I stood just outside the shuttle, stretching my legs after the rough ride back. Iggy was already heading off toward his workshop, muttering about “data cards and glitchy relics,” leaving me with a few precious minutes to myself. My mind wasn’t exactly resting—teleportation was now part of my skill set, and I was dying to try it out.

I scanned the area and spotted my first target—a small, flat rooftop not far away. Simple enough. I pictured myself there, standing on the rooftop, the breeze at that elevation. I could feel the tiles beneath my feet, see myself from the ground. Perfect.

“Alright, here goes nothing,” I muttered, focusing hard on the spot.

As I activated the teleportation ability, I felt the power surge through me. In an instant, I vanished from the ground. A brief moment of weightlessness hit me, and then—wham. I reappeared, only to find myself teetering on the edge of the rooftop, one foot dangling into the void. My arms flailed wildly as I just barely caught myself from a nasty fall.

“Hmm, not quite the grand entrance you imagined, eh, Gaines?” Dave’s voice chimed in, always quick with a jab. “I’d give that about a five out of ten. Points for effort, though.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dave,” I muttered, pulling myself fully onto the roof and catching my breath.

Teleportation’s harder than it looks, I thought, but damn if it wasn’t useful. Sneaking into locked buildings, dodging enemies, avoiding sticky situations—it had endless possibilities. I just needed to get better at it.

“Precision is key, old boy. And from what I just saw, you’ve got the precision of a drunk squirrel.”

“Alright, alright. Round two, then.”

I waited for the cooldown timer to reset and aimed for a more open target—the marketplace square just a little further ahead. If I nailed this, I’d land in the middle of the bustling market, vendors hawking food and goods from brightly colored stalls. I closed my eyes, visualized the scene, and activated the ability.

A blink later, I found myself—crash—in the middle of a fruit stall.

Crates of apples and oranges spilled everywhere, scattering across the cobblestones. A low growl rumbled behind me, and I turned to see a towering figure—a werewolf. Selling fruit? Great. His fur bristled as he growled, glaring down at me with annoyance, like I was his next meal.

“You trying to wreck my stall, or are you just that reckless?” he barked, arms crossed.

“Oh, good form!” Dave piped up. “Annoy the werewolf, fantastic decision-making as usual.”

I swallowed the urge to remind the werewolf who owned this city. Not worth it over a few apples. “Uh, sorry about that,” I stammered, picking up some of the fallen fruit. “Still, uh, working out the kinks.”

The merchant growled again, eyes narrowing. “Work faster before you teleport yourself into someone’s chimney.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that,” I muttered. “Sorry again.”

I teleported out of sight, aiming for the alleyway behind the market. Glad to be away from the werewolf. This time, I hit my mark exactly. No stalls, no accidents. Perfect.

“Well, look at you,” Dave said with mock admiration. “A regular teleportation prodigy. Maybe in another few hundred tries, you’ll get it down to a science.”

I grinned despite myself. Dave’s jabs couldn’t bring me down—I was finally getting the hang of this. The trick was imagining myself in the space, not just the place itself. It was like putting myself into the picture instead of watching it happen.

This is going to be perfect for infiltration, I mused. Breaking into locked buildings, slipping past guards, getting out of tight situations—there was so much potential.

“Careful now, Gaines. Getting a bit overconfident there, aren’t we?” Dave warned. “Remember, it’s only fun until you teleport yourself halfway into a wall.”

I rolled my eyes but had to admit, he wasn’t wrong. I couldn’t afford to get too cocky just yet.

Feeling a bit more confident, I teleported back to my original spot near the shuttle. No mistakes this time—just a clean, smooth landing.

“Well, well, well,” Dave drawled. “Maybe you’re not entirely hopeless after all.”

“Thanks, Dave. Appreciate it.” I chuckled, feeling that familiar sense of accomplishment. I’m definitely getting the hang of it now.

After my successful—and not-so-successful—attempts at teleportation, I made my way toward Iddy’s office. My thoughts kept circling back to the endless possibilities this new ability opened up. Sneaking into locked buildings, getting the jump on unsuspecting enemies, evading guards… Once I got the hang of it, teleportation would be a game-changer. Sure, it wasn’t perfect yet, but with a bit more practice, I could be nearly untouchable.

As I approached Iddy’s office, the hum of activity grew louder. Workers bustled in and out, arms full of crates, blueprints, and bits of scrap metal. The city had transformed in ways I still couldn’t fully comprehend. Only a year ago, this had been nothing but desert—until the system awarded me the land and an obscene amount of credits. Iggy had taken charge of the city’s design, turning it into something futuristic and grand, like a sleek metropolis pulled straight from a sci-fi holo. The buildings gleamed in the sun, tall and sleek, with intricate networks of roads and infrastructure.

The city wasn’t huge—only a few miles across—but it felt more alive than ever. I’d only ever seen a handful of people here before, and now the streets teemed with them. Where did they all come from? I’d have to ask Iddy at some point.

I stepped inside Iddy’s office and caught him mid-sentence, directing a group of workers. “Make sure the shipments leave by midday,” he ordered, barely glancing up from the map sprawled across his desk. “And for the love of all that’s holy, double-check the inventory this time.”

“Looks like you’re running the show,” I said with a grin as I approached.

Iddy didn’t look up immediately, too busy scribbling notes. “Someone has to,” he muttered. Then he noticed me and straightened up. “Ah, Gaines. You finally dragged yourself over here.”

“Had to take care of a few things,” I replied, thinking back to my chaotic teleportation experiments. “How’s everything going?”

Iddy’s voice was smoother these days, his old dialect gone. He used to speak in a way that made it impossible for him to lie—a skill developed during the dark days of Old Wrig and Petal’s rule, when no one trusted anyone. Now, as a politician, I suppose he couldn’t afford to be that honest anymore. His transformation was impressive, but I had to admit I missed the straightforwardness at times.

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Iddy’s eyes flicked back to the map on his desk, his expression serious. “City’s holding up, but we’ve got a few hiccups. Trade routes are getting dicey with Ree gathering increasing, and we need to allocate more resources to the southern sectors. Also, some of the newer equipment needs recalibrating—it’s causing delays in production.” He paused, looking at me. “Thoughts?”

I glanced at the map, but my attention wandered. Logistics? Not really my thing. That was why I’d offered Iddy this role in the first place—to handle the day-to-day management while I focused on the big-picture goals: quests, leveling up, and fighting our enemies.

“Do what you think is best,” I said with a shrug, waving a hand dismissively. “You’ve got this under control.”

Iddy raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. “Oh, really? Just like that, huh? No input at all from the great Lord Gaines?” His voice dripped with sarcasm, but I could tell he wasn’t actually angry.

“Look, you’re better at this stuff than me. You’ve been handling it just fine so far,” I said with an encouraging smile. “I trust you.”

Iddy rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed. “Right, well, thanks for the vote of confidence, Your Highness. But just so you know, you’re not off the hook for making the big decisions.”

I chuckled. “Fair enough. I’ll save my energy for the important stuff, like not teleporting into fruit stalls.”

Iddy shook his head, but a faint smile tugged at his lips. “Right. Because that’s definitely going to win us the war.”

As Iddy spoke, something caught my eye—a flash of movement outside the window. A creature flew past, wings shimmering in the sunlight. She was beautiful, her form sleek and graceful, like something out of a myth. For a second, I was completely distracted, my mind drifting as I watched her glide effortlessly through the air.

“Ah, well, well, it seems even you have a weakness for the fairer...species,” Dave chimed in, his voice dripping with amusement. “Perhaps we should rethink your strategic priorities, old boy. A creature like that could have flown off with half the city's supplies, and you'd still be gawking.”

I blinked, trying to shake off the haze, but my gaze followed the creature until she disappeared from view. There was something almost hypnotic about her, something that left me a little breathless. I didn’t know what she was or where she’d come from, but for a moment, I felt a pull I couldn’t quite explain.

“Gaines?” Iddy asked, his tone suspicious, clearly catching on to my distraction.

“Huh? Yeah, yeah, I’m listening,” I replied, though my thoughts were still lingering on the mysterious figure outside. Dave’s mocking laughter echoed in my head.

“Oh, you were definitely listening... just not to Iddy, I’d wager,” Dave snickered. “Focus, Gaines. Try to remember there’s more at stake here than a pretty face—or wings, in this case.”

I shot back a mental sigh, doing my best to pull myself back to the conversation. “Right, let’s get back to business.”

As Iddy finished sorting out the city business, he leaned back in his chair, his expression shifting to something more serious. “Alright, Gaines, let’s talk about the real issue—the Tarlands.”

I raised an eyebrow. “The meeting that never happened?”

Iddy sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “It’s more complicated than just a missed meeting. We had everything set up: neutral territory, secure channels, and even a few favors called in to ensure there’d be no interruptions.”

“But every time we’ve tried to make contact, the Ree Clan swoops in and attacks, making it impossible to get anywhere near the Tarlands. I added”, “And we need them, don’t we? To legitimize our claim on Bovidi?”

Iddy nodded. “Exactly. The Tarlands hold considerable sway outside the Bovidance star system. If we can get them on our side, we’ll have the leverage we need to stabilize Sefia and keep the Ree in check. Without that, we’re just spinning our wheels.”

“So, what’s the plan? Every time I’ve tried to get there, the Ree have jumped us. What’s going to stop that from happening again?”

Iddy drummed his fingers on the desk, thinking. “The Tarlands are hard to negotiate with—they respect strength and resourcefulness above all else. If we’re going to make an impression, we need to do something bold.”

I gave him a curious look. “Bold how?”

A faint grin tugged at the corner of Iddy’s mouth. “What if you don’t go the usual route? Ignore the quest for now. What if you sneak into their territory undetected? Prove to them that Sefia isn’t just another system waiting to be taken over—that we have strength and cunning. It could show the Tarlands we’re worth allying with.”

“Oh, sneaking into enemy territory. How delightfully reckless,” Dave’s voice rang in my head. “Might as well paint a target on your back, Gaines. But it does sound like fun, doesn’t it?”

I ignored Dave, my mind racing with the possibilities. “Sneak into their territory, huh? That’s a hell of a risk. You think they’ll respect that?”

Iddy nodded. “The Tarlands don’t do traditional diplomacy. They don’t trust words, they trust action. If you can prove you’re resourceful enough to get into their land undetected, it’ll show them that we’re not to be underestimated. We can then ask for the meeting as directed by the quest”

I leaned forward, intrigued despite the obvious danger. “Alright, say I’m in. How exactly do I get past the Ree? Every time we’ve tried to leave the system, they’ve ambushed us. It’s like they’re always one step ahead.”

Iddy’s expression darkened. “That’s the tricky part. The Ree Clan have been monitoring all known routes out of the Bovidance system, probably using some kind of tracking technology. I also think they may be getting infor from someone on the Tarlans side, when we are about to meet. But… I’ve been working on something that might help.”

I arched an eyebrow. “You’ve got a plan?”

Iddy smirked. “More like a back door. There’s an old jump gate on the far side of Bovidi, hidden beneath one of the moon’s craters. It hasn’t been used in centuries, or more like ever and as far as we can tell, the Ree don’t know it exists. If you can get to that gate, you can bypass their surveillance and jump straight into Tarland territory.”

I blinked. “A secret jump gate? And we’re only hearing about this now?”

Iddy shrugged. “It wasn’t exactly easy to find, but I’ve had people working on tracking down old navigation records. The gate’s off the books, unregistered, and probably won’t work, unstable as hell—but it’s our best shot.”

“Unstable as hell,” Dave chimed in again. “Sounds like a wonderful idea. What’s next? A spacewalk without a suit?”

I rubbed my temples. “So, let me get this straight. You want me to sneak past the Ree, through an ancient, probably malfunctioning jump gate, and land in Tarland territory? All without them knowing I’m coming?”

Iddy’s expression was unreadable. “If it works, it’ll make Sefia a real player in the system. If it doesn’t... well, let’s not think about that.”

I let out a slow breath. The stakes were high—too high, really—but I couldn’t deny that the plan had merit. The Tarlands were the key to everything, and we needed their support if we were going to hold onto Bovidi. It was risky, but then again, when wasn’t it?I in all honesty I couldn’t think of any other way.

“Alright,” I said finally. “Let’s do it.”

Iddy leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully before glancing up at me. “Alright, Gaines. I’ll send everything over to Iggy—maps, access codes, security info. Everything you’ll need.”

I nodded, feeling the weight of the upcoming mission settling in. “Good. Thanks, Iddy.”

He gave a tight-lipped smile, the seriousness of the task ahead reflected in his eyes. “Just be careful. This isn’t the kind of job you can take lightly. Good luck out there, Gaines.”

We exchanged a firm handshake, and I turned to leave, my mind already spinning with the details of what was to come. As I walked back toward my quarters, the mission dominated my thoughts, but it wasn’t the only thing lingering in my mind.

The memory card from the labyrinth—what was it for? And more importantly, how long could I really keep Dave in check? He’d been cut off so easily when we were inside that old version of Harmony. That worried me. There was something unsettling about how abruptly he had been silenced. Could the labyrinth hold the key to getting rid of him for good? Or was it something else entirely? Too many questions with too few answers, and they loomed in the back of my mind like an unsolved puzzle.

“Lost in thought, are we?” Dave's voice broke through the quiet, his tone as calm and collected as ever. He couldn’t hear my thoughts—could he? “I do hope you’re not planning on doing anything reckless without consulting me first. You know how much I enjoy surprises.”

I shook my head, trying to push the thought of Dave's unpredictability to the side. “No surprises, Dave. Just… thinking.”

“Ah, thinking. Such a dangerous pastime,” he mused. “Let’s hope it leads to something productive, old boy. We wouldn’t want you tangled up in unnecessary distractions now, would we?”

I grunted in response but didn’t engage further. The idea of Dave being a "distraction" was ironic. He was the distraction.

By the time I reached my room, I was mentally drained. Between the mission, the memory card, and Dave’s constant presence, my brain felt like it was running in circles. I let out a deep sigh, pulled off my gear, and dropped onto the bed. I drifted off to sleep almost immediately.