The spike of adrenaline was coursing through her veins. Jade had never done anything like this before but that would not stop her from helping. After taking a few seconds to peruse through items available for purchase at the kiosk, Jade reached out and grabbed the closest item to her. What was she to do now? She hadn’t thought that far ahead. She decided to just wait and starting examining what she had in her hand. This is not something she has ever seen before so she was genuinely curious.

From across the kiosk market, Nuni’s eyes locked onto Lieutenant Hart as she wove through the crowd. Her posture was composed, her gaze sharp, but something about the way she held herself made Nuni’s instincts prickle. Before he could focus on her any longer, a familiar voice broke through the din of market chatter.

“Commander Nuni,” Randor called out, sidling up with a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Are you here to shop, or are you planning on falsely arresting me again?”

Nuni turned, giving Randor a cool smile, his tone unruffled but carrying an edge. “You know I don’t do ‘falsely,’ Randor.” His eyes flicked back to Lieutenant Hart for a brief moment before returning to the vendor. “But no, I’m here for something else. Information.”

Randor’s grin faltered as he crossed his arms. “Not happening,” he said quickly, his voice hardening.

Nuni’s smile never wavered, though his gaze sharpened. “That’s fine,” he said smoothly, his tone as calm as the sea before a storm. “But did I mention I’ve just been promoted to Deputy Director of Promenade Security?”

Randor’s posture stiffened. The playful arrogance he wore so well began to slip. He leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Well,” Nuni continued, his voice now a quiet thread of confidence, “all vending licenses have to pass through me before they’re approved. Just thought I’d mention it.” He gave a casual shrug, his smile widening just a touch as his gaze returned to Hart, who had now caught the attention of the marks.

Randor froze, his face drained of color. His jaw tightened as disbelief flashed in his eyes. “You wouldn’t…” he trailed off, his voice rising with shock.

Nuni cut him off with a soft, almost imperceptible chuckle. “Are you sure about that, Randor?”

Randor let out a deep breath, shoulders sagging as the weight of the conversation shifted in his mind. “What do you need?” His tone was resigned, though a flicker of wariness remained.

Nuni nodded almost imperceptibly toward Lieutenant Hart, still keeping his focus on her as he spoke. “That officer over there, the Human” he murmured, his words barely rising above the noise of the market. “The ones circling her—who are they?” His eyes never left the group of men trailing her, his every movement deliberate and observant.

Jade stiffened as she suddenly felt a too near presence beside her on her right side. She watched out of the corner of her eye as the man pretended to analyze an item lying on the stall counter near him. His eyes kept darting between the item and her. Maybe he thought she wouldn’t notice but she did. What is his deal? she thought to herself. Taking a step to her left and attempted to step away from the man, she noticed another man standing too close to her on her left. She hadn’t even noticed him approach.

The two men looked to be wearing almost identical clothing. Both men were wearing what looked to be very worn dark grey uniforms. She tried to focus and see if she could make out an emblem but it was no use. If there was an emblem at some point, it has long since wore off. The only evidence of an emblem is a slightly discolored spot on the dark grey uniform. Curiosity got the better of her and she looked up just in time to make direct eye contact with the man standing on her left. His face lit up with a big, devious smile and he winked at her with his left eye.

Wiping away the sweat starting to bead on her forehead, Jade didn’t know what to do next. She had not been trained for this type of situation. She made the only decision she could think of and stepped away from the kiosk and turned toward her companion. Jade held up the item she had been holding toward him. “You should get a look at this. I can’t decide if I want to purchase it or not. Maybe you should help me,” she called out.

Nuni’s eyes followed the scene as it played out, his body tensing ever so slightly. The instant she called out, he moved—his steps quick, almost too eager.

“Of course, honey,” he said, his voice dipping into a playful warmth as he closed the distance. His brows lifted, his head tilting just enough to feign intrigue. “What did you find?”

Instinctively, Jade stepped closer to the Commander when he approached. She wasn’t sure what these men were up to but she had an uneasy feeling in her gut. She held up the item she had been holding so that he could see it as well. “I think it’s a watch. Look, if I press this button here then a holograph appears above the watch face that looks to have several different functions. I think it’s a neat item but I’m not sure it’s worth spending that much for it. What do you think?” Jade inquired looking directly at the Commander and trying not to let her nervousness show through her facial expressions.

Why is suddenly so hot in here?…Jade thought to herself. She grabbed the collar of her uniform and adjusted it the best she could to provide some relief and air flow. Surely she couldn’t be the only feeling this way.

“What do I think?” Nuni echoed, his head tilting slightly. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I think you’re doing great. Could you maybe—”

A sharp voice crackled through his commbadge, cutting him off.

“Commander Nuni, this is Lieutenant Lima from Holding Area Three. We’ve completed our manual headcount—three heads short. Sending the data now.”

The air shifted. The three men trailing behind Lieutenant Hart stiffened, their movements suddenly too controlled, too deliberate. One swallowed hard. Another’s fingers twitched near his belt. A quick glance passed between them—silent, urgent.

Nuni’s expression remained unchanged, but his hand rose to his badge in one smooth motion. A double tap.

“No need—I know enough.” His voice was calm, measured, but edged with steel. Another tap, another channel. “Nuni to Security: Extra detail on the promenade. All officers present, converge on my location. Three fugitives—secure them. Rehabilitation priority.”

The moment the words left his mouth, the men sprang to life. One shoved past a passing officer, another vaulted over a railing, the third ducked into the crowd. A woman yelped as she was nearly knocked over. Bystanders turned, startled murmurs spreading like ripples in water.

Nuni exhaled through his nose, eyes tracking their retreat. Then, without missing a beat, he turned to Lieutenant Hart, amusement flickering in his gaze.

“Hope you haven’t done your cardio yet,” he said, already stepping forward. “I need you close—identify them as we go. That work for you?”

Jade’s pulse was hammering so loudly that she was positive the Commander could also hear it. She had not intended to be drug into this but now she was in the middle of it and she didn’t have a choice did she? You can do this. You will not be afraid…she thought to herself. She had used this mantra since she was about fourteen years old. She had read an old fictional book where the female main character used it to drum up courage during difficult times. She liked it and had decided to use it herself. It had always served her well and it would do so now.

“You are in luck. I’m in need of cardio training today. Lead the way and I’ll do the best I can.” Jade spoke more confident than she actually felt. Her nerves seemed to have worked their way up into her throat and she was starting to feel a tad nauseous. She swallowed hard and hoped the sick feeling would go away.

Nuni darted around the corner, his feet pounding against the pavement, just a few meters ahead of Lieutenant Hart. His pulse quickened with the anticipation of the chase—until his eyes caught the unexpected scene ahead.

All three men. The ones he had been expecting to track across the promenade, turning every corner in a drawn-out game of cat and mouse—were already surrounded. Security officers stood in a tight formation, hands on their weapons, the men’s arms twisted behind their backs as cuffs clicked into place.

Nuni’s stride faltered for a split second. A grin tugged at the corner of his lips as he slowed to a halt, his gaze flicking over to Lieutenant Hart.

“Well, Lieutenant,” he said, the amusement clear in his voice, “looks like your cardio can take a rain check.”

Jade let out a long exhale of breath. “You don’t say, Commander. I don’t think I’ve ever been that scared before in my life. I don’t know how you do this every day.” She stopped walking to take a second and catch her breath and slow her heart rate down.

“Well, I can say that was a lot of excitement for one day.” Jade gave the Commander a small smile.

Nuni gave a nod of appreciation, his grin spreading as he wiped a bead of sweat from his temple, still catching his breath from the unexpected turn of events. His eyes flickered to Lieutenant Hart, a glint of mischief in them. “Good work, Lieutenant,” he said, his voice smooth, almost teasing. “I’ll make sure your CO hears about this.”

He let the words linger for a moment, his gaze shifting to the security detail, then back to her. The crowd around them had begun to thin, the pulse of the promenade continuing, but Nuni’s smile didn’t fade.

“And,” he added with a quick glance that spoke volumes, “if you ever get tired of the paperwork and decide you want a little more action, you know where to find me.”

The soft laugh that followed was brief, yet light enough to suggest that the offer wasn’t as offhand as it seemed. He gave a half-smirk, turned, and strode away, his footsteps blending into the crowd.