I pressed my right index finger against the screen, activating the new terminal.

I hadn't anticipated it, but there were an overwhelming number of unread messages. I should've expected it, though I'm still not quite used to this feature.

Quickly skimming through the various messages Aether had sent, I could sense the worry between the lines. My original decision to respond after speaking with Qana started to waver.

Is this the emotional part influencing the rational part?

I shook my head vigorously, trying to focus, to not be swayed by distractions.

But before I could decide what to do, I had already sent out a call request. Hmm... I need to figure out a way to stop this from happening again.

"Hey," he answered quickly. "I haven't heard from you in a while. Everything okay?" His tone was calm, but after all this time, I was beginning to recognize the subtle emotions hidden beneath his strong logical thinking.

"Oh, nothing's wrong." I suddenly realized how suspicious that sounded. "I just had a little accident during snowfield training." That was basically true, I suppose.

"I thought it might have something to do with that unidentified armed group's incursion." He joked, probably to ease the tension.

"Haha, yeah, right. How could I possibly have missed something like that?" The moment the words left my mouth, I realized how stupid I sounded, trying to cover it up. Aether surely noticed it too, because he fell silent for a long time. I could almost hear the sound of his brain processing and reconstructing the sequence of events.

"For logic's sake, Richter," Aether's concern was clear. "Are you alright?"

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Uh..." I realized I was subconsciously touching a recently healed wound and forced myself to stop. "Nothing the med bay couldn't handle."

"By the Rationalism... The official report told a very standardized story. No wonder the atmosphere at the Library of Alexandria has been a bit off lately..." he muttered. "Listen, this is important..." Aether's tone was unusually anxious, each word laced with hesitation. "Among the attackers, did you recognize any of the breeds?"

"Breeds," Aether used that term. Given that anyone bold enough to target the Senate would certainly be from a high-ranking breed, Aether sounded like he knew something, rather than just guessing.

"Other than a bloodhound and an Irish wolfhound, the others didn't seem to be purebred." I recalled the scene in my mind, along with what Qana had mentioned later. "Oh, I almost forgot, there was one that got away, though I never got a clear look at him." I did remember his resonance feedback, but hadn't given it much thought before. I tried to recall earlier lessons on identifying different resonance signatures. "He might have been brown."

"What kind of brown?" I noticed Aether's urgency; his emotions were starting to affect me. "Was it a dark, almost black brown, or a shiny, reflective brown?"

"The former." I mentally compared the waveform to the spectrum and replied. "Does it matter?" I asked, realizing he had described two very specific shades of brown.

"That could be good news... although in a way, it's worse..." Aether muttered to himself again. I wasn't sure if it took a mind as logical as his to understand what he meant. "Have you told anyone else about this?"

"No." I hadn't mentioned it to Qana or Piqsirpoq. "I only remembered when you asked."

"Richter..." Aether hesitated, sounding deeply conflicted. "Don't tell anyone about this, okay?"

"Oh, alright..." I scratched my ear, suddenly a bit relieved that Qana likely knew the identity of the mastermind. Qana and Aether had made similar decisions--was that a good sign? Or did it mean... they were in league with each other? Damn paranoid thoughts! "But... can you tell me why?" I pushed aside my chaotic thoughts, seeking a clear answer.

The other end of the terminal fell silent again. After a long pause, I finally heard him sigh.

"The line isn't secure; it's too dangerous to discuss this now." Dangerous? "I'll contact you later. I need to verify some things," Aether said. "I'll be quick, I promise."

"Oh, okay." I scratched my ear again, left to accept this confusing situation. Trust is like this, right? "I... miss you," I remembered the original reason I reached out.

"Me too," Aether replied softly.

"Say hi to Momus for me, will you?" I recalled the always energetic little wolf cub.

"Sure," Aether responded. "Take care."

"You too." With that, Aether ended the call.

There was a certain feeling, like being caught in a massive web where one wrong move could entangle me further. Or perhaps... this web had been spun around me from the very beginning.

Either way, I suddenly had a premonition that the real turning point was approaching, and I wasn't sure I would like the next chapter.