Gamma Stellaris

Chapter 17

         "I can't believe you pulled it off." Brian said softly, smiling.

         Hruyyus snorted. "Of course I pulled it off, I'm awesome."

         Jared let out a scoff, rolling his eyes.

        "What's your issue?" She hisses softly.

         "Ever heard of being humble?"

        "Listen here you little piece of shit, just because everyone else is letting you play the sympathy card because of your dead sister doesn't mean I will! So why don't you-"

         "Hruyyus!" Lonnie snapped. "That's enough! You shouldn't be crossing a line like that!"

         Jared clenched his hands into fists, his voice barely audible. "I knew I got bitch vibes from you."

        "You little-"

        Brian had to grab Hruyyus as she lunged for Jared. "Can you two get along for five seconds?!"

         Hruyyus growled, turning her back on Jared. "Whatever."

         Brian slowly shook his head. Hruyyus and Jared had been fighting nonstop since she first showed up.

        "Maybe we should remember the fact that they still have Leanne and Charity." Brian said, sighing softly. "So, we need to figure out what to do next."

         Hruyyus smoothed out her robe. "We'll wait for Xkmotg to make the next move. She's clearly seconds away from retaliating, and her retaliation will make her blind to the fact that we're waiting to strike. She's too quick to anger, we can use that to our advantage."

         "Reminds me of someone else I know." Jared hissed softly.

          Brian elbowed him roughly in the ribs. "Are you sure that'll work?"

         "The woman raised me, remember?"

         "Right." Stefanie muttered.

        "So, we just wait for her to make the next move and sabotage her?" Lonnie asked softly.

         Brian shook his head slowly. "What if we don't stop her next time?"

        "I'm getting inside information and she has no idea that I'm feeding it back to you guys." Hruyyus answered. "I promise you guys, Xkmotg is a proud woman, she won't do anything on the spot. She'll want her next move to be grand and elegant."

          "If you can even say that about an execution." Jared muttered.

         "We've had quite a few really elegant executions actually. There was this one where-" Hruyyus cut off, studying the group. "Another time, maybe."

         "Um... okay then." Brian muttered.

         "But trust me, I'll get us the information we need. I can promise that much."

         Lonnie nodded. "Just make sure to stay safe."

          "Of course."

          Brian slowly studied her before hesitantly asking Hruyyus what he'd been thinking. "So... why do you feel so close to your parents even though they didn't raise you?" 

          "What's it to you?" She barked back.

         "God, chill out." Jared said. "He just asked a question."

           She slowly sighed, shaking her head slowly. "Well, at first I resented them for giving me away to Xkmotg. But then I learned that they were on the ship and I paid them a visit. They explained everything to me, and I realized she's a freaking nutjob. I'll do whatever it takes to get the family that she robbed me of."

           "That's really brave." Brian whispered.

          "Thanks."

          "And thanks for helping us get Leanne back." Stefanie said softly, smiling.

         Brian nodded. "We couldn't do this without you."

         "Well-" Jared started.

         "Dude, you're like a brother to me, but shut the hell up." 

          Jared slowly sighed. "Look, clearly you and I aren't the best of buddies, but... thanks. You could've sold us out and you haven't."

          Hruyyus's face flushed a deep red. "Yeah, sure. No problem."

          Brian grabbed Jared's wrist, pulling him out into the hallway. "Okay. Now what the hell is going on with you?"

          "What do you mean?"

         "I've never seen you be that flat-out hostile toward anyone. Even people that really deserved to be treated like that. Hruyyus's helping us, so why are you being like that with her?"

          "I just... I don't know. Something feels weird about her."

          "Weird how?"

          "Look, can we not talk about this?!"

          Brian hesitated. "Do you... like her or something?"

          "That's insane!"

           "It was just a thought. It would make sense for you to be pretty guarded against liking someone, saying you just lost your sister. If you do you can talk to me about it."

           "I've never heard anything crazier."

         Brian slowly shrugged. "Okay. Okay, fine."

         Jared walked back into the classroom, shaking his head.

         "Shut up!" He hissed softly on his way in.

         Brian couldn't help but smirk slightly. Jared would catch on to it eventually. But the tension between them was clear, and he knew Jared wasn't one to hate someone out of nowhere.

         He just didn't know how else to work through his feelings right now.