AFIRE: fight for the Earth begins✓

17.2 GOLDSTAR

The story so far:

---- Aija is a Volunteer at the Pristine School at Innermost. She works along with Zuri and Ze, who are her friends. Aija witnesses a strange event one night – light emanating from Rez's body. The kidnapper is after her soul, next, but he leaves her alive and goes away. Another man finds her, he wants to take her somewhere else - Aija though wary of him agrees. Aija learns of the existence of the aliens – the Ytai. Also, about the R'ies and H'eon, Harvesting and Àvo from Etrie. Etrie tells her that the man, who Harvested Rez (Thieron), will now go after her. He tells her that the spy/kidnapper's name is Luka. Etrie asks her to work along with him. Aija agrees to work along with Etrie on Harvest Stopping Missions.

---- Aija invites Zuri on a Harvest Stopping Mission. Zuri agrees to go and leaves her hometown earlier than intended. Zuri is picked up by Kuna, Etrie's partner. He tells that Etrie will erase her memories. Kuna and Zuri reach the place and meet up with Aija, Etrie, and Maya. The Harvesters come and attack them. One Ytai attacks her. The Harvest Stopping Mission is a success. Zuri is overwhelmed by the entire experience. Etrie agrees to let Zuri continue accompanying them on the missions, much to the chagrin of Kuna and Maya. Nala is waiting for Zuri at her Apartment. When Zuri asks her to answer her questions she refuses. Zuri fights with Nala and asks her to leave.

---- Gale work is getting to Goldstar. Iyler too seems to be distancing herself from him. He leaves after a disagreement with her about his secret identity. 

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****17.2 - Goldstar****

Goldstar hardly slept through the night, and by the time he did and woke up, it was afternoon. He stretched the sleep out of himself and freshened up.

Something was going on with Iyler. There was a time when she would always go with him to the South Land, even if it meant her schedule would be busier when she returned. He understood he shouldn't burden her with more work and that she could come if she wanted to, but never had she outright refused him. She would always make it a point to go with him even if he hadn't asked her to go with him; the willingness had come on her own. Only recently had she been avoiding it on her own, and that's why he'd been asking her to go with him to see what she would say.

Was he missing something? Or did she really have a tighter schedule now?

There was a loud knock on the door.

"Open the door," he commanded the central system.

The door unlocked with a click, and Tailyn entered, waving his hand at Goldstar and questioned, "Are you alright?"

Goldstar nodded, slightly taken aback by the question from the kid. The door closed behind him.

"I didn't see you around this morning," he said, looking around Goldstar's room.

"I just woke," Goldstar said as he combed his cropped black hair.

"Are you unwell?" Tailyn was concerned as he looked once over Goldstar to make sure he looked fine.

It made Goldstar smile. "No, just scanty sleep."

"Worried about the trip South? How bad was the run-in with the Savages?"

Everyone in the Gale had heard of their experience in the Open. Tailyn had fussed over him so much; Goldstar had to tell him to stay away from him for a while as his concern was becoming overwhelming, even though it had been endearing in the beginning.

"Not really. Did you have lunch yet?"

"Nope, I came to see if you were okay."

"Come on, then, I'm hungry."