Tauriel turned with an annoyed expression. "Old man… as if you don't have any yourself," she snapped sharply.
"Enough, stop arguing. They're here."
Lein's voice was calm yet firm enough to halt the squabble. His eyes remained fixed forward, watching as a group of soldiers approached the ship. One of them stepped onto the deck with practiced precision.
The soldier wore full armor with a large visor on their combat helmet, reflecting the neon glow of EON Gateway's distant structures. As they reached the deck, the visor slowly lifted, revealing a pair of strikingly sharp and beautiful eyes—a woman.
"I, Soldier Ely, request permission to conduct an inspection," she said in a firm tone. Even so, there was a gentleness in her voice, bringing a sense of calm to those who heard it.
Her eyes scanned the surroundings before stopping at Lein, Aleron, and Tauriel. "Who is the leader of this group?"
Tauriel stepped forward without hesitation. "I am."