Interlude — Four Hartleys, One Clover
(Kael, Kessa, Jarin, and Lyra)
The S.S. Cosmic Clover idled along a quiet soft?lane, her lights dimmed to the warm amber hue she’d adopted ever since Little Bright. Kael was adjusting the lateral thruster readouts when the bridge lights flickered — not in alarm, but in greeting.
Kessa burst onto the bridge. “Kael! Incoming shuttle! Do you know what that means?!”
Kael’s stomach dropped. “Oh no.”
“Oh YES,” Kessa said, eyes shining. “Family visit.”
Before Kael could fully process this, the comms chimed.
A familiar voice — steady, warm, slightly older than their own — echoed through the speaker.
“Cosmic Clover, this is the shuttle Good Intentions. Permission to come aboard, little brother?”
Kessa squealed so loudly the robot bee fell off the console.
Kael pressed his palm to his face. “Jarin is here. Jarin. The responsible one.”
Another voice came through immediately after — bright, rapid-fire, nearly vibrating with excitement:
“AND ME! Let us in or I’m climbing through a vent!”
Kessa screamed. “LYRA!”
Kael groaned. “Oh stars.”
Docking: Chaos Incoming
The Clover extended her docking arm. A moment later, the hatch cycled open and two more Hartleys spilled inside with the natural force of a collapsing star.
Jarin Hartley stepped in first — tall, steady, calm, a medic’s kit slung over one shoulder. He smelled faintly of lavender and antiseptic wipes.
Lyra Hartley shot in behind him like a comet. Tiny, fast, copper-haired, goggles perched on her forehead, grinning wide enough to power a station.
“KESSA!” Lyra screamed.
“LYRA!” Kessa screamed back.
They collided with the force of an affectionate explosion.
Jarin laughed. “Hello to you too, trouble twins.”
Kael stood frozen in the hallway. “Jarin. Lyra. Why are you here?”
Lyra released Kessa from the hug and threw herself at Kael with surprising strength. “Because we MISS YOU, dummy!”
Kael staggered. “I— yes, okay, hugging— Lyra, air intake, air intake—”
She squeezed tighter.
Jarin chuckled and pulled her off. “Easy, starling. Let him breathe.”
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Kael straightened his jacket. “You didn’t tell us you were coming.”
Jarin shrugged. “We heard through the hauler grapevine you were near Hearthpoint and… well, we figured it was time.”
Kessa tugged Jarin’s sleeve. “Time for what?”
Jarin smiled — warm, fond, tinged with sadness. “To see where Jorin’s road is taking you.”
Kael sucked in a breath.
Lyra bounced on her toes. “Also I wanted to see the famous Clover because everyone keeps saying she’s gorgeous whether she’s upgraded or not, and OH MY STARS KAEL SHE’S SO PRETTY CAN I SLEEP IN THE ENGINE ROOM—”
“NO,” Kael said immediately.
“Yes,” Kessa said at the same time.
Jarin smirked. “Same old dynamic.”
Touring the Clover
Lyra darted ahead, inspecting every panel with reverent awe.
“Oh wow, is this a hand-refitted coolant sheath? Did YOU do this? Kael, that’s beautiful!”
Kael blinked. “Uh… thank you?”
Jarin trailed a hand along the bulkhead. “She hums differently,” he said softly. “Like she’s… fuller.”
Kessa grinned. “She has secrets now.”
Lyra gasped. “Is one of the secrets THAT BEE?!”
The little robot bee buzzed over her head.
Lyra shrieked. “IT’S SO CUTE I’M GONNA DIE.”
Kessa laughed. “He adopted us.”
Lyra grabbed Jarin’s sleeve. “THEY HAVE A ROBOT PET.”
Jarin nodded solemnly. “Of course they do.”
Four Hartleys, One Table
They gathered in the galley, mugs of tea steaming on the table. The Clover dimmed her lights in a way that felt… affectionate.
Lyra held her mug with both hands, feet swinging. “Okay, spill. You really found a secret beacon? And messages? And a living memory crystal? And dramatic kale?”
“Lyra—” Kael tried.
“No wait,” she said. “Do it in order of emotional devastation.”
Kessa snorted tea out her nose.
Jarin watched Kael closely. “You okay?”
Kael nodded slowly. “I’m… adjusting.”
Jarin smiled. “That’s more honest than usual.”
Lyra slapped the table. “Kael! DECEPTION! You told us you had a boring job!”
“I never said—”
“You IMPLIED.”
Jarin raised a hand. “Lyra. Calm.”
Lyra sank back into her seat. “I am calm. Extremely calm. This is my calm voice.”
The robot bee buzzed approval.
Kessa grinned. “Lyra gets the Clover.”
“I was born for this ship,” Lyra declared.
Jarin sipped his tea. “And you,” he said gently to Kessa, “Are you alright?”
Kessa blinked — surprised by the seriousness in his tone.
Then she nodded. “Yeah. I think so. We… we’re doing this slow. Jorin wanted that.”
Jarin smiled proudly. “Good. He trusted your pace.”
Kael swallowed hard.
Lyra leaned forward. “So are we staying? Can we? Can I sleep in the engine room yet?”
“NO,” Kael said again.
“Yes,” Kessa whispered.
Jarin laughed. “We’ll sleep wherever we fit. We’re not here to take over. Just… to walk alongside you a bit.”
Kael rubbed the wooden Hearthpoint token in his palm. “And… after that?”
Jarin shrugged. “We follow you until you tell us you need quiet. Or until Lyra breaks something. Probably the second one.”
“I WON’T,” Lyra said dramatically. Beat. “…Probably.”
The Clover hummed — bright, warm, welcoming.
Kessa raised her mug. “To the Hartley fleet.”
Lyra raised hers. “To adventure!”
Jarin raised his. “To family.”
Kael lifted his last. His voice a little shaky.
“To the small lights.”
All four mugs clicked together.
And for the first time since Jorin’s passing, Kael didn’t just feel like he was following a path—
He felt like he had a family walking it with him.
