Miya strolled down the bustling lanes of the Aestero Pol food court, a circular-shaped venue that spanned three levels and was filled with vividly colored food stalls of all shapes and sizes. As she walked, she caught the fresh yeasty aroma of caramelized stuffed bread buns wafting from a small black booth. The crust atop the bread crackled as it cooled, tempting all who passed by. Around her, she heard the sizzle of frying pans, the clatter of dishes, and the hum of others chatting and eating.

The abundance of seating in the middle of the court was enclosed in large transparent bubbles. Miya walked past another larger booth serving rainbow-glimmering crystals to Shakena, a near-human genderless species with white fur, four arms, red brille instead of eyelids, and puffy wings on their back and heads.

She then entered one of the bubble enclosures, passing through the gel-like field hand first. Miya leaped onto the first of several floating white discs that led to a secluded white cube-shaped table with four boxes acting as chairs, with three of them filled.

At the farthest end of the table sat a female Mayukem. Her long prickly iron-laced hair ran down her back, ending at her red-pulsing thorax shaped like a centipede’s tail. She moved a few strands from the side of her face, revealing her diamond-shaped head and tired ghost-gray eyes.

“Zenaa. Nothing to eat again today, huh, Miya?” Xylantra inquired, stuffing a plate of black-smoked meat into her thorax’s mouth.

Miya nodded while plopping in the remaining seat, then planted her cheek on the table with a sigh.

Raelle, a Kun’nick female with mauve skin, pointed-curly ears, and bluish-purple crystals running along the sides of her face and antler-shaped horns, chuckled while sipping her green-leaved teacup.

“If you wish to do the best at your job, you must put something in your stomach. Why not try my Arupes tea?”

“Meh. Don’t listen to them, Miya.” Yuci said, clicking their long white pointed fingers along the table. “I totally understand how it is not to need sustenance all the time.”

The Umeka’s body was abstract, curved, yet slender. While their head was shaped like a long-crescent mask, their eyes, also in the form of half-moons, were lavender with three cyan pupils moving in a circle. Their long spiky tail was split halfway, resonating a heated-lamp-like substance that was revealed on several parts of their torso and hands like a glass encapsulation.

Yuci stuffed two green bags filled with white goo inside their mouth, sitting atop the dip in their head. As their noggin split apart, a tunnel of sharp white teeth began to spun as they dipped in each bag letting them be torn to shreds.

Raelle gazed as Yuci emptied the last bag and shook her head with a shiver.

“Zenaa. So what’s the matter anyway?” Xylantra asked. “I heard that you passed your Voltobi qualifiers. That can’t possibly be what you’re upset about.”

“That’s great news! But… My goodness… Why is the Mlynan Bureau so intrusive?” Raelle rolled her eyes. “I think it would be better if Miya told us the news. Don’t you think?”

“It’s our job to know the known and the-“

“… Unknown.” Yuci finished. “Sublema gorsa. We get it. But we all know you joined Mly Bol to snoop in other’s business.”

“Zenaaa… Yeah, I do like that part too.”

Miya lifted her head and crossed her arms in front of her chest. 

“It’s nothing.”

“Zenaa…” Xylantra’s long centipede-like antennae wiggled as she turned to the side. “Or maybe she’s mad cuz’ some troopie got placed on her team.”

Raelle’s eyes widened. She then turned to Miya with a smile.

“B-But that’s great news, right? Building your team is one of the most important parts of being an officer!” Raelle enthused.

“Not when your first team member is some idiot V-Idol who got the position because her parents are both higher status.”

“Hm? What is that supposed to mean? A celebrity became a patroller? Just like that?” Yuri asked.

“Zenaa. They’re referring to Orimi Amuriha, the former lead for Danxsels.”

“If I’m not mistaken, they were the ones abducted in a recent hostage situation along the sesnir. Weren’t you on that mission, Miya?” Raelle inquired.

“That’s the first time I met her. And ever since then, she’s treated me like we’re friends just because I assisted in her rescue. Honestly, how stupid can you be?”

“Rather odd they’d allow a high-civ to join the force, especially a specialist division. Don’t you get into dangerous situations they may not have training for?” Yuci pointed out.

“That’s what I’m afraid of. I don’t have the time to worry about training some troopie when I have to deal with-“

Miya’s eyes widened as she shook her head. “Nevermind. It’s just a pain in my ass.”

“Zenaa. I couldn’t find anything else on her. Apparently, since she’s related to a Coordinant and Calavant, her info-cells are locked.”

“Why don’t you ask her to come to Aqu Rol with you? Dr. Ashihei and I need to calibrate your new weapon anyway; You could use our holo-site for combat training.” Yuci insisted.

“That’s a marvelous idea! I’m sure your superiors didn’t hire blindly. Just get to know them, and they may surprise you!” Raelle beamed.

Miya tapped the side of her arm, then uncrossed them with a nod. “Whatever. Maybe you’re right. She’s couldn’t be that useless.”