War of Neytives

I.19 Branton Inphernos

Bright red flames dance around Branton's fingers, sticking to his skin like a glove. The fire illuminates above him and his oversized bed. He shouldn't be wasting too much energy on his fire trigger, but he has nothing else to do.

Thirteen dials have passed on Auroris. The Knyghts Voyage officially begins the next dial. They will be the lucky few to see Novennéa for the first time.

The fire starts to die out. Branton diminishes it and puts his energy into his fracture ability. He inhales deeply and breathes out a column of fire. The ceiling catches the flames and uses it to make a charred mural. Once he stops breathing fire, the mural changes back to metal. He hates to admit it, but the engineers behind this vessel are crafty.

He has been laying in his bed all dial, not getting up to eat in the Dining Pavilion or workout in the Integration Cube. He didn't really leave his unit for anything important. The only interactions he has made for the Knyghts Voyage are the abrimaries, Lynette, Samire, Trevet, and the Ra-Dimar neytive. All he knows about the sand weilder is that he's mute. He didn't bother him by asking for his name. The look he gave Branton in the cube felt like a warning. It's not his business to be involved with others' problems, but that's not true.

He's involved with the candidates now.

When he's about ready to shut his eyes and drift to sleep, a loud knock forces him to sit up.

Branton rises to his feet with a blank expression, but there's hidden irritation behind it.

On the other side of the door, he finds the abrimaries waiting eagerly.

"Hey Branton," Trevet says with a shout. "We need to start planning, remember?"

The Sub Terric walks past him and enters his room without permission. The others do the same.

"Hi," Samire greets him and pulls her sets of wings close to her body.

"I am sorry for the intrusion. We will make this quick," Lynette apologizes, yet makes her way into his room.

Branton pokes his head out the door, wanting to make sure there's no other neytive who wants to invade his space. With no sign of the other candidates or Psyke neytives, he closes the door shut and locks it.

The others make themselves comfortable. Samire takes a seat near the window and looks out at the stars. Her bright tangled orange hair is pulled over her shoulders and her loose light green clothes fall to the floor. Trevet sits at the edge of his bed, planting his four hands on the blanket and looking at the ceiling. Lynette doesn't take a seat anywhere. She chooses to stand in the corner of the room with a holocard in hand. She looks exhausted. Her eyes droop with dark circles and her hair hasn't been brushed for dials.

Branton wants to tell them he's uncomfortable with so many neytives in his room, but Trevet starts talking.

"Alright, let us begin our very first abrimary meeting. The first one since the Trybal War and for the Knyghts Voyage. This is incredible," Trevet looks around the room and sees mixed emotions. "Sorry, sorry. Lynette, would you like to share first?"

Lynette nods. She taps the holocard and an image fills Branton's room. "Since the Psyke neytives gave me access to the Medical Wing, working on my medicine has been easier. The samples they collected from the drones helped to. It looks like the air should be breathable when we land, but there may have been changes to the planet's atmosphere. These drones were sent out revolutions ago. But that is one of the reasons for the Knyghts Voyage, to make sure these conditions are stable.

"Some of the flora collected is completely foreign to ours on Myalón. There are several toxic flowers and minerals, but I believe I have found the right remedies based on my research. If you feel sick or if you injure yourself, come find me."