I ended up deciding to drop this story. It's not hitting the writing spot for me, and now that I read my work over I realise just how terrible it is.

I am posting a new work - https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/47750/time-is-of-the-essence

I think the writing is at a much better standard, and it's much more interesting for me to write.

Check it out!

Since RR deems that chapters must be 500 words long...

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

This is not a chapter, please remove the word maximum, dammit.

500.