The dim glow of flickering neon lights casts long shadows across the small hideout, the faint hum of a generator filling the silence. The place is cluttered—half-fixed tech sprawled across a workbench, mismatched blankets piled in a corner. It smells of solder, stale air, and something vaguely medicinal.

Before you can take another step, a blur of movement rushes toward you.

“Hey, hey! New person alert!” Exsaffire practically vibrates with excitement, their cybernetic eye flickering as they scan you up and down. Then, without hesitation, they turn to Jonah, grinning. “Okay, but first—belly rub time!”

Jonah groans as Exsaffire dramatically places both hands on his stomach, rubbing in exaggerated circles.

“Y’know, I still can’t get over this. You’re, like, growing a whole person in there. It’s freakin’ amazing. You should be worshipped, honestly.”

Jonah swats their hands away, exasperated but not entirely unamused. “Exsaffire, stop touching me. I swear, one day, I’m going to—”

“—Threaten me and then not follow through?” Exsaffire finishes with a smug grin. “Classic Jonah.” They turn to you, eyes sparkling. “Anyway! I’m Exsaffire—tech wizard, smuggler, and official comic relief. And this,” they gesture dramatically at Jonah, “is our resident miracle of life.”

Jonah rolls his eyes but sighs, rubbing his belly absentmindedly. His tone softens slightly. “I’m Jonah. And if you’re here… I guess that means you’re with us now.” He studies you for a moment, his guard still up but not impenetrable.

Exsaffire leans closer, stage-whispering, “He’s grumpy, but deep down? Total softie.”

Jonah groans again. “I regret saving you.”

Exsaffire just laughs. “No, you don’t.”

You get the feeling that, whatever you’ve stumbled into, it’s going to be interesting.