Chapter Text
The planet hasn't had weather like this in years. The usual steady, suffocating heat it's orange tinted atmosphere produces subsides. There's even a bit of a chill in the breeze. Matthias is convinced that this is bad news. It means a storm is soon to come, he tells Nina. She tells him that no, it must mean that a change is soon to come. That change crash lands in her backyard a day later. A girl, about Nina's age, gracefully drops to the ground from her space ship. Nina observes the girl fussing with metal and gears and wires for a good five minutes. Nina offers her some tea. The girl startles, and turns to look at her. She's beautiful, even with the grease smudged across her forehead. She accepts the offer, and when Nina is done making it, makes an offer of her own. If Nina lets her ship stay where it crashed for a week or two, Inej will do any odd jobs that need fixing up around Nina's place. She's noticed one already, the jumble of metal and wires that used to be a functioning android. She seems eager to get her hands on that technology. For the next two weeks, Nina sits outside with Inej every evening and hands her wrenches and watches her work. The two swap stories back and forth, and Nina insists Inej come in for the night instead of sleeping in her ship. Inej promises her a ride once she gets it up and running. Before Nina knows it, the ship is in flying condition, and she's seeing Inej off. I'll miss you cluttering up my backyard with tools and this flying piece of junk, she teases. Inej promises to be back soon, with an empty seat just for Nina.