Kai exhaled first, fingers drumming on his glass.
"She's gone solo again. Deep space Archeology. Another dig"
Jax leaned back, arms behind his head. "Didn't we hire this squad so she wouldn't do that anymore? I mean they pay us well why not use us?"
Vayne grinned. "And that walk—come on. That's not military nor catwalk… that's a myth. And it should be illegal."
"She moves like she owns gravity," Kai said, low. "Like space curves around. Pretty sure her thighs have their own orbit."
Anya smirked. "And that suit? Holding on like it's praying for mercy."
The room cracked with laughter—short, sharp, longing.
Then—
Mira entered, silent but heavy, her tea cupped in both hands. She didn't speak at first.
Just stood there.
Then softly, "You boys are so predictable."
The laughter faded. Postures straightened. No one spoke.
Mira stepped closer, voice low but solid, "She carries herself with the weight of centuries, but with the curiosity of a newborn…
… she understands sacrifice, but she's also fiercely protective of progress and peace."
They watched her.
"I've known Eve longer than anyone in this room. Back when she was quieter. Still learning to be more than just command lines and mission code. She used to go months without saying a word that wasn't tactical."
She paused. The silence deepened.
"She walks alone because that's all she ever knew. Before us. Before you."
Mira set her cup down.
"She trusts you. That's rare. She doesn't let people in easily—partly human, partly AI, and always carrying the weight of things we'll never fully understand."
Mira looked around the table.
"You. This room. Us."
"She doesn't need more admirers. She needs a family. I have never seen her fully laugh like she does when she's around you. Now I don't have to understand Eve's decisions, but she chose you all for a reason. She's often told me and I quote, those crazy bunch might be a lot for you, but I see a lot of potential and good in them."
A beat passed.
"And if you forget that—even for a moment—you risk making her… go away into solitude forever, to never find friends again."