An ornate archway displaying Serenity Park’s name welcomed Mia and Lorenzo to their destination. It had been years since she last stepped through. Her favorite swingset stood in the distance–for now. Maybe her being taller had something to do with this, or maybe experiencing Earth spoiled her, but the mild hills of manicured greenery looked so small, so empty now.

Captain Galhardo came to a stop and broke the silence. “Have the others made it to their positions?”

Mia skimmed through the group chat. “Everyone’s in place. Roxie says we should adopt nicknames to blend in more with other spacepunks.”

“Nicknames?”

“Like, um–Actually, here.” It was easier just to show him that part of the conversation. She had to hand it to the others, names like Junk and E-Clipse sounded as spacepunk as any other. That didn’t mean she could pull it off, nor did she want to.

“...I see.” The captain sounded just as enthusiastic.

“Not everyone goes by names that are so, uh, out there.” There had to be a dozen Serena’s walking around. “We could probably get away with our real names.”

He rested a hand on his chin. “Actually, it may still be beneficial to go by different names. A lot of former Interstellar Forces Preparatory Academy students live here. I’m sure the same applies to your former classmates.”

Not like they’d remember her. “I should be fine so long as I don’t run into family. But I can go by my middle name if you prefer.”

“Excellent. From hereon, you may call me Rafael.”

“McKenzie.” Wordlessly, she updated the group chat on their new nicknames, then gazed beyond the archway. “Do we start looking here?” A few joggers, some senior citizens, and a couple of parents with children lingered in the park. None looked like their missing person. In fact, it looked like they arrived too early for the spacepunk crowd.

“Let’s.”

What followed was a silent stroll. Nowhere did she find any sign of Ranger Hook, but she enjoyed reacquainting herself with the only patch of nature that wouldn’t kill her.

They finally finished the artificial pond since she last visited. Other new installments included flowers, more portable bathrooms, and the occasional speaker playing sounds of animals that didn’t exist. Mia missed seeing birds. She also missed the wonky looking caterpillar statue in the playground that had been replaced by a more traditionally cute robot character.

Miraculously, everything else stayed the same, from the water fountain she and her mom drank from to the picnic benches her family sat at. They shined just like she remembered. Lunaria wouldn’t have it any other way.

It took until the second lap for the captain to speak again. “Has anyone else reported seeing her?”

Mia checked her phone. “No.”

“Hmm. If we don’t find her on this lap, we’ll search somewhere else.”

She nodded.

“Also, is it,” the captain’s glasses rendered his expression less readable than usual, “suspicious that we haven’t been talking?”

“I’m not sure.” Mia never paid attention to whether other park goers talked or not. “Should we?”

“If you want.”

A pause took place as both tried to figure out something to talk about.

“So, how was it shopping with the L–my br–E-Clipse yesterday?” he choked out the nickname.

“It was fine.”

More silence.

“Did you see anything we bought?”

“Yes. I am certain it will make the common areas look furnished.” It became painfully clear neither of them knew how to hold a conversation. “Did you pick out any of it?”

“No. Wait, actually, I did convince him to buy some cheaper options.” Thankfully, Emil wasn’t as difficult to steer on the right path as some people she knew. “But mostly I was just there to be a decoy.”

“A decoy?”

“He didn’t want to seem too interested in what we were buying.”

“I don’t follow.”

“Because it would look weird for him to be into decorating, I guess?” Emil never told her the reason outright, but she read between the lines even if she struggled to summarize.

Mia served as the conduit for his interior design opinions. An actress, performing words he’d text her for an audience of potentially judgy passersby while he played the role of her politely interested guy friend. None of his decor choices screamed ‘feminine,’ but maybe having decor choices at all was too risky for him.

A lot of IFPA students lived here, after all. Emil had all the makings of a popular guy, the kind of guy instantly noticed by former classmates. Sometimes it’s better to be unknown.

The captain shook his head. “I’d be surprised if he were concerned about looking strange. Besides, if he were, why buy decorations at all? It’s not like they’re necessary.”

“He said something about how important it is for things to feel like home since we’ll be living there for a while.”

“That, I can believe he feels.”

The conversation died there. Their second lap ended the same as the first, with no Ranger Hook sightings. Once again, they stopped under the archway.

“This was the most populous place I could think of in the area.” The captain surveyed the north side of the street. “Are you aware of any other gathering spots?”

“Maybe Carter’s Mart?” Mia tried to avoid crowds whenever possible, but no matter when she bought groceries, everyone wanted to shop smart at Carter’s Mart.

“That’s in E-Clipse and Lunar’s area.”

Mia wracked her brain for other options, looking around the area in the hopes that something would jog her memory. Nothing did.

That didn’t matter, because she spotted a busy storefront at the end of the block.

“There’s people over there.” She pointed.

“So there are. Let’s take a closer look.”

Mia followed the captain down the sidewalk and across the street only to realize in dawning horror–and hunger–what the storefront offered and why it attracted so many people.

Everyone who entered left with at least one donut. Not just any donut, but a free donut with any purchase, judging by the sign. With how expensive the city was, even the most health-conscious Lunarian would hesitate refusing that offer. Mia’s sweet tooth made it that much harder, but she wasn’t in danger of giving into temptation.

“It looks like most people are inside.” The captain approached the back of the line.

“Is it okay if I wait on the other side of the door?”

“I would prefer if we remained in each other’s sight.” That time Aiden ran off on the Moon Base must’ve really put him on high alert. “Why do you ask?”

They now stood close enough to other people that Mia worried someone might overhear their true purpose. “It’s a good spot for people watching. And I won’t be able to stay inside.”

The captain’s eyebrow raised in suspicion. “Why not? Do you have some sort of donut… allergy?”

“You know about the door lights, don’t you?”

“The yellow ones? What about them?”

“Well, they can be green or red too.” Mia explained. “A lot of businesses here have height and weight calculators built into the entrance. Green means you’re at the ideal weight or lower for your height. Yellow means you’re at the higher end of the ideal range or a little over, I think.”

“I-I see.” The captain’s eyebrows twitched. “I assume red is for those who are overweight.”

“Yes.” Mia nodded. “Red customers, uh, we aren’t allowed to buy from most eateries. Unless they have alternate menus.” She’d rather get kicked out than receive a red menu.

“Would you be allowed in if you didn’t buy anything?”

She shook her head. “The second we reach the front of the line, I’m pretty sure they’re going to ask for my ID and make us both leave.”

He raised his head toward the doorway. It flashed red as a customer left. “Wait, but that person was able to get a donut.”

“Tourist. The door light system only applies to Lunarian citizens.”

“That is,” the captain’s eyebrows scrunched up, “very ill thought out. Wouldn’t it be easier to do away with places like this donut shop? Everyone would benefit. After all,” his finger wagged at no one in particular, “junk food is no healthier for those who somehow fail to show the effects.”

Something told Mia that this related to why Emil told her not to tell his brother what he ate yesterday.

“Some people have argued for removing all fast food,” not her, “but I guess they need to make sure tourists have some place to spend their money.”

He crossed his arms in displeasure. “Unbelievable. What a terrible example to set.”

“Um, If you still want us to go in together, we can pretend to be strangers.” She figured she’d suck up the embarrassment of getting kicked out for her boss’s sake. Or rather, for the sake of any future job references.

“That seems dishonest, but–”

“Hi, excuse me.”

Both turned to face a tall, nervous-looking woman, dressed in angular clothes of blue, purple, and white. White freckles dotted her face, and her white hair had a pearlescent tone. She might as well have stepped off the cover of a spacepunk style magazine.

Image: A woman coyly looking away as she talks to Lorenzo and Mia. [https://f2.toyhou.se/file/f2-toyhou-se/images/88418156_RgJntvsoqDMzPuu.png?1726126420]

“Sorry. Sorry to bother y’all. Do y’know how to get to Apennine Boulevard? I’d use my phone, but the battery drains so fast on it.”

Captain Galhardo pointed to the street he and Mia used to walk to this part of town. “Go down that street until you hit Rockwell, make a left, and you should arrive there in three blocks.”

“Bless your soul.” Her eyes fell on Mia. “Cute outfit, by the way. Sorry again, but could’ja help me pick out a lipstick color? I’m so nervous for this job interview, I can’t choose.”

“Oh gosh, uh, thank you?” The shock of being complimented by such a fashionable woman nearly made Mia forget about the question.

She held two lipstick colors before her: purple and white. Unfortunately, this woman asked a fraud: Roxie was the brains behind her wardrobe.

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Mia tried her best anyway. “Purple? White might be too dramatic for an interview. Both would look really good on you though, I think.”

“Thank y’all so kindly!” Her smile made Mia want to sink into the sidewalk.

“G-Good luck on the job.” Did she just doom this woman? If only she could ask Roxie.

Roxie. Just the thought of her caused more pain in Mia’s heart than she wanted to admit. Did she notice Mia trying to distance herself?

She was probably happier with Jun anyway. Instead of making the mistake of checking the group chat, she navigated to Ranger Hook’s information.

Doing so struck her with the realization that without the white hair and freckles, the woman that just left looked a lot like Hook. Mia looked to the captain for any sign of him noticing, but he was too busy staring at the line ahead. Maybe she just imagined the resemblance. Hook or not, Mia didn’t feel like getting in the way of someone’s job interview.

After Captain Galhardo took his order, Mia showed her ID only to be shown the door. She tried to ignore the girl whispering “Why did she bother coming in?”

Yellow flashing signalled the captain’s exit. Each of his hands carried a drink. “She wasn’t inside. The closest match so far is the woman who asked for directions.” He froze. “Do you think that could’ve been her?”

“I don’t know for sure. It was hard to tell with her hair and makeup.”

“Let the others know.”

Regretfully, Mia alerted the group chat to keep an eye out for her. She didn’t give the name Apennine Boulevard, but if she recalled correctly, it fell within the shopping district, where the least proactive pair was stationed. Aiden did not seem to care about the mission, and she doubted Leon’s little brother could do anything if he wanted to.

“This is for you.” Captain Galhardo offered her one of the drinks. “I was going to order water for myself anyway, but I bought one for you as an apology for making you violate city ordinance.”

“It’s only breaking the law if I don’t leave. Thank you, though.” Her eyes widened at it in surprise that he cared. They then wandered to a small paper bag dangling off of his pinkie and the glazed pastry sticking out of it. “Enjoy your donut.”

He stared at it for a moment. “I did not order this.” A sigh left his nose. “The cashier would not let me leave without taking it.”

Mia looked at the line on the other side of the door. “Maybe you can give it to someone over there.”

“It was specifically requested that I not do that.” Captain Galhardo shook his head. “We can figure out what to do with it on the way to our next location. The cashier told me there is an indoor beach within walking distance.”

Revolving Shores Indoor Beach and Water Park. Mia’s family went there once after the triplets’ birth. There’s no telling how things changed after the door light system, but she kept her concerns to herself. Complaining never helped anyone’s job security.

Instead, she offered advice on the walk over. “Do you, uh, think we could give your donut away to someone?”

The captain gave a slight nod and called out to a woman headed in the other direction. “Excuse me. We do not want to eat. This. Would you accept a donut? For eating?”

She shook her head and quickened her pace, looking a little frightened. Without a word or a look, he handed the bag to Mia. It weighed heavy with the looming threat of impromptu social interaction.

She made her move on an oncoming businessman. “Um, it’s a donut.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Free donut? Y-Yeah.” The coherent sentences she thought of jammed on the way to her mouth.

The businessman dismissed her offer with a wave of the hand. Terrible. Terrible. She never wanted to speak to another person again.

Even at the crosswalk, when she spotted a nearby cop, her mouth held shut. One look at the captain and another toward the officer conveyed everything she wanted without puking up a word salad. He gripped the bag, mouthing a silent argument against himself. A sigh and a nod let her know his decision.

They approached the officer.

“Can I help you guys?” He eyed them warily. A hand hovered over his belt.

Captain Galhardo presented the bag, bowing his head. “We would like to give you this. For your service.”

“It’s a donut!” Mia added hastily. “It’s just a donut.”

The cop’s suspicion turned to laughter. “Oh, I get it. Just because I’m a cop, you think I eat donuts. Real original.”

“We’re sorry if we caused any offense, sir.” The captain lowered his head even more.

“I’ll have you know, I’m on a strict regimen!” The officer thumbed into his chest. “Friendly word of advice for you kids: A hot dog a day keeps the doctor away.”

Some would say Lunaria’s #1 export was dubious health advice.

“It’s a good, affordable source of vital riboflavin. Don’t get any of that cheap stuff.” He continued gesturing. “Pick out franks made of nice, Earth-grown pork–or beef if you prefer. Any red meat. No chicken dogs or those unbreaded fish sticks they try to pass off as hot dogs. And no buns. The chemicals, geez-louise!”

This tirade continued with no foreseeable end, only brief punctuation by the captain’s quiet ‘Yes, sir,’ ‘Thank you, officer,’ and ‘I understand, sir.’ Something needed to be done, and it fell on Mia to do it. Because of course it did.

“–put ‘em in your soups, put ‘em in your salads, put ‘em–”

“Thank you for your advice, officer, but, uh, if you’ll excuse us, we need to be on our way.” She began to back away, and the captain followed.

“Not so fast, little lady.” The cop’s words froze them in place. “I get a suspicious vibe from you two. What’s up with the donut?”

Captain Galhardo took the time to choose how to explain. “We were given a free one with our purchase, but neither of us planned to eat it. It has not been tampered with in any way.”

“We’re trying to find someone who’ll take it.”

“Is that sooo?” The officer cocked his head to the side. “By the looks of your conspiring over there, I get the feeling you’re not telling the whole truth. Tell ya what. Either dispose of that donut where I can see you, or eat it right now, and we won’t have any problems, okay?”

Mia and the captain stared at each other. She’d rather not throw a perfectly good donut away but didn’t want to be the one to say that. The captain considered the bag in his hand, the choice his to make.

Captain Galhardo plucked the donut out of the bag with a napkin, then ripped both in half. He kept one half, giving the other to Mia. She waited for him to lift it to his mouth before she did the same. Aside from their jaws and hands, neither moved a muscle until the donut was gone. Mia took the bag now full of napkin scraps, and threw it into the recycling bin to her right.

“There, that wasn’t so hard, was it? Hope you enjoyed your treat.” Maybe they would’ve enjoyed it more if they hadn’t been threatened. “Have a nice one, stay outta trouble, and don’t forget your daily hot dog!”

They bid the officer polite goodbyes and crossed the street as soon as they were able. Mia learned a very important lesson from this: Free donuts from an established restaurant were hard to pass up. Free donuts from awkward strangers? Very suspicious.

“There are much better sources of riboflavin than hot dogs.” Good to know the captain wasn’t completely taken in by the cop’s authority.

Both took a break from talking, which lasted even after they reached Revolving Shores. Yellow and red lights ushered them into a big, blue lobby where beach balls dangled from the ceiling. People of all ages and sizes filled the queues, which they soon joined. Those who didn’t walked around, some in swimsuits, some not. This place looked busy enough for a deserter to hide in.

“Hi, welcome to Revolving Shores.” greeted the guy at the counter. “First thing’s first, do you have a change of clothes ready?”

“No.” answered the captain. “Are they required?”

“I’m afraid they are now. We try to cut down on visitors tracking sand into the city. Keeping the beach inside, so to speak. But not to worry!” He motioned to some kind of a gift shop a few feet away. “Here, we have Lunaria’s one and only beach shop for your convenience. You can just go in there, buy a swimsuit, change, and head over to the appraisal line.”

To her left, Mia saw the appraisal line he spoke of. A staff member in front thoroughly examined people in swimsuits. Some were given keys. Others argued with her after being turned away. The whole idea made Mia’s stomach turn.

“Thank you.” Unfortunately, the captain made his way to the beach shop, so she joined him.

“Do we still have to stick together?” Swimsuit shopping with her boss did not strike Mia as fun.

“If it goes for the others, it applies to us as well.”

“Understood.”

They made a beeline for the men’s section once inside the beach shop. The captain picked through trunks, occasionally stretching them against his waist. Mia focused her attention elsewhere, but whenever they made eye contact, a palpable discomfort blossomed between them. He didn’t enjoy this either.

Finally, he found a suitably plain and long enough pair. But a new search began. He spent the next few moments looking around in increasing confusion. “Are there no shirts?”

A staff member answered before Mia did. “Sorry. I keep trying to tell the higher ups that it would be a good souvenir opportunity, but no dice. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“In that case, are there wetsuits?”

“Only in the junior section.”

“Thank you for your assistance.” The captain let out a deep breath after the other guy left. “I suppose we should look for your swimsuit.”

“I suppose.” repeated Mia.

They supposed their way to the women’s section and the bikinis that lined its walls. Mia didn’t have to look to know they weren’t her size, not that she’d be comfortable wearing them otherwise. She saw no leggings, no skirts, not even a swim dress, but finally, she led the captain over to the one pieces displayed in the intersection of women’s and girls’ clothes.

All the options looked great… on other women. Rifling through the rack, the only items that matched her comfort were far too small. The rest consisted of too-low necklines, bottoms hiked far up, giant holes in the midsection, no fabric in the back, and bikinis connected by string.

Her face went red just thinking about wearing these in general, let alone in front of her boss. She did find one saving grace.

Another staff member got her attention before she could tell the captain. “Are you looking for anything?”

“Um, what’s the largest size these go up to?”

“We don’t carry anything larger than a medium, sorry.”

“It’s okay.” It was more than okay. Mia turned to the captain to deliver the ‘bad news.’ “There’s, uh, nothing in my size.”

He faced an entirely different direction, typing on his tablet. “I heard.”

Once he returned his swim trunks, they left Revolving Shores. The captain veered off to the wall next to the entrance. Mia stood by his side, watching the people who funneled in. Much fewer came out.

“This beach seems like it would’ve been a good vantage point.” mused the captain. “It is unfortunate that we weren’t able to go inside.”

Mia nodded. Her relief soured into guilt.

“Though I appreciate not having to spend more money on clothes. The options in store were very,” he crossed his arms, “revealing. Even for the men’s section.”

“I’m starting to think that’s the point.” Mia spotted a sign above her that read ‘Enjoy the view!’ It meant the beach to some extent, but it also made sure to feature smiling, attractive 20-somethings. “You probably could’ve gotten in with just trunks, though.”

“I would prefer not to. It’s attracted,” he looked away, “unwanted attention. But if there was no other choice for the mission…”

His hesitance made Mia realize how much Lunaria treated its fit people like zoo animals. She didn’t know if she’d be able to go through with that even for her job. But that’s a distant hurdle. The one she faced now was being a hurdle to the mission. She had to think of a place where she wouldn’t hold him back.

Then it struck her. “There’s a salad shop that’s popular,” and expensive, “and we can both go in.”

“A salad shop.” The captain’s voice took an oddly reverent tone. “Finally, a place where salads aren’t sidelined. Let’s go.”

“Wait.” The location pin on her phone burst her bubble. “It’s in the shopping district. I’m sorry. I don’t really know a lot of hang out spots, unless you count the library.”

“The Lunarian Public Library?”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t call it popular.”

“It may not be, but it should have records that can help us in locating our ‘friend.’”

Mia lifted her head. “What kind of records? Public or…?”

“Ones that we can access.” His emphasis made her think military records. “You’re familiar with how to get there, I assume?”

“Yeah, it shouldn’t be too far.”

She led the way, glad to have been doing something other than getting in the way. Plus, she had an excuse to go to her favorite place in the city. Sure, she wouldn’t get to peruse its selection like she originally wanted to, but otherwise, it’s a win-win situation.

“The door light system does make me curious about something.” The captain spoke up partway into their journey. “I would assume most star rangers, especially newer ones, to fit into the green and yellow lights by regulation. Considering that you don’t–”

Mia dreaded where this headed but lacked the backbone to stop it.

“–how exactly did you get in?”

“I passed all other fitness tests.” Barely, but he didn’t need to know that. “It was determined I would meet regulation weight by the next time I was tested.”

A silent ‘Why haven’t you yet?’ lingered in the air.

“Though I’m not on the same regimen my recruiter gave me. I got orders to, um, not do that anymore.”

“By a commanding officer?”

“...You could say that. I’ve still been working towards meeting that goal, though. It just hasn’t been as straightforward as I hoped.”

“That,” his voice started out more quiet than usual, “I am aware that happens.” She didn’t expect him to be so understanding. It was appreciated, as was the end of this conversation.

The white stairs and columns of the Lunarian Public Library came into view. No colorful flashing lights marked their entrance, just the smell of old paper. Dim lighting, warm colors, and faux wooden shelves gave this library the cozy atmosphere she knew and loved. It felt more like home than home.

A familiar old woman sat behind the counter, typing away on her computer until the two approached. “Hello. Do you need help finding something?”

The captain glanced at his tablet. “Could you direct us to where the Interstellar Forces’ records are kept?”

“You’ll have to provide ID first.”

“Of course.” He took a velcro wallet from his cape. Something about it made his eyebrows furrow. After putting it back, he produced a leather one, along with his ID.

The library assistant gave his card a thorough look from front to back.

“Everything checks out.” Once she handed it back to him, her hand reached out to Mia. “Yours, miss?”

Mia handed over her card, and the process repeated again. This time, though, the assistant’s eyebrows raised.

“Oh, it’s you.” A warm smile crossed her face. “I wondered where you’d been lately.”

“Wow, really?”

“It’s only natural to remember such a frequent visitor,” that came as news to Mia, “and the flock of boys that tagged along.” That, not so much. “How are they?”

“Alive, I think.”

The woman chuckled. “So you’re part of the IF now.” She rested a hand on her cheek. “My, how time flies. I remember when your mother used to bring you. As a matter of fact, I think I saw her earlier today.”

“Really? Is she still here?” Mia did her best to hide behind a pleasant tone.

“I didn’t see her leave, but maybe she did during my break.” The assistant gave her ID back. “Here you go. To reach the IF’s archives, just head to the very back. I’ll send someone over there to let you in. You may have to show your IDs again.”

“Understandable.” The captain nodded.

“I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

Mia smiled. “Thanks.”

Once out of earshot, the captain spoke up again. “That was unavoidable, but we should stick to our aliases as long as she’s not around.” He looked around as he walked. “Just in case.”

While he searched for Hook, Mia kept an eye out for someone else. The two made it to the back shelves without finding who they were looking for. Instead, they found what they were looking for: a door situated between two shelves.

Whoever the front desk lady sent hadn’t arrived yet, so Mia took a moment to settle. Her eyes wandered across book spines. History books and memoirs of people long gone stared back at her. She rarely read books like these but figured she’d pick one up, if only to pass a few minutes of time.

Her favorite reading table sat beyond the captain, around the corner. She’d take a seat for old time’s sake, if not for the concern of causing trouble for some poor page by putting the book back in the wrong place. So she stood and read. The quiet calmed her and the atmosphere soothed her all the same.

She wasn’t naive enough to think these walls had a heartbeat. The library didn’t care whether she lived or died. So why did it feel like the only place that ever loved her? The answer didn’t matter, not now, maybe not ever.