Bea’ti was swirling the glass of wine in her hand. “Kar you are as charming as ever, your present and future wives will be truly blessed by the Goddess.” She was leaning closer to Kar, her body being held up by the table edge and one hand supporting her head. To Melora it looked like Bea’ti was almost lying on the table, Melora held Kar’s hand tightly, rubbing it with hers. Smiling whenever he glanced at her.

“Oh I am honored, but I do think Mely is everything I need and more.” Kar responded and sipped his own drink, a fruity concoction which he discovered for Melora. “I doubt I will have any need of more wives. I have more than enough sisters and brothers to continue the family name.”

“Well, what if you meet someone special? Truly special?” Bea’ti asked, taking a sip of her wine after. Staring intently at Ker.

“I mean, I have Mely and she is just that person for me. I doubt I will be interested in another person as much, probably not even a fraction, as much as I love my Mely.” Kar responded.

“What if you wanted children?” Bea’ti asked. “Would you consider marrying a Rakiri then?”

“Adoption is always an option, a very good option.” Melora answered for Ker, shooting lasers at Bea’ti.

“Sure, but… you know what they say about adopted children. It is just not the same as your own flesh and blood.” Bea’ti signaled the waitress. “Another bottle of this wine please.”

Elinsys finally spoke up. “Water for us two, please.” She gestured to Nilni and herself. The waitress gave a slight nod and left. Bea’ti might have brought them all here to question them about Mrek, but her only interest was the Rakiri next to her. Elinsys looked at Melora, who was looking more and more distraught.

“I agree Nilni, Bea’ti is clearly hungry for Kar, I mean he is cute.” Leferia was sitting between them.Well, there was no chair between them, but she had a sitting pose nonetheless. “Very much.” She licked her lips slightly and peered into Kar.

Elinsys felt angry every single time Leferia would respond to Nilni by reading her thoughts. It made it impossible to listen in on their conversation and Elinsys felt paranoid.

“Excuse me, Agent Bea’ti. May we begin with the questions? I am worried I can’t go on for too long. Me being required to stay in the medbay and all.” Nilni spoke up.

Bea’ti shook a little and straightened up. Removing her hands from anywhere close to Kar, pulling one from under the table. She cleared her throat and started the interrogation. “When was the first time you met Mrek?”

“After the riot, he was assigned as my doctor.” Elinsys spoke up first.

“Yes, he took care over me and Elinsys.” Nilni added.

Bea’ti wrote away on her omnipad. “Have you ever seen any of these people?” She showed them the pictures of Professor Hegran, Doctor Temira and ex-doctor Keresa. Everyone around the table shook no to her, it is best they kept her in the dark for now. “Okay, when was the last time you saw any Golden Dust?”

“Not since the riot, the club accident to be more precise.” Elinsys answered.

“Yeah, not since then. Thank the Goddess.” Nilni said.

“When we were burning the Dust after the riot, since then it disappeared from my radar, sister.” Melora made sure to put an extra layer of disrespectful tone on the last word.

“I have yet to see any.” Ker responded last.

“Hopefully you never will. I would hate to imagine you violent, well, outside of certain situations that might require it.” Bea’ti smiled at Kar.

“Yes Nilni, she meant in the bedroom.” Leferia commented. Elinsys just closed her eyes for a second and looked if the waitress was coming. Maybe a drink was not a bad idea.

The waitress did finally come with their drinks. “So did you decide what to order?”

“Turox steak for me and my wife please.” Kar answered first, which made Melora smile slightly.

“I would like one too. Maybe we could order a plate and share it? We would save a few credits?” Bea’ti offered.

“We have servings for three, four, five. It is cheaper to buy these than one for each.” The waitress responded.

“Perfect, get us a plate for five.” Bea’ti answered for the whole table.

“How rude indeed, for her not to ask us at all. As if we were some peasants.” Leferia nodded at Nilni. Elinsys rolled her eyes, they were peasants, at least her and Nilni.

“So Kar, I heard that female Rakiri like to feed their males? Get them all fat, is that true?” Bea’ti asked, focusing on Kar again.

“Yes, it is an old tradition. I prefer to ignore it, I like being fit.” Kar responded.

“I agree, you look better like this.” Bea’ti smiled and glanced down at Kar’s chest, then drank some of her wine and licked her lips.

Melora was aware of what was going on, she had to stop it, Bea’ti was very charismatic, who knows what she could…

Melora stopped, why didn’t she trust Kar? He showed her nothing but support and love for years, why would he…

Did she deserve his love? She was always away, she did try to get a job on their home planet, but Bea’ti stole it from her. She was always going against her, but why? They used to be friends, she used to have her back, but now Melora felt like Bea’ti would throw her out of an airlock just to be with Kar. It would be worth it, but why was she like this?

“Oh thank you. You are too kind.” Kar responded.

“You deserve every compliment I can give you Kar. I just hope you get enough of them without counting mine.” Bea’ti smiled at Kar, glancing quickly at Melora.

Melora was pissed, clenching her fist tightly around her drinks, if she pressed it any harder the glass would break. “Oh I make sure to tell Kar I love him every single day, every time I see him in fact.” She said in a cold tone.

Bea’ti was silent for a second, but then a devilish smile came upon her face. “So… every few months when you actually see him? To me it sounds like the same praise a sea town man could hear. Like husbands of old, before we sailed the stars.” She put her hand on Kar’s leg, too close for comfort for Melora.

“Get Your Hands Off My Husband!” Melora stood up and pointed at Bea’ti.

“I've Seen You Drooling Over Him Enough For One Night…” She screamed, earning herself looks from everyone in the bar. “...I Wish I Could Say For A Lifetime.”

“Melora of Vessina, what are you doing?” Kar asked her, putting his hand on her side. “Would you please sit down and calm down.” He said in a gentle voice.

Bea’ti, meanwhile, removed her hand and stood up. “Noble brat, that is what you always were! Always stealing what was mine. UGH, I am leaving, I expect to see you all for interrogation tomorrow morning. I expect you to tell me the truth! Any attempt to hide anything, will be punished. Goodbye, you brat.” She stormed out of the lounge, eyes of other visitors following her. Then switching back to Melora.

“Melora, why did you do this? I am leaving too, we can talk about this later. When you calm down.” Kar grabbed his things and left for the door. Melora ran after him.

Elinsys, Nilni and Leferia were still sitting at the table. “Shouldn’t you two go after them?” Leferia was looking glum, one of her hands supporting her head.

“We should go, yes.” Nilni stood up. “Do you mind paying Elinsys, I have no money.”

“Fine. Check please?” Elinsys turned to the waitress, who was looking at her dumbfounded, but then walked up.

Nilni and Leferia walked out too, leaving Elinsys to pay. When she finally walked out of the lounge, she didn’t see Nilni, Leferia or Melora and Kar. The Promenade was a ghost town. It was getting late, well, there is no “late” in space, but the night time lighting was on.

Elinsys walked down and up the Promenade, until she heard crying coming from an alley. Slowly and carefully she walked closer to the source. It was just around the corner now.

“Melora, is that you?” Elinsys asked.

“Leave, please.” Elinsys recognized that the sobbing voice was Melora's.

“Why are you... you know?” Elinsys asked, looking around if anybody was around.

“I… I screamed at Kar and he decided to get a hotel room, alone.” Melora answered, stopping her sobbing for now.

“Why did you scream at him? He didn’t do anything wrong.” Elinsys said, now sitting down next to Melora.

“Yes, he didn’t. That bitch got under my skin, like she always does. And now I potentially threw away my marriage.”

“I doubt one fight would do that, Melora. Maybe if you explain to Kar why you are mad at Bea’ti?”

“I tried, but he considers her a very close friend. Known each other since childhood, so he doubts Bea’ti would try something romantic.”

“You are his wife, if you explain it he should understand.”

“Kar, is too naive, too trusting. He thinks Bea’ti considers me her sister, which once she might have, but… well, we had a fallout.”

“Oh?”

“Not sure why, it just happened one day. We were about to go to the navy academy and she yelled at me. How I betrayed her or something, I don’t know what it was about. I was pretty heavily into alcohol back then. It is foggy, maybe I deserve it, maybe I don’t, but I know one thing. Kar doesn’t deserve to be used like a weapon against me.”

“What if she liked Kar before you two meet? And you two getting together clam trapped her?”

Melora stood in silence for a moment. “Fuck.”

“Come on, let's get you to your quarters. We can talk there if you wish.” Elinsys stood up and offered Melora her hand.

Melora grabbed Elinsys’ hand and pulled herself up. “I think I need to think about all of this alone.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind listening to you vent.” Elinsys and Melora started walking down the Promenade towards the train.

“No, no. I just need some quiet time to think by myself.” Melora responded. They boarded the train in silence, listening to the quiet humming as they made their way to the airlock. The lights were dimmed until they walked by, then they would light up like the night sky.

The airlock was guarded by Elinsys subordinates, saluting as the pair passed by, trying to not look tired from the night shift.

The engineering was quiet, the tools and parts were placed in their places. The stack of work orders seemingly bigger than ever.

Walking down the corridors, Melora stepped heavily, looking at the floor, thinking about the future she might have thrown away. Kar was everything to her, losing him would be as if she lost the universe.

“We are here, are you sure you want me to leave?” Elinsys stopped next to the door and turned to Melora.

“Yes, I need to clear my head with some sleep. I will see you tomorrow, preferably after I save my marriage.”

“I doubt it’s that bad, Mel. All couples fight.”

“Yes, sure. Still needs fixing, don’t want it to grow into something larger.” Melora walked into her quarters. “Goodnight Elinsys.” The door close behind her and Elinsys was left alone in the hallway.

“Night.” Elinsys went to her quarters and went to sleep, Leferia didn’t bother her.

***

Elinsys walked down the Promenade to Bea’ti’s office for her interrogation. She checked with Fera when she was scheduled to come in. Bea’ti scheduled her first and as early as possible. Elinsys wouldn’t mind this, except she was scheduled as early as possible, which meant Elinsys was tired from the lack of sleep.

Bea’ti would be mean, intrusive and would definitely annoy Elinsys, but all Elinsys had to do was keep her cool and not give Bea’ti any ammunition against Melora or the rest of the crew. Bea’ti set up a schedule which meant the time was limited, maybe a few comments here and there might lose some time. Stall and tire Bea’ti out, dodge questions about the Dust, remain calm.

“Did you see Kar anywhere?” Melora was standing next to Elinsys, a worried look on her face.

“No? Perhaps he is sleeping? It is rather early, what are you doing up?” Elinsys asked Melora.

“Looking for Kar! Can’t you hear me?” Melora became louder, annoyed.

“Why don’t you check in at the hotel?” Elinsys responded calmly.

“I did! He doesn’t have a room in any of them.” Melora looked around, becoming more and more aggravated.

“Maybe he has quarters on the Interior ship?” Elinsys asked.

“I asked there, I asked everywhere!” Melora was shifting on the spot.

“Maybe he is with Bea’ti?”

“He is scheduled later in the day, just before lunch. I bet that bitch wants to take him out after the interrogation.”

Elinsys was starting to get worried now too. All the logical explanations she had are gone, so where was Kar?

“What if he boarded the first ship off the station? Oh Goddess, did I screw it up that bad?” Melora was shaking now.

Elinsys grabbed Melora. “Calm down will you?”

A group of guards ran past Elinsys and Melora and alarm blared from the walls and red lights came to life. “What?”

As a second group moved past the pair Elinsys stopped them. “What is going on?”

“A murder in the Interior office.”