"Niev!" Arkin exclaimed, leaping forward into Niev's open arms.

He huffed, the breath being pushed from his chest as Arkin squeezed him tightly, the hug only made slightly awkward by the huge bow strung across his friend's back. Arkin's strength was nowhere near Adelifa's, but the emotion behind the hug made up for the lack of power.

Niev hid his smile by burying his head in his friend's neck. Arkin smelled of some flowery perfume, likely the latest, most expensive product on the market. He probably hadn't even bought it himself - his recurring clients, all ridiculously rich, enjoyed lavishing him with gifts.

He could already feel a calm settling over him. He loved his other friends, of course, and they were all equals in his eyes, but he had always had a different relationship with Arkin. The man steadied him in a way the others couldn't.

Maybe it was his line of work that made him so emotionally in-tune. Either way, ever since they had found Arkin at an archery competition and begged him to join them on a mission, he had fit into their group like the final piece of a puzzle. He completed all of them, in a way.

Niev felt a flush of embarrassment go over him as Arkin gasped, looking over his ruin of a ship. "Oh, Niev."

"Sorry," he muttered, eyes downcast.

"You didn't apologize for your filth when we came aboard," Adelifa reminded him, standing to greet Arkin.

"That's because I think so lowly of you two," Niev replied smoothly, shoving his hands into his back pockets. Adelifa glared at him over Arkin's shoulder.

As Niev stood in the cockpit, looking out over his friends, bubbling happiness filled his chest. He had been so lonely for the past couple of months, mission-less or working jobs that only required one person. Sure, he had held video calls with all of them, but they were all busy people. It was only during times like this, life-or-death missions, that they could be truly together, present in each other's company.

As sad as that was.

"Who's ready to go kidnap a prince?" he finally called out, interrupting the gentle conversation between his friends.

Adelifa groaned, dropping her face into her hands. Arkin just grinned, lowering his head and shaking it.

"I'm ready," Adron volunteered at last.

"Me, too," the other two offered reluctantly.

"Just remember, guys," Niev said as he moved to the pilot's seat and strapped in, "we'll all be filthy rich by the end of this."

"I'm counting on it," Arkin replied in a singsong voice from his seat.

Niev grinned and lifted off gently from the ground, coordinates set to a certain Buphis in Apoxia III.

*

It would take them a few days of travel since Niev didn't want to push the engines. Arkin was very happy to hear this since it gave him ample time to begin cleaning up after Niev.

Feeling guilty, Niev joined in.

Adelifa opted to stay in the cockpit with Adron, stating eloquently, "It is your issue, little man."

It was, indeed, this little man's issue.

"How do you live like this?" Arkin asked, toeing a pair of underwear that may or may not have been used - Niev, terribly, could not remember.

"I just sort of...drink myself into a stupor each night, pass out, and wake up if I get a phone call," Niev replied uncertainly, grabbing the underwear and searching in vain for his hamper. He wasn't positive that he owned one.

Arkin watched him with a saddened expression, bottom lip bulging out slightly. Even in the dim light of this room, his skin seemed to shine - it was something about his people, something that made their skin a legitimately golden color practically emitting its own light. It didn't help that his hair was a pure white shock of softness atop his head, reflecting any light it got.

"What?" Niev asked defensively.

"You're making me sad."

"I don't want to make you sad! I'm just telling you the truth!"

Arkin sighed, bending down to pick up some energy cans. "New rule: as long as I am on this ship, you don't drink."

The thought was a daunting one. "But - "

"No buts! If you want my help on this mission, you'll respect the rule."

Niev would have respected it without the threat. He nodded obediently. "Deal."

Arkin held out his hand for a handshake. Niev accepted it, wincing as he felt how soft Arkin's hands were as opposed to his own calloused palms. When he withdrew his hand, he shoved it self-consciously into his pocket.

They continued cleaning for several hours until Adelife called that it was dinnertime. Emerging into the ship's main area, Niev noticed a distinct lack of food.

"I thought you said it was dinnertime."

"It is. I'm hungry. What are we having?"

Niev groaned. "You can get something from the microwave." He felt Arkin's judgemental gaze on his bag. "I have a few bags of chips," he offered weakly.

"We're stopping at the next planet for groceries," Arkin informed him coldly, striding past him to use the microwave with as much dignity as he could manage.

Niev couldn't wait to get to Buphis.

*

The days passed quickly. Almost too quickly.

Once Arkin was done with his mad cleaning spree, he was able to devote all of his attention to the group's planning efforts. Blueprints of the Buphis palace were logged in their individual bracelet chips, as was information about each member of the royal family and their personal security force.

They soon had a pretty solid plan in place. Luckily, the night they would be arriving on Buphis, a ball was being held in the palace, and the prince was notorious for skipping out on parties early. He would be back in his room by midnight, judging by details taken from past parties. Arkin would use some of his specialized arrows to break through the prince's bedroom window. While he was doing that, Adelifa would be standing guard outside to keep the prince inside - just in case Niev, who would be sailing through the broken window, didn't move fast enough. Meanwhile, from their spaceship, Adron would be causing a diversion by interfering with the party's electricity as well as the spaceships parked outside. The panic alarms of dozens of expensive spaceships were sure to cause a commotion.

"Here we are, guys," Niev murmured.

They all gathered around the cockpit window, gazing out over the fast-approaching planet.

"Remember our cover stories, everyone," Niev murmured, sliding into the pilot seat and taking the spacecraft off of autopilot. He readied the microphone, finally pressing the call button.

"This is Beta-One-One-Four, requesting permission to land on Buphis, Apoxia III."

There was a short silence before they received a blurred reply. "Beta-One-One-Four, transmission received. What is the purpose of your visit?"

"Buphis air control, transmission received. Visitation purpose is recreational."

A longer silence. "Beta-One-One-Four, transmission received. You are aware we are in the middle of a civil war?"

"Buphis air control, transmission received. We find that travel is cheapest during times of conflict."

A sigh, then: "Beta-One-One-Four, permission granted."

Niev made sure his finger was safely off the call button before muttering, "You'd think for a species at war, they'd take a few more precautions with strange spaceships."

His companions shrugged. "We got permission," Adelifa pointed out. "That's all that matters."

Niev grinned. "Guess you're right." He began to turn the spaceship towards the planet, pressing forward on the controls.

"Here we go, folks."