ã€ŠA Magical Journey Through Outer Spaceã€‹


 Chapter One

    A man crouched over a book and scattered pages of notes in his parents¡¯ shed, excitedly comparing the script within to his notes and improving his understanding of them with every passing moment. This was a task years in the making, having required him to translate an unknown but vaguely Latin-descended language into something he could comprehend with no outside assistance.

    After all, neither his family nor the church would have appreciated his interest in magic here in the deep southern United States.

    The book was an heirloom that had gone unnoticed in a corner of the attic for generations, sealed within a safe none remembered the combination to. It was more effort to move or open the safe than to leave it where it was, and the contents- which his family would surely have committed to the flames had they known of them- were long forgotten. The lock was composed of six separate dials with literally a million possible combinations, and the only ways to open it were to either try every combination until one worked or force the safe open, risking damage to whatever was behind it.

    It had taken over a decade of sneaking into the attic during the brief windows when his over-strict parents were out of the house and trying one combination after another before he¡¯d gotten in. The winning number was 958104. He¡¯d started at 000000. Even once he had gotten into the safe, he¡¯d had little idea what he was supposed to do with a book full of arcane circles and indecipherable scribbles, so he¡¯d just taken a photo of a page and used some of his spare time here and there to try to figure out what it said.

    Eventually he¡¯d found a hit, or something close enough to one to pass muster. The language on the page was somewhat similar to the early Spanish languages, but with heavy Basque and Mozaribic influences. He¡¯d come to suspect it wasn¡¯t a language at all so much as a pidgin or early form of cipher developed using all the languages of the Iberian peninsula during the early Reconquista.

    But, well, he was hardly an expert. He had two semesters of Spanish in college under his belt and the rest was painstaking word-by-word manual translation which had to be conducted with the use of multiple language dictionaries and online resources for the dead languages. That¡¯s why it had taken so long. But now, he was pretty sure he knew what all the spells in the book did, to some degree, along with a complete understanding of one spell in particular he wanted, no, needed, to cast.

    Except magic wasn¡¯t real. That was the conventional knowledge. Evangelical Christianity was convinced it was, and that it was the domain of demons, of course, but they were crackpots. Yes, including his family. And yet, that wasn¡¯t going to stop him from trying. With shaking hands, he filled in the blank spaces in the circle with the appropriate values. From what he understood, these spaces were meant to be filled with variables that defined the exact parameters of the spell, without which it wouldn¡¯t function properly.

    That meant that casting this spell might very well be an exotic form of suicide if it was filled out wrong, but he was long past the point of caring. A less unusual method might be the alternative anyway. His suspicion of what this spell did, which eventually crystallized into certainty, had been what kept him alive for years now.

    Now the moment was here. He read the spell carefully, locking the meaning into his mind, while trying to channel whatever it was that powered a spell into it. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was filling the circle, the page, or the image of the spell in his mind with power, but he didn¡¯t have a better guess as to how it worked, so he just tried all three until the circle suddenly began to glow.

    Just as he felt something begin to change within him, he blacked out.

    <hr>

    A woman awoke on a cold metal floor, in a freezing cold room, to the feeling of ill-fitting clothes clinging to her body in all the wrong ways. A blinking blue light provided the only illumination, and a dull vibration was running through the floor.

    ¡°Did it¡­it worked!¡± she exclaimed, hearing her own voice for the first time and knowing immediately that it had changed. She patted her body as she checked to make sure everything was in the right place, and found that although her clothes no longer fit, her body itself was exactly as it was meant to be. Now she could escape her family and they would never find her¡­and she wouldn¡¯t need a fortune for medical bills.

    Finally she really registered her surroundings, and began to question where she was. She stood carefully, finding her center of balance to be vastly different than before, and looked around. A shiver ran through her body and she rubbed her arms. The light was dim and intermittent, but she could see well enough to figure out she was in a room made of metal, with unfamiliar structures throughout. Circles similar to those in her book- which she noticed on the ground, still open to the same page- decorated a few surfaces in the room, but she didn¡¯t recognize the script at all.

    More importantly, something felt vaguely off. After taking a step, she realized what it was- she felt lighter than normal. She hopped, and noticed that it took a moment longer than it should have to hit the ground again, like she was in low gravity.

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    Picking up her book, she looked for an exit, and found a door partly open directly opposite of the structures she couldn¡¯t identify. Fear of the unknown ran through her, but she stepped towards the door as quietly as possible, rolling her feet as she¡¯d learned to in marching band to make her footsteps near-silent.

    It took all the strength in her body to open the door enough to allow her through, pushing the sliding door into its recess and cringing at the screeching sound it made the moment it came loose. All she could do was hope nothing heard that as she stepped through into a cold metal hallway with closed doors lining both sides. A blue light on the opposite end was blinking on and off, revealing a single open door beneath it.

    The time it took to reach the other side of the hallway silently felt like an eternity, but she finally stepped through, and immediately knew that her efforts at stealth had been wasted when she laid eyes on the new room.

    It was like something from a sci-fi movie. A window looked out into a starry sky, the Milky Way plainly visible in the distance. There were six seats around the room, three of which sat in front of consoles with dark screens and numerous switches. The seat closest to the door was on a dais, and she immediately pegged it as the captain¡¯s chair; the remaining two were crash seats at to the sides of the door.

    Oh, and there was a dead alien in the seat closest to the window.

    Whatever it was, it was dressed in an environment suit, but the figure was absolutely still and slumped against the back rest of its seat. She was able to tell it wasn¡¯t human at a glance even so due to the extra section protruding from the torso near the legs, which she took for an insectoid abdomen or something similar. The sight of the body unnerved her somewhat, but she stepped closer to the window all the same, trying to figure out where she was. What greeted her was the nothingness of outer space. It was clear by now that she was on a space ship, and there wasn¡¯t even an asteroid in her field of view, much less a planet.

    Or¡­perhaps not? A star blinked out in the distance, and then another. She realized there was something out there, blotting out a patch of stars. The shape made her think it was another ship; it was long and uneven in a way a chunk of rock wouldn¡¯t be. But it was seemingly dead, drifting and emitting no light at all.

    After a few moments it moved out of view- or rather, the ship she was on rotated until she could no longer see the other ship. Taken together with the low gravity, she was able to ascertain that she wasn¡¯t so much being drawn towards the floor as she was on the front half of a spinning ship, with the floor constantly moving towards her. If she were on the rear half, perhaps it would be the ceiling doing so instead.

    ¡°An bhfuil aon duine amuigh ansin? T¨¢ ionsa¨ª d¨¦anta ar mo long agus is mise an t-aon duine at¨¢ f¨¢gtha. T¨¦ann taca¨ªocht saoil as. Freagair le do thoil. T¨¢ an teachtaireacht ar¨ªs agus ar¨ªs eile.¡±

    She nearly jumped out of her skin as a speaker to her left suddenly came to life, playing a message that sounded, of all things, Irish. Walking over to the station, she tried to figure out how to respond- assuming it wasn¡¯t the last words of someone long dead. What few indications there were of what any given button did were incomprehensible, so she did the only thing she could think of: she flipped switches one at a time, saying a few words into the air each time in the hopes that one would get through.

    ¡°Hello? Can you hear me?¡± she said a good dozen times before she got a reply.

    ¡°Cloisim th¨²! Le do thoil, an f¨¦idir leat cabhr¨² liom?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re saying. Do you know English? Hablas espa?ol?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a translator charm? No, that¡¯s not important,¡± the feminine voice responded in a heavy Celtic accent. ¡°Where are you? I¡¯m not seeing any ships nearby.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just woke up here a few minutes ago. I think I¡¯m on a ship, but that¡¯s all I know. Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Aoibhe In¨ªon U¨ª Cuill, last survivor of the freighter Kiznessa. And you?¡±

    A moment passed as the nameless woman¡¯s brain rebooted. Name. A name. How could she have possibly forgotten to pick a name? She¡¯d been so focused on casting the spell- which she hadn¡¯t even believed would work in the first place- that she hadn¡¯t even considered what she¡¯d call herself if she succeeded.

    ¡°Nancy. No, Jessica. Uh, shit, I don¡¯t know, you¡¯re kinda of putting me on the spot here. Ah! Miliam. I like Miliam. I don¡¯t really know what ship this is, I was trying to cast a spell and the next thing I knew, I was here.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Miliam,¡± Aoibhe replied with a hint of amusement, mixed with confusion. ¡°Can you describe the consoles around you? Digital, analog, dials, buttons, switches, that sort of thing.¡±

    ¡°Switches. Lot of them. A small screen, but it¡¯s off. The seat has a weird depression in the center, like there¡¯s an extra body part meant to fit into it.¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a carillion ship! Okay, that¡¯s good, those always have a teleporter beacon that toggles from the bridge. Let¡¯s see¡­find the captain¡¯s seat, and look for a switch with a bunch of overlapping hexagons on it. Flip it and I should be able to come over and help get the ship online.¡±

    While Miliam wasn¡¯t sure it was the best idea to just do whatever this person said, she didn¡¯t see that she had much of a choice in the matter. It¡¯s not like she knew how to run a spaceship. It took only seconds to find the switch in question and flip it.

    ¡°Did it work?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Your ship might be running on emergency power; that could be why no one detected it. I think you¡¯re going to have to bring the mana furnace online.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a mana furnace?¡± After asking the question, several moments passed in silence, and she could almost feel the frown on the other end of the comm.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how I¡¯m going to explain how to turn it on if you don¡¯t even know what it is, but¡­a mana furnace provides power to the magical components of the ship. As long as the ship has electrical power available it will run, but¡­you¡¯ll have to find the spell circle that activates the furnace. Since it¡¯s a carillion ship it¡¯s almost certainly analog, so it should be inscribed directly on the furnace itself. It would be best if we could get the reactor running first, but I think emergency power should suffice if we just need the beacon.¡±

    That was a whole lot of words from multiple different genres, but only one question was really relevant right now.

    ¡°How do I know which one activates the furnace?¡±

 Chapter Two

    It took a few minutes for Aoibhe to explain what a mana furnace looked like and where to find it, during which the other woman seemed to grow increasingly frantic as her own ship broke down. Fortunately, Miliam quickly realized that she at least knew which room to look in. She¡¯d woken up in it, after all.

    Armed with her smartphone flashlight, something she had entirely forgotten she¡¯d had on her person earlier, Miliam returned to the room at the other end of the hall, slightly less spooked now that her vision wasn¡¯t dependent on flashing emergency lights. It made the ship feel less eerie, and gave her a better look at the inside of the vessel.

    It seemed like ship¡¯s designers had a similar aesthetic sense to humans- the ship may even have been of human design, but fitted for carillion physiology. It was on the utilitarian end of the spectrum, made of gray steel and with visible access points to internal components along the walls. What Miliam assumed to be warning signs and instructions were painted directly onto the bare metal, though she was unable to read them.

    The doors lining the hallway remained closed, but she could now see panels that likely controlled access to them illuminated by her phone. Miliam¡¯s curiosity told her to try the panels and find out what was behind the doors, but she restrained herself due to the mission at hand. She passed by them instead, taking care with her steps not to send herself launching into the ceiling with a too-forceful movement. Trying to focus on anything but the cold, she noticed that she had to move ever more carefully the closer she got to the middle of the ship.

    Entering the room she woke up in, she got her first good look at a magitech reactor room. Aoibhe¡¯s explanation gave her something of an idea what she was looking at, but only the broad strokes. The room was long. Half of the topmost deck of the ship was given over to it in order to contain the banks of capacitors needed to power the ship¡¯s FTL abilities, apparently, and most of what she saw along the sides of the room must have been those capacitors.

    Miliam had no idea what an electrical capacitor would look like on this scale, having only really seen the small ones used in electronics, but she assumed they didn¡¯t involve the use of crystals. Aoibhe had offhandedly mentioned she could ignore the capacitor crystals along the walls and explained absolutely nothing else about them due to lack of relevance, but they were rather attention grabbing. Each crystal was the size of her torso and encased in a cylinder halfway inside the wall, with a clear hatch making up the half that faced into the chamber, allowing a view of the crystals within.

    Some were intact; only fragments remained of the rest. The ones that were intact were perfectly clear, like pure diamond, shaped like a gem with a round cut on both ends and a long and straight section between, ending both at the top and bottom with a point that was secured by a metal cage. Due to the length of the crystals, the tips looked a bit stubby, but that was an illusion: the pavilion of the crystals was easily the size of Miliam¡¯s head.

    Along the center of the room was a reactor of unknown make; the details would have been beyond Miliam¡¯s understanding whether she was told about it or not. What she did know was that there should be a conventional reactor that ran the ship¡¯s electrical components, and which fed into a mana furnace that converted some of that power into mana for the magical components.

    That second section was what she was looking for. Magic circles were, as she had discovered, inscribed for a reason: so that they could be activated merely by injecting mana, rather than requiring a skilled caster. This was different from the spells in her grimoire; all values were preset, so anyone capable of channeling mana could activate it.

    Miliam immediately dismissed the first structure she saw as being the conventional reactor because she could see computer interfaces hooked up to it. She looked past it and found another device of similar size extending to the back of the ship. It would be tricky to reach; the moment she moved past the reactor ¡°gravity¡± would essentially flip, and she would have to activate the furnace while walking on the ceiling.

    She walked past the reactor carefully, looking for the moment when she was in the exact center of the ship. At that point what she thought of as gravity disappeared entirely, leaving her floating weightlessly. With one hand one the reactor structure, she flipped herself over slowly, reorienting herself towards the ceiling before pushing off towards the reach of the ship, where what was now the ground came up to meet her.

    Upside down now, Miliam had to take a few moments to let herself adjust to the sensory screw. Fortunately the furnace was large, nearly reaching the ceiling she now stood on, so she had little difficulty inspecting it for the magic circle that converted electricity to mana and fed it into the ship¡¯s mana circuits. She had no idea how it worked, but apparently that single circle was connected to dozens of others inside the device that would be chain-activated when she initialized the primary. It could only function for so long an emergency power, but Aoibhe only needed a few moments to jump ships, and then she would hopefully be able to bring primary power online.

    It didn¡¯t take long to find the circle she needed. It was enormous, taking up the entire side of the mana furnace opposite the door. Miliam placed a hand upon it and tried to remember what it had felt like to activate the gender-swapping spell, channeling that mysterious something which was evidently mana into the circle.

    Activating this circle felt very different from her first experience casting a spell. There was a noticeable drain as mana moved from her body and into the device. Her first spell had taken only a few moments to activate, but this one dragged on to the point that Miliam wondered if she was even doing it correctly. Her body began to tingle, then burn, starting in her extremities and moving into her core.

    As the furnace spun up, the circle began to glow grow the center out, tracing the spell inscribed into it around and around towards the outer edge. When the burning feeling in her body was only just beginning to feel painful, the outer ring finally lit up and the draining ceased as the furnace stopped drawing energy from her body and began to generate its own from the emergency power supply.

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    Miliam fell backwards against the bulkhead, breathing heavily. She realized she was sweating heavily, a thoroughly unpleasant feeling with how cold the room felt. Unfortunately she still had one more task to complete before Aoibhe could take over, and that was getting the beacon working. It too would require a living being to start it up from its unpowered state before the switch on the bridge would be able to operate it.

    After a few long moments of catching her breath, Miliam staggered to her feet, praying to nothing in particular that this device would not be as difficult to activate. Getting back to the front half of the ship was far more difficult in her current state of exhaustion than reaching the back had been. She made the flip successfully, but pushed off too hard and missed the landing, colliding with the floor painfully, butt-first.

    ¡°No one told me that would take so much out of me¡­¡± she groaned as she regained her footing. Every moment she took was one second closer to Aoibhe dying- and, as a result, herself freezing to death on this derelict ship she hardly knew how to operate. Miliam knew she couldn¡¯t stop here.

    With halting steps, she found her way back into the hall and slapped the controls for the first door. A bunkroom. There was another one opposite it. The next seemed to be an infirmary, with a small galley as its mirror. The fifth door failed to open, and the controls flashed blue to indicate a malfunction, or so she assumed. Given that the room opposed to it was a torpedo bay, it probably wasn¡¯t what she was looking for anyway.

    The seventh door, though, opened into a stairwell. Aoibhe had told her the beacon was likely on a separate floor for security reasons, and probably close to the cargo bay for convenience. Possibly even within it. The stairs were narrow and steep, but the low gravity eased the descent, and soon enough she was on the lower floor.

    As there didn¡¯t appear to be a room beneath the bridge, Miliam turned aft, continuing her impromptu tour of the vessel. If nothing else, her curiosity was going to be well and truly sated by the time she found her destination. She skipped the first few doors, opting to go right for the large hatch at the rear that was almost certainly the cargo bay first.

    When Miliam palmed the door controls, there was an ominous whirring sound for several moments before the left panel shuddered a few inches towards the wall. The right panel remained locked in place as the left side continued to open in short, noisy bursts, finally giving out just short of opening all the day. The extra-large door had nonetheless opened more than enough to allow her through, and she sidled in, sticking near the door to avoid crossing the halfway mark and floating away.

    Miliam panned her phone across the cavernous room, revealing numerous empty containers strewn about haphazardly. Another alien body peeked out from beneath one of the bigger boxes, surrounded by bits and bobs she didn¡¯t know the purpose of. They were, notably, on the ceiling rather than the floor. On the opposite end of the bay was an angled door flanked by hydraulics that had to be the landing bay door, and to the left was some kind of loading equipment she assumed was intended to float, judging by the gripping arms and lack of wheels.

    None of that was important. What Miliam needed was mere feet from the landing bay door, however- a spell circle ringed with bright blue paint that she had long ago decided was these aliens¡¯ equivalent to red or yellow for caution.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s on the upside-down part of the ship. Why wouldn¡¯t it be? Stupid aliens and their stupid spinning wrecked ship!¡± Miliam bit out as she picked her way there, stepping around debris. Fortunately the trip here had given her time to recover somewhat, allowing her to pull off the flip and landing with aplomb, but now she found herself on the ceiling, looking up at a spell circle on the floor she could only activate by touch.

    ¡°At least they were courteous enough to leave me boxes.¡±

    Tentatively, Miliam reached down and tried to move one of the crates scattered around. It was lighter than she expected, yet rigid and unyielding. Placing it beneath the spell circle, she grabbed the next crate, and then the next, creating a staircase high enough that she could just barely reach the circle above if she stood atop it.

    Her work done, Miliam clambered up, careful not to topple her precariously stacked boxes, and reached up towards the floor. Her fingers brushed the circle above and she focused again on the feeling of something flowing out of her body; mercifully, this circle was significantly easier to activate than the last one, and it glowed for a second before going dark once more.

    Miliam didn¡¯t have time to wonder if it was working, because almost immediately, a tall, lanky woman flashed into existence above her before immediately falling towards the ceiling. Both women yelped as they toppled to the ground, accompanied by the cacophony of falling boxes, which created even more noise as they bounced into other debris and sent that flying too. One box was sent towards the front of the ship, going weightless for a brief moment before falling to the floor.

    ¡°Owwwwww,¡± Miliam whined, rubbing the back of her head where it had struck metal. If she¡¯d been in a full gravity environment that might have been a serious injury. Just as she realized she was beneath the other woman, Aoibhe came to her senses, but instead of jumping off, Aoibhe pulled Miliam into a hug, muttering words of gratitude.

    Apparently life couldn¡¯t stop throwing surprised her way; just when she¡¯d begun to process that the woman really was human, a pointed ear jabbed into her cheek.

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Mana Furnaces

    On a personal level, ambient mana is sufficient for nearly any spell. On an industrial or military scale, sometimes a bit more oomph is required. For this purpose, mana furnaces exist. In magical societies, mana furnaces are just another part of the power grid, and reactors without a paired mana furnace are rare. On a conceptual level, mana furnaces work around a simple idea: if mana can be turned into energy and mass, and if mass and energy can be converted between each other, so too must energy and mass be able to be converted to mana.

    A mana furnace can theoretically convert both mass and energy into mana, but in practice, it is significantly more cost-efficient to first convert mass to energy and then energy to mana, just as it is easier to create an effect with magic than it is to create an object. Mana furnaces exist on a sliding scale of technological sophistication, as the only requirement is that the final step feeds energy into the furnace. Primitive combustion engines can feed a mana furnace, and so can advanced anti-matter annihilation reactors.

    On a practical scale, mana furnaces are typically fueled by cold fusion. Anti-matter is expensive due to how difficult it is to contain, and fission is too inefficient in its usage of fissile materials. Cold fusion is difficult to attain with only technology, but can be maintained indefinitely with the use of magic. An initial infusion of mana from a living mage is needed to begin the fusion, at which point energy produced from the fusion of hydrogen atoms is fed into the furnace, which converts energy to mana and uses some of that mana to both power the continued conversion and also to maintain the fusion reaction.

    Mana furnaces have effectively a 100% efficiency rate, but this does not mean all energy produced by a furnace''s paired reactor goes directly to powering magical implements. Some energy is lost between the reactor and furnace, and a sizable portion is used to directly run electrical power grids. What enters the furnace is entirely converted to mana, but some of this mana is then used to perpetuate the fusion reaction and mana conversion. What remains is then available to power magical tools- magic weapons, drives, gravity plating, and more mundane appliances.

 Chapter Three

    Aoibhe finally stood up after a few seconds, and she just kept going up, and up, and up. When Miliam got back on her feet she was forced to look up just to meet the other woman¡¯s eyes; Miliam herself was 5¡¯ 9¡±, but Aoibhe had another foot on her, minimum, maybe one and a half feet.

    The pointed ears clearly spoke to her elfin identity, but she wasn¡¯t simply a pointy-eared human. Her limbs were long, her torso thin, and her face just short of gaunt by human standards. Aoibhe¡¯s hair was a fiery red and her eyes an emerald green- features that made her seem almost like an Irish woman had been stretched out to make an elf.

    ¡°¡­why are we on the ceiling?¡± Aoibhe asked after a moment, looking at the teleportation beacon in confusion.

    ¡°I think the ship is spinning around the middle. The front half is normal,¡± Miliam answer with a headshake to clear away her thoughts. ¡°So, uh, I really don¡¯t want to rush you, but it¡¯s freezing in here. As much as I¡¯d love to trade questions¡­¡±

    ¡°Aye, of course, no sense in freezing ourselves in the cargo bay. Let¡¯s see¡­I thought this was a carillion ship, but it looks like it¡¯s a retrofitted Saturn Drive Yards corvette. I know where to go, no need to show me the way,¡± the elf replied, immediately turning towards the hallway door. She handled the orientation flip with the grace of someone that had been doing it all their life, hardly pausing in her stride.

    Miliam hurried to catch up, spinning herself to meet the floor with all the finesse of a hippo in zero g.

    ¡°How¡¯d you know what type of ship it was?¡± she asked as she finally caught up near the door. Aoibhe gestured towards the wall.

    ¡°It¡¯s written right there.¡±

    It was. In English, no less. ¡®Saturn Drive Yards¡¯, curving around a logo showing the ringed gas giant and its moons. Miliam¡¯s brain needed a few moments to reboot when she saw that. Had she gotten so used to seeing alien script her eyes had simply glossed over it, or was it the exhaustion?

    Wait, that wasn¡¯t the problem. Saturn had a shipyard!?

    ¡°Since when is there a shipyard around Saturn!?¡± she all but shouted, and Aoibhe looked at her curiously from the other side of the door.

    ¡°Where¡¯ve you been? It¡¯s been a good 250 or so galactic years by now, I¡¯d say. I don¡¯t know what that is in Earth years, mind.¡±

    ¡°I have so many questions.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get the ship working, then we can talk.¡±

    Aoibhe shook her head like Miliam was the weird one and strode up the stairs, a task which seemed a bit awkward for her since they were spaced for human sized legs. When they reached the engineering bay, Aoibhe wasted no time going for a terminal by what Miliam had pegged as the reactor, booting it up with a simple button push. It went through a loading screen that wouldn¡¯t have been out of place on a 21<sup>st</sup> century PC before reaching a dedicated UI that Miliam couldn¡¯t read.

    ¡°Logs, logs¡­let¡¯s see, looks like the reactor had an emergency shutdown done on it¡­46 years ago? Strange,¡± Aoibhe read off the screen, giving a curious look Miliam¡¯s way.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, I don¡¯t have any more of an idea how I got here than you do,¡± she said defensively. Aoibhe shrugged.

    ¡°At any rate, it doesn¡¯t look like anything is wrong with the reactor itself. I wonder if there was simply no one left to turn it back on, or if they gave up because so many capacitors were blown anyway.¡±

    ¡°And you know how?¡±

    ¡°Aye, where I come from, we¡¯re cross-trained for exactly this sort of situation. I couldn¡¯t repair it, but I can certainly get it running long enough to reach a port,¡± the elf explained as she worked on the console. It didn¡¯t seem to be a quick process, but after several minutes the reactor began to hum, and then the deck began to vibrate a bit as it came fully online. The blue emergency lights were replaced at last with bright white, causing Miliam to squint as her eyes adjusted.

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    ¡°Now comes the real problem. I can activate the gravity enchantments and inertial sinks, but I wouldn¡¯t know how to grow new capacitor crystals even with the equipment available.¡±

    ¡°I think you said those power the FTL, right? Does that mean we¡¯re stuck here?¡±

    ¡°Nay, it just means we need to find some elsewhere. And I happen to know exactly where to look for them.¡±

    ¡°¡­the ship you came from?¡± Miliam asked after thinking for a moment. Aoibhe nodded gravely.

    ¡°The problem is getting there,¡± she stated as she began on freeing a floor plate Miliam could only see was a hatch of some kind now that the lights were on. Aoibhe explained what she was doing offhandedly before continuing. ¡°Gravity enchantments are on the underside of this to protect from wear and tear. Anyway, the teleporter was a one way trip, there¡¯s no power for the beacon on the Kinzela now. But I know at least some of the capacitors must be intact, or I couldn¡¯t have used the teleporter with the reactor failing.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ve got this ship running, so we can just dock with it, right?¡±

    ¡°Were it so easy. Nay, when we were attacked, the pirates targeted the crew sections. I somehow survived because nothing hit the lavatory, and I was already suited up because I need the strength supports to function in standard gravity. But the docking bay was mangled to hell.¡±

    Miliam suddenly felt herself become heavier, and she deduced that the gravity enchantments were now working about half a second before fragments of crystal and loose tools clattered to the ground on the rear side of the ship. Aoibhe stood while closing the hatch and smacking her hands together to clean them of imaginary filth.

    ¡°Which leaves one option: we match trajectories with the Kinzela and you jump over.¡±

    ¡°Why me?¡± Miliam took a step back, fear and confusion flowing through her. An image of herself floating in space, slowly running out of air came to mind before she realized she didn¡¯t even have a space suit.

    ¡°Well, one of us has to stay here and keep the ship in position. It¡¯d be nearly impossible to match velocity and trajectory perfectly, and even a slight difference in speed or fraction of a degree off could leave the ships drifting apart while we¡¯re aboard the Kinzela. I happen to be a pilot, so unless you know how to fly the ship¡­¡±

    Aoibhe trailed off, causing Miliam to gulp. Her mind raced, looking for other options.

    ¡°What if we tether the ships together? And wait, I don¡¯t even have suit!¡± she squeaked out feebly.

    ¡°Tether them with what cable? As for the suit, I¡¯m sure one of the carillions had one that will fit¡­mostly. Just think of the extra space as a pocket for spare air.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re all full of dead aliens!¡±

    ¡°Eh, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a spare somewhere,¡± Aoibhe said as she dipped into one of the bunk rooms, emerging moments later with a suit under one arm. ¡°See, what¡¯d I tell you?¡±

    Miliam just whimpered a bit as Aoibhe held the suit up to check the fit, nodded, and started putting it on her. She felt a bit pathetic right now, as an adult, but she woke up this morning hoping to cut contact with her toxic family, not jump hundreds of years into the future and experience the vacuum of space without a space ship.

    The suit was somewhere between a diving suit and a 21<sup>st</sup> century space suit, having about the same bulk as someone bundled up for sub-zero weather. That was about the extent of what Miliam could divine; she knew next to nothing about the subject. She did notice a lack of an air tank or anything of the sort, though.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m gonna have an air tank, right? I¡¯m not just holding my breath until I reach the other ship, right?¡± For all her complaints, Miliam still cooperated with Aoibhe¡¯s attempts to put her into the suit, though that was mostly because she¡¯d feel safer with another layer between her and hard vacuum even onboard the ship.

    ¡°Relax, there¡¯s a suite of enchantments on board for that sort of thing. Just keep a flow of mana going and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°I was already burning up after the furnace, and I just activated the beacon on top of that!¡±

    Inwardly, she had to cringe at how whiny she sounded, even to herself, but she felt the objections were warranted, and whatever answers she got might help calm her nerves.

    ¡°With the furnace you had to power an entire array of spells, and the beacon was a single very complicated working. This is a simple suite that maintains pressure, deflects harmful radiation, regulates temperature, and recycles air, all in a small space. It¡¯s designed so even a novice can run it,¡± Aoibhe calmly explained, putting the finishing touches on before preparing a helmet.

    She locked the helmet into place, then lifted Miliam¡¯s left forearm, where a number of small switches and dials were located, attached to a rigid panel. After fiddling with the controls for a few moments, she looked over her work and nodded in satisfaction. Miliam felt like a schoolchild being sent off by her mother thanks to the height difference.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch the controls, I¡¯ve set up the radio so I can contact you from the bridge and give you instructions. Now, head down to the cargo bay. I¡¯ll get you nice and close so all you need to do is jump; if you miss, I can always retrieve you, so don¡¯t worry about getting it perfect. Alright?¡±

    ¡°Yes, mom- ma¡¯am! I meant to say ma¡¯am!¡±

 Chapter Four

    ¡°We¡¯re in position. Make sure you¡¯ve got the enchantments running. Evacuating the atmosphere in the cargo bay in 3¡­2¡­1¡­¡±

    Miliam was surprised to hear they had arrived; she didn¡¯t even know they¡¯d moved yet. She certainly hadn¡¯t felt the ship move. As the air left the room, she made a note to ask Aoibhe how the ship¡¯s propulsion worked later.

    ¡°Looks like the enchantments are working just fine,¡± she commented to fill the silence. Aoibhe had been right when she said these enchantments were lighter than the others- she hardly felt any drain from them at all. That was another subject she would need to ask about. How did that even work? What was that burning sensation when she activated the mana furnace? This strange sci-fantasy experience left her with few points of reference. Nothing worked the way she would expect.

    At long last the air finished cycling out and the cargo bay door opened. Normally, Miliam thought, she would probably be able to hear the massive hydraulic mechanisms operating the heavy door, but all she could hear now was her own breathing. Even in vacuum, though, the deck vibrated beneath her feet as the door moved to reveal the Kinzela in the distance.

    Aoibhe must have been listing the absolute worst case scenario when she mentioned missing the ship, because the massive freighter she found waiting for her was orders of magnitude larger than the proverbial broad side of a barn. It had a thin spine section which connected to eight enormous, separate cargo bays in two layers of four. Their doors were huge, spanning nearly the entire length of each bay, presumably for faster loading and unloading.

    The crew section at the center was riddled with holes, but the cargo bays were mostly untouched- at least, in terms of damage. Each of their doors lay open, which had allowed some containers to drift free of the derelict vessel, abandoned even by the pirates that attacked the ship.

    Miliam stepped up to the edge and stared for a moment, processing what she was about to do. The word ¡®spacewalk¡¯ didn¡¯t do it justice. This was a leap into the empty void between planets, aiming for a target that was miniscule on such a scale, but admittedly impossible to miss from this distance.

    Assuming she didn¡¯t completely and utterly botch the jump.

    Taking several deep breaths to steady herself, Miliam braced a foot on the lowered cargo door, which had transformed into a ramp, and kicked off, breaking free of the corvette¡¯s artificial gravity and becoming weightless once again. Her short stints in zero-g prepared her somewhat for the experience. She wasn¡¯t sure she could have avoided a panic attack otherwise.

    Well, she still screamed until her throat felt hoarse, but that was unavoidable.

    The Kinzela loomed larger and larger as she floated towards it, but the impact still took her somewhat by surprise. It was hard to gauge size out here with nothing for reference. She bounced, and her arms flailed out desperately for something to grab onto. The surface of the ship was smooth and free of handholds, but she had struck near the exit wound left by a pirate weapon, and one of her hands caught hold of a twisted structural support.

    Panting heavily, Miliam pulled herself back towards the ship. Her feet made contact with the hull, giving her at least that much comfort despite the meaninglessness of the gesture.

    ¡°Focus some mana on your feet to lock your boots to the hull. It will take some practice, but you¡¯ll have to deactivate them one at a time to step.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that before I jumped?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask. And honestly, I expected you to miss and go drifting off into space at least once before you got that far.¡±

    Miliam let out a huff, but did as Aoibhe suggested, noticing out corner of her eye that Aoibhe had brought the ship around to put eyes on what Miliam was doing. She let go of the bar she held experimentally, finding that she did indeed stay in place even without its support.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to want to go towards one of the bay doors to enter. Too much jagged metal around the holes to enter safely.¡±

    ¡°Noted,¡± she said shortly, focused on operating her boots. They didn¡¯t seem to be magnetized, as she realized quickly they weren¡¯t actually attracted to the hull itself. Instead, they clung to whatever they were in contact with as if fused to the surface, but didn¡¯t react with so much as a centimeter between them and the metal below.

    It made it easier, in a way. She could toggle one boot for just a brief moment while pulling her foot upwards, and the brief interruption in mana supply was all she needed to take a step, allowing her to lock that boot into place the moment it made contact with the hull again. That said, she had nearly reached the cargo bay door by the time she figured that out, and it was easier said than done.

    She might have the timing and application of strength right by the time she retrieved the last crystal. Maybe.

    The hull slanted down to either side of the door, allowing Miliam to walk down and look inside from the side instead of bending over the rim. Finding the area clear, she gripped the edge carefully, contorting her body to put one foot on the inner wall of the cargo bay before releasing her other foot and standing fully on the wall of the bay.

    ¡°Good work. You¡¯re a natural at this,¡± Aoibhe said encouragingly. Whether she meant it or just wanted to help was up in the air. At any rate, Miliam grabbed her phone from an exterior pocket, the flashlight already on. Since she couldn¡¯t operate the touchscreen in a spacesuit, she¡¯d activated it ahead of time.

    Finding the sensation of walking on the wall uncomfortable, Miliam¡¯s first action on the inside of the ship was to move towards the floor, making the ninety degree switch to walking on proper ground. She found the room mostly empty, save for cranes and such mounted on rails on the ceiling. What containers weren¡¯t taken were likely floating in space now. She headed for the internal door leading into the crew space to find it closed.

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    ¡°I¡¯m at a door, but it¡¯s locked shut. What do I do?¡±

    ¡°Panel under the controls. There¡¯s an emergency release that will only activate if the power is off. Open the panel and pull the handle out, then rotate it ninety degrees.¡±

    Quickly spotting the panel, which resembled similar ones found in elevators, Miliam opened it up and saw nothing but a single circular handle inside. She met with resistance when she pulled on it, and had to shift her stance to really put her back into the effort. It rose slowly, but when it stopped moving, it rotated smoothly into position with little trouble.

    A tremor ran through the deck plates as something activated, and the door didn¡¯t so much slide open as it did slam into its recess in the wall as if propelled by some unseen force. Miliam assumed explosives, but it wasn¡¯t important right now.

    She entered the crew section, finding it thick with floating debris. The damage to the interior was severe. Aoibhe¡¯s survival didn¡¯t mean the pirates weren¡¯t thorough. The corridor Miliam found herself had been heavily ventilated by weapons fire, throwing lose fragments of hull, systems components, personal effects, and even¡­fuck, body parts.

    Miliam retched a bit as what looked like it was once an arm floated past her. It was hard to tell. There wasn¡¯t much left of it. None of the debris was dangerous, though, thankfully, having bled off whatever momentum it had when it bounced around the inside of the ship. She still had to shuffle some of the larger bits aside as she progressed into the ship, making her way around very frequent holes through which she could see the lower decks and outer space.

    The freighter¡¯s layout was very different when compared to the more military design of the corvette. On the smaller ship, everything branched off the hallways, compartmentalized into individual rooms. The freighter wasn¡¯t quite so clearly delineated. Miliam had to pass through a handful of common areas on the way to the stern, passing under emergency bulkheads that never had time to close before the power to them was cut. They wouldn¡¯t have helped anyway; the destruction was such that every room would have depressurized individually.

    The cafeteria was a particular challenge, as it was outfitted with chairs and tables that weren¡¯t bolted to the floor. They had taken flight in the confusion, and now floated idly, occasionally bouncing off each other as they slowly reached entropy and lost all kinetic energy. Some had been blasted into millions of fragments; other were intact, and food could be seen splattered across their surfaces.

    More dead bodies than Miliam had seen in her life hung in the vacuum of this room, not a one of them obscured by a spacesuit. She had to thank the low lighting for making the details hard to make out, so long as she didn¡¯t point her phone right at them. On the other hand, the whole experience was a bit spookier as a result. It took several minutes to reach the other end of the room while navigating both the holes in the floor and the floating furniture, but she got there.

    As she entered the final stretch, she noticed a bay door to her right, and had to resist the urge to slap herself in the helmeted forehead as she realized she could have entered closer to the rear. At the same time, she was relieved to have found her destination.

    The engineering room on the freighter was a far cry from the corvette¡¯s own. It was arranged vertically instead of horizontally. The reactor and furnace stretched from a good four floors down all the way to the ceiling, and the walls were ringed with enclosures for crystal capacitors on every level, along the walkways surrounding the central machinery. A gaping hole in the secret revealed the entry point of the slug that shattered both essential machines, along with a number of capacitors, but many more were still intact.

    ¡°Found the engineering bay. Most of the crystals look intact. How am I getting them back, though?¡±

    ¡°One thing at a time. I¡¯ll walk you through getting the first one out. Are you near one right now?¡±

    ¡°Right in front of me. Uh, I don¡¯t have to worry about them like, zapping me or anything right?¡±

    ¡°Nay, at worst you could absorb some of the leftover mana, which would be harmless. Release the lock on the enclosure and slide the door open.¡± A beat passed as Aoibhe gave her time to do just that. ¡°Next, you¡¯ll need to remove the clamps holding the crystal in place. There¡¯s a lever on each one that locks it into position; first, move that aside, then lift the clamp away from the crystal.¡±

    ¡°Alright, this will take a moment,¡± Miliam said as she spotted the clamps and levers at the top and bottom of the crystal. There were sixteen total, forming a cage on both ends. It was difficult to work in such little light, but the mechanisms were uniform enough that it she saw how to operate one, she could operate the rest blindly. Once she was done, she found the crystal was still held in place by something like a rigid suction cup on each end, precisely shaped to fit the facets of the crystal. ¡°Now what?¡±

    ¡°Okay, this part needs to be done in the right order. First, release it from the upper conduit. You¡¯ll need to pass some mana through the connector to de-bond it.¡± As Miliam started on that, Aoibhe continued. ¡°The lower conduit is hinged. First you¡¯ll need to remove the bolt holding it in place, and then you can pull it towards you. It should stop at a forty five degree angle. Then you can release the lower connector, but be careful not to let the crystal drift free. They¡¯re not easy to break, but we need twenty or so intact.¡±

    Thinking back to the size of the room, Miliam didn¡¯t think that would be a problem. The number of capacitors seemed to scale linearly with the surface area of the ship, so the freighter had many times as many as she needed.

    The crystal came loose and Miliam held it carefully, finding the sensation odd. It had no weight in her current environment, requiring only a bit of force to shift its mass instead. Not having to support the weight of the crystal was a godsend; she wasn¡¯t sure she could lift something of this size in full gravity.

    ¡°Are you going to tell me how to bring it back, now?¡±

    ¡°I hope you enjoyed your spacewalk, because this one is going to be a bit harder.¡±

    ¡°What did I do to make you hate me?¡±

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Capacitor Crystals

    Just as it is useful to store electrical power, it is also handy to have a concentrated source of mana available- particularly in the depths of space where ambient mana is thinnest. Capacitor crystals are among the largest practical storage devices for mana, as they represent the best balance between capacity and ease of replacement. While larger crystals can be grown, it is typically easier and more cost effective to replace a few crystals in an array than it is to replace a single crystal with the capacity of a smaller array.

    Capacitor crystals are grown in a lab just like lesser gemstones, and would technically be classifiable as diamonds, as their structure is mostly carbon. Since carbon alone cannot interact directly with mana, spells are used during the growing process to infuse the carbon lattice with mana in a formation that prevents mana leakage from the inside. One end of the crystal allows mana to pass through into the crystal, where it is then stored until needed. The other side allows mana out, but only when a mana flow passes over it. In this manner, one connector can inject mana, and the other, when charged, allows it to be extracted.

    Smaller crystals have a variety of applications such as acting as batteries for spell circles and allowing mages to cast more powerful spells than they otherwise can, but large capacitor crystals, bulky as they are, are used almost exclusively on starships. The only things that require that much mana in a short period of time are starship weapons and the long distance, high volume teleportation arrays that serve as the only practical form of FTL travel, though they can also be tapped to power barriers in an emergency.

    Crystal capacity is the primary limiter of the distance a ship can travel. A ship can only feasibly carry so many crystals before other functions are impacted, so ship design requires a careful balancing act, as the further a ship can teleport, the less capable it will be in other areas.

 Chapter Five

    The aft cargo bay on the side she¡¯d entered from was almost as empty as the fore bay, but fortunately Miliam managed to find a bag after a bit of searching around in the dark room. She left the capacitor crystal floating near the door while she brought the bag back, so she¡¯d have a shorter trip to the engineering chamber for the rest of the crystals.

    Unfortunately, one bag wasn¡¯t going to fit twenty crystals, and she probably couldn¡¯t move one that had so many in it even if it could. This one would have space for maybe four, and being as it was the only one she¡¯d found, it would have to be emptied on the other side and brought back with her each trip.

    The corvette was a much smaller target than the freighter had been, so she took it upon herself to improvise a bit. A bit of searching revealed a spool of utility cabling attached to the wall of the cargo bay. Being as she had never worked on a space freighter before, Miliam had no idea what it was actually intended for, but she found a clasp on her spacesuit to attach it to, so she¡¯d at least be able to reel herself back in with a bit of effort.

    It was one thing to have Aoibhe claim she could retrieve her if she missed, and another entirely to put it to the test. Better to have a backup. And besides, once she got the cable to the other ship, Miliam could secure it in the cargo bay and give herself a reliable way to go back and forth.

    ¡°Everything okay over there?¡±

    ¡°Just peachy. I¡¯ve got a bag for the crystals, and I found a cable I can use as a lifeline. Just give me a few minutes to fill it¡­and a few more to build up the courage¡­and I¡¯ll be on my way back.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t feel like you need to rush yourself. Better to be slow and safe.¡±

    ¡°Would there be any tools on board I could use to maneuver out there?¡± Miliam asked, surprised she had only thought of the question now.

    ¡°Sure are, but they¡¯re not simple. Even I¡¯m not rated to operate them.¡±

    Well, there went that idea. Miliam decided she had no choice but to give up and headed back for three more crystals. Releasing them became more tedious than difficult pretty quickly, and by the fourth, she was already spending more time carrying them to the bay and returning than she was getting them out of their housings.

    That was all just stalling though. There was no reason she had to get them all now. It¡¯s not like she was planning to jump to the corvette with the bag in hand; that would only make the task harder when she could carry it more safely while attached to the cable. Miliam just really, really did not want to go back out there, with no ground beneath her feet, air to breath- no anything at all.

    Drifting in space was fucking terrifying and only the very real fear of a slow death from thirst and hunger onboard the corvette kept her moving. Sure, she had the possibility of dying while drifting in space the same way, but doing nothing made the other option a guarantee.

    Finally, with nothing else to distract her, Miliam found herself at the edge of the cargo bay staring towards the distant corvette.

    ¡°Any chance you can pull the ship closer?¡±

    ¡°Not without the wave drive damaging the freighter. Normally we¡¯d use maneuvering thrusters for that, but it looks like the crew used up the fuel for them during their last battle.¡±

    Wave drive. Another term to ask about when things calmed down. Whatever it was presumably answered the question of why there were no visible drive nozzles on the rear of the corvette.

    ¡°You look pretty small from here. How am I even supposed to aim myself?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it; just jump and I¡¯ll match your trajectory. The reason I¡¯m so far out is so that the wave drive won¡¯t kill you while I reposition.¡±

    ¡°The wave drive could kill me!?¡± Miliam shrieked, suddenly a whole lot less willing to make the jump.

    ¡°Relax, I¡¯m twice the safe distance away from you. I¡¯ll have plenty of time to reorient before I need to shut off the drive, and I can always pull away further if I need the extra time to get into position.¡±

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    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m trusting you. I found a cable so I can pull myself back to the freighter if I need to, so don¡¯t worry about taking too long, just get it right the first time.¡±

    ¡°Aye, good thinking. Ready?¡±

    Miliam took a deep breath. She¡¯d unspooled the cable while they spoke so that she wouldn¡¯t lose speed from the energy needed to unspool it in flight, and she¡¯d hooked it to her suit, with some of it looped around her hand for good measure. She was as ready as she would ever be.

    ¡°Ready.¡±

    With that one word, she jumped off the freighter. The first jump had been nothing compared to this one. There was no real doubt that she would make it that time, as big as the freighter was. Aoibhe must have pulled the ship as close as safely possible that time, to boot. But the corvette was a lot smaller, and a lot narrower. This time there really wasn¡¯t a good orientation for the ship to be in when she makes the jump; even jumping towards the long side would leave a lot of margin for error in two directions.

    Aoibhe seemed confident though, so all Miliam could do was drift and wait.

    Her view of the corvette blurred and bent a bit as it began to move, shifting its position in all three axes at the same time. Even staring directly at the ship as it moved Miliam couldn¡¯t spot any kind of propulsion causing it, a fact she could only chalk up to the magitech she knew so little about.

    Seconds stretched into minutes; Miliam glanced at her phone with her free hand and realized she¡¯d neglected to check the time before jumping, so the clock told her nothing whatsoever. Her breathing quickened the longer the trip went on, but she did relax a bit when the corvette stopped moving, signaling that Aoibhe had gotten into position.

    Bit by bit, the corvette¡¯s size increased as its distance shrank, until finally, Miliam felt the pull of gravity upon entering the cargo bay. She dropped to the ground with a sigh of relief and lay there for several minutes, just letting her breathing return to normal and basking in the feeling of having a definitive ¡®down.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯d come down to greet you, but it¡¯s best not to open the inner door while the bay is in vacuum. Are you all good?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­just catching my breath¡­enjoying gravity¡­having a love affair with the floor¡­that sort of thing¡­¡±

    When she finally felt like her pulse had dropped from 200 beats per minute to whatever was normal, Miliam forced herself onto her feet and looked around for something to attach her life cable to, pulling it taut while she looked. There were plenty of hard points around the bay for securing cargo, so she just picked one and looped the cable through it several times before attaching it to the next one over, figuring that would be plenty secure.

    With the cable attached to the ship, Miliam could no longer attach it to her suit, but she was able to fight a short, double sided cable laying around the cargo bay to use instead. With it attached to the cable on one end and her suit on the other, it would be just like riding a zipline.

    ¡°Secured my line. Heading back out, try not to move too much or it might snap.¡±

    ¡°Aye, I¡¯ll keep steady.¡±

    Now that there was a line to follow, Miliam found that a lot of the fear that had been slowing her down had faded. She got a running start and leapt out of the bay at a far higher speed than previously, one hand outstretched near the cable just in case. The line, and her connection to it, held, and she zoomed through space all the way back to the freighter.

    ¡°Are you sure you should be going that fast?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, the cable is secure and I¡¯m secured to it with a cargo cable.¡±

    ¡°And how do you plan to land?¡±

    ¡°I, uh, didn¡¯t,¡± Miliam admitted dumbly. ¡°In my defense I was never trained for zero-g.¡±

    ¡°Your defense isn¡¯t going to protect you against sudden deceleration.¡±

    Aoibhe¡¯s words were downright prophetic, although the result wasn¡¯t hard to foresee. Miliam came in towards the Kinzela¡¯s cargo bay fast, just barely managing to brace her feet to catch the deck plating. It helped, but not as much as she would have liked. She bounced off the deck before her connecting cable hit the end of the line, whipping her into the bulkhead next to the cable spool.

    Fortunately she bounced off that too, only mildly disoriented by the impact.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she muttered dazedly.

    ¡°And what did we learn?¡±

    ¡°Sir Isaac Newton is a bitch.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Never mind.¡± Miliam supposed it made sense a space elf wouldn¡¯t know about foundational human scientists. She wondered who their equivalent was, if it was even a single person that discovered the same theorems.

    At any rate, having learned her lesson, Miliam was a lot more conservative on the way back. Not that she could have gone quite as fast while hauling four massive, in the physics sense, crystals with her. Even if they were weightless, it took a good bit of work just to get them up to a useful speed, but her lower velocity on the next trip allowed her to lock her boots to the floor the moment she landed, which in turn allowed her to just barely lower her burden to the floor gradually rather than instantly.

    It felt easier than she expected.

    ¡°Huh, I thought they would be heavier.¡±

    ¡°Probably because I set the gravity to a little under three quarters of what you¡¯re used to. Fay can¡¯t survive a full Earth gravity without assistance, and a single Tir Tairngire gravity would be only half of that, which is unhealthy for humans.¡±

    ¡°Well, it made moving the crystals easier. Maybe you could drop it down to your standard while we¡¯re moving them?¡±

    ¡°Aye, that¡¯s a fair idea. I would have struggled to carry even one at this level. I¡¯ll alter the settings while you¡¯re getting the next set.¡±

    Miliam went ahead and unloaded the crystals onto the bay floor, as she was going to need the bag to retrieve the rest. She was done in moments, and went back towards the door.

    ¡°One down, four to go.¡±

 Chapter Six

    While Miliam was busy looking for capacitors, Aoibhe wasn¡¯t idle in the pilot¡¯s seat. She¡¯d filled Miliam in on the most obvious repairs needed, but she would have to do a deeper investigation to determine if anything else was busted. And beyond that, she had questions of her own.

    Miliam¡¯s story didn¡¯t make sense. She¡¯d cast a spell and wound up on a derelict in space, supposedly, and yet seemed to know nothing about magic. That last part in itself was utterly bizarre in the modern day. Magic was integral to society. Faster than light travel was outright impossible without it. It shouldn¡¯t be possible for anyone from a spacefaring species to not know about it.

    Once Miliam was onboard the Kinzela, Aoibhe decided to access the ship¡¯s logs and figure out what, precisely, was going on, in addition to checking for damage. Carillion ships were a pain due to their over-fondness for using analog switches for everything conceivable, but even they couldn¡¯t get away from electronic logs.

    There wasn¡¯t any security on the system, which itself was strange, though Aoibhe had her suspicions about why. Checking the logs, she found that the ship had suffered an impact decades ago, followed by an emergency shut down of the reactor. That tracked with her observations. The impact appeared to have overloaded the barriers and destroyed the ship¡¯s elevator. That took the magic-based systems offline including gravity.

    Aoibhe absent-mindedly provided mission control as Miliam progressed into the freighter, tracking her progress via the suit¡¯s transponder. Once she was inside the crew section, Aoibhe went back to her investigation.

    Simply connecting the dots told Aoibhe that any engineering crew on board had perished then and there, and the survivors couldn¡¯t operate the reactor. Inconceivable for a trained crew¡­which led to her next deduction.

    This was a pirate ship.

    The evidence was there to support it. A skeleton crew. Jerry-rigged control interfaces. Components that were poorly maintained even before the incident. The ship¡¯s wards were offline, which only made sense if they were triggered when the ship was captured and the new crew didn¡¯t know where to find them.

    It would explain the blown capacitors, as well, in an oblique way. This part was speculation, and could be up to simple incompetence, but it had been known for centuries that a mana surge occurs when a ship¡¯s barriers are overloaded, as the power directed to the barrier suddenly has nowhere to go. The number of safety features that had to have been degraded or bypassed for a surge to shatter over half the crystals¡­incompetence didn¡¯t begin to describe it.

    She was far from certain, but Aoibhe suspected that meant the ship¡¯s engineer wasn¡¯t formally trained and didn¡¯t know the purpose of all of the safety features involved.

    Aoibhe looked up as Miliam called in again, this time reporting she¡¯d reached the engineering bay. She had to give Miliam one thing: for all her seeming lack of familiarity with magic technology, her queries were reasonable, and she didn¡¯t need to be told the same thing twice. Once given instructions, the mysterious woman was able to follow them.

    Moving past the older logs, though, Aoibhe found an additional oddity. Only just before she¡¯d made contact with Miliam, the ship¡¯s emergency power activated, noting only that life had been detected on board. The timing didn¡¯t quite line up with the attack on the Kinzela, either. At first Aoibhe suspected stasis of some sort, but she found no evidence of a stasis device on board, nor any record of the mana needed to power one while the ship was dead in space.

    Moreover, Miliam had left a grimoire laying around on the bridge. Aoibhe had only glanced at it long enough to determine she couldn¡¯t read it. That wasn¡¯t a surprise. There were as many ways of writing spells as stars in the sky, and she had never needed to know many besides the most prevalent fay standards.

    Giving up on finding answers to that particular mystery, Aoibhe made a list of the repairs needed to get this derelict to port. Only one jump would be enough; this system was a common stopover point between Gaian Collective and Draconine Freehold space, one jump from the former and two from the latter. Anything that failed after that single jump wasn¡¯t a problem.

    The list was relatively short, and the capacitors were the main concern. She worried somewhat that the jump itself might overload the capacitors again, but the jump would be done by then, and the wave drive could get them to port with only the mana furnace to run it. Some minor repairs were needed to ensure the capacitors would charge properly, and there was some danger of the life support failing before they were at capacity, but that was the extent of the truly troublesome stuff.

    Which wasn¡¯t to say the ship wasn¡¯t otherwise a mess. The point defenses were entirely offline, the missile tubes were dry, and the ship¡¯s sole lance had, she suspected, suffered a meteor impact. There were no rations besides three ancient MREs. The magic circuits powering the ship¡¯s basic barrier were fried, so they had no defense against space debris except the ship¡¯s plating, which had a hole surrounded by stress fractures on the exterior of the elevator shaft.

    Her to-do list finished, Aoibhe checked in with Miliam again, finding that she was almost ready to make the first return trip. She¡¯d expected that she would need to adjust the corvette¡¯s position each time Miliam jumped to and from the freighter, but Miliam had apparently solved that problem herself with a tow cable used to load freight in zero-g.

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    Once Miliam was aboard and had secured the cable, and Aoibhe had ribbed her a bit for forgetting about momentum, Aoibhe decided Miliam would be able to handle the rest on her own and chose to inspect the ship more closely. First she headed to engineering to adjust the gravity down to a more comfortable level.

    She considered getting some out of suit time, but instead she just broke the seal that maintained its internal pressure. In high gravity that pressurization helped circulate her blood, but in standard gravity, it could cut off circulation close to the skin.

    That done, Aoibhe decided the first order of business was to collect the former crew¡¯s bodies and put them in one place. It was morbid work, but it was best to have it done before they reached a port. The authorities were going to have to process their salvage claim on this corvette simply to avoid suspicions of hijacking, and having the bodies of the actual pirates would prove their claims.

    No one went into piracy if they were welcome in civilized space. Aoibhe had no doubt that even after decades floating out here, there would be record of their crimes.

    The first body was the one formerly seated in the pilot¡¯s seat, which she had shifted to access it. She dumped it in the bunk room where she¡¯d found Miliam¡¯s suit; there were already two more in there, locked in an eternal struggle to the death. Another was in the cargo bay, but that one would have to wait.

    Instead, Aoibhe searched the other rooms. She found the captain on the upper deck, surrounded by emptied bottles of mold suspended in water that carillions favored as an intoxicant. The cloister was empty, unsurprising given how easily the corvette¡¯s barrier had failed. The next body was in the galley, having apparently gorged themselves on the ship¡¯s entire stock of rations as their final act.

    Her least favorite was the one in the shower. At least the rest had suits on. Water had frozen to this body, and it was beginning to thaw with the life support reactivated, so she hurried to get it sorted away before it created even more of a mess.

    That task sorted, Aoibhe set to work cleaning up the engineering bay ahead of Miliam¡¯s return with the final replacement capacitor crystals. It was nice that the housings for the crystals were all intact, but they were full of fragments, some of which were practically dust clinging to the inside of the connection points.

    Still, that wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Aoibhe thumbed her grimoire on and punched in the combination of a simple telekinesis spell. The spell circle appeared in her mind¡¯s eye, and she filled in the missing variables with practiced ease before sending mana into the device in her hand to activate the spell.

    The crystal fragments arced up and out of the housing, curving just right to draw the bits out of the connector in addition to grabbing the larger chunk along the bottom of the chamber. Aoibhe wasn¡¯t too concerned about them once they were clear, so she left them on the floor while she followed up with a burst of air to blow out any fine particles remaining, depositing those on the floor too so as not to breathe them in.

    Neither spell was draining, but they were a bit tedious when repeated twenty times over. It was better to have the capacitor housings clear when Miliam finished her own task, though, since Miliam would be able to help install the new capacitors but not clear the chambers out. At least, not without a brush and a dustpan. Aoibhe designated a corner for the waste and piled up the ruined crystals there.

    Fortunately, Miliam¡¯s task was plenty time consuming itself. Aoibhe cleared out the chambers one by one, wishing she had a wind or kinetic magic specialist on hand to clear them all out at once all the while. At least the gravity was comfortable. How long had it been since she¡¯d spent time in standard gravity?

    A cursory inspection ensued when she¡¯d finished, making sure the housings were all undamaged. It was the housings with intact crystals that were damaged, ironically enough. Their magic circuits were degraded, and that damage had led to them not being fully charged or having an open channel for a mana surge to pass through.

    The worst part was that it wasn¡¯t even a difficult fix. Aoibhe just needed to unplug the circuits and rerun the cables using spares. That required pulling up some deck plating, but this was a standard maintenance job, and those plates were designed to be removed. Though, a real engineer could have simply mended the cables in situ. Still, she only needed to cast a spell built into the plates to separate them where they were fused to the frame below, and they lifted away.

    Surprisingly enough, the trackways below weren¡¯t a rat¡¯s nest, but she was more inclined to chalk that up to a lack of ever attempting such maintenance than actual competence on the late crew¡¯s part. More tedious drudge work ensued as Aoibhe ripped out the thankfully-well-labelled failing cables and replaced them from the ship¡¯s spares. She was just fusing the final deck plate back into place when she received word from Miliam.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got the last batch of crystals. Anything else we need from the Kinzela before I drop my tether?¡± she said, sounding dead inside from the repeated trips into open space. Aoibhe had to admit that in spite of her cowardice, the woman had gotten the job done, and probably deserved a break by now.

    Not that she¡¯d be getting one before the crystals were installed.

    ¡°Nay, that¡¯s it. Drop the tether and I¡¯ll re-pressurize the bay. Once the crystals are installed, we¡¯ll have all the time in the world to rest while they charge.¡±

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Corvettes

    Other than unarmed couriers, corvettes are the smallest ships capable of FTL travel. These ships range from 100m-150m in length, with a full third of their volume being taken up by their reactors and FTL drives. The FTL drives alone make corvette-sized ships an order of magnitude more expensive than intra-system craft with similar armaments or storage space, but they have enough advantages over larger craft that they remain in service across known space.

    In the civilian sector, corvettes are used as short-haul freighters for time sensitive goods as well as for transporting people and data from system to system- while corvettes are significantly smaller than the average passenger liner, they make up for in speed what they lack in capacity, making them the transportation of choice for those in a hurry. Civilian ships typically trade out their armaments for additional storage or passenger space, but they are also commonly employed as escorts for freighter convoys to guard against makeshift pirate vessels.

    Not all militaries employ corvettes, but many find them useful for point defense and patrol duties. In terms of point defense, it is cheaper and more effective to employ a screening element of corvettes than it is to outfit capital ships with point defense weapons, as even the smallest corvettes can mount a dozen point defense lasers and more than a score of counter missiles in exchange for a dearth of ship-to-ship batteries. Additionally, though corvettes are expensive compared to ships lacking FTL capacity, they''re still significantly cheaper than even destroyers in both price and crew requirements.

 Chapter Seven

    Miliam had been relieved to finally remove her helmet, and more so to be able to hear something other than her own breathing again. That relief quickly faded when the drudge work of transporting the crystals to the engineering bay began. Aoibhe, in her oblivious cruelty, let slip that the elevator was out, a fact Miliam would have been glad not to know until it was too late to matter.

    In the end, she¡¯d been the one to transport two-thirds of the crystals, due to, to quote Aoibhe, her ¡®brawny human arms.¡¯ She¡¯d pinched her arms and frowned when they were mostly flab.

    ¡°Alright, now all we¡¯ve to do is wait for them to charge,¡± Aoibhe said as she closed the final capacitor housing. Now that there was power to the crystals, they had begun to glow as they charged, and the housings had darkened like transition sunglasses to prevent them from being blinding. ¡°That¡¯ll take some hours, so we¡¯ve got time for a break.¡±

    ¡°So, uh, can I ask some questions now?¡±

    Aoibhe returned to the gravity control panel and tuned it back upwards. ¡°You just did.¡±

    ¡°That is such an old joke¡­whatever. Where are we?¡±

    ¡°Some no-name system merchant ships like to pass through. We¡¯re close to Gaian Collective space,¡± Aoibhe explained as she led Miliam to the ship¡¯s small galley. She handed over a ration pack and opened one for herself.

    ¡°What¡¯s the Gaian Collective?¡± Miliam asked, poking her rations dubiously. It was a nondescript bar. She nibbled a bit off and instantly gagged. Aoibhe¡¯s face screwed up in confusion.

    ¡°Humans are literally one of the founding members, how can you possibly not know that? Let¡¯s turn this around- you mentioned casting a spell, but also seem to know nothing about magic. How does that line up?¡± Miliam noted that Aoibhe was eating her ration bar with a stoic indifference and wondered if she was used to it, putting on a front, or incapable of tasting.

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t think it would work. I thought magic was fictional!¡± she asserted before holding her breath and biting off a chunk of ration bar. She chewed as quickly as possible just to get the foul-tasting thing out of her mouth.

    ¡°What was the spell even supposed to do? I¡¯ve never heard of a spell that could teleport someone that far without a ship.¡±

    ¡°It was¡­it was supposed to¡­¡± Miliam trailed off, whispering something at the end that was too faint for Aoibhe to pick up. She felt her cheeks flush.

    ¡°What, was it supposed to make your chest bigger or something?¡± Aoibhe asked, not understanding what was so embarrassing. Miliam glanced down at her chest and then to the side, her blush deepening.

    ¡°Well, yes, but also, no. It, uh, was a spell to¡­turn me into a woman.¡± She said the last part so fast the words blended together, and then instantly crammed another piece of ration bar into her mouth just to give it something else to do.

    ¡°Usually that just requires a second person,¡± Aoibhe said dryly.

    ¡°Not like that!¡± Miliam all but shrieked, her mouth half full.

    ¡°Relax, I know what you meant. Not sure what was so embarrassing about a regular medical procedure or why you didn¡¯t just go to a gene sculptor, though.¡±

    ¡°It was just a flight of fancy! I just wanted a distraction from how much my life sucked. As far as I knew magic wasn¡¯t real, so there was no harm in it,¡± Miliam retorted, swallowing a mouthful of nasty nutrient dirt.

    ¡°Still not understanding how that got you here. Sure you didn¡¯t pass out and get kidnapped? And where are you from, anyway?¡± As she spoke, she tossed away the wrapper of her ration pack, and it did an impossible arc into the trash, although Miliam wasn¡¯t sure if it was the low gravity or magic.

    ¡°Earth,¡± she answered, as if it were obvious. ¡°Where else would I- well, I guess you did say something about shipyards around Saturn. What year even is it?¡±

    ¡°Now I know you¡¯re full of it. There can¡¯t be anyone on Earth that doesn¡¯t know about the GC in 501GC,¡± Aoibhe said suspiciously.

    ¡°Like, as in Gaian Collective?¡± Miliam frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that in AD? It was like, 2024AD last time I checked.¡±

    Aoibhe gave Miliam an exasperated look. ¡°And you think I¡¯d know what year it is in a human calendar? All I know is humans were there when the GC was founded nearly six hundred years ago¡­in GC years, which are an average of a year for each of the founding member species.¡±

    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know if I teleported, time traveled, or jumped into a parallel world. For all I know I¡¯m in some hypothetical past where humans had space travel before getting set back to the Stone Age. I just know I cast a spell, which apparently worked, and woke up in an ice-cold room with blinking blue lights.¡± With that said, Miliam finished off the ration bar, albeit reluctantly. It was nice to have something in her stomach, but she felt like she¡¯d just eaten a mud pie.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a spell that could time travel or change dimensions, but you¡¯re pretty insistent¡­I guess we¡¯ll just have to have an expert look at that grimoire of yours, once we get the salvage rights on this ship squared away,¡± Aoibhe said, shrugging her shoulders as if accepting she wasn¡¯t getting any more answers right now.

    ¡°We?¡± Miliam asked, unsure why Aoibhe would go that far to help her.

    ¡°Aye. I¡¯m out of a job, and we¡¯ve got a¡­well, not perfectly good, but at least not-ready-for-the-scrapyard ship right here, so may as well stick with it.¡±

    Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a wreck though? Why not just find another job?¡±

    ¡°Mm¡­to answer that, I¡¯ll need to explain something else first. How common do you think pirate attacks are?¡± Miliam was perplexed by the seeming non-sequitur, but answered anyway.

    ¡°Common enough? I mean, one happened here, right?¡± Aoibhe shook her head slowly.

    ¡°Nay. They¡¯re vanishingly rare. Anyone with an intersystem teleport-capable ship can make money hauling even relatively small amounts of luxury goods or couriering data. The only subset of people that go pirating are those who are wanted for major crimes and somehow have a ship.¡± Here Aoibhe sighed in frustration. ¡°Which is why it¡¯s so suspicious when someone is the sole survivor of three separate pirate attacks. Forget finding a job; I¡¯m going to be under suspicion of colluding with pirates for years.¡±

    ¡°So¡­this run down ship is the best option you have?¡±

    ¡°Aye, that it is. So we¡¯re going to claim salvage rights on it and look into freelancing.¡±

    ¡°Why include me then? I don¡¯t know anything about...anything,¡± Miliam asked, still confused.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just a pilot. Gotta find a captain somewhere,¡± the elf replied, giving Miliam a meaningful look. Miliam pointed at herself.

    ¡°I¡¯m the captain!?¡±

    ¡°Pretty sure you¡¯re not an engineer, and you don¡¯t know how to work the comms, or the weapons, or the barriers¡­so that kind of leaves captain,¡± Aoibhe said with a smirk. Miliam wilted a bit.

    ¡°That makes it sound like the least important job on the ship,¡± she pointed out. Aoibhe chuckled a bit at that.

    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get you some textbooks or something when we get to a port. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Miliam perked up a bit, though it wasn¡¯t about the possibility of textbooks about being a captain. She wouldn¡¯t be certain ¡®Captaining for Dummies¡¯ was a thing until she saw it.

    ¡°Are there any I could get about history, or magic? Maybe I can figure out when or where I am if I can at least see a history book,¡± she theorized, excited at the prospect of deciphering at least some of the mystery.

    ¡°Just look it up on the system intranet when we arrive. I¡¯ll have to get you a cheap phone or grimoire that can connect to the network. Doubt yours will work if you¡¯re telling the truth.¡± Aoibhe said this casually, but Miliam latched on to a specific detail: the word phone. She was kind of expecting some magic or sci-fi alternative, like a neural interface.

    ¡°You still use phones? Don¡¯t you have like, brain chips that hook you directly into the net, or some magic holographic window that appears from thin air and works like a touch screen?¡±

    ¡°Would you want a chip in your brain doing gods know what? And with a screen like that, anyone could see what you¡¯re doing! How would that even be secured?¡± Aoibhe seemed incredulous at the ideas, although they¡¯d seemed like standard futuristic fare to Miliam. She was shocked that amongst all this magic and futuristic stuff, she would find something so mundane as cellphones.

    ¡°Well, when you put it that way¡­no. Kind of just thought technology would have marched past smartphones by now, is all,¡± she admitted awkwardly. She decided to change the subject. ¡°So, uh¡­where are we going? What¡¯s it like?¡±

    ¡°A port in the Kappa Ceti system. It¡¯s a major hub for trade between the GC and the Draconines,¡± Aoibhe replied. The system name, of course, told Miliam absolutely nothing about the location, and she still had no idea who the Draconines were.

    ¡°And¡­where is that, like, relative to Earth?¡± she asked, as if there was anything she could do with the information in the first place. Aoibhe didn¡¯t seem to be much of a font of useful knowledge, sadly, but she was, as she put it herself, just a pilot. It might be a bit too much to expect her to have the answer to every question- the galaxy is a big place, and it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if she only had reason to know about the local neighborhood.

    ¡°Not sure the exact distance, but I think it¡¯s about three hops away? That would put it somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 light years.¡± From that, Miliam put together that Kappa Ceti was within 10 light years of the system they were in now, placing them less than 40 light years from Earth in total.

    ¡°Today is the first time I left the state, let alone the country¡­and now I¡¯m over three dozen light years from home. It¡¯s kind of overwhelming,¡± she said with a distant look in her eyes, trying to process the sheer scale of that distance. It was hard to comprehend, and the human brain really wasn¡¯t built to do so.

    ¡°Suppose it would be, if you¡¯re really from the distant past or what have you.¡± Aoibhe stood and stretched, her long, long arms unable to go much higher than her head. For the first time, Miliam registered that this ship must have been built with the expectation elves could be aboard at some point- otherwise the ceilings would be lower to save on space. Aoibhe hadn¡¯t even needed to duck to get through the doors in spite of her height. ¡°Anyway, I should go do the calculations for the jump. Not sure I trust the computers on this heap. Feel free to find the showers downstairs or take a nap while we wait for the capacitors to charge.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay. Um, I hope it goes well?¡± Miliam watched as Aoibhe walked out, but she popped her head back in a moment later.

    ¡°Almost forgot- stay out of the starboard bunk room. I stashed the bodies in there,¡± she said, as if it were just a perfectly normal thing to say, before leaving again. Miliam had nearly forgotten about those. She wasn¡¯t sure why Aoibhe didn¡¯t just space them, but she was a little afraid to ask.

    Despite being rather tired, Miliam decided to take a shower. She wasn¡¯t sure she could sleep after being reminded of the corpses she shared a ship with- a grim reminder that this vessel hadn¡¯t done much good for its previous crew.

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Translocation Drive

    The translocation drive, colloquially known as a teleportation drive, is the primary method of interstellar travel. Translocation drives have no transit time. They utilize a high level application of space magic to fold space, "tricking" it so that a ship occupies two different coordinates at once. From that point, it is easy enough to swap the coordinates a ship actually occupies, placing it at the destination in an instant. To act on two points so far apart requires a significant amount of mana, however- a ship operating a translocation drive must charge the drive before activating it.

    There are two primary concerns when activating a translocation drive: distance and volume. The cost rises exponentially with distance and linearly with volume, meaning that a ship four times the size requires four times the power to teleport, but a trip of ten light years requires two and a half times as much power as a trip of five light years. Beyond ten light years, the costs spike rapidly to the point of impracticality, making it a soft limit.

    While it is safer to conduct two jumps to cover ten light years, charging back to full power in between in order to leave a buffer for an emergency, there are other factors involved. The calculations for a teleportation are extremely complex and fail safes will kick in to cancel the jump if the destination is too close to a gravity well or inside an object. These calculations also require sensor data from the local star system, so they cannot be made ahead of time, and a certain amount of time must be spent in each system in order to gather that data.

    For civilian crews in particular this may be a strain on personnel, so while a cautious captain will make the larger number of jumps, others may choose to make a smaller number of long distance jumps to give the crew more time to rest in between.

 Chapter Eight

    As it turned out, Aoibhe had severely understated how long the capacitors would need to charge.

    Miliam had taken a shower and popped onto the bridge, only to be told they had another eleven hours on the clock. Apparently she hadn¡¯t meant that a shower or nap would consume all that time so much as that there was plenty of time for either. Since there was nothing better to do and Aoibhe was busy, Miliam had tried to get some sleep, and after a couple of hours lying in bed, exhaustion had finally hit and knocked her out like a light.

    When she returned to the bridge, Aoibhe handed her something- a little medallion with a hole crudely drilled into it, and a wire for a necklace. There was a magic circle carved into it, the characters familiar but clearly not English.

    ¡°Took me a while to find, but there¡¯s a translation charm for you. Run some mana through it so we can be sure I didn¡¯t drill the hole too close to the spell,¡± she said, and Miliam vaguely recalled she¡¯d said something about these over the comms when they first spoke. She placed it around her neck and put some mana into it as instructed, and it lit up for a moment before returning to normal. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m speaking my native language now. Can you understand me still?¡±

    ¡°Clear as day. Should I still be hearing the accent, though?" Miliam replied, wondering how the device could possibly know what accent Aoibhe should have.

    ¡°Aye, that¡¯s a trick of the mind. It¡¯s because you heard me speak English before you used the charm, so when it translates for you, your mind fills in with what it expects to hear.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Weird. So, does everyone have one of these?¡±

    ¡°Some people prefer to run the spell through their grimoire, but most carry one, aye,¡± Aoibhe said, gesturing to a device she had plugged into the pilot console. It certainly didn¡¯t look like any grimoire she¡¯d ever seen; it was more like a joycon, but with a dozen or so buttons on the end instead of a control stick. ¡°Speaking of, we¡¯ll have to pick one up for you when we arrive. I¡¯m no magic teacher, but we can probably get some simple spells that don¡¯t need any setup.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s cool. What kind of magic is there, anyway?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see. The teleporter is about charged, so go ahead and take a seat.¡±

    With that, Aoibhe turned around and worked the controls. After a few moments, she felt a faint hum run through the ship, then a buildup of mana even she could detect. Absent anything else to do, she gazed out the window, and if she¡¯d so much as blinked, she would have missed what happened.

    As the energy fed into the teleporter array reached its peak, there was a brief, unmeasurable moment where the view outside blurred. The stars doubled, the Kinzela in the distance became vague, with stars seemingly shining through it, and a number of small objects appeared in the distance, barely visible, but shining with starlight all the same.

    It happened so quickly Miliam couldn¡¯t be certain she hadn¡¯t hallucinated it. One second she could see a star scape and the Kinzela, and the next, they had been replaced by an entirely new sky and countless moving lights in the distance, along with a planet half-shrouded in night. Had she seen an afterimage, or was the really seeing both at the same time? She didn¡¯t have time to ask, because almost immediately after their arrival, a voice came in over the comm.

    ¡°Seppa¡¯s Prize, this is West Gate Traffic Control, please state the reason for your visit,¡± a male voice droned.

    ¡°Huh, so that¡¯s the ship¡¯s name,¡± Aoibhe muttered before hitting a switch to reply. ¡°Making a salvage claim, hoping to get some repairs. Also gonna need to request a tow; this wreck¡¯s maneuvering thrusters are out of juice, so we can¡¯t approach closer than the wave drive¡¯s safe distance.¡±

    ¡°Copy that Seppa¡¯s Prize, sending your flight plan now. Once you¡¯re in position you¡¯ll get your tow, Traffic Control out.¡± With that, the comm went silent, and Miliam found time for a question.

    ¡°How¡¯d you know they were talking to us if you didn¡¯t know the ships name?¡±

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t broadcast on an open channel, it would clutter everyone¡¯s comms. Had to be a tight beam straight to us,¡± Aoibhe explained as she set the ship into motion. Again, Miliam felt nothing, but the ship began to move- though she could only tell because the distant planet started to grow.

    As they came closer, Miliam saw that the world was inhabited, as evidenced by the city lights visible on its dark side. The day side of the planet, by contrast, was a patchwork of blue seas and teal-hued vegetation, any inhabited regions completely hidden without lights to give away their positions.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a planet from here, not even Earth,¡± Miliam whispered, awed by the beautiful, half-cloaked marble growing closer every second.

    ¡°Aye, it¡¯s a stunning sight, isn¡¯t it? Never really gets old,¡± Aoibhe said fondly. Over the course of minutes, the planet grew from the size of a pea when they first arrived to a grand backdrop that overtook the entire window, crowding out the stars completely. Miliam couldn¡¯t even fathom how fast they must have been moving to achieve that.

    Eventually, a space station became visible, dwarfed by the planet behind it, but nonetheless gargantuan in its own right. It was a giant wheel, with spokes connecting to a tube through the center that, unbeknownst to Miliam, contained the station¡¯s core operations and infrastructure. The outer rim, meanwhile, was host to numerous docks that branched out in every direction, a bramble of berths for star ships that looked chaotic at first glance but had an orderliness to it that was revealed the more one looked.

    Countless ships swarmed the station, coming and going from the docks with flashes of chemical propellant. From this distance it was hard to make out any fine details, but the designs ranged from long tubes, to elegant forms reminiscent of sea life, to big, blocky things that looked more like buildings than ships.

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    ¡°They all look so different,¡± she remarked, fascinated by the bevy of starship designs on display. Aoibhe chuckled and decided to point a few out, with brief explanations.

    ¡°Aye, every species has different preferences and design philosophies. Those smooth ones? Sahagin ships. They live underwater, and like to model their ships after the great beasts they live beside. Their ships are full of water, so they don¡¯t need to wear their weird reverse-diving suits all the time. The tall, long ones are probably dragonewt or harpy ships.  They¡¯re shaped like that so they can get everywhere through a long, open flight corridor in the center.¡±

    ¡°That seems like a structural flaw,¡± Miliam interjected, wondering what happened if that corridor was breached.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t say it was smart design. The long ones are a gnome model, they like vertical layouts instead of horizontal. Those big flying bricks are dwarf designed; they use a whole lot less magic in their ships, so they¡¯re weighted down with armor to compensate for the lack of barriers. The ones that are all black are tariaksuq ships; they¡¯re nocturnal and hate being seen, so they tend to make ships that are hard to spot in the void.¡±

    ¡°You know a lot about ship designs,¡± Miliam observed, a bit impressed. Aoibhe seemed to know what species designed every ship in sight based just on the design philosophy, although she maybe looked a bit smug about it.

    ¡°I¡¯m a pilot, I¡¯ve flown most of ¡®em in simulators. And it¡¯s just pretty neat how everyone makes their ships a little different,¡± she responded, shrugging her shoulders. Their own ship slowed to a stop, evident only in their frame of view freezing, and moments later the ship lurched, suddenly under the effects of inertia as it began to approach the station.

    ¡°Uh¡­is this safe?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re just relocating us to a berth. Final coordinates are predetermined, so we¡¯re not going to run into the station or something,¡± Aoibhe explained calmly, standing up. ¡°Alright, may as well head down to the airlock. The station¡¯s umbilical will connect on its own.¡±

    With that, they descended to the bottom deck, stopping at a door Miliam hadn¡¯t ever attempted to open. The inner door allowed them through, and just a couple minutes later, the ship abruptly stopped, sending Miliam into a wall, much to Aoibhe¡¯s amusement. Moments later there was a series of clunking noises, followed by the inner door sealing itself, and then the outer door opened to reveal a long, flexible tube, with handrails along the sides.

    Aoibhe went first, stepping out into zero-g. The corridor was spacious, but Aoibhe went right down the center, apparently not worried about becoming stuck out of reach of the sides. Miliam was a bit more cautious, grabbing a handrail and keeping one hand on it as she traversed hall. Ahead of her, Aoibhe calmly stepped into the gravity of the station, showing Miliam by example where she would need to do the same.

    After a short wait in a second airlock, the women were released onto West Gate Station, in a section that looked remarkably similar to an airport terminal. Miliam gawked a bit at the diversity of people here, spotting bipedal lizards that came up to her hip, fantasy races like elves, angels, and naga, and even some she couldn¡¯t guess at the identity of, like the antlered bipeds with every inch of their body covered, or the feathered quadrupeds that walked like apes on their clawed fists.

    She came back to reality when a short man, twice the width of any man she¡¯d ever seen, addressed them. He couldn¡¯t have been more than four feet tall, but his limbs were thick with muscle. Between that and the thick beard, Miliam concluded he was a dwarf, but his facial features seemed rather familiar, almost like a Neanderthal, with a heavy set brow and a thick, wide nose.

    He had a clipboard.

    ¡°Trygve Enrikson, West Gate security,¡± he began without preamble. ¡°Salvage claim?¡±

    ¡°Aye. Ship was adrift for at least five decades according to the logs. I put the bodies of the crew in the starboard bunk. Might¡¯ve been pirates. I¡¯d also like to report a pirate attack on the merchant ship Kinzela, of which I¡¯m the sole survivor of the crew,¡± Aoibhe explained, saying the last sentence with a notably more somber tone. She handed the man something. A card, ID maybe.

    ¡°And her?¡±

    ¡°Picked her up on an independent colony, she was the only passenger and similarly survived the attack. She¡¯d like to claim asylum.¡±

    ¡°I would?¡±

    ¡°You would,¡± Aoibhe said with a tone that brooked no argument. Miliam, wisely, zipped her mouth shut.

    ¡°Mm, you¡¯ll have to speak to station admin about that. They¡¯ll explain the process for intake of members of Collective species from independent worlds to her.¡± The dwarf wrote some things on his clipboard and nodded to himself, then looked up at Aoibhe. ¡°Your ship will be impounded until your claims are verified, but if it was adrift for that long, you¡¯ll probably be approved, even if the claim about pirates cannot be confirmed. As for your report, do you have the coordinates of the attack and the remains of the Kinzela?¡±

    ¡°All in the ship¡¯s databanks. Our only teleport was from the system the attack was in to here, so it should be easy to find.¡±

    ¡°Alright, thank you for your time. I¡¯ll get your claim submitted. Please do not leave the station until you receive clearance, as security may contact you for additional details of the attack. Do you have any questions?¡±

    ¡°Nay, I¡¯m good.¡±

    ¡°Have a nice day, ma¡¯am.¡± With that, the dwarf trudged off, his part concluded.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t customs be a bit more¡­thorough?¡± Miliam asked, recalling what she knew about travel between countries on Earth. This seemed almost cursory, like they weren¡¯t concerned in the slightest.

    ¡°They don¡¯t need us present to do a top-to-bottom inspection of the ship, and they will. And since we¡¯re already on board the station, we¡¯re not leaving until they¡¯ve checked my identity and you¡¯ve gone through intake. We¡¯ve also been scanned for weapons and grimoires, and he would have received a notification if mine was detected but didn¡¯t trigger its safeties when the station contacted it. Most of their checks are just behind the scenes, so it looks simple on our end.¡±

    Miliam nodded in understanding. Seemed like they had all their bases covered, but were streamlining the process to keep things moving.

    ¡°Anyway, now that¡¯s done, let¡¯s find some real food to eat and purchase you a grimoire. Admin can wait a bit.¡±

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: The Gaian Collective Fleet

    The Gaian Collective has a particularly large number of species associated with it, but no unified shipbuilding standards. These two things are directly related. Crew members perform better on ships designed for their physiology, so instead of handling all shipbuilding centrally, the Collective issues a quota to each member and allows them to choose the designs used to fill it. These ships are then allocated to mixed-species fleets to promote unity.

    Since physiology greatly affects fighting style, this leads to some very different ships. Centaurs, for instance, are naturally built for cavalry tactics and never developed infantry tactics; as a result, their ships are designed for speed and maneuverability, excellent for charging enemy lines or committing hit and run attacks, while dwarves and elves design their ships with extra armor and barriers respectively, making them effective at forming a line of battle.

    This makes the GC Fleet both the most difficult enemy to face and also the most difficult fleet to command. GC ships come in a wide range of designs and capabilities, which makes their fleets highly versatile and unpredictable. Fleet composition is not standardized because some member species have lower populations than others, so one fleet may be modeled after an entirely different doctrine than another based on what ships it has access to. An enemy simply does not learn how the GC fleet fights- it learns how a GC fleet fights, and must then start over the moment it encounters another .

    GC Fleet Command is aware of this and leans into it by allocating officers to each fleet based on their demonstrated talents in officer academy. Specialization is a virtue when every assignment requires a different set of skills.

 Chapter Nine

    Apparently, West Gate station was divided into sections based on the normal gravity of each member species of the Gaian Collective. Most were close enough to Earth normal to use it as a comfortable median, so a good three fifths of the wheel were dedicated to that. The other two were the outliers: the nearly half gravity required by elves- or rather, fay- and the over double gravity needed by the dwarves. To further accommodate the many disparate species aboard, the Earth normal section gradually increased in gravity close to the dwarven section and decreased close to the fay section.

    This, naturally, led to the many species aboard naturally arranging themselves in a gradient around the wheel-shaped station, which by extension, caused restaurants and other services to cluster around the people they catered to. It kind of reminded Miliam of a certain theme park, actually. West Gate greatly resembled the one that showcased Earth¡¯s cultures in an arc around a lake. A person could experience the culture and cuisine of every major homeworld in the Collective just by taking a stroll around the station.

    That may have actually been the point. The station was, along with its seven siblings, the first place any visitor would encounter. How better could one show guests what the Collective was all about?

    Well, that was all a very long winded way of saying that Aoibhe was kind enough to take Miliam to a restaurant focused on food from Earth. Only so many food cultures could be represented, even on a station this size, but she had been satisfied with the American-centric location they¡¯d visited, even if it had had a strange focus on Ohio.

    Now Aoibhe was taking her to purchase a grimoire, which promised to be a more expensive investment. Miliam felt a bit uncomfortable at having this much money spent on her, especially when they¡¯d yet to get an estimate on the corvette¡¯s repairs.

    ¡°Mmm¡­this place should do,¡± Aoibhe declared, cutting through a busy thoroughfare to reach a store that wouldn¡¯t have looked out of place in a 21<sup>st</sup> century mall. It was quite fortunate that the fay woman was as tall as she was, as it made Miliam¡¯s efforts to trail her through the crowd significantly easier than they would have been otherwise. She found herself being jostled by all sorts of people she still struggled to believe weren¡¯t wearing Halloween costumes, and when she emerged on the other side, she had to pick something out of her hair that had been left behind when something smacked her in the head.

    It was a feather. A¡­person feather.

    She entered the store breathing heavily, feeling as if she¡¯d just fought a mob for her life. With the height she¡¯d lost in her transformation, not to mention the muscle mass, Miliam felt she was going to have to relearn how to navigate crowds. That was an unforeseen consequence she would never have predicted in a million years.

    Now she found herself within an overly-white showroom packed to the gills with myriad devices she assumed were grimoires, given that the store was named ¡®GrimOURS? GrimYOURS!¡¯, which was so fantastically bad Miliam almost cringed herself to death upon reading it. The reason she had to assume was that there was nothing that even remotely resembled a book, not that she¡¯d expected any, having seen Aoibhe¡¯s device.

    There were items that looked like one-handed video game controllers, remote controls, dated music players, wrist-mounted screens, and even smartphones. Mostly smartphones. It was a panoply of electronics that could have been dropped in Miliam¡¯s own time period without anyone ever realizing they were from the future. She had to admit, though, that there were only so many ways to design something that stored a large number of individual files and allowed the user to select one and use it.

    And despite the sheer number of anachronistic offerings, there were a number of them that made her think ¡®wow, this really is the future¡¯ as well. Some of them were telepathically operated, although they came with a bevy of warnings that allowing that level of access to your brain is dangerous. Miliam had a hard time figuring out how that differed from translation charms and normal grimoires, however. Others looked like a pane of crystal, precious gems with buttons worked into their facets, or tactile interface gloves. Aside from the grimoires that reminded Miliam of home and the ones that looked futuristic, there were even extremely old timey-looking ones like wands, staves, and rings.

    With such an overwhelming selection, Miliam immediately knew she¡¯d just end up with a smartphone.

    ¡°Take a good look around, we¡¯ve got plenty of time, and a lot of options. I¡¯d recommend one with a screen though; it can be hard for a beginner to memorize every spell slot, especially once your repertoire starts to expand,¡± Aoibhe suggested, pointing towards the section of the store with the phones, tablets, wrist computers, and weird crystal panes, oblivious to Miliam¡¯s train of thought.

    ¡°Do they just cast spells or do they do other stuff?¡± she asked in return, with the many features of smartphones and other mobile devices in the back of her mind. She¡¯d actually be a bit baffled if people had moved away from concentrating everything and anything into one device.

    ¡°Aye, most of them do. The screenless ones are usually for specific jobs,¡± Aoibhe explained, waving her own grimoire as an example. ¡°Mine is a compact model for pilots. I¡¯ll need to get a new multipurpose grimoire, since mine was lost with the crew quarters on the Kinzela. Up to you if you prefer a phone with grimoire features or wants to keep them separate.¡±

    ¡°What are the wands for?¡±

    ¡°The aesthetic.¡±

    ¡°So Salem Witch Trials chic is back in fashion, then,¡± Miliam remarked dryly. Aoibhe began browsing the grimoires herself, picking some up and comparing them. ¡°So those ones are basically like, phones that cast magic? Doesn¡¯t feel like mobile phone tech has advanced much in the last few centuries¡­¡±

    Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°On the outside, nay. But there¡¯s only so many ways to make a box with a screen,¡± Aoibhe shot back using that infuriating thing called logic. ¡°Sure, you can make them fold in half or make them thinner, but there¡¯s only so many ways to innovate it.¡±

    ¡°I guess that makes sense.¡± Reaching into her pocket, Miliam pulled out her own phone to compare. They really weren¡¯t that different in appearance, though there were some new features. A placard told her that these phones allowed you to change the outer shell¡¯s appearance by selecting a new skin inside the device, which, combined with a mithril alloy casing, rendered phone cases obsolete. The screen could even repair itself over time if it was damaged.

    In addition, they could be charged with either mana or electricity, although the exchange rate was apparently horrible according to Aoibhe. Something about electricity being easier to convert into mana than the other way around. Miliam ultimate decided to make her earlier prediction a fulfilled prophecy by being a boring person and selecting a phone as close to her current one as possible. The prices didn¡¯t differ all that much, not that she knew how much any amount of GC currency was worth.

    ¡°Aoibhe? What currency is this, anyway?¡± she asked, pointing towards a symbol that looked like two circle, one large and one small, with an arc tracing from the smaller one around the larger.

    ¡°Gaian Collective Reserve Currency, or ¡®reserves¡¯ for short,¡± the fay answered without looking up from a pair of devices she was comparing. Miliam was mildly surprised they weren¡¯t called credits. The phone she was looking at was worth thirty reserves, although Miliam couldn¡¯t say if that meant it was cheap or that the reserve was simply worth quite a lot. She cursed her past self for ordering food without looking at the price, figuring a cheese burger wouldn¡¯t be all that expensive anyway and being too hungry to care.

    ¡°Is thirty reserves a lot?¡±

    ¡°Nay.¡± Aoibhe set down one phone and picked up another, checking the placard under it for any unique features.

    ¡°Phones were a lot pricier back in my day¡­wait, that makes me sound old.¡±

    ¡°If your story is true, you technically are,¡± Aoibhe quipped, finally making eye contact just to make a point of raising an eyebrow at her. ¡°Most of the materials are simple stuff that can just be transmuted. I think the mithril alloy is pretty light on the mithril, too.¡±

    ¡°Is mithril some weird space metal that wasn¡¯t discovered until after my time?¡±

    ¡°Nay, it¡¯s just mana-infused aluminum. Some human metallurgist started calling it mithril and the name stuck. Don¡¯t know how it¡¯s made, just that mithril stuff is more expensive.¡± That sounded about right, knowing human scientists. Miliam had heard of animals being named after sillier things.

    ¡°So, if there¡¯s mithril, is there also orichalcum, adamantite, or hiriirokane?¡± Milliam asked, definitely getting that last one¡¯s pronunciation wrong. But if there was one fantasy-named metal, why not others? It took Aoibhe a moment to think of the answer to that one.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­gold, titanium, and¡­copper, I think? I feel like I¡¯m back in chemistry class. If I remember correctly there¡¯s only a few things that are actually useful when they¡¯re mana infused, but you¡¯d have to look up the whys,¡± she answered with a shrug, which was fair. After all, Miliam could tell someone that bronze was copper and tin if asked, but she¡¯d have trouble remembering what brass is made of, much less what other alloys are good for and why.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t, uh, fay, have their own names for those things?¡±

    ¡°Well, my own language has a prefix for ¡®mana-infused.¡¯ So to me, mithril is literally just mana-infused aluminum.¡± The Fay woman seemed to have decided on what she wanted and put down one of the devices she was comparing. ¡°Do you need more time, or are you asking questions because you¡¯re done looking?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­fine just getting a basic smartphone,¡± Miliam said, gesturing with the one in her hand.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go ahead and pay. These are show models; they¡¯ll get copies from stock if we bring them to the front.¡±

    ¡°How are you paying, anyway? Wasn¡¯t all your stuff lost except the grimoire?¡±

    ¡°Aye, but my accounts didn¡¯t stop existing.¡± They both set their selections down on the counter, and the clerk, a fellow human, scanned them, prompting two boxes to pop out of a slot on the wall behind her.

    ¡°Your purchase comes out to 83 reserves,¡± the clerk told Aoibhe, apparently having figured out who had the money between them. It didn¡¯t take much in the way of observational skills to figure out that the clueless one asking what their currency was didn¡¯t have any money, though, Miliam figured. Aoibhe pressed her thumb to a pad to process the transaction, which just made a whole host of additional questions go through Miliam¡¯s head.

    Could magic be used to change fingerprints? How did accounts stay up to date between systems? She had to assume there was no superluminal communication, given Aoibhe had needed help from a ship in the same system. Or were there planet-based communication hubs? She had too many questions to ask right now; maybe she could just look them up later.

    ¡°Would you like me to help you set them up?¡± the clerk asked, bringing Miliam¡¯s attention back to the present.

    ¡°Nay, I can take care of it later. Miliam, time to go see the immigration authorities.¡±

    Fuck. Her greatest challenge so far: bureaucracy.

    <hr>

    Electronic Personal Grimoires

    With older mediums, a mage would typically pour their mana into the medium itself and manually fill in the blanks that required variables. This requires an extensive knowledge of spell writing to carry out and the focus to provide every needed variable at once. Modern Electronic Personal Grimoires, or just grimoires, use psychic magic to assist the user in providing these variables, pulling them from the user''s mind and adding them into a temporary electronic spell circle within the device. Once each variable is saved, the user is then free to determine the next without remembering the previous one, as the device does this for them. When the spell is fully ready to be cast, the grimoire assists the user in assembling a spell circle out of pure mana, effectively casting the spell without use a physical spell circle.

    Grimoires also feature an array of controls that allow the user to easily select their desired spell, even without looking, can usually be operated with one hand, and are tightly calibrated to the user, making interference nigh upon impossible. A grimoire cannot be modified without the user present, as any changes made without access to the user''s unique brain waves will simply render the device unusable.

    Critics would point out that modern mages often have a lesser knowledge of the ideograms used in spells and so lack the ability to produce makeshift mediums when needed, but handheld grimoires have become the primary spellcasting tool in modern society due to the sheer speed they allow for. Basic spells are nearly instant, and more difficult spells can be pared down from minutes to mere seconds. Some spells simply cannot be cast without a medium, which would normally mean hours of arduous preparation of a large spell circle with all the variables pre-set, but a grimoire makes even these spells more mobile and faster to set up.

    Most computer systems are capable of interfacing with grimoires, allowing a direct neural link that improves the performance of some systems, though this does require purpose-built grimoires. How effective this is varies depending on how well the user understands the systems they are working with. For most uses the improvements are minimal and ''only'' consist of removing certain physical motions needed to operate a device, which provides a slight but noticeable improvement in reaction time.

 Chapter Ten

    ¡°Next!¡±

    Miliam approached the counter, feeling very much like she was back in the DMV. Aoibhe had abandoned her to her fate and taken a seat near the entrance to the room. Apparently that was why she¡¯d declined to have the phones initialized- it was something to do while Miliam was stuck dealing with this.

    ¡°What can I help you with?¡± asked the white-winged woman at the counter. Miliam tried to remember what Aoibhe had told her to say at least half an hour ago.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking to register as an immigrant?¡± she asked, unsure of herself.

    ¡°Alright, just one moment¡­¡± the woman said, reaching for a tablet and tapping the screen a few times before handing it to Miliam. ¡°First go ahead and fill out this form, and then we can talk about the details.¡±

    Miliam accepted the device and looked at the questions, which were fortunately in English. That wasn¡¯t a huge surprise given that Aoibhe knew the language; it was likely the common tongue. She found herself stumped by literally the first field: last name. Technically she still had one, but she didn¡¯t really feel like that person anymore. While she could come up with one on the spot, she¡¯d already done that with her first name, and didn¡¯t really want to decide so quickly a second time.

    ¡°What if I¡­don¡¯t have a last name?¡± Milliam managed to ask after a pause, not sure how the question would be taken. The government employee looked perplexed for a moment, before asking a question Miliam didn¡¯t understand the relevance of.

    ¡°Which colony are you immigrating from?¡±

    Miliam glanced back at Aoibhe, who mouthed a name. Nodding to herself, and having read that entirely correctly, Miliam turned back to tell the worker.

    ¡°Ass Soaps.¡± She didn¡¯t know why anyone would name a colony that, but people could be weird, and she¡¯d lived near a town called ¡®Cumming¡¯, so it wasn¡¯t that bad.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a colony named¡­Ass Soaps. Do you mean Glass Slopes?¡±

    Her face immediately lighting on fire, Miliam nodded repeatedly while trying to ignore Aoibhe¡¯s laughter in the background.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I get it, this is a nerve wracking process. Glass Slopes though¡­that would certainly explain it. I can¡¯t imagine what you¡¯ve been through. Those independent colonies always attract the loonies,¡± the lady said in a reassuring tone, making Miliam wonder what the hell was going on in Glass Slopes. ¡°You¡¯re not the first, so it¡¯s not a required field. Just think about it and decide on a last name for when you get your citizenship.¡±

    Miliam thanked her and went back to the form, spending what felt like an eternity filling out her first name, hair color, and a variety of basic medical history and education level questions, current place of residence- she wrote down the Seppa¡¯s Prize-, current occupation- unemployed-, and so on, before coming back to the three she really didn¡¯t have an answer to: eye color, height, and weight. The latter two were a reasonable enough question that she could get away with asking, so she started there.

    ¡°And¡­what if I don¡¯t know my height and weight?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got spells for measuring both for just that situation. A lot of people haven¡¯t measured or weighed themselves recently when they get here. May I?¡± The woman held up a nondescript grimoire. At least, Miliam assumed that¡¯s what it was. She was getting to the point where she was just going to assume everything was a grimoire until stated otherwise.

    ¡°How much detail does that give you, exactly?¡± Miliam¡¯s main concern was that she wasn¡¯t really hoping to learn her full measurements in an immigration office, but she also worried that the spell might let the caster see through her clothes or something like in an airport scanner.

    ¡°Just your mass in kilograms and your height in centimeters. It¡¯s a government-issue grimoire, so the spells are preset and our usage of it is reviewed.¡± Mollified, Miliam gave her assent and the woman pushed some buttons on her little grimoire, which greatly resembled a TV remote. After just a few seconds she leaned in to whisper the answers, which Miliam was thankful for. ¡°173 centimeters and 54 kilograms.¡±

    Miliam hurried to write those down, but she had no idea what the numbers translated to in freedom units. Thanking the clerk, she decided to ask Aoibhe what the answer to the final question was, since she knew the full circumstances involved. She asked the clerk if she could step away for a moment and made her way to Aoibhe¡¯s seat.

    ¡°Aoibhe, what¡¯s my eye color?¡±

    ¡°Bright orange,¡± was the answer, which made Miliam immediately suspicious that she was being messed with.

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding. That¡¯s not even a real eye color,¡± she asserted, only for Aoibhe to take a photo with her grimoire and flip it around to reveal Miliam¡¯s face, which she was now seeing for the first time. She thought the girl in the picture was rather cute, and she felt a warm, pleasant feeling inside at the knowledge that it was her. But just as Aoibhe claimed, orange eyes stared back at her, set in a face framed by the silver hair she already knew she had.

    ¡°I kind of assumed it was on purpose.¡±

    ¡°Who would make their eyes bright orange on purpose?¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°Plenty of people. Were you not paying attention to all the different hair and eye colors people had on the way here?¡±

    ¡°I thought they were aliens!¡± Miliam hissed.

    ¡°Why would aliens just look like humans with different color palettes?¡± asked the alien that looked like an Irish person in a funhouse mirror. Miliam just shook her head, then filled out the field for eye color on the tablet and returned to the counter in disbelief. She handed the tablet back to the employee there, who looked it over to make sure everything was in order.

    ¡°Alright, looks good. Now, I¡¯ll be giving you an information packet that you¡¯ll want to read later, but we can go over the important details now to make sure you¡¯re fully aware.¡± She looked at something on her side of the counter; probably a checklist she needed to go through. ¡°Per the Gaian Collective charter, as a member of a Collective species, you have expedited priority. There will be a two year probationary period before you are granted citizenship, during which you will need to have an employment record and at the end of which you must have no convictions or ongoing trials. Acquittals or not guilty verdicts will not count against you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it? No tests or background checks or anything?¡± Before answering, the woman tapped something on her screen to check off the first point.

    ¡°If you were from a non-member species you would have to undergo a more rigorous process. Member species don¡¯t have as many hoops to jump through¡­though explaining all the reasons why would take too much time.¡±

    ¡°Do you get a lot of immigrants from non-member species?¡± Miliam asked, inadvertently derailing the conversation.

    ¡°Mostly sahagin. There¡¯s a lot of ocean floor we¡¯re not using, and a lot of industries benefit from having workers that can exploit resources down there.¡± The woman paused, waiting to see if Miliam had any further questions before continuing.

    ¡°Huh. And how many member species are there, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Around a couple dozen or so, I believe. We¡¯ve got¡­humans, fay, dwarves, gnomes, harpies, centaurs, naga, merfolk, dokkaebi, sasquatch, huli jing, dryads, oni, lupines, and satyrs, just off the top of my head...and I think it can get up to around three dozen if you include the ethnicities that don¡¯t like being lumped together, particularly a few of the harpy and oni-¡°

    ¡°Uh, that¡¯s all right, I just wanted a number,¡± Miliam hurriedly interjected before things could get further into the weeds. She was tempted to ask where the clerk¡¯s race fell, given that ¡®angel¡¯ hadn¡¯t been one of the species mentioned, but she was smart enough to realize it was almost certainly a matter that fell into the discussion on ethnicities she¡¯d narrowly avoided. For her part, the government worker seemed to realize she¡¯d been getting off track and checked her screen to see where she¡¯d been.

    ¡°Anyway, the other important thing to note is that you will not have access to government services until you acquire full citizenship.¡±

    ¡°What services are those, exactly?¡± Miliam wasn¡¯t really expecting access to them anyway, but it would be nice to know what they were in advance. Though, for that matter, she didn¡¯t wake up this morning expecting to be in an immigration office. In all the stories she¡¯d read, people just kind of popped up in a new world and bounced about as they pleased.

    ¡°Healthcare, housing, schooling, and basic necessities are the main ones. You can still pay for medical services and housing, of course, but you won¡¯t have priority unless it¡¯s life threatening as far as healthcare goes.¡±

    Miliam blinked a couple times.

    ¡°Citizens get free housing?¡± she asked, wondering how that worked. The healthcare wasn¡¯t that unusual on Earth and basic rations sounded like a food stamps program, so those she just filed away as information for Future Miliam.

    ¡°Right. Glass Slopes just lets people be homeless, if I remember correctly? In the Collective, shelter is a basic right, although the accommodations are essentially just a small room with a bed and some storage, along with access to public bathing facilities.¡±

    ¡°Does the government just keep like, tens of thousands of empty rooms available on every planet for when people need them¡­? Isn¡¯t that expensive?¡±

    ¡°Well, this was all decided hundreds of years ago, so I¡¯m fuzzy on the details, but I think at the time it was determined to be cheaper in the end than dealing with all the complications of a homeless population.¡± The woman shrugged, a motion that Miliam noticed involved not just her shoulders, but also her wings. ¡°Rights groups were also pushing for it, so I suppose it was a rare instance of pragmatism and compassion aligning. I believe they do cut down on expenses by having residents clean unoccupied rooms.¡±

    Miliam wondered what other things were different from back home. It was kind of hard to ask though, given that she still unsure if she was in the future or a different timeline, so any questions she asked might be entirely nonsensical from the perspective of the¡­angel?...in front of her.

    ¡°Now, one service you do have access to is a basic smart grimoire so that we can contact you if needed. Will you be needing one?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, my friend bought me one before we came here,¡± Miliam told her, pointing towards Aoibhe, who took notice and stood up.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll need to take down your contact information and register the device- oh, thank you,¡± the clerk said, accepting Miliam¡¯s grimoire from Aoibhe. She held device close to something on her side of the counter and a ¡®ding¡¯ was heard a moment later. ¡°There we go¡­your information packet will be sent directly to your grimoire, so make sure to review it at your convenience.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Miliam said as she accepted the return of her grimoire. Hopefully it worked the same as a phone, but if not, she¡¯d just ask Aoibhe. Speaking of the elf, she turned to her next. ¡°So what are we doing next?¡±

    ¡°Next¡­I was planning on getting a quote for the ship¡¯s repairs, but on second thought, we should get you some new clothes,¡± Aoibhe said, a wicked grin on her face that told Miliam she¡¯d just been designated as a dress up doll.

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Independent Colonies

    Independent colonies are planets that have entirely rejected association with a particular government and elected to settle somewhere outside of controlled space. Nations can only control as many systems as they have resources to place ships in, so there is plenty of unclaimed real estate in the gaps this leaves.

    These independents are often formed by tightly knit fringe groups, particularly religious ones. There is no unifying theme to them, but they are often regarded poorly by those living in nations, both due to their often extreme and regressive customs and the sheer insanity of living outside the protective umbrella of a fleet. Independent colonies are lucky to have a handful of poorly maintained corvettes for self defense, and will sometimes form deals with pirates and other outlaws to bring in more income and avoid becoming targets themselves.

    Although independent colonies are usually formed to escape what they view as government overreach or to enforce morals outside the mainstream, there is a noted tendency for them to undergo gradual shifts in culture over time, eventually leading to moderates taking over and petitioning for member status wherever their ancestors originated from. The extremists then pack up and leave to form their own colony again, starting the cycle anew.

 Chapter Eleven

    ¡°Are you sure the repairs can wait?¡± Miliam asked nervously as she followed in Aoibhe¡¯s shadow. She had no idea what clothes shopping was like here, and held no small amount of trepidation at the idea of trying on women¡¯s clothing for the first time. What if it didn¡¯t look good on her? She wasn¡¯t sure her self-confidence was at a level where she could take that, yet.

    ¡°Aye, an hour or two isn¡¯t going to make a difference. Besides, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re dying to try on some more feminine clothing,¡± Aoibhe shot back, and although Miliam blushed, she didn¡¯t deny it. It was right up there with learning how to style her hair.

    The two women emerged back onto the public section of the station and Aoibhe consulted her new grimoire briefly before making a beeline for an alcove marked only with images of clothing. Miliam looked around the area, but didn¡¯t see anything resembling a counter for a cashier or, in fact, physical clothing on display. What she did find was a number of holographic display cycling through various outfits and changing rooms around the curving walls of the semicircular room.

    ¡°I see the changing rooms, but where are the clothes? Is it like the grimoire store where they bring out what you want to buy?¡± Miliam asked, stopping in the middle of the room to look more closely at one of the displays. The hologram was really quite good. It would have been impossible to tell the clothes weren¡¯t real had they not been cycling between various options.

    ¡°Nay, this is one of the places where us plebs get our day-to-day clothes,¡± Aoibhe explained as she turned back towards Miliam. ¡°It¡¯ll be faster to show you.¡±

    Once she knew she had Miliam¡¯s attention again, Aoibhe headed for a booth. It was very similar to the sort of changing rooms she was familiar with, but there was the addition of a screen and a compartment of some kind inside, and another screen next to the door. A bit of glancing around allowed Miliam to realize people were entering the booths empty handed, and others were exiting with a handful of clothes, or even a bag.

    Aoibhe leaned into the booth and tapped the screen a few times, then switched to the screen on the outside. As Miliam watched, she navigated a touchscreen menu almost faster than Miliam could follow, selecting one image after another. When she stopped, a few seconds passed, and Aoibhe held up a finger to forestall any questions. Then the compartment in the booth popped open and Aoibhe reached in to pull out a shirt with absurdly long sleeves, obviously meant for elves but otherwise an ordinary t-shirt.

    ¡°So you use the screens to order?¡±

    ¡°Aye. Select what you want and the machine fabs it on the spot.¡± Aoibhe examined the shirt she¡¯d ordered with a critical eye before nodding. ¡°Have to check for defects just in case but they¡¯re usually fine.¡±

    ¡°¡­and people outside the booth can just select clothes for whoever¡¯s inside?¡± Miliam queried, discomfort evident in her voice.

    ¡°Nay, I had to enable it on the inside of the booth first. It¡¯s mostly for parents, but anyone can use it to assist.¡± Miliam saw where this was going. ¡°And lucky for you, I¡¯m right here!¡±

    ¡°I can choose my own clothes!¡± she protested, memories appearing unbidden of her mother buying clothes for her at the age of eighteen. It had very much not been her own choice.

    ¡°And I¡¯ll bet you haven¡¯t paid the slightest bit of attention to anyone¡¯s clothes all day,¡± Aoibhe riposted, stabbing Miliam right in her shoddy observational skills. ¡°The only thing I¡¯ve seen you more than glance at were the grimoires.¡±

    ¡°Technology is more interesting than people¡­¡± Miliam countered weakly. It was true, she had no idea what anyone but Aoibhe was wearing, and Aoibhe was in her high-gravity jumpsuit, so it wasn¡¯t exactly an example of fashion.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pick you out a few outfits, and then once you¡¯ve got an idea of what to do, you¡¯re free to take over.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± Miliam sighed, knowing she wasn¡¯t winning this one. Even if Aoibhe just wanted to see what she could make her wear. Resigning herself to being a mannequin, she trudged into the booth and locked the door behind her. While she waited, she noticed that the screen on the inside mirrored its exterior twin, allowing her to follow along with Aoibhe¡¯s selections. It also had a handy button for disabling the copiloting feature, but she refrained from tapping it for now.

    She didn¡¯t have to wait long before the compartment popped open. Aoibhe was too fast for her to quite follow what options she¡¯d selected, so Miliam wasn¡¯t really sure what to expect, but her face lit up bright red when she lifted the shirt out. It was a button-down crop top that she was certain would expose everything below the ribs if she wore it, and that was assuming it was even sized properly.

    ¡°No!¡± she shouted without explanation, but she could almost hear Aoibhe rolling her eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it? It¡¯s cute,¡± came the response from outside the booth. Well, it was, but that wasn¡¯t the point. It was a nice top, with a subtle floral design and a pastel blue color that would complement both her eyes and hair, and it was also far too revealing.

    ¡°Who would wear this in public?¡±

    ¡°Miliam, a woman walked out of a booth wearing a top like this as we entered.¡±

    ¡°That¡­might have happened,¡± Miliam equivocated, not able to actually refute the claim, ¡°but I¡¯m not comfortable wearing it! It¡¯s just too much skin to be showing in public.¡± Something seemed to click with Aoibhe then.

    ¡°Maybe in your time, but if that¡¯s your preference, that¡¯s fine too. Just put it back in the compartment and we¡¯ll recycle it,¡± the elf said, relenting. Evidently the modesty standards here were different enough that it hadn¡¯t even occurred to Aoibhe that the outfit might make Miliam uncomfortable.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°¡­does everyone dress like that?¡± Miliam inquired while she put the shirt back where she found it. She wasn¡¯t sure she liked the idea of being shamed for wearing too much anymore than the opposite.

    ¡°Nay, so long as you¡¯re clothed, no one will care how much or how little you wear.¡± Aoibhe took a moment to enter a new pattern and the drop bow popped open again. This time Miliam found something more akin to a blouse, retaining the same patterns and coloration, which she¡¯d liked, though she hadn¡¯t mentioned it. Maybe Aoibhe took her silence as approval of those aspects? When she picked it up, she found that this version had actual lace flowers along the bottom in addition to the floral design.

    ¡°How did you know this would fit?¡± Miliam asked once she¡¯d put the shirt on. She found the skirt was a darker shade of blue, and it was long enough that it would probably swish about nicely were she to turn quickly. She¡¯d always wanted to try that.

    ¡°If I don¡¯t enter sizes the scanner in the booth takes care of it. That¡¯s why they¡¯re single person.¡±

    ¡°Huh, magic is pretty convenient.¡± Miliam opened the door, now clothed in the new outfit. Aoibhe gave her a once over and nodded in approval.

    ¡°Looks good. How do you like it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­nice.¡± Miliam looked down to hide her bashfulness at the extremely minor compliment. She wasn¡¯t used to those.

    ¡°Perfect. Let¡¯s try a few more.¡± Aoibhe began to operate the screen, but then stopped. ¡°Oh, also, the scanner is pure tech.¡±

    ¡°...what about the fabricator?¡±

    ¡°3D Printer.¡±

    ¡°Well, doesn¡¯t that just take all the magic out of it,¡± Miliam rallied with a grin. Aoibhe just gave her a look and shooed her back into the booth.

    After that, Miliam was forced to try on several more outfits, running the gamut from something extraordinarily frilly, akin to gothic lolita, to traditional elven garb, which Miliam found to resemble a cheongsam with piping and closure that stretched from shoulder to hip rather than shoulder to underarm, plunging down across the center of the torso. The latter had star-themed adornments rather than the patterns typical for that type of garment, and there were probably other differences she wasn¡¯t familiar enough with the style to spot, but that seemed the most apt comparison.

    That was all mostly for Aoibhe¡¯s entertainment, though. Ultimately she was just taking home half a dozen shirts with colors chosen to match her eyes and hair, along with a couple of pairs each of skirts, shorts, and pants.

    The skirts had pockets.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised how similar the fashion is after hundreds of years,¡± Miliam commented while she wrapped up by selecting underwear for herself. This was a bit more private of a process, so the exterior screen was now deactivated.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call this high fashion,¡± Aoibhe said wryly. ¡°This is the cheap stuff that costs a couple cents to make.¡±

    ¡°Wait, then what¡¯s the bougie stuff like?¡± As she spoke, Miliam scrolled through the many options, having no idea what was best given her lack of experience buying women¡¯s undergarments. She kind of wanted to ask for help, but it would be all kinds of embarrassing for the other woman to know what all of her underwear looked like. Maybe she could ask some general questions?

    ¡°High quality, tailored, and hand-made from natural fibers. Usually enchanted so you can change the pattern, or the pattern moves, or components of the outfit float. Some outfits are designed in a way that they would just fall off if they weren¡¯t held up by spells.¡±

    ¡°That sounds a bit¡­well, extra,¡± Miliam admitted, finding no better way of putting it. Why were there so many types of cups for bras!?

    ¡°Clothes like that look better than I can describe, but yeah, some of them are a bit over the top. The most important part is just that it¡¯s hand-made. Everyone¡¯s got a few outfits like that for special occasions.¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± Miliam grunted, mostly just to acknowledge what Aoibhe had said. Did it make that big of a difference? Maybe it was a case of ¡®seeing is believing.¡¯ In the end she just decided to go for a few designs that she thought might be comfortable. Milliam¡­honestly wasn¡¯t sure she needed the support anyway. She didn¡¯t know how to feel about that. Women in fiction were always so concerned about the size of their chests, but did real women actually care that much?

    She was too afraid to ask.

    Once she had the underwear sorted, Miliam queued up a simple cloth bag for her clothes and stowed them- with the exception of the first outfit, which she decided to wear. It was amazing how much better she felt, wearing clothes that fit. She exited to find Aoibhe swiping her grimoire close to the outer screen and pursed her lips in concern.

    ¡°I¡¯m not costing you too much, am I?¡±

    ¡°Nay,¡± Aoibhe said with a snort. ¡°There¡¯s a reason citizens get this stuff for free. It¡¯s so cheap to make that it¡¯s not worth selling. I think they only charge non-citizens for the principle of it. You made sure to get underwear, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes I did!¡± Miliam said quickly, not wanting to discuss the topic. Maybe one day she¡¯d feel more comfortable with it. ¡°Anyway, repairs now, right?¡±

    ¡°Aye. I scheduled a consultation while you were in there. We¡¯ll be meeting them at the ship after they¡¯ve had time to look over the outer hull. Let¡¯s head back now and I¡¯ll show you how to use that grimoire while we wait.¡±

    Miliam had nearly forgotten about the thing. Was it weird she was more excited about the textbooks than the actual magic?

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: The Automation Revolution

    For centuries, people warned of the potential for automation to overtake industry and leave vast swathes of the population unemployed. In 216GC, this finally happened. After years of incremental improvements, technology and magic had reached the point where basic necessities could be manufactured for a pittance in a factory or farm run by just one person. Entire workforces were laid off, leading to a total economic collapse when even the heavily depressed prices were too expensive for the unemployed masses.

    After much negotiation, a deal was made between private industries and the government at the time. The government took over unprofitable industries and rehired veteran workers to run the facilities, then distributed necessities like food, clothing, shelter, and clothes for free, and in exchange, the company owners were given a large pay out they could use to start new businesses.

    What this led to was, in many ways, the reverse of the Industrial Revolution, which pushed out experienced craftsmen and cottage industries in favor of cheap products. Now products were so cheap as to be nearly worthless, but with basic needs met, a demand rose for higher quality goods. Suddenly hand-made goods were in demand again, and private industry answered by organizing skilled craftsmen to make these goods.

    This still did not provide enough jobs for everyone, but with no need to work to survive, a boom in the arts followed. The current economy is built on low-quality goods produced en masse by government employees for almost nothing, high-quality and often unique goods made by hand, art and literature, and services. It should be noted that there were some industries that were unaffected by automation due to the complexity of their products; in particular, magic-infused metals as well as anything involving engraved magic circles continued on unaffected by the paradigm shift, as they outright require a sapient being''s involvement.

 Chapter Twelve

    As it turned out, Miliam barely had had time to sink her teeth into research before Aoibhe led a mechanic into the ship¡¯s galley. That mostly owed to the setup process, which Aoibhe hadn¡¯t actually been able to complete for Miliam¡¯s grimoire without her. She had needed to inject mana into the device herself to activate the primary spell circle inside of it, then go through a series of exercises to tune the device to her specifically, and that had been annoyingly tedious.

    ¡°Miliam, meet Hroarr. Hroarr, meet Miliam, the captain. Technically,¡± Aoibhe said as an introduction, earning her the stink eye from Miliam in return. Aoibhe leaned against the wall, and Hroarr just stood in the doorway. Miliam offered wordlessly offered him a seat, but he refused.

    ¡°A pleasure. Well, wouldya like th¡¯ good news or th¡¯ bad news first?¡± the dwarven man asked, jumping straight to business. Like the previous dwarf they had met, he was short but wide, although this man was dressed in work overalls. He had the thick beard typically associated with dwarves, which did not surprise Miliam in the slightest.

    Was that a stereotype? Was she space racist?

    ¡°Uh, the good news?¡± Miliam answered back after glancing at Aoibhe, who apparently wasn¡¯t planning to do the honors.

    ¡°Well, yer ship managed to make it t¡¯ port shortly afore the life support would¡¯ve failed and filled th¡¯ ship with CO2.¡±

    ¡°¡­that just sounds like bad news you spin doctored into good news because you didn¡¯t actually have any,¡± Miliam said accusingly. Hroarr and Aoibhe both ignored her observation.

    ¡°What¡¯s the bad news, then?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit o¡¯ a list. Life support needs overhauled. Someone overloaded th¡¯ point defense lasers and burned out th¡¯ orichalcum wires, so those need to be replaced. Since they¡¯re fused to th¡¯ super structure we¡¯d have t¡¯ tear off half the hull just t¡¯ do that, but lucky for you, th¡¯ hull platin¡¯ is also a total loss, so we¡¯d have t¡¯ take it off anyway¡­¡± Hroarr listed off, referring to a device he¡¯d apparently recorded the list on.

    ¡°Orichalcum can¡­burn out?¡± Miliam interrupted, figuring it was an important thing to know.

    ¡°Yep. See, it conducts mana cuz of th¡¯ mana infused in it, but every particle that goes through tugs at th¡¯ mana inside a lil¡¯ bit. Push through more than it¡¯s rated for and th¡¯ mana gets flushed out, and th¡¯ whole wire turns into inert gold,¡± Hroarr explained patiently. ¡°Unfortunately gold melts a lot easier than orichalcum, and th¡¯ moment th¡¯ wiring burns out, it tends t¡¯ melt and take th¡¯ rubber sheathing with it.¡±

    ¡°And the ship isn¡¯t designed to have the wires replaced without pulling up the hull?¡±

    ¡°It is, but only if they¡¯re intact. When they burn out like that, we have t¡¯ go in and use spells that can pull out th¡¯ gold without damaging the stuff it¡¯s fused to.¡±

    Miliam nodded, satisfied with the explanation. Hroarr continued.

    ¡°Movin¡¯ on, the hull is a composite that¡¯s at least fifty years out of date, and it looks like it¡¯s taken a lot of micrometeorite impacts. Stress fractures all over. It¡¯s a surprise it held out. A kinetic slug penetrated th¡¯ hull and richocheted around th¡¯ inside o¡¯ the elevator shaft, and between that and some spalling, th¡¯ entire elevator needs t¡¯ be ripped out and replaced.¡±

    ¡°What about the weapons?¡± Aoibhe interjected.

    ¡°The missile launcher is just jammed, but it¡¯s so out of date th¡¯ missiles it¡¯s designed for are discontinued, so yer gonna need a whole new system. Th¡¯ lance was shattered by some kind o¡¯ impact that took out th¡¯ primary spell circle and th¡¯ capacitor, though if yer at th¡¯ point o¡¯ usin¡¯ a lance on a corvette, y¡¯might as well just surrender anyway.¡±

    ¡°Wait, a lance? Are we planning on jousting with other ships?¡± Miliam exclaimed incredulously. Aoibhe rolled her eyes, but answered the question anyway.

    ¡°Nay, of course not,¡± she said, waving a hand in denial. ¡°Lances are mage weapons that let a caster aim and fire anti-ship spells.¡±

    ¡°So¡­it¡¯s like a cannon?¡± Miliam cocked her head to the side.

    ¡°Not even close. More like a battery and a sensor platform. No way one mage could cast a spell that powerful without a power source, much less hit something a light second away.¡±

    ¡°Movin¡¯ on, th¡¯ barrier array blew out, but I¡¯m sure y¡¯know that since it looks like it took out half yer capacitors, judgin¡¯ by the pile of shards in the engineerin¡¯ bay,¡± Hroarr said before they could keep going. ¡°That¡¯s a lot like what happened to th¡¯ lasers, but th¡¯ wires run through th¡¯ inside of th¡¯ ship, so they¡¯ll be easier to reach.

    ¡°Beyond that¡­all th¡¯ controls are built for carillions, so I¡¯m sure y¡¯want those replaced. They did a right shit job of it anyway. Reactor needs a full overhaul. Even the stuff that¡¯s not broken is half a century out of date and could use replacin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°So how much would a full overhaul cost?¡± Aoibhe asked. Hroarr silently turned his pad around and Aoibhe whistled at the number of zeroes.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°With a ship this old we¡¯ll have to make most of the parts ourselves. No one sells them anymore. Frankly this bucket belongs in a shipbreaking yard, not in space,¡± he summarized.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s a lot,¡± Miliam prompted, still having no idea what anything was worth in reserves. If the number were dollars though, it would have been house-buying money where she came from. Probably a pretty nice house, at that.

    ¡°It¡¯s so much money that it would be cheaper to buy a new ship if not for the intersystem teleporter,¡± Aoibhe told her, screwing her face up in irritation. She probably expected a high price tag, but not one quite this high.

    ¡°Wait, does that mean the teleporter is worth more than a normal ship?¡±

    ¡°Just puttin¡¯ in an intersystem teleportation array increases th¡¯ price of a ship by an order of magnitude,¡± Hroarr answered for Aoibhe. ¡°They¡¯re not easy t¡¯ make, an ya need a custom design for every model o¡¯ ship. Not t¡¯ mention how much bigger y¡¯gotta make the ship.¡±

    ¡°Which just means a new ship with the same capabilities would be that much more expensive. Even a used one would be better, but we don¡¯t have the money for that either, and neither of us is qualifying for a loan anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°¡­do we even have the money to repair it?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to repair it all at once as long as we get the essential things working first.¡± Aoibhe gave Miliam an appraising look before continuing. ¡°I do have an idea of how to get the money, but we should talk about that privately.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not stripping for money,¡± Miliam said, covering herself with her hands at Aoibhe¡¯s predatory expression. There were worse options than stripping, of course, but she wasn¡¯t even going to mention those.

    ¡°Relax, no one wants to see your scrawny ass anyway, beanpole,¡± Aoibhe retorted dryly.

    ¡°If I¡¯m a beanpole, what are you? A flagpole?¡±

    ¡°Ahem.¡± Hroarr coughed into his hand to return their attention to himself. ¡°Did y¡¯have any more questions?¡±

    ¡°Nay. Send me that estimate with a cost break down, though, so we can decide what we can afford to fix.¡± With that, Aoibhe wrapped things up and sent Hroarr on his way before returning to speak with Miliam again. Miliam tried to start her research again, but her attempt was foiled by Aoibhe¡¯s prompt return to continue their conversation. This time she took a seat at the only table with Miliam.

    ¡°How attached are you to that grimoire you came with?¡± she asked Miliam, who wasn¡¯t sure why it was suddenly important.

    ¡°Not very? I mean, it worked, but I¡¯m sure not going to try casting anything else in there after what happened last time¡­¡± she answered. She was, in fact, so unattached she didn¡¯t actually remember where she¡¯d left it. Hopefully Aoibhe did. ¡°Why does it matter?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an artifact. That sort of thing is worth a lot to the right buyer,¡± Aoibhe said as she tapped a lengthy finger against her chin in thought.

    ¡°You want to sell it to fund the repairs?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. An auction would take too long to set up, but my ex is an archaeologist with a specialty in extinct magic systems. I bet she can convince the university she works at to buy it.¡± Aoibhe paused as if considering something. ¡°Maybe we can convince her to take a look at the spell you cast while she¡¯s at it.¡±

    ¡°¡­what are the odds I appear in a system with just one person in it who happens to have dated a woman that would want my book?¡± Miliam asked skeptically.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t ask that if you knew how many exes she has,¡± Aoibhe replied with amusement. ¡°She might be a researcher, but her hobby is partying, and she also happens to be polyamorous, so she¡¯s usually got a couple girlfriends at a time. And she likes her relationships open.¡±

    Miliam didn¡¯t sense any disapproval in those words, so maybe this was another area society had become a bit more open about. This mysterious ex was either drop-dead gorgeous or seriously charismatic, though, by the sounds of things.

    ¡°You were okay with her dating other people?¡± she asked curiously.

    ¡°Aye, nothing wrong with it as long as we¡¯re all consenting adults and everyone knows what they¡¯re getting into.¡± Aoibhe shrugged, then smirked. ¡°You should watch out, though. You seem like the type to fall for a few honeyed words.¡±

    ¡°One of these days we¡¯re going to have some words about what exactly you think of me,¡± Miliam promised with narrowed eyes. But that day would not be today. Or tomorrow. Aoibhe was kind of intimidating. ¡°Also, between the two of us, only one of us has actually slept with her. Maybe you should watch out.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, I think Abigail¡¯s on the dark side of the planet right now, but we¡¯ll give her a call when she¡¯s awake.¡±

    ¡°Too bad she¡¯s not a night owl,¡± Miliam said as she opened her phone- well, grimoire- up again so that she could finally answer some of the questions she had. She¡¯d yet to find out what that burning sensation was when she activated the mana furnace, for one, nor had she pinned down the answer to the future-or-alternate-universe question.

    ¡°She is. I guarantee you she¡¯s awake right now, but she¡¯s also probably in the middle of something she wouldn¡¯t want interrupted.¡± Miliam thought she heard Aoibhe mutter something along the lines of ¡®lucky bitch¡¯ under her breath, but it might have been the life support acting up.

    ¡°What would she be- oh.¡± Halfway through her query, Miliam realized what Aoibhe was implying and felt embarrassed she¡¯d been that slow on the uptake. Now that she thought about it, Miliam didn¡¯t actually know how two women got up to that sort of thing. It was yet another thing she¡¯d never bothered to think about, not having expected to be needing to know. She added it to the list of things she should research.

    Later, though. In her quarters. Alone.

    ¡°In the meantime¡­do you remember where you left your grimoire?¡±

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Void Combat: Lances

    Magic-based weapons, which have come to be known as ¡®lances¡¯, do not produce anything on their own. Rather, they are stations built to augment the magic of the operator and assist with aiming. This means a lance¡¯s output changes depending on the mage using it. The primary advantages of this method are that a mage''s unique talents are not wasted when onboard a ship, and enemy ships can never predict what type of attack they will face before it is fired.

    A dreadnought studded in hundreds of lances can output a veritable storm of random spells. This can be anything from searing beams of plasma, to bolts of lightning that home in on enemy ships, to rays of cold that coat anything they touch in ice, and even clouds of meteors that will tear through ships like shrapnel through flesh. Few mages can match the raw kinetic energy of a spinal railgun, but the more forms of attack a ship has, the harder it is for an enemy barriermaster to defend against.

    Lances do have a few disadvantages, of course. First and foremost, they require a skilled and educated operator. Second, they cannot operate at full power without a charged crystal battery, so they are dependent on the ship¡¯s mana furnace to recharge between shots. They cannot fire as quickly as railguns or missiles as a result, and their rate of fire may drop further if other systems are drawing heavily on the ship¡¯s furnace, such as barriers and emergency atmospheric containment fields.

 Chapter Thirteen

    With the conversation with Abigail on hold, Miliam took the opportunity to retire to her quarters with a couple textbooks and access to the station intranet and answer some of the questions she had been piling up. She sat back in the bed- which, incidentally, she had redressed with clean sheets before using- and pulled up her elementary level magic textbook first.

    ¡°I suppose I should start with that burning sensation¡­¡± she muttered to herself, doing a text search for the word ¡®burn.¡¯ She got dozens of results throughout the book, but fortunately, it was apparently a fundamental enough concept that it was near the beginning.

    In short, she had been feeling the early stages of her body breaking down from channeling too much mana. Yep. Unlike in a game, people didn¡¯t have a pool of mana, and didn¡¯t stop casting when they exhausted it. Mana wasn¡¯t harmful at rest, but channeling it was, and the body could only tolerate it for so long before cells started popping. People had to build up a tolerance for it over years of pushing just past that limit and letting their bodies heal.

    ¡°Would have been nice to know that sooner¡­but I guess it¡¯s unreasonable to expect Aoibhe to assume I wouldn¡¯t know something in an elementary school textbook,¡± Miliam complained to herself. With that question answered, she moved onto the next one: the current year, 2690AD. That question she had to answer through the intranet, as she only had a generalized intro-to-magic textbook, not a history of magic on Earth.

    ¡°Okay, so on Earth, magic was officially discovered on¡­oh, you have to be kidding me.¡± Miliam stared in disbelief at the date listed on the page. Magic had been rediscovered multiple times over the course of Earth¡¯s history before promptly being suppressed, but the most recent and final discovery was in¡­

    2024.

    One. Month. After. She. Left.

    And ''after she left'' was indeed the best way of phrasing it, because Miliam soon found a centuries old new report in which she, under her dead name, was reported missing. That settled one of her biggest questions; she was in the future, not in alternate universe.

    Miliam flipped over and screamed into her pillow, having just discovered a truth so mind-bogglingly stupid her brain shut down. If she hadn¡¯t cast the spell when she did, she could have submitted the tome for study, maybe have it deciphered by actual experts before she attempted it. Maybe she could have just sold it for a mint and flipped her family the finger as she rode off into the sunset and got a medical transition.

    But nope, she¡¯d cast a spell she didn¡¯t understand and wound up¡­666 years in the future. Surely that wasn¡¯t a bad sign, and she would live a peaceful and prosperous life doing cargo runs between planets. Yup. Not going to think about that number at all.

    Still, it meant she got to leave her toxic family immediately, and humanity hadn¡¯t left the Sol System for another sixty years after that date. Society had had to let go of a lot of preconceived notions before they could begin to explore magic as a science, much less integrate the two in order to reach their full potential. Even then, the Gaian Collective took another two decades to form. So, in, the end, despite the sheer ridiculousness of it all, she couldn¡¯t complain that much.

    After coming to terms with that revelation, Miliam decided to move onto a few simpler subjects. It was a bit of a rapid fire of terminology- ¡®wave drive¡¯ was the colloquial name for the Alcubierre drive, a theoretical form of faster-than-light travel she had heard of before which magic had made possible. Ships using wave drives could violate the speed of light without technically moving, hence the lack of a traditional propulsion system, and they could even manipulate their bubble of space to move in any direction without turning.

    The wave drive wasn¡¯t so much faster than light that one could travel between stars, as a trip across the GC would still take something like 45 years, but it was more than enough for travel between planets.

    Communication was a bit more complicated. Most data was shuttled between worlds by data couriers. There were designated routes and times, ensuring all relevant data could propagate across the Collective in a matter of hours. But urgent data transfers relied on quantum entanglement communication- QEC modules, in other words. They were so difficult to make that the Collective hadn¡¯t broken the six figure count for them, though the actual number wasn¡¯t public, and each module could only send data to its twin.

    There was a lot more information on them, but Miliam was content with that much. It was an advanced subject and trying to make sense of it past that point was giving her a headache. She rolled onto her side and dove into another line of questions.

    Specifically, magic itself. She was able to locate a section in her book regarding spells, though it meant skipping ahead a bit. Apparently they could be written in any language, almost like how programs could be written in any programming language, but the GC standard used a lexicon of ideograms that condensed a lot of meaning into a single character. Like in Chinese, Japanese kanji, or even ancient Egyptian.

    On one hand, that meant it was easier to fit more complex spells into smaller spell circles. And they had to be circles, apparently, but she¡¯d skipped the section that explained why. The flip side was that learning to both cast and write spells required memorizing hundreds of characters.

    Miliam decided she was going to need some flash cards.

    She spent some time studying the characters used in the basic spells that had come with her grimoire next. And by basic, she meant basic. Single function, no variables. Casting one of these spells would produce a very specific, singular effect and nothing else. More complex spells would allow one to choose the shape, size, intensity, or even origin point, but these ones were the equivalent of flicking the spark wheel on a lighter: they were always going to produce an identical result of the same size originating from the caster¡¯s hand.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Which was not to say that they were easy. Miliam was skipping steps, not to mention weeks¡¯ worth of lesson material. She was learning how to read code by opening up a program and referring to a list of functions to understand what she was reading, in essence. That would be a stupid thing to do for most people, but Miliam had a degree in programming, so here, she was in her element.

    Because magic wasn¡¯t dissimilar to coding. The language used was developed to be used by the same species that invented the programming languages she was familiar with. It followed similar rules and syntax, as it emerged from the same cultural background. Of course a magical language invented by humans that already knew about programming languages would in itself be a form of programming language.

    So the hard part was deciphering the ideograms. A basic spell had relatively few of them, and she memorized enough of them to cast her first spell within an hour. She scooted to the edge of the bed and sat up, dangling her legs off the side. Then she called up the app that contained her spell library and selected the one she wanted to cast. Miliam fed a bit of mana in to trigger the psychic component, and the chosen spell appeared in her mind¡¯s eye, held there not by her own will but by the assistance of the device in her hand.

    She read the circle. It rotated as she went, so she didn¡¯t have to read anything upside down. And when she finished¡­a little flame appeared above her index finger, on the hand that wasn¡¯t holding the grimoire.

    It would have helped if she¡¯d remembered to hold her finger out first.

    Heat blossomed on her leg as the fire manifested directly against her skin, and she yanked her hand away by reflex, cursing aloud. It hadn¡¯t hurt much and she¡¯d moved soon enough to avoid a serious burn, but had seriously caught her by surprise. Miliam sighed as the spell¡¯s duration ran out and she fell back onto her bed. Although she¡¯d messed up a bit right at the end, she¡¯d taught herself to use magic. Just one basic spell, but the accomplishment was her own.

    Time for a break.

    Miliam settled back against her pillow and decided to pursue another line of¡­research. But just as she hit enter on the search bar, her door slid open, admitting Aoibhe inside. She jolted up, her spine as straight as a ruler and a blush on her face as she slammed her phone into the bed face down and locked the phone screen.

    ¡°Could you knock!?¡± she yelled out. Aoibhe gave her a look like she was the weird one.

    ¡°Just thought you might want to know that I got in touch with Abigail and she¡¯s on her way up to meet us,¡± the elf said with a shrug.

    ¡°That could have been a text message!¡±

    <hr>

    Minutes earlier, Aoibhe was on the bridge of the corvette when she received a request for a video call over the ship¡¯s communications array. She accepted, and the white-haired, red-eyed Abigail Carter appeared on screen, one eyebrow already raised in consternation.

    ¡°Aoibhe, if this is yet another prank, I swear I will-¡± Abigail began, cutting off abruptly as Aoibhe raised the book in her hand and showed her a page. ¡°That is¡­an authentic Inquisition-era grimoire. Where in the universe could you have¡­?¡±

    ¡°Long story. Important part is myself and the owner of this book need a lot of money right now, and I wanted to know if your university would be interested in buying this,¡± Aoibhe said, setting the book aside.

    ¡°I expect they would,¡± Abigail confirmed. ¡°That era of magic is poorly understood, as only fragments and singular pages have survived. An entire intact grimoire would be¡­invaluable. I am grateful that you would contact me rather than auctioning it off.¡±

    ¡°Aye, well, we need the money now. Can¡¯t afford the docking fees while we wait.¡±

    ¡°You have acquired a ship, then, I assume. Interesting. Send me the location, if you would. Any purchase will be contingent upon my first inspecting the tome to confirm it is authentic.¡±

    ¡°You can get permission to leave that quickly?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. My department head will, in fact, be so happy to approve the request that he would most likely fill out the required forms for me.¡±

    ¡°Great. I wanted you to analyze a particular spell before I hand it over, anyway. The owner- my new captain- told me a strange tale about how she ended up on this ship,¡± Aoibhe said while glancing at the book in question. Abigail would probably be able to read the spell on the spot, coded or not.

    ¡°May I inquire as to the tale in question?¡± Abigail asked, raising her eyebrow once more, but Aoibhe shook her head and deferred.

    ¡°Best you hear it from her. I¡¯m not sure I believe it yet myself anyway, and I can¡¯t answer the questions I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have. I¡¯ll forward you the docking arm we¡¯re on, just call me when you¡¯re arriving.¡±

    ¡°Mm, very well. You have certainly piqued my interest, and I will make my way there forthwith. You may expect my arrival within the day,¡± Abigail said as she ended the call. Aoibhe leaned back in her seat and sighed. There had been a small amount of fear that she would say no, though the greater part of her knew Abigail would jump at the offer just as she had. Now it was just a matter of negotiating, and maybe getting the answers to a handful of questions.

    Aoibhe decided she should probably go ahead and let Miliam know; when Abigail said she was going to do something quickly, she damn well did.

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Wave Drives

    Once known as an Alcubierre Drive on Earth, the wave drive uses magic to warp space around a ship, carrying it through space like a surfer on a tidal wave. Technically the ship inside the bubble is not moving relative to the space around it, so this has the advantage of allowing a ship to travel at great speeds without moving at all, eliminating the need for any consideration of g-forces due to acceleration. These wave bubbles allow the ship to move at speeds greater than c, although not enough so to be viable for interstellar travel. Wave drives are, however, the standard for interplanetary travel, allowing a ship to cross a star system in hours rather than years.

    Since wave drives do not rely vector-based propulsion, they can move a ship in any direction based on pilot input. Ships do not have to decelerate to change directions, per se, but it does take time to undo the warping effect on space and apply it in another direction, so turning cannot be done instantly.

    The effect of wave drives on the space around a ship is immense, however, making it dangerous to operate them in close proximity to anything one doesn''t want ripped apart. Flexible object like cables may survive being inside the space warped by a wave drive, but people or even ships cannot survive being placed in this field. Ships are equipped with maneuvering thrusters to account for this, allowing smaller ships to land on planets without damaging them and allowing ships to approach closely to stations and other ships for docking.

    Despite the deleterious effects of being caught in the path of a wave drive, they do not make good weapons. Battles are fought at distances up to a light second, so ships seldom come close enough to ram each other, and even if they did, an opposing wave drive can be used to cancel out that of the rammer, leaving it vulnerable to counterfire. Two ships using wave drives to move in opposite directions would cause a resonance effect that would accelerate them towards each other, but that first requires two ships whose crews are both desperate enough to commit to a suicidal attack to target each other, which is extremely unlikely.

 Chapter Fourteen

    Tiriana wasn¡¯t kidding when she told Miliam that Abigail was ¡®on her way¡¯ despite having just gotten off the call with her. According to Tiriana, for her to have arrived as quickly as she did, she must have departed within minutes and chartered a private shuttle rather than using public transport. Within a couple of hours Abigail was requesting entry from the station side of their docking arm.

    When she stepped into the galley- rapidly becoming the primary meeting room on the ship- Miliam beheld a woman that was five feet tall at the highest, with average looks but striking albino features. It was hard to tell given that her robes were so voluminous, but she seemed a bit on the chubby side as well. There was intelligence and focus in her eyes though, and she carried herself with an enviable confidence perhaps bordering on arrogance.

    For the first time, Miliam also got a look at the high-quality clothes Aoibhe had told her about. Abigail¡¯s black and gray robes were of obvious quality, thick and sturdy but also smoothly weaved and made of silk if she were to hazard a guess. The ends of the sleeves were wide and loose, with ideograms Miliam recognized stitched into them- possibly gold, maybe even orichalcum. They might have actually been functional spell circles. More ideograms ran down the center, starting at her waist and trailing down and around the lower hem. A thick, knotted cord of golden fabric completed the look, clasping the robes shut below the waist.

    ¡°Abigail Carter,¡± she said as an introduction, bowing slightly. ¡°I must beg your pardon for skipping straight to business, but I am told you have both a story and an artifact for me, miss¡­?¡±

    ¡°Ah, Miliam. How much has she told you?¡±

    ¡°Very little, I fear. I have been informed it would be best to hear what you have to say directly.¡±

    So, Miliam told her story. It really wasn¡¯t that long, truth be told- the sheer strangeness of it was the difficulty. Abigail stared into Miliam¡¯s eyes with an unchanging expression the entire time she spoke, simply soaking in the details without interrupting to ask questions. It wasn¡¯t until Miliam finished describing the events prior to arriving at West Gate that Abigail spoke.

    ¡°Judging by the way you describe events, I can only surmise you are truthful about your origins,¡± she concluded decisively. ¡°Your manner of speaking regarding magic and its associated technologies betrays a complete lack of familiarity with the topic that not even an independent colonist would possess. So, we shall skip straight to the salient point. May I examine the spell you performed?¡±

    ¡°Sure! Just let me find it really quick,¡± Miliam said, opening the book Aoibhe had placed on the table before she arrived. She flipped through the pages quickly but carefully, mindful of potential damage, and spun the tome around to show it to Abigail after finding the correct page. Abigail examined the page carefully, lifting it up and glancing at the reverse side before returning to the actual spell. She traced her finger along the variables Miliam had filled in with ink.

    ¡°Fascinating¡­I suspect I have already determined a possible cause for the incident, although further analysis of the spells involved will be necessary.¡±

    ¡°Already!?¡± Miliam exclaimed in surprise.

    ¡°If anything, I¡¯m surprised she wasn¡¯t able to read the spells on the spot,¡± Aoibhe commented dryly, to which Abigail merely raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Indeed. Aoibhe¡¯s overly optimistic view of my capabilities aside, my evaluation has little to do with my reading of the magics involved. What I could ascertain immediately is that the spells were written on a material meant to impede mana using a mana-infused ink, which would have allowed a person to cast any spell written with it without the ability to comprehend it so long as the writer imbued their writing with their own understanding of the spell. A common technique used in modern enchantments. Might you have a guess as to why we use carved metal instead of ink, though?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­metal is a lot more sturdy, right?¡± Miliam guessed, somewhat lost in Abigail¡¯s verbose explanation.

    ¡°Indeed, that plays a part. However, the primary issue here is that the features of the medium itself have degraded. In addition, the ink you utilized was likely corrosive to the page. The variables you filled in modified the spell on the reverse side, and when you injected mana into your intended spell, the other also activated as a direct result,¡± Abigail explained while holding up the book, showing Miliam how light seeped through the pages and the spots where ink had bled through. ¡°Mind you, I cannot read either spell without placing some amount of effort into deciphering the text, so any final conclusions must be postponed until I may do so.¡±

    ¡°How long do you think that will take?¡± Aoibhe asked, leaning forward onto her elbows.

    ¡°No longer than the repairs to your ship, and largely because I have additional loose ends to wrap up alongside performing the work itself,¡± Abigail said, closing the book.

    ¡°Loose ends? Are you going somewhere?¡± Aoibhe cocked her head to the side in curiosity.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Perhaps. We shall discuss it when you again possess a functional vessel. Suffice to say that I may have a request to make of you before you depart. Now, I do believe we should discuss payment. Will this prove sufficient?¡± Abigail slipped a chit forward, which Aoibhe scanned with her grimoire before showing the number to Miliam; two and a half million reserves. It was quite a lot of money, although it fell a large percentage short of what a full repair would require.

    ¡°We both know this is far below the value of a book this old and this intact,¡± Aoibhe said coolly before Miliam could comment. Abigail showed no reaction to the accusation on her face, but held up a hand.

    ¡°You may cease the attempt at negotiating; I am, unfortunately, not authorized to give you a better offer. What you see was the entire stipend I was provided for this purchase, and I already determined proposing anything less than the full value available would be insulting. If this results in you instead taking this artifact to auction, it would be regrettable, but I am still amenable to providing my services in analyzing the spells of interest in exchange for a complete imaging of the contents,¡± Abigail said, cutting off Aoibhe¡¯s attempt at raising the price.

    ¡°Is it even worth selling to her if we¡¯d get that much more in an auction?¡± Miliam asked. The price seemed like quite a lot of money to her, even if it was less than the value of the repairs they needed.

    ¡°¡­aye, we likely have no real choice. It¡¯s your book and your decision. But auctions take time to set up. The word needs to go out to potential buyers, and they need time to get the money together and make the trip here.¡±

    ¡°Even then, the theoretical value of an artifact may not match up with its practical value. I would project that you are almost guaranteed to receive twice my offer if you take the tome to auction, but anything further would be speculation.¡±

    Miliam thought for a moment about Aoibhe and Abigail¡¯s responses. She had a few different factors at play here. The absolute value she might receive from an auction was probably enough to retire on if she lived carefully- something she could ask for clarification about. The problem was that she lacked a modern education and citizenship. To get the latter, she needed work experience, which would require the former.

    Some part of her would be a bit embarrassed to get the Gaian Collective equivalent of a GED, particularly since she would have to find adult high school classes first. It was hard to say how long that would take; she had a Bachelor¡¯s Degree, yes, but that didn¡¯t guarantee she knew enough to pass those courses quickly after so much had changed. That would delay citizenship by an unknown amount, which had its own ramifications.

    No citizenship didn¡¯t just mean no access to a social safety net, although that did concern her. Miliam¡¯s larger worry was her immigration status. If the situation changed and she were deported, she would have literally nowhere to go and nothing to fall back on. Even the money may not mean much outside the GC. Would she even be comfortable living on an independent colony, which didn¡¯t seem to be looked on very fondly here?

    Even laying all of those factors aside, it assumed she would take home 100% of the earnings. Some would go to the auction house, obviously, but Miliam simply would not be comfortable leaving Aoibhe with nothing. The book was Miliam¡¯s, but Aoibhe had done a lot for her, albeit with some amount of self-interest involved.

    ¡°Before I make a decision, I need to know how far that money would go,¡± Miliam told the other women. Aoibhe leaned back in her seat as she considered the question; Abigail seemed content to let Aoibhe do the talking. Probably because she could be seen as biased, here.

    ¡°It definitely depends on where you¡¯d be living,¡± Aoibhe said at last, ¡°and the better the quality of life there, the less your money is going to be worth. If you¡¯re smart, and the economy doesn¡¯t tank, it¡¯s probably enough to last the rest of your life, but I¡¯d be worried about healthcare until you managed to get citizenship.¡±

    ¡°And how much would a used corvette cost?¡± Miliam asked next, knowing a new one was out of the question.

    ¡°A junker, not much better than the one we¡¯re on, would probably be¡­close to an eight digit figure. Could maybe go as low as eight million reserves, but we¡¯d be looking at a fixer-upper. Prices might edge up to the tens of millions for the newest models, but it all depends on the features,¡± Aoibhe explained, pulling up a few examples on her grimoire for Miliam¡¯s benefit.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say we¡¯d be better off buying a new ship when we spoke to the mechanic?¡± Miliam asked, recalling the conversation from yesterday. The full repairs had been quoted at a number a bit higher than a well-used corvette, and far below a new one.

    ¡°Aye, because patching her up only partially is going to mean ongoing costs. It¡¯s not just the price upfront, but the long term costs as other systems break down and need to be replaced, and the strain the old components can place on the newer ones,¡± Aoibhe explained. Miliam, having owned an old car once, immediately saw the parallels.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll sell it to Abigail,¡± she decided, looking directly into her ruby-red eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose the ship, and you said before you wouldn¡¯t be able to afford the docking fees long enough for an auction to take place. I think selling the book now and repairing the ship with the money is the option with the least uncertainties.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Abigail said in satisfaction, a very small smile gracing her lips for the first time since she¡¯d arrived. ¡°I will, of course, need to prepare a written agreement for us both to sign, and you are free to use that time to perform your own research regarding the information you have been provided. I would hate for you to suspect Aoibhe and I of colluding due to our prior associations.¡±

    ¡°I trust Aoibhe, but I probably don¡¯t have anything better to do right now, so maybe I¡¯ll do that. So, uh, what do we do with the book right now?¡± Miliam glanced between Abigail and the grimoire uncertainly, having never taken part in a transaction like this before.

    ¡°It will remain in your custody until an agreement is formally signed. I shall contact my superior to inform him of your decision and he will liaise with the proper authorities to finalize the acquisition.¡± Abigail stood and gave another small bow before leaving, with Aoibhe following to see her out.

    Miliam slumped down in her chair and let out a sigh as soon as they were out of earshot. That had been a bit nerve wracking. It was impossible to know if that was the right decision, and she definitely wasn¡¯t certain it was the wisest one, but she couldn¡¯t deny her excitement at the prospect of using her very own starship to explore the galaxy.

    Or at least a small corner of it.

 Chapter Fifteen

    ¡°Replacing the armor is outside of our current budget¡­the best we can probably manage is replacing the ruined section near the elevator,¡± Aoibhe said, eyes focused on the grimoire in her hand. Both she and Miliam were staring down the price breakdown they were sent by the mechanic they¡¯d spoken to as they tried to decide which repairs to prioritize. It had been a couple of days since they¡¯d spoken to Abigail and they had put it off about as long as they could, since they¡¯d be making the official sale soon.

    ¡°The quote is for mithril and adamantite composites, though, right? What if we just¡­got some kind of non-magical alloy?¡± Miliam asked, thinking it might be something of a cultural blind spot. In Earth¡¯s early space age, materials like aluminum and various composites had been used for the outer shells of shuttles, and although they hadn¡¯t always worked perfectly, they might be an acceptable short-term alternative.

    ¡°That¡­might be doable, actually,¡± Aoibhe agreed, looking something up on her grimoire in response. ¡°Aye¡­as long as we get the barriers fixed it should be safe enough. Won¡¯t be stopping any railguns or lances, but it should hold up against space debris.¡±

    ¡°I think if we¡¯re needing to survive those in a ship this small we¡¯ve probably fucked up somewhere along the line anyway¡­¡±

    ¡°Aye, we can probably leave the point defenses alone in favor of upgrading some of the secondary systems, too, for that matter. What are the odds of me running into pirates a fourth time, right?¡± Aoibhe asked, oblivious to the look of exasperation she was getting from Miliam¡¯s side of the table. Miliam sighed heavily before replying.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve said that, 100%. We are without a doubt seeing pirates the first time we go anywhere. Nope, I¡¯m invoking captain¡¯s privilege on this one, point defenses are now priority one,¡± she declared, wondering how anyone could be so lacking in genre savviness even hundreds of years in the future. Then again, she still wasn¡¯t quite sure what genre she was in, so maybe that was fair.

    ¡°What in the galaxy are you on about? Nothing I say can affect probability,¡± Aoibhe retorted sourly, popping a pretzel into her mouth halfway through. Miliam didn¡¯t comment on her talking with her mouthful but she definitely had some thoughts.

    ¡°Too late, decision¡¯s made. Uh, what¡¯s next, life support? Pretty sure he said that was dying.¡±

    ¡°Aye, assumed that one was a given. And we¡¯ll need to have new orichalcum conduits run for both the barriers and point defenses if you¡¯re so set on it.¡±

    ¡°Oof, that¡¯s pricey. I don¡¯t think we have much of a choice there though¡­what about the lance and the missile launcher?¡± Miliam asked, glancing up to see Aoibhe¡¯s response. This time Aoibhe waited until she finished chewing, which made Miliam wonder if she was a mind reader.

    ¡°Too expensive. The launcher doesn¡¯t look like it costs us much, but we have to figure in ammunition, and you don¡¯t skimp on counter missiles. And one lance won¡¯t help us much anyway; smarter to run rely on point defenses and the barriers.¡± Aoibhe punctuated the explanation by leaning her chair back and propping her feet on the table as she scrolled down the list. Miliam couldn¡¯t help but notice how weird it looked given the tall woman¡¯s distance from the table.

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you definitely want the controls reverted to human standards?¡± Miliam hadn¡¯t been on the bridge much, but she remembered the switches being an absolute forest to search through.

    ¡°Aye, and it¡¯s one of the cheaper things on the list, anyway. Thrusters are¡­optional, but recommend we upgrade them. The newer ones will be more fuel efficient, so we¡¯ll save in the long term.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡± Miliam tallied up the numbers in her head roughly and searched for anything else they could afford. ¡°I think that rules out the sensors, comms, mana furnace, and reactor upgrades¡­but isn¡¯t that last one kind of important?¡±

    ¡°Nay, we can get by with a tune-up for that. If we find a good enough engineer we might not even need to pay the mechanic. Might be a bit of a longshot, though.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Anyone that wants to work on this thing is unhireable anywhere else like me,¡± Aoibhe explained succinctly, and Miliam couldn¡¯t blame anyone for staying away, considering the shape the vessel was in.

    ¡°Right¡­well, that leaves water reclamation, wards, whatever those are, the elevator, fail-safes, and miscellaneous repairs. Fail-safes sound important,¡± Miliam said, eager to move on from the previous topic.

    ¡°Aye, and I think that¡¯s the last thing we can afford. We should keep a bit set aside for resupplying plus sign-on bonuses and wages.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t think about that. Good idea. Okay, so that means the list of repairs is going to be¡­plating, point defenses, barriers, life support, controls, thrusters, and the fail-safes. Did I miss anything?¡± Aoibhe took a moment to strike through the repairs they would be getting now and looked over the remainder.

    ¡°Just the reactor tune-up, but we can decide on that after we interview crew candidates. It won¡¯t require being in dry-dock anyway,¡± Aoibhe said as she returned her chair to normal and stood. She made a few motions on her grimoire as she switched gears. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take that list to the mechanics once we have the money. We should get ready for the interviews now. I tried to weed out the worst ones but¡­well, just brace yourself.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    <hr>

    Miliam and Aoibhe sat around a low and broad crate substituting for a table in the cargo bay. Miliam had an actual chair, but Aoibhe had just sat herself down on a particularly tall crate. The table was mostly for the aesthetic, as they didn¡¯t actually have anything to put on it. A final crate sat on the opposite side for their interview candidates to use.

    They had opted to use the cargo bay because the ship lacked a real meeting room and the galley shared a floor with all the sensitive sections of the ship. There wasn¡¯t much damage anyone could do right now, with the ship in its current state, but given the quality of recruit they were faced with, it seemed a prudent precaution.

    ¡°Our first guy is¡­Seshay Sushin. Sahagin. Engineer,¡± Aoibhe read out as she sent the man a message indicating he could enter. The only door on this deck that wasn¡¯t sealed and locked was the cargo bay, so it wasn¡¯t long before he came in. The sahagin was obscured by a bulky, featureless pressure suit, favored by sahagin that weren¡¯t willing to go through the extensive conditioning needed to live in surface pressures. Miliam had looked up what their appearance under the suits and, well, all she had to say on the matter was that anglerfish could have done without the competition.

    The sea-dweller looked around awkwardly before timidly taking a seat on the crate they had offered. Miliam had thought it was quite sturdy, but its top bent inwards a bit under the man¡¯s weight.

    ¡°So¡­Seshay. My first question would be, why would you even want to serve on this ship instead of a sahagin vessel?¡± Aoibhe asked, cutting directly to the heart of the matter. Sahagin ships were both flooded and pressurized; working on a ship like this would mean living inside his suit.

    ¡°I am¡­scared of deep water,¡± the fish-man admitted, earning him a look of disbelief from Miliam.

    ¡°¡­isn¡¯t that like being afraid of air?¡± she whispered to Aoibhe, confused.

    ¡°Closer to agoraphobia, I think, but sahagin ships do usually have a few multi-deck rooms that could trip him up,¡± Aoibhe explained before turning back to him. ¡°You¡¯re aware we don¡¯t have accommodations for sahagin, right? You would be confined to the suit while onboard.¡±

    The long pause that followed told both women he had not, in fact, considered this.

    ¡°I am¡­skilled engineer,¡± he said, pretending the question hadn¡¯t been asked.

    ¡°With the suit on?¡± Miliam asked, observing the mitten-like gloves he wore due to his webbed fingers.

    ¡°I am very dexterous,¡± he answered, again dodging a question.

    ¡°With the suit on, right?¡±

    When he didn¡¯t answer, Aoibhe asked him to tell the next candidate to show themselves in.

    Unfortunately, there were many candidates like Seshay on offer today. Examples included an arrogant harpy that pretended to be a sensor tech only to ask for Aoibhe¡¯s job, a drunken centaur, a gnome that insisted he was in fact a leprechaun (which Aoibhe confirmed do not exist), and even a human that Aoibhe eventually realized was making things up to pretend he was a qualified comms officer.

    By those standards, their next candidate wasn¡¯t actually better, but he was more memorable if nothing else. In walked the first carillion Miliam had seen in the flesh, finally answering a question she hadn¡¯t actually cared enough about to look up: what their mystery appendage was that necessitated the extra cavity in their space suits.

    His eyes were wideset and huge compared to his head, reminding Miliam of a featherless ostrich with a flattened face like a primate. The carillion¡¯s skin was clammy and tinged green, and he had an impossible thin waist with a normal sized chest, almost as if an anime girl had come to life. Miliam didn¡¯t need to be told to understand the extra body part contained the organs that didn¡¯t fit inside his torso; it was similar to a wasp¡¯s abdomen in that it connected by a thin petiole, although it was shelled in a manner closer to a snail¡¯s shell.

    When he sat down, the shell folded up between his legs; the seats on the bridge must have been built to accommodate this, as he was forced to sit a bit forward on the crate.

    ¡°So, Mr¡­Ute? You¡¯d like to work as our weapons officer?¡± Aoibhe asked when he was seated.

    ¡°Yes. I hit things,¡± he said simply, confusing both women.

    ¡°We don¡¯t¡­need you to hit things, we need you to operate the weapons,¡± Miliam said, wondering if he thought he was supposed to be some form of security.

    ¡°I¡­throw things?¡± he asked, looking at each woman at once by moving his eyes separately. Miliam shivered at the image.

    ¡°We¡¯re not hiring bouncers,¡± Aoibhe said with a sigh, realizing quickly that the man didn¡¯t even understand the job title. She went ahead and dismissed him at that point, groaning loudly after he left. ¡°I knew they¡¯d be bad, but that was on another level.¡±

    ¡°Was that normal? For a carillion?¡±

    ¡°Nay, but that man is not fit to serve on a starship. Moving on¡­looks like we have a bit of time before the next applicants get here, so I guess we can take a bit of a break.¡±

    ¡°How many are left?¡±

    ¡°I think we¡¯re about halfway. Hopefully we get at least someone competent. Not holding out much hope, but next is a pair of twins, so maybe we¡¯ll at least get some fresh weirdness.

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Carillions:

    Carillions are a species best know for their worst trait: xenophobia. A prey species, carillions developed a stronger tribal mentality than many other sapients, which, once they developed tools, led to a history bathed in strife. Uniquely, from the time they first developed city-states to the time they left their homeworld, there was not a single year in which they were not at war.

    Unification was achieved only through the complete annihilation of every other cultural group on the planet. Today carillions are know to almost always possess the same black and white whorl pattern on their shells, but other patterns are attested to in historical records. None survive today. This was not a simple matter of ethnic purging or genocide like most species have unfortunately attempted in their histories; these other carillion groups hated the surviving group, and each other, so much that they fought to the last rather than ever entertaining the idea of peace, determined to be the only form of carillion allowed to exist.

    Within their in-groups, however, carillions are extremely communal. They are known to trend psychologically towards equity, strong social networks, and support for the weak and infirm- but only for those they consider like them, although this definition seems to be somewhat static, as no new ''out groups'' have been designated since their final war. This allowed the carillions, once they had finished fighting each other, to rapidly advance technologically in non-military fields, culminating in an unprecedentedly fast leap from their nuclear age to their interstellar age.

    As a people, carillions do for the most part retain this xenophobia in the modern day, but space travel has allowed for the creation of a significant expat community that, technically speaking, suffer from a mental illness that reduces their natural xenophobia. This trait is genetic, and since only those that possess it are inclined to leave carillion space, it is ironically the case that most people will only ever meet carillions that are not xenophobic. Most information on the state of the carillion interstellar nation comes from fresh expats, as baseline carillions refuse all diplomatic contact and trade.

 Chapter Sixteen

    ¡°Remember: do not call them ¡®Korean goblins.¡¯ It¡¯s a slur and it will get you punched,¡± Aoibhe said as she sent the twins a message inviting them inside. Miliam just gave her an odd look.

    ¡°Why on Earth would I even do that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a mythology thing, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Aoibhe said, brushing the matter aside. They didn¡¯t really have time for a full explanation anyway, as moments later a pair of women walked through the door, looking around nervously.

    They were short and vaguely Korean-looking, but that was where the similarities to humans ended. The twins were taller than Abigail only by virtue of the black horns emerging from their temples, curving outward slightly before turning straight up. Their skin had a slight blue-green tinge to it, and their ears were small but dagger-shaped. Miliam wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell them apart were it not for their coats, which were purple and green respectively.

    ¡°Go ahead and take a seat,¡± Aoibhe instructed them, and they sat hesitantly at nearly the same moment. ¡°I have your names, but I don¡¯t know who is who, so could you introduce yourselves?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Eun-Ji,¡± said the woman in purple.

    ¡°I¡¯m Min-Ji,¡± said the woman in green.

    ¡°Thanks. So, you two are wanting to apply for the sensor and comm officer positions, right?¡±

    ¡°¡±Yes!¡±¡± they confirmed at the same time, glancing at each other in embarrassment a moment later. It clearly hadn¡¯t been on purpose, and Miliam thought the resulting bashfulness was kind of adorable.

    ¡°Who¡¯s applying for which job?¡± Miliam asked, mostly just to be included in the conversation.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Eun-Ji began, ¡°technically I¡¯m qualified on sensors and my sister is qualified on comms.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Aoibhe asked, brow furrowed. Miliam could tell she was already about ready to check out of this interview after their string of bad applicants.

    ¡°Our parents made us take different courses, but we didn¡¯t want to. So we swapped places every day and studied together to keep up with both courses,¡± Min-Ji clarified, with Eun-Ji nodding in agreement. If that were true, it meant they had effectively double-majored whatever courses qualified them for those positions- Miliam had no idea if that was a college degree, a technical program, or officer training, but it would probably be impressive regardless.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Aoibhe grunted, not having expected that answer. ¡°That would make you both wildly overqualified for this dinky little ship. Why in the galaxy would you want to work on a bucket like this and not for a major company?¡±

    ¡°Well, ah, you see, our parents are now pushing us to get married¡­which would mean being separated,¡± Min-Ji explained, though even Miliam could see it wasn¡¯t a complete explanation.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t actually answer my question,¡± Aoibhe pointed out, frowning slightly and shifting in her seat to cross her arms.

    ¡°Our family has a lot of connections. They own one of the major shipbuilders. Anyone that wants access to their yards would fire us on the spot, even if we were hired.¡±

    So, they were heiresses, then. Except their parents wanted to marry them off. So, either they wanted to bring someone else in to manage the company, or they wanted to forge some kind of corporate alliance. Was that old fashioned, now, or still in-vogue as always?

    ¡°Wait, if we hire them, would we be in trouble?¡± Miliam asked Aoibhe, shifting her gaze away from the twins. Aoibhe thought for a moment before giving an answer.

    ¡°Nay, I don¡¯t think so. Even if they wanted to put some kind of bounty on us, or them, there¡¯s no way they could spread the news throughout the GC without getting the wrong kind of attention. They would either need to risk federal attention or keep it so low key it would be almost impossible to track us.¡±

    ¡°Could they stop us from getting work?¡±

    ¡°Only if they knew what ship their daughters were on,¡± Aoibhe answered, glancing back at the twins, who were watching the discussion nervously. ¡°Even then we¡¯re probably changing the name while it¡¯s in dry dock, and the hull is getting a work over, so it¡¯s not going to look the same either.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re pretty sure we lost our guards all the way back in Sol,¡± Eun-Ji was quick to assure her.

    ¡°We changed ships in every system and were hiding our faces until we boarded this ship,¡± added Min-Ji.

    ¡°Aye, and how did you handle payment? That¡¯s all pointless if you used accounts linked to them,¡± Aoibhe asked, leaning forward. The twins leaned away in reply; even Miliam could find her intimidating at times, so she could only imagine what the tiny girls across the table were feeling.

    ¡°¡±Prepaid cards!¡±¡± they answered in unison to Aoibhe¡¯s satisfaction. After a moment of silent conversation between the two, Min-Ji continued. ¡°We bought them in Sol, right before we boarded a ship that was just about to leave.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still risky-¡± Aoibhe began to tell Miliam, only to stop and sigh. She ran a hand through her hair in frustration. ¡°Fine, fine, you can put away the puppy-dog eyes. I¡¯ll give them a test and if they can do the job I won¡¯t argue if you want to hire them,¡± she said while looking away. Miliam learned two things right then: Aoibhe was weak to puppy-dog eyes, and she could do them in the first place.

    It hadn¡¯t been on purpose but she was going to take the win.

    ¡°¡±Really!? Thank you!¡±¡± the twins yelled in celebration, syncing up once again before flushing with embarrassment. Silently, Miliam prayed that wasn¡¯t something they only did when they were stressed, because it was kind of delightful to watch.

    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet, I¡¯m going to have to run through a few things on the bridge first.¡± Aoibhe slapped her knees with her hands as she stood, beckoning for the two young women to follow her. Before she left, though, she reached behind her crate and retrieved some kind of component. ¡°Miliam, think you can handle one by yourself? The next one should be our last engineer candidate. Just tell them to fix and reinstall this thing. I was going to use it as a test but the other guys were too full of shit to bother.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Uh¡­what even is it?¡± Miliam asked as she took the part. It was¡­metal and a bit greebly. That was literally all she could figure out by looking at it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. If you don¡¯t even know it¡¯ll be a better test,¡± Aoibhe told her with a smirk before taking the twins for their test. Miliam sat there for a few moments before realizing she needed to call the next person in herself since Aoibhe wasn¡¯t there, but since she forgot to actually ask how the fay woman was doing it, she¡¯d have to go to the airlock and invite them in herself.

    Miliam hopped up and jogged over to the airlock, punching the button she¡¯d seen Aoibhe use to cycle it several times already. The door behind her slid shut and the outer door opened a moment later to reveal a diminutive reptilian waiting silently. This was the smallest person she¡¯d met so far at less than four feet tall from head to toe, although they had a large pair of tattered wings folded up behind them adding to their size. The being¡¯s scales had a teal base with darker blue spotting and a bit of a gradient from light to dark going from head to tail tip.

    ¡°Are you the engineer applicant?¡± Miliam asked after a moment. The winged lizard blinked at her slowly.

    ¡°I am. Engineer.¡± That was all they said for confirmation, but figuring that was as much as she was going to get, she invited them inside. When they were both seated in the cargo hold, Miliam thought about what to ask next.

    ¡°So¡­first, can I get your name?¡± she asked, before hurriedly adding ¡°And pronouns?¡± after realizing she couldn¡¯t tell and the name was unlikely to tell her a whole lot.

    ¡°Engineer. Am. Engineer,¡± they answered haltingly. Miliam wondered if their translation charm was malfunctioning or if they lacked one and were merely answering with what little English they knew.

    ¡°No name? You just want to be called Engineer?¡± A nod. ¡°That might get a bit confusing. Would you also accept they/them?¡± Another nod. ¡°Uh, cool. So.¡± Miliam stopped and tried to figure out if she had any other professional sounding questions but quickly gave up and just grabbed the part. ¡°Can you fix this?¡±

    ¡°Mm,¡± Engineer grunted, taking the component. ¡°Capacitor failsafe.¡± They began to open the part up with practiced motions, using a claw in place of a screwdriver with precision. In moments the outer casing was on the table, and Engineer was shifting the innards in its hand in search of the issue.

    After a careful examination, they reached into their lizard-shaped jumpsuit and pulled out a strangely shaped tool with a magnifying glass on the hand. Engineer peered through the glass at something before nodding and Miliam realized the tool was a grimoire shaped for their clawed fingers when they began to several spells upon the part in succession, then reassembled the part.

    ¡°Is done,¡± they said simply, offering the part. Not knowing anything about the component, Miliam moved onto the next thing Aoibhe had mentioned instead.

    ¡°Do you know how to install that?¡± A nod. ¡°Uh, right. I¡¯ll show you to the engineering room and we¡¯ll see if you can reinstall it, if that¡¯s okay?¡±

    Miliam took Engineer to the middle deck in an awkward silence, glancing briefly towards the bridge where Aoibhe was giving instructions to the twins still. Engineer spotted the engineering room quickly and tottered off ahead of Miliam in their inhuman gait, tail swaying as a counterbalance as they walked.

    Engineer didn¡¯t even need to ask where the component they held went, which was good, because Miliam hadn¡¯t the faintest idea. They simply ran their eyes over the room until they spotted the compartment Aoibhe had taken the part from, which had been left open, and it was in place before she could even catch up.

    ¡°Huh. That was¡­fast,¡± she said lamely, wondering what Aoibhe would have wanted her to do next. While she was technically the captain, a few days of reading elementary level textbooks and looking things up on the intranet had not been enough for Miliam to really find her feet here. Luckily for her, she only had to stand there awkwardly for a measly four minutes before Aoibhe showed up.

    ¡°Already done? The twins checked out, so I told them we¡¯d give them a call when the ship is out of dry dock,¡± Aoibhe told Miliam, walking over to check Engineer¡¯s work. After running some diagnostics she smiled. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s working good as new. A lot better than I was expecting, even.¡±

    ¡°Am good. Engineer,¡± the reptilian said proudly.

    ¡°Did you have anything to ask? I didn¡¯t really know what to ask them,¡± Miliam admitted.

    ¡°Nay, this practical test tells me that they have a grasp of repair spells, which was the most important thing. We don¡¯t have time for anything more time consuming, since we still have a few interviews before the handover with Abigail and taking the ship to dry dock.¡± Aoibhe went over a few details about compensation and when Engineer could board the ship, then saw them off while Miliam returned to the cargo bay.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t want to say anything in front of them, but we should probably keep taking applicants until the last second,¡± Aoibhe said as she joined Miliam, sitting down with a sigh.

    ¡°What? Why? I thought you said Engineer did well?¡±

    ¡°Aye, but didn¡¯t you wonder why they wouldn¡¯t give you a name? That dragonewt is an exile,¡± the fay explained seriously, saying it as though the meaning should be obvious.

    ¡°And that means¡­?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t happen a whole lot these days, but traditionally dragonewt clans will exile their worst criminals and strip them of their name and wings.¡±

    ¡°But Engineer had wings,¡± Miliam argued, remembering them clearly. They were kind of big and obvious.

    ¡°They don¡¯t amputate the whole wing, just the membranes. Dragonewts tattoo their wing membranes with clan markings when they come of age, so mutilating their membranes tells other dragonewts they¡¯re clanless at a glance. Healing magic can repair their wings, so if they didn¡¯t go to a healer¡­¡± She shrugged, letting Miliam fill in the rest herself.

    ¡°If it¡¯s so easy to heal what¡¯s stopping exiles from just doing that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s part of the reason it¡¯s fallen out of favor. The only reason I¡¯m giving Engineer a chance is that they didn¡¯t make me find out through a background check.¡± For a moment there was silence between them as Miliam wondered what the hell Engineer could¡¯ve done to earn such a punishment.

    ¡°¡­is that also why they didn¡¯t have a translation charm?¡± she asked after a moment, thinking back to their odd manner of speech.

    ¡°Nay, they had a charm. They just like to talk like that.¡±

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Dragonewts

    Dragonewts are a rarity in the galaxy: they are one of the few sapient species capable of full flight. This comes at the cost of size, however. Male dragonewts are only three feet tall on average. Female dragonewts are as much as a full foot taller, and this increased height is accompanied by a significant advantage in overall mass. All dragonewts have hollow bones and relatively weak limbs, however. They boast a twelve foot wingspan in exchange, which allows them to fly as well as any bird. These wings resemble those of bats in structure rather than birds or flying reptiles. Healthy wings are of particular importance in dragonewt culture.

    Dragonewts come in many colors, but the pattern and coloration applied to their wing membranes is what identifies a dragonewt''s clan group, rather than the color of their skin, which is varied among all groups. This has lead to a mostly-dead custom in which exiles were stripped of their wing membranes or even their entire wings to show they were no longer welcome in any society.

    Dragonewt society is matriarchal. This has many historical reasons, but the primary one is that female dragonewts have a significant size advantage over males and do not carry their young- instead, eggs are deposited one at a time into a brood pouch on a male''s underbelly. There is no difference in birth rate between the dragonewt sexes.

    A fractious people, dragonewt society is highly divided, with no polities governing more than one clan ever surviving long. Clans gradually grew in scope and size instead, each maintaining their unique cultural identity with little multiculturalism. Only once the largest clans had grown equivalent to entire nations did their technological level begin to advance, so their society spent a particularly long time in their equivalent to the medieval period before eventually industrializing.

    Today, the dragonewt clans have dispersed so that each may have a world to themselves, which has greatly reduced infighting. They are one of the three founding species of the Draconine Freeholds, a loose confederation primarily united in mutual defense and nothing more.

 Chapter Seventeen

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised how quickly they got back to you,¡± Miliam said as she walked beside Aoibhe, her ancient tome in hand and a bag of clothes over her shoulder. ¡°I thought it would take a lot longer to go through.¡±

    ¡°Aye, that would be due to the bodies on board. I had a strong hunch they were pirates, so all that was needed was to look up their records. Most of the information needed was compiled decades ago,¡± Aoibhe replied.

    They had received the news that the ship was officially theirs shortly before disembarking, but that wasn¡¯t actually related to the business they were currently on. Today they were meeting with Abigail at a notary¡¯s office for the sale of Miliam¡¯s tome, rather than aboard the corvette, as it was important to make the sale as contractually airtight as possible for the protection of both sides.

    Miliam didn¡¯t understand all the finer details of the legalities involved, but she was also confident Abigail and Aoibhe didn¡¯t either. Neither of them were that most dreaded of professions, the abominable lawyer. Abigail¡¯s university had drawn up the contract and an impartial notary would be going it over with both parties for fairness before anyone signed it.

    Staying awake the entire time would be challenging, but that was why Miliam had just downed a concoction with five times as much caffeine as the average shot of espresso.

    <hr>

    ¡°Oh thank god,¡± Miliam intoned as she snatched a pen off the table and rushed to sign on the dotted line as if scared someone would make her sit through three more hours of contract review if she took too long. While she¡¯d certainly stayed awake, it hadn¡¯t been ten minutes before she had regretted it once the talking began.

    ¡°Thank you for your time,¡± Abigail said on the other side of the table, offering her hand to the sasquatch notary that had served them. Six feet tall and covered in brown hair from head to toe, Miliam¡¯s fascination with him as a myth become reality accounted for why she¡¯d needed ten minutes to regret being awake instead of five. That had quickly worn thin when she realized he had all the stage presence of her eighty year old freshman history professor, with a voice so dull that it could put the sun to sleep.

    Miliam still did the polite thing and shook his hand before he left the room, though. She wasn¡¯t a savage.

    ¡°Have you mayhap determined how you shall spend your windfall?¡± Abigail asked conversationally as she took hold of the precious book she had just purchased in her university¡¯s name.

    ¡°We have a list of priority repairs, aye. A bit set aside of initial pay and such, too,¡± Aoibhe answered from Miliam¡¯s right.

    ¡°Indeed? Does that mean you have already procured a suitable crew, or are you planning for the future?¡±

    ¡°Only three so far,¡± Miliam told her. ¡°A pair of twins for the bridge crew¡­dokkaebi, I think? And a dragonewt engineer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still putting out feelers for alternatives because the engineer is an exile, but they¡¯re probably the best we¡¯re going to get,¡± Aoibhe said sourly. ¡°Somehow the other applicants were even worse. Didn¡¯t even get any for medic or barriermaster.¡±

    ¡°That is hardly a surprise, considering how in demand those with such skill sets are,¡± Abigail remarked. ¡°Would you be interested in a recommendation for a weapons officer, which I notice is conspicuously absent?¡±

    ¡°Trying to network for one of your girlfriends?¡±

    ¡°Not for absence of effort, but no. While I have made a few passes, I have thus far been unable to ascertain if she is attracted to anyone, let alone the fairer sex,¡± Abigail admitted with frustrated frown. Aoibhe let out a low whistle at that last part.

    ¡°What¡¯s the whistle for?¡± Miliam asked, head cocked in curiosity.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of Abigail being unable to guess someone¡¯s sexuality.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. She is currently my one and only failure,¡± Abigail said in resignation. ¡°Regardless, though, I can attest to her skill in the position, as well as her ability as a close-quarters combatant.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± Aoibhe raised a brow in suspicion. ¡°If she¡¯s so good she wouldn¡¯t need a job with us.¡±

    ¡°Tessa is something of an¡­acquired taste. Many would consider her transcendentally irritating due to her incessant loquaciousness. I have had to develop the ability to tune out the majority of her speech and latch onto only the most salient points. My understanding is that her inability to cease talking has cost her in multiple prior interviews,¡± Abigail explained wryly, shaking her head.

    ¡°How bad could she possibly be?¡± Miliam wondered aloud, a question Abigail was only too happy to answer.

    ¡°She could be likened to the living embodiment of a wiki-walk.¡±

    ¡°Aye, well, be that as it may, we¡¯re in no position to decline.¡± Aoibhe sighed, probably imagining how bad this Tessa must be to earn such a description from Abigail. ¡°We¡¯ll interview her once we get the ship back in a week or so. I¡¯ll send you our new berth once we have one.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Excellent. I will spend that time investigating the spells Miliam cast as promised. One week should be more than sufficient for me to translate the relevant magic and arrive at a conclusion,¡± Abigail promised confidently, standing up to leave.

    ¡°Thanks for helping with this,¡± Miliam said as she followed suit. Abigail paused and turned back towards her.

    ¡°Why, I would be most overjoyed to provide any assistance you require, my fair argent-haired maiden,¡± the mage responded, hitting Miliam with the full force of her charisma for the first time. The words alone weren¡¯t what did it. It was the confident smirk, the precise inclination of her head, the slight bow, and the tone and timbre of her voice all coming together to form a complete package that made Miliam¡¯s heart skip several beats at once, only coming to her senses when Aoibhe sighed heavily.

    ¡°I- uh- well, I¡¯m still kind of learning how to be a woman? I d-don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready for that kind of relationship yet,¡± Miliam stammered out, looking away to hide her blush.

    ¡°You may feel free to request for me to educate you on anything you need know.¡± Abigail paused for effect, then continued in a lower voice. ¡°And I do mean anything.¡±

    ¡°Eep!¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t seduce my captain¡­she¡¯s only been a woman for like, a week. She¡¯s far too na?ve to stand a chance against you,¡± the redhead admonished, exasperated but unsurprised at the development. She looked at Miliam, but rather than sympathetic, she seemed amused. ¡°I did warn you.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting her to rizz me like that out of nowhere!¡± The other two looked at her oddly, mouthing ¡®rizz¡¯ questioningly. ¡°Ahh no that slang is like half a millennium old! Am I a boomer now? Do I need to learn all the new slang or would that just make me more lame? Aoibe now that I think about it we¡¯re going to be late for the mechanic let¡¯s go right now before I say anything else!¡±

    Miliam rushed out of the room in embarrassment before Aoibhe could reply, worked into a frenzy by Abigail¡¯s flirting and her own bumbling response. She had managed to get a good hundred meters from the notary¡¯s office before she realized she had no idea where the mechanic¡¯s dry docks were and stopped to wait for Aoibhe.

    ¡°It really wasn¡¯t that bad,¡± Aoibhe assured her when she caught up. ¡°You even managed to turn her down. This time.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean this time!?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t actually tell her you weren¡¯t interested, just that you weren¡¯t ready yet,¡± Aoibhe pointed out as they got moving again, this time with Miliam following Aoibhe. Miliam shifted the bag on her shoulder.

    ¡°My brain shut off as soon as she used that voice,¡± Miliam her, face red.

    ¡°Still not hearing a not interested!¡± Aoibhe said with a laugh, eliciting inarticulate grumbling from Miliam.

    The rest of the trip to the mechanic was spent with Aoibhe mercilessly ribbing Miliam, who steadfastly refused to confirm or deny any interest in Abigail, with Aoibhe concluding by the end that Miliam¡¯s resistance would last approximately as long as it took for the two to end up in a room alone together.

    She only gained a reprieve when they finally arrived at a particular docking arm which was host to several corvette-scale dry docks, sufficient for servicing most privately owned space vessels. Since few bore translocation drives and fewer still were larger than corvettes, these were large enough to handle the needs of most consumers. Anything larger had to go to larger, standalone stations instead of West Gate.

    They entered a shop with five attached dry docks, one of which had been fully set aside for their appointment. All of them could service a single corvette, but intra-system ships could come in sizes small enough to comfortably fit several to a single dock.

    Miliam recognized the dwarf at the counter immediately as the man who had visited their own ship- what was his name? Roar?

    ¡°Welcome! Got yer list all sorted out?¡± he called out from the high stool he was seated upon, unable to see over the counter with a normal chair.

    ¡°Aye, and payment to boot. I believe half up front is standard for charges this large?¡± Aoibhe replied, waving Miliam forward since the money was hers. She took a moment to send the list over to the mechanic so he could enter it in.

    ¡°Right ye are. Just wave yer grimoire o¡¯er there,¡± Roar said after a few moments working on his terminal, indicating a scanner built into the top. Miliam checked the screen on her side to verify the amount and then complied, watching as her grimoire notified her of the charge a moment later.

    ¡°How are we getting the ship here, anyway?¡± Miliam asked, knowing only that the shop would be handling that for them due to the lack of thruster fuel- and, for that matter, the dubious trustworthiness of the thrusters themselves.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be makin¡¯ use of th¡¯ station¡¯s towin¡¯ services. They¡¯ll have th¡¯ ship here quickly once we submit the paperwork,¡± the dwarf answered, just as a form appeared on her grimoire indicating her agreement to have the ship moved. She went ahead and signed it, and Roar nodded when he received the notification. ¡°All good. Should take about a week. Think ye mentioned it was salvaged, did ye want to change the registration too? It¡¯s a free service.¡±

    ¡°¡­can I get back to you on that? I haven¡¯t really thought about it much,¡± Miliam told him after a moment of thought. Naming a ship seemed like a momentous occasion and she didn¡¯t feel it would be right to do it on the spot.

    ¡°We can do it any time before we release the ship t¡¯ ye, just let us know.¡± Although Miliam was pretty sure he punctuated that statement with a smile, it was hard to tell through all the beard.

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll give it some thought.¡±

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Dwarves

    Adapted for about fifty percent higher gravity than humans, dwarves are short, stocky, and dense, making them seem inordinately strong when compared to their cousins. The average dwarf is only four and half feet tall, but their weight outstrips any human of the same size. Dwarves have heavy brows and longer skulls when compared to most humanoids.

    Dwarves suffer from roughly the opposite problems fay have in space. Most species are adapted to lower gravity, and this means any dwarf living in mixed spaces is prone to both muscular and bone degradation. Dwarves living off their homeworld must maintain strict exercise regimens to maintain a healthy muscle and bone mass. The air in these spaces is also thinner, and although most dwarves adapt to this in time, some choose to wear breathing devices or even pressure suits to simulate the oxygen levels of their home world.

    Dwarven history closely resembles human history- significantly more so than it resembles that of the fay. They developed technology along closely parallel lines, but did not discover magic until after they left their solar system on slower-than-light generation ships. This was because their system is in a mana ''dead zone'', in the wake of a black hole which absorbs most mana which otherwise would have flowed through it. Psychologically and societally, dwarves differ little from humans except in that they tend towards smaller social and political groups.

 Chapter Eighteen

    Miliam woke feeling strange. There was a knot in her stomach and a wet feeling under her sheets that brought to mind distant memories of wetting the bed as a small child. Groggily, she rolled onto her back, sleep still calling to her and making it hard to focus. Moving was uncomfortable, and the wet spot felt small, so she wasn¡¯t feeling a huge impetus to hurry.

    It felt a bit too sticky. Trying to puzzle out what it was and not thinking very clearly, she touched it with a hand and brought her fingers to her eyes.

    When she saw what was on her fingers, Miliam¡¯s eyes shot open as she jerked upright, screaming at the sudden flash of blood she beheld. Aoibhe startled awake in the hotel room¡¯s other bed, eyes darting around the room as she tried to figure out what was going on. Aoibhe finally settled down when she saw Miliam staring at her hand, figuring out what was going on at approximately the same time as the shorter woman.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Aoibhe sighed, smacking her forehead with a palm. ¡°Suppose you never got the talk, did you?¡±

    ¡°I, ah, well, I knew it was a thing, but I guess I never really thought it would happen to me? I wasn¡¯t really¡­prepared. Shit, it¡¯s all over the sheets, how am I going to clean this¡­¡± Miliam said, recoiling when she used the wrong hand to lift her blanket and left bloody fingerprints behind.

    ¡°Nothing to worry about, I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± Aoibhe assured her as she slipped out of her bed and grabbed her own grimoire. ¡°Go ahead and climb out of bed and I¡¯ll have it handled.¡±

    Miliam awkwardly kicked the blanket off and rolled out of bed, trying to keep from getting more blood everywhere and failing. Now that she had a better view she realized it wasn¡¯t that much blood, but everything she touched was left a bit bloody. Aoibhe selected a spell on her grimoire and concentrated for a moment, then cast the spell, causing all the blood left behind on the cloth to lift right off of it and drop into the trash can in the corner, leaving pristine sheets behind.

    ¡°Utility spell. Just about every woman has a spell for this,¡± Aoibhe explained as she walked to the closet and came back with a towel that she offered to Miliam. ¡°Go ahead and get yourself cleaned up and we¡¯ll have a talk.¡±

    She took a clean of clothes with her to the bathroom and took a few moments to tidy up. Just when she was trying to figure out what to do about the ongoing bleeding, Aoibhe knocked on the door before sliding something under the bottom. Miliam realized it was a pad, and that there were, blessedly, instructions on the packaging.

    ¡°Do you need help with that?¡± Aoibhe asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out!¡± Miliam squeaked, already wanting this ordeal to be over. She¡¯d known this woman for like, less than a month. Going through her first period when sharing a room with her was beyond embarrassing.

    Miliam carefully peeled open the packaging, taking care not to damage the instructions. They were fairly simple, so she was able to follow them and get the pad in place, then get dressed in short order. She stepped out of the bathroom with her previous clothes carefully bundled to not make a mess, and Aoibhe wasted no time casting her spell again to clean those off as well.

    ¡°Can you send me that spell?¡± Miliam asked shyly, not about to let embarrassment get in the way of getting her hands on that.

    ¡°Already did, just check your mail later. Will you be able to cast it, though?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been studying. I can do most of the spells that came with the grimoire already,¡± Miliam confirmed with a bit of pride. Since Aoibhe wasn¡¯t a great teacher to begin with and used traditional fay ideography rather than GC standard, Miliam had needed to teach herself everything. ¡°Uh, which version did you send me, though?¡±

    ¡°GC standard. It¡¯s publically available. So¡­I know you¡¯re an adult, but you weren¡¯t exactly prepared for this by your parents, so are there any questions you¡¯d like to ask? Or should I just give you the whole talk?¡± The fay woman¡¯s words were a bit stilted, but she seemed to be doing her best to be helpful here.

    ¡°I can¡­just look it up. But I think I know the basics already. I was just caught off guard.¡±

    ¡°Are you feeling alright? Any cramps?¡±

    ¡°A bit, yeah, but I can deal with it. They¡¯re not too bad.¡±

    ¡°Good, good.¡± They both sat down on their respective beds but the conversation died down for a bit, neither of them really sure what to say about it. It wasn¡¯t really in Aoibhe¡¯s nature to be nurturing and supportive, and Miliam grew up in an environment that treated this sort of thing as a taboo topic, to be kept out of sight of the menfolk like her previous self.

    ¡°So¡­have you been giving any thought to the ship¡¯s name?¡± Aoibhe asked after a few minutes of them both idling on their grimoires. At hearing the question, Miliam looked her way, finding that Aoibhe hadn¡¯t actually looked up from her grimoire.

    ¡°A bit. I kind of like the idea of having ¡®astra¡¯ or ¡®astrum¡¯ in the name. Maybe something like Astra Vitae? Or Astrum Vitae? Whichever sounds better,¡± Miliam said.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Aoibhe asked, which seemed a bit odd.

    ¡°The translation charm didn¡¯t give you the meaning?¡± Miliam questioned her instead of answering.

    ¡°Nay, it works based on intended meaning, remember? If you¡¯re using it as a name, the meaning is the word itself, rather than the definition of what you¡¯re saying,¡± Aoibhe explained. Right. Which was why Miliam could hear ¡®Aoibhe¡¯ instead of¡­whatever the root of the name was. She hadn¡¯t really thought about it before, but that did explain a bit.

    ¡°Well, it means ¡®Star of Life¡¯, I think. It¡¯s Latin.¡± She didn¡¯t know a whole lot of Latin, but she¡¯d heard a few phrases like ¡®aqua vitae¡¯ and ¡®per aspera ad astra.¡¯ ¡°The ship kind of saved our lives, so¡­I wanted to honor that.¡±

    ¡°Star of Life¡­aye, that sounds rather nice,¡± Aoibhe replied, nodding. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to let the mechanic know.¡±

    Miliam already had their contacts, so she went ahead and sent them a message. Astrum Vitae. That would be the name of her ship. She just sat there for a bit as she processed the enormity of that statement, while Aoibhe moved around the room getting ready to leave.

    ¡°I¡¯m heading out to make some arrangements for supplies,¡± Aoibhe said as she finished. ¡°If your cramps get worse, just stay in bed and try not to move and I¡¯ll bring you a warm compress later. Should still be some leftovers from last night in the fridge if you get hungry.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Aoibhe headed out, leaving Miliam to her own devices for a while. She had plenty of studying to do, but¡­she wasn¡¯t really feeling it right now. Thinking of other things she could do with her time, she realized she still hadn¡¯t gotten around to doing a whole lot with her hair. Although she didn¡¯t have any hair ties, she could probably learn how to braid, and at least check how she would look with various styles.

    Miliam pulled up some instructions on hair styles on her grimoire and padded over to the bathroom, where she could see herself in the mirror- an amenity that had gone hundreds of years seemingly unchanged. The only improvements she¡¯d noticed were that the mirror didn¡¯t fog up when she showered, nor could smudges be left on its surface.

    Looking herself in the eyes, she decided to go with something simple first. She held her hair in one hand, simulating a ponytail, and turned her head from side to side so she could see how it looked from several angles. Simple, cute. Can¡¯t go wrong with that one, really. She tried a side tail next, but it didn¡¯t look right, somehow. Maybe because she associated it with gyaru-style anime characters and she wasn¡¯t dressed up that way?

    Twin tails were the next thing that came to mind, but they made her look like a child, so Miliam let that one drop pretty quickly with a shudder of distaste. Next she tried twisting her hair into a bun, first at the top of her head and then the nape of her neck. The former she thought was a poor match for her features, and the latter didn¡¯t make her look much different than a ponytail did- though it might be useful if she needed her hair out of the way.

    With those quick and obvious styles out of the way, Miliam moved onto braiding next. It looked a lot easier than it was. She re-watched an instruction video over and over again trying to get it right, though she seemed to have more success at getting her hair tangled than she did at braiding it. A few times she thought she got it right only for it to fall apart the instant she let go, and she couldn¡¯t quite decide if the woman in the video was using a hair tie that she failed to spot or if she was simply inept.

    As she looked through various articles and videos, Miliam bookmarked a few she liked. She thought the fishtail side braid looked cute on herself, but couldn¡¯t maintain it without a pin. Even so, she held it in place for a few minutes, basking in the happy feeling she got from it. There was also a type of crown braid that looked nice, one with a looped, hanging braid on each side that she wanted to try but could only do on one said during her test run.

    Some others she intended to try later, but would need an assortment of pins, clips, ties, and other hair accessories to even attempt. Still, Miliam felt she made good progress in the¡­three whole hours she spent absorbed playing with her hair. She had definitely lost track of time, and wasn¡¯t sure whether it had been a good use of it, but she¡¯d had a lot of fun and felt good about herself right now, so that was a win in her book.

    Her stomach was growling angrily though, so she probably needed to get on that.

    Grabbing her grimoire off the counter, she headed back into the main room and opened up the minifridge, fishing out a box of takeout from the previous night. Aoibhe had made her try fay cuisine, and she had ordered some kind of seasoned meat with savory fruit. It wasn¡¯t bad, really, but she didn¡¯t have words to describe the taste. Made with seasoning that was quite literally alien to her, it tasted like nothing she¡¯d ever eaten before, in a way that was neither pleasant nor unpleasant.

    Just strange.

    Then again, Miliam had grown up in a pretty backwards family and her palate was hardly refined, so maybe she would have said the same of some food cultures on Earth. One of these days she would have to get around to sampling some of those foods, just to see what she had missed out on growing up.

    For now, she heated up her food in a magic tool similar to a microwave that apparently used magic to simply alter the temperature of its contents directly. According to Aoibhe the containers their food came in were made of a material specifically exempted from the spell carved into the heater, and that allowed her to easily retrieve the container once her food was ready without burning her fingers.

    Miliam sat down to eat her food in bed and started considering what to study today.

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Utility Magic

    A catch-all term, utility magic refers to the sort of spell that may be useful in everyday civilian life. These spells are simple and easy to both learn cast. Most utility magic can be classified under other schools, and often is, but typically when categorizing magic it is included as a category for ease of searching.

    Examples of utility magic are fire starting, conjuring water, telekinetically moving small objects, and separating materials. Some spells are so ubiquitous that they come preinstalled on commercially sold grimoires, and mastering the usage of them is a common requirement for passing beginner magic courses. While many spells are automatically disabled in certain public places, utility magic is frequently exempted from this rule, as anything one can do with it can generally be done without magic as well, just less conveniently.

    Although few societies develop utility magic as a category until the proliferation of an internet equivalent, spells that fall under its umbrella are the first any civilization develop. The desire to complete a task with less effort is universal.

 Chapter Nineteen

    After a few more days of little more than studying, Miliam found herself in the mechanic¡¯s shop once more, but this time, they had gone further in. She stood in front of a window looking out over the dry dock the Astrum Vitae was suspended in, taking up most of the space in the bay. The last time she¡¯d seen the ship from the outside there hadn¡¯t been much lighting, but now, she had a full view of its entire length.

    From here, it looked enormous. Around 110m in length, and maybe a quarter of that in width. It had just three decks, and it resembled little more than a very long box, broken up only by a tapered section around the captain¡¯s quarters, the mysterious cloister, which was a half-hemisphere near the bow, and the bridge, with its transparent windows. Despite the overall boxiness, the ship¡¯s profile was softened by rounded corners and edges.

    Miliam could guess that the small bulbs dotting the hull were the laser mounts; they seemed to be little more than emitters, with the bulk of their equipment safe under the hull. The missile launchers were entirely hidden, probably covered up by armored ports that remained closed until ready to launch. She had expected the ship¡¯s sole lance to protrude like a gun barrel, but either it was similar to the point defenses or it had been removed because of the damage it had taken.

    Although Miliam had never specified anything about paint, the mechanics- or maybe Aoibhe- had coated the Astrum Vitae in black, with white dots and running lights across the hull making it resemble a star scape. The look was fitting, considering the ship¡¯s moniker. GCS Astrum Vitae was printed on both the port and starboard sides, along the fore side of the second deck.

    Even looking over the entire hull closely Miliam struggled to identify the thrusters, but she saw ports here and there, outlined by the dry dock¡¯s intense lighting, that may have been hiding them. Overall the ship had a very low profile, with very little protruding outside of it save for the point defenses. According to her studies this was a requirement of the translocation drive; the hull profile was preprogrammed, and the less consistent the shape of the ship, the harder it was to define it for the teleportation spells.

    ¡°Satisfied?¡± asked the mechanic, Roar, who Miliam was starting to think was the only employee in the entire shop. He was probably just their assigned representative though.

    ¡°Looks good to me, but I don¡¯t know what to look for. Aoibhe?¡±

    ¡°I would have to run some diagnostics before I can give a verdict,¡± the pilot said. ¡°We¡¯ll have Engineer inspect the repairs once they board and contact the shop if anything is amiss. That alright?¡±

    ¡°As ye will. If anything we worked on ain¡¯t t¡¯ satisfaction we¡¯ll fix it free o¡¯ charge,¡± Roar replied. He held up a flat device. ¡°Settle up on th¡¯ payment and yer free t¡¯ take ¡®er out.¡±

    Miliam wordlessly swiped her grimoire and confirmed the payment. Her funds dropped precipitously, ending her brief status as a millionaire. Unless the value of the ship counted towards her net worth. She had no idea how being rich worked.

    ¡°Thanks fer your business. Come back when yer ready to have the rest of ¡®er worked over. That plating in particular is a safety hazard.¡±

    ¡°Best we could afford¡­I¡¯m just happy if she stays airtight,¡± Miliam told him. It was truly a shame the original armor had been so badly degraded, but replacing only the penetrated section wasn¡¯t an option. Even this mundane alloy plating was better than the ruined skin the Astrum Vitae had been wrapped in before.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead and release th¡¯ ship. Clear the bay for us, if ya would,¡± the dwarf said as he plodded off towards the dry dock controls. Aoibhe turned and headed for the docking arm connected to the ship, with Miliam only a moment behind. The arm disconnected and folded up the moment the airlock had cycled them inside.

    On the bridge, Miliam sat uselessly in the captain¡¯s chair, looking over the pristine command center of the corvette. The chairs had been replaced with a configurable model that could accommodate the physiology of most GC species, and the controls looked like they actually belonged on a space ship instead of a WWII battleship.

    A change she hadn¡¯t been expecting was the addition of a copilot¡¯s chair beside Aoibhe¡¯s, bringing the crew station count up to four. She would have to ask about that when Aoibhe was done with startup procedures, because as far as Miliam knew, they hadn¡¯t been interviewing potential copilots.

    Regardless, Aoibhe still couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of the bridge controls, but she could at least read the labels now, and Aoibhe seemed satisfied. Every station had several displays with touchscreens, with buttons, dials, and switches relegated to panels around the peripheries.

    ¡°All systems green. Firing thrusters in three, two, one, go.¡± The moment Aoibhe said go, the dry dock wall ahead began to recede, and soon they were in the void and Aoibhe was communicating with West Gate control to find their new berthing assignment. Miliam didn¡¯t feel a thing as the ship maneuvered thanks to the inertial sinks, which seemed to be more effective when the corvette moved under its own power instead of being moved by the station.

    Left with nothing to do at the moment, Miliam listened in and sent Abigail a message when they had been given a new berth, just as the woman had requested. She wondered what Abigail wanted to hire them for- and why them in particular. It could have been a trust thing, but she might also simply be working on a shoestring budget and hoping to negotiate a lower price by hiring a vessel in poor repair.

    Abigail responded almost immediately with ¡®omw¡¯, which surprised Miliam. She¡¯d expected a much more lengthy reply with proper spelling and punctuation from the scholar, not text speak even someone from the 21<sup>st</sup> century would recognize. Also, had she dropped everything she was doing the moment she received Miliam¡¯s message?Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    Minutes later, a sound from her own seat drew Miliam¡¯s attention, and she saw that one of her own displays was indicating they had successfully docked with the station again. She made a note in the back of her mind to find a manual for this model of corvette and figure out precisely what her seat controls could do, and what her displays could be used to see.

    Miliam¡¯s train of thought was broken again when she heard Aoibhe mutter ¡®seriously?¡¯ from the pilot seat. Aoibhe took a moment to look her console over before hitting a couple of buttons and leaving towards the console.

    ¡°Go ahead and meet us on the bridge,¡± she said, then turned towards Miliam. ¡°Did you let Abigail know our berth?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah. Are you telling me she¡¯s already here?¡±

    ¡°Aye, she-¡± the door opened behind Miliam and she spun her seat to see Abigail walking onto the bridge. ¡°Not wasting anytime, are you?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Abigail took a moment to look the bridge over. ¡°Would you prefer my analysis first, or my proposition?¡±

    ¡°¡­the analysis, I guess,¡± Miliam decided, wanting to know how she¡¯d ended up here even if it wouldn¡¯t affect anything in the end. She wouldn¡¯t go back if she could.

    ¡°Very well.¡± Abigail took a seat in one of the crash chairs at the back of the room, crossing her legs beneath her robes and settling her hands on her knee. ¡°To start, I will expound upon the spell you activated by mistake. Put simply, it was a teleportation spell. Cast properly, it would merely have altered your coordinates. However, the spell was activated utilizing the galactic center as a reference point instead of the planet. As a result, in the fraction of a second the spell took to activate, the movement of the Earth left you behind in the void of outer space.¡±

    ¡°How am I even alive then!?¡± Miliam asked, horrified at the thought of teleporting herself into a vacuum with no protection. It wouldn¡¯t have been a pleasant death.

    ¡°Fortunately for you, the spell was well-crafted with a failsafe preventing you from moving in unsafe conditions. Unfortunately, it lacked a failsafe to prevent the translocation from occurring at all. As a result you were suspended between two sets of coordinates until one of the two overlapped with a survivable environment.¡± Abigail frowned as she shrugged. ¡°In a way, the primitive methods utilized by the mage who wrote the spell saved your life. A modern spell crafted without complete fail safes would have simply swapped your position with anything in the destination, but this one was designed to make you phase slightly out of reality, move you rapidly between point a and point b, and then return your state to normal.¡±

    ¡°What are the chances she¡¯d ever have happened to run into a safe place?¡± Aoibhe asked, posing the question Miliam hadn¡¯t wanted to know the answer to herself.

    ¡°Incomprehensibly miniscule. Accounting for that location being this close to Earth physically as well as temporally? Statistically impossible. I would consider it literally impossible were the evidence not before my very eyes,¡± Abigail responded.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really want to think about being stuck like that forever,¡± Miliam said before they could explore the topic any further. ¡°Uh, you said you were just starting with that one?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Regarding the spell you intentionally cast, there is information I must impart. It was incomplete by modern standards. I expected as much given the age, as it predates the human discovery of DNA. The writer could only operate based on their own understanding of the human body, and as a result, it was only able to alter your appearance.¡±

    ¡°My period started a few days ago,¡± Miliam argued with a confused look on her face. She wouldn¡¯t even have the right parts for that if Abigail¡¯s explanation was true.

    ¡°I would hypothesize that you were merely bleeding. As the spell writer would not have comprehended the mechanisms behind menstruation, it is probable that they simply designed the spell to make the target bleed once per month. Moreover, it was likely intended as a curse,¡± Abigail explained, ending on an ominous note. Miliam could tell she was just waiting for her to ask the question by the expectant look on her face.

    ¡°So¡­how do you know that?¡±

    ¡°My reasoning lies in a contradiction. While there are parameters for the target¡¯s body, there are none for hair or eye color. A spell intended for an individual might have hair and eye color preset, but would also have preset values for the body. On the other hand, a spell for general use should have allowed customization of the hair and eyes. What does this tell you?¡± Again Abigail stopped and waited. Given that she worked at a university, Miliam put it down to a habit built from teaching.

    ¡°I¡¯ve know magic existed for like, two weeks. I have no clue,¡± Miliam answered.

    ¡°The hair and eye color selections were meant to stand out,¡± Aoibhe posited in Miliam¡¯s place.

    ¡°Indeed. I believe the spell¡¯s purpose was turning a target into a woman and highlighting them as having been cursed. The parameters are in place to ensure the victim survives the experience, not for their benefit. In other words, the transformation is incomplete.¡±

    Miliam deflated a bit at that news. It wasn¡¯t something she expected to hear after the high she¡¯d been riding since the change. But Abigail wasn¡¯t done.

    ¡°Not to worry, this would be easily correctable by a proper specialist in sex change spells. However, given that you are likely not yet a citizen, it will be necessary to go to a private practitioner, which will be quite expensive, particular if you would like the operation sooner than later. Which brings me to my next topic.¡± Abigail smiled faintly, finally getting down to business. ¡°What do you know of the Observers?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°The basics.¡±

    Miliam and Aoibhe gave very different answers, but Abigail was prepared.

    ¡°Miliam, have you ever wondered why so many species in the Gaian Collective so resemble humans?¡± she asked rather than explaining. It seemed a non sequitur, but Abigail was probably going somewhere with it.

    ¡°Well, yeah. It doesn¡¯t make a ton of sense evolutionarily, right? And Aoibhe said something about aliens not being humans with different hair colors, but¡­¡± she trailed off, looking at Aoibhe in the pilot seat. She was far taller than a human, but could be mistaken for one with a medical condition.

    ¡°She herself greatly resembles a human, yes? That answer to that is simple.¡±

    The woman paused for dramatic effect.

    ¡°All member species of the Gaian Collective are human.¡±

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Gender Change Magic

    A subset of transformation magic and, due to the level of research put into it, also the safest form of it. While most transformation magic is risky at best, gender change magic operates on well understood genetic principles to alter both the appearance and genetics of the target. This can be either a partial change, similar to non-magical transitioning, which then requires hormones to maintain in part, or a full change that alters the target entirely.

    Due to the occurrence of transgender people in nearly every species, different forms of this magic exist depending on the race of the caster. The only exceptions are those which, like the lizardfolk, have biological processes that can alter sex after birth, similar to clownfish. Gender change magic requires a fair amount of knowledge regarding genetics and chromosomes, so specialized mages exist that cast this on willing patients. Due to natural magic resistance and the complexity of the changes, this requires both consent and physical contact to accomplish, and constitutes a lengthy operation.

 Chapter Twenty

    Miliam took a moment to process what she¡¯d just been told, but ultimately, it didn¡¯t come as a huge surprise. Mostly, she wondered how it had happened and why. Her first thought was simple genetic modifications to acclimate to new environments- or simply because furries saw an opportunity to escalate to a whole new level- but that didn¡¯t quite jive with the phrasing of those species¡¯ planets as homeworlds. If they were just modified humans, wouldn¡¯t they be colonies? Would they even be considered separate species?

    Aoibhe spoke up before she could ask any questions, however.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take this conversation to the lounge. It¡¯s awkward talking across the bridge like this.¡±

    ¡°We have a lounge?¡±

    The Astrum Vitae did in fact have a lounge.

    ¡°I kind of forgot there was a room across from the bathrooms,¡± Miliam admitted as she looked around. She had actually never entered this room before- it had been full of unidentifiable junk before.

    ¡°Aye, I purchased the furnishings when we were replacing the furniture across the rest of the ship,¡± Aoibhe said proudly, plopping down in a fay-scale chair. Miliam found her way to a comfy couch, and Abigail joined her, sitting just close enough to be familiar but far enough not to invade Miliam¡¯s personal space.

    Besides the various seats there were a few screens and tables of different heights, a liquor cabinet, and an entertainment center with gaming consoles Miliam couldn¡¯t name. Instead of cold metal the room had a rug covering most of its floor, and there were colorful cloths draped across the walls.

    They sat for a minute in silence.

    ¡°What were we talking about again?¡± Miliam inquired, having lost her train of thought while looking around.

    ¡°I believe my last statement was, verbatim, ¡®All member species of the Gaian Collective are human,¡¯¡± Abigail offered amusedly, resting her arm on her armrest and making herself comfortable.

    ¡°Oh, right. And I¡¯m assuming that has something to do with these Observers?¡± she asked Abigail, spotting the thread immediately now that her thinking was back on track.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Abigail affirmed, pleased. ¡°We know little about them save that they are likely the ones responsible for the proliferation of sapient species across the region. In regards to humanity alone, the Observers abducted large groups over the past few hundred-thousand years, dating back to the first appearance of the homo genus. Sasquatch descend directly from homo erectus, for instance.¡±

    ¡°Why would they even do that, though?¡±

    Uninterested in the conversation, Aoibhe got back up and sauntered over to the liquor cabinet, pouring herself a drink. She stopped to think for a moment before taking out one more glass, selecting a different bottle for it.

    ¡°We can only speculate based upon their methods.¡± Abigail shrugged as Aoibhe returned with two glasses and offered one to Abigail, who took a moment to thank her before continuing. ¡°My thanks. The Observers contributed to the survival of nearly every member of the homo genus by relocating populations to other planets. Based on genetic evidence we believe this was primarily done when a species was nearly extinct, and may have in fact been the cause of their final disappearances.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I can understand that¡­but why do they all look like crosses between humans and animals?¡± Miliam asked, incredulous. If all they wanted to do was save endangered sapients, why give them a horse¡¯s ass? ¡°Wait, why does she get a drink and not me?¡±

    ¡°Did you want one?¡± Aoibhe asked knowingly.

    ¡°¡­not really,¡± Miliam admitted, to which Aoibhe made a gesture as if to indicate ¡®exactly.¡¯ Abigail coughed into a fist to take back their attention.

    ¡°Our best hypothesis is that they wished to ensure survival by any means necessary, and thus gave people the tools needed to survive in their new environment.¡± She took a sip of the light blue liquid in her cup. ¡°Ah, my favorite. As I was saying, this ill fits other evidence, however, such as the minimal alterations made to the fay and dwarves, who descend from homo sapiens and homo neanderthalensis. One might argue these to be control groups, but then, why place them on planets with differences in gravity?¡±

    Abigail shook her head and sighed.

    ¡°Ultimately we have no definite answers except that they interfered in the first place. Earth was far from the only world they visited, although humans either had a greater number of branch species or proved more adaptable once transplanted, as we have so far discovered dozens of offshoots of our species scattered across the stars.¡±

    ¡°What happened to them? Why can¡¯t we just ask?¡± Miliam wondered aloud. She knew the whole disappearing precursors thing was a common concept, but there had to be a reason why they were gone, at the very least.

    ¡°At approximately the same time as the fay achieved interstellar travel, the Observers withdrew to a handful of systems in the Butterfly Cluster and have never emerged since. All communications are ignored, and intruders are attacked on sight. Admittedly, we have no way to know-¡°

    ¡°I know this is your favorite subject, Abigail, but what does it have to do with a job offer?¡± Aoibhe cut in, already having received this lecture in the past at least once. Abigail nodded in concession.

    ¡°A contact of mine-¡± Aoibhe staged whispered the words ¡®ex-girlfriend¡¯ here, which Abigail ignored, ¡°-sent me coordinates for a particular asteroid in one of the belts around Delta Bo?tis.¡±

    ¡°Delta Bo?tis...I think I remember you saying something about that system a few years ago.¡± Aoibhe took a big gulp of the dark liquid in her glass.

    ¡°Indeed. That is the system wherein there are no planets, only several asteroid belts. All of the planets there were torn apart five hundred thousand years ago, and one was deemed to have been inhabited by an advanced civilization at the time.¡± Abigail leaned forward. ¡°The only civilization we have found evidence for the existence of that far back is the Observers.¡±

    ¡°Do you think the Observers destroyed the system?¡± Miliam asked, a bit lost now.

    ¡°We believe it was destroyed by a creature called a cthulid. Little is known about them, but that is irrelevant. It has long been believed that only traces of the Delta Bo?tis civilization remained after the pulverization of their homeworld, but my contact has notified me that they discovered an intact structure on one of the many asteroids there.¡±

    ¡°¡­and you¡¯re hoping there¡¯s information on the Observers there.¡± Aoibhe gestured with her glass, guessing at Abigail¡¯s intentions.

    ¡°Perhaps the Observers, or potentially cthulids. Either would be a monumental discovery.¡± The scholar smiled slightly, a hungry look in her eyes.

    ¡°That sounds like a job for an entire team of archaeologists. So why do you want to hire a single run down corvette?¡±

    ¡°Delta Bo?tis is, unfortunately, quite close to the Unnac Imperium borders. The Imperium loathes the Observers, referring to them as the Abductors. If they were to find the structure first they would destroy it, and Delta Bo?tis is both too far from Collective space for a state-sponsored expedition and too close to Imperium borders for a convoy to go unnoticed.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, off topic, but there¡¯s a galactic empire? Seriously?¡± Miliam couldn¡¯t help but interject at the seeming clich¨¦.

    ¡°Aye, well, technically they¡¯re a republic.¡± Aoibhe rolled her eyes, apparently familiar with the topic.

    ¡°What.¡±

    ¡°The mirazar create new terminology for new concepts but never replace existing ones if it means using one with a similar meaning instead. If the ruler of a city is a baron, they find it more efficient to continue using the word baron to refer to a mayor. So of course, once empires went out of vogue, the word empire merely became synonymous with the word nation in their dominant language. But, that is a digression,¡± Abigail explained, waving a hand at the end to indicate they should return to the matter at hand.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°Aye. So, what you¡¯re saying is that no one was crazy enough to take you there?¡± the pilot asked, though her tone made it a statement and not a question. She didn¡¯t even look at Abigail as she said it, instead staring into her drink.

    ¡°Indeed. Worry not- the Imperium will care little about a single vessel outside their borders, and there is no trade between the Imperium and Collective, so there is little risk of encountering pirates,¡± Abigail reassured them, though it had the opposite effect on Miliam, who only wondered if anyone in this era remembered what a jinx was.

    ¡°Aoibhe is here. We¡¯re encountering pirates,¡± she declared in complete confidence, drawing a look of resignation from the fay in question.

    ¡°You¡¯re never going to let that go, are you?¡±

    ¡°Nnnnnope.¡± Miliam took a moment to try to put herself in the mindset of a proper captain. She needed to¡­negotiate payment, right. And maybe ask why she wouldn¡¯t just look for a cargo job. ¡°So, uh, yeah, how much is this paying and why wouldn¡¯t we do something safer?¡±

    ¡°If we find nothing, I will ensure you are paid from my own wallet at least what you would have made hauling freight. In the event we find what I expect, however, you may anticipate a far greater payment directly from the university in exchange for the artifacts and data we recover.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡± Aoibhe said suspiciously, downing the rest of her drink before elaborating. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you be claiming anything we find, since we¡¯re just your ride?¡±

    ¡°Technically, it is the opposite. As I could not acquire approval for an official expedition, I will be taking a leave of absence to serve as your guide.¡± Abigail looked a bit smug, but Aoibhe saw through her.

    ¡°In other words, you¡¯re creating an excuse to maximize our profit so we¡¯re less likely to say no,¡± she accused sourly, having a better idea of the true value of their potential finds than Miliam. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s in character for you to be more concerned with learning than profit, though.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Your pristine grimoire, Miliam, was worth 2.5 million reserves. Might you be interested in a far greater prize?¡± Abigail asked, posing the question directly to Miliam, who felt as if a devil was whispering into her ear, appealing to her greed. Was it worth it? Abigail seemed to think the danger was minimal, but if that were true, she could have hired someone else.

    Perhaps trust was a factor, though. Did Abigail believe the value of the prize was too tempting? If this wasn¡¯t truly about the condition of the ship, or Miliam herself for that matter, then¡­maybe what Abigail really wanted was to hire Aoibhe, whom she trusted. Despite their history the two seemed amicable, and while Aoibhe enjoyed ribbing Abigail over her many relationships, she¡¯d never actually spoken a word of criticism over them, so it was probably just an in-joke.

    Aoibhe, for her part, seemed annoyed, but when Miliam looked to her for advice, she just shrugged, leaving the decision up to Miliam. It was true that they needed the money. The Astrum Vitae still required millions of reserves in repairs, and that wasn¡¯t even factoring in the share of profits owed to the crew by law, general operating expenses, and that rush-job operation Miliam wanted to get.

    Miliam sighed. This was more responsibility than she¡¯d ever had before. But in the end, was it really any more dangerous than a cargo job? She¡¯d already concluded that Aoibhe was a pirate magnet. It they were going to attract pirates anyway, they may as well take the job with better pay.

    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: The Observers

    Mysterious and enigmatic, the Observers are believed to be the oldest spacefaring race in the Orion Arm of the galaxy. Little is known about their society, as they are extremely isolationist and enforce this policy with superior technology. What is known is that, when they first entered space, they made a habit of abducting large numbers of people from any sapient species they encountered and transplanting them onto different worlds- almost always worlds with conditions vastly different from the ones the species originated on.

    Their reasons for this are known only to the Observers. It may have been a series of experiments to see how species adapted to abrupt changes in environment, an effort at conservation, or simply a twisted form of entertainment, but after hundreds of thousands of years of abductions and experiments, they retreated back to their current borders, emerging only to seek updates on the species they had toyed with.

    The Observers are reclusive to the point that no one alive today has ever seen one. Many legends of the species they interfered with are believed to have come from the Observers, however, suggesting they were not always so reluctant to show themselves. On Earth alone, it is suggested that myths of giant creatures may reference Observer ships, and that various non-human monsters were actually based off the silhouettes of Observer environment suits and powered armor.

    One theory on their current reclusiveness suggests that the Observers have simply gone extinct, and that their territory is defended by artificial intelligences they left behind, protecting dozens of star systems in the name of masters that are no longer there.

    While the ethics of their actions are debatable, it is a fact that some of the most prominent races in the current era were the result of the Observers'' interference. Many of these races did not survive to the current day on their own homeworlds. Transplanted peoples from Earth have gone on to become the dwarves, elves, gnomes and many more, while the lizardfolk race has offshoots in the dragonewts and kobolds. Whether this constitutes a success or merely the next step in some grand experiment remains unknown.

    Codex Updates:

    Dwarves

    Unlike the elves, who descend from a population of homo sapiens, dwarves are another species entirely- the last remnants of homo neanderthalis. It''s now believed that the abduction of a large portion of the neanderthal population, already lower in number than humans at the time, contributed heavily to their subsequent extinction on Earth. On the other hand, this may have been the only this between survival and outright extinction.

    Modern dwarves descend from neanderthals transplanted onto a heavy gravity world. Adapted for about fifty percent higher gravity than humans, dwarves are short, stocky, and dense, making them seem inordinately strong when compared to their cousins. The average dwarf is only four and half feet tall, but their weight outstrips any human of the same size. Like their ancestors, dwarves have heavy brows and longer skulls when compared to humans.

    Dwarves suffer from roughly the opposite problems elves have in space. Most species are adapted to lower gravity, and this means any dwarf living in mixed spaces is prone to both muscular and bone degredation. Dwarves living off their homeworld must maintain strict excercise regimens to maintain a healthy muscle and bone mass. The air in these spaces is also thinner, and although most dwarves adapt to this in time, some choose to wear breathing devices or even pressure suits to simulate the oxygen levels of their home world.

    Dwarven history closely resembles human history- significantly more so than it resembles that of the fay. They developed technology along closely parallel lines, but did not discover magic until after they left their solar system on slower-than-light generation ships. This was because their system is in a magic ''dead zone'', in the wake of a black hole which absorbs most mana which otherwise would have flowed through it. Whether this was deliberate on the part of the Observers is debated to this day.

    Dwarves are the last of the sapient human subspecies to reach space due to the delay in their discovery of magic. It was only after the establishment of research outposts outside their home system that they began experimenting with magic, and this delayed their discovery of FTL magic greatly. In the past, it was difficult to even use magic on their homeworld, but mana crystalization technology has largely defeated this problem today.

    Dragonewts

    Similar to the elves, dwarves, and gnomes, dragonewts descend from a distant relative of the lizardman race, although their common ancestor was further in the past. It is unclear if the dragonewts were transplanted as an experiment or simply to preserve the species, as the conditions on their second homeworld differ from the first only in that it is significantly more mountainous due to a severely fractured crust with dozens of minor tectonic plates.

    Dragonewts are a rarity in the galaxy: they are one of the few sapient species capable of full flight. This comes at the cost of size, however. Male dragonewts are only three feet tall on average. Female dragonewts are as much as a full foot taller, and this increased height is accompanied by a significant advantage in overall mass. All dragonewts have hollow bones and relatively weak limbs, however. They boast a twelve foot wingspan in exchange, which allows them to fly as well as any bird. These wings resemble those of bats in structure rather than birds or flying reptiles. Healthy wings are of particular importance in dragonewt culture.

    Dragonewts come in many colors, but the pattern and coloration applied to their wing membranes is what identifies a dragonewt''s clan group, rather than the color of their skin, which is varied among all groups. This has lead to a mostly-dead custom in which exiles were stripped of their wing membranes or even their entire wings to show they were no longer welcome in any society.

    Dragonewt society is matriarchal. This has many historical reasons, but the primary one is that female dragonewts have a significant size advantage over males and do not carry their young- instead, eggs are deposited one at a time into a brood pouch on a male''s underbelly. There is no difference in birth rate between the dragonewt sexes.

    A fractious people, dragonewt society is highly divided, with no polities governing more than one clan ever surviving long. Clans gradually grew in scope and size instead, each maintaining their unique cultural identity with little multiculturalism. Only once the largest clans had grown equivalent to entire nations did their technological level begin to advance, so their society spent a particularly long time in their equivalent to the medieval period before eventually industrializing.

    Today, the dragonewt clans have dispersed so that each may have a world to themselves, which has greatly reduced infighting. They are one of the three founding species of the Draconine Freeholds, a loose confederation primarily united in mutual defense and nothing more.

 Chapter Twenty One

    With the decision to take Abigail¡¯s job made, all that remained was to take on supplies, board the new crew, and interview their last potential crewmate. There was a bit of a delay due to needing to wait for Abigail to wrap up the last of her own preparations first, as she had requested to be present for the event. A day passed as Miliam and Aoibhe accepted orders of food and other consumables and stored them in the cargo bay or staged them in their final destinations around the ship.

    Miliam was a bit surprised to find the food came in refrigerated crates, but that was beside the point.

    Just before the twins and Engineer were set to arrive, Abigail came aboard with the weapons officer candidate she had referred to them. They met in the lounge, with Aoibhe and Miliam on one side of the table and Abigail on the other with her friend.

    ¡°Miliam, Aoibhe, meet Tessa Smith. Tessa, this is the captain, Miliam, and this is Aoibhe, her pilot and second in command,¡± Abigail introduced once everyone was seated. Miliam looked the woman over and was a bit surprised at what she saw.

    Tessa was just slightly taller than Miliam, and yet, she shared many features with Aoibhe. She was a flaming, green eyed, pale skinned ginger, though the shade of her hair tended closer to red than Aoibhe¡¯s orange, and more pertinently, she had pointed ears like a fay. Her build was lean and wiry, but not thin and gangly like that of a fay. Tessa¡¯s face was accented with makeup that sharpened the lines of her face, giving her a striking appearance, and her dress was selected to complement her hair and eyes.

    ¡°Heyo! Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Tessa. My friends call me Tessa. Hear you need someone to shoot stuff!¡±

    Miliam looked between Tessa and Aoibhe in confusion, trying to figure out what the hell she was looking at. A miniature fay? And half-fay-half-human? They were both technically human, so that was possible, right? Aoibhe sensed her question and answered without having to be asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s an elf,¡± the pilot whispered into Miliam¡¯s ear. Miliam strained to remember Aoibhe¡¯s exact phrasing when they first met- something about preferring to be called fay. She hadn¡¯t said elves weren¡¯t real, right?

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say elves were something else?¡±

    ¡°They are not,¡± Abigail answered instead. ¡°An elf is merely a fay raised in heavy gravity. You may recall that I mentioned the alterations made to fay were minimal? This is the result; as the changes were largely environmental as opposed to genetic, they may be reversed the same way.¡±

    ¡°Yeppers! They used to call us half-fay, but that got kinda confusing when we met humans and actual half-fay became a thing. So now we¡¯re elves. Not half-elves, even if it¡¯s cooler. I¡¯m technically a half-elf though. Because dad was from Canada. Which I think is a country, not a planet, but I never asked. Wait, do countries still exist? There aren¡¯t any where I come from but I hear Earth is a little weird about some stuff.¡±

    Miliam reeled back a bit by the babbling coming from Tessa¡¯s mouth, who seemed happier to have something to talk about than offended at the talk about her pedigree. The elf hadn¡¯t actually taken a single breath in that entire spiel, and she¡¯d said it all so quickly Miliam thought she might have a career as a rapper if this didn¡¯t work out.

    ¡°Tessa, you are straying rather far from the topic at hand. Might I advise you to present your credentials?¡± Abigail interrupted, steering the woman back on track. Now Miliam understood why she had wanted to be present for this.

    ¡°I have credentials?¡± Tessa asked, cocking her head in confusion. Abigail sighed heavily.

    ¡°Your diploma, Tessa, and your ratings on starship weapons.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. I graduated military academy top of my class in practical exercises!¡± Miliam was momentarily impressed. ¡°Or I would have. If I graduated. Which I didn¡¯t, because I failed the written tests. All of them. But I did get certified on, uh, every single starship grade weapon. I can shoot lasers, lances, railguns, missiles, all of it. I also have this!¡±

    Suddenly Tessa was holding a katar. It looked like it was meant to be mounted like a gauntlet, leaving the hand free, but the elf was just holding it in her hand. Miliam hadn¡¯t even seen her pull it out; it was like her hand just appeared, already holding the damned thing.

    ¡°Why would you draw that in an interview?¡± Abigail hissed, snatching the weapon from Tessa¡¯s hand. ¡°My apologies, I believed she had slightly more sense than that.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­huh. So the bottom line is that she knows what she¡¯s doing?¡± Miliam asked, addressing the question to Abigail rather than Tessa, whose judgement was rather in question at the moment. They were interrupted, though, by voices from the hallway.

    ¡°Look at the time! I told you Min-ji, we should have set the alarm earlier!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re ten minutes early¡­¡±

    ¡°But what if something unexpected happened and they left without us!?¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go get the twins squared away, cap¡¯n, this one¡¯s all yours,¡± Aoibhe said, taking the opportunity to escape the nonsense while she could. Miliam looked at her with betrayal in her eyes, but the attempt at guilt tripping rolled off the pilot harmlessly.

    ¡°They just need to be shown to their room, right? I¡¯d be happy to take care of that.¡±

    ¡°Nay, crew decisions are the captain¡¯s responsibility. This one is all yours. Have fun!¡± Aoibhe waved as she ducked out of the lounge, unable to hear Miliam¡¯s internal groans.

    ¡°Oh! Are those two part of the crew too? They sound exactly the same! Is that a coincidence or are they twins? I met a pair of twins once, but they weren¡¯t very much alike. They weren¡¯t even the same gender!¡±

    ¡°¡­before we get further distracted, yes, Tessa does know what she is doing, difficult as it may be to believe. In my experience her inability to focus is an asset under the proper circumstances. Her mind simply runs too rapidly for everyday tasks, and yet, under a situation in which many variables need be considered, she excels,¡± Abigail explained, presenting Tessa¡¯s readily apparent scatterbrain as a bonus.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that hard. I mean there¡¯s only so many ways a missile can move. Or a ship. And there¡¯s a person behind all that ECM so it¡¯s just a matter of guessing what the most likely method is. Then you¡¯ve just gotta plot in the right contingencies and organize a firing pattern that puts ¡®em right where you want ¡®em!¡± Tessa declared, though most of it went over Miliam¡¯s head. She was currently at the stage where she knew a bit about what a captain did, but not a whole lot of the terminology, and she was still only just getting into what she needed to know about all the other jobs on the ship.

    ¡°It would probably help if I could just see her in action¡­¡± Miliam mused aloud, torn between taking Tessa¡¯s obvious confidence at face value and rejecting her as a liability. Waiting for another candidate would cost them, though. Using the automated targeting systems was an option, but Aoibhe didn¡¯t have much confidence in them, Miliam knew.

    ¡°We certainly could, if you would not mind my interference. May I set up a simulation?¡± Abigail proposed, an idea Miliam was glad to latch onto.

    ¡°Sure! Uh¡­where do we need to go for that?¡±

    ¡°I believe this model of ship should have a station in the missile bay we could use. Lead the way, if you would.¡±

    Miliam took the pair upstairs and to the room in question. It hadn¡¯t really been remodeled since they couldn¡¯t afford a new launcher, but it was in good enough shape to host a weapons officer on point defense duty. Just as Abigail said, in addition to the station near the missile launcher¡¯s internal mechanisms, another was positioned against the wall the room shared with the hallway, presumably for controlling the lasers.

    Abigail took a seat and powered on the console while Tessa wandered over to the missile launcher and began babbling about it. Miliam mostly tuned it out, but she noticed that, despite the system¡¯s age, Tessa seemed to be familiar with its specifications. She took that to be a good sign in regards to the woman¡¯s competency. Tessa seemed happy to talk, even with no one listening, so Miliam watched what Abigail was doing instead, noting that the scholar wasn¡¯t going easy on her acquaintance- she appeared to be setting up a simulation at the highest possible difficulty, with no handicaps.

    ¡°Tessa, the simulation is configured. Please demonstrate your capabilities,¡± Abigail announced, standing up from her seat. Tessa didn¡¯t seem to care that she¡¯d been interrupted mid-sentence and turned.

    ¡°Right, sure, on it! Let¡¯s see what we¡¯ve got¡­oh, that¡¯s a toughie. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve done this one before. Did you customize it? Crap, it¡¯s starting, let me just plug my grimoire in¡­¡±

    As the timer hit zero, Tessa fell silent, and Miliam watched intently as the simulation began. She didn¡¯t understand the interface, or even fully understand the controls, but if she hadn¡¯t seen Abigail set it up, she¡¯d have thought the sim was on a low difficulty. For the first time Tessa fell completely silent without anyone else filling the silence. Her eyes darted from screen to screen, absorbing information Miliam didn¡¯t even comprehend faster than she could read, and her hands raced across the controls, changing settings and parameters for each individual laser emitter as the situation evolved.

    From what Miliam did understand, the scenario placed the Astrum Vitae in defense of a freighter that was under attack from multiple directions. The enemy ships were positioned at the light-second line, which, while giving Tessa more time to react, also gave the enemy time to fire multiple volleys before the first would arrive.

    Some of them fired their missiles in groups, giving Tessa a constant stream of incoming targets to deal with, while others timed theirs so that their entire supply lit off their drives at once to saturate the Astrum Vitae¡¯s defenses.

    ¡°Electronic countermeasures are offline and barriers are set to default. The only countermeasure she was granted was an active wave drive to prevent translocation missiles from appearing within detonation range,¡± Abigail explained for Miliam¡¯s benefit. Having heard that, Miliam noticed icons vanishing and reappearing closer to the Astrum Vitae¡¯s location that must have been the missiles in question- and even though they couldn¡¯t enter range instantly, they were skipping a vast amount of space.

    It didn¡¯t make a difference. Tessa was identifying the translocation missiles before they could accelerate and prioritizing them, shooting them out of the void before they could maneuver. Missiles travelling the long way were boxed in by multiple emitters working together. The first few took the most shots, but as the simulation progressed, Tessa apparently worked out their evasion protocols and predicted them, using two shots to trick the missiles into the path of a third.

    A light second was the minimum for proper fire control but it also meant laser weapons reached their targets almost instantly. Even the furthest missiles were in range from the get-go. As soon as Tessa had the programming figured out she began picking off some of the missiles in the furthest clusters, thinning them out for later while the bulk of her targeting went towards destroying more immediate threats.

    Even then it was clear that Abigail had over tuned the scenario on purpose. Tessa¡¯s skills must have been phenomenal to last as long as she did, but eventually missiles began getting through. The ones that did were spaced out, giving the corvette and freighter¡¯s barriers some time to recover between hits, but damage outpaced regeneration. Despite her efforts in reducing the volume of the saturation strikes, there were enough missiles remaining to entirely overwhelm Tessa¡¯s defenses, and both ships were ultimately destroyed.

    ¡°¡­was that winnable?¡± Miliam asked as the final results were displayed, showing statistics she didn¡¯t have a reference for.

    ¡°It was not,¡± Abigail said simply. ¡°She was outnumbered many times over by dedicated missile destroyers.¡±

    There were no other weapons in play. The scenario was unrealistic in that way; even Miliam understood that lances and railguns would have made the battle much shorter, and not in Tessa¡¯s favor. But it did demonstrate fairly well that, if nothing else, Tessa was capable of taking a corvette, already a dedicated anti-missile platform, and multiply its effectiveness several times over¡­as long as one could put up with endless yapping for the ninety-nine percent of time spent outside of combat.

    ¡°She¡¯s hired,¡± Miliam said with a sigh.

    <hr>

    Void Combat: Missiles

    While the effectiveness of point defenses and barriers have made missiles significantly less effective, quantity continues to have a quality all its own. Their prevalence in combat doctrine varies by navy. One valid strategy is to use primary weapons to whittle down an opponent¡¯s screening elements before overwhelming the capital ships with missiles, but it is also possible to deploy so many missiles an enemy fleet cannot possibly stop them all, at the cost of having fewer alternatives to resort to after that first strike.

    Missiles are usually guided platforms with a warhead, which is typically some type of bomb-pumped laser. They can be fired at any range, even far beyond the light-second line, but control degrades at greater distances, making missiles more susceptible to enemy countermeasures. Due to their ability to deliver a high-powered punch at close range, only a small percentage of missiles needs to make it through to cause serious damage, but without the support of other weapons to strain enemy barriers, simultaneous strikes are needed.

    A less common variety of missile is the translocation missile, which teleports itself directly to their target using power provided by the host ship¡¯s capacitors. Wave drives and other gravity-altering countermeasures can reduce the effectiveness of these missiles, and each one requires a mage to activate its drive manually, but when properly utilized they can catch the enemy off guard.

 Chapter Twenty Two

    ¡°Aoibhe, before we leave, could you check one more-¡°

    ¡°Still no applicants,¡± Aoibhe interrupted, cutting Miliam off. The captain sighed at that, nervous about leaving West Gate with no barriermaster. Initially she¡¯d been unaware of how crucial the job was, since one wasn¡¯t necessary to activate the corvette¡¯s barriers, but she¡¯d finally gotten to the point in her studies where she discovered what a barriermaster did.

    In short, they adjusted the ship¡¯s barriers. That didn¡¯t sound like much, but it was crucial. By default barriers could resist most attacks, usually in the form of a solid wall of force or a repulsive field. But every form of attack had its own weaknesses, and having someone operating the barriers manually allowed for targeting those. A barriermaster could destabilize the magnetic containment on a plasma torpedo, bend space to redirect lasers, sap the kinetic energy from projectiles, and more by altering the barriers around their ship.

    Skilled barriermasters were able to significantly reduce the strain on their ship¡¯s barriers by doing this. In a one-on-one fight, this could greatly extend how long a ship can fight for, or even determine the course of the battle. The applications even stretched outside of combat; a barrier with the correct settings could allow a ship to enter the stormy atmosphere of a gas giant or move closer to a star without melting.

    Which was all somewhat moot given that the Astrum Vitae did not have a barriermaster. Since they were so useful, every ship in space wanted one. Every station wanted one. They were even desired by ground forces, as they were just as capable of defending troops as ships.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just have to be happy we at least have such a skilled operator for the point defenses¡­¡± Miliam muttered, leaning back in her command chair.

    ¡°Aye, and I¡¯m happy we¡¯re on a corvette with no space on the bridge for a weapons officer,¡± Aoibhe tossed back, already entirely done with Tessa¡¯s talkativeness. The elf was isolated in the torpedo bay right now, much to Aoibhe¡¯s relief, though there was really no need for it since they were still just departing from West Gate. Speaking of¡­

    ¡°Engineer, how¡¯s the reactor looking?¡± Miliam asked through the comms.

    ¡°Operational. Ready. To go,¡± the dragonewt replied. They¡¯d done a full workover on it the moment they came on board without even being asked, apparently having determined on their own that the ancient machine was in need of a tune-up.

    ¡°Perfect. Aoibhe?¡±

    ¡°Thrusters are topped up. Docking clamps can be released at any time. Wave drive is ready.¡±

    ¡°Eun-ji, go ahead and submit our flight plan to West Gate, please.¡±

    ¡°Me? Did you mean Min-ji?¡± asked the dokkaebi woman at the sensor station. Miliam chuckled uncomfortably, still unable to tell the two apart. They didn¡¯t always wear the green and purple color schemes they¡¯d interviewed in, which just made it harder.

    ¡°Right, sorry. Min-ji?¡±

    ¡°On it! West Gate Station, this is Astrum Vitae requesting permission to depart. Transmitting our flight plan¡­now,¡± the other dokkaebi said, unbothered by the mix up.

    ¡°Astrum Vitae, flight plan received. You¡¯re clear to leave, but make it quick. You¡¯ve got a short window before a freighter needs that lane.¡±

    ¡°Acknowledged, West Gate.¡±

    ¡°Take us out, please, Aoibhe,¡± Miliam ordered, a bit hesitantly.

    ¡°Aye. Releasing docking clamps¡­done. Firing thrusters. Looking good.¡± The ship vibrated a bit as its reaction-based propulsion activated, but there was no feeling of acceleration. Outside the bridge windows Miliam watched as the station¡¯s docking arm fell away, the Astrum Vitae rising up and then slowly spinning to face open space. The corvette continued to drift until the station was safely outside its wave drive¡¯s range, then slowed as the opposing thrusters fired, bringing it to a stop.

    ¡°Activating wave drive,¡± Aoibhe announced. The change was invisible and unfelt, but Miliam saw on her chair mounted readouts that West Gate was receding into the distance behind them at a rapid pace. There was no danger to activating the translocation drive close to another object, but activating it in a gravity well was another story. Fail safes built into the drive wouldn¡¯t even allow it, and for good reason.

    Large masses warped the space around them- often likened to placing something heavy on a trampoline. It wasn¡¯t an inaccurate comparison, especially when applied to teleportation. If a ship moved between two points in open space, its coordinates were swapped exactly, with every single atom maintaining its position relative to the matter around it. But if a ship tried to teleport into a gravity well, the x- and y-coordinates remained the same, while the z-coordinates, mapped onto warped space, would leave the ship and everything on it sliced into infinitesimally thin wafers, offset just a bit more vertically the further they were into the gravity well.

    When teleporting from point to point on a planet the effect was unnoticeable, and when teleporting from orbit to surface, it could be accounted for, so long as careful preparations were made and the orbital node was in a geosynchronous position. But when going into or out of a gravity well entirely, one would essentially need an entire translocation array built from the ground up for both the originating and destination coordinates. To do otherwise was to risk being spread across space as an atomic mist.

    Miliam hadn¡¯t enjoyed reading about that particular phenomenon given the number of jumps they would be making on their way to Delta Bo?tis.

    ¡°We¡¯ve reached a safe distance. Teleportation in three¡­two¡­one¡­now.¡±

    Once again Miliam¡¯s vision doubled, the moment so brief it could be dismissed as imagined, and then she was somewhere else, lightyears away from Kappa Ceti. About ten, in fact, although they wouldn¡¯t be making such long jumps for the entire trip. Aoibhe¡¯s previous ship had been ravaged by pirates for making exactly that mistake, and Miliam was far too cautious a person not to learn a lesson from that.

    That only applied to space outside Gaian Collective borders, though. As long as they were travelling inside that region pirate attacks were essentially unheard of, given that every system was in range of a GC fleet and monitored by a scout ship or a monitoring station. If an attack did occur, it would be literally seconds before the perpetrator found a battlegroup appearing around them.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°Now I¡­right, Eun-ji, are we all clear?¡± Miliam asked her sensor officer after a moment of thought. She could see the readouts for herself but not make sense of them- the only reason she¡¯d been able to identify West Gate Station previously was that it was too honking big to miss.

    ¡°There¡¯s some ships, but a few of them are GCNS, so I think we¡¯re good,¡± the sensor officer reported. That only accounted for what was within a handful of light seconds of their current position, but that was fine. This first jump was taking them through a colonized system and they were fairly close to the colony. Miliam was going through the motions as practice, not because they were expecting trouble.

    ¡°Captain, we¡¯re receiving a hail from GCNS Mule Kick,¡± Min-ji informed her, not making it a question because there was only one valid response to a call like that. It was probably a formality by the local defense force, but Miliam couldn¡¯t help the chill that ran down her spine at the thought of speaking directly to the person in charge of a genuine warship. Logic said their presence here was legitimate, but she feared what could happen if she said the wrong thing.

    ¡°Um, yes, put them on, please.¡±

    A moment later an image of a swarthy man in uniform popped up on one of Miliam¡¯s screens. It was a close up, making it difficult to identify his species, but he looked middle-aged, and his green and blue naval uniform had several decorations on it. Miliam was struck by how similar it was to such outfits from her own time, but when the officer reached up to adjust his tie, she realized there was a skinsuit below his clothes, and upon a closer look, she spotted the collar with which a helmet could form an airtight seal.

    ¡°GCS Astrum Vitae, this is Captain Ardyanto of GCNS Mule Kick. Please state your business,¡± the man said in a bored tone. As Miliam thought, it seemed to be routine, but she couldn¡¯t stop her voice from wavering with a bit of fear when she replied.

    ¡°Just passing through, sir. We¡¯re, uh, on our way¡­galactic north, I think. To Delta Bo?tis,¡± she replied awkwardly. She couldn¡¯t help but think that she sounded suspicious as hell, even though she had nothing to hide.

    ¡°Mm, that so?¡± he asked, a disinterested look on his face. ¡°Might want to rethink that, captain. Been some tensions with the mirazar recently over an independent colony- Jethroe¡¯s Landing, I think it was.¡±

    Despite the warning, the man clearly didn¡¯t care much whether Miliam heeded it or not. He seemed satisfied just having done his job by notifying her.

    ¡°Thanks for the warning, sir, we¡¯ll talk it over. Are we¡­good?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re clear, Astrum Vitae. Good luck out there.¡±

    With that, the screen cut out and Miliam slumped in her chair, glad the brief interaction was done with. She was concerned about what he¡¯d said, though. When she agreed to this job it was under the impression the worst they¡¯d have to deal with is pirates, which everyone seemed to think were exceptionally rare. As much as she ragged on Aoibhe about it, she wasn¡¯t entirely convinced such an encounter would be guaranteed, but her thinking had very much been that this job was no more dangerous than running cargo if the fay truly was a bad luck charm.

    ¡°Aoibhe, should we be worried about that?¡± Miliam asked her pilot, not feeling the need to specify. It was obvious.

    ¡°Already looking it up,¡± the fay called back from the pilot seat. A moment later she glanced back over her shoulder. ¡°Same general direction but not terribly close. Doubt they¡¯d care much about a single civilian corvette like us anyway, but it¡¯ll probably keep their attention elsewhere if anything.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­if you say so. What do you think, Eun-ji, Min-ji?¡±

    ¡°As long as it takes us further away from Magoseong, we¡¯re happy,¡± Min-ji answered to Eun-ji¡¯s enthusiastic nodding. Miliam considered whether she should call Tessa and Engineer to ask them the same question, but then she realized she¡¯d have to explain what they¡¯d been told over the comms too, and it wasn¡¯t like she needed their answer right this second. It would be nearly an entire day before they could transit to the next system anyway, so she may as well ask in person.

    ¡°Alright, then, I guess I¡¯ll talk to the others about it and decide before we make the next jump. I¡¯m sure I can guess what Abigail thinks, but maybe Tessa has an opinion.¡± Miliam noticed Aoibhe giving her a dubious look. ¡°I know I¡¯ll probably get her opinion on at least a dozen things, but one of them will be on this¡­probably.¡±

    ¡°If you say so, cap¡¯n.¡±

    Miliam stood up and was about to leave, but then she realized no one else had moved and remembered she was supposed to dismiss them first. And announce who was on watch first. She scraped her memory for which station had first watch on a ship like this according to the book, recalling quickly that it was sensors, since someone needed to be on hand to gather the data as it came in.

    ¡°Right. Eun-ji, the bridge is yours. Call me if anything comes up. Aoibhe and Min-ji, you two are dismissed,¡± Miliam said with feigned confidence. Aoibhe stood, but Min-ji stayed put, and Miliam thought for a moment that she¡¯d gotten them confused again before the twin on comms spoke up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep Eun-ji company and take the second watch, captain.¡±

    Miliam thought about insisting that the woman take her break and make sure she was rested for her own watch, but¡­well, as long as she was just sitting around and not doing anything, did it really matter where she did it?

    ¡°Alright, just make sure to take it easy, and get yourself a snack if you need it. Your shift will be in four hours,¡± Miliam told her before heading out.

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Void Combat: Barriers

    A ship''s first line of defense is the humble barrier spell. Usable at every level from personal right on up to the grandest space station, barriers protect against both the environment and hostile attacks. A basic barrier is typically active at all times, fed by the ship''s generators and protecting against cosmic radiation and space debris both, but it is when a barriermaster operates them that barriers gain their true worth.

    Anyone can use a barrier spell, but a barriermaster specializes in it, and is capable of producing barriers that will halt starship-grade weapons in their tracks. The skill of the barriermaster is what truly determines the strength of a ship''s defenses, and the best of them are typically stationed on the largest ships and stations, providing an unparalleled level of defense. Barriermasters can manipulate their barriers to focus strength in a specific location or alter them to defend against a specific form of attack. Larger ships will have several of them on board, either to work in shifts or to cover specific sectors of the defenses.

    What type of barriers are deployed depends on a star navy''s doctrine. One method is to produce a single, exceptionally strong layer that covers the ship from all directions. These barriers are difficult to penetrate and their entire strength can be focused on a single point, allowing them to stop even the most powerful weapons. On the other hand, once these barriers are down, they''re down. The feedback from their failure prevents redundant systems from replacing them for at least several minutes, leaving the ship vulnerable to follow up attacks.

    Another type of barrier employs multiple smaller fields that can be moved at will. Like single layer barriers, these can be moved to cover a single point to counter stronger attacks, but each individual barrier remains at its usual strength. This flexibility is both a boon and a curse- the barriers can be moved wherever they are most needed and regenerate individually, but every barrier that falls leaves more of the ship vulnerable, making them particularly weak to saturation fire.

    Other, smaller barriers are also employed within ships, such as atmospheric barriers that cover hull breaches or hangar bays and radiation barriers that protect the crew from their own ship''s reactors. As these barriers are simple and do not require much power or tuning, they tend to be installed locally as magic circles engraved into the hull itself, activating on their own when their conditions are met. As most mages can use barriers to some degree, ad-hoc barriers are often used in damage control to maintain atmosphere or snuff out fires.

 Chapter Twenty Three

    What Miliam wanted to do right now was sleep. She had stayed up all night in order to offset her sleep schedule from the others¡¯. Since the bridge crew (and Tessa) were rotating their watches, she would be sleeping during the first two, awake for the next two, and on watch for the last. That actually came out to a twenty-hour watch rotation that was going to be a pain to adjust to for Miliam, but was standard in the GC.

    Though, there was really no good way of determining the schedule, since everyone came from worlds with vastly different definitions of a day, or even an hour. Miliam was, naturally for her, measuring things by Earth hours, but the dokkaebi twins were used to twenty hour days by that standard and Aoibhe had grown up with an even shorter sixteen hour day. On-worlders often went by the local standard, but ships and stations utilized the GC standard as the best compromise- assuming the captain didn¡¯t just implement their own home world¡¯s schedule.

    In the end, what it all boiled down to was that time is relative and it was impossible to synchronize all clocks galaxy wide, so someone would always be miserable, and it just so happened that right now that person was Miliam. She would adjust in time, and the first step in that processes was sleeping for the next eight hours. But first Miliam needed to discuss Captain Ardyanto¡¯s warning with Abigail and Tessa.

    The missile bay was mere steps from the bridge, so while Aoibhe wandered off to do Aoibhe things, Miliam popped into that room before Tessa could wander off. Fortunately she discovered Abigail to be present as well, having apparently decided to spend the jump keeping Tessa company. That was, strictly speaking, against regulations since Abigail wasn¡¯t part of the crew, but the ship had so few public areas that Miliam wasn¡¯t going to quibble about it.

    Because it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Definitely not because she was conflict averse.

    ¡°Glad I caught you both before you left,¡± Miliam told them as she walked in. ¡°I spoke to a local captain and he mentioned something we should probably talk about.¡±

    ¡°Why would I leave? I thought I was supposed to stay here until you dismissed me. Should I just go if there¡¯s nothing happening? I guess it¡¯s not a big ship so it wouldn¡¯t take me very long to get back if there¡¯s an attack or something anyway and I can probably run up here from the lounge in under a minute so that would be pretty great and-¡± Tessa¡¯s run on sentence cut off abruptly as she literally ran out of breath in the middle of it. Abigail, sensing a chance, slapped a hand over the elf¡¯s mouth before she could continue where she left off.

    ¡°Apologies if this advice is unwanted, but you really must learn to provide this one with explicit instructions.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, you¡¯re right. I should have dismissed everyone from their stations over the comms, not just the bridge crew. What was I talking about?¡± Miliam stopped for a second, thrown off track by Tessa¡¯s rambling. ¡°Oh, right. I spoke to a Captain Ardyanto and he mentioned something about the mirazar going after a colony called Jethroe¡¯s Landing. Aoibhe said it¡¯s far enough out of our way that it shouldn¡¯t be a problem, but I thought I should see what everyone thinks about it.¡±

    ¡°Mirazar? Worrying, but it merely reinforces my determination. Best we investigate my lead before they get wind of it, particularly if they are currently operating in unclaimed space,¡± Abigail replied with furrowed brows. ¡°I must agree with Aoibhe¡¯s assessment, however. I know of the colony in question due to a recent discovery made there. I am concerned about the potential destruction of valuable relic, but my understanding is that it was a relatively minor find which has already been thoroughly documented, so little stands to be lost.¡±

    ¡°If Abby¡¯s not concerned, I¡¯m not either,¡± Tessa began, but this time Miliam was quick to cut in before she really got going.

    ¡°Alright, thanks, I¡¯m going to bed, dismissed!¡± Miliam rattled off before turning and fleeing the scene.

    A few hours later Miliam descended from her quarters, bleary eyed but mostly awake. She stopped by the galley on her way to the lounge to grab something to eat. The rather large pantry had a wide selection of options courtesy of Aoibhe, some requiring preparation and some not. Not wanting to spend time on cooking, Miliam grabbed a fay breakfast pocket, a strange preserved food that consisted of dried fruit and meat wrapped in treated animal skin that was leathery to the touch, yet soft enough to bite through and not overly chewy.

    Like the last fay cuisine she¡¯d tried, Miliam found that the fruit was savory, but this time the meat was sweet, a strange juxtaposition that she found worked better than it should have. More importantly, she could eat it with one hand, so she took it down to the lounge to snack on while studying on her grimoire.

    A short while passed as she polished off the¡­actually, now that she thought about it, Miliam didn¡¯t know what word to use for it. It was sort of pastry like, but wrapped in skin, not bread, so what did that make it, exactly? She¡¯d have to ask Aoibhe later. At any rate, she spent that time on studying, which took up most of her free time lately. She was making rapid progress on her self-taught remedial magic course. Each basic spell she learned made learning the next one in line faster.

    It was all a matter of vocabulary, for the most part, so knowing more ideograms reduced the number that were new in each successive spell. Physics and chemistry hadn¡¯t changed much in hundreds of years, so her high school and college courses, basic as they were, still applied here. Eventually she would need to learn more advanced concepts and delve into the physics of mana itself, but at that point it was debatable if she¡¯d need to if her goal was simply functioning in modern society.

    The door to the lounge slid open to admit Eun-ji and Min-ji. Miliam gave them a small wave, but rather than a giving simple greeting, they threw a salute and jumped to attention.

    ¡°¡°Captain!¡±¡± they shouted in unison. Miliam startled at the suddenness and realized she¡¯d never really discussed decorum with them- or spoken with them alone, now that she thought about it.

    ¡°A-at ease,¡± Miliam stuttered. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that sort of thing when we¡¯re off duty.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­sorry, captain,¡± Eun-ji answered for them both as they dropped their saluting hands.

    ¡°Miliam is fine. This is a small ship and we¡¯re going to get to know each other plenty well, so we may as well keep things casual.¡± She smiled at the dokkaebi twins and waved at the nearby couch, silently telling them to relax and take a seat. Min-ji grabbed a box off of the entertainment center first, then they both plopped down on the couch to start going through it.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°What¡¯s in there?¡± Miliam asked curiously. Eun-ji looked up, but her sister was too busy scrutinizing the contents of the box.

    ¡°Games,¡± she said, waving a square, crystalline chip with a metal rim. It was about the size of a Gameboy Color cartridge, so it was actually pretty large, although it was maybe half as thin. Miliam could see text on one side, but it was too far away to read.

    ¡°Wow. Those are a lot bigger than I would¡¯ve expected after all this time,¡± Miliam remarked. Eun-ji gave her a confused look.

    ¡°All this time?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I guess I never told you. I¡¯ll tell you later¡­I want to get Engineer and Tessa together for that conversation. How much does that store, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Eun-ji scrutinized the chip, which must have had the information on it somewhere. ¡°5.6 petabytes.¡±

    Miliam was momentarily struck speechless at the ridiculousness of that number. She¡¯d once had an 8 terabyte hard drive, and that was for all of her data, not a singular game. How much storage were the computers these days capable of? Exabytes? Zettabytes?

    ¡°What in the world is on that thing that could require so much space? An entire generation¡¯s worth of games?¡± she asked incredulously.

    ¡°Um¡­well, a game,¡± Eun-ji replied, not sure how to answer. ¡°I never really thought about it much.¡±

    ¡°Eun-ji, look! We can play Dyson¡¯s Legacy!¡± Min-ji announced in excitement, shaking her sister¡¯s arm to get her attention.

    ¡°Oh, I heard that¡¯s a good one! Let¡¯s go with that.¡± While Min-ji slotted the game in to one of the consoles on the entertainment center, Eun-ji grabbed the controllers. They were wireless, unsurprisingly, but what did surprise Miliam was that they seemed to be partially moldable, responding readily to Eun-ji¡¯s manipulation and changing their shapes to fit her hands.

    A large screen came to life with vivid imagery- it seemed to somehow be projecting a three-dimensional image without the use of glasses or goggles, and in spite of being no thicker than a flat screen from Miliam¡¯s age. She watched as the twins started a new game, fascinated by the advancements in graphics.

    ¡°What kind of start do you want to do?¡± Min-ji asked.

    ¡°You know the answer to that.¡±

    ¡°¡°Explorer!¡±¡± they said in unison. The screen split top and bottom to accommodate them playing at the same time, each half at least a meter tall and twice that in width. Miliam decided to take a break to watch them play for a bit.

    ¡°Eun-ji, you died again¡­?¡± Disappointment was evident in Min-ji¡¯s voice as she side eyed her flustered sister some time later.

    ¡°I¡¯ve almost got the controls down!¡± the other twin protested while Min-ji mopped up the remaining enemies and moved to revive her sister.

    ¡°You said that last time¡­¡±

    Miliam tried not to laugh at their dynamic. She was starting to get a sense of who was who, at least when they were playing games. The two seemed equally quick on their bridge stations, but Eun-ji was noticeably worse than Min-ji at video games. She wondered if that dynamic would extend to the game table or if it would be reversed with physical games.

    ¡°¡°Hey, watch out!¡±¡± they warned each other in unison. Miliam broke out in silent giggles as they tried to simultaneously push each other out of the way of a grenade, succeeding only in getting them both blown up. Funny as it was to see, she thought it was cute how their first instinct was to save each other even in a game.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you dodge!?¡±

    ¡°I was trying to save you!¡±

    The two descended into bickering, having completely forgotten Miliam was in the room, a fact of which she was in no hurry to remind them. Their earlier nervousness in her presence was forgotten, which she hoped wasn¡¯t only because they were too busy arguing to pay her any mind.

    It was going to be a long way to Delta Bo?tis. Maybe, Miliam thought, she could organize a game night for the crew before they left Gaian Collective space to help break the ice. It was probably something she should have thought of before leaving West Gate Station, but Abigail¡¯s job had been on her mind at the time, and she still wasn¡¯t used to being anyone¡¯s boss.

    Tessa was either going to be amazing or terrible at poker, and Miliam was going to find out even if it meant teaching everyone the rules herself. They needed to pass through the system Northeast Gate Station occupied on the way out, anyway, so maybe she¡¯d go as far as to pick up a deck of cards if they were lacking one.

    She¡¯d have to ask Aoibhe where that sort of stuff was, Miliam decided as plans formed in her mind.

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Fay

    Once a subject of fantasy, fay are actually close cousins to humans, having only diverged when a significant number of homo sapiens were abducted from Earth around 50,000 BC. Fay descend from a portion of these abductees that were left on a world- dubbed Tir Tairngire- with about half the gravity of Earth, with an atmosphere artificially maintained by Observer technology. Although they are referred to as fay by most humans, fay do have their own names for their people in the various fay languages. However, it is also true that the words ''elf'' and ''fay'' descend from fay words in long-dead dialects, believed to have been learned and warped over time by fellow abductees on Observer science ships.

    Fay are similar to humans in appearance, but taller and thinner. The low gravity of Tir Tairngire has caused fay to be taller than humans, with lower muscle and bone density. An average elf is seven to eight feet in height, but with a weight akin to a five foot tall human. Fay have facial features just short of gaunt by human standards, as well as characteristic long ears. Unlike in fiction, fay do not live significantly longer than humans.

    Their long years of adaptation to low gravity environments made adapting to interstellar society difficult for the fay, as most races developed on planets within ten percent above or below Earth''s gravity, meaning that most ships, planets, and space stations utilize this range as the standard. When living in mixed-crew settings or on heavier worlds, fay must undergo regimens to increase bone density as well as intensive training to increase muscle mass, although the latter can be substituted for mechanized support braces. Fay living in higher gravity also have a higher risk for cardiopulmonary conditions if they do not regularly take medication to counteract gravity''s effects on their cardiovascular and pulmonary systems.

    Unlike most races, the fay were quick to both discover and embrace magic. What humans accomplished with technology prior to the industrial revolution, fay accomplished entirely through magic. Fay carved homes into trees, crafted weapons, sowed fields, and grew ships through magical technology alone, only delving into scientific pursuits when they reached their equivalent to the industrial revolution, at which point they began to see the need for automated technologies that did not require an fay operator to function, as well as electrical power generation that could be converted to mana or used to power machinery.

    Fay were the first among all human subspecies to reach space as a result of their early forays into magic, and by the time they left the atmosphere of their world, they already possessed all the tools necessary to surpass the speed of light. A small minority of fay believe this makes them superior to their cousins, but the evidence of their manipulation by the Observers in their early years has forced most fay to take a more humble attitude.

    Despite the amount of time they have spent exploring space, however, fay have colonized relatively few worlds. Since Tir Tairngire only supports life thanks to outside intervention, it is impossible to find a naturally occurring world with the same conditions. What worlds the fay have colonized are dotted with artificial habitats that maintain a livable environment. A mere handful of their colonies are livable, with the inhabitants having largely readapted for high gravity, coming to be known as ¡®elves¡¯.

    As a result of these complications, however, fay have become exceptional at building space stations. Fay space stations are like tiny worlds unto themselves, centered around enormous domes containing vast forests that serve as oxygen converters, homes, and food production all at once. From the center of these cities, one could easily be led to believe they are standing on an actual planet. This is not, of course, the extent of the stations - additional modules branch out around or below the domes in which other, more utilitarian facilities exist such as reactors, factories, and offices.

 Chapter Twenty Four

    A ship appeared on sensors tens of thousands of kilometers behind the Astrum Vitae. That sounded like a massive distance, being several times the diameter of the Earth, but in outer space it was like being in knife-fighting distance. No one sane wanted to be in that envelope, much less in an uninhabited system, and the odds of it happening by accident were astronomical.

    Aoibhe immediately dropped the intensity of the wave drive to begin evasive maneuvers without waiting for orders. That was standard procedure, as the delay between the captain noticing something was wrong and the pilot reacting to their commands could be fatal. That meant Miliam could immediately move onto the next course of action, but she found herself freezing, unable to remember any of the information she¡¯d learned about being in command.

    Eun-ji and Min-ji looked back at her in concern while Miliam gaped helplessly.

    ¡°Sensors, Cap¡¯n!¡± Aoibhe yelled without looking back, too focused on piloting to spare the attention. Miliam¡¯s mind ground into motion, the dam in her thought process bursting loose in an instant.

    ¡°Min-ji, what are we dealing with?¡± she asked in a high pitched voice.

    ¡°Corvette sized! Fifty thousand kilometers and closing! I¡¯m seeing incoming fire from three separate lances, but the output is low, so they¡¯re probably improvised,¡± the dokkaebi woman replied instantly, the data ready at the forefront of her mind already. Even as she spoke one of those weapons struck the Astrum Vitae¡¯s barriers, a field of force that redirected the jet of plasma off into space. Even if that lance was underpowered, though, it still drained the ship¡¯s barriers by a good ten percent.

    ¡°They¡¯re broadcasting a demand to surrender,¡± Eun-ji reported.

    ¡°Tell them we surrender!¡± Miliam told her comms officer before the last word even left her mouth.

    ¡°Pirates don¡¯t usually leave survivors, Cap¡¯n.¡±

    ¡®And yet you¡¯re still here!¡¯ Miliam wanted to shout at her pirate, but she kept the retort to herself.

    ¡°This is a simulation, captain, I don¡¯t think they can accept anyway¡­¡± Eun-ji replied with exasperation.

    ¡°Oh¡­right¡­¡± Miliam hung her head. She hadn¡¯t actually thought about that, it had just been an instinctive reaction. The situation was fake, but it felt real. All the ship¡¯s systems were displaying as if it was, and the crew was taking it seriously, which had Miliam feeling a lot more pressure than a sim called for. ¡°Uh¡­Tessa, point defenses?¡±

    ¡°No missiles to shoot down, captain,¡± the elf replied through the ship¡¯s communications.

    ¡°Permission to speak?¡± asked another voice, which Miliam identified as Abigail. She wasn¡¯t technically a part of this sim, but Miliam wouldn¡¯t argue with a bit of advice right now.

    ¡°Please do?¡±

    ¡°Victory and defeat are not the only outcomes. Calm yourself and consider your options fully,¡± Abigail advised, her even tone doing more to calm Miliam that simply being told to.

    ¡°Barriers. Weakening. Must draw. Power. From capacitors. Soon,¡± Engineer reported a moment later.

    The capacitors. This simulation was predicated on the premise that they were ambushed shortly after entering the system following a five lightyear jump, so they were a bit over half charged. That meant they had the option of retreating somewhere the pirates couldn¡¯t follow, as teleportation was untraceable.

    Now that Miliam¡¯s brain was working again, she went over the requirements. The translocation drive couldn¡¯t be activated on a whim; certain calculations had to be done for the system they were in and the system they wanted to reach. But there was a system they already had those done for, wasn¡¯t there? The one they had just come from. The computer could update for less than an hour of stellar drift in seconds.

    Typically you needed the full calculations for the system you were in and the location of the system you wanted to go to, but that was because it was impossible to gather that kind of data on a system light years away. But in this specific situation¡­

    ¡°Aoibhe, get us out of here! Reverse our last teleport!¡± Confidence filled her voice this time.

    ¡°Aye, Cap¡¯n!¡± the fay replied enthusiastically. Miliam had felt sure of the decision, but that reply still filled her with relief at having found the right solution to their predicament. Moments later the other ship disappeared from sensors and their barriers were once again at full strength. Everyone¡¯s primary screen updated to show ¡®Simulation Complete.¡¯

    Miliam slumped in her seat as the tension left her body. This was her first emergency simulation since Aoibhe had proposed holding one after every jump the day before. After such a dismal performance on her own part, Miliam understood the necessity.

    ¡°Good job everyone. Same watch rotation as yesterday; dismissed,¡± she said, this time remembering to transmit the orders over the ship-wide comms for Tessa and Engineer¡¯s benefit. At least she didn¡¯t mix the twins up this time.

    ¡°I¡¯m Eun-ji, by the way,¡± said the twin on sensors.

    After a fitful night¡¯s sleep, Miliam trudged into the galley for breakfast and found a bedraggled looking Abigail at the table, sipping from a mug. Having never seen the woman anything less than well-put together and a bit elegant, the visual brought her to a halt.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked after wrestling in her head for several seconds over whether her intrusion would be welcome.

    ¡°Mm. While I am not a morning person, I am in the process of rectifying the issue.¡± Abigail gestured with her mug, which didn¡¯t smell like coffee but probably contained something similar. ¡°You, on the other hand, look as if you need counsel.¡±

    ¡°I do?¡± Miliam asked, taken aback. She was stressed about yesterday, but didn¡¯t think she was so obvious. ¡°Is it that easy to tell?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps yes, perhaps no. It is difficult to gauge what the perceptions of others are capable of. May I assume this is in regards to the drill you held?¡± Abigail took a long sip of her drink while she waited for an answer.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Miliam admitted as she went to the pantry and retrieved some pancake mix. If she was going to be talking for a while she may as well use the time wisely. ¡°I froze up. It was just a sim, and I still froze.¡±

    ¡°That is not unexpected in one¡¯s first simulation. Better it happen in practice than in reality, is it not?¡± Abigail set her mug down. At the counter, Miliam measured out the powdered pancake mix and added water, which was apparently the only additional step.

    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be the captain though. I saw how they looked at me. The twins. They must be wondering how I¡¯ll handle it if things go south for real,¡± she told Abigail, setting a pan on the stovetop and turning up the heat.

    ¡°Counterpoint: they may have merely been displaying concern for your well-being,¡± the albino scholar said from behind Miliam.

    ¡°They haven¡¯t known me for very long.¡± Miliam felt the heat in the pan. It was rising faster than she expected.

    ¡°I have had the opportunity to converse with the pair. I would evaluate them as rather compassionate young women, not unlikely to empathize with a near stranger,¡± Abigail replied, taking another sip of her drink soon after. At the stove, Miliam took a moment to think while pouring mix into the pan.

    ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, it doesn¡¯t make the results of me screwing up when the time comes any better,¡± she sullenly told Abigail, watching the pancake she¡¯d placed down carefully for the right moment to flip it.

    ¡°Which brings us back around to the point of the simulations: to ensure you make these mistakes in a harmless manner.¡±

    Miliam sighed and flipped her pancake. That was true, but it was making a few assumptions.

    ¡°And what if I bungle it in the real world anyway? I can do the sims a thousand times and still choke when they happen for real. I don¡¯t know why Aoibhe thought I should be captain with no training,¡± she stated harshly, mostly directed at herself.

    ¡°Here we arrive at the core conundrum. Tell me, would you like reassurance, or to know where you need improve?¡± Abigail asked the question in a way that made Miliam imagine a quirked eyebrow, even without having turned around to look. Miliam was never a prideful person, and what resistance she may have had to having her flaws stated to her face had died last night on the bridge.

    ¡°The latter.¡± She removed her pancake from the pan and started on the next.

    ¡°Very well. I shall begin by telling you why I believe Aoibhe placed you in your role, however, as it will lead into my other observations. From my own observations you are not an unintelligent woman. You are insightful and think quickly on your feet, a trait Aoibhe sorely lacks. You stymie your own potential, however, by not thinking. It is when you take the time to carefully consider your actions prior to implementing them that you display your greatest strengths.¡±

    Abigail paused for a moment to wet her throat, but Miliam didn¡¯t interject. She busied herself with the second pancake instead, knowing the other woman wasn¡¯t done yet.

    ¡°My assessment is that you possess these flaws: a tendency to act absent of thought, cowardice, and a lack of confidence. What you need work on is not your knowledge or training, but your ability to remain calm and process all information before coming to a decision.

    ¡°When you cower, your first instinct is to find the more immediate path out of a given situation regardless of the wisdom in it. Your lack of confidence inclines you to stop thinking entirely, making no choices at all because you believe you will not make the correct one. No matter how much knowledge you accumulate, it amounts to nothing if it is not used.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not confident because I¡¯m untrained. Shouldn¡¯t training more help with that?¡± Miliam furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she removed the second pancake and began on the third.

    ¡°To an extent. But simulations are not reality and the unexpected will always catch you by surprise by its very nature. If you are not mentally prepared to shoulder the responsibility of command when the moment comes, and you are truly fearing for your life, then your mental weakness will hold you back. But perhaps that is merely confusing without a path provided to correct the problem,¡± Abigail explained, shrugging at the end.

    ¡°No, I think I understand. You¡¯re saying I should work on my self control, not just what I know,¡± Miliam said as she thought over what Abigail had told her. She finished cooking while reflecting on the lecture and separated the pancakes she¡¯d made into two stacks, setting one in front of Abigail as thanks. ¡°Thanks. I guess the first step is worrying about the problem and not the result. I¡¯ll work on it.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. My thanks for the pancakes.¡± They both poured syrup over their breakfast and began to eat.

    ¡°You sounded like one of those wise mentors right then,¡± Miliam remarked wryly.

    ¡°I should hope not. They have a tendency of dying early. Should I make an effort at being less helpful?¡± Abigail said in response, getting a laugh from Miliam.

    ¡°Finally, someone around here that understands,¡± Miliam said happily.

    ¡°An enjoyer of stories, I see. Indeed, I have attempted to educate Aoibhe on the matter to no avail in the past.¡±

    The conversation veered off into small talk, but Miliam found herself feeling better by the end of it. She had been worrying too much about her lack of training when what she needed to work on most was her mindset- at least, at the moment. Aoibhe could supplement her lack of command knowledge, and she could learn what she needed to both on the job and between shifts over time.

    None of that mattered anyway if she wasn¡¯t thinking enough to make use of it. She wasn¡¯t sure how exactly she would improve on that, but knowing what to work on was a start.

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Void Combat: Countermeasures

    As offensive technology evolves, so does defensive technology. Magical countermeasures make a ship more difficult to target rather than providing a physical defense, just like scientific countermeasures, but the form this takes is often quite different.

    Scientific countermeasures are generally some form of jamming that disrupts and confuses targeting systems by oversaturating their sensors or providing other targets via flares and chaff. They may even attempt to override the control systems of incoming missiles to disable them or detonate them prematurely.

    Magic countermeasures employ similar methods that cannot be replicated by science. Illusion magic can produce convincing replicas of ships to confuse visual targeting. Space magic can warp localized areas to cause attacks to veer off, overshoot, or stall out by stretching the distance they must travel. Minor gravitic distortions are employed to prevent warp missiles from exiting warp space directly next to or even inside ships.

    Large ships typically have dedicated electronic and magical countermeasures operators, but smaller craft may employ their communications officer in a dual role. This is because corvettes and frigates are seldom the target of missiles in the first place and so there is more emphasis on punching a hole in enemy countermeasures so that point defenses can engage incoming missiles targeted at capital ships.

 Chapter Twenty Five

    Miliam¡¯s conversation with Abigail came to an end when Aoibhe wandered into the galley with a knowing smile on her face. Before she could even say anything, Miliam gave her a deadpan stare and then rolled her eyes, knowing exactly where her mind was going. Fortunately she didn¡¯t comment on it- she had the wrong impression anyway.

    ¡°I see you found someone to cook you breakfast, Abigail,¡± the pilot said instead, glancing at the empty plate in front of her.

    ¡°I have not the faintest of inclinations as to what you allude to,¡± Abigail replied evenly, sipping again from her cup.

    ¡°Well, I was making pancakes anyway, and she was giving me some good advice, so it wasn¡¯t too much trouble to make a few extra¡­¡± Miliam told Aoibhe, feeling a bit confused.

    Aoibhe chuckled. ¡°Let me fill you in on something: Abigail can¡¯t cook. She was probably hanging out in the galley waiting for someone that could so she could talk them into making her breakfast.¡± Her gaze shifted to Abigail, transforming into a glare. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you had the nerve to make the captain cook you pancakes.¡±

    ¡°Such harsh accusations. Are you insinuating I should be such a rude guest as to refuse an offer of refreshments from my host?¡± Abigail countered. Miliam looked between them like a deer in headlights, unsure if she should break them up or flee.

    ¡°To be fair, I¡¯m a better cook than I am a captain¡­¡± Miliam said.

    ¡°Aye, well, give it time,¡± Aoibhe said, smiling at Miliam. She went over to the pantry and grabbed a snack from it. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m just grabbing something to eat before my watch. Don¡¯t mind me.¡±

    After she left it was silent for a moment before Miliam stood to clean up her after herself. Abigail followed suit and took care of her own dishes as well. Once she was done, Miliam hesitated a moment before leaving, working up her courage.

    ¡°Would you mind joining me on the bridge for my watch? I want to try running some sims on my own and could use some advice.¡±

    Abigail observed her for a moment before replying. ¡°Would Aoibhe not be a more appropriate advisor for such an endeavor?¡±

    ¡°¡­she expects too much from me. I¡¯m afraid of disappointing her and it would just make me more nervous,¡± Miliam admitted.

    ¡°In that case, your wish is my command, my lady,¡± Abigail replied, somehow making the clich¨¦ statement work.

    Miliam left the room in a bit of a fluster, as was typical of her interactions with Abigail, and returned to her quarters to spend a few hours reviewing tactics. She knew Abigail had emphasized that mindset was her highest priority, but Miliam wasn¡¯t going to be able to act with confidence if she didn¡¯t at least have a foundation to work from.

    Eventually an alarm on her grimoire alerted Miliam that it was time for her to relieve Tessa. She stood and stretched for a moment, then headed downstairs and onto the bridge to find Tessa spinning slowly in the captain¡¯s chair while, to her credit, watching the sensor display screen intently.

    Miliam hadn¡¯t actually known the chair could do that until now.

    ¡°You¡¯re relieved, Tessa,¡± she told the elf with an amused smile.

    ¡°Oh, thanks! See you later!¡± Tessa replied, speeding out the door without delay, leaving the chair spinning behind her. Miliam stopped it and took a seat, shaking her head. She took a few moments to review the sensor logs, which she just barely had an understanding of, and then began looking through the simulation settings. Aoibhe had set up the previous one, so she wasn¡¯t quite sure what she was looking for.

    There were quite a lot of options, from scenarios to difficulty and even to the personalities of simulated crew members and enemy commanders. She had just located the ambush simulation Aoibhe used when Abigail arrived.

    ¡°Please excuse my tardiness. I did not keep you waiting too long, I hope?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just in time. I was looking over the sim we ran last time. I think I figured out the settings Aoibhe selected,¡± Miliam told her, looking up to greet her.

    ¡°Indeed? If I may, I would advise you not to begin by replaying a scenario you have already experienced. You already know the answers, so it will provide little useful experience. Perhaps instead you might run a fully automated simulation with a AIs on both sides, so that you have an example to model yourself after,¡± Abigail advised.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even know that was an option¡­hold on.¡± She went back into the settings and realized she could indeed set a personality for every crew position at once. She was careful to also select the option to have the sim end automatically if the sensors detected any changes, and left one screen dedicated to the real sensor output. ¡°Alright, here we go.¡±

    She activated the simulation and it began immediately, opening just like the one from last night. A ship appeared on sensors and voices began playing from the comms at each bridge station. The Astrum Vitae began maneuvering nearly instantaneously just as it had with Aoibhe at the helm, and then a male voice began giving orders.

    ¡°Sensors, report!¡±

    ¡°Single corvette, firing improvised lances. No missiles detected. 55,000 kilometers and closing.¡±

    ¡°Helm, prepare a jump, approximately five light years, I don¡¯t care which system. Comms, how are our countermeasures?¡±

    ¡°Jamming their sensors now, but they¡¯re too close for us to project a mirror image without them immediately seeing through it,¡± came a voice from the communications station. Miliam had actually forgotten about this step when she ran the simulation herself; somewhat counterintuitively, the comms officer was actually in charge of both electric countermeasures and magic countermeasures, as on a ship this small their duties were otherwise fairly limited in combat.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°Focus on EMCM but obscure our location. Even if they know we¡¯re still there it¡¯ll slow their targeting down.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir.¡±

    ¡°Engineering, I need you to do what you can to keep the barriers up, but do not let the capacitors drop below 40%. We¡¯re going to need that power.¡±

    ¡°Sir!¡±

    At that point, much to Miliam¡¯s confusion, the dialogue ceased. She saw the sim was still running on her displays, but no one was saying anything.

    ¡°Did it hit an error¡­?¡± she wondered aloud.

    ¡°The captain¡¯s job is finished. His crew knows their duties and he needs only intercede if the situation changes. Now his role is to observe and project confidence, which this ship is ill-suited to represent,¡± Abigail explained from her position standing to Miliam¡¯s side.

    As Miliam watched, the ship continued to dodge projectiles, which she noticed were hitting less often this time. Likely because Eun-ji didn¡¯t have Aoibhe¡¯s experience and failed to act in the absence of instructions from her captain. That was going to need to be addressed as well; there was no sense in holding off on beginning defensive countermeasures the way there would be with weapons, especially if the shooting had already begun.

    Engineering had only just begun to tap into mana from the capacitors when the navigation computer finished its calculations and the helmsman took them out of the system without hesitation. Miliam found Abigail looking at her expectantly, waiting to hear what she¡¯d learned.

    ¡°¡­I was thinking about it like I needed to provide orders for every action the crew takes just like in the movies, and that was making me freeze up, because if anything went wrong it was all on me. I¡¯m responsible for the crew, but they¡¯re not puppets. I need to trust them to do their jobs and focus on finding out what¡¯s going on so I can coordinate,¡± Miliam summed up.

    ¡°While I am no naval officer that seems an apt conclusion to make. You will also need to address your fear of death, of course, due to your tendency to make snap decisions in the face of it. Perhaps you should attempt a direct combat simulation this time?¡±

    Miliam checked the simulation list, but she found that there were few good options for an even fight when it came to corvettes. As dedicated missile defense platforms they were typically operated as escorts, not solo combatants, and were poorly suited to fighting even the jury-rigged civilian craft most pirates used, which mounted more lances than point defenses. In the end there was one real option: a one versus one fight with another corvette.

    Having selected that option, she began the simulation. This time a ship appeared over a light second away, well outside of engagement range. While she knew this was a combat sim, she opted to treat it as an unknown contact and proceed from there. Metagaming would just hurt her in the long run.

    ¡°Comms, hail that ship and find out what their intentions are. And¡­sensors, what can you tell me about it?¡±

    ¡°Aye, captain,¡± said the phantom at the communications station. She tuned it out as it began recording a message to the other ship.

    ¡°Looks like a single corvette. Their wave drive is ramping up and EMCM is active.¡±

    Remembering what the simulated captain had said last round, Miliam¡¯s next orders were immediate.

    ¡°Comms, forget about that hail! Fire up our EMCM and then get a mirror image up before they approach too closely!¡± Miliam called out, her voice sounding somewhat shrill even to herself. She gripped her armrest tightly to keep her hands from shaking. There was something about being on the bridge of a real starship that made these sims feel more real, and even if she knew it was a sim intellectually, her subconscious wasn¡¯t getting the message.

    She didn¡¯t need to tell the helmsman what to do; they were already beginning to make the Astrum Vitae a hard target to hit. Instead Miliam watched as the hostile ship approached, inching closer to the light-second line. She was so focused on it that she nearly forgot to give the one order that relied on that distance.

    ¡°Oh, shit, weapons! Open fire the moment they¡¯re in range!¡± she rattled off in a panic. A competent weapons officer would know to cycle spell types without being told, but if she were being honest, the fact that she didn¡¯t explicitly tell them to was more because it didn¡¯t occur to her than because she knew she didn¡¯t need to.

    Miliam watched anxiously as the range decreased and weapons fire began being traded. The first few shots went wide on both sides, meant more as ranging shots used to prod at each other¡¯s countermeasures than anything else. Neither ship was equipped with anything other than countermissiles, but point defense lasers were added to the mix anyway, serving as a means of target finding and straining enemy barriers.

    At this stage in a fight, the first ship to penetrate the other¡¯s countermeasures would gain an advantage. Given how evenly matched the vessels were, that came down to the skill of the crews involved and luck, and based on the settings Miliam used, it was almost certainly luck that decided things. Free to observe instead of having a task to focus on, she noticed it before the crew.

    ¡°Concentrate fire here!¡± she ordered, designating a point in space on one of her displays where, for just a moment, the enemy ship¡¯s EMCM had been disrupted by laser fire and betrayed the location of its real hull. Her own vessel¡¯s lance was cycling right now, but that didn¡¯t matter, because the point defense lasers fired sustained beams.

    With invisible lasers penetrating the other ship¡¯s cloak, all their lance needed to do was use them as a target finder. Ships didn¡¯t maneuver fast enough to alter their trajectory in the seconds before the Astrum Vitae¡¯s lance was recharged, and the next shot, a beam of ionizing radiation, struck before its target¡¯s barriermaster could adjust.

    That was a double edged sword, giving away their own location, but the Vitae had gotten the first punch in. While the enemy barriermaster worked frantically to dissipate the radiation, the Vitae landed hit after hit with its lance until the other ship¡¯s barriers failed outright. The next shot was ablated by the armor, but that only delayed the inevitable, and soon the hostile ship was dead in space.

    Silence fell over the bridge as the sim ended and Miliam thought back, counting how many orders she¡¯d actually needed to give. Five. There was no need to micromanage the ship¡¯s power distribution- it was designed to balance the load optimally in the first place. She didn¡¯t need to tell her weapons officers to keep firing, or her sensor officer to break through the enemy¡¯s EMCM, or her helmsman not to stop evasive maneuvers.

    As long as she watched the bigger picture and reacted when the situation changed, that was enough.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to do a few more, but¡­I might be starting to understand, just a little.¡±

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Mana

    Known by different names across every culture, mana and magic are the foundation of modern society. Pre-magic human civilization knew it as "dark matter". While mundane technology outperforms its magical equivalents in some areas, others, like faster than light travel, cannot be performed at all without magic.

    Every civilization discovers mana at a different point in its development- the dwarves did not discover it until they had already left their solar system on slower than light generation ships, while the fay discovered it before electricity. Or, for that matter, carpentry. Humans were somewhat unique in that they discovered mana and its application as magic dozens of times throughout their history, losing it and rediscovering it over and over again as prejudice and superstition drove its practitioners to extinction.

    Fundamentally, mana is simply another counterpart to matter and energy, and interacts with both in various ways. Two primary uses of mana exist: one is to alter reality, and the other is to convert mana into matter and energy. The former, naturally, has a lower cost than the latter, as converting mana into another form requires even more mana to power the transformation. Both of these methods are, collectively, referred to as magic.

 Chapter Twenty Six

    After four hours of simulations and picking apart her performance with the help of Abigail, Miliam took the crew through the next teleportation and then held another full-crew drill. She did¡­slightly better than the first time. It seemed she would need to get used to telling real people what to do, and the individual sims couldn¡¯t prepare her for that. Still, the simulations were at least helping her catch up on the training she would have gotten rising through a corporate or military chain instead of owning her own ship from the outset.

    She even remember which twin was at which station this time¡­or so she thought, but they had actually swapped places today. After that, Miliam decided that telling the two apart was becoming a problem and asked to speak with them about it after their watch shifts ended. She¡¯d also noticed a shared quirk the pair displayed thanks to them swapping places, so the meeting would be killing two birds with one stone.

    ¡°Today¡¯s sim was a bit on the simpler side, but good work all the same, everyone. Everyone but Eun-ji and Min-ji are dismissed, just make sure to¡­attend your watch shifts,¡± Miliam announced, unable to keep the awkwardness from leaking into her words but managing to sound a bit more confident now, having done this routine a few times now. There was still some hesitance and she needed to pause while the words came to her here and there, but at least she didn¡¯t stutter.

    Min-ji continued to monitor sensor readings while Eun-ji retrieved her grimoire, settling in until it was her turn on shift. Miliam wasn¡¯t quite done yet, though.

    ¡°After your shifts are done, are you two going to be in the lounge? I don¡¯t want to distract either of you while you¡¯re on watch, but there¡¯s something I want to go over with you both before you head to sleep,¡± she told the two after Aoibhe left. Now that she thought about it, she still needed to ask her second in command about the co-pilot situation, but that would have to wait.

    ¡°Oh¡­sure. What¡¯s it about?¡± Eun-ji asked.

    ¡°Nothing serious, it can wait until I see you later.¡±

    With that done and the crew dismissed, she retired to her quarters to sleep, then headed to the lounge to meet with the dokkaebi sisters, who liked to spend their downtime playing co-op games. They¡¯d been in the lounge during the four hours between the end of their dual shifts and the time they spent sleeping every day so far, so Miliam probably hadn¡¯t needed to confirm with them, but she wanted to be on the safe side.

    ¡°So, uh, you¡¯re not in trouble, really, I just need to clear up the confusion about who¡¯s who on the bridge,¡± Miliam told them as she sat down, noticing the worried looks on their faces. She thought she¡¯d phrased her request so that they wouldn¡¯t fell as if they¡¯d done something wrong, but apparently not. ¡°I know we¡¯re just preparing for the kind of emergency most ships never run into, but I don¡¯t want to be slowed down in the moment trying to figure out which of you I need to talk to. Is there, well, anything I can do to tell you apart better? Or is it offensive to ask that? Sorry, would you prefer if I just asked by saying comms or sensors?¡±

    Eun-ji and Min-ji glanced at each other, sharing a moment of silent communication between each other that Miliam was starting to get used to. She only knew which was which because they were playing a game when she got there, and Eun-ji was really bad at video games.

    ¡°Stations, I guess?¡± Eun-ji answered a moment later.

    ¡°We don¡¯t actually have separate wardrobes, and we look pretty much the same¡­¡± Min-ji added.

    ¡°What if you, um, wear different hairstyles? Or maybe accessories? Er, I mean, I don¡¯t want to dictate what you wear or anything, but¡­¡± Miliam asked next, feeling like it was the obvious solution.

    ¡°Well, we could, but it wouldn¡¯t be very helpful,¡± Min-ji clarified with a shrug that Eun-ji mirrored without looking.

    ¡°That would just make it so we could switch identities by swapping hairstyles and accessories,¡± the other sister continued. What Miliam gathered from that was that they had definitely done that before and had no intention of stopping. Hopefully they would keep that to when they were off duty.

    ¡°Technically we¡¯re not sure which of us is which, but that¡¯s because our parents mixed us up a lot when we were babies¡­¡± Min-ji threw in, rolling her eyes.

    ¡°And also when we were older, but we did that on purpose.¡±

    ¡°Well I do need some way to tell you apart, so¡­I guess I¡¯ll have to make a rule about it. Off-duty I don¡¯t really care what, how should I put it¡­shenaniganery you get up to, but when you¡¯re working, I might need to know who I¡¯m addressing, even if we¡¯re not on the bridge. I don¡¯t want to make a rule for just you two though, so how about we all get hats or something when we get to Northeast Gate Station? The whole crew can customize theirs, including me, I guess, so you hopefully won¡¯t feel singled out or anything,¡± Miliam told the two.

    She¡¯d had some time to think about the matter, but had wanted to see if they had a solution of their own before jumping to making a rule for the problem. Initially she had thought to make full uniforms, but about halfway through speaking she realized everyone would have to wear them at all times in case of an emergency, so she settled on hats, which would be easy to toss on at a moment¡¯s notice.

    ¡°What if we put the wrong one on?¡± asked Min-ji.

    Right. That took them back to the problem of swapping looks. Miliam did have an idea about that, which she hoped wouldn¡¯t anger them.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°If you put Eun-ji¡¯s hat on then you¡¯re Eun-ji until you take it off, I suppose?¡± the captain tentatively proposed. ¡°I know that¡¯s not much different than if you two swap places like normal, but it gives me a way to glance at one of you and have a name immediately.¡±

    ¡°¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡±¡± they said at once, with Eun-ji adding an ¡®oof¡¯ a moment later when Min-ji elbowed her in embarrassment.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Min-ji said. ¡°We decided when we were young that we liked being the same and made ourselves totally identical¡­but at some point we started saying the same thing at the same time too.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of embarrassing¡­but we can¡¯t control it¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I guess if you share all the same experiences you¡¯d start to think along the same lines too. Don¡¯t worry too much about it. I¡¯m not going to make fun of you for it.¡± Doing that would make Miliam too much like the people that mocked her for being overly feminine growing up. Just like they couldn¡¯t control their synching, she hadn¡¯t been able to control the fact she had a female mind. ¡°¡­Aoibhe might, but I give you permission to prank her if she does. Captain¡¯s orders.¡±

    They smiled in appreciation of the support, though inwardly Miliam hoped it wouldn¡¯t come to that. She¡¯d said it without thinking and now she was scared of what Aoibhe would say if she found out.

    ¡°Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?¡± Min-ji asked, not-so-subtly eyeing the controllers they had put aside. Miliam blanked out for a moment before she remembered there was, in fact, something else.

    ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯ve noticed in our sims that both of you have a tendency to wait for orders before activating our ECM and MCM. I noticed when you switched today that both of you always have sensor readings available ahead of time, so why do you wait for me when you¡¯re on comms?¡± she asked, leading them both to open their mouths at the same time and then stop, each realizing the other was about to speak. Eun-ji nodded at Min-ji, who shook her head, and then Eun-ji elbowed her sister, who glared back but decided to get on with it and speak.

    ¡°We were taught not to begin until ordered to because it could be taken as a hostile action,¡± Min-ji explained as she rubbed her side. ¡°Like telling anyone we encounter we already intend to fight.¡±

    The thought had occurred to Miliam that the standard protocols had that one flaw. Immediately beginning evasive actions had the same issue. Any human captain would know that was a precaution and nothing more, developed due to the fact that weapons could be aimed and fired faster than a captain could receive a report from their sensor officer and issue orders. An alien captain, on the other hand, might take that as a sign of hostility.

    But that could be said of any action she took. Active sensors could be a way of announcing one¡¯s presence, or it could be a prelude to an attack. Dropping barriers might be a show of good faith, while keeping them active meant expecting a need for them. It was all relative, and no single set of protocols could account for the differences in psychology between species.

    In the end, Miliam wasn¡¯t going to take an action that made the ship more vulnerable. There was no way of knowing who was in command of another ship at a glance, so it was better to maintain a policy of shooting second but remaining on guard.

    ¡°That small delay between me figuring out what¡¯s going on, giving the order, and you taking action could be the difference between life and death. The Astrum Vitae is just a corvette, so its best defense is not getting hit at all. Anytime we¡¯re outside the Gaian Collective, just¡­assume you have permission to act the moment you hear there¡¯s a ship out there,¡± Miliam told them, intent on making her own chances of survival as high as possible. And also the crew¡¯s, by extension.

    ¡°¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡±¡± Eun-ji and Min-ji acknowledged together, looking down as if they¡¯d just been admonished. Seeing them like that made Miliam feel like she¡¯d just kicked a puppy, and their diminutive sizes wasn¡¯t helping that impression.

    ¡°I¡¯m not mad at you!¡± Miliam assured them, waving her hands frantically. ¡°I just want to get you on the same page as me, okay? It¡¯s not criticism at all.¡±

    ¡°¡°Oh, no, don¡¯t feel bad!¡±¡± the twins shouted at once, waving their hands the same way as Miliam.

    ¡°It¡¯s just this is our first job so we¡¯re a little disappointed we messed up already,¡± explained Eun-ji, speaking for them both.

    ¡°This is more about us than you, we promise!¡± Min-ji added a moment later.

    ¡°Oh, okay, that¡¯s good. I don¡¯t want to make anyone uncomfortable. It¡¯s kind of my first job too and it¡¯s like I jumped straight to being the manager. Let me know if I overstep, okay? Wait, maybe that¡¯s not right¡­captains are supposed to be confident aren¡¯t they? Uh, you can¡­confide in me. And I will take your concerns under¡­consideration. Yeah,¡± Miliam babbled, going from anxiousness to second guessing herself and to false confidence all in one breath.

    She took a moment to catch her breath and force herself to calm down before opening her mouth again. It did not help.

    ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s all I guess, so you can go back to your games. And I¡¯ll just¡­go nowhere actually, because I like to study here and this is the lounge and I¡¯ll shut up now.¡± Miliam sank into her chair as if trying to fade from sight, embarrassed enough that she wanted to leave but feeling like she was stuck here now that she¡¯d said it. Fortunately the twins were more interested in getting back to their game, so Miliam managed to move onto studying after a few minutes.

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Mana Conductivity

    Sapient beings have no in-built capacity for mana; no biological storage tank which can be expanded to increase their ability to cast. One''s limits are determined by their ability to conduct mana instead- how adapted their body is to channeling mana through it like a circuit.

    Needless to say, biological bodies are not meant to channel mana. Doing so is inherently damaging, although the effects build up slowly. Early stages of mana exhaustion are not dissimilar to physical exhaustion, and are evenly spread throughout the body. Using magic is like experiencing a full body workout- it leaves the entire body feeling sore when pushed to its limits.

    Later stages of mana exhaustion are progressively more damaging. A mage can cast a spell beyond their means by channeling more mana than their body can handle or, indeed, survive. This begins with spontaneous cell death and miniscule bone fractures as the strain overwhelms the body''s ability to repair itself, and if pushed far enough, mana exhaustion can result in total organ failure.

    Mana conductivity, like muscles, must be built up gradually and over time. Each time a person uses magic, their body becomes more accustomed to mana passing through it and adapts to provide less resistance. Some people are born with a higher capacity than others, but only hard work and dedication will allow one to cast the most complex spells without dying.

    As cells are continually replaced, however, mana conductivity is gradually lost over time, requiring constant practice to maintain. At the extreme end of things, this can result in a mage overestimating their capacity and burning themselves out with a spell they could normally cast, or severely damaging organs like the stomach where cells are rapidly replaced even while the rest of their body is unharmed. Daily magic practice cannot be neglected any more than daily exercise.

 Chapter Twenty Seven

    It took slightly over a week to reach the system Northeast Gate Station was based in. Unlike Kappa Ceti, this system hadn¡¯t even had a name in Miliam¡¯s time. Nowadays it was Heracles¡¯ Rest, presumably because it was part of the constellation named after the same legendary figure. That actually meant that the Astrum Vitae had covered a bit over half of its trip to Delta Bo?tis, although the last leg would require twice as many jumps owing to the need to halve their length.

    Obviously it would also be the most dangerous segment. Northeast Gate Station was placed where it was just barely within response range of the closest fleet, as were all the Eight Gates. That meant the moment they left the system they were outside the zone where protection could be guaranteed by the Gaian Collective. Patrols were done a certain distance past that point, varying depending on if any independent colonies were close to the border, but it was up to luck if a patrol would happen upon a ship in distress past this point.

    Pirates weren¡¯t the only danger, although they were certainly the one at the top of Miliam¡¯s mind. There were unknown things in deep space that occasionally wandered into a system, most of which left no survivors. Equipment malfunctions were always a threat, of course, and it was possible for a poorly situated jump to land a ship directly in the path of an object large enough to overcome its barriers but small enough that its gravity wouldn¡¯t trip the fail safes designed to prevent that sort of thing.

    All of those possibilities were rare, though, and the most likely case was that Miliam and her crew would simply encounter nothing at all. Space was big and it was empty. People only tended to run into problems frequently in war time, when enemy nations were in the business of raiding, and there hadn¡¯t been a war in this part of space in hundreds of GC years. After all, what did anyone gain by warring? There were more systems unoccupied than anyone could defend, forming buffer zones dozens of light years across between any two countries.

    As the Astrum Vitae neared Northeast Gate Station, Miliam saw that the design was different than that of West Gate. There was a large ring around the outside with docking arms branching off of it, but instead of a cylinder through the center, there was a dome. The station seemed to have a much larger circumference than the previous one she¡¯d seen, which allowed it to accommodate an entire forest in its center.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Miliam said unconsciously, taking in the bright green jewel floating in space before her ship. Aoibhe took a peak over her shoulder and smirked at the expression on Miliam¡¯s face.

    ¡°That¡¯s a fay designed station. This system was closest to fay space, so it was built like a fay space colony. No habitable planets in this system, so it¡¯s designed to be entirely self-sufficient. One side is an orchard and the other is pure farmland,¡± Aoibhe explained, overtly proud of what her people had accomplished. The station was essentially a void-born arcology, a megastructure that Miliam never thought could exist in her previous life.

    ¡°Are all fay stations like that?¡± she asked, eyes still locked onto the space station. The dome on the side facing them glittered green in the starlight, only growing more beautiful as the Astrum Vitae approached it.

    ¡°Most worlds are too heavy for us, so we got very good at building our own living spaces,¡± the fay pilot answered. So, yes. This station was a port of entry, but what would the others look like? The ones designed purely for habitation, meant to hold far more people? Miliam was starting to realize the Gaian Collective might be home to more wonders than she¡¯d been able to imagine.

    ¡°We¡¯re receiving a hail from flight control,¡± the dokkaebi twin on comms announced. Miliam wasn¡¯t even going to try guessing which woman it was until her hat plan was implemented. This being a routine interaction, Miliam didn¡¯t really need to talk to them herself.

    ¡°Tell them we¡¯re passing through and request a berth, please,¡± Miliam instructed her comms officer. With that order given, Miliam thought about their pending excursion. Strictly speaking they didn¡¯t need to stop at the station, as they had enough supplies for the two week round trip to Delta Bo?tis and back already, but the Astrum Vitae didn¡¯t have a clothing fabber. If they didn¡¯t take the opportunity to use Northeast Gate Station¡¯s fabbers, it wasn¡¯t getting done until they returned.

    They were stuck here for nearly a day while the capacitors recharged anyway.

    The entire crew would be disembarking for this, even Engineer. Although Miliam wasn¡¯t going to require the use of uniforms, she wanted to get them made for everyone just in case they ever needed them. Dress uniforms, essentially. Miliam had asked Abigail if she wanted to accompany them, too, but the offer had been declined. That said, she would still be leaving the ship to see a friend while they were here. Since that meant they wouldn¡¯t be leaving a non-crew member alone on the ship, Miliam was a bit relieved, even if it was unlikely Abigail would do anything suspicious.

    Arguably it was a bad idea to leave the ship unattended in the first place, but as a portal of entry and exit in to the GC, Northeast Gate Station had particularly stringent security. It wasn¡¯t so much that no one would ever try as it was that no one would ever succeed.

    Once the ship was docked, Miliam hopped to her feet and clapped her hands. ¡°Alright everyone, go ahead and-¡± Miliam stopped midsentence when she realized she hadn¡¯t turned the ship-wide comms on and pushed the button. ¡°Ahem. Alright everyone, go ahead and meet me at the airlock when you¡¯re done with your post-flight checks!¡±

    She waited for everyone to acknowledge what she¡¯d said before leaving, soon tailed by Tessa, who didn¡¯t actually have any checks to do because of the current state of their weapon systems.

    ¡°So captain what kind of hats can we get? And how much can we customize them? Can I get something fluffy or with a really wide brim or will you give us a base we have to use? Is it gonna have an emblem for the ship on it? Wait does this ship even have an emblem?¡± Having had a few days of minor interactions with the talkative woman at this point, Miliam wasn¡¯t quite as stunned by the torrent of words coming from her mouth and just skipped straight to answering.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pick a design and tell you what part you can change. And there isn¡¯t an emblem yet, but I have an idea for one,¡± Miliam answered absentmindedly as she descended the stairs. She couldn¡¯t wait to get the elevator repaired. These stairs sucked.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    As the others trickled in over the next few minutes, beginning with the twins and ending with Engineer, whose diagnostics were the most extensive, Miliam looked up a public map of the station and pretended to be part of a conversation with Tessa. As rude as that sounded, she¡¯d learned quickly that Tessa didn¡¯t want to talk as much as she had to talk, and didn¡¯t particularly care if anyone was listening. Once Abigail joined, Miliam cycled the airlock.

    ¡°So, like I told Tessa, I¡¯ll find a base for everyone to customize. We¡¯ll all change the same part so the look is consistent. Is that fine with everyone?¡± A chorus of nods and affirmation followed, save from Abigail, to whom it didn¡¯t apply. The outer door opened and Miliam led the group into the terminal, glancing at her grimoire again. ¡°¡­Aoibhe, can you lead the way? I don¡¯t know how to read this map.¡±

    With a sigh, Aoibhe accepted Miliam¡¯s grimoire and glanced at the map. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s not far.¡± The fay woman started walking and Miliam followed in her wake with the others, still trying to figure out the map she had found. It didn¡¯t use the same notation she was familiar with and she couldn¡¯t find the docking arm they were on. Even after finding and consulting the key, she wasn¡¯t able to find her own location, let alone a clothing fabber.

    They arrived at the nearest one before Miliam figured it out. She¡¯d taught herself magic but been defeated by a map.

    Dispirited, she told the other to give her a moment and found an open booth, calling up a selection of hats to choose from. After looking through the options, she settled on something that reminded her of the hats used by the United States military minus the flared top. It was almost a cross between one of those hats and a baseball cap, with a rigid brim at the front and a profile like a cylinder instead of a dome.

    From there, Miliam made it black, added a green, ten pointed star with the name of her ship below it, curved along the bottom of a circle surrounding the emblem. Then she added a stripe and placed it midway down, so that the emblem sat in the center of it at the front, and made it orange for herself to match her eyes. Since the stripe was thick enough to see at a distance and wrapped all the way around, it would make it easy to tell who was who from across the bridge. Satisfied, she printed off the hat and placed it on her head, returning to the others.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing fancy, but how does it look? I think the stripe should make be easy to see as long as no one picks a dark color,¡± she said to the crew when she emerged.

    ¡°Aye, that¡¯d work,¡± Aoibhe said, indifferent. ¡°I¡¯ll add it as a temporary template so everyone can get one from the other booths.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll make mine purple,¡± one of the twins said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with green,¡± added the other. Miliam still didn¡¯t know which was which right now.

    ¡°Blue,¡± was all Engineer said.

    ¡°And I¡¯ll make mine red. Pick a booth and you¡¯ll find the design under temporary. Engineer, we¡¯ll pay for yours from the ship¡¯s business account,¡± Aoibhe said as she stepped back out. The group dispersed into several booths to pick the shade they would use on their hats. Miliam, the only one that had one already, waited outside, wondering why Tessa had been uncharacteristically silent just then.

    A couple of minutes later everyone filed back out with their new hats and Miliam got her answer when she saw what Tessa was wearing: a hat to Miliam¡¯s exact specifications, but with seven colors in the stripe making a full rainbow. Knowing what the rainbow was associated with in human culture- hundreds of years ago, anyway- but also that Tessa was an elf, Miliam wasn¡¯t sure if that was a statement or a gag.

    ¡°¡­Really?¡± Aoibhe questioned as she caught a glimpse of Tessa.

    ¡°You never said it had to be one color, so I chose all of them! Already made the hat, no takebacks,¡± Tessa replied, clutching the hat protectively. Miliam being her boss, she could probably make Tessa pick one color and stick with it, but honestly, it wasn¡¯t that big of a deal.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine Aoibhe, it¡¯s not like we even have a dress code,¡± Miliam said in resignation. Then she realized she had Tessa and two admitted pranksters on her crew and regretted admitting to that. Maybe if she didn¡¯t draw any attention to it no one would notice. ¡°I do want to get uniforms made for special occasions but that¡¯s a bit more complicated. Should I just pick a premade design or do we have someone that could design one?¡±

    Expecting no one to answer, Miliam was surprised when Engineer silently raised a hand.

    ¡°¡­you know how to design clothes?¡± she asked the enigmatic dragonewt, who nodded twice and turned tail to get to work. ¡°Huh. I guess I¡¯ll just let them cook. Okay, Eun-ji, Min-ji, which hat is whose?¡±

    ¡°The purple one is Eun-ji¡¯s,¡± said the twin that was wearing a green striped hat, who was presumably Min-ji.

    ¡°Great, thanks. So, let¡¯s give Engineer a few minutes to design us a uniform, get them printed, and then head back. And¡­let¡¯s pick up a deck of cards on the way. We don¡¯t need anyone on watch while we¡¯re here, so let¡¯s have a game night.¡±

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Quantum Entanglement Communicators

    Communicating over stellar distances is a conundrum that all space faring societies run into at some point. Signals cannot be sent at speeds faster than light because the further the signal gets from its source, the more mana is required to maintain its speed. Creating wormholes to pass signals through faces a similar problem, as even holding one open for a few seconds can be incredibly costly, which is part of the reason why translocation drives only connect two points in space for the shortest time achievable.

    Currently there is only one workaround for this issue, and that is quantum entanglement communicators or QECs. This form of communication is difficult because of quantum mechanics, which dictate that the mere act of observing a particle alters it. Scientific methods of creating entangled pairs exist, but magic is required to use them for communications.

    Creating a QEC is one of the most difficult and complex processes known to modern magic. Only a few people in any given nation are capable of carrying it out, and it is passed down from master to apprentice simply because so few people can even learn it that the number of apprentices available is limited. The primary challenge is isolating an individual atom and its entangled twin, but the system used to prevent observation from affecting each particle is nearly as difficult. Once completed, it is possible for one QEC to observe its housed particle while the other acts on its own, essentially creating a single channel for the transfer of information.

    Once a pair of QECs has been made it essentially has no shelf life barring unforeseen accidents, but a limited number are made a year, so access is highly limited. Their primary use is for defense: hidden sensor stations linked to their sector¡¯s flagship allow fleets to react near-instantly to hostile incursions or even smugglers and pirates within their domain. Flagships are further linked to central fleet command for coordination. Communications grids between colonies are another official use; the outermost colonies are linked to a colony with a hub, and these hubs are linked to further hubs up the chain in a hierarchy utilizing the fewest QECs possible.

    In some nations, a limited number of QECs are sold to the private sector each year and these are almost universally used for financial purposes. Synching bank accounts instantly using QECs is much more convenient and allows a person to make a purchase in any linked system immediately. Banks without this ability or with insufficient QECs maintain branches with unconnected accounts- money exists only in the system it is deposited into until an affiliated courier processes a transfer, which is much less convenient but equally secure.

 Chapter Twenty Eight

    ¡°All in!¡± Tessa hooted, pushing her pile of chips into the center of the table.

    ¡°¡°Again?!¡±¡± the twins shouted on the edge of their seats. They were already out of the game, but were still watching intently.

    ¡°¡­fold,¡± Aoibhe muttered, tossing her cards onto the table.

    ¡°Call,¡± Engineer grunted, pushing their own chips into the center of the table.

    Miliam was already out as well, but she would have folded if she were still playing. She¡¯d made the mistake of calling one of Engineer¡¯s bluffs, only to realize she had no understanding of dragonewt body language and had badly misjudged the situation when they threw down a full house against her straight.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see your hands,¡± Miliam told the two remaining players. Tessa went first, dropping a flush: the queen, eight, five, three, and ace of spades. Engineer blinked several times before revealing their own cards, and everyone was silent for a moment at what they saw. It was also a flush, made up of the same cards, but they were hearts.

    ¡°How the f-¡± Aoibhe began, cutting herself off at the last second to check her own hand again. Miliam didn¡¯t catch any reaction positive or negative, but she had a feeling Aoibhe would have won that round if she hadn¡¯t folded. Eun-ji and Min-ji both ¡®oohed¡¯ in surprise as the elf and dragonewt split the pot and Miliam collected the cards.

    ¡°She looks excited no matter what hand she gets. I have no idea how to read her,¡± Miliam admitted while shuffling the deck. She wasn¡¯t very good at it, but she was also the only one here that had played poker before, so no one was judging her for it.

    ¡°Every time I call she has a better hand and every time I fold I do,¡± griped the fay sitting beside Miliam. Tessa wasn¡¯t winning every round, but she hadn¡¯t folded even once. Every single round she went raised, called, or went all in, and she¡¯d yet to lose the latter.

    Done shuffling, Miliam dealt out cards to the three remaining players. As always, a grin lit up Tessa¡¯s face when she saw her hand, but she¡¯d done the same thing when she¡¯d had nothing but a high card that was only a five, so that meant absolutely nothing. Aoibhe started the round by raising, and Tessa and Engineer both called.

    ¡°I¡¯ll discard¡­these two,¡± Aoibhe declared, dropping two cards on the table. Miliam dealt her two more, which were regarded with an impassive stare.

    ¡°Just one, please!¡± Tessa said, flinging a card across the table to Miliam. Her grin didn¡¯t change when she saw the new card.

    ¡°Three,¡± said Engineer, handing the cards directly to Miliam. They blinked each eye separately when they saw their new cards, but Miliam couldn¡¯t determine if that was a tell or just something dragonewts did.

    ¡°To hell with it. All in,¡± Aoibhe said, pushing her chips to the center. Tessa eagerly matched the motion, while Engineer folded silently.

    ¡°Alright, hands on the table,¡± Miliam instructed. Aoibhe put down a straight flush with a ten for the high card. Diamonds. All eyes turned to Tessa, who slapped a royal flush on the table- except it was also diamonds.

    ¡°Hey, why are there two tens?¡± Aoibhe squawked, glaring at the elf. Miliam took both cards and compared them while Tessa struggled to hold in laughter. She noticed a slight difference in the one from Aoibhe¡¯s hand and realized it was from a very similar deck, but not the one they¡¯d bought on Northeast Gate Station. The same manufacturer, but a different print run, maybe?

    ¡°Uh, Aoibhe, I think yours is from a different deck,¡± she said awkwardly. The twins gasped as Engineer looked on, expressionless to Miliam¡¯s untrained eyes.

    ¡°Wh- hey! I didn¡¯t cheat, I swear!¡± Aoibhe defended, but Tessa burst out laughing at the same moment and she turned her glare on the elf. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°I put an extra ten in like, three rounds ago just to see if anyone noticed!¡± Tessa admitted between cackling and stuttering breaths. Miliam sighed, just thankful it was a friendly game and not one with stakes.

    ¡°¡­does it count as cheating if the extra card wasn¡¯t in the winning hand?¡± Eun-ji wondered, looking at Min-ji, but her sister just shrugged in confusion. In all honesty, Miliam didn¡¯t have an answer to that question. Technically it fooled Aoibhe into overcommitting, but it¡¯s not like she would have beaten a royal flush either way.

    ¡°Hand. Legit,¡± Engineer grunted, nodding in Tessa¡¯s direction. Aoibhe sounded like she¡¯d sprung a leak right now but she didn¡¯t rebut the point. For her part, Miliam just wished Abigail had accepted the invitation to join them. She seemed adept at managing Tessa. Sadly, she¡¯d demurred, saying it was best for the crew to build their own dynamic.

    When Aoibhe grabbed all the cards and started sifting through them for more duplicates Miliam figured it was best to move onto something else.

    ¡°Hey, who wants to give some video games a try? I saw a racing game that allows six players,¡± she said, hopping out of her seat and heading for the entertainment center. The twins forgot about the card game pretty much instantly and hurried to claim their favorite controllers, while Engineer began to drag their special chair over more sedately. ¡°Not sure how we¡¯re going to have enough space on the screen though¡­¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°Why do you think we have so many? Just turn the others on,¡± Aoibhe said, nose still buried in the cards. She was basically playing solitaire at this point as she sorted the cards by suit and number.

    ¡°Wait, really? It¡¯s that simple?¡± Miliam asked, expecting there to be more steps, like changing the inputs or specifying the number of displays to use.

    ¡°Aye, it¡¯s all set up for it already. Just make sure you¡¯re close to the screen you want when you turn the controllers on so they¡¯ll pair properly.¡± As she set another card in place, Aoibhe glanced at Tessa, glaring a bit. Miliam wasn¡¯t really sure what she was expecting out of the elf.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t need to check them all. I only slipped one in. I think. Unless I palmed two by accident? I¡¯ve never done it before. I just kind of looked it up on the way back when I remembered I had a deck already. Oh! That was after you bought this one, sorry, captain. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d want to turn around just to return a deck of cards so I figured you¡¯d rather not know but now you do anyway so I guess that plan didn¡¯t work out- oh, the light blue controller, please!¡±

    No one was actually reaching for it, so Miliam just stared Tessa down until she hopped up to get the controller herself. To be fair, it probably took that long for the thought to even occur to her, and she probably hadn¡¯t been expecting Miliam to get it for her. Shrugging to herself, Miliam slotted in the game she¡¯d selected and booted it up.

    It was a spaceship racing game with specs she wasn¡¯t sure a 21<sup>st</sup> century supercomputer could have supported. In the past, games simulated what was essentially a shell with paint on it for everything that appeared in 3D. There was typically nothing underneath that shell, leading to the phenomenon of clipping the camera through it to see empty space. Gaming technology had moved so far past that as to make it look like Pong.

    While watching the twins play games over the past week, Miliam had realized something: for at least some in game objects, everything was being simulated. According to the description of Sloop Racers 2, the game she¡¯d selected for today, the ships they¡¯d be using were actually simulated down to the smallest component. The game would track the condition of every single part for the purposes of tracking damage, so if one ship fired at another, it wouldn¡¯t just reduce a nebulous health bar- it would actually deal localized damage that would be shown on-screen. And it wasn¡¯t just using pre-generated graphics either; the physics engine generated realistic battle damage on the fly.

    Everyone picked their ships and Miliam started the game. It was immediate chaos.

    ¡°Eun-ji, you¡¯re out already!?¡±

    ¡°I forgot the controls were inverted!¡±

    ¡°She took me out with her¡­¡± Miliam muttered, looking at the debris on her screen. It was, admittedly, impressive to look at. Eun-ji¡¯s ship had speared right through her own, resulting in a tangled ball of scrap she would have believed was hand-rendered if she didn¡¯t know any better.

    Tessa immediately slammed all her power into the thrusters and zipped ahead, but she wasn¡¯t paying attention to her warning indicators. Her ship overheated and missed a turn, running headlong into an asteroid in the unrealistically dense field they were flying through. Engineer flew through a moment later, flying conservatively but steadily. Miliam looked over at the dragonewt and found they were dexterously operating their controller without using their claws. Granted, she wasn¡¯t sure if that was for the benefit of the controller or the claw tips. For all she knew the controllers were nigh indestructible.

    Now that she was eliminated, Tessa started narrating the competition.

    ¡°Three contestants are out but the survivors are neck and neck! No one knows why these asteroids are so close together, but all that matters is dodging them! Engineer is in the lead with steady and controlled piloting, but wait, here comes Aoibhe!¡±

    ¡°Tch.¡± Aoibhe clicked her tongue as she clipped an asteroid, but it was such a near-miss that the damage was minimal. ¡°The sensitivity is nothing like a real ship,¡± the pilot complained.

    ¡°Ooh, that little mistake has cost her! Our resident pilot recovers from the impact, but Min-ji makes the most of this chance, gaining on her rapidly. Engineer was in the lead, but now they¡¯re heading into a section that¡¯s going to take some pretty quick reactions, and their playstyle just isn¡¯t a match for it. We have Aoibhe catching up- but her engine is overheating, and there¡¯s Min-ji slipping past!¡±

    Min-ji took the lead, beating out the actual pilot of the crew while Aoibhe and Engineer vied for second place. Despite Aoibhe¡¯s wild piloting, which allowed her to make use of numerous shortcuts and narrow gaps the others couldn¡¯t safely slip through, Engineer¡¯s skilled resource management kept them in contention, making up ground when Aoibhe was forced to slow down and let systems cool off.

    ¡°Go Min-ji! You can do it! Oh, there¡¯s a shortcut there, turn, turn!¡± Eun-ji shouted, clinging to her twin¡¯s shoulders as she backseated. Min-ji ignored her, sticking to the main route instead. It seemed to be working out for her, as the other two weren¡¯t having much luck catching up.

    ¡°How am I losing¡­? I¡¯m literally a pilot,¡± Aoibhe huffed, leaning forwards.

    ¡°If you ask me, it¡¯s impressive you¡¯re doing this well without playing the game before¡­¡± Miliam observed, setting her now-useless controller aside.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask,¡± Aoibhe quipped in a sing-song voice.

    ¡°And our pilots are clear of the maze, heading out into the final straightaway! It¡¯s the last chance for Aoibhe and Engineer to catch up, but Min-ji has a serious lead now. She¡¯s keeping her speed down so her engine doesn¡¯t overheat, but could that be the opportunity the others are looking for?¡±

    Aoibhe and Engineer gunned it in the final stretch, but just as they were catching up, so did Min-ji. With their engines already red-lining, the two behind Min-ji fell away in her wake.

    ¡°And the winner is Min-ji! She wins a grand prize of¡­this ten of diamons!¡±

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s the one from the cap¡¯n¡¯s deck!¡± Aoibhe shouted, snatching for the card.

    Miliam just sat back in her chair as Aoibhe tried, unsuccessfully, to grab the card from the much faster elf, toppling furniture in the process. It looked bad, but she knew Aoibhe wasn¡¯t going to take it too far based on the way she was grabbing for the card and not Tessa herself. Eun-ji celebrated Min-ji¡¯s win as if it were her own on the other side of the room and Engineer tilted their head to the side, reviewing the controls.

    It was a bit chaotic, but Miliam thought that was alright.

 Chapter Twenty Nine

    ¡°Teleporting in three¡­two¡­one¡­zero.¡±

    Miliam had grown used to the strange sensation of being in two places at once caused by teleportation, so she hardly noticed this time when Aoibhe reached zero and the Astrum Vitae appeared five light-years from Northeast Gate Station. She¡¯d now done this routine enough times that she hardly needed to think before issuing follow up instructions¡­and what thinking she did do went to identifying that Min-ji was on sensors. This was the first time it actually mattered, though. Miliam and her crew had officially left the Gaian Collective now.

    ¡°Min-ji, any ships out there?¡± she asked, prompting Min-ji to give her report. One might think at first that hours were needed to determine if a system was empty or not, given light speed constraints, but that wasn¡¯t entirely true. A ship at the edge of the system five hours ago would be visible five light-hours away right now. The data was out of date, obviously, and anything they saw was as likely to still be there as it was to have moved or teleported out, but it was enough to tell them immediately if they should be on guard.

    This close to GC space, the chances of a hostile ship being present were low. The Astrum Vitae may have left controlled space, but the immediate periphery of the GC still received intermittent patrols, making attacks dangerous. It was impossible to monitor systems more than a few light-years away, though, because the number of stars within just ten light-years of the border was truly mindboggling. Even at five light-years away, patrols would already sparse, but they could still serve as a deterrent.

    But if an attack were to happen, it would be now. Ships were most vulnerable at the moment after teleporting, when their sensor data was badly outdated and their capacitors were drained. Being close enough to spot an arriving ship the instant it arrived was akin to striking a goldmine for pirates because it meant that ship didn¡¯t have enough data to calculate a teleportation to any system but the one they came from, and a complacent captain could have made the mistake of performing a jump too long to reverse without first recharging.

    Of course, if reversed, it meant pirates had to be unfathomably lucky to catch a ship at the right moment for an attack. There was a reason pirates were so rare; in addition to having more lucrative career options just by virtue of owning a ship, successful attacks were more chance than skill.

    ¡°Nothing so far, captain,¡± Min-ji reported.

    ¡°Any good hiding spots?¡± Miliam asked next, glancing at the system map. There were a lot of planets and moons to choose from, but she wasn¡¯t really sure what made one good for hiding. Hopefully someone else did. Technically it was possible they¡¯d be walking right into someone else¡¯s hiding place, but Miliam wasn¡¯t about to sit right out in the open for the next ten-odd hours.

    ¡°This gas giant has a lot of moons,¡± the dokkaebi replied as she highlighted one planet in particular. ¡°We can use them for cover, and the gas giant¡¯s magnetosphere will provide us with a bit of cover from active sensors, but we can¡¯t get too close without a barriermaster.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. Aoibhe, take us in, please,¡± Miliam requested, leaving it to Aoibhe to decide where best to park.

    ¡°Aye, firing up the wave drive,¡± the pilot acknowledged. Space warped around their ship and carried them towards the nameless planet Min-ji had pointed out. They would arrive in less than an hour, which was longer than Miliam would have liked to be out in the open but only a small fraction of the time they¡¯d be spending here. In the meantime, she checked in with Tessa and Engineer, making sure her half-repaired scrap bucket was still holding together.

    Nothing had failed so far, and the trip from West Gate to Northeast Gate had taken enough time to easily qualify as a shakedown cruise, so Miliam was fairly confident the Astrum Vitae would be able to hold itself together. It helped that Engineer was competent with repair magic. Miliam hadn¡¯t fully understood what that meant when she heard it from Aoibhe, but there were a lot of things onboard that could be fixed just by restoring the condition of a single stressed component. A lightbulb could last forever when one could just put its filament back together any time it wore out.

    ¡°Are we doing a simulation today, captain?¡± Eun-ji asked over her shoulder. Of all the crew, she had the least to do right now, mostly just being on standby in case a hail came in or she needed to fire up the EMCM.

    ¡°Once we¡¯re hidden, maybe. I¡¯m not sure how many we¡¯ll be doing while we¡¯re out here though. We might miss something if we¡¯re all focused on a sim,¡± Miliam answered. Abigail had said any external changes would end a sim immediately, but Miliam worried about whether they¡¯d be able to react as quickly if they had to switch gears from sim to reality so suddenly. Min-ji in particular would have to flush her mind of whatever she¡¯d been analyzing, absorb a new set of data, and figure out what they were dealing with all at once.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Maybe she needed to have the crew run drills on exactly that scenario. It¡¯d assuage her fears, if nothing else. But maybe it was better to be afraid than it would be to let her guard down. No...there were probably other situations that would prepare them for, anyway, so it was best to add it to the schedule.

    Miliam went through the simulations list to find something similar while waiting. There wasn¡¯t anything explicitly geared towards a sudden change in sensor data like that, but she found that there was a way to schedule multiple simulations to play in sequence, as well as an option to automatically abort a simulation after a certain amount of time has passed. That was probably meant for scenarios where objectives had to be completed in a limited amount of time, but she could use it for this as well.

    She would have to inform the crew about it ahead of time, and she worried that would change how they reacted, but it would still be a valuable experience if they didn¡¯t know when the first simulation would terminate. Probably. Miliam had to admit she was kind of doing this all on the fly and still wasn¡¯t confident the simulations she¡¯d had the crew doing were actually accomplishing anything. She¡¯d read that it was her duty as captain to ensure the crew was well-prepared and could work together, but there hadn¡¯t been a whole lot of detail on how to do that.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to schedule the simulation to cut out and switch to another one partway through- kind of like what would happen if we had an emergency for real. So we can be prepared in case that ever happens. Okay?¡± she announced to her bridge crew. No need to tell Tessa and Engineer until she heard what the other thought about it.

    ¡°Um¡­what if an actual emergency happens before it switches?¡± Eun-ji asked timidly, flummoxing Miliam for a moment. Fortunately Aoibhe rescued her by pointing out the obvious.

    ¡°I imagine the cap¡¯n will know based on the timer. Right?¡± the pilot asked without looking away from her controls.

    ¡°Uh, right! I¡¯ll know when it¡¯s supposed to happen. If something weird happens I¡¯ll just let you know it¡¯s not a drill. By saying¡­¡¯this is not a drill.¡¯ Yes.¡± Miliam was glad everyone was too busy to look at her and make that awkward response any more awkward. It seemed like for every moment she had where she sounded like a proper captain, she had to follow it up by fumbling the moment she tried to do or say something that wasn¡¯t rehearsed.

    She decided to distract herself by letting Tessa and Engineer know about the plan. Though, if she were being honest, she didn¡¯t actually know what Engineer did during these drills. It¡¯s not like the ship could simulate damage in the engineering bay. And the ship¡¯s reactor provided as much power as its systems could handle; there was no need to reroute power to the engines or whatnot. But the only response she ever got back from them when announcing a simulation was ¡°I. Under¡­stand.¡± So at the very least they didn¡¯t seem to need any clarification on what they should do while the rest of the crew ran sims.

    Tessa was still saying something when she closed the connection, but Miliam wasn¡¯t sure what mining drills had to do with anything, so it probably wasn¡¯t important.

    ¡°What else¡­I guess we need to change the watch schedule, but I probably shouldn¡¯t distract Min-ji while she¡¯s busy,¡± Miliam whispered under her breath. With the Astrum Vitae transitioning to a pair of five light-year jumps per day, the twins¡¯ ability to work both comms and sensors was going to come in handy. Typically a ship this size would probably have two or three operators on each station working in shifts, allowing a sensor technician to be present on the bridge at all times. But a bad sensor technician was worse than not having one at all, as they could easily misinterpret data where the ship itself would have at least defaulted to an alert.

    With nothing else to do, Miliam stared at her displays until the ship finally reached its destination. Eventually the Astrum Vitae pulled into the orbit of the planet, parking amid its myriad moons. It would be difficult to detect here, and even any trace of its passage would be gone within a few hours as light made its way to the periphery of the system. Before beginning the planned simulations Miliam took a few moments to stand and stretch, and then she took her seat again and announced they were starting.

    The simulation proceeded well enough. Crew synergy was improving over time, but it was still a bit too soon to ramp up the difficulty or add in new complications. The scenarios they ran weren¡¯t too different from the first she¡¯d selected, where they had to escape a single hostile ship in their own weight-class. They¡¯d done variations on that general theme like detecting an ambush from a ship hiding under EMCM or navigating a tightly clustered asteroid field under pursuit.

    That last one sounded unlikely, but according to Abigail, it was more realistic than one might think. Delta Bo?tis had been ravaged by a cthulid. There wasn¡¯t a single planetary body left intact in the entire star system. Concentric asteroid fields ringed the central star, and the inner-most field was closer to it than Mercury was to Sol. While that was an enormous distance with a radius measured in millions of kilometers, the event that caused all of that destruction had happened only five hundred thousand years ago at the latest. An unfathomable amount of time for a human, but a mere blink of an eye on a galactic scale. The asteroid fields hadn¡¯t fully dispersed yet, leaving clusters that could be true navigational hazards in some places.

    Miliam had given her orders and was monitoring the situation when suddenly, an alert rang out and the words ¡®Simulation Aborted¡¯ appeared onscreen.

    ¡°Oh, I guess that¡¯s the second simulation,¡± Min-ji said to herself. ¡°A single ship was detected teleporting in sixty million kilometers from us.¡±

    Min-ji was already beginning to collect sensor data and Eun-ji and Aoibhe remained relaxed. That seemed to confirm one of Miliam¡¯s worries; that simulations weren¡¯t the same as real experience and her crew might not react the same way in an actual emergency. Which was unfortunate, as right now, only Miliam knew the truth.

    ¡°This is not a drill.¡±

 Chapter Thirty

    ¡°This is not a drill,¡± Miliam announced with tension in her voice, her spine stiffening reflexively.  The twins sucked in air through their teeth and immediately went to work, while Aoibhe gave Miliam an unamused look, thinking it was a joke or an effort to make them take the simulation seriously until she saw the look on her captain¡¯s face.

    ¡°Shit, really?¡± Aoibhe asked, locking eyes with Miliam for confirmation.

    ¡°Yes, really! I thought pirates were supposed to be ultra-rare, so why are we running into them in our first system outside the GC?¡± Miliam asked her pilot, feelings of betrayal in her voice. Not directed towards Aoibhe, of course; more towards Lady Luck if anything.

    ¡°We don¡¯t actually know if they¡¯re pirates yet,¡± Min-ji corrected her softly. Miliam stared for a second before accepting the point, taking a deep breath to calm herself. It didn¡¯t help. This wasn¡¯t a simulation, it was reality. If that ship was hostile she could die. They all could. Maybe she hadn¡¯t really processed that fact until now. Maybe she should have found a safer job, within GC space. The best paying ones would have involved travelling through international space anyway, though, and with the shape the Astrum Vitae was in, safe jobs would barely cover maintenance and wages, let alone repairs.

    ¡°Can they see us?¡± Miliam asked Eun-ji, who was currently in charge of their EMCM. The passive countermeasures weren¡¯t much, but they did make the ship harder to spot, at least in theory. Active countermeasures would have a better chance, but much as Miliam would have preferred to use them at all times, they needed input and adjustment from a living operator and that put a strain on whoever was maintaining them.

    ¡°Not right now. They¡¯re a little more than three light-minutes away and we¡¯ve been hidden longer than that. They¡¯d have had a better chance of spotting us if they came in further away, and they¡¯d need to get closer to tag us with an active scan,¡± Eun-ji answered confidently, assuaging Miliam¡¯s concerns somewhat.

    ¡°They¡¯re moving away,¡± Min-ji reported a moment later. Miliam confirmed on her own screen that the other ship was accelerating in another direction. Looking at the chart of the system, it looked like it was heading for another planet entirely, closer to the edge of the sytem.

    ¡°Probably had the same idea as us but picked a different spot,¡± Aoibhe mused. ¡°Pretty fortunate, actually, since this one was closer to them.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯re safe,¡± Miliam concluded, sighing in relief.

    ¡°Mmm¡­well, not necessarily. It¡¯s possible they figured out we¡¯re here somehow and plan to use that planet as cover to teleport around us and ambush us from behind,¡± Aoibhe pointed out with a mischievous grin. While the suggestion was made in jest, it wasn¡¯t actually implausible.

    ¡°Not helping,¡± Miliam replied testily before trying to regain her composure. ¡°How long will we need to wait before we know?¡±

    ¡°An hour and a half? That¡¯s how long it would take them to get there and then for us to detect them activating their translocation drive,¡± Min-ji responded.

    ¡°¡­take us around to the other side of the planet, Aoibhe,¡± Miliam ordered after thinking it over. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much it¡¯ll help since wave drives are faster than light, but it¡¯s better than nothing.¡±

    ¡°I really don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be a problem,¡± Aoibhe said in amusement as they began to move.

    ¡°What? Why not?¡± Miliam asked in confusion.

    ¡°Aye, well, maybe you should think about what happens when two things collide at the speed of light,¡± the pilot elaborated unhelpfully. Although she thought about it, all Miliam got out of the experience was a scowl. Technically ships didn¡¯t move at the speed of light. She didn¡¯t actually know what would happen if a bubble of space containing a ship intersected with another object at relativistic velocities.

    ¡°I know I¡¯m going to feel like an idiot in about thirty seconds, but how does that work with a wave drive?¡± Miliam asked in a resignation, covering her eyes with her hands.

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a reason we smooth space back out to decelerate and don¡¯t use out thrusters inside the bubble, you know? Because we¡¯re stationary inside the bubble, and if we move inside it, the bubble doesn¡¯t move with us,¡± Aoibhe further hinted, apparently determined to make Miliam arrive at the answer herself.

    ¡°So¡­if something else entered the bubble, and it was too big to fit inside, we¡¯d¡­get pushed out of it?¡± she guessed. Her knowledge of physics was not nearly sufficient for this discussion.

    ¡°Aye. And we¡¯d pass through the spacial distortion to the rear, too, which would crush us like a can.¡± Aoibhe continued to maneuver the ship around the gas giant they were orbiting. Miliam was suddenly a lot less comfortable with the fact they were moving using the wave drive.

    ¡°Wait. At no part of that did the speed of light actually come into play,¡± she pointed out after a few more moments of thought. It was the spacial distortion that did the damage, not the speed of the bubble.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Miliam, I want you to really think about it. If they approach us faster than light so we can¡¯t see them coming, and we¡¯re in orbit of a planet, then¡­?¡± Even though Aoibhe kept her eyes on her displays, Miliam could clearly detect the exasperation in the pilot¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Then they¡­oh.¡± If they were moving faster than light, that meant they would be crossing the one light-second range typically employed in combat in less than a second. In other words, to maintain their advantage, they would have to approach a gas giant head-on while giving themselves only a few seconds to decelerate at best. Ships didn¡¯t decelerate that fast. On their own approach, Aoibhe had begun to slow down at least a light-minute away from the gas giant.

    Space was big, but this was one instance where three hundred thousand kilometers was actually a close call. To put things into perspective, that was less than the distance between Earth and Luna. The planet they were orbiting was closer to Jupiter in size, with somewhere around seven dozen satellites and the furthest of them being nearly twenty million kilometers away. That wasn¡¯t even counting the smaller asteroids that could still give a ship a very bad day. Passing within a light-second of this unnamed planet still carried an incredibly low risk of actually hitting anything directly, of course, but if the Astrum Vitae managed to be directly between the oncoming ship and the planet, they¡¯d have to pass even closer, and no one was crazy enough to risk that when they had less than a second to react and no ability to dodge.

    ¡°Right. That would be suicidally stupid,¡± Miliam said with a groan. ¡°I¡¯m probably just being paranoid anyway, but at least we¡¯ll probably be able to see them coming.¡±

    Maybe it was a good thing this happened, though. This encounter was giving Miliam exposure to something she hadn¡¯t experienced in the simulations: the time scale that void combat took place in typically. It could take hours for two ships to reach each other across a stay system, even surpassing the speed of light. The information lag was frustrating, to boot. She wasn¡¯t waiting an hour and a half to reach something. She was waiting that long to even find out if she was in danger in the first place.

    Minutes dragged on as Miliam mostly just stared at her displays, wishing she could cast her eyes across the star system. Even with literal magic at her fingertips there was little she could do to speed things up. Distance, duration, precision. Those were the three things that drastically increased the cost and difficulty of any spell. Any method of gathering information half a star system away necessarily involved all three. Reaching across hundreds of millions of kilometers to figure out what a ship only one hundred meters long was doing for any amount of time rapidly became more expensive than even activating the translocation, which saved a significant amount of power by only being in use for a fraction of a second.

    If nothing else, this was giving Miliam an excellent understanding of what the daily life of a naval officer was like.

    ¡°At least we have a pretty view,¡± Eun-ji commented suddenly, a couple dozen minutes into their vigil. Miliam looked over at the dokkaebi woman and followed her gaze to the window, where Aoibhe had rotated the ship to face the gas giant nearby. When Miliam had ordered for the ship to be moved, they¡¯d ended up on the side of the planet facing the local star, giving everyone on the bridge an excellent look at it in the light of day. It was primarily blue like Neptune, but its atmosphere was stormy, resulting in streaks of other colors and shades.

    All Miliam could manage was an awed ¡°Wow.¡± She was reminded again why she¡¯d chosen to keep the ship instead of cashing out for a cushy retirement. It was for sights like this. The Astrum Vitae was floating hundreds of millions of kilometers away from this blue Jupiter, but it still loomed large in the forward window just like Earth did from the surface of Luna. One of the closer moons was passing in front of the planet, casting its shadow upon the surface, amounting to little more than a small circle Miliam could barely even identify.

    As she stared at the cloudy blue orb in the distance, Miliam wondered to herself what a typical captain would be doing right now. Would they dismiss the crew on the assumption they were safe? They might decide they¡¯d likely detect any attack before it arrived at least. Or would remaining on alert be the most common choice? It might be that she was being overly cautious, but she could just as easily have worried her way into the correct course of action.

    There was a constant urge to ask Min-ji if anything new had popped up on sensors, but that would be like a child asking their parents if they were their yet on a road trip. Distracting her sensor tech with inane and repetitive questions would be the opposite of productivity in Miliam¡¯s opinion. Her mind wandered back to when she¡¯d accused Aoibhe of making her captain because it was the least important job on the ship. That hadn¡¯t actually been far from the truth. While Miliam had to make decisions here and there, the majority of the actual work was done by the others.

    What did it even mean to be captain? Was it mostly just paperwork, which she hadn¡¯t exactly been doing, and telling people where to go and when to do it? Was the bulk of her job just deciding which contracts to take and then sitting around while the crew completed them? One thing was certain: all this waiting around was giving Miliam far too much time for introspection and she didn¡¯t like it. She nearly burst from her seat in joy when she realized several minutes had passed beyond the estimate Min-ji had given for when they¡¯d detect it if that other ship used its translocation drive.

    ¡°Min-ji, what¡¯s the verdict?¡± she asked in a tightly controlled voice.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re clear,¡± answered Min-ji. Miliam nearly sighed as the tension fled her body.

    ¡°Alright, thanks. Good work everyone. Min-ji, you¡¯ve got watch for another couple of hours. Eun-ji, I¡¯d like you to take first watch after our next jump.¡± Miliam almost advised them to stagger their sleep schedules before remembering dokkaebi had a natural twenty-hour circadian rhythm. As they needed only five hours of sleep, they could both be awake right through Eun-ji¡¯s next shift and still have time to get a full night¡¯s rest before reporting to the bridge for the following jump.

    ¡°I dunno cap¡¯n, they might just be making the jump from further away from the planet. Can we really be sure?¡± Aoibhe asked with a shit-eating grin. Miliam¡¯s eye began to twitch as she glared at the pilot.

    ¡°Would you like to take the rest of this shift and the next two after it and find out?¡± she asked in an overly-sweet voice, as if she were offering a boon.

    ¡°Worth it.¡±

 Chapter Thirty One

    Once the emergency was dealt with, Miliam checked in on Tessa and Engineer to see how they¡¯d handled it. Engineer essentially lived in the engineering room, so it was debatable whether they¡¯d even realized anything was out of the ordinary. Especially with how limited their willingness to speak was. Tessa, surprisingly, had actually managed to stay on task by running drills continuously the entire time. Though Miliam had questioned it at first, she supposed it made a certain amount of sense. Given the woman¡¯s inability to focus outside of her job, she would be more ready to react to an actual attack if she¡¯d been doing nothing but reacting to simulated attacks for an hour.

    With that dealt with, Miliam eventually found herself in the lounge speaking to Abigail, who had a number of questions she wanted to ask about 21<sup>st</sup> century Earth now that things had settled down. They spent quite some time talking about it; the scholar seemed to be particularly interested in the sect of Christianity Miliam had grown up in, much to her confusion.

    ¡°I do believe that I have asked all that I wished to know, but I may come to you should further questions occur to me, if it is not too great an inconvenience. I thank you profusely for the time, as I know you have been quite occupied with studying our modern world,¡± Abigail said between sips of tea. She was sat across a table from Miliam looking as put-together as always.

    ¡°Sure¡­but I had to look some things up from my time and it seemed pretty well-documented, so I¡¯m not sure why anything I know was of any value,¡± the time-traveler replied with her head cocked to the side.

    ¡°Indeed. However, I do not believe you fully comprehend the significance of the group your family belonged to. Your relations were deeply entrenched in a movement that abhorred that which they believed unnatural. Even prior to the rediscovery of magic, it was not uncommon for members to perform burning of paraphernalia perceived as occult. Might you have a guess as to how they would have reacted to the resurgence of magic?¡± Abigail lifted on eyebrow as she asked the question, indicating to Miliam that it wasn¡¯t a rhetorical question. It wasn¡¯t a terribly hard one to answer, either.

    ¡°¡­badly. Maybe even violently. They¡¯d definitely have held mass protests and tried to convince everyone that whoever discovered it was the Anti-Christ and bringing about the end-times,¡± Miliam answered slowly. She knew though that for despite being incensed, the people she¡¯d grown up around would also have been euphoric in their belief that they were witnessing the fulfillment of their covenant.

    ¡°That is precisely what happened,¡± Abigail confirmed with a nod. ¡°But such resistance could not last forever. Although that movement had significant support at home, they had only sparse connections internationally, limited to minor countries with little power. Despite their success at stymying the development of magic in the United States, the rest of the world continued to progress apace, and it soon became obvious how behind the country had fallen.¡±

    ¡°So they saw the error of their ways and changed tack?¡± Miliam asked sarcastically. She knew that never would have happened; her family and those like them were far too stubborn and unwilling to entertain opposing viewpoints. Abigail smiled at the implied jab and shrugged.

    ¡°They did not. But their support gradually collapsed. The crux of it is that after long and arduous struggle the anti-magic bloc was ousted and the winners wrote history from then on. Given that my field of study is ancient and often lost systems of magic, you might understand how I would find it interesting to know the perspective of someone that lived among precisely the type of people that make my research difficult,¡± Abigail explained. She set down her teacup but her back remained straight.

    ¡°Which means¡­even though that period was otherwise well documented, the records were too biased to be useful?¡± Miliam posited as she tried to follow Abigail¡¯s line of reasoning.

    ¡°Correct¡­but also not. When a paradigm shift that drastic occurs it can be difficult to determine how much information has been passed down faithfully and how much was altered or written with a slant. Your testimony is most helpful because it allows me to ascertain with greater certainty wherein lies the truth.¡± The albino scholar sighed, shaking her head. ¡°Sadly, it would be far too difficult to prove the veracity of any information I acquire from you for it to be of any use academically, but I am pleased to at least sate my own curiosity.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I guess no one would just believe you heard it from a literal time-traveler.¡± Miliam laughed awkwardly and scratched her cheek. ¡°Not to mention that I didn¡¯t even get here using an actual time-travel spell¡­¡±

    ¡°Indeed. The contents of your family grimoire will of course be published, but nothing within it conclusively points to time-travel. As they say, reality is often stranger than fiction.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easy to prove how it could be done with the spell I used, though? If I¡¯d set the parameters right it should be possible to get stuck the same way even on Earth,¡± Miliam asked.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°Perhaps. That spell would prove an excellent base for a stasis spell, in fact. Had you emerged on Earth there may well have been sufficient evidence to prove your claim. But anyone could assert that they cast a spell and somehow wound up on a derelict vessel in deep space. As the claim cannot in any way be falsified and its likelihood of happening is miniscule, however, there is little we can do.¡± Abigail gave a helpless shrug and Miliam was forced to accept it really was a far-fetched story. She latched onto something else Abigail had said, though.

    ¡°A stasis spell, huh? Do you happen to have a copy of that spell with you? I kind of want to try rewriting it. I was a programmer in my past life and spell writing is really similar. If I can learn enough ideograms I think I could write my own spells, or even enchantments,¡± Miliam said with an undercurrent of excitement.

    ¡°That would certainly be a useful skill to possess. I do retain scans of the grimoire¡¯s contents, but I would require some amount of time to translate the spell into modern language,¡± Abigail replied thoughtfully. ¡°Mm, I believe I can have it ready by tomorrow. There is little else for me to do currently besides study those spells regardless.¡±

    ¡°Great, thanks! I¡¯ve gone through all the spells my new grimoire came with already, so it would be nice to have a new project to work on.¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t like Miliam had completely finished her studies- she had hundreds of years of history to catch up on if nothing else- but it was good to be able to shift focus when one topic began to get tiresome. Writing a spell would be like reclaiming a part of her old life, as well.

    ¡°I hesitate to overstep, but do be sure not to test any spells on yourself until they have been proofread by another. An incorrectly written spell may simply do nothing at all, but one crafted nearly correct may prove dangerous,¡± Abigail cautioned, a concerned look on her face.

    ¡°Believe me, I learned not to cast anything I¡¯m not completely sure about the last time I tried an unknown spell.¡± Well, the spell she¡¯d intended to cast worked almost exactly as expected; Miliam couldn¡¯t really blame herself for failing to anticipate that she could accidentally dual cast spells. ¡°Plus, now that I know about burnout I¡¯m a lot more scared of casting anything complex¡­I didn¡¯t even know why I was in pain after activating the ship¡¯s mana furnace until I read about that.¡±

    ¡°You do likely possess a greater than average natural capacity for channeling mana, but prudence would not be amiss. It is difficult to quantify one¡¯s limits, but as a general rule, you can approximate them by working your way up- the number of rings a spell circle is composed of roughly correlates with the amount of mana needed to cast it. If you are able to cast a spell from rest without feeling strained, then adding another ring is within your capabilities,¡± Abigail explained. Miliam perked up hearing that first sentence.

    ¡°Wait, does that mean I¡¯m like, some kind of natural mage?¡± she asked, almost immediately letting the implication go to her head. Sadly, she¡¯d gotten a bit ahead of herself.

    ¡°No. It merely provides you a slight advantage in your initial conditioning. An average person could reach the same level in a matter of weeks or months,¡± the scholar corrected with an amused smirk. Miliam pouted a bit at that.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a concerning duo to stumble upon,¡± Aoibhe observed as she walked into the lounge. ¡°Should I give you some space?¡±

    Miliam rolled her eyes. ¡°What are you, a child? We were talking about magic,¡± she responded, slightly annoyed at the implication. Aoibhe had been oddly concerned about any potential relationship developing between Miliam and Abigail since before they¡¯d even met, but the latter hadn¡¯t even made any advances after the first.

    ¡°Aye, and a certain type of magic in particular, I¡¯m sure,¡± the fay retorted with a quirked brow and crossed arms. Was Aoibhe not over Abigail and being unnecessarily jealous? At any rate, it was getting annoying, and the last thing they needed was a high-school conflict on a space ship. Miliam didn¡¯t really want to get into it with Aoibhe in front of Abigail given she wasn¡¯t a member of their crew. Not that she was eager about the idea. She didn¡¯t really feel like she had any authority over the pilot, who¡¯d been something of a guide to Miliam since she¡¯d arrived and tended to act more like a partner than a subordinate.

    ¡°The conversation was indeed purely academic, I am afraid,¡± corrected Abigail in return. ¡°However, Aoibhe, I have a question for you now that you are present. Have you given Miliam no instruction in magic whatsoever? It seems she is still barely aware of her own conductivity, or even the symptoms of burnout for that matter.¡±

    ¡°Nay, I¡¯m not much of an instructor. Bought her some textbooks and figured she¡¯d probably read about it a long while before she worked out how to load new spells into her grimoire,¡± the fay answered with a shrug.

    ¡°You were not at all concerned when she nearly burned herself out activating the ship?¡± Abigail pressed further, not letting go of the point.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯d only just survived the destruction of the Kiznessa myself at the time. I¡¯d say I did pretty damn well getting us both back to West Gate alive at all,¡± Aoibhe shot back. There was a moment of tense silence as the two stared at each other before Abigail backed down, looking away.

    ¡°I must apologize for my insensitivity. You are correct, the situation was difficult for the both of you. I will not pursue this further.¡± After sending a contrite look Aoibhe¡¯s way, Abigail turned back to Miliam. ¡°Nonetheless, I believe it would be prudent for us to have a longer discussion about this topic before you begin work on spell writing. We have talked long enough for one day, so perhaps we may revisit this anon when I have the translation ready for you.¡±

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯d like to get your thoughts on some things I wanted to try anyway, and I¡¯ll probably need some help with the new ideograms used in the base spell,¡± Miliam agreed before noticing Aoibhe was still just standing there at the door, neither leaving nor settling down in the lounge. ¡°Oh, did you need me for some thing or¡­?¡±

    ¡°What did I come here for¡­ah, right. Engineer needs access to your quarters. Something about a reverse pressure issue in the sewage line to your private bathroom.¡±

    ¡°I have a private bathroom?¡± Miliam asked in confusion before realizing what Aoibhe meant. ¡°Wait, what? You should have led with that!¡±

 Chapter Thirty Two

    Aoibhe was in the galley getting something to drink when she heard someone enter behind her. She looked over her shoulder to find Abigail in the door with her arms crossed.

    ¡°We must speak,¡± the scholar asserted. Aoibhe gave her a curious look.

    ¡°About what?¡± she asked, genuinely confused. For a moment the other woman¡¯s mouth hung open in disbelief.

    ¡°Aoibhe, since the moment you contacted me you have been continuously insinuating I have no acquaintances I have not slept with and performing some sort of one-woman crusade to protect Miliam from me. I find myself struggling to understand when you became so concerned over who I am involved with,¡± Abigail said after closing the door. Aoibhe had a surprised look on her face and didn¡¯t answer immediately. She seemed to be thinking for a few moments before ruffling her hair with both hands and sighing.

    ¡°Have I really been that bad?¡± she asked. ¡°I can only recall making a few comments.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps I am being overly sensitive, but I wished to have this conversation before you made any more, making this matter emotionally charged. You should know full well I would not enter a relationship with a person I am employing, regardless. Have I not acted scrupulously professional with Miliam since boarding this ship?¡± Abigail continued.

    ¡°Aye¡­but you also made a pass at her moments after she signed over her grimoire,¡± Aoibhe pointed out, pressing her lips together into a thin line.

    ¡°That¡­was an indiscretion, I admit,¡± Abigail replied with a frown. ¡°I maintain that it was an advance made only after we concluded our earlier business and prior to engaging in our second contract. It was not my best judgement given that I already had intentions of offering this job, however.¡±

    ¡°Nay, it wasn¡¯t. I¡¯ve been on guard this entire time because Miliam clearly can¡¯t handle your flirting and I¡¯m worried if she¡¯s smitten it¡¯ll affect her decision making,¡± Aoibhe explained in annoyance.

    ¡°Even were I not capable of self-control, Miliam is an adult in her own right, not a child. This¡­maternalistic infantilization you hold towards her is unhealthy, and your manner of approaching it is hurtful and insulting. I admit I am not the most emotional or empathetic of people, but that does not mean I care nothing for my partners both current and former. As one of my former partners, your judgmental behavior has been doubly painful to endure.¡± Abigail leaned against the door and her carefully controlled mask slipped a bit.

    ¡°I can¡­see how my words could be taken that way. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve never had anything against polyamory, or I wouldn¡¯t have dated you in the first place- I only meant to make sure Miliam didn¡¯t get into anything she wasn¡¯t prepared for,¡± Aoibhe explained regretfully.

    ¡°You acted out of concern for Miliam, so I can forgive you as long as the remarks cease. I find myself wondering, however, why you have taken such a role upon yourself in the first place. Surely she is not in such dire need of protecting?¡± Pushing away from the door, Abigail took a seat at the galley table now that the contentious part of the conversation had passed.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to put into words,¡± Aoibhe admitted slowly, as if she were working through it for herself as well. ¡°I suppose I feel like I still owe her for saving my life. I guided her through most of it, but I can¡¯t get past that first moment when she got the teleport beacon working. You know, I was almost out of air at the time. I don¡¯t think I ever told her. The entire ship was vented and I didn¡¯t survive entirely unscathed- the air recycling enchantments on my skinsuit were damaged. I¡¯d managed to restore some atmosphere to the bridge but I could already feel myself getting lightheaded when she replied to my distress call.¡±

    As she spoke, Aoibhe curled in on herself a bit, casting herself back to her near-death experience. It had been dark at the time, and cold, and she¡¯d never felt so alone in her life. Miliam hadn¡¯t ever questioned why Aoibhe wasn¡¯t wearing a helmet on arrival when the entire Kiznessa was open to space, and Aoibhe hadn¡¯t been eager to talk about it, either.

    ¡°¡­your trauma runs deeper than you had let on,¡± Abigail observed. There was little for her to do or say about it. Pity would only anger Aoibhe and Abigail had no power to alleviate her pain. Offering physical comfort was a gray area- a hug might help, but it could also come across as taking advantage of Aoibhe¡¯s fragile mental state.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get over it,¡± Aoibhe said, taking in an unsteady breath. ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s the first time it¡¯s happened.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Your luck is on the level of a curse as always,¡± Abigail agreed neutrally. Silence fell over them as Aoibhe gave Abigail an evaluating look.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious. Are you feeling a bit pent up by now? Because I am,¡± the fay woman admitted bluntly. It wasn¡¯t the most crude pick up Abigail had ever heard, which was an improvement because Aoibhe was the record holder.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°You harass me in hopes of protecting Miliam from me only to come onto me yourself? I find myself averse to the idea if only because of the hypocrisy of it. I am not a convenient toy for you to take up when you need satisfaction and cast aside when you are finished,¡± Abigail replied sharply.

    ¡°That was that and this is this. I¡¯m not trying to use you or suggesting we get back together, just that we might both feel a bit better with some company,¡± Aoibhe insisted. Abigail examined Aoibhe¡¯s face carefully, trying to read her intentions. She did seem like she genuinely believed what she was saying.

    ¡°Perhaps if you still feel the same way in the days to come we may revisit the topic. I would not feel comfortable with any agreement made in such an emotionally charged moment,¡± she conceded after some thought. Abigail wasn¡¯t necessarily opposed to something casual with Aoibhe, but she wouldn¡¯t allow herself to be treated as a cheap lay.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­fair. I¡¯ll use the time to think about it carefully. And I promise I don¡¯t mean any disrespect. I wouldn¡¯t want to damage our friendship for some thrills,¡± Aoibhe assured. Mollified, Abigail nodded in agreement, but she remained seated despite the conversation seemingly having run its course. ¡°¡­would you like me to fix you something to eat?¡±

    ¡°Much obliged.¡±

    <hr>

    A couple of days later, Aoibhe emerged from the infirmary while struggling to get her hair back under control. It was the only room on the ship not in regular use- no one onboard had any medical training. She¡¯d timed her exit for when Tessa was on duty, the twins would be gaming, and Miliam would be asleep.

    ¡°Heh,¡± laughed a voice to her left. Mechanically, Aoibhe turned her head to find Miliam standing in the hall, a drink in hand and a smug look on her face. She made a point of giving Aoibhe¡¯s clothes and hair a close look. Aoibhe was pretty sure there was nothing to note about her clothes, which she¡¯d checked carefully. ¡°Called it.¡±

    ¡°You, uh, don¡¯t have to worry about me making comments anymore,¡± Aoibhe said, trying to preserve some semblance of dignity. That was something of a lost cause, though. Aoibhe got the sense that something had changed in the way Miliam was looking at her after having caught her failing to heed her own advice.

    ¡°Yes, I can see that,¡± Miliam responded with amusement.

    ¡°We worked things out. I was being kind of immature¡­sorry about that,¡± Aoibhe continued, pretending Miliam hadn¡¯t spoken at all. She could tell that she wouldn¡¯t be living this down any time soon. Miliam looked like she¡¯d won.

    ¡°I wanted to talk about that but wasn¡¯t sure how to bring it up. I¡¯m glad it¡¯s resolved!¡± replied the captain, who looked far to satisfied with herself.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t actually do anything, you know,¡± Aoibhe pointed out. ¡°Also, this doesn¡¯t mean I was wrong about it being just a matter of time before you two hook up, either.¡±

    ¡°Should you really be saying that with her right on the other side of that door?¡± Miliam gestured with her free hand, not hiding the grin on her face at all.

    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± insisted Aoibhe with a conviction that clearly failed to convince Miliam of anything. ¡°And this is entirely unrelated, but every door on the ship is airtight and soundproof. Just a random fact, in case you were curious.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Miliam drew the word out as sarcastically as possible. ¡°Why would I have anything to worry about if you¡¯re already hooking up with her, though?¡±

    ¡°Did you forget Abigail¡¯s poly? She¡¯s only holding back right now because she¡¯s your client. And probably because she can get to know you just fine without it being romantic from the start,¡± Aoibhe explained, knowing Abigail much better than Miliam did. That wasn¡¯t to say Abigail was pursuing a friendship with the intention of it eventually becoming romantic- if she were given a hard no, she¡¯d likely back off without complaint and be perfectly happy as friends. But Miliam had essentially told her ¡®maybe later,¡¯ so Abigail was taking her time.

    ¡°Uh¡­right,¡± Miliam said with a lot less confidence, starting to look a bit uncertain. ¡°Why is she even interested in me?¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t tell you. Maybe it¡¯s the exotic flashlight eyes,¡± Aoibhe mocked. She genuinely didn¡¯t know what specifically Abigail found attractive other than that she didn¡¯t appear to have a particular type. There wasn¡¯t exactly much in common between Aoibhe and Miliam besides both being women, but it wasn¡¯t like Abigail liked just anyone, either.

    ¡°Flashlight? Have my eyes been glowing this entire time without me noticing?¡± Miliam asked in confusion, fishing for her grimoire before apparently realizing she¡¯d forgotten it somewhere.

    ¡°Uh, nay, I was just joking about the color,¡± Aoibhe corrected before Miliam went and tried to turn the lights out as a test or something. Although in hindsight that might have been amusing. Maybe she should have just waited and seen what happened.

    ¡°Oh. I sort of¡­forgot I have orange eyes now.¡±

    ¡°You could just tell her you¡¯re not interested, you know. Just because it feels nice to be wanted doesn¡¯t mean you have to fall all over the first woman that pays you any attention,¡± Aoibhe advised seriously, making Miliam pause for a moment as she thought about how to respond.

    ¡°I¡­could. But I do like her, and I¡¯m not as inexperienced as you think I am. It¡¯s just hitting differently now that there¡¯s someone interested in a me that I actually like. And this doesn¡¯t really influence my decision making a whole lot, but everyone else I know is part of the crew, and I¡¯m not going to have a lot of opportunities to meet new women if I¡¯m in deep space most of the time,¡± Miliam explained with a flushed face.

    ¡°It¡¯s frowned upon for the captain to date their crew members, but it happens, especially on small crews like this one where there¡¯s not much distance between them. I get what you mean, though. I don¡¯t know what the twins are into, but they in particular might feel pressured into it given their situation. Whatever- or whoever- you choose, just take it slow and see what happens,¡± Aoibhe said with a shrug. Miliam nodded and wandered off back to her quarters, apparently needing some time to think about it.

    Hopefully it would be a while before she remembered what the conversation had been about at the start. Aoibhe grinned.

 Chapter Thirty Three

    The Astrum Vitae had only just completed its next jump when Miliam noticed something was off. It was something she was so used to by now that it had faded into background noise, so it took her a few seconds to place it. Since the ship had been reactivated there had always been a very subtle background noise; the hum of the fusion reactor running in the background. Miliam didn¡¯t know the specifics but it must have contained some moving parts and those had stopped.

    ¡°Engineer, is everything alright back there?¡± she asked into the comm. He didn¡¯t answer immediately, so she held up a finger to tell the bridge crew to wait.

    ¡°Reactor. Offline. Help. Required,¡± the dragonewt responded in their usual halting cadence. Miliam frowned. She wasn¡¯t sure if Engineer meant they needed outside help to fix the issue or that they simply needed more hands.

    ¡°Uh, could you clarify that? Do you want some of us to come back there or want us to call for help?¡± she asked. Hopefully it was the former, because the latter was a crapshoot. Now that they were a bit over half the way to Delta Bo?tis, the Astrum Vitae was well outside the area where they could expect anyone to happen upon them. Far more unlikely things had happened in Miliam¡¯s life already, though, so she wouldn¡¯t rule it out as an option.

    ¡°More. Hands,¡± Engineer replied, much to Miliam¡¯s relief.

    ¡°Alright, hold tight while I¡­sort out who to send,¡± she told them. ¡°Eun-ji, any good hiding spots?¡±

    ¡°Uh, several! We could park on an asteroid in the belt or on one of the moons around the system. No gas giants this time, though,¡± Eun-ji reported. Fortunately their sensors could work on backup power.

    ¡°Cap¡¯n, we¡¯re not going to anywhere with the reactor offline,¡± Aoibhe cut in. ¡°Not unless you want to use power from the capacitors. The thrusters are too slow to get us to any of these locations within the next couple of weeks.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Then¡­what would take more power? The wave drive or EMCM?¡± Miliam asked, looking between Min-ji and Aoibhe.

    ¡°Depends on what you want to do?¡± Min-ji said hesitantly.

    ¡°And how far we¡¯d be going,¡± Aoibhe added. ¡°The wave drive doesn¡¯t use nearly as much mana as the translocation drive but our supply is kind of finite and a lot of our systems are already drawing from it.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­I figured if we can¡¯t move we could make ourselves invisible until we know what¡¯s going on,¡± Miliam suggested, looking to Min-ji specifically for her assessment.

    ¡°If it¡¯s full-spectrum¡­I think even then we could sustain it for a while if we¡¯re just sitting still and not scanning, since there wouldn¡¯t be much to adjust and that makes it less strenuous. Especially if Eun-ji and I swap out,¡± answered Min-ji after checking a few things on her consoles.

    ¡°Without dipping into what we¡¯d need for another jump?¡±

    ¡°Definitely!¡± Min-ji confirmed confidently, accompanying the answer with a sharp nod. Her cap almost fell off from the motion, as her horns kept her from securing it tightly.

    ¡°For the record, we¡¯d only need a few minutes to get to the closest asteroid big enough to hide us, but we might want to know what the actual problem is before we try moving. We¡¯d be employing the thrusters at the end and that involves a few more systems than just the wave drive,¡± Aoibhe contributed, spinning her chair around to look directly at Miliam.

    ¡°Then, Min-ji? Make us disappear, please. Eun-ji, keep an eye out and let me know if anyone shows up. Aoibhe¡­I guess you may as well come along since there¡¯s not much else you can do up here,¡± Miliam instructed, standing up. A knot of nervousness sat in her stomach. Was that the right decision? She was prioritizing preserving power for later, but maybe an upfront-cost would be worth it for the extra cover. Which gave them the best chances of survival?

    ¡°No use worrying about it now. Let¡¯s focus on finding out what¡¯s wrong,¡± Aoibhe said, patting Miliam on the shoulder and offering a comforting smile. She¡¯d seen through Miliam¡¯s worries, apparently. ¡°Let¡¯s grab Tessa on the way down. You two are stronger than I am.¡±

    They could always just turn the gravity down again, but Miliam supposed even then it might take some muscle to shift the mass of anything big and dense like large metal panels. Regardless, Miliam and Aoibhe picked up Tessa and headed down the hall to engineering. They found Engineer looking over the control console for the reactor.

    ¡°Hey, Engineer, we¡¯re here to help. Do you know what the issue is?¡± Miliam asked as she and the others filed in.

    ¡°Stabilizer. Issue,¡± Engineer grunted. Miliam looked to Aoibhe for clarification, but she just shrugged her shoulders, not much more familiar with reactors than Miliam outside the basics. Tessa saw their confusion and stepped up to translate.

    ¡°Oh, I think they¡¯re talking about the thingy that makes the little things live longer,¡± she supplied unhelpfully in a voice suffused with confidence.

    ¡°Muons,¡± Engineer provided for her.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°Those!¡± Tessa shouted, pointing. ¡°I think it¡¯s the part of the reactor that¡¯s magic.¡±

    ¡°So¡­can you fix it?¡± Miliam asked, looking back to Engineer. They blinked their eyes separately, then nodded, then shook their head. Once again, Tessa was the only one that caught the meaning.

    ¡°That¡¯s a maybe. I think they¡¯re saying they won¡¯t know until they open up and that¡¯s why they wanted help.¡± Miliam and Aoibhe stared at Tessa for a moment before replying.

    ¡°Okay, I know this isn¡¯t really important by now, but why are you so good at that?¡± Miliam asked in bafflement.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s because I hang out in here when I¡¯m off work. Engineer is a great listener! I can talk about anything to them. Like the last sim I did. Or that time Abigail asked me to make her lunch but got a stomach ache out of nowhere when I was almost done and left! It was right after she looked at-¡±

    ¡°Aye, Tessa, we get the idea,¡± Aoibhe sighed, interrupting the excitable elf. Miliam looked at Engineer with a raised eyebrow and got a nod.

    ¡°Talk. Lots.¡± Engineer blinked, again doing it one eye at a time. ¡°I¡­.not. But listen.¡± They nodded twice. ¡°Work well.¡±

    Thinking back now, Miliam realized she didn¡¯t really run into Tessa around the ship much. She never would have guessed the woman had struck up an odd friendship with their speech-averse engineer when no one was looking. Well, it was good to know the crew was getting along.

    ¡°Alright, go ahead and walk us through what you need,¡± Miliam said to Engineer, moving on to the important stuff.

    Following the dragonewt¡¯s lead, she and Tessa helped partially dismantle the reactor. Unlike a fission reactor there were remarkably few safety protocols that needed to be performed before opening it up. There were no radioactive components, so no one needed to don hazmat suits or whatever the magical equivalent was. To Miliam¡¯s surprise, the only thing they needed to be careful of was the heat, as ¡®cold fusion¡¯ only referred to the temperature at which the reaction took place- it still produced heat, which was used to boil water.

    ¡°Huh. So even in the distant and magical future, power generation still boils down to heating up water to spin a wheel,¡± Miliam commented while lifting a component out of Engineer¡¯s way. It wasn¡¯t actually all that heavy, dragonewts just weren¡¯t very strong.

    ¡°Less puns, more working,¡± Aoibhe said in annoyance as she flicked Miliam in the back of the head. Tessa, meanwhile, had burst out laughing, so Miliam took solace in the fact that at least one person was on her side. A very easily amused person, but it still counted.

    ¡°You would think they would design this thing to be more serviceable,¡± Miliam complained as she watched Engineer removing the bonds from the next piece. The reactor seemed to actually be one solid object for the most part, barring moving parts and places where different materials made contact. While those parts were exceptions and were screwed into place, the rest of the machine was held together by magically fusing sections of it- like welding, almost, but far more effective.

    ¡°Sometimes people don¡¯t actually consider that when designing something, and then it somehow gets through the R&D process and becomes everyone¡¯s problem,¡± Aoibhe said sourly as she stood behind Miliam doing nothing.

    ¡°If it were everyone¡¯s problem you¡¯d be helping too¡­¡± Miliam grumbled, though she knew she legitimately couldn¡¯t order Aoibhe to do something she lacked the physical strength for. Still, maybe she should have left the pilot on the bridge, given that she wasn¡¯t doing a whole lot here either.

    ¡°I¡¯m supervising. It¡¯s an important job. You should know, it¡¯s normally yours,¡± Aoibhe replied smugly.

    ¡°How come no one ever supervises me?¡± asked the peanut gallery, also known as Tessa. ¡°I¡¯m so lonely in the missile bay¡­all by myself¡­I¡¯ve tried talking to my console but it doesn¡¯t talk back. Actually, that¡¯s not so bad now that I think about it. A lot of people don¡¯t really talk back either.¡±

    ¡°Tessa, people might talk back more if you pause to let them speak,¡± Miliam pointed out in a deadpan.

    ¡°Huh, that¡¯s a good idea. I should try it next time I¡¯m talking to someone. If I remember. Wait, I¡¯m talking to you right now. When am I supposed to pause though? I¡¯ve never really done it on purpose so I¡¯m not sure when-¡±

    ¡°Found. Issue,¡± Engineer announced as they pulled a component from deep inside the reactor. ¡°Mana circuit. Degraded.¡±

    ¡°Shit. That was too far inside the machine for the mechanics to spot in a cursory inspection, but they absolutely would have noticed if we¡¯d had them overhaul it,¡± Aoibhe said regretfully, leaning over to look at the piece. It was a high-capacity conduit for mana, or more specifically, the point where a conduit running from the mana furnace would connect to the reactor¡¯s array of spell circles.

    ¡°I thought Engineer did a full overhaul on it, though?¡± Miliam asked.

    ¡°Tune up. Not. Same,¡± Engineer told her in response. That¡­meant this was on her. She¡¯d misunderstood precisely what Engineer was able to do for the reactor on their own and opted not to prioritize it in repairs because it would have put them over budget. But what could she have sacrificed? This reactor was old. So old that it was debatable if it was cheaper to replace it or have replacement parts custom-made. Maybe if she¡¯d just had them do a full inspection to figure out which parts were in the biggest need of being replaced¡­

    ¡°Is it something you could fix?¡± Aoibhe asked, snapping Miliam out of her spiraling thoughts. Engineer shook their head.

    ¡°Orichalcum. Can¡¯t make.¡± The dragonewt pointed out a specific part of the component that had a faded golden luster to it.

    ¡°We can¡¯t make that, but what other choice are there? Are there any colonies in range where we could buy some orichalcum? Maybe if we had the metal then Engineer could replace just that part,¡± Miliam suggested, looking to Engineer for confirmation. They nodded. Making orichalcum wasn¡¯t possible, but it seemed that shaping it, at least on this small of a scale, was.

    ¡°Maybe¡­but we¡¯ve got a five light-year range at best right now, and our currency is worthless out here,¡± Aoibhe replied. ¡°Any orichalcum would do, though, right? I hate to suggest it, but maybe we should cannibalize some parts from one of the point defense lasers.¡±

    ¡°I can compensate for one or two missing lasers but this ship is a corvette, not a frigate. There¡¯s not as much redundancy in the defense grid, especially without any counter missiles, so we¡¯ll be losing effectiveness no matter what,¡± Tessa chimed in.

    ¡°Mmmmm,¡± Miliam hummed nervously as she thought it over. Ultimately, though, she wasn¡¯t seeing a ton of options. Orichalcum was used in all shipboard magic-powered systems, but most of them were too essential to sacrifice. Taking parts from the point defenses, which had the most redundancy, was likely the only option there. Maybe if they¡¯d had the budget to restore the ship¡¯s wards they could have borrowed from those, but it was too late for that now.

    ¡°¡­give me a few minutes to think it over,¡± Miliam told them.

 Chapter Thirty Four

    ¡°First¡­how many lasers would we need to take offline for this?¡± Miliam asked after tossing the problem around in her head for a few minutes. Engineer tilted their head to the side, then shrugged- or at least, Miliam thought it was a shrug, but they used their wings to make the motion instead of their shoulders.

    ¡°Depends. Conduits¡­long. Hard access. Connections small. Easy reach. First¡­need one. Second. Five,¡± Engineer explained in what might have been the longest said of words Miliam had heard from them at once.

    ¡°If I understood that correctly¡­it¡¯s hard to get at the whole cable but one has enough orichalcum for the job. The connections to the mana furnace are more accessible, but it would take more to of them?¡± Miliam asked for clarification. Engineer nodded. ¡°How much longer would pulling an entire cable take?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just a question of how long it would take. Getting it out is the easy part. Putting it back is the problem, and it might take removing some of the plating,¡± Aoibhe answered for them, getting another nod from the little dragonewt.

    ¡°Would both options get us to Delta Bo?tis and home?¡±

    ¡°Different. Purity. Two jumps¡­best,¡± Engineer replied. So, the reactor needed more mana and had a different requirements for the quality of orichalcum it used. Two jumps wasn¡¯t getting them all the way to Delta Bo?tis and back, so they would be losing more and more of their defense grid along the way. That wasn¡¯t tenable.

    ¡°Aoibhe, could you check the star charts and figure out what the closest colony is? I think we¡¯re going to have to make a pit stop,¡± Miliam said. How they would pay for what they needed was something they¡¯d just have to figure out later.

    ¡°Aye, I¡¯ll do that thing,¡± Aoibhe answered, leaving the engineering bay after she got a nod from Miliam.

    ¡°Engineer¡­go ahead and tear out an entire conduit. And, uh, work with Tessa, I guess, to figure out which one we can afford to lose?¡± Miliam ordered next, deciding it was better to retain more of their defensive ability now than to worry about penny pinching later.

    ¡°Aye aye, captain!¡± Tessa replied enthusiastically while Engineer just nodded. With that handled, Miliam headed out as well, figuring the two of them could handle it from there. She needed to decide their next course of action right now. For that she was going to need to know if there was a colony in range to begin with, though, so Miliam headed back to the bridge.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be able to recharge as soon as Engineer is finished working, so can you set us down on an asteroid or something please, Aoibhe?¡± she asked as she took her seat. Min-ji was still intensely focused on her console, maintaining the ship¡¯s cloaking, Miliam noted.

    ¡°Do you want me to do that now or after I¡¯m done checking the charts?¡± Aoibhe asked, glancing over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°Um¡­move us first,¡± Miliam decided, settling in to wait for more news. The Astrum Vitae began to move, pulled along by the shifting space around it towards whatever space rock Aoibhe had chosen. Landing on an asteroid wouldn¡¯t hide them from sensors entirely, but it was somewhat like hiding a rock by putting it atop a boulder. Asteroid had enough metal content that a ship wouldn¡¯t stand out too much, and there were too many of them in any given system to scan them all closely. It didn¡¯t really matter that the rocks themselves were hundreds of thousands of kilometers apart at the closest.

    Miliam zoned out for a while, worried about the future. Her anxieties were really starting to get to her at this point, the sudden technical issues having caused her to question her decision making abilities all over again. All Miliam could do for the next several minutes was stew over the situation, being brought back to reality only when she found Aoibhe snapping her fingers in front of her face.

    ¡°Wah!¡± she shouted, jerking upright in her seat.

    ¡°You awake now¡­?¡± Aoibhe asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Found a colony within two jumps, but the second one is going to have to be more than five light-years. It¡¯s called True Eden.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the only one, then I don¡¯t think we have a choice.¡± Miliam sighed. ¡°I suppose I should go let Abigail know about the delay. Hopefully she won¡¯t be too upset.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll let her know, you just try to relax a bit. You¡¯re looking kind of tense,¡± Aoibhe replied, patting Miliam on the shoulder before leaving the room.

    ¡°Min-ji, you can stop now,¡± Miliam said after a few moments, realizing the woman was still maintaining her spell. ¡°You¡¯re off duty too.¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± Min-ji replied before reclining in her seat and retrieving her grimoire. Unsurprisingly, she was going to wait for Eun-ji to be off duty as well. Normally Miliam would have left now, but she felt responsible for the current situation and being on the bridge made her feel like she was at least doing something.  She stared at the plots attached to her seat for a short time before the door behind her opened. Aoibhe had returned, Abigail unexpectedly in tow.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Sorry for the inconvenience,¡± she told her client contritely.

    ¡°I expected some delays of this sort when chartering a ship in poor repair,¡± Abigail replied, waving off the concern. ¡°That is not why I am here. Aoibhe has informed me of the colony we are destined for and I believe I am in possession of information on it which you require.¡±

    ¡°Apparently True Eden is one of those loony bins founded by religious nutjobs,¡± added Aoibhe with a roll of her eyes.

    ¡°Indeed. Miliam, do you perchance recall the conversation we had regarding the events following the discovery of magic?¡± Abigail asked, eyebrow raised.

    ¡°Yeah. Some kind of civil war over magic?¡± Miliam asked, seeing where this was going.

    ¡°Precisely. More specifically, the Isaiaites, a descendant religion incorporating the teachings of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, formed in opposition to magic. Their core tenet was that magic may not in any circumstances be allowed to proliferate, as it was the work of the Devil himself. Their defeat did not spell the end of the religion itself, however. True Eden is the fourth colony formed by believers of this sect after Eden, New Eden, and Final Eden all cast off their teachings over the course of generations,¡± Abigail explained at length.

    ¡°If they hate magic, how are they all the way out here¡­?¡± Miliam wondered aloud.

    ¡°Towards the end of the Witch Hunter Wars, the Isaiaite leadership realized they could not attain victory through mundane means and claimed they had received new light from their god informing them that magic was permissible so long as it was not used upon people. It was too little and too late, but it became an enduring part of their doctrine,¡± Abigail replied.

    ¡°Don¡¯t translocation drives affect people?¡± Miliam asked next, confusion plain on her face.

    ¡°They have¡­defined¡­translocation drives as acting upon the space around a person much in the way a wave drive does. This is fundamentally incorrect but a loophole was needed.¡± Abigail¡¯s expression said that she knew full well how ridiculous this was.

    ¡°How convenient,¡± Miliam replied wryly. ¡°And why are you so familiar with this?¡±

    ¡°As to why I am familiar, the Isaiaites have a unique system of magic all their own that has been passed down almost unchanged for centuries. This is, incidentally, the reason they have now lost four wars. Their magic is inefficient and incorporates elements they believe will protect them from the Devil and all other manner of hostile entities. Each rebellion has utilized more and more advanced magic procured from the outside, where development of magic has proceeded apace¡­which brings me, at last, to my point.

    ¡°The Isaiaites are highly isolationist and will not treat with outsiders. The only way you may make contact with them would be to do so under the guise of being Isaiaites yourselves. Although they will not tolerate nonbelievers, they will welcome pilgrims to their holy land,¡± Abigail finished.

    ¡°That sounds¡­dangerous. What if we slip up?¡± Miliam asked, worry and a bit of fear mixed into her expression.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll be a problem,¡± Aoibhe replied. ¡°All we¡¯ve gotta do is avoid using any magic on ourselves or other people in front of them. The fact we don¡¯t have a lance is a stroke of good luck since they forbid that type of weapon, actually.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Fundamentalist believers still reside upon the other worlds the Isaiaites have settled, and some leeway will be granted in regards to using enchanted items lacking Isaiaite anti-demon wards due to their unavailability.¡±

    ¡°In other words, we go in, tell them we¡¯re pilgrims, visit the holy sites, and tell them our ship broke down and we need help repairing it. Doubt they¡¯ll do it for free but I bet they¡¯ve got a use for a ship with a translocation drive- most colonial defense fleets use locally built intrasystem ships,¡± Aoibhe summarized. Miliam rested her head on her hand, rubbing her forehead to escape an oncoming headache.

    ¡°What if they don¡¯t have orichalcum to spare? It can¡¯t be easy to get out here, especially if they hate everyone,¡± she pointed out.

    ¡°They will. Intersystem trade is mostly for luxuries. It¡¯s too expensive to ship necessities anywhere in bulk, so they¡¯ll have their own production. Even if they didn¡¯t, they could get it from the other three Isaiaite colonies. They don¡¯t follow all the teachings anymore, but the local religions are still Isaiaite sects.¡± What Aoibhe said made enough sense that Miliam could accept it, though she still worried about what would happen if their ruse was seen through.

    But what was the alternative? Stripping every laser turret on the ship for parts until the Astrum Vitae was effectively defenseless? Although she was captain and nominally this was her decision, Miliam felt like she¡¯d really never had a choice from the start. She sighed helplessly. All she had to do was pretend to be a cultist, right?

    Suddenly, Miliam went pale. She groaned and rubbed her temples while the others looked on in concern. Glazed eyes, unwarranted conviction, dismissal of reality¡­essentially, she¡¯d just be using the personality she¡¯d had when she¡¯d still been an egg, before she¡¯d deprogrammed herself in college.

    ¡°What was all that about?¡± Aoibhe asked in concern. Miliam sighed again.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just realized that I¡¯m actually stupidly overqualified for the job of pretending I¡¯m part of this cult. I think that part is going to go pretty well. So¡­that plan is going to have to do. Unless there¡¯s another colony conveniently in range?¡± she said, expecting exactly the answer she got.

    ¡°Not within twenty light years,¡± Aoibhe answered.

    ¡°Thought so. In that case¡­we have a while before we arrive. Abigail, would you mind telling me whatever I need to know to fake being an Isaiaite?¡± Miliam requested, turning to Abigail. She hoped that wasn¡¯t too much of an imposition under the circumstances, but considering Abigail¡¯s life was on the line as well, she didn¡¯t think it would be.

    ¡°It would be my pleasure.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Five

    Miliam¡¯s anxiety had not faded by the time the Astrum Vitae arrived in the Paradise system, home to the colony of True Eden, but she was ready to play her part nonetheless. For the first time she- along with the rest of the bridge crew- had donned her dress uniform. The twins were disguised with the same spell they¡¯d been using when she first met them. All grimoires had been stored outside of the bridge, even the one that Aoibhe typically used as a piloting aid.

    Every preparation Abigail could think of was in place. Now they would see if it was enough.

    ¡°What do you see, Eun-ji?¡± Miliam asked immediately upon the completion of the jump. It was a moment before she received an answer.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of ships here. I think most of them are mining vessels- there¡¯s quite a few in the asteroid belts and around the gas giant, and some more hanging around most of the moons here. The local defense fleet is concentrated in one spot above True Eden¡­but there¡¯s a grid of small space stations covering the planet,¡± Eun-ji reported once she had the full picture. Miliam couldn¡¯t blame her for the delay given the sheer number of vessels present.

    ¡°What can you tell me about their fleet?¡± she asked next, unfamiliar with the icons being used to represent them.

    ¡°Looks like they¡¯re all slower-than-light ships. Mostly sloops, but they have a handful of galleys and galleasses, along with a battlecruiser for a flagship,¡± Eun-ji replied. That didn¡¯t actually help because Miliam only knew one of those words. She smiled apologetically.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not familiar with those names¡­what are sloops, galleys, and galleasses?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry! They¡¯re the slower-than-light equivalents to corvettes, frigates, and destroyers. A battlecruiser is a slower-than-light battleship. They¡¯re not equipped with translocation drives but usually are at least as well armed as their counterparts, if not better,¡± Eun-ji hurried to explain.

    ¡°They¡¯re a lot cheaper to make so even system defense fleets can afford to build a lot of them. Doubt these ones would stack up to the GC navy, though,¡± Aoibhe added derisively, in reference to the outdated technology in use by the True Edenites.

    ¡°Uh, they¡¯re hailing us already, captain. We¡¯re a good twenty light-seconds out so there¡¯s going to be some delay,¡± Min-ji reported. The Astrum Vitae hadn¡¯t moved since teleporting in, but most colonies would have waited until it approached within a light-second or, more likely, send a ship out to intercept. That wasn¡¯t done much within the Gaian Collective since most threats would be caught at the border, but Aoibhe had said to expect it from an independent colony.

    ¡°¡­put it on,¡± Miliam ordered hesitantly. Her heart was already starting to point, but she plastered over her fear with a face she¡¯d spent two decades of her life cultivating. Placid. Glassy eyed. Submissive towards authority. A man appeared on the screen mounted on the ceiling just behind Aoibhe¡¯s seat- she was using this one specifically because she needed the camera to capture not just her face but her entire body in order to sell the performance, and it was easier to do if she had eyes to lock onto.

    ¡°This is Cardinal-Admiral Lionel Howard of the TEDF Isaiah¡¯s Herald. Foreign vessel, you are to identify yourself immediately. Do not move your ship from its current position. Failure to comply will result in your destruction,¡± the man on screen ordered with narrowed eyes. He was human, unsurprisingly, and on the older side- certainly in his fifties at minimum. His uniform was a strange blend of robes and a navy uniform that didn¡¯t look entirely practical with its loose mantle and skirt.

    Before responding, Miliam rose to her feet. She¡¯d spent hours practicing this part, which she had never in her life had to do. Her dress uniform was perfect for it- black with orange piping to match her hat, but more importantly, it had a detachable half-skirt that covered only the sides and rear in addition to pants. That allowed her to take hold of the sides as she bowed, placing one foot behind the other in the best curtsy she could muster.

    Miliam would never admit it aloud, but she felt a flutter of joy as she did so. Not at the implicit act of submission, but at the fact that she was expected to follow feminine etiquette rather than male.

    ¡°I am Captain Miliam Stern of the Astrum Vitae, a humble pilgrim hailing from New Eden come to bear witness to the prophet¡¯s holy land,¡± she said as an introduction. The surname basically just meant ¡®star,¡¯ which she¡¯d found fitting given the name of the ship, though she hadn¡¯t decided if she¡¯d keep it or not. She knew it would be a good forty seconds before she received a reply, but she held her pose nonetheless, displaying the proper courtesy owed to a member of the Isaiaite clergy.

    ¡°Captain Stern? Might I ask why I am not speaking to your father or husband?¡± came the reply nearly a minute later, just as expected. These people had stubbornly held onto their patriarchal culture for centuries even as schism after schism gave ample proof that those times had long past.

    ¡°I must apologize profusely for the impropriety. I am sad to say that my father has been dead for many years-¡± not actually a lie- ¡°and my husband passed just last year from cancer.¡± A lie, but one accounting for the customary mourning period and the fact that Isaiaite doctrine wouldn¡¯t have permitted the magic-based treatments that could save a cancer patient¡¯s life. ¡°As I am left with no surviving male relatives, I have inherited my husband¡¯s ship, and I thought the best way to honor his memory would be to make the journey he always dreamed taking of but never could.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Cardinal-Admiral Howard replied solemnly once Miliam¡¯s words reached him, his voice softening. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss. It¡¯s admirable of you to make this trip in his name. Please, be at ease. I trust you have brought documents proving your identity and story?¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Miliam rose from her curtsy but kept her head lowered as she returned to her seat, crossing one leg over the other and resting her hands atop each other demurely. The Cardinal-Admiral¡¯s request sent her heart into the next gear, but she and Abigail had spent an entire day forging the requested documents. The death certificate had been tricky since it wasn¡¯t like anyone on the ship was just going to have one of those on their grimoire, but they¡¯d done their best to make it look official and could excuse any discrepancies as a change in formatting within the last year that the locals couldn¡¯t possibly disprove. For the rest they¡¯d used those of other crew members as a template for Miliam¡¯s personal identification and created altered copies of the documentation showing her ownership of the Astrum Vitae to reflect its transfer from her fictional husband rather than the West Gate Port Authority.

    His name was Jim. God rest his soul.

    ¡°Of course, sir. Please transmit my documentation, Min-ji,¡± Miliam instructed with a calm she didn¡¯t feel. She kept her eyes trained on the floor while Min-ji acknowledged the request and did as asked, and she continued to do so while waiting for the documents to be reviewed. Finally, the Cardinal-Admiral hummed in satisfaction some minutes later.

    ¡°My staff tells me everything is in order. Flight control will be in touch shortly to give you your route and landing pad. I believe they should also be able to provide you with a male escort assuming you do not have one aboard. Welcome to True Eden, my daughter.¡±

    Thankfully the transmission ended immediately because Miliam was barely able to hold on until Howard finished speaking before she started giggling at his use of the phrase ¡®male escort.¡¯ She knew what he meant and it wasn¡¯t that funny, but her nerves were so frayed that it sent her over the edge. By the time the message from flight control came in she¡¯d mostly gotten it back under control.

    ¡°New Jerusalem Flight Control calling Astrum Vitae. Your flight path has been transmitted. Please follow it precisely. You will be tracked on the way in and any deviance may result in corrective action. According to our information you may be in need of an escort, please confirm?¡± a faceless male voice said over the comms. This contact hadn¡¯t come with a video feed unlike the previous one.

    ¡°Yes please, flight control. What should we do after we land?¡± Miliam replied somewhat reluctantly. She couldn¡¯t keep the grimace off her face. There was no getting around the need for an escort here, though, much as Miliam would have preferred to avoid it. Having a local escort would make it easier to find their way around, but she would have to keep her act up at all times in return, and they would have to be very careful about what information they divulged around him.

    But if Miliam could form some level of rapport with the guy, maybe it would come in handy when the time came to ask for a favor. Other than someone figuring out their ruse, the biggest risk the crew would be facing was the possibility that no one was willing to give them the orichalcum they needed even in exchange for labor¡­or worse, the locals could simply decide that a widowed woman and her crew of mostly non-humans had no business flying around on their own and try to force them to settle down and marry a nice Isaiaite man.

    Miliam was shaken out of her thoughts when a reply finally arrived.

    ¡°Please wait on your ship until your escort has arrived. He¡¯ll guide you anywhere you need to go from there, and you may relay your requests through him as well,¡± the man on the other end said before ending the call. With the talking finally done, Miliam melted into her seat, feeling like her bones had just ceased to exist.

    ¡°Did you get that, Aoibhe?¡± she asked head facing the ceiling and eyes sealed shut.

    ¡°Aye, that I did. I¡¯m taking us in,¡± the pilot replied immediately.

    ¡°How¡¯s our power supply doing?¡± Miliam followed up, concerned about whether the wave drive was safe to use after making both the jumps Engineer had predicted they would manage.

    ¡°Nominal so far. I¡¯m thinking Engineer meant their jury-rigged connection would burn out if we made more than two jumps and that number was just the amount we were safe for,¡± Aoibhe speculated as she ramped up the wave drive. The Astrum Vitae was already close enough to the planet that it they needed it for less than a minute.

    ¡°That¡­would make sense. If they had meant two would burn it out we wouldn¡¯t be able to do much when we arrived, huh?¡± Miliam realized. That was a big comfort because it meant that, worst come to worst, it might be possible to beat a quick retreat. The local fleet was even more antiquated than her own ship, so it might at least be possible to make it past the gravity well.

    Assuming their technological weapons weren¡¯t more advanced than their magical ones, anyway, but there wasn¡¯t much Miliam could do about that right now.

    True Eden rapidly grew in the window as Aoibhe brought them closer. It was odd. How scared such a beautiful planet made her feel. In a way this was a homecoming¡­even if this world was dozens of light years from Earth. Miliam wondered if her family had joined the Isaiaite movement after she disappeared. If not her immediate family, then maybe their descendants. Actually, knowing them, it wasn¡¯t even a question. It was the ultimate irony that an honest-to-goodness spellbook had been hidden in their attic for so long. Was it messed up of her to want to find their graves and tell them all about it?

    God, she needed some therapy.

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Sublight Ships

    Even in the age of faster-that-light travel, there are still many uses for sublight ships. These vessels are the most common variety among civilians, as they are an order of magnitude less expensive while still allowing their owners to travel through space. Mining vessels are nearly always sublight, as well. The issue of travelling to other star systems is handled through the means of sublight carriers, massive ships as large as freighters built with the express purpose of taking onboard sublight vessels and ferrying them to other systems. Within the Gaian Collective, a network of these carriers enables travel to any inhabited system, while more limited services are available for international travel.

    Sublight vessels are also employed by system defense fleets. These defensive ships can be produced at a rate of ten sublight vessels for every faster-than-light ship of the same role, making them ideal for even poorer systems. As sector fleets are concentrated in their anchorage system and only leave on an as-needed basis, system defense fleets provide fill in the gaps and allow time for sector fleets to respond to attacks. Although these ships are typically about two-thirds the size of their FTL equivalents, it is not uncommon to build them to the same tonnage and use the extra space for additional armaments.

    For the sake of clarity, STL ships are classed separately from FTL ships within GC parlance. FTL ships fall under the classes of corvette, frigate, destroyer, cruiser, battleship, dreadnought, and carrier. STL ships are classified as either a sloop, galley, galleass, galleon, battlecruiser, or monitor. No equivalent to the carrier exists as FTL carriers are purpose built for transporting STL ships, potentially allowing a navy to deploy a greater number of cheaper ships in exchange for reduced mobility and the need to return to their mothership before withdrawing.

 Chapter Thirty Six

    True Eden had only been founded somewhere around a century ago, and the Isaiaites that settled it were the remnants of the lunatic fringe driven from Final Eden. As a result, the planet was actually sparsely populated, which was in line with the relatively small size of its defense fleet. The fact that their fleet possessed a battlecruiser and no galleons spoke to their lack of resources; someone at the top had clearly decided that that single large ship was needed as a deterrent because a handful of galleons wouldn¡¯t be as intimidating.

    Well, that, or it was a simple ego trip. Megalomaniacs tended to like huge war machines.

    As the Astrum Vitae descended towards the surface of True Eden, more such evidence became apparent. There were very few settlements on the surface outside of New Jerusalem. The city itself was surrounded by farmland and only a small number of towns existed beyond that area, placed in locations rich in some resource or another. Fishing towns, mining towns, and logging towns, mostly. Maybe eventually some of these would develop into proper cities.

    New Jerusalem itself was small as cities go. It was a blend of architectural styles clearly meant to evoke imagery of the three religions used as a basis for Isaiaism, although Miliam could only recognize the gothic style used in Christian churches and the domes common in Islamic mosques. It was really just her assumption that Jewish imagery was in there somewhere, but it seemed stranger to her that it wouldn¡¯t be. Notably, the builders had incorporated these elements into every building in the city, making it difficult to discern which were actually religious structures and which were homes and businesses.

    Aoibhe put the Astrum Vitae down on the landing pad that had been designated for it by flight control, marking the first time Miliam had actually set foot on a planet since leaving Earth. The pad was little more than a slab of pavement on the edge of the city in an industrial area; New Jerusalem probably received so few visitors that its only landing spaces were intended for mining vessels. Standing, she took a deep breath.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this over with. Eun-ji, Min-ji, you have the bridge. Aoibhe, as soon as you¡¯re done with post-flight checks, meet me in the cargo bay. I¡¯ll get Abigail on the way down,¡± she instructed, still somewhat ensconced in the fanatic persona she¡¯d be using during their time here. Miliam felt as if her emotions were hidden behind a wall of fluff, and her tone had an evenness to it that felt unnatural.

    ¡°Creepy¡­¡± one of the twins muttered, and Miliam didn¡¯t disagree. She wasn¡¯t Miliam right now; she was a robot pretending to be an Isaiaite.

    Shortly after, Miliam stood in the cargo bay with Abigail and Aoibhe, who would be the only ones accompanying her into New Jerusalem. Although the dokkaebi twins likely could have infiltrated using illusion magic, it was best not to take the risk. That would have required bringing along at least two grimoires, and given that only Isaiaite clergy could carry them, being caught with any on hand would only lead to trouble.

    ¡°¡­did you change something?¡± Aoibhe asked Abigail while they waited for their escort to arrive. Abigail gave the fay pilot a blank look as Miliam face palmed.

    ¡°Indeed. Might you recall the usual coloration of my robes?¡± she asked wearily. Aoibhe cocked her head to the side as she thought it over.

    ¡°Oh! Aye, they¡¯ve usually got all that gold embroidery,¡± she observed after a few moments of thought.

    ¡°They are not mere embroidery but functional spells. One ability built into my robes allows me to alter the colors, so I have made the spell circles a matte black that would be difficult to detect with the naked eye. So long as no one runs their hands over the surface their presence will go unnoticed,¡± Abigail explained, running her hands over one sleeve as a demonstration. The ideograms there turned gold again before a second pass made them disappear.

    ¡°I¡¯d thought they might be spells,¡± Miliam noted flatly.

    ¡°You just gonna be like that the whole time we¡¯re here?¡± Aoibhe asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s best I stay in character,¡± Miliam acknowledged with a nod.

    ¡°Captain, we just got a message saying the escort is outside,¡± Min-ji notified them over the comms.

    ¡°Thank you, Min-ji,¡± Miliam replied before hitting the button that lowered the cargo bay ramp. It dropped to reveal a man not far away, standing in front of a car that looked like what a 21<sup>st</sup> century artist¡¯s rendition of a futuristic vehicle. In other words, gaudy, with way too many useless lights. The man himself wore clerical robes and had a face with sharp features and an amiable smile, framed by brown hair. Miliam wasn¡¯t really an expert, but she thought he might have been attractive to someone that favored men.

    ¡°Welcome to New Jerusalem. My name is Salazar Reynolds, but you may call me Brother Sal. I have been assigned to guide you during your visit,¡± the man said as the trio of women descended the ramp. As was proper, Miliam greeted him with a bow and curtsy, while Aoibhe and Abigail merely bowed in their role as her subordinates.

    ¡°Thank you for the warm welcome, Brother Sal. My name is Miliam and these are my employees, Aoibhe and Abigail,¡± she introduced. Obviously Abigail didn¡¯t fit that description, but otherwise she likely would have required her own escort if her knowledge of Isaiaite doctrine wasn¡¯t out of date. It was complicated, but the essence of it was that since Isaiaite women couldn¡¯t rule over men but sometimes required assistance, certain rules of propriety could be waved to allow women to have their own employees.

    Part of the reason the Cardinal-Admiral had been taken aback was the possibility that a woman could be captain of a ship with male crew members- the offer of an escort was likely a method of probing Miliam¡¯s adherence to doctrine. He hadn¡¯t just wanted to know if she needed an escort. If she had admitted to having men onboard while claiming to be captain, this entire mission would have been over before it started.

    ¡°Of course, of course. It is my duty to provide succor to a pious one such as you. Am I correct in my understanding that you wish to visit our holy sites?¡± Brother Sal replied, smiling to each of the three in turn before returning his attention to Miliam.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Yes, Brother. I have heard the Prophet himself is interred here, despite the claims otherwise of those who have strayed from the path,¡± Miliam answered, inserting a hint of blind and righteous fervor into the last part of the sentence. A true believer, one that would go out of her way to travel to True Eden, would never buy into the words of heretics¡­even though it was almost certainly true that Isaiah was buried on either Earth or Eden. How would a small group of refugees fresh from being ousted from power have spirited the holiest relics of their faith from their resting place?

    ¡°Then your faith shall be rewarded this day. I would be delighted to show you to the Holy Sepulcher where the Prophet rests. You will, of course, need to be searched before entering, but I assure you the task to fall to the sisters of the cloth whose duty is to maintain the site,¡± Sal said. Miliam¡¯s smile never wavered, but she was silently grateful she¡¯d chosen not to risk bringing the twins. She¡¯d been afraid of exactly that.

    ¡°I would expect nothing less of those who guard the holiest of resting places. I am grateful to both you and your order for your tireless vigilance,¡± Miliam lied as naturally as she breathed. Brother Sal guided the three of them to the car he¡¯d arrived in, bidding them to sit in the rear seat while he alone sat in the front. Miliam obeyed without hesitation. This wasn¡¯t something in particular Abigail had told her to expect, but she was worried any objection of any kind would be seen as out of place, so she was keen to project the image of an obedient adherent.

    The trip to the tomb was exactly like being on a guided tour. Sal eagerly pointed out landmarks and monuments as they passed, explaining their history and significance as if they weren¡¯t copies of copies of copies meant to replicate the original structures on Eden or Earth. Those were, of course, referred to as merely hollow facsimiles. Practice for when the time had come to erect the final renditions seen here. Although Miliam kept her thoughts to herself, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if another man would be telling another woman the same thing on a planet far from here in another few centuries.

    It would certainly be in line with Isaiaite history to date.

    During the drive, while listening intently to Sal¡¯s words, it occurred to Miliam that there was a startling lack of traffic. The streets were nearly empty. Most of the vehicles they passed were trucks of a size indicating they were meant for supplies. The city had looked small from the sky, but from the ground it hardly even looked lived in- like it was built for the edification of the religion, not for residence. Despite this, the drive to their destination was strangely long, which Miliam eventually realized was because the route had been deliberately circuitous.

    A paranoid person might think that was a delaying tactic, but¡­Miliam was fairly sure she knew how these people thought. She¡¯d said she was here to tour the holy sites, and Brother Sal likely loved nothing more than to talk about the glory of the religion. In his mind, he was simply sharing his joy with a like-minded guest. Miliam was careful to make note of a few of the locations he described, as she had a sneaking suspicion he¡¯d be offering to take her to any that caught her eye once the main event was concluded.

    Eventually they did arrive at the central attraction of New Jerusalem. Informally referred to as the Holy Sepulcher, its true name was about five times as long and half as informative. It exemplified the design philosophy of the city as a whole, incorporating a mish-mash of architectural styles from the old world. Soaring arches, stained glass, minarets, domes- even the symbol that represented Isaiaism itself was a fusion of the faiths that came before it, appearing as a Star of David set within a crescent moon at the tip of a cross.

    Most of that had likely developed long after Miliam¡¯s time, as these things did. Her family probably would have hated it. That almost made her like it.

    After parking the car in a small lot occupied by identical vehicles, Sal led the trio into the building, which Miliam was scared to admit she didn¡¯t know whether to call it a temple, church, mosque, or some other words invented in the time since the birth of Isaiaism. The entrance was grand, with a plethora of gold and silver embedded in the surfaces and even entire mosaics made with nothing but precious stones. Out of context that sounded wasteful, but transmutation was one of the earliest magical arts and accepted even by Isaiaism, so it was entirely possible that all of it began life as common lead.

    Miliam was in the middle of such thoughts when she approached a statue positioned centrally in the entrance hall. It depicted the titular prophet of Isaiaism, Isaiah himself, cradling a depiction of the other three- Abraham, Jesus, and Muhammed, the last of which was represented by a blank outline in keeping with his prohibition of graven images.

    She stepped back, blood draining from her face, when her eyes fell on the head of the statue. Brother Sal took note, stopping to check on her.

    ¡°Is everything alright, sister?¡±

    ¡°O-of course. I was just¡­momentarily overawed by the prophet¡¯s depiction, set amidst the backdrop of this divine chamber. It¡¯s like nothing I¡¯ve ever seen. May I have a moment to take it in before we proceed?¡± she replied, rallying herself to give her best depiction of a believer overwhelmed by faith. Which¡­was really just pretending to be herself, ten years ago, during a gathering of members of her denomination from all over the country where her mother passed out from excitement.

    ¡°Take your time. I understand. I will wait for you at the end of the chamber whenever you are prepared,¡± Brother Sal told her amiably before strolling off. Aoibhe came up behind Miliam and leaned over to talk into her ear.

    ¡°Alright, spill. No way that was a religious experience. What did you see?¡±

    Miliam looked in Sal¡¯s direction, checking that he was out of earshot before speaking.

    ¡°His name isn¡¯t Isaiah. That¡¯s my little brother, Zachary.¡±

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Isaiaism

    Although Isaiaites claim to be the heirs to the long and storied histories of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the extent to which this is true is a matter for debate. The motivations of its founders in choosing to make this assertion have been lost to time, and the significant amount of upheaval combined with wild swings between political extremes at the time have made information on the religion¡¯s early teachings dubious at best as well. Further complicating matters is the fact that, despite their claims of originalism, Isaiaite teachings have been found to have drifted significantly each time a formerly Isaiaite colony was admitted to the Gaian Collective.

    What is agreed upon is that Isaiaism was founded in the early 2030s by a man calling himself the prophet Isaiah whose true identity is unknown. Initially a fringe movement, the religion gained momentum as opposition to magic grew among Evangelical circles, likely indicating that it originated from within that group and came to encompass it before members seized control of the United States government via a popular election. At some point between then and the start of the Witch Hunter Wars, Isaiaites began attempting to unify religion in that country either by forced conversion or by syncretism.

    Isaiaism is known to have trended towards being increasingly oppressive and conservative over time, likely in reaction to the rejection of the status quo on successive colony worlds. Their holy book remains largely unchanged, consisting of the Torah, Bible, and Quran in addition to the Antimageia, but interpretations of which passages take precedence have drifted over time. On Final Eden, Isaiaism is known to have adopted most rules reinforcing traditional gender roles and empowering the church, in addition to implementing a sort of proto-cast system in which the church handles all administrative matters while the remaining population assumed duties assigned by the clergy.

    In the current day, Isaiaism is largely restricted to colonies founded by members of the religion, having disappeared entirely from Earth in a mass exodus. The three religions it purports to have succeeded, however, still exist throughout the Gaian Collective, albeit with far fewer adherents by percentage of the population.

 Chapter Thirty Seven

    ¡°What!? How did that happen?¡± Aoibhe asked sharply, thankfully retaining the presence of mind to keep her voice to a whisper.

    ¡°How should I know!?¡± Miliam hissed back.

    ¡°Could it just be a doppleganger? What is it they say- every person has a dozen identical strangers?¡± Aoibhe suggested.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how the saying goes,¡± Miliam denied, though she couldn¡¯t call to mind the correct wording either. ¡°That seems like an even crazier coincidence though if you ask me¡­¡±

    ¡°So, does that change anything? I mean, you¡¯re technically the long-lost sister of the prophet, right?¡± There was a glint in Aoibhe¡¯s eye that Miliam did not like the look of.

    ¡°Considering the other option is execution for heresy I¡¯m not looking to find out!¡± she snapped before the fay could get too greedy.

    ¡°Mayhaps we should continue this conversation on the ship, then, assuming it does not materially affect the mission?¡± Abigail whispered before they could continue.

    ¡°¡­you¡¯re right,¡± Miliam replied, taking a deep breath. ¡°Just give me a moment to refocus.¡±

    That was easier said than done, though. Miliam found her mind cast back to the 21<sup>st</sup> century, going over everything she knew about her brother. What made him go from a meek missionary preacher to a demagogue? She didn¡¯t exactly know what he¡¯d been through after her disappearance, but that only made it easier to assume the change was brought on by her disappearance. They¡¯d never been particularly close, but¡­maybe that was only how Miliam saw it from her side. Zachary may have felt differently.

    She forced the roiling emotions in her chest down and re-centered herself, once again immersing herself in the role. Once she let the mask fall back over her face Miliam felt much more comfortable. Years of experience allowed her to let her feelings fade into the background and soon only her most pressing worry remained: namely, survival.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she told Abigail and Aoibhe as she headed to meet Brother Sal. Once he had confirmed she was ready to continue he led them further inside the building through hallways with floors inlaid with gold. While the entryway had been empty, there were more signs of habitation further in. Their little group passed a small number of nuns in ones and twos as they cleaned the interior, as well as a priest that seemed to be doing the rounds checking on their progress. Brother Sal gave a nod as each of them greeted him, but otherwise ignored the women, leaving them to their work.

    A short time later they reached an ornate door guarded by several men in blue, yellow, orange, and red uniforms under black cuirasses and matching black helmets. Each was equipped with a halberd that shone a polished silver which they held leaned against their right shoulder with one hand while the other hand rested on the butt of a holstered pistol. Long removed from their origins on Earth, Miliam recognized them as Swiss Guard, the traditional guardsman of the Vatican, though she doubted there was any sort of continuity involved.

    Years of dismantling religious propaganda told Miliam that the resemblance was superficial, merely a method of establishing a subconscious sense of legitimacy in the followers of Isaiaism. While it might have simply be a detail Abigail left out, she didn¡¯t recall hearing anything about the Catholic Church endorsing Isaiaism, and the pope converting certainly would have been noteworthy. It wasn¡¯t like anyone was going to come all the way out here to rebuke them for it, so the Isaiaites had nothing to lose.

    ¡°This way, please,¡± Brother Sal bade them while motioning to an unassuming door nearby. ¡°I will be back shortly with some of my sisters who will handle your inspection.¡±

    Miliam led the way into a plainly adorned waiting room that contrasted heavily with the opulence of the building containing it. A part of her worried that they¡¯d somehow been seen through and this was a ruse to corner them, but leading them into the waiting arms of the guards outside probably would have sufficed. Still, she remained cautious enough to stay quiet just in case the room was bugged. She¡¯d lost her composure earlier and broken character in the entry hall, but that room was cavernous and would be difficult to monitor that closely- hopefully their words had gone unheard.

    ¡°Excuse us,¡± a woman said as she opened the door, entering at the head of two other women. All three were adorned in habits and wimples, and the expressions they wore were perfectly unreadable poker faces. Once all three had entered, one shut the door behind them. ¡°Please undress so that we can conduct our inspection. Underwear is fine.¡±

    Aoibhe and Abigail looked at each other and Miliam before complying; seeing them begin to undress, Miliam followed suit. Although the other two seemed unbothered, Miliam struggled to figure out where to point her eyes, ultimately settling on staring at the ground just in front of the lead nun. Having grown up as women this probably wasn¡¯t all that unusual for the others in the room, but for Miliam it was the first time, so for her it was anything but mundane. Belatedly, it occurred to her that the room could have hidden cameras in it. She barely managed to keep her face from flushing at the thought.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Once Miliam and the others had placed their clothes in neat stacks on the coffee table, she watched nervously as the nuns searched through them. Her biggest worry had been that they might spot the runes on Abigail¡¯s robes- she¡¯d been expecting a pat-down rather than this more thorough search- but the woman going through them either failed to notice or didn¡¯t know the significance of what her fingers brushed over. Other than that, though, Miliam knew there was nothing illicit hidden within anyone¡¯s clothes, so while it was a relief when they were allowed to retrieve them, it wasn¡¯t a surprise.

    ¡°I will let Brother Sal know the inspection is complete,¡± the lead nun informed them once they¡¯d finished getting dressed again. The nuns filed out of the room, leaving Miliam and the others alone for a brief time before Brother Sal returned.

    ¡°I apologize for the inconvenience, ladies. I will now show you to the prophet¡¯s resting place,¡± he told them, waving for them to follow him. He led them out and to the ornate door from before, pushing it open after briefly confirming with the guards. Inside was a room smaller than Miliam had expected given the scale of the Sepulcher as a whole, but quite large all the same- at least the same size as the main room of an average church. Columns lined the walls, and a red and gold carpet stretched from the door to the altar in the back.

    More than a tomb, it looked like a throne room. Like the outside, the interior was manned by guards in ceremonial uniforms. Atop the altar at the back was a sarcophagus- or perhaps a cenotaph, depending on one bought into the claim that the prophet Isaiah was truly interred there. Despite the gaudy nature of the room it occupied, the box itself was surprisingly subdued in design. It looked to be made of fine, lacquered wood, but other than a golden rim between the lid and bottom it was completely bereft of ornamentation like every other surface in the chamber.

    ¡°Please, take your time. I¡¯ll be right here when you¡¯ve finished paying your respects,¡± Brother Sal told Miliam. She nodded gravely and opened her eyes just a little too wide in that way unique to the deeply religious. Then Miliam turned and strode towards the altar, her thoughts returning to the revelation from earlier.

    Did that box truly contain her brother? Was it simply empty? Or did it hide the body of a lookalike, completely unrelated to Miliam herself? If it were really him, this might be the most awkward reunion of all time. There probably wasn¡¯t a single person in the galaxy who had previously bumped into a deceased younger brother multiple lifetimes after their death and over a hundred light-years away from the place they died, much less one who¡¯d gone on to found a movement denying the very existence of their sibling. It was a very specific situation.

    As Miliam knelt before the potentially empty coffin, she realized the one emotion she didn¡¯t seem to be feeling right now was grief. What was difficult to discern was if that was because it didn¡¯t feel real or because she didn¡¯t care. Even from her own perspective it had been nearly a year since she¡¯d seen Zachary. He¡¯d been off in Africa somewhere, preaching to people that didn¡¯t have enough food or medical care that what they really needed was Jesus.

    Maybe that wasn¡¯t fair, she reflected as she clasped her hands before her and pretended to pray. To make a show of honoring her fictional late husband. And wasn¡¯t that ironic? If she¡¯d married a man before this all began, her brother would have never spoken to her again, but the very event that reversed the propriety of such a thing would have sparked the same reaction. In the midst of such a paradox Miliam thought that maybe that sort of conditional love was why she wasn¡¯t sad about being permanently parted from her family.

    At any rate¡­perhaps it was unfair to paint Zachary¡¯s mission work as so out of touch, Miliam reflected, her thought a jumble. He¡¯d truly believed he was doing good work, and he¡¯d been doing things like digging wells and teaching. Yet, on the other hand, what good did it do for the people he helped if he was just going to leave in the end, abandoning the bonds he¡¯d built and depriving them of whatever services he¡¯d actually provided?

    Having heard all the arguments for and against trips like Zachary¡¯s, Miliam had never quite been able to make up her mind about them. She¡¯d kept her inner turmoil to herself back then and probably would have regardless of what she decided in the end. That was just another way in which she had distanced herself from her family- she couldn¡¯t trust them enough to allow herself to be vulnerable, to let them even suspect what she truly believed.

    It no longer mattered, though, did it? They were dead and Miliam was alive. She could choose to see that as a loss or she could instead view it as a gift of freedom. There was no sense in beating herself up over a separation she hardly felt. But that left the elephant in the room. If Isaiah were really Zachary¡­was it a mere coincidence that he had gone to such extremes after her disappearance? Did he somehow¡­know? Was he under the impression Miliam had been spirited away by witches or something when he went on a crusade that resulted in wars across the planet?

    And if he was, did that make it her fault or his?

    That thought is what truly got to Miliam, even bringing tears to her eyes. It was hard to imagine the scale of the suffering she¡¯d caused if she was correct. But even after several minutes of turning the question over in her mind, Miliam was no closer to an answer to that question. The only thing she could be certain of was that there¡¯d really been no way of knowing it would come to this.

    At least the wetness on her cheeks helped sell her story.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m done here. Let¡¯s go,¡± Miliam whispered to her companions as she stood. She wasn¡¯t sure how long they¡¯d been there now, but it had to have been at least half an hour by now, and that was surely enough to convince their audience of her piety. Aoibhe laid a hand on her shoulder as Miliam turned and walked back to Brother Sal, indicating her silent support. The priest gave an understanding nod at her approach.

    ¡°It¡¯s a powerful feeling, being so close to the prophet himself. Take solace in the knowledge that your husband is with him and our holy father now, looking down upon you from above.¡±

    ¡°¡­thank you for the kind words.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Eight

    Miliam and her companions spent the next several hours touring True Eden¡¯s greatest monuments. There were far more to choose from than the population of the planet seemed to warrant, but the church had a history dating back over half a millennium, and they¡¯d replicated old buildings in addition to constructing new ones. Many commemorated particularly significant martyrs or served as the sites for official holiday celebrations, while others were simply beautifully built edifices that had becomes iconic over the years on previous colonies.

    During the trip to the Holy Sepulcher Miliam had taken note of a few of those locations and asked for a closer look during the follow-up tour. The Cenotaphs of the Martyrs was first on the list; unlike the memorials to particular martyrs, the Cenotaphs recorded the name of every person ever known to have died for the cause. They consisted of an extensive field of black stone obelisks with names carved into their surfaces in small text next to dates going back to the Witch Hunter Wars. She¡¯d also taken an interest in the Sanctuary of Reconciliation, a carbon-copy of the first house of worship built to incorporate elements of architecture from all three of Isaiaism¡¯s parent religions, as well as a handful of less significant memorials she¡¯d thought looked pretty.

    The tour wrapped up with a modest dinner courtesy of Brother Sal. Once the meal was concluded and the dishes were taken away, the crucial moment arrived- the one the Astrum Vitae had come here for.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a pleasure hosting you today, sister. Will you be needing a place to stay the night, or will you be departing immediately?¡± Brother Sal asked, hands folded neatly in his lap and back ramrod straight. His posture during the entire dinner had been impeccable. Despite the hospitality shown so far, there was a clear implication in his tone- Miliam was still an outsider and would only be tolerated here for so long, regardless of how strong her faith was.

    ¡°I would be happy to depart and share my experiences here with my brothers and sisters back home, but I¡¯m afraid I have to beg one more favor first. My ship is old, and we discovered an important part of the reactor had failed two jumps before getting here. We were able to cannibalize one of our lasers to make a temporary replacement, but it would be dangerous to do that all the way home,¡± Miliam explained, fingers crossed beneath the table. If Brother Sal suspected anything, though, it didn¡¯t show on his face.

    ¡°Oh, how unfortunate. I¡¯m in no position to make any promises, but I can pass the request up the chain. I do suspect it would be hard to provide a replacement for free, however- we get by here, but we¡¯re far from wealthy,¡± Brother Sal replied. Miliam¡¯s knee-jerk reaction was to think he was full of it, considering the opulence on display today, but she reminded herself that wealth wasn¡¯t measured the same way today as it was in her time. Gold was just a mundane metal now. What mattered was the scale of their ability to produce magic tools and mana-infused alloys, the true bottleneck to all modern production.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t anticipate the failure, so we didn¡¯t bring any cargo valuable enough to exchange, but I¡¯d be happy to offer the services of my ship,¡± Miliam offered, careful to phrase her proposal so that it was the ship that was the focus and not the crew. She wasn¡¯t sure Brother Sal would have taken it in that way regardless, but it was better safe than sorry.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask someone if there¡¯s anything we need done- please excuse me a moment while I contact Father Corgan,¡± Sal said as he stood, name-dropping someone Miliam assumed was his immediate superior before walking away. A short time later he returned with a smile. ¡°It seems Father Corgan knows of a way you may be able to contribute. He¡¯d like to speak with you as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°I think now is good,¡± Miliam confirmed after glancing at Aoibhe and Abigail. They returned as a crew to Brother Sal¡¯s car and he took them to a building that looked like a church on the outside but more resembled an office once they¡¯d gone inside. As True Eden was a theocracy, government agencies were part of the church, so that probably meant Brother Sal was actually closer to a bureaucrat than a priest, functionally speaking. He led them to a mid-sized office and bid them inside.

    ¡°Father Corgan, I¡¯ve brought our guests as requested. Will you be needing anything else?¡± Sal asked the man sitting inside at a desk. He was older than Sal by at least ten years, but was dressed in much the same fashion. Corgan¡¯s face was severe, with lines etched in by too much frowning and a heavy brow that made his eyes appear sunken.

    ¡°Thank you, Sal, that will be all. You may return to your duties,¡± Father Corgan responded. Sal bowed and then left the room, wishing Miliam a good day on the way out.

    ¡°Many thanks for meeting with me, Father Corgan,¡± Miliam said, giving him a proper curtsy and bowing her head.

    ¡°Please, have a seat,¡± Corgan said to Miliam. There was only a single seat in front of the desk, which Miliam took once Corgan acknowledged her.

    ¡°Brother Sal suggested you may be able to provide me a means of serving the church?¡± Miliam asked politely, prompting a snort from the man across the desk.

    ¡°Of serving yourself, you mean. Your offer comes only because you need something,¡± Corgan said, raising a hand to preempt Miliam¡¯s response. Although she¡¯d kept her composure, her heart was racing. ¡°I did not bring you here merely to admonish you. As it happens, I need something as well, and your ship may just be the solution.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    It was obvious from the glint in Corgan¡¯s eyes and the slight smirk on his face that he would gain something from solving this problem as well. In other words, he intended to use Miliam and her ship to his own ends. That was fine, though; Miliam was hardly innocent in that regard at the moment.

    ¡°See, I happen to know about a problem my superiors have been dealing with for some time now. A crew of miners that decided the going rates weren¡¯t good enough for them and supplies were getting too expensive, so they started holding up other ships for their supplies instead.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like something the fleet should have been able to handle,¡± Miliam pointed out.

    ¡°Yeah, if we had any ships with translocation drives,¡± Corgan replied sourly. ¡°But we don¡¯t. So by the time anyone can respond to a distress call, they¡¯ve already disappeared into the gas giant¡¯s rings. We¡¯ve got no idea where they¡¯re hiding. No search has managed to turn them up once they go to ground, and we can¡¯t afford to leave True Eden undefended for too long because mirazar privateers have been raiding us for years now.¡±

    ¡°The mirazar? Why would they do that?¡± Miliam asked, not having expected that name to resurface here. She remembered Captain Ardyanto¡¯s warning. But Corgan had specifically used the word privateer, not pirate, so that would seem to indicate it was government sponsored. That placed the mirazar navy, or at least their raiders, much further afield than they¡¯d thought.

    ¡°Idiots are convinced all the independent colonies out here are just some thinly-veiled cover for Gaian Collective expansionism. They¡¯re not looking to kill everyone, but they¡¯d love it if we all packed up and went somewhere else.¡± Father Corgan shook his head in disgust. ¡°Every few months they drop by and blow up a few orbital refineries or take some potshots at our ground based industry. Won¡¯t listen when we tell them we hate the GC more than they do. It¡¯s not like we can choose where God¡¯s holy world is any more than we can up and move the planet.¡±

    ¡°Why¡­don¡¯t they want everyone dead?¡± Miliam wondered, figuring the mirazar likely possessed a fleet easily capable of demolishing the one in orbit. Expelling or destroying the True Edenites should have been easy.

    ¡°Well, for one, they¡¯re not fucking carillions,¡± the bureaucratic priest cursed, shocking Miliam with the sudden vulgarity. Clearly the man was not the most pious, at least in that regard. ¡°For another, we might not like the Gaians, but the mirazar know full well they¡¯d retaliate for the destruction of a human colony, just to make a point.

    ¡°But back on topic, that mining ship? They¡¯ve scared most ships away by now, and we¡¯re fairly sure the rest mining the rings are collaborators. That means they have no choice but to go further afield to hit new targets. They slingshot around the gas giant and coast towards their targets, then use their wave drive to get back before the response force reaches them. I don¡¯t think anyone up top has put two and two together yet, but that means there¡¯s a window where your ship could get between them and their hidey-hole. And since I was the first to propose it and refer you to the fleet, I get credit for the solution.¡±

    Corgan gave a nasty smile as he revealed his true motivations. It made Miliam¡¯s skin crawl, but at least it was a motivation she could understand. His career must have stalled and this was the perfect opportunity to add to his list of achievements.

    ¡°And¡­if we do that, you¡¯ll get us the reactor component we need?¡± Miliam asked carefully, wanting confirmation before she agreed to anything. She hadn¡¯t forgotten about the contract she¡¯d signed with Abigail for the sale of her tome either; if she¡¯d needed one for that, it would probably be best to demand one here as well.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to work that out with the navy, but I don¡¯t see why not. Those guys have been making the fleet look bad for way too long. Can¡¯t imagine there¡¯s much they wouldn¡¯t do to bring them in,¡± Corgan said. Internally, Miliam clicked her tongue. Dealing with the military would be a lot scarier than making an agreement with a mildly corrupt middle-manager. She could already feel herself developing ulcers at the thought.

    ¡°Either way¡­Aoibhe, can we manage a jump right now?¡± Miliam asked, turning to her pilot. Aoibhe put a hand to her chin as she thought it over.

    ¡°We drained our capacitors getting her, but¡­aye, it should be doable. An in-system jump isn¡¯t nearly as power hungry, we just don¡¯t usually do it because of the danger of there being another ship close to the destination- we already risk it once on the way into the system, no sense doing it again,¡± Aoibhe explained.

    ¡°And- what about the mining ship? How much of a threat do you think they¡¯d be?¡± Miliam followed up.

    ¡°Eh, not much. At most they should have some mining lasers and those aren¡¯t much stronger than point defense lasers. They¡¯re probably only a threat to each other because their barriers are fine-tuned for impacts, not directed energy, and civilian sublight ships usually don¡¯t have configurable barriers,¡± the pilot responded, shrugging a single shoulder.

    Miliam had to admit she liked the sound of that¡­assuming it held true. But Aoibhe was the closest thing she had to a subject matter expert right now. She¡¯d have to get a second opinion from Tessa before agreeing to anything, of course.

    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll at least consider it- but I¡¯m not making any promises until I hear the plan from someone in the fleet,¡± Miliam said, hedging her agreement with a conditional just in case Tessa had a different opinion. Corgan just smiled.

    ¡°Good, good. I¡¯ll have Brother Sal take you back to your ship- I have little doubt that someone will be contacting you shortly.¡±

    <hr>

    Codex: Mining

    With easy access to the wave drive, mining has largely transitioned to focusing on asteroids and moons over terrestrial resources. Any location within a single star system can be reached within just a few hours, which combined with environmental concerns makes it much more preferable to obtain resources off-world, which is both safer and better for the environment. Asteroid mining is also cheaper because a fleet of mining vessels is mobile and can be reused on any asteroid, whereas a surface mine is in investment in infrastructure that is largely useless once the mine is exhausted.

    Transmuting common minerals into rarer elements is still an extra step that consumes both time and energy, though, so some mining is still done on-world in order to obtain harder-to-find minerals like rhodium which are only marginally more common in asteroids than on planets. Others like iridium are more rare on-world than off, which has caused their value to plummet with the advent of asteroid mining. Common elements like copper, lead, and iron are almost never mined on inhabited worlds; even if asteroid sources were exhausted it is far more preferable to mine them from planets incapable of sustaining life.

 Chapter Thirty Nine

    The moment the Astrum Vitae¡¯s cargo bay door slid shut, Miliam sighed deeply, relaxing her shoulders and slumping forward a bit. She didn¡¯t know when the last time she felt this exhausted was. Unfortunately, this was far from over.

    ¡°So¡­ready to talk now?¡± Aoibhe asked immediately. Miliam glared at her, but the pilot was unphased. After a moment Miliam relented.

    ¡°Fine, but let¡¯s get to the bridge first. We don¡¯t know when or if we¡¯ll be getting that call,¡± she compromised. They headed upstairs in silence and each took their seats on the bridge when they arrived, with Abigail assuming a spot next to Miliam¡¯s chair.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re here. Talk,¡± Aoibhe said, clearly tired of waiting. Eun-ji and Min-ji looked on in confusion.

    ¡°¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±¡± they asked in stereo from opposite sides of the bridge.

    ¡°Oh, nothing,¡± Miliam answered with false nonchalance. ¡°Just discovered my little brother might have founded one of the most destructive cults in human history. No big deal.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± asked Min-ji.

    ¡°How is that even possible!?¡± asked Eun-ji, causing Miliam to remember that she¡¯d deferred telling them about that particular bit of backstory and never gotten around to it later. She groaned, realizing she¡¯d have to do that first just for context.

    ¡°I guess now¡¯s as good a time as any¡­hold one while I call Tessa and Engineer up here. Let¡¯s get this over with all at once,¡± she told them before calling her remaining crew members to the bridge. The intervening silence was a bit awkward, but there wasn¡¯t much to be said before everything was out in the open.

    ¡°Hey captain, what¡¯s up?¡± Tessa asked immediately upon arriving, Engineer in tow. For their part, the stoic dragonewt just nodded.

    ¡°Story time. So, it started when I found this book in my parents¡¯ attic¡­¡± Miliam began, jumping straight into it. She¡¯d barely gotten three sentences out before Tessa tried to ask a question, but Abigail helpfully chopped her in the back of the head- lightly, of course- to indicate now wasn¡¯t the time. Ignoring the overeager elf, Miliam continued to explain that she¡¯d been born on 21<sup>st</sup> century Earth, found an ancient grimoire forgotten by her family, and deciphered enough of the contents to successfully cast a spell, only to accidentally trigger a second one that left her in stasis for hundreds of years.

    ¡°Woah. You¡¯re a real-life time traveler. Hey, what did bread taste like seven hundred years ago?¡± Tessa asked, rounding up, while the twins and Engineer were still digesting the story. Miliam gave her a look of disbelief.

    ¡°That¡¯s your first question?¡±

    ¡°To be fair, you are the only person alive that can answer it. Doesn¡¯t that make it a valid question?¡± Aoibhe asked with an amused grin.

    ¡°¡­it tasted sweeter, but I think that was just how it was made in the country I lived in,¡± Miliam answered after a few seconds of silence. Eun-ji jumped in next, before Tessa could ask something even more inane.

    ¡°Wait, did you already know?¡± she asked Aoibhe, having noticed that Aoibhe¡¯s phrasing indicated she already believed Miliam.

    ¡°Aye. The cap¡¯n left it out for brevity, but we met right after she popped back up, and there was no other way she could have gotten where she was. Abigail over there confirmed the second spell could have done in,¡± Aoibhe confirmed, waving towards the scholar in question.

    ¡°Indeed. The event was statistically unlikely, but possible nonetheless. But let us move on to the more pressing topic: why do you believe Isaiah to be your brother?¡± Abigail said, turning the conversation back over to Miliam.

    ¡°We were both adults last time I saw him. Whatever they used as a reference for the statue couldn¡¯t have been from more than three or four years later. He looked pretty young,¡± Miliam answered. ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is why. He was a preacher, sure, but he never had the charisma or¡­ambition to acquire so much power.¡±

    ¡°Maybe something happened after you left,¡± Aoibhe proposed.

    ¡°Or¡­he found out what happened? Somehow?¡± Min-ji added, head cocked to the side and one finger to her cheek.

    ¡°Mm¡­I would hazard the first. I cannot think of any possible way the spell could have been traced. If it had been anchored properly, perhaps it would have been possible to detect Miliam even in her altered state, but there should have been no residue otherwise. We also know the book was transported with you, so there should have been no evidence,¡± Abigail replied, shooting down Min-ji¡¯s idea. That gave Miliam an epiphany, however, that actually proved Min-ji correct.

    ¡°No¡­wait, there was something I left behind. My notes. I had extensive notes on the translation. They would have looked like utter nonsense out of context, but just a month after I left the discovery of magic was announced.¡± Miliam¡¯s eyes widened as she spoke, horror rising up inside her.

    ¡°Just. Assumption,¡± Engineer grunted.

    ¡°They¡¯re right. We don¡¯t actually know that your family ever would have managed to make the connection. They might not have even kept the notes that long,¡± Aoibhe agreed. Instead of replying, Miliam looked to Abigail.

    ¡°¡­did Isaiah ever talk about anything like that? A family member getting spirited away or dabbling in witchcraft or something?¡± she asked, figuring Abigail was most likely to know among the crew. To her relief, Abigail shook her head.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°To my knowledge Isaiah is not known to have had a¡­sibling,¡± Abigail replied carefully. ¡°The Isaiaites may have better records of the time, but they are highly likely to have been doctored repeatedly since the faithful migrated to the original Eden. My studies centered most on the origins of the religion and particularly its unique magic, so I believe had any such thing been recorded I would have come across it, however.¡±

    ¡°I bet Isaiah was a clone! Or¡­a mimic! Some kind of monster that just took the form of your brother!¡± Tessa contributed, looking almost as if she¡¯d spoken just because she¡¯d gone too long without doing so.

    ¡°Uh, crazy theories aside, she might now be too far off. It¡¯s not like we have any way of knowing he wasn¡¯t just a lookalike,¡± Eun-ji pointed out softly.

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re right, whatever happened afterwards isn¡¯t your fault,¡± Aoibhe assured Miliam, at which her eyes snapped to the pilot.

    ¡°¡­I never said it was,¡± she replied weakly. Abigail laid a hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°You did not need to. It was written upon your face. Aoibhe is quite correct, though. It would not be fair to hold you responsible for the actions of anyone, family or no. You could not have known what the future held, nor can you be sure those events would not have played out regardless,¡± she said gently, a slight smile on her face. Miliam nodded slowly.

    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re both right. Thanks, I-¡± Miliam was cut off by a notification from Min-ji¡¯s terminal that the dokkaebi spun around to check immediately.

    ¡°We¡¯re getting a call from the TEDF Faith is its Own Reward,¡± she announced, looking to Miliam for instructions. The captain took a deep breath and tried to shove her worries to the side.

    ¡°Engineer, clear out- I don¡¯t know how they¡¯ll take it if they see a dragonewt and it¡¯s best not to risk it. Min-ji, put it on the main screen as soon as Engineer leaves,¡± she ordered, straightening her posture before remembering to stand and hurrying to do so before the call went through.

    ¡°Miss Stern,¡± said the man that appeared on the screen, emphasizing the title. In spite of the disrespect, Miliam forced herself to remain composed and performed a curtsy yet again. ¡°Captain Brown, commanding officer of the Third Patrol Squadron. I¡¯ve been assigned the task of apprehending the rogue miners and have been alerted to your willingness to assist.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Captain Brown. How may I be of service?¡± Miliam replied, head still bowed. The young blonde man on the screen showed no interest in allowing her to leave her pose, and she gritted her teeth at his conduct.

    ¡°My people are currently working on transferring the warheads from several ship-to-ship missiles onto counter missiles that should be compatible with your launchers,¡± Brown replied, glossing over the fact that he apparently knew exactly what type of launchers the Astrum Vitae had. As far as Miliam knew they were stock for this model, so that wasn¡¯t too unusual, but he hadn¡¯t actually bothered to check. ¡°The next time the rogue miners assault a ship, my squadron will sortie in response. You will then utilize your drive to intercept them and demand their surrender. If they do not comply, you are authorized to use force.¡±

    A chill ran down Miliam¡¯s spine at that. She really, really hoped they would surrender. Could she even bring herself to order their deaths?

    ¡°You¡­don¡¯t want them brought in alive?¡± she asked hoarsely. The man snorted.

    ¡°Their fates are in their own hands. They have chosen to defy god¡¯s teachings and will suffer their just punishment- one way or another. Do note that we will be reclaiming any missiles you do not fire, and you will not receive any codes except those required to arm them,¡± he replied as if he thought she¡¯d only cared about the possibility of free ammunition. ¡°Do you have any questions?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. My ship is in need of a replacement part that requires orichalcum of a certain purity. May I¡­request one as compensation?¡± Even as she spoke, Miliam wondered what she¡¯d even be able to do if he said ¡®no.¡¯ Technically they did have a plan b: use their drive to escape the system and cannibalize the point defense lasers to reach a safe harbor. She resolved herself to agree to participate no matter what Brown said, but she had no intention of following through if he refused to pay.

    ¡°How¡­mercenary. I expected little more from someone brought up among heretics, however, much less a woman who acts above her station. You will have your trinket, but I expect results. If that is all you have to ask, then my communications officer will provide you the coordinates to rendezvous with my ship and take on the missiles. You will then be expected to remain on station until you are needed. My quartermaster will provide any needed provisions in the meantime. I trust you are capable of following those instructions,¡± Brown said derisively before ending the call. Miliam straightened her back at last, displeasure having overridden her earlier worries.

    ¡°Arrogant bastard,¡± Aoibhe growled. The other women on the bridge were quick to voice their agreement.

    ¡°He¡¯s a jerk, but he¡¯s also our ticket out of here. We¡¯re using him, not the other way around, and Cardinal-Admiral Howard seemed reasonable- I don¡¯t think he¡¯d let that guy go back on his word,¡± Miliam responded as she sat back down.

    ¡°But¡­what if he does let him do that?¡± Min-ji queried nervously. Eun-ji nodded rapidly on the other side of the room.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll have Engineer tear out one more of our point defense lasers,¡± Miliam answered after a moment of thought. ¡°That way all we have to do is make it out of the gravity well if we need to make an escape.¡±

    The twins looked relieved at that answer, which told Miliam she¡¯d been right to consider that possibility for crew morale if nothing else. She still wasn¡¯t entirely sure how easily they¡¯d be able to escape if it came down to it, especially if something went wrong when the Astrum Vitae tried to pick up their reward, which would probably necessitate docking with another ship, but¡­there were only so many contingencies she could possibly prepare for, and she wasn¡¯t a genius. Honestly, Miliam thought she was probably doing well just to have thought as far ahead as she already had.

    ¡°Aoibhe, go ahead and take us up as soon as we know where to go. Stay at the helm while we¡¯re taking on those missiles, though- just in case they try something.¡±

    <hr>

    Codex: Stasis Magic

    Although the name is something of a misnomer, stasis magic is used to preserve people or objects in a given volume against the passage of time. As time cannot currently be directly manipulated with magic, though, this has to be done indirectly. This is typically done by utilizing an aspect of space-time physics: the closer an object grows to the speed of light, the less it feels the effects of time. Gravitational time dilation is a less common method which is seldom used on biological objects due to deleterious effects that are currently unavoidable.

    Of course, even spaceships do not travel faster than light by physical moving at speeds approaching c. Accelerating something to such speeds for the sole purpose of reducing time¡¯s influence on it is impractical. Instead, the target¡¯s time is dilated by greatly reducing the speed necessary for time dilation to be experienced within a defined area. Within this volume time is experienced normally, but from the outside it is effectively frozen.

    Stasis can also be achieved by manipulation of gravity, but only by applying intense gravitational effects to the target. This is actually less energy-intensive than the alternative, but as no method had been discovered that does not rely directly on gravity it is impractical for use on biological matter. In theory it should be possible to accomplish gravitational time dilation by increasing effective dilation at higher values of gravitational potential, but this remains an unsolved problem in the field of magic.

 Chapter Forty

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go over the plan one more time,¡± Miliam said to her crew as she took her seat. Aoibhe gave her an irritated look.

    ¡°Cap¡¯n, we¡¯ve gone over it every day for almost a week. What good¡¯s one more review gonna do for us?¡± she asked, waving her hand palm-up questioningly. While Aoibhe wasn¡¯t wrong, Miliam was inwardly afraid not to review this daily. It was impossible to say what would happen if they failed entirely, but she wasn¡¯t looking forward to the prospect of making their way home with ever-dwindling defensive capabilities. And one of the other options meant murdering an entire crew of miners. She didn¡¯t even want to consider that.

    ¡°Just¡­humor me, please?¡± Miliam begged, to which Aoibhe gave her a tired nod. ¡°Great. So, by the time we know the rogue miners have appeared it will probably be somewhere around twenty to thirty minutes after. That¡¯s more than enough time to take whatever they can grab and run, so they¡¯ll already be starting to head back by then.¡±

    ¡°Which doesn¡¯t matter, because they¡¯re not faster than teleportation,¡± Aoibhe continued for her. ¡°So we jump as close to the gas giant as possible the moment we know they¡¯re out there. That should give us a bit over half an hour to send the stand-down message.¡±

    ¡°I have it ready to transmit so we don¡¯t have to take the time to record it!¡± Eun-ji gave a thumbs-up from her place at the comms station.

    ¡°And¡­we should know if they¡¯re going to surrender a little under ten minutes before they reach us because their wave drives top out at 0.8c,¡± Min-ji added next, coming across almost as nervous as Miliam herself.

    It was that last detail that really explained why the True Edenites needed the Astrum Vitae. Their military ships were faster than civilian models, but with a twenty minute head-start at minimum, there was no way they could catch up even when cruising at a solid 0.9c. That was bad by even the standards the Astrum Vitae, itself outdated, was built to but Miliam wasn¡¯t sure if they even knew how fast her ship was given they¡¯d only moved at a pre-approved speed on the way in. Depending on the distances involved, it actually would have been possible for them to outrun the miners without engaging the translocation drive at all.

    When Miliam had realized that, she¡¯d actually considered telling Captain Brown about it in an effort to not burn out the Astrum Vitae¡¯s reactor, but in the end had come to the conclusion it was better that it stayed a secret. Just in case she needed to outrun True Edenite ships herself. The days they¡¯d already spent waiting were more than enough for Engineer to prepare another replacement part for the reactor, and by the time this job was over it would already be installed, anyway.

    ¡°But if they keep coming, we fire the missiles!¡± Tessa contributed over the comms.

    ¡°Right. Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t come to that, though. And we¡¯ll fire one early as a warning shot,¡± Miliam was quick to clarify.

    ¡°Replacement. Ready,¡± Engineer said, which was a bit light on details, but they didn¡¯t really need to say anything more. Everyone already knew that any part of the reactor both in the way and safe to remove was stripped out, reducing the time Engineer would need to do their part.

    ¡°Alright. As soon as we see that mining ship, fire up the drive, Aoibhe. Assuming¡­you know, that they actually show up today,¡± Miliam finished awkwardly. They¡¯d evidently not needed to replenish their supplied yet given that the rogue miners remained hidden. It was hard to say how long the Astrum Vitae would be waiting for, but Miliam hoped it wouldn¡¯t be much longer. Staying alert at all times and only rotating crew out for sleep had seriously frayed everyone¡¯s nerves, but if they didn¡¯t react quickly enough it would reduce the window in which they¡¯d be able to see if the miners were slowing down, making it an unfortunate necessity.

    Another four hours had passed and Miliam was just about to dismiss the twins for their rack time when Min-ji straightened in her seat. Even before the woman spoke, Miliam knew the time had arrived.

    ¡°A mining ship just intercepted another and docked with it! The second ship is broadcasting a distress call!¡± she cried out, and Aoibhe snapped into action without Miliam needing to remind her. Since they knew this would happen eventually, the Astrum Vitae was already stationed outside of True Eden¡¯s gravity well, saving them the time needed to reach a safe distance.

    Moments later the Astrum Vitae was over a light-hour away. The gas giant was too far to discern any detail with the naked eye, but it loomed large on the map of the system. Miliam watched as Min-ji changed the focus of the plot to give the distance between their own ship and the mining ship that had come under attack. From this far out the boarding action hadn¡¯t occurred yet, but given that they knew the vector the attacking ship had come from, Min-ji was quickly able to locate it even with visuals only- normally a difficult task in the vastness of space.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°Go ahead and send the message; make sure it¡¯s broadcast over a wide area since we don¡¯t know exactly where they are yet,¡± Miliam told Eun-ji. Light-speed delay meant that the other ship wouldn¡¯t be seen heading toward them until about fifteen minutes prior to its arrival, at which point blueshift would make it appear to cross that entire distance in the remaining time.

    Or¡­so Aoibhe assured her. Miliam didn¡¯t have much of a grounding in physics, so it sounded insane to her. What was important and at least made sense was that it would be forty minutes or so longer before the the other ship turned their way, so they would need to act on the assumption that it already had. If it changed course, that was fine- the miners would either be apprehended by the True Eden Navy or the Astrum Vitae would change positions to intercept, as they would still have a bit of a head start.

    ¡°The waiting is always the worst part¡­¡± Miliam complained under her breath. What was truly unfortunate was that any reply from the other ship would arrive only five minutes before the mining vessel itself.  She would have time to send one more message at that point, but probably couldn¡¯t afford to await a second response without risking letting the fugitives escape.

    Miliam looked around the bridge, noting all three of her bridge crew had their eyes fixed to their displays despite the long wait still ahead. She herself kept glancing back to her sensor screen, which was set to reflect Min-ji¡¯s at the moment. All she had to look at was a prediction at the moment.

    Sweat dripped down Miliam¡¯s neck as the tension built. Technically she could send more messages without waiting for a reply. Would that make the other captain more likely to surrender or less? It might come across as a lack of confidence. But maybe the repeated reminders would test their nerves as much as the waiting did her own.

    ¡°Eun-ji¡­send them another warning, just in case. Tell them they have until they¡¯re ten minutes out before we start firing missiles,¡± Miliam said after stewing in silence for a good twenty minutes or so.

    ¡°Ah! Yes ma¡¯am!¡± Eun-ji squeaked, startled when the veil of silence on the bridge was suddenly disturbed.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­well before we have much chance of hitting,¡± Aoibhe pointed out. Based on the tone in her voice, Miliam suspected she knew it was meant as a warning shot but wanted Miliam to say it anyway. For the benefit of the other two, maybe.

    ¡°I just want them to have a bit of time to see a missile coming their way before it¡¯s too late. If it misses, that¡¯s fine. And¡­Tessa?¡± Miliam said, establishing a link to the missile bay before continuing. ¡°Can you set the first missile to detonate short of the target?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­about that. Counter missiles don¡¯t have the same capabilities as normal one, and we only have the warheads from standard missiles, nothing else. Proximity detonation only. Might be able to send a self-destruct if we¡¯ve got the right codes?¡± Tessa replied, causing Miliam to click her tongue. Captain Brown hadn¡¯t provided those. She hadn¡¯t realized the implications of only getting the arming codes at the time.

    ¡°Would their barriers survive a hit?¡± she asked, dreading the answer.

    ¡°Well, the warheads are pretty old tech¡­so, maybe. They might blunt the damage enough for the ship itself to survive, too. Or¡­I might be able to misalign the sensors so when the missiles does detonate it¡¯s more likely to miss,¡± Tessa answered, giving Miliam a glimmer of hope.

    ¡°Is that dangerous?¡±

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be. Half a degree off isn¡¯t going to make the missile mistake us for a valid target, but it would definitely cause the lensing apparatus to go way off target.¡±

    ¡°Do it¡­but just for the first one. We can¡¯t afford to let them pass us,¡± Miliam told her. Technically it might be possible to just follow them in and track where they hide, but with how close to the planet the Astrum Vitae was sitting, they might not have enough time to get up to speed before the other ship was able to put the gas giant between them. Wave drives didn¡¯t generate their bubbles instantly. It was too risky.

    ¡°Assuming they¡¯re still on course, they should be hitting the ten minute mark about now, captain,¡± Min-ji announced some time later, shaking Miliam from her thoughts. Miliam took a deep breath before giving the order.

    ¡°Fire, Tessa.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡¯m!¡±

    The missile appeared on the sensor plot as it sailed away. This model used conventional propulsion only, leaving it at ¡®only¡¯ a third or so the speed of light, but so long as it was on the right course it would intercept its target, and the bomb-pumped laser it used as a warhead did reach that speed.

    Miliam watched with bated breath as the missile advanced. By now the target ship¡¯s location was much more certain thanks to data slowly coming in, and it looked like they fully intended to stay the course.

    ¡°Could their comms be damaged?¡± Miliam asked as the two icons moved towards each other.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­they need to be able to send their own demands,¡± Min-ji told her. Which was about when a horrifying thought occurred to Miliam.

    ¡°What if¡­what if they can¡¯t hear us? The True Edenites are terrified of ¡®secular¡¯ influences. What if they don¡¯t let their civilians receive messages from outsiders at all?¡±

    ¡°That¡­yes, that¡¯s possible. There¡¯s a few ways I can think of that they wouldn¡¯t even notice were there since there¡¯s never any outside ships around to talk to,¡± Min-ji replied shakily, disturbed by the thought.

    It was only a theory. A conspiracy theory, even. But¡­if it were true, then Captain Brown never intended to capture these miners in the first place. By leaving that information out he could trick Miliam into killing them without having to order her to do so. She might have refused if told to do it from the outset, but this way she would be forced to weigh the decision to fire while under intense pressure, thinking it was on the miners.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not jump to conclusions, cap¡¯n. They might just figure it¡¯s they¡¯re dead either way so they might as well take the risk,¡± Aoibhe suggested.

    ¡°Then why not beg us to let them go?¡± Miliam countered. ¡°They have nothing to lose from that either.¡±

    Aoibhe didn¡¯t have an explanation for that one. But the moment was fast approaching and Miliam had to make a decision soon- because the moment those missiles launched she¡¯d be responsible for the death of everyone aboard that ship.

 Chapter Forty One

    Time seemed to slow down as adrenaline rushed into Miliam¡¯s veins. Her heart pounded in her chest and a cold sweat came over her. It would be a lie to say that she had made a mistake to take the job. That she was simply too na?ve to realize it could come to this. She wasn¡¯t an idiot.

    The fact of the matter was that staying in this system much longer was probably lethal for most of her crew, and leaving without a replacement component for the reactor made the trip back much more dangerous. There was only one course of action available that would guarantee the greatest chances of survival for both Miliam herself and her crew in general: blow that ship out of the void.

    But that meant weighing the lives of the miners against those of her own people and deciding who lives and who dies. Realistically speaking, those miners were dead either way. The True Edenite Navy was going to hunt them down eventually. However¡­that didn¡¯t mean her conscience would be clean were she to become their executioners personally.

    It wasn¡¯t like they were hardened criminals. Even the local government had shied away from outright calling them pirates. They were just people trying to make a living that had taken a stand against a despotic government trying to squeeze every last penny out of them. How many people were even on that ship? Miliam hadn¡¯t asked. Deep down, she knew that was because she didn¡¯t want to know.

    ¡°Aoibhe¡­give me your honest opinion here. What happens if we fail to stop that ship?¡± Miliam asked quietly. Amidst the silence currently reigning on the bridge her voice was projected clearly to every corner of the room.

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s hard to say. I can¡¯t imagine Captain Brown would be happy, and he¡¯ll be in firing range of us by the time we know his opinion on it. We might be able to hop back to True Eden and ask the Cardinal-Admiral for forgiveness, but I doubt anyone here cares more about our lives than they did these miners,¡± Aoibhe replied slowly, giving Miliam a sympathetic look.

    ¡°It could go either way, is what you¡¯re saying. I guess the real question is¡­can we honestly justify killing those people not to save our own lives, but just to increase our own safety? We can¡¯t replace the turrets we¡¯ve already lost without completing Abigail¡¯s job, and we¡¯ll bleed even more of them along the way if we don¡¯t kill these people. My responsibility is to this crew, though. Am I really doing my job if I don¡¯t maximize our chances?¡± Miliam monologued, staring a hole in the floor. Her hands tightened into fists, fingernails digging into her palms.

    ¡°Captain¡­¡± muttered one of the twins. Miliam didn¡¯t catch which one it was.

    ¡°¡­we won¡¯t think less of you no matter what you choose,¡± finished the other.

    ¡°Aye. Outlaws are rare, but we all know we¡¯ve only got ourselves to rely on past the borders of any nation. Everyone on this crew became a spacer knowing there was a chance, even if it¡¯s a small one, that they¡¯d have to kill someday to survive,¡± Aoibhe added, subtly providing her opinion on what they should do here.

    ¡°They¡¯re just thieves. Does that really warrant the death penalty?¡± Miliam wondered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. In the Gaian Collective it wouldn¡¯t be enough. But here? Clearly their own government thinks otherwise. We¡¯re not playing judge or jury, only executioner,¡± said the fay, but Miliam didn¡¯t think that absolved them of anything.

    Making the call to fire would be¡­unforgivably selfish, in Miliam¡¯s opinion. If it were only her life on the line, she might not be able to make that call, no matter how much she feared death. It was the six other souls on board that made her consider it. Did she have the right to balk at getting her hands dirty when their lives were at risk as well? It was far from a sure thing that they¡¯d need their point defense lasers, but even so¡­if they ever did need them, then it would be too late for regrets by the time she knew.

    The clock was running out. Miliam swallowed, noticing her throat had become painfully dry. She looked at her plot. Soon the warning shot they¡¯d fired would detonate. When that happened there would be two or three minutes left before the other ship passed the Astrum Vitae. If she hadn¡¯t made a decision by the last thirty seconds it would be too late.

    ¡°I can give the order,¡± Aoibhe volunteered. Miliam looked up to find Aoibhe staring her down, eyes fully of resolve. Clearly Aoibhe had already determined which choice she would make.

    ¡°No¡­that would just be shirking my responsibilities. If we¡¯re doing it¡­I have to do it myself,¡± Miliam denied grimly. Still, Aoibhe¡¯s clear determination to pull the trigger stiffened Miliam¡¯s own backbone somewhat. Maybe it was peer-pressure, but it was good to know she wasn¡¯t the only one leaning in that direction.

    Briefly Miliam considered putting it to a vote, but that was just another way of dodging accountability.

    As the moment approached and their warning shot failed to sway the other captain, Miliam¡¯s breath quickened. She decided to give one final warning.

    ¡°Astrum Vitae to rogue mining vessel, this is your last chance to stop. Our next volley won¡¯t miss,¡± she said grimly into the comm. But even once sensors showed that the ship would have received that message, it didn¡¯t appear to slow. Bit by bit the counter ran down and it became clear they had either not been able to hear what she¡¯d said or they had decided to take the risk. All feeling fled Miliam¡¯s body as she made the call. ¡°Fi-¡±

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Tessa, fire now. Let the blood be on my hands,¡± Aoibhe ordered, cutting Miliam off with a voice that would make a drill sergeant proud, clearly intended to drown out whatever Miliam said.

    ¡°Uh, captain, ma¡¯am?¡± Tessa asked in confusion.

    ¡°Aoibhe! What are you-¡± Miliam began again. Had she a moment longer to think she would have just repeated the order and taken responsibility, but shock held her back one moment too long.

    ¡°I volunteered to give the command in her stead. Fire!¡± Aoibhe barked, cutting Miliam off. The statement wasn¡¯t technically a lie; she only neglected the fact that Miliam had refused to allow it.

    ¡°Yes¡¯m!¡± Tessa replied. Four more icons appeared on screen representing the last four missiles. Miliam watched with dread as they darted away from the ship and then adjusted course for the approaching mining vessel. It was less than thirty seconds away now, so she didn¡¯t have to wait long before all four flashed and disappeared, indicating they¡¯d found their target.

    ¡°Target¡­destroyed,¡± Min-ji announced darkly. That was it, then. The deed was done.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I know you would have done it, I just¡­didn¡¯t want you to have to,¡± Aoibhe apologized, eyes fixed forward. Miliam felt a mix of betrayal and indignation. She felt like she¡¯d been treated like a child who needed to be protected from the consequences of her actions. She felt a lot of things. But right now¡­

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it later. Take us to meet up with Captain Brown¡¯s squadron,¡± she ordered in a dull voice. Brown had crossed a large portion of the distance between True Eden and the gas giant by now, so between his ships and the Astrum Vitae¡¯s more advanced wave drive, it took only a few minutes to make the rendezvous. They were quite literally on top of the approaching ships before they could even detect the Astrum Vitae had left its original position, and that was without revealing their top speed. It was only the fact that they needed to slow down before reaching the other ships that allowed them to see the Astrum Vitae coming.

    ¡°You¡¯d better have a good reason for leaving your assigned position, mercenary,¡± the nominally friendly captain opened with the moment communications were established. Miliam forced herself up out of her seat and into a curtsy. As much as she was emotionally exhausted right now, it was still her job to maintain their cover. She¡¯d be damned if she allowed herself to get caught now after the murders she¡¯d just committed- as much as Aoibhe wanted to claim credit, it was still Miliam that had placed them there in the first place.

    ¡°We¡¯ve completed our assignment. The mining vessel ignored all warnings and continued on even after we fired a warning shot. We¡­no. I used force to stop them from escaping. The ship was destroyed,¡± she reported in a voice lacking all inflection. With her head bowed she couldn¡¯t see Brown¡¯s face, but she detected a faint sense of satisfaction in his reply.

    ¡°Hmph. So you managed to complete the task assigned. A pleasant surprise. Very well; as promised, I will order the part you requested delivered to your ship when we return to True Eden. Return ahead of us; we will verify your claim before turning back ourselves,¡± Brown responded. There was one question Miliam couldn¡¯t help but ask, though, first.

    ¡°I have¡­one question, before we go. Those miners¡­did they ignore my warnings, or were they unable to hear them to begin with?¡± she asked, the implication left ambiguous enough that it would be meaningless if she were wrong but clear otherwise. There was a noticeable pause before Brown answered, but Miliam couldn¡¯t tell if that was due to shock or confusion.

    ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll never know, will we?¡± the Isaiaite replied opaquely before ending the call. Miliam fell into her chair and ran a hand over her face.

    ¡°Get us back to True Eden.¡±

    Wordlessly, Aoibhe complied, apparent only due to the ship¡¯s movement. The atmosphere on the bridge was quiet during the return trip, although for very different reasons than it had been earlier. One the way, Miliam wondered what she would say to Aoibhe when they did talk. It wasn¡¯t that she blamed Aoibhe for what happened; that was squarely upon her own shoulders. And¡­she would do it again if she had to.

    Because unlike the image Aoibhe apparently held of her, Miliam was a fully grown adult capable of making her own decisions. When she¡¯d made the call to retain ownership of the Astrum Vitae, she hadn¡¯t exactly had this scenario in mind, but she¡¯d made it her business to accept the mantle of responsibility she¡¯d placed upon herself during the trip to Delta Bo?tis. Now she¡¯d learned that fulfilling the role of leader might sometimes mean she had to make choices that cost people their lives. But she couldn¡¯t shy away from that fact because doing so meant preserving the lives of those that depended on her.

    ¡°We¡¯re there,¡± Aoibhe announced eventually, causing Miliam to look up and catch sight of True Eden beyond the bridge viewport.

    ¡°Eun-ji, we¡¯ll start watch with you this time. Let me know immediately if we get any communications. Everyone else is dismissed,¡± Miliam said, remembering to speak over the comms as well so that Tessa and Engineer would be in the loop. Aoibhe jumped out of her seat and took a few steps closer before Miliam was even finished standing.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± the fay asked, words laced with concern.

    ¡°No. But I need time to put my mind in order. And¡­decide whether I¡¯ll be looking for a new pilot when we return to port,¡± Miliam replied through hooded eyes. Aoibhe flinched as if struck, betrayal and hurt on her face, but Miliam didn¡¯t give it much consideration. After all, that¡¯s what she was feeling as well.

    ¡°I¡­see. Whatever you decide, it was an honor serving with you,¡± Aoibhe replied sadly, backing away.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± was all Miliam said as she left the bridge and went directly up the stairs to her quarters. She wasn¡¯t simply being spiteful when she said those words to Aoibhe; she genuinely needed to make a judgment about Aoibhe¡¯s position on the ship. In her capacity as executive officer, Aoibhe had chosen to overstep her authority and issue an order in Miliam¡¯s place due to a lack of belief in her emotional ability to handle the load of her job.

    That was a breach of trust that might have irreparably damaged their working relationship¡­and even if not, it had created a wound that would take time to heal.

 Chapter Forty Two

    ¡°A shuttle has been dispatched from the surface carrying the part you requested,¡± Captain Brown told Miliam. This time they were speaking on a voice-only line per his request, so Miliam had chosen to take the call in her quarters. ¡°It will dock with your vessel and hand off the component at your airlock. Your crew will not be permitted to board the shuttle at any time. That should conclude your business here, so you are expected to depart as soon as your repairs are completed.¡±

    Miliam couldn¡¯t imagine why he thought they¡¯d want to board the shuttle, but maybe he didn¡¯t in the first place and it was just another power play. Brown seemed like the type of man that wanted authority just to feel superior to others.

    ¡°Gladly. May I make one final request before we leave, though? I¡¯d like a record of the church¡¯s history- the true story of the prophet, rather than the version influenced by secular sources that I was taught at home,¡± Miliam asked, choosing her words carefully. It was her only chance to get their account of Isaiah¡¯s early life and potentially figure out if he had any connection to Zachary.

    Brown was silent for a time before answering, only the text on her display telling Miliam the call hadn¡¯t been unceremoniously dropped from his end. ¡°That can be arranged. Perhaps you may serve to carry his words to the nonbelievers. I will have the texts transmitted to your ship shortly.¡±

    As if to avoid any further requests, Brown did end the call when he finished speaking this time. Miliam leaned back in her seat and took a deep breath, glad to be finished with this whole affair. The final notification regarding their departure could be left to the twins, so her part in it was done. She zoned out for a few minutes, trying not to think too much about anything, but was roused when she got a message informing her of an incoming transmission.

    Data only. This was it. Miliam acknowledged the transmission and downloaded the digital texts to her grimoire. It was nearly instant, but she held off on opening it just yet- first she needed to send instructions to her crew regarding the shuttle coming their way, so she tapped the button that would activate the ship-wide intercom.

    ¡°I just received word from Captain Brown that a shuttle is on its way with the part we need. Tessa, meet them at the airlock and accept the delivery, please. Don¡¯t let anyone onboard; break the connection to their ship if they try to force it. Everyone else, steer clear of the lower level until the handover is complete. That¡¯s all I¡¯ve got,¡± Miliam announced, injecting some energy into her voice so as not to sound as drained as she felt.

    With that done, Miliam opened up the books she¡¯d been sent. The first was a copy of the Isaiaite holy text. She skipped that one for now; anything it contained was likely to be pure fiction. Instead she went for the history books. There were several, each covering a century or so of events and published by the church itself. That was unsurprising to say the least; it was probably the only version the church even allowed in circulation.

    Time passed as she read through the first chapter. Rather than assuaging her fears, though, the book only increased Miliam¡¯s frustration. She was ready to give up when someone buzzed the intercom on the door to her quarters. Closing out of the textbook, she toggled the intercom from her grimoire, allowing her to speak to whoever was outside.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Abigail.¡±

    Miliam went ahead and opened the door remotely, beckoning the scholar in. ¡°Did you need something?¡±

    ¡°Not as such. I hope I did not interrupt anything?¡± Abigail asked, noticing Miliam was seated at her desk. Miliam shook her head and gestured at her grimoire.

    ¡°I was just wrapping up anyway. I was hoping I could figure out if Isaiah and Zachary are the same person by looking through the church¡¯s history, but this is straight up mythology. Supposedly this guy one-upped Jesus by being born without a mother at all, had the wisdom of an elder by the time he could speak, and was leading his congregation in prayer by elementary school,¡± Miliam complained with a scowl.

    ¡°Sadly I cannot even feign surprise. I had expected as much,¡± Abigail replied. The conversation, if it could be called one, died for a few seconds before Miliam spoke up.

    ¡°So what did you want to talk to me about? You¡¯ve never come up to my room before, so I¡¯m not buying that it¡¯s nothing,¡± Miliam asked, fiddling with her grimoire. Abigail smiled briefly before replying.

    ¡°Indeed. One of the twins, Eun-ji I believe, bade me speak to you. She did not elaborate, merely implied that you may need a confidante. I must admit to being perplexed, as I would have expected Aoibhe to fill that role,¡± she explained with a raised eyebrow. Miliam groaned and rubbed her forehead.

    ¡°Yeah, well, she¡¯s kind of the problem,¡± she admitted, glancing at Abigail to gauge her reaction. She wasn¡¯t sure how much she should say given the history between the two. ¡°You don¡¯t look surprised.¡±

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I might have a hypothesis as to where the issue lies, yes. I am unsure whether I should share this information, but perhaps the situation demands it. We¡­had a discussion in which I addressed her overprotectiveness towards you some time ago. I believed she had accepted my critique, but change does not always come easily,¡± Abigail explained, crossing her arms.

    ¡°Her comments did stop. But she stepped in to give an order before I could, solely to¡­I don¡¯t know, keep me from feeling guilty over it, I guess. It was demeaning. And pointless, because I¡¯m still the one who put us in that position in the first place. Whether I gave the final order doesn¡¯t really matter,¡± Miliam spilled, eyes on her grimoire. She wasn¡¯t reading anything on it, just watching it turn over and over in her hands.

    ¡°May I inquire as to the circumstances?¡± Abigail asked politely.

    ¡°I decided the lives and safety of my crew were more important to me than the lives of an unknown number of strangers- even if the potential dangers were hypothetical. I won¡¯t make any excuses about it. They weren¡¯t entirely innocent, but they didn¡¯t deserve to die.¡± As she finished, Miliam shrugged. Truthfully, it didn¡¯t feel real even now. She hadn¡¯t seen any bodies, so it was startlingly difficult to convince herself she¡¯d killed people.

    ¡°I will admit that I am¡­perhaps incapable of processing the form of emotion you feel currently. Death has ever had little impact upon me. My only suggestion would be to focus less on what has happened, which cannot be changed, and more on what you wish to do next time. Would you make the same choice? Or find a different way?¡± Abigail leaned against the wall, looking away from Miliam.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± Miliam replied sullenly. ¡°I can¡¯t let my idealism or my morality put the people I¡¯m responsible for in danger.¡±

    ¡°You cannot? Is that truly what is expected of you by others, or merely by yourself? Do you believe even a single member of your crew would fault you for placing them in danger to spare innocents? I do not presume them to be so selfish,¡± Abigail said evenly.

    ¡°Maybe not. I just don¡¯t know if I could forgive myself if someone I know got hurt because of it,¡± Miliam said, setting her grimoire down and leaning back, propping her chair up on two legs. ¡°And I might be just a little afraid that if I choose differently next time, I¡¯ll regret what I did this time for the rest of my life.¡±

    ¡°A conundrum, to be sure. But mayhap it would behoove you to ask their counsel first in the future. You are not a monolith and need not bear all hardship upon yourself by virtue of your position,¡± the scholar advised, red eyes seeming to pierce through Miliam.

    ¡°That just sounds like¡­shifting the responsibility onto someone else,¡± she argued.

    ¡°You need not take their words as instruction nor put it to a vote. All you need do is inquire as to whether they would be opposed to accepting a more dangerous course of action in the name of helping others. Knowing how they feel would, if naught else, allow you to make choices based upon their feelings rather than your sense of guardianship over them. After all, is that not the source of your quarrel with Aoibhe?¡± Abigail asked with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°So¡­you¡¯re saying I¡¯m being a hypocrite by doing the same thing for the crew as Aoibhe did for me,¡± concluded Miliam, trying to keep any defensiveness out of her voice.

    ¡°In a sense. Her case is more pathological, however, while you are responsible for your crew. I make such a comparison only because it may provide insight into her motivations should you desire it, not as a means of shaming you,¡± Abigail elaborated.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. But it¡¯s hard for me to tell if you¡¯re trying to defend her or giving advice when I know what kind of relationship you have with her,¡± Miliam said, watching Abigail out of the corner of her eye. She didn¡¯t mean it as an attack, but the conflict of interest was clear.

    ¡°If I were incapable of separating my feelings from my judgement my life would be a shambles, but I take your point,¡± Abigail acknowledged with a nod. At that moment Miliam¡¯s intercom chimed again, and seeing as how she already had company anyway, she went ahead and opened the door. Engineer strode in, taking a brief moment to glance around before looking towards Abigail and Miliam.

    ¡°Uh¡­hey. Did you need something?¡± Miliam asked. Telling her the repairs were complete could be done over the comms, so she assumed they were here for something else.

    ¡°Repairs. Complete,¡± the enigmatic dragonewt reported before tilting their head to the side. ¡°Upset?¡±

    ¡°Thanks for letting me know. Don¡¯t worry about me, though, I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Miliam replied with a strained smile. Engineer stared for several more moments, making Miliam more perplexed by the second, before suddenly flaring their wings out. For the first time Miliam had a clear view of Engineer¡¯s destroyed wings- the membranes had been stripped entirely, leaving only thin sheathes of skin surrounding bony support structures remaining. Like a bat skeleton.

    ¡°Some divides¡­permanent.¡± Engineer snapped their wings shut and pressed them against their back again. ¡°Not all.¡± With those words said, they spun around and toddled out of the room, leaving Miliam and Abigail staring in bewilderment.

    ¡°Someday I¡¯m going to figure that one out, but¡­not today,¡± Miliam muttered once the door closed.

    ¡°I believe they meant to tell you your relationship with Aoibhe is not yet unsalvageable,¡± Abigail stated.

    ¡°I got that much,¡± Miliam replied, rolling her eyes. ¡°What I¡¯m not sure about is where they even heard about it. I know it¡¯s a small ship, but Engineer really only talks to Tessa, and Aoibhe finds her a bit overwhelming.¡±

    ¡°That¡­is an excellent question, indeed. But perhaps they simply overhear more than you had assumed,¡± Abigail suggested.

    ¡°Could be.¡± Miliam sighed deeply. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll have a talk with Aoibhe, since it seems like just about everyone thinks I overreacted.¡±

    ¡°You did not overreact. Your feelings are entirely valid and Aoibhe is undoubtedly the one in the wrong. I believe the consensus is more that reconciliation is still possible. You may well find that Aoibhe understands her mistake and has, at last, learned her lesson in this regard,¡± Abigail clarified.

    ¡°I hope so. We still haven¡¯t reached Delta Bo?tis yet, and the last thing we need if we have another emergency is a repeat of this at an even worse moment.¡±

 Chapter Forty Three

    When the Astrum Vitae finally jumped out of the Paradise system, everyone on the bridge seemed to relax just a bit, a tension they¡¯d grown accustomed to finally dissipating. Min-ji slumped in her chair even as Eun-ji began analyzing her terminals, while Aoibhe just sat entirely still at the pilot seat.

    ¡°Anything out there Eun-ji?¡± Miliam asked after giving the dokkaebi woman a few moments to look things over.

    ¡°Nothing right now. The fourth planet looks like it would be a good spot to hide, though. Something big must have hit it relatively recently¡­there¡¯s a lot of debris in orbit and a huge chunk of the surface is just gone,¡± Eun-ji reported.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t¡­inhabited, was it?¡± Miliam asked worriedly.

    ¡°Oh, no! There¡¯s not enough residual liquid and gas to indicate it ever had much of an atmosphere,¡± Eun-ji replied to Miliam¡¯s relief.

    ¡°Alright, great. Aoibhe, hide us in the debris field please.¡±

    Soon the ship settled into orbit of the shattered world. Despite how horrific it was to look at, bringing to mind imagery of Earth after being hit by something the size of Mars, there was also a certain wonder to the sight. What had to have been miles of the planet¡¯s crust and mantle were exposed and the innermost visible sections had a slight glow to them. Countless rocks ranging in size from pebbles to mountains floated in orbit of the world; in the middle of them, the Astrum Vitae looked like nothing more than another fragment of its surface.

    It served as a much-needed reminder to Miliam of why she was out here and how small her problems were in the grand scheme of things.

    ¡°You all know the drill by now. As always, let me know if you see anything on sensors Eun-ji. Everyone else is free to go,¡± Miliam announced over the ship-wide comms. She stepped off the bridge but waited for Aoibhe before going further; it was probably best not to make a show of asking to speak with her in front of Min-ji and Eun-ji. Once Aoibhe stepped into the hall and the door closed, Miliam cleared her throat. ¡°We need to talk. Let¡¯s go upstairs.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­aye, cap¡¯n¡± Aoibhe acknowledged, caught by surprise. She already had a defeated look on her face, but Miliam didn¡¯t want to get bogged down talking in the corridor so she pretended not to notice and went for the stairs. They ascended the stairs in silence and headed into Miliam¡¯s quarters, where she dropped into the chair at her desk.

    ¡°Ugh. I need to get another chair in here. Just sit on the bed for now, I guess,¡± she told the pilot, who looked at the bed nervously before perching herself on the tiniest bit of the bed she could manage. ¡°So, let¡¯s talk about what happened. Do you know why I¡¯m upset?¡±

    ¡°Aye. You¡¯re not a child and I shouldn¡¯t be treating you like one,¡± Aoibhe said while staring at her own feet.

    ¡°That¡¯s part of it. I don¡¯t appreciate being treated like I¡¯m a little kid in distress that needs to be protected from the consequences of her own decisions. Interrupting me to give that order didn¡¯t absolve me of guilt, it just made you feel better by indulging in this¡­savior complex of yours.¡± Aoibhe already looked like she¡¯d felt Miliam¡¯s words as physical blows, so she decided to move on. ¡°But I don¡¯t think you considered the ramifications of doing that.¡±

    ¡°The¡­what?¡± Aoibhe asked in confusion. Between the translator charms and Aoibhe¡¯s own grasp of English, Miliam assumed it wasn¡¯t the word that had her perplexed.

    ¡°Aoibhe, everyone knew I was about to give the order to fire. When you did it instead of me, you told everyone listening that I¡¯m just a figurehead giving orders until something too big for me to decide on comes along,¡± Miliam explained.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. I know I messed up, but everyone still knows you¡¯re the captain, right?¡± Aoibhe asked.

    ¡°Whether they think that consciously or not isn¡¯t the issue. If there¡¯s any doubt about who¡¯s in charge, it could cause a delay while someone checks with you before following through,¡± Miliam elaborated tiredly. Admittedly, that was knowledge gleaned from textbooks- that ¡®Being a Captain for Dummies¡¯ type book Aoibhe had bought for her, specifically. But she¡¯d seen it in action, albeit in reverse: Tessa had hesitated when the command came from Aoibhe, only obeying when assured Miliam herself approved.

    The problem was that now a precedent had been set. If Aoibhe was allowed to do that once, then next time Tessa in particular might assume that was the case again without asking. Miliam still needed to follow up with Tessa to clarify that point, but she¡¯d prefer if Aoibhe cleared things up with Tessa first.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Aoibhe intoned, realization dawning on her face. ¡°Shit. I should have thought of that. This isn¡¯t the first ship I¡¯ve served on, I¡¯ve seen it happen.¡± Saying that, Aoibhe slapped a palm to her forehead. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry. Abigail already raked me over the coals for acting like this but something just came over me in the moment. I¡¯ll¡­make sure Tessa knows what happened.¡±

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t volunteered I was going to ask you to.¡± Miliam studied Aoibhe, deciding she seemed sincere in her apology. She realized that she no longer found the fay woman quite so intimidating as she once did and wondered when that had happened. Was it when she caught her not heeding her own advice about Abigail? Or was it just now, seeing how defeated she looked? ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t happen again, I¡¯ll forgive you this time. We¡¯ll just consider this a first strike. I still need to punish you somehow, but I don¡¯t know what that will be yet, so I¡¯ll put it on hold until I decide.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    In the olden days, punishment duties were simple. Usually it meant janitorial work of some kind like scrubbing the toilets, but most of that was handled by enchantments now. Dust and debris was pulled from the air by filters which were then cleaned with magic, separating the filth and purging it form the ship. Similar enchantments kept floors, walls, and other surfaces clean just by preventing anything from sticking to them, making them easy to clean with air currents or flowing water. A person wasn¡¯t integral to that anymore.

    Miliam could dock Aoibhe¡¯s pay instead, but she¡¯d first have to know what she¡¯d be paying the woman to begin with. While Miliam knew Aoibhe was owed a percentage of the ship¡¯s earnings, she didn¡¯t know what the total from this job would be yet. Even if Aoibhe got only two percent, for example, a payday in the hundreds of millions of reserves would still leave Aoibhe with millions if Miliam halved her pay. Although she doubted a sum like that was realistic, she didn¡¯t want to commit to a punishment that could result in making the woman an instant millionaire; it wasn¡¯t much of a punishment.

    What that left, though, Miliam wasn¡¯t sure.

    ¡°Thanks. But, uh, I think I owe you an explanation at this point. I¡¯m not trying to make excuses, you just¡­deserve to know,¡± Aoibhe said resignedly. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to remind you about my experience with pirates, right?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Still think it¡¯s a matter of time,¡± Miliam answered with a smirk. The atmosphere lightened a bit.

    ¡°Aye, well, my first encounter with them was during my first job out of academy. I¡¯d just broken up with Abigail at the time since I wouldn¡¯t be around much and got a position as copilot on a merchant ship.¡± Aoibhe chuckled darkly. ¡°Had a crush on the pilot, but it didn¡¯t work out. Wrong orientation. Anyway, my captain had gotten lazy after years of doing the same route, so he¡¯d started using the same coordinates in every system.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the pilot usually handle that?¡± Miliam asked, knowing Aoibhe did exactly that.

    ¡°Not on that ship- the captain was a pilot himself once and felt more comfortable doing it himself. I think someone learned about his habit or a crewmember leaked the information though, because halfway to the destination we teleported right below a waiting pirate ship,¡± Aoibhe continued with a grimace. ¡°Before the sensor officer even opened his mouth we were taking fire. I was able to get my space suit on before the atmosphere completely escaped the bridge, but¡­there was a hole in my helmet.¡±

    ¡°Which is when you discovered your miraculous ability to breathe vacuum?¡± Miliam asked flippantly, trying to keep the mood from getting too dark.

    ¡°Hah! Not quite. Nay, I passed out from lack of oxygen. I think the pilot cast a spell to maintain an air bubble long enough to give me her helmet. She was dead by the time I woke up,¡± Aoibhe revealed. ¡°I was able to survive for a while by scavenging oxygen tanks and ration packs and holing up in a closet I could fill with air to eat. Ironic thing is, the captain¡¯s bad habit saved my life, because his brother knew where to look when he didn¡¯t show up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that happened to you,¡± Miliam said, not sure what else to say. Aoibhe shrugged.

    ¡°It is what it is. Anyway, the first captain¡¯s brother took pity on me and hired me on. That worked out for a couple of years, right up until he cheated the wrong woman at cards. She got her buddies together and managed to slip a virus into the ship¡¯s computer while it was docked. It was a clever little bug that transmitted the ship¡¯s destination just before it teleported, once the calculations were complete.¡± Aoibhe looked like she¡¯d bitten into something sour, probably because she¡¯d made those calculations herself.

    ¡°¡­and since ships spend a few hours recharging between jumps, the pirates had plenty of time to catch up,¡± Miliam concluded. Aoibhe nodded confirmation and then continued.

    ¡°It was a great plan. Or it would have been, if they¡¯d realized that if they could catch the transmission anyone could. At this point I was wearing my space suit all the time so when the pirates showed up and blew most of the ship to hell I survived long enough for a patrol cruiser to show up and return the favor,¡± Aoibhe explained with a bit of satisfaction on her face.

    ¡°And the third one was the Kinzela?¡± Miliam asked.

    ¡°Aye. Still don¡¯t know how that happened or who did it. But there I was, running out of oxygen, and some waif looking like she¡¯s barely out of her teens appears like a miracle on a derelict ship and saves me,¡± Aoibhe finished with a shrug. ¡°I really thought my luck had run out that time. Between that and your looks, I suppose I just¡­put you on a pedestal as my savior.¡±

    After hearing all of that, Miliam wasn¡¯t sure how to feel. Part of her wanted to take it easier on Aoibhe in light of her trauma, but the woman herself had said she wasn¡¯t trying to make excuses by telling her story. With that in mind, Miliam decided to take her at face value and look at it as Aoibhe simply getting it all off her chest. Instead of comforting her or giving her pity, she went in another direction.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I¡¯m twenty-six. I only look young to you because you¡¯re so tall,¡± Miliam informed the fay woman.

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re older than me?¡± Aoibhe¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°I¡¯m only twenty-four¡­actually, hold on, aren¡¯t you technically closer to seven hundred?¡±

    ¡°Only if you want me to find a way to bust all the enchantments on the toilets and make you clean them with a toothbrush.¡±

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Enchantments

    ¡®Enchantment¡¯ is a catch-all term for any spell that is intended to be carved into a physical medium and kept active for long periods of time. Ordinarily spells require a caster to maintain them, both by ¡®processing¡¯ the spell itself with their mind and by feeding mana into the spell, but enchantments are designed to require only an initial activation and an external power supply, which doesn¡¯t need to be a living being.

    A typical enchantment operates indefinitely so long as it is powered, regardless of the effect. These do not have an activation condition, so their effect is persistent from the start. Unlike spells, enchantments are cast using the understanding of the enchanter and not the caster, allowing anyone to operate them. This is achieved by channeling mana into the spell circle during its creation in a fashion similar to that used by translation charms, ¡®programming¡¯ the functionality in ahead of time.

    An enchantment with an activation condition is considered a ¡®ward¡¯ or a ¡®trap¡¯. These enchantments are provided with enough mana upfront to power their activation and maintain an effect that checks for a preprogrammed activation condition. An example would be a loss of atmospheric containment, which might cause a ward to activate that prevents the atmosphere in a given volume from escaping as long as power lasts. Wards like this will activate regardless of access to mana circuits for a brief time but are usually dependent on central power to remain active for longer.

    Although enchantments bear a resemblance to conditionals in programming, they are far more limited. Each enchantment can only have one effect, so it is not possible to construct an enchantment whose effects differ based on the situation. While it is possible to simply craft an array of enchantments with different activation conditions to compensate, this is very time consuming and impractical since every enchantment in the array must be carved manually, so this is only utilized in essential technologies like translocation drives where the utmost safety is required.

 Chapter Forty Four

    Affairs on the Astrum Vitae had largely normalized by the time the ship reached Delta Bo?tis a handful of days later. The rest of the trip had been mercifully uneventful, allowing everyone time to get back into the groove of working together- the bridge crew in particular. Their objective was finally in sight, but to Miliam, that just meant it was time to be more cautious than ever.

    ¡°Eun-ji, are we all clear?¡± she queried as soon as the ship completed its translocation into the system, barely concealing the dread she felt towards all the potential answers she might get. If she and her crew were going to encounter anyone hostile during this entire job, her gut told her now was the time, illogical as that was.

    ¡°Nothing but asteroids captain, just like we expected,¡± Eun-ji reported, oblivious to Miliam¡¯s concerns.

    ¡°There is scant here of interest to anyone but us. What little there is would have been found long ago were it simple to find,¡± Abigail pointed out from her spot to Miliam¡¯s left.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m worried about,¡± Miliam informed her nervously. She never took her eyes off the sensor plot. ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine a better place for outlaws to hide than a star system everyone knows has nothing worth a trip.¡±

    ¡°Think I¡¯ve got the location we¡¯re looking for figured out, cap¡¯n,¡± Aoibhe announced with a glance over her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s about thirty light-minutes away assuming nothing shifted the rock¡¯s orbit.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead and get us started, then. Eun-ji, keep a close eye out. Just because we¡¯re close to our destination doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re safe,¡± Miliam ordered, looking briefly at each woman as she spoke.

    ¡°Aye, cap¡¯n,¡± Aoibhe responded as she started the wave drive.

    ¡°Right!¡± called out Eun-ji without looking up.

    Miliam almost felt bad for leaving Min-ji out, but both twins had been doing a good job of activating EMCM immediately upon entering unknown systems since she¡¯d spoken to them. There wasn¡¯t much need to tell Min-ji to do something she¡¯d already begun to do.

    ¡°I know you said this system was all asteroids, but¡­it¡¯s another thing seeing it in person,¡± Miliam muttered to Abigail as she looked over the sensor data for the entire system. It was rocks, rocks, and more rocks. They weren¡¯t quite as clumped as she¡¯d expected based on the descriptions she¡¯d received, but there were certainly some tighter clusters here and there. Idly, Miliam wondered if those were asteroids that had yet to drift apart or the beginnings of the formation of new planets.

    ¡°Indeed. Not a terribly exciting view, but undeniably rare. I know of only one other system this devoid of planetary bodies, and it happens to be the site of the only known cthulid sighting in known history,¡± Abigail replied casually, as if the thought itself wasn¡¯t horrifying.

    ¡°You mentioned those before but you didn¡¯t really explain. What are cthulids?¡± Miliam asked, not sure she actually wanted to know but unable to reign in her curiosity.

    ¡°A difficult question to answer, admittedly. Our sole account is from the evacuation of Enza, the githune homeworld, over five hundred years ago. A planet-sized mass entered the system and began to systematically dismantle every world it came across, traveling in a spiral from the outermost planet to the innermost.¡± As she recounted the story, Abigail pinched her chin between two fingers, probably trying to remember all the details.

    ¡°¡­how do we not know anything about something the size of a planet?¡± Miliam wondered, equal parts awed and horrified.

    ¡°The creature was as close to a perfect blackbody as has ever been encountered. All electromagnetic radiation was absorbed. It actively drew mana into itself as well, rendering all magical methods of scanning it useless. For all intents and purposes it was a mobile void in space, detectable only by the shadow it cast,¡± Abigail explained, the information not improving Miliam¡¯s mood in the slightest.

    ¡°Did they¡­fight it?¡± Miliam whispered.

    ¡°Does a fly fight a meteor? Energy weapons and magic merely seemed to feed it, while the githune possessed no kinetic weapons of a sufficient scale for the cthulid to even notice it had been struck. Over the course of months, the beast obliterated all bodies larger than a moon and then drifted out of the system, never to be seen again,¡± Abigail finished grimly before patting Miliam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Not to worry. They are nothing if not slow, and nothing remains of this system that is likely to interest one.¡±

    ¡°But that was hundreds of years ago, right? Do you think anyone could stop one now?¡± Miliam asked, not comforted in the slightest.

    ¡°Perhaps. There was¡­one other potential sighting which was believed to have been the remains of a cthulid. A long, sinuous appendage found in low orbit above a star, too close for retrieval. If it was indeed the severed limb of a cthulid, and it likely was, given its absorption of all scans, then that would at least seem to indicate they may be harmed, would it not?¡± Abigail raised an eyebrow, looking down at Miliam, who returned her gaze with an expression she hoped communicated how crazy she thought the scholar was.

    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that there are planet-sized space monsters out there and there might also be something scary enough to kill them. Thanks, I hate everything about that,¡± she told Abigail with a shudder. Abigail, sensing that Miliam had reached her limit, wisely chose to let the topic drop.

    Soon enough the Astrum Vitae was approaching the asteroid that supposedly hosted an intact structure. It was large compared to its neighbors and pockmarked with craters indicating that smaller rocks had collided with it over the millennia.

    ¡°I¡¯m not seeing any buildings on the surface¡­¡± Eun-ji reported once the asteroid had completed a full revolution.

    ¡°It would not be on the exterior. Are you able to detect any crevices? The structure we are searching for should be subterranean,¡± Abigail supplied, peering over Miliam at the mirrored sensor display.

    ¡°I¡¯ll check for any, then.¡± Eun-ji took some time to rotate the three-dimensional image of the asteroid produced by the ship¡¯s sensors. Given the size of the rock in question, something as small as a crevice wasn¡¯t easy to find, but by the time Aoibhe had begun to draw down on the wave drive, she had a few likely candidates. ¡°There¡¯s only a few of them big enough to hide anything. I¡¯ll mark them.¡±

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    Circles appeared around each of the points Eun-ji had identified, but from the information currently available, none of them stood out from the others. It wasn¡¯t like they were starved for time, though- Miliam decided to just give each of them a closer look.

    ¡°Aoibhe, go ahead and take us closer so Eun-ji can get better scans. We might need a visual, for that matter. Whoever surveyed this system originally would have found this place if a simple scan could see it,¡± Miliam reasoned as she looked up from the screen.

    ¡°Aye, cap¡¯n.¡± Using thrusters only, Aoibhe brought the ship closer to the first crevice. Each was large enough to fit the entirety of the Astrum Vitae inside, which went to show exactly how enormous the asteroid itself was. It was only once the ship was hovering directly above the hole, so close that it would be the work of moments to venture inside, that Eun-ji made her conclusion.

    ¡°Nothing here. We¡¯re close enough that I was able to use scrying to check the interior, and it¡¯s empty,¡± she relayed to Miliam¡¯s disappointment. Still, it was only the first site.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go ahead and check the next one then,¡± Miliam prompted Aoibhe, who put the ship into motion again. The fay pilot skillfully maneuvered the vessel towards the next location while remaining close to the asteroid¡¯s surface, minimizing the amount of fuel expended by taking the shortest path possible. To Miliam¡¯s understanding, enchantments that focused and directed heat allowed the thrusters to operate with near-total efficiency, but that didn¡¯t mean they could be used indefinitely.

    Unfortunately, the next fissure was equally devoid of anything interesting, as was the one after that. Only once Miliam and her crew had moved onto the penultimate chasm did they find anything. The discovery came as a relief, appearing just as hope was beginning to wane.

    ¡°Captain, there¡¯s a door down there! I can¡¯t see inside though- it¡¯s shielded against scrying,¡± Eun-ji shared excitedly, spinning to look Miliam¡¯s way as she spoke.

    ¡°I was beginning to believe I had been fooled, I must admit,¡± Abigail muttered just loud enough for Miliam to hear.

    ¡°Perfect! Go ahead and set us down inside the crevice, Aoibhe. We¡¯ll check it out on foot,¡± Miliam ordered immediately. Instead of following the instruction, though, Aoibhe turned around to regard Miliam with a suspicious look.

    ¡°You said ¡®we¡¯ just now. You can¡¯t be planning to go in there yourself,¡± she accused. ¡°That¡¯s the sort of thing the crew is for.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, if we had any crew to spare,¡± Miliam said with a roll of her eyes. ¡°Everyone else on this ship has a job to do. Name one thing you can¡¯t do without me right here.¡±

    ¡°¡­didn¡¯t we just have a conversation about conflicting authority?¡± Aoibhe asked in exasperation.

    ¡°That was because both of us were right here. You¡¯re the XO, you¡¯re supposed to take command when I¡¯m gone,¡± Miliam pointed out dryly.

    ¡°While I appreciate the thought, I do not require an escort,¡± Abigail intervened placatingly. ¡°Had I believed that necessary I would have brought a companion to serve said purpose.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly bodyguard material to begin with,¡± Miliam replied with a headshake. ¡°I just want to see it for myself. It¡¯s why I¡¯m out here in the first place- so I can witness all the wonders of the universe that I never could have seen if I didn¡¯t have my own ship. How many people can say they¡¯ve been inside a place built hundreds of thousands of years ago that outlived the planet it was built on?¡±

    ¡°¡­indeed, when phrased in that manner, I can hardly dispute your intentions,¡± Abigail relented easily.

    ¡°Abigail!¡± exclaimed Aoibhe, dismayed at her reversal.

    ¡°I can make my own decisions about my safety, Aoibhe. We¡¯ve been over this,¡± Miliam responded as she rubbed her temples.

    ¡°It¡¯s not about that this time,¡± insisted Aoibhe with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m not being overprotective here, I¡¯m raising a legitimate objection in my role as XO. Leading a diplomatic mission on an inhabited world like True Eden is one thing; having the captain head an investigation into a completely unexplored structure is insane.¡±

    ¡°The place has been abandoned for literally hundreds of thousands of years. Since it¡¯s been in vacuum I doubt the structure has eroded any, but what kind of security systems could possibly still be running after all this time?¡± Miliam countered with what she felt was a reasonable argument. ¡°And it¡¯s not like we need to worry about gravity pulling down a compromised ceiling on us right now.¡±

    ¡°Mmgh¡­¡± Aoibhe groaned, unable to rebut those points. Most of the hazards of run-down building on a planet¡¯s surface wouldn¡¯t be applicable here due to the lack of gravity or atmosphere, and it was unlikely much of anything could have run non-stop for all this time. Even wards, which were designed to sit idle for years before triggering, would run out of mana after so long. ¡°Just keep an eye out for tripwires, then, I guess. They¡¯re about the only thing that might still be working.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Miliam replied flippantly, standing from her seat. ¡°While we¡¯re gone, keep an eye out for other ships. I know the chances are low of anyone stumbling into this system while we¡¯re here, but¡­I can¡¯t shake the feeling that something¡¯s going to happen.¡±

    ¡°Um, captain?¡± Eun-ji interjected, raising a hand like she was trying to get a teacher¡¯s attention. ¡°We¡¯re not going to be able to detect much with all this rock around us.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but no one can see us either, and we¡¯ll still be able to detect anything big like a translocation,¡± Min-ji pointed out in return, turning in her chair to regard her sister.

    ¡°If something shows up, contact me immediately, Min-ji. And¡­Aoibhe, have a teleport calculated and ready just in case. We may not have time to wait for a full charge,¡± Miliam instructed before leaving the bridge.

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: Githune

    Best known for the most tragic event in their species¡¯ history, the githune are the only modern species know to have encountered a cthulid- an event that resulted in the loss of their entire home system. Although the githune by that point had multiple colonies in other systems and were able to survive the experience, they have not truly recovered from it in the five hundred years since.

    The githune evolved on the planet Enza, a nearly tidally locked world which rotated fully only once each year. It was unique in that its seasons were dictated by the planet¡¯s rotation rather than its orbit, with all life having to adapt to spending half of each year in near-to-total darkness. For the githune specifically, this meant a nomadic existence in perpetual twilight, following the sun as it set in order to avoid the extremes in temperature faced by the day and night sides of Enza.

    Early githune society was highly competitive due to the limited living space available to the species. As different parts of the year allowed access to different amounts of land, dictated by the shape of Enza¡¯s continents, the githune underwent a regular cycle of warfare as tribes and later nations warred for limited land during the narrow months and recovered during the wide months. Their societies were also highly reliant on herd animals that could provide a mobile food source, and many conflicts were based around securing the largest herds.

    Since technological development requires more infrastructure than magical development, the githune discovered magic far earlier than complex technology, and it was only when their magic was advanced enough to overcome their environment that the githune began to develop technologies like farming and smithing- though they had developed magical alternatives to the latter some time prior to their discovery of the forge. Even today this disparity has never quite evened out, with the githune eschewing nonmagical solutions to any problem that can be solved with magic.

    Eventually the githune were able to settle down after inventing spells that could provide light year-round and regulate temperatures, after which they experienced multiple cultural and scientific revolutions that carried them through to the interstellar age. Following the destruction of Enza, however, the githune became a client species of the neighboring senali and have remained such to the current day.

 Chapter Forty Five

    Abigail watched with amusement as Miliam struggled to pull an ill-fitting spacesuit on over her clothing. She held a helmet under one arm and was now wearing gloves, evidence of the skinsuit she¡¯d brought along and worn under her robes this entire time, much to Miliam¡¯s surprise. It was something Miliam hadn¡¯t thought about when making preparations back on West Gate Station but she would definitely be budgeting for a full set of skinsuits for the crew after this mission.

    ¡°Can you hear me?¡± Abigail asked after she followed Miliam¡¯s lead and slid her own helmet on. Unable to properly nod within the stiff spacesuit she was wearing, Miliam checked the controls on her wrist for the comms. Aoibhe had preset the channel on the last suit Miliam had worn, but she¡¯d since learned enough to activate the system herself after a bit of fiddling.

    ¡°Yes. Testing?¡± Miliam said tentatively once she was fairly sure the built-in communicator was active from her end.

    ¡°Excellent. A word of forewarning: there is likely a layer of regolith on the surface of the asteroid. As the enchantment used on the boots of spacesuits will only lock onto whatever touches them directly, it will be unable to adhere to anything but the soil itself. Do not rely on your boots to remain planted,¡± Abigail warned Miliam as she opened the inner door of the airlock and stepped in.

    ¡°Um¡­shouldn¡¯t we be bringing some kind of tether, then?¡± Miliam asked as she followed Abigail in. The scholar proceeded to activate the airlock, which began to cycle air out of the chamber.

    ¡°So long as you take care to step lightly, the asteroid¡¯s gravity should hold you in place.¡± Abigail paused, glancing over at Miliam as if remembering something. ¡°Ah, to be clear, you were correct in your evaluation earlier. While this asteroid is of sufficient mass to possess a noticeable gravitational field, it is not strong enough to cause a cave in on its own.¡±

    ¡°And if it¡¯s¡­not acting on its own?¡± Miliam inquired, not quite certain what else might lead to a cave in but worried about the possibility.

    ¡°Not to worry. I am not a particularly powerful mage, but even I can counter acceleration one-fortieth that of Earth as best,¡± Abigail assured her as the outer door slid open. She moved forward, almost sliding her feet rather than stepping, and miraculously failed to float away after leaving the Astrum Vitae¡¯s artificial gravity. Miliam mimicked the peculiar motion, bouncing a bit on her first few attempts but not gaining more than a couple feet of height.

    Once she was clear of the ship, Miliam looked up, having to arch her back to do so properly. The Astrum Vitae was parked perpendicularly to the asteroid¡¯s surface at the bottom of a crevice, so she saw stars above her. Aside from the running lights on the Astrum Vitae, the only illumination available seemed to be coming from a headlamp built into Abigail¡¯s skinsuit, which reminded Miliam to turn on her own.

    Returning her eyes to the ground, she looked for the door mentioned by Min-ji, finding it at the end of a man-made tunnel with concrete walls and steel supports¡­or at least, materials resembling those things. It cut off at the edge of the crevice like the earth had split right there and torn away whatever it connected to, but the edges didn¡¯t look as ragged as one would expect if that were the case.

    Following Abigail, Miliam slide-stepped until she was walking in the tunnel, at which point she went ahead and activated her boots, finding the ground solid enough to support the enchantment on them. As they neared the door, Miliam examined it, finding it to be composed of two panels with no visible knobs or handles, likely meaning it was a two-paneled sliding door rather than one sitting on hinges.

    ¡°¡­how are you going to open it, anyway?¡± Miliam wondered as Abigail laid a hand on one of the door panels. In her other hand she held what could only be her grimoire, which Miliam was seeing for the first time. Unlike the smartphone-esque grimoires carried by much of the Astrum Vitae¡¯s crew, Abigail¡¯s resembled a tiny black book connected to her belt by a thin chain and sized so that it could be easily held in one hand. It was currently folded open, and she was operating it with her thumb.

    ¡°Any wards placed upon this door are long expired, and if the materials were mana-infused once, they degraded over the ages. As such¡­hm. Stand aside,¡± Abigail replied, following her own instructions. Once both she and Miliam were out of the way, Abigail triggered something on her grimoire and cast two spells. The first caused a flash of light along the seam of the door as whatever mechanism held it shut was melted instantly, allowing the second to force the doors apart.

    There was a brief burst of air evident only through the scant regolith particles in the tunnel that were carried away by it.

    ¡°How mysterious,¡± Abigail remarked as she peeked around the door frame. When Miliam looked as well, she beheld the inside of an airlock. ¡°Now, why would a structure built on the surface of a planet have an airlock at the entrance?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it was underwater originally. Or it could have been built on a moon,¡± Miliam proposed as they stepped inside.

    ¡°Reasonable hypotheses. Should we be fortuitous, perhaps we shall learn the answer inside,¡± replied Abigail as she cast several more spells, closing the exterior door and opening the inner one. This door she opened only a crack, allowing air to enter gradually until the pressure equalized and she drew it open all the way.

    When the two women stepped inside, Miliam noticed as she entered that the ceiling was less than an inch above her head. The room they¡¯d entered seemed strangely empty, occupied only by a single pedestal in the center and a door on the other side. Miliam awkwardly turned at the waist to cast her flashlight around the room, looking for any other furniture or fixtures, but she found nothing aside from lightbulbs recessed into the ceiling, all of which were unpowered.

    ¡°This is¡­a projector,¡± Abigail observed, crouching in front of the pedestal. Looking over the scholar¡¯s shoulder, Miliam found that it had a magic circle on its surface using a script she couldn¡¯t read, unsurprisingly. ¡°I believe it should be safe to activate, assuming you have no objections.¡±

    ¡°What if it activates something else?¡± Miliam asked, head full of all the possible traps or alarms the device might set off.

    ¡°Even presuming it capable of such a thing, it would have no way of triggering anything remotely without a power source for the other devices,¡± Abigail explained calmly. ¡°Aside from that, any security system which relies on intruders injecting mana into a suspicious magic tool in the entryway themselves would be rather poorly designed.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Good point,¡± Miliam acknowledged lamely. ¡°Then I guess I don¡¯t see why not?¡±

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    ¡°Very well.¡± Abigail wasted no time providing power to the projector before stepping back. It came to life like switch had been flipped, creating in midair a solid-looking hologram of an alien creature. It was hands down the most bizarre thing Miliam had ever seen.

    The alien had six legs arranged like those of an insect, but clearly possessed an endoskeleton rather than an exoskeleton. Two more limbs jutted forward like the claws of a scorpion and while they did not appear nearly as strong, they did have three dexterous-looking fingers, not pincers. Atop its six legs, the creature had a bulbous torso with no distinct head, its six eyes arranged around the front. The two largest of its eyes sat above its maw, which contained teeth that seemed to move independently to rend food where normally the jaw itself would do that work, while the remaining eyes were along the bottom of its mouth. Silvery scales, closer to those of fish than lizards, sheathed its body.

    After a few seconds of display the image vanished, replaced by a scene where several of them working together to build a Rube Goldberg Machine of a trap. The complex construct compensated for their small stature by tying a noose made of vines around the neck of a great beast; the other end was soon affixed to one of the creature¡¯s mighty legs, and a series of triggers activated one by one, driving spikes into sensitive points all over the animal¡¯s body.

    Blinded by pain, it tried to escape- only to snap its own neck.

    ¡°This is¡­a recounting of a species¡¯ history,¡± Miliam whispered as the scene shifted once again to a village built into the walls of a ravine. ¡°But there¡¯s no sound. Is it broken?¡±

    ¡°Audio would have little purpose if the audience did not know the language,¡± pointed out Abigail as the scene progressed. ¡°Consider: this projector was located in a structure that miraculously survived the destruction of the planet or moon it was built upon.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re suggesting this was a time capsule. Is that it?¡± As Miliam spoke, the projector moved onto the next era, showing the discovery of metallurgy.

    ¡°Perhaps. Or it could merely have been a stylistic choice. Who can say?¡± Abigail asked teasingly.

    Silence fell over the two women while they witnessed history unfold. The unnamed species developed writing, architecture, and medicine. They fought wars and made peace. It was impossible to say how much time passed between the start of the projection and the point where this civilization finally developed space travel in reality, but in this format it occurred in mere minutes.

    Soon the aliens had spread across their home system. It took several seconds for Miliam to realize she and Abigail were the first people to know what the planets here had looked like among the entire modern galactic community. But just as the images progressed to the point where the aliens were testing their first translocation drives, disaster struck: a black splotch appeared on the map, visible only because it wasn¡¯t set against the backdrop of outer space.

    ¡°The cthulid,¡± Miliam stated solemnly.

    ¡°Indeed. This is the beginning of the end,¡± Abigail agreed.

    Every weapon the locals could imagine was flung at the void invading their system, failing to prevent it from advancing until it reached the outmost planet. Miliam watched as the living absence stretched out its long limbs and tore into a rocky world dwarfed by its assailant. Debris was flung in every direction, some of it managing to obliterate ships caught by surprise.

    Chaos ensued as society unraveled. There were riots, attempts to build arks to save even a fraction of a percent of the population, and every-more desperate efforts to slow down the cthulid. Footage that Miliam suspected to be authentic rather than a recreation briefly showed the crew of a space ship tearing each other apart after venturing too close to the creature.

    Each time the projection returned to a display of the system map, the cthulid had trespassed further inside, gradually tearing apart every planet until it fell upon the last one standing between it and the cradle world of the natives.

    Suddenly, the image disappeared.

    ¡°They wanted someone to know what happened to them. To remember them,¡± Miliam said to Abigail as she fought back tears.

    ¡°A worthy endeavor. This, however, is merely the first room.¡± Abigail knelt again and ran her fingers over the base of the pedestal. After some examination she found what she was looking for and there was a click as the projector came loose. ¡°With this, we shall not need to worry about recording anything- fortunate, as we would then loose the three dimensional images.¡±

    Abigail stood, leaving the projector where it was.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to take it with you?¡± Miliam wondered.

    ¡°While we explore it would be little more than dead weight. More efficient to leave it here and retrieve it on the way out,¡± Abigail explained as she walked to the door leading further inside. ¡°Now, shall we see what else these people have left for us to find? They must have gone to great trouble to create a tool that would remain functional after all this time¡­I look forward to discovering what else is in store.¡±

    <hr>

    Codex Entry: The Evacuation of Enza

    Unquestionably the greatest tragedy in recorded history, the Evacuation of Enza was predicated by the invasion of the githune home system by a living cthulid in 71GC. Although the cthulid took nearly an entire local year to complete its destruction of the system, the first few months were wasted on attempts to destroy the creature involving both Enzan Authority and allied fleets, none of which are believed to have resulted in damage to the creature. Only once it became clear there was little to no chance of destroying the cthulid did evacuation attempts begin in earnest.

    Githune society never entirely moved past its tribalistic roots, and planetary unification was only achieved by force. Off-world colonies were mostly populated by the descendants of subjugated tribes and nations and segregated by place of origin. The only reason the Enzan Authority had not fragmented already was its overwhelming monopoly on force- a monopoly it lost during its months-long campaign against the cthulid.

    It is still debated to this day how much of a hand the colonies had in what happened to the Enzan fleet, and the answer will likely remain unknown until another cthulid appears. The official story is that the cthulid struck out one day and annihilated the attacking ships after months of ignoring them, but many historians argue it is far more likely that the githune colonies cobbled together a fleet which they used to ambush the Enzan navy when it had exhausted itself attempting to slow down the cthulid.

    With the home fleet destroyed, Enza was deemed as good as lost. An outpouring of humanitarian support emerged from the colonies at this point, which pooled every ship available, both civilian and military, in order to evacuate as many people from Enza as possible. A strict condition was imposed, however: adults would only be evacuated once all minors were rescued. Any adults caught on a ship attempting to leave the planet would be spaced, a rule which was ruthlessly enforced in the first hours of the mass evacuation.

    Modern analyses have concluded that this was an overt attempt at both ethnic cleansing and destroying the Enzan government in one fell swoop. Realistically, there was no chance of evacuating even half of the population before the cthulid destroyed the planet. Even once other nations contributed ships to the effort, less than a percent of the population could be taken off world each day. While it was an utter miracle that the evacuation efforts succeeded in its stated goal of saving Enza¡¯s children, barring those whose parents refused to allow their children to be taken, very few adults made it off-world in time.

    The unintended consequences of this policy destroyed any chance of continued githune independence. Inundated by children with no caretakers, the githune colonies suffered combined housing, caretaking, economic, and agricultural crises that they had no way of resolving. The only solution that may have saved their society would have been a massacre of the children they had saved, but the colonial governments had successfully sold the policy of prioritizing children to their constituents as a genuine attempt at saving the most innocent and helpless members of society and turning against them now would have been untenable even if they had been inclined to.

    In the end, the neighboring senali stepped in and provided just enough support to prevent mass famine and homelessness, but their help came at a price. The githune became a client species of the senali and remain so five hundred years later. Senali governance has carefully prevented the githune from regaining enough strength to regain their independence. In their desire to escape the yoke of the Enzan Authority, the githune colonies only doomed themselves to eternal servitude.

 Chapter Forty Six

    The next room Miliam and Abigail stepped into was built like a gallery in a museum. Unlike the small pedestal in the first chamber, this one had plinths lining both walls, at least a dozen in total. Nothing sat atop them, but embedded within an angled panel near the top of each one protruded something that looked curiously like memory sticks. Not the thin and low profile USB drives contemporary to Miliam, but the larger cards used in old gaming consoles.

    ¡°Think these are all projectors too?¡± Miliam wondered as she looked over the first plinth to her left.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Abigail agreed as she ran a hand over the opposite plinth. ¡°They seem designed to draw attention to these cards; storage devices I presume.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to activate one?¡± Miliam asked, walking over to join Abigail, who glanced her way.

    ¡°Typical procedure would dictate far more care be taken in documenting our finds, but¡­I suppose we do not have time for that. I will activate one so that we may see what precisely these are, then collect them,¡± Abigail explained as she laid a hand on the magic circle placed just slightly above this plinth¡¯s memory stick.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t taking a whole lot of care when you burned through those doors¡­¡± Miliam pointed out dryly. She hadn¡¯t really been expecting the scholar to resort to cutting through the locks instead of attempting to preserve everything like an archaeologist.

    ¡°Time is of the essence, after all, and I am a researcher, not someone accustomed to working in the field,¡± Abigail replied while observing as the plinth came to life, displaying a user interface neither of them could read. Its designers seemed to have foreseen that, however, judging by the pictorial instructions on-screen.

    ¡°If this place survived this long, I¡¯d think it would survive long enough for a proper expedition,¡± Miliam commented, watching Abigail fiddle with the UI.

    ¡°Perhaps. The very fact that I knew of its existence, though, foretells that others will find out as well. My acquaintance located this vault by pure coincidence, and there is no reason to assume another could not do the same, even discounting the possibility that she lets slip the location to someone else,¡± countered Abigail, eyes locked on the projected screen in front of her. After a few more motions she was able to access something other than the basic UI: a three-dimensional render of a sculpture.

    ¡°Huh, I thought this place looked a bit like a gallery, but I guess I wasn¡¯t too far off,¡± observed Miliam as she walked around the plinth, looking at the sculpture from all sides. It was some sort of animal; a tetrapod with a narrow face and sharp features, a mane, and a powerful tail tipped with a club.

    ¡°I believe it to be a complete cultural archive¡­or as complete as its makers could manage, at any rate,¡± Abigail assessed, scrolling through a variety of artwork with no discernable similarities to indicate why they were grouped together. ¡°This one may be a record of all physical artwork their species produced. A genius solution; when faced with total destruction, enough of them realized nothing of their culture would survive intact and digitized it instead.¡±

    ¡°Why not preserve the originals if they could build a place like this that could survive a cthulid?¡± Miliam wondered curiously.

    ¡°It may be that nothing not tightly secured to the ground would have survived¡­or alternatively, it was simply infeasible to build a large enough storehouse for everything,¡± Abigail speculated, shutting down the projector and removing the memory stick. ¡°It is also likely that such mediums could not survive the passage of ages even in a sealed environment. In that situation, a non-volatile storage method is certainly ideal.¡±

    Miliam carefully removed another of the memory sticks and looked it over. It seemed to be some kind of crystal storage akin to the game cartridges on the Astrum Vitae. To the naked eye it just looked like a thick panel of fragile glass, not a nigh-indestructible data drive capable of preserving information without degradation for hundreds of thousands of years.

    ¡°Y¡¯know, it would have been a tragedy if they went to all that trouble only for their singular time capsule to take a direct hit. I bet there¡¯s a bunch of them around the system.¡± Miliam handed her memory stick over to Abigail and began helping her retrieve the others as she spoke.

    ¡°Quite likely. At least some would have been destroyed no matter how well defended they were, but now that you suggest it, I suspect they would have foreseen that. Had we the time, it may have been worth it to investigate the remains of the planets the cthulid obliterated first- repositories such as this one would have had a far greater chance of survival there,¡± Abigail theorized with a thoughtful tone, expanding on Miliam¡¯s idea. At the same time, she proceeded down the line of plinths and collected all of the memory sticks on that side, meeting up with Miliam at the other end.

    After waiting for Abigail to secure her own set of storage devices, Miliam handed over the ones she was carrying so that Abigail could place them in a protective case as well. Once that was taken care of, the two of them proceeded into the next- and apparently final- room.

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    Compared to the previous two, this room was much larger. It was at least the same length as the Astrum Vitae¡¯s engineering section and twice as wide. Along the far wall was some machinery, but every other surface was covered entirely in writing. Due to the sheer scale, it took Miliam a few moments to even recognize the circles enclosing that unreadable text.

    ¡°Incredible,¡± Abigail breathed as she stepped inside, gazing at the enormous and complex spellwork. On the other hand, Miliam had stopped at the door- she was too shocked by the bones littering the floor to take another step. Most were shattered but recognizable save for the few Abigail¡¯s feet had brushed against, which had disintegrated on contact.

    ¡°Um, Abigail?¡± she stage-whispered, some archaic monkey-brain part of her mind warning her that this was actually a tomb and they were looting it. Which was silly, because the same could have been said of the Astrum Vitae, but Miliam had been entirely in survival mode at the time and so it hadn¡¯t occurred to her.

    ¡°Yes, wh- ah,¡± Abigail began as she turned around, spotting a raised finger Miliam hadn¡¯t notice herself move. ¡°That stands to reason. It must have been necessary to have live mages present in order to operate a spell of this magnitude. With a cthulid bearing down on them, they must have needed to make active modifications to the spells protecting this vault¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you just going to ignore that those bones are hundreds of thousands of years old!?¡± Miliam yelled at Abigail, getting little more than a startled blink out of the scholar.

    ¡°Excellent observation! I was so focused on the magic that I failed to even consider the age of the corpses,¡± Abigail replied as if Miliam had merely made a reasonable point in a spirited conversation. She looked over the bones, as well as the dust left in her wake. ¡°Hardly my area of expertise, so it is difficult to speculate, but it could be a difference in bone composition, or perhaps a side effect of the magic they were using.¡±

    Listening to Abigail speak, Miliam found herself to tear her own hair out. This was the first time she¡¯d seen the woman truly in her element, and it seemed she had become so focused on the scientific aspects of what she was seeing that she¡¯d lost sight of all else. As a side effect, of course, Miliam did feel herself calming down a bit just from seeing Abigail so calm.

    ¡°Agh¡­so, can I take it that this whole trip was a success?¡± she asked, changing the subject away from macabre hypotheses about long-dead mages. Judging by the look of disbelief Abigail shot her, Miliam had just made a bit of an understatement.

    ¡°A success? Miliam, dear, this is quite possibly the greatest archeological discovery of this generation! What¡¯s more, it is entirely data! Auctioning off a mere copy of this entire find will likely earn you more money than my university will pay you for helping me obtain the originals,¡± Abigail explained incredulously, showing more unrestrained emotion than Miliam had ever scene from the largely stoic woman. Her intensity threatened to rock Miliam back on her heels.

    ¡°They¡¯d just let us do that?¡± Miliam asked, surprised that Abigail¡¯s workplace wouldn¡¯t wish to monopolize the findings.

    ¡°I believe it would be negotiable, with certain stipulations of course. The buyer would only be getting first rights for a certain period of time, and only under the condition they not disseminate it, most likely. Eventually all of the data will be released to the public, but being among the first to study it and perhaps replicate a dead civilization¡¯s greatest works would be beyond valuable,¡± Abigail pointed out a bit more sedately.

    ¡°Great. That means I should be able to replace those point defense turrets we tore out¡­maybe even get some proper armor for my ship!¡± Miliam exclaimed, not noticing the amused smile Abigail made in response.

    ¡°You might be able to think somewhat bigger than that. Now then,¡± she said, turning back to the extensive spellwork filling the room. ¡°I will need to document these formations in detail. There is no guarantee that this masterwork was recorded in the archives, particularly if it was only finished at the last minute¡­¡±

    Abigail retrieved her grimoire and began photographing the room- a function Miliam hadn¡¯t expected the little pocketbook-style device to have. While she did that, Miliam looked over the spells herself. The text was flowing like Arabic or cursive, but if there was some indicator of where each words began or ended, she couldn¡¯t find it. Each concentric circle was filled all the way around with a single unbroken string of writing, unlike the pictographic language used in modern Gaian Collective spells.

    It was too early in her studies for Miliam to make any judgement on how that would affect the spells. Strictly speaking, pictographs weren¡¯t a requirement; they were used because they allowed information to be packed in more densely. So it wasn¡¯t out of the question that spells could be written this way, using plain text, assuming she was interpreting it correctly.

    Her mind began to wander. Some part of her felt a bit disappointed that this was all there was to the ancient facility. She¡¯d somewhat expected a sprawling complex or a decaying ruin. Something that required guile and effort to overcome. Instead, they¡¯d found a treasury with its gates unbarred and unguarded. It was a gift to those that came after, or perhaps a warning of the dangers hiding in the shadows of the universe.

    She fell from her train of thought when a call came in from the Astrum Vitae.

    ¡°Captain, you need to return as soon as possible! Eun-ji just detected another ship!¡± Min-ji reported in a panic. Hearing that, Miliam felt a sinking feeling in her gut and it took her a moment to reply.

    ¡°Got it. We¡¯ll be back soon,¡± she said before switching her channel back to Abigail. ¡°Abigail, we¡¯re leaving! Min-ji just called to tell me we¡¯re not alone here.¡±

    ¡°Wha- no! You cannot be serious; I have yet to fully document our findings!¡± protested the scholar. ¡°Much of the text is still covered by bones!¡±

    ¡°Then brush them aside and wrap it up. If we get too greedy and die here, everything we¡¯ve been through will be pointless,¡± Miliam commanded with a bit more fire than she could usually summon.

    That was the fear talking. She didn¡¯t know exactly what they were up against, but she doubted Min-ji would have asked her to come back if it were just a corvette.

 Chapter Forty Seven

    Miliam had to practically drag Abigail from the vault once she¡¯d taken a handful of extra pictures. Fortunately she had a height advantage over the scholar, and the entire structure wasn¡¯t exactly large to begin with. Once they reached the room where they¡¯d left the projector, she managed to convince Abigail to willingly come along for the sake of not leaving it behind.

    Getting out required waiting for the atmosphere in the airlock to slowly leak out, the reverse of what Abigail had done on the way in, but soon the two of them were thumping their way down the hall, unable to move too quickly while relying on their boots to anchor them down. At the edge of the hallway, though, they would have to either slow down or take a huge risk. More afraid of the potentially-hostile approaching ship, Miliam chose the latter.

    After taking several calming breaths, Miliam planted her feet at the spot where concrete gave way to regolith and pushed off with all her might, launching herself in the direction of the Astrum Vitae¡¯s airlock. She wasn¡¯t concerned whether Abigail would choose to take the faster or the slower option; Miliam had no intention of taking off just yet, but she did want to get to the bridge as quickly as possible. One nerve-wracking vacation from touching the ground later, she reached the airlock, stumbling a bit as she crossed the threshold into the ship¡¯s artificial gravity.

    Turning around, Miliam saw Abigail walking carefully across the regolith. Seeing it would be some time before she made it to the ship, Miliam activated her comm and then cycled the airlock.

    ¡°We¡¯re not taking off until you¡¯re aboard, but I want to get to the bridge so I can figure out what¡¯s going on,¡± she assured Abigail as air began to flow into the airlock.

    ¡°Understandable¡­but should you leave me behind, I will haunt you,¡± Abigail replied humorously. At least, as much humorously as she could while panting heavily. It seemed her slow pace was as much due to being unathletic as it was due to caution.

    The instant the airlock slid open, Miliam hurried through and cycled it again from the inside so that it would be ready for Abigail, then went straight for the bridge, removing her helmet as she went. She didn¡¯t have time to remove the entire spacesuit and wouldn¡¯t have even if she could; in fact, she¡¯d probably go ahead and put the helmet back on the instant there was a hint of danger.

    ¡°What do we know about that ship?¡± Miliam asked as she walked onto the bridge, before she even took her seat. She tried to keep her voice tightly controlled but was pretty sure she just ended up sounding stressed instead.

    ¡°Judging by the size it looks like a cruiser but it¡¯s hard to be sure; they were running dark and I only noticed them because of a fluctuation in their EMCM. A shift change, maybe. They were sitting far enough away that I think they only just detected us a few minutes ago. I never saw any signs of a translocation jump, so they might have been here first,¡± Eun-ji reported with an undercurrent of nervousness. It was little wonder why; even if the Astrum Vitae were armed, it would never stand a chance against a cruiser.

    ¡°Do they know where we are? We were under EMCM, weren¡¯t we?¡± Miliam inquired next, directing the second question to Min-ji.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way to hide a jump, and a cruiser would have an entire team of sensor operators. It¡¯s probably safe to assume they know the general area we went in,¡± Min-ji explained. ¡°We¡¯re still hidden for now, but they might spot us if they get close enough.¡±

    ¡°Can we make a jump straight out of the system from right here?¡± Miliam asked of Aoibhe, hoping they could skip an encounter with the other ship entirely.

    ¡°Nay, this rock doesn¡¯t have much of a gravity well, but it does have one. We¡¯ll need to be almost half a light-second away before we can jump,¡± Aoibhe replied.

    ¡°That¡­doesn¡¯t sound like much,¡± Miliam pointed out.

    ¡°Aye. Trouble is, we don¡¯t know where the cruiser is right now, and we won¡¯t be moving at our maximum speed from the start. If we give ourselves away by spinning up the wave drive and the cruiser is close enough to interdict us, we¡¯ll have to travel even further before we can escape,¡± the pilot explained to Miliam¡¯s dismay.

    ¡°How would they do that? Interdict us, I mean.¡± To Miliam¡¯s knowledge she¡¯d never read anything about preventing ships from teleporting other than gravity wells.

    ¡°It¡¯s the same EMCM used to defend against translocation missiles, captain,¡± Min-ji pointed out. That made it click in Miliam¡¯s mind; if creating perturbations in local gravity could stop something from teleporting in, it could also stop them from teleporting out. It didn¡¯t take much of an effect to make a jump too dangerous to attempt.

    ¡°That makes sense, but what about the wave drive? In all of our simulations, we¡¯ve always been able to use it without giving away our position,¡± she pointed out.

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    ¡°It¡¯s not that they¡¯d know exactly where we are, just that they¡¯d know we¡¯re around here somewhere. We¡¯d be gambling on whether they notice us before we get far enough away,¡± Min-ji elaborated.

    ¡°So we can try to sneak past on thrusters alone or sit here and hope they don¡¯t spot us¡­¡± Miliam muttered. She knew the ship¡¯s thrusters were much more powerful than those used by, say, the Apollo Program, but even half of a light-second was a great distance to cross. That might not save any time over simply waiting. ¡°How fast can we get there without the wave drive?¡±

    ¡°¡­depends how long we burn for, but we¡¯re talking about maneuvering thrusters, not main engines. Even if we exhaust our fuel entirely, we¡¯re talking hours,¡± Aoibhe responded with a shake of her head.

    ¡°Urgh¡­I think it¡¯s probably safer for us to hunker down. Min-ji, do everything you can to make us undetectable,¡± Miliam ordered, hoping it was the right choice.

    ¡°Right!¡± replied the dokkaebi woman on the comms station.

    ¡°Tell me when you get tired and I¡¯ll take over,¡± volunteered her twin at the sensor station.

    ¡°What rotten luck, though¡­what was that cruiser even doing out here?¡± Miliam wondered, the door behind her opening partway through. She twisted in her chair to see Abigail had entered; strictly speaking she should have asked permission first, but Miliam didn¡¯t feel like standing on ceremony right now. It wasn¡¯t like the Astrum Vitae was a huge and important ship with secrets to steal, anyway.

    ¡°I may merely be paranoid, but it would seem to me there is only one reason for another vessel to be stationed in this system,¡± Abigail suggested as she took up a position to Miliam¡¯s left.

    ¡°You think they were looking for the vault too? How would they even know about it, and why would they just be hanging around instead of looking?¡± Miliam questioned.

    ¡°I believe it is exactly as I feared. The information I received made its way to someone else. Through a member of my own source¡¯s crew, perhaps, who knew which system it was in but not the precise coordinates,¡± the scholar replied, clasping her hands behind her back. ¡°Still¡­a cruiser? Are you certain?¡±

    Miliam looked to Eun-ji, who was listening in. Realizing the implied question, she answered. ¡°Not completely, but it¡¯s definitely bigger than us, and I can¡¯t see it being a battleship. Even a frigate or a destroyer would be bad for us though.¡±

    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯d bet on it being a cruiser. Frigates and destroyers don¡¯t usually operate alone; they¡¯re escort vessels,¡± Aoibhe added to Eun-ji¡¯s analysis.

    ¡°Then we can rule out independent actors. That ship is almost certainly affiliated with an official navy. Neither the Gaian Collective nor any other friendly navy would deploy a cruiser to a remote system such as this merely for something of only archaeological value, which means we are almost surely dealing with a mirazar ranger,¡± Abigail deduced.

    ¡°That seems like a bit of a leap,¡± Aoibhe replied skeptically.

    ¡°Yet another term I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Miliam groaned. ¡°What¡¯s a ranger, exactly?¡±

    ¡°The Unnac Imperium classifies its ships by role instead of tonnage, but Abigail¡¯s mostly just being pedantic,¡± Aoibhe explained while staring the scholar in the face. She looked over to Miliam after Abigail huffed. ¡°In practice it¡¯s what we¡¯d call a cruiser, but calling it a ranger means it¡¯s meant specifically for independent action instead of running with a fleet.¡±

    ¡°Okay. So, why would they care about the vault?¡± Miliam directed the question to Abigail in particular.

    ¡°The mirazar have not had quite so positive an experience with the Observers as humans, as one might surmise from their own term for them: the Abductors. Not a single Observer experiment upon the mirazar was successful, resulting in at least two dozen transplanted populations that died out entirely on foreign worlds,¡± Abigail explained heavily. ¡°They took that personally. It could be considered a national goal of theirs to usurp all Observer technology they can find and destroy all traces of them as a culture.¡±

    ¡°Then they definitely don¡¯t want us getting out of here with those memory sticks,¡± Miliam realized, eyeing the case Abigail had stored them in. Her first instinct was to offer them up in exchange for their lives, if she were being honest, but she clamped her mouth shut and forced herself to think it through first.

    There was nothing rational about what Abigail had described. The mirazar were acting on nothing but hatred of the Observers. In that case, what were the odds of them actually accepting a deal like that? Slim to none, surely. In reality, the only method currently available for viewing the contents of those storage devices resided in the vault, but the mirazar probably wouldn¡¯t accept the risk that data might have already been copied from them.

    If Miliam tried to surrender, the most likely outcome was that the mirazar first extort the artifacts from her and then blow the Astrum Vitae out of the void just to be sure. But that didn¡¯t really change anything; her choices still remained the same as before Abigail had arrived- or so she thought.

    ¡°Captain, the cruiser is approaching! They¡¯re drawing their wave drive down now!¡± Eun-ji announced, spoiling Miliam mood further. Part of her was close to making a vow to develop some type of faster-than-light sensor technology just to avoid exactly this situation.

    ¡°Define ¡®approaching.¡¯ Are they coming right towards this asteroid?¡± Miliam asked, hoping they were only coming in their general direction.

    ¡°Yes; they must have determined it was our mostly likely destination based on our starting position and course,¡± Eun-ji answered.

    ¡°They¡¯ll definitely find us if we stay here. It¡¯s too small of an area to hide in if they¡¯re willing to do a dedicated search,¡± Aoibhe said, turning back to her controls as if she¡¯d already predicted what Miliam was going to decide.

    Admittedly, Miliam wasn¡¯t sure moving was the best decision either. Obviously if the mirazar cruiser noticed something moving away from the asteroid they¡¯d immediately assume it was their prey. But sitting still just meant giving the mirazar all the time in the world to search for them, and the twins could only maintain their EMCM for so long.

    ¡°Min-ji, Eun-ji, put everything you have into the EMCM. We just need to stay hidden until the asteroid is between us and that ship- then we¡¯re going to make a break for it.¡±

 Chapter Forty Eight

    After dropping down to slower-than-light speeds, the mirazar cruiser took its time approaching the asteroid hiding the Astrum Vitae, likely in order to scan the parts of the rock already facing it. The other ship wasn¡¯t even trying to hide at this point, painting the asteroid and all the smaller rocks in its vicinity with active sensor scans. Shortly after detecting the first scans, though, Min-ji reported something else.

    ¡°Captain, it looks like they¡¯re sending out a message,¡± she reported curiously.

    ¡°Would it be dangerous to listen to it?¡± Miliam asked cautiously, even knowing it was probably a silly question.

    ¡°Uh, no, it looks like they¡¯re transmitting in all directions,¡± Min-ji answered. Miliam gave her a nod.

    ¡°We may as well see what they have to say, I guess,¡± she decided. Min-ji put the transmission on screen, revealing to Miliam what exactly a mirazar was. The broadcast was full video and displayed the cruiser¡¯s bridge, presumably, at the center of which was a creature with a hunched back, lying forward on a sort of arched platform that was like a hybrid of a chair and a bed. Shaped like a half-circle, the alien¡¯s chest and belly rested against the arch while its limbs hung loosely to the sides. Its forelimbs stretched forward over a console below its head.

    Around the mirazar were sprayers that coated it constantly in mist, keeping its slick skin damp. Its hide was mottled, each tone a color that could be associated with mud. As for its head, it was rounded and large, with relatively tiny eyes and flexible antler-shaped appendages where ears would normally be, their actual function anyone¡¯s guess.

    ¡°Unknown ship, seeker of the Abductors¡¯ legacy, your presence is both an affront and a boon to the Unnac Imperium. Reveal yourself and yield us their secrets and I, Mellifluous Clawfisher, Delve Lead of the IUNS Falcon Catcher, will guarantee your lives.¡± Although the alien who Miliam assumed was the ship¡¯s captain was speaking, its mouth didn¡¯t move. For the first time in a while she was reminded that the translation charm she wore didn¡¯t mask the original language entirely, as the mirazar¡¯s speech was accompanied by a two-toned whistling that was invariably off-pitch to her, making it thoroughly unpleasant to human ears.

    ¡°¡­do they always talk like that?¡± Miliam asked no one in particular, finding there were too many things she wanted to comment on and settling on possibly the least important.

    ¡°You imply an entire species¡¯ conversational habits may be gleaned from a single example,¡± Abigail noted, covering her mouth to mask her amusement.

    ¡°Translation: nay, cap¡¯n, this guy is just a melodramatic ass,¡± Aoibhe provided flippantly.

    ¡°Odd as it may seem, there is a certain logic to appointing one such as he to this role. It is unlikely he would take his assignment anything but seriously, considering his clear disdain for the Observers,¡± Abigail added to Aoibhe¡¯s evaluation.

    ¡°If he hates them that much I doubt he actually plans to let us go¡­¡± Miliam muttered sullenly, her earlier predictions seeming more likely by the moment.

    ¡°Indeed. He will not allow knowledge to escape.¡±

    Silence fell upon the bridge as everyone waited for the cruiser to pass. Everything relied on Min-ji¡¯s skill right now. Eun-ji seemed to find that calming, given her total trust in her sister, but Miliam was starting to hallucinate that she could hear everyone else¡¯s hearts pounding in their chests.

    In a stroke of fortune, the mirazar captain chose a course that would take his ship around the asteroid in the wrong direction, requiring it to fully circumnavigate the rock before arriving at the Astrum Vitae¡¯s position. Miliam¡¯s ship had needed to circle the planetoid most of the way around before finding the right spot as well, but the cruiser had no way of knowing where they had ended up, so it must have been starting from where its prey had arrived.

    Despite the probably size of the IUNS Falcon Catcher¡¯s sensor operation team, the ship proceeded slowly. That probably pointed to them being thorough in their search, which was a double-edged sword for Miliam and her crew. It meant the other ship would need more time to conduct its scans, but meant it was unlikely to miss the vault as well, and any attempt to get closer would reveal her ship¡¯s presence.

    Briefly, Miliam cursed the unfairness of the situation. They didn¡¯t even know for sure the vault was built by the Observers, but there was no way of convincing Delve Lead Clawfisher of that. His mind was surely made up already.

    Eventually the cruiser passed around to the other side of the unnamed asteroid and Miliam knew it was time to act. This was possibly the riskiest part of the plan, but there was no telling how many passes the cruiser would make in its search, and she knew her luck could only hold out so long- as could Min-ji¡¯s stamina. They had to leave now.

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    ¡°Min-ji, Eun-ji, go ahead and switch while the cruiser doesn¡¯t have eyes on us,¡± Miliam instructed.

    ¡°¡°Yes!¡±¡± the twins answered in unison. They reacted at the exact same time, hopping from their seats and crossing the bridge to the opposite consoles. Both women dodged to their own right, neatly sidestepping each other without the need for any prior communication before sliding into their new stations. Concerningly, Miliam noticed they hadn¡¯t taken their grimoires with them, but she decided she would just have to trust that they were so similar the devices wouldn¡¯t detect a difference. There just wasn¡¯t time to waste double-checking.

    ¡°Aoibhe, burn for as long as you think is safe!¡± Miliam commanded next.

    ¡°Aye, cap¡¯n!¡± Aoibhe acknowledged as she worked her controls. With the inertial sinks active Miliam didn¡¯t feel the ship move, but through the viewport the view of the crevice the ship had landed in quickly disappeared, replaced by nothing but distant stars. In seconds the Astrum Vitae accelerated on thrusters alone until it was moving at a pace of several kilometers per second, a speed that seemed incredible until compared to the distance they needed to cover, well over one hundred thousand kilometers.

    Eun-ji, fresh and now in control of EMCM, acted to mask the thermal signature thrown off by the thrusters before it could give the ship away. Her sister, taking over on sensors, kept a close eye on the cruiser¡¯s last known position, plotting a prediction of its course based on speed and trajectory. Aoibhe soon cut off the thrusters, but her hands remained on the controls, ready to react at a moment¡¯s notice. Feeling the need to do something, Miliam thumbed the intercom.

    ¡°Tessa, keep an eye out for incoming missiles. We¡¯re moving now and the cruiser could notice us at any time,¡± she reminded her weapons operator.

    ¡°Already on it!¡± Tessa affirmed without hesitation.

    Now there was nothing to do but wait. On the sensor plot Miliam saw the asteroid they¡¯d just left grow ever more distance as the Astrum Vitae sped away. It was already over a hundred kilometers away and becoming more distant by the second. She couldn¡¯t help but be aware that such a vast distance was only a drop in the bucket right now, but fortunately it wasn¡¯t being framed in terms of the total distance remaining on the display she was watching. That would just be maddening.

    ¡°Can you tell if they¡¯re interdicting at all?¡± Miliam asked Min-ji.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it,¡± she answered.

    ¡°Could we escape the asteroid¡¯s gravity well with the wave drive without being detected, now that we¡¯re far enough away that it won¡¯t be caught in the bubble?¡± she asked of Aoibhe next, chafing at the slow pace of their escape. It was honestly a question she should have asked sooner, but it hadn¡¯t occurred to her until now.

    ¡°Nay¡­but I think Min-ji could explain this one better,¡± Aoibhe replied, passing the buck back over to the woman on sensors. Hearing her name, Min-ji looked up, pointing at herself as if to confirm she¡¯d been named, but Aoibhe wasn¡¯t looking at her, so she looked to Miliam, who nodded.

    ¡°She¡¯s right! It would actually be one of the few things that can be detected without line-of-sight even through a planetoid. Since a wave drive manipulates gravity and proximity to other large masses influences the size of an object¡¯s effective gravity well, that cruiser would be able to notice the change in the gravitational fields of nearby asteroids. We¡¯re not big enough to have a noticeable effect on the big one, but the smaller ones are another story,¡± Min-ji explained for Miliam¡¯s benefit.

    While she understood the principles of literally none of that, Miliam was at least able to grasp the bigger picture. In short, an asteroid cluster was literally the worst possible place to operate a wave drive if you wanted to be stealthy. There were too many objects with a mass high enough to have a noticeable field of gravity and also low enough to be affected by something the size of a corvette¡¯s wave drive. The instant they attempted that, it would be impossible to miss the effect it had on objects around them.

    ¡°Nothing we can do but wait it out and hope they don¡¯t look in this direction after all, huh¡­¡± Miliam groaned, leaning back in her chair and kicking her legs out.

    ¡°Think of it as a way of training your patience,¡± Abigail counseled. It prompted a glare from Miliam that failed to perturb the scholar.

    Minutes passed slowly. Soon it had been ten minutes since the Astrum Vitae departed the asteroid, and then those ten stretched into twenty and thirty. Eventually the IUNS Falcon Catcher emerged from the other side of the asteroid, continuing its futile search. Its reemergence didn¡¯t do Miliam¡¯s health any favors; she broke out in a cold sweat and her heart accelerated as she watched the larger vessel slowly orbit the now-distant rock.

    At this point the Astrum Vitae was thousands of kilometers away, but that wasn¡¯t even remotely close to being far enough for comfort. Now that the cruiser was visible again Eun-ji reported more transmissions, but a brief check was enough to confirm it was simply sending the previous message on a loop¡­which again left Miliam with little to do except stare a hole into the sensor display.

    Restless energy built up until Miliam was tapping her foot and drumming her fingers against her armrest, stopping only when she felt a warm object bump against her cheek. Turning, she found Abigail holding a tray of mugs in one hand. Her other hand held a single mug, which was pressed against Miliam¡¯s face.

    ¡°I believe we shall be here for some time. Perhaps a drink would calm your nerves?¡± Abigail offered. Miliam hadn¡¯t even noticed Abigail leave, so focused had she been on the displays. Gratefully, Miliam took the mug and Abigail went on to hand the rest out to the remaining bridge crew. She took a sip from the cup, which was really more of a mug-shaped thermos designed for us on a spaceship, and found it was full of some kind of warm, fruity beverage. Probably one of the instant drinks stocked in the galley, considering Abigail¡¯s abysmal cooking skills.

    With the drink warming her belly, Miliam realized the true reason Abigail had gone to get refreshments. In the throes of anxiety she¡¯d forgotten a crucial lesson; she¡¯d given her orders and it was now her job to reassure her crew with her confidence in them. Taking a deep breath, Miliam straightened her back and tightened her grip on the mug. She would tell herself to be confident ad infinitum if that¡¯s what it took; she was not going to allow her fear to unnerve her crew and doom them all.

 Chapter Forty Nine

    Watching the mirazar cruiser circle the asteroid was like being trapped in purgatory; there was nothing that could be done to affect the situation and neither could Miliam leave the bridge as long as the ship was there. The larger ship circumnavigated the planetoid three times over in almost as many hours, all while the Astrum Vitae grew more and more distant, but even now the two ships were close enough that an attack launched by the cruiser would strike the corvette in less than a second. There was no way to reach the bridge in time to react except to already be there.

    Frankly, it was a miracle they hadn¡¯t spotted the Astrum Vitae or even the vault yet. By Miliam¡¯s reckoning that was only because the Falcon Catcher still didn¡¯t know for sure what it was up against and was keepings its distance from the unnamed asteroid. A zealot though he may have been, Delve Lead Clawfisher was cautious and patient enough that he didn¡¯t seem to be willing to enter scrying range of the rock until he was certain it was safe.

    ¡°Uh-oh,¡± Min-ji whispered just loudly enough for Miliam to hear.

    ¡°What¡¯s uh-oh? I don¡¯t like the sound of uh-oh,¡± she demanded, eyes snapping to the dokkaebi sensor operator, who gulped visibly.

    ¡°IUNS Falcon Catcher is launching shuttles,¡± Min-ji revealed. It didn¡¯t click at first why that was so bad, but Miliam realized the problem after glancing back at her displays. Shuttles could give the other captain just as close of a look at the asteroid as scrying, but without risking his ship. While the cruiser only appeared to be carrying two of them, eventually the shuttles were sure to happen upon the cavern containing the vault- and then it would be obvious his prey was escaping.

    Miliam hadn¡¯t even known ships carried small landing craft like that, but that was besides the point.

    Problem was, there wasn¡¯t anything she or her crew could do about it. Really, the only thing they could do was accelerate further when the cruiser¡¯s sensors were obstructed by the asteroid, but the Astrum Vitae didn¡¯t have the fuel for it. Those thrusters were for maneuvering and landing, not spaceflight. Clearly the time to fall back on the wave drive was approaching, but when was best? When the Falcon Catcher spotted the Astrum Vitae, or when it was blocked by the asteroid?

    Waiting too long could be fatal because there was no guarantee Miliam¡¯s ship could survive the cruiser¡¯s opening volley, but jumping the gun might deprive them of valuable time they could have used to gain that much more distance. On the other hand, the cruiser would need less than a second to clear the asteroid if they detected a wave drive activating on the other side and their interdiction would definitely be in place before the Astrum Vitae reached safety. Even now it would take several seconds to exit the large asteroid¡¯s gravity well from what was essentially a cold start as far as the wave drive was concerned.

    ¡°Min-ji, shout ¡®now¡¯ the moment you detect the cruiser firing at us and Aoibhe, bring the wave drive online as soon as you hear her,¡± Miliam instructed after making her decision. In her opinion, the time gained by staying hidden outweighed the slight bit of forewarning they would have obtained by activating the drive while the cruiser was blocked.

    Whether that a was a good judgement call remained to be seen.

    ¡°Will do,¡± Min-ji acknowledged.

    ¡°Ready and waiting,¡± Aoibhe chimed in, hands tightening on her controls.

    ¡°¡­with your permission, I believe I will move to the cloister,¡± Abigail volunteered unexpectedly. Taken aback, Miliam looked her way; out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Aoibhe¡¯s head as she jerked in surprise, barely stopping herself from looking away from her station.

    ¡°Since when are you a barriermaster?¡± asked Aoibhe without turning around, voicing the question Miliam was thinking.

    ¡°I am not one. It is up to you, Miliam, whether you believe an amateur is better than no one at all,¡± Abigail replied honestly.

    ¡°How should I know!?¡± Miliam practically yelled in response. She lowered her voice before continuing. ¡°Be honest. What¡¯s the best case and the worst case?¡±

    ¡°At best I manage to correctly anticipate what type of damage to counter and buy us additional time. At worst I am incorrect and our barriers fail to stop an attack entirely,¡± Abigail answered evenly, as if discussing the weather.

    ¡°¡­and which is more likely?¡±

    ¡°Neither, I would say. I may perform an educated guess due to the circumstances and rule out many of their options, but that still leaves several possibilities. Anything slower than light by too wide a margin may be discounted in a chase scenario, but that still leaves directed energy, temperature manipulation, disintegration, railguns, and more. A seasoned operator may be able to select settings that counter several at once instinctively; I will not be able to account for more than one intentionally,¡± Abigail explained patiently.

    It was a risk, just like every other choice Miliam had to make right now. But so was using the default settings. Nothing would pierce them without being impeded at all, but they would be drained far more by any given hit than something more specialized.

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    ¡°Then¡­go, but don¡¯t mess with anything unless I give the okay,¡± Miliam decided, essentially punting the decision down the road. At the very least it was probably better to have Abigail in position just in case.

    ¡°Very well,¡± Abigail agreed before leaving the bridge.

    That left Miliam watching the display intently as the Falcon Catcher¡¯s shuttles hopped from ravine to ravine, exploring the asteroid¡¯s surface gradually. They appeared to be ignoring anything too small to fit a corvette, but the search pattern they were following would bring them to the pilfered vault before much longer. Knowing which ravine it was in at least gave Miliam and her crew some warning about when they would be discovered.

    ¡°Not much longer,¡± she muttered to herself as one of the shuttles hopped to the next crater. The moment was growing closer and her anxiety and restlessness were spiking once again. It was beginning to require physical effort to stop herself from unleashing her nervousness. Time advanced inexorably towards the moment of revelation and Miliam felt her limbs tensing as the seconds ticked past.

    One of the shuttles entered the crevice containing the vault. As soon as they investigated the inside of the structure time would be up. There was no way of knowing how long it would take now; it was all hidden by the asteroid¡¯s surface.

    IUNS Falcon Catcher began to turn.

    ¡°Now!¡± Min-ji called out a fraction of a second before Miliam even perceived the flurry of projectiles and spells that lit up her screen, chasing sensor ghosts and decoys spun off by Eun-ji.

    Wordlessly, Aoibhe triggered the ship¡¯s thrusters in full reverse, killing its momentum as the wave drive came online and began to bend space itself. The distance between the two ships should have rapidly increased, but the cruiser was already changing direction, preventing Miliam¡¯s corvette from escaping. A cone starting at the cruiser¡¯s position faded in as it began to actively interdict a wide area around the Astrum Vitae, though Miliam noticed it wasn¡¯t centered properly, which hopefully meant they hadn¡¯t quite narrowed the smaller ship¡¯s location down yet.

    ¡°They¡¯re hailing us again,¡± Eun-ji notified Miliam absently, most of her attention taken up by maintaining the ship¡¯s EMCM.

    ¡°Ignore it,¡± Miliam ordered, preferring to have Eun-ji focus on the more important of her jobs. She could have accepted the hail herself, but there was no point, and Miliam really didn¡¯t want to give Delve Lead Clawfisher a chance to psych out her crew.

    Tapping first the icon for her own ship and then the other¡¯s, Miliam checked the numbers that popped up on screen representing the approximate range between them. It was slow, but the number was increasing gradually, and it seemed to be accelerating as well. As expected, the cruiser couldn¡¯t accelerate as quickly as a corvette- on of the few advantages Miliam held here.

    More alarmingly, the incoming fire was becoming more accurate. It was happening in fits and spurts as Eun-ji adjusted her spells, but she was one person against an entire team. Skilled as she was, she could only stave off the inevitable for so long.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t they firing missiles¡­¡± Miliam asked herself as she watched events unfold. As a generalist design, she had assumed rangers would carry missiles in addition to lances and railguns, but so far only the latter two weapon types had come into play. Were they holding them in reserve until they had a target picked out? It couldn¡¯t be that they lacked missiles entirely. There weren¡¯t enough weapons firing right now to account for the extra space that would leave.

    Miliam jabbed the intercom button so hard her finger ached when the answer came to her.

    ¡°Tessa, prepare for a saturation attack!¡± she barked into the comm. There was no way the Falcon Catcher had no missiles, and they¡¯d only be wasting time by waiting for a target lock. That left one possibility: they were launching missiles already, but they hadn¡¯t lit their drives off yet.

    The bubble projected by a wave drive was just that, a bubble. That meant there was space inside that volume that wasn¡¯t taken up by the ship creating it. Normally launching missiles during a pursuit without activating them would result in them being left behind, but if they were pushed out of their tubes at a low enough velocity¡­

    It was possible Miliam was giving either herself or the enemy captain too much credit here, but she could live with that. It was better than being caught by surprise. And if she were correct, hopefully she¡¯d noticed early enough for Tessa to prepare.

    A lucky shot glanced off the Astrum Vitae¡¯s barriers, draining them slightly. Miliam heard Eun-ji click her tongue as she redoubled her efforts, and for a few moments the cruiser¡¯s weapons were drawn off target to the corvette¡¯s port, but they quickly began to close in again.

    ¡°Incoming missiles- a lot of them!¡± Min-ji announced suddenly, confirming Miliam¡¯s fears. Dozens of missiles appeared on screen, met almost instantly by point defense lasers coordinated by Tessa which began picking them off. The range was short though- not nearly enough that she could eliminate them all, especially not while lacking two entire turrets. As the missiles approached, Miliam realized this was exactly the situation where a novice barriermaster might come in handy.

    ¡°Abigail, can you tune the barrier for missiles?¡± she asked the scholar waiting in the ship¡¯s cloister.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± answered Abigail simply. Miliam didn¡¯t know how to check if the change had been made since she¡¯d never had anyone manning that station before, so she just had to trust the job was done. There wasn¡¯t time to do anything more, as the first missiles were already in range.

    Nuclear explosions blossomed across the tactical map and lines crisscrossed through space to show the path traced by the bomb-pumped lasers those warheads powered. Each missile sent dozens or more beams of focused energy through space, all aimed in the general direction of their target. As vast as space was, those lasers had a tiny chance of hitting anything, but even after Tessa reduced the number of missiles by half there were hundreds of beams searching for Miliam¡¯s ship.

    Several lines intersected with the Astrum Vitae and were bent off course by the ship¡¯s barrier. As the explosions and lasers faded from the plot Miliam began to breathe a sigh of relief, but her breath caught in her throat as the ship suddenly shook and she realized she¡¯d made a critical mistake. It was a simple one. One that may not have even been avoidable. Had she made another choice, her ship might have been nothing more than an expanding cloud of debris by now. But having escaped that fate, Miliam had another problem to content with.

    Because the instant those lasers had been deflected, the Falcon Catcher knew precisely where the Astrum Vitae was hiding.

 Chapter Fifty

    Miliam didn¡¯t even bother checking where the damage was before contacting Abigail again.

    ¡°Reset the barriers!¡± she urged the scholar.

    ¡°Done,¡± Miliam heard back a moment later. It was too soon to feel relief, though. By the time the cruiser finished firing her own ship¡¯s barriers had dropped by over a third. And that wasn¡¯t even a full volley; some of its weapons were probably already recharging by the time the Astrum Vitae¡¯s location was determined.

    Even worse, the cruiser had stopped firing almost entirely. That sounded like a good thing initially until one considered why. Considering how rapidly it had been shooting in the Astrum Vitae¡¯s general direction previously, its weapons must have been operating at lower output in exchange for volume of fire. Since they were mostly shooting in the dark before, the captain had likely been hoping a lucky hit might reveal the corvette¡¯s position even before his sensor operators pinned it down.

    Now that they knew where to aim, though, there was no reason not to use their weapons¡¯ maximum output. The tradeoff was that their lances would fire more slowly now as they were forced to recharge fully between volleys. At most, the Astrum Vitae could survive one full volley unscathed and that was only because the Falcon Catcher was currently firing directly into the rear of the corvette¡¯s wave bubble and they were now travelling at speeds that rendered railguns useless. The next volley would both deplete the smaller ship¡¯s barriers and give the cruiser the data it needed to adjust its aim to compensate for the field of warped space serving as a secondary line of defense.

    Glancing at her map of the system, Miliam realized that her ship had long passed outside of the asteroid¡¯s gravity well in the handful of minutes since the pursuit had begun. Now the only thing standing between her ship and safety was the cruiser¡¯s EMCM. Theoretically speaking her own ship¡¯s EMCM could counter the minor gravitational perturbations the Falcon Catcher was using to interdict it, but that would require Eun-ji to somehow predict the randomized pattern it was using.

    Which left escaping the cruiser¡¯s area of control before being blown to smithereens. But although the range had now opened up quite a bit¡­well, Miliam wasn¡¯t great at this type of math, but she was pretty sure her ship wasn¡¯t making it out of interdiction range in time. She needed some way of throwing the cruiser off again. To get them to stop firing, preferably. But they weren¡¯t going to quit chasing her ship until it was destroyed or had¡­escaped.

    Oh.

    ¡°Eun-ji, can you spoof a translocation jump?¡± Miliam asked, going with the second choice because the first was too obvious, in part, but also because she knew translocation jumps had a much larger sensor signature. Maybe it would be like flashbanging the other ship¡¯s sensors- there were no doubt ways of compensating quickly, but this was only step one of the plan.

    ¡°Can I¡­yes! I think so, but we¡¯re still in their interdiction range. Won¡¯t they assume it¡¯s a trick?¡± Eun-ji answered before pointing out the most glaring flaw in the plan. But that was fine. Miliam just needed the other ship confused for a moment.

    ¡°Do you think it would give us enough cover for you to change up our EMCM and make them lose track of us?¡± Miliam added on.

    ¡°It might, but we¡¯ll still be on the same course, right?¡± Eun-ji asked confusedly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, just try to be ready to cast the spells as soon as you can after their next volley,¡± Miliam instructed, turning her attention to her pilot next. ¡°Aoibhe, how quickly can you change our course?¡±

    ¡°At these speeds? Probably¡­a few seconds for every degree. But shifting the wave bubble like that will reduce our advantage in acceleration a bit,¡± Aoibhe replied anxiously.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, we just need to be out of their direct path. Pull up hard when Eun-ji casts her spell and decelerate as fast as you can once the cruiser isn¡¯t on a collision course with us anymore,¡± Miliam ordered, calling a bit upon the age-old maneuver she¡¯d seen in so many movies where a fighter plane stalled its own engine to let a foe pass it by.

    ¡°Aye!¡± Aoibhe acknowledged with gusto, indicating to Miliam that she saw the vision.

    Hopefully now that the cruiser ¡®knew¡¯ where the Astrum Vitae was, there would be a slight delay before they realized it slipped away. Between the confusion over how her ship had performed a translocation jump already, the mana pulse of a fake jump, and a complete shift in her ship¡¯s EMCM it would, with some luck, be several second before anyone thought to check if Miliam¡¯s ship had changed course.

    By then, her ship would already be out of its original position relative to the cruiser and decelerating, which would place the Astrum Vitae well outside the pocket where the Falcon Catcher was searching for it in. Between that and the fact the cruiser¡¯s interdiction field was being projected forward so it would reach further, the Astrum Vitae might very manage a real jump before the cruiser even noticed the deception.

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    And it all hinged on starting the moment after the Falcon Catcher launched its next attack because that gave her a window where the cruiser had no way of verifying her ship¡¯s position.

    ¡°They¡¯re firing again!¡± Min-ji announced. By the time she spoke most of the incoming fire had already struck the Astrum Vitae¡¯s barriers, rapidly depleting them, and by the time she finished the last of it had been deflected by the wave bubble.

    ¡°Eun-ji, are you ready?¡± Miliam asked tightly, fearing there hadn¡¯t been enough time for the dokkaebi woman to prepare.

    ¡°Just about¡­now,¡± Eun-ji replied, activating the spells she¡¯d queued up before Miliam could respond. Hearing that, Aoibhe began adjusting the wave bubble to tilt their path upwards.

    As she waited to see if the plan had worked, Miliam thought her heart was going to burst from how loudly it was pounding, seemingly drowning out all other sounds on the bridge. She rotated the sensor plot to get an angle that showed the Astrum Vitae¡¯s position ¡®vertically¡¯ in relation to the Falcon Catcher, not that the two ships had been rotated onto the same axis in the first place.

    For all that both ships had reached speeds close to a full c, the icons on the display were moving at a snail¡¯s pace. The Astrum Vitae was even now inching closer to the edge of the Falcon Catcher¡¯s range, but that would take another minute they didn¡¯t have. Aoibhe was gradually bending the ship¡¯s course upwards though, second by second- and then the change in numbers reversed itself as the ship began to decelerate hard.

    The velocity of their wave bubble would take minutes to reduce all the way to zero, but that wasn¡¯t necessary at these kinds of speeds to attain a massive change in relative velocity. With the cruiser still accelerating and the corvette effectively accelerating in the opposite direction, the difference in their relative velocities dropped precipitously. In just ten seconds the corvette fell back until it was tens of thousands of kilometers off from where the cruiser expected it to be.

    When the cruiser fired its next volley, instead of obliterating the Astrum Vitae like it expected, it merely threw an incredible amount of magic power into the void. Instantly the captain seemed to recognize what had happened as his ship¡¯s interdiction field adjusted from a tight cone into a shorter ranged and broader one, but his scans and rapid fire attempts at locating his quarry again betrayed his second mistake.

    While the Astrum Vitae had tilted upwards on its own axis, the Falcon Catcher began by checking if it went down.

    As relief flooded her system, Miliam pondered whether that was just a bad guess or if it were psychological. Of the eight directions that Delve Lead Clawfisher could have picked, he assumed Miliam would have escaped downwards. From what she¡¯d seen of the mirazar, they were amphibians. Had Clawfisher assumed she would dive because that¡¯s what a mirazar¡¯s first instinct when in danger would be? Or was it a coincidence? After all, her down wasn¡¯t his down. He might have been checking to his upper right instead.

    ¡°They¡¯re adjusting their scanning area but they still haven¡¯t started looking closer to themselves. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s occurred to them that we could have decelerated, yet,¡± Min-ji updated Miliam, although she was already following along on the screen which mirrored the sensor station anyway. She thanked Min-ji anyway.

    Regardless of the reason, the other leader only compounded his mistake by searching to the sides of his first guess instead of checking the opposite direction entirely. By the time he moved onto the right general direction, Miliam¡¯s ship had grown so close to his that the angle was no longer sharp enough to net even a lucky hit. If he¡¯d suspected she was decelerating it didn¡¯t show; even now, when the railguns might have proven useful, they remained silent.

    ¡°Make sure you¡¯re ready on that jump, Aoibhe. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to get another chance,¡± Miliam reminded the pilot, her throat dry. Suddenly she remembered the mug she¡¯d been gripping tightly for hours now to the point her fingers were stiff around its handle. Bringing it to her lips, Miliam discovered the drink inside was still warm, quickly finishing it off.

    ¡°Aye, cap¡¯n. I¡¯m ready,¡± Aoibhe confirmed vacantly, her entire focus directed towards her job.

    The ships drew closer to each other far more rapidly than they had ever been moving apart, and the pace only grew by the second. It wouldn¡¯t be long now before the Astrum Vitae could leave the system. But until they reached that point, every second brought them closer to destruction equally. With no barriers left to speak of, it occurred to Miliam that her ship was doomed if the cruiser caught on. It would take very little time for the other ship to adjust its interdiction field or shift its weapons¡¯ aims.

    Once she realized that, Miliam quickly felt her blood pressure spiking again, the tension in her rising with every second that passed. She wouldn¡¯t even have time to realize her death was coming before it arrived. It would be like flicking a light switch off. Whether that was good or bad she didn¡¯t know.

    She wanted to say something; to encourage Eun-ji, who was currently all that stood between the entire crew and death. Speaking up now would only pressure the young woman or at the very least distract her, though. So it was that Miliam clamped down on her tongue, just short of drawing blood. Her own fate was out of her hands now. It was all down to Eun-ji¡¯s skill and Aoibhe¡¯s reflexes at this point.

    Until the end, the cruiser never stopped firing or scanning. They knew the Astrum Vitae had to be here somewhere because its wave drive was still active; they just couldn¡¯t quite pin down where. As the two ships grew closer together, however, so too did the cruiser¡¯s search area get tighter. Their sensor operators weren¡¯t stupid; they¡¯d begun to realize what Miliam¡¯s strategy had been¡­but only too late.

    The stars outside the viewport doubled briefly, and then the Astrum Vitae had escaped the Falcon Catcher¡¯s grasp.