When Maeyune woke that morning in her tiny room, she felt a tremor of angst clamber down her body. It took her a long minute to remember she was not in Suolan anymore. Today marked the fourth day away from home and in a land where the energy was not her own. She briefly remembered Reo's calculating stare from the night before.

After a cool shower in the women's washroom, she dressed in a training suit and decided to meet her friends in their room. They were a little farther down the hall from her. The rooms that she passed, she noticed, belonged to higher ranking officers.

The door to her team's room slid open. A frustrated Meera marched out, a towel and small bag swinging in her hands.

"Maybe I should just sew all your holes shut then!" she fumed over her shoulder. She spun around again and ran into Maeyune.

"What's wrong?" Maeyune asked.

But Meera only stormed off, her boots clipping against the concrete floor as she made her way to the showers.

Maeyune entered the room and prepared herself for imminent disaster.

Aerylis was attempting to comfort a weeping Benny on one of the cots, her hand awkwardly patting his shoulder. Clover was pacing back and forth, his face gnarled with anger. Trix sat on the edge of his bed, his chin in his hand and shadows underneath his eyes.

Trix looked as if at any moment he would collapse back onto his bed. "Clover and Benny snore," he muttered.

"It's not as if we do it on purpose!" Clover seethed. "Insults won't fix the problem either!"

They all turned to Maeyune, expecting a quick solution. But she only crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow.

Clover threw his hands up in exasperation.

"Aer," Maeyune said, "is there anything you can do?"

The wind celestial shrugged.

"Uh-uh, no way," Clover said, his brow furrowed. "She killed a man by playing with his lungs. I'm not going to risk it."

Aerylis glared.

"Clover, it's been twelve years," Maeyune stated.

"Don't care," was the staunch reply.

Just do whatever you can, Maeyune said to Aerylis. The tip of Aerylis's lips twitched.

Trix had nodded himself back to sleep. Clover began rummaging through his bag, and Aerylis left Benny and started for the showers.

Maeyune remained where she stood, her forehead pressed into her palm.

And this is only day one of training, she thought.

They asked a non-celestial soldier in the corridor for directions to the science department. In a few minutes, they managed to reach a sign above them that read plainly "Science and Technology." They pushed through the swinging doors underneath the sign and encountered the undeniable stench of metal.

The lab was a domed structure, made out of concrete and not the glass and steel frames like the Room of Light in the Council Hall. Tables with colorful, holographic screens circled the room. Glass enclosed several large alcoves that ran along the dome wall. Each alcove was an office that contained various equipment and offered more space to perform a variety of tasks.

There were a dozen lights in the ceiling. Several of them - spotlights - illuminated three striking automechs in the center of the room. They looked entirely brand new, painted in gold and silver metallics. Their design was much sharper than the Suolani models - which the Berans had originally inspired. They also appeared far more human, with joints and appendages like the human body.

Standing underneath the automechs were Tin and Saber Team. They turned when Maeyune and her team entered.

"Ah, good morning!" Tin yelled. He waved his hand high in the air for them to come over.

As they approached, Maeyune could not stop herself from marveling at the giant machines.

"They're our newest models," Tin explained, his face gleaming. "The Lunar S56. Lunar, because, you know, you being the moon and everything..."

Reo cleared his throat, diverting Tin back on course.

"Ah, sorry," Tin continued, pushing his spectacles up his nose. "We will be sending them out today as gifts for your king, His Royal Majesty, in honor of our alliance."

"They are magnificent," Maeyune said, her eyes grazing every detail. She looked at Tin. "May I see how they work?"

He beamed and clapped his hands once. "Yes! You most absolutely may, Miss Ereni!"

In one long stride, he went to stand next to the center automech and pushed something small above its right knee. A narrow metal panel slid open to reveal a keypad. He pressed one of its buttons, and the automech's torso split open with a hiss.

Clover and Trix jumped back in surprise. The chest opened, metal gears cranking with the movement, to reveal a single, black leather seat inside. For a pilot, Maeyune realized as she stared wide-eyed. She saw the small ladder that slid down from the opening.

"These new models now contain a few more advanced features than the current Nomenian automechs," Tin said.

Maeyune could not believe it. There was already this kind of technology available?

"We have nothing like this in Suolan," Clover said, dumbfounded.

"Yes, the G2s in Suolan have become impractical, especially with its vulnerable and hackable software," Tin replied. "With these S56's, the Suolani will be able to maneuver in battle more efficiently with an actual pilot."

"There's no one in Suolan who knows how to control these things," Meera said in disbelief.

"But they soon will!" Tin enthused. "We wouldn't be great allies if we sent them without any of our training officers!

He laughed, the sound shaky. Maeyune didn't know if it was the spectacles that he wore that prevented her mind from seeing his surface thoughts. Nonetheless, it was clear to her that he was nervous around her.

She smiled, allaying his tension. "Thank you, Tin," she said. "King Chiyan will be pleased."

His shoulders drooped in relief.

"What's the plan for today, Tin?" Reo prompted, impatient.

"Ah, a fighting simulation," the scientist answered. He raised a finger in the air as if to establish a point. "We will conduct testing outside."

"All right," Clover said. He cracked his knuckles. "What are we fighting?"

"Not what, who," Tin corrected as he gestured for them to follow him. "You will be fighting each other. Saber Team versus Aegis Team."

It was in tandem. Both teams locked eyes with one another. The space between them swam with titillation.

Maeyune caught Reo staring at her with perceivable curiosity. Deiyu had already forewarned her last night about the duel that she would encounter. So why did her pulse still quicken?

"This way, please." Tin started for a pair of doors behind the automechs. His open lab coat flapped behind him as he walked with long strides. They all had to jog to keep up.

But before he sprinted his way through, a woman's voice came through on the lab's speakers.

"Mr. Pogelsby?"

Tin stopped, turning abruptly. "Yes?"

A woman was projected above one of the control panels. The hologram revealed her only from the waist up. "Mr. Pogelsby, excuse me for the interruption, but both Saber and Aegis Teams are needed immediately in the operations room."

Tin's face twisted, his displeasure bright. "Right now?"

"Yes, Mr. Pogelsby."

Exasperated, he sighed. "Very well." He waved a regretful hand at both teams. "We will have to continue later. Please, go on."

Maeyune and Reo glanced at each other momentarily. He said nothing as he continued toward the doors at the opposite end of the lab.

The operations room was a frenzy. Red lights were flashing from multiple desks, and soldiers were speaking incoherently into their headpieces.

General Soras, Gerothen, and Deiyu all stood at the front of the room, facing one of the large monitors. Displayed on the screen was a recording of two automechs on fire. As Gerothen turned to greet the teams, Maeyune watched as the broadcast revealed Iron Prophet soldiers breaking through a city's gate.

Reo's eyes were wide. "What's happening?" he demanded.

"Eno is under attack," Gerothen answered. "They are targeting the sun temple."

Concerned, Maeyune asked, "How are the defenses?"

"Since the Iron Prophet first appeared, we have had soldiers stationed at every city that hosts a temple," General Soras said, face grim. "Eno should be able to hold for days."

"We need to stop them," Reo said, spinning on his heels to leave.

"Mr. Castell!" the general barked.

Reo turned around again. Maeyune could see every fiber in his body rejecting the movement.

Soras clasped his hands behind his back. "Aegis Team will be joining you on this mission," he stated. "Protect the temple and the sun relic. Under no circumstances will there be any heroics. Do I make myself clear?"

Reo did not answer, only returned Seras' even glare.

"Or shall I have Aegis Team go alone?" the general threatened.

Maeyune could feel the tension in the air; it was thick and suffocating. All noise in the room had diminished as Seras waited for Reo's reply.

What is going on? she pondered.

"I understand," Reo replied conscientiously.

Soras faced the large monitor again. "Suit up," he ordered.

Without another word, Reo and his team were gone. Maeyune looked to Gerothen, who nodded. "Suit up, Maeyune," he said. Then, with a sarcastic smile, he added, "Welcome to Bera."

Maeyune thought that was a peculiar thing to say.

As her team left the room to change into their battlesuits, Deiyu grabbed her arm, stopping her. His touch startled her.

"Maeyune," he said, releasing his hold. "You must be careful."

She heard the urgency in his voice. "What's wrong?"

He came closer, but maintained a comfortable distance. "There are rumors circulating that the Sun Goddess incarnate is unstable," he said, his voice low. "Soras is reluctant to send him out."

Her brows furrowed. What he said was hardly surprising. She had already surmised it for herself from the way Reo's dark aura vibrated in the air.

Did that mean he was a danger?

"Be on your guard," Deiyu continued, "and watch each other's backs."

Maeyune could only stare at him, but she nodded firmly. She left the room and followed after her friends.

As they made haste to their rooms, Meera inquired, "What was that about?"

"Nothing," Maeyune answered, the lie hot on her tongue.