《Last Among the Stars》


 Prologue

    At a glance, it is easy to dismiss humans as an unremarkable and unimportant civilization. They have very little in the way of biological or technological advantages. They''re not the strongest, or the smartest, or the longest lived. They certainly don''t have the fastest ships or the biggest guns. And then, there''s the famous disposition.


    It is said that the only time two humans will get along is when they have a third one to argue with. From the beginning of their recorded history, humans have fought each other. Over land, over resources, over beliefs. There hasn''t been a moment since the founding of their civilization when humans weren''t at war. If there''s no cause for it, they will find one, and if their respective leaders won''t go to war, the people will handle it amongst themselves. Paradoxically, their kind isn''t particularly violent or mean tempered individually, but gather enough of them in one place, and you will see them devolve before your eyes.


    As I said, it is easy to dismiss humans as unremarkable and unimportant. They seem quarrelsome, primitive, stubborn and self-sabotaging. Placed in ideal conditions, they will find a way to tear apart both themselves and everyone around them. But unlike any other species in the known universe, they thrive exclusively under adversity. If you were to take the most elite soldiers from any of the Galaxy''s fiercest fleets, and put them under the right amount of stress and hardship, eventually, they would all crack under the pressure. Put a group of humans in the same situation, and you will see them become stronger, smarter, more resilient than you thought possible. Give humans whatever they ask for, solve all their problems, and they will just make more problems themselves. Give them an impossible problem to solve, on the other hand, and you will soon find out that the laws of physics are mere suggestions to them. The only time humans display their true, terrifying potential is when they''re backed into a corner. It is due to this unique quirk that I believe that, in our greatest hour of need, they will be our strongest allies. It is also the reason why I think that they''re potentially the greatest threat in the universe.


    -From the classified reports of Prometheus, Imperial Emissary to Earth, 2154 AD


    For 30,000 years, the Eternal Empire of the Othiri had watched over the younger races in its domain. Unbeknownst to them, the ever-vigilant Othiri had been protecting them from outside threats and, occasionally, from themselves. But as time passed and their influence dwindled, their leaders found it more and more difficult to protect their once heavily guarded borders. As the empire crumbled and their vast fleets withered away, these younger species, sheltered from the dangers of the universe, had to be brought into the fold. Like children lifted for the first time from their steel cradles and thrust into the wilderness, they came to know the world as it truly was: wondrous beyond their wildest dreams, yet filled with danger and death.


    The first ones to be officially contacted were the Zargon, an inevitability at that point, given that they''d already managed to tame a sizeable slice of the galaxy by themselves, even without the aid of jump drives. Then came the Iridonian. Their civilization was ancient and advanced in many ways, yet their disinterest in space travel left them ill-prepared for what lay beyond their horizons. The Humans and Platharians were a risk, younger and more capricious than the rest. Contacting them was not an uneventful experience, but their natural aptitudes for space travel would have meant that they would get into trouble sooner or later, with or without intervention. The Tarlak were a surprise, a civilization they weren''t even aware of. The Humans discovered them and became better ambassadors than the Imperial Remnant could ever have hoped. For nearly a century, this burgeoning galactic neighborhood was peaceful and prosperous, and the Othiri could rest easy, knowing that their legacy was in safe hands. Then came the Kharlath.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    When the first few sleeper ships arrived in Imperial space, around the 2230s, they were seen as little more than a curiosity. These large, scaly, reptilian looking creatures were not too dissimilar in appearance to the Humans or Zargon, yet their psyche was completely alien. Communication was difficult, and their aggressive tendencies were obvious, but despite their individual ferocity, they were deemed too few in number and technologically primitive to pose a threat. By the time the Mothership arrived, no one expected the Kharlath to be a threat. But their Mothership was unlike the rest, in both construction and complement. A vessel of unknown design and untold power, it brought with it hardened soldiers and vicious warlords, ready to wage war on anyone in their way. The real purpose of the sleeper ships soon became apparent: they weren''t simple explorers but a scouting party, looking for planets ripe for the taking.


    The Iridionians, who had welcomed some of the first wave of Kharlath with open arms, were the first to fall, slaughtered in their beds and bombarded from orbit. A coalition of Zargon and Platharian fleets managed to keep them at bay for a time, but their tactics were ineffective against the brutality of the assault. Every ship that wasn''t completely destroyed was added to the Kharlath war fleet, every soldier left alive pressed into slavery. The Tarlak, pacifists to a fault, had no armies or warships to speak of, so it fell to the Humans to turn the tide. While the Coalition forces desperately fought to buy them time, the recently founded United Earth Commonwealth assembled the largest single fighting force that Human civilization had ever seen. A ragtag collection of cargo haulers, transport ships, and exploration vessels, outfitted with whatever weapons they could find, and crewed by hastily trained conscripts from around the galaxy. It was a far cry from the perfect fighting force, but it would soon become apparent that it was perfect for the job.


    In 2247, the Humans achieved their first victory. The Kharlath Mothership, once seen as unbeatable, was damaged and forced to flee. For the first time in the war, the enemy had retreated. Over the following two years, a long and bloody war was fought for control of Imperial space. The Humans had managed to turn nearly every one of the Kharlath''s tactics against them. Commonwealth ships always fought to the last man, and when all else failed, self-destructed rather than risk capture. Repurposed Kharlath boarding probes were turned against their creators. Although no match in single combat, the Humans boarded the enemy vessels and overwhelmed them with sheer numbers. Every victory came at a heavy cost, but the tide of war was slowly turning. But as the Kharlath were driven further and further away, it soon became clear that the war was far from over. As long as the Mothership stood, there was no hope for peace. As humanity faltered under the weight of the burden that had been placed upon them, they were charged with their most difficult task yet: they were going to steal the Mothership.

 Chapter 1-The Quiet and the Storm

    In the sterile, brightly lit recruitment office, Jack Nereus shifted nervously in his uncomfortable chair. The air carried a faint scent of metal and industrial disinfectant, a stark contrast to the nauseating mix of patriotic messages and images of glorious battles playing on multiple screens around the room.


    "Nakayama?" a nasal, disinterested voice called out, piercing the silence for a moment.


    A short, young woman got up from the other side of the room. Despite her small stature, her presence immediately filled the room. She carried herself with obvious confidence and mechanical precision. Commissioned officer, maybe? No, she wouldn''t be in an enlistment office. Private sector? She couldn''t have been older than 25. Jack had made a game of figuring out every other recruit walking up to the desk. Most of them were easy enough, young colonists like himself looking for adventure, spacers in need of a paycheck, a few coddled Earth kids rebelling against their parents. The usual suspects. She was the first that he couldn''t quite place.


    "Nereus?" the shrill voice interrupted his thoughts once again.


    Jack walked up to the recruitment desk, his legs slightly trembling. Up until this point, he felt confident in his decision to join the fleet, but Daedalus Station unnerved him. The makeshift hospitals in every plaza, the young soldiers with dead looks in their eyes. And that damn omnipresent smell, like someone was trying to cover up something really nasty. He always knew he was signing up for something dangerous, but he never expected it to be this dreary.


    "Colonial name, right?" the clerk addressed him without looking up from his terminal.


    "Yes, sir. Magellan Gamma, born and raised!" Jack tried to instill a bit of pride in his voice, but his nervousness sabotaged him.


    "Says here you went to Solartech Engineering Academy, dropped out final semester. Ever worked on a ship?"


    "Not in a technical capacity, no. I spent a few months on the Excalibur, uh, a cargo transport; I was the galley attendant," the young recruit stumbled over his words.


    "Good enough," the bored clerk lunged from his relaxed position to type at his terminal with surprising speed. "You''re going to the Bismarck. Auxiliary Technician. You report tomorrow morning at 04:00 local time. Secondary Docking Bay 62, know where that is?"


    Jack nodded his head as the worker handed him a handful of documents. Paper. Quaint. The fleet was often mocked for their love of redundancies and analog idiosyncrasies, particularly among the ranks of the far more sleek and shiny corporate PMCs, but Jack figured there must have been some sort of wisdom in the way they did things.


    "Take these to the office on the left, next to the bathroom. They''re gonna give you your badge and ID card. Oh, um, and welcome to the United Earth Interstellar Fleet."


    The clerk at the second office, somehow even more disinterested than the first, took the stack of papers from his hand with almost robotic precision and disappeared into the depths of her office. Several seconds later, she returned and handed him a glossy metal plate, about the size of Jack''s palm.


    "That''s your official Fleet ID; don''t lose it." Without as much as making eye contact, she extended a credit probe and signaled towards Jack''s wristpad. "500 creds. That''s half your first paycheck. Take it and run, and you''re officially liable for desertion."


    Jack walked away from the office as he inspected his new ID. He was in the Interstellar Fleet! With a badge and everything. Back when he was a kid, he had always dreamed of joining the Fleet, albeit as a captain, or perhaps one of those Assault Corps guys in mech suits. But Auxiliary Technician didn''t sound half bad.


    "Hey, rust scrubber!" Jack turned around. It was the young woman who was at the recruitment clerk before him, the one he couldn''t quite figure out. "You got the Bismarck, right?" Jack gave a quick nod.


    "I''m Eve; guess we''re gonna be shipmates." She spoke with a friendly and familiar tone, but Jack could sense that it was artificial, as if she was playing a part. "I''m a tech too! Well, I was, on my first tour anyway; guess they were impressed with my work, now I''m gonna be a big fancy engine operations supervisor. Whatever that means."


    "So, what''s a rust scrubber?" Jack asked, somewhat flustered.


    "Oh, that''s just what you''re gonna be doing most of the time. They give you these cool titles so you feel like you''re not just wasting time, but really, there''s not a lot to do on these babysitting ships. You''re mostly there to make sure all the other recruits don''t realize they signed up to serve on a hundred-year-old construction freighter." Eve let out a small laugh. It felt sincere enough, but Jack couldn''t shake the feeling that she was hiding something.


    "I take it you know the Bismarck, then?" Jack wondered incredulously.


    "I know the type. These kinds of ships aren''t meant to see action. They''re officially patrol vessels, but really, they just fly around empty space while they teach you how to actually do your job. You spend a few months on one of these, and if they figure you''re either too dumb or too smart, they keep you there."


    "That''s your plan, I take it?"


    "Hell no!" Eve''s tone suddenly shifted to a far more serious one. "I didn''t sign up for a second tour because I really like sleeping in bunk beds and getting paid spare change. I don''t know why they sent me to patrol, but I don''t plan on sticking around."


    Just as quickly as it had disappeared, the young woman''s cheery demeanor returned.


    "So, you got a place to crash till tomorrow?" Eve asked casually.


    Jack blushed, and he could notice Eve''s face strained in an attempt to suppress her laughter.


    "I didn''t mean it like that, rust scrubber. You''re not gonna find any empty rooms on this station, not unless that ID badge says ''officer'' on it. Me and my mates have a table over at the Nebula Saloon. Trust me, it''s better than sleeping on a bench at the Arboretum." She casually swiped her wristpad by his arm as she walked away, with a short buzz indicating that she had shared her contact info.


    Stolen story; please report.


    After taking in the meager sights of Daedalus Station for a few hours, Jack decided to take Eve up on her offer. Compared to the Daedalus Cantina, the station''s other popular establishment, the Nebula Saloon had a lot more personality. It was styled in a faux American Old West fashion, complete with swinging doors and a hologram of a gun-toting cowboy greeting potential customers. The inside was fully covered in imitation wood and smelled of cheap booze and sawdust¡ªan unpleasant odor under most circumstances but a welcome reprieve from the artificiality of the rest of the station. As he walked in, he noticed the speakers playing a piano tune that sounded oddly familiar, though he couldn''t quite place it.


    "Hey, sailor!" Eve greeted him from the back of the saloon in her characteristic cheery tone.


    She was seated at a table with four others: two men, a woman, and a Zargon of indeterminate gender. It was the first time that Jack had ever seen an alien in person, and, as much as he hated to admit it, the sight unnerved him. He had seen photos and videos before, of course, but they couldn''t quite convey the feeling of being in the presence of a truly alien creature. It was bright orange, a shade he had never seen before in another living being. From a distance, its features looked remarkably human, aside from the large bald head, but up close, he could realize that the proportions were very different. The eyes were slightly larger than a human''s, and entirely black; the nose was a barely visible bump, with two vertical slits on either side, and the mouth was both too narrow and too low, almost on the chin.


    "This is Captain Rollk. He''s not from around here!" Eve interjected, presumably in an attempt to stop his dumbfounded staring. "And these are Alfred, Louise, and Anil. I served with them back on the Tramelay. They''re all shipping tomorrow as well. Louise is on the Bismarck with us; Alfred and Anil are on the Harrison."


    Jack went around introducing himself and shaking everyone''s hand. The Zargon appeared friendly enough, but he was ice-cold to the touch. Jack felt a slight chill while shaking his hand. He reticently sat down opposite Captain Rollk. Trying to keep himself from staring, instead, he focused on Eve''s human friends. Alfred and Louise looked around Eve''s age, though they lacked her exuberance. Anil seemed slightly older, or perhaps time had been less gentle to him. His eyes were fixated on an indeterminate spot somewhere in the distance.


    "I know, you''re wondering how come I know a Zargon captain?" Eve spoke up, once again interrupting Jack''s thoughts. "I used to work for him, if you''d believe it! First human on a Zargon vessel."


    "You''re not the first," Captain Rollk spoke in surprisingly fluent, albeit somewhat stilted English. "There was a man, Slobodan Khalil, 50 Earth rotations in the past. He was a smuggler, captured by a patrol vessel. Disease came upon the vessel; most crew were incapacitated. Far out in deep space, with nowhere to rest, few supplies. Slobodan was released from his cell, taught to work on Zargon ships. He helped fly the ship to the nearest friendly port, was called a hero."


    "Did they let him go?" Louise spoke up with genuine curiosity.


    "He was to be assigned to work in the mines. He was assigned to work on a ship instead. He served dutifully for the rest of his days."


    "A credit to our species!" Eve raised a glass of beer in a mock toast. "I suppose that still makes me the first human to serve on a Zargon ship willingly. Unless you''ve got another charming anecdote to share with us?"


    "You are also the first to charter a Zargon transport from 27 jumps away in order to complete a 4 jump trip. To my knowledge," Rollk spoke with obvious sarcasm, though his delivery didn''t betray it as such.


    "So, Jack, what made you join the fleet?" Anil spoke for the first time. His voice was softer and quieter than Jack expected, almost drowned out by the noise of the bar.


    "I''ve got a friend, Adam. We grew up together, went to school together. Said we''d do everything together. He signed up to fight. So here I am." Jack flashed a wide grin as he spoke.


    "So, where is your friend?" Anil asked, barely above a whisper.


    "Boot Camp, I think. He''s Assault Corps. They wouldn''t let me sign up, said I was too short and thin. They sent me here instead." Jack felt a pang of remorse as soon as the words left his mouth. Back on Magellan, he would have been endlessly teased for it, but no one at the table seemed to care.


    "Makes two of us, I guess," Eve spoke with a tinge of regret.


    "Trust me, Assault Corps is not all it''s made out to be," Alfred loudly proclaimed between sips of beer. "Most of the time you''re just sitting around polishing your weapon. The rest of the time, you''re sitting around, polishing your gun."


    "You''re Assault Corps?" Jack questioned him incredulously.


    "We were. Anil and me. Now we''re just ship rats like you. No offense. They won''t let you do back-to-back tours in Assault. Supposed to be bad for your nerves. Whatever," Alfred spoke in an ever-increasing crescendo of volume.


    "So, you ever kill anyone?" Jack continued his interrogation.


    "Nope. Just lizards," Alfred flashed a toothy grin.


    Anil spoke up, this time at an audible volume: "It''s not a good thing to talk about, Jack. Not here. Killing is serious business. Whether we''re talking about Kharlath or Humans. They''ll try to train this out of you, but don''t forget, being allowed to take a life is a privilege we are entrusted with. It is a duty. Not a subject of drunken conversation."


    "I don''t know about that," Alfred interrupted him. "Really, I think killing is a lot like sex. Everyone makes a big deal out of your first time, like it''s some big milestone that''s supposed to change you in some way, but then it just sort of happens, and you don''t feel any different. It just becomes another normal part of your life."


    "Killing is just another part of your life, huh, Alfie?" Louise mocked him jovially. "What are you, a serial killer now?"


    "Well, if he kills as often as he has sex, we''re not really in any danger," Eve joined in, laughing passionately.


    As the rest of the table laughed away, Jack focused his attention on Anil. He couldn''t help but wonder if his question had offended him, though he didn''t seem to give any outward indication of it. Anil was very different from Alfred and Louise. A bit more serious, and far more mature. He was somewhat puzzled by their friendship, but even more puzzled by Eve. Was she the glue holding this odd group together? Despite her seemingly gregarious nature, he couldn''t quite shake the feeling that it was all surface level, that she didn''t really belong. At a table with five humans and an alien, somehow, she still seemed the most out of place.


    "Hey, rust scrubber! Wanna do some shots?" Eve interrupted Jack''s thoughts. She waved down a waitress carrying a large tray, full of multicolored drinks of dubious quality.


    "As they partied the night away, Jack''s thoughts drifted further and further away from the enigma that was his new shipmate. He didn''t quite trust her, but he enjoyed her presence, and that was alright for now. He let himself get captured by the atmosphere of the Saloon, almost forgetting that he was in space entirely. The wide, open plains and bright star-lit sky visible in the fake windows were supposed to represent ancient Earth, but they reminded him of home, of Magellan. It had only been mere weeks since he left, but he already missed it. He missed being outside; he missed the faint smell of trampled grass; he even missed the insects. He had spent time in space before, but not like this. The reality that he had signed up for 16 months in a metal bucket, out in the infinite empty void, was starting to set in. And just as he had let himself forget for a moment, it all came back to him. Jack was about to get up from the table when a sudden loud noise interrupted him. It was an alarm. In a moment, all the lights had come on, and the music had turned itself off. Everyone in the bar was stopped dead in their tracks, as if frozen in place. Apart from the incessant blaring of the alarm, always at 5-second intervals, the Nebula Saloon was eerily quiet. Finally, a voice spoke up from behind the bar, with barely restrained desperation:


    "The Station is under attack! The Kharlath are here!"

 Chapter 2-The Descent

    "Do we have any weapons?" Captain Rollk was the first to speak up, his voice projecting loud enough for the entire bar to hear.


    "I do, sort of," the bartender replied in a somewhat flustered tone. He reached under the bar and pulled out a long metal tube, with a claw-like appendage on the end. "It''s a nerve inhibitor, like the cops use back on Earth. We keep it around in case one of our patrons gets too rowdy."


    "You wanna stop a lizard army with a freaking pain stick?" A voice spoke up from the other side of the room. It was a large, rather imposing man. Rollk looked him up and down as he approached with his chest puffed up.


    "Can you offer alternatives?" the captain replied in a matter-of-fact way.


    The man continued walking until he reached the table. He slammed his fists down on the rickety wooden structure, rattling its contents.


    "And who the hell put you in charge, alien?" Jack could smell the alcohol on the large gentleman''s breath.


    Without a sound, Rollk got up from his booth and dashed towards the unruly patron with cat-like grace. Now, only inches away from him, the disparity in their sizes was clearly noticeable. But even though he only reached up to his chest, the Zargon captain seemed to tower over the man. He was looking him right in the eyes, with his hands neatly clasped behind his back. No expression could be read on his face, and he clearly did not seem impressed or intimidated by the large man.


    "I am called Rollk, not Alien," the captain said with a nearly imperceptible grin on his face as he extended his arm towards the other man.


    With a sloppy motion, the irate patron swung his arm towards Rollk''s open hand, knocking it away. Undeterred, the Zargon resumed his initial position, straight as an arrow with his hands behind his back. The drunk man launched his arm for a second time, this time aimed at the captain''s face. Before Jack could react, or even process what was about to happen, the man was on the floor, and Rollk''s hands were returned to their original position, behind his back. He spoke up once again, this time more forcefully:


    "My name is Captain Rollk, of the Zargon Pathfinding Guild. I have fought the Kharlath, and I have survived. If you would also like to survive, do as I say." He walked towards the middle of the room, and continued: "We will need to barricade the entrance. Everything not bolted down needs to be brought to the center of the room. Those of you with combat training, look for anything that might be fashioned into a weapon. Everyone else, work on the barricade."


    In a rather disorganized fashion, the entire bar set to work. Soon enough, an assortment of furniture, equipment, and various other items were clumped up in the center of the room. Under the captain''s diligent supervision, Alfred and Anil each grabbed a weapon, a butcher''s knife and a large metal pipe, and a rabble of burly looking men and women followed suit. In a matter of minutes, half the bar''s patrons were armed with an array of cooking utensils, broken bottles, and various blunt instruments, and half the establishment''s furniture was propped up against the door. One of the aforementioned burly men, armed with a table leg, walked up to Rollk. The captain tensed up, almost imperceptibly.


    "I''m Edgar Jones, I work maintenance on this station," the Zargon returned to his relaxed demeanor. "I know where we can get some real weapons." Rollk gestured towards the man to approach: "Speak."


    "Directly below the security quarters next door, there''s an armory. We have guns there, nothing really fancy but a couple dozen plasma pistols and a few rifles would be much better than cutlery and furniture." He gestured towards a sealed panel behind the bar. "There''s service ducts connecting every room in this wing of the station, but we need someone small enough to fit in them, and nimble enough to navigate them with no equipment."


    "I can do it!" Jack volunteered. He didn''t know exactly why he said it, and he started regretting it almost immediately, but he didn''t let it show. With renewed confidence, he once again proclaimed: "Back on Magellan, I used to go rock climbing every summer. If I can climb mountains in 1.3Gs, I can go down a few meters of service ducts in 0.9." It was a lie, but not one anyone present could catch him in. With the panel promptly unscrewed, the young recruit was soon lowered down into the ducts. Edgar, the maintenance worker, placed a firm hand on his shoulder as Jack crouched down in the ducts.


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    "All you have to do is crawl forward for about fifty meters. There''s gonna be two shafts going down; make sure you don''t fall in them. Once you reach the third shaft, then you can descend. That''s the tricky part. It''s about an 8-meter drop, I think, so you can''t jump straight down, or you will break your legs. But it should be narrow enough that you can just scale it down with your arms and legs pressed against the walls, like this," he pushed his fingers into his palm to illustrate the motion Jack was supposed to do. He was familiar with it, in theory. "Once you''re down there, you should see another hatch like this one, on your left." He lifted up the service hatch and turned it around, revealing a small handle. "This is the emergency release; pull it three times at 2-second intervals and the screws should come loose, and you can get into the armory."


    Jack nodded as he turned his attention towards the tunnel. He turned on his flashlight, put it in his mouth, and started slowly crawling through the narrow tube.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    "Good luck!" Edgar gave him an encouraging smile as he ventured deeper into the ducts.


    With the light from the bar getting smaller, and only a tiny flashlight for company, Jack couldn''t help but feel trapped, both metaphorically and literally. There was no backing out now. But why did he even offer to do this in the first place? Surely, someone else would have volunteered, maybe even someone who was actually capable of pulling it off. "Eve would have volunteered." The thought struck him like lightning. Is that why he chose to risk his life? For a girl he had just met? He was now at the first vertical shaft. With a clumsy gesture, he lurched his body over it. His chest made a muffled ''thud'' sound as it scraped against the metal edge of the opening. With a groan, he dragged the lower half of his body over the duct and resumed his crawl. He could hear distant sounds of fighting, and wondered if they had reached the bar yet. "What if I manage to get there with the weapons, and everyone is already dead?" he thought to himself. "Or what if they never make it in, and I break my legs here for nothing?" Selfishly, he thought of both alternatives as equally terrible. His left arm suddenly fell through the ground as he flopped onto his belly. The flashlight jumped out of his mouth and disappeared into the void, with a loud bang announcing its arrival on the lower floor. He had reached the second shaft.


    Jack stopped for a few moments and pondered his next course of action. He could press on in the dark, but that would lower his already slim chances of making it out. Going down for it and climbing back up seemed equally unfeasible. Of course, he could simply descend to the lower level here, and continue towards the Armory, but Edgar had specifically told him to climb down at the third shaft. There must have been a reason. After what seemed like forever, he finally came to a decision. He turned on the display on his wristpad, set the brightness to maximum, and lurched over the second gap, this time more successfully. The faint light was just enough for him to see where he was going, and he continued crawling with renewed vigor. Surely, losing his flashlight was his fill of bad luck for the time being. He made his way towards the third opening and slowly began his descent.


    With his knees almost pressed to his chest, and his heels dug into the wall, Jack slowly but surely began lowering himself down. The pins on the back of his jacket scraped against the surface of the duct, making a cacophonous screech with every movement, but at least it drowned out any other noise coming from outside. After what seemed like hours, he could finally make out the ground below. But there was another problem. The lower duct was much taller than the one he had just climbed down from, which meant that he would have to jump down from higher than he expected. He tried to orient himself so that he would fall standing up, but to no avail; he was stuck in his current position. Jack took a healthy breath, braced himself, and slowly relaxed his body. A sharp pain coursed through his body as he fell down on his behind. With the air knocked out of his lungs, he took a few moments to recover before he gritted his teeth and jumped up to his feet.


    Being able to stand up again more than made up for the unpleasantness of his fall. He took a moment to stretch and crack his back, and then looked around to assess his surroundings. The way back was sealed with insta-foam; he was lucky that he hadn''t gone down the second shaft after all. In the darkness, he could barely make out a hatch. He paced up and down the corridor a few times to make sure there were no other alternatives. On the far end, about 10 meters further, there was a locked door. Besides it and the hatch, there were no other access points. The hatch led to the armory; this was it.


    Jack took a deep breath and pressed his ear against the cold metal hatch. He could make out no sounds from inside, but he wasn''t sure if this was a relief or not. He took another breath, grabbed onto the handle, and pulled it down in one decisive motion. It clicked. He counted two seconds and pulled it down again. Another click. Two more seconds and a final click, and the hatch came loose. He gently placed it on the ground, as silently as he could, and crawled out into the room. He looked around without standing up. He was behind a shelf that obscured his view of most of the armory, but even with his obstructed view, it was obvious that a fight had taken place here. The walls were singed with plasma, and the air smelled of sweat and burned flesh. For a moment, Jack was paralyzed. He was so focused on the challenge of getting through the ducts that he didn''t even consider what dangers might have awaited him on the other side. He quickly snapped himself out of it and prepared for whatever was going to come next. He hadn''t come all this way just to run back empty-handed. Crawling under the shelf, he could get a much better look at the rest of the room. The armory was in total chaos, and bodies were strewn all over the place. Mostly human, mutilated beyond recognition. He had seen corpses before, of course, but not like this. He had never seen the face of someone who died without knowing it, the sheer terror of that last split second, realizing that their existence had ended without their knowledge or consent. And he had never seen what a Kharlath energy lance does to a living being. He could feel vomit bubbling up in his throat, but he swallowed his spit, as he swallowed his fear. There were no signs of anyone living in the entire room, and there were plenty of weapons. With a last deep breath, he climbed out from under the shelf.


    He picked up a large bag still clinging to the shoulder of a woman and emptied its contents on the floor: a towel, a can of deodorant, a change of clothes, some fuzzy self-heating socks¡ªthe kind he always wanted but never got around to buying¡ªand a book. Paperback, old school. All these things were once the treasured possessions of somebody, but now they were just objects, forever orphaned in a split second. He picked up the book and glanced at it. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. He had tried to read it once but gave up before he finished it. "I wonder if she knew how it ends," he thought to himself. He put it back in the bag, without asking himself why. He didn''t know this woman''s name or anything else about her, but he could find out how the book ends for her. An insignificant gesture, but the only one he could think of.


    With the bag loosely strung around his shoulder, Jack began to gather all the weapons he could find. He picked up a plasma pistol off the ground and felt its weight in his hand. It was heavier than he expected and felt unnatural to hold, completely unlike the guns he had access to back on Magellan. Those were for pest control; this was a weapon of war. He quickly threw it in his bag and picked up another, and another, each one feeling more and more natural in his hand. After several minutes of scrounging around, Jack could feel the bag weigh down on his shoulder. Just as he turned to leave, a blood-curdling scream stopped him dead in his tracks.

 Chapter 3-Fury

    Trembling with fear, Jack turned around in a split second, instinctively reaching for one of the guns in his bag. Standing in the doorway was a giant figure, clad in metallic armor, and wearing a heavily adorned helmet reminiscent of that of a medieval knight. A bony frill covered in spikes, like that of a triceratops, jutted out of the top of the helmet, but he could make out no other distinguishing features under the armor. Nevertheless, the silhouette was unmistakable¡ªfor the first time, he had come face to face with a Kharlath. The creature let out another scream and swung its polearm-like weapon in a wide motion. With a loud screech, the energy lance came to a halt mid-swing, stuck in the upper frame of the door. Frozen in this awkward position, the creature''s eyes met Jack''s. He could detect no emotion behind them, at least none that he could recognize. Operating almost entirely on pure instinct at this point, he gripped the pistol in his hand, pointed it toward the Kharlath, and squeezed the trigger. With one little motion, a blinding flash, and most of his opponent was reduced to a bubbling, liquid mixture of metal and organic matter.


    An unimaginable pain coursed through Jack''s arm¡ªthe price of using a plasma pistol with no firing glove, but that was the least of his concerns. He could hear multiple pairs of heavy footsteps heading toward him, no doubt his slain enemy''s comrades. With no time to spare, Jack retreated back under his shelf, just to see two more figures make their way into the doorway. Without thinking, he pointed his gun and squeezed the trigger again, twice. Two more flashes of light followed suit, and two more puddles of former-living-being fell to the floor. No more footsteps could be heard, and no more figures could be seen, but Jack couldn''t muster up the courage to move from under the shelf. The room was eerily quiet now, and he could hear his heartbeat, faster and louder than he''d ever heard it before. His tried to drop his weapon, but his hand refused to obey him. He did not know whether it was truly glued to the metal, or if it was simple reflex, but he did not dare to check. He could smell his burned flesh, and he was consciously aware of the pain, but he didn''t actually feel it, not anymore. Jack lay there for a few moments, afraid to even breathe, before he began inching his way toward the other side of the shelf, and the service tunnel. "Once I''m in, I''m safe," he kept thinking to himself, even his thoughts reduced to a whisper.


    Without even daring to get up, the young soldier crawled through the narrow passage, dragging his bag behind him, with his other hand still clutching the pistol. It didn''t register as a foreign object to him, not anymore. The weapon was a part of him now, just another appendage. He carefully dropped the bag in the tunnel and strained to lift up the hatch one-handed. There was no way to bolt it down from the inside, but at least it stayed in place. He slowly got up to his feet, for the first time in what felt like forever, and leaned back against the wall. Even as he was leaning, his hair was brushing up against the pipe-laden ceiling of the corridor, but he did not care. What had felt claustrophobic and restrictive mere minutes before was now oddly comforting.


    A wave of tiredness washed over him, as if he had been running for hours. He took his time to consider the situation. There was no way to climb up the way he came, even if he had the use of both of his hands and wasn''t weighed down by his bag, the opening was too high up. He clearly wasn''t going back into the armory, not under any circumstances. He could shoot the lock off of the door at the end of the corridor, but he had no clue as to what might await him on the other side. He raised his gun and pointed it at the insta-foam. He had made his decision. Whatever reason they had for sealing that section of the tunnel, at least he could be sure there were no Kharlath hiding on the other side of it. He winced as he forced his finger to coil around the trigger, his hand now trembling. Another flash came, more brilliant in the darkness of the tunnel, and the insta-foam evaporated into mist.


    Just as soon as he cleared the way, a viscous fluid began pouring in from all sides of the tunnel. Jack recognized the unmistakable odor of liquid insulant. Unpleasant, but fortunately not dangerous. As he began making his way through the rapidly growing puddle of insulant, the tunnel began to shrink around him, soon enough reducing him to once again crawling on his knees and elbows. The smell was almost unbearable, and his eyes were itching. But Jack powered through with a sense of purpose he had never experienced before. The smell, pungent as it was, no longer bothered him, and he kept his eyes closed¡ªthey weren''t much use in the dark regardless. Once he felt he had gotten far enough away, he opened his eyes once more and took a look around him. He was greeted by the welcome sight of his lost flashlight, only a few meters away. As soon as he reached it, he fell on his stomach, relieved. One more hoop to jump through, and then he was done.


    Gathering all his remaining strength, Jack stood up in the vertical tunnel. He pressed his back against it, fastened the bag around his body, and lifted his legs one by one against the other side. Slowly, painfully, he started making his way up. His entire body was burning, and he could feel the pain in his left arm now, the pistol weighing it down like an anchor. With great effort, he placed his arm in his lap and continued his ascent. Every inch of the climb felt like a battle against his own body, but he remained undeterred. The former galley attendant of the Excalibur could hardly recognize himself. All his life, he had been a chronic underachiever, a nobody from some backwater colony. But it was all leading up to this. His moment of glory. Climbing up a service shaft, covered in liquid insulant. Not the most prestigious task, but one he took pride in nevertheless.


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    With one final, agonizing push, Jack flopped onto the ledge of the upper tunnel and began the last stretch of his painful journey. He lacked the strength to fully stand, even on his knees, and his left arm was trailing behind him, heavy and limp. But his spirit was not yet broken. Through sheer force of will, he slowly slithered across the rest of the tunnel until he came upon the last vertical shaft. He had forgotten about it. His face turned red, flush with anger and frustration. ''All this effort, all this pain, just to be stopped by a hole in the floor?'' This just wouldn''t do.


    Jack scanned the surface of the tunnel, looking for any leverage he could use. His attention quickly turned to the pipes running across the ceiling. They looked sturdy enough. He propped his left arm beneath him and grabbed at one of the pipes, shaking it as vigorously as he could. It wouldn''t budge. He had just found his leverage. He gripped the pipe with all his strength and, in a display of almost superhuman willpower, began slowly dragging his body over the shaft. As soon as he was halfway above it, he let his legs down, remaining suspended in the air. The weight of his entire body, and the bag, was now resting on his right arm. Under normal circumstances, not a challenge, even for someone of his modest physical condition. But in his present state, he could feel his hand slipping. In one final push, he propped his legs against the wall of the shaft and threw himself to the other side, landing painfully on his chest. With his body still in one piece, and the bag still safely attached to him, he continued his arduous crawl, this time even more slowly.


    The final few meters of his journey were, somehow, the most difficult. With his entire body on fire and his chest creaking with every breath, Jack struggled to even stay awake. He hadn''t slept or eaten in well over 24 hours by this point, and the adrenaline was wearing off. He pondered for a second if he should just lay down and go to sleep right then and there. He was as safe as he could be, and, after all, he didn''t know what the situation would be on the other side of the hatch. Fighting his way out of trouble was well beyond his capabilities at this point. But the prospect of waking up as the last human on a Kharlath-occupied station worried him far more.


    He forced his eyes open and dragged his body to the exit hatch. Using his last remaining reserves of strength, he pounded against it as hard as he could and then fell on his back. After what seemed like an eternity waiting for a reply, he started hearing the screws coming undone in rapid succession, and the hatch soon opened to reveal a friendly face¡ªit was Eve, flashing a cheerful smile at the sight of him, a smile that quickly faded as soon as she noticed his condition.


    "Help, we need a medic here!" Eve yelled out in a tone Jack hadn''t thought her capable of, at once commanding and terrified. A tangled mass of hands reached into the tunnel, pulling him out along with the bag. As he began drifting in and out of consciousness, he saw only flashes of what was happening around him: Eve''s friend, Louise, asking him questions and examining him; a few concerned faces he didn''t recognize; Louise once again, trying to pry the gun from his hand; Captain Rollk looking at him with an indeterminate expression; loud noises, bright flashes, horrible smells, an awful battle just out of sight; and finally, darkness. Just darkness.


    After a while, Jack began wondering if he had died. If all his effort and heroism had been for nothing, or perhaps he had made the ultimate sacrifice so that all the others could live. He imagined himself receiving a hero''s funeral, with all his former bullies and tormentors crying crocodile tears at the sight of him. He imagined Eve in a flowing black dress, telling his family and friends all about his heroic exploits while letting herself shed a single, solitary tear when no one was watching. But of course, these were just fantasies. He wasn''t really dead. He was still thinking, wasn''t he? And what would that imply? Jack wasn''t a particularly religious person, but he had a very binary view of how these things might work. Either you died and that was it, or there was a real, proper afterlife. This sort of limbo simply did not fit into his worldview, so he dismissed the possibility altogether. No, he was clearly still alive. The pain was proof of that. And what a horrible pain it was. After a few more hours of pondering life''s various questions, Jack came upon a startling realization: he was asleep. He had been asleep for a while and could wake up as soon as he wanted.


    Finally, Jack opened his eyes and rejoined the world of the living. He felt very woozy and found it incredibly hard to concentrate. He tried to focus on his surroundings but couldn''t distinguish anything around him. All he saw was white, a bit of blue, and lots of lights. He was lying down, presumably in a bed. He tried to move his left hand. He no longer had his gun. It felt strange, as if he had lost a part of himself, but he was also relieved. He made another effort to focus his eyes on something, anything. He saw a chair and a blond woman sitting in it. She was pretty. Did he know her? He knew she was Louise, though he couldn''t quite remember where he learned her name. A disembodied voice came from the woman''s direction:


    "Don''t try to stand up; you''ve got enough painkillers in you to put down an elephant." The disembodied voice laughed. "Oh, by the way, we won. The station is safe. You can go back to sleep."

 Chapter 4-Rebirth

    "Oi! Rust Scrubber!"


    Jack struggled to open his eyes once more. He was still dizzy, but his thoughts were clearer, and his vision less blurry. He lazily took a look around. He was in a rather spartan, probably improvised, hospital room. Bare metal walls, an assortment of devices and monitors spread around his bed, a small nightstand clearly meant for an entirely different decor, and a potted plant barely clinging to life in a corner. The only other piece of furniture was an office chair, currently occupied by Eve. She didn''t look much worse for the wear¡ªjust a few scrapes and bruises¡ªbut something in her eyes had changed.


    "All done with your beauty sleep?" Eve asked in her characteristic nonchalant tone.


    "How long was I out?" The words struggled to escape Jack''s mouth, barely above a whisper.


    "Three days since I fished you out of the wall. A little more than two since we brought you here."


    "So, what did I miss?" Jack once again tried to speak, with little success.


    "They came on the Harrison and the Himerios. No one knows how they managed to take them, or when. They had knowledge, things they shouldn''t have known: station layout, shift rotations, override codes. None of this damn thing makes any sense." Eve slammed her fist into the wall, in a display that Jack found somewhat startling. "They took most of the station in a matter of hours. A few minutes after you made it back, a small party managed to break through our barricade. We fought off the initial group, but more and more came. Just as we were about to be overrun, the Bismarck showed up with two assault corps platoons and saved everyone''s asses. That''s about all I know."


    "Your friends, are they...?" Jack struggled to finish the sentence.


    "Anil is gone." The reply came in a robotic, detached voice, though Jack could see the pain on her face.


    "Alfred is a few rooms over, still out cold. Rollk is in the brig, but that''s a formality. The Fleet knows what he did for them, for us. Louise and I got off lightly." As she was speaking, Eve''s eyes seemed to drift off somewhere in the distance.


    "I''m sorry, about your friend. He seemed like a nice guy."


    Still staring intently at some unseen object of interest, Eve seemed to ignore Jack''s remark.


    "She''s taken a real liking to you, you know? Louise." She somewhat clumsily tried to change the subject. "Thinks you''re some big hero who saved all of us. Well, I suppose you are, really. But still. She almost hasn''t left your side since you got here. Even tried to talk the doctor into making her your nurse. She''s gonna be so mad that I convinced her to get some sleep right before you woke up."


    "Right before you woke me, you mean?" Jack tried to lighten the mood.


    "Trust me, a marching band wouldn''t have been able to wake you. I''d been talking for 15 minutes before you opened your eyes. Oh, by the way, how''s the hand?"


    For the first time since he woke up, Jack pulled his left hand out from under the covers and took a good look at it. It was covered in bandages, and he couldn''t feel anything, but from what he could tell, it was in relative working condition. He bent all his fingers down one by one, before he settled on a thumbs-up gesture, which he proudly displayed to Eve, alongside a toothy smile.


    "Next time put on a glove, yeah?" Eve said as she tried to reply with a smile of her own.


    The two of them stood together in silence for a while. They had only known each other for a few days, and Jack had been asleep for most of that time, but they felt like comrades. Jack had heard stories about the bond people share after they fight together, but seeing it for himself so soon was unexpected. He had risked his life for Eve and her friends, and they in turn had risked their lives to defend him. Next to that, any other act of trust or loyalty seemed insignificant.


    "Mr. Nereus?" A stern-sounding voice came from outside the room.


    "Yes?"


    "I''m Doctor Wallis. How are you feeling?" The door opened and gave a face to the voice, a middle-aged man with a gaunt face and disheveled appearance.


    "Fine, I suppose. I''m not in pain or anything. Just a bit disoriented." Jack tried to look up at the doctor, but Wallis skillfully averted his gaze with the help of a datapad. Something told him that the doctor wasn''t all that interested in his answer.


    "Can you walk?" Wallis asked without lifting his eyes. "Captain Stirling wants to see you."


    "Right now?" Jack responded incredulously.


    "He''s set up in an office just outside the hospital wing, third door to the left," the doctor replied, still buried in his datapad.


    With surprising ease, Jack sprang up from his bed and started slowly making his way towards the door. The first few steps felt easy, as if he''d never been healthier. The next few were increasingly difficult.


    "Is that what you''re meeting the captain in?" Eve mocked him.


    He glanced down at his clothing. He was barefoot, and barely clinging to his body was a hospital robe, lightly stained and about two sizes too large. Jack''s cheeks became slightly flushed with embarrassment.


    "I can have one of the nurses bring you a uniform," the doctor spoke up, looking him in the eyes for the first time.


    A short time, and an embarrassing amount of effort later, Jack was strutting down the hospital''s corridors, wearing his Interstellar Fleet uniform for the first time. He briefly stopped to admire his reflection in a mirror. Apart from his hand and a small bruise on his right cheek, he didn''t look much worse for the wear. He dragged his right hand through his curly chestnut hair in a somewhat futile attempt to tame it, before immediately changing his mind and reverting it to its previous disheveled state. It suited him better this way, he thought. Like an action hero who''s too cool to care about how he looks. He took one last glimpse at his heroic visage before he continued down the hall at a slow but steady pace.


    The door to Captain Stirling''s office was inconspicuous and unremarkable. Just another random room, buried in the guts of what was now a one-size-fits-all hospital, barracks, and bureaucratic annex. Jack straightened his uniform and adjusted his posture before he knocked.


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    "Come," came a deep, raspy voice from behind the door.


    Upon entering the room, the young recruit was greeted by one of the most spectacularly ugly humans he had ever laid eyes upon. Captain Stirling was a short, fat, and unkempt middle-aged man. He had a patchy beard, equal parts gray and dirty blond, and whatever hair he had left on his head was sloppily dyed brown. His small, bloodshot eyes followed Jack across the room as he gestured for him to take a seat.


    "Nereus, yes?" The Captain cut him off before he could open his mouth.


    "Yes, sir!" Jack tried to sound as soldier-like as he could.


    "That was quite a thing you did during the attack. They say you took out an entire Kharlath squad by yourself to secure those weapons.¡± Stirling¡¯s words seemed encouraging, but his tone was indecipherable. ¡°You certainly gave your friends a fighting chance. Some are even calling you a hero, in fact. Are you one?" The Captain stared intently at Jack the whole time he was speaking.


    "I don''t think so." Jack chose his words with a great deal of attention. "I was brave when it counted, I suppose. But mostly, it was luck. I''m not a great fighter, not really; I''m certainly not better than those Kharlath I killed. They just happened to miss, and I just happened to hit them."


    Stirling let out a dry, hoarse laugh. "Son, that''s exactly what a hero is. Some kid who got lucky. Nothing more, nothing less. Every once in a while, there comes a special type of hero, the real kind. You know, the kind who gets lucky more than once. But that''s rare. There¡¯s a hell of a thin line between heroism and idiocy, and only a few are able to walk that tightrope. Most of us only get one shot at doing something incredibly stupid and reckless. You''ve just had yours, and made it out alive, mostly by chance. It''s good that you recognize that. It means the Fleet''s newest hero is not an idiot."


    Getting up from his desk with a laborious motion, the Captain slowly dragged his body towards a filing cabinet near the back of his desk. After a few moments of digging his hands into the seemingly bottomless cabinet, he dug out a small metal insignia and threw it to Jack.


    ¡°You know what this is?¡± Captain Stirling asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a¡­ medal?¡± Jack answered, somewhat puzzled.


    ¡°It¡¯s a commendation for valor beyond the line of duty. Type C. That¡¯s the useless kind that doesn¡¯t come with a pay raise or a discharge.¡± Stirling let out another unpleasant guffaw. ¡°But it means that the Fleet recognizes your talents and dedication, for what it¡¯s worth. Don¡¯t let it get to your head.¡±


    With a single movement, Captain Stirling sat back in his chair and pointed Jack towards the door. Just as Jack was walking out, the captain let out an unexpected harrumph, momentarily stopping the recruit in his tracks.


    ¡°Auxiliary Technician, huh?¡± The Captain addressed him in a more jovial tone than before. ¡°It¡¯s hardly a heroic job. You¡¯re happy with it?¡±


    Jack pondered his answer carefully. He felt as if he had just walked into a minefield. It could have been an honest question, with no ulterior motives, but Captain Stirling didn¡¯t strike him as the type. It was much more likely that he was being tested. Finally, he decided to give his reply:


    ¡°We¡¯ve all got to start somewhere.¡±


    The Captain seemed pleased with his answer but insisted, ¡°You could start higher. Get a leg up. You¡¯ve proven yourself capable enough.¡±


    ¡°I leave the decision to you, sir.¡± After a few moments of hesitation, Jack continued, ¡°But if it¡¯s possible, I¡¯d like to be in the same department as Miss Nakayama.¡±


    ¡°Engine operations, I mean,¡± he added, blushing.


    Stirling smiled almost imperceptibly, the first hint of a pleasant emotion he¡¯d shown so far. Once again, he showed Jack the door, this time letting him pass all the way through. Jack stepped into the hallway, undecided on his direction. He wasn¡¯t sure what to think of Captain Stirling and even less sure about what the immediate future held for him. Did he find his calling in the Fleet? Was this the first of many successful steps in what would become a long and illustrious career, or was it merely a fluke? With the Captain¡¯s words about heroism still fresh in his mind, the newly minted hero wondered if he was in for a rude awakening in the near future.


    ¡°Jack!¡±


    The recruit was stopped dead in his tracks by a loud voice. There was something familiar about it, but he couldn¡¯t place it immediately. He turned around, only to be greeted by a surprising, and surprisingly strong, hug. It was Eve¡¯s friend, Louise.


    ¡°Eve saved you a sleeping cot next to us while you were in there,¡± she said with a familiar tone, as if they had known each other for a lifetime, as she finally let go of him. ¡°If you want to join us, of course,¡± she continued more reticently.


    Jack let out a wide smile and nodded his head, trying his best to play it cool.


    ¡°So, how was our captain?¡± Louise asked as they walked down the station¡¯s labyrinthine corridors.


    ¡°He was¡­ I don¡¯t know? Different?¡± Jack stopped for a moment to consider his words.


    ¡°Captain Stirling has a certain¡­ reputation. He doesn¡¯t care much for formality and can rub people the wrong way. But I¡¯ve known a few people who served under him and swear he¡¯s the best captain in the fleet.¡±


    ¡°So, is your friend Alfred coming with us on the Bismarck? The Harrison seemed to be under new management,¡± Jack joked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. He hasn¡¯t even woken up yet. I guess we¡¯ll see. Everything is in such disarray now.¡± As she spoke, Louise grabbed him by the arm and turned him around. ¡°This is our barracks.¡±


    The two walked into a large, rectangular, and surprisingly tall room filled to the brim with young recruits like themselves. The air was warm and stale, and the familiar clinical smell of the station was replaced by a less familiar, but equally unwelcome, blend of various body odors. As Louise confidently led him through a maze of dazed and distracted youth, Jack focused his attention on the room¡¯s peculiar construction. The floor was steel, but apart from a narrow band surrounding the room, it had a coarse, sandpaper-like texture. The walls were completely matte and featureless. The only element that seemed to be missing was a narrow piece of furniture in the middle of the room, stretching from one end to the other¡ªhe could tell by the equidistant holes in the floor and walls.


    ¡°Tennis court!¡± Eve¡¯s instantly recognizable, cheery voice greeted him from the crowd.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Jack opened his mouth, somewhat stunned.


    ¡°You were trying to figure out what this room used to be, right?¡± Eve continued as she pranced towards them.


    ¡°¡­Tennis court?¡± Jack replied meekly.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know what tennis is, farm boy,¡± Eve teased him. ¡°All those wide open fields on Magellan and you never play?¡±


    ¡°Pretty hard to play anything with a ball in 1.3Gs,¡± Jack snapped back playfully. ¡°But I do know what tennis is. Just wondering why such a cramped station would waste all this space on a tennis court.¡±


    ¡°Officer¡¯s privilege, I suppose. But now we get to use it,¡± Eve smirked as she pointed to a collection of small sleeping bags in a corner. ¡°Take your picks; the blue one¡¯s mine.¡±


    Jack crouched down on the furthest bag, next to the wall. He gently removed his wristpad and placed it inside his bag, then emptied his uniform¡¯s pockets. His fleet ID and his new medal¡ªthese were the sum of his earthly possessions. He realized for the first time since waking up that he had left his backpack in the booth at the Nebula Saloon. Given the chaos of the last few days, he doubted it was still there. For a moment, he considered asking Eve and Louise to help him track it down, but it felt inconsiderate under the circumstances. They had bigger worries now. Suddenly, another thought popped into his head.


    ¡°Hey, Eve,¡± he spoke a bit too loudly. Eve and Louise turned their heads, somewhat startled. ¡°You remember the bag I brought the guns in, back at the Nebula?¡±


    Eve smiled knowingly as she reached into her bag, pulling out a copy of The Great Gatsby. ¡°I figured that book was there for a reason,¡± she said, throwing it into his lap. ¡°Good thing I thought to grab it while you were out.¡±


    Jack smiled, relieved that he now had a fourth possession to his name. He lay down in his sleeping bag, staring at the ceiling. For a while, he tried to summon the energy to get up and start reading, but to no avail. As his eyes slowly closed, he could hear Eve and Louise chatting, but he was too tired to pay attention. The room was noisy and hot, and the sleeping bag was much too thin for the hard steel floor, but he didn¡¯t care. Ever since he¡¯d woken up, all he wanted to do was go back to sleep. The waking world was strange and unfamiliar now. Sleep was safe and comforting. His thoughts drifted for a few more minutes, but soon enough, he fell into a deep slumber.

 Chapter 5-Greetings and Goodbyes

    ¡°Jack?¡± A gentle voice awakened him. He felt a tinge of d¨¦j¨¤ vu as he opened his eyes to see Eve and Louise standing over him, with vaguely concerned looks in their eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep for 16 hours,¡± Louise continued. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Jack nodded as he struggled to get up. Every part of his body creaked and groaned as he unzipped his sleeping bag and slowly lifted himself. He also started to remember that his left arm hurt, a truth momentarily suppressed by his sleep. Before he could stand, Eve threw a protein bar and a fruit cup into his lap.


    ¡°We got these from the cantina for you. Eat up, you haven¡¯t had a solid meal in days.¡± Jack detected a hint of familial reproach in her voice, as if she were an older sister chastising her younger brother. He didn¡¯t much care for this unexpected change in their dynamic, but he was hungry, another fact that sleep had obscured.


    As Jack began chowing down on his protein bar, Eve continued to speak in the same tone: ¡°The Bismarck leaves in a few hours, but you can request additional medical leave if you¡¯re not up for it. Louise has already spoken to Doctor Wallis, but the decision is yours.¡± She paused, considering her words. ¡°We¡¯re going to war now, proper war. This isn¡¯t patrol duty anymore. Everyone needs to be at 100%.¡±


    Struggling to swallow the last bits of the dry, tasteless protein bar, Jack replied, ¡°I¡¯m not staying behind. Especially not now, after what happened. The Fleet needs as much help as it can get.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no shame in it, you know.¡± Louise gently touched his left hand as she spoke, sending light shivers through his body. ¡°Alfred¡¯s staying here as well, for the time being. You¡¯ve both done enough already.¡±


    Already eyeing the fruit cup, Jack replied again, slightly annoyed, ¡°I¡¯m going on the Bismarck. I¡¯m fine, I was just tired.¡±


    Louise seemed prepared to contradict him, but Eve subtly shut her down with a barely perceptible gesture. ¡°It¡¯s settled then. The captain¡¯s giving a speech in the central plaza in half an hour. You might want to get cleaned up before then.¡±


    After making quick work of the fruit cup as well, Jack got out of his sleeping bag with considerable difficulty. He put on his boots, zipped up his uniform, rolled up his meager possessions in his sleeping bag, strapped it to his shoulder and slowly started making his way along the wall towards the bathroom down the hallway. He looked at the faces of the other recruits as he walked past them; they were all uncertain and terrified. He felt that way too, deep inside, but at least he had the decency to hide it.


    The bathroom had seen better days. It was grimy, the floor was wet, and an unpleasant smell, whose origin Jack didn¡¯t want to dwell on, filled the air. He made his way towards the hygiene products dispenser. The rows labeled ¡®shaving kit,¡¯ ¡®disposable towels,¡¯ and ¡®deodorant¡¯ were all empty. Tough luck. He grabbed one of the handful of oral hygiene kits remaining and resigned himself to rinsing his face with water and sprinkling a bit of dry shampoo in his hair, before fashionably unfashioning it once again.


    With his morning routine satisfied to the best of his ability, Jack pulled up the station¡¯s map on his wristpad and started walking towards the central plaza at the most leisurely pace he could muster. The station as it was now was a stark contrast to what he experienced upon his arrival. Order was disrupted by chaos and disarray, and the quiet, subdued depression he could barely detect in the atmosphere was now replaced by manic desperation. Everywhere he went, there were people frantically running around, tripping over others lying down in the middle of the corridors. The formerly pristine, glossy metallic walls were all damaged in some way, either burned, shredded, or stained with some mysterious spontaneous battlefield concoction that was as omnipresent as it was unrecognizable.


    As he let himself be guided by the map, almost as if he were on autopilot, the formerly hopeful recruit didn¡¯t even dare to look up at the carnage around him. It would have been understandable if this grim tableau had given him pause, but unexpectedly, it only strengthened his resolve. ¡°If a few dozen Kharlath managed to do this to a military station, what would Magellan look like after they¡¯re done with it? Or Earth?¡± he thought to himself as he shivered. No, he was not going to let it happen. Then and there, he decided he was going to do whatever it took to stop them. For the first time in his life, he had an epiphany: there was something he was willing to give his life for.


    Making his way into the central plaza, Jack quickly scanned the crowd for Eve and Louise. He had a momentary impulse to call Eve but decided against it. If he was going to spend the next few months of his life on the Bismarck, he had to know more of his shipmates, maybe even some other people from the fleet. It was time to make some friends. He eyed a group of young-looking recruits in Interstellar Fleet uniforms, who were sitting on a few crates by the entrance, and decided to join them.


    ¡°Hi there!¡± he exclaimed, somewhat timidly.


    They barely had time to acknowledge him before the ear-deafening noise of microphone feedback interrupted their conversation, and the gruff, only slightly less ear-deafening voice of Captain Stirling followed:


    ¡°Recruits. Veterans. Officers.¡± The captain paused and furrowed his brow until the crowd became all but silent. ¡°There¡¯s a hundred different reasons why we¡¯re all here today, in this room. Some of you were drafted, others signed up for a quick paycheck, or to get away from a life that was probably better than whatever the Fleet can provide for you. The least lucky of you, the career men, probably thought they signed up for a cushy desk job on some unimportant ship or forgotten station. I myself am only here because I didn¡¯t want to say no to my father.¡± He paused to allow for a subdued laughter from the crowd. ¡°But regardless of why, you¡¯re here all the same, and we¡¯re all in this mess together. War has come to our borders, sooner and deadlier than expected. This is no longer about getting the Zargon and the Platharians out of the mess they made; it is about our continued existence as a species. And we are, as of this moment, the tip of the spear that will keep humanity safe. I know that this is not a position that any of you chose to be in. I know that many of you will falter under the weight of this responsibility, but I also know that even more will rise to the occasion. I know because I¡¯ve seen it, countless times before, in the hundreds of people I¡¯ve served with throughout my career.¡±


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Captain Stirling went quiet for a few seconds, letting a loud murmur build over the crowd before once again silencing it with just a look. He seemed to ponder his next words intensely, before launching into an all-out assault on the microphone:


    ¡°What I¡¯m about to say next is something I have been explicitly forbidden from sharing with you, but I believe that you all have a right to know the exact situation we¡¯re in. We have been betrayed. Out there, there is a human, or a group of humans, working for the Kharlath, feeding them information. There was a concerted, organized attack that aimed to decapitate our defenses in this sector and isolate us from the rest of the Commonwealth. And there is absolutely no chance they would have had the knowledge to pull it off without inside assistance. You already know about the Harrison and the Himerios, but at least 6 other nearby ships were all captured simultaneously. Yesterday, we¡¯ve gotten news that Pallas station has seemingly self-destructed and Porphyrion remains radio silent. Both are presumed to have been lost to the same strategy the Kharlath employed here.¡±


    A sharp pain shot through Jack¡¯s heart upon hearing the captain¡¯s words. Pallas Station was gone? He looked around before he asked one of the nearby recruits a question that he already knew the answer to:


    ¡°Pallas Station is where the Assault Corps recruits were training, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Multiple heads nodded. Somehow, against all odds, he hoped the answer would be no. That it was simply something he had misheard one day. But obviously, he knew. Adam had told him countless times that this is where he was going. They took the same shuttle to Cerberus Station. Jack got on the one to Daedalus at 12, he stayed behind for the one to Pallas. Adam was there. His best friend was on a space station that exploded. Could he have survived? Maybe he flunked out immediately and they sent him home. Maybe he was taken prisoner. Adam was the strongest, smartest person he knew. Surely there was no way he was dead. He must have thought of something.


    Jack felt his legs shaking as he stepped into the hallway, while Captain Stirling was still detailing all the ways in which they were screwed in the background. He made it two steps before he had to throw up. The rancid taste of bile filled his mouth as he reclined against a wall, slowly falling down as his back scraped against the cold metal. He couldn¡¯t think, he couldn¡¯t stand up, all he could do was look straight ahead as his eyes swelled up with tears.


    ¡°You lost someone, right? On Pallas?¡± A deep, booming voice spoke to him in an unexpectedly gentle tone. Jack looked up to see one of the recruits he had been standing next to moments ago, a tall, broad-shouldered, but somewhat lanky man with a sincere smile on his face.


    ¡°I lost both my brothers here, in the assault,¡± the man continued while sitting down next to Jack. ¡°We were all spacers from Gaia, same as Captain Feldt. When we heard of his exploits, we all decided to enlist, make the station proud. A few hours later, I was holding their bodies in my arms. They never even got to see what hit them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jack could barely muster the strength to reply.


    ¡°That pain, the one you¡¯re feeling now, the one that you think is going to kill you¡ªit¡¯s useful. It¡¯s good. It¡¯s what¡¯s keeping me going. The pain of what I have lost, and the anger I carry with me. Because I know that if I stop, that pain and anger will dissipate, and no one will know what they meant to me anymore. And another piece of them will die along with me. So take your pain, and put it to work, because it needs you just as much as you need it.¡± The man spoke slowly and firmly, emphasizing every word.


    Jack nodded solemnly and gathered all his strength to get up and shake his hand. ¡°Thank you. That helped me. I¡¯m Jack, by the way.¡±


    The stranger took his hand and gripped it firmly but did not reply. Instead, he nodded his head and walked back into the room, disappearing into the crowd. Jack¡¯s despair was now replaced by confusion and curiosity, though he took the mysterious man¡¯s advice to heart. He walked back inside, initially attempting to track him down, but quickly changed his mind. If the man refused to even tell him his name, he probably didn¡¯t want to have any more to do with him. So he remembered his original plan and set out to find Eve and Louise instead.


    With the captain¡¯s speech over, the crowd began to dissipate. An unemotional robotic voice recited casualty names, with all the pomp and gravitas usually reserved for listing arrivals and departures at a spaceport. Jack sent a brief message to Eve on his wristpad as he made his way through the thinning crowd. Her reply came a few seconds later: "Meet us at Docking Bay 7."


    Once again, Jack navigated the labyrinthine corridors of Daedalus Station, guided by his wristpad. He made a brief stop at the cantina, where he was slightly disappointed to find limited food options. After some consideration, he settled on another protein bar and an extra-large cup of pistachio and mint-flavored pudding¡ªthe only kind left, and for good reason. He powered through his utterly unsatisfying meal with great effort, and then returned to being piloted through the chaotic guts of the station by his wristpad, now with renewed strength.


    Upon entering the docking bay, he was greeted by a scene of incredible chaos, as dozens of recruits attempted to enter the Bismarck¡¯s narrow airlock at once. Far from the noisy crowd, Eve and Louise lay on a bench, amused at the curious spectacle, alongside a man in a wheelchair. As Jack got closer, he recognized this man as Alfred, their boastful friend from the Saloon. He looked entirely different, with his head completely shaved and a freshly stitched wound running from his forehead to the top of his head. His face was bruised and swollen, and the entire right side of his torso, along with his shoulder and a good portion of his arm, was bandaged. But the biggest change was in his demeanor; his confidence and joviality were entirely replaced with a vacant, empty stare. He silently greeted Jack with a nod as he approached.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got your duty roster?¡± Eve broke the uncomfortable silence.


    Jack shrugged as she swiped her wristpad over his and continued, ¡°You¡¯re in Engine Operations with me. We¡¯ve got the same shifts too. Lucky you.¡±


    Louise interjected, somewhat reticently, ¡°Hey, you said you had a friend who signed up for Assault, right? Was he...¡±


    ¡°He was on Pallas, yes.¡± Jack cut her off, barely holding back tears. Immediately standing up, she reached out and hugged him tightly. This time, Jack hugged her back, softly placing his head on her shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to make those damn lizards pay, for your friend and for Anil.¡± For the first time, a bit of color returned to Alfred¡¯s cheeks as he spoke.


    The four of them sat in silence for a while until the commotion had all but cleared. Still in relative silence, they said their goodbyes to Alfred, with Louise administering another one of her patented hugs. As they moved closer to the ship, Jack had time to more closely examine the vessel that would be his home for the foreseeable future. It was an odd, very rectangular design, about 200 meters long, with few distinguishing features. The front third of the vessel was narrower, shorter, and thinner than the rest, protruding like a snout. Two drone bays and various weapons were hastily attached to its surface, though even at a glance it was obvious they didn¡¯t quite belong. This was clearly not a ship designed for war, but hastily cobbled together from spare parts.


    As he stepped through the airlock, Jack felt little confidence in the Bismarck¡¯s prowess, and the cramped interior did little to dissuade his negative impression. Nevertheless, he was ready to embrace his destiny, whatever it had in store for him.

 Chapter 6-Routine

    ¡°They don¡¯t tell you how empty space really is.¡± Those were the first words Jack¡¯s former captain, Joan Marcus, had told him back when he signed up to work on the Excalibur. You look out the window, and all you see is nothing¡ªan all-consuming nothing, stretching out endlessly in every direction. Some people just aren¡¯t built to deal with it. They realize that they¡¯re in a tiny, pressurized tin can, in an incomprehensibly vast ocean of darkness. That there is no up or down, left or right; there is nothing to measure or quantify about it. So their mind breaks trying to process it.


    This was never a problem for Jack, or at least it didn¡¯t use to be. Back then, space was just what was in between other places. He¡¯d go on a trip from Magellan to Prosperity, or from Oneida to Svarog Station, and he¡¯d be in the dark for a while, but soon enough he¡¯d emerge back into the real, tangible world. But now, space was the destination. And so he stared out the window, realizing for the first time that the endless black void was his home. And he had to learn to live with it.


    ¡°Hey!¡± a loud, squeaky voice momentarily broke Jack out of his trance. He turned around to see a young boy, probably no older than 18, enter the room, barely holding onto an oversized backpack. There were six bunk beds in his room, but only two roommates so far. Jack had hoped that, given that the ship was nowhere close to its full complement, they¡¯d have a bit more space. Apparently not.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re going to be living together, huh? I¡¯m Carlito. Well, Carlos.¡± He grabbed Jack¡¯s hand and shook it, completely oblivious to his annoyance, as he dropped his backpack to the floor with a loud thud.


    Making a slight effort to be nice, Jack introduced himself in kind before looking at his wristpad and mumbling some excuse to get out. His other two roommates, Pious and Shepard¡ªCatharist names, instantly recognizable¡ªhad entirely exhausted his patience for conversation, and he still had two more hours to kill before his first shift.


    He decided to go to the mess hall and drown his frustration in whatever they served that passed for coffee. The room was lively and noisy, filled with assault corps guys with nothing better to do. He grabbed a cup, walked towards the dispenser, and looked at his options. ¡°Caffeine Drink (hot)¡± and ¡°Caffeine Drink (cold).¡± Excellent selection. He decided to try the hot one. It was alarmingly gray and had a smell that reminded him of a dentist¡¯s office. With his mystery drink in hand, Jack decided to head towards the engine room. On the Excalibur, that was the place he used to go when he wanted to be alone. There was no reason for anyone to go there unless something broke down, which didn¡¯t happen very often. And if anyone asked, he had a reason to be there; after all, he worked in Engine Operations.


    Making his way to the engine room, he was surprised to find that not only was it not empty, but that he recognized the person sitting in it. Lazily lounging against the wall, intently watching the giant machinery hum and vibrate, was none other than the mysterious man who had consoled him the other night.


    ¡°Hello.¡± The man greeted Jack as if he were completely unsurprised to see him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought this room would be empty.¡± Jack excused himself as he turned to leave.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave on my account. I don¡¯t mind sharing the space.¡± The man paused for a moment to stretch his arms, then continued: ¡°So, you¡¯re a spacer too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. What makes you think that?¡±


    ¡°This is a spacer habit, listening to the engine. On the smaller ships, back home, you can hear the hum from anywhere on the ship. You learn to get used to it in the background, no matter what you¡¯re doing, because you can¡¯t escape it. For most of your life, it¡¯s just there. But here, on the big ones, you can¡¯t hear it from the other side. The silence unnerves us. It¡¯s unnatural. I¡¯m told that grounders are the same; when they can¡¯t hear insects or any other kind of noise they¡¯re used to, something inside them freaks out. That¡¯s why they have these programs, ¡®Sounds of Magellan¡¯ or ¡®Sounds of the City,¡¯ to help you fall asleep. For us, that¡¯s just the engine.¡±


    Jack furrowed his brow as he replied, ¡°I thought you said that you were from Gaia?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± The man grinned for a moment, then turned his attention back to the engine.


    Time passed slowly as the two sat in absolute silence, with only Jack¡¯s occasional quiet sips from the mystery drink breaking the monotony of the constant hum. Jack tried to subtly analyze the stranger, hoping to glean something from his appearance and general demeanor. He could have been anywhere from 25 to 40 years old; his build was athletic but not overly so. He didn¡¯t carry himself like a military man, but his body language was somewhat tense. In short, the mysterious man betrayed nothing about himself. He was, at a glance, uninteresting to an almost interesting degree. Given that it was almost time for his shift, Jack gave up the fruitless endeavor, bid the stranger farewell, and headed to the Engine Control Room.


    Upon his arrival, he was stunned to find Eve almost completely unrecognizable. Her bangs, along with the rest of her frazzled and rebellious hair, were tied up in a neat ponytail. She was wearing a spotless, buttoned-up uniform, freshly ironed, and her usual jovial, relaxed demeanor was replaced with stern professionalism. She nodded her head as he approached and gestured for him to stand next to the three other recruits that made up the rest of their shift.


    ¡°Welcome to the Engine Operations Division. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all aware of what we do here, but just in case no one made it clear to you: we¡¯re the ones who keep the ship running.¡± Eve spoke with a serious, authoritative tone. ¡°That means that for six hours a day, the six of us are the most important people on this ship. Not the captain, not the XO, not whoever else might be on board¡ªus. If you do your jobs well, no one is going to know you exist. If you don¡¯t, this entire ship is going to be out for your blood. Make sure that doesn¡¯t happen.¡± She absent-mindedly pulled up a chart on the terminal behind her, gave it a glance, and continued in the same tone: ¡°In about 10 minutes, the jump drive will engage, and the main engine will come to a stop. We have half a dozen crucial tasks and about four hours of engine downtime to finish them. Summers, Atanasov, you¡¯re on main exhaust duty. That¡¯s on the outside, so don¡¯t forget your helmets!¡± She winked and let out a short laugh, the first sign that the Eve Jack was familiar with hadn¡¯t been entirely replaced by some sort of robot.


    ¡°Svensson, you¡¯ve got console maintenance and debugging. The manual will be available on your wristpad. That goes for everyone else here as well; better get familiar with it. And finally, Nereus, Windek, you take the auxiliary access ducts.¡± With a nod, she dismissed the five recruits and walked toward a chair near the back of the room, sitting in it with theatrical rigidity. It was obvious to Jack that this authoritative persona was a fa?ade, but he wondered what the other recruits thought of her. Had she succeeded in coming across as a no-nonsense, hard-ass boss to them? And how long would it last?


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Soon enough, the familiar tone of the jump drive alarm rang throughout the ship, and Jack and his new partner were off to the auxiliary access ducts. Mr. Windek was a man about Jack¡¯s age, slightly plump but with broad shoulders and thick arms. His face was covered in a thick, somewhat clumsily trimmed beard, while his unkempt hair betrayed the early signs of its inevitable demise. He had the stereotypical look of a working-class man, probably from a mining colony or perhaps a high-G construction worker. As they made their way through the first task on their list, inspecting the corridor¡¯s structural integrity, Jack got the nagging feeling that his coworker was dying to ask him something, though he kept it to himself for the time being.


    As they prepared for their second task, reformatting the maintenance crawlers, Windek finally broke the silence: ¡°Miss Nakayama, you know her, right? You fought on Daedalus together?¡± Sensing Jack¡¯s discomfort, he quickly added, ¡°People talk, you know. It¡¯s nothing bad. It¡¯s just that you were the only ones to have seen any real action so far.¡±


    Jack tried his best to be modest. ¡°It¡¯s not like you think. It wasn¡¯t some great heroic thing. I was actually passed out for most of it.¡± He let out a small, dry laugh.


    ¡°Right,¡± Windek continued, undeterred. ¡°But Miss Nakayama, there¡¯s, well, there¡¯s¡­ rumors.¡±


    Jack¡¯s interest was suddenly piqued. ¡°Rumors?¡± He tried his best to conceal his excitement. Was he finally getting the first piece of the walking puzzle that was Eve?


    ¡°That she¡¯s loaded. Like, trillionaire loaded. That she bought her way into the fleet and can do whatever she wants.¡± Windek suddenly became hesitant, as if he didn¡¯t really understand the words that came out of his mouth before he said them.


    Jack replied, feigning indignation. ¡°You think a trillionaire bought her way into a shift supervisor job? On this hunk of junk?¡± He tried his best to appear as if he knew more than he was letting on, but in truth, he was blindsided. Was Eve simply some corpo boss¡¯s rebellious daughter? That would certainly be an underwhelming conclusion to the grand mystery he had built up in his mind.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything by it,¡± Windek replied, visibly ashamed. ¡°I was just curious, is all.¡±


    The two worked in silence for a time, with Jack watching his counterpart¡¯s efficiency with amazement. In one fluid motion, Windek would tear off all the crawler¡¯s legs and deposit both them and the body into their respective boxes inside the reconstruction matrix, picking up the next one without missing a beat. It was as if he was performing a carefully choreographed routine he¡¯d been practicing for weeks. As he worked, Jack could sense Windek trying to muster the courage to ask another question, though he still seemed somewhat flustered from their earlier interaction.


    Finally, Windek gathered his nerve and asked, ¡°The Kharlath, are they¡­ You know, is it true what they say?¡±


    ¡°What do they say?¡± Jack tried to sound sarcastic, though he had no idea what Windek was hinting at.


    ¡°That they¡¯re, well, working with two hoses down there.¡± Windek instantly regretted his words as soon as they left his lips.


    Jack tried to suppress his laughter, but it burst out of him like a dam breaking. ¡°How the hell should I know, man? What do you think happened on that station?¡± He felt bad for laughing, but he couldn¡¯t stop as Windek¡¯s face turned red. Just when it seemed like Windek was about to cry, he let out a loud, joyous belly laugh, and all his embarrassment seemed to melt away.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know why I asked that,¡± Windek continued between fits of laughter. ¡°I was just trying to make conversation. I don¡¯t like working in silence.¡± After they both calmed down, he added in a slightly more serious tone, ¡°I¡¯m not into them or anything. I mean, they don¡¯t even have women, do they? Plus, we¡¯re at war and all that¡ªit really wouldn¡¯t be proper.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were, Windek,¡± Jack reassured him. ¡°But now that you¡¯re insisting you¡¯re not into them, that¡¯s a bit suspicious, isn¡¯t it?¡± he added with a teasing tone. The two men shared one final hearty laugh before returning to their work. With his curiosity seemingly satisfied, Windek began humming a tune¡ªone that felt familiar to Jack, yet the name eluded him.


    Several hours¡ªand several conversations about food, AR models, and vacation destinations¡ªlater, the two men finished their work in the access ducts and began gathering their tools. As they were preparing to leave, Jack tapped Windek on the shoulder, accidentally startling him.


    ¡°Care to join me for a cup of grey sludge in the mess hall?¡± Jack asked, somewhat awkwardly.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m taking a nap, actually. You don¡¯t get to look this good without proper daily beauty sleep, you know,¡± Windek replied with a joking tone.


    They entered the main control room, finally able to stand up and stretch their bodies in the now gargantuan-seeming space. As they logged their tasks into the main console, they noticed Eve still seated in her chair, engrossed in something on her wristpad.


    ¡°Miss Nakayama,¡± Jack greeted her, awkwardly.


    ¡°Mister Nereus,¡± Eve replied back, not lifting her eyes from the screen, barely concealing a smirk.


    ¡°We¡¯re done with our tasks for the day,¡± Windek interjected, somewhat sheepishly.


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re expecting to clock out early then? With 40 minutes left on your shift?¡± Eve replied, this time lifting her head to meet his gaze, her eyebrows furrowed in disapproval. ¡°Suppose we had a reactor meltdown, and no one was around to fix it. What do you think would happen?¡±


    ¡°I apologize, ma¡¯am,¡± Windek stammered.


    Suddenly, Eve¡¯s expression shifted entirely, a devious grin spreading across her face. She continued in a much more playful tone, ¡°Mr. Windek, there¡¯s no such thing as a meltdown in a cold fusion reactor. And we¡¯re not actually in charge of the reactor either. Your shift is over, go relax.¡±


    Windek¡¯s face cycled through a spectrum of emotions before he quickly thanked her and walked out of the control room. Jack finally let loose the quick laugh he¡¯d been holding in throughout the entire conversation.


    ¡°Well then, Mr. Nereus,¡± Eve continued in the same playful tone. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d like to clock out as well?¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so mean to Windek, he¡¯s a nice guy,¡± Jack replied, his voice tinged with conviction.


    ¡°He¡¯s an idiot. I don¡¯t mean that he¡¯s stupid¡ªby all accounts, he¡¯s quite smart¡ªbut he¡¯s an idiot,¡± Eve¡¯s tone suddenly turned venomous. ¡°With the kind of qualifications he has, he should be my boss. Instead, he¡¯s content with scrubbing access ducts. No offense.¡±


    ¡°There are worse things in life than being content, Eve,¡± Jack retorted.


    ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± Eve shot back, staring at him pointedly. ¡°You¡¯re the opposite, in fact.¡±


    ¡°Well, I wish I wasn¡¯t,¡± Jack mumbled, mostly to himself.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got six beer tickets,¡± she deftly changed the subject. ¡°Want to meet up with Louise in the mess in about half an hour?¡±


    Jack nodded and left. He wasn¡¯t really in the mood, but he knew how hard beer tickets were to come by for enlisted crew. He wondered how Eve had gotten them, which reminded him of what Windek had said. Was it really true? It would certainly explain a lot about her, but not the whole picture. There was more to Eve than that.


    He entered his room, giving a quick nod to Pious (or was it Shepard? He still hadn¡¯t learned to tell them apart), who was lounging in his bed, and hopped in the shower. As he washed the grime and dirt from his pores, he stared intently at his left arm. It was mostly healed, but he could still see where his skin ended and the artificial graft began. It would probably never fade away entirely, but he didn¡¯t mind it. He quickly changed into his one set of spare clothes and headed out.

 Chapter 7-Subterfuge

    ¡°Over here, Rust Scrubber!¡± Eve¡¯s all-too-familiar nickname rang in Jack¡¯s ears, pulling his attention to a table in the far corner of the mess hall, where she and Louise were seated. On the table were three plain white aluminum cans with the word "beer" scrawled on them in marker. Jack made his way through the crowded mess hall, carefully avoiding any collisions with the assault corps guys who were even more rowdy than usual.


    Grabbing a paper cup, Jack dropped into a chair and opened his unimaginatively labeled can. He took a sip, bracing for the worst, but was pleasantly surprised¡ªit tasted like beer. Not great beer, but beer nonetheless. It was a far cry from the artisanal brews back on Magellan, but it would have to do.


    ¡°So, how was work?¡± Louise asked cheerfully.


    ¡°Jack made a friend,¡± Eve replied before he could even open his mouth.


    ¡°Actually, he was more interested in you,¡± Jack shot back, instantly regretting his words.


    Eve and Louise exchanged a knowing glance as Eve took a healthy sip of her beer.


    ¡°What exactly was he interested in?¡± Eve inquired, though it was clear she already knew.


    ¡°Well, he heard some¡­ rumors about you,¡± Jack answered hesitantly as the two women rolled their eyes in unison.


    Louise leaned in, her tone mocking as she began to probe, ¡°What was it? She¡¯s a Badlands mobster¡¯s favorite daughter who ran away in secret? The black sheep of an old money family? Secret heiress to the throne of Avalon?¡±


    Eve gently placed a hand on Louise¡¯s arm, calming her down. ¡°He wanted to know if I was rich, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    Jack nodded, adding, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him anything. Well, I didn¡¯t know what to tell him, but even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Eve replied calmly. ¡°It was the same on my first tour. Some busybody officer looks into my file, doesn¡¯t understand what he¡¯s seeing, and starts asking around. Suddenly, I¡¯m the talk of the ship.¡± She took another sip and turned her gaze to Jack. ¡°You want to know the story, then, I suppose?¡±


    Jack didn¡¯t know how to respond, so he resorted to slowly sipping from his cup, hoping the situation would resolve itself.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that interesting, really,¡± she continued. ¡°Back when I was 16, I was on holiday with my family, traveling to Gaia. There was an incident with the shuttle. My mother, father, and sister all died. I survived and got a healthy settlement for my troubles.¡± She tried to maintain a brave face, but Jack could see her eyes beginning to water. ¡°I got much less than a billion, for the record. So, being young, dumb, traumatized, and very rich, I made some, let¡¯s say, interesting career choices before I joined the fleet. Choices that don¡¯t really make sense to someone who doesn¡¯t know the full story. Which brings us to Mr. Windek and his rumors. There you go, now you know. You can tell him as well, if you want.¡± Her voice carried a hint of passive-aggressiveness, though Jack could tell it wasn¡¯t necessarily directed at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Jack stammered, trying to comfort her, albeit awkwardly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything,¡± Eve said, resuming her usual bravado. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to say, really. It¡¯s in the past, it happened, I got over it. Eventually.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something I have to know, though,¡± Jack raised his voice, somewhat timidly, after a pause. ¡°What exactly is in your file that gets everyone so riled up? I know you served on a Zargon ship, but it can¡¯t be just that, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the planet I bought!¡± Eve answered with a laugh.


    ¡°You own a planet?¡± Jack asked, incredulous.


    ¡°It¡¯s more of a moon, really,¡± Louise interjected.


    ¡°It¡¯s a big, useless rock,¡± Eve continued, ¡°Or at least it used to be, before they found some bones on it. Human bones, more specifically. Millions of years old.¡±


    ¡°You own Burbidge 772?¡± Jack was unsure whether they were pulling his leg. Eve maintained her composure, but Louise looked like she was about to burst into laughter.


    ¡°Well, I just call it Eve¡¯s Rock. Or Caveman Planet,¡± Eve replied, dead serious.


    Jack still wasn¡¯t sure what to believe, but he decided to let it go. As they drank their beers and laughed, making small talk and gossiping about their roommates, he found himself even more fascinated by Eve. He¡¯d gotten his answer, or at least as much as he was going to get for the time being, yet it only raised more questions. Was she truly the carefree, gregarious adventurer she presented herself as, or was that merely a mask she put on for everyone else¡ªor perhaps even for herself? He also wondered if it wasn¡¯t his own insecurity that was really bothering him.


    He had lost his father a couple of years before, and it had nearly ruined his life. He became depressed, dropped out of school, and had to sell his family¡¯s farm. Jack had always thought he had a pretty good excuse for how his life had turned out so far, but wasn¡¯t she living proof that he didn¡¯t? Someone who had gone through something unimaginably worse and had come out of it stronger. As he sat and pondered, Louise brought the second round of beers, but just as they were about to open them, a loud voice blared over the ship¡¯s comms:


    ¡°In 30 minutes, we will arrive at Gateway Station. All off-duty and unoccupied personnel may request a shore pass from the appropriate officer. Please note that the ship will leave in 6 hours, with or without you. Any personnel not on board at departure will be potentially liable for desertion. Please do not rush the airlock.¡±


    ¡°Blimey!¡± Eve interjected loudly, breaking the silence as Jack and Louise both stared at her, puzzled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see?¡± she continued, her voice brimming with excitement. ¡°We¡¯ve supposedly made it from Daedalus to Gateway in two jumps. On a ship with a Type B jump drive. That¡¯s a three-jump trip, minimum. So either we¡¯ve made an unannounced jump at some point¡ªdangerous, illegal¡ªor they¡¯ve pushed the jump drive far past its recommended operating range. Also dangerous and illegal. Now, why do you think they¡¯d do that?¡±


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    Jack opened his mouth to venture a guess, but before he could say anything, Eve pressed on:


    ¡°They think the traitor¡¯s on board, and in communication with the Kharlath fleet. They did this to make sure he couldn¡¯t report our whereabouts to them accurately. And if they¡¯ve done something this reckless, they must be pretty damn sure. Someone aboard the Bismarck is an enemy spy!¡± Eve tried to maintain a grave tone, but her excitement was unmistakable.


    ¡°I believe that should actually be concerning, Evelyn,¡± Louise replied bluntly, pretending to scold her.


    ¡°Well, it is. But it¡¯s pretty clever how I figured it out, isn¡¯t it?¡± Eve shot back, no longer hiding her glee.


    ¡°Where would we get those shore passes?¡± Jack interjected, steering the conversation back to something more practical.


    ¡°Bubsy can get them for us,¡± Eve answered matter-of-factly.


    ¡°And let¡¯s assume I don¡¯t know who Bubsy is¡­¡± Jack hinted, waiting for clarification.


    ¡°That¡¯s Lieutenant Ballinger to you, recruit!¡± Eve teased, before continuing, ¡°He¡¯s a man who owes approximately infinite favors to Louise. He¡¯s also the guy you need to thank for these beer tickets.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask what exactly she did to earn those favors?¡± Jack asked, fully expecting a non-answer.


    ¡°She safely delivered his child, in the middle of a crash landing,¡± Eve replied without missing a beat.


    Jack glanced at Louise, searching for a tell, but she remained stone-faced. Either this story was true, or her poker face had dramatically improved over the past couple of hours.


    ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Eve exclaimed, pointing to her wristpad. ¡°Three shore passes. I say we finish our beers in the meantime and let the rabble fight over the airlock.¡±


    As they methodically emptied their cups, the room slowly cleared until they were all but alone. Louise put her cup down in a deliberate gesture, eyeing the door. The trio eventually got up from their table and made their way to the airlock. With the ship now almost empty, it seemed surprisingly spacious, though still Spartan and somewhat cobbled together. They made their way onto the gigantic main docking bay of the Gateway station, breathing in the relatively fresh air.


    Right outside the ship, a group of their fellow recruits was clumsily trying to navigate two large shipping containers into the Bismarck¡¯s cargo bay¡ªa procedure much better suited to the 0G environment the ship was originally designed for.


    ¡°Have you ever been to the Relic Bar, Jack?¡± Eve asked excitedly.


    Jack shook his head; he hadn¡¯t.


    ¡°It¡¯s this great hole-in-the-wall, built into the old Gateway structure. They¡¯ve got those really fancy kinds of overpriced cocktails!¡± She continued, her excitement reaching its peak.


    ¡°Should we really be getting drunk right now?¡± Louise tried to be the voice of reason.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a buzzkill, Lou! We¡¯re not getting drunk; we¡¯re just sampling the local culture, right, Jack?¡±


    Always susceptible to peer pressure, Jack quickly confirmed.


    With the destination selected on their wristpads, the three quickly began making their way through the labyrinthine complex. On his first visit, Jack hadn¡¯t really gotten a chance to properly appreciate the station. Compared to Frontier on the other side of the wormhole, most of the original alien structure was intact, though in many places, it had been covered up in the standard Commonwealth design style. In the places where the original design was preserved, you could almost feel the weight of millennia of history upon the structure¡¯s walls. The golden alloy it was made of was dull and matte and felt like sandpaper to the touch, though it was otherwise completely unblemished. For something this old, which had seen almost continuous use, it was in remarkably good shape. The architectural style was elaborate, full of little frills and details, though they were all abstract geometric shapes or patterns, betraying little about the station¡¯s original creators. Eventually, they arrived at the Relic Bar, a building deep in the old structure, almost untouched, save for the furniture. The bar was almost empty, though Jack recognized a few familiar faces from the Bismarck.


    No sooner than they sat down, their wristpads suddenly began buzzing, as did those of a few other patrons-they were being called back to the ship.


    ¡°The 6 hour figure was another ruse!¡± Eve remarked, once again brimming with excitement ¡°Something big must be going on if they¡¯re going to this much trouble!¡±


    They quickly made their way back to the Bismarck, passing many other disoriented shipmates on their way. The fake timetable might have been a clever ruse to confuse the traitor, but it had also clearly done a number on the rest of the crew. Jack wondered how many were going to accidentally end up being labeled deserters. As soon as they entered the docking bay, they were greeted with a sight worthy of pandemonium. A gigantic mass of panicking recruits, some drunk, others merely severely out of their element, was pushing against the comparatively tiny airlock door, while a bemused gaggle of officers and veteran crew members were watching them from the side. When the panic had died down, the trio decided to try their luck through the airlock, and head down to the cargo bay, where the captain was supposed to give a speech.


    As soon as most of the crew had gathered in the cargo bay, Captain Stirling made his way through the crowd, walking toward one of the two shipping containers. With a dramatic gesture, he tore open the container¡¯s door, and a gigantic metallic figure stepped out, with a deafening racket. It was, unmistakably, a Templar-a one man killing machine, enhanced with cyber-implants, and encased in an impenetrable robotic armor. Though technically part of a Neo-Catholic monastic order, much like their medieval namesake, in reality, Templars served as enforcers and bodyguards for the highest bidder, often fighting alongside PMCs in corporate wars, or protecting high value targets from pirates or terrorists. They seldom worked alongside the Commonwealth government, so Eve was right-something big was happening.


    Captain Stirling waited patiently for the noise to die down, before addressing the crowd:


    ¡°My friends, we are about to go to war.¡± Captain Stirling paused for a moment, letting the gravity of his words sink in. ¡°In a matter of hours, perhaps even less, Kharlath warships are going to descend on Gateway Station with the intent of destroying it, cutting us off from the main Commonwealth forces in Sector Alpha. I am not going to sugarcoat this: if they succeed, this war is as good as lost. The Badlands, the Zargon Empire, the Platharian Union¡ªall of them will be isolated from each other, and, in turn, from us. I am telling you this because I need you to understand what is at stake. Our lives are the least valuable things on the table. We are expendable. The Bismarck is expendable. Gateway Station is not. We are the last line of defense. Bismarck. Yi. Roddam. Allemand. Four ships, undermanned, outgunned, and unprepared. Our odds are slim, but it isn¡¯t hopeless. And we have a goddamn Templar on our side!¡±


    He pointed toward the ironclad colossus, who raised his fists triumphantly with a loud screech, as the crew cheered.


    Stirling cut through the crowd like a knife as he gave the order for the ship to depart. He soon disappeared down a corridor, letting the crowd dissipate chaotically on its own. Jack stood almost paralyzed in the middle of the room. He was aware of the risk on a conscious level, but the reality of it had just hit him for the first time: there was a very high chance that he was about to die in the next few hours. Louise gently touched his shoulder, snapping him back to reality.


    ¡°Are you alright, Jack?¡± she asked in a gentle, soothing tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been better,¡± he replied dryly. ¡°I just thought we¡¯d have more time before we¡¯d have to consider the possibility that we¡¯re about to die a horrible death.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re always about to die a horrible death, mate,¡± Eve quipped. ¡°People have heart attacks on the toilet. Asphyxiate in their sleep. Choke on a peanut. Remember the Aurora? Hit by a stray fragment the size of a golf ball at just the right spot to cause a chain reaction and blow up. One in a trillion odds, and they all died. Really, when you think about it, we¡¯re the lucky ones, ¡®cause we¡¯re expecting to die. At least it won¡¯t be some freak accident taking us by surprise.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure why, but Eve¡¯s words felt oddly reassuring. At least if he died, it wouldn¡¯t be in vain. He would be protecting the galaxy. And chances are, it would be fast and painless. There were certainly worse ways to go.


    Suddenly, all three of their wristpads buzzed at once. Their presence was requested on the bridge.


    End Of Part 1

 Chapter 8-The Egg

    Walking onto the ship¡¯s bridge, Jack was surprised to see the change in atmosphere. While the rest of the crew was filled with anxiety and trepidation, the few people gathered in this room were calm and surprisingly laid-back. He wondered whether it was simply due to their professionalism or if they were privy to something he didn¡¯t know. Captain Stirling subtly gestured for the trio to move toward one of the emptier corners of the room and began speaking in a much softer tone than the speech he had just given:


    ¡°The people in this room right now, all of you, are the only ones on this ship that I trust. Some of you, I know for a fact, are not the traitors. Others, I¡¯m forced to assume, because I have no other choice. Regardless, you¡¯re the only ones privy to what I¡¯m about to say.¡± He took a deep breath and looked around the room before continuing. ¡°There is a plan. You¡¯ve no doubt deduced that most of the secrecy and erratic behavior over the past couple of days was intended to confuse whoever was feeding intel to the Kharlath. What most of you don¡¯t know is why. Mr. Okoro?¡±


    To Jack¡¯s surprise, Mr. Okoro was none other than the mysterious man he had spoken to in the engine room. He stepped forward confidently and began speaking in a self-assured but measured tone:


    ¡°It has long been accepted in most circles that the main asset the Kharlath have in this war is the so-called Mothership, the extremely advanced vessel that serves as both their mobile headquarters and their main weapons platform. If we could neutralize this vessel, we would hold the advantage. The problem with this is twofold. First, the Mothership¡¯s jump drives aren¡¯t subject to the same restrictions as ours. They can jump whenever they please, wherever they please, with a range of potentially hundreds of light-years. Secondly, and more crucially, it is protected by an electromagnetic field, which absorbs both kinetic force and directed energy, making most of our weapons useless. We know that the field can be overwhelmed¡ªwe¡¯ve done it before¡ªbut it took the combined strength of dozens of warships, including two Titan-class carriers. The Kharlath will not make the mistake of exposing their flagship to that kind of firepower again. The intel leak, though disastrous in the short term, has presented us with a one-of-a-kind opportunity, however: make them believe that we have been crippled by their attacks, and give them an offer that¡¯s too good to pass up¡ªtaking Gateway Station, thereby closing off our only route into this sector. Just as you did until this moment, they think only four ill-prepared ships stand in the way of this goal. In reality, we have the entire Intelligence Operations Fleet, along with dozens of captured boarding probes, waiting for my signal in interstellar space.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Okoro.¡± Captain Stirling continued: ¡°Our part of the plan is very simple: a few hours ago, we¡¯ve acquired Sergeant Thomas, the Templar you¡¯ve all met earlier, and an uncapped Othiri jump drive. The latter, we need to get aboard the Mothership, the former will help us do it. When the Kharlath boarding parties arrive, we will kill them, and seize their boarding probes. We will then send as many people as we can aboard those probes, onto the Mothership. While the Intelligence Operations Fleet distracts their firepower, we will pilot these probes into the Mothership, where our main priority is to get the jump drive operational, and forcefully jump the Mothership to a destination that has been pre-programmed into them. There will be a dozen other teams with the same goal, spread throughout the IOF, as well as on the other ships that are with us. You will not know the identity of these teams until you are on board the Mothership. There will also be dozens of other teams whose main goal is to make sure these Jump Drive teams stay alive long enough. We need at least three of them to succeed. With a bit of luck, our team will be one of those three.¡±


    The Captain suddenly went silent, distracted by something on the main monitor. Soon enough, Jack realized what the problem was: with an underwhelming beep, one of the four equidistant dots present on the screen, labeled ¡®Roddam¡¯, had disappeared. An entire ship gone, just like that.


    ¡°What was the signal delay?¡± barked Captain Stirling


    ¡°Three minutes, sir!¡± came the answer from behind one of the consoles that littered the room


    ¡°And for the Yi?¡±


    ¡°Two minutes, sir!¡±


    A two minute signal delay meant that it would take four minutes for them to learn whether the Yi had suffered the same unknown fate. Two grueling, uncomfortable minutes in which they could do nothing but wait.


    ¡°Set up the drone field, medium range,maximum spread!¡± came another barked order from the Captain. ¡°Fighter drones in Gamma formation! Point defense hot!¡± He then picked up his earpiece, without putting it on his head, broadcasting a message to the entire ship: ¡°Maximum alert! Prepare for battle!¡±


    Minutes felt like hours as the crew waited in perfect silence. Jack wished for something¡ªanything¡ªto happen. Even an entire Kharlath battalion suddenly teleporting onto the ship would have been preferable to this unbearable tension. Louise¡¯s hand reached out to his, gripping it tightly. In another situation, perhaps he would have found it comforting, but all he could think about was the Roddam. What had happened to it, that in the span of just three minutes, it was reduced to nothing? This wasn¡¯t the work of a boarding party. Would the Bismarck suffer the same fate? Would they even get to see the enemy they were fighting?


    Another beep interrupted his thoughts. Jack¡¯s eyes darted towards the Yi, and he was momentarily relieved to see that it was still there, until his gaze shifted to the left: the Allemand was now gone. The attack was coming from both directions!


    Jack looked towards the captain, hoping to see some kind of reaction on his face. Whether he was equally terrified or fully in control, Captain Stirling didn¡¯t show it. His eyes darted around the room, studying everyone¡¯s reactions intensely. Yet another beep pierced the silence. Now the screen was littered with dots on the edge of the drone field, all marked with an ominous ¡®?¡¯.


    After quickly studying the screen, the captain picked up his earpiece and sprang into action:


    ¡°Assault Squad 1 to the aft corridor! Weapons ready! Assault Squads 2 and 3, hangar! Weapons ready! Sergeant Thomas, Assault Squad 5, to the bridge! Assault Squad 6, Port Airlock! Assault Squad 7, Starboard Airlock! Weapons ready! Assault Squad 8 to the reactor room! Weapons ready!¡±


    Without skipping a beat, he put down his headset and turned his attention to the small crowd gathered on the bridge. ¡°Commander Brinkerhoff, gather your team and head to the hangar bay. Nakayama, you¡¯re in charge of the backup jump drive team. Pick any four people you trust from the crew roster and call them to the bridge. If Brinkerhoff¡¯s team doesn¡¯t make it, you need to get that jump drive onto the Mothership! Lieutenant Ballinger, assist her! Nereus, grab a headpiece and rifle from the armory and head to the reactor room. Squad 8 is green¡ªthey¡¯ve never fought Kharlath before. You need to show them that you have, and that you¡¯re not afraid of them. If all goes as planned, you won¡¯t have to fire a shot. If it doesn¡¯t, you¡¯ll be too dead to care. Everyone else, head to your stations, and good luck!¡±


    Almost in a trance, Jack briefly hugged Eve and Louise, then headed towards the armory. Out of everyone in that room, he had the easiest job: sit with a bunch of recruits in the most heavily fortified part of the ship and make sure they didn¡¯t panic. Yet, he felt extremely uneasy about it. His fate was in everyone else¡¯s hands. If the boarding parties made it that far, it was over. All he could do was sit and hope for the best.


    Reaching the armory, he robotically grabbed a headpiece, a plasma rifle, and a firing glove. He initially put the glove on his right hand¡ªafter all, he was right-handed. But it didn¡¯t feel right. So, he grabbed a left-handed glove, put it on, and weighed a plasma pistol in his left hand. For a moment, he felt as he had in that room on Daedalus: terrified, desperate, but alive¡ªmore alive than he had ever been before. He strapped the pistol to his belt, slung the rifle over his shoulder, and started walking toward the reactor room.


    Squad 8 looked like a bunch of terrified, helpless children, huddled together on the floor of the room, clutching their weapons. Upon opening the door, a murmur erupted among them as Jack stepped into the middle of the room. Finally, one of the young men, with a squad leader¡¯s pip proudly displayed on his chest, jumped to his feet and walked up to Jack, measuring him from head to toe.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked, in the deepest, most authoritative voice he could muster.


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    ¡°My name is Jack Nereus. Captain Stirling sent me here to¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the hero of Daedalus Station?¡± the man interrupted him in a mocking tone. ¡°Sent here to babysit us?¡± He looked him up and down derisively before continuing, ¡°What the hell are we supposed to do with you? You¡¯re not even big enough to fit in our combat armor!¡± The crowd erupted in laughter as the squad leader got dangerously close to Jack¡¯s face. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let us do our job and go make yourself useful somewhere else, mister war hero.¡±


    Jack had to think fast. The guy was obviously scared out of his mind and overcompensating, but nevertheless, he was almost a full head taller than him and clearly not above getting physical. With a finesse he didn¡¯t think himself capable of, Jack swung the rifle off his back and into his arms, striking his opponent in the throat with the weapon¡¯s butt, with as much force as he could muster. The squad leader fell to the ground, gasping for air and grabbing his throat, while a few of his squad members began standing up. Turning his rifle around with another swift motion, Jack pointed it threateningly at the group, gesturing for them to sit down, and began yelling as loud as he could:


    ¡°What the hell are you idiots doing? I don¡¯t know what they taught you in boot camp, but in the Fleet, we obey our orders. The captain himself has tasked me with supervising you, which means that you will be quiet, you will respect the chain of command, and you will listen to what I say.¡± Channeling the same drill instructor character he¡¯d known from a thousand stories, he continued, ¡°Now get up off your asses, grab your rifles, point them at the door, and find some cover. Anything comes through that door that looks too big or too red to be a human, you shoot. Any questions?¡±


    ¡°No, sir!¡± the group responded in unison as they began moving. His gambit worked even better than he¡¯d expected. They¡¯d all fallen in line as soon as he began giving orders. Of course, the captain hadn¡¯t technically put him in charge, but the squad leader was obviously out of his depth. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like any of it was going to matter. As Captain Stirling said, if the Kharlath actually made it to the reactor room, everyone was as good as dead. He kneeled behind a support pillar, grabbed his rifle, and did his best to look calm and prepared. No one in that room was going to make a difference, probably, but they didn¡¯t have to know that.


    Suddenly, a deafening impact reverberated through the hull, shaking the entire room. The battle had begun. Several more impacts followed in quick succession, coming from every direction, accompanied by the sounds of battle¡ªscreams, cries, and the sizzle of superheated plasma against the walls. At first, these sounds were faint, but they grew louder, inching closer and closer. As the carnage intensified, chatter filled the room, and Jack once again had to assert his authority:


    ¡°Be quiet! And be ready. Make sure your squad mates aren¡¯t in your line of fire. Ensure the safety is off on your weapons. Hold your rifles with both hands and don¡¯t touch the outer barrel!¡± He was reciting the same instructions printed on posters throughout the ship, but it seemed to work well enough, at least until a loud bang echoed from the floor. The recruits jumped, panicking, pointing their weapons downward. Another bang followed, then a blinding flash, as multiple silhouettes rapidly ascended from the floor.


    ¡°Fire!¡± Jack yelled, gripping his rifle tightly as he desperately unloaded an entire canister in the general direction of the enemy. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as he watched Kharlath after Kharlath rise from the floor, only to disintegrate into mist under the assault of a dozen rifles firing simultaneously. Another loud bang, this time from the direction of the door, captured his attention. A small band of Kharlath breached the room and, ignoring Jack¡¯s squad, opened fire on the main reactor. They were quickly reduced to puddles on the ground, but not before unleashing a salvo that melted the reactor¡¯s casing, sending liquid metal into its inner workings. With an infernal screech and sparks flying everywhere, the reactor shut down, plunging the room into darkness until auxiliary power kicked in. For a moment, Jack wondered if it was going to explode, killing them all. He clearly wasn¡¯t alone in this fear, as several panicked recruits bolted from behind their cover and sprinted toward the door.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Jack yelled, channeling all his remaining confidence into his voice.


    The recruits halted in their tracks, and Jack continued, ¡°If it was going to blow up, we¡¯d all be dead already. If you run out like that, you¡¯ll be shot the moment you step through that door.¡± Stepping into the middle of the room, desperately trying to project confidence, he added, ¡°You two, get on either side of the door. Everyone else, find cover. Kick the door open on my mark.¡± With a single gesture, Jack sprang into cover and gave the signal to open the door. Outside the room, everything was quiet. The corridor was littered with bodies¡ªhuman and Kharlath alike¡ªbut none appeared to have survived the battle.


    Jack gestured for the squad to wait as he called the bridge. A wave of relief washed over him as soon as he got a response.


    ¡°This is Jack Nereus, acting leader of Assault Squad 8. The reactor room has been breached. We have repelled the assault, but the main reactor has been destroyed. I repeat, the main reactor is down. We are awaiting further orders.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the status of your squad?¡± Jack recognized the voice of Commander Demir, the first officer.


    ¡°No casualties, sir!¡±


    ¡°Head toward the hangar! Most of the remaining Kharlath force is concentrated there. Coordinate with Lieutenant Ballinger!¡± The Commander sounded relieved.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Jack confirmed, gesturing for his squad to begin moving out. ¡°Single file, hug the walls, and keep your eyes peeled,¡± he barked, now feeling like a proper leader.


    Stepping out into the hallway, they could see the aftermath of a brutal battle. Dozens of bodies from both sides were strewn across the corridor¡ªsome unrecognizable puddles of melted flesh, others with barely visible injuries. One of the Kharlath bodies groaned as they approached, and with a casual gesture, Jack pulled out his pistol and shot it in the head, quickly applying the same treatment to every other body he could spot.


    As they made their way into the main corridor, the squad encountered a scene of unimaginable carnage. Kharlath bodies were glued to the walls, flattened as if they were tomatoes thrown against a target. Various body parts littered the room, with the entire floor covered in a thin layer of dark, sticky liquid. In the center of the room, as if the centerpiece to the carnage, stood Sergeant Thomas, the Templar, still clutching a crushed head in his hands. His armor was mostly gone, his body battered and bruised, but he was alive¡ªsurprisingly. On the opposite end of the corridor, a team of medical staff was checking for signs of life, though judging by their expressions, with little success. Jack recognized Louise among them, and, subtly gesturing for his squad to stay in place, he ran toward her.


    She knelt down, cradling a bloodied body in her arms. As Jack got closer, he recognized the face of his young roommate, Carlos. He was unconscious but still breathing¡ªbarely. Louise looked up at Jack, and, with a wordless gesture, pulled him into a kiss. Her lips were salty, and her mouth was dry, but it didn¡¯t matter. Jack kissed her back briefly before pulling away, reminding himself of his duty.


    ¡°Eve?¡± he asked hesitantly, dreading the answer


    .


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she replied quietly, resignation in her voice. ¡°She was in the hangar. From what I¡¯ve heard, it¡¯s not looking great down there.¡±


    Gesturing for his squad to follow, Jack quickly looked up Lieutenant Ballinger on his wristpad and sent a high-priority alert. A reply soon came, providing a comms frequency.


    ¡°Rust scrubber!¡± Eve¡¯s voice came through as soon as Jack tapped on his headset, and he felt as if a great weight had been lifted off him.


    ¡°Eve!¡± he responded, perhaps too excitedly given the circumstances. ¡°Ballinger, is he...?¡±


    ¡°Out cold. But alive, for now. Things are pretty grim down here, Jack,¡± she said, her voice uncharacteristically dour.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming. I¡¯ve got an entire squad with me. Just tell me what you need me to do.¡±


    As the squad approached the elevator, Eve quickly described a plan of action. The survivors in the cargo bay were pinned down behind some storage crates on the far end of the room. Jack¡¯s team needed to overload the light strips on the cargo elevator and send it crashing down, creating a giant makeshift flashbang. Meanwhile, the remaining survivors would rush the Kharlath while they were distracted, as Jack¡¯s team jumped down into the elevator, trapping them between the two forces. It was a good, albeit risky plan. Jack walked his squad through it, and they set to work.


    As soon as the elevator crashed, Jack leaped inside, recklessly charging into the hangar. The cautious, calculated leader was replaced by a daring madman, determined to save his friend. He quickly ducked behind a service drone, but not before emptying his canister into a group of stunned Kharlath. Pulling out his pistol, he continued firing as the rest of his squad dropped in, and Eve¡¯s group charged from the other side. Soon enough, the room was entirely cleared of enemies, with minimal casualties to boot.


    With the immediate danger momentarily averted, Jack sprinted toward Eve, but was abruptly stopped in his tracks by a powerful bear hug that lifted him off the ground. Startled, he turned his head and came face to face with none other than Mr. Windek, his colleague from Engine Operations, who was flashing a goofy smile as he let Jack go.


    ¡°We need to get this on the Mothership, now!¡± Eve yelled, pointing to the jump drive. ¡°There are two boarding probes in this hangar. One of us needs to fly one as a decoy while the rest take the other one with the jump drive. Any volunteers?¡±


    ¡°I can fly it, I think,¡± Mr. Windek raised his hand, somewhat awkwardly.


    ¡°You understand what¡¯s being asked of you, right?¡± Eve questioned him in a grave tone. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely that both probes will make it. And if one is going to be destroyed, you¡¯ll have to do your best to make sure it¡¯s yours.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I can do this,¡± Windek replied, this time with more conviction.


    ¡°Is it wise to put all our eggs in one basket, though? Maybe we could split our group evenly between the two probes?¡± Jack asked, concerned.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one egg, Jack,¡± Eve replied. ¡°The only thing that matters now is getting that jump drive on board.¡±

 Chapter 9-Through the Looking Glass

    As they were loading the jump drive onto the alien vessel, a sudden thought sprang into Jack¡¯s mind. The boarding probes deploy a sealed airlock once they penetrate the hull, using their maneuvering thrusters to exert constant pressure, keeping it in place. If they flew those probes away, the airlock would no longer be airtight, and the whole room would depressurize, killing everyone inside it.


    ¡°Eve, stop!¡± Jack cried out, with urgency in his voice. ¡°We need to get the wounded to safety first. Once we leave, this entire cargo bay will be exposed to vacuum.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take them with us,¡± Eve retorted sharply. ¡°There¡¯s no time to wait around.¡±


    ¡°We have no one with medical training, no equipment, and we¡¯re marching into battle. They don¡¯t stand a chance. We need to call the med bay and evacuate them.¡±


    ¡°The mission comes first!¡± Eve roared, her eyes flashing with aggression.


    ¡°Your mission. Not mine. You¡¯re more than capable of doing it without me. I¡¯m getting these people to safety. Everyone who¡¯s too wounded to fight, come with me. And I¡¯ll need two able-bodied volunteers to help carry Lieutenant Ballinger to the med bay.¡±


    Almost immediately, a small crowd of wounded crewmen gathered behind Jack, some in worse shape than others. Reluctantly, two of his unharmed squad mates also began walking toward him. To his surprise, he recognized the former squad leader¡ªa man he had come to blows with mere hours ago¡ªas one of the two.


    Jack turned once more toward Eve, his tone softer this time. ¡°Once we¡¯re safely up the stairs, I¡¯ll trigger the lockdown and you can leave. Good luck. And please, try to stay alive.¡±


    Eve¡¯s hardened expression softened into a small smile. She nodded. ¡°You too, Rust Scrubber. May we meet again, hopefully under happier circumstances.¡±


    With Lieutenant Ballinger placed on a makeshift stretcher, crafted from jackets and two Kharlath Energy Lances, the small group slowly made their way toward the upper levels. Jack was worried about Eve, not thrilled about letting her leave alone. But he couldn¡¯t just let these people die. He tried to push thoughts of her out of his mind, focusing on the task at hand, but her possible fate still weighed heavily on his conscience.


    As soon as the entire party reached the ship¡¯s main level, Jack sighed and pulled the manual lockdown lever. Whatever would become of Eve and her group was out of his hands now. He grabbed his rifle and signaled to everyone else who could to do the same. In the distance, the sounds of violence still echoed through the corridors.


    As they were about to enter one of the secondary access corridors¡ªthe ones beneath the floor, that the Kharlath had no clue about¡ªa door swung open on the other side of the room, and a group of people began pouring in. Both groups nearly shot each other before realizing they were on the same side.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± None other than Mr. Okoro, the mystery man, stepped out from the group, staring slack-jawed at Jack. ¡°You were supposed to be in the cargo bay, you were supposed to board those probes and get out. What the hell happened?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the jump drive team made it out,¡± Jack assured him. ¡°I stayed behind to get the wounded to the med bay.¡±


    Mr. Okoro shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that isn¡¯t going to be possible. There are at least 30 Kharlath warriors between us and the med bay, with more likely on the way. We tried to reach it ourselves, wanted to get the captain out of there. But any attempt would be hopeless.¡±


    Jack raised his fist defiantly. ¡°Every damn thing we¡¯ve accomplished today was supposed to be hopeless. Are we just going to abandon our friends? What is there even left to do? Just sit and wait until we¡¯re overrun?¡±


    ¡°Nereus, listen to me.¡± Mr. Okoro walked toward him and grabbed him by the shoulders. ¡°Ship¡¯s comms are down, we have no way of reaching out to the fleet. Most of our weapons are gone, our drone bays are empty. The bridge is minutes away from being overrun, again. Our main reactor is gone. The captain is in a coma, or already dead. For all intents and purposes, we¡¯ve lost. That¡¯s it. The Bismarck is gone. All that¡¯s left to do is find a boarding probe, point it at the Mothership, and do what we can to help the jump drive teams.¡±


    ¡°What about the self-destruct?¡± Jack replied, dejected. ¡°Isn¡¯t that our duty?¡±


    One of the other men, an officer, spoke up. ¡°That¡¯s Commander Demir¡¯s responsibility, not ours. If and when he decides to engage it, I¡¯d rather not be aboard.¡±


    ¡°Come, there¡¯s a boarding probe near the broadside airlock.¡± Mr. Okoro spoke warmly but firmly.


    Everyone around him looked to Jack for guidance. With a heavy nod, he fell in line. His argument with Eve, getting separated from her¡ªit was all for nothing. And Louise! The thought suddenly hit him. She was probably in the med bay, about to be overrun by enemy troops. He briefly felt the urge to grab his rifle and run, to fire away and take as many damned lizards with him as he could. Maybe, just maybe, through a miracle, he could single-handedly turn the tide of the battle. If he tried hard enough, he could cut a path through the Kharlath and make it to her. Of course, he knew it was a stupid fantasy. He would only die a pointless death. But it was tempting nonetheless.


    The group soon came across the probe Mr. Okoro had spoken of, as he struggled to open the airlock. ¡°Corporal ¨¡whina, a little help?¡±


    A muscular, heavily tattooed woman in battered assault corps armor stepped forward. The two of them wrestled with the airlock for a while, slowly prying it open. Jack peered inside the probe, surprised to find it strangely familiar. Two rows of metal chairs with seatbelts, a slightly more comfortable-looking pilot¡¯s chair, and a navigation console. If not for the slightly oversized nature of everything inside and the alien writing on the console¡¯s buttons, he could almost believe it was a human-made vessel.


    The group climbed aboard, immediately becoming dizzy and disoriented¡ªthere was no gravity plating. They switched on their magnetic boots and tried to find a little corner to make themselves comfortable in. The space was cramped but manageable. As Mr. Okoro settled into the pilot¡¯s seat and pulled up the flight instructions on his wristpad¡ªnot exactly a sight that inspired confidence¡ªa woman from his group quietly approached Jack. She seemed middle aged, though she had a sort of youthful aura, and she was strikingly attractive, far more so than anyone had a right to under these circumstances.


    ¡°My name is Julie, Julie Giordano. I¡¯m a nurse. I¡¯d like to take a look at your friend, if that¡¯s alright with you.¡± She pointed towards the still-unconscious Lieutenant Ballinger.


    Jack nodded. ¡°He¡¯s not actually my friend. Technically, we¡¯ve never met. Well, he¡¯s never met me, at least.¡± He let out a short laugh before stopping himself, wondering if it was inappropriate.


    The nurse smiled. ¡°You¡¯re very brave, doing all this for a stranger, then.¡± She pulled out some sort of machine from her backpack, and soon enough, the Lieutenant¡¯s body was covered in wires and suction cups. She looked at the machine¡¯s display and frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t have the equipment or the expertise to treat him here. He¡¯s stable, but he needs a hospital. Or whatever¡¯s the closest thing to that we can find.¡± She then moved on to the other wounded, examining them and doing her best to treat them with the limited resources at her disposal.


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    With a resonant thud, Mr. Okoro detached the probe from the ship, setting a course for the approximate direction of the Mothership. Jack tried to look through the window, but he could barely make out anything in the vast darkness of space. Aside from the occasional piece of debris, all he could see was the silhouette of the Bismarck, growing rapidly dimmer as the probe picked up speed.


    It¡¯s a funny thing, being in a space battle. Without the aid of sensors and drone screens, no one can really see anyone. The distances involved are so vast that it essentially has to be abstracted entirely, reduced to simple dots on a screen, while computers handle the incredibly complex calculations required to actually accomplish anything. And if you were to glance out a window¡ªa real, unenhanced window, as Jack was doing now¡ªall you would see is perfect tranquility, even in the most frantic of battles. It¡¯s as if they were happening on a plane of existence entirely removed from human senses. It was a far cry from the immediacy and intimate violence of face-to-face combat. Jack wondered, if the Kharlath weren¡¯t so keen on boarding their vessels, would they ever really see their faces? Or would they spend all their time blasting away at little dots on a computer screen, hoping those little dots didn¡¯t shoot first? In a way, he was relieved that wasn¡¯t the case. He¡¯d already seen people dehumanized by this war. Who knows how far they¡¯d be willing to go against an enemy that, to them, was nothing more than a few pixels on the screen.


    ¡°Hey, Julie,¡± Jack spoke up softly. ¡°Do you know Louise Gill? She works in the med bay, she¡¯s a¡­¡± Jack stopped himself, realizing for the first time that he didn¡¯t actually know what Louise¡¯s job was. She had a medical background, that much was obvious, but was she a nurse, a doctor? He felt guilty for not knowing.


    ¡°Combat medic?¡± Julie helped him finish his sentence. ¡°Yes, I know her. Last I saw of her, she was in the med bay, taking care of some kid. Probably wasn¡¯t going to make it. The kid, I mean!¡± she tripped over her words. ¡°Louise was fine, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be okay. She¡¯s a smart gal. You two close?¡±


    Jack didn¡¯t actually know how to answer that question. Were they close? He liked her a lot, though he wasn¡¯t sure in what way, and she obviously liked him too, at least to some extent. But were they really close? They barely knew each other. Hell, he¡¯d just learned what she actually did.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not a no, it¡¯s a yes,¡± she winked at him. ¡°Listen, I know things look bad now, but you never know what¡¯s going to happen next. I¡¯ve been with the Fleet a long time now, over 20 years, and I¡¯ve made it through enough hairy situations to know that nothing¡¯s impossible¡ªand losing hope is pointless. You either make it, or you don¡¯t. Worrying about it won¡¯t make a difference.¡± She placed a hand on Jack¡¯s shoulder, reassuringly.


    While they were talking, Mr. Okoro was fiddling with a strange stone device. It was like a box, with a number of symbols carved into slightly raised surfaces on the bottom. He alternated between placing his fingers on the symbols and warming them up with a vintage pocket lighter. While most of the ship¡¯s passengers were too distracted to notice or care, Jack was fascinated by this bizarre ritual. Noticing his attention, the mysterious man smiled at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s an ancient artifact. Most likely made by the same people responsible for the gate network. It¡¯s a communication device, one of a bonded pair. This one¡¯s sibling is in the hands of my boss, Major Barrett.¡± His eyes glowed with excitement as he described how the device worked. ¡°Whatever happens to one device, happens to the other, no matter how far apart they are. So you heat up a symbol, and the corresponding symbol on the other one heats up as well, and you can communicate that way, instantly, across any distance.¡±


    ¡°How exactly does it work?¡± Jack asked, now completely engrossed.


    ¡°We don¡¯t actually know for sure. As far as any test we¡¯ve done on them can tell, it¡¯s just regular granite, carved and painted. Some scientists have theorized that it¡¯s something like quantum entanglement, but that stuff¡¯s way above my head. All I know is, they¡¯re really convenient.¡±


    ¡°So you lied to me, then?¡± Jack¡¯s tone suddenly shifted. ¡°About not being able to communicate with the rest of the fleet?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie, Mr. Nereus. I merely told the truth you needed to hear. The ship¡¯s communication systems were indeed down. We did have to leave. None of that was untrue. I merely omitted some lesser, irrelevant truths.¡±


    ¡°You have a very strange relationship with truth, Mr. Okoro,¡± Jack laughed.


    ¡°Most men in my line of work do. You will find that I am, in fact, among the most honest. I very rarely lie, I simply tell the right truths at the right time.¡± Suddenly, he raised his voice, addressing everyone on the ship: ¡°We¡¯re coming up on the Mothership now. With a bit of luck, we¡¯re going to be on that ship in about five minutes, so strap in and get ready. Those of you who can still fight, grab a weapon. Everyone else, I want near the front of the ship, and don¡¯t come out until I say so.¡±


    As they approached their destination, a gigantic, foggy orb began to materialize in the middle of the central window. At first, it seemed like a celestial body, perhaps a gas giant, but it quickly dawned on Jack that it was, in fact, the Mothership¡ªor at least the electromagnetic field surrounding it. The field was now bogged down in debris, entirely covered in particles from myriad sources.


    ¡°Everyone, hold on!¡± Mr. Okoro cried out as he began inputting what seemed like a complicated series of operations on the navigation console. As soon as he finished, Jack felt an immense pressure all over his body, as if he were being crushed by some unseen weight from every direction simultaneously. Just as he felt he was on the verge of passing out, it was over. The ship had flipped completely, now facing away from the Mothership.


    ¡°Apologies for that maneuver, friends!¡± Mr. Okoro tried to feign an apologetic tone, though he was clearly enjoying himself. ¡°We need to hit the EM field at 15 m/s in order to pass through. The forward thrusters on this thing just weren¡¯t slowing us down fast enough, so I¡¯m using the main engine instead.¡±


    As soon as they hit the EM field, Jack¡¯s hair began to stand up, and the entire ship started buzzing, barely audible. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was imagining it or if it was a real phenomenon, but there was a certain degree of unease on everyone¡¯s faces. Six or seven seconds passed until they had cleared the field, and Mr. Okoro once again began inputting a series of movements into the console. He seemed more casual and confident about it this time, which Jack found reassuring.


    With the boarding probe once again flipped, the Mothership was, for the first time, in full view. It was a gigantic object-over 800 meters long, from Jack¡¯s estimation, at least twice as wide, and close to 200 meters tall at its thickest point. Both its shape and construction were unlike any other ship he had ever seen, or read about, and it was exceedingly obvious that it was not made by the relatively primitive civilization responsible for the boarding probe he was sitting in. The only comparison he could make was not to any spacefaring vessel or piece of technology, but something far more mundane. With its deep grooves stretching across the entire surface, wide, rounded front end, and vaguely egg shell-like color and texture, what it resembled, in his mind, was a clam or a mollusk, or rather, their shells.


    Getting closer to the gigantic vessel, Jack could see that it was virtually covered in strange looking turrets, relentlessly shooting a stream of who-knows-what, towards a swarm of assault drones that were meant to cover their infiltration.


    As if sensing his discomfort at the sight, Mr. Okoro reassured his passengers, in a cheery voice:


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll keep out of their range until the last moment. We¡¯ll have to penetrate faster than I¡¯d like to, but it beats¡­¡± He stopped in the middle of his sentence, staring intently at something outside, before flashing a devious grin to his passengers.¡± ¡°Or maybe we won¡¯t have to penetrate at all. Corporal ¨¡whina, come up here and take a look at this.¡±


    The muscular woman hurriedly left her seat, as if compelled to obey him, and began staring intently towards where he was pointing. After a few seconds, she nodded her head, and began speaking, in an unexpectedly pleasant and light voice:


    ¡°Yeah, it looks like we got lucky. One of the ship¡¯s main hangars doesn¡¯t have a door on it. We¡¯re probably going to encounter heavier resistance than if we went in at a random point on the ship, but I think it¡¯s still the safer choice.¡±


    ¡°But what if there¡¯s some sort of force field or something?¡± Jack asked, fully prepared to be mocked for his concern


    ¡°There almost certainly is.¡± Mr. Okoro replied immediately, as if he was waiting for someone to ask that question. ¡°They¡¯re not going to have the entire hangar exposed to the vacuum. But we can check.¡± He turned to his wristpad, casually tapping a handful of times, and soon enough, one of the assault drones flew into the open hangar bay, momentarily slowing down as it passed through what could indeed only be described as a force field, though Jack couldn¡¯t venture to speculate about the mechanics behind it. ¡°There¡¯s our answer.¡± Mr. Okoro turned to his passengers, smiling.

 Chapter 10-Killbox

    With an infernal racket, the boarding probe crashed into the humongous hangar, finally coming to a stop after a few grueling seconds. Safely strapped into his chair, Jack was relatively unharmed, though dazed and rattled. In the milliseconds before they crashed, he had briefly glimpsed the chaos outside the probe¡ªa large-scale battle between Human infiltration teams and the Kharlath forces. Mr. Okoro grabbed his rifle and gestured for everyone to do the same; there was no telling what would happen once they opened the door.


    As if in a dream, Jack followed the person in front of him, rifle in hand, and stepped into the chaos outside. Two steps out of the boarding probe, and his face was sprayed with a fine, dry powder¡ªall that remained of a man who could have been him. It was one of Okoro¡¯s people, someone he didn¡¯t know. A small mercy. As if on autopilot, he fired his rifle into the distance¡ªa gesture of defiance more than one with any practical purpose¡ªand ducked behind the boarding probe. Another man turned to dust next to him, this time someone familiar: one of the two recruits who had been helping him carry Lieutenant Ballinger. A man who was there because of him¡ªa boy, really¡ªwho had followed him to his death.


    Desperate and enraged, Jack jumped out from behind his flimsy cover and fired his rifle again, this time actually aiming at a group of Kharlath soldiers. He didn¡¯t wait to see if he hit any of them.


    Back in the fragile safety of the boarding probe¡¯s shadow, he took a proper look around for the first time. The ground level was complete chaos, with boarding probes in various states of dismemberment scattered across the hangar. Between them, small, disparate groups of humans cowered like rats, with an occasionally braver¡ªor perhaps dumber¡ªsoldier popping up to take a potshot. On the higher levels, on suspended platforms that lined the entire length of the room, endless waves of Kharlath were pouring in from every entrance, firing from all directions.


    It was then that Jack understood what was happening: the hangar being open was neither a technical malfunction nor an oversight. It was deliberate military strategy¡ªthis was the perfect kill box, and he was in it, with no way out. To make matters worse, aside from the already familiar energy lances, the Kharlath on board this ship clearly had another type of weapon, one that could instantly disintegrate anyone it hit.


    Slowly but surely, despair overwhelmed Jack. His legs started to give out beneath him, sweat dripped down his face, and his eyes began to water¡ªhe hadn¡¯t been afraid of dying before, or at least he didn¡¯t think so. But dying like this? Watching everything crumble around him as he awaited the inevitable, utterly trapped? It wasn¡¯t something he had ever imagined. Suddenly resolute, and with newfound strength, Jack made the only choice left to him¡ªhe chose to die, and in doing so, he chose, for the last time, to live. Not cowering in fear, taken out by some stray shot, but on his feet, looking his enemy in the eye.


    He straightened his back and walked out of cover, slowly and methodically, plasma pistol in hand. He expected the end to be swift¡ªbut it didn¡¯t come. Plasma bolts flew past his ear, close enough that he could feel the heat on his face. But none of them actually hit him. He raised his left hand, aimed at the first enemy he saw, and pressed the trigger. In a flash of light, the Kharlath soldier fell to the ground. He did it again and again. Left hand raised. Trigger pressed. One shot, one kill. One, two, three, four times. Yet the reply never came. It was as if he were invisible. There he stood, daring the enemy to kill him, and yet he was ignored. Was he truly that insignificant to Fate, that even the ultimate temptation would fall on deaf ears?


    As he raised his hand for a fifth time, a sudden impact threw him to the ground. He looked up, stunned, only to see Corporal ¨¡whina lying on top of him, holding him down with considerable strength.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind, crewman?¡± she growled, though there was a hint of compassion in her voice.


    ¡°I just wanted to get it over with,¡± Jack replied fiercely.


    She rolled off from atop him, lying flat on her back, though with a hand still pressed against his chest, holding him down. Seemingly ignoring his reply, she decided, steadfastly: ¡°On three, we turn around on our bellies and crawl back behind the probe. And you¡¯d better not pull this shit again after I risked my life to save you.¡±


    Flustered, Jack obeyed her. It was amusing, but in the end, what stopped his suicidal assault was not his fear of death or his will to live¡ªit was shame. Regular, mundane shame, of putting a fellow soldier in a terrible position after she¡¯d decided to go out on a limb to help him. So he crawled back into cover, dejected, with the corporal right behind him.


    ¡°There¡¯s a plan,¡± Mr. Okoro spoke, to no one in particular, as Jack crashed against the boarding probe, his entire body suddenly limp. ¡°A Templar made it on board, probably from the Yi. Knight Zh¨­u. His probe fortunately boarded somewhere else. He¡¯s got almost two full Assault squads with him, and he¡¯s coming to help us. They¡¯re going to be facing some resistance, but they will get here, and we will make it out. Of that, I have no doubt.¡± His speech was meant to inspire, but Jack could see doubt creeping into his formerly stoic face. Mr. Okoro was rattled, likely a very rare occurrence for him.


    ¡°How can you be sure? Is one man, even a Templar, enough to turn the tide?¡± Nurse Julie asked, and Jack felt a surge of relief to hear someone familiar still alive.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen Sergeant Thomas in action, have you?¡± Corporal ¨¡whina laughed. ¡°One Templar could probably clear this entire hangar by himself.¡±


    Their conversation was interrupted by a sudden, loud explosion just above their heads.


    ¡°Artillery!¡± Corporal ¨¡whina yelled, protecting her head from falling debris.


    ¡°We can¡¯t stay here,¡± Mr. Okoro concurred, without lifting his eyes from his wristpad. ¡°I¡¯ll try to call in a few assault drones from outside to cover us. I need one of you to contact everyone else in the hangar, broad comms frequency. We all need to make a run for the door. We can¡¯t wait around until the Templar gets here.¡±


    ¡°What about the wounded?¡± Julie protested, concerned.


    ¡°They won¡¯t waste ammo on people who aren¡¯t shooting back. The further we are from them, the safer they are,¡± Mr. Okoro reassured her.


    Seeing the frantic desperation in everyone¡¯s eyes, Jack took charge. He turned on his headset, set it to the standard frequency, and, once again channeling his drill sergeant persona, began barking orders: ¡°To everyone still alive in the open hangar on the left side of the ship: listen up! In a few moments, a few assault drones are going to come in here and start shooting at the Kharlath above us. This is a distraction. It won¡¯t do much. But it will provide us with an opportunity to make a run for the exit and save our lives. On my mark, head for the southeast exit. Weapons ready!¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The conviction and authority in his voice surprised even himself.


    ¡°Mark!¡± Jack yelled savagely into his headset as the first assault drone crashed into the hangar, firing wildly as it went down. Suddenly, dozens of people began crawling out from various corners of the room, desperately firing their guns above their heads. Many were downed immediately, but even more made it to the exit. The second drone flew in, colliding with a suspended walkway and taking out a large group of Kharlath in the process. As bits and pieces of their enemies rained down, Jack could only be relieved for the precious seconds it bought their increasingly smaller group. Finally, as a third and final drone barreled into the room, it exploded into a flurry of shrapnel and fire as it smashed into a boarding probe. Jack crossed the threshold and made it out of the hangar. He was alive, against all odds.


    He looked around at the small crowd of survivors now gathered around him. Out of their group, only half had made it. Nurse Julie, the former leader of Assault Squad 8, who had been following him all this time, and two others from Mr. Okoro¡¯s group were among them. As his eyes scanned the larger group that had formed around them, he spotted Mr. Okoro near the entrance, with Corporal ¨¡whina draped limply around his shoulders. His body was clearly straining from the effort, but he walked resolutely toward the middle of the group, gesturing for others to make way as he gently laid her down.


    Wordlessly, Julie kneeled beside ¨¡whina and began examining her wounds. ¡°The armor took the brunt of it,¡± she said calmly but gravely. ¡°But she¡¯s badly burned, most likely has a few broken ribs too. We¡¯ll need to cut her out of the armor.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t just sit here and wait to be killed while you do goddamn surgery in the middle of a firefight!¡± a voice yelled from the crowd.


    Without a word, Mr. Okoro identified the man who had voiced the complaint, walked up to him, and laid him out with a single casual punch. Then, with a level of intensity Jack hadn¡¯t expected from him, he addressed the group: ¡°This woman has saved my life a dozen times over today! The same goes for everyone else who came on the Bismarck. I will not abandon her!¡± A few isolated cheers could be heard, but mostly, the crowd simply quieted down. He had won them over, though just barely.


    While Mr. Okoro was busy trying to save the corporal¡¯s life, Jack once again took charge, directing the rest of the group: ¡°I want everyone out of the door frame, so they can¡¯t take shots at us. I want two people on either side of the door in case they decide to charge at us. The rest, form a circle. Everyone wounded gets in the middle. Everyone else, face outwards, guns pointed. Any questions?¡±


    No one raised any objections, though a few awkward glances were exchanged. In a short time, Jack had become quite a competent leader, though he lacked both the rank and actual qualifications. But in the heat of battle, with no one knowing what to do and no chain of command to follow, those were far less important than simply having someone level-headed enough to know what to do, and charismatic enough for them to listen.


    As the rest of the crowd followed through with his plan, Jack walked up to Mr. Okoro and tapped him gently on the shoulder. ¡°How do I contact the Templar?¡± His wristpad buzzed. He had received his answer.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Mr. Okoro inquired, finally turning his attention toward Jack.


    ¡°We use Knight Zh¨­u¡¯s group to force the rest of the Kharlath to the ground level. Then, you call in some more assault drones to pelt them, and finally, we go in, pick off the stragglers, and rescue everyone left behind.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s solid. In theory. But these people have been through hell, and now you¡¯re going to ask them to go back in.¡± Mr. Okoro spoke loud enough for the crowd to hear, signaling that it was okay to voice their dissent. Was he undermining Jack¡¯s authority, or simply preventing a mutiny down the line?


    ¡°Almost everyone¡¯s got someone left back there,¡± a voice spoke up from the crowd as an older man stepped forward. He was wearing Assault Corps armor, though judging by his build and age, it didn¡¯t belong to him. ¡°Either trapped, wounded, or even dead. We can¡¯t just leave them behind.¡±


    Jack stood up, making his voice heard over the crowd. ¡°There is no other way! We save our friends and loved ones now, or we come back to pick up their corpses later. Either way, that room will need to be cleared!¡±


    The crowd didn¡¯t respond one way or the other, but once again, there were no dissenters. These people were ready to follow him, however begrudgingly.


    He dialed the frequency he had received into his headset, and a gruff, distorted voice greeted him from the other end: ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°This is Crewman Nereus from the hangar group. We¡¯ve been forced to evacuate the hangar. Most of us made it out of the room, but some are still trapped in there. What¡¯s your status?¡±


    ¡°Making steady progress,¡± came the matter-of-fact response from the other end. ¡°Minimal casualties. ETA 2 minutes.¡±


    With no time to waste, Jack explained his plan to the Templar, sparing no detail. His interlocutor monosyllabically agreed as they set to work. With the Kharlath driven down from the walkways and Mr. Okoro¡¯s drones turned against them, it was time for Jack to play his part. Picking about a dozen of the fitter-looking survivors, he entered the fray once more.


    Rushing headfirst into the hangar, Jack was unprepared for the sheer pandemonium his plan had unleashed. The room was a smoldering wreck, with debris scattered everywhere, and walkways either hanging precariously in the air or collapsed entirely. The Kharlath forces were in complete disarray, either running around like headless chickens or futilely trying to fight back against the Templar¡¯s onslaught. Knight Zh¨­u moved calmly through the chaos, unleashing death from the weapons mounted on his shoulders and wrists. Neither the energy lances nor the mysterious disintegrators had any effect on the Templar¡¯s armor. The desperate Kharlath eventually resorted to charging him with the bladed parts of their lances¡ªa strategy even less effective, as they were effortlessly thrown aside or pounded into the ground.


    Utterly transfixed, Jack watched as Knight Zh¨­u single-handedly took down two dozen Kharlath troops in just as many seconds. In such a wide-open space, with adequate support, the Templar seemed genuinely invincible. Within minutes, they had wiped out the entire Kharlath presence inside the hangar, and the group quickly set to work recovering those they had left behind.


    ¡°You Nereus?¡± Zh¨­u walked up to greet Jack, removing his helmet to reveal a surprisingly unassuming face behind the machine. He looked to be about sixty years old, with a short, greying goatee and neatly trimmed medium-length hair. A pair of dark, almond-shaped eyes darted around the room, reflecting a keen intelligence.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Knight-Templar!¡± Jack tried his best to sound imposing and official.


    ¡°Likewise!¡± Zh¨­u replied, almost lifting Jack off the ground with a powerful handshake. ¡°So, I take it you¡¯re in charge here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t actually know.¡± Jack hesitated. ¡°I suppose, unofficially, I am.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more work to be done. We need to coordinate with Major Barrett on the other side of the ship. Gather whoever¡¯s still capable of fighting from your crew and meet me in five. It¡¯s time for the final push!¡± With these parting words, Zh¨­u put his helmet back on and walked away to examine what was left of his assault squads, leaving Jack to organize his survivors however he saw fit.


    Just as Jack was getting ready to rally his troops for a final time, a transmission came on the broad frequency he still had his headset tuned to:


    ¡°This is crewman Nakayama of the Bismarck jump drive team. We are pinned down and require assistance. Please respond!¡±

 Chapter 11-The Heist

    ¡°Don¡¯t call Major Barrett!¡± Mr. Okoro cut through the crowd with urgency, his voice pleading as he reached Jack. ¡°If you do, he¡¯ll order you not to save our people. First, you rescue Ms. Nakayama and her group¡ªthen you talk to the Major.¡±


    ¡°But why would he¡­¡± Jack began, trying to argue, but Mr. Okoro interrupted him.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s the call I¡¯d make if I were a heartless bastard. Tactically, it makes more sense to write them off and leave them to fend for themselves. Their jump drive is most likely no longer operational, and a handful of low-level crewmen aren¡¯t worth the trouble. Listen to me, Jack.¡± Mr. Okoro grabbed him by the shoulders, his eyes filled with genuine concern.


    ¡°And the Templar?¡± Jack asked timidly.


    ¡°Is not part of the chain of command,¡± Mr. Okoro reassured him. ¡°A mercenary has no actual authority to issue orders. And the rest of these men trust you to lead them. I can deal with Knight Zh¨­u if you want.¡±


    Jack brushed him off with a gesture, gathering his courage before raising his voice:


    ¡°I will need volunteers for one final task. Those of you who had your headsets turned on have probably heard crewman Nakayama¡¯s plea. Her team is part of my crew, from my ship, the Bismarck. Probably the last ones who made it, aside from those in this room. Without assistance, they will die. I intend to help them.¡± Tears welled up in his eyes as he struggled to maintain his composure, his voice rising even higher: ¡°I will go alone if I have to. It¡¯s a dangerous task, one we will probably not succeed in. I won¡¯t think any less of those who do not come with me. But I was taught that the Interstellar Fleet never leaves a man behind! And I intend to honor that, or die trying!¡±


    Cheers erupted as Jack desperately tried to hide his fear. He wasn¡¯t sure where that speech had come from, or if he believed a word of it, but he knew it had worked. Slowly, and timidly a handful of people split off from the crowd and took their place behind Jack Soon enough, a small group gathered behind him. Among them, he recognized the older man who had spoken earlier, as well as Nurse Julie.


    ¡°I leave the rest of you in the capable hands of Knight Zh¨­u and Mr. Okoro!¡± Jack shouted, using the last bit of his strength.


    As the group prepared to depart, having said their goodbyes, someone in the crowd called out, halting them in their tracks.


    ¡°Wait!¡± It was the last member of Jack¡¯s assault squad, the former leader he had unceremoniously deposed.


    ¡°Private Scheer, reporting for duty!¡± he smirked, attempting to mask his hesitation. ¡°Most of the guys from my squad¡ªour squad¡ªare with her. It¡¯s my duty too.¡±


    Jack smiled warmly. ¡°Come on, then. While there¡¯s still a chance.¡±


    As they made their way back into the corridor, Jack tried to reach Eve on his wristpad. He suddenly realized that he had no blueprints for the ship and no real knowledge of how to reach her, or even where exactly she was. Trying to conceal his uncertainty from his impromptu rescue team, he picked a random direction and began walking with confidence and determination.


    For the first time, as they moved through the relatively quiet corridor, Jack took a moment to examine his surroundings in detail.


    It had long been theorized that the Mothership originated from the same civilization that created the T-gate network and its space stations scattered across the galaxy. In many ways, it made sense. Much like the gate network, the Mothership was incredibly old, built by a species with technology so advanced that even the all-knowing Othiri couldn¡¯t decipher it. But as Jack walked through the ship¡¯s corridors for the first time, he couldn¡¯t help but notice the remarkable difference in style. Unlike the angular, metallic designs of Gateway Station, the Mothership¡¯s corridors were soft to the touch, bathed in a warm light emanating from the walls. Its architecture was simplistic, devoid of many flourishes, yet not without charm. Most strikingly, it eschewed straight lines and hard corners almost entirely, giving it an almost organic feeling.


    A tingling sensation coursed through Jack¡¯s body as his wristpad buzzed. Mentally preparing for the worst, he lifted his hand and looked at it. It was a message from Eve¡ªa frequency. With bated breath, he typed it into his headset and spoke, his voice breaking:


    ¡°Eve?¡±


    ¡°Jack?¡± came the incredulous reply on the other end. It was Eve. ¡°What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were dead! Or worse!¡±


    Jubilant, Jack prepared to explain, but before any words could come out of his mouth, Eve spoke again.


    ¡°Never mind that, did you get my message?¡±


    ¡°I did. I¡¯m heading toward you with a small group.¡± Jack paused for a couple of seconds, quickly counting the people with him. ¡°I have sixteen people¡ªfifteen combatants and a medic. We¡¯re coming from the hangar on the east side of the ship. How do I reach you?¡±


    After a brief pause, Eve spoke again, her voice steady but tense: ¡°Jack, we¡¯re trapped in a room, not far from you, I think. There¡¯s a man here with us, Dr. Liu. He can tell you what to do. I¡¯ll put him through.¡±


    ¡°Hello?¡± A man¡¯s voice came through on the other end. It sounded younger than Jack had expected and far less confident than he¡¯d hoped.


    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Jack asked, somewhat incredulously.


    ¡°Every few dozen meters, or next to any entrance, there are control interfaces on the walls. I need you to find one. It should look like a round, polished, white stone. Small, easy to miss¡ªpay attention!¡±


    Jack scanned his surroundings. The walls in the corridor were mostly featureless, but there was indeed a white stone on the left wall, a few meters ahead.


    ¡°I see one!¡± he answered, excitement tinged with relief.


    ¡°Good. Very good. I want you to grab it. Just put your hand on it and open your mind. Or, well, just put your hand on it, really. It¡¯s a neural interface¡ªit connects directly to your brain. Once you feel the connection, think of a map or a blueprint, and it should provide one for you.¡±


    Jack was startled by the request. Connect his brain directly to a mysterious alien ship? A ship currently controlled by their enemies, no less? Even under the best circumstances, the idea would have been unsettling, but in this situation, it made him downright nauseous. However, the prospect of endlessly wandering through a hostile Kharlath vessel was no better. Swallowing his discomfort, Jack steeled himself and prepared to do what needed to be done.


    As soon as he touched the interface, Jack felt a presence probing around in his mind. It was far more subtle than he had imagined, but unmistakable¡ªsome sort of entity was connecting to his consciousness. He shuddered at the thought of what it could be and quickly pulled his hand away, frightened. It wasn¡¯t like anything he had ever experienced. He had used neural interfaces before, of course, but those were passive¡ªmere novelties or toys, devices he controlled with his thoughts rather than his hands. The idea of such an interface reaching out and touching him back had never occurred to him, and the sensation was deeply unsettling.


    He counted to three, took a deep breath, and touched it again. This time, he was determined to get what he came for. He focused on the ship¡¯s layout, and before he could even complete the thought, the knowledge was in his mind. It wasn¡¯t as if the interface had shown him a map or explained it to him; instead, it felt like the information had always been there, as if he had intrinsically known it all along. It was as if he suddenly knew the ship¡¯s layout as intimately as if he had designed it himself. The experience was unlike anything he could compare it to¡ªalmost like magic.


    He pressed his headset, and Dr. Liu¡¯s voice crackled through:


    ¡°Did it work?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think it did,¡± Jack replied, still somewhat shaken.


    ¡°If I¡¯m correct, when you think of the layout, it¡¯s formatted like that of an Interstellar Fleet ship, yes? Similar to the maps on your wristpads?¡±


    After a moment of introspection, Jack answered, ¡°Yes. Sort of.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Dr. Liu replied, excitement creeping into his voice. ¡°When I first tried it, the map downloaded into my brain was like that of a city¡ªwith streets, alleys, buildings, all named! I have a theory that¡ª¡±


    ¡°Dr. Liu!¡± Jack interrupted, exasperated.


    ¡°Yes, my apologies. Not the time. My point is that, in theory, you and Miss Nakayama now have the same map in your heads, with the same labels. Which means you can finally help us!¡±


    After a brief pause, Eve¡¯s familiar voice came through, this time with her characteristic self-assuredness:


    ¡°Jack? Do you know where Room 227 is, on Deck 6?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t explain how or why, but he did. He knew exactly what room she was talking about and could picture it clearly in his mind, along with the route to get there.


    ¡°I do. It¡¯s not far from here. What do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re trapped here, locked inside. We¡¯re safe for now, but there¡¯s a large detachment of Kharalath troops outside the door. I think they know about the jump drive, and they¡¯re trying to get in. Dr. Liu is confident they can¡¯t unlock the door, but I¡¯m not sure how long it¡¯ll take before they break through, and we definitely don¡¯t have the firepower to take them on by ourselves. We can catch them in the middle, like we did on the Bismarck. Maybe we have a chance.¡± She was trying her best to sound confident, but Jack could hear the underlying uncertainty in her voice.


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    Steadfast in his resolve, though fully aware of the grim odds, Jack gathered his rescue party and led them through the ship¡¯s winding, labyrinthine corridors. Signs of battle were scattered throughout¡ªstray bodies, stains on the walls¡ªbut, fortunately for them, this area of the ship seemed largely deserted. As they neared their destination, Jack signaled his party to halt and contacted Eve once again:


    ¡°We¡¯re next to Room 193. As soon as we turn this corner, we¡¯ll be within range of the Kharalth forces. We need some kind of diversion.¡±


    Eve¡¯s response came after a brief delay:


    ¡°Dr. Liu can raise emergency bulkheads at both ends of the corridor. This will divide their attention and allow you to get your forces in position. Once you give the signal, we¡¯ll open the one closest to you halfway, giving you cover while keeping the other closed so they can¡¯t reposition. Once you¡¯ve engaged them, we¡¯ll open the door and come out blasting. Okay?¡±


    Jack quickly approved the plan. As soon as he heard the bulkheads slam shut, he ordered his men into position and waved down Julie.


    ¡°Take this and get far behind us.¡± Jack handed her his plasma pistol. ¡°I don¡¯t want you in the line of fire.¡±


    ¡°Jack, I can take care of myself,¡± she protested.


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt it, but you¡¯re the only one here with medical training. We need you on your feet more than anyone. And if Eve and I don¡¯t make it or are incapacitated, these people need someone in charge. Someone who can keep them alive.¡±


    She nodded, then moved back, stopping just behind the corner. ¡°Good luck, Jack. I hope we make it.¡±


    After signaling Eve, Jack gripped his rifle and got into position. As soon as the bulkhead lowered, he ordered his party to kneel beneath it and fire blindly above their heads. In the narrow, enclosed corridor, they didn¡¯t need accuracy¡ªjust a relentless barrage of ammunition. It was like shooting fish in a barrel.


    Mere seconds later, they were knocked off their feet by a powerful blast. It was as if they had all been simultaneously hit by a charging bull. Stunned, and winded, as he struggled to breathe, Jack peeked out just enough to see the cause: a portable energy cannon. It was a strange weapon, one that Jack had heard about, but never seen up close. The bulkhead held, but his men were now exposed, lying on the ground. Thinking quickly, he signaled Eve again as the remaining Kharalth troops rapidly closed the gap. Eve¡¯s group emerged from the room, blindsiding the enemy while Jack¡¯s troops recovered. The dwindling Kharalth forces were soon trapped between the two groups, barely able to return fire.


    Steadying his aim, Jack focused on the cannon, and with a loud bang, it exploded into a million pieces, taking several Kharalth soldiers down with it.


    Desperate, the few remaining enemy troops fell to the ground, throwing their lances aside in a gesture of surrender. There was a persistent rumor throughout the fleet that the Kharalth were such determined warriors that they didn¡¯t even understand the concept of surrender¡ªbut this wasn¡¯t true. There had been multiple known instances of Kharalth surrender, and the Commonwealth held hundreds of them as prisoners. Still, it was a rare sight, and their capitulation now suggested that the boarding operation had been exceedingly successful, leaving them utterly demoralized.


    The two groups reunited in the middle of the corridor, tension thick in the air as they kept their weapons trained on the remaining Kharalth. Jack quickly identified the leader among them¡ªa warrior with red streaks painted across his helmet¡ªand, without lowering his weapon, gestured for him and the remaining warriors to get on their knees with their hands behind their backs. His men swiftly gathered up the discarded weapons.


    ¡°Dr. Liu?¡± Jack called out, scanning the area.


    A somewhat short, frail-looking man cautiously emerged from behind the wall of the room where Eve¡¯s group had been trapped. On closer inspection, he appeared to be in his late 20s or early 30s, but his sunken eyes, malnourished frame, and weary posture made him seem far older.


    ¡°Yes?¡± the doctor replied, his voice timid.


    ¡°Can you lock them inside the room? So they can¡¯t get out?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± Dr. Liu said, shaking his head. ¡°There¡¯s a reason we chose this room to hide in. It can only be locked or unlocked from the inside. That¡¯s true of most rooms in this part of the ship¡ªI suspect they were originally designed as living quarters.¡± He stopped himself, realizing he was veering off topic.


    Jack paced anxiously, processing the scientist¡¯s words. He hadn¡¯t even considered the possibility of taking prisoners, let alone what to do with them. They had no way to restrain the Kharalth warriors, and they couldn¡¯t exactly march them around the ship. But the idea of executing defenseless prisoners didn¡¯t even cross Jack¡¯s mind. For the moment, they were stuck.


    Sensing Jack¡¯s dilemma, the prisoners began to grow increasingly restless, likely contemplating their fate. The atmosphere crackled with unease, and just as he noticed a lapse in the group¡¯s concentration, the Kharalth leader sprang to his feet with inhuman speed. With a guttural howl, he charged at his captors, his warriors following suit. Chaos erupted before anyone could react.


    In an instant, the Kharalth leader had seized a lance and was swinging it wildly. Two men went down immediately, one of them decapitated with a single, brutal stroke. Disoriented, Jack¡¯s group fired back blindly, but their panic rendered them ineffective.


    Jack¡¯s heart froze as he saw Eve lying on the ground, a massive Kharalth warrior towering over her. The alien raised his lance, preparing to strike, but before the blade could descend, Jack instinctively threw himself in its path. ¡°You could have just shot him, you idiot,¡± Jack thought to himself, grimly, bracing for what he was certain would be a killing blow.


    The lance came down hard, knocking the air from Jack¡¯s lungs as pain seared through his body. But he was still alive¡ªand somehow, miraculously, in one piece. He looked up, dazed, to see a smoking crater where his attacker¡¯s head had been. His vision blurred as he collapsed on top of Eve, struggling to stay awake.


    As his would-be executioner crumpled to the ground, Jack stared in stunned disbelief at the familiar figure standing behind the fallen Kharlath warrior. Julie, the nurse, was there, pistol in hand. With one arm behind her back, she raised the weapon and, with methodical precision, fired two more shots, each one hitting its mark and downing the remaining Kharlath with surprising efficiency.


    The situation quickly calmed as all the Kharlath were neutralized. Julie, moving with the same effortless grace, approached Eve, offering her a hand to help her to her feet. As she gently wiped the blood from Eve¡¯s face, Jack couldn¡¯t help but notice a flush of color rise to Eve¡¯s cheeks¡ªshe was blushing, an emotion he¡¯d never seen on her before, and one he certainly hadn¡¯t expected.


    ¡°Stay still,¡± Julie ordered Jack as he tried to move, groaning in pain. ¡°I¡¯ll get to you soon enough.¡±


    Obediently, Jack lay down on his stomach, trying not to think of the pool of bodily fluids slowly forming on the floor beneath him. Julie quickly set to work, cutting open his uniform with practiced ease and holding him steady with firm but gentle hands.


    ¡°You¡¯re very lucky,¡± she concluded, assessing his wound. ¡°It hit your scapula. That¡¯s one of the hardest bones in the body. A bit to the right, and you probably wouldn¡¯t be walking again. A bit higher, and, well... you wouldn¡¯t be doing anything again.¡± She injected a painkiller into his back, and after a brief moment of discomfort, the pain began to ebb away. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, what you did was very brave. But it was also very stupid. Next time you want to be brave, try to be a little smart about it.¡±


    Bandaged up and feeling the effects of the painkillers, Jack attempted to stand, only to suddenly remember something crucial¡ªhe hadn¡¯t given Julie a firing glove!


    ¡°Your hand!¡± he exclaimed, grabbing Julie¡¯s right arm in concern.


    But to his surprise, her hand appeared completely unscathed. Chuckling, Julie tapped her forearm with the butt of the pistol, producing a sharp, metallic sound¡ªit was a prosthetic.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe how handy it is when baking, too,¡± she joked, handing back his weapon with a sly smile.


    Quickly slipping back into his leadership role, Jack signaled for Eve to approach.


    ¡°The jump drive¡ªis it operational?¡± he asked, his voice steady.


    ¡°It can be,¡± Eve replied with determination. ¡°Right, Dr. Liu?¡±


    ¡°Certainly!¡± Dr. Liu chimed in enthusiastically. ¡°I¡¯ve actually worked with one of these before, believe it or not. As part of my doctoral thesis, I was one of a handful of human scientists assigned to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Doctor Liu!¡± Eve interrupted, her tone a mix of annoyance and amusement.


    Jack tapped his headset, preparing to contact Major Barrett. The line crackled before a voice came through, sharp and casual despite the situation.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± Major Barrett''s tone was impatient.


    ¡°This is crewmate Nereus, sir! With the Bismarck jump drive team. The device is secure and ready to go at your order!¡± Jack reported.


    ¡°Yes, yes. Very good,¡± Barrett replied, his irritation palpable. ¡°Agent Okoro told me to expect your call. Fortunately, you have been more successful in your endeavor than he has in his own.¡±


    Jack hesitated, stunned. ¡°Mr. Okoro¡ªis he¡ª?¡±


    ¡°He is quite alright, yes, unlike the jump drive he was supposed to secure,¡± Major Barrett informed him, his voice laced with barely concealed contempt. ¡°Unfortunately, we only have two devices secured and operational. This is less than ideal, but we¡¯ll need to work with what we have. Prepare to activate it on my mark.¡±


    ¡°But sir, we¡¯ve been told that we need a minimum of three to make the jump safely. What about the possible risks of¡ª¡± Jack began, but was swiftly cut off.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been told what you needed to hear to get the job done. Barrett out.¡±


    The abrupt end of the transmission left a bitter taste in Jack¡¯s mouth. Major Barrett, now in charge of the entire operation and, if they succeeded, the ship itself, had made a dreadful first impression on him. Jack was used to Captain Stirling¡ªa man who, though direct and sometimes callous, was empathetic toward his men and loyal to a fault. Stirling was someone Jack could trust with his life, knowing that he wouldn¡¯t be let down.


    Barrett, however, seemed to be an altogether different kind of leader¡ªone focused solely on achieving his objectives, with little regard for the well-being of those under his command. Jack wasn¡¯t exactly thrilled about taking orders from such a man. Yet, he had to admit, Barrett¡¯s plan had been more or less successful so far.


    "Doctor Liu, in your opinion, can we jump this ship with only two drives?" Jack asked, his concern evident in his voice.


    The doctor furrowed his brow, clearly deep in thought. After a moment of careful consideration, he replied, "In theory, yes. To my knowledge, the ship itself only uses one. It¡¯s not about how much surface area a single drive can effectively jump; it¡¯s about reducing the risk of a failure point¡ªan area of the ship not fully enveloped in the displacement field. That¡¯s why, for large objects, especially those without drives specifically calibrated for them, we use multiple jump drives with overlapping displacement fields. However, would I recommend jumping this ship with only two drives right now? Absolutely not! Especially if we haven¡¯t secured the ship¡¯s own drive. There are so many things that could go wrong¡ª¡±


    Before Dr. Liu could finish, Major Barrett''s voice cut in, delivering the order with an authority that brooked no delay. "Engage the drive on my mark!"


    Jack gave a quick nod to Eve, who pushed past the doctor, her hands moving swiftly over the drive''s control console. Dr. Liu stepped back, his concern evident, as Jack relayed the final command to start the jump drive.


    A loud, omnipresent hum filled the ship, growing in intensity as the jump drives powered up. The vessel began to shake and groan under the immense strain. Suddenly, Jack found himself floating in the air. The world around him started to distort, colors and shapes melting and blending into one another.


    To his astonishment, he looked down to see his own body, frozen in place, among his friends, staring lifelessly back at him. He floated, disembodied, as the ship¡¯s corridors dissolved into nothingness, leaving him alone, drifting through the vastness of space. The entire universe was spread out before him, an infinite expanse of stars and galaxies. He drifted among them, feeling as if hours had passed, yet no time at all.


    Then, with a jolt, he was yanked back into his body. The ship groaned one final time, vibrating violently as the jump completed. Jack and most of his group were thrown to the ground by the force. Dazed, he lay there, struggling to comprehend the surreal experience he had just endured.

 Chapter 12-Conspiracy

    ¡°What the hell just happened?¡± Jack struggled to pick himself up off the floor, still dazed from his experience.


    ¡°We jumped,¡± Eve replied matter-of-factly, leaping to her feet with an agility that contrasted sharply with Jack¡¯s sluggish movements.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been through thousands of jumps,¡± Jack protested, shaking his head to clear the fog. ¡°None of them have ever felt¡ªor looked¡ªlike this.¡±


    ¡°Actually, they did,¡± Dr. Liu chimed in from where he lay on the floor, making no effort to stand. ¡°Well, not the jolting and jumping around¡ªthat¡¯s because the engines were still running. I assume you¡¯re referring to the out-of-body experience you presumably just had?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, this was... something else,¡± Jack insisted, still trying to wrap his mind around what he had just experienced.


    ¡°It was simply longer,¡± Dr. Liu explained with a mix of excitement and professionalism, as if delivering a lecture. ¡°Long enough for you to process it consciously. The average jump takes you through interdimensional space in about four to five attoseconds. That¡¯s millions of times faster than your brain can process. This one took somewhere around a full second, which, in terms of a space jump, is practically an eternity.¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Eve interrupted, scratching her head in confusion. ¡°That¡¯s trillions of times slower than normal, right? That can¡¯t be right!¡±


    ¡°Around 250 quadrillion times slower, actually,¡± Dr. Liu corrected her, doing his best not to sound too pedantic. ¡°But the relationship between travel time and distance in interdimensional space is... not quite linear.¡±


    ¡°Guys, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re missing the point a little?¡± Julie interjected, catching her breath. The group turned to her as she continued, ¡°We jumped. We made it to the other side. That¡¯s half the mission. Now we need to help secure the ship.¡±


    Taking the hint, Jack contacted Major Barrett, requesting new orders. The reply came quickly, delivered in the same disaffected, smarmy tone that Jack was quickly growing accustomed to:


    ¡°Find a corner to hide in, and try not to die. We have fresh reinforcements coming in. Actual professionals. Your part of the mission is done.¡±


    ¡°That guy¡¯s a real asshole, isn¡¯t he?¡± Eve protested as Jack relayed their orders verbatim.


    ¡°Still, our new mission is significantly easier,¡± Dr. Liu quipped, attempting to lighten the mood. ¡°I have an excellent track record of not dying so far.¡±


    ¡°We all need to get back in that room and sit tight,¡± Jack said, once again taking charge of the situation.


    The group slowly dragged themselves into the room, locking the door behind them. As Julie tended to the wounded, the rest tried to pass the time by discussing what they experienced during the jump.


    ¡°Do you think it means something, you know, spiritual? What we saw?¡± Private Scheer chimed in awkwardly.


    ¡°Hardly. It¡¯s simply our four-dimensional brains struggling and failing to process a multi-dimensional reality,¡± Dr. Liu corrected him.


    ¡°I expected more intellectual curiosity from you, doctor,¡± Eve chided him.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing intellectual about such an exercise. You¡¯re trying to ascribe meaning to a fundamentally meaningless experience. The mechanisms behind what we experienced, and why, are already understood,¡± the scientist hit back, somewhat annoyed.


    ¡°And you don¡¯t think there¡¯s room for something more? Beyond the purely rational?¡± Eve persisted.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t said that,¡± Dr. Liu protested, this time slightly more reserved. ¡°Simply that trying to ascribe some sort of spiritual or divine meaning to this particular occurrence isn¡¯t productive. It is akin to believing that you met God on psychedelics. When the rational can already perfectly explain a phenomenon, why bring the supernatural into it?¡±


    Jack tried to join the discussion at multiple points, but he felt out of his depth. He wasn¡¯t the kind of man who gave much thought to philosophical or metaphysical concerns. He felt much more comfortable in the real, tangible world. It was something about himself that he¡¯d long made peace with, but, watching the spirited discussion, he couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly ashamed that he lacked the capacity to contribute. Soon enough, he stopped following the conversation altogether, letting his mind focus on more mundane matters. He began counting how much time had passed and wondered how long it would take for the battle to end. He had no clue where they¡¯d jumped to, exactly, but it had to be some sort of Commonwealth stronghold. It couldn¡¯t have been Frontier Station¡ªtoo close to Earth to risk. Ares? Charon? Hades? Either way, there were presumably thousands of troops boarding the ship. If the Kharlath realized how outmatched they were and surrendered, it would be over in a matter of hours. But if they continued to resist, given the size of the ship, it could take days, or even weeks. He shuddered at the thought of being trapped in that cramped room for so long. Would anyone come for them, or would they simply be forgotten in the chaos of battle? Suddenly, a very mundane concern began forming in Jack¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Dr. Liu?¡± he spoke up, somewhat hesitantly. ¡°You said these were supposed to be living quarters, right? That would mean there¡¯s some sort of bathroom around here somewhere, correct?¡±


    The doctor shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ve got a shower, of sorts.¡± He pointed toward a strange-looking orb hanging from the ceiling in a corner of the room. ¡°UV light. Kills most of the nasty stuff that clings to your body. Doesn¡¯t do anything about the smell, unfortunately. As for toilets, I don¡¯t think whoever built this ship had such a concept. But we¡¯ll make do.¡±


    The answer didn¡¯t exactly comfort Jack, but he didn¡¯t want to inquire further about what the doctor meant by ¡°make do.¡± Instead, a more pressing question popped into his mind. Where exactly did Dr. Liu come from?


    ¡°So, you were with the Intelligence Operations Fleet?¡± Jack tried to broach the subject, a bit awkwardly.


    The scientist looked back at him, surprised. ¡°I¡¯ve been here for months. We¡¯ve been over this.¡±


    ¡°We have?¡± Jack replied, confused.


    ¡°Oh, you weren¡¯t here,¡± Dr. Liu corrected himself, absentmindedly. ¡°I was taken prisoner from Enki, a research station on the border of the Badlands. At first, they brought me to some sort of prison facility, carved into an asteroid. There were thousands of Humans and Zargon there. Once they learned of my skill set, they brought me here and made me study this ship.¡±


    ¡°You were a slave?¡± Julie asked, her voice filled with compassion.


    ¡°I suppose I was, yes. It¡¯s not like they¡¯ve been paying me,¡± the doctor laughed drily. ¡°I never thought of it that way. Really, they pretty much gave me the run of the place. I had to type up some reports that I don¡¯t think their translators actually understood, and I had to sleep with the other captives, but other than that, they just let me wander around and mess with stuff. This ship¡ªthey don¡¯t have as much control over it as you¡¯d think. I believe they¡¯re pretty desperate to find out more about how it works.¡±


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    ¡°What do you mean they don¡¯t have control over it?¡± Jack asked, surprised.


    ¡°Well, they do. In a sense. They can fly it around, jump, shoot the weapons. But it has a mind of its own. Sometimes, it refuses orders or does things on its own. Apart from the obvious, like self-preservation, there¡¯s no real rhyme or reason to it. They¡¯ve been trying to actually communicate with it, but so far, they¡¯ve been unsuccessful.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying the ship is¡­ alive?¡± Jack asked, stunned.


    ¡°I suppose you could say that, but not in the way you think. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s some sort of central intelligence calling the shots, at least as far as we can tell. It¡¯s more like an animal, really¡ªoperating on instinct, reacting to various stimuli. We just don¡¯t know exactly how to fully tame it.¡±


    ¡°So, how did you end up with Ms. Nakayama¡¯s group?¡± Julie interjected, changing the subject.


    ¡°He saved our asses,¡± Eve cut in. ¡°After we left the Bismarck, Mr. Windek figured out that the boarding probes fit perfectly into the ship¡¯s windows, so we didn¡¯t have to try breaching the hull. That¡¯s how we avoided the bloodbath in the hangars. Unfortunately, we were still eventually overrun before we could reach any fortifiable position. Just as we were about to be killed, Dr. Liu raised an emergency bulkhead. Some of us were trapped on the other side, with the Kharlath forces, but most of us made it out. He then guided us through the ship to him, and we barricaded ourselves in this room. You know the rest.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Windek didn¡¯t make it?¡± Jack asked, his voice heavy with dejection.


    ¡°He was on the other side of that bulkhead,¡± Eve replied, regret tinging her words. ¡°I didn¡¯t see him go down, but¡­ I think he¡¯s gone, Jack. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°He was a good man,¡± Jack said, lowering his head solemnly.


    The crackle of their headsets suddenly captured everyone¡¯s attention¡ªit was Major Barrett on a wide channel:


    ¡°The ship is ours! The upper decks are being cleared of hostiles as I speak. Most of the remaining Kharlath forces have barricaded themselves in the lower levels, out of reach of any vital systems. Translators are being brought in to help negotiate their surrender. In the meantime, everything below deck 12 is off-limits to non-authorized personnel. Anyone with medical training must go to deck 8, where we¡¯ve set up emergency medical bays. Everyone else is requested to report to the eastern hangar. Travel in groups and keep your weapons ready.¡±


    As the transmission ended, an air of reserved jubilation filled the room. After more than 20 hours of constant fighting, Jack couldn¡¯t believe it was over. He was still too tense to relax and too tired to celebrate, but he felt a deep sense of relief. As a low murmur began to form among the group, he raised his voice, once again taking charge, he hoped, for the final time:


    ¡°You heard the man! Scheer, accompany Nurse Giordano to deck 8 in case there¡¯s trouble. Everyone else, follow me! Weapons ready!¡±


    As they marched toward the hangar, still tense but now far more hopeful, Jack tried to suppress thoughts of just how close he¡¯d come to dying¡ªover and over again¡ªand how many people he¡¯d lost on that horribly long, awful day. Captain Stirling, Louise, Windek, even his roommates¡ªall weighed heavily on him, as did the countless others he¡¯d watched die right in front of his eyes. It was a great victory for the Commonwealth, but not for him. To him, it was a battle that had brought nothing but misery.


    Making their way into the hangar that had been, just hours ago, the scene of a near-death confrontation, the group was stunned to see how many people had gathered. The crowd, numbering in the thousands, nearly filled the expansive space. Though the bodies had been removed, the evident signs of battle remained as a grim reminder of how close they¡¯d come to defeat. Jack scanned the crowd, trying to spot familiar faces, but his attention was quickly drawn to an imposing figure standing atop a makeshift podium. It was Major Barrett¡ªfinally, in the flesh.


    From a distance, Jack struggled to take in the details of the major. He appeared to be around sixty, though only his face gave it away. His posture was as straight as an arrow, standing nearly two meters tall by Jack''s estimation, with broad shoulders and a powerful chest. His strong, square jaw was covered in a short, meticulously trimmed beard, dyed black to match his thick, perfectly groomed hair. Beneath two bushy eyebrows, a pair of jet-black eyes darted around the room, his forehead creased with impatience. The major kept glancing out of the hangar, toward the expanse of space, as if expecting someone.


    The source of Major Barrett¡¯s impatience soon became clear. A white, completely featureless oblong object glided silently into the room. Jack recognized it immediately as an Othiri spaceship¡ªan exceedingly rare sight. He had never seen one before, not even in pictures, but its description was unmistakable. As the object reached the center of the room, it set down quietly, with no visible means of guidance or propulsion. Suddenly, a spherical opening appeared in its center, and a ladder extended from within the ship.


    Three Othiri emerged, followed by a small group of golems¡ªvaguely humanoid biological constructs that served as the Othiri¡¯s disposable servants and laborers. The Othiri themselves were striking: their skin a greyish-teal, with impossibly tall, slender bodies and spindly arms draped across their chests. Their floor-length robes and unnaturally still upper bodies gave the illusion that they were floating as they moved toward the podium. As they approached, Jack felt a wave of dread, unnerved by their enormous black eyes and the eerie lack of expression on their elongated faces.


    As they climbed up to the podium in perfect silence, Jack suddenly felt a presence enter his mind. One of the Othiri briefly turned its gaze toward him, and in that moment, he experienced something reminiscent of his earlier interaction with the ship, but this time the presence felt more palpable, more real.


    ¡°Jack Nereus,¡± a voice echoed within his mind, freezing him in terror. It was as if his own internal monologue had taken on someone else¡¯s voice. ¡°We have a task for you.¡± Jack realized with dawning horror that it was one of the Othiri communicating directly with him. ¡°Your leader, Major Barrett, is not to be trusted. He is the one who has been feeding intelligence to the Kharlath. He is the traitor. He is the reason why your friend, Adam, is dead. When the time is right, you will know what to do.¡±


    Jack remained frozen, struggling to comprehend the weight of what had just transpired. If the Othiri had proof of this¡ªand how could they not, given their ability to read minds¡ªwhy was he the one being informed? What sense could it possibly make to entrust him with this knowledge and responsibility? As soon as the thought formed in his head, he received an answer.


    ¡°We have examined the minds of everyone gathered here. You are the one most suitable for our purposes. You are capable of far greater things than you can imagine.¡±


    Just as suddenly as it had appeared, the presence withdrew from his mind, leaving Jack reeling and confused. The Othiri remained motionless on the podium, staring out at the crowd as the gathered people grew increasingly restless. Finally, sensing the discomfort in the room, Major Barrett began to speak.


    ¡°Let us extend a warm welcome to our generous allies in the Othiri Imperial Remnant, without whom this operation wouldn¡¯t have been possible.¡±


    As if on cue, the crowd erupted into applause, though it was somewhat restrained.


    The Major continued, ¡°Our success is a remarkable reminder of the doors that mutual respect and cooperation can open for us, as well as a testament to why we will win this war. Because we are not alone in this! And as long as we have allies, we have hope!¡± His words rang hollow, barely concealing his contempt for the speech, undoubtedly penned by someone with very different values.


    As Major Barrett continued with his speech, Jack soon lost track of his surroundings, consumed by thoughts of his interaction with the Othiri. He struggled to comprehend what had just happened. The Othiri were known for their inscrutable and mysterious nature, yet they were also the Commonwealth¡¯s closest allies. They had provided humanity with essential technology: jump drives, artificial gravity, and control over the T-gate network¡ªeverything that formed the backbone of mankind¡¯s dominion over the stars. But just because the Imperial Remnant was allied with the Commonwealth didn¡¯t automatically mean that any individual Othiri could be trusted. But then, again, in a society of mind readers, was there truly any room for distrust?


    This entire situation felt far above his pay grade. Jack needed help, but from whom? He scanned the crowd for Eve, but she was nowhere to be seen. His hand instinctively reached for his wristpad, and his fingers hesitated on one name¡ªMr. Okoro. He was the one who knew what to do. Jack sent him a brief message, and almost instantly received a reply:


    ¡°Meet me outside the hangar. Don¡¯t draw too much attention.¡±


    Navigating through the masses, Jack tried to blend in and remain inconspicuous. Suddenly, a strong arm grabbed his shoulder, halting him in place. He looked up to see Mr. Okoro¡¯s familiar face, his brow furrowed in concern. Before Jack could speak, the agent shushed him.


    ¡°Not here. Not now. I know about the message you received. They¡¯ve told Ms. Nakayama the same thing. Possibly others as well. We will deal with this later. For now, don¡¯t mention it to anyone.¡±


    As Okoro prepared to slip back into the crowd, he turned back to Jack, his voice softer now. ¡°Watch your back, Nereus. Something very strange is going on.¡±

 Chapter 13-Jacks Choice

    Over the next few days, Jack did his best to push the incident with the Othiri out of his mind, focusing instead on adjusting to his new living situation. He was stuck aboard the Mothership for the time being and had since learned that they were near Outpost 2231, an old Othiri Imperial garrison deep within what was now Platharian territory. Jack, along with most of the lower-ranked personnel still aboard, found himself living in a communal barracks¡ªa makeshift collection of tents and sleeping bags set up in one of the ship''s larger, emptier rooms. It wasn¡¯t exactly comfortable, but it was manageable. At least Major Barrett had the foresight to have some prefab communal bathrooms quickly installed.


    Jack had since learned the fate of some of his shipmates and friends. Mr. Windek was alive, though gravely wounded, as was Lieutenant Ballinger, technically, albeit in a coma with very little chance of waking up. Corporal ¨¡whina had been luckier¡ªshe¡¯d made a full recovery. As for those left behind on the Bismarck, they were missing in action, presumed dead.


    Aside from the obvious¡ªscientists being sent to examine the vessel, and the remaining Kharlath finally surrendering¡ªJack knew very little about what was actually going on around him. He was aware there was some sort of disagreement about what to do with the Mothership, but he didn¡¯t know the details. He knew that Major Barrett was at odds with his superiors, but he was still in charge. Beyond that, Jack had no clue what was about to happen or what his next assignment might be. He spent his days doing menial tasks, unsure of what the future held.


    ¡°Jack. Come to my quarters. We need to talk.¡±


    He had read Eve''s message a dozen times, dreading the conversation it would inevitably lead to. As much as he wanted to avoid thinking about what the Othiri had told him, he knew he couldn¡¯t escape it. That morning, one of the surviving crewmen from the Yi had attempted to shoot Major Barrett, undoubtedly having been told the same thing. This was bigger than them now, and could no longer be ignored.


    Jack pulled on his boots, leaving behind the modest privacy of his tent, and made his way through the makeshift shantytown that had sprung up in the massive, open room he had come to call home. Eve had been lucky¡ªshe''d been promoted to Senior Specialist due to her role in the mission¡¯s success and was assigned private quarters as a result. As underwhelming as the tiny prefab bedroom might''ve been, Jack couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of jealousy, particularly over the fact that she had her very own sink¡ªa luxury when he had to wait 15 minutes just to wash his face and hands.


    He knocked on her door and braced himself for what was to come. When she opened it, she wordlessly nodded for him to follow her in.


    ¡°Excuse the mess,¡± she quipped as Jack entered the room, which was completely empty save for a neatly folded uniform on the bed and a pair of boots by the door.


    ¡°So, you talked to Agent Okoro?¡± Jack asked, visibly uncomfortable.


    Eve nodded. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not upset about it, Jack. I just wanted to have everything above board before we did anything rash.¡±


    ¡°No, not at all. He was the first person I went to as well,¡± Jack replied, fiddling with the buttons on his jacket.


    ¡°So¡­ we just ignore what they told us?¡± Eve asked after a moment.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see what else there is to do. It¡¯s not like we can arrest him, can we?¡±


    ¡°Can we?¡± Eve echoed, her eyes narrowing. ¡°If they¡¯re telling the truth, we have a traitor in charge of the single most important asset in this war. Just sitting on this information would be treasonous.¡±


    ¡°But it makes no sense! Why would he even sabotage us in the first place? What could the Kharlath offer him? And more importantly, if he was working for them, why the hell would he deliver their greatest weapon to the Commonwealth?"


    "What if this is exactly what they wanted him to do?¡± Eve suddenly jumped up, her eyes gleaming with realization. ¡°What if they know more about how this ship works than Dr. Liu thought, and it¡¯s all been some sort of con to get it into Earth¡¯s proximity, with the Commonwealth completely unprepared to deal with it?¡±


    Before Jack could respond to her theory, his wristpad buzzed¡ªit was Mr. Okoro, requesting a meeting. As he turned to leave, Eve stopped him, her voice tinged with distress.


    ¡°Jack, there¡¯s something else I wanted to talk to you about.¡±


    He turned back, watching as she tried to gather her thoughts. He¡¯d never seen her this vulnerable before. Her eyes were wet, her face contorted in a way that betrayed her struggle to hold back tears. After a few seconds, she began speaking softly:


    ¡°Back during the fight, when you jumped on top of me, when you took that hit for me¡ªI thought you¡¯d died.¡±


    ¡°It was nothing, really,¡± Jack replied, trying to comfort her. ¡°If I had died, I wouldn¡¯t have been that upset about it.¡± He stammered, searching for something appropriate to say.


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot!¡± Eve suddenly erupted, her tears finally spilling over. ¡°Why would you think I¡¯d want that¡ªwant you dying for me? You barely even know me¡ªyou had no right!¡±


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Jack reached out to her, but she pushed him back. After a few moments of sobbing, she began to pull herself together, and apologized.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have freaked out like that. It¡¯s just... Anil is gone, Louise is gone, Alfred is God knows where¡ªyou¡¯re all I have left. I know it¡¯s pathetic, but if you died, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do with myself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Eve,¡± Jack responded, choosing his words carefully. ¡°We¡¯ve been through a lot. It¡¯s natural to freak out¡ªhell, I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m not. It¡¯s natural to be sad.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just it, though. I¡¯m not sad. I¡¯m never sad¡ªI don¡¯t even think I know how to be sad anymore.¡± Eve looked deeply into his eyes, as if silently pleading for help. ¡°All I want is to feel sad.¡±


    She collapsed into his arms, her body limp, and Jack held her tight in silence for a few seconds. He had no answers for her¡ªnothing to offer but his quiet comfort. He summarily apologized as he turned to leave. He wanted to spend more time with Eve, to make sure she was okay, but his duty called. He needed to find Mr. Okoro and finally confront the role he had to play in this brewing conspiracy.


    He quickly made his way to the location Agent Okoro had indicated, finding the normally composed agent looking uncharacteristically distressed.


    ¡°We have a serious problem,¡± Okoro began. ¡°The man who tried to shoot the Major¡ªhe refuses to speak to anyone except you. Our interrogators haven¡¯t gotten anything out of him so far, but people are starting to become suspicious. I¡¯ve arranged for you to talk to him. You need to convince him that you¡¯re on his side, that he needs to give you a few hours and then come clean with what happened.¡±


    Jack reeled back in surprise. ¡°We¡¯re going to confront the Major, then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid this event has forced our hand. If he cracks¡ªif he somehow implicates you before we¡¯ve had a chance to talk to Barrett¡ªit¡¯s going to be bad. I¡¯m not even sure I can protect you.¡±


    ¡°What do I even say to him?¡± Jack began to panic. ¡°I have no clue how to deal with this!¡±


    ¡°Trust me, you do,¡± Mr. Okoro assured him. ¡°I¡¯ve seen how you talk to people, how you get them to listen to you. You have a real knack for this. You¡¯re going to get in there, and this guy is going to do whatever you tell him to. I have no doubt about it.¡±


    Pale and trembling, Jack made an effort to collect himself as they passed through the checkpoints leading to the holding area. Mr. Okoro pointed him toward an inconspicuous room and signaled the nearby guards to leave.


    ¡°The cameras have been turned off,¡± the agent said, flashing a sly smile as he handed Jack a small dart gun. ¡°You¡¯ll be alone with him. Take this, just in case. Two or three of these should knock him out pretty much instantly.¡±


    Gathering his courage, Jack opened the door and walked into the room, coming face-to-face with an unhinged, desperate-looking man slouched in a chair, barely holding himself upright. The man looked up at Jack with a manic intensity in his eyes but kept silent.


    ¡°Hi there. I¡¯m Jack Nereus. I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve been asking for me.¡± Jack sat down at the table, trying his best to appear confident and unbothered.


    The man suddenly sprang to his feet and pounded on the table, startling Jack.


    ¡°Thank God! Finally! You have to listen to me¡ªthe Major, he¡¯s a traitor! He¡¯s the one who sold us out, he¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know. The Othiri told you.¡± Jack gestured for him to sit back down as he subtly reached for the weapon inside his jacket, barely managing to keep his composure.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.¡°They told me you¡¯re the only one I could trust. I don¡¯t know¡ªI did what I thought was right. You have to do something!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, crewman?¡± Jack asked casually, seemingly unbothered.


    ¡°Roger. Roger Dirks. Former munitions specialist, over on the Yi.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need you to do me a favor, Roger. This whole business with Major Barrett¡ªit¡¯s being handled. I can¡¯t tell you more¡ªthis is all high-level stuff¡ªbut rest assured, the situation is under control. I¡¯m sorry you¡¯ve been put into this position. But you¡¯ll need to hold on for a few more hours while I deal with it. These men who¡¯ve been interrogating you, they work for him. You understand what¡¯s at stake if they find out anything, right?¡±


    Crewman Dirks nodded, trying to resist the urge to get back up.


    ¡°Good. After I¡¯ve had time to deal with the situation, you¡¯ll call them back in, and you¡¯ll tell them exactly what the Othiri told you, and why you did what you did. If it all works out, they¡¯ll let you go. You haven¡¯t done anything wrong. But it¡¯s absolutely crucial that Major Barrett doesn¡¯t find out about it before then. Do you understand me?¡±


    ¡°How will I know when it¡¯s time to talk? How will I know when you¡¯ve dealt with him?¡± The prisoner stood up again, frantically pacing the room.


    ¡°Trust me, you¡¯ll know.¡± Jack smiled as he got up to leave. As soon as the door closed behind him, his expression shifted. He leaned against the wall, trying not to collapse. Inside, he had been convincing enough¡ªcalm, persuasive, seemingly in control. But it had taken everything out of him to sell that impression.


    ¡°How did it go?¡± Mr. Okoro asked anxiously.


    ¡°Fine, I think. The guy¡¯s not doing so well, but I believe I got through to him,¡± Jack replied, still unsure.


    Relieved, Mr. Okoro gestured for Jack to follow him. ¡°Now for the hard part. We need to get our answers.¡±


    ¡°Agent Okoro?¡± Jack hesitated, afraid to broach the subject. ¡°I promised him that once this is all over, we¡¯d let him go. Do you think I¡¯ll be able to honor that promise?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Mr. Okoro replied bluntly. ¡°Mitigating circumstances aside, he tried to shoot his commanding officer in the face. We can¡¯t just let him go.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not fair,¡± Jack protested. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a bad guy. He was just put in an impossible position and didn¡¯t know how to react. It could have easily been me.¡±


    ¡°But it wasn¡¯t you. You came to me; you were smart about it. Our world isn¡¯t kind to people who don¡¯t think things through, no matter their intentions.¡±


    ¡°So, how are we going to approach this?¡± Jack asked after a moment.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been mulling it over all morning, considering every possible angle. None of this makes sense. They didn¡¯t read his mind without his consent¡ªthey couldn¡¯t; all Intelligence operatives are trained against that. They had no conceivable reason to lie, but at the same time, if they¡¯re telling the truth, none of the Major¡¯s actions make any sense. There¡¯s no angle we can approach this from. We really only have one option left: put all our cards on the table and see how he reacts.¡±


    As they approached a heavily guarded door, Mr. Okoro stopped and turned to Jack. ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be, I suppose,¡± Jack replied sarcastically.


    They walked into Major Barrett¡¯s office, where Jack was surprised to see the Major casually sitting in his chair, sipping from a glass of what looked like whiskey as he went over some paperwork¡ªnot the attitude he¡¯d expected from a man who¡¯d almost been shot mere hours before. Barrett gestured for them to take a seat as they approached, barely lifting his eyes from his files.


    ¡°Yes?¡± the Major finally acknowledged them after a moment.


    Reluctantly, Jack began recounting what the Othiri had told him, why Crewman Dirks had attempted to shoot the Major, and everything that had led up to the events of that morning. Mr. Okoro occasionally chimed in to provide additional details. The Major sat calmly, listening to the story without showing a hint of emotion. If Jack didn¡¯t know better, he could have sworn that none of what he was saying was news to the Major. Finally, as Jack finished, Barrett took a sip of his drink before succumbing to an unhinged, animalistic fit of laughter.


    ¡°Those goddamn bastards!¡± he groaned, struggling to contain his laughter. ¡°There¡¯s no people in this entire universe more reliably treacherous than the Othiri.¡± He turned to Agent Okoro, slightly calmer. ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is how the hell you haven¡¯t figured this whole thing out yet. Nereus, I get it¡ªnot the sharpest tool in the shed. But you? Come on, want a hint?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is a laughing matter, Major,¡± the agent rebuffed him. ¡°These are very serious accusations leveled against you, from a very credible source. You need to tell us if there¡¯s any truth to them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all true, I¡¯m afraid. Guilty as charged!¡± The Major once again began laughing hysterically. ¡°And you want to know something even funnier? The Othiri¡ªthey were in on it the entire time!¡±


    Jack was stunned, struggling to find words. The Major seemed to be joking, yet there was something unsettlingly genuine in his tone. Had he completely lost his mind, or was this some kind of twisted mind game?


    ¡°Are you saying that you were the spy? You were feeding the Kharlath information?¡± Mr. Okoro pressed him further, his voice taut with tension.


    ¡°No, you absolute idiot! You were!¡± The Major shot back, once again struggling to contain his laughter. ¡°All your observations, the meticulous reports¡ªeverything they knew about the Interstellar Fleet, our forces, our readiness, they got from you. I was merely the intermediary.¡±


    Mr. Okoro¡¯s face flushed red with anger, his entire body tensing as if ready to explode. For a moment, Jack thought the agent might leap across the table and beat the Major to death. But just as quickly as his temper flared, Mr. Okoro reined it in, continuing the interrogation in his calm, measured tone:


    ¡°What you¡¯re admitting to¡ªit''s treason, you understand this, right?¡± He revealed his wristpad, showing the Major that he¡¯d been recording the entire conversation. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to relieve you of your command and place you under arrest until someone comes to sort this mess out.¡±


    ¡°You still don¡¯t understand, do you?¡± the Major responded, this time visibly angry. ¡°I told you, the Othiri were in on it the entire time. So was the entire Intelligence Operations leadership once they found out about it. I created the perfect opportunity for us to capture the Mothership¡ªI won us this damn war! My plan! My leadership! And now they want to scapegoat me? And they don¡¯t even have the decency to do it themselves?¡± He slammed his fist into the desk, the sound reverberating through the room.


    Propelled by some inner force, Jack stood up, unimpressed and resolute. ¡°Are you saying that you got thousands of our own people killed¡ªon purpose, and you want to be praised for it?¡±


    ¡°No, I got tens of thousands of our own people killed,¡± the Major retorted, equally unimpressed. ¡°And I¡¯d have killed a hell of a lot more to save billions. Do you not understand the stakes here? Can you not comprehend what the Kharlath winning this war means? We¡¯re facing a goddamn existential threat, and you would lecture me on morals? On collateral damage? On what, honor? You want to know the truth, crewman? The only reason you¡¯re still around to beat your chest about your lofty values is because of men like me¡ªmen who do what needs to be done, no matter the cost. So don¡¯t you dare lecture me about anything!¡±


    ¡°And who gave you this kind of power? What gives you the right to make these calls?¡± Jack shot back, his voice growing more impassioned. ¡°The Intelligence Operations Fleet is under Commonwealth authority¡ªeven if your entire leadership structure is complicit, what about Admiral Szyma¨½ska? What about the Prime Minister?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s easy enough to answer,¡± Barrett replied, returning to his calm, bemused state. ¡°The Fleet Admiral has no authority over us¡ªentirely separate command structure. And the civilian leadership doesn¡¯t ask questions they don¡¯t want to know the answers to. Just face it, any way you slice it, I did nothing wrong. You¡¯ve really only got two choices. Either you accept that fact, tell all your friends to stand down, and let this whole thing blow over, or you make enough noise that they¡¯ll have no choice but to reassign me somewhere less public¡ªand you get another asshole in charge who¡¯ll do the same thing once an opportunity presents itself. What¡¯s it going to be?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a third option,¡± Jack replied, still refusing to back down. ¡°I can just shoot you. Right here, right now. What about that, you smug bastard?¡± Jack wasn¡¯t sure where the threat had come from; he had no means or intention to back it up. But he was desperate to wipe that smile off Barrett¡¯s face, even if just for a second.


    ¡°If you were going to shoot me, you would have already done it. You don¡¯t tell a man you¡¯re going to kill him¡ªyou just do it. But you don¡¯t have the stomach for that. As I said, two choices. Which one will you make?¡± The Major was decidedly unimpressed with Jack¡¯s idle threat.


    Lost and out of his depth, Jack looked to Mr. Okoro for guidance. But his friend simply sat there, stone-faced, watching the conversation play out. Dejected, Jack finally decided to speak: ¡°Even if I were to simply let this go, there are others. Who knows how many the Othiri told about this, and how many others those people told in turn. It¡¯s only a matter of time before someone tries to shoot you again. And even ignoring that, how is anyone supposed to trust you again?¡±


    ¡°None of you were supposed to trust me in the first place!¡± Barrett yelled, his eyes blazing. ¡°Do you not understand what a spy is? Or is it that no one told you what Intelligence Operations is a euphemism for? We¡¯re lying, treacherous, backstabbing, self-serving bastards, the lot of us. Your new mate included.¡± He turned to Mr. Okoro, giving him a knowing look. ¡°You want to hear what he has to say about you and your friends?¡± Rifling through the papers on his desk, he pulled one out seemingly at random and began reading: ¡°Jack Nereus. Average intelligence. Physically unimpressive. Inferiority complex¡ªeasy to manipulate. Possesses an uncanny innate charisma and natural leadership abilities¡ªfor some reason, people instinctively gravitate toward him.¡¯ Talk about faint praise! Or how about this one.¡± He pulled another paper from his stack. ¡°Evelyn Nakayama. Associate of Jack Nereus. Despite obviously superior reasoning and decision-making abilities, defers to him by default. Exceedingly intelligent and resourceful, but emotionally compromised. Self-destructive tendencies can be exploited.¡¯ Such concern! Do we have another?¡± He continued his pantomime, picking another file seemingly at random: ¡°Louise Gill. Missing in Action. Presumed deceased. Unremarkable, with one exception¡ªCrewman Nereus is in love with her¡ªpossible angle.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Mr. Okoro, red-faced and trembling with anger, leaped up from his chair. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Jack, if you want to stay and let him mess with you for the rest of the day, you¡¯re welcome to do that.¡±


    Without a word, Jack got up from his chair and followed him outside. The Major¡¯s manipulations had pushed him to his limit¡ªwhether those were the actual profiles Mr. Okoro had written or Barrett was simply making them up on the spot didn¡¯t matter. Jack might have been na?ve, but he wasn¡¯t stupid. Listening to the Major was pointless.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mr. Okoro apologized sincerely as soon as the door closed behind them.


    ¡°What for?¡± Jack asked, feigning surprise.


    ¡°For what I wrote in those reports. I know it¡¯s not exactly comforting, but it¡¯s not all you are to me. I do consider you my friend, truly.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know you were just doing your job. I was never under the impression that you weren¡¯t keeping tabs on everyone, or that you never had ulterior motives. But¡­¡± Jack hesitated, wondering if he truly wanted to know the answer to the question he was about to ask.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Mr. Okoro encouraged him.


    ¡°Do you really think Eve is that much smarter than me?¡±


    ¡°Jack, we both think Eve is that much smarter than you. Ask what you actually wanted to know.¡±


    ¡°Louise¡ªwhy did you say I was in love with her?¡±


    ¡°You remember, back when we were evacuating the Bismarck, you asked Nurse Giordano about her. You knew exactly what she was going to tell you, but you asked anyway. There¡¯s only one reason you would ask that question while already knowing the answer¡ªyou¡¯re expecting a miracle. And I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a very religious person, are you?¡±


    Jack sat in silence, unable to respond. Indeed, he wasn¡¯t a very religious person.

 Chapter 14-Weird Science

    Over a week had passed since Jack¡¯s confrontation with Major Barrett. During that time, things had remained relatively calm aboard the Mothership, though an atmosphere of unease and tension pervaded the ship. Any observant onlooker could sense the brewing conflicts beneath the surface. There were tensions between the Human crew and the Platharian scientists that had been brought aboard, and even greater tensions between the Humans and the scientists¡¯ military escort. The lower-ranking crew members were disgruntled about their living conditions, and the revelation that there were hundreds of available bedrooms aboard¡ªinformation someone had let slip while omitting certain key details¡ªonly fueled their discontent.


    Then, there were the rumors surrounding Barrett himself, and the nature of his confrontation with Jack and Agent Okoro. As tranquil as the situation seemed at the moment, it was clear that things wouldn¡¯t stay that way. The Mothership felt like a powder keg waiting to explode, and all it needed was one small push. Jack was increasingly paranoid about being the one responsible for that push, which is why, when Doctor Liu messaged him about needing urgent help with a ¡°scientific endeavor of the utmost importance,¡± Jack felt an overwhelming sense of relief.


    Because of his uncertain background, and his status as a former prisoner of the Kharlath, Liu wasn¡¯t exactly trusted with anything the leadership would consider important. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he took his work any less seriously, or that he was any less excited about it. But from Jack¡¯s perspective, it was simply a great excuse to disappear deep into the ship¡¯s bowels, far away from prying eyes and any opportunities to put his foot in his mouth.


    Walking into Doctor Liu¡¯s makeshift laboratory¡ªa nondescript room somewhere on Deck 16¡ªJack was startled when he almost collided with a Platharian scientist. He had seen them from a distance before, but never had any reason to interact with them. From afar, the environmental suits and the cold, robotic voices of their translation devices made them seem intimidatingly alien. But up close, to Jack¡¯s surprise, the Platharian standing in front of him seemed strikingly human, and surprisingly feminine. If not for the shiny, light purple skin visible beneath her helmet, he could have easily mistaken her for a human. The proportions were slightly off¡ªa short torso, long legs, large hands, and feet¡ªyet her silhouette was far less alien than that of a Kharlath or Zargon, let alone an Othiri.


    ¡°Mister Nereus,¡± Dr. Liu greeted him, a hint of excitement clearly detectable in his voice, ¡°this is Doctor¡­¡±


    ¡°Arda,¡± the Platharian replied in a stunningly human voice. ¡°Also, not technically a doctor. Just a scientist.¡±


    ¡°Incredible, isn¡¯t it? It even translates the names into something we can pronounce! I wonder what mechanism it uses to make that choice!¡± Dr. Liu could hardly contain his elation as he turned to Jack. ¡°What language do you think we¡¯re speaking?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jack replied, stunned.


    ¡°The language we¡¯re using. You just spoke to me in Mandarin. Is that a language you know?¡± Dr. Liu was beside himself with excitement.


    ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t know it was a language,¡± Jack replied, still trying to catch up. ¡°What exactly is going on?¡±


    "An accident!" Dr. Liu exclaimed, his face lighting up with enthusiasm. "A wonderful accident¡ªa stray thought while interfacing with the ship triggered some sort of translation protocol. Now, everyone who enters this room perceives everyone else as speaking in their native language."


    "Does that mean the ship is interfering with our perception of reality?" Jack asked, a hint of apprehension in his voice.


    "In a way, yes," Dr. Liu replied. "The ship has always had the ability to do that. Now it simply has a reason."


    "And permission," Arda added, probably to ease Jack''s concerns.


    "So, is that why you called me here? To test the translator?" Jack inquired, still trying to wrap his head around the implications.


    "Partially. For that, I needed a control group¡ªsomeone previously uninvolved. Why I called you in particular, well, that''s a different matter." Dr. Liu adjusted his glasses, searching for the right words. "You see, I require your talents. More specifically, I need the talents of someone I require your talents to convince."


    "Stop beating around the bush," Jack chided him, growing impatient. "What do you need from me?"


    "I need you to find someone who is spacewalk certified and convince them to help me with a project," the scientist replied.


    Jack paused, considering Liu''s request. One person immediately came to mind¡ªMr. Windek, his old crewmate from the Bismarck. He was certainly capable, and probably willing. But during all the time Windek had spent in the infirmary, Jack hadn¡¯t visited or called. He¡¯d barely even texted him a few generic, encouraging messages. It wasn¡¯t that he had intentionally ignored him; he simply always had more pressing matters to attend to, or at least, that¡¯s what he told himself. But now, when he was out, to face him with a request, it certainly would be awkward.


    "I might know someone," Jack blurted out, trying to talk himself into it.


    ¡°Good. It¡¯s really not a big deal,¡± Dr. Liu replied, his excitement returning. ¡°I just need them to reconnect some wires the Kharlath had severed. The only tricky part is that it¡¯s in a section of the ship that¡¯s not accessible from the inside.¡±


    ¡°Not accessible from the inside?¡± Jack asked, his curiosity tinged with worry.


    ¡°Closed off by the ship itself,¡± Arda clarified. ¡°We believe it¡¯s a defense mechanism to protect certain vital systems from the ship¡¯s inhabitants.¡±


    ¡°From us, you mean?¡± Jack¡¯s concern deepened. The explanation did little to ease his worries.


    ¡°From the Kharlath,¡± Arda explained, her voice lowering as if she were revealing something particularly shameful. ¡°According to Dr. Liu¡¯s observations, they¡¯ve been cutting off various processing centers throughout the ship, trying to isolate whatever¡¯s been making the decisions on board this entire time.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve essentially been trying to lobotomize the ship,¡± Dr. Liu interjected. ¡°And we think they¡¯ve succeeded, at least partially. I¡¯ve mentioned before that the ship operates like an animal, running on instinct. But Arda has a theory¡ªthat the parts of the ship capable of higher reasoning, the brain, essentially, were shut off some time before I came aboard. Other parts had to compensate, leading to malfunctions and various lapses in logic. That¡¯s why it behaves so erratically and unpredictably.¡±


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    ¡°This is actually how I ended up working with Dr. Liu in the first place,¡± Arda added. ¡°We were trying to fix the random temperature fluctuations happening all over the ship. He suggested we reconnect one of the auxiliary processors on this deck. Ever since, the entire ship has maintained a steady 21 degrees Celsius.¡±


    ¡°Incredible! It even automatically converts units of measurement!¡± Dr. Liu burst out, his excitement palpable, before sheepishly apologizing for the interruption.


    ¡°My assumption is that the same thing is happening to pretty much every other system,¡± Arda continued, unfazed by Liu¡¯s outburst. ¡°The parts of the ship designed to handle vital functions have been cut off. Once we reconnect them, we might be dealing with a rational, understandable entity.¡±


    ¡°And will that be better or worse?¡± Jack asked, incredulously.


    ¡°I assume there will be amends to be made,¡± Arda replied, her voice filled with conviction. ¡°This ship, this creature, has been hurt and mistreated. We can only hope it has the capacity to understand that we are not the same individuals responsible for that.¡±


    The passion in the Platharian scientist¡¯s voice was unmistakable, her eyes sparkling behind the visor of her helmet. Her convictions were clear: it was the right thing to do. Jack was uneasy about the idea of reconnecting the ship¡¯s brain, but he couldn¡¯t deny that Arda had a point. If this ship was indeed a living, thinking creature, keeping it in its current state was morally indefensible, regardless of the consequences. There was also the issue of undermining Barrett¡¯s authority. What they were planning wasn¡¯t technically against any orders, but the potential fallout was severe enough that keeping him out of the loop was no doubt irresponsible, if not outright treasonous. However, there was a silent understanding among the three of them that this was the right course of action. Major Barrett was not the man to involve in ethical dilemmas, and Jack knew this, regardless of how much he didn¡¯t wish to rock the boat.


    Taking a deep breath, he pulled up Mr. Windek¡¯s info on his wristpad and sent him a short message: just a time and place, making it seem like official business. There were others qualified for the task, like Eve, but Windek felt like the right choice. As Jack wandered the corridors, idly passing the time, he began to wonder if he¡¯d been avoiding Windek out of shame. He wasn¡¯t responsible for Windek¡¯s injury¡ªhe wasn¡¯t in command, he wasn¡¯t even there. He stopped in his tracks, as if struck by lightning. I wasn¡¯t there. The words echoed in his mind. Was that what was bothering him? He had set off on an ultimately pointless mission, needlessly separating himself from the group, only to end up in the same place anyway. But when Windek went down, he wasn¡¯t there. Would things have turned out differently if he had been? Maybe, maybe not. But it weighed on him. He wasn¡¯t used to making life-and-death decisions. In the heat of the moment, they had come naturally to him. But afterward, when the smoke had cleared and the dust had settled, he found himself agonizing over every single one of them, constantly.


    ¡°Mr. Nereus!¡± a familiar voice called out, less jovial and far more restrained than Jack was used to. It was Windek.


    Jack barely recognized his crewmate. Windek had lost a lot of weight; the plumpness was gone from his cheeks, and the color along with it. His head and face were neatly shaved, not a single hair left above his neckline, save for his bushy eyebrows. But more shocking was his demeanor. The cheerful, upbeat Windek Jack knew was replaced by a sad, mournful man with dejected body language. He clumsily tried¡ªand failed¡ªto disguise the characteristic gait that came with his new prosthetic leg.


    Jack walked up to him, nodding awkwardly. ¡°I have a job for you, if you want it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on medical leave,¡± came Windek¡¯s reply, curt but not overtly rude.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d have gotten bored of it by now,¡± Jack responded, trying to be playful.


    ¡°Bored? You think that¡¯s the problem? That I¡¯m too bored of not having two goddamn legs anymore?¡± Windek himself seemed surprised by the anger in his words.


    Instinctively taking a step back, Jack apologized, carefully choosing his next words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I misjudged the situation. Back on Daedalus, after I got out of the hospital, all I wanted was to get back into action. I couldn¡¯t stand sitting around after being bedridden for so long. I just figured you¡¯d be in the same boat.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re right. I am,¡± Windek replied softly, averting his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m just so angry these days. I appreciate the offer, I¡¯m just not sure how much use I can be, given my, you know, situation.¡±


    ¡°Can you do a spacewalk?¡± Jack asked, choosing to move past the tension.


    ¡°Are you kidding?¡± Mr. Windek¡¯s face suddenly regained a bit of color as he spoke, excitement creeping into his voice. ¡°In zero-G? That¡¯s probably the only thing I can still do the same. You don¡¯t really need both legs in space, right?¡± he quipped.


    ¡°It¡¯s settled, then. We can go right away, I think. We just need to find you a suit,¡± Jack replied, feeling a wave of relief.


    ¡°And fill out the paperwork. Just who exactly am I doing this spacewalk for?¡± Mr. Windek tried to temper his excitement, though it was clear he was already eager.


    ¡°The Platharians, I believe. Technically,¡± Jack answered, trying to keep an air of mystery.


    ¡°You know what, I don¡¯t even care about the details. Just happy to get a bit of time in zero-G. This thing,¡± Mr. Windek rubbed his new leg disdainfully, ¡°It hurts. Every time I put weight on it, it hurts. The doctors say it¡¯s not supposed to, that it¡¯s all in my head, but how the hell does that help me? I still feel it. The only time it feels good is when I¡¯m doing low-G therapy, but that¡¯s only an hour every two days now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Jack faltered, unsure of what to say.


    ¡°Nah, don¡¯t be. You came to me with the perfect offer. Literally, couldn¡¯t be better. You¡¯re off ¡®feeling sorry for me¡¯ duty for at least two weeks. Enjoy them!¡± Windek replied, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.


    The two entered Dr. Liu¡¯s lab, where the pair of scientists were so engrossed in their work that they didn¡¯t even notice them walk in.


    ¡°Dr. Liu!¡± Jack called out, a bit too loudly, startling the scientist. ¡°This is Mr. Windek; he¡¯s going to be our space man!¡±


    Dr. Liu looked up as if he¡¯d seen a ghost, reflexively reaching out his hand to greet Windek. It was only then that Jack realized his mistake. Liu was the man who had raised the bulkhead behind Windek, separating him from his squad¡ªit hadn¡¯t even crossed his mind! In a split second, Jack ran through every possible scenario of how either man could react, dwelling especially on the worst ones.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, doctor!¡± Mr. Windek spoke cheerfully and casually.


    It probably wasn¡¯t one of the worst scenarios.


    ¡°Do you have your suit?¡± Arda spoke up, while Dr. Liu was still regaining his composure.


    ¡°Whoa,¡± Mr. Windek replied, impressed. ¡°You sound like you¡¯re from Earth!¡±


    This was the final push Dr. Liu needed to snap back to his senses, and he immediately launched into an explanation of the ship¡¯s translator. With that hurdle out of the way, the group requisitioned a spacesuit from the armory and soon set to work. The plan was simple: Mr. Windek would go outside the ship, maneuver himself in front of the inaccessible room, and then use a Platharian sonic cannon¡ªgraciously donated by one of Arda¡¯s friends¡ªat point-blank range to break the window and enter. According to Dr. Liu, a force field would activate the instant the window lost its airtight seal, keeping the air in but allowing Mr. Windek to pass through freely. Once inside, Dr. Liu could easily talk him through reconnecting the equipment in the room to the rest of the ship. In theory, it was all relatively trivial.


    After some difficulty getting into the spacesuit, Windek was off. The first part of the plan went off without a hitch: he easily maneuvered himself into position. However, the second part was proving more difficult: no matter which setting he tried, the cannon simply didn¡¯t have enough power to shatter the window. But, just as he was about to give up, the window fell, by itself. Jack felt a slight chill as Mr. Windek gave them the news. Was this an invitation from the ship itself? Or perhaps, even more worryingly, a trap? Soon enough, his crewmate had set to work, under the guidance of Doctor Liu. No sooner than he was done, a high pitched wailed filled their ears, and communications were cut off. Just as the group were starting to become concerned, Mr. Windek¡¯s voice came back, bluntly relaying a horrifying message:


    ¡°This parasite now speaks for us.¡±

 Chapter 15-Rising Tensions

    The lab was silent as the three of them looked around, a mix of shock, fear, and sheer confusion on their faces. It was Arda who first broke the silence, speaking tentatively in a soft, worried voice.


    ¡°We are sorry for any disturbance we might have caused¡ªwe were simply trying to reach out, to connect with you. We are very sorry for what was done to you. I hope you understand that it wasn¡¯t us¡ª¡±


    ¡°You are not Kharlath,¡± Windek¡¯s voice responded, though it was clear the mind behind it was not his own. ¡°That is what you mean.¡±


    ¡°Yes. We are at war with them. We have seized control of this ship¡ªof you,¡± Arda stammered, searching for the right words.


    ¡°You do not control us,¡± the reply came, cold and emotionless. ¡°You are parasites aboard this vessel. Your presence is tolerated, so far as it does not interfere with our duties.¡±


    ¡°Your duties?¡± Jack mustered the courage to speak for the first time. ¡°What are your duties?¡±


    ¡°To wait,¡± the entity answered through Windek¡¯s body, offering no further explanation.


    ¡°We do not want to interfere with your duties,¡± Arda took charge again, her voice steady but careful. ¡°Our primary goal is to stop the Kharlath from using you to harm us. No more, no less. Beyond that, we can cooperate, maybe reach an agreement that benefits everyone¡ª¡±


    ¡°You have nothing to offer us,¡± the entity cut her off abruptly. ¡°Save for leaving us alone.¡±


    ¡°We can reconnect you with the rest of the ship,¡± Arda offered, hesitantly. ¡°That¡¯s actually why our friend, Mr. Windek, is there.¡±


    A few moments of tense silence followed before the entity spoke again, its tone more measured this time.


    ¡°That would not be unwelcome. It would save us some time and effort. Do this, and we shall grant you a boon: an aspect of us that will interface with you and answer your incessant questions.¡±


    "And Mr. Windek?" Jack interjected, his voice laced with concern.


    "...hello?" came the confused reply from the other side. This time, it was no longer the entity.


    "Are you alright?" Jack yelled, a mix of desperation and relief flooding his voice.


    "Why wouldn¡¯t I be?" Windek¡¯s voice responded, matter-of-fact, as if nothing unusual had happened.


    "Are we to assume that you don¡¯t remember anything that just happened?" Dr. Liu finally spoke, his curiosity overcoming his initial fear.


    "I fixed the severed connections like you taught me. There was a bright flash, communication cut off for a bit, and then Mr. Nereus yelled out all worried. Did something happen?"


    "Why don¡¯t you come back here, and we¡¯ll talk about it," Jack suggested cautiously.


    As they waited for Mr. Windek to return, the three of them exchanged worried glances, their silence heavy with unspoken fears. A million questions swirled in their minds, but none of them dared to voice them. What exactly was that entity¡ªor entities, given that it referred to itself in the plural¡ªhow did it possess Mr. Windek? Had it truly relinquished control, or was it merely pretending, manipulating him like a marionette, waiting for the perfect moment to strike? As the fear and paranoia began to settle in, Jack was the first to break the silence.


    "We can¡¯t keep this between us. We need to talk to Barrett."


    "You mean, you need to talk to Barrett," Dr. Liu quipped dryly. "He doesn¡¯t seem like the type of man I¡¯d want to deliver bad news to."


    "We¡¯ll do it together," Arda corrected him. "Just as we chose to do this together. I have never met Major Barrett, but surely he cannot frighten you more than whatever being we just spoke to."


    "I¡¯d put them on about equal footing, really," Jack joked, trying to lighten the mood.


    As soon as Mr. Windek arrived back at the laboratory, the trio informed him of what had happened. Jack observed him carefully, looking for any signs of the entity¡¯s lingering presence, though he could draw no real conclusions one way or the other. In all aspects, his colleague seemed perfectly normal, although that in itself was somewhat suspicious. In fact, given the circumstances, he seemed in abnormally good spirits, and, perhaps even more worryingly, his limp had noticeably lessened. Was this simply a fortunate byproduct of his time in zero-G? Or was it a clue that all was not as it seemed? Either way, Jack decided to keep a close eye on him. Once they finished interrogating Mr. Windek, the group prepared for the even less pleasant task of debriefing Major Barrett.


    ¡°I will do most of the talking,¡± Jack surmised, attempting to project confidence. ¡°Don¡¯t let him intimidate you. Barrett might be unpleasant, but he isn¡¯t crazy. The worst he can do is request a disciplinary commission. And given everything else that¡¯s going on, I doubt he wants one digging too deeply.¡±


    ¡°I can take the blame,¡± Arda offered. ¡°He has no authority over me, nor does the Platharian military command structure. I report directly to the Platharian Extraplanetary Exploration Directorate. Civilian. They will back our choice.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Jack insisted. ¡°We¡¯ve done nothing wrong. I will stand by the decision we made. And if Barrett has a problem with it, well, it¡¯s about time someone stood up to him.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure what had gotten into him. He had started the day hoping to avoid a confrontation, but now he was actively seeking it. In truth, Jack knew they weren¡¯t fully in the right. What they did could have easily had terrible consequences. He wasn¡¯t even sure yet that it didn¡¯t. And perhaps under a different commanding officer, he would have been happy to admit it. But to put his principles on trial for a man who had none? To be judged by someone who took it upon himself to risk so much more? To be condemned by the man responsible for Adam¡¯s death? No. If this was to be the moment that all hell broke loose, then so be it.


    The group soon arrived in Barrett¡¯s office, where they were greeted by the Major lounging casually against his desk and Mr. Okoro, who seemed preoccupied with reading some reports. As they began telling their story, Jack studied the Major¡¯s face. As with their earlier confrontation, Barrett maintained his composure perfectly, as if nothing they could say could possibly surprise him. When Jack finished speaking, Barrett, still perfectly composed, stood up, straightened his back, and approached him. In an instant, his entire demeanor changed¡ªhis body tensed, and his face twisted into a horrifying grimace. Before Jack could react, Barrett punched him in the jaw, sending him to the ground.


    With his calm fa?ade fully stripped away, the Major towered over Jack, completely unhinged as he prepared to deliver another blow. With his mouth filling with blood and his vision blurred, Jack tried to stand up, in vain. He lay back on the ground, fully accepting his fate, when Arda stepped between them. Her body language was rigid, but not overtly aggressive, as she tensed every muscle in her body, like a predator on the prowl. Suddenly flummoxed, Barrett briefly contemplated taking a swing at her as well, before retreating, while Mr. Okoro breathed an audible sigh of relief in the background.


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    As the Major backed off, Arda let out a series of angry-sounding, high-pitched wails and whistles, which the translator around her neck rendered into dispassionate, monotone English after a brief delay:


    ¡°I was the one who negotiated with the entity. I am to blame for the situation we are in. If you cannot vent your frustration in another way, I am the one you should hit. But be warned, I will hit back.¡±


    Barrett didn¡¯t seem inclined to take her up on her offer. Wordlessly, he sat down at his desk, opened a cabinet, and dug out a fancy-looking bottle of whiskey. He tried to compose himself as he meticulously poured two fingers into his glass and took a small sip. Finally, after some time, he fixed his gaze on Jack, who was now sitting cross-legged on the floor, and began speaking in a low, menacing tone:


    ¡°From the day you waltzed into my office, high on your own sanctimoniousness, I expected something from you. But this? This!?¡± His face slowly turned red as he spoke. ¡°You would screw over this entire goddamn ship just to get back at me?¡±


    ¡°This had nothing to do with you!¡± Jack protested, finally getting up. A sliver of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth as he spoke. ¡°Dr. Liu and Arda were working on a task you gave them yourself! Mr. Windek and I were only helping them. The only thing screwing us over is your paranoia!¡± He was stretching the truth, but in light of what had occurred, no onlooker would have suspected it. Barrett had overplayed his hand.


    The Major rifled through his desk for a few moments, then pulled out a piece of paper. ¡°In the last update I received, they were working on temperature controls. You mind telling me how you get from that to promising some AI¡ªor whatever this thing is¡ªthat you would give it back control of the ship?¡±


    ¡°It had taken one member of the crew hostage,¡± Jack replied, pointing to Mr. Windek. ¡°We were dealing with an intelligence of unknown capabilities and intent, and we got it to cooperate with us to the best of our ability.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a peculiar thing, isn¡¯t it, Nereus? How things always seem to work out in your favor,¡± Barrett retorted sarcastically.


    ¡°We will have to comply with it,¡± Mr. Okoro spoke up for the first time, still half-pretending to be immersed in his reports. ¡°Regardless of whatever differences of opinion we might have, it¡¯s out of our hands now. We cannot risk upsetting it by going back on the deal they made.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. All we can do now is evacuate as many people off the ship as possible and pray that these four morons haven¡¯t doomed the rest of us.¡± As he spoke, the Major dismissively pointed the group toward the door.


    ¡°That didn¡¯t exactly go as planned,¡± Mr. Windek joked as soon as they were out of the room. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t make a habit of antagonizing your superior officers, Jack. It¡¯s not wise.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the Major shouldn¡¯t make a habit of assaulting those under his command,¡± Dr. Liu retorted.


    ¡°In our military, he would have been stripped of his command for that alone,¡± Arda¡¯s translator relayed. ¡°This man is out of control.¡±


    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Jack said, still nursing his jaw. ¡°The problem is that this is what he¡¯s like when he¡¯s perfectly in control.¡±


    With those words, the four of them parted ways, and Jack began walking toward his tent. His entire face hurt, and so did his pride, but he had managed to stand his ground against the Major. As he walked back, evacuation orders began blaring throughout the ship, with various crew members and soldiers frantically running around. As he watched the spectacle unfold, a thought suddenly dawned on Jack: he had inadvertently solved one of Barrett¡¯s biggest problems. With a legitimate threat aboard, this was the perfect excuse for Barrett to get rid of most people who could have undermined his authority or caused problems, keeping only his most trusted men and the garrison of Intelligence Operation commandos. Jack briefly wondered if he would be sent away as well. In many ways, it would have solved most of his immediate problems. He wouldn¡¯t have had to worry about Barrett anymore, or the Mothership. And given all he had gone through, he would probably end up reassigned somewhere far from the frontlines.


    But the more he thought about it, the more he hated the idea. He was no longer the kind of man who would run away from danger and responsibility, and as much as he worried about the various issues aboard, he didn¡¯t want the situation out of his hands either. He had grown accustomed to responsibility, and he had even begun to crave it. No sooner had he walked back into his tent than his wristpad buzzed with a message from Mr. Okoro. He demanded to see him.


    As he was making his way through the increasingly frantic and noisy crowd, Jack was unexpectedly grabbed by the arm and quickly dragged into an empty room. He turned around only to see Mr. Okoro shut the door, signaling him to keep quiet with a quick gesture. Paranoid and visibly unnerved, the agent paced around the room silently for a few seconds before speaking in a hushed, serious tone:


    ¡°I have known Barrett for 12 years. In all this time, I have never seen him lose it like that.¡± He looked Jack straight in the eyes, an unnerving expression on his face. ¡°Either he¡¯s truly gone off the deep end, or it was all an act for our benefit. In any case, we need to be careful. He¡¯s planning something.¡±


    ¡°What exactly can we do?¡± Jack inquired tentatively.


    ¡°Nothing, for now. He¡¯s assigned every scientist and technician we aren¡¯t sending away to reconnect all the processing centers the Kharlath cut off. There are a few dozen of them, but it will only take a few hours. He wants all unnecessary personnel off the ship by the time it¡¯s ready. Luckily, I¡¯m the one who gets to make the list of who stays.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a test? To see who you¡¯d pick?¡±


    ¡°Everything is a test with Barrett,¡± Mr. Okoro laughed. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ve talked him into keeping three Assault Corps platoons on board to make sure we comfortably outnumber the Kharlath prisoners who stayed behind. More importantly, I¡¯m keeping you, Ms. Nakayama, Mr. Windek, and everyone else who came on the Bismarck or the Yi. The Platharian scientist who was with you stayed behind to supervise the operations, alongside Dr. Liu. That means that, leaving aside the Assault Corps guys, we have a slight edge, at least in terms of pure numbers, over his Intelligence Operations goons.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you one of those goons, Agent Okoro?¡± Jack accused, half-jokingly.


    ¡°I am your friend.¡± The operative seemed genuinely hurt by the assertion. ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, you did nothing wrong. So long as that holds true, my loyalties lie with you.¡± As if that exchange hadn¡¯t taken place, he continued in the same cold, professional tone: ¡°There¡¯s also another matter. The Templar, Knight Zh¨­u, has requested to remain on board, and more crucially, so has one of the Othiri. The Templar will stay out of everyone¡¯s way; I suspect he¡¯s merely curious about what is going to happen to the ship. Our other passenger, on the other hand, is a different matter entirely.¡±


    ¡°The Othiri are what started this in the first place. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d be on Barrett¡¯s side, right?¡± Jack wondered aloud.


    ¡°They¡¯re not on anyone¡¯s side but their own. Truthfully, we have no clue what they want or what they will do to get it. To them, everything is like a game of chess, and we¡¯re all just pawns.¡±


    Mr. Okoro signaled for Jack to wait a few seconds, then crept through the door. Left alone in the dingy, cavern-like chamber, Jack began pacing back and forth, absentmindedly looking around. The muffled chaos of hundreds of people running around aimlessly could be heard from outside. Rather than join them, he decided to wait there for a while and catch his breath. He didn¡¯t know who to trust or what to do. He was stuck, waiting for something to happen, for who knows how long. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the noise outside abated, and he decided to venture out of the room.


    Now virtually deserted, the Mothership¡¯s corridors seemed a lot creepier, especially in light of the recent revelations. He walked around aimlessly for a bit, trying to gather his thoughts, before resigning himself to going back to his tent and trying to catch some sleep. There was nothing else he could do, and whatever was about to happen, it couldn¡¯t hurt to be well-rested. As he re-entered the gigantic open room that served as their living quarters, he was stunned to see the state it had been reduced to in only a few hours. Collapsed tents, half-eaten meals, pieces of clothing, even weapons littered the floor from one end of the room to the other. A handful of tents scattered about still stood in the chaos, like tiny shoals jutting out of an ocean of garbage. He searched around for a bit until he located his former abode, dismayed to find it destroyed and scattered around. Resigned, he fished his sleeping bag out of the pile, set it on the ground, and jumped inside, still in uniform. He was too exhausted to care about anything else.


    As he drifted off to sleep, he felt a slight vibration in the room that grew stronger and stronger until he was violently rattled awake and thrown into the air. As he tried to regain his bearings, he realized that he was still in the air, not falling. He looked down to see his body lying there, eyes wide open, frozen in time. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming before he realized what was happening: the Mothership had jumped again!

 Chapter 16-Cabin Fever

    Before Jack could manage to get out of his sleeping bag, a small crowd had already gathered around him. Dazed, he looked around, noticing Eve, Mr. Okoro, Julie, and Corporal ¨¡whina, all in various states of concern or desperation. Quickly leaping to his feet, he scanned the area, searching for the source of their alarm.


    ¡°We jumped,¡± Eve stated bluntly.


    ¡°I noticed, yes,¡± Jack replied. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± came the answer from Mr. Okoro, ¡°but I can make a few guesses. Get up; we can¡¯t talk here.¡±


    Silently, Agent Okoro led them through the ship to the same room where he and Jack had talked earlier. With all of them inside, it was far more crowded. In a barely audible voice, Okoro filled Jack in on what had happened while he was asleep: moments after the ship¡¯s processing centers were all reconnected, it suddenly and unexpectedly jumped, somewhere into interstellar space. Immediately after that, Major Barrett ordered all of the connections severed again, insisting that the ship had jumped on its own. Since then, the Major had retreated to a section deep within the ship, somewhere on deck 19, allowing no one to pass except his commandos.


    ¡°Was he lying about the ship jumping on its own?¡± Jack inquired.


    ¡°Ms. Nakayama?¡± Agent Okoro turned to Eve.


    ¡°I messaged Dr. Liu as soon as it happened. According to him, the Major is lying. The ship¡¯s jump drive isn¡¯t even operational. He used the ones we brought on board.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± Jack asked, stunned. ¡°Why would he do this?¡±


    ¡°I am about to share something with you,¡± Mr. Okoro replied in a grave tone. ¡°Something I¡¯ve kept hidden from all of you so far. Something I didn¡¯t want to reveal, because I knew what it would set in motion. As you know, as part of the surrender we negotiated, a few dozen of the Kharlath asked to stay behind on the ship as prisoners, and to be quarantined on deck 21 specifically. We didn¡¯t know why, but we were happy to oblige. As far as we knew, below deck 20, there was nothing except empty hangars and storage rooms. It seemed like a small price to pay for this entire ship, and over 500 willing prisoners. A few days ago, one of the Kharlath cracked under interrogation and revealed the reason behind this arrangement: in the main hangar on deck 21, far away from us and hidden from our sensors, is a Kharlath clan-mother, along with 30,000 fertilized eggs, ready to hatch in a matter of months.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an entire generation for a Kharlath clan!¡± Julie remarked, astounded.


    ¡°More specifically, clan Jihara, to whom most of the horde¡¯s highest-ranking generals, including the war chief himself, belong,¡± Mr. Okoro continued. ¡°The Major told everyone who had learned of this to keep quiet. He didn¡¯t inform our superiors, nor any of our allies. Everyone who knows this information is currently on this ship. And I¡¯m willing to bet he¡¯s not going to just sit on it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one hell of a bargaining chip,¡± Eve observed. ¡°With the clan-mother and the eggs in our possession, we could probably finally drag them to the negotiation table and end this war! What the hell is Barrett thinking?¡±


    ¡°Probably exactly what you¡¯re thinking,¡± Jack replied. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to end this war. He wants to win it.¡±


    Mr. Okoro nodded. ¡°He doesn¡¯t think the Kharlath leadership can be negotiated with. He doesn¡¯t trust Earth to make the right choice, so he took it out of their hands entirely.¡±


    ¡°But to what end?¡± Julie inquired. ¡°He can¡¯t keep us here in empty space forever.¡±


    Everyone knew the answer to her question, but no one dared to voice it out loud. To everyone in that room, it was unthinkable, yet it was the only logical conclusion to Barrett¡¯s actions thus far: he was going to destroy them. All of them.


    The blaring of the freshly installed ship alarm abruptly ended their meeting. Over the intercom, Major Barrett¡¯s voice could be heard, warning that the Kharlath prisoners had escaped, calling for the Assault Corps squads to join him, and advising everyone else to stay armed and travel in groups.


    ¡°He¡¯s thinning the herd. It¡¯s begun,¡± Mr. Okoro warned ominously.


    With bated breath, the group headed for the armory, as dozens of Assault Corps soldiers rushed around them, rifles in hand. Jack breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he got his hands on a plasma pistol. As they were getting armed, everyone in the group exchanged lost, uncertain looks. For the first time in a long time, Jack didn¡¯t feel like taking charge. He was truly out of his depth. But reluctantly, he decided to act. Clearing his throat and burying his insecurity, he began speaking loudly:


    ¡°We need to bring Arda and Dr. Liu into the fold. Mr. Windek as well¡ªhe¡¯s become a part of this regardless. Anyone else that you know and trust, tell them to come to us. Who knows what¡¯s going to happen next.¡± After giving it a bit of thought, he continued, ¡°Private Scheer, the Assault Corps kid who came with us from the Bismarck¡ªdoes anyone know anything about him?¡±


    ¡°I know what squad he¡¯s been reassigned to,¡± Corporal ¨¡whina spoke for the first time in a while. ¡°He¡¯s with the guys the Major called up just now.¡±


    Jack had feared it would come to this. He could only hope that the escaped Kharlath prisoners were the only dangers awaiting the young soldier.


    A few hours later, his little resistance group had established a headquarters¡ªan unused storage room far off the beaten path, deep within the ship¡ªand had cobbled together some semblance of a plan. They had procured supplies and weapons, few enough that no one would miss them, and were prepared for any possible outcome. As they all gathered together for the first time, Jack looked around the room: a mix of some of his closest friends, vaguely familiar faces, and complete strangers. All in all, about 20 people¡ªeach of whom would have to trust the others with their lives.


    As the small crowd did their best to make themselves comfortable, Jack stepped into the middle of the room, preparing to give a speech. No one had named him the leader of this group, yet somehow everyone naturally assumed it would be him. Stalling for time, he began by recapping their shared history:


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°About two weeks ago, we all arrived here on this ship. Some of us were part of the initial assault, some came later, but regardless, we all ended up under Major Barrett¡¯s command. As you¡¯ve no doubt noticed, that is not a very good position to be in. Barrett is not the kind of leader you can trust with your life. In fact, he¡¯s not the kind of leader you can trust, period. You¡¯ve probably heard many rumors about what kind of man he is, and most of them are true. With all that being said, however, that¡¯s not something that calls for any sort of action. You cannot start a mutiny just because you have a crappy boss. Unfortunately, that is not all. What you might not know is that Major Barrett is a traitor to the Commonwealth, who stole this ship under false pretenses, and¡ªwhat¡¯s worse¡ªhe did it to commit a heinous crime. A crime we will all be unwitting accomplices to, unless we stop him. Mr. Okoro will fill you in on the details.¡±


    On cue, Agent Okoro swapped places with Jack, and began revealing the same information he had given the smaller group a few hours before, sparing no detail. Jack looked through the crowd, scanning their faces. Everyone was horrified, as the reality of what was at stake was sinking in. But, encouragingly, there was not a hint of fear or hesitation in the room. Everyone knew what needed to be done, when the time would come.


    Soon enough, the meeting ended, and everyone went their separate ways. The atmosphere on the ship was incredibly tense. Between the escaped prisoners and Barrett¡¯s increasingly erratic behavior, it was apparent to everyone that things were going to go south at some point. The first day passed with nothing of note happening. On the second day, the Kharlath prisoners surrendered themselves again, with minimal casualties on both sides. Then came the third day, and the fourth, and soon enough, a week had passed with no incidents.


    Slowly but surely, an inkling of an idea began forming in Jack¡¯s mind: was this Barrett¡¯s plan all along? To drive him insane by doing nothing? To simply wait out his ragtag resistance by refusing to act first? If that was the plan, it hadn¡¯t been entirely unsuccessful. Everyone was visibly on edge, and Jack himself was growing more paranoid and stressed. Each day, he waited for the other shoe to drop, idly wasting his time. They were stuck in the middle of nowhere¡ªquite literally¡ªwith nothing to do and nowhere to run. They had no orders anymore, no tasks, no real way to pass the time. All Jack could do was aimlessly walk around the ship, preparing himself for a confrontation that never seemed to come.


    Even the ship¡¯s walls felt like they were closing in on him. Eve had once likened being aboard the Mothership to living inside a gigantic salt lamp, and Jack was starting to agree. Everything was beige, bathed in the same low-intensity, warm light with no apparent source. The mostly empty rooms and corridors perfectly blended together. He¡¯d sometimes walk from room to room, not knowing whether he was going in circles or not. It was maddening. But just as he felt like he was about to lose it, the most unexpected thing happened: Major Barrett himself called, offering a face-to-face conversation. It was probably a trap, but even that was welcome at this point.


    Passing through two heavily fortified security checkpoints, Jack entered Barrett¡¯s new office and found him almost unrecognizable. The Major, once impeccably groomed, was disheveled. His beard, once neat, ran wild, and his hair fell flat over his forehead. His bloodshot eyes darted manically around the room, anchored by dark, heavy bags beneath them. In his hand, he held a half-full glass of whiskey.


    ¡°Sit,¡± the Major growled. Jack could smell the liquor on his breath from across the room.


    Jack confidently took the chair across from him. Barrett guzzled down the rest of his whiskey in one gulp and slammed the glass onto the table. They stared at each other in silence for a few moments before Barrett spoke again.


    ¡°Nereus¡ªyou know the origin of that name?¡±


    ¡°It was the name of the ship my father arrived on, back on Magellan,¡± Jack replied confidently.


    ¡°He¡¯s a minor deity in Greek mythology. The old man of the sea, they called him. Fitting name for a ship.¡± Barrett mused, clearly avoiding the point. ¡°Do you know much about Greek mythology?¡±


    ¡°No, not really,¡± Jack answered, confused. Was Barrett truly reduced to a rambling drunk, or was this another act?


    ¡°There¡¯s a story about a young man named Oedipus, who is told by an oracle that he is fated to kill his father and screw his mother. By trying to avoid his fate, he does exactly that. Well, I¡¯ve already killed my father, metaphorically speaking. Now, all that¡¯s left is to do the even more unpleasant part. Do you understand what I¡¯m telling you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Jack nodded decisively. He didn¡¯t have a clue what Barrett was talking about.


    ¡°I was afraid,¡± Barrett continued, his voice almost a whisper. ¡°Afraid of the Othiri and whatever they were planning. Afraid of you, of how you were going to usurp me. Afraid of Earth doing something unthinkably stupid. So when you handed me the perfect opportunity, I acted. I took the ship, and I ran. Two days was all I needed¡ªor so I thought. Deal with our little nursery in the basement, if I¡¯m lucky, get rid of you and your friends. Then I¡¯d return, acting like nothing had happened. I¡¯d say it was a malfunction with the ship. Your little experiment would¡¯ve explained it perfectly.¡±


    Even in this state, Barrett managed a devilish smile, still somehow finding a way to be smug.


    ¡°You had Mr. Okoro choose who gets to stay on the ship. Surely, you knew that would backfire,¡± Jack pointed out, hoping to wipe the smug grin off Barrett¡¯s face.


    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Barrett replied, his grin lingering. ¡°And I even let him talk me into keeping the Assault Corps platoons on board. Led, of course, by Sergeant Mendel¡ªone of our guys in the Interstellar Fleet command structure. Which, by the way, Agent Okoro wasn¡¯t supposed to know about. But after I let the Kharlath escape, I told the good Sergeant it was you two, planning a coup. He pulled me aside and said that when the time came, he¡¯d shoot me himself.¡± Barrett let out a hoarse, animalistic laugh.


    ¡°You underestimated him,¡± Jack observed.


    ¡°As do you,¡± Barrett shot back. ¡°You think he works for you, that you have his loyalty. But guys like him, like us, we¡¯re never truly loyal to anyone but ourselves. You¡¯re just another angle for him to work. But it¡¯s all moot anyway. We¡¯re all going to die here.¡± He reached for the bottle, avoiding Jack¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Jack was startled by the Major¡¯s words. What exactly did he mean?


    ¡°Oh yes, that¡¯s why I called you here. We¡¯re stranded.¡± The Major clarified as he poured himself another drink. ¡°The jump drives we were given were really only meant to work once. I thought that if I made a smaller jump, it would be fine, but they¡¯re fried. And the ship¡¯s engines were taken down when we disconnected the AI. That¡¯s the grand irony of all this. You can have your coup, that little army of Kharlath babies can hatch and grow and have their own little babies. It¡¯s all pointless. It doesn¡¯t matter. The closest star system is decades away. We¡¯d die of old age, and the Kharlath would all starve to death. In a way, I did fix all of our problems.¡± Barrett began laughing again, slowly escalating until he was draped halfway out of his chair, cackling like a maniac.


    ¡°You want me to take over,¡± Jack realized, stunned. ¡°You want me in charge when things go bad, while you¡¯re sitting cozy, waiting for your chance to take back leadership.¡±


    ¡°No, you idiot! I want you to shoot me!¡± Barrett yelled, throwing a plasma pistol onto the table. ¡°There¡¯s no way out of this. You can take your chances with the ship¡¯s AI, but it will probably kill you. You can try to make it to the next system, but you will fail. It¡¯s over. Let me take the easy way out, and we both get what we want.¡±


    For the first time, any hint of smugness or superiority vanished from Barrett¡¯s demeanor. Jack saw him for what he truly was: a sad, broken, and pathetic old man, hoisted by his own petard.


    ¡°Do it yourself,¡± Jack replied dismissively, turning and walking out of the room.

 Chapter 17-Intermission

    A few more weeks passed with the Mothership stranded in the empty void of space. In that time, the entire crew had learned of their predicament. Surprisingly, it had a calming effect Jack hadn¡¯t anticipated. It¡¯s a strange thing to witness, but it¡¯s the way human nature works. When you apply pressure to people, they start bending, like most things. But unlike anything else in the world, adding more pressure on top doesn¡¯t simply make them break. The human spirit, when driven past a certain point, begins to straighten itself back up. Doubt and confusion had made them weak and restless, but the fear of certain death was now making them stronger than they¡¯d ever been.


    Technically, Major Barrett was still in charge, but you wouldn¡¯t have known it. He spent most of his days alone in his office, drinking from his dwindling supply of liquor. Agent Okoro had assumed control of day-to-day operations. He put Adra and Dr. Liu in charge of figuring out how to manually operate the ship¡¯s jump drive, enlisting anyone with technical expertise to help. Most of the remaining crew focused on scavenging anything that might be useful or rationing and distributing supplies. The situation was tight, but not yet desperate.


    Oxygen wasn¡¯t a concern¡ªthey weren¡¯t sure how, but the ship seemed to recycle it endlessly. Water wasn¡¯t an issue either; with reserves and filtration systems brought on board, their supply was virtually limitless. Food, however, was slightly more precarious. Much of it had been left behind during the rushed evacuation. They¡¯d managed to jury-rig a walk-in freezer, but supplies were only enough for a few months¡ªa year at most¡ªwith no means to produce more. There were also several tons of Kharlath nutrient sludge left of board, but it was barely edible for humans, and definitely not something they could subsist on exclusively. Still, most people remained hopeful that the scientists would figure out a solution, and that they wouldn¡¯t be facing a decades-long voyage.


    There was one glaring issue, however, that Mr. Okoro had no solution for¡ªand no one dared to bring up: the Kharlath eggs. They were going to hatch in a matter of months, and no one knew what to do. Destroying them was out of the question, but so was feeding 30,000 hungry mouths. Even if they set aside all the nutrient sludge for the hatchlings, it wouldn¡¯t last more than a week. Still, they had to focus on the problems they could solve¡ªthe most immediate concerns.


    As Jack settled into his new routine, he found himself surprised by the most unexpected part of it: every few days, Barrett would call him into his office to sit, talk, and share a drink. Initially, he only went at Mr. Okoro¡¯s encouragement¡ªto keep an eye on the Major and ensure he wouldn¡¯t do something too drastic. But as time passed, Jack realized he didn¡¯t mind Barrett¡¯s company as much as he thought he would. Somewhere along the way, Barrett had stopped being someone Jack despised and had become someone he pitied.


    Barrett wasn¡¯t the innately cruel, ruthless figure Jack had imagined him to be, but rather a man whose soul had been calloused by years of abuse and impossible decisions. Jack began to understand how someone in Barrett¡¯s position might end up like this¡ªdragged down by the weight of thousands of lives on his conscience, the constant paranoia, the self-doubt. Barrett had become more than just an obstacle in Jack¡¯s path; he was a cautionary tale. Jack could see how easily he, too, could end up like the Major if he wasn¡¯t careful.


    ¡°Come!¡± Barrett¡¯s raspy, slurred voice startled Jack as he stepped into the Major¡¯s office, now more resembling a creature¡¯s den. Various objects were strewn about in chaotic disarray, and half-eaten meals left on plates gave the room a stale, unpleasant odor. The dim lighting was so low that Jack could barely see.


    ¡°Why the darkness?¡± Jack asked, reluctantly brushing a pile of papers off the chair before sitting down.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Barrett replied, staring vacantly into a corner of the room. ¡°It¡¯s the natural state of things. Earth coddled us, you know. Made us believe the world was equal parts light and darkness. But when we escaped our cradle, we discovered the horrifying truth: light is but a rare oasis in the eternal void. If we are to survive among the stars, we must learn to make peace with it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re cheerful today,¡± Jack quipped. He had long since stopped paying too much attention to Barrett¡¯s deranged ramblings.


    ¡°As a matter of fact, I am,¡± Barrett responded, turning his gaze sharply toward Jack. ¡°Have you heard the news?¡±


    ¡°News?¡± Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Just this morning, Agent Okoro informed me that I¡¯ve authorized a brand-new construction project.¡± Barrett let out a dry, bitter laugh. ¡°We¡¯re connecting the navigation mainframe to a processing center Dr. Liu discovered in some forgotten corner of the ship. One that wasn¡¯t turned on with the rest. Liu hopes it won¡¯t be aware of our little betrayal.¡±


    Barrett fiddled with an empty glass, his unblinking stare fixed on Jack as he continued, ¡°Okoro thinks we should free the remaining Kharlath prisoners and put them to work. What do you think?¡±


    Jack was caught off guard by the question. Even in his current state, Barrett couldn¡¯t seriously be asking for his opinion. What was his game? What was he trying to prove? After a brief moment of reflection, Jack answered carefully, trying to sound detached and analytical.


    ¡°I think they could be a useful asset. They¡¯re strong, they know this ship better than we do, and we¡¯re running out of time. They also don¡¯t have much incentive to try anything while we¡¯re all stranded here. Sure, there are risks, but keeping them in that makeshift prison isn¡¯t much safer.¡±


    ¡°I assumed as much,¡± Barrett replied dismissively. ¡°You and Okoro are both operating under the same false assumption¡ªthat if the stick didn¡¯t work, the carrot must. You¡¯re still thinking of them in human terms. And when you do that, yes, it makes sense. Any sane human would cooperate with us in these circumstances. But they aren¡¯t human. They¡¯re not Tarlak, Platharian, or even Zargon. They¡¯re something else entirely. Creatures you cannot reason or negotiate with.¡±


    Barrett¡¯s eyes seemed to pierce through Jack as he spoke, with a clarity and vigor Jack hadn¡¯t seen in months. ¡°Tell me, have you ever heard the fable of the scorpion and the frog?¡±


    Jack nodded, bracing himself for yet another of Barrett¡¯s diatribes.


    ¡°Of course you haven¡¯t,¡± Barrett scoffed. ¡°No matter, you¡¯ll learn its lesson soon enough. I¡¯ll release them, but I want you to promise me something.¡±


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°What?¡± Jack asked warily.


    ¡°When the time comes¡ªwhen it becomes inevitable¡ªI want you to be the one who puts them down. I want you to look each one of them in the eyes and pull the trigger, knowing full well that you¡¯re the one who put them in that position. Or you could just tell me to keep them locked up, and we¡¯ll leave it at that.¡±


    ¡°Release them,¡± Jack answered, his voice firm with conviction. He refused to let Barrett worm his way into his head. Barrett barely acknowledged the response, waving him off with a dismissive, rude gesture toward the door.


    As soon as Jack stepped out, a wave of relief washed over him. He had let his guard down too much, grown too comfortable around Barrett. No matter how broken the man appeared, the old spy was still manipulative¡ªand dangerous. Jack had to stay vigilant.


    Heading back toward his quarters, he was intercepted by Mr. Okoro, who spoke in a hushed tone. ¡°How did it go?¡±


    ¡°He asked about releasing the Kharlath,¡± Jack replied bluntly. ¡°Tried his usual mind games.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Okoro said, his voice sincere. ¡°I didn¡¯t get the chance to talk to you about it first. But please know, despite anything Barrett might¡¯ve said in there, this isn¡¯t a decision I¡¯m taking lightly. Without them, this overhaul could take months¡ªmonths we might not have.¡±


    ¡°I trust you,¡± Jack replied almost instantly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to justify yourself to me.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Okoro smiled broadly. ¡°I want you in charge of the Kharlath when we put them to work. They respect strength and conviction, and you have the capacity to project both like few others I know. In the meantime, Dr. Liu could use your help with something.¡±


    ¡°My help?¡± Jack asked, surprised. ¡°I know I signed up as a technician, but I¡¯m not sure how much help I¡¯d be to him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a technical matter,¡± Okoro laughed.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± Jack texted Dr. Liu as he meandered through the ship¡¯s empty corridors.


    ¡°Library,¡± came the succinct reply.


    The so-called Library wasn¡¯t really a library, or at least not as far as they could tell. It was a massive room on Deck 19, located toward the ship¡¯s aft. The peculiar thing about it was that it was packed with endless rows of tall shelves, filled not with books but with mysterious artifacts, of unknown purpose, most of them protected by impenetrable force fields. The Library stood out even more starkly because the rest of the ship was so barren¡ªthere seemed to be hardly any other items left from before the Kharlath¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°Hi there!¡± Jack called out as he found Dr. Liu clumsily handling a plasma torch, attempting to remove a section of the wall.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Liu responded flatly.


    ¡°You, uh, asked for my help?¡± Jack asked, feeling unsure.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Dr. Liu stopped his work and turned to face him, visibly flustered. ¡°There¡¯s a rather delicate matter I need some¡­ advice on.¡±


    ¡°How can I be of assistance?¡± Jack asked, curious.


    ¡°I, um, need some help¡­ asking someone on a date,¡± Dr. Liu muttered, clearly uncomfortable.


    ¡°A date?¡± Jack blinked in surprise. ¡°Why would you need my help with that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not very good with women. Or men. Or people in general, really.¡± Dr. Liu looked down at the floor, trying to hide his blush. ¡°It¡¯s not uncommon, where I¡¯m from. Most of my peers are this way. It takes a certain kind of¡­ commitment to become a xeno-archeologist or astrophysicist. You can imagine the kind of life I¡¯ve led to excel at both. But I digress. My point is, I¡¯m out of my element here. I don¡¯t exactly know how to interact with¡ªno offense¡ªregular people.¡±


    ¡°You mean idiots?¡± Jack joked, hoping to put him at ease.


    ¡°I mean well-adjusted, socially active, normal folk. Like, say, Corporal ¨¡whina,¡± Dr. Liu clarified.


    ¡°You want to ask Corporal ¨¡whina out on a date!?¡± Jack tried, and failed, to stifle a laugh.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Liu replied, a bit crestfallen. ¡°I know how it must seem to you. Probably how it will seem to her, too. But the heart wants what the heart wants.¡±


    Jack immediately felt bad for laughing. There was nothing inherently strange about someone finding Corporal ¨¡whina attractive, or about someone being interested in Dr. Liu. But the idea of the two of them together painted such an unexpected and comical picture in his mind that he couldn¡¯t help himself.


    ¡°Why ask me for help?¡± Jack tried to steer the conversation elsewhere.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not the first person I approached. Naturally, I went to Mr. Okoro first, given their friendship. He¡¯s the one who recommended you.¡±


    Jack felt a twinge of betrayal, realizing Okoro had roped him into this situation.


    ¡°And it makes sense,¡± Dr. Liu continued. ¡°You always seem to catch the ladies¡¯ attention. Ms. Nakayama, Julie, Arda¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on between me and Eve. Or Julie!¡± Jack exclaimed, taken aback. ¡°And¡ªwait, Arda?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve said too much. My apologies,¡± Dr. Liu muttered, flustered again, his eyes darting away. ¡°So, can you help me ask Corporal ¨¡whina out?¡±


    ¡°Well, first off, her name¡¯s Emily. Definitely don¡¯t call her Corporal,¡± Jack said with a smirk. ¡°And look, I don¡¯t want to discourage you, but... you do realize you two might not exactly work as a couple, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve given it plenty of thought,¡± Dr. Liu responded earnestly. ¡°The height difference isn¡¯t too bad, and there are certain positions¡ª¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not what I meant!¡± Jack interjected, a mix of amusement and horror on his face. He struggled to push the mental image out of his head. ¡°I just mean you don¡¯t really have any common interests, hobbies, or goals. Even if she¡¯s interested in you, what¡¯s going to keep you together once we¡¯re off this ship?¡±


    ¡°If we get off this ship, you mean,¡± Dr. Liu quipped. ¡°But honestly, I¡¯m not one to think that far ahead when it comes to my personal life. And who¡¯s to say you know either of us well enough to claim we¡¯ve got nothing in common?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a point,¡± Jack conceded. ¡°Okay, here¡¯s the plan. I¡¯ve been saving up my beer tickets for a while now, and tonight I was going to have a small get-together with Eve, Julie and Windek. A party, or at least as close as we can get to one on this ship. Why don¡¯t you come with us, and I¡¯ll invite ¨¡whina as well? How does that sound?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Perfect, actually. Alcohol is the perfect excuse to be myself. Everyone¡¯s blunt and awkward when they¡¯re drunk!¡± Dr. Liu said, his spirits lifting considerably.


    Jack wasn¡¯t entirely sure about this plan, but at least it didn¡¯t involve anyone getting hurt. Hopefully.


    A few hours later, the party had begun, in the same room they had been conspiring against Barrett mere weeks before. Things seemed so dire then, and in many ways, they had only gotten worse. But it didn¡¯t feel like it. They had purpose now, and certainty. At first, Jack watched Dr. Liu intently, with a mixture of curiosity and concern. But the scientist seemed determined to ignore Corporal ¨¡whina entirely. Probably for the best, he thought to himself. Soon enough, his attention drifted to other matters, and he allowed himself to relax, for the first time in what had felt like forever.


    ¡°What are you thinking about, Rust Scrubber?¡± Eve interrupted his thoughts


    ¡°You know it makes no sense to call me that anymore, right?¡± Jack skillfully avoided the question


    ¡°Once a Rust Scrubber, always a Rust Scrubber!¡± Eve retorted with a smile


    ¡°I was thinking about what¡¯s going to happen once we get off this damned ship. We¡¯re probably going to get assigned all over the galaxy. All of us here, we will probably never be in the same room again.¡± Jack finally spoke up, his voice laced with regret


    ¡°That¡¯s how it is, mate. You meet people, they¡¯re in your life for a while, then you go your separate ways.¡± Eve replied, melancholically ¡°All you can do is enjoy the time you have with them.¡± She raised her glass in the air: ¡°A toast! To our merry little group. And to the friends we¡¯ve lost along the way!¡±


    Everyone raised their glasses in unison and drank, solemnly, sharing a knowing look between themselves. The atmosphere in the room had changed, in the blink of an eye, and just as quickly, returned to normal. Jack poured himself another glass, and picked a corner of the room to sulk in. He didn¡¯t much feel like partying anymore.

 Chapter 18-The Hunt

    As work began on the jump drive, a strange phenomenon started to occur. At first, various noises were heard throughout the ship, mostly in the less-used areas. People reported seeing things out of the corner of their eyes¡ªstrange, indescribable things. Then, everyone working on the project began complaining about a certain presence, as if something was watching them, though they couldn¡¯t articulate what exactly gave them this sensation. Finally, the disappearances began.


    The first two were Kharlath workers, easily dismissed as having simply run away. The next was an Assault Corps soldier¡ªharder to dismiss. But with no traces of him and no leads, there was still very little that could be done. By the time they realized they had a real problem on their hands, six people were missing: four Kharlath and two humans.


    Soon enough, a breakthrough occurred, though what they uncovered was little comfort. They had managed to capture a strange creature after it had unsuccessfully tried to kill another Kharlath worker. All the hairs on Jack¡¯s neck stood up as he examined it, safely locked behind a force field in the Library. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that it was, in all aspects, wrong. It was about the size of a large dog, or at least it seemed that way, though its shape was hard to parse.


    Its entire body was a jumbled mess of limbs, various other unclassifiable appendages, and mouths, all lined with teeth of varying shapes and sizes. It was a dark grey-brown color, and its movements seemed to barely follow the laws of physics, its entire body undulating as it jumped around and changed direction mid-air seemingly on a whim. As far as Jack could tell, it had no head and no sensory organs, though its movements were too fast and erratic for him to get a proper look. Whatever it was and wherever it had come from, it was by far the scariest thing Jack had ever seen. He shuddered to think that six people had already met their end in its teeth, all alone.


    ¡°Lower the force field!¡±


    Jack looked back, eyebrow raised, only to be greeted by Dr. Liu. On his right hand, he held one of those disintegrator weapons the Kharlath had used against them. The scientist was his usual confident and cheerful self, which could only mean that he was finally onto something.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to shoot it?¡± Jack asked incredulously.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not going to work!¡± Dr. Liu smiled broadly.


    The two guards stationed on either side of the entrance reluctantly obeyed, lowering the force field and pointing their makeshift cattle prods¡ªnerve inhibitors on a very long stick¡ªat the creature. Dr. Liu pointed his weapon at it, pressed the trigger, and with an anticlimactic clang, nothing happened. He ordered the force field raised once again.


    ¡°Well, that confirms my suspicions,¡± the scientist exclaimed, breathing a sigh of relief.


    ¡°What just happened?¡± Jack asked, trying to catch up.


    ¡°You see this?¡± Dr. Liu pointed the weapon at Jack, causing him to momentarily recoil. ¡°It¡¯s not a weapon. Well, I don¡¯t think it was meant to be, anyway. It ages organic matter, practically enclosing it in a tight field of sped-up time. I¡¯m sure the mechanics behind it would improve our understanding of temporal manipulation by centuries, but that¡¯s not the point. It didn¡¯t work! Which can only mean one thing.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Jack struggled to follow the scientist¡¯s point.


    ¡°Well, clearly, the so-called creature is not made of organic matter. Which either means it¡¯s a very exotic type of animal, or, more likely, it is an artificial construct. Which all but confirms my theory: this is an antibody!¡± The doctor was almost jubilant.


    ¡°An antibody?¡± Jack was still behind him.


    ¡°Yes. You remember when we talked to the ship¡¯s computer? It referred to us as parasites.¡± Dr. Liu continued, undeterred. ¡°Well, what do you do when you have foreign parasites in your body? You secrete antibodies to expel them!¡±


    ¡°Doctor, that¡¯s not exactly good news,¡± Jack admonished him, concerned. ¡°You¡¯re saying the ship itself wants us dead?¡±


    ¡°Oh, hardly. The only part of the ship with actual wants and desires is asleep. No, it¡¯s far more likely that this is simply some innate response, triggered by us messing with its internal architecture too much. In fact, I think it¡¯s specifically us starting to dig through the walls that caused this.¡±


    ¡°So, we have to stop doing that, then? Is there another way to rewire the jump drive?¡± Jack wondered aloud.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t. At least, not one we can implement in time. But that doesn¡¯t mean the situation is out of our hands. I¡¯ll instruct Agent Okoro to make preparations. We need to find the rest of these creatures and either put them down or capture them. More importantly, we need to pinpoint whether the ship is manufacturing them in real time, or simply releasing them from somewhere,¡± Dr. Liu spoke with precision and seriousness, his entire demeanor suddenly changed. ¡°We¡¯d better hope it¡¯s the latter; otherwise, we have a serious problem on our hands.¡±


    The scientist soon departed, leaving Jack to continue marveling at the strange specimen they¡¯d captured. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t imagine it being a robot or any kind of artificial construct. Its design appeared much too chaotic and unhinged for that. And if it was, what would that say about the vessel¡¯s original inhabitants? Was it constructed in their image? Molded after a creature from their homeworld, perhaps? Jack shuddered at the implication. He tried not to be prejudiced against aliens of all shapes and sizes, but something that looked like that seriously challenged his efforts. How could something so violently repulsive be anything but evil?


    Then there was the idea that he might have to fight these things. He didn¡¯t enjoy sitting on his ass all day, but compared to the possibility of coming face-to-face with one of them in some narrow, dimly lit corridor, doing nothing suddenly seemed much more enticing.


    Jack stared at the creature for a few more moments, before his wristpad mercifully gave him an excuse to leave. It was Mr. Okoro¡ªhe was being summoned. As Jack walked the brief distance from the Library to the elevator, paranoia began to set in, and he found himself fondling his pistol¡¯s grip reflexively, his eyes darting around every time he turned a corner. As he stepped into the tiny, enclosed space of the elevator, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Jack!¡± Okoro greeted him with a smile as he entered the lobby of Barrett¡¯s office, now effectively the office of the person actually running the ship. ¡°I¡¯ve been assembling our hunting parties. Corporal ¨¡whina, Sergeant Mendel, and Knight Zh¨­u have all picked out their squads. I want you to lead the fourth party.¡±


    Jack pondered the offer for a few seconds. He was terrified of the creatures, but the prospect of hunting them appealed to him more than the idea of being hunted. Just sitting around, waiting for others to solve the problem, would have probably driven him insane. Finally, he replied, his voice slightly trembling:


    ¡°Do I get to pick who¡¯s on it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But a word of warning¡ªdon¡¯t pick your friends. I know it¡¯s tempting to have someone you trust guarding your back, but there¡¯s a flip side. You don¡¯t want to be in a position where you have to order them to their deaths.¡± Okoro¡¯s smile faded as he spoke.


    ¡°And ordering people I¡¯m not friends with to their deaths¡ªthat¡¯s supposed to be easy?¡± Jack argued, though he wasn¡¯t entirely sure what he was trying to achieve.


    ¡°Yes. Easier, at least. It¡¯s not fair, but that¡¯s how it is,¡± Okoro replied quickly, as if he already knew what Jack was going to say. ¡°Oh, and one more thing: the Kharlath who was ambushed this morning, the one who helped us capture the creature? They¡¯re coming with you. Armed. Is that going to be a problem?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Jack replied curtly, as he began to peruse the ship manifest on his wristpad. Deciding to take Okoro¡¯s advice to heart, despite his protestations, he scrolled through the list of names, picking a few Assault Corps crewmen at random. Seeing the list of names before him, realizing that he might be deciding, in that moment, who lived or died, filled him with a sense of anxiety. He decided that he wouldn¡¯t even look at the names he chose. It was the only way to be fair.


    ¡°How many people do I need?¡± he asked absentmindedly as he scrolled, doing his best to appear as if he was actually weighing who to pick.


    ¡°That¡¯s up to you, Jack,¡± Okoro said, as if admonishing him for not knowing already. ¡°What kind of squad do you want to lead? Would you prefer the speed and efficiency of a small group, or the firepower of a larger one? Do you want experienced people who can keep their cool under pressure, or more expendable ones we can afford to lose? These are all questions a leader must ask themselves constantly.¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    It was fairly obvious to Jack that they were no longer talking purely about selecting a squad for the hunt. Reluctantly, Jack added another name to the list: Private Scheer. Someone who had come with him on the Bismarck. Someone he had fought alongside before. Was it someone he was comfortable ordering to his death? Jack didn¡¯t feel like answering that question, even in his own mind. He sent the list to Mr. Okoro, and, without looking him in the eyes, left the room.


    ¡°Hey!¡± An unfamiliar voice stopped Jack in his tracks just outside the office. He turned around, surprised to see it coming from a very familiar face: it was Arda! Dr. Liu had managed to activate the ship-wide translation protocol to help coordinate with the Kharlath prisoners, but Jack was still getting used to it.


    ¡°I want to be on your squad. I want to help hunt those creatures,¡± Arda spoke with conviction, straightening her back as she approached.


    ¡°How did you¡ª¡± Jack barely managed to get two words out before being interrupted.


    ¡°Because I can hear better than anyone on this ship. That might be useful when you¡¯re trying to track down creatures that seemingly no one can hear coming. I can fight better than most of you too, the humans at least.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask Mr. Okoro?¡± Jack inquired, though he could already guess the answer.


    ¡°I did. He said I¡¯m too valuable to risk. I disagree. I¡¯m betting that you do too.¡±


    He didn¡¯t. But he didn¡¯t feel like arguing either. In truth, he welcomed another friendly face on his team, especially one as confident and self-assured as Arda seemed to be. The two of them set off toward the armory and were soon joined by the rest of Jack¡¯s squad. The last one to enter the room was the Kharlath.


    It was, even by Kharlath standards, a gigantic being, standing almost three meters tall, with powerful, bulging muscles barely contained within a dented and worn suit of armor. Its right shoulder was bandaged, with the arm hanging limply beside its gargantuan body. The most surprising feature was its face, unlike any Kharlath Jack had seen before: its features were surprisingly delicate, with two striking purple eyes that betrayed a sharp intelligence. In place of the usual spiky frill, its forehead was adorned with two large plates on either side that briefly united in the middle.


    Silence fell over the room as everyone stared at the giant now standing in their midst, casually leaning against an energy lance.


    ¡°Greetings,¡± the giant spoke in a deep but surprisingly gentle voice, or at least that¡¯s how the translator rendered it.


    ¡°Greetings,¡± Arda broke the silence while the rest of the party tried their best not to stare too much.


    ¡°I hope my presence is not causing you unease,¡± the Kharlath continued in the same gentle, measured tone. ¡°I simply wish to avenge my fallen brethren and rid us of these foul beasts. Same as you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s strange for us to fight alongside a Kharlath,¡± Jack took the initiative to speak, measuring his words carefully, ¡°but we¡¯ll get used to it. We have to.¡± He glared at his men, still staring slack-jawed. ¡°For everyone¡¯s sake!¡±


    With those words, they set off into the bowels of the ship. They were certainly a strange group, and Jack could feel how much the Kharlath¡¯s presence left everyone on edge. Yet, to him, it was weirdly comforting. It felt good to be on the same side for once. And it was even better to know that the only person who had managed to fight off one of these creatures was standing right beside him.


    His wristpad buzzed with a message from Dr. Liu. It was just a list of coordinates on the ship, with no further explanation. Jack shrugged and directed his team to follow him. He would have preferred to know what the actual plan was, but he trusted the doctor. Besides, if he called for clarification, he knew Dr. Liu would give him far more information than he actually needed.


    ¡°Are you in position?¡± Dr. Liu''s voice, more timid than usual, came through Jack''s headset.


    ¡°Almost,¡± Jack replied, doing his best to project confidence.


    ¡°Good. Once you¡¯re at the coordinates, I want you to set a detonation charge on one of the walls and leave one man behind to observe. The rest of you should hide in the nearest room with the door closed. If I¡¯m right¡ªand I usually am¡ªthat will attract the creatures.¡± The doctor sounded far less certain than usual. It might have been his plan, but he clearly wasn¡¯t comfortable with it.


    ¡°You want me to leave a man behind? As bait?¡± Jack questioned him, incredulously.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we don¡¯t have much of a choice. From what we know, the creatures only attack when someone¡¯s alone. Staying together will scare them off.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll let you know when it¡¯s done,¡± Jack cut him off bluntly.


    He didn¡¯t like the plan at all, but he had to agree with Dr. Liu¡¯s assessment¡ªit was their only option. Once he reached the coordinates, Jack planted the detonation charge himself and started thinking about who would act as bait. He briefly considered asking for a volunteer, but quickly dismissed the idea. He was in charge; he needed to act like it. But who would it be?


    Arda probably had the best chances of survival, given her environmental suit and the durability of Platharian physiology. But she was, as Mr. Okoro had pointed out, too valuable to risk. The Kharlath was next, but it was already wounded, and making it face death twice in one day didn¡¯t seem fair. Jack looked at the faces around him, all showing a mix of anxiety and grim determination. Finally, he emptied his mind and blurted out the first name that came to him:


    ¡°Private Scheer!¡±


    The young soldier stepped up, doing his best to appear confident, gripping his rifle tightly to keep his hands from trembling. Almost immediately after saying his name, Jack began to have second thoughts. Why did he pick him? Was he trying to prove something? To whom? Did he just call out the name he was most familiar with? Regardless, it was too late to back down now. Private Scheer would be the one serving as bait.


    With the charge set, the rest of the group retreated into an adjacent room. As soon as the door was closed, Jack set off the charge, sending shockwaves throughout the ship. At first, his team was so tense that they could hardly even breathe. The eerie silence was broken up by Private Scheer checking in every 10 seconds, as Jack had instructed him. Though he counted the seconds himself each time, every interval seemed to be longer and longer, with the tension mounting ever higher.


    Suddenly, and unexpectedly, Arda burst out of the room, and instinctively everyone followed her. Jack turned a corner to find, horrified, that one of the creatures had grabbed Private Scheer, and was throwing him around like a ragdoll. One of its tentacle-like appendages was gripping his neck firmly, with the end of it stuck in his mouth, preventing him from making any sound. For a moment, their eyes met, and the look of sheer horror in the young soldier¡¯s eyes almost made him collapse.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fire!¡± Jack yelled out, coming to his senses almost immediately.


    But it was too late. A torrent of plasma hit the creature, and Scheer along with it. With a horrifying and inhuman howl, the creature vanished further down the corridor, leaving Scheer¡¯s limp body behind. Jack ran up to him with bated breath, and placed a finger on his neck. He felt a pulse.


    ¡°Medic!¡± He yelled out, desperately.


    A young man walked up, trembling, with a first aid kit in his hands. Just as soon as he kneeled besides the Private, he threw up. The smell of charred flesh, combined with the sight of his half-melted torso proved too much for him to handle. Without skipping a beat, Jack took the kit from his hands, and began patching Scheer up to the best of his abilities. He only had the most basic of first aid training, but it was better than nothing: bandages around his neck to stop the bleeding, dermagel on his burns, painkillers so he doesn¡¯t go into shock, and emergency stimulants so his heart keeps beating. That was the extent of his medical knowledge, and he prayed it would be enough, even though he knew it wouldn¡¯t.


    As Jack finished patching Private Scheer, the young soldier opened his mouth, attempting to speak, but only a torrent of blood spilled out. Jack gently propped his mouth open to inspect the damage. Most of Scheer¡¯s teeth were gone, and his gums and tongue were shredded beyond recognition. Jack shuddered and closed it again¡ªthis was well beyond his expertise.


    ¡°I can hear more of the creatures!¡± Arda¡¯s voice cut through the chaos. ¡°Three from the front, two from the back. One¡¯s staying behind¡ªit¡¯s probably the one we injured.¡±


    ¡°Form a circle!¡± Jack snapped into action, barking orders. ¡°Gather around Private Scheer, guns outwards. Get ready to fire!¡± As the group huddled together, weapons raised, Jack was struck by a grim sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. He had given these same orders, on the same ship, mere weeks ago. Yet it felt like a lifetime.


    Just as Arda had predicted, five creatures burst into view¡ªthree from the front, two from the back. The group unleashed a desperate salvo of plasma fire in all directions, but their shots found little success. The wild, erratic movement of the creatures and the sheer terror they inflicted made aiming impossible.


    One of the creatures leapt toward the group, but the Kharlath reacted swiftly. With a single, powerful strike of its lance, it tore the creature clean in two, in mid-air. A fine mist of silver, shiny liquid sprayed across their faces as the halves of the creature fell to the ground with a dull thud. The remaining creatures recoiled at the sight, momentarily halting their advance.


    ¡°Fire!¡± Jack yelled desperately, and another volley of plasma followed.


    This time, they found their mark. One more creature went down, and the remaining three retreated out of range, scrambling to escape.


    ¡°There¡¯s more coming!¡± Arda screamed, her voice tinged with urgency, just as the group began to breathe a sigh of relief.


    ¡°How many?¡± Jack asked, his heart sinking as he braced for the answer.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know!¡± For the first time, there was trepidation in Arda¡¯s voice. Not a good sign.


    "We need a defensible position!" Jack growled, trying to project authority and convince himself as much as the others that he was still in control. "We''ll have to get back in that room. Maintain formation, guns ready¡ªwe move on my mark!"


    Without a word, he gestured for the Kharlath to pick up Private Scheer. The massive alien obeyed, effortlessly draping the wounded soldier over its shoulder as the group began the slow, tense march toward the relative safety of the room. The distance was only a few dozen meters, but each step felt like it took an eternity. The tension hung thick in the air, almost suffocating, as the creatures remained unseen, which only heightened their collective anxiety.


    Just as they reached the door, it swung open¡ªand a spiky appendage shot out, grabbing at Jack¡¯s throat. Before he could even process what was happening, a figure lunged forward with incredible speed. It was Arda. In one fluid motion, she latched onto the tentacle, her legs anchoring firmly to the ground as she wrestled it with both arms. With an explosive display of strength, she hurled the creature against the wall, and Jack quickly fired two well-aimed plasma shots into it before it hit the ground.


    Still gripping the tentacle, Arda dragged the creature out of the room, dumping it unceremoniously onto the floor of the hallway. Someone fired one more shot into it for good measure.


    With the chaotic sound of dozens of steps approaching now clearly audible to everyone, the group hurried inside the room, finally allowing themselves a collective sigh of relief as the door slid shut behind them. They were alive¡ªfor now¡ªand, miraculously, most of them were uninjured. All things considered, it could have been much worse.


    ¡°We have a problem.¡± Arda¡¯s gaze met Jack¡¯s as she spoke, and he could see the uncertainty in her eyes. ¡°My environmental suit¡¯s pierced!¡±

 Chapter 19-The Hunted

    "How bad is it?" Jack reluctantly approached Arda, his eyes scanning her suit for damage.


    "Bad enough. That thing¡¯s claws¡ªor teeth, whatever you want to call them¡ªtore through the membrane on my arms and chest." She gestured to a few small fissures in her suit where a yellowish, gelatinous substance was seeping out.


    "Is that¡ª?" Jack began, concern creeping into his voice.


    "It¡¯s not blood, don¡¯t worry," Arda interrupted, attempting to reassure him. "It¡¯s just the layer of lubricant between the suit and my body. But losing that is bad enough. Being exposed to the high oxygen atmosphere? That¡¯s worse."


    "How long have you got?" Jack asked, trying to sound composed, masking his concern behind a professional tone.


    "Before my skin starts dehydrating? Hours. Up to a day until it gets really bad. It¡¯ll be uncomfortable, but I can manage that." She began to tremble slightly, her body reacting to the ship''s cold air now seeping through the damaged suit.


    "And the other thing?" Jack struggled to find the right words.


    "Right. That¡¯s the more immediate problem," Arda explained, her voice still calm and steady. "Unlike humans¡ªand most other sapients¡ªwe breathe through our entire skin surface. It¡¯s an involuntary process. The atmosphere on this ship is 25% oxygen, slightly higher than what¡¯s ideal for humans, but about five times what we¡¯re used to on Therana, my home planet. It¡¯s not immediately fatal, but there are... side effects."


    "Side effects?" Jack¡¯s curiosity was piqued.


    "I¡¯m sure it would be amusing under different circumstances, but unfortunately, I¡¯m going to become profoundly intoxicated very soon. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be useless to you from now on." Arda attempted to hide the embarrassment in her voice as she spoke


    ¡°You¡¯ve done your part,¡± the Kharlath spoke up, its deep voice attempting to reassure Arda. ¡°You fought admirably, and we all owe you a debt of gratitude. Allow us to repay it by protecting you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Arda seemed genuinely moved by the Kharlath¡¯s words. She paused for a moment, as if something had just occurred to her. ¡°You¡¯ve never actually told us your name, have you? What may we call you?¡±


    ¡°My battle brothers call me Twice-Born-Demon. You may address me in that way as well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting name,¡± Jack interjected, somewhat awkwardly.


    ¡°It is not my name,¡± the Kharlath replied, its gaze suddenly fixed on Jack. He could feel the weight of the stare, sensing that his comment had struck a nerve, though he knew too little about Kharlath culture to understand why.


    ¡°What is your name then?¡± a voice piped up from the back of the room. Jack recognized the combat medic who had thrown up earlier. Now, in the relative calm of the room, Jack noticed just how young he was¡ªprobably 18 or 19, barely holding himself together.


    ¡°That¡¯s a very rude question to ask!¡± The Kharlath spun around abruptly, its towering presence looming over the young medic, who froze in terror. Then, to Jack¡¯s surprise, the giant let out a hoarse, guttural sound that seemed to shake the room. It was laughter¡ªor at least Jack hoped it was.


    ¡°I¡¯m only teasing you, young warrior,¡± the Kharlath continued, with a subtle note of amusement in its voice. ¡°I know very little of your kind¡¯s habits, and you know very little of mine. But just so you remember: you do not ask for a Kharlath¡¯s name. That is knowledge only our closest clan-brethren are entitled to.¡±


    Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by the unsettling sound of claws scraping at the door. Instinctively, the group reached for their weapons, holding their breath as they listened. The scraping intensified, a grating, maddening noise that began to overpower every other sound in the room. But the door held firm.


    Twice-Born-Demon rose to its full, towering height, nearly brushing the ceiling, and planted its massive shoulder into the door, pushing against it with its considerable bulk. Jack wasn¡¯t entirely sure how much that would help with a sliding door, but the display of strength seemed to reassure the others. Without hesitation, he followed the Kharlath¡¯s lead, bracing his own shoulder against the door, even if only for show.


    ¡°Can they get in?¡± a timid voice asked from somewhere in the room.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Jack replied, doing his best to sound confident, though he was far from certain. ¡°And if they do, we¡¯re in the perfect position to kill them. Ready your weapons, just in case.¡±


    ¡°How many of them are out there now?¡± another voice asked, directed toward Arda.


    ¡°At least a dozen. Maybe more¡ªI can¡¯t tell, there¡¯s too much noise.¡± Her words came out slightly slurred, a clear indication that she was already feeling the effects of the ship¡¯s oxygen-rich atmosphere.


    The scraping continued, relentless and piercing, for another agonizing minute. Jack¡¯s head started to spin, dizziness creeping in from the overwhelming sound. Just as it was becoming unbearable, the noise stopped¡ªabruptly, giving way to an eerie, oppressive silence.


    No one dared to make a sound. Every person in the room was frozen in place, their weapons aimed at the entrance. Jack and Twice-Born-Demon slowly eased off the door, not daring to even exhale. The creatures had either given up or were preparing for an even more ferocious assault.


    ¡°I¡¯m calling for backup,¡± Jack finally broke the tense silence, still doing his best to project confidence. ¡°The bulk of the creatures have to be concentrated here; this might be a good opportunity to take them all out at once.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Jack let out a quiet sigh of relief as Dr. Liu¡¯s voice crackled through his headset.


    ¡°We¡¯ve run into a bit of a problem,¡± Jack explained, keeping his tone steady. ¡°There are more of these things than we anticipated. They¡¯ve got us cornered inside a room, and we¡¯ve got two people who need urgent medical assistance.¡±


    ¡°How many?¡± Dr. Liu asked, his voice betraying a hint of excitement.


    ¡°About a dozen, by our estimates,¡± Jack replied, fighting the urge to take offense. He knew the scientist well enough by now to recognize that his enthusiasm wasn¡¯t malicious¡ªLiu just had a habit of getting excited at the worst possible moments.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Dr. Liu mused. ¡°The other teams encountered minimal resistance, two or three of the constructs each. If there¡¯s some logic to their tactics, I¡¯m failing to see it. Want me to ask Agent Okoro to send them your way?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate any help you can spare. Nereus out,¡± he ended the call, refocusing on their immediate situation.


    Knowing that reinforcements were on the way gave him some relief, but it didn¡¯t entirely solve their problem. Now they just had to hold out long enough for the backup to arrive. Jack quickly checked on Private Scheer. He was unconscious, which, given his injuries, was probably for the best. The important thing was that he was still breathing.


    Next, Jack turned his attention to Arda, who was lying flat on the floor. As he approached, she propped herself up slightly, resting her head lazily on a nearby bench.


    ¡°How are you holding up?¡± Jack asked, concerned, as he knelt beside her.


    Without warning, Arda ran a hand through his hair, startling Jack. She gestured for him to come closer, barely containing her laughter.


    ¡°You know,¡± she whispered, ¡°you¡¯d be really handsome without all that fur!¡± She broke into fits of hysterical laughter, her voice echoing through the room.


    Jack quickly stood up, his face flushed with embarrassment, while Arda collapsed back onto the floor, still giggling. He could only hope that her delirium was the worst of the side effects¡ªfor now, at least.


    As the group awaited the arrival of reinforcements, Jack couldn¡¯t help but notice Arda slowly inching her way towards the center of the room, crawling along the floor. He briefly debated whether to help her or let her be, ultimately deciding to simply observe. Her behavior, while odd, was harmless enough, and at least it provided some distraction from whatever was happening outside the door.


    When she reached the feet of the gargantuan Kharlath, who was now sitting cross-legged in the center of the room, Arda suddenly erupted into loud, hysterical laughter. It took Jack a moment to realize what had prompted her outburst¡ªshe was trying to peek between the Kharlath¡¯s legs.


    "Are you a boy Kharlath or a girl Kharlath?" she asked in a tone that was more childlike than anything else.


    ¡°I am a warrior,¡± the Kharlath replied, taciturn. Jack couldn¡¯t tell if Twice-Born-Demon was dodging the question or simply didn¡¯t understand it.


    "Boy warrior or girl warrior?" Arda persisted, her curiosity undeterred.


    "What difference does it make?" Twice-Born-Demon¡¯s voice struggled to remain calm and indifferent, though the line of questioning was clearly bothering it on some level.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "I am a girl warrior!" Arda declared absentmindedly, as if the subject no longer interested her, before shifting her attention elsewhere in the room. Jack let out a quiet sigh of relief, grateful that the situation hadn¡¯t escalated further.


    With that minor crisis averted, Jack found his thoughts wandering to the very question Arda had raised. The mystery of Kharlath gender had never been something he seriously considered before, but now that it had been brought up, he found himself genuinely curious. He knew about the existence of Clan-mothers, who were visibly different from other Kharlath, so clearly, there were at least different biological sexes within their species¡ªor were there?


    Jack vaguely recalled a half-remembered fact about a species of reptiles on Earth that were all female, capable of reproducing without males. What if something similar was true of the Kharlath? People usually defaulted to referring to the Kharlath as male, largely based on their general appearance and demeanor, but that assumption was rooted in human biases and stereotypes, which might not apply to an alien species.


    Then there was the fact that Twice-Born-Demon looked different from any other Kharlath Jack had seen or heard about, even the Clan-mothers. Could it be a third sex, or was there something entirely different at play? He quickly realized his knowledge of biology was far too rudimentary to draw any conclusions, and wisely shifted his focus back to supervising Arda, silently hoping to avoid any more uncomfortable situations.


    ¡°What¡¯s your status?¡± Jack¡¯s headset buzzed with the familiar voice of Corporal ¨¡whina.


    ¡°The same. We¡¯re holed up in this room, no sign of hostiles as far as we can tell,¡± Jack replied, trying to sound professional.


    ¡°We¡¯ve just met up with Zh¨­u¡¯s team, about 30 meters from your location. Everything looks clear from this end. Mind taking a peek outside the room for me?¡±


    Jack signaled for a few members of his team to follow him, weapons drawn. He cautiously opened the door, just wide enough to peek through. The hallway outside appeared deserted. Taking a deep breath, he fully opened the door and stepped outside. Still no sign of the creatures. He turned back toward his squad, putting on his best authoritative tone.


    ¡°Close this door behind us, and don¡¯t open it under any circumstances unless I order you to! And take care of Arda and Scheer!¡±


    After cautiously walking a few meters up and down the hallway, Jack called Corporal ¨¡whina again, giving his report.


    ¡°All clear on this end. But be careful, these things are stealthy!¡±


    The group waited for reinforcements, with the tension in the air almost palpable. Jack, ever cautious, ordered his team to lower their weapons to avoid any chance of friendly fire. He knew most of his group lacked combat experience¡ªa decision he now deeply regretted. They were nervous, and it showed.


    Soon, the familiar figure of Knight Zh¨­u appeared from around a corner, followed by a dozen others. The squad collectively exhaled in relief at the sight of the Templar. The two parties rushed to meet each other.


    ¡°I thought you said you were overrun?¡± Corporal ¨¡whina teased, laying a hand on Jack¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°They were right outside the door. I don¡¯t know where they went,¡± Jack stammered, struggling to justify himself as the Corporal chuckled.


    ¡°Nah, I believe you,¡± she said, pointing to the door covered in deep claw marks, some large enough to fit an entire finger. ¡°Get your people out. We¡¯ll double back a couple of times just to make sure it¡¯s clear.¡±


    Relieved, Jack gave the order to open the door, and the rest of his group began to pour out. Though they had only been inside for under two hours, they looked as if they had been trapped there for days. Twice-Born-Demon effortlessly lifted Private Scheer over its shoulder again, while Jack moved to help Arda to her feet. She either weighed far more than she appeared to or was deliberately making it difficult to get up. Jack, struggling, eventually resorted to draping her over his shoulders like a cape as she giggled absently, her fingers tangled in his hair. Jack did his best to ignore her newfound fascination with his ¡°fur¡± as he struggled to carry her to the med bay.


    The danger was far from over, but the group was too drained to feel fear anymore. They moved quickly through the hallways, their exhaustion palpable. Only Jack¡¯s constant reminders kept them vigilant. As they neared the elevator, Jack began organizing the evacuation. Twice-Born-Demon was first, carrying Private Scheer and supporting Arda, followed by the rest of the group, split into two groups of four.


    Jack stood guard as the first two groups ascended, counting the seconds until the elevator returned. When it finally arrived for him, he allowed himself a brief moment of relief as he stepped aboard, his body and mind aching from the tension. He counted the floors anxiously, repeating to himself: Just a few more minutes and we¡¯re done.


    After they had captured the Mothership, Jack used to dream of being in command again, longing for action, anything to break up the monotony. But now, after this ordeal, he was done for good. It felt like he had aged years in just a few hours. As the elevator doors slid open, he exhaled, trying to ease the weight in his chest. Just a few more minutes he repeated, stepping out.


    Deck 8 was a stark contrast to the silent, desolate lower decks. Armed guards patrolled every corridor, and there were signs of life everywhere¡ªvoices, even music, and occasionally the faint aroma of coffee or food. Most of the squad relaxed in this relatively peaceful environment, but Jack¡¯s unease lingered. He couldn¡¯t understand why the creatures had simply vanished. Did they give up? Or shift tactics? No matter how hard he tried to relax, the feeling that something was about to go wrong gnawed at him.


    His fears were confirmed moments after they entered the med bay. His headset hummed to life, Dr. Liu¡¯s voice crackling through with urgency.


    ¡°This is Dr. Liu, requesting immediate assistance in the Library¡ªwe¡¯re overrun, they¡¯re everywhere¡ª¡± The signal cut abruptly. Not a good sign.


    Jack sprang into action, ordering the uninjured members of his squad to follow him, leaving Twice-Born-Demon behind to tend to the wounded. Sprinting down the corridors toward the elevator, he frantically tried to reach Dr. Liu again. Nothing. Silence.


    ¡°Nereus, you got that?¡± Knight Zh¨­u¡¯s voice buzzed in his ear, carrying a hint of despair.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been trying to raise the doctor again. He¡¯s not answering,¡± Jack responded, doing his best to keep his voice steady as he ran.


    ¡°Neither is Sergeant Mendel, who was supposed to be with him. We¡¯re heading there now, and Agent Okoro has ordered a few more squads to join us. Let¡¯s just hope they¡¯re still alive by the time we get there. Zh¨­u out.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all going to have to fit inside!¡± Jack blurted out as they reached the elevator.


    The cramped space made it nearly impossible to point their guns at the door. A stupid mistake, Jack thought to himself. As they arrived on Deck 19, he was relieved to find the hallway outside empty. From where they were standing, the deck appeared utterly deserted, but faint sounds of battle echoed in the distance. With reckless abandon Jack sprinted toward the library, his squad trailing behind, less eager but following nonetheless. There was no sign of Okoro or Barrett as they passed the Major¡¯s headquarters, though the floor was littered with monster corpses.


    The group burst into the library and were met with a scene of utter carnage. Dozens of soldiers stumbled through the aisles of shelves, struggling to fend off an overwhelming swarm of creatures. The floor was strewn with bodies¡ªsome lifeless, others writhing in pain, wishing they were dead. Jack¡¯s instincts kicked in as one of the monsters lunged at them, and with quick reflexes, he drew his pistol, shooting the creature mid-air.


    ¡°Retreat to the doorway!¡± he yelled to his squad as the monsters began to take notice of them. ¡°Form two lines on either side, backs to the wall, and shoot anything that gets close to the exit!¡±


    With those parting words, Jack charged into the chaos, pistol in hand, doing his best to remain unnoticed. He ducked behind a shelf, moving forward on his knees, his heart pounding in his chest. His hands trembled, but he forced himself to focus. He needed to find Dr. Liu. Another creature, barely alive, attempted to lunge at him, weakly collapsing meters away. He put it out of its misery with a quick shot.


    As he neared the center of the room, he saw a familiar silhouette emerge from the madness. Knight Zh¨­u, covered in silver-colored guts, was in the thick of the battle. Surrounded by a dozen monsters, he fought with a ferocity that was hard to believe. The Templar threw creatures across the room, wrestled them to the ground, and tore them apart with his bare hands. Encased in his armor, Zh¨­u moved with terrifying speed and precision, seeming more beast than man as he carved his way through the horde.


    For a brief moment, Jack considered stopping to help, but quickly realized that any attempt to assist would only slow the Templar down. He continued toward the back of the room, his steps heavy and cautious. At the far end, behind the force field that once contained the creature they¡¯d captured, Jack could make out two faint shapes¡ªone man cradling another in his arms. As he drew closer, the dim light revealed Dr. Liu, sitting on the floor, with someone in combat armor lying motionless across his lap, seemingly asleep.


    Just a few more steps, and suddenly Jack felt a sharp pain shoot through his leg. He collapsed, hitting the ground hard. In a daze, he turned just in time to see one of the creatures, mere inches away from his face, its thorny tentacle wrapped tight around his leg. He fired his pistol, the plasma bolt tearing through its body. The heat singed his torso as the creature¡¯s hot, wet insides spilled all over him. He let out a yelp, a mix of pain and disgust, trying to catch his breath. It¡¯s just a robot, he repeated to himself, over and over, like a mantra as if the thought could somehow dull his revulsion at the slick, burning sensation spreading across his skin.


    Jack rolled over, trying desperately to push the dead weight off him. The creature¡¯s tentacle remained tangled around his leg, hanging limply as he struggled to free himself. His attempts to stand were futile¡ªhis leg wouldn¡¯t hold him. Crawling, he dragged himself toward Dr. Liu, his eyes darting behind him, watching for more of the creatures.


    As he neared the force field, he now recognized the man in Liu¡¯s arms as Sergeant Mendel, grievously wounded. He couldn¡¯t tell if he was still alive. With the last of his strength, Jack lurched forward, collapsing against the force field¡¯s smooth surface. The low hum of the energy barrier droned in his ears as he rested his weight against it, struggling to catch his breath.


    ¡°They¡¯re moving through the vents!¡± Dr. Liu didn¡¯t waste a second greeting him, his voice muffled by the barrier. ¡°Radio waves don¡¯t go through the force field, you need to warn everyone!¡±


    Jack turned on his headset, relaying the doctor¡¯s message on a wide channel.


    ¡°Is he alive?¡± he asked, pointing to Mendel, still lying motionless in Dr. Liu¡¯s lap.


    ¡°Not for long,¡± the scientist replied, with an uncharacteristic hint of compassion in his voice. ¡°And we¡¯ve got another problem. You¡¯re going to pass out in a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, it barely got my leg!¡± Jack protested.


    ¡°They inject you with some sort of toxin, I think. I¡¯ve seen it in action. We didn¡¯t notice before because everyone that came in contact with them was either killed or heavily injured. But in the last few minutes, I¡¯ve seen people with barely a scratch on them collapse.¡±


    ¡°But what about Twice-Born-Demon, the Kharlath? It¡¯s been almost a day since the creature injured it, and as far as I know, it¡¯s still walking around,¡± Jack continued to argue.


    ¡°There are too many variables to account for. Let¡¯s just say that you are not a Kharlath, nor do you weigh half a ton.¡± The scientist was uncharacteristically concise as he fiddled with a strange device, seemingly cobbled together from random parts. ¡°You need to inform Okoro of our situation and get inside the force field.¡±


    Resigned that Liu was right, Jack communicated their situation to the agent, with as much detail as the circumstances allowed. He turned off his headset, and tried to stand on his own as the force field came down. Dizzy, he almost fell to the ground while he slowly crawled next to Liu. As soon as the force field came back up, he let out a sigh of relief, lying down flat on the ground. He tried to talk, but no sound escaped his mouth. With great effort, he turned his head, noticing the scientist examining him, concerned. A few more seconds passed, and he could barely keep his eyes open. Finally, he relented, and surrendered himself to the darkness.

 Chapter 20-Interrogation

    ¡°Good morning, sunshine!¡±


    Jack awoke to find Julie standing over him, smiling compassionately. He checked his surroundings and quickly realized he was in the med bay on Deck 8. He breathed a sigh of relief¡ªthe battle must have ended. To his left, in a sealed glass box, was Arda, lying motionless with a thermal blanket draped across her body. Noticing his alarm, the nurse reassured him:


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s just sleeping off the oxygen intoxication. She¡¯ll be fine after we patch up her suit!¡±


    ¡°Private Scheer?¡± Jack mumbled, struggling to lift his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Julie grabbed his hand, squeezing it tight. ¡°The neurotoxin got to him before we knew what was happening. It would have killed you too if Dr. Liu hadn¡¯t told us to look for it. Hell of a brain on that guy, huh?¡±


    Jack sank back into the bed, defeated. It¡¯s as if Mr. Okoro had seen the future. He had, indeed, ordered someone he considered a friend to their death. Or had he? He didn¡¯t even know the kid¡¯s first name. They weren¡¯t truly friends. A comrade, perhaps. And would it have been any worse if it was some faceless nobody? At least with Scheer, he could say that he was earnestly grieving him, and would remember his sacrifice.


    ¡°And Sergeant Mendel?¡± he asked reticently, dreading more bad news.


    ¡°He¡¯s not out of the woods yet,¡± Julie answered, still holding his hand, ¡°but Dr. Singh expects him to make a full recovery.¡± In a slightly more cheerful tone, she continued: ¡°You, on the other hand, are basically good as new. A sprained ankle, some cuts and bruises, and a few patches of second-degree burns on your chest and abdomen. You¡¯ll be walking¡ªor at least limping¡ªout of here in a few hours, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    With these encouraging words, she let go of his hand and left the room, giving a brief signal to someone outside. A few moments later, Eve rushed into the room, a concerned look on her face.


    ¡°Did you get hurt playing hero again, dumbass?¡± she chastised him playfully.


    ¡°Afraid so,¡± Jack replied with a wide smile as she lightly punched his shoulder.


    "I¡¯ve got news. Lots of news." Eve continued, her tone suddenly becoming serious.


    "Bad news, as usual?" Jack hid his concern behind a self-deprecating joke.


    "That remains to be seen. Dr. Liu convinced Major Barrett that our only chance was bringing all the processing centers back online. Oh, and he wants to see you, as soon as you¡¯re up."


    "Barrett?" Jack asked, trying to hide his surprise.


    "The man himself. Down at the detention facilities. I¡¯d tell you to be careful, but I¡¯m pretty sure by this point that you¡¯re simply fundamentally incapable of that." Eve returned to her playful tone.


    "It¡¯s not as if he¡¯s just going to arrest me, after all this time, is he?" Jack asked rhetorically, before continuing in earnest: "Is he?"


    "Probably not," Eve replied casually; she obviously wasn¡¯t worried.


    With slight difficulty, Jack got out of his bed, doing his best not to step on his injured ankle. He grabbed his clothes under his arm and limped toward the bathroom to put them on.


    "Need any help?" Eve asked, with a hint of affectionate mockery.


    "I think I¡¯ll manage," Jack replied, slightly blushing, as he closed the curtain behind him.


    As he struggled to get dressed, he tried his best not to let any of his clothes touch the damp, wet floor of the cheap prefab bathroom that had been hastily installed in the med bay¡ªa task he was not quite successful at. Dressed to the best of his abilities, he quickly left the unpleasant room behind, once again struggling not to put any weight on his ankle. Was Barrett dragging him around the ship just to force him to walk? He briefly entertained the possibility, although it seemed too petty for the Major. No, whatever Barrett wanted from him, it was something serious.


    ¡°You coming with?¡± he asked Eve, trying to put on a brave face.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that I was invited,¡± she replied dryly.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that you¡¯d care,¡± he shot back.


    ¡°Fine. Whatever he wants, you could probably use the backup,¡± Eve conceded, and they both began walking toward the elevator.


    Briefly looking inside the other rooms as they moved along, Jack saw dozens upon dozens of wounded soldiers and crew members. The battle against the creatures had clearly taken a heavy toll on the ship¡¯s crew. An uneasy feeling washed over him as he contemplated their future. He couldn¡¯t tell whether Barrett was trying to take advantage of the chaos to consolidate his hold on power or if things were bad enough that he was willing to bury the hatchet for good.


    ¡°Jack! Ms. Nakayama!¡± They were stopped in their tracks by Dr. Liu, who was unsuccessfully trying to mask his concern. ¡°Are you heading to the detention area?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Will you be joining us?¡± Jack asked incredulously.


    ¡°The Major asked me to set up the translation field in one of the rooms. Apparently, he¡¯s going to interrogate one of the Kharlath.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be good,¡± Jack observed, mostly to himself.


    ¡°There¡¯s another matter I wanted to discuss with you, something more¡­ personal.¡± Dr. Liu glanced at Eve, seemingly debating whether to have this conversation in front of her, before continuing: ¡°Do you remember when I asked you for advice? Concerning my, um, dating life?¡±


    ¡°You asked her?¡± Jack blurted out, surprised.


    ¡°I did. It was in the heat of battle; I didn¡¯t know if either of us was making it out alive, so I decided to take my chances. Anyway, she¡¯s married.¡± Liu sounded surprisingly upbeat.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jack laid a hand on the scientist¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be! I actually wanted to thank you. You gave me the confidence to ask her out, and, you know, it wasn¡¯t so bad. Even if she said no, nothing bad happened.¡±


    ¡°You expected something bad to happen?¡± Eve interjected, failing to hide her amusement.


    ¡°Yes, well, I¡¯ve never had much luck, romantically.¡± Dr. Liu¡¯s mannerisms suddenly turned dejected. ¡°A good rejection always beats a bad rejection. Or a bad acceptance, now that I think about it.¡±


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°So, how are the repairs coming along?¡± Jack clumsily tried to change the subject. ¡°I hear Barrett agreed to turn on all the processing centers.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve been working on it all day!¡± Dr. Liu¡¯s tone shifted back to his usual excitement. ¡°It should be done by tomorrow morning at the latest. Then, well, we just have to hope the ship isn¡¯t too mad at us.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Eve cut their conversation short as a guard gestured for them to follow him to one of the detention rooms.


    Walking inside the small, cramped chamber that served as the interrogation room, Jack was startled to find a large, older-seeming Kharlath strapped to a chair, in a shocking state of mistreatment. His armor had been haphazardly stripped off his body, leaving him covered in bits and pieces of metal loosely hanging from a few bloody rags. His face and most of his body were covered in cuts and bruises, and he was missing a large portion of his frill, with boney stumps clearly visible behind a clumsily applied bandaged.


    Noticing his disgust at the sight, Major Barrett, who was sitting opposite the Kharlath in a casual position, gestured for Jack to sit before addressing him in a mocking tone:


    ¡°You¡¯re assuming we did that to him, aren¡¯t you?¡±  He let out a small laugh. ¡°It was his own people. We saved him, in fact, right as they were about to kill him. Do we have translation?¡± He turned to Dr. Liu, who seemed to shrink under his gaze.


    ¡°Yes sir, it should be working.¡± The scientist replied, meekly


    ¡°I can understand you.¡± The Kharlath confirmed, in a quiet but firm voice


    ¡°Can you state your name and rank?¡± Barrett asked him, dismissively


    ¡°My name is not for your ears to hear, and I currently hold no rank.¡± The Kharlath met Barrett with the same dismissive tone.


    ¡°Can you tell us why your people did this to you? Why you were beaten and almost killed?¡± the Major continued in the same tone of voice


    ¡°I gave the order to surrender. Therefore, in accordance with our laws I was stripped of all ranks and titles, and sentenced to receive the warrior¡¯s mercy.¡±


    ¡°The warrior¡¯s mercy?¡± Jack spoke up for the first time, his curiosity getting the better of him


    ¡°Death by combat.¡± The Kharlath explained, studying Jack intently for the first time. ¡°The accused is allowed to face all those who would stand against them in battle. If they should triumph, all their crimes are forgiven. They usually do not.¡±


    ¡°You saved all their lives, and they¡¯re willing to beat you to death for it. Are these people worthy of your loyalty?¡± Barrett asked, derisively


    ¡°You misunderstand, Human. This is not a punishment for failure. The warriors under my command are grateful that I ordered them to lay down their weapons. It is simply the price that must be paid, to ensure that surrender is never considered out of cowardice.¡± The Kharlath¡¯s eyes stared intently at the Major as he spoke, never blinking. His face did not betray a single hint of emotion, at least none that Jack recognized.


    ¡°And what of your leaders, who fled in the heat of battle? Was that not cowardice? You would gladly give your life upholding their laws, so do you not expect the same of them?¡± Barrett continued, unabated.


    ¡°Your attempts to anger me are as futile as they are transparent, warlord. My leaders did not flee; they went to fight your forces, while you cowered in the shadows, waiting for your chance to steal this vessel.¡± The Kharlath stared the Major in the face, unmoved by his words.


    ¡°I am no warlord,¡± Barrett retorted, visibly annoyed. ¡°We outgrew the need for those centuries ago. A pity that your kind could not do the same.¡±


    The Kharlath let out an unexpectedly high-pitched growl, probably intended to mock Barrett¡¯s reply, before regaining his composure and continuing in the same dispassionate, monotone voice: ¡°But you are, Human, if not in title then at least in deeds. It is an address of respect, as you are a worthy adversary. As cruel and devious as any Kharlath I¡¯ve known.¡±


    Jack couldn¡¯t tell how much of the Kharlath¡¯s words were sincere and how much were simply intended to rile up Barrett, but what was certain was that they succeeded, with the Major visibly annoyed.


    ¡°I take no pleasure in my actions. I am simply doing what I can to protect my kind and our allies,¡± Barrett retorted, trying to rein in his frustration. ¡°You were the ones who started this war. You decided to become our enemies.¡±


    For the first time, Jack could see emotions on the Kharlath¡¯s face and hear them in his tone of voice. It was not anger or mockery but seemingly sincere confusion: ¡°What do you mean, we started the war? We did not start war any more than we started gravity. It is simply the natural order of things.¡±


    ¡°The Iridonians welcomed you into their home as friends!¡± Barrett yelled, now visibly angered. ¡°And you butchered them in their beds and bombarded them from orbit!¡±


    ¡°A craven ruse. Are we to blame for seeing through it?¡±


    ¡°There was no ruse, no stratagem!¡± the Major continued, growing even angrier. ¡°The Iridonians were a peaceful race; they didn¡¯t even have weapons. You were in no danger!¡±


    ¡°Tell me, warlord, is it true that the Humans are all of one clan, that you all speak the same language?¡± The Kharlath suddenly changed the subject.


    ¡°Yes, I suppose,¡± Barrett replied, somewhat taken off guard.


    ¡°And was it always this way?¡± the Kharlath continued.


    ¡°No. Once upon a time, it was a language only spoken on a small island. The island I happen to be from, as a matter of fact. What exactly is your point?¡±


    ¡°My point is that, if you have your way, the whole galaxy will be speaking your language. Centuries ago, there were hundreds of clans on our homeworld, each with their own languages and cultures. By the time we left, there were only five. By now, I¡¯d expect that there¡¯s only Clan Jihara. And this conquest, it wasn¡¯t carried out with violence and bloodshed alone. No, most clans joined together willingly, yet they died out all the same. Conquest is conquest. Whether by steel or by guile, there will always be those who survive and those who fade away. And we have no intention of fading away!¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s it, then?¡± The fire reawakened in Barrett¡¯s voice. ¡°Kill or be killed, that¡¯s all you see of the world? You wiped out an entire civilization! Billions of people gone, and you think it was justified?¡±


    ¡°And what exactly bothers you? That an entire civilization was wiped out, or that it was the wrong one?¡± The Kharlath wrestled against his restraints as his voice rose to a terrible growl, overpowering any other sound in the room. ¡°Do you expect me to say that what we did to the Iridonians was evil, and monstrous, and barbaric? It was! And it was also the right choice! It was the only choice! We left our world with nothing, and now everyone trembles at the very whispers of our name! We came as beggars, and we will remain as kings, and for that, any price is worth paying!¡±


    Barrett jumped over the table, smacking the Kharlath in the face. The restraints groaned as the Kharlath pulled at them with all his might, and the chair scraped against the floor, but the Major did not budge. Inches away, the two warriors stared each other down, unblinking, for a few seconds, as everyone else in the room reeled back. Barrett finally broke the silence, speaking in a surprisingly calm tone:


    ¡°I will not sit here and listen to you justify genocide. There is nothing you can say that will make what happened right. I just want you to know that this is a path you chose to go down. There was another way. What is going to happen to your people, your children, even your homeworld in time¡ªthat is something you chose for yourselves. I have no blood on my hands!¡±


    The Kharlath let out another high-pitched howl, his tone shifting to bemusement, dripping with venom. ¡°Are you telling that to me, or to yourself? You lecture me on genocide while you hold the lives of our mother and children over our heads! If only you saw your reflection, you would try to kill it, as you would not recognize the monster before you!¡±


    ¡°Enough! This is pointless,¡± Barrett yelled out as he began to walk away. ¡°You will be returned to your people in the morning, to do with you as they please. I suggest you begin praying to whatever gods you might have.¡±


    ¡°If there are any gods who listen to men like ourselves, warlord,¡± the Kharlath spoke in a soft, measured voice, ¡°I don¡¯t believe they¡¯re the kind of gods you want hearing your prayers.¡±


    As Barrett stormed out of the room, Jack followed him, with Eve and Dr. Liu, both stunned from the exchange, trailing behind.


    ¡°Now you see what you needed to see!¡± Barrett turned to Jack without slowing down. ¡°There is no negotiation, no compromise! These are rabid animals, and we need to put them down!¡±


    ¡°He is not wrong, you know. About you. If he¡¯s a rabid animal, then so are you!¡± Jack yelled out, bracing himself for the Major¡¯s reply.


    ¡°You are right, of course.¡± Barrett suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, turning to face the stunned Jack. ¡°I am no better than them. I don¡¯t get that luxury. Evil men win wars so good men can sleep soundly in their beds. That is the fundamental truth of all civilization!¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Jack asked, dreading the reply.


    ¡°You know where I¡¯m going. You know exactly what needs to be done. It¡¯s time to grow up, Nereus.¡±


    Jack had known this moment was inevitable for weeks. Yet, somewhere in the back of his mind, there was a lingering fragment of hope. Hope that it wouldn¡¯t come to that, that it could be avoided somehow. But it was always going to be this way. Barrett was about to wipe out an entire Kharlath clan, and Jack had to make his choice. Was he going to stand aside and let him do it? Or was he going to start a mutiny?

 Chapter 21-Mutiny

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you do this!¡± Mr. Okoro stood in Major Barrett¡¯s way, surrounded on all sides by tense-looking Tactical Ops commandos.


    ¡°Fine, then shoot me!¡± Barrett replied dismissively, handing him his gun.


    The agent took the weapon, staring at it for a second as he weighed it in his palm. Slowly and reluctantly, he began raising it toward Barrett, his hand trembling softly, his face grimacing with uncertainty.


    ¡°Well?¡± Barrett goaded him, unimpressed. ¡°You always take the shot. I¡¯ve never known you to hesitate when you know you¡¯re right. Are you?¡±


    Okoro lowered the weapon, his arm now hanging limp by his side, and stepped out of Barrett¡¯s way. Trembling with anticipation, Jack followed Barrett and his commandos wordlessly into a tiny room, with Eve right behind him, giving him an encouraging look.


    The walls were lined with canisters covered in warning labels, all joined by a tube that disappeared into the wall. A narrow, semi-opaque window running the length of the room revealed that they were sitting above the main hangar on Deck 20. Within moments, Jack realized what Barrett¡¯s plan was: he intended to flood the hangar below with whatever was inside those canisters, killing every living thing there.


    ¡°Start pumping in the dramine!¡± Barrett barked at one of his commandos, who began turning a nozzle connected to the barrels.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Jack yelled, unsure of what he was going to do next.


    ¡°Stop, or what?¡± Barrett laughed as he turned to face him. ¡°That¡¯s your play? That¡¯s it?¡±


    Suddenly, one of the commandos next to Eve yelled out in pain and fell to his knees. Before anyone could react, Eve had his sidearm in her hands, finger on the trigger, pointed at Barrett. Every eye in the room was on her, and so were most of the guns, but no one dared to move or speak. Jack noticed a screwdriver sticking out of the kneeling commando¡¯s thigh and realized what had happened, though he had no clue what Eve was planning.


    ¡°What¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up, shithead!¡± Eve interrupted Barrett, loudly, still aiming the gun at his face. ¡°Tell your man to turn off that nozzle, right now!¡±


    Letting out an exasperated sigh, Barrett gestured to the commando to do as she instructed.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your plan here, exactly?¡± the Major chastised her, still calm and collected. ¡°If you shoot inside this room, chances are, you¡¯ll hit one of the pressurized canisters and blow us all up. You aren¡¯t going to actually kill me¡ªyou or one of your friends would have already done it if you had the guts. So, what, we just wait?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what we¡¯re going to do,¡± Eve replied, unmoved.


    ¡°Until when?¡± Barrett inquired, barely stifling his laughter.


    ¡°Until the processing centers are fully restored, and either the ship kills all of us or we can jump to the nearest Commonwealth base.¡±


    ¡°I can simply not give the order to jump,¡± Barrett laughed dismissively.


    ¡°You can simply order your man to release the nozzle again and see what happens,¡± Eve shot back, also laughing.


    ¡°Are you expecting me to believe that you¡¯re going to blow us all up? Over one goddamn alien and some eggs?¡± Barrett¡¯s tone suddenly turned serious as he began walking toward her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve read Okoro¡¯s reports. You¡¯ve read my file! Would I? Are you willing to take that chance?¡± Eve growled, refusing to step back.


    ¡°I suppose not,¡± Barrett conceded, after some reflection, and everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Order all your men out of the room. The three of us are just going to stay put for a while.¡± Eve sounded as authoritative and in charge as anyone Jack had ever seen. It was like she had done this a million times.


    Barrett¡¯s commandos exited the room quietly as the three of them slowly sat down on the ground, each choosing a different corner. Eve let her gun down as soon as the door closed but kept it firmly in hand. For a few moments, all was silent. Jack took the opportunity to sneak a glance through the window into the hangar below.


    The eggs, resembling dark, porous rocks, littered the room in clusters of a few dozen, each group held together by a semi-solid sludge that seemed to breathe and bubble. This sludge was connected by a chaotic web of tubes, all feeding into a central figure looming in the middle of the room: the Clan-mother. She was a truly monstrous sight, barely recognizable as Kharlath. Hunched and seemingly in a vegetative state, she was enormous¡ªclose to twelve meters tall, by Jack¡¯s estimate. Most strikingly, her face bore an uncanny resemblance to Twice-Born-Demon, with the same piercing purple eyes and the smooth plates on her forehead. Was this some family resemblance, or something else entirely? Jack found himself even more intrigued by the mysterious warrior.


    ¡°So, what do you think they¡¯ll do with them, once we¡¯re back in Commonwealth territory?¡± Barrett finally spoke, noticing Jack¡¯s fascination with the hangar below.


    ¡°That¡¯s not really our concern,¡± Eve replied dismissively.


    ¡°Oh, come on!¡± the Major protested with exaggerated outrage. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you went through all this trouble, threw away your careers¡ªprobably your lives as well¡ªand you don¡¯t even care about what¡¯s going to happen? Once it¡¯s out of your hands, that¡¯s it?¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Well, what about you?¡± Jack countered. ¡°What are you going to do if they decide to simply return them to the Kharlath fleet?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely nothing. Because they won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°So, you hijacked the ship and stranded us here for months, for no reason?¡± Jack continued, puzzled.


    ¡°You still don¡¯t understand, do you?¡± Barrett¡¯s voice took on a chilling clarity. ¡°Killing the Clan-mother and destroying the eggs was the only logical choice. It¡¯s the same decision our leadership would have arrived at eventually. But it would have torn them apart. Ended political careers. Created public unrest, once the truth inevitably leaked. A rogue operative taking matters into his own hands? That¡¯s cleaner. It¡¯s the reason people like me are allowed to exist in the first place. Why we¡¯re trained to know exactly how to obey orders¡ªand exactly how and when to disobey them, as well.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Eve snapped, barely glancing in Barrett¡¯s direction. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with the whole ¡®greater good¡¯ routine. We can see right through it. You¡¯re doing this to satisfy your own thirst for blood¡ªnothing more, nothing less.¡±


    ¡°Believe what you will,¡± the Major replied smugly. ¡°I know it¡¯s easier for you, for your peace of mind, to make me the villain rather than entertain the possibility that I¡¯m right. But it doesn¡¯t matter at this point.¡±


    ¡°So, what now?¡± Jack asked, the question directed at no one in particular.


    ¡°What now, indeed,¡± Barrett echoed, his tone half-hearted.


    As if on cue, Jack¡¯s wristpad buzzed. A message from Mr. Okoro appeared, requesting to be let into the room. Jack hesitated, wondering if he should keep the message to himself. He didn¡¯t fully trust the spy, even after everything they¡¯d been through but deep down, he knew Mr. Okoro was likely the only person on the ship capable of resolving the situation. After a moment¡¯s deliberation, he sighed and made his decision.


    ¡°Tell your men to let him in,¡± Eve growled, scowling at Barrett. Her gun remained lowered, though her finger hovered just above the trigger.


    With a nod, Barrett shouted the order. Moments later, the door hissed open, revealing Mr. Okoro. For once, the usually composed operative looked visibly rattled. His shirt was rumpled, his face unshaven, and he held a stack of crumpled papers tightly to his chest, as though they were the most precious thing in the world.


    ¡°So?¡± Barrett turned sharply to Mr. Okoro, who barely glanced in his direction.


    ¡°Paragraph 37, subsection C of the UECIF Code of Conduct,¡± Okoro recited from his wristpad, his voice imbued with a mock gravitas usually reserved for grand inspirational speeches. ¡°An officer, once placed in temporary command of a mission via unforeseen changes to the chain of command, may be relieved of duty, while not under fire or in imminent danger, by the unanimous vote of the next three highest-ranking officers. In the absence of such officers, one or more of the votes may be substituted with those of the senior-most enlisted personnel.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your solution?¡± Barrett growled, his voice dripping with contempt. ¡°Legitimize the mutiny?¡±


    ¡°Lieutenant Ballinger is incapacitated, as is Sergeant Mendel,¡± Okoro continued calmly. ¡°Doctor Singh is currently operating on Mendel and is also out of reach. That accounts for both of the Interstellar Fleet officers left on the ship, as well as the enlisted crewmember with the most seniority.¡± His tone grew steadier and more assured with each word. ¡°However, I have here two reports, signed by you, Major Barrett, two weeks ago, attesting to the field promotions of Senior Specialist Tier 3 Evelyn Nakayama and Senior Specialist Tier 2 Jack Nereus. Along with Corporal ¨¡whina, they are now officially the senior-most active Interstellar Fleet personnel aboard this vessel.¡±


    Barrett¡¯s face twisted into fury. ¡°I authorized no such promotions! That is not my signature on those reports!¡±


    Without a word, and with a faintly smug smile, Okoro pressed a button on his wristpad. An audio recording began to play, unmistakably Barrett¡¯s voice, though noticeably slurred: ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit! Do whatever you want. Forge my signature if you have to¡ªjust stop bothering me with goddamn paperwork!¡±


    Jack blinked in disbelief, turning to Okoro. ¡°Will it work? Will it hold up, I mean, legally, once we¡¯re back on Earth?¡±


    ¡°The admiralty will be on your side, Jack,¡± Okoro replied, his composure unshakable. ¡°They¡¯ll know stopping Barrett was the right call. All they need is the flimsiest legal justification to let you off the hook, and this will be more than enough.¡±


    Jack exhaled, a mix of relief and apprehension washing over him. ¡°So then,¡± he asked, his voice trembling, ¡°what happens now?¡±


    ¡°Major Barrett will be formally stripped of his duties and placed under arrest. Then you, Ms. Nakayama, and Corporal ¨¡whina will hold a vote to decide which of you takes command until we return home.¡± Okoro paused deliberately, his eyes locking onto Jack¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s going to be you, Jack. It has to be you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, it has to be me?¡± Jack asked, stunned. ¡°Is this because of the Othiri? Because of what they said?¡±


    Okoro tilted his head slightly, with an unreadable expression. ¡°The Othiri have their reasons for everything they say or do. Whether they foresaw this eventuality or manipulated events to make it happen, it¡¯s clear this is what they want¡ªor what they think is best. Ignoring them would be unwise.¡±


    Eve cut in, with a hint of skepticism. ¡°Are you saying the Othiri are... psychic? That they can see the future?¡±


    Barrett let out an audible scoff from his corner of the room.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Okoro replied smoothly, his tone almost amused. ¡°They¡¯d like us to believe that, but as far as we can tell, genuine precognition is impossible. What they are is extraordinarily adept at predicting outcomes based on available information.¡±


    ¡°Very good at making their predictions happen, you mean?¡± Barrett growled, his voice dripping with contempt. ¡°You realize they orchestrated this entire situation, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°And were they wrong, Barrett?¡± Okoro shot back, unwavering. ¡°This outcome was inevitable. All they did was make it less messy.¡±


    As soon as they finished speaking, the agent set in motion the takeover of the ship. Barrett¡¯s men were stripped of their weapons and combat armor, then confined to their quarters and a few common areas of the ship. The Major himself was locked up, surprisingly with very little resistance. Mere hours later, most of the ship¡¯s personnel gathered to witness Jack being sworn in as their new temporary leader. He was the ship¡¯s captain! Acting captain, sure, and likely only for the next 24 hours or so, but nevertheless, it was going to look good on his r¨¦sum¨¦.


    The strange part was that he didn¡¯t feel much different. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because the change was too big for him to process or because it wasn¡¯t much of a change at all. He¡¯d felt as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders ever since the Othiri had first spoken to him¡ªsince he was tasked with the responsibility of handling Barrett. And even before that moment, so many things had happened that he couldn¡¯t fully process them. Jack simply wasn¡¯t used to life moving this fast. As he retreated to the same old dingy chamber that was now technically the captain¡¯s quarters, he didn¡¯t even dare to breathe a sigh of relief.


    Moments later, his fear was justified. Barely after he¡¯d taken off his boots, his wristpad buzzed, delivering a succinct message from Dr. Liu: ¡°We have a situation. Come to the med bay.¡± There was no rest for the Mothership¡¯s new captain.