Faith

The political conversations were rarely short, especially when numbers were involved, so Khan, Monica, Luke, and Bruce ended up talking for quite a while. The discussion went on for so long Martha left the tent mid-way to take a break.

Baoway's star was still up, bathing the settlement in a cozy light. The clean air and relative peace slowly healed the headache the discussion had created, but Martha failed to relax completely.

Martha was no stranger to alien planets, but being surrounded by Scalqa made her feel like an outsider. That was no human world, but Khan somehow became its leader. The realization confirmed once again how far he had gotten, putting Martha in a pensive mood.

That mood didn't last long since the sound of steps reached Martha's ears, warning her about someone's arrival. She initially tensed up, but spotting the familiar face made her wear a cheerful military salute.

"Lieutenant Dyester," Martha announced. "I heard you were here."