It was undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful things Paine had ever seen. And she had beheld the sacred Hot Springs of Gagazet, the beauty of the Farplane, and more memorable sights than most people saw in three lifetimes. But the minute she saw the space ship that was to shuttle her across the universe, she knew she was in love. It wasn't that it was sleek or shiny. In fact, if she had been asked why she loved it, she would have just shrugged, and that would have been all the answer you could expect. But love it she did.

Leon watched her as she took in every detail. He was looking down at her, considering he was four inches taller, but he could easily see her face. As she walked around the ship, Leon went to make final arrangements with Mirt.

He too was watching the Warrior in her enraptured state.

"I'm sure she's very charming, once you get to know her," he offered. Leon snorted, not facing him. Mirt looked at him sideways.
"You know…being in space, those cramped quarters, just the two of you-" he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Leon just had to turn and look at him, and the expression on his face was enough to make Mirt reconsider finishing the sentence. Mirt gave a nervous cough and turned back, not wanting to see Leon's eyes anymore. Leon groaned inwardly. Working for an untrained yellow-bellied moron, and working with a cold haughty slip of a girl was not what he considered a good time

"I guess you're right. It'd be like trying to warm an ice cube."

As if she could hear them, Paine turned and looked in their direction, her dark red eyes narrowed. Obviously, she didn't like being watched and dissected, even if she couldn't understand what they were saying. She walked around to the other side of the spaceship, running her gloved hand along the hull.

Leon shook his head.

"No. It would be like trying to embrace a razor-sharp blade."

Mirt nodded, as if he too had thought of that, but when he went to comment, he found himself alone.

Paine was trying to find the way to make the metal steps descend so she could enter. She felt along the cold silver surface-dark silver, almost the color of her hair- but found nothing. Of its own accord the door slid open. She turned around. Leon was leaning against a pile of crates.

"You just have to know how to talk to her," he informed Paine, a shadow of a smile gracing his mouth. She clenched her jaw, but wouldn't reply. He went in first, taking the steps two at a time. She entered more slowly, her head swiveling around, absorbing her surroundings. As mentioned, it wasn't a large ship, in fact it only had two parts: the cockpit and the hold/cargo area.

Without commenting, or asking permission, Paine sat down in the navigator's chair. Leon spun around, and stared at her, a flurry of emotions playing across his storm blue eyes.

"What?" Paine asked, frowning. He held so still, he closely resembled a statue. Paine looked down at her seat, and then slowly began to rise.

"I'm sorry, I just thought-"

Leon snapped out of his reverie.

"No. No, it's fine. I…just hadn't thought… no one has sat there for a while, that's all." His brow furrowed, and he turned back to the pilot's console. Paine sat down again, puzzled at the chain of events. When Leon spoke again, his voice was cool and steady, a sharp contrast to the unsure tone he carried before.

"You'd better strap yourself in, take off can be a little harrowing."

"I'm sure I can handle it," Paine replied, equally sharp. He gave her the half smile of a person who is saying inside their head 'I know something you don't, and I'm going to really enjoy watching you find out'.

The spaceship lifted off the hangar floor, and glided through the open doors. It rose steadily and smoothly into the sky. Paine wished that there were a window besides the front one, so that she could see the planet. She didn't even know its name. But looking through the front meant getting close to him, and Paine decided she could live without the knowledge. Leon ignored her, doing systems check, follow-ups, and so forth.

"Okay, here we go," he murmured, though Paine knew he wasn't talking to her.

The spaceship blasted, the universe splintered, and everything was darkness.

Back down on the planet, Mirt smirked to himself.

"That was easier than I'd thought it would be."

"Don't be so sure," a voice hissed from the shadows. No, rephrase that: the shadows themselves hissed. Mirt stiffened so fast and so hard, you could have used him for a ruler. The hairs on his arms and neck…heck, on his head, rose.

"M-Master. Did you watch that whole exchange?"

The shadows hissed in such a way as to mock a snicker.

"You chose well, my humble servant. Very well. Now, we shall see how the drama plays out."

There was no way to tell that the Master had left, only the absence of the prickling sensation. Mirt relaxed, just a little. He had to learn to be more careful in the future, the Master was not one to tolerate insubordination, even the suggestion of it. When he was absolutely sure that the Master had left, Mirt's shoulders sagged, and he wondered where the nearest alehouse was.

Paine opened her eyes. She was still in the navigator's chair, though she was grasping the arms tightly. She remembered to start breathing again. She let go of the arms, and focused on relaxing. Defiantly, she looked to Leon. He was obviously disappointed that she hadn't flown out of her seat.
Without commenting, he turned back to steering the ship, and ignored her altogether.

And hour later when he looked back, he found her deeply involved with something on the screen.

"What are you doing?" he asked, genuinely curious. She looked sideways at him, but didn't turn her head.

"I'm studying all the worlds you've been to."

Leon swiveled the pilot's chair.
"So you've really never left your planet? What was it called, Spiral?"

"Spira," she bit off, "And no, I'd never left before. I didn't even know there was any reason to leave."

He leaned back in his chair, hooked his hands together behind his head and contemplated this.

"So your world wasn't affected by the Heartless Wars?"

Paine was blank. She obviously had no idea what he was talking about.

"You have heard of the Heartless Wars, right?"

Blank. Nothing. Leon was incredulous.

"What did you do the whole time on Mirt's ship?" he inquired.

Paine shrugged.

"I was unconscious half the time, and the other half he spent giving me the mission."

Paine knew he wanted to ask why she was unconscious but he wasn't going to. And she wasn't going to tell him. Silence ruled.

"So…what were the Heartless Wars?" Paine asked.

"There is no 'were'. It's are. What are the Heartless Wars." He spoke with experience, and Paine could sense an underlying story. But again, one wouldn't ask and the other wouldn't tell.

"Don't worry," Leon said, as if he thought she would, "I highly doubt we'll come across any."

If he didn't know better, she would have almost seemed disappointed.

Paine looked back at the vid-screen, and studied the words on the screen. After a long while, she surprised him by asking, quietly:

"Have you really been to all these worlds?"

Leon half turned his head but turned back to the front window before she could see his face.

"It's not really a big deal. Most worlds are the same."

Paine seemed to accept this, but she didn't stop reading.

Inevitably, the problem arose, as all parties involved knew it would. The ship (Leon had never gotten around to telling Paine whether it had a name or not) was only built to hold one, so there was only one bed, if it could even be called that. It was just a cot stuffed between crates. Paine was afraid to ask, since she didn't want to appear the kind that worried about that kind of thing. She had slept in worse places, but before it had only been her and her sword.

Of course, there was no night or day in space, it was all the same, but the ship had an onboard clock, that told them had they been on any decent planet it would be very late.

Paine felt weariness creep in. She was strong, but she hadn't slept or eaten for several hours, and they didn't seem to be stopping any time soon.

Leon flipped a switch and stood up. Paine frowned.

"What are you doing?" she demanded. He looked around.

"I put it on autopilot," he answered, as if it was a simple manner.

"But, what if something hits us?"

Leon laughed, deep and rich. Paine was actually a little shocked, she didn't consider him capable of such an action.

"Don't worry, lady Warrior. If anything gets near this ship, I'll know." He patted the ceiling lovingly. Still chuckling, he disappeared into the hold. Paine waited. And waited a little longer. Minutes ticked by.

Finally deciding that he wasn't coming back, Paine knelt down on the floor of the cockpit, and stretched herself out. It was steel grating, cold and uncomfortable, but she could live without comfort. She held her sword close by. Years of sleeping with it close had taught her how not to cut herself, or even worry about it.

She closed her eyes, and dreamt of tunnels and screaming.