he thought them an odd pairing, but perhaps that was the reason they complemented one another so well.


    "That could have been a lot worse," Aria said softly.


    "Yeah," he agreed, leaning back in his chair. "A lot worse."


    "You really didn''t think things through."


    "Didn''t you hear me? That''s my specialty." Lorel slouched back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling and rubbing his eyes before standing up.


    "... Where are you going?"


    "To my room. Where else?"


    "Knowing you, I thought you''d half a mind to head out on another dive."


    "... I was thinking about it. But I''ve never seen dad that angry." Time in the ocean would help soothe him, but no doubt incite their father further. And that was a decidedly bad idea.


    "I''m sure he had a good reason."


    "Probably. What happened to your sub?"


    "Towed to the lab," Aria answered tersely.


    "Did it perform as you expected?"


    "More or less."


    "You''re still thinking about them."


    She nodded. "Yeah."


    "What now?"


    "It''s probably why he''s upset, isn''t it?"


    "Probably part of it." This was far from the only time he''d incurred their father''s wrath- and it certainly wouldn''t be the last- but that was no reason to push his luck. And besides, no matter how he talked back, he respected his father. That counted for something. "He said representative of the ICC, though."Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    "What about it?"


    "Which one?"


    "Which one... What?"


    "Which one was the representative?"


    "The one dressed in a military uniform?"


    "Then why was he taking orders from someone not in uniform?"


    "Uh..."


    Lorel snorted. For all his sister''s raw intelligence, she had a tendency to miss the obvious things. "You didn''t think of that, did you?"


    Aria shook her head. "No."


    He looked back towards the door his father had taken. "He''s not telling us something."


    "Obviously."


    Lorel sighed. "Why does he do this?"


    "Why does he do what?"


    "He always tries to keep the big things hidden from us."


    "... Are you really that dense?"


    "Apparently."


    "It''s because he''s trying to protect us," she said quietly.


    "From what? And why?"


    "I can''t answer the what, but..."


    "Then why?"


    "Because we''re his children," Aria answered quietly. "Isn''t that obvious?"


    "Still," Lorel grumbled. "I wish he would tell us more. It''s not like we can''t figure it out."


    "It''s hard for him, you know. Leading the Tideguard, taking care of us..."


    "I know. But still." He strode towards his room, only to stop and look back at his sister. "What are you going to do tomorrow?"


    "I don''t know." She stretched her arms up above her head, stifling a yawn as she did so. "I was going to head to the lab early morning, but after today... I''m tired."


    "I feel that." He could feel the beginnings of a headache; a dull pain behind his eyes that seeped back into his head. "Are you going to go to sleep right away?"


    "I want to... But I don''t think I can."


    Lorel looked up towards the roof then. "Want to sit and chat, then? It''s been a while." Important as their dives were, they held a completely different purpose for him- quality time with his sister. He felt no shame in acknowledging that.


    Aria perked up at that. "Meet you up top?"


    He chuckled. "By which you mean you''re leaving everything to me." He waved dramatically with one hand. "Go on. I''ll be up there soon."


    She disappeared up the stairs.


    Lorel turned back, walking to the kitchen and running his thumb over the smooth glass button to turn the stovetop on. Their home was small, but that suited their family just fine. It was commonplace for there to only be one or two people present at once, and in that sense, made them feel closer to one another.


    Retrieving the kettle from its place in the upper cabinet, he filled it with water, pulling it from the faucet in a single, twisting stream. He found himself grateful for the menial task; a soothing contrast to the day''s chaos- and his father''s icy fury.


    It really could have been worse. He leaned back against the countertop, arms crossed as he stared at the kettle. It was a gift at Loch, and by far the most worn item in their household; the dark grey paint covering its body faded and chipped by its many uses.


    For the first time that day, the day''s accumulated fatigue took hold. The dull pressure from before was sharper, now, driving a spike of discomfort directly into his mind and body. It was a vile thing, born from a marriage of anger, anxiety, and fear.


    Lorel''s thoughts turned towards the two mysterious strangers he''d saved. What are they here for? They were here for something, no doubt about that. He closed his eyes, massaging his brow in a futile attempt to ease the sharp, aching pain. What am I worried about? This isn''t like me.


    It took him a long while to find the answer. It was nothing so simple as one single thing; rather, a culmination of the long day''s many events. School, his talk with Loch, rescuing the off-worlders, his and Aria''s frantic return, and finally, their father''s chilling anger.


    "Fuck." His sister no doubt would have scolded him for that, but she was waiting for him on the roof, well out of earshot. And there was no better way to express himself in this moment than that single word. Something''s going on. To believe otherwise was willful ignorance- bordering on stupidity.


    He sighed- then jumped as the kettle whistled. Look at you, he thought mockingly. Even after everything you said to Loch- and Aria- here you are, just as worried as them. Was your resolve really so weak?


    ... No. Lorel shook his head. He wanted- as he always did- to protect his home. But what does that even mean? That answer, at least, came easier. His sister. His friends. His parents. They were what really mattered. But how was he- a single person- supposed to do that?


    He shook his head again. The scale of such things was well beyond his imagination. His conclusion, as always, was that it was out of his control- so there was no point in worrying about it. He would deal with it when- if- that time ever came.


    And with any luck, it wouldn''t.


    Turning back towards the cabinets, Lorel opened another- the lowest, this time- and then rushed to catch the teabags that spilled out. Loch''s gift had been the catalyst for this, and truthfully speaking, this was the one thing their household ever had a consistent supply of.


    I''ll need to pick up some groceries tomorrow.


    He selected two apple caramel teabags- both his and Aria''s favorite- before opening the middle to retrieve two mugs. They were simple, with emerald-colored bodies and a single heron adorning each. Another gift from Loch.


    Removing the kettle''s lid, he pulled the steaming water out in two twisting streams, placing one bag in each mug before filling them. Seeping them was easy; he simply willed the water to form two small vortices, and within moments, it took on a dull brown color.


    Lorel tentatively tapped both with his fingers, making sure they were cool enough to hold before picking them up. He carried them rather haphazardly up the stairs, keeping their surfaces still despite taking them two at a time.


    He opened the door, shivering as the nighttime''s cool air washed over him. Aria was seated on the roof''s ledge, her legs dangling over the side. Small as their home was, it was located at the edge of the city''s floating ring, with a perfect view of the ocean beyond. His sister no doubt found the same sort of comfort he did in the sight.


    She looked up as he took a seat beside her, taking the offered mug in both hands. "Thank you."


    Lorel nodded before taking a seat at her side. He watched her drink before taking a sip of his own. The tea was sweet, but not overpoweringly so, and he found himself grateful for the warmth that blossomed outwards.


    Aria spoke as he lowered it. "You''re worried."


    He paused, holding the warm clay between his legs. "Is it that obvious?"


    She shook her head. "You''re good at hiding it. Well... Maybe hiding isn''t the right word. But you know what I mean."


    "... Maybe you''re not as bad with people as I thought you were." He expected Aria to smack him for that, but instead, she just shook her head again.


    "I am bad with people. But I know you." She paused. "The thing about not thinking things through is that you don''t think about what comes afterwards, either." Her voice softened. "I admire your approach to life. I really do. But I worry that you''re going to get yourself in trouble someday. Real trouble. The kind you can''t talk your way out of."


    Lorel took another sip before replying. "I know."


    "Then...?"


    "I''ll cross that bridge when I get there."


    He heard his sister sigh. "I guess I should expect nothing less."


    Lorel smiled. "You know me so well. Besides," he continued, draining his cup. "That''s not really what I''m worried about."


    "I know."


    "Then why the sudden criticism?"


    "I thought maybe this would finally convince you to change your ways. Not entirely. I like you the way you are. Just... slightly."


    "Maybe you don''t know me as well as you think you do."


    She did smack him for that one.


    "I''m sorry for worrying you," he said, tone serious. "I really am. But even if I were to change my ways, it wouldn''t actually change anything. Not in any way that really matters."


    "I know."


    "Then..."


    "Because you''re my brother," Aria said quietly. "I care about you. I don''t want to see you in trouble... Or hurt... Or something even worse."


    "I won''t-"


    "You don''t know that," she interrupted, tone suddenly fierce. "Don''t make a promise you''re not sure you can keep."


    "Then what do you want me to do?" Lorel asked, unable to keep the frustration from creeping into his voice.


    "I just want you to be careful."


    "I''m always careful."


    "I know. Despite how you act... I know. But still. Just be careful."


    "Alright. I will be." That was an easy concession to make for his sister''s peace of mind.


    They sat there in silence for a while longer, content to just enjoy each other''s company. Lorel was the one to break the silence. "Did you find what you were looking for today?" He wasn''t quite sure what Aria was searching for, just that she was searching for something. By his estimate, they''d already performed dives across half the planet- and still nothing.


    She drained her own mug before responding. "No."


    "What exactly are you looking for?"


    "... It''s complicated."


    "Try me. I may not be a genius, but I''m smart enough to get by."


    "I''m not a genius."


    "Sure you aren''t."


    Aria set her cup down on her left, between the two of them. "I''m looking for the source."


    "Source? Of what?"


    "Hm..." She mulled over the question for a moment, kicking her legs against the wall. "What do you think Coral is?"


    "It''s..." Lorel trailed off. "I don''t know," he admitted. "I guess I never really thought about it. Is it some sort of... Energy?"


    To his surprise, Aria nodded. "It''s a good guess. But there''s a couple problems with it." She raised one finger. "First, if it was pure energy, our planet would be a lot hotter. Hot enough that no one could live here."


    "And the second problem?"


    "Where does it come from?"


    "The planet?"


    "But what''s its source? It has to come from somewhere. As far as we can tell, Torrent has no core. Nothing that could sustain giving off so much energy for so long. And ever since its metamorphosis, Coral output hasn''t dipped by even a fraction. It''s why we''re comfortable being so reliant on it. It seems like it''ll last forever, and so far, there hasn''t been a reason to doubt that."


    "Doesn''t Torrent take in solar energy and release Coral as a byproduct?"


    "That''s the leading theory. But it''s not a particularly good one. It''s just the easiest one available. Coral has given our species a practically infinite power budget. It''s used as fuel for engines, for interstellar travel... Too many things to count. And that''s the case everywhere. That''s just too much energy for a single power source to make sense. I''m not the only one who''s thought of it, but no one''s found definitive proof."


    "And this relates to whatever it is that you''re looking for... How?"


    "At this point, I''m looking for anything even slightly abnormal. That''s why I''m taking detailed measurements in every sector. But so far, no matter where we go, Coral density by depth is perfectly uniform. That''s another reason I think it''s something other than solar power- we''re still not sure just how dense it gets, but we can extrapolate." She sighed. "I''m beginning to think that Coral just exists too far outside the realm of science to make sense of. It acts as expected sometimes, but at other times it''s unlike anything else."


    "No offense, sis, but you''re talking to a hydrokinetic. There''s already a lot of things that exist pretty far outside the realm of science. And besides, doesn''t the fact that there''s no solid core already break a lot of rules?" He knew that much.


    Aria sighed again. "I know. But interstellar travel, using it as fuel... We were able to implement those things because some forms of science seem to apply to it. It''s just a matter of finding out what."


    "And how does this relate to..." Lorel looked down at his empty mug. "To whatever it is that you''re developing?"


    "It doesn''t. I''m allowed to research other things, you know." She followed suit, looking down at her own. "I''m trying to synthesize Coral. The leading theory is that it''s some form of energy that has negative mass. That''s why it works in interstellar drives. No matter how far our science progresses, I''m not sure we''ll ever be able to prove that... But it has to come from somewhere, right? That''s what I''m trying to find."


    "And that would help ease our planet''s external pressure."


    "Right." Aria curled up into a ball, hugging her legs to her chest. "But that''s not the reason. Not really. Don''t get me wrong, I want to protect out home, too. But I''m really just trying to protect you. And mom. And dad. That''s what really matters to me. It seems like I''m running out of time, though."


    Lorel could hear the beginning of tears in her voice. "It''s the same for me, you know," he said, leaning over so that their shoulders were touching. "I''m doing this to try and protect you. Mom and dad too."


    "I know." She led out a single, shuddering breath. "But do you really think that one person will be enough to make a difference?"


    "I''ve had the highest combat proficiency in every facility I''ve been in."


    Aria wiped away her tears. "Do you really think it matters? Against exos and orbital bombardments?"


    He said nothing in response to that.


    "See?"


    Lorel stood, picking up both their mugs. "I get it," he said gently. "I don''t want to worry you. Really, I don''t. But say something does happen. If it happens, it happens to the entire planet. We''re both going to be involved regardless."


    "I know. Just... Just be careful."


    "I always am."


    "I know. But still."


    "I''m going to go get another cup. Do you want another too?" He forcibly changed the topic.


    Aria nodded silently.


    "Alright. I''ll bring Loch by after school tomorrow."


    "... We are grounded, you know."


    "Right. We are. Dad doesn''t have any control over Loch... And he didn''t say anything about having guests over. Just that we''re supposed to stay in the house."


    "Are you ever going to grow out of your rebellious phase?"


    "Probably not. I have to compensate for both of us."

 Chapter 10

    <div>


    The sound of catching wind pulled Lorel from his sleep. One moment he was caught in its tenebrous grasp; and then he was wide awake the next, staring up at the ceiling. He sat up, careful not hit his head- and promptly lay back down upon seeing the window he''d left open.


    Fuck, he silently cursed, raising both hands to his face and sighing through his fingers. I''m tired. That was hardly surprising, considering how late he and Aria had both stayed up last night- and the events of the day preceding it. And that, of course, led to an important question: how much of yesterday actually happened?


    Lorel could still remember every bit of it: school, his bouts with Loch at the DFH, the anxiety and fear their talk had instilled... Stop, he chided himself, pushing himself back into a sitting position and letting his feet dangle off the edge. There''s no point in thinking about it.


    Everything that came after, too. Quarreling with Aria, stealing a skimmer to save the two strangers, dodging the Tideguard... And then their father''s icy fury in the wake of it all. Those were the parts of yesterday that he had trouble reconciling. He could still remember taking action; tearing the spaceship in half, ferrying both pilots back to the surface, but against the morning calm, the memories themselves felt... Distant. Muted.


    Am I in shock? He wondered, bringing another hand to his face to inspect it. The flesh was smooth and flawless; just as it had been before.


    ... Nah, Lorel decided, pushing himself off the bed. He had no injuries to speak of, and whatever he felt was far too benign for such a label; it stemmed from discomfort, rather than from fear of death or harm. And that discomfort, in turn, stemmed from the dissonance of the day before.


    Yesterday had been frenetic. Emotional.


    Today was normal- so far, at least.


    Plenty of time for that change.


    He shivered as his feet landed on the cold, smooth far below. Lorel slept on a top-only bunk; small as their home was, he and Aria each had their own room- something both of them were decidedly grateful for. Not that either of them really had many belongings. The only other furniture in his room was a small desk set under the bet, with a chair to match.


    Though the closet set into his far wall was rather large, all things considered, he owned less than ten total outfits. And two of those were meant for formal occasions, utterly unsuited for the rigors and events of everyday life.


    Lorel grabbed his holo-watch from its glassy surface, slipping it on and checking the time as he stepped towards the window. It was the largest object in his room, taking up the entire corner and most of each wall, and had a ledge underneath; something he''d installed himself.


    6:45.


    What day is it? Wednesday. Too early to do anything meaningful, and too late to go back to sleep.


    Great.


    Stretching both arms above his head, he reached for the open window. But instead of sliding it shut, he flung it open, shivering at the swell of cool morning air that swept over him in response.


    Daybreak on Torrent was beautiful. The weak, early daylight of their neighbor star streamed down, glinting off the ocean''s surface and mingling with the planet''s blue-green glow.


    Lorel took a deep breath, savoring the cool air that soothed his lungs. He stood there for a time, just watching the mingling lights tones that spread out in front of him. It was like watching an endless battle between legions of living light: streams of warm sunlight from above, and the cold quiet of Coral below.


    Taking another breath, he hoisted himself up onto the window''s ledge, sitting so that his knees were pressed up against his torso. Each heartbeat echoed against his own flesh, spurred on by the anxiety born of the day prior. He closed his eyes, hugging his legs, in an attempt to calm his racing heart.


    And, little by little.


    Bit by bit.


    The sounds of his homeworld washed away his fear; the sounds of rushing water and wind similar yet distinct from one another.


    He counted fifteen more seconds- and then opened his eyes. The splendor before him was certainly no different than before, but seemed all the brighter. That''s better. Letting out another breath, he released his legs, reaching out to close the window. Enough of that.


    Lorel shook his head, chasing away the last few thoughts of yesterday before turning back into his room. The silence was nearly deafening, now, in comparison. He checked his watch again.


    7:00.


    He pushed off the ledge with a grimace. I hope Aria got some sleep. The bags under her eyes were much darker than last time he''d seen her; he wasn''t quite sure how much his sister was sleeping, but he was sure it was very little- if at all. That''s probably one of the reasons dad punished her, too. For all the trouble they got into, their father went out of his way to look after the siblings- perhaps more than they deserved.


    The lights came on as he slid the closet door open; a cold, white hue with the barest hint of pale green. Lorel selected his outfit with hardly a care- a pair of worn jeans and a dark blue shirt- before stepping out of his room.


    Their "house", if it could really be called that, was really a repurposed Tideguard outpost, built well before anyone in their home had ever taken their first breath on Torrent. On a very technical level, complete with terms and jargon that went far, far above his head, they didn''t actually own their home: it was too close to the city''s edge for that. The only reason they were allowed to live there was because of his father''s position in the Tideguard- and his own honorary one.


    It had taken on a more homely shape over the many years they''d lived there, but some things were difficult to truly change- like the metal-and-glass construction that formed its foundation. They''d had rugs, for a while, but they seemed too out of place within the vaguely futuristic-looking lodging.


    Lorel found himself within arm''s reach of Aria''s room; one of the side effects of their decidedly odd dwelling. Reaching out, he slid it open carefully.


    Hers was much, much messier, but not really due to belongings. That implied ownership of some sort, and Lorel was fairly certain that his sister had no real claim to the expensive-looking equipment that sporadically appeared in- and disappeared from- her room.


    The door thumped open on the other side. Not loud, but enough to stir his sister from whatever fitful sleep she''d found atop her bed. "Lorel?"


    "Did I wake you?" He asked softly.


    "Nn..." Aria sat up straight, blearily rubbing her eyes with one hand. "I don''t know... I was reading something."


    Lorel stepped inside, careful to avoid the loose papers scattered across every flat surface. Her bed was no exception. It was even worse off, in fact, entirely covered in small white sheets that were, in turn, covered with small black text. "Wow. You''re really letting yourself ago." Those were yet another result of Loch''s influence.


    She scowled. "Not helpful."


    "That implies I was trying to be." He leaned over to pick up the closest one- the top of a pile stacked haphazardly on her nightstand, intending to read it.


    He gave up after ten words. "I cannot make heads or tails of this."The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Aria tied her hair into a messy bun before responding. "Are you sure you''re my brother?"


    "Guess I''m not the only who asks myself that from time to time." Lorel handed the paper back to her. "Did you get any sleep?"


    His sister nodded, arching her back and stretching her arms out in front of her. "A bit... What?" She asked, confused, as he stepped past the papers to peer down at her face.


    "I''m trying to see if those bags under your eyes got any better."


    "... Why?"


    "Because you''ve been pushing yourself too hard."


    Lorel expected Aria to protest. Instead, she simply sighed. "Maybe. I think dad noticed."


    "Ah." He straightened, realizing that she''d come to the same conclusion. "You think so, too?"


    She nodded again. "Yeah. It makes more sense that way."


    "Does this mean that you''ll forget about all of this..." Lorel gestured around to the various papers in her room- and to the somewhat intimidating piece of equipment in the center of her room. "While you''re home?"


    "Maybe. There''s-"


    "Because it should," he interrupted. "You spend more time over there than you do here. At home."


    Lorel saw the protest form on Aria''s lips. He opened his mouth, intending to rebut whatever fanciful notion she spoke next-


    "Alright."


    -- Only to blink in surprise as she agreed. "That easily?"


    She scowled. "Did you think I would just ignore you?"


    "I guess not."


    Between them, she was older by nearly two years, but that had never stopped Aria from heeding his advice. "Does that mean you won''t be going to the lab today?"


    Aria stretched her arms out in front of her again before responding. "Not until next week." She flopped back down on her bed with a sigh. "Promise." And then, after a pause. "I guess this means yesterday really did happen."


    Lorel laughed aloud at that, so suddenly that Aria stiffened for a moment. "Even in the face of national incident, dad''s fury reigns supreme, eh?"


    "Yeah." She closed her eyes. "But he always has his reasons."


    "He does." It was one of the reasons he respected their father. "Food?" He asked stepping back and half-out of Aria''s room. That was the only real reason he''d risked rousing his sister- because she likely wouldn''t eat otherwise. "It''ll be simple, though. I don''t know how much food there is in the house."


    Aria nodded, already half-asleep.


    "Hey," Lorel said, stepping back and sliding her door half-closed. "If you''re not awake by the time I''m done, I''m carrying you to the roof- after thoroughly soaking you."


    Her only response was to raise one arm wordlessly.


    "I''ll take that as permission."


    The same light as before followed his footsteps to the kitchen. The teapot still sat on the stovetop. It made for a strange sight; worn, faded, and in places, chipped metal against the sleek walls that formed their home. Picking it up, Lorel removed the lid. Half-full; he and Aria had gone through another pot and a half before turning in for the night.


    Lorel whipped the water into a frenzy first, scouring the sides clean of whatever debris found its way inside overnight before willing it to leave as a single twisting stream. Holding both ends of it, he dropped it into the sink before turning on the faucet to replace it.


    Tapping the heat on, he turned back to the cabinets. They were mostly empty- hardly surprising, considering the individuals that comprised their family- but always held a choice few items for moments like these. Stocked by him, for the most part.


    There you are.


    It took him a minute to find the loaf of bread, tucked away behind a stack of small plates. The bacon was easier, considering it was one of only a few items in the fridge. Lorel took that and the eggs from the fridge, retrieving a pan before thumbing another stovetop on.


    He flipped the first few strips of bacon before moving on to the eggs. Rather than cracking them by hand, Lorel reached over to turn the faucet on. He caught the water that flowed forth; with his hand, at first, and then with his mind. Twisting it into a small stream, he picked up all that remained; six in total.


    It wasn''t really cracking so much as it was pulverizing.


    The eggshells simply burst apart. Adding the eggs themselves to the pain was a comparatively easy task; he simply pulled the water back, making sure to catch all the hard specks held within, and they dropped down into the pan. It was funny, in a way- small moments like these were when he was most grateful for his powers.


    He looked up just in time to see Aria step into the kitchen, woken by the sound- or perhaps scent- of food cooking. She''d traded her black sleepwear for a pair of shorts and a simple white t-shirt.


    "Can you grab a couple of plates? There''s bacon and eggs. Give me a few minutes for the toast."


    "Alright." She sidled up next to him. The kitchen- if it could really be called that- was just barely wide enough for them to stand with their backs to one another. "Thanks for cooking."


    Lorel half-nodded, half-ducked under the cabinet as she opened it. "It''s just bacon, eggs, and toast. Don''t get your hopes up too high."


    "Still," she said, placing the plates by the stovetop before stepping out of his way. There were three in total, one large one, and two smaller ones. "Thank you."


    He said nothing more, opting instead to shovel a portion of food- more than half- onto the lager plate. This was a small price to pay if it meant Aria would actually eat. "Here." He handed it to her without looking. "Go eat at the table."


    By the time Lorel joined his sister, his own food in hand, she''d already devoured her bacon and a good portion of her eggs. "Here." He scraped more egg and a couple more strips of bacon onto her plate. "Eat more. I''ll pick something up on the way to school."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yeah. There''s plenty of time left. Do you want any butter?"


    "Dry is fine," she answered, taking two slices of toast from the larger plate. "Again. Thank you."


    Lorel snorted. "All I did was heat up a pan and put some food on it."


    "Maybe," Aria responded, taking another bite. "But it beats what I''ve been eating." She swallowed. "Is there any tea left?"


    "I star-"


    As if on cue, the kettle let out a sharp whistle, interrupting him.


    "Speak of the devil."


    He stood to retrieve it, as well as the two mugs they''d used previously. "Same as last night?"


    "Please."


    When he returned, Aria had gone through the rest of her food, save for the second piece of toast. "What exactly have you been eating?"


    "Ration bars."


    Lorel grimaced. "You know those don''t really qualify as meals." The chalky grey bars were packed full of nutrients- plenty to last the average person for extended periods of time- but hardly filling.


    "I know."


    He poured Aria''s cup first, seeping it just as he''d done the night before. "You need to eat actual food," he said firmly. "Even if it''s just coming home a couple of nights a week so that I can make something."


    She took a sip before replying. "Just because I chastised you last night doesn''t mean it''s your turn now."


    "You know that''s not why I''m chastising you."


    "... I know."


    "So?"


    His sister took another sip. "Alright," she finally acquiesced. "I''ll be home a couple of nights a week."


    "Good." Lorel grinned. "I''ll be sure to bring Loch around, too. I''m sure he''ll be happy to see you."


    That comment made Aria sputter and then cough. "What does he have to do with anything?!" She asked, vigorously hammering her chest with one hand.


    "Absolutely nothing," Lorel said, grin widening, "but I said I''d bring him by, so I will."


    "... Seriously," Aria said, chasing away the last of her coughs with yet another sip. "There''s nothing between us."


    "That doesn''t mean that there can''t be."


    "You know," she said, setting her mug down. "Most people would be upset if their best friend and sister became romantically involved."


    "Am I most people?"


    "... No."


    "Then I rest my case." Lorel picked up his fork. "And besides, you two are my favorite people in the universe. Why wouldn''t I be happy for the two of you?" Just as he was about to take the first bite-


    "Lorel."


    Aria whispered his name.


    He stopped short, fork just inches from his mouth. It wasn''t the sudden change of topic, or even volume, that made him pause. It was her tone- the same one she''d just the day before.


    "... What is it?" He asked, setting his fork back down.


    "Look at this." She fiddled with her holo-watch, pulling up a terminal and throwing it onto the glass table.


    Lorel finished his bite before doing so. It was a newsfeed of some sort, detailing the spaceship that crashed yesterday. "So?" He asked, taking another bite. "It''s an international incident. A spaceship crashing on a planet that doesn''t have spaceships. "


    "Not that. Look." Aria swiped to the next one, and then the next. "This one, too."


    "... What am I supposed to be looking at?" He asked. "That''s it''s on the newsfeeds? That''s hardly surprising, either."


    "But you''re nowhere to be seen," she said, hurriedly flicking through a couple more. "All it says is that a Tidal aided in the rescue. That''s it. No name, no video."


    Lorel shrugged. "Sure, that''s weird. But so what?" He picked up a piece of toast. "We live in floating cities made on a planet of water that endlessly radiates something called Coral. That we use to power spaceships. And fly to other galaxies. How''s that for weird?"


    Aria frowned. "Why are you like this?"


    "I''ve always been like this. If you''re still surprised, that''s on you."


    She sighed.


    Rather than continue the conversation, Lorel picked up another piece of toast. "That''s enough for me." He stood, scraping the rest of his plate onto Aria''s before standing. "I need to get going."


    "Already? It''s still early. Aren''t you tired?" Schools started late on Torrent, but their house was further away than the city than most. Usually that didn''t matter- you were hardly ever more than a few minutes away from a rail station- but given their relative seclusion, it took him longer to arrive than practically every other student.


    "A bit," Lorel admitted, knowing that the fatigue was plain on his face. "But it''s far from the first time I''ve gone to school tired. And if I want to pick something up, it''s better to leave early." He reached down to close the newsfeed. "There''s still bread left, and there''s some cold cuts and cheese in the fridge. Eat, even if it''s something as simple as a sandwich."


    "... You do know that I''m the older sibling here, right?"


    Lorel chuckled. "I know." With that, he turned to leave. The morning light greeted him, as did the view of the ocean that he so loved. He took a deep breath. The anxieties and fear of the day before were still there, just... muted. At times like these, a dive would help him best. Failing that, physical activity was a somewhat distant second. Taking another breath, Lorel shook away the last of the early morning fog before setting off on a brisk jog.

 Chapter 11

    <div>


    It was the pain that woke Tala. Nothing terribly acute or uncomfortable, but a dull ache just pervasive enough to tug at the thin veil of sleep. She opened her eyes as it fell away, rubbing both hands over her face. Even that slight action caused waves of discomfort to spread through her body. Not that she had the gall to complain. Coral or no, walking away from a crash landing with no lasting injuries was as much as any pilot could hope for.


    She sighed. We really were lucky. Lucky that no one had died, lucky the safety safety mechanisms still functioned, lucky the Tideguard hadn''t jailed them... The list went on. Even losing the Suni wasn''t enough to dull the gratitude that came with simply being alive.


    What about Vanu? Tala looked across the room to see him sleeping on his side, face towards her. The slight pain in his expression caused a twinge of guilt. He had it worse than me. He''d nearly drowned- or perhaps he really had. Tala still couldn''t quite grasp what the Tidal had done. It could have been as simple as removing the water from his lungs, but you never knew with Augmented.


    She pushed herself from the bunk, stifling her groans and quieting her footsteps. Their dorm was small, and Vanu was a light sleeper. It had taken her a year to learn how to sneak out without waking him, and a second for them to reach a mutual agreement: he wouldn''t dissuade her from her activities, and in return, she wouldn''t try to leave him behind. It had served them well in the following years, but was also indisputably the reason for his close brush with death.


    Never again, Tala promised herself. She took pride in being headstrong- even stubborn- at times, but that and stupidity were two distinctly different things. Pushing on ahead despite the complete and utter lack of relevant flight data? That was stupid, no question about it.


    As was her tacit trust in the Suni. No matter how far they traveled, the universe would always have something new in store. And Torrent, as far as anyone knew, was entirely unique. Expecting everything to just work as usual was the height of foolishness.


    Now, in the aftermath, their very presence on the planet complicated things. Neither of them were supposed to be here, on the surface. It was one thing to change orders and adhere to them, but she''d failed to do so- and clearly caused a disturbance well beyond the norm.


    Tala sat on the edge of Vanu''s bed, keeping her weight on her feet to avoid waking him. I need to be more careful. This was far from the first time their lives had been in danger- and despite her new resolution, likely wouldn''t be the last- but it was certainly their closest call yet. And all because she''d been determined to see Torrent firsthand.


    He was a handsome young man, with regal features, golden hair, and emerald-green eyes. Despite that, she''d never once thought of him as more than a close confidant; or perhaps an older brother. Still- he was the person she was closest to, there was no doubt about that.


    "Hey," she whispered, gently brushing a few golden strands to the side. That, of course, woke him, but this was another part of their mutual agreement. These things were to be done face to face.


    Vanu''s dark green eyes snapped open, then relaxed as he caught sight of her. "What-?" He tried to sit, only to hunch over in pain, one hand clutching at his chest.


    "Shh." Tala gently pushed him back down. "You need to rest. My dad has sequestered me here for the time being," she added quickly, seeing the protest form on his lips. "I need to go see him, but I''ll be staying onboard for the time being. So rest. You need it." There was still the hint of an argument on his face, but in the end, logic won out.


    "Alright." The tension bled out of his body. "Let me know how things go with your father."


    Not "Admiral," or even "sir." Unlike her, Vanu was a member of the ICC through and through, but whatever position he officially occupied existed well outside the typical chain of command; a decidedly odd situation of her father''s own design. "Of course. He''s already promised me my choice of ship to replace the Suni. It won''t be long till we''re back to wandering the deep black."


    That clearly surprised him. "Already?"


    "I think he wants us of off-planet as soon as possible."


    "... You know why, don''t you?"


    "I have an idea." Her father was a soldier. Conflict was his workplace; even if he was seldom its cause. And this was Torrent, a planet of great interest to every single faction in existence.


    "This planet was always destined to become a battlefield." Vanu gave voice to her own thoughts, his tone somber. "I pity the people who live here. How long until we leave?"


    "He said six months, but I think that''s just the maximum. Given the situation, I imagine he''ll try to import whatever ship I choose just to be safe."


    "I hope you''re right."


    "So eager to leave already?"


    "After yesterday, I would welcome being on a planet with less water."


    Tala smiled at that. "Our next stop will be somewhere more hospitable. Terrain and people-wise. Promise. But for now, we''re here. Might as well make the most of it."


    "Seriously, though. Why so long?"


    "I''m not entirely sure. Something about entry and exit being closely controlled."


    "Getting here was easy enough."


    "It''s not like I gave that poor Navigator much choice."


    Vanu laughed, then coughed as a pained look crossed his face. "That''s true. I thought he was about ready to curl up and die." He took a shaky breath. "Did your father say anything about using his name?"


    She shook her head. He never did- that was his way of granting her the freedom that she so desperately craved. "Like I said, I still have to talk to him, though." Tala sighed. "I imagine he''ll be angry, now that things have had time to really settle."


    "You can''t exactly blame him."


    "I don''t. Of course I don''t." They were the ones who broke the rules.


    Well.


    Perhaps not broken, but they''d certainly... Bent them. In that sense, too, they''d gotten lucky. Maybe more than they deserved.


    "Speaking of which..." She stood, stretching her arms above her head and arching her back. Though still sore, the night''s sleep had done some good. "I still need to go find him. Sit tight. I''ll bring us back something to eat."


    "Thank you."


    The door slid open as Tala stepped up to it, then closed as she stepped past. They''d been given an officer''s dorm, no doubt thanks to her father''s influence.


    A crewmember flinched as she turned in his direction, then averted his eyes just as quickly. That was the most common reaction to her presence as she stepped down the glossy metal hallway.


    Some stole glances at her before turning away, but all averted their gazes- save for those unaware of who her father was. Those looks no doubt stemmed from curiosity over the lone girl in decidedly civilian clothing stepping through the halls of an ICC ship- and out of the officer''s hall, no less.


    She found no pleasure in their reactions. Technically speaking, she was a member of the ICC by virtue of her father''s status within the organization, but Tala rarely identified herself as such. There was no benefit to unnecessarily drawing people''s ire.


    It took her a few minutes to find his room. The carrier-class ship they were on bore many similarities to the one she''d grown up on, just... More modern. Where the walls of her childhood home had been worn and aged, those here were smooth and glossy. She knew well the metal jungle that lay just beyond, but the surfaces themselves bore few markings.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Raising one hand, Tala knocked on the door.


    "Come in." Her father''s voice sounded from the other side, muffled for a half-second as the metal pane slid off to the side. "Tala." He straightened in his seat as she stepped in, setting something aside in favor of fixing her with a dour gaze.


    She chose to remain silent, letting her feet carry her just a pace away from his desk. Only then did she dare look up to meet his eyes.


    "You''ve made things difficult for me here."


    ... Or rather, a section of the wall just past his head. "Sorry."


    "So you say."


    "And am."


    "Then the least you can do is explain your presence here."


    Tala shifted her feet before responding. "I wanted to see the planet''s surface for myself," she answered honestly. "I got permission to land. Did everything properly. You already put the order in. I just... Changed things around a little bit."


    One of her father''s dark eyebrows arched. "By using my name, no doubt."


    She didn''t refute his claim. There was reason to; nor did she have any real desire to lie to her father. Getting permission to skip or orbit was easy enough, but landing... that had been significantly more difficult- but not impossible. "You shouldn''t be too surprised. Torrent was always on my list."


    He crossed his arms. "You have a list?"


    "A pretty large one, too."


    "What''s next on this list?"


    "Valsi."


    "... Please tell me you''re joking."


    "I''m joking." That one was just a bit too radioactive to consider.


    "That''s a small consolation, considering. How is Vanu?"


    "As well as can be expected. I left him to rest. It seemed like he needed it. I''ll make do on my own till he''s all healed up."


    "Hm." Her father closed his eyes with a sigh.


    "Still trying to decide what to do with me?"


    "Yes."


    "I think there''s a clear enough solution right in front of you."


    "That being?"


    "We''re on a ship. Ships need maintenance."


    He reopened his eyes at that. "Thought that far ahead, have you?"


    Tala shrugged. "Having a useful skill tends to pay off." She had bartered, work for parts, in many different places. Out of selfishness, rather than any sort of necessity; a desire to remain unaffiliated with the many factions spread across the universe. But deep down, she knew it was pointless. Merely owning a spacecraft was an indisputable mark of wealth.


    That same wealth had allowed for piloting lessons as a child- and enabled her current lifestyle. It was hypocrisy. There were no two ways about it. It was something she''d struggled with in years prior, but since made peace with. The universe was filled with all sorts of injustice; ruing the privileges of her upbringing would do nothing to solve them.


    It was part of why she''d learned how to maintain the Suni herself. That was something she could do with her own two hands, completely free from outside interference. And it was useful. There was always a place for mechanics; even those whose skills were an odd combination of of high-level courses and firsthand experience.


    For the first time since entering, Tala looked her father in the eyes, fighting the urge to flinch. As much as she genuinely loved him, their relationship was complicated; made all the more so by the time they spent apart. "I hope I haven''t made things too difficult."


    "You were released as a personal favor to me," he responded quietly.


    Tala winced at that. "I''m sorry," she apologized sincerely, bowing her head. "I didn''t think things through well enough. I''ll be more careful in the future."


    Her father remained silent until she raised her head. "It seems you''ve reflected properly."


    "Yes. Vanu nearly died. He really would have, if not for the Augmented that helped us."


    "I imagine this isn''t the first time you''ve risked your lives." That was a warning, in a way. Even if he didn''t necessarily approve, he wouldn''t actively stop her, either- so long as she didn''t cross the line.


    "It''s not." Technically speaking, every flight was a risk. "But those risks were more..." she trailed off. "Manageable. And this is the first time our lives were in danger because I did something outright stupid." Tala felt her face redden at the self-admission, but there was no point in hiding it, and no use in stifling her shame. "I''m not going to make that mistake again." Especially because it wasn''t just her life at stake.


    He offered a wry smile. "Good."


    "... So how badly have I messed things up?"


    Her father sighed at that. "Despite how I made it sound, not terribly. The man I met with yesterday was rather... Unique. He called it a personal favor, but he seems to understand that I won''t violate my orders. I have another meeting with him, at some point."


    "Unique?" She thought back to the Tidal that had saved them. Unique seemed an understatement. "Was he also Augmented?"


    "No. What do you mean, also?"


    "I was thinking of the one that saved us," Tala answered absent-mindedly. "His personality is... Difficult to describe."


    "I met with a normal man yesterday. But I did also meet the Commander of the Tideguard... Who, incidentally, claims to be the father of the boy who rescued you."


    "Really? That''s hard to believe."


    "It would be an odd thing to lie about."


    "So you believe him?"


    "I do. And as much as he helped us, he also seemed to be intervening on behalf of the Tidal involved. It makes sense."


    "What was he like?" She asked, curious what sort of man would result in a son like him.


    "Normal, as far as Augmented are concerned."


    "That''s... Surprising."


    Her father arched an eyebrow at that. "This boy seems to have left an impression on you."


    Tala shrugged. "People always do. That''s why I travel." As much as she had already seen, there were still many more places to visit. The universe was a large place, after all. "But he was... Odd." She shrugged again. "Not that it matters. We''ll probably never see each other again." His words had been true enough.


    "I see."


    "So?" She asked, returning to the original topic. "How bad are things now?"


    "They could be much worse," he answered, somewhat tersely. "It would be one thing if you successfully landed, but you crashed in the ocean, far away from the spaceport, and likely have hundreds of witnesses across the whole city. That makes things more difficult. It gives them jurisdiction. For now, all they''ve asked is that you remain on-planet and are made available for questioning within six hours upon their request. That''s still subject to change."


    That was completely reasonable, all things considered. "So that''s why you said six months." That was the longest any singular entity could keep a non-citizen detained. The maximum of half a year was reserved for high-profile cases; but then, this certainly qualified.


    "Correct. My goal is to have whatever ship you choose imported here. You need to have a way off-surface if things go downhill sooner than expected. An unaffiliated one, ideally." Civilian crafts were rarely targeted, even in active warzones. And if something really did happen, regulations stopped mattering as much. "Have you chosen yet?"


    "... The Sola. But you shouldn''t start doing anything I figure out why the Suni crashed."


    "That was the next topic at hand. We opened an official query with Torrent. They already provided a fix. I don''t know all the details, but it seemed simple enough. I''m sure you''ll understand it better than me, at the very least. You still have your flight data?"


    Tala nodded. She''d already submitted it- to both the Tideguard and someone from the ICC- but had kept the original copy, knowing he would want it directly from her. "Here." She raised her wrist, sending the data from her holo-watch to her father''s. "I already submitted a copy to the ICC."


    "I expected as much."


    "... Will Vanu and I be off-planet in time?" Excited as she was to see Torrent firsthand, that was no reason to risk both their lives. It was one thing if they had a takeoff-capable craft at the ready. But now, with the Suni gone, they were stranded until the Sola arrived- and until she could make whatever fixes necessary.


    "Most likely. Our presence here is also meant to be a deterrent, at least for the time being. Worst case, I''ll pack you two into an escape shuttle and send you to the nearest port." Another craft that typically went untargeted- so long as they remained unarmed.


    "Does this mean what you''ve figured out what to do with me?"


    "Yes." Her father paused before continuing. "I originally said a week, but that was before everything else came to my attention. And as your father, I can''t overlook how reckless you were." His voice was not blaming, but matter-of-fact. "You handled it well, all things considered, but you should never have been in that position to begin with. You said it yourself, it was stupid."


    Tala remained silent. Those were her own words, after all.


    His tone softened ever so slightly. "I understand you''re curious about Torrent. Many are. But that''s nowhere near enough justification to risk your lives like you did today. You and Vanu are both to remain onboard until you''re allowed to leave the planet''s surface."


    Her back stiffened in protest, but Tala forced it to still. She was in no position to argue.


    "You''ll be joining the maintenance crew starting tomorrow. I don''t think I have to say this, but I expect you to listen to whoever''s in charge."


    She huffed. "Of course I will." This was a situation of hew own making; whoever got stuck with her deserved better than having to deal with a precocious Admiral''s daughter.


    "Good." Her father pulled a terminal up. "Come back here at 1630."


    "What for?"


    He smiled. "Nothing. I would just like to ask my daughter how she''s been over a meal."


    Tala returned his smile. "Of course, father." She stepped out as he pulled up a terminal. That went about as well as it could have. They''d gotten off lightly, all things considered. Torrent''s demands were perfectly reasonable- especially in light of whatever called her father here.


    She grimaced. Am I really that callous? People''s lives were about to be uprooted, and yet, here she was, concerned only with herself. Stop it, she scolded herself. This was yet another thing she''d wrestled with, but in the end, she was just a single person. Effecting change was well beyond her means. But that didn''t mean she would ignore their pain, either.


    Tala shook her head. Who am I kidding? Her sentiments were just as useless as her apologies. Little lies she told herself to make sleeping easier at night. They did nothing; helped no one. But that did nothing to change the truth, either. In the end, she was just one person.


    Raising her wrist, she fiddled with her holo-watch for a moment, connecting it to the ship''s feeds and selecting two. One a view of the city; the other of the ocean behind. She''d been excited to see the floating cities firsthand. Torrent was far from the only planet that used them, but theirs were the only self-sustaining ones, using the ambient Coral to keep themselves afloat.


    She sighed. I''ll just have to take what I can get. There were bound to be maintenance tasks that required exiting the carrier. It was a far cry from exploring the city on her own, but it was still something. At the very least, it was more than most people could say; exceedingly few ever set foot on the watery planet.


    With that in mind, Tala set off to find the mess hall. Vanu would be hungry by now- especially if her own hunger was anything to go off of.

 Chapter 12

    <div>


    Just as the rail station came into sight, Lorel knew he was going to be late. Or, rather, he chose to be late. Not for any grand reason; a very simple one, in fact.


    He was hungry. Though the run helped settle his mind, it left his body tired. The two pieces of toast he''d brought- and subsequently scarfed down during a break halfway to the station- did little to sate his hunger. Not that he really cared. Better him than Aria. And besides, it was a temporary thing.


    Instead of making his way to the station, Lorel took a sharp right. It took ten more minutes for Lani''s to come into view, and another two for him to reach it. He came to a halt out front, keeling over to catch his breath as he checked the time.


    8:15.


    Normally the streets would be full by now, but he was still on the outskirts. Those who lived here generally did so in an attempt to avoid the center noise. Anyone who lived further out was either an ocean worker, or eccentric. His own family? They happened to fit both criteria. Himself included.


    Lani looked up as he pushed the door open. "So late?" Her voice always sounded slightly strained. "Aren''t you going to be late for school?"


    "I''m always late for school."


    She shook her head. "I can never tell if you''re joking or not."


    Lorel grinned. "I''m always serious."


    Lani rolled her eyes. "And there you go again." She crossed her arms with a sigh. "If you want the usual, it won''t take too long. Just don''t go around blaming me when you''re late."


    "I would never."


    "The usual, then?"


    "Yes, please!" Lorel took a seat at the counter as Lani turned towards the stovetop, pulling up a feed on his holo-watch. She was one of two off-worlders that he knew; the other being Svyke. Or was that four now? Two, he decided after a moment''s thought. He''d only met the others in passing. And two was more than enough.


    In any case, Lani was decidedly different from Svyke. He wasn''t quite sure how old she was- although he had a sneaking suspicion it was older than even the grizzled spy- but where his profession had clearly taken its toll, Lani radiated a youth that defied her grey hair and worn skin.


    It was present in a way that was hard to explain; there to see in the way she spoke, the way she laughed, even the way she stood. She spoke little of her time before Torrent, but Lorel was determined to learn of it- either directly from the person herself, or by piecing together her fragmented stories.


    The people who chose to immigrate were few, and those accepted even fewer. It meant she had something to offer the planet. But for the life of him, he couldn''t figure out what- especially considering she always seemed to be here.


    Though it looked the same on the outside, her establishment- he wasn''t even sure if it had a name- was quite different from the others that surrounded it. Rather than the metal and glass that constructed most else, hers was rough wood and smooth stone. Even the stools and chairs. Just building it was no doubt an expensive endeavor, and made all the more puzzling by the seemingly carefree life that she lived.


    Lani was selective with her clientele. He''d only ever seen her serve him and Loch; and even that was only after he''d begged her profusely. Despite that, she never took money for her services, claiming their conversations were payment enough. But she''d never dug too deep, nor given him a reason to doubt her word. What she said, she meant.


    Maybe I''ll be able to bring Aria here now. Lorel had no doubt she would keep her word. Even as children, they''d taken their promises to one another seriously. Now, years later, it formed the foundation of their relationship.


    "Oi." She grabbed his wrist, holding her hand over the watch''s screen. "How many times do I have to tell you? None of that while you''re eating here."


    "Sorry."


    "I can see you''re hungry. Eat first. Everything else can wait until afterwards." Lani slid a plate and silverware set in front of him as she spoke, laden with scrambled eggs. "The rest will take a few more minutes."


    "Thank you."


    The corners of her lips curved into a slight smile. "Don''t forget this." She slid a mug across the stone countertop, filled with a semi-transparent orange liquid. Tea.


    Lorel laughed. "Thanks again." She''d only carried coffee, at first, but quickly began carrying tea when he and Loch became regular patrons. Now she always had something in stock- no matter how much she grumbled about it.


    He took a sip before picking up the fork. It tasted of tangy citrus, with just a slight hint of sweetness. "This is good," he said appreciatively. "Where is this from?"


    "Thali."


    "I''ll have to get some later."


    "I''ll give you a box to take home some other time." Lani placed another plate in front of him. This one held two large slices of sourdough toast, and half a dozen bacon strips. It was the same meal he''d cooked just over two hours ago, but there was no denying it: the scent of hers was far more appealing. "Isn''t your father going to be mad that you''re late?"


    He took a bite, knowing she wouldn''t mind. She''d put cheese in the eggs; despite that, hers were still fluffier. "What happened to waiting until I was done eating?" This was the one place in the city with food that was different from everything else. And, more than that, it was good. Really good.


    Still- he tried not to visit too often. Lani never said anything, but it was clear she was the type who valued the occasional solitude. That she''d accepted him so easily was already a stroke of luck, and not one he wanted to push.


    "Don''t give me that, boy. Especially not when I''m feeding you."


    Lorel shrugged. Unlike with Svyke, he took no offense when Lani called him that. She used it as a term of affection, not an insult. "Dad''s used to it by now. As long as I don''t cross the line, he won''t say anything." Being late toed it. Skipping put both feet firmly on the other side. He paused, remembering his sister''s words. "Unless they put a tracker on me. But they wouldn''t do that." Respect was a two-way street.


    "I pity your parents."


    "So do I. They have me as a son."


    "If you''re so aware of that, why not change your attitude?"


    "I''m serious when it counts."


    "You''re realize you''re contradicting what you said earlier, right?"


    "Yes. But I really mean it this time."


    Lani chuckled, crossing her arms and leaning back against the stovetop; completely disregarding to its scorching hot surface. "I believe you." She gestured with one hand. "Go on, eat. Talk can wait."The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Lorel dug in readily. The eggs went first; then the first piece of toast. Both slices were lathered in a savory garlic butter that was just salty enough to not be overwhelming. He saved the second, laying three bacon strips over it before folding it in half. He ate that before finishing off the remaining bacon, chasing it down with what remained of the tangy tea.


    "You were hungry," She said, watching as he leaned back in the chair. "Are you skipping meals now?"


    He shook his head. "Aria was home. She needed it more than I did." And wasn''t anywhere near as willing to go find food elsewhere.


    "Ah. No wonder you''re in a good mood. Am I ever going to meet her?"


    "Maybe. She agreed to be home a few nights a week... But Aria is definitely not a morning person." She preferred the dark and quiet. They were opposites, in that sense.


    "I see. I won''t hold my breath. So? What did you want to talk about?"


    "Who said I wanted to talk about something?"


    "You only ever come here when you want to talk about something."


    Lorel closed his eyes, yawning as a wave of drowsiness rolled over him. The food had warmed him from the inside out in a way that running couldn''t. "That''s not true. I come here for good food. The dry wit and sagely advice is just an added bonus."


    She laughed. "You and your silver tongue. I heard something interesting this morning. Something about a spaceship crashing. I don''t suppose you would know anything about that?"


    He cracked one eye open to look at her. "How''d you guess? My name isn''t anywhere on the news. Neither is my face."


    "It''s not much of a guess. A rogue Tidal who intervened to save two strangers, then ran away from the Tideguard? No one else would dare do that. Especially not when they were in the right. I''m sure anyone who knows you has at least an inkling."


    "Great. Now I have a scolding from Loch to look forward to."


    "He does it out of care."


    "I know."


    She leaned forward, reaching out to ruffle his hair. "And yet you continue on as always."


    "Those are two different things. Besides, Aria said she likes me the way I am." And no matter how much Loch grumbled, Lorel would have been chased away by now if he truly disliked it. They''d known each other since they were children.


    "Seems like you were blessed with a good family."


    "I was. A really good one, actually. I''m always grateful."


    Lani lowered her arm, resting her elbows on the countertop and resting her chin on both hands. Her grey eyes reminded Lorel of Aria''s, in some ways. They both held a raw intelligence, but where his sister''s were always thinking, always considering, hers were... Calm. Settled; but not quite tranquil. There was a subtle ferocity there, hidden within the depths of her iris.


    "You''re worried about what they represent." Her voice was unusually soft.


    Lorel opened both eyes. "Seriously. That''s twice now. Am I really that easy to read?"


    She snorted. "Not in the slightest. But considering how many times you two have talked my ears off, I''d have to be a fool not to understand."


    "... Sorry."


    The grey-haired woman reached out to ruffle his hair again. "Don''t be." There was a hint of amusement in her voice. "I know you understand me better than that. If I disliked it, I would have chased you away by now." She leaned back against the stovetop. "You''re doubting your conviction."


    "I thought you said I wasn''t easy to read."


    "You''re not. But you''re still young. I admit, you have a better grasp of yourself than most, but you don''t have the experience to back it up."


    "Experience, huh?" Lorel leaned back in his chair, dangling his arms over its backrest as he stared up at the ceiling. No matter how many times he looked up at the coarse, grainy wood, there was something new to be found. "I guess you''re right," he said after a moment of thought. "If..."


    He trailed off, raising one hand to peer through his fingers. "If the time comes, I''ll do what I have to. I''ve thought that for years now. I''m not afraid of it... But I still am. I don''t know how to explain it." Lorel looked back down at Lani. "That''s weird, isn''t it?"


    "Not at all." She straightened, reaching down to stack the leftover plates. "For those of us born on the surface, the first flight is always nerve-wracking. Sims can only do so much. When you''re there, in the ship, while it''s shaking... You can''t help but think there''s a chance you might die. No matter your resolve, the real thing always tests it."


    Another piece of the puzzle- and another thread to pull at. "You say that as if you''ve seen a lot of people take their first flight."


    "That''s because I have."


    "So? What exactly did you do before coming here?"


    A slight smile tugged at her lips. "Why would I just tell you? It''s more fun seeing you wrack your brain trying to guess."


    "I''ll figure it out someday."


    "I''m sure you will." Lani refilled his mug. "What you''re feeling is normal. Best you get used to it. You''ll experience it many more times when you get off-planet."


    "Why do you think I''ll ever leave?"


    "I hope you do," she said, her voice serious.


    "Why?"


    "Because it''ll mean you survived."


    "Wow. That''s dark."


    "Forgive my macabre sense of humor. Jokes aside, the universe is a large place. It would be a shame if you only experienced such a small portion of it."


    "I like it here."


    "Plenty of oceans out there. With floating cities, too. And much, much, more than that."


    "Not the same. It''s all ocean here. And besides, what would I do for work?" He had a clear path forward here on Torrent. Harvesting Coral or patrolling the ocean might not be the most glamourous occupation, but it was simple. And more importantly, would keep him in the water.


    "There''s always plenty of work for Augmented. Especially ones of your caliber."


    "How would you know what caliber I am?"


    "Gut feeling."


    "And there goes my next guess. You''re being generous today."


    "I have to keep you coming back somehow."


    "I''m flattered, but I''m not even sure I''ll remain Augmented off-planet." Lorel reached for his mug, draining it in one go before checking his watch.


    Her voice softened. "I''m not saying that you should leave Torrent forever. Just that there''s so much more out there. Like I said, the universe is large. Larger than the human mind can properly imagine. Living your whole life on any one planet is a waste. And there''s never been a case of an Augmented losing their powers so far. I don''t see why you would be any different."


    9:15. They''d been talking for quite a while already.


    "Have you seen the planet we live on? I think different sums it up perfectly." Not that he really had the experience to say that. But all the books, all the news, everything he''d ever read shared a common opinion: Torrent was unique. No matter how far they delved into space, they might never find anything like it.


    Lani laughed. "Fair enough."


    "I need to get going," he said, setting the mug back down.


    "I concur."


    "Aw. So eager to get rid of me? I thought we were closer than that."


    "Oh, hush." Lani swatted his hand away before moving taking it away, placing it somewhere behind the bar top. "I''m always happy to feed you, but I won''t be the one to derail your life."


    "Don''t worry. I do that just fine on my own."


    "I''m sure you do." She shooed him away with one hand. "Now, get out of here. I can feel the beginning of a migraine coming on, and I''m pretty sure you''re the cause."


    "So mean..." Lorel pouted, but pushed himself off the seat regardless. Joke or no, Lani was right. He''d spent enough time here. "Let me pay-"


    "No." Lani cut him off with a shake of the head. "Our riveting conversations are payment enough."


    "Alright." He couldn''t quite tell if she was being sarcastic. It seemed not, but then, you never knew with her.


    "And bring your sister by some time. After hearing so much about her, I''d like to meet her."


    He paused halfway out the door, one palm pressed against the smooth glass. "Sure. It might be a while, though. I''m kinda on house arrest right now."


    "And yet you''re here."


    "Like I said: busy derailing my life." He pushed his way out at that, bringing one hand up to block the bright sunlight that streamed down from above. Taking a breath, Lorel closed his eyes and just stood there for a moment. His mind was completely clear now; not the barely repressed mess it had been before. Talking with Lani always helped.


    I''ll have to bring Aria here. He held no suspicion towards her- in part because their father was well aware of Lani. He''d told him of her strange establishment. His reaction? To offer a single nod. But that was answer enough. If the mysterious woman posed any sort of danger, he would have said so- regardless of regulations.


    What sort of relationship do we have? To him, she felt like a grandmother of sorts. Or at least, that''s what he assumed having one would feel like. Neither he nor Aria had ever met either set. I''ll have to ask her next time. He was curious what sort of answer she would provide.


    Lorel chose to walk to the rail station- and slowly, at that. Though not quite fatigued, the initial run, in combination with his poor sleep, certainly left him tired. He thought of nothing in particular, content to let his mind truly rest for the first time since yesterday''s chaos.


    Though late morning by now, there were only a handful of people waiting for the next rail car. Four, to be exact. They paid him no mind; save for one, whose eyes lingered on his navy hair for a moment before returning to something on his holo-watch.


    The next car pulled up just as he stepped into line. They stood just to the right of the doors as they opened, avoiding the deluge of people that streamed forth. The vast majority were dressed in wet gear of some sort; ranging from simple wetsuits to bulky pressure suits.


    A small portion were dressed in normal clothing. Those were likely to be Tidals; unbothered by either depth or pressure. He saw only two that shared the color of his hair.


    It took nearly a minute for the stream of people to die down. Lorel was the last to step onboard. The car itself wavered with every step taken by its passengers, dipping and rising so slightly it was nearly imperceptible.


    A wave of drowsiness rolled over him as he took a seat; borne from a combination of the warm food and prior physical activity. Instead of fighting it, he closed his eyes, leaning back as the railcar began to move. If he did fall asleep, his holo-watch would wake him when it was time.

 Chapter 13

    <div>


    Lorel, of course, fell asleep on the railcar. Sort of. Rather than completely asleep, he hovered somewhere between the sleep and the waking world, aware of the vehicle''s gentle rocking and general clamor, but oblivious to much else. Years of practice had taught him to tune out the conversations of others.


    Some part of his barely-conscious mind mulled over the many events of the past 36-odd hours, but it bore no conscious thought.


    He jerked awake as his watch vibrated- bashing his head against the glass window as the dark veil slipped away. "Ow..." Ignoring the eyes that turned towards him, Lorel jumped to his feet as the glass doors slid open. He was the last one to join the line, and the last one to step down.


    However brief, the rest had done him good. He felt refreshed- both mentally and physically- save for the dull ache in his legs. But then, that was hardly surprising. He''d spent the better part of his morning so far running.


    He let out a yawn, tilting his head upright as he walked. Treading through the city on foot was always an... interesting experience. Its actual scale was difficult to truly grasp, given that it housed buildings as tall as skyscrapers.


    Lorel had read about their construction long ago; the topic and its many branching paths had spurred on more than a few sleepless nights. The cities themselves were built in the vacuum of space, then transported and dropped on the planet. Most large-scale projects were built that way. Apparently it was easier when orientation stopped mattering as much.


    Regardless, the initial process had been long- and expensive. Long-distance travel was exponentially more difficult before the discovery of Coral- just one of many ways the substance had made life easier for their species.


    They were retrofitted long before he was born; and that was something to be grateful for. They''d apparently become much stable since then. Not that there had been any catastrophes before, but still.


    It took two minutes for his destination to come into view. It looked like any other building, a glass-and-metal box with too many windows to count. Each layer bore a different iridescent hue; an effect of Coral weakening at higher altitudes. The lower floors were classrooms, and the upper ones offices.


    The door opened as he stepped up to it, revealing a row of many more. The building itself wasn''t really a school so much as it was a collective. At least, that''s the word he thought more apt. It hosted practically every sort of class imaginable, all the way up to the university level.


    Students were placed in classes that suited their needs and assessed on an individual level. That was ultimately the most efficient method, and helped guide them towards their interests. This was to be his last year here; and much of it had already passed. As for his path forward, well. There was more than one, but they all ended in the same place.


    Lorel moved based on instinct more than anything else; muscle memory built over year''s worth of time. Second floor, eighth door on the left.


    Every eye turned to him as he opened the door.


    "Yo."


    And then turned away. Save for Loch, who rolled his eyes. "You''re late again."


    "I''m always late." Lorel poked his head in. "Where''s teach?"


    "With Arel. You forgot what day it is, didn''t you?"


    He frowned. "It''s not exams, is it? I thought we finished those last week."


    "That''s because we did. We''re doing individual evaluations today."


    "Oh." Lorel took a seat. Not a literal one- instead, he sat on top of the desk closest to Loch. "That''s it?"


    "Still as carefree as always."


    "Always."


    Loch sighed in relief, snapping his book shut. "Then I guess the news wasn''t about you."


    "The spaceship? That was me alright."


    He stiffened. Not only that, his whole body jerked as the book he held fell from his hand.. "That was?!"


    "Sure was." There was no point hiding it. Loch would find out one way or another. That he hadn''t already was somewhat strange. "I''m surprised you didn''t know. Dad chewed me out real good for running away."


    "I didn''t know because someone scrubbed every bit of data about you!"


    "Wow. You''re really angry."


    "Of course I am! That was insane! I heard about it and hoped it wasn''t you!"


    "Wait." Lorel held up one hand. "Dad, Aria, and Lani each already gave me their own talking-to. Do you think you''ll be able to add anything that they haven''t already said?"


    The other boy visibly clenched his teeth. "No."


    "Then do you really want to waste your breath on something I''m probably not going to listen to?"


    Loch sighed again. In resignation, this time. "I suppose not." He paused. "Probably?"


    "Three people I trust have all told me to be more careful. I''d be stupid to not at least consider their words."


    "... What exactly did they tell you?"


    "Let''s see..." Lorel raised one finger. "Dad chewed me out for dipping and forcing him to cover for me." He raised another. "Aria told me that sooner or later, I''ll be in the sort of trouble that I can''t talk my way out of." And a third. "Lani..."


    He hesitated, not wanting to dredge up his Loch''s worries yet again. But regardless of what he thought, his friend was the type of person to value the truth. "I stopped by Lani''s to eat and ask for some advice."


    Loch''s blue eyes narrowed. "Advice about wh-"


    The sound of the door opening- followed by someone shouting- interrupted him. "Lorel!"


    They both turned to face the doorway at that. Arel was frozen in an awkward half-step, a look of panic on her face.


    Lorel raised one hand to wave her to the side. "She''s mad at me, not you."


    It took her nearly two full seconds to recover, and when she finally stepped away, a tinge of red had already crept across her cheeks.


    Their teacher stepped in a moment after. She was a middle-aged woman, with short, pale blonde hair, and tomboyish features that matched her stern attitude.


    "Sita!" That was how she preferred to be addressed. Not Miss Sita, or Miss, or even teacher, but by her name. Sita. It was odd, perhaps, but something every one of them appreciated. It was a sign of respect.


    She stopped short. "Yes?"


    "Nothing. I just thought we were shouting each other''s names."


    "You''re late."


    "I''m always late." Lorel was starting to feel a bit like a broken record. How many times was that now?


    "Why are you like this?"


    "Because I can get away with it."


    "Hearing that causes me physical pain every time."


    "Because I''m right?"


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Yes."


    That exchange summed up the nature of their relationship. They were cordial; respectful, even, but Sita had very little real control over him. Or anyone in the class, for that matter. As long as they kept their grades up, they were given quite a bit of freedom.


    Something Lorel was all too happy to exploit. To an extent, at least. He didn''t want to cause too much trouble. He liked her too much for that.


    "You know what we''re doing this week, right?"


    "Individual evaluations, right? You could just save us both the time and-"


    "Not happening."


    "Why not?"


    "Because regardless of our class structure, I take my job seriously." There was no denying that. Despite hardly ever holding a real session, Sita was always available, and ready to help. And not just matters regarding education, either- she''d lent an ear to a student more than once.


    "Fair enough."


    "I''m glad you understand. You''re up next."


    "Seriously?"


    "Seriously."


    "Why?"


    "This is my way of getting back at you."


    "That seems personal."


    "It is personal. But unless you can give me a good reason why you shouldn''t be up next, that''s how it is."


    "I don''t have a good reason why I shouldn''t be next."


    "Then it seems our course of action has been decided."


    "So it seems." He turned back to his friend- only to find that the black-haired boy had already returned to his book. "So cold. Do I still have a lecture to look forward to?"


    Loch spared no more than a momentary glance upwards. "I haven''t decided yet."


    "Let me know when you make up your mind."


    "Believe me, you''ll know."


    Lorel pushed himself off the desk, following Sita as she stepped back out of the classroom.


    She had a slight sway to her stride; so small it was barely noticeable. More than that, there was a always a trace of tension present in her shoulders. The reason for that was exceedingly simple.


    Everyone in their class was a Tidal, so naturally, their teacher was as well. The government could hardly ask a normal human to keep watch over Augmented, after all. And this was far more efficient than handing out every


    Lorel wasn''t quite sure how skilled Sita really was, but she was certainly quite adept. She wouldn''t have been given this assignment otherwise.


    "So?"


    "So what?"


    "What do I have to do to convince you that this is a waste of both our time?"


    Silence fell to the end of the hallway.


    "Hey."


    No response.


    "You know I''ll just keep annoying you until you give me a response. You might as well save us both the time."


    Still no response.


    "If you''re going to give me the silent treatment, I think I deserve to know why."


    "Because you''re hard to deal with," Sita answered matter-of-factly, not even bothering to turn around or pause her stride. "Letting a student throw me off kilter would be a failure on my part as a teacher."


    "All the more reason for you to just let me off. I respect you as a teacher and a person, but I already know what I want to do."


    She lapsed back into silence, this time lasting until they reached her office. It was a small cube, about half the size of their classroom, and covered in posters. And unlike Aria''s room, they had clearly been placed with careful consideration for each.


    Each and every one was handmade; gifts from the many students she''d had over the years. Sita was clearly loved, but more importantly for her, the posters served to make the small room more welcoming. She was always looking out for them in one way or another.


    The only furnishing present was a small wooden desk, and two matching chairs, one on each side.


    She took the seat on the far side. A lesson learned from the first of their evaluations. "So."


    Lorel took the other. "So... What?"


    "How are you?"


    He thought about it for a moment. "Better than I was yesterday." Or this morning, even.


    Sita raised an eyebrow. "I don''t suppose it has anything to do with this?" She asked, pulling up a feed.


    Lorel knew what it would be- news of yesterday''s crash- but winced all the same. "Did you hear that from the Tideguard?" She occupied a position in the organization, but where his was honorary, hers was more... Official.


    "No."


    "Damn. I guess I''m getting predictable."


    She snorted at that. "Hardly."


    "Then how''d you know?"


    "Because it''s not a matter of predictability. You ran away from the Tideguard. Do you know anyone else audacious enough to do that?"


    "No."


    "And there you have it."


    Lorel sighed. "Could you at least spare me the lecture? I''ve already had three people tell me off already, and I''m pretty sure Loch is getting ready to give me another one."


    "Good. You deserve it." Sita closed the feed with a flick of her finger. "If you''re here, though, it means your dad already chewed you out-"


    "He did."


    "- which also means it''s not my place to chastise you any further. We''ll just do the individual evaluation and be done with it."


    "... I think I''d rather get lectured again."


    She frowned. "It''s really not that bad."


    "It''s not," Lorel admitted.


    "Then why are you always so reluctant?"


    He thought about it for a moment. "Because I respect you. What you say here isn''t going to change my mind. I don''t want you to waste your time on me when you could be helping someone else."


    "Don''t say that," Sita said, her voice gentle despite its admonishing tone. "This is my job. Like I said, I take it seriously. Besides, I enjoy the time I spent with each and every one of you." She paused. "Even if you can be difficult to handle sometimes."


    "I''ll have you know I take that as a compliment."


    A slight smile tugged at the corners of her lips, lasting only a brief moment. "I take it you still intend on joining the Tideguard or working as a Coral harvester?"


    "Yes."


    "Which one are you leaning towards?"


    "Working as a Coral harvester. I think the Tideguard would be a bit too restrictive." And his father had never once expected Lorel to follow in his footsteps. He didn''t actively encourage it, but neither did he discourage it. The meaning of that was rather obvious: do what you think is best.


    Sita nodded. "I agree. Being part of the civilian reserve is one thing, but being an active member is different."


    Lorel stood. "Does that mean I can go now?"


    "No," she said, voice suddenly sharp. "Sit back down."


    He promptly did so. "What exactly are you looking to get out of me? I''ve told you the same thing every year. This one is going to be no different."


    "But it is different," Sita said, more gently than before. "It''s your last year here. That means it''s important, regardless of what you think. As for what I''m looking to get out of you, well. It''s the same as always. I just want you to apply yourself. That''s it."


    "I am applying myself."


    "Not as much as you could."


    "Because I don''t want to."


    "I really hate when you say that."


    Lorel shrugged. "My grades are good."


    "Yes, they are. There''s many more places you can go with them. University-"


    "Pass. Aria has done more than enough for both of us on that front."


    Sita sighed. "Let me finish. Even if not university, then there are other things you can do. Things that will still keep you in the water."


    "... Like what?"


    "You could be a teacher like me."


    He stared at her, mouth half-open, stunned into silence.


    "Wow. I don''t think I''ve ever seen you actually speechless before. Should I take a picture? I''m sure Loch would print and frame it." He most certainly would do just that- even if a digital frame would be much more convenient.


    Lorel cleared his throat, intending to rebut her suggestion. Instead, only two words came out. "You''re serious."


    "Well, you certainly recovered quickly." Sita leaned back in her chair, the slight smile on her face now blooming into a full one. "But yes, I''m serious."


    "I would make a terrible teacher."


    "Do you really think so?"


    He answered without hesitation. "Yes."


    "Why?"


    "I don''t know if you''ve realized it yet, but I''m pretty strange. Like, really strange."


    "You are."


    "Wow. That stings."


    "You said it first. And you look completely unfazed."


    "I''ve got a good poker face."


    "I''m sure you do. But yes, I''m being serious."


    "Why?"


    "I happen to think you''d make a good teacher."


    "Again: why?"


    "Because you know who you are. That counts for a lot. I think it would be good for students to see that in someone closer to their age. And despite how you act, you''re always willing to lend a hand or ear. That''s important too."


    "That can''t be it," he said, frowning. Even I''m worried I might be a bad influence on the next generation."


    "... It helps that your combat proficiency is so high."


    "Ah. There we go. You want me to keep others in line."


    "That''s part of it," Sita admitted. "deally, you''d be in charge of a class like ours, one that does away with most direct instruction. You''d be given a lot of freedom. I''m sure you could convince the higher-ups to hold classes on the coast if you really wanted to."


    Lorel shook his head. "I''m not interested."


    "There is another reason, you know."


    "That being?"


    "You didn''t see the news, did you?"


    "I didn''t need to see it. I was part of it."


    "That''s not what I mean." Sita pulled up another feed. More news, but this time, something he hadn''t seen before. Another spaceship, but this one many magnitudes larger than the one he''d torn in half. And a different headline- ICC Representative Visits Planet.


    He frowned. "Dad got mad at me for messing with a representative, but their spaceship didn''t look anything like that."


    "There can be more than one, you know."


    "... I guess." Something still seemed off, but Lorel couldn''t quite put his finger on it.


    "I think it may be best for you to avoid activities that would get you noticed."


    Lorel arched one eyebrow. "Are you supposed to be saying that to me?"


    Sita laughed. "I''m a teacher first. Everything else comes afterwards. Besides, they wouldn''t have given me this position if I wasn''t willing to cross some lines for my students." She closed the feed. "It wouldn''t be right away. You''d still need a couple more years of education, among a few other things."


    He closed his eyes. "Still not interested." If the topic had come up this morning, he might have been more hesitant- but Lani had helped stifle the last of his fears. "Besides, if something happens, every Tidal is going to be called on anyways.I t happens to the whole planet. "


    "It could help you spend more time with your sister."


    "... How?" That, at least, was worth hearing out. He loved Aria. She had her own life, of course, but each of them were constants in the other''s. That most- nearly all- of her time now was spent away felt... Strange.


    "Like I said, it would involve a few more years of education. Your grades are more than good enough to test for admission to her institution. It might not be a lot, but I''m sure you''d see more of each other."


    He hesitated. Aria had already promised to spend more time at home, but...


    "I''ll think about it."


    Sita nodded, apparently satisfied with that answer. "Good. That wraps it up for our evaluation."


    "Really?"


    "Yes, really. Your grades are good, and despite your... Strange personality, you''ve always passed your psych evals."


    "That''s unexpected."


    She sighed. "No matter what I think, if you''re certain you''d be content working as a Coral harvester, it''s not my place to tell you otherwise."


    "Thanks."


    "You''re very welcome."

 Chapter 14

    <div>


    "That''s all that''s really on the agenda for today. You can leave if you want to."


    "Really?"


    "Yes, really."


    "Then why is everyone still here?" Their class had already been in session for some time. That every single one of his classmates had voluntarily chose to stay behind was hard to believe.


    "They were waiting for you."


    "Me? Why?"


    "They all saw the news. They''re all curious. And of course, they''re not going to let you go until you answer their questions."


    "Oh. Great. Is it really that obvious?"


    "Yes and no."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "Not everyone is certain. Most just suspect. But they''re suspicious enough to tie you down, that''s for sure."


    "Great."


    "I know you''ll humor them."


    "Why are you so sure?"


    "Because you always make time for the people that worry about you."


    "You know I''m not friends with all of them, right?" That wasn''t particularly odd. There were ten of them in total; some were bound to mesh poorly. And considering how many odd personalities there were- his own included- it was really only to be expected.


    "I know. But you''re at least acquainted with all of them, right?" That wasn''t unusual, either. They''d been in the same class for more than half a decade at this point. Even if their lives didn''t necessarily intersect, they certainly brushed up against one another''s. "You''ll answer their questions. No matter how much you whine and moan."


    "Being particularly mean today, are we?"


    Sita chuckled. "Things are winding down here. We probably won''t be seeing much of each other regardless of what path you take. Consider this backpay for the years I''ve spent dealing with you."


    "You may want to reconsider your pricing model. Seems like I''m getting off light."


    "That''s because you are."


    "Gee, thanks." For the second time that day, every eye in the classroom turned towards Lorel as the door slid open. Only about half the class remained- some had no doubt wrested their answer from Loch. "Stop looking at me like that. I''m shy."


    A collective sigh ran through his remaining classmates.


    "Lila, you''re next."


    The green-haired girl jumped to her feet. Rather than a result of being Augmented, the color was her choice; as was the purple it had been before. Really, it was her passing influence that had led Aria to dye her own hair bright pink. Lorel was thankful for that. His sister needed some chaos in her life. The kind that didn''t have to do with the state of her bedroom.


    He stepped to the side, giving Lila room to follow Sita away and retaking his seat on the desk by Loch. "So? Have you decided whether I''m receiving another lecture?"


    "No."


    "No as in you haven''t decided, or no as in I''m not?"


    "No as in you''re not."


    "Dare I ask why?"


    "Because I trust you," Loch answered, turning a page in his book. "There are many, many things I could say, but everything comes back to that. Besides, you probably won''t change until you''re forced to." He glanced up. "What did Sita tell you? You weren''t there for long."


    "Has anyone taken long?" As far as Lorel knew, all of their grades were at least passing, if not outright good. They would have been transferred to another class otherwise.


    "No. I was the longest, and that was just because I had other things to ask her."


    "She told me I should consider becoming a teacher."


    He looked up at that, surprise clear on his face. "You too?"


    Lorel nodded. "Me too, apparently. Also, for the sake of the next generation, please don''t become a teacher. I think you''d bore them to death."


    "You don''t need to worry about that," Loch responded dryly. "I have no intention of becoming a teacher."


    "Well, that''s unfortunate. I actually think you''d make a great teacher."


    "You should make up your mind."


    "I just did!"


    "Enough about me. What did you say?"


    "I told her I would make a terrible teacher."


    "Hm." Loch looked down to turn another page.


    "You disagree?"


    "Partially."


    "Explain."


    "You''d be terrible in some ways, but good in other ways."


    "Further."


    A frown spread over his face as he snapped his book shut, setting it on the desk before him and crossing his arms. "You''re considering it? That''s surprising."


    "It might help me spend more time with Aria. I think that''s worth considering."


    "Hm." Loch shifted in his seat, taking the same strange posture he always did when mired in thought; lips pursed, head slightly tilted down, his blue eyes staring at something only he could see. "You have a strange personality."


    "Believe me, I know."


    "But you treat everyone the same."


    "That''s not true. I''m not friends with everyone here."


    "That''s not what I mean."


    "Then what-"


    "I''ll get to that if you let me." A note of annoyance crept into his voice.


    Lorel laughed. A gesture that only served to annoy Loch further. "Fair enough."


    "You listen to my problems. And I know you listen to other people''s problems, too. That''s good. But you take everybody''s problems seriously. No matter what they are. That''s important."


    "You''re making me blush."


    Loch''s frown returned. "You asked."


    "I did. And you answered. Thanks. Seriously, it''s a big help."


    He sighed. "I hope you''ll be able to keep acting like that."


    Lorel frowned. "What is that-"


    Another, louder voice interjected. "Hey! Are you two done yet?" Sela''s.


    He turned to see the tall, blonde girl standing there. Arel, as always, stood just a half-step behind, hands folded neatly behind her back. They made for an odd pairing. Sela was brash, tomboyish, and athletic, while Arel was quiet and elegant. Despite her demeanor, though, she had more steel than most, and bared it at anyone who dared think her docile.


    "We''re not done. Go away."


    Arel smiled. "Come on, Sela. Give them space."


    "No! I''ve waited long enough. I want to go home already. I just need to hear it from his mouth first."


    "Hear what from me?"


    "The news. That was you, right?"


    "Didn''t Loch tell you?" If they were this impatient, they certainly would''ve asked him first. Although, given the circumstances, he might have kept quiet for once.


    "He did, but I want to hear it from you."


    "Why?"


    "Trust but verify."


    "Are you calling him a liar? Loch, are you just gonna let that slide?"


    They spoke at nearly the same moment.


    "Don''t twist my words."


    "Don''t twist her words."


    Lorel laughed. "That''s new."


    "We were worried about you," Arel said gently. Her tone was a reflection of her personality, in some ways; always quiet, but never extinguished, no matter the surrounding clamor. "We thought you might not show up. We all suspected the news might be about you, but you''re always late. It was hard to tell."


    "Hey. Thanks for realizing that I''m always late."


    She blinked, clearly caught off-guard. "You''re... Welcome?"


    "So?" Sela asked. "Was it you?"


    "On the news yesterday?"


    "Yeah."


    "Yeah, that was me."


    She raised one eyebrow. "Seriously?"


    "Are you calling me a liar now?"


    "No. It''s just hard to believe."


    "Better believe it."


    "And you''re here? Today? That''s kind of incredible."


    "I have my dad to thank for that."


    "I''ll say," Loch interjected. "Someone scrubbed every bit of data about you. Not just on the civilian feeds, but everywhere. Your name should have been on reports, in videos, everywhere. But it''s all gone. I''m not even sure it''s anywhere on their internal records, either."


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Lorel winced. "No wonder he was so angry."


    "So that''s it?" Sela asked, disbelief clear on her face. "You just rescue the crew of a fallen spacecraft, run away from the Tideguard, then show up like nothing ever happened?"


    "Hey. I''m on house arrest. That''s not nothing."


    "And yet here you are. That is unbelievable."


    "I agree. I''m just as shocked as you are."


    "You don''t seem it."


    "Like I told Sita. Good poker face."


    "Uh huh." She reached down to grab her bag, slinging it over one shoulder. "That''s good enough for me."


    "Is Lila going to be mad if I leave without explaining things to her?"


    "Probably not. She seemed completely unsurprised. Everyone else seemed satisfied with Loch''s answer, she just stuck around for her evaluation. Luck of the draw she was last. "


    "Figures." It was rather hard to catch her off guard. Due to her personality, more than anything. She had a way of accepting whatever life threw her way. "If you were so curious, why''d you wait so long to ask?"


    Sela shrugged. "I knew you and Loch would want to talk first."


    "... But you still interrupted us."


    She snorted. "It was Arel''s idea. I''m impatient."


    "Ah. I suppose I shouldn''t be surprised."


    "No, you shouldn''t. Really, though, we''re worried about him." she pointed to Loch. "There''s obviously something going on, but no matter how much we poke and prod, he won''t say anything. Maybe you can get through to him."


    "Really?" Lorel turned to face him "That''s surprising." And it was. Though not the sort of friends that spent every waking moment together, they were certainly close to Sela and Arel. More than enough to share their troubles, at the very least. Both of them had done so on more than one occasion; just as they had with them.


    They were trustworthy. They''d proved that on more than one occasion.


    Loch shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I can''t."


    Lorel stared at his friend. There was a difference in their phrasing. An important one; especially when it came to Loch. There was a jumble of emotions in his dark blue eyes; anticipation, worry- and a hint of genuine fear. It only took him a moment to piece it all together. "Fuck." The curse slipped out unbidden.


    Loch flinched. A look of surprise spread over Arel''s delicate features as Sela leaned forward, suspicion clear on her face. "You just figured it out, didn''t you?"


    Lorel shrugged. "Maybe."


    "Care to share?"


    "Not a chance."


    "Seriously?"


    "Seriously. You two are more than smart enough to figure it out yourselves. And if I''m right, you''ll know soon enough anyways." Confusion replaced suspicion, but Lorel paid her no further mind, instead addressing Loch. "What''s the rest of your day supposed to look like?"


    "Not a lot. Dad wanted me home right after this. I haven''t decided whether or not I''m going to listen to him."


    "Did you stick around because you were worried about me?"


    "In part."


    "Great. You''re coming back with me, then."


    He frowned. "Didn''t you say you were on house arrest?"


    "Not literally. Or legally. Part of dad''s punishment."


    His frown deepened. "And you''re inviting me over anyways?"


    "Not inviting. I''ll drag you there if I have to."


    "Aren''t you just going to get into more trouble?"


    "No."


    "Are you sure?"


    "No."


    "Then-"


    "Aria''s home. And she wants to see you." That, of course, had the desired effect. Loch''s face immediately reddened as he turned his eyes down to stare at the floor.


    "Stop it. I know she didn''t actually say that."


    "Maybe not. But I know she''d like to."


    "Oi." Sela stepped between them. "Did you forget that we were here?"


    "No. But your presence was getting faint."


    "Very funny. Anyways, if you two have your plan then it''s time we take off." She turned to Loch, her bag- really more of a satchel- held awkwardly over one shoulder. "Are you gonna be okay from here on?"


    Loch nodded.


    "Don''t take it personally," Lorel said, pushing himself off the desk.


    Sela straightened, waving his words away with her free hand. "Never do. It''s fine. You two have known each other longer. It''s only natural. We just stuck around to make sure he''d be fine."


    "Good call."


    Loch scowled. "I was not that bad."


    "No, you weren''t, but better safe than sorry. Anyways. Catch you later." Arel followed close behind as she made her way to the door. "Also. You two. Be sure to make some time for us sometime soon. School''s almost done. Even if we all go our separate ways after this, I''d like to have at least one more get-together."


    "Hey. I take offense to that." Even if they did go their separate ways, Lorel had no intention of just letting their friendship wither. So long as they matched his efforts, at least.


    "Yeah, yeah." Sela saluted lazily, not even bothering to turn around as the door slid open. "Then make some time for us."


    He returned it. "Sure thing."


    "And soon. Like next week type of soon."


    "Promise."


    Arel turned, offering them a slight wave and half-smile before stepping out herself. She, like Lorel, brought nothing to school besides her holo-watch. That was partially due to his influence- and something he took no small amount of pride in.


    He turned back to Loch as the door slid shut. "Should we get going too, then?"


    His friend frowned. "You did figure it out, didn''t you?"


    "I think so."


    "Then how are you still so carefree?"


    Lorel looked around. They were the only ones remaining- but still. "Do you really want to have this conversation here?"


    Loch shrugged. "It doesn''t really matter."


    "You''re right. It doesn''t. So why didn''t you tell them? I''m sure they''d rather hear it from you."


    His eyes flicked to where their friends had been moments ago. When he spoke again, his voice was hardly audible. "I don''t want them to hate me."


    "Hey. Don''t think like that. They''re good people. They wouldn''t shoot the messenger. Especially when the messenger is their friend."


    "... I know."


    "So?"


    "I''ll apologize next time we see them."


    Lorel shook his head. "You don''t need to. I''m sure they''ll understand that, too. Best not to make things complicated."


    Loch''s sighed. "I guess you''re right. What am I supposed to do, then?"


    "Nothing. Just remember it for next time."


    "If you say so." His eyes moved back to Lorel''s. "So? Why are you so calm?"


    Lorel shrugged. "It''s like I said. There''s nothing I can do about it, so there''s no point in worrying about it." He paused. "Although if you asked me this morning, I might have given you a different answer."


    Understanding dawned on Loch''s face. "Lani. You said you got some advice from her."


    "Yeah."


    "About... That?"


    "Sort of."


    "What did she say, exactly?"


    "She told me it''s normal to be worried. No matter how resolved you are."


    "And?"


    He shrugged again. "That''s really it. I stopped to eat. We talked."


    "That was enough to put you at ease?"


    "Yes. Sort of."


    "What does that mean?"


    "It''s something new. Something we''ve never experienced before. Of course we''re scared."


    "This is a lot worse than a new experience."


    "I know. But still. The same thing applies. And no matter how much we dread it, we have no real say in it. Might as well make the most of it." Lorel grimaced. "Although I guess our positions aren''t really the same. You have a seat closer to the front." He paused. "Is that why you''re not sure where to go? Is everything okay at home?"


    He knew Loch''s father would never cross the line, but the man was charged with a nation- and, apparently, one soon to be in wartime. The stresses of such a position were unimaginable.


    His friend nodded. "It''s fine. He''s just... Nervous. Even if he doesn''t say so." Loch''s eyes returned to the door. "Do you think they''ll figure it out?"


    "Probably. They''re smart. And they know who your father is."


    "I wonder if they''ll still be like that after tonight."


    "Like what?"


    "... Good?"


    "That''s corny."


    "You said it first."


    "Did I?"


    "Yes."


    "I''ll take your word for it."


    "You better." He sighed. "It still doesn''t feel real."


    "Think it''ll take some time to sink in?"


    Loch shook his head. "It already sank in. It''s just... Hard to believe." He paused. "Are you sure you want me to come back with you?" There was a hint of trepidation in his voice.


    "Yes." Lorel offered him one hand. "Even moreso now. So long as you think your father will be alright."


    Loch stared at his upturned with dark blue eyes. "Are you sure?" He asked again.


    "For the last time, yes."


    He took it a moment later. "Alright."


    Lorel grinned. "Looking forward to seeing Aria?"


    "Yes."


    He blinked. "Wow. I didn''t expect you to actually admit it."


    "It feels silly to get embarassed something so minor now."


    "Why didn''t that logic apply before?"


    Loch''s brow furrowed in contemplation. "I just... Never thought of it, I guess."


    "If there''s one silver lining to this, it''s that you two might finally get together."


    He audibly sighed. "Do you really think things are going to be that simple?"


    "Why can''t they be?"


    "Because..." He trailed off. "They just aren''t."


    Lorel pulled him to his feet. "I know they aren''t. Let me dream."


    "Yeah, yeah." Loch retrieved his book from the desk, stowing it in his leather briefcase. "Do you think Lani will be annoyed if we eat at hers tonight?"


    "You want to get advice from her, too?"


    "Yes. I''m sure she put it much more eloquently than you did."


    "Oh, believe me, I''m sure she did, too." Lorel stepped towards the door. "I don''t think Lani will mind. And besides, she said she wanted to meet Aria. Now is as good a time as any." It slid open. "I want to make a grocery run first, though. Aria will be home for a while. I need to put more food in the house, else she probably won''t eat."


    "What happened to being on house arrest?"


    "This is for a good reason."


    "And dragging me back with you?"


    "Also for a good reason. I think Aria and I could use the company. Besides," he continued, turning back to face Loch as he stepped through. "It''s not like this is all for fun. I can tell you''re still anxious. And from the sound of it, both our families will be busy. I don''t want to leave you alone right now. That''s more important than whatever punishment dad wanted me to adhere to. He''ll understand."


    "... If you''re sure."


    "I am."


    "Alright."


    They made their way out of the building in silence. It wasn''t until the facility came into view that Lorel spoke again. "We can fill out our hours later."


    "Are you sure?"


    "I thought you''d want to get off the streets as soon as possible."


    "I do. I do, but..." Loch trailed off.


    "But?"


    "I don''t know. The activity might help."


    "Doesn''t mean we need to do it there. Remember where I live?"


    "That''s true." He sighed. "I just want tonight to be over. And the next week. And the week after that... But the more I think about it, the more I focus on it, and the slower it moves. It''s agonizing."


    "All the more reason you should come over."


    "Maybe." Another sigh. "It''s strange to think about, you know? Last week was so normal, but our lives are going to be turned upside down after tonight."


    "That''s how everything happens. It doesn''t happen, until it does. And by the time you realize it, it''s too late to do anything about it."


    "Since when did you become a philosopher?"


    "I make sure to do a little bit of everything."


    "Uh huh."


    "You don''t sound convinced."


    "That''s because I''m not." Loch tilted his head to look up at the sky. "But I think you''re right."


    "I''m always right. About what, though?"


    "Things change. This is the hand I was dealt. The hand we were all dealt. There''s no changing that, so there''s no point in worrying about it. No point in being angry about it." He smiled wryly. "And I''ve always known this was a possibility. I shouldn''t really be so surprised."


    "Yeah. What''s up with that?"


    Loch sighed. "It''s probably not as bad as you think. Nothing is actually happening yet. This is just... Precaution. It could go on for years. It might go on for years."


    "Then is it any different from the way we''ve always lived so far?"


    "Yes. Because now we''re certain of the end destination- and that it''ll probably arrive there during our lifetimes."


    "I see."


    "You don''t sound worried at all."


    "I am. But I''ve already had this conversation too many times in the last two days. I''m getting tired of it."


    He laughed. There was a note of genuine amusement in the sound. "That''s very like you."


    "I am me, after all." Lorel stopped. "Just promise me something."


    Loch followed suit after a couple more paces. "What?"


    "If you''re ever in a position where you have to choose between my safety and Aria''s, choose Aria''s."


    "Wh-"


    "Promise me," Lorel repeated, his voice unusually harsh."


    The look that took hold of Loch''s features was impossible to interpret. "You''re my best friend," he said, his voice low and hoarse. "You would really ask me to make that decision?"


    "I''m asking you because you''re my best friend. You''ll understand. Better than anyone else."


    His look cleared- but only slightly. "Do you really think I''ll have to make that decision?"


    "I hope not," Lorel said seriously, stepping forward and clasping his shoulder in one hand. Loch shivered ever so slightly. "But I think it would be dumb not to consider the possibility. I''m not saying it''ll happen. And believe me, I''m going to do everything I can to avoid that sort of scenario. But if it does happen, I don''t want you to hesitate. Choose Aria. I can look after myself. Only one of us is Augmented. "


    "... Alright." Loch whispered his agreement. "If... If I have to choose, I''ll choose Aria."


    "Promise me."


    His voice dropped even further, making his response hardly audible. "I promise."


    Lorel released his shoulder. "Thank you."


    His friend''s dark blue eyes searched his face yet again- then jumped up and down as he nodded once.


    "Then let''s get going." For a moment, he feared Loch would refuse to follow, but heard the other boy''s footsteps after a moment.


    They walked in silence until the rail station came into view. "I think we should go to Lani''s tomorrow. If tonight''s the night, I''d rather just spend it with the two of you. We can-" He stopped short. The other boy was doing something on his holo-watch. "Something wrong?"


    Loch shook his head. "No. Just sending a message to Sela and Arel."


    "Saying what?"


    "Telling them what''s happening and apologizing. For earlier." He lowered his wrist and raised his head. "You''re right. They''ll understand. And I''d rather they hear it from me."


    Lorel laughed. "That''s very like you."


    A smile tugged at the corners of his friend''s mouth. "I am me, after all."


    Just as he was about to turn away-


    "Lorel."


    Loch called out.


    Lorel turned, a joke on the tip of his tongue. It froze as he took in his friend''s expression- a stony, solemn visage, tempered by whatever knowledge he was privy to.


    "Things are going to change tomorrow."


    "I know."


    Silence fell between them- lasting until Loch burst out laughing.


    "What?" Lorel asked, surprised. "I don''t think I said anything funny."


    "Nothing," Loch answered, calming himself with a shake of his head. "It''s just... Seeing you still act so carefree makes me feel silly. Like I''m taking things too seriously."


    "It''s not like that."


    "Then what is it like?"


    "It''s like I said. I''ve had this conversation too many times in the past two days. I can only talk about it so much, and I only have so much anger and anxiety. Most of it has already been exhausted. Who knows? I might wake up a nervous wreck tomorrow. Perfectly possible at this point."


    Loch laughed again. "As much as I''d like to see that, I doubt it."


    Lorel shrugged. "You never know."


    "True. Some part of me always thought life would go on as normal before this morning. But tomorrow everything''s just going to... Change."


    "There are some things that won''t."


    Loch''s brow furrowed. "Like what?"


    Lorel closed the distance between them, offering the other boy one of his hands. "You and I are still going to be best friends. Sela and Arel are will still be our friends. Things like that."


    The other boy''s smile returned. "Seriously. What''s with the philosophy?"


    "I''m just telling you what you need to hear."


    "What I need to hear, huh?" He took Lorel''s hand in his own. "Maybe you''re right. But thank you."


    Lorel grinned. "Better now?"


    Loch nodded once. "Better."


    "Then let''s get going. For real this time."

 Chapter 15

    <div>


    "Why are we here?"


    "I told you. I need to put more food in the house. Especially with you coming over tonight." Lorel paused. "You''re sure your dad won''t mind?"


    "Yes. He''d be worried if it was somewhere else, but it''s your place. It''s fine." That made sense. Loch had spent many nights under their roof- too many to keep track of.


    "And you''re sure you don''t want to be there for him?"


    His jaw set. "I''m sure."


    Lorel leaned, making a show of inspecting his friend''s face. "And everything is okay at home?"


    Loch stepped away, nodding insistently. "Yes. Dad''s just... On edge."


    "Can you blame him?"


    "Of course not. It''s not about that."


    "Wait." Lorel stepped through the doors as they opened, turning to stop Loch from doing the same with one outstretched hand. "Are you sure this is a conversation you want to have? Or one that you can even have in the first place?"


    His friend''s brow furrowed. "It''s a bit late to be saying that, isn''t it?"


    "... Maybe a bit."


    He shook his head as he stepped past Lorel. "It doesn''t matter anymore. You figured it out. I already told Sela and Arel. I asked them not to tell anyone, but it doesn''t really matter."


    "Mmm." Lorel dropped his hand, stepping backwards so that he was just a pace ahead of Loch. "And what about all the other people here?" The first floor, as always, was busy. No surprise there- the shelves were never empty, regardless of how many people swarmed them.


    Really, the building was more depot, or even repository than any sort of store. It was broken into twenty different segments, each consisting of six floors in total. Five of those housed every imaginable item from one of the food groups, while the sixth was home to beverages and condiments. Each individual floor was capable of holding nearly five thousand people, and their city housed six of them.


    As for their size? All for simplicity''s sake. Make them too small, and they crowded far too quickly. So the solution? Just oversize them. There were almost certainly far more efficient solutions, but this was the easiest. And it worked. The lower segments were always crowded, but the upper ones were always nearly empty. Going up and down was certainly a bit of a hassle, but that was the price to pay for quiet.


    "It''s not like anyone''s going to listen in on us," Loch pointed out. "We''re just two friends getting groceries. And again, it doesn''t really matter. The whole planet will know by tonight." Despite that claim, he remained silent in the elevator, among the two strangers that joined them.


    The first disembarked at the thirteenth floor, and the second on the twenty-third. They rode in silence all the way up to the forty-second floor.


    "I assume there are other people who know." Lorel said as he stepped out. "Sorry. If you don''t want to talk-"


    Loch shook his head. "It''s fine. Like you said, it''s not like it''ll change anything." The door shut behind him. "And yes, there are other people who know. Mostly military. The governors of other cities. Off-world diplomats. Some news outlets, too. They''ll help disseminate the information after the broadcast."


    "Broadcast?"


    "Yes. This evening."


    "Unannounced?"


    Another nod. "Everyone has a holo-watch. The news will get out in one way or another. No one will be able to avoid it, even if they don''t see the live recording."


    "I guess that''s true," Lorel mused, reaching up to grab a slab of beef. "I don''t suppose you have a bag in that thing, do you?"


    "I do, actually." Loch procured a folded canvas one from his leather briefcase.


    "Nice."


    "What were you going to do if I didn''t have one?"


    "I''m not getting a whole lot of stuff." Lorel took the bag from him, setting the beef in its bottom before retrieving a carton of broth from another shelf. "Just this and some veggies. Maybe some noodles. We would''ve been able to carry it."


    "Noodles?"


    "Something Lani showed me."


    "You''ve been getting lessons from her?"


    "Yeah. Just simple stuff for now, though. She refuses to teach me her breakfast recipes."


    The ghost of a smile showed on Loch''s lips- but only for a brief second. "Has to keep you coming back somehow?"


    "So she says. It''s not like I''d stop going all of a sudden."


    He followed Lorel back to the elevator. Now, with no one else there, he seemed to have no qualms about continuing their conversations in the enclosed space. "Is that it? I thought you''d have more questions."


    "Hmm." Lorel hoisted the bag over his shoulder before stepping out. This floor, just like the one before it, was nearly empty. As a matter of fact, the only other person present was currently on their way out. "Not really. I imagine there''ll be more information soon, anyways. What about Sela and Arel? I''m sure they had questions."


    "I told them I couldn''t answer any questions."


    He turned to look at Loch, one eyebrow raised. "You just dropped that on their heads and then told them not to ask any questions? That''s kind of messed up, isn''t it?"


    "Er..."


    "You didn''t think of that, did you?"


    He shook his head. "I didn''t."


    "Ah, well. You said you''d rather they hear it from you, right?"


    A nod, this time.


    "Then they''ll understand." Neither of them were the type to hold grudges. And, perhaps more importantly, they understood-and appreciated his position. Privy to the secrets of their home, yet unable to really confide in them. It was something that tormented Loch; and something their long friendship with Sela and Arel had done much to assuage. He was grateful for that.


    But as far as Lorel knew, he was one of only two true confidants- the other being his father.


    "It''s like they said. I''ve known you longer." Loch paused. "And besides," he added, his voice dropping an entire octave. "Talking helps. It''s been... An interesting morning."


    Lorel pulled a packet of assorted vegetables down before responding. "Honored as I am to have your confidence, I don''t really have many questions." He paused. "Does this mean your plan to get off-planet is on pause?"


    His friend nodded. "Every option I was looking at just... Dried up. We won''t feel it much down here, but security''s going to get tighter." He sighed. "The issue isn''t getting off-planet, the problem is existing afterwards."


    "You make that sound so needlessly morbid."


    Loch shrugged. "I don''t know how else to say it. The means to live are all tied behind identity. If I can''t do that, I might as well be dead."


    "I see." He set it in the bag. "Is that why you were talking to Svyke?"


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    "Yes. I meant to tell you, I just-"


    "It doesn''t matter."


    "Why not?"


    "Same thing as you. I trust you. No matter what I say, it all goes back to that. And if I know about Svyke, I''m sure you do, too." The spy had no real sense of loyalty; it just so happened that Torrent''s pockets were exceptionally deep. Even if not necessarily monetarily, Coral always made for a good bartering commodity. "I''m sure you have a good reason."


    "And if I don''t?"


    "Then you probably just think you don''t."


    "Hmm..."


    "If you want to talk, talk. I''m all ears."


    "I already talked to Sita about it."


    "And?"


    "I want to leave this planet someday."


    "I see."


    "You don''t sound terribly surprised."


    "Because I''m not."


    "Why not?"


    "You always seemed enraptured by Lani''s stories. And besides," Lorel snorted, "I''ve known you basically my whole life. I might not have really consciously thought it, but I''m not surprised. This planet was always too small for you."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "You''re smarter than me. You have more ambition. As long as I''m underwater, I''m happy. I could stay here my whole life and be content. I think you do truly love it here- you''ve said as much, but it''s the sort of love that you want to come back to, right? Not spend your entire life experiencing. And even then," he tilted his head, "sometimes you look like a bird in a cage. I get it. There''s a whole universe out there. Just the idea of it is enthralling. I''m probably the odd one out for not being enraptured by it."


    Loch audibly sighed, lowering his head in an exaggerated manner. "Why do you always manage to throw all my worries out the window so effortlessly?"


    "Because!" Lorel smacked his shoulder. "That''s what friends are for."


    "Right."


    "So? Are you still looking for a way to get off-planet?"


    "No."


    "Why not?"


    "Wouldn''t you be mad if I just up and left you?"


    "No."


    "Why not?"


    "Hey. That''s my question."


    Loch frowned. "It almost sounds like you want me to leave."


    "Now who''s twisting whose words?"


    A slight smile replaced it. "I learned from the best."


    "Uh huh." Lorel guided them towards an elevator for the third time, keying in the first floor. What they already had was more than enough for the three of them. "I asked first." Just like before, they were the only two present.


    "Hm..." Loch''s features took on his ever-present expression of consideration as the doors closed. "Lots of reasons. For one, it''s just improbable. I''d be better off devoting my time and energy to something else."


    "And for two?" That couldn''t have been the only reason. Even if he championed that sort of rational thinking, he was more than willing to devote time and energy to his goals.


    "I have things I want to protect here," he answered, voice deadly quiet. "You. Dad. Sela and Arel. It''s like you said. I do love it here. I want to protect that, too. And..." Loch trailed off as the doors slid open, revealing the horde of other people. He remained silent until they departed the building.


    Neither bothered stopping as they stepped outside. There was no need to; the holo-watch would take care of it. And as for money, well. Lorel had long since started saving every bit of money he made selling Coral. A practice that, apparently, had proven pragmatic. "Well then?" He asked, once their pace had taken them a few meters away. "Go on."


    "It''s really selfish."


    "So? People are selfish. Spill."


    "Either way, I''ll get what I want." Loch''s voice turned somber. "Our nation''s fate has always been a foregone conclusion. We lose, eventually. Someone else takes over. Opens the planet to the rest of the universe. Does all the things we couldn''t do." A note of bitterness crept into his voice. "It''s ironic. We''ll fight in the name of freedom, but everyone here will have much more after our home falls."


    "Wow. That''s a lot to unpack."


    "Sorry."


    "Hey. You know I''m not looking for an apology."


    "You''re taking this awfully well."


    "They tell us as much, you know." Their curriculum had never once shied away from speaking of their planet''s precarious position. It was an acknowledgement; a promise, of sorts. Cruel, perhaps, but it served as motivation for those with a strong enough desire to leave the planet. "It''s just our luck that it happened during our lifetime."


    "Do you ever feel like you''ve been brainwashed?"


    "Hm..." Lorel took a moment to think about it. "Not really." He turned around to look at his friend. "Isn''t the fact you''re considering that proof you haven''t been?"


    "Not in the slightest," Loch answered dryly. "Do you think people who were brainwashed were aware of the brainwashing?"


    "I guess not."


    "And there you have it." He stopped walking. "It''s not that I think I''ve been brainwashed, it''s just... Weird. Isn''t it?"


    "There are lots of weird things. You and me included. Which one are you talking about now?"


    "That so many people here are willing to fight a hopeless war." His expression grew impossibly complicated; a dense mixture of curiosity, fear, and anticipation. "And that I am, too. Is freedom worth that? And can it really be called freedom if it chains us to a single planet?"


    Lorel arched one eyebrow. "You''re asking the wrong person. You know that, right?"


    "That''s why I''m asking you."


    He took another moment to think. "I think it''s simpler than that."


    "Meaning?"


    He raised his hand before responding, grasping a handful of the invisible stars that dotted the sky above. "Think of all we could be, if we weren''t stifled at every turn. I think it''s basic human instinct to struggle against that sort of thing."


    Loch shook his head. "Sometimes you say the most profound things so casually."


    "It''s really not that complicated."


    "If you say so." He resumed his pace. "So? What about my question?"


    "What was it, again?"


    "Why wouldn''t you be mad if I left?"


    Lorel lightly kicked his shin as he passed. "Because I''m your friend. It would make you happier. What sort of friend would be mad at you for chasing happiness?"


    "That''s it?"


    He turned, matching the other boy''s pace. "That''s it. I''m simple, remember? It''s why you and I make such a great pair."


    "Uh huh." Loch''s voice quieted again. "I wonder how I''ll feel tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after..." He sighed. "I feel bad for Arel. Just a little more time, and she would''ve made it."


    "She''s like you, though. Her desire to leave has more to do with being fascinated by the thought of the universe beyond. I don''t think she''ll mind too much."


    "That''s true," he admitted. "Still. I worry."


    "You know her proficiency is around the same as ours, right?"


    He nodded. "Right. You were on the same floor." They were assigned to a new floor every quarter; often in a facility different from the last.


    "You never asked her about it?"


    "I never really felt the need to."


    "Shame. I''m sure you would have enjoyed hearing about how she threw me."


    The disbelief on his face was clear. "She threw you?"


    "Sure did."


    "Why?"


    "Because I refused to practice with her at first. She didn''t enjoy being treated like a glass statue. The throw was meant to prove her point."


    "Did it?"


    "Yes."


    "And afterwards?"


    "We traded points for about a week. Then I figured out how to deal with her trick." Her so-called trick being the ability to freeze water at will. It was a touch more complicated than that, but the effect was the same. "Didn''t lose again after that." He had no bitter feelings about the losses; Loch had suffered more than one at the hands of others, as well.


    And, more importantly, they never kept losing. That was thanks to their lifelong rivalry, in a way. It was the single greatest motivation behind their continuous improvement.


    "Was it really that hard to deal with?" Loch asked curiously.


    "Yes," Lorel answered immediately. "The moment she freezes it, you just... Lose control. And she''s got about as much influence as either of us to boot."


    "So how''d you deal with it?"


    "She''s not as comfortable up close."


    "That sounds... Unpleasant."


    "Like I said, she proved her point."


    Loch laughed. "Fair enough." There was an odd undertone in his voice.


    "What?"


    "Nothing." Despite that answer, the corners of his lips twitched. "You really like them, don''t you?"


    "And you don''t?"


    "Again with the word twisting."


    "I do," Lorel answered seriously. "They''ve helped you a lot."


    "... Yeah," the other boy admitted. "They have. You know," he said, sighing yet again. "As much as I dread the future, some part of me is also glad."


    "Why? Because you''ll finally get to see what''s out there once the dust settles?"


    He shook his head.


    "What, then?"


    "It all..." Loch paused, clearly struggling to find the right words. "Everything weighs on my father," he said slowly. "Even if he doesn''t acknowledge it, I can see it. Maybe once all is said and done, he''ll be able to find some peace."


    "It''s more than that, isn''t it?" Lorel asked gently.


    His friend nodded. "Things between us have always been... complicated." Yet another sigh. "It always makes me feel so selfish. He has to look after millions of people. Of course that takes priority. But still, some part of me hopes that maybe when everything is done, we can have a normal relationship. If we''re still alive." He looked up, conflict clear in his blue eyes. "That''s wrong of me, isn''t it?"


    "Of course not. To Torrent, he''s a leader, but to you, he''s your father. It''s only natural you want to be close to him." And that, unfortunately, was something made difficult by the very nature of his position. Loch, of course, understood its necessity, but that didn''t mean he had any real control over his emotions.


    "And there you go again, tossing my worries out of the window."


    "How many times do you think I''ve heard this by now?" That number, whatever it was, was certainly quite high- not that Lorel truly minded. It was something that bothered his friend; and so, by extension, was something he was always willing to listen to. That was important; if not to Loch, then to himself.


    "... Sorry."


    "Hey. You know that''s not what I meant. If I didn''t know how to help you by now, that would also be a failure on my part as a friend. "


    "Right." Loch cleared his throat. "Thank you. I don''t say it enough."


    "You don''t need to thank me."


    "Of course I do. I want to."


    "If you''re really thankful, then let''s meet up with them like we agreed."


    His frown returned. "Do you really think they''ll be up for it after tonight?"


    "Don''t you think they''ll be grateful for a distraction?"


    "Maybe." He didn''t seem convinced.


    "Besides, what are we supposed to do? Stay tucked away somewhere until everything comes to an end? There''s not exactly many places to hide." And, even putting that aside, whoever took control was sure to do so through violence. The sort that left no room for spectators.


    "... That''s true."


    "Anyways." Lorel clapped his friend''s shoulder again. "Let''s shelve this for later. I''m sure Aria will have questions of her own." He made a show of inspecting Loch''s face. "Unless you want to keep going."


    "No," the other boy said with a shake of the head. "I''m fine. It''s all off my chest now." He closed his eyes, taking a long, deep breath that made his body tremble. When he reopened them, they seemed clearer than before; and his very presence more concrete, somehow. "Thanks. Again." He said, somewhat uncertainly.


    "Of course."

 Chapter 16

    <div>


    Loch remained silent until their destination came into view. Partially due to the presence of others, no doubt, but, more than that, he had an obvious desire to think things over. No real surprise there- that was how he worked. At the very least, it was now the quiet consideration that was his calling card.


    "What are you planning on making?"


    "Why? You worried?"


    "Of course I am."


    Lorel laughed. "How was I supposed to know you were so terribly bad with spice?"


    "By asking."


    "Where''s the fun in that?" Seeing people''s reactions to reactions was half of it.


    "You and I have very different ideas of fun."


    He laughed again. "Maybe." Then paused. Is this right? Lorel closed his eyes for a brief moment, falling still as his feet touched the ground and the crowd surged forth. Some jostled him, but most split, falling into two streams as they passed around him.


    It felt odd, to stand there, in their midst, and know that their lives would change tonight- and irrevocably so. Why so sudden? It was the question he''d mulled over on their trip back. Not the inevitability of war. That, at least, was anything but. It was just as he''d told Loch; their education never shied away from speaking of the ever-present, looming shadow.


    The simplest answer- and the one he thought most likely- was that it wasn''t sudden. It just looked that way. Which made sense. Something like this would undoubtedly have been discussed behind the scenes before now. And, truthfully, he''d noticed a change in his father''s attitude in the past few months.


    Not quite paranoia or nervousness, but a sort of... Stiffness, that anyone else would have missed. As it was, Lorel was fairly sure it had been going on for a lot longer. His father was rarely home; and even the little time he spent there had diminished- another reason for his suspicion.


    It''s not like there''s a proper way to inform your country''s people of inevitable destruction. All Loch''s father could do was get the word out. And, from the sound of it, that was exactly the plan. Still. It was the source of yet another odd feeling. Not even overnight, but a few minutes. That was how long it would take for all their lives to be upturned.


    Lorel shook his head, opening his eyes to find Loch looking at him, an expression of slight amusement on his face. "What?" He asked, resuming his stride.


    Loch shook his own in return. "Nothing," he said, falling into rhythm with Lorel''s stride. "It''s relieving to see you worry, you know."


    "Shouldn''t it do the opposite?"


    "Maybe. Maybe not." He paused, clearly considering his next words. "How do you think you look to other people?"


    "Is that a serious question?"


    "Yes."


    "Hmm..." Lorel took a moment to think. "I''m self-aware enough to realize that I''m probably pretty annoying."


    "You think?"


    He laughed. "Yes, I do think. Do you want more than that?"


    "Yes."


    "Hmm..." Lorel took another moment. "I don''t really know how to answer that," he said. "Honestly. I am how I am because I like being this way. I''m just grateful that you''ve stuck around for so long."


    "What about Arel and Sela?"


    "Of course I''m grateful for them. But I''ve known you for longer. Besides," he snorted, "it''s not like I was the one so opposed to making friends. You really made them work for it."


    "I was not opposed to making friends."


    "You''re right. Between the two of us, you are definitely better suited to making friends. Totally. Especially when you say things like why are you talking like we''re already friends? Absolutely. Best introduction I''ve ever seen."


    Loch''s face visibly reddened. "You''re never going to let me live that down, are you?"


    "Nope."


    "I still have the same mindset, you know. Things haven''t changed that much."


    "So what has changed, exactly?"


    "Now I can articulate things better."


    "Uh huh. How many times have you told me this, now?"


    "Probably hundreds."


    "And has it changed anything?"


    "No."


    "That''s right. So you better learn to live with my relentless teasing."


    He sighed. "Right."


    "Anyways, what''s that got to do with what you were saying?"


    His blue gaze turned withering. "You were the one who changed the subject, not me."


    "Drat, you noticed."


    "I look up to you, you know."


    "Now why would you do that?"


    "Good question," Loch answered dryly. "Every second we spend together has me second guessing myself."


    "And yet you stick around anyways."


    "I do," he nodded. "And that''s why. Everyone..." Loch trailed off for a moment. "I think, deep down, most people know who they are. They''re just afraid to show it. Afraid that people won''t like who they really are. So they change. Not entirely... Just bits and pieces.


    But if you keep... Changing things, at what point are you a different person entirely? All the things dad dragged me to as a kid... I felt like I needed to be someone else. That''s why I was always so mad."


    Lorel nodded. "Those days are behind you now. Things are better now, aren''t they?"


    "They were," Loch said tersely. "Before this morning."


    "Fair enough."


    "You might not see it this way, but we look at you and see confidence. In yourself. Who you are. It''s inspiring."


    "You''re making me blush." That, for once, was not a joke.


    "Good. You deserve to feel embarrassed every once in a while."


    "Not fair."


    "Nothing''s ever fair." Loch chuckled. "Honestly, a big part of me was wondering how you''d react to the news."


    "Does that mean you were considering telling me from the get-go?"


    "Yes."


    "You admitted that pretty easily."


    "I also thought you''d figure it out."


    "That''s sweet of you. So? How did you think I''d react?"


    "I thought you might just laugh it off as always, then move on like nothing happened."


    "I don''t get it. Shouldn''t my apparent worries be less reassuring?"


    "If I was worried about violence, sure."


    "That''s not what you''re worried about?"


    "Of course I''m worried about that."


    "Then...?"


    "Some small part of me worried that that worry was unfounded."


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Just a small part?"


    "Sometimes the smallest part is the loudest."


    "It must''ve been really loud."


    "Believe me, it was."


    "Enough to drown out the voice of war?"


    "... Maybe just a little."


    Lorel laughed. "Good to know. As for your original question..." He adjusted the bag''s strap. "I don''t remember what it''s called. Thinly sliced meat cooked in boiling broth. The veggies go in, too. Adds more flavor. I didn''t feel like going up and down again, so no noodles."


    "Just the broth? Nothing else?"


    "... Maybe a small assortment of spices."


    "I hope you don''t mean literal spice."


    "None at all?"


    "None."


    "Fine."


    "Good."


    He noticed a slight hesitation in Loch''s step. "Tomorrow morning. Promise. Besides, I''m sure Lani will have something to say about whatever happens tonight."


    "Alright."


    "And I''m sure Aria is looking forward to seeing you."


    "Uh huh. You told her I was coming?"


    "Mhm. Whether or not she chose to believe me is another story." Lorel paused. "Bah. It''s not as fun if you don''t get all red."


    "If only I was better at controlling my reactions."


    "I like you the way you are. I look up to you too, you know." Those words came easily. There was no embarrassment in acknowledging it.


    "Even though I''ve never won against you?"


    "Of course. You''re smarter than me. Some things are just beyond my understanding. But not yours. And... I trust you. Maybe more than myself. If we had to make a decision, I''ll always trust you to make the right decision. Even if I have a different opinion."


    Loch frowned at that. "You shouldn''t just write your own off like that."


    Lorel shrugged. "That''s just how it is. Besides, it''s a hypothetical." He stopped in front of the door, reaching out to slide it open. There was a dull click as it unlocked. "Ready?"


    "For what, exactly?"


    He shrugged again. "Who knows?" And then slid the door open. "Aria! I''m back!"


    "Lorel?" His sister''s voice came from the right, where her room was. "What happened to school?"


    "I got permission to leave early!" Lorel lowered his voice as he stepped in.


    Aria was seated on the couch, with a neat stack of papers in her lap. She was still dressed casually; in the same white t-shirt and pair of shorts from morning. The lack of color made her bright pink hair stand out even more than usual.


    "Did you bring...?" She trailed off as Loch stepped in. "Hi, Loch." Her voice wasn''t quite panicked, but there was a noticeable waver to it. Even if only for a split second.


    He nodded in response. "Hi."


    Lorel sighed. "Just kiss already."


    Aria set down the paper in her hand, replacing it with another from her stack. "I''m sorry you had to deal with him on the way here."


    Loch laughed. "Just on the way here? I have to deal with him every day."


    "Hey. I don''t force you to stick around."


    "No, you don''t. That doesn''t make you any easier to deal with."


    "Right." Lorel stepped towards the kitchen, opening the fridge and stowing the food there. "I hope you''re good with beef and vegetables. You''ll have to be, unless you feel like cooking."


    "That sounds great."


    "Compared to what you''ve been eating, I''m sure it will be."


    "How exactly do you plan on cooking all of that in the broth?" Loch interjected.


    "A little bit at a time. I''m going to cut it up really thin."


    "Don''t tell me you''re-"


    "That''s exactly what I''m going to do. Feel free to close your eyes if you''d like to retain your plausible deniability. Wait- why do you care? Aren''t we about to go out and break the rules anyways?"


    "You''re better off not fighting it," Aria said, joining them in the kitchen. "He''ll never change until he''s forced to."


    Loch nodded. "I agree."


    "Hey. I''m right here."


    They responded at the same time. "We know."


    "See? Just kiss already." Lorel paused. "Bah. Neither of you are reacting. You''re no fun. By the way, are we telling her?"


    "Telling me what?"


    "Well, now we have to tell her," Loch answered dryly. "It''s fine. I expected you to, anyways."


    "Tell me what?" Aria repeated.


    "It finally happened. War is coming. Announcement tonight. Fate uncertain," Lorel answered.


    "Didn''t you just scold me for dropping it on Sela and Arel like that?"


    "Yeah, but this is different. She''s my sister. If I''m not causing her existential dread with my every breath, I''m not doing my job." Lorel paused, looking Aria up and down. "You seem to be taking this rather well."


    "... Are you serious?"


    "Yes. But if you want details, you''d have to ask Loch." He pointed to the blue-eyed boy. "I didn''t really care for them."


    "Typical."


    "Again. You seem to be taking this rather well."


    "And you''re not?"


    "I''m me. You''re you."


    "Well..." Aria trailed off with a sigh. "I thought something was up. Some things seemed to be getting pushed through a bit too quickly. And, little things here and there. Whispers. It all adds up." Her eyes flicked to Lorel. "Add in everything that happened yesterday, and it''s pretty obvious."


    "Right. Were you ever going to tell me?"


    She shrugged. "They were just rumors. Not much substance. I''m pretty sure most of them started spreading after people started noticing the same things I did. The military did its job well."


    "Hm."


    "And you?" She asked. "You both seem awfully calm, all things considered."


    "I got advice from someone else. Speaking of which, we''re going to see them tomorrow morning. You should come with us."


    Aria arched one eyebrow. "Is it this Lani person you keep telling me about?"


    "Yes."


    "Sure. I''d like to meet her at least once." She paused. "You know how absurd it feels to have such... Normal plans considering what you just said?"


    "So would she. And yes, I''m aware."


    "Uh huh." She looked at Loch. "I take it you two have already talked about it."


    He nodded once. "Some. Not a lot. He was trying to talk me through it."


    "Then I''ll just wait. No point in working myself over something that hasn''t happened yet. I take it there will be more information released alongside... Whatever this is."


    "It''s just... A warning," Loch answered quietly. "A state of raised awareness. It could still be some time until anything really happens, but..."


    "Something will happen," Aria finished.


    He nodded again.


    "Lovely."


    "Quite." Lorel clapped his hands once, drawing both their attention. "Anyways!" He addressed Loch. "Still feeling up for a little action?"


    "If you are."


    His sister groaned. "Don''t tell me you two are doing this again."


    "We''re just going to fight until Loch admits defeat."


    "What makes you think that I''ll be the one to lose?"


    "That''s true. We might tie again."


    "Already with the provocations?"


    "You know it. Do you want to watch?" That question, of course, was directed at Aria.


    "Might as well," she answered, sounding somewhat amused. "Watching you two try to kill each other is always an... interesting sight, if nothing else."


    "We''re not trying to kill each other."


    "Really? Could''ve fooled me."


    "That''s part of the fun." Lorel opened the back door as he spoke, stepping back outside. "I think you''re right, though. The military''s probably going to be on edge. Even if they don''t come here, we should keep things small."


    Loch set his briefcase down before following. "I don''t think I''m the one you should be worrying about."


    "Yeah, you''re probably right."


    Aria followed just a step behind. "I would try to talk you out of this, but I get the feeling it''d be useless."


    "And you''re definitely right about that."


    After just a few more steps, the city''s edge took on that familiar downward slope. A few more minutes, and they reached the water''s edge. It was easy to forget the sheer size of the structure they lived on. Its rim stretched as far as the eye could see, and then even further than that. And, of course, it made the ocean beyond look even larger. An endless horizon of nothing but water, reaching out in every direction.


    The sight, usually calming, was now sobering. It was difficult not to wonder whether it would change in the near future; whether explosions would break the even horizon. Whether debris would eventually litter the pristine waters.


    "Any ground rules? I don''t want you-"


    "- Complaining after I lose, I know," Loch finished, completely unbothered by the stream of water that rushed at him. It stopped just an arm''s length away from striking him.


    "Hey! You''re learning. But, you know, you still have a bad habit of-" Lorel rushed forward, shoving his friend''s torso. "... Focusing too much on one thing," he finished, watching as Loch fell back into the ocean.


    He surfaced just a moment later, completely unperturbed. "You''re just as childish as ever."


    Lorel grinned. "Maybe a little. How far out should we go?"


    "If we''re keeping it small, we don''t need to go too far out." He paused. "But it''s you, so we''ll probably have to go a bit further out."


    "You understand me so well."


    "You decide the boundary, then. I''ll join you in a moment."


    Loch nodded, then dived again, clothes and all.


    "Hey," Lorel said, once certain his friend was out of earshot. "I need you to promise me something."


    Aria looked at him suspiciously. "Promise what?"


    "That no matter what happens in the future, you won''t hate Loch."


    Her expression changed to one of confusion. "Why would I-"


    "Because I made him promise me something."


    "What?"


    "That if he has to choose between me and you, he''ll choose you."


    "What?! Why would-"


    "Because it''s the choice I would make," Lorel cut her off, more forcefully than he''d intended. "Because it''s the choice I would make," he repeated, more gently than before. "That''s all that matters."


    "You know that I feel the same way, right?" Aria asked quietly. She stared at him, her blue-green eyes an odd mixture of gratitude and anger. "This isn''t fair."


    "No," he agreed. "It''s not. Perks of getting to him first. Sorry, sis. You''ll just have to deal with it."


    "Hmmm." She turned back towards the ocean. "Sometimes I wish you''d have more faith in me."


    "Meaning...?"


    "He''s my friend, too, you know. Probably my closest one after you. Even if you tease us relentlessly. I wouldn''t hate him... Especially not knowing what you just told me." She paused, and when she spoke again, her voice was hardly above a whisper. "Do you really think things will come to that?"


    Lorel shook his head. "No. But I''ll tell you what I told him. I think not planning for the possibility would be stupid. It''s war. Who knows what things will happen?" He stepped out onto the water, willing it to hold his weight as he turned back to face his sister. "As long as you understand, it''s fine."


    "It would take me time to get over it," Aria said softly. "But I wouldn''t hate him."


    "Good. Now, if you''ll excuse me..."


    She waved him off. "Go on. Just don''t hurt each other."


    "Never would," he said earnestly. "At least, not on purpose."


    "Reassuring."


    It took Lorel just a few minutes to reach Loch.


    His friend stood languidly, controlling a small stream of water that slipped through his fingers, up his arm, and down a single leg. "What were you two talking about?"


    "I told her about the promise you made me."


    "Ah." He seemed unsurprised.


    "Don''t worry. She won''t hate you if it comes down to it. Maybe just for a little."


    "... I''m glad to hear that." Loch flicked his wrist, letting the small stream fall back down. His clothes were still soaking wet. "Both sides?"


    "You betcha. How much?"


    He reached out with one hand, palm upturned. A set of small streams raised down from the water below, coalescing into a perfect sphere atop it, roughly twice the size as his head. "This much?"


    Lorel snorted. "Too little. Way too little." He mirrored the action, forming his own nearly twice the size- and then two more. "This much, at least."


    "What happened to keeping things small?"


    "This is small."


    "You and I have very different ideas of small."


    "Maybe. But we''ve had enough practice in the facility." He grasped them in his mind''s eye, turning them in a slow circle. "But we''ve had enough practice in the facility. I''d rather try other things."


    "Always something new with you."


    "You''d win every time, otherwise."


    "Right." Loch shuffled his feet, causing a number of faint ripples to undulate out from beneath him. "No limit below?"


    "No limit below. How long did you want to go at it?"


    He frowned. "Do you have to say it like that?"


    "Yes. Precisely because of that right there."


    "I didn''t have a specific timeframe in mind. Just... Until my mind settles. Just remember-"


    "To keep everything blunt. I know."


    "Then..." Loch took a breath, closing his dark blue eyes and reopening them a moment later. "Ready when you are."