---

"Five hours! Arrived at the Gate, entered the Gate and parked in the Timeless zone. Cursed Ancients, I am good!" Pilot Lucas Grayson exclaimed, punching the air as the Titans Pillar smoothly slid into the Timeless Zone of the Wandering Gate. The ship trembled slightly, the hum of its engines changing pitch as they adjusted to the strange, timeless environment.

"Bjorn? I'm on my way to you. Tell Tatyana her new handsome crush will be joining you shortly," Lucas said over the comm to the Engine Room, eliciting a grunt from the Chief Engineer.

"Please, I haven't seen YOUR new obsession since I sent Tatyana to the training room hours ago. Now, hurry up and get down here. We've got work to do," Bjorn replied, his voice gruff yet playful.

Lucas chuckled, "On my way, old fossil." He stood up from his Pilot's Chair, his eyes scanning the controls one last time before heading out. He trusted the ship's autopilot, but old habits died hard.

---

First Officer Bella Brown and Doctor Orlova were in front of the door to Nova's quarters, Orlova's expression a mix of concern and curiosity. Bella, however, wore a determined look, her fingers hovering over the control panel.

"Ready?" Bella asked, her voice steady.

Orlova nodded, her eyes never leaving the door. "Ready."

Bella pressed the controls, and the door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing Nova's quarters. The room was sparse, almost barren, with only a single bed, a small table, and a chair. Nothing attracted their immediate attention.

"Great, we're invading her privacy for nothing," Orlova muttered, her tail twitching in annoyance.

Bella shot her with a sharp look, "This isn't about invading her privacy, Doctor. It's about ensuring our safety and hers. Now, let's search properly."

They began to methodically check every inch of the room, starting with the bed. They found nothing under the mattress or in the pillowcases. The room was too small for hidden compartments, so they moved on to the table and chair.

Orlova picked up a chrome plated piece of metal, absentmindedly hefting it while addressing Bella, "What did Nigel want us to look for exactly?" she asked, her hazel eyes narrowing as she examined the object.

Bella sighed, "He didn't say. Just told us to search Nova's quarters and report back anything unusual. I assume he means anything that could pose a threat to the ship or crew."

"'You'll know it when you see it,' he said, I assume?" Orlova asked with a slight grin, her tail swishing behind her.

Bella rolled her eyes, "Yes, that's exactly what he said. The man's a puzzle, but he's our Captain, so..." She paused, her gaze landing on the chrome object Orlova held in her hand. "What's that?" she asked, pointing at it.

Orlova chuckled, "A chrome piece from an EVA-Suit, probably from the white one laying there on Nova's bed..." Orlova replied, turning the piece over in her hands. "But why would she take it off?" she mused, her brow furrowing.

Bella picked up the white EVA-Suit, examining it closely. "But she didn't, she hadn't, she was still wearing it when she and the captain left for his quarters. So why is it here?" her brow furrowed in confusion as she looked at Orlova.

Orlova shrugged, "I don't know, but it's strange. Maybe she took it off and forgot to put it back on again?" Her voice trailed off as she came to the same realization Bella had.

"I'm going to find Tatyana. She should be in the training room. I'll let her know. You get everything you need from the Medbay ready, just in case," Bella snapped with urgency, her tail swishing behind her as she turned to leave.

"Wait, Bella," Orlova called after her, "We should tell Nigel first. We don't know what we're dealing with yet."

Bella paused, her hand hovering over the door control. She knew Orlova was right, but her instincts screamed at her to act now. "The captain knows what he's doing. I'll be quick, Doctor. Just have everything ready, okay?" Bella's eyes were determined, her voice steady.

Orlova sighed, "Fine, but be careful. And if anything seems off, get out of there and come straight to the Medbay."

Bella nodded, "Understood." She stepped out of Nova's quarters, her mind racing. She knew she shouldn't mix her personal matters with a dangerous situation such as this one, but Bella knew telling Tatyana, while still in the training room, allowed her to broach the subject of the former First Officer, Tatyana's mother.

---

Bella found Tatyana in the training room, her lithe form moving gracefully as she practiced with a giant hammer, the very same one Atlas owned. The weapon was massive, almost comically so, in Tatyana's hands, but she wielded it with an ease and precision that spoke of hours of practice.

Bella leaned against the doorway, watching Tatyana for a moment before speaking. "You're getting quite proficient with that thing," she commented, her voice casual.

Tatyana paused, her breath coming in ragged gasps, and turned to face Bella. "Yeah, well, you never know when you might need to smash something," she replied, a small smile playing on her lips.

She rested the hammer on her shoulder, her eyes narrowing as she studied Bella. "What brings you here, Imperial? I thought you'd be preparing for our little... mission."

Bella pushed off from the doorway, her expression serious. "I was. But then, Doctor Orlova and I were tasked with searching Nova's quarters." She paused, her eyes flicking to the hammer. "I think we found something... unusual."

Tatyana's expression changed instantly, her body tensing. "Swell." she said, then sighed, "Well, grab a laser-rifle, you can practice trying to hit me while we talk." Tatyana tossed Bella a rifle from the rack, which she caught deftly despite her surprise.

Bella raised an eyebrow, "You're going to let me shoot at you?" she asked.

Tatyana grinned, "Only if you can hit me. Now, spill. And I'm not talking about what you found. I'm talking about what's been festering inside you ever since we left Sönder." she demanded, her eyes sharp and knowing.

Bella hesitated, her grip tightening on the laser-rifle. She knew Tatyana was right, she had been bottling up her feelings, her fears, since they left Sönder. She had been trying to focus on her duties, on keeping the crew safe, but the weight of it all was becoming too much.

Tatyana saw the struggle in Bella's eyes and hardened her tone, "Come on, Imperial. You're a member of this crew, for now. We're in this together, remember?" she asked, mockingly, to elicit a response, which it did.

Bella fired wildly, the laser bolt missing Tatyana by a wide margin. Tatyana laughed as she deftly dodged each bolt, a sound that was both infectious and irritating at the same time. "You're going to have to do better than that, Imperial," she taunted, twirling the massive hammer in her hands.

Bella took a deep breath, centering herself. She knew Tatyana was pushing her buttons, trying to get a rise out of her. And it was working. But she also knew that Tatyana was right. She needed to get this off her chest, for her own sake and for the sake of the crew.

She took aim again, her voice steady as she spoke, "I'm not your mother, Tatyana," she started, her finger hovering over the trigger. "I never claimed to be. But I do care about you, and this crew. More than you know."

Tatyana paused with narrow eyes. "Go on," she said, her voice softening.

Bella closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "I'm only trying to..." she began but paused as Tatyana was no longer in her sights when she opened her eyes again.

Tatyana had leaped, her powerful legs propelling her into a somersault that landed her squarely on Bella from above. The impact knocked the breath out of Bella, and the laser-rifle skittered away across the floor. Tatyana pinned Bella's arms down, her knees straddling Bella's waist.

"Let's get one thing straight, Imperial," Tatyana growled, her face inches from Bella's. "I don't need your pity, and I sure as death don't need your motherly concern. I've been taking care of myself since I was old enough to hold a weapon," Tatyana spat, her blue eyes blazing with anger. Her tail lashed behind her, the tip flicking against the metal floor, leaving a small dent.

Bella struggled beneath her, surprise and frustration warring within her. Being pinned by Tatyana, physically, was unexpected, but the emotional assault was what truly caught her off guard. She had always seen Tatyana as strong, confident, even arrogant at times, but never vulnerable. Never in need of anything, least of all her concern.

"Tatyana, I wasn't trying to..." Bella started, her voice strained as she tried to catch her breath.

Tatyana's eyes flashed, her grip tightening on Bella's wrists. "You weren't trying to what? Baby me? Protect me? Treat me like I'm some fragile little joey?" Tatyana's voice was low, dangerous, yet there was a hint of something else. Hurt?

"My mother was a spy, Bella, an Imperial spy." Tatyana admitted, her rage building. "She was sent to this ship because dad was always finding trouble. Shortly after I was born, dad discovered this and threw her off the ship. I can't say I blame him. I've been on my own since. I don't need anyone's pity, Bella, especially pity from another obvious Imperial spy, like you."

Bella's heart ached for Tatyana, but her anger flared at the accusation. "I am not a spy, Tatyana. I am here because your father needs a competent first officer, and I happen to be one. I have no ulterior motives."

Tatyana pressed herself against Bella's chest, Bella felt conflicting emotions as Tatyana's large breasts pressed against her, their faces inches apart. Tatyana's snout brushed against her neck. Quick short breaths tickled Bella's fur, as if Tatyana was attempting to confirm her suspicions by mere scent. She moved her hands from Bella's wrists to Bella's shoulders, her grip tightening.

Bella's heart pounded in her chest, Tatyana's closeness making it difficult to think. She met Tatyana's gaze, her voice steady despite the turmoil within her. "Not, a spy," she repeated, her eyes searching Tatyana's.

"Hmm, maybe not. Or maybe you are, you just don't know it yet," Tatyana whispered, her breath hot on Bella's ear as a challenge. She shifted her weight, which allowed Bella to make her move.

Bella bucked her hips, catching Tatyana off guard and sending her sprawling onto the floor. When Tatyana regained her footing, she noticed a small tuft of fur gone from her neck. That's when she noticed Bella wasn't in her Imperial uniform, she was in a Combat EVA-Suit. Her tail, sheathed in chrome metal, had just managed to barely nick Tatyana's neck. Tatyana's eyes widened in realization, her anger turning into surprise. She leaped back, her tail wrapped around her waist protectively.

"Alright, alright. Good move. I'm stealing it from you," Tatyana smirked, rubbing her neck where Bella's tail had grazed her. "But you're still not hitting me with that rifle." She picked up the laser-rifle and tossed it back to Bella, who caught it with ease. "Now, what did you find in Nova's quarters?"