Silwey sat there in disbelief. Her body bristled up in thorns. She was more than adequately displeased. If of course. That wasn’t apparent from the broken conference table in front of her. How did this happen? It was supposed to be *safe* it was supposed to be peaceful. How did one Terran rebel manage to sneak by TWICE!!! 

 

Silwey rose up as her vines grabbed hold of one half of the heavy wooden conference table, tossing it against a wall. Letting a large booming noise fill the room. Her senses weren’t working right. Her reasoning refused to cooperate as all she could see in her mind was that moment in time seeing her poor Terran companion taken away dragged in a trail of their own blood. And now they tell her Lily was abducted and taken off planet… in her condition. 

 

The scene played back in her head. How they heard the gunshots during their meeting. Silwey didn’t know what to make of it but it sure as Dirt didn’t reassure her when she didn’t have her Lilyan beside her. The pool of blood on the stairs as she saw how a man loaded up the girl into a ship and bolted in an instant. And she? She couldn’t do anything but watch as her beloved companion was taken by force. Right under her leaves.

 

Worry. Regret. Doubt. Sadness. Anger. Fear. Rage. Disbelief. Silwey didn’t understand these emotions. Was that Terran that important to her? She was curious about her but this… This felt like something vital was torn away from her. As if her body refused to take on air. Something she couldn’t bloom without. Something she… What was the word for it? *cared* about. *Deeply cared* about. 

 

Silwey paced around the conference room, thought continuing to cloud as her reasoning depleted. Vines swayed and curled in an uneasy tension each moment she didn’t know what to do. She was going to hunt them down. Every last one of those scums of the universe. She was going to pin them down get her syringes and just stick them- 

 

The door to her room slid open. Oh great… Mordana. Just the person she wanted to see at this moment.

 

“<Silwey I heard what happened are you okay?>” She asked such a stupid question Silwey could hardly believe it. 

 

“<By Roots, do you believe me to be!?>” She snarled back, tossing the other half of the conference table into the other wall. Breaking a few things along the way. “<How can I be alright when such an atrocity happened right before my eyes?! Right before my very own watchful gaze!>” She shouted, completely losing her mind.

 

Mordana was taken aback. Clearly this wasn’t like her. This wasn’t like Silwey to be so enraged. Was one Terran really that important to her friend? The answer was yes and Mordana knew it. 

 

“<Silwey I->”

 

“<Call every unit in the system! Every system in three jumps from here. Find. Her.>” Silwey cut Mordana short from speaking her mind. “<And I. I am going hunting.>” She added already releasing her bodily form for something much more… *combatant.* Her limbs began to untwirl as razor sharp thorns began to show. Her most toxic of flowers sprouted out as she was now looking for blood. 

 

“<Silwey you cannot! You know damn well more than anyone here that we cannot compromise the peace we made with Terra.>” Mordana said, blocking the door to the conference room. 

 

“<AS YOUR GENERAL-!!!>”

 

“<AS YOUR FRIEND!!!>” Mordana shouted back, cutting Silwey short while speaking more so on instinct alone. “<I’m telling you. To stand down! She wouldn’t wish to see harm placed upon you as much as you wouldn’t wish to see harm upon her. You are not in your clear mind. Let your armies do their job.>” She continued speaking just a little fast to get her whole point across. Her body on edge knowing Silwey could trample her in an instant if she so waved her leaves. “<So as your *friend.* I’m telling you she wouldn’t want to see you this way.>” 

 

“<What do you care about any of this Mordana?>” Silwey spoke in a low tone growling her anger while the colour in her eyes shifted. Slowly gaining that of a red velvety hue while sap began to trickle down from her eyes.

 

Mordana could barely continue. Seeing her friend in such a state made the Affini hesitate. Was… this really Silwey? “<I care. Because I have the girl’s wellbeing in the best of my interests. And I will be honest with you Silwey. The high command would not appreciate your little stunt. They wouldn’t like it. We wouldn’t like it.>” 

 

“<... Every life matters->” 

 

“<Really!?>” Mordana was the one to cut in this time. “<That’s not the Silwey I know.>” She snarled back, keeping her composure as best she could. “<The Silwey I know only cared about her numbers. Efficiency of her conquests. Like a form of sick and twisted art. You look at those war casualty numbers and wonder how you can mitigate them even more.>” Mordana hissed, laying down the cold hard truth of how some viewed Silwey and what she didn’t want to hear. “<You think that’s considered *care* to Lily?>”

 

“<That’s not what->”

“<I’m a psychiatrist!>” She did it again leaving Silwey no room to argue. “<I think I know what *exactly* I’m talking about. And Silwey. You’re not being honest with yourself. It’s not the numbers this time. You *love* her. Deep down I know you realize this. You just can’t swallow your pride for three seconds to accept it. You think it’s a lie, but I know that deep down... You have deep rooted feelings for this Terran.>” 

 

Silwey’s mind got struck by that more than it should. Her reasoning slowly came back to her as the thorns on her body recessed. Her vines calmed down and twisted themselves around forming a more coherent Terran Silwey than a minute ago. “<I…>” The words failed her as she attempted to speak but soon enough her mind regained its train of thought. “<I apologize… My own mind fled away from me…>” 

 

“<You’re such a narcissist when in that state Silwey Anul. Not a good look. But, I forgive you. I know how it must feel to lose a cherished friend like that…>” Mordana spoke, walking up to the broken minded Silwey and embracing her lightly. Their vines entwined as one calmed down the other in the embrace.

 

Hah… of course. She did feel stupid for thinking about her own feelings more than others. How could she ever place herself first in such a situation. She wanted to avenge Lily just to feel better and not even consider the possibility that she might have been taken hostage. “<Assemble the scouts. Tell them to sweep this system clean. Leave no asteroid behind.>”

 

“<By your command, General.>” Mordana said, giving her one last affectionate rub of their bark, whispering softly, “<She’ll be alright.>” Before turning for the door with her orders.

Silwey simply didn’t know what to do with herself. For the next several days turning into weeks there was absolutely no word from her scout division. Dullness began to take over the General. Disconnected from reality, unable to stop thinking about the Terran she failed to keep. Meetings were hardly a place she was present at. Waving tasks off to her subordinates while unable to stop looking at Lily’s missing persons report. A vine traced over the picture of Lily’s former self reminiscing of all the moments they shared in this short amount of time. Was it even possible? That she couldn’t recall the rest of the universe and only think about this? The poor thing must be so frightened.

 

Even at social gatherings Silwey moved like a fog. Briefly talking to her subordinates before deciding to take a step away to be alone. Her eyes peered at the sky. No matter if day or night she couldn’t help but wonder where in the stars her Lily was. 

“<Silwey, you’re depressed.>” Mordana said nonchalantly as the pair sat in Silwey’s hab unit. Her eyes, serious as ever seeing her friend rotting her life away in her dreadful state.

 

“<Lonely…>” Silwey corrected her while playing around with her cup of xeno wine she loved drinking.

 

Mordana chuckled as she leaned forward to place her vines atop Silwey’s. “<No, I think you’re just contemplating on how to murder half of the rebel fleet.>” She spoke not even missing a beat. She knew exactly what was on Silwey’s mind and of course… it had something to do with Lily.

 

Touché… The other woman rolled her eyes looking away not wanting to have this conversation right now.

 

The psychiatrist gave a synthesized sigh as she looked at her beloved friend. “<You know, I have dealt with Affini who’ve lost their pets. Old age, unforeseen illnesses, etc. However, she wasn’t even your pet.>” She spoke, striking the room where it hurt the most. “<What was she to you Silwey?>” 

 

Silwey however couldn’t answer. “<...>” Her eyes met Mordana’s but thoughts didn’t come together right to even begin speaking. Was she seriously reduced to this? Just a lonely General of the Affini Compact weeping away as a chance at happiness was taken away from her. Did she even think of Lily that way? What was it that she even wanted with the Terran in the first place?

 

“<As I’ve thought you still->”

 

“<Friend.>” Silwey blurred out not wanting to hear what Mordana had to say on the matter. “<A dearest… friend…>” She added just a bit unsure of herself about the words spoken. Her vines curled up not sure where to place themselves. Was it only that? A friend? Her reflection in the liquid gave no answer back while she did her best to find one.

 

Mordana gave another sigh. “<And what is it you wish to gain from your *friendship?*>” She asked, being very inquisitive, just to dig further down into Silwey’s behaviour. If anything she at least was a psychiatrist. This much she would do to find the root of her friend’s problems.

 

Silwey’s words were falling short of her. More hesitant as the questions kept coming. Was it friendship? Was it the little one’s amity she sought? Her lips tore open as she wanted to say something but didn’t know what bubbled up to the surface. “<A-a companion… A lovable... companion... to finally call my own.>”

 

“<See? Isn’t it better when you’re honest with yourself?>” Mordana chimed brightly, happy to hear her friend finally came out and be truthful with herself and her friend.

 

“<I suppose…>” Silwey spoke a bit defeated while the feeling still nagged at her. “<I…>”

 

“<Hmm? What is it dear?>” 

 

“<I think… I think I love her…>” She almost whispered those words, her leaves stood on end curling up and down as she dared not know where the words came from

 

“<That’s great~. Keep it up. I’m happy when you can be truthful with yourself.>” Mordana spoke almost singing again. The words Silwey said warming up her roots while leaves fluttered about as happy as a sprout. “<I just want you to stop lying to yourself, dear.>” She spoke right after in a much more serious tone. “<Because honesty is the greatest virtue in relationships. Never forget that.>” She added leaning forward to plant a kiss on her friend’s forehead.

 

The two conversed for a little while longer during which time Mordana managed to talk Silwey into a more cheerful mood before she saw that time had slipped away from her. “<Oh right. Before I forget.>” She spoke while pulling a few papers out from under her vines. “<I came to you today to give the scout report. Apparently the ship ‘Wendigo’s Wrath’ had been captured.>”

 

“<W-what?!>” Silwey instantly bolted up with wide eyes.

 

“<The ship Lily was abducted->”

 

“<I know which ship it was. Was she on it?!>” Silwey cut her friend short, unable to wait a second longer to hear news of her beloved Terran.