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Ambra had gone to great lengths to avoid Galilea. She memorized all of the corridors and rooms aboard Nova that she was known to frequent, all of the times when she was present in said areas, and how long she stayed in said areas.
She made certain that no one knew how much she paid attention though. She would never allow herself such humiliation.
She was in one of the storage areas on Nova, one near the very bottom of Nova, in the middle of the night. She was curled on one of the hard wood chairs, her legs tucked to her chest and her head leaning on her hand, staring out of the observation window at the oppressively black sky. She closed her eyes and focused on slowing her breath. She rubbed her fingers on her forehead, willing the migraine in her head to go away.
Ambra hated going on missions with Galilea. She hated the way Galilea always got to her, how she always knew what buttons to push. She always developed a migraine towards the end of missions with Galilea, and she wanted to know why, exactly, Ghalt insisted on putting them together on missions.
Ambra jumped when the door behind her opened with a soft swish . She squeezed her eyes close and gritted her teeth, hoping that Galilea hadn’t decided to break her routine and find new places to brood, and whipped her head around with a glare ready.
Her eyes immediately widened when she found Alani standing in the doorway, her eyes wide and her jaw slack in surprise. They froze, stuck staring at one another for what felt like centuries. They hadn’t spoken to each other at all since they were recruited by Ghalt, and Ambra never planned on speaking to Alani again after the destruction of Akopos.
Alani’s expression eventually schooled itself into one of contempt, brows furrowed in anger and a deep frown on her face.
“What are you doing here,” Alani demanded, her Syl flashing in what Ambra was sure Alani thought to be an intimidating gesture. Before she could process what was happening, a loud and high laugh escaped Ambra.
“My dear,” Ambra stated, wiping tears from her eyes, “I truly respect you as a warrior. I have seen your prowess in battle many times, and I have been impressed every time I have seen your skill.
“Do not assume, however,” Ambra said, flashing her eyes bright orange as she stared into Alani’s eyes, “that I am weak.”
They stared at each other again until Alani’s Syl dimmed and she sighed in frustration. Ambra’s eyes returned to their normal shade of yellow as Alani crossed her arms across her chest and shuffled her feet. She raised her head again to look at Ambra, still curled up in the old wooden chair.
“You still didn’t answer why you’re in here,” she said in a soft voice, almost a murmur.
“I come down here to alleviate the migraines I receive from Galilea,” she answered easily. She rested her elbow on her knee and laid her head on her fist, staring at Alani with curiosity. “Why exactly are you here? I have never seen you down here before.”
Alani sighed and uncrossed her arms. She rubbed her hand on her neck and through her hair, closing her eyes. “I come down here to unwind after missions sometimes. To, you know, meditate.”
“Curious, then, why I have never seen you down here,” Ambra responded. She narrowed her eyes in genuine curiosity. Alani’s face twisted into a scowl.
“I don’t have to tell you everything about my life,” Alani responded, voice low and heated. “In fact, I don’t have to tell you anything about me.”
Ambra lifted her head and placed her hand on her chest. “I was simply curious as to how our paths have never crossed before now. I do not know why you are so offended by my curiosity.”
“No, you know what, no,” Alani exclaimed. She raised her arms in the air in a symbol of surrender and started to back out of the doorway. “I came here to find a moment of peace, not to keep fighting, and not to talk to you of all people.”
“ Excuse me ?” Ambra nearly shouted. “I don’t know what I did to deserve such an attitude from someone that I have treated with the utmost respect!”
“ Respect ? RESPECT ?! YOU DESTROYED MY HOME AND KILLED EVERYONE I HAVE EVER KNOWN !” Alani shouted, her Syl glowing fiercely as her face twisted in a snarl of rage that Ambra had never seen before.
Ambra stood, the chair skidding and overturning from the force of her standing. “ THAT WAS RENDAIN , I WAS FOLLOWING- ”
“ YOU COULD HAVE STOPPED IT !” Alani shrieked. Ambra was opened her mouth to shriek back, but snapped her jaw shut when she noticed tears falling down Alani’s face.
“I don’t miss Akopos all that much,” Alani whispered, wiping the tears from her face. “I don’t miss it all that much. I didn’t really belong there.”
She took in a large shuddering breath. “I didn’t belong there, but the caves and coves felt like home to me. I found so much… peace there. I have never been able to find peace like that again. This dingy little storage is the closest I get to that peace, and it’s all your fault.”
Alani raised her head and glared at Ambra. She breathed heavily through her teeth, and Ambra did nothing but stare back at her for minutes.
Ambra turned her gaze away eventually and scoffed. She turned her gaze back to Alani. “You still seek peace ?” She asked, her brows furrowed and her mouth twisted in an incredulous smile. “The Varelsi took all peace from us since they first arrived. There will never be any semblance of peace ever again. You will never be able to find that peace ever again, and I was a fool to think you were strong enough not to dwell on such childish dreams and whims.”
Ambra walked around Alani to the doorway, throwing over her shoulder, “You can take this room for now and indulge in your fruitless effort. I have nothing more to say to you, though I do hope you grow out of this.”
The doors closed on Alani’s hunched back with a quiet swish, and Ambra marched back to her quarters, refusing to look back.