Space Odyssey: Spectre

Jace walked into the training room that was reserved for them. Vana had reserved it ahead of time so they were the only two with access and the cameras which were usually required to be on, were turned off.

He gulped as he caught sight of Vana in a sports bra and a pair of sweat shorts. She was stretching as her eyes traced his entrance into the room. Just as she was dressed in barely any clothes, he was dressed in just a tight fitting black shirt and a pair of sweatpants. He had some towels and bottles of water that he set to the side as he moved to the fighting mat.

"Okay, I am here." Jace declared, "and you clearly want to talk. While also beating me up, so what would you like to talk about?"

Vana held up her hands and flexed her fists for a moment before dashing forward. Jace could follow her movements but still slowed his movements so he would redirect her punch instead of taking it. "I am pissed!"

"Pissed because..." Jace asked slowly as he spun around her and skipped backwards. He decided to focus on a fighting technique that Director Fenrir taught him.

"Because of so many things. But the first issue is-" She leaped across the distance, covering it in the blink of an eye. Her leg launched up to swing at the side of his temple and reached up to catch it when she spun around and kicked him in the chest with her other leg.

The kick launched him backwards into a wall of the training room. Jace blinked in surprise as he could feel his bones creak under the force she hit him with but it would likely only leave light bruising if it was not immediately healing. Vana flinched in pain as her own leg was hurt but got in a ready stance. "You are much stronger, that should have broken your leg."

"Like I said, I have issues. The first one is that you were married the first time you slept with me." Vana declared with annoyance.

"That is your first issue with me?" Jace asked with a chuckle and then shrugged. "I mean I suppose you did not have a problem with me sleeping around so much. But I am surprised that this is your ’first’ issue with me."

"I mean you got married and turned around and broke your- Vows!" She leaped forward again and Jace rolled away as her fist slammed into the wall and dented the wall. That would have hurt as well if she managed to connect the attack.

"I told her. Besides, it was better for her cover." Jace told her as he ducked under another attack. "We have already talked about it in detail. Is that all your issue with the situation?"

"No!" She slammed her foot down and onto his own foot. They both flinched in pain as several punches were launched at his face. He brought up his arms and her fists smashed against his arms that he held up to protect him. "I am pissed that you only married her!"

Jace relaxed a bit and a fist struck him in the chin. Jarring him for a moment and causing his head to snap to the side. He stepped back out of her range as his mind processed her words. "That is what you are angry about." He stepped back further and rubbed his chin. "I mean, I really have not had time to think about it. I can ask and there are not any rules in Cerberus about polygamy."

"Then ask her!" She growled out and then leaped over and tried to knee him. But he spun out of the way while switching up his fighting style to one he learned from his ancestors memory training.

"Okay, I will." Jace took a breath. "I am sure you have another issue you want to discuss." He pointed out as she closed the distance again. But this time he redirected each of her strikes.

She let out a breath of air. "My second issue is your kids." She stepped back after seeing she could not hit him. She leaned back slightly before launching forward and striking the side of his body with a sturdy roundhouse kick. At least it seemed like it for a moment before the image disappeared and Jace was rolling under her leg. "Each of them are incredibly intelligent and strong. But did you really think it was a good idea to seclude them in a world as hostile as that one?"

Jace shrugged. "Actually, I think it is better than you may realize. You said it yourself, they are incredibly intelligent and strong. But they need to properly understand people’s nature and the deception that people can do. The planet will not just be dangerous for them but it will also be safety through inaccessibility." Jace explained as he stood up and closed the distance and smoothly slid behind her.

She elbowed backwards but he managed to catch her arm and spun her around and pinned her to the ground. "What about the children themselves? What are your plans for them?"

"Plans? I plan to help raise and train them to survive and then let them discover themselves and decide where they want to go. My plans for the kids are to be a parent, nothing more." Jace answered as she struggled for a moment before tapping out when she realized she could not get out from under him.

Jace released her and she climbed up and glared at him for a moment. "Okay, but why such a hostile planet?" She asked him as she moved into position across from him.

"Because, growth requires strain and difficulties. That planet in particular is mostly unlivable. Thus making it the perfect place to have them train while also protecting them from outside forces." Jace summed up what he was saying again. "What other issue do you have?"

"Fine, I can see you are not worried about that." Vana sighed as she ran a hand through her hair and over her ears. "You left." She stated plainly as she prepared to fight him again. "You left, not just me but everyone else on the request of some galactic agreement. Not just that, you seemed to have come back different."

"Different?" Jace raised an eyebrow as he changed to a boxing stance and dodged some jab that she sent his way. "I am not that different."

Vana scoffed, "you are completely different." She informed him as she ducked to the side as he sent a jab towards her. He had clearly slowed it down enough so it would not be lethal, which also meant it was slow enough for her to dodge. "You came back with a happier attitude and outlook on life. Before there was always a trace of worry lingering on your face, but now... it is like you know something is going on but do not care."

Jace chuckled as he blocked a few strikes and dodged some more before backing away with a confused expression. "I am not following, what is your issue? That I am happier or that I am different?"

"The issue is-" Vana spoke with a guttural growl. "That you left a void- a hole, and when you came back it seemed more like you were focused on something else then helping us fill that ’hole’ that you left behind!"

Jace hummed as she leaped at him and tackled him to the ground. He let her tackle him and reached up and ran a hand along her cheek. "I do not think you need me to fill some imaginary ’void’ that you might think exists. I do think that you want to yell at me and hit me because of perceived slights I might have done to you. I also think..."

"That I am angry, you think I just need to vent my frustrations." Vana looked him in the eyes and they looked at each other. Her eyes were filled with frustration and anger. Jace’s were filled with mischief and amusement. It took her a second before she smacked him in the chest. Making yelp in pain. "You are making fun of me!"

Jace burst into lighter as she started softly hitting his arm. "I could not help it. You were the one that came into this all serious. You have been so busy surviving, worrying, and working that you have not had any time to just relax."

"Relax?" Vana blinked in confusion. She looked up and then sighed. "Oh... I... have not."

"So, what do you really think you need at the moment?" Jace asked with a smirk. "A fight? Or do you need a day off? A day to just relax?"

Vana seemed to think about it for a moment before she looked at him. "When was the last time you relaxed?" Jace hesitated to answer and she smirked. Before grabbing him by the collar and kissing him for a full minute before speaking again. "I think we should both spend a few hours just ’relaxing’ as you called it." She then pulled him to another deep kiss.