VEYRA: "Kiro, time to test my suit on you. I want to see how far it can go."
Kiro: "I don't know about this spar. But you're a lady no offense."
Aurora: "I take offense. I might not have muscles, but I'm agile. And I have a staff. Also bigger bounty."
Kiro: "Okay, good point. But really, I'm already jealous."
Veyra starts dragging Kiro outside. VEYRA: "Don't worry. I'll hold back. And if I recall, we had this same chat before and I won with my brain."
Outside
They step into a nice open area, made for sparring. The ground is packed dirt, flat and wide. A few wooden posts mark the edges. The sun hangs overhead, warm but not punishing.
Aurora follows, staff in hand, ready to watch.
Kiro: "Okay. Just light spar. Let's see. And Aurora you're the ref."
VEYRA: "I won't use guns. Kinda cheat at hand-to-hand."
Both drop into their stances. Kiro's is loose, relaxed almost lazy. Veyra's is tighter, coiled, her suit humming faintly as it shifts with her movements.
Aurora: "Fight."
The Spar
Both dash toward each other.
Veyra fakes a full-speed charge, then a dead stop at the last second. Kiro braces to block... but nothing comes from the front.
Then from behind.
Veyra's kick lands against his side. The suit amplifies her speed she's already behind him before he can turn. He stumbles sideways, caught off guard.
Quick motion.
Kiro twists to face her. Veyra throws a quick punch. Kiro catches it just in time. His palm meets her fist. The impact sends a small gust of wind rippling outward, kicking up dust.
On autopilot, Kiro follows through with an uppercut.
Veyra barely dodges the punch grazes her hair. She kicks off the ground, does a backflip in mid-air, then leaps high over Kiro's head.
Behind him again.
Another fast twist from Kiro. He sees the kick coming. Sees the punch. Blocks both, but the force shoves him backward, boots scraping the dirt.
VEYRA: "Seems like I'm keeping up."
She's breathing harder now, but smiling.
Kiro dashes forward. Veyra dashes too then drops low, sweeping her leg. She trips him.
Kiro stumbles, but recovers fast pushing off the ground and dashing back to reset.
He holds up a hand.
KIRO: "Okay. I give up." He shakes his head. "I know where I stand now. Nice suit. It's as fast as you but strength? No. You're stronger."
VEYRA: "Sorry about the uppercut."
KIRO: "That was instinct. So you're keeping up. Not on my level or Raiji's but you're there. With the technology."
VEYRA: "Technology is cool."
Aurora: "That's my expert work."
She grins, tapping her staff against the ground.
They prepare to leave for the next city.
They load up the airship food, gas, fuel, and batteries. Crates are stacked near the ramp, and the crew moves with purpose. No wasted motion.
Kiro carries two batteries one in each arm. The weight pulls at his shoulders, but his face stays calm.
Raiji carries one, gripping it with both hands.
Kiro: "Having trouble with that battery, Raiji?"
Raiji: "Cheater. You have that Cube."
They load the last of the supplies. The ship hums, engines warming up.
VEYRA: "We're all set. That's about it. But I have a feeling this adventure is going to go bad so we prepare extra. Full crew this time."
Kiro: "What about the village?"
Raiji: "They'll be okay. I trained them well. They're sandworm level but it takes ten of them to take one down. So they'll do fine."
Aurora: "And I removed the tracker from the army base. They're off the grid."
Village Stats
Status: Broken village → Small village
Wealth: 100 credits
Under maintenance
Kiro: "Just notes our little village is broke. They've got no money."
They leave.
The airship takes off, engines roaring as it lifts above the treetops. The village shrinks below them wooden homes, the well, the dojo, the workshop. Soon it's just a speck.
Headed for Aquanova.
On the ship
VEYRA: "Okay, crew. Main thing we need someone to build pipes. So we ask around. Shops. People."
Six hours later.
Midday.
Kiro: "We're here. Finally. Long drive that was."
They land on a landing platform.
Below them a massive round city suspended over a huge lake. Water stretches in every direction, deep blue and endless. The city sits above it all, held up by something unseen. Land surrounds the lake on all sides but the city itself floats.
Jets keep it up. Constant hum of engines, thousands of them, working in unison. Steam rises from the water below, mixing with the city's exhaust.
Kiro looks out the window.
Kiro: "Big round city over a huge lake. Surrounded by land. City above."
He pauses.
Kiro: "Jets keep it up."
VEYRA: "Let's split up. I spend too much time with you two and never spend time with a fellow girl. Good luck, boys."
She points a finger at Kiro.
"Remember the job find someone to do plumbing."
Kiro: "Got it. We find someone strong to fight."
A pause.
Kiro: "No. Plumber."
Raiji shakes his head as they start walking away.
Raiji: "Got it. Strong swordsman," he says, mocking Kiro. "She said plumber."
Aurora: "A plumber, Raiji."
The two groups part ways. Veyra and Aurora head down one street, already talking quietly. Kiro and Raiji go the other.
Kiro and Raiji walk down the street.
The city of Aquanova hums around them canals of blue water cutting between white stone buildings. Bridges arch overhead. Steam rises from vents in the ground. The air smells like fish and engine fuel.
Then they see it.
A big church. White walls. Tall windows. Golden trim on the doors.
Some beggars sit near the entrance, heads bowed. A pastor walks past them and tosses a coin—one silver, glinting in the sun. He looks their way. Smiles.
He wears full white. Clean. Untouched.
Kiro: "Is that a church?" He squints. "But not time to watch. We're on a job right now."
A random assistant pastor walks up to the main pastor, exchanges a few quiet words, then turns and walks toward Kiro and Raiji.
Assistant Pastor: "Hi. You two are new. Come to this church? We welcome all."
Raiji: "No, man. We're busy. Unless you got strong swordsmen or something. We ain't going."
Assistant Pastor: "Too bad. We have a lot of strong men coming to our place for repentance." He tilts his head. "But I see on your faces you two seem busy."
He starts to turn away.
Kiro: "Wait." He scratches his chin. "Strong? We'll go. Just for an hour."
The assistant pastor stops. Looks back.
Small smirk.
Assistant Pastor: "Of course. Follow me."
He walks ahead. Kiro and Raiji exchange a glance then follow.