Auroris is large enough to occupy a fifth of Myalón’s population. The new jackets are comfortable and pleasing to the eye with the space theme. When it comes to the holographic image of Novennéa though, Lynette is having trouble finding the right words.

The chamber fills with a few gasps. The sight of a flourishing planet draws their attention and leaves them speechless.

Lynette examines every aspect of her new home.

The exoplanet glows with tinted blue-violet oceans and collects over two dozen types of biomes. There are veins of mountain ranges, several spots of active volcanoes, a vast region covered in ice, oddly shaped islands, land structures and sources of water that pulsate different colors.

Two moons revolve around the planet, both equal in size. The one with the name Sarine written underneath it has a smooth cyan surface. The other moon named Flesk has intersecting ridges with black scars running along the top like rivers.

Lynette doesn’t take her eyes off Novennéa. She’s willing to reach out and trace the ocean with her fingers at the risk of embarrassing herself. It’s Zaccur who stops her from doing so. “This planet is going to be your temporary home for thirty dials.”

The Preeminent waves his hand across the planet and the image zooms in closer for an aerial view. “After revolutions of research, we now know that Novennéa is deemed habitable for generations to come. With the situation Myalón is facing, mounting this expedition is of vital importance.”

“The Knyghts Voyage is the one and only option the Chancellor has narrowed down. In order to be fully prepared for planetary colonization, one neytive from each trybe must be present on the planet. We will be monitoring your mental and physical conditions once you enter the atmosphere.”

While Zaccur rambles on, Lynette takes a quick look around the table. The other neytives have their own response and interest for the planet. Some appear excited, several look bewildered, a few share stern faces and one is inattentive.

Across the table from her, a neytive fiddles with one of her three tight black braids. Instead of looking at the planet, she is staring at Lynette.

The girl’s skin is smooth and glossy. Her face is painted with symmetrical black lines and lips colored a black shade. Four pitch black eyes set themselves on Lynette with no sign of light in them. The neytive shifts her gaze back to Novennéa, acting as if she never looked her way a moment ago.

Zaccur draws his hand to the holocard and the image dissolves.

The lights flicker back on and Lynette can’t help but notice she has a grin on her face. She’s the only one with a smile on her face.

“Chancellor Prime expects you all to get along with one another before we reach our destination. She believes that a mere sixteen neytives can guide Myalón to Novennéa,” Zaccur talks with an edge in his voice. “Personally, a part of me disagrees with her. 2’400 revolutions of war, fear, slaughter, betrayal, hatred and death can not be erased in one dial. I can see how some of you are looking at each other. For the sake of the Knyghts Voyage and Chancellor Prime, I will set aside my own opinion and focus on the matter at hand.”

The chamber remains silent, much like when they boarded.

Lynette holds Zaccur’s words to heart and can’t blame him for saying it. Everyone sitting at the table has personally been involved with destroying Myalón. Even though she didn’t do anything, she must bear the weight of her trybe’s past.

Zaccur heads to the doors, but turns back, “Are there any questions?”

A chair scratches against the cold metal floor. Lynette watches a neytive with tousled black hair and caramel skin present himself. The hole in his chest exposes his heart for all to see. She knows he’s the Vitares neytive.

His determination is strong, “If I can ask, why did you decide to lead the Knyghts Voyage?”

Zaccur doesn’t answer for a moment, holding eye contact before he speaks. “Some of us still have families, Vitares.”

No one in the chamber dares to say more. Lynette feels something snap inside the candidates surrounding her. What Zaccur said sliced through them like a grimy blade.

“Before you leave the room and wander the ship, try to introduce yourselves. We still have fourteen dials left until we reach Novennéa. Use that time to become better acquainted. I highly recommend it.”

Zaccur walks out of the chamber, leaving the candidates the chance to talk and possibly kill each other.

There’s nothing to share in a room filled with grudges and fear. Lynette can’t help but feel her nerves coming out of her stomach. In the back of her head, she reaches for the part of herself that’s always cooperative. She won’t let the other neytives weigh down her resolve for the Knyghts Voyage.

Her chance to spark a general conversation is cut off by the same determined voice. “Let us not waste time, shall we?”

The Vitares neytive remains standing for everyone to look his way. His heart is beating too fast, but it doesn’t falter. “My name is Dharunma of Vitares. It is great to meet all of you.”

His greeting leads to more silence.

Dharunma was hoping the others would follow after him.

“Come on. We do not have to make a full introduction,” Dharunma is holding down his irritation. “I am not asking for your favorite food or where you live. Saying your name is simple enough.”

Branton decides to join in. “Nobody wants to say their name.”

Another neytive speaks up, his tail sways side to side and both his hands and feet are planted on his seat. It’s not a language that everyone knows. What spills from his mouth is a string of clicks, pops and trills. He’s speaking in a dead Myalón language.

“Does anyone know what he said,” Branton asks with indifference.

“That is Trillician,” Dharunma points out. “I have been studying Myalón languages for several revolutions. He said his name is Xen and...”

Xen continues his string of bizarre sounds and places the left side of his head on the table.

Dharunma took his time to interpret. “He said he can not wait to get to Novennéa and get far away from Preeminents. That way he can...”

Xen makes a sharp hiss, followed by a trill.

Dharunma sits back down. “I... I do not feel comfortable translating that.”

The neytive with porcelain skin and three braids sarcastically says. “Let me guess. He said something so terrible that we should fear for our lives. Am I right?”

Xen keeps his head on the table, but a wide grin spreads across his face. Seeing his smile makes Lynette want to throw up. She needs things to end for now.

“Maybe we should end things here and get to know each other another time,” Lynette rose from her chair and so did Dharunma.

“I want this to be over and done with. I would rather know who…”

“We have time,” Lynette tells him. “He said we have fourteen dials left. Why force ourselves to talk to each other when there are still issues to be resolved?”

Dharunma grows frustrated. “Are you seriously walking away again?”

Lynette turns around to face him.

A voice tells them both to stop, but neither listen.

“I accepted the Knyghts Voyage. That is enough to prove myself,” Lynette does her best to keep a calm demeanor. “You may think my trybe is...”

Dharunma doesn’t back down. “Your trybe is full of flaws. Nothing but cowards and traitors!”

“I am nothing like my trybe!”

“Yeah, because your parents made the decision!”

Lynette strikes him with an open palm. “You dare slander them!”

Dharunma growls as he approaches her.

“Hey,” they turn to Branton, stepping between them. “That is enough. Fighting on the first dial is not the best choice for either of you. Besides, most of the others left already.”

Lynette looks around to see a majority of the candidates have snuck out of the chamber. Dharunma gets up as well and leaves with an annoyed scowl.

She stays in the Celestial Chamber with Branton and two other neytives. One with four appendages for arms and long brown hair with green streaks stays near Branton. Lynette thinks they’ve already got acquainted when they boarded. The other neytive is taller than Lynette, with curly orange hair that reaches her waistline. Behind her are six transparent wings with light green veins.

Lynette is met with hazel eyes that are filled with excitement. The neytive takes her hand and calmly shakes it. “Hello, it is nice to finally meet you. My name is Samire. My trybe is Aither.”

“It is nice to meet you too. I am Lynette Hydradon,” she feels immensely welcomed by Samire rather than with Dharunma. Her voice is soft and delightful to Lynette, she can’t help but feel relaxed at the moment.

“I think that was amazing how you stood up to him,” the Aither pronounced with glee.

“I can not believe I did that. I never…” Lynette has never raised her hand to any neytive for any reason. Being around the Vitares clouds her judgment. The way he spoke to her made her angrier than ever.

Samire turns her attention to Branton and the four-armed neytive. “It is good to meet with the three of you like this. I only wish it happened earlier and not for something like the Knyghts Voyage.”

“How do you mean?” Lynette asks, confused.

“She is talking about the four of us being Abrimaries,” the other neytive told her. “Hey, I am Trevet from the Sub Terric trybe.”

Abrimaries. Lynette heard that word before, but it's lost in her own memory. The Sub Terric comes over and fills in the gap. “It is basically what our trybes agreed to before the Trybal War.”

She remembers.

Abrimaries were those who resided from the Inphernos, Hydradon, Sub Terric and Aither trybes. Their Preeminents formed a peaceful trade and commute between their isles. Unfortunately, things escalated once other trybes started to turn on one another.

Trevet pulls her back into their conversation. “I am glad we are together like this. And with the other neytives from other trybes. Even though some of them are kind of... tense.”

Branton tries to look excited, while Samire continues casting her glowing smile. Lynette feels more comfortable with this group alone.

This is what Lynette wanted before the Vitares berated her. Let the interaction between them happen naturally. She hopes that the others will heed the same advice. For now, she’s okay with Branton, Samire and Trevet. She’ll do her best to meet with one neytive every dial.

Dharunma will be the last neytive she’ll think of talking to. Maybe never.