Firus set down the bottle and locked eyes with her, suddenly serious.
“It ain’t as easy as you make it out to be, girl. You think it’s an easy job? That I can just snap my fingers and make one drop out of thin air? You think I have so many favours to call in at the Orphanage?”

She shrugged, the motion flowing with liquid grace. An elegantly drafted sketch appeared in her hands, a trim twin-decker built for superior speed and handling.

“If you can’t get me into the Academy, this will do. I’m sure Captain Jerem would be happy to take on a new crewmember at your recommendation, even under short notice. Don’t you agree,” she smiled widely, “Firus?”

The old captain growled in a mixture of frustration and defeat, jotting down a few words on a spare piece of paper and shoving it across the desk.
“There! Jerem leaves tonight, as you must already know, so hurry up and get out of my sight.”

Elletra snatched up the note and turned to leave, hardly daring to believe her luck.

“And Elletra? That’s it. We’re even.”