2 Hours Later

“Man, this fucking sucks.”

“You’ve said that already,” Conrad flatly remarked.

Pierce shot his friend an unamused glance, only for Conrad to ignore the look by taking another bite out of the lakefood skewer in his hands. With a frustrated sigh, Pierce turned his attention back over Compound Tresnon’s Mirage Lakefront, which was abuzz with lunchtime crowds and activity.

“Fucking Mote…” Pierce muttered, a scowl on his face as he thought back to his encounter with Mote that morning. “Just why do all of the Eximius Vir have to be here, huh? Those entitled, uptight assholes…”

“Funny to hear you calling someone entitled,” Conrad deadpanned.

“I might have problems, but Mote is on a completely different level.”

“Yeah, well… eh. You’re not really wrong, but there’s not much point wasting this much time and energy complaining about it, you know?”

“Don’t try to pull the ‘too tired to complain’ card on me, you complain about shit all the time.”

“Heh, got me there. Still…” Conrad paused just long enough to take another bite of fish before continuing, food still in his mouth, “we’re on break now, right? And there’s a big feast in a week. Might as well just enjoy it.”

“Stop talking with food in your mouth,” Pierce countered, to which Conrad replied with a cheeky grin. “…I guess you’re right, though,” Pierce mused as he looked out over the massive lake stretching to the southern horizon. “If we’re on break from classes and stuff, then at least there isn’t much for the Eximius Vir to interfere with.”

“Exactly. They’ll be gone before the next term even starts.” Conrad suddenly frowned. “…Aw man, now I’m thinking about next term… we’re supposed to have actual exams and stuff this time, right? Aw, maaan…”

“Oh, shut it. You’ve never had problems with exams, even though you never study.”

“It still sucks to think about. Let’s talk about something else.”

“You’re the one who brought up next term!”

“Yeah, yeah…” Conrad replied dismissively, stepping up next to Pierce to look out over the railing they were standing next to. Not far to their left was the sloped entrance to Market Street, with the docks and piers of the lakefront located directly down and in front of them. “…Oh, yeah. Kestrel’s birthday is tomorrow, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, what of it?” Pierce passed Conrad an amused smirk. “You want to get her a birthday present, huh?”

“We are friends,” Conrad pointed out.

“You didn’t get me anything for my birthday this year.”

“You were on another planet!”

“Heh… I sure was.”

“Besides, you missed my birthday, too, you know.”

“Yeah, well… I was on another planet.”

“Heh. Let’s just call it even, then. Now, what about Kestrel?”

“I mean, she isn’t exactly the type to appreciate attention. She never asks for anything.”

“Yeah, but I still want to get something. It’s her 21st, you know? That’s a milestone.”

Pierce responded with a shrug. “Just get her alcohol, then.”

“Aw, c’mon, man, you know she’s not interested in that,” Conrad countered. “The legal drinking age here is… wait, what even is the legal drinking age, here?”

“There isn’t one.”

Pierce and Conrad both turned to look behind them, where they spotted a particular young woman with tanned skin, shoulder-length black hair, and a prominent scar stretching from just above the left corner of her mouth, down her neck, and disappearing below the collar of the white and beige robes that swathed her body.

“Oh, hey, Liask,” Pierce remarked, turning to face her fully as she stepped up.

“Nice to see you,” Conrad added. “But, is that really true? There’s no legal drinking age here?”

“Why would there be?” Liask questioned. “Why ban it?”

“That’s a good question!” Pierce replied, “why ban alcohol, indeed?”

“I mean, there are good reasons for it, but… whatever.” Conrad simply shrugged. “My original point was that turning 21 here doesn’t matter for drinking since we can already drink.”

Liask passed Conrad an incredulous look. “Wait, does Earth limit when you can drink beer?”

“Most nations do. Most of Nimalia does, actually,” Conrad pointed out. “I guess Treséd’s just different.”

“Huh. Well, why were you talkin’ about beer? Did you guys want to get a drink or somethin’?”

“Please, in the middle of the day?” Pierce snorted in derision. “C’mon, we aren’t that trashy.”

“We were just talking about getting one of our friends a present for their birthday, that’s all,” Conrad explained.

Liask simply stared blankly at Conrad and Pierce for a few moments before shaking her head in disbelief. “Outsiders really can be weird, huh…”

“’Outsiders’, huh?” Pierce echoed. “Tresédians really seem to like using that word.”

“Uh, yeah? I mean, you guys are outsiders.” After speaking, though, Liask frowned. “…Well, I guess a lot of Tresédians do use that word like an insult, huh.”

“It’s fine, we know you didn’t mean anything,” Conrad replied. “What’s weird about what I said, though? The drinking age part?”

“And the part where you said it was ‘trashy’ to drink in the middle of the day,” Liask said. “And the birthday part, too. I’ve heard of other Nimalians celebrating birthdays, but I’ve never seen it in Treséd. I don’t really get the point, either.”

“It is pretty silly if you think about it too hard,” Pierce commented, “but the key is to not think about it that hard. Just think of your birthday as an excuse to hang out with your friends and maybe get some free stuff.”

“Man, it sounds so cynical when you put it like that…” Conrad muttered.

“…Well, the whole idea of ‘birthday’ is weird, too,” Liask replied. “Most Tresédians don’t actually know what day they were born on, or even the exact year. I don’t. Like, I’m pretty sure I’m 18 or 19 years old, but…” She shrugged. “I don’t really see how it matters, anyways.”

“Uuuuhhh…” Pierce stared at her incredulously. “When you’re our age? It matters a lot.”

“Only when you do the things that you do, playboy,” Conrad remarked cheekily.

“Shut up. I’ve only been with 4th-years and up, anyways. I’m sure it’s fine. It has to be fine, right? It’s totally fine…”

“…Huh…?” Liask passed Pierce a doubtful glance. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Pierce insisted, and then diverted his gaze as he muttered under his breath, “damn, just one more thing to worry about…”

“Ha, don’t mind him,” Conrad remarked, playfully elbowing Pierce in the side before turning back to Liask. “Looks like you’re on your own, today? Where’s your friends?”

“Ah, ha ha, we just… split up for a little while,” Liask responded with an uneasy laugh. As she did so, however, her shoulders noticeably slumped.

“Something happen?” Pierce questioned after noticing her posture.

“I guess. My ACT team had our qualifying match this morning.”

“Whoa, already?” Conrad remarked. “Ours isn’t until tomorrow!”

“The qualifiers are spread over the entire Spring Break,” Pierce pointed out. “It stands to reason that some people get the short end of the stick and have to go early.” He then turned back to Liask. “Judging by that shoulder slump, though… I’m guessing your match…?”

“Yeah…” Liask smiled bitterly. “We didn’t qualify. Which, I mean, I expected it, but it still sucks…”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I guess only four teams can make it in the end, huh?” Conrad commented.

“Yeah… and Karísah’s is basically an automatic pass,” Liask replied. “So there’s really only three slots for the rest of us.”

“Automatic pass? In a tournament?” Pierce scowled. “That’s not cool.”

“I meant it like, we all knew that she’d pass,” Liask corrected herself. “Her team was the first one to go, this morning. It went just like everyone expected: they passed.”

“Still sounds like favoritism, to me…” Pierce muttered. “Passing the first team to have a match in the qualifiers? How do they know there won’t be other, better teams down the line? …How the hell do qualifiers work, anyways?”

“You don’t know?” Conrad questioned.

“Oh shut up, it’s not like you do, either.”

“Ha ha, no one explained it to you, huh?” Liask remarked with a small smile. “Well, the qualifiers work on a ‘double pass’ system, so Davídrius calls it. This week, he and some of the teachers score every team that signed up; any team that gets a passing score will have another qualifying match next week. At the end of that, the four teams with the highest average scores, qualify. That’s how it works here, at WCU, at least; I hear it’s different at some of the other schools.”

“…I guess that’s more reasonable than I was expecting…” Pierce mused.

“So, when you say that Karísah passed already, you just mean that her team got a really good score on their first match?” Conrad asked.

Liask nodded. “Yep. She’s been the only one to actually go on the offensive against Davídrius, so far. I don’t think anyone else will do as good as she did.” Her shoulders slumped again as a sigh escaped her lips. “Compared to her, I still have a long way to go…”

“Sure, but you still have time, too,” Pierce pointed out. “You’re a 3rd-year, right? So you have three more chances at this. I’m sure you’ll make one of them.”

“…Thanks,” Liask replied with a smile. “I’ll definitely try. And I wish you guys luck on your match tomorrow!”

“Appreciate it. Before then, though…” Conrad commented, looking mournfully down at the now-bare skewer in his hands. “…I knew that wouldn’t be enough.”

“You’re still hungry?” Pierce remarked incredulously. “Damn, dude, sometimes it seems like all you do is eat and sleep. How are you not fat as fuck?”

“Hey, I’m a growing boy. I need my food and sleep.”

“You’re twenty-fucking-one, you aren’t growing shit.”

Liask giggled as she watched Pierce and Conrad’s banter. She then began to turn away from the two, saying, “well, I’ll stop being a bother. Have fun at—“

“Who said you were a bother?” Conrad questioned, and then nodded down at the lakefront below. “You know, when I’m feeling bad, nothing helps like some good food. …Or a nap. But I’m hungry, so let’s go with food for now.”

“Your pick-up lines need some work,” Pierce declared with a smirk, and then turned toward Liask. “Still, the slob here’s got a point. If you want to get lunch, you can tag along with us, if you want. …Though you’re always free to say no.”

Conrad passed Pierce a wary glance, but before he could say anything, Liask spoke up.

“…Well, if it’s alright with you guys,” she replied. “I was about to get lunch, anyways.”

“Alright, then!” Conrad remarked, turning away from Pierce to begin walking toward the Lakefront entrance, with Pierce and Liask both beginning to follow. “Let’s go get some food!”

---

That Evening

“Again, I really must apologize for your treatment…”

“Oh, no, it’s no issue,” Colonel Saito airily replied, offering Kaoné a smile from across the table. “I understand it’s a busy time for the staff, here. It stands to reason Dean Wrikax would be busy.”

“Well, yes, but even so…” Kaoné responded, warily casting her gaze across the other individuals sitting at the table with her and Saito: Major Hackett, Captain Travis, and Researcher MacTavish. The Dean and the four members of CSF-1 had just taken seats around a pier-side table on the Mirage Lakefront, food in hand as they began to share dinner. “…Welcoming guests is still one of our jobs, as Deans,” Kaoné eventually continued, turning her attention back to Saito. “Especially when the guests are as important as you are. I’d hoped that Davídrius would see that.”

“We’re guests, sure, but don’t overstate our importance,” Saito refuted. “Given what I’ve heard, it’s no surprise that the people around here aren’t keen on welcoming a group of outsiders like us. I have no intention of forcing ourselves on them.”

“We’re only here on temporary leave, anyways,” Hackett pointed out. “We’re primarily on Nimalia to attend the military summit the NSD is hosting next week. We’re only here in Compound Tresnon to check in on the recruits.”

“Right, the summit… I’d heard something about that from Kevérin. I think he and Rebehka are both due to attend,” Kaoné mused, and then passed a glance toward Luke. “I think you might know what that means…”

“Hmm? Oh, right,” the Captain replied around a mouthful of food. He quickly gulped it down before remarking, “something about the infection, huh? Well, we wanted to talk about that, too, so it works out.”

“Regardless, the summit isn’t for several days,” Saito interjected as he began digging into his own lakefood, a sort of breaded fish topped with a spicy yellow sauce. “Let’s try to spend what little break time we have, actually taking a break.”

Hackett nodded in agreement. “Hear, hear.”

“Ah ha ha, good point,” Kaoné replied with a smile. “I’ll be taking the next couple weeks off, myself, after a long stretch of working… so I can really sympathize with not wanting to think about work.”

“Oh, sounds like great timing,” Saito remarked. “If it’s not too much trouble, would you mind showing us around town, one of these days?”

“Ah… sorry, but I won’t be here. Tomorrow evening, I’m going home for two weeks, to Nimaliaka Central.”

“Dean Densalin isn’t from around here, Colonel,” Luke explained. “She’s Nimaliakian, right? But we’re in Treséd.”

“Which is one of the reasons I wanted Davídrius to meet with you all, since he’s actually a local… oh well.” Kaoné sighed and shrugged her shoulders. “Luke should be familiar enough with Compound Tresnon to show you around, though, I’d imagine.”

“I know a few places, yeah.”

“Shouldn’t take too long to look around,” Hackett pointed out. “This town didn’t look too large when we flew in. And a lot of it is…” She trailed off as she passed Kaoné an uneasy glance. “…Well…”

“…Heh, I think I understand what you mean,” the Dean replied with a bitter smile. “Compound Tresnon might be one of the larger and wealthier towns in Treséd, but it’s still… not very well off, compared to the rest of the globe. Even some of the residents here would agree that there isn’t much to see. But, what there is to see…” She paused to stretch her right arm to the south, gesturing over the waters of the massive lake, tinted gold and orange with the sunset as they stretched from the east to the west. Bustling, merry activity filled the lakefront piers and shops, with dozens of different displays and small stalls decorating the walkways. “…Is pretty nice,” Kaoné eventually finished, turning back to CSF-1 as she did. “There’s a certain charm to the markets of Compound Tresnon that you don’t get in Nimaliaka Central, or any of the other large cities on Nimalia, where the personal touch of smaller markets have been exchanged for the selection and impersonal efficiency of supermarkets and department stores.”

“The food’s not bad, either,” Saito remarked, having just finished part of the fish laid out before him. “I don’t often have the chance to eat otherworld food, but it’s pretty good. Different, but the same, all at once.”

“For the fish, maybe,” Luke commented, “but don’t get fooled by any of the produce, sir. I once ate what I thought was a pepper, only to get hit with something like a super sweet apple! Really not what I was expecting.” He then glanced to the side, adopting a playful smirk as he noticed Kirstin attempting to suppress a smile. “What, you think my suffering is funny?”

“Uh… n-no…!” Her smile immediately vanished, her gaze diverted from Luke’s. “I-I just—“

“Relax, Kirstin, I’m just messing with you,” Luke quickly interjected.

“Someone seems on edge, today,” Saito observed, passing Kirstin a glance between bites of his fish. “Something bothering you, MacTavish?”

The Researcher’s attention lingered on Saito for a moment, and then Luke, before she dropped her eyes — and her shoulders. “…N-no, it’s… nothing…”

“That’s a big sigh for ‘nothing’,” Hackett said.

When Kirstin responded with further silence, Luke stopped eating for a moment to eye her warily — but never once achieved eye contact. After just a couple seconds of contemplation, however, realization rushed across his face, realization that he quickly replaced with a warm smile. “I think I get it. Sorry, Kirstin,” he remarked, at which point Kirstin timidly looked up at him. “But we were pretty busy with travel yesterday, you know. And then with getting settled in today… how about a proper dinner tomorrow?”

Kirstin perked up, the beginnings of a smile showing on her face. “R-really…?”

“Uh… did I just watch you ask MacTavish out on a date?” Saito questioned.

“Oh, c’mon, sir, you know it’s not like that,” Luke replied, and then nodded toward Kirstin. “She turned 21 yesterday.”

“Oh! Really?” Kaoné turned toward Kirstin. “Happy Birthday! If I had known, then I would’ve—“

“N-no, this is, um, fine…” the Researcher quickly interjected, her face at this point flushed blood red as she attempted to hide behind her bangs and hands. “It’s, uh… the thought that, uh, counts…”

“Even so, I’m really sorry for not remembering,” Hackett said. “I know we were traveling yesterday, but that’s still no excuse. I agree with the Captain — to make up for it, let’s all get dinner tomorrow, and maybe take a look through some of the local shops. I’m sure there’s something that you’d like.”

“…Y-you don’t have to go that, um, far… n-not for me…”

“Sure, we don’t have to,” Luke retorted, “but we’d still like to. So long as we’re not being a bother, at least.”

Kirstin slowly raised her head, just enough to peek at Luke under her bangs. She fidgeted in her seat for a moment, and then diverted her gaze again, uttering only one word in response: “…Th-thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” Luke replied with a grin. “And like Kaoné said earlier, I’ve been here for about a month, so I know a few places to show you all around, and a few people to meet. Tomorrow will be great!”

“Don’t suppose I’d happen to be one of those people?”

“Huh—?” Luke turned in the direction of the new voice, a familiar voice — one that he quickly discovered belonged to a man of average height with light skin, silver hair tied back into a ponytail, and a rough goatee of similar coloring. Upon recognizing the man, a smile began to appear on Luke’s face, only to stall as he recalled the man’s employer. “…Hey, Gavon…!” the Captain eventually managed to say, finally forcing a smile. “Been a while, huh?”

“Only about two weeks,” Gavon replied, coming to stand next to the table that Kaoné and CSF-1 were seated at. He nodded toward the Dean in greeting, and then shifted his attention to Saito, Hackett, and Kirstin. “Hope I’m not interrupting. I just saw Luke here, and thought I’d say hi. Are all of you his friends?”

“Sounds like you’re one of his, too,” Saito remarked.

“Uh, well, sort of…” Luke answered warily. “We only just met a week before I left with the students to visit Sikalia, but, uh, he seemed like a decent enough guy.”

“You wound me with your faint praise!” Gavon replied cheekily.

“Well, care to introduce us?” Hackett questioned.

“…Should’ve expected this…” Luke muttered under his breath, only to sigh and gesture at each of the others seated at the table as he introduced them. “Well, Gavon, meet Colonel Kaji Saito… my commanding officer. And Major Rachel Hackett, my, uh, other commanding officer. And this is Kirstin MacTavish, our in-field tech specialist.” The Captain then sharply inhaled before nodding toward Gavon. “Uh, Colonel, Major, Kirstin, meet Master Captain Gavon Savénos… of the Black Suns.”

As soon as the words left Luke’s mouth, the atmosphere over the table cooled, with Saito and Hackett both stiffening as they warily eyed Gavon, while Kirstin fully diverted her gaze and found a new fascination in playing with the uneaten remains of her dinner.

“I should add that I’m with Sector 1,” Gavon declared after quickly picking up on CSF-1’s shifts in demeanor. “Zero affiliation with the fools you bested last week.”

“…What do you know about what happened last week?” Hackett questioned.

“…I get the feeling I shouldn’t be privy to this discussion…” Kaoné commented, slowly beginning to stand up, but Gavon extended a hand toward her, as if to tell her to stay.

“It’s no concern, Dean Densalin. The incident we speak of is, in a roundabout way, connected to you, as well,” he remarked, and then adopted a sheepish smile as he turned his attention to Saito. “I won’t be leaving Tresnon anytime soon, so it’s best we clear the air now. To be upfront — I’ve been briefed by my superiors on what happened last week. And while I’m not fond of being a PR mouthpiece, they did want me to stress to you that the outpost SERRCom captured on Sunova had no official connection to the Black Suns.”

“’Official’?” Luke echoed.

“Wait, Sunova?” Kaoné questioned. “…I remember that name. That was one of SERRCom’s Tier 5 Worlds, but it was overrun by the metallic infection 20 years ago… are we talking about the same Sunova?”

“That would be correct,” Saito admitted. “The very same planet that you and the rest of Hero Machina visited two decades ago.”

“Well, we didn’t have the whole team together at that point, but still, that’s interesting… What’s this about a Black Suns outpost, then? Did the metallic infection disappear from Sunova?”

“This might take some time to explain…” Gavon responded, and then looked toward Saito. “Mind if I take a seat, Colonel?”

“Might as well get this over with, now,” Saito replied as he scooted his chair over to make room around the table for the Black Suns Officer. “I’m particularly interested in hearing what you have to say.”

“Colonel…” Hackett spoke up, passing Gavon a doubtful glance as she did. “…Should we really be discussing the situation directly with a Black Suns Officer like this?”

“Everyone knows, at this point, that the outpost wasn’t actually affiliated with the Black Suns,” the Colonel retorted. “So I’m sure discussing these obvious rogues with the Master Captain here won’t be a problem.”

“What a wonderful grasp you have on the situation, Colonel,” Gavon replied, a faint smile upon his face as he rested his elbows on the table in front of him. “But, sorry to disappoint, there isn’t much that I know aside from the official story. I do know that the Black Suns have been engaged in metallic infection clean-up work across the galaxy, so there’s a chance that Sector 2 — ahem, I’m sorry, the ‘rogues’ — were on Sunova because of that.”

Saito and Hackett exchanged a wary glance before the former commented, “are we to assume that these ‘rogues’ were from Sector 2, then?”

Gavon smirked. “Heh. Well, officially, the outpost you raided had no Black Suns connection, and therefore, no connection to any of the four Sectors. …If we were to erroneously assume that the outpost was connected, however, then I can guarantee that they’d be with Sector 2.”

“That sounds like some dangerous speculation…” Luke replied.

“From what I know about the Black Suns, though, it stands to reason,” Kaoné commented. “When I visited Sunova all those years ago, I remember hearing that the Master Ayas was discovered in the caves, and that SERRCom’s Battlecruiser Genesis first appeared in orbit around Sunova. And then Davídrius and Siyuakén found a cavern full of gold, where they found four young children in stasis pods, and fought a critical infection dragon. Suffice it to say, a lot was discovered on Sunova.”

“Wait, kids in stasis pods?” Hackett stared at Kaoné incredulously, and then glanced at Saito. “This is the first I’ve heard of that. Do you know what she’s talking about, Colonel?”

“I… don’t think that I do…” Saito muttered.

“I remember seeing a cavern full of gold,” Luke remarked, “but no stasis pods… huh. You said this was on Sunova, Dean?”

“Uh, well, I didn’t see them, myself…” Kaoné quickly amended with a sheepish smile. “I only heard about it from Davídrius and Siyuakén. You might be able to ask Davídrius for more, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s forgotten by now.”

“And this ‘Siyuakén’?” Hackett questioned.

“…She’s no longer with us.”

“Oh…”

“What point were you trying to make about Sunova, though?” Luke asked, his attention directed toward Kaoné. “I don’t see how anything you said relates to the Suns?”

“Ah, sorry. What I meant to say was that Sector 2 of the Black Suns has always been on the hunt for new information and technology, no matter how trivial,” Kaoné answered. “Their actual operations are all confidential and classified, but it isn’t hard to tell that getting and maintaining a technological and informational edge is what Sector 2 is all about. So if any of the Black Suns Sectors were involved with Sunova, I’d suspect Sector 2 over the others. They probably wanted to see if there was anything left after SERRCom abandoned the planet.”

“That just sounds like R&D, though, and I thought Sector 3 were the R&D guys?”

“On a large scale, yes,” Gavon replied, “but all of the Sectors engage in some of their own R&D. Sector 2 in particular always likes to act all cloak and dagger, shrouding their activities under the censor’s marker, which allows them to get away with all manner of nefarious deeds. They’re never up to any good.”

“Oi, tell us how you really feel,” Saito remarked.

“Ha!” Gavon chuckled. “I often get that kind of response when I talk about Sector 2. Seems that most people don’t expect me to criticize a part of my own organization so heavily.”

“It stands to reason,” Hackett commented. “When you’re this forthright with information, especially to us, as members of SERRCom, well… it makes you wonder about the veracity of the things you’re saying.”

“Yeah… why are you being so candid with us?” Luke questioned.

“And that’s exactly the attitude I see so often from members of national militaries.” Gavon released a wary sigh before continuing, “I’m aware of SERRCom’s recent history with the Black Suns. About your run-in with Sector 3 a couple months ago, and now, with this outpost on Sunova. I fully understand why you’d be wary of speaking to me. However, I happen to agree with Sector 1’s general policy on this matter: the best way to gain trust is to be open about your activities.”

“Awfully different from what you’ve said about Sector 2, isn’t it?” Saito pointed out.

Gavon nodded. “Yes, that’s right. The four Sectors of the Black Suns do often behave as their own organizations, after all. Speaking ill of the other Sectors is still typically frowned upon, but, well…” He paused for a moment to look over his left shoulder, and then his right, before making a show of shrugging. “There isn’t exactly anyone here to stop me, now, is there?”

Saito chuckled in response. “I see you play fast and loose with the rules, huh?”

“That is how I prefer to do things.”

“Is that why you joined a PMC?” Hackett questioned.

“This and that really have nothing to do with each other,” Gavon remarked. “Many people — especially Chaotics — do join PMCs due to greater general freedom than the national militaries, but PMCs can also be more strict, at times. Not to mention, you always have to worry about being good enough to not get fired, ha!”

“Why else would anyone join a PMC, then? Money?”

“Well, yes. And the Black Suns do pay handsomely, I can’t deny that. But that isn’t all; all of the major PMCs in this galaxy have certain idealogical drivers that its members usually align with. What if you wanted to stop the Drakkars, or the metallic infection by any means possible, and you weren’t satisfied with the CSA’s progress? Well, then the Chaos Knights are for you. What if you simply wanted to maintain galactic peace, even between smaller entities within the CSA, or on the fringes of national space? Then join the Light Keepers — they’re exceptionally good at diplomacy, both by pen, and by sword.”

“What drives the Black Suns, then?” Saito questioned.

“Generally? To stimulate the march of progress,” Gavon declared. “Both technological, and otherwise.”

“The Black Suns are widely regarded to have some of the most advanced technology in the allied galaxy,” Kaoné pointed out. “So it looks like you’re succeeding.”

“Well, we don’t have all of the most advanced tech. We really only excel when it comes to infantry-scale combat, ha ha,” Gavon laughed sheepishly. “Even so… everything the Black Suns does is in the name of ‘progress’. What kind of progress will depend on who you ask, of course, and in the case of Sector 2, well… I’m sure you can imagine what kind of ‘progress’ happens behind closed doors and a dozen layers of ‘classified’.”

“You’ve been talking shit about Sector 2 this whole time,” Hackett pointed out. “What is it that you have against them?”

“Yes, this is the first time I’ve heard such strong condemnations of Sector 2, as well,” Kaoné added, “and from a Black Suns Officer, no less. I mean, I’ve always been a little wary of Sector 2, given that everything they do is Black Ops… but if they were really as bad as you’re suggesting, then would they really still be allowed to operate?”

“Now that’s a naive question, if I’ve ever heard one,” Saito remarked. “I can’t speak to these apparent problems with Sector 2, but there are a dozen ways to cover up your tracks when you’re engaged in shady activity, especially if you’re already working in Black Ops — and it gets even easier if the higher-ups turn the other cheek, or actively cover for you.”

Gavon nodded sagely. “That’s right, Colonel. In the case of Sector 2, at least, all of the most damning stuff I’ve heard are just rumors and speculation, so I won’t bother to repeat those here. That said…” He stopped to take a deep breath, his elbows on the table in front of him and his fingers steepled in front of his face. A moment later, he continued speaking, though in a lower tone and volume than before. “…Colonel, Major, Captain, Researcher. Before I say what I want to say next, I feel the need to acknowledge upfront that I am a member of Sector 1, with all of the biases that includes. And as a member of Sector 1, I truly am interested in repairing SERRCom’s rightfully damaged opinion of the Black Suns.”

“…But?” Saito prompted after a moment of silence.

“…But what I’m about to tell you may sound rather biased, coming from me,” Gavon continued, adopting a sheepish smile as he did. “And I doubt it will do much to improve your opinion of the Suns in the short term. But, hopefully, in the long run, things will work out.” He then glanced toward Kaoné. “This goes for you, as well, Dean. In fact, Hero Machina played a part in the catalyst for everything that’s happening today…”

“Does this have anything to do with the Riaxen attack on Tyrnaus two decades ago?” Kaoné questioned. “I recall rescuing a Black Suns General from the wreck of the Riaxen Deathnaught… he’s the current Supreme Commander of the Black Suns, right? Sike Regek?”

“Supreme Commander Sike Regek… I’ve heard about him,” Saito said. “Supposedly a ruthless, but highly effective leader — and Chaotic. It’s said that he’s never lost a single fight.”

“It’s true, for more reasons than one,” Gavon remarked. “Aside from being an incredibly shrewd man who will never take a fight unless he’s engineered a situation that gives him the upper hand, he’s also a rare triple-type Chaotic: a low-tier Velocitechnic, and an Imperator and Simulator Psychotechnic.”

“Oh, like Austin, but faster?” Luke said.

“And with 70 years of skill and experience,” Gavon added. “As a Nimalian, the Supreme Commander is starting to show his age — I’m sure he was much scarier in his prime. But he still has many decades ahead of him, and even now, he’s skilled and able-bodied enough to flawlessly simulate any Chaotic ability. It’s often said that fighting him is like fighting a faster, more skilled version of yourself. But that’s not what I meant to talk about — I meant to speak of the political side of Sike Regek.”

“How so?” Hackett pressed.

“First, let me explain just a little bit about how the Black Suns Sectors are designed. I’m sure you all know about the tiered authority system in the Suns — in particular, that an officer from a lower-numbered Sector has authority over an officer from a higher-numbered Sector, all else being equal. Within that scheme, Sector 1’s dedication to transparency arose to counterbalance Sector 2’s preference for keeping secrets. Sector 1 was meant to be the watchdogs for Sector 2, the ones who could always step in and unearth any unpleasant secrets — and let me tell you, there have been some very unpleasant secrets in the Black Suns’ past.

“Of course, at the very top of the tiered authority system is Black Suns High Command, headed by the Supreme Commander. All of High Command, particularly the Supreme Commander, has the authority to order around any of the Sectors. And so, to maintain Sector 1’s ability to be Sector 2’s watchdogs, whenever the position of Supreme Commander was vacated, it was historically filled by the then-Master General of Sector 1 — the thinking being that a former Master General of Sector 1 would understand the importance of the tiered authority system, and of Sector 1’s ability to expose any dark secrets in the greater organization.”

“I think I can see where this is going,” Saito commented.

“I figured you were a smart man, Colonel,” Gavon remarked with a bitter smirk. “Now, everything I just told you is fact. And in the interest of keeping things that way for now, I won’t speculate about what Supreme Commander Regek is and isn’t doing. But it is a fact that, while Sike Regek was a Master General before becoming Supreme Commander, it wasn’t of Sector 1. He was the Master General of Sector 2.”

“Oh, that’s right…!” Kaoné’s eyes widened with realization. “Now that you mention that, I remember… back when we rescued then-General Regek from the Tyrnaus system, we heard him talking with Master General Greant, of Sector 1. Apparently, the old Supreme Commander perished during the Riaxen attack on Tyrnaus, but before she died, she filled out some kind of will that named Regek as the next Supreme Commander, instead of Greant. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but…”

“When you frame it like that, it does sound suspicious…” Hackett said, and then passed Gavon a doubtful glance. “What’s the catch? It can’t be that simple.”

“In this case, I’m afraid it is,” Gavon replied. “From what I understand, the ‘will’ in question was recovered by Sike Regek himself, but its authenticity was verified by both Sector 1 and 2. Even so, Regek’s appointment was a very norm-defying event, one that I’m surprised Greant didn’t fight more — I suspect Greant cared more about keeping the organization intact in the face of imminent danger, given that news of the will came out at the same time as the Drakkar Offensive, and then the Nanocreature War.”

“So you’re saying that Regek benefited from several months of uncontested control over the Black Suns during the Nanocreature War — which no doubt reinforced the legitimacy of his command?” Saito suggested.

“…A cynical person would certainly phrase it that way,” Gavon responded. “And it is also a fact that Sector 1 inquiries into Sector 2’s activities have been less and less fruitful over the past two decades — all while Sector 2 has increased the scope of its operations across the board. It’s a concerning trend.”

“You think that Sike Regek is using his position to protect Sector 2?”

“Now, now, Colonel, I said nothing of the sort. But, if that’s the conclusion you choose to draw from these facts, then… I won’t stop you.”

“Is it really alright for you to tell us this?” Luke questioned incredulously. “If everything you’ve said is true, then it sounds like the Black Suns are more of a problem than anyone thinks!”

“Aren’t there agencies in the CSA that regulate PMCs?” Kaoné pointed out, “they were formed to prevent exactly the kind of situation you’re talking about, Gavon. Have they been informed?”

Gavon nodded. “They have, but nothing’s been done — nothing that I know of, at least. I certainly wouldn’t blame you if you took that to mean that I’m blowing things out of proportion — after all, if the CSA truly wanted to, then they could dismantle the Black Suns overnight. But I just want you all to know that everything I’ve shared tonight about the tiered authority system, the history of the Black Suns, and Sike Regek is factual and public information. If you doubt me, feel free to look this all up yourselves.”

“This is still… suspicious,” Hackett stated as she warily eyed the Black Suns Officer. “Why go out of your way to tell us all of this? If we take you at face value, this information sounds materially damaging to the Black Suns as an organization.”

“Sometimes, you have to damage something before you can fix it,” Gavon replied. “Besides, what I said earlier about wanting to make friends is still true. I know that SERRCom doesn’t trust us, and I’m of the personal opinion that the first step to fixing that is to be forthright. I won’t be so naive as to say that Sector 1 holds no culpability for the actions of the other Sectors, but I do still hope to be able to make friends with SERRCom — both personally, and professionally.”

“I’d like nothing more than to see that, as well,” Saito remarked, “but that depends on how future interactions between our two organizations pan out.”

“Of course, Colonel. But I hope to show you a better side of the Suns,” Gavon declared, and then held out his fist toward Saito. “To a hopeful future between our orgs, eh?”

The Colonel eyed Gavon’s fist with confusion, unsure of the meaning; upon seeing Saito’s reaction, Gavon lowered his fist and then opened his hand.

“Ah, that’s right, Earthians do handshakes or something, right?” the Black Suns Officer remarked.

“…Have you read up on Earthian culture?” Luke questioned, bewildered.

“Just a little,” Gavon replied, and then winked at Luke. “After all, the second best way to gain trust after being truthful, is understanding the other side.”

“…Heh.” Saito released an amused snort, a smile overtaking his face as he firmly grapsed Gavon’s extended hand and shook it. “You really are serious about this, aren’t you? I don’t think I’ve ever met a Black Suns Officer quite like you.”

“Then you’ve had the misfortune of not meeting anyone else from Sector 1,” Gavon remarked with a grin. “Some of my colleagues are even more candid than I am!”

“I can barely imagine that…” Hackett muttered.

“Well it’s nice to see that you’re on friendly terms now, even if only for the moment,” Kaoné said. She then offered Saito an apologetic bow of her head as she continued, “I am sorry for not informing SERRCom ahead of time that there would be a Black Suns Guest Instructor here. I didn’t think it would be a problem, but in hindsight, I should have reported it anyways.”

“Ah, it’s fine for now,” Saito replied, releasing Gavon’s hand to turn back to the table. “If anything, it could be useful for the recruits to get some more outside perspective.”

“I’ll try to live up to your expectations!” Gavon commented, only to then stand from his seat. “Anyways, I’ve covered everything I wished to discuss with you, Colonel. Feel free to do with this information whatever you see fit, but I’ll go ahead and give you some space.” He then bowed his head toward the group. “Sorry for taking so much of your time.”

“Eh, seems like it worked out fine,” Luke responded. “Oh! I brought my rifle with me. Let’s grab Selind and go shooting sometime this week.”

“Ha! I’d like nothing more!” Gavon replied with a grin. “And with that, I bid you all good night!”

Momentary silence fell over the table as they watched Gavon leave, eventually disappearing into the busy evening crowds of the lakefront. Once he was out of sight, the group turned back toward the table, with Saito and Hackett both eying Luke.

“’Let’s go shooting’?” Saito taunted with a grin.

“Don’t tell me he’s another gun nut,” Hackett commented in exasperation.

“Ah ha ha, well, I guess you could say that,” Luke replied with a sheepish smile.

“Gavon’s marksmanship skill is why he’s here,” Kaoné pointed out. “I don’t really like guns, myself, but there’s no doubt that learning how to use one can be a useful skill for Chaotics…”

“So you are going to teach that here. Good,” Saito remarked. “You know, now that you mention it, I’ve been meaning to ask about the details of the curriculum, here.”

“There’s that fatherly side coming out,” Hackett teased.

“Oh shut up, Major.”

Kaoné smiled in response to Saito and Hackett’s friendly ribbing, and then turned to address the Colonel. “Well, the curriculum here at WCU is different from my own school, so I’m not as familiar with it, but I’d be happy to explain what I know. To start with…”

With that, the Dean and CSF-1 continued their discussions into the night, taking advantage of the cool night breeze to enjoy their first night in Compound Tresnon.