Meetings were far too frequent, and business trips far too long. Alper looked haggard, dark bags heavy beneath foliage colored hues that seemed to have lost their lackluster. His forehead was pressed against the cool surface of the window tiredly, watching the Milky Way fluidly slip past as the ship garnered speed. Several tablet pieces were spread across the table before him, data and tables flickering back at him from their holographic images in the air. These trips never seemed so dull before, back when he had Duci for company.

His mother used to joke that the amount of time he spent reviewing financials, statements, and proposal amongst a plethora of other information would make him go cross eyed. The surge in business had made him dubious, and gave him reason to reconsider his decision to expand beyond the universe. Couldn't one universe be just enough"

Heaving a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes. The only things he could think of were the sultry lips and soft blond hair of his fianc"e; her gentle touch against his knotted muscles, her lips a whisper against his skin. Alper groaned in displeasure, wishing to hear her voice. He was only en route from Earth to Sector 13 to close a business deal on a fleet of top of the line hovercrafts for their militia, as well to exchange ideas for updating their technology bases to further ensure security of their people.

That meant for now, he could disregard all of these fickle things. Without so much as cursory glance to the work he should be doing, he withdrew his phone and whispered to his phone, "Maranya."