Vixen A.D. 2 | Chapter 11.2

Note: Second part of aforementioned chapter.

He paced down the corridor with Cinder.

Earlier, he’d passed her after leaving North Ops 1. It turned out she just wanted to explore the facility a bit. “Take my mind off things, and get to know it better,” Cinder had said.

Mace explained that he’d come from North Ops 1 with Faye. “I was looking at some reports,” he said. “I want to get you an updated chronometer and biometric credentials. And a chip,” he finished.

Cinder didn’t seem to have a problem with that. “Sure,” she’d said with bright, happy eyes. “Whatever you need to make sure things run well.”

After, they continued down the corridor. Mace started another conversation, this time taking the lead. “So couldn’t sleep?”

Cinder nodded. “No, I couldn’t. Where’s Faye, again?”

“She went back to bed,” Mace explained. “Why couldn’t you sleep?” he asked with a smile.

“Just… thoughts,” Cinder said.

He nodded. “Ah,” Mace replied. “What kind of thoughts?”

“It’s… well, I don’t really have a thing to say, honestly. They’re all over mind, so nothing really too important,” Cinder explained. “I got to admit, walking down these halls is pretty nice. Neo Mars starlight shining through,” she smiled.

“You noticed it coming down from the skylight?” he said.

She confirmed with a smirk. “Yep! Assuming it’s a collector?”

Mace tilted his head. “Yeah, how’d you know that we have collectors, here?”

“One of the places I used to hideout at had one. It collected the starlight and bounced it through the interior skylights.”

“Kind of a misnomer to call them that word, I think,” Mace laughed.

She giggled. “Yeah. So…”

“So.”

Cinder rubbed her head with a nervous hand, smiling, eyes half closed as she walked. “Uh… so, um, about earlier.”

“You did good, honestly. I couldn’t tell that was your first experience sucking dick,” Mace said bluntly.

She covered her mouth after gasping, blushing red, then laughed. “Well… right to it. I, uh, yeah, thanks. I’m glad you liked it. I…”

“Want to do it again?”

She nodded. “I mean… more… and if it’s okay with Faye.”

“We’ll discuss that,” Mace said. “Have you been down West Delta yet?”

Cinder shook her head. “I didn’t really do a thorough walkthrough. I think there’s a rec room on that side, too. I saw what looked like some gaming stuff. Want to go check it out?”

She smiled. “Yes! I’m so down,” Cinder chimed.

“Good,” Mace said. “Well, we have to hit up the lift,” he explained, “go on that way, then make a few lefts. It will be a good fifteen minute walk,” he added.

Cinder wasn’t fazed. “Count me in. Lead the way, Mace!” Cinder smirked.

God, she’s happy to see me, Mace thought. Faye did say kitsunes were lustful… but how did she know that? She didn’t know other kitsunes. Or… did she know something else?

Together, they turned a few more corners, making their way into West Delta.

He knew there were a couple cabinets in there. Some arcades from a while ago. Mace was excited to show her. She slipped her hand to his side and gripped his hand.

“Are we holding hands, now?”

Cinder nodded. “Mhmm. I mean… I can’t stop. Do you think Faye will think… I mean, it’s okay, right?” she asked.

Mace smirked. “Trust me, it’s fine with her,” he said.

“Good,” Cinder said, smiling back.

After going through a couple more midnight corridors, they were at the sliding double metal doors that lead into West Delta Recreation Center 1. Mace opened the door after it picked up his biometrics.

He stepped in, leading Cinder along.

She giggled for a second, merrily swishing her bushy, brown and orange and white tail. She’s so pretty, Mace thought to himself.

Cinder paused and gazed around the room. A pool table sat off in the middle, some music juke boxes with modern tech (Mace had read about the old ones that used to be on the Earth dozens of centuries ago), a few minifridges, foosball, several sofas and television displays, consoles for gaming, and one he quite liked from time to time: the bar. He wasn’t a huge drinker, per say, but having a tumbler of whiskey every now on then during R&R suited Mace just fine.

“There’s so much in here we can do,” Cinder said. “What are those? Are those arcade cabinets?”

Mace nodded. “Yep. Work just fine. Tons of fun stuff on them.”

“Oh my gosh, yes!” Cinder almost jumped in place. She turned to him, meeting eyes, this time gripping both his hands with her delicate, feminine, kitsune grasp, which was surprisingly firm then and there.

Cinder made her way around the room. Mace followed her, inspecting some of the amenities. “Are you a gamer girl fox?” he teased.

Cinder turned to him, her kitsune tail swaying. “Oh, yes. I would read about them. And a group I was with had a handheld. It was so much fun. Videogames are something I’ve always wanted to try. More of, I mean. I love gaming! This is going to be so much fun.”

“There are consoles, too.”

She smiled with excitement. Cinder grinned wide. “Oh, wow! I heard about those, too. Oh man, I’m so excited to play some of these.”

“The rec room we used last night had some, but they weren’t online. I didn’t think to mention all of the consoles. I thought everyone knows them at first glace.” Mace walked over to her as she caressed a cabinet. “This one?”

“It looks cool,” she said. “I see aliens on it.”

“Yeah, that,” Mace said, flipping a switch on the side, “is an old one from the 2000s era of Earth, I believe. It’s emulated on here. Real hardware sucks too much juice,” Mace explain.

The display flickered to life. Cinder’s eyes filled with excitement. She jiggled giddily and gripped the controls. “Oh man, I’m so excited.”

“We can hang here,” Mace said. “For a while.”

Cinder turned to him. “Please, yes! God, this is awesome!” She turned to him, incredulous. Then she brightened up again, her face curious. “Snacks?”

Mace laughed. “Plenty. Does Cinder want a snack?” he teased.

“Yes, please!” she laughed.

Cinder grinned. “Sweet! I’m going to start playing.”

“What do you want? Chips, snack bars, jerk, chocolate, pretzels, and candy is mostly what’s ready to go,” Mace said. “And I’ve got soda all over Delta. Grape, lime, cola, root beer, tens of others.”

“Cola, please,” Cinder replied, happy.

Mace smirked. “Cool.”

He made his way to one the several many minifridges in West Delta Recreation and popped open the door. Fuck, she’s excited. But could he blame her? She’d been wandering the post-apocalyptic Neo Mars wasteland for however long. She probably didn’t know what taking a break was even like, not like this.

Or having real fun.

We’ll have some fun later, Mace thought. After he discussed things with her and Faye. He shut the minifridge door and brought Cinder a cold one. She turned, plucked it from his hand, and cracked the can of bubbly cola open.

Delighted, she took a sip, smiled, and licked her lips.

Mace smiled. Cinder set her drink on the cabinet surface and began to excitedly play through the various levels that populated the display. “Oh wow, this is already more fun that I thought it would be,” she explained.

Mace powered on the large, nearby television. The display brightened, revealing a weather forecast. Two small alarms and clocks occupied the bottom right. One for their current location, the other for a nearby time zone. There were more on the bottom opposite side, each for different Neo Mars zones.

“What do you want to munch on?”

Cinder lashed her tail and twitched an ear. She cursed beneath her kitsune breath, and began a new level. She’s really enjoying the arcade game, Mace thought. “Just jerky. Oh, candied chocolates, too, with pretzels. And… maybe a packet of nuts.”

Mace withheld a small urge to make a stupid joke. Some trail mix, a stick of jerky (maybe four), and whatever else sounds satisfying. He continued on to the nearby cabinets. Mace extracted some of the snacks.

He brought a handful to the distracted fox girl. Cinder was entranced by the arcade game. Good. She was having fun, then, Mace thought.

Cinder was happy.

“Thank you, handsome!” Cinder said, leaning her face closer to the display. “I’m going to destroy that jerky.”

“I’m going to work on some trail mix first.”

Before Cinder could say much else, she tore into one of the jerky sticks. Half of it vanished between her lips and sharp canines, which Mace found delightfully amusing. “Good?”

“Is this like, seasoned? It’s sooooo tasty,” Cinder moaned before cursing quietly at some alien terrorizing her on screen. “So good!” she repeated her sentiments.

Mace smiled, took a few steps to the sofa, one next to Cinder’s game cabinet, and plopped into its soft polyfabric cushions. He started on the chocolate in his left hand.

After a few moments, he plucked the remote the from a coffee table in front of him and began browsing. There, lazing with Cinder, he felt at home.

If only Faye could be there.

She was still deep asleep last time he’d seen her. Mace didn’t want to wake the kitsune woman, given that she’d been through too much. Faye needed her rest.

He sipped on more of his soda, swallowed a gulp, it paired well with the mix and jerky. On the display, as Cinder worked on levels of her game besides him, Mace sought a movie.

Something he could play as noise, really, since he wanted to be more present and available for Cinder. He might pick up a book later.

“Ah, new high score!”

 Mace turned to Cinder. “Congrats.”

“Thanks!” She took a handful of candied chocolates and threw them down the hatch.

Mace flicked through some of the movies, catching Cinder’s interest. She stopped the game. “Wait, don’t!”

Mace paused. “What’s wrong, Cinder?” he asked, curious and confused.

She paused. A smile and half-closed eyes gazed back at him. “I want to watch it with you later.”

Mace nodded. “Alright, that’s fair. I’ll put on some documentary instead.”

“I want to watch that, too,” Cinder added. She laughed. “Sorry. Uh… I don’t like romance stuff,” Cinder said.

“Then how are you crushing on me?”

Cinder flushed. “I like it in real life, not in my games or movies. Books… well, I don’t really know.”

Mace shrugged. He found a romance film. “I’ve always been indifferent to romance,” he said. “In media.”

“But not in real life?” Cinder pressed.

Mace nodded. “Not in real life,” he echoed to her.

She smiled, let out a small satisfied giggle, and returned to her arcade cabinet. Mace worked on his soda some more and caught Faye stepping through the door from his periphery. I guess she got lonely.

“What’re you two sexy things doing?” she asked.

Cinder replied quickly. “Kicking alien ass.”

“Oh, fuck yeah,” Faye emitted. “I fucking love gaming. I used to find that shit all the time and try to get it up and running.”

“It’s so much fun!” Cinder said.

Faye folded her arms, pressing together and accentuating her cleavage and kitsune bosom. She leaned against the frame of the door. “Yeah, I bet,” Faye affirmed. She swished her extra fluffy tail.

“Come sit,” Mace beckoned.

Faye grinned. “On your lap?”

Mace shrugged. “Sure.”

Faye approached, yawned, and stretched. Her loose-fitting top fell and curled up around the bottom. The kitsune took him up on his partial tease, planting her curvy, shapely ass in his lap. “I got lonely,” Faye explained. “So, I hope this is fine.”

Cinder glanced at them. “What a lovely sight,” she said, her smile bearing white, kitsune teeth.

Mace laughed.

Faye wiggled in his lap. She ground her ass into his lap, then giggled. “Oops,” she laughed.

“Thanks for teasing me, babe,” Mace joked.

“Are we at ‘babe’, yet?” Faye blushed.

Mace smiled. He took the reigns on her question. “I think we are. What do you think?”

Faye wiggled a little more and lashed her fluffy tail in joy. “Yes. Fuck yes. I think so, too.”

Mace ran his hands down her sides and hips. Faye bit her lip, moaning a little. “Mm. So,” she said, turning to face the television display. “What’re we playing?”

“Cinder’s deep in TOTAL ALIEN DESTRUCTION 3, and I’m just foraging for movies on the network.”

Faye slowed, tilted her head. “Oh, I think I saw one of these,” she said. “In a crappy TV in some run down outpost I hid in,” she said. “Thing barely worked.”

Mace shrugged. “Yeah, sounds about accurate. Want to assist me? Cinder isn’t keen on the mushy stuff,” he said. “In movies only, for the most part.”

“And games!” Cinder finished.

Mace nodded. “And games,” he echoed.

“Why watch a romance film?” Faye asked, perplexed. “If she isn’t interested.”

“Background noise,” Cinder said. “I don’t have to pay attention,” she explained.

“She doesn’t want me to watch stuff without her if she hasn’t seen it,” Mace said.

Cinder nodded. “Or without me in general… if that’s okay… Faye.”

Faye burst into laughter. “Of course it is. Mind if I join in on those times?”

Mace nodded along with Cinder. “Of course,” he said.

“Please! It will be easier to play with him,” Cinder said. She paused again. “I mean, uh… yeah, if you’re here.”

Faye rolled her eyes. “You two can fuck without me in the room. Just not yet,” Faye laughed. “Because there are things I want to do to you two together,” Faye laughed .

Cinder blushed, swayed her tail. “Oh… you do? And… really? I can? I mean… if Mace is… Mace?”

“I’m good with that.”

Faye smirked. “Good.”

“What are the things you’re plotting to do to me, you two?”

Cinder was blushing hard, almost two shades of bright rose-red on her cheeks. “I don’t know, she hasn’t told me yet and… wait, you’re okay with me fucking him?”

“Duh.” Faye laughed. “I did strongly encourage you to suck his cock. Why is pussy or ass different?”

“I mean… uh… yeah, you’re right. Sorry, I’m a little uh… that wasn’t what I expected.”

Faye winked at Cinder. “Straightforward, huh?”

Cinder swallowed. “Mhmm.” She returned to her game.

Mace chuckled. “Don’t tease me too hard,” he laughed .

Faye giggled and ground into him again and laughed. “Oh no, why?”

Mace slid his hands around and to her bust, cupping each of her breasts. “I’ll return that favor,” he assured her.

Faye grinned. “Good.”

Cinder grinned and let out a soft chuckle. “What a tease.”

“You know it. Hey,” Faye said. She turned to the pool table. “Is that a pool table? I saw that in some old journals, or whatever they were.”

Mace nodded. “Yeah, why?” He smiled. “Want to play?”

Faye turned to him, gazing over her shoulder, and grinned. From up there, the way she looked down at him, he wasn’t sure if he wanted her to fuck him in front of Cinder, or set up the table for her. She smiled a playful smirk. “Hell yes.”

“Let’s do it,” Mace replied.

She wiggled again, savoring her power over his lust. “Show me.” She stood up slowly.

It was a miracle Mace wasn’t hard. He wanted to be, but decided to play pool with the kitsune instead. There was time for that later. Right now, Faye seemed more interested in exploring Delta’s pool table.

Several dozen others were in different recreation rooms. Mace knew of them, and would be happy to show them off. He made his way to the table, stepping next to it, and pushed a button.

Pool cues slid out from the sides. “This one is bigger than the old antique tables.”

“Why’s that?” Faye asked.

“It stores the pool cues and balls in it.” He handed her a cue. Next, he pulled a small cube of chalk from the rows of holders stuffed in the table’s side.

Faye studied the carbonate and wood cue in her hand, smirking. “This is going to be fun. Will you show me what to do next?”

Mace nodded. He began placing the pool balls on the table while they dispensed out the side. “Of course. It might be a while,” Mace replied. “If you’re okay staying in here for a couple hours or so.”

Faye nodded. “Count on it.”

“Me too!” Cinder added from the arcade game cabinet.

Mace began. “So, there’s a way you want to win this game .”

“How’s that?” Faye asked. “So I can beat you.”

Mace smirked. “I’m pretty good at this,” he said. “I played a couple rounds with other USF marines.”

“Still won’t be as good as me.”

Mace grinned. “Well, we’ll see.”

“Teach me,” Faye said. “So I can brag.”

He sighed, smiling. “Fine, but if you win, it’s coincidence.”

She smiled at him. “We’ll see.”

***

Together, they continued into the night. After some time, Mace and Faye decided to head back to his suite. A nap was in order.

Cinder didn’t protest.

She was tired, too. The midnight walk, games, and hanging out eased her into relaxation. She decided to head to bed herself.

Cinder didn’t want to miss her chance for deep sleep… that, and she was lonely. Unsurprisingly, she couldn’t fall back to sleep again.

That’s because, deep down, Cinder was lonely.

And that loneliness was beginning to get to her. More than she would have thought. She wanted cuddles. Snuggles. Touch.

That was the only way she’d make it through the night.

So, what am I waiting for?

Cinder bit her lip. Faye was probably in bed with him right now, snuggling, cuddling, kissing, maybe more. She would be cozy either way. And warm.

And in his arms.

“Ugh!” Cinder huffed.

She rolled in her sheets. What was she waiting for? She could always just ask them to join… it wasn’t like his dick wasn’t just down her throat… and it wasn’t like they just discussed some related things. But did that mean it was okay to sleep in the same bed as him, with her, all of them, together like that?

Well, there was only one way to find out.

Cinder sat up from bed. She was going to march over there, tail full sway, and outright ask: “Can I sleep in your guy’s bed? Maybe just for tonight?”

Liar! More than a night, you know you want more than one night! She thought to herself.

“Fuck it,” Cinder said.

She left the bed and searched for a shirt to wear. She was already in her panties, and, really, she would probably start sleeping totally naked in the near future. Oh well. Maybe showing up nude wasn’t good the first night. Might be too strong of an ask.

Cinder ended up discovering an oversized shirt from her closet and slipped it over her body, covering her supple breasts beneath with a thin, slightly translucent white fabric. After that, she took a breath, and made her way for the bedroom door.

It slid open, revealing the corridor. Dawn was near.

Maybe she could get a couple hours in with him. They could put her between Mace and Faye, or maybe they’d lie on either side of him. She didn’t care.

As long as she was in the bed with him.

The corridor was cool. Lit, though dimly, by whatever schedule Mace had set. It calmed her, then, knowing starlight was mixed in with the lowered light of Delta.

As she walked, with her feet on the cool metal and polycrete floor, she wondered if they’d turn her away. That was something she didn’t want to experience. It’d hurt.

The rejection would echo in her mind until it eventually quieted, though a haunt would remain. She ran her hand over the back of her neck and twitched an ear.

Too bad, go ask. Cinder stretched .

Their room approached.

She was almost to Mace’s master suite. Anxiety crawled up her back. Don’t say no, don’t say no, don’t say—stop it! She took a breath and stopped at his door. The walk wasn’t long.

She did, after all, live only a few corridors down.

Gingerly, as Cinder studied the metal doors, brushed alloys inlays, and froze. She took a breath, swallowed, and knocked.

Knock, knock, knock.

The door opened. “Saw you coming,” Mace said from within the dark room over the intercom of his suite.

She stepped in. “You did?”

The intercom sounded. “We’re in the back,” Faye announced.

Cinder gulped. Mace spoke next. “Don’t be shy,” he managed through tired lips.

Cinder nodded. “Okay.”

It took her a couple seconds, but Cinder found his bedroom after a moment. The layout was similar enough to her room. She paced into the open door that led into Mace’s room, seeing the shadowed shapes of him and Faye in the bed.

“Hey,” Cinder managed.

“Well hi there.”

That was Mace talking. She wrapped a delicate hand around her forearm, shrugging gently. “Uh, so, I had a question.”

“What’s that?” Mace asked. “I bet I’ll say yes.”

“Maybe,” Cinder said. “So, um…”

Ah, I’m an idiot, what do I say! She was so determined that she never bothered to come up with an excuse. Do I need an excuse? Cinder shook her head.

“Well, spit it out,” Faye teased.

Cinder smiled a bright smile. “I think I heard a noise, and I’m, like… yeah, it really spooked me.”

Mace chuckled. “A noise, huh?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

“What kind of noise?” Faye teased.

“I said a scary one!” Cinder repeated. She huffed a bit.

Faye laughed more. “Oh, understood.”

Mace chuckled again. “What did you want me to do? Go check it out? That would entail clothes,” he laughed.

Cinder blushed. “Oh… you’re naked?”

“Hell yeah. We both are,” Faye said.

Cinder gulped again. “Um… well, I don’t want to keep you and if you were sleeping, and you’re comfortable—”

“I can make sure it’s okay,” Mace said.

Cinder heard his sheets rustle and ruffle. Stop being an idiot, Cinder told herself. She took a breath, puffed up her chest, clenched her fists, then relaxed, letting out the air. “Okay, fuck it.”

The rustling stopped.

“I’m lonely,” she started, “and I just want to sleep next to you and Faye,” Cinder finished. “I want snuggles, cuddles, and I don’t care what happens. I just want in that bed because I’m fucking lonely.”

Mace exploded into laughter. He caught his breath, then smiled. “Get in here with us.”

“Yeah, join us,” Faye said.

“I had a feeling that’s what you were trying to ask,” Mace explained. “And we did just have the conversation earlier.”

“Yeah, but I don’t know if that means sleeping in the same bed counts as okay,” Cinder said. “And I didn’t know how to ask.”

“Faye?” Mace asked the other kitsune.

Faye heaved a sigh. “I said get your ass in our bed, didn’t I?”

“You heard her,” Mace said. “Ass.” He pointed to the bed. “Bed.”

Cinder’s tail swayed excitedly. She cupped her hands beneath her chin and smiled. “Yay!” she exclaimed.

“Lose the clothes,” Mace instructed. “If you want.”

“I’m a submissive, horny kitsune that’s lonely with a giant crush on you,” Cinder replied merrily. “Already working on it.”

Cinder grabbed her shirt by the bottom seam and pulled it off, working it off her, and discarding it, exposing her supple creamy breasts that gently swayed as the shirt moved across them. She dispatched her panties next, then made her way for the bed.

She felt Mace’s strong hand brush past her bare thigh after she slipped onto the bed, her hands and knees deforming the surface. “Where do you want to lay on here?”

Cinder paused.

“Uh…”

“Pick one,” Faye said.

Mace nodded. “Please. Whatever you’d like, Cinder,” he said warmly.

Cinder blushed profusely. She couldn’t see it, but she knew she turned rose-red then. “Between you? Facing, uh, facing you,” Cinder chose, the ‘you’ being Mace.

“Come on,” he said. “How’s spooning for you?”

Cinder nodded her head. “Yes, please!”

“Well,” Mace said, “ass in my lap, please. Make sure Faye’s got hers firmly against you.”

Faye giggled. “Oh, of course.”

Cinder smirked again.

Faye mentioned something as Cinder got comfortable. “Mace?” she asked. “Can you put on soothing sounds?” Faye asked. “For deep sleep. Maybe… play ocean sounds. I want to hear it. I’ve never seen the ocean, or heard one.”

“Of course,” Mace said. With that, Mace sorted through his chronometer, pulling up the built-in apps, and started a sea soundscape.

Faye thanked him . “Thank you.”

The track started and gentle sounds of a faraway, pre-apocalypse ocean played.

Cinder carefully found her way between them. “It’s nice,” she added. And it was. The music helped relax her. She understood why Faye wanted it.

Together, they climbed beneath the sheets. Immediately, as she rest on her side and wrapped two eager arms around Faye, and put her more even eager backside in Mace’s bare lap, feeling the soft, masculine skin of his cock, thighs, and lower abs.

He could get hard and fuck me, she thought.

Good, she replied to herself quietly. That’s how it ought to be.

With that, they slept.

***

Mace tossed and turned. The nightmare was getting at his feet, nipping at his heels, and then… his eyes shot open. He jutted up, sitting straight and rigid in the cool air of his room. Cinder and Faye’s hands were upon him immediately, consoling and caressing.

“What’s wrong?”

Mace shook his head. “Another fucking nightmare. That sucked.”

Cinder kissed his shoulder. “Hey, we’re here.”

Faye nodded. “Do you want to try and come back to bed with us?”

He turned and studied Faye, then Cinder. The nude kitsunes were eager to relax him but… Mace knew he couldn’t go back to sleep. Nightmares tended to keep him awake after they ran through his head. It was just the way of things.

“No, I don’t think I’ll be able to. I mean, I want to, but I know I’m not going to be able to, even if I wanted to.”

Faye sighed. “Okay.”

“But you both can sleep. Make sure and cuddle up,” he teased. “To stay warm.”

Cinder laughed quietly through the comfort of her pillow. “To stay warm,” she echoed.

“We’ll keep the bed warm for you,” Faye said. “Just don’t be gone too long,” she finished.

“Of course. You both are lovely,” he added. “You two look great without clothes.”

Faye blushed. “Thanks. You do, too.”

“Yeah, you do. Don’t wait too long,” Cinder said. “I want you back in bed with us.”

“She’s right,” Faye laughed. “We’ll be here.”

“Okay, lovelies. See you in a bit. I’m going to try walking around and thinking. Clear my head. Maybe drink some water,” Mace added.

He was a little thirsty. The nightmare that pulled him from sleep left a dry, sandpaper sensation in his mouth and throat. A cold glass of water actually sounded great.

“See you soon,” she added.

“Goodnight, you two,” Mace replied and left the bed.

Mace headed to the nearest sink , in the kitchen. He found a glass in the cabinet and turned on the filtered water from the tap and filled his cup. After turning it off, he took a quick swig and let it run down his throat.

It cooled the sandpaper sensation, washing it away in the crisp, clean water of Delta. He finished the water and thought for a moment about what to do next, deciding he could use a walk.

Maybe something would come to him to take his mind off things. Either way, he needed to think about something else, and exploring the empty facility in the late night seemed appropriate.

After getting dressed quietly, he returned to the living room and made his way out into the night. He already felt less on edge since moving around, but it still wasn’t completely gone, the anxiety still floating around in his brain like a thin fog.

He went to the door, opened it, and quietly left Cinder and Faye to their deep sleep. He’d be back, as they wanted, for more cuddles and other things.

Mace made his way down the corridor, pausing at a couple of the maps. He checked his chronometer, then went through some of his credentials, and returned to walking through the halls.

It’s dawn outside. Mace glanced up at the redirected starlight, now replaced by shades of Neo Martian sunrise.

Red like blood.

A thought came to mind.

Two words. The Singe .