The Truth of a Name

The dimly lit room cast long shadows over the cold metal walls as Tienerra sat across from Jax, the infamous information broker. The only source of light came from the flickering screen on Jax's desk, the low hum of the holo-projector filling the silence between them. The air was thick with tension, a silent battle of patience between the two as they sat face to face in the seclusion of Jax's domain.

Jax tapped a sequence onto the screen, and the projection flickered before displaying a detailed layout of the facility. A red path traced a carefully planned route through the corridors and security checkpoints, marking both entry and exit strategies.

Leaning forward, Tienerra's sharp, violet eyes narrowed as she studied the map intently, committing every twist and turn to memory. Every potential escape route, every hidden passage—she dissected the plan in her mind, assessing her best course of action. Across the table, Jax remained motionless, his amber eyes locked onto her, the silence between them stretching longer than necessary.

Then, with an exhale, Jax slowly leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlocking beneath his chin.

"You look familiar to me." His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable edge of curiosity. "Not in the sense that I've met you before, but... I've seen someone like you before."

Tienerra's gaze flicked up to meet his, but she remained silent.

For a man like Jax—the elusive king of information, the one who knew every secret worth knowing in the underworld—to admit he could not place her origin was unsettling. His snout twitched slightly as he leaned forward, bringing his face mere inches from hers.

"Tell me your name." The words were delivered as a casual request, yet there was an unmistakable undertone of demand.

Raising an eyebrow, Tienerra smirked slightly, masking her suspicion with confidence. "Shouldn't an information broker already know that?"

Jax let out a low chuckle, a rumbling sound in his throat. "Of course, I do. I just prefer hearing it from my sources themselves." He tilted his head slightly. "I was only told that a Soltarian girl named Tienerra would be visiting me today. But I wasn't given your full name, your past, or your purpose."

Tienerra's smirk faded slightly. This was a game, and Jax was playing his hand carefully.

"Tienerra Santii." The name left her lips with a quiet weight, her voice unwavering.

Jax's golden eyes widened—only for a second—but Tienerra caught it. His usually composed demeanor cracked ever so slightly as realization dawned upon him.

"Santii..." he murmured, almost to himself. Then he laughed, shaking his head as if in disbelief. "Well now, this is an unexpected twist."

His fingers danced over the holo-screen again, and a new image flickered to life—a military dossier, blacked out in several places, but what little remained sent a chill down Tienerra's spine. The name ARGUS SANTII flashed at the top of the record.

The title beneath it read: Commander – Galactic Alliance Special Operations Unit. Status: KIA.

Tienerra's entire body tensed, but she forced herself to stay composed.

Jax, now fully invested, leaned forward. "Your father was a legend. One of the most decorated warriors in the war against the Eltec Empire." He tapped the screen again, and the dossier shifted to an image of a planet labeled Daridus Delta.

At the very top, a cold and final statement glowed in red: Status: Destroyed.

"Argus Santii led an operation to retrieve critical intelligence from this world," Jax continued, "but shortly after, the entire planet was wiped from existence. And I'm betting you don't know why."

Tienerra swallowed the lump forming in her throat, keeping her expression neutral. "I was ten years old when it happened." She exhaled sharply. "He was barely home, and when he was, he never spoke of his missions. I wouldn't have known anything."

Jax studied her, his gaze unreadable. "Argus wasn't just a warrior—he was a tactician, a leader, a man entrusted with the most dangerous operations the Alliance had ever sanctioned. His last mission on Daridus Delta wasn't just another military engagement. It was a retrieval operation for something that the Alliance feared... or something they wanted for themselves."

Flashback: A Memory Buried in Time

She had been at the Soltarian Military Base near Vareth'Kai (City of the Eternal Aether). It had been a half-day's flight from her home, and she had accompanied her mother, Tatianna, for preparations ahead of her Trial of the Blood Path.

While following closely behind her mother, they came across one of the Council of Elders. Tatianna left her unattended for a short moment, and it was then that she overheard something she wasn't supposed to.

"…Daridus Delta… the data is safe with Argus Santii, but…"

Tienerra, gripping her small stuffed dragon doll, barely dared to breathe. She was too young to understand the full scope of what she had just heard, but she knew enough to recognize the weight in their voices. Her father's name carried power—even among the Council.

A sudden voice startled her. "Young Tienerra, isn't it?"

She turned to see the imposing figure of Xanvorius of the Council of Elders, an old acquaintance of her mother's. His piercing golden eyes studied her with an odd mix of curiosity and amusement.

"It has been what—two years since I last saw you? You must be here with your mother."

Tienerra nodded slowly, clutching her doll. "Yes… she's here for work before we go home."

Xanvorius smiled faintly, then gestured to her doll. "And what's your little friend's name?"

She hesitated before replying, "Ray… because it makes me happy, like the sun."

The elder nodded, inspecting the doll for a moment, his fingers subtly moving in strange patterns. He handed it back gently, then turned as Tatianna approached, her face tight with recognition.

"Xanvorius," she said carefully, standing at attention with a formal bow. "It's been some time."

"It has." He gave her a knowing look, then leaned in slightly, whispering just beyond Tienerra's ear. "The data is safe… Get out as soon as you can."

With a parting glance at Tienerra, he walked away, his presence vanishing down the hall.

Moments later, Tienerra was aboard a starship, staring out at the canyon below, her father's silhouette visible beneath the twisted tree.

She had no way of knowing it then, but that was the last time her family would ever feel whole.

Jax's voice pulled her back to the present. "Some believe that the Alliance covered it up. That Argus didn't destroy the planet willingly—that he was betrayed."

Tienerra exhaled slowly, her fists tightening. "What do you want from me?"

Jax smirked. "Sable has information. Get it for me, and I'll give you the truth."

And just like that, the past had caught up to her.

And this time, it demanded answers.