Music blares through the surrounding speakers, shaking the floor while dancers in exotic white and blue neon clothes shake their hips to the beat. A group of insurgents in black-metal battle suits walk split up and along the floor, scanning through their opaque-glass holo-masks for DNA matches and ID-ing all the occupants.

Miya rushes down the stairs of the upper venue, stopping at the corner and watching as an insurgent scans a Ya’valtian couple sitting at a table with a red glare from his mask’s lenses.

Tsk… They’re fast. It’s to be expected, I suppose. From that last transmission I siphoned, they will keep the doctor in some holding facility. I need to find a way to the upper levels to retrieve him back.

Miya then reaches for her neck but shakes her head as if second-guessing herself.

No, they have Nortoleac Battle Armor. Concealing myself would make me stand out more due to their hyper body-temperature sensing nodes.

“… Hey! You! Over there!”

“… Wah! Please stop!”

A man’s hoarse voice is followed by a child’s scream as two pairs of shadows converge through the hallway where Miya stood.

Miya watches a young Ya’valtian boy falls with a short slide across the floor, backing up as one of the insurgents looms over him.

“What’s your surname, kid? Who are your parents associated with?” The guard inquires.

Darfin looks to the side and locks eyes with Miya. Despite her slow nod signaling, ‘No,’ he rushes behind her with a squeal.

“T-This is a Space Patroller! She’s here on important business and I’m her partner!”

“Patroller… You say?” The insurgent’s head raises as he reaches for his shoulder.

Miya twirls around, grabbing Darfin by the shoulders and throwing him into the insurgent. The guard catches him while stepping back, with Miya sliding underneath his only standing foot and slamming him to the floor.

The insurgent reaches for his side holster, but before he could draw, Miya runs up and crashes her knee into his face mask, knocking him unconscious with his entire body falling limp.

Darfin coughs and raises himself from the chest of the insurgent, looking at his now shattered glass face mask with a trail of blood dripping down his black uniform.

“C-cool…” Darfin murmurs.

He then turns to look at Miya’s back as she walks down the dimly lit corridor and disappears onto the dance floor. Darfin chases after her, pushing past the dancing party-goers until noticing her stop in front of another young Ya’valtian man wearing an all-white high-poly suit with black outlines, semi-covered by a white cloak matching in style.

“Short girl with tons of attitude. I saw what you did up there in the skybox and over there in the corner. You like to cause trouble, a rebel. I can respect that.” He grins while rubbing back his straightened white locks, wrapped in a ponytail.

His crimson pupils were calm, with his eye slits long and narrow, similar to a cat's. He was only a few years ahead in age of Miya but gave off a hipster vibe with his mellow tone while offering Miya a relaxed smile.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Miya looks him up and down and turns around with a short wave. “Don’t have time for talking. But thanks for not being a fink."

He then places a hand on her shoulder, making her look back at him with a glare.

“Hey now. Did you not hear me? You’re with Loliel aren’t you? It’s been such a long time since I’ve seen her. Is she here by any chance?”

An insurgent walks in front of Miya, eying her down then making eye contact with the man with a bow.

“… Excuse me Mr. Giroka, sir. We’re just doing a routine inspection, not to alarm you. We’ll just ID this young girl and then you can continue—“

The young man rushes in front of Miya, shielding her with his arms. “No need. She’s with me, so you can go and scan somewhere else.”

“I’m sorry sir, but it’s policy too—“

“You do know who my father is, right? The head-exec for Stellar Analysis here and Stravos? I could easily get him to make some calls and get you removed from the company for talking back to his son. Now please leave. That’s an order.”

The insurgent then looks past him to Miya with a scoff then turns around, pushing a few dancers out of his way.

He then grabs Miya by the hand and ushers her through the dance floor until they walk down a secluded metal staircase and stand in front of a black door with a red-flashing panel on the side.

Miya watches as he places his hand onto the panel, which flashes green, with a clicking mechanism causing the door to swing open. Continuing to tug on her arm, he pulls her into an empty elevator at the end of the hall covered in white light.

Miya looks down at her hand and snatches it away with a glare. “So, you’re Kavie I’m assuming.”

“That’s a pretty weird way of saying thanks. I did save you from big guy back over there.”

Miya grins while resting her hands on her belt. “You’ve got it wrong, pretty boy, for I’m the one who’s saving you here. Don’t forget that.”

“Two-shay. And, you think I’m pretty? Don’t compliment me to much or I’ll blush.”

“Enough small talk.” Miya looks around the elevator’s narrow white enclosure. “Where does this shaft lead? Up or down—“

“… Miya! Where are youuu?” A boy’s voice exclaims down the hall.

“Uh, who’s that?” Kavie inquires, leaning his head out of the elevator.

Miya pushes his head back in with a finger and slams her fist into the elevator’s terminal panel so that its doors start to close.

“Don’t know. Don’t care.” She replies while leaning her back onto the wall.

In a nimble jump, Darfin dashes through the small crack of the elevator as it slides close. He then leans onto his knees with several heavy breaths.

“Haa… Haa… Guess you… Didn’t hear me…”

Miya grabs Darfin by the collar and slams him into the wall with a glare. “You dradoka! Why did you follow me?”

“Y-you told me to be more assertive and confident! S-so…” He then grabs onto Miya’s wrist with a smile. “I-I’m asking you to couple with me right here and now! I won’t take no for an answer!”

Miya's face scrunches in a combination of disgust and confusion. She then throws Darfin to the other side of the elevator with a sigh.

“Stop this thing. He’s getting off.” Miya orders.

Darfin takes a step forward. “W-what! But I wanna be with you! I’m going to be a Patroller too—“

“But you aren’t one, you drado! And I’m not technically even one yet! This is my trial run, my first mission. And I can’t be bothered to take care of some weird-ass kid who’s obsessed with virtual popstars!”

“Her name is Hiruma Orimi and she’s real! And I’m not obsessed just mildly intrigued!”

Miya then turns around to Kavie while pointing to the blinking panel, rising in numbers. “And why haven’t you stopped this thing yet? Did you hear me?”

“Uh, sorry sis. This thing is one way up and down. Guess he’s going to have to wait until we reach the top.” Kavie explains with a scrunch of his shoulders.

Miya wipes her fingers down her face then shakes her head. “Please just don’t talk until we get there. Why is everyone on this planet either incredibly annoying or fucking weird?”

Kavie and Darfin look at her for a second before locking their eyes.

“So, uh… You like Orimi, huh? Me too, it’s a shame she quit singing though. How old are you by the way?”

Darfin grins with a pump of his chest. “I’m sixteen Xudir moons, but I turn seventeen in about a half moon!”

“Oh cool, I’m eighteen… But you’re kinda short for your age man.”

“My mom says I’m a late bloomer! But you’re just to freakishly tall—“

“—SHUT UP!” Miya shouts with enraged pupils. “The next person to talk gets their mouths charred closed. And I really mean it.”

She then looks to the side with a click of her teeth and folded arms.

“N-nice to meet you…” Darfin whispers to Kavie, who smiles in return.