The flight back to Outpost #7 aboard the "Odyssey" was a world away from their tense, nerve-wracking journey into the corrupted lands.
The victory had been absolute, and a feeling of deep relief and quiet triumph settled over the small crew. The ship hummed along smoothly, a silent, black arrow gliding through the calm, star-dusted skies of Sector Gamma.
For the first time in what felt like ages, there were no alarms, no monsters, and no reality-bending cultists trying to turn their brains into scrambled eggs.
This quiet, peaceful journey was a rare gift, a moment of respite from their impossibly dangerous lives. And Ryan, recognizing how precious this time was, made a point to spend it with the three women who had become the unshakable pillars of his new life.
He knew, with a dawning awareness, that their relationships were becoming as complex and important as any battle he had fought.
