Sunset Precedes The Dark

Colette was equal parts perturbed and annoyed. Just fifteen minutes ago, she had been happily enjoying her breakfast in the mess hall when she received a direct summons to the personal chambers of the Solar Queen herself; Archangel. It wasn’t meeting the Queen that bothered her, either. Colette had heard from many of her friends in the Guard that the Queen was exceptionally friendly and down-to-Earth. It was the fact that this was clearly all business, and from the very top of the chain no less. A part of her wished that it could have come after she was done eating, however.

Colette made her way swiftly out of the mess hall, through the barracks, and down the busy street to the Royal Watchtower, where the Kings and Queens lived. She had never been inside before, but every time she passed the tower, she couldn’t help but give it a sideways glance. She could never tell if the paint on the building was white and gold, or black and violet. Depending on the angle and the time of day, the colours seemed to shift and distort, giving her a mild headache if she stared too long, though the headache might just be from looking up at the artificial sky. Even years after immigrating from her subterranean birthplace, the “daylight” of the city still hurt her eyes, if only slightly.

Entering the building for the first time ever, the bustling sounds of the crowded streets were silenced by the pneumatic doors and she was immediately stopped by the guards stationed just inside. A pair of Solar and Lunar knights seemed to glower at her behind their helmets, each geared with some of the most high-tech armor and weapons she had ever seen. Their powered suits were of a make she wasn’t familiar with, painted with the traditional colours of the Solar and Lunar Guard, and the rifles that they held looked to be some sort of energy weapon far beyond the likes of any gun she’d ever held.

As much as she wanted to take a moment to admire the craftsmanship, she was on the Queen’s time, and didn’t want to leave her highness waiting. Thankfully, passing through the security was easy enough, as the guards only needed to give her a glance before she was ID’d by their helmet’s Heads-Up-Display and given a pass through. As she walked by, one of the Solars helpfully directed Colette to the lift that would take her to the top floor, where she could meet with the Queen. Giving him her thanks, she moved on to the back of the lobby towards the indicated lift.

As she walked, she admired the beautiful architecture of the building, specifically the recurring motif of light and dark in the design. The walls were plated with large geometric shapes made of gold and silver that interlocked and alternated all the way up to the top of the enormous lobby. The tall ceiling was held up with criss-crossing white and black beams and pillars that were majestically engraved to look like angels and devils, respectively. The checkerboard floor appeared to be white marble and black granite, both polished to a shine with only the smallest amount of wear from the armoured boots that walked the halls every day. Just above the lift she was walking towards was an enormous tapestry of the sun and moon together in a partial eclipse, the symbol of the Celestial Guard. All in all, the elegance of the room was breathtaking, and managed to outstrip her expectations for what to expect within the hallowed walls of the tower.

Suppressing her awe, Colette stepped into the metallic capsule-shaped elevator, which instantly snapped shut behind her and began a smooth ascent. It seemed that it was intended for single occupants, but was clearly large enough for multiple. Colette mused over the design choice on the way up, but realized that it was likely intended to be spacious enough to accommodate even the bulkiest of the UDE’s citizens.

The ride up was quick and quiet, without even a jostle as it slowed to a halt. The doors opened up again, and Colette was greeted by a perfectly pristine, circular corridor that seemed to wrap around the elevator. To her left, the corridor was painted completely black, and to the right, it was completely white.

Assuming that she would find the Queen in the appropriately bright side of the hall, Colette turned right and began to walk. Only a few seconds of walking later, she came to a door that was plainly labelled “Archangel” on a golden plaque that was attached to the door. It had no handle, and leaning in, Colette could almost hear a muffled cacophony of sound on the other side. Seeing no other options, she raised a fist to knock on the door, unsure of the potential effectiveness of the gesture.

Before she could make contact however, the door slid open suddenly and without prompt, blasting Colette’s body with a deafening wave of music. Her ears reflexively flattened on her head as she doubled over in shock, and she was left wishing that she was wearing the earplugs that she had forgotten in the barracks. Just as quickly as it came however, the offending sound disappeared with a massive gust of air that nearly knocked her over. Colette slowly blinked a few times, and looked up at the door to see Archangel standing in front of her, smiling apologetically.

“Really sorry about that, Captain. I totally forgot that you canids have more sensitive ears than humans. Silly me!” The Solar Queen gave herself a light slap on the forehead, rolling her eyes playfully. “I turned off my tunes for you. Come on inside, and don’t mind the mess.” As Colette straightened back up to follow Archangel into her quarters, she took a moment to study her superior before her surroundings.

It was the first time that she had ever seen the Queen out of her armor, and it felt extremely bizarre to see such a living legend in civilian clothing. Whereas Colette herself was dressed in her white and blue solar uniform, Archangel was dressed in a pair of grey capris and a pink T-shirt, complete with matching fluffy slippers. What felt even stranger still was the fact that Colette actually stood approximately twenty centimeters over the Queen, like some sort of satire of power dynamics. Though by far the most striking part of the Queen’s appearance were her bright green irises that almost seemed to glow even in the well-lit living quarters. While her fair skin and dark hair were fairly typical, her eyes were in stark contrast to the muddy brown that Colette had come to expect from humans.

Colette had heard stories of the Queen mingling with the troops off-duty, and even hosting wild parties at her club, but she had never seen such debauchery herself. The room only further cemented the dichotomy between the Archangel that Colette had known on the battlefield, and the one that stood before her now. White and red mottled flower petals were scattered around the floor, with seemingly no flora in the room to source from. Large wooden shelves along the right wall were filled with ancient human artifacts, such as broken toys and rusted weapons from millenia ago, along with a stereo system that Colette assumed was the source of the music.

Piled haphazardly on a workbench near that were the Queen’s personal weapons, a pair of barely-portable rail guns that she was known to wield in each hand. Perhaps most odd was the smell of the room. A fruity alcoholic smell hung in the air, but that was easily rooted in the dozen or so wine bottles near the bed in the far left corner of the room. What was strange was the distinct smell of rust, like spilled blood that had been left to dry.

“So you must be wondering why I called you here, huh?” Colette snapped out of her daze, refocusing on Archangel who was sitting on her bed. She seemed to have procured a snack bar while Colette was distracted, munching on it happily with her ever-present smile. “The truth is that you’re a very special woman, and I have a very special job that needs doing.”

Colette raised an eyebrow as her ears twitched, suddenly feeling intrigued. And here she thought she was in trouble. “I never considered myself very special.”

“Well, that’s the thing isn’t it,” Archangel said as she spoke around a mouthful of her nondescript nutrient bar, “The special ones never consider themselves very special.”

"With all due respect, your highness… I'm just a Knight Captain. I guess I'm a bit young for my rank, but besides that I'm pretty ordinary." Colette felt a little weird standing while Archangel sat on her bed, but ignored the awkward feeling.

"Well, you're the only Solar I'm aware of besides myself who is friends with a Lunar. And I need a soldier who's good at making friends for this mission."

Colette couldn’t help but chuckle. "You need someone who's good at making friends? That doesn't sound like a special assignment to me. What kind of mission is this?"

Archangel giggled playfully, waving a hand. “Oh, you! You don’t have to take it, but I’ll need you to be certain before I give you any details. The most I can tell you is that it’s an expedition into unknown territory. Hopefully nothing too serious, but the possibility of no return is still significant.” The seriousness of her tone was directly contrasted by her beaming expression, making it almost eerie instead of reassuring.

Colette’s expression hardened, thinking about the likelihood of death. “So it’s a suicide mission? Is that why you need volunteers?” She wasn’t a young pup, but she wasn’t very old either, and the implication of throwing the rest of her life away wasn’t terribly appealing.

The Queen’s smile didn’t fade, even as she slowly chewed and swallowed the rest of her bar. She chose her next words carefully, and something seemed to flicker behind her shining green eyes, if only for a split second. “I certainly hope I won't be sending you to your death. But even if I was, it’s for a good cause.”

Colette narrowed her eyes at the Queen, feeling the pull of curiosity overwhelm her sense of self-preservation. “A good cause? What reward could possibly warrant throwing away the lives of your soldiers?”

Archangel’s smile widened as an infectious excitement began to swell. “The chance to save the world, of course.”

Colette blinked a few times, taken aback by the bold proclamation. A chance to save this world? This blasted, barren hellscape called Terra? It was so utterly outlandish and obscenely absurd that she couldn’t help but shake her head and laugh out loud.

The Queen’s smile didn’t waver at all as she leaned in slightly, pressing for an answer. “So, what do you say, Captain? A chance at making history only comes once in a lifetime.” By the time Colette stopped laughing, she too wore a borderline manic, wolfish grin.

“How can I possibly say no to something like that? Forget the briefing, when do I deploy?”

“Just as soon as the rest of the team is ready.”

It was unheard of for the Lunar Queen to speak to anyone in person, let alone invite them up into the tower to meet with her. It was rare for her even to meet with the other Royals, and so Claire couldn’t help but feel some shred of apprehension. Even amongst the Lunar Guard, Queen Acrimony was as her title suggested; supremely unapproachable.

Claire was quick to leave her home after receiving her summons as she typically found herself wearing her gear even when off duty. Because her armor was a lightweight and maneuverable scout model, she found it comfortable enough to wear at all times, even when sleeping. After all, it was little more than a sealed suit with a series of armored plates to cover her vitals. More than enough for her, considering her limbs were all prosthesis nowadays.

Once she was sure that her door was locked, she took to the street at a brisk pace. Walking through the city was a daily reminder for Claire that to the general populace, the reputation of her Queen carried to all of the Lunars. The average civilian didn’t care who you were under the faceless helmet, the black and violet colours branded you a pariah just by association. This was of course by design, even if only the members of the Lunar guard realize it anymore. If you are feared and loathed by all, there will be no one to grieve you when you inevitably die.

Not that Claire minded, of course. She had volunteered to join the Lunar Guard ten years ago and with the explicit desire to be left alone and forgotten. She had not been left wanting.

When she passed through the large, reinforced doors of the tower, she was met by a group of four guards, two of which were clad in Lunar armor like herself, but of a far more sophisticated design than her own lightweight model. Where hers favoured mobility over protection, she couldn’t see a single gap in their tightly interlocked plates of alloyed adamantine.

The taller Lunar Knight spoke first, his voice even and low. “Knight Captain Moreno. Our Queen is waiting for you upstairs. Take the lift behind us to see her.” With a quiet nod, Claire stepped between the Lunars and Solars, making her way towards the back of the room. While all four of them stood at least a head over her, she couldn’t help but feel amused. Despite their intimidating stature and equipment, the guards at the front door were likely little more than a formality. The notion that the Celestial Royalty needed guards was nothing short of laughable, as they themselves were the most dangerous people in the world.

On her way up, Claire's mind wandered, considering the possibilities of the summons. By the time she reached the top of the lift, she decided it was likely an assignment, but she had no idea what it could be. Missions should be passed down through the chain of command to her, not handed piecemeal directly by the Royalty. There was something special about this circumstance.

When the doors finally opened, Claire found herself in a circular hallway, split in two sections. One black, one white. The choice was obvious, and she turned left towards the darker half, quickly finding herself in front of a door with a silver plaque that simply read "Acrimony." Claire raised her hand and gave the door a single, sharp knock before waiting patiently.

Only a moment later, the door slid open to reveal the Lunar Queen in the flesh. With golden hair and icy blue eyes, she could be easily mistaken for the sister of the Solar King, if it were not for the intense scowl on her face. Claire was somewhat surprised to see Acrimony's bare face, having been so used to the iconic visage of the wailing obsidian mask she typically wore. Thankfully, it was the Lunar Queen's distinctively flashy black and silver armoured dress that reminded Claire of whom she stood in the presence of.

"My Queen, I have answered your summons." Claire clicked her heels together as she stood in salute, placing her left hand behind her back, and her right hand over her heart. "What do you require of me?" She couldn't help but steal a glance behind the queen into the room, but found that it was simply too dark to see anything of note.

Acrimony rolled her eyes with contempt, crossing her arms. "Drop the formality, it's meaningless. I have a mission for you, Captain. Officially you have the choice to decline, but I don't think you will." Claire allowed herself to relax by a degree, listening as the Queen continued, "What very well may be a suicide mission requires some specially talented individuals. You'll be cut off from any aid, reinforcements, or even communication for the duration. Your record says you have a knack for surviving impossible scenarios… a good candidate, I'd say."

Claire stiffened slightly, understanding immediately what scenario the Queen was referring to. She felt pangs of phantom aches in her limbs for just a second, along the seams where flesh met metal, but the feeling passed as quickly as it came.

"Yes, I suppose I do. I would be honored to represent the Lunar Guard on such a mission. Will I be operating alone, or will I have a team with me?" Acrimony let out a sigh, rolling her eyes again.

"Of course you won’t be working alone.” Acrimony’s words dripped with irritation as she continued, “The team will be of four individuals each hand-picked by me and my peers. You'll be working with Solars, so I expect you to make up for their ineptitude."

Claire considered saying something, but decided against it. A second later, she decided on a reply. "I assume that I'll be sent the details on my way to the rendezvous?"

The Lunar Queen's response was curt as she closed the door between them. "Indeed."

Claire frowned under her helmet, feeling mildly discouraged by Acrimony’s foul mood, but she dismissed the feeling quickly, knowing that this type of behavior is exactly what her Queen is known for. Instead, Claire began to make her way back to the elevator as a notification appeared on her helmet’s HUD. Her suit’s neural link allowed her to open the message with just a thought, and the attached documentation appeared on the edge of her vision, letting her read it without obstructing her view.

Once inside the elevator, Claire began to read her assignment and intel more closely. She was surprised to find that the team had not yet been filled, with two slots open. However, the name of the first Solar volunteer made her bite her lip in frustration. Knight Captain Colette Longfang, a name that Claire had not thought about in several years.

“So the pup is a captain now, is she? I suppose it has been ten years… I can't believe she's still alive.” With a sigh, Claire scrolled past the canid’s profile, averting her gaze from the smiling face in the record. “For the sake of the mission, I hope she doesn’t remember me.”

Rhys stumbled drunkenly out of the bar, waving a goodbye to his friends for the evening. He had spent the better part of his day off drinking and celebrating life with others at his favourite bar in the city. Living with the reality that any day could be your last made it important to enjoy every moment to its fullest, and Rhys was by no means one to turn down good drinks with good company. However, he had patrol tomorrow, and he wanted to wind down and relax to avoid a hangover.

With his mind full of fog, the Solar walked down the street, giving each person he saw a large smile and a friendly wave. He seldom ever recognized the faces that passed him by, but he still felt obligated to spread whatever mirth he could manage, because he was never sure who might need it at the moment. Most would return the friendly gesture, and some would just ignore him, but it never dampened his spirits. He would smile and wave at the next person all the same.

It wasn’t long until he had managed to drag himself to his home. It was a cramped apartment complex, much like all the other living spaces in the city, but it was the one place he could rest his head in quiet solitude. It was his own private space that he had grown to cherish over the years.

He started making his way down the entrance hallway, his footsteps echoing slightly against the cold, grey concrete of the structure. Although he appreciated the excellent soundproofing for the sake of privacy, it did make the building feel abandoned, even when he knew that there were other people home. This illusion of loneliness was compounded by the equally quiet elevator ride to his floor, but shattered when he exited the elevator to see a figure leaning against the wall next to his door.

The figure was garbed in a beautifully crafted suit of armor that glistened with gold intertwined with radiant blues, both a work of art as much as genuine protection. Like an ancient knight of heroic legend, the iconic suit of plated armor unmistakably denoted the wearer as the Solar King himself. In Rhys' apartment, standing at his door. The helmeted head of the king looked up silently, before raising a hand in greeting, giving a quick wave.

Blinking in disbelief, Rhys found his voice as he passed by his neighbors' doors to reach his own. Thankfully, the shock of the confrontation had sobered him up enough to avoid slurring. "Blueblood, my liege, whatever are you doing here? Were you waiting for me?"

Rhys could hear a muffled chuckle from beneath the golden visor as the king nodded in confirmation. "Indeed I am, Captain Steele. Please forgive my trespass, but this visitation has a dual purpose. I have an urgent matter that I wish to speak with you about… and I also wanted to get out of the tower for a while." Blueblood straightened up off the wall, rolling his shoulders and stretching his arms. "It can become quite stifling up there, so I like to find excuses to leave for a time. I hope you don't mind."

Rhys was dumbly shaking his head, still utterly starstruck by meeting the Solar King in person. "But of course, my King! By all means come inside, the hallway is no place to discuss matters of importance. Can I offer you a drink?" Blueblood politely shook his head as Rhys led them inside.

As the door to his apartment opened up for the two of them, Rhys suddenly felt a wave of gratitude that his mother had always taught him to keep tidy. The small one-room apartment was hardly a place for a man of such immeasurable prestige as Blueblood, but it was at the very least clean and orderly. Rhys felt a small cringe of ineptitude as he realized he only had one chair in his home, but decided the King should take the chair while he sat on his cot across the room.

After being directed to the stout armchair, Blueblood took a seat across from his host, and removed his helmet. Unlike most modern power armor, his helmet was a separate piece that interlocked with the suit, instead of retracting into it. The armor's years were only surpassed by the man wearing it, and to Rhys' surprise, the king only looked to be in his mid-thirties.

"I must say, my liege, for someone who is supposedly older than the Black Hound, you look quite good for your age. You look younger than I do." Rhys brushed his fingers through his beard, which as of last year was beginning to show silver strands amongst the brown. He had then blamed the stress of his profession, but now would be willing to admit that he just isn't aging as gracefully as he would have liked.

"You flatter me, Captain. It's not easy keeping this complexion for as long as I have. It's nothing short of a miracle I haven't lost my good looks during this war." He flashed Rhys a toothy grin which was as well-practiced as it was captivating. With his perfect fair skin, glistening azure eyes, and flowing golden locks, it was no wonder that he was the leader of the Solar Guard. His charisma and charm were truly peerless.

In such an alluring presence, Rhys momentarily questioned his orientation before brushing the thought away, focusing on the purpose for the meeting. "You said you had something of importance to discuss with me, sir? Do you have an assignment for me?"

Nodding, Blueblood explained the situation. "Why yes I do, actually. You see, my colleagues and I are assembling a team of the UDE's finest to embark on an expedition into the unknown. While we are hoping that force will not be required… a heavy weapons specialist is desired, just in case." The Solar King gave a knowing smirk as he continued, "I had looked through some files on potential candidates, and you had stood out amongst the rest. A stalwart survivor of City Seven, one of few. Naturally, I had to meet you in person to gauge the type of individual that takes."

Rhys stiffened at the mention of City Seven, his breath caught in his chest. Blueblood noticed this, and his gaze softened sympathetically. “City Seven was a tragedy, Rhys. I know that as well as anyone. Even if I wasn’t there to defend it myself, I too lost friends in the massacre. But I came to you specifically because unlike many others, you did not fall victim to your grief. You still stand tall and proud, as a Solar. And I need someone strong for this mission. That’s why I am here, asking you now.”

Rhys breathed slowly, thinking hard. After a moment of quiet dilberation, he nodded. "So… This mission… I assume this is a matter of more lives than just my own?" Blueblood answered with a quiet nod of affirmation, studying the captain’s face. "Then I have no right to say no, do I? It is my duty to put the masses before myself. What kind of Solar would I be if I refused?"

Blueblood raised an eyebrow. “Even if it possibly meant your death?”

“Even if my death was a certainty. If giving my life meant saving others, I would make that decision without hesitation.” Rhys’ voice was even and his expression hardened. After a few seconds, it softened as a cocky grin spread across his face. “Of course, if songs were made in memory of my noble sacrifice, that would be a bonus.”

The Solar King chuckled, nodding approvingly. “Well spoken, Captain Steele. You truly embody all of the finest virtues of the Solar Guard… A proud spirit tempered with humility. Exactly what I was hoping to find.” He stood up, putting his helmet back on as he made for the door. “You shall receive your orders momentarily, so be ready to leave in a few hours.”

Rhys sat up in surprise, head cocked to the side in confusion. “Wait, I’m leaving tonight? So soon?”

Blueblood stopped in the doorway, looking over his shoulder to respond. “Well presumably, yes. Assuming the final member of your team is found soon, which I’m sure they will be. So I recommend you hurry to the rendezvous point, lest you be the last one to arrive.” With another muffled chuckle, the Solar King left, his cerulean cape trailing behind him as the door slid shut.

Rhys was left alone in his home, and he afforded himself a moment to finally slump backwards onto his cot, utterly exhausted. He sighed aloud, staring up at his ceiling as he spoke to himself, "Of course it had to be on my night off. So much for catching up on sleep."

A Lunar sat quietly alone in a corner booth as dozens of people of every shape, size, and species enjoyed themselves around him. Everyone present was dressed in various formal attire of various colours, as was tonight’s dress code. Even the Lunar was out of uniform, instead wearing a tailored black suit that starkly contrasted the white of his plastic face. Despite dressing up, he was not an active part of the festivities, although he still was enjoying his evening. He would often frequent The Angel's Vice, as a means to observe the shameless behavior on display amongst the flashing lights and thumping music. His study of organics however, was not his reason for being here tonight. Tonight, he was meeting a friend.

"There you are, Ignatius! I should have known you'd be hiding in the corner." The Lunar's eyes snapped to the owner of the voice, the woman he had been waiting for.

"Ah, Colette. It really has been too long. Wonderful to see you again, how are you?" Ignatius' voice was just loud enough to hear over the din of the music and through the canid's precious ear plugs.

The Solar Knight sat down across from her Lunar friend, setting down her tall glass of liquor on the table in front of her. She wore both a yellow sundress and an expression of barely-contained excitement, her muzzle split in a massive grin. "You won't believe what happened to me today! I got to meet Archangel! And she even gave me a special mission!"

Ignatius tilted his head in curiosity, his face otherwise giving no emotion. “Is that so? Well, I must congratulate you, Colette. I would ask for details on the mission, but I am assuming it is classified if it came directly from the Queen.”

Colette nodded in response, slumping slightly, “Yeah, I’m not allowed to tell anyone about it…” only to spring back up again, just as excited as a moment ago. “It’s still really cool though! I’m just waiting to be deployed, but I’m too excited to just sit around. That’s why I called you out here tonight, Ignatius. I want to celebrate while I still can!”

“I have to ask, why me in particular?” The Lunar leaned forward, propping his head up on his hands as his fiery, lidless eyes bored their way into Colette, not that he could help it. “Why not anyone else? I thought you had lots of friends, Colette. Has something happened to change that?” His monotone voice didn’t properly carry his mixture of curiosity and concern, but the Solar had known him long enough to catch it.

“Nah, that’s not the issue. I just haven’t seen you in a while, and I know you don’t really get along with others.” She paused to take a long sip of her drink through a novelty straw shaped like a heart as Ignatius gave an amused titter.

“I’m flattered to hear you say that, Colette. I’m glad to be of such importance that you’d choose me over your other friends.”

Colette smirked as she reached across the table to lightly rap him atop the head. “You’d best get that ego in check, mister. I only hang out with you because you’re mature for your age.” She giggled aloud as he playfully swatted away her hand. Suddenly, both of them sat upright, simultaneously feeling the same sensation wash over them.

Everyone in the club stopped moving at once as a blanket of dread settled on the building. Some slowly turned to face the source, while others stood perfectly still, hoping that it would pass on its own. Colette’s instincts told her to run, that something enormously dangerous was approaching, but she was trapped in the corner of the room with Ignatius. Her fur bristled with fear as whatever that thing was, it was getting closer. Seconds turned to minutes, and minutes became hours as the music continued pounding, as though it was oblivious to the mood of the room.

Then, footsteps. Slowly approaching Colette. Even though they should have been barely audible through the music and her earplugs, her heightened senses made each footfall sound like thunder. She managed to look away from the frozen crowd to Ignatius, who was now somehow completely relaxed, despite the expressions of fear from all of the bystanders surrounding them.

Finally, the footsteps stopped directly behind Colette, just out of her cone of vision. She desperately tried to turn her head to face the source, but her animal instincts won out against her. All she could do is stare at Ignatius in utter terror. Then, a deep voice spoke from over her shoulder.

“Good evening, Lieutenant Ford, Captain Longfang. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Colette, recognizing the voice from old recordings, finally managed to turn her head to face the Lunar King; the infamous Black Hound. He was dressed in a coal-black suit of powered armor, the only colour being a crimson cape that hung down to his feet, with a matching thin red visor that glowed an ominous red. Two long, grey horns protruded from the top of his helmet and curved to the back of his head, as if to complete the already intimidating ensemble with a devilish flare. He stood, towering over the pair with his hands behind his back, waiting for a response.

Ignatius bowed his head slightly in reference to his King before responding, “Good evening to you too, sir. I’m just spending some time with a friend tonight.” Ignatius spoke calmly, despite the crushing presence before him. “However, I do believe you have forgotten to activate your suppressor again, sir.”

The Black Hound raised a hand, and Colette almost feared for her life as she half expected to be incinerated by the Lunar King’s legendary anger, but instead he simply tapped himself on the forehead, realizing his blunder.

“That I have. I had disabled it earlier for armor maintenance. I so rarely turn it off that I forget to turn it back on. Thank you for reminding me, Lieutenant.” A second later the weight was lifted from the building, with all of those present gasping out a held breath, some even falling to their knees in relief. Everyone in the club took this opportunity to leave, with those who had collapsed being the last to flee only after they regained their faculties. Witnessing this mass abscondence, the Black Hound gave a small harrumph. "I was wondering why no one was dancing when I walked in. Here I thought it was just the terrible music."

For the second time today, Colette was left reeling as her preconceived perception of a living legend was shattered. "Did… did you just make a joke?" He looked down at her, his visor hiding whatever expression he was making. She was hoping it was not an expression of offense.

After only a few seconds that felt like an eternity, he answered very matter-of-factly, “Yes, I sometimes do. Everyone always seems surprised at that.” He paused for another achingly long second before speaking again. “Do you mind at all if I sit down? I came to speak with my Lieutenant.”

Colette numbly shook her head, scooting over in the booth to make room for the King. As he sat down beside her, she realized properly just how considerable of a man he was. While not as huge as a demon, he was noticeably larger than her or Ignatius, and certainly a few heads above the average human.

“You said you came here to speak to me directly, sir. What of?” Ignatius seemed familiar enough with the Black Hound to be completely unaffected by his presence, which only added to the mental reeling that Colette was suffering from. At this point, she had abandoned her straw and was taking large gulps from her glass, spilling some from the sides of her muzzle, which neither members of her company seemed to notice.

“I’m here to give you an assignment, Ignatius. To be blunt, you are my first and only candidate for this mission. I can trust no one else. Do you accept this request?” Colette realized that this was similar to the pitch she had received this morning, but chose to not say anything, instead being interested in watching it play out.

Ignatius leaned back, putting a hand to his chin, as if he was thinking about it. “Your only candidate? What if I were to say no?”

The King’s head tilted slightly. “Then I’ll have to send Boetius.”

Ignatius recoiled in mock-shock. “That idiot? Well then, I must go, for the sake of the mission integrity if nothing else.”

The Black Hound crossed his arms and nodded approvingly. “Glad to hear. If this were a combat mission, I could pick anyone. But I need your… superb people skills.”

Ignatius again leaned back in his seat, cocking his head to the side. “People skills? I don’t understand.”

“You have more than zero friends. That’s more than most Lunars can say.” Ignatius opened his mouth to retort, but closed it again, realizing the brutal truth of the words. “Come with me, I’ll give you two a ride to the rendezvous point.” The King stood up from his seat and started making his way to the entrance, gesturing with his hand for the pair to follow him. Colette and Ignatius exchange a glance before sliding out of the booth together.

As they followed the Black Hound, Ignatius read the documents on his ocular HUD. “So this is the secret assignment you received from Archangel.”

Colette gave a small nod and a smile. “Yep, the very same. I guess we’re teammates now. A Solar canid and a Lunar synth. All we need is a demonkin and we’ll have the setup for a bad joke.”

“Haven’t you read the addendum to the dossier? The other two candidates were already chosen earlier today, after you. One of them is in fact a demonkin, the other a human.”

Colette’s ears twitched in excitement. “Wait, really? This I have to see.” Reaching to the small of her back, she slid her personal tablet out from a hidden pocket of her dress. Ignatius gave her a sideways glance, to which she shrugged and said simply, “I don’t like leaving home without it. I feel naked without my tech.”

As the three of them walked outside, Colette switched on her device and re-opened the files again, checking for the new information on her teammates. A small crowd formed around the trio, murmuring about the sudden public appearance of the Black Hound. The King paid them no mind as he stepped over to a large, black, armoured personnel carrier and opened the back hatch with a pneumatic hiss. He gestured for the pair to enter, and Colette was about to until she saw the name of the other Lunar on her team.

She shouted out in alarm, much louder than she intended, “Wait, hold on, Claire Moreno is on the team? Is this right?” She directed her question to the King, who tilted his head in curiosity.

“There is no mistake, she was chosen by Acrimony. Is there a problem with that? You sound perturbed by this revelation.” After a few seconds, Colette shook her head.

“No, I suppose not.” She climbed into the APC with Ignatius sitting down beside her. The Black hound sat on the bench across from the two, closing the door behind him. With all of the occupants on board, the vehicle lurched forward towards the flight hanger, their assigned rendezvous point. In the dim light of the carrier, Colette stared at the picture of Claire, the two of them frowning at each other.

“Do you two have history?” Colette tore herself away from the picture to look at Ignatius, giving him a reassuring smile.

“Yeah, ancient history. It’s been ten years since I last saw her, and we didn’t exactly part ways on good terms.” She paused, and he put an empathetic hand on her shoulder. “I always wondered what happened to her. Turns out she became a Lunar. Not sure if I should be angry or relieved.” Closing her eyes, she let out a long sigh, as if to maintain her composure.

Ignatius wasn’t good with complex emotions like this, but he wanted to at least try to comfort his friend. Without any words for her, he gently reached over and pulled the tablet out of her hands, to which she gave no resistance. He thumbed the power button, turning off the screen and setting it aside. They sat in silence, listening to the hum of the engine as they rode the carrier to their destination. If the Black Hound had any input, he too chose to stay quiet, sitting perfectly still for the rest of the ride.