“With that said,” Madam Ilya began, her voice dripping with authority, “we have a special task for you, Saiphee. We’d like to assign you with Interstellar Voyager Vantheos for an expedition back to our homeland—Earth.” She paused, a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of her lips, before taking a few slow steps toward him. There was an unmistakable air of calculated seduction in her movements as she reached out and gently traced her finger along the curve of his ear, her touch light yet deliberate. “As you know,” she continued, her voice lowering with a soft, almost playful tone, “it’s been quite some time since we’ve had any direct contact with Earth. And we think it’s high time we revisit... don’t you agree?”

Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer before she straightened up, her expression now taking on a more commanding, almost dangerous edge. “We’ve been keeping an eye on Earth from afar, but there’s something important we need you to find. A weapon—Damsel’s Weapon, to be precise. You’ve heard of Julia Smith, haven’t you?” Her eyes narrowed slightly as she said the name, her tone light but carrying an undercurrent of something far more serious.

She let the silence stretch for a beat before adding, her voice now firm with an unspoken command, “You and Vantheos are to set off immediately. Your mission is simple: find and secure Damsel’s Weapon. Don’t fail me.” The last part wasn’t a suggestion—it was a clear, undeniable order.

Despite the flirtatious air, it was clear that this was no casual request. There was no room for debate, no space for hesitation. Saiphee understood that he was being tasked with something far more than just an ordinary expedition; this was a mission of utmost importance. Madam Ilya’s smirk remained, but there was something darker beneath it—something that reminded him just how dangerous crossing her could be. The choice was made. He would embark on this journey, whether he wanted to or not.

“You will return to Aquila Space Station with the weapon in hand, well before the Founding Anniversary,” Madam Ilya said with an air of certainty, her smile both serene and chilling. Her confidence in the mission was unwavering, as though the success of it was already a given. “I will have Quartz prepare you and  Vantheos for your journey,” she added, her voice laced with both command and casual ease, as if she were assigning him a simple errand. She then turned away, her attention shifting to the sprawling tables covered with various alien anatomical diagrams and specimens, her next words trailing off as she settled back into her throne. “You may go now.”

As she sat back, engrossed in her work, Saiphee couldn't help but feel a sense of unease wash over him. Her fixation on the study of alien anatomy was unsettling in ways he couldn’t fully understand. The way she examined the remains of countless species, dissecting them in a manner that seemed almost clinical, left him with a lingering feeling of discomfort. There was something unnervingly detached in the way she studied the bodies, as though they were nothing more than mere objects to be understood, broken down, and manipulated. The sight of it, even from the distance he stood, made his stomach churn with an instinctive revulsion.

But he couldn’t afford to let his discomfort show. His chest tightened with a nervous weight as he lowered his head once more, giving his final bow before exiting the room. Each step felt heavier than the last, his mind racing with the realization of the task ahead. He had been given a clear directive—retrieve the weapon from Earth, and bring it back to the station. The weapon wasn’t just any tool, though. It was a key, a powerful object that would ensure Madam Ilya’s hold on the station remained absolute. And it was also meant to empower the 8th—who would, in turn, use the weapon to “protect” Aquila Space Station.

But Saiphee knew the truth. It was not about protection. The weapon would give the 8th more power, more control, and perhaps more influence over the others. With that power, Madam Ilya’s influence would only grow. The mission was clear: he had to succeed, no matter the cost.

As he made his way down the hall, his heartbeat quickened. He was filled with a mixture of anxiety and determination. He knew that failure was not an option. To fail Madam Ilya would be to risk everything—his position, his life, and perhaps the stability of the entire space station itself. There was no room for error. The weapon had to be secured, and Earth was his only path forward.

But as he exited the chambers, another unsettling thought gnawed at him. What exactly was Madam Ilya planning to do with the weapon once it was in her hands? What kind of “protection” did she really need? Deep down, Saiphee suspected that this mission was not just about power—it was about something far more dangerous. Something that could change everything. But for now, all he could do was focus on the task at hand.

As the Guards escorted him through the dimly lit hallway, a sudden wave of unfamiliar scents seemed to fill the air. It was a sharp, acrid combination of gunpowder and the lingering smell of burnt charcoal, a scent that clung to the surroundings in an unsettling way. The odd smell caught Saiphee off guard, making him pause for just a moment as his senses registered it. As he continued walking, a man appeared, walking briskly in the opposite direction. He seemed completely unbothered by the guards, heading straight for Madam Ilya’s private chambers without hesitation. This was a highly unusual sight for Saiphee—no one, apart from his guardians, himself, and Quartz, ever dared to enter Madam Ilya’s room. The privacy of that space was sacred, and any intrusion was unheard of. But the man walked past him with determination, seemingly oblivious to the boundaries others respected so deeply. Saiphee found the situation strange, but he didn’t dwell on it. His mind was already focused on the mission ahead, and he knew he had more important things to concern himself with than the mysterious figure.

“Hmph. Looks like you got assigned, huh?” came Quartz's voice, cutting through the quiet murmur of the hallway. Saiphee didn’t need to look to know that Quartz was standing nearby, arms crossed and his usual smirk plastered on his face. It was a classic Quartz move teasing, even when there was nothing to tease about.

“Yeah, to Earth,” Saiphee replied, his voice steady but tinged with an underlying uncertainty. The assignment felt completely foreign to him, something far outside his comfort zone. He had spent his entire life within the cold, metallic walls of the Space Station, his world confined to laboratories and research corridors. He had never set foot on a planet, let alone Earth, and now he was being tasked with traveling there. It was a daunting prospect, one that made his stomach twist slightly at the thought. The Station, with its familiar routines and controlled environment, had been his entire reality. The idea of stepping outside that bubble, into the unpredictable expanse of a foreign world, was both exciting and terrifying.

Quartz raised an eyebrow, his expression turning into one of exaggerated annoyance. “Ugh, damn it... That means I have to pick up your slack in the lab, doesn’t it?” he groaned, dramatically rolling his eyes as if the weight of the world had just been placed on his shoulders. Quartz always had a flair for the theatrical, especially when it came to matters he didn’t particularly enjoy. 

"I guess I'll have to take over your duties in the lab while you’re off playing explorer. Great, just great," he added, clearly not thrilled about the prospect of handling Saiphee’s responsibilities in his absence.

Saiphee gave a small, thoughtful nod. "This feels... different too," he replied quietly, his gaze distant as he considered the task ahead. He had always been the one giving guidance to his peers, the one in control of the experiments and the scientific studies. Now, with this new role thrust upon him, everything felt uncertain. The comfort of his familiar laboratory and his structured life aboard the Space Station seemed so far removed from the reality he was about to face. He was about to leave everything he knew and venture into unknown territory, and he couldn’t deny the mixture of anticipation and anxiety that stirred within him.

Quartz’s tone suddenly shifted as his voice rose with frustration. “Speaking of which, have you met Vantheos yet? That guy is so annoying!” he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air as if the mere mention of the name was enough to make him lose his composure. “He won’t leave me alone! always teasing me, poking fun at everything I do. It’s like he’s trying to get under my skin on purpose. If I could, I swear I’d launch him into space. Imagine this: I toss him out above the Space Station, and the glass from his broken body floats away, drifting into the endless void... Ugh, just thinking about him makes me want to scream!” Quartz’s voice dripped with sarcasm, his frustration clear in every word.

Saiphee couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle, the absurdity of Quartz's words momentarily lightening the mood. As always, Quartz’s dramatic expressions of annoyance were hard to take seriously, even though Saiphee knew there was some genuine irritation beneath the sarcasm. He had grown used to Quartz's sassy attitude over the years, and though his complaints were often exaggerated, there was no doubt that Vantheos had been pushing his buttons.

"Sounds like you really can’t stand him," Saiphee said, his voice betraying a hint of amusement.

Quartz shot him a look that could only be described as exasperated. "Can you blame me? That guy’s insufferable! He thinks it's funny to mess with me every chance he gets. It's like he doesn’t have anything better to do." Quartz sighed heavily, shaking his head in frustration. "Maybe when you're gone, I'll finally get some peace and quiet... though I wouldn't count on it. Vantheos will probably find a way to annoy me even more."

Saiphee nodded thoughtfully, taking a moment to process the new dynamic. He couldn’t deny that the thought of Quartz and Vantheos clashing in his absence gave him a small sense of relief. The responsibility of managing their personalities would be Quartz's problem for now, and Saiphee would have his hands full with the mission to Earth. He knew that leaving the Station would bring about a lot of changes, both personal and professional, and the friction between Quartz and Vantheos was just one of many challenges he would leave behind for the time being.

As they continued walking through the hallways, Saiphee couldn’t shake the feeling that his life was about to take a turn into the unknown. The uncertainty of his mission, the strange encounter with the man heading toward Madam Ilya’s room, and the playful bickering between him and Quartz—all of it seemed to set the stage for what was sure to be a tumultuous journey. Despite his nerves, Saiphee couldn’t help but feel a small thrill at the prospect of what lay ahead. The future was uncertain, but that was exactly what made it so intriguing.

“Annoyed much, Mr. Vireo?” A voice suddenly rang out from behind them, making Quartz jump in shock and let out a loud scream.