It had been a week since Yajat’s appointment with Counselor Jinean. And, although the nightmares have massively decreased in terms of frequency, they haven’t been stopped completely and their intensity still remains the same. His stargazing sessions still occur every night and, despite the fact he was suspended from Academy classes, had far surpassed his peers in terms of this semester’s curriculum – he was nearing the middle of it whilst even the brightest of the rest were following pace with Academy classes and, hence, still on their first month of the curriculum.

“I suppose the medical suspension from classes has been a blessing in disguise.”, Yajat thought to himself. He was currently taking a break from reviewing Mandelbrot fractal vectors, one of the final subjects before what should be the mid-semester tests, and was mechanically fine-tuning his custom phaser. He also had another technological project he was working on – a magnetar neuron – but it currently is in containment after he noticed some instabilities that cannot be corrected until he gets the right materials.

After a few hours, he decides that he needs to get out of his quarters. So, he goes off for a walk and heads for the Promenade.

Cadet Ozzy Solari stepped out of his bunk, rolling his shoulders as he strolled down the corridor. His damp hair clung to his forehead, the lingering warmth of his morning shower still clinging to his skin. The station’s ever-present hum filled the air, punctuated by the occasional chatter of passing crew members. His stomach tightened—a sharp reminder that he hadn’t eaten yet. He smirked to himself. A proper breakfast on the promenade sounded a lot better than another bland replicated one from the mess. And today, with no shifts or drills to worry about, he had the time to enjoy it.

As he neared the turbolift, he caught sight of another cadet waiting beside the control panel. The young man stood stiffly, hands clasped behind his back, his uniform crisp and spotless—too crisp. A newcomer. The turbolift doors slid open with a soft hiss, and they stepped inside together.

Ozzy leaned against the wall, glancing at the cadet. “Hey,” he said, tilting his head slightly. “Haven’t seen you around before. You a new arrival?”

Yajat looked at the cadet. “Yes. And you?”, he said coldly.

“No, no, I’ve been here a while,” Ozzy said, shaking his head with a quick grin. “Got dropped here a couple of months ago after a tour on the Blythe.” His fingers drummed against the turbolift railing as he spoke, his gaze flicking upward as if replaying old memories. “I was supposed to head back to Earth, keep working on my research there, but—” he let out a short laugh— “guess someone had other plans for me.”

He shifted his weight, the corners of his mouth tugging upward. “Worked out, though. My brother’s stationed here too. First time we’ve served in the same place. What are the odds, huh?” A glint of something warm—pride, maybe—flickered in his eyes.

Turning fully to the cadet, he extended a hand, his grip firm but easy. “Oswald Solari,” he said, the name rolling off his tongue like a well-worn introduction. “But everyone calls me Ozzy. Welcome to Starbase Bravo.”

Yajat completed the handshake as if it were a formality. “The name’s Yajat – I’m sure you’ve heard of me somewhere in the Starbase.”, he said in a cold tone.

Ozzy’s brow furrowed, a brief flash of confusion crossing his face. He glanced the cadet up and down, as if trying to place where he might have seen him before. When the recognition didn’t come, he shrugged lightly and let out a soft chuckle. “Can’t say I have,” he said, the curiosity clear in the way his eyes narrowed slightly, studying the other cadet. “Why’s that?”

Yajat quickly realised before saying in a calculated tone: “So you’re not the type of person to pick up on gossip or rumours, huh? There’s whispers amongst other cadets that a near-soulless first-year cadet occasionally walks along the Promenade, never or barely talking to anyone and just being a near-sociopath in general.”

Ozzy stared at the cadet for a moment, his brow furrowing in confusion. Then, as the words fully hit him, his eyes widened, and for a split second, his breath caught. The lump in his throat was sudden, and his eyes stung, but before it could overwhelm him, something inside snapped. He couldn’t help it. The laughter burst out, loud and unrestrained, shaking through him like a release. His shoulders heaved with each chuckle, and he clutched the railing of the turbolift for support, his face flushed with amusement.

When the laughter finally slowed, he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, still smiling like it was the funniest thing he’d heard in ages. “That’s golden,” he said, his voice still thick with laughter, but now steady. “First years and their ghost stories. You’ll get used to it.” He shook his head, a look of fond exasperation crossing his features. “Don’t let it get to you though—kids can be cruel like that. Just some harmless fun for them.”

The turbolift doors slid open with a soft hiss, and the bright lights of the Promenade flooded in. Ozzy stepped out with a quick glance back at the cadet, a playful grin still dancing on his lips. “So, how about it? Want to haunt the Promenade with me? I was about to grab breakfast—could use some company.”

Yajat pondered for a bit before saying: “That’s fine – I only walk on the Promenade since I had my breakfast.” With that, he also stepped out with the cadet he just met, and he turned a couple of steps to the right with his normal walking routine in mind.

Ozzy’s eyes flicked toward Yajat as he turned in the opposite direction, his boots tapping lightly against the polished deck. He hesitated for a moment, then took a step forward, closing the distance just enough for his voice to carry.

“Hey—” he called out, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “How about a coffee?” He let the words hang in the air for a beat before adding, “Or maybe a Raktajino? Whatever you’re in the mood for.” His tone was light, casual, but the way he lingered just slightly made it clear—he wasn’t just making an offer; he was hoping Yajat would take it.

Yajat stopped, turned around, and said: “I’ll pass, Cadet Solari.”. He then continued walking.

Ozzy lingered for a moment, watching as Yajat disappeared into the tide of people flowing through the promenade. The crowd swallowed him up without hesitation, leaving no trace he had ever been there.

A breath slipped from Ozzy’s nose, more amused than anything, and a smirk ghosted across his lips. “No worries”, he mused, rolling his shoulders in a loose shrug.

Turning away, he let the scent of fresh coffee and something sweet pull him forward. His stomach growled in agreement—breakfast wasn’t going to find itself.

Yajat was standing at a window, staring into space. He reflected on the interaction and just muttered under his breath: “That went as well as one could hope for.”. Then, he decided to go back to his quarters, having decided that he had finished his morning walk…