The ramp dropped with a long, groaning exhale of hydraulics, steam curling out around them. Frost-crusted ground met their boots, the old steel plates of the salvage cradle glittering under layers of hoarfrost. Overhead, the shattered bulk of Haven's infrastructure loomed. Jagged ribs of a station maintenance ring half-sunk into an ice ridge, cables trailing like snapped tendons.

Akiko stepped off first, magitech suit humming faintly, foxfire channels lit with low, restless pulses. The contrast was stark: her armored silhouette flanked by the simpler bulk of the crew's patched pressure suits. Sera adjusted a shoulder strap, eyes scanning the ruin with a practiced wariness; Roran cracked his neck, gauntleted hand flexing over a heavy cutter.

Vashri dropped last, helmet turning to take in the field. A faint sigh crackled over comms.

"Should be Maevi sorting our targets. But since somebody decided to give her a new religion to worship…"

His visor tilted toward Akiko. No outright accusation, but close.

Akiko smirked, ears flicking with an easy arrogance she didn't quite feel.

"Relax. I'll pick your prize parts. Figure I owe you that much."

Vashri gave a short, noncommittal grunt. "Fine. Then get moving. Sera, stay on her six. Make sure she doesn't get clever and wander into a half-collapsed bulkhead."

Sera's responding chuckle was dry. "No promises."

Alright, fox. Time to earn your keep.

Akiko moved ahead, boots crunching over fractured plating. Her suit's HUD came alive in soft overlays: thermal gradients in hazy oranges, power bleed in delicate blue traceries, faint pings of mana resonance like ghost-lights pulsing through the wreck.

Heat sinks still holding charge, she noted, eye flicking to a lingering hotspot. Cap banks intact too, at least partially.

She paused, awareness brushing against the cold bloom of the [Frost-bound Core] still affixed as Equipment. It whispered frost across her aura, cooling and aloof. Useful, but not what she needed now.

System Update: Essence Layer Modified

— [Frost-bound Core] slotted into Essence Layer.

— [Foxfire Heat Augmentation] unslotted from Essence Layer.

— Passive enhancements restored: [Physical Strength +0.3x base]

— Equipment effect removed: Cooling Aura disabled.

— Essence Layer Modification Lockout: 24 hours

Her foxfire dimmed in response, the searing edge softening to a steady, colder burn. In its place, strength surged back into her limbs, her suit's exomuscular weave syncing with the restored augmentation. She reached for a panel, prying it up in a careful twist. The weave engaged with a low hum, supporting her movements.

Beneath the plating, conduits lay exposed, a tangle of Haven's signature runic integrations. Less graceful than the Driftknight's work, but functional enough.

Behind her, Sera let out a low whistle. "That what I think it is?"

Akiko snorted. "If you're thinking conduits hardened against mana off a tier-two Haven ops deck, then yeah. Worth more than your pretty transport by half."

Sera's grin was audible even through her comms. "Gonna make Vashri's day. Assuming it doesn't decide to blow."

She moved on, sweeping her sensors over a collapsed corridor, suit whispering probability overlays into her ear. Roran trailed behind, heavy steps deliberate, the cutter in his grip humming low as if eager to bite into something solid.

For a moment, it almost felt routine. Like her time crawling derelicts with the Driftknight's crew, chasing prize cores through dark halls abandoned by their pirate owners. Only this time, there was no Kara to call ahead with status reports, no Tanya to mutter engineering oaths in her ear.

Just her. Just the wreck. And the knowledge that she was here chasing parts to rebuild something bigger, something she couldn't quite name without tasting guilt.

They worked for hours, breath fogging inside helmets, voices crackling over short-range comms as they cataloged broken conduits and pulled lesser tech. Power couplings, hull segments with intact microfracture seals, a handful of Haven-grade sensor arrays. Enough to fill the bins twice over, but none of it special.

Akiko found herself drifting ahead of the others, following a subtle shiver through the deck plating that her instincts couldn't quite name. Something was different here.

She dropped into a crouch by a twisted support strut half-swallowed by collapsed decking, claws scraping frost off the panel's surface. Her HUD stuttered, then spiked, overlays crackling into a bright lattice of warning glyphs.

Breath tightening, she anchored her weight and pried at the seams. The panel groaned under the strain, metal flexing with a low wail, until it finally wrenched free with a sharp metallic crack. Frost and thin steam spilled out.

Nestled inside, snug against reinforced bracing, was an augmented micro-fusion core. Runes etched deep, faint blue veins of mana running like capillaries through the housing.

Sera's breath caught. Even Vashri, standing just behind, let out a quiet curse.

"That what it looks like?" he asked.

Akiko leaned closer, scanning the faint swirl of energy at its heart, a swirl that danced just a little too intelligently. "Micro-fusion. But mana-hybridized. Haven's been busy."

Roran let out a low whistle. "That thing's worth more than this whole rig. Maybe the Hold. You're not thinking of taking it, are you?"

Akiko stood, claws resting lightly on the housing. Her ears twitched back, thoughtful. "I am. And you're going to let me."

Vashri's voice was dry ice. "Yeah? And why's that, fox?"

She turned to face him, tails curling slow behind her. "Because you let this hit a black market yard, there's no telling whose hands it ends up in. And if they botch the rigging, or try to overload it for fun? You'll be picking molten scrap out of your teeth. If the Hold's even still there."

Her smile was small, tired, but edged with something unyielding. "I've handled these before. More than once. Consider it payment for clearing your scav problem, and for keeping this tub running when it wanted to sputter out in the snow."

Vashri stared at her, helmet tilting slightly. Then he let out a sharp breath, almost a laugh. "You're a piece of work. Fine. But it's on your tail if that thing cooks off."

Akiko just tapped the side of the casing with a claw, foxfire sparking harmless across its surface. "Don't worry. I'm careful."

By the end of it, their breath fogged heavy in their helmets and even Akiko's suit joints ached from cold and awkward leverage. The wreck had yielded just enough to keep the crew hopeful: banks of old Haven sensors, spools of high-grade cabling, a few secure lockers that would get cracked open later in the hold. And of course, the micro-fusion core riding in its improvised cradle like a ticking promise.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Akiko trailed her claws over a stretch of twisted conduit, judging its alloy by the dull ring it gave under her touch. Scrap she could have used, fed it through the Driftknight's fabricator, built the custom bracing she'd need for the mech's repairs. But with that core already weighing on her conscience like a second heart, it was hard to justify. Better to keep this run simple, give Vashri less reason to start counting debts.

Next trip, she promised herself, tails giving an uneasy flick.

When they finally made their way back through the wreck's shadowed guts, the cargo ramp of the transport was a welcome sight. The little crew moved with the slow, exhausted rhythm of people satisfied by a hard haul. Akiko's ears twitched as Roran and Sera worked through the inventory in low voices. Vashri loomed nearby, still vigilant, though the hard edge in his posture had eased.

She climbed aboard last, casting one last glance over the icy plain. Then she thumbed the ramp control, watching frost-dusted metal rise and seal them in. The interior lights washed over them. Bruised, battered, but carrying tomorrow's pay with them.

And then the transport's battered engine caught with a low rumble underfoot, vibrations rolling up through Akiko's boots. She exhaled, shoulders settling against the cold composite wall as the world outside started to crawl by in slow motion. A few muted voices filtered in from the forward compartment: Vashri giving terse directions, Sera confirming bearings.

Inside, it was just Akiko again, the hum of the drive through her suit and the weight of tomorrow pressing close around her ribs.

The transport's cabin was small enough that even a breath felt close. Akiko shifted, letting her tails drape along the narrow bench, trying to ease the tight coil in her chest. The hum of the drive thrummed up through her boots, steady, almost comforting. Almost.

Raya broke the quiet first. Her voice was soft, but carried a weight that made Akiko's ears half-fold back before she even processed the words.

"That core," Raya said. "The one you claimed."

Akiko's jaw worked. "Yeah."

"It's worth a fortune. And you just… took it."

"It's not like that," Akiko muttered, glancing sidelong. But Raya's gaze was unwavering. "You heard me. That thing's dangerous. If it blows because some rust-rat thinks he can wire it to a kettle, it'll take half a Hold with it. I'm the best option to keep it out of circulation."

"That's not what it sounded like when you told Vashri," Raya replied. Her hands were folded, but her knuckles were pale. "Sounded more like you'd decided it was yours before any of us even got a vote."

Akiko sucked in a breath, tails flicking once in a sharp twitch. The familiar heat of defensiveness burned through her ribs.

It was mine. I found it. I needed it.

But then she met Raya's eyes again, saw the hurt threaded through the fatigue there, and it hooked under her skin in a way no enemy ever had.

She exhaled, claws flexing against her palms. "I'm trying to keep us safe. Keep this—" Her hand made a vague motion that seemed to encompass the entire rickety transport, the crew, the fractured moonscape outside. "—from getting worse."

Raya's shoulders eased by a hair. Her voice softened, but didn't lose its edge. "Just… next time, maybe let the rest of us catch up to your plans before you start grabbing at things, okay?"

Akiko managed a crooked smile. "Yeah. Okay. Next time."

The conversation drifted off after that, but the weight of it lingered in the narrow space between them. Akiko let her head tip back against the cold wall of the cabin, ears half-pinned, tracking the slow creep of condensation along a hairline seam overhead. Every bump in the transport's motion sent a tremor through it, scattering the bead into smaller droplets. Her tails settled, though they twitched now and then, small betrayers of nerves she tried not to show.

Beside her, Raya shifted. A faint exhale escaped, almost lost under the murmur of the transport's engines. Then her hand settled on Akiko's thigh. Light at first, as if testing whether it would be welcome. When Akiko stayed still, Raya's grip firmed, thumb brushing in slow arcs through the weave of the suit.

Akiko turned just enough to catch her eyes. The old heat was there, banked under the tired worry, that steady pulse of affection that always left Akiko feeling just a little raw.

"You're reckless," Raya said finally, voice pitched so low it was nearly a breath. "And it scares the hell out of me. But I know why. And I'm still here."

Akiko swallowed. A tiny grin hooked the edge of her mouth, crooked and sheepish. "Wouldn't be much of a fox if I wasn't a little reckless."

Raya rolled her eyes, but it was gentle. "Just be my fox, yeah? Preferably in one piece."

Akiko leaned in, forehead brushing against Raya's temple, a brief touch that let her catch the faint scent of frost still tangled in Raya's hair. "Yeah. That's the plan."

The quiet that followed wasn't heavy anymore. It was simply them, two hearts beating a little steadier now, the arguments put aside, at least for a while. Outside the narrow viewport, the moonscape crawled by in pale shades of blue and white, oblivious to everything these two foolish, stubborn souls were trying to build together.

Raya let out a quiet sound, something between a laugh and a sigh, then rested her head on Akiko's shoulder. Her breath was warm, her weight solid where they leaned together. Slowly, the rigid line of her body eased.

Akiko let her eyes slip half-shut, savoring the hush, the way Raya's hand stayed anchored on her leg, thumb tracing absent patterns.

Minutes ticked by, long and quiet. Their heads rested together, the subtle sway of the transport rocking them in tandem. Akiko felt her own breathing slow, matching Raya's, each exhale drawing the tension a little further from her bones.

It wasn't quite sleep, but it was enough. Enough to forget, for a fragile moment, how thin the ice under them truly was.

The first warning was a sharp crack, followed by a bloom of harsh light that seared across Akiko's vision. She jerked upright, instincts slamming into overdrive, just as a gout of flame roared across the cabin.

Raya flinched, her hand snapping up. Mana rippled out in a hard-edged pulse, a barrier wrapping around them like a cocoon. The heat washed harmlessly over it, but Akiko's heart was still hammering, her ears pinned flat.

"Maevi!" someone shouted, maybe Sera, maybe Jyn, as smoke and shrieking alarms filled the cramped space. Maevi's workstation was a twisting wreath of unnatural fire, colors too sharp to be real, hungrily resisting the transport's sputtering suppressant nozzles.

Akiko didn't think. Her aura snapped outward, a shockwave that set the panels rattling. Foxfire coalesced in scattered motes, tiny, deliberate pinpricks of her will, then lunged for the invading flames. Mana met mana in a brief, violent clash, the foreign fire shuddering under her grasp.

And just like that, it was over. Her foxfire snuffed out the alien blaze in a single, greedy pull, leaving only scorched metal and the acrid bite of burned circuits behind.

The sudden quiet rang almost as loud as the alarms had. Akiko's breath came in short, tight huffs, her claws half-drawn where they gripped the edge of the bench.

Raya's barrier collapsed with a soft shimmer, her hand finding Akiko's again, fingers squeezing hard. Across the compartment, Maevi sat on the floor, wide-eyed and sooty, still clutching the smoldering remains of Haven's mana rifle.

"...okay," Maevi rasped after a moment. "So maybe that was a bit above my pay grade."

Akiko just let out a slow, ragged exhale, tails lashing once behind her before settling. "Yeah. Maybe just a little."

Maevi managed a shaky grin, wiping at her forehead and only smearing soot across it. Across the compartment, the others were still frozen, wide-eyed.

Jyn finally moved, crouching beside Maevi with a medic's practiced calm. Her kit was already in hand, fingers checking for burns along Maevi's arms even as her gaze swept for other injuries. Maevi gave a half-hearted "I'm fine," but didn't resist when Jyn started peeling back the edge of her sleeve to check beneath.

Raya shifted as if to rise, a faint glow already gathering in her palms, but Jyn shook her head from where she knelt beside Maevi. "Don't bother. She needs to feel it, or next time she'll push further. Better to let a little burn sting now than get herself killed thinking we can always patch her up after."

Then the overhead speaker crackled to life, Vashri's voice cutting through in a low, clipped growl.

"Someone want to tell me why my boards just lit up like a fireworks festival? Or why half my diagnostic panel's throwing overload errors?"

Sera's voice came in faint behind him, muttering something about stabilizers.

Akiko exhaled a tight breath, rolling her shoulders to bleed off the leftover adrenaline. "False alarm," she called back, projecting just enough to reach the comm pickup. "Had a… uh, volatile mana discharge back here. It's contained."

There was a moment of silence. Then Vashri's voice, harder now, all captain's steel.

"Keep it that way. Last thing I need is this crate catching fire with all of us inside. We've still got a string of salvage sites to hit before Isvann, so try not to kill each other before I get paid."

The comm clicked off, leaving the cabin in uneasy quiet.

Akiko huffed, gave Maevi a look that was equal parts exasperated and grudgingly sympathetic. "Try not to set off any more fireworks, yeah?"

Maevi held up both hands, still clutching the charred rifle components. "Swear on my favorite wrench."

Jyn finished smoothing a cool salve over Maevi's forearm, the medic's touch brisk but careful. "There," she said, standing and tucking the tube back into her kit. "Lesson learned, right?"

"Loud and clear," Maevi muttered, flexing her fingers gingerly.

The quiet after was brittle, but it held. Akiko settled back beside Raya, who leaned in until their shoulders brushed, her mana a steady swirl of warm reassurance. Maevi kept to her corner of the cabin after that, fiddling in near-silence, a faint twitch still in her hands.

Hours stretched out in the hum and rattle of the transport, the cold plains rolling by outside in endless dunes of frost and scattered debris.

Now and then Sera's voice drifted back with course adjustments or sensor blips, but mostly it was just the pulse of recirc fans and the subtle creak of old metal under strain.

Akiko let her head tip back against the bulkhead, eyes half-lidded, not quite dozing.

Her mind wandered ahead. To Isvann, to what waited beyond it, to the hollow shape of the mech she still needed to rebuild.

And beside her, Raya's breath evened out, her weight a quiet anchor.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.