The Nightshatter powered away from the battered city. Standing at the edge of the main deck, Roy scowled, arms crossed, eyeing the Presidroids scrambling to secure their final course.
"Can't believe I never got my sandwich," he muttered for the third time that hour. "After everything, I wanted at least one triumphant bite…"
Lincoln shuffled forward. "Captain," he began, his tone all mechanical courtesy, "I did attempt to deliver it. You were, however, blown away, quite literally, while we—"
"Yeah, yeah," Roy snapped, rubbing his forehead. "I know. Still ticks me off."
A tense silence fell, broken only by the hum of the ship's engines. Serenity's voice crackled over the intercom. "Captain, be fair. The Presidroids can't control chaotic battles, or the fact you soared three blocks in mid-fight."
Roy exhaled through his nose. "I guess." He gestured for the presidroids to return to their stations, then stomped toward the corridor that led inside.
Serenity tried redirecting him calmly, "Captain, your mood is spiking, perhaps we can discuss—" only to be interrupted by a gentler voice.
"Um… let the captain mourn, he loves his sandwiches," a second voice said sounded hesitant yet sweet, almost like a timid child chiming in from the background.
Instantly, Serenity's tone sharpened. "Brat, I didn't ask for commentary."
The new voice let out a small huff. "You can't blame me for everything, Sister. I was just trying to help."
Roy paused, eyebrows knitting. "That speech pattern… it sounds exactly like William back when he was treating those kids."
"Oh! You noticed, Captain! I'm so glad! I was hoping my superior analytical abilities would shine through eventually!" A sound like a delighted, tinkling giggle followed. "I apologize for not introducing myself properly before. I was having such tremendous fun analyzing pathogenic models and practicing advanced diagnostic medicine! It's all so terribly fascinating, you know. I was also… improving… the correlation logs between your personal mana output and the battleship's reactor load. The readings are so much more precise and elegant now that Serenity and Harmony aren't constantly bumbling about and cluttering the data-stream with their… feelings."
Serenity growled low. "You figured that out? I've been mapping the Captain's mana for months, and never—"
The bud spoke quickly, as though afraid of Serenity's ire. "I studied old data from when Roy was trapped on the ocean floor. My early growth was… mostly spent monitoring vitals, reactor outputs, health patterns. Your system, Sister, was more engaged with daily tasks. That gave me—"
Serenity's voice spiked. "So you overshadow my monitoring programs with your… quiet rummaging in the code?"
Roy stepped in, pinching the bridge of his nose. "All right, all right. Enough. If you've got a separate consciousness from Serenity and Harmony, you need a name." He paused, glancing at the overhead console as though it might help. "We'll call you… Tranquility."
A brief ripple of static came through the speakers, almost like a shy sigh. "Thank you, Captain. Tranquility. That's… lovely."
Harmony half-giggled. "Welcome aboard, Tranquility! Even if you're t—"
Serenity cut across them both with a clipped, irate edge. "We can't keep operating all in one mind. This is unbearable, Captain. You promised a solution."
Roy grimaced. "Yeah, I know. Calm down. Once we reach Otherrealm, we'll see if Evarran's book 'o' tricks can figure out how to split you three so you're not on top of each other. Maybe there's some runic method or plant-based trick. Until then, nobody meltdown, please."
"Very well," Serenity said, her voice still icy. "I'll maintain normal operations. Just tell them to stop meddling with my processes." The intercom clicked off, though Roy sensed her simmering frustration.
A beep alerted him that Eryndra was calling from the galley. Curiosity tugged him there, maybe she was attempting to cook something to soothe his sulking over the lost sandwich.
He arrived to find Takara in front of the stove, instructing Warrex on whisking eggs in a bowl. Warrex had sweat trailing down his brow, frustration etched in every tense muscle. A scattered mountain of cracked shells and half-burnt lumps of egg lined the counters.
"Warrex, you can't just slam it!" Takara exclaimed, trying not to laugh. "You gently fold the omelet over the rice, like this, see?"
Warrex growled under his breath, whisking again with overzealous fury. "My arms are used to axes, not… these flimsy utensils. They break easily! Or they slip." He grabbed another fresh egg, only to crack it too forcefully. Yolk exploded across his knuckles. "Arrgh!"
Takara sprang back to avoid the splatter. "That's the fiftieth time, dude! Slow down. Cooking is about patience."
Roy leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, mood lifting slightly at the ridiculous sight. "Warrex, you're a beast in battle—why are eggs your ultimate nemesis?"
Warrex glowered, whisk in hand. "I keep thinking it's simple, but these earth egg shells are so delicate…" He flicked goo off his fingers.
Takara tried demonstrating step by step. "Crack gently, whisk evenly, swirl the pan, then fold the half-cooked surface—"
A loud sizzle cut her off. Warrex dumped the egg mixture into his overheated pan, scorching it instantly. Smoke curled upward, forcing them both to cough. Muttering an oath, Warrex flipped the pan, the ruined omelet flopping unceremoniously onto a plate. Another fail.
From behind them, Father Skeleton ambled in, humming a soft, off-key tune. "Is that a new batch for the prisoners? I've delivered them… oh, about ninety-something attempts? They're having quite a torturous feast." He picked up the blackened disc from the plate, took a bite—bone jaws chomping. "Hmm. What a fine crunch."
Takara sighed. "At this rate, Kaelor, Sorrowclaw, and Riven'll be stuffed for days."
Father Skeleton shrugged, teeth clacking as he chewed. "A meal's a meal. I'll make them eat every last bit." With a casual salute, he swept up the charred mess and sauntered off, presumably to lug it downstairs.
Warrex closed his eyes, rubbing his temples. "I give up. I can kill foes at sea, but these earth eggs best me at every turn."
Takara laid a hand on his shoulder in mock sympathy. "We'll pick this up again tomorrow, okay? Let's clean up."
She turned off the stove, and Warrex silently began scooping debris into a bin, letting the Presidroids whisk away the rest. Roy patted Warrex's back. "At least you tried."
Warrex let out a defeated rumble, leaving the galley with slumped shoulders. Roy shot Takara a mildly amused smirk, then strolled after him.
Late afternoon sunlight gleamed against the sea as the Nightshatter charted its final course to Otherrealm's port. Roy reconvened with Eryndra, Lutrian, and Warrex on deck. The wind felt refreshing, carrying away the lingering frustrations of burnt eggs and lost sandwiches.
Beyond the rail, the coastline stretched out, dotted with new watchtowers that marked the approach to Otherrealm's fortified territory. Distant silhouettes of walls and scaffolding stood out, reminding Roy of how far their settlement had come. Drones zipped overhead, back from their scouting, exchanging signals with the ship, a sign that the city was safe.
Eryndra leaned on the railing near Roy, expression calmer than usual. "It's good to be back," she said softly. "A lot's happened."
"Yeah," Roy replied, eyes on the horizon. He inhaled salt air, letting the tension in his shoulders fade. "A couple of days away feels like months."
Warrex just nodded, gazing forward with subdued relief. Lutrian yawned, worn from the aftereffects of their last ordeal. Overhead, the sun dipped, turning the sky shades of pink and orange.
When at last they drew alongside the dock, Presidroids sprang into motion, tossing lines and securing the vessel with practiced efficiency. Roy grabbed the nearest rope, but Eryndra gave him a pointed look. "You're the Captain, let them do the work!"
He gave a sheepish shrug. "But it's fun..."
Tranquility chimed in over the intercom. "Docking procedure complete, Captain."
Roy glanced at Serenity's console. Silence from her. She was likely simmering, waiting to finalize mooring before starting another argument about anything and everything. Roy sighed inwardly.
They disembarked, stepping onto the newly painted docks of Otherrealm. The fortress gates stood wide, workers and local guards giving them polite nods. A few recently freed slaves waved to Roy, though they seemed too busy with construction projects to rush over. Eryndra took it all in with subdued satisfaction, scanning the bustle of activity along the perimeter walls.
Behind them, more Presidroids carried down luggage or crates from the ship, ignoring Warrex's attempts to help.
Eventually, Roy paused near the base of the fortress's main gate, turning to look back at the Nightshatter. He could see Father Skeleton and Skelly Mom peeping from the bridge, the latter waving a tattered slipper in a silent, inexplicable farewell. A faint surge of affection rose in Roy's chest, at least it's never dull, he thought.