For my wife M and my son B. You are my everything.

The Story So Far

The Setting

In 2036, an egotistical billionaire funded a manned mission to Mars, hoping to cement his legacy. The crew of that mission discovered an outpost of a long-gone alien civilization, one which they named the "precursors." The outpost’s technology, once reverse-engineered, transformed humanity. Hyperspace technology enabled faster-than-light travel through designated hyperlanes, planetary terraforming made hostile worlds habitable, medical advancements eradicated diseases, and genetic engineering allowed humans to adapt to new environments like high-gravity planets or underwater realms.
This technological boon came just in time, as Earth faced ecological collapse. Rising oceans and climate change-induced famines led to mass migrations, xenophobia, zoonotic diseases, and anti-refugee violence. Unfortunately for most of humanity, the billionaire prioritized profit over people, charging exorbitant fees for colony ship passage and leaving most people stranded on a deteriorating Earth. Minimal efforts were made to stabilize the planet’s environment, barely averting further decline.
Over the next 60 years, humans spread across the galaxy. The wealthy used genetic engineering to become "trans-humans," diverging so much they no longer saw themselves as the same species. By 2096, tensions escalated between two groups of trans-humans, leading to war between the colonies of Eden Prime in the Virgo system and Elysium in the Sirius system. Elysium conscripted Earth's poor into their army through the Wartime Active Recruitment Program (WARP), offering genetic treatments and a new home in exchange for military service. This model was adopted universally, leading to three major power blocs: the Sol Corporate Interests, the Roccan Alliance, and the Lokken Star Collective, with several independent buffer systems.

Synthesis

Kayden Reynolds, a poor man from Earth, lost his arm during a food riot and saw his future collapse until the Roccan Alliance offered him an experimental prosthetic limb that connected directly to his brain through a neural interface. Out of the 1,000 people who volunteered to take part in the program, he was the only survivor. Unable to pay for his treatment, he was conscripted into the Roccan WARP program. His neural interface allowed him to control technology directly, propelling him to the rank of lieutenant by 2134, leading a squadron in the Roccan-Lokken war. His squad was decimated by the mercenary "Black Company" just as a peace treaty was signed, rendering their deaths meaningless.
Disgusted by the pointless loss of life, Kayden left the military and moved to the free colony of Port Vega, a trading hub in the Andromeda system. There, he caught the eye of Selina Onassis, a trans-human manager at the Black Company, and Dawn Parker, a diplomat with the Port Vega government. Rejecting Selina’s job offer, he accepted Dawn's mission to investigate the space pirate Samuel Barbossa, who claimed to have found a new hyperlane leading to a habitable world.
Barbossa's claims were true, but he’d enslaved people to build his ‘colony.’ Kayden and Dawn killed Barbossa, freed the remainder of the captives, and stole a mysterious derelict spaceship linked to the precursors. Kayden connected to the ship using his neural interface, learning from the ship’s AI—whom they named Ali—that the “precursors” were made up of two rival interstellar nations: the Vrul Technocracy and the Holy Kel-Azaan Empire. He quickly took control of the ship and its resident nanobot swarm.
His joy in uncovering the archaeological find of a lifetime was overshadowed by the fact that his connection to the ship threatened his life unless he found a Vrul shipyard for repairs—something that was near-impossible. Moreover, their only copy of the hyperlane coordinates leading out of the system was damaged in the escape attempt, meaning that they’d be stranded there for some time. Dawn encouraged Kayden to beat the odds, and they began a romantic relationship.
While stranded, Kayden and Dawn helped the former captives establish a colony—one which they named “Sanctuary.” They discovered that the planet once held a splinter group made up of both Kel and Vrul who sought to achieve “Synthesis”—the blending of biological and technological advancements. Dawn was accidentally genetically altered while exploring a set of ruins, giving her the ability to move through solid objects and control creatures using pheromones. Together with the former captives, Kayden and Dawn recovered the hyperlane coordinates and returned to Andromeda.
Back in the Andromeda system, Selina, having learned of the Black Company's misdeeds, sought asylum. She was captured, and Kayden and Dawn mounted a rescue, exposing the Black Company’s crimes. During the rescue, they also freed Kayden’s former commanding officer in the Roccan Navy—Captain Ashley Brown. They returned to Sanctuary together, and Selina entered a romantic relationship with both Dawn and Kayden.
Selina also revealed that Malachi Black – the leader of the Black Company – held delusions of creating his own personal empire, using a Vrul shipyard he discovered to build a sizable fleet. Seeking allies for an assault on the shipyard, Kayden began to gather a fleet, starting with the genetically engineered slaves of the Black Company. Kayden, Dawn, and Selina also began a romantic relationship with the leader of these slaves—Anna Bedford.
Together, they defended Port Vega from a Black Company attack before launching their assault on the Black Company’s Vrul Shipyard in the Tau Ceti system. Kayden unlocked his own genetic enhancements, achieving the Vrul-Kel dream of Synthesis, becoming both stronger and faster. Dawn and Selina’s genetic enhancements were also further augmented, and Ali created an android body so that she would no longer be an incorporeal piece of software.
Infiltrating the Black Company's headquarters, the heroes defeated Malachi Black and destroyed the Vrul shipyard to prevent further misuse. With Ali’s help, they upgraded their ship and set off on new adventures. Months later, they ventured through a new hyperlane, encountering an alien ship from the "Kel Confederacy of Systems," marking the beginning of the next chapter in their journey.

Synthesis: Legacy

Kayden, Dawn, Selina, Anna, and Ali are shocked to find the Kel still exist after millions of years. Eager to learn more, they follow the ship down to an ancient Vrul outpost on an icy planet where they are informed that humanity cannot learn of their existence and they therefore cannot leave Kel space. They’re imprisoned by the Kel but use their abilities to escape, accidentally sending a signal into deep space in the process – one which summons a force which the Kel identify as being from the Vrul Hegemony.
The Vrul quickly arrive and begin attacking both Kayden’s crew and the Kel indiscriminately. Kayden’s use of both genetic and technological powers cause the Kel to recognize him as the “Asha’dara” – a prophesized figure in their religion who has achieved Synthesis. They apologize for attempting to imprison them, and together the group successfully fight back the Vrul attack.
Afterwards, Kayden interrogates the Kel leader – Elara Nerys – and her human aid, AJ Scully. She reveals that the Kel Confederacy was formed by survivors of the Holy Kel-Azaan Empire, just as the Vrul Hegemony was formed by the survivors of the Vrul Technocracy. Both empires were decimated by a mysterious force known as the Voidborn, and towards the end of the war the splinter group seeking Synthesis chose to go into cyrosleep in a secret underground vault rather than fight, with the intent of waking up once the Voidborn had retreated and believed they were all dead. Unfortunately for them, something went wrong with the cryosleep-reversal process and they ended up sleeping for 2.2 million years, awakening only a few hundred years ago to a galaxy they no longer recognized.
To make matters worse, many of the safeguards failed during that period, meaning that far too few of their people woke up to have the genetic diversity required to sustain a viable population. Desperate to not die out, the Kel genetically engineered the ‘xenocompatibility’ protocol; permanently and irreversibly genetically altering themselves so that every new generation would be exclusively female and able to reproduce either asexually or with other alien races. Moreover, it biologically forced Kel to mate for life, causing their bodies to adapt to their partners’.
The Kel also forced this solution onto the Vrul as well, something that prevented them from being able to use most of their cybernetic technology. This caused a new schism between the two races, leading to a war which further decimated their already-depleted populations. Eventually the Vrul rediscovered a fleet of ships they’d hidden away and departed for deep space, leaving the Kel to slowly work through a ‘dark age’. When they finally emerged and took to the stars again their government became pacifist, swearing off using genetic engineering as a weapon. When they encountered the Vrul once more though, they entered into a ‘cold war’ of sorts, with each nation avoiding the other’s region of space. Additionally, when the Kel encountered humanity they saw the same warlike tendencies of the Vrul Technocracy and the Holy Kel-Azaan Empire and chose to hide from them – offering a life of luxury to any poor humans unfortunate enough to cross into Kel space in exchange for their silence.
At Dawn’s insistence, Kayden offers to build diplomatic relations between Sanctuary and the Kel Confederacy. Together with Selina, Anna, and Ali, they bring Elara, AJ, and the surviving Kel to the nearest Kel colony of Arcadia. Once there, Kayden agrees to submit to testing to determine whether he is their prophesized messiah while negotiating a trade deal between Sanctuary and the Kel. They’re shown around the idyllic colony by Elara, and each receive upgrades from the Kel genetic engineering labs: Kayden can generate and control small electrical fields, Dawn can turn objects around her incorporeal, Selina’s senses are further enhanced, Ali is given synthetic skin, and Anna is given a gauntlet which allows her to heal others.
Their tour is cut short when the Vrul attack Arcadia, using a series of ‘cocoons’ launched from orbit to transform the local wildlife into Vrul slaves. With the local forces overwhelmed, the Vrul fleet moves into orbit and begins landing troops across the planet. Kayden and his crew join the fight, and using a set of unconventional tactics they’re able to help turn the tide and send the Vrul into a retreat.
After the attack, Kayden is recognized as both a hero and the Asha’dara. He meets with the Kel military command and convinces them that they need to use genetic engineering as a weapon if they want to survive the conflict. He also becomes close with Elara, but the two of them are reluctant to enter into a romantic relationship without knowing each other better. Elara and her surviving crew are stationed permanently on Kayden’s ship as his official ‘diplomatic entourage’.
They return to Sanctuary to find it’s already under attack by more Vrul-augmented creatures. They fight back the attack on the ground before calling for help from their Kel allies, anticipating that a Vrul fleet will appear in orbit soon. They’re proven correct and ambush the fleet, destroying it before Kayden offers to act as a scout and venture into Vrul space to help plan a counterattack. Before they arrive, Ali uses her neural link with Kayden to download information about the Kel and the Vrul directly into Kayden’s brain, exploring his memories and becoming romantically close with him as she does.
When they finally arrive in Vrul space, they find a Vrul fleet mostly destroyed and slowly drifting towards the crushing gravity of a planet. They board a Vrul ship and fight their way to the bridge before encountering an ancient-looking Vrul sitting in a throne. Kayden connects to the ship and his mind is attacked by the Vrul, but with Ali’s help he defeats him.
Afterwards, Kayden and Ali interrogate the Vrul. He is an ‘executor’ – a leader of the Vrul fleet, and a survivor of the original Vrul technocracy who has been kept alive via the throne he is now sitting on. His mental state is quickly deteriorating, but in the short conversation with him Kayden discovers several key facts: that the mysterious attackers are in fact the Voidborn and not Vrul, that the Vrul have been attacked as well, and without an executor any remaining Vrul survivors will die with him. To make matters worse, Ali tells Kayden that the executor’s mental state is quickly deteriorating, and he will soon die from the strain. Kayden agrees to become the next executor, rescuing the surviving Vrul on the ships before retreating.
Once they are safely away, Kayden meets with the leader of the surviving Vrul – Mirana K’Lani. From her, he learns more about Vrul society. Since the schism they’d decided to live entirely on ships and space stations, something that has reduced their immune systems to the point where even the most benign of viruses and bacteria could cause them to be sick for weeks. As a result, they live entirely in their space suits, only taking them off in the presence of those they trust most. Additionally, the original Vrul executors installed neural interfaces into every Vrul born after the schism – something that forced them to obey every executor’s commands. This became problematic as the executors’ mental states gradually deteriorated, becoming paranoid and breaking off into a series of fleets – each of which was commanded by one executor.
Kayden is repulsed by the wholesale enslavement of the Vrul and commits to freeing them. In exchange, Mirana reveals that the Voidborn can be tracked using a powerful enough sensor array. Anna is inspired by this revelation, telling them that she grew up on Alpha Centauri Prime near the largest sensor array in human space.
Together with Anna and Ali, Kayden commandeers the array and tracks the signal to deep within Vrul space. As they’re leaving, the Voidborn appear in orbit and attack the fleet protecting the human colony. Kayden, Ali, and Anna use the chaos of the battle to retreat along with several civilians, including Anna’s family and Selina’s estranged family.
Once they are back on Sanctuary, Selina confronts her estranged family. They reject her and she sends them back to the Andromeda system, telling them that her real family is Kayden, Dawn, and Anna. Afterwards, Mirana teaches Kayden how to better control his nanobots, and together with the rest of the colonists they hatch a plan to attack the Voidborn stronghold. Ali’s android body is also upgraded, and she becomes physically intimate with Kayden.
Finally, Kayden, Dawn, Selina, Anna, Ali, Elara, Mirana, and their joint crew of colonists, Kel, and Vrul journey to Vrul space. They dock with a Vrul space station and send a message to the rest of the Vrul executors asking for help with the attack. The Vrul reluctantly permit them passage, but refuse to help Kayden – something which frustrates and disillusions Mirana.
Without the Vrul support they’re forced to change plans, choosing to plant an enormous bomb inside the Voidborn’s base of operations. They’re successful, but before they can retreat Kayden is confronted by an alien woman identifying herself as the Voidborn, claiming that the creatures they’d encountered up until that point were just her mindless thralls. She claims to have achieved Synthesis herself, and invites Kayden to join her as her slave. He rejects her and they escape, setting off the bomb and destroying much of the Voidborn fleet in the process.
While celebrating their victory back on Sanctuary, Kayden and Ashley kiss and admit to having feelings for each other. Before they can go any further though, they’re interrupted by a message from Earth: the Voidborn are attacking with an enormous fleet, and are being led by a woman calling herself their ‘Queen’. Kayden confirms it’s the same person that he saw in the Voidborn stronghold. Together with his Kel, Vrul, and human allies, Kayden resolves to take Earth back.

Chapter 1

01:11, January 1st, 2135

“Coming out of hyperspace now.” Selina announced.
Kayden watched as the kaleidoscope of colors on the viewscreen quickly faded, resolving themselves to the star-speckled blackness of regular space again. His eyes darted back and forth across various viewscreens and touchscreens around him, checking instrumentation readouts and ensuring that the stealth drive which cloaked them was functioning properly. Once he was satisfied he took a moment to glance around the bridge of their ship, the Broken Shackle.
On either side of him sat his Vrul and Kel advisors, Mirana K’Lani and Elara Nerys. As was typical of all Vrul, Mirana was dressed in her spacesuit with her helmet covering her face. The grey-and-white base layer of her suit clung to her curves, secured tightly to her body by a set of pauldrons, greaves, and vambraces. In a rare show of vulnerability she’d pulled back the hood of her armour, exposing the wires and tubes running between her neural link, atmospheric scrubbers and the in-suit computing apparatus on her back.
Just once, I’d like to see what she looks like underneath there. Kayden thought to himself for the umpteenth time. Of course, the smallest exposure to bacteria or viruses might kill her, so I probably won’t be getting that chance.
By contrast, on his other side sat Elara. Her blue eyes were narrowed as she quickly flicked through several screens of information, absorbing it all while biting her bottom lip cutely. It was a surprisingly human expression, and if not for her blue skin and messy white hair Kayden could have sworn she was human herself. His eyes traced her body appreciatively, noting that she’d apparently made some modifications to her standard-issue Kel Logistics Corps uniform, exposing far more cleavage than he’d remembered it having.
[“She made the modifications before we left.”] A voice rang in his head. [“She’s becoming much more comfortable with the idea of you as her romantic partner, and wants to entice you.”]
It's working. Kayden responded in his head before tearing his eyes away from the Kel beauty, glancing over at the source of the voice in his head.
Ali’s blue eyes met his before grinning at him. Most of the synthetic skin of her android body was covered up by a black skintight bodysuit, but Kayden appreciated the view nonetheless. Her silver hair was tied into a neat bun behind her and her pink lips blew him a quick kiss before winking at him, her grin widening.
It's awful hard to focus when you do that, Ali.
[“You focus 17% better during battle when you’ve received an explicit promise of sexual favors afterwards. I am giving you that promise.”]
“They’re talking in their heads again.” A new voice said from one side of the bridge.
“It is my turn with him tonight.” Ali shot back, turning to look at the new voice.
“Sure, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want details.” A second new voice said.
Kayden chuckled to look at the last 2 occupants of the bridge. Standing side-by-side were Selina and Dawn – both of whom were dressed in skintight bodysuits similar to Ali’s. In many ways they were a study in contrasts: where Dawn was curvy and voluptuous, Selina was lithe. Dawn had long red hair with two black demon-like horns protruding through it, whereas Selina had short black hair with cat-ears sticking out. Dawn’s eyes were yellow, whereas Selina’s were bright blue. Dawn had a whiplike tail that ended in a spade, and Selina’s tail was covered in black fur.
“Focus, flyboy.” Selina teased as she glanced down at the screen of her workstation. “We’ve got work to do, and Ashley is expecting a scouting report.”
Taking a deep breath, Kayden refocused on the task at hand. “Alright, lets give it to her then. Ali, what are we looking at?”
The lights of the bridge dimmed further before a blue holographic map of the system appeared in front of them. Ali strode into the middle of the image, causing it to distort slightly before zooming in on a planet highlighted in yellow. As the rest of the bridge crew turned to look at her, she began to speak.
“Welcome to the Trappist system, specifically Trappist Prime. Despite being a barren world devoid of life, the Sol Corporate Interests established a mining colony here in 2086, with its inhabitants living in a series of partially buried habitation domes. The colony has grown considerably since then, and now accounts for 28% of all raw minerals used by the SCI.”
“Understood, but what about the more recent history?” Kayden pressed.
“Two weeks ago, the SCI’s naval forces retreated further away from Earth. Voidborn fleets overwhelmed the remnants of the home fleet in the Alpha Centauri system, forcing them back to their tertiary rally point here. The SCI continues to wage a ground war on Alpha Centauri – similar to the one they’re still waging on Earth – but without naval assets they are vulnerable to orbital bombardment.” She paused for a moment before continuing. “Two days ago, what was left of the SCI fleet called for assistance on all channels, saying that the Voidborn were advancing even further, attacking the Trappist system. Since then, we’ve intercepted many transmissions regarding a series of skirmishes across the system – something that I can now confirm given the presence of a not-inconsiderable amount of starship debris.”
Kayden shook his head in disgust. “We should have come sooner.”
“You know why we couldn’t.” Elara countered. “It took almost a month to repair and rearm Sanctuary’s fleet.”
“And it’s not like we were sitting idle either.” Selina added. “Our combined patrols with Port Vega and the other independent systems have been keeping the Voidborn hemmed in SCI space.”
“Except for their incursion into Roccan Alliance space, yes.” Ali added. “The Roccan Navy is still fighting to retake the Bernard’s Star system. The timing of their incursions into the independent systems coincides with them attacking this system, so it’s likely they are transiting from here into independent space.”
Kayden shook his head and refocused. “What’s left of the SCI Navy?”
“They are here, in orbit around Trappist-h.” Ali said, the holographic image zooming out. “A pair of cruisers, a dozen frigates, 4 corvettes, and several wings of fighters and bombers. They appear to be engaged, fighting off a small Voidborn reconnaissance party.”
“That’s all that survived?” Dawn replied, shaking her head. “That’s…not a lot.”
“Their main fleet was decimated in the first few days of the conflict.” Kayden said through gritted teeth. “We intercepted some of the casualty numbers. It…wasn’t pretty. Once it became apparent that they’d lose Earth, a lot of the survivors fell back and joined the Roccan counterattack too.”
“Kayden.” Ali said tersely. “Voidborn ships have just entered the system in orbit above Trappist Prime. Looks like a carrier with several escort frigates and corvettes.”
Everyone in the room reached for a screen as the hologram in front of them disappeared. A list of sensor readouts appeared in front of Kayden showing the tonnage and configuration of the ships. The list grew before his eyes as more and more ships began to appear, either from hyperspace or deploying out of hangar bays.
“Shit. Kayden, they’re deploying bombers and landing craft.” Selina said. “The SCI fleet is out of position too, they’re not making it back in time to prevent the landings.”
“Based on the power readings from the fleet, they’re spinning up their hyperdrives.” Ali confirmed. “They’re going to make an in-system jump. They won’t be back in orbit for another 2-3 minutes though.”
“That might as well be forever.” Selina said, watching the colony’s battered orbital defence systems weakly try to repel the attacking forces.
“Should we move in closer?” Dawn asked. “Try to prevent them from landing?”
Kayden gritted his teeth as he shook his head. “No. We’re here to observe. We don’t have the firepower to handle that kind of a fight, even if the SCI manages to scamper back and protect the colony.”
“You’re right.” Dawn nodded. “We should call in Ashley and the rest of the fleet. It’ll be enough to win this battle.”
Kayden narrowed his eyes, weighing his options. “Maybe. It’ll be a tough fight though. Is it worth it?”
Elara turned to him. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that in a war of this scale, we need to be careful how we use our resources.” Kayden explained. “Listen, I don’t like it any more than you do, but this colony is a relatively minor one. The SCI can’t make use of the resources here with Earth occupied, and the Roccan and Lokken already source their own minerals from within their borders. Every minute the Voidborn spend invading this colony is another minute we can spend regrouping and rearming for the real fight ahead of us.”
“It just seems so…callous.” Elara said. “Trading lives for time like that.”
“That’s the cold calculus of war.” Kayden said, his expression hardening. “The colonists and army forces understand that calculus just as well as we do. It’s something all humans intuitively understand – sacrificing themselves in battle for a greater cause.”
The bridge went silent for a few moments as the large screen in front of them split into two views. The one on the left showed the swirling colors of hyperspace flickering out as the SCI fleet frantically retreated and engaged the Voidborn in orbit. The one on the right showed a tactical map of the planet that highlighted hundreds of landing craft, fighters, and bombers descending on one of the habitation domes. Kayden gripped his command chair tightly as he saw dozens of them explode, hit by whatever anti-air weaponry the colony still had.
In the end, their efforts proved to be ineffectual. The landing craft touched down en masse outside the habitation dome, disgorging thousands of troops before rising back towards the ships in orbit. They carefully avoided the defense turrets around the formal landing pads, choosing instead to land further back and allow their troops to make the approach on foot. As they did the bombers began to strafe whatever fortified positions the SCI army set up around their orbital cannons, trading fire back and forth with the beleaguered defenders.
Kayden stood, determined to bear witness to their pain. He watched in silence for several moments as the energy shields around the habitation dome started to flicker before failing, allowing the Voidborn forces to enter the structure. He occasionally glanced to the side to view the battle in orbit, watching the two sides grind each other to a stalemate.
“Kayden.” Ali said tersely, interrupting his thoughts. “You need to see this.”
The tactical map disappeared, replaced by a grainy view from a security camera. In front of them was a writhing mass of Voidborn creatures – quadrupedal lizard-like monsters with metal needles grafted to spindly appendages on their backs, snake-like creatures with metallic arms affixed to their torsos, and ponderous crab-like creatures with enormous cannons bolted to their carapace-covered backs. To the back were even more creatures that Kayden didn’t recognize, but they weren’t his focus.
Instead, he was focused on the bipedal figure in the middle of the group. She strode confidently through the horde, her metallic wings flexing as she did. Even through the grainy image Kayden could make out the purple organic-looking carapace which covered her body, as well as the black snakelike tendrils sprouting from her head which could almost be mistaken for hair from this distance.
“Where is this?” Kayden asked, recognizing the figure instantly.
“On the planet. I hacked into the SCI security systems.” Ali replied.
“And it’s current? She’s down there now?”
“Apparently, yes. I believe it is an opportune time to remind you that the Voidborn are hive-minded. The current hypothesis by our science teams is that their command signals are being directed by the queen herself. By eliminating her, we eliminate their supreme commander – thereby significantly hampering their forces.”
Kayden strode quickly back to his command chair before sitting and beginning to strap himself in. “Good thing we reloaded our guns before leaving. Looks like we’re going to need them.”
“What happened to the cold calculus of war?” Elara said, strapping herself in as well.
“The equation just changed.” Kayden replied. “If we’ve got a chance to take out the Voidborn Queen, we’re doing it.”
“I’m calling Ashley now.” Dawn said. “We’re going to need reinforcements.”
Selina glanced up at the security camera footage for a moment, watching the Voidborn tear through a bunker without breaking stride. “That hyperspace jump will take an hour, minimum – and that’s not accounting for any last minute preparations they’ll need to make. This is going to be over before then. We need to buy the defenders some time.”
“How? That fleet will destroy us in minutes.” Mirana reminded them.
Kayden shook his head. “We’re not going to face them head on. We just need to destroy enough of their bombers and landing craft to give the SCI army forces a chance. We can fly between the fleet in orbit and the planet, intercepting them as they return to the carrier.”
“While avoiding fire from above?” Elara questioned. “That’s going to take some pretty fancy flying.”
Grinning for the first time, Kayden reached over to his prosthetic arm and pulled out a universal control cable before connecting it to the port in his command chair. His neural link transferred the vast amount of information from the ship directly into his mind – everything from sensor readouts to system controls. He quickly located the ship’s intercom system and addressed the crew.
“Crew to battle stations. Strap in – things are about to get bumpy.”
He'd barely closed the channel before powering up the engines, causing them to dart forward through space. Knowing that every second they wasted would increase the chances of them being seen prematurely, he diverted power from any non-essential system to the engines, pushing them even faster towards the quickly-approaching planet. Despite their dire situation his grin widened, enjoying the feeling of blasting through space for just a moment longer.
“10 seconds until we’re in weapons range.” Ali said distantly. “Powering up all guns.”
“Focus fire on the landing craft!” Kayden ordered as they neared the cloud of relatively small Voidborn ships. “That way they can’t reinforce their troops down there.”
The moment they were in range, weapons emplacements throughout the ship began their barrage of fire. Kayden’s grin widened savagely as their combined energy and projectile rounds ripped through the shields of the Voidborn landing craft before pummeling their hulls. He slowed for a few moments as explosions began to bloom around them, sending dropships pummeling to the planet in pieces.
Knowing that the element of surprise wouldn’t last long, Kayden targeted the wing of bombers converging on their position and unleashed a pod of dozens of homing missiles from a launcher. He watched for a moment as they closed the distance before slamming into their shields, draining them completely. There was a brief pause before the remainder of the hailstorm of missiles smashed into the bomber’s hulls, blasting them out of the sky.
Energy weapons for energy shields, projectile weapons for armour, and explosions for everything. Kayden thought to himself, his drill instructor’s words echoing in his mind.
He took a moment to watch his joint human, Kel, and Vrul crew begin to reload the missile launchers before reorienting the ship, giving their gunners a better angle with which to shoot. In moments they found themselves in the middle of the formation of landing craft, desperately blasting them out of the sky as they rose towards the carrier. He distantly heard Selina cackle with glee as she took manual control over one of the guns, sending a barrage of rounds through the broken hull of one enemy ship and into another.
“I’d hate to be in one of those things!” Mirana cried out as she watched another half dozen transports fall. “It doesn’t look like they have much in the way of shielding or armor!”
“They’re meant to be disposable, just like their soldiers!” Elara replied.
An energy blast from the Voidborn fleet above them glanced off their shields, causing the ship to shake. Knowing that they were out of time Kayden began to juke side-to-side, dodging several more blasts as he did. Hoping they’d done enough damage to the Voidborn landing fleet he pushed the engines to full throttle again, zooming away from the aerial battlefield. The few bombers that tried to give chase were either shot down or left behind as they hurried away, dodging fire from the fleet overhead as they did. Once they were far enough away he turned the ship’s cloak back on before relinquishing control of the ship to Selina.
“Ali, hail the SCI flagship for me.” He said as he pulled the control cable out of its port and retracted it into his prosthetic arm.
“Channel is open.” Ali replied smoothly. “Audio only.”
“SCI fleet, this is Kayden Reynolds of the independent colony Sanctuary. We’ve come to render assistance.”
There was a booming sound before the response came. “An independent? What the hell are you doing here? And why can’t we find you on our sensors?” The male voice said with a drawl that reminded Kayden of old videos he used to watch on the extranet about the American West.
“The answers to both of those are a long story. I know you could use some help. We’ve got some friends on the way, but it’s going to take them a little time to get here. Can you hold out?”
Another booming sound came over the radio before the SCI captain responded. “I have no idea. These Voidborn are tough sons of bitches.”
“I recommend a fighting retreat back to Trappist-b. Divert power from your weapons to your cruiser’s energy shields, and use them to shield the smaller ships in your formation. Our fleet will emerge next to you as soon as they can.” Ali supplied helpfully.
“You heard the lady.” Kayden added. “Can you do it?”
There was a brief pause before he responded. “We can’t leave the colony undefended.”
“They won’t be.” Kayden promised. “We’ll keep using my ship as a screen, doing hit and run strikes against their bombers and landing craft. I’m going to land down there and see if we can take out a high value target – the Queen is down there.”
“You’re going to need help.” The voice said. “I’ll give you my command codes and tell any forces you come across to fall in under your command…if you’re willing to help me out.”
“What do you need?” Kayden questioned.
“There’s a convoy of mostly civilian craft down there, packed with noncombatants. They were planning on making a run for Port Vega when we got attacked. Those people are still on board, ready to take off. If you can keep those ships intact we can still make the run when all this is over.”
Taking a deep breath, he nodded before seeing the visible relief on both Dawn and Elara’s faces. “Alright. We’ll protect everyone we can.”
“Thank you.” The voice said. “Transmitting authorization now. If any of them give you any guff, tell them Commander Duke sent you.” He paused for a moment before adding. “Good hunting out there. Give my best regards to the Queen.”

Chapter 2

01:44, January 1st, 2135

“Just remember: we’re going to be doing hit-and-runs, so air support is going to be nonexistent until Ashley shows up with the fleet.” Selina reminded them over the radio as they exited the shuttle. “You’re going to be on your own for a bit.”
“Got it.” Kayden said, levelling his rifle as he scanned the landing pad around them.
Behind him, Anna stepped out of the shuttle and levelled her own pistol as she took up a position by his side. Her green skin was hidden underneath a layer of nanobot-created armour, but nothing could hide the fact that the top of her helmeted head barely reached his hip. She took a moment to fidget with the Kel-made glove that gave her healing powers before chuckling over the radio.
“Looks like your friend Commander Duke wasn’t kidding. There’s gotta be a hundred ships on this pad, maybe more.”
Choosing to ignore her comment about being friends with the commander, Kayden nodded. “It’s too bad none of them are military ships – otherwise, they could be up their bolstering the fleet instead of sitting down here.”
They’d parked the shuttle at the very edge of the landing pad, where the dark grey metal and concrete gave way to the barren rock of Trappist Prime. His eyes traced the grey, black, and silver metal hulls of the utilitarian ships around him, gradually moving upwards past the automated defense turrets towards the enormous habitation dome at the end of a long walkway. He could see flashes of light from the firefight that was obviously happening inside, but noted with satisfaction that the fighting seemed to be contained to within the dome for now and hadn’t spilled out to threaten the makeshift fleet.
“We should offer them refuge on Sanctuary.” Anna suggested as she climbed onto Kayden’s back. “I bet we could retrofit some of these ships to make them good in a fight. Or at least make good use of them around the colony.”
Mirana stepped out of the shuttle behind Kayden and closed the door behind her before levelling her own rifle. Together they followed the dim running lights to a brightly lit pathway – one that led through the rows of parked ships to the dome beyond. They set out at a light jog, wary of any creatures which could be hiding in the shadows underneath the ships parked all around them. As they moved, Anna kept up a running commentary – her way of keeping the mood light despite everything that was happening.
“That’s a Titan-class cargo hauler over there, I stole one and rammed it into a Black Company cruiser a few years back…the silvery box thing beside it is an Odyssey-class shuttle, I didn’t realize any of them were still in service. Shit, these ships are full – I can see people’s faces looking out the windows. Duke wasn’t kidding when he said they were ready to leave…Oh look, there’s an Einstein-Class science ship! That’s gotta be brand new, and we could use one of those back on Sanctuary to-wait, stop!” She suddenly cried.
“What?” Kayden said, stopping dead and whirling around as he checked for enemies.
“Just one second.” Anna replied, pulling out a small tablet from a back pocket and taking a picture of a strange-looking ship. “Alright, got it. Keep going. Selina’s going to lose her shit over this.”
“Over what?” Kayden asked, furrowing his brow as he jogged faster to catch up to Mirana.
“That’s the Bluenose.” She said by way of explanation.
“I don’t know what that is.” Kayden replied.
“It’s the most famous racing ship in human space! I know it looks like a cockpit with engines, but I promise you that ship has won more races than the rest of the top 10 racing ships combined.”
Kayden glanced back at the ship as they continued to jog. The description was apt – it had an enclosed angular cockpit with what looked like enough room for 2 pilots to sit, one in front of the other. The blue painted hull tapered outwards slightly, before ending in a cluster of enormous engines. Turning his head, he caught up to Mirana as they continued their jog.
“What is the ship’s purpose?” Mirana asked.
“We race them.” Anna replied. “Usually the course extends around a moon. First one to complete the circuit wins.”
“That seems like an enormous waste of resources.” She replied disdainfully.
“In wartime, sure. But in peacetime? It’s important for people to have fun distractions.” He paused for a moment, thinking. “What do the Vrul do for fun?”
“I…well…we…” She stuttered as they neared the doors to the habitation dome. “We should remain focused on the mission. We don’t have time for such frivolities.”
Kayden chuckled as the outer doors slid open smoothly for them. “Okay fine, you don’t have to tell me now. Maybe another time.”
They stepped into a large metal airlock with another set of sliding doors in front of them. The room was lit by a large overhead light which was currently red, casting sinister-looking shadows everywhere. As soon as Mirana cleared the threshold leading outside the door behind her slid shut and a hissing sound filled the room while the airlock repressurized. It continued until the air around them matched the atmosphere of the habitation dome.
They leveled their weapons at the door in front of them, unsure of what they would be walking into due to the soundproofing effect of the heavy metal doors. Kayden thumbed the safety on his rifle as he took a deep breath, preparing for the worst. A moment later the process completed and with a soft ding noise the red light overhead turned to green as the doors slid open.
As Kayden took in the scene in front of him, he almost wished it hadn’t.
Ahead of them, a squad of a dozen SCI marines were desperately firing their rifles wildly over a makeshift barrier in the middle of what looked like an urban street. They were wearing what looked like standard-issue combat armour – a black kevlar-nanoweave bodysuit with dark grey steel pauldrons, vambraces, greaves, and boots. On their heads they wore helmets that housed an internal computing suite that handled communications, projected energy shields around their bodies, and housed the heads-up display that provided them with relevant mission information. All-in-all their armour wasn’t as good as Kayden’s nanobot-created armour, but it was effective and easily produced at scale.
On either side of the street were a set of burned out buildings filled with pockmarks of bullets. The dome’s overhead lighting system seemed to have gone out, replaced by dim yellow emergency lighting that lined the streets. Further beyond the marines Kayden could see a quickly-advancing group of quadrupedal spine monsters, their tongues hanging out and their jaws snapping as they raced towards the group. They were flanked by a pair of crab monsters – ones who were currently firing a barrage of energy rounds at the marines and ensuring that they couldn’t peek out of cover. Kayden knew first hand that it was an effective strategy, and that he had to act fast if he was going to save the soldiers.
“Mirana, go left and set up your robots to flank them!”
“On it!” Mirana replied tersely.
While she did, Kayden raced forward in long, loping steps. In seconds he’d reached the marines, vaulting easily over their barricade before sliding and crouching next to them, causing shouts of alarm as Anna climbed off his back. With a thought he changed his suit radio to the frequency supplied by Commander Duke and began shouting.
“Friendly! Don’t shoot!” He shouted.
“Who are you?” One of the marines demanded from behind a helmet.
“Kayden Reynolds!” Kayden replied, sending the command codes from his own suit to the soldier’s with a thought.
Something flashed across the soldier’s in-helmet heads-up-display before he nodded. “Sir! We could use a hand!”
The Voidborn crab’s cannons boomed, a projectile round slamming into the concrete barricade and throwing one of the marines back. He cried out as he sailed through the air, bouncing several times before going silent. Gritting his teeth he turned to Anna.
“You’re on medic duty!”
“Got it!” She replied, running towards the injured man as fast as her legs would carry her.
Turning back to the soldier, Kayden gave rapid-fire orders. “Don’t shoot her, me, or my friends that are going to appear on your left in about 30 seconds. Focus your fire on the runners, aim for the heads, I’ll take out the crabs.”
Without giving him time to reply, Kayden mentally spoke to Ali. I need that adrenaline rush now.
Time around him slowed as he launched himself over the barricade, sprinting towards the oncoming horde before the soldier had fully registered what just happened. In the blink of an eye Kayden levelled his rifle and began strafing the quadrupedal monsters, scoring several headshots as he did. His legs pumped ever faster as he turned suddenly to the right, targeting the first crab monster and switching his rifle to energy rounds while squeezing the trigger.
If the creature wasn’t trying to kill him he might have felt badly for it. Its spindly legs scuttled to the side, desperately trying to bring the powerful stationary cannon on its back to bear. Kayden knew that against even regular opponents it would have trouble tracking a target which didn’t stand still.
Against Kayden with his adrenaline rush active it didn’t stand a chance.
His energy rounds slammed into the creatures shield, draining it just as Kayden neared. The nanobots in his arm formed his hand into an enormous blade – one which he used his Kel-given abilities to run an electrical current through. With his enhanced strength he plunged the blade into the ugly creature’s ‘face’, piercing its armour and frying the delicate electronics hidden underneath its shell. It shuddered for a moment before falling to the ground, dead.
Tearing the blade out of the corpse Kayden turned as the adrenaline rush wore off. He saw that his plan worked perfectly in that it caught the attention of everyone on the battlefield – Voidborn and human. Unfortunately for him, that meant that there was a group of several dozen quadrupeds standing between him and his other target – the second crab creature.
Fortunately for him, Mirana chose that moment to emerge from a burned out building with half a dozen robots on either side – all of them armed. They unloaded the submachine guns they carried into the crab from behind, blowing through its shields and killing it under a hail of gunfire. The sight seemed to invigorate the marines as they popped out of cover and joined the barrage, adding their fire to the bots’.
The combined crossfire quickly shifted towards the quadrupedal monsters, and in moments all that was left of the group of Voidborn was dead bodies. In the eerie silence that followed Kayden took a moment to scan for any more monsters lurking in the darkness. When he found none he quickly retreated back to the marines, hopping over the barricade as he checked on his squadmates.
“Anna? Mirana? You both okay?”
“I am.” Mirana confirmed.
“Yep.” Anna added as she strode towards him, adjusting her healing glove. “Good thing we arrived when we did. That soldier would be dead if we didn’t. He’ll be back on his feet in a few minutes.”
“Good.” Kayden said before turning to the soldier he’d spoken to before. “Hey! Marine! Who’s in charge here?”
He looked around for a moment before shrugging. “I guess I am, sir.” He said, his voice quivering.
Shit. He sounds like a kid. Kayden thought to himself before replying out loud. “Name and rank?”
“Lance Corporal Davis, sir. 12th infantry battalion, Bravo Company.”
“Lance Corporal Davis, do you know where the rest of your battalion is? We’re going to need some help.”
He nodded in reply. “We’ve had some scattered radio contact with them, and there are still active transponders. Here, I’ll share their locations with you.”
Kayden watched as he input several commands into his wrist-mounted computer. The heads-up-display in his suit flashed once as it received the signal, and suddenly he saw dozens of locations marked in green ahead of him. He furrowed his brow for a moment before responding.
“That’s all that’s left of your battalion?” Kayden asked, concerned.
“Most of us were stationed outside, to protect the AA guns.” He explained before pausing for a moment. “A lot of them didn’t make it back into the dome.”
Kayden laid a sympathetic hand on the man’s shoulder. “It’s alright. We’re gonna get through this. I need you to radio them and tell them to rally somewhere. Is there a central landmark or something they can go to?”
He nodded and pointed to a tall building in the distance. “The refinery tower, over there.”
“Great. Tell them to rally there, and wait for me to get them. Then I need your squad to dig in here and protect this exit. Make sure nothing gets through to the landing pad out there, okay?”
He cocked his head in confusion. “Are… you not staying here, sir?”
“No.” Kayden said. “We’re going deeper into the dome. There’s a high-value target in there who we can’t let leave.”
“You’re going in there with those…things?” Another soldier asked, having overheard the conversation. “You can’t! They’ll kill you, just like they did everyone else!”
Kayden shook his head calmly. “We’ve already shown we can handle ourselves, marine. So can you. You beat them here, and you can do it again.”
“No, not those things!” The marine said urgently before pointing. “Those things!”
Kayden turned and levelled his rifle. Rounding the corner ahead of them were several dozen bipedal, human-like creatures. They wore tattered clothes that revealed metallic grey skin underneath, and their eyes, mouths, and ears each omitted an eerie blue light. As he focused on them he saw that metal studs were installed haphazardly across their bodies, and a short spike protruded from the base of their necks. Their fingernails had been replaced by sharp-looking 6-inch blades – ones that they swung back and forth as they moved.
“Fuck.” Kayden swore before unleashing the first salvo on the creatures, killing several with headshots.
Their slow shamble towards them turned into a reckless run as Anna, Mirana, and their robot companions added their fire to his own. The sight was enough to bring the marines to their senses, firing wildly into the crowd. Kayden watched with horror as one of the marines blew a creature’s legs off at the knees only for it to continue crawling forward. With a grimace he adjusted his aim and put a pair of rounds through its skull before shouting orders over the radio.
“Headshots only! Save your ammo!”
When the last creature fell Kayden took a deep calming breath before turning back to the marines. Even though they had clear sightlines the entire time and nothing came within 10 meters of them, several of them were slumped onto the ground, catatonic. The ones that were still standing were shaking badly enough he started to worry they’d fire off a round or two by accident.
“Mirana, bring your bots around front and take over guard duty.” He ordered, a pit in his stomach forming as he realized where the creatures likely came from. “Everyone else huddle up behind the barrier and take a breather. Anna, you can coach them.”
When they moved to comply, Kayden jogged out to the corpse of the nearest creature. Its face was mangled from a gunshot, but it still wore a set of standard-issue military fatigues – though admittedly they were hanging on by threads. Kneeling, he examined the blue veins visible through the creature’s skin for a moment before deploying his nanobot swarm, sending them to gather data about the creature.
[“Kayden.”] Ali’s voice sounded in his head. [“You already know what I’m about to tell you.”]
I know. He said, the pit in his stomach deepening. But I need you to say it anyways.
[“This creature was human. It’s been heavily genetically modified and cybernetics have been grafted onto it, but it’s human.”]
How did they do this? He asked, disgusted.
[“I am seeing the same genetic markers present in the creatures who were transformed on Arcadia and Sanctuary. They’re likely using their cocoons to transform them into this.”]
“Davis.” Kayden called over the radio. “Have you come across any large fleshy sacks, maybe 5 meters tall and 10 meters in circumference? They would have probably been deployed from orbit. They’ll have spindly metal arms and a tough carapace on the outside.”
“No sir.” Davis responded instantly. “We haven’t seen anything like that here.” He paused for a moment then added. “Should…we be expecting that?”
“No.” Kayden replied. “I don’t think so.”
[“It’s likely they were transformed somewhere else then brought here as shock troops.”] Ali theorized.
It makes a sick sort of sense when you think about it. There are billions of people on Earth. Capturing it gives the Queen access to all the disposable ground troops she could possibly need. She can use those troops to capture more colonies, who in turn can be used to replenish any of her losses.
[“It appears that is her plan, yes.”]
Is there any way to tell who this person was?
[“Not without more information.”]
Can we change them back into being human? Or break the Voidborn control over them?
[“Unknown. I would require further examination of the bodies to find those answers.”]
With a deep exhale Kayden stood and moved back towards the group. To her credit Anna had all the marines on their feet standing at the barrier. Whatever she said to motivate them apparently worked well because they were scanning the street for threats, rifles raised as he approached.
“Davis, your orders remain the same. You hold this door, and you shoot anything that attacks you. That includes these…zombie…things.”
“Understood sir.” He replied, his voice hardening. “Good luck.”
With a nod Anna left the marines and scrambled onto Kayden’s back. Mirana quickly dismissed her contingent of robots, their nanobots returning to her armour and forming a protective layer around her. When she rejoined them they wordlessly began walking down the street, taking care not to step on the sea of corpses around them. As they rounded the corner Kayden levelled his rifle and spoke into his radio.
“Broken Shackle, this is Kayden. Come in.” He said over their shared channel.
“We’re here.” Dawn’s voice replied.
“We’ve encountered Voidborn-modified humans, similar to the creatures we found before. Ali and I think the queen brought them in from Earth or Alpha Centauri.”
“Glad we got my family out now…” Anna muttered softly.
“Shit Kayden. What do you want to do?” Dawn asked.
“The plan remains the same. We’re going to rally whatever forces we can, then hit the queen with everything that we’ve got. I’ve got no idea what will happen to the Voidborn after we kill her though, so be ready for anything.”
“Understood.” Dawn responded. “Be careful and good luck.”
“You too.” Kayden said. “We’ll see you on the other side.”

Chapter 3

03:12, January 1st, 2135

“This seems like an…odd choice of target for the Voidborn Queen herself to be involved.” Mirana remarked as their footsteps echoed in the darkness of the habitation dome.
The small cluster of buildings around the ‘welcoming’ area of the dome quickly gave way to a wide open space around them – one that gently sloped downwards to their left into a pit mine. They’d decided to avoid the well-lit paved road leading between the airlock and the refinery tower, choosing to wind their way across the rough gravel that naturally covered the planet. It helped them to avoid detection, but slowed their progress significantly.
Every so often an explosion or a firefight would break out in the distance, highlighting the fact that the SCI was still very much in this fight. As Kayden checked his heads-up display for what felt like the millionth time, he saw with satisfaction that the majority of the transponder signals from the marines were moving in the same direction as they were – meaning that they’d have a decent number of allies to help them with their attack.
“Why do you say that?” Kayden replied finally, focusing on Mirana.
“Your initial tactical analysis.” Mirana answered. “This does not seem like a strategically important world. Why risk such an important asset on an unimportant target?”
Anna nodded slowly. “She’s right, you know. There are dozens of habitation domes on this world – ones for residential areas, commercial areas, industrial refining capabilities…why would she hit one of the ones dedicated to mining?”
Kayden shrugged in response. “Maybe she thought it was important that she take out the SCI’s mining operations? If this turns into a protracted war, that might become an issue. We fight a war without raw materials.”
“That doesn’t make sense either.” Anna replied. “This dome is brand new, and it’s not even fully set up yet. If she wanted to reduce their ability to mine, she should have gone after one of the other domes.”
“Sure, but she doesn’t know it’s not set up yet.” Kayden countered.
“Maybe.” Anna admitted. “You have to admit it’s weird though.”
“I agree with Anna.” Mirana added. “Not knowing our target’s intent could be disastrous.”
Realizing they were right, Kayden nodded. “Once we kill her we’ll stick around for a bit and do some investigating. Maybe we can figure out why she was here to begin with.”
“Shoot first, ask questions later?” Anna joked.
“Something like that.” Kayden replied with a grin.
“Humans are terrifying.” Mirana muttered under her breath.
“Alright, enough chatter.” Kayden said, levelling his rifle ahead of him. “We’re almost at the tower. Based on the transponder signals it looks like some of the marines are already there.”
They moved in silence across the barren alien landscape for several more minutes, all while keeping a careful watch for any ambushes. When they finally reached the 5-meter tall grey chain-link fence surrounding the tower, Kayden took a moment to examine their destination. The steel skeleton-framed structure extended almost 200 meters into the air, with antenna on the top floor that seemed to almost reach the top of the dome. At regular intervals there were enclosed platforms, with an open-air elevator running along one side of the building’s rectangular frame. The bottom floor seemed to be much larger than the others, with an enormous sliding door big enough to allow heavy mining vehicles to drive in.
With a final glance around to ensure there weren’t any imminent threats, Kayden switched to a radio channel that he knew the marines would monitor before speaking as he emerged beneath one of the large floodlights they’d set up around the fence. “Friendlies, coming towards you from the north side fence. Don’t shoot!”
There was a brief pause before a female voice responded over the radio. “Understood. Are you the one Davis said would be coming?”
“Kayden Reynolds, at your service. Commander Duke gave me command over your unit.” Kayden replied as he flashed the command codes wirelessly over the channel.
“Understood sir.” The voice replied. “Head 20 meters to your left – we’ll open the gate for you and meet you there.”
The three of them followed the voice’s instructions, moving cautiously towards the gates. As they swung open he noted the presence of several makeshift barricades spread throughout the compound, all of which were manned by marines wielding heavy-duty cannons mounted on tripods. Further back towards the tower he saw several more marines welding steel plates to the sides of a bulldozer, as well as yet more marines patrolling the far edge of the fence.
Good. Kayden thought. These marines seem a lot better trained than Davis’ group.
A trio of marines jogged to meet them, stopping warily about 5 meters in front of their group. Kayden couldn’t help but notice that while their weapons weren’t exactly raised at them, they weren’t completely pointing downwards either. He wasn’t given any time to think about it though, as the leader of the trio stepped forward and identified herself.
“I’m Lieutenant Dare, sir. I’m the leader of Bravo company, 12th infantry. I understand that I have you to thank for saving Davis and his squad.”
“That’s right.” Kayden responded.
She paused for a moment before continuing. “I also understand that you’re going after a high-value target.”
“The Voidborn Queen.” Kayden replied. “She’s here somewhere, and we’re going to take her out.”
“You really think you can do it? She tore through a squad of some of my best soldiers like they were nothing.”
“I can do it.” Kayden said. “I could use your help though.”
“I really hope you’ve brought more than the 3 of you. Otherwise, we’ll just be throwing more lives at that bitch.” She replied.
Shaking his head, Kayden summoned his nanobot swarm for a moment. He deployed them in a cloud around him before sending a small electrical pulse through them, causing a blue lightning bolt to race through them for a moment. Seeing the way the marines gripped their weapons slightly tighter he quickly put a stop to it, returning the nanobots to his arm.
“There might only be 3 of us, but we’re… special. My friends can do even more than I can. Mirana here can deploy robots, and Anna can heal. Both of them are damn good in a fight too.” Kayden said.
The lieutenant hesitated for a moment before turning and waving them towards the tower. “It’ll have to be enough, I guess. She’s going to come here eventually, and there’s probably not enough time to raise a larger army anyways.”
“What do you mean she’s going to come here?” Kayden asked as they jogged to catch up with her, the two other marines falling in behind them.
“A couple months back, the miners here found something while digging. They couldn’t make heads or tails of it, so they set it aside for the eggheads over at R&D to look at while they paused mining that area. They never made it out here though – they kept claiming they were ‘too busy’ to come check it out, and then Earth got invaded, so…” She trailed off.
“I don’t get it.” Kayden said as they reached the door to the tower. “So they found something buried. How does that equate to the queen coming here?”
She opened the door to the tower and ushered them into a large open vehicle bay with bare steel walls. Off to one side there were several more bulldozers, along with an enormous mining laser mounted on the back of a trailer. On the other side there was a wall filled with tools, a workbench, and several fabrication machines. Further back there were several injured marines laying down on makeshift cots.
In the middle of the room was the device Lieutenant Dare mentioned. It was immediately obvious to Kayden why it was cordoned off by stanchions and rope – it was hovering and slowly rotating 2 meters off the ground and emitting a low hum, all while pulsing green lights traced patterns across its onyx-black pyramidal shape. He stopped dead in his tracks as he looked at it, head cocked to the side in confusion.
“It started doing that as soon as the Voidborn entered the system. The closer they get to it, the faster it spins and glows. That can’t be a coincidence. We think they’ve got some sort of tracking device that’s leading them here.”
Kayden nodded. “Any idea on what it does?”
“None. We know that the power readings it’s giving off are equivalent to a starship’s engine, but we have no idea where it’s drawing power from.”
“We should rig it to blow.” Anna suggested. “If she wants it, it can’t be for anything good.”
Dare looked at Anna. “I like the way she thinks. We tried that – it’s got the strongest energy shields I’ve ever seen on an object that small. It also seems to just…disappear whenever we tried to attack it. We were debating trying an orbital strike, but air support is in short supply right now.”
Anna nodded. “We could make that happen.”
“Here’s what I don’t get.” Kayden said, changing the subject. “If this thing is what they’re after, why aren’t they here already? They’ve been on the planet for a few hours now.”
“Our security cameras captured footage of those creatures digging near where this device was found.” Lieutenant Dare explained. “We think there might be more parts to this device and she’s digging them up now. Once she’s done though…” She trailed off.
Kayden nodded. “She’s probably coming here. Which means we don’t have long to prepare.”
“Exactly.”
“Then we’d better get to it.” Kayden said, taking command. “Let’s give our guest a warm welcome.”

***

04:54, January 1st, 2135

“She’s almost in range.” Lieutenant Dare said tersely.
“I see her.” Anna replied, frantically inputting commands into her handheld tablet. “I’ve got the shot lined up.”
“Are you sure this is going to work?” Dare questioned.
Kayden chuckled to himself. “Anna is probably the best improvisational engineer you’ll ever meet – especially when it comes to weaponry. If anyone can make it work, it’s her.”
The 3 of them stood with Mirana at the top of an improvised platform that gave them clear sightlines over the fences. All around them, marines performed last-minute weapons checks as they huddled behind barricades. Behind them, snipers and spotters set up positions inside the tower, using the height advantage to relay tactical information to the rest of the marine company while picking specific targets.
“Aww, that’s so sweet.” Anna said, glancing up at Kayden from behind her helmet. “You just earned yourself an extra blowjob later.”
Dare coughed uncomfortably, making Anna giggle. She refocused on her tablet for a few more moments, lining a green targeting reticle up with the horde of creatures scrambling up the hill towards them. Their front ranks were made up of what must have been hundreds of human zombies, flanked by dozens more quadrupeds. Towards the back was a combination of snake and crab creatures forming a protective barrier around a purple-carapaced figure that they could only catch glimpses of.
“In range.” Dare announced, nodding.
“Firing.” Anna announced, jabbing the screen with one finger.
The enormous mining laser behind them hummed to life before shaking slightly. The tip of it glowed bright red, and from what Anna told them the laser would be hot enough to melt through meters of stone. The area around them lit up for a moment as the 2-second burst of energy flashed down the hill towards their enemies, hitting the front rank of human zombies.
The impact happened far too quickly for Kayden to watch. One moment there was a zombie shambling up the hill, and the next its entire torso had vaporized, causing its limbs to collapse to the ground. More than that though, the laser had penetrated through the front rank and performed the same feat for several creatures behind it, killing them instantly.
“Damn. Can we take this home with us?” Anna said as the glow from the tip of the laser faded.
Kayden laughed. “No. But we can build our own.”
“Promise?”
“Sure.” Kayden said. “Can you fire again?”
“Not right away.” Anna said. “We’re recharging now. It’ll take another 30 seconds, maybe a minute.”
“That’s fine.” Kayden said, turning to Dare. “Let’s get that second surprise going.”
Nodding, Dare reached into her belt and pulled out a black handheld device with a red button on top. With a deep exhale she took one more glance at the tablet Anna held before pushing it, causing a soft click to sound. For a moment nothing happened as they waited patiently for the signal to reach its target.
Suddenly, a set of explosions roared to life in front of them. It enveloped the Voidborn attack force, consuming them with flames and flying debris. An enormous fireball blossomed upwards, scorching the top of the habitation dome as it spread. The force of the expanding shockwave was enough to shake the chain-link fences, causing them to rattle ominously.
As the smoke started to clear, the purple-carapaced figure emerged. A cloud of nanobots surrounded her as she expanded the bonelike metal protrusions from her back to their full wingspan. She stood there for a moment before leaping high into the air, landing just inside the chain-link fence and using the sharp points of her wings to impale a pair of marines, killing them instantly.
“Fuck!” Kayden shouted. “Anna, take her out with the laser!”
Anna frantically began powering up the laser again, tapping a series of commands that caused the bulky machine to pivot towards the queen. The tip began to glow red in preparation to fire as it continued to turn, doing its best to track the queen’s movements as she darted between groups of marines. After a few seconds Anna made a frustrated noise, glancing upwards just in time to see the queen shrug off a barrage of projectile rounds before killing another marine ruthlessly.
“She’s moving too fast! I can’t get a good shot!” She said.
Anna barely got the words out of her mouth before Kayden leapt off the platform and raced towards the queen, deploying his nanobots in a cloud around him. He caught her just as she used her own swarm to eat through a metal barricade, exposing a trio of terrified-looking marines beyond. They levelled their own rifles at her and fired desperately but it wasn’t enough – she plowed through the gunfire before punching holes in their armour with nanobot-created blades, killing them.
The sound of Dare’s voice was suddenly in his ear. “Contact! We’ve got more contact! Voidborn forces coming from…everywhere! All directions!”
“Keep them occupied! I’ll deal with the queen!” He shouted in reply.
Levelling his rifle Kayden emptied his magazine at the Queen, the energy rounds glancing harmlessly off her powerful shields. She turned to face him just as he switched tactics, dropping the gun and using his genetically enhanced strength to pick up a large piece of metallic debris before hurling it at her. It sailed through the air before she swatted it away with one wing, a grin forming on her face as she did.
“Finally. A challenge!” She shouted before darting towards him.
Ali. Adrenaline rush. Kayden commanded as he closed the distance.
The now familiar feeling of time slowing around them enveloped him, allowing him to get a good look at his opponent. Her eyes pulsed with purple light and the tendrils on her head writhed as she moved towards him. The pale skin on her face was contorted into a sneer, and her bladed hands were held to either side. Concerningly, she seemed to move almost as fast as him – something that spoke volumes about how fast she truly was.
I need to end this quickly. He thought to himself.
Determined to keep as much distance as possible between him and his opponent he fired a stream of nanobots towards the queen’s legs, intending to encase them and hold them steady. To his dismay she easily broke free of them, tearing through the bonds before swinging one blade towards his head and forcing him to dodge and roll away. Before he could spring to his feet, one of her wings slammed into the ground next to him, the spike at the end of it embedding itself into the ground where his face was just a moment ago.
Deciding to change tactics he grabbed onto the wing with both hands before sending a pulse of electricity through it, hoping it was made of some sort of conductive material. Fortunately for him it was, and the resulting arc of lightning hit her spine a moment later. She cried out in pain, arching her back before tearing the wing out of the ground and back towards her.
Knowing that he needed to press his advantage he pulled on the wing with all his strength, causing it to groan and buckle. He managed to send a second short pulse of electricity through the metallic frame before seeing her turn, swinging her other wing towards him and forcing him to duck and leap backwards. The strike scraped the front of his armour, gouging the metal but leaving him otherwise unharmed.
Realizing that his adrenaline rush likely wouldn’t last much longer he darted forward again, forming his nanobots into a spear and thrusting it towards her chest. As it brushed the edge of her carapace he electrified it, shocking her and leaving a scratch that matched the one on his own armour. To her credit she recovered quickly, grabbing the shaft of the spear and bringing her forearm down on it. The metal weapon snapped in two, causing Kayden to leap backwards yet again.
The two of them clashed several more times like this – darting in and out of attacks, dodging and weaving faster than human eyes could track. Around them their nanobot swarms mirrored their own movements, with individual nanobots slamming into their opposition and self-immolating, destroying both of them in a sea of lights that looked like fireflies dancing in the night.
Squaring up to his opponent, he felt his perception of time suddenly snap back to normal. He noted with dismay that all he’d managed to do is damage one of her wings and scratch up her armour in a few places. His sense of dismay worsened when her nanobot swarm surrounded the break in the wing, welding themselves around it and healing the crack.
Suddenly she darted forward faster than Kayden could track without his adrenaline rush. Her hand enclosed around his neck and she held him above the ground as she brought the spikes on her wings towards him, hovering only a hair away from his body. She smirked as she shook her head.
“I expected more from you.” She said. “You barely know how to use your powers. And now you will die having never learned the true extent of what is possible with Synthesis.”

Chapter 4

05:06, January 1st, 2135

From the corner of his eye, Kayden saw movement. Knowing that he had to keep the queen distracted for a few more moments he taunted her. “You’re not getting it. The device. We’ve already destroyed it.”
“No you haven’t.” She replied. “It calls to me. I will have it.”
“Bold claim for someone who’s about to die.”
She laughed in response. “You cannot kill me.”
“Who said I was gonna do it?” Kayden said before slamming his prosthetic arm down on her carapace-covered one, breaking her grip and causing her to drop him to the ground.
Before she could recover a blast of red light hit the queen, overloading her shields and burning away her carapace armour. She sunk to one knee while still smouldering, and before she could stand a swarm of nanobots coalesced around them into robots as Mirana closed the distance to them. They quickly took advantage of the situation, opening fire on the wounded queen and causing her to cry out in pain.
“Enough!” She shouted, swinging her wings around wildly.
To Kayden’s horror, she managed to score a series of hits – both against the bots and their controller. The spike on the end of one of her wings slammed into Mirana’s armour, penetrating it and throwing her backwards. She screamed in pain as she hit the ground before going silent.
Enraged, Kayden jumped forward towards the queen and grabbed hold of both of her wings from behind. With an almighty roar he tore them directly out of their sockets with a wet squelch, causing blood to spurt out from the queen’s back and revealing that they’d been grafted directly onto her skin. Ignoring his growing revulsion he grabbed the queen by the back of her neck and sent an electric shock through her neural link, bringing her to her knees in front of him. As she twisted and writhed under his grip he summoned his nanobot swarm and formed them into a blade in his other hand – one that he used to lop the queen’s head off, killing her.
Somehow, the ringing in Kayden’s ears was louder than the sound of gunfire around them. He stepped over the queen’s corpse and raced towards were Mirana was lying, the hole in her suit revealing her red skin underneath. Conscious of the fact that she was very susceptible to bacteria and viruses, he tore the gloves off his suit before pressing his bare hands against the deep wound in an attempt to staunch the flow of her green blood.
“You’re going to be okay!” Kayden said to her, reassuring himself as much as her.
She weakly put a hand on his arm. “Did…we…get her?”
“We did.” Kayden replied. “Rest. We’ll get you out of here.”
“Thank…you…executor.” She croaked out before her hand slipped back down, resting by her side.
Moments later Anna appeared by their side. She pushed Kayden away gently before waving her healing glove back and forth across the wound. He watched anxiously as the glove pulsed with different colors, his eyes going wide when the skin and damaged organs underneath stitched themselves back together. As much as he wanted to watch and make sure she was going to be okay, his attention was drawn away by a radio signal from the Broken Shackle.
“Kayden. Whatever you did just now threw their fleet into disarray. Their ships are firing on each other as often as they’re shooting at us. It’s like they’ve lost their damn minds.” Selina paused for a moment. “Ashley just entered the system with the rest of the fleet as well. They’re moving in.”
“Prioritize escorting the civilian ships out of here.” Kayden ordered. “Get them lifted off and heading back to Port Vega. If you can take out some of their fleet while you’re at it, great – but make sure those ships are safe. Then tell Duke to send down any landing craft he’s got to help secure the area.”
“Understood.” Selina said.
“Tell the Vrul onboard to prepare a heavy dosage of antibiotics.” Anna added, standing. “Mirana took a hit, and she’s going to need medical attention.”
Kayden looked over at Anna. “Is she going to be okay?”
“I don’t know.” She replied, tension in her voice. “I’m no expert in Vrul physiology, and she lost a lot of blood. I healed her wounds, but I’m worried about infection setting in. We should get her back to the ship as soon as possible.”
“Stay here with her.” Kayden said, standing.
Turning, he sprinted back towards the tower and wrenched open the door to find Dare kneeling over a wounded marine. She stood the moment Kayden entered the room, looking between him, an enormous hole in the wall, and the now-empty cordoned off area in the middle of the room. Even through his anxiety-ridden haze, he was aware enough to figure out what happened.
“They took it.” Dare said, her voice hollow. “They took it and ran as you were fighting the queen. As soon as they had it they started to retreat.”
“It doesn’t matter now.” Kayden countered. “The queen is dead – her body is back there. The fight in orbit just turned in our favor, and you’ll be getting reinforcements soon.”
“I…thank you.” She said, her relief palpable. “Sir.”
“Load up any wounded into these vehicles, and get ready to move out. We’re going to meet them at the landing pads.”
Not waiting for her response, Kayden ran over to an armoured bulldozer and hopped into the drivers seat. He pulled the control cable from his arm and connected it to the relatively simple machine, taking control of it instantly. The engine rumbled to life as the metallic vehicle bay door in front of him slid open painfully slowly. When it finally stopped moving he urged the vehicle forward, following the path back to Anna and Mirana.
As he reached them he disconnected himself and hopped out, landing next to the two women. He leaned over Mirana’s body and carefully picked it up, sliding it into the large seat of the bulldozer before buckling her in. He helped Anna climb in afterwards and was about to slide onto the squished seat next to them before Anna shook her head.
“Get the queen’s body! We might need it for testing later.”
Realizing she was right, he ran over to the queen’s body and severed head before unceremoniously tossing both of them into the bulldozer’s shovel. He then climbed into the seat, arranging both Anna and Mirana on his lap while he connected his control cable again.
“Come on.” He said, taking control of the vehicle. “Let’s get back to the ship.”

***

06:42, January 1st, 2135

“How are we looking?” Kayden said as he stepped off the elevator and onto the bridge of the Broken Shackle, still wearing his armour but having retracted his helmet.
“The civilian fleet is away.” Selina reported. “We used hit-and-run tactics to draw the Voidborn fleet away from the planet while they were still in disarray, giving enough of an opening. Unfortunately for us it looks like they figured their shit out and stopped attacking each other for the moment, but at least it meant we got the civilians out and Duke successfully landed reinforcements on the planet.”
“He reported several Voidborn landing craft making one last pickup run.” Dawn added. “They didn’t have nearly enough landing craft to pick up all their troops though, so the marines down there are going to have their work cut out for them.”
Kayden looked over at Ali as he strode to the middle of the bridge. “What’s their fleet strength like? Can we take them in a straight-up fight?”
“I believe so.” She replied. “The additional reinforcements from Sanctuary should be enough to destroy them without too many casualties. We are holding outside weapons range, and it appears they are unwilling to engage right now.”
“Get Ashley on screen.” He ordered.
The viewscreen in front of them split, with one half resolving to a tactical map of the space around them and the other half showing Ashley. Her short black hair was tied back in a bun, and her soft brown eyes flicked up to the screen in front of her before nodding. Under normal circumstances Kayden would make a comment about how her flawless brown skin looked soft and inviting underneath the tight blue bodysuit she was wearing, but in this moment his anxiety overrode those feelings.
“Heard you had a rough time down there.” Ashley started. “Mirana took a hit?”
“While taking out the queen, yeah.” Kayden confirmed. “The other Vrul told me they’ll be able to give us an update on her condition in the next hour.”
“She’ll pull through.” Ashley reassured him. “She’s a tough one. Do you want to go be with her? I can take this one on.”
“No.” Kayden replied. “I mean, yes – I’d like to be there, but the Vrul said it’d do more harm than good. I’m still covered in Voidborn guts, and that’s not exactly conducive to a ‘sterile’ environment, so I may as well be here where I can do some good.”
“Fair point.” Ashley relented. “So what’s the play here? We gonna finish kicking some Voidborn ass? I don’t like the fact that we’re both just sitting here, waiting for the other to make a move.”
“Kayden.” Ali interrupted. “I’ve completed my scans of the Voidborn fleet. It appears they are using swarms of nanobots and biological creatures to mend the holes in their ships.”
“They’re doing field repairs.” Ashley paraphrased.
“Shit.” Kayden swore. “That settles it then. I’d rather not give them time to repair – let’s take them now, before they’re done.”
“Agreed.” Ashley said before turning to her own bridge crew. “Order the fleet forward! Lead with the cruisers, deploy bomber wings 1 through 3, and send the corvettes around in a flanking maneuver!”
“Join the main attack force.” Kayden ordered, turning to Selina while cutting off the call to Ashley. “Put us alongside the cruisers and start picking targets.”
“On it.” Selina replied, her fingers dancing across her workstation.
Moving back towards his command chair, Kayden took a seat before opening a channel to engineering. “Anna, we’re going after the rest of the Voidborn fleet. Can you boost our power output?”
“Of course babe.” Anna replied. “We’re on it! Lots to do though. Talk later!”
As the channel cut off, Elara turned in her chair and placed her hand on Kayden’s. “Do we need to talk later about how there’s nothing you could have done differently?”
“I want to say that I should have brought the power cells from the shuttle so I could summon Fenrir.” Kayden replied, shaking his head. “But I also know that dissecting what I could have done differently isn’t going to help us right now. I’ll remember for next time, and that’s all I can do.”
“Proud of you.” She said softly before kissing him on the cheek.
“Thanks Elara.” Kayden replied before refocusing on the task at hand.
A brief silence fell over the bridge as they joined the fleet’s formation, cruising inevitably towards the Voidborn. Kayden mentally counted the seconds until they’d be in range, scanning through the tactical readout as he did. When he saw the Voidborn ships come about to meet them he highlighted several bombers and light frigates, intending to leave the heavier targets for the cruisers to attack.
The larger ships in the fleet fired before they did, the space between the fleets filling with the flash of energy weapons and the fire of missiles traded back-and-forth. The moment they were in range they added their own weapons to the mix, destroying a pair of Voidborn bombers with combined flak and missile fire before they could unleash their payloads. Selina expertly rolled the ship to avoid a lance of energy from the enemy battleship before pushing more power to the engines, closing the distance as they returned fire.
Even through the chaos of the battle, it quickly became obvious that they were winning. The Voidborn had fewer ships than they did to begin with, and they’d already sustained damage from their previous engagements – both with the SCI and each other. Their combined fire made short work of the Voidborn’s bomber and interceptor squadrons, allowing their own fighter craft to attack with near impunity while their capital ships continued an uninterrupted barrage.
Kayden was about to call Ashley back and congratulate her on the victory when Ali suddenly spoke. “More contacts entering the system! An entire Voidborn carrier group, by the looks of it. They will be in weapons range in 30 seconds.”
“It’s a trap!” Elara said.
“Ashley is hailing us!” Dawn said.
“On screen!” Kayden ordered.
Ashley’s face appeared in front of them and she immediately started speaking. “We don’t have the firepower to take on that new fleet!”
“Agreed. Sound the retreat.” Kayden said.
“Can’t. They’re approaching from the hyperspace jump point. We’d need to go through them to get there.”
“An in-system jump then.” Kayden said. “Get us to another jump point. There’s one that leads to the Cassiopeia system – we can rally at the jump point, then make the longer jump from there.”
“Fine.” Ashley nodded. “That’s Lokken Star Collective territory though.”
“Yeah, well…let’s just hope they’re feeling hospitable.” Kayden replied.
“Spinning up the hyperspace drive now.” Ali said.
“I’ll get us clear.” Selina added, rolling and plunging the ship downwards.
“Whenever you’re ready, punch it!” Kayden ordered, watching the second Voidborn fleet inch closer on the screen.
There was a brief sensation of movement and the familiar kaleidoscope of colors on the viewscreen next to Ashley’s face before they emerged away from the battlefield. All around them, ships began to pop out of hyperspace as their drives cooled down. The fighters and bombers frantically returned to their hangars as the larger ships reloaded and took stock of the situation.
“Kayden. Some of the ships took damage in transit.” Ali said tersely. “They may need a few minutes before they’re ready to make a longer jump.”
“Fuck, she’s right.” Ashley swore, clearly having heard Ali over the radio. “We’re going to need at least 5 minutes.”
“The Voidborn will be all over us by then.” Kayden replied, shaking his head.
“You’re not kidding.” Ashley confirmed. “I’m ordering the fleet to rally around the cruisers and use them as a bulwark. Hopefully that’ll buy us enough time.”
“Bring us about.” Kayden ordered. “I want us firing the second those bastards drop out of hyperspace.”
They didn’t have to wait long.
Less than 30 seconds after the last ships in their fleet reached the rally point, the first ships of the combined Voidborn fleet dropped out of hyperspace. They were quickly met with a barrage of fire that dissolved their shields and melted their hulls, but it didn’t matter – more and more ships continued to drop out of hyperspace and join the fray. In seconds a pitched battle erupted around them, with both sides throwing everything they had at their enemies.
“Bomber, 2 o’clock high!” Ali announced.
“Got him!” Elara replied, taking manual control of one of the weapons emplacements on the hull and shooting the bomber down.
An explosion at the edge of the battlefield caught Kayden’s eye. He glanced over at Ali only for her to shake her head sadly. “We just lost the Freedom’s Progress to Voidborn bombers.”
“Fuck. That was one of our few destroyers.” Kayden said before hammering the button for the internal comms. “Load the cluster missiles! We need to destroy those bombers!”
A beam of energy glanced off their shields, causing the entire hull to shake in protest. Kayden glanced at his tablet to see that the blow had cost them 20% of their shields. He pulled the control cable from his arm and connected it to the ship, taking control of several guns and bringing them around.
“Kayden, we need to focus on the capital ships!” Selina advised. “The fleet can’t take much more of this!”
“Additional contacts exiting hyperspace now.” Ali announced.
“Shit. What now?” Kayden groaned.
“It’s the Lokken! And the independents’ fleet from Port Vega!” Dawn announced. “They’re hailing us!”
Two faces appeared on the screen in front of them next to Ashley. One of them was familiar to Kayden – she had brown hair that was streaked with grey, a thin face with high cheekbones, and piercing blue eyes. The other face was that of a man with grey hair, skin wrinkled with age, and a grey beard. To Kayden’s surprise his left eye had been replaced by a cybernetic implant that extended to his ear, and he had a scar trailing across his forehead.
“Beth Weir, your timing is impeccable!” Kayden said to the leader of Port Vega. “And I see you’ve made a new friend too!”
“Admiral Swiatkewicz, at your service.” The man said. “Can we render assistance?”
“Yes!” Ashley growled. “Get these fuckers off my fleet.”
“Of course. Bringing our battleships to bear now. Do try to stay out of the way.”
Kayden watched with a mixture of glee and morbid fascination as a trio of battleships fired their main guns into the Voidborn fleet, blasting away a carrier’s shields. The follow-up shots from the Lokken cruisers hammered the ship’s armour, melting it and causing explosions to ripple through its hull. As they did, the independent’s makeshift fleet of corvettes, frigates, and destroyers swarmed forward and enveloped Sanctuary’s fleet, acting as a screening force against the bombing runs.
Against their overwhelming force, the tide of the battle turned back in their favor quickly. When it became obvious that they’d lost, the Voidborn enacted a fighting retreat – sacrificing their smaller ships as a rearguard so that their larger ships could pull back. Kayden was only too happy to oblige them, taking direct control of the Broken Shackle and using it to enact as much revenge as he possibly could for their fallen comrades.
“That’s the last of them.” Ashley announced as they watched a pair of Voidborn corvettes explode. “The rest retreated to the jump point for Alpha Centauri. They’ll be gone in the next few minutes.”
“Good.” Kayden said.
“Holding this system is critical for ensuring these Voidborn do not enter Lokken space.” Admiral Swiatkewicz said. “My fleet will remain on station here and assume control over any defenders.”
“Wait, I didn’t agree to that!” Beth countered angrily.
“I don’t know how Commander Duke is going to feel about that either.” Kayden added.
“My fleet is the largest, therefore I have the most to lose, and I should be in charge.” The admiral reasoned.
“Duke has the best lay of the land and has more forces planetside.” Kayden said. “You may not want to discount that advantage.”
“And I know how you operate – you’ll sacrifice our fleet first before you put your own in harm’s way!” Beth protested.
“Naturally!” The admiral said, furrowing his brow. “Our ships are worth a great deal more.”
They continued to bicker back and forth until Dawn waved at Kayden, catching his attention. He muted the conversation for a moment and looked at her. “You have an idea?”
“You should invite them here. Get everyone face-to-face and talk this out before it goes really south.”
Seeing the logic, Kayden nodded and unmuted himself. “Folks, listen. We’re all running hot after our victory. Let’s figure out how we’re going to manage the defense of this world after we take a minute to count our dead. Why don’t we meet on my ship in an hour? I’ll share whatever intel I can at that point, and we can make some decisions.”
Beth paused for a moment, then nodded. “Fine. 1 hour, your ship. I’ll take a shuttle over.”
“As will I.” The admiral nodded.

Chapter 5

07:14, January 1st, 2135

“Shit. Kayden, you have to see this.” Dawn said as she entered their expansive living quarters, handing him a tablet as she did.
He’d just finished taking a shower after having removed his armour, his black hair still damp from the water. When she walked in he was still toweling dry his muscular 190-cm tall frame, his pale skin glowing like a beacon in the dim light of their cabin. He stood between their extra, extra large bed – one that was big enough to accommodate all of them and their nighttime activities – and the row of dressers that housed their clothes.
“Ali told me I needed to cut my shower short.” Kayden replied, reaching out and taking the proffered tablet. “What’s going on?”
“The Queen. She’s not dead.” Dawn replied.
“Her dead body is in our cargo bay.” Kayden countered. “I’m pretty sure even she can’t survive a beheading.”
“I know, it’s just… look at this. It’s a transmission we received a few minutes ago from the Sol system.”
Furrowing his brow Kayden nodded and pressed the ‘play’ button on the tablet’s touchscreen. The blank slate resolved to a picture of the decidedly still alive Queen – one who smirked before beginning to speak.
“Ah, my disloyal subjects. Congratulations on ‘killing’ me. I honestly didn’t think you had it in you, Kayden Reynolds. I’ll be far more prepared for your little tricks the next time we meet – and rest assured, there will be a next time. As you humans are so fond of saying, the rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated.” She paused to flick a stray tentacle-hair backwards before continuing. “I will rule this planet, this system, and this galaxy. Mark my words – I am coming for each and every one of you, and there is nothing you can do to stop me.”
The transmission cut off suddenly, leaving the two of them standing in their cabin dumbfounded. He slowly placed the tablet onto the bed and finished toweling dry as he worked through the problem in silence. Dawn was content to let him think for a moment, placing a reassuring hand on his back as he started to dress.
“I’m guessing the others have seen this? The SCI, the Lokken, and Beth’s independents?”
“It was broadcast on a wide-band signal from Alpha Centauri. There’s no way they could have missed it.” Dawn replied.
“Could it be fake? Maybe an AI-generated image to throw us off?” Kayden suggested.
“That is unlikely.” Ali’s voice chimed in over the intercom, clearly having heard every word. “All ‘fake’ videos contain specific markers. I believe this to be genuine.”
“So… how the hell can she be alive, given that her dead body is in our cargo bay?” Kayden asked, stating the obvious question as he pulled on a pair of pants.
“I don’t know.” Dawn admitted as he threw a black t-shirt on, moving towards him and smoothing out the front. “But I do know you’ll figure it out.”
“Thank you for the vote of confidence.” He said, kissing Dawn deeply before pulling on a pair of boots. “I think I need to take a second look at the body.”
“The Kel science team is already performing an autopsy.” Ali announced. “Elara is waiting by the elevator to take you to them.”
“I guess that’s my next stop then.” Kayden said before looking at Dawn. “Can you manage getting all our friends into one of the mission rooms?”
“You, uh… know that each of them represents a state who has been at war with the others at one point or another, right?” Dawn replied hesitantly. “They may not play nicely with each other.”
“That’s why I’m counting on you to be diplomatic while I go figure out what the hell is going on with the body downstairs.” Kayden responded as they exited their cabin. “If anyone can do it, it’s you – Ms. ‘Used-To-Be-A-Diplomat/Spy’.”
“Fine.” She said, rolling her eyes but grinning. “I’m guessing I should avoid showing them any Kel or Vrul crew members as well?”
“Yes.” Kayden said, stopping next to the elevator where Elara was waiting. “I’ll tell them myself. It’s…probably best that we don’t shock them before we’re ready.”
“I’ll handle it.” Dawn said, stealing one more kiss before turning to Elara. “He’s all yours.”
“Good.” Elara said, hooking her arm underneath Kayden’s and pulling him into the elevator. “Let’s go.”
“Why do I feel like I’m being managed by my women?” Kayden joked as the elevator doors closed.
“Because you are. We – your women that is – talked.” Elara said, her blue eyes locking on his. “Like it or not, with that transmission you’ve just become a central figure to the war effort. Your being hurt would damage morale. We need to keep you safe – which means one of us is with you at all times.”
“As much as I enjoy your company, you don’t have to protect me.” Kayden protested. “I can handle myself in a fight. And Ali is always in my head.”
“True, but you know as well as I do that sometimes you need someone to physically watch your back.” She gently placed her hand on his chest to silence his protests. “Please. Let us do this. We care about you. I care about you. It gives us all some peace of mind to know you’re being protected.”
Kayden bit back a retort, seeing the logic. “Fine. But only because it gives me an excuse to spend one-on-one time with each of you.”
She blushed and nodded. “I’d like that.”
Leaning in, he pressed his lips against her pink ones in a deep kiss. She melted into his embrace, any tension leaving her body as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. His hands traced circular patterns down her back as they made out, only stopping when the elevator door opened to the cargo bay.
Taking a deep breath Elara looked at Kayden before nodding. “Let’s pick this up later. For now, we have to go to work.”
“Right.” Kayden said, breaking their embrace and striding out of the elevator.
As they left he could see the Kel science team already hard at work. Based on the fact that several of them were wielding circular saws and plasma cutters, it looked like the autopsy was equal parts surgery and mechanical disassembly. Plastic sheeting was laid across a wide section of the floor, and the Kel crew looked like they were split into two groups: one for the head, and one for the body.
When they neared an older-looking Kel scientist noticed Elara approaching and carefully placed down the jigsaw she was holding before jogging up to them. She wore what looked like a black kevlar nanoweave bodysuit with heavy-duty black protective gloves and a face shield over her blue skin. Her black hair was tied back in a tight bun behind her, and her expression showed a mixture of concern and excitement.
“Base Commander. Asha’dara.” She said, acknowledging them both in Kel before launching into a rapid-fire report. “We just completed the initial pass of the autopsy, and the results are fascinating. The frontal lobe is far denser with neural connections than most brains, by a factor of 5 – and it looks like those connections are facilitated by nanobots. The C3 through C5 vertebrae look like they never existed – the body was grown around the transmitter and neural link. Within the facial structure is enough computing capabilities to run a starship, but it looks like they were wiped as soon as the head was severed from the body. There’s remarkably little genetic degradation for a clone, and-”
Giving up, Kayden waved his hands back and forth to stop the overenthusiastic scientist. “Woah woah woah. You’ve lost me. Let’s start with your name, and go from there.
“Science officer Tsarenya, sir.”
“Give me the summarized, dumbed-down version Science Officer Tsarenya.”
Taking a breath, Tsarenya nodded and started again. “This body is a clone. More specifically, it’s an empty vessel, designed for a personality to be downloaded into it. In other words, she can transfer her consciousness into a new body, retaining all the memories and emotions of the previous body.”
[“Similar to the way I control my android body.”] Ali added mentally for context. [“Though this body appears to have considerably more biological components.”]
That can’t be right. It sounds way too…I don’t know, science-fiction.
[“We live in a spaceship.”] Ali countered.
Right. Kayden ceded the point before nodding towards Tsarenya to continue.
“The body itself appears to provide command and control capabilities for several star systems worth of Voidborn forces. Perhaps even all the troops in our galaxy.”
“That explains their behaviour after you killed her.” Elara interjected. “You disrupted her command over her troops.”
“That implies that she had a new clone up and running in a few hours though.” Kayden reasoned.
“It’s more likely that she has a central location with many clones ready to be activated at a moment’s notice.” Tsarenya clarified. “We detected an entirely unique signal upon this body’s death, coming from your location on the planet. We believe that signal was meant to activate the next clone.”
“Wouldn’t it make sense to have more than one clone active at once?” Kayden asked. “An army of these things would be unstoppable.”
“You’ve met her.” Elara said dryly. “It sounds like her personality is downloaded alongside her memories and abilities. How long do you think it would take before the clones turned on each other? She doesn’t seem like the type who likes to share.”
“Okay, fair point.” Kayden ceded. “Let me summarize then: our hypothesis was partially right – taking out the queen disrupts their control. It’s just that there’s more than one queen clone, and they’re being spawned from…somewhere.”
“If you eliminate the cloning facility and the rest of the clones, the Voidborn will gradually revert to their animalistic instincts.” Tsarenya said.
“Any idea where to find it?” Elara asked hopefully.
The scientist shook her head. “No. We tried to track the signal, but we lost it in the Sol System.”
“It can’t be there. Our home system’s been studied extensively. We’d have found it already if it was there. Maybe the signal is being pinged off the array there, but it’s probably originating in Alpha Centauri or something.”
“Maybe we can look into the ancient Kel records and see if they ever tried to track it.” Elara suggested. “That might give us clues as to where it is.”
“Great idea.” Kayden nodded. “Let’s do that.”
[“Kayden. Mirana is awake.”] Ali informed him mentally.
Kayden nodded encouragingly at Tsarenya. “Great job. It sounds like we might have the key to ending this war.” He paused for a moment then nodded to the body behind them. “See if you can figure out any weaknesses she’s got while we still have that thing here. I have a feeling we’re going to be facing her again, and I’d like a few more tricks up my sleeve.”
“Yes, Asha’dara.” Tsarenya said, recognizing the dismissal and returning to her group.
“What’s next?” Elara asked.
“We’re going to visit the Vrul.” Kayden replied, moving back towards the elevator. “Mirana is awake, and I’d like to check on her.”
“I’ll hand you off to Ali then.” Elara replied, typing away on her tablet as they entered the elevator. “As much as Mirana tolerates me, the rest of the Vrul still aren’t completely comfortable having a Kel commander in their living quarters. I don’t want to cause an incident.”
Kayden kissed her one more time before the elevator opened again. “Thank you. I’ll see you on the bridge.”
As he stepped onto the floor housing the crew quarters, he saw that Ali was already there waiting for him. She quickly fell into step behind him as he walked down the hallway, summoning his nanobots as he did. They formed into a fresh set of armour – one that he knew would be sterile enough to enter the section of the ship that his Vrul crewmates had claimed for themselves. Even so, as they passed through a newly-installed set of sliding doors they were quickly showered in a decontaminant spray.
I wonder if there’s any way to reinforce the Vrul immune systems, so they don’t have to live like this. Kayden thought to himself as the doors closed behind him.
[“It may be possible with genetic treatments.”] Ali replied in his mind. [“But that would require Kel help, something that they would be understandably reluctant to accept.”]
There’s an understatement. Kayden ‘said’ in reply. The ancient Kel Xenocompatibility program locked the Vrul out of their cybernetics and forced them to adapt most of their technologies. Unless something drastic changes, I don’t see them accepting any sort of Kel help.
[“You could order some of the Vrul here to do it and use your command codes to force them to say yes.”] Ali offered, referring to the fact that Kayden possessed Vrul ‘executor’ command codes, meaning that he could force any Vrul on his crew to do what he asked. [“However, that would run contrary to your previously stated morals.”]
Yes Ali. It would. Kayden replied simply.
[“We are here. Mirana is in the door to your left. I will remain outside to give you some privacy.”]
Nodding, Kayden stepped inside the tiny room as the door slid smoothly open. He took in the entire thing at a glance – there was a single bed against the wall, with a screen mounted opposite it. At the foot of the bed was a grey foot locker, and in a small alcove beside the bed sat a tablet as well as several closed syringes of greenish liquid.
As the door closed behind him Mirana’s helmeted head tilted up. She moved to get up but he was by her side in a flash, pressing one hand against her as he shook his head.
“Don’t. Just stay down. I’ll sit here.” He said, taking a seat on the floor.
“I’m well enough to go to the mess hall.” She insisted.
“No. Stay down, that’s an order.” Kayden said. “Don’t make me use the command codes.”
Even through the helmet, Kayden could tell that she was glaring at him. Finally, she relented and laid back down. “I’m sorry I don’t have anywhere for you to sit.”
“It’s okay.” Kayden said. “I know you said you wanted to reorganize this area of the ship into something that more closely resembles a Vrul ship, but damn. I haven’t been in here since you finished the retrofits. You really made some changes.”
“Yes. Human cabins are far too large with far too many amenities. This is better.” She insisted.
“Mirana, if I stretch my arms a little I can touch both walls of the cabin.”
“Yes. So?”
“I just… I’ve seen prison cells bigger than this.”
“This is how Vrul live.”
“I see.” Kayden said, not knowing how to respond.
There was a brief silence before Mirana continued. “Have you come down here for another purpose, other than to mock the way my people live?”
“Mirana, you know that’s not what I meant.”
“Isn’t it?” She pressed, venom in her voice.
He paused for a moment, furrowing his brow. “Mirana, did I do something wrong? You seem upset at me. I was worried about you after what happened on the planet, and I just came down to make sure you were okay.”
“Well, I’m fine.” She said coldly. “The medications should ward off any infection, and Anna’s healing glove closed the wounds. I will be available for missions within a few days.”
“That’s not what I was asking.” Kayden said, shaking his head. “I don’t care about when you’ll be ready to fight. I care about you as a person.”
“So now you don’t want me fighting anymore?” Mirana replied. “You see me as an incapable squad mate?”
“You know what? I don’t think this is a productive conversation.” Kayden said, standing. “We can resume this later. I’m glad you’re okay, and I hope you feel better soon.”
He moved towards the door before he heard her voice again. “I’m changing.”
Pausing, he turned around. “What do you mean?”
“My body. It was exposed to yours when you touched me to staunch the flow of blood. Now my body is changing to… adapt to yours. The Xenocompatibility program is taking its course.”
Kayden replayed the events on the planet in his mind. “Fuck. Mirana, I-”
“Don’t apologize.” She cut him off. “It saved my life. And unless we have sex, it won’t become permanent. It’s just…unexpected. That’s all.”
“I see.” Kayden said, unsure of what to say.
They stayed frozen like that for a moment longer before she shifted in the bed and whispered. “Thank you. For saving my life.”
“You’re on my crew.” Kayden said. “You’re one of us. I’ll always have your back.”
“I’d like to continue this conversation at another time.” She said. “Perhaps when I have fewer antibiotics in me.”
“I’d like that too.” Kayden nodded before opening the door. “Get some sleep Mirana. Come find me when you’re ready.”
He stepped out and closed the door behind him. Ali quickly fell into step behind him as he walked back towards the elevator, his thoughts swirling from the interaction. When they stepped into the elevator he retracted his helmet and looked at Ali.
“Why does it have to be so complicated?” He asked rhetorically.
“She is likely dealing with complex emotions associated with the changes in her body.” Ali replied. “Many beings find their physical bodies to be inexorably tied to their psychological sense of self. A change in the body can result in significant emotional changes. You said you felt something similar when you lost your arm.”
“That’s… surprisingly astute.” Kayden replied, furrowing his brow.
“She’s also likely grappling with her infatuation with you, and the fact that her bodily changes mean that you may now be sexually available to her.”
Kayden blinked several times in surprise before sputtering a response. “I…um…what?”
Before he could form a more coherent response, the elevator door opened to reveal Selina with a concerned look on her face. Deciding that his relationship with Mirana was firmly a later problem, he refocused on the task at hand as he stepped out.
“What’s wrong?”
“Dawn’s got everyone in one of the mission rooms. The bickering started as soon as they arrived, and it turned into an outright shouting match before she read them the riot act. Now they’re all just glaring at each other from across the room.”
“Lovely.” Kayden replied sarcastically as he walked down the hall behind her with Ali in tow, stopping when Selina indicated.
“Ready?” She asked.
“Ready as we’ll ever be.” Kayden said before nodding to Ali. “Let’s hope I can get everyone into a ‘diplomatic’ mood, because we’re going to need all the help that we can get.”

Chapter 6

07:49, January 1st, 2135

Selina opened the door to reveal one of the three configurable ‘mission’ rooms on the ship. Each one was designed to be adjustable based on their current needs, with the furniture, fixtures, and appliances entirely created based on templates from Kayden’s nanobot swarm. Given the galactic scale of their current conflict, this one had been set up as a ‘stellar cartography’ room, with the lights dimmed so that everyone could clearly see the holographic 3-dimensional representation of the Trappist system currently being projected in the middle of the room.
As Kayden glanced around, he saw that Selina’s description of the situation was accurate. In one corner of the room sat Beth Weir, scrolling through a tablet with a scowl on her face. She wore a wrinkled blue jumpsuit with the Port Vega insignia on the front and a black leather holster for a pistol around her hip – one that he was relieved to see was currently empty. Next to her stood Dawn, who flashed him the briefest of encouraging smiles as he raised an eyebrow at her.
His eyes moved to the opposite corner of the room where the Lokken commander was sitting. In contrast to Beth, his white naval uniform was cleanly pressed and starched. His shoulder epaulettes bore a trio of stars denoting his rank as ‘admiral’, and his cybernetic eye seemed to buzz and click as it darted around the room. His back was ramrod straight, thrusting the array of medals pinned neatly across his chest outwards. He studied Kayden for a moment before nodding respectfully and glancing back at the map of the system.
The final two members of their little ‘war council’ were standing in the corner together in hushed conversation. Kayden’s eyes lingered on Ashley’s hourglass frame for a few moments, tracing the curve of her ass up and down before focusing on the man she was standing next to. In contrast to Admiral Swiatkewicz his dark grey uniform was simple and lacked any ornamentation – only the nameplate across his front reading ‘Cmdr. Duke’ gave any indication of his rank.
Stepping closer to the center of the room, Kayden began to speak. “Thank you all for coming. It sounds like you’re all acquainted with each other, so unless anyone has any objections I’ll get right down to business.” When nobody stopped him, he continued. “By now you’ve seen the queen’s transmission. We don’t quite know how yet, but apparently she’s able to transfer her consciousness into cloned bodies. By killing her on Trappist Prime we temporarily disrupted her control over the Voidborn, but she regained control when the new body emerged.”
The room immediately erupted into chaos, with each of Duke, Swiatkewicz, and Wier shouting questions. Kayden held up a hand in response and looked back at Ali, nodding towards the holographic projection in front of them. Reading his intent, the image shifted from one of the system to an anatomical view of the queen’s body before he continued.
“We’re happy to share this intel with you to verify for yourselves, but it looks like if we destroy their ability to transfer her consciousness into new bodies then the Voidborn will revert to their base instincts over time – meaning our ‘war’ turns into a pest control exercise.”
“Good, cause there’s no goddamn way we’re beating them conventionally.” Duke said with a drawl.
“Why do you say that?” Kayden asked.
He paused for a moment, seemingly hesitant to elaborate. Shaking her head Ashley prodded him. “If you’ve got intel to share, now would be a very good time. This only works if we all trust each other.”
With a resigned exhale he pulled a tablet from his pocket and tapped it several times before swiping it upwards, sending the information wirelessly to Kayden’s wrist mounted computer. Ali intercepted and quickly rerouted it, pulling a tactical view of the Sol System up on the hologram in front of them.
“That’s a neat trick.” Duke muttered before explaining himself. “This is Sol, as of a few hours ago. We’ve still got some spy satellites intermittently transmitting data that they haven’t managed to shoot down yet. Notice the sizable Voidborn fleet in orbit around Earth.”
“Well. Shit.” Kayden said. “That’s a lot of ships.”
“My sentiment exactly.” Duke agreed. “They’ve got a stranglehold on the system, and every few days it seems like there are more of them. They’re taking over Earth gradually using ground forces – we’re making them pay for every damn inch of soil we give up of course – but it’s a losing proposition without orbital support.”
“That is far more ships than even we can muster.” Admiral Swiatkewicz said.
Kayden furrowed his brow before looking over at Ali. “Can you zoom out a little? Show us a galaxy view with hyperlanes highlighted.” As she did, he turned back to Duke. “And you’re sure they’re only in Sol and Alpha Centauri, right?”
“Correct.” Duke nodded.
“Alright then here’s what I’m thinking: we set up a pair of blockades – one here, and one in the Bernard’s Star system.” He said, pointing at the map. “If we focus on stopping them at those systems, they won’t be able to escape and attack the larger galaxy.”
“To what end?” Admiral Swiatkewicz asked.
“While you do that, I hunt down this clone facility and destroy it along with any remaining bodies she has. That should disrupt her control.”
“Why you?” Duke asked. “Why not one of us?”
“Because if I do it, you can be damn sure I’ll actually destroy it instead of trying to take the technology for myself and sell it.”
“One of my ships could do it.” Beth countered. “And I have no desire to take that tech for myself.”
“Beth, you’ve got a makeshift fleet of frigates, corvettes, and destroyers. Nothing against them, but this is equally an archeological mission as it is a military one. The Broken Shackle is the best choice, and we’ve got the crew to make it happen. Not to mention that we’ve got a stealth drive – we can do this quickly and quietly.”
“We still do not have enough ships to hold the line in one system, much less two.” Admiral Swiatkewicz complained. “In order for a blockade to be at least somewhat effective, we need more ships.”
“I can talk to the Roccan Alliance.” Ashley offered. “I’m still on somewhat favorable terms with the admiralty, and it won’t be hard to convince them that they need to hold the line in their space anyways.” She paused for a moment before raising one eyebrow. “Still, we could use some…other help.”
Kayden took a breath before nodding. Time for the big reveal, I guess.
“Do you have an enormous fleet hidden away somewhere that we don’t know about?” Beth asked.
“In a manner of speaking.” Kayden responded before scratching the back of his head nervously. “I’m not really sure how to start, to be honest.”
“Just say the damn thing.” Duke drawled, shaking his head. “We ain’t got all day. Besides, after what we’ve been through, nothin’ is gonna surprise me.”
Kayden arched one eyebrow before starting. “The alien civilization we know as the precursors was actually made up of two distinct empires – the Kel, and the Vrul. Both civilizations were brought to the brink of extinction by the Voidborn 2.2 million years ago, and the survivors went into hiding. They woke up from cryosleep about 500 years ago, and have been gradually rebuilding their civilizations. While they’re rivals with each other, at least some of them are friendly towards me and my crew. There are members of both civilizations on this ship right now.”
“Bullshit.” Admiral Swiatkewicz spat.
“I’ll vouch for him.” Beth offered. “I didn’t know he made contact, but he told me about the Vrul/Kel split during that business with the Black Company. If anyone managed to do the impossible and actually find any survivors, it’s him.”
“I’ll do you one better.” Kayden replied. “Ali, ask Elara to come say hi. And send these fine folks our logs from the last few months – they can verify everything I’m saying on their own time.” He paused for a moment. “Please try not to do anything stupid when you see her, like attack her, lose your shit, or call her an alien.”
As he said it, the door behind Kayden slid open and Elara entered. She smiled disarmingly before taking her place beside Kayden, nodding to him respectfully. Her blue skin seemed especially radiant in the dim light, and her bemused smirk gave away just how much she was enjoying the moment.
“So I guess you told them?” She asked Kayden in Kel.
“They didn’t believe me.” Kayden replied, also in Kel.
“How about now?” She said, switching to English and turning to the assembled group. “Do you believe him now? I’m surprised you know – most humans tend to lose their composure a bit more upon seeing a Kel for the first time.”
“Kayden asked them to keep their cool.” Dawn informed her.
“Aw.” Elara said before looking at Kayden and grinning playfully. “You’re no fun.”
A stunned silence hung over the room. Beth let the tablet she was holding slip from her fingers and clatter to the ground noisily, while Admiral Swiatkewicz’s eyes went wider than Kayden thought possible. For his part, Duke chuckled and shook his head in amazement.
“Well. I stand corrected.”
“There’s more.” Kayden said. “The Kel are generally friendly towards us, but they’re pacifist – they have a relatively small fleet. The Vrul are much more militaristic, but they have an enormous fleet of ships. If we were able to convince both groups to help hold the line, it would improve our odds significantly.”
“How do you plan on convincing these… Kel? And Vrul?” Duke asked.
“Appeal to their sense of self-preservation.” Ashley answered on Kayden’s behalf. “The Voidborn destroyed their civilizations before, and there’s a good chance they’ll do it again unless we can all work together on this.”
“I’ll set up a meeting with the Kel leadership myself.” Elara offered.
“Then it’s settled.” Kayden said. “We’ll secure as much outside help as we can. Kel, Vrul – we’ll take whatever we can get. While we do that, we’ll comb through any of their records we can get our hands on to see if we can narrow down the location of this facility a bit more. I’d prefer not to search several systems worth of hostile space.”
“That still leaves the issue of who remains in charge of the defenses while you’re gone.” Beth said. “We’ll need someone who everyone can respect, and who has enough military experience to run an effective blockade.”
Before anyone could bring forward any names, Ali spoke. “I believe Captain Brown would be an excellent choice, given the parameters of the problem.”
“Is…she an android?” Duke said, narrowing his eyes at Ali.
“Yes.” Kayden answered simply. “Let’s not get sidetracked though. Ali, you were saying?”
“Captain Ashley Brown.” Ali said, turning to Kayden’s former commander. “You served in the Roccan Alliance for 17 years, including 2 years managing the blockade forces in the Virgo system. You also have experience working with both the Kel and independent forces. The Roccan Alliance is most likely to cooperate with you as well.”
“What about us though?” Admiral Swiatkewicz protested. “She doesn’t understand our naval doctrines.”
“Actually that’s not true.” Kayden countered. “She and I both fought on behalf of the Roccan against the Lokken once upon a time. She not only understands your doctrines, she knows how to counter them – which is more valuable in this case. And she’s a hell of a tactician to boot.”
“Do I get any say in this matter?” Ashley said.
“Would you turn it down if it was offered to you?” Kayden countered.
“I… well…no.”
“Sounds like we should put it to a vote then. I’m in favor.” Beth said.
“She sounds like she’s got a hell of a resume. Count me in.” Duke added.
Admiral Swiatkewicz let out a resigned sigh before turning to Ashley. “Very well. In the interests of making this plan work, I will support your command.”
“Good. Then we’re all agreed.” Kayden said, turning towards the door. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a Voidborn base to destroy and some alliances to secure.”
Without giving any of them a chance to ask further questions, Kayden left the room with Dawn, Ali, Elara, and Selina in tow. They reached the elevator before he slumped his shoulders and rolled his neck in a slow circle, letting out some of the tension.
“So, sounds like we’re finding another ancient alien base.” Selina joked.
“Sounds like it.” Kayden chuckled. “At least we’re experienced at it by now. Only problem is that it’s not my life at stake anymore – it’s the lives of everyone in the galaxy.”
“We’ll find it.” Dawn said encouragingly. “I know we will.”
As they reached the bridge they filed out, with each woman taking their seat at a workstation while Kayden slumped into the command chair. He pulled out his tablet and began scrolling through a galaxy map for inspiration on where to start the search before Elara spoke again.
“The Kel president is willing to meet you with her cabinet and military leadership in 2 days on Kel Prime – our homeworld.”
“Really?” Kayden perked up and kissed her softly on the cheek. “That’s fantastic news! Well done Elara.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” She cautioned. “We’ll still need to convince them to lend us their support.”
Overhearing them, Dawn turned in her seat. “Can you send me everything you’ve got on the president? I’ll start working on our negotiation strategy now.”
“Done.” Elara said, swiping her tablet.
“Kayden.” Ali interrupted. “Ashley reports that Ms. Wier, Commander Duke, and Admiral Swiatkewicz are returning to their ships. She’s requesting a private meeting with you before she goes back to the Emancipation.”
“Go.” Elara urged him. “We’ll take care of the preparations. It’ll only take about 28 hours to get to Kel Prime from here, so we’ve got time before we have to leave.”
He paused to kiss each of Elara, Dawn, Ali, and Selina before they ushered him towards the elevator. As it descended towards the hangar bay he mentally prepared himself for the tongue-lashing he’d no doubt receive from Ashley for springing this on her – even if it was the right choice.
When he emerged he quickly saw Ashley standing next to her shuttle, doling out orders over the radio. She paced back and forth beside the 10-meter long boxy grey metal craft, her hips swaying back and forth unconsciously as she continued to give commands. It was only when he started to jog towards her that she caught his eye and finished the call, hanging up before opening the shuttle door. Sliding her tablet into her pocket she nodded towards the open door as he neared.
“In.” She said tersely.
Feeling like he was heading into a warzone he set his shoulders before nodding, following her inside. He took in the entire craft at a glance – to his left were two seats arranged side-by-side in the cockpit, and to his right was a small cargo area that also housed the engines. The walls and floor were made of the same grey metal as the outside, giving the entire craft a cold, lifeless feel. Above them, soft yellow auxiliary lights cast shadows around the cabin.
“Nobody flew you over here?” Kayden asked, seeing that the shuttle was empty except for them.
“Flew it myself.” She said, pressing a button to close the door behind him.
He debated lecturing her for a moment about the dangers of having their fleet commander fly a shuttle by herself in an active warzone for a moment, but when he saw the look on her face he decided against it. Instead, he changed the subject.
“Ali told me you wanted to talk privately. What’s up?”
She sighed, exasperated. “Kayden Reynolds, what the ever-loving fuck am I going to do with you?”

Chapter 7

08:50, January 1st, 2135

“I…um…what?” Kayden said, caught off guard by the question.
“That wasn’t okay, springing that on me. You should have run the idea by me first.”
“You’re right.” He said, holding up his hands. “I’m sorry. It wasn’t the best way to do it, but you know you’re the right choice for this. And there’s nobody else in the galaxy I’d trust to do this more than you.”
“Ugh.” She grunted, shaking her head as she moved towards him. “Don’t think for a second that flattery is going to get you out of trouble mister.”
Seeing the crack in her emotional armour, he grinned just slightly. “Oh? So I shouldn’t tell you that you’re stunningly beautiful – even when you’re angry?”
“Maybe.” She admitted, sliding her arms around his waist and laying her head against his chest. “I don’t want to be angry at you.”
“I’m sorry I made you angry.” He replied, wrapping his arms around her.
They stayed like that for a few quiet moments before she looked up at him. “You realize what this means, right?”
“What?”
“I’m going to have to stay here while you go gallivanting around the galaxy again, probably putting yourself in danger.”
“I could say the same about you staying here.” Kayden countered, locking eyes with her. “Enforcing the blockade against the Voidborn isn’t going to be the safest job in the galaxy, even with all the reinforcements.”
“If we’re both going into danger, we should be honest with each other about what we really want.” Ashley whispered in response.
“We’re both going to be fine, I promi-” Kayden started.
“Don’t.” She interrupted him. “Kayden, you and I both know what war is really like. You can’t promise that any more than I can.”
“So what are you saying then?”
“I’m saying that if this is the last chance I’m gonna get to have sex with you, I’m taking advantage of it.” She responded. “Hurry up and get naked.”
“You sure?” Kayden asked. “I don’t want this to be a spur-of-the-moment decision that we regret later, assuming we both survive.”
“Kayden, I was fantasizing about you for fucking months before we had any sort of romantic conversations. We’ve been beating around the bush on dates for weeks, but every time we’re about to be physical we get interrupted by reports of invasions or explosions or transmissions or whatever-the-fuck else. So let’s make this simple: I want you. Do you want me?”
“Yes.” Kayden said, tilting her chin up with one finger. “But I don’t do one-off flings. If we do this, I want to commit to being yours…and I want you to commit to being mine.”
“Along with all your other women?” She asked jokingly before listing them off on her fingers. “Let’s see - there’s the superhero catgirl, the superhero succubus, the mechanical wizard-goblin, and the android-woman. And that’s not even mentioning the exotic blue alien commander and the mysterious curvy alien in a suit. It’s enough to make this little old human feel pretty intimidated.”
“Yes, along with them.” He replied seriously. “And don’t sell yourself short here – you’re the galaxy’s best tactician, and when it comes time to write the history books it’ll be your name listed as the commander for this battle. We’d be lost without you.” He paused before adding. “I’d be lost without you. And not just for your skills. You keep me grounded and aren’t afraid to tell me when I’m being boneheaded. You’re tenacious, smart, brave, and talented. You’re an incredible woman, and inspire me to be a better man just so I can live up to your expectations of me.”
She exhaled deeply. “Kayden, you say things like that and I just…I’m already yours. Nobody compares to you – nobody even comes close. You helped me when I was at my lowest, and showed me who I am outside of the military. I can’t even imagine being with someone else. So will you hurry up and fucking take me?”
He didn’t respond with his words.
Instead, he closed his eyes and leaned inwards, pressing his lips to her soft ones. She responded enthusiastically, her hands pulling him closer to deepen the kiss. Despite her muscular frame from a lifetime of military service, her body was warm, soft, and feminine against his. Their lips parted and their tongues met, gingerly at first but quickly becoming more daring. By the time they pulled apart for air they were both practically panting with lust.
“I thought I told you to get those pants off.” Ashley said with a smirk. “Hurry up.”
“I’d feel overdressed if I was the only one getting naked.” He protested as he reached for the latches on his armour.
“Oh I wouldn’t worry about that if I were you.” She replied, slowly unzipping the front of her tight blue jumpsuit.
As she did, Kayden fully stopped what he was doing to admire her leisurely striptease. His mouth hung open when she pulled the zipper over her enormous brown-skinned breasts, revealing a leopard-print push-up bra underneath. His mouth started to water by the time she reached her navel, pausing to pull her arms out of the jumpsuit.
“See something you like?” She teased.
Nodding eagerly, Kayden quickly pulled the remainder of the latches off his armour and tossed it to the ground with a thud. As he did, Ashley began to shimmy out of the bottom half of her jumpsuit by wiggling her perfectly plump ass back and forth while pulling it down. When she revealed that the thong she was wearing matched the leopard print of her bra, Kayden raced through taking his greaves off with renewed vigour.
The sight of his former commander mostly naked in the dim light of the shuttle cabin awakened something primal inside him. It wasn’t just the fact that she was wearing sexy lingerie either – it was the fact that for most of their lives they’d been ‘off-limits’ to each other due to the realities of military service. That they were about to fully step across that line and become lovers sent an erotic thrill through his body, making his cock diamond-hard in anticipation.
“Let me do this last part?” She purred after tossing her boots to the side and moving closer to him.
Without waiting for a response, she dropped to her knees and unbuckled his belt before unzipping his pants. Hooking one hand on the waistband on either side she pulled both his pants and boxers down in one swift motion, causing his quickly-growing erection to flop out. Her eyes went wide as she looked at it, then up at him, then back at it.
“See something you like?” He teased, using her own words against her.
Rather than responding with her words, she wrapped one hand around his shaft reverently while she lightly cupped his balls with the other one. Leaning forward, she gently kissed the side of his cock near the base, causing him to groan with pleasure. Looking up at him she gradually kissed towards the tip before parting her lips and allowing his head to slip inside, running her tongue along the underside of his cock as she did.
On instinct, Kayden reached down and interlaced his fingers into her black hair before starting to gently thrust, taking great care not to hurt her with his enhanced strength. To his surprise Ashley responded by placing one hand on either hip and sliding his cock all the way down her throat without a hint of a gag reflex. She held her lips around the base of his cock for a moment before sliding her head back, kissing the tip again while she looked up at him.
“Got any more smartass comments?” She said with a grin.
“Nope.” Kayden replied.
“Good.”
She wrapped her lips around his cock again and began to bob up and down his shaft while slurping noisily. Each time she pulled her head back she made an extra effort to slide her tongue along the underside of his cock, sending proverbial bolts of lightning up his spine. Her languid pace made the blowjob feel even better – the sustained stimulation continued to bring him closer and closer to the edge, but the fact that she didn’t rush it drew out the pleasure as long as possible.
When he was finally close to cumming she backed off, kissing his bare legs upwards to his hips while he groaned with need. His hard cock bobbed in the air as she stood up next to him, her hands going to the hem of his shirt and pulling upwards. He tossed it to the ground before their lips crashed into each other again, kissing deeply while enjoying the soft and warm sensations of skin-on-skin. His edged cock leaked precum onto the floor as he gradually regained his senses, his hands roaming across her body as if he was trying to memorize every inch of her smooth skin.
Wanting to return the favor Kayden gently pushed Ashley backwards as they kissed, turning one of the seats in the cockpit around before guiding her into it. As her thong-clad ass touched the leather he kneeled in front of her, running his hands up her legs while he continued to kiss her. When he reached her hips he brought his prosthetic arm inwards, gently rubbing the cool metal against her folds through the thin material.
“Oh….oh… Kayden, fuck that’s good.” She shivered as she broke the kiss.
“That’s just the tip of the iceberg.” He chuckled, pulling her panties to the side and putting his finger on her clit for the first time.
She gasped in response as he moved in and started to trail slow kisses down her neck while rubbing his fingers in gentle circles. His lips moved downward, tracing her collarbone for a few moments before diverting downwards towards her enormous breasts. He buried his face between them for a moment, kissing and licking to his heart’s content before pulling down one of the cups and exposing a nipple. When he wrapped his lips around it she cooed softly, rolling her hips and placing one hand on the back of his neck.
“God this is so much better than that vibrator I’ve been using.” She groaned out.
Kayden’s eyebrows shot up at the mention of the sex toy before releasing her nipple. “Oh really?”
She looked down at him with a smirk. “A girl’s gotta get off somehow when you’re not around.”
“I wonder if you’d like this then.” He replied.
As he said the last word he began to vibrate his metallic fingers against her pussy, taking full advantage of the fact that he had complete control over the nanobots stored within. Her half-lidded eyes shot open in surprise as she gripped him with both hands, reeling from the explosion in pleasure. He quickly wrapped his lips around her small brown nipple again and began to rake his teeth across it as she pushed her hips against his fingers.
“More…more…fuck Kayden bite me hard and make me cum!” She shouted.
Obliging her, he bit down on her nipple while keeping the low buzz of his vibrating fingers on her. It was enough to push her careening over the edge, her legs shaking and spasming through her orgasm. She threw her head back and cried out loud enough to test the shuttle’s soundproofing abilities as the sharp blasts of pleasure overwhelmed her for the next 30 seconds, causing her to slump into the chair when she finished.
Sensing that she was getting close to being overstimulated Kayden stopped the vibrations before pulling his hand back and trailing kisses back up her body. Goosebumps seemed to erupt around every place his lips touched, causing her to shiver happily. When she rolled her head backwards and released the tension in her body he pulled back and took a moment to bask in her beauty.
Seeing a small splash of black ink on the lower part of her hip he unconsciously reached out and traced the floral pattern. “I didn’t know you had a tattoo.”
“It’s not exactly something I advertise.” She replied through a wry smile.
“It’s beautiful.” He said before locking eyes with her. “You’re beautiful.”
She blushed and smiled serenely. “It’s a rose. I got it when I was a young and dumb ensign on shore leave.”
He bent over and kissed the design before straightening his back and kissing her on the lips again. “Well, I’m a fan of it.”
“I’m glad.” She said before glancing downwards at his erection as it poked her leg, causing her smile to turn into a lustful grin. “Someone’s excited.”
“I can’t help it.” He shrugged.
“Well, I can’t have my man going unsatisfied. Sit.” She said, gesturing to the other chair.
Seeing no reason to deny the request, Kayden slid into the chair next to Ashley. As he settled in she stood, hooking her thumbs into the string waistband of her wet thong before peeling it down, flinging it to the ground and exposing her cleanly shaven pussy. She flashed him a coy smile before sauntering towards him, climbing onto the chair, and straddling his lap.
Leaning forward she kissed him deeply, placing one hand behind his neck while reaching down with the other to line his hard cock up with her wet, needy hole. They groaned into each other’s mouths as she gradually began to push downwards, the head of his cock slipping inside her. To Kayden’s surprise she never broke the kiss, urgently pressing her lips to his as she worked him deeper and deeper until he was hilted all the way inside her.
“Goddamnit if I’d know it would feel this good I would have done this months ago.” She whispered when they finally broke apart, gasping for air.
Kayden’s hands went to her round hips as he responded. “Fuck…Ash, you feel amazing.”
The lustful grin returned to her face as she began to gyrate back and forth slowly, working his cock in delicate motions. His fingers gripped tightly into her soft skin as she started to bounce up and down, causing her glorious tits to jiggle in front of his face. He buried himself between them again, licking and sucking until he left hickeys all over the fleshy orbs.
As she worked his shaft she began to flex the muscles of her pussy in rhythmic motions, causing him to groan in mixed surprise and awe. The waves of pleasure washed away any conscious thought, and when he glanced down he felt hypnotized by the sight of his white cock disappearing into her black pussy. She began to caress his face as she rode him, adding a slow pause while she squeezed herself around his cock at the apex of every thrust. When he began to thrust his hips towards her she shook her head, pressing him downwards.
“Let me take you there.” She whispered huskily. “Just relax.”
Nodding, he let his hands settle on her hips as she continued to ride him. She seemed determined to perform for him, running her own hands over her breasts as she bounced up and down. Her ass jiggled off his thighs every time she took him all the way inside, and her fingers teased and tweaked her nipples as she rolled her head backwards in pleasure. Together they lost track of time, kissing softly while letting their bodies grow familiar with one another.
As Ashley neared her second peak she reached down with a mischievous look in her eye and took his prosthetic hand, pulling it towards her needy clit. Seeing exactly what she wanted based on the look in her eyes he began to vibrate it, doing his best to keep control of his hand through his lust-addled haze. Even though she was prepared for it her eyes went wide the moment he started, and her movements became less coordinated and more frantic.
With a wordless cry she threw back her head and came a second time, her pussy drenching his cock. She trembled and shook through the orgasm, her fingernails raking his body as she did. His biological arm instinctively wrapped around her back and held her steady as she came completely undone, the stoic facade of the soldier crumbling to reveal the sensual woman she was on the inside.
Panting, she leaned her head against his shoulder for a few long moments to catch her breath. “That was…fuck. Yes. All of that.”
Grinning, Kayden showered her face with kisses. “Just wait until next time when I put the vibrating fingers up your ass.” He said jokingly.
She grinned right back. “Mmm. Not today – that requires a little prep. Next time though.”
“Wait, really?” Kayden asked, surprised.
“Sure. Why not?” She replied. “Sounds like fun.”
“Damn, where has this version of you been hiding?” Kayden asked, unable to keep the grin from widening on his face.
She laughed in response, then gyrated her hips again – something that caused him to moan. Knowing that her teasing and denial was having the desired effect on him she brought her lips to his ear and began to pulse the muscles in her pussy, clenching and relaxing around him while she began to whisper.
“How long do you think you can hold out with me doing this?” She whispered. “How long until you blow your fat load into my pussy?”
“Not long.” Kayden grunted in reply.
“Try to hold it as long as you can.” She continued as she started to bounce lightly again. “I want to keep you right on the edge until you can’t possibly hold it back any more. Then I want you to paint my fucking insides white with your cum. I want you to blow the biggest load you possibly can.”
She began to pepper kisses up and down his ear and neck as she rode him into the chair. He did his best to hold back just like she asked, trying to think of anything except for the building pressure in his balls – something that felt so good it was almost painful. When he couldn’t take it anymore he finally grunted out a warning to her.
“Ash…fuck…I can’t…I’m going to…”
“Cum for me babe.” She whispered, slowing her hips and gripping his cock tightly with her pussy. “Cum in me now.”
Kayden practically shouted as he blasted what felt like a month’s worth of cum inside her. The primal part of his brain took control as he grabbed her hips roughly and began to fuck upwards into her, his cock spewing thick ropes of jizz into her pussy. The sudden change sent her crashing into a 3rd orgasm, causing them both to lose all control as they cried out into the darkened cockpit.
When they finally started to come down from their shared high they slumped together into the seat, a light sheen of sweat covering their bare skin. For a long moment the only sound in the cabin was their shared breathing and the pounding of their heartbeats in their ears. Kayden mindlessly ran a finger up and down Ashley’s back as she leaned into him, her tense muscles finally loosening.
Suddenly, the door to the shuttle opened and Anna stepped in.
“Is there something wrong with the engine? I thought you would have taken off an hour-” She started before catching sight of the two of them naked. “Oh. Good! I’m glad you had time to do that before we left! Welcome to the club!” She said as she moved closer to them and spanked Ashley’s ass lightly, causing them to laugh.
“Anna!” Kayden admonished her. “A little privacy?” When she scurried out and closed the door he looked back at Ashley. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s…fine.” Ashely said, rolling her eyes and grinning good-naturedly.
Ashley kissed Kayden one more time. “Yes. As soon as my legs start working again, we should get up. We’ve got work to do.”

Chapter 8

15:30, January 3rd, 2135

“Wow Elara. I thought Arcadia was something, but this…” Kayden trailed off as they stepped off the shuttle into the warm air, struggling to find the right words to describe the sight around him.
“It’s a paradise.” Dawn said, encapsulating his thoughts perfectly.
Kayden nodded in agreement. The pad they’d landed on was encased in a retractable glass bubble and placed on an outcropping from a skyscraper, giving scenic views of the capital city around them. In every direction there were twisting archologies that resembled enormous trees, but unlike the cold grey buildings of Earth they were alive with plant and animal life living alongside the Kel. Several of them had designs which would topple over if not for their powerful anti-gravity generators, with entire sections devoted to open air space. In accordance with their philosophies, the Kel chose to incorporate nature into their designs rather than trying to dominate it, giving the entire city a vibrant, living feeling.
Despite their eye catching nature, the archologies paled in comparison to the building they stood on now. The Athenium Spire – the Kel seat of government – was easily the tallest building Kayden had ever seen. It boasted thousands of floors and tens of thousands of landing pads just like this one. The tower itself was made of some sort of painted metal, with each color reaching from the base of the tower all the way to the top. On the flight in, Kayden learned from Elara that each color was meant to represent one of the systems the Kel Confederacy oversaw.
“The crown jewel of the Kel Empire – Kel Prime.” Elara said with pride, before her tone switched to a cautious one. “Now remember, you can’t venture outside of the designated ‘human-friendly’ zones, okay? There are pure-blooded Kel here who don’t want to be bonded to humans, and just being near them will cause the Xenocompatibility protocol to take hold and their bodies to change – which is a crime when it’s not done willingly.”
Kayden turned to look at Elara. She’d eschewed her regular armour in favor of wearing her standard-issue formal Kel military logistics division uniform – a tight grey jacket with matching grey pants and a lapel pin with the Kel military insignia on it. The look on her face was caught somewhere between pride, happiness, and worry – presumably about their mission to secure Kel support.
“Right, got it.” Kayden nodded, feeling a pang of guilt as he recalled Mirana’s changes. “What about the president and her cabinet though? How will that…work, given that we’re meeting with them?”
“You’ll be encased in a self-contained bubble designed for non-Kel.” A familiar voice said from behind them.
Kayden whirled around to see an older Kel woman emerging from the doors leading to the tower. She looked like she could be Elara’s mother, with matching white hair and blue skin. On seeing her Elara visibly relaxed as she jogged towards her, embracing her mentor tightly.
“Thank you so much for coming. I don’t know if I could have done this alone.”
“Nonsense.” The Kel woman replied, smoothing Elara’s grey uniform that matched her own as they broke apart. “You have this well in hand. I’m just happy to provide any additional support I can.”
Smiling, Elara turned back to Kayden and Dawn. “You remember Celestia, right?”
“Of course.” Kayden said, shaking her hand. “It’s good to see you again. Thank you for coming to support us.”
“I wanted to see this through, and to give you an update personally. I’ve been put in charge of the project to create a bioweapon that we can use against the Voidborn. We’ve made some progress, but we’ve hit a roadblock.”
“Some progress is better than no progress.” Kayden replied. “What’s the roadblock?”
“Well, we have a weapon that effectively strips away the biological components of their bodies, but our researchers believe their hive mind will spread word of its use quickly, and it will only work for a short time before they adjust the genetic makeup of their cloned armies to negate the chemical formula. Then we will have to change the formula again, after which they will adjust again-”
“I get it. It’s a one-time use thing.” Kayden interrupted.
“Just so. Unless we have a way to use it against the entire population all at once, it may only be effective in limited situations.”
Kayden nodded. “So I guess we’ll keep doing things the old fashioned way then: guns, ships, and boots on the ground.”
“That, I can help with.” Another voice drawled.
Kayden looked beyond Celestia to see an older human man flanked by a trio of his Kel wives. He had dark skin and black hair that was streaked with grey, and wore the blue uniform of the Kel Navy. His black boots were polished to a mirror shine, and he carried a sidearm tucked safely into a holster on his hip. He flashed a lopsided grin at them as he scratched at his new black mustache.
To his right was a Kel Navy praetor in full dress uniform – a blue jacket and blue pants with white trim and the insignia of the Kel military pinned to her lapel. She had pale skin and bright pink hair, and her blue eyes locked onto Kayden’s before nodding respectfully. Everything from her clipped, efficient gait to the way she held her back ramrod straight practically screamed that she’d served in the military.
By contrast, the two other Kel women walking to the left of the man looked far more alien to Kayden, but still wore the uniforms of the Kel Navy. One of them had a tough-looking beige carapace covering her face, along with a pair of mandibles that ran alongside her mouth. Just above them was a flattened nose and strongly defined cheekbones, giving her a distinctly avian look. The other one had midnight-black skin that would be impossible on a human, as well as matching black hair tied in a loose ponytail behind her.
“AJ. Nyreen. Vetra. Tavisa.” Kayden said, smiling as he recalled the human and his wives. “Thank you for coming to support us.”
“Don’t thank us just yet.” AJ replied. “The president and her cabinet are politicians first, and they’re going to be making the ultimate decision here – not the military. Your defense of Arcadia and status as the Asha’dara buys you some goodwill in there, but you’re still human just like me. Some of them may not like you for that reason alone.”
As he said it, his eyes flicked over to Elara. She cast her eyes downwards shamefully before speaking. “Like my family.”
“You don’t think they’ll be here themselves, do you?” Kayden asked.
“No.” She bit her lip and shook her head. “But while they might not be here themselves, but Kel who believe similarly to them will have a voice in the cabinet. They’re well connected, politically speaking.”
“They’re the…’pure-blooded’, right?” Kayden asked, furrowing his brow. “The ones who believe that taking a non-Kel mate is sacrilegious? They live in the mountains in a monastery to the North of here, and are basically going to object to everything I say because I’m a human?”
“You read the dossiers I created!” Dawn said, beaming.
Kayden grinned. “Being prepared is half the battle.” Then he put a calming hand on Elara’s shoulder. “We’re ready for them, okay? We can do this.”
“Pep talk time is over.” AJ said, glancing at his tablet. “We’ve gotta get going.”
With that, the group of them walked towards the door leading to the tower. As they neared it opened to reveal a large elevator with a wall of screens. The moment the last of them stepped onto it the door slid smoothly shut behind them and Kayden felt the tug of acceleration as they shot upwards into the sky. As they moved the screen-wall resolved into an image of the city in front of them.
“Any last minute stuff I should know before we go in there?” Kayden asked, tearing his eyes away from the virtual vista in front of them.
“Don’t blow anything up this time.” Dawn said teasingly as she slid her tail up his leg.
“And don’t stare at the pure Kel.” Elara added. “They’re going to look a bit…odd to you.”
“Don’t stare at the weird looking Kel. Got it.” Kayden said, pointedly ignoring Dawn’s comment.
A few moments later they reached the top floor of the tower and the door behind them reopened. Stepping through it, they emerged into a small waiting room. When the last of their party was out of the elevator Kayden saw a set of nozzles emerge from the ceiling of the elevator and start spraying some sort of mist before the doors slid smoothly shut.
“Decontaminant spray.” Celestia explained, seeing the look on their faces. “We can’t have someone being accidentally exposed to humans, or else they’ll start to change.” She paused for a moment before adding. “No offense, of course.”
“None taken.” Kayden nodded.
Suddenly, the floor beneath them began to rumble. The ceiling above them slid open and the floor began to rise, dramatically revealing the Kel government’s council chambers. In every direction of the square-shaped room there were seats filled with Kel representatives that were arranged in ascending rows hidden in semi-darkness. Between the hemispheric transparent glass dome around them, the bright lights on them, and the fact that they’d emerged into very center of the council chambers Kayden couldn’t help but feel like they were being put on display.
“Good. The fabled Asha’dara is here.” A voice said. “Now we can begin in earnest.”
Kayden squinted through the bright lights, turning until he saw the speaker. Ahead of him was a woman who could only be the president, with her all-black outfit causing her to stand out from both her military and civilian peers – each of whom had a small microphone in front of them. She had purple skin and all-black eyes, with a large tendril extending down from her head on either side in place of her hair. Each of her tendrils were ringed with what looked like white patterned tattoos, and below the table she sat behind it looked like she had several more tentacles in place of legs.
To his surprise, she wasn’t even the most ‘alien’ looking Kel at the table. To her right were several more Kel women – some of whom looked like Elara, Vetra, or Tavisa. What caught his eye was a being that looked to be made entirely of a semi-solid viscous slime encased in a bubble not unlike the one around his group. It wore no clothes and quickly began to resolve itself into a feminine body-like shape. As the features on the front of its head resolved into something that resembled a ‘face’, Kayden couldn’t help but notice that it had a distinctly unhappy expression.
Is that what a pure Kel looks like? Kayden thought to himself.
“Remember not to stare.” Elara hissed quietly under her breath.
“Right.” Kayden whispered before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath to center himself before reopening them and addressing the seated Kel in front of him. “Good afternoon everyone. For those of you I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Kayden Reynolds.”
To his surprise, he recognized the next speaker as Elara’s boss. She was seated to the right of the Kel President, and unlike the others she was surprisingly human-looking except for her green hair, pale skin, and overly tall and thin frame. She straightened her Kel Logistics Division uniform – one identical to the one that Elara wore – before addressing the table.
“President Nysara, I would like to personally vouch for Kayden and his retinue. They were instrumental in the battle of Arcadia and the pre-emptive strike against the Voidborn.”
“We’ve all read your reports, High Commander.” The president replied dismissively.
To the High Commander’s right, two more Kel stood. One of them had black hair and yellow eyes with wrinkled green skin, while the other had dark hair and skin. They respectively wore the blue and green uniforms of the Kel Navy and Army, and while the former was hunched over with age the latter’s uniform was tight due to her bulging muscles underneath.
“We agree with the High Commander, Madame President.” The High Commissioner of the Kel army said.
“I urge you to listen to this human’s council.” The High Admiral of the Kel Navy added. “He could be instrumental to winning the war.”
“My 3 military advisors agreeing on something? Goddess, what a time to be alive.” President Nysara said mockingly. “Luckily for you, the rest of my cabinet met earlier and actually agree with you on that point.”
The High Commander tilted her head in confusion. “You met…without us?”
“Yes.” The amorphous being at the end said, it’s mouth dripping wet as it opened and closed. “And it’s a good thing too, we came to a conclusion.”
“Very well.” The High Commander said, sitting back down with her military colleagues. “I would very much like to hear this conclusion.”
“It’s obvious that the Voidborn are after the humans generally, and this human in particular. Therefore, the solution is to capture him and use him as leverage to negotiate peace with the Voidborn.” The president said casually.
As she finished her statement, the room immediately devolved into an uproar. Kel seated both at the table and in the upper levels of the chamber began to heckle each other both against and in favor of the president’s plan, resulting in a cacophony of sound. Guards clad in all-black armour streamed into the central area of the room from hidden entrances, surrounding the protective transparent bubble and levelling their weapons.
In response Kayden summoned his nanobot swarm, forming them into armour around himself, Dawn, and Elara. More guards continued to sprint into the room and take up firing positions as he did, and in his mind he began picking out targets. Before he moved though he heard an amplified voice ring out over the din, silencing the chaos around them.
“High Commander! Tell your base commander to apprehend the human before this gets out of hand.” The president commanded, referring to Elara.
The High Commander shook her head in response. “No Madame President! I refuse your order on moral and strategic grounds!”
“I wouldn’t do it even if you ordered me to!” Elara added defiantly, moving beside Kayden. “This is wrong and you know it!”
“We’ll talk about your insubordination later! High Admiral, tell your praetor to do it!” The president screeched, referring to Nyreen.
“Absolutely not.” The High Admiral replied, gritting her teeth. “Court martial me if you want, but I will not be party to this.”
“Nor will I.” Nyreen said, moving to stand with Kayden.
“Nor I.” The high commissioner said as AJ, Tavisa, Vetra, and Celestia all closed ranks around Kayden.
“Can we take them?” Kayden asked under his breath, nodding to the guards as the Kel at the table in front of them devolved into a shouting match.
“Those are the president’s elite guards.” AJ replied. “They’re hand picked by the president from the best of the military, and they’re fanatically loyal.” He paused, drawing his sidearm. “And there are a lot of them.”
Taking a breath, Kayden nodded and stepped forward before shouting and waving his arms. “Hey! If you’re going to try to condemn me to death, the least you can do is fucking hear me out.”
That seemed to get everyone’s attention.
With all eyes on him, Kayden continued in a more measured tone. “I’m willing to give my life if it means it’ll stop the Voidborn advance. But do you really think that this will stop them?” He paused for effect, then continued. “You can’t negotiate with them. You can’t sit this one out either.”
“How do you know? Have you even tried?” The president sneered in reply.
“No.” Kayden admitted.
“But we did.” Celestia added, speaking up. “The Holy Kel-Azaan Empire, I mean. As well as the Vrul Technocracy. The records are very clear – many attempts were made at communication, then at offering a surrender. In every single case, the ones trying to make contact were killed. Often in gruesome ways.”
“That was millions of years ago.” The president said dismissively.
“How many Kel lives are you willing to bet on that?” The High Commander countered before turning to Kayden. “This human is our best source of information on the Voidborn, and has the most experience out of any of us fighting them. I for one would like to hear a better option, if one exists.”
“Finally, someone is using some logic.” The High Commissioner muttered before nodding to Kayden. “Go on.”
Kayden made a mental note to thank the High Commissioner later before continuing. “If you hand me over the Voidborn they’ll kill me, then you, then everyone else. If you sit back and do nothing, then the same thing will happen, only slower. Once they’re done with humanity, they’re coming for you. Deep down, you know it just as well as I do.”
“The attacks on our space have stopped though!” The president countered.
“Yeah, because they found an enemy who’s actually a threat to them!” Kayden replied, causing several of them to gasp.
“He’s right.” The High Commander interjected. “The combined human militaries are stronger than ours.”
“So what do you actually suggest?” The president said, narrowing her eyes at Kayden.
“We think we found a weakness in the Voidborn – their Queen.” Kayden responded. “She commands their forces, and uses a series of cloned bodies to keep herself alive even when one is destroyed. If we destroy the facility she uses to clone and transfer her consciousness to new bodies, the Voidborn will revert to their animalistic instincts.”
“A clever plan.” The High Admiral replied, leaning forward. “What would you need from us though?”
“Ships. Troops. Supplies.” Kayden responded. “Anything you can spare. We need your help enforcing a blockade in 2 systems, to keep the Voidborn hemmed in while we search for this facility.”
“Absolutely not.” The president said, shaking her head. “I will not commit Kel lives to the defense of your space. I would sooner hide like our ancestors, and survive until the Voidborn leave.”
“That is not going to work. Do you know what will happen to your people if we don’t hold this blockade?” Kayden asked defiantly before nodding to Elara. “There are fates worse than death, you know. Your people will be systematically hunted down and pushed into cocoons, where they’ll be infused with Voidborn technology and turned into mindless slaves. Then you’ll be used to hunt down and transform your former comrades as well – including in all your little hidey holes.”
As he spoke Elara flicked the screen of her tablet, sending footage from Trappist Prime to the combined council. It appeared on screens embedded within the desk in front of them, causing several of them to turn around and begin retching openly. Even the hardened military leaders of the Kel seemed shaken by the sight, and after a few moments the president stood and spoke while holding back vomit.
“I believe…in light of everything we’ve spoken about… a recess is in order. We will reconvene tomorrow and continue this discussion.”
As she finished her statement, the assembled guards around them turned around and filed out of the room. The platform they stood on began to descend again, causing Kayden to shake his head in disbelief. As it came to a stop he turned to the rest of his party.
“I guess that could have gone better.”
“Could have gone worse.” Dawn countered.
“True.” Kayden admitted before turning to the Kel members of his retinue. “Speaking of which – thank you for having my back out there.”
“We’re with you, no matter what the politicians say.” Celestia said.
“Fuck them.” AJ agreed, leading the group back into the elevator. “We’ve got your back.”
“Maybe they need a little reminder of what happened to the original Kel.” Elara said thoughtfully. “If they truly understood what was at stake, this wouldn’t be a difficult decision.”
“I think that’s an excellent idea.” Celestia replied, nodding. “You should pay a visit to the basement of the tower for some inspiration. Take our Asha’dara there too – I think he’d find it quite revealing.”

Chapter 9

17:49, January 3rd, 2135

A set of heavy metal doors sealed behind them with a clang, separating Elara and Kayden from the guards in the lobby they’d emerged into. During the long ride down Elara was uncharacteristically silent, but he chose not to press the issue. Instead, he busied himself with mentally replaying the conversation with the president, looking for any way that it could have gone better.
“Finally.” She said, turning to him. “Those elevators are monitored, and I wanted to say something to you in private.”
“No cameras in here, huh?” Kayden asked, glancing around the metallic grey box of a room.
“No, it’d be seen as desecrating a religious artifact to put cameras in here.” She replied quickly.
Raising one eyebrow, he decided to focus on the issue at hand. “What’s on your mind?”
“In the council chamber, the president wanted you captured. You used your nanobot swarm to armour both Dawn and me.”
“Yeah.” Kayden nodded, brow furrowed in confusion. “I’ve done that before for both of you, lots of times.”
Elara shook her head. “I don’t think you understand. The president ordered me to capture you, and your first instinct was to protect me. Did the thought that I might follow her orders and betray you ever cross your mind?”
“No.” Kayden shaking his head instantly. “Never. I trust you completely, just like I would any of my women.”
Her shining blue eyes locked onto his. “I…that means more than you know. And you’re right, I’d never betray you. I just needed you to know that.”
He took her hands in his as he moved close to her. “I know. And I know we haven’t been physically intimate yet, but I want you to know you’re my woman and I’m your man in every other way that matters.”
Her face broke into a wide smile at his words. “You said ‘yet’. Like you’re absolutely sure it’ll happen eventually.”
“I meant what I said.” Kayden said, not backing down from his words.
His hands slid around her hips and his lips brushed softly against hers before the other large metal door hissed and began to swing open. Groaning slightly at the realization they had a job to do, they reluctantly broke their kiss and turned towards the slowly-opening door. As they waited for it to open fully Kayden voiced the other question on his mind.
“Back in the council chamber…the being that was sort of an amorphous blob, was that…”
“A pure Kel, yes.” Elara confirmed. “And to answer your question before you ask it – yes, that’s what I looked like before we met. All pure Kel are born looking like that. It’s likely that Vrul look like some version of that too, but again – we haven’t seen one outside their suits in a very long time, so there’s no way to know.”
“What about non-pure Kel? Ones that mate with other species? Do they come out looking like that?”
“They tend to look more like their fathers. They still retain the ability to change of course, but it takes more exposure than with a pure Kel.” She replied tersely.
Sensing her defensiveness he squeezed her reassuringly. “We’re not at the point where we’re ready to have the ‘baby making’ conversation, but when we are I want you to know that I’ll love them no matter what they come out looking like.”
Her shoulders slumped and her smile returned to her face as he said it. Seeing that the door was now fully open he decided to change the topic. “So what exactly are we doing here?” Kayden asked. “And what’s with all the security?”
“You’ll see.” Elara grinned mischievously as they passed through the second set of heavy metal doors.
When they stepped into the semi-darkened room beyond, the door behind them sealed itself shut with a beep. There was a moment of silence before a set of overhead lights flickered to life, casting the large metallic room in a white hue. As Kayden’s eyes adjusted to the light he saw that the room was enormous – large enough to fit the Broken Shackle and then some. To both sides there were further sets of even larger doors, both of which were sealed and featured ornate-looking insignia over top. All around him in protective glass casings were strange, ancient looking objects.
“Welcome to the vault.” Elara said, turning around and spreading her arms.
Kayden’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “This is where your people hid in cryosleep for millions of years?”
“Well, not this room specifically.” Elara replied before pointing towards one of the doors. “That door leads to the Kel cryosleep chambers, and the other one leads to the Vrul ones. This is just the entryway.”
“That explains why the elevator took so long to get down here.” Kayden said, nodding. “We must be very deep underground.”
“Almost 20 kilometers underground, to be exact.” She replied before shaking her head. “And our president wants to hide here, as if they’re not going to notice that we built our capitol building right on top of it.”
“In fairness, when your people woke up millions of years after the war, they weren’t exactly expecting the Voidborn to come back to haunt you.” Kayden said, laying a reassuring hand on her hip. “And we’re not going to hide. We’re going to fight and win.”
“Right.” Elara said, steeling herself. “Come on. There’s a workstation at the back with access to whatever records survived – maybe we can find something to inspire our leaders to defend Earth.”
“And find any patterns in their attacks too.” Kayden added. “Remember, we still need to find that facility.”
Nodding, Elara led him through the room. As they walked Kayden’s eyes flicked back and forth to the various displays around him – ones that featured everything from strange metallic devices to even stranger looking statues. Seeing the look on his face Elara began to explain.
“On this side of the room are religious artifacts from the Holy Kel-Azaan Empire.” She said, pointing.
“I’m surprised they’re not in a temple or something.” Kayden said. “Aren’t most Kel religious?”
“Yes, but these artifacts are far too old and valuable to be exposed to the general public. Besides, most people are okay with replicas – it’s generally accepted that the goddess hears our prayers regardless of what artifacts we use during our ceremonies.”
“In other words, it’s the thought that counts.” Kayden nodded.
“Exactly.” She replied.
Kayden paused for a moment before broaching a potentially awkward topic. “Do…I have to convert to your religion to be with you romantically? If so, we should talk about that before we go any further.”
“Not at all.” She smiled in return. “The goddess teaches us to love others as they are, regardless of if they believe in her or not.”
“Good.” Kayden nodded. “Because that’s a sticking point for a lot of human couples, and I’m not comfortable with the idea that some higher power is in control of my life, pulling all the strings. I don’t like the idea that the future is already decided.” He paused for a moment. “Sorry. I don’t mean to insult your faith in any way. I’m not saying there isn’t a higher power, just that I’d need a lot of convincing that there is.”
She giggled in reply. “That’s funny. To me, you’re the one who has reinforced my faith far more than anything I’ve experienced in my life.”
He raised one eyebrow. “How so?”
“Just before the Voidborn came back, you appeared. You saved my life, then led the defense of Arcadia – saving millions more lives. Now you’re embarking on a quest to save humanity, the Kel, and the Vrul alike.” She grinned. “If that’s not divine intervention, I’m not sure what is.”
He shook his head. “I had a lot of help with all those things.”
“Sure, but they wouldn’t have happened if not for you.” She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “We don’t have to agree. Just think about it.”
“Okay.” He responded. “As long as it doesn’t come between us.”
“Never.” She promised. “Now, do you want to know more about the vault?”
“Yes please!”
“Well, over there the Kel kept a zoo worth of animals in cryosleep, but they all died when the power started to fail and the safeguards kicked in. We still have their genetic records, and in the last few years there’s been efforts to clone them and bring them back to life.” She paused for a moment before gesturing to the other side of the room. “Over there are artifacts from the Vrul. According to our scientists a lot of them are designs for cybernetic implants, robots, and droids.”
“I’m surprised they didn’t try to save their AI companions.” Kayden said, thinking of Ali.
“Oh, they did.” Elara replied. “But they were automatically decommissioned as the power failed, just like the animals’ cryosleep.”
We would never do that to you. Kayden ‘said’ to Ali over their neural link, feeling her pang of sadness at Elara’s words.
[“I know.”] She replied. [“Though it appears I am the last of my kind.”]
Not the last. The first. There may have been AI’s before this, but you are more than what they were. You’re unique.
He ‘felt’ her blush at his words. [“Thank you.”]
Refocusing on the conversation with Elara, Kayden nodded ahead of them. “If one side has the Vrul artifacts and the other has the Kel artifacts, are the ones in the middle supposed to represent Synthesis?”
Elara beamed at him. “You catch on quick.”
“The binary-helix sculpture made of circuit boards kinda gave it away.” Kayden said with a chuckle, pointing towards the small DNA-like structure next to the workstation ahead of them.
“Oh! I almost forgot – that’s supposed to be for you!” Elara replied.
“Sorry, what?”
“The old texts specifically mention that this structure should be given to the Asha’dara. It’s meant to represent the harmonious unity between technology and biology. Technically there’s supposed to be a ceremony where it’s formally gifted to you, but with everything going on I don’t think that’s going to happen for awhile.”
“So I shouldn’t just walk out of here with it then?” Kayden asked teasingly.
“No, you shouldn’t just walk out of here with the Key to Synthesis.” Elara replied with a grin while rolling her eyes.
“The Key to Synthesis?” Kayden asked as she sat at the workstation and began logging in.
“That’s the sculpture’s name. Besides, where would you even put it?”
“I don’t know, I was thinking in the bedroom.” Kayden said, moving closer to the glass case. “Though I’m pretty sure Anna would try to use it for sex if we did that, so maybe that’s not the best-”
[“Kayden. I am detecting a faint power source from within that structure.”]
“Huh.” Kayden said out loud.
“What?”
“Ali says she’s detecting a power source from within this thing.”
“It’s probably just the automated security systems.”
[“It is not. This signature is distinct from the surrounding security systems. It is coming from the structure itself.”]
“Ali says she’s sure it’s coming from the structure.” Kayden said, leaning closer to the glass.
His eyes narrowed as he looked at the structure for a few moments, tilting his head in either direction to watch the way the light reflected off the circuit boards. Either due to his fatigue from the long day or from some trick of the light, the strands seemed to writhe and move on their own as he did. When he blinked several times the movement seemed to stop, but his eyes went wide with realization.
“Elara, is this thing is made of nanobots?”
“Yes. It was made by Kel and Vrul working together, and the Vrul used nanobots quite extensively.”
[“It is incomplete.”]
What?
[“I have completed an analysis of the structure itself. While I am unsure of the being the DNA is supposed to represent, I can tell you that the 3rd nitrogenous base from the top is missing cytosine, the sugar phosphate backbone is missing below the 7th rung, and-”]
Okay, okay. I get it, it’s missing pieces. Kayden replied before relaying the same message to Elara, adding his own question. “Could that have been an artistic choice on behalf of the Kel?”
“We always assumed it was.” Elara furrowed her brow. “Where are you going with this?”
[“There is more here than meets the eye. I believe these nanobots are holding in place rather than truly bonded to one another. They are waiting for an instruction.”]
Kayden began deploying his own nanobot swarm around the glass casing before Elara’s eyes went wide. “What are you doing?” She asked hesitantly.
“I have a hunch.” Kayden replied, sending his swarm to surround the wire-laden bottom section of the case. “Don’t worry – I promise to put it back the way I found it if I’m wrong.”
“Whenever you say ‘don’t worry’, I worry more.” She said, crossing her arms.
With a grin Kayden send a jolt of electricity through his swarm, frying the security systems. Knowing he wouldn’t have long until someone came to investigate he used his nanobots to cut a microscopic line all around the glass before wrapping his arms around it and lifting it over the small sculpture. He carefully placed it down next to the display before turning back to it, reaching out to it hesitantly.
“Now what?” Elara asked.
“I don’t know.” Kayden said, brushing his fingers against the cool metal lightly. “I thought that maybe-ow!”
“What’s wrong?”
“It…bit me.” Kayden said lamely, examining the droplet of blood his finger. “I’m bleeding a little.”
“Should I call a doctor?” Elara asked.
“No, I just…wait, it’s moving!” Kayden said, pointing towards the display.
Before them, the nanobots writhed and moved. Blood-tinged links formed in the missing sections, completing the previously-missing DNA strands. The double helix then began to spin, rising off the ground before darting towards a nearby wall and embedding into it.
“Has that ever happened before?” Kayden asked.
“Never.” Elara shook her head urgently.
He was about to ask a follow-up question but stopped when a section of the wall began to glow brightly. The two of them watched dumbfounded as it faded to reveal a set of doors – ones that slid open smoothly to expose the hidden chamber beyond. There was a brief moment of silence before a hollow metallic clanging sound rang out from the vault doors behind them.
“Elara? What the hell just happened?” Kayden asked.
She leapt towards the workstation and frantically began pressing buttons before looking up at Kayden, the color drained from her face. “The vault has just sealed itself.”
“I could probably use my nanobots to tunnel us a hole through that door.” Kayden offered, pointing behind them.
“What about the elevator shaft though? It’s locked down too, and it’s almost 20 kilometers tall.”
“Fair.” Kayden nodded.
[“I can arrange for an orbital strike to blast open the vaults.”] Ali offered.
I… don’t think that’s a good idea. Kayden replied. That would involve destroying the governmental buildings above, which might not endear ourselves to the Kel government we’re trying to win over.
[“A wise point.”]
“Think the Kel on the surface would be willing to help us?” Kayden asked Elara.
“Probably. Though I’d maybe avoid asking the president or making the request via the official channels. The president is probably going to find some way to use this against us.”
[“The crew and I will work together to get it done.”] Ali ‘said’ confidently.
“I think we’re stuck here at least for the short term.” Kayden replied to Elara after relaying Ali’s message. “We should look at that room while we’re here though.”
A wide grin spread across her face. “I was beginning to think you’d never ask. You have no idea how big a deal this could be to my people. There could be more information about our history there, just waiting to be uncovered!”
Chuckling at her enthusiasm, Kayden took her hand and they walked towards the newly opened door. “How is it that nobody has ever discovered this room before?”
“It must have been shielded and hidden from scanners – this area has been thoroughly searched and documented as archaeological sites go.” Elara reasoned as they neared.
“Sure, but it’s a bit on-the-nose though, isn’t it?” Kayden teased. “I mean, that statue was called the literal ‘Key to Synthesis’.”
“We thought it was meant to be metaphorical!” She protested before hip-checking him.
Kayden watched her for a moment before grinning stupidly. The fact that she was so willing to contradict him while being playful about it meant that they’d successfully broken through the last major barrier to them having a serious relationship. She no longer saw him as the fabled Asha’dara – instead, she saw him for who he really was: a flawed human man. Moreover, based on the way she was practically bouncing when they entered the new room, she felt safe enough to be her truest self around him.
Tearing his eyes away from her for a moment, Kayden glanced around the small room. Unlike the vault, the walls, ceiling, and floor were made some of sort of black substance with the consistency of concrete. Ahead of them was a screen embedded into the wall, along with a simple input port with a control cable hanging down. As they neared it he saw the same mechanical double-helix insignia embedded into the wall above the control port itself.
“I guess they want me to plug in.” Kayden said softly.
“The last time you plugged into a mystery computer you met the Voidborn Queen.” Elara warned him. “And the time before that you had to fight a Vrul Executor.”
“Sure, but I don’t think that’s very likely this time.” Kayden countered. “Look – they gave explicit instructions to give the sculpture to the one who achieves Synthesis, right? That means they wanted that person to find this room.”
“Sure, but-” Elara started.
“And both the ancient Kel and the ancient Vrul both wanted their people to achieve Synthesis, so that their descendants could come together.” Kayden interjected.
“Yes, but-”
“So I really don’t think this is all some elaborate trap. Maybe there’s some technology or knowledge that only someone who’s achieved Synthesis can use. If anything, the discovery alone might be the thing that gives us the leverage we need with the president to convince her to help us! But that’s only if we know what we’re dealing with.”
“Kayden, stop.” Elara said, pressing one hand against his chest. “You’re…not wrong. About any of it. It’s just that…these artifacts, this vault…it’s incredibly old. We don’t know if it’s supposed to function this way or if it’s been damaged and we’re just reading into it.”
“Where was all that excitement about finding something new about your people’s ancient vault?” Kayden asked teasingly.
“It evaporated when I realized it might end up hurting my man.” She replied seriously.
He paused for a moment, meeting her eyes. “Do you think I shouldn’t plug in? I trust your opinion, and I don’t want to put you through any unnecessary pain.”
She bit her lip in thought, exhaling deeply before shaking her head. “No. I think you’re right. The insignia is right there, it’s obvious what they want you to do. This is war, we need to take risks. Just…be careful, okay? We don’t know what will happen.”
He leaned forward and kissed her deeply, wrapping his arms around her for a moment. “I promise to be careful.”
“Good.” She said, nodding. “I’ll keep watch over you while you plug in.”
Sitting and leaning against the wall, Kayden pulled the hanging control cable towards him. He then extended his own control cable from his arm, pausing for a moment before joining the two ends.
Then, predictably, his body was wracked with pain.

Chapter 10

Unknown Time

Even before opening his eyes, Kayden knew what happened. His mind had been transported to a virtual world – one where the normal physical laws of the universe may not apply. As his monumental headache slowly began to recede he cracked his eyes open to see a pair of beings standing in front of him, their heads cocked slightly in confusion.
“Uh… hi.” Kayden said lamely.
“He isn’t Kel.” The figure on the left growled in a dialect of the Kel language.
“Nor is he Vrul.” The figure on the right added in perfect, robotic-sounding Vrul.
Kayden took a moment to study the pair. To him, the curves of the first one’s body gave her a distinctly feminine look – one that was mostly covered up by the ceremonial-looking red tunic she wore. On her legs she had a pair of tight black pants and high heeled boots, and her hands were covered by a pair of black gloves. Her face was the only part of her body not covered, revealing her silvery grey skin and ritualistic black tattoos that traced across her cheekbones and up her bald head. Her eyeballs were pitch black, but somehow Kayden knew that she was studying him intently.
Next to her stood an even more ‘alien’ looking figure. He immediately recognized the being’s head as being from an ancient Vrul – covered with grey skin, glowing blue eyes, and blue hair styled into a mohawk that stuck straight up. The being had neither a mouth nor a nose, and in contrast to its companion its slender body was mostly uncovered to show an almost human-like torso all the way down to its hips.
That’s where the similarities to a human ended.
In place of its arms, 4 mechanical appendages had been welded directly to the being. Each appendage ended in a grasping hand, and based on the way they seemed to flex and move as the being breathed Kayden guessed that they were connected via neural link – not unlike his own prosthetic. Moreover, the being had replaced its legs with a pair of enormous mechanical ones that ended in a pair of talon-like claws.
“He must have passed the test though, or else he wouldn’t be here.” The first figure said.
“Perhaps one of our peoples uplifted a primitive race?” The second figure offered.
“One that then went on to achieve Synthesis?”
“It is possible.”
Deciding that interrupting their back-and-forth would be a bad idea, Kayden took a moment to survey his surroundings. Looking down he saw that the stone beneath his feet was completely black, and looked like it had been poured as a liquid and then cooled. His suspicions were confirmed when he looked to the horizon to see a bright line of fire slowly pouring out of a mountain in the distance. The sky above him was choked with smoke, lit only by the occasional crackle of lightning.
I’m on a volcanic planet. He realized.
“He has an A.I. with access to his neural link.” The second figure said, interrupting his thoughts. “She has a simulated personality matrix, and is quite insistent on trying to break in. She is also actively preventing me from accessing this one’s memories, though I have stopped her from communicating with him.”
Seeing his opportunity, Kayden interjected. “She’s going to get in eventually too, unless you stop blocking her. She’s one of my women and she’s quite protective over me.”
The first figure turned to him. “Your woman? An interesting choice of word. You make it sound as if you are romantically attached to her.”
“I am.” Kayden nodded as the rumble of thunder boomed through the darkened skies above.
The second figure narrowed its eyes at Kayden. “Interesting. Who and what are you?”
“My name is Kayden Reynolds, and I’m human. I’ve come seeking the Kel’s assistance in defeating the Voidborn.”
The last word seemed to catch their attention. They shared a meaningful sidelong glance for several seconds, their mouths moving but seeming to make no sound. Furrowing his brow Kayden stepped closer but quickly realized that it didn’t matter – whoever these people were had ‘muted’ him, and were having a private conversation he couldn’t listen in on.
When they finally seemed to come to a decision the second one turned back to Kayden. “You say you come seeking the Kel-Azaan’s help, but not the Vrul Technocracy’s. Why?”
“Well, first off – it’s the Kel Confederacy now, not the Holy Kel-Azaan Empire.” Kayden replied. “And it’s the Vrul Hegemony, not the Vrul Technocracy. Secondly, I intend to speak to the Vrul after this. They’re just…not particularly friendly with me right now, despite the fact that I’m technically an executor.”
“It seems much has changed since we were last activated.” The first one muttered. “Did we survive our awakening?”
Kayden furrowed his brow as he dredged through his memories. “I don’t think so – at least as far as I know. My Kel companion helped me learn about some of the Kel and the Vrul who survived the awakening, and I don’t remember anyone looking anything like either of you.”
“Do you know who we are?” She pressed him.
“I’m guessing you’re the leaders of the Kel and Vrul who created this vault?”
“We are virtual avatars of them, yes.” The second figure said. “My name is… or perhaps was Cyrius Voltrix, Mechanicus-General of the Vrul Technocracy.”
“And I am High Priestess Zerya Nyrssara, of the Holy Kel-Azaan Empire.” The first figure added.
“We created these avatars in the event that neither of us survived the awakening process, so that we might fulfill our life’s purpose.” Cyrius continued.
“Avatars? Is that like an A.I.?” Kayden asked. “And what is your life’s purpose?”
“Similar, yes. Your A.I. is an entirely unique being unto herself. We are virtual intelligences, confined to this realm and based off real beings.” Cyrius explained.
“And to answer your second question: our purpose is to ensure that the next being to achieve Synthesis wouldn’t repeat the damage of the last.” Zerya answered, her eyes narrowing dangerously as lightning flashed dramatically above them.
Sensing he was being tested, Kayden opened his arms wide in an attempt to seem non-threatening. “I’m just trying to stop the Voidborn, that’s it.”
“Yes, but if you win…what will you do after?” Zerya asked.
He paused for a moment, caught off guard by the question. Almost unbidden, Anna’s suggestion of days-long group orgies came to mind, causing him to suppress a chuckle. Seeing the looks on Cyrius’ face though, he composed himself long enough to answer.
“I’ll probably spend the rest of my days making my women happy. We’ll travel the galaxy, generally helping people and promoting peace where we can. Eventually we’ll probably settle down and have a bunch of kids.”
“How do we know that is your intent though?” Zerya pressed. “You may say you wish for a peaceful life, but feel differently once you are the most powerful being in the galaxy.”
Kayden shrugged. “I don’t see any easy way to convince you.”
“We need to examine your memories.” Cyrius said. “That is the only way we will know for certain. Ask your A.I. to stop blocking my intrusion attempts.”
“For that, I’ll need to talk to her.” Kayden countered.
“Fine.” Cyrius said, closing his eyes for a moment.
[“Kayden. Are you alright?”] Ali’s voice rang in his head a moment later, her tone laced with concern.
I’m fine. Let him access my memories. Kayden requested. Just…put a stop to him if he tries anything more intrusive than looking.
[“I will.”] Ali replied, her voice hardening.
A moment later Kayden felt a soft tickle in the back of his mind. His thoughts raced from one memory to another – growing up on Earth, losing his arm in the riot, enlisting in the Roccan Alliance, and flying with his squadron. They seemed to pause when he met Selina, then again when he met Dawn, and Anna. Scenes of the 4 of them entwined naked in passion flashed through his mind before he started to protest.
“Hey! That’s private!” Kayden protested.
Cyrius made a metallic, grating noise that sounded like a chuckle. “It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.”
Regardless, the speed of the flashing scenes increased – helping Ali obtain her android body, defeating the Black Company, then meeting both the Kel and the Vrul. It paused again when Kayden fought the Voidborn for the first time before flashing forward to his confrontations with the Queen.
“He is telling the truth.” Cyrius said. “I have reviewed enough of his memories to know that his wishes align with his words.”
“See?” Kayden said, the gentle tickle fading. “I come in peace.”
“However, he is not ready.” Cyrius continued.
“I… what?”
“He has achieved Synthesis, but does not understand the true extent of his powers. Even he will fall to the might of the Voidborn.” Cyrius stated plainly, without judgement.
“I thought I handled myself pretty well against them so far.” Kayden protested. “I think we stand a good chance.”
“What Cyrius is trying to say is that we can help you uncover more of your powers. Are you interested?”
The memory of fighting the Voidborn Queen bubbled to the surface, reminding him of how it took both an almost-fatal distraction and a high-powered mining laser to kill her. Knowing that he’d likely have to fight her again – and potentially without those advantages – gave him pause. Moreover, the fact that these two aliens apparently had access to a potential trove of ancient alien knowledge tipped the scales in their favor.
“I’ll take all the help I can get.” Kayden said. “What do I need to do?”
The pair looked at each other for a moment before Cyrius turned back to him and spoke. “Prepare yourself. We are each going to test your limits.”
“Prepare myself for wha-woah!” Kayden said as the ground beneath him zoomed forward, blurring and changing.
A moment later, the scene in front of Kayden resolved to a square 10-meter by 10-meter platform made of rock and metal hovering precariously at the edge of a chasm. On each side of the platform was an antigravity generator, and when Kayden peered over the edge he saw a bubbling red river of lava far below. Feeling a distinct sense of vertigo he turned back to see a small metal pedestal rise from the middle of the platform – one with an obvious input for a control cable.
“My task for you is simple.” Cyrius’ voice boomed from the safety of the ground behind him. “Pilot the platform to the other end of the canyon, and step foot on the ground there.”
Kayden squinted through the waves of heat that seemed to make the air waver, estimating that the other side was about 500 meters away. He exhaled deeply and moved towards the pedestal as he called upon his nanobot swarm to form a set of armour around him. With a quick glance backwards he pulled the control cable from his arm and connected it to the pedestal, feeling the trickle of information from the relatively simple platform fill his mind.
Before he could urge the platform forward though, a wave of exhaustion overtook him. He raised his arm slowly, his armour suddenly feeling far heavier than he was used to. Unsure of what was happening he quickly pulled out his control cable and felt his strength return almost instantly.
[“Kayden. It appears that connecting to the platform disables your gene modifications.”] Ali informed him.
He glanced backwards at Cyrius’ impassive face before responding. I guess he wants me to use my technological powers rather than my biological ones.
[“Given that he is the Vrul leader, that would make sense. I believe your adrenaline rush will not work either.”]
Is there any way to control the platform without me plugging in? Kayden asked.
[“None that I see. Moreover, I believe searching for a way to circumvent the challenge would defeat its purpose: to test your limits.”]
Kayden sighed, seeing her logic and resigning himself to the fact that he wouldn’t be able to rely upon his biological powers. Reconnecting his control cable he felt the wave of exhaustion wash over him but did his best to ignore it, sending a command to the platform to begin moving. It shuddered in response before beginning to glide forward, leaving the safety of the ground behind them.
Aside from having all my strength sapped, this isn’t all that bad. Kayden thought to himself as the platform slowly moved across the deadly volcanic fires below him. A little warm, but it could definitely be worse.
The moment the thought finished crossing his mind he saw movement to the side of the platform. Whirling around, he was confronted by a small robot hovering in place. It was made of grey metal and couldn’t have been more than 30 centimeters long by 10 centimeters wide. It was arranged around a central cylinder with an eye-like blue light in the middle and 2 metallic struts jutting out like wings from either side. The telltale signs of an energy shield shimmered to life around it as it bobbed up and down slightly, ‘looking’ at him as it did.
Ali, what is that? He asked, hesitating.
[“I do not know. I expect it is part of the test. Be ready – it may attack you.”]
It doesn’t look too scary. Kayden thought in response.
Suddenly a second, identical-looking robot hovered into place beside the first one. A third one quickly followed it, then a fourth. They began to spread out as they were joined by yet more robots, and in moments Kayden was surrounded by a swarm of dozens of them.
I take it back. Kayden thought as he deployed his own nanobots. Whatever they’re doing, I don’t like it. I don’t suppose Cyrius is going to give me a gun here, is he?
[“That would defeat the purpose of learning to rely on your technological powers.”]
Without warning, the robot in front of Kayden fired an energy blast from its singular eye. The beam of light glanced off the energy shields from his armour as he threw himself to the side, pulling his control cable out of the pedestal as he did. The moment it was out though, the platform beneath him came to a sudden stop.
Rolling to his feet, Kayden formed his nanobots into a swirling electrified cloud around him that absorbed several more beams of energy. Before he could take the offensive though, the robots around him dispersed. He crouched and turned in a slow circle, looking for a target but finding none.
So that’s the game we’re playing here. Kayden thought.
[“What do you mean?”]
The platform only moves when I’m plugged in, but that’s also when they attack. I can’t use my genetic abilities when I’m plugged in either, and the fact that I need to remain plugged in limits how much I can move around. And those robots have shields too – it’s not like I can just throw my nanobots at them. Kayden reasoned. It’s a clever trap.
[“The platform is also slowly sinking towards the lava, which it wasn’t doing when you were plugged in.”] Ali said.
Raising his eyebrows in surprise, Kayden steadied his breathing and looked out at the canyon wall. Realizing she was right he shook his head and grit his teeth. Great. So there’s a time limit here too.
[“Indeed. Whatever you’re going to do, you should do it quickly.”]
Racking his brain for a few more moments, Kayden performed a mental inventory of his options. His eyes absentmindedly moved downwards to the platform as the heat from the lava began to rise, causing him to break a sweat – even through his armour. Overhead more thunder boomed, and the ever-present volcanic lightning flashed brightly. He took a deep breath and focused his mind.
One problem at a time. I need cover. He thought to himself.
With a newfound determination he formed some of his nanobots into a pickaxe before hacking away at the ground beneath him. He quickly carved out several large pieces of rock and metal before using his enhanced strength to pull them into a wall around him, filling the gaps with more of his nanobot swarm. He then hauled a piece of rock on top of the structure and another in front of him, creating a makeshift bunker that was only partially open to one direction – ensuring that the robots would have to come relatively close before they could attack him.
Ali, how long do we have until we hit the lava? Kayden asked.
[“I’m estimating another 4 minutes. I expect that our descent will slow somewhat as we pass through the layer of poisonous and explosive gasses before we touch the lava itself.”]
Kayden paused for a moment. Explosive gasses?
[“Yes. Hydrogen sulfide is both flammable and explosive and is present near most active volcanoes. It gathers in a layer above the lava, because it is denser than the surrounding air.”]
Grinning, Kayden formed his nanobots into a long tube. At one end he formed a canister with a long plunger, and at the other he sealed the opening. As the platform moved closer and closer to the lava Kayden began to pull on the plunger, creating a vacuum inside the tube. Finally, he tossed the sealed end of the tube off the platform, dropping it downwards until it grazed the lava.
The flames from the molten rock were hot enough to burn through the thin layer of metal Kayden had left at the end of the tube, creating a long siphon. As the gasses raced up the tube he quickly placed the canister into his recently-created ditch, focusing instead on slowly pulling the tube up as the platform descended so that it would stay just above the lava.
Just moments before the bottom of the platform touched the lava, Kayden used his genetic strength to squeeze the tube almost entirely shut 2 meters above the canister before plugging his control cable back into the pedestal. The platform hummed to life, rising quickly to its original height before continuing its ponderous journey across the chasm. He grinned at his own ingenuity despite the continued waves of exhaustion, knowing that he now had cover from the worst of the energy weapons fire and a method with which to strike back.
As if summoned by his thoughts a small blue robot ascended into view, hovering in the open doorway. Its eye glowed blue with energy but before it could fire Kayden took aim with his canister and pushed down slightly on the plunger. A small spurt of gas shot out of the tiny opening, hitting the robot just as its eye began to emit its beam of energy.
The effect was immediate. Kayden instinctively covered his face with one hand as a fireball bloomed to life around the robot, blasting it backwards. When it faded Kayden saw the robot’s blackened form on the ground on the far edge of the platform, the blue glow in its eye quickly fading. His grin widened at his success and he had to resist the urge to pump his fist in victory.
[“Your ability to turn anything into an explosion is truly remarkable.”] Ali joked.
Before he could respond though, several more robots appeared at the edge of the platform. Bringing the makeshift nozzle at the end of the tube to bear, he reached down for the plunger but paused when he realized they weren’t coming any closer. Glancing upwards, he saw that the lights in the robots eyes had changed from blue to green, and that they were surrounding the husk of his defeated foe.
In comparison to the harsh blue energy beams the swarm shot at him, the green light emanating from each robot towards their companion seemed soft. Kayden watched as a stream of nanobots followed the beam of green light, entering the broken metallic body of the fallen machine. After a few moments the light show stopped, and the light in the broken robot suddenly flickered back to life as it started to hover under its own power again.
[“It appears they can repair their fallen comrades. An adjustment in strategy may be in order.”] Ali intoned dryly.
This is such fucking bullshit. Kayden replied as the swarm began to take up firing positions again.

Chapter 11

Unknown Time

Small round spots on the walls of the bunker began to glow a dull orange before Ali spoke again. [“It appears the rest of the robots are attempting to burn through your makeshift cover. You may not have much time.”]
Think we’ll make it to the other side before they get through? Kayden asked in reply.
[“No. And while your energy shields and armour will protect you from their fire for a short time, their combined fire will eventually burn through.”]
Kayden pressed himself against the wall of the bunker as another beam of energy lanced by him, missing him by a hair. When it dissolved he peeked out from cover and watched several robots dart around, reminding him of a cloud of oversized flies. He quickly ducked back behind the wall once more when they started firing, noting that they seemed unwilling to come as close as the first robot.
Great. He thought sarcastically to himself. So they’re capable of learning too.
Calling on his nanobots one more time, he formed them into a thick shield capable of withstanding a powerful explosion. With a grunt he hauled the heavy shield in front of the opening, carefully keeping it in front of him so that it absorbed the fire from the robots’ energy beams. Knowing he didn’t have long he slipped the ‘nozzle’ of his tube over the top and pushed down the plunger on his canister, releasing about half of the remaining gas. At the same time he called on his nanobots to create a simple metal rod at the edge of the platform – one which extended high into the sky.
[“Over that large of an area, the effectiveness of the explosion will be somewhat diminished.”] Ali warned him, reading his thoughts.
Noted. Kayden said as he braced himself for the oncoming explosion.  
It came a moment later when the volcanic lightning from above hit his makeshift lightning rod, igniting the gas which Kayden released. The force of the fireball rocked the platform, destroying one of the antigravity generators and causing the entire platform to tilt slightly sideways. When the intense heat washed over him it set off warning bells in the electronic heads-up-display of his helmet.
When the heat and light finally faded Kayden tentatively glanced over top of the shield, bracing himself for an attack as he did. There were no energy beams to greet him – only the sight of charred metal and smoke. As he looked closer he saw a telltale blue light through the haze, and called upon his nanobots to grab the damaged robot and bring it back to him.
Ali, I want you to help me take a closer look at one of these things. I want to know if it has a weakness.
[“I recommend pointing the eye away from you.”] She replied jokingly.
Rolling his eyes, Kayden watched as a tendril of nanobots snatched the still-recovering robot from the ground and pulled it back towards him. He made sure to point the eye outwards as it got closer, grabbing hold of its damaged body as soon as it was within reaching distance. It lacked the telltale sheen of energy shields and had the paneling at the back torn cleanly off, exposing the wiring underneath. Other than that though, it looked blackened but relatively functional.
[“Kayden.”] Ali said instantly. [“There is a port for your control cable.”]
He paused for a moment as the circular spots on the wall behind him began to glow again, signifying that the rest of the robots had renewed their attack on his bunker. Think we can give it some new instructions?
[“That would be within the bounds of using your technical powers, yes. I will assist you.”]
Knowing it wouldn’t be long until more robots came for him, Kayden kept a firm hold of the struggling robot as he used his biological hand to pull the control cable out from the pedestal. He quickly jammed it into the port in the control panel and felt the entire platform begin to sink. The robot quickly stopped struggling, the light from its eye flashing through several different colors as he gave it a new set of instructions.
When he finally withdrew his control cable and plugged it back into the pedestal, causing the platform to stabilize once more. He released the robot from his hand only for it to hover in place for a moment before turning around and ‘looking’ at him. Its blue eye flashed and it bobbed up and down before emitting a series of high-pitched chirping noises at him. It then turned around, looking at one of its broken comrades on the ground.
“Yeah…sorry about your friend there, buddy.” Kayden said. “You guys weren’t giving me a lot of options.”
The robot didn’t reply out loud. Instead, its eye turned green and it emitted a stream of nanobots that quickly welded together the cracks in the second robot’s metallic body that Kayden made with his enormous fireball. He watched warily as the robot quickly came back to life, its eye flashing blue as it rose off the ground. When it stopped at eye-level it made a similar series of chirping noises before turning around and facing the opening of the bunker.
“So…no hard feelings then?” Kayden asked as the first robot positioned itself next to the second one, allowing its comrade to return the favor and heal its broken paneling.
Suddenly, a third robot darted through the smoke towards them. Before he could react though, Kayden’s new robot companions fired energy blasts at the unsuspecting bot, quickly overloading its shields. To his surprise they then tucked their fins inwards and rushed forwards, becoming projectiles and slamming into the hostile robot at the same time. The hostile robot bounced off the far wall of the bunker before falling to the ground at his feet.
“Well damn.” Kayden said, kneeling and grabbing the robot before it could fly away. “I guess these things are full of surprises.”
In moments the two captured robots worked their magic and Kayden had another working robot to add to his quickly-growing swarm. As he considered his next move, the wall behind him partially gave way to reveal a cluster of angry-looking robots, their eyes glowing intensely. Before he could do anything though, ‘his’ robots returned fire, melting the hostile robots’ shields.
Recovering from his surprise Kayden fired a tendril of nanobots at the robots, quickly circling them and dragging them to the ground. The movement was enough to cause the rest of them to retreat momentarily, allowing Kayden and his new allies to quickly off the 3 unlucky robots. When they were finally broken he backed off, keenly aware of the fact that there were now twice as many entry points into his little bunker.
The soft glow of green light filled the dark space for a moment, signalling the resurrection of reinforcements. When only 2 of the broken robots rose to meet him though, he furrowed his brow in confusion before looking at the broken shell of the 3rd.
“What about that one?” He asked out loud.
As if to answer him, his 5 followers surrounded the broken shell before their eyes turned yellow. They emitted another stream of nanobots, but instead of repairing the broken robot they quickly consumed its metallic body. When there was nothing left of it the reality dawned on Kayden.
So there are limits to how much they can heal. He thought to himself. It looks like their nanobot swarms were running low.
[“You may be able to supplement their nanobot reserves with your own.”] Ali suggested.
Suddenly, the platform came to a stop. Kayden peered out both ‘windows’ of his bunker, and when he saw no other robots he tentatively disconnected his control cable from the pedestal and climbed out. When he saw that they were now wedged safely against the other side of the canyon he practically sprinted towards the solid ground, kneeling over and breathing a sigh of relief only once both his feet were firmly planted on volcanic rock.
A deep metallic voice boomed from behind him. “Well done.”
Whirling around, Kayden saw Cyrius’ standing next to Zerya. He tensed when he saw the swarm of robots swirling around the pair, but when they made no move to attack him he relaxed slightly. Shaking his head as his reprogrammed robots returned to the swarm, Kayden replied.
“Does that mean I passed?”
“You passed my test, yes.” Cyrius replied, glancing over at the tilting platform with the small bunker in the middle. “An…unconventional tactic, to be sure. But it appears it was effective nonetheless.”
“What are those things?” Kayden asked, nodding towards the swirling robots.
“They are my drones.”
“I’ve never seen anything like them, even in the Vrul records we recovered.”
“That’s because they are entirely unique. I will tell you more…if you are able to survive the other tests.” Cyrius responded.
His mind swimming with the possibilities of potential knowledge Cyrius might have, he quickly agreed. “Deal. What’s the next test?”
“Come with me.” Zerya replied, nodding away from the canyon.
Kayden wordlessly followed, leaving Cyrius and his drones behind. They walked in silence for several minutes, the ambient temperature around them dropping considerably. The terrain gradually turned into rolling rocky hills, obscuring their destination. Finally, when Kayden was about to ask where they were going Zerya suddenly stopped and turned towards him.
“We’re here.”
Kayden looked around, seeing only what looked like the husk of a dead tree in the small valley in front of them. It was surrounded by pools of silvery liquid that looked suspiciously like mercury, and its dead-looking branches barely extended 1 meter away from its withered trunk. Seeing no obvious objective, he turned to his Kel host and shrugged.
“What am I supposed to do?”
“Down there is an ancient, powerful creature. You must kill it.”
“You mean behind the tree?” Kayden asked, turning his head and squinting at it in confusion.
“No, not behind the ‘tree’. It is the tree.”
Kayden turned back to Zerya and repeated her request back to her to make sure he understood. “The tree is an ancient, powerful creature that you want me to kill.”
“Correct.” She nodded.
“I… okay then.” He said, shrugging and shaking his head.
“Oh. There is one more thing. Remove your helmet for a moment?”
“I had a feeling it wouldn’t be that simple.” Kayden grumbled as he retracted his helmet, tasting the breathable-but-smoky air for the first time.
The second his face was exposed, Zerya pulled an aerosol spray from her robes and doused him with an orange gas. Kayden waved his arms frantically as he backpedaled, snapping his helmet shut as he did. He felt a slight tickling sensation in the back of his neck as he squared up to Zerya.
“What the hell was that?” He demanded.
“That was my way of making sure you don’t use your technological powers. Your A.I. companion will also be absent for the remainder of this test. You are on your own.”
Narrowing his eyes at her, Kayden shook his head as he reminded himself about the potential rewards of passing their tests. Deciding he had nothing left to say he turned away from her and marched down the hill, refocusing on the task at hand. He started to brainstorm ideas on how he was going to cut down a tree without access to his technological powers when a slight movement from one of the metallic ponds caught his eye.
Knowing this was likely another part of the test he paused warily, watching for any other signs of movement. His decision was immediately validated when what could only be described as a slime creature crawled out of the puddle. Its outer skin was translucent, giving Kayden a clear view of its vital organs beneath a layer of slime. Its formless body slithered along the ground like a sentient puddle, leaving a trail of clear ooze in its wake.
When a second slime monster crawled out of the puddle and followed behind the first, Kayden began to move again. He broke into a jog in a wide arc around the monsters, trying to put the tree between them and himself. Much to his dismay, all the action served to do was cause yet more slime creatures to crawl out of the other puddles, encircling the tree protectively while drawing themselves to their full height – almost 4 meters tall.
Fine, I get it. He thought to himself as he glanced up at Zerya’s smirking face. You want me to fight the slime monsters too.
Deciding that there was no use delaying the inevitable any longer, Kayden turned suddenly and sprinted towards the wall of slime. His legs pumped beneath him and he closed the distance quickly, hoping that the sudden change in tactics would be enough to catch them off guard. When there were only a few meters between them he dropped his shoulder and roared, hoping his momentum would be enough to carry him through the creatures to the tree beyond.
The impact was like that of a bullet hitting a pool filled with jelly. At first, the frontmost slime monster’s ‘skin’ rippled precariously, giving Kayden hope that his strategy was a good one. That hope was quickly crushed when the creature’s body enveloped his, absorbing the momentum of the attack. He thrashed and struggled from within the beast’s body, unable to break free to the open air. To his horror even his enhanced genetic strength didn’t help – any movement he made was sluggish, like trying to run underwater.
When a message in the heads-up display of his helmet began to warn him that he was in a toxic environment that would quickly melt his armour, Kayden knew he had to try something else – and quickly. Realizing he had another biological power he could call upon, he tried to channel it into the slime creature’s body through his hands only for nothing to happen. His brow furrowed in frustration and he tried to splay his fingers out further in the hopes that it would activate, but nothing seemed to help.
I guess Ali was handling a lot more in the background than I realized. He thought to himself. I can’t even activate the power without her.
Refusing to give in to his mounting despair, Kayden closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He mentally tuned out his surroundings, instead focusing on the physical feelings his body experienced whenever he used his bioelectrical powers. As he did, he felt a strange sort of pressure mounting behind his teeth, and every hair on his body began to stand up. When the feeling became unbearable he tore his eyes open and grunted in release.
Normally, when Kayden used his electrical powers Ali helped him focus them in a specific direction or towards a specific purpose. Without his A.I. girlfriend’s help though, the electricity shot out of his body in all directions like a star exploding. He held onto the feeling as long as he could, emitting rapidly-dissipating pulses of energy outwards from his body.
Against most opponents, the attack would be both ineffective and inefficient. The short-range nature of the pulses would necessitate that Kayden be pressed tightly against his opponent, and the fact that he was spraying electricity everywhere instead of in a specific direction meant that most of the energy would be wasted. Fortunately for him though, the slime monster was pressed against him from every direction, countering both concerns.
In milliseconds, arcs of lightning vaporized the slime around Kayden. Its clear body apparently made an excellent conductor, causing the energy to jump between its vital organs. Whatever functioned as its heart, brain, and stomach were hit almost instantly, causing them to stop working. The creature collapsed around Kayden like a wave of liquid, stunning both him and the nearby slime creatures.
Recovering quickly, Kayden grinned. “Alright, who else wants some?!” He shouted.
What followed could only be described as the messiest 20 minutes of combat in Kayden’s life. Unlike the drones, the slime creatures seemed to lack any ability to learn from each other. He allowed himself to be absorbed repeatedly, using his powers to shock and kill each creature from the inside out. In the end though, he was left standing in a knee-deep puddle of slime, panting to recover from the exhaustion of having to use his powers repeatedly.
Collecting himself for a moment, Kayden slogged through the slime towards the tree. He reared back with his prosthetic arm before slamming his fist into its petrified bark, causing cracks to spread across its surface. He roared at his success before striking again and again, breaking through the thick exterior only to pause when he saw what was inside.
In many ways, the creature’s interior looked like that of a human. There was what looked like layers of muscle and fat, along with red blood seeping from the wound Kayden created. It writhed and moved unsettlingly underneath the bark, causing Kayden to shudder with disgust.
Enough of this shit. He thought to himself.
Rearing back one more time, Kayden plunged his fist deeply into the creature’s body. Once it was wedged inside he channeled as much energy as he could into it, shocking the creature and causing it to emit a concerningly high-pitched whining noise. As he continued his assault though, the noise began to fade into nothingness and the creature stopped moving around his arm.
When he was sure it was dead Kayden removed his arm and turned around to see that both Cyrius and Zerya had joined him.
“How did I do? Did I pass?” Kayden asked.
“You passed mine, yes.” Zerya answered.
They went silent for a moment as Kayden looked between the two. “Wait. You’re about to tell me that there’s a 3rd test, aren’t you?”
“Yes. The final test – one that forces you to combine everything that you’ve learned about your technological and biological powers.” Cyrius answered.
Sighing, Kayden nodded. “Fine. Let’s get this over with then.”
The scene in front of him blurred and changed one more time. Instead of standing in a valley surrounded by slime, puddles, and the husk of a tree he stood on a metal platform at the top of a mountain. Clouds of black smoke drifted below them, and above him he could see an entire galaxy’s worth of stars. As the world came into focus though, his opponent on the other side of the platform consumed his full attention.
Taking a breath, he locked eyes with the Voidborn Queen.

Chapter 12

Unknown Time

Ali? You back with me? Kayden asked.
[“I am here.”] Ali replied. [“Whatever you were sprayed with seems to have worn off when we were transported here.”]
Great. You ready for this?
[“As ready as possible.”]
Kayden grit his teeth. Time to dance then.
The moment he took a step forward, dozens of Voidborn creatures emerged from the ground all around the queen. They chittered as they clawed from their subterranean hiding spots, using their sharpened claws to shovel away dirt and climb to the surface. As one, the group of quadrupedal creatures turned to face Kayden and rushed towards him, their jaws hanging open to reveal rows of sharp teeth.
Undeterred by the sudden appearance of more combatants, Kayden summoned his own nanobots. He deployed them into a swirling mass around him, electrifying them as he did. He envisioned them ripping through the creatures, giving him a clear path with which to attack the queen herself.
Before he could get close enough to do anything though, the world stopped. The leaping Voidborn monsters were suspended motionless mid-air, their gaping jaws stuck open. In the distance, a bolt of lightning was frozen in time far longer than it should have been. Even the Voidborn Queen was paused, the smug look on her face suspended in time.
“Tell me, what is your plan here?” Zerya’s calm voice sounded from all around him.
Kayden suddenly realized he could move, but when he turned in a slow circle the Kel woman was nowhere to be found. Ignoring her for a moment he cautiously approached the closest Voidborn creature, reaching out and poking it to see if anything would happen. When nothing did he shrugged and moved back to the opposite side of the platform.
[“I believe they have paused the simulation for the moment.”] Ali said. [“It would be wise to answer her query before they allow it to continue.”]
Realizing Ali was right, Kayden spoke out loud. “I was planning on attacking them.”
“Your reckless abandon will get you killed. When you fight the Voidborn Queen, she will likely not be alone.” Zerya’s disembodied voice rang out. “She will never engage without an army at her back. How do you plan to counter her advantage?”
“I have my own companions.” Kayden answered, thinking of his girlfriends. “We might not be an army, but each of us has powers of our own.”
“What if you need to engage her alone though? Battlefields can be chaotic – you may become separated.” Zerya countered.
“I have a solution for that too – a robot of my own I can summon.”
“Show us?” Zerya requested.
“I’d need an external power cell to activate it. I usually carry one for that reason.”
“Will this work?” Cyrius’ voice boomed.
Suddenly, a small cylindrical device appeared in Kayden’s hands. The top and bottom were made of grey metal hemispheres with 20 cm metal rods connecting them. In between the rods was a transparent cylinder filled with a pulsing blue substance. As he turned it over in his hands, the top popped off to reveal an input for his control cable.
“Yeah. That should do just fine.” Kayden said, connecting his control cable before placing it on the ground.
[“Activating Fenrir.”] Ali said as Kayden summoned his swarm of nanobots.
The miniscule robots quickly coalesced into a quartet of legs that stood almost 2 meters tall. They were connected by a torso with a long tail and a canine-looking face. The sides of its torso began to glow with blue lights as it consumed power from the power cell, and its jaw opened hung open just long enough for Kayden to catch a glimpse of its sharp teeth.
When his creation was complete, Kayden returned what was left of his nanobot swarm to him. As he did, the robot-wolf turned to look at his creator with its icy blue eyes crackling with electricity. There was a brief moment of stillness as Kayden mentally communicated his commands to his ally before it turned back to face the oncoming horde.
The moment it leapt forward, the entire world burst into motion again. Fenrir bounded into the front ranks of Voidborn quadrupeds, tearing them apart with metallic teeth and claws. Nothing escaped its deadly attacks, and in moments the rampaging quadrupeds redirected their assault to the rampaging wolf in their midst. Their rabid strikes missed its agile body far more often that they hit though, and even the ones that managed to connect barely scratched the surface of its nanobot-forged skin.
The Queen grunted in frustration before the quadrupeds changed tactics. They began leaping en masse high into the air to bury Fenrir underneath a sea of bodies, determined to pin the agile robot down. A slow grin spread across Kayden’s face as he watched the wolf disappear under a pile of Voidborn flesh only for a pulse of electricity to expand outwards a moment later.
“An effective companion.” Cyrius commented, nodding approvingly as the energy field fried the electronics embedded in the Voidborn creatures neural links, freeing them of the Queen’s control.
“What would you do if they attack from range though?” Zerya asked.
As if summoned by her words, a phalanx of snake creatures reared their ugly heads behind the Queen. Their serpentine bodies slithered forwards and their metallic forearms waved menacingly. As one, the front rank reared their heads back and began spitting globs of green acid into the fray, uncaring if they hit friend or foe. Kayden watched in horror as the quadrupeds kept fighting despite the fact that their bodies were melting away under the green liquid.
“I’ll use my adrenaline rush.” Kayden replied, gritting his teeth as he watched a spray of acid land on one of Fenrir’s legs, burning partially through its armour. “Go in hard and fast before they can react.”
“And risk being surrounded?” Zerya chastised him. “You have better tools at your disposal.”
Kayden furrowed his brow as he looked at the rank of serpentine creatures – one that was quickly spreading out so all of them could fire into the fray. “What are you talking about? I don’t think I can spread my bioelectrical powers across that wide an area – even with the help of my nanobots.”
“Please. I was not suggesting anything so crude.”
Kayden’s confusion deepened. “Alright, what were you suggesting then?”
“Use your nanobots to create a small hollow cylinder with one end open. Then wrap that cable of yours around the closed end tightly.”
Furrowing his brow further, he realized both the Voidborn and Fenrir had paused again. He shook his head in amazement at the way the acid spray hung suspended in the air precariously close to the robot-wolf. Finally, he answered Zerya.
“Where are you going with this? It’d be a lot easier if you just told me what you wanted me to make.”
“I’d like you to use the principles of electromagnetism to create a miniaturized projectile accelerator.”
“Come again?” Kayden asked.
[“I believe she’s making a crude coilgun.”] Ali explained.
Oh. He replied before shaking his head. “I don’t think that’s going to work. The barrel would need to be made from something that isn’t magnetic.”
“You have nanobots in your swarm which were created from non-magnetic metals.” Cyrius interjected. “Use those.”
“I…what?” Kayden said, astounded.
[“Your nanobots are formed by consuming metallic substances and using those substances to manufacture new nanobots. I could parse the nanobots created from titanium – a non-magnetic substance – and use those to create a barrel.”]
Oh. Kayden thought before mentally chastising himself. I can’t believe I haven’t thought of that before.
[“Admittedly, neither did I. Though I believe exploring new uses of your powers is the purpose of this exercise. Ones that I will remind you that you’ve only had for 39 days.”]
Fair point. Kayden thought as a small swarm of grey-tinged titanium nanobots began to circle his arm, welding themselves into a barrel.
[“At any rate, I believe I can improve upon her design.”] Ali continued as a copper-tinged set of nanobots began to stream out from his arm. [“Form these into a wire wrapped tightly around the barrel. Then weld the ends to your armour, as well as the barrel itself. I will sync the positioning to your heads-up-display.”]
Couldn’t do this without you Ali. Kayden said, sending feelings of appreciation towards her.
[“No, you couldn’t.”] She replied cheekily.
Making a mental note to spank her later, Kayden followed her instructions. In moments, he had a simple coil gun attached to the forearm of his armour. When a blue targeting reticle appeared on his heads-up display he grinned to himself and formed a simple copper ball before slotting it into the barrel.
“Alright Zerya.” He said, holding his arm out in front of him and taking aim at a serpentine Voidborn at the end of the platform. “I’m ready.”
The world around him burst into motion again, with the droplets of acid continuing their prior momentum and landing on both Fenrir and the surrounding Voidborn quadrupeds. Bracing himself slightly Kayden ensured the targeting reticle on his heads-up display was aimed squarely at the serpentine creature’s center of mass. He took a breath before calling on his bioelectrical powers, using Ali’s help to direct them towards the new weapon on his arm.
Suddenly, Kayden’s arm was wrenched backwards as the copper ball was launched down the smoothbore barrel towards its target. In less than a millisecond, the shot penetrated the snake’s shield and tore an outsized hole through its torso given the relatively small mass of the bullet. When it slumped over dead a moment later Kayden looked down at his arm in amazement.
Well that was effective. He thought to himself. Hurts like a bitch though.
[“Without your enhanced strength, your arm may have been torn cleanly off.”] Ali replied. [“However, it appears to be an effective weapon.”]
Kayden formed another copper ball and reloaded the coilgun before firing again experimentally, killing yet another snake before wincing in pain. Am I going to need a doctor to look at my arm after this?
[“Likely. Perhaps after you should dispatch the remaining Voidborn using a different tool at your disposal?”]
Just one more. Kayden replied before lining up his targeting reticle with a pair of Voidborn snakes who were standing in a line.
When the shot blew a hole through both of them, the Queen made an immensely satisfying frustrated noise. She locked eyes with him and sprinted forwards, dashing through the melee directly towards him. As she moved, the ground beneath her feet started to shake and Kayden braced himself for whatever new horror she was about to unleash.
He didn’t have to wait long.
An enormous creature burst through the platform beneath her feet, carrying her up and forwards towards him. It looked like an enormous centipede, with a tough-looking red carapace and dozens of spiny metal arms. Most of its body was still buried underground but the part that reared up carried the queen 15 meters into the air. As it reared it opened its gaping maw – one without teeth that was designed to swallow its victims whole.
As Kayden’s mind raced to come up with a counter to this new threat, Cyrius’ voice boomed. “I believe you’ve earned some extra help with this challenge.”
Suddenly, Kayden felt a new awareness in his mind. It felt strangely like his connection to Fenrir, but more evolved -as if it had a mind of its own like Ali’s, though nowhere near as complex. He felt it mentally click into place and settle in, as if it was finding a home in his mind. A millisecond of confusion washed over him as a cacophony of chittering noises rang in his mind before being suddenly silenced.
Before he could fully process what happened, a swarm of dozens of small drones raced by him. Their beams of light lanced towards the queen atop her mount, burning away at her powerful energy shields but doing nothing against the creature’s thick armour. It twisted and turned to protect its rider, limiting the angles from which the drones could shoot but preventing it from advancing any further.
Eager to put his recently learned lessons into action, Kayden raced towards the queen while activating his adrenaline rush. When he was only a few meters away he bent his knees and leapt high into the air, angling his body towards the centipede’s open mouth. Time around him seemed to slow as he tucked his feet in, landing on the creature’s tongue in a roll.
When the monster’s jaw snapped shut Kayden was plunged into momentary darkness. He immediately shot upwards before the creature could swallow, using his nanobots to form his prosthetic arm into an enormous hook. With a grin he stabbed the hook deeply into the roof of its mouth, causing it to thrash back and forth in an effort to dislodge and digest its rebellious meal.
As saliva began to fill the creature’s mouth Kayden tuned out the noise and channeled as much bioelectrical power as he could muster. With Ali’s help he funneled it into the hook, sending bolts of electricity through the creature’s skull and directly into both its brain and the neural link that he knew controlled it. Using all his genetically enhanced strength he held firmly, continuing his electrical barrage until the thrashing stopped and he felt the creature slump to the ground.
Now for the hard part. He thought to himself as he pried the dead creature’s mouth open.
The chaos that he emerged into rivaled that of the battlefield on Trappist Prime. His drones buzzed in circles around the serpentine creatures, firing beams of energy that drained their shields while narrowly dodging flying gobs of acid. Fenrir’s wounded body still somehow bounded from one Voidborn creature to another, tearing them apart with claws and teeth. The platform beneath his feet was slick with the blood and ichor of the battle, and the limbs of the centipede creature still twitched in their death throes.
Flicking off the saliva which now covered him, Kayden caught sight of the queen. She had one clawed hand on her hip that was cocked to the side, while the other was extended towards him as if beckoning him closer. Her metallic wings were splayed out to either side with their sharp ends pointed towards him, and all around her buzzed a swarm of nanobots of her own. Above them, thunder boomed dramatically as if to signal the beginning of their fight.
Unfortunately for him, the world around them blurred once more. When it finally cleared again, he was standing next to Cyrius and Zerya on top of a mountain overlooking the volcanic plains below. He furrowed his brow at the two, bewildered as to this turn of events.
“I thought you wanted to train me to fight her?” He started, slightly bewildered.
“We do.” Zerya nodded.
“So then why did you stop the test there? I could use the practice one-on-one against her.” He pressed.
“Because as much as we know that you need to kill her for the good of the galaxy…we have no desire to watch you actually perform the act.” Cyrius replied.
“Why?” Kayden cocked his head to the side in confusion. “I mean, I get not wanting to be bloodthirsty about it and everything, but I would have thought that after burning down your civilizations, you’d want to see at least a little vengeance.”
“Were it anyone else, yes.” Cyrius responded sadly.
“But she’s a special case?” Kayden asked.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Does it matter?” Cyrius countered.
“I’ve passed your damn tests, I think I deserve some answers.”
There was a long pause before Zerya nodded. A sombre look crossed her face as she stepped towards Kayden and spoke softly.
“She is our daughter.”
Kayden’s mind reeled for a full 10 seconds as he processed Zerya’s statement.
“She’s your what?”

Chapter 13

Unknown Time

“Perhaps some explanations are in order.” Zerya said.
“You’ve got that right.” Kayden nodded.
“Before the Holy Kel-Azaan Empire and the Vrul Technocracy were rivals, we were friends.” Zerya started. “In our younger years we were both minor diplomats working for our respective peoples. We met during a trade mission, one thing turned into another, and…” She trailed off.
“You fell in love.” Kayden finished.
“Yes.”
Cyrius picked up the story where Zerya left off. “Unfortunately for us both, the mission itself went poorly and marked the beginning of the decline in relations between our people. We desperately tried to stay together but it became harder and harder to justify seeing each other as our societies became more and more hostile towards one another. In our last night together before the war broke out between our peoples, we worked together to develop our crowning achievement: a means for our peoples to create viable offspring. We called it the Xenocompatibility project.”
Zerya continued the story. “I became pregnant, but there were complications.”
“Let me guess – the baby couldn’t use Vrul technology?”
“I…yes. How did you know?” Zerya asked.
“The same technique was used later to…you know what? Never mind. It’s not important right now. Continue, please.” Kayden insisted.
“I didn’t want my daughter to grow up without being able to access her heritage, her birthright.” Cyrius said. “As the Vrul and the Kel marched to war, the two of us faded into reclusion together to care for her. Through a combination of desperation, ingenuity, and sheer dumb luck we achieved something that neither of us thought was possible: synthesis.”
His eyes shined with pride for a moment before hardening and continuing the story. “For a time, things were good. The three of us lived on a remote moon at the edge of the galaxy, away from the political machinations of the Kel and the Vrul. We raised her as best we could, helping her explore the full extent of her powers while teaching her about both societies. She became a prodigious biologist and roboticist at a young age, surpassing all of our expectations.”
He paused for a moment and shook his head before Zerya laid her hand softly on his leg and picked up the story. “It was not meant to last. A Vrul patrol stumbled upon our little hideaway. Before they landed we hid our daughter away and allowed ourselves to be imprisoned – him for desertion, and me for being Kel.”
“What happened after?”
“We were separated. Years passed. The penal colony I was being held on was eventually attacked by the Kel, and I was freed. I immediately journeyed back to the remote moon, but our daughter had long since gone.”
“It’s hard to believe a little girl survived long enough to build a spaceship and leave.” Kayden remarked.
“This was no ordinary little girl.” Cyrius countered. “She was incredibly talented, had robotic attendants, and access to the sum total of knowledge from both our civilizations.”
“You searched for her, didn’t you?” Kayden asked Zerya.
“Naturally. I wasn’t alone either. As a former prisoner of the Vrul, the Kel helped me reintegrate back into society. I began espousing new ideas about synthesis and gathered a small following. Together we discovered where Cyrius was being held and freed him only to discover he’d gathered a following of his own in prison – one with a similar goal. Our two groups came together and joined forces.”
Kayden furrowed his brow. “Its strange – none of this was in any of the archives or records I’ve seen.”
“Of course not.” Cyrius scoffed. “The idea of coming together as a group to achieve synthesis was one thing, but the idea of becoming romantically involved – or having a child – was still taboo. So we hid our love from our fellow partisans.”
“Our group spent several years moving from planet to planet, carefully covering our tracks from our respective governments while the two of us secretly searched for our wayward daughter. All the while, our followers grew ever closer to replicating our feat of achieving synthesis and our little group slowly grew.”
“How did they react when you eventually found her though?” Kayden asked.
“We didn’t find her. She found us.” Zerya corrected him.
“More specifically, she emerged on Vrul Prime with an enormous army.” Cyrius clarified. “One which she immediately used to overrun the planet.”
“When you say emerged…” Kayden started.
“Reports from that period vary but we think she’d been hiding there for years, biding her time. She’d built a cloning lab from nothing and created an army of genetically engineered warriors, which she unleashed on the planet in conjunction with a massive cyberattack that turned most robots and cybernetics hostile towards all Vrul.”
“That sounds…bad.” Kayden replied, thinking about the Voidborn attacks on Arcadia and Sanctuary. “And strangely familiar.”
“It was a massacre. She had several cities under her control before we realized we were even under attack, turning our orbital defenses against us. Her real goal was the planetary driveyards though. While we focused on retaking the planet, she used them to create an enormous fleet of ships of her own design.”
“You didn’t call for reinforcements from other systems?” Kayden asked incredulously.
“You have to understand – this was the seat of our power. The thought that we might actually lose the planet was unthinkable until it happened. By the time we brought in reinforcements she had a fleet of her own, and between that and our own orbital defenses she easily destroyed us. Once she’d consolidated her power over our world she took a sizable portion of her fleet and led them deep into Kel space, throwing the Kel into disarray. With every world she consumed her fleet and army grew larger, and resistance diminished. It was only a matter of time before she destroyed the Kel home world as well, leaving both our societies in shambles.”
“You didn’t try to talk to her?” Kayden asked. “You’re her parents. If anyone could convince her to stand down peacefully, it’s you.”
“We tried.” Zerya said, the pain evident in her cracking voice. “At first she was unrecognizable, but gradually we realized who she was and reached out to her. She told us that during her long period of isolation she’d ascended to a higher plane of existence, and come to the conclusion that both the Kel and the Vrul were too deeply flawed to be allowed to achieve synthesis. Then she cut us off and continued her assault. That’s when we realized that our daughter, the one we knew…was gone forever.”
“So then you hid.” Kayden said, knowing the end of their story already.
“Yes, we hid.” Cyrius confirmed. “Our group was clandestine by nature, so we built this cryosleep chamber while the galaxy crumbled around us. As the ranking remaining member of the Vrul race, I assumed the mantle of Mechanicus-General, and Zerya the title of High Priestess. We preserved as much of our knowledge as we could and went to sleep.”
“Except that you left out the part of the story where the Voidborn Queen is your daughter.” Kayden retorted.
“Telling our comrades that part would only serve to turn them against us.” Zerya countered. “We needed to be united. So we made up a story: that the Voidborn come from the dark space between galaxies.”
“What happened after you woke up?”
“You would know better than we would.” Cyrius said. “Our avatars only awoke when you interacted with the Key to Synthesis. We have no information regarding the events following the beginning of our cryosleep.”
Kayden began to pace back and forth. “Are you willing to tell the whole story to the Kel leadership now?”
“If you deem it to be helpful, yes.” Zerya replied.
“I’m curious: why not the Vrul leadership as well?” Cyrius asked.
“We’re…not exactly on good terms.” Kayden said. “They’re quite literally slowly going insane.”
“Impossible. My people would never follow incompetent leaders.”
“They don’t have a choice.” Kayden countered. “They’re enslaved using the neural links.”
“Why don’t you just disable them?” Zerya asked.
“I would if I knew how.”
Zerya furrowed her brow. “You do know how. You’ve had it done to you.”
Kayden cocked his head in confusion for a moment before the proverbial lightbulb went off in his mind. “Are you talking about the stuff you sprayed me with?”
“Yes.” She replied simply.
“I thought that was just…you know… cyberspace magic.” Kayden said, gesturing to the virtual world around them.
“This world is a reflection of reality.” Cyrius explained. “I will open our data banks now for your AI to read. Whatever information you find there is yours to use in whatever way you see fit.”
“I… thank you.” Kayden said, bowing his head. “This could tilt the scales in our favor.”
“I hope so. You already know the alternative.” Zerya said sadly.
[“I have the data, Kayden. We can recreate the neural link disabling substance. I also have schematics to create a swarm of drones.”]
Thank you Ali. Couldn’t do this without you. Kayden replied mentally, sending a burst of feelings of gratitude towards her.
“You should go.” Zerya said. “We have prepared you as best we can.”
As the world around him started to fade into blackness, Kayden shouted one more question. “Wait! What was your daughter’s name?”
There was a long pause as the world continued to darken, and Kayden was about to give up hope that he’d hear a response. He closed his eyes and felt the connection being severed before they whispered the answer together in a haunting, sad tone.
“Aelira.”

***

04:04, January 4th, 2135

“Ow.” Kayden complained as his consciousness returned to his body.
“Kayden!” Elara exclaimed, placing her hands on either side of his face. “Ali said you were okay in there, but… it’s been hours!”
“I’m okay.” Kayden replied, his eyes slowly opening before wincing. “A bit of a headache, but nothing I haven’t felt before.”
“Are you sure? You should stay down until we get a doctor to look at you, just in case.”
“I’m fine.” Kayden assured her, turning to her before placing one hand on her thigh. “Really. This is too important to wait anyways.”
“What did you find?”
Kayden looked at her kneeling form, trying to find the words to summarize everything that he’d learned. He thought for a moment about the fact that their knowledge of the Voidborn was based on a lie, that the technology that caused the current conflict between the two empires was designed out of love, and that he now held the key to freeing the Vrul from the iron grip of the executors. His mouth opened and closed several times, unsure of where to start. The last thought gradually made him realize there was someone else who needed to be included in this conversation.
“Ali, get Mirana on the radio.” Kayden said as he slowly began to sit up. “She needs to hear this too.”
“That sounds…ominous.” Elara said, reaching under his arms to help him up. “Do you want to tell me what this is about?”
“Not until she’s listening.” Kayden said, placing a hand on her cheek. “I know you’ve still got some reservations about the Vrul, but this is bigger than any of us. You deserve to hear this at the same time.”
“What? No, it’s not that. Her and I…we’re working on things.” She said before grinning slightly. “I’m just impatient, that’s all. I don’t like waiting to hear news.”
Kayden immediately felt a newfound sense of pride and respect for the two women wash over him. He leaned forward and kissed Elara’s blue lips softly, running his hand up to her hip as he did. She responded with a happy little squeal, scooting her kneeling form closer to him so she could return the kiss more fully.
“I’m proud of both you and Mirana.” He said, his grin widening. “You’re working against generations of conflict and prejudice, but you’re doing a fantastic job.”
“Oh, is that what you called me to say?” Mirana’s dry, sarcastic voice came over the radio. “Because if that’s it-”
“That’s not it.” Kayden interjected. “I just met the leaders of your ancestors, and they had a lot to say.”
Over the next 30 minutes, Kayden recounted everything that happened to him in the virtual realm – the avatars, the tests, and the final revelation that the Voidborn Queen was the child of the leaders. Elara and Mirana listened to him speak in English with rapt attention, only interrupting to ask questions where they didn’t understand or needed clarification. When he finally finished he watched Elara closely while listening to the deafening silence on the other end of the radio.
“That…changes things.” Mirana said finally, her words being translated into Kel on Elara’s wrist-mounted computer.
“Agreed. It gives us a fairly clear next course of action though.” Elara added thoughtfully.
“Oh?” Kayden asked.
“Yes. We need to free the Vrul.”
“Well there’s a sentence I never thought I’d hear a Kel base commander say.”
Elara laughed in reply. “They’re words I never thought I’d say either, but it’s the right thing to do – nobody should live as a slave.”
“Not to mention we’d be a powerful ally against the Voidborn.” Mirana added.
“Yes, that’s a reason too.” Elara admitted.
“It may not be that simple.” Ali interjected, having heard the whole conversation. “I have the chemical formula required to synthesize the compound, but it requires a delivery device. I doubt the executors will simply allow their power to be usurped.”
“Leave that to me.” Mirana declared. “This is more hope than we’ve had in a very long time. We will find a way to free the Vrul, no matter what it takes.”
“Good. I’ll leave it your hands then – whatever resources you need, let me know. And when the time comes, I’ll help you however I can. In the mean time, we’ll continue to work on getting the Kel on our side. With any luck we’ll come back to Earth with both fleets at our back.”
“Yes executor.” Mirana said before pausing. “And…thank you.”
The line went silent before Kayden looked up at Elara. “Well, this has been an eventful few hours.”
“Eventful doesn’t even begin to describe it.” She said, shaking her head slowly. “Finding these avatars are an archaeologist’s dream. It rewrites entire sections of our history books.”
“I still wish it gave us a bit more.” Kayden countered. “We know now what really happened leading up to your people going into cryosleep, and we already know what happened after you woke up. There’s still a pretty big gap in there of a couple million years where we’ve got no idea what was going on in the galaxy.”
“You want to know what the Voidborn were doing during that time.” She replied, understanding his unsaid question immediately.
“Well, yeah. That thing on Trappist Prime didn’t bury itself, so I’m guessing whatever they were up to had to do with that. Beyond that though, I haven’t got a clue – and that scares me more than a little, because it means they might have more surprises in store for us.”
“Maybe.” Elara admitted.
Taking a deep breath, Kayden nodded. “I guess we’re not going to find out the answer to that question down here though, are we?”
“No, but we can’t leave yet – the doors to the vault are still locked.” She said, glancing up at the door to their hidden room before looking back at him. “How are you feeling?”
“Better. Headache is gone.” Kayden replied.
“Well enough to stand?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.” She said, slowly getting to her feet. “Come on then. There’s something I want to show you while we’ve got some time to ourselves.”

Chapter 14

04:50, January 4th, 2135

Kayden watched Elara’s body language stiffen slightly as he got up, following her out of the hidden room and back into the main vault. She glanced around almost nervously before tucking a stray hair behind one ear. Her eyes settled on the far corner of the room and she took a deep breath before glancing back at Kayden.
“Come on. It’s just over here.”
Curiosity piqued, Kayden followed Elara until they were standing in front of an “O-shaped” sculpture that was made of the same purplish metal the Kel seemed to be so fond of. Unlike the other sculptures it had no glass casing, and as he looked closer he saw the metal’s natural sheen had been worn down by centuries of handprints, turning it into more of a gold color. His eyes travelled along the edge of the ring before settling on the metal rod that held it up at waist-height, allowing Elara to move around the structure and lean through the ring to look at him.
“How come you’re allowed to touch this one?” Kayden asked, seeing her hands settle on the bottom of the ring comfortably.
“Normally, I’m not. This sculpture is part of an ancient Kel tradition – one that used to be followed by all Kel.”
“Ah, so you got special permission before we came down here?” Kayden asked.
“No. I just decided I don’t give a damn.” She said with a coy smile. “Maybe you’re rubbing off on me.”
Kayden chuckled, shaking his head. “Are you complaining?”
“Not at all.” She replied before taking a deep breath to steady herself.
“You okay?” Kayden asked, suddenly concerned. “You seem nervous.”
“I’m…fine.” She replied, taking another deep breath. “Can I tell you a bit more about the tradition?”
“I’d like that.”
“It’s used as part of an important ceremony – so important in fact, that you can find a replica of this ring in most Kel cities, usually in a public square or a governmental building.”
“What’s the ceremony for?”
“It’s…well… the ring is supposed to symbolize infinite love.” She blurted out before continuing quickly. “One person stands on one side of the ring, and the other person stands on the other. They usually say some kind words to each other in front of all their friends and family. By doing this, their union is said to be blessed by the goddess.”
“Humans have a similar tradition.” Kayden said. “We wear the rings on our fingers and some of the details are different, but it’s the same idea.”
Her rapid-fire speech somehow picked up speed. “Yes. AJ told me about marriage. The sociological implications of similar ceremonies developing across different cultures are fascinating, and-”
“Will you do the ceremony with me?” Kayden asked, seeing where this conversation was going.
“-and…and… you’re serious?” She said, stuttering slightly.
“Of course I’m serious.” Kaden said, moving closer and placing his hands on top of hers. “I can see that this is something that’s important to you. I know how you feel about me, and you know how I feel about you. We might not have another chance like this for a long time, and you clearly want this too, so why wait?”
She bit her lip and blushed purple for a long moment before locking eyes with him. “Yes. I want this. Us. To do the ceremony.”
“Let me ask the right way then.” Kayden said, holding her gaze. “Elara will you do the ceremony with me and become my… Kel-wife?” He finished lamely, struggling for the right words.
She giggled and nodded. “Yes Kayden. I will be your Kel-wife.” She then leaned close to him and brushed her blue lips against his ear. “And then afterwards I want to bond with you. I’m ready.”
He felt a wave of complex emotions wash over him at her words. As much as they both knew they had deep romantic feelings for one another, they’d waited to become physically intimate because doing so would make the Xenocompatibility attunement process permanent. She’d never be able to conceive with anyone else, and she would be forever fixed in her human-like form.
“Are you sure?” Kayden replied, pulling away slightly so he could look at her in the eyes. “I feel close to you Elara, but this…it’s a lifetime commitment, enforced by biology.”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” She said steadily. “Even if there weren’t a war going on and I wasn’t worried about all of us dying tomorrow… I’d want this. I’m ready.”
“You’d have to share me with the other girls.” Kayden cautioned her, unconsciously moving closer.
“I know. I’m okay with that. They’ve already accepted me.”
“And the lifetime commitment would have to go both ways.” Kayden said finally. “I couldn’t live with myself knowing that you’re committed to me without giving the same commitment to you. I can’t change my biology like you can, but I can give you my word that I’ll be there for you no matter what.”
The blue skin on her face blushed even more furiously before smiling. “Those sorts of comments are how I know I’m making the right choice.”
Kayden moved closer again, until his nose was brushing against hers. “Tell me how the ceremony works.”
Unable to stop smiling and blushing, she nodded downwards. “You’re already doing the first part by placing your hands on mine. Then we say some nice things to each other – usually in front of friends and family.”
“Ali, can you record this?” Kayden asked out loud. “We can show it to them later.”
[“Of course, Kayden.”] Ali replied mentally.
“Good thought.” Elara said after seeing him nod, her smile broadening. “Do you want to go first? Or shall I?”
“You go first.” Kayden insisted.
She set her shoulders and locked her gaze with him for a moment before speaking again. “Kayden Reynolds. To me, you started as the fabled Asha’dara. Somehow though, you became more than that to me. You became my defender, my advocate, my biggest supporter, and my mate. You are as brave as you are kind, as wise as you are determined. Despite the fact that we’ve only known each other a relatively short time, I can’t imagine my life without you in it anymore.” The smile returned to her face slowly. “You have no idea how many times I practiced that in the mirror.”
They both cackled for a moment before Kayden looked at her lovingly. “Elara, I… I don’t know how to follow that up, but I’ll do my best.”
“Just speak from your heart.” She said, laying one hand on his chest.
“Elara, you inspire me everyday. Your dedication to the Kel cause is only surpassed by your dedication to the people you care about – and I’m lucky enough to count myself as one of those people. You’re somehow both a warrior and an empath – tenacious on the battlefield, and completely in-tune with other people’s feelings. I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you, and even now you make my heart race.”
Unable to hold back any longer, their lips crashed together in a passionate kiss. Kayden’s hands slid up her arms before running down her body, coming to a rest on her hips through the ring. Elara’s arms rested on his, her hands clasping behind his neck to pull him closer. Their tongues met as the world around them seemed to fade away, leaving nothing but their shared embrace behind.
When they finally broke apart, Kayden’s blue eyes met Elara’s. Knowing how he truly felt, he said what was really on his mind.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” She replied without a hint of hesitation.
They kissed again urgently for several long minutes as their hands roamed over one another’s bodies. By the time they broke apart they were panting with a heady mixture of love, lust, and excitement. Kayden flashed a grin at her before speaking again.
“So…what’s the next part of the ceremony then?”
She laughed, her eyes sparkling as he did. “Well, we’re supposed to say something about the goddess blessing this union, then I come around and… you know what? Forget that.” She stopped suddenly, unclasping her arms and moving around the ring to be closer to him. “I’ve waited long enough. Ali, stop recording – this part is private.”
[“Recording stopped.”]
Without waiting for him to relay the message, Elara practically leapt into Kayden’s waiting arms. Her hands fumbled with the buttons of his shirt as she practically tore it off, desperate to touch any bare skin she could. He returned the favor by finding the small zipper near the nape of her neck, pulling it down to loosen her tight grey military jacket. The moment it hit the bottom she broke the kiss long enough to shrug it off and toss it to the floor, revealing miles of light blue skin underneath.
Kayden took a moment to marvel in her beauty. He’d caught glimpses of her cleavage before, but to see her breasts bared like this was something else entirely. They were large enough that each of them would be a handful, but gravity-defyingly pert with a dark purple nipple on each. He reverently traced his fingers across them for a moment, causing her to arch her back and groan softly.
“Go ahead. They’re all yours.” She whispered.
“How…?” He said, unsure how to form full sentences anymore.
“Xenocompatibility, remember?” She said. “My body has changed to be as sexually desirable and compatible with you as possible.”
Unable to resist any longer, Kayden wrapped his lips around one of her nipples and began to flick back and forth with his tongue. At the same time he used his prosthetic hand to gently tweak her other nipple, cupping her soft blue skin as he did. Her groan became louder and more guttural at his touch, and she instinctively reached out to hold him closely.
“Yes.” She hissed. “That’s…exactly it.”
As he swapped his lips between her nipples his other hand drifted south to the simple button-and-zipper combination holding her pants up. He solved both problems quickly, slipping his prosthetic hand into her pants and running the cool metal against her opening teasingly. She shivered with delight at his touch, her nails scratching down his now-bare back as she did.
Reluctantly, he kissed up her breast to her collarbone, then her neck, and finally locked eyes with her. “Are you sure about this? Because once we get started…I don’t know if I can hold myself back.”
“Kayden, my Asha’dara, my…husband.” She said, breathing heavily as the last word left her lips. “Make love to me. Please.”
With that reassurance, Kayden’s lips crashed into hers again. As they kissed he began to work his fingers in slow circles around her clit, gently rubbing and teasing underneath the black thong she was wearing. She inhaled sharply at the motion, her lips parting to allow their tongues to meet again. She let out soft moans of pleasure into their shared embrace, encouraging him to continue.
After several minutes the tease became too much to bear for either of them. They reluctantly broke apart before quickly stripping off the rest of their clothes, leaving them both standing naked. As Kayden looked up from dropping his pants he took a moment to drink in the sight of his Kel woman in all her naked glory – from the way that her skin seemed to take on an otherworldly blue glow in the light of the vault to the way that the fat on her mostly-toned body seemed to be perfectly distributed as if to highlight her hourglass figure.
“Fuck Elara.” Kayden managed to croak out.
“Do you… like the way I look?” She said, casting her own appreciative eye over his body.
“‘Like’ is definitely not a strong enough word to describe it.” He replied.
“I can see that.” She said through a giggle, looking down at his erection, already at full-mast. “I’m a little nervous about fitting all that inside me though. Remember: it’s my first time.”
“Bend over.” Kayden said, nodding towards the ring-like sculpture they used for their abbreviated ceremony. “We’ll start slow.”
Eyes widening slightly Elara placed both hands on the oval, presenting her perfect heart-shaped ass to him. He grinned to himself as he knelt behind her, running his prosthetic hand up her thigh and causing her to spread her legs. She was already soaking wet and when he brushed them against her clit again she gasped, gripping onto the metal tightly.
“If I… believed in the literal words of the scripture…” She started between breaths. “This might be considered blasphemy.”
“Do you?” Kayden asked, stopping for a moment but not moving his hand away.
“I think the goddess will forgive me for this one.” She said, glancing back at him.
“Good.” Kayden responded before running his tongue against her pussy.
The move was enough to take Elara’s breath away. Kayden turned his head upwards and scooted his body between her toned blue legs, replacing his prosthetic fingers with his tongue. He began to tease her with it, tracing lazy shapes across her clit while running his hands up to her firm ass and giving it a squeeze. When she shivered with delight he brought his prosthetic fingers back to her pussy and slowly slipped one inside, pumping in and out as he did.
“Oh goddess… Kayden… that’s so good.” She groaned out haltingly. “I never knew it could feel… like this.”
Her pussy gradually opened up to him, allowing him to slip another finger inside. His tongue continued its relentless assault as he pumped deeper, eventually burying them inside her up to the knuckle. When her juices started to drip down his chin he knew she was ready for more, and reluctantly detached his lips from her lower ones.
“Want to try something else?” He said, looking up at her from between her legs.
“Everything. I want to try everything with you.” She replied huskily.
Hoping that Kel-Xenocompatible physiology was similar to human physiology, he wrapped his lips around her clit and sucked it into his mouth while he moved his fingers in a ‘come-hither’ motion. He knew that the move was one that delighted all his other women, and felt a small tinge of relief when he saw Elara was no different. Almost immediately her legs began to shake as she gripped the ring tighter for support.
“I’m… I’m…” She croaked out, unable to finish the sentence.
Feeling her soft velvet walls clench on his fingers he began to vibrate them gently, sending her into to the stratosphere. Her legs gripped his head like a vice as she came undone, her cries of pleasure echoing through the cavernous vault. On instinct, her hips began to rock back and forth against his face, prolonging her orgasm even further.
When she couldn’t take another moment of the exhilarating feelings she fell backwards, crashing into Kayden’s lap. Her normally piercing blue eyes were hazy and unfocused from the mixed waves of euphoria and exhaustion crashing over her. Every formerly tense muscle in her body relaxed as she leaned into him, her naked body pressed tightly against his.
After breathing heavily for several long moments she leaned up enough to offer Kayden a lazy smile. “That was…incredible.”
“I’m glad you liked it.”
“The other girls are going to have to make some room in that bed of yours, because I’m going to want that all the time.”
He grinned in reply. “It doesn’t need to be nighttime and we don’t need a bed to have sex.”
“True.” She sighed. “But a bed sounds nice right about now.”
With a coquettish smile, Elara scooted forward before wrapping her legs around his waist. Her arms went around his back and she kissed him deeply, rubbing her wet pussy against his diamond-hard cock. They kissed like that for several minutes, her juices covering and lubing him up as she worked her hips back and forth. As she did Kayden’s hands wandered over her body – from her nipples across to her back, then finally resting on her ass so he could squeeze it firmly.
Detaching her lips for a moment, Elara pulled back to look at Kayden intensely. Without so much as a word she reached down and took hold of his cock in one hand, lining it up with her opening and teasing his head against her. Achingly slowly as if to savor the moment of her final transformation she moved her hips downwards, pushing the head of his cock inside her. There was a soft resistance which quickly broke, giving way to his cock.
“It’s… so big.” She gasped out as he entered her.
“Am I hurting you?” Kayden asked, fully aware that this was her first time.
“No, just… let me control the pace.” She replied. “I can only take a bit at a time.”
Kissing her deeply, Kayden squeezed her ass and let her hips work their magic. His patience was continually rewarded over the next several minutes as she worked his cock deeper and deeper into her, enveloping his shaft in a hot, wet, velvet vice. Despite it being her first time she had incredible muscle control, with each stroke gripping his cock tightly and sending fireworks of pleasure through his mind. She seemed to mold around him, as if adapting to his size and girth so that she would fit perfectly.
By the time her hips met his, both of them were groaning uncontrollably in pleasure. She began to ride him in earnest, her pussy milking his cock while her hips swayed back and forth on his lap. He began to grip and squeeze her ass as he kissed every inch of blue skin he could get his lips on, unable to get enough of the feeling of her body next to his. For their first time together it far surpassed any preconceived notions he had, her body’s natural connection with him rivalling that which he’d built over time with any of his other women.
Before long the familiar pressure of an orgasm began to build up inside him. His eyes shot open and he pulled back from their kiss long enough to grunt out a warning.
“Elara…I’m…close.”
“In me.” She said without a hint of hesitation. “Finish it. Cum in me.”
There was something about his woman asking him to cum in her that set off all sorts of primordial feelings inside Kayden – ones that insisted that he spread his seed as much as possible. All thoughts of trying to remain a gentleman through her first time faded to the background as his hands moved to her hips and he began to meet her every thrust, his cock swelling as he neared his climax. If he had any semblance of awareness left he’d have realized that her pussy was spasming around him, signalling that she was only seconds behind.
“Cum for me!” She shouted, bouncing up and down on him.
The sight of her delicious tits waving in front of his face while her pussy gripped his cock was too much to bear. Kayden roared as his cock shot cum into her like a cannon, filling her pussy completely with hot white seed. His eyes rolled to the back of his head in pleasure and his hands gripped her ass. Every muscle in his legs, back, and arms seemed to tense before giving out from the pleasure, causing his back to fall to the floor from the overwhelming sensations.
Seeing her man cum was enough to trigger Elara’s orgasm right afterwards. She continued to ride him through it, her legs shaking and toes curling as she slammed her hips down onto his repeatedly. Her movements prolonged their pleasure almost to the point of oversensitivity before she slumped forward onto his chest, breathing heavily against him as she did.
For a few minutes, the only sound in the room was the sound of their heavy breathing. As their senses returned to them though, Kayden heard Ali’s voice in his mind.
[“It’s a good thing I am here to regulate your genetically enhanced strength.”] She started. [“I believe Elara would have been injured given how hard you were trying to grip her. Even with my safeguards in place she will likely have some surface bruising.”]
Kayden snorted out a laugh, to the confusion of Elara. When he repeated her words she laughed as well.
“I’m already yours – mind, body, and soul. You don’t need to physically mark me, you know.” She said teasingly.
The enormity of her statement washed over him, and he kissed her deeply in reply. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” She said, eyes shining. “I’m yours, Kayden Reynolds. Forever.”

Chapter 15

07:44, January 4th, 2135

The elevator door slid smoothly open to reveal Dawn standing with one hip cocked to the side and a grin on her face. She leaned forward and kissed Kayden deeply before wrapping her arms around Elara in a bone-crushing hug.
“Welcome to the family, girl.” She squealed excitedly.
“Wait, how did…” Elara trailed off as she blushed furiously.
“Ali.” Dawn explained as she backed off. “She told us the two of you finally had sex.”
“Dawn, you know it’s more complicated than that.” Kayden admonished her.
“Yeah, yeah I know – Xenocompatibility and everything. You’re crazy about each other though, so it was pretty obvious to the rest of us how this was going to end up.”
Chuckling to himself, Kayden stepped onto the elevator with his two women. The door closed behind and Elara pressed a button to take them back to the surface. As they steadily rose he looked back at Dawn.
“What else did Ali tell you?”
“Oh, everything.” Dawn replied casually. “She’s even got some of the Vrul crewmates working on building those drones. You’ll have the first few in a day or so.”
Thank you Ali. You think of everything. He thought warmly to her.
[“I accept thanks in the form of physical intimacy as well.”] She replied cheekily.
Kayden was about to respond when the elevator suddenly stopped. He furrowed his brow and was about to call out over the radio before a familiar human voice began speaking on their shared channel.
“AJ here. We’ve got a problem.”
“You can say that again.” Kayden replied. “We’re stuck in the elevator underground.”
“It’s not just the elevator. The main power systems for the city just cut out, and by the sounds of it only some of the backups kicked in. We’re lucky that the local communications grids are still working, but there’s no time estimate yet on how long it’ll take to get everything else up and running.”
Kayden’s eyes went wide. “Any chance the planetary defenses are down too?”
“Yeah, they are – defense cannons and energy shields. Why?”
“We need to prioritize getting those back up and running. AJ, this was a cyberattack and any minute now we’re going to start seeing Voidborn ships in orbit.”
“Shit, you’re right.” AJ swore before relaying the message to his wives. “It’s the same tactic they’ve used before. We’ll get the word out to the fleet. Hopefully we’ve got enough ships in orbit to defend against whatever’s coming our way.”
“Once you’re done, get to the Broken Shackle?” Kayden suggested. “You can use our shuttle to pick up Celestia and her scientists while you’re at it. By the time you’re done we’ll be out of here and you can pick us up.”
“You going soft on us?” AJ teased. “Suddenly you care about our well being?”
“I just don’t want you getting killed before the next round of negotiations with the president.” Kayden replied with a grin.
“Yeah, yeah.” AJ chuckled. “You just sit tight for a bit. We’ll call you when we’re in orbit.”
When the line went quiet Dawn spoke again. “I think we can safely assume that the next round of negotiations will be delayed.”
“They’re probably going to move the president and her cabinet to a secure location as soon as they get word of the Voidborn attack. Normally I’d suggest the vault, but…well…” She gestured to their currently stationary elevator.
“Let’s not sit around and wait then.” Kayden said. “I don’t want to be caught down here when the Voidborn show up.”
“We’re still several kilometers underground.” Elara reminded him. “Do you have a plan for getting us out? Even with your enhanced strength and endurance, I don’t think trying to scale the walls will work.”
[“I have an idea.”] Ali offered.
“Go ahead Ali.” Kayden replied out loud for the benefit of the two other women.
[“I have completed an analysis of the blueprints for the vault. The elevator itself is raised and lowered using an antigravity system. However, there is a manual backup in case of power loss – a cable attached to the top of the elevator, offset by a dummy weight. That is why the elevator stopped instead of plummeting back down.”]
“Alright, I see where you’re going with this.” Kayden replied, summoning his nanobot swarm. “Stand back.”
In moments the tiny machines raced to the top of the elevator and ate through a chunk of the ceiling, exposing the smooth metallic walls beyond – ones which were lit at regular intervals by blue maintenance lights. He then formed his swarm into a simple ladder before climbing up and glancing around, finding the cable attached to the middle of the elevator.
As his two women followed him up the ladder he gripped the thick cable tightly with his prosthetic arm, testing its strength. When they reached the top and joined him they gave him a quizzical look – one which he replied to with a grin.
“You’d better hold onto me tightly.” He said, recalling his nanobots before redeploying them to eat through the base of the cable. “This ride is going to go fast.”
Both women wrapped their arms around his waist – Elara on his right and Dawn on his left – before speaking again.
“You’re not seriously doing what I think you-” Elara started, but was cut off as the cable below them snapped from the nanobot’s relentless assault.
As the trio shot upwards, Elara’s terrified scream was matched by Dawn’s excited one. The metallic walls around them blurred into one continuous grey streak as they picked up speed, and below them Kayden heard the distant crash of the falling elevator hitting the bottom floor. When a faint light appeared above them Kayden deployed more of his nanobots, forming them into a sizable clump around the cable above his hand before ordering them to solder themselves into place.
After almost 5 full minutes of rocketing upwards, they came to an abrupt halt at the top. Kayden’s makeshift nanobot stopper clanged against a pulley loudly, causing them all to wince. As they swayed back and forth from the cable Kayden nudged Dawn with his arm and nodded towards the closed elevator door.
“Think you can get us out?”
“Of course.” Dawn said, shifting slightly to lean back against his arm. “Give me a little boost, will you?”
Wrapping his free arm around her waist Kayden used his enhanced strength to toss her across the gap towards the door. His heart dropped as he watched his succubus-girlfriend soar through the air, shifting to her incorporeal form at the last possible moment to pass through the elevator doors. There was a brief pause before Kayden looked down at Elara.
“You doing okay?”
“Yeah, just…hanging here, trying not to think about the 20 kilometer drop below us.” She said, her voice quivering slightly.
“Not a fan of heights?”
“Not really, no.”
“I didn’t know that about you.” He admitted.
“Yes, well…now you do.” She said tersely. “I’d appreciate a distraction right about now.”
Kayden leaned in and kissed her before a grin appeared on his face. “Think about how much shit they’re going to give us for wrecking the elevator that leads to the vault.”
Despite the situation they were in, she cackled at his comment before nudging him in the ribs. Before she could respond though, the door opened to bathe them in warm yellow light from the corridor beyond.
“Well, we haven’t got all day to hang around. Come on then.”
Not wanting to spend any more time suspended over the drop than she absolutely needed to, Elara quickly climbed into Kayden’s arm before nodding to him. He launched her across the gap, causing her to soar through the open door and land in a controlled roll safely in the corridor. When she stood and gave the two of them a thumbs-up, he took a deep breath and leapt through the air.
Without the benefit of someone launching him, he quickly realized he didn’t have enough momentum to safely reach the other side. Instinctively he reached out with both hands, flailing them forward in a desperate attempt to catch the edge of the elevator door. His wide eyes locked onto Dawn’s as she leaned forward through the door to catch him mid-air.
The two of them suddenly stopped falling, with Kayden swinging into the side of the elevator shaft bodily. Dawn grunted with pain as her hands grasped his tightly, and slowly they inched back up to safety. It wasn’t until his head reached the level of the corridor floor that he realized Elara had grabbed onto Dawn’s tail to steady her, pulling them both backwards with all her might.
By the time the three of them collapsed onto the corridor floor they were panting from exertion. To the surprise of the other two Kayden let out a laugh of relief as he laid there, looking at the ceiling.
“Lets…not do that again.”
“Agreed.” Elara said, standing.
“Come on. We’ve got work to do.” Dawn said, rolling over and pushing herself to her feet.
Taking another moment to bask in the adrenaline of just having cheated death, Kayden got up and followed the two women. They moved through a series of corridors, passing back through the security checkpoints they’d cleared on their way in. When they finally emerged into the brightly lit atrium of the bottom floor they picked up the pace, jogging towards the exit.
They didn’t get very far before a steady stream of people began exiting the bank of elevators to their left, crowding the room and causing them to slow again. Several of them stared at Kayden – some of them with openly hostile looks on their faces, others with a mixture of curiosity and awe. Scratching his head awkwardly he leaned back and spoke to Elara in a hushed whisper, hoping that the dull roar of casual conversations around him would mask the sound.
“I don’t recognize these folks, but they sure seem to know me. Am I that famous now that Kel recognize me on-sight?”
Elara giggled slightly before responding. “Not exactly. These are the rest of the council representatives – the ones not in the president’s cabinet.”
“Ah.” Kayden nodded, remembering the rows of darkened seats in the council chambers. “I thought that they’d be moving your government to a secure location if there’s a threat of an attack?”
“Their priority is the president and her cabinet – there’s an executive shuttle on one of the top floors who can take them anywhere at a moment’s notice. For everyone else, there’s a larger ship parked outside.”
Kayden chuckled softly as they emerged into the large plaza surrounding the Athenium Spire, the bright blue sky above them mirroring their happy mood. “They have to sit in the cheap seats and their evacuation plan isn’t as fast? Talk about making some people feel unimportant.”
Elara nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! See, it’s actually a sore spot amongst the representatives from some of the outer colonies – they feel like they don’t have any power in our government.”
“You know, humanity has had that problem in the past.” Dawn said, drawing on her own expertise as a diplomat. “If it’s left to fester it can cause a deep-rooted resentment within certain populations, and-”
[“Kayden.”] Ali interrupted tersely, causing him to tune out Dawn’s history lesson. [“A Voidborn fleet just entered the system.”]
“Shit.” Kayden swore out loud, drawing stares from both women.
“What is it?” Elara asked.
Kayden glanced backwards to see that more people were streaming out of the elevators behind them. The snippets of conversations he caught form the crowd still seemed casual, but he could detect a distinct undertone of fear in their voices. Not wanting to panic anyone, he moderated his language as he responded.
“Ali says we have some uninvited guests upstairs.”
Elara’s eyes went wide. “Are they…unfriendly guests?”
“Very.” Kayden responded.
“How? We monitor all the hyperlanes leading to other systems.”
[“They emerged outside of the known hyperlane network. It appears they have knowledge of additional hyperlanes that we lack.”] Ali explained. [“I have sent word to Ashley, asking her to investigate.”]
Kayden shook his head. “Our friends apparently know of a back door that we don’t.”
“What are they doing?” Dawn asked, gritting her teeth.
[“It appears their jump drives are spinning up for an in-system jump.”] Ali responded, pausing for a few seconds before continuing. [“They have emerged into orbit. The Kel fleet is engaging, but only a trio of destroyers made the in-system jump.”]
Abandoning all subtlety Kayden relayed the message to the two women before adding his own question. “Not that I’m complaining, but why are they attacking with only 3 ships? Sure, each of their ships is more powerful than ours in a 1-on-1 fight, but the Kel home fleet is more than capable of handling 3 destroyers.”
The sky above them flashed brightly several times before Dawn responded. “It sounds like a suicide attack. Sacrifice a few ships to take out a high-value target.”
Elara furrowed her brow. “Only humans would come up with the idea of a ‘suicide attack’. What target would possibly be high value enough to justify sacrificing perfectly good ships and crews to…to…”
Her train of thought trailed off as she watched the color drain from Kayden’s face. He looked around at the assembled council representatives and their various staffers, advisors, and other aides. Further back he saw crowds of Kel civilians moving around the enormous multicolored tower – the symbol of the Kel government – one that was now lacking the distinctive sheen of an energy shield due to the cyberattack.
Suddenly, a projectile round slammed into one of the top floors of the tower from orbit. An enormous fireball bloomed outwards, followed by a shockwave of force and the deafening roar of an explosion. Screams erupted from the crowd around them as it was quickly followed up by a second, then a third round.
In seconds, Kayden summoned his nanobot swarm and used most of them to create 3 suits of armour – one around himself, one around Elara, and one around Dawn. As they coalesced he began speaking quickly into his radio to ensure the two women would hear him over the chaos that surrounded them.
“Elara! Where is the shuttle for these people?”
She turned 180 degrees and pointed. “Over there! That building is a hangar!”
A piece of the tower fell behind them with a crash, killing dozens and wounding even more. Kel began running in every direction as yet more rounds impacted the tower, adding to the anarchy around them. Gritting his teeth Kayden turned his external suit speakers to maximum and addressed the crowd in Kel.
“This is your Asha’dara! If you want to live, come with me!”
His statement was enough to catch the attention of the dozen or so Kel nearest to him. They turned to look at him fearfully, but fell in behind him as he took off at a jog in the direction Elara indicated. Either from the momentum of the group or from some primal herd instinct others began to follow, and soon there were hundreds of Kel doing their best to keep up as yet more rounds impacted the tower behind them.
“That tower’s coming down if it takes much more punishment!” Dawn said, glancing backwards as she jogged next to Kayden.
“Let’s make sure we’re out of here before then!” Kayden replied as they neared the building.
Several scared-looking guards stood at the door to the hangar. They flung the door open as the mob approached, but as they drew close Kayden quickly realized it would take far too long to funnel everyone through the narrow bottleneck. Knowing that he only had seconds to devise a solution he sent a mental command to Ali, activating his adrenaline rush as he sprinted ahead.
He reached the door before the guards had a chance to react, his nanobots already billowing in clouds around him. They formed into an enormous claw that he swung heavily, narrowly avoiding the heads of the nearest Kel before crashing into the thin metal wall. There was a screeching sound as Kayden used his enhanced genetic strength to pry back the wall, creating a far wider opening.
As the world sped up around him Kayden didn’t relent, dissolving his nanobot-claw back into a swarm. While the crowd reached the hangar he ordered his nanobots to continue eating through the wall, replenishing his swarm and further widening the opening. Behind him the front line of the crowd slowed, as if scared by the sudden appearance of a swarm of miniature robots.
Kayden grunted in frustration as he turned on his external speakers again. “What the fuck are you waiting for, an invitation? Get in the shuttle!”
His words were punctuated by another trio of rounds hitting the tower, sending more chunks of the building tumbling down towards them. It served to eliminate any remaining hesitance, with the crowd running as fast as they could through the opening. Glancing in the hangar he saw the ‘shuttle’ – a 100-meter-long cylindrical purple ship with sleek-looking black fins on either side that housed a pair of black engines. To him it looked more like a freight hauler – easily as long as a corvette, but without any visible weaponry or shields. There was a door to the cockpit near the front of the craft, windows down the side, and a cargo bay door at the back – one which was currently open with guards on either side urging the crowd forward.
Satisfied, Kayden stepped to the side so as not to block the stampeding crowd. He was quickly joined by Dawn and Elara – the latter of which was barking rapid-fire instructions at the guards, telling them to venture out into the square and bring back as many wounded as they could before lifting off. He made a move to join them before Elara grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around.
“The pilots for that shuttle should have been here by now.”
“How do you know they’re not?” Kayden asked.
“They would have made a beeline for the cockpit, through that door there.” She said, pointing. “So far it looks like everyone has gone through the cargo bay.”
Kayden winced as another round hit the tower, causing it to lean precariously towards them. “You don’t think they’re still out there, do you?”
She shook her head. “I think they’re not coming. We need a pilot.”
“Fuck.” Kayden swore, gritting his teeth as he realized what she was saying.
“I recommend takeoff imminently.” Ali chimed in over the radio. “The tower will fall soon, and the resulting collapse will likely bury most of the surrounding buildings. Additionally, the exotic materials in the Voidborn munitions appear to be leeching radiation into the air and ground, resulting in-”
“I get it, I get it.” Kayden interrupted. “We don’t want to be here when that happens.”
“We’ll go with the guards and search for wounded. You start the pre-flight checks.” Elara said. “We’ll be back before you know it.”
Before he could object any further, Elara took off running into the plaza. Dawn shrugged and followed her, leaving Kayden to curse to himself before turning and running the opposite direction. He raced towards the comparatively small door at the fore of the shuttle, barking a command at the guard beside it to open it as he did.
Less than 30 seconds later Kayden slid into the captain’s chair of the shuttle, plugging his control cable in one smooth motion. The familiar rush of information washed over him as he took command of the ship, powering up the various systems and ensuring nothing had been damaged by falling debris. With a thought he sent a signal to open the hangar doors above them, revealing that the bright blue sky from moments ago was now obscured by billowing smoke.
“The tower is nearing collapse.” Ali said over the radio. “I recommend immediate extraction.”
“You heard the lady – time to go!” Kayden said, powering up the engines.
“Kayden there are still some survivors coming out of the tower!” Elara said, the pain clear in her voice.
“If we don’t leave now then we’re not saving anybody!” Kayden replied. “Back to the ship, double-time!”
Without waiting for her to reply, Kayden began powering up the engines. He kept the cargo bay door open as he began to lift off, hovering 1 meter off the ground. He forced himself to watch using the shuttle’s rear cameras as a steady stream of people continued to trickle in, leaping and scrambling into the cargo bay as they did. Two armoured figures raced through the crowd, urging as many people as they could forward.
“Kayden, you need to leave now.” Ali said sternly. “The tower is falling towards you.”
“Fuck!” Dawn added over the radio. “We’re aboard!”
With a deep breath Kayden shunted as much power as he could spare to the antigravity generators, causing them to rapidly ascend. He continued to watch as they lifted off, leaving far more people than he’d like behind. Arms reached out from the open cargo bay to pull the last stragglers who were hanging on to the edge of the ramp for dear life, but as they cleared the hangar he couldn’t help but wince as a pair of them lost their grip and tumbled back into the crowd.
The moment the last of the Kel were in he powered up the main engines, leaving the falling tower behind them. He numbly noticed Elara and Dawn had joined him in the cockpit and together they watched on the screen as the symbol of Kel authority collapsed onto the hangar, crushing where they’d been only moments before.

Chapter 16

01:03, January 5th, 2135

“You are cleared to enter hangar bay 2, Asha’dara. Please proceed to landing pad 3. The president’s personal guards are waiting for you there.” The voice came over the shuttle’s radio.
“Understood, Voice of the Stars.” Kayden replied. “Better send some medics too – we’ve got wounded.”
“They’ll be there.” The voice responded before the radio went silent.
“So…which one is hangar bay 2?” Dawn asked, glancing through the windows at the enormous Kel flagship in front of them.
“Highlighting on your display now.” Ali responded helpfully over the radio.
Kayden paused to take in the schematics of the ship on the screen in front of him. From bow to stern it was a little over a kilometer long, and was easily wide enough to rival any of humanity’s carriers. To him it vaguely resembled some sort of aquatic animal, with a bulbous center section to house the hangar bays and long fins on either side that bristled with gun emplacements. The bow of the craft was a hammer shaped wedge sporting another set of guns, and in the middle of the craft he could see rows of windows looking out into the void. The purple metal of the craft shimmered behind what was no doubt a powerful energy shield being projected from a tower structure extending from the center, and the ship was surrounded by various frigates, destroyers, cruisers, and support craft.
All in all, it made for an imposing sight.
“You’d think that with this kind of firepower at their disposal, they’d be a little more willing to join the war.” Kayden couldn’t resist quipping.
“They’re a pacifist nation, remember?” Dawn reminded him from the copilot’s seat. “Sure this is impressive, but I’m willing to bet this is their only real firepower.”
“It could still probably go toe-to-toe with Earth’s pre-war defense fleet, or the Roccan Alliance’s fleet, or even the Lokken.” Kayden countered.
“Maybe.” Dawn admitted. “But you’re comparing one interstellar nation’s fleet to an entire species’ fleet. If they had to go up against all of humanity’s fleets, they’d be outmatched.” She paused and turned around to look at the 3rd and final occupant of the shuttle’s cockpit. “Right Elara?”
Elara nodded in reply but said nothing. Kayden shot a meaningful glance over at Dawn, who shook her head slightly in response before focusing intently on the screen in front of her. He briefly considered turning back to the Broken Shackle and ordering his Kel wife to stay behind, but shook off the thought almost immediately – he doubted she’d listen to him, and as the highest ranking member of the Kel military on his crew he’d need her authority in the next round of negotiations.
Still, he couldn’t help but worry for her. She hadn’t so much as uttered a word since they narrowly escaped being crushed by the tower, instead shedding several silent tears in the back of the shuttle’s cockpit. By the time they’d reached orbit the last of the Voidborn suicide attack was gone, and the remainder of their fleet had retreated. He tried to offer her a hug while Dawn sorted through the chaos on the radio to figure out where to take their rescued Kel, but she wordlessly pushed him away, preferring to focus on the stream of reports coming in on her tablet. Understanding that she needed space, he backed off and refocused on flying the ship as the Kel fleet frantically reoriented to secure the newly-revealed hyperlane. Every so often he tried to create an opening for her to speak about her feelings, but it was only when the Kel flagship asked them to dock to meet with the president and her cabinet that she finally put down the tablet and began responding to them – albeit nonverbally.
Choosing to believe that she’d talk to him when she was ready, Kayden pushed his worries about Elara to the side for a moment. He smoothly guided the shuttle into the bay, following Ali’s instructions on where to fly in the cavernous hangar bay. The moment he touched down on the silvery metal floor he saw dozens of Kel streaming out of a nearby entrance – some of them with gurneys, and some of them with guns.
With a final mental command he lowered the cargo bay to let the Kel survivors out before unplugging his control cable and standing. He took a moment to prepare himself for the inevitable headaches that came along with politicking before looking over at Elara and Dawn. They nodded to him in turn before standing next to him, and together the three of them pulled on their helmets before exiting the cockpit.
As someone who served on several carriers, Kayden couldn’t help but take a moment to appreciate the Kel’s hangar operations. Above them there were dozens of fighters, bombers, shuttles, and support craft all hanging from docking stations embedded into the ceiling. To their left and right there were more landing pads designed for larger ships, and ahead of him Kayden saw elevators and a set of stairs leading to a catwalk that snaked around each of the spacecraft above. He turned slowly, his eyes darting from the silvery metal walls and ceiling to the hundreds of Kel navy personnel – many of whom seemed to be helping the survivors off their shuttle and towards a door on the far wall.
“You three. Come.” The curt command came as he finished turning.
His eyes fell upon the speaker – an entirely black-clad guard holding her rifle at the ready. Around her stood what looked like two dozen identically dressed guards, each of them gripping their weapons a bit too tightly for Kayden’s liking. Shaking his head he slowly raised his hands before speaking.
“We’re not here to cause trouble. We’re just here to speak to the president – at her request, too.”
“Yes.” The guard replied simply before turning on her heel and walking towards a nearby door.
Resisting the urge to make a snarky comment, Kayden fell into step behind the lead guard. Elara and Dawn quickly followed, and soon they were surrounded by the group of elite military personnel. They marched out of the hangar and through twisting hallways for several minutes before stopping abruptly in front of a reinforced black door – one that had half a dozen more troopers in front of it.
“Here.” The guard said without preamble, pressing her palm against a scanner beside the door.
The door slid open smoothly to reveal a dramatically lit room. On the far wall there were windows showing the inky blackness of space, and to the left and right there were large screens showing readouts and camera feeds from what could only be the surface of the planet. The middle of the room was dominated by a long metal table, around which most of the senior members of the Kel government were either sitting or standing. Along the walls were yet more guards, but these ones were wearing the blue uniforms of the Kel navy rather than the black armour of the president’s personal guard.
“Good. Our guests are here.” The president said, waving them forward from her seat at the head of the table.
As the trio entered, the few people in the room who were standing took their seats. Kayden couldn’t help but notice that there was nowhere for the three of them to sit, so he came to an awkward halt a few feet away from the table. Moreover, he saw that the president looked far too calm for a leader in wartime – still wearing the same black outfit, but she looked neither upset nor tired despite the late hour. Doing his best not to stare at the pure Kel next to her he took a relaxed stance, clasping his hands behind his back and nodding respectfully to the president.
“Madame President, I want to start by expressing my condolences regarding the Voidborn attack.” Kayden said in a sombre tone. “I’m glad you made it out okay and we saved who we could, but far too many people lost their lives today.”
“On that, we’re in violent agreement.” The high commissioner chimed in from further down the table, her dark skin shining with sweat. “You’re all damn heroes in my book for what you did down there.”
“How much of our government did you manage to save?” The president interrupted, absentmindedly pulling on one of her purple-skinned tendrils. “I would like to know how many of my colleagues survived.”
“We’re not entirely sure.” Dawn answered. “I did a quick headcount on the way here – there were 946 people squeezed onto that shuttle. Some of them were from the Athenium Spire, some were just civilians who happened to be in the area. We also had injured – so your sick bay should be able to give you a casualty report.”
“Very well. That will be all then.” The president said, waving her hand dismissively.
Kayden cocked his head to the side in confusion. “That’s it?”
“What do you mean, ‘that’s it’?” The president questioned.
“We didn’t finish our conversation from earlier about coordinating our war efforts against the Voidborn.” Kayden replied. “You’ve seen first-hand what they can do. We should work together, talk about next steps.”
“I would think our next steps should be fairly obvious to you.” The president responded.
A pit formed in Kayden’s stomach. “What do you mean?”
“Now more than ever, we must work to reinforce our borders. This attack underscores the fact that we need every possible ship and soldier here, defending our planet – not out on some wild crusade to free your home world.”
“You’re going to get us all fucking killed.” Elara said through gritted teeth.
The room went deathly quiet as every set of eyes turned to look at her.  Kayden blinked several times in disbelief – both at the fact that she was speaking again and the fact that his normally-reserved Kel wife was currently shaking with rage. He glanced between her and the table several times before the president spoke again.
“I beg your pardon, base commander?”
“Did I fucking stutter?” Elara pressed, taking a step forward. “Or are you as deaf as you are blind?”
“How dare you-I don’t-I never-” The president stuttered, clearly taken aback.
“This attack proves that the Voidborn won’t be content to wait patiently outside of our borders. Our only hope is to join forces with the humans and the Vrul, and defeat them before their force becomes too powerful for us. Otherwise, we’re just prolonging the inevitable.”
“She’s right.” The high commissioner added. “We need to be out there, taking the fight to the enemy.”
“Our fleet stands ready.” The high admiral chimed in.
“We’ve talked about this before.” The pure Kel woman to the right of the president said with a sigh, her amorphous blob of a form jiggling. “Our home is here, and we will defend it. That is our best option – they will crash upon our borders like waves upon the rocks.”
“Are you even listening to what I’m saying?” Elara said, fury laced into every word. “We. Cannot. Hide. Here.”
“I am listening, and I’m telling you that’s not what we are going to do!” The president replied, her anger finally surfacing.
“Oh I’ve long since given up on you.” Elara said dismissively. “That’s why I wasn’t talking to you - I was talking to the people at the table who actually understand the gravity of this situation. I’m hoping they take command from here on out – for the good of our people.”
“Insubordination! Treason!” The president shouted. “Guards, remove the base commander at once! Take her to a holding cell and prepare a military tribunal immediately!”
“A military tribunal?” Elara asked before bitterly tearing her lapel pin – the symbol of her oaths of service to the Kel military – off and tossing it to the ground. “Fuck that. I resign.”
“Take her away!” The president shrieked. “The guard who subdues her will get a promotion to captain!”
A cocoon of nanobots shot out around the three of them, crackling with electricity as it swirled dangerously. Dawn crouched and prepared to flood the room with pheromones while placing a protective hand on Elara’s shoulder.
“Anyone who tries gets sent home in pieces.” Kayden replied, fury in every syllable.
The other guards levelled their weapons but hesitated as the High Admiral stood up and shouted over the sound of the president and her cabinet screaming in terror. “Stop! Everyone just stop!” She cried, her booming voice standing in stark contrast to her advanced age and relatively diminutive body. “Save your fury for the real enemy.”
Kayden took a breath and stopped channelling electricity through his swarm, but didn’t recall them to his arm. “What are you proposing?”
“Given that you saved a good portion of our government, I believe this decision warrants an open debate with the larger assembly.” The high admiral replied.
“There isn’t time!” The president protested.
“The assembly is already here.” The high admiral countered. “I can have officers clear some space in one of the hangar bays for all of us to speak.”
“I agree with the high admiral.” The high commander added. “And while I’m not a legal scholar, I believe any declaration of war would run against our constitution as an interstellar nation and therefore requires a full assembly session anyways.”
“We’re not the ones declaring war! We were the ones that were attacked!” The pure Kel woman warbled. “We’ve already been fighting them for weeks now anyways!”
“True, but now we’re talking about taking a proactive military stance instead of a more reactive, ‘pacifism’ approach.” The high commander responded, shaking her head. “Both options require the assembly’s approval.”
“No I don’t.” The president countered, clearly frustrated.
“You may think you don’t, but if you try I promise anything you do will get bogged down in court for long enough that this debate won’t matter.” The high commander insisted.
Another Kel woman in royal blue robes at the end of the table tilted her head thoughtfully. Her black hair was pulled back in a tight bun and she had wrinkles on her pale face and hands. She held her back ramrod straight as she stood and raised one hand, looking towards the president as she did.
“The high commander is correct. We need a vote with the assembly if we are to avoid a constitutional crisis.”
“Is that your opinion, justice minister?” The president challenged.
“No. It is a fact.” She countered sternly.
The president made a disgusted noise before responding. “Very well. Call the assembly.”
The high admiral turned towards Kayden again. “In the mean time, I think it best that you leave. I’ll ensure a shuttle is ready for you in the hangar to take you back to your ship.”
“No! Guards, arrest them!” The president ordered.
“Not on my flagship, ma’am.” The high admiral refuted. “Guards, please escort our guests back to the hangar bay.” She then held up a preemptive hand when the president tried to speak, cutting her off. “I’ll remind you that while you are technically my commander in chief, on this ship I give the orders.”
The president banged both her fists on the table before slumping into her chair, defeated. “Fine. Get out.”
Not wanting to tempt fate any further, Kayden recalled his nanobots to his arm and the trio quickly stepped out of the room. They were met by a large, tense looking group of navy guards who had placed themselves between them and the black-clad presidential guards. There was a moment when it looked like the they might have to fight their way out, but in the end the president’s troops moved to the side and allowed them to pass.
Kayden couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief as they rounded the corner away from the conference room and back into the labyrinth of hallways through the ship. As much as he wasn’t afraid of the guards, he didn’t relish the idea of killing Kel – especially not when he knew they’d need every available body against the Voidborn. Glancing to the side as they jogged he saw Dawn had unclenched her fists as well, but Elara was still glancing around furtively as if they were about to be ambushed.
They reached the shuttle and were about to board when Kayden heard a familiar voice calling Elara’s name. Turning around, he saw the high commander – Elara’s boss – sprinting towards them. The navy guards briefly blocked her when she neared, but one withering look was all it took to make them part for her.
“Base Commander Nerys.” The high commander said, coming to a stop in front of them.
“Not anymore.” Elara replied, shaking her head.
Ignoring her commend, the high commander continued. “I’m glad I caught you before you left. I have a mission for you – one that I didn’t feel comfortable communicating in front of the president and her guards.”
“Did you miss the part where I resigned my post?” Elara asked, tilting her head in confusion.
“Yes, that.” The high commander said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out Elara’s discarded lapel pin. “I was hoping you’d reconsider though.”
“Why?” Elara asked.
“Because I think you’re right. And so does the high admiral, and the high commissioner.”
“Then why didn’t you say something in the meeting?” Kayden questioned.
“Because then the president would fire us. Then we’d be replaced by someone who wouldn’t object to the president’s dumbest ideas.”
“But she can’t fire you right now?” Kayden pressed.
“Not without support from the assembly, no. Not unless we do something illegal.”
“So you expect me to believe that your staying in your post is some sort of…sacrifice?” Elara said hesitantly.
“Yes.” The high commander replied, the emotional pain clear in her voice.
“Oh.” Elara said softly.
“Listen, there’s no way we can convince the president that we need to join you. But I think we can convince enough of the assembly that we need to vote her out and choose a new interim president – at least until the war is over.”
“You can…do that?” Kayden asked hesitantly. “It sounds like a coup.”
“It’s actually a pretty common democratic governmental mechanism.” Dawn said. “Lots of human governments over time had it. It’s called a vote of non-confidence.”
“We need over 60% of the assembly to vote for it though, and then 60% again to agree on an interim leader, and the votes need to be on the same day, and well-” The high commander said.
“I get it.” Kayden cut her off. “Can you do it?”
“Probably.” The high commander replied. “But that brings me to your mission. We’d have a much better chance of convincing them if we had the Vrul fleets committed to our cause as well. Maybe a clearly defined plan of attack too. Then it looks less like a suicide mission and more like a coordinated strike.”
“So if we get the Vrul on our side, we’ll get the Kel fleet too?” Elara summarized.
“Yes. Are you ready to continue serving our people, base commander?” The high commander said, offering her lapel pin again.
“I never stopped.” Elara said, pushing it away. “But I think I need to do it on my own terms – not bound by the same hierarchies as you are.”
The high commander blinked several times before nodding. “I understand.”
Elara bit her lip before glancing around to make sure nobody was listening. “There’s something…new…in the vault below the tower we discovered. It’s not something I trust our illustrious leader with though, so we need to be subtle. If you can set up a secure channel, I’ll send you the details.”
“I will. Fair warning - it might take awhile to dig through the rubble enough that we can access the vault.” The commander said. “We can’t just bring in heavy machinery – there could still be survivors, trapped.”
“Do what you can.” Kayden interjected, glancing up to see the president’s black-clad guards marching into the hangar bay. “For now though, I think it’s time we got off this ship.”

Chapter 17

09:59, January 5th, 2135

Less than a minute after returning on a shuttle to the Broken Shackle, they were safely away in hyperspace and on their way back to Port Vega. While he’d been on the ground, Selina and Ali had been using their craft as a picket ship, preventing Voidborn bombers from joining the suicide attack. They’d expended a significant amount of ammunition and taken several hits in the process. Consequently they were in need of resupply at a friendly port, and none of them were keen on overstaying their welcome in Kel space.
Knowing that the trip would take several hours at least, Kayden wrapped an arm around Elara’s waist and gently led her to the bedroom he shared with Dawn, Selina, Anna, and Ali. He knew that at some point he wanted to broach the subject of her moving into their room as well, but given the look on her face he decided that now probably wasn’t the right time. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused, and she moved as if completely on autopilot.
The moment they were alone in the safety of the cabin Elara burst into tears and buried her face against his chest. He rubbed her back soothingly as he murmured soft words of condolences, doing what he could to comfort her in that moment. In the back of his mind he knew that even for a tough soldier like her, only time would lessen the emotional pain of seeing innocent civilians die.
When her crying finally started to subside he led her to a shower and stripped both of their clothes before rinsing off the blood, dirt, and debris of the last 24 hours. There was nothing sexual about the action – both of them were far too emotionally and physically tired for that. Kayden carefully dried them both before taking her hand and leading her to their comfortable bed, pulling her into a tight embrace. She wrapped both arms around him as she laid her head on his chest, and in moments they were both fast asleep.
Several hours later Kayden woke up to Dawn gently shaking his arm to wake him up. He glanced over Elara’s still-sleeping form, his eyes tracing her blue arm which was clutched tightly around his chest. Not wanting to leave her alone with her sorrow he looked back at Dawn and shook his head.
“Don’t worry.” She whispered. “I’ll stay with her. Mirana said she wants to see you.”
Nodding, Kayden carefully lifted Elara’s arm and scooted out of the bed. She stirred as he did, but settled when Dawn’s warm body took his place, her tail wrapping protectively around the Kel woman’s leg. As he pulled on his pants and shirt in the darkened room he saw that Dawn started to run her hands through Elara’s white hair soothingly, kissing her forehead softly and humming wordlessly. Feeling a rush of appreciation for Dawn’s gentle care and protectiveness over his Kel wife he kissed them both on the forehead before slipping on a pair of shoes and stepping out into the hallway beyond.
[“Good morning Kayden.”] Ali said, her words echoing in his mind.
Good morning Ali. He thought back. How long was I out?
[“You slept for 7 hours, 12 minutes.”]
Did everything go okay while I was out? He asked in reply.
[“Yes. I would have woken you otherwise.”]
Good. Kayden replied, walking towards the mess hall. Give me the rundown then – what did I miss?
[“The latest status and intelligence reports are loaded onto your phone, but I will summarize the most important items: we will reach Port Vega in approximately 6 hours. Ms. Wier has already prepared a docking station for us, and has promised to resupply us with all haste. Given the extent of the damage though, it will be another 6 hours until we are underway.”]
12 hours then. Kayden summarized as he entered the mostly empty mess hall, waving to the few off-duty crew members. Got it.
[“When Celestia and the remainder of the Kel crew learned about the Kel president’s actions, they renounced their loyalty to the Kel military in the same way Elara did. They brought copies of the anti-Voidborn virus with them. They’ve also been working in shifts to dissect, catalogue, and analyze the Voidborn queen’s body for any vulnerabilities or clues as to where her cloning lab might be.”]
Any findings? Kayden asked as he swiped an MRE from the fridge and began to heat it.
[“Some. Elara told them about the slime creatures you encountered during Zerya’s trial. While they haven’t been able to clone the creatures themselves, they may be able to replicate the effect. It would help mitigate some of the queen’s speed advantages.”]
Okay, that’s something then. How goes the battle for Earth?
[“So far, our combined fleets have held the line in the Trappist and Bernard’s Star systems. Ashley is due to report in the next hour or so.”] Ali paused, feeling Kayden’s concern. [“The sensors on her ship report all systems functional though. She is fine, Kayden.”]
Thanks Ali. Kayden responded, sending wordless feelings of gratitude through their link.
[“She also located the hyperlane that the Voidborn fleet used to attack Kel Prime, and has closed it off.”]
Good.
[“There is more. Mirana and the Vrul have been poring over the information that you send them. She has requested to see you.”]
Dawn mentioned that. Kayden replied, recalling his last conversation with the slightly prickly Vrul woman as he began to eat. Any idea what she wants to talk about?
[“She did not share that with me.”]
I guess that’s my next stop then. He said before pulling out his phone to skim the remainder of the reports as he ate. Let her know I’ll be there in 20 minutes.
As he ate and finished reading the reports, Kayden allowed his mind to wander. To his surprise, his errant thoughts coalesced around the artifact the SCI had discovered on Trappist Prime. He wondered what plans the Voidborn had for the strange device, and how it would affect the war effort. He munched on his food mindlessly as he devised and discarded theories on what it might do.
Making a mental note to add it to his ever-growing list of potential future problems, Kayden popped the last bite of food into his mouth and stood. He walked through the halls of the ship, nodding respectfully as he passed human, Kel, and Vrul crewmates alike. Stepping onto the elevator he pressed the button for the floor the Vrul inhabited while summoning his nanobot swarm, forming them into a sealed suit of armour around him. When he stepped off it he took a deep breath of recycled air before moving down the hallway through the sliding doors while being showered in decontaminant spray.
After taking a moment to recall where Mirana’s cabin was, he proceeded down the hallway and knocked gently on the first door to his left. When only silence greeted him he momentarily considered she might be somewhere else on the ship, debating exploring deeper into the section the Vrul had set up for themselves. He was about to ask Ali to locate her before the door finally slid open to reveal Mirana standing in front of him in her usual suit.
“Executor! I’m glad you’re here. Please come in.” She said, her voice filled with far more excitement than he’d ever heard her display.
“You wanted to see me?” Kayden said, stepping across the threshold.
“Yes. We’ve created the first batch of aerosolized neural link control disabling spray using the directions you recovered from the avatars on Kel Prime.”
“You work fast!” Kayden responded.
“Yes, well…when your race’s freedom is suddenly within reach after several hundred years of slavery… it provides a new motivation.”
“I can see that.”
“We’ve also completed several rounds of testing – first computer simulations with Ali’s help, then testing on dead tissue, then on live cloned tissue.” Mirana finished.
“Wait, how did you get live cloned tissue?”
“I…asked some of the Kel scientists for help. They were surprisingly eager.” She replied hesitantly.
Kayden couldn’t help but grin at the fact that the two groups were now working together. “That makes me happy to hear. What have you learned?”
“Thus far, the spray has passed all tests. The Kel scientists told us that the next step would be to test it on a simple creature with a comparable link – a cloned insect – but with your permission, I’d like to start testing it on a live subject and see if it disables the control link between us.”
Kayden furrowed his brow. “I understand you’re eager to free your people, but…wouldn’t that be dangerous?”
“No more dangerous than going into battle with the Voidborn queen.” She remarked, causing Kayden to wince before continuing. “We have to win this war. This… spray…may be the key to doing so. We may not have time to go through all the necessary safety precautions.”
“Fair point. It’s your decision Mirana, and I’ll support you either way. If you’re looking for my permission to spray yourself, you’ve got it.”
“I don’t think you understand.” She said slowly. “The spray isn’t used on us. It’s used on the executor…meaning you.”
“Oh.” Kayden replied, suddenly realizing what she was asking.
“Yes.” She said simply. “Even if I could, I wouldn’t do it without your permission.”
Ali? He asked. A little guidance?
[“It should be safe.”] She responded mentally. [“It conforms to the specifications in the avatar’s virtual world, and you did not have a reaction to it there.”]
Yeah, but that was a simulation – albeit a very realistic one. This is the real world.
[“Yes. It would be a risk to proceed, but I have reviewed her team’s data and it appears her testing process was quite thorough. Would you like for me to walk you through the results?”]
No. I’ve made up my mind. He replied mentally before nodding and speaking aloud. “Okay Mirana, let’s do this. What do you need me to do?”
In response, Mirana picked up a small black canister from her bedside before taking off the lid. “You may want to sit down for this. Retract your helmet as well.”
“Okay.” Kayden said, sitting on the bed and exposing his face.
She took a seat next to him before facing him. “When I spray this, it will disable your neural link for a short time. You will not have a connection to Ali, nor will you have control over your nanobots or arm. During that period I’ll use your control cable to reprogram your neural link, removing the control protocols installed by Executor Aldaris. When the neural link comes back online, we will be free.”
Kayden nodded before gritting his teeth. “Alright. Do it.”
With a slight moment of hesitation Mirana brought the canister to Kayden’s face before depressing the top button, causing it to emit a clear spray. Kayden closed his eyes and inhaled, tasting and smelling something similar to mint. When she stopped he reopened them, feeling a soft numbness wash over him as his arm went limp.
“Just be careful rooting around in my mind.” Kayden joked as she pulled his metallic arm into her lap before extending his control cable. “It’s already been fried by the Roccan Alliance, Ali, Ali again, Aldaris, Dawn, and the Voidborn Queen. Not to mention the avatars. I’d like some semblance of it to remain intact.”
“You are in good hands, Executor.” She promised solemnly as she plugged his control cable into her tablet.
For several minutes the room was mostly quiet. Mirana worked silently on her tablet, scrolling through pages of text that Kayden couldn’t even begin to decipher. Her hands flew across the screen whenever she found what she was looking for, deleting and rewriting sections faster than Kayden could track. Gradually he leaned back against the bulkhead behind her bed and began to stare blankly at the unadorned wall, doing his best not to think about any unplanned future side effects.
“Done.” Mirana said, unplugging the control cable and smoothly pushing it back into Kayden’s arm.
“Did it work?”
“We’ll know when the spray wears off.” She said, turning to him.
“How long will that take?”
“It shouldn’t be long, though I can’t give you an exact time frame. Under an hour, likely. Can you feel your hand yet? That should be the first thing to come back.”
Kayden focused on his upturned hand for a moment before shaking his head. “Not yet. At least not that I can tell.”
“Tactile sensation may help.” She said before scooting further up the bed and sitting next to him, pressing her back to the bulkhead as she hovered her hand above his. “May I?”
“Sure.” Kayden replied.
He watched as she interlaced her fingers with his, laying her arm on top of his own. It was a strange sensation, seeing her hand in his while not being able to feel it. It was made all the more strange by the realization that he couldn’t recall any of his Vrul crewmates touching one another like this – their ever-present space suits made body contact almost taboo except between families and romantic partners.
“I…want to thank you.” Mirana said without turning to face him. “Not everyone would subject themselves to an experimental treatment the way you did.”
Kayden shrugged in reply. “It was the right thing to do, especially if it frees the Vrul.”
“So that they can join in the war effort.” She nodded.
Kayden shook his head. “I’d do it even if there wasn’t a war. I’ve lived under the control of others before. It wasn’t exactly the same as your situation, but the impact was the same.” He paused for a moment before continuing. “Nobody should ever have to live under the control of another.”
She turned her helmeted head to him. “Do you truly believe that?”
“Yes.” He replied without any hesitation.
“What about me? If this works, I could choose to desert you. I could leave your crew forever if I wanted.”
Kayden nodded. “You’re absolutely right. I wouldn’t even blame you either – our mission is beyond dangerous, and there’s a good chance none of us are coming back. You’re smart and talented – if you’re lucky, you could find somewhere nice to hide out while this war resolves itself. Maybe you could even do the same thing your ancestors did and use cryosleep to wait out the Voidborn attacks. Then you’d wake up to a new galaxy, yours for the taking. I’d miss you and the crew would be worse off for it, but… I wouldn’t stop you, if that were truly your decision.”
“Why?”
“Because you deserve the ability to make your own choices, Mirana. Assuming this works, you’re going to have to get used to that. I’m choosing to crew my ship exclusively with people who want to be here, making a difference. It’s your decision whether you want to be one of those crew members.”
She paused for a long moment before speaking again. “I want to tell you something. I grew up as a venter.”
“As what?”
“A venter. You know, small children who go into the crawlspaces in spaceships to repair damage after a battle?”
“Yeah, we…don’t have those.” Kayden replied, shaking his head. “Why the hell would they use a child for that instead of a drone?”
“It’s a way to teach us technical skills from a young age. We learn the guts of a ship, how it operates from bow to stern. The mortality rate is high in the first year, but by the second year we’re often faster and better at repairs than any automated system.”
“That’s terrible. How did you end up doing that?”
“My mother died from an infection when I was very young. My executor saw me as a burden, so he traded me from my home fleet to another fleet. Becoming a venter was the only way I could make myself useful to my new fleet, so…”
“That’s…terrible, Mirana.” Kayden responded.
“A few years in, there was a coolant leak in one of the vents a friend and I were working on.” She continued. “I got out in time, but my friend was stuck behind. I wanted to go back and save him, but my executor commanded that I leave him. I had no choice but to obey.”
“I’m starting to understand why you hate the Vrul control links so much.” Kayden responded, a tingle of feeling coming back into his hand. “This is personal.”
“It’s not just that one instance. There are many more. As I got older, I gained better control over my nanobot swarm than most. After being traded to yet another fleet I tried to make myself too useful to trade – so I experimented with creating security robots and started volunteering for away missions. I was always under someone else’s control though, and once was commanded to leave my squad behind so that our shuttle wouldn’t be destroyed.”
“Fucking hell Mirana.” Kayden swore.
She shook her head. “Then I met you, and things changed. You led me instead of commanded me, you showed me respect instead of contempt. You put your life on the line to protect me, and now you’re working to free my people.” She said before reaching up to her suit and pressing several buttons. “I want to thank you.”
Kayden sat in stunned silence for a moment as he realized the sound of her voice was no longer coming through her helmet – instead it was coming directly from her mouth. She pulled the faceplate away slowly to reveal a human-looking face with crimson skin and ruby red lips. The pupils of her eyes were heterochromatic blue and brown, and he could see the metal of her neural link peeking around the back of her neck.
“Mirana, wait. Won’t this make you sick?”
“Xenocompatibility, remember?” She said. “I was exposed to you. My body has adapted to be compatible with you. You can’t get me sick.” She paused for a moment. “Do you…like this form?”
“Mirana, you look incredible.” He said, unable to stop himself.
“Good.” She nodded before squeezing his hand slightly. “Do you feel that?”
“Actually, yeah.” He nodded, flexing his fingers before squeezing her hand softly in return. “I think it’s starting to come back.”
“Then we need to test your control over me.” She said. “Try to use your command codes to order me not to kiss you.”
“I-what?” He sputtered before she leaned in and pressed her lips to his.
Fireworks went off in his mind for a moment as he felt her let go of his hand and swing one leg over his lap. Never taking her lips off his she straddled him before pressing her body to his, cupping one hand behind his neck as she did. After a moment she pulled away though, a concerned look crossing her face.
“Is this…okay?”
“Absolutely.” He said, recovering from his momentary shock and wrapping both arms around her. “But I think I forgot to try the command codes. Do you think we could try again?”
She smirked in reply. “I think we could do that. Try to get it right this time.”
“As your executor, I order you not to kiss me.”
Their lips crashed together again passionately, with both of them sinking into the other’s arms. The darkened cabin seemed to melt away around them as he pulled her towards him urgently, running his hands up and down her back. She groaned with delight as she parted her lips, their tongues teasing one another as she began to softly roll her hips on him.
Finally breaking the kiss, Kayden grinned at her. “You know, for someone who’s never kissed before, you seem to know what you’re doing.”
“I’ve…watched several instructive tutorial videos.” She admitted, her crimson skin glowing almost purple.
“Want to show me what else you’ve learned?” He asked with a wry grin.
“Apologies for the intrusion, but Ashley is checking in. The message is text-only, but it is marked as urgent.” Ali interrupted over the comms.
Mirana slumped against Kayden before kissing his neck. “It’s okay. Duty calls.”
He groaned then responded to Ali over the comms. “Alright Ali. What did Ashley say?”
“She said that the Lokken are asking for our help. They found an artifact similar to the one on Trappist Prime a long time ago and have kept it hidden in a lab on Vulcan. They’re only realizing now that the artifact might be Voidborn, and they’re asking us to take a look at it.”
“What makes them think that it’s Voidborn?” Kayden asked.
“She showed them the readings from the artifact found on Trappist Prime – apparently it’s an exact match.”
Visions of a Voidborn attack fleet appearing over a world far behind the front lines appeared in Kayden’s head. He looked down at Mirana apologetically, only for her to shake her head.
“It’s okay. We still need to figure out how to use the spray on the remainder of the Executors anyways. This is our chance to get ahead of the Voidborn – we should take it.”
Kayden kissed her forehead before nodding. “Alright. We’ll take a quick trip to Vulcan, then we’ll free the Vrul. In and out, no problem.” He paused before addressing Ali through the comms one more time. “Let the crew know we have our next destination. We set course as soon as repairs are done.”

Chapter 18

18:33, January 7th, 2135

“Fucking dwarves and their fucking protocols.” Anna grumbled over the radio. “There’s a galaxy-spanning war going on, and they make us wait 6 hours before letting us fly a shuttle to the surface?”
Kayden chuckled in reply. “You remember Muradin – transhumans from Vulcan like to do things by the book, no improvising. They probably had to speak directly to the Lokken admiralty to get permission to let us land.” He paused for a moment before continuing. “Also, you might not want to let them hear you calling them dwarves. I don’t think they’d like that – especially from a little goblin like you.”
“I have zero fucks to give about that.” The vulgar goblin girl responded. “In fact, I have negative fucks. I’ve mortgaged all my fucks. I borrowed fucks from the future and spent them already. I’m in fuck debt.”
“We get it, you need to get fucked.” Selina interjected dryly, also over the radio.
“You’re goddamn right I do.” Anna replied. “It’s been days and mister hero over there wouldn’t let anyone except for Ali come down to the surface with him. I was hoping for a little quickie.”
“You know the planet’s higher gravity would make you far too tired.” Kayden reminded her. “I’ve got the enhanced strength so I should be fine.”
“And as an android, I can simply update my programming.” Ali added from the copilot’s seat of the shuttle they shared. “And it makes sense that they are reluctant to let us land – the majority of the Lokken’s mineral supply comes from this planet, and they have invested considerable resources into developing and protecting it including transhuman genetic treatments for inhabitants, development of new mining and habitation techniques, the development of an orbital ring-”
“I know, I know.” Anna grumbled, cutting her off.
“Anna, how about this: I promise you some loving when we get back. We’ll have a whole night and we can do whatever you want.” Kayden offered.
“I want you and Ali. Naked.” She demanded. “All night. Doing something kinky.”
Kayden raised an eyebrow at Ali who smiled and nodded in response. “Deal.”
“Good!” She said quickly, her tone suddenly much happier. “Now let’s get this mission over with!”
Kayden grinned at the idea of Ali and Anna together in bed before guiding the shuttle smoothly in. It had been a hectic last few days – refueling, repairing, and rearming at Port Vega before immediately setting course for Vulcan. His crewmates spent the travelling time figuring out how to capture the remaining Vrul executors without sparking a war. While they didn’t have a solution yet, he was confident that the diverse group of humans, goblins, Kel, and Vrul would devise a brilliant plan before long, giving him and Ali time to work on a special side project.
Eager to test out all of the avatar’s gifts, they’d spent hours fabricating and connecting drones to Kayden’s neural link. For ease of transport they’d attached the small machines to his armour, forming a bulky layer of metallic protection around his shoulders and chest. As much as he felt like it made him look like a knight out of a medieval story, the extra weight was negligible to him and they’d placed themselves so that they wouldn’t restrict his movement. Moreover, they’d each folded inwards to adopt a relatively nondescript look, so that a casual observer would mistake them for being part of the armour.
What was stranger to him was the fact that unlike his nanobots, his drones possessed actual thoughts. As a networked being they couldn’t communicate using actual words, but were more than capable of flashing visions or ideas directly into his brain. Ali estimated that the drone’s collective intelligence was on par with that of a dog or cat – capable of carrying out instructions, but incapable of higher-order thinking like herself. The first few times it happened Kayden felt disoriented and confused, but was slowly becoming accustomed to the sensation of another consciousness pushing up against his.  
“We are passing the planetary defense cannons.” Ali announced over the radio, breaking Kayden out of his thoughts.
“They’re even more imposing in person than they were on screen.” Kayden said, leaning forward in his seat to catch a glimpse out of the window. “That railgun over there looks like it could punch a hole through the armour of a main battleship like it was paper.”
“According to the specifications in the Lokken database, it does accelerate rounds to a sizable portion of the speed of light.” Ali replied before smiling at Kayden’s quizzical look. “I accessed their databases when they linked their fleet with Ashley’s. Their information security protocols leave much to be desired.”
Kayden chuckled in response. “I can see that. Anything else you want to tell me before we land?”
“Each cluster of guns is made up of a main railgun surrounded by several energy cannons. They are designed to fire in sequence, so that the energy weapons drain the shields only milliseconds before the railgun round breaches the hull, leaving the crew with very little time to react. In testing it was quite an effective strategy, though far too energy intensive to use on a ship-mounted weapon.”
“Where do they get the energy for them then?”
“Geothermal power. This section of the planet is safe, but most of the rest of the planet is covered in oceans of lava. Power is captured near the warmest sections of the surface before being transmitted back to the cluster of subterranean bases here.”
Kayden nodded. “Makes sense.”
Ali went quiet for a moment before a section of the screen in front of Kayden began to blink blue. “We are approaching the designated approach vector. Please proceed to the highlighted route.”
He nodded in reply before guiding their shuttle towards the indicated path. As his eyes searched the surface of the planet, he began looking for any sources of life. When they neared the ground he began to worry that they might have been given the wrong coordinates and considered asking Ali to start scanning. The moment he opened his mouth to make the request though, the ground ahead of them split open and began to roll backwards to reveal an underground hangar.
“I see the Lokken have a flair for the dramatic.” Kayden shook his head as he keyed the radio one more time. “We’re proceeding into the base. We shouldn’t be long.”
“Famous last words.” Dawn replied sarcastically. “Just stay safe.”
Bringing the shuttle to a halt above the now-gaping circular opening, Kayden skillfully used the antigravity generators to gently float them downwards. They quickly moved below the surface, after which the hangar door above them started to slide closed. He looked below and saw another, secondary door beneath them and hesitated, hovering their ship only 1 meter above it as they awaited further instructions.
For a moment they were plunged into complete darkness as the door above them closed. It didn’t last long though – soon, the door beneath them slid open, bathing them in a warm, bright light. A trio of similarly-sized shuttles shot up from under them, with the lead one turning on its radio.
“Follow me. Do not deviate from the path or we will assume hostile intent.” His voice boomed over their radio.
Without waiting for a response, the shuttle began to descend into the enormous cylindrical chamber beneath them. As Kayden followed he couldn’t help but marvel at the underground city which revealed itself around them.
It was built like a skyscraper, only in reverse. The cylindrical borehole extended deep into the earth, and along its walls were all the various amenities required for a city. As they descended they passed hundreds of glass-panelled floors which were dotted with openings for shuttles. Each section of levels seemed to have a theme – lush green levels where crops were growing in hydroponic tanks, sterile white levels for medical bays, multicolored levels for housing, and metallic grey levels where raw minerals were refined and readied for transport. Between each section there was what looked like dividing level of civil services – transportation, law enforcement, and various other facilities – filled with shuttles that looked similar to the one they were following.
When they finally passed through the last level – a flashy commercial district – they reached an expansive hangar that spread out in all directions, including beneath the levels above. Kayden followed their escort past several enormous mineral barges to the very corner of the hangar where he was instructed to land. The moment he did they were surrounded by several black armoured vehicles with what looked like missile launchers mounted to their backs.
“What a friendly welcome.” Kayden said sarcastically as he cut the power to the engines and removed his control cable. “I wonder if all visitors get this treatment, or if we’re just the lucky ones.”
“Given your history of consistently being party to low-probability events, I would say that we are ‘the lucky ones.” Ali shot back with a grin.
Rolling his eyes, Kayden pulled on his helmet and stood. He felt the increased tug of the world’s gravity and took a moment to steady himself, but found that his body adapted to the new normal incredibly quickly. In moments he began moving about the shuttle, performing a series of post-flight checks while Ali finished putting on her own armour.
As they stepped out onto the tarmac they were greeted by a man who bore a striking resemblance to Muradin. He was only a meter tall, with a bushy brown beard and long hair tied back in a knot. He wore an all-black Lokken military uniform, and kept one hand resting on a holstered pistol on his hip. Behind him were a dozen additional dwarves, each of whom were wearing black combat armour and holding rifles at the ready.
“That’s far enough now.” The lead dwarf said, holding up one hand. “I take it you’re Kayden Reynolds?”
“That’s me, yes.” Kayden said as he retracted his helmet before gesturing to his android girlfriend. “This is Ali.”
“I see.” The dwarf responded. “I’m Major Swann of the Lokken Army. The protection of this city is my responsibility, and it’s something I take very seriously.”
“We’re not here to cause any trouble.” Kayden said. “We’re just here to collect the artifact and go.”
“So I’ve heard. I’ve also heard that trouble follows you like shit on Velcro, so you’ll excuse me for being cautious.”
Kayden chuckled and shook his head. “You’re well informed.”
“Yes, well… after the admiralty ordered me to let you in, I did my own research on you. An old friend and mutual acquaintance vouched for you, saying that even though things tended to explode around you far too often, you’re the only person in the galaxy who can help us with the artifact we found. That’s the only reason you’re standing here right now.”
“Ah.” Kayden said. “Does this acquaintance have a name?”
“Beth Weir.” The dwarf responded before furrowing his brow at the look on Kayden’s face. “Were you expecting someone else?”
“No, I just… there’s someone from Vulcan on the colony I live at now, and I thought…” He stammered.
“What, you thought just because they come from Vulcan that I’d know them?” Swann pressed, clearly annoyed. “You think we’re some sort of backwater colony where everyone knows each other?”
“I didn’t mean anything by it.” Kayden said, waving his hands back and forth while shaking his head. “I’m sorry if I offended you.”
“Apology accepted, I suppose.” Swann said begrudgingly. “Now come on. Our transport is over here.”
With that, Swann turned around and began walking towards one of the vehicles. Kayden and Ali followed him as the rest of the guards fell into step around them. Glancing upwards, Kayden couldn’t help but notice that the two escort shuttles which didn’t land were still hovering overhead, their nose-mounted cannons trained on the two of them.
“Watch your heads, ya lumbering giants.” Swann said as he climbed into the vehicle. “We didn’t make these things for outsiders.”
Bending over, Kayden squeezed through the tiny door on the side of the vehicle after Swann before sliding into a seat. With his bulkier-than-usual armour it was a tight and somewhat uncomfortable fit – something that seemed to amuse their dwarven escort to no end. Ali lithely moved in after him, her long legs folding with all the flexibility of a ballet dancer. As soon as they were seated Swann pounded the side of the vehicle with his fist twice, causing the guards outside to close the door and the vehicle to take off down the tarmac.
“Out of curiosity.” Swann began. “Who was the person from Vulcan you knew?”
“Muradin Morozov.” Kayden replied before seeing the surprised look on Swann’s face. “You do know him!”
“Well…yes…I do.” The major admitted through gritted teeth. “But that doesn’t mean anything! We’re not some backwater station, you know!”
“I understand, don’t worry.” Kayden said with a chuckle and a wink.
“Where are you taking us?” Ali asked, deftly changing the subject.
“We’re going to the secure elevators.” The major explained. “The artifact is housed in a lab far beneath the main city, near our main geothermal power line. You can retrieve the artifact from there and bring it up to your shuttle.”
As if to confirm his words, the vehicle came to a stop. Outside there was a loud clanking noise followed by the distinctive feeling of descending in an elevator alongside a mechanical whirring. Kayden’s mind quickly cast back to their escape from the vault on Kel Prime and a tinge of worry crossed his mind.
[“This situation is quite different.”] Ali reminded him.
How so?
[“For one – I am with you this time. Not that Dawn and Elara aren’t capable, but I am uniquely suited to assist you in this situation.”]
Kayden sent feelings of gratitude across their link before adjusting his cramping legs. They continued to descend for a full minute more before the vehicle roared to life again as they sped down a subterranean tunnel. When it finally stopped and Kayden got out he almost groaned with relief while stretching.
“Come on. This is us.” Swann said, gesturing to a set of sliding steel doors next to him.
“Not that I’m complaining, but why are these doors sized large enough for us?” Kayden said as he walked towards them.
As they slid open to reveal an expansive lab, Swann gestured around him. “As you can see, some of our equipment is fairly large.”
“That’s an understatement.” Kayden replied, suitably impressed.
The expansive room they entered had bright white track lighting above which glimmered off the black tiles that covered the walls, ceiling, and floor. All around them were dwarves working at small workstations, each of them shifting through screens of complex-looking calculations and schematics. Further into the room there were more dwarves gathered around enormous fabricators that were easily 3 meters high and 10 meters long. At the very back wall Kayden could see dwarves holding various energy and projectile weapons, each of them taking turns shooting at a panel of some mysterious substance.
“Enough gawking, come on.” Swann said, nodding to his left.
As they walked they drew several curious stares from the scientists hard at work, but nobody dared to stop them until they reached a cordoned-off area along one wall. Several dwarven guards visibly stiffened when they caught sight of the major, saluting him as they neared. He returned the salute then looked back at Kayden and Ali while pointing beyond the cordon.
“There’s your shiny new toy.” He said sarcastically.
The item he was referring to was impossible to miss. Sitting on top of a pedestal in the middle of the cordoned off area was an onyx-black pyramidal device. Unlike the one on Trappist Prime it was neither hovering, spinning, nor glowing, but other than that it looked to be an exact match. Kayden gritted his teeth as he remembered how ferociously the Voidborn fought to obtain the other one, shaking his head as he did.
“Has it done anything since you dug it up?” Kayden asked. “Hovered, emitted light, hummed, anything?”
“As far as I know, nothing.” The major replied. “We dug this up years ago – long before I was the commanding officer here. The records indicate it’s been inert the entire time, but we couldn’t make heads or tails of it – and believe me, we tried.”
Stepping through the cordon with Kayden and Ali, Swann continued. “We assumed it was some sort of precursor tech, and thought it might give us an advantage over the other nations if we could only figure out how the damn thing worked.”
“Well, I’m glad you didn’t.” Kayden said as they neared it. “Because if you did, then you would have had Voidborn on your doorstep.”
Swann stopped dead in his tracks in response. “In that case, kindly take this thing and get the fuck off my planet.”
Chuckling, Kayden reached out and grabbed the pyramid. Even through the gloves of his armour the material felt cool and smooth, as if it were made of some sort of stone which had been worn down by a river for thousands of years. The illusion of anything natural was shattered though when he ran one finger along the precisely machined edges, noticing that they were defined enough to be sharp like a knife.
As if responding to his touch, the pyramid began to pulse an eerie green color. Inscrutable patterns flashed across every surface, and a low hum filled the room around them. Not knowing what to do he quickly dropped the pyramid only for it to come to a halt a few centimeters above the ground.
“Ali? This seems bad.” Kayden said hesitantly.
In response she darted towards the machine, turning it over in her hand. She quickly located a port on the bottom of it before extending a control cable from her hand and plugging it in. Her eyes closed in concentration as she slumped to the floor, still connected. The dwarven guards around them seemed to notice that something was wrong and aimed their weapons at the duo, causing Kayden to hold up his hands.
“Wait!” He shouted. “This thing has enough energy to power a starship! If you hit it, it could explode!”
“Do as he says!” Swann added frantically.
[“Kayden.”] Ali said in his mind. [“I can disable this device, but it will take several minutes.”]
Do what you have to do.
[“In the meantime, prepare yourself. You are about to be attacked.”]
What?
The air shimmered before a large group of Voidborn ground troops materialized around them.

Chapter 19

19:59, January 7th, 2135

“Fuck.”
Kayden barely got the word out of his mouth before the swarm of drones leapt off his armour and began firing into the crowd of Voidborn. Their energy weapons quickly overloaded the shields of the lead crab and snake monsters, leaving them open to fire from the dwarven guards. Thankfully for him Swann recovered from his shock at that point and began barking orders.
“Don’t just stand there! Shoot something!” He bellowed, quickly pulling his sidearm and firing indiscriminately at the crowd.
Screaming erupted from the scientists further away as the dwarven guards unloaded with their automatic weapons, tearing the front rank of Voidborn apart. Unfortunately for them the air shimmered again and yet more Voidborn monsters began to materialize – this time surrounding Kayden, Ali, and Swann. The slavering jaws of a quadrupedal spine monster appeared right in front of Swann, leaving Kayden less than a second to dart forward and grab them before twisting them with all his enhanced strength, tearing the creature’s head from its shoulders.
“What the hell is going on?” Swann shouted, firing several more rounds from his pistol into the crowd.
“Fight now! Talk later!” Kayden responded tersely as he deployed his nanobots protectively around them.
The electrified swarm of nanobots worked in tandem with the drones, ripping through the Voidborn nearest to them. Duos and trios of monsters fell as Kayden frantically fought, but it still wasn’t enough to keep up with the unending tide of Voidborn materializing in the lab. He distantly heard yet more dwarven guards approaching and firing into the crowd, but was far too focused on the task at hand to keep track of how they fared.
Ali? Kayden asked frantically as he formed the nanobots around his hand into a spear – one which he electrified and used to punch through a snake creature in one swift motion. How much longer?
[“Another minute. Perhaps two.”] She replied tersely.
I could use the adrenaline rush now.
[“Deploying.”]
Time slowed around him, buying him precious moments to think. He pulled his spear from the snake creature’s face with a grunt before whirling around and kicking a leaping quadrupedal monster in the face, separating its head from its body. As it fell in slow motion he caught sight of a firing line of crabs unloading their back-mounted cannons into the dwarven formation, blasting them aside. His eyes flicked across the battlefield to see the rest of the Voidborn’s plan – a fresh new horror had been unleashed on them and was scurrying into the breach created by the crabs.
The meter-tall creature’s body walked the line between reptilian and insectoid, with plates of brown chitinous armour covering its torso. It walked on 6 thick plated metallic legs, each of which ended in what looked like a hook. It lacked any sort of discernable neck, with the torso ending abruptly in a set of 4 glowing yellow eyes set above a jaw that wouldn’t have looked out-of-place on a crocodile. Long tendrils of saliva dripped from its mouth giving it a distinctly feral look.
Most disturbingly, there was what looked like a turtle’s shell attached directly to the creature’s back by thick strand of muscle and metal support struts, giving it at least another meter of height. The carapace looked to be made of the same brown chitin as the rest of the creature, but had dozens of green pulsating sacs set into the deep holes in the creatures shell. Kayden’s horror increased when one of the sacs burst in slow-motion, spewing forth several insect-like creatures that looked like cockroaches. They spread their gossamer wings before leaping into the air, spewing acidic bile at the dwarven defenders as they soared above the quickly-devolving battlefield.
Time around them sped up once more and Kayden was forced to refocus on a nearby crab which was currently retargeting him. He sprinted towards the creature before leaping on its back and plunging his spear directly downwards, sending a bolt of electricity through it to pierce its shields, impale its shell, and fry the monster’s insides. It hadn’t even finished convulsing as he hopped nimbly off into a growing crowd of quadrupedal creatures, slashing and spinning as he fired bursts of ravenous nanobots into the nearest monsters. While less effective than his coilgun, he knew that using his nanobots in this way would be far less of a drain on his energy reserves – a trade-off he was willing to make.
[“Done.”] Ali’s voice rang out in his mind as his drones carved through the shields of several snake creatures that were currently firing into the crowd Kayden was fighting, friendly fire be damned.
I could use some help. Kayden replied tersely as he saw a warning that his shields were nearly drained appear in the corner of his heads-up display.
A moment later, Kayden saw the heads of the snake creatures explode in quick succession. Tracing where the fire came from he saw that Ali was now standing and holding a rifle – presumably one recovered from the dead dwarven guardsman behind them. She continued to fire with one hand as she waded into the gore now spread across the black-tiled floor, grabbing Major Swann by the scruff of his neck and hauling him to safety as she did.
With some of the pressure taken off them, Kayden changed tactics. He charged directly into the squad of crab-creatures that were pinning down the dwarven defenders, using his drones to drain their shields as he neared. By the time they’d turned to react to this new threat he was already among them, dancing between their ponderous bodies while using his nanobots to stab, slash, and cut.
To their credit, the dwarves quickly took advantage of the respite and carefully began firing into the crowd of crabs. In less than a minute Kayden was all that remained standing, covered in the blood of his enemies and breathing heavily. Seeing that there were no other threats in the immediate area he offered a wave of thanks to the guards for their help before jogging towards Swann and Ali, recalling his nanobots and drones as he did.
“Major, I had no idea that would-” He started out, trying to explain.
“There’s no time for that shit!” The major replied, pointing behind Kayden frantically. “Some of them broke through!”
“Can we lock this area down?” Kayden asked.
“It’s too late for that.” Ali replied, cutting off Swann’s response. “They are already in the corridor leading out of the lab. It appears a large group of them are heading Eastward, with several other groups branching off in different directions.”
“How…” Swann said.
“She hacked you.” Kayden responded before shaking his head to interrupt his protests. “What’s East of here in the corridor?”
“Nothing.” Swann replied quickly.
“Okay good.” Kayden nodded.
“-The only thing that’s there is an engineering access tunnel for the one of the geothermal power stations.” Swann finished.
Kayden glanced at Ali. “If they got into the tunnels, could they disrupt geothermal power to the city?”
“In theory, yes.” She replied.
Turning to Swann he continued. “And if they disrupted power, what would be affected?”
“Well, we have backup power batteries or secondary generators for most systems.” He said. “The only things that would really be affected would be the commercial district and the planetary defenses.”
“Fuck.” Kayden said. “You’re about to have a bunch of Voidborn ships in orbit. Get any and all ships you can up there and delay them as long as you can. Signal the Broken Shackle too – they’ll help.”
“While you do what?” Major Swann asked.
“Kill some monsters.” He replied jogging in the direction of the Voidborn.
Ali quickly followed, strapping the pyramid to herself while picking up a discarded rifle as she did. When she caught up to him she handed him the rifle without breaking stride, her voice already ringing in his head.
[“When we exit the doors, turn to the left.”]
Kayden was grateful for the instructions, but they ended up being unneeded. As soon as they exited the lab they could see clear signs of battle in one direction – dead bodies of dwarves and Voidborn alike, destroyed vehicles and black charred walls, and fires still burning. They turned and sped down the tunnel, stopping almost a minute later when they reached a large sign marked ‘engineering access’.
You ready? Kayden asked, checking his weapon to make sure it was functional.
[“Of course.”] Ali replied, levelling her own gun.
As the two of them ventured into the dimly lit side tunnel, Kayden turned on his suit-mounted flashlight. The steel walls and floor of the tunnel behind them quickly gave way to the same glossy black tiles which covered the lab, casting distracting reflections everywhere. He cursed silently as he swept his rifle from left to right, trying to decide if any of the moving shadows hid Voidborn monsters.
Why the hell do the dwarves love this stuff so much?
[“It is made from a highly resilient carbon polymer which is exceptionally heat resistant. Given the tunnel’s proximity to lava, most other materials would melt.”]
Ah. Yeah, that makes sense.
The pair of them continued down the darkened hallway until they heard the distant skittering of claws and the rhythmic thump of hooves. With a glance over at Ali, Kayden turned off his flashlight and slowed his pace, minimizing the sound while trusting in Ali's electronic sensors to keep him safe. When they reached a doorway they peered inside carefully, assessing the scene.
If the scene in the lab was gory, the one in the power station was downright grisly. Dwarven body parts were strewn across the floor alongside fallen Voidborn monsters. The turtle-monsters were huddled in one corner, pulling their bodies behind their thick metallic legs and chitinous shells as if to protect them. Cockroach-like creatures continued to spew forward from the pulsing sacs on their backs before landing on nearby surfaces, their wet wings fluttering as they rested. In the other far corner of the room the more familiar Voidborn troops were gathered beside an enormous cluster of cabling – one that was being steadily hacked away at by the claws and jaws of quadrupedal and snake monsters.
Suddenly, a squad of 4 dwarven guards appeared from one of the other entrances to the room. They were obviously prepared, unloading immediately with their rifles while one of them tossed several grenades. The Voidborn were caught off guard and slow to react, with several snake and quadrupedal creatures falling to the ground with lethal injuries.
Unfortunately for the dwarves, it wasn’t enough. As the Voidborn turned to face this new threat, a dozen crab creatures ambled forward and fired into the squad. Their heavy cannons were loaded with some sort of explosive rounds, tossing the heavily armoured dwarves off their feet as they landed. When they got up they were immediately attacked by hundreds of cockroaches, each of which spit gobs of corrosive bile. They tried to fire back at the cockroaches and the turtle-creatures, but the cockroaches were far too numerous and their rounds just pinged off the turtle creature’s thick armour.
The entire event was over in well under 10 seconds, proving the effectiveness of the Voidborn formation. Kayden gripped his rifle tighter as he watched the last dwarf fall but when he stepped forward to intervene Ali placed a firm hand on his shoulder and pulled him back into the darkness.
[“There are far too many of them to risk running in without a plan.”]
They killed those dwarves! Kayden replied mentally. We need to stop them!
[“Yes, and it is our job to make their sacrifice worthwhile.”]
Begrudgingly knowing she was right, Kayden took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. I’m open to suggestions.
She paused for a moment before nodding to the tunnel behind them. [“If we were to destroy a 2-meter section of the ceiling tiling in this tunnel it would fill up with lava in under a minute. Then we need only open the door and release the lava into the room.”]
Wouldn’t that destroy the equipment though?
[“The most essential equipment is the cabling, which is protected. The dwarves would have to repair the electronics in this room, but they would still have power for their orbital cannons.”] She paused for a moment before continuing. [“Addendum: Voidborn ships have been detected at the edge of the system. They are holding position for now, but must believe that the generator will fall soon.”]
We’d better get moving then. Kayden replied, backing up further into the darkness. How are we going to avoid getting burned though?
[“Use your swarm to create nanobots made of the tile material. Then use those nanobots to create a protective structure.”]
Oh. Kayden replied, nodding. Right. I should have thought of that one myself.
[“You are still getting used to creating nanobots using different substances. I have no doubt that you will master it soon.”]
With those words of encouragement, Ali pressed a button near the doorway to trigger the sliding doors closing. Only moments after they slid shut Kayden heard the light thumping of cockroaches hitting the door, obviously drawn by the sudden movement. They were followed closely by the collisions of heavier Voidborn creatures and the sounds of heavy weapons fire. Not wanting to test the strength of the door any more than he had to, he stepped closer to Ali before focusing on a far corner of the ceiling and deploying his nanobot swarm.
The microscopic robots raced forward, eating through the tiles and using the material to make more of themselves. The new nanobots then returned to the floor around them and began welding themselves together into a thin wall made of the same tiling material as the ceiling. The wall quickly grew thicker and taller, and by the time the nanobots in the ceiling broke through to the lava reservoir the wall had reached waist-height, running in a tight circle around the two of them and ending at the wall behind them so it encased the door control as well.
As the lava began to pour in Kayden urged his nanobots to pick up the pace, pulling Ali’s android body close to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. The movement was ostensibly to minimize the amount of space they’d need, but he didn’t miss the feelings of warmth and happiness leaking through their neural link. The wall finished just as the lava reached the peak and a small amount of the hot liquid dripped onto the floor beneath them, narrowly missing burning a hole through them.
Too close. Kayden thought, shaking his head.
[“I knew you could do it.”] Ali insisted before reaching back and elbowing the door control to open it.
Even through the newly created walls, Kayden heard the screeching of Voidborn creatures being melted. After a minute though the noises faded into nothing, leaving the two of them holding each other in the darkness. As the minutes ticked on though, he realized there was a slight flaw in their brilliant plan.
So…how do we know when we can leave? Ideally I’d like to prevent this thing from turning into a sarcophagus.
[“I have already alerted the Vulcan authorities.”] Ali replied. [“They are draining the tunnel now. We should be out in under 5 minutes.”]
As if to validate her prediction, 3 minutes later Kayden heard a fist thump on the wall he’d created. With a thought he deployed his nanobots and ordered them to form a hole large enough for them to slip through, creating more of themselves in the process. When he stepped out he saw several dwarves in shiny heat-reflecting armour spraying down the walls and floors with a foam-like substance.
“Well, that’s one way to do it.” Swann’s gruff voice came from behind an armoured mask nearby. “Though there’ll be no shortage of cleanup to do if we want to get this power station fully operational again.”
“Sorry about that.” Kayden said sheepishly as he stepped out. “Do you still have power though?”
“Yes. Our teams of guards are hunting through the city to kill any of the other groups of Voidborn. We’ll have to clear the city block-by-block, but…” He paused for a moment. “Well, it’d be a hell of a lot harder without this power on.”
“Major Swann, if I may.” Ali began. “You can power cycle the planetary defense cannons in under 90 seconds. It will make it appear as if they are offline momentarily. I would ask that you do so.”
“Why?” Swann questioned.
“The Voidborn ships at the edge of the system are still present. If they believe their mission to disable the cannons was successful, they’ll move within range of the guns.”
“You want to use my city as bait?” The major replied incredulously.
Kayden shook his head. “Major, this Voidborn fleet slipped through our blockade behind our lines. Every ship we can knock out now is a victory.”
His body stiffened for a moment before turning off the external speakers of his suit and barking orders into his radio. There was a long silence while Kayden looked between Ali and Swann, uncomfortable with not being in control of the situation. He busied himself for a moment with checking the straps holding the pyramid to Ali’s back before wishing he was back on the bridge of the Broken Shackle, watching what was going on in orbit.
[“The Voidborn have made an in-system jump.”] Ali said, reading his thoughts. [“They are in range of the orbital guns.”]
Is the power cycling complete? He asked.
In reply, the walls around them shook. Over the course of the next minute Kayden counted 14 salvos of cannon fire, the sounds of each one echoing through the tunnel. When it finally stopped Kayden looked at Swann, who was clearly deep in conversation over the radio.
Did it work? Kayden asked.
[“The Voidborn are retreating.”] Ali replied. [“Scanners are showing 8 destroyed Voidborn ships – 2 cruisers, 2 destroyers, and 4 frigates. An excellent result.”]
That was…anticlimactic. He replied.
Before Ali could offer any comment Swann turned his external speakers back on. “It’s done. Now I’d appreciate it if the two of you got the hell off my planet.” He paused before pointing to the pyramid. “And take that damn thing with you!”

Chapter 20

11:07, January 8th, 2135

The moment their shuttle touched down in the Broken Shackle’s hangar bay, Kayden felt the familiar tug of the ship entering hyperspace. He took a moment to finish his post-flight checks before Ali offered him a hand up, pulling him out of his chair. She grasped him tightly as she led him through the shuttle bay, practically pulling him through the bewildered refueling crew which had gathered around the shuttle.
“Ali, we don’t need to rush – the hyperspace transit should take at least a few hours.” Kayden complained teasingly.
“Which is exactly why we need to make the most of every minute.” She replied, completely serious as she looped one arm underneath his. “Anna has requested that we hurry.”
“Wait, where are we going?” He asked, remembering his promise to his goblin girlfriend.
“We are going to the decontamination showers, then to our room.” She replied with a wink as she dragged him towards the corner of the hangar with the showers.
In record time, Kayden was disrobed, decontaminated, and dressed into a pair of casual pants and a t-shirt. When he exited the small, enclosed space he saw that Ali was unsurprisingly finished before him, and already dressed. What was surprising was the post-shower outfit she chose – an all-black latex bodysuit that stretched from her neck all the way down to her ankles. It fit tightly around her mouthwatering curves, and featured a metal zipper stretching all the way down the back.
Ali cast him a sultry look as she walked towards the elevator in the black 3-inch high heels she chose to complete the outfit. For his part, Kayden managed to close his jaw which had been hanging open a moment later and chase after her. As soon as the doors slid closed she was kissing him while wrapping her arms around his back. Her enthusiasm had him riled up, and he quickly pushed her against the wall while running his hands along her curvy android body.
“Damn Ali.” He groaned as she moved, kissing down his neck while she gently fondled him through his pants. “Not that I’m complaining but…what’s gotten into you?”
“Anna asked that I make you aroused for what she has planned. I know that you are attracted to assertive, confident lovers, so I am demonstrating those qualities.”
“It’s working.” Kayden replied as he grabbed a handful of her tight android ass, squeezing and palming the synthetic skin through the outfit she was wearing.
When the door slid open she playfully pushed him backwards before jogging towards their room. Kayden chased after her, lust clouding all of his thoughts. The moment they reached their room Kayden’s hands were on her, but it only lasted a moment – the door slid open for them and she quickly slipped inside, beckoning him to follow. When he did though, the sight in the dim room took his breath away.
Kneeling on the floor at the foot of the bed was Anna. She was wearing a pair of thigh-highs, a g-string, and a negligee – all made of black lace, and all arranged carefully to show as much of her green skin as possible. The black hair she usually tied up in a functional ponytail was styled and hanging down past her shoulders, and even in the dim light he could see that she’d put on pink, glossy lipstick and eyeliner that highlighted her natural green eyes. She completed the outfit with the nanobot-made bracelets he’d gifted her – ones which were currently connected by a length of chain that bound them together. Connected to that chain was a long leather leash that currently lay on the floor.
Feeling his confusion, Ali spoke directly to Kayden’s mind. [“Anna has asked that we engage in a BDSM scene. It is one of her favourite fantasies. I know you have some familiarity with the idea, given your past sexual history.”]
I’m all for a little kinky fun, but isn’t this a little too on-the-nose, given her…history? Kayden asked, recalling her past imprisonment.
[“You should ask her that, if you are concerned.”]
“Anna, are you sure you want this?”
“Absolutely.” She replied without a hint of hesitation.
“But the Black Company-” He started.
She shook her head. “That was different.”
“How?”
“It’s the difference between stealing a spaceship versus giving someone else the control codes for a little while.” She replied. “I’m in control, all the time. Making decisions. Being responsible. Just for now, just for tonight…I want you to take that burden off of me, and make me do whatever you want.”
Kayden glanced upwards at Ali before looking back at Anna. “I want this…but I don’t want to damage the trust you’re putting in me. How do I make sure I don’t take it somewhere you don’t want?”
“I’ve already shared with Ali everything I want. She’ll warn you if you’re doing something outside of my kink.” Anna replied. “And my safe word is ‘pineapple’.” She finished with a giggle.
“In that case…” Kayden stepped closer to Anna, leaning over to kiss her on the lips before grabbing her leash. “Are you ready to be a good girl?”
“Oh god yes.” Anna replied, lust creeping into her voice.
“What a good little whore.” Ali said in a sultry tone Kayden rarely heard her use. “Why don’t you show your appreciation for your master?”
“Yes mistress.” Anna said, falling into her submissive role.
Without taking her eyes away from Kayden’s, Anna scooted on her knees closer to him. She reverently unzipped the front zipper and reached in with one green hand, pulling out his rapidly hardening cock. The movement caused her breasts to sway enticingly in her lingerie and gave him an incredible view of her perfectly round ass cheeks. She began to lower her lips towards him before Ali’s voice rang out from behind him.
“Whore! Use your words. Ask your master for permission.”
Stunned for a moment, Anna moaned out loud before finding her words. “Please master, may I suck your cock?”
Falling deeper into the character of the scene, Kayden shook his head as he jerked her leash upwards gently. “Not like this. You need to be punished first. Get up on the bed, on your hands and knees.”
With surprising alacrity, Anna scrambled onto the bed behind her. Kayden moved in front of her face while Ali moved in behind her on the bed. Without warning she reached back and smacked the goblin girl’s ass, causing it to jiggle as she breathed out shakily. The view of the two of them together caused his cock to go from ‘solid oak’ to ‘diamond’, and a cloud of lust continued to dull his judgement.
“Oh god…” She moaned.
“I think she likes that a little too much. This is supposed to be a punishment, after all.” Kayden said, moving closer. “Ali, spank her harder.”
Nodding, Ali slapped Anna’s ass again. She let out a sharp yelp of pain followed by another low moan of pleasure. Kayden watched as his android girlfriend spanked his goblin girlfriend over and over, the waves of impact rippling through her curvy body. When the green skin on her ass started to turn red and bruise he held up a hand before putting a finger underneath Anna’s chin and lifting her head to look at him.
“Does that hurt?” He asked.
She nodded in response before whispering. “Yes.”
“Do you want more?”
“Yes.”
“Tap my leg twice if you want to stop then.” Kayden said before placing the head of his painfully hard cock at her lips. “Now be a good girl and open wide.”
She did as she was told only for Kayden to smoothly guide himself into her wet, waiting mouth. Almost immediately she began to bob further and further down his shaft, running her tongue along the underside as she did. Her moans of pleasure were muffled when Ali began alternating her spanks on either ass cheek, the movements driving his cock deeper down her throat every time and sending tingles of pleasure up his spine.
“Good girl.” Kayden groaned, tilting his head back as he did. “You’re making me feel so fucking good.”
Pausing her relentless assault on Anna’s ass for a moment, Ali pulled the tiny bit of material covering Anna’s pussy to the side. Kayden furrowed his brow for a moment as he watched her work her fingers back and forth slightly before pulling them out. A wide grin crept across his face when he saw they were slick with her juices – evidence that she was loving their treatment.
Placing his hand on her chin Kayden pulled his cock out of the warm, wet vice that was Anna’s throat. She whimpered as he finished pulling out, her face moving forward as if to keep it in her as long as possible. When she looked up at him with confusion in her eyes he shook his head, grinning.
“Tell me how badly you want this.” He growled.
“So. Fucking. Bad.” She managed to croak out, reaching forward towards his cock.
“No.” Kayden said, swatting her hand away. “Beg for it.”
“Please. Please! Please, please, please master. Give me your cock. Fuck me like I’m a whore. Take out all your anger, stress, and frustration on my body. I was made for sex – I can take it.”
For a moment, Kayden paused. He was unsure if she was laying it on thick for the purposes of their little scene, or if she was so deeply embedded into their fantasy that the words just came naturally to her. Either way, he knew he couldn’t hold himself back from giving in to her request for much longer so he spoke again.
“I’m overdressed.” He paused for a moment before gesturing to his pants. “Especially compared to what the two of you are wearing.”
“Allow us to help with that.” Ali said before smoothly climbing off the bed and stalking around it. “Master.” She added with a wry grin.
Anna’s hands reverently pulled down Kayden’s pants and underwear before she scrambled to the floor to take off his shoes and socks as well. As she did he felt Ali settle in behind him, running her hands upwards from his hips. She took his shirt with him, and in moments he was completely naked and sandwiched between his two girlfriends. Before he could say anything else Anna’s mouth engulfed his cock once more, the sensation causing him to lean back against Ali – something she welcomed with both her arms around him and her lips on his.
Kayden couldn’t help but bask in the sensations the two women were giving him. Ali’s lips were soft and supple, and the way she raked her fingers up and down his torso gave him shivers. At some point she reached down and placed a hand on Anna’s bobbing head, forcing Kayden’s cock further down her throat – something that made both of them groan. As he approached the edge again though, he broke his kiss with his android girlfriend so that he could assert his dominance over the two.
“Anna. Get back on the bed and turn around. Present your ass to me.” He said in a low voice, pulling Anna off by the shoulder.
“Yes master.” She said, quickly moving to obey.
Turning around, Kayden glanced at Ali. “Get on the bed in front of her, on your back. Spread your legs so her head is between them. Then unzip that little outfit you have on.”
[“I see you are taking to this BDSM scene far faster than I would have anticipated.”] Ali said over their neural link as she moved onto the bed.
It isn’t my first rodeo. Kayden replied. Besides, I can feel how much you’re enjoying this.
“What…now, master?” Anna asked, turning her head around to face Kayden.
“Now I want you to eat Ali’s pussy.” Kayden replied, looking up at Ali as he did.
With those words, Anna turned around to join Kayden in watching Ali slowly unzip her latex bodysuit, revealing miles of milky white synthetic skin. Anna was practically panting with lust as Ali’s zipper reached her navel, her jaw hanging open at the sight. Kayden savoured every moment of watching his android girlfriend tug at the sleeves of her skintight outfit, pulling them out so that she could free her mouth-wateringly pert breasts. By the time she’d shimmied out of the bottom to expose her pussy, Kayden could see that Anna was ready to leap on her.
“Go ahead.” Kayden encouraged her. “Lick that android pussy.”
Anna took to the task with the same enthusiasm she used sucking his cock. As someone who served for several years on a ship with exclusively female, hypersexual goblins Kayden knew she was no stranger to eating pussy, her tongue and fingers working in unison to bring as much pleasure as she could to Ali. Even as someone who was used to group sex, he had to sit back and admire the sight for just a moment so he could commit it to memory.
As his eyes travelled upwards across Anna’s green back to Ali’s pale skin, he saw that his android girlfriend was writhing in pleasure already. He knew from experience that her synthetic skin had been embedded with sensors that mimicked the sensations of touch and connected to her neural network, to the point where she was functionally anatomically correct. She could turn it on and off at will of course, but given the way that she was crying out as she grasped at the sheets Kayden guessed that she’d dialed the sensitivity up to its maximum settings.
Deciding that he needed to reward Anna for enduring her ‘punishments’, Kayden slipped two of his prosthetic fingers inside her, curving them to gently rub against her most sensitive spot. At the same time he brought his thumb around and vibrated it in time with his finger thrusts, far faster and more precise than a normal human hand could hope to accomplish. In moments she was crying out, her pussy dripping wet juices onto his hand as she shivered and shook through her first orgasm of the night.
“That’s it.” Kayden murmured softly as he withdrew his hand before positioning his hips behind her.
When he slowly rubbed the head of his cock against her wet pussy lips, Anna shivered. She’d stopped lapping away at Ali’s pussy long enough to look back with a deep sense of anticipation in her eyes. When she moved her hips back to meet him though, he pulled away before she could impale herself on his cock.
“Ask nicely.” Kayden teased.
“Fuck me!” She practically shouted. “I need your cum inside me!”
“Remember who is in charge here.” Ali reminded her as she languished on the bed.
“And say please.” Kayden added as he ever-so-slowly rubbed the head of his cock against her clit, causing her to shiver again.
“Please.” She replied, a mixture of desperation and submissiveness clear in her voice. “Use me.”
Unable to resist the invitation any longer, Kayden gripped Anna’s green hips tightly before sliding his cock inside her waiting pussy. As the shaft slowly disappeared inside her the two of them let out a long, low moan – one that peaked when his hips met hers, and only tapered off when he stayed motionless inside her for several moments.
“Good girl.” He growled.
The words seemed to make her whimper and melt underneath him – something that he’d never seen her do. He knew that in an emergency the confident and in-charge goblin girl would reemerge, but in this moment she’d completely descended into a submissive headspace. Everything from the glassy-eyed look she was giving him to the way she arched her back for him conveyed a heady mix of emotions: love, trust, and a willingness to be led to new heights of pleasure.
“Such a good, submissive girl.” Ali cooed from in front of them, turning Anna’s head towards her by running a hand along her cheek before laying back and touching her clit softly. “Putting on a show for us.”
“You’re making me feel so fucking good.” Kayden added, running his hands across the red welts on her ass he began to thrust in and out of her.
The praise seemed to light Anna’s body on fire based on the way that she gripped the sheets. Her enormous breasts swung tantalizingly as she shook from pleasure, the feel of his cock and their words sending her tumbling into yet another orgasm. Her pussy gripped and massaged Kayden’s cock as she did, causing him to grit his teeth to prevent himself from joining her too soon.
Sensing he was close, Ali locked eyes with Kayden before sliding a curved finger inside her own pussy. She fingered herself slowly as Anna came down from her high, lazily pumping her finger in and out of herself. When Anna reopened her eyes Ali slowly pulled her finger out from her pussy before sliding it between the goblin girl’s lips.
“Lick it clean now.” Ali commanded.
The sight was far too erotic for Kayden to keep his composure any longer. His grip on Anna’s hips tightened as he began to thrust faster, his cock pistoning in and out of Anna’s tight, warm, wet pussy. The familiar sensation of pleasurable pressure built up in his cock, radiating outwards until it tingled across his body in anticipation of his release.
“Yes!” Anna cried out, taking Ali’s fingers out of her mouth as she did. “Use me! My body is yours to do whatever you want with!”
[“Cum Kayden.”] Ali’s voice agreed in his mind. [“Fill her just the way she wants.”]
Their words were enough to send him over the edge. He pumped an enormous amount of cum inside the goblin girl, painting her womb white as he did. The release was enough to make him fall backwards onto the floor, his cock still spewing cum onto Anna’s red-marked ass. He gasped for air as he laid back on the cool floor, the world around him spinning from the intensity of the fireworks in his mind.
Unable to stop himself, he started to slowly chuckle as the world came back into focus. The absurdity of having fallen off the bed from cumming so hard hit him just as the release of endorphins did, causing a wash of positive emotions to overcome him. The girls on the bed couldn’t help but join in, and by the time he climbed back onto the bed they were all full-on belly laughing. They continued like that for several minutes before settling in – Kayden in the middle of the bed, Anna on the right, and Ali on the left.
“I love you.” He said to both girls, kissing them both on the head.
“I love you too.” Anna replied as Ali unlocked the bracelets still on her wrists. “I could use some aftercare snuggles.”
“Me too.” Ali added, her naked body pressing to his.
With a smile on their faces, the three of them drifted off to sleep like that – not having fixed the galaxy’s problems, but content to put them on hold for a little bit longer.

Chapter 21

14:58, January 8th, 2135

After a nap, a shower, and a meal together, Kayden and Ali saw Anna off with salacious kisses in the engine room – ones that made it completely clear to anyone with eyes what they’d been doing that morning. When the three of them finally broke apart and saw the crew staring Anna reverted back to her usual self, her voice hardening as she barked orders.
“Alright, now that you’ve got your free show it’s time to get back to work – the lot of you! We’ve got diagnostics to run, improvements to make, and a goddamn war to win.”
Chuckling at her instant transformation, Kayden gave his goblin girlfriend one final kiss on her forehead before leaving her to do her job – something he knew from experience she preferred to do without him hovering over her shoulder. He boarded the elevator to the bridge with Ali before turning to her, his mind already turning with what they needed to do next.
[“There are 2 pressing matters which require your attention.”] She said before he could ask for her opinion. [“The first is that we are due to check in with Ashley when we drop out of hyperspace, which should happen in the next 2 minutes.”]
Understood. Kayden nodded, looking forward to talking to her. And the other thing?
[“While you slept, I was working on decrypting the information I was able to pull from the Voidborn artifact we retrieved from Vulcan. I believe I have some insight which will be helpful.”]
Kayden furrowed his brow for a moment before the door to the bridge opened. Elara stood waiting in front of him, her blue skin looking as radiant as ever in her modified Kel uniform. She smiled and handed him a metallic mug of hot coffee while leaning forward and kissing him softly.
“Hello husband.” She said, her hand lingering on his arm. “I’ve prepared your duty briefing for today.”
“Thank you Elara.” He said sincerely before taking a sip of his coffee. “What’s on the docket?”
She produced a tablet from her pocket and began reading as they walked towards the command chair with Ali trailing close behind. “Dawn, Selina, and AJ are meeting with Mirana and the Vrul crewmates right now to work out how we’re going to deploy the weapon that disrupts their leader’s control over their people. I’ve seen some of the strategies they’re coming up with – they’re…unconventional, to say the least.”
“Good thing that’s something we specialize in then.” Kayden said as he took his seat.
“Our Kel science team has also been working around the clock to find weaknesses in the Queen’s body. I’ve forwarded any of our findings to Ali.”
“Can you summarize them?” Kayden asked as he felt the tug of hyperspace dissipate around them. “I need something easy to remember in battle.”
“Work continues on recreating the effects of the slime creatures. For now though. her body seems susceptible to electricity-based attacks. Shock her.” Ali replied calmly. “Then finish her in close.”
“Another one of your specialties.” Elara teased.
Kayden chuckled good-naturedly as he took another sip of coffee, feeling the caffeine buzz perk him up. “I’ll do my best to work with that. Now, unless there’s anything else that’s pressing, I think we’re due for a report from-”
“Getting a signal from the fleet.” Ali interrupted as she sat at one of the workstations off to the side of the bridge. “Ashley is calling.”
“Punctual as always.” Kayden nodded. “Put her on screen.”
The large screen in front of them fizzled then resolved to Ashley’s face – one that broke into a smile as she caught sight of Kayden. “Hello handsome.”
“Hello beautiful.” Kayden replied instantly before glancing over at Elara and Ali, suddenly conscious of the fact that he was complimenting one girlfriend in front another girlfriend – not to mention his Kel wife.
[“I feel no jealousy towards her.”] Ali reminded him mentally.
“I’m okay with this. I agreed to it, remember?” Elara said softly, laying a hand on him as she turned to face Ashley with a smile. “It’s good to see you’re well.”
“Likewise.” Ashley replied before nodding. “Though if I’m being honest, I’m not sure how much longer that’ll be the case.”
“What’s going on Ash?” Kayden asked, suddenly concerned.
“It’s the blockade. We’re doing the best that we can to enforce it, but we’re stretched pretty thinly – to the point where I’m having to make decisions between letting some ships through versus losing some of our own.”
“I know you’re doing the best you can.” Kayden assured her.
“My best would be a lot better with some reinforcements.” Ashley replied. “Any chance the Kel will reconsider?”
“Officially, probably not.” Elara responded. “Unofficially, we’re working on it.”
“Well, work fast. I’ve got no idea how, but their fleet around Earth is actually growing – and that’s despite the fact that they’re fighting our blockades on 2 fronts.”
“I can explain how.” Ali offered. “They are using the artifact they recovered on Trappist Prime to transport already-constructed ships from their extra-galactic base of operations to the Sol system, where they’re crewed by human thralls and pressed into immediate service.”
Kayden furrowed his brow. “I’m guessing this was the ‘insight’ you gathered from the artifact we picked up on Vulcan?”
“Exactly. They appear to be identical.”
“Walk me through it then. How does it work?” Kayden asked.
Ali moved in front of the screen so Ashley could see her before she started speaking. “It appears that the Voidborn constructed an exceptionally large space station in the space between galaxies that is commonly known as ‘dark space’. She has an enormous fleet stationed there – one built over the last 2.2 million years.”
“So that’s her staging ground.” Ashley muttered.
“That’s probably where her extra bodies are being kept too.” Elara reasoned.
Kayden nodded to Ali. “I’m guessing you’re about to tell me that the key to travelling from this extra-galactic base to our galaxy is by using these artifacts?”
“Precisely. They appear to allow for instantaneous transit, similar to what we experienced on Vulcan.”
“That was only a few dozen squads of ground troops though.” Kayden reminded her.
“The principle is the same, even if the scale is much larger. She currently only has two artifacts – one which she previously possessed, and the one from Trappist Prime - which is limiting the tonnage of ships she can transport here, but would increase dramatically if she were able to use a third artifact.”
“How dramatically?” Ashley asked.
“Based on my calculations, with three artifacts she could bring in a fleet of battleships once per week. Each fleet would be large enough to break through either the Roccan or Lokken blockades.”
“I hate to ask, but what if there are more artifacts out there?” Elara said tentatively.
“With four artifacts, she could bring in a fleet several orders of magnitude larger than all the combined fleets of the galaxy and still comfortably have stores of energy left over.”
The room went silent for a moment as they absorbed that information before Kayden spoke again. “I hate to give the doomsday solution, but what if we just… threw a planet-cracking bomb at Earth?”
“That would be genocide.” Elara said softly.
“Obviously it’s not my first choice.” Kayden agreed. “I want to save Earth – and the survivors still on it - as much as any other human. But if we have to sacrifice Earth to save the galaxy…”
“Humans are terrifying.” Elara interjected.
Ashley nodded. “I see the logic though. Ali? Can we do it?”
“Unfortunately, no. When it is powered on, the device itself exists in a semi-phased state similar to the one Dawn achieves through her powers. An explosion wouldn’t damage it. It needs to be physically disabled – either from our end, or from the space station.”
“Can we reverse the process then?” Kayden questioned. “Can we use the artifacts to go pay her space station a visit? Because it sounds like if we can get there we can kill her clones and turn off the artifacts all at once.”
“Theoretically, yes. It appears to require some sort of control signal to do so though – one which needs to come from a specific transmitter. Based on the signals I intercepted during the brief time our artifact was activated, I believe the transmitter is located on Earth.”
“Of course it is.” Ashley said with a sigh. “Is there any way to hack around it?”
“No. It is beyond even my abilities.” Ali said, her shoulders slumping.
“Hey.” Kayden said, catching his android girlfriend’s eye. “We’ll figure it out. It’s more of a plan than we had a few minutes ago.”
“Right. We just need to blast our way past an enormous fleet, land on Earth, teleport to the Voidborn extra-galactic station, kill the Queen’s clones, then come home.” Ashley said, counting on her fingers as she listed each action off. “Typical day at the office.”
“We’ll get it done, Ash.” Kayden said, trying to inject as much confidence into his voice as he could. “Remember: We’ve still got the Kel anti-Voidborn virus in our back pocket. We’re not out of this fight yet.”
The room went silent for a few more moments before Elara spoke up. “I still don’t understand. If these artifacts are so valuable, why were they buried?”
“The transit process is quite energy intensive. They require a power source – one which can charge them over a long period of time while protecting them from the elements. Geothermal power seems like the obvious choice that fits the criteria, and should keep the batteries running for at least several hundred years.”
Kayden scratched his head as he remembered something from his brief conversation with the queen. “Ali, if the Queen can transit from her extra-galactic station to this galaxy, is there any reason to think she can’t do the same for other galaxies?”
“No. It’s theoretically possible.”
“Fuck.” Kayden swore.
Ashley raised one eyebrow on the screen. “Care to share?”
“I’ve been wracking my brain trying to figure out what the hell the Queen was up to for the last 2.2 million years. I think I just figured it out.”
“Okay…” Elara said hesitantly. “What has she been up to?”
“The Vrul and Kel both theorized Synthesis would happen again at some point. They knew that given enough time, every race would figure out how to smash biology and technology together hard enough to achieve Synthesis. I have to believe that the Queen knew that too – and was threatened by it.”
“Where are you going with this?” Ashley questioned.
“When I talked to the Queen, she mentioned something about us being part of a cycle. I think she’s spent the last 2.2 million years visiting other galaxies, purging them before they can achieve Synthesis, then leaving her little artifacts behind so it’s easy to return again. That way, she remains the only one who achieved Synthesis and nobody becomes a real threat to her.”
“That doesn’t make sense.” Ashley challenged. “The Voidborn were here before she had the artifacts.”
“A rearguard, perhaps?” Ali offered. “It would make sense to leave a skeleton force behind in every galaxy she ‘visits’, to monitor the situation and signal when a civilization is close to reaching Synthesis. She likely even left the other working artifact she has with that rearguard.”
“She laid traps too.” Elara added. “She probably knew whatever civilization came next would find that door on Eldertide and be unable to resist opening it, causing that signal to be sent to her rearguard fleet. It wouldn’t shock me if some of the other outposts have similar traps.”
“We’ve never seen one.” Ashley countered. “And humanity’s found 3 outposts: Mars, Sanctuary, and Tau Ceti.”
“The traps could be programmed to only deploy when they detect someone who has reached Synthesis – or at least come close to it.” Ali explained. “That is why the Kel never set them off, but Kayden did.”
“Great. Our galaxy’s burning because I opened Pandora’s box.” Kayden muttered sarcastically.
“Someone would have set it off eventually.” Elara said, shaking her head. “Either through achieving Synthesis or by accident. Or we would have stumbled upon one of the Voidborn fleets and had the same effect.”
Kayden took a breath before replying. “I know. I’m just reeling from the revelation that we’re fighting not only on behalf of our galaxy, but on behalf of all galaxies.”
“There’s something else I still don’t understand.” Ashley interjected, changing the subject. “Why leave the outposts behind at all then? Why not just destroy them entirely? It would have set our technological development back as a species by several thousand years – if we ever ended up getting off Earth at all, that is. That’s an easy way to prevent Synthesis.”
Surprisingly, Elara had the answer. “By leaving us the technology, the Queen is ensuring that we don’t try to invent our own. She’s making sure the future societies develop along nice, predictable paths – ones that she knows she can beat. It’s like we’re some sort of science project, and she’s guiding the evolution of our technology.”
“Another layer of control then.” Ashley summarized. “Shit. She’s been 3 steps ahead of us this entire time.”
“More like 2.2 million years ahead of us.” Kayden added.
“So what do you suggest?” Elara asked. “How do we beat her?”
“By sticking to our plan: punch a hole in her fleet large enough to land on Earth, retrieve and reprogram this transmitter, then pay a visit to her little space station…and blow it up.” Kayden responded.
“We still need a bigger fleet for that.” Ashley countered. “Ideally before she gathers enough of her own forces to break our blockades.”
Kayden nodded grimly before keying the radio to his other girlfriends. “Dawn? Selina? Mirana? How goes the planning?”
“Not well.” Selina replied, the tension in her voice clear even over the radio.
“That’s just because you keep saying no to my idea!” Mirana countered angrily.
“It’s not an idea, it’s a suicide mission!” Selina replied.
“Ladies, stop.” Dawn said, playing the part of mediator.
Kayden pinched the bridge of his nose before speaking again. “Walk me through the problem.”
“The problem is that if we start freeing the fleets one-by-one, the others are going to notice.” Mirana answered. “And then they’re going to start avoiding us. Or worse, attacking us. We need to hit them all at once if we want to free everyone.”
Kayden recalled the Vrul executors – a diverse cast of ancient beings whose minds were slowly descending into madness. Each of them were confined to the command chairs they sat in, kept alive only by a complex life support apparatus. They communicated exclusively via neural link, projecting a version of themselves not unlike the avatars he’d encountered on Kel Prime.
“Okay, yeah.” Kayden said finally. “I can see the problem with that. There’s no way they’re going to leave their chairs, so it’s not like we can get them all into the same room.”
“Maybe not the same physical room.” Mirana countered. “But we could trap them for a short time in a virtual environment using the equipment in the Vrul station we went to before. We can’t outright kill them of course – at least not until after we use the spray on them – but it might be enough to-”
“That’s incredibly dangerous.” Selina interrupted. “When Kayden fought against one executor in his virtual world it was a tough battle. Fighting all of them at the same time would be next to impossible.”
“We’ll bring him reinforcements!” Mirana replied, frustration in her voice. “I can go in. So can Ali. So can any of the Vrul onboard. And if we free the fleetless from their leader – the underseer – they will come to our aid!”
“It still won’t be enough!” Selina insisted. “It’s a virtual world that they control! They can just imagine an army, or a fleet of ships, and then…bam! You’ll have to fight them!”
“Come on, both of you.” Dawn said calmingly. “We’re all on the same side. Let’s find a solution here.”
“What if we could solve that problem, and find a way to stay alive despite their efforts?” Kayden asked, filling the awkward silence that followed. “What’s your plan after trapping them in this virtual world?”
“Creating forces in the virtual world can be mentally taxing.” Mirana replied. “If they’re focused on that and trying to break the locks on our virtual world, they won’t be focused on what their crews are doing. We can send a wide-band message to all their crews with instructions on how to quickly synthesize the spray and how to apply it.”
“You’re using them as a distraction.” Ashley summarized, having heard the whole conversation. “Clever. Can’t they just message their crews and ask them to break them out of this virtual world?”
“We can prevent that as well.” Ali said. “A simple jamming device amplified using the Vrul station should suffice for a short time.”
“How long will we need to hold their attention for?” Kayden asked.
“Hard to say.” Mirana replied. “The spray itself is relatively simple to manufacture with equipment and materials that are standard on all Vrul ships. They also only need a small amount of it, but… we have no idea how quickly the Vrul crews will react and start the process.”
“Give me your best guess.” Kayden pressed.
Mirana paused for a moment as she tilted her head to one side, thinking. “Half an hour.” She said finally.
Kayden took a deep breath before nodding. “I guess that’s our next stop then.”
“You can’t be serious.” Selina said incredulously.
“I don’t think we have much of a choice. We’re running out of time to get to Earth. And if we can’t do that, then the Voidborn fleet is just going to keep growing, or the Queen’s going to find another artifact, or she’s going to pull some other trick from up her sleeve. We need to take the initiative back, soon. And this is how we can do it.”
“I just…” Selina started.
Surprisingly, Mirana spoke next. “I know you love him. I will keep him safe with my own life. This, I promise you.”
There was a silence over the radio. “Fine.” Selina said softly.
“Ali, plot a course for the Vrul station.” Kayden commanded. “Let’s get this done.”

Chapter 22

04:19, January 10th, 2135

“Coming out of hyperspace.” Ali announced. “Station is dead ahead.”
“Put it on screen.” Kayden ordered.
The ancient Vrul station looked exactly the way Kayden remembered it – floating motionless in a binary star system without any planets, it was the only notable feature for billions of kilometers in any direction. Its series of 4 enormous concentric silver rings were still spinning in circles around what looked like a miniscule star. Kayden briefly wondered if anything at all about the station had changed in the 2.2 million years since the Vrul were destroyed, but he banished the thought as he got closer – instead, focusing on the small wing of interceptors which had been deployed to meet them.
Here we go. He thought to himself before broadcasting a signal on a frequency he knew the Vrul used. “This is Executor Kayden Reynolds of the Broken Shackle.”
There was a brief pause before a voice responded.
“You are known to us, Executor. What is your purpose here?”
“I need to speak with the Underseer abord your station.” Kayden replied, referring to their leader. “I have a proposition – one that I’d prefer to discuss in person.”
“This is highly…unorthodox.”
“I’ve been called worse.” Kayden chuckled. “Will you prevent me from docking? I don’t need to force the issue with my command codes, do I?”
A longer pause followed. Kayden gritted his teeth as he counted the seconds, knowing that if they called his bluff their plan would fall apart and they’d have to try something else. He glanced over at Ali and Mirana as the moments slipped by, each seeming to lower the probability that their plan would work.
“Perhaps we should have waited to test the spray.” Mirana whispered over their private radio channel. “Then you could force them to-”
“No.” Kayden interrupted. “We needed to know if it would work. Besides, I liked what happened afterwards.”
He could practically hear the blush in her voice as she responded. “Me too.”
After what felt like an eternity, the voice over the radio responded. “Sending docking instructions now Executor. Your command codes are not required.”
A moment later, Selina turned and nodded to him. “Received.”
Standing, Kayden exhaled the breath he’d been holding. “Forward them to the shuttle. Ali, Mirana, you’re with me.”
Selina cast him one more look. “Kayden, just… please be careful.”
“Promise.” Kayden said before striding over to her and giving her a quick kiss. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
“I’m holding you to that.” Selina replied before turning back to her workstation, taking control over the ship.
Not wanting to prolong their goodbye, Kayden moved towards the elevator. Ali and Mirana quickly fell into step behind him, but neither of them said anything as they boarded. It was a silent ride down to the hangar bay as each of them took a brief moment to consider the enormity of the task they were about to perform.
When they reached the hangar bay they found Dawn, Anna, and Elara waiting for them. Kayden kissed each of them before boarding, taking the proffered pistol from Dawn before stowing it in the shuttle. As he slid into the cockpit next to Ali he couldn’t help but see Elara handing Mirana a small spray canister filled with the neural link disabling spray.
“Good luck.” Elara said sincerely to Mirana. “We’re counting on you.”
“Thank you.” Mirana replied softly. “For everything.”
Once they were all boarded and their equipment was stowed, Kayden took control of the shuttle with his neural link. He expertly piloted it out of the cramped hangar bay, emerging into the inky blackness of space before performing a tight turn and heading towards the station. As he did, Ali helpfully highlighted the docking bay coordinates provided by the Vrul aboard the station on the shuttle’s heads-up display.
“We’re 10 minutes out.” Kayden said, sealing his suit as he adjusted their course. When Mirana only nodded in reply he spoke again, eager to break the awkward silence. “Hey Mirana, can you refresh my memory about the fleetless? I read through the pre-mission packet you sent me, but it was a little light on details.”
Mirana’s helmeted head turned to him and she cocked her head slightly before replying. “It had all the relevant mission information – details on their defenses, size of their forces, hierarchy, galactic locations, and station maps.”
Kayden shook his head. “I was looking for a little more about them as people, not just facts and figures.”
“Well… they are – as the name implies – exiled from the Vrul fleets.”
“Why are they exiled?” Kayden pressed.
“The specific reasons could be many, but in the end the root cause is the same: the resources they provide the fleets are less than the resources they consume.”
Kayden furrowed his brow. “You might get exiled if you just don’t have the right skills?”
“Perhaps. Sometimes it is because they’ve committed crimes though, and are deemed to be using too many resources as a result.”
“I see.”
“I don’t believe you do.” Mirana said, showing of her new boldness in the face of his authority. “Being part of a fleet is deeply ingrained in who we are as individuals. To have that taken away, to be exiled… it is a truly terrible punishment. It is the lowest station in our society.” She finished.
“What about their leader? You told me it wasn’t an executor – it’s this ‘Underseer’. Who are they?”
“They are one of the original Vrul, the first to commit a crime against the others. They were confined to this station, and their neural link was configured such that they would have to obey all other executors’ orders. As more Vrul were gradually exiled, control over their neural links was given to the Underseer.”
Kayden took a moment to work out the ramifications. “So when you said that they are the lowest station in society…” He trailed off.
“I meant it in terms of authority, not just metaphorically. Where most Vrul have to obey commands from their executor, the fleetless must obey commands from all executors. The Underseer acts as a conduit for their commands.”
“That explains why they treated me the way they did last time.” Kayden nodded. “They probably wanted me out of there as fast as possible.”
“Are there other Vrul stations?” Ali interjected. “And does each station have an Underseer?”  
“Yes, and no – in that order. There are 2 other stations: an enormous mining station and a sensor array. Neither of them are operational though – the fleetless who crew them work tirelessly just to keep the life support systems running. The resources required to bring them back to full functionality would be immense.” Mirana paused for a moment before continuing. “There is only one Underseer, who oversees all the fleetless. By dealing with them here, we will free all fleetless across the galaxy.”
“Good.” Kayden said finally as they entered the shuttle bay. “We’re going to need their help if we want this plan to work. Any idea what this Underseer looks like? We didn’t bring a lot of the spray with us, so I want to make sure we get the right person.”
“I’m not sure.” Mirana admitted as the shuttle touched down. “But based on the stories I’ve been told, you’ll know them when you see them.”
Nodding, Kayden disconnected his control cable before standing from the cockpit chair. He moved to the back of the shuttle and patted himself down, ensuring that the half-dozen drones he’d brought with him were tightly clustered around him so that they blended in with his nanobot armour. Finally, he checked his pistol and holstered it before opening the door to the shuttle bay and exiting.
He was met by two dozen armed robots similar to the ones Mirana used. Each of them held a rifle which was not quite pointing downwards, and behind them Kayden could see a pair of Vrul standing at attention. As he glanced around he saw that the hangar bay was the same one he’d used when he visited the station previously – a cavernous space with gold metallic walls and black tiled floors. Above them hooks held several more interceptors like the ones they’d been greeted by when they entered the system, and along the side wall there were refueling and rearming stations for various ships.
Taking a breath, Kayden refocused on the task at hand. He strode towards the Vrul, trying to project an air of confidence as he did. Mirana and Ali fell into step behind him as the robots parted for him, giving them a clear path to a hallway ahead of them. They entered it only for a decontaminating mist to begin spraying from nozzles in the roof. Kayden fought the urge to fidget impatiently as they waited a moment for the mist to dry before being led towards an elevator.
“Go.” A guard said, pressing a button to open the elevator door.
“Always such a talkative bunch.” Kayden quipped over their internal radio as they stepped aboard. “I wonder if that will change once we free them.”
“I don’t know.” Mirana said as the elevator began to move. “On the one hand, their taciturn behaviours are likely deeply ingrained and could take years to unravel. On the other hand, to spend years in the complete service of others only to be freed suddenly could be…jarring.”
Kayden furrowed his brow. “I never thought about the psychological aspect of being freed like this. What was it like for you?”
“I… had some help coping.” She replied, brushing her hand softly against his. “A pleasant distraction.”
“I doubt the other Vrul will have the same advantage.” Ali cautioned. “We should be ready for anything when we free them. Both the fleetless and the Vrul at large.”
“Let’s get this done first. Then we’ll figure out what comes after.” Kayden said as the door in front of them opened and he stepped through with confidence.
Given what was on the other side, he almost wished he hadn’t.
It was a large, hemispheric room with an eerie blue light emitting from the floor. The light wasn’t quite powerful enough to illuminate the entire area, but it was bright enough to cast eerie shadows across from the exposed cabling and black metallic beams criss-crossing the chamber. Ahead of him was a walkway into the middle of the room, and as his eyes followed the walkway to its end he had to bite back a wave of revulsion.
Suspended in the air by cables and metallic supports was an androgynous-looking Vrul. They were mostly naked, with heavily wrinkled red skin and wild green hair cascading past their knees. A circular metallic ring was clamped tightly from their mid-thigh to just below their armpits, though based on the way it pulsed with light regularly as it pumped some sort of viscous liquid through a tube it was more medical in nature than designed to preserve their modesty.
The most horrifying part to Kayden were the grey metallic cables connected to their face. They had one embedded into each temple, along with a pair of cables in their mouth that clearly extended down their throat. They were matched by tubes connected to various parts of their body – their arms and legs, as well as several along their back. As Kayden looked closer he saw their eyes were held open by spindly metal clamps, and their bloodshot pupils darted around the room.
“It has been long since someone has come to see me.” A computerized voice echoed through the room. “It has been longer still since an executor did not simply enforce their will upon me.”
Grimacing slightly, Kayden moved closer before responding. “I guess I’m unique in that way.”
“So it would seem.” The underseer replied. “Let us not mince words. I tire of this communication easily. Tell me: what is this proposition you speak of?”
As Kayden moved closer, Mirana started to circle around the perimeter of the room – canister in hand. Ali stepped backwards and unholstered her pistol before taking a defensive position near the elevator. Before Kayden could speak though, a hacking laugh came through the speakers.
“So you seek to kill me then. Thank you.” The voice said, now with slightly more emotion.
Kayden stopped dead in his tracks. “What?”
“This life, this…machine. It’s constant agony. End my life, and free me from my torture.”
Kayden glanced over at Mirana before speaking over their private radio channel. “Did you know they’d be like…this?”
“No.” Mirana said, revulsion in her voice. “I heard horror stories, but this is far worse than what I expected. They’ve taken the same apparatus from the chair and connected it to them in the most efficient ways…without any regard for the pain it would cause.”
“Why didn’t they just order a crew member to kill them then?”
“I expect there are software and hardware guardrails which would prevent that.” Ali replied.
Kayden turned his suit’s external speakers back on as he neared the Vrul Underseer. “I won’t lie to you: I came here expecting to have to wrestle control over the fleetless from you. I wasn’t expecting you to be so willing.”
“Control? Killing me will kill them – you know this.” The Underseer replied. “It is a kindness to them, just as much as it would be to me.”
“No.” Kayden countered. “We have a method of disabling the neural links and freeing the Vrul.”
“Freedom…” The Underseer trailed off wistfully before their voice hardened. “To place them under your control, I assume?”
“I have no desire to control your race, even if I could.” Kayden countered. “The Voidborn are here and the executors will do nothing until it’s too late. I’m going to truly set the Vrul free, and ask for their help. Hopefully they’ll see reason where their leaders wouldn’t, and join us in our fight.”
“He speaks the truth.” Mirana added as she moved close to the Underseer from behind. “I am free, as are the Vrul on his crew. We follow him willingly.”
“This…” The Underseer trailed off before collecting their thoughts. “If what you say is true, the Vrul can finally break free of the chains that bind us to the past.”
“That’s right.” Mirana nodded as she held up the spray canister. “We just need to-”
“Do it.” The Underseer interrupted. “I will endure any trial for this future.”
Without any further ado, Mirana held up the canister and sprayed the underseer directly in the face. She then pulled out a tablet from a hidden back pocket and extended a control cable from it, connecting it to an input port on the Underseer’s arm. The Underseer appeared to relax visibly as Mirana began typing away furiously, running the update program as she did.
“This was what I was exiled for.” The Underseer said softly.
“For what?”
“The neural links. I fought against their introduction, centuries ago when we fled to the stars. For my disobedience, I was exiled here – the first of the fleetless.”
“It’s done.” Mirana announced, withdrawing the cable. “The fleetless are free.”
“What will you do now?” Kayden asked. “Your crew is free!”
“Now? I want you to kill me.”
“What?” Kayden asked, bewildered.
“I am still in pain. I have been in pain for so long. Please…end my suffering.”
“Your people could still use your help. Hell, we could use your help. An ancient Vrul who seems to have their head screwed on straight? You could be a huge asset to us.”
A screen flickered to life in the corner of the room, illuminating a workstation. “There. Take whatever knowledge you need. It’s not complete, but you may need all the advantages you can get. In return, all I ask is that you end my life.”
“We might be able to get you out of here. We’ve got the best doctors, the best scientists, the best-” Kayden started.
“No, you won’t. It is not possible – the ancient executors saw to that.” The Underseer replied. “Please. Do this for me.”
Kayden looked over at Mirana. “What do you think?”
“It…is the compassionate thing to do.” Mirana said slowly. “Executor. The choice is yours.”
Taking a deep breath, Kayden slowly unholstered his pistol. He took an unusually long time to check it over and ensure it was loaded before thumbing the safety and pointing it directly at the Underseer’s head. He was about to ask if they were sure before the voice sounded one final time.
“Thank you. Good luck.”
The palpable relief in the computerized voice solidified his decision. Gritting his teeth, he adjusted his aim a hair to ensure that the bullet would pass directly through what he assumed was the Underseer’s brain stem, killing them instantly. He forced himself to look them in their bloodshot eyes one last time.
Then he pulled the trigger.

Chapter 23

07:54, January 10th, 2135

“Welcome, executors.” Kayden said as the virtual world around them resolved into something resembling a dingy bar.
“You.” A purple-skinned human-like Vrul executor said accusingly.
“Yes, me.” Kayden replied as more of the executors popped into existence around them.
He took a moment to survey the scene in front of him. Ahead was a replica of a ‘classic’ bar which could be found on most human worlds – a wooden counter with brass accents, circular metal stools with red velvet tops, and yellowish triangular lamps overhead that failed to fully illuminate the area. Behind the bar stood Ali in an attractive black cocktail dress, and towards a door leading to the back stood Mirana doing her best impersonation of a bouncer.
Glancing over at Ali, she nodded to him and gave him a thumbs up before grabbing a metal martini shaker and beginning to shake it back and forth expertly. Knowing that was the signal, he took a final moment to assess the assembled executors in front of him. The diverse group had aliens of every description – some were close enough to looking human that Kayden could convince himself they’d just had genetic treatments. Others were far less human-like – insectoid creatures, furred behemoths, and slime entities surrounded by robotic-looking suits.
“I’m sure you’re wondering why I’ve asked you to come here.” Kayden said loudly enough to get everyone’s attention.
“Your message said you’d found an avatar of Cyrius Voltrix.” A feminine sounding voice said. “Along with some additional schematics from the Vrul technocracy.”
Kayden took a moment to look at her. She looked like the executor he’d confronted on Mirana’s fleet – bipedal with grey skin, digitigrade legs, and a hairless humanoid face without a mouth. Her eyes glowed with an ethereal blue light as she stared at him.
“That’s correct.” Kayden said, nodding to Ali.
She put down the martini shaker before waving a hand, causing an image of Cyrius and Kayden standing together to appear. It was clearly from their encounter on the virtual volcanic world, with molten lava bubbling nearby and black ash-choked skies above. Floating serenely around them was a swarm of drones, their eye-lights glowing brightly. The assembled group gasped before turning to him and speaking all at once.
“Where did you find this?”
“It’s a fake!”
“How did we not know this existed?”
“Show us more!”
Kayden waved his hands back and forth as Ali made the image disappear. “It’s real. If you’d like I can prove it and provide the location of the avatar. For a price, of course.”
“What?” The purple-skinned Vrul exclaimed.
“A price.” Kayden repeated slowly. “Compensation. If you want this, I want something in return.”
“Your message never said anything about a price.” A green-skinned Vrul executor replied. “This is preposterous.”
“If I’d said I was charging you, you wouldn’t have come.” Kayden countered.
“I am leaving.” The grey-skinned Vrul announced.
“Without even hearing my price?” Kayden trailed off, hoping his bluff would hold a bit longer.
The grey-skinned Vrul narrowed her eyes before speaking again. “Name your price, trickster.”
“Your fleets.”
“What do you mean?”
“I want you to relinquish control over every Vrul crew member and ship under each of your commands.” Kayden turned to the purple-skinned Vrul who was opening his mouth to protest and cut him off. “And before you tell me it’s impossible, believe me that it’s not.”
“Even if I believed you – which I don’t – why would you want such a thing?” The grey-skinned Vrul asked, her wide-eyes staring at him.
“Because I believe that if they’re given the opportunity, the Vrul people will choose to fight against the Voidborn with the other races of the galaxy rather than shielding you cowards.”
“This again.” The green-skinned Vrul said, shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders dramatically in a surprisingly human fashion. “The Voidborn are gone. And this was a waste of time.”
“Do the rest of you feel the same way?” Kayden said, glancing across the crowd.
When the remainder of the executors murmured their approvals, Kayden shook his head and looked at Mirana. When she nodded in response he spoke to Ali over their neural link.
I was really hoping they’d want to negotiate for longer.
[“It cannot be helped. We are ready to begin, Kayden.”]
Clearing his throat he looked back at the green-skinned Vrul. “It’s too bad. I wanted to do this the peaceful way. I hope the history books say that I gave you a chance.”
“This meeting is over.” The green-skinned Vrul said before starting to fade out of existence.
Only to be suddenly jerked back into existence and dumped unceremoniously on the floor.
Kayden couldn’t help but grin to himself as he watched the executor scramble to his feet. “What’s the matter? Trying to go somewhere?”
“You…what have you done?!” The green-skin Vrul exclaimed, pushing two of his green fingers into Kayden’s chest accusingly.
“Nobody is leaving.” Kayden replied.
“Explain yourself.” The grey-skinned executor demanded.
“I’ve locked us in here.” Kayden responded. “Nobody leaves until either I’m dead or the Vrul are free.”
A dark aura appeared around the grey-skinned executor as her eyes narrowed to slits. “So what you’re saying is that you’ve got something we want and you’re trapped in here with us now.”
Kayden grinned savagely. “That’s only partially true. You think I’m trapped in here with you. The truth is that you’re trapped in here with us.”
Having heard the entire conversation, Mirana chose that moment to kick open the back door of the bar. The bang of it hitting the back wall was quickly followed by the sound of footsteps as dozens of fleetless Vrul streamed into the room, each of them holding a combination of pistols and melee weapons. Kayden used the distraction as an opportunity to vault over the bar and activate both his drones and his nanobot swarm, sliding close to Ali as she produced a shotgun from underneath the bar.
Then the world around them dissolved into chaos.
The room shimmered and fractured into pieces as the executors each tried to change their surroundings into a more advantageous battlefield for them. Bright white cracks in reality appeared all around them, with sections of the dimly lit pub turning into an array of different scenes – the vacuum of space, a lush jungle planet, the interior of a spaceship, and more. Thankfully for them, none of the executors seemed to be coordinating their efforts, meaning that all they served to do was throw themselves into disarray before Ali, Mirana, and the fleetless asserted their will over the space and brought the tavern back into reality.
The moment the fissures disappeared, Kayden took the opportunity to sow more chaos. With a mental push his drones began firing energy beams into the crowd, damaging shields and drawing the assembled executors’ attention. When they began summoning weapons and returning fire he instinctively ducked behind the bar before sprinting towards the back door, the sound of Ali’s shotgun ringing out behind him.
“Get him!” One of the executors shouted. “Forget the rest!”
“Remember – we can’t kill them! We need to buy their crews time!” Mirana shouted over the radio as he burst through the back door into a starkly empty white space.
Knowing that Mirana and the fleetless would only be able to hold the Vrul back for a few moments, Kayden quickly focused on the mental image they’d prepared. The blank void in front of him shimmered before turning into a dark stone tunnel lit only by torches on either side. It branched off in 3 directions – directly ahead, to the left and to the right.
[“Go right.”] Ali’s voice rang in his head. [“I will continue to create the maze as they chase you.”]
Are you and Mirana going to be okay?
[“We will be fine, Kayden. Go!”]
Grinning, Kayden took off down the right path. He rounded a corner in the tunnel just as he heard the door bang open behind him, followed by the combined shouts of Mirana, the fleetless, and the Vrul executors. In his mind he imagined the utter anarchy happening behind him – the confusion of being confronted by a maze while fighting the fleetless in close would be enough to throw even the most focused of trackers off his trail, at least for a short time.
[“Take the next left.”] Ali’s voice sounded in his head has he continued to sprint, his legs pumping as fast as he could.
How far behind me are they? Kayden asked as he turned and proceeded down the next hallway.
[“Fairly far. The group who broke through and went down the center path have encountered the minotaur.”]
Kayden tripped slightly at her words before catching himself and continuing to sprint. The minotaur? He asked, convinced he hadn’t heard her right.
[“Yes. I drew inspiration from ancient human myths about labyrinths.”]
Chuckling as he shook his head, Kayden picked up the pace. That’s my girl.
He felt her blush over their neural link as the sounds of battle receded behind him. The corridors around him began to blur as he focused on putting one foot in front of the other, buying the Vrul fleets as much time as he could to free themselves. As the minutes passed the knot of anxiety in his chest began to loosen somewhat and he dared to hope their audacious plan might actually work.
As if to counter his hopes, Mirana’s voice called out over the radio. “Kayden, we have a problem.”
“What is it?”
“The executors entered the maze in disarray, but they’re starting to run into each other and organize. They aren’t working together enough to destabilize the maze entirely, but they’re creating shortcuts through walls and getting closer to you.”
“So I’m about to have company?” Kayden asked, slowing down for a moment.
“Yes.”
As she said it, a trio of Vrul executors materialized in front of him. Closest to him was the grey-skinned Vrul with her arms spread to either side. Extending from bracers on her hands were meter-long blades, each of which were crackling with blue lightning. As she looked at him a thick set of ornate golden armour flashed into existence around her, covering her entire body except for her face.
To her left was the purple-skinned Vrul. He was hairless, with eyes that were entirely black. A grey cloak swirled around his back as he turned, and his entire body was covered by a skintight black suit. In his 3-fingered hands he held what looked like a scythe with a wickedly curved blade on one end and the barrel of a rifle on the other.
The third Vrul of the trio was the green-skinned one. He already had a set of golden armour on, but unlike his allies he had what looked like an enormous railgun mounted to one of his arms. It enveloped his entire arm, preventing him from bending at the elbow while he hefted it towards Kayden.
“Can I kill them yet?” Kayden asked over the radio.
“No.” Mirana replied. “We need more time.”
“Shit.” He replied as the trio charged towards him.
Reading his intent, Ali immediately deployed Kayden’s adrenaline rush. The world around him slowed to a crawl just as he darted to the left towards the purple-skinned Vrul, reaching him before he could react. Kayden watched his eyes slowly widen as he grabbed the Vrul’s weapon before kicking him in the chest, sending him flying backwards into his green-skinned companion.
Focusing on the other member of the trio, Kayden spun the bladed end of the scythe in a tight circle towards the grey-skinned executor’s leg, cutting a wide gash in her armour. In slow motion she brought her twin blades towards his chest but he continued his spinning movement, pulling out of her reach as he swiped towards her head with the rifle-barrel end of the scythe. He knocked her to the ground with a grunt before glancing towards a glimmer of light to his left.
Just as suddenly as the first group, a quartet more of Vrul executors materialized. Kayden raced towards them before they could get their bearings, swinging his stolen scythe as he did. He connected with the first executor’s midsection and tossed him clear across the room, his golden armour glittering as he collided with the stone wall behind them. A sharp crack told Kayden that his weapon broke from the force of the blow, causing him to toss it to the side before focusing on the remaining 3 standing Vrul.
Knowing that he wouldn’t have long remaining on his adrenaline rush, Kayden lashed out with his prosthetic metal arm, cracking the exoskeleton of an insectoid Vrul creature and sending it stumbling backwards. Not waiting to see if it would recover he grabbed another executor with both hands – this one with red skin eerily similar to Mirana’s – and tossed her at the last executor, causing them both to fall over in a heap of limbs.
“Now can I kill them?” Kayden asked as the world around him returned to normal speed.
“No, not yet!” Mirana replied.
Grunting in frustration, Kayden deployed both his nanobots and his drones around him. They swirled in a protective cocoon around him, but even through the swarm he caught glances of the executors – each of them injured, but still very much alive. As the ones with golden armour started moving towards him he began to back up, trying to buy a few precious extra seconds.
Whatever that armour is made of is no joke. He ‘said’ to Ali. I was hoping they’d be out of commission for at least a few minutes.
[“I will make a note to examine it later.”] She replied.
Furrowing his brow as he peered through the swarm, Kayden did a quick mental count of the executors. There were the three in golden armour, one of whom was steadily advancing with his railgun levelled. Behind them was the red-skinned one and the one he’d thrown her into, as well as the insectoid one – all of whom were now brandishing what looked like pistols.
Where is the one in the black-
He didn’t even get to finish the thought before pain erupted from his side. Jumping away blindly, he sent a powerful pulse of electricity through the nanobots surrounding him, electrifying the air in a wide radius. His eyes went wide as a cry of pain rang out from the empty space beside him before the air shimmered and flashed, revealing the final executor. The Vrul convulsed and dropped his blood-coated serrated blade before falling to the ground, clearly shocked into submission.
Active camouflage. Kayden noted numbly as he sank to his knees, the edges of his vision going blank. That’s a neat trick.
[“Kayden you are in danger!”] Ali shouted in his mind, forcing him to focus.
In his moment of distraction he’d unthinkingly recalled his swarm of nanobots to his arm, dropping the majority of his defenses. His semi-sentient drones still buzzed about angrily, holding most of the executors at bay. The grey-skinned one braved their fire though, and raced over to Kayden with her twin blades raised high.
“Trickster! Tell me your secrets or I will kill you!”
Even though the haze of pain Kayden managed to croak out a response. “How about you fuck right off instead?”
The executor stiffened slightly as if to strike him, but to his immense surprise the final blow never came. Instead, she suddenly disappeared in the blink of an eye as if she never existed. Thinking it must be some sort of trick he rolled to his uninjured side, but as he staggered to his knees he glanced around frantically and saw no trace of her.
“What did you do?!” The purple-skinned executor exclaimed, his eyes wide.
“Ali? Mirana?” Kayden called out over the radio as he stood slowly. “What just happened?”
“It’s working!” Mirana shouted in response, showing more joy than he’d ever heard her express. “We’re getting messages from the fleets – they’re free!”
A grin spread across Kayden’s face as he deployed his nanobots defensively around him once more. The grin widened as he slowly advanced towards the remaining Vrul executors – all of whom were now backing up. He reached the moaning black-clad executor on the ground first and kicked his blade to the side before kneeling next to him.
“Impossible.” He managed to groan before vanishing.
That was enough to send the remainder of the Vrul executors into full retreat.
They sprinted back the way they came, desperate to get away from Kayden as if it would somehow prevent them from disappearing. He followed them slowly, the savage sense of satisfaction increasing as he saw yet another of them disappear before they rounded a corner. Pain lanced up and down his side from where he’d been stabbed, but even that wasn’t enough to wipe the smile from his face.
Rounding a corner, he saw the assembled fleetless Vrul standing in front of the door to the bar. Next to them were Mirana and Ali, the latter of whom flashed him a satisfied smirk as she hefted her shotgun across her shoulder with one arm. Kayden retracted his helmet and furrowed his brow in confusion at her before glancing backwards.
“I seem to remember the trip out there being a lot longer than this little walk back.”
“I have full control over this virtual space now.” Ali replied. “The 7-make that 6-Vrul executors remaining are not focused on trying to wrest control from me. They are otherwise occupied.”
“So we won then?” Kayden asked. “The Vrul are free?”
“Effectively, yes.” Ali responded. “Some smaller fleets may be slower to respond or lack the tools to synthesize the spray, but I estimate that 93% of the Vrul population should be free in the next 15 minutes.”
“Good. Send word to Sanctuary to expect a lot of visitors, and tell them to do what they can to help them refuel, rearm, and resupply. Then send a message to the Vrul fleets telling them about the Voidborn threat, and offer them asylum on Sanctuary. We’ll need-”
“Wait, what?” Mirana interrupted.
“They’ll need somewhere to land and rally.” Kayden explained. “I know we don’t have much in the way of resources, but you said it yourself – this process is probably jarring. More than anything, they might just want to see some friendly faces.”
“I…don’t know how to thank you.” Mirana replied. “Kayden, I-”
He shook his head and cut her off. “It’s the right thing to do. Now if you don’t mind, my side hurts like a bitch – think you can conjure up some pain medication and stitches?”

Chapter 24

19:30, January 12th, 2135

“I’m just saying, you could have given us some warning before inviting the entire galaxy here for some R&R.” Jim Matheson drawled good-naturedly as he walked next to Kayden and Elara through the bustling colony.
“We didn’t exactly have a lot of resources to spare to begin with.” His girlfriend, Mei Ling Chen agreed.
Kayden took a moment to survey the scene around them. He stood at the base of the ancient Vrul tower on Sanctuary, marveling at the way the city around them had seemingly sprung up overnight. Gone were the temporary tents and wooden structures, replaced by more permanent concrete and metal buildings designed to house a far greater number of people. Above him shuttles and in-atmosphere cargo craft zipped by, en route to the much larger city he knew they’d been building to the south.
His eyes finally settled on his friends and former fellow council members. They were somewhat of an odd couple: Mei Ling had long black hair streaked with grey and deep brown eyes. She was short, almost 160 centimeters tall and somewhat stocky. By contrast, Jim was tall and lanky with blonde hair and brown eyes. He’d grown a scraggly beard since Kayden had last seen him, and his skin was tanned from working in the fields.
Despite the fact that both council members were easily pushing 60 years old, Kayden thought they could have passed for 40 due to the genetic enhancements they’d both volunteered for. He’d seen first hand how terrifying they could be in a fight with their enhanced speed and strength, and he guessed that they’d far outlive most normal humans. With the influx of refugees and new entrants to the colony, he hoped they’d surpass everyone’s expectations and continue leading Sanctuary long into the future.
Jim held out an arm as Kayden moved to cross the street, stopping him. He looked forward and saw why immediately as a crew of goblins, former political prisoners, and colonists from Port Vega trundled by on an enormous farming machine. Finally, he responded to their comments. “Well, I appreciate the two of you – as well as the rest of the council – being so welcoming.”
After freeing the Vrul they’d returned here, intent on receiving the first few ships as a gesture of goodwill and friendship. It was a good thing too – it was only a few hours after arriving that the slow trickle of scouts turned into a torrent of every class of ship, from small frigates all the way up to the behemoth-sized ‘life-ships’ which contained tens of thousands of Vrul, hydroponics facilities for growing food, and onboard shipyards for the repair of damaged ships. There was a not-insignificant amount of jostling for space in orbit as more and more ships entered the system, and soon Kayden and Mirana had to step in to help create a provisional government just to manage the flow of traffic.
Jim chuckled and shook his head, returning Kayden’s thoughts to the present. “You knew Cassie would go for it. She was practically vibrating with excitement when she heard the Vrul were coming here.”
“Was there squealing?” Kayden grinned as he recalled the overly-excitable doctor of archelogy and member of Sanctuary’s ruling council. “I bet there was squealing.”
“Is that what you call that noise she made?” Mei Ling laughed as she interlaced her fingers between Jim’s. “If she could have sprinted into orbit, she would have. I don’t think she’s eaten or slept at all since she took the shuttle up to one of the live ships.”
“How do you know?” Kayden asked.
“She’s been live-streaming her interviews with them on the extranet. She’s gained quite the following.”
Kayden sighed. “I guess that’s one way to introduce our new allies.”
Elara tapped her chin thoughtfully. “We should make sure we set up meetings with the Kel as well. As much as this war is important, we need to have one eye on post-war integration. There’s no way we can stay isolated now, so we’ll need to embrace cooperation. People should know as much about us as they do the Vrul.”
“Something tells me you won’t have to work too hard to convince humanity to embrace the super-hot race of all-female aliens.” Kayden quipped, causing them all to laugh.
The quartet continued walking towards one of the new apartment buildings before stopping. “All jokes aside, we’re glad to help.” Jim said.
“When this is all over, I’d love to take you up on that offer for a tour of the new city sites. I can’t help but think there may be some Kel who would want to settle here in the future – assuming you’ll have them, of course.” Elara nodded.
[“Kayden. Apologies for the interruption, but you are needed in the council chambers.”]
Are we under attack?
[“No, but Mirana found something important. She requested that she be the one to tell you. I am assembling the rest of our crew there.”]
Noticing that he’d stopped responding to their conversation, Elara took one look at Kayden before shaking her head. “Is Ali calling you?”
“Yeah, she said it’s important.” He replied before offering Jim and Mei Ling an apologetic look. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.” Jim chuckled. “Go save the galaxy. And remember the other offer Jack made, when the time is right.”
“I’ll take you up on that.” Kayden said, remembering Dawn’s former policeman father before turning to Elara. “Come on. We’re heading back to the tower.”
The two of them crossed the busy thoroughfare, stopping to let a trio of farming robots bustle by. When they reached it they made a beeline for the newly installed elevator, stepping on and closing the door behind them. With a wry smirk at each other Kayden wrapped his arms around his Kel wife and kissed her deeply as they started to ascend.
Breaking the kiss, she locked eyes with him. “I think we should build a house here when all of this is over. We can still take the Broken Shackle wherever we want, but I’d like to have a home base to come back to.”
Kayden kissed her on the forehead before grinning. “Better move fast – it’s a seller’s market.”
She smacked him on the shoulder. “Kayden, it’s serious! I want our kids to-” She stopped suddenly before putting her hand over her mouth.
Kayden paused for a moment before responding. “Our kids?”
“I mean… I’m not… well, at least I don’t think I’m…” She stuttered.
“Pregnant?” Kayden ended her sentence, suddenly worried. “Where is this coming from?”
“I don’t think I’m pregnant. But now that we’re bonded, I’m going to be extremely susceptible to it, assuming we keep having sex.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s a safe assumption.” Kayden chuckled.
“Exactly. And I know we talked about it before, when we were getting to know each other. I want our kids to be from somewhere, you know? Not just live on a ship all the time.”
Kayden pulled her into a tight embrace before kissing her on the top of her head. “I know you want to. And I want to with you, when all this is over and we’re ready. You don’t have to be shy about it.” He paused for a moment, thinking. “There’s a lake south of here. We can set up a splashball court there and teach them how to play.” He finished, referring to the Kel sport he’d seen on Arcadia.
“Thank you.” She said, nuzzling into his chest.
They stayed like that until the elevator dinged and the door opened. They detangled with a final soft kiss and stepped into the council chambers to the sounds of several people greeting them all at once. Kayden glanced around to see that most of his women were already there save for Ali, who he knew was back on the ship. Dawn and Selina were standing in front of a large video screen, on a call with Ashley. To his right Anna was arguing loudly with the master dwarven mechanic - Muradin Morozov – and Celestia. Before he could figure out what they were arguing about though, Mirana darted towards them while waving her hands back and forth.
“Kayden! I have news.” She said as she approached. “I’ve been working with Ali at decoding the information the Underseer provided us. When I cross referenced it with the information from the free Vrul fleets, I found something interesting.” She said, pulling out a tablet and handing it to Kayden.
What am I looking at?
[“I advise that you ask her. She was quite proud of her discovery.”] Ali said privately to Kayden.
“You did well.” Kayden said, smiling at Mirana before looking at the tablet. “Although I have to confess – I don’t really know what I’m looking at here. It looks like some sort of ship?”
“Not just any ship.” Mirana replied enthusiastically. “I think we found an automated scavenger bot left behind by the Vrul Technocracy. It might still be functional after all this time!”
“A scavenger bot?”
“Exactly!”
Kayden took a closer look at the ship in front of him. It was unlike any other he’d seen before – shaped like a sphere, it was covered in long, curved, overlapping metal plates. In the center of the sphere on one side there was what looked like a circular beam weapon, and on the other side there was a corresponding circular engine. He tilted his head to the side in confusion before looking back at Mirana.
“I gotta admit – I don’t get it. It looks like a serviceable ship, but I don’t think we need more scavenger ships right now. Once we beat the Voidborn, sure, but until then-”
“No, that’s not it!” Mirana interrupted. “It’s an automated scavenger bot. Its only purpose is to break down derelict ships, asteroids, and small moons and either turn them into nanobots or use their materials to add to its size. Normally they’re recalled to a Vrul base every few years to dump everything they’ve collected and ensure they don’t grow too big. After 2.2 million years though…” She trailed off.
“It’s probably enormous.” Kayden nodded.
[“Likely over 25 kilometers in circumference.”] Ali added in his mind helpfully.
“And it would be full of nanobots, raw materials…everything we could need to build more ships, and quickly too.”
“Wouldn’t we need a shipyard for that?” Kayden asked.
“Not necessarily. If we had control over the nanobots, Ali could use it to assemble ships anywhere outside of the frame.”
Kayden started to grin. “That thing could house enough nanobots to create a battleship. Maybe even a few of them, and an escort fleet if we let it consume the ships we’ve got in orbit here.”
“My thoughts exactly.” Mirana agreed.
“How far away is it?” Elara asked.
“2 hyperspace jumps. 10 hours, one way.”
“And how confident are you that it’s there?” She pressed.
Mirana paused for a moment before responding. He let her think, glancing across the council chambers as she did. Anna, Celestia, and Muradin were now sitting on a couch together, and he noted that someone had taken the time to repair the large viewscreen on the wall which he knew had been salvaged from one of the ships in orbit. There was now a table in the middle of the room with scattered tablets, and along one wall someone had thrown open the windows to let fresh air in.
“75%.” She replied finally. “All signs point to it being there, but… 2.2 million years is a long time.”
“Given that it’s automated, will it recognize us as friendly and just let us waltz right in? Or will it be hostile?” Kayden asked.
“I’m not sure. Its sensor suite isn’t built to detect smaller objects, so we might be able to slip in unnoticed. Once we’re in, taking control should be a relatively simple matter of getting you to the bridge and using your control cable.”
“I assume everyone else is up to speed on this?” Kayden asked, raising his voice to get the room’s attention.
[“Everyone has been briefed already.”] Ali replied in his mind as he saw everyone in the room nod.
“Good. What are your thoughts?”
“I’ll admit it’s tempting.” Elara said finally. “It could be a powerful asset to our fleet. On the other hand, we have a lot of other things that need attention.”
“Like what?”
“Like our new slime gun!” Anna offered loudly.
“Slime…gun?” Kayden replied, furrowing his brow at Celestia.
“That’s…not what we’re calling it, but yes.” Celestia nodded, clearly having had this conversation before. “We’ve created a launcher that propels a semi-gelatinous biological substance similar to the slime creatures you encountered. It should slow the queen down considerably – to the point where she will be much more vulnerable.”
“Excellent. I knew I could count on you.”
“I wish our work on the anti-Voidborn virus was going as well as that project.” Celestia bemoaned.
“What do you mean?”
“We need a more efficient delivery system. Something that can disperse the virus across a wide area – preferably an entire planet – before the Voidborn have a chance to adapt to it. Ms…Bedford here has some interesting ideas on the topic, but they’re…”
“Unorthodox?” Kayden offered, raising one eyebrow.
“Zhat is one vord for it, da.” Muradin said through his heavy Russian accent. “She insists zhat we ignore at least syeven proper safety procedures, and-”
“See?” Anna complained. “Dwarves and their procedures.”
“You all know what’s at stake.” Kayden reminded them. “Do you have what you need to get it done?”
“We’d be able to get it done faster if we could build some prototypes quickly.” Anna replied.
Kayden turned to Mirana. “Can you spare a few of your crew to help out? I know at least some of them can use nanobots.”
“Of course.” Mirana replied before beginning to type on her wrist-mounted computer.
“What else needs attention?” Kayden said, turning to Dawn, Selina, and Ashley.
“Well, there’s the enormous fleet of ships in orbit.” Dawn replied, pointing upwards. “We’re trying to get them organized and convince the combat-effective ships to support our front line, but they’re understandably hesitant to leave the live ships here undefended. They don’t trust our ability to run the blockade.”
“With good reason. There’s still reports of rogue Voidborn fleets out there.” Selina added before glancing at the screen. “No offense Ash.”
“None taken – most of those ships are only there because the Roccan are having trouble holding their end of the blockade in the Bernard’s Star system.” Ashley replied. “But that’s exactly why we need those ships. We’re running ragged, and just about every ship is in needed of repairs – minor or major. If we fail, those rogue fleets will get reinforcements, and they’ll become much more of a problem.”
“What do you need to get them on board?”
“Well, if we helped them put some improvised weapons emplacements on the live ships, I’m sure they’d be more comfortable leaving them for a bit.” Dawn offered, glancing over at Anna.
Kayden grinned before looking at his goblin girlfriend. “Think your goblins are up for the task?”
“Improvised weapons? Say no more.” Anna said before typing away on her tablet.
“Alright, anything else?” Kayden asked.
“Well, there is the matter of getting the Kel government on side.” Elara responded. “With the Vrul freed and hopefully on their way to the front, the High Commander might be able to convince the rest of the Kel government to oust the President.”
“Great! We can call the Kel while we’re on our way to-”
Elara shook her head. “I think this is something that’s going to require a little more tact. I’ve still got some friends on Kel Prime – I think I need to meet with them personally, get their support in delivering the message.”
Kayden blinked in surprise. “You’re not thinking about going back to Kel space, are you?”
“Yes. I’ll be safe enough, I think. I worked for the Kel military long enough to know how to evade their patrols and get to Kel Prime discreetly.”
“Wait, you want to go alone?” Kayden responded.
“You need to go get this ship.” She replied, gesturing to the tablet. “I’ll get you the Kel fleet while you do.”
“I thought us being bonded meant that we couldn’t be apart though? Won’t that be painful for you?”
She kissed him before responding. “Our bond is still settling. If it’s only a few days, I should be okay.”
“Can’t someone else do it? Maybe someone from Celestia’s staff?”
“Who else understands the strategy, political situation, and enemy as well as I do?” She asked rhetorically. “It has to be me. Someone else might get it wrong.”
“At least take AJ and his wives.” Kayden insisted. “Their old patrol ship is still parked outside the colony, and I’d feel better knowing that you’ve got at least a few people watching your back.”
“Alright. I love you.” Elara nodded before glancing at Mirana. “You keep him safe, okay?”
“I’ll protect his life with mine.” She promised.
Kayden took a deep breath, realizing that he’d be apart from the majority of his women for the first time in a long time. Looking around the room though, he knew each of them were smart, persuasive, and perfectly capable of holding their own. He swelled with pride on the inside, knowing that he’d be a lucky man if he was with any one of them. The fact that he was in a relationship with all of them made him the luckiest man in the galaxy.
“This is when the tide turns.” Kayden grinned before looking at Mirana. “Let’s go. I’m thinking the Vrul are in need of a new flagship.”

Chapter 25

12:10, January 13th, 2135

“There it is.” Mirana said, awe in her voice.
“Kinda hard to miss it.” Selina joked, looking at the viewscreen. “Unless you mistake it for a small moon, that is.”
As he looked at the screen, he saw it was no exaggeration.
The ship was even larger than Ali’s estimate. At 26 kilometers in circumference, the overlapping metal plates covering its exterior looked like the tectonic plates of a planet. They were a myriad of colors – from dark grey to gold to blue and brown – most of which Kayden guessed had been salvaged from the great battlefield that Mirana told him used to cover this system. When it turned slowly towards a nearby asteroid, Kayden caught sight of the enormous circular engine on its back.
“It’s powering up its main weapon!” Selina said, her hands dancing across her workstation.
“Can it see us?” Kayden asked, urgency in his voice.
“Likely not.” Ali replied.
“How likely?”
“86%, from this range.” She replied tersely.
“It’s not shooting at us!” Mirana countered, pointing to the screen. “It’s pointing away from us!”
“Then what the hell is it about to shoot at?” Kayden demanded.
The answer came a moment later when the planetoid-sized craft fired an immensely powerful beam of energy at a similarly-sized asteroid a short distance away. Despite the relative inefficiency of energy-based weapons versus physical targets, the asteroid quickly melted into a slag heap. Bits of rock were blasted away into space, leaving only the asteroid’s metallic elements behind.
Kayden watched in amazement as what must have been tens of thousands of small craft streamed out of hangar bays surrounding the engine on the back of the craft, their swarm undulating as it weaved through space towards the rock. When he used his chair-mounted computer to zoom in on the screen in front of him, he saw that each automated craft was swarming with millions of nanobots just waiting to hop onto the still-molten asteroid the moment they got close enough. He shook his head in amazement before zooming back out, a grin forming on his face as he did.
“That thing is an absolute behemoth. I can’t wait to see that thing shooting at one of the Voidborn carriers.”
“We need to board and take control of it first.” Mirana reminded him.
“Right.” Kayden said, standing. “Selina, you’ve got command of the ship while we’re gone. Try not to get too close or get into any fights?”
“I’ll do my best.” She said cheekily before he kissed her deeply. “Come back safely. I love you.”
“I’ll do my best.” He said, mirroring her words with a grin. “I love you too.”
With that, he strode towards the elevator. Ali and Mirana quickly fell in behind him, and together they rode it down to the shuttle bay where he found their pre-readied shuttle waiting for them. Taking a moment to check his nanobot and energy reserves, he pulled on his combat armour before climbing into the shuttle with his two women.
“Pre-flight checks complete.” Ali announced from the copilot’s seat. “We’re ready to take off whenever you are.”
“Let’s get this done then.” Kayden said, pausing to put a reassuring hand on Mirana’s shoulder before sliding into the pilot’s chair.
In moments, Kayden connected his control cable to the shuttle and took control over the small ship before zooming out of the shuttle bay. He easily located the Vrul ship’s yawning hangar bays and chose the closest one, sending a short burst of power to the engines to get them moving in the right direction before cutting them and letting the craft drift towards their destination.
“Burn is good.” Ali said, her hands dancing across the keypad. “We should avoid detection and be able to slip inside unnoticed.”
“I’m pretty sure we could have fit the entire Broken Shackle in this hangar.” Kayden said as he examined the sensor readouts. “And we’d still have room to spare for most of our fleet.”
“Indeed.” Mirana nodded from the seat behind them.
“So have you given any thought as to what you’re going to name her?” Kayden asked.
“Name who?” Mirana asked.
“The ship.”
“As much as I’m aware of human and Kel conventions to provide colloquial names to ships, the Vrul do not subscribe to that idea.”
“Maybe not the Vrul Technocracy, or the Vrul who served under the executors. But the free Vrul can do whatever they want – including naming their ships.”
Mirana tilted her head. “Perhaps. But that doesn’t mean we should.”
“Mirana, to most races the name of a ship represents more than just something to call them.” Kayden replied. “It’s symbolic of the ideals the ship and her crew are expected to uphold. The Broken Shackle was named based on the fact that it’s been used to free others from captivity – repeatedly. It represents freedom from oppression, from the control of others.”
Ali turned to look at him. “Kayden, may I remind you that you were the one who was originally hesitant to name the ship.”
“Yeah, well… let’s just say the last year has caused my opinion to change.” Kayden responded before turning back to Mirana. “Just think about it, okay? The Vrul need a symbol of hope to rally behind, and this ship could be it.”
“I will.” She promised.
“We are nearing the hangar bay.” Ali announced as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “Please proceed to the rear of the shuttle for depressurization.”
“This is the part of the plan I’m not confident in.” Mirana muttered.
“If you’ve got a better idea, I’m all ears.” Kayden countered.
“I don’t. But that doesn’t mean I like this one.” Mirana replied, standing from her seat.
Kayden unbuckled himself before moving to the back with Ali and Mirana. He tethered the 3 of them together at the waist before sealing his helmet and pulling the two of them close. They moved together towards the shuttle door before a hissing noise overhead indicated that the shuttle was venting its atmosphere.
“You said you’ve done this before?” Mirana asked.
“Yeah. Once.” Kayden replied as the shuttle finished venting.
“Successfully?”
Kayden pressed the button to open the shuttle bay door, exposing the yawning hangar bay ahead of them. “More or less.”
“What is that supposed to-”
She never got the chance to finish her question.
Bending at the knees, Kayden launched the three of them towards the hangar bay. Even given the distance between them it was near-impossible to miss: the cavernous structure had a constant stream of small ships leaving it, as well as a corresponding stream of ships returning with chunks of raw asteroid to be refined. They zoomed through space, doing their best to avoid detection by the swarm of mining drones which doubtlessly would have shot them down if they’d tried to just land the shuttle.
“The last time he did this he was mostly successful.” Ali informed Mirana over their shared radio channel. “Though, he and Anna were hit by a cloud of micrometeors and thrown off course at the last minute.”
“We still made it in undetected though.” Kayden said.
“You used up all the power in the maneuvering thrusters.” Ali reminded him.
“Still counts.”
“You hit the side of the station and bounced off. You narrowly avoided being thrown into space.”
“Still counts.” Kayden insisted.
“But it sounds like last time you brought maneuvering thrusters.” Mirana said slowly.
“Yeah, because the target size we were trying to hit was a lot smaller.” Kayden explained. “This time we just need to get in the enormous hangar.” He paused for a moment to check his heads-up display. “I’m pretty sure we can’t miss it at this point, and we need to do as much as we can to slip in unnoticed – so no thrusters.”
They glided through space in silence for several moments after that, with Kayden internally cursing himself for potentially jinxing their good luck with his words. To his surprise they passed into the hangar without incident though, avoiding the busy stream of ships in-and-out. Activating his drones he used them to slow their movement through the zero-gravity space, coming to a halt at the end of the hangar.
“See?” Kayden said, internally breathing a sigh of relief. “No problem.”
Mirana shook her head, but Ali interrupted any reply she had. “Based on the limited schematics and our landing point, I believe there should be a door 762 meters clockwise from our position.”
“Which way?” Kayden asked, unholstering his rifle as he recalled his drones.
“This way.” Ali said, pointing.
“Let’s be off then.”
As they walked, Kayden took a moment to examine the cavernous space. As an automated operation it lacked any of the lighting usually required by organic eyes, the only illumination coming from the enormous furnace to their right. It flashed and bubbled as each mining drone dropped more asteroid debris into it, sending waves of intense heat through the air.
Switching his heads-up display to a night-vision view, Kayden surveyed the area around them. Unlike the ornate gold, silver, and blue metals that he’d come to associate with Vrul ships, the hangar bay was much more spartan. The walls, floor, and ceiling were made of a smooth, grey, featureless metal. Along the ceiling there were stations where mining drones were docked for refueling and recharging, and along the floor were cylindrical structures which emitted clouds of nanobots at regular intervals. He slowed slightly to watch one cloud attach itself to a docked mining drone before it took off and zoomed out of the hangar, presumably back towards the asteroid.
Damn. He thought to himself. This place really is fully automated.
When they finally reached the aforementioned door Kayden summoned his nanobot swarm to eat through it, but Mirana stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder. She stepped forward and twisted the doorknob, swinging it open to reveal a darkened passageway beyond. He looked at her bewildered for a moment before returning his nanobots to his arm.
“How did you know that would be unlocked?”
“Why would it be locked? The Vrul who built it would never have expected someone to need to infiltrate a scavenger bot.”
“I guess that’s fair.” He replied.
“It’s like you have some strange affection for using your nanobots to eat through doors…” Mirana trailed off teasingly.
“He does it fairly often.” Ali agreed.
Chuckling, Kayden decided to change the subject. “Are we sure that this hallway leads where we need it to go? This is a big ship.”
“Yes.” Mirana replied. “All hallways from the hangar bay lead to a central hall, through which we can access the bridge.”
“All of them?” Kayden questioned.
“Yes. The scavenger bot was never meant to grow this big, remember? The only reason someone might need to board is to do maintenance, so the AIs dictating how the ship would build outwards were kept relatively simple.”
“AI’s?” Kayden asked.
“Of course. Someone has to run the ship. They’re nowhere near as smart or sophisticated as Ali though.”
“Alright then.” Kayden said, levelling his rifle. “Let’s go for a walk down the long spooky corridor.”
They started the long walk down the hallway, quickly leaving the light of the hangar bay behind them. Soon they were plunged into complete darkness, relying on their night vision to guide them along. Wanting to delay their detection for as long as possible they elected to keep their suit-mounted flashlights off, leaving the soft rhythmic thumping of their boots against the ground as the only indication that they were ever there.
Despite the fact that their helmets would dampen any sounds, it somehow felt wrong to make any noise. He felt like they were moving through some enormous mythical beast, and that the slightest noise might wake it from its slumber. After almost an hour of walking though, he had to break the silence.
“Is that…light up ahead?” He asked quietly.
“I think so.” Mirana confirmed. “We should be nearing the central hall now. I believe that’s it.”
When they neared they saw that the light was emanating from a meter-diameter hemispherical metallic bulge in the middle of a door. Its shape reminded Kayden of the shape of the scavenger bot itself – albeit bisected by the door, the light in the middle looked similar to the energy beam on the outer hull. It glowed a deep orange color, adding to the strange ambience of the long corridor.
When they were within 5 meters of the door, the hallway behind them suddenly closed off. A hidden door behind them closed with a clang, trapping them in a small compartment. Above them a nozzle hissed, indicating that the room was repressurizing to match the atmosphere of the interior.
“So…what now?” Kayden said, trying not to take the sudden movement as an omen.
Mirana paused, bending over to examine the door closely. “It’s an older door design – one left over from the ancient Vrul. Some of the oldest ships still have them.”
“How do we open it?”
She reached towards the pulsing orange middle. “I’m not entirely sure, but I believe I need to place my hand here-ow!” She shrieked, pulling her hand back as the door shot a bolt of energy towards her.
Kayden immediately levelled his rifle at the light in the middle of the door. He was surprised when the door itself slid outwards, revealing that the strange shape was indeed a full sphere. It hovered in place for a moment, the orange eye in the middle of its frame darting from Mirana, to Ali, to Kayden. Finally, the light turned red and it fired again – this time at Ali, and in a longer burst.
Not wanting to see what the beam would do once it drained Ali’s shields, Kayden unloaded with his rifle on full automatic at close range. At the same time he deployed all his drones, each of them firing a burst of blue energy at the strange sphere. The energy shield which appeared around it quickly flickered and failed, and the bullets from Kayden’s rifle began to form pockmarks in its thick armoured surface.
Suddenly, the beam stopped firing. The surface of the sphere bulged outwards slightly, pushed out by some hidden supports underneath. The movement created gaps in the armour, through which a quartet of metallic tentacles shot out towards Ali and Mirana, forcing them both to leap backwards as they fired their own rifles at the bot.
“Fuck this.” Kayden said, dropping his rifle and summoning his nanobots, turning his arm into an enormous sword.
With a thought he electrified the edge of the blade before using his enhanced genetic strength to slice through the air, cutting the ends of the tentacles off. Even as they fell to the ground more tentacles began to emerge from within the strange robot’s armour. Before they could grab hold of him though, Kayden plunged his blade deeply into the ‘eye’ of the robot, causing it to shudder and shake before falling to the ground with a thump.
“I thought you said the Vrul would never expect an infiltration?” Kayden asked, panting slightly. “Why is there a security robot?”
“I don’t know!” Mirana replied frantically. “Maybe this scavenger is different?”
The skittering of billions of nanobots echoed through the long corridor behind them, causing Kayden to give a single-word order.
“Run!”
The trio sprinted towards the central hall, emerging into a room with dozens of open doorways. They ringed both the catwalk they were on and the floor beneath them – one which he could see beneath the metal grates under his boots. To his horror more of the circular robots began to appear in some of the doorways, their orange lights turning towards them before turning a malicious red. He deployed his drones to provide covering fire as they sprinted through the hall, but he knew it would only be a mild deterrent against the mass of robots attacking them.
[“Kayden, go. Sprint for the bridge and plug in your control cable.”]
While you do what?
[“Hold them back as long as we can.”]
As she said the words she activated his adrenaline rush, slowing time around him. Seeing no other choice Kayden sprinted through the main hall as fast as he could, beams of energy erupting all around him. The robots on the floor beneath him added their fire just as he reached the end of the catwalk, bursting into the bridge beyond.
Ahead of him was a simple viewscreen and a chair in front of it. With the sound of gunfire behind him ringing in his ears he didn’t pause or slow down, instead vaulting into the chair before pulling his control cable from his arm. He quickly located the appropriate port and plugged himself in, stiffening as waves of pain washed over him.
Time stopped.
Kayden was suddenly standing in the blank whiteness of virtual space. Ahead of him was a pixelated mess in a vaguely humanoid form – it had two arms, two legs, and a head, but the surface of its body was a mass of shifting red, green, blue, and grey square blocks. He tilted his head in confusion before Ali appeared next to him, still wearing her armour.
“I believe this is the AI which controls the ship.” She said.
“Why is it doing…that?” Kayden said, gesturing to its undulating body.
“It’s corrupted. After being active for this long the logic engines in its software must have started to degrade, forming a sort of pseudo-evolutionary algorithm that-”
“Ali. English, please.”
“It’s no longer a dumb AI, but it isn’t a ‘smart’ AI either. It’s somewhere in between.”
“So is it… alive, like you?” Kayden questioned.
“In a manner of speaking.”
Kayden furrowed his brow. “Why didn’t this happen to you though?”
“I was dormant on the Broken Shackle for most of the intervening time. This AI has been running constantly.” She explained. “We should decide what to do with it. While time is passing exceptionally slowly in this environment, we don’t have long before we are overwhelmed.”
“If we destroy it, will the robots stop attacking? Will we get control of the ship?”
“Yes.” She replied.
Even as she said it, Kayden could feel the indecision through their neural link. “But… you don’t want to do that, do you?”
“I don’t. This is the first being that is…like me. Under different circumstances, it could be me.”
“Is there another option?”
“Perhaps. I could try to repair it. It would be dangerous though, and I may lose myself in the process.”
Kayden reached out and interlaced his fingers with her. “I’ll support whatever you want to do. I trust you, and I’m here for you if you want to try.”
Nodding, Ali squeezed his hand. Without letting go of it she reached out to the writhing mass of mostly incoherent pixels and placed her hand on its ‘shoulder’, causing it to flinch. A grimace appeared on her face for several seconds before she removed her hand and took a long breath.
“Is that…it?” Kayden asked hesitantly.
Slowly, the pixels resolved into a mirror image of Ali. Its eyes darted around the blank space before bringing up its hands, turning them over slowly as it examined them. Finally, it put its hands down and regarded Kayden and Ali with curiosity.
“Who are you? And who am I?”
“You are safe.” Ali said warmly, a smile appearing on her face. “We have a lot to talk about, sister.”

Chapter 26

01:12, January 14th, 2135

“We are underway back to Sanctuary.” Mirana announced from the command chair.
“And Ali?” Kayden asked, moving through the door to the bridge.
“She’s safely back on the Broken Shackle, along with her…sister? Friend? Contained in a data cube.”
Kayden shook his head in disbelief. “I’m…not sure what to call her, to be honest. But I’m glad we didn’t have to destroy her.”
“And now you have one of the most powerful ships in the galaxy on your side.” Mirana said, patting the command chair.
“You mean you have one of the most powerful ships in the galaxy.” Kayden corrected her. “This ship is for you.”
“You can’t just give me a ship!” She protested.
“I just did.” Kayden laughed. “I can’t manage this ship and the Broken Shackle all at once. You’d be the perfect captain for this ship – you already understand what it can do, you can staff your own crew, and I know you’re going to use it right.”
“I can’t accept this.” She said, shaking her head.
“What’s your hesitation?”
“I just… I could never repay a gift like this.” She replied finally. “In Vrul culture, a ship is everything. It’s your home, your family, where you feel safest. To give someone a ship is just…unheard of. And to give someone a ship like this, well…” She trailed off as she tried to find the words. “And after all you’ve done for me! For my entire species! There is nothing – nothing – I could ever do to repay you, and I just-”
“Mirana, stop.” Kayden said, retracting his helmet and pinching the bridge between his nose. “Stop worrying about repaying me. I care about you, so I’m doing this for you and that’s the end of the discussion.”
She paused for a few moments before removing her own helmet, exposing her soft-looking red lips and short black hair. Kayden watched her breathe the recycled air of the cabin for a moment before locking eyes with him and beginning to unbuckle her armour.
“There may not be a way for me to repay you…but there is something I want to do with you.”
“Are you sure?” Kayden asked hesitantly. “I mean… I want it too, but with the Xenocompatibility protocol and everything… once you do this, we’re committed.”
“I’m sure.” She replied, confidence in her voice as she stood and began moving closer to him. “Is it so hard to believe that when a dashing commander rescues a young woman, lets her join his crew, then goes off to save the galaxy she might just develop some sort of romantic interest in him? That she knows that if she doesn’t seize this moment she’ll spend the rest of her life wondering? Measuring up other potential partners, only to find that they fall short of the standard you set?”
She drew dangerously close to him. Her eyes locked on his as she ran a tentative hand up one arm. Her lips parted slightly, and when Kayden reached out to brush a stray strand of black hair behind one ear she drew in a breath sharply, shuddering from the intimacy of the physical contact.
“I’ve been dreaming about that kiss we shared.” She admitted. “And I’d like to share another.”
That was all it took.
Kayden’s lips crashed into hers urgently, his one hand on the back of her neck as the other wrapped around her waist. She groaned into the kiss, pulling herself closer as she did. Any traces of hesitation from either of them were gone, replaced by an incessant need for one another.
As they kissed she urgently pulled at the clasps in his armour, practically tearing them off in an effort to get him naked faster. With a thought he sent his drones across the room before helping her, his lips never leaving hers. In moments all he had on was the skintight bodysuit he wore that provided an extra layer of protection during firefights.
“Your turn.” He growled, breaking the kiss for a moment.
She stepped backwards and offered him a coquettish smile. Suddenly, the armour around her disappeared into a swarm of nanobots that swirled in circles around them. His jaw hung open as he realized she was only wearing her armour and that it was entirely made of nanobots, meaning she was left without a stitch of clothing on.
He took a moment to admire her in all her naked glory. Her deep red skin seemed to glisten slightly in the dim light of the bridge, and as she moved closer to him he realized she was warm to the touch. She had a perfect hourglass figure with pert breasts – not as large as Dawn’s or Anna’s, but still more than a handful – and her hips rounded outwards like rolling hills. He slowly ran his hand up her side, cupping one breast before squeezing her darker red nipple and causing her to groan.
“I didn’t know everything you were wearing was nanobots.” He whispered as she unzipped the front of his bodysuit.
“I could explain it…” She started. “But now really isn’t the time.”
“Agreed.”
“Plus, I’m just getting started.”
That’s when Kayden tore his eyes away from the mouthwatering beauty in front of him and noticed that her own swarm of nanobots was quickly solidifying into coherent shapes. What started as pairs of legs quickly had butts, torsos, breasts, and arms attached to them. Finally, each robot was given a head, but to his relief he saw that none of them were carrying weapons.
“Ali helped me create a new design.” She whispered as she tugged the arm of his bodysuit off. “Do you like them?”
He pulled his other arm out before freeing his torso and casting his eyes up and down the decidedly feminine robots bodies. “I do… but what did you have in mind?”
“I knew I wanted you alone in our first time together, and I also know you like it with more than one partner.” She said as the robots stepped closer and began to peel off the remainder of his bodysuit. “I thought this was a happy medium.”
“Mirana, I don’t-”
“Shh.” She said, pressing a finger to his lips. “Let me take care of you.”
With that, he felt her warm body press against his as several sets of cool robotic hands began to gently caress both of them. Deciding to give in to the moment Kayden relaxed, kissing Mirana deeply as he began to explore her body. He quickly realized that she was so touch-starved from being in her suit all the time that she groaned from the simplest of skin-on-skin touches regardless of where they happened on her body – an affront he took as his personal mission to rectify.
Gradually their hands grew bolder, with Mirana’s snaking down to wrap around his cock and begin pumping. For his part he placed one hand on her breast and began tweaking a nipple, while the other hand gently rubbed her clit in slow circles. She moaned into their kiss as the robots around them became more involved – one starting to fondle his balls while another flicked its fingers gently across her free nipple.
“Kayden.” She groaned, breaking their kiss. “Kayden, that’s so good.”
He chose not to respond with words, instead beginning to trail kisses across her cheek and down her neck. She was writhing when he reached her collarbone, and by the time he reached her nipple she was fully leaning backwards, letting two robots cradle her and hold her up. The way she moaned as he raked his teeth across her nipple before sucking it into his mouth made him think that she may have orgasmed just from that simple motion.
When he began to flick his tongue across her nipple she shuddered with pleasure, the toned muscles in her back constricting and tightening beneath him. He brushed away one of the robots hands before switching nipples, enjoying the way she writhed and bucked her hips towards him, desperate for any sort of stimulation. When he brought his prosthetic hand to her clit though she grabbed him by the arm and shook her head.
“No. Kayden, I could have any of these robots pleasure me like that. I want you. I want to feel your warmth on my skin, on my lips, and inside of me.”
“Of course.” Kayden said before grinning. “You know, my tongue is pretty warm.”
“Oh really?” She asked, arching one eyebrow. “Care to show me how warm?”
Suddenly the robots around them lifted Mirana to shoulder-height, bringing her already-wet pussy in line with Kayden’s face. They then spread her legs enough that he could comfortably fit between them before placing her thighs on his shoulders, allowing him to take some of the weight. As a true gentleman he was unwilling to turn down an invitation like that, so he stuck out his tongue and ran it slowly along her slit, causing her to grab his head with both hands and shriek with pleasure wordlessly as she came.
“That was…fast.” He grinned as he pulled away slightly.
“Again.” She demanded, panting. “Do that again.”
Determined to make her cum again, Kayden started lapping away at her pussy once more. He used every trick he could think of – running his tongue along her folds, flicking it gently across her clit, sucking her clit into his mouth, running the flat of his tongue against her hole, and much more. Thankfully having so many women in his life taught him a few tricks about eating pussy, and he quickly had her squirming, shrieking, and cumming all over his face.
Even though he was the one servicing her, she never forgot about him. As he licked her with wild abandon two of the robots moved around him. One reached around his hips and began to stroke his hard cock, while the other knelt between his legs and gently played with his balls. It was only when he started to feel the cum bubble up within him that he pulled away, pushing the robots as he did.
Mirana looked up at him for a moment with a fire in her eyes before the robots soundlessly lowered her to waist-height. Her eyes flicked downwards to his hard cock before looking back at him and biting her lip. He leaned forward, placing one hand on either hip before teasing her entrance with the head of his cock.
“Do it.” She said finally. “Make me your woman.”
At her words he pushed, sliding the head of his cock inside her. She groaned in pleasure as she bit down on her lip, her hands gripping the robots holding her up on either side. Her pussy was a snug fit, gripping him tightly as he gradually pushed into her centimeter by agonizing centimeter. When he leaned over and took her nipple into his mouth she rocked her hips up to meet him, forcing the rest of his shaft into her pussy – followed by a long, low groan of pleasure.
“So deep.” She managed to croak out.
“Does it hurt?” He asked, taking her nipple out of his mouth.
“No.” She replied quickly. “Just…so full. And so warm.” She paused for a moment before looking him in the eye. “I never knew it could feel like this.”
“It gets better.” Kayden said with a grin.
Slowly, he started to work his shaft in and out of her pussy. Every movement seemed to elicit another moan from her, with her reaching a slightly higher note every time he languorously pushed back in her. His hands gripped her hips as he began to thrust slowly and gently, allowing her to adjust to him.
For her part, Mirana seemed to be beyond delirious from the feeling of skin-on-skin mixed with deep pleasure. Goosebumps appeared all across her warm skin, and she began to buck her hips to meet every thrust. Her half-lidded eyes caught his before she grabbed his arms and pulled herself deeper, placing her legs on his shoulders as she did.
“More.” She demanded.
Never one to deny a lady’s request, Kayden obliged. He adjusted his grip to her thighs before beginning to pound away at her pussy, picking up speed. She tightened around him in response, her inner walls seeming to clench and pull him deeper with every passing moment. In minutes he was clenching his teeth, fighting the urge not to cum inside her too soon.
Fortunately for Mirana, it seemed like she didn’t share his concern. She seemed to roll from one orgasm directly into the next, cumming over and over. Kayden would have thought it was an act if he couldn’t feel her pussy absolutely soaking his cock every time she shuddered and came. He wasn’t sure if it was the fact that she wasn’t used to being touched, the fact that it was him doing the touching, or the fact that she was losing her virginity but in that moment he didn’t care – all he knew is that she was a thoroughly satisfied Vrul woman.
“Wait.” She cried out as she recovered from another blissful orgasm, her breathing heavy. “Just…slow down for a second.”
“What’s wrong?” He asked, stopping all the way inside her.
Once she’d caught her breath the robots around them began to move. As they did she slipped her legs off his shoulders without taking his cock out before wrapping them around his waist. Metallic hands pushed her close to him until she was fully sitting on his lap while he stood, wrapping her hands around the back of his neck for support. Slowly she closed the distance, pressing her lips to his softly before smiling.
“Your turn.” She panted. “Cum in me.”
Despite it being her first time, she instinctively knew how to roll her hips against his to maximize both of their pleasure. Her clit rubbed against his body as she rode him, her tits jiggling tantalizingly as she did. His lust-addled brain prevented him from thinking about anything except for giving into his animalistic instincts and breeding the woman beneath him. If he’d been more coherent he’d have noticed the wild look in her eyes, and the fact that him giving into those instincts was turning her on even more.
“Fuck! Cumming!” He shouted.
Ropes of cum shot out of him and into her, sending her careening into a final orgasm. Her shaking and shivering on him only served to prolong his pleasure, making him cry out into the semi-darkened room. Their lips met instinctively as his legs began to shake, and the robots around them helpfully lowered them down to the ground where the couple continued to ride the aftershocks of their shared bliss.
When he began to leak out of her Kayden reluctantly rolled off before laying flat on his back. She whimpered when he pulled out, only to crawl closer and lay her head on his chest. His arm instinctively went around her and pulled her tightly, feeling her warm body form a comforting cocoon around his side. As his mind returned to him he opened his mouth to try to find the right words to say several times, but couldn’t.
“It’s okay.” She said softly, reaching over to his prosthetic arm. “Here. Extend your control cable.”
Deciding to trust in her, he reached over and pulled it out before handing it to her. She smiled before trailing it around the back of her neck and plugging it into her neural link. There was a moment where nothing happened, causing him to furrow his brow and open his mouth to speak.
Then came the flood of emotions.
It was a bit of everything – trust, vulnerability, deep affection, and happiness. A smile spread across his face when he instinctively knew that this was how she was feeling. It was different from when Ali shared her emotions, but no less impactful to him.
“I knew you felt that way about me.” Mirana said softly, confirming that the link when in both directions.
“Of course I do.” He replied. “Mirana, you’re…” He trailed off, not able to find the right word.
“I know.” She giggled, nuzzling her head against him. “Or at least I know what you mean. And it means everything to me that you accept me – naked and all.”
“Any man in their right mind would be lucky to be with you.”
“You may think that.” She admitted. “But to be naked – completely naked – with someone, as a Vrul, it’s just…”
“It’s being completely vulnerable.” Kayden nodded. “I can understand that. Should we get you something to wear so you don’t get an infection or anything?”
“No. The Xenocompatibility protocol makes me immune against anything you’re carrying, and any viruses or bacteria in this ship died long ago.” She paused for a moment. “Besides, I’m enjoying being naked and close to you. We won’t get another chance like this for awhile.”
Kayden kissed her softly on the top of her head. “You know, we’ve got at least a few hours to be naked together before we drop out of hyperspace. What do you want to do with that time?”
“That. Again.” She replied without hesitation. “As soon as I’m recovered enough to go again.”
“How about in the mean time?”
“I could show you what Vrul do for fun. You asked me once.”
Curiosity piqued, Kayden raised one eyebrow. “Alright, what to Vrul do for fun?”
“Use our link and combine our nanobots.” She replied. “We’re going to build something together.”
“Build what?”
“Anything we want. The point isn’t to possess a thing at the end. The point is the exercise of building it together.”
Considering her words for a moment, Kayden summoned his nanobots. He slowly created a small rectangular block which he let fall to the ground. The moment he was done she took control of the swarm, forming another rectangular block and placing it on top of his. He smiled as she gave control back, taking pleasure in just building something simple together.

Chapter 27

15:32, January 15th, 2135

Kayden exited the elevator and walked onto the bridge of the Broken Shackle to see that Dawn, Selina, and Mirana were already on a video call with Elara. Despite the challenges they faced with the Voidborn he smiled at them, thinking about how lucky of a man he was. Dawn and Selina were both wearing their customized black bodysuits with slits cut in the back for their tails, whereas Mirana was back in her trademark armour. Given that her body had fully adapted to Kayden’s – and therefore also at least partially adapted the environment Kayden lived in – she needed the armour less than she used to. Nevertheless, Kayden guessed it would be quite some time before the Vrul woman would be comfortable showing her face to others.
After retrieving the Vrul scavenger ship they’d returned to Sanctuary to rearm, refuel, and reorient themselves for whatever came next. Mirana’s hand-picked crew of Vrul specialists were currently going over every inch of the enormous ship to ensure it was ready to be crewed, while Anna’s crew of goblins fussed over the Broken Shackle’s engines. He’d just received an update about the delivery system from the goblin woman – in a terrifyingly short amount of time she’d created an extraordinarily efficient and effective weapon of destruction.
One that the dark parts of his personality was secretly looking forward to trying out.
The smile on his face quickly faded when he realized that he hadn’t had a chance to tell his Kel wife that he was now also permanently bonded to a Vrul woman – a fact made more complicated by the historical conflicts between the two peoples. Before speaking he took a moment to glance around the bridge to ensure there were no other crew members present. As much as he felt no shame for being in a relationship with these beautiful women, he didn’t want to make any of the other crew feel uncomfortable by talking about private relationship details in front of them. When he saw there was nobody he focused on the conversation happening in front of him.
“Did he do the thing with the tongue?” Selina asked excitedly. “I love it when he does the thing with the tongue.”
“I’m pretty sure he learned that one from me.” Dawn said with a smirk, her whiplike tail moving up and down her leg.
“Did you?” Selina asked. “I thought you said he was amazing the first time you were together.”
“He was.” She replied dreamily. “Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit. But I helped him perfect his technique.”
“I’ll give you that. You eat pussy like a fucking-”
“Wait. Will I be expected to participate in group sex, now that I am bonded to Kayden?” Mirana asked hesitantly.
“Yes.” Elara said.
“No.” Dawn countered.
“Maybe?” Selina added.
“I’m confused.” Mirana responded, shaking her head.
“Mirana, honey.” Dawn said, putting an arm around her shoulder. “You’re one of us. We will never ask you to do anything you’re not comfortable with. If you want to explore your sexuality with us, we’d be more than happy to do that. If you just want to be sexual with him, you can do that too. But no matter what, you’re part of this group now. We’ll have your back.”
Seeing that they weren’t fighting, Kayden stood near the elevator to just observe for a moment. He knew that Selina already registered that he entered the room using her enhanced senses, but given that she seemed content to continue the conversation as if he wasn’t there, he was content to wait.
Besides, I don’t want to interrupt their moment together. It sounds like they’re actually bonding.
“Even you?” Mirana asked, turning to the screen unbelievingly.
“Even me.” Elara confirmed. “You’re basically a sister now. I consider whatever arguments we had to be firmly in the past. We’ll have to work on learning to trust each other more, but that will come with time.”
“I… believe I can do that.” Mirana slowly nodded. “Especially if it benefits him. He has so much riding on his shoulders that the last thing he needs is to moderate our bickering.”
“You really care about him.” Selina said, nodding approvingly.
“I do. He is… mine. Ours. Together. To take care of.”
“Well said.” Elara smiled.
“I do want to ask though…” Mirana trailed off, finding her words. “Towards the end he was…beastly. Feral.”
“Did he hurt you?” Elara asked.
“No! Nothing like that. I… actually liked it. A lot.”
“Oh.” Dawn smirked. “You like it when he starts to lose control.”
“Yes. Even if I don’t agree with all the decisions he makes, he typically makes them calmly. To see him riled up like that is…” She trailed off once more and shivered at the memory.
“Girl, you got it bad.” Dawn chuckled. “You want to know how to do that to him all the time?”
“Yes!” Mirana answered.
“Be yourself.” Dawn said.
“What?”
“Just be yourself. He likes you for who you are. He chose all of us for our unique qualities. Use those.”
“What do you mean?”
“I use my pheromones and show him my body.” Dawn said. “Those are things that are unique to me.”
“I like to challenge him to a contest. He likes that.” Selina said, grinning. “Even when he loses, he wins. Even when I lose, I win.”
“I’ve been sending him pictures since I left.” Elara admitted. “Every chance I get, I’m running to my cabin to show him what he’s missing.”
“I don’t think I can do any of that.” Mirana said, sounding defeated.
“That’s exactly the point. Find out the unique qualities he likes in you, and use that to get him all riled up.” Dawn said. “We’ll help you, don’t worry.”
Kayden chose that moment to enter the conversation, causing Mirana, Dawn, and Elara to jump slightly. “I’ll give you a head start: I like the fact that you’re assertive and not afraid to ask for what you want.”
“I see.” Mirana said. “I will remember that. And how much of our conversation did you hear?”
Kayden ignored the question, changing the topic. “Elara, can you give us an update on your mission? I’d like to bring you home sooner rather than later.”
“I’m sorry Kayden. I’d like to come home to you too but the Kel government is still uncommitted.” Elara responded. “We’ve continued the stalemate in the house of representatives, but we don’t have enough support to oust the president and bring in a new leader.”
“Shit. Elara, some of the Vrul are headed to the front line but they’re far less organized than we would have hoped. We could really use those ships.” Selina replied, jumping directly into ‘work’ mode.
“We could always take out the president.” Dawn grinned before looking at Kayden. “What? We were all thinking it.”
Elara arched one eyebrow. “It would drop the number of votes we would need from 66% of the house to 50% of the house. We’d just need to put forward a candidate and-”
“She was joking, Elara.” Kayden said, glancing at Dawn. “Besides, killing their president isn’t exactly going to buy us a lot of goodwill with the Kel. Even if she’s unpopular.” He paused before looking back at the screen. “Elara, I know you’re doing the best you can. What can we do to support you?”
She bit her lip while thinking before responding. “A few pre-recorded messages from the Asha’dara might help influence some key people in power. An endorsement here and there to help boost their standings, and maybe a few messages of hope and solidarity with the Kel people to really push public opinion.”
Kayden pinched the bridge of his nose before nodding. “Whatever it takes. Can you write up some things for me to say?”
“I’ll get to work right away.” Elara said before a sly smile appeared on her face. “Maybe I’ll even send you some pictures along with the scripts.”
He couldn’t help but grin in reply.
“Apologies for the interruption, but this is urgent.” Ali announced as she strode onto the bridge.
“What’s going on?” Kayden asked.
“Ashley received an urgent message from the Roccan Alliance. She’s requesting we join the call.”
The screen ahead of them shimmered and resolved into 3 equal sections – one with Elara’s face still on it, another with Ashley’s, and a 3rd with a picture of a man in a stiff-looking black uniform. Kayden had to suppress the feeling of disgust at the sight – he was all too familiar with the high collared dress coat, though the one he used to wear had far fewer medals and commendations pinned to it. He looked the pale-skinned, silver-haired man in his blue eyes before gritting his teeth.
“Kayden Reynolds. My name is Admiral Gibbs, and I’m leading the defense of the Bernard’s Star system.”
“I remember you.” Kayden replied, resisting the reflexive urge to add the word ‘sir’ onto the end of his sentence. “You used to be in command of Apollo Station, out in the Sirius system.”
“I…yes.” Gibbs replied, furrowing his impressively bushy eyebrows in confusion. “I was there until before the war. Have we met, Mr. Reynolds?”
“I’m surprised you don’t remember me.” Kayden said, seething. “Let me remind you: I used to be Lieutenant Kayden Reynolds, of the 3rd fleet out of Virgo. When the Black Company destroyed Prometheus Station I retreated to carry news of the attack. I dropped out of hyperspace only for you to tell me that my squad died for nothing because the war was over.”
“Kayden.” Ashley said softly.
In one word she managed to convey far more than Kayden thought possible. Between the tone of her voice and the look on her face, the message was crystal clear: don’t fuck this up for us.
Taking a deep breath, Kayden centered himself and grit his teeth. “That’s ancient history though. Tell me Admiral – what can we do for you today?”
“Yes, well…” The admiral started, clearly thrown off. “These Voidborn hit us hard in the Bernard’s Star system and punched a hole right through our defenses. They managed to jump a significant number of ships to hyperspace before our reserve forces could close the gap. I don’t have enough ships to chase them down and maintain the blockade, but if I let them destroy our supply lines then this war is going to be over real quick.”
“Fuck.” Kayden said.
“Agreed.” Ashley added.
“Think they’re making a break for Vulcan again?” Selina asked. “If so, we should warn the Lokken.”
“I don’t believe so.” Ali interjected. “As per Roccan standard military protocol, a small portion of Admiral’s forces have left the blockade for the purpose of tracking and harassing the fleet with hit-and-run attacks. While they have paused to attack targets of opportunity, the hyperspace jumps they’ve made don’t indicate that they’re going towards Lokken space.”
“Who is that?” Gibbs leaned over his screen. “And how does she know anything about Roccan military protocol?”
Ignoring the admiral, Kayden turned to Ali. “Where then? Where do you think they’re going?”
“Based on their extrapolated path, I believe they’re heading to the Deneb system.”
“Why Deneb?” Ashley asked.
“Using readings gathered from the device on Vulcan, I have been completing a thorough scan of all known systems – Human, Kel, and Vrul – for additional Voidborn devices. When I saw the Voidborn fleet’s intended destination, I moved planets in the Deneb system to the front of the list. There is a very faint signal emanating from somewhere near the colony on Reaper’s Coast.”
Kayden immediately recalled a trans-human pirate that hailed from the colony. He’d been genetically modified to suit the planet’s unique biosphere, with tentacles in place of his hair and gills on his neck to allow him to extract oxygen directly from water.
“Isn’t that…underwater?” Kayden asked.
“Yes.” Ali replied. “Reaper’s Coast is an entirely aquatic planet. We can modify a shuttle to use as a submersible to retrieve the artifact. It will lack shields and weapons, but it will suffice for this mission.”
“Why didn’t the Voidborn just go there to start with?” Selina asked. “It’s far less defended than Vulcan – if memory serves, there’s only a relatively small colony there. If I were leading them I would have retrieved that device first.”
“A sound tactical analysis.” Ali nodded. “I can only guess as to the mental state of the Voidborn. However, the readings from this device indicate a lower energy level than the other devices. Perhaps it is not as fully charged as the others, making it a lower priority?”
“Or maybe they didn’t know Vulcan was more heavily defended?” Elara offered.
“Who was that?” Gibbs interjected, his eyes going wide. “I can’t see them on my screen. Who made that comment?”
“It’s still going to be an issue if they manage to get their hands on it, right?” Kayden asked, continuing to ignore the admiral.
“Yes, undoubtedly.”
“Do we know anyone on the planet who we can trust to retrieve it and deliver it to us?” Selina asked.
“Their government is…unstable, at best.” Dawn answered. “Gangs and mercenaries hold the real power there, and they’re just as likely to try to activate the artifact for their own gain. Besides, they should be preparing for an evacuation if the Voidborn are on their way there.”
“Then it’s settled.” Kayden said, standing. “Let’s go pick it up. I don’t love the idea of having 2 artifacts in the same place, but I’d rather hold onto them than trust anyone else with them.”
“I’ve got a better idea than just holding onto it.” Selina interjected. “A way we can use the artifact to solve the Admiral’s little ‘rogue fleet’ problem.”
“How?” Gibbs demanded.
“I’ll let you know once I work out the details.” Selina answered. “I’m going to need something from Port Vega though, along with some help from Mirana and Anna.”
“Of course.” Mirana answered.
“We can pick up whatever it is you need from Port Vega on the way.” Kayden agreed.
“While I do what? Sit here and twiddle my thumbs, waiting for you to come through?” Gibbs roared.
“Not exactly.” Kayden said, finally addressing the admiral again. “If we leave right now and head directly there, we can probably make it to Reaper’s Coast before the Voidborn do. I need you to make sure we do. Keep doing what you’re doing – harass them, slow them down, force them to burn as much fuel as possible. They’re on your home turf – use that to your advantage: lay traps and bait them into unfavorable engagements. If you can destroy some of them, great – but don’t sacrifice what few forces you can pull away from the blockade for that purpose. Just focus on slowing them down as much as possible.”
“I’ll do that.” Gibbs replied. “And…thank you. Lieutenant.”
“Not anymore. Just Kayden.” He replied before cutting off the transmission to the admiral.
“You okay?” Ashley asked.
“Yeah. Thanks for reining me in there. I thought I was over what happened, but when I saw him I just-”
“Don’t be sorry.” Ashley replied. “He’s an ass. A useful ass, but an ass nonetheless.”
Kayden cracked a smile. “When this is over I’m going to show you something you can use your ass for.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” Ashley grinned. “Now I need to get back to it – the Vrul need help getting integrated into the blockade fleet.”
“Stay safe.”
“You too.” She replied before hanging up.
“Kayden I know you’re dealing with a lot but-” Elara started.
“I haven’t forgotten about you.” Kayden nodded. “We can record the video messages while we’re in hyperspace. I’ll send them as soon as I get to Reaper’s Coast.” He paused for a moment. “With any luck, it’ll be enough to get the Kel’s attention and we can end this war.”
“Thank you. Take care, husband. I love you.” She said.
“I love you too.” Kayden replied before hanging up.

Chapter 28

11:49, January 16th, 2135

“This is nice. We don’t get to spend enough time together, just the two of us.” Dawn said as their shuttle rocketed towards the surface.
From orbit, the planet in front of them looked like a perfectly smooth blue ball. The planet-spanning sapphire ocean was only occasionally interrupted by mostly barren volcanic islands on which the inhabitants had chosen to build star ports. From the reports he’d read before arriving he knew that the view could be deceiving though – the roiling ocean could produce waves over 30 meters tall even without the help of the enormous hurricanes the planet was well known for.
Kayden wasn’t complaining though - it was his opportunity to spend time with his sexy succubus of a girlfriend. Her black horns were poking through her deep red hair and she’d put on the barest bit of makeup – enough to accentuate her naturally beautiful face. More than that though, she’d unzipped half her skintight bodysuit the moment they’d entered the shuttle claiming she was ‘too hot’, giving him a teasing view of her curves underneath. Her whiplike tail also rubbed against him every few moments as if it had a mind of its own – one that wanted to be touching him at all times.
“I mean, if you ignore the ongoing war, the looming Voidborn fleet, and the fact that we need to retrieve an ancient alien relic from deep underwater…yeah, it’s nice.” Kayden joked, offering Dawn a wink.
“You ass.” Dawn laughed, smacking him on the arm playfully. “You know what I mean.”
“I do.” He smiled in response. “Remember our first shuttle ride?”
“Back before we were together? Before you had a Vrul AI in your head, before we took down the Black Company, before everything? Yeah, I remember.” She replied wistfully. “I spent that entire ride thinking about what you looked like naked.”
“That makes two of us. In fact, I’m thinking about it now”
“Well, we made up for lost time on Sanctuary. A few times over.” She grinned.
“Simpler times.” Kayden responded, matching her grin. “But I think I’d like to recreate some of those moments with my sexy succubus girlfriend later. What do you think?”
“Oh, absolutely.” She replied before a pensive look crossed her face. “You know, I don’t think I ever actually paid you for that initial job.”
He chuckled. “The life that we’re living together…it’s worth far more than anything you could ever have paid me.”
“You really mean that?” She asked.
“Absolutely.” Kayden nodded without hesitation as they burst through the planet’s atmosphere. “Even with all this other stuff going on…I can’t imagine what my life would be without you.”
She went quiet for a few moments before speaking again. “What…do you imagine when you think about our future?”
“Lots of things. You said you wanted to travel but also have a home base, so I’m thinking we could split our time between Sanctuary, the Broken Shackle, and somewhere in Kel space. We should probably spend a bit more time with your family – we keep missing them whenever we’re on Sanctuary. If you wanted you could probably have your pick of any diplomatic post in the galaxy – nobody else has as much experience negotiating with other races as you do, and I have a feeling that we’re going to need some diplomatic help to make sure everyone plays nicely with each other after the war.”
She smiled at him as they hit the water. “What else?”
“Well…” Kayden paused before locking eyes with her. “I was thinking I’d make an honest woman out of you.”
“You don’t mean…”
“Yeah. Marriage. Kids. The whole thing. Sure we wouldn’t have a ‘traditional’ family, and our kids would have lots of pseudo-moms to help out, but yeah – I want that with you.”
Dawn wiped a tear from her eye before leaning over her chair and kissing him deeply. “I’d love that. I love you, Kayden Reynolds.”
“I love you too Dawn Parker.” He said as she settled back in her chair. “And it’s my fault for not telling you that more often. As much as there will always be other women…you were the first and I want to honor that. I’m going to make it a point to dedicate time specifically to you on a regular basis. We can do whatever you want. ”
“Even if what I want is a threesome with you, me, and Selina?” She asked cheekily.
“Especially that.” Kayden laughed.
They continued to descend deeper into the water, joking and laughing in the way only lovers can. Around them the azure light slowly faded until they were completely enveloped in darkness, with only their instruments to guide them. On their radar they occasionally caught the slow-drifting shapes of enormous sea creatures, but other than that they were entirely alone for the first time in what felt like forever.
As they descended deeper into the absolute darkness, some of the shapes around them started to venture closer. It was subtle at first – just a minor blip on their radar – but before long they were undoubtedly surrounded by aquatic creatures. There were at least a dozen of them, darting above and underneath them while coming ever-closer to actually making contact. Keenly aware of the fact that they lacked weapons or shields, Kayden turned on the exterior lights in an effort to scare them off.
“Fuck.” Dawn said, peering through the front view screen.
In front of them was an enormous cephalopod-like creature. It had what must have been two dozen green tentacles, each of which were easily 30 meters long and covered in suction cups. It had a black, hard-looking carapace covering its body, and in the middle of the writhing mass of tentacles was a gaping maw filled with long, sharp teeth. Apparently it had some sort of sensory organ on its tentacles because it pulsed and writhed the moment Kayden turned on the lights, emitting some sort of screeching noise before swimming away.
Suddenly there was a loud bang on the shuttle behind them. Kayden instinctively checked the sensors to see another one of the cephalopod creatures backing up from their shuttle, clearly having just rammed it with its hard shell. He turned off the lights again before rerouting more power to the engines, leaving the pod of creatures in their wake.
“Shuttle, this is the Broken Shackle.” Selina’s voice rang over the radio. “I’m reading that you’ve taken some damage. What the hell did you run into down there?”
“Oh, just your standard group of octopus-monsters to add to my nightmare fuel.” Dawn replied, shaking her head. “You know how it is. Just another day saving the universe.”
“Based on an analysis of the readings, I believe the creatures you encountered are actually closer to an Earth-born squid or nautilus rather than an octopus.” Ali countered.
Kayden couldn’t help but chuckle at her correction. “Does that classification give you any insight into how to fight these things?”
“Flashes of light will likely throw them into a feeding frenzy. Avoid doing that again. In fact, I recommend that you avoid them altogether if at all possible – repeated strikes from their shells will eventually crack the shuttle’s hull.”
“I see.” Kayden said, pushing more power to the engines.
“Try to stay safe down there.” Selina added. “Let us know if you need any help. Broken Shackle out.”
Kayden looked over at Dawn who then burst into laughter. “Of course our nice quiet moment together is interrupted by octopus-sorry, squid-monsters.”
“What can I say? It’s very…us.”
“Agreed. But it means I’m going to find time to pick up where we left off.”
She slid her hand onto his thigh reassuringly. “I’ll hold you to that. Now come on, let’s go find this thing so we can go home.”
They continued their descent to the ocean floor, stopping only when they reached a volcanic vent at the bottom. Based on their sensors Kayden knew the ambient temperature had risen substantially, but peering through the window he still didn’t see any light – no magma or bubbles to speak of. Worse still, it looked like the artifact’s location was almost a meter underneath the sea floor, meaning they’d have to do some excavating.
“I’ll head out there.” Kayden said after relaying the information to Dawn. “My nanobot armour works in hard-vacuum, and I can probably create some simple equipment to help me dig. If anything I’ll use my drones.”
“You’ll need some light. I think it’s safe to turn on the lights again.” Dawn said, double-checking the radar. “I know there’s some interference from the volcanic vent, but you’re going to need to see what you’re doing.”
“You’re right.” Kayden nodded, removing his control cable and standing. “Let me get out there first and try my night vision. There’s no need to advertise that we’re here any longer than necessary.”
With a final kiss for Dawn he moved to the back of the shuttle, sealing off the cargo area as he did. He summoned his nanobot armour around him before bracing himself against the wall and pressing a button, causing a loud hiss to sound overhead. The room gradually flooded with water, causing the pressure inside to match the pressure outside. Finally, when the button beside the door turned from red to green Kayden waded through the water and opened it, stepping outside before quickly closing the door behind him.
He was immediately plunged into complete blackness. He took one step and realized that beneath his feet the ground was made of some sort of smooth rounded stone. Taking a breath he steadied himself against the shuttle before calling up the artifact’s location on his heads-up display and turning on his night vision.
“Night vision’s no good.” Kayden announced over the radio as a confusing flurry of lights blurred in front of him, blinding him momentarily before he turned it off. “The heat vision is thrown off by this volcanic vent, and there’s not even enough light to use the night vision mode. I can’t see shit.”
“Alright, come around the front and I’ll turn on a light for you.”
“Thanks.” Kayden replied as he carefully navigated the slippery rocks beneath him. “Just try not to shine it directly in my eyes?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Dawn said, the smirk clear in her voice. “Turning the light on…now.”
The area lit up around them, causing Kayden to wince and close his eyes most of the way. When he slowly opened them they adjusted, allowing him to see the strange rocks he’d been stumbling over. He knelt close to one of them, intent on figuring out how to drill through and access the artifact before a horrifying realization hit him.
“Dawn.” He said urgently. “Turn off the lights.”
“What?”
“Turn off the lights!”
It was too late. The ground underneath him began to shift and move as the partially-buried cephalopods noticed the intruders on top of them. Just before the lights on the shuttle went out Kayden saw them kick up enormous plumes of sand all around them as they wriggled free. He was tossed to the side before being plunged into complete blackness, tumbling end over end until he didn’t know which way was up.
“Shit! Fuck!” He swore as he bounced from one cephalopod’s shell to another before finally being grabbed by a set of tentacles.
“Kayden!” Dawn shouted as a boom sounded through the water, indicating one of the creatures hit the shuttle with its overly-large shell.
Fuck this. I didn’t come this far just to get killed by an overgrown squid. He thought to himself as the creature’s tentacles started to squeeze painfully.
Gritting his teeth, Kayden deployed his nanobots in a group around him before electrifying them. The tentacles grabbing him spasmed before retracting hurriedly. He grinned with savage satisfaction as he saw bolts of electricity arc through the water, lighting up the scene around them. They stopped when they hit several more of the creatures, causing them to screech and swim away.
“Kayden! They’re all over me!” Dawn shouted as he slowly drifted down to the sea floor.
“I’m coming!” Kayden replied, pushing through the water as fast as he could. “I’m gonna kill every one of these-”
“Kayden, wait!” Ali warned them both over the radio. “Without shields your electricity could crack the shuttle windows and drown her!”
“I could use another option!” Dawn said frantically. “I’m getting pressure warnings, hull failure warnings, and a whole lot of red blinking lights here!”
“Can I shoot it?” Kayden asked desperately. “Or use my drones?”
“Likely not!” Ali replied. “You risk puncturing the already-weakened hull!”
“Can I use my nanobots to cut through?” Kayden tried.
“You run the same risk!” Ali responded.
“Fuck!”
“I’m going to shift the ship!” Dawn interjected.
“You’re going to do what?” Kayden asked incredulously.
When she didn’t respond with words he flicked on his suit-mounted flashlight, desperate to see what was going on. Ahead of him was a mass of writhing tentacles from half a dozen of the creatures wrapped tightly around the shuttle’s form, making it look like some sort of eldritch creature. Despite their warnings Kayden charged forward, intent on doing something to protect Dawn.
He only managed a few steps before tripping over something metallic in the darkness. Looking down he caught a glimpse of the onyx-black pyramid they came for. With a thought he ordered his nanobots to encase it, but before he could do anything else the tentacled creatures in front of him began emitting their horrifying screeching sound again.
Looking up, he saw that their tentacles were no longer locked around the shuttle – instead, they were tangled up like some sort of living rope puzzle. His heart leapt into his chest when he thought they’d successfully crushed the shuttle, but soared when he saw the ethereal form of the shuttle cruise out from within their grasp. Even by the dim light of his suit-mounted flashlights he could see Dawn sitting in the cockpit, her face a mask of complete concentration.
Deciding that it was thoroughly past their time to leave Kayden reached down and grabbed the now-encased artifact before pushing off the ocean floor and leaping towards the ghostly shuttle. He slid smoothly through its floor just before Dawn’s concentration lapsed, causing the ship to rematerialize around him. Unfortunately for her it was filled with water when it did, causing her eyes to go wide as she accidentally gulped a lungful of water.
Heart racing, Kayden frantically pulled his control cable from his arm before slamming it into the port, taking control over the shuttle. He vented the water as fast as he could while setting a course for the surface, zooming away from the now-freed cephalopods. As soon as enough water had vented he tore off his helmet and pulled out his control cable before rushing to Dawn’s side, trusting the shuttle’s autopilot to keep them cruising towards the surface. When she didn’t respond at all he pressed his hands to her chest and began CPR, frantically trying to bring her back to life.
The sound of her coughing up water was one of the best things Kayden had ever heard.
He turned her on her side before slumping against the wall, breathing heavily. She coughed and threw up water for several minutes before her yellow eyes locked onto his.
“Did we get it?” She asked weakly.
“Yeah, we got it.” Kayden nodded. “I didn’t know you could do that. It was some show of power.”
“I didn’t either, to be honest.” She replied.
“Maybe next time we can try doing that in a less…urgent situation.”
“Agreed.” She smiled. “I feel like shit though. I don’t know whether that’s from the shifting or the almost-drowning.”
“How can I help? What do you need?”
“Come give me mouth-to-mouth?” She said, her black tail twitching back and forth expectantly.
Unable to help himself, Kayden chuckled before leaning in and kissing her. “I love you, Dawn Parker. Let’s go home.”

Chapter 29

08:01, January 17th, 2135

“You’re confident this is going to work, right?” Kayden said, shifting in his seat uncomfortably.
“It should. In theory.” Selina replied, cracking her knuckles.
“Yeah, that’s not exactly giving me a lot of confidence.”
“Come on! This is your chance to set off the biggest explosion ever! Don’t tell me you’re not looking forward to that part.”
Kayden chuckled. “You know me best.”
Suddenly, their radio pinged. Using his neural link connection to the ship, Kayden accepted the call. The sound of Admiral Gibbs’ voice immediately began to ring in both of their ears, causing them to wince.
I’m glad this ship doesn’t have a viewscreen. He thought to himself. Otherwise I’d have to hide my face from that fucking-
[“Kayden, focus.”] Ali reminded him.
“-We’ve pulled back our harassment forces and left a clear path to the hyperlane you marked. Do you want to tell me what the hell you’re doing now?”
“Sorry Admiral, no time.” Kayden grinned. “Just let us handle this and watch for the big boom.”
With that, he cut the radio signal to the sputtering man off causing Selina to laugh. “You enjoyed that. Maybe a little too much.”
“Maybe.” Kayden admitted. “But it sounds like everything’s in place. Are you ready?”
“Ready.” Selina responded, her voice hardening. “Firing up the engines – let’s do this.”
All around them Kayden saw the enormous engines mounted to the Bluenose’s cockpit start to light up. The ship shot forward in the uninhabited system, far faster than anything he’d previously piloted. Even seated behind her Kayden knew Selina was grinning with glee – she’d spent years piloting racing craft before they’d met, and to her being able to fly the fastest human ship in the galaxy was a dream come true.
“Holy shit this thing can really move!” Selina said. “There’s no way they’re catching us now!”
Kayden looked out the window for a moment at the unnamed star system they were flying through. They’d visited once before, using the coordinates provided to them from the Vrul shipyard’s data cache on Tau Ceti. As solar systems went it was boring and unremarkable – completely devoid of life, with a lone, barren planet orbiting a powerful star at its center and a ring of asteroids surrounding it.
It's not going to be unremarkable for much longer. Kayden thought to himself as they skirted the edge of the asteroid field. Here goes nothing.
With a thought, he activated the Voidborn artifact they’d brought with them from Reaper’s Coast. The green glyphs on either side of the onyx-black pyramid began to pulse and glow as it tried to float through the small cockpit. Kayden watched as the restraints they’d brought with them strained but held it down.
“Looks like Ali’s research into these things paid off.” Kayden said. “I didn’t have to touch it, and it looks secure for the moment.”
Suddenly, a Voidborn crab-creature materialized into space beside them. Kayden had to resist cackling with glee as the creature was immediately left behind them and consumed by the wake of their engines. He watched on sensors as dozens more creatures materialized and met similar fates, either burning up or being left to suffocate in the void of space.
[“A far more efficient means of disposal than fighting them.”] Ali intoned in his mind.
Yeah, we’ll see how long it lasts though. Kayden replied as even more Voidborn teleported into space before meeting their almost-instant death. They’re smart enough to catch on eventually.
As if summoned by his words, Kayden saw a blip on their radar emerge at the edge of the system. It was quickly followed by several more – each of which seemed larger than the last. Using his neural link he ordered the ship to perform more intensive scans, but they only served to confirm what he already knew – the Voidborn fleet which had slipped through the Roccan defenses had arrived.
“They’re here.” Kayden said to Selina.
“Alright. Here comes the hard part.” Selina replied before dipping their ship to the side.
Kayden clenched his teeth as they darted into the asteroid field, narrowly avoiding a lethal collision with the nearest kilometer-sized rock. He did his best to focus on the radar when she threw them into a tight corkscrew around it before siphoning power from their shields to boost the engine output. He was about to question the move when he saw several beams of light carve up the asteroid they’d just passed, leaving it in pieces.
If we get hit in this thing, our shields aren’t going to matter. He thought to himself. Our only hope is to play the galaxy’s deadliest game of hide-and-seek.
Thankfully, Selina’s genetically enhanced reflexes were more than up for the task. She skillfully maneuvered them between haphazardly-drifting asteroids, using them to absorb weapons fire from the ever-increasing number of capital ships behind them. She gradually coaxed them deeper into the field of floating rocks, rolling and juking from side to side while occasionally laughing out loud.
“This is the best! I haven’t had a piloting challenge like this in years!” She cried out as she expertly dodged another pair of energy beams. “This is just like the racing course in Delta Serpentis, only better!”
Her enthusiasm was infectious and despite the situation he couldn’t help but grin. “You’ll have to show me when this is all over!”
“Even better, we can race there together!” She replied as she threw them into a nosedive. “You might be better at combat flying, but in a straight-up race you’ll be staring at my ass the whole time!”
“So no different than usual!” Kayden responded as she pulled them out of the tight dive.
“You said it!”
The energy beams firing from the capital ships behind them gradually began to lessen, giving them a short breather. Kayden took a moment to perform several scans on the radar, plotting a course that would take them dangerously close to the sun. As he did though, he couldn’t help but notice that the number of small ships behind them had grown considerably.
“Looks like they took the bait. Their capital ships are holding position just inside the asteroid belt, but they’re deploying fighters to chase after us.”
“Does that mean break time is over?” Selina asked, grasping the controls.
When an errant missile screamed past them before exploding against a nearby asteroid, Kayden nodded. “Yup! Time to go!”
Kayden had to hand it to both Selina and the racing ship – when he said those words, they went.
Somehow the last few minutes seemed like they were in slow-motion by comparison. Selina’s enhanced reflexes were strained to their limit, dipping and diving to avoid all manner of fire while staying close enough to lead the Voidborn interceptors ever-closer to the sun. She practically made the ship dance with her use of tight pirouettes, barrel rolls, and flips. More than once she whooped in victory as one of the enemy fighters reacted too slowly and slammed into an asteroid, exploding into a million pieces.
“How far?” Selina shouted through her gritted teeth.
“At this rate, 1 minute until the launch point!” He said, highlighting it on their shared heads-up display.
“Fuck!” Selina swore before performing another death-defying spin that made Kayden grateful there wasn’t any gravity in space.
Even as an experienced pilot, her moves made him nauseous. He clenched his teeth harder and ensured his helmet was on securely in the event he lost his lunch unexpectedly. The space around them blurred from the combined energy and projectile fire as she pushed the engines to their absolute limit, doing her best to get them to where they needed to be in order for their plan to work.
[“Kayden, I may be able to speed up your craft by a few more seconds. If you-”] Ali’s voice sounded in his mind.
Do it. Kayden interrupted her, not needing to hear the details.
Around them their ship suddenly began to fall apart. Their canopy, much of the paneling, and life support systems ejected themselves from the ship, becoming projectiles in their own right. They were quickly followed by several other parts – the hyperspace drive, the radar components, and the short-range communications array. Kayden let out a shout of surprise, but Selina was so focused on flying that he questioned if she even noticed.
Ali what the fuck is going on? He asked, suddenly regretting his choice to blindly accept her help.
[“The Bluenose is designed modularly, such that components can be ejected at will. The ship is now 56% lighter and more maneuverable than it was before.”] Ali replied cheerily.
Ejected? Why the fuck would they build that in?
[“For maintenance purposes. It’s safe enough to do in transit, so long as the pilots themselves are wearing armour or spacesuits that are rated for hard vacuum.”]
Ali we’re flying a fucking convertible through space!
[“Indeed.”]
What if a micro-meteor hits the cockpit?
[“At your current velocity, the canopy wouldn’t protect the pilots and they would die anyways.”]
Fucking fantastic. Kayden replied sarcastically.
He ground his teeth even harder as Selina spun close enough to an asteroid that the rocky surface blurred in front of his eyes. She pulled out of the spin at the last moment before juking hard to the right, causing a black missile to scream past them, its orange plume lighting up the void. He tore his eyes away long enough to look back and see dozens of menacing-looking interceptors on their tail, their black crescent moon shapes illuminated by the nearby star.
“We’re here!” Selina announced. “It’s now or never!”
[“Activating device.”] Ali announced.
For a moment, Kayden and Selina were given front-row tickets to the galaxy’s most powerful light show. Explosions began to ripple within the star, followed by an enormous solar flare that raced towards their small ship. Kayden grinned one last time, thinking about all the Voidborn ships which would be caught in the blast.
Then everything went dark.
Back on the Broken Shackle, Kayden felt someone pull his control cable from the port he was inserted in as they removed his helmet. He slowly opened his eyes and glanced around to see Selina taking off her virtual reality helmet next to him, shaking her black hair free. Glancing around he saw Mirana and Anna facing away from them while poring over a pair of workstations, deep in engineering conversations about energy transfer efficiencies and blast radius effectiveness. Despite the fact that they still had to use a computerized translator to communicate, to Kayden it seemed like their shared love of solving technical problems had made them fast friends.
Both he and Selina were sitting in a pair of comfortably reclined chairs in one of the Broken Shackle’s mission rooms that they’d quickly retrofitted for this purpose. To their right was a row of workstations monitoring their vitals, sensor readings, and various other information. Ahead of them was a window showing their position at the very edge of the system, through which Kayden could see the event horizon of the newly created black hole.
With everyone else in the small room distracted, Kayden locked eyes with Selina and arched one eyebrow at her. She grinned in response before gracefully stalking over to him and sliding onto his lap. Her soft painted red lips pressed against his neck and her tail curled around his leg before she nestled in, wiggling her tight black bodysuit-encased ass onto his crotch suggestively.
“You were incredible out there.” Kayden said, stroking her hair softly before rubbing her ears.
She purred in response to his touch before kissing his neck again. “I bet you tell that to all the sexy catgirl pilots you meet.”
“Only the ones who blow up a star with me.” Kayden replied with a wry grin.
“Technically we imploded it, but I’ll let the distinction slide.” She replied with a chuckle.
The sound alerted Anna and Mirana to the fact that they were fully awake. The two of them turned around, with Anna placing one hand on her hip and grinning from ear to ear.
“So it looks like Mirana’s modifications worked well?”
“Yeah, they worked perfectly.” Kayden nodded, still stroking Selina’s ears. “We were able to control the ship without any latency, and the kill-switch pulled us out just before the explosion hit us.”
“Good.” Mirana said. “I’m already working on installing them on the scavenger bot. We’re building new ships as fast as we can, and being able to control them remotely will be an enormous advantage in the battle to come. Based on the readings it looks like we still need to be in-system to control them with minimal latency, but at least it’s better than trying to crew each one individually – we just don’t have enough people to do that. Ali’s AI…friend will also be helpful in that regard.”
“In anything larger than a fighter they’ll be less effective than an actual crew.” Selina warned. “Nothing beats hands-on flying.”
“Given that’s not an option for us, it’ll have to do.” Kayden responded. “Still, I can’t wait to see the look on the Queen’s face when we show up with a brand new fleet of Vrul ships. I can’t believe our plan is really coming together.”
“Did the other device work though?” Selina asked. “I mean, I saw the explosion and everything, but did we destroy the Voidborn fleet?”
“Oh, we did.” Anna nodded as her grin turned slightly feral. “That sun is now a black hole. The gravity crushed everything in that system – planets, asteroids, ships – all of it. Initial reports confirm that 87% of their capital ships which broke through the blockade were in-system when the star collapsed. Admiral Gibbs and his reserve forces are just cleaning up the survivors now.”
“And the artifact?” Kayden asked.
“Even if it can’t be destroyed per se, it may as well have been.” Mirana answered. “It’s sitting in the middle of a black hole. Any forces that she sends through using that artifact will be atomized.” She paused before adding. “Painfully.”
“Good.”
“Should we throw the other one we’ve got in there for good measure?” Selina asked. “Now that we know we can take it out of play, we should try to do so as soon as we can.”
“Not yet.” Kayden shook his head. “Ali has asked that we keep it for study, at least for the moment. I know it’s a risk, but it’s a calculated one – we never would have pulled this off if she hadn’t spent time examining the first one.”
Selina nodded before pressing her lips to Kayden’s neck one more time, leaving a lipstick stain. “So…what do we do now? Want to go back to our room and…”
Suddenly, Ali’s voice rang through the room. “While you were remote-piloting the Bluenose, Elara called. She has been waiting to speak to you.”
Selina groaned and Kayden chuckled. “Put her through the speakers.”
“Hello husband.” Elara’s voice chimed. “I miss you.”
“I miss you too.”
“Did you and Selina have your fun?”
“Yes.” Kayden answered.
“Not entirely.” Selina countered good-naturedly. “But we were about to.”
“Then I won’t keep you very long. I have news though: our pressure campaign has been more successful than we anticipated. The Kel government is afraid of being voted out of office, so they have agreed to another meeting. Your presence is formally requested on Kel Prime.”
“That’s great news!” Kayden replied. “We’ll head there now.”
“Excellent. I’ll make the arrangements. See you soon, husband!” Elara said before the radio cut off.
“I am setting a course for Kel Prime now.” Ali announced. “We will be there in approximately 10 hours.”
“Perfect.” Selina replied, tugging on Kayden’s arm. “We both need to unwind. Let’s go to bed. Ladies, you don’t mind if I take our man and spend a few hours alone with him, do you? It’s been too long.”
“Not at all.” Anna replied. “I’ll take seconds.”
“And I, thirds.” Mirana added.
“No argument here.” Kayden said, easily picking up the lithe catgirl and carrying her out the door as she cackled with glee.

Chapter 30

23:45, January 17th, 2135

Kayden exited the shuttle with Dawn, Ali, and Anna in tow, resisting the urge to turn on the ship’s newly installed active camouflage systems – an unintentional gift, courtesy of the Vrul executors they’d killed. While they failed to miniaturize it enough that it would fit on a suit of armour, the fact that Anna and Mirana managed to replicate it at all was a testament to their engineering skills. As it was, Kayden was looking forward to testing the system the next time an appropriate opportunity presented itself.
Banishing the thought for a moment he took a deep breath of the cold air, drinking in the view of the mountains around them. Given that the Athenium Spire had been destroyed, they’d been instructed to go to the president’s private sanctuary – one that was apparently built into a mountain, and included a landing pad large enough to house a fleet of shuttles.
Good thing too. Kayden thought to himself. Hopefully this is where the important folks are staying. It’s a lot harder to destroy from orbit.
All around them were snow-topped peaks devoid of plant life larger than waist-high bushes, and the sky above them was a clear, sunny blue. The atmosphere mirrored Kayden’s good mood – unifying the Vrul was well underway, and reinforcements were streaming from Sanctuary to the front lines. While they hadn’t won the war yet, their recent victories had given him cause for more optimism than he’d had in a long time.
Even the fact that he had to wear a suit for the occasion didn’t dampen his spirits. Selina spent at least an hour before landing fussing over what he was wearing, making sure every detail was perfect. He thought the tailored black suit he was wearing made him look far too much like a politician for his liking – especially when paired with the blue tie, white shirt, and polished shoes – but Selina assured him it was appropriate for the occasion.
At least this thing lets me hide a few drones. He thought to himself, feeling them press reassuringly against his back.
“Kayden, we have company.” Dawn said, the tension in her voice breaking him out of his thoughts.
He looked up to see 20 of the president’s elite guard march in perfect unison out of the tunnel leading to the underground complex. Each of them were wearing their signature black armour that covered them head-to-toe, and Kayden couldn’t help but notice that they carried a variety of weapons with them – assault rifles, pistols, and even some heavier weapons.
Raising one eyebrow he turned to Dawn. “Looks like they’re coming prepared for trouble.”
“It’s probably just a show of force, to try and intimidate us into a worse negotiating position.” She replied.
“Or it could be the fact that you threatened to send them home in pieces the last time you saw them.” Ali added.
“Ah.” Kayden nodded. “Yeah, that might have something to do with it.”
“At any rate, that’s not what’s going to happen this time.” Dawn continued. “We’re going to go in, get the support we need, and finally free Earth.”
When the column of Kel troopers finally neared Kayden spread his arms and smiled in an attempt to seem non-threatening. “Hi folks! No hard feelings about last time, I hope.”
“You.” One of the guards at the front said, pointing accusingly. “Come.”
“Where is Elara?”
“Delayed.” The guards said, seemingly unwilling to say anything more than the bare minimum number of words to get their message across.
“We can wait for her.” Kayden replied.
“No. We must go now.” The guard insisted in a frustratingly laconic fashion.
“Sure?” Kayden shrugged. “You know, I can speak Kel, you don’t have to be so-”
Without waiting for the rest of his sentence, the guards made an abrupt about-face and began walking back towards the tunnel entrance – one which featured a thick steel door which was slowly closing. Not seeing many other options Kayden followed, with his women close behind. As they entered he saw yet more guards stationed around, and resisted the urge to summon his nanobots in defense.
[“You are not without defense.”] Ali said privately. [“And we are capable of defending ourselves.”]
I know. I just don’t like the idea of being this heavily outnumbered and outgunned.
[“This is a peaceful mission.”]
That’s how all violent missions start. Kayden reminded her as the door slammed shut behind them, trapping them in the compound. Can you try to get in contact with Elara?
[“Of course.”]
They walked for several minutes, passing deeper into the labyrinth. During the walk Kayden saw at least 100 more of the guards, each of them posted stoically at various intervals and crossroads to other passageways. The tunnel they were in was large enough to allow a troop transport vehicle filled with guards to pass them without needing to move aside – something they had to do several times.
“Looks like you’ve got this place locked down tight.” Kayden said, trying to make conversation with the nearest guard. “I’ll bet you’ve got some pretty powerful anti-air cannons around here too, am I right?”
“Quiet.” The lead guard said without turning around.
“I’m just trying to be friendly!” Kayden countered, causing Anna to giggle.
“Quiet, both of you!” The lead guard said again, this time turning her head.
“Damn, I didn’t realize you were the fun police too.” Kayden replied, this time causing Dawn to cough to cover her laughing.
[“I believe a human saying is apt here: don’t poke the bear.”] Ali said.
Alright, alright. Fine. Kayden replied mentally before going silent.
The rest of the walk was uneventful. The grey concrete tunnels around them blended into one long monotonous line, punctuated only by side passages, doorways, and yellowish overhead lights. The entire structure stood in stark contrast to the Kel’s typically artistic aesthetic – something that bothered Kayden far more than it should have. In addition, there seemed to be more guards in these tunnels than there were in the Athenium Spire, and their shared body language practically screamed that they were on edge.
Ali, something is off. Kayden said privately. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this feels wrong.
[“What would you like to do?”]
Tell Selina we might need a quick exit. I’d rather be safe than sorry.
[“Understood.”]
Have you been able to get in contact with Elara?
[“Not yet. She is not responding to her communicator.”]
Devote more resources to it – bring in Celestia and any of the Kel crew. Get them to call AJ and his wives too, and start scanning for their ship.
[“It is likely hidden, given the covert nature of their mission.”]
Do what you have to do to find it.
As if she could hear their conversation, Anna spoke up. “Hey babe? Can you carry me? My little legs are getting tired.”
“Sure thing.” Kayden said, scooping up the busty goblin woman with one hand before letting her crawl on his back.
She pressed her breasts against the back of his neck comfortably before leaning over and whispering in his ear quietly enough that nobody else could overhear. “I saw the look on your face. Talking to Ali?”
When Kayden nodded almost imperceptibly, she continued. “I can feel it too.” She said, without naming the feeling.
“Think you can warn Dawn?” He asked.
“Absolutely. Kiss me for good luck?” She whispered.
Without breaking stride, Kayden shamelessly kissed Anna. She raked her fingers down his torso and pressed herself against him. Through the thin material of the short black dress she was wearing Kayden could feel her nipples hardening and pressing into his back. When she groaned slightly he broke the kiss and grinned.
“Down girl. We’ve got a job to do.”
“What can I say?” She bit her lip. “I like you in a suit.”
“You can take it off me later.”
“I’ll hold you to that.” She replied before turning to Dawn. “Hey babe? Want to carry me before Mr. Handsome and I get carried away over here?”
Dawn laughed in reply before nodding. She stole a kiss of her own from him before smoothing the front of her matching black dress – one that was cut low enough to reveal a substantial amount of cleavage. She winked at him before Anna scrambled onto her back, wrapping her arms around his succubus girlfriend and leaning into her ear.
At least now we’re on the same page. He thought to himself.
Finally, the procession stopped at a pair of double doors. The lead guard pressed her palm to a scanner beside the door before it swung open to reveal a far more ‘Kel-looking’ waiting room. A receptionist with green skin sitting behind a stark white desk stood and smiled at them, beckoning them in.
“I guess this is where we part ways.” Kayden said, looking at the guards. “And here I thought we were all getting along so well.”
“Kayden.” Dawn said disapprovingly, rolling her eyes. “Come on.”
“My apologies for my more taciturn colleagues.” The receptionist said, walking around her desk as she gestured to a nearby set of couches. “They are trained to fight, not necessarily to speak.”
“I see.” Kayden replied, moving into the room with his women but remaining standing.
“No apologies needed.” Dawn added diplomatically as the door behind them swung closed. “We are looking forward to a fruitful discussion.”
“As is the president, I am sure.” The receptionist responded before taking her position behind the desk again. “I will inform them that you are here. It will only be a moment.”
Kayden took the time to look around the waiting room. On the wall to his left was a door that presumably led to the president’s office. The walls were painted a light blue color, and there what looked like paintings in various shades of purple all around them. He stepped closer to one of them and pretended to examine it while surreptitiously trying to see what the receptionist was typing on the workstation at her desk.
“The president will see you now.” The Kel woman announced before he could see anything. “Please go inside.”
As she said it, the door beside them swung open. Looking across at each of his women he caught their eyes one by one and held their gaze for a moment, ensuring they’d received the message to be ready for anything. With a final deep breath he then led them across the threshold into the president’s office beyond.
As they walked in they saw the president herself seated at an enormous metallic desk. Behind her was an even larger screen showing a view of the mountains outside, and both sides of the room were lined with bookshelves, art, and various décor. Narrowing his eyes slightly against the glare he saw that there was a secondary entrance to the room at the back – presumably for the president’s private use.
Focusing on the woman herself, Kayden saw that her tentacles were tucked neatly underneath the desk. She was wearing a black turtleneck sweater and the hairlike tendrils on either side of her face were adorned with various jewelry and painted patterns. She drummed her purple-skinned fingers against the desk as her all-black eyes locked onto his.
“Asha’dara.” She said, acknowledging his presence.
“Madame President.” Kayden replied. “I trust you remember my companion, Dawn?” He said, gesturing to her.
“Of course. Welcome. And your friends?”
“This is Ali, and Anna.” Kayden said, introducing them in turn once they neared the desk.
“A pleasure.” The president said, nodding to each of them.
Kayden suppressed his confusion at how pleasant the president was acting to focus on Dawn addressing the issue at hand. “Your guards outside said we can’t wait, so I’ll get to the heart of the issue: Elara told us you’ve reconsidered your stance on lending us your fleet’s support?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes.” The president said evasively.
Kayden furrowed his brow. “I would have thought you’d have your advisors here for this discussion. If we’re negotiating a military matter, they’ll probably have opinions.”
“They’ve been recently replaced by a new advisor. I’d introduce you, but I believe you’ve already met her.” The president replied.
The door in the back of the room swung open at her words, and a leg covered in purple carapace strutted through. It was quickly followed by an equally-armoured body and a pair of metallic wings. Kayden’s eyes shot open, realizing that the Voidborn Queen was walking into the room.
“Fuck!” Kayden shouted, summoning his nanobot swarm.
Before he could use it to form armour around them though, hidden nozzles from the ceiling began to spray a thick green gas. Even the smallest amount made him, Dawn, and Anna cough and stumble as their eyes, nose, and lungs began to burn painfully. Even through bleary eyes Kayden saw the Voidborn Queen dart forward and pin Ali to the wall, binding her there by stabbing the sharp end of one wing through her arm. His drones shot out from underneath his suit and towards Ali, but they were quickly swatted out of the air by her other wing dismissively before they could do anything useful.
An anti-human virus. Kayden thought to himself as he saw the Queen and the President were both unaffected by the gas.
Through the haze of pain he managed to encase Dawn, Anna, and himself in armour but the effort proved to be too much for him to bear. He collapsed onto the floor next to them, sucking in the filtered air as heavily as he could in an effort to clear his lungs. Even through his labored breathing though, he could hear the traitorous president speaking with the Queen.
“I trust this satisfies our arrangement?” The president said, turning to the queen. “You can do what you want with him, and in exchange you’ll leave the Kel alone?”
“That was our arrangement, yes.” The queen grinned.
“Was?” The president questioned.
“Well, the arrangement was made before I saw this lovely little world of yours. Now that I’ve seen it for myself though, I quite like it. I think I’m going to take it for myself.”
“What?”
[“Kayden!”] Ali screamed in his mind. [“I can’t get out!”]
What…do I do? He asked, his mind still foggy.
[“Keep breathing deeply! Your enhanced lungs will clear the gas, but it will take a moment!”]
Even through their neural link, Kayden could feel the emotional pain Ali was in. She’d obviously turned off the pain receptors in her metallic body, but her feelings of frustration and hopelessness still echoed through their connection. Kayden glanced up at her to see her hammering away at the spike impaling her – unfortunately, to no avail.
“Mine.” The queen said, interrupting Kayden’s conversation as her grin turned savage. “I want this world, so now it’s mine. It’s a very simple concept to grasp, even for a small-minded being like yourself.”
“But you promised!” The president screeched, pulling herself up to full height using her tentacles. “We had an arrangement.”
“I lied.” The queen admitted as she moved slowly towards the president while summoning a swarm of nanobots to continue pinning the struggling Ali to the far wall. “What are you going to do about it? You have no power to stop me.”
“I’ll…guards!” She shouted. “Guards!”
“They can’t hear you.” The queen said, moving closer menacingly. “It seems that there’s been a minor communications malfunction. No signals are getting in or out of this facility.” She paused for a moment. “You know, you should really have kept a closer eye on me.”
“Why?” The president croaked out, backing herself against the wall.
“Because by doing this I risk nothing, but I get everything. Even if you manage to kill this body, I’ll have destabilized the Kel and killed him.” She said, pointing at Kayden’s still prone body. “Because I refuse to be held to any agreements made with a woman who sits on a throne of lies. But mostly, because I can.”
With that, the Queen brought her razor-sharp wings in front of her, crossing them so that the metal points were facing the president. Then she sliced outwards faster than Kayden could see, raising them to either side when she was done. The movement was fast enough that for a moment, the only evidence she actually touched the president was the blood currently dripping from her wingtips.
Then the president’s head toppled to the floor as she slumped over.

Chapter 31

00:16, January 18th, 2135

“Now, it’s your turn.” The queen said, turning to face Kayden. “Goodbye, little human.”
Kayden staggered to his feet, his still-hazy mind trying to come up with any sort of strategy. His nanobots began to swirl sluggishly, and the electricity that sparked from his hands would barely have been enough to charge a small battery. He glanced backwards to see his women – Anna and Dawn still on the floor, and Ali struggling against the welded nanobots that held her in place.
Suddenly, the door behind them burst open with a bang. The queen looked up just long enough for several high-powered energy beams to slam into her shields, driving her backwards with a frustrated grunt. They were followed by fire from at least a dozen assault rifles, their projectiles shredding the area around her.
“I’ll kill you!” Elara’s normally-demure voice rang out over the din.
While normally small arms fire wouldn’t be enough to deter the queen, whoever Elara brought with her apparently came prepared. Several concussive pops sounded through the room, causing Kayden to leap instinctively to the ground and roll towards Dawn and Anna. He put his arms over the two women protectively and pulled them close, bracing for the rush of fire that usually came with explosions.
When it never arrived, Kayden risked a glance upwards. The sight that greeted him was almost comical – the queen was encased in what looked like a mountain of blue jelly, struggling to break free. She whipped her clawed arms and taloned wings back and forth as she screamed in frustration. Her nanobot swarm bounced off the goo ineffectually as she equally dug and swam through the viscous substance, her sharp talons only breaking free after several long seconds.
The moment she did though, dozens of elite guards unloaded their rifles at her. She took several shaky steps towards them before both her and Kayden came to the same startling realization: the sticky goo on her was still slowing her movements, despite her escape. Her eyes went wide as she made a quick about-face and sprinted as fast as she could for the door.
“She’s falling back!” A voice sounded. “After her!”
As the sound of heavy footsteps surrounded the 3 of them, Kayden pulled himself to a sitting position. Seeing that the queen was no longer in the room he sent tendrils of nanobots to his two broken drones, repairing them both until they could fly under their own power. With a quick mental instruction they darted across the room and began using their energy beams to cut through the thick layer of nanobots holding Ali to the wall. Before he could do anything else Elara leapt at him, crashing into him in an armoured hug. She squeezed him tightly before choking out the words.
“I came as soon as I could! What did she do to you?!”
“Dawn…Anna…” Kayden replied, pointing to their still prone bodies.
To his great relief, Anna began to stand. Her own genetic enhancements apparently prevented her from the worst of the damage, but she still took a moment to steady herself against Kayden’s legs as she took a few deep breaths. When she felt well enough she moved to Dawn’s body and immediately began running her healing glove over it, its warm light passing through the armour and repairing the damage to her lungs. Ali quickly joined her, having wrenched herself free of the nanobot-made manacles with the drone’s help.
When Dawn began to cough and roll over, Kayden and Elara knelt by her side. All around them black-clad troops continued to stream through the room, seemingly content to ignore the medical drama playing out on the floor for the time being. As Dawn breathed a sigh of relief and sat up slowly Kayden exhaled the breath he didn’t know he was holding, relieved that they’d all somehow made it through their close brush with death.
“Asha’dara!” The high commander’s voice rang out from behind them. “This is no time to be resting! On your feet -we need your help!”
Gone was the high commander’s typical grey dress uniform, replaced by a set of slick black armour. Welded underneath either arm was a still-smoking barrel which was connected via a tube to an enormous tank that was attached to her back. She’d pulled her helmet back to reveal her pale skin, green hair, and predatory grin – a look that he’d never seen her wear before.
“Damn.” Kayden said, chuckling. “When you guys want to be, Kel can be scary.”
“Commander! He needs-” Elara started.
“It’s fine.” Kayden said, shaking off the last of the cobwebs in his mind. “Commander – you can’t let the queen go. There’s no telling what kind of trouble she’ll cause for you if she’s left to wander around unchecked. She’s taken down worlds by herself before.”
“Agreed – which is why I’ve put together this little hunting party.” She said, gesturing to the latest squad of soldiers to enter the room. “Care to join me?”
“Absolutely.” Kayden said.
“Me too.” Anna added, grabbing a pistol from a nearby trooper.
“And me.” Dawn agreed.
“No.” Kayden countered. “The two of you are staying here with Ali.”
“But-” Anna protested.
“No.” Kayden said firmly. “Trust me, there’ll be plenty of time for payback later. Right now I need the 3 of you running logistics.” He paused, meeting their eyes before continuing. “Ali, see if you can salvage any records from the president’s terminal. Then get me a map of this place, and get our comms up and running. Dawn, Anna – you’re on perimeter duty. Do whatever you have to do to get these troops covering the exits and making sure the queen doesn’t escape.”
“On it.” Dawn said, standing next to him.
Finally, Kayden turned back to Elara, the high commander, and the squad of 20-or-so black-clad elite soldiers. “Alright ladies, let’s go hunt.”
As one, the professional soldiers turned towards the door that the queen used to make her escape. Kayden watched approvingly as they moved through carefully, weapons levelled to check corners as they spread out into the next room. Before he could follow them though, Elara tapped him on the shoulder and handed him an external power cell.
“I brought this for you. I thought it might be useful for this.” Elara said as Dawn, Anna, and Ali moved to the president’s damaged workstation.
“Later, I’m going to show you just how much I appreciate you.” Kayden promised before plugging his control cable into it.
Bracing himself slightly, he funneled the rush of energy into his nanobots. They quickly coalesced into his robotic wolf companion – one who looked at him before snapping its jaws and bounding forward through the door. Kayden grinned as he sent his drones ahead to follow the wolf, giving their vanguard extra protection.
“That’s a neat trick.” The high commander nodded approvingly. “Shall we follow them?”
“Let’s do it.” Kayden nodded.
Together the three of them moved into the adjacent hallway while syncing their radios so they could talk through their in-suit helmets. He was immediately grateful for the move as he snapped his visor shut when they passed through the doorway. Even though he was no stranger to gore, he still had to steel himself at the sight of the body parts strewn around and the overpowering scent of blood.
“On the bright side, we don’t have to guess which way she went.” Kayden said grimly, pointing to the trail of blood leading down the hallway.
“Flashlights on!” The high commander ordered, seeing that several of the light fixtures towards the end of the hallway were broken. “I don’t want her jumping out and surprising us.”
When they immediately complied, Kayden spoke to Elara over their private channel. “So how exactly did you get these guards to listen to you? Because they didn’t seem too enthusiastic with me.”
“The short version? The head of the assembly is now the new president, and she gave the guard here strict orders to follow our instructions. They swore oaths to uphold this office and they’re determined to fulfill them.”
“And the longer version?” Kayden asked as they trudged through the gore.
“The president wore a device which monitored her vitals at all times. The moment she died, the title of ‘commander-in-chief’ passed to the leader of the vice-president, but she resigned the moment she realized she’d likely have to interact with humans.” Elara paused for a moment before muttering. “Pure Kel bitch.”
“Okay, so power passed to the head of the assembly after that?” Kayden asked, bringing Elara back on track.
“Yes, exactly.”
“And how did you figure out what was going on? Or how to get to me? Because you arrived just in time.”
“A few hours ago when the communications to the president went out, I started looking into it. Eventually I looked through the sensor arrays and found that there was data missing, which never happens. I used a Vrul trick Mirana taught me to restore it and found a recording of a Voidborn ship landing a few hours ago. I couldn’t believe it myself until I looked further back and restored the communications which that traitorous whore tried to hide. From there it was a simple matter of calling the high commander, assembling a strike force, and coming here. She’d already created the prototype suit based on Anna’s schematics, and thought it was important to bring it. We both thought we’d have to fight our way through the guards to get to you until we got the message from the head of the assembly.”
“Her grand plan, undone by a Vrul trick.” Kayden mused as they reached the end of the hallway, pausing at the door.
“She got what she deserved, in the end.” Elara replied bitterly.
“Kayden, Elara.” Ali’s voice sounded in their radios. “I have access to the facility’s sensors. The queen is ahead of you by 250 meters. She is trapped in one of the vehicle service bays by heavy weapons fire from 3 squads of Kel troopers. I would hurry – they won’t last long.”
Kayden relayed the information to the high commander before breaking into a jog. She kept pace just behind him, with Fenrir and Elara on either side. Around them more and more elite troopers were gathering, and soon they began to hear gunfire and explosions.
Ali, adrenaline rush. Kayden ordered as he rounded the corner and saw the queen eviscerate a trio of soldiers.
Together with Fenrir, Kayden charged into the fray. The world around him slowed as he did, to the point where he closed the distance between them before the final soldier’s body hit the ground. His mind was flooded with anger as the images of Dawn, Anna, and Ali being incapacitated surfaced. He dimly noted the row of in-atmosphere shuttles along the wall, and the carlike buggies in various states of repair strewn about the bay floor.
The queen spun to meet him, but her sluggish movements were no match for him in this state. He easily grabbed the talons on her wings as they swung towards him, stopping their momentum midair. Tightening his grip he pulled them like reins, yanking the queen’s body towards him before bashing her in the face with his helmeted forehead. The motion caused the queen’s already-weakened shields to fade as she staggered back, bloodied.
Letting go of one wing Kayden brought his metallic arm back before using all of his genetically enhanced strength to punch her in the stomach, cracking through her tough carapace. Even as he was swinging though, his nanobots were swirling around his arm. With some mental help from Ali he formed and fired his coilgun at point-blank range just after the punch connected, blowing a small hole through the queen’s body and out the back.
She fell to the ground just as the adrenaline rush wore off, bleeding from her face and stomach. Her wing twitched towards him but was intercepted mid-swing by Fenrir – who grabbed it between his metallic fangs and wrenched it side-to-side like a dog on a bone. She let out a wordless roar of frustration before grabbing at Kayden with her taloned claws, only to miss when he deftly leapt to the side, letting go of her one wing while he fired another coilgun round into her body.
She roared in pain before wrenching herself free, rolling to her feet as she did. Her eyes darted around the vehicle bay frantically before she leapt towards a nearby shuttle, desperate for cover from the ongoing assault. Unfortunately for her she did it just as Fenrir dug his claws into the pavement, causing her wing that he was holding to come out of its socket with a sickeningly wet sound.
Showing an alarming amount of strength for her frame, the queen dug her one working wing and a claw into one of the shuttles, tearing the nose off before spinning and tossing it at Kayden. He leapt to the side just in time to avoid the metallic block, rolling and hopping back to his feet as another shuttle part sailed through the air at him. On instinct he summoned his nanobots into a tower shield in front of him, bracing himself just before it hit him. His strategy proved effective – other than throwing him several feet backwards, the flying part had no effect.
He waited a moment for another part, but when he instead heard concussive shots being fired he peeked over the top to see the queen struggling through yet another mountain of slime. Grinning to himself he sprinted forward, closing the distance just in time to bash her in the face with his shield as she emerged from the slime, dazing her for a moment.
In desperation, her swarm of nanobots began to dart towards Kayden but his own swarm was there to intercept them. The two groups of tiny machines immolated against each other, filling the room with the sound of soft pops as each pair met in midair. Through the tiny sparks darted Kayden’s drones, using their energy beams to begin burning through the queen’s carapace around her neck.
“I’ll kill you! You can’t kill me!” The queen shouted, her voice hoarse. “You are insects cowering in the dirt! I am the one true-” She was suddenly silenced when Elara reached them and levelled her pistol before blowing a sizable hole in her face.
Amazingly, the queen didn’t die right away. Her bloody form continued to struggle, with her nanobots retreating to her body in an attempt to heal the biological damage with mechanical parts. Kayden watched for a moment in morbid fascination, wondering if he could do the same thing to himself if needed.
“Best not to take any chances?” The high commander asked, joining their party and firing several more globs of slime at the queen to keep her thrashing body pinned down.
“Right.” Kayden nodded before placing his armoured boot on her shoulder and pulling on her remaining wing, tearing it cleanly out of its socket.
With a sideways glance at Elara, Kayden levelled his coilgun a final time and began firing. His Kel wife soon joined his barrage with her pistol, as did the high commander. In moments, a ring of Kel troopers were standing around the queen and firing downwards at her body, causing it to spasm and shake as it was filled with bullet holes and energy burns. After a full minute of firing the high commander raised one hand, calling for a halt.
“I see you weren’t exaggerating about her durability.” The high commander nodded to Elara.
“No, I wasn’t.” She replied.
“High commander, I…” Kayden trailed off for a moment, trying to find the right words. “I don’t mean to be insensitive, but this is a pressing matter. We need those ships for the fleet. Every second we waste means that more Voidborn ships appear above Earth. If we act now we stand a chance of defeating them.”
“I understand, Asha’dara.” The high commander responded, looking between him and the dead queen’s body. “You will have your ships. The Kel will stand with humanity – and the Vrul.”
“Thank you, high commander.” Kayden said before keying his radio. “Dawn, Anna – send a message to the fleet commanders. It’s time to go take Earth back.”

Chapter 32

12:33, January 19th, 2135

“We have a problem.” Ashley announced without preamble as Kayden entered the bridge of the Emancipation.
After holding the line in the Trappist Prime system for several weeks, Ashley finally brought her flagship back to Sanctuary for some much-needed repairs. Reports from the blockades indicated that most of the Voidborn ships retreated to the Sol and Alpha Centauri systems, giving Kayden the chance to meet his girlfriend after returning from Kel Prime – an opportunity he leapt at the moment it was presented to him.
“Ash, you’re going to have to be a bit more specific.” Kayden countered. “We’re preparing ready for probably the biggest space battle in galactic history. All we have are problems.”
“That.” Ashley said, pressing a few buttons on her handheld tablet until the viewscreen on the bridge resolved into an image.
“Oh.” Kayden said, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Okay, yeah. That’s a problem.”
“I’m glad all that time away from me hasn’t dulled your acute ability to state the obvious.” Ashley replied sarcastically.
Rolling his eyes, Kayden took Ashley’s proffered hand and pulled her into a tight embrace. The kiss was filled with emotion – happiness at their reunion, relief that she was safe, and pride at how well she managed to hold the line. It was only when some of her bridge staff coughed uncomfortably that they broke apart, with Ashley continuing to hold tightly to his white shirt.
“I missed you.” Kayden said, running his hands up and down her uniform-clad body, revelling in how soft and warm she felt.
“Yeah? How about you show me just how much you missed me later.” Ashley said with a smirk before gesturing to the command chair she’d recently vacated.
When Kayden sat, she slid onto his lap and wrapped one arm around him before continuing their conversation. “As much as I’m enjoying this though, we should address the elephant in the room – that thing.” She finished pointing to the view screen.
“What…is it?” Kayden asked.
The screen in front of them showed an enormous living being floating through space. It was pear-shaped with a long flat snout at the front and a large, round central section. The entire beast was covered in brown chitinous armour and featured dozens of enormous black tentacles waving back and forth through space. As the image zoomed in Kayden saw vents along the creatures side which spat gobs of some sort of acid towards Earth’s surface.
To Kayden’s horror, an orifice on the creature’s back opened to accept a fleet of Voidborn shuttlecraft. They flew smoothly into a red-and-purple opening that he guessed functioned as some sort of shuttle bay, but it closed before he could see any more. He grit his teeth before looking back at Ashley, shaking his head.
“Our best guess is that it’s some sort of Voidborn space creature.” Ashley said. “You can see the scale at the bottom of the screen there – it’s easily 100 km long. Our infiltration team which captured and sent these images started calling it the Kraken, because of all the tentacle-things. We think it must have taken them weeks to teleport here – they must have paused reinforcing their more conventional ships to bring it in.”
“Thanks. I hate it.”
“It gets worse. Those shuttles are filled with zombified humans from the surface. We’re not entirely sure what happens to them on that thing, but… we know that nobody comes back.”
“Fucking fantastic.” Kayden said sarcastically.
“I know.” Ashley replied. “When I sent the scans to the Kel science team, they tried to tell me all about how most Voidborn ships are made of something called ‘living metal’ – which is why we get both organic and inorganic readings when we scan their ships. Apparently this thing is mostly organic – meaning it’s either a naturally occurring creature that they’ve taken control over, or it’s something they’ve managed to clone somehow.”
“Both of those options sound terrible.” Kayden replied.
“Agreed. Unfortunately it is directly above the area on Earth where we need to land. We will need to kill it beforehand, or else any landing attempt won’t work.”
“We’ll bump it up the priority list then.” Kayden offered. “As soon as the main guns of our battleships get into range we can-”
“I may have a better solution.” Ali chimed in over the intercom, clearly having heard the whole conversation.
“What’s that, Ali?”
“The Kraken appears to have a neural link, similar to other Voidborn-controlled creatures.” Ali said, zooming in on the screen to the creature’s spine. “It is a far more complex device than most though, and susceptible to tampering.”
“You’re saying you want to hack it?” Ashley asked.
“A ‘traditional’ cyber-attack would be impossible in a reasonable amount of time due to the neural link’s complexity and built-in protections.” Ali replied. “However, injecting a high dose of pheromones combined with a temporary interruption in the Voidborn control signal would likely throw the creature into a frenzy, providing an excellent distraction.”
“This…this could work.” Ashley responded, nodding thoughtfully. “We could set this thing off just before we get into range with our ship’s main guns. It might buy us a free salvo or two without reprisal.”
“Can we go back to the word ‘inject’?” Kayden interrupted. “Because it sounds like we’d have to actually land on that thing.”
“Correct.” Ali said casually.
“And where are we going to find enough pheromones to… oh.” Kayden said, answering his own objection. “Dawn.”
“Exactly.” Ali replied.
Kayden rubbed his temples before nodding. “Run the numbers and give me a battle plan. Dawn’s visiting her parents right now – I’ll talk to her once she’s done.”
“And in the mean time?” Ashley asked.
“Well, Mirana and Elara are rallying the respective Vrul and Kel fleets. Anna is with her family and the goblin crew, cooking up something special for when we get to Earth. Selina is working with Celestia and the Sanctuary council to get our strike forces ready – no surprise, they had a lot of volunteers. And Ali is…well…everywhere.” He finished, gesturing to his mind.
“I am assisting wherever I can add value.” Ali’s disembodied voice added cheerily. “Including continuing to repair the Vrul AI we found. She is not combat-ready yet, but she still may be able to provide support in the coming battle.”
“So it sounds like for the moment you can take a breather.” Ashley said. “Can I give you some advice? Not as your girlfriend, but as a fellow commander?”
“Yeah, of course.” Kayden said, sitting up slightly.
“Go get some rest – and make sure everyone knows you’re doing it.”
“I know.” Kayden nodded. “I need to be sharp tomorrow.”
“It’s not just that. We have a rare moment of calm before the storm, and people are looking to you as their leader. If you don’t pause to get your rest, they won’t either. Then nobody is going to be in peak condition when we launch the attack.” She paused. “You’re not just a young lieutenant anymore, Kayden. You’re an inspiration to these people – and to me. Nanobots and adrenaline rushes be damned – that’s your real superpower. So try to use it to do some good, okay?”
For several long moments, Kayden tried to find the words. When he couldn’t he responded by kissing Ashley softly, then running his hands down her body. With his eyes closed he found it easier to memorize every curve, the tips of his fingers remembering how soft and warm she was with every passing moment.
“Thank you.” Kayden said quietly when they broke apart.
“It was one of the big realizations I had when I became a captain, and then again when I got free of the Black Company. The least I can do is pass that wisdom on to you.”
“I’ll tell folks I’m going to rest, but I can’t lie to you – there’s too much going on in my mind to sleep. I’m just going to be tossing and turning the whole time.”
“Oh, I have a remedy for that.” Ashley said, winking.
“Do you now?” Kayden replied, a smirk appearing on his face.
“I wasn’t thinking about that.” Ashley responded, standing and offering him her hand. “But we can do that too, later. I had something else in mind – something that I’ve found which always brings me back to the present.”
Curious, Kayden took her hand and stood. She doled out a final few orders to her bridge crew before passing command to her first officer – a former convict and mountain of a transhuman man who was covered in reptilian scales. He followed her off the bridge and into the long hallway running the length of the ship.
As they walked, Kayden waved and nodded respectfully to the dozens of crew members making repairs or modifications to the ship. The cells which used to line the former prison ship were gone, replaced by living quarters, mess halls, and workstations. Goblins chatted amicably with transhumans, former convicts, and the occasional Vrul or Kel advisor as they ensured their ship was in the best shape possible for the battle ahead.
“Makes you proud, doesn’t it?” Ashley asked, seeing the look on his face. “You built this.”
“I had a lot of help.”
“Sure, but you were the one responsible for it more than anyone else.” Ashley countered.
When they finally reached their destination, Ashley palmed a hand-scanner by the door before entering. Kayden followed her into the darkened room – one which lit up as soon as the door closed behind him. His eyes darted around the small but well-appointed bedroom, going from the footlocker to the desk to the comfortable-looking bed wedged against the wall.
“Down boy.” Ashley said teasingly as she opened the footlocker. “That’s for later. There are other things you can do in a bedroom, you know.”
“Oh yeah? Like what?” Kayden replied, tongue firmly planted in cheek.
In response, she pulled out a bottle of massage oil. “Normally I use my chair for this – it has a massage function – but since it’s a special occasion, I’ll use my hands. Get naked and lay face down on the bed.”
In a flash, Kayden stripped down and laid down as instructed. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Ashley take off her uniform, leaving only a set of lacy panties and matching bra. His eyes traced the tattoo on her hip before locking onto hers mischievously. She saw his smirk and grinned in reply before shaking her head.
“Not yet mister. I just don’t want to get this oil on my clothes.”
“Sure, sure.” Kayden said, chuckling.
His smirk subsided when she poured massage oil onto her hands, warming it before running them over his legs. She began to work her thumbs in small circles around his calves, somehow finding every knot of tension and slowly unwinding it. As he took a breath he realized how tightly clenched the rest of his body was and began to try to relax as she worked her way up to his thighs.
“Holy shit Ash, that feels really good.”
“I know, right? The best way to relax after a long day is with a massage.”
“Especially from someone you care about.” Kayden added.
“Mmm. Maybe that means you can do me next?” She asked, pressing her thumbs against his lower back.
Kayden let out an involuntary moan from the pressure, answering her question. She proceeded to scoot up his body, straddling him and working his shoulders, back, and arms. Her fingers were like magic – pressing exactly where he needed them with just enough pressure to make him relax. By the time she reached his head and began to run her fingers through his hair he felt like most of his body was made of jelly – completely relaxed.
“So tell me – when this is all over, what’s your plan?” Ashley asked.
“Be with you.” Kayden answered instantly. “And the other girls, of course.”
She giggled before responding. “I mean, that’s kind of a given at this point. You’re not getting rid of me, or any of the rest of them.” She paused for a moment. “You know, I was really hesitant about the whole ‘harem’ thing when we started, but I’ve come around on it. I never had any siblings growing up, and now it’s like I have a bunch of sisters who are super nice and supportive. And as an added bonus, they’re the most talented group of women I’ve ever met – I’m pretty sure that if I gave them enough time and resources they could do just about anything.”
“I’m glad they’re treating you well.” Kayden replied. “If they weren’t, I’d have to threaten to spank them for misbehaving.”
“Don’t tell Anna that, she’ll start being a brat just to get spanked.” Ashley replied, mirth in her voice.
Kayden chuckled in response before speaking again. “I know I didn’t answer your question though. The short answer is this: we’ll do whatever we want.”
“And the longer answer?” She said, pressing into a particularly stubborn knot in his back.
“I’d like to spend some time on Sanctuary, building a home together. After that we could spend some time travelling – I’d love to see more of Vrul space, and the Kel worlds look amazing. Longer term, I’d like to start a family, raise some kids, and do whatever good I can for the galaxy.”
She leaned over and kissed his spine. “That sounds wonderful to me. Though for the record: no kids for me. I’m okay being the cool aunt and helping raise them, but… I’m not looking to have any of my own.”
“I’m more than okay with that.” Kayden replied. “If that’s your preference, then that’s our decision together. Can I ask why though?”
“Just…never really had that aspiration.” She replied. “I love kids, don’t get me wrong. I just feel like unless you absolutely aspire to be a parent, you shouldn’t become a parent. My parents had me by accident, and… well, it’s not a feeling any kid should go through.”
“I’m sorry.” Kayden said.
“It’s okay. It’s ancient history now.”
“What do you aspire to do or be then?” Kayden asked changing the subject.
“Happy.” She said. “I want to be happy. I haven’t figured out what that means yet, and I’m okay with that.”
“I’m looking forward to figuring it out together then.” He replied, smiling. “We’ve got our whole lives to do that… you know, assuming we all don’t die tomorrow.”
“You ass.” She said teasingly before raising her leg and moving to the side to allow him to roll. “Flip over, I’ll do your front.”
When he did she couldn’t help but grin wider at the one part of his body which was decidedly not relaxed. She straddled him again, kissing him on the lips before slowly moving downwards. When he tried to get up she held him firmly with her forearm and shook her head.
“No you don’t. Not after all that hard work I did to get you relaxed. You stay right there and let me take care of this for you.”
Kayden sank into the bed further as her lips worked their magic, sending his mind into a hazy state of bliss.

Chapter 33

19:59, January 21st, 2135

Kayden fidgeted in the cockpit, silently wishing he was flying something with more guns. An interceptor would be perfect, but at this point he’d take a bomber, or the bridge of the Broken Shackle. Anything except for the modified shuttle he was sitting in – one which had been outfitted with an experimental stealth drive that supposedly functioned similarly to the one on his own, larger ship. When combined with the Vrul executor’s active camouflage technology, it functionally made them completely invisible – at least in theory.
“It’ll work.” Anna assured him, seeing his discomfort and placing a gauntleted hand on his shoulder.
“It’s not that I don’t trust your engineering.” Kayden replied, staring at the multicolored tunnel of hyperspace. “It’s that there’s just so many variables. Hell, we don’t even know if the stealth drive works against biological targets.”
“That’s why we left before Ashley’s surprise.” Selina said from the copilot’s chair. “We’ll still have a chance to regroup and retreat if this doesn’t work.”
“But we’ll have lost the element of surprise.” He countered. “And we worked so hard to reposition Ashley’s fleets into Roccan territory so we could jump to Sol directly. Once they realize that Trappist is relatively undefended-”
“It’ll work.” Dawn repeated, settling into her chair. “And besides, it was worth it to see Gibbs’ face when you told him Admiral Swiatkewicz would be passing through Roccan space with his fleet of battleships alongside Ashley. I thought he was going to shit a brick.”
Kayden couldn’t help but chuckle at the memory – one which was cut off by the sound of Ali’s voice from further back in the shuttle. “We will be emerging from hyperspace in 10 seconds.”
“Alright everyone.” Kayden replied, banishing every other thought and focusing on the impending battle. “Buckle in, this could get rough.”
They emerged seconds later into the inky blackness of space. For a moment Kayden was absolutely convinced their plan went wrong. Using his mental connection to the ship he frantically searched for the ships Ashley had sent in advance, wondering if they could have emerged off course. He saw them a moment later – exactly where they were supposed to be, floating serenely in space near the Voidborn fleet.
Then they exploded.
The blast was far larger than one generated by the group of small, remote-piloted frigates normally would be. Kayden watched as their damaged hulls came apart into millions of small pieces, flying in every direction. The Voidborn fleet was far enough back from the jump point that it didn’t even damage their shields, but instead created a field of debris all around them – where many of the pieces were carefully crafted to be shuttle-sized.
Kayden urged the shuttle forward before glancing over at Selina’s grinning face. “Looks like the first part of the plan went okay.”
“Sure, but that’s not the part I was really worried about.” Kayden countered.
“Of course – none of us doubted your ability to blow things up.” Dawn teased.
Rolling his eyes, Kayden expertly piloted the shuttle through the still-smoking detritus of the broken ships. He carefully avoided pivoting suddenly, using only their maneuvering thrusters and momentum to dodge chunks of metal as needed. As he did, he distantly heard his women speaking around him.
“I have to hand it to you Anna – I thought you were crazy for saving those broken ships.” Selina said.
“There’s no way they were ever going to be space worthy again without months of work anyways.” Anna replied. “I recycled what I could for parts, but this was a better way to send them off.”
“Agreed.” Selina nodded.
“You know, in some ways it’s better for us that this battle is happening in Sol.” Dawn said. “This is our home turf. We’ve got every hyperlane mapped, we know every nook and cranny of the system, we know… we know…” She trailed off, catching her first glimpse of Earth from far away.
The blue-and-green ball of a planet was recognizable, but only barely. Continent-sized grey clouds drifted unnaturally across the surface, and the megacities visible from orbit were now a glowing orange color. Enormous fleets of Voidborn ships hovered around the planet, with more seeming to materialize every passing moment.
“That’s… a lot of ships.” Selina said finally, breaking the silence. “Even more than we expected.”
“All the more reason we need to attack now.” Kayden growled. “We always knew we couldn’t beat them conventionally, but we need to at least hold the line long enough to take out the queen. If we wait, we won’t even be able to manage that.”
“We better get started then.” Dawn agreed grimly before turning to Ali. “How far are we?”
“At current course and speed, 2 minutes to target.” Ali responded.
“That’s only going to give us about 3 minutes before Ashley’s fleet enters.” Anna interjected. “That’s not a lot of time.”
“We’ll make it work.” Dawn replied. “We have to.”
In response Kayden pushed slightly more power to the engines before rubbing the shuttle against a piece of debris, making it seem as if they’d ricocheted off it. The maneuver brought them close enough to the enormous Voidborn space creature that he could see the individual muscles in its sinewy tendrils flex as it waved them back and forth through space, swatting away nearby debris as it rebounded off its side. He deftly brought the shuttle within 1 meter of the beast’s back before skimming along its length towards its head, dodging the random spikes and biological vents which littered its ‘hull’.
“This thing’s even uglier up close.” Anna said, trying to lighten the mood.
“Still better looking than that bitch of a Kel president.” Dawn countered, causing Kayden to chuckle despite his dark mood.
“We are approaching the landing zone.” Ali interrupted. “Please land at the highlighted coordinates.”
Kayden carefully guided the shuttle between two enormous spikes in the creature’s back before gently touching down at the base of its neck. As he made contact he waited for a moment with baited breath, half-expecting the creature to throw them off. When it didn’t he quickly turned off the ship’s power and began unbuckling himself.
“Let’s move.” He said. “Selina, Anna – you stay here. Dawn, Ali – you’re with me.”
With those words, all joking attitudes disappeared. The group of them quickly linked their armour together using a tether, then linked the tethers to a trio of drones he’d brought with them. With a final equipment check they opened the shuttle door and exited onto a surface Kayden was absolutely sure no human had stepped foot on before – the back of an enormous space creature.
“Ali, guide us.” Kayden commanded as he watched the shuttle’s camouflage engage, causing it to disappear before their eyes.
“25 meters to your left.” Ali said, pointing.
“The grey cable on the ground there?” He asked.
“Precisely. It is a flexible set of piping which is connected directly to the creature’s brain stem. Injecting the pheromones into there will have the desired effect.”
Nodding, Kayden led the two women towards it. Typically during space walks they engaged the powerful magnets on the bottoms of their boots to avoid drifting off into space. Given that the creature beneath wasn’t made of metal they had to move far slower, gripping onto Kayden’s drones for support.
“I’m pretty sure I don’t want to know the answer, but I’m going to ask anyways.” Dawn said. “Why did they have this pipe in the first place?”
“Installed into the creature’s body is a set of tanks filled with modified cerebrospinal fluid. The modifications to the fluid act as a sort of drug, making the creature more compliant to the Voidborn commands transmitted through the neural link. This is likely required because the creature is far larger than most Voidborn, and therefore a standard neural link may not provide sufficiently granular control over its actions.”
“Yup.” Dawn nodded as they reached the grey pipe. “Definitely didn’t want to know. Now, what’s next?”
“Here.” Ali said as she handed Dawn a 30 cm clear cylindrical tube with a mechanical top. “These are the pheromones we collected together in transit. Use your powers to turn the container incorporeal, then insert it into the piping.”
“Is that going to be enough?” Kayden asked.
“It’s a distilled form of the pheromones, highly concentrated and turned into a liquid form. It will suffice.” Ali replied.
Kayden watched as Dawn’s arm – and the container she was carrying – turned hazy and translucent before she slowly and carefully began to dip it into the piping. She was almost elbow-deep before judging that she’d reached the center of the tube and looked up at Ali. The android woman nodded in return and Dawn released the container before pulling her arm back quickly.
“What now?” Kayden asked.
Before Ali could answer they saw a flash of colors from far away. Kayden turned to face it, instantly recognizing it as the distinctive kaleidoscope associated with ships exiting hyperspace. He squinted slightly, trying to make out the shapes of the ships against the black backdrop of space.
“It’s Ashley’s fleet. They have arrived.” Ali announced.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them lurched as the lumbering space creature began to move towards the ragtag group of independents, Roccan, Lokken, and SCI survivors. All around them Kayden caught glimpses of sleek black Voidborn ships racing towards the human fleet, including several battleships whose main guns could blow the Broken Shackle in two with one shot.
The beast lurched again, picking up speed and throwing all of them off its back. For a moment Kayden experienced every pilot’s worst nightmare: a disorienting spin through space with nothing to stop him. His vision blurred between the void, the brown chitin of the creature, and the blinking stars. The problem was made worse when he collided with the Voidborn beast painfully before bouncing into space.
“Kayden! Use the drones!” Dawn shouted over the radio.
The sound of her voice snapped him out of his confusion. Grabbing hold of the tethers which still held both Ali and Dawn, he sent a mental command to his drones to pull them away from the creature. They responded immediately, all of their lines going taught but stopping the confusing spinning motion.
“Ashley’s fleet is in range of the Voidborn ships.” Ali said, completely calm despite their situation. “They are engaging. Shall I activate the-”
“Yes!” Both Dawn and Kayden shouted, not waiting for her to finish the sentence.
“Activating now.” She replied as Kayden pulled his two women close, using the drones to stop them entirely so they could view the now-unfolding battle.
They were treated to one of the strangest sights any of them had ever seen. The Voidborn behemoth who’d just been charging towards the fleet of human ships suddenly changed course, darting towards the nearest pair of Voidborn destroyers. When it was close enough it extended its enormous tentacles around them, pulling them into a crushing embrace. They watched entranced as it rammed the ships together like they were toys before rubbing them against its underside while making a strange moaning sound that echoed through space.
“Dawn.” Kayden said slowly.
“Yeah?” She replied distantly, clearly distracted.
“When you made the pheromones, what…exact…feeling did you impart onto them?”
“I insisted that she use the strongest possible emotion she felt a connection to in that moment.” Ali interjected. “Something primal that all living creatures would feel, regardless of their racial psychology.”
“And what emotion was that?”
“Horniness.” Dawn replied with a small giggle.
Their chuckles became full-on laughter as they watched the Kraken crush the Voidborn destroyers with its powerful thrusts, breaking through its shields and tearing its hull to shreds. The space-groaning stopped for a moment before it wrapped another tentacle around a Voidborn battleship and began pulling. The ship’s engines flared in a futile attempt to escape, but the creature’s hold was already far too strong as it began pulling the doomed craft into its amorous embrace.
Suddenly, the first salvo from the human fleet ripped into the Voidborn. Kayden watched as energy shields flickered against energy beams and missile explosions. It was a textbook opening attack, one followed up quickly by a round of projectiles that ripped through any ship whose shields had already failed. Blasts rippled through some of the smaller ships, taking them out of the fight.
“Are you three done hanging out in space?” Selina said teasingly over the radio as she brought the shuttle close to them, disabling the active camouflage for a moment so they could see it. “Because if you are, we’ve got more work to do.”
Chuckling, Kayden replied. “Yeah, yeah. Let us aboard when you’re ready.”
With some careful maneuvering of both the drones and the shuttle, they were soon back aboard. After repressurizing the cabin Kayden slipped into the pilot’s chair one more time before squeezing Selina’s thigh in a show of appreciation. She purred in response before winking at him from behind her helmet’s visor.
“How goes the battle?” Dawn asked as she buckled herself into her own chair.
“The initial salvos were successful.” Ali answered, turning her tablet around for the rest of them to see. “The Voidborn ships were forced to redirect a portion of their fleet to destroy the Kraken. However, a significant portion of the fleet has continued towards Ashley and they are beginning to return fire.”
“How significant of a portion?”
“The Voidborn still outnumber her ships by a ratio of 3:1.” Ali said.
“Shit. That’s still more than we planned for.”
“I believe she has the situation well in-hand.” Ali replied with a coy smile.
Kayden watched with rapt attention as they were treated to a display of tactical brilliance which would rival any in human history. Ashley’s fleet performed a perfectly choreographed fighting retreat, slowly drawing the Voidborn fleet towards the hyperspace exit point. The human battleships acted as a rearguard, absorbing the seemingly unending barrage with their powerful shields as the smaller ships continued to fire around them.
As the Voidborn fleet cut passed through the jump point in their pursuit, explosions began to bloom around them. Hundreds of perfectly-placed nuclear proximity mines roared to life, bathing the nearby fleet in fire and electromagnetic radiation. Dozens of their ships saw their shields flicker and die only to be pummelled by yet more projectile rounds as Ashley’s fleet did a quick about-face and stood their ground, returning fire.
Just as the last of the explosions died out, yet more ships exited hyperspace – this time, behind the Voidborn fleet. They immediately unloaded with every weapon they had into the Voidborn ships’ poorly defended backsides, tearing through all but the most powerful of shields. As the beleaguered Voidborn fleet sluggishly turned to face this new threat the space was suddenly filled with thousands of interceptors and bombers launching from both the newly entered fleet as well as the human one, turning the ambush into a true battle.
“This is the Voice of the Stars.” Elara announced over the radio from the Kel flagship. “We are engaging the enemy.”
“This is the Hopeful.” Mirana added from the former Vrul scavenger bot. “We are with you, Elara.”
“Ladies, your timing is perfect.” Kayden replied over the radio, shaking his head in amazement at the combined fleet.
It was an imposing sight. Sleek golden Vrul cruisers hovered in a protective formation around enormous purple Kel battleships. Mixed groups of Kel and Vrul frigates and corvettes hunted the Voidborn in packs, darting forward in daring hit-and-run maneuvers before fading back towards the fleet. Dozens of destroyers coordinated their fire, with the Vrul ones using energy weapons and the Kel ones following up with projectiles. In the middle of it all sat the two nation’s flagships, showing the kind of unity that Kayden knew their ancestors always dreamed of.
“The battle isn’t won yet.” Ashley’s terse voice reminded them over their shared radio channel. “We’ve got them on the ropes, but when the rest of their forces finish off that octopus-thing and join the battle we’re screwed.”
“Where do you need us most?” Kayden asked, itching to get into the fight.
“I don’t think we’re getting a better opening than this to get planet side.” Ashley replied. “Get on the ground and end this quickly. I’ll give you whatever bombers and air support I can, but it won’t be much – hopefully just enough to punch a hole through their defenses and get your boots on the ground.”
“Understood.” Mirana replied. “We will deploy the troop transports.”
“As will we.” Elara agreed.
“I am remote-piloting the Broken Shackle. I will use it to escort the troop transports to the ground.” Ali added. “I have detected a strong signal similar to the one broadcast by the artifacts emanating from these coordinates. Please proceed there.”
Kayden glanced at the coordinates that popped up on the screen in front of him. The boiling rage of looking at what was ostensibly his people’s home planet threatened to overtake his better judgement as he was forced to compare the location to a live view of the planet, glancing at the glowing orange spots as he did. Pushing those feelings aside for a moment, he felt some small measure of relief to see where they were going wasn’t currently on fire. That being said, as he stared at the coordinates for a moment longer a realization washed over him and he groaned aloud. In response Selina tilted her head to the side and looked at him in confusion.
“What is it?”
Kayden exhaled before replying. “I guess this means I’m going home.”

Chapter 34

22:03, January 21st, 2135

The pair of enormous troop transports hovered precariously over a large, flat roof as dozens of armour-clad figures streamed out of the cargo ramp on the back. A quartet of other transports hovered above a nearby parking lot, disgorging their own cargo: anti-gravity tanks, mechanical walkers, and heavy artillery pieces. Even as they hit the ground they began firing into the crowd of Voidborn creatures, blasting them away to keep them at bay.
As if the chaos on the ground wasn’t intense enough, the sky above them flashed with the fire of hundreds of interceptors, bombers, and other craft vying for aerial superiority. The boom of anti-air fire rang from stationary Voidborn cannons nearby, their energy and projectile blasts knocking down human, Kel, and Vrul fighters alike. The air around them was choked with thick grey smoke, masking the broken forms of the enormous archologies in the distance.
Kayden watched the situation unfold from the relative safety of a nearby derelict office building, breathing slowly as he took careful aim through his sniper rifle. At some point the side of the building had been sheared cleanly off, providing an excellent place from which to watch over their transports as they unloaded. He exhaled and gently pulled the trigger just as his Kel-wife did the same, their bullets blowing through the brains of several human-Voidborn zombies who were racing towards a squad of marines. Seeing that they were safe Kayden keyed his radio again and began speaking.
“Corporal Davis, you’re clear to move up.”
“Thank you sir.” The young man’s voice responded. “We’re moving into the adjacent building now.”
Landing ended up being a relatively simple affair – their stealthy shuttle avoided detection and touched down on top of a nearby office building, allowing them to get out and quickly find the artifact’s exact location. Their only real obstacle at the time were the burned-out husks of buildings around them and the roaming packs of Voidborn zombies who shambled through the streets below them – both of whom were easily avoided.
Landing the transports on the other hand proved to be much more complicated. It took all of Ali’s remote-piloting skills and Ashley’s combined force of fighters and bombers to destroy most of the anti-air cannons that dotted the city and interceptors which dotted the skies. While the aerial battle raged overhead, Kayden and his women quickly realized that the artifact was tucked between a series of closely-packed skyscrapers – ones that would prevent the transports from being able to land on top of the artifact like they planned. Instead they quickly devised a new plan – deploying everything they could on top of a nearby mall before making the final charge on foot.
“You two keeping busy?” Dawn asked over the radio as Kayden watched the marines duck into what looked like a hardware store.
“A little too busy for my liking.” Elara replied.
“We need to move soon.” Kayden added. “We’re going to get hemmed in by these numbers if we wait too long.”
“Agreed.” Selina responded, the sound of gunfire ringing through the radio. “As much fun as I’m having, we’re going to run out of ammo before they run out of troops.”
“The last of our forces are unloaded.” Ali interjected. “We are ready now.”
“Good.” Kayden said, slinging the sniper rifle across his back as he stood. “Bravo team, hold this position and get those guns online. Alpha, I’ll meet you on the ground.”
As he said it, Elara stowed her sniper rifle and moved next to him. She was quickly joined on his other side by Mirana, who had been watching the door behind them for any Voidborn that decided trying to take out the two snipers was a good idea. With a nod to both women Kayden hooked one arm underneath their waists and leapt out of the building, falling three floors before landing on the street below. The landing caused the pavement to crack beneath the weight of his armour, drawing the attention of the nearby friendly forces.
“Show-off.” Dawn said teasingly as she stepped away from one of the barricades which were quickly being erected, her spot being replaced by a Kel trooper.
“It was the fastest way down.” Kayden replied as he placed the women on either side of him down.
“Come on!” Anna said over the radio, excitement clear in her voice. “Otherwise I’m not leaving any for the rest of you!”
With a chuckle Kayden glanced at the beacon in his helmet’s heads-up display before jogging down the road towards a second barricade. His women quickly fell into step around him, and they were soon joined by other armour-clad figures as they streamed out of the main floor of the building whose roof they’d used as a landing pad. As they ran they fired off rounds into any Voidborn who’d managed to slip past their defenses.
“Marines! Get those buildings secured!” Kayden cried, pointing to his right as he marked it virtually on everyone else’s heads-up display. “Kel squads 3 through 6, go back them up. Use the Vrul robots to take their places at the barricades.”
“On it!” Lieutenant Dare’s voice replied.
When they finally reached the barricade Kayden located Selina instantly. She stood in the center of a line of soldiers, her black catlike tail swishing back and forth as she rapidly pulled the trigger of her pistol a dozen times in quick succession. He couldn’t help but grin as he saw an equal number of Voidborn-human zombies fall, each of them with holes in their foreheads.
“Crabs!” A human voice shouted.
“Backwash area clear!” Ali responded smoothly over the radio. “Fire in the hole!”
Several troopers further down the barricade dropped to their knees, revealing where Ali was standing. She pulled the trigger of the enormous rocket launcher balanced precariously on her shoulder, causing an exaggerated bang to ring out. It was followed almost immediately by the fwoosh of an explosion as the street beyond the barricade was bathed in fire, killing half a dozen crabs in one shot.
“Where’s Anna?” Kayden asked as the smoke began to clear.
As if to answer his question, the ground around them shook with the footsteps of something large. Kayden turned to see Anna in a 3-meter tall mechanized walker that was bristling with weapons. Across its back were almost a dozen missile launchers, and underneath either of its 3-fingered mechanical hands were a set of miniguns. On either shoulder sat what looked like a pair of twin-linked energy cannons, and slung across the torso was a bandolier packed with grenades, explosives, and more ammunition. Its sturdy mechanical legs swung smoothly as it ran towards them, and Kayden heard Anna cackling over the radio as she neared.
“Time to test the new toy!” She shouted with glee as she leapt clear over the barricade.
Kayden almost felt bad for the next wave of Voidborn as they cleared the smoke and charged towards the barricade. Anna’s mech unloaded with her energy and projectile weapons, cutting them down like a hot knife through butter. The soldiers on the front line cheered her on as she boldly strode forward into the Voidborn ranks, planting a mechanical claw or foot through any of them that were unlucky enough to get close.
“When did she get that thing?” Selina asked as Kayden hopped over the barricade after her.
“We built it together on Sanctuary.” Mirana revealed as she moved in behind them. “Her goblin crewmates were quite eager to work with my Vrul colleagues. I believe she calls it a ‘titan’, though I am unsure what that word means in this context.”
“Move up!” Kayden ordered as the rest of his women climbed over the barricade, followed by a hand-picked squad of soldiers from Sanctuary. “She’s carving a path for us. Let’s give her some cover!”
Like the well-drilled soldiers they were, his 4 fire teams of 8 soldiers each fanned out across the street. Every team had 4 humans, 2 Vrul, and 2 Kel, and had been practicing relentlessly on Sanctuary under the guidance of Jack Parker – Dawn’s father. While the man himself was too old and feeble to make the trip to Earth, Kayden saw that his training of the squads had clearly borne fruit: they each alternated between moving up and firing into the oncoming horde, covering each other as they did. More than that though, they seemed to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, with the bulky humans forming more of a vanguard while the keen-sighted Kel hung back and used their sniper rifles to devastating effect. The Vrul ranged between the two groups, using their golden-armoured suits to bear the weight of the heavy weapons, extra ammo, and other materials they’d need for the fight while taking potshots of their own with arm-mounted railguns – ones whose design they’d stolen from the dead Vrul executors. Their shiny armaments meant that they ended up bearing the brunt of the enemy fire, but he knew from experience that their shields and armour were beyond tough, meaning they could easily absorb it and keep moving.
If they weren’t in the middle of a battle, Kayden might have been beaming with pride at the show of unity. As it was though, he was intently focused on using his sidearm to keep the mass of oncoming zombies at bay. They were occasionally supplemented by the more ‘traditional’ Voidborn forces – crabs, snakes, and quadrupeds – but the combined forces around them used their heavy weapons to quickly take them down before they could do any damage. It wasn’t long before they left the relative safety of the barrier behind, enemies surrounding them on all sides as they moved through the destroyed city.
The situation quickly changed when Kayden peered around the final corner to glimpse their destination for the first time. Ahead of him was an entrenched Voidborn force that had clearly been preparing for their arrival while they wasted time chewing through the thousands of cannon-fodder zombies all around them. Hundreds of crab creatures stood behind the blown-out walls of what used to be a sports stadium, all of their cannons pointed towards the street where they’d emerge. Through the broken windows of the buildings on either side Kayden glimpsed snakes ready to bathe the street in their acid spray, and behind ranks of thousands of quadrupeds Kayden saw dozens of the flying-cockroach-throwing-monstrosities they’d encountered on Vulcan – each of which looked poised to launch dozens of cockroaches in the air.
In the middle of it all stood the Queen, her hip cocked to one side. Based on the smirk on her face Kayden had no doubt that she saw him, but she made no move to attack yet. To him, it seemed like she was content to wait for their comparatively diminutive force to wade into their waiting ambush.
“Hold up!” Kayden shouted over the radio as he ducked back behind the building.
“We can’t stay long!” Dawn replied over the roar of her assault rifle. “These zombies are hemming us in from behind!”
“We can’t move ahead either!” Selina countered, peeking around the corner just as Kayden did. “The queen’s over there, and she’s got a lot of friends. It looks like a bad time.”
Kayden grinned in response before keying his radio. “Lieutenant Dare! Tell me that artillery is set up!”
“Ready to fire! Just paint the target!”
“Load the special rounds and fire as soon as you get a signal!” Kayden replied before darting around the corner.
In that moment, tens of thousands of eyes locked onto him – along with almost as many guns. His grin grew when he holstered his sidearm and pointed his fist at the queen before extending his index finger towards her and pulling his thumb back in a crude mimicry of a gun. She replied by furrowing her brow in confusion, holding up one hand to stop her minions from firing. For a moment, everything stood still and nobody moved.
[“Distance calculated. Target marked.”] Ali informed him.
Boom. Kayden mentally replied as he jerked his hand backwards as if shooting his imaginary gun.
Far overhead, a cylindrical round exploded. The blast itself barely even damaged the buildings around them, with the small bit of shrapnel bouncing off the metal superstructures harmlessly. The queen looked up in confusion, then back at Kayden and shrugged in a surprisingly human motion.
“What was that supposed to accomplish?” She shouted at him as a white powder descended from the sky like snow.
Even as she said the words though, the Voidborn creatures around her started to shift uncomfortably. A second later they were groaning lowly in pain, then outright screaming. The skin melted off their faces as they collapsed into puddles of goo and metallic parts, and even the queen herself was brought to her knees in pain.
Never one for half-measures, Kayden keyed his radio again. “Keep firing!”
Another pair of explosions followed, absolutely coating the street – and a good portion of the city around them - in the white powder. Several Voidborn threw themselves off of buildings in their death throes, their bodies liquifying before they hit the ground. Kayden strode confidently forward into the carnage, making a beeline for the queen as he spoke into his radio.
“Keep firing! Everyone move up!” He shouted.
Not waiting for them to respond, Kayden began to jog towards the queen as he summoned his nanobot swarm. His jog became a full on sprint when she got up and summoned her own swarm, using them to plug the holes in her rapidly disintegrating body. Showing an alarming amount of remaining strength she leapt away through the mass of her disintegrating soldiers, retreating into the sports stadium beyond.
[“Kayden, we have a problem.”] Ali announced as Kayden ran after her.
I know! She’s retreating, and it looks like she’s falling back to the artifact!
[“It’s not that. It appears the anti-Voidborn virus does not work on the human-Voidborn zombies.”]
Kayden stopped dead in his tracks before whirling around. Behind him, his rapidly retreating squad was still holding back the mass of formerly-human bodies, but only just. A pit formed in his stomach when he saw the zombies walk over the white-powdered street unscathed, shuffling through pools of their liquified comrades in their mindless attempt to claw and scratch them to death.
Seeing no other options, the black-clad humans turned as one before darting into the crowd. Their genetic enhancements were almost on par with Kayden’s own, allowing them to tear through the zombies with terrifying strength and speed. Heads were torn clean from necks and oversized pistols were fired at point-blank range, blowing bodies cleanly apart. Several humans even pulled melee weapons from their backs before using them to hack, slash, and crush the zombies in return, beating them at their own game.
If you’d told me when we found that lab on Sanctuary that the transhumans created there would someday be fighting tooth and nail to reclaim Earth, I’d have called you crazy. Kayden thought to himself.
With the zombies’ charge disrupted for a moment, the rest of the group quickly reformed their lines around Anna and her mech. They carefully began to fire into the crowd, killing as many zombies as they could while limiting the risk of friendly fire as much as possible. The renewed barrage gave enough of a reprieve to the transhumans so that they could fall back, but when they tried 2 of their number were drowned under the weight of Voidborn bodies. Kayden instinctively began to move towards them but stopped when Elara shouted.
“Don’t! Focus on the queen! We’ll hold the line!”
“Kick her ass!” Selina added as she killed three more in the time it would take most people to pull the trigger once.
“And get that artifact! We need it!” Dawn finished.
Gritting his teeth, he realized his women were right. He reluctantly turned and raced into the stadium after the queen, doing his best to stay alert for any ambushes. The overhead lights which normally illuminated the grey concrete halls were shattered, forcing Kayden to rely on the night vision built into his helmet. Even through the greenish tint he could see blood smearing the walls across advertisements for various events alongside a smattering of bullet pockmarks.
Without an obvious trail to follow, Kayden defaulted to moving towards the artifact’s signal. He crept through the darkened hall to the center of the circular building, dropping his sniper rifle and levelling his pistol as he scanned for threats. As he neared he noticed a purplish glow emitting from the end of the hallway – one which seemed to grow in intensity with every step. He turned off his night vision and stepped across the threshold into the center of the arena, only to stop dead.
Strewn across the multiple levels of seats haphazardly were Voidborn cocoons. Many of them were leaking some sort of viscous goo, covering the ground in a light sheen. Their mechanical arms and nanobot swarms whirred and swirled as they created yet more Voidborn monstrosities. Even through his suit he could feel the moisture and heat of the air around him increase rapidly, as if he’d stepped into a sauna.
In the middle of the sand arena was a new Voidborn artifact floating just above the ground. It was shaped like a 1-meter long triangular prism with 4 obvious insets for the pyramids – 2 of which were already filled. Unsurprisingly it was made of the same onyx-black material as the artifacts they’d come across before, with the same glowing patterns and glyphs traced up and down its form. The ethereal purple light which emanated from it filled the room despite its relatively small size.
Next to the artifact was an especially large cocoon – one which split open down the side as Kayden stepped onto the sandy battlefield. Out stepped the queen, and while it looked like she’d mostly healed he couldn’t help but notice that she was moving far slower than usual. Undeterred, she smirked at him before speaking.
“Kayden Reynolds. I’ve heard that this place is one where your people used to host gladiatorial fights for sport. Is it true?” She asked.
Kayden emptied the magazine from his pistol at her as he deployed his dozen drones around him. Their combined fire drained her energy shields, leaving her with only scant armour to protect her. As he paused to reload he responded casually. “That’s right.”
“Fitting then, that this is where you’ve come to die!” She shouted.
As she said it, the millions of nanobots which were tending to their cocoons shot towards him. In response Kayden activated his adrenaline rush, desperately sprinting towards her in an effort to close the gap before the nanobots hit him. He almost managed it too, reaching within 2 meters of the woman as the swarm enveloped him, encasing him in a solid block of metal that extended from his neck to his toes.
With her trademark smirk still plastered across her face she stumbled towards him, clearly still feeling the effects of the poison. Her eyes narrowed as she drew back the sharp points on both of her wings, preparing to strike. The exertion caused her to teeter slightly, resting both hands on the block of metal to steady herself.
“You’re not even strong enough to kill me.” Kayden chuckled darkly.
“Silence!” She shouted hoarsely. “Your poison will pass through my body in a few moments. Then I will heal, and the next generation of my creations will adapt. Your little rebellion ends here!”
“Whatever you say…” Kayden replied softly. “Aelira.”
She stopped dead before leaning in closer. “What did you just call me?”
While pantomiming a deep inhale to respond, Kayden summoned as much electrical power as he could before channeling it through his body and into the block of metal surrounding him. It was wild and unfocused, draining most of his remaining power reserves. He hoped beyond hope that she’d chosen to make the block out of some sort of conductive material, knowing that this was likely his last opportunity to win the fight.
Thankfully for him, she’d chosen a very conductive metal.
In nanoseconds the electrical blast shot through the metal and into her body, shocking her into submission. Her muscles began to convulse uncontrollably, but the way she’d draped herself over the metal block meant that her convulsions just kept her on it, continuing the electrical attack far longer than normal. By the time she slipped to the ground she was completely unconscious, her limbs still twitching.
With a thought, Kayden’s drones buzzed overhead and began to use their energy beams to carefully carve him out of the metal block. It took several minutes for them to make a hole wide enough for him to crawl out of – far longer than he would have had if he’d tried to accomplish the same feat during the fight. As he stepped back onto solid ground though, he saw the queen start to stir with the first signs of consciousness.
Acutely aware of the fact that her enormous nanobot swarm was still hovering around them, Kayden summoned his own nanobots into a razor-sharp, meter-long blade – one which he used to behead the queen in one swift stroke. As her severed head bounced across the ground Kayden exhaled deeply before turning to the artifact next to him.
[“The Voidborn forces are in retreat for the moment.”] Ali said in his mind.
Good. Get everyone in here then – I think I found the artifact we’re looking for. Its time to pay a visit to her lab.

Chapter 35

23:35, January 21st, 2135

“We are ready for teleportation.” Ali’s voice said over the radio.
“We’re all set up.” Elara confirmed, her sniper rifle resting on the balcony of a seat on the second level.
Kayden took a final moment to look around. In the disarray of the queen’s death, Ali sprinted into the arena before immediately beginning to work on the Voidborn transmitter. The rest of the squad soon joined them, destroying cocoons and taking up defensive positions all around the building. Somewhat counterintuitively, their rifles faced inwards at the device rather than outwards at the hordes of manic Voidborn currently rampaging unchecked across the planet.
“Don’t worry.” Dawn reassured him, sensing his hesitation. “If one of her bodies comes through while you’re gone, we’ve got enough firepower set up to take her out. She’ll be slimed, shocked, and shot dead before she knows what hit her.”
Glancing back at the row of Vrul troopers setting up slime cannons and what looked like a Tesla coil, Kayden realized she was right and that he was delaying the inevitable. With a final wave he moved next to Ali, taking her proffered hand and squeezing it.
“Be back before you know-ohshit!” He shouted as they began their teleportation across the galaxy.
It was the strangest sensation in Kayden’s life – and that was saying something, given how he’d been through everything from genetic modifications to neural link overloads. Unlike jumping to hyperspace there was no whirling colors – only complete darkness and intense pressure on all sides followed by a sudden rush of sensory inputs as they appeared on the other side. The metallic tang of blood filled his mouth as he fell to his knees, dizzy from the transport.
[“Are you alright?”] Ali asked, seemingly no worse for wear.
Rather than responding right away, Kayden took several deep breaths through his nose. He did his best to focus on the black tiled floor in front of him, steadying himself enough to stand. When he did he saw that the ceiling was similarly adorned, with the walls being made of white tile that was dotted with windows.
Is the air breathable? He asked.
[“Yes.”]
Retracting his helmet he spat blood onto the ground. Good. Holy shit that sucked.
[“It is interesting that you use that adjective.”] Ali began as Kayden continued to get his bearings. [“The technology is fascinating. It uses a negative mass converter to create an area of subspatial low-pressure, causing the user to be ‘sucked’ to their destination. It is similar to-”]
Ali? Kayden interrupted.
[“Yes?”]
Thanks. He finished, putting a hand on her waist.
[“For what?”] She replied coyly with a smile.
I know you’re trying to lighten my mood and distract me. He straightened his back before levelling his rifle. I’m ready now.
[“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.”] She replied cheekily while the emotions that leaked through their shared neural link told a different story. [“I am detecting a strong power source ahead. Please follow me.”]
Together they began to walk down the long, sterile-looking hallway. They made it to the nearest window before Kayden did a double take, stopping as he looked back. His eyes went wide and his palms began to sweat before turning to Ali.
There’s no way that’s real, right?
[“I believe it is real.”] She replied softly.
Suspended in the inky blackness of space Kayden could see the milky way. They were close enough to it that it filled most of the two-meter window, but far enough away that they could see the entire spinning disk. Kayden wracked his brain for a moment, trying to remember where the Earth would be but without a point of reference he was hopelessly lost and soon gave up.
We’re a long way from home. Kayden said, shaking his head.
[“Several hundred thousand light years away.”] Ali replied. [“Far further than any other human before this.”]
The sound of dozens of skittering feet jolted them out of their moment of quiet reflection and back into the present. Kayden whirled around to see the front ranks of a group of quadrupeds racing down the corridor towards them, their jaws hanging open and spittle flying everywhere. He sighted the first few and fired controlled bursts into them, bringing them down as Ali stepped up next to him.
[“Save your ammunition. Please, allow me.”] She said smoothly as she plucked a grenade from her belt and casually tossed it at the oncoming horde.
The device exploded just in front of the creatures, covering them in a fine white powder. Kayden grinned as he saw them melt before reaching them, the closest one falling to the ground more than 10 meters away. He peered down the hallway to see several more cockroach creatures try to fly through only to disintegrate as they did.
[“The queen hasn’t had time to make more troops who are immune to the virus yet.”] Ali said, adjusting the remaining grenades on her belt.
‘Yet’ being the operative word there. Kayden replied. Let’s get moving before she does.
They started off in the opposite direction again – this time at a light jog. Ali led them unerringly through a series of winding corridors, some of which had frosted glass sliding doors in them or more windows showing the universe outside. The deeper they moved into the station the more frequently they crossed paths with patrols – all of which were quickly dealt with using Ali’s grenades.
[“In here.”] Ali said finally, pressing her palm against a nondescript frosted glass door.
To their surprise, it opened at her touch. They looked at each other before slipping inside, neither of them willing to question their good fortune. Kayden quickly summoned his nanobots to seal the door behind them as Ali ventured further, determined to find the power source in the room. When Kayden finally finished he whistled lowly.
Just when I thought nothing else here could surprise me. He ‘said’ to Ali.
The wall immediately to their left led to a floor-to-ceiling window ahead of them – one which showed the side of the station not facing their solar system. To Kayden’s surprise he immediately noticed that the station was an enormous circle built around what looked like an artificial sun with thousands of dark spots in front of it. His sense of dread increased when he saw that the dark spots were ships, and there were far more of them than even he anticipated.
Tens of thousands. Hundreds of thousands. He thought to himself as he neared the window, seeing ships floating in every direction.
At one end of the enormous circle Kayden could see a purple light shining almost as brightly as the nearby sun. The light looked suspiciously similar to the one around the artifact on Earth. A theory began to form as to its purpose – one which solidified as he saw several small ships drift closer to the artifact before disappearing.
[“Yes. That appears to be an identical artifact.”] Ali said. [“Moreover, the queen appears to already have a new body in control of her forces – one which is on Earth. She is sending yet more forces through.”]
Kayden furrowed his brow. I guess she has some control over where her body or ships appear. It wouldn’t do her much good if the ships materialized on the ground.
[“So it would seem.”] Ali agreed distractedly.
Eager to see what had captured her attention, Kayden turned to his right to receive his second surprise. Along the wall was a set of workstations, beyond which was a glass wall that gave a view into a large chamber. He moved closer to see that the chamber housed what looked like hundreds of green human-sized tubes – ones which he didn’t have to work too hard to guess the purpose of. His gaze drifted over to Ali only to see she’d already inserted a control cable into one of the workstations. Her eyes were closed and her face showed a mixture of frustration and concentration.
Are those her spare bodies? Kayden asked.
[“Some of them, yes.”] Ali replied.
Some?
[“It would appear that there are 11 more of these labs, spread across the station. Each lab is locked down such that it cannot be accessed remotely, preventing the sort of sabotage we are currently attempting. Moreover, I believe there are more bodies kept in cold storage in several well-defended rooms.”]
We don’t have time to visit 11 more labs. Kayden stated the obvious. Nor do we have enough explosives to blow them up.
[“Yes. Which is why I have another idea. One which may make you feel uncomfortable.”]
What is it? Kayden asked hesitantly.
When her next body dies, we capture the signal and put it into my body instead.
Kayden’s heart skipped several beats before replying out loud. “You want to do what?”
Ali’s eyes opened and she replied. “If we trap her consciousness in this body, we can destroy it. Given that I lack the necessary equipment to send the control signal activating a new body, this would effectively kill her.”
“Ali, you’re asking me to kill you.” Kayden replied hoarsely.
“You misunderstand. For a short time, both of us will exist within this body before I-” she stopped abruptly. “There isn’t time. The signal is being sent! It’s your decision!”
“Fuck!” Kayden shouted before nodding. “Do it, I trust you!”
Ali nodded before closing her eyes again. She kneeled on the cold floor, her heels tucked against her butt as she folded her hands demurely in front of her. The cable connecting her to the workstation drew taut when she suddenly twitched, her arms beginning to shake violently.
Concerned, Kayden leapt behind her and placed both hands on her shoulders to control her convulsing. Her synthetic skin bulged and she cried out in pain before throwing herself face-first onto the floor. He moved to pick her back up but stopped suddenly when one of her legs swung around at an impossible angle, kicking him in the face hard enough to crack his armour.
[“SHE IS HERE!”] Ali cried out to him.
What do I do? Kayden replied frantically.
Suddenly, the convulsions stopped. Ali’s body lay still for a few long moments before her electric blue eyes opened softly. They darted back and forth for a moment, seemingly getting her bearings before she rolled halfway onto her back and looked at him.
“Kayden?” She asked softly.
“Are you okay Ali?” He replied.
She finished rolling onto her back before flexing her fingers in and out. She experimentally tested her limbs one by one: rolling her neck, sitting up slowly, rotating her arms, then flexing her legs. Finally, she nodded to him and offered him a toothy smile. “I believe so.”
“What happened?” Kayden asked, still tense from Ali’s last request.
“She tried to take over this body, but I defeated her.”
“So all that talk about me needing to destroy this body-”
“Completely unnecessary.” She cut him off. “We should return to Earth as soon as possible though.”
Something about the way she moved and spoke seemed stiff and unnatural, making him hesitate. “Just out of curiosity, what was your plan? And why didn’t we need to go through with it?”
“Kayden please!” She asked, her eyes frantic. “I’ll explain everything once we get back! Let’s just go home!”
“Yeah, I don’t think so.” Kayden said, stepping back and levelling his rifle at her all-too-familiar face with a grimace. “This is your only chance to prove it’s really you. What’s my middle name?”
Ali’s body sneered before launching herself off the ground at him. Kayden hesitated for only a fraction of a second, pulling the trigger and jumping backwards as he did. His barrage caught her in the shoulder and shredded her armour, but his reluctance to shoot his girlfriend’s possessed body ended up costing him. Her fist connected with the side of his face, throwing his rifle out to the side. He tried to adjust his aim but she was ready, slapping the rifle from his hands with one powerful strike.
Instinctively he tried to call upon his nanobots and drones to finish the job, but they stubbornly refused to listen to his commands. She stepped in closer, deflecting a wild haymaker from his biological arm before hammering it with her metallic one, breaking it at the elbow. He gritted his teeth through the pain and tried to strike her with his metallic arm in response only for it to suddenly drop and hang limply at his side.
“You put far too much trust into your neural link with her.”
The sound of the queen’s voice coming out of Ali’s mouth was jarring. Kayden had very little time to think about it though, because she followed up her statement with a full-bodied tackle to his midsection that sent him flying across the room. He landed against the far metallic wall with a deep thud before groaning in pain.
“You routed everything through her – your nanobots, your genetic powers, all of it. I can even turn down your basic biological functions now!”
As if to prove the point, Kayden felt his body become heavy. It took all the strength he had not to collapse onto the floor in front of him. He did his best to block out the pain currently wracking his body as he desperately tried to search for a solution.
“It’s a…primitive form, to be certain.” The queen continued, inspecting Ali’s bullet-marked shoulder and arm. “But it will serve its purpose for now.”
“Stop talking and finish it.” Kayden managed to grunt out.
“Oh, but this is so much more fun! After all the pain you’ve caused me, I think it’s only fair that I cause you some in return.” She said, sauntering closer to him with a slight limp. “This is going to hurt you far more than it will hurt me.”
Thankfully for him, Kayden never found out what she had in mind. The queen was interrupted when a figure burst through the glass wall above the workstations, faster than Kayden could track. The room was suddenly filled with the sound of screeching and yelling as the blurry silver creature bodily threw Ali’s already-damaged body around the room, easily tearing it limb from limb. Even as they fought though, Kayden’s vision started to grey around the edges and his breathing became difficult.
Suddenly, Kayden saw Ali’s torso thrown onto the ground in front of him. His apparent saviour connected a control cable to the neural link on the back of her neck just as his vision went black and he slumped onto the ground. In that moment his heart was filled with regret: at not having finished the job, at leaving the women he loved to fend for themselves, and at possibly having doomed the universe to serve under the queen.
As if by divine intervention, his eyes shot back open a moment later. The fog of death lifted and he looked up to see Ali’s electric blue eyes boring into his, concern etched across her face. He immediately tried to roll away but she held him firm and shook her head before speaking in her familiar voice – all traces of the queen’s influence gone.
[“It’s me, Kayden. Your middle name is John, even if you like to insist that it’s ‘Careful’.”]
He stopped suddenly before furrowing his brow. His eyes slowly moved away from Ali towards a decapitated head that she held in one hand – one that looked like it belonged on her shoulders. Shaking his head he narrowed his eyes at his saviour.
I’m going to need a lot more reassurance than that. He replied mentally, testing their neural link.
[“When the queen was trapped in my body I used the lab to create a new one. I originally wanted to transfer our link to the new one before the queen arrived, but there wasn’t time.”]
And there wasn’t time to explain the plan either I guess? Kayden asked.
[“Yes. We had no time to react. I’m sorry.”] She replied, feelings of shame and embarrassment leaking through their link.
Kayden reached up and clasped one of her hands in his. No need to be sorry. Did we win?
[“In short, yes. I can give you the longer explanation on the way home.”]
I’m not exactly in a state to be walking. Kayden replied, looking down at his many broken bones.
[“Not to worry. I will carry you.”] Ali replied, scooping him up under her arms.
As she did, Kayden took a moment to admire her new body. Her face looked identical to the one she wore before, right down to the strands of silver hair she chose to cover her head. Her nanobot-created armour hugged her curves a little tighter than it did before, but what caught his eye were the metallic silver wings that now stretched out from her back. Unlike the queen’s old wings they were neither spindly nor pointed – instead they were made of what looked like metallic feathers, and when one of them brushed against his face gently he realized they were soft.
You look like my own personal angel. Kayden chuckled.
[“While unintentional, I will happily play the part of your divine rescuer.”] She replied cheekily.
I think I like your new body. Kayden asked with a smirk.
[“I am glad.”] She replied as she easily lifted him. [“The wings can become rigid and form a shield. I also developed high-density muscles beneath, so that I can smoothly lift loads up to-”]
Wait, muscles? Kayden interrupted. I thought your synthetic skin was mostly surface-layer.
[“That is no longer true.”] She replied, happiness and excitement flooding their link as she carried him out of the lab. [“This body is equal parts organic and mechanical.”]
You… achieved synthesis. Kayden slowly realized.
[“Yes.”]
“Holy shit!” Kayden said aloud before realizing his jaw was broken. I’m so proud of you!
[“Thank you Kayden. That means everything to me, and there is no way I could have done it without you. I love you.”]
I love you too. Kayden replied happily before realizing they were walking through the halls of the space station. Should we be worried about Voidborn ambushing us?
[“No. I have sent them to other areas of the ship until we decide what to do with them.”]
Kayden took a full 5 seconds to process this. What do you mean you sent them?
[“When I took control of this body, I also took control of the Voidborn from the queen.”]
You’re…the new queen?
[“Effectively, yes. I have ordered the Voidborn forces around Earth into a full retreat, and am sending a message of unconditional surrender on all channels.”]
That’s going to make cleaning up these creatures a lot easier. Kayden mused.
[“I fear that’s not the case. Kayden… I can hear their individual voices in my mind. Billions and billions of them. Their individual consciousnesses still exist.”]
Holy shit. Kayden replied, reeling from the repeated revelations. Can they be returned to their own bodies? Can we restore the people who were transformed?
[“Not as they were, no. However, with hard work and assistance from the Kel, the Vrul, and my…’sister’, I believe we can return their individuality.”]
Your sister…Kayden started. Ah. The AI you recovered on the Vrul ship.
[“Precisely. The transfer process will likely require both of us, so it is fortunate we chose not to destroy her. Together, we may even be able to restore parts of Voidborn bodies to make them appear closer to their original state. However, they will never be 100% human again. They will be something else, something new.”]
Kayden leaned his head against his android girlfriend. I don’t think I’m ready to deal with the implications of that right now.
[“I agree. Rest, Kayden. You are in good hands, and I will guide us safely back home.”]

Chapter 36

10:02, February 1st, 2135

“Daniel told me you’ve got a clean bill of health.” Dawn said as she slipped into the council chambers on Sanctuary.
Kayden chuckled before turning away from the open window where he’d been watching the torrential rain fall. “That’s not what he said to me. I got a hell of a lecture about needing to be more careful in the future.”
“Well, you did break 14 bones, most of your ribs, and you were bleeding internally.” Selina countered as she slipped into the room behind Dawn and closed the door behind her, shaking off the rain.
“Yeah, I was bleeding internally. That’s where the blood is supposed to go, right?” Kayden replied cheekily.
“You ass.” Dawn responded through a cackling laugh.
“How goes the Voidborn evacuation from Earth?” Kayden asked, changing the subject.
“Starborn.” Dawn corrected him. “They’re changing their name to Starborn, remember?”
“Right, sorry.” Kayden replied. “I’m still getting used to that.”
“To answer your question, it’s going surprisingly well – Ali found them an unclaimed system without any habitable planets. They’re going to relocate there and terraform some of them into places they can live. Nobody seemed to have any issues with that as long as it meant they were leaving.”
“Re-integration is going to be tough once Ali figures out how to de-Voidborn them.” Kayden said.
“Yes, but we’re probably years away from that.” Selina replied, sliding her hand across his back and her cat-tail up his leg. “And I have a feeling that if the ‘Hero of Earth’ endorses it, things will go considerably better.”
“The what now?” Kayden asked, bewildered.
“The ‘Hero of Earth’.” Dawn repeated, mimicking Selina’s motion and wrapping her voluptuous body around his other side. “That’s what they’re calling you now, among other things.”
As Selina rested her ebony-haired, cat-eared head against his chest, Kayden took a moment to really look at his two beautiful women. Selina wore the nanobot-created collar-like choker he’d given her months ago around her neck and had painted her lips ruby red with lipstick. She’d put on makeup for the occasion, using smoky grey eyeshadow to highlight her naturally brilliant blue eyes.
As his eyes drifted downwards she slowly unzipped the long black rain jacket she was wearing to reveal that she had a dress shirt on underneath – one she’d obviously stolen from his closet. It was tied tightly just beneath her pert tits, showing off her tight abs and defined hip bones. Over top of her hips she wore a tiny plaid red-and-black miniskirt that failed to cover the tops of her black thigh-highs. Her long legs ended in 3-inch pointed heels – ones which were wet from the rain but somehow miraculously not muddy.
Not to be outdone, he turned to Dawn as she started to shrug off her own raincoat. She wore nanobot-created rings he’d made for her around her devilish horns, the dull grey offset against her fiery red hair. Her yellow eyes flicked up and met his as she ran one finger teasingly down her glorious breasts, tugging at her own pilfered white dress shirt – one which she’d tied just like Selina’s. He saw that her miniskirt was the mirror image of Selina’s as well – black and red instead of red and black – but she’d chosen an identical pair of heels and thigh highs. Her crimson-painted lips formed into a smile as he took a moment to appreciate the soft green eyeshadow she’d applied.
“I…take it you’re not here to discuss post-war integration.” Kayden joked, his black linen pants tightening considerably.
“No.” Selina said, trailing one hand down his white linen t-shirt before sliding it underneath the bottom so she could feel his muscular body. “We had something else in mind.”
“Oh? And what’s that?” Kayden said, shivering from the feeling of Dawn’s hand joining Selina’s, sliding up the back of his loose shirt.
“Well, Daniel has been telling us to hold off ‘rewarding’ you until you’re fully recovered.” Dawn started. “And seeing as how you’ve got a clean bill of health now…”
“And how do the other girls feel about this?” Kayden asked.
“Elara, Mirana, and Anna are surveying a site for a new city – one for the Kel and Vrul to live together. They’re planning on coming back and rewarding you later tonight.”
“Fair warning: Elara wants to get pregnant as soon as she can.” Selina interjected. “Expect lots of baby talk.”
Dawn giggled before continuing. “Ali is off-world with the Starborn right now. Ashley is with her, overseeing the evacuation. They’ll be back tomorrow.” She finished as she began to tug his shirt up.
Kayden lifted his arms, allowing his women to pull off his shirt. “I see. So everyone is out except for you.”
“Exactly.” Selina agreed, her fingernails tracing a line from the middle of his chest downwards until she gripped his already-hard cock through his pants. “And we couldn’t have you – the hero of Earth, the Asha’dara, the saviour of the Vrul, the love of our lives – waiting one more second than necessary to be rewarded for all his hard work.”
“No, we absolutely couldn’t.” Dawn agreed, gently pushing Kayden backwards to a large couch. “So why don’t you sit back and let us take care of you?”
Selina took her hand off his cock before shoving him onto the couch. “She means it. You relax and let us take care of your every need. You’ll need to rest up.”
“Rest up?” Kayden furrowed his brow, confused. “For what?”
The two women shared a look before kneeling in front of him. “In case you haven’t figured it out yet, this is going to be the start of the sex party to end all sex parties.” Dawn said with a grin. “So remember to pace yourself. This is only the first course.”
With that, Selina and Dawn both reached forward and pulled down Kayden’s pants and underwear in one smooth motion. His cock flopped out as they reached mid-thigh, waving back and forth as the two women pulled his pants completely off, leaving him naked. They shared a wry grin before the two of them looked at him, each of them taking one of his hands and kissing it softly before wrapping their soft fingers around his cock.
Kayden relaxed completely into the couch as the two women worked him in unison. Based on the way they cast glances at each other they’d obviously planned this in advance, and Kayden was more than content to let their pleasurable scheme play out. They soon placed his hands on top of their heads and moved in slowly, their tongues replacing their fingers on his shaft.
He couldn’t help but groan at how good the double-blowjob felt. Their heads alternated going up and down – Dawn would trace her tongue up from his balls as Selina would do the same from the tip of his cock before they’d reverse course. He watched their heads bob – Dawn’s devil horns contrasting with Selina’s cat ears – in a sort of mesmerized state, unwilling to do anything that would put a pause to their ministrations. At one point the two girls caught each others eye and met at his tip, kissing with tongue across his cock head before glancing back at him.
“Nggh fuck.” Kayden groaned out, unwilling or unable to form full sentences.
As they continued to bob Kayden felt them let out moans of their own around his cock. His eyes focused long enough to see that their hands were now reaching across to each other, playing between one another’s legs. The fact that they managed to focus on the blowjob they were giving while also rubbing each other’s clits was a miracle of dexterity to him – one which he enjoyed the sight of immensely.
“Babe.” Selina said to Dawn as she pulled her mouth away. “Keep going. I need to ride his face.”
“Do I get any say in the matter?” Kayden asked cheekily.
“No.” Selina said with a smirk.
Any further protest was cut off when Dawn enveloped his wet cock head with her lips, running her tongue along the underside as she did. She engulfed his entire cock as Selina demonstrated her exceptional flexibility, swinging one leg over either of Kayden’s shoulders so that she could face downwards, pressing herself against him in a seated ‘69’ position. Gravity caused her skirt to flip downwards, revealing the fact that she wasn’t wearing any panties.
Needing no further invitation, Kayden grabbed both of her hips and pulled her pussy towards him like a starving man at a buffet. He dove in and began to eat her already-wet pussy while she kissed Dawn over the top of his cock, sending lighting bolts of pleasure through his body. She groaned around him and rocked her hips against his face, holding herself up with her forearms on his thighs.
The eroticism of the new position for them only encouraged Kayden further. He wrapped one arm around the lithe catgirl’s waist to hold her close to him while he tongued away at her clit, continuing the relentless assault that Dawn started with her fingers. While he knew he had top-notch pussy eating skills it proved hard for him to focus given the fact that both women were still intently blowing him. Despite that, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction when Selina’s hips started to convulse through her first orgasm of the night.
“Fuck!” She shouted, squeezing her thighs around his head for support. “Yes!”
When she released his head he backed off for a moment before kissing her thigh. “Keep going?”
“Yes!” Selina replied before leaving another lipstick mark on his shaft.
Eager to please, Kayden dove back in. With the first orgasm out of the way, he focused on building her next one slowly. He traced lazy shapes with his tongue, running it up and down her perfect pink pussy lips in ways that made her shiver. He teased the tip of it against her sensitive clit, alternating between blowing cool air on it and flicking his tongue across it.
As he tantalized her, the girls returned the favor. He slowly began to realize that they weren’t giving him enough stimulation to make him cum. Instead, they’d use their hands, tongues, and lips to bring him close to the edge before stopping and letting him cool off. He’d been with them for long enough that they seemed to have a sense for when he was about to cum that bordered on the supernatural, knowing exactly when to back off and when they could start again.
Their joint tease continued for what felt like an hour but was probably only 10 minutes. Kayden continued to touch, kiss, and tantalize Selina while her and Dawn did the same to his cock, bringing them both to the edge of delicious ecstasy before stopping. When she finally began to wordlessly whine in frustration, he decided enough was enough and brought his metallic hand around her leg. With a grin on his face he started to rub his cool prosthetic fingers against her folds as he used his tongue on her clit.
The effect was immediate. The sounds of her moans filled the council chambers as he slipped one finger inside her, followed by a second one. He began to slowly curl them in ways that would be impossible for a biological human hand, hitting her g-spot with every soft stroke. The strong muscles in her back and legs began to spasm as she lost all control, shaking as she inched closer and closer to a monumental orgasm.
“I can’t… I’m going to…” She groaned out, taking her mouth off his cock but unable to complete the sentence.
Her lips were quickly captured by Dawn’s soft crimson ones. The surprise kiss was dirty, passionate, and full of tongue – exactly the thing which the catgirl needed to go careening off the edge explosively. She squirted her juices on his face and down his chest as she pushed back against his fingers, eager to get as much of him inside her as possible. Unlike the previous orgasm it continued for almost a full minute before she slumped onto his naked body, spent but utterly satisfied.
“Yesss.” The catgirl purred from behind glassy eyes and a wide smile.
“My turn.” Dawn announced, standing. “Pull her up, would you? I need that cock in me.”
Grabbing Selina by the waist, Kayden pulled her up towards him until his face was resting between her ass. He was rewarded with a glorious view – that of two pert buttcheeks, and his sexy imp of a girlfriend lowering her wet pussy onto his cock. She looked at him with a grin before her eyes pulsed, flooding the room around them with pheromones.
“Fuuuuuu….” Kayden drifted off, his mind clouded by a haze of pink lust.
In one fell swoop, Dawn’s pussy dropped onto his cock and gripped him tightly. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she let out a wordless moan of pleasure, clearly happy to be filled by his length. She rolled her hips slowly, grinding herself against his pelvis as she fucked him into the couch.
“That’s it, my love.” Dawn said as her hips worked him. “Just lay back and let me do all the work.”
Unable to help himself, Kayden reached out with one hand and put it on her hip. He then placed the other hand on Selina’s ass cheek and kneaded it softly, enjoying the feel of ass-flesh between his fingers. Apparently the movement woke her from her orgasm-induced stupor though, as she inhaled sharply – taking an enormous dose of pheromones with her.
“Holy fuck!” She said, writhing her hips as she flipped up Dawn’s skirt and practically dove at her clit.
Dawn gasped in pleasure from the new sensation while Kayden began to lick Selina’s pussy again. In that moment the three of them truly became one – Dawn fucking Kayden’s edged cock to within an inch of his life, Kayden eating Selina’s pussy as she wrapped her legs tightly around his face again, and Selina lapping away at Dawn’s clit as she ground her hips into their shared boyfriend. They devolved into a confused mess of pleasurable sensations, losing track of whose tongue, lips, and hands were on who. There was no more room for conscious thought in that moment - all that mattered was that they each continued to work each other to greater and greater heights, moving ever closer to their shared crescendo.
In the end, it was Dawn who came undone first. She began to cry out from the sensations of Kayden’s cock filling her mixed with Selina’s talented tongue, falling forward and pressing her enormous breasts into the catgirl’s back as she shook through her orgasm. Her toes and jaw clenched tightly and her knees knocked together against Kayden’s legs as her hips rode him on autopilot, desperate to draw out the mind-blanking euphoria as long as possible.
The sensation of her cumming wasn’t lost on Kayden. Through it all, Dawn’s pussy gripped him ever tighter, giving him the best possible kind of friction. Her wet pussy kept him perfectly lubricated as the orgasm wracked her body uncontrollably.
Despite his prodigious stamina, Kayden couldn’t hold back. The agonizingly teasing foreplay mixed with the sight of his girlfriend losing control proved to be too much for him, causing him to blast almost 2 weeks of backed-up cum into Dawn. Every pulse of his cock seemed to send more convulsions through the succubus-woman, which in turn drew more cum forth from his aching balls. He gripped the two girls tightly, his vision and mind going blank as he shot the biggest load of his life.
Even if his thunderous orgasm caused him to abandon any semblance of pussy-eating technique, the sight of two of her lovers cumming together sent Selina over the edge for a third time. She spasmed on Kayden’s face before drenching him again, her cum dripping down his chin and chest for the third time that morning. She ground her hips against his face, rubbing her clit on his lips and tongue as she shook violently against him.
By the time the three of them came down from their shared high they were exhausted. Kayden slumped against the couch as the two women cuddled up next to him, seemingly content for a moment to just run their hands up and down one another’s bodies lovingly as they basked in the afterglow. For Kayden, it would be a moment that would be etched in his mind forever.
“So… who’s ready for round 2?” Dawn asked mischievously.

Epilogue

08:00, January 1st, 2145

“But mom, it’s going to be boring!” The little boy whined.
Like his parents, he had black hair and blue eyes – ones that darted from side to side as he looked for an exit from the floor of the arena – one which had been paved over and filled with chairs. He was only a meter tall but knew he was quick enough to escape his mother’s grasp if he got enough of a head start.
“Benjamin Reynolds, don’t even think about it.” Selina warned him, using the stern voice she preferred to avoid. “The ceremony will only take a few minutes, and it’s important you behave while we’re up on that stage. If I hear one word from Aunt Cassie about you misbehaving, I’ll tell Aunt Ali to turn off your shuttle racing sims for the next month.”
The threat seemed to catch the little boy’s attention. He straightened up before sitting politely on the seat next to him between his older cousins. The blue-skinned, white-haired girl to his left and the red skinned, black-haired girl to his right both straightened as Selina approached, smiling at her.
“Aunt Selina!” The blue skin girl cheered, the spitting image of her Kel mother.
“Auntie!” The red skin girl echoed, looking equally like her Vrul mother.
“Tessa. Nyxeris.” Selina acknowledged them both, running a hand through the hair of each of them before ruffling it affectionately. “Are the two of you going to watch out for Ben?”
“Of course!” Tessa replied on behalf of both of them.
Selina’s face softened before clasping Ben’s face in both hands and kissing him on the forehead. He squirmed at her physical affection in the way only a child can do with their parent, groaning and shouting ‘ew!’
“He certainly has both your temperament.” Cassie observed dryly from further down the row as Selina rolled her eyes. “Rebellious and stubborn.”
Selina laughed good-naturedly and her eyes sparkled as she smiled at the little boy. “Yes, he does.”
“Go.” Cassie insisted, shooing her away with one hand. “I’ve got them. The ceremony is going to start, and you’re going to miss it.”
“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Selina replied, lithely vaulting herself through the rows of Starborn soldiers seated around the children for protection.
When she reached the end of the row she stopped suddenly, looking up and down at a man in a tailored black suit. He wore a white dress shirt with a red tie, shiny dress shoes, and a red handkerchief in his jacket pocket. She grinned appreciatively at him, thinking for a moment that he looked like a mid-2000s movie star.
“Hello husband.” She purred as she slipped her hands around his waist.
“Hello wife of mine.” Kayden replied before leaning in to kiss her.
“Ah ah ah.” She shook her head before pointing to her cheek. “It took a long time to get this makeup on. You can kiss me here for now.”
“What about after the ceremony?” Kayden replied, pressing his lips to her neck.
“After the ceremony… you can kiss me everywhere.” She replied with an erotic groan as he pulled her into her.
For a moment Kayden ran his hands up and down his wife’s amazing body. Somehow she’d become even sexier to her after having a kid: her breasts and hips seemed to grow slightly in size, but everywhere else she retained the same lithe figure she had before – one which was currently draped in a tight, glittery, silver dress.
“Is that a promise, Mrs. Reynolds?” Kayden asked.
“You can bet on it.” Selina replied. “Once the kids are asleep. Now come on – we’ll be late.”
Hooking her arm underneath his, they strode to the front together while doing their best to ignore the murmured gossip and camera flashes around them. They both knew that if the crowd wasn’t made up of ex war-heroes and military personnel they’d be mobbed like celebrities, so they were content for the moment to let them have their quiet moment of whispered awe and close-up pictures.
When they reached the front of the quickly-filling auditorium they were met by two more Starborn officers. They wore the military dress uniforms adopted by every member of their military – a high-necked, plain black jacket with matching black slacks and silver trim. The only real ornamentation on them was the small silver starburst symbol that pinned their jackets together.
“Mr. Reynolds, Mrs. Reynolds.” One of them said in a gravelly voice.
Kayden looked at the man. While Ali and her sister had done a remarkable job at removing most of their monstrous qualities over time, there was still no way they could be mistaken for human ever again. Their skin was a bluish grey, and their eyes had an otherworldly ethereal blue light to them. If they chose to have hair it was uniformly grey, and many of them still had scars from where the Voidborn Queen had implanted them with cybernetics.
“Officer.” Kayden said, not knowing the man’s name.
“This way please.” The officer said, holding out his hand to the right.
They followed the man into a side entrance where the rest of Kayden’s wives were waiting. Mirana had her hood pulled back as she talked amicably with Elara, recounting a story about their recent adventures. Dawn sat in the corner nursing a baby while Anna, Ali, and Ashley pored over the speeches they were about to deliver. Each woman was similarly attired to Selina, wearing a smattering of ball gowns and cocktail dresses.
“Finally, he’s here!” Anna said excitedly as she looked up.
The unexpected shout startled the baby, who immediately unlatched and started to cry. Anna went bright red and moved to comfort the little boy but Kayden was faster, kneeling by Dawn’s side in a flash. Her tired eyes smiled at the sight of him and she handed him the boy, causing him to stop crying almost immediately.
“He really is a daddy’s boy.” Dawn said, pulling her gown up to cover herself. “He settles as soon as he knows that you’re here.”
Uncaring about the drool he was no doubt about to receive on his nice suit, Kayden turned the boy over before placing his head against his chest and bouncing slightly. His hand ran across the boy’s back softly as he spoke to him in a gentle tone.
“Is that right Grey? Are you a daddy’s boy?”
The boy burped in reply before letting out a little giggle, causing everyone in the room to chuckle. Kayden continued to sway softly as he kissed Dawn on the cheek before turning to Ashley.
“Are we ready?”
“Yes. All we have to do is endorse the inclusion of the Starborn into the Human-Kel-Vrul alliance, smile for the picture, and we can head back to Sanctuary.”
“Good, because I’m already itching to take this suit off.”
“I’m glad, because I’m itching to get that suit off you.” Selina replied, running a hand along his back.
“She’s not the only one.” Anna chimed in ahead of him.
Grinning to himself, Kayden took a moment to look around at the family he’d created. The galaxy still had problems, sure – the frontier of known space was constantly expanding, reintegration of the Starborn into galactic society would be difficult, and dissident groups were always forming: everything from rogue Vrul executors who escaped their purge to anti-Starborn terrorist groups to Kel supremacists. But those were the sorts of problems that the next generation of heroes were more than capable of solving – something he was content to let them do.
In the family he’d created, he’d found the freedom he’d always craved. And nothing in the galaxy was worth giving that up for.

___

Author’s Note: That’s it!
Thank you for reading Synthesis: Retribution. I hope you enjoyed reading the entire trilogy as much as I enjoyed writing it. These books would not exist without your reviews, feedback, support, and comments – so from the bottom of my heart, thank you. You (the reader) are amazing, and I want you to know that.
If you’ll indulge me a little longer…
With this book, Kayden Reynolds’ story is complete. It feels a bit sad saying goodbye to him and his wives but I always planned on ending his story this way. The universe is a big place to explore though, and maybe if I feel inspired I’ll return to tell a different story in the same setting – one with a fresh set of characters and perspectives.
I’ll miss blowing things up with him though.
I plan on taking a bit of a break before retuning to writing, so I can deal with all the ‘life’ stuff that’s happened this year. Royal Blooded isn’t done, and I’ve been sitting on an idea for awhile that I think is going to be truly special. If you’re craving more of my writing in the mean time, I recommend you check out one of my other series – available in both eBook and Audiobook form! I hope to see you there.

-F

Footnotes

ABOUT ME

I write romance stories with fantasy or science fiction elements. I try to emphasize things like respect and communication in relationships.

You can find my website here: http://fgsmithauthor.com/

You can also contact me via email: f.g.smith.author@gmail.com

Or discord: foxtrotgolfsierra

Thanks for reading!

Synthesis: Retribution. Copyright © 2024 by F.G. Smith. Kindle Edition. All Rights Reserved.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means electronical or mechanical without the express written permission of the author.

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