A blast of wind and rain greeted Mark when he stepped out the door the next morning. Though his jacket would keep him dry, the dreary weather dampened his motivation for studying. Still, a heavy bag filled with study materials reminded Mark of his tasks for that morning, so he willed himself into the downpour to the engineering library.

Ten minutes later, Mark reached Building 10 and made his way toward the library’s lobby. Perhaps due to the conditions outside, few students walked the corridors that morning. Likewise, the library’s main hall was devoid of students, rather than merely quiet, despite the semester in full swing. Just inside the library entrance, Mark saw Regina leaned against a column, staring down at the floor and waiting.

“Hey Regina,” he said.

“Oh, hi Mark.” Regina smiled. “Your bag looks full today. Do you have more work than usual?”

“Yeah, I’m behind on my preparations for a physics exam next week.”

“Behind?”

“Parallax happened,” Mark sighed. Preparations for their battle at Specter, as well as managing the aftermath, had cut into his homework time. While he managed to complete all his course assignments, Mark had to reduce his study hours, so he still needed to prepare for his next set of exams in the upcoming week. Shaking the thought away, he turned to Regina. “You’ve got more coding to do today?”

“Well, I am in CS you know…” Regina pouted.

“I know.” Mark smiled. Before Mark had realized, their Saturday study sessions at this library had become a regular occurrence. Though they shared no classes, having Regina as a study partner helped reinforce his own study habits. “Let’s go?”

The two proceeded past the circulation desk, manned by a single student worker, and through the group study area, which stood empty of occupants. After a wordless ascent up the stairs, they arrived at the individual study spaces by the windows on the eighth floor. Within moments, the contents of Mark’s bag spread over the desk before him, and he sat down to review the exam’s material.

Rotational motion and energy were the principal subjects to be tested. While counter-intuitive at times, Mark knew that the concepts still followed fundamental rules and that he’d be able to solve any problem using those rules and formulae with sufficient practice. He retrieved an old problem set from the physics course site and a basic energy calculation presented itself before him. Stylus in hand, Mark pulled out his notes and began.

Half an hour later, he had completed the first problem set. As he pulled up the next set, something felt off. This place… is too quiet?

Mark glanced around the study area. They sat in the same part of the library as usual, his desk overlooking the same courtyard as always despite the sparse natural light from the windows that day. Likewise, their study area remained empty of other students as it had been all year. Logically, a lack of noise was the norm for the setting.

Mark looked to his next practice problem, still nagged by the uncomfortable silence. The problem involved a spinning object colliding with and sticking to a static one– a problem which matched the difficulty of the prior exam problems. Mark found the correct formula from his notes and teased out the relevant information from the question.

Then, Mark realized what bothered him; he couldn’t hear the rhythmic tapping which had accompanied his studies for weeks. Confused, he looked toward the desk on his left. “Regina?”

Regina sat in the chair beside him, unresponsive and staring at her blank tablet screen.

Mark glanced around the room. They sat in a quiet study area where conversations were supposedly forbidden. However, no one was around to be disturbed. Mark asked again, louder this time. “Regina?”

“Eep!” The girl jumped in her seat. “Oh, Mark… You scared me…”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah…” She glanced down at her tablet and began typing on its digital keyboard. The taps came at a deliberate pace, far slower than Regina’s normal cadence. “I’m just… thinking about something.”

Something? Mark took a deep breath. “You mean Chris, right?”

“And Lindsey too.”

Lindsey too? That doesn’t sound good… Mark moved his chair over to sit with her. “What happened?”

“She didn’t come back last night,” Regina said.

“Did she say anything?”

She shook her head. “I know she stayed with him. He probably fed her lies all night…”

“You don’t know that,” Mark said. “How can you be sure?”

“I don’t want to lose both of them over Parallax.” She curled up in her chair. “Would Chris be happier if I quit playing?”

What!? No! Mark grabbed her by the shoulder. “Regina, look at me, please.”

She looked up. Tears welled in her eyes.

“You don’t have to do that,” Mark said. “There has to be a better way.”

“What way? Chris won’t listen to either of us now…”

An idea struck him, and Mark grinned as he often did in Parallax. “In that case, why don’t get someone he will listen to?”

“Huh?”

“Excuse me for a moment, I’m going to make a call.” He picked up his phone and walked toward the stairwell. After scanning through his list of high school contacts, Mark found the name he desired and pressed the dial button.

Albert answered.

“Hey, Al,” Mark said. “I suppose you’ve heard?”

How much? Mark wondered. He had to proceed nonetheless. “I don’t know if that simplifies or complicates things, but I need some help.”

In contrast to Sid Griffen, who asked to meet in his dominion’s capital, Jazz Anders chose to meet Myles and Sinn at a neutral station just outside the Stars and Bars dominion. Located in the Rainbow Leaf System, this NPC operated station served as a minor trading hub, complete with security rivaling an abandoned barn. Rather than local security forces, it was the station’s proximity to Stars and Bars space which deterred most hostile activities between players.

On their way to the designated location, the frigate Maia arrived at Rainbow Leaf ahead of schedule. Myles stood at the center of his frigate’s bridge and directed the helmsman to approach their destination at cruising speed.

“Sir!” the sensor operator called out. “There’s a group of ships approaching us! Six fighters, Rattlers most likely, and four Wells class freighters.”

“Sounds like a convoy,” Sinn said. “Why would they approach us?”

“They’re going for the gate, probably,” Myles said. Rather than approaching his ship, Myles thought it more likely that the freighters intended to pass the gate their own frigate had just traversed. “Helm, maintain course. Everyone else, stay alert.”

His crew confirmed their orders, and Myles turned back to the main screen. On it, the glowing dots expanded, increasing in size and detail until the ships could be identified by sight alone.

Light escort, he mused. If we’d been on a sweep, the Wraiths would have… Wait.

Myles faced Sinn and found him eyeing the sensors console. “Sinn, you aren’t thinking of scanning those ships, are you?”

“We can take them,” he said. “It’s only six Rattlers.”

This leader of ours…. Myles shook his head. “We have an appointment, Sinn.”

“I know!” Sinn clenched his fist. “I know! But that escort is far too small for all those delivery trucks. Either those guards are all aces or that convoy’s an easy target.”

“With only a frigate?”

“It’s an Aoshima,” Sinn grinned. “Plus, you’re in captain’s seat.”

“Right…” Myles hung his head. While it was true that he would most likely win such an engagement, their current priority was to meet Jazz to explore a potential partnership with Stars and Bars. Having that relationship turn sour would do the Wraiths no favors. “By the way Sinn, did you ever consider they might be S&B?”

“Uh…”

Of course you didn’t. The two watched the oncoming convoy fly by their frigate and disappear into the void. Distraction gone, Myles refocused on the task at hand. “Anyways, about our negotiations today,” Myles said, “let me do the talking.”

“What? Why?”

“So Jazz doesn’t walk all over you like Sid did.” Myles recalled their lack of preparedness when negotiating with the Innocent’s leader and the sense of defeat which followed. Given their weaker position relative to S&B and the need to call an outside favor, Myles had to muster every advantage imaginable.

Sinn grimaced. “Fine…”

After a brief review of their strategy and goals, the frigate arrived at their destination. Despite its small size, a multitude of ships swarmed around Rainbow Leaf station. Given the volume of traffic, Myles assumed they would need to wait for an open gate. However, once he identified their ship and business, space traffic controllers directed them to a bay on the station ring’s inner side. Within moments, their frigate docked at the spaceport.

When Myles and Sinn stepped into the gangway, the scent of spring wafted through the corridor. On the other end, they found a dazzling waiting room with pristine floors and spotless furniture. Large planters with live trees and flowers lined the wall. In stark contrast to the stench and grime of most NPC stations in lawless space, every surface of the area sparkled. An NPC attendant, complete with pressed shirt and bow tie, greeted the two. “Welcome to Rainbow Leaf Station, Mr. Omon and Mr. Theon. My name is Oliver, and I will be assisting you for the duration of your stay here.”

“Thanks, Oliver,” Sinn said. “Do you know what we’re here for?”

“Of course.” Oliver bowed. “Mr. Anders is expecting you. Please, come with me.”

Their group moved through the main station corridor, which bustled with activity. Merchants and traders haggled over prices, pilots and officers purchased supplies for their ships, and their crews reveled in restaurants and bars.

“This place is way nicer than Libra was,” Sinn whispered. “I’ve never heard of service like this before either. Is this really an NPC station?”

“It’s supposed to be,” Myles said. “Looks more like a place owned by Opulence though…”

Their attendant led them deep into the station to a place called the Indigo Observatory. Inside the dim lounge, one man stood by a wall-length window, watching the ships fly by. Upon hearing their entrance, he turned and introduced himself. “Nice to meet you, Sinn and Myles of the Temple Wraiths. I’m sure you know, but I’m Jazz Anders, chief strategist of Stars and Bars.”

Sinn and Myles both shook his hand. “It’s a pleasure,” Sinn said.

“Thanks for taking the time,” Myles added.

“Why meet in a place like this though?” Sinn asked. “You aren’t worried about being overheard?”

“Nothing to worry about.” Jazz ordered three drinks and motioned toward a group of armchairs. “This place will be closed for our meeting.”

So he bought out the bar’s NPC staff. Myles nodded. Sitting down, he recalled the station’s oddly clean corridors, the staff’s awareness of their agenda, and the fact they didn’t wait to dock their ship. No. Perhaps S&B actually bought out this entire station.

They didn’t advertise it, but the influence of Stars and Bars most certainly reached well beyond their own dominion. Myles could only guess at the credits needed to own such a location in everything but name.

“I have to make something clear, so let me get it out of the way first.” Jazz leaned back into his chair and crossed his legs. “Stars and Bars isn’t looking for mercenary help in its dominion wars.”

“Then why are you meeting with us?”

“Why am I meeting with you?” Jazz laughed. “As a favor to Nova of course.”

“Wait. That’s it?” Sinn stared at him, mouth agape.

“Well, I also wanted to meet you at least once, Sinn,” Jazz chuckled. “With all she’s told me, I knew you’d be a funny guy.”

Great. Is that what S&B thinks of our leader?

“But really,” Jazz smiled, “you won’t be getting any jobs from me, real world connections or not.”

He’s testing us. That grin says he’s waiting for something. Myles leaned forward and looked Jazz straight in the eye. “Sure, you don’t need us, but there’s something you want, right Jazz?”

“Don’t we all?” Jazz shrugged.

“Something the Temple Wraiths can offer you,” Myles continued. “Let’s say… a decisive advantage over Black Hole Legion in your next dominion war?”

“And?” Jazz nodded. “What might that advantage be?”

So you want me to spell it out when you already know. Myles gave in. “Most obvious, we have a destroyer which can augment your fleet. It’s not much compared to your fleet, but even one medium ship will changes the math in a way BHL will not be prepared for.”

“Right…” Jazz motioned for Myles to continue.

“More importantly though,” Myles added, “our space marine squad is easily the most experienced in Parallax when it comes to boarding mid-sized ships. If you can place them on board a BHL ship, that ship is as good as gone.”

“Close enough.” Jazz grinned. “From what I hear, the Temple Wraiths, you guys want to retake Specter. I don’t know what it is in that system which is so valuable, but you’re in a hurry and must raise your fleet strength fast. Is that right?”

“Yes it is,” Myles said. Of course he’d hear as much from Nova, but does ‘close enough’ mean there’s more he wants?

“Now, the fastest way to do that is to commandeer another medium ship or two, so you need a top org to let you onto their battlefield, which is why you’ve come to me today. Correct?”

“Correct.” Myles nodded. “So what was the other thing you were interested in?”

“There’s something else I saw in Nova’s recording. Aero used the station itself as a weapon and disabled an entire fleet by doing so. I’d love to get the blueprints of that station.”

Seems like Jazz is someone who prefers both sides lay out everything on the table. Myles would never have considered the station’s blueprints as a bargaining chip. But how much are those prints worth?

With the schematics, Stars and Bars would learn how Aero weaponized the station’s counterbalance asteroids, which in turn would cement their dominant position in Parallax. No amount of compensation to the Temple Wraiths could match the given benefit. Myles shook his head. “Sorry Jazz, we both know that they’re too valuable for this occasion.”

“Thought so. But, it looks like we’re on the same page.” Jazz clapped his hands together. “That makes things simple, and I like it when things are simple.”

“Great!” Sinn perked up. “Do you have a job for us?”

“Whoa there. Remember what I said before?” Jazz asked. “S&B isn’t giving out jobs. Besides, I have no authority to negotiate contracts or payments anyways.”

Sinn frowned. “Aren’t we stuck then?”

Not a contract or job, but something else? Myles thought. “No, I think I see what Jazz has in mind.”

“I can’t offer you any payment, but…” Jazz leaned forward. “When it comes to BHL, you getting what your org wants means we get what our org wants too. As my org's top FC, I can authorize your org's presence in our territory and designate your fleet as an ally in the field. Of course, I’ll give you the place and time through Nova. How does that sound?”

“No payments or contracts. No guarantees. Just an open door of opportunity.” Myles nodded. On one hand, S&B gained the Wraith’s strength at little cost. On the other hand, joining the battle was their best chance to quickly reconquer Specter. “It’s Sinn’s decision, but I have one question. How do we know you won’t just take our destroyer?”

“Nova’s my twin sister,” Jazz said. “Is that enough of a guarantee?”

“That’s not much to go by,” Myles said.

Sinn extended his hand. “Deal.”

“What!?” Myles looked at Sinn in shock. “Just like that?”

“Well…” Jazz gave an awkward smile. “Ever seen her when she’s angry?”

“Uh…” Myles paused. “You mean like when she shoots Alf?”

“Not that, Myles.” Sinn looked him straight in the eye. “Trust me, you really don’t want to see Nova when she’s angry.”

“Wait, Sinn. Was it that scary!?”