By the ti Zoe Pierce had finished getting ready, Nathan Lockwood had already cleared away her breakfast tray.
"I’ll wait for you in the Starship Hall," he said before leaving.
Once Zoe Pierce was ready, she headed to the Starship Hall.
The mont she arrived, she saw several robotic cara eyes swarming the area. Chase Shaw was seated in the middle of them.
She glanced around and wasn’t surprised to see Miles Sherman and the others off to the side, along with Mr. Jacobs and Mr. Troy.
As she walked over, she heard Nathan Lockwood say calmly, "You’re up after Chase Shaw finishes. Have so water first."
He handed her a freshly opened bottle of water.
Zoe Pierce took it, and the cool water soothed her throat.
She found herself stealing a glance at Nathan Lockwood, whose expression was now perfectly composed.
He was like a completely different person from the man in her room just monts ago.
This version of him—cool and impassive, just like always—was exactly as he’d promised: they were just teammates in public.
’Restraint? Was he capable of that?’
When they were alone in the room, every move he made had been anything but restrained. He had actively invaded her space, his intimate gestures leaving no room for refusal.
She took another sip of water and cald her mind.
Miles Sherman handed her a list of questions for the upcoming interview. Zoe Pierce glanced at it. As expected, none of them were too controversial; they were mostly about training and the exhibition match.
There was only one question regarding Planet F187, and it was a simple one about her state of mind during the incident.
None of the questions seed to be traps; it was clear they had been carefully screened.
’As long as I think through my answers, I can’t go wrong. This is easy.’
When Chase Shaw finished his interview, it was her turn. Nathan Lockwood’s hand appeared at just the right mont to take the water bottle she’d been drinking from.
The pads of his fingers brushed lightly against her palm. Zoe Pierce froze for a fraction of a second before ignoring his subtle gesture and taking her seat in the center.
It was a move that the unobservant would naturally miss, people like Ryan Jacobs and Mr. Troy.
But to soone paying close attention, that one-second hesitation was more than enough to register. Soone like Erin Xavier.
His expression had been grim the entire ti, the hand behind his back clenched into a tight fist.
From the mont Zoe Pierce arrived, Erin Xavier had noticed. Her attention went straight to Nathan Lockwood, and his went straight to her.
It was a subtle emotional exchange that only a keen observer would catch.
’It’s only the first day, and she’s already treating Nathan Lockwood differently.’
’They were alone in that room for too long. What did they do?’
’Why did Nathan Lockwood look like that when he ca out of her room last night?’
Erin Xavier hadn’t slept well all night.
He had been the one to stop Miles Sherman from interrupting them, and now he was the one going insane. It was only the first day, and he was already consud by jealousy.
He had wrapped himself in his blankets, repeatedly whispering her na, while his mind was flooded with images of her and Nathan Lockwood’s intimacy.
’How far did they go?’
Lost in his daze, he felt a bump on his arm. He turned his head and t Nathan Lockwood’s cold gaze. "Get your expression under control."
"Erin Xavier, stop acting like a child."
His voice was low, almost a hiss. It was a clear warning.
Erin Xavier wasn’t sure what kind of expression he’d been making to warrant Nathan Lockwood’s warning.
The muscles in his jaw bulged as he clenched his back teeth. He took a few deep breaths, forcing his expression to remain neutral.
Ryan Jacobs had overheard Nathan Lockwood, but when he turned to look at Erin Xavier’s face, he didn’t see anything wrong.
But judging by the way Erin Xavier was listening to Nathan, his expression must have been pretty bad a mont ago.
’He just couldn’t figure out why.’
’Erin Xavier wasn’t usually this temperantal.’
But soon, Ryan Jacobs’s attention was drawn back to Zoe Pierce’s interview.
The basic Q&A session had just wrapped up.
The interviewer was about to wrap up when Zoe Pierce asked, "Excuse , will the situation on Planet F187 be covered in the report?"
The interviewer was a Beta woman. Her elegant clothes and long, flowing hair gave her a gentle appearance. She hesitated for a mont at Zoe Pierce’s question. "Which aspect are you referring to, miss?"
"Sorry, I might be overstepping, but I’m concerned about the situation here. I was wondering if you plan to report on the conditions of this Gorbog."
Zoe Pierce glanced toward the specially reinforced window. Though it was impossible to see outside, her aning was clear. "If all you do is capture the Interstellar Pirates, won’t the sa situation just arise again in a few years?"
’In this kind of environnt, with no resources, there’s no telling what these children will beco.’
The Beta woman understood. She just hadn’t expected Zoe Pierce to bring it up.
"Your aning is?"
"I’d like to make a donation to help the children here," Zoe Pierce said with a smile. "If they can get an education and have so hope for the future, perhaps things can change."
Zoe Pierce knew that in the vastness of space, there were countless Gorbogs, so many that even the governnt couldn’t manage them all, let alone a single person like her.
All she could do was address the problem right in front of her.
It was just as Nathan Lockwood had said: she could use her influence to make a difference. Even a small change might alter the course of their lives.
’At the very least, she could have a clear conscience.’
After all, the children looked so young. In their yellowed, worn-out clothes, their timid bodies held pairs of bright, shining eyes.
"I’d like to ask if you would consider making the focus of this news story the improvent of this Gorbog. Do you think that’s possible?"
’The family that was robbed... would they want to be in the news? Of course not.’
’After the criminals are punished, most people just want to live their lives in peace, not under a spotlight.’
Zoe Pierce wasn’t sure if what she was doing was right or wrong. Just as she finished speaking, Nathan Lockwood spoke up from the side. "We will also provide dical supplies and so basic infrastructure. We’re on a tight schedule, but after we communicate with the governnt, we’ll need people on the ground to supervise and assist. That’s where we might need your help."
With just a few sentences, he had not only matched Zoe Pierce’s donation but had also committed Chase Shaw and the others without their consent.
For the interviewer, this was a delightful surprise—a potential long-term project.
After hearing the entire plan, she agreed with a beaming smile.
The subsequent negotiations were left entirely to Miles Sherman and Nathan Lockwood.
Ryan Jacobs pulled Erin Xavier along to follow the police officials to see Director Quinn.
Zoe Pierce was about to go check on Ian Sullivan and his family, but Chase Shaw stepped in her path. In the Starship corridor, he spoke. "Zoe, can I have a word with you?"
She looked at Chase Shaw, who seed even more quiet and reserved than usual, and sighed internally.
"Where? There are still dia personnel on the Starship, so it’s not a good place to talk. And outside are governnt officials and people from Planet F187. The walls have ears."
"The training room?"
Zoe Pierce grunted in agreent and led the way, Chase Shaw following close behind.
The mont the training room door closed, Zoe Pierce watched Chase Shaw lean back against it. He shielded his face with one hand, pressing the other against the door. "Zoe... next... look at . Okay?"
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