The Starlight Lancer

Chapter Ninety-Three: Wounds Unseen

"The galaxy decided it hated us long ago. It is clear the sins of our forebears are too great, that we are seen as unclean in their wake."

— Eneiam Trilbiar, Famed Heretic Poet in a personal correspondence

A breeze swept through the shadow forest and rattled the black leaves. Zaina had read about the Blackwoods of Midliore when she was a girl. Back then she wanted nothing more than to behold the legendary beauty of the forests for herself; now she was here, and as a lancer, no less. The land had been everything she expected; the people, so far, not so much—but that was all about to change.

Xyrthe, her long, blonde hair stirring with the wind, walked beside her. Zaina had come to learn her mentor had two modes: unbothered and pissed. Today seemed like a strange mix between the two; Zaina wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing.

It didn't matter one way or another; Zaina was in hopeful spirits. The people of Bash Kaver, a small spaceport in southern Midliore, weren't exactly thrilled that the lancers who had come to save them bore the Mark of the Recalcitrant. But Zaina didn't let the constant hostility get her down—it didn't matter how many times the Bash Kaverans insulted her, questioned her every word, or hid in fear; it would all be worth it when she won them over.

She had enough experience now to know how these things usually went. Every time she arrived on a new planet people were mistrustful at first, but over time they came to see Zaina for her better qualities. Even the most spiteful, hateful clients had softened a little toward her after realizing she truly did want to help. Maybe, over time, their harsh opinions on heretics as a whole could change, too. Zaina wanted to be a good representative for heretics everywhere.

Xyrthe, on the other hand, had stopped giving a shit a long time ago—if she ever truly had at all. She would've been disliked even without the mark thanks to her abrasive personality. Most people started mistrustful of her because of the mark before realizing it was one of her better qualities. Zaina sometimes wondered if Xyrthe did that on purpose—pushing people away preemptively so the mark couldn't. The thought struck a sad nerve in her heart. What kind of a life was that? Definitely not the kind Zaina wanted for herself.

She turned her mind to the matter at hand. Yes, the people of Bash Kaver had been rather mean-spirited in their appraisal, but now that Zaina and Xyrthe had helped them get rid of those pesky android marauders their opinion had to change. No one could accept someone's help and then spit in their face.

"You seem chipper," Xyrthe remarked out of nowhere.

"And you seem on edge," Zaina said.

"Nah, it's not that. I want this to be over with. I want to be back on my ship. I don't want to have to deal with these assholes."

Zaina shrugged. "Maybe they won't be assholes this time around."

In reply, Xyrthe snorted. "You think so?"

Zaina didn't bother responding. When her mentor made her mind up about something it was impossible to change it. All further engagement would do is bring down her own mood—and she wanted to be in high spirits when she arrived in Bash Kaver. After all, a good attitude was infectious.

Zaina chuckled. Too bad it hasn't had an effect on Xyrthe.

The trees became sparse the nearer the city drew. They walked for another hour in silence before Bash Kaver came into view, its glistening steel towers standing tall above the black treeline like columns of blades rising from the ground. Parts of the great steel wall were now visible to Zaina, a titan made of solid metal segments arranged in a circle around Bash Kaver.