a/n: Remember that film? The one with the spy? And that part, without the music? That film. That's the one that Quincy went to see.

Editing? Nope. If spellcheck says go, I say okeedokee.

All the good things belong to Monolithsoft.

Hope was ready to hear Quincy tell them about the mystery woman. After a quick check of the screens to see that Barrett had eyes out for enemies, she paid only the slimmest attention to the flight course. So long as Doug's skell was roughly in the same position in front of her, she would tag along without thought.

"Let's see," Quincy said, his head tilted in consideration. Not for a second did Hope think he was trying to decide. She knew him well enough to know he had the entire story ready to launch, was in fact bursting to tell them. The corner of his mouth kept twitching, trying to leap into a smile. "There was that time we went to see a movie. One of the shows at the cathedral, right?"

Hope could immediately envision it. The wooden pews, the blank canvas tied from the rafters, the mix of soldiers and civilians, in groups, in pairs, alone. Quincy would have been there as a pair. "We went once," Hope couldn't stop from mentioning.

"I think you couldn't make it that time. It wasn't a date, God no, a whole group of us went, but I sat next to her. It was ..." He paused for a moment, savoring the memory. "It was nice," he ended inadequately.

"Weak," said Gwin.

Quincy flashed a grin. "I guess I can be honest, since you guys know the truth. It was very nice." His grin grew at the sound of Gwin's sputter of irritation, but then the grin slipped into a glowing smile. "It was perfect."

Hope ignored the sound of wind, the burn of the skell engines. She listened to Quincy talk about his date, except he had made it clear that it wasn't a date. This didn't make it feel less intimate. "It was perfect. She was chatting with our group, smiling, happy to be there. The lights went down and I could feel her relax. Like she was going to be serious, not about the film maybe, it was a thriller, but about enjoying it for herself."

Doug broke in. "And you didn't go for her hand."

This made Quincy chuckle. "No way. She was happy, perfectly happy. Perfect. You think I'm going to mess with that? No, I didn't go for her hand, but I let myself relax too. I was going to get to be near her for two hours, right next to her. I was going to remember it forever."

They were almost at the city walls. Soon, they would all have to focus on avoiding other skells and transport planes. Time was running out. "This isn't helping!" whined Gwin again.

"I'm not done yet. So the film goes on, I'm sitting next to the most beautiful woman on Mira, and the film gets to a really quiet part. I said it was a thriller, right? The hero was listening for some clue. The music had cut out, there weren't any sound effects, just tiny noises as he's listening for the signal that's going to mean everything. We were all just on edge, the whole audience, listening along. I could feel her holding her breath. The scene went on and on and we were all super tense. Then, from the far back of the room, someone gave just the biggest fart."

"Oh my god," Doug choked out.

"Just ripped it to hell," Quincy elaborated.

Gwin was giggling very quietly, but everyone else tried to remain calm for the rest of the story.

Quincy went on. "We, everyone, there was this second of absolute shock, not a sound in that moment before we burst. But we were going to break, you knew it, because everyone is gonna have to say something. And right before we do break, she pipes up, very sweet, very clear, into a silent hall, 'Oh please pardon me.'"

Hope wasn't sure who was cackling louder now, Gwin or Doug.

"I have no idea what happened in the next five minutes of the movie. I don't think anyone else does. I never laughed so hard. She was hiccuping beside me, and leaning on my shoulder and ... I loved it. I loved it. She's an angel, sure, but she's so much more," Quincy finished.

"God, I think I love her too," said Doug.

"Yeah, it's easy to do that," Quincy said, his voice turning bittersweet.

They stopped their social chatter after that. Barrett was snapping replies to air control and Hope was counting out wind speed. Gwin was marking other skells, nothing they didn't all see, but it was his job to say it officially, the second set of eyes for the team leader. "Verus full team at 9 oclock. Amadusias mixed 3 team descending." Quincy was silent; Hope was relieved that he wasn't coughing until she noticed he'd muted himself.

They received permission to land at the end of Division Drive instead of the skell hangar on the lower level. It wasn't out of consideration for Quincy; it was his lake samples that warranted special care delivery. Gwin and Doug were solicitous but Quincy waved them away. "Look, the Curator's tent is on the way to the Mim Center. They know it's just a hand-off, no debrief. Honestly, they'll probably swarm me and pick the transport dolly clean in seconds. I can manage."

Hope dawdled, pulling out her gear carefully. Gwin was yanking his stuff in a rush. "After we get the gear stowed, wanna grab a burger?"

"I could eat," said Doug. "I missed breakfast."

"I was asking Hope."

"I was going to walk with Quincy to the Mim Center."

Quincy looked up from the flat metallic carrier that he was carefully stacking with small bundles. "You don't need to. Go on," he encouraged them.

"I've decided. I'm walking with you." Hope realized that she'd decided this back in Sylvalum. It didn't really matter.

Doug and Gwin moved off shortly after that. The last they heard was the two, sinking below the decks in the great freight elevator, arguing as to whether Gwin was broke again and also whether Doug would buy him onion rings even if they did cost extra.

"Alexa turned me on to them with blue cheese dressing," Gwin was saying.

"I am not buying you a milkshake then," said his companion.

It wasn't exactly quiet with them gone. Skells strode majestically past, working it for all it was worth, and people shouted to each other from the balcony to the drive, from one division tent to another. Hope stood closer to Quincy as he settled the last of his boxes just so onto the carrier. She wasn't quite ready for when he stood up quickly. They stood face to face, closer than they'd been since the start of the mission. Hope realized that for weeks Quincy must have been holding himself apart from everyone as he struggled with his condition. She smiled uncertainly.

"We can go."

She didn't move at once. There was something she wanted to be sure about. "You realize those two are going to ask everyone about that movie. They'll find her by the end of today. Are you really okay with that?"

Quincy took hold of the dolly and pushed it toward the Curator's area. It drifted slowly, floating a few centimeters above the ground and leaving the faintest hint of glitter, the tell-tale sign of Ma-non technology. "Don't worry. They won't get far."

Hope wasn't reassured in the slightest. Maybe Quincy didn't understand about his teammates, even after their extended mission. "Doug doesn't give up and Gwin has no filter, well, it can be limited at times."

"You sound almost harsh. Don't worry for her sake." Quincy sounded amused, but then he had to take a break to cough.

"Let me pull it," Hope said, taking over the handle. "I wasn't being unkind. They're nice, of course, and I'm not worried for her. But if you wanted to keep it a secret, that won't happen now."

Quincy walked beside her. She pulled very slowly and carefully, to protect the samples of course, but also not to strain him. He caught his breath, and looked seriously at her. "Really, don't worry. It won't help them figure it out."

"With those details? They might figure it out by the end of lunch."

"It won't. It never happened."

"What?"

"I made it up."

a/n: I swear, on my honor, that I have no idea if this film exists.

Next up: Quincy asks for a big favor.