Two days had passed in what felt like moments. Besca had taken Quinn back to the Aerie, and on the ride up everything had just [i]blurred[/i]. They’d taken her to medical straight away, run more than a dozen tests on her, taken blood and saliva and more blood. There seemed to be a general surprise that, aside from some bumps and bruises, she was entirely okay. Exhausted, and in need of food and rest, but her system was clean and there wasn’t a single new growth on her body. 

Nonetheless, they kept her in medical at Follen’s request. He saw to her examinations personally, monitored her. He seemed pleased, and told her again and again how happy he was that she was okay. How strong she was. How brave. He was very proud of her—everyone was, he said. 

Besca confirmed as much. She came in whenever Follen wasn’t around, and stayed with her for hours until someone dragged her away to handle some urgent matter or another. But she always came right back. They ate their meals together, and in between her assuring Quinn over and over again that Dahlia was okay, just resting, she told her what else was going on. 

The singularity openings were a mystery, still. The best guesses were that the swordsman had, somehow, redirected the openings to the dueling field. They hadn’t been particularly far, all things considered, and had only managed to squeeze in three Modir. 

They didn’t talk about how it had spoken to her. They tried. Besca didn’t know what to say. 

Instead they talked about the duel. Helburke was refusing to acknowledge the loss, and demanded not only that they be allowed a rematch, but that they be compensated for the loss of [i]Blotklau[/i]. To hear them tell it, Quinn had ensured its destruction by how severely she’d disabled it, rendering Roaki unable to fight back against the Modir. They couldn’t have it both ways, though; either [i]Blotklau[/i] was too damaged to continue the duel, or she wasn’t. In the end, Casoban agreed to void the results, but only agreed to a rematch on the condition that there be no bans, and Runa be allowed to champion them again. 

Helburke accepted the voided results, and withdrew their claim to the disputed area. 

So, in the most technical sense, Quinn [i]hadn’t[/i] won the duel, but the only thing that truly changed was her record. As far as the rest of the world was concerned, she had pushed [i]Blotklau[/i] into the dirt, and, more importantly, had refused to finish the kill. 

Opinions were…[i]mixed[/i], she’d said. 

Helburke’s thoughts were known. Casoban was decidedly unhappy with the fact that they’d lost two pilots for none, but the fact that they’d come out with the land secured meant that, really, they’d gotten what they wanted. The pact between them and Runa remained, but Besca didn’t sound certain for how long. 

Eusero was in a fit, almost worse than Helburke. She said that wasn’t surprising—they’d been depending on Runa’s loss to close their deal with Casoban. Not only had Quinn spoiled that, but she’d done so by sparing a pilot from their biggest rival on Illun. 

To hear it told, there were a great many news stations in Eusero suggesting that RISC was working with Helburke, and that they’d fielded Quinn specifically so that [i]Dragon[/i] wouldn’t sweep the duel. They didn’t mention that Dahlia had been banned. They just asserted that Runa injecting themselves into the conflict with a brand new pilot was inappropriate at best, and conspiratorial at worst. Some even stated that “[i]Quinnlash[/i]” being a Helburkan name was hard evidence of the collusion. 

Apparently people were eating it up. 

Runa was split. There were people who supported her choice, certainly, with consideration borne from a national history of nonviolence—or rather, the inability. Others weren’t happen to see a Helburkan spared. Many Runans still considered the lack of aid during Westwel’s fall a betrayal of the Illun Accord, and would take every opportunity to get back at those who had stood idly by. However, hearing Eusero was not pleased did sway some to her side. 

Regardless, over the course of a few hours, Quinn had become a [i]very[/i] popular topic across the world. RISC had become inundated with interview requests, most of which the Board had approved until Besca told them point blank that Quinn was hospitalized and could not attend. That had stalled them for a time, but she made it clear they couldn’t put it off forever. 

Another matter had come up, regarding Hovvi. Or rather, regarding Quinn's life there, before...what had happened. Quinn had made a realization in Casoban, about something her parents had done. About the water. It had taken some time for her to put it into words, but eventually she got there. 

It had been modium. 

They'd been feeding her diluted modium, almost every day, for as long as she could remember. She was certain now, the smell, the taste, it was unmistakable to her. 

Besca had gone silent, excused herself. It was hours before she came back, and she did so with a million assurances that what had been done to Quinn back home was wrong. A million more than she had done nothing wrong. That she didn't deserve it. 

And one very stern, very serious assurance that it would never happen to her again.

There was more to say—more they’d tried to say—but before long Follen gave the all clear, and Quinn was released from medical. Dahia was still recovering. Her wounds were well-healed, but vidently she’d contracted a mild case of modium poisoning from her stunt on the field, and some bone growths on one hand had taken her two bottom fingers, and three ribs which. They had grown biomatch bones for the ribs, which set nicely, and were fitting her for cybernetic replacements for the fingers. 

She had apparently tried four times to sneak out to see Quinn, but was stopped and now there was someone stationed to watch her door. 

Upon her release, Quinn made a B-line straight for Dahlia’s room. At her hesitant request, Besca had come along.