“P’ahti, p’ahti,” Kalli called as she barreled over to her father who was laying on one of the plush beds with his hand over his eyes, apparently trying to take a nap. Kalli seized his other hand and tugged it. “Can we go outside today? Please? Please please please.”

Cyrus slid his hand from his face and glanced over at Addy. She grimaced and he sighed. “Sorry, issyen,” said Cyrus, reaching over to ruffle her hair. “Not yet.”

Kalli let out a groan and returned to building her fort, though not without kicking one of the pillows in frustration first.

Across the room, Cyrus apparently gave up on his hopes of napping and sat up on the bed. Tiredly, he scratched his messy hair and unshaven face and for just a moment, he caught Addy’s eye. She smiled, just lightly, but he had already looked away. As if being trapped in an attic wasn’t already tense enough, the couple’s relationship was quite decidedly ‘on the rocks.’ They hadn’t mentioned it or discussed it (there were far more important things to worry about right now), but the conflict in their stuffy prison was palpable. Addy almost worried about the day they could finally get out of here and be on their way as they’d have to face it head-on.

Almost worried.

Just then, there was a small knock on the attic door before it carefully pressed open and the familiar face of Eriaas peered into the room. More than ever, the man had become a welcome presence, at least as far as Addy was concerned. A break from the monotony of their trapped existence. He brought a genuine smile to her face.

“Any news from below?” she asked, not expecting much of an answer. The lead agent said something interesting, one of the minion agents was rude, someone made some particularly good coffee, were the usual sorts of updates he had. But today, there was a different look in his eyes. Today, something was unusual.

“Actually yes,” he said, his voice hushed. No one below would be able to hear them from here, yet he continued to whisper as he went on, “I overheard something”

Addy exchanged a glance with Cyrus who sat up straighter. “Overheard what?”

“What they’re looking for,” said Eriaas, coming further into the room. He patted Kalli on the head as he passed her and her fort. The girl flinched away from his touch and Addy couldn’t help but notice Cyrus’ proud smirk. She returned her attention to Eriaas as he sat down in an armchair and leaned forward, lacing his fingers together.

“They’re usually quite good about keeping their discussions private,” he explained. “Never in the house, you know. But they slipped up. Or perhaps they’ve grown lax. Regardless, just this morning I was returning from my run and Parnassé and some of her people were meeting in the dining room. I hovered out of the way for a bit to see what I could garner from the conversation.”

Infuriatingly, Eriaas went quiet, instead looking between them excitedly until Cyrus demanded, “Well? And?”

Eriaas’ good spirits were unwavering. “And they foolishly told me everything I needed to know.”

Addy caught Cyrus’ glare of frustration. It was her turn apparently. “Which was?” she pressed, far more gently than her partner had been.

Eriaas glanced over his shoulder as though to check no one was listening, before he leaned in closer and whispered, “The Transmitter.” Addy got the feeling that it was meant to be significant to them. That she was supposed to have a mindblowing ‘aha’ moment. But all she could manage was a polite, if confused, smile.

“Ah, I forget, you two aren’t from here,” Eriaas went on, brushing off his disappointment. “It’s a bit of a local legend. See, our little moon? Was the first terraform following the Division War. As such, it was home to some of the greats of post-Colonization. Leaders and politicians and visionaries all made their way here to start the Ellegian cluster we know today. And, though we’re not proud of it now, they took most of Archeti’s Origin era artifacts with them. One of those artifacts, supposedly, according to legend, is the Transmitter.”

Still, this was ringing no bells to Addy nor, as far as she could tell from the blank look on his face, to Cyrus. Ancient history had never been either of their strong suits. “The Transmitter is said to have come from the Ark itself,” Eriaas went on. “No one is clear on what it does, though speculation runs amok. Some say it can simply transmit messages more efficiently over much more space than we can today. Others say it can contact the Origin. Some even say it can summon forth a new Ark to ferry our people onward to the next Span.” Eriaas lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “It could just be a broken old artifact, for all we know. But clearly the Society believes it’s worth something at least. That’s why they’re here. That’s what they’re looking for.”

Addy propped up her chin on her fist. It sounded like something the Society could spare a handful of agents for. Legends had to come from somewhere after all and even if the device was, as Eriaas said, a useless lump of metal, the risk could be worth the minor loss.

“So is it here somewhere?” Addy wanted to know.

“On the moon? Maybe,” Eriaas answered. “But here?” He pointed to the floor. “Definitely not. They’re on the wrong side. If the damn thing is anywhere, it’d be in the Consulate archives on the other side of the globe.”

“Then why would they think it’s here?” Cyrus asked.

Eriaas just rolled his eyes dramatically. “Some idiot claimed that my house was built atop the old Consulate in an attempt to tear the land from me. I settled the matter out of court, but the rumor stuck. To this day I still get tourists stopping by looking for a museum. It doesn’t help that the actual archives are buried beneath centuries of real estate developments and dirt. I only know where it stood because I paid a brigade of archaeologists to locate it for legal leverage.”

Across the room, Cyrus opened his mouth to speak, but it was Kalli’s voice that rang out next. “O’rian!” she shouted in glee, standing by the window and bouncing up and down on her feet.

Both Addy and Cyrus frowned at her, but it was Addy who said, “No, your uncle’s not coming, issyen.” The girl was probably just tired of no one paying attention to her.

“Why don’t you just tell them they’re in the wrong place?” Cyrus went on. “Tell them they’re on the wrong side of the moon and  they’ll leave and we can go.”

“I could do that,” Eriaas agreed, but Addy shook her head sharply.

“And lead them straight to wherever this thing actually is?”

“O’rian!” Kalli shouted again, earning her a “Hush” from Cyrus.

“What if it really is something significant?” Addy continued. “What if it gives them something we wish they didn’t have? They’re not exactly known for using moral judgment when it comes to technology.”

“O’rian!” shouted Kalli once more.

“No offense, Adds, but I’m more concerned with my family getting out of here alive than the Society finding some legend that probably doesn’t exist,” Cyrus muttered.

“Whatever you two decide, it’s up to you,” put in Eriaas just as Kalli stomped her feet and said again, “O’rian!”

Cyrus let out a heavy groan and pushed himself to his feet to join his daughter at the window. “What is it, issyen?” he cooed, sounding a little impatient as he picked her up and bounced her affectionately in his arms. “What’s the matter?”

He was starting to turn away when Kalli put her little hands on his face and forced his eyes towards the window she’d been looking out of. “O’rian!” she said again, definitively and this time, Cyrus went still.

A rush of panic ran through Addy. Oh gods, he didn’t. It would be just like Fiearius to run in here and try to save them despite their explicit wishes otherwise. But please, gods. “Tell me he didn’t…” she breathed, rushing from her seat to the window herself.

But Cyrus said, “No. No…not that uncle.” And when Addy looked out onto the path below at the two figures walking towards the house, she understood what he meant. It wasn’t Fiearius. It was Finn. And the small shape beside him? It couldn’t be…

“Corra?”

“Maybe because guests showing up and then sneaking around is gonna look a little suspicious,” Alyx argued.

“Anyone sneaking a couple and their daughter out of a house onto a ship is gonna look suspicious,” Cai shot back.

“Not if the Society brass are occupied with dinner elsewhere.” Alyx stared right back at him knowingly. “C’mon. This works. We’ve done it before. Dae and I distract them. You slip off into the shadows and get them out. It works. It’s a good plan.”

For a long moment, Cai said nothing. He glared at her from beneath his dark bushy hair, silent and stoic, as statuesque as she’d ever seen him. And then he said, “It’s a stupid plan. Get a new one.”

As he spun around on his heels and continued to stalk down the corridor, Alyx released a hopeless groan and shouted after him, “I’m trying, Cai!”

Not that trying seemed to be getting her anywhere. In all of her time as leader of this ship, short as that was, she had brought in exactly zero jobs and zero credits. Strange how, when she’d only been doing Finn’s job without the title, she’d been amazing at this kind of thing. But now, she was facing mutiny on all sides. Her crew suddenly hated her, her contacts wanted nothing to do with her and the ship’s coffers were becoming daringly thin. The Beacon, as they’d known it, was falling apart and Alyx didn’t know how much longer she could scramble to pick up the pieces.

Suddenly, a voice behind her said, “Being captain isn’t as easy as it looks, eh?”

“Not at all,” she grumbled in response before realizing that no, it was not her subconscious having a conversation with her but an actual living person standing in the hallway. She spun around and immediately her eyes went wide.

“Finn?” she sputtered, not even trying to hide her shock. “What–? How–?” She shut her eyes and opened them again to confirm that she had not simply lost her mind. It wouldn’t have surprised her if she had. “What are you doing here?!”

“I made a mistake. And I’m here to fix it.”

Alyx narrowed her eyes at him. “Fix it? You mean, fix how you tried to sell the ship out from under our feet? How you betrayed us? How you stopped caring about the Beacon and its crew ages ago and pretty much abandoned us to fend for ourselves while still calling yourself captain?”

Finn’s lips pursed and he glanced sideways as though in thought before he looked back at her. “Yep. That. I want to fix that.” When Alyx said nothing, he sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair. “Look, I screwed up. I lost sight of what was important and I was a terrible captain. I owed you better. I owed all of you better and I know that. I may not deserve another chance, but I’m here asking for one nonetheless. Let me fix things, Alyx. Please. If you’re willing to let me back aboard.”

Alyx fell silent. She had spent a long time being angry at Finnegan Riley. So long, in fact, that a spurt of irritation had become her default reaction to his presence. Yet now, as angry as she knew she should still be, as unforgiving as she wanted to appear, after their time apart, it wasn’t anger she felt upon seeing him, but genuine relief.

Still, she gave him a hesitant glare as she muttered, “I don’t know…You really don’t deserve another chance.” But she couldn’t keep the charade up for long. Her lips started to pull back into a smile before she couldn’t contain herself and marched forward to pull the man into a crushing hug. “Of course you can come back. This place just isn’t the same without you, captain.”

Finn released a grateful sigh and squeezed his arms around her. “Nor is drinking at the bar the same without you.”

Finally, Alyx pulled away and held him at arm’s length. “But I still don’t get it. How the hell are you here?”

Finn smiled back at her with a glint of mischief in his eye before tilting his head over his shoulder. Confused, Alyx followed the direction until she noticed another figure behind Finn, peering up at her with a mixture of relief and, Alyx thought, a bit of sadness. If Finn’s sudden appearance had been a shock, his companion was even moreso.

“Corra,” Alyx breathed in disbelief. The woman looked a little different than she remembered, but those deep brown eyes and freckled face were unmistakable even under the mask of age. For a fleeting moment, she thought perhaps she was dreaming after all, for both the Beacon’s captains to be standing before her for the first time in years. But there was one way to test it.

Practically shoving Finn aside, Alyx brushed past him and leaned down to seize the shorter woman in her arms. The way she felt and the way she laughed in her ear certainly sounded real enough to convince her.

“Oh God, Corra,” Alyx exclaimed, choking back a sudden need to weep. “I can’t believe you’re here. And you’re okay! God, I’m so glad you’re okay. It’s so good to see you.”

Corra chuckled appreciatively and squeezed her arms around Alyx’s back before breaking the embrace and stepping backwards. “It’s really good to see you too,” she mumbled, looking up at her, her brows creased downward in apology. “You can’t even imagine…”

“You have to come down to the crew lounge,” Alyx insisted, taking her hand and already starting to yank her down the hall. “So many people will want to see you and hear about what you’ve been up to.”

Alyx caught sight of Corra glancing up at Finn nervously, as though hoping he’d rescue her somehow. But whatever she was hoping for, Finn didn’t seem to comply. Corra glared. Finn lifted his brows. Corra jabbed her head toward Alyx. And Alyx looked between the two of them, oblivious to the content of the silent conversation going on between them.

Finally, she’d had enough. “Alright, you two are cute and all, but just tell me what I need to know.”

Corra caught Finn’s eye one last time in a last ditch attempt for help which he didn’t provide. So she heaved a deep breath and said, “Alyx, I–I can’t stay.” Alyx felt her spirits droop and her smile drop slowly off her face. “I have people after me. I have missions still in the works. I wanted to get Riley back and make sure everything here was okay, but I need to head out again.” She looked back over her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I wish I could stay. Really, I do.”

None of this was surprising, Alyx realized, but that didn’t make her any less likely to argue it. “Corra, c’mon. We haven’t seen you in ages. At least stay the night. Talk to the crew, we all miss you. One night can’t hurt.”

“She’s right,” agreed Finn. “You owe us that much, don’t you? As friends?”

But Corra was already shaking her head. “I can’t,” she mumbled under her breath. “I have to go.”

Alyx reached out and laid her hand on Corra’s shoulder. “But–why? What’s the hurry?”

A bitter laugh escaped Corra’s lips before she muttered, “The longer I stay, the harder it’ll be to leave…” She swallowed hard and met Alyx’s stare firmly. “I’d rather just go now, okay?”

Alyx wanted to keep contesting it. It didn’t make sense, as far as she was concerned. She wanted to talk to her old friend, that seemed reasonable enough. But something in the conviction of Corra’s words made her unable to conjure any more arguments. She looked up at Finn hopefully, but he too seemed to have resigned himself to her wishes. So Alyx would have to consign herself to say goodbye almost just as soon as she’d said hello.

But then Corra spoke up again. “Before I go though.” She tilted her head suspiciously. “What was it you were saying about Cy and Addy?”

——————

Addy sat on the edge of the guest bed, watching in exhaustion as Kalli dragged blankets and pillows across the room to “build a fort.” Her daughter was making a mess of the room that wasn’t even theirs, but Addy did not have the energy to scold her. Nor, she’d found, could she blame the girl for having too much energy to contain. A few more days of this and Addy would likely be on the floor building forts of her own.

They had been confined to Eriaas Argoatan’s attic (if this furnished loft area could even be called an attic) for nearly a week. They’d moved up here when it had become obvious that hiding in the guest rooms left a little too much risk that one of Eriaas’ Society houseguests would hear the tiny pitter patter of five year old feet.

Those same houseguests, much to Cyrus and Addy’s dismay, didn’t seem to be leaving anytime soon. Whatever their expedition was, it wasn’t going well and it showed no signs of stopping.

It had only been probably twenty minutes before that peace was disturbed by the sound of voices approaching the ship. Absently, Leta glanced down into the bay as Fiearius and Quin strode up the ramp in such deep conversation they didn’t appear to notice her.

“–can’t sway to them,” Fiearius was saying, sounding both angry and tired. “They’re gonna keep trying to push us out, but we need to stay strong on the Ascendian lines. No matter what.”

War talk, Leta realized at once and felt far less bad for overhearing. She decided not to disturb them and leaned back against the wall to return to her book. Despite the intention, however, she couldn’t help but listen to the scene going on below her.

“Easier said than done, sweetheart,” replied Quin as she trailed after him. “You ain’t out there with these fuckers.”

Fiearius slowed to a stop in the middle of the bay to look back at her. “Wanna trade?”

“You mean, do I wanna hunt down the clandestine leaders of our enemies and murder them in their sleep?”

“Who said they were sleeping?” Fiearius laughed.

“I’ll pass regardless. Sounds like dirty work. Commanding a great fleet on the edge of triumphant battle?” Quin sucked in a breath between her teeth, impressed with her own accomplishments. “I think you and I can both agree that’s where I belong.”

“Wouldn’t trust anyone else with it,” Fiearius agreed.

“Which of your little Council is next anyway?”

Out of the corner of her eye, Leta saw Fiearius frown as he stepped further into the bay to lean against a stack of crates, crossing his arms over his chest. “We’ve got a lot of information about the Synechdan Councillor, but I’ve yet to garner a hint of where he could be. The Ellegian I know next to nothing about except where they are. Ellegy. Which is all well and good except that there’s no way we can get there. Fortified as the gates of the dov’ha themselves. And then there’s the Satieran. Who is,” he sighed, “entirely a mystery.”

Quin made a tutting noise with her tongue and leaned up against the crates beside him. “Stalemate then?”

“For the time being.”

She nodded her head slowly and then a mischievous smirk pulled across her face. “Guess you’ll have time to make the annual Carthian fundraising gala this year then, huh?”

And now, Fiearius groaned loudly. “Please don’t remind me. I still need to find an excuse to get out of that.”

“You’ve been excusing yourself every year.”

“So have you!”

“Sure,” Quin laughed, “But I ain’t the great admiral, am I? No one could give a shit if I show up. Fact, they’re probably happier that I don’t. Can’t screw things up for ‘em.”

“If I do go, they’ll probably quickly feel the same about me,” he grunted.  The bay lapsed into silence for a moment and Leta briefly considered jumping into the conversation lest she continue to eavesdrop. Besides, she too wanted to know if Fiearius really would attend the fancy Carthian ball this time around. She’d been to several and frankly, she couldn’t imagine the man there. Just as she was about to say so, however, Fiearius picked up the threads from earlier.

“Anyway. Keep our people right up there with them on Ascendia. It’s important.”

“Carthis is still gonna keep pushin’ us out,” Quin remarked, admiring her fingernails absent-mindedly.

“Of course they are,” Fiearius growled. “Because they know if I’m watching I’m not gonna let them pull the same shit they managed on Vescent.” Internally, Leta felt a small swell of — what? Gratitude? Appreciation? Perhaps admiration. “Well fuck ‘em, I’m not just gonna stand by and allow these pieces of shit to take over the Span. Stay in touch with the local rebellion. I want them a part of this. It needs to be their victory so when it ends, they’re left with the major stakes.”

“Will do, my captain,” said Quin.

“And we’ll do the same with Ellegy when it comes to it,” Fiearius continued to mutter, his stare focused on the floor. “And Satieri…”

His voice trailed off and again the bay grew quiet and again Leta thought she should make her presence known. Accidental as her overhearing this conversation was, she nonetheless felt like an intruder, which was a feeling only made worse by what happened next.

“You alright, darlin’?” Quin asked suddenly, looking over at Fiearius, a crease of worry marring her brow.

Fiearius didn’t look up at her as he released a heavy sigh and mumbled, “ I’m fine. Just — got a lot on my mind.”

Half-fascinated, half-weary, Leta knew she should have looked away when Quin pushed herself from the wall and turned to face Fiearius fully. She definitely should have looked away when the woman placed one hand on his jawline and the other slid around to his behind. And she wished she’d covered her ears when she said, in a voice that let everyone listening know exactly what she meant, “Well why don’t we go take those things off your mind, hm?”

Fiearius let out a breathy chuckle and seemed to relax against her. “You can try,” he mused back, looping his own arms around her waist.

“That a challenge?” asked Quin.

“If you’re willing to accept it.”

“Oh, honey, I’m willing to exceed it.”

Leta’s common sense finally caught up to her and she looked away, forcing her focus back onto her book where she read the same five words thrice without ever registering them. Even without visual confirmation, she knew that he had leaned down to kiss her and that she had kissed him back and she could practically hear the look of adoration on Fiearius’ face when he said, “I missed you.” She’d certainly heard it enough times herself.

“Don’t you get all sentimental on me, Soliveré,” was Quin’s response before she apparently stepped out of their embrace and thwapped his side affectionately. “Now why don’t you go get whatever it is we had to come back here for, hm? Got a bottle of the good stuff I stored back in your fancy admiral’s lounge I think we both deserve.”

“Sir, yessir,” was Fiearius’ laughing response as he too pushed himself off the wall and headed off into the ship. Quin, after a moment, sauntered after him, leaving Leta alone in the silence of the cargo bay once again.

She couldn’t remember exactly what Fiearius had said about his relationship with Quin. That they were friends, that they were allies and that they simply took comfort in one another every so often. But Leta knew Fiearius better than that by now. She knew the tones of his voice, the meanings of his actions and the looks he gave. And after that display, she knew that whatever he’d said was going on with Quin, he’d certainly misrepresented it.