"Oh boy," Han Wei said.
Zhao, who had just stepped in behind them, let out a low chuckle. "Exactly my reaction," he said with a grin. "Good to see you again, buddy."
Han Wei looked at Zhao, sighed, then gave a single nod. He turned to the room and raised his voice just enough to carry.
"Everyone, we're closing early tonight. Please finish your drinks and head out. Thank you."
A few patrons grumbled. Within a minute the bar was empty except for Ash, Rhea, Zhao and Han Wei. Zhao's guards placed the crates near the counter then stepped outside after Zhao gave them a quiet signal. Han Wei locked the door and flipped the sign to Closed. He walked back behind the bar and poured four glasses and set them down.
"Sit," he said.
Han Wei remained standing, leaning against the counter with his own glass. Nobody spoke for a long while. Even Zhao didn't break it. Finally Han Wei set his glass down.
"Ash. Tell me everything that's happened. Don't leave anything out."
Ash took a breath and started from the beginning. The signal. The ship.The dead pilot. The orb. The merge. The power that came off him.
Zhao and Han Wei spoke at the same time.
"Damn," Zhao muttered.
"Can't believe this," Han Wei said under his breath. He set his glass down slowly. "Do you understand what happened?"
Ash shook his head. "I really don't have a clue."
Han Wei reached across the counter and placed his palm flat against Ash's chest. Ash felt something press back faintly.
"But your core is awakened," Han Wei said. "You know that much, right?"
Ash nodded, then froze. His eyes went wide as he looked between Zhao and Han Wei.
"Wait… how do you know?"
Han Wei pulled his hand back and sighed. "Later, Ash."
Both Ash and Rhea stared at them open mouthed. Zhao leaned forward, his usual easy grin gone. "Listen, boy. I know you have questions. But there are more important matters right now."
Rhea pressed her hands to her head. "Hold on. So you two are saying you actually know what that orb did to Ash?"
Han Wei nodded slowly. "Yes. But I think Ash has something to say before that." His eyes stayed on Ash. "Right, Ash? Isn't it time?"
Ash was silent. Rhea looked at him, then at Han Wei, then at Zhao who just shrugged.
Ash let out a long breath.
"Fine."
He stood up, shrugged off his jacket and pulled his shirt over his head. Then he turned and showed them the mark on his left bicep. A stylised Q intertwined with a frozen spiral.
Rhea's hand flew to her mouth.
Zhao let out a low whistle. "Oh… today just keeps getting better and better."
Han Wei smiled faintly.
Rhea's voice came out barely above a whisper. "What is this, Ash?"
Ash looked at her. Then he sat back down and was quiet for a moment.
*Five years ago. Qiu-Lan Family Mansion.*
Fifteen year old Ashton stood frozen in the hallway outside the study, heart hammering. He had only come to ask if he could skip tomorrow's training session.
His mother's voice cracked through the door, thick with tears.
"Please… he's just a kid."
"The kid is nothing but a disgrace to the family." His father's reply was cold.
"Do you know how much humiliation I have to face from other families just because my heir can't even awaken his core? No, Saya. I've decided. Rael will be the heir and that is final."
"And what about Ashton?" his mother asked, voice trembling.
"He will join the Stellarguard."
"It's dangerous," she said weakly.
"Yes. But he needs to man up. I don't care as long as he's gone far away from here."
Ashton felt those words land somewhere deep. His eyes burned. He couldn't stop them. He pressed his back against the wall, trying not to make a sound.
He thought about the training centre. The way the other heirs mocked him behind his back. The way his brother Rael would sometimes smile at him with that same cold expression their father wore.
That night, Ashton packed one small bag. He wanted to say goodbye to his mother but couldn't bring himself to face her. So he slipped out. Nobody paid much attention to him anyway. He stowed away on the first departing freighter and spent months hopping between ships, stealing food wherever he could, until he ended up at Stellar Prime.
Han Wei caught him stealing from the back of the bar. Ash braced for the worst. Instead the old man just looked at him for a long moment, then told him to come inside and eat. He gave him a corner to sleep in that night and didn't ask questions. When he finally did ask for a name, he blurted out Ash Quillan without thinking. Far out here nobody would know his family. They'd just see a hungry kid who'd run out of luck. If Han Wei suspected anything more he never said so. Ash never corrected him either. That was five years ago.