Nav Route

Nav's route summary from Starship Promise. For a summary of the prequel, A Cosmic Match, click here.

## Season 1

### Episode 1

MC is silently moving through an empty facility, investigating her latest case. A sound has her whirling around, pointing her blaster at the noise. It’s Nav Hexan, bounty hunter, with a blaster of his own. [CG] He doesn’t seem concerned with the weapon in his face, but only quips about what a coincidence it is that they’re at the same place at the same time. MC is skeptical and she tries to ignore him as she continues her search for the hard drive she came for. Her case is finding a person named Boone Tronstad, who’s supposed to testify against a crime group but has made himself hard to find.

When Nav starts probing her about the case, she spots the hard drive in the corner of her eye and goes to grab it before Nav notices it. He doesn’t notice, and instead asks what happened after their Sweethearts Day adventure, mentioning how fun it was. MC blushes at the memory, and while she’s sputtering a response, he grabs the hard drive from her grasp. He mockingly thanks her and dives out a window, laughing the whole time.

The next day, MC angrily searches for new leads - she’s going to take the drive back from Nav somehow. Her mother calls her to check in, and MC gives her usual response about crunching numbers - her family thinks she’s an accountant. She then gets another call from Keda Meridian, an underworld contact and money launderer. MC asks Keda not to help Nav if he comes to her to decrypt the hard drive, and she agrees.

MC later follows a lead from another contact that brings her to a tavern where Nav has posted up. MC confronts him about the drive, asking if he followed her just to get it. He points out that she followed him to the bar, and suggests that he got the hard drive for reasons that have nothing to do with her. He only admits to following her after getting the drive, where he overheard her lying about her work to her mother.

MC seethes but tries a different tactic: flirting. She reaches up to run her hands along his collar, asking about his case, and he plays along, just as she’d hoped. Nav tells her about a man who used to be a hitter for a crime group and MC immediately realizes they’re after the same person: Boone Tronstad. MC is trying to turn him in so he can testify against the group - the Sabers - and Nav is trying to capture him to bring him back to the Sabers so he can’t testify. They’re on opposite sides. They agree to keep things professional - they won’t be splitting the reward this time.

While they’re talking, MC makes her move for the hard drive, but Nav stops her, telling her he can sniff out a pickpocket and that she’ll have to try much harder to get to Boone first.

The chase is on.

[No heart scene available]

### Episode 2

MC is running down leads, trying to keep track of Nav to see when he’ll try to decrypt the hard drive. She finally spots him heading into a store owned by a notorious, seedy hacker. She watches from a distance as Nav tries to negotiate getting the disk decrypted. He asks if a certain PI has alerted him about the drive beforehand, but the hacker says he doesn’t know Nav so won’t do business with him. Nav tries to charm the hacker but it’s clearly not working. He sighs, and tells the hacker he’ll do things the hard way, then pins the man to the wall with his arm. Nav threatens the hacker who immediately relents and tells Nav to come back the next day to pick up the decrypted drive. Nav thanks the man and leaves.

MC begins to formulate a plan - she just needs Nav out of the way long enough so she can get the drive before he does. She watches Nav bump into an elderly woman and steal a bracelet. MC glowers, and follows to confront him. He’s not surprised to see her, saying that he needed to do something to lure her out. He promises to return the bracelet to the woman now that MC has revealed herself, and asks her out for coffee afterward to make it up to her.

***Heart scene (15) - Let Nav make it up to you.***

*MC says she never says no to free coffee, and Nav holds the door of the cafe open for her. He teases her, knowing a workaholic like her couldn’t resist some caffeine. He calls her the best, most sleep-deprived PI he knows, and she smacks him playfully.*

*Inside, Nav finds the old woman and returns her bracelet, saying he saw some “miscreant” take it from her. He says he knows how valuable the piece is because it’s his mother’s favorite jeweler. The old woman tells him his mother is lucky to have such a sweet son, and MC thinks to herself that it is surprisingly sweet. The woman thanks him and he blushes, turning back to MC so they can order their coffee.*

*MC mentions that he gets along well with old people and he retorts that he gets along with everyone. When she points out that they don’t get along with each other he smirks at her, declaring that she must be a very special exception. He then remarks on her choice of coffee before admitting that he thinks they do get along with each other, they just have their own system. They annoy each other and compete, buy each other drinks and flirt. MC debates the flirting point, and they banter playfully. MC thinks to herself how nice it feels just to sit and have a drink with Nav, but then reminds herself to get back to reality.*

MC thinks of a way to get Nav out of the way while she gets the hard drive, and drags him back over to the old woman’s table. She weaves a story about how Nav’s grandmother just passed so he’s on his own for the first time and doesn’t know how to take care of himself. The woman immediately tells Nav to sit with her, who doesn’t see any escape. With Nav trapped, MC takes the opportunity to make her escape. He glares after her, both exasperated and amused.

MC makes it to the hacker’s shop five minutes before the pickup time. When the hacker answers the door, he’s immediately skeptical because he doesn’t recognize her. She lies about Nav being her partner and how he asked her to pick the drive up for him. When he hesitates she threatens him, remembering how that seemed to work for Nav, and shows him her blaster. The hacker instantly folds, explaining that he found out that Boone is stowing away on a cargo ship that night to escape to a planet known to harbor white collar criminals. The hacker says he could be leaving at any minute and MC panics, knowing the spaceport is on the other side of the city.

Suddenly Nav bursts in, slightly disheveled and accuses MC of playing dirty. The hacker tells them both to get out of his store, saying they both play rough. As MC dashes toward the spaceport with Nav hot on her heels, he quips that he likes when she plays rough. She enjoys the flirting but says it won’t make her give him the data.

She starts to run, and Nav, still following, figures out what she’s doing and mentions that he owns an atmobike and could give her a ride. She realizes it’s her best bet of getting there fast, and agrees to let him take her to the spaceport.

### Episode 3

MC snuggles close to Nav as he drives his atmobike at dizzying speeds. MC guides him toward the spaceport while trying not to panic about how fast they’re going. He speeds up and she grabs onto him even tighter, making him laugh. He tells her to trust him, and that she won’t get hurt as long as she keeps holding onto him.

***Heart scene (26) - Keep holding onto Nav!***

*MC grips him tight and tells him not to slow down. She tries to keep her thoughts on the case but her mind keeps wandering to how nice he feels against her. He teases her as her hands press firmly against his torso, saying that she secretly loves the speed and the danger. As she burrows her face into his shoulder, she thinks about how she’s always worked alone before. Trusting Nav, both on the bike and on the case, feels both scary and safe at the same time. She also acknowledges that he’s easy on the eyes, too.*

*Nav insists that she’s enjoying herself, and calls her on her wandering hands. She blushes when he says she doesn’t have to stop, so she accuses him of enjoying this instead. He doesn’t deny it, saying that riding his bike with a pretty girl is the dream. MC thinks to herself that she tries not to remember their Sweethearts Day kiss, but the memories come flooding back when she’s this close to him.*

Nav speeds through traffic and MC holds him even tighter, claiming she fears for her life at this point. He doesn’t complain, and she doesn’t let go. They arrive at the spaceport, and Nav allows MC to lead, even when she warns him that she might run off on him. He asks why she’s so invested in this case, and she says that she wants to see the Sabers face justice. Nav scoffs, saying that the justice system doesn’t work.

Their argument comes to a halt when Boone Tronstad appears, and MC approaches him slowly, trying to talk him into going back with her to testify. Boone flatly refuses, and pulls his blaster out just as Nav comes over with his own. MC bickers with him for a moment before Boone laughs and tells them to get a room. He then looks at Nav and says he knows he won’t shoot him because the bounty will want him brought in alive. In response, Nav pulls the trigger and shoots out the reactors on Boone’s getaway ship.

Boone makes a break for it, with Nav and MC hot on his heels. Boone rounds up his goons and they board the ship, and Nav and MC give chase but they’re too late. The ship takes off, and both PI and bounty hunter are left without their target. They immediately begin to argue with each other about who messed up, but eventually get a plan together.

They find another ship heading to the same planet that Boone was going to, and as they run towards it, Nav mentions how impressed he is that she’s spontaneous enough to jump planets at a moment’s notice. MC says she’s used to it. Nav tries to slow her down by triggering a laser fence between them, but she blasts through it and they keeping running toward the ship, bickering the whole way. She arrives slightly before him and pushes him into a pile of crates while she boards the ship. She laughs as the doors close on him, though she quickly realizes that she might not see Nav again after this, and wonders if that’s actually a good thing.

MC arrives on the planet, Omia, and goes to check into a fancy hotel. A familiar voice behind her says he’s been waiting for her. Frowning, she turns to see Nav, holding a key card with the same room number as hers. He smirks and tells her they’ll be bunking together.

### Episode 4

MC confronts him, asking how he got there before her, but he doesn’t answer. She’s secretly happy to see him. MC guesses that he had his own ship the whole time and he doesn’t deny it. They try to get separate rooms, but the hotel is fully booked. Nav suggests a wager to see who gets to keep the room - a game of Truth or Drink. She agrees, and they begin asking each other questions, like their worst dates and worst cases.

As they keep drinking, the questions turn more intimate. He asks how often she thinks about their Sweethearts Day kiss, and she blushes. She goes to take a drink instead of answering but it’s empty, and Nav declares himself the winner. He tosses the key card to her anyway, saying he’d never kick a lady out of her room. MC guiltily calls him back before he leaves, saying they should share the room. Nav doesn’t bother acting humble about it, and accepts immediately.

The room thankfully has two beds, but there’s still tension between them when they enter. MC tries to hide it, but she watches Nav get undressed, appreciating the way his body moves. Nav notices her staring and asks if she wants privacy. In response she begins peeling off her own clothing while keeping eye contact with him. They’ve started a game of cat and mouse - she slides close to him on the way to the bathroom and he tries to one-up her by starting the shower.

***Heart scene (27) - Let Nav stay with you!***

*MC continues to watch Nav as he removes more clothing. He says he has to let the shower warm up because he runs so hot naturally, and MC resists the urge to splay her hands across his naked torso. While trying not to be too obvious, MC knows that Nav is staring hungrily at her too. She tells him he can look but can’t touch, and he replies that she could touch him a little bit.*

*They needle each other flirtatiously as Nav presses close to her as he grabs his toothbrush. MC refuses to move from her spot by the sink so they end up brushing their teeth together - very close together. They can’t help but touch each other here and there, giving one another heated glances through the mirror. For once they can’t speak, so the tension continues to build, and when she bends over the sink to finish her brushing, their hips collide and they both freeze. Nav is the first one to speak, saying that with their oral hygiene taken care of, she can join him in the shower. She squeaks out that she’s done, and flees the bathroom with a huge blush on her face.*

In the middle of the night, MC can’t sleep. She listens to Nav’s breathing and thinks how much more intimate that feels than a one-night stand. They haven’t even slept together but she usually doesn’t let partners spend the night. She finds she doesn’t hate the feeling.

The next morning, MC has overslept, and she immediately knows Nav turned her alarm off. She then notices a steaming cup of coffee next to a note written on a napkin from Nav which says he ordered room service for her. She’s equal parts annoyed and grateful. She writes a response on the back of the napkin about how cheaters never prosper and leaves it on his pillow before she leaves.

MC heads out to track down any lead on Boone she can get, but isn’t successful. She decides to meet up at a nightclub with Keda, who does most of her work on that planet. After promising her a favor, Keda reveals that Boone has made large payments to Helios before making his escape, but what or who Helios is, she has no idea. MC thinks that the lead isn’t much to go on when she spots Nav heading to the bar. When she confronts him he smiles at her with a practiced ease, saying that he had a very successful day and is enjoying a celebratory drink before he picks up Boone.

### Episode 5

MC asks Nav why he hasn’t already gone to get Boone if he knows where he is, hoping to catch him bluffing. Nav only says that he has a strategy, but quips that MC would probably like it if he were there just for her. MC’s thoughts flash to the night before when they couldn’t keep their eyes off each other.

Keda comes over and she and Nav glare daggers at each other. She accuses bounty hunters like Nav of getting too many of her clients killed or arrested. Nav replies that she shouldn’t take on clients with such big bounties on their heads. Keda leaves in a huff and Nav asks MC what she told her. MC glares at him - he’s just confirmed her suspicions that he has no info at all and is fishing to get hers. Nav admits that he only has one real clue, and suggests that he and MC use their info together to track down Boone. MC tries to protest but Nav points out that she’ll just waste time getting the information he already has, and vice-versa. MC considers it, then says he’ll have to convince her.

Later, they’re walking the streets of downtown Omia, admiring the sights (and MC admires Nav). They banter playfully while ordering street food. He pays for the food and she thinks to herself what a good time she’s having, it almost feels like a date.

Then she remembers herself and tells Nav to stay on his guard - they still have to track down Boone. Nav frowns and says that they should take this time to relax a little and not worry about work. She tries to refuse but he takes her hand and looks into her eyes, calming her fervor. He tells her he’s checked the records and Boone hasn’t gone anywhere, so they can enjoy a little time. She finally relents but she presses closer to him, saying he still owes her intel. He says they should talk privately and pulls away from her.

Back in the hotel room, they argue about who should share information first. Eventually Nav reveals that Boone knows the person who owns the ship he used to escape. MC says it’s useless intel but he won’t reveal more until she does. MC stares him down until he asks if she’s heard of Helios, saying he has an address. MC confirms it’s a lead worth pursuing and they agree to head to the address the next day.

MC reminds Nav that Boone got away last time because they didn’t work together, and he agrees. But he then asks what will happen when they catch Boone - do they turn him in to the authorities or collect the bounty? They both agree they can work together until they get to that point. Nav notices the note she left earlier and laments not getting to sabotage her alarm anymore. As MC avoids his heated gaze by escaping to the bathroom, she wonders what she’s gotten herself into.

[No heart scene available]

### Episode 6

The address Nav was given leads them to a nondescript building. The sign outside says it’s an ID business and they agree that it’s probably a front for something. Nav shows off his fancy eyepiece with which he can see the huge stockpile of weapons in the back room of the building, confirming their suspicions. Then without warning, he blasts a hole in a window, much to MC’s horror. A Union official runs outside to survey the damage who cleans up the mess and heads inside. They note that there aren’t any Union bases around and the officer didn’t report the incident. They come to the conclusion that Helios must be this officer running an illegal ID making business, and Boone is trying to get a new ID.

They make it inside the shop, which is mostly empty. The Union officer tries to get them to leave but they pretend to be potential customers, saying they’ve heard that Helios is the best. The officer seems skeptical but says he’ll do business with them. He tests their knowledge of the black markets and when they pass the test, he gloats that one of his latest clients is on the run from the law and his old crew, but won’t ever be found thanks to him. Knowing he’s talking about Boone, they try to press him for more intel. The officer gets spooked and pulls his blaster on them and tells them to cuff each other. MC and Nav, currently unarmed, have no choice but to comply.

While the officer is busy calling the authorities to arrest them, Nav manages to pick the lock on his cuffs. He gloats at her as he retrieves his weapon, saying he could leave her there, still handcuffed, to get the jump on Boone. MC, who doesn’t have her lockpicking tools with her, warns him not to leave her, but he just quips how fun it would be to see her beg for his help. She refuses to beg but when she tells him to run, he unlocks her cuffs. He says running is a good idea, and they both dash out of the building.

The officer shoots at them as they escape but they make it out. Nav asks if she’s okay and she’s surprised at his concern. He moves close to her as he looks her over, and MC has a hard time concentrating when she can feel his breath on her lips. As he leans in, he tells her that they’re working together so they need to look out for each other. [CG] Then he kisses her, and they’re both reminded, once again, of their time together on Sweethearts Day. He asks if she’s going to run away again this time.

***Heart scene (28) - Keep kissing Nav!***

*MC replies that she never makes the same mistake twice, and kisses him again. Nav laughs and presses her against a wall, asking if she’s sure he’s not a mistake. She says his mouth can be handy when he’s not using it to be annoying. He tells her he’ll show her annoying, and moves his lips to her neck. She calls him a prick but tells him not to stop.*

*She then reverses their positions and presses him against the wall. He calls her feisty and as she’s wrapping her legs around him, she reminds him that she plays to win. He grabs her legs to hold her up and continues to leave a trail of kisses along her throat. She kisses him again and he spins them so she’s against the wall once more. She chides him, but he says he’s only thinking about her back, and kisses her nose gently. She commands him to keep kissing her and he obliges. She thinks about their Sweethearts Day kiss and wants to make him shiver when she kisses him, like he did then.*

Then MC remembers all the reasons she’s stopped herself from getting involved with someone like Nav, and pulls away. She asks why he helped her, and he gives her a flippant answer about not wanting the Union to win, then he goes to kiss her again. She scolds him, telling him to answer the question. He says they’re partners now and they have to keep working together to find Boone. His hand grasps her thigh and he says that they wouldn’t be able to do *this* if she were in jail anyway, and kisses her again.

### Episode 7

As MC and Nav pull away from each other, blaster shots have them on the defensive. A group of armed - but not uniformed - goons comes for them. MC takes cover and shoots at the goons while Nav dive-tackles a couple. Once he has a moment, Nav asks who sent them, but they don’t respond. MC takes out a few goons of her own, and she banters with Nav, wondering how he hasn’t gotten shot yet. They cover each other, and take the chance to run when they have an opening. A goon aims at MC while they’re running, but Nav jumps in at the last second and knocks her weapon. She shoots Nav’s eyepiece, but he’s otherwise unharmed.

As they make their escape, MC notes that they’re all wearing the same red and gray patch on their jackets. One of them relays a message: this job isn’t worth their lives and they should quit snooping or things will get ugly. MC waves off the comment, Nav punches the goon, and they’re finally able to escape.

They make it back to their hotel room, laughing about the threatening message. They know they’re closer than ever to catching Boone, and they both noticed the jacket patches, so they have another lead to work from. They spend the rest of the day researching and talking to contacts, and eventually discover that the goons were from the Eye, a rival gang to the Sabers.

When they finally wrap up their research, MC is finally able to process everything that happened that day - including the makeout session with Nav. Nav looks over at her, clearly thinking the same thing, but he gets interrupted by call before he can say anything. MC overhears Nav having a conversation with his mother, and she’s shocked to hear how honest he is about everything. He tells his mom about the bounty and nearly getting shot, then promises to send her some of the reward he got from the last job. MC thinks that she could never be honest with her parents about her work. She tries to tease him about it when the call is over, but for once Nav doesn’t have a witty response, he just waves her off.

Suddenly self-conscious, MC changes the subject to Nav’s broken eyepiece and offers to fix it for him. Nav watches her while she works, leaning in close to her and telling her how impressive she is. He requests a front-row seat to watch her work her magic.

***Heart scene (27) - Let Nav watch you work your magic!***

*MC agrees, saying he might learn a thing or two. She watches his lips when he smiles, and she’s suddenly worried she might not be able to control herself when he’s so close like this. He watches her work with rapt attention, and she blushes, trying to convince herself that he’s watching her fix his visor, not watching her. Despite the distraction, MC manages to keep a steady hand while she works, and Nav comments that she’s a pro at this, wondering how he didn’t know about this secret skill of hers. MC humbly accepts the compliment, saying that she’s more of an enthusiastic amateur than anything.*

*Nav moves to sit next to her, his attention still on her work. When he moves even closer to her, she comments on it and he says he can give her space. She says no far too quickly, and tries to cover it up by saying that it’s helpful to have someone checking her work. Nav’s arm snakes across the back of her chair and acquiesces, but she can tell he doesn’t believe her. He’s quiet until she finishes, when she grabs his face to fit his eyepiece back on. He goes still when she touches him, letting her make the final adjustments.*

*When everything is done, Nav comments that other women would never have done that for him. MC accuses him of using a “not like the other girls” line, but he clarifies that most women wouldn’t* share *their knowledge with him, especially because most of those women are only around for a single night of fun. He then jokes that he doesn’t have to worry about that with her, because she’s not interested in fun. When he laughs at the face she makes, she has to readjust the visor, and she jokes that she’ll charge him for the repair work if he’s not careful.*

MC has Nav test the eyepiece, and he’s impressed that she not only managed to fix it, but actually improve a few features. It still needs a replacement chip, but it’ll work for now. He thanks her, then suddenly they’re caught in an awkward silence.

MC breaks first, asking if they’re going to talk about what happened in the alley. Nav tries to laugh it off, but MC sees that he’s not being as snarky all of a sudden. Thinking that he might be regretting the incident, MC backpedals, saying he doesn’t have to read into it too much. Nav laughs and moves close to her and admits that he had just as much fun as she did. After all, he’s Nav Hexan, #1 Fun Guy, he says, but she’s not interested in his kind of “fun”. MC thinks to herself that she’s not wrong, she’s always had a policy of keeping work and fun separate, but she’s having an awfully hard time sticking to that policy with Nav around. With bold confidence, she dares him to ask her again once the job is done, and that the answer might surprise him.

### Episode 8

MC is trying not to think about what she said to Nav the night before as she’s getting ready for the day. A call comes in from Keda, who provides some useful information about the Eye. She then asks why MC is still hanging out with Nav when she hates him so much, and MC admits that *maybe* hate is a strong word. She thinks about how much she likes both arguing with and kissing Nav. When Keda calls her out for sharing her valuable information with someone like Nav, MC hangs up.

MC meets up with Nav outside and tells him about the info, declaring that it’s time for a stakeout. Nav hates stakeouts, and tells her that he’s going to meet with a contact who’s known to be associated with both the Eye and Helios, and he’s going alone. MC protests, but Nav insists, saying that he’s going to be meeting with some unsavory people and she should follow up on her leads anyway. Before he takes off on his atmobike, he asks her to trust him. She huffs, but agrees.

MC tries not to think about Nav while she works on her own. She’s torn between feeling concern for him and distrust. She decides to focus on the distrust, since she and Nav are still technically competing for Boone’s capture, and decides to follow him. When she arrives, she sees Nav getting roughed up by several thugs who were clearly wronged by Nav at some point in the past. He’s beaten and bruised, but still manages to be sarcastic. While MC is trying not to charge in to save him, Nav suddenly headbutts one of the thugs and makes a break for it, running directly into her. At first Nav is annoyed that she didn’t trust him to do one thing by himself, but then suggests that the two of them could take the thugs out if they work together.

***Heart scene (26) - Kick butt with Nav!***

*MC points out the state of Nav, asking if he’ll be able to keep up. Nav smirks and tells her it’s not going to be a problem. Three thugs who were beating on Nav come at them, shooting in their direction. They return fire and run for the end of the alley they’re in, agreeing on their plan of action. They flank the alley and Nav takes out the first goon with a chokehold. MC pistol whips another in the face and sweeps his legs before disarming him.*

*They take off running, making the rest of the thugs chase them. The last goon shoots at them and Nav suggests he and MC recreate the move they did on their first job together. MC waits until the thug lunges at her before jumping out of the way. The thug lands right in Nav’s arms and MC shoots him in the leg. They escape quickly, knowing there will be more goons to follow. They head to a busy section of town and with barely any warning, Nav grabs her and jumps off an overpass.*

*They land safely, with Nav lying right on top of MC. She instantly feels his familiar heat, but has never felt the weight of him on her before. He comments on how exhilarating that was, and MC agrees, once again remembering what she told Nav the night before. Their lips are close, and just as MC is about to lean up to kiss him, he pulls away, asking if she’s just going to lie there on the ground. MC immediately misses the warmth of his body.*

They take a moment to collect themselves and MC points out Nav’s bloody and beaten face. He tells her he’s had worse, and she decides to let it go. He says that before he got the beatdown he actually got some useful information: Boone is hiding out in that neighborhood but will be going offworld in a matter of days. MC matches the information against the intel Keda gave her and figures out where Boone must be hiding. MC declares - once again - that it’s time for a stakeout. Nav groans.

Hours into their stakeout, they’re entertaining themselves by gently teasing each other. As day turns to night, MC huddles closer to Nav to keep warm. They talk about a popular movie they both like and Nav mentions that his mother liked it too. MC asks how someone who cares so much about his mother ends up as a bounty hunter. When Nav asks how she knows about his mother, MC admits to looking into her. He pulls away from her slightly, commenting that she’s unable to not dig into people’s pasts. She agrees not to do it anymore.

Finally they spot Boone and his girlfriend exiting the building.

### Episode 9

Boone and his girlfriend are only outside for a minute, but it’s enough for MC and Nav to spot them. They spend the next hour casing the building and forming a plan. MC suggests a smoke bomb to distract the guards while they grab Boone, and Nav is quite impressed her plan includes explosives. MC smiles, saying she can be just as destructive as Nav, she’s just more selective about it.

They head to a tech store to get bomb-making materials, and Nav’s smiling as he watches MC happily flit around the store. MC quips that he should steal anything from the store, and Nav, disappointed in her opinion of him, gathers all her materials and pays for them with his own money. Before leaving the store, Nav reminds MC that not everyone has the luxury of being a “star scout.” MC notices a nanochip and swipes it, running out of the store and grabbing Nav on the way.

They run back to the hotel, and once they’ve caught their breath, MC reveals the nanochip she stole. She gives it to him, saying it’s the last piece to fix his eyepiece. Nav smiles slowly, thanking her and commenting on how she’s always surprising him. Back in the hotel room, Nav is tending to his injuries. MC tries not to look at his exposed chest as she begins work on the smoke bomb. He comes to help her, and for once they’re able to work in total silence without teasing or berating each other. Their faces are close as they work, and their hands can’t help but brush up against each other as they make the intricate explosive.

When MC declares their work is done, Nav suddenly leans in and kisses her. It’s short and sweet, and he pulls away quickly. MC looks at him awkwardly but he refuses to meet her gaze. He simply compliments her work, and MC feels something like longing as she watches him stare at their tech scraps. [CG] He then easily slips back into his charming rogue routine, smiling crookedly and saying that Boone won’t know what hit him, and wonders aloud about how he’s going to spend his reward money.

MC asks if he still assumes he’s collecting the bounty, and Nav says of course. MC argues with him, saying that she’d give him a cut of her reward and Nav is a good person, he should want to turn Boone in to the authorities. Nav expresses his distrust in the justice system and argues that Boone probably killed dozens of people, so he’s getting what’s coming to him. He continues, saying that she shouldn’t be so naive - the universe is full of bad people and there’s no “grand, sparkling future to fight for.” When MC calls his outlook bleak, and Nav points out that he takes bounties for his own gain, so she should be thinking of him as a lowlife too. MC says maybe it was a mistake for them to partner up, and Nav agrees, seething.

Nav finally breaks the tension by reminding her that they’re supposed to capture Boone tomorrow, so they need to rest. Neither of them sleep much that night, both of them thinking about what the other said. When MC awakes in the morning, she finds Nav’s bed empty and another note on the nightstand. Nav writes that they’re better off not being a team and she can have the hotel room to herself. MC then notices the smoke bomb is gone, and she fumes, thinking to herself that she never should have trusted him.

[No heart scene available]

### Episode 10

MC feels both angry at Nav for going off without her, and betrayed because she thought they had something together. MC catches up to him before he’s reached Boone’s hideout and confronts him. Nav doesn’t look at her, only saying he doesn’t know what she expected from him, being a lowlife bounty hunter and all, and she shouldn’t be surprised by his actions. MC thinks to herself for as much as she didn’t want it to be true, he’s right. She knows this is exactly why she always works alone, but can’t help feeling terrible about it. Nav says he’s only in this for the money, and she’s too good to be involved in something so “unscrupulous.”

As much as she’s disappointed, she begins to realize that Nav isn’t just what he says he is. She forces him to stop and look at her, telling him he’s fooling no one but himself. She says she’s seeing this job through to its conclusion and he can’t dissuade her. She knows it’ll be easier if they work together. After staring at her for a long time, Nav declares that she really is too good for him, and he really thought going off on his own was the best plan. MC, surprised, thinks that she really doesn't know Nav at all, and he asks if she wants an explanation.

***Heart scene (27) - Let Nav explain himself.***

*MC agrees, and is surprised to see Nav at a loss for words for once. After taking a deep breath, he says he genuinely thought he was doing her a favor by leaving. He knew he was going to collect the bounty and assumed she wouldn’t want to be part of it. He says that she’s so passionate and dedicated and always wants to do the “right” thing, and giving Boone to the Sabers would be “wrong.”*

*MC’s heart swells, and she teases him about not wanting to hurt her. Nav blushes for a moment but then says he’d never want to see her hurt. He says she cares: she cares about him and she even cares about Boone. He didn’t want to mess with her worldview by working with him. MC is speechless for a moment but then reminds him that she sometimes breaks the law too. He shakes his head, saying it’s not about the law, it’s about goodness. He says he doesn’t quite believe the same thing, but he admires her all the same.*

*MC thinks she’s never seen him so flustered before, and thanks him for saying what he did. She gathers her courage, bolstered by Nav’s willingness to open up, and says that she appreciates him not wanting to see her hurt, but it hurt her more to wake up and realize he left. Nav blushes deeply and apologizes. They’re unable to tear their gazes away from each other for a long time until Nav awkwardly asks if they can wrap up honesty hour. MC laughs and agrees.*

Nav asks what their next step is, and MC says that the plan to capture Boone stays the same, but whoever cuffs him first gets to decide what to do with him. Nav’s surprised she’d consider letting him keep the Saber bounty if he wins, but she says it’s a mighty big “if”. She says they’re also not allowed to sabotage each other. Nav smiles at her, declaring the chase is on, and they shake on it.

They make it to the Eye-controlled warehouse where Boone has been hiding. MC launches the smoke bomb deep into the building as she and Nav sneak in. They each take a tablet that will help them breathe when the bomb goes off, and suddenly there’s an explosion and smoke everywhere. Nav excitedly mentions how much he loves this plan as goons and thugs scatter around blindly.

As they make their way through the warehouse, MC and Nav shouts orders and warning at each other, covering one another. Fighting off several goons on the way, they finally spot Boone trying to gather his men. MC is mildly impressed that he’s looking for his people instead of fleeing. Boone spots them and is instantly annoyed by their presence. He grabs a blaster and shoots at them, forcing them to duck for cover and giving him a chance to run. MC and Nav give each other a look before rushing after Boone.

### Episode 11

Boone is fast, but Nav is faster, and tackles Boone to the ground, MC only a half-step behind. MC fights off a couple thugs as Nav cuffs Boone and leads him away. When they’re at a safe distance Nav makes a call and MC starts to process her defeat, and when she congratulates him she tries not to sound too bitter about it. Nav calls her a worthy opponent and says he has a feeling everything will work out.

When they get to the rendezvous point, they’re greeted with a delegation of uniformed agents instead of Saber members. MC immediately realizes this was Nav’s doing, and is completely floored by his selflessness. When she confronts him about it, he only quips that he must have dialed the wrong number. MC is suddenly filled with affection for him, and she happily hands Boone over to a government prosecutor. The woman commends MC on her work and MC accepts the praise, but also reiterates how much help Nav was.

They’re interrupted when Boone pulls away from the agents for a moment so he can say goodbye to his girlfriend. The woman cries as she chides him for not carrying out their plan of getting off world and starting a new life. As they have a farewell kiss, MC is suddenly acutely aware of Nav’s presence right next to her, and she catches him watching her. Boone is finally taken away and the case is closed.

Later that night, MC is overjoyed that the case is done, but she’s even happier because she’s with Nav and he did something noble for once. She tells him that he’s not as bad as he claims to be, and Nav feigns offense. He then admits that the Sabers had already dropped the bounty on Boone, so her positive opinion of him was hastily formed. When she questions exactly *when* the bounty was dropped, Nav tries to dodge the question. MC looks into it to find that the bounty was dropped in the middle of the night so Nav would have gone after Boone knowing there was no bounty to collect. She beams at him, knowing that her suspicions about him being a good person are correct. Nav tries to be cool about it, saying that the Sabers gave him a “discount reward” for his efforts anyway.

Nav then asks what she plans to do next. She says she’s not sure, but isn’t planning on going anywhere until the morning, which piques Nav’s interest. They gaze at each other quietly, both thinking about what MC said about the end of their job. She realizes they could be parting ways forever the next day, and suddenly all she wants to do is touch him. He leans in, and in a husky voice asks her out for a drink. After all, he says, a job isn’t done until they’ve celebrated together.

[No heart scene available]

### Episode 12

Nav toasts to Boone for a great case, and MC toasts to the bartender who hasn’t yet kicked them out despite their disheveled appearances. They both agree they look a mess, and MC says she can’t wait to get into the shower in their hotel room. Nav asks if that’s an invitation to shower together, and she teases him about doing the same thing while she runs her fingers through his hair. They’re leaning towards each other, and with their lips only an inch apart, Nav pulls back to get another round.

As she watches Nav charm free drinks from the bartender, MC realizes that she’s starting to be able to tell when he’s being genuine or not. While distracted watching Nav, MC knocks over a glass of water and grabs the first thing she sees to clean it up. She suddenly realizes she’s holding a napkin - it’s the note she left for him after he sabotaged her alarm clock. MC blushes furiously but quickly puts the napkin back when Nav comes back to their table.

He hardly gets to say something snarky about her making a mess when she pulls him in for a deep kiss. He immediately responds and cups her face as he kisses her back. When he pulls back for a breath, he tells her he’s not expecting anything she’s not comfortable with. He doesn’t want her to break her own rules for him. MC isn’t afraid of a hookup, but when she thinks about the napkin she realizes how uncharacteristic of a normal hookup that is. MC winds her arms around his shoulders and says that no one could fault them for wanting to blow off some steam before parting like professionals.

Nav answers with another kiss, and MC is grateful that they’re both on the same page. She’s not expecting any commitment from him, and she knows he’s the last person to expect commitment from her. Nav says that he wants to finish what they started on Sweethearts Day and MC tells him to put his money where his mouth is.

Back in the hotel room, MC and Nav are standing in the bathroom as it fills with steam from the shower. Nav says she’s far too clothed and suddenly they’re kissing again, MC ripping Nav’s clothing off wherever she can get at it. When he’s finally undressed, MC remarks at the orange scales of his body, guessing that’s where his insane body heat comes from. Nav reminds her that he promised her a shower but she laughs and points out that she’s still fully clothed. Nav steps into the shower and makes a point to show off for her. He invites her in with him, promising to deal with the clothing problem. [CG]

***Heart scene (30) - Join Nav in the shower.***

*She takes his outstretched hand and he pulls her into the shower, soaking her clothes. He calls her a pretty picture but she just demands him to strip her like he promised. He’s surprisingly gentle as he undresses her, and runs his warm hands along her skin, making her shiver. When he bends down to completely undress her he looks at her appreciatively, saying it’s a view he’d happily die in front of. He kisses her thigh reverently while gently washing and massaging away the day’s grime. He makes sure to check in with her, but she has no complaints.*

*His hand moves up her thigh until she gasps. He holds onto her firmly, promising not to let her slip and pressing her against the shower wall. She lets him work, her fingers tangling in his hair. Nav chuckles as she comes apart, but he holds her steady. She pulls him up for a kiss, declaring that now it’s his turn.*

*She takes her time feeling her way across and down his body, and when he gasps as her hands find what they were looking for, she teases him for not being such a smooth talker after all. MC delights in making Nav unravel, the only word he’s able to say is her name. Afterwards, he holds her and laughs about her being competitive with everything, and she doesn’t deny it.*

They come together for another kiss, which quickly turns heated. Nav hoists her over his shoulder as he carries her to his bed, MC giggling the entire time. He’s on top, kissing her furiously and telling her how gorgeous she is. His hand slips between her legs but she wants more, and Nav obliges immediately. They come together, and still cannot help but laugh and tease each other, and MC realizes that she’s never had so much fun in bed before. When it’s over MC is grateful when Nav doesn’t kick her out of his bed, but instead winds his arm around her waist as he lies behind her. They both fall into an easy, comfortable sleep.

The next morning, MC wakes first and adoringly watches him snore. She knows she has a flight to catch, and she suddenly remembers that this was only supposed to be a night of harmless fun. She thinks that it will be easier for both of them if she leaves before things get complicated. Just as she’s finished packing, Nav wakes and smiles, saying she’s a smart woman for running. MC realizes she wants to stay with him, but knows it would be a bad idea in the long run, and an awkward silence hangs between them. She goes to leave, saying she’ll see him around, but Nav leaps from the bed to stop her. He looks at her, but can’t bring himself to say anything.

They’re suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door. It’s a man in a shiny suit who announces that they’re being hired as a pair for “the gig of a lifetime”. Nav looks at MC, whatever he was about to say dying on his tongue.

[written by reddit user directormmn]

## Season 2

### Episode 1

A man in a shiny suit knocks on the door and introduces himself as Pascal Slayton, the proprietor of the Ivory Sky Casino. He interrupts whatever Nav was going to say to introduce a new job for both of them. He says he wants to tell them at a more secure place so they follow him back to his casino. At the casino, he shows them around and says that he hasn't always run the place alone. He used to have a partner named Tarak Shastri. Tarak was the game expert bookmaker while Pascal handled the backend of running a business. Tarak turned his back on Pascal to make his own illegal underground games and Pascal wants Nav & MC to find him and hand him over to authorities. He promises them a huge sum and pays 20% upfront. Nav & MC agrees to the job though MC is hesitant as MC already had her next job and also things with Nav could get messy for her heart.

Nav & MC head back to their hotel room and after a few puns, Nav asks MC if she's sure about taking this job as she seemed pretty eager to leave this morning and might find it challenging to work with him after last night's sex. MC says she's staying as this job would allow her to help more people than the next one she's now postponing and she's not staying for him specifically. She doesn't mix work and romance. Nav says it should be easy to respect her rule as they're both professionals. They both agree.

[No heart scene available]

### Episode 2

The next day MC & Nav do their own preliminary research separately and meet up in front of their hotel after. MC saddens over how she hasn't seen him since last night and how weird it is they sleep in the same room on different beds, then reminds herself she's supposed to stay professional. Nav appears to report what he found but notices MC is acting differently. MC is being more dry and impersonal to stick to her professional shtick. He said he would've left her coffee this morning but they're supposed to be professional so he didn't. MC saddens at this but listens to the rest of his report. Nav found that Tarak has been on Omia for years and made a name for himself but is a hard guy to find. MC found that he is whip-smart, calculating, and careful and wasn't always a bookmaker but has the brains for it. They head back to the casino together to find more information from people as Tarak used to work there. They split up once inside to find information their own way. MC's is having trouble for the patrons to pay her any attention. When checking to see if Nav is having any luck, she sees him playing games and walks over angry. Nav explains you have to play along to get them to open up. He brings her over to play Flemian Blitz but MC is horrible as she doesn't know what she's doing. Nav offers to teach her how to play.

***Heart scene (26 Hearts) - Discover the method to Nav's madness.***

*Nav teaches MC how to play Flemian Blitz but says the most important part is to let loose and have fun. MC is having a hard time so Nav turns it into a competition between them of who can figure out the tells of everyone at the table. MC happily agrees as watching people, figuring people out, and competing with Nav are things she excels at. They figure out the tells of the people there but end up tied. But MC breaks the tie by saying Nav's tell, his ears twitch when nervous or surprised. Nav blushes and says that has nothing to do with card games. An elderly woman comes up to them and says they're a lovely couple. MC says Nav isn't her boyfriend and Nav chimes in saying he's actually her fiance. MC realizes it would be easier to blend in if they were a couple so she plays along. They go back to playing the game and Nav praises her for picking up on it fast. MC replies he's a good teacher and Nav responds saying it's no problem since he didn't enjoy her floundering and the only person allowed to get her flustered is him. MC blushes and asks if that's his job, what would a promotion look like. Nav eyes gleam and say that remains to be seen.*

They keep playing and start asking about Tarak to the patrons who are starting to open up more. One specific customer says they heard Tarak and Pascal having a screaming match in the backroom before Tarak left. MC is about to win and makes her winning roll keeping her eyes on Nav. Nav jumps up with the crowd congratulating her and wraps his arm around her giddy. MC lets her walls down to enjoy the moment but then realizes the guy she was questioning earlier has left.

### Episode 3

MC rushes outside to see if he's still around, but he's not. She then berates herself for getting distracted and reinforcing why she shouldn't mix romance and work. Nav comes out and MC angrily takes out losing their best lead on Nav, though she realizes she's being unfair and is just angry at herself. Nav calms her down by placing his hands on her shoulders and saying they're good at adapting and just need to re-strategize. MC agrees and finds the waitress that works with Pascal outside as well. She goes to interrogate her for information and finds that Tarak is only ever seen at the exclusive poker games he runs. They ask how to get in and the waitress says Adren Larker might know and give them the nightclub he might be at. Nav recognizes the name and finds him at the nightclub by the bar. He uses his party-boy persona to get Adren to invite them to tomorrow night's tournament as Tarak's games.

MC praises Nav for being such a good actor with Adren but Nav says he's not an actor but people assume things about him, such as him being a party animal who only cares about having fun. MC starts to feel guilty as she thought that as well, but Nav takes pride in having that reputation as it means he's succeeding. MC then asks who he really is. They stare at each other for a while before Nav says that's the million-credit question.

The next day, MC comes back from her morning run to see Nav doing push-ups shirtless. MC watches before Nav's visor starts pinging. MC then enters the room to a flustered Nav surprised she's back so fast. MC asks about his ping and Nav checks his notification. He says not to worry about it as it's not Pascal but this only makes MC curious and asks why they sent so many. Nav then starts stretching, distracting her, and asks if she'd like to spar. She agrees and their bodies move in sync. MC is surprised as he's usually more of a reckless brawler. She then asks about his pings again. Nav ups the flirting and MC realizes it's his tactic but switches back to admiring his skills which turns into desire. Nav asks what she's thinking about and spins her around and pulls her to his chest. [CG] MC responds that his thoughts are probably less tame than hers. Nav says his thoughts are about having her right here and now

***Heart scene (28 Hearts) - Indulge in your desire with Nav***

*MC flips him over her shoulder onto his back and climbs on top saying she was thinking the same thing. Nav says she won this round but luckily they both get to enjoy the prize. He brings her down for a kiss and she shivers at the warmth between her legs as she straddles his hips. He says they should work out more often if this is what happens. MC laughs and says they'd be as fit as blockbuster action heroes then. MC slides down his face, throat, and chest exploring it now slick with sweat. MC notices Nav has something beyond lust in his eyes that's soon gone as soon as she blinks. MC questions it but he says he's just taking in the view, the most gorgeous view in the galaxy. He pulls her down for another kiss and MC calls him a sweet talker as her face burns. Nav says he's being genuine, after all he said galaxy, not universe, and who knows about other freaky alien girls out there. MC then kisses him again to shut him up. One of his hands on the back of her neck, the other moves down to squeeze her ass which MC arch and moans. She calls him handsy and Nav says so as she continues to explore his chest and shoulders which soon turns into gripping as Nav fingers knead patterns beneath her hips pressing her closer. His hands are warm and light her like a bonfire across her lips, palms, thighs, and everywhere pressed to all of his orange parts. MC notes how amazing this is and...scared. She becomes scared at how badly she needs him and then stops reminding Nav of their agreement. Nav groans but says he knows. After a few seconds, he says that's enough sparring for today.*

Another ping sounds off and MC realizes he was distracting her from it and was playing her like he played Adren Larker. Nav smirks and asks what's wrong? MC then turns away and realizes separating work and romance might be harder than she thought.

### Episode 4

Nav & MC arrives at Tarak's underground games and split up to maintain professional distance after that sparring match. MC notices most of the attendees are spectators rather than players. While asking around, MC notices the patrons there view Tarak as aloof, enigmatic, and capable. Soon MC notices her friend Keda who's there as one of her clients invited her as he's playing tonight. They talk and Nav appears to her dismay but notices they must be getting real close which MC blushes to. The three watch the games and soon Tarak enters. Then the door crashes open with an angry woman trying to shoot Tarak for losing credits at one of his games. His guards' attack to remove her and protect Tarak. Tarak leaves with his guards leaving MC upset as they didn't get to arrest him and the games are closing for the night after that attack. She then turns to Keda to ask if her client could get them an invitation into playing the next game.

MC & Nav walk back to their hotel and MC says Nav should play the next game as he blends in better with that crowd. Nav replies that she's been fitting in recently too and says she's been doing "good work my respectable colleague" which MC asks if Nav is making fun of her professionalism rule. Nav says it's a real compliment and he has no problem following rules, unlike her this morning. MC replies it was all a part of her work-related sparring session. Nav then sees a vendor selling savut crullers which he hasn't had since he was a kid and offers to buy one for him and MC.

***Heart scene (27 Hearts) - Indulge Nav curiosity***

*Nav buys her a savut cruller and MC is hesitant to eat it but mentally promises herself to be respectful if she doesn't like it. Nav watches her as she takes a bite but she starts to choke on the tart and bitter flavor. He bursts out laughing and she curses at him and asks if he's doing this on purpose. He replies that it's probably because of the different taste receptors of their species as even back home, only he and his mom liked them. MC asks why he's just now telling her this and he laughs and steers her to another vendor wrapping his arms around her shoulder and says he'll make it up to her. He withdrawals his arms once reaching the vendor and orders her favorite Street side snacks while MC becomes disappointed by the lost physical contact around her. He hands her a freja and coffee and she says she'll make him try Bhegol liquor next time. He promises and she stares into his eyes drowning in them when Nav suddenly starts laughing. She asks why he's laughing and if there's something on his face which he replies there is actually. She blushes and tries to find a napkin but he swipes his thumb across her upper lip. Nav then realizes what he's doing and they both blush. MC then quickly drinks the coffee trying to avoid the situation and burns her tongue. But where he touched her lip gives her more warmth than the coffee. Nav then asks if she's okay.*

The screen of her tablet cuts her off and she looks and sees a dozen miss calls from Pascal.

### Episode 5

The next day they meet up with Pascal at his casino who is not happy as he feels ignored they never answered his messages yesterday. MC replies they've been spending the day working and reveals they found Tarak's underground games and got an invite to the next one and Pascal becomes thrilled by their progress. He teaches them a bit about Union Stud, a card game they may need in Tarak's games. [CG] He leaves to attend business elsewhere and Nav asks MC if she wants to play something and have fun which MC replies the house always wins so there's no point. Nav says she's right and it's pointless but if it gets someone through the day, he won't begrudge anyone using whatever outlet they need to distract themselves. MC thinks about this interesting perspective and wonders if that's why Nav lives the way he does. Nav suddenly gets a ping on his visor which MC asks about and Nav deflects. MC asks if that's the same one from the hotel room yesterday. Nav tries to flirt his way out of the situation again but MC reaches for his visor. Nav stops her and grabs her arm and he finally says it's for another job he's been putting off for this job with Tarak. MC asks if there's a particular reason he stayed on Omia when he had another job but Nav says it's only because Tarak is paying better. He then suggests individual recon and meet up at the hotel room later.

Later that night they practice their card games skills which Nav isn't taking seriously which MC calls him out on after he tries to glance at her cards. Nav says he'd play seriously if there were stakes involved and then suggests playing strip poker.

***Heart scene (28 Hearts) - Play strip poker with Nav***

*MC agrees as she says this will be an easy win for her as she was the only one focusing on actually learning the game which Nav replies he's a great hustler. MC deals the cards as she doesn't trust Nav to not cheat. Nav loses the first round and unzips his shirt. MC says this is actually a good idea as once he's out of clothes he won't have sleeves to hold cards in which Nav responds that's an amateur move and his methods of cheating require more skill. Nav loses again and takes his whole shirt off and MC starts playing recklessly and loses her shoes and belt. Soon she takes off her pants and she can feel Nav's eyes on her. When she gets them off and turns back around, Nav suddenly whips his head blushing staring fixedly out the window. Soon they're both down to their underwear. As MC is about to deal the next cards, Nav folds saying he was bluffing hard this round. He takes off his briefs throwing them over his shoulder and he's so close MC can feel with heat radiating off him. She looks up at his face in time to catch him wrenching his eyes away from her legs. The heat suddenly makes sense and she notes he wants her. She dives for the cards he folded and he tries to stop her but it's too late. She finds he had a full house and folded on purpose because seeing her strip would drive him out of his mind and forget about the rules of their agreement. Nav starts putting on his clothes and MC tells him to stop. Nav asks why and she goes quiet thinking about Nav pressing her to the window and kissing her. Nav can tell by her expression what she's thinking and starts stretching seductively asking if she's rethinking her rules.*

MC asks Nav, while running her hand up and down his zipper, what he would do to her if he stopped resisting and threw her professionalism and rules out the window.

### Episode 6

MC asks Nav what he would do to her if he had her. Nav blushes speechless. Once he gets his composure back he takes her hand and kisses her wrist which makes MC blush. He looks away with hooded eyes and replies that she doesn't want to hear what he'd do to her. What they'd do together. As she wouldn't be able to bear it. MC blushes harder and walks past Nav to grab some water with ice. Nav brushes past her to grab some ice as well and brings it to his chest which melts and drips instantly. Nav says he needs the ice as he runs hot, but asks what MC's excuse is. Without breaking eye contact he lifts an ice cube to his mouth sliding it along his lips. MC almost chokes on her crunched ice and looks away. MC then asks why he's like this, to which Nav responds he likes watching her squirm. He then says they're behaving unprofessionally again and MC agrees saying they should be better at this and questions why they aren't. Nav says this is new territory for him as he's used to one night stands and MC says it's the same for her. They stare at each other for a while before MC says she had a committed relationship once and it ended in flames. She admits she liked being in a relationship more than having flings, but flings are easier in her type of work which Nav agrees. MC is wondering why she's even telling Nav this information and looks up to see him smirking but it's a mask. He says he gets bored easily and his lifestyle suits him as well as his reputation. He then says they should rest up for tomorrow.

Next night at the games MC is worried as they didn't actually get any practice done last night. Tarak approaches her and introduces himself. He asks if she's here with Nav and says he gets along great with his regulars. They continue having small talk and MC notices he doesn't seem as terrible as Pascal made it sound and Tarak likes her calm and quiet personality. He then invites them both to his next game though he says it's more exclusive which they agree.

Later they both meet up in their hotel lobby to debrief and then slip into laughter and gossip. MC notes everyone at the game were famous lowlifes and he fit in well and asks if that's what he means by playing the person everyone expects him to be. He responds they love cheap chills and that's fine but he's different as he recognizes that for what they are. Cheap fun and temporary distractions from reality and something bright to get you through the day. But says that's why MC's rule is great because temporary is better than being permanent which turns into reality to face. MC wonders why his words sting her so badly and wonder if she's falling in love with him.

[No heart scene available]

### Episode 7

Next day MC talks to Keda outside Ivory Hotel to get credits to afford the buy-in to Tarak's next game while Nav hones his poker skills inside. MC keeps getting distracted and bothered by Nav's words yesterday and confesses to Keda that she may have feelings for Nav. A part of her wants it to go away, but the other part likes that she can still feel like this after her last partner. MC notices Nav & Pascal arguing and goes to them. He blames them for having slow progress and says they need to hurry up and grab Tarak. He gifts them earpieces to cheat. MC is hesitant as that means she has to play too but Nav teaches her card strategies. MC is still not confident in her card skills and asks how Nav is so good. He says they had many card games like this on Elkiri which MC notes is a dangerous planet and asks if that's where he grows up. Nav becomes quiet and then says she's trying to distract him. He then opts to distract her as his methods of distraction are more fun. But they are too exposed.

***Heart scene (27 Hearts) - Let Nav distract you with sexy fun!***

*Nav touches the back of her neck and thigh with his hands and says 50 to 100 people may be watching them right now. MC realizes he's increased the flirting to distract from the personal question, but she doesn't care. She says everyone is too busy with their own game. Nav says they soon will be watching since they'll be playing the most interesting game in the casino as his fingers trail up her thigh. MC wants more and hooks her leg around one of his which he responds she's eager. She then asks if he's shy now which he responds with "never." She then places his hand to her inner thigh and he blushes. His eyes burn into hers and he asks what she wants. She says he knows, but Nav says he wants to hear her say it. She then says she wants him to deliver the distraction he promised and he kisses her. She gasps into his mouth as his fingers massage her thighs. Her nails dig into his skin and his fingers move into her hair. Somewhere a bell chimes signaling someone had just won big, but the world is just MC and Nav. Soon a passing cocktail server coughs causing them to pull apart.*

MC and Nav go back to playing and MC get a bad card and loses again. Nav says if you want to last long you need to have a defensive approach and she's being too optimistic. MC asks, isn't that the point of gambling taking the risk and expecting the best? She thinks about their relationship again. Nav says having hope and actually betting on a good outcome are different things. MC then says that's sad and you might be cutting your losses by expecting the worse, but you're also shutting out any possibility to gain something worthwhile. Nav then stops and asks if they're still talking about poker. He asks if this is about their conversation last night then she might as well confess her love for him right now.

### Episode 8

MC starts sputtering and Nav says they both knew this day would come and starts spouting dramatic narration. MC pushes him away while he laughs. MC puts Nav in a headlock saying he was joking but didn't expect to stun her so much. He says he didn't expect her to question his outlook or call it sad. They go back to playing poker and later that night practice signaling each other using the earpieces. They both tell each other what they notice about each other's tells and MC blushes realizing just how much they have been watching each other.

Next day they go to Tarak's game where he greets them happily and says if they play well, he's throwing an after-party for his most successful players. Before the game starts he taps his cybernetic eye announcing he won't allow any cheating tonight and any tech will be automatically disabled. MC & Nav play without the earpieces but communicate with each other by knowing each other's tells. MC & Nav are winning and Tarak pulls them aside to enter his private party. Once inside they corner Tarak but he begs not to kill him for Pascal Slayton as his death will be on their conscience. [CG]

[No heart scene available]

### Episode 9

Tarak reveals Pascal didn't tell the whole story and it was Pascal defrauding Ivory Sky's customer base. The slots and poker games are rigged as well as the entire financial structure of the casino being a scam. Pascal embezzled millions of credits. When Tarak found out he told him to come clean but they had a disagreement that escalated and pushed Tarak into hiding and creating his own underground games. He reveals Pascal wants him dead because Tarak has proof of his corruption. Nav asks why he didn't just expose him but Tarak replies he didn't out of respect for an old friendship. But as it seems Pascal wants to kill him now, he now has no qualms in revealing his corruption. MC asks for Tarak to show them the proof which he does and they believe him. Tarak reveals he was actually going to ask them for help for taking Pascal down as he heard of their success against Boone Tronstad. That's why he kept inviting them to games, though he had no idea Pascal hired them already. Nav asks why he needs their help but MC realizes he needs specific proof to put Pascal behind bars as Tarak's current proof has them both at fault as they both profited which would result in them blaming each other causing either one of them to go to jail or both of them, instead of it just being Pascal. Tarak praises MC on this observation. Nav & MC says they will think about it and Tarak respects this and says they can meet up with an answer later.

Nav says he doesn't want to help either man and would rather them fight each other and head for his next job that keeps pinging him. MC asks if he even stayed for the credits or for her. Nav deflects and he asks why she feels so strongly about this.

***Heart scene (28 Hearts) - Tell Nav how you feel***

*MC confesses that she likes Nav. Not just kissing him, or looking at him, or flirting with him. Just him. MC then gets flustered and says it's stupid and starts rambling and Nav responds that he knows. He says it's not stupid at all. MC then realizes because it's the same for him. MC says she's been working alone for so long but working with him has been nice. Nav squeezes her shoulders and says it was nice having her too as he always worked alone as well. MC says since they've both worked alone before, they can do it again and her voice wobbles. Nav pulls her into a hug and whispers into her hair that he's sorry he's bad with words when they matter. MC says it's okay and that she understands. He kisses her forehead and says she deserves someone who can take the gamble and goes all in. MC asks if that's someone who's not him? Nav sadly nods and drops his hands from her shoulders.*

Nav says he's sorry but they both knew he wasn't the guy for the job, but he knows she's gonna kill it on her own. They shake hands as they say goodbye.

MC heads off to take down Pascal on her own using a map point Tarak sent her to a dark location. Tarak texts her saying the meetup place has been compromised and to stand by for more info. Pascal then comes out and wraps his tentacles around her saying he's disappointed in her for betraying him and working with Tarak.

### Episode 10

Pascal uses his venomous tentacles on MC. He says he was suspicious by their slow progress and used their earpieces he gave them to track her. Pascal then asks where Tarak and his underground games are causing MC to realize he doesn't know where because of Tarak's tech-disabling bionic eye. MC tries to escape but her limbs are being affected by the poison. Nav then barges in and starts beating Pascal. Pascal guards then come in and Nav & MC make a run for it back to their hotel room. Nav cleans MC wounds. MC asks if he came back for her and he blushes saying possibly. He says he bought some time on his other job so he won't run off again and says they're a team. MC knows he came back because he likes her. Nav goes to patch up a wound that requires MC to remove her shirt.

***Heart scene (28 Hearts) - Accepts Nav's tender touch***

*MC removes her top and thinks about how Nav has seen her topless before, yet this seems more vulnerable. She looks up to see Nav angry as he sees a deep spot the venom got and says he's going to murder Slayton the next time he sees him. MC says she should get dibs and they joke around until MC asks how he knows so much about first aid and asks if he wanted to be a doctor like his mom. Nav replies that he actually got into a lot of fistfights as a kid. MC laughs and winces at her injury. Nav then says the venom got in deep and he'll have to suck it out with his mouth and asks for permission. After he finishes they blush and he kisses her shoulder. MC then looks into his eyes and says thanks for taking care of her. Nav replies anytime and she knows he means it.*

They go back to Tarak to plan the takedown of Pascal. He apologizes for not realizing the meetup place was compromised sooner but has a plan. He needs Pascal's ledger, a book of dirty deeds as the final nail in the coffin to get him locked away. He doesn't know where it's located but thinks it's in the casino. He offers to tag alongside them as well as he says he's done hiding. Nav smiles at Tarak agreeing and then smiles at MC saying it's about time to face what they've been hiding from.

### Episode 11

Nav & MC enter the backrooms of the casino looking for Pascal's ledger. Nav asks if PI work is always a trail of patience as they've been searching for an hour. MC responds there are benefits of sitting still and Nav responds by answering her question last season about how he became a bounty hunter. He says after some circumstances where he had to fend for himself, bounty hunting seemed like the only natural path for him. MC asks why he's telling her and he says she should get answers as his teammate. MC then tells the story of her ex. She got into PI work through him and became his partner, but on their first job together he sold her out. As she had no degree as she dropped out for him, and since she liked PI work, she decided to stick it out and become a PI anyway. Nav says he's glad she found her calling and they go back to looking for the ledger. They get closer to the heart of Pascal's private offices and there's a lot of security. Nav shoots a panel in the corner of the ceiling and plunges the casino into darkness while setting off every alarm in the security system. In the chaos. they find the ledger and transfer the data to a flash drive Tarak gave them. They make an escape with security running after them but get lost in the dark. Pascal then sticks them both from behind with his tentacles paralyzing them while he grabs the drive. Once they get their limbs working again, they call Tarak warning him of Pascal fleeing with the drive. When they catch up to Pascal, Tarak corners him with a gun to his head. Nav then cuffs him. Pascal tells him he'd never thought someone like him would turn down a bounty to work with Tarak. Nav replies that he's right and usually he'd be perfect for the job, but he made a mistake when he involved MC. Pascal tries one final plea to Tarak to not upload the file to no avail. While Tarak uses his eye to upload the files, Pascal suddenly uses his tentacles to choke him.

[No heart scene available]

### Episode 12

MC shots Pascal in the leg which makes him loosen his grip on Tarak's throat. MC then grabs the tentacle and stomps on it saying that was for grabbing her with it earlier. Tarak finishes uploading the drive and they leave Pascal to be swarmed by incoming angry customers. They go back to Tarak's underground to celebrate and he thanks them for helping him while agreeing to wire them payments for doing so after Nav asked for some. Tarak says he will stick to his underground games instead of returning to Ivory. Nav & MC are left alone and they congratulate each other on a job well done. They decide they won't use sex to celebrate this time as they're past using sex to run away from feelings. So now they choose to talk about feelings instead. MC asks Nav if she knows why she slept with him after taking down Boone and takes out her napkin note from his pocket. He asks how she knew he had it and she tells him. She says it meant something to her that he kept it. Nav smiles saying that she's glad she found the napkin, otherwise he wouldn't have told her. He then invites MC on his next job which MC knows is work speak for him liking her and wants to keep her around. MC asks what's the next job is which Nav responds to trust him. MC says to convince her and he brings her back to their hotel and makes her whiskey. She asks about the job again and he says they should do something else. They're about to take their clothes off when they both stop and decide again that they want the next time they have sex to mean something, something more than their usual flings. Nav hugs her and tells her he didn't think he was capable of feeling this way but the MC brought it out in him. [CG] They lay down together and Nav says this is all new to him. He never waltzed or slow danced before. MC teases him which Nav replies to show him.

***Heart scene (27 Hearts) - Slow dance with Nav***

*MC says that she's rusty but agrees. MC tells him to step back while she steps forward and Nav complains that he should lead since he's taller but MC replies that he's the pupil and she's the teacher. They stumble together and bicker about who's leading while low sweet music floats through the speaker, but MC likes the sound of Nav's laughter more. Nav says dancing is similar to sparring and sex, which MC replies the difference is they are great at those things but horrible with this. Nav says he already mastered this dance and twirls her as proof but they instantly trip into each other and MC laughs. Nav then agrees they are bad at this but are great at other things like breaking into private property and violence. Nav kisses her and butterflies fill MC's stomach but she doesn't push them away this time.*

They go to sleep in each other's arms. Sleeping together without sleeping together. Next morning Nav is taking a shower and his visor pings. MC looks at it and sees he's got a text. "You've put this job off long enough Hexan. Time to play...or else."

[written by reddit user shinixxx]

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