"Yeah... we're busy with cleanups! Not delivering personnel, hiding from the enemy."
... That sounded quite humiliating! They think we're weaklings!? He squinted and said Miru's name...
"Don't you remember him?"
... I shook my head in confusion...
"That's weird! Apparently... I really did get something mixed up!"
"I'm not gay! I'm interested in women only!"
"And that's great news!" - Keaton blurted out with relief. "Who is she... Your beloved? ...With you on board? ...And Dylan's pestering her?"
"Exactly!"
"I figured so! He needs a distraction from your crush, and I'll help you with that, Taen!"
A slender man with shoulder-length dark strands suddenly entered the living room, dazzling me with his unearthly appearance, a refined, handsome face with large, languid eyes. His lover? What kind of... specimen?"
He looks like a clone, too perfect, but a slight agitation and concern suddenly filled his pale face. Where do such beautiful people come from?
However, Keaton has probably seen more than I have, and visited many colonies during his long career.
"Laeni?" - the Commander addressed him sympathetically. - "Wanted something?"
Keaton looked rather embarrassed, as I, with a sly smile, guessed this sensual young man's relationship to him. As if he were afraid that, God forbid, a spark would ignite between us and we would immediately begin actively getting to know each other.
"You have a guest? And these new, noisy people on board?"
... Oh no, don't you dare be charmed by me, young man, his curious gaze lost in studying me...
"This is Taen and his exchange team... here, for a while... and don't you dare hang out with them!" - Keaton's urgent words sounded like an order.
"Why would I need this?" - Laeni whispered shyly, blushing slightly. - "It's just... this is the first time, there are so many of them, new shooters!"
"Don't you like hunting as much as I do?" - For some reason, I decided to flirt slightly with the handsome guy and ran into a warning glance from the Commander, who was trying his best to complete the introduction of his lover to his guest.
"I think Laeni has some business!"
"I don't have any!" - the young man smiled and sat down in the next chair. - "I really don't like all this stuff that goes on here. I'm a humanist and a pacifist! That's why I'm bored here every day!"
"He's a psychoanalyst, but our starship team doesn't really need such a specialist as a professional! But he's required by the staff," - Keaton noted irritably.
...Of course, such an employee is not needed by the hunters, and therefore only relaxes his Commander, like mine pretty bird...
"Where are you from?" - I was inspired to learn even more about the charming soulmate of the local boss.
"It's a clone!" - Keaton answered for him. - "You might have guessed!"
"So… And how was it?"
"What?" - Laeni was confused.
"Well, that feeling... when you wake up and..."
"...and don't understand who I am?"
"Yes...exactly!"
"It's not very pleasant... suddenly realizing myself... among strangers, even though they smiled at me."
"Don't torment my lover with such questions! It's traumatic for a fresh soul!" - Keaton snapped and ended our conversation, suggesting that I go into his office to discuss the upcoming raids to clear out one of the nearest planets on the list.
Then I personally had to participate in a survey of the ongoing cleansing of one of the living planets, and the sight on camera was too not enjoyable and disgusting to describe... groups of marines in protective gear, equipped with laser weapons, moving cautiously through dense forests, firing short volleys at the shadows gliding through the undergrowth.
"Don't like watching this?" - the Commander grinned, his icy eyes flashing in the dawn glare of the local star, noticing my disgusted expression.
"I'm...actually shocked! There really is too much living creatures there... judging by what's happening! And then what?"
"You mean all this meat? Odd question... for processing, of course. We shouldn't let such a valuable product go to waste."
"For processing!? And who is this all for?" - I was genuinely puzzled.
Keaton raised his eyebrows in response.
"Are you kidding?" What do you consume every day to nourish your body?
"Brickets... dry concentrates..."
"Don't pretend you didn't know what they're made of!"
... A lump of nausea suddenly rose in my throat... I realized with horror then what exactly I, the ship crews, and perhaps the inhabitants of other planets had been eating all this time—such a horrific composition..."
"What's so terrible about that?" - his astonished gaze pierced me.
"I... really didn't know... who would have thought! How disgusting!"
"And where else would you get so much nourishment for frantic space explorers?" - Keaton mocked me. - "I confess I'd much rather consume ready-made peptides from a wild creature, whose purpose is unknown, than waste time chewing bloody flesh, possibly teeming with parasites... which could harm my precious body... It's much better... more convenient, after all, don't you think? I just open the package with the necessary ingredients and devoured everything with my favorite drink, no worries...
— I got that ... it's certainly very convenient... I just never thought about it.
— Fortunately, there are always those willing to hunt.