Illia

Sweetness. The air was fresh and smooth. Although it was chilled, it did little to lower the body temperature as it swirled around them. The native plants were in season, wafting a pleasant and fruity smell into their speeder. Pleasant for everyone bar Lore who was constantly scratching the back of their throat with their tongue. Noticing their discomfort, Char reached into her bag and produced a small pill box. She removed a capsule and handed it to Lore. Lore nodded in thanks and swallowed the capsule down. Near instant relief. Lore smiled and nodded again returning to what they were trying to do before the hay fever claimed their attention. The list of objectives for Illia was rather small in comparison to the others and seemed oddly achievable. There were three items on the list:

• Acquire the Wings of the Reaper
• Find Arnib Tolan
• Don’t let Undulia catch on

Lore handed the tablet to Char, highlighting the final objective. She shrugged and passed it to Destiny who replied in a similar fashion. Soon after, they landed.
“Home sweet home.” Undulia stretched and drank in the fresh morning air. The building before them was not residential, at least it didn’t appear to be. The sign above the door denoted that it was ‘Military Guild: Illia Division Outpost’. Following Undulia the group entered the building. It’s interior was identical to the one Crait had taken them to after they first met. With every corner, every armoured individual they passed, Lore twitched.
“Everything alright Loren?” Lore twitched once again.
“Fine. Just a side effect of the meds.” Lore had deepened their voice, once again to Char’s surprise.
“I’ve got something you might just want to see.” Undulia smiled as she picked up the pace. She was now rounding corners almost faster than they came, narrowly avoiding personnel as she barrelled through the grey halls. Suddenly, she stopped. “Here we go, this room is usually not the first stop on the tour but for special visitors.” She winked at Lore. “I think you’ll want to see this.” She opened the door revealing a storage room packed high with uniform crates. “This way.” She waved her hand forward. She followed her own path through the identical shelves as if she had walked it an infinite number of times before until they reached their destination. The box in front of them was older than the others, so much so that the insignia on its clasp was different. “This box hasn’t been opened in over eight years. I think you should do the honours.” She produced a key and handed it to Lore. The shelves erupted into an orchestra of gasps. “Thought we’d have an audience.” Undulia wasn’t phased.
“Well, if you’re going to let him open the box we’ve waited so long to see inside then of course you’re going to get an audience.” The first face to emerge from the darkness responded.
“Yeah, what’s so special about him?” A young man followed.
“He is Inquisitor Loren of the 52^nd order. That’s what’s so special about him.” Undulia nodded to Lore.
Lore stepped forward and examined the lock. They inserted the key. It was slow at first, the lock hadn’t been cared for and in some places must have rusted. Eventually, the key reached the end of the lock and Lore began to turn it. At first they chose the wrong direction but they quickly corrected themselves. The lock opened with a deafening screech and a worrying clunk. The lock had shattered but it was no matter as its job had been completed. Lore lifted the box’s lid, breaking the airtight seal it had held for eight and a half years. Sitting there, as if new, the shoulder pads and gauntlets from their vision. They were polymer, like Undulia’s armour but thinner, lighter and for some reason Lore knew they were stronger. Lore lifted the pauldrons from their resting place and instinctively blew on them despite their lack of dust. Out of the corner of their eye they saw Unduila’s excitement as they attached them to their shoulders and began to equip the wrist guards.
“Show’s over, back to work.” She hollered. “We need to catch up.”
Together they ventured to Undulia’s private quarters. She poured two glasses of brown liquid, neglecting Char and Destiny and set herself down beside Lore.
“So Loren, now we’re alone, what’s really brought you back to Illia.” She tried her hardest to entice Lore, she made eye contact. This only served to unnerve Lore who had never been able to hold anyone’s gaze let alone their own.
“Strictly business I’m afraid. Classified business mind you.” Lore nodded to Destiny and Char.
“Shame Loren, I was kind of hoping we could have some fun…” She gave a seductive smile, once again to no avail. “He and I had some good times back in the day.” She giggled as a school girl might.
“THEIR NAME IS LORE!” Char raised her voice as she steamed from the room.
“What’s her problem?”
“You tell one person one thing, another something else, there’s bound to be problems.” Lore feigned a smile. Undulia reciprocated.
“Damn, I’ve got a meeting. Wait here. Be back in a bit.” She dropped her glass beside Lore’s, placing a kiss on their cheek before leaving.
Char returned as Undulia left. “What is going on? Why are you acting so weird?”
“Illia hasn’t had contact from the protectorate in the last five or six years. They don’t know about my demotion.  Don’t let Undulia catch on.” Lore smiled for once in possession of some foresight. Char smiled too, admiring the person she loved as they returned to her. She leaned over but before making contact looked Lore in the nose. Lore nodded instinctively as Char began her embrace. It wasn’t long but it was enough as the doors opened again and Undulia returned.
“Flying meeting, well less of a meeting more of a case hand off. I hope time hasn’t dulled you too much.” She held out the file. Missing.