One Loroshan, the cantankerous captain. Two Nexori: an asshole and his sister. Two Terrans: the brilliant medic, Lucian, and the mechanic. 

This was Kazia's quick roll call on the crew of the Rust Burn—nothing difficult to memorize, but important to quickly profile and identify who’s who. As one in charge of protecting the ship, the crew, and the cargo, she took it as her duty and responsibility. Now, she had to enact her authority once she encountered an unknown pair. 

Two figures in navy blue and jet black, untouched armor, stood in front of Lucian’s quarters, flanking the door. They were near the doctor’s height, but slightly taller. Kazia’s eyes noted a lack of weapons. Their faces were obscured—no formal military posture, but a relaxed stance that displayed their boredom.

She approached, but did not pass. Kazia stood in front of them, immediately drawing their attention. 

“Huh, a Vul’Katahn.” The first soldier’s voice came out young and with wonder. “You’re on this ship too?”

 

Her dark eyes followed the clear gaze of the younger Terran, whose visor looked her up and down. Kazia didn’t show much outside of her abdomen. Yet her chest was prominent, bringing his eyes to lie on it longer than a simple glance. She noted this internally.

“Who are you two?”

Despite her thick Vul’Katahni accent, her tone gave a hardened authority. This prompted the young soldier to straighten up, as if something had been drilled into his mind to react this way. Though the two weren’t standard military, there were bits of military training in them. 

The other Terran, still leaning against the bulkhead, didn’t respond in the same manner. He came off as more experienced, more disciplined, and less easily cowed. 

“The Southern Aegis Carbine.” His voice, heavy, rough with age and use. “Mercenary group. Hired by a VIP for an important visit.”

His choice of words either came from a specific knowledge he possessed or possibly from knowing little of why he was here. Either way, their work came with guarding someone important.

“Clarify this ‘VIP’.” Kazia maintained a semblance of professionalism, her arms crossed, a stance she recalled from her military years. 

The older man brought himself off the bulkhead, arms also folded. He did this to reflect the Vul’Katahn woman, acting as a wall; unmovable.

“We are told not to disturb this meeting.” He stated factually.

Kazia took a step forward, hands on her hips, eyes staring past the visor. The old soldier didn’t budge. The young man glanced between the two of them, feeling the tension that he could not physically handle. 

“I am head of security on this vessel.” She declared, her eyes narrowing. “I do not recognize this ‘authority’, VIP or not, nor was I informed of this meeting.”

“This is nothing a Xeno like you should concern yourself with.” The soldier made his move, placing his hand to his side, where a stun baton rested on his hip. “I am trained to handle you people, and more than capable of dealing with your abilities.”

Kazia’s eyes glanced at the weapon, finding it simple and useless. It was a device designed to quickly incapacitate—even for someone capable of using Myst—an effective tool for most, though not everyone. 

“Stand aside, now!”

Kazia brought her fists to the side of her. She wasn’t ready to move, but to take the first hit, a way to perceive a certain enemy’s capabilities. This was her dare, while looking down at him to goad the man, the Terran, into action. 

She smirked condescendingly. The old soldier took the bait. He took his baton in a firm grip, drawing it. The weapon sparked to life around the pronged tip, where electric volts passed between the edges. 

Kazia didn’t flinch. Her hands remained on her hips, even as the door to Lucian’s cabin opened. 

“What is this commotion? I demanded a moment of privacy!”A woman’s voice barked out in a refined tone. 

She caught sight of the Vul’Katahni woman almost immediately. Her face moved from annoyance to amazement at someone of such height and natural beauty who held even with her unkempt features. 

Kazia’s brilliant blue eyes snapped to the woman’s stormy grey, a weight of suspicion bearing down on her. The woman could have been a few inches taller than Lucian. Her black, straight hair held a sheen through its strands, reaching to her hips. Its simple edges framed her smooth face, contrasting her cherry-red lips and pale skin with the striking elegance of a high-born woman. 

The woman folded her arms. The old soldier stowed his stun prod, while the younger one stood at attention again, straightening his spine harder than a steel beam. 

Both women stared at each other, their eyes assertive and judgmental. Kazia found her to be pompous from the start. She held jewelry on three of her fingers, one wrist, and around her neck. 

Her low-collared black garb stretched over her body as a single piece of casual silk. The leggings draped over the open-toed heels, and the sleeves fell to her biceps. Her body appeared light, but Kazia noticed the pronounced muscles in her wrists and from the slits that exposed a bit of her shoulders. She was a fighter of some kind, a note Kazia found testing. 

“Well, look at you.” The noble woman emphasized every word with interest. “A member of this…ship? Probably to relieve the boys here?” She scoffed at the assumption in her own words.

Kazia smiled mockingly at the undertone. “Security.” 

As she corrected her role, Lucian approached from behind. His recognition of Kazia brought relief across his face. 

“Kazia!” He moved past the woman, keeping himself from touching her, and not out of respect. “Forgive me, I was unable to tell you of our visitors who were leaving.“

The stern tone of his voice towards the latter surprised the woman. 

“So they forced their way on board?” Kazia questioned, but gave no one room to reply. “Either way, you must leave now.” She gestured toward the exit, away from the crew quarters. 

The noble woman stepped forward, bringing herself before Kazia, ignoring her orders with her own authority. 

“How delightful, you sound like old-Earth Scandinavian. But, do pardon this intrusion, for you may not be familiar with me.” She started with a smile showing all of her whitened teeth. 

“I obviously don’t,” Kazia stated matter-of-factly. “But continue.” 

“I am Morgan Loren, Scion of House Loren of the Terran Empire, and fiancé of Lucian Milani.” The woman ignored or masked her reaction to the sarcasm, placing a hand over her chest with a half-bow. 

Kazia moved her eyes to Lucian for confirmation. His apologetic eyes immediately denied it, along with the imperceptible shake of his head. 

“Okay then, Morgan.” Kazia put her attention back to the unwelcome visitor. “I like your name, but you have to leave.”

Morgan snapped her head up, her eyes bewildered by the response. “S-surely I’m not speaking in Mandarin,” she chuckled, soft and uncertain. 

“You spoke clear Trade Basic, but I don’t care.” Kazia gestured once again, more firmly with a pointed finger. “Please leave.” 

“If you understand me, then why—?”

Kazia cut her off with more authoritative words. “You might be someone important in Terran Space, but you are not only in Colonial jurisdiction, but you are on the ship of an independent courier company, who are more than capable and allowed to defend themselves from possible intruders.”

A hush fell through the corridor. Morgan swallowed hard. The young soldier fidgeted nervously. The old veteran kept his eyes on the Vul’Katahn, hand still on his stun baton. 

“By all accounts,” Kazia leaned in towards the woman. “An uninvited guest is still an intruder, and intruders can and will be violently removed, my Lady.”

Her words, 25% a suggestion, 25% in respect, and 50% of a valid threat. 

“Morgan.” 

She turned to Lucian, her eyes presented with some hope he’d stand up for her. 

“You need to leave.” Lucian gestures to the exit. “Please.”

Morgan nearly stopped herself, but took Lucian’s hand regardless. “Then we can continue this conversation in a less rusted locale.”

Kazia nearly reached for Lucian to pull him back, only for him to snatch his hand away. Both women made a pause.

“No, just you and your worthless guards need to leave.” Lucian stood his ground, but walked towards the noble woman, his face near hers. “I am not coming back. Not to my family, and sure as hell not to the one who left ME!” 

Morgan flinched at the finality of his words. “This isn’t about your family. I want to help you out of here, surrounded by these Xenos. To bring you back to me, love.”

“SHUT UP!” His voice reached a level neither of them expected. “If you can’t respect any of these people and who they are, then Kaz shouldn’t have any respect for you as she tosses you out. I’M STAYING HERE!”

Another stretch of silence. Even the guards failed to make a sound louder than the ship’s life support. 

Morgan stared at Lucian with subtle shock, keeping her refined posture intact. She flicked her eyes to Kazia, who met hers. The tension between them lasted for a second before Morgan spun on her heels and left without another word. She kept her head held high while her guards followed her. 

Kazia followed from a distance, stopping at the ramp. She watched them board a lift to leave the boat and disappear at a distance. Her muscles relaxed, her heart taking a calmer rhythm. 

She turned and made her way back to Lucian’s cabin, finding him sitting on the edge of his bunk. He stared at the ground, eyes weighed down by a memory only he could see. 

“I’m sorry you had to see that.” Lucian spoke, his tone small but exhausted. “I need to go for a walk right now.”

He stood slowly. His steps were heavy, but sure. Moving past Kazia, the alien woman who looked down at him with regard, Lucian stopped and considered her. 

“Will you join me?”