Ask Nar Shaddaa Galaxy In Crisis: The Path of Good Intentions

[Riley Elin]

Riley had been trapped in a cell here for several weeks. Her past work with AMS finally caught up to her, and she was captured by Durr’s men. They had no desire to see a cure for the drug and they wanted to force her to work to manipulate it. They wanted to weaponize the infected and set them on targeted people.

Several other scientists had been killed already and her days were numbered. She was let out of her cell to work under supervision before being shoved back in when she was too exhausted to keep going. Her assistants had been killed, and it was just down to her and another girl directly out of university that barely knew anything.

She was malnourished and miserable, but she tried to stay positive for the other prisoner.

It had been hours since she heard a fair amount of commotion outside. There were shouts of the infected on the loose and utter chaos being unleashed. She was still stuck in her cell, too weak to move. She had been tortured before agreeing to do any work, and they even branded her with Durr’s insignia to remind her that she was their property.

“Hello?” Riley spoke out, her voice hoarse. She gripped the cell bars, trying to see what was going on.

 

[Darth Invictus]

Ender had been on Nar Shadda for a while now, his clean-shaven appearance replaced with stubble as his eyes scanned over the city. It was practically a warzone, columns of smoke rising into the air and turning the sky black from different points in the city. Some sections had been quarantined off, some were relatively normal and others were just on the verge of utter collapse. Ender had been following the disease for what felt like months now and it led him to Nar Shadda but past that, it was getting harder and harder to find the source.

All that he knew, Durr the Hutt, was the one who was responsible for the creation of the infected, had a hand in it. As a result, Ender had been visiting any locale that bore the insignia of the Hutt or had a known relation. So far, two safe houses had been burnt to the ground but he had finally received answers. One of the thugs he came across on his mission, had told him of a doctor he snagged and what location he took her. The man couldn't offer anything else before a blade was plunged through his chest.

Ender then found himself outside of a warehouse, infected walked along the perimeter, some dragging dead bodies behind them into the dark while others just had their dinner right on the ground with others. From the windows, he could see guards staring outside, who clearly gave up the perimeter to be safe inside. It was the location given to him and the infected added a hitch but he would get past it.

With the help of the force, he had found a way on top of the building and used a window to get inside. He landed on a catwalk above and could hear the commotion as guards ran throughout the building to reinforce different areas as they were clearly under siege. But as Ender stood there, that's when he felt it, a familiar presence that he hadn't felt in a long time. Ender slowly turned his head until he stared in her direction.

When Riley gripped the bars and spoke out, the only response she would get was a body falling from up the stairs until it finally collided into the wall right beside her cell with a burning hole in the man's chest. Next, footsteps echoed down the stairs until finally, Ender stepped into his view as his gaze locked with hers. "What are you doing here, Doc?"

 

[Riley Elin]

Riley winced as she heard the graduate student scream as she saw the body coming down. She thought for sure that they were going to be executed. If the place was under attack, Durr would want to ensure that no one could get their hands on her for the knowledge she possessed. Riley shrunk back into her cell, not wanting to face what fate awaited her.

To her shock, she heard a familiar voice. Her eyes went wide as she rushed towards the cell, unable to coherently speak for a moment. Her hair was a frazzled mess and she was in rags. She looked as if she hadn’t eaten or slept in a while and was merely the shell of who she once was.

As soon as the cell door opened, Riley bolted from her prison and flung her arms around him. She was small and frail against him, her entire body trembling as tears streamed down her face. Riley had always considered herself one of the toughest people she knew and she never wavered in the face of danger - not even when dealing with hordes of the infected. Yet this place broke and shattered her and stripped everything from her.

The brand of Durr was shiny and seared into her bicep, a permanent and ugly mark that would be difficult to hide. Riley took shuddered breaths, afraid to let go of him as she held him in a vice grip, “Oh my god…” She whispered hoarsely,“Oh my god…”

It was a few moments before she finally pulled back, rubbing her face and looking up at him, “How...How did you..How do you always?” She wiped her face as more hot tears spilled out, “I have to get out of here...and so does-”

She didn’t get a chance to finish the sentence before shouting ensued. Alarms went off in the building as shouts of the science division being compromised rang out. Within moments, soldiers began to flood in.

 

[Darth Invictus]

Ender could feel her signature and when he came down the stairs, he was hit with the full sight of Doc and what she been through. Her hair was messy and it was clear she lost weight from her treatment of being a prisoner. A surprising amount of rage burned through him at seeing her, she was a doctor, a non-combatant, and for her to be treated like that got under his skin rather easily. He quickly opened the door for her and before he could react, she already had her arms around him and pulled him in tight.

There was a moment of hesitation as he stood there but eventually one of his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her in too. "Riley..." Ender murmured, it being one of the rare times he actually said her name. His gaze eventually drifting to her arm where he could see the brand mark. As she hugged him, she would feel his long fingers gently pressed against the brand that was etched into her skin with his other hand. "What did they..." The anger in his voice wasn't mistaken as his eyes continued to drink in the brand. Before he could question it more, that's when the alarms sliced through the air and the room flooded with red.

Ender backed up from Riley at the same time, his eyes aimed at the stairs and then back to her when she mentioned there was another. The other girl let out a shout in order for him to find her before suddenly footsteps could be heard towards them. Quickly turning back to her, Ender used one of his hands to push her back in the cell, "Wait here." She had never found out about his true nature but it wasn't time to be selective. With a flick of his wrist, the lights in the room shut off and left them in pitch darkness.

The footsteps became louder until the soldiers actually arrived in the room, their weapons up and flashlights on. "We need to secure the doctors. Infected are starting to-" Before the man could finish his sentence, the sound of lightsaber erupted through the room, the sight of a crimson blade that easily pierced through the darkness. Within a matter of a few seconds, shots would start to ring out, some of the bolts ricocheting off the walls as Riley would hear the sound of searing flesh, screams, and the smell of burnt flesh. After a few seconds, everything went silent once more until one pair of footsteps came to Reily's cell. Ender would step into the doorway, his lightsaber in his hand with the crimson blade still erect as the light shone off it and reflected in his eyes as well. He stared at the doctor for a moment before slashing his weapon across the cell door of the younger doctor and freeing her. The woman came out and instantly to Riley, hugging her tightly as he watched both of them, "We need to leave, quick."

 

[Riley Elin]

“What? NO!” Riley began to protest when he suggested going back into the cell. She had no choice and felt traumatized yet again, feeling as if she were a prisoner all over. Riley worried about herself, but she also worried about Ender. He was horribly outnumbered and outgunned and he was about to be trapped.

The lights went out and she could hear the assistant scream. Riley tightly gripped the cell bars again, hearing the commotion going on right outside the cell. All of a sudden there was a brilliant glow of a lightsaber and she stepped back. The Sith were infiltrating here?! Would she be their prisoner next?

“Ender..” She whispered softly, thinking for sure he had been killed in the fray.

After a moment, she could hear footsteps approaching. Unfortunately, she also heard the telltale hum of a lightsaber. Riley stepped back from the bars, fearing what came next. She knew she was just transferring from being one group’s prisoner to another’s.

The other woman rushed out of her cell and collided with Riley once their doors were open again. However, Riley was rooted in place, seeing the red hue of the saber lighting up Ender’s face. There were hints of gold in his eyes that began to fade. She felt sick to her stomach, a sense of betrayal consuming her mind and body.

“You…you’re a...” She whispered softly, ignoring the girl tugging at her. Riley shook her head as she stepped back, thinking of all the crimes and horrors the Sith had committed. Ender had been one all along?

The assistant gave up and quickly ran to Ender, screaming at him to go. Riley didn’t budge, fear in her eyes that was now directed at Ender for the first time.

 

[Darth Invictus]

When he stepped back into the view of Reily, he knew what to expect. The disgust, fear, and every other emotion that someone had when they across a Sith. It had something he had gotten used to and because he generally only mingled with Sith, it was also something he hadn't had to give much thought to. But now it came from someone he knew and even when he was rescuing her, she still held fear towards him and it was something that he hadn't experienced before.

Ender's eyes only met Reily's and he stared back at her silently as the woman tugged on her clothing to get her moving. When she finally gave up and rushed toward him, he still stared at her and only managed to shut his lightsaber off so he didn't impale the woman as she collided into him. "Yes, I am." There was no way around it and he just told her the truth. The anger at seeing her brand made him lose his rationality and draw his lightsaber to cut down the Hutt's men.

The woman then tugged at Ender's clothing and he finally glanced down at her before gently pushing her out of the cell as he turned his attention back to Reily afterward. It was clear he wasn't going to leave without her. Ender glanced up at the ceiling as they could hear the screeching of infected through the walls as they finally made their way into the building. His eyes snapped back to Reily as he laid out her options, "I know, you've most likely heard a million stories about how terrible we are but we need to leave now. You can hate me afterward but you'll at least be alive to do so." Ender already knew how well she fared in a fight and it was low probability she would live without him.

Ender kicked the door behind him to open it and placed his body against the cell door to keep it open as he waited for her. "Let's go." He watched her for a moment before finally and gently adding, "Please." What she went through was most likely terrible but at the moment, there was no time to try and be nice to ease this.

 

[Riley Elin]

Logic battled against principles. She had known him for some time and he had always gone out of his way to help her. She thought of the time he did her bandages, all the time her back was exposed to him. She thought of how close she came to being trapped inside a mine with hordes of the infected. She owed him her life many times over.

And yet he was Sith.

Riley couldn’t tell who she was angry at - herself or him. If she knew him even remotely as well as she thought she did, wouldn’t she have known this? Did she know him at all? Riley chewed on her lip, pulled back to reality as he was gently pleading with her to get moving.

No words were exchanged as she snapped out of her reverie and began to follow him. The building had gone under lockdown and they would have to find other ways out.

“I need to collect the samples! You go ahead and help Taria, I'll catch up!” The data on the virus was far too precious to leave behind in the hands of Durr’s men. Riley ran around the lab and quickly began to collect everything into a bag, shoving her various datapads and vials of samples in.

More footsteps could be heard as Durr’s men began to shuffle down to engage the threat. Ender could either find a separate way out or fight here and buy Riley some time. The latter choice would mean finding a new means of getting out of this place.

“Forget her!” Taria, the assistant, screamed at Ender as she tugged at his arm, “Help me! I want to live!”

 

[Darth Invictus]

Riley didn't speak to him as she had her own internal battle in her eyes. But she didn't need to speak for him, as long as her legs were moving then he could deal with whatever afterward. Ender pushed off the door and led the two up the stairs and away from the cells. Emergency power was being utilized by the building and illuminated the hallways somewhat with swirling colored lights.

He knew the way he came in wouldn't be an option and before he could think of something else, Riley suddenly shouted she needed her samples and ran off for her equipment. "Riley!" Ender shouted at her but she was already gone and running to her lab. The sound of combat wasn't far off and it wouldn't be long before it was throughout the whole building. Taria tugged at him to begin moving but he didn't budge in the slightest. "No. You either find your own way or you stick with me. I'm not leaving her." He knew Reily, not her.

Ender stared at her for a moment before just leaving her and allowing her to decide for herself. Riley would hear the door open before he stepped through, his eyes glancing towards the samples and then to her. He opened his mouth to speak but that's when both of them would hear the sound of boots shuffling and shouts. Ender sighed before speaking calmly to her, "Get what you need. Quick." He opened the door and stepped out of the room as he went to go meet the guards. A few seconds later, Taria rushed into the room, breathing hard as she placed her hands on her knees, "How the hell do you know this guy?!" All she knew that he wouldn't leave without her.

 

[Riley Elin]

“What the hell are you doing?” A guard leveled a blaster at Ender, “Durr has a deal with the Sith,” He flashed his badge at Ender, “See? Look at the insignia. We’re on the same side, chief.”

Riley was finally finished with what she was grabbing and turned to look at Taria. She hadn’t missed Taria hysterically screaming at Ender to leave her behind. Though anger coursed through her, Riley kept her cool for now, “He’s a…” She hesitated for a moment, ”...Friend,” Could she ever call a Sith that?

Taria was about to open her mouth to ask more questions but Riley shoved an extra bag towards her. She collected everything else before running towards Ender, surprised to see more guards coming down to face him. She looked all around and couldn’t find ways out.

“Oh no…” Riley muttered, Taria bursting into tears.

 

[Darth Invictus]

Ender looked at the guard and then at the badge as he took the opening. "Exactly, I'm here to collect any samples and data that can be salvaged before we have to evacuate." He then nodded behind the guard and down the hallway, "You should secure an exit for all of us before this building gets flooded." The guard stared at Ender, unsure whether just to follow orders or actually question why the man was there in the building and near the labs.

He was about to just nod and listen to him but that's when both Riley and Taria bust out of the room and in direct view of the soldiers. At first, they only had curious looks on their faces but when they saw the brand, they realized quickly what was happening. The lead guard that had been talking to Ender quickly whipped out his blaster pistol and aimed at Riley to take her out. Instinctively, Ender's saber flew to his hand and the crimson blade came to life once more and cut off the guard's arm as he still managed to get the shot off but it only landed near her feet.

The others quickly raised their weapons, ready to open fire and that's when Ender kicked the man around and used him as a human shield, and while his other hand sent a blast of force that would launch Taria and Riley backward and to the ground as bolts would go above them. As the man ate a few of the shots, Ender would kick his body into the group before shooting both of his hands toward the group of security, each guard flying through the air before slamming into the wall behind them with a resounding thud. Some didn't get up, others were dazed and taking a few moments to collect their bearings.

Ender looked back at the two doctors and flexed his wrist, both of them being lifted to their feet by the force. "C'mon." He didn't wait long as he turned and started to head down the hallway the guards came down as they were still stunned.

 

[Riley Elin]

Riley and Taria were both thrown back. She landed with a thud and she could hear Taria screaming as she landed. The sound of vials and glasses shattering could be heard, but there was too much going on to tell what happened. Riley scrambled to her feet as the smoke began to clear.

Meanwhile, Taria had a cut on her waist from one of the vials, the contents seeping into her flesh. She quickly drew down her lab coat above it to hide it, determined to make it out of here. She ran next to Riley and the Sith man to follow them out.

Riley didn’t need to be told twice as she bolted behind Ender, ensuring that Taria ran with them. She jumped over the guards that were either dead or dazed.

“To the left!” She called out, realizing that she knew this compound better than Ender probably did. Once he turned left, he would have to face more blaster bolts, but there were floor to ceiling glass panes beyond that. If he shattered them, they would be out into the streets.

 

[Darth Invictus]

Ender followed Riley's directions as she was his guide and the trio found themselves in a hallway that ended with massive glass windows. He understood where she was taking them and he put a little more speed in his stride but as they got closer, more guards appeared in front of them and lined up in a firing line. With a quick flick, the lightsaber soared toward his hand once more but this time he activated both blades on his weapon, twirling it clockwise to use it as a shield.

The guards fired upon them for a few seconds, bolts either being deflected into the ceiling or into the ground as the trio pressed forward. The suppression only lasted for a few seconds however as the screeches of infected could be heard before the creatures spilled out from the ceiling or ran into the hallway because of all the noise. The guards turned their attention to the infected and instead fought them.

Ender stopped in his tracks as one of the infected knocked down one of Durr's men, it's iron-strong jaws snapping around the man's throat before cleaning tearing it out. The creature then glanced up at them, part of his throat still in its mouth as it let out a screech before launching itself at them.

He stepped left in front of Riley and shoved his hand upward into the sky, the creature halting mid-air before being slammed into a light fixture and shattering it. Quickly, Ender stepped under it and swiped his blade across its stomach before launching the body toward the glass as it shattered once it went through and onto the street. "Now!" He shouted out for the two to run, his lightsaber twirling as he cut off the arm of another infected that tried to approach.

 

[Riley Elin]

Riley wanted nothing more than to run in the opposite direction. She could smell the stench of death as the infected began to huddle around the building. Though the body was thrown through the glass, the shattering noise attracted more. She could hear people fighting against the hordes outside.

“Come on!” She screamed at Taria as she shoved the woman forward. She followed Ender out, protecting Taria as best she could. Riley had a knife in her hand from swiping it off a dead guard. She wasn’t entirely unaccustomed to dealing with the infected, and she could hold her own a lot better than before.

Riley shoved the blade into the head of an infected. This killed it instantly, but it also wedged the knife into its skull. Riley tugged and pulled, but it was useless. She was focused entirely on the endeavor, knocked over as more of the zombies came over.

She fell on the ground with the dead body on her as the only shield against other of the hordes. More of them began to surround her and she was no longer visible in the crowd, lost in the street under a pile of infected trying to claw their way to her.

 

[Darth Invictus]

Ender nearly made it to the window but that's when he realized it was just Taria following him and not Riley and her. He immediately stopped and glanced back to find her plunge a knife into one of the infected. It wasn't long before the others became interested in her and shifted that way, pushing her down with the body on top. "Go, we'll join you outside." He didn't add anything more to the woman as he rushed to Riley's aid.

He stopped a few feet from the growing pile of infected that continued to climb on top of Riley and the carcass that she used for protection. Ender built the force within and around him, feeling it weave through his fingers as he was able to sense her through the lifeless bodies. He unleashed the force in a wave, enough power behind it that the bodies of the infected would fly back into the ceiling or into the nearby walls. But before it could reach its full devasting effect, Taria ran right into his back and knocked him to the ground as she tried to bite into his throat.

Quickly managing to spin around to face her, Ender wrestled with the woman as he had lost his lightsaber, the girl screeching uncontrollably. As a result of her tackling him, most of the infected had been removed from on top of Riley but there were still a few. Enough of them had been pushed off that she would be able to see outside of the pile and the glint of his lightsaber on the ground a few feet away from her.

 

[Riley Elin]

Riley tried not to scream as she dropped, knowing that it would only alert more. The stench of death and decay was overwhelming, and she had to fight the urge to vomit. The groan and raspy noises erupted all around her, and she felt arms and legs all over her skin as mouths tried to find a place to bite.

Within seconds, all of them were abruptly thrown off her at once. She quickly rolled over and got to her feet, whirling around to see Ender on the ground. And was that….

“TARIA!?”

Her outcry almost cost her as a few of them began to rise up and stumble towards her. Riley quickly made her way over to Ender, considering just tackling her. That’s when she saw the saber. Riley picked it up and could see he was entirely too preoccupied and still wrestling with her former science assistant.

“Shit…” She muttered as she shakily raised the blade and fumbled with the button on the side. She clicked it and the red blade ignited. Riley almost screamed and dropped it, surprised at the heat that emanated from it and felt as if her hand were about to melt off.

Riley waved it from side to side, marveling at how it seemingly cut through a zombie like a hot knife through butter. The more she used the blade, the sicker she felt, and it felt as if something dark and awful was seeping into her like poison from the hilt.

Riley didn’t stop till she cut her way sloppily through a small group till it was just Taria on Ender. She was stuck for a moment trying to get a good angle, but she finally found one to jam the blade through her head. Taria slumped over directly on top of Ender.

She quickly hit the button to switch the blade off again and shoved Taria off, “Come on!” She quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him up. She didn’t waste any time in shoving that awful hilt back into his hands, swearing to herself never to use one again.

 

[Darth Invictus]

Ender had his fingers wrapped around Taria's throat as he squeezed with all his strength to keep her head back away from him. He had lost track of Reily and couldn't turn to see where she was as the woman kept snapping her mouth above him and wanting a taste. But that's when he heard the familiar whir and glanced enough to see Riley rushing over to him, his weapon in her hand as she was illuminated by the red light and took a moment to aim it for the head of Taria.

Deciding to help, Ender simply angled his feet underneath the woman before kicking her up as the lightsaber was brought down. The blade went cleanly through her head as it burned and charred the skin. Without wasting a second, he flicked his fingers, and Taria was pushed off him with the force and into a nearby wall like a ragdoll to free him. He glanced up at Riley afterward before taking her hand and lifting himself up to his feet. "Thank you for that." She had saved him and he wouldn't forget that. Before he could add anything else, she shoved the hilt back into his palm and he couldn't help but notice the disgust on her face. Ender closed his eyes momentarily as he was glad to feel the weight of the weapon once more despite her own reaction.

When he opened his eyes, the infected once more started to rush down the hall, tripping over each other and stopping to snack on the bodies. It wasn't long before they would finally notice the two and Riely would feel Ender's fingers slip through hers as he pulled her toward the window and eventually into him. His arm would wrap around her securely as he murmured softly, "Hold on tight." Without waiting for resistance or approval, Ender jumped with her through the window and directly toward the street as both of them would feel the air whip their face and hair.

The street would close in on them faster and faster as they kept descending. They both would see their feet kicking in the air until the force would gently wrap around them, almost like a pillow as it slowed their descent to a near crawl. Both of their feet would gently touch the ground one after the other and when they fully landed, Ender would turn around to face Riley before his hands would gently come up to examine her cuffs, neck, and face, "You weren't bitten were you?"

 

[Riley Elin]

Her eyes widened as he pulled her towards the window.

“Wait, what are you- AAAAH!” She shrieked at the top of her lungs as he leapt from the window. Riley clung onto him for dear life, terrified at flying through the air and feeling as if all her insides were coming up to her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut, grabbing him with a vice grip that would be almost painful.

It took a few seconds after they landed for her to shakily step back. Riley glared at him for a moment, “You need to give me a bit more warning next time!” She crossed her arms over her chest, “I never know what to expect with...you…” She eyed him up and down, “Being one of those.”

She realized she sounded quite bigoted and cleared her throat, “I mean uh….thanks for your help,” Riley chewed on her lip nervously. Now that they were away from immediate danger, she had to grapple with the fact that he was technically one of the bad guys.

Riley shook her head when he asked if she had been bitten. She looked down towards the empty streets and could still hear the echoes of zombies still trapped in the building. She turned to look back at the building, “What's gonna happen with that building?”

 

[Darth Invictus]

Ender heard the screams and while he probably should've warned her about what he planned, they didn't have time and he could take a little abuse from her. He could feel the uneasiness in her and if it wasn't for the situation they were in, he probably would've laughed right there. He was in the process of making sure that she wasn't bitten when she commented that she never knew what to expect being one of "those." Ender didn't stop his hands continuing to examine her but he did arch an eyebrow at her as a smirk touched his mouth with some humor even in his words, "You sound like you're talking about the infected."

He knew what he was and what he represented. Ender also knew his own goals and priorities and how easily they were misconstrued by the galaxy in order to make them appear terrible. It was all too common in dealing with people's disgust. "You're welcome." He stepped back from her and gave her a slight shrug, "Maybe we're not as bad as you think." It most likely wasn't true considering the acts he had done himself but a part of him did believe it. That was just an act of war.

Ender glanced at the building with Riley before he finally answered, "Depends, it can be cleared out and quarantined and hopefully, Nar Shadda can keep it contained." But he glanced to his right at the empty street, no signs of life or speeders or anything to prove his statement that help would arrive. "Most likely, whoever's still inside will turn or be killed and they'll eventually spread out." Riding off of his own words, he returned his gaze to her before adding on, "We should get going. They will probably find a way out if they haven't already."

He looked around him as he thought for a few moments, "If we reach the quarantine walls, I can get us over them without being questioned. We just have to get there." Ender walked over to Riley but kept a respectful distance because of her reaction from earlier, "You ready to move?"

 

[Riley Elin]

Riley’s eyes widened at his suggestions. She looked from him to the building behind him, and then back to him again.

“Are you crazy?” She said with exasperation, “We can’t just leave that building like that! Why would I ever allow those things to break out and contaminate the city?!” Her selfless attitude was shining through, and it was in sharp contrast to his Sith way of thinking. She scowled as she looked away from him and started to make her way back towards the building.

She paused halfway through, looking at the zombies that pressed against the glass. Saliva and their faces smeared against it, and hairline fractures began to spread out over the glass. However, she knew if they broke out, they would be unleashed all over the streets and nearby towns.

“We have to do something, Ender,” She said, desperation in her eyes, “We have to destroy that building or...or something! We can’t unleash this on the town.”

She met his gaze for a moment, “Do you remember...do you remember that cave when we had no way to seal it off? When we didn’t stay and take care of it?” It made her sick to think about it, “I never want to do that again. Not on my watch.”

With that, she began to run back towards the building.

 

[Darth Invictus]

Ender thought the two of them would be on the same page and would make their way out and let the authorities deal with this. It was negligence but he would rather be off the planet and trying to find a cure instead of acting as a clean-up crew. But Riley was having none of it and clearly didn't want it to spread farther out. He honestly thought Nar Shadda could use a good cleanse for what it was but she was already on the move before he could comment about it.

He followed behind her and stopped when she did when both of them spotted the weakening glass. "It won't hold for long." He pointed out but both of them knew that already. Ender stared at the building as she spoke, "Riley, it's already infested..." But she cut him off to point out when they abandoned the cave. Ender's eyes met hers as he could spot the intentness in her eyes and how she wouldn't budge on the subject. It was a different Riley he saw from when they met earlier, she was more confident and he didn't know what to say before she ran off and into the building.

Ender stared after her, his feet planted firmly where they were as he clenched his jaw. His foot tapped the ground impatiently and he turned around slightly to stare at the empty street behind him. It would've been so easy to just depart and leave this to be dealt with but as he turned back toward the door that Riley went through, he shook his head slightly before muttering one word, "Godamnit."