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1. The Return of an Old Enemy, or: A New Title
"...Sis. I have a bad feeling. Like the cosmic dust is arranging itself into an ominous configuration. An unpleasant premonition."
In the Silver Anchor's cockpit, Shutia was staring at the monitor with her brow furrowed.
"I've never heard of that particular astronomical phenomenon."
Ledea responded evenly and continued guiding the ship toward their destination: the decommissioned Dejima Station. Today's job was to dismantle and recover a large-scale communications antenna from the old facility. The antenna contained a massive electromagnetic coil — one wrong move and the resulting magnetic field could throw precision equipment into chaos. Moderately demanding work.
Then, from ahead: a reflection. Blinding. A gold-painted hull glaring against the black of space with an intensity that had no business existing out here.
"...The Golden Star. Of course she showed up. Rich auntie."
"Shutia, your language."
The comm channel opened. On the monitor: Katrine, wearing a self-satisfied smile and — today, for reasons best known to herself — an elaborate feather ornament around her collar that had no practical function aboard a spacecraft.
"Ohohoho! What a coincidence, Silver Anchor! I'll have you know I have taken on a new title as of today. I am Katrine de Argent — the *Galaxy's Premier Electromagnetic Coil Dismantler*!"
"...She's changed it again..."
Shutia's voice had reached the far end of exasperation. Ledea answered the comm entirely normally.
"It's been a while, Katrine. You're looking well."
"Ledea! You look wonderful as always!"
Katrine directed her full attention to Ledea through the screen, treating Shutia's existence as a gap in the visual field.
"The guild has arranged for us to work in coordination today. Shall we begin with a show of cooperation — connect the airlocks and shake hands?"
When the airlock connected and they met in the passage, Katrine took Ledea's hand with a beaming smile.
"A pleasure to be working with you, Ledea."
"Likewise, Katrine."
Two warm smiles. Behind them, something in Shutia passed a threshold.
"Sis's beautiful hand — being *touched* by someone like that—! Let go of her, auntie—!"
"Who are you calling *auntie*?! I am in the process of establishing a cooperative working relationship with Ledea, and I will *not* be interrupted by a glorified *accessory*—!"
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2. A Three-Way Standoff in Steel, or: A Collision of Pride
"...Listen, Shutia. The antenna is too large for one ship to neutralize the magnetic field alone. Katrine's cooperation is essential. We work together. Cordially."
Under Ledea's instruction, Shutia ground out a "...understood, sis" through what appeared to be considerable internal resistance.
Katrine looked insufferably pleased.
"Did you hear that? That is what it means to have the temperament of a leader. My Golden Star handles magnetic field neutralization, and in that opening, the elder sister issues her commands. A perfect formation."
"...Hmph. Honestly, we'd be perfectly fine without someone like you. Sis can calculate magnetic field fluctuation predictions in seconds. You could stand in the corner and make sure your gold plating doesn't chip off."
"*Excuse* me?! My ship is *pure gold coating*, not plating! Don't say such unlucky things! And your antique anchor is probably going to malfunction in the magnetic field and impale you with itself!"
"Both of you. That's enough. The work is starting. ...Are we ready?"
Ledea's voice was quiet. It required no volume to be final. Both of them looked away from each other with sounds of grudging compliance.
When the work began, all three of them were professionals.
Ledea monitored the overall structure from inside the ship and issued precise instructions. Katrine's vessel directed the coil's magnetic field in a controlled direction. Shutia put her anchor through the resulting window and dismantled the connection points one by one.
Then, at the final stage, the coil's core needed to be physically detached.
"...That will require EVA. Shutia, Katrine — I'm counting on you."
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3. A Waltz in Vacuum, or: An Unplanned Embrace
Both of them suited up and set foot on the station's remains.
In open space, their communications routed through Ledea.
"One thing, auntie. Don't get in my way."
"That is *my* line. If you interfere with my precision cutting work, I'll have that anchor of yours gift-wrapped in gold foil."
Hostile to the last. The work proceeded anyway.
Then the final bolt came free — and something went wrong.
Residual energy in the coil discharged all at once. A localized gravitational anomaly spiked.
"—! Katrine, *move*—!"
Ledea's voice crackled across the comm.
Behind Katrine, a structural section blew. The shockwave threw her body out into open space.
"Oh — oh *dear*—?!"
Her thruster pack malfunctioned in the magnetic interference. Katrine tumbled, uncontrolled, spinning away — toward the freshly-cut steel edge of a severed support beam, jutting into the dark.
Shutia had already moved before the thought arrived.
Anchor fixed to the platform. Safety line extended to its limit. She jumped.
"...Honestly — *stop causing trouble—!*"
*Thud.*
An instant before impact, Shutia's arms closed around Katrine's suit — solid, immediate. She used her own body to absorb the collision, and the two of them rotated slowly together until they found somewhere to land.
"...There. You're alive, auntie. Watch your feet next time—"
She let go immediately and prepared to resume the commentary.
The words didn't come.
Through the visor, she could see Katrine's face.
The expression on it was blank. Completely, openly caught off guard in a way Shutia had never seen on her before.
And then — the next moment — the color flooded in. Ear to ear. A red that had nothing to do with any lighting effect.
"...I — I could have handled that myself! I didn't need your help! Mind your own business, you — you obsessive stalker *little-sister-type*—!"
"*'Little-sister-type'?!* I just saved your life and *that's* what you have to say—?!"
Katrine turned her face away, scrambled upright with excessive urgency, and retreated toward her ship at a pace that could generously be described as dignified.
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4. A Golden Exit, or: A New Suspicion
The mission concluded without further incident.
The Dejima core was recovered, the payment divided. The Golden Star's hatch opened.
Katrine emerged making every visible effort to reassemble her usual bearing. It was not entirely successful.
"...I will acknowledge your assistance. Today. Just today. I suppose cooperating with you had *some* value."
She addressed only Ledea, without once looking in Shutia's direction.
"But don't think this changes anything! The next time we meet, my overwhelming capabilities will bring that presumptuous anchor of yours to its knees! Ohohohoho—!!"
The laugh came out half a register higher than usual. Katrine spun on her heel, her skirt swirling behind her, and disappeared into her ship. The Golden Star departed at speed.
"...Was it just me, or was something off about the auntie? Maybe the magnetic field got to her head."
Shutia watched her go, too bemused to even deploy the usual commentary.
Beside her, Ledea smiled — a particular smile, the kind that contains something — and looked up at her sister.
"Shutia."
"Yes, sis?"
"You really do attract everyone, don't you. As your older sister, it worries me a little." A pause. "But it also makes me proud."
"Huh — what? Attract — *who*? *Me*? ...Sis, that was a joke, right? ...Sis?!"
Ledea returned to the pilot's seat at her own pace, looking satisfied.
A day that had started like a storm and ended like a calm.
That was all it was, really.