The starship jolted violently as it broke from the docking bay, the sudden acceleration pressing Kaelen against the cold alloy wall. Outside, Earth's curve receded, and streaks of laser fire chased them into the black.
"Hold on," the pilot's voice called from the cockpit. "These dogs bite hard."
Kaelen stumbled forward, bracing himself as the ship veered into a corkscrew maneuver. A corporate gunship surged into view, weapons glowing. The stranger's vessel banked sharply, engines roaring as it dove into the shadow of Earth's upper orbit.
Kaelen clutched the railing, his mind racing. Who was this woman? Why was she helping him?
The cockpit was lit in shifting blues and reds, holo-displays casting ghostly patterns across the pilot's face. She glanced at him briefly—eyes sharp, calculating, but with the faintest glimmer of mischief.
"Name's Lyra Solen," she said, hands dancing over the controls. "You're Kaelen Veyra. And you've just painted a target the size of a star on my hull."
Kaelen stiffened. "You knew who I was?"
"Everyone in the Outer Colonies knows the Institute's exile," she replied. "The rogue scientist who swore aliens left us breadcrumbs."
A searing blast shook the ship, throwing sparks across the console. Lyra cursed under her breath and yanked the ship upward, narrowly avoiding another barrage.
Kaelen's jaw tightened. "They'll kill us both if we don't get out of range. Can your ship jump?"
Lyra smirked despite the danger. "You're in luck. She's got teeth."
With a flick of her wrist, the stars outside elongated, stretching into rivers of light. The ship shuddered once, then slipped cleanly into the silent currents of faster-than-light travel.
Only when the turbulence eased did Kaelen let out the breath he'd been holding. His hands trembled as he pulled the data crystal from his coat and clutched it tight.
Lyra swiveled her chair to face him fully for the first time. Up close, her presence was disarming—confidence wrapped in scars of experience. She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing at the glowing shard in his grip.
"So," she said slowly, "what's worth risking your life, and dragging me into it, Doctor?"
Kaelen hesitated. If he told her the truth, she might laugh—or worse, sell him out to the corporations. But if he lied, he'd have no ally in what was to come.
Finally, he spoke, voice low and certain.
"A signal. Not human. A map to somewhere… out there."
For the first time, Lyra's bravado flickered. Her smirk softened into something unreadable.
"Not human?" she repeated. "You mean aliens."
Kaelen nodded once. "If I'm right, they've been waiting for us."
Silence filled the cabin, broken only by the hum of the engines. Lyra leaned back in her chair, studying him. Then, slowly, a dangerous smile curved across her lips.
"Well," she said, "looks like I just signed on for the biggest suicide run in history."
Her eyes glinted as she extended a hand.
"Welcome aboard, Doctor. Let's chase your ghosts."
Kaelen hesitated, then clasped her hand firmly. And in that fleeting contact, amidst the silence of the stars, an unspoken current sparked—fragile, dangerous, inevitable.
Outside, the ship sailed deeper into the unknown, carrying two fugitives and a secret that could ignite the galaxy.