Xant left Jasmine’s side and made his way over to Rynard, the captain was keeping a close eye as the rusting human vehicle rattled and roared to life.

The captain looked ready to chase after the car, sucking air through his teeth.

“Should we leave her alone with them?” Rynard growled softly, an unease sat between them.

“I trust she can handle two of her own species, even if one seemed to have an abhorrent temperament,” Xant added, running a hand over his ears, “if anything were truly sinister, the dogs would have certainly announced it.”

Rynard snorted loudly.

“She gave you orders Doc?”

“Follow the lieutenant and get his side of the events,” Xant relayed, “The situation was delicate before more humans were plucked out from the void, I fear the upheaval would tip the balance out of our favour,”

“Not that it was in our favour to begin with,” Rynard muttered, looking down at Xant, the soldiers aging gaze weary, “Things have been running smoothly for too long,”

Action was rewarded with action, inaction earned nothing; as was the rule of balance, the universe struck out at those who got too comfortable, if they did nothing the situation would only get tenser.

Rynard peeled his eyes away from the disappearing vehicle and turned his attention across the hangar. The pricking, sheer cold of the lieutenant's presence was still detectable to him.

“The lieutenant’s still in the hangar, he's going to see the engine lord,” Rynard stated.

Xant’s ears went flat.

A short while ago he never would have imagined interrupting a Lieutenant and an Engine lord, but his perspective on the matter was changing. Xant wasn't just a citizen anymore, he was the only scientist who understood human intricacies, he was a part of Jasmine’s entourage and cultural translator for the Galactic council. He could no longer be kept out of the loop, and he had enough authority now that he could demand to be the centre of it.

The Engine lords quarters were claustrophobic, crammed with more equipment than Xant had ever seen. A nest of organic cables and electronic receptors, the bright fluorescent lights casting sharp shadows on calculating computers and slices of shipbrain were neatly stacked in clear epoxy slabs off to one side. Rynard stepped into the room first, his captains rank allowed him access, Xant followed close behind and was happy to have the captain as a shield.

Nako and Viitoic were deep in conversation, hushed, urgent and stressed.

“... still haven’t found anything?!” Nako demanded. The Lieutenant was pacing, almost manic in his delivery. The Engine lord towered over the arvas lieutenant, like a predator contemplating its prey.

“I haven’t found the shipsbrain but the mapping of the vessel is-” Viitoic cut himself off as he noticed Rynard and Xants presence, pulling away back into the shadows. Nako was quick to catch on to Viitoics behaviour, curious about the unexpected intrusion he didn’t immediately send them away as Xant had expected.

“Engine lord, were you expecting company?” Nako queried.

“Lieutenant, my attention is always expected of my uninvited guests..” Viitoic shot back sarcastically, “but I think the audience they may be wanting is yours, rather than mine,”

Xant allowed a moment's pause before he revealed himself from behind the captain, hating that he was the shortest man in the room by at least 4 feet.

“You will have to excuse the interruption,” Xant began with a deep and polite bow, “it appears that neither one of us has the time to spare, but there is information i require and you, lieutenant are the only one who can provide it.” Xant saw Nako close his eyes dismissively, “although if it is required, I am happy to part with any information that may help you in exchange for the same

Viitoic chuckled amused, Nako stood bewildered at Xants statement, he wasn’t used to taking advice or commands from any citizen, let alone one who arrogantly presumed to speak as one of them.

“You are quite the precocious citizen, what makes you think that our problems could overlap?” Nako asked, folding his arms underneath his vibrant blue cape. “I thought your designation was botany?”

Xant gazed over the Rajavan vessel floating in the engine lords holodeck, the centre of the room and the topic of their previous discussion. The entire starboard side had been hollowed by pirates and Viitoic had been sending his engineers to burrow into the centre of the vessel. Probably in hopes of reaching the command centre and brain of the rajavan ship. If they had not found anything of worth, it was probably because the pirates had already stripped it of anything useful, or perhaps they were looking in the wrong spot.

The design of the vessel wasn't something he was educated on, while he had been a passenger on many GC vessels most still followed the same schematics as the Rajavan ones.

“I was designed as a researcher, botany may have been my expertise, but i have expanded my skillset in as many months…” Xant answered but as he looked over the hologram he noticed that he recognised the interiors design. “This is the Rajavan ship, the one you found Jasmine on,” Xant deduced, “the anomalies on board must be extensive,”

“How observant, even a botanist can tell my work is not as simple as sight,” Viitoic chuckled vindictively at the lieutenant's expense.

Nako scoffed, stepping closer to intimidate Xant with his height.

“What is it that you were after? Are your efforts not best used by Namegiver Jasmine’s side? Her consorts will need to be brought to heel, i suggest you return to her lest she be overwhelmed,”

Xant stood his ground and snorted unimpressed.

“It is by Jasmines orders that I stand before you now, she wants to know how you found the other humans and what transpired between the three of you,” Xant refused to allow Nako to speak down to him in such a way. The lieutenant had been very accommodating to Jasmine, but without her presence, it was clear that neither Xant nor the Captain were to receive such graces.

“And i would be happy to regale the tale of my self-control to the Namegiver later, i have more pressing matters to attend to with the Engine Lord-”

“If I were to give you the Rajavan Shipbrains location, will you relinquish the information i seek?”

Nako was furious with the interruption but Viitoic’s laughter was loud enough to startle him from a scathing reply.

“Arrogance is befitting you, doctor, the lieutenant is making a fine impression on you,” The engine lord bared his teeth with a wicked and amused smile, “by all means, i would love to know your insight on abnormal Rajavan shipgrowth,”

“This is everything mapped in the vessel?” Xant asked returning his gaze to the hologram.

“It is,” Nako volunteered the information, his arms folded watching the citizen make a fool of himself. A small gloved hand reached into the projected light and activated a location on the map.

“The ships brain should be centre [bow],” Xant announced.

“Illogical,” Viitoic preened, chuckling in his self-assuredness, “it would be too venerable to the outer shell attacks, rajavan ship brains are always centre of mass”

“These corridors, running up and down the ship into compartments, it is a very similar layout to the yacht,” Xant pointed out, “lower, large areas of storage, smaller, more contained quarters up top, which, if I am correct, the ship brain should be there.”

Viitoic went quiet.

His extensive number of hands swiped over the controls of the holodeck and brought the yachts scanned floor plan into focus.

The comparison was uncanny.

Viitoics teeth chattered unsettlingly.

“Illogical… illogical,” he repeated, scrambling through his data.

Xant turned his attention to Nako, hands folded neatly begins his back.

“Lieutenant, Jasmine sensed that your journey to collect and contain the other humans did not go as smoothly as it had done with herself. I would like to know what transpired so we may report to her correctly.” Xant did not intend for his request to insult the lieutenant, but standing in that room he felt compelled to speak up against Nako, to show that he was more than just a citizen asset.

“The humans were sold to a progenitor company,” Nako relinquished, mandibles clenched tight, “they were mislabeled, escaped and proceeded to destroy hundreds of [years] worth of equipment and potencial lives. They believe us to be their captors, the enemy, it was by my strength and wit alone that they listened to reason, they have no trust in the Galactic Council,”

Xant listened to the Lieutenant commanders answer.

It should have been enough.

An answer like that should have been all Xant needed, but his brain was urging him to ask more, something about Nako’s tone of voice, the way he stood, the snap judgement and the story it presented didn't add up. Xant smoothed over his ears and gave Nako a challenging glare.

“Sold to the progenitor company by whom?”

There was a flash of ice in the air, as Nako’s freq flared up on the defensive, Tifera arced up and Rynard shifted his stance.

“There will be NO conflict in my laboratory!” Viitoic hissed, using his size to threaten all four of his uninvited nuisances. Arms, tail and tentacle ready to shove them all out of his office by force if necessary but Viitoics terminal chimed in a pleasant overtone, ringing in everyone's audio processors.

“Incoming call,”

The holodeck’s projection was overridden, shrinking the data to one side to make way for the digital intrusion. Superior officers were the only ones with the power to interrupt a subordinates work, and the only one higher than the Engine Lord was the Knight Commander.

Xant froze in awe at the sight of Knight Commander Kotorn, the Military grade Zenthi stood at attention, his bright red cap pleated and pressed to perfection. His many, many insignia and campaign medals pinned to his left shoulder created an impressive pauldron’s worth of combat. Large spiralled horns pierced the sky above him, the crown of his command, Kotorn was a specimen with a frightening presence.

“Engine lord Viitoic, prepare for the introduction of his excellency-” The Knight Commander’s dull announcement was strained once he spotted that Viitoic was not alone in his quarters, a short sharp hiss of anger passed through his teeth before he continued on, “Council Member Kaalijorn,”

The hologram’s image shifted again, and Xant stood before the image of a Council Member.

Xant had never personally seen a council member, he had interacted with personal aids and heard the voice of the council speaker, but to see a council member before him and how unique their body model was, it was like seeing another alien.

Xant recognised the modified strain Qzetillain grafts, fins and webbed skin, grey opaque with delicate but defined speckles along the eyes and neck, their large bulbous head wrapped in silken sashes, body armour draped in layers and layers of free-flowing silks, yet kept a clean and lean profile. Elegance and power.

Large, wet, black eyes opened and scanned the room, before settling on Viitoic.

“Engine lord, My ship will arrive in 27 [days] it will need patience and refuelling, ensure your schedule is cleared for Council time,” Council member Kaalijorn addressed the engine lord matter of factly, a direct and presumed order.

Viiotic bowed his large head, fanning out his four pairs of arms behind him.

“It shall be done, most esteemed Councillor,-”

“Another thing Engine lord, I was told you were responsible for the 138th’s entire fleet maintenance…” Kaalijorn added, turning his head to the sudden movement out of the corner of his eyes “I shall like to see how you're handling such a task by yourself,-”

As the engine lord bowed had Nako followed suit, bowing his head and along with Tifera, shuffled their way to the back door, trying to make a quiet exit.

Their attempt failed.

Kaalijorn raised a hand and Kortorn followed the wordless order.

“-Lieutenant Commander Tar Nako,” Kotorns growl was subdued, likely not wanting to overpower the council member, “I trust you were not burdening the Engine lord with more of your nonsense,”

Nako raised back up but did not make eye contact with the hologram.

“I was not, Knight Commander,”

There was another brief pause and the Councillors eyes turned to Nako, and they were not impressed, he lowered his hand to rest on his shoulder while he questioned the young upstart.

“Sir Tar Nako, I’ve heard your name scattered throughout my ongoings, military reports, company requests, such a common name rarely enters my datafiles, so I pulled up your Contribution AudFile. I was told you were one of the more promising Arvas Units we had commissioned, bought from a top supplier and the most combat voracious of your spawn batch.”

Nako bowed humbly, not daring to say a word.

“Shame then, as it seems that voracity has channelled itself into some rather suspect decision making, the Knight Commander has informed me of your refusal to relinquish our alien apparent.”

“Councillor-” Nako’s head shot up involuntarily.

“Private ventures aside, Combat units shouldn’t be handling first contact diplomacy matters, Sir Tar Nako, I shall be evaluating your Contribution Portfolio personally, you and your captain are dismissed-”

“Councillor,” Kotorn hastily interrupted, “The Praetors request?”

“Ah,” Kaalijorn’s eyes narrowed in displeasure “that’s why I recognised your name, a Praetor requested an audience with you, a commissioned combat unit,” The councillor ran a hand under his chin, tiny clawed fingertips trailed along grey skin, “It seems within the grand cosmic dance you’ve made yourself noticed, I hope whatever notions of Calling you’ve seemingly applied to yourself are more than just romantic posturing,”

“I hope I exceed your expectations Councillor,” Nako answered, his head bowed lower after his debasing.

“From what I recall, that shan’t be hard to accomplish,” the Councillor stated dryly.

They terminated the link without a sign off, leaving the five to hover in the tenseness.

“Get out,” Viitoic snapped, breaking the silence, “I have no more time to spend discussing theories with the misconceptions of warped minds, I have a Rajavan shell to crack,”

The lieutenant commander obliged without a word, leaving defeated and embroiled in his own precarious standing. Tifera snapped an awful glare at Rynard and Xant before ensuring they didn't follow after her lord.

Xant and Rynard knew better than to even try to do so, the captain scooping up his smaller charge as they left the laboratory and made their way back across the hangar.

“Split the One…” Xant exclaimed, rubbing his forehead.

“Split the universe and Akira,” Rynard muttered in agreement, “A Councillor and Praetor on the same station, and you facing off against the Lieutenant,”

“They’ll be here to see Jasmine, and the others” Xant concluded, “to confirm first contact and citizenry…”

“And to make up for lost production,” Rynard shook his head, “‘proceeded to destroy hundreds of [years] worth of equipment and potential lives’? Jasi did damage unintentionally, I wouldn’t want to see her let loose, let alone two of her,” Rynard worried, was there something about humans he had overlooked that could make them that dangerous a Progenitor company’s private military force couldn’t contain them?

“They shouldn’t have been there in the first place…” Xant stated as his own worries boiled over. Nako had been the one to deliver Jasmine to Esaander and wanted privacy over to the documents. Nako had been the one to bring in the Rajavan ship, with rights to all his contents not seized by military protocol. Even if pirates had gutted the ship, there was no way Pirates would part with such ‘goods’, Progenitor companies don’t deal with Pirates and the Rajava don’t take engineering lessons from pre FTL aliens.

“Doc? You’ve gone quiet,” Rynard nudged him, Xant looked up at his aging companion.

“... we cant trust Nako anymore,” Xant concluded as worry welled in a pool below his chest, “his motives don’t align with our own.”

“And what are our motives?” Rynard raised an eyebrow.

“To help and protect Jasmine,” Xant replied, “to the best of our abilities,”

Rynard nodded quietly.

“The tough times are coming, aren’t they?”

Xant nodded quietly back.

“Yes, yes they are…”