It was afternoon as Cross landed his skell in the residential district. The skell changed into it vehicle form and drove to BLADE HQ. On the way Cross watched the sun setting behind the Ma-non ship that hovered on the rim of NLA. As he reached the transport landing pads it saw Lin standing on one looked at the Ma-non ship as well.

Cross pulled over and climbed out of his skell, jumping up to the landing pad. "Hey Lin!"

The girl turned to see her friend. "Hey, Cross!" When Cross was closer Lin jumped up and hugged him.

"So what have you been up to little lady?"

"I was just staring up at the Ma-non ship. Isn't it incredible?" Lin let go of Cross to look back the ship.

"I love seeing it." Cross stood beside Lin, he raised his hand behind her and placed it on her shoulder.

"I wonder how the Ma-non ever discovered that technology. That thing is so huge! And it isn't even flying—it just kinda…"

"Hovers?

"I was gonna say floats."

"That works too." Cross glances down to Lin.

"It makes virtually no noise, and runs off of an extremely clean energy source."

"The power of a laser light show! El and I was talking about it the other day, I think its lights that power each other. A mix of lights that empower each other over a mix of species interacting. Cooperation is how we grow."

Lin looked at her hand as she slowly closed it into a fist. "With everyone's help, I was able to finally complete the Skell flight module… But we humans are still a ways off from being able to match the Ma-non on the technology front."

Cross snickered. "Well isn't that given? They've been in the space travel game for much longer then us."

"I've seen a lot of Ganglion tech that impressed me, too, you know."

"Like what?"

"Like that Zu Pharg, I think it was called? Yeah, we're nowhere near being able to add flight capabilities to such massive machines. I'd love to pay a visit to the labs at Meredith & Co. or Candid & Credible. I bet I could learn a few things."

"If you do get to speak with them, mind if I tag along? You're not the only outfitter hungry for new tech." Cross patted her shoulder.

"I'm sure it'd be fun to have you come along, but it's probably not worth the effort."

"Why's that?"

"I've made tons of requests to these guys, but they always turn me down."

Cross looked down to Lin. "And why's that? Are they that sacred you steal their secrets?"

"They make equipment for BLADE, but they're still corporations fighting to be at the top. They're not about to start sharing their trade secrets. And yeah, the Ma-non work with us, but that doesn't include supplying us with their core technologies…"

"Well, let them horde their secrets like the dragons they are, I know that one day your inventions will top theirs."

Lin shook her head and laughed lightly. "At this rate, that's not likely at all."

"Hey now." Cross kneeled down and turned Lin to face him, placed both his hands on her arms. "Don't think like that. You're a great outfitter. I can fix things but you can make them, and at a young age I know you'll go and do great things."

"But it could take decades or even centuries to replicate those technologies. And while we're playing catch-up, the Ma-non and Ganglion will develop newer and better things."

"So what? Superior tech isn't everything, The Ganglion have better technology and we're still kicking their ass. It's about heart too, you put your heart into those flight modules and now they work like a dream."

"Thanks Cross."

Cross gives a nod to her. "Of course."

"I still need to learn all I can while we have experts here who are able to teach us. Once we catch up, hopefully we can start putting our own human spins on their technology."

"Yeah. Give it more personality, rather then it being a rip off."

Lin let out a sigh as she stepped back. "Anyway, I hope I'm not worrying you."

"You haven't been working on this stuff night and day or anything, right?" Lin gives a nod. "And your remembering to some time off, right?"

Lin nods again. "Yes. Elma's been on my case about it. She says I'll burn myself out if I don't relax more."

Cross stats giggling to himself. "Yeah. El got on he too, I have to make sure you're doing what she asked. So to get her off of both or back how about we take a day off together?"

"What, for the entire DAY?"

"Yeah."

"…Huh. That does sound pretty relaxing. But I'm not sure if I could be away from my machines for so long."

"Why? Do you have a toolbox stuck to your hands?"

"NO, it's like, if I went to the park, there'd be cars driving around, right? Or if I went to see a movie, who knows what sort of fantastical technology might come up in the story? And then I'd find myself wondering what makes them tick, and how I could improve them… And then? BLAMMO! I'm back at work. Happens every time."

"Then let's do something outside of NLA." Cross reached up and ruffled Lin's hair. "When I need time to myself I go out into Mira find a place to lay down and just listen to the sounds of nature as I start to drifted to sleep."

"Is that safe?"

"Hasn't been a problem so far and I've going to the same spot for weeks." Cross raised his finger and tapped Lin on the nose. "I'll show you it, but you have to keep it a secret, okay? Elma is the only one I've shown it too, it'll be our secret place to meet when we want to get away from everything."

"Thank you, I promise not to tell anyone."

"Good."

"You know. I thought that once I completed the flight module, I'd be okay not working on anything for a while. But completing it was so thrilling that it made me want to start working on upgrades."

Cross shrugged as he exhaled. "As long as you don't overwork yourself, who am I to tell you not to enjoying yourself."

"Aw, thanks for saying that." Lin gave Cross a quick hug then stepped back. "I love tinkering with machines. It's a ton of fun."

"You're preaching to the choir sister."

"Right. My designs don't work out most of the time, but I can always try again, as much as I want."

"That R and D Lin Nothing is made without it blowing up a few times on the way."

Lin let out a snicker. "I think Elma's worried about me getting so obsessed with my fiddling that I stop taking care of myself. And when I say something like, "I'll only do it for an hour today," five hours go by before I even realize it."

"Well, as your father figure it's my duty to make sure that doesn't happen."

"You, a father?"

"You said it first." Two laughed lightly, the wind started to pick up and Cross saw the sun was almost gone. "That's enough for today. Time to get back. I'll give you a lift."

"A li- AH!" Cross grabbed Lin by her arms and swung her to his back, he grabbed Lin's legs and stood up. In a panic Lin wrapped her arms around his neck. "You scared me you jerk!"

"Hey now. A scare now and then is good for the heart."

"You're thinking of chocolate!"

"I might be thinking chocolate. Let's have some when we get home." Cross began walking to his skell with Lin on his back. "Come on, if we don't get back before it gets too dark El might send out a search party."

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