The Saga Of House Valor

by ThatAuthorA

In the far reaches of the Imperium exists the frontier, where worlds are constantly won and lost in the name of the Emperor. Often ignored for those worlds that have long proven their worth the Emperor, they are often without anyone but themselves. One Imperial Knight House, House Valor, lost and without home, find themselves here. And here, is where their saga begins.

26. A Guardsman's Purpose (Side Story Pt4)

A Guardsman's Purpose: Part 4

Mara could not understand it. How had she become so connected to that xenos girl and that traitor? By all means, she should have hated them, despised them, she should have killed them. But she did not. No, she found herself… she found herself enjoying her time with them. How had she become a traitor herself?

It fascinated her how quickly, and how much things had changed. How a single decision altered her path so drastically. When she had first acquired the drug used to satiate Laeria's psychic abilities, she found herself worried at the prospect of meeting the two again. Uncertain as to what she was even doing. Her worry only worse when Argus, the guardsman, against her suggestion didn't report for his guard shift. She had barely even known him then, but she already had a good idea of who he was. Really, he cared too much, but in a way it… it was endearing to her. For some reason, she felt urgency for them. It didn't take long for her to return to the both of them as soon she could. She went to find them exactly where she left them. Despite their clear apprehension of her, she genuinely and simply wanted to help.

Though, apprehensive was not quite the word to describe how they felt about her, even if they were both afraid and cautious around her. There was something else, though she still couldn't describe it. Perhaps they thought it would have been only but a single, onetime event. Mara, at the time, had believed it would be. However, when the next day came, she managed to gather more of the suppressants from Aloi, and then made her way to see them again. An excuse in her mind that she had to provide them with more. She didn't even think about reporting them, nor did she have any desire to. She didn't know why, but there was a small joy in it. In helping them. When they had first seen her with such shocked faces, she couldn't help but let out a laugh. Something she hadn't done in such a long time. From there, she sat down across the two of them, and together they talked. It was a simple affair, and due to their apprehension of her, the conversation was very… simple and dull. Yet, it still surprised her, how she had felt when she took her leave. She had enjoyed it more than she believed she should have. She could have made many excuses for it, but she didn't. Truth was, she found something that brought her a glimmer of happiness. They fascinated her for some reason, having the will to do what she did not.

This repeated daily, as she found herself leave after Argus guard shift to go talk with them. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into nearly eight months. All the while, the more she went, the more she felt that life had returned to her. The more that spark of joy became something she looked forward too and expected. When she reflected on herself before she met them, she did not have anything to look forwards for. Nothing other than her duty and desire to uphold her title, gave her the will to go on. Otherwise, it was empty, filled with self-pity and excuses. She recalled the many long and lonely terran days, spent alone aboard the Rogue Traders ship, having no real connections to turn to and no purpose other than to persist. Before she was content simply being indifferent to others and clinging to her nobility. So how? How did she find such welcome companionship in these two? She did not know, but really, she wondered if it mattered at all.

She found something that ignited the fire of valor, once frozen over by her sorrow and lack of direction. A reason to continue forging herself a path, as her father had desired for her. She did not know about the future, or what it held, but now it felt so much more important to her than it had before. She dared not think about no longer having the two of them around, as she formulated plans to keep them around. Still, this made her a traitor, and she knew it well. It was a truth that often rattled in her mind as she slept, but she found she did not care. Harboring a xenos, and assisting a traitor guardsman. She had become a traitor fully of her own will. Yet, she did not do so out of malice, nor did she do it to spite the Holy Emperor. Such she would never do. No, she did it because it was her choice to do so. It was defiance, perhaps, of the universe which would prefer she waste away in silence and in misery.

Of her two companions, Argus was at first the most suspicious of her. Something that surprised her. She had thought that Laeria would have been more so, given she was a xenos. Yet, Argus was as fierce as her own father in his protection of Laeria. As Mara watched him, how he acted around Laeria, Mara found it warm her heart. Xenos or not, Laeria was a child and Argus treated her as if she was his own. Truthfully, he was not fit to be a guardsman. Once she would have had him turned away or punished for it. Now, however, she found she respected him for the traits that made him unworthy of his title as guardsman. A man who fought the universe about him, and boldly decided to carve his own destiny despite its demands otherwise. In such circumstances as those of the Imperium of Man, it was a foolish notion, yet he wasn't delusional. He very clearly knew the reality of his choices, but he made them regardless. She knew other nobles who didn't have half the resolve or valor as this outrider of a guardsman did. That he held onto that kind and caring heart of his was also a detriment, fatal in the field of war. Yet, she… found it oddly refreshing. Endearing even, to see such a willfully naïve attitude, despite even him recognizing the harsh truth of it all. Not that it deterred his caution around her. Yet, given how she appeared every day without malice, it was only natural he eventually see her different. After a time, he started to warm to her, and soon even talked openly with her. While in that little sanctuary of his own making, he was so much different than the timid, cold person she saw on duty.

As for her other, companion, Laeria… the girl brought out a lot of confusion for her. She knew she was an Eldar. She knew she was supposed to be the enemy. But, the more time that she had spent with her, she found herself thinking of her like a human child. How naïve and childlike she was, even despite her age. Certainly she spoke well, she was behaved and acted much like the noble children of House Valor would. However, she could see the scared, and vulnerable girl beneath her act of stability. The girl even did her best to talk openly and honestly as possible despite her fear of her at first. Eventually she began to lose that fear and a wonder, or perhaps a naïve respect was held for her by the girl. Laeria was just a child, and Mara found herself become attached to her, even enough to sit beside the girl. She didn't know what her father…no, what anyone of her family would think of this, but she… she still found it hard to recognize how it became like this. How she started to care for this Eldar girl. Maternal feelings were only natural she supposed, but… Laeria gave her someone to focus on. To worry over and even wonder for the future for. An Eldar Girl! Yet she had started to call her by her native name, Laeria, rather than xenos a long time ago. She looked forward to seeing her every day now. While it started with the excuse of providing the girl with suppressants she took from Aloi, it became more than that. Not that it wasn't an important task for her to do, as Laeria needed them if she was to remain in control. Aloi did not have an infinite supply however, and Mara recognized that eventually… she would just have to find another source. These two were important to her now, for better or worse, whether they knew it or not. She made up her mind, to help them, even if it would eventually lead her to death. This was the choice she had made, and it was good to make one for herself again.

She woke up on this day, expecting much the same as usual. She dressed as she always did, grabbed her father's sword and latched it at her side, and before she left the door, took another suppressant for Laeria from her dresser. The Rogue Traders crew rarely had any interest in what she did, and she didn't want to give any reason for suspicion. She was a noble after all, and if she wanted to go somewhere, it was her business. That was how it had always been. Today however, outside her doorway stood Remora as she leaned against the wall.

"Ah, Mara. Awake early I see."

Mara simply tried to walk past her, however Remora gave a coy smile and moved to stand in front of her.

"Well, in a hurry are we?"

Mara kept her cool, though she couldn't resist grabbing the hilt of her sword. She shouldn't act so paranoid. She simply had to act as she always had.

"It's no bother to you."

Remora rolled her eyes.

"Oh? Is that so? It's just, I can't help but notice that you have left the ship quite a lot lately. That's not very usual for you."

Mara took a deep breath as she lessened the grip on her swords hilt. There was no need for suspicion. She simply had to play this off.

"Then why didn't you bring this up to me sooner? Am I not allowed my privacy?"

Remora stepped back, clearly unenthused.

"How crude. You and I know that something is going on with you. We've been to many worlds and stations before, and you've always preferred to stay in the confines of the ship unless you had to leave. Here however, you spend more time somewhere on this transport vessel only to return hours and hours later. It's simply… curious, is all."

Mara attempted to walk around her again however she was blocked with an arm pushed out in front of her. Mara grew frustrated as she gritted her teeth, though she still kept her calm demeanor.

"What do you want, Remora? My business is my own."

Remora sighed in frustration.

"You have always been a pain in the ass to talk with. Listen, I was simply curious if…"

Remora looked over Maras shoulder and then behind herself. What she wanted to ask burgeoned worry inside Mara's chest, as she held tighter onto her swords hilt.

"If what, Remora?"

Remora smiled for a second before she collected herself and cleared her throat. She leaned uncomfortably close to Mara's face and whispered.

"Well, you haven't found someone have you? Someone to enjoy time with? Or someone to… play with perhaps? I'm sure someone like you was bound to become frustrated after all this time aboard this rogue traders ship."

Mara was completely unprepared for such a question, her mind expecting something even halfway serious. She was a noble, not some lower class… she was not frustrated! Still, Mara couldn't help but blush as she found herself awkwardly embarrassed. She had no cause to worry at all it seemed. She only blankly stared into the excited eyes of Remora.

"S-Such a vulgar question, don't you think Remora? This isn't worth my time. I am perfectly content at the moment. Now excuse me but I…"

Remora tapped Mara's lips with a finger as she pushed herself back.

"Woah there, no need to get your undies in a twist. Now, if I may give some advice there is a reason I asked you this."

Mara couldn't believe that she just shushed her. It was just undignified… she couldn't let her teasing get to her. Remora had always been this way with her in private. That, and she could smell the alcohol on her breath. Mara shook her head as she crossed her arms, but still stood there to listen. She really wanted to leave, but she knew better than to try and ignore her. Remora would only become more persistent and if Mara continued to want to leave, she ran the risk of making her either more suspicious, overly curious, or both. Knowing her, she would be followed back to Argus and Laeria is she wasn't careful.

"Fine. Then please, explain so I may be on my way."

Remora smirked.

"Of course. Well you see…"

She brushed off her shoulder and stood straight as they heard footsteps from down the hallway. One of the crewman walked by, and as he did, Remora presented herself as she usually did in-front of the crew; cold, stern and above them. She was Roland's right hand after all, and she respected that title enough to present herself accordingly to the crew. Even if most of them knew how she normally was. Mara at least respected her for that.

As soon as the crewman was out of view, Remora let out a breath of air and turned back to Mara.

"Ok. Well, if you do happen to have somebody that you care enough about to go visit every day, you might want to consider that Roland and the Captain have finally contacted some reinforcements. That means that we are going to be left here at this station, while the transport ship will continue on its own mission to supply the frontier with troops."

Mara froze in place. So, it had finally gone through. Communications between voidships always took a long time, and was always unreliable. She had assumed it would be a while still… but those were likely just wishful thoughts. She had to get to Argus and Laeria. They had to figure something out…

Mara noticed the worry that crept over Maras face. It was priceless. One of her favorite pastimes was teasing her, as one of the noble type she always had the best reactions. She was honestly, too easy to read at times.

"So there is someone. Well, well, who would have guessed a noble would have such a side to them. I hope you've been using contraceptives. If you need, I don't have need for mine anymore, not if everything works out as Roland hopes."

Mara shook her head as she focused purely on her new task. She refused to simply leave Argus and Laeria aboard the transport ship.

"Enough Remora. When is the transport ship scheduled to leave?"

Remora was slightly taken back by how serious Mara seemed to take this. Did she really have someone she cared that much for?

"Well, er, likely by the end of this cycle. Though we are supposed to be left with a few hundred guardsmen aboard the station. So, if you want someone to come along, I would suggest bringing them yourself."

Mara gave Remora a nod as she walked away.

"Thank you for telling me. I'll be back a little later."

As she walked off Remora watched her, curious as to what drove her so fiercely. Mara had seemed to act with more life in her step recently. She had hoped to simply play around with her for a while, teasing her as she normally did. She imagined that Mara's adventures off ship to be a fling, perhaps among multiple different men. Though she should have guessed Mara wouldn't be the kind to have such relations. She saw it in Mara's eyes. They were the fiercest she had seen them in a long time, determined. Whoever she worried about, she really worried about them. Remora leaned back against the wall. Well, perhaps she really had fallen in love.

Mara was nearly out the ships entrance when Aloi put a foot out to block her. She stopped in time to avoid falling and drew her sword. There was no time for this! She swung it beside his neck and held it there as he looked at her. Aloi hardly even gave it a glance.

"Quick as ever. I would have expected those suppressants to affect you more, severely, than they have. By now, you should be a groveling mess."

Mara wouldn't even humor him. She pulled back her sword and sheathed it as she continued on her path.

"Leave me alone, xenos cur. I have more immediate things to worry about."

Aloi frowned.

"Tell me, 'Lady' Mara, if you aren't taking them yourself, who is? Certainly, you wouldn't be doing anything that would be against your beloved Emperor now, would you?"

Mara clasped her hands tightly into fists as she looked out the door, down the ramp.

"Do not test me xenos. I would never do something of the sort."

Aloi closed his eyes as he pushed himself back into the shadows.

"Then why did you have to tell me that? Simply, not leave as you always do? Humans are truly such easily read creatures. There is always a reason behind any change of behavior, and I must say, you have been acting very differently. You have never felt the need to justify your stance or position to me, so why now? Is it that, perhaps, you have something to hide, 'lady' Mara?"

Mara swung around and threw a punch that was quickly caught in Alois hand. She gritted her teeth as she pulled away and walked off, down the ramp. Aloi watched her as she went. He had observed her since she first took those suppressants from him. At first he assumed she was on the path to self-deprivation, but it quickly became apparent that she didn't show any signs of addiction or the negative effects. It was curious. She clearly had a purpose in them, and he doubted it was one as mundane as selling them among the crew. Regardless, he would wait and see. He had a hunch, a very faint one, but one that he felt none the less. There was another Eldar here, aboard this ship. One he had to ensure died.

Ah. How it came to this. How he had come to be here. An outcast both from his own species and the monkeigh he found himself surrounded by. A truly forsaken soul, only alive because of his own wits and strength. Unlike many of his brethren he felt no shame in his cooperation with the humans. He was valued more among the crew of this Rogue Trader than he ever was before. It had been a very long time since he had given up on his own kind. He saw more of the universe than most of them ever would, always content to remain in their false reality, and he realized just how much they were like everything else in this forsaken universe. The bastard hypocrites! He had decided that if he was to be part of this universe, there was no use blinding himself with ignorance. His own people showed him that a long time ago. When he was banished.

As a young Eldar, he grew up happily and content in his Craftworld. He had hoped to follow in the footsteps of his onetime heroes, the Farseer council. He dedicated himself to following the path, and he had made it very far indeed. Praised and encouraged at every step, he was heralded as a powerful warrior who would do great things for the Eldar. At the time, he was blinded by their descriptions of superiority, their once 'glorious' history of total domination. He desperately wanted to bring the Eldar to greatness once more. He gave himself fully onto that task, and worked himself to exhaustion. All for the sake of his people, for the Eldar. He learned about all he could, studied on the enemies of the Eldar, the monkeigh, the Orks, the dreaded Necrons, all of them. He grew to hate and despise them all as he was told. He was fooled by those who constantly told him that the Eldar were meant to be on top, that the Eldar were perfection, that the Eldar were the good in this dreaded universe. He believed it all!

Aloi slammed his hand against the side of the wall, leaving a small dent in the thick metal. His hand trembled as he thought about his past, and he knew his emotions began to run amok again. The all-consuming anger he felt burned and boiled his organs as he made his way back to his quarters. It had been such a time since he had stopped meditating, resorting to the usage of suppressants to keep his psychic presence in check. To the point that his once solid attachment to the warp was now strained and unrefined. As he opened his quarter's door, he walked inside the darkened room and shut the door behind himself. He locked it as he always did and then made sure to trick the cameras that constantly observed him with false images of himself meditating. Then he walked over to the small metal drawers that rested beside his bed. He pulled the top drawer open fiercely as its stopper slammed against the front. The hundreds of suppressant pills inside shifted with the force as several of them fell out. He grabbed a handful of them and in quick succession swallowed each whole. After a few moments his emotions subsided and he found himself in complete control of himself again, his emotions no longer able to overpower his brains input. He pulled a large piece of paper from underneath his bed and stabbed it onto the wall with his knife. It was a star chart of what the humans called the Frontier, and marked along it was the path of his home Craftworld. He had taken the position as a mercenary among Rogue traders and unscrupulous humans in order to track it down. He found the most luck with this particular rogue trader's ship, whose captain only cared he kill when asked and was otherwise left to his own devices. He was so close to finally finding his Craftworld again, and he fully intended upon exacting his revenge himself. However, when he had heard that it had been destroyed… he was both overjoyed and overwhelmed by anger. So, what use was there for this map?

He dragged the knife down through the map and then ripped it off. He crumbled it and continued to separate it into pieces with his hands. When it was thoroughly destroyed he let the pieces fall to the ground like feathers.

He never could have predicted that this was what he would become. There was a time that his former self would likely have killed himself had he known this was what would come. All for the sake of the Eldar. He still remembered the day he learned the cruel truth of his own kind, and the reality of this mad universe. He was nearly prepared, trained to become a full Farseer. To enter the council. He had long since lost himself to the path and was ready to dedicate himself entirely to it. Then, unknown to him, one of the council had a vision, and a small Eldar girl was brought before them. She was to be the one who would lead their craftworld to greatness. She would be the one who was destined to alter the course for their craftworld entirely and lead the Eldar to a new future. Such, Aloi would have completely accepted. He did not seek power, he did not seek respect, he merely wanted to do his part for the Eldar. But, as he would learn, it was not to be.

On the eve of his admission into the Farseers council, one of the Council Elders had a vision. A vision he and the others discussed and ruminated over, as they came to a decision well before Aloi ever entered the chambers. They welcomed him into the hall, and there, at that moment he was at his happiest. Full of hope and expectation for the future. However, they did not speak of his tireless dedication, they spoke not of his faithful adherence to their doctrines and laws, they spoke of all he did for them. They spoke not of his devotion and loyalty to the Eldar race. Rather, they told him that they had seen a vision. One in which they had much trouble and conflict in discussing. And so they asked him a question. What would he do, if he knew of someone who would inevitably hinder or harm the Craftworld? Of course he gave them the expected answer. 'I would ensure that they could not.' That is what he told them. And then, they asked their second question.

'Would you do so even if they were another Eldar?'

How naïve he was back then. Of course, he answered without hesitation and without thought. Of course he would. Of course he would, for the sake of the Eldar! That was all that they had needed to know. The leader of the council stood and told him that she was sorry, but that she knew what had to be done. And it was only then, that he realized what was occurring. He asked them what he had done wrong, he asked them why they suspected him. They only told him that they had a vision that he would one day attempt to kill the Eldar girl destined to change their craftworld. The chosen. He pleaded that he would never dare, that he had no such feelings. They had the boldness to tell him that he could not determine the future, for they had already seen it. He was overshadowed by the girl, and they claimed that such could easily lead him to such an outcome. He denied it over and over again as his world collapsed about him. His happiest moment leading him to weeping as he knelt on the floor.

It was only then that one of the members, Denvae, decided to have mercy upon him. Rather than let him die, for all his time of faithful service, he would instead be banished from the craftworld and sent far away, so that he would never have the chance to hurt the girl. This was acceptable by the council, and without so much as listening to his pleas, he was dragged away. Sent away with corsairs who were stopped at the craftworld. He was broken, lost and had no will left to do anything, and hoped for death. Yet, it would not come. Given their first chance, he was instead sold off, a bargaining chip between the Corsairs and what he learned were the Dark Eldar. He was taken away to that hell, where he learned the true nature of the Eldar. What he once thought was perfect he saw to be a delicate lie, and as he was tortured for pleasure and for sport by fellow, twisted and sickened Eldar, he broke. This was how they sustained themselves, and it tormented him. He remembered as he pleaded with them as fellow Eldar for the pain to end, for death, but they refused. It only made them enjoy it further. They chastised him, and goaded him for believing that the Eldar were so great. The Dark Eldar were the true face of his race. They caused their own downfall a long time ago, and those Eldar of Craftworlds held onto the foolish dream to reclaim what was lost.

He could not believe it at first. He would not believe that the Eldar willfully ignored the existence of the Dark Eldar, who committed such atrocious and heinous acts that they destroyed his perception of the Eldar race being superior. They were no different than any of the supposed lesser races. They allowed such a horrific part of themselves to exist purely because they were Eldar. That was the only reason he could justify. He was never told of the Dark Eldar, he was not told of the truth behind the Eldars past, he was simply pushed into compliance with lies.

It took many years before he had the chance to escape that hell, as he managed to sneak aboard one of the raiding ships. Starved and beaten, covered in lacerations and hooked jewelry. He only barely managed to trick the wytch he was dead, and was lucky she found it funny to throw him on one of the raiding ships. When they left, he found himself on a human world and escaped as the Dark Eldar began to pillage a local settlement. Luckily, not a single of them survived as they unluckily came up against Space Marines who were not expected to be there. He helped ensure their destruction as well, as he killed many of them himself. From there, he found himself hide within the underbelly of the human society, and clawed his way to become a mercenary. He learned so much of the universe outside the Eldar, and the lies he was fed only became easier to break through with time.

Ever since, he was on the path to find his craftworld and take his revenge upon them. He would find some way to ensure they suffered. In some way, the Councils vision would become true, but it was only through their own foolishness and arrogance that it would come to pass. For that reason, when he had heard that the Craftoworld was destroyed, he found the irony to be beyond cathartic. Yet, once again they had taken away all he had; his chance for revenge. But now… there was still a chance for some to be left alive. If there were, it would be by his own hands that all the Eldar of his Craftworld met their end. That was all he had left.

Mara was completely focused on her goal. She ignored everything else on her path as she made her way through the ship. The first thing she had noticed when she had left the ship, she saw that there was not the usual guard. Argus wasn't there either, and she knew it was likely due to their stay being nearly over. If she knew anything however, she knew that Roland wouldn't leave without her aboard. For all his eccentrics, he was not one to abandon his crew. Or at least, one as potentially useful as herself.

It took no time before she finally made it to the hole in the wall. She pushed aside the metal and ducked inside. She rushed through the mess of wires and pipes as she came to the small box room where Argus and Laeria both turned to look at her. Fresh crumbs of bread on Laerias cheeks as she held a small biscuit in her hand. Argus was surprised with the urgency that showed on Maras face as he began to stand. He should have known something was strange when he was told that he did not have duty today. When they gave him an extra set of rations as well.

"Mara? What's with the rush? Is something going on?"

Mara took a deep breath as she calmed her heart. She knelt down in front of Laeria as she brushed the crumbs from her face.

"Laeria, you should have better manners than this."

She then looked up at Argus.

"Yes… something is going on. We need to go, now."

Argus felt his heart skip a beat.

"W-Why? What happened?"

Laeria felt the scared and worried emotions from the two of them. She could feel it deep in her chest as she looked from one to the other.

"We weren't… I…"

Mara shook her head.

"It's ok, calm down. This ship is going to be leaving the station soon, and the rogue trader is going to be staying behind to watch it. You both are coming with me. We'll find some way to avoid notice, and I'll have you both stay with me aboard the rogue traders ship until this one leaves. Then… well figure it out from there. Knowing Roland we will likely be stuck at this station for a while."

Argus let out a deep breath of relief. He patted Laeria on her shoulder as he gave a small smile.

"Ok. I guess it's time we left this place."

Laeria looked up at Argus. How could he so quickly say that? Even if this place wasn't one he cared about, he and her shared a lot of time here. This had been his home much longer than she had been with him as well... to just leave it…

"Argus… won't you miss this place?"

Argus took a moment to look around his safe haven. His one bastion aboard this massive hulk of metal. The things he collected strewn about the place which he would soon leave behind. He and Learia shared a lot of time here, but, in the end it was only a place. To stay here would be to invite death and to live as a caged animal until it happened. He had little care for the ship itself, or the time he spent here without Laeria or even Mara around. He told himself that if he had the opportunity to take her away, give her something better than this metal box, he wouldn't hesitate. And so he would keep to that promise. He gave her a smile as he patted her head softly.

"No. Not as long as you are safe and sound. Living in this little box is no way to live Laeria. We have to go."

Laeria smiled as she saw the same determined face that Argus always had return to him. No matter what, she would have stayed with him. Though she had gotten to know Mara, Argus was still the first one to have ever become close to her heart. That he thought of her like this, warmed her soul. Not that the fear of the unknown didn't shake her bones and beat her heart. Still, she would hold on. She hugged him tightly.

"Ok."

Argus looked to Mara.

"When do we leave?"

Mara looked back through the crack in the wall.

"Now. We can't afford to waste a moment. Laeria."

Laeria turned to face her.

"Y-Yes?"

Mara pulled off the cap she had taken from her room, the one all the members of Roland's crew were given. She hadn't had a good use for it till now, and as miraculous as it was, she even depended on it.

"Put this on and do not, under any circumstance, take it off. Understand?"

Laeria pulled the cap over her head and squeezed her ears underneath it as her hair flowed down the sides. It was uncomfortably tight, but she knew why it had to be worn. She nodded as she pressed beside Argus and readied herself for the trip.

"Y-yes. I understand."

Mara took a deep breath.

"And Argus, you are going to be my body guard if anyone asks. I will be sure to inform anyone that stops us about that. Keep the story in check, alright?"

Argus nodded as he placed his helmet back on, pulled his pack from the ground and held up his lasgun.

"Of course. Alright, let's get going."

Together the three of them made their way outside of their safe haven. It would be the last time that anyone had ever entered or left the space, like a time capsule preserving the many moments and memories shared inside. Laeria immediately felt sick as she walked outside. Her legs trembled and her heart beat fiercely as she saw the outside hallway. This was the first time that she had been outside since the day she was brought here. She pressed tightly against Argus as she looked around, a paranoia that instantly set inside her head unnerving her as her body shivered. Argus saw it and immediately wanted to take her back, but he knew he couldn't. She had been cooped up in that little room for too long, and this was necessary to get them away from this place.

"It'll be ok Laeria. It's ok."

Mara looked back at the trembling little girl. Laeria was always so well composed, but she was terrified here. The Eldar had incredibly fierce emotions, and she could only imagine the inner turmoil that she held inside. She stopped as without thought, she reached out her hand.

"Laeria… if… if you arr scared you are allowed to hold my hand."

She didn't reply as she grasped Maras hand tightly. Though it wasn't hard enough to hurt Mara, she could feel all the little trembles that shook her. She wasn't sure why she so suddenly offered such a gesture, but she wouldn't pull away.

"Just hold onto me, and we'll be ok."

In silence, the three of them continued on, through the empty and dark hallways and eventually into the populated ones where guardsmen and voidsmen alike set about their business. Argus commanding officer was nearly about to speak with him, curious of the sight he saw, but Mara gave him such an angry and aggressive look that he had no words that could escape his mouth. As soon as they left earshot he assumed that Argus wouldn't be around any longer and left it at that. There were about three hundred to be left aboard the station with the rogue trader anyway. What was one less guardsman? He could fill his squad up with another. Still… that he attracted the attention of a Knight from an Imperial Knight house intrigued him. Eh, it was above his rank to even guess what the superiors thought.

All went well as they made their way. Eventually, they managed to enter the docking bay where the Rogue Traders ship was. There however, stood their biggest hurdle. Remora waited for Maras return, as she sat on a metal chair at the bottom of the ramp. She just had to see what Mara dragged home. She never thought to see a child with her though.

"Ah. Back home are we, Lady Mara?"

Mara peered aggressively at Remora. This was neither the place nor the time she had hoped to encounter her, but this was how it was. She gave a nod to both Argus and Laeria as they watched with baited breath. Mara cleared her throat as she looked over at her fellow crewmate.

"Hello Remora. Isn't it unbecoming of you to interfere with people business?"

Remora looked past Mara and at the sole guardsman accompanied by a small young girl.

"I have to say, you have very intriguing company with you."

Mara gripped her hands into fists tightly as she calmed her frustrated heart.

"They will be coming with me aboard the station. Is there anything wrong with that?"

Remora smirked as she put one leg over the other and cooed. She leaned back into her chair and continued to watch Mara with wide eyes.

"No. I have no problem with it. Still, I have to say, I never thought you'd bring back a little girl. I would recommend explaining yourself before my curiosity gets the better of me."

Mara should have guessed this would happen. As she glanced back at Laeria and Argus she could see how on edge the both of them were. Especially Laeria who began to breathe heavily, as sweat dropped down her forehead, and she stared intensely at the ground. She had to give Remora an answer, one that made sense and would end this inquiry.

"The girl? She… she's…"

Remora chuckled at the rare uncertainty that Mara spoke with.

"Yes?"

Mara thought for an answer rapidly, but her mouth opened regardless and blurted out one she had not intended.

"She is my daughter."

The silence that fell over all of them was heavy and immediate. Remora for the first time in a while was at a loss, as she had no clue how to respond. Of all the possible answers, that was the one she hadn't assumed. Still, simply by the look of the girl she was at least seven or eight. She knew that Mara hadn't been off Roland's ship long enough to ever have children, let alone come to term. A clone perhaps? No, they looked far too dissimilar, and this transport ship didn't have such technology. It wasn't exactly a highly legal thing among the Mechanicus after all, well, if you weren't Mechanicus anyway. Mara had always been on the ship with her for at least five years now, and before that Mara lived on her home world. Something was suspicious here…

"Really? That is a very shocking answer. Care to expand, Mara?"

Mara gritted her teeth. She said that without thinking and she didn't know how to fix it.

"W-Well…"

Laeria gripped her hand tighter as she leaned onto her. Mara was reminded of the severity of this task and took a brief moment to think. Then it hit her, as she took a deep breath.

"I bought her from one of the families aboard this ship. Though, I suppose adopted is more the word that I would care to use. I am not ready yet to have children of my own, but House Valor needs to continue. So, I picked out a girl who had talent and promise to raise as my own and eventually become a knight herself. I cannot sit idly by anymore and let my houses legacy die."

Remora was more than disappointed with how utterly appropriate it was for Mara to do that. It was boring, but it at least was no room for concern.

"Ah, I see. How drab."

She looked at the guardsman stood behind her.

"Then, what of him? Please tell me that you have some enjoyment in that proud, noble and duty first life of yours."

Mara turned red as she decided to simply play along with Remoras teasing this time. She didn't want to be in this situation any longer.

"Maybe."

Remora gained her smirk again as she saw the blush in her cheeks.

"Alright then, go on. We got a few more things to take care of while we prepare to take over the station for a while. Go to your room and, 'relax' why don't you? If you need to, you can even send the girl to my room for a while. I promise, I'll take good care of her."

At that Remora turned around and walked away up the ramp and back into the ship. Mara let out a silent sigh as she looked to the ground. She hadn't had such a tense conversation in such a long time. Laeria squeezed her hand as she whispered out her words, so overcome with tense emotions that she found it hard to be any louder.

"T-Thank you Mara."

Argus too patted a hand on her shoulder.

"Really, thanks. We've almost made it."

Mara smiled. This really made it worth it.

"Of course."

Without pause they rushed up the ramp after her, hopeful that this was the last stretch. As they entered the ship however, the one who hid in the shadows kicked himself off the wall. Aloi had tired of staying in his room and decided to investigate Mara and what she did with the suppressant he gave her. To that end he had waited at the entrance, hidden in the corner by the door as the lights tended to flicker there. When he saw her, followed by a guardsman and a small girl he couldn't help but chuckle. What was this?

"Well, Lady Mara. What are you doing? New additions to the crew? Or something else."

Mara started to draw her sword as she looked at him, but ignored him all the same. She looked to Laeria and Argus.

"Come on. Just this way."

The three of them tried to pass, though as soon as Laeria stepped beside him, Aloi felt a shock. Something was off about this girl. He reached to grab the girl.

"What is this? A child?"

Argus bashed away his hand with the butt of his lasgun and then pointed it into Alois chest.

"Don't you touch her!"

Aloi grasped his wrist as he rubbed it. Rather protective of this little girl.

"Such odd company you have with you. And how protective of your young company."

Laeria could feel it, though she didn't dare look at him. She felt the rage and the anguish that this Eldar leaked. He was an Eldar, no doubt about it, for her powers were sure to inform her as they poked at the edge of his psyche. She tried her hardest to suppress them, hide herself, but she soon became sort of breath and her vision blurry.

Aloi looked at the girl intently. He felt something about her, like she reacted to him. Not in the normal sense, but in the way that Eldar… oh. Well, well. He knew the questions that Mara posed him were suspicious. Suppressants had to go somewhere.

"I suggest you explain yourself, Mara."

Mara shook her head.

"I don't have to tell you anything. But this girl is my adoptive daughter, bought from the stock of families aboard the transports ship's crew. She is going to help me continue my family's legacy. The guardsman is my personal body guard, and he will be watching over her for me. And before you ask, those suppressants of yours are certainly good for bargaining. Now, I suggest you leave before I truly get angry."

Aloi grunted, disappointed that she gave a fairly reasonable explanation. While he knew that she lied to him, based purely on the nervous sweat that formed at the tip of her forehead, he also knew that he didn't have much influence as a xenos. He had to be much more careful. Though as he looked at the girl, he saw how difficult she tried to hide herself, and refused to look at him. She seemed just about ready to fall unconscious.

"I must say, this little bought slave of yours doesn't seem very healthy. Might I recommend getting a new one?"

Argus didn't notice that Aloi was an Eldar, completely focused on getting Laeria to safety and his growing disdain for this person and his comments. Still he gritted his teeth and said nothing, though he stepped between her and him.

Mara too wanted to finish this, but she couldn't cause a scene. Not here.

"Be quiet for once Aloi."

Aloi continued to stare at Laeria. She was an Eldar, and he immediately assumed she was from the same craftworld as him. He had to be sure.

"Let me just see her. Why she hasn't even looked at me. If she is going to be aboard this ship, well, she have better get used to it."

He reached out again to grab her, only for Argus again to attempt and shove him. However, Aloi was prepared this time as he pushed aside his lasgun and then slammed him against the wall. He would have done more, had Mara not reacted and drew her sword as she placed it besides his neck. From a small way down the hallway, Roland and several of his crew saw them. Immediately, as he hated scuffles between his crew, he made his way to intervene.

"What the hell is going on? All of you, enough."

Mara pulled away her sword as Aloi stepped back and leaned against the wall. Internally he was furious, though he recognized how his emotions nearly overtook him again. He had to be much more careful about this. He would find out the girls origin in time…

Argus stood back up, slightly bruised and dazed, but fine all the same. He picked up his lasgun and pulled Laeria away from Aloi. Mara stood in the middle as she looked to Roland.

"A small spat. If you are going to have an Eldar aboard this ship, Roland, keep him under control."

Roland narrowed his eyes as he looked at the lot of them.

"Usually, he is. Now, someone have better explain-"

Aloi began to walk away as he waved a hand back at the group.

"I'll let 'Lady' Mara explain. I'll be in my quarters."

Roland only sighed as he looked back to Mara and her two companions. A guardsman and a little girl? Well, assuming that she so brazenly said out-loud that he had a xenos aboard his crew and the guardsman didn't immediately run off to tell the others, he didn't have to worry too much. She wasn't one to be so brash. Still, he never imagined that Mara of all people would be causing problems. Generally she was in her room or sulking elsewhere aboard the ship.

"Who are the-"

Mara held up her hand.

"These two are mine, I am bringing them with me, the girl I bought from one of the families aboard the ship to take on as my own, the guardsman is one I hired to act as bodyguard for her, and I would very much like to get them settled in."

Roland hardly got another word in as she pulled both the guardsman and the girl away, down the hallway. Though he was the captain he didn't exactly have a great grasp on his more interesting crew members. Seemed Mara had a lot of things going on at the moment. He could only suppose that she decided to finally stop sulking about the place. She and Aloi never really got along all that well, and they fought regularly, but this time was much tenser. Seemed he would have to take better care of watching over them. Especially now that he had the added responsibility of taking care of a vox-station of all things.

He sighed again as he turned to his crewmen who gave him the same uncertain look that he had. His crew were very good at their job, he made sure of it. Sure he had a tendency to attract some interesting characters, but hey, it was the life of a rogue trader. He had freedom to go about the place as he saw fit. In that vein, he was always absolutely damn sure he never jeopardized that. Recently, the life of rogue tradering had been rather bleh, and due to some… unfortunate circumstances, he wasn't going to be able to keep it up much longer. Well, if everything went according to plan, he wouldn't have to worry about it. He would just offer his services elsewhere and things would fall into place.

Having, willingly, taken the responsibility of watching over the station, he was given an additional 300 Imperial Guardsmen to take care of. That was shit. Not something he wanted to do, but hell, he found himself wrangled into it. There could have at least been some women thrown in, but all of them were men. Seemed this transport ship had something against drafting from both sexes like most did. Oh well, he would be sure to handle it accordingly. Many scoffed at his ability as Captain, but he was smart enough to use such misconceptions to his advantage. He wouldn't allow any mismanagement and any infraction done by the guardsman would be met swiftly and with upmost punishment. He only had to wait for several months after all, before his associate arrived.

As they reached her quarters, Mara opened the door, rushed her two companions inside and let out a loud, and refreshing sigh of relief. Her room was small, the same size as all the crew, save Remora and Roland's. Given her noble status, she did get a few perks, such as having a fully linin bed and other furnishings. She had a personal bathroom, a small closet, and a set of drawers. Not much, but it would be enough for the three of them to survive anyway.

"We made it. Somehow…"

Laeria stumbled into the room as she laid herself against the soft linens of a bed, and almost immediately fell asleep. She was exhausted, and the small time she was outside had strained her beyond what she expected. That it happened so quickly only exacerbated it. Argus' heart beat loudly in his ears, given how tense it had gotten up till but a few minutes ago. That Laeria seemingly fell unconscious nearly gave him a shock as he reached out to check her. He only halted as he saw her breathing normally again. She had a lot on stress put on her, a lot he didn't want her to have. But, Laeria was safe and sound here, and so he found some relief. He picked her up gently, her body worryingly light, and placed her softly on the bed without any objection from Mara. He took a deep breath as he pulled the sheets over her. He was just as exhausted as she was, but, he could at least handle it.

"She must be exhausted."

Mara nodded. It wasn't hard to notice how increasingly worse Laeria's state got as they left her former haven. She hadn't been outside in a long time, and devoid of other contact must have… Laeria had gone through a lot. She still managed to hold strong, and make it here with only a few minimal incidents. That the three of them made it was what mattered. Even if Aloi clearly began to catch onto them. Still, as she watched Laeria sleep so soundly she felt relieved and could put some of her worry aside for now.

"Yes. She hadn't been outside in a long time. But, she pulled through. She truly is a tough spirited girl."

Argus nodded.

"Yes, she is."

He began to frown as he thought back about that man who confronted him. While in the moment it didn't fully register it, he realized that he was an Eldar. Such a surprise to find one here.

"That man was an Eldar, wasn't he?"

Mara nodded as she leaned against her door. She grimaced at the thought of Aloi, barely hiding her disdain.

"Yes. But he isn't just any Eldar. For some reason, he hates his own kind. There is a reason I concealed her identity from him."

Argus only gave a nod. Though as he looked at Laeria he remembered what she had told him when she first began to have problems. She felt there was another Eldar somewhere, angry and wanting to kill her. He didn't know what to think of it at the time. But he knew now that she was right. He wouldn't let any harm come to her.

"Then that's all the reason we have to keep him away from her."

Mara gave let out a sigh.

"Agreed."

She looked at the mirror on top of her dresser, at the reflection of both herself, Argus and Laeria. They had managed to get aboard the ship, and soon enough the transport would leave. But this was only a change of scenery if they didn't know where to go from here. While she was glad they were together, things were only going to get much harder from here if they didn't have a plan.

Argus too recognized the reality of what they had done. He knew he and Laeria could no longer stay aboard the Transport, for Laeria's sake and his own. It hurt him, to his very soul as he saw how difficult it was for Laeria to be outside their bastion. It was his fault that she was trapped there for so long, unable to move about and interact with anyone else. The rations he shared only enough to sustain them, even if he gave her most of it. Though this change was necessary, it still weighed on him. He wanted better for her, but now that they escaped the transport, he had no idea where to go or what to do. That scared him, more than anything else.

"So what now?"

Mara closed her eyes as she tilted her head towards the ceiling. She had already given this some thought before, always sure to be prepared. Still, the sudden excuse she gave the others earlier rang in her mind. Perhaps…

"Though I said that Laeria was going to be my daugh… my, erm, my adopted family member, for the sake of my legacy, perhaps that is not such a bad idea."

Argus wasn't quite sure what she meant. Though she had told them much about herself, such as her being a noble from a destroyed world, she didn't explain everything. She mentioned her father a lot, and her family's legacy meant a lot to her as well.

"What do you mean?"

Mara thought of her knight, still locked in its stasis. The symbol of her knighthood and her nobility wasting away. While once it was a symbol of her Houses destruction to her, it gave her thought now. She could not hope to be fit to pilot it or any other Knight forever. This was a hope to rebuild perhaps. She looked over to Argus as she pushed herself off from the door.

"She can help me continue my family of Imperial Knights. We can rebuild, I can find some sway somewhere and attempt to start House Valor once more. You included. This way, I can find a way to keep the three of us safe and away from harm, and if I manage to procure a world or at least the services to repair my armor in full, then we can escape having to hide away. Laeria is a strong girl, one who has a lot of strength and potential. Certainly, this can be a path for her."

Argus was puzzled, unsure what being an Imperial Knight actually was. Mara had mentioned it a lot, though she rarely explained much. Though, what he did know was that Mara had a lot more power than he did. Being a noble, he imagined would make it much easier to keep Laeria safe. In the end, he didn't really care what happened to him, though he wouldn't want to leave Laeria's side. He would always be there as long as he was able. And Mara too, she continually risked so much to help them. While he had found her suspicious and dangerous before, he now depended on her. She managed to convince him that she was more than what he expected. She was the only other friend he could say he had made in such a long time, and that warmed his heart. He would stay strong, no matter what they did. Still, choice mattered, and he would not decide for Laeria. It was her decision to make.

"Thank you, Mara, for doing all of this. I think you are right, that would probably be the best. But, let's wait for her to make the decision herself."

Mara nodded as she sat down and scooted beside Argus. How quickly he was to accept her suggestion. He always put Laeria before him, ready and willing to do what he had to. He really was a man of valor.

"You're a good man Argus. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Everything happened quickly. So quickly that it felt as time had barely past. Reality was, that the procedure for the Rogue Trader vessel to undock from the transport ship and then dock with the station took nearly two cycles to complete. The entire time, Mara hid both Laeria and Argus in her room. She barely went outside herself, not that she needed to leave other than to procure food. Though, they all could not ease the weight of potentially being found out. In time, it passed and soon enough the transport ship left to continue its mission elsewhere. The Rogue Trader Roland and his crew left to take care of the station, with a collection of nearly three hundred guardsmen to support them. Not that all of them were completely prepared for such a shift. However, things moved swiftly as Roland took immediate charge and began to enforce his authority as leader.

Many of the guardsman whom he had brought with him were those whom he had drank with, and so they were easy to warm up to the idea. Compared to their former superiors, Roland was a send from the Emperor himself. This was all planned of course, as Roland always liked to think ahead. He understood what many of his 'fellow' captains, commanders, and all that other shit leaders of men called themselves thought of him. He simply didn't care, he knew how to handle things far better and with a much tighter grip than they ever could. If his crew liked him enough he didn't have to be incredibly strict, constantly watch over them and fear insubordination. He didn't have to risk incompetency on behalf of his crew, or for mistakes to be covered up in fear. They would willingly do their best for him, and even die given the word. He who is willing will do more than he who is a slave. That was a lesson he learned from his father in the ways of managing his family's trade. Not that he didn't command firmly and with strictness, that was necessary. But it helped that he was at least willing to acknowledge his crew, drink with them and not be seen as some tyrannical maniac.

Still, he knew full and well that his time as Rogue Trader was coming to an end. It started a long time before his current circumstances. Just like every other important family in this damned universe, they always fought over power. He liked to keep out of the foolish games of family politics, content to simply drift about the stars doing as he pleased. Unfortunately, that was also his one regret. He handled it with too little care.

Roland rolled his shoulders as he looked about the large room aboard the station he had chosen for himself. What would have once been the Stations reigning commander, it was the nicest place onboard. While his actual room aboard his own ship was much nicer, completely furnished and outfitted with all of the nicest tech, trinkets, and so on, it was still woefully small. That and he couldn't bear the thought of getting any more attached to the ship than he already was and back out of his deal. While he was going to be staying here at the station for such a long time, he decided that he may as well ween off his precious ship. He made many deals in his lifetime, and every time he always felt in control. This time however, he had to take a gamble he couldn't cheat on, that he couldn't guess the cards that would be played, and that he couldn't foresee the final resolution. There was very little in the way of altering things to turn his way. All because he betted everything on trust alone, and gave up every hidden card, something he never did. In this universe, very few were to ever be trusted, and it had to be earned. Even then, he wouldn't have put so much on the line as he currently did if it weren't for what was to come. This time there were no other cards to play, there were no ways to weasel his way out of it, and he had to make a decision.

He looked at the small picture of him and Remora, side by side in their uniforms as they posed for an official purpose he couldn't recall. It made him smile as he pressed it to his chest and leaned back into his captain's chair. He had all of his things moved from the ship into this room, yet it still was odd and strange to him. That it was so spacious made it seem like he didn't have much at all, though that was not nearly true. He would miss this life of freedom, but he gave that up the moment he decided to have something more than a wanderer's path. Hell, he could have made it work if it wasn't for his families problems…

He grimaced as he straightened out and pulled out the top drawer of his desk. Inside was the official paperwork that noted him as a rogue trader, his family's emblem of a golden eagle surrounded by gilded flames, and another picture laid flat on its front so that he couldn't see the image. This last item, he despised. He grabbed it in his hands as he turned it over. There he saw himself, his father, his uncle and his cousin stood shoulder to shoulder. He was young in this picture, only at the ripe age of fifteen. So was that cold hearted woman who called herself his cousin. How sad that this was his only family portrait.

"If only families didn't have to squabble."

He slammed the picture back into the drawer and shut it. He was chosen to be the one who took on the family responsibility of captaining this ship, to become the next Rogue Trader in its legacy. His father made that decision, much to the ire of his Uncle. He wanted his daughter to take over, but his father was the patriarch of the family. Roland once naively figured it would settle itself out as soon as he left. After all what could they do? He was the one who had the ship, had the title and had the name. How wrong he was. It took a long time, but eventually he discovered that his father had been killed, though they called it a 'mysterious' incident. As if anything mysterious in this universe wasn't immediately suspect. This therefore made his uncle the head of his small, small family. Apparently it gave him the right to revoke the license that was given to him, and soon enough he would be hunted down and his ship taken, his title removed, and his crew likely killed with himself included. No matter how long he ran or how clever he was, they would find him eventually if he didn't act. Real shit business, but it was what it was.

His family as small as it was, and being among the Rogue Traders, made it all too easy for this to come to pass. But hell with all that. If they were determined to take it, he would be sure they never got it. Even if he would never get the chance to captain his ship again, or tote himself an esteemed Rogue Trader, he had new goals in mind. Family. He wouldn't repeat the mistakes of the past. He wanted to live a good life and settle. He already had the girl of his dreams, he just needed freedom from the insanity of his family and this hellhole of a universe. Thankfully for him, he had made many friends over the years. Some very, very powerful friends. One of which was his last bet to get him the hell out of these shitty circumstances and allow him to move on without a target on his back.

He found himself relaxed as he took several deep breathes. Always stuck in his head he supposed. Even if nobody but him could tell. Hell, he made sure of it. Save for the one person who always seemed to look right through him. Remora. Such a sexy lady she was, fierce and determined. She made his life a lot brighter, and managed to convince him that a life of endless adventures might not be what he wanted. Somehow. While he hadn't thought much of relationships before, it was all over for him when he met her. The one person he fully trusted.

He looked behind him at his bed, Remora still asleep as she pulled the blankets over her naked body. A warm smile on her face as she nestled her head in the soft fabric of the pillow. She had been very… excitable lately. She always did get what she wanted. A life of rogue tradery was great and all, but, it wasn't everything like his uncle and cousin so desperately acted like it was. Always contentious in the eyes of the Imperium, always in danger, always suspect and always on the move. Exciting sure, but how long would it last before it came back to bite him in the ass?

Remora's eyes opened as she stretched her neck and peeked out at him, her eyes just barely over the covers.

"Oh, you aren't in bed?"

Roland shook his head, knowing that look in her eyes.

"We only just moved in."

She chuckled as her eyes swayed down at herself.

"Well, all the reason to get our scent all over the place. Mark our territory. Really make this place special."

Roland stood from his chair.

"And how would we do that?"

Remora laid back onto the bed as she gently pressed down on the covers.

"Oh, I have a few ideas."

Elsewhere, Mara and Argus prepared themselves for the coming day cycle. They couldn't simply stay in the room forever. While Mara had been known to be a bit reclusive, that was before she brought two others aboard the ship. Pretty soon, people would begin to ask question lest they never leave. That and, Argus and her discussed Aloi while Laeria slept. Not that she didn't listen in as she pretended to close her eyes. He had not come by, nor had he even showed his face since they docked with the station. That Mara knew he could be ever present in the shadows only heightened her weariness. They knew he would do something sooner or later if they didn't. So, they decided that for the present, they could no longer stay in Maras's room. While Argus told her that she did not have to leave it with them, she hardly cared enough about it to want to stay.

No, she was adamant about finding a room for the three of them aboard the station, hopefully far away enough from everyone else to give Laeria room to move about and accustom herself to being outside again. They had discussed together about her plan to take Laeria under her wing as a noble of House Valor. If she agreed to it, they would begin her training as soon as possible and help her temper her powers, somehow. She knew she wouldn't be able to get any more suppressants than they currently had, so they had to rely on other means. That and as long as they were out of the ship, she hoped that Aloi would be unable to get them, knowing he would be confined to the ship so as not to startle the guardsmen. At least, as far as she hoped.

Argus took a deep breath as he looked at Laeria, who was still asleep. He had slept on the floor since they had arrived here, while Mara slept beside Laeria. While it wasn't the most comfortable of situations, he dealt with it. It was actually softer than the cold metal of his old sanctuary, as the room was carpeted. He looked over to Mara who finished dressing as she pulled her shirt down over her chest.

"Are you sure that the rogue trader will simply let us take a room aboard the station?"

She nodded as she looked at herself in the mirror. She began to comb her hair as she glanced at Laeria behind her. She knew Roland wouldn't be such a fool as to deny her request. At least, that was what she told herself. While she had a good idea of him, she didn't really know much about her patron for all these years. Roland was a lot of things, many on the offset seemingly negative, but she learned that his cunning had little bounds. Either way, she had to make it work.

"He'll agree to it. And then we won't have to worry about anyone else interfering with us. Don't worry Argus, I promise, I'll make sure we are ok."

Argus was truly glad to have found such a reliable person as Mara. Even if first impressions involved being beaten by her.

"Thank you Mara. Truly."

Mara found herself smile, a slight blush on her cheeks she could not fully explain. She shook it away quickly, so as to not let him notice and turned around dressed in the same fashion she always was.

"Very well, I have better be off."

Argus stood up and rubbed a hand through his fizzled hair.

"Hold on, before we do this… we should ask Laeria about what she wants to do."

Mara turned to face the girl. They hadn't proposed their plan to her yet. She was still in shock from having left the sanctuary her and Argus lived in for such a long time, and from her encounter with Aloi. She was a strong girl, but she was still a child and it showed.

"Alright."

She was about to grab her shoulder to shake Laeria awake, but she opened her eyes and sat up on her own. She had listened to everything they talked about, though she didn't say anything. She thought about it, about becoming an Imperial Knight like Mara. It seemed, she hardly even thought of herself as Eldar much anymore, the intense emotions and powers she had only cruel reminders of what she was. She had even begun to see Argus and Mara as the parents she barely recalled anymore. It was only natural for her to want to follow in her parents footsteps, and for all they had done for her… they truly wanted the best for her. While she actively suppressed her psychic awareness, she still read their emotions and knew their sincerity was real. Yet, she recognized the reality that she would tie herself against the Eldar entirely. Mara and Argus were both members of the Imperium of Mankind, an enemy millennia old of the Eldar, and she… she desired to join them. She wanted to be their daughter!

But… but… she was scared as well. Laeria winced as she slightly shuddered. She worried that one day, she would come full circle and end up on the side against Eldar. Such an odd thought to have, but when she saw that other Eldar, Aloi, it came to her mind. The hatred that he had for her, and for some reason she could not explain. Such intense anger frightened her, and she worried increasingly about the danger that both Argus and Mara put themselves in for her. She even began to wonder, if she was worth throwing their lives away for. They both cared so much for her, a xenos, an alien, an Eldar. They should hate her, but they did not. She cared for them so much, but she couldn't handle the thought that something bad would happen to them because of her. What risk would she continue to put them in lest she stay with them? She could not stay silent any longer…

"I… already know. I… I've been listening to you both talk about it…"

Tears welled up in her eyes as the conflict that swirled in her heart and her mind poured out. Argus and Mara both sat beside her on the bed, instantly worried for what she had to say. Laeria sniffled through the liquid that dripped from her eyes as she wiped them away and spurted out.

"Stop putting yourselves into danger for me! Why… why do you both continue to do so much for me…? Don't you know that I can get you both killed? I… I… I am a filthy xenos! I… I!"

Mara knew that eventually Laeria wouldn't be able to well in her doubts. She saw it the moment they took her out of her sanctuary. Mara however, as she knew Argus too, had already made their decision.

"You are a sweet girl, Laeria. Never call yourself a xenos again… I do not see you that way. Argus does not either. Do not trouble yourself with such things. I made this decision on my own, and to the end I will see it through."

Laeria wiped again at the tears that poured from her eyes.

"But… don't you both get it! I… I want to be with you. I want to be your… your… you are both the parents I never had. I want to take on your legacy, I want to follow in your footsteps, I want to be like you both! But, But, But…. I don't want you to die. I don't want either of you to continue taking this foolish risks to save a filthy xeno!"

Argus was taken back, just for a moment. He shook his head, took a deep breath and placed a hand on Laerias shoulder as she turned to face him. He gave the softest smile he could, and spoke just as calmly.

"Don't you ever call yourself a Xenos, Laeria. You are you, Laeria. And I already made my choice. Don't you recall out first meeting? The day I met you, I decided to make that choice for myself and I will not back out on it. This is your choice to make Laeria, if your heart desires it, then do it. We will stand by you regardless."

Laeria looked from Mara to Argus and back again. The two of them were foolish! They were so foolish… but they were her family. And she loved them for it. Through her sobs she wiped away the tears and managed a smile.

"Then I want to stay with you for as long as we can."

Argus pulled her in for a hug, Mara watching with a content smile.

"I'm glad."

Mara whispered beneath her breath.

"Me too, my little Eldar girl. My daughter…"

She walked over to her counter where she kept a clean pitcher of water. Something she was always sure to keep on hand, given the relative rarity of it. She poured a small portion into a glass on the side and pulled out one of the last suppressants from the side drawer. She walked back over to Laeria and handed her the glass.

"Before I go, be sure to take the suppressant."

Laeria nodded as she slipped the round pill into her mouth and swallowed. She quickly drank the water as the pill went down. It was always a weird feeling when she took them, as if her senses immediately dulled and her mind felt sluggish. However, it quickly relieved the tension that her powers caused as they calmed down. It was a strange feeling, one she imagined most Eldar would hate, however she found the feeling to be preferable. Still, it had the terrible side effect of making her tired and sleepy. Something that her two caretakers made sure to keep her from.

Argus pushed off the bed as he stretched his arms.

"Alright, we'll wait for you to return. Me and Laeria will continue our normal routine of exercise."

Laeria sighed. While she managed to keep pace, the exercises weren't the first thing she looked forward to in the day. Regardless, it kept her body healthy and her mind occupied. Having relieved some tension by discussing her worries, she even looked forward to it today. She looked back to Mara again as she made her way to the door.

"Take care… Mara. Thank you."

Mara nodded as she opened her door and stepped outside. She looked left and then right down the hallway, devoid of anyone as usual. There weren't that many crewman aboard the ship, only around a hundred. It was an odd number for sure, given that the ship barely had enough to fulfill its minimum roster. However, Roland had his reasons, and in this moment it was a good thing. Though she was paranoid of Aloi overstepping, even slightly. It took a considerable amount of faith to believe he would act without her here. She had to be careful…

She walked down the hallway and made her way to where Roland's quarters were, only to meet the one whom she didn't want to see. The Eldar stood across the door, eyes locked against the opposing wall. He didn't move his attention when she approached, though he knew she was there.

"Ah, Mara. What brings you here?"

"To see the captain. Now get out of the way."

Aloi shrugged his shoulders.

"Ah, you haven't heard? Well you've only kept yourself locked into your room with your two guests since we docked on this station. He decided to move to a room aboard the station."

Mara turned around immediately as she began to walk away.

"Then I suppose I have better go find him."

Aloi rolled his shoulders as he stood in the middle of the space. He took a deep breath as he watched Mara walk away. He already disabled the cameras and he knew that the crew rarely came this way.

"So, how is that little Eldar girl that you are taking care of?"

Mara's blood ran cold as she stopped in place. A hand held firmly on her sword by reflex, though she did her best to calm her nerves.

"What nonsense are you talking about Xeno?"

Aloi smirked.

"You can lie to me if you want, Mara. But we both know that girl you have with you is an Eldar. One from the craftworld that was destroyed in this region of space. From my craftworld."

Mara shook her head, and forced herself to keep walking.

"You don't know what you are talking about. That desperate for company? You are pathetic."

Aloi laughed quietly to himself. In time he would get his prize, and finish off the last of his craftworld. However, he would be patient.

"I will kill her. And if you stand in my way, both you and that guardsman will go with her."

Mara slightly drew her sword, finding herself frozen in place once more. While she had never considered Aloi a threat before, she was not arrogant enough to ignore just how dangerous he was. This time, his words rang cold and without emotion, as if certainty carried in his words. There was little use in acting now. He knew. Yet, she wouldn't give him that.

"You go anywhere near me or them, and I will be the one to kill you. Besides, where would you go, Aloi? You are surrounded by members of the Imperium. There is no escape."

Aloi could not help but let out a laugh as he hit the side of the wall in amusement.

"You truly believe I care about that? My path was decided for me a long time ago. If I end up dead in the process, I wouldn't regret a thing. It would be preferable. If that is what this cruel universe wants of me, Mara, then why should I go against my fate? Please, simply remember Mara, and keep a watch on your back. One way or another I will fulfill my revenge. Maybe not today, perhaps not on the coming day, but eventually I will fulfill destiny. Now go on and live with that uncertainty over your shoulders."

Mara gritted her teeth tightly together as she pressed onward.

"You sick bastard."

She made her way as far away from him as possible. She had thought of going back for Laeria and Argus immediately, but she didn't. Aloi wasn't so foolish as to act now. That he confronted her so boldly showed that he put a lot of thought into this. He knew she could not tell anyone else. He knew that she couldn't lash out and kill him either. Not unless she was willing to reveal Laeria as an Eldar as a consequence. He simply wished to toy with her, and likely hoped that she would give her up. But she would never give up on her valor. He knew that, and so, it was only a tactic to aggravate her into action. Going forward, they would have to be more careful of him. If it came down to it, she would kill him outright. For now however, she had to focus on getting them a place away from the rest of the crew and deep in the station. From there, they would figure out what to do next.

It took a decent amount of time, but she managed to locate where Roland had decided to move. Why he chose to leave the ship at all was disconcerting. Something else was going on, and that was the other reason she had to meet with him. Though the longer she was away from the others, the worry that something bad would occur boiled at the back of her mind. Such a strong emotion, one she still had difficulty adjusting to.

The station was sparse, with most of the guardsmen all located close to the ship as they went about maintaining the facilities. Many of them already converted over to Roland's side as if they were additional crewman, their Imperial Uniforms traded for those of the Rogue Traders. Well, the extra uniforms that he insisted to always be in storage which now seemed to come in handy. He always seemed to be prepared…

The trip to his new quarters was a surprisingly short one, his new room located in the upper sector of the station, close to the docking bay which the ship was attached. The entire walk silent as soon as she left the immediate area surrounding the ship, very eerie indeed. When she arrived to the large bronze eagle laden door at the end of what seemed like a nondescript hallway, she knew she was at the right place. She was in what was the officers sector of the station, so everything was already far more furnished and polished than anywhere else, but the crude metal sign that read "Captains Quarters" placed over the Eagle door was enough to discern his location.

She walked over to it and knocked, unsure what to expect. Knowing Roland, he was likely with Remora, and she refused to walk into something that she would regret seeing. After a few moments she heard shuffling behind the door and footsteps. Even more moments after that the door budged open with a click as Remora pushed it.

She was surprised at her visitor. Hell, she figured she was having a good time in her room with her new 'companions'. She hadn't seen her since the cycle they docked with the station. She pushed the door all the way open, as she looked at the serious faced Mara.

"Ah, lady Mara. What brings you here today?"

Mara looked at Remora, up and down. She had hastily dressed in her uniform. While she usually presented herself as collected, today she saw noted several buttons on her shirt misaligned and her pants slightly sagged behind her rear. Her hair on first look tidy, though from the many strands that poked themselves up and off the majority, she knew it was hastily put down. Really, Mara only assumed she hadn't actually worn her uniform or dressed herself with her usual care for at least several days. Either way, she wasn't here to judge her on her decisions. She had business to focus on.

"I was looking for Roland. I had a request about acquiring a room aboard the station for me and my two companions. My, er, my adopted daughter needs space to be trained."

Remora smiled as she waved her inside the room and walked over to the desk at the middle of the room. Mara didn't care to look around and view the décor as she watched Remora closely. She couldn't let her guard down. Remora sat on the chair with her legs over the left armrest, and her back leaned against the right.

"Well, I'm sure that can be arranged. Roland's pretty easy to convince after all."

Mara narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, well, I have other things I want to ask. So might I inquire where he is?"

Remora chuckled as she held a finger to her lips.

"Oh, he's out inspecting the crew and the guardsmen. He has to get everything ready for our coming guests."

Mara raised an eyebrow. Who exactly was he expecting?

"Guests?"

Remora rolled her eyes.

"Oh you know, Rogue Traders and their connections. I'd hate to ruin the surprise, but let's say it's some real important people."

Mara was curious, though she figured that any further inquiry would be overstepping. Roland always had something going on, in all the years she had known him. His schemes never seemed to come to a close. Either way, unless it concerned her current situation, she would ignore it.

"Ah, well, that will be something. So how long till he returns?"

The two of them looked at one another in silence. The awkward tension only grew as Remora stared at her with a smirk, many thoughts swirling in her head. After a while, Mara had to look away so as to not feel her gaze. When Remora felt it was long enough she finally decided to speak up.

"So then, how is your new adopted family member? And that guardsman of yours? I hope you haven't been doing anything shameful in front of the girl with him."

Mara knew that it would come to this with her.

"They are doing well. Thank you for asking. And no, I have not done anything… shameful."

Remora's eyes drooped into a bored glare.

"How dull. Have you actually even had intercourse? Or are you too much of a pure noble to concern yourself with that?"

Mara did not want to continue this conversation, but seeing as she had to wait for Roland and that Remora would likely not let her go, she had little choice.

"No, I have not. Not… yet anyway. Look, I have much to worry about aside from such things."

Remora rested her cheek against her palm, propped up by her arm on the armrest.

"I thought you were done moping about. Decided to take charge of your own life and stop letting that past of yours chain you down. Life, especially in this universe isn't infinite."

Mara shook her head as she crossed her arms, looking aside.

"I will rebuild House Valor. Why do you suppose I took in the girl?"

Remora rolled her eyes. While she didn't do it often, she decided that perhaps it was time to give Mara serious advice. Knowing her, she likely would disregard it, but, she was tired of holding her tongue.

"Continue to tell yourself that, Mara. Still so constricted by the past and this universes expectations of you. You know what I think you want?"

Mara looked back at her, slightly taken off guard by the sudden sincerity that she spoke with.

"Oh? What would that be?"

Remora closed her eyes as she pressed into the chair.

"You want a family, Mara. Those whom you can care after and who will care after you. You were lonely, afraid of this big, scary universe and so you clung onto something as abstract as 'duty'. That is what drives this obsession with recreating a dead Noble Knight House. To reclaim that which was lost, not out of duty, not out of honor, but because you are lonely. To have others on the same level as you, whom you can connect with and who can connect with you. Yet till now, you always pushed everyone away, and everyone wasn't good enough. But really, you had been as scared as a child from my hive world sent to beg for food. When even was the last time you even visited your knight suit?"

Mara found herself speechless. She didn't expect such insight, or at least harsh words, from Remora of all people. Mara knew that she was lonely, but that was before she met Argus and Laeria. She had already recognized wat had driven her to become so close to them… but to say that she didn't care about her Knightly house. That… that wasn't true. She still remembered her responsibility full and well. As for her knight… well…

"I… It's been a while. And… even if what you say is true, I still want to rebuild my Knightly House. It's my responsibility as the last member of…"

Remora sat upright as she looked at her friend. She slammed her hands onto the desk to grab her attention and gave her the most serious look she had probably ever given her.

"Mara. Ask yourself truly if it is your own choice or not. You do not need to justify your desire for companionship, and you do not need to fulfill some task nobody asked you to fulfill. If you want a family, have one. I've seen how you've changed lately, and when that girl held your hand… you got a fire in your eyes I hadn't seen in you. You are in the rare position to have even a sliver of a happy life, Mara, something that very few people in this Imperium have the opportunity to attain. Do. Not. Waste. It."

Mara stayed silent as she thought about it. Remora only gave a soft smile as she leaned onto the chair. She was glad that she finally managed to get through that stubborn shell that Mara always put up. While she was from a hive world, she wasn't easy to fool and she knew a thing or two. She found the opportunity to have a great, exciting, and at times even pleasantly quiet life, away from that hellhole. Few were ever that lucky. Her friend Mara, the 'noble', looked down on her because of her standing, or at least one point did. But she knew that given enough time Mara would realize the breadth of the world. Such always happened when one saw enough of the universe to sort through the perceptions forced on them. With serious talk out of the way, she could resume to her favorite entertainment.

"I bet you haven't even let anyone see you undressed have you?"

Mara was caught off guard yet again by the question.

"W-What kind of a question is that? How quickly you change topics…"

Remora leaned forward as she looked at Mara.

"Well?"

Mara pressed back as she looked at her. She seemed so damn content when she teased her.

"I-It's not like… yes. Argus has seen me undressed several times when I dress in the morning and prepare for the day."

Remora was the one to be surprised this time, though she had hoped for a much meatier answer. That Mara seemed to be so wistfully naïve of what she just said made it easy to press further.

"Ah, well, how sweetly naïve of you. And I assume that this Argus, is the guardsman you have with you in your room? What do you think of him?"

Maras face flushed red as she found herself uncharacteristically embarrassed, realizing what she had said. That and how she let Argus' name slip, and the little burning sensation in her chest seemed to make her temperature rise as she struggled to come up with a reply. Argus was a good man, one whom she respected a great deal. And…

"W-Well… er… he's a good man."

Remora was giddy with how much she managed to get Mara to lower her defenses. She really must have had feelings for the two companions of hers. And perhaps she could convince her to enjoy herself for once.

"Listen, if you really are determined to continue House valor, you will need others of noble blood won't you? And seeing how you only have one current member in that adopted daughter of yours, that's not a lot. If you want to have children, I'd say it would be a good excuse won't you? Besides, if you really care for this Argus as much as you say, I think it would be a good pairing."

Mara paused as she thought of it. Truth be told, Remora wasn't wrong. In fact… she couldn't help but feel embarrassed as she thought of it. Remora seemed to be more help than she ever imagined she would be.

"I will take what you have told me into consideration. T-Thank you, Remora. For the advice."

Remoras jaw nearly dropped open. Did Mara just…

"W-Well, I'm er… glad to have… I'm glad I could get through that thick head of yours."

From behind them the door opened as Roland stepped inside. He hadn't expected company for a while, but Mara wasn't someone he had assumed would. At least, not without a good reason, and so he absolutely had to ask about it.

"Well, what have I missed?"

Mara recomposed herself as she sat straight and cleared her throat.

"Ah, Roland. I came here to request a room aboard the station for me and my companions. Preferably away from the rest of the crew and the guardsmen."

Roland only walked past her and behind his desk with Remora. He sat down on the chair as she preferred to rest on his lap. Though, for as amusing as it was, Roland was completely serious as he looked at Mara.

"You could have easily done that yourself, without seeking consent from me first. You after all, still hold high rank within my ship. What did you really come here for?"

Mara sighed beneath her breath. She had assumed that Roland would catch on that something was remiss. Either way, she had a few questions that needed answering. That and a threat to take care of, knowing that Aloi knew her secret.

"Firstly. Aloi, I want him under surveillance and away from me, and my companions."

Roland just knew that the fight between them would end up in a situation like this. Then again, the two of them had fought much more fiercely before and never gone to him to settle it. Then again, Mara didn't have companions to worry about. Still, Aloi had also acted very strangely, even if he was an Eldar whose ways differed greatly from humans.

"I can do that. Though, I assume this is connected to that fight you both had. Mind explaining that?"

Mara shook her head.

"Afraid I cannot. Just keep an eye on him please, and keep him on a tight leash."

Roland rubbed his chin as he leaned back into his chair. Remora wiggled in his lap as she held onto his arm and rubbed her chest ever so slightly on him. Though he managed to ignore it, for now, and continued with his serious demeanor. After all, he had to act like captain sometimes.

"Very well, I'll hold off the questions. Though, I am sure you know how… suspicious this all seems. Not that you, as noble as you are, would do anything to warrant such, would you?"

Mara narrowed her eyes and stared into Roland's eyes. When he wanted to, he revealed his capability as a captain in the cool seriousness he could compose himself with. It frustrated her slightly as she failed to accurately figure what he would say based on his body posture or his demeanor. Though that Remora so blatantly flirted with her body on his made it more difficult to discern anything.

"No. Nothing like that. Though I am curious just why we are staying here, in this station. While I do not protest it, you have to admit that it certainly is strange. Especially for you, someone who usually has a hard time conforming to superiors orders. I would have assumed you would have already decided to leave this sector, and continue on your travels. Instead, you move here, to the middle of the station and away from your own ship, which you care so much for."

Roland took a deep breath. Mara as a noble of Imperial Knight House, House Valor, was a vital part to his grand scheme. That she grew so quickly suspicious of his actions showed him that his decision wasn't unnoticed among his crew. It was nothing like the norm after all, though he at least had the excuse that it was orders for the most part. Mara however was one who could guess or perhaps even understand the intricate moves he made for his plans.

"How perceptive. Truth is, Mara, I am awaiting someone incredibly important. An old, er, associate of mine from the Faceless Legion. A variant of Imperial Guard local to the frontier. They will arrive in at least, I dunno, a month or so. We scheduled for exactly 30 days from now anyway. Perhaps we'll make good to that, depending on how lenient the Warp chooses to be with me. Either way, I have something currently in the works. If all goes well, I am sure you can benefit extremely well of it too."

Mara's interest was piqued, though it was too early to determine if it was in a positive or negative way yet. After all, Roland was still a rogue trader, and she knew he didn't imply deals or hints of reward unless he had something to gain from it.

"Is that so? What exactly does this benefit entail?"

Roland shook his head.

"Tisk, Tisk. Got to be patient. But I promise, it's not in a harmful way in the slightest. A very important, old friend of mine is coming and he has a lot of sway here in the frontier. Particularly, a relatively distant sector away from the iron grip of the Imperium and away from the mass warfare at its center. When the time comes, if you are determined to rebuild your House, I am sure, that he would be more than willing to make a deal with you as well."

This was more than Mara could have hoped for. Though she in fairness, wasn't entirely keen on the prospect of one of Roland's old friends. Regardless, it was enough to give her and the others a goal to look forward too. By then, hopefully she would have trained Laeria enough to have become a proper prospect for a Knight of her own, or at least to pass off as a noble. That and…

"Very well. That sounds very interesting. I will dwell on it, but, be sure to keep well on your promise. That way, neither of us have to disclose what we intend to do, and we can both go about our business as normal. Now, if you excuse me, I have better return to my companions and prepare for our move."

She stood from the chair and began to walk out, but stopped as she hoped to make one thing clear.

"Oh, and, please, do not forget what I have told you about Aloi. Keep him out of sight and on the ship. Least the Guardsmen discover the presence of a Xeno aboard the ship."

Roland smirked. These little power games between smart players always amused him.

"I'll be sure to it. Thank you, for dropping by."

As soon as Mara was out the door he let out a deep sigh as he looked at Remora.

"Did you really have to be all over me?"

She kissed him on his cheek.

"Oh? Do I hear some disappointment? I suppose I was a bad girl. But, it's your fault. You left before I got my fill last time."

Roland only sighed.

"You are insatiable."

Remora laughed.

"No, I am determined."

Outside, Mara made her way back to get her two companions. She sped along as fast as she could, as she hoped to get there and then move into their new room as soon as possible. Along the way, her mind filled with thoughts about what Remora had told her. Whether she was actually willing and ready to fulfill her desire to rebuild House Valor. While she had always told herself that she was, for some reason as she thought on it now, she wasn't so sure. It was her family legacy, but for the longest time she merely moped about it and did nothing to change her circumstances. Remora was right, when she had called her out for not visiting her Knight for so long. Truthfully, it wasn't until she met Argus and Laeria that she had any sense of purpose anymore.

Still, she could feel the pressure of her ancestors weigh on her shoulders as she thought of it. It would have been nothing less than a tragedy to allow such a strong and valiant household as House Valor to disappear. She couldn't just let that happen. She didn't have to hold off on having a family however. The two of them could go hand in hand, and doing so would easily allow her a position that would benefit her Laeria and Argus. Though, what Remora had mentioned about children stuck in her mind. That while Laeria, even if she was seen as her adopted daughter, was not of royal blood. While Mara didn't care about such a distinction, she knew that if she allowed her to inherit her title, she would be looked at with scrutiny and beneath the gaze of others. It would only invite someone to investigate into her and increase the chances that she would be discovered. If she had children however… they would become the inheritors, and as born of her blood, would be much more easily accepted. While she did not wish to remove the chance for Laeria to surpass her, she knew the risks involved. Such was always present, but, in Laeria's case, the consequences would be far, far direr.

Mara stopped along the hallway that led to the ship. She looked at the bristling activity as the crew mingled with the guardsman. Something that she tended to forget was that the majority of Roland's crew was made up entirely from female recruits. Something she imagined, was an Emperor-send for the guard stationed here. Thankfully, given Roland's usual strict and rigid rules, only the consensual sort of relationships would occur. Well, unless the offending party desired to be mutilated in front of the others and then cast out into space to suffocate, something that she had woefully witnessed occur do to the actions of several of the female crew in the past. Regardless, as she watched one couple, the woman with her hand on a guardsman's shoulder as she spoke sweet nothings to him, his hand around her waist as he clearly moved them down… she realized how much a different world it to her. As a noble of house Valor, she had always expected her partner would be given to her, betrothed as a connection between families. As much a duty or a responsibility as anything else. Since she learned that her home world was destroyed however, she did not give it much thought, having supposed it would never be relevant again. Though, that was until now.

None of the crew, and especially none of the guardsman had ever enticed her. Even the many, many self-toted nobles and important figures of the worlds she visited as a member of Rolands crew made her care in the slightest. Only those who had a valiant disposition and were good, deserved to be a part of her family line. Something that was far rarer than she expected it to be. It wasn't until she met Argus that… an actual and honest candidate appeared before her, even if she didn't think of him as such till now. He was a good man, perhaps overly kind, but one whom was determined and strong. He had the perfect traits to pass down to any children… though as she really thought about it, she found herself as embarrassed as Remora often made her.

She didn't want to stand around any longer and continued forward. However the thought did not leave her. Ultimately, she came to the realization that the only person she would have children with would be Argus. Though how to propose such a thing was beyond her, and it disturbed her heart as she thought of it. It wasn't in a bad way though, which both surprised and unnerved her. It was more like there was an odd tension that pulled at it, and reminded her of the nervous girl who donned her holy armor for the first time.

She almost didn't realize that she had arrived at her door. She tapped the side of her cheek with her fist as she chastised herself for her lack of awareness. She looked about the hallway, left and then right. Aloi was not to be seen, however she couldn't trust it. The sooner she got Argus and Laeria to a new location, outside the ship, the better. She would reconcile her thoughts later, in private and hopefully with a fruitful outcome.

She knocked on the door as it opened, Argus in the doorway as he held onto his lasgun. He was relieved to see Mara as he set it down.

"Glad to see you back. Truthfully, began to get a little worried there."

Mara couldn't bring herself to speak at first, her thoughts still jumbled. She pushed past them and calmed herself down. The current task at hand first, and anything else can be settled later.

"It's been approved, and hopefully Aloi will be less of a problem though it is only a momentary stall. However, there is good news and bad news as well. We'll discuss that later however, when we are in a better location. And, er, thanks for the concern."

Argus was glad, a weight lifting from his shoulders as he heard that. Not that he worried what bad news could have meant, but that was for later. Mara looked past his shoulder and over at Laeria who laid on the bed.

"Has everything been well?"

Argus nodded.

"Yes. Laeria is asleep at the moment. She got tired out from the exercise routine you left for us. Though, I imagine we should be going soon. The thought of that other Eldar being here unnerves me, and it's hard to shake the paranoia that he is always nearby."

Mara nodded, recalling her brief 'talk' with Aloi earlier. The faster they left, the better.

"Yes. You can carry her and I'll lead you to our new room. It'll have to be in the crew dormitory sector of the station to accommodate for our needs, so it will be a fair distance away from here. But, we should be alone and out of the way. Almost all of the Rogue Traders crew has taken residence close to the ship, and the Guardsmen have the garrison."

Argus nodded as he looked back at the contently sleeping Laeria. The further away from anyone else the better.

"Alright. At least she won't have to worry about others being around her. Her last trip outside among others didn't do well for her health. Though, I know she is going to have to readjust to having others around… but, I hope she can find some peace for now."

Mara smiled as she looked at him. Always with that compassionate look on his face.

"You really are a kind man, Argus. I really admire that about you."

Argus shook his head.

"I'm glad you see me that way. But, you've gotten us further than I think I ever could have alone. I am truly glad you came into our lives. If anyone deserves to be admired, it's you. After all, you have a lot more to lose. Thank you."

The two of them awkwardly looked at one another as they found their faces flush for just a second, before they returned to the task at hand.

"Ok, let's go."

From the shadows, Aloi had already learned of their plans and their intentions. He had become an assassin beyond what most humans could ever hope to achieve, and he had a knack for staying silent. He had managed to eavesdrop on the conversation between Mara and the Roland. Aloi had at first, simply intended upon simply killing her and the Eldar girl, but while he stalked Mara through the ship… he felt something. Something that made his blood boil. However, it all fell into place as he realized what he would do. As it turned out, there were still other Eldar aboard the station, few, but still alive. They had likely managed to survive the initial cleansing brought by the Guardsmen and now stayed hidden like rats in the walls. Likely, they had only avoided his detection because of his focus on the girl and his heavy use of suppressants. His first instinct was to kill them himself, knowing they were from his former, now destroyed, Craftworld. They had to die in order for his revenge to be complete. However, such would have been risky and would not have allowed him to concoct something far more insidious. Truly his time with the Dark Eldar had its effect on him, but he didn't seem to mind it anymore. At least he would no longer lie about his nature, for the Eldar he was no longer existed.

He slinked through the tight vents of the station as he squeezed his body along its dusty, uncleaned shafts. He did not know how long it had taken him, but he eventually found himself in a sector far, far away at the opposite end from where the ship was docked. Guided only by the faint presence of the Eldar as it grew stronger the nearer he became.

Eventually, the lights barely functioned as they flickered on and off. When the feeling was at its strongest, he forced the nearest vent open as it shot out and slammed onto the ground below. He sleekly lowered himself from the ceiling and landed onto the ground with a thud. Inside a long, darkened hallway, scarred with scenes from a battle long since over. He knew immediately that he wasn't alone, the feeling unmistakable. He walked without guard and without care down the corridor as he looked about. He waited for them to make their move, but they did not for a long time. Surely they weren't from the path of the warrior then, and that they did not approach him suggested they didn't know he was Eldar either. Though that had to mean... hmmm.

"You are free to come out. I am Eldar after all."

He stood and waited. While none appeared at first, and only silence replied him, he knew it was only a matter of time. After all, he could wait. He had already waited for so long. After a small while of silence, he finally got a hook.

"Who are you and why were you with those filthy Monkeigh?"

Aloi smirked.

"Haven't you ever heard of mercenary work? I do what I must to make a living. I am one who took the path of a ranger. The confines of a Craftworld never really suited me."

From the shadows he heard the murmurs of discussion. Ha! If they were to make an enemy of him, perhaps he would just kill them all and be done with it. Yet, he knew they didn't have the nerve to attack him.

From the shadows six Eldar stepped out, all of them mere younglings who likely hadn't even finished their first path yet. Young, impressionable, and most of all, old enough to be useful. Yes. Aloi quickly discerned the oldest of the group, a male who stood in the middle of the others. The loo of his height, his tempered mind and the dusty air of calmness about him made it clear. Likely he was the one most filled with the Eldars lies of greatness and expectations. He had a scowl on his face that was a laughable attempt at intimidation, clearly never having done anything like this before. He seemed so angry, not that he knew anger like Aloi did. The Eldest merely pointed at him with a crude knife and squeaked.

"You traitor! How could you just go with the humans? They-"

Aloi narrowed his eyes as he pointed a finger back at the young Eldar.

"So you wish to assume things of me? Do not disrespect your elders, or have you already forgotten that? Do you truly believe such foolishly naïve notions as that? And do not think I am any less for my choices, I am still an Eldar. This is my path, the path of the wanderer. And I do it well. But you all have no path, you are all merely survivors stuck in the realm of humans who will kill you like the rats you are."

Another one of the group shook her head as she lowered the woefully makeshift spear she held in her hand.

"We have survived this long. We may be young but-"

Aloi chuckled as he tilted his head to give a glance at her.

"Look at yourselves. Do you still believe Eldar so great now that you are forced to live like rats? You have only survived this long because the humans have not done a secondary cleanse of this station. Something they will do very soon, and I do not see any aspect warriors before me. I see none with the spirit or the resolve to even put themselves in any real danger. You merely persist enough to continue this pathetic existence and justify it. That you are all alive while the others fought and died only proves that fact. While I have taken my path diligently, and without fear nor remorse… You are all cowards."

The entire group remained silent, and Aloi knew he had hit them where it hurt; directly into their pride. While he would not kill them, at least not now, he would have his fun. There was so much pent up anger and frustration he simply needed to express.

"Your craftworld was destroyed wasn't it? You and many others had come here and for some reason or another were discovered and attacked by the monkeigh? Right?"

The eldest of the group spoke again, though he seemed much meeker now.

"Y-yes. I'm sure you've heard from the humans you have associated yourself with."

Aloi rolled his eyes. So caught up on pointless details!

"You simply cannot let your pride be hurt can you? Do you think that trying to win an argument with me will change anything? Make you any less of a weak, cowardly, excuse for an Eldar who did not fight and die beside your fellow Eldar here? Beside true aspect warriors?"

Another of the group spoke to attempt to defend their situation.

"We did not back away! We fought the monkeigh beside the others… we fought right by their sides. Even as we began to lose, and as the few aspect warriors with us died, we…"

Aloi walked up to them and shoved them hard in their chest with his palm.

"Yet here you are. Living like rats, ever beneath the boot of the monkeigh you so quickly look down upon. Do you always underestimate your enemies? Or did you realize that you were over your head and overestimated your own ability the minute you began fighting the monkeigh? When true warriors died beside you? Is that what made you run away? Scurry as you did, like the rats you are?"

The female from before seemed to have enough as she stomped the ground in a childish fit of anger with her spear. Truly they were nothing more than proud, foolish, naïve little children.

"We are not rats! We are proud Eldar! We…"

Aloi turned to her and grabbed her by the human shirt she wore and pulled her close to him.

"Yet you dare wear human clothing, you survive wielding crudely made tools, and live off the second picking left by the monkeigh, don't you? How pathetic. Your craftworld would be disappointed."

The younglings were at a loss, as they felt themselves bottle inside as all Eldar did. Few could suffer such a thrashing to their pride, and so most Eldar would retreat to the only place they could convince themselves of their greatness. To justify their pride, their actions, their circumstances, within their heart and their mind. It made Aloi sick, angry and disgusted all at once. It reminded him all too much of his former self, who was cast out and every day tried to justify the reality that was pressed upon him. These young Eldar all disgusted him. Still, they were the perfect little pawns. Yes. If he was to truly get the revenge he so desired, the fulfillment of his path, all he needed to do was give them enough hope to believe again as he had once, and then dash it away. Before he could speak up however, one of the young Eldar managed to open their mouth.

"We didn't run away. We were asked by one of the Aspect warriors to escape and… and to… find the Chosen. To keep her safe. But… I… we have not succeeded. You are right. We are pathetic."

Aloi was frozen in place as he heard those words. Chosen? What did he mean by chosen? It couldn't have been… could it? He pulled the one who spoke away from where he stood and lifted him into the air as he stared into his eyes, his very soul. He would not be lied to!

"What did you just say?"

The young Eldar was distressed as he grabbed at Alois hands and tried feebly to push away. Aloi would not let go however, until an answer was given. He queezed ever tighter, so close to crushing delicate bones. Even as the others became skittish and wanted to step in, he knew they couldn't stand up to him. Unless they explained exactly what he meant by chosen, he would kill them all.

"Who is this chosen you are talking about?"

The oldest stepped in yet again to act like the calm presence he was groomed to be.

"Please let him go. The Chosen is a young Eldar girl who was taken in by our craftworlds Farseer council. She was supposed to lead the Eldar of our craftworld into prosperity…"

It all clicked at once as Aloi realized whom the young Eldar girl that Mara had taken in was. It was her. The one whom replaced him, whose very existence led to his exile and to his misery. The one whom he was told he would attempt to kill, and for which future crime he was punished. He could not help but begin laughing as he dropped the young Eldar onto the ground and looked at the flickering light on the ceiling. This universe was truly cruel! Ha! But if this is what it wanted of him, who was he to disagree? If this is what the Farseers had expected of him, how could he deny their request? They only helped ensure this eventuality, and it seemed that the universe about him only agreed. It brought him here for a reason, and he knew it well.

He covered his face as he continued laughing, trying to tame his rampant emotions. As he had become accustomed he reached into his pack and grabbed one of his spare suppressants. He slammed it into his mouth and swallowed despite the pain he felt as it slid down. His laughing slowed as he leaned forward, and took several deep breaths. The young Eldar around him were already weary of him, but this outburst made them fearful. Fearful as they should have been. But, unless he wanted to kill them all here and now, he needed to regain his composure.

"I apologize. Yes, how this universe seems to work in wondrous ways. I know of who you speak. Yes. I apologize for my, harsh, criticisms. But it is only right of your elder to give you a dose of reality, and to reprimand you for you mal-doings. However. I have an opportunity for all of you. Yes, within around 30 human day cycles, an Eldar ship will come here with a healthy host of reinforcements. I already made the preparations to rescue all who survived the slaughter here, for we Eldar must remain true to our kind. That is why I am here, to act as my craftworlds eyes and ears. To find and save the 'Chosen'. And more so, I know where your chosen is. She is currently within the custody of the humans."

Immediately all of the youngling's interests were peaked. Their fear superseded by a sense of duty. The eldest especially as he suddenly grew something resembling determination and spoke out of turn.

"If you know where she is, we must go save her. Immediately! Who knows what the monkeigh would have already done to her…"

Aloi waved a finger at him to quiet his rude attitude.

"Be patient. I have made sure that she is safe. Don't you worry, young one. However, in your current state you would all be killed within minutes. No, we will wait for the thirty cycles to come and pass."

The female Eldar, who quickly Aloi learned was the most akin to an aspect warrior, stepped up to him. She truly was a frustrating presence, but, most who desired the path of the warrior were. She at least had the capacity to stand up to him as she placed a hand on his chest in attempt to shove him, though she could not do so.

"You expect us to do nothing? If you wish reprimand us, at least allow us a chance to redeem ourselves!"

Aloi slapped her hand off of him as he took a deep breath. How gullible these young Eldar were. Well, they had no other elders to look up to, beside their barely older self-imposed leader. Might as well take it as far as he could.

"You did not let me finish. Do not speak out of turn again. But, I understand your frustration. You will be given the perfect chance for redemption. When the ship arrives, it will be up to us to find and secure the 'chosen'. To this end, I will train you all until then."

The animosity that the group held for him faded away as they fell for his ploy. They truly were Eldar from his craftworld, so quick to listen to authority and their elders. So easily toyed with and used, molded by their loyalty to Eldar kind. While he found such propaganda and lies distasteful, they would serve him well here. The female Eldar seemed especially enamored by his proposal as she straightened herself and looked at him the proper respect.

"W-Well, thank you. We will not disappoint you. We promise, er…"

Aloi smirked, knowing that his plan would not fail.

"You may call me, Aloi."

As they all fell beneath his will, Aloi could only think about what was to come. In thirty cycles, he would lead these young Eldar to find the 'chosen'. That meek, pathetic little Eldar girl whom Mara had so fondly taken in. Then, he would kill her, and her new guardians, and then he would lead the young Eldar to fight the humans. With the promise that they would be getting reinforcements, that more Eldar would come to save them. He would train them well enough so that most would survive until the Imperial Guard of the Faceless Legion arrived, and when they did, relish in these younglings dashed hopes as they realize no help would come for them. Relish in their realization of betrayal, as they are hopelessly found and killed by the monkeigh they so looked down on. He only needed survive long enough to watch the last one die, and then, he did not care if he himself went next. As long as all the eldar of his craftworld faded into oblivion, that was all that mattered. Through the determined and willing faces of these young, foolish, and impressionable Eldar, would he finally bring the suffering he had endured to the last of his Craftworld and finish his desire. And so the timer was set.

Far from him and his sinister plans, other plans were made. Though these, were far from sinister and were filled with a hope for the future to come. Argus, Mara and Laeria finally arrived to the crew dormitory, nearly centered in the stations construction. It was a large room, made up of dozens of rooms which spiraled along four floors of walkways. They entered in on the ground level, and found the entire place devoid of much anything that wasn't built into the station itself. Only a long decommissioned cleaning servitor lifeless as it laid limp against the side of a raised barricade. The sector led into through four main hallways that spread out into the different sectors of the ship. The first thing that Mara did when they arrived was to ensure that the three that they had not explored were shut and locked down. While she did this, Argus and Laeria looked through the many rooms of the station, and found that many were fairly bare. However, the further up they went, they discovered that there were many families aboard the ship once. Something that left a cold and bitter taste in their mouths as both thought back to what they had seen. Laeria briefly recalled the pile of bodies created by her fellow Eldar, however she shook it away. There was no use in letting the past poison her present, no matter how much it hurt. And hurt it did, as they found several rooms on the third floor which had family pictures on still open monitors and mementos from past inhabitants. They left these undisturbed, as the last remnants they were, and eventually found a room which was empty. It was the second to last room on the right side of the room, third floor. It was identical to all the other rooms, split into three smaller rooms. A single, very small restroom, an equally small room with a bed that spread its length, and a lounging area that only had a single table and four hard metal chairs. It was simple, and without much that Mara was used to, but it would suit their needs fine.

Mara did come to miss some of the commodities that her old room provided, though, it was only a minor itch. It was not something that was worth dragging all the way here, though a softer bed would have been preferable. The water supplied through the station adequate, though she insisted upon purifying it further. Still, she had her two companions for company and that made it all worth it. Laeria had room to move, and pretty soon, to train as well. The three of them set about securing their new living space, separating their few possession's as they sat around the table to rest. As they did, they spoke about many things. Though most revolved around Mara's past, her memories of House Valor and her father. Laeria would become a noble of her household after all, and she truly did see her as an adopted… adopted daughter. It was only right she learned of her newfound heritage. And Argus was always interested to listen to the history of others, to her stories and reminisces. Especially now, a small distraction from the uncertainties of the present.

Though Mara had thoughts which nagged at her mind as she spoke with them, brought on by her discussion with Remora. Such persisted until enough time had passed that Laeria was sent to bed. The next day cycle, she would begin her training and conditioning for her future. Argus would be great help with her progress, and with hope, by the time that Roland's associates arrived she would be a fully-fledged noble able to keep herself calm under stress and her emotions contained.

However, she found that she didn't expect the sleeping arrangements to be quite so tight. The bed barely had enough room for Laeria and herself. Argus already said he would sleep on the ground in the living area, as he was accustomed to such conditions, but Mara didn't have any of it. She and him dragged a bed from the nearby room and pulled it into the living area of theirs for him to sleep on. He had slept on the ground for too long.

With that done, she stepped outside the room and leaned against the railing beside the doorway. She looked down at the center of the sector, at the ghost of what once would have housed many people. It was eerie, and saddening to think on. Argus and Laeria told her that all of the stations former crew were killed, every last one. But such was the past, one they could not have prevented. Argus not being able to sleep walked out and stood beside her as he grabbed onto the railing.

"Eventful day, wasn't it?"

Mara nodded.

"Yes it was. However… I feel good about it."

She had to discuss with him what had been on her mind. There would be little time for it otherwise.

"You know Argus… you are a good man. Better than many others I have met. And trust me, I have met a lot."

Argus shook his head as he crossed his arms, leaning onto the railing beside her.

"You give me too much credit. I am just a normal human in this crazy universe. A draftee of the Imperial Guard like billions of others…"

Mara chuckled at his remark. Normal was not the word she would use…

"I don't think many humans would risk their lives to save an Eldar girl and raise her like his own child. That is… well its treason. But, it's very valiant of you. You are someone who is willing to make your own path or die trying. That is something worthy of respect."

Argus sighed, though he grew a small smile.

"I'm glad you think so. You are a good person too, Mara. Even if… well, first impressions I thought you were going to kill me. But… you've proven to be a good mother to Laeria. Er…"

He shied away as he realized the term he used. Mara however, didn't deny it. She couldn't, not to herself and not to him. Truly, Laeria had become so important to her.

"It's fine. To think that the both of us managed to become an Eldar girls parental figures. Her guardians. We are both traitorous scum, but I know neither of us regrets it. It is so strange but… I am glad that we did. I have had so much to think about all this time. She gave me a purpose I didn't know I was missing."

Argus returned to his place beside her as he nodded in agreement.

"Without her… I probably wouldn't be here. I would have wasted away a long time ago. Or died in some conflict…"

Mara took a deep breath as she held a hand over her breast. Why was this so hard to bring up?

"Well… Argus. Listen. Laeria is going to become a member of House Valor. And so…"

Argus became glum as he waited for this to happen. Though, he would not stand in the way.

"I know. I am just a guardsman. Even if I… If I have to let Laeria go for her sake, I will do it. I know you are fully capable of watching over her… far more than I am as a lowly guardsman. No matter how hard it is for me to accept that…"

Maras's eyes opened widely as she turned to look at him. She shoved him on his shoulder to fully get her point across as she held onto him.

"You idiot! I would never do that to you or her! You mean too much to her for me to just…"

Argus was surprised by her reaction, having expected this to go entirely different.

"I… I apologize. I just…"

Mara sighed and let him go.

"Listen, Argus. I've gotten to know you, and I… I have come to see you as someone very close and dear to me. I would never ask you to leave. Guardsman or not, you are worth a hell of a lot more than that."

Argus was speechless as he tried to think of something to say. He hadn't been so flustered in a long time. Really, he didn't know what she saw in him. But… he was glad.

"Thank you, Mara. You've been very good to me and to Laeria."

Mara smiled in turn as she looked at the man in front of her, in his honest demeanor as always. He always thought of him and Laeria. However, she wondered if he had ever thought about himself.

"Don't you want to be happy, Argus? I know that Laeria means a lot to you, but… isn't there anything more? Not that I am suggesting anything over Laeria, but, you deserve to make decisions for yourself as well."

Argus rubbed the side of his head as he thought, looking down to the bottom floor.

"I don't know. I just want to be there for Laeria and help her grow. To give her the chance for a life that was taken away from me."

Mara could only imagine how it would feel to be drafted by the Imperial Guard. An important and noble duty certainly, but one that rarely cared for the lives it grinded. Not something she had given thought to before she began to know him. Still…

"You can still live for yourself and be there for Laeria, Argus."

Argus nodded.

"I know… but… I don't have anything else."

The both of them stayed silent as they leaned on the railing. By now, their shoulders touched as they leaned into each other. They simply enjoyed the others company. Yet, Mara could not just put off this discussion any longer. If she was going to say it, she had to out and say it.

"Argus… if I am going to restart my Noble House, House Valor, I… well…"

She found herself become embarrassed, a sudden meekness in her voice that she tried to clear out with a cough. Though she could not hide the flushness in her cheeks as they heated up. Argus looked at her uncertain what she was going to say, with a curious stare.

"Well?"

Mara swallowed a breath and cleared her throat as she looked straight ahead.

"It is going to need children of noble blood, and Laeria will be under less suspicion if she isn't next in line for succession. So, what I am saying is, will you have children with me?"

Argus was not ready for that as he found himself burn up and turned red by such a sudden proposal. He was at a complete loss from words and didn't even know how to respond.

"Wait…"

Mara closed her eyes as she turned to face him.

"I am not experienced with these courting rituals, but, there is no one else I've seen fit to help me with this. And if you do, you'd be my closest regent and you wouldn't just be a guardsman anymore, and you would have a good reason to stay around Laeria. I very highly respect you, Argus. And so I ask again. Will you have children with me?"

Argus swallowed as he held tightly onto the railing.

"I… I don't have much experience with this either… I never thought about it much even before I was drafted. I don't know if I am good enough for you. I…"

Maras's emotions got the better of her as she grabbed Argus by his shoulder and pulled him close as she kissed him on the mouth. It was very brief, and a first for the both of them, as they felt emotions neither had in a very long time. They both paused as she let go, only looking into the others eyes as they stood there. Mara couldn't hold back anymore.

"You are good enough to me, Argus. You took my first kiss, so take responsibility. Ok?"

Argus closed his eyes, took a deep breath and calmed down. As he opened them, he looked into Mara's face as she stared at him. Her eyes were so vibrant and she was so distant from the person she had first met. She really was a beautiful woman, determined and even kind. She was the only other friend he could say he had, and she was a good one at that. He cared about her that was certain. She was so good to Laeria, and he had worried for so long that… she might take her from him. But, he saw that wasn't the case. She really meant a lot to him, whether he realized it or not.

"I guess I can't refuse. Ok, Mara. I will. I promise."

Mara found herself much happier and excited than she had expected she would feel. Though it didn't bother her as she composed herself, and cleared her throat. She looked back into their room, at the matrass laying on the ground in its center. The rough sheets tossed over its width. Then she thought of Laeria just in the next room.

"I'm glad. T-Though we can wait to… er… you know, until after we find a place to settle. When we get off this station. But… this really does make me happy, Argus."

Argus nodded.

"You know… it makes me happy too."

The two of them shared a tender moment as they looked at one another, before they returned inside and went to bed. Argus and Mara side by side as they slept on the crude, rigid bed beside one another. The door locked, and Laeria smiling as she was glad that her two guardians had found something more in each other and would truly be her guardians and parents as time went on. And so, the timer had begun.