Nucleus 1: The Dust of Moon [Mature Sci-fi Romance]

02:41, Day 579, Year 58133

Shakti Sarovar (शक्ति सरोवर), Lake of Divine Femininity, Lustsong Woods, Shashan

"No — !" Gasping, Lorna's eyes fluttered open, scanning the water's surface as if searching for something that might wash away the fragments of her nightmare.

The hotspring waters danced around her, their heat warming her exposed skin. Under the light of the alien ice giant, her body shimmered with sweat.

Steam rose from the pool, curling into the deep purple twilight, while the surrounding plants glistened with dew. As her breath quickened, her fingers twisted through her soaked blonde hair, as if the familiar texture could anchor her.

The blue gas planet loomed in the night sky. Only moments ago, she had enjoyed the comfort of this hot spring, but now her mind drifted to Earth, to a homeland overrun with Radi-Mons, and to her mission — find the Moondust Crystal, stop the Fenris Horde, and somehow, find her father.

"Lady Lorna need help?" A guttural voice sounded from a nearby tree.

"What? Who's there?" Lorna tensed as she turned to look, crossing her arms to cover her chest.

From the shadows emerged a creature about the size of a hoverbike, its skin inky black. Its limbs were jagged with mantis-like claws, but instead of striking, they swayed gently. A single, glowing violet eye burned from the center of its head, with rows of serrated teeth gleaming in its mouth.

"Primarch Moro say, protect Lady Lorna, and if she has needs, provide," The creature tilted its head, its speech broken. "Trishul feel Lady nervous. Something Trishul can do?"

"That your name? Trishul? You've been watching me?" Lorna sank deeper into the hot spring, hiding herself from the creature's gaze.

"No name. No threat to Lady Lorna," the Radi-Mon replied, bowing its head. "Many other Trishuls in forest. Patrolling, keeping guests safe."

"Where're the others? Manny? Vyom?" she pressed.

"Just finished bathing. Gathering somewhere else for…rest?" The Trishul sounded confused. "Lady Lorna need anything?"

"I need to leave this place and get back to my mission. Show me how," Lorna met the Trishul's gaze firmly.

"Trishul can take Lady to Lord Vyomendri," it replied. "But Lord Vyom away on hunt. Scouting the plains. Make sure all is well."

"Well, I feel you guys are just keeping my people here for some reason," Lorna's voice rose.

"Sorry that how Lady feels." The Trishul cocked its head, still non-threatening despite its appearance. "Trishul go find Mother Kathrin? Can talk."

"Yes, go," Lorna nodded before sighing.

Bowing its head, the Trishul scurried off.

A familiar ache returned to her stomach, but this time, Lorna noticed something strange. Her insides felt hollow, weightless – as if something was consuming whatever she'd eaten during dinner with the Rakshasa. She pressed a hand against her abdomen. Three days without a bowel movement. The realization felt deeply wrong; her military lifestyle and training had always kept her regular. Yet here she was, having eaten enough food for two people at dinner, feeling impossibly empty. The sensation wasn't painful, but it felt like her body was operating under laws she didn't understand. And then, the ache was gone.

Lorna rose from the hotspring and swam toward the edge to reach for the plant-made dress lying on a cobblestone.

Next to her dress was a large, mushroom-like organism, its cap pulsating softly. Lorna gave it a gentle squeeze. It immediately responded, blowing warm air that dried the water from her skin. She moved it around her body, quickly drying herself off.

She stepped into the dress, the deep purple material hugging her as the vines around her waist tightened. She ran her fingers along the smooth fabric, still feeling confident in the outfit.

Suddenly, she heard voices. One belonged to Kathrin, with her smooth, alluring tone, accompanied by a more familiar voice - a hesitant baritone with intermittent stutters.

"Only 360 days in a year? How quaint," Kathrin's voice trailed as she and Xin approached the pool. The reptilian eyes on her chest seemed to watch him like a spider eyeing a fly.

"365, actually. And only 24 hours a day. That's the system my people came from," Xin replied, adjusting his glasses. His torso glistened with a healthy sheen, showing he had bathed too. But the few stray scales on his skin were alarming.

"Vyom seldom talked about such things. They'd surely explain why you Sol people are so eager and nervy," Kathrin said, handing Xin a small, cylindrical vial. Inside, a mauve liquid swirled slowly, with dark lilac strands moving like viscous creatures.

Lorna couldn't look away from the vial as she stepped onto the grass near the pool. Her lips parted slightly, her body trembling with emotion.

Worse, she couldn't ignore Kathrin's serpent-like lower body coiled loosely around Xin's feet in a suggestive way. Something had clearly happened between them.

"Is this the potion you mentioned?" Xin asked as he took the vial.

"Yes. Other than the primary effect, it'll help you sleep better," Kathrin purred, gently squeezing Xin's hand. "Drink it in good health."

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"Kathrin!" Lorna shouted, clenching her fists.

"Yes, Lorna? My Trishul said you needed to speak to me?" Kathrin smiled slyly as she turned, the tentacles on her back writhing.

"Now that I think about it...never mind!" Lorna's knuckles turned white. "I need to speak to Xin. That's all."

"Very well. If you'll excuse me," Tension hung in the air as Kathrin studied her before slithering away into the violet shade of the woods. Xin approached Lorna.

"You look upset, Lorna. Something wrong?" Xin scratched his head.

"We're wasting time here, Xin. We need to leave and get the Moondust Crystal," Lorna stood, slowly unclenching her fists.

"Leave? But we just got here," Xin held up the vial. "Also, Emmanuel and Tanha will go watch Chandrak together. You know, that gas giant in the sky? Would you like to join us — "

"No, Xin, I'm not in the mood," Lorna's gaze drifted to the vial in his hand. "That's the Nucleus Virus in your hand. We're falling into their trap."

"You mean this vial? It's something else, as in —" Xin's voice had an unusual calmness, as if he had just finished exercising, as he lowered his head but kept the vial visible.

"Give it to me, Xin." Without hesitation, Lorna reached for the vial. The flesh at her wrists flickered with a blue glow, pulsing with her rising anger before fading.

But before she could grab it, she caught a familiar scent from Xin's bare neck, shoulders, and chest: myrrh and ambergris, an animal sweetness mixed with saltwater.

Kathrin's scent.

"Hey. Are you okay, Lorna?" Xin raised an eyebrow, maintaining his unusually relaxed posture. He hesitated, fidgeting with the vial before Lorna took it.

"No!" Lorna replied firmly, gritting her teeth as her intense blue eyes met Xin's. "Be honest with me, Xin. What happened?"

Lorna's voice cut through the stillness of the violet forest like a Psytum Sword, demanding and direct.

"Kathrin and I...we bathed together," Xin confessed, finally meeting her eyes. "Yeah." He paused. "I learned something from her, though."

"You did." Shock jolted through Lorna, her heart pounding as the revelation painted a terrible image in her mind. The skin along her collarbones rippled with blue light before dimming into darkness, matching the betrayal she felt.

In rage, she threw the purple vial to the ground, then clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

"I bet it felt good, huh?" she managed, her voice shaking.

"Yeah, immensely," Xin began, oblivious to her pain, "it was so incredible. What she taught me." His voice trailed off dreamily, "I've never felt anything quite like it. Now I feel stronger and ready to help you."

Lorna's blue eyes turned cold, her words sharp. "After that night out we had on the Rover, with all those promises, this is what you do?"

Xin stopped, his eyes widening as he finally noticed the tear running down Lorna's cheek. She could see realization dawning on him.

"Lorna, it…it's not what you think!" Xin insisted, awkwardly stepping closer. "Kathrin told me it's part of life. It's okay to — "

"Oh sure. I see that she really is your type," Lorna seethed. Her body stiffened as she stepped back, the leaves of her skirt flapping. "Should've known better to trust what an Imperial says."

"N-no, what I meant to say was," he sounded desperate now. "The Rakshasa people here. They've been good to us. And they've taught me something. Life is more than just missions and goals — "

"I'm so happy for you, Xin," she lied through clenched teeth. Her smile was brittle, her laugh hollow. "I'm so fucking happy you've found your little slice of Shashan paradise. Good for you!" The flesh across her shoulders pulsed with blue light, revealing the jealousy she tried to hide.

"Oh, no…" His face fell as understanding hit him. "Sweet Buddha, what have I done?"

Her body shivered. The taste of tears mixed with bitterness welling up inside her. "But I don't have time to dwell on these things, you know?" Her voice broke. "I'm a Psi Lynx with a mission to complete. The Moondust Crystal won't find itself. And my pa is still out there somewhere. So…I'll just have to find them both on my own."

"No, wait…" He reached out, his hand trembling as his fingers touched her skin, triggering a flash of betrayal. "Lorna, we're a team. We'll go to Kathrin and ask if she knows — "

"Don't touch me!" Lorna shouted, slapping him across the face. The sound echoed through the stillness.

Lorna spun around, her feet digging into the soft earth as she ran. Her dress caught on a bramble, tearing as she fled, driven by rage and sorrow, leaving behind the man who had been both her student and her deepest disappointment.

She ran quickly, each stride defying the emotions she refused to acknowledge. The night air surrounded her as she burst into the clearing with the botanical bed—where she'd first arrived in Shashan.

She stopped, breathing hard. Her eyes went to the Space Rover, covered by gray vines, and then to the table made of braided Banyan roots.

Her belongings were arranged on it: her beige trench coat folded neatly, her blue turtleneck, the Psi Shield Device, the Quantum Watch, her black leggings, and her red underwear.

The plant dress now felt insulting. She tore it off violently, letting it fall to the ground. Lorna grabbed her gear, the familiar weight grounding her wild thoughts. She dressed quickly, covering her vulnerability with purpose.

"Fuck this place," she muttered, her lips quivering. "I'll get out. I'll get the damn crystal. You boys enjoy getting eaten by whatever Radi-Mons you stick your dicks into."

She picked up the Quantum Watch, its cold surface against her warm skin. She pressed it hesitantly, hoping for guidance, and the astral map appeared. What should have been helpful filled her with dread.

It showed their position clearly—a moon orbiting a gas planet. Next to the hologram was written 'Planet c, Proxima Centauri'. She was light years from everything she knew.

Lorna swallowed hard, looking up at the night sky. The blue ice giant loomed overhead, silently watching her tiny world.

But another discovery sent panic through her—the space beneath her turtleneck was bare, the Pendant of Mánagrát missing, its silver chain and weight gone.

"Where is it?" she whispered, her voice heavy with dread.

The woods pressed in around her, suffocating.

"Where is my pendant!?" She spun and shouted, her voice rippling across the violet canopy.

The forest stirred in response, shadows peeling away from trees and bushes. Black and purple Radi-Mons, Jalraks, and Trishuls, crept into view—amphibious creatures with jagged spikes, born of nightmares.

They surrounded her, their eyes hungry and hostile.

Lorna's hand moved quickly, drawing Baldr, her Psytum Sword. The blue blade hummed to life, its quantum energy cutting through the darkness.

She stood firm, her boots planted on the soft moss, muscles tensed. Her blue eyes blazed with intensity matching the sword's glow, focusing on the approaching monsters. Her forehead flickered with waves of blue light, her rage manifesting in pulses that matched her racing heartbeat.

"Come," she breathed through clenched teeth. The air crackled with her Lunar psionic energy as she howled. "Come on, fuckers!"