Chapter 7: Arrival
The room grew quiet as the meeting ended. Nach and Oti were visibly displeased with the outcome, but they had no choice but to accept the majorities decision. Tera didn't seem to care much either way. She just hoped whatever came of this wouldn't affect her or her people.
Bastian knew Aztec and Respen were disappointed as well, though they weren't the type to show it. He just hoped they weren't planning something.
Bang!
Nach's fist slammed the table hard, the sound echoing sharply.
"Do what you want. Just don't be surprised when things go awry. The crater at the center of Tarok can attest to how truly evil these Reincarnators are. I will not make the same mistake I made last time," he said, standing abruptly. He stormed out of the room without looking back.
The rest of the council didn't react to his outburst. They rose one by one, bowed to Bastian, and left in silence. Respen paused at the door, glancing back at Bastian one last time before stepping out.
Soon, only Bastian and Tristan remained in the room.
Bastian sighed as he leaned back in his chair.
"How tiresome. Sometimes I miss the days when all we had to worry about was competing against each other on missions. Why did we have to be such geniuses and advance so fast?"
He pulled a jade coin from his pocket, as a faint white glow enveloped it, causing it to float slightly above his palm.
Bastian was a genius in every sense of the word. At only thirty four, his Heart Shard had already reached stage five, Dominion. He had also developed his unique ability the moment he got it.
The power to control gravity.
His elemental ability that came with the Heart Shard was wind, which synched perfectly with his unique ability. He was considered the second strongest Sentinel in the entire Galaxy, and for good reason.
Tristan wasn't far behind. His Heart Shard was already at stage four, Harmony, like every other member of the council. He had never gained a unique ability like Bastian, which was common, but he did receive four elements with his Heart shard instead of one, a rare but not impossible feat. He was a prodigy in his own right.
Tristan just smiled.
"I think leadership suits you well, Bastian. Also, you're the only genius in this room. I just had to try my best to keep up with you, that's all."
He leaned back in his chair, stretching slightly.
"That was quite an interesting meeting, wasn't it, Bastian? Especially the part about the Renegade boy."
Bastian nodded.
"Yes, it was. And thank you for backing me up, by the way. Like always."
"Anytime, old friend. Though I'd be lying if I said I didn't find it quite peculiar. To me... It seemed like you were more concerned about the future of that half-human boy, despite the council's displeasure, than dealing with the fallout from the annihilation of one of our most prized planets." Tristan said, still smiling as he watched Bastian. "You wouldn't happen to be planning something with him, would you, Bastian?"
Bastian's smile didn't falter, as the jade coin danced calmly above his palm. "Of course not. This was merely an emergency meeting to get some things out of the way. We have to fully understand the scope of our current losses to know where we go from here. The Arbus situation could just be settled quicker, so I decided to focus on that." He stood up, brushing his hands together as he levitated the jade coin back into his pocket.
He locked gazes with Tristan for a few moments.
"You know me, Tristan. I'm simply doing what's right, and what I believe is for the greater good. I'm not one for ulterior motives," Bastian said as he walked towards the door.
"You should get some rest. I know I've been dumping too much work on you lately. I'll try to give you some free time, though that'll have to come after we've handled our current predicament." He walked out, closing the door behind him.
Tristan's smile faded as the door slammed shut. "You're right, Bastian. I do know you."
_____________
"Well, how does it feel? I know I'm a little taller, but I think my clothes should still fit you quite well," Bridge said with a smile as he leaned against his room's wall with his arms crossed. He was currently watching Arbus try on some of his casual clothing.
He had been kind enough to let Arbus use the shower in his shared quarters to wash up. Arbus had still been covered in his own dried blood when they brought him in. He didn't think it would be right to let him meet the Sentinel like that.
Yome had just told Bridge to watch Arbus carefully after he suggested it, which surprised Arbus. He had thought she would disagree outright.
The Vanguard ship had landed on Paradis a few hours ago, settling near the Hold. The largest Tower on the moon that dominated the skyline with its imposing silhouette. they were told to wait for further instructions.
"It's fine, thanks," Arbus said, adjusting the sleeves. "I'm a bit surprised you're helping me out so much, considering…"
Bridge smiled brightly.
"Considering what? You just killed a Reincarnator. You should be getting a parade or something, considering how huge of a deal that is. This is the least I can do for you."
Arbus remained silent for a moment.
"Seems like you don't care about the fact that I'm half-human that much. That's a bit surprising for me."
Bridge was unlike most of the people Arbus had known since the day his father was captured. He didn't seem to have that instinctual fear or wariness he usually saw in the eyes of others, not even a hint.
Bridge tilted his head, puzzled.
"Why would I care about that? I'm someone who firmly believes the way you were born shouldn't define who you are if you don't want it to."
He said with an unreadable expression before straightening up a bit.
"Just take a look at this crew. We're all red Mornans, the weakest of our kind.. and yet we didn't let that define us. We still became Renegades and we're still fighting to rise up the ranks."
"Our Vanguard might seem a bit intimidating at first, but if you get to know her, you'll realize she's one of the best Mornans in the organization."
He paused for a moment, then added slowly.
"Without her... I'm not sure where we'd be."
Several seconds passed in silence before Bridge went on.
"The point I'm trying to make, is that I understand what you've experienced. It might be on a smaller scale but I get it, I really do. I don't ever want to be like the people who judge others for the things we can't control. So you should never have to worry about feeling like an outcast when I'm around." Bridge said, smiling brightly.
Arbus just nodded with a faint smile.
".....Thank you"
After a few more minutes, Arbus and Bridge headed back to the common area of the ship.
The other members of the crew were there as well, waiting for further instructions.
Bridge, being as talkative as he was, had already told Arbus a bit about each of them.
Caster, the ship's pilot, stood off to the side. He was a tall Mornan with blonde hair tied back loosely. His chest was wrapped in thick bandages under his shirt, the blast from their last mission having seared through his suit, nearly killing him. He stood stiff and stoic, one hand braced against the wall for balance. Bridge said he always went overboard trying to look cool.
Arya, the teams sniper, sat sprawled in a chair, her flowing dark hair draped over the backrest. She was the only other female Mornan besides Yome in the crew. According to Bridge, she was quite the jovial personality. She was the most adventurous member of the crew and often enjoyed when they got lost or stranded.
Damian, the crew's tank, stood against another wall. He was a towering old Mornan in a bulky white suit. Bridge called him the teddy bear of the crew. He always did his best to look out for all of them, especially Yome, who had a knack for throwing herself into danger first to keep her crew safe.
Trix, the youngest member of the crew, slept with his head slumped on the table beside Arya, his thin arms folded under him. According to Bridge he was the one in charge of managing their tech and equipment. He had a natural talent with technology that could have easily earned him a place in the Renegades Mesh division. Unfortunately, he was not a fan of that idea and was far more interested in being a combatant instead.
And finally Kai, a young Mornan with blue hair like Yome's, sat rigid against the table. His gaze was fixed on Arbus with open hostility. Bridge had warned Arbus to stay clear of him. Kai was the quiet type who usually kept to himself, a habit the team had been trying to shake him out of. The only time he seemed to care about anything, was whenever they had a mission concerning those connected to Reincarnators. During those missions, it seemed like he had nothing but hatred clouding his thoughts. Bridge didn't want to reveal too much about his friend's past so he just warned Arbus to be careful around him.
'How familiar,' Arbus thought with a faint smile. Bridge's attitude towards him was still too foreign for Arbus. He was much more accustomed to dealing with emotions like Kai's hatred.
The other members of the crew barely acknowledged his presence. Their Vanguard had clearly instructed them to limit their interaction with him.
That was fine with him as well.
After a while, Yome emerged from her quarters. She'd been contacted personally by the Sentinel's assistant and ordered to bring Arbus into the Hold.
"Let's move out," she announced, her voice cutting through the quiet. "And remember to stay on your best behavior. We'll be meeting the Sentinel shortly."
The main hatch of the ship hissed open, revealing Paradis beyond. It was a bustling moon, alive with chatter and motion. All sorts of species roamed the streets surrounding the Hold.
This unusual activity was only possible because of the Sentinel's uncommon approach towards leadership. Unlike other Sentinels, he preferred to be closer to the people living on his moon. He had permitted them to build whatever they wanted around the Hold, from homes to market places.
After all, there was nothing for him to be worried about.
The team and Arbus disembarked the ship, as they headed into the busy streets of Paradis.