A man emerged, tall and densely built, with thick arms dusted in fine soot and a matte-black cybernetic band wrapped from his wrist to his elbow.
Saba stood to shake his hand. ‘Hi Boaz, my name is -.’
His brow arched at recognizing her. ‘Saba? Mak’s wife? What are you doing in the ass-end of the ship?’
‘I was nosing around, wondering if you needed help,’ Saba said.
Boaz’s grip was firm. ‘I take it you’ve caught something in the shield filters?’
She nodded. ‘Your outer rings expand by three microns once the hydrogen hits phase-two density. It causes a micro-wobble in the stabilizer core, which increases friction. It’s minor in standard zones but amplified tenfold in volatile turbulence like the Expanse.’
Boaz blinked. ‘We missed that. Impressive.’
Miral chuckled. ‘Hell on Devansi, you’re perceptive.’
Saba flushed. ‘I’m just observant and curious.’
Miral leaned against the frame of the test bench, arms folded. ‘You interested in more than just observation?’
Saba met her gaze. ‘Very.’
Miral exchanged glances with Boaz. ‘What do you think, boss? Shall we speak to Mak and Xander? Get her roped in?’
Boaz grinned. ‘If you’re sincere about being involved, there’s room for you on the hydrogen propulsion team. We’re stretched thin. You’d be welcome.’
Saba exhaled, heart thumping with a sense of dormant reawakening. ‘I’d be honored.’
‘You’d be badass,’ Miral added. ‘Given what we now know about your DNA.’
Miral discovered Saba’s latent lycan abilities after analyzing her blood work post-bite, realizing Mak’s fang had awakened a dormant gene passed down from an ancestor who once defied the earth-borne wolf clans by binding her bloodline to an alpha in secret.
The news, delivered by Miral a few mornings ago, had hit hard with Saba lost in disbelief and wonder, while Mak, stunned into silence, stared at her in awe.
For both of them, it was a crack of fate splitting open: the bond between them, once accidental, now felt inevitable, predestined by blood, power, and an ancient fate that neither of them dared admit.
Now, Boaz scratched his jaw. ‘You find any more anomalies, bring them to me. I’ll keep you informed about our calibration sessions. We meet every third rotation on Deck 22.’
‘Copy that,’ Saba said, already thinking through the equations she’d left half-solved that morning.
As she walked back to the lift with grease on her hands and schematics in her head, Saba felt more grounded than she had in years.
The chance to work with savvy engineers like Boaz and Miral was more than an outlet for her boredom. It was an exciting step into purpose and partnership.
That evening, as the sun dipped behind the horizon, setting the lake aglow with amber light, Mak joined her on the patio chaise where they’d settled after their meal.
He recounted his day, sharing the burdens of leading the Sauvage dynasty while managing Signet’s ever-expanding operations.
She listened, offered insights, and at times challenged his thinking.
More than anything else, she loved that he welcomed it.
She hadn’t expected to become his confidante, but that’s what she was becoming. And more. He trusted her judgment.
Their bond deepened through those quiet conversations, building a layered and enduring connection.
His gaze lingered on her in a blend of intensity and admiration.
After a moment, he shifted toward her, wine glass in hand.
