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The door opened and Ba Re’ stepped inside. “You have a visitor, Sovereign.”

“It’ll be a few hours until that is appropriate.”

“Close enough. How are you feeling, Quin.”

Quin thought about it. “Calm,” he said curiously.

“That means it’s the right thing to do.”

“I suppose. Before you give my visitor entry, I wanted to speak to you briefly.”

“Of course,” Ba Re’ said, standing at a relaxed military position with his arms crossed behind his back.

“I was wrong to think you needed to be retrained by me. All you needed was time to find yourself. The you you are now. And you’ve done so, quite successfully.”

Ba Re’ allowed himself to give a flicker of a smile.

“After the Ascension ceremony, the majority of the Elite Warriors, along with Kol, Jhan, and Kron will be returning to theship. It has not escaped my attention that you most thrive among them. If you are interested in joining them, I’ve prepared the orders to submit to Rokai so that you can rejoin the Elite teams aboard Command Warship 1. Elisha will of course be going with you.”

This time Ba Re’ wasn’t able to withhold his grin. He even quickly crossed the space between them to hug Quin. “Thank you! Yes, I want to go back to the ship! I really want to rejoin my team.”

“Consider it done. But I expect a visit whenever possible. I will miss you.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

“Good.” He watched the male that had always been one of his best friends as he processed the information that he’d get to return to the ship and the job he’d come to love despite all he’d achieved prior to his abduction and felt the need to express a bit more of what he’d come to realize. “You’ve taught me a lot, Ba Re’.”

“Have I?” he asked.

Quin nodded. “For example, sometimes the absolute worst thing you can imagine, can be clearing the way for the best version of you to take its first breath. I’ve always known you, trusted you, loved you as a brother, but I’ve never known this part of you, and it seems that this is the truest you that I’ve ever met. You’ve found the purest core of yourself, and have become an even better version of who you were always meant to be. I’m happy for you, Ba Re’.”

Ba Re’, still grinning, nodded. “I’m happy for you, too. I cannot wait to see where you guide us.”

“How long am I going to wait out here?” Rokai yelled from the outer office.

Quin laughed. “Rokai made it!”

“He has. And, uh, remember that thing you said about being calm?”

“Yes,” Quin said, suddenly a little nervous.

“Remember that. Hold onto that calmness,” Ba Re’ said, chuckling to himself as he walked out of the office and Rokai walked in.

“Tell me that is not blood!” Quin shouted when he got a good look at Rokai.

Rokai laughed and heaved the bag up and onto Quin’s desk. It landed with a thud and Quin looked down at it. “What is this?”

“What do you think it is?” Rokai countered.

Quin sighed and sat heavily in his chair. “I don’t think I really want to know.”

“Sure you do.”

“No, I don’t. I remember the last time you delivered a blood-stained bag to Rosalita.”

“Yes! You do remember! Open it.”

“No.”

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