The Seven-Star Fish trio found Asta in the Master Control Zone.
When they arrived, Arlan and Black Cleave were there too.
Black Cleave floated quietly, but seemed somewhat listless, perhaps because a Stellaron had no interest in human topics.
"You can't keep wasting money like this..." Arlan told Asta earnestly.
Asta retorted, sounding both justified and aggrieved, "How is this wasting money? The Corporation's budget is so restrictive, and the process takes so long. How much time would I waste waiting for my application to be approved!?
"Do you know how much hardware the Legion's attack destroyed, or how many of the station's disabled pipelines still haven't been replaced?
"So now it's my fault for paying out of my own pocket to solve everyone's problems? Give me back my access key right now!"
An honest soul like Arlan clearly couldn't outargue Asta, and he was already losing ground in sheer force of presence.
Still, he turned his head aside and said, "No!"
Honest people might not be eloquent, but they made up for it with firm resolve.
Even Asta had no answer for him for the moment and could only say irritably,
"You! Who gave you the right to manage what I spend on food, clothes, and everything else?"
The honest Arlan raised his head, looked at Asta, and said earnestly, "You did."
Asta: "..."
"I... uh, I suppose I did, but-but this doesn't count as wasting money."
"How does it not?" Arlan said earnestly. "That object finder called Findie you bought before went missing in transit during the Legion's invasion. All you had to do was check the inventory and have a replacement sent, but you insisted on rushing to place another order."
Asta's expression turned sorrowful...
Arlan continued, "And then there was that Star Destroyer last time..."
Asta's