Night came and went in the city of the High Entia, as if pushed along by an unseen force, eager for the events of the next day to unfurl. The following morning, Dunban found himself once again in the throne room, on the receiving platform, staring into the probing eyes of Emperor Soren. He hadn't imagined that the Emperor could be more imposing than he had appeared the previous day. And yet, in the morning light, his figure appeared twice the size; the energy he gave off more powerful, bordering on threatening.

Dunban's heart hammered in his chest. He waited for Soren to speak and minutes of silence dragged on following his arrival. Through his peripheral vision, he could see a handful of guards lining the walls, all staring straight ahead. A lump began to grow in his throat; a sense of dread threatened to overcome him as he awaited the decision that would determine his fate and that of his team's. Diplomacy wasn't one of his fortes, and he wished Elma were with him, ready with counter arguments and appeals in the event that the Emperor decided not to spare his team and ally with the humans. The man wasn't sure what he'd do if that were to be the case. Because most likely, it meant death.

Dunban swept his gaze over the stage as the silence droned on. This morning, only Soren, Kallian, and a woman whom he presumed to be the Queen — Melia's stepmother if he remembered correctly — took residence upon the platform. Melia and Tyrea were nowhere to be seen.

He hoped that wasn't a bad sign.

"I have come to a decision." Soren's voice boomed, echoing off of the cold walls. Dunban stifled the urge to tap his fingers on the armrests of his wheelchair, compelling his body to still.

The High Entia continued, "Your honesty regarding the agenda of your people has impressed me, Dunban. You also saved my daughter's life when you had no incentive or need to do so, and as a consequence, suffered a grave injury. Your companions have been courteous and appreciative of my people. While I know that this is a specific view of the world of Homs, at this moment in time, it is enough for me. I will release you and your companions."

Dunban quietly exhaled. Though he was relieved, he did not show any crack in his composure.

"Do you believe your people would wish to make an alliance with us?" The High Entia gazed down the length of his nose at Dunban.

Dunban kept his face impassive. It was a tricky question. The hard part was over: securing survival. But now the man had to convince not only Soren to ally with humans but also Maurice and the rest of the BLADE council to ally with the High Entia. Given their previous interactions with foreign lifeforms, Dunban knew it would be a hard sell to his colleagues. But one he would champion. Humans needed friends in the war against the Ganglion, and if the High Entia already knew of their attackers, any knowledge they could share with his people would prove invaluable. And Dunban wasn't willing to give that up simply because of the prejudices of one man and the unease of others.

"Absolutely, Emperor. I have no doubts."

"Then the High Entia shall pursue it. Melia and Tyrea will accompany you on your journey back to your people to negotiate a treaty. They will speak for me." Soren nodded. His Queen began whispering to him, but he shook his head. She glared but Soren ignored her, turning his attention back to Dunban. Clearly, there was trouble in paradise. But it seemed Soren was of one mind. And for that, Dunban was thankful.

"As your excellence wishes."

"We will provide the necessary modifications to increase the capabilities of your speeder," Soren said with a dismissive wave. "It will make your travels quicker and less tedious."

"Thank you for your generosity. It is deeply appreciated." Dunban nodded. He was curious to see the modifications and no doubt Shulk would be ecstatic to learn more about the technology. It was a sign of good faith. There seemed to be hope yet.

"Preparations will be made today. You shall leave tomorrow."

"Yes. Of course."

"Good."

A few more pleasantries were exchanged, then Dunban was escorted out of the hall. He felt a weight lift off of his shoulders as the doors to the throne room clanged shut behind him. The survival of his team was secure. Now he had to deal with what would come next. Convincing his people to embrace an alien race in order to fight another.

But that could wait for another day.


"That's good news." Sharla mused, tapping her finger to her chin as she uncrossed and crossed her legs in her seat. Dunban could see the gears turning in her mind, considering the pros and cons of their situation.

"Good? It's great! We're going to be okay!" Fiora clapped her hands, bouncing up and down on the cushions of the sofa. Riki copied her example from his spot next to her. Fiora stuck out a hand and Riki high-fived.

"Did they say how they are outfitting my, err, I mean our, speeder?" Shulk inquired. He attempted to keep his voice steady but Dunban could hear the tinge of eagerness bleeding through the question.

"Can we get more of those orange ball things to eat?" Reyn asked from his lounging position on the opposite armchair to Sharla. He grinned lazily. "These are delicious."

"Seriously, Reyn?" Sharla and Fiora responded simultaneously. They stared daggers at the young man, who rolled his eyes in response.

Dunban signed, too tired to attempt to take control of the situation. He hadn't had much sleep the previous evening, worried with what was to come, and with the early morning meeting, he was still recovering from the adrenaline rush. He was missing coffee.

With effort, he raised himself up from his seat, leveraging his weight with a cane. After the meeting with Soren and subsequently breakfast, Dunban had decided to forgo the wheelchair and walk with a cane. Whatever medicine the High Entia had provided him with had fueled his recovery by 50%. He was assured by the High Entian healers that the by the next day, he would no longer walk with a limp. But the bullets would no doubt leave scars on his body. He didn't mind. He already had plenty from wartime.

And those underneath the skin as well.

The man held up a hand. Slowly, one by one, the team members fell silent. "We will be heading out early tomorrow for NLA. Melia and Tyrea will be accompanying us so that they can negotiate a treaty. And before you ask, I know we have a problem. I will figure it out."

No one spoke. They all knew what he was talking about: Maurice's directive to avoid or engage in a fight with all new xenoforms. Fortunately, they didn't feel the same.

"As for today, we have the opportunity to see the city. A few guides will come by soon and take us out into Alcamoth. That's what they call the city."

"I can't wait to see it!" Fiora exclaimed. "I wonder what kinds of shops they have. Or what views of the world they have!"

"Riki happy too! Riki want see bird people." He twirled.

"I don't know if they want to be called that, Riki." Reyn snorted.

Before Riki could retort, there was a knock at the door. All eyes flew to the entrance as it opened. Kallian, Melia, and Tyrea appeared in the doorway.

"Did you miss us?" Tyrea sneered as she sauntered in.

"Good morning, everyone. I'd like to present the crown prince, Kallian." Melia gestured to Kallian.

Upon closer inspection, Dunban could see Kallian was just a few inches taller than he was, broad-shouldered, bright blue eyes that had a warmth to them that Soren's did not. He stood straight like Dunban would expect a soldier to carry himself. No doubt Kallian was trained for battle like his sisters. However, he was to inherit the crown.

"It is good to meet you all. I look forward to getting to know each of you better." He smiled graciously.

"Ready to go see the city?" Tyrea placed her hands on her hips. "Or would you rather twiddle your thumbs in here?"

"Riki ready!" He jumped down from his seat, waddled forward, and held up a paw. Tyrea raised an eyebrow, then slowly leaned down and high-fived the Nopon. It seemed even she was not immune to the charms of the furry, cuddly creature.

Dunban pulled his attention to Melia, whom he found to already be watching him. He smiled at her. She gave him a nod. But before he could make a move, Fiora swept to her side, interlocked her arm with Melia's, and proceeded to follow Tyrea and the others out of the Villa.

Which left Dunban with Kallian. Though he was disappointed he did not have a chance to walk with Melia, Dunban realized it was probably for the best. He could learn more about the High Entia and possibly the Ganglion from Kallian.

"Thank you for your help yesterday," Dunban said as the two fell into step, bringing up the end of the group. They trailed behind, moving at a slower pace because of Dunban's limp. But Kallian didn't seem to mind.

"Think nothing of it. My father, though he is wise and experienced, sometimes is too suspicious." Kallian responded.

"I hope my actions did not cause trouble for Melia or Tyrea."

"Not any more than they would have already been in."

"What do you mean?" Dunban asked although he already knew that Melia and Tyrea had disobeyed Soren's decree by interacting with humans.

"Tyrea is rather...free-spirited. And her nature often leads her into trouble."

"I gathered that."

Kallian grinned at Dunban. "She and Melia are very close. We all are in a way, being royalty, separate from the rest of our people. But they are especially close."

"If I may ask, what happened to Melia's mother?"

"She was my father's second consort, a Homs. A human like you."

"What?" Dunban blinked. Had he heard correctly?

"Our people have "bred" with humans for centuries. The original High Entia had features akin to birds rather than humans." Kallian clasped his hands behind his back and grimaced. "I realize how strange that sounds, but I cannot deny history."

"Interesting." And it was. There were humans beyond Earth. Where though? How far away from Mira? Would his people be able to find a new home with these cousins of theirs? Questions continued to blaze through his mind.

"But the second consort passed away some forty years ago."

Dunban's whirling mind skidded to a stop.

"Wait, if that's true...how old is Melia?"

"Ah. Our lifespans are different from yours. A High Entia typically lives for 400 years. Those with human and High Entian heritage live around 200. Melia will be turning 50 soon. Tyrea, 52. I myself am 73."

"I had no idea." Dunban contemplated Melia, who was listening to Fiora whispering in her ear. Fiora glanced back at Dunban, winked, then turned back to Melia.

That couldn't be good.

"You saved my sister's life."

Dunban refocused his attention on the crown prince. "It was never a question of whether or not to do so."

"Well, as both the prince of the High Entia and her brother, please accept my profound gratitude. She's my baby sister and I don't know what I'd do without her."

"I haven't known her for very long, but I feel fortunate that our paths have crossed."

"It seems luck may finally be on both our peoples' side. I feel fortunate that we have found each other. Perhaps it was fate for us to both land on Mira and band together against the Ganglion." Kallian smiled. "My father thinks that I wax poetically too often. Those are the moments when he points to Melia's cautious and pragmatic approach, and then he points to Ellison's—"

Kallian stopped. A frown slipped over his face and his eyes clouded. But only seconds later it was gone, replaced by neutrality that betrayed nothing of the emotion that had swept his countenance before.

"Tell me about how you came to Mira, Dunban."

Dunban knew that the subject change was deliberate. And he very much doubted that Kallian would hear a word he would say in the next few minutes. But Dunban obliged by talking about the preparations to leave Earth, then the battle that took place and destroyed his homeworld. Nonetheless, as the man related the story to his companion — doing so in a factual manner that was devoid of emotion — he wondered who Ellison was and what was his story.


Their tour of the city consisted of strolling along the sun deck and overlooking the vast ocean off the coast of Primordia, browsing various shops — all the while being subject to the stares of passing High Entia — and examining their wares, and taking a tour of the flight deck, where they briefly watched as their speeder underwent modifications.

As the sun set, the tour came to an end and they were escorted back to the Villa for dinner. The High Entian siblings departed to Dunban's disappointment as he hadn't solved the mystery of Ellison and he hadn't had a chance to speak with Melia the entire day because Fiora had monopolized her attention. But Dunban reminded himself that this was silly especially considering Melia would be accompanying him back to NLA.

A small ember of excitement flared to life at the thought. He wanted to show her his home, regardless of how chaotic and confusing it was. He wanted to share with her a piece of his life.

As they finished dinner — Reyn couldn't understand how the food just kept getting better and better but he certainly wasn't complaining, in fact, he wanted to know if there were "to-go" cartons — there was a knock on the door to their suite. Closest to the door, Shulk rose and opened it. In the doorway stood Melia with another High Entian man. Something hot flashed through Dunban at the sight of of the tall High Entia standing next to Melia. He had dark blonde hair and severe eyes. He was well built; clearly exercised on a daily basis. Most likely did not have injuries or scars like the ones Dunban had incurred over many years, injuries and scars that made Dunban feel broken.

"Good evening," Melia announced. "We apologize if we're interrupting."

"Not at all! Welcome!" Fiora exclaimed and jumped up from her seat. She rushed over, grabbed Melia's hand, and pulled her inside. "Come in."

She ushered Melia to the sofa and pulled Melia to sit down next to her while stealing a glance at her brother. Dunban did his best to betray no emotion. He didn't want to do anything to encourage Fiora's schemes.

"I just wanted to stop by and introduce you to Zain." Melia gestured to the High Entian man, who strode into the room, head held high. He stared down his nose at Dunban and his team and clearly did not approve of Fiora's familiarity with the princess. "He is one of my father's advisors and very knowledgeable about the landscape of Mira. He will be accompanying us on our journey."

That was the last thing Dunban wanted to hear.

Fiora stole another glance his way, eyebrows raised. He pointedly did not look at his sister. He didn't need to fuel the fire of her curiosity.

"I see. good to meet you." Dunban responded. He rose from his seat and looked Zain dead in the eye.

"You as well," Zain said it so stiffly that Dunban was certain he only said it for politeness.

"The Emperor mentioned we should leave early tomorrow. How does seven sound?" Dunban redirected his attention to Melia, his eyes softening as they met hers.

He wondered if he saw a blush grow on her cheeks or if it were his imagination. "That sounds agreeable. I will make the necessary arrangements."

"Let us know if there's anything we can do."

"Of course."

They held each other's gaze. Though it appeared to be nothing but an acknowledgment of courtesy, Dunban felt the emotion that passed between their eyes was deeper. A kindness with the slightest bit of...flirtation?

Maybe he was hoping for too much.

She tore her eyes away from his and rose from the sofa. "Well, I shall bid you all goodnight then."

"See you in the morning!" Fiora responded in a sing-song voice.

Melia nodded and headed for the door, Zain trailing behind her. As the princess passed through the entrance, Zain followed on her toes and quickly pulled the door closed. The latch clicked.

"What a stick in the mud," Fiora complained as she plopped back down onto the sofa cushion.

"Why do you think he is coming?" Shulk asked as he meandered over to the sofa and took a seat, offering Fiora a candy with a similar taste to chocolate that the High Entia had given them. She plucked it from his palm, smiled, and popped it into her mouth.

"I think it has less to do with us and more to do with Melia and Tyrea." Sharla mused. "I don't think her father trusts her."

Though Dunban remained silent, he had to agree with Sharla's logic. Soren seemed to be a controlling ruler. Most likely a controlling parent as well. And given Melia's recent exploits, it was a surprise that Soren was allowing Melia and Tyrea to go to NLA in the first place.

It wasn't for Dunban to wonder. All he knew was that he was glad that Melia would be coming with him back to NLA. A selfish thought to be sure. But all the same, he looked forward to having more time to spend with the princess.

"Let's get some rest. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow." Dunban addressed his team. They all nodded in his direction and began to split off to their separate rooms. But Fiora remained behind, eyes wide as she studied him with curiosity.

"What is it?' Dunban asked.

"I was just wondering how you plan to convince NLA about working with Melia and her people."

"I'm still working on it."

"Dunban!" Fiora gasped and stood, gesturing frantically. "You don't have time to be 'working on it'!"

"Don't worry about it, Fiora. But I need you to keep morale up. Will you help me do that?"

"Absolutely!" She winked at him and nudged him with her hip. "At your service, captain."

"Thank you," he smiled. "I see you and Melia are getting along." It was dangerous territory, but he was curious to see if she'd learned anything about the princess that he didn't know (very likely).

"Yeah, she's nice. But I haven't really cracked the surface, you know?"

"Give it some time. You did just meet her."

"I'd say the same to you."

And that was that. He was not going down this road with his sister. At least, not this evening. Dunban shook his head and began to retreat to his room. "Get some sleep, Fiora."

"There is no reason you can't have something like that."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

But of course, he went to sleep thinking about Melia's eyes and her small smile.


A/N: Hi all. This has been sitting in my drafts for ages. Rather chapter 10 — which is 8000 words — has been sitting. I've decided to break it up because I want to update and it's taking me a while to get through it all. And now that I'm graduated and currently (f)unemployed, I have some time. Anyway, leave some love. Next chapter will be up soon!