The alien cruiser floated quietly in the storm's center, its glyphs glowing faintly like the heartbeat of an ancient god. Kael Ardyn stood at the courier's viewport, watching lightning dance across the void. His reflection stared back—tired, scarred, but alive.
Behind him, Lyra Veyra worked at her console, her scanner open like a surgeon's tools. She muttered, partly to herself and partly to the ship.
"If I can compare these glyphs with known pre-Council archvies, we might outline energy nodes. The resonance could change propulsion theory."
Kael smirked slightly. "You sound like a child at a festival."
She shot him a look, but her lips twitched. "And you sound like someone who doesn't realize he's inside the most important discovery in centuries."
"Discovery's great," Kael replied, turning back to the storm. "But it won't mean much if we're dead."
Sentinel-7's voice echoed in the chamber, calm as ever. "Your assessment is correct. Raiders will regroup. Council forces will pinpoint this location. Survival chances decrease the longer we stay."
Kael rubbed the back of his neck. "Which means we need allies. Fuel. Supplies. Preferably before the next storm wave destroys this ship."
Lyra frowned. "Where exactly do you plan to find allies out here? You're an exile. I'm… technically a fugitive now. And Sentinel is—" she gestured vaguely at the AI "—a Council nightmare."
Kael's grin was sharp. "I know someone. If she hasn't gotten herself killed."
The courier disconnected from the alien hull and slipped back into the storm. Kael guided it steadily, maneuvering through arcs of lightning until the storm thinned into open space.
Their destination was Veyra's Drift.
It wasn't on any official map. A free port built into the shattered remains of an asteroid, it was a place where smugglers, mercenaries, and exiles bartered for survival. Kael had passed through once years ago and remembered one face vividly.
As the Drift came into view, Lyra leaned forward, her eyes wide. "It looks… alive."
The asteroid spun slowly, hollowed out and covered with structures welded haphazardly onto its surface. Lights flickered like fireflies while ships of every shape glided in and out of loading bays. The whole place pulsed with a dangerous energy.
Kael smirked. "Welcome to the heart of nowhere."
Sentinel's voice came from the ship's core. "Caution advised. This port operates outside of all laws. Survival is not guaranteed."
Kael muttered, "Story of my life."
The docking bay stank of fuel and sweat. Kael led the way, blaster at his hip, eyes scanning for threats. Lyra walked closely behind, her hood drawn low. Sentinel stayed on the courier; its large frame would draw too much attention.
The Drift was chaos. Merchants shouted over one another, selling weapons, fuel cells, and black-market tech. Drunken mercenaries stumbled through the crowd, and a group of insectoid traders clicked and hissed, exchanging glowing crystals.
Lyra's voice was low. "And this is your idea of safe?"
Kael smirked. "Safe? No. Useful? Definitely."
They navigated the maze of stalls until Kael stopped at a neon-lit bar lodged into the asteroid wall. The sign above the entrance flickered: The Black Nebula.
Inside, the air was thick with smoke and music. Holo-projectors painted shifting constellations on the ceiling. Smugglers and raiders crowded the tables, making deals with dice or drawn blades.
At the center table sat the woman Kael sought.
She leaned back in her chair, boots on the table and a half-empty glass in her hand. Her dark hair was shaved on one side while the other was tied back in a braid. A scar curved across her jaw, but her smile was wicked and alive.
Kael's grin tugged at his mouth's corner. "Well, I'll be damned."
Rhea spotted him instantly. Her smile widened. "Kael Ardyn. I thought the Council had spaced you by now."
Kael slid into the chair across from her. "They tried. Didn't stick."
Rhea's gaze flicked to Lyra. "And who's the firebrand?"
Lyra stiffened, but Kael's smirk didn't fade. "Lyra Veyra. Scientist. Trouble magnet. She saved my ass."
Lyra shot him a sideways look. "That's one way to put it."
Rhea laughed, warm and sharp. "I like her already."
Drinks were poured, though Kael barely sipped his. He kept his eyes on Rhea, knowing her games.
"I need supplies," he said. "Fuel, food, spare parts. And information."
Rhea raised an eyebrow. "Information costs extra, and you're not exactly rich these days."
Kael leaned forward, his voice low. "I've got something better. Access to a ship. Alien. Powerful. The kind the Council doesn't want anyone to know exists."
Rhea's smile faltered for once. "You're serious."
"Deadly."
Lyra interjected, her eyes fierce. "If the Council gets it, they'll bury the Frontier. Entire colonies wiped out just to keep the secret. We can't let that happen."
Rhea studied them both, swirling her drink. Finally, she smirked. "You always knew how to find trouble, Kael. Alright. I'll play. But my help comes with conditions."
Kael sighed. "Here it comes."
"First," Rhea said, counting on her fingers, "I don't work for free. If your ship is real, I want a share of whatever it's worth."
Kael snorted. "Worth in credits or in power?"
"Both."
"Fine."
"Second," she continued, "you don't get to be captain. You never were good at taking orders."
Kael leaned back, his smirk sharp. "Good thing I'm not asking for orders. I'm asking for trust."
Rhea's eyes flicked to Lyra, then back to Kael. Something unspoken passed between them—a blend of warning and curiosity.
Finally, she extended her hand. "Deal?"
Kael clasped it firmly. "Deal."
The deal was barely sealed when the bar doors slammed open.
Armored, armed, and visors glowing blue, the room fell silent as they scanned the crowd. Their leader barked:
"By order of the Interstellar Council, surrender Kael Ardyn immediately!"
Kael's stomach dropped. He had expected raiders or perhaps bounty hunters—but not the Council, not here.
Rhea cursed under her breath. "You brought them here?"
Kael drew his blaster. "They follow me everywhere these days."
Lyra's hand flew to her scanner, but Kael pulled her behind cover as the troopers opened fire. Plasma bolts seared through the bar, shattering bottles and tables.
Chaos erupted. Smugglers dove for cover. Some drew weapons while others fled. The bar turned into a battlefield.
Kael fired back, taking down one trooper. Rhea moved like lightning, flipping a table for cover while blasting two more.
Lyra crouched beside Kael, breathless. "They won't stop, Kael. They'll kill everyone here just to get to you."
Kael's jaw tightened. "Then we don't let them."
The fight raged through the bar. Kael's blaster fired with precision. Rhea fought with brutal efficiency, her laughter cutting through the smoke.
But more troopers came in. Too many.
"Back exit!" Rhea shouted, pointing. "Move!"
Kael grabbed Lyra's hand, pulling her toward the door as Rhea covered them. They burst into the narrow hallways of the Drift, the sound of blaster fire echoing behind them.
Troopers chased after them. Kael shot over his shoulder, dropping another. Lyra clung to his arm, her hood falling back, hair wild in the chaos.
Finally, they reached the docking bay. The courier was waiting, Sentinel already powering it up.
"Go!" Kael shouted.
They sprinted up the ramp just as troopers poured into the bay. Plasma fire raked across the hull. Sentinel activated the shields, deflecting the worst of it.
Kael jumped into the pilot's seat with Lyra beside him and Rhea right behind. The engines roared to life.
"Hold on," Kael growled.
The courier blasted out of the Drift, troopers firing futilely after them.
Silence fell as the stars enveloped them. The Drift shrank into the void, and Council pursuit faded.
Kael relaxed his grip on the controls. He leaned back, his chest heaving, sweat dripping down his temples.
Lyra touched his arm, eyes wide with concern. "You okay?"
He managed a grin. "Better than them."
Rhea dropped into the seat behind them, laughing breathlessly. "Kael Ardyn, you bastard. You just dragged me into the biggest mess in the galaxy."
Kael smirked. "And you love it."
Her grin widened. "Damn right I do."
Sentinel's voice filled the cabin. "Council forces will not relent. You now require constant vigilance."
Kael nodded, glancing at Lyra and then Rhea. His crew—small, chaotic, but a start.
For the first time, he felt something bigger coming together. Not just survival. Not just revenge. A fight.
And he wasn't alone.