Inside an empty, doorless, wooden room, with only a couple of windows on one side, stood Maria. She leaned against the wall and peered through said window. Through it, she could see the hull of the boat she resided in as well as several others that marred the view of the vast open sea.

‘What’s taking her so long?’ she muttered to herself.

As if her question got answered, one of the boats began moving. The oars swayed and guided it until it aligned parallel with Maria’s ship. Then the opposing boat grew from the middle like a tumour. The wood twisted into a tunnel and expanded sideways until it reached her ship, connecting the two vessels into one being at a point right underneath Maria.

All of a sudden, the floor began to collapse under itself in one corner of the room. It degraded, revealing a set of stairs underneath. It wasn’t soon until the sound of steps echoed from the hole; a light series of taps that culminated in a short woman clad in white emerging from them.

‘Good day Anasta, my dear. Have I kept you waiting long?’ the Xernim-user greeted.

‘You’re on time but I did expect you to arrive earlier, Diana,’ Maria responded.

‘Apologies but it so happens that I encountered the “child” you spoke of and got a little carried away with my assessment of him,’ Diana curtseyed before making her way to the centre of the room. ‘I must admit, he is an interesting fellow, to say the least.’

‘He is a manush after all.’

‘That is beside the point. He is like the ones I’ve seen yet he does not belong to the same treatment of his kind.’

‘Ah, I get what you mean,’ Maria looked at the ground.

The Xernim-user didn’t carry on the conversation. Instead, she knelt and pressed her tiny hands against the floor. A series of events happened, all involving the wooden room growing in various ways. First, the ship covered up the exposed staircases as if they didn’t disappear at all. Second, vines overshadowed the windows, leaving mere slits for light to enter the room. Last of all, several columns of wood sprung from the floor. They grew, conjoining at certain points and dispersing at others until two chairs, one tall and one short, and a round table could be distinguished.

‘Take a seat, Darling,’ Diana smiled.

‘Thank you,’ taking up the offer and pulling up the shorter chair.

‘I realise that we both value our time, so shall we forgo the chit-chat for the time being?’ Diana took up the taller seat.

Maria could only nod. She couldn’t respond otherwise despite the suggestive nature of how Diana spoke. That’s how squadron O’s leader always spoke after all. Not that it made it sound any less weird.

‘Actually, before that, how is she?’ Maria questioned. ‘How’s my sister?’

‘Maria Artemis is doing just fine. Tasted purple for a long while but now is a splendid turquoise,’ the Xernim answered.

‘I hate it when you talk in colours,’ Maria rolled her eyes and leaned back into her chair.

‘Ah but, my dear, how else am I meant to convey how I feel when you humans can’t comprehend what we experience? It’s like having you explain what the colour blue means to a blind person,’ Diana’s grin widened to show off her toothless mouth.

‘Regardless, does this mean you can give the reins over to her any time soon? It’s been too long since I’ve spoken to Artemis.’

‘That I cannot do. Not until she’s a healthy blue.’

Maria’s head dropped at that. ‘Ok, that’s fine. Moving on, what’s the situation with AAA?’

Diana placed her hand on the table once more. It turned into a myriad of patterns made up of several shades of brown before it settled down into a large circle, smaller light circles huddled together in the centre and an even smaller one, with a different shade of brown altogether, off to the side.

‘I have to say, you joined my squadron at just the right time. We ought to prepare for war soon enough,’ Diana announced, pointing a spindly finger at the lone circle. ‘We got a dummy ship surveying the situation on the side. It must have already made contact with one of the enemies’ ships. All we need is a confirmation. From there we’ll comprehend their intentions.’

Maria leaned over the makeshift map, analysing the plans as well as the situation she found herself in. ‘Is it really ok to sacrifice this one ship like that? What about the people?’

‘They are traitors and criminals. Their lives were forfeit the moment they disobeyed what was made easy for them. Our people don’t take those types of people lightly.’

‘I disagree,’ Maria crossed her arms.

‘Then we are at an impasse. Though I have to say that your concerns came at a tardy date,’ Diana’s wooden smirk receded into a frown.

‘Is their crime really that bad that you send them off to their deaths?’ Maria frowned as well. ‘Is their life meaningless because you chose to?’

Diana cackled a hoarse cackle that didn’t sound human at all. Like an undead with half their vocals rotted away, she made the most trivial of activities more disturbing than it should be. ‘Anasta, my dear, are you afraid that I would forgo your people like that? Perhaps that is what you are insinuating? Worry not, I do not impose my morals on foreigners. It is a punishment befitting of those who chose my people’s way only to betray it! Who are you to bring your morality onto my people who share the same mindset? Lest you forget how the MBP operates and brainwashes its children too.’

‘That is not what I meant,’ Maria gritted her teeth.

‘Oh, I understand that fully well. However, the premise still applies,’ Diana stopped there, got off the chair then began walking. With each step, the Xernim grew in height, all four limbs expanding until she overshadowed Maria. Her face deformed into a monstrosity that resembled nothing like a human. ‘We merely share the same goal, Anasta. You might have set in motion the chain of events that will lead us to that goal but I am still the one in charge. I may be tolerant but you know how little I like insubordination. Compromising is the least you could do.’

‘Yes, ma’am,’ Maria remained unfazed.

‘Good,’ the wood eroded back to Diana’s normal looks and height. ‘All that’s left is to await the news of our vessel. Before that, I’ll have your squadron shaped into naval-battle-ready. Any queries?’

‘No,’ Maria wanted to say something but held back her tongue as she watched squadron O’s leader lead her out of that exit-less room. It simply wasn’t worth the hassle.