Tall, slender, snug in a tuxedo particularly fitting for the location, and with a distinctive metal cane in hand, one that has a copper, bronze sheen to it.

One could ignore all these features on this person and yet still recognize him. Frasier’s most defining trait after all, is that his neck is eternally propped up to stare at the stars. The man has shades on, shielding his famously blind and damaged eyes from the light, a simple surgical face mask covers his lower face.

It is by these features alone I confirm T.V’s words, this man is indeed the elusive Lieutenant to Invincibill’s.

What is he doing here? Why is Rey here? What’s going on?

Questions race through my mind, questions without anyone to answer them. T.V stands tall, straightened from his previously lax stature, answering the dangerous presence of the man before him as he steps forward, “You couldn’t have business with my little one here, do you? It’ll be best for everyone if you hopped onto this ship cuz you missed your alarm.”

The chill in his voice is back, but there’s an edge to it, an edge that guarantees violent action at the slightest drop of the unknown. Every word is a threat, or as he’d put it, 'a wise suggestion'.

The mysterious Frasier only moves a step to the right in response. Austin has spoken about this, the reason this man is so revered even though he would be treated as a freak of nature anywhere else is his power, or non-power.

As far as the rumours go, there’s no confirmation that the Lieutenant is a super-powered individual, that is, there’s no confirmation he’s a meta. Other rumours place him as an alien but the overwhelming majority clear him as a man who with the aid of technology trained his senses to extreme points, to the point of precognition.

For the Lieutenant, a single step has been calculated over a thousand times to fit T.V’s aggression.

“I suppose it isn’t best for everyone then,” he speaks in an oddly modulated manner as an old respectable senior would. You’re forced to listen. “I am here for that young man you’ve injured, I’d advise you to step away.”

At this point my attention gets drawn to the door Paige and I headed to, Neil comes out of it with his hands held up beside him and his body stiffly led back onto the deck. Behind him with a large pistol to his head is none other than Austin.

I can tell T.V sees this and is fuming without even looking up at him to check, his leg beside me begins to shake, adrenaline no doubt pumping at how he’s been cornered.

“I’ll blast you and your little lackeys to hell.” He says matter-of-factly, “Take a look around you huh? Want to end up smelling like bacon?”

Thunk!

The sound of Frasier’s cane smacking the deck startles my bloodshot and tired senses, the pain I feel from the gunshot has simmered down. Although by this point alone I know my life's in danger from blood loss.

“That would be unwise, you must know that I am much, much faster than you are. In every little way that matters.” Frasier, the Lieutenant says, “Make one odd move against me and you won’t even know what hits you. Besides, I’m sure you and I can at least agree you do not want to go around starting a war without Steve’s permission.”

A pregnant pause falls upon the deck after he says this, with each second we eye each other cautiously, Rey with his weapon already trained on T.V, and Austin set to execute Neil once the time comes.

T.V considers the threat of war. It’s true, a single clash like this - between one of the most important figures in the respective gangs - can ignite a whole righteous and bloody war. From what little I paid attention to in gang politics, this is something any sensible gang leader isn't in a rush to start.

And Frasier, the Lieutenant. With his face to the sky and covered by a mask, I can’t begin to get a read on him, but by T.V’s trembling, I know he believes himself outmatched and outgunned. There’s no bluffing out of this.

“Give me Neil.”

“Start crawling,” Frasier answers immediately, leaving no room for negotiation.

T.V mulls it over a bit then stops trembling, a decision made. Suddenly I sense his eyes on me and I look to meet his them, “Don’t think this is the last you’ll see of me or Neil. Steve is going to be wanting you even more now that you’ve aligned yourself with Bill and Frasier here, spare us the chase and come willingly...or else…” His eyes trail off to something, I follow them and at the end of it, I find Paige, still sitting unconscious and propped up on the wall.

He looks back and smiles.

With that T.V begins to climb and Austin follows, pushing Neil forward so he can tag along with him.

Once they’re both off of our ship and on theirs, only then do we begin to remotely relax. Austin scrambles to one of the dead patrons nearby and rips their clothes, using that he begins to wrap around my thigh, tying a strong tourniquet around the pouring wound.

“We need to get him out of here!” He yells back to Frasier who hasn’t moved an inch.

The Lieutenant hobbles forth with his cane, Rey making a way for him to 'see' me and heads off to attend to Paige as I weakly pleaded with my fingers that he does.

Standing in front of me the Lieutenant still says nothing, head facing the blue sky I still can’t grab an inkling of what he could be thinking.

Austin yells again, “Sir!”

Frasier shuffles his weight and taps his cane, an action that calms Austin down.

“Whether we help him any more than this is up to him, Austin.”

“W-what do you mean?”

“He’s on his way out of Xoxia isn’t he? On a path Rey, your captain set for him as a way to repay the debt owed for helping out with the operation thus far.”

Austin nods, his eye pleading.

“Then he should get to decide whether he makes it out as is, whether he continues this journey or stays behind.” His tone turns from elderly to diabolic rather quickly as he adds, “And I’ve just saved him and his miss, I’d say he’s indebted to me now, any other favours like carrying him, or even her back to safety will further indebt him.”

“What are you saying!” Austin breaks in, fed up with all the doublespeak, “What do you want?”

Despite the blatant disrespect the Lieutenant doesn’t so much as flinch at Austin's fuming, rather he leans in on me, “I have a job offer.”