😭

If this gets 50 likes I'll post the clip of me singing lmaooo

She’d never have forgiven Colin if he died saving her. She hated sentimental, heroic gestures. A fresh round of tears, not born of gas exposure, welled up in her eyes, but because of the mask, she couldn’t brush them aside.

“It’s because they chose death,” Hilde finished. The original essay was several hundred pages, but Znezenki’s conclusion was simple enough to summarize.

After a pause, a dry smile crooked Hilde’s lips. “At least, that’s what Znezenki believed before first contact with humans.”

Ragnar admitted, “You humans really are so polite. Makes me kinda feel bad for always stealing from you.”

Alan hauled Ragnar into the small closet and gagged him. “You know, I think that’s the nicest thing a pirate has ever said to me.”

The funny thing was, I had to search "cuddlefish" rather than "cuttlefish" but you know what? That's valid!

The galaxy were theirs now, and knowing that the planets still turned and the stars still shone for someone, even if it wasn’t for her, was a sort of peace.

“And next you’re gonna tell me none of you committed military espionage at my age?”

Colin made a non-committal noise. He planned on staying quiet while Ian and Ragnar denied the allegations, but Ian shrugged irritably, while Ragnar mumbled something that sounded a lot like “it was an accident.”

Ian’s eyes lit up. “Oh, who’s this?”

He slipped out of his seat to kneel before Siyavash, scratching the dog behind the ears and down the neck. “Oh, a dog! I haven’t seen one of these in years. So cute, even if it doesn’t have any scales!”

“Why is it like this?” Alan asked in an irritable voice.

Sven blinked. “Why is it like what?”

“Half painful attention to detail and historical accuracy, and half pirate theme-park ride.”

Sven turned the coin over a couple times, before hefting it in his gloved hand. “It’s definitely pyrean.”

I'm in the US!

“Are you telling me pyreans just…make up money any time they feel like it?”

Sven no longer bothered to hide his patient look of condescension. “Humans made up money whenever they felt like it. Why shouldn’t we?”

“I already put in an order for a new arm by the way,” Ian said without preamble. “Should be ready before we leave port. This one will be better than that old model too.”

“Lucky me,” Sif murmured with a dry smile.

“Next time you want an upgrade, just ask, okay?”

Sif couldn’t help laughing.

“You okay?”

Eric did not answer, because he was an iguana. By now Alan’s eyes had adjusted to the room’s low light, so he saw how the lizard opened one beady eye just enough to give Alan a baleful look before closing it.

“Oh, sorry,” Alan whispered.

It was awe-inspiring — beautiful in the way that only the infinite could be beautiful. Alan’s throat caught. He glanced down at his companion, and despite the darkness, he could see Sven’s eyes fixed on him. Watching, waiting, expectant.

“So yes, a victory,” Sven repeated with more confidence. He glanced at the other members of the debriefing. “I’ll put that in my final report.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Alan muttered.

“The universe is a big place,” Tristan murmured. “It’s a thoughtless place. Not cruel, but not kind either. There is no fairness or justice or meaning in who lives and who dies. It’s all up to chance where one is born, how much life one is given.”

Gunnar and Ragnar exchanged looks before glancing pointedly in Alan’s direction as if he were the one most suited to managing Valtra’s moods. Alan paused, his own fork halfway to his lips. He was on lunch break in the mess hall, so he wasn’t sure why they imagined he’d make this his problem.