Under a magenta sky, tall sandblasted mirrors reflected silhouettes of two hooded women. One in a black cloak, the other in white. They were crossing the desert of contorted, glass statues of various aliens.

"In the night, everything is always so clear." - The white figure spoke, hissing, it was natural to her. She looked at the sky with her crimson, slit pupils. Thousands of star-like objects twinkled dimly, but their lights faded, one by one.

“...” - The black silhouette remained silent.

“What a sight to behold, lights of a metropolis... strangled by the waves of sentient goo. No wonder, that he is the second in command.”

“...”

“Julie, you ought to be more talkative.”

“Don't use my deadname.” - Julie warned.

“Ugh. Why are you so unapproachable? Cheer a little!”

“...”

“Uh, uh. I understand, we're not friends!” - The girl in white crossed her arms and turned her head away from her companion, resentfully.

“Focus.”

“You might outrank me, but it's not a reason to boss me around!” - She hissed angrily. - “You know, If you were a little bit more empathetic person and asked nicely, we could merge our fleets.”

“No.”

“No? Just no? Don't leave me so heartbroken!”

“...”

“Fine, deal with witch's incursion on your own! I'll patiently wait until our little bunny comes begging for rescue.”

“I would rather die.”

With a sly grin, the girl in white responded. - “There are fates worse than death.”

“...”

“Aren't you even a little scared? A delicate girl, like you... with her little traumas... will surely become her new favorite plaything.”

“...”

“Ow, ow! Miss act tough!! You won't understand until it's too late.”

“...” - The girl in black sighed and removed her hood. She crouched and put her rabbit ears close to the sand. They wiggled slightly.

Seeing her, her companion blushed and uttered a silent. - “...so cute.”

“Stop. I can hear you.”

The blush turned into beetroot-toned abashment. Julie stood up, as stoical as always, and responded. - “It's under us. Prepare.”

“Uh... uh! Of course...”

A few minutes passed and the earth began to tremble and mound up, shoving mirrors and glass statues aside. From the depths underground, in a burst of sand, emerged a gargantuan worm, ready to devour both travelers, but just before its maw reached them, the figure in white removed her hood, revealing her snake hair and albino scales. She looked the worm in the eyes, and in a single moment, the beast became nothing but a figure memorized in the glass.

“Is it the last one?” - The gorgon asked.

“Should be.”

The gorgon was all smiling. - “That will halt the advance of the pestilence!”

“Perhaps.”

“I can't wait to return home and binge-watch new episodes of Slime Rancher.”

“...”

“Uhm... you're of course invited to listen.” - The medusa shyly muttered.

“I'll pass.”

“Mm...” - With a sad face, the gorgon drilled her foot into the sand. - “...what about your break, any plans?”

“I don't take vacations.”

“That's definitely not healthy! Come on, at least grab a drink with me, chill out a little!”

“Will it make you stop pestering me?”

“You... you would agree?” - Gorgon's eyes opened wider, in shock.

“I didn't say yes yet. I just want the official channel to be uncluttered by your invites, appreciation, and ugh... signs of affection. For a month, at least.”

“Does that mean...!?”

“Can you endure that long?”

Instead of confirming, the medusa jumped to entrap Julie's neck between her arms, but the rabbit girl nimbly moved aside and her companion just landed in the sand.

“Ugh! Julie!!!”

“Your fault.”

[ . . . ]

“Good evening, Lloyd.” - Julie spoke to a little barrel-shaped drone behind the bar. - “I'll have the usual.”

The small robot bartender spun around happily, connecting tubes at its back to a steel cylinder behind. An orange liquid poured out of its tap-like arm, straight into Julie's glass.

“I'll have what she has!” - Gorgon replied with a wide smile.

She peeked at Julie, who didn't bother to wait and steadily emptied her drink. The gorgon patiently waited until Lloyd stops pouring, then took a big sip and winced. - “My... my throat. It's not carrot juice!!!”

Julie finished and lifted two fingers to signal that she would like another shot. - “Carrot juice? What's next... water? Do I have to remind you whose idea it was to 'quote' – grab a drink?”

“Julie! But I wouldn't think you would try to outright kill me!!”

“Kill you, cupcake?” - Julie chuckled. - “You're too harmless.”

“I can show my fangs!” - The Gorgon blabbered incomprehensibly, joking, with an index finger stuck lifting her upper lip.

“Hah? Prove it then.” - Julie, on the other hand, responded rather seriously.

The gorgon was initially taken aback, but reacted quite quickly, grabbing her drink and gulping down its contents in one go. She steeled herself, to not show any hints of weakness.

“Oh, how adorable. Our cute, little reptile believes she can impress us by adhering to the guest codex.” - Julie mocked her, with her finger drawing circles on the edge of her glass.

The gorgon pouted. - “You're so mean!”

“Quite the opposite. I'm kindhearted today.” - Julie emptied her glass and gestured to Lloyd to keep pouring.

The medusa didn't want to stay behind, she also gulped down the alcohol and shouted eagerly. - ”Lloyd, next!”

“Slow down, my lady.” = Julie warned with a sly, lengthy smile. - “There is absolutely no need to prove yourself.”

“Ohh, the bunny is afraid to drop first!” - The albino medusa tried to copy Julie's demeanor, but it felt short due to her over-exaggerated sarcasm.

Julie just silently and calmly poured the drink down her throat. The gorgon, on the other hand, followed the suit, heavily swinging her arm, then putting an empty glass on the counter with a loud thud.

“...you do really try to challenge me, was I that bad of a f...” - She paused, there was a hint of nostalgic sadness in her voice. - “...host, Alya?”

Alya didn't sense the change in Julie's tone, but she did notice that Julie used her name for the first time.

“Huh?” - She was positively surprised, her face lit up with a playful smile, delicate dimples appeared on her cheeks, and her white tail started to snake with confidence. - “Of course, you were terrible!”

“Who would've thought... but I'll be sure to make it up for you.” - Julie ordered two drinks and passed one to Alya. - “Drink freely, I never doubted your resolve.”

Upon hearing Julie's quiet surrender, or rather – a request of compromise, Alya's overconfidence shot through the roof. She wouldn't let it go. - “Ohohoho... no, no...” - She waved her index finger. - “We can only settle it one way.” - Alya consumed another shot, even before Julia touched her glass. - “...and I'll let you know, that your little reptile is going to devour you.”

Julie just smirked, lifting her glass. - “If that's what you want...”

[ … ]

Alya woke up, without any memory of last night. She shifted in the bed, her pupils adjusting to the dim light of the red dwarf behind the spaceship's window. She quickly noticed that something was wrong, she wasn't in her room and she was without clothes.

Alya immediately sat, covering herself with sheets and blushing.

“Mmm...” - Julie's sleek silhouette bathed in the sunlight, she was buttoning her shirt, with her back turned to Alya. - “You can stay in bed, I'll make us a coffee.”

Alya couldn't muster out even a word, but Julie paid no attention to it. She kissed the reptilian girl on the forehead and moved outside.

Only when Julie was gone, Alya had realized in fullness what really had happened. She rapidly moved out of bed, dressed up, and ran outside.

She hastily passed the hallway with a bar, and without making eye contact uttered... - “Good morning, Lloyd.” - ...then passed the steel door to the kitchen, where Julie was standing. - “Uhm...” - She started timidly, playing with her hands. - “...about yesterday...”

“Yes?”

“I crossed some boundaries... it wasn't supposed to happen.”

“Huh? What exactly wasn't supposed to happen?”

“Everything. Drinking, remarks, challenging you. I... I'm sorry, higher captain.” - She bowed her head.

Julie just laughed it off. - “What got into you out of a sudden?”

“You know... captains... aren't supposed to...”

“Have fun?”

“...fun?” - Alya was visibly confused, and hurt inside.

Julie approached Alya with a smile as sly as never before and wrapped arms around her waist. - “Exactly.”

“...but I thought... between us...” - Alya muttered hesitantly.

Julie just pushed her lips against Alya's. After a long kiss, adding - “...what's between us, stays between us. Understood?”

Alya was still a bit dizzy, but her doubts vanished. She nodded, feeling secure in Julie's embrace.