It was a small office in a small building on a small moon. Even the woman behind the desk was small. With cinnamon hair in a bun, an impeccable blue-rimmed shirt, and a scowling face.

“This is not the first time something like this has happened,” she scolded. “And what did I tell you the last time it did?”

Sitting across from her was a dark-haired woman in a black robe. Though she looked down, her face showed not a hint of remorse.

“That I would be jeopardizing my career were it to happen again,” she said through clenched teeth.

“Precisely.” The older woman grabbed a large chunk of metal that was on her desk and waved it in the air between them. “And now this! What has gotten into you, Sarisa?”

The accused looked up, her gaze defiant.

“Can’t you see, donia? It could be the key we’ve been looking for to—”

“We?” The older woman slammed the chunk of metal back on her desk. The loud clank made Sarisa jump. “There is no we.” She stabbed the slab with her index finger. “You know as well as I do that your research on this matter is not sanctioned by the Society. We were willing to turn a blind eye, to tolerate your obsession so long as it did not interfere with your work—let alone affect our reputation—but you have taken this too far. We are done putting up with your reckless attitude. Your complete disregard for rules forces us to end your contract. You will take your belongings and vacate the premises. Immediately.”

“What? But, donia—”

“There is no but. It is said, it is done. Now, go.”

Sarisa stared at the older woman for a moment, then jumped to her feet, anger coloring her face.

“You are making a huge mistake,” she said as she swung and stormed out of the small office, slamming the door behind her.

Deep inside, she was not upset with Danika Vorin. The woman was just a cog in the wheel of the complex administrative body that ruled over the Society of Imperial Linguists. She could not afford to let anything go awry, lest the whole system come crashing down.

Because their work did not involve the development of new technologies, linguists were not considered scientists. They were as much a part of the Imperium as any other profession. With internal regulations, safeguards, and rights.

Still, she did not understand how the Society could not see the importance of her work.

She found Merken standing in the hall, leaning against a wall. He smirked when he saw her marching toward her office.

“Told you she wouldn’t be happy. Hope you’ve learned your lesson this time.”

“Shut it,” she hissed as she went past him.

He frowned. “Hey! What’s gotten into you?”

Sarisa spun and hit him in the chest. “It’s all your fault, you dumb ass! If you hadn’t ratted me out to the old crone, I wouldn’t have been kicked out.”

She turned and started walking again.

“Kicked out? What are you talking about?” He ran after her. “What’s going on?”

“What did you think would happen? It’s not like she hadn’t warned me.”

“Then why did you keep doing it?”

“What was I supposed to do?” she asked as she reached her office and started packing her things. “Ignore the only known evidence ever found of a language older than the human race?”

“That’s ridiculous. Nothing can be that old. How would you even know it was that old?”

“And the worse of it,” she went on, ignoring the question, “is that she kept the damn thing.” She glared at him while she tossed some files into her bag. “I hope you’re happy.”

“Hey, don’t blame this on me! You got yourself into this mess all by your lonesome self.”

“You didn’t need to go yapping to her like the good lapdog you are. Jerk.”

He scowled. “I was just doing my job. Unlike you, you ungrateful little pest.”

Without waiting for her response, he turned and stormed out of the room.

She snorted. “Yeah. Right. Whatever.”

When she was done packing, she walked out of her office, through the hall, and into the elevator. It took her down to the underground SubStation that connected all the buildings of Sedzirah. The outside world was too windy, cold, and wild. Traveling was safer this way.

She got on the sub—it was like a sliding walkway with seats. It slowed down every time it reached a station, though it never fully stopped.

Once seated, she pulled out a chip hidden in her wristpad as speakers broadcast the latest news.

“—bombarded Nimnir and—”

Sarisa pressed the chip against the screen and it lit up, showing a picture of the metal slab. She grinned. At least, she’d had the time to take this before Merken had snatched it from her.

“—by the Scourge of Abrax, who is evidently not dead—”

She wrinkled her nose as she zoomed into the image so she could see the writing more clearly. It looked nothing like any language she had ever seen. Yet, as expected, she was able to read it.

“In other news, there are reports of gruesome deaths—”

Still, the phrasings were odd. She could understand the individual words, but not the general meaning. Which was unusual for her. Even alien languages had never been a challenge. But this... this was something else.

“—an unknown fang-covered creature, likely indigenous to—”

Hers was a special gift. No one else in her family had it. So why did she? Doctors had examined her, but found nothing that could explain it. Her brain was just wired differently. That was the consensus, at least. As if she were better attuned to the way languages functioned in general, no matter the permutations.

“—bodies found were mangled and—”

So why didn’t she get this one? It was frustrating. If only she could figure it out, she might finally find the answer she sought.

She felt the sub slow down and jumped to her feet.

Stepping off the platform, she hurried toward the elevator that would take her up into the building where she lived.

Though the ride had only taken a few minutes, she was now five hundred miles away from the Society’s headquarters.

She had not expected to be fired. Oh, she always knew there was a chance it could happen, but she had thought her special gift would make them reconsider. She had thought it would make her untouchable. Clearly, she had been mistaken.

But it didn’t matter. She didn’t need the Society. They’d miss her more than she would miss them.

She would continue her quest on her own.

Sarisa went into her apartment and looked around.

It was time to go, she realized. Nothing held her here anymore.

She looked out the window at the starry sky.

It was time to go out there. Further than she had ever been. The only place where she could find answers.

Beyond the rim.