179 day, Year 988, 41st Millennium
Hive Kathion
Upper Hive
Eric stepped out of the massive transit elevator descending from the upper, far more luxurious levels of the Hive Spire. He walked out alongside a crowd of citizens going about their various business on the lower-upper levels.
Today was no different from the rest. He had to endure yet another grueling session of etiquette and behavioral training. It was incredibly tedious, but he had survived it, and eventually, he was allowed to leave. Still, even though the hours had technically passed at a normal rate, he felt as though he had been trapped in there for two whole days. Time always seemed to crawl when he was subjected to those boring drills.
Walking through a commercial and entertainment district filled with bars and restaurants, Eric's eyes lingered on an ordinary-looking tavern. It was decorated much like the bars he was familiar with from his past life, just with a touch of Gothic architecture. Suddenly, a basic, perhaps slightly inappropriate, urge popped into his mind.
Eric ducked into the bar and immediately bought a cheap bottle of wine. Even though it was considered "cheap," it was still quite pricey for a middle-class citizen like him. But who cared? As long as it brought him some comfort, it wasn't a problem, and one bottle wouldn't ruin his finances.
As he strolled down the street, Eric periodically glanced down at the paper bag holding the wine, his hand brushing against the glass bottle in a cheerful mood. He couldn't wait to enjoy the taste of the alcohol.
And there was nothing better than sharing a drink with a close friend.
Eric headed straight for Livia's shop. He loved these quiet moments of relaxation, and a little socializing sounded perfect right now. When he pushed her door open, the familiar scent of hair treatments and the light oil from her hairdressing tools hit his nose—a stark contrast to the heavy machine grease in Lyra's workshop.
He spotted Livia sitting in her usual chair behind the counter. Eric smiled, lifting the bottle of wine to chest height, ready to greet her normally. But then he noticed her posture. She looked strangely devastated... as if she had just been through something terrible.
Suddenly, Livia noticed him. She stood up from the counter, her face stained with tears and her hair slightly disheveled, as if she had been crying for a long time. She stared at him for a moment before rushing forward and pulling him into a sudden, desperate hug. Burying her face in his shoulder, she began to sob softly.
Caught completely off guard, Eric almost jumped out of his skin. Livia was hugging him incredibly tight, and he could feel the heavy, uncomfortable pressure of her left augmetic arm pressing against him. He felt confused, surprised, and deeply awkward, as if his personal space had just been abruptly violated. However, seeing how heartbroken she was, he knew he couldn't make things worse with harsh or insensitive words.
"I... I can't breathe, Livia," Eric said softly. He awkwardly patted her back in a comforting gesture before gently pushing her away. Livia slowly looked up at him. She was still sobbing, but he could clearly see the tear tracks on her face and the mix of deep sorrow and relief in her eyes.
"I'm sorry... that must have hurt. I lost control of myself," Livia apologized guiltily. She quickly loosened her grip, looking terrified that her hug might have injured him. Her augmetic arm wasn't top-tier, but the mechanical strength of such prosthetics was still vastly superior to flesh and bone; it could easily cause injury if she wasn't careful.
"No... I'm not hurt at all. Don't make that face, you didn't hurt me," Eric quickly reassured his friend, not wanting her to feel any worse. He knew something serious must have happened.
"I think we need to talk somewhere else. You should probably close the shop for now. Whatever you're dealing with, I will listen," Eric suggested gently.
"Alright," she replied.
Shortly after closing the shop, Livia led Eric up to the living room of her private quarters to vent. The room was simply decorated, much like the standard living rooms he was used to. The walls were painted a light gray-white, and a cheap brown sofa sat in the center. It was a familiar, nostalgic sight—reminding him of his apartment back on Earth when he was just an office worker, albeit with slightly different furniture.
The room's atmosphere was usually welcoming, but right now, it felt heavy and gloomy, reflecting the sorrow on Livia's face. Eric sat down slowly on the sofa opposite her, placing the wine bottle on the small table between them. He felt he needed to maintain a respectful distance, yet he wanted to be close enough to offer his friend support.
She was silent for a moment before gathering her courage. Taking a shaky breath, she explained in a trembling voice that she had recently started dating a man. Everything was going perfectly until she discovered he already had a family. She was, unknowingly, the "other woman." Every promise that man had made to her was a lie. Livia told the story through intermittent, heartbroken sobs.
Eric listened with deep sympathy, feeling a pang of secondary sorrow for his friend. She must have been incredibly crushed to cry this hard. He knew Livia; normally, she was a strong, unyielding woman who bowed to no one (except, perhaps, her superiors). To see her this devastated was jarring.
Suddenly, Livia reached out, grabbed Eric's bottle of wine, popped the cork, and chugged the entire thing in one long gulp—all while tears continued to stream down her cheeks.
Again? Eric thought, feeling a mix of regret and mild annoyance. It wasn't that he was angry about the wine, but this exact scenario had played out about a year ago. Back then, he had scavenged some cheap liquor from a dead PDF soldier to share with her in memory of Maria. She had snatched the bottle, downed it all, and gotten completely wasted, forcing him to take care of her.
Now, history was repeating itself.
After a brief pause, Eric slowly rested his hand on the table and leaned forward, looking at his friend with a gentle expression.
"It's okay, Livia. Sometimes things happen that we can't plan for, and we can't possibly know everything. You are a strong person, you know? Don't let something like this break you," Eric said, his voice sincere and devoid of judgment.
Livia, her face now flushed red from both crying and the sudden influx of alcohol, wiped her eyes and tried to stifle her sobs. Eric pulled a handkerchief from his coat pocket and handed it to her.
"If you need to cry, or if you just need to vent, let it all out. Let out as much as you need to, and I will sit here and listen to every word," Eric comforted her. Livia visibly began to relax. Seeing this, Eric gently reached out and held her hand, a silent promise that he was there for her and wouldn't abandon her.
"Don't stress over this too much, and you shouldn't have to go through it alone. I'll be here to help you. If you need it, I can help manage the small things at the shop while you rest and recover," Eric offered with a calm, serious demeanor. He was offering tangible help rather than just empty comfort... though, realistically, he knew he probably wouldn't end up working in the shop, as he could easily invent excuses later if needed.
"Thank you, Erica. Thank you so much," Livia nodded, taking a deep breath. Eric smiled warmly. He was genuinely glad he could comfort his friend.
He honestly didn't expect to be this good at it.
"You know, sometimes the strongest people are the ones who have hurt and cried the most before rising up stronger than ever before," Eric declared proudly, crossing his arms slightly. His posture resembled that of a slightly arrogant, not-too-bright military officer... even if everything he just said was purely a made-up personal sentiment.
"Don't mock him, you know Lieutenant Rocklin isn't like that," Livia laughed dryly, dabbing her face with Eric's handkerchief.
"I'm really glad I have a friend like you..." Livia added, her voice pitching up slightly as if she were being sarcastic. Eric caught it and gave a mischievous smirk. He sat up straighter, crossing his arms with exaggerated confidence.
"Of course you are," he replied, mirroring the arrogant smile of a certain someone he preferred not to name. Then, an idea struck him that might help his friend destress even further.
"Maybe you should go take a bath... Warm water and soap might help you relax and wash some of those bad feelings away," Eric suggested.
"You're right. Erica, do you want to bathe together? I just... really don't want to be alone right now," Livia said, shooting him a slightly playful smile. It seemed she was finally bouncing back from her sadness.
Eric hesitated slightly. But then again, she was his friend—a very close friend. Besides, he had bathed with her before. Why should he refuse?
"Alright, no problem. But you have to wash my hair!"
.
.
.
.
.
This feels amazing, Eric thought to himself as Livia gently washed his long white hair.
They were both sitting naked on small stools in the washroom. Thin steam from the warm water and the fragrant scent of shampoo and soap filled the air.
Eric closed his eyes gently. He realized he really loved having someone pamper him and wash his hair... It was a simple pleasure that made him feel comfortable, happy, and safe.
"You look exhausted. What did you do today?" Livia asked, her fingers attentively massaging his scalp. Eric smiled softly before offering a half-truth. If he told her the full truth, she would worry entirely too much.
"Just a lot of paperwork. My department head is kind of awful and dumped a ton of forms on me, so work has been a bit stressful. Speaking of which, Livia, next time don't chug a whole bottle of wine like that. It's bad for your health," Eric deflected with a small smirk. In reality, his 'department head' wasn't that bad and certainly didn't give him paperwork.
"Are you worried about me, or... are you just upset you didn't get to drink that wine?" Livia teased. Even though she was behind him, he could practically feel the smirk on her face. Even though he had told a white lie to cover his tracks, having his words misinterpreted like that still annoyed him a little.
"Not at all. I don't regret losing that bottle one bit," Eric said, a hint of irritation in his voice as he scrubbed his shoulders and neck with a sponge.
"Since when did you become such an alcoholic?" Livia prodded playfully, her hands moving down to scrub his back. Even though Eric knew she was just joking to keep the mood light, it wasn't true at all. He wasn't addicted to alcohol; he hardly ever drank.
"Probably around the same time you became addicted to men, I suppose," Eric shot back with a stinging remark.
Livia went silent for a moment. The smile faded from her face before she suddenly let out a soft laugh.
"Hahaha! Has my shy friend Erica finally learned how to throw passive-aggressive insults? I'm so proud of you," Livia said sarcastically, covering her mouth with one hand to hold back her laughter. Eric sat up straight and smiled back. Why stress over things instead of relaxing and having fun? He crossed his arms confidently and lifted his chin slightly—an incredibly arrogant posture he would never dare strike in public.
"Of course."
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An Undisclosed Secret Location
"It is a pleasure to finally speak with you directly, General Vann Korvax," Omega greeted his master's younger brother politely, making the sign of the Aquila with both hands.
Vann felt a twinge of irritation at hearing his name followed by a surname he despised. It was always like this. He was no longer a member of House Korvax, but he kept his mouth shut. There was no point in complaining or making a scene over it in front of the House Guard Commander. Technically, the man was just following protocol.
"Likewise. Please, take a seat in the corner over there so we can speak more comfortably," Vann replied, pointing to a corner of the room where two sofas faced each other across a small marble table.
"Thank you for your hospitality," Omega said, trying to infuse his voice with sincerity, though it sounded completely artificial. Vann knew exactly what kind of person Commander Omega was, based on reports and his own intelligence gathering. The man was practically a carbon copy of his older brother—cold, calculating, and completely indifferent to human life, differing only in his heavy focus on military strategy.
Once they were seated opposite each other, Vann opened a hidden compartment beneath the marble table. He pulled out two cups and some instant Tanna tea powder that didn't require hot water. He casually mixed the drinks and handed one to Omega.
"Thank you, General," Omega replied, accepting the tea and taking a small sip. He looked visibly nauseated as the liquid hit his tongue.
"I appreciate the gesture, but I would much prefer some amasec."
"My apologies. Unfortunately, I don't have any on hand," Vann shrugged lightly, sipping his tea contentedly. He knew Tanna was an acquired taste; some liked it, but most absolutely despised it.
"Alright, let us get to the reason we are both here," Omega said, pulling a notebook from his belt pouch.
Vann raised an eyebrow, set his teacup on the table, and retrieved his own notebook. Today, they were meeting to exchange information to use against a mutual enemy. It was exceedingly rare for nobles and the elite, who were usually fiercely divided, to find an ally with a shared goal.
"Indeed... So, what intel do you have? I hope it's interesting. I've been dying to know why Ritus fled Hive Kathion after you successfully put down the rebellion," Vann asked. He knew exactly how brazen Ritus was. The man was deeply corrupt, running illegal smuggling rings, yet he still had the audacity to oppose budget increases for the PDF. Shortly after the rebellion was "put down" (massacred), Lord Ritus vanished. Vann had spent days using his own methods to track down the noble's hiding place.
"I captured the rebel leader and interrogated him for several days before extracting some highly concerning, yet useful, data. This was no ordinary uprising. It was well-prepared and utilized Xenos weaponry. There is a variable involved—likely a Xenos entity. Furthermore, Lord Ritus is a traitor who provided support to these rebels," Omega explained calmly.
Vann was slightly surprised and impressed by the revelation. It seemed Ritus had committed far more treason than he initially thought. But this was good—it gave him absolute justification to eliminate Lord Ritus. And looking at the man sitting across from him, Vann knew his brother's loyal servant would never let Ritus live. That worked out perfectly; Vann wouldn't have to be directly tied to Ritus's demise.
"I currently know where Ritus is. He is hiding out in the main command bunker and fortress of the gang that controls Sector One-Ten in the Lower Hive of Hive Orion. He's likely preparing to flee the planet entirely," Vann explained. He had acquired this intel using his own highly unconventional methods, methods most people would never suspect.
"Thank you, General. Your intelligence is highly detailed," Omega nodded, jotting down the information. Then, a note of curiosity entered his flat voice.
"How exactly did you acquire this intel?" Omega asked.
"Well, I 'interrogated' this information out of Lord Ritus's primary wife," Vann answered casually, tilting his head and adjusting his collar slightly to reveal love bites and lipstick marks on his neck.
"I 'stabbed' her with such tactical precision that she was begging for mercy and surrendered all the information. And just like that, I secured several critical pieces of intelligence." Vann smiled, chuckling softly as he recalled his actions. He felt a bit disappointed in himself for slipping back into his old, playboy habits. Now, alongside Keshila, he supposed he had acquired yet another bedmate.
"In that case, I will ask no further questions. Let us exchange thoughts on how you plan to handle this matter," Omega said.
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Author's Note: Well, it looks like someone just got NTR'd.