Page 119 of Stars in Nova

Sax, too, discovered a surprising connection. He spent more and more time with Sharin, their banter sharpening into something warmer.

Though he never spoke of it outright, Kisan noted the change in his demeanor—the rare instances of ease that softened Sax’s usual edge.

One evening in the armory, Kisan caught Sax watching Sharin as she worked, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

‘Didn’t even wait two days, did you?’ Kisan said, his tone dripping with mock disapproval.

Sax shrugged, his smirk unrepentant. ‘What can I say? Some of us have charm.’

‘Is that what you label it?’ Kisan retorted, crossing his arms. ‘I call it desperation.’

Sax chuckled, setting down his tools. ‘I dub it efficiency. You’re just jealous because I don’t need moonlit swims to seal the deal.’

Kisan rolled his eyes. ‘At least I don’t come with a vow of chastity.’

‘Fokkchastity, I’m just picky,’ Sax said, grinning. ‘For the record, she doesn’t seem to mind how fast I move.’

Samira, walking by with a clipboard, raised an eyebrow. ‘Are you two done? Some of us are trying to win a war here.’

‘Blame him,’ Sax said, jerking a thumb at Kisan. ‘He started it.’

‘Yeah, put it all on me,’ Kisan shot back. ‘You’re the one who can’t keep your vows—or your mouth—shut.’

Samira sighed, shaking her head as she walked away. ‘Children,’ she muttered, her tone exasperated but fond.

Kisan’s eyes locked on her, his smirk fading into something softer.

The conflict loomed, but he’d stumbled upon something he hadn’t thought possible in the midst of it all.

A sense of found family and a touch of an essence that reminded him of home.

The air above the Thalassa continent shimmered under the afternoon sun, its light reflecting off the jagged peaks that cradled the concealed canyon.

Kisan, Sax, Samira, and Sharin stood at the center of thehollowed ravine.

Its rocky expanse is dotted with vibrant green moss patches and still-water pools fed by underground streams. The mountains around them loomed like sentinels, their dark faces etched with centuries of erosion.

‘This place better be as camouflaged as you say,’ Sax muttered, his sharp eyes scanning the ridge. ‘From the sounds of it, Corilians aren’t the giving-up type.’

Sharin smirked, her confidence unshaken. ‘The volcanic rock surrounding us blocks most scans. Unless they sit on top of us, they’ll never see a thing.’

Kisan adjusted the strap of his rifle, glancing toward the makeshift assessment range they’d set up. ‘Let’s get this done. The longer we’re out here, the riskier it gets.’

Samira and Sharin moved to the testing site to prep the newly crafted weapons.

The designs were sleek and compact. Their smooth surfaces pulsed as the devices powered up.

Sharin held up a kinetic disruptor firearm, its barrel emitting a hum.

‘This beauty can paralyze anything within a hundred-meter radius, as long as it has a nervous system. Crats included.’

Samira nodded, taking her rifle and inspecting it. ‘What about the magnetic fields? They’re stable?’

‘Solid enough,’ Sharin replied, grinning. ‘Try it.’

A sweeping laser arced across the rocky terrain as Samira fired a test round. The pulse struck a distant boulder, shuddered, and cracked as the dynamic force rippled through it.

From the ridge above, Sax let out a muted whistle. ‘Nice. What happens if it backfires?’

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