The hum of the Revenant’s engines resonated in the hold. Ravik adjusted his harness, eyes scanning the kit laid out before him—spare power cells, knife, rifle. He slotted each item into place without hesitation, every motion tight, practiced. Clean repetition steadied him.

Footsteps echoed down the metal corridor, light and deliberate. Ravik didn’t need to look up to know who it was. Sarin’s voice followed—smooth, just shy of provoking.

“Looking sharp, Captain. Planning to dazzle the insurgents into surrendering?”

Ravik didn’t glance up, slotting a power cell into his rifle with a sharp click. “If that’s your strategy, you’re on your own.”

Sarin grinned, stepping closer and taking a seat on the edge of the bench opposite Ravik. “It’s a valid tactic. Not all of us can inspire awe and terror just by walking into a room.”

“Glad you’re self-aware,” Ravik replied dryly, snapping his rifle into place on his back.

Sarin chuckled, watching Ravik with the same sharp, teasing gaze he always wore, though this time there was something beneath it—something quieter, more deliberate. He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees.

“No guarantees we come back,” he said, softer now. “So if this is it... it’d be a shame to go out without knowing what it’s like.”

“What what is like?” Ravik asked, though the sharpness in his tone suggested he already knew where this was going.

Sarin leaned back slightly, his silver eyes gleaming with playful defiance. “You. I’d hate to leave this galaxy without knowing what your kind of control feels like.”

“You’re incorrigible.”

Sarin shrugged. “You’re not denying it.”

Ravik exhaled sharply, shaking his head as he turned back to his pack. “You’re relentless. I’ll give you that.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“No,” Ravik replied flatly. He zipped up his pack, slinging it over one shoulder as he stood.

Sarin tilted his head, watching him with open curiosity. “Bet you could shut me up—if you really wanted to.”

Ravik turned to him, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Those rumors about the Emperor?”

Sarin blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift. “What about them?”

“They don’t do him justice. He’s way hotter.”

Sarin stared at him for a beat, then burst out laughing, his voice echoing in the hold. “You are unbelievable.”

“So I’ve been told,” Ravik replied as he walked past.

Sarin’s laughter followed him out of the hold, lightening the air even as the weight of the mission loomed ahead. For a moment, the tension eased, replaced by something warmer.

The metallic clang of Ravik’s boots echoed down the corridor as he left the hold, leaving Sarin leaning against the bench, still grinning to himself. He turned his head at the sound of lighter, deliberate footsteps approaching. Rynn strolled into the hold, her uniform slightly smudged with grease, a diagnostic tool still clipped to her belt.

“Still chasing that dream?”

Sarin let out a soft chuckle, tilting his head back. “Can you blame me?”

Rynn smiled. “No,” she admitted, sighing. “You and me both.”

Sarin’s silver eyes flicked toward her, his grin widening. “Oh? Didn’t think you’d admit that.”

Rynn shrugged, her tone casual but carrying a note of resignation. “Sure, I’m attracted to him, but I’m not delusional. At least I know when to quit while I’m ahead.”

Sarin laughed, the sound rich and unbothered. “Where’s the fun in quitting? Haven’t you heard the saying? ‘The chase is half the thrill.’”

“The other half is not going down in flames,” Rynn shot back dryly. “And from where I’m standing, you’re playing with fire every time you go near him.”

“That’s what makes it interesting,” Sarin said with a wink, pushing off the bench and pacing lazily around the room. “Ravik’s not like anyone else. That confidence, that sharp edge... you can’t help but want to see what’s underneath.”

Rynn shook her head. “You’re not wrong. But I think you’re forgetting something important.”

“What’s that?” 

“Ravik doesn’t let anyone in. He’s welded shut.”

Sarin paused, his grin softening. “Doesn’t mean he doesn’t want someone to get closer. Maybe he just needs the right person.”

Rynn let out a soft laugh. “You’re an optimist, Sarin. I didn’t see that coming.”

Sarin shrugged, leaning back against the bench. “Call it optimism, call it ambition—whatever. If there’s even a chance he’d let me in, it’s worth a shot.”

“You’re either brave or stupid. Probably both.”

“Both works for me,” Sarin said, his grin returning full force.

They both fell silent, their gazes drifting toward the door Ravik had gone through. The weight of their mutual attraction hung between them, unspoken but understood.

Finally, Rynn broke the silence. “If he does let someone in, I’m betting it won’t be you.”

Sarin laughed, unoffended. “You underestimate me.”

“No, I know exactly what you’re capable of. I just think Ravik’s playing a whole different game.”

Sarin watched her leave, his grin softening into something more thoughtful. “Then I’ll just have to learn the rules.”