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"The best ones to entrust with power are those who do not desire it." - Ancient Ragerian Proverb

---

"I just want a normal, quiet life..." the Huscanid Captain Donna Briskwind muttered under her breath as the sat in her chair on the bridge of the independent freighter Snowlit Dawn... or rather sank into it. Apparently, the padding has been replaced as part of the unexpected refit and upgrade she'd received aboard the Yotan Homeship New Dawn, and now it actually felt comfortable! Too comfortable, she thought to herself, I could fall asleep here!

"An uninteresting life is a luxury few get to enjoy," remarked Sabre, her somewhat elderly Lupin First Officer and Navigator replied rather bluntly, not even looking away from his console, "and our chances of that now are... nonexistent."

Is it just me, or is his fur suddenly not graying anymore? Donna thought to herself as she looked over at Sabre. Since he'd been given a Ragerian Artificial Immune System his appearance seemed to be actually aging backwards at a slow pace, and he could move a bit more quickly than her now. Just wish the cost for it hadn't been so had high. He's like a grandfather to me, and almost died thanks to Ellia's stupid stunts. Donna breathed a sigh at relief at the knowledge the Ragerian Ambassador was finally off her ship, even if she was still working for her. No, I'm not working for her, this is just to save my mother. Once that's done we're gone!

"Captain?" The voice of Marla Jorlen, a centuries-deceased Ragerian General turned initially unwilling ship AI echoed over the bridge speakers. "I've finished the calibration on the new Shift Drive, we should have no problem reaching Tigra now."

"Thank you Marla, Herb - let's get this over with."

---

A slight shudder went through the hull as Marla announced over the intercom that the ship was entering shift. That was barely noticeable, thought Dorrin, the ship's Tigrin cook, who had moment ago just finished ensuring all his kitchen tools were secured, there'd always been a firm jolt before, guess that wasn't supposed to be normal. Not that it's going to matter when I have to face my father. Ever since he'd learned that their next stop was going to be Tigra, he'd been racking his brain to figure out just how he was going to directly interact with his family for the first time in what felt like ages. His father had never approved of him leaving his homeworld, and even less of the "company" he kept these days. No way he's going to get any less specist. Hopefully Captain Briskwind will see that and not force me to visit them any further. A soft knocking interrupted this line of thinking, his ears swiveling towards the walk in cooler as he identified the source of the sound. "Dammit, of course something came loose." He grumbled, pulling the lever to open the door... and gasping as a cream furred Rageiran flopped out against his chest. "What in the- Ellia?! What are you doing in my fridge???"

Ellia held a claw-tipped finger up to her lips as she looked up at Dorrin, holding his wrist with her other hand. {I was hoping to hide until the New Dawn left, so they can't get me back.} She responded telepathically to Dorrin, like any of her species could with physical contact. {There's... something I've been trying to find out, but I've not been able to get to the system to do it, and Zern is relatively nearby. It's about my biological father.}

Dammit Ellia,_Dorrin thought with a grimace, his girlfriend unexpectedly being here just made his situation more complicated, _normally I'd love to have you with me, but we're going to Tigra first! You know how my father feels about other species.

{I'm sorry!} Ellia whimpered slightly as she lowered her ears, giving him the "sad puppy eyes" that always made his heart melt. {You really think he'd... hate me?}

Honestly E, he'd think you were a tall Vulpin, Dorrin thought, wincing at the suddenly incredulous look she gave him in response, look, you have to admit there are similarities! Your tail is almost the same and..._his thoughts trailed off as he realized this was a losing argument; instead, he began thinking about what she'd mentioned, _you've never told me much about your actual father, what was he doing out there?

{I don't know much, but-!} her thought process was interrupted by a loud, familiar voice.

"Hey Dorrin, where's my salad?" Lia, the ships Lapinian security officer called out, jumping at the counter to try and look over it.

"Hh-ey Lia," Dorrin replied quickly, "had something loose, give me a bit to clean a mess up here."

Ellia gave him a withering glare. {Oh, so I'm "a mess to clean up" now?}

Trying to distract her, get in the fridge E! Dorrin thought quickly to Ellia as he shoved her in, shutting the door before standing up and moving to the counter. "Sorry about that, thought I had the bags strapped down better."

"Okaaay..." Lia didn't look entirely convinced, her ears in a bun as usual as, she looked towards the fridge door suspiciously, then at the salad in a bag on the counter. "Well don't just stand there, I'm waiting..."

He gingerly put a pile of the greens on a plate, sliding it over the counter to her before turning around and washing his hands again.

Lia shrugged as she took it, sitting down at the table and starting to eat as she looked over something on her tablet. "Wow, that wormhole drive is fast and sudden, even with unrealistically sized ships. Looks like the New Dawn just vanished."

"Vanished? Good!" Came Ellia's voice from the fridge as the door opened, and Dorrin blushed beneath a sudden glare from Lia.

"Kitty cat, I don't know what it is with you and stowaways, but Captain Briskwind isn't going to be pleased..."

---

Captain Donna Briskwind grumbled inaudibly as she paced around Ellia, who was sitting nervously in the mess hall. Lia had just told her the Ambassador was back aboard and she had quickly rushed down to confront her... or would be doing so, if she could figure out how to do it without strangling the folf lady.

"So let me see if I'm understanding this correctly:" the Captain finally muttered with a calm she didn't at all feel, "you're acting against the advice of not only your adoptive father, but your experienced Yotan allies - who are likely the only reason you're still alive, just to try and find what happened to your real father?"

"Y-you're incredibly good at hiding your emotional state, Captain Briskwind," Ellia stammered nervously in reply, clearly reading the bottled up rage Donna was managing to conceal, "I can tell you d-don't wanna deal with me now but y-yes, you're correct."

Donna clenched a fist, for a moment... then sighed, releasing it. "You know what? I actually understand - after all, I'm risking my own tail to try and rescue my mother from the Leonin... but..." at that the Captain's tone took on an icy chill once more as she learned forward, her nose almost touching Ellia's, "I do not appreciate that you didn't at least tell me what you were planning! By the icy winds, I'd probably have helped you sneak aboard!"

"You... you would have?" Ellia gasped, blushing a bit. "I... I was actually considering making such a request, but the Yotan erm... know me too well at this point, and they'd be monitoring anything you could have picked up on."

"Now what in the galaxy would make them think that?" Sabre chuckled, leaning against the nearby wall. "I am curious, how do you intend to pay for your passage this time? We have a very effective cleaning droid now, after all."

"And you will need to do something," Donna nodded in agreement, "because though Ragerians and Yotan may not be charging us for provisions, equipment and such, I'm going to places where you folks don't exactly have a presence."

"And your good looks ain't gonna get you squat from Tigrin traders..." Dorrin muttered, shaking his head as he wiped the counter down.

"Right," Ellia groaned, looking towards Dorrin, "I actually have cooked before and know a few... esoteric recipes."

"Oh no you don't!" Called out Marla over the intercom. "If you're thinking about what I think you are, the crew isn't going to appreciate that seasoning!"

"You're still the life of the party I see..." Ellia rolled her eyes in response to Marla, "but as amusing as that may be, no - I wasn't planning to use that. I was thinking more about stuff my mother sent me from various worlds she's been assigned to observe, including some that are pre-interstellar."

"Always interested in learning more things to cook," Dorrin purred as he walked around the counter, giving Ellia a hug, "let's give it a shot."

---

"BUT HOW IN THE NINE HELLS DOES IT DO THAT!" Gerard shouted at the display as he tugged his mane in frustration - it felt like the AIS "documentation" he'd finally convinced Dr Brightden to send him had been redacted to the point where it could barely be called a manual. All he's managed to figure out, regarding the output, was how to tell if the controller implant was reporting a failure or something that needed attention. Sure, the toxin that Sabre had been subjected to was gone, but what if it malfunctioned in Leonin space?Best not to think about it, I suppose, he thought with a sigh, slumping at the desk the Yotan had been kind enough to raise to an ideal height for him during the refit, still, this thing isn't just suppressing pain from the arthritic wear to his back from aging, it's completely repaired the damage. I can't think of anything that can do that, at least not to this extent.

Giving up on getting anything useful out of the so-called manual Gerard closed the file, opening another titled "StarLifeManifesto." Brightden has sent that as well, saying he expected it would do a better job than he could at explaining what his organization was about and why. After a few quick glances and a look at the page count, he'd at least determined this didn't look to be redacted, nor was it pure propaganda. Gerard was a fast reader, especially for a Leonin, but he found himself rereading several passages that didn't make sense to him... or perhaps it was more accurate to say they were so significantly contrary to his expectations he had to re-read them before he'd believe that's what they'd said or meant. Have I truly bec __a_ me such a cynic that I'm looking for hidden ulterior motives when there are none? Their leadership isn't even something you can ask to be in, selected by AI developed by unrelated and neutral 3rd parties and leaders are cycled frequently based on empirical qualifications? They consider this normal? "Administer any lifesaving treatment possible unless the individual declines it... must not accept gifts or materiel in exchange for StarLife regulated services unless they are directly used in providing the care in question or amount to basic and normal survival provisions..." Holy void, ignoring these rules can get one removed in spite of age, rank or experience!?_

"Doctor, did I incorrectly note the time you gave me for my next examination?"

"Rah!" Gerard gasped as he looked up at Sabre, then to the time on his terminal. "No, sorry about that must've lost track of time. Please take a seat on the diagnostics bed." Much to the doctor's approval, the Yotan had also modernized his modest medical bay with much more recent diagnostic tools. Even though I can barely use the most useful one for this case. "Leeet's see here..." he muttered to himself as a holographic projection of vitals instantly popped up, along with Lupin baselines for his patient's age. "This makes my life so much easier... hmm, yes, about your arthritis, Sabre..."

"Am I overexerting myself again?" The Lupin asked, and Gerard could have sworn he saw the slightest signs if a blush beneath the jet black fur around Sabre's muzzle; fur which Gerard knew had been gray going off-white when he had him in stasis several days ago...

"Weeell Sabre," Gerard paused, looking over the readings again, "that's the thing, it's gone. Completely. Like you'd neeeeveer had it to begin with."

"That is... hard to believe," Sabre replied, glancing at his reflection, "but I suppose if this thing can make me look 30 years younger, it makes sense it can do that as well. Am I also regaining the muscle mass I appear to be?"

"Yes, well..." Gerard chuckled a bit, rubbing Sabre's tummy and giving it a pinch, "feels like there's equal amounts of fat there too. You've gotten used to being more sedentary, haven't you?"

Sabre glared for a moment, then lowered his ears with a definite blush, "... yes. When my body was at... this apparent age, I would frequently practice sparring. The person I did it with is no longer aboard, and after they left it had became too painful to manage."

"Perhaps Dorrin would be a good partner for that?"

"I could certainly train the fellow, but I was talking about the kind of training that requires existing competence and experience to avoid injury."

"Lia is always complaining about not having anybody good to train with," Gerard grinned with a slight blush as he tapped his chest, "and apparently I'm a 'little baby kitten' when it comes to that sort of thing."

That, surprisingly, got a soft chuckle from the austere Lupin. "Knowing both of you, perhaps so. However, I fear she would require your services were I to train to the fullest with her."

"Are you aware that she was banned from Lupin space because she beat one of your people's Marines half to death?"

Sabre's eyes went wide at that, blinking suddenly. "That would... explain why Scythe kept the distance she did from her. And in that case, perhaps I shall try sparring with her, on one condition: that she go easy on an old man." Though his tone was serious, his face had a soft smile and a twinkle in his eyes.

"You'd have to ask her, she makes her own conditions..." Gerard laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his mane, "oh yes, I finally have my Druid ready for your game, wanted to do something like this since college, but Otterians didn't feel keen on inviting a Leonin to their game groups."

"That is perfect, and do not worry, these games are to get away from all the... arbitrariness of our lives. Actually, Ellia suggested that since we are all aboard we could do a group session. It is an idea with merit."

"Oh yeah, that's..." Gerard froze, and gulped, "she's aboard?"

"Apparently she stowed away in Dorrin's fridge."

"It's going to be hard enough to keep myself from being discovered by the Leonin in Zern, but her? They'd just kill me, I don't even wanna consider what they'd do to a Ragerian official!"

"Agreed," Sabre rubbed his face, "but she ensured we don't have a way to return her, and claims she has a plan."

"Hope it's better than her last one..."

---

"Hey E," Dorrin asked, as Ellia started kneading some kind of dough on the counter, "so what exactly is this stuff you're preparing? You said something about it being from a pre-interstellar world?"

"Oh this?" Ellia asked, taking out a rolling pin and flattening some bits she'd divided up on the counter, "they're called 'tortillas' and are a form of bread from an obscure backwater planet. There are a few ways to make this, but I'm not using animal fat so everyone on the crew can enjoy them."

"Bread, as in grains?" Dorrin grimaced, trying to hide is disgust from his girlfriend. "Tigrin don't usually... eat those, unless we're sick or having issues with digestion."

"Really?" Ellia almost dropped her pan as she turned tho him, given Dorrin a surprised look. "It's a staple for most species. Through, would you believe us Ragerians primarily eat fruits?"

"Oh, is that why you're so sweet?" Dorrin chuckled, giving Ellia a kiss on her cheek and watching her blush.

"More like she is what she eats," Tallia, the ship's coyote-like Yotan engineer snickered from the other side of the counter as she sipped some strong coffee, her hindpaws propped up on the dining table, "does the rest of your diet normally consist of nuts?"

"And after I gave you a special batch of Ragerian Coffee I grew in my own garden..." Ellia sighed, shaking her head, "but actually no, we eat a bit of everything, generally speaking. I'd love to chat about how you seem to have a preference for flakes, but I've got food to prepare."

"Wait, Ragerians eat fruit and have gardens?" Lia asked as she came bounding in, her floppy lop-like rabbit ears almost shaking free from the bun she kept them in as she skidded to a stop, giving Ellia a confused look. "I thought you canines consumed mostly meat."

"Meat is the second largest part of our diets, but it really is over 50% fruits," explained Ellia, now starting to fry the tortillas, "and yes, we often grow coffee and other plants that take up limited space outside our dens. Dorrin, how's the salsa coming?"

"I don't know if I'm making a fruit salad or fruit stew at this point..." Dorrin answered as he stirred the chopped fruits and vegetables Ellia had replicated with their new food synthesis unit into a pot, "it smells... powerful, are you sure you got the right ingredients and proportions?"

"Smells kinda like a Spring Celebration meal," remarked Lia, sniffing the air and hopping about a bit, "no meat or meat byproducts I hope?"

"I thought you didn't care much about what food you ate," Dorrin responded as he kept stirring to keep it from burning in the pot, "especially since some leaves on a plate has always satisfied you."

"You're right, big lug," the rabbit chuckled, peeking over the counter, "I'm used to basic meals, since other stuff is more important to me than fiddling with foodstuffs... doesn't mean I'll say no to a good one!"

At that, Sabre came in pinching a wrinkled nose. "Ambassador Longtail... what in the ancestors' names are you and Dorrin concocting?"

Ellia just grinned as she cracked the freshly cooked tortillas and let the chips fall into a bowl. "This is a meal everyone on the crew should be able to digest. It's called 'chips and salsa'." Her tail swished as she sat the large bowl of chips on the table and ladled out a small amount of salsa into a dip bowl, setting it in front of the astonished looking Lupin. "Just try a little at first, it's good but can be spicy.... and Dorrin made it, you like his cooking, right?" She added the last bit as Sabre gave him his typical unamused and uninterested look, then turned to Dorrin.

"Come on Gramps," Dorrin sighed, "she saved your tail, you can at least try her recipes."

The Lupin lowered his ears, practically whimpering as he looked at the food in front of him like it was about to make him vomit. "How is one supposed to... consume... this... cuisine." The last word came out strangled, almost sarcastic.

Ellia, instead of explaining, demonstrated by taking a chip, scooping up some salsa and eating it.

With a scowl and a grumble, Sabre otherwise stoically forced himself to put a chip with some salsa into his maw, awkwardly chew, then swallow.

"Well, what do you think?" Ellia asked almost nervously as her smile faded.

"That was... different," Sabre replied diplomatically with calmness that didn't seem forced, then he coughed slightly, "would you be so kind as to get me some tea with milk in it?"

"But don't you prefer it plain, Gramps?" Dorrin asked with a confounded look as Ellia got out the requested drink.

"Not this time, Dorrin..." grunted Sabre with a wince, quickly drinking the warm beverage, "that food had an unexpected effect."

"I told you it was spicy." Ellia laughed as Lia began helping herself to some and Herbert found his way in, grabbed a bunch of chips and left as quickly as he'd came.

"As much as I'd love to watch Sabre suffer from eating veggies," chuckled Lia as she picked up 2 bowls of chips and salsa, "my own kitten asked me to bring him lunch, bye nerds!"

---

As usual, Gerard was in the Medbay, reading from his desk terminal. What he was reading, however, was not usual in the least. "I'm starting to see why this 'Hack' character infuriates Tallia," he grumbled aloud, "not only do I get sent straight into Leonin space, but he wants be to pose as a Prince?!? Of all the infernally terrible and ridiculous ideas! Sure, the Emperor may have almost a hundred sons, and who knows how many daughters, but I'm not even built like a noble! They're either morbidly obese, or chiseled muscle!"

"I like your body as it is, honey." Lia remarked from in front of his desk, the surprise nearly making him fall from his chair.

"Hells, is the chime broken again?" He sputtered as he sat back up and looked at Lia, then to the bowls she was carrying and sniffed the air. "What is that?"

"Nope, I just hoped over the sensor, ya goof!" She laughed, setting a bow of chips and salsa down for him. "This is something Ellia prepared, she called it 'corn chips and salsa' but it smells like a spring celebration feast to me, even tastes kinda like it."

Gerard took out his scanner, eyeing the output skeptically. "None of the toxins typically found in Lapinian foodstuffs, buuuut... that that's a significant amount of capsaicin; my mouth is going to feel like it's on fire if I eat that!"

"If you mean it's spicy, sure, but you'll live;" she chucked, "I got some liboar milk in case you need it."

"Sorry dear," he sighed, gesturing her behind his desk for her to come around it, "I was already not hungry when you came in, and this is why." Gerard gestured to the fake identity information on his screen.

"Holy fields, a Leonin Prince?" She looked over the display, one her lop ears falling loose as she started laughing. "I ain't calling you 'your highness' for anything!"

"If only it were that easy," Gerard groaned, "you see, Leonin nobles, including princes, come in two varieties: obese, or muscle-headed - and if anything, Princes are usually the more extreme of either end."

"And you're neither," she agreed, looking at his lean and unassuming frame, "ya know, I could whip you into shape, but that would take months... if not years."

"Couldn't forgive or live with myself if I ate the way necessary to turn into a wall of fat either... I do need to exercise, so I guess I may as well join you and see what we can do... oh right, Sabre wanted to train with you, in his case he's getting chubby."

"He's been looking younger and more energetic to me, but don't worry, I'll go easy on the old guy. Don't expect I'll go easy on you, though!"

---

Sabre barely concealed a groan as he entered the mess hall for his dinner. He had been looking forward to an in-person session for Swords of Spacetime - something quite rare outside of Lupin communities, simply due to known players being hard to come by... then Dorrin told him Ellia was going to be helping cook the dinner a "game time snacks."Th __ose horrific "chips and salsa" things_ burned all the way through me to the other end..._ he thought with a slight scowl, sniffing the air and wondering what the ambassador was planning to torture his digestive tract with this time. Hmm, spiced meat of some sort... though I still smell that salsa and something else, perhaps this will not be so bad? His ears perked hopefully as Ellia handed him a bowl of something reddish-brown thick, chunky and steaming.

"Glad you could join us, Sabre! Dinner today is chili with cornbread, another food from the same planet I mentioned before."

"It at less smells..." Sabre paused a moment, trying to word this diplomatically, "less intense. Please tell me it has more than plant matter."

"Yup!" She responded with an enthusiastic wink. "Oh right, I have my character ready to meet up with the party, by the way. Dorrin is just preparing some dessert in the cooler, he'll take over serving when we start the game."

Sabre nodded, sitting down and taking a bite of the chili... then another... and another... and before he knew it his tail was wagging slightly as he scraped the last bit out of the bowl. It is no snow rabbit, butit is much better than the last meal.

Just then, the freezer door opened, and Dorrin came out shivering, carrying a large bowl of... something solid and off-white.

"E n-next time, y-you're h-handling the ice c-cream!" Dorrin stammered with chattering teeth as he sat it down, and Ellia served him a bowl of the chili.

"Oh come on, it's not that cold in there! Besides, I thought you wanted a change of pace!"

I must admit, those two are adorable together. Sabre chuckled to himself as he got up, just as Herbert made his way into the room with the usual clip-clop of hooves to a matching muffled beat from his earbuds. He grabbed another handful of chips and was about to head straight back out, until Sabre tapped him on the shoulder.

"Neeyyyhhh!" Herbert shouted in shock as he dropped the chips he was carrying all over the floor a spun into the wall. "S, don't do that man, not cool!"

"You were about to leave and miss the game," Sabre explained with a shrug, "and I would rather not howl aloud and ensure the entire ship knows what I am saying to you."

"Oh, s-sorry..." Herb stammered with a blush as he picked up the spilled chips. A shiny new robotic vacuum whirred in from the hall and sucked up the remaining crumbs, beeping almost indignantly. "Wait, where's the doc?"

Before Sabre could say anything, Gerard practically drug himself through the entrance, panting heavily. "Lia wasn't kidding about not going easy on me... what is that???"

"Not sure kitten," Lia sighed in disappointment from behind, "but doesn't smell like something I can eat. Ah well, got any more of those chips and salsa?"

"It's called chili," Ellia answered again, handing Gerard a bowl, "and yes, we made more of that for you, Lia."

"Oh, I could get used to this," the Lapinian called out, bounding to the counter and reaching over to help herself, as Gerard scanned the chili and looked at the readings skeptically, before Lia turned back to him, "so what's this thing ya nerds are doing in here, love?"

"It is a role-playing game called 'Swords of Spacetime,'" explained Sabre before Gerard could say anything, "since the entire player group is known and in the same place, we have decided to run our sessions during the evening meal for the sake of efficiency."

"So y'all pretend to be bad-asses?" Lia yawned, clearly not impressed by the premise. "Is this really something the Lupin do often? Because it sounds like just the sort of thing stuffy, nerdy Lupin'd do."

"It is the most popular non-physical form of entertainment in Lupin space, yes," grumbled Sabre as he rolled his eyes at Lia and the players began setting their tablets up at the table near their food, "you are free to formulate your own opinions on the kind of people who wish to play it... elsewhere."

Lia just shrugged, sitting next to Gerard and munching on her chips.

"I still find it hilarious you guys got yourselves caught by the Void Mage," Ellia chuckled, as she started typing something onto the projected keypad in front of her tablet, "fortunately, Ellen Tailer managed to get in by convincing the guards she wanted to be his apprentice. She's standing outside Harold's cell now."

Herbert grimaced and blushed, shrinking down behind his tablet a bit. "Of course she is... Harold doesn't know that though, I just bombed my perception roll due to darkness. With that, he's going to try and pick the lock on his cell again and... what the?"

"That would be Ellen giving him the key," Ellia chuckled, "let me respond in character in game."

{Ellen Tailer} - [Oh Harold, always getting yourself into such trouble] -

"Ellen should not be so cocky," chuckled Sabre, "there are guards patrolling this dungeon, or did she not know that?"

"Aaaactually..." Gerard spoke up for the first time, "Lance Bluemane just put them to sleep. Guess either he rolled well or they rolled poorly... what the hell, Ellia?"

Ellia snickered then burst our laughing. "I'm sorry, but kissing random helpful people is very much in Ellen's character. Plus your reaction was so worth it!"

"How charming..." grunted Sabre, "however, our first priority should be to escape this keep, preferably with proof of his treachery for the Pack Alpha."

"Oh, Harold is waaay ahead of ya, S;" Herbert neighed, typing rapidly, "he just found Greenfang's cell and unlocked it.... haaay!"

"What?" Ellia asked in an almost mockingly innocent tone, "just figured tossing you guys your gear was the quickest way to get it to you!"

---

Dorrin walked around the table, serving more ice cream to everyone there. The game had been going over an hour at this point, and finally seemed to be winding down a bit. The Captain had just got her meal, shrugged, and went to her office. Lia had also similarly left, seemingly finding this boring to observe. Tallia and Aria, however, had actually sat and watched for a while, before finally leaving to get back to work.Gotta admit, this seems like it could be fun to take part in, I should ask Ellia how I might get into this game.

"I hate to interrupt this," Marla announced as her projection appeared on the table, "but I'm afraid Captain Briskwind has requested I 'remind our gaming group they still have duties aboard.'"

"As First Officer, I must concur," Sabre nodded with a bit of a sigh, "same time tomorrow, everyone?"

All the players sounded their agreement in near unison, logging out of the game and picking up their tablets before leaving... most of them taking a bowl of ice cream with them.

"Hey Dorrin," Ellia murred as she came up behind Dorrin, giving him a nuzzle, "need help with the cleanup?"

"Actually I just about finished it. Apart from the last minute bowls of ice cream I handed out." He looked around, surprised at how little mess the group had made.

"Perfect, I was thinking maybe we could play a different kind of game in your quarters..." She gave him a knowing wink, and took his paw-hand in her own.

"Oh, I'm down, E, I'm down!"