Nate peered through his eyelids to find his room filled with the amber glow of the artificial sunrise in the Hub. He rolled over and felt the other side of his king-size bed to find emptiness and pulled back the sheets. Adjusting to hold his upper half up with his upper arms and elbows, Nate surveyed the room to find himself alone. He pulled back his sheets and slipped on his navy blue silk loungewear that had a yellow stripe down the left leg. His OmniLink lit up and vibrated on his end table as it sounded the alarm he had set the night before. His feet felt the warmth of the heated floor, but he still chose to wear slippers. Their textured bottoms scraped along the smooth tiles as Nate shuffled to pick up his link and then headed to the main living area. The doors slid open before he reached them, allowing for a seamless shuffling transition from his bedroom to the open area of the apartment.

  Looking down, Nate could see Dane making breakfast as usual; Donna was benching a couple of dumbbells in the workout area with Gemini spotting, but Jax, Iggy, Lindy, and Charlie were nowhere to be seen. Nate figured that Jax and Iggy were in the workshop; they were always repairing something or working on one of their many special-order contracts. Lindy and Charlie had to be out for a run. That used to be Nate’s job, but having large pets was a foreign concept to pretty much every planet besides Earth, so Lindy and Charlie made an instant bond. She was quite liberal with her love, praise, and treats, and the big black labrador was all too happy to oblige.

  Nate held the matte gold railing as he walked along the upper level of the apartment that held everyone’s individual rooms plus a workshop for Jax and Iggy. When they moved in, Nate and Lindy thought they would use their separate rooms more than they had, but when they spent every night in each other’s rooms, they freed up the other one for a more practical use. Nate looked across the way at the second room from the end, next to the workshop. That was supposed to be Dee’s room, and everyday he looked at it as a reminder that he had failed. Though it wasn’t his fault, he didn’t stop thinking it was. It had been a year since Biff had killed her, and not a day went by that he didn’t think about it. Every time he turned on his shield or warped, his mind replayed that terrible day in his head, and how he could have changed things. How he could have saved her.

  The smell of breakfast snapped him out of his daily trance and restarted his movement downstairs to the kitchen and dining area. His path put him in front of the entryway to the apartment when Lindy and Charlie walked in. Lindy was wearing a tight pink running outfit that covered up the important bits, but Nate still ogled her anyway.

  “Hey babe!” Lindy cheered with excitement.

  Charlie’s excitement was overflowing as evidenced by both his tail and entire body started wiggling wildly back and forth. Nate crouched down to greet him with pets and kisses as his dog returned the love by nesting his head in the middle of his chest.

  “My turn now.” Lindy pouted playfully.

  Nate got up and kissed his sweaty girlfriend on the lips and gave her a tight hug.

  “How was your run?” Nate asked.

  “So good, Chucky hardly had time to bark at anyone because he was doing such a good job keeping pace. Also, I think the supplements Iggy made are really working. I think they are turning back the clock for him. He’s moving faster; he’s less tired.” Lindy replied.

  “That’s great to hear; the longer we can keep him alive, the better.” Just as Nate said that, Charlie let out a low growl and then a muffled bark. It was Charlie’s alert response when he saw something he thought Nate should be aware of.

  In this case, however, there was no danger, for anyone but Dane, as he had yet to pony up Charlie’s daily bacon ration.

  “Yeah, yeah, Chuck, it’s right here.” Dane, the tall muscular Pantheran whose fur was drying itself from his own early morning workout, picked up a piece of bacon from the pile that he was adding to and threw it on the floor.

  Charlie’s nails scratched along the light birch floors that made up the main level as he ran to pick up his breakfast. Charlie scarfed down his piece of bacon and stayed right next to Dane as he finished making breakfast. When Charlie first arrived at the Hub, he was suspicious of everyone that he saw, even humans, where he had naturally been so friendly. Charlie was a talker though, so he let his feelings known through either loud or soft barks and his tail of course. Even though Dane and Donna's ancestry linked back to cats, Charlie overcame his natural prejudice and treated them like anyone he loved — family.

  “Knock knock Operators!” An enthusiastic woman’s voice came from behind Lindy.

  Before anyone could speak further, Charlie let out his signature howling bark when he was surprised by someone at the door. His nails scraped along the floor yet again as he tried to get his footing to run over to Tessie. In almost perfect unison, everyone on the main level booed and hollered at Charlie to discourage the behavior. Charlie was almost eleven though, so he wasn’t changing his ways anytime soon.

  “Hey Chucky.” Tessie gave her obligatory pets to the dog before he made his way back to Dane’s side.

  Lindy squealed as she gave a side hug to the newcomer. Tessi was a red-furred Foxan with black fur that started midway down her extremities. Foxans were a race still working its way back from near extinction at the hands of the Vortani. They were part of the High Tree Collective, like the Racoonans, Bearans, and other forest-type creatures that Nate might find in the mountains of Denver back home. Tessi was their manager and was obsessed with fashion, like Lindy’s Uncle Harry, as she was dressed in a full baby-blue pants-suit that was tailored to fit her just right. It was decorated with white buds that had small flowers at their tips, like it was newly spring time. It was like looking at the night sky with all of its stars, but it was daytime and the stars were tiny flowers.

  There was a gaping black hole in Lindy’s heart left behind by Dee’s passing. She and the rest of the team, however, were fortunate to have that gap filled by Tessi, who was a mix of both Dee’s attitude and Lindy’s bubbly persona. Tessi was the team’s agent, assistant, and public relations manager. Under her was her assistant Molly, and a runner who acted as a personal delivery driver for Jax and Iggy’s creations, and as the team’s chauffeur.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Tessi was exactly what the team needed after they got back from their mourning of Dee. She kept them scheduled and busy with plenty of jobs while also acting as a shield from the press when they were out in public. While she didn’t live with them, she might as well have, as she spent all of her time either with them, or working for them in some capacity. Lindy, Donna, and Tessi formed a familial bond over the last year. Gemini was also included, but she was a little more introverted than the other three.

  “Are we starting the briefing right now or can I go shower?” Lindy asked.

  “No, no, I’m early, take your time,” Tessi waved her hand, shooing her friend away.

  “Great!” Lindy ran up the stairs giving a quick wave goodbye.

  “Hey Tess,” Nate leaned in for a side hug as well.

  “Hey Champ, you get my notes on that Rookie’s only singles tournament?” Tessi lowered her head and raised her eyebrows, “I think it will be good for the brand, and looking at the roster, I think you can take them.”

  “I don’t know, Tess. I’ll think about it.” Nate scratched his head somewhat nervously.

  “Alright, well registration closes in a week, just let me or Molly know.” Tessi replied.

  “Hey Tessi!” Donna and Gemini both shouted from the workout area.

  Tessi waved. “If I had known I was going to come right in the middle of workouts, I would have worn a poncho to save me from all the sweat.” She frowned with disgust. The Foxan was slim, but not athletic. The allure of the luxuries her high-paying job offered captivated her, overshadowing any interest in contract work.

  Once Dane finished cooking breakfast and the girls had cleaned up from their workouts, the team gathered together for their daily morning ritual, breakfast and coffee with Tessi. The large kitchen island, made of three separate slabs of colored quartz, had two navy blue panels and a third yellow panel that ran down to the left of the center of the island. The island had three purposes for the team, all of which were on display each morning. First, it was the team’s dining table. When a meal was being consumed together, it was usually there, or on the couch if it was pizza night. Second, it was where the team did their strategy sessions for every mission. Third, and finally, it was where they had their morning briefing from Tessi. A large television popped up at the edge of the island where Tessi was standing, ready to give her report.

  “Alright, team, today is a beautiful day for some contracts. But first, your daily report!” Tessi said enthusiastically, moving her hands to draw attention to the monitor next to her, where some graphs appeared.

  The team understood the importance of maintaining a presence on social media and in the mainstream media, but it still annoyed them all the same. They dug into their meals as they readied their ears to hear the things they did well from the previous day and what of their triumphs or blunders were trending.

  “First up today, Gemini! Girl, you've gotta cool it with the fully nude sauna and rock bathing.” Tessi expressed her disappointment.

  The tv flickered to show an image that had blurred Gemini’s privates as she lay spread-eagle on a smooth, hot rock during a spa day the girls recently went on. Gemini had a flat expression as she chewed her food.

  “No regrets.” Gemini took another bite.

  “Next up, Dane and Donna! You guys are Cattan royalty next to Jarris and Helena. Your humble approach to dating and obsession with Earth noodle dishes have provided some cute pictures.” Tessi smiled.

  The tv switched to an image of Dane and Donna sharing a large bowl of ramen, sucking on the same noodle as their faces drew closer together. It was a cute picture of them on a date, their love on display with their big smiles. They had learned not to think about pictures like this for too long though because they would realize that the photographer would have been outside the restaurant creeping on them and their private moment.

  “Adorable. Jax, Iggy, orders and sales are way up. Great job! Jax, your solo orders started strong, but now you are rivaling Iggy’s numbers when he was at Rookie rank.” Tessi explained.

  A graph appeared on the tv showing orders with a steady incline and a revenue line matching it. Iggy, who was about the same size as Jax, placed his hand on his friend’s little Raccoonan shoulder.

  “Lastly, the human darlings. Since Earth culture has made its small impact on the rest of the galaxy, everyone looks at you two like the quintessential athlete and cheerleader couple. If you would keep doing tournaments, then we could get the rumor mill to a fever pitch.” Tessi’s smiled grew to show her teeth.

  “Rumor mill?” Nate asked.

  “Moving on! Now, for today’s contracts. We have a VIP protection detail, a cargo escort, and one contract enforcement.” Tessi displayed the three options on the tv along with their employers.

  “He really doesn’t give up, does he?” Jax sighed, laying his head on his hand while he ate his breakfast.

  “I’m pretty sure he hired an intern or something to submit these, to be honest with you.” Tessi answered the rhetorical question.

  Nate looked at the employers on the list and found that the VIP protection contract was from Stock Industries, which was owned by Jax’s parents. Gax Stock, Jax’s father, didn’t want his son to get into the contractor life, but to come work for him instead at their family company. Jax’s family friend and non-familial uncle, Hix, convinced him to go to the Academy of Contractor Certification and become a quartermaster like Iggy Stone. Jax nodded his head and then buried it back into his breakfast.

  “Is the contract enforcement person to person or business to person or what?” Dane asked.

  “The employer for the contract is Senior Saints, and the details of the contract state it’s enforcing a payment from a woman in one of their end-of-life facilities.” Tessi scrunched her mouth and nose, realizing the optics on that would be pretty bad.

  The team let out a collective “Ooo” sound as they groaned at the idea of serving an eviction notice to an old lady.

  “I’ll just tuck that one away…” Tessi swiped at her screen, making the two obvious contracts the team wasn’t going to go for disappear.

  “Looks like we are going with the cargo escort job. Any objections?” Dane asked.

  The team shook their heads.

  “What are the details?” Dane continued.

  “This one is an overnight journey on planet Calpentross guarding a floating cargo ship as it crosses pirate-infested waters,” Tessi said.

  “Pirates!” Nate shouted with a mouth full of food.

  Lindy elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to spit some of his food out.

  “Alright then, pirates it is.” Dane smiled.

  “Can I say it this time?” Tessi asked.

  “Say what?” Dane asked back.

  Donna punched Dane in the arm, which earned her a sharp glare from him.

  “Yeah, fine.” Dane surrendered.

  “Suit up!”