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“We have everything we need?” Alex asked the women assembled at the table in front of him.

“Yeah, hon. Just need to make a quick stop by the station before we head off. Need to pick up a few items that I ordered,” Korsa told him.

Alex smiled at the big woman, thinking how it was a bit odd, being called ‘hon’ by a woman much older than he was. To be fair, though, despite her age of seventy-six years old, she was considered a young woman among her people. Khontarans were one of the few long-lived species in the galaxy, the eldest among them just over seven hundred years old. He supposed that when you lived that long, there were some mindsets that just stuck.

He looked at the woman, who had recently become his lover and girlfriend, and smiled. Though Korsa often came across as aloof, clinical and sometimes even cold, beneath that tough as nails exterior, was a kind, loving and compassionate woman. Alex smirked at the thought of how aggressive and demanding she could be in bed. He also liked how she could flip between tomboy and girlie girl at a whim.

“What?” Korsa asked, when she noticed him staring.

“Nothing,” Alex replied as he took a quick look over at the villa, making sure that he missed nothing.

“Come on. I know something’s up. Spill,” Korsa demanded.

“The only thing that’s up right now is this,” Alex told her as he knocked her to her ass.

She yipped as she plopped down on the chair behind her, but was then silenced with Alex’s lips pressing to hers. Korsa moaned happily and kissed her boyfriend back, pulling him into her. Growling ferally, Alex broke away from Korsa, knowing that if he kept going, he’d be sporting a massive boner that would take a while to go away.

“You tease!” Korsa huffed as she fanned herself before standing up.

“Just letting you in on a preview of things to come later,” he told the big woman. Korsa smiled widely as she shouldered the last of her things before following Alex out of the villa.

“The journey to Prodosia is well over forty hours from here. One night with you, all to myself,” Korsa told him. “In my bed.”

“Something wrong with mine?” Alex queried.

“Yeah. It’s too small,” she told him, while fixing him with a look.

“I’ll have to remedy that when we get to another station. Preferably one that has mattresses sized for you,” Alex smiled.

“I appreciate that!” Korsa sighed as they ambled over to where the Darkstrider was parked. The pair walked up the ramp, as they were the last ones to make it aboard.

“Took you two long enough! The cleanup go as planned?” Natalya asked as she walked over to the pair.

“Yup! All evidence of who we are has been scrubbed away and we’ve left nothing behind,” Korsa informed Natalya.

“Good! Hate to leave anything behind for anyone who’s curious about who we are and what we’re up to,” the woman stated.

“Indeed! Speaking of which, Jaesa, you are certain that you recorded everything that was found in the caves the Ooantahl were guarding?” Alex questioned.

“Affirmative, sir! Though I didn’t have the time necessary to decode it all, as there are a lot of writings and murals to comb through,” the AI answered.

“How long would it take you to go through everything, code and catalog it, so we can read it whenever we like?” Kasumi wondered.

“I would require at least a standard galactic week to go through everything and another week to properly code and catalog everything that’s there,” Jaesa replied.

“There’s that much data in the caves?” Korsa asked, her eyes going wide at the length of time it would take the AI to do as she was asked.

“Easily that much! There were other areas that were below the caves the Ooantahl were guarding!” Jaesa informed the crew.

“Wait, there’s a bigger cave network down there?” Korsa asked.

“Did you try to go down there?” Alex queried, curious about the new network of caves.

“The Ooantahl warned going down there was certain death and discouraged me from going down,” Jaesa replied.

“Did they say exactly lay down there?” Kasumi wondered.

“No, but that what lay below was something that only a Star Strider could overcome. I sent in a recon drone to try getting some scans,” Jaesa told the crew.

“What did you find?” Natalya asked, both terrified and excited about what could lay in the dark below.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? What do you mean, nothing?” Alex questioned.

“The drone I sent in was cut off almost instantly. There was no transmission, no readings, there was nothing!” Jaesa stated, shaking her head in bewilderment.

“There’s obviously something down there, but it’s something that is cut off from the rest of the universe,” Alex surmised.

“Any idea what it could be?” Natalya wondered.

“It could be any number of things; a giant beast, some dark from of Aether, a defensive form of it. The possibilities are endless! But we won’t truly know until we go down there,” Korsa stated.

“The Ooantahl said that only Star Striders could go down there?” Alex questioned.

“They did. Corvaillen said that what is in there is a mystery, even to the Ooantahl. They were forbidden from going inside,” Korsa iterated.

“Sounds like we’re going to have to make a return trip to this place!” Alex replied.

“Damn it, mama! Why did you have to tell us these things?? Now I REALLY want to know what’s down there!” Natalya griped.

“I tried going in. Something held me back,” Korsa told them.

“Wait, you tried going inside this area?” Kasumi yipped.

“I did. Something invisible prevented me from even getting near the veil. It was as though a force field was in place to keep me out,” Korsa replied.

“Did Corvaillen say anything about it?” Alex wondered.

“He did. He said it will only allow me passage when I am ready,” Korsa told them.

“When you’re ready? Ready for what?” Natalya queried.

“I suppose we’ll know when we come back. Or when we’ve learned enough about the Aether and grown proficient in its use,” Korsa guessed.

“Sounds about right. Makes me wonder why the drone could go in, but you weren’t,” Alex mused.

“Corvaillen was able to answer that. He told me that living beings are not permitted. Machines can go in, but they don’t come back out,” Jaesa replied to Korsa.

“Wait, so, in theory, you would be able to go in?” Kasumi questioned.

“I believe so, but I wouldn’t be able to come back out,” Jaesa reminded them.

“Looks like we’ll have to try going down there when we get back,” Alex stated, moving along to the bridge.

“These Star Striders were a secretive lot,” Shazza humphed.

“If you had unlocked secrets of the galaxy and the power of the universe itself, isn’t that information you’d want to keep secret?” Korsa reminded her charge.

“I suppose I would. Just sucks that we won’t know anything about it until later,” Shazza griped.

“Life isn’t about the destination, Shazza. It’s about the journey you take to get there,” Alex told her as the lot of them climbed aboard the elevator. It took them to the first deck, and they got off, heading to where Inari and Priya were busy guiding the ship to be clear of Veldhern’s atmosphere.

“Oh, and I wanted to thank you for the additional storage towers you purchased, Commodore. It helps with storing all the data we have gleaned from the caves on Veldhern. There are zottabytes upon zottabytes to comb through!” Jaesa told Alex.

“You’re welcome, Jaesa. Remember, one of those towers is for you to store any backups you have for your systems,” Alex told the AI.

“Again, thank you, sir! I do hope that what we find will be of use to you and the ladies aboard,” she said to him.

“I’m sure it will. Be sure to also get a full and detailed analysis of how these drives are made and what materials are used in their construction. Though they may be considered inferior to what we have aboard the Perseus, there may be some pieces of tech or advancements that could make what we have better,” Alex stated.

“Will do, sir!” Jaesa replied, smiling at the big man. “I can already say with absolute certainty that said idea will yield some promising data!”

“You guys done yammering? Because we’ve just cleared Veldhern’s atmosphere and are coming in to dock,” Inari called out, informing the crew.

“How long before we’ve docked at the station?” Alex asked.

“Maybe ten minutes, sir. I’d suggest that you and everyone who’s going aboard get dressed and prepare to debark in that time frame,” Inari informed him.

“Copy that,” Alex said. “Well, ladies? You heard the captain.”

Almost instantly, the rest of the crew dispersed to their cabins to get changed. Though Alex didn’t mind the skimpy attire that some of them wore, he was certain that they wouldn’t be taken seriously. Especially if they were prancing around the station wearing thong or slingshot bikinis.

Alex had the foresight to get fully dressed, as he had some business on the station. Mostly for a few novelty items and some liquor he’d grown fond of. There was this one that was made with some of the more exotic fruits that grew on Veldhern. It was much like a brandy, but sweeter, and if you weren’t careful, you’d find yourself stone cold drunk before you knew it.

He also had something he wished to gift to Ana Williams for her help and discretion in keeping their mission secret. It was a bottle of Sljivovice, which was Croatian brandy made from ripe plums. He remembered the day that he was introduced to this drink from his heritage by some friends of his at the academy. ‘Sweet as wine, but strong as vodka,’ his friend had told him.

Alex sighed, as he missed those days, but he had known enough to live them up while he had them. Yesterday had already happened and tomorrow wasn’t a guarantee. All you have is today, so make the most of it for as long as you can. He smiled in remembrance as he glanced out the viewport on the bridge and noticed the bustling activity on the salvage crews.

The salvage boys hadn’t been idle and were still busy collecting every piece of scrap they could find. They had their hands full, as there was a literal swamp of floating debris out there. They had cleared away the ships first, after marines had stormed the ships and overpowered the remaining pirates. It wasn’t a tough fight, as the pirates were ill-equipped to repel boarding actions.

Once the pirates had been incarcerated, the derelict ships were towed to the docks and given the most basic of repairs. They didn’t have to be pretty, but they had to fly and have a functioning hyperdrive. Every ship that could be saved was being saved and sent to UCW shipyards in the Ryktalian system.

From what Alex had learned of that system, there was a habitable planet there and some resources in some of the planets, but not much else. The world there, Ryktalian Prime, was still being terraformed, but there were some colonists there already. Mostly people who wanted to live on the frontier and away from the heavily populated core worlds.

Alex could scarcely blame them, as Earth was becoming overcrowded by the time he left all those centuries ago. He kept watching the crews puttering about, collecting every piece of scrap they could find. The salvage crews had even removed the crashed destroyer, Cerberus, from Veldhern, which was impressive. Despite the impact and damage it had sustained, they could still save it, which left Alex shaking his head.

He would have seen about cannibalizing the ship to retrofit one of the other, more damaged destroyers that was still flying. Alex half expected Ana to make such a call, but her authority was overruled by the time she got around to deciding the ship’s fate. Less than two days ago, the First Veldhern Defense Fleet had arrived, having received the distress call from the station.

The First Defense Fleet was impressive, as its flagship was a full on dreadnought. Sure, it wasn’t anything on the Perseus, but it fully outclassed the battlecruisers of the Second and Third fleets. Rear Admiral Kantori wasn’t pleased to hear about the turn of events that happened in his absence. From what Alex had heard, the man was furious, but he was glad to see that the fleets still held Veldhern.

He supposed it would anger any commander to hear of such deceptions, loss of life and equipment. The admiral acknowledged that events could have turned out far worse, and for that, he was thankful. Alex wondered what would happen, now that the First Fleet was here. He tucked away these thoughts and headed for the galley to fix himself a cup of coffee, as he hadn’t had one yet.

Rear Admiral Lamkhar Kantori stood by the viewport in the secured meeting room, surveying the salvage efforts. He sighed heavily as he watched the crews working, as he preferred they were not needed at all. But this was real life and real life often had a way of disappointing. He turned back to the people assembled in the room with him, knowing they all looked to him in this time of crisis.

The Naucturi man stood tall, nearly six feet in height, and he had a decent musculature that added to his imposing demeanor. His skin was a deep green, like a forest, but his eyes were a vibrant blue. His earthblood red hair, like most Naucturi, was coarse, but he kept it well groomed, as was proper for a man of his station. It wasn’t his appearance that commanded respect, but his sheer presence.

Commodore Williams, Administrator Dohbalan, Captain Fitch, most of their aides and relevant personnel were there. The coup to overthrow UCW control over the Veldhern system and her fleets had rattled them all, even him. Though they were off in drydock, waiting on refits and repairs to the First Fleet, they, too, had their share of saboteurs. They weren’t as numerous as those in the Second and Third fleets, but it was enough.

Kantori remembered being awakened by several soldiers who had warned him of the attack, only for them to be gunned down in front of his eyes. He’d known those men since he’d taken the post as commander of the First Fleet, and they were good men. It was a shame to have to send them to the next life so soon. They all had good careers ahead of them and would have gone far had it not been for the Collective.

The Naucturi man growled at the thought of the loose coalition of extremists and businessmen. They often stayed in the shadows, keeping out the direct line of fire, but this was a whole new level. Them subverting security and planting agents here at Veldhern?!? It defied belief, but recent events told him otherwise. With his face set in a grim look, he addressed the leadership of the station and the fleets.

“So, everything in the reports is confirmed?” the man questioned, his bass voice catching everyone’s attention.

“Yes, sir!” Williams replied.

“So, please tell me why the crew of the Darkstrider hasn’t been detained and the ship itself impounded,” Kantori growled.

“With all due respect, sir, accomplishing such a feat would not only be miraculous, it would also be underhanded. Especially considering the fact that it’s because of this crew we’re still here today, and not in the brig, while the Collective runs the station and the planet,” Ana fired at him.

“Regardless of their help, the advantage we could gain...” Kantori pressed.

“Pardon me, sir, but go piss up a rope!” Lieutenant Commander Hardick interrupted.

“Excuse me?!?” Kantori barked.

“I did not stutter, admiral sir. I said, ‘Go piss up a rope!’ These people not only saved our asses from being gunned down, but they were also gracious enough to help with the mop up afterwards. Besides, I have seen them fight in combat firsthand. You want to try your hand at taking them down? I know I wouldn’t! Especially Alexander Tomisic or that Khontaran woman, Korsa!” Hardick told him.

“The Lieutenant Commander makes a point, admiral. Besides, you’ve seen the security footage of what they are capable of, even without firearms,” Fitch stated, while crossing his arms.

“Defensive posturing!” Kantori snapped, trying to wave off the raw power at the crew’s command.

“After I witnessed what Miss Shazza did to those pirates, I’m inclined to disagree. Unless you think what she did to those men was an impressive show of illusions,” Dohbalan scoffed.

Kantori huffed in annoyance, but he had to concede that point. He had never seen such a display of mystical energy before, unless you counted what he witnessed the Ooantahl do. The man shuddered in remembrance of what the avian species could do when riled into a fight. He was not eager to see a repeat of the event, especially if he or his own men were seen as the enemy.

“Fine! You make a fair point of the matter. I haven’t forgotten about what I saw happen to the Sshka’talth Crime Syndicate. Especially with what happened to Captain Skah’tari and his unit when they tried to ... subdue the Ooantahl. If their power is that considerable, then having them as adversaries would be detrimental to the UCW,” Kantori admitted.

“Which is a sensible position to have. Especially since we have already cultivated them as allies,” Ana stated with a sigh.

“And you there,” Kantori called out, singling out the Lieutenant Commander. “You’ve got a real pair of balls on you. Keep that up.”

“Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!” Hardick saluted.

“Since you’ve taken the time to cultivate such relationships, Williams, how do you propose we proceed with the situation?” the admiral questioned.

“We are already working on such procedures. The ships that are being sent to drydock will be repaired and refitted with the new weapons, while we work to upgrade the First Fleet here. With a good measure of luck, we should be able to get the fleets back to one hundred percent before another attack comes,” Williams stated.

“Yes, but Saubath escaped with several ships bearing this new prototype pulsar weapon. It won’t be long before we lose that advantage,” Kantori lamented.

“That’s where the crew of the Darkstrider would come in. They do have additional tech that could be of use to us, considering how advanced the frigate is,” Graham Williams piped up.

“Yes, but the discretionary funds to purchase such upgrades are depleted. I know we’ve requested more funding for more tech purchases, but I’m afraid that we won’t get the funding before they leave,” the admiral stated.

“We appealed to their better nature, which wound up netting us some additional tech upgrades in the process,” Graham iterated.

“Oh? How so?”

“If you’ll turn your gaze over the holo, sir,” Graham stated as he brought the newly upgraded schematics into place.

The Lt. Commander could do nothing but smile and shake his head, as what Natalya and Jaesa had done to the guns and shield system was nothing short of miraculous! They had not only increased the power of the station’s cannons and shields, but they’d also increased their efficiency! With these new upgrades, they not only had more of a punch behind their weapons, they would use less power.

“Now this is ... impressive!” Rear Admiral Kantori admitted.

“Indeed! Knowing that everyone aboard the station will be adequately protected is something that I can safely say, we can take comfort in,” Dohbalan stated.

“I agree. So, what do you recommend we do concerning the fleet, though? I mean, high command agreed to send us what ships they have to reinforce the third fleet. But it won’t be enough, not if our ship to ship capabilities are hampered,” Lamkhar Kantori told everyone there.

“I have already been devising a solution to that problem. Using the upgrades that Miss Vostrikov and Miss Harkness have given us, I’ve been working on scaling them down to where these new systems could be mounted on a ship,” Graham told to admiral.

“And? What results have you yielded?” the Naucturi officer questioned.

“Initial reports and tests look promising, but I’m having trouble with scaling these ideas and models down. I hate to say it, but these ladies have probably forgotten more about engineering than I currently know,” Graham admitted.

“Then we need to enlist their help, before they leave!” Admiral Kantori stated. “If they would be willing to help us?”

“I am certain that they would, sir. Not only have we cultivated them as allies, but so have the Ooantahl,” Ana informed him.

“The Ooantahl have formed relations with this crew?” Lamkhar questioned, his awe apparent.

“They have. They seem particularly interested in the Xuul’khani woman, Shazza. She has a title among their people,” Captain Fitch told the admiral.

“A title?? What title?!?”

“They call her, ‘Lightworker.’ Something about her being prophesied to bring light and life back to the galaxy. At least that’s what the translation comes out as,” Karl told the Naucturi admiral.

“So, it would stand to reason that the crew of the Darkstrider would be willing to help us. For the Ooantahl’s sake, if nothing else,” Commodore Williams told him.

“Then we must get in contact with the crew of the Darkstrider before they leave!” Kantori reiterated.

“In that case, we are in luck, sir. I have just received word that the Darkstrider has docked at the station. Something about picking up additional items before they leave,” Dohbalan told him.

“Sir, I recommend we dispatch Lt. Commander Hardick here to speak to and retrieve them. They have dealt with him before and will trust his word that we wish to speak to them,” Ana suggested.

“Very good. Well? You heard the Commodore, soldier,” Kantori ordered the man. Without another word, Hardick saluted and turned to collect the crew of the Darkstrider.

Alex, Natalya, Korsa, Kasumi and the rest of the crew were enjoying a light lunch and bantering back and forth. They wanted to have one last memory of Veldhern before they left for Prodosia and were soaking in the moment.

“Seriously, Nats? You used to do what?” Kasumi asked.

“I was in demolitions for the Federation Navy, along with being an engineer,” Natalya stated.

“How did you balance that?” Alex questioned, wondering how she was capable of keeping the two jobs separate.

“Well, I started serving as an engineer and was good with engines and keeping them online. It was only when a new engineer was assigned to the London that I was ‘reassigned’. The bastards didn’t say, but it was easy enough to figure out that my replacement was some admiral’s son who wanted my posting,” Natalya groused.

“You couldn’t find another posting on another ship?” Shazza wondered.

“Nope. Everyone was fighting to keep their postings, and I caused quite a ruckus about being sidelined like that. So, I looked around for what was available, and demolitions caught my eye. I had to be retrained, but they didn’t mind, as I was already a capable soldier. Besides, my engineering training came in handy with learning what they taught me,” Natalya stated.

“Huh! So how long did you do that for?” Alex wondered.

“Three years, which was one tour. Stepped away from that life, mainly because of everything that was required to carry on with it. It asked far too much of me and I felt like I had done enough for the Federation,” Natalya went on.

“What did you do afterwards?” Kasumi inquired, curious about her friend’s and lover’s past. Natalya opened her mouth to speak, but clamped it shut a few moments later, as she saw Lt. Commander Hardick approach the seated crew.

“Greetings, everyone!” the human man called out, seeing that he’d been spotted.

“Lieutenant! Good to see you! Things going well for you, I would assume?” Luminia asked, smiling at him.

“It’s Lt. Commander now,” Hardick replied with a shy smile.

“A promotion? Well done, Lt. Commander! I’d say after seeing you in action, it’s a well deserved one!” Alex stated as he stood and shook the man’s hand.

“Was there something you needed? Or were you just stopping by to say hello?” Inari queried.

“I wish I was just dropping by. I’m asking you all to come with me, as your presence is requested by station and fleet command,” Marcus told them.

“I see. I would expect that our aid is being sought after?” Alex questioned.

“Yes, sir. I know you have already done much, but if you’ll just hear us out...” Hardick started, before Alex raised his hand, cutting him off.

“I can see by the look on your face that this is serious business, so don’t fuss about trying to convince us. We’ll be along in a moment, if you’ll allow us a few minutes to finish our meals,” Alex said.

“Of course. I’ll be waiting just out here,” the Lt. Commander replied as he pointed to the area just outside the restaurant. Nodding, the crew went back to their lunch and huffed as they finished up.

“I guess they’re not letting us go so easily,” Natalya groused.

“If they try to detain us ... well, let’s not visit that train of thought just yet, shall we?” Korsa rumbled.

“Not just yet, no, but be prepared in the event of such an outcome,” Alex told her and the rest of the crew. “Let’s go and see what they want from us. Hopefully, it’s nothing too major.”

In a few minutes, the crew devoured what remained of their food before standing and joining the Lt. Commander and his squad. They followed along, surrounded by the escort of soldiers, but staying aware of any potential treachery. Though the UCW had been good about leaving them be, they hadn’t met the commander of the First Fleet yet.

The crew had hoped to have finished their business and be on their way, but that wasn’t in the deck of cards today. If Rear Admiral Kantori was one of those bureaucratic types who demanded things rather than ask for them, this would be a very short meeting. Alex could feel the Aether bubbling beneath the surface, ready to be unleashed at a moment’s notice. He kept it in check, wanting to see how things would play out first.

“In here, if you please,” the Lt. Commander directed, as he opened the way into the secured meeting room.

The entire command structure for Veldhern station and its fleets were there, everyone waiting on them to arrive. In the middle of the room stood a powerfully built Nauc’turi man, whom everyone assumed was Admiral Kantori. Though he wasn’t as tall as Alex was, he was still possessed of the bearing of a seasoned officer. He stood at ease, with his hands clasped behind his back as he regarded the crew.

Now that Lamkhar had laid eyes on the crew in person, he could sense why Williams had been reluctant to detain them. They carried themselves with a level of assertion that told him picking a fight with them was suicide. Especially Alex, whom he saw as an equal, as the aura that exuded from the man was ... impressive. He carried himself with dignity and respect, which was plain as day to the Naucturi man.

“Good day to you, crew of the Darkstrider. I am Rear Admiral Lamkhar Kantori, commander of the First Veldhern Defense Fleet,” the man stated.

“I would assume that the Admiral has been read in on the situation then, Commodore?” Alex asked Ana.

“He has,” Ana replied.

“Commodore Alexander Tomisic, Captain of the Prometheus class vessel, Perseus,” Alex introduced himself as he stuck out his hand in greeting. Lamkhar took the offered hand, shook it, certain that trying to apprehend these people was a bad call.

“We have a request to make of you before you leave,” Ana told them.

“More tech upgrades? We’ve said before that because of what happened, we are leery of giving out any more of the tech that we have,” Alex reiterated, firmly rebuffing any attempt at getting more of their tech.

“What we’re asking doesn’t fall in line with asking for upgrades ... per se,” Graham told them.

“What does it involve?” Inari questioned, curious about the direction this idea was going.

“Just your help. More specifically, the help of Jaesa and Natalya, and anyone else who is mechanically or technologically inclined,” Ana filled in for him.

“Help with what?” Natalya wondered.

“Scaling down the systems that defend Veldhern station, so they can be mounted on the ships of the fleet,” Kantori stated, cutting straight to the point.

“Are we talking about scaling down the Bulwark? Because that’s going to take more than a few hours to do,” Jaesa replied, shaking her head.

“I’ve already got drafts and blueprints on possible variants that could work. I’m just having trouble making them work at that size,” Graham admitted.

“If you already have the plans, let’s see them. If we know what you’ve got, then we can formulate something that could plausibly work,” Jaesa told him.

Nodding, Graham uploaded the blueprints and variants he’d been working with, even the discarded ones. Jaesa and Natalya scrutinized the holograms that popped up, cycling through them as they looked each one over. They set aside several hopefuls and a handful of discarded ones, as they all had aspects that could be used. After about twenty minutes of this, the women chatted amongst themselves quietly before nodding.

“I think that we have something that could be put together and built, which would function much like the Bulwark system. Same could be said about the energy couplers that give the station’s cannons the additional punch they now have,” Jaesa stated.