The ride back to the tower was awkward in its silence, but there was no point bringing up what was wrong, since nothing could be said about it in public anyway. Ren all-but dragged her feet as she made it to that final door, and as Furion closed it behind them, Ren just started tossing pieces of clothing to the floor. A boot here, a glove there, until she made it to the bedroom and could drop face-first into the blankets with just her underclothes left.

Furion quietly watched her go, but after he walked around gathering-up all of her things again – and put them away – he went over to the nearest side of the bed to where Ren had dropped. Sitting on its edge, he let his over-uniform dissolve into the ambient Cloud, pushed his gloves off, and slid his hand up along the curve of her back, “…I think it’s time we had a difficult conversation.”

She turned her head, and looked at the man past her shoulder, “What about?”

“Getting Scyrexian out of you.” He answered, “It would be in such poor taste to say that it’s a good thing we’re on leave, but I’d…have to pull you from active duty until we can figure out what to do about this, if we weren’t.”

Ren drew in a long breath, and crossed her arms in front of herself with a sigh, “Yeah…”

“We can’t just let it live rent-free inside you.” Furion continued, “I’ve seen it push you damn-near to your limits twice now, and you were within striking-distance of all four-and-a-half Eidolon today.”

“…I did suggest not going to the memorial.”

“And you were completely right to say so. Under any other circumstances, I’d have supported it.” He agreed, and twisted around to lean down over her back. Hands wedged under her and crossed beneath her front, pulling her into a hug as he pressed a kiss to the back of one shoulder, “Which is why I think we need to be a little more proactive now. We have two weeks.”

“…I have a feeling I’m not going to like what you’re about to suggest.”

“We no longer have the luxury of hiding behind our so-called moral superiority.” Furion said, “When the others deploy tomorrow, we’re going to leave, too…and we’re going to find the most benign Limitless-user on Lord Rylen’s Most Wanted list. Someone whose power won’t be difficult to manage if Scyrexian gets hold of it.”

“So, you’re suggesting we sacrifice someone to save me.”

“Yeah.”

“…I don’t like it.”

“It was never a problem to go hunting the targets Lord Rylen explicitly told us to seek out and terminate.” Furion countered, “Why is it different if we’re doing it to save your life this time?”

“…It’s self-serving.” She answered, and closed her eyes as she lowered her face to the blankets, “And besides…how do we even know that we can kill it? Maybe it’s like an interdimensional prion or something, where it just lingers forever. It took a shot from the Aegis straight to the face and it still got away. Not to mention…even a dead afflicted host was a force to be reckoned with. The only possible way to make it weaker than it is inside of me is to make it move into a body that has no combat training…and that assumes it doesn’t just remember what it got from Ianori and I beforehand.”

“So, you don’t even want to try.”

“…I just don’t want to waste time on something pointless.” She sighed, “I don’t know what to do. Maybe this is the best we can hope for, short of sticking me into stasis or something…”

“Leaving it inside you and putting you into stasis are solutions I’m not willing to condemn you to.”

Ren grumbled and rolled over where she lay. Eyes looked up worriedly, “And I see no alternative. …The only way it’s coming out is if it gets to Gabe…and that’s even less of an option. …So, at least to me, figuring out how to live with it is probably our best bet.”

“…I don’t want that though; not even just for selfish reasons either, but because I know Lord Rylen will never let you be Captain if he finds out you’re compromised like this. We simply can’t keep it secret forever.” Furion tilted his head to one side, “…And I have a non-zero-sum of reasons to believe that, maybe, Scyrexian’s manipulating you into giving up, so it doesn’t risk losing you as its hostage. To that end, since it can probably hear us, I won’t say any more about what I think we should do. Just…put your faith in me, and I’ll find a way to pry it out.”

With her brow wrankled, Ren gave an uncertain mutter, “…You know how to twist the knife.”

“I know how much you want to lead the team after I go. I want that for you, too. …I’d also really rather not share my girlfriend with the monster that slaughtered said team.” Furion pointed out, and shifted his posture to pull his legs up onto the bed. He pulled one of his partner’s around his waist, and held himself up with a hand in the blankets on either side of her shoulders, “And if it won’t leave willingly, then I’m about to give it a good reason.”

Ren was a bit surprised, “…This is the first time you’ve broached the subject since you found out I had the thing. Even after you joked about making it watch…I was starting to think you saw me as contaminated.”

“Contaminated?” He echoed, and lowered down to his elbows, putting them nose to nose, “Not as such…maybe more the fact that I have to consider that you’re thinking about another man while we’re going at it.”

“…Maybe only if we’d messed around this morning. It tends to leave me to my thoughts during the day. Mostly.”

Furion quirked a brow, “Dare I ask?”

“Do you want to know?”

He considered that for a moment, “…Want is a debate. Should is the question.”

“I won’t say anything unless you ask me to.”

That just earned a tepid sigh, “…Say it. I think I can hazard a guess.”

Ren waited a moment in case her partner had second thoughts, but when he didn’t voice any, she shrugged her shoulders up, “It’s switched from nightmares to horny dreams.”

“…Yeah…there it is.” Furion huffed a careful laugh, “That’s okay. Next time you wake up wet, just say something, or jump my bones, whichever helps you faster. Lights on, eyes open, no problem.”

She was baffled, “…Seriously?”

“It’s not like you’d be the only one.” He mused, and pressed a kiss to her chest.

.

The Fafnir didn’t wait for very long before starting to assemble on one of the landing-towers, early the next morning, and the three of them appeared with their armor and a duffel-bag. Corbin landed first, followed by Jense right after, and Ravan came down a minute later. They each unhooked their bags and stepped out, waiting in that cold pre-dawn air as the second half of their mismatched team made their approach.

Furion was nowhere to be seen though at first, as Ren arrived on her own. She touched-down and hopped out of her armor like the others, and cast her eyes across each of the trio. With a head-shake, she stepped closer, and the group made a circle with one another, “…I can’t blame you guys for wanting to get going as fast as you are…but it still sucks that you’re leaving.”

Jense lowered his gaze, but stepped forward and threw his arms over Ren’s short stature, “Where are you going to go?” He wondered, and swayed her back and forth a few times before he let go again, “Or do you even have an assignment?”

“The Captain and I are going to take advantage of the break.” She answered, “But I think, once it’s over, we’ll probably be back here again. Papa Rydell is going to help us with final selections once you guys start sending back names, and will be sending some out if the candidates are promising from the last application cycle.”

“…Is it weird that I’m glad he’s back in the saddle right now?” Jense wondered quietly, “I trust the Captain, but…this was a big hit. I can’t imagine how he’s managing.”

“No better or worse than any of the rest of us.” She answered, and gave another parting hug before she moved on towards Corbin, “…I hope you’re not still mad about what happened.”

“Don’t think I’ll ever quit, Commander.” He answered, and reluctantly accepted the offered hug with a one-armed hug in return, “We lost too many for me to stop thinking I could’ve done something to mitigate the worst.”

“Maybe you’ll get your chance someday.” Ren suggested, “Who knows if or when Scyrexian will show up again.”

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“Maybe.” The dark man answered, eyes still heavy with that reticent despair, “It would be on sight if it ever showed its ugly head…heads…whatever the fuck that thing was.”

There was no time to give an answer to that before the low, rumbling hiss-sound of an older Fafnir model could be heard, and the small group looked out into the open sky. Above them, coming from the west – where the sun was just beginning to crest – was that menacing-looking armor. Corbin and Jense were both in awe of it, and quickly stood in a line, but Ren stepped off beside Ravan, who in turn had no particular response to the sight of the former Captain.

Lequerion didn’t bother stepping-out though, he simply landed and pulled his helmet off, taking a good look at the gathered before asking the obvious, “Where’s the man in charge?”

“Sir!” Jense and Corbin both saluted.

“Not me, idiots!”

“He left about an hour before, saying he had to do something.” Ren answered, “I thought he’d get here before I did.”

“I’m here.” Furion’s voice called from the far end of the platform; he’d come up to normal way, unlike the rest of them, and aside from the bits of his flight-suit visible, he’d mostly arrived in plain-clothes. He appeared to be typing something onto a nanotech keyboard as he made his way closer, then gestured in a swipe to make it go away as he arrived, “And quit saluting him.” He puffed and shook his head at the two lone veterans.

“Sir!” They turned and saluted him instead.

Lequerion snorted a laugh and crossed his arms, “Relics of a bygone era, those two.”

“At ease.” Furion shook his head; there wasn’t much point dissuading them, “In any case…thanks, all of you, for waiting a little while. I know there isn’t much more that can be said about what happened or what’s to come, but…if we’re being scattered to the wind for a while, then a proper farewell is probably in order.”

Ravan was about to join the gathering, but felt her left wrist get pulled gently away, and saw Ren there at the end of it. Ren nudged her head aside, and the two stepped off, moving out of ear-shot. There was a nervous pit in Ravan’s gut, especially once they stopped moving, and the look on Ren’s face told her there was more than just a goodbye coming up.

“…Before you go,” Ren started, holding both of the older woman’s hands in her own, “There’s something that we should probably clear-up…”

“Uh oh…” Ravan felt her spine clench, “What’s the matter?”

Ren’s brow wrinkled a bit, but she gathered her courage and lifted her eyes, “Ever since I got into the Fafnir…you’ve been a constant. One of the stabilizing rocks in my foundation, a shoulder to learn on, and…a comfort, in hard times, just being there when I’d otherwise be lonely. And I’ll never deny you any of those thi-”

Ravan pulled one hand free and waved it anxiously, “Is this about you and the Captain going public?”

“…Er…well…sort of.” Ren grimaced.

“Ah…he finally told you he didn’t want to share anymore, huh?”

“It’s…a bit more nuanced than that, but I guess you can boil it down to that.” The younger Knight answered pensively, and she sighed, “I’m really sorry. Maybe the fact that he and I don’t have to keep our situation secret anymore has made him think about other secrets…or rather, the fact that being acknowledged for one is making him consider confronting another… I also might’ve gone a bit too far, and it rubbed him the wrong way…”

Ravan quirked a brow, “How did you go too far?”

Ren stepped up onto her tippy-toes to whisper the confession into her friend’s ear, “I might’ve messed around with Gabe…a lot…”

“Gasp!” Ravan said, although she had to feign her surprise for it, “…Was he good?”

“That’s not the point!” Ren harped, and crossed her arms, “Honestly…”

Ravan teased a laugh and nudged the woman’s shoulder, “It’s fine, it’s fine…you don’t have to say.”

“…The thing is…I guess I found the limit of Furion’s tolerance. Maybe it was different with us because you’re not a guy…but Gabe is, and…I dunno, I probably took advantage of the fact that I bullied Furion into accepting the way I am before we got together, way back.”

“Mhm.”

“But the thing is…now that I’ve done it, and knowing I’ve hurt the both of them in the process, I have to take a step back and look at how my peculiar way of getting attached to people might be problematic.”

Ravan gave a disappointed smile, but nodded anyway, “I think I understand where you’re going with this. No more ‘friends with benefits.’”

Ren sagged where she stood, “…Yeah…”

“Don’t feel bad.” Ravan commented, and pulled the shorter figure into a hug, “I don’t envy your position, and I know it’s not your way, but…I think it’s probably for the best. For the both of you.”

Ren could barely see over the shoulder she’d been pulled to, and she spotted Furion’s gaze looking her way. She pressed her eyes down though, and returned the hug, “…It’s a bit of a shock to the system, for sure, but…thanks.”

Final goodbyes were said between the little group before those parting salutes were given, and as each of the three departing Fafnir returned to their armor and took to the sky, there was a bittersweet feeling that fell over those who were left behind. Ren continued to wave until the fading glow of those solid-light wings were replaced by the sight of Furion’s incoming armor, and she turned her eyes towards the elder Rydell.

“So where are you two going?”

“We’ll check on the Aegis first.” Furion answered, and stepped off to meet with his landing suit, “I think Lord Rylen’s probably made a decision about whether he’s fixing or scrapping it.”

“Hopefully he keeps it. I don’t want to go so far as to call it a family heirloom but it kind of is?” Lequerion huffed, and crossed his arms, “Would be hard to see it go after so many generations of the family have Captained it.”

Ren gave a disgruntled sigh, “One of these days, I’m going to pry it out of your hands.”

Furion had gotten into his armor by then and approached to stand beside his father; the two of them look at one another, but Lequerion was the one to answer, “Ren Rydell has a nice ring to it.”

“Unbelievable.”

The two of them couldn’t help but laugh, and the elder smacked the back of his armored hand against his son’s arm, “Better get on that before she changes her mind about how much she likes you.”

Furion’s eye twitched, “…Let me finish putting together a new squad at least. I can’t pass-on the helm when I don’t even have a ship to offer.”

“Fine, fine…” Lequerion shook his head, but then finally – albeit briefly – stepped out of his armor and gestured to Ren to come closer, “C’mere, then. I know you’re reluctant to give up your name since you’re the last one in your line to bear it, but that doesn’t make you any less part of this family.”

Ren stepped in and accepted the hug, feeling her feet leave the ground for a moment as her would-be in-law lifted her up to sway her back and forth. She could feel the air comically squeezed out of her lungs, and she squeaked like a dog-toy, but smiled anyway when he let her down again, “Thanks for coming back to help us, even if unofficially. Team-morale was hurting for the support.”

“Can’t deny that it’s been fun to fly again.” Lequerion answered, and gave a doting kiss to her cheek before letting go again, “Shame about the circumstances, but I’m glad these old bones can still do something useful. Take care of my Hellion while you’re out, okay?” He clasped her small shoulders with his big hands, “I’m sure he’s putting on a brave face, but he’s still the first Captain to ever lose most of the troops in a single battle. It’s gonna leave a mark, whether he shows it or not.”

Furion deadpanned the older man, “…Damn, pop, I’m standing right here.”

“It’s like I can still hear his voice…” Lequerion said whimsically, and turned on a heel to stare at his eldest son, “Surely, wherever Furion is, he can put Captain Rydell aside for a minute to let himself properly take the measure of his losses.”

He wasn’t sure whether to be offended or take notes, so Furion just looked away with an annoyed sigh.

“Furion grieves in his own way.” Ren defended, and pet the hand that was settled on her left side, “Keep an eye on Seth for us while we’re gone. He’s had enough sorrows to last a lifetime.”

Lequerion gave a quizzical look, “Aren’t you two coming back for the Dawn of Ages party?”

“It’s strange times right now.” Furion answered, and watched the two part so they could find their suits again, “I think a big part of why the others wanted to go so soon was because everyone’s worried what’s going on with Kitez. The Dawn is a vulnerable time, and anything can happen…Lord Rylen might scramble us at any moment, and the closer we get to the date, the more anxious everyone’s getting about an attack happening.”

“Don’t be on pins-and-needles waiting for the order.” Lequerion advised, “The blockade is still in-place, but as long as the Fourth is managing the situation, the Sixth has no say in the matter.”

Furion and Ren exchanged looks, but the Captain gave a reticent nod, “As you say.”

“Let me know what the Aegis looks like when you find out.”

“…Yessir.”

As the pair put their helmets off and rose into the skies, and Lequerion took his own leave, a particular purple-eyed feline watched from a distance. Its gaze followed Ren until her bright-red wings disappeared like a star in the dawning light.

.

The sun had risen over Oceanside around three hours earlier, and that meant there was work to be done. Regulus had taken to Kourin’s glasses like a fledgling-bird to flight, and as such…was not terribly good at their use. Frustrations were mounting as progress seemed slow.

[Error: Access denied]

[Error: Directory not found]

[Error: Target out of range]

He pulled the spectacles off and rubbed his fingers across the bridge of his nose, “Did she wipe her access to these damn pods or did she never gain access? These damn systems make no sense…” He grumbled to himself. With a breath, he took a moment to think, but then put the glasses back over his eyes again, “There must be something I’m missing… Kourin clearly had access to the pod-network, since I can see the other containers in the list…but what good would that have been if she couldn’t do anything with them? …Unless…”

He went back through the list again, and saw – as before – the signals he’d gotten from the pods in his possession versus those that were farther afield. He narrowed his eyes at each, If it can tell me that some pods are accessible and others are too far away to interact with…there must be a way to figure out where they all are.

Every combination of gesture was made at the overlay displayed on those lenses; a finger-tap, a swipe, a pinch, a clasp of the whole hand…but each attempt ended as the last had, with the listings doing nothing more than he’d already seen. In a moment of hasn’t-slept-all-night clarity, he rose from his desk and approached the one pod that was showing a green light, and pulled it from the shelf.

He set it on the table, and looked it over carefully; there were no obvious external buttons – everything about Luminary tech had always involved using that tech to access it – and he traced his fingers across the surface. Something about that gesture had triggered a reaction finally, and a barely-audible hiss escaped the top of the pod as a trace amount of nanotech escaped it, forming a keyboard above it. Surprised, the Magistrate reached his hands towards it, and was interested in how the keyboard actually felt tangible, unlike everything he’d done with the overlay.

He used the arrow keys to scroll up and down the list of connections, and hit ‘Select’ on the only one that was listed as useable…and in that moment, a new window opened.

[Other users on the network:]

-[Deleted]

-[Deleted]

-User_000000000025

-User_002881937782 (Me)

“…Deleted?” Regulus said aloud, “Probably the Rydell kid’s glasses, and the Fafnir whose implants I took. But who’s this other one?”

He clicked on the middle listing and it brought up a scant profile; it had the potential for information, but all of the fields were blank or redacted to asterisks. There was, however, a particularly interesting button at the bottom of the window.

[Disconnect user]

He clicked it.

Latheroux opened his one eye, and spied ‘Pod 17 has been disconnected’ come up on his overlay. That eye narrowed slightly, Someone is meddling…but who? …And more importantly, how?