Page 12 of Every Almost

"Has Cael handled it?"

"Cael categorized it."

Kess turned back to her diagnostic panel. "Ah."

One syllable, containing an entire performance review.

"Exactly."

Kess turned back around to face Reyna, eyeing her warily. "Do you need anything to help? Even just headache tablets?"

"No, that's okay." She breathed out hard enough that the tendrils of hair above her forehead danced against her skin. "Do you need anything Captain-y?"

Kess's mouth twitched. "No, Captain," Kess said, returning her attention to the diagnostic panel. "All good here."

"Perfect, then I can get that five minutes," Reyna said as she was about to lay down on one of the med beds, before Kess interrupted her.

"Five minutes? Captain, that bread won't save itself, and three Aetherfin won't just magically shrink to pocket-size for travel. I would say your five minutes are up."

"Really," Reyna said, one leg still hanging over the side of the med bed.

"Really really," Kess replied sweetly.

"I hate you."

"No you don't."

"You're right, I don't. But I hate that sometimes you're better at being a Chief Officer than my friend."

"Et tu, Brute?"

"Oh, don't you dare quote fancy literature at me now," Reyna snarked as she rose from the bed.

"It's not fancy literature. It's Latin, a language from the human race. It means 'and you?'" Kess taunted.

"Oh, even better. A language barely anyone in the Coalition knows being used against me by my best friend."

"Ah, see? You do love me."

"Bite me, Brute."

"Oh, I don't think that's Latin." Kess's voice followed her out, and Reyna could hear the smile in it. She walked down thecorridor with Torvax falling into step on her right, her boots hitting the floor with a bit more force than strictly necessary.

"Your cortisol assessment?" Torvax asked, eyes on his datapad.

"She didn't run one."

"She did not need to. She completed it visually within the first four seconds of your arrival." He made a note on his datapad. "Habitat Wing is next. Two of the corridors for review, then the secondary lift."

"And how's my posture, Torvax?" Reyna asked dryly.

"Two point three degrees forward, Captain. Kess was correct."

Reyna rolled her eyes, but straightened her spine out of pure spite and kept walking.

Selowen's habitat report was,as always, the most peaceful part of Reyna's day. The Kaelari-Brontari hybrid woman, a full six foot eight of unhurried calm, stood in the Forest Wing of the Emberkind's expansive animal habitation unit. Her bright Kaelari markings, a much more earthy tone because of her Brontari biology, were pulsing gently as she observed a pair of Luminthra curled together in the Comfort Grove.

Torvax entered beside Reyna, his datapad already open to Selowen's pre-submitted habitat report. He positioned himself two steps behind and to the right, close enough to log any updates Selowen provided but far enough to avoid disrupting the ecosystem. He regarded the Luminthra, his expression seeming to catalogue a logistical consideration.