We Need a Deathworlder!

Now bundled in their brand new cozy orange blanket, Essjay watches on as their parents wander the market. The small Watath’s vocal capabilities have yet to physically develop enough to attempt speaking the words the adults exchange. Though they were picking up on quite a bit of the word meanings.

So when the mention of food eventually comes up, Essjay squirms eagerly and lightly brushes their head against Chak’s to communicate in the affirmative.

The Cali giggles.

“Oh! I believe Essjay likes that idea.” she notifies.

Simone, now holding a large bag in one of her hands smirks tiredly.

“Awesome. Uhm… it might be more expensive but maybe we can go in somewhere? I’m hanker’n to sit down.” she admits as she passes the bag to her other hand.

“On it!” Chak chirps cherrily as she opens her Lens to look up options.

Nodding in appreciation, Simone reaches down towards the Cali’s hood to scritch its bundled up passenger. Who then playfully dodges and buries themself back into the orange wrapping.

“Having fun there hun?” the redhead chuckles as she sees one of Essjay’s eyes peek out, “You lil’ fuck’n dork…”

“Found a place and have reserved us a spot! Don’t worry I made certain it was a Terran-accessible place.” Chak reports dutifully.

Simone wraps her arm around the goat-bug, using the crook in her arm as a scooping support for her stuffed hood.

“Lead the way Bo peep!”

-

“Nodrin! Take a look at the goods here!” Meeki says to her bondmate, her face nearly flush with the clear casing of the products.

The other Gratt quickly comes up next to Meeki to gander at whatever has caught her attention. Within are labeled pouches and metal containers, before each are minor samples of ingredients and substances for a wide array of uses.

Perking in interest, Nodrin walks down the casing inspecting everything for sale.

“See anything you like?” A significantly elderly female Noxii inquires. She sits on a hovering seat, mittens working away at some sort of puzzle object. Although the Gratt’s reference of an older Noxii was Vin, this individual in particular has seen many many more years. Her earflaps curled and sagged while her forehead’s bulbous feature has lost structure causing it to droop down on her face, nearly covering her beady black eyes.

“Much is interesting!” Nodrin affirmed, “I am spiritual shaman, practice medicine. You recommendation?”

The senior woman’s ear flaps flap with surprising vigor.

“Ohhhh do I! Heheeh! I’m known to go on a few spiritual journeys myself!” she informs as she hovers her seat to a container behind her.

Nodrin watches on as she cracks open a well-loved case and pulls out a small wrapped item.

“This is an old Terran recipe that I picked up from a trader a few decades back! Me and the lads share them before we watch the intergalactic games. Though I like to kick it up a notch with my own additions, but that’s just between us!” the Noxii deviously says as she gingerly unwraps the strange parchment to reveal a crumbly dark brown brick.

Nodrin leans in to look it over but is careful to not touch it.

“It…. is… to eat?” they ask, still not quite sure what it is.

“Yes sir! Though I wouldn’t recommend eating more than five servings in one sitting. They will take you places…” the woman clarifies.

“I see…” Nodrin mumbles rather intrigued, “What is effect?”

“Ohhh… that’s what you’ll have to experience for yourself!” the woman says coyly.

The Gratt looks to her and back down at the now ominous brown brick, calculating the risk versus their own immense curiosity.

“How much?” they ask.

The Noxii cackles knowingly before staching her mitton at her chin.

“Sample is twenty five credits. But if you would like the recipe for yourself then perhaps we can make a different sort of trade… You say you're a shaman, yes? Perhaps if you trade something I have yet to see in all my years in the business, both can be yours.” she proposes.

Nodrin thinks on it for a moment, though begins to believe that it may not be the best idea. But then they feel Meeki placing her head on their shoulder from behind.

“Go for it dearest, I shall keep vigilant over you no matter what.” she reassures her bondmate.

“Are you certain, love? We are in a strange place, who knows what could happen?” Nodrin replies.

“Yes! This is a time for fun and merriment and I will ensure you remain to have a wonderful time! But cherished, in turn you let me buy another knife for my collection” Meeki responds before snickering in a chitter.

Nodrin blinks, knowing that they should have expected as much.

“Very well…” they concede to Meeki’s appreciating embrace from behind. Wriggling around her arms, Nodrin opens up their satchel and starts to go through all their own stock.

It takes a bit while they do their best to reference what Dave has had prescribed in the past to come up with something unique.

Settling on something, Nodrin pulls out a tightly wrapped cloth and sets it down next to the brown brick. Unraveling the twine around it, they unroll it to reveal what seems to be strips of curling tree bark.

“Ohhh… is this Terran cinnamon?” The woman inquires as she pulls out a zooming eye lens to inspect.

“No. Is from Gratt homeworld. We call ‘Csithrhi’ or ‘Spirit sight’ in G.S. Grind into powder, burn for smoke, inhale. Granted visions of spirits, most good.” Nodrin explains.

“Hmmm… I do already have quite the variety of hallucinogens… Anything else you can offer?” the Noxii requests.

Nodding, the Gratt re-wrapped the bark and sorted through their pack once more. Sleeping sap, calming leaves, invincible oil, sensitive roots, race fungus, dried mating fruit… there!

“This is drift shell. Good for meditation. Silence mind, opens self enlightenment.” Nodrin finally offers, “Also good water creature seasoning if toasted. Make sour-sweet. Toasted much reduce effect.” the Gratt places a bag down and opens it up to at first reveal glistening pearl-colored sand. But upon a closer inspection, each ‘grain’ is in truth a spiraling micro shell.

Having far more interest in this item, the Noxii considers the proposition.

“I have to admit I’m intrigued… is it a sort of depressant? Like Terran ethanol?” she inquires.

“No. Not make dizzy. Like… uhm… good for attention. Concentration. By remove extra mind noise. Make sense?” Nodrin attempts to clarify.

“I suppose… Well, consider me interested enough! I’ll trade the sample and recipe for this… drift shell. Agreed?” the woman offers.

“Yes! Much agree!” Nodrin nods, already picking up the sample and inspecting it between their claws.

“This is why I love this business! Heheeh! Here you go, here’s a datapad with the original recipe and my own spin on it. Have fun!” The Noxii says ash she slides over said pad and picks up the bag to place it in a rear container.

“Much thanks!” the Gratt accepts, quickly shoving the pad into their satchel and walking away with Meeki by their side.

“Come on dearest! Eat it!” Meeki encourages as she weaves her tail with theirs.

“Yes, yes… but perhaps I should wait… it may be wise to check the recipe first.” Nodrin points out.

“No! Let it be a surprise! An adventure! Like how you would test other things we’ve come across in our travels! We even have the benefit of having medical care nearby this time!” Meeki persists, now hopping lightly on her feet.

Nodrin gives her a long blank stare as if to reprimand her for pressuring them. However with that expression unchanged, they life the brown cube up and into their maw.

Their expression breaks upon sudden pleasant realization.

“Oh! Dearest! It’s Terran chocolate!” they update while chewing the sweetly delicious food, “But soft and like sweet bread! Or Seven’s muffins!”

Now completely jealous of their bondmate Meeki pouts.

“I hope Seven can make more then…” she grumbles more towards herself, but remembering her promise she tightens her tail’s weave, “How do you feel, love?”

“Nothing notable at the moment… I will assume it will take time to take effect. Or I was scammed… But even so I still received a treat!” Nodrin responds with an upbeat tone, “Now my part of our agreement. Let’s find a blade vendor.”

Meeki chitters in absolute glee, hugging Nodrin tightly.

“I cherish you more than anything dearest!” she practically squeaks before taking their hand and hurrying along to one vendor in particular that caught her eyes earlier.

By the time they reach it, Nodrin feels immense regret.

“Well well… can’t say I’ve seen your kind in these parts before! Welcome!” A gruff slightly wooly Noxii introduces as Meeki dashes from side to side at the extensive bladed tools.

“Yes, greetings! Much like blades! Like collect, pretty designs!” the female Gratt responds as she halts to eye the vendor excitedly.

“Ah… so are you looking for just looks over practicality? I’m afraid I don’t offer much in the line of gimmicky wall hangers.” he cautions.

“No! Practical is pretty! Love craftsmanship!” Meeki assures, “I like art carving, utility and defense! You have any do all three good!?”

The Noxii places a mission on top of his head in thought.

“Hmm… Well normally I’d recommend an entire set of metallic blades that can cater to those things… but if you don’t mind shedding a bit more credits I do have this model of liquid crystal.” the vendor grabs a bladeless handle from a display and holds it in a showcasing fashion to the Gratt, “Right here you can modify the blade shape that you desire. The length and thickness can also be modified. It’d say the max it can go length is around a standard foot. Very utilitarian, but it’s going to require a bit of getting used to.”

Meeki’s fascination spikes as she looks closer at the magical item within the Noxii’s mitton. To her it might as well be a weapon of myth and legend!

“How much credits!?” she asks, already dead set on it.

“This will run you at fifteen hundred credits. Like I said, it’s costly but it’s worth it. But ro worries if it’s out of your budget, I still have a fine selection to choose from!”

Meeki struggles a bit to navigate her Lens to check their mutual available funds. Although they have plenty to spend, that chunk of money is still a significant bite out of it. Especially for one item.

“Nodrin… I would like your permission if that’s alright? I won’t purchase it if you think it’s too much.” she honestly states to her bondmate, who was blinking slowly as if a bit distracted by their own lids.

“It… uhmmm… it is a lot. But as you said love, this is a time for us. If you desire it this much, I’m perfectly alright with it.” they respond, still blinking oddly.

Meeki brushes her head against Nodrin’s sweetly.

“I don’t deserve a bondmate like you, my absolute cherished.” she cooes before focusing back on the vendor, “Yes, I’ll purchase!”

“Excellent! I’ll extend the credit transfer and get this in a traveling case for you!”

After Meeki receives her fascinatingly magical blade, she farewells the vendor and turns to walk away.

“Now let’s treat ourselves to some food dearest! I think I smell somethin-” she is stopped as her weaved tail goes taunt with her bondmates.

Looking back she notices Nodrin staring up at a flickering hardlight sign that has seen better days. Nodrin’s four pupils are dilated to near orbs, as if witnessing the spirits themselves providing every divine secret of the past within the advertising sign.

“Dearest?” Meeki says as she returns closer to her bondmate, “Love?” she pokes a claw into their cheek. Resulting in a line of drool escaping out of the corner of Nodrin’s mouth, “Uh oh…”

-

Simone sits back with a hand on her gut.

“Well… I almost got stuck in the door coming in here, but at least they know how to make good grub!” she says.

Chak looks to her initially concerned.

“Oh… uhm… Simone, you're speaking in that language again…” she gently notifies.

Caught bit off guard at first Simone sighs and taps her forehead as if kickstarting an old piece of machinery.

“What is it with food that gets me doing that…?” she grumbled, “Ah… I’m talking normally again right?”

“Yes! Maybe it is closely linked to the… other fragments in your mind?” Chak replies before checking up on Essjay, who was still working on their shreds of marinated shellfish meat.

The child seems to at least have eating by themselves down, but was more than willing to allow Simone to feed them with a utensil for some cute memory pictures.

Though they still made a bit of a mess, so both parents have taken turns cleaning up both the Watath’s face and surrounding area.

“That… actually makes sense. When I was under I saw that the lady in my head got it on with her personal cook… so… that also explains the sex causing it too…” Simone figures, though making sure to mumble the end bit.

“Oh… I see. Then it’s safe to say that may be what triggers it?” Chak says.

“Things that link to strong memories? Yeah, but that would mean it could be anything that I’m not yet aware of.” Simone points out with a shrug.

“Well, do you recall having any other visions that may give hints?” Chak asks.

“Uhhh… I’m not sure… other than needing to find the station she died in. She’s… really adamant about that.”

“Is she… present at all?”

“No. I don’t think so. It’s like… background memories, feelings and… I guess a bit of instinct stuff? I ‘talked’ to a part of her, but that was while under the effects of drugs so I wouldn’t really call that reliable.” the redhead reveals.

“Oh? What did she say?” Cak inquires, leaning forward onto the table.

“She… she said that she still had duties to finish… like she couldn't finish what she wanted to do. She succeeded partially, I mean, she’s encoded into my brain after all. Thanks mom… but… yeah there’s something she left unfinished. I’m guessing more data to send, which means something potentially very useful to us.” Simone explains.

“I see… and you don’t think… you know, she’s influencing you to do it? I mean, in a forceful way?” Chak says, clearly bothered.

“Don’t think so… but I guess I wouldn't really know.” Simone admits.

Chak’s upper limbs cros together as her lowers reach out to press against the Terran’s paws.

“I’m going to the end of this with you, Simone. But I must be honest… I’m scared of losing you. Scared of watching your mind fall apart right in front of me while I can’t help. What if this a plan of hers to… bring herself back?” Chak confesses.

Simone doesn’t respond right away, instead she thinks of the best way to respond without sounding like a total ass. Carefully taking hold of the Cali’s appendages she sighs, deciding to just let the words happen.

“Chak, remember what I said while you were laying yourself out to me in the spa? The best case scenario at the end of everything we are against… is you watch me slowly age and wither. My mind and body is probably gonna fall apart just like that anyway.” she says, feeling like an asshole.

But Chak isn’t phased. Instead she returns the grip.

“I know… but then we would have shared as much time as possible together. We would have made many, many more cherished memories together. A long happy life is all I want for you, for us. I may not be ready when the time comes, but I would have no regrets. This? This threatens to take you away from us now. I need you here with me, because I don’t think I can do this without you. I need you in order to have our happiest ending. That’s why I’m scared…” she replies, eyes flicking in a low glow.

Simone shakes her head with an endearing smile.

“Then I promise I’ll be extra careful, no running off on my own without you there. And I suppose I can getcha that fairytale ending… I’ll pull some real Terran-grade bullshit outta my ass to make it happen if I have to.” she assures with a smirking wink.

“I’ll hold you to that…” Chak responds softly in a giggle.

-

After several more hours pass by, the Kwip-chap crew reconvene at an agreed intersection, though there is a period of time that passes where the Gratt have yet to show.

“What the hell is that?” Simone chuckled as the Captain showed up with a long silken flowing cape of gold.

“An upgrade in presentation! Bwhaha!” the jolly Tromple replies as his grasper lifts up a side to expose a completely animated triangular prism pattern underneath, “Always wanted one as a spawnling and I’m not getting any younger! Ha-ha!”

Simone shrugs, unable to argue with that before looking at Vin and Seven.

“What about you two? Splurge on anything?” she asks, eyeing the bags in Seven’s grasp.

“Nothing special for me, but I thought this to be a perfect opportunity to purchase better cooking equipment for Seven. Equipment that feels better with his new graspers and such.” Vin answers before patting the bot’s side.

“Indeed. I am rather-er excited to try these out!” Seven adds.

“And what about you two? I see the little one has a new blanket!” Chucknuq says.

“Oh yes! We acquired the three of us cozy media-night blankets!” Chak chirps.

After a while longer waiting, an audible crash is heard down the way.

“Much apologies!” Meeki’s voice rings out right before she drags her bondmate around the corner.

Nodirn is laying on the ground lazily grabbing at everything within reach, madly cackling as if witnessing the most hilarious wonders of the universe.

Dragging them with both her arms and weaved tail, Meeki’s already wild hair looks even more frazzled than usual. Seeming to have been pulling her bondmate around for quite the while now her four eyes light up in tremendous relief to set them upon the rest of the crew.

“Look dearest! It’s our friends! Come on, let’s go to them! Come on!” she guides tiredly.

Feeling a tremendous conflicting feelings of amusement and concern, Simone patches in her Comm to Thorn.

“Hey… thought you said you guys were gonna keep watch…” she says.

“We have! It’s been the most fuck’n hilarious thing we’ve ever seen!” the chuckling old man responds, “Don’t worry we’re paying for the minor damages they caused. And we’re settin’ something up too, bring your gaggle back to the ship.”

Unsure how to feel about that Simone decides to let it go, though not before rolling her eyes.

She then starts moving towards the Gratt couple to lend them aid in their time of need.

“Got into a bit of fun?” she muses.

Meeki stops and lowers herself to then lift Nodrin into a semi standing position.

“My fault… Told Nodrin to trade. They eat chocolate brown thing. Thing with drugs-” she explains before Nodrin gets a hold of her face, pulling and pushing her features.

“Cherished… you are akin to the watery veil between life and the echoes beyond…what secrets have you kept from me?” Nodirn sloppily chitters in awe.

“Chocolate brown things? You mean brownies? They ate stoner brownies?” Simone chuckled, watching Meeki attempt to squirm her face free. Unable to properly answer, she digs her hand into her bondmate’s satchel and tosses out the recipe pad for Simone to catch.

Snapping it out of the air without problem, Simone activates it and begins to read it.

“Oh damn… these are old lady stoner brownies… you poor fuck’n soul…” the Terran says, barely restraining a laugh.

“What do!?” Meeki says in a muffle.

“Ride it out and sleep it off.” Simone answers bluntly.

“Afraid you say that…” With a tug she finally gets her face free, “My consequence. At least I buy thing before drug chocolate work.”

“Oh yeah? What’d you get?”

“A KNIFE!” Nodrin proclaims before holding up a handle that explodes out a golden crystal blade.

“Cherished NO!” Meeki scolds in panic as she tackles her high lover to the ground and starts wrestling for her blade back. Thankfully she swiftly reclaims it without anyone or Nodrin getting hurt, though Nodrin’s focus is now locked straight upward. Completely enraptured by the lights and shadows that dance in the complex crevices above.

“That’s the answer…. I see it now… motions that lace and layer in every direction… Only existing by the absence or presence of the influences set upon them… We are nothing more than the imprint, the casted result of the unknowable domains that we will never understand… always out of reach… Never meant for the flesh or spirit to reside within…” the Gratt preaches aloud.

“Ooookay, let’s get ‘em back to the ship before they start seeing cthulhu. And for the love of the stars, don’t show them what’s under the Cap’s cape…”

-

Carrying the Gratt on her back, Simone is first to step up and in the mostly repaired Kwip-chap. Though they were informed that the repairs are near completion, there are final system checks that need to be completed before the ship is allowed to depart.

“Hello?” Simone calls out, knowing her Terran comrades should already be on board.

“‘Ello!” Thorn replies with a smirk as he stands at the upper railing.

“What’s with the face cowboy? Up to no good again?” the redhead says seeing Thorn clearly excited about something.

“Am I ever?” he points out.

“Do I wanna know?”

“Yuuup! We all pitched in behind your back and got you proper early wedding gifts!” he reveals.

Simone can’t help but scoff.

“Not that I’m unappreciative, but guys… you’ve done plenty.” she earnestly says.

“True, but after hearing about what you’re up against we held a lil’ group meet’n and-” with a flicker of his glowing cyan eye Thorn gives a wink.

Chak straightens up in surprise as she is sent something to her Lens. Opening it, she finds a fully written out direct service mercenary contract. The asking wage price being… nearly minimal.

The Cali looks to Simone in shock.

“Simone, he just sent me a contract. Specifically offering protective services for me and the entirety of the Kwip-chap crew…” she notifies.

“You… can’t be serious…” Simone utters as she keeps her eyes on Thorn.

“Dead serious. Now we’ll still be dwelling on our own ship, but you will have a permanent escort gunship keeping the riffraff of your asses. And with our particular connections, we can share them with not only y’all, but the Princess’s rebel brother. A lot more mercenary outfits willing to reach out for his lil’ growing fleet. Ah, and speaking of outfits-” The man turns to wave over others from behind him.

Wheeling up on push carts, Troy and Devin bring up two suits of modified power armor.

Simone’s old armor has a new orange and black paint job, but it is the brand new helmet that catches her attention first. If a cliche fantasy knight’s helmet could be useful in the vacuum of space… this would be it.

The Cali power armor on the other hand had a much minor paint alteration, with the gold still being pronounced. Though the upgraded plating and brand new dark gray muscular enhancing undersuit is very clear.

“Hope ya don’t mind!” Thorn presented, “Don’t worry, the lady’s other particular undersuit hasn’t been tossed.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, yet impressed, Chak starts to move up the stairs to get a closer look. Simone promptly following.

“Hey! Hold your horses, I ain’t done! Wish we had the budget for everyone, buuut.” Thorn waved back again.

“For fuck’s sake guys!” the redhead remarks.

Pushing a final cart, Brandy exposes two matching power suits with a distinct Gratt shape. Troy clearly had more freedom with these in the paint job department, because they are green and mean.

Green base, copper and white highlights, with stylistic gnashing open goblinoid mouths under the visors. It’s not until the crew gets closer that they can make out little angry eyebrows above the visors.

“For us!?!?” Meeki bellows in a low amazed tone, immediately scurrying up to see it face-to-face, twisting around is she then makes an ungodly sound like a horribly pained dying animal, “TAIL BLADES!!!”

Nodrin looks over Simone’s shoulder, staring at the power armor that’s theirs as well with wide unblinking eyes.

“I am become destruction… destroyer of stars…” they utter with a sincere profoundness.

“How the actual hell did you even pull this off so fast?” Simone demands, still mentally catching up.

“Know a guy, called ahead.” Thorn answers, “So, we got the contract or what?” he adds, looking to Chak.

The Cali in turn looks to Simone.

“I cannot fathom a reason to say no, but I’d like your opinion Simone.” she says.

Biting at her cheek, Simone shrugs.

“This… is going to be more dangerous and consequential than any job you’ve ever done… Are you all sure?” she says while scanning over all the other Terrans.

“Hell yeah!” Troy immediately says with a fast thumbs up.

“It’s not too different than my first calling. And I’m getting that very same feeling about it.” Brandy assures.

Devin remains silent.

“Devin? You really don’t have to if it’s not something you don’t want to get dragged into.” Simone makes clear.

The man’s gaze drops to the floor before he shrugs.

“I don’t want another Jamie to happen. I’ve been seriously thinking of dropping out before it does. But this is important. Maybe more important than anything that anyone has ever done in this universe. I have to be here. Someone has to repair the shit that breaks.” he says, ending with a slight acknowledging smile.

Simone gives the group of idiots a hesitant, but eternally grateful look before giving Chak a nod.

“Then it will be an absolute pleasure to have you under our service. Thank you all.” the Cali says as she signs off on the contract.

-

The standard day after the Kwip-chap is allowed to depart, now accompanied by the Terran merc vessel ‘Bust’s Blunder’, it receives a vital message.

“We believe to have found the location of the Manarian structure. It has found itself in the gravity well of an uncharted gas giant’s moon. Thankfully it hasn’t crashed down on the surface. As agreed we have not yet made our approach. Along with this message we are sending you coordinates and one of our personal star charts to follow. We will meet you there.”

“So, Chakalata’motaas. Shall we inform the Bust’s Blunder and make course?” Chucknuq inquires.

Chak gives a single nod before passing along the message to the rest of the crew. There’s a small part of her that wishes that the message never came, to not launch into another unknown with Simone at potential risk.

But truly this is all out of her hands. She can only support her Terran into this venture. To find whatever answers, or horrors await them.

-

Dropping out of FTL, first seeing the glorious view of a purple gas giant planet, the Kwip-chap is immediately connected via comm.

“Kwip-chap. Please confirm your identity and identify the vessel accompanying you.” A Terran’s voice comes through.

Chucknuq clears his throat and opens his side of the call.

“This Captain Chucknuq, sending you verification. We recently had a significant repair and have acquired an escort vessel. They are trusted and have no claim on the find.” he responds.

“Acknowledged, beginning approach.”

Then out from the darkness and yet still unnoticed by any scanning hardware, a sleek smaller vessel closes the distance and turns within visible view.

“We are disengaging our stealth systems, follow us and we will guide you right to the wreckage. Please take note of gravitational forces in play.”

“Acknowledged. Lead the way.”

True to their word, the Seekers guide the two other ships towards a far off ice-coated moon. When within rage, a large mess of a satellite is picked up on sensors.

Both fully suited in their new armor, Simone and Chak walk up to the bridge.

“We’re here…” the Terran mutters, feeling both excitement and fear.

“This is Thera. Despite my people’s excitement we have yet to embark within the structure. However we have picked up micro levels of power still within the wreckage. Not enough to enable life support, but it’s promising. Nonetheless, we recommend that you have EVA capabilities.” a truba’s voice comes through.

“Understood. We are already prepared to depart. As agreed we will take what we hope to find, and leave the rest for you to claim.” Chak replies.

“Excellent. In good faith we will grant your team an hour after contact before we send ours.”

“That is appreciated. We haven’t forgotten our deal to ensure you obtain copies of any discovered data.” Chak says before looking up to Simone, “Ready?”

The Terran takes a moment to watch the moon, seeing a massive geyser fire out into space.

“You bet.”

“Best of luck!” Chucknuq salutes before the two begin their trip to the shuttle.

“Simone. Swing by and pick up Devin and me. With a glorified scrapyard like that, you’re gonna need us.” Thorn patches in.

“Affirm.” Simone replies, thankful that she didn’t have to ask.

Stepping on into their trusty shuttle, Chak and Simone depart out into open space and make a quick run to pick up two more Terrans. After the addition is picked up in their noticeably less impressive armored suits, the small vessel finally starts its trip towards the moon.

“Not every day we step into an ancient dialect station of some grand evil empire…” Thorn notes as the station comes into view.

“Welcome to my life for the past year or so…” Simone replies, “Keep that in mind if you ever find yourself saving a princess in some seedy bar.”

“Ha! Noted, though, that Manarian still would have been in that skull of yours regardless. I’d say it’s fate that you were to live an insane life.” the man points out.

“Hm… I guess so.”

The shuttle maneuvers itself up close to a harshly blown out section of the station. Then after everyone triple check’s their suit’s seals, the shuttle’s interior decompresses and doors silently slide open.

Equipped with basic thrusters, the four slowly float out and navigate through the shredded armor plating.

“Careful. We don’t want to get caught on anything.” Devin speaks up as they slip past jagged bits that get closer and closer together, “Single file.”

Taking the lead, Simone takes hold of a buffer wall segment and pulls herself the rest of the way through and into a hallway. A… scarily familiar hallway. It’s like a sense of dejavu, but throw in some liminal mind-fuckery.

The near-mirror finish of the decorative walls are now harshly fogged by thousands of years worth of micro scratches, and the pearl coloring burned from scarrs long past. The floor itself is warped and outside of her helmet’s powerful light is pitch eerie darkness. An… inviting darkness.

“Simone?” Chak says, noticing the redhead has all but frozen up.

Jumping a bit, Simone lifts a thumbs up.

“All good.” she assures.

“So, where are we going? An hour really aint all that long.” Thorn mentions as he and Devin file in.

“Right…” Simone says in thought.

‘Come on you Manarian bitch… I’m here… where do I-’ she thinks to anything in her brain. But thankfully something answers. A gut feeling, an urgency, a fiery panic from the depths of her soul screaming at her to move. To search, to find.

“This way…” the redhead updates, her voice nearly catching in her throat.

Floating down the hallway, she takes a turn and suddenly it’s like Simone Thatch has once spent many years here herself. It’s all familiar, like returning to a childhood home. But there isn’t any fond memories, just the rising blood pressure as something causes her heart to kick up in a blind panic.

She takes a right, a straight-away, then a left, and through a broken door. She can’t hear the others calling for her, as she starts to race ahead. She has to get there, she has to. It’s the only thing that matters, it’s-

Her state breaks, seeing the long corridor of stasis pods. She has been here in other’s memories, in a nightmare, and now in person.

She activates her magnetic grav boots and slowly walks forward.

Up against the far wall are two muffied husks. Two Terran- no… human bodies huddled together in a final eternal embrace. By every right they shouldn’t be here. They should have passed on with Earth’s soil beneath their feet. But here they are, entombed among the stars in a place inconceivably foreign to them. Between them on the wall is a faint marking, two differing bloodstained handprints overlapping the other. Marking that they were here, even though no one that they knew from their lives would ever see it.

“Simone!?” Chak’s voice breaks through the redhead’s mindfog.

“Here.” she responds, “Still here. Sorry… I know I promised I wouldn't do that… but… She’s panicking. Whatever is left of her is screaming at me right now.”

“It’s okay, I kept up with you. I’m here.” Simone can feel a slight pressure as Cali rests a grasper on her shoulder.

“Are those what I think they are?” Thorn speaks up.

Nodding Simone points to the male.

“This is Dov…” she moves her hand over the female, “ That’s Nee… We’re in the presence of the first of our kind to leave Earth. I think we ought to take them back.”

“Damn…” Devin mutters, audibly disturbed by the revelations and implications.

“We’ll get it done. But that’s not why we’re here, is it?” Thorn reminds.

Reaching out, Simone touches the side of Dov’s hollow frozen face. She knew this man, she lived his life for the briefest of time and felt every feeling of his as if it were his own. In her mind, he lives on. Neither of them have been forgotten, despite the incredible passage of time. Also it was him who technically killed her when experiencing the memories of Sharra. Funny how that works out.

“You did the best you could, Dov. Thank you, you glorious caveman bastard.” Simone farewells as she stands herself straight and looks to the left at a locked door.

“Need me to get us through?” Devin offers.

Simone shakes her head and looks right, where there’s a blank wall.

“I need you to get us through here. There’s a hidden door.” she notifies as she walks to it. Increasing her strength output she smashed a fist violently yet silently at an invisible seam. Digging her hand down into it, she gradually forced open a cover to another door. Once again, something deep within her starts to push her, telling her to get inside, nothing else matters.

But she holds it at bay this time, allowing Devin to pass by her and ignite a plasma cutting torch to it.

“The material is something else…” he grumbles to everyone behind him, “But it’s cutting.”

“What’s in there?” Chak asks up to Simone.

“I don’t know yet… but it’s more important than anything else here.” the Terran says with absolute certainty.

After some time, Devin’s torch goes out and he nods back at Simone.

“Your turn.” he grants.

After he gets fully clear, Simone increases her strength output once more and forcefully pushes the door inward, bending it enough to gain entry.

She hurries inside and feels her blood run cold.

There’s two reinforced pods in this small hidden room, one with a familiar faced Manarian husk, and the other…

Hot tears rolling down her face, Simone rushes to the other pod and instinctively press into a panel.

It lights up.

“The power held out… the power held out!” she shouts in raw emotion both overwhelmingly good and bad.

“For what? The pod?” Thorn says, “What’s in it!?”

Hyperventilating, Simone navigates the panel finding that at the current stored power, the stasis pod only had another fifty or so standard years left. Although that would feel like a lot of time, a screaming part within her can’t believe how close it was for the passenger to perish. She is so lucky… so beyond lucky…

“Red! What’s in it!?” Thorn repeats, seeing how manic the redhead is becoming.

“MY SON!” the woman practically screams before looking down into the pod's visible port, viewing a perfectly preserved Manarian toddler.