It wasn't a smile of "okay, we're friends now." It wasn't a smile of "okay, I trust you now." It wasn't a smile of "okay, I'm sorry for not talking to you for seventeen whole hours."
It was none of that.
They are all trained warriors.
They are all explorers.
They all know what it means to feel.
What excitement is.
And that simultaneous smile was...
Perfectly that.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
Simply the recognition that, somewhere between liftoff and atmospheric entry, they had gone from being four individuals on a ship to being four people sharing a destiny.
Not trust. Not friendship. Not loyalty.
Just... company.
And sometimes, that was enough.
The ship's voice broke the moment.
—Two minutes to atmospheric entry. Please take your seats and secure your harnesses. Entry will be turbulent.
Kael stretched lazily in his seat, but his hand found the harness and adjusted it with a quick movement. Laziness was a facade. It always was.
Hugo did the same, his eyes returning to the cockpit, evaluating every light, every indicator. His mind was already in mission mode, calculating variables, anticipating problems.
Nayu was already secured. She had done her harness the moment the voice announced five minutes. Of course. Nayu didn't wait for things to happen; Nayu got ahead of them.
Dorian simply waited.
The harness was already fastened. It had been fastened since liftoff.
—Sixty seconds — the voice announced.
The ship began to vibrate. It wasn't a violent vibration, but a deep tremor, as if the hull were waking after a long sleep. The metals sang with a low frequency, almost imperceptible, but the trained ears of the four caught it without difficulty.
—Thirty seconds.
The lights in the cabin changed. They shifted from dim blue to amber. Precaution signal. The control panels flickered with new data, adjusting systems for atmospheric impact.
—Fifteen seconds.
Kael grabbed his lance. Not out of fear, but out of instinct. The weapon was an extension of his body, and in moments of uncertainty, the body sought its extensions.
Hugo flexed his fingers inside his gloves. He felt the material respond, adapt, confirm that it was ready. The gloves and he were already one.
Nayu held her staff with both hands. The metal was cold, as always. But in her hands, cold was warmth. Metal was life.
Dorian...
Dorian simply waited.
His hands rested on the armrests. His swords hung at his hips. His duster coat enveloped his body like a second skin. He didn't need to grab anything. He didn't need to prepare. He was already ready. He always was.
—Ten.
—Nine.
—Eight.
—Seven.
—Six.
—Five.
—Four.
—Three.
—Two.
—One.
The ship shuddered.
It wasn't a gentle tremor. It was an impact. As if an invisible giant had struck the hull with a hammer. The entire cabin vibrated with a violence that would have thrown any unsecured passenger into the air.
But they were secured.
And more importantly, they were trained.
The sky turned orange.
Through the cabin's small windows, they saw Veridia's atmosphere become a sea of fire around them. Friction heated the ship's hull to temperatures that would have melted inferior metals, but the shields held. The displays showed green lines on all systems.
And then, as quickly as it had begun, it ended.
The orange disappeared. The sky turned blue. A strange blue, different from Helion's, but blue nonetheless.
Veridia.
Below, far below, the planet's surface stretched out like a tapestry of unknown colors. Greens that weren't green. Browns that weren't brown. An alien palette that none of them had seen before.
The ship descended.
---
They went down through the clouds.
The clouds were dense, almost solid, like dirty cotton. The ship passed through them with a wet sound, and for a moment visibility was zero. Only instruments. Only faith in the AI.
And then, they emerged.
Below them, a great rock rose from the planet's surface. It wasn't a mountain. It wasn't a hill. It was simply... a rock. A solitary geological formation that rose several meters above the surrounding terrain.
If it were a tower, it would be about twelve or thirteen stories high.
And the ship was heading directly toward it.
The rock was flat on top. Not perfectly flat, not like a designed landing platform, but flat enough. Big enough.
The ship descended. It made a small turn in the air, adjusting its orientation, aligning with the terrain. The thrusters roared, kicking up dust and small stones.
And the metal legs struck the ground of the great rock.
The landing was perfect. Smooth.
There was no movement inside the ship, nor was any felt.
The four young people didn't even blink.
The AI's voice was heard like a wind inside the ship again. As if it were everywhere. As if the air itself were speaking.
—Landing: No issues.
—Ship systems: No damage.
—Ship shields: No damage.
—Ship thrusters: Optimal functioning.
—Destination established: Planet Veridia.
—Current location: Planet Veridia.
—Atmosphere: Breathable.
Pause.
—Welcome to planet Veridia.
---
They all removed their harnesses at the same time.
There was no countdown. There was no signal. Simply, when the announcement ended, four hands moved and four harnesses opened.
The cabin opened.
With a metallic hiss, the main hatch slid upward, revealing the exterior.
The wind entered first.
It was strong. Very strong. It lashed the cabin with a fury that made the four's clothes whip violently. But it wasn't lethal. It wasn't toxic. It was just wind. Wind from a new planet.
Their hair moved forcefully.
Kael's, black and messy, danced like dark flames. Hugo's, reddish-brown and combed back, withstood the assault with military dignity. Nayu's, emerald green in its asymmetrical bob, moved with an almost hypnotic fluidity.
Dorian's, black with orange highlights, waved like a banner.
None of them activated their protective helmets.
It wasn't necessary. The AI had said the atmosphere was breathable, and they trusted the AI. Not blindly, but enough. Besides, their bodies were survival machines. If something in the air made them sick, they'd feel it before it was too late.
Dorian took the first step.
His boots touched the rock. The sound was solid, real. He was here. On Veridia.
—Gravity — Omega said in his mind —. Same as Helion. Classification: habitable.
—That's perfect — Dorian replied mentally.