Felix the unflappable squirrel did not bat a furry eyelid when Niva walked onto the bridge.

  In fact, I’m not sure he noticed any of us until I sauntered up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

  “So… what’s new with you, Felix?”

  The little grey furball turned his cute (in the way that a stuffed animal is cute – I’m not that way inclined) eyes towards me and said something that I’m almost certain was a swear word in Granit. I may not have picked up much of the language, but I did know how to swear in over 40 dialects at the last count. For example: ‘Dessiact fleur tou crassiack!’ So fun to say. In truth, I’m not totally sure what it means: something about the exploding sexual organs of a Hortian (don’t ask). But you can’t get by on the Explendia space station without picking up the more colourful phrases.

  Anyhoo, back to the point. Felix’s gaze flicked to the dragon and then back to his console.

  “I have isolated our position. Where is the captain?” he asked.

  “She’s–” I started, but Faithon cut me off.

  “The captain is indisposed for the time being. Please make your report to me.”

  “Yes,” I agreed. “Please make your report to us.”

  Felix gave me a look, and I think I heard Faithon sigh. No matter, I was a dragon’s companion now. I was important, and they were going to have to get used to it.

  “Location confirmed: we are 73.29 parsecs from Explendia, between the Graasic nebula and Drontial system. The latter having the closest inhabited planet at 12.23 parsecs distant. Scanners can detect nothing but particles of dust in our immediate locale.”

  That is the thing about Felix, he doesn’t ask questions. If I’d been in his position, I would have been screaming at Faithon, demanding to know what was going on. But I guess there is a reason why their species has been made the galaxy’s technicians.

  “Don’t worry, Felix,” I said, reassuring him. The poor creature must have been scared out of his mind, somewhere deep, deep inside. “Me and Niva will get us out of here.”

  Niva bumped her head into my thigh at the words. It was supposed to be affectionate, but I was not ready, and had to catch myself on Felix’s chair to avoid an embarrassing trip. Silly thing really, but I’d been through a lot this morning and, on the whole, thought I was holding myself together pretty well.

  “Yes, girl. We’ll take us to the prophetess now.” I turned to Faithon. “Um, where is the prophetess?”

  Faithon sighed again. He sure was sighing a lot. “The Zalantian system. Based on our location, it should be closer to us than Explendia. But still too far for us to travel at sub-light speeds, unless you want to spend the next year or two doing it.” He looked at me as Felix brought up a sector map of our relative positions onto the three-dimensional display that dominated the bridge when it activated. There was something in his gaze that I wouldn't read; his complete confidence in me, probably. “It’s down to you,” he continued. “Light help us.”

  Yes, right. This would be easy. “Ok, girl. Take us there.”

  Niva looked from me to the points of light that hung in the air. She crouched low, quivering. I… I don’t understand.

  Of course not. “That’s ok, girl. I’ll explain.” I walked over to the holographic projection and pointed at a bright spot. I’d snuck onto the bridge enough to understand the basics. “We’re here, and we want to go…” I moved a few steps and pointed to the spot which indicated the Zalantian system. “Here!” It was only then that the name registered. I turned to Faithon. “Wait, that’s the new neutron star. It only went supernova a few thousand years ago! You want us to fly into that?!”

  “The planetoid the prophetess is rumoured to inhabit is on the outskirts. Our radiation and magnetic shielding should suffice.”

  He didn’t look quite as convinced as his words sounded.

  “Should?”

  “It’s not like we have any other choice.”

  Ok, fine. He was right. It was just a neutron star… Surrounded by the remnants of its supernova... A storm several light-years across…

  No, it was ok. I mean, it would be hazardous, but if Niva could get us in close, then–

  Wait, where was Niva?

  While I was talking to Faithon, Niva had approached Felix, and he was speaking to her in Granit. Again, I’m not the best at it, but it sounded like he was spouting numbers at her? And was she talking back to him?

  That was fine… totally fine.

  I walked over to take my place by her side and gave her a scratch behind her ears. “Don’t worry, we’ll work it out,” I said.

  I understand! Niva said to me, and before I could react to Felix’s tight smile, we shifted.

  Much like before, when we escaped the Explendian battleship, my senses jumbled like five multi-dimensional jigsaw puzzles shaken together with custard. Can’t say I was ever going to become a fan of the experience.

  “Calibration complete.” Felix’s smug voice rang out almost the instant we emerged back into our reality. “Aggregatel vector deviation is 5.87% across three axes. Very good.”

  My dizziness abated as Felix talked more numbers with Niva. They had agreed on a short test hop, and by their accounts, it had gone well. All too soon, it was time for another shift.

  Five jumps later, we arrived.

  The whirling vortex before us shone through the viewscreen. Tendrils of red and blue flashed around us, interwoven filaments across the normal blackness of space. Green auroras shone, pulsing slowly, in great clouds. All concentrating towards the neutron star: a tiny point of intense light, a barely visible ball not much bigger than a space station.

  The hull crackled as waves of electromagnetic energy crashed against it, and the ship shuddered, almost causing me to lose my balance yet again.

  But the ship held together. My skin wasn’t boiling off from the radiation. Maybe we would survive this after all.

  Felix went straight to work at the console. He found our destination and plotted a course through the maelstrom. Faithon was on the sensors, calling out anomalies to avoid. Neither of them had the spare mental capacity to stop me, so I sat in the captain’s chair. Niva followed and jumped onto my lap. It was a tight fit, but she managed to curl up, head resting on my knees, trilling softly. I stroked her scales as we flew onwards.

  The planetoid of the prophetess was a barren wasteland – just a hunk of rock. Nothing with an atmosphere could survive these conditions. There was absolutely no reason to be out here. There were billions of far more habitable places she could have chosen, but I guess it all added to the mystery. I didn’t even know how this planetoid had gotten here.

  Maybe people gave more credence to a prophecy when they had to fly through hell to receive it? More so than going to the local market and paying a couple of credits. There was a point to be made on that one.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  We approached the small world. There had always been rumours about her, of course. I had never thought she was real until Baltrax had mentioned her. The sole survivor of a hyperspace disaster, her mind had apparently merged with spacetime, or hypertime, or some such nonsense. In any event, word was that she could see the future of anyone she touched.

  No one back on Explendia gave the rumours much credence, but here we were flying through a force shield in the side of a mountain, on a deserted planet, orbiting an active supernova. Fun times.

  We came to rest in an unadorned cave. Faint green light from algae clinging to the walls illuminated the area, along with the more powerful lights from our ship. There were no other ships here. The only thing of note was a seven-foot robed figure standing on the rocky ground not far away.

  “Atmospheric readings are within standard parameters,” Felix said.

  None of us moved. Niva snuggled contentedly in my lap, but Faithon was rigid, staring out the viewscreen.

  We stayed like that for several minutes until the bridge door opened.

  “Well, come on then,” Baltrax growled at us. “You brought us here. Time to go and find out why.”

  With that, she left the bridge, and the sound of the ship’s docking bay doors opening soon followed. On the viewscreen, Baltrax walked out into the cavern and bowed low to the waiting figure.

  The only movement from the figure was a thin white arm that emerged from the robe, its spindly fingers reaching out to rest on Baltrax’s head. Even from here, I could see Baltrax stiffen as contact was made.

  “Come on, Niva,” I said, pushing the dragon off my lap. “Let’s go!”

  Yes, go with Luke, she responded, delight in her voice. Prophecy!

  She jumped to the ground, and we walked out, followed by Faithon. Even Felix came, leaving his station. Wow, I couldn’t remember the last time that had happened. If only for that reason, this was bound to be momentous.

  As I exited the ship, the cool air of the cavern struck my face. There was a dull, dusty smell. There didn’t seem to be any tunnels in the cave. Did the prophetess just stand there all day waiting for visitors, just to be mysterious, or was there a hidden door leading to a secret, comfy bed?

  I walked down the ship’s ramp towards her and put on my most charming voice. “Hi,” I said. “Sorry to drop by unannounced. We were in the neighbourhood and heard your prophecies are to die for.”

  The hooded robe turned to me, and I glimpsed part of the bone-white face beneath. Enough of it to see her lips twitch. See, everyone loves me.

  “Every visitor must first receive my blessing.” She paused. “The dying can come later.”

  Ok, I should really watch my choice of words.

  “Cool,” I said, covering my sense of foreboding. “I’m assuming unimaginable riches and fame await me.”

  No answer was forthcoming as Baltrax shuddered back to consciousness. “They’re alive!” she whispered. “My people are… But why now? How?”

  “Your vision is for you alone.” The prophetess turned to me. “Now, Ryan Dribble. Your turn.”

  Niva sidled up against me as the prophetess reached out a hand towards my head. Her right hand stopped a finger’s length from my forehead, and the dark recess in the hood tilted down to regard the dragon. The prophetess paused, then bent towards Niva, and her left hand emerged from the robe. Then her fingers of both hands touched Niva’s and my head at the same time, and my world faded to black.

  I was back on the bridge of the Dragon Nova, sitting in my chair, staring out into deep space. Wait, what had happened? I turned to see Felix at his station, and Baltrax and Faithon working intently on consoles. Where was Niva?

  “Armada awaiting your command to engage, Captain,” Felix said.

  I looked at Baltrax, who was committed to her console. She ignored Felix’s request.

  “Where’s Niva?” I asked. Whatever was going on here? I needed to know where my dragon had gone. A rising sense of panic filled me. What had the prophetess done to her?

  “In formation, as per your plan, sir,” Felix said. “Wait, she is deviating.”

  As he spoke, Niva’s head appeared on the viewscreen. She was flying alongside us in space. She turned to look at me, but she was not the dragon I remembered.

  She was… huge.

  Her body was almost as big as the Dragon Nova, and her wingspan could have wrapped right around the ship. Her scales were darker and thicker. They looked like plates of armour interlocking from the top of her head, down her neck and across her back. Her body was solid muscle, and her legs the same, but ending with viscous claws that I had no doubt could rend this ship to pieces with no effort whatsoever.

  Her eyes, however, were unchanged, and she looked at me with the same naive uncertainty of a child.

  Ryan? Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper. What is happening? I don’t like this.

  “It’s ok,” I said, hoping she could hear me through the psychic link. “We’re in the prophecy. This is our future!” I said the words eagerly. I’m going to be the captain. In charge of a whole armada. This was incredible.

  My memory of the prophetess’s hands reaching out to touch us was still fresh in my mind. She had given us a joint prophecy, and it was amazing!

  Where are we?

  “Sir?” Felix said.

  “Oh, right. Er, engage!” I said to Felix before responding to Niva. “Don’t worry, girl. It’s not real… yet. We’ll be back where we were soon. Let’s just enjoy it ok. Nothing can hurt you.”

  Nothing hurt Ryan and Niva, she trilled.

  Too right!

  On my console, I could see the armada around me. There were hundreds of ships, from all species. Explendian battleships, private corsairs, the Sendillian military, Argravian cruisers, the list was endless. And several ships that identified themselves as Taurovian. Baltrax’s people.

  I didn’t have time to dwell on that as we were moving towards our enemy. On the viewscreen, familiar blobs emerged from the darkness. We’d seen these before. I checked my console, and yes, these were more of the titans that had made up the graveyard where we had found Niva.

  Although these ships were very much functional.

  We closed in to weapons range and then all hell broke loose.

  My eyes opened, and before me stood the prophetess.

  “Your vision is for you alone,” she said. “Or for you two alone, I suppose.” She moved along to Faithon.

  Ryan? Niva said. We should not fight. I don’t like it.

  “I’ll be a captain,” I murmured. “Captain of a fleet. That’s an admiral!”

  An Admiral. Everyone would have to look up to me, then. There would be no more toilet cleaning for Ryan Starfire.

  I’m scared.

  Any fantasies in my head were blasted to space dust by those two words. I couldn’t ignore the raw fear that infused them. I crouched down and hugged her. “We won’t do anything you don’t want to do.” I meant it too. “We don’t know what’s going on. We need to find out more.” But the lingering thoughts of my captaincy would not leave me. It had been a prophecy. Was it even possible to avoid it?

  Niva nuzzled into me. We go far from here.

  “Ok, ok,” I said, and cuddled her as my mind ran through the scene I had just been shown. The Taurovian ships stood out. Baltrax was the only Taurovian I knew. The only one I had ever heard of, in fact. I knew almost nothing of her history. Just that she had been mapping deep space for a long time before I joined her crew. I thought back to her words after Niva had woken. Something terrible had happened to her people 6,000 years ago... Could she really be that old? That would be a cumulative 50 years of travelling in the Dragon Nova at near light speed. It was possible. But, wow.

  There was more to this that we needed to know.

  “Your visions are what could have come to pass.”

  I looked up with a start. I had been so deep in my world with Niva that I hadn’t realised that Felix and Faithon had finished their prophecies too.

  Felix was wide-eyed, his hair raised on the back of his neck, and he looked like he would bolt back to the ship at any moment. Faithon was looking at me with a calculating gaze, which was far more worrying.

  “Could have?” I said, the hopes of my captaincy retreating further as I remembered what Baltrax had said about the prophecies never coming true.

  Again, there was a fractional smile beneath the hood. “Observation changes outcome. A fundamental tenet of the universe. Your prophecies will not come true. But they could have, and that is an important distinction. It is up to you what you do with this gift.”

  Great. Both given and taken away in a heartbeat.

  “Then we go to Tauros,” I said. Baltrax’s home planet. A lot had happened in the last few hours. The titans from the graveyard could be an existential threat, and the prophecy showed there were more out there and that they were our enemy. I might never be in charge of an armada set against them, an armada that I honestly had little faith would have succeeded against their might. The graveyard showed that they could be destroyed, but the only thing that could have inflicted such damage was dragons. And my gut said it had taken more than one. We needed them, and the only clue we had to what had happened to them was on Tauros.

  We could have just run and hidden away in deep space until our very existence had been forgotten to time. And if I hadn't befriended Niva, that is exactly what we would have been doing. But now I really wanted to know more about dragons. So Tauros it was.

  “No,” Baltrax said, looking up at me with fear in her eyes. Her whole demeanour had changed. For the first time, she felt smaller than me. “It will not come true. I cannot. I–”

  “Look, we need to know what happened. You’re taking us to your home planet, even if I have to drag you there by your beautiful horns.”