As they walked, Steele lit a cigar, puffing away contentedly. He glanced at Maze, who was clearly struggling with the shifting sands. A chuckle escaped his lips before he could stop it.
Maze's head snapped towards him, her eyes blazing. 'Oh, you think this is funny, do you?' she fumed internally.
Determined to prove herself, Maze launched into a story. "You know, this reminds me of my mission to the neighboring empire," she began, her voice steady despite her labored breathing. "My team got captured by rogues. I had to investigate and rescue them all by myself because some idiot – let's call him Charlie – forgot how to be a team player and left no way to send for help."
She shot Steele a pointed look. "I hope you're not planning on pulling a Charlie, Steele."
