thanked the robot, before continuing her way to get some food. As she walked into the dining area, she noticed the three men eating lunch and glancing up at her. Hunter and Cipher looked surprised to see the woman looking so clean and beautiful all of a sudden. Pher, however, cackled and leaned back on his chair:
«Now that is a fine woman, and not a girl! Where have you been hiding all this time?»
Serena stayed silent, stepping up to the food processor, and noticed the screen light up, before a portion of food appeared on the tray. The woman took her food and felt confused to see a lavish meal, compiled of steamed vegetables, grilled steak and a cup of something resembling red wine.
«Lyssa…» Serena didn’t know what to ask the AI.
«I took the liberty of adjusting your diet to compensate for the severe malnutrition you have been experiencing. Bon appetite, captain.» the AI replied.
Serena frowned in confusion, but decided not to argue, though it has been too long since she experienced a meal so hardy. She sat down at the far table near the illuminator, which showed the stars outside, and began slowly eating, deep in her thoughts.
It didn’t take too long before Pher jumped from his seat and approached her, plopping down on the seat next to the woman and leaning in.
«I say, you clean up good.» he said with a charming smile. «You’re even prettier without all the grime that hid this face of yours.»
He touched her cheek, making her jump up and gaze at him angrily. The man stood, still smiling.
«Come on… I’m only trying to be your friend.» he said.
«Leave me alone.» Serena growled, feeling an unusual rage surfacing through the scared girl that she was for the four years that passed.
«I’m sure we can figure this out, eh?» Pher shrugged, his hands open wide in a welcoming gesture.
Serena thought how full of himself he was to act so nonchalant and arrogant. She unsheathed her blade and watched his eyes look down, and then up at her face again. His demeanour changed slightly – more collected, tense and ready, though the boyish smile never left his lips.
«Never unsheathe your weapon, unless you are going to use it.» he said calmly, his voice growing lower and exhibiting a warning within the tone.
Serena raised her blade, suddenly lowering her stance and tilted her head a bit, as if welcoming him to attack.
«Pher, stand down!» Hunter’s voice reverberated through the dining area.
«No, let him do whatever he pleases.» Serena smirked, feeling unusually calm and determined.
Something inside of her stirred the memories of her body being capable of things she thought impossible for four long years. She felt the urge to fight, shed blood and punish the arrogant bastard in front of her.
She noticed in the corner of her eye that Cipher stopped Hunter from interfering and understood that the man wanted to see what she was able to do in such a situation.
Pher, on the contrary, cackled and stepped up, leaning into the blade as close as he could.
«Go on!» he smirked. «Kill me if you can.»
He froze for a couple of moments, but Serena waited for him to make the first move. Somehow she knew his bluff and wanted to make him pay for this rude distraction from her meal.
As the man flinched to grab her blade, she shifted in a blink of an eye, suddenly hitting him in the stomach and throwing him back. He straightened, wincing from pain, and frowned, understanding that the girl he saw the day before was nothing compared to the woman in front of him now.
He approached again – this time careful and attentive, watching her body for any signs she would attack him first. But she was standing frozen, as if being in a fight was something she was used to.
«You know nothing of the Laithorian empire, do you?» Cipher leaned back in his seat, enjoying the sudden entertainment.
«What’s there to know?» Pher cackled again, making a sudden advance, but receiving a kick to his side in return that forced him to the floor.
«The Laithorians value their military discipline. They live for war. Each child is raised preparing for the battles ahead.» Serena suddenly answered, giving Pher enough time to get up again. «We train since childhood. That’s why the Laithorians are best in military missions. We are paid to battle, conquer and fight. Our families make money by engaging the wars and battles of others. And my family was the most prominent.»
Pher jumped into attack once again, but now he seemed more eager to kick and hit, though each of his advances was met with a carefully placed block or evasion. For a couple of minutes the pair fought relentlessly, exchanging blows, but not stepping away. Cipher noticed how Hunter tensed up, not understanding how Serena was able to move so fast, though just yesterday she was as weak as a pup, barely able to keep herself on her feet.
«I advise you to finish this show, captain.» Lyssa’s voice sounded. «As your body had not yet fully recovered.»
«Shut up, Lyssa!» a sudden rage took over Serena, and the woman pushed through the rising aching in her muscles, forcing Pher to retreat again and again, until he jumped back and hit the wall.
Growling and attacking, Serena offered him no respite, aiming at his body again and again, barely missing her hits, as the man too was an experienced fighter in hand-to-hand combat. In a short moment of her distraction by a sharp pain in her broken arm, he managed to unarm her, throwing her blade aside, but that was all he could do, as the woman jumped to him, slamming her forehead into his face.
A pained scream flew out from his mouth, but before he could slide down the wall, Serena hissed and grabbed his clothes, throwing him aside.
Hunter jolted up, noticing the woman swaying from this. But Pher remained on the floor, groaning and bloodied from the short, but intense scuffle he had with the captain of the ship.
Serena walked over and picked up her blade, watching Pher closely, then sheathed her weapon and returned to her meal, feeling her hands trembling from adrenaline.
Though breathing heavily, she didn’t take her eyes off Pher, who lay on the floor, barely moving and groaning from pain. Serena tried grasping the glass with her drink, but almost dropped it, when her trembling fingers slid on the surface.
She took her time, slowing down her breathing and calming herself, before she understood that she was no longer hungry. Enraged at this, she threw her tray off the table and stormed out of the dining area, leaving the three men.
Chapter 5. Memories
Hunter took his time finding Serena. When he approached her, she was sitting in the captain’s seat on the bridge and watching the stars outside – silent and distant.
«Can I join you?» Hunter asked, feeling conflicted if he should even be there or not.
«You’re free to roam the ship, Hunter. Whether you want my company or not is entirely up to you.» Serena replied, sounding different than on the day before.
She felt more confident, more collected, stronger and… more lost than when he met her. The man sat down on the first pilot’s seat and took a few moments to gather his thoughts, deciding on what to talk about with the woman, who went through so much and he knew nothing about.
«I’m sorry.» Hunter finally said, turning to look at Serena.
He noticed her frown and meet his gaze.
«What are you sorry for?» she asked, her tone indifferent, but hiding a hint of aching somewhere deep inside.
«I should have stopped him. Pher is an asshole.»
Serena smirked, and Hunter noted how her eyes softened.
«Don’t be sorry for someone else’s stupidity. I saw Cipher stopping you. He