Mikan fluttered next to Anton’s newest creation and looked it over, “You got the first MKII built pretty fast.”

Anton put his hand on the newly built Wizard’s Eye Mark Two and beamed with pride, “Wasn’t that hard, just needed to put a bigger cold fusion reactor and fuel tank in for the mini warp drive.”

Mikan flitted about the MKII to get a better look from every angle.

It wasn’t too much bigger and the difference was probably not noticeable unless one put the MKI and MKII next to each other. Everything else looked much the same, except the circles at the base of the Fairy Wings.

Mikan flitted back to Anton, “I’m more impressed with how quickly you designed the stuff that retracts the fairy wings.”

Anton shrugged, “Eh, it’s pretty simple. Already worked with stuff like that before.”

Ryan recalled he didn’t know where Anton worked before his death, and Mikan scratched her chin and looked to the side as he considered asking a personal question, “Umm, where did you work before… you know…”

Anton’s face became nostalgic, “Nowhere special. Just SpaceX.”

The name Anton dropped surprised Ryan, and Mikan’s eyes went a little wide, “Whoa, you worked at SpaceX. You must have gotten good grades to get a job like that.”

Anton waved his hand dismissively, “Naw, they don’t care about grades so much.” He sighed, “Not… not the best job I’ve ever had. Worked way too much overtime. Only reason I got the job is because they have high turnover. Only reason I stayed as long as I did was ‘cause… well… rockets!” Anton grinned, “NASA and Blue Origin work way too slow so I wanted to stay where the real action was. Then… well… I… nearly passed out near the end of a sixteen hour shift after a night of gamin’ and sorta touched a wire I shouldn’t have...”

Ryan had heard about SpaceX’s long shifts, “Ouch. I’m not sure I could work at a job like that.”

Anton shook his head slightly and gave a wry grin, “Yeah, most guys don’t last more than a year or two. Still, it was pretty cool seen’ stuff I helped work on flyin’.”

Mikan smiled and nodded, “Yeah. I can see that.”

Anton turned to the nearby airlock, and Ryan could see a hint of sadness appear on his face, “How about we take the MKII for a spin?”

Ryan opened the airlock and decided not to pry further into Anton’s past, “Alright, so… Only three hours of fuel max when using the FTL, and thirty hours with just the Fairy Wings, right?”

Anton shrugged, “If your math is right, yeah.”

Mikan put her hands on her hips, “You’re questioning the math of someone with a computer attached to their brain?”

Anton snickered, “Just yankin’ your chain.”

Mikan giggled, “I know.”

The airlock opened and Ryan flew the drone out.

Anton waved goodbye to the drone before turning back to the ladder, “Let me know if ya see anything interestin’. Gonna get to work helpin’ Repairy fix that breach.”

Ryan turned on the MKII’s FTL and moved it close to the city, “Eh, just gonna spy on the area around the city so probably not. Can’t believe I have to learn another language…”

Anton stopped next to the ladder that led to the other decks and chuckled, “Glad I’m not in your shoes.” He looked up and down the ladder and hmmed, “An elevator here might be nice.”

Mikan flitted above Anton and blew a raspberry at him as she hovered just below the hatch, “I don’t see a problem!”

Mikan flitted through the hatch and onto the main deck.

Anton shook his fist in mock anger at the disappearing Mikan, “Show off!”

Mikan stopped at med bay and entered.

Mayu sat at her desk facing away and was talking to Aoi and Saki, “Nose!”

Mayu pointed to her nose.

Aoi and Saki both pointed to their noses and spoke in the adorable voices it seemed all fairies had, “Nose!”

The three turned to Mikan.

Saki looked slightly scared at the unannounced entrance and vanished for a second before reappearing.

Aoi and Saki both smiled and flitted to Mikan.

Aoi pointed at Mikan and grinned, “Mikan!”

Saki put her hands behind her back and looked like she was mulling over what to say, “H-hello?” She turned to Mayu, who nodded. She smiled and turned back to Mikan, “H… hello, Mikan.”

Mikan reached out with both hands and patted both fairies on the head, “Good job!”

Aoi laughed and did a loop before heading back to Mayu, where she circled around her head once before landing on her shoulder.

Saki blushed, but looked proud of herself.

Mikan turned to Mayu, “It’s only been a day and they’re already talking this much. Aoi’s already better at flying than me too and Saki figured out how to turn invisible somehow.”

Ryan really wanted to figure out how to turn invisible, too.

Mayu patted Aoi’s head, “Yes. Aoi and Saki are smart.”

Mikan looked between the three, “Shame you can’t teach them English and Japanese at the same time.”

Mayu thought for a moment, “English most important. Maybe teach Japanese later.”

Mikan nodded, “Fair enough.”

Meanwhile, near the city, Ryan spotted a trail of blood leaving the forest.

The blood trail thinned out and disappeared near the forest’s edge, but it was much easier to track going deeper in.

Mayu noticed Mikan’s expression become serious, “Something is wrong?”

Mikan shook her head and brought up a feed for Mayu, “Maybe, maybe not. I found a trail of blood, but it could just be from an animal someone killed.”

Mayu and the two fairies turned to the hologram that appeared.

Mayu studied the picture but stayed silent and watched the MKII follow the trail.

The trail wasn’t long and soon the MKII stopped at a congealing puddle of blood.

Aoi became bored and went to a hologram near Mayu’s desk where she was learning the alphabet and started doodling.

Saki looked like she wanted to follow Aoi, but stayed with Mayu.

Mayu shook her head after examining the blood, “Maybe hunting is true?”

Ryan had the MKII search the surrounding area but found nothing that stood out, “Probably. I’ve seen several hunting groups before.”

Ryan turned the MKII around and headed back to his search for eavesdropping candidates and found some not much later.

Mayu and Aoi returned to Mayu’s workstation.

Mikan sat on a cushion they’d made for the fairies, “Want me to help teach?”

Mayu smiled and nodded, “Yes.”

Ryan focused most of his attention on eavesdropping on the locals since Mayu didn’t need that much help. He was also helping Anton with patching up the Usual Breach and giving Becky advice on fixing the dorsal sensor.

Through all this multitasking, Ryan noticed he only remembered things ‘the normal way’ if he focused on it. Everything else he could recall, but only in the way that felt more ‘mechanical’ to him. Until Mikan, he could only focus on one thing at a time, but now he could focus on two, one through Luna, and one through Mikan. Of course this meant that Mikan was now always one of his foci, and he could still focus more on Luna’s side more, but it was an improvement.

A little over two hours later, Ryan noticed several strange figures exit the forest. They were all lithe and possessed extremely good dexterity, judging by the way they slipped through the fields with no one noticing them. He’d almost missed them himself.

He noticed another thing about them. They were the same ones that had disabled and stolen that MKI.

Ryan turned his attention to the still active MKI.

It was still in the dark storage shed, surrounded by a bunch of junk, broken tools, and weapons.

He remembered where the attack on the MKI happened and searched for it. When he found the spot, he recalled the path the attackers carried it, and traced it back to a shed near a main road halfway between the city gate and the forest.

This shed is where drone thieves made their way to.

Through the MKIs camera, he watched as the thieves entered and tossed more junk into the shed before leaving.

He noticed something about the thieves, They were all women, though one seemed on the younger side if her small size and build meant anything.

Ryan opened ship wide comms, “Hey guys! I found the last Wizard’s Eye!”

Mayu and Saki jumped at the announcement and Saki turned invisible for a moment again.

Chie opened her eyes where she’d been dozing in her bed as she continued to recover from her injuries.

Becky was currently standing on another ladder repairing the dorsal sensor and nearly fell, but her safety line caught her.

Mikan chuckled at Becky’s reaction, then immediately looked ashamed because Ryan realized Becky could have gotten hurt if she had fallen.

Anton whooped, “We gonna go rescue it?”

Sashae wasn’t on Luna, but Ryan could see her fishing in the distance through the turret’s sensor.

Ryan checked the sky and saw it was mid afternoon, “Hmm, I’ll wait until it's night. Last time I moved a drone around in the fields this time of day, it got dog piled and dumped in a shed.”

Anton nodded, “‘K, let me know when.”

Becky looked at the camera in the dorsal FTL room, “Let me know too. I want to watch if something exciting happens.”

Ryan shut off the comms and focused on eavesdropping until the farmers and hunters started returning to the city.

Once night fell, he lifted the MKII from its perch in the tree.

He powered up the drone’s mini FTL and retracted the Fairy Wings and brought up feeds for Everyone.

The MKII jumped next to the shed and looked around.

A figure stirred on the far side of the roof, but appeared to be dozing.

Ryan lowered the drone to the door, “Alright, how am I going to open the door with no hands…”

Anton shrugged, “Smash through the wall like the Kool-Aid man while shouting ‘Oh yeah!’”

Mikan chuckled, which garnered some strange looks for Aoi and Saki.

Ryan moved the drone around, looking for a window, “Might as well just look for now. Don’t have any way to bring it back, anyway.”

Anton nodded, “I can fix that.”

Ryan noticed several familiar lithe figures exit a building in the distance.

The drone was fairly far away, so it was hard to tell if it was just a house or something else, but it was pretty big even if it was a bit run down.

Ryan decided he didn’t want to deal with the thieves just yet, so moved the MKII back to Luna, “Alright, that’s enough for tonight.”

Anton’s shoulders drooped, “Aww, that’s it?”

There was no way Ryan was going to lose another drone when they didn’t need to, “We can always get it later and I can use it to spy on them whenever they go into the shed or if they move it.”

Anton still seemed disappointed, “Yeah, okay.”

Becky slid down her ladder and yawned, “It’s getting late. I’m heading for bed.”

Anton peered outside, “Is Sashae back yet? Fish sounds good before I head to bed.”

Sashae had returned a little while ago, but disappeared into one of Luna’s blind spots so he didn’t know what she was doing, but as soon as the MKII returned to Luna he saw her building a campfire.

Ryan lowered the MKII next to Sashae, “Looks like she’s gonna cook the fish on a campfire.”

Anton stuck his head out of the Usual Breach and found her, “Sweet! Sounds fun. Think ya can print up a tent? Sleepin’ out sounds fun.”

Ryan started designing a tent, “On it.”

Sashae looked up at the drone for a moment, then pointed to the dry wood in the center of a circle of rocks, then to the drone, “Help?”

Ryan wondered what she meant, then realized she wanted the drone to start the fire, “Oh! Got it!”

Ryan charged the drone’s plasma pistol, then placed the drone between Sashae and the fire pit, “Careful. Might be dangerous.”

Sashae peeked around the drone, then pulled her head back.

Ryan fired the plasma pistol in the lowest setting.

The plasma struck the wood, causing it to shatter and sending bits of flaming pieces in every direction.

The wood that remained easily lit up from the heat.

Sashae peeked around the drone, “Good?”

Ryan lifted the drone towards the airlock but didn’t move it inside so he could watch, “It’s good.”

Anton jumped from the Usual Breach and landed with a grunt.

He jogged towards Sashae, “Can I join?”

Sashae looked at Anton and did the head cock to the side she did when she didn’t understand what someone said.

Ryan opened comms back up to the others, “Sashae made a campfire to cook some fish she caught if anyone else wants to join her. Anton’s already there.”

Becky yawned as she stumbled towards her room, “Sorry, I’m too tired.”

Chie slipped from her bed, “That sounds like an excellent change of pace. I will join.”

Mayu stood up and waved for Aoi and Saki to follow her, “Come. Food!”

Aoi flitted after Mayu and looked excited, “Food!”

Saki watched Mikan.

Mikan flitted off her cushion and waved for Saki to follow, “Food!”

Mayu stopped in front of the mess hall and spoke in Japanese, “Ryan, could you make a wire cooking stand? I want to make some grilled vegetables.”

Ryan easily designed a wire cooking stand big enough to fit over the fire pit, “Printing it!”

Mayu entered the mess hall and grabbed a cloth sack Sashae had left there earlier, “Sashe found many good vegetables?”

That morning Sashae had explored the rocky island and brought back several roots, before moving on to fishing.

Mikan peered into the bag, “I’m not going to lie. They don’t look that good.”

Mayu pulled out a fat white root, “No, but we need to eat vegetables.”

Aoi flitted into the bag, “Food?”

Saki peered into the bag and didn’t look impressed.

Mayu put the root back into the bag next to Aoi, “Yes. Cook first.”

Aoi smiled, “Cook? What cook?”

Saki turned to Mayu and watched her.

Mayu headed for the door, “Show cooking.”

Aoi nodded, “Show Aoi cooking!”

Saki turned to Mikan, “Cooking?”

Ryan brought up the MKII’s feed of Sashae and Anton cooking fish and Mikan pointed to the fish, “Cooking fish.”

Saki still didn’t seem to understand, “Cooking? Fish?”

Mikan flitted after Mayu, “Come! Show!”

Saki followed Mikan and Mayu.

Mayu stopped by the fabrication room and grabbed the cooking rack before heading for the airlock.

Aoi grew excited once she saw the fire and flitted towards it, “Cooking? What this?”

Anton looked annoyed when he saw the fairies approaching, “Great. The kids are here.”

Sashae smiled and tried to pat Aoi on the head.

Aoi ignored Sashae and hovered over the fire, “Cooking?”

Mikan stopped next to Aoi and pointed to a fish still swimming in Sashae’s bucket, “Fish.” She then pointed to the two fish already stuck on sticks and cooking over the fire, “Cooking fish.”

Aoi looked between the bucket and fire, “Fish. Cooking fish.”

Saki squeaked and turned invisible when she saw the fish Anton and Sashae were currently fileting.

Anton’s eyes went wide, “She can turn invisible!? How come they didn’t do that with the rats?”

Mikan shook her head, “No idea, but she can only stay invisible,” Saki reappeared, “for a few seconds.”

Saki hid behind Mikan.

Anton rushed back to Luna, “Eat without me! I’m going to look at purple hair’s scans.”

Mayu watched Anton rush past her, then joined Sashae and Aoi next to the fire. She then placed the bag of root vegetables on the ground and placed the cooking rack over the fire pit.

Sashae smiled at the sight of the cooking rack and turned to Mayu, “Thanks! Cooking easy now.”

Mayu knelt next to the bag of vegetables and pulled one out, “You’re welcome. Thank you for the fish and vegetables.”

Sashae turned back to her partially fileted fish, then turned to watch Anton disappear into the airlock, “Anton no eat?”

Mikan giggled, “Anton is learning.”

Sashae nodded once and turned back to the fish, “Always busy. Everyone. Boring.”

Ryan had worried about Sashae. She barely knew English, so it was hard to teach her how to help repair Luna like the others. He had tried showing her videos, but she just didn’t have the knack for it.

Mayu spotted a crab crawling from a bag behind Sashae and shouted excitedly in Japanese, “Crab!”

Sashae looked behind her at the crab, “This called crab?”

Sashae said ‘crab’ in Japanese.

Mayu grabbed the crab and then a sharpened stick meant for skewering the fish, “Yes.”

Mayu used the stick to kill the crab then placed it on the cooking rack.

Mikan felt Saki grab her shoulders and squirm. Even Aoi looked disturbed at the killing of the crab.

Saki peered around Mikan’s shoulder, “Cooking no like.”

Aoi glanced at the gutted fish, the cooking fish, then the crab, and turned pale, “Cooking scary!”

Ryan actually felt queasy too at the sight of the killing of the crab and Mikan pointed to the root vegetables, “Maybe just eat vegetables?”

Aoi’s excitement returned, “Aoi help cooking!”

Ryan felt it wasn’t the best idea to let the fairies get too close to the fire, “Mayu and Sashae cooking.” Mikan pointed to the fire, “Fire,” Mikan pretended to get burned and flinched in pain, “hurt.”

Saki fully retreated behind Mikan again, “No cooking.”

Aoi looked disappointed, “No helping?”

Ryan noticed Sashae grow increasingly jealous as the fairies spoke.

Mayu turned to the fairies and held out the bucket of water with the remaining fish in it, “Help washing?” She then realized the fish was inside and put the bucket back, “Oh, we are needing clean water.”

Ryan caught Chie nearing the airlock door, “Chie, can you bring a bucket of water, water pitcher, and some cups?”

Chie stopped and turned around, “Certainly.”

By the time Chie arrived with the water, Sashae and Mayu were already eating some fish.

Chie carefully placed the items she’d fetched onto the ground and found a rock close to the fire and sat on it, “It has been quite too long since I have enjoyed a night around a campfire.”

Mayu handed a piece of fish to Aoi then moved the bucket of freshwater next to her, “Yes, it is relaxing.”

Aoi ate the fish, “Fish taste good!”

Mikan ate a piece of her own fish and heard Saki’s stomach growl as the purple-haired fairy still seemed unsure if she should eat some or not.

Mikan held out some fish to Saki, “Cooked fish taste good.”

Saki reluctantly took the fish and took a nibble.

Saki smiled, “Fish taste good.”

Ryan savored every bite of the fish. It was leagues better than Luna’s food paste and Sashae’s food bars, even with no seasoning.

Ryan watched Becky emerge from her room, “Um… is there still any food left?”

Ryan showed her a feed of the others by the campfire, “Yep! You’ll need to hurry if you want any fish, but the vegetables should be done cooking soon. Mayu single handedly ate the crab, though.”

Becky yawned again, “Can’t fall asleep knowing I’m missing out on the fun.”

Mikan smiled and giggled, Ryan laughed lightly, “I’m sure we’ll do this a lot.”

Becky took off on a jog, “But there will never be another first time!”

Ryan knew Becky had a point, “Okay, I’ll tell the others to save you some fish.”

Mikan turned to the others, “Becky’s coming. Can you save the last fish for her?”

Mayu seemed happy at the news, “Yes! I was missing Becky here.”

Chie nodded, “Of course.”

Sashae didn’t seem to understand, but was focused on the vegetables now, so it probably didn’t matter.

As Becky joined the others, Ryan came to a new height of happiness. Now, not only were they mostly safe, but they felt like a family more than ever.

Mayu was the doting mother, Becky the concerned older sister, Chie the smart aunt, Anton the much too excitable kid brother, Aoi and Saki the twin toddlers who were growing up as fast as they could, and Ryan the… dad?

Mikan shivered at the thought of being the dad.

The night ended with Anton shouting excitedly at them from the Usual Breach, “I got it! I know how to turn invisible!” He then paused as he noticed the others eating, “Crap! My food!”

Anton jumped from the Usual Breach and fell on his face after fumbling the landing.

Aoi cackled with laughter, “Clumsy! Clumsy!”

Anton jumped up and pointed at Aoi, “Hey! I just couldn’t see where I was landing!”

Aoi hid behind Mayu as Anton stomped towards the fire and blew Anton a raspberry, “Clumsy!”

Anton smacked his forehead and sat down in shame, “I can’t believe I’m being made fun of by a day old fairy.”

Mikan laughed and patted Anton’s shoulder, “Just think of it as you doing an awesome job with them.”

Anton looked at Mikan and smiled, “Yeah, you’re right.”

Mikan pointed towards the root vegetables, “Well, better get some food in ya.”

Anton grabbed a root vegetable and reluctantly took a bite.

He swallowed hard, “Ugh… it tastes like dirt.”

Mikan patted Anton’s shoulder again, “Yes, yes they do.”