New ShipI could barely hold back my excitement as I stare up at the large TorchShip in front of me. What a beautiful beast, and it was my beast to tame. "So, Vivian. What is her name?” A voice came from my left as Calista approached to admire it with me. This was one of the best gifts I could have received from my commander. I fixated on the decal built onto the beautiful ship, tracing how the sun highlighted the crevasses. My heart swelled with pride, I always knew what I was going to name her. "The Sol Invictus.” The Sol Invictus was just as beautiful on the outside as it was on the inside. The intricate regal patterns continued from the outside of the ship, expanding into intricate displays of flora. I daydreamed about how this ship would transform once I was able to get my hands on more decorations and trophies. For now, I would have to be okay with watching my men settle into their new home. “It’s exciting knowing they’re yours, isn’t it?” Calista smiled, leaning in. I hadn’t realized I got distracted watching them. “Yes. I’m so beside myself. I don’t even know where to begin.” There were so many things to go wrong. I was not a natural leader like Calista. The fact I am now a General with a large part of Calista’s fleet under my command made my feet sway from under me. This was really happening. “You are capable.” Calista clicked her tongue, not looking directly at me. “Those under you will be lucky to have you as a General.” My expression soured. “If you say so.” “To be a good commander, your men must be able to follow your lead.” I rest my hand on my face as Calista began to lecture. I knew I wouldn’t get out of one. “You have a fire in you I have not seen in many people. It’s an excellent quality to have.” “...Alongside the fact you really should reconsider not doing well, my goodman. I am your commander and I expect perfection.” Calista pointed out in a high and haughty tone. It made me laugh, which caused Calista to chuckle. How far we’ve come and yet we were still just some kids who met on an island. “No, I gave up some very important people for you. They have earned their spot on this ship just as much as you have. Listen to what they say.” We stopped short from being in front of the cockpit. Calista clicked her boots together and I copied. This would be the first time we’ve separated in years. Even if it were for me to command on her behalf, it didn’t change the fact my eyes started to get misty as my emotions overwhelmed me. Damn it. Screw formalities. I hugged my best friend with the strength of a tiger. I heard an oomf as I stole her air, and shortly thereafter I released her from my grip. “Save that strength for the frontlines, not to kill your friend.” Calista wheezed and squeezed my shoulder as she walked past. Alone in my ship. My Sol Invictus. It would be me they come to for guidance for the final word. It was scary, yet the nervous beat to my heart was instead of excitement as I enter the room that will take up most of my days in the very near future. The room was the essence of the helm. Decorating the walls were carefully carved marble pillars, holding up the walls to nothing. The way the floral pattern continued to show within this room was the beautiful flooring, all centralized to the mark of the Society in the middle of the room where my chair was placed. It was gaudy. It was vanity— and I loved it. I trace my hand along my chair, staring at the tigerskin rug placed carefully in front of it. This was made for me . Suddenly, I heard footsteps echo elsewhere in this room and my heart dropped as I followed the pillars to the controls of the ship. A Blue had made their way in here before I had. She had an awfully lithe build and her short half shaven blue hair was so dark it almost seemed black. I thank the gods the Blue was too distracted studying the control panel of the ship. She must be checking the quality. Curse my luck, she looked up right as I had thought that. She looked around the room, her eyes landing on me. She... She looked so weird. I watch the Blue pull out her personal dataPad, her large unfeeling eyes scanning the information before she directly looked at up me. “Vivian au Liapii. A pleasure.” The Blue slowly got out before she walked up to properly meet me. She was a lot taller than I had expected from the Blues I’ve met in the past. Longer, for sure. “Agnes xe Ino.” Agnes made her salute again. “Your head helmsBlue.” She stared at me with such intensity instinctively I wanted to look away. There was an awkward pause in the conversation as she had expected me to respond. “You must have some experience to be my head helmBlue.” I commented, forcing myself to respond. I did not like talking to Blues; They were not the most enriching conversationalists. It was closer to talking to a wall than a human being. Agnes paused, continuing to stare directly at me as she formulated a response. Creepy. “I’ve been following the ships command for...” She thought. “It has been about 15 years now, domina. ” It took her what felt like an eternity to speak—hold on a moment. She was way too young for that to be possibly true. The dubious look on my face must have been obvious, because Agnes clarified as in an instant she could muster. “I have followed many Gold in my years, do not let your assumptions consume you. You are young and the grandCommander thought me best for the situation.” Grand.... what? “You intrigue me.” I put out bluntly, wishing I had done any amount of background gathering before I had come here. It was my plan coming in, but suppose it can wait just a moment longer... “I get that a lot.” She responded before I continued my own thoughts. “Ultimately, I am here to serve the Society.” Agnes clicked her boots together. “Pardon the intrusion. I was finishing up my calibrations before we begun the preparations to set sail.” Before I could get another word in, she sped past to leave the room. The air this Blue commanded was nothing I had encountered before in midColours... if she were just born Gold she would have been very notable. Calista, is this who you leave me with? “Hold it.” I demand and I watch as she stop midstep in the doorframe. “I dismiss you. Not to mention I wasn’t done with our conversation.” I would not let her slip away so easily. Agnes stood there for a second too long before she turned around and returned. “Very well, domina.” She didn’t seem too happy about coming back, but then again she didn’t seem too happy earlier either. The two of us stood in silence as I lost my words. There were so many ways to phrase my questions but nothing came to front. Who exactly is Agnes xe Ino? “Tell me about yourself.” I eventually landed on as she shifted around me to continue her work on the ships controls. “Did you not do any background check?” Agnes looked at me and I guiltily looked towards the ornate ceiling. “I should have surmised. Well, I am a helmsBlue again.” She started, swiping through infographics that meant a lot of things about the statistics of the ship that I vaguely kept up with. “Eridanus was trusting enough for me to be yours after many years of trial.” She hesitated on both the screen and her words. “...Ultimately I am happy to be back.” I attempted recall seeing Agnes at any point during my time with Calista. Any Blues in memory, even Calistas own helmBlues, were not her. Agnes was so distinct I would have known. “You seem young.” I took the seat next to her, sitting at the edge for this seat was meant for another Blue and not a Gold. “At least—too young for your experience.” I look out the windshield of the Sol Invictus, looking at the teal Venusian sky bleed into a brilliant orange as the sun began to set. Agnes did not respond, instead she opted to slip her hands into a gel patch of the control panel. I watch as she slack into the chair. The ship rumbled, then flared, before quieting down as she straightened her posture again. “What is her name?” “Excuse me?” “The ship.” Agnes looked back at me with a surprising amount of life in her large eyes. “She is beautiful.” She breathed. “Isn’t she?” I beamed with pride, of course the one thing we could bond over is this ship. “I named her the Sol Invictus.” She closed her eyes when I had mentioned the name. Did she not like it? Not that it would matter to me. “She is a very powerful ship with a very powerful name.” Agnes looked outwards towards the sky before looking back at me. “I should hope the one leading her will live up to the name.” The golden lighting pooled into the ship from the window and I watched as Agnes' face lit up. I couldn’t quite place why, but I felt safe with the ship in her hands. “As I should hope the one flying her will as well.” Time was slipping by me again. As much as I wanted to interview this Blue, I can't let her distract me. I stood up with Agnes following my lead. “Well, Captain, I am pleased to make your acquaintance.” I nod. “I have much to work on in here, as such, I now must dismiss you.” Agnes clicked her boots before saluting. She stalked away while I stayed behind. There was so much more for me to do, but the enigma around Agnes would continue to fill the back of my mind for the rest of the night.Chocolates“...Hey.” “Agnes, are you there?” A voice stood out from the hive that was in my mind. The conversations abruptly cut off as the information that once was thought flooded on the control panel in front of my hands. I look to the Gold presence beside me, admittedly confused from being pulled out of my sync. Mentally, I was still attempting to communicate back, visualizing where the ship was oriented. I wa- It was... “There you are.” My commander smiled at me as I continued to feel like I was in a perpetual state of floating. It was a womb-like feeling. “Walk with me.” She stood up and began to walk away, only stopping moments before the door as she saw me stumble out of my seat. She had come back and took my hand, leading me out of the cockpit as the world spun around me. We walked down the halls, as she talked aimlessly at me, the interior of the ship became recognizable again. “...letting that squadron of Greys enter through the east exit was probably the best move I made.” Vivian was recounting as she mindlessly rub her thumb over my sigil. The skirmish was over. We had won but Vivian was good at winning. I pulled my hand back and she looked down at me. I did not like how often Vivian took me from my sync. “Is there something important, domina ?” I ask, knowing the answer already. “Hm? A celebration, my helmBlue.” Golds and their celebrations. I did not understand her insistence to have me present, but admittedly I did not detest it. Though... “A celebration seems unnecessary.” It was the heat of the moment, nothing was planned, and it was too small to be proud. Vivian responded with a soft smile. She knew how to keep me invested. I drew back from the conversation again, but the silence wasn’t for long. I continued my watch on her as Vivian started to hum to fill the air. Being pulled from sync did not bother me as much anymore. She had brought me into a room I did not recognize; it was quaint, if not compact. Elaborate paintings of Gold conquest decorated the walls. There was an oppressive nature to them that fought the elaborate plants attempting to cover the scenes and breathe new life into the room. Vivian let me take the lead as she trailed behind, allowing me to see an expensive looking platter holding some expensive looking chocolate on a coffee table. Puzzled, I look behind me with an eyebrow raised. She was playing with her golden curls around her finger, but when Vivian had noticed my eyes on her, she pulled back her hand. “Surprised? It’s been a year.” Vivian hummed as I approached the table. A year? The chocolate was Venusian in origin, of course. Their cacao was revered across the solar system. “A year since you became my helmBlue. I think it’s important to celebrate those milestones.” I look back up at her, I always had to lift my head to meet her eyes. A year from that? Already? “I had not realized.” I did not understand the point of this, a gift for something that trivial? “You’ve mentioned your love of chocolate before, so...” Vivian trailed off as I picked up the bar, feeling the weight of it in my hand. It was true, it was a delightful luxury I have enjoyed on rare occasions, but I did not remember mentioning that. How often have I done that? Vivian stared at the plants in the room, “So I thought to celebrate, you could have a break and enjoy some.” Her restless hands betrayed how nervous she must have felt. It was amusing to me, seeing a Gold act so shy over something so trivial. Vivian spoiled me so. I owed her a response, but it was difficult to formulate what I wanted to say. I look into her softened eyes, despite the hardships and difficult choices, her values remained consistent. What a rare quality... It is something I had not noticed until now. The air grew stiff and my heart quickened. I had to respond. The words did not come, but my hands moved on their own as I unwrapped the sweet. Enjoying it alone did not feel right, as nice as it would be. I break the bar, the sweet scent of the chocolate wafting around the small room, and I offer the half to Vivian. “Let’s enjoy it here, domina .” Vivian's eyes widened and she contemplated, closing the door that was behind her without breaking her gaze on me. “You don’t have to say that word to me.” She murmured, gently taking the chocolate from my hand and leading me to one of the two seats that populated the room. “Do I not? It would be rude.” I respond, taking the seat as she continued to hover by me. I take a small bite from the chocolate, letting the flavors dance on my tongue as I savored the taste. Vivian leaned into my chair. “It is only rude if I deem it rude.” She pointed out. “No... I don’t think I want to hear you say that to me.” She was close enough for me to feel the warmth radiating from her, it invited me to lean in, but I resisted. “What should I say then?” Vivian hummed. “Vivi.” She said cheekily. “I do not do nicknames.” I remind her, kicking my leg up. “I think it is ridiculous, Vivi.” The noise she made would make you believe she had won the war. “These are the moments I live for.” Vivian sighed, slumping more onto the back of the chair. “Just... being able to talk to you like this.” She watched me as I took another bite of the chocolate; she was watching how I chew. I did not pay any mind to the attention. In fact, I found myself basking in it. “Am I your favorite Blue?” I ask. She was my favorite Gold. “You’re my favorite.” She responded, tilting her head to look at me at a different angle. “Just in general?” “Yes.” “What an odd favorite to have.” “What can I say? I like odd things.” She hummed. I did not enjoy speaking; it was never an activity I had thrived in... but, with Vivian, she had found a way to make it enjoyable. She made it easy. “You haven’t had any of the chocolate.” I comment. “This is too good to be true, am I being poisoned?” Vivian laughed, vehemently denying such an accusation. I break off a piece and offer it to her. Instead of taking it with her hand, she surprises me by taking it directly with her mouth to eat. I watched her and she watched me. Silent words were shared as we continued to passively snack. Inside this room, all of our stress and all of our worries, none of it mattered. It was just me. It was just her. “If only it were like this all the time.” I found myself murmuring to her before it was even a thought in my mind. Vivian was quiet. “I wouldn’t mind if it was. If we survive... this.” She gestured vaguely around her. “Maybe it could.” I turn my body towards her. “What are you saying?” I gasped. She can’t. It would ruin her life. Vivian shifted so her gold eyes locked mine. “Agnes. I love you. I want to learn everything about you. This past year you have shown me who I want to be. I can’t imagine a future without you by my side.” She held my hands, squeezing them as her emotions came to front. “I don’t care about what anyone else has to say. Will you stay by my side?” There was so many things that could go wrong. “I want to survive.” The future is always uncertain, it is something you cannot prevent. “...and I want to see you next to me when the stars climb over the horizon.”