Book 1 — Chapter 52

Published Spring 2026

​

Day: Hynyengo

Date: 37

Month: Nokaokarium 

Quarturn: 1618

City/Town: Tishomin

Country: Saettee

​

“The crowd is testing me,” O’cerne muttered in irritation. 

 

It was an utterance that surprised Miles. Not the context of what was said, but that he could actually hear O’cerne over the noise of the numerous people that filled the street market they were moving through. 

 

“You don’t like all these people,” he asked with a chuckle and tease, trying to induce a laugh to his tension. “That strikes me as counterintuitive to your Civil Security job.” 

 

He felt his own smile widen in success — O’cerne’s expression moved from anxiety to good humor as he responded with a chuckle of his own. 

 

“I like people. One of the reasons I joined Civil Security. I, however, am not a fan of them congregating in a single area in such high numbers.”

 

“Why are there so many people here?” Ash asked with bounce in her voice as someone had inadvertently bumped into her, timely illustrating how bustling the central market was.

 

“Tishomin is surrounded by a host of natural wonders and sites, making it a tourist city that, on any half-decent day, sees people with apparently an absurd amount of expendable income coming in droves,” O’cerne answered in a cranky voice and a gesture of irritation. “Shit. Don’t heed me, I’m in hangry mode.”

 

He couldn’t help but chuckle to himself at O’cerne’s aggravation. It was something he could empathize with, as the hunger pangs had been striking him before they had reached Tishomin — though evidently, his was not as pronounced.

 

His mind drifted back to the trip down. How the remote, which had turned the DTV into an airship, had done its job exceedingly well. An experience that left him both amazed and slightly envious; he found himself wishing he could have been on such a project. He knew it would have been epic levels of challenging and gratifying. A design that demanded credit to the engineers and programmers. For while its introduction wasn’t agreeable to him, it proved itself both safe and fast, arriving at their destination well ahead of schedule. His only complaint — one that had more to do with the city’s configuration than the DTV itself — was that upon arriving, it became clear any negotiating through the parts of town they desired would require walking, as the DTV was far too large to navigate the narrow streets, forcing them to leave the DTV at a far-flung parking area.

​

Not that strolling along hadn’t been a delightful way to see parts of the city. Granted, the foot traffic in the central market was slow going, as people were shoulder to shoulder. But that aside, the sights, sounds, and smells were engaging all of his senses in the most positive of manners. The variety of foods, wares, and people was eliciting true enjoyment and was determined to soak it all in.

 

It was an encouraging thought that he wished to share; he raised his voice enough that Ash, who was on the other side of O’cerne, could hear. 

 

“While I’m feeling the gut hunger myself, consider our situation as auspicious; our slow walking is giving us the opportunity to study every stall and vendor and learn a little about the area’s cuisine and culture. As example, just look at those grilled fish over there, they look so fresh and smell so damn good; I’m gathering a lot of information just from that one place.” 

 

“Miles. You are so ridiculously optimistic and a perpetual student. It’s infectious and one of the reasons I adore you,” Ash commented with a hearty laugh. 

 

“She’s right,” O’cerne agreed as his eyes moved to the stall, causing his face to shift in thought for a couple moments before he nodded and announced. “You’re right, too. Screw it, my budget isn’t that tight. I’m taking frugal to illogical extremes. We’re getting a snack. If you feel inclined, you can pay me back later, but I need something now.”

 

He felt another laugh come to him as O’cerne pushed past him, and several other people hastily, as if he were in pursuit of a suspect. He looked at Ash, whose eyes and smile were wide with surprise and humor at the speed with which O’cerne had made it to the food stall and was already ordering. 

 

With a gesture, inviting Ash to lead, he made his way next to O’cerne, who was already drinking a large beverage to its bottom as he took a deep breath and let out a satisfied sound of satiation. 

 

“Aaaahhh. Okay, that hit the spot. I swear up and down I’m borderline hypoglycemic. There’s a counter and chairs on the back side of the cart. Let’s have a sit down.” 

 

He turned toward the area O’cerne pointed out and was happy to see that Ash had already secured seats for them, as the chairs were few and the stall had more customers lining up.

 

“I’m sorry about that,” O’cerne commented as they sat down. “I’m not a very good host. Shouldn’t be making you wait for food either. Shit. You two are probably more starved than I am, being up in Melchior and living with Akiva is a double strike of bad food luck.” 

​

“It’s okay,” Ash assured O’cerne with a comforting tap to his arm as she continued with a chuckle. “To take a page from Miles’ upbeat script, you can consider us well-practiced fasters. We’re good. But much better now that we’re getting something in the belly. Though, going to ask something that might come off as crude, given that you’re paying for our way. But went by several booths that offered full-on meals. Why have you passed those up?”

 

As the vendor set large beverages in front of each of them, they paused to acknowledge him with smiles and ‘thank yous.’ But then quickly turned their attention back to O’cerne, who took a prolonged drink, and with another sound of quenching, answered Ash’s question with a chortle. 

 

“You have better manners than I do. I would’ve asked, ‘What the shit?’ a while back. But that’s on me; I should have explained. I’m on a budget right now, as the house needs a new roof. Because of that, we’re making our way to a part of the market that offers graduated pricing for meals.” 

 

“What’s graduated pricing?” he inquired, as his ‘perpetual student’ mind — as Ash had put it — came forward. 

 

“Going to give you the oversimplified explanation, which is still long, so stay with me,” O’cerne responded as he adjusted himself in his seat before he continued. “Saettee, like Minu, has an across-the-board tax system, with very high sales tax. Easy for taxes, but kind of a nightmare for the individual in a buying sense. It was quickly discovered that a person with a salary of, say, 250,000 relits has greater buying power than someone who has a salary of 50,000. The sales tax does not discriminate, which actually in turn discriminates because of the income discrepancy. So a couple decades ago, the government passed what they called the Equality of Access Act. They decided certain things like groceries, some clothing, household necessities, some restaurant food, utilities, and housing would have graduated pricing based on how much the purchaser makes per year. Because of taxes, the government already knows how much you make, so they issue tax cards that you present on purchase, which informs the place you’re buying from how much to charge. So, say I’m buying a piece of fruit, I’m middle class-ish, I would pay two relits. While someone who makes far less than I do would only pay one relit, while someone who earns a great more than I do pays three relits. It’s a way to level out the buying power on essentials. And I do mean essentials. It doesn’t apply to everything you buy. You can get housing on a graduated scale, but the housing for that is very modest. If you want to live in better accommodations, you pay market value.”

 

“And the upper classes are okay with this?” Ash asked, with a tone of bemusement in her voice. 

​

“You’d think they would complain, but most of the upper classes never patronize the places that have those buying options. They shop at bougie boutiques and artisan stores, so it hardly ever affects them,” O’cerne replied in a matter-of-fact manner. 

 

He felt a grin come to his face; he was deeply interested in what he was learning about Saettee and how it successfully functioned. He felt himself bounce in his seat with involuntary enthusiasm, as a slew of questions were running through his head.

 

“I’m utterly fascinated with this whole concept: this addendum to capitalism. So many questions … how do businesses handle it? Does it have an appreciable return on investment?” 

 

A smirk appeared on O’cerne’s expression as he seemed to find his keenness enjoyable. He nodded as his smile widened and explained.

 

“Ash is right about you. I’m diggin’ it. But to your question: very well, from what I understand. They get all sorts of incentives to implement it. Too, I know they have regular evaluations for quality control; making sure they’re not selling lesser quality products just because people might not pay as much. If they pass the evaluation, they get further incentives. You won’t be finding used food in those markets. Above all else, they’re subsidies that span several industries, and the investment to return margins are astronomical in comparison to general investments. For every one relit spent, the short-term return is 1.68 relits, while the long-term return is one relit to 147 relits because of growing societal value and higher tax revenue futures. On a personal level, I’m a fan of the entire program. I think in this case, the government is spending our money well.” 

 

He felt his mouth slightly agape as he was stunned, in a positive way, by what a functioning government — that understood the fallacy of “entitlements,” as it was the people’s money — could accomplish for its people. It was a moment that evoked both esteem and longing; presenting him with a trice consideration of remaining in Saettee. 

 

It was a thought that never touched his tongue, and yet, as he looked upon both O’cerne and Ash, he noticed Ash’s head cock to the side as a mark of concern washed over her face. As if she were reading his visage and saw the brief desire that struck it.

 

However, before he could address O’cerne’s words or Ash’s expression, all of their attention was taken by the vendor setting down before them an enormous platter of various grilled fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. All paired with sauces that, along with the food, wafted aromas of savory smoke, piquant scents, and heated spices that prompted his mouth to salivate with anticipation. 

 

“I know it looks like a ton of food,” O’cerne commented as he passed the accompanying empty plates to each of them. “But Ash told me I needed to feed her to get on her good side. And I aim to make good on that in such abundance, that I’ll make good with everyone else by extension. Plus, I like you both a lot. And finally, to give you something to brag to Akiva about and make her wildly jealous.” 

 

As he and Ash both burst into boisterous laughter, all his lingering thoughts moved into the background as the happiness and presence of the moment took over.

​

• • •

​

“This place is unmitigatedly beautiful,” Ash breathed out in soft wonderment as she looked over the landscape before them. 

 

It was an awe he shared, as the topography was one he had never had the privilege of beholding. 

 

Across the observable terrain was a field of sand dunes that rose and fell over the kilometers. The dunes, in a color of pure snow white, looked to gently shimmer as each fine sand grain reflected light when touched by the sun. And while the desert-like landscape was pretty on its own, it was rendered exquisite by the hundreds of visible lagoons that nestled in the valleys of the dunes. The lagoons, puce in color, were a striking contrast to the white sands and red vegetation that dotted the shores.

 

He felt his breath pull in marvel as he watched a significant wind carry the white sand off a tall dune in the distance, swirling it into the air in a funnel-shaped formation, and then dispensing it to the dunes beyond. He looked at O’cerne, who was standing next to him, and commented in a soft tone. 

 

“Wow! You had said Tishomin was surrounded by natural wonders, but this is beyond what I expected. How does a place like this even form, much less exist?” 

 

O’cerne’s expression lit up with a smile as he seemed particularly pleased with himself. He pulled a roamphone from his pocket and spoke with a chuckle. 

 

“I knew. I just knew you were going to be curious about this place. So I pulled up the information before we got here to give you a bullet-point synopsis.” 

 

O’cerne adjusted his body, appearing to shield his screen from the sun, as he continued and explained. 

 

“As you know, we’re on the east side of Lake Lamanna. And, as you may not know, this lake is very cold, for reasons they don’t list, which causes a significant thermal difference between land and water that affects wind patterns and directs the winds offshore, from east to west, leaving this side of the lake significantly dry. Every year, the dunes can migrate up to 50 meters. The lagoons, which can change locations with the moving sands, are products of underground aquifers fed by the lake. As they rise, they bring with them several different minerals, resulting in high-salinity water, where certain microorganisms thrive, giving the lagoons their puce color. The vegetation is specialized and high in a carotene that gives it its red pigment. Is that enough for you?” 

​

“Nowhere near,” he retorted with a laugh of humor coupled with amazement. “But I appreciate you reading me so well and anticipating my questions. Very astute of you. Like, what is the sand composed of?” 

 

“This is quartz,” Ash answered in her own soft tone. “Stunning, but always underrated, quartz. There should be larger, solid formations around.” 

 

“The mineralogist is correct,” O’cerne noted with an energetic cadence. “And that is where we should be heading, as we are late. And Miles, you will just have to be happy for the time being with the limited information you have. But you can look forward to the homework you’ll have when you get back. This way.” 

 

As he lowered his head, to keep an eye on his footing, he followed O’cerne, who walked down the dune they were standing, knowing they were definitely late; he, too, had noticed the sun was racing towards the horizon and they had yet to fully make the rendezvous. 

 

But the delay was their own fault. The snack they had stopped for turned into a time drain, as they ate and conversed happily for far longer than they had planned. Not that he had minded, as the food was some of the best seafood he had ever eaten and the conversation was lively and engaging. Thereafter, the walk through the central market, to procure proper meals, took longer as “people watching” and “window shopping” became more prevalent, slowing their progress. A pattern that didn’t change after obtaining the meals, as the walk back to the DTV was also a meandering affair.

 

As they made it to the base of the dune, he didn’t feel the shifting sands under feet, but a more solid foundation that prompted him to look up. And what he saw surprised him to the point that he exclaimed aloud.

 

“What the! How did I not see this Sanctuary down here? Or that huge freakin’ tower up there on that other dune?”

 

“The dunes, the lagoons, combined with other environmental factors, can cause optical illusions that can make them invisible at certain angles,” O’cerne explained with a chuckle. “I read that on the information site, too. Excuse me for one moment.” 

 

He felt a curiosity touch his brow for several reasons as he watched O’cerne move towards the, what looked to be closed, Sanctuary. But his secondary question, concerning the visual phenomenon, came forward by reflex as he asked aloud to no one in particular. 

 

“Invisible?”

​

“It’s a mirage due to temperature inversion. The air bends light rays and can make objects look like they’re floating, closer than they are, or not there,” Ash expounded with a chuckle as she mused. “I’m surprised, you being all science-y, wouldn’t have …” 

 

His brow was again touched by interest. Only this time by Ash’s unexpected pause and focused attention far and away. 

 

Suddenly, Ash breathed in with a vocal gasp and released a cheep of exhilaration as she dashed up an adjacent dune towards the tower. 

 

It was a run that, while he wasn’t clear on its reason, still prompted him to follow with as much urgency as Ash was demonstrating. Though his urgency was diminished, as his footing on the sands wasn’t as secure; she moved with far more agility, causing a gap between them that was widening with every step, allowing her to crest the hill of the dune, and out of his sight.

 

Ash’s disappearance brought a strange and conflicting emotion to his pursuit. His logical mind had processed that she had expressed a sound of happiness before she left, indicating whatever she was heading towards was pleasant. However, his fight-or-flight response, despite the days of relative safety, was still on a hair-trigger — leaving him overly stimulated and not regulating properly. It was a flash of realization of just how much his nervous system had been altered since everything began; something he made a mental note to address. He was resolved to rein it in and regain control.

 

Yet, he knew something else was lingering on the edges of his mind. Questions and recognition he would be forced to face soon. 

 

But as he was near the top, he pushed the impeding thoughts from his mind and focused on the moment. A moment that, once he reached the peak, all of his internal alarms immediately ceased as both relief and his own happiness burst through his being; for his eyes came upon Ash embracing a joyously squealing Raer. 

 

As he moved next to them, his smile brightened further, as Raer pulled from Ash’s arms and brought her hands up to Ash’s face, wiping the elated tears away as she spoke. 

 

“Dear Deo, I’m so happy to see you. I was so worried about you. I know you’re an adult and I don’t need to worry about you. But I can’t help myself.” 

 

“No,” Ash interjected with a sniff, calming her tears. “You don’t worry about someone because you don’t have faith in them. You worry because you love and care for them.”

 

“Thank you for understanding,” Raer remarked gently as she bounced back into Ash’s arms for another squeeze. “I’m going to write that down and use it for my Consign work.” 

​

He took the opportunity to move in towards Raer as Ash pulled away, enabling her to clean her face as she spoke around a chuckle. 

 

“Not to be slighting, but you’re usually the one to cry, Raer. I think I caught your dramatic. I’m just so happy to see you. This whole ordeal was such an … ordeal.” 

 

“To say the least,” Raer stated as she reached out and brought him into an embrace, pulling him down for his ear to meet her mouth as she whispered. “Thank you, Miles.” 

 

His eyes closed by reflex, as not only was her voice soothing, but her hug was bringing a comfort that was near ethereal. Firm, yet gentle, with a rub to his back that brought warmth and calm. It was so present and intentional, that he even noted Raer was mindful of his shoulder, not pressing too hard onto it and potentially aggravating the injury. All of it, a combined effort to instill peace and certainty in the moment; which he suddenly realized he needed. 

 

As he pulled away, he released his happy sigh as he commented. 

 

“I’ve said it before, you give the best hugs. I mean, between you and Ash, I know the best huggers in the world. You really are soul-sisters.” 

 

He enjoyed the smiles that were brought about by his honest reflection. Expressions held both by Ash and Raer. But as his mind was stirring again at an increased pace, he looked around and asked. 

 

“Where is everyone else?”

 

Raer glanced at Ash with a concerned expression, as if the answer might not please her. But she didn’t dwell on what considerations may have been moving through her mind as she responded in an apologetic tone. 

 

“It’s only me and Porter. He parked the airship behind the Sanctuary, as it’s only open during peak visitor hours. But the reason it was us only to come was Wayra was still having sights that were giving him distress. He wanted to be extra cautious on how we executed your pickup, as even without the incident still fresh, Minu and Saettee are not on the friendliest of terms. Everyday border crossings are looked at with scrutiny. My coming over as a Consign doesn’t look particularly suspect, as we travel so often. However, we decided to go with a bit of a ruse. When I rented the airship, I told the attendant casually that I was retrieving some donations from a Sanctuary down here, hence one reason we chose this location. But further, if they do find any reason to be skeptical, and do something like check the location tracker or the load weight sensor log, they will see where the ship went, and the weight difference coming and going. Another reason we’re not in a hurry: to sell the intentions of legitimate donation transport, as it would take time to load items. Though an added benefit is, we’ll arrive back at the airship yard well after they close; giving us the advantage of privacy and night.”

​

He looked at Ash, who took a deep vocal breath and nodded. 

 

“I anticipated this wouldn’t be a movie-esque reunion. Regardless, I’m giddy with you being here. Might not be Wayra, but you’re a lateral best.” 

 

“Oh!” Raer exclaimed with a gush as she brought her hands up to her mouth with emotion. “Ash! You’re going to make me cry. Making me feel so loved. Thank you.” 

 

Raer returned to Ash’s arms as they both giggled in their embrace. 

 

It was a genuinely sweet moment, though his mind was still considering what Raer had said. Their plan and how they were carrying it out. He amazed aloud.

 

“Shit! I’m giddy with the plan y’all came up with. I don’t know if it’s just because we have a couple of the best Attatas I’ve ever seen in our midst. Or it’s because everyone is so damn smart. But I cannot get over how crazy-cool you all are.” 

 

“I think it’s because of how gifted Wayra and Naira are as Attatas, that he can surround himself with quality, nimble-witted people,” Raer concurred.

 

“I like that. Nimble-witted,” Ash voiced with a chuckle as she continued. “We brought food for you to help burn time. Though I’m sure you’re up here to do a little sightseeing.”

 

“You know me so well,” Raer confirmed with a laugh. “I had to see the tower. And actually was just about to perform a prayer.” 

 

He looked at the tower and realized this had been the first, of all the towers abound, he had ever seen outside of pictures. 

 

The towers — or the Grand Towers, as they were more formally known — were famous pre-Bottleneck structures that numerously dotted the landscape across the world. The towers all shared similar features that seemed to be prescriptive. Cylindrical in shape, mostly hollow within their walls, and all standing at exactly 56.5 meters tall. Though some variations were present among the towers — with accents around the cylinder, belfry-esque tops, and some with bartizans — the divergences were deemed noteworthy, as their appearance didn’t align stylistically with any adjacent architectural ruins.

 

Though such cosmetic discrepancies were far down the list of interest, as perhaps their most shared feature was their purpose was wholly unknown. Only myth, rumors, and conjecture ascribed any meaning to their purpose. People in many scientific fields had studied it, from cultural studies to astronomy. None able to inform beyond speculation. 

​

For him, it was striking him with a strange sensation. One of marvelment. But too, a sense of portent. Granted, given the mysterious nature of the towers, any presage might have been a fancy, based on their mystifying history. Yet, he wasn’t so quick to handwave away the augury; he just filed it away in his mind to return to later and meditate on. 

 

His attention turned back to Raer as he realized he had been standing in silence while he examined the tower. He shook his head and laughed as he explained. 

 

“I’m sorry, it’s my first time seeing one in person. I got engrossed. You were saying something about a prayer?”

 

“Yes, indeed,” Raer confirmed with excitement in her voice. “This tower is supposedly a special one. Over there is a sort of door. If you speak into the door, it echoes up through the tower and gets extremely loud. The lore is, Deo can hear your prayers better; above all others. People have even claimed to be cured of illness here and have all sorts of prayers answered. Hence why I was going to pray. Would you like to join me?” 

 

“Of course!” Ash declared with certainty. “We’ll do that now.” 

 

He nodded in his own agreement as Ash locked arms with Raer, and the two of them led him towards the door mentioned. His mind was still absorbing the tower, as impressions abounded. One came to mind that he figured Ash could answer as he asked. 

 

“Hey. Mineralogy expert. If the echo has an associated lore, it must be pretty intense. What could the tower be made of to make it that way?” 

 

As they came to the door, Ash reached out her free arm and touched the façade of the tower with its white and grey marbling colors. Moving her hand slowly across it, as she was studying its makeup through touch and appearance.

 

“In nature, you find the best vertical forms are in igneous or metamorphic rock,” Ash expounded as she pulled her hand away and continued. “And while obviously it’s resting on a solid rock foundation under these sands, this isn’t wholly natural. Honestly, I think this is engineered quartz with maybe some marble. It’s definitely a composite. It’s hard, smooth, non-porous, and is certainly going to acoustically perform, reflecting the sound waves well. The resonance … It’s meant to amplify and carry vibrations, too. This … this is interesting.” 

 

“A problem?” Raer asked. 

 

“No. None,” Ash assured Raer with a smile. “It’s just something I’m going to have to mentally put a red pin in. Need to come back and think about this some more. That’s all. Now go ahead and pray.” 

 

He was amazed, but not surprised, at Ash’s ability to determine the composition of the tower so quickly and easily, and most likely, accurately. But he didn’t have a chance to praise Ash’s intelligence. As Ash and Raer stepped up closer to the door, Raer lowered her voice and turned her head away from the door as she pointed out.

​

“I’m going to sing the prayer, okay?” 

 

They both nodded as Raer turned back towards the door and took a deep breath to prepare. It was a moment that inspired him to place his hand across their touching shoulders, to join them in a moment that was sacred to Raer. 

 

As the first notes left Raer’s lips, his eyes closed by reflex; he found Raer’s singing voice to be one of true beauty. It was something that always provided chills down his spine. But as the tower reverberated the sound, making the song echo and linger, it was raising bumps on his skin: the involuntary reaction of his rising emotions of serenity. 

 

And while he was almost fully absorbed in the moment, the small part of his mind that wasn’t awash in feeling realized that Raer wasn’t singing in Agglomerate. She was singing in Attata to a melody he had heard before. He focused on the words Raer was vocalising.

 

“Deo noke’aok, 

me tawea.

Nebe ha. 

Nebe ha. 

Yachae ahje 

nokamat. 

A ahaya 

oamawha. 

Whaahle yoh yaee. 

Whaahle yoh yaee.”

 

With the ending of the song, he opened his eyes and lifted them up towards the top of the tower as the echoes were still rising. Then, with the last sound sent towards the heavens, they all stepped back several steps from the door in unison, allowing them to talk at their normal volume. 

 

Although coherent conversation was not shared; Ash seized the moment and, with a sound of joy, she embraced Raer and rocked her from side to side, continuing her wordless expression.

 

It was one that made him laugh as he offered his compliments to Raer. 

 

“My music teacher told me to always play as if Deo was listening. And while you know I love your voice, that moment was … your voice is eloquence personified. You sang for Deo. And I do believe the world, and Deo, held for a moment to hear you.” 

 

“Miles! No!” Raer cried with a tone of bashfulness. “You’re going to make me weep with such favorable regards. You’re too kind.”

 

“But he’s not wrong,” Ash argued for him with a gush. “That was sublime, my dearest. And I will say, there may be some credibility to the lore, as I could feel the vibrations and resonance has been proven to have healing benefits.”

 

“Thank you,” Raer replied with continued modesty to her pitch. “You’re so lovely to me. You both are answers to prayers spoken many years ago. Thank you.”

​

 • • •

​

“I didn’t know you could speak Attata,” he commented to Raer, as they had almost finally reached the bottom of the dune hill. 

 

“I don’t,” Raer clarified. “It’s a common prayer song that I memorized. I’m terrible at languages. I think that part of my brain is broken.” 

 

It was a remark that prompted him to laugh, though he didn’t respond as they had reached the last bits of dune that had blown to what seemed to be almost perfectly vertical. 

 

Most of the trek down from the tower had been that way. While their time at the top of the dune had been brief, the surrounding sands had already swept away their footprints from their climb and altered the gradient of the dune to a steep decline. One that made their descent very slow going, providing them with ample time to talk to one another about their conditions and experiences. With Raer informing them she had brought them clothes to change into, leaving any physical evidence of their time in Saettee, in Saettee.

 

As he made it to the bottom of the dune, to more solid ground, he offered his hand up to Raer in order to assist her in the last step. But his full attention wavered as it was drawn towards the back of the Sanctuary, where O’cerne had disappeared as he and Porter were conversing raucously; with laughter, ribbing, and hugging. It was a moment that struck him with surprise, as Porter never came across to him as a hugger. And in seeing said action, it was testament to how close O’cerne and Porter must have been.

 

With a light sound of impact on the ground, both Ash and Raer were down from the dune, and next to him. He didn’t waste a moment as he led the way towards the airship. Yet, his awareness was being pulled from the destination and to Raer as she released a series of soft noises of concern. They were expressions he didn’t have an opportunity to enquire on, as Porter called out to them with a tease. 

 

“There’s the hardened criminals. How was your stint at the greybar hotel?” 

 

“The bars, what little there were, were actually between beige and greige,” Ash retorted with a laugh. “Because apparently color therapy is something they sanction.” 

 

“What the shit is a greige?” Porter asked with a laugh. 

 

“Like a mix of beige and grey. So I guess technically you were partially right about the grey,” Ash explained with her own continued chuckle.

​

“Technically correct is the best kind of correct,” Porter declared as he held out his hand in greeting as he asked, “How you doing, Miles?” 

 

“I’m much better,” he informed him as they grasped wrists and shook. “Very happy to see you.” 

 

“And I, you,” Porter affirmed with a strong smile. “Both of you. And as far as happy to see someone, let’s get this over with.” 

 

He felt his brow furrow in confusion, as Porter turned his attention to O’cerne and spoke with a mocking voice of encouragement, “Go on.” 

 

His eyes turned to O’cerne, who scowled at Porter with sincerity and shook his head. But as O’cerne seemed to compose himself, his expression changed to one of welcoming as he approached Raer and, once standing in front of her, mumbled a timid “Hello.” 

 

O’cerne didn’t wait for a reply as he moved into Raer’s space and brought her into a hug. It was one that Raer did not immediately reciprocate; her arms remained at her side at first, only slowly rising to return the embrace with tepid energy.

 

It struck him as highly unusual. Not only Raer’s response, but O’cerne’s hold was appearing to be one that was more than just friendly intimacy.

 

“Deo, I’ve been missing you,” O’cerne uttered in a clear tone that denoted yearning.

 

It was at that moment, reading O’cerne’s body language and tone, that his attention turned toward Ash, as he was looking for clarification on what he was witnessing. To his multitudes of satisfactions, Ash had met his intent look and was sharing the same expression he imagined was on his visage. 

 

In synchronicity, they both widened their eyes, a non-verbal communication that was asking rhetorically ‘are you seeing this?’ He felt the smile burst to his face by reflex as the timing between himself and Ash’s “looks” were amusing him greatly. 

 

But as Ash broke their stare, he followed and returned his attention to Raer, who vocally sighed, pulled from O’cerne, and replied with a voice of relinquishment.

 

“I’ve missed you as well.” 

 

Raer’s admittance seemed to be construed by O’cerne as an invitation, as he clearly leaned in to kiss her on the lips. An action that Raer quickly halted, as she backed away, removing herself from his intentions.

 

O’cene offered an apologetic smile and again moved into Raer’s space, only this time to kiss the crown of her head. It was an act that Raer seemed a bit more comfortable with as she smiled graciously.

 

But as that may have been, Porter appeared impatient, as he didn’t allow any further words or actions to continue as he declared. 

 

“Can we get some of that food already? Daylight is burning.” 

 

As O’cerne turned away towards Porter, Raer released tension in her shoulders he hadn’t noticed as they visibly fell with the audible breath she released of relief. An ease that was confirmed when her voice returned to its normal cadence as she reminded Porter.

 

“My bag has food-warming pouches if you need them. It’s still on the ship.” 

 

“Excellent,” Porter responded. “We’ll grab those, along with the maintenance blankets, so we have something to sit on.” 

 

He watched as Porter and O’cerne ascended the airship’s ramp, and once they were out of sight, he bounded towards Raer with a slew of questions in mind that he knew would have to be asked in hushed tones. 

 

But he was not the only one, as Ash reached Raer before him and — with a low-pitched voice — asked first. 

 

“What in Deo’s name was that about?” 

 

“That’s exactly what I was going to ask. Verbatim!” he pronounced with a laugh, interrupting any response Raer might have had. 

 

“When I looked at you and saw your face, I knew you were thinking the same thing,” Ash exclaimed with a chuckle. “Go us!” 

 

Ash raised her hand in the air, indicating she was looking for a palm slap for their shared thoughts. And one he obliged, as they both laughed and moved in a shared success. 

 

But as their laughs subsided, Ash returned her attention to Raer and continued her probe of the situation. 

 

“Okay. No interruptions. First, are you okay? Second, tell us what’s going on.” 

 

“Eeerrr,” Raer growled with a pitch of stress. “Yes, I’m okay. But there’s nothing really to tell.” 

 

“Nothing to tell?” O’cerne interjected with a humorous timbre. “Not even how we are in love. But I chose the easy way. How I bitterly regret it.” 

 

“Were in love. As in past tense,” Raer stated firmly. “And you don’t regret it. You have issues like every couple has. Plus, you have two amazing daughters who are your joys. Finally, what’s done is done.”

 

“That I do, and I wouldn’t trade my daughters for the world,” O’cerne confirmed, but proceeded to contest. “However, the rest of your words are fairly inaccurate.”

 

Raer presented a light smile, but her full expression didn’t align with her courteousness. She instead appeared to be highly uncomfortable. A display that was plain to Porter, who inserted himself into the conversation with a commanding tone, one presented as a suggestion. 

 

“This exchange is going to have to continue another time. I’m about to go feral if I don’t get some food in me. Let’s eat.”

​

• • •

​

Miles looked out the front window of the rising airship to see that O’cerne was on his way home, via the DTV. 

 

As he sat back into the co-pilot’s chair, he felt a multitude of thoughts and emotions move through him.

 

At the top of the mental hill was the relief of returning to Nokahme. Returning home. It was a thought that produced a smile on his face, as while his time at Nokahme had been short, it had felt like home more than any place he had ever dwelled; and he truly was excited to get back to it. 

 

Though there was also an accompaniment of nervousness upon returning. A worry that he knew wasn’t based in logic. Simply a consideration of what might happen if he and Ash actually had been discovered, and HEAGEN were waiting for them.

 

But such a thought, he reminded himself again, wasn’t rational. For if there was one thing he had learned about HEAGEN — H3s in particular  — was they had little to no impulse control. They craved wielding their unmeritorious ‘authority’ with ferity. He knew that if they had any information on them, HEAGENs’ lack of self-regulation would have already played out with a violent and hasty assault on the rest of their housemates at Nokahme.

 

It was a certainty that put his mind at ease and allowed him to think about other issues that were currently running through his head. 

 

He turned the chair to face where Ash and Raer were sitting, in secondary seats behind the main ones. His attention focused on Raer as he felt a grin curl on his lips as his more intrusive and meddlesome thoughts were presenting themselves as he asked. 

 

“My noggytuck is all abuzz about this whole O’cerne and you thing. Would you be so kind as to satiate it with information?” 

 

“Would you stop reading my mind!” Ash demanded with a teasing emphasis. “I was just about to pry, myself.” 

 

His laugh came out in a burst at Ash’s comment, as he was tickled that they both had the same thoughts. He turned his attention to Raer and raised his eyebrows, imparting the impression that he was waiting. Raer sighed, offered a light smile, and addressed their curiosity. 

 

“Well, O’cerne summed it up pretty well. We caught feelings for each other, and I thought I was in love. I … long story short, I met him during a difficult transition in his life. He and his girlfriend were stagnant and were, at the time, separated. He wanted to work it out between them. She recommended he talk to someone about issues that were beyond their relationship. It was holding weight between them and hurting the connection. He came to Sanctuary and ended up speaking to me. He confided in me deeply private issues. It was all very formal and professional. Then one day, he asked if I would join him for something to eat. I admit, I wanted to spend more time with him, so I said yes. Once the formality of the Sanctuary was removed, so were the boundaries, the inhibitions. He told me he had fallen in love and I … I don’t know. It was nice being in love. But as realities seeped in between us, he made the choice to stay with his girlfriend, as he really does love her. Additionally, it was easier for him in many ways. What his family's expectations were. How his lifestyle would have to change. Being with me is difficult for a host of reasons. He simply didn’t want to give up all he had built. I … I can be very self-pitying and say I wasn’t worth it. And sometimes the thought does cross my mind: that I’m not worth the work. Because love isn’t just a feeling, it’s an action that takes genuine work; my life especially. In that, I cannot fault him for being too exhausted to move with me in this world. His was a good choice. The right choice.”

​

“Raer,” Ash spoke in a mourning pitch as she stood up, moved to hug Raer from behind as she continued. “You sound so sad. It’s making my heart drop and stomach twist. I’m going to say this … I really like O’cerne, so I’m going to offer him leniency while assigning blame. It’s not that you’re not worth it, my love. It’s that he wasn’t strong enough to be with you. Because to me, you’re worth all the effort. I would move oceans for you.”

 

He felt a sympathetic smile come to his face as Ash kissed Raer on the crown of her head, in the exact spot O’cerne had. It was an act that looked noticeably deliberate, as if Ash, in a symbolic way, had erased O’cerne’s kiss and replaced it with one of sincere sisterly love. An action that Raer seemed to recognize as her smile brightened with genuine gladness as she patted Ash’s arm comfortingly. 

 

As Ash returned to her seat, he offered his own thoughts.

 

“Ash is right. You’re worth any and all work. She’s also right, he’s a very likable person. I like him a lot. But yeah … he’s wrong in this one. Especially since he still loves you.”

 

“He’s unioned,” Raer countered. “With a beautiful family.” 

 

“And?” Ash asked in a questioning tone. “Don’t misunderstand. What you’re implying is perfectly right. That him being in a committed relationship is a serious boundary. But I believe it’s very possible to be in love with more than one person at a time. People are complex. Even more so when we don’t hide from our emotions. You know this; love is infinite.” 

 

“I don’t know,” Raer responded with a skeptical cadence. “I don’t disagree with you in general, I know I love many people. But they’re different categorically. Romantic love isn’t in the same category as, say, parental love.” 

 

He felt another grin come to his mouth as Ash sat back in the chair, crossed her leg over her knee, and showed a smirk that eluded her retort was going to be wholly perspicacious. Ash tilted her head to the side and widened her smile as she spoke. 

 

“Okay. Categorically is it? Are you implying that you’re only allotted one love per category? Because I love both my parents, at once, fully and equally. Those are two individuals in the same category that you have ascribed. So unless that is your rigid partition, where only one person per, then my point still stands. Yes. You can be in love with more than one person at a time.”

 

“And you wouldn’t want to invalidate polyamorous relationships, would you?” Porter asked, requesting less of an answer and more of a consideration.

 

“Uuuhh,” Raer breathed out in a sound of defeat. “No, you both have valid points. And this right here is why I always try to push romantic counsel over to other Consigns.”

 

“That’s okay, sweetness. I’m not pointing this out to give you some false hope that he’ll be back. My concern is that you’ll take this to illogical extremes. I know you. You still have feelings. Despite what you say. And I don’t want you to forgo any future potential based on some misguided idea that you have to relinquish your feelings for O’cerne altogether before you can move on. Hence, the basis for my argument.” Ash advised with a voice of compassion. 

 

“No. Those are all valid points. Even if they are damning to me and my more goofy characteristics,” Raer admitted with a chuckle. “But I’m a one-partner kind of person.”

​

“And that’s okay. You don’t have to change that to allow the actuality to be true. Again, I just worry your delineations are far too rigid, setting yourself up for missing out on future potentials,” Ash clarified. 

 

As Raer nodded in acceptance, his curiosity was still gnawing at him as he asked. 

 

“So. Are you still in love with him?” 

 

Raer tilted her head back and forth quickly, as she seemed to be deciding on how to respond. But as a sly grin came to her face, she offered an ambiguous answer. 

 

“I will only say this: I have been told that unrequited love is good for the brain. I’ll leave it at that.” 

 

It was a response that prompted him to laugh heartily, as it was wondrously vague while being clearly evident.

 

“Side quest accepted,” Ash spoke with a chirp. “I will now be taking it upon myself to find your forever love. You deserve romantic bliss. As long as he’s aware that I claimed you first, and that I take precedence, always.”

 

“Oh, Ash. You have no idea what you’re in for with this. And no, I won’t be elaborating. If you want to know more, you can not get an answer from Wayra.” Porter voiced with a sound of teasing pity in his accentuation.

 

It was a comment that brought them all to boisterous laughter. With Porter poking fun at Wayra and the hopelessness it was to procure any information from him. A trait they all knew too well, as well as the exasperation of said practice.