It was the pain that woke Tala. Nothing terribly acute or uncomfortable, but a dull ache just pervasive enough to tug at the thin veil of sleep. She opened her eyes as it fell away, rubbing both hands over her face. Even that slight action caused waves of discomfort to spread through her body. Not that she had the gall to complain. Coral or no, walking away from a crash landing with no lasting injuries was as much as any pilot could hope for.

She sighed. We really were lucky. Lucky that no one had died, lucky the safety safety mechanisms still functioned, lucky the Tideguard hadn't jailed them... The list went on. Even losing the Suni wasn't enough to dull the gratitude that came with simply being alive.

What about Vanu? Tala looked across the room to see him sleeping on his side, face towards her. The slight pain in his expression caused a twinge of guilt. He had it worse than me. He'd nearly drowned- or perhaps he really had. Tala still couldn't quite grasp what the Tidal had done. It could have been as simple as removing the water from his lungs, but you never knew with Augmented.

She pushed herself from the bunk, stifling her groans and quieting her footsteps. Their dorm was small, and Vanu was a light sleeper. It had taken her a year to learn how to sneak out without waking him, and a second for them to reach a mutual agreement: he wouldn't dissuade her from her activities, and in return, she wouldn't try to leave him behind. It had served them well in the following years, but was also indisputably the reason for his close brush with death.

Never again, Tala promised herself. She took pride in being headstrong- even stubborn- at times, but that and stupidity were two distinctly different things. Pushing on ahead despite the complete and utter lack of relevant flight data? That was stupid, no question about it.

As was her tacit trust in the Suni. No matter how far they traveled, the universe would always have something new in store. And Torrent, as far as anyone knew, was entirely unique. Expecting everything to just work as usual was the height of foolishness.

Now, in the aftermath, their very presence on the planet complicated things. Neither of them were supposed to be here, on the surface. It was one thing to change orders and adhere to them, but she'd failed to do so- and clearly caused a disturbance well beyond the norm.

Tala sat on the edge of Vanu's bed, keeping her weight on her feet to avoid waking him. I need to be more careful. This was far from the first time their lives had been in danger- and despite her new resolution, likely wouldn't be the last- but it was certainly their closest call yet. And all because she'd been determined to see Torrent firsthand.

He was a handsome young man, with regal features, golden hair, and emerald-green eyes. Despite that, she'd never once thought of him as more than a close confidant; or perhaps an older brother. Still- he was the person she was closest to, there was no doubt about that.

"Hey," she whispered, gently brushing a few golden strands to the side. That, of course, woke him, but this was another part of their mutual agreement. These things were to be done face to face.

Vanu's dark green eyes snapped open, then relaxed as he caught sight of her. "What-?" He tried to sit, only to hunch over in pain, one hand clutching at his chest.

"Shh." Tala gently pushed him back down. "You need to rest. My dad has sequestered me here for the time being," she added quickly, seeing the protest form on his lips. "I need to go see him, but I'll be staying onboard for the time being. So rest. You need it." There was still the hint of an argument on his face, but in the end, logic won out.

"Alright." The tension bled out of his body. "Let me know how things go with your father."

Not "Admiral," or even "sir." Unlike her, Vanu was a member of the ICC through and through, but whatever position he officially occupied existed well outside the typical chain of command; a decidedly odd situation of her father's own design. "Of course. He's already promised me my choice of ship to replace the Suni. It won't be long till we're back to wandering the deep black."

That clearly surprised him. "Already?"

"I think he wants us of off-planet as soon as possible."

"... You know why, don't you?"

"I have an idea." Her father was a soldier. Conflict was his workplace; even if he was seldom its cause. And this was Torrent, a planet of great interest to every single faction in existence.

"This planet was always destined to become a battlefield." Vanu gave voice to her own thoughts, his tone somber. "I pity the people who live here. How long until we leave?"

"He said six months, but I think that's just the maximum. Given the situation, I imagine he'll try to import whatever ship I choose just to be safe."

"I hope you're right."

"So eager to leave already?"

"After yesterday, I would welcome being on a planet with less water."

Tala smiled at that. "Our next stop will be somewhere more hospitable. Terrain and people-wise. Promise. But for now, we're here. Might as well make the most of it."

"Seriously, though. Why so long?"

"I'm not entirely sure. Something about entry and exit being closely controlled."

"Getting here was easy enough."

"It's not like I gave that poor Navigator much choice."

Vanu laughed, then coughed as a pained look crossed his face. "That's true. I thought he was about ready to curl up and die." He took a shaky breath. "Did your father say anything about using his name?"

She shook her head. He never did- that was his way of granting her the freedom that she so desperately craved. "Like I said, I still have to talk to him, though." Tala sighed. "I imagine he'll be angry, now that things have had time to really settle."

"You can't exactly blame him."

"I don't. Of course I don't." They were the ones who broke the rules.

Well.

Perhaps not broken, but they'd certainly... Bent them. In that sense, too, they'd gotten lucky. Maybe more than they deserved.

"Speaking of which..." She stood, stretching her arms above her head and arching her back. Though still sore, the night's sleep had done some good. "I still need to go find him. Sit tight. I'll bring us back something to eat."

"Thank you."

The door slid open as Tala stepped up to it, then closed as she stepped past. They'd been given an officer's dorm, no doubt thanks to her father's influence.

A crewmember flinched as she turned in his direction, then averted his eyes just as quickly. That was the most common reaction to her presence as she stepped down the glossy metal hallway.

Some stole glances at her before turning away, but all averted their gazes- save for those unaware of who her father was. Those looks no doubt stemmed from curiosity over the lone girl in decidedly civilian clothing stepping through the halls of an ICC ship- and out of the officer's hall, no less.

She found no pleasure in their reactions. Technically speaking, she was a member of the ICC by virtue of her father's status within the organization, but Tala rarely identified herself as such. There was no benefit to unnecessarily drawing people's ire.

It took her a few minutes to find his room. The carrier-class ship they were on bore many similarities to the one she'd grown up on, just... More modern. Where the walls of her childhood home had been worn and aged, those here were smooth and glossy. She knew well the metal jungle that lay just beyond, but the surfaces themselves bore few markings.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Raising one hand, Tala knocked on the door.

"Come in." Her father's voice sounded from the other side, muffled for a half-second as the metal pane slid off to the side. "Tala." He straightened in his seat as she stepped in, setting something aside in favor of fixing her with a dour gaze.

She chose to remain silent, letting her feet carry her just a pace away from his desk. Only then did she dare look up to meet his eyes.

"You've made things difficult for me here."

... Or rather, a section of the wall just past his head. "Sorry."

"So you say."

"And am."

"Then the least you can do is explain your presence here."

Tala shifted her feet before responding. "I wanted to see the planet's surface for myself," she answered honestly. "I got permission to land. Did everything properly. You already put the order in. I just... Changed things around a little bit."

One of her father's dark eyebrows arched. "By using my name, no doubt."

She didn't refute his claim. There was reason to; nor did she have any real desire to lie to her father. Getting permission to skip or orbit was easy enough, but landing... that had been significantly more difficult- but not impossible. "You shouldn't be too surprised. Torrent was always on my list."

He crossed his arms. "You have a list?"

"A pretty large one, too."

"What's next on this list?"

"Valsi."

"... Please tell me you're joking."

"I'm joking." That one was just a bit too radioactive to consider.

"That's a small consolation, considering. How is Vanu?"

"As well as can be expected. I left him to rest. It seemed like he needed it. I'll make do on my own till he's all healed up."

"Hm." Her father closed his eyes with a sigh.

"Still trying to decide what to do with me?"

"Yes."

"I think there's a clear enough solution right in front of you."

"That being?"

"We're on a ship. Ships need maintenance."

He reopened his eyes at that. "Thought that far ahead, have you?"

Tala shrugged. "Having a useful skill tends to pay off." She had bartered, work for parts, in many different places. Out of selfishness, rather than any sort of necessity; a desire to remain unaffiliated with the many factions spread across the universe. But deep down, she knew it was pointless. Merely owning a spacecraft was an indisputable mark of wealth.

That same wealth had allowed for piloting lessons as a child- and enabled her current lifestyle. It was hypocrisy. There were no two ways about it. It was something she'd struggled with in years prior, but since made peace with. The universe was filled with all sorts of injustice; ruing the privileges of her upbringing would do nothing to solve them.

It was part of why she'd learned how to maintain the Suni herself. That was something she could do with her own two hands, completely free from outside interference. And it was useful. There was always a place for mechanics; even those whose skills were an odd combination of of high-level courses and firsthand experience.

For the first time since entering, Tala looked her father in the eyes, fighting the urge to flinch. As much as she genuinely loved him, their relationship was complicated; made all the more so by the time they spent apart. "I hope I haven't made things too difficult."

"You were released as a personal favor to me," he responded quietly.

Tala winced at that. "I'm sorry," she apologized sincerely, bowing her head. "I didn't think things through well enough. I'll be more careful in the future."

Her father remained silent until she raised her head. "It seems you've reflected properly."

"Yes. Vanu nearly died. He really would have, if not for the Augmented that helped us."

"I imagine this isn't the first time you've risked your lives." That was a warning, in a way. Even if he didn't necessarily approve, he wouldn't actively stop her, either- so long as she didn't cross the line.

"It's not." Technically speaking, every flight was a risk. "But those risks were more..." she trailed off. "Manageable. And this is the first time our lives were in danger because I did something outright stupid." Tala felt her face redden at the self-admission, but there was no point in hiding it, and no use in stifling her shame. "I'm not going to make that mistake again." Especially because it wasn't just her life at stake.

He offered a wry smile. "Good."

"... So how badly have I messed things up?"

Her father sighed at that. "Despite how I made it sound, not terribly. The man I met with yesterday was rather... Unique. He called it a personal favor, but he seems to understand that I won't violate my orders. I have another meeting with him, at some point."

"Unique?" She thought back to the Tidal that had saved them. Unique seemed an understatement. "Was he also Augmented?"

"No. What do you mean, also?"

"I was thinking of the one that saved us," Tala answered absent-mindedly. "His personality is... Difficult to describe."

"I met with a normal man yesterday. But I did also meet the Commander of the Tideguard... Who, incidentally, claims to be the father of the boy who rescued you."

"Really? That's hard to believe."

"It would be an odd thing to lie about."

"So you believe him?"

"I do. And as much as he helped us, he also seemed to be intervening on behalf of the Tidal involved. It makes sense."

"What was he like?" She asked, curious what sort of man would result in a son like him.

"Normal, as far as Augmented are concerned."

"That's... Surprising."

Her father arched an eyebrow at that. "This boy seems to have left an impression on you."

Tala shrugged. "People always do. That's why I travel." As much as she had already seen, there were still many more places to visit. The universe was a large place, after all. "But he was... Odd." She shrugged again. "Not that it matters. We'll probably never see each other again." His words had been true enough.

"I see."

"So?" She asked, returning to the original topic. "How bad are things now?"

"They could be much worse," he answered, somewhat tersely. "It would be one thing if you successfully landed, but you crashed in the ocean, far away from the spaceport, and likely have hundreds of witnesses across the whole city. That makes things more difficult. It gives them jurisdiction. For now, all they've asked is that you remain on-planet and are made available for questioning within six hours upon their request. That's still subject to change."

That was completely reasonable, all things considered. "So that's why you said six months." That was the longest any singular entity could keep a non-citizen detained. The maximum of half a year was reserved for high-profile cases; but then, this certainly qualified.

"Correct. My goal is to have whatever ship you choose imported here. You need to have a way off-surface if things go downhill sooner than expected. An unaffiliated one, ideally." Civilian crafts were rarely targeted, even in active warzones. And if something really did happen, regulations stopped mattering as much. "Have you chosen yet?"

"... The Sola. But you shouldn't start doing anything I figure out why the Suni crashed."

"That was the next topic at hand. We opened an official query with Torrent. They already provided a fix. I don't know all the details, but it seemed simple enough. I'm sure you'll understand it better than me, at the very least. You still have your flight data?"

Tala nodded. She'd already submitted it- to both the Tideguard and someone from the ICC- but had kept the original copy, knowing he would want it directly from her. "Here." She raised her wrist, sending the data from her holo-watch to her father's. "I already submitted a copy to the ICC."

"I expected as much."

"... Will Vanu and I be off-planet in time?" Excited as she was to see Torrent firsthand, that was no reason to risk both their lives. It was one thing if they had a takeoff-capable craft at the ready. But now, with the Suni gone, they were stranded until the Sola arrived- and until she could make whatever fixes necessary.

"Most likely. Our presence here is also meant to be a deterrent, at least for the time being. Worst case, I'll pack you two into an escape shuttle and send you to the nearest port." Another craft that typically went untargeted- so long as they remained unarmed.

"Does this mean what you've figured out what to do with me?"

"Yes." Her father paused before continuing. "I originally said a week, but that was before everything else came to my attention. And as your father, I can't overlook how reckless you were." His voice was not blaming, but matter-of-fact. "You handled it well, all things considered, but you should never have been in that position to begin with. You said it yourself, it was stupid."

Tala remained silent. Those were her own words, after all.

His tone softened ever so slightly. "I understand you're curious about Torrent. Many are. But that's nowhere near enough justification to risk your lives like you did today. You and Vanu are both to remain onboard until you're allowed to leave the planet's surface."

Her back stiffened in protest, but Tala forced it to still. She was in no position to argue.

"You'll be joining the maintenance crew starting tomorrow. I don't think I have to say this, but I expect you to listen to whoever's in charge."

She huffed. "Of course I will." This was a situation of hew own making; whoever got stuck with her deserved better than having to deal with a precocious Admiral's daughter.

"Good." Her father pulled a terminal up. "Come back here at 1630."

"What for?"

He smiled. "Nothing. I would just like to ask my daughter how she's been over a meal."

Tala returned his smile. "Of course, father." She stepped out as he pulled up a terminal. That went about as well as it could have. They'd gotten off lightly, all things considered. Torrent's demands were perfectly reasonable- especially in light of whatever called her father here.

She grimaced. Am I really that callous? People's lives were about to be uprooted, and yet, here she was, concerned only with herself. Stop it, she scolded herself. This was yet another thing she'd wrestled with, but in the end, she was just a single person. Effecting change was well beyond her means. But that didn't mean she would ignore their pain, either.

Tala shook her head. Who am I kidding? Her sentiments were just as useless as her apologies. Little lies she told herself to make sleeping easier at night. They did nothing; helped no one. But that did nothing to change the truth, either. In the end, she was just one person.

Raising her wrist, she fiddled with her holo-watch for a moment, connecting it to the ship's feeds and selecting two. One a view of the city; the other of the ocean behind. She'd been excited to see the floating cities firsthand. Torrent was far from the only planet that used them, but theirs were the only self-sustaining ones, using the ambient Coral to keep themselves afloat.

She sighed. I'll just have to take what I can get. There were bound to be maintenance tasks that required exiting the carrier. It was a far cry from exploring the city on her own, but it was still something. At the very least, it was more than most people could say; exceedingly few ever set foot on the watery planet.

With that in mind, Tala set off to find the mess hall. Vanu would be hungry by now- especially if her own hunger was anything to go off of.