As the small carrier ship left the hanger bay of The Wanderer, Akio looked back as the metal slant began to close and cover the window. The murderous glint in Daira's eyes was shining brighter, but beside it, was something harrowing and out of place. A smile. Not the type of smile that she would give someone she loved, but a taunt pull of the lips for someone she hated. It had only been a day or less since the teen had fought with her. Attempted to kill her.

Akio wished she could understand the hurt Daira harbored that warped into this unhealthy rage in the aftermath of her parents murder, but she couldn't. Unlike her friend, her parents had never been so kind, despite the 'caring' nature Se'li's were so famous for.

"Why don't I get to leave my room?" little Akio questioned, before she had a name.

Her mother's blurry face turned away. "You're cursed, a disgrace. Imagine the impact your existence would have on our social status. If anyone finds out about you, I'll have no choice but to kill you." It was a blatant statement, matter of fact.

Then Akio was found, beaten and left for dead because of her mangled leg and blind eye. It wasn't her fault she was born like that. But to a Se'li, letting a deformed child live was believed to bring plagues to wipe out entire sectors.

Shuddering, Akio brought her mind back to the present. At least Daira had someone to mourn. Akio couldn't care less if something were to happen to her parents. Anyone that believed what they did, and carried it out on their own kin wasn't deserving of affection.

But still, had she actually meant to kill Akio? Or had that part been an accident? It seemed so strange and outside Daira's nature that if Akio didn't know better, she'd pass it off as all a bad dream. Her Daira wouldn't attack her, not like that. There had to be more to it.

Hao adjusted herself in the basic grey chair that was across the small wooden table from Akio. Retrieving the holopad from the pocket of her long white and gold dress, she set it on the table, flicking through clearly labeled folders before selecting the current mission.

This transport didn't house any expensive or modern materials, besides the basic model of the engines and inner workings. It was intentional, so that it would blend in and not declare the presence of the overreaching government. The room they were in had nothing more than the two chairs, the table, and two cots.

It wasn't uncommon for rogue groups to target government transport, especially ones housing weapons. The less obvious their presence was, the better.

With a flick, Hao took the file from her holopad and projected it into the air. The words glowed blue, tidily written. But much like at the table the other night, there was a contemplation behind her eyes, as if there was something she wanted to say but wouldn't. "I took extensive notes on the briefing, to give accurate details There is other information specific to the government that I am including in addition. I did a different job awhile back and made notes of my observations."

Akio gave a nod, blinking her enhanced eye rapidly four times to engage the recorder. This way, she could watch the information again later as needed. Not everyone was equipped with this multi-purpose equipment. Only those who infiltrated, outside of Hao, had one.

The political gatherings often scanned for those sort of devices and required them to be turned off, at least, that was what the rumor mill relayed to Akio. She could never be sure, being that those sort of things weren't part of her job description.

Drilling the pads of her furry black paw, Hao flicked her eyes between the notes and Akio. "I know that you threw yourself into this mission to protect the raging child, but there was a reason the commanders were going to send a human, Akio. Or at least—" She paused, her brown eyes flicking toward the door that led toward the cockpit and back to the glowing text. Clearing her throat, she resumed. "This planet, this sector specifically, is a disaster. The Lizz rule, along with the commander's interference, has tensions between species high, particularly Se'li, Gebul, and Harken's."

Akio swallowed, hoping that what proceeded next from Hao's mouth wasn't what she suspected.

"It's not uncommon for the Lizz enforcers to attack those species without prompting, and because of the Gebul rebellion five turns back, no one sees it as a crime. You'll need to watch your back. I won't be able to protect you from within the Lizz palace," Hao stated, her tone laced with the tiniest bit of concern, her shaking scaled hand held more fear than her tone. "Avoid enforcers at all costs."

Nodding, Akio signaled for Hao to continue. So it was what Akio feared. Absolute political chaos. She would need to be careful. Getting caught in the crossfire of a recovering government would cause more problems than she had time for.

Hao scrolled the text up to reach the structure of society section, her paw shaking slightly. "On Frelim, there's five different classes. It depends on which sector you're in to the order and how they are managed. In sector five, there's the monarchy, the enforcers, soldiers, merchants, and monkek. You're going to be going as a part of the merchant class, the adopted daughter of a rare antiques trader."

Tapping the screen twice, Hao brought up an image of a smiling Lizz with blue and orange scales. Their pointed teeth were partially replaced with gold, and one of their eyes hosted an eye patch. "This is Sarff, she is your cover, and has signed a contract with the commanders that gives them permission to execute her if she leaks information about this mission to anyone. She will host you until you find the vigilantes.

"Also," Hao reached behind her, retrieving a sparkling bag. In her furry palm she held two small metallic devices that wiggled about like worms. "Put this in your ear as a precaution. It will allow me to contact you directly, no matter the distance through a mind link."

Ugh. Akio hated using mind receivers.

With a grimace, she put the device in her ear, retching as it wiggled through her ear canal and headed toward her brain. Her stomach churned from the disgusting sensation of it burrowing into her brain. Though it was uncomfortable and horrific, this would ensure no loss of contact with Hao, unless Akio received a severe enough head injury to break it, which came with its own set of problems.

Hao did the same, waiting a moment as her mind receiver went in. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes, very clearly," Akio internally thought with a grimace. The first words used with the receiver were always the loudest. Her head ached for a moment before normalizing. "Okay, continue with the briefing."

Hao flicked through the glowing document with her scaled green and black Lizz hand, her forked tongue flicking out as she concentrated. It wasn't something she often did. She was stressed.

No one outside the troop would think twice about this simple movement, but Akio knew Hao's tells. After all, they'd practically grown up together. Between this and the shaking hands, unfinished sentences, there was something on her mind.

Akio blinked rapidly and turned off the recorder. "What's wrong, Hao?"

Her friend froze, her hand hovering over the device. She closed it and checked the door, her presence touching Akio's mind. "This wasn't supposed to be a survivalable mission. That's why I advised the commanders to choose Daina, with her lack of training, losing her wouldn't be a loss in the grande scale."

Akio shot to her feet, her oi'ek flailing about, their reddish glow visible in the dim light. "What! You knew this? And you were going to let her go? You suggested she go?" A wash of cold flowed over Akio's body, wrapping around her like a blanket of snow. "How could you know this and do nothing? She's a part of your troop, our troop."

Closing the holopad with a resounding thud, Hao rose to her feet, coming to stand face to face with Akio. "Because it was either her or you, and I care more for my friend than the murderous starshited bitch who almost killed her. Do you even remember the first two times, Akio? This is the third attempt Daira has made at your life. We're better off without her," she snarled, baring her teeth.

Stumbling backward, Akio's calves hit the grey couch. She stared at Hao in disbelief. "What? No. She's like a little sister to me. There's no wa--"

But like a flood, the images came back. A heated battle like before, though it was hazy, Akio couldn't clearly see what happened. The second was worse, her throat burned as though someone had snaked their arm around it.

"Se'li's are nothing but conniving murderers. If you don't die, you'll kill me in my sleep, you have to understand, Six."

Shaking her head, Akio distanced herself further from Hao. " This doesn't make any sense. When did this happen? Are you messing with my mind, Hao?"

"No. I'm giving you the memories back that the commanders made me take. Daira attacked you so she could have this mission, it was supposed to be yours to begin with. I let her--" Hao looked on the verge of tears, a rare sight, one Akio had only seen once. "I didn't want you to get hurt, but if you stayed in The Wanderer you would have been safe." She inhaled a shuddering breath.

"There's more to this, Akio. I wish I could tell you. But if the commanders find out I did, we could both be executed." Hao swiped beneath her big brown eyes with her paw, dropping her voice to a whisper. "Don't let anyone know I gave you those. Pretend that everything is fine. But watch your back, Akio. It has a target. And don't cross into any of the other sectors, even if the vigilante group tries to force you to. There are assassins targeting Se'li."

Akio's three hearts pounded against each other, loudly drumming in her ears. She'd known Hao for well over ten years, they shared most everything with each other. But this, it didn't seem believable. Engaging her empathetic power, Akio stared deep into Hao's eyes. Starshit. She wasn't lying. But how? Why? What was going on?

Sitting back down, Hao held her head in her scaled and pawed hand, but she offered no more information.

This mission was far more than an infiltration and assassination. Akio would need to fight for her life. One that someone wanted to eliminate. But why? Was there something else Akio had seen that Hao couldn't give back? What if--

The ship lurched, throwing Akio into the wall. Getting back to her feet, she flicked out the knife in her arm. Perhaps they were just switching ships, but the nervous energy swirling around her begged to differ.

Akio's oi'ek settled at her shoulders, countless colors pumped through them to the rhythm of her pulse. She didn't know what to feel right now, betrayal, fear, should she be angry that this was kept from her? That her friend prompted Daira to attack her? That she allowed it? Or should she be grateful that by doing so, she was almost saved from this?

Hao stood, coming to stand beside her.

"Six, we've met with the ship that will take you to the planet. Goodbye and goodluck, may the stars watch over your journey," the pilots voice echoed through the speakers overheard, shrill and sharp like claws on metal.

Because Hao was going to a different area, she'd be transported on a higher level ship. Akio needed to blend in with the merchants.

Akio and Hao looked at each other as if they would never meet again. Embracing her friend in a tight hug, Akio sighed. She didn't have the energy to be angry, nor the understanding of the whole situation to be accusatory. Hopefully it would all be made clear in time. Akio then turned toward the hatch that would lead to the attached ship.

"Stay alive, Akio," Hao echoed in her mind.

With a small smile, Akio glanced back a final time. "I make no promises. But if anyone succeeds in slaying me, they'll die drowning in their blood."