PROJECT: CAYRO

Star Zaraki:

August 22, 2025

11:01 EST

The Autumn

Havana Port, Cuba

We had landed in the port of Havana early this morning, planning to restock the ship and stretch our legs on solid ground. But here I was, stuck in the Captain’s office, waiting for the inevitable grilling. The Captain sat on the edge of his desk, arms crossed, while the rest of the crew busied themselves preparing to go ashore. His stern gaze flicked between me and the tablet on the desk, where he was reading Cayro’s last message. I sat in the chair, trying to look anywhere but at his piercing eyes.

When Cayro told me he’d found the C Drive, I was thrilled, but now that excitement was turning into a knot in my stomach. I knew the Captain would have questions—questions I wasn’t ready to answer. I hadn’t planned on telling him about the cat, but it was too late for that now. As I twisted my fingers together, the room felt smaller, the air heavier. The Captain placed the tablet down with a soft click, breaking the silence. My heart pounded in my chest as I waited for him to speak.

“Star… Can you explain to me what exactly this cat is?” His voice was careful, almost too careful, and it made my chest tighten like a vice. This was the moment I’d been dreading.

“Um… Well,” I started, my voice barely above a whisper as I stared at my trembling hands. “He used to visit me in my dreams. It started years ago and only stopped about a year ago,” I continued, my words coming out slowly, each one feeling like it had to be pried from my throat.

“And why, pray tell, did you never think to mention this to anyone?” His tone shifted, a dangerous edge creeping in. It wasn’t just disappointment—I could sense anger simmering beneath the surface, making my skin crawl.

“I… I thought it was just part of my dreams, Sir,” I stammered, feeling a cold wave of fear wash over me. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking, and I hated myself for it.

“Star, look at me,” he ordered, his voice softening as he noticed my growing anxiety.

I forced myself to meet his gaze, expecting to see the harsh judgment I feared. But instead, his expression had shifted to something more… worried? Concerned? It wasn’t what I expected, and it threw me off balance.

“Calm down, Star. I’m not mad at you,” he said, his voice gentler now. “But I am concerned. Your father and I have always stressed the importance of reporting anything out of the ordinary. This… cat… is definitely out of the ordinary. If your implants were acting up, we needed to know about it immediately.”

I nodded, trying to control my breathing as the knot in my chest loosened just a bit. “I thought it was normal,” I admitted, my voice small. “No one ever talked to me about dreams, so I didn’t think much of it… until Cayro mentioned seeing the cat too.”

The Captain sighed, running a hand through his hair as he processed this new information. “What troubles me is that this isn’t just a coincidence. If both you and Cayro are seeing the same thing, there’s more going on here than we understand.”

I nodded again, biting my lip as I tried to stop my hands from shaking. I could tell he was trying to connect the dots, but so was I. What did it all mean?

“What can you tell me about this cat?” he asked, leaning forward slightly, his eyes sharp and focused.

“Well, Sir, he would teach me things in my dreams. Math equations, solving puzzles…” I started, my fingers fidgeting with the hem of my shirt as I spoke.

“What kind of math equations?” he asked, clearly intrigued by this new detail.

“Trigonometry, geometry, quadratic equations, physics… Mostly complex stuff,” I answered, trying to recall every lesson the cat had given me over the years. It was more than I could count, each one more complicated than the last.

“Oh…” The Captain seemed genuinely surprised, like he hadn’t expected that answer. It was a rare sight, seeing him taken aback.

I nodded, feeling a tiny bit of satisfaction at catching him off guard.

“Did the cat ever ask you for information about the crew or the ship?” His tone had shifted again, becoming cautious, almost suspicious.

“No, never. He only asked about me—how I was doing, if I was healthy, what was going on in the world,” I answered quickly. I knew where he was going with this, and I wanted to shut it down before he got any ideas. The last thing I needed was for him to think this cat was some kind of security breach.

“Are you positive?” he pressed, his voice tinged with skepticism.

“Yes, I am absolutely positive, Sir,” I replied, my tone firmer than I’d intended. I wasn’t in the mood to be second-guessed, especially not after everything I’d been through.

The Captain took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he leaned back against his desk. His arms crossed over his chest, a posture that made it clear he wasn’t entirely convinced.

“Do you really think Cayro found the C Drive?” he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly, as if trying to read between the lines of the messages.

“Yes, Sir, I believe he found it. If he’s been seeing the cat like I have, then I have no doubt that he’s telling the truth,” I said, crossing my arms in defiance. His doubt in my judgment felt like a slap in the face, and I wasn’t going to just sit there and take it.

“Alright, fine,” he relented, though his tone still carried a note of caution. “We’ll turn back. I just hope this isn’t some sort of trap.”

“It’s not,” I retorted, a huff escaping my lips before I could stop it.

The Captain got up from his desk and headed towards the door. I followed him out to the bridge, my mind already set on what I was going to do next. As he made his way to the navigational console, I deliberately walked past him, heading straight for the upper deck. Without hesitation, I plopped down in the Captain’s chair, crossing my arms defiantly. This was my little act of rebellion—my way of making him pay for making me feel like I’d done something wrong.

I watched him climb the stairs to the upper deck, his eyes narrowing when he saw me comfortably settled in his chair. I shot him a scowl and let out another huff, my way of letting him know that his chair was now mine. This wasn’t the first time I’d done this when he pissed me off, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. I could almost hear the sigh that escaped his lips as he turned back to the console to input the coordinates. The ship’s system-wide intercom crackled to life.

“Crew, we’re heading back to Virginia. We’ve located the C Drive,” his voice echoed through the ship.

He turned back to me, handing over my tablet with a glare that could have melted steel.

“Can I have my chair back, please?” he grumbled, clearly trying to keep his cool.

“Nope,” I replied, glaring right back at him and pointing towards the XO’s chair with a casual wave of my hand as I took the tablet from him.

“Star, you’re not the captain,” he stated, his tone exasperated.

Keeping my arms crossed, I pointed at the XO’s chair with exaggerated emphasis. “I beg to differ. I’m the ship’s only full systems admin… Ergo, I am the captain.” I wasn’t about to back down. He’d made me feel like crap, and I was going to make sure he knew it.

“Damnit, Star, you’re not playing fair,” he sighed, finally admitting defeat as he trudged over to the XO’s chair and plopped down.

“You didn’t play fair either, and you know it,” I shot back, uncrossing my arms to focus on the tablet. I opened the email app and quickly typed a message to Cayro.

Email: #9

FROM: SZ-0117

TO: CB-5522

SUBJECT: Hidden Treasure

We are on our way back. Keep it safe.

S.

I watched as the email folded into the familiar paper airplane before soaring off the screen. Just as the animation disappeared, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching the bridge. Nathan’s voice boomed out from the corridor, and I knew the peace wouldn’t last much longer.

“What do you mean we’re headed back to the East Coast?” Nathan’s deep baritone voice reverberated through the bridge, carrying a hint of irritation.

Nathan was an imposing figure, a towering six foot eight man with a presence that demanded attention. His raven-black hair was cropped short in a style reminiscent of his Air Force days, and his well-trimmed ducktail beard only added to his formidable appearance. As he entered the bridge, his arms crossed over his chest, the muscles beneath his dark blue t-shirt rippled with each movement. I glanced up at him from the captain’s chair, noting how the fabric seemed to struggle to contain his powerful frame. His eyebrow shot up in curiosity when he saw me lounging in the Captain’s seat. Before I could open my mouth, the Captain beat me to it.

“Cayro found the C Drive,” the Captain announced, his tone steady, just as Mrs. Tiffany appeared behind Nathan. Despite being siblings, she looked almost petite next to her towering brother.

“Uh huh… What did you do this time to piss off our ice princess, Captain?” Nathan teased, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as he shot me a playful wink.

“He made me feel like shit,” I growled, glaring daggers at the Captain. The memory of his earlier doubt still stung.

“STAR! Watch your language!” Ms. Tiffany snapped, her voice sharp as a whip.

“Yes, Ma’am,” I mumbled, ducking back into the oversized chair as a blush crept up my cheeks. I stared down at my tablet, trying to hide my embarrassment. A soft ping caught my attention, signaling a new email. I welcomed the distraction and quickly opened it to find a response from Cayro.

Email: #10

FROM: CB-5522

TO: SZ-0117

SUBJECT: Hidden Treasure

Thanks for the heads up. Looking forward to seeing you guys again.

C.

I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face as I read his words. The thought of seeing him again sent a flutter of excitement through me, one that I wasn’t quite sure how to process. I looked up from my tablet, my eyes drifting to the expansive view of the sky and ocean beyond the bridge’s main windows. The ship was already shifting course, its subtle movements signaling our new heading. It would be almost four days before we reached the East Coast, but the anticipation of what was to come made the wait feel strangely bearable.

Taking a deep breath, I let the warm feeling settle in my chest before looking back down at my tablet. My fingers hovered over the screen for a moment as I contemplated what to say next. Then, with a determined tap, I began to draft a new email to Cayro, eager to keep the connection alive.