After a silence long enough that I start to wonder if I’ll have to break it down, the door swings open a couple of inches. A sliver of a man’s face and the barrel of a blaster poke through. Behind me, I hear several clicks as my team draws their own weapons, but I hold up a hand to halt them. I carefully lower the hand to my heart, tap it with two fingers, and then pull up my sleeve to show the man the brand on my wrist. The cold air bites at my flesh, and I cover it again once I’m certain he’s seen.

“I’m Sergeant Corvus Kaiser, under General Kel Altair,” I say, shouting to be heard above the howling wind, though it sends fresh stabs of pain through my chest. “We need shelter through the storm.”

The wind is louder than ever as I wait for his reply. The man squints at me, his expression hard to read. These are our people, and our people have a legal obligation to provide shelter and supplies when necessary—but that doesn’t mean everyone is eager to do so. We may have to force our way in. But finally, the man nods and swings the door open. I’m grateful to step into the warmth.

Warmth is relative on Titan, of course, and the house is still cold enough for my breath to be visible, but at least we’re out of the biting winds. I stomp my boots on the welcome mat to shake off the snow before continuing in, with a glance over my shoulder to ensure my team is performing the same courtesy. Magda, one booted foot already extended over the mat, rolls her eyes at my look and steps back to scrape off the ice.

“Thank you for the hospitality.” I let my goggles fall around my neck and slip off my mask. The house is small, made almost comically so once my team steps inside and shuts the door behind them. Beyond the living room, I catch a glimpse of a tiny kitchen and another doorway that might lead to a bedroom. It’s a modest living space, clearly not meant to accommodate such numbers. But if this man doesn’t want to allow us past the threshold of the living room, I won’t push him.

“Of course.” The home’s owner stands on the edge of the room, his blaster now in the back of his pants, his head lowered and two fingers respectfully pressed to his heart until each of us returns the gesture. “Happy to provide. My name is Kaalid Hort.”