FOREST – TRAINING CLEARING – AFTER SCHOOL
The leaves rustled gently as light filtered through the trees. Birds chirped overhead. It was peaceful… except for the sound of someone getting knocked to the ground.
Jett hit the dirt with a thud.
JETT(groaning)Okay—Lyra. I said training, not murder.
LYRA stood over him, casually adjusting her stance.
LYRAAnd I said stop flinching like you're dancing with lasers. You asked me to go serious.
JETT(sitting up, rubbing his ribs)Yeah, but serious doesn't mean breaking my soul.
She smiled playfully and offered him a hand up.
LYRAC'mon, Shadow Spark. Resilience, remember?
JETT(taking her hand, muttering)Resilience doesn't mean enjoying the pain...
INT. NOVA BASE – WORKSHOP BAY
Sparks flew from a console where Zayn and Daiki were hunched over a metallic platform surrounded by glowing rings. A holographic blueprint floated above them.
DAIKI(grinning)You sure this won't just teleport us into a volcano?
ZAYN(focused)I've run the calculations three times. As long as no one sneezes mid-jump, we'll land within three meters of the target coordinates.
DAIKICool. So only mild death risk. Progress.
ZAYNWe call it Nova Skip. Should cut deployment time by 83%.
DAIKI(holding up a modified wristband)If we survive testing, I'm naming the prototype: DaikiDrive.
ZAYN(flatly)Absolutely not.
They both laughed and kept working, comfortable in the rhythm of shared tech-speak and silent trust.
INT. NOVA BASE – KITCHEN MODULE
Meanwhile, in the base's small kitchen, Kael was stirring a sizzling pan while Rayna carefully measured spices into another.
RAYNA(reading recipe)One teaspoon of nova spice. Not two. Last time you used two, Zett didn't sleep for sixteen hours.
KAEL(grinning)That was one time. And technically, he fixed three satellites during that insomnia burst.
RAYNA(deadpan)And hacked the school vending machines to drop nothing but kale chips.
Kael made a face.
KAELOkay, yeah. Never again.
He turned toward her, holding up two spoons.
KAELAlright, chef. Taste test?
Rayna took the spoon, tasted it, paused… and nodded.
RAYNAYou're improving. Almost edible now.
KAEL(mock offense)Almost? That's elite-level stir-fry right there.
INT. NOVA BASE – COMMON ROOM – EVENING
Later, the team gathered. Plates of food were passed around. Jett limped in with an ice pack. Lyra followed, towel around her neck, still glowing faintly from training.
JETTNext time, I'm sparring with Daiki. At least he insults me before hitting me.
DAIKI(mouth full)I aim for honesty.
ZAYNDevice test tomorrow, if all goes well. We'll need a non-chaotic zone to calibrate it.
RAYNAGood luck finding one of those in Orion.
KAEL(looking around, smiling softly)Let's eat first. Monsters can wait till after dessert.
The laughter and clinking forks echoed softly through the base, a quiet moment of unity before the inevitable next storm.