The empire kept moving. Halcyon Reach still bled heat from damaged sectors, but Elara had already rotated key personnel into mandatory downtime.
Grief and exhaustion built up fast in the rim. People needed outlets. Resonance-adjacent intimacy had always filled that role—raw, physical, and direct. No one apologized for it.
Mara and Sira docked at a secure waystation after hours of cleanup duty. They claimed a private habitat module without saying much. The hatch sealed, and Sira shoved Mara against the bulkhead. Adrenaline still pumped through both of them.
Sira's mouth found Mara's throat, teeth scraping skin while her hands yanked at clothing. Mara gripped Sira's hips hard, fingers digging in as she pulled her closer.
They didn't waste time on words at first. Sira strapped on the thick toy she preferred and drove into Mara with steady, grinding thrusts.
