UGT: 22th Aether 280 a.G.A. / 10:11 a.m.

  Location: ASF Aurora, inside the Woch-Hor'Nubis system (black hole, 49x the Sol star mass), Inner-Noran sector, Ruidan Raider Association, Milky Way

  The lingering aftershocks of the Battlecruiser's destruction were still dispersing through the void and the battlefield was momentarily drowned in sensor interference. But I had no time to process what just happened. Even if I wanted to take a breath, the battle wasn’t waiting for me.

  [ The RRA isn’t retreating! They’re doubling down on our allies! ]

  Fen’s assessment came just as the remaining RRA forces surged forward. Their two Cruisers, now the largest warships left on their side, adjusted their vectors and began a coordinated push. Their plasma batteries fired in sync, filling the void with burning energy, targeting the SHF fleet with relentless aggression. Their Destroyers weren’t hanging back either, repositioning to press the attack against the SHF’s already battered right flank. And the Freighters, those five damn Freighters, were still trying to slip away! "Are they insane!?" I muttered, watching as the RRA pressed on despite losing their flagship.

  [ I’d say desperate. They know if they run, we’ll pick them apart one by one. Their only hope is taking out enough SHF ships to balance the fight. ]

  The thing was, we wouldn't. The SHF was way to keen on taking ships in working conditions and taking prisoners. At that moment, Commander Ashcroft’s voice came through the comms, sharp and demanding. "Captain Lunaris, can you cut down those Cruisers? They’re tearing into my forces in an alarming rate! Sonn we'll have first causalities!"

  He was right. Even with the ASF Aurora’s intervention, the SHF was still feeling the brunt of the engagement. One of their Destroyers was already losing shielding, its hull integrity dropping with every impact. Their Cruisers were faring better, but they weren’t built to withstand this much sustained fire. "Consider it done," I said. "Fen, target their lead Cruiser. Railguns and siphons first, then we finish it off with Disintegrators."

  [ Locking on. Let’s put them in their place. ]

  The ASF Aurora adjusted its angle slightly, aligning for maximum effectiveness. Within moments, the ship’s railguns roared to life, antimatter rounds streaking across the void. The lead RRA Cruiser’s shields were already stressed from its aggressive assault, and the barrage shattered them in an instant. Siphon beams followed, leeching the last remnants of power from their failing systems. I wasn’t going to give them a chance to recover.

  "Disintegrators. Cut them apart." Once more, forty emerald beams slashed through the darkness, carving into the exposed hull of the RRA Cruiser. There was no dramatic explosion this time. Just quiet, efficient destruction. The beams didn’t ignite fuel or detonate munitions. They simply erased sections of the ship with every strike, leaving behind a disjointed, crumbling husk. Within moments, the vessel was nothing more than a drifting wreck, completely neutralized.

  [ One down. The second Cruiser is breaking formation. ]

  I narrowed my eyes. The second RRA Cruiser had seen what happened and was now pulling back, trying to reposition. Not retreating, just maneuvering out of immediate danger. Which meant they still had a plan. "Commander, status on your flank?" I asked, watching the battlefield unfold.

  "Not good. Those RRA Destroyers are pressing us hard. We’ve lost a Frigate, and one of my Cruisers is taking a beating."

  I clenched my jaw. The RRA was playing this smart. They weren’t relying on brute force anymore; they were leveraging their mobility to keep the SHF on the defensive. If I didn’t shift my focus soon, they’d wear Ashcroft’s forces down before we could claim full control of the battlefield. I would stop them, but the RRA had split their fleet apart in a way making it impossible for me to cover the entire width of the battle. And all the while, those damn Freighters were still trying to slip away. "Fen, new priority. Just throw an ECM Beam at the second Cruiser for now. Hit the Destroyers hammering Ashcroft’s forces."

  [ On it. Targeting. Firing. ]

  The ASF Aurora turned its fury onto the RRA Destroyers. Gauss Cannons and missiles struck first, breaking through their already strained shields. Two of them immediately began evasive maneuvers, but the third wasn’t so lucky. A direct hit from a railgun round pierced through its reactor housing. The explosion wasn’t as dramatic as the Battlecruiser’s demise, but it was just as final. The Destroyer shattered into debris, instantly removed from the battle. That left two more still engaging the SHF fleet. Commander Ashcroft’s remaining Frigates, seeing the opportunity, moved in to assist, focusing their fire on the weakened targets. Plasma bolts and kinetic rounds filled the space between them, forcing the RRA Destroyers onto the defensive. The SHF’s resolve was holding, but barely. "Lunaris, we need to finish this fast," Ashcroft warned, him not using my title telling me more than enough. "If they get even one more solid hit on my Cruiser, I will lose it."

  I already knew that. And I wasn’t going to let it happen. "Fen, full barrage. Let’s end this before they get that chance. Commander, keep tighten your formation, solely focus on trying to prevent losses," I said over comms. "I’ll handle their Destroyers."

  "Then do it quickly, Lunaris." His frustration was bleeding through, but I ignored it. He could complain later.

  "Fen, new priority. Lock onto both Destroyers. Fire Gauss Cannons and siphon their shields before they get out of range."

  [ You got it. I'll send them a parting gift. ]

  The ASF Aurora’s railguns fired in unison, the antimatter rounds streaking across the battlefield. One Destroyer was fast enough to react, rolling out of the trajectory just in time, but the other wasn’t so lucky. The first impact struck its midsection, burrowing through armor and igniting internal compartments. Before it could adjust course, another round followed, with more following after. tBy the time the fourth shot hit, the ship wasn’t a ship anymore. It was drifting wreckage. The last Destroyer was still moving, accelerating hard. They were trying to escape now, likely realizing they were next in line for execution. "Missiles," I ordered. "Full spread."

  [ With pleasure. ]

  A swarm of Whirlwind missiles streaked forward, intelligent antimatter warheads adjusting their approach in real time. The Destroyer’s point defenses kicked in, trying to shoot down as many as possible, but there were too many. One missile got through. Then another. Then five. The resulting detonation didn’t just destroy the ship. The volatile explosion completely erased it. And just like that, the RRA Destroyers were gone.

  [ That’s the last of their real firepower. Now all that’s left is the crippled Cruiser and the Freighters. ]

  I exhaled slowly. The Freighters. Still fleeing from us.The entire time already something seemed off about them. I just couldn't place my hand on it. "Commander Ashcroft, your fleet’s clear to regroup," I said. "But I’m not letting those Freighters get away. Cover me while I hunt them down."

  For once, Ashcroft didn’t argue. "Fine. But please deal with the remaining ships first, only disable them. I want the added strength for the fleet." Meanwhile I was already lining up targeting solutions when a priority signal flashed across my interface.

  [ Hold on, May. Looks like someone wants to talk. ]

  I frowned. The RRA wants to negotiate? A transmission came through, heavily encrypted but readable. The voice on the other end was strained, reluctant but clear. "This is Admiral Th?rak-Vashof the ARF Cruiser R?shak-Mar. We… we surrender. All remaining RRA vessels are standing down. We request terms." I raised an eyebrow. That was unexpected.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  [ Huh. I guess they figured out that fighting us isn’t good for their health. ]

  I glanced at the battlefield, at the wreckage of what had once been a powerful RRA task force. They knew they had no way out. Only a single hyperlane connected to the system and said one was behind our fleet. Therefore they were admitting defeat. "Commander Ashcroft," I said over comms. "They’re capitulating." Silence, followed by a slow exhale. "...Acknowledged. I’ll organize boarding teams. Let’s wrap this up."

  Still, my eyes remained fixed on the tactical display, where the cluster of Freighters that had rapidly fled now stood still, not moving anymore. With the capitulation of the RRA, their entire behaviour had changed. Unlike the RRA warships, which had surrendered or lay smoldering, these cargo vessels seemed... poised. Their formation was deliberate, and their engines thrummed at idle, like predators waiting for the right moment to strike. I tapped the holoscreen. "Fen, keep tracking those freighters. I want detailed scans. Hull composition, power readings, everything."

  [ On it, Captain. Initial scans show standard cargo Freighters, but there are anomalies in their power output. Shields are active, and their sensor arrays are drawing more power than they should. ]

  "More than just cargo ships," I muttered, narrowing my eyes. "Sentry ships maybe? Run a broad-spectrum scan. Check for communications, hidden signals, anything that seems even slightly out of place." The Aurora's sensors surged forward, bathing the freighters in a web of scanning beams. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a soft chime broke the silence.

  [ I’m picking up a faint transmission, highly encrypted. It’s not a standard distress signal. Honestly it’s buried in a low-frequency band, very hard to notice. I'll decrypt it, but we'll probably only get small pieces if anything. This is much more advanced than what the RRA should be capable of.]

  The display flickered as the signal unraveled. Strings of corrupted data scrolled past, numbers, static, fragments of language. And then, amidst the chaos, a single word emerged,

  "Kril Sethar."

  The name struck me like a physical blow. My breath caught in my throat as a wave of fragmented memories crashed over me. I staggered back, clutching the armrest of my chair. Images flooded my mind, disjointed and raw.

  A shadowed corridor. Metal walls, cold and wet, glistened with condensation. The air was heavy, thick with the tang of ozone and smoke. Red emergency lights pulsed, casting jagged shadows that twisted and writhed along the walls. I ran. Bare feet slapped against the metal floor, each step a thunderclap in the suffocating silence. Alarms wailed, a chorus of shrieking metal and urgent, rhythmic beeps. The corridor seemed to stretch endlessly, a tunnel collapsing in on itself. Breath burned in my lungs. I couldn’t remember why I was running, only that I had to. If I stopped, something terrible would happen. A shadow moved at the edge of my vision. A figure, tall, cloaked in darkness. Eyes like molten amber pierced through the haze, locking onto me. My heart stuttered. “May!” The voice crashed over me, both a command and a plea. I stumbled, hands grazing the wall, the cold biting into my skin. The metal beneath my fingertips was warm, almost alive. The world spun, colors bleeding together.

  Blood on my hands, dark and viscous, the coppery scent filling my nostrils. I didn’t know whose it was. My fingers trembled, crimson rivulets weaving through the lines of my palms. The liquid was warm, sticky, binding me to a moment I couldn’t fully see. Shadows danced around me, figures moving just beyond clarity. There were voices. Muffled, warped by distance and fear. Someone was screaming, a raw, unending wail that gnawed at my sanity. I couldn’t tell if it was me. The world around me twisted, walls bending like molten metal. My feet slipped on the slick floor, and I fell to my knees. The blood smeared beneath me, a dark halo spreading outwards. A flash, gloved hands reaching out to me, pulling. I was being dragged through the chaos, my vision splitting into fragments. Lights flickered overhead, casting the world in shades of sickly green and stark white. Then, a face. Or part of one. Eyes wide and empty, skin pale beneath a sheen of red. The mouth moved, words lost to the roar of static. My chest tightened, breath catching. I wanted to reach out, to understand, but my body wouldn’t respond. My hands remained stained, the blood a stain on more than just skin.

  A sigil, an emblem of twisting black and silver, etched onto the hull of a ship. It wasn't one I've ever seen. It wasn't Aetherian. The symbol seemed to move, the silver veins within the black coil shifting as if alive. My vision tunneled, the world around me blurring into insignificance as the emblem consumed my focus. I stood on a platform, the cold metal beneath my feet biting through thin soles. The hangar stretched around me, cavernous and dim, shadows clinging to every surface. The ship loomed ahead, its hull a mosaic of dark metal and the haunting sigil. Figures moved around it, clad in uniforms I couldn’t fully make out. Their faces were obscured by helmets, but the weight of their gazes pressed down on me. A voice rang out. A command, sharp and undeniable. I flinched, though I couldn’t understand the words. The sigil glowed faintly, a pulse of argent light that seemed to sync with my heartbeat. It drew me forward, every step an echo through the void. My hand reached out, fingers brushing against the cold metal. The moment I made contact, a surge of energy snapped through me.

  Flames roared around me, hungry and all-consuming. The bridge was a twisted ruin, metal beams bent and broken, consoles sparking with dying energy. Smoke clawed at my throat, every breath a struggle. I stood amid the chaos, the heat licking at my skin, the air filled with the acrid stench of burning circuitry and charred metal. Shadows danced across the shattered viewports, where the cold void of space lay just beyond the veil of fire. In the center of the destruction, the console sat, a once-proud helm now fractured and scorched. The same sigil as before was still there, etched into its surface, but no longer pristine. The twisting black and silver had turned ashen, cracks running through the emblem like veins of molten glass. I stumbled forward, my feet dragging through debris. I reached out, my hand trembling, fingertips grazing the sigil. A shock ran through me, sharp and cold, cutting through the heat. Voices. Screams. The bridge shuddered, the floor pitching beneath me. I saw figures through the flames. Silhouettes of the crew, faces twisted in fear and defiance. Someone was shouting my name, but the sound was swallowed by the inferno.

  Agony, blinding and unyielding. It started as a whisper at the base of my skull, a cold tendril snaking its way into my mind. Then, all at once, it struck. Sharp, crystalline, like shards of ice driven deep into my brain. I staggered, hands clutching my head, nails biting into my scalp. The world around me fractured, edges splintering into a mosaic of light and shadow. My vision blurred, colors smearing together as if reality itself was melting. I opened my mouth to scream, but the sound was swallowed before it could form. My voice echoed in the void, a raw, silent howl. My knees hit the floor, a dull impact lost in the storm raging inside my head. Shadows twisted, reaching for me with fingers made of smoke.

  I fell to my knees, the bridge swimming before my eyes. The cold floor bit into my skin, anchoring me to the present even as the past tore through me.

  [ May? Your vitals are spiking. Should I call for medical assistance? ]

  "No." My own voice was hoarse, barely more than a rasp. I forced myself up, fingers digging into the console. "No. I’m fine."

  [ That is clearly a lie! Your heart rate- ]

  "Silence!" The word ripped out of me, sharper than I intended. Fen fell quiet. I drew a shuddering breath, forcing my mind back under control. The memories still throbbed behind my eyes, a storm of half-formed images and lost emotions. "Kril Sethar," I whispered. The name felt alien once more. Whatever... that had been, it was gone. I still had the fragmented memories I just unlocked but that'd been it. I straightened, my voice gaining strength. I'd need to know more. Urgently. "Fen, inform Commander Ashcroft to prepare all boarding teams. We are taking those Freighters by force. I want them intact. Whatever they’re hiding, I need to know."

  [ Acknowledged. Forwarding orders to Commander Ashcroft. ]

  "And scan your own databanks. Pull anything, no matter how unimportant or useless it seems, on Kril Sethar. I don’t care if the data is corrupted, buried, or fragmented. I want answers."

  [ Understood, Captain. Initiating deep search. ]

  The ASF Aurora shifted, the engines humming as the boarding ships launched. On the display, the freighters remained still, their dark hulls reflecting the cold light of the distant star. But then, something changed. Alarms blared as the freighters’ energy readings spiked. Fen’s voice came through, tight with urgency.

  [ Captain! The Freighters are overloading their reactors! Self-destruct sequences detected across the entire cluster! ]

  "Damn it!" I slammed my fist against the console. "Warn the boarding teams, pull them back!" Onscreen, the Freighters shuddered. A brief, blinding light flared in their cores before they erupted in synchronized detonations. The shockwave rippled through the void, debris scattering like ash in a gale. The tactical display dimmed, showing nothing but the fading echoes of their destruction. Every trace of data, every scrap of potential evidence, had been obliterated. A heavy silence filled the bridge. I sank back into my chair, numb. "Fen... did you get anything in your databank?"

  [ Well, yes, but- ]

  Then, without warning, the screen, the ship and Fen's voice went dark.

  [ Inheritor-Protocol #675-D override! ]

  [ Do not seek what was once banishe- ]

  [ Sorry, I don't seem to have anything even resembling that name in my databank. ]

  My mind went blank, the cold and unyielding message echoing the blockade in my own mind. In Fen itself due to the Inheritor-Protocols. The same ones that had supported me the entire time until now. Even Fens memories of finding something had instantly been wiped.

  "Why?" My voice was barely a whisper. "What are you hiding from me?"

  But there was no answer. Only the quiet hum of the ASF Aurora and the void beyond, where secrets had died among the stars.