Aboard the Scarlet Rose, a tense atmosphere settled over the design lab. The Braves and Erudites that entered the compartment each walked with nervous gaits as they took their regular seats behind the terminals and work stations.
Only a handful of mech designers took less notice of the ambiguous mood in the design lab.
"What's going on?" Ketis asked as she sauntered over to Miles Tovar. The satisfied smile on her face was completely at odds with the grave expressions of the other low-ranking mech designers. "We're finally about to design some mechs again. Isn't this great?"
The former Brighter mech designer raised his palms in a sussing motion. "Quiet down. Don't attract too much attention today?"
"Why?"
"Because there is trouble on the horizon?"
Ketis looked confused. "Huh? What trouble?"
The man leaned forward until his lips came close to her ears. "The marital kind."
"Oh."
