Elinsys stood on the deck of Veneration, watching as their ships slowly made their way to the station. Fera and Melora were here too, there was a mutual feeling of uneasiness in the air. The crew was kept in the dark about the true nature of their sudden return. Rixva came up with a lie about the broken power line. Which she then turned into a truth by taking her tools and breaking it, leaving just the one going to provide power to the lights in a spare storage room.

“Veneration, you are allowed to dock. Please prepare to receive a welcoming party.” A voice of the docking officer came over the comms.

“It would seem the station is operating as normal, if we are lucky Mrek is still here and Nilni is unharmed.” Melora said. “Now, Elinsys you-”

“Is that an Interior ship?” Fera asked, pointing to a ship docked with the station. “It looks expensive.”

The ship looked more akin to a luxury private transport than a ship representing the Interior, but then again the Interior was famed for their love of decorations and pointless awards. The ship was mostly black with purple and golden strips covering the hull. It was smaller than the Veneration or the Javelin, even smaller than the Frontier.

“An Interior ship here? Perhaps they arrested Mrek?” Elinsys asked. She had hoped the bastard made some slip and got the Interior on his back. The Interior has a bad reputation, but they were good at their job, unless someone bribed them of course.

“Interior being here is a bad omen, nothing else if you ask me.” Melora studied the ship. “Fera do they have any Dust left on the station?”

“No ma’am. Unless they found more since we left.” Fera answered.

Melora nodded. “Good, good wouldn’t want them to spread it to the core worlds. Elinsys, come with me. And get me a pod of Marines, time to flex our muscles a bit.”

Elinsys followed Melora off the bridge. “So what is the plan? We board, you solve any problems we might have with the Interior around the Dust meanwhile I and the Marines and I go and arrest Mrek?”

“Close, but I need someone to stop me from possibly punching a superior. Now hurry up to the Operations, I have to get dressed. Meet you at the airlock.” Melora went down another hallway, waving behind her to Elinsys. She seemed excited.

Elinsys stood there for a moment confused as to why Melora is talking about punching a superior. Then proceeded down to Operations.

“She is gonna punch some bitch huh?” Leferia said, walking with Elinsys. “Want to place a bet?”

“No.” Elinsys responded walking down the hall. She was getting annoyed by Leferia taking everything so easy. Why doesn’t she ever take anything seriously?

***

The airlock doors opened, producing a rumbling sound. Melora stood in front of Elinsys in her nicest uniform. White ceremonial garbs with few purple markings of her rank on her shoulders meanwhile on her wrists were golden markings of her family.

Elinsys was wearing her armor, without the helmet. It was black with few dark purple markings of her rank. She armed herself with a pistol, she would leave the serious firepower to the four Marines standing behind her, armed with rifles.

Leferia was standing to the side, wearing a dark robe like piece of clothing. There was a smile on her face. Excitement towards something behind the door or perhaps towards Mrek being punished. Elinsys was never quite sure with her.

“Hello Commodore, you have returned to the station rather quickly, did something go wrong?” The welcoming officer asked, two Marines behind her, they all were wearing armor. The Admiral has ordered them all to wear it and be armed on their regular patrols even.

“Yes, a broken power line. Our engineers suggested we don’t risk it. Our stop should be quick, a few days at worst. Unless other circumstances prevent us. Has anything of note happened?” Melora answered, putting on her most commanding tone.

“A kidnapping, the Interior is here to investigate. Must have been someone important. Possibly a Noble, but you will have to ask the Admiral, I am afraid it’s all under wraps. Only senior officers know anything, ma’am.” The welcoming officer replied.

Elinsys looked towards Leferia who was still looking smug. Leferia noticed her gaze. “Oh, don’t be like that. Can’t a girl smile without drawing suspicion?” Leferia walked past the guards and into the station.

“I shall do that as fast as possible, if you wish to search the ship I shall summon our Head of Engineering. Otherwise let us pass.” Melora said.

“Afraid not, ma’am. You will have to give a statement, the Interior head investigator has sent for you herself. She is waiting at the medbay. We are to escort you, would you mind leaving behind the entourage?” The officer asked, looking towards the Marines.

“If there was a kidnapping, I think I should have more security. Who knows, perhaps I could be the next target.” Melora moved past the officer, Elinsys and the Marines marching with her.

The officer stared at them as they passed, but didn’t try to stop them.

Leferia came up next to Elinsys, walking next to her. “Truly a woman of determination, I see it in her eyes. But one must say it is quite recent.”

Elinsys looked at her, pretending to be observing the signs in the hallway. Her expression was one of bewilderment.

“Oh, did I say that outloud? Sorry, it was a compliment towards her newfound purpose.” Leferia smiled at Elinsys.

The party soon reached the train and boarded for medbay. The ride was silent. Elinsys spent her time looking at the Promenade. It has changed, new façades and shops, new people who arrived seeking wealth, traders who are providing materials for the new docks. There were still few traces of the battle that happened, but the Admiral did a great job of restoring the station.

The train stopped outside of the medbay and the party got off. Walking towards the waiting room, there were few people around except for a lot of guards.

Then they reached a checkpoint. “Identify yourself.” One of the guards said.

“Commodore Melora, currently commanding the Veneration. Major Elinsys, my Head of Operations and our escorts.” She gestured towards the Marines behind her.

“This is a crime scene.They can’t enter, only the people on the list.” The guard said.

“The Major is required to come with me, I will leave the others here if I must.” Elinsys stepped closer to Melora. “Elinsys is my security, you would hate for me to be kidnapped, yes?” There it was, the smirk of a Noble who used her bloodline to get what she wanted. Elinsys tried to imagine Melora if she was always like this, a shiver went down her spine. Leferia was behind her, staring at Melora. Did she agree?

“That Melora girl has a bite to her, almost like a… what are they called? Rak, Raki, Rakiri?” Leferia snapped her fingers. “That was it. Oh look! There is one right there, coming at us.”

Leferia was telling the truth. From behind the checkpoint a Rakiri was coming at them. Covered in dark fur, wearing casual clothing which revealed the few grey spots his fur had. He was shorter than Elinsys, but about Melora’s size.

“Melora! Melora, is that you?” He shouted, waving his hands at them.

Melora looked towards the quickly approaching Rakiri. “Kar? Kar!” She smiled ear to ear and rushed past the checkpoint towards the Rakiri. The guard tried to stop her, but Leferia was faster. She placed Elinsys’ right hand on the guard’s shoulder, causing the woman to stop and turn to face Elinsys. All she saw was a dead cold stare radiating from Elinsys. And behind her was Leferia controlling her like a puppet.

Melora and Kar embraced in a hug and kept it going for a minute. “Oh Kar, I missed you so much.” Melora was petting the Rakiri, or at least it looked like that to Elinsys. She was moving her hand around his ears.

“Oh, it has been ages, hasn’t it? We must crack open a bottle and have a proper conversation. Are you free tonight? I wasn’t expecting to see you for some time. I was planning to surprise you with a nice Turox dinner and some wine, guess you will have to settle on whatever I can come up with.” Ker rubbed Melora’s cheeks.

“Oh I am trying to slow down on the alcohol, maybe something more fruity?” Melora said, blushing heavily. Kar looked at her like she was the only source of joy in the galaxy.

“Well, that is wonderful news! I will find the tastiest non-alcoholic beverage just for you.”

Elinsys looked at Melora, her face was the definition of happiness and pure joy. She was glad Melora was so happy, but she wondered why Kar was here all of a sudden.

“If you want, I can rub your cheeks.” Leferia whispered to Elinsys, even if nobody could hear her.

“Always ruining the moment, huh?” Elinsys replied.

“I am sorry ma’am, but there are protocols and you can’t just force me to ignore them.” The guard tried to free herself from Leferia’s grip, but she wouldn’t let go.

“Don’t you dare ruin this. Only I get to ruin things.” Leferia said behind Elinsys, controlling Elinsys’ right hand to hold the guard in place.

Elinsys couldn’t move her hand off the shoulder, so she grabbed the hand Leferia was possessing with her left hand and pulled it off the guard. “Sorry, my muscles tensed up, I should be on that list, check again, would you?”

“Major Elinsys, is that you?” Kar said loudly. “We need you to give us a statement about the victim. Let her in, please?” He said to the guard.

She stepped to the side and let Elinsys pass. “Sorry for the holdup ma’am.” There was a slight undertone in her voice, one which Leferia very much disliked.

“Talking to us like that, as if we are not instruments of justice on a quest to end a madman’s rampage.” Leferia was staring at the guard, but the guard didn’t pay any attention to her, she couldn’t see Leferia.

“Thank you.” Elinsys responded, trying to ignore Leferia’s antics. “Marines stay here, keep an eye out for trouble.”

Elinsys moved past the guard and approached Melora and Kar. “Hello, I am Elinsys, you must be Kar. Melora’s other special half?” She extended her hand in greeting.

Kar grabbed her hand with both of his and shook it. “Yes, I am. Glad to meet you. Mely told me a bit about you in the mail.” He smiled.

“Oh, when did Mely have the time to do that?” Elinsys asked, glancing at Melora’s reaction to the nickname. Melora was radiating pure happiness and didn’t mind. Leferia chuckled.

“Back on Shil and after the station attack. When I heard the news I was so worried I knew I had to come here and see if Mely was alright. So I hitched a ride with family and came here.” Kar said letting go of Elinsys’ hand and placing one of his hands on Melora’s back.

“Family?” Melora said, looking at Kar for answers, but then a door opened behind her, she turned to look at it. "Is that..?" Melora said under her breath. "That fucking bitch." Her words earned her a worried glance from Kar, who lowered his arm.

In the doorway stood Bea’ti, Melora’s sister in law, the bane of her existence and the head investigator for this case. “Melora, how pleasant to see you.” Her hair was silver and her purple skin looked far younger than she actually was.

“Bea’ti, I thought you were an Academy Director. And pregnant.” Melora looked at the woman's belly, instead of a bulge there were abs.

“Oh this is my final case before I get my promotion, it is a sure thing. I just have to wait for the old director to get her 10 years of service award. Politics darling, that is what it always was.” Bea’ti said, ignoring the second part of Melora’s words. “You know… well, you never were as skilled in politics as me, but I am sure you understand.”

Melora frowned, which made Kar look up at her. When Melora noticed him she put on a fake smile. “And your lack of certain features?” Melora kept staring at her lack of a baby bump, keeping up her charade.

“What? Baby bump? Who is this, Elinsys?” Leferia asked. “I hate it when I miss out on old enemies' banter.”

Elinsys glanced at Leferia. She wanted to explain that Bea’ti was Melora’s sister in law after she married Melora’s brother, but explaining all of that would require her to talk to air, which would earn her looks from others. So, Elinsys just sighed slightly.

“What?” Bea’ti said. “Oh yes, I was a bit drunk back then. What I meant to say is that we are trying to conceive. Still worth mentioning if you ask me. So happy to see you two together again. You always made my sister in law so happy. Sometimes I get jealous of your love for her. I could use some of it.” Bea’ti smiled at Kar, she placed herself next to him.

Kar just smiled at her and then turned back to Melora, who was sweating slightly. “Bea’ti took me onboard her ship when I asked to come here. The number of ships coming here is almost non-existent, or at least it was. I see now it has increased, but I prefer to travel with family rather than strangers.” Kar said, there was still a smile on his lips. Melora was faking one, trying to keep Kar happy.

“Safer that way if you ask me, less of a chance something bad happens to our dear Kar. Nobody dares to mess with an Interior ship for it is armed to the teeth. And it has all the luxuries of a cruise ship.” Bea’ti smiled again, saying the last part more quietly to Melora and Kar.

“Yes, we all would hate if something happened to Kar, wouldn’t we?” Leferia said and laughed. Was she making a joke?

Kar looked happy, Melora was dying on the inside and Bea’ti had the smuggest look Elinsys ever saw. She had to change the subject before Melora actually punched her sister in law. “Who was kidnapped?”

“Doctor Mrek, his office is in ruins, his quarters are even worse.” Bea’ti answered. “Why are you here?” She stared Elinsys up and down, as if she finally realized she was there.

“We need to talk to him, got a few questions. Do you know where his patients are?” Melora asked.

“Why do you care about them?” Bea’ti asked back, giving Melora a long hard look. Her expression turned into a frown.

“One of my crew was under his care. Nilni to be more precise, we are worried about her. May we see her?” Melora answered, one hand still around Kar’s waist, keeping him close.

“I suppose so, we already got their statements. One of the nurses should be able to take you to her. Now how about a nice family lunch? We could talk about this Golden Dust.” Bea’ti smiled. “And other more interesting things.” She looked at Kar waiting for an answer.

“Maybe later, Kar and I have quite a bit of catching up to do. Maybe tomorrow?” Melora asked.

“It isn’t a request, not really. I would prefer to do this over a nice dinner rather than in an office, with a recording device.” Bea’ti said, trying not to lose her smile the moment Melora said something.

“Why are you here, Bea’ti? I doubt you are investigating the kidnapping of a random doctor.” Melora asked.

“Well, doctor Mrek has been doing research on the Golden Dust, we believe that data could be useful. Now about that dinner?” She leaned in to the pair as though she were trying to wedge between them. She smiled viciously.

“I know that look, I’ve seen it many times. She is hungry.” Leferia said, standing next to Bea’ti. “Not food, power. Ambitious isn’t she?” Leferia turned to Elinsys, expecting a response, but as usual she didn’t get any.

Melora pulled herself and Kar away from Bea’ti’s wedging hip. “How about in a few hours? I would like to talk to Mely for a bit, we can get to questions later. Yes?” Kar asked, an oblivious smile still on his face.

Bea’ti looked at him for a few moments, then at Melora. “Fine, we will have dinner in two hours. Officer’s lounge, be there.” She waved to Kar and then left, hitting the floor more heavily than when they’d arrived.

“Kar, are you helping her on this investigation?” Melora asked her husband, worry in her eyes.

“Yes, I was brought in as a consultant. Don’t tell anyone, but I think she just wanted to surprise you. Do something nice for you.” Kar answered.

“Kar, why would she do something like that?” Melora looked in the direction that Bea’ti left. “A gift for you more than for me.”

Kar was now also confused. “Because she is your sister, well, by law, but still. Why wouldn’t she want you to be happy?”

“I… she was rude towards me at a party.” Meloa was looking down at the floor. Her explanation made no sense to Kar, who still looked confused.

“She was probably drunk, you are rude when you are drunk too. Now come on, let's go and talk about something other than Bea’ti. I swear you always bring her up as if she is planning your downfall.” Kar hugged Melora, who smiled slightly, but there was still a worried expression on her face. She hugged him tighter.

“Maybe she is plotting her demise, I have seen family turn on family before, lovers on lovers, brothers on brothers.” Leferia said, mostly to herself, but Elinsys could still hear her.

“Kar, let's go walk down the Promenade? Maybe I could buy you something nice?” Melora said, staring deep into Kar’s eyes.

“I got you though?” Kar said, a fiendish smile on his lips. He knew what he was doing and leaned in for a kiss.

Elinsys glanced at Leferia who was leaning on the wall next to Melora and Kar. She was looking at the happy pair with infatuation, Leferia simply couldn’t look away from the pair, even when others turned to give the pair a sliver of privacy when their lips meet, she kept on staring at them.

Elinsys looked away, just like others, but still kept one eye on Leferia. She was standing in between the pair, studying their every move with a burning passion. When Melora and Kar finally stopped their embrace, Leferia too pulled away, a slight look of disappointment in her eyes.

She walked over to Elinsys and bowed down slightly, positioning herself next to Elinsys’ ear. “What a lovely couple, part of me is terribly jealous, not as much as Bea’ti, but very close. Imagine feeling that love whenever you are close to your loved one. Perhaps I should have chosen Melora, just to feel those moments of pure joy of her’s, even for a second. I haven’t felt such joy in… by the void… centuries now.”

Leferia looked past Elinsys and then she walked off. Elinsys turned slightly following her footsteps. Leferia was wobbling side to side with her piercing gaze towards the screen showing the space outside of the station. Leferia put her hand on the screen, and smirked to herself. “Reminds me of my home, the love I felt once, long gone now.” Leferia continued to stare out of the fake window, looking deep into the stars for something. Her home star perhaps?

Elinsys turned back to the happy couple. “I should go and see how Nilni is. Can you two wait for us in the waiting room?” Elinsys said.

“Oh sure, come on Kar.” Melora led Kar towards the nearby seats, gripping his hand with hers. Letting his claws sink into her hand. A smile on both of their faces, a glint of pure joy in all four eyes.