As the trucks began to depart, the sound of rotors roared overhead as the shadow of Solomon’s personal gyrocarrier passed. Luna walked towards the clearing where the iron flying machine landed.

Aspana, or the Iron Nation, was known for two things: devastating machines and iron. And the Gyrocopters represented their mastery of both. Gyrocopters are usually short metal airborne ships with one steam rotor at the top, a short tail with fins, and can only seat two people; the driver at the front and the gunner, who mans the cannon on its back. Solomon’s gyrocarrier was ten times the size of a normal one and much better fortified with thick iron plates. The body was much longer and more spacious, and it had long wings supported by two massive rotor steam engines on each end that kept it afloat.

Aspana's gyrocopters are a sign of Aspana’s mechanical dominance, and its aircraft are a trade secret of its nation. In turn, Solomon’s gyrocarrier was a status symbol that showed how deep the syndicate’s influence all over the continent was.

Luna made it past the crowd of onlookers who gawked. The residents clearly had never even seen a flying machine in their lives, but now watched this mechanical marvel land near their quiet mountain town. Past the crowd, Solomon and Shinaki were at the centre of the group. To his right, Gerwulf stood beside him while she wore her mechanical arms, which made her seem larger than any of them. Filias looked even smaller as he stood next to Solomon’s left and barely even stood past his kneecaps. Max, who savoured the attention of onlookers, posed for some young women at the edge of the crowd, who swooned right back at him.

The sound of the massive engines roared as the noise they made blocked all sound with a deafening chuff and thump, but once the gyrocarrier landed, it slowed down and the sound of the rotor softened as well.

“Ah, there you are. I was afraid we were going to leave without saying goodbye.” Solomon greeted Luna as she arrived, just in time.

“I was caught up with a few things, but you know I wouldn’t miss sending you off.”

The back of the gyrocarrier opened and men that wore well-fitted suits and were armed with rifles got out and greeted them. Once Solomon gave them a nod of acknowledgement, Filias and Shinaki began to board the aircraft.

“I wish you would reconsider joining us.” Solomon said as both of them watched Max begin to board. He waved goodbye to Luna, who also waved back.

“I get sick easily flying in your carrier, Solomon. You know that.”

“Not that. I mean, you join the Syndicate. If you did, you can take my place as its head, and I can finally retire from this business.”

“Hard pass. That’s the hole you made. Besides, I think we all know what happened the last time I was in charge of a group of people.” Solomon chuckled at Luna. He gave her entire arm a firm handshake and began to board as well.

“You’ll be a great father, Solomon!” Luna yelled at him as the engines roared again to life.

“And you will be a better godmother!” Solomon said with a wave of his hand. “And I left something for you at the inn!”

Gerwulf was the last to board, but not before she approached Luna and gave her a vial of medicine.

“To help you sleep.” She gave Luna a wink, then both shared a tight hug before Gerwulf climbed aboard the aircraft.

The doors began to close and Luna stepped back as she shielded her eyes from the gust of wind and dirt while the roar of the engines blocked all the noise around her. Soon, the gyrocarrier soared high in the sky and left her alone in the open field.

=0o0=

As Luna walked back towards the town, she arrived at the inn that she was supposed to have used last night. At the front of the building was her bike. Her service bot in the handle bars happily chirped when it saw her approach.

“Sorry about last night, Servo.” She gave the machine a pat on the head, and it replied with a happy metal chirp.

"Let’s go?"

The small ball-shaped bot, no bigger than a human hand, popped out of the bike that Luna had caught. The little copper bot rubbed itself on her hand as they went inside. The inn Solomon rented for all of them was the largest in the town. The staff instantly greeted Luna and tended to her like royalty, and she could understand why.

It was not just the inn, Solomon and Filias rented the entire town. The money the syndicate threw at this town in the middle of nowhere could cover their financial problems for years, but for the syndicate it was not even considered spare change, but more like a coin they simply picked up on the ground and threw away.

“Lady Luna.” The old innkeeper greeted her. “My workers will escort you to your room. We have prepared the kitchens to serve you, should you desire it. Please just tell them if you need anything, anything at all.”

The old man gestured to the two female bestian workers, who greeted her with a bow.

“Thank you, I will.” Luna then followed the workers up to the inn.

A bestian is a hybrid between a human and any large mammal. With some bestians, mainly animals that are the same size as humans and can stand upright. A half-bestian just like the girls that escorted Luna to her room, only their bodies had bestian qualities. And there are some who are even called "hidden bestians" because they have light features such as light fur instead of hair or a tail.

The two bestian workers, who Luna could guess were younger than her, were not fully bestian but had some lioness features that showed already. Their bodies were slender and muscular. Although their faces are still those of humans, their skin is covered with a thin tanned fur and their hands and feet have adapted paw like features along with sharp claws.

As they made their way up, the two girls could not help but express their admiration for the rescue the night before. They were especially grateful as many bestians were saved in the raid, which made Luna’s chest feel lighter.

“How are you doing here in the badlands?” She asked the two workers. “Has everyone been... well... treating you alright?”

“Oh yes ma’am.” One of the girls answered. “Everyone down here is much friendlier to us. We came here from over the ranges, and we originally planned to move to Ablan. But we found stable jobs here and the town is protected by the syndicate, so there have been no incidents so far.”

“They are paying you fair wages?” Luna asked.

“Yes ma’am, across the ranges, we would never have these types of opportunities. And once we get stable, we plan to get our families down here. It’s much safer for us than in Silvus.”

“I hear there is another place that treats everyone, even us bestians, better. Defiance.” The younger worker said. “I hear that they even have free housing for new arrivals and schooling for the little ones.”

Luna’s ears felt hot, but she kept silent.

“Defiance isn’t real. It is just an urban myth.” The older one replied.

“It’s real, I swear! Once I get my family across the ranges, we are going to find it. They say it is even better than Braenarim or Aspana combined.”

The older one just shook her head. “Oh yes, a mystical, wondrous place where Bestians can own businesses, own a home, or be allowed in shops or theatres. It sounds too good to be true.”

The two girls guided Luna to the top floor, which had only one room. When they opened the door, Luna was greeted with a beautiful apartment filled with a spacious bed, an ornate dresser, and vases with beautifully decorated fresh flowers, covering the air with a mild relaxing scent. It even had its own personal marble bathroom.

The late afternoon sun that came from the window showed a serene view of the mountain ranges while lighting the room with a comforting soft glow. The girls then opened the door leading to the bathroom, where there was a hot bath already prepared and waiting for her, complete with oils and soaps. Luna gave them a massive tip, giving them both twenty Ablan credits each. Both girls were shocked and even asked if she had made a mistake, as Ablan credits were the second highest currency in Aelmion, next only to the Braenarim marks.

Luna insisted that both girls keep their credits, for which they repeatedly thanked her.

As soon as they left, she approached the spacious bed and found her folded coat, which she had left in the medical camp last night, already cleaned, pressed, and even stitched. There were two hats on the bed as well. One was an expensive hat. The other was her large black hat that she left with Solomon last night, which had been stitched and cleaned. Besides it, there were new, sleek leather gloves, which seemed to be expensive as well.

Luna then released servo on the floor, which happily rolled around, then deployed its spider legs, which it used to climb slowly up the wall. Luna could not wait to head to the bath as she smelled horribly of dirt, sweat, and dried blood.

She checked the dresser to see what was inside, and they had even given her new white long dress shirts, a black and gold embroidered vest, and black trousers. Luna found some towels and was about to head to the bathroom when a knock came from the door. It was the two workers from before who delivered her a trolley of cakes, sweets, and a bottle of wine chilled in a bucket of ice. The girls even offered to help wash her in the bath, which Luna felt was too much. The girls insisted, but she sent them off as politely as she could.

Her love for sweets made her ignore the bath as she smelled the liquor filled chocolates. It melted in her mouth while the sweet chocolate perfectly matched the sweet strawberry wine filling inside.

On the second tray of the trolley was a copy of the Ablan tabloid, The Daily Good News. The headline made Luna pick up the newspaper with her chocolate stained fingers.

THERIS ROSE DISAPPEARS IN THE AIR! GALORE OF COVER UPS!

“An airship from Braenarim, the luxury airship named the Theris Rose, has vanished on its way to Aspana. The airship left White Harbour at exactly five in the afternoon on the ninth of Prenlit. The Theris Rose, a pleasure airship that had a charted journey with multiple scheduled stops along the voyage, failed to arrive into Aspana territory. Reports indicate that the airship was last seen passing through the gate near White Harbour. Yet no search party for the Theris Rose has been conducted.

The Theris Rose had a prestigious list of passengers during its voyage, which made its disappearance the focus of controversy, as the airship was said to have been seen over Silvus territory. Silvus has denied any involvement while Braenarim and Aspana-”

Luna did not read the rest, as she placed the paper back on the tray. She then headed to the bathroom but looked back at the trolley of desserts that lured her with its brightly vivid cakes and shining chocolate sweets. She smiled and pushed the trolley into the bathroom, vowing to eat, drink, and stay in her much-needed hot bath until she had finished every single treat on the cart.