“The galaxy decided it hated us long ago. It is clear the sins of our forebears are too great, that we are seen as unclean in their wake.”

--Eneiam Trilbiar, Famed Heretic Poet in a personal correspondence

A breeze swept through the shadow forest and rattled the black leaves. Zaina had read about the Blackwoods of Midliore when she was a girl. Back then she wanted nothing more than to behold the legendary beauty of the forests for herself; now she was here, and as a lancer, no less. The land had been everything she expected; the people, so far, not so much—but that was all about to change.

Xyrthe, her long, blonde hair stirring with the wind, walked beside her. Zaina had come to learn her mentor had two modes: unbothered and pissed. Today seemed like a strange mix between the two; Zaina wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing.

It didn’t matter one way or another; Zaina was in hopeful spirits. The people of Bash Kaver, a small spaceport in southern Midliore, weren’t exactly thrilled that the lancers who had come to save them bore the Mark of the Recalcitrant. But Zaina didn’t let the constant hostility get her down—it didn’t matter how many times the Bash Kaverans insulted her, questioned her every word, or hid in fear; it would all be worth it when she won them over.

She had enough experience now to know how these things usually went. Every time she arrived on a new planet people were mistrustful at first, but over time they came to see Zaina for her better qualities. Even the most spiteful, hateful clients had softened a little toward her after realizing she truly did want to help. Maybe, over time, their harsh opinions on heretics as a whole could change, too. Zaina wanted to be a good representative for heretics everywhere.

Xyrthe, on the other hand, had stopped giving a shit a long time ago—if she ever truly had at all. She would’ve been disliked even without the mark thanks to her abrasive personality. Most people started mistrustful of her because of the mark before realizing it was one of her better qualities. Zaina sometimes wondered if Xyrthe did that on purpose—pushing people away preemptively so the mark couldn’t. The thought struck a sad nerve in her heart. What kind of a life was that? Definitely not the kind Zaina wanted for herself.

She turned her mind to the matter at hand. Yes, the people of Bash Kaver had been rather mean-spirited in their appraisal, but now that Zaina and Xyrthe had helped them get rid of those pesky android marauders their opinion had to change. No one could accept someone’s help and then spit in their face.

“You seem chipper,” Xyrthe remarked out of nowhere.

“And you seem on edge,” Zaina said.

“Nah, it’s not that. I want this to be over with. I want to be back on my ship. I don’t want to have to deal with these assholes.”

Zaina shrugged. “Maybe they won’t be assholes this time around.”

In reply, Xyrthe snorted. “You think so?”

Zaina didn’t bother responding. When her mentor made her mind up about something it was impossible to change it. All further engagement would do is bring down her own mood—and she wanted to be in high spirits when she arrived in Bash Kaver. After all, a good attitude was infectious.

Zaina chuckled. Too bad it hasn’t had an effect on Xyrthe.

The trees became sparse the nearer the city drew. They walked for another hour in silence before Bash Kaver came into view, its glistening steel towers standing tall above the black treeline like columns of blades rising from the ground. Parts of the great steel wall were now visible to Zaina, a titan made of solid metal segments arranged in a circle around Bash Kaver.

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The path widened, and every so often a person would pass. Zaina smiled at each and every one. None said a word; the second they saw Zaina’s face, most looked away and hurriedly walked by, sometimes covering their faces or whispering harshly to their companions.

She didn’t let it bother her. After all, things would be better in the city. Once the people of Bash Kaver found out a heretic helped them, they’d have to reconsider their hatred.

Her hope, a warm radiance in her stomach, was quickly dashed upon looking further down the path. A group of people, all different shapes and sizes but mostly human, blocked the road. Each wore all black body armor and masks and wielded either a birifle or a phase cycler. The warmth inside evaporated, leaving frigid absence in its wake.

They don’t look friendly.

Still, the last thing she wanted to do was fight these people. Not that she was afraid for her life, but theirs.

Zaina turned to Xyrthe. Based on the scowl stretched across her face she’d seen them, too.

“Let me do the talking,” Zaina said. “I’ll bet they’re being overly cautious.”

“Yeah, sure,” Xyrthe said.

One of the black-armored men stepped forward, raised his hand, and shouted, “Halt!”

The people behind him raised their weapons in unison, focusing on Zaina and Xyrthe.

The lancers stopped in their tracks. Zaina was trying to look cool and collected, but she was ready to raise her hex-shield at a moment’s notice.

The man in front went on. “Stay right there. Come any closer and we open fire. Got it?”

“Okay,” Zaina said, not intending to move closer. “We’re back from our—”

“We’re aware of who you are and where you’re coming from. Stay back.”

Zaina sighed. Cold despair was seeping through her veins. This wasn’t what she wanted—what more could she have done? Still, she had to keep on a brave face. She’d made it out of worse situations by refusing to give up. She took a deep breath, willed her voice not to waver, and raised her arms. “Well, you don’t have to worry about those androids any—”

“Your ship has been relocated outside the city. There’s no longer any need for you to enter.”

Zaina winced. The fools had doomed themselves. Xyrthe’s ship, much like her glyph, was her baby. There was nothing that put Xyrthe in a foul mood faster than messing with either of her babies—and a foul mood was the spark that could turn this whole thing ugly.

Xyrthe’s hands balled into fists. “You did what with my ship?”

“We moved it. It wasn’t up to code for ships docked in our port.”

Wasn’t up to code? Zaina’s brow scrunched. That sounds like bralshit.

Through gritted teeth Xyrthe replied, “I hope my ship was well cared for.”

“Rest assured, our quarrel is not with the ship.”

Xyrthe sneered, her eyes alight with contempt. “Trust me, buddy—you don’t want a quarrel at all.”

The man continued. “It’s best that you leave. Do so peacefully and no harm will come to you.”

“How are we supposed to find the ship?” Zaina asked.

“It has a vis-tag—should be easy enough to find.”

Xyrthe pulled up her vis-screen and said, “It’s this way.” She turned left and strode away without even bothering to check if her pupil was coming with.

Zaina lingered for a moment. There had to be something she could say, something she could do, to make these people see she wasn’t a monster. If only she had time—

The man trained his birifle on her and said, “The people are already terrified. Haven’t you done enough? Leave us in peace.”

A well of bitterness rose in Zaina. She had helped these people. She chose to risk her life to make their lives better. This was the best they could do?

“You know,” she said, not caring if it started a fight, “a simple ‘thank you’ would be nice.”

He shook his head. “The fact that you’re alive is proof enough of the depths of our well of gratitude. Now, go—before that well runs dry.”

Zaina didn’t bother responding, instead turning to follow Xyrthe. She didn’t understand why some people were so hateful and cruel—she wasn’t sure she ever wanted to.

After jogging to catch up to her mentor, a wave of spite and disappointment swept over Zaina. She released a heaving sigh. It never occurred to her that people could be so hateful.

Xyrthe started in right away. “Chin up, kid.”

“You know, you always call me kid—but you only look a few years older than me.”

“You have no clue how old I am.”

“You’re right,” Zaina said. “You’ve never told me.”

Despite having spent a good portion of the past few months in close proximity with Zaina, her mentor still seemed like a stranger. Zaina had picked up on Xyrthe’s habits, her moods, and her tendencies; anything beyond that was a mystery. It had to be hard to be that closed off to the world, and what did she gain from doing so? Zaina didn’t get it.

She stopped and turned to take one last look at the wall of Bash Kaver, a place she’d never be welcome. A deep sorrow hollowed out her gut, leaving a pit at the bottom of her stomach. How many other places shared their predetermined opinion of her?

Xyrthe’s voice snapped Zaina out of her melancholy. “Hey! C’mon, the ship’s close. Don’t dawdle.”

Zaina snatched one last peek, then jogged to catch up with her mentor. Life as a lancer moved fast—maybe that was why Xyrthe didn’t make friends.