Preservation

Spensa

Though, I work on a much larger scale

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Spensa had always had a love for adventure.
As a child she'd ran off into the caverns of Detritus, hunting rats to eat. Following the Second Battle of Alta, she'd flown up beyond the debris layers, confronting the Krell. She'd traveled to a Superiority space station, disguised as a visiting alien. She'd even traveled to the Belt of the Nowhere, a system of floating islands, each of which contained a different world unto itself.

She figured that would prepare her for meeting two strange humans. In a strange parody of the Nowhere. That was for some reason white instead of black. And had a ground. That she could stand on with a body.

Nevertheless, Spensa wasn't going to let that intimidate her. Though she was long past the time where she worried about being a coward, she still found no reason to back down from something like this.

Even if it did make less sense than Kimmalyn on a Saturday morning.

Spensa hopped down from her Poco, landing in front of the two strangers. There was a man and a woman, both holding weapons, both looking very confused.

The man wore a blue militaristic uniform that looked like it came from ancient Old Earth. His weapon, being a spear, further reinforced this image.

His most impactful feature, at least in Spensa's eyes, was his height. He was massive! She'd become accustom to Jorgen's hight, but this man surpassed even him! Spensa had never been the tallest granted, her body refused to grow beyond her 151 centimeters, and even that was a stretch. But this man made her feel miniscule, towering over her by at least two heads, probably more!

The woman wasn't much better. Her outfit was cool enough, a cloak that had been cut into a multitude of long strands that appeared to swirl and dance, even without wind. She also half a pair of daggers that looked to beade out of obsidian. It was so cool that Spensa almost wanted an outfit like that for herself.

No, the problem was, once again, her hight. Sure, she wasn't nearly as tall as the man, but she was significantly taller than Spensa. And to make matters worse, she appeared to be around Spensa's age.

Still, Spensa was used to being the shortest one in the room. She'd even found it useful on occasion, as it made others more likely to underestimate her. Still, it annoyed her that this man should get to be so tall, while she hadn't grown for years.

I will rob you of your hight, tearing your legs from your body, Spensa thought, Then, I will feast on your bones as I banish your soul to the Underworld.

Saying things like that tended to make people uncomfortable, which was precisely why she did it. In her early years she'd said things like that all of the time. Though she did it less now, she couldn't stop the occasional one from slipping out. And why should she? They were a part of her, the same part that loved the stories.

"Who are you?" the tall one demanded.

"Lieutenant Spensa Nightshade of the Defiant Defense Force," she replied. "Skyward ten, callsign: Spin."

Why did I tell him all that? Spensa though. I don't even know who he is!

Still, something about this man invoked respect. He had the air of a commander about him.

The man looked at her, a little surprised. He glanced at the woman, who scowled back at him.

Spensa looked from one to the other. They were working together, but they didn't appear to know each other very well. Then again, she was a terrible judge of people. It was a miracle that her spy mission hadn't ended in complete disaster.

The pair studied her, examining her flight suit closely.

"What?" Spensa asked, startling them. The woman recovered first, daggers pointed directly at her.

Spensa raised her hands, "I don't mean you any harm, if that's what your wondering. I've been looking for others for a while."

The man nodded slowly, slinging his spear over his shoulder. The woman lowered her daggers, but noticably didn't sheath them.

Not very trusting, are you? Spensa thought, watching the woman. Though, Spensa'd used to be the same way. She'd assumed that anyone who talked to her had hated her, due her father being presumed to have died a cowered, and that hadn't been wrong to assume. That's where the violent sayings came from.

"Well, my name is Kaladin," the man explained. He glanced at the woman, who scowled at him.

"I'm Vin," she tersely replied. She sat down, knives resting on her legs. Here eyes didn't leave Spensa once.

"Are you here by accident as well?" asked Kaladin, siting down, noticably keeping his distance from Vin. Her eyes flicked to him as he did. She didn't trust him either apparently.

"Yes, actually," Spensa replied, sitting down. "I tried to Hyperjump, but ended up coming here instead of the Nowhere."

They both stared at her blankly.

Kaladin stirred, "The what?"

"The Nowhere. You know, the dimensions that exists alongside ours?"

"You mean the Cognitive Realm?"

"No, the Nowhere." Spensa settled back, "I'm not surprised you don't know about it. I didn't know until a year ago, and I'm Cytonic."

They continued to stare at her blankly.

Maybe they're like my people, Spensa thought. Lost all records of Cytonics, the Nowhere, everything.

Either that, or they just hadn't discovered it yet. They certainly seemed primitive enough.

"What's that?" Vis suddenly asked, pointing at Spensa's ship.

"Oh, that's my Poco Starfighter," she explained.

Vin's brow furrowed, "Your what?"

"My Starfighter. I use it to fly around and shoot things." Spensa saw a smile flicker across Vin's face at that.

"I don't understand, how does that thing fly?" Kaladin asked. "Do you use fabrials or lashings?"

Now it was Spensa's turn to stare blankly. "I- I don't know what those are."

Kaladin looked surprised, though Vin seemed just as confused as Spensa was. But before Kaladin could explain, Spensa saw movement in the abyss.

It didn't look like there was an object moving, more like the air itself was swirling around a point. It reminded her of a Nowhere portal, but it was faintly off somehow. Other that it being pure white of course.

A figure stepped through the portal. It was a man, with a sharp, arrow-like features and a pointed nose. His hair was white, but not the grainy white of someone old. It was a more pure white, actually quite similar to their surroundings. The man appeared both young and old at the same time, something that shouldn't have been possible.

The man eyed each of them in turn, evaluating them. He then sighed dramatically.

"What madness have I gotten myself into this time?"