The silence that followed was tense, but not uneasy. It was the kind of silence that lingered after power had shifted—subtle, complete, and irreversible.
Nova stood beside the stasis capsule as it unlocked with a hiss. The ship's humming changed, responding to the internal awakening it had waited years for.
Nyx opened her eyes once more.
This time, there was no chaos. No violent surge of energy. Only immediate awareness.
She turned to Nova without hesitation and spoke in a tone void of doubt.
"Master recognized. Full awakening complete."
Nova nodded. "Run a full system check. I want to know if this ship can still fly."
Nyx tilted her head slightly, then blinked once.
"Beginning internal diagnostics… Please wait."
A quiet pulse rippled through the floor beneath them, as if the ship itself was taking a breath. Small holographic screens began to materialize in the air around her, data flowing across them at an incomprehensible speed. The lights shifted from red to green, then to amber.
"Structural integrity compromised," Nyx said. "Main thrusters offline. Aether conduction relays damaged. Warp gate access at 42%. Navigation core intact. Communications dark. Long-range scanners in sleep mode."
She paused.
"I can perform basic repairs on the Aether relays and reinitialize the warp gate… if the necessary replacement components are retrieved."
Nova narrowed his eyes. "Where?"
"A scrap orbit in Sector Twelve-Beta. Coordinates available. One jump."
Anna, who had been quiet until now, looked up sharply. "Just one jump? That's not far."
"No," Nova agreed. "And not safe either."
"Preparations underway," Nyx reported. "Estimated time to warp capability: four hours, given assistance."
Nova gave a simple nod. "Begin prepping the core."
Nyx turned from him, but didn't immediately leave.
Her attention shifted—directly onto Anna.
Anna stiffened. "...What?"
The AI said nothing.
She only stared.
No expression. No words. Just that blank, steady gaze that made Anna's chest tighten for no reason she could explain.
Anna crossed her arms. "Do you need something?"
Still no answer.
The silence stretched too long. Too heavy.
Finally, Anna frowned. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Nyx blinked once. Then, without speaking, she turned and walked to Nova's side as if Anna hadn't spoken at all.
Anna watched her go, unsettled.
There was no outright hostility. No threat. Nothing that could be called disrespect on its own.
But she felt it.
That presence.
That strange, unnerving coldness beneath Nyx's obedient exterior.
Before she could say anything else, Nova called over his shoulder, "Nyx. Help me recalibrate the remaining interface panels. I'll need full access before we jump."
Nyx immediately stepped toward him, her voice calm again. "Understood."
Anna watched them from the edge of the room, her thoughts swirling.
'I've gotten myself into some shit. I don't know if I will get out of here alive. But strangle enough, my instincts tell me that I'll be relatively safe if I stay here'
______
The ship's internal systems buzzed quietly as Nova stood before the central console. Lines of aether-fed circuitry came to life around him, and a translucent map hovered in the air — galaxies, sectors, and void corridors glowing like constellations in an artificial sky.
He raised a hand, and the display zoomed in on the outer sectors of the Known Galaxy. A specific region, flickering with instability, was highlighted in red. Nyx, standing nearby, responded to the motion immediately.
"Map stabilized," she confirmed. "Warp capacity is at seventy-one percent. Awaiting destination input."
Nova pointed at the glowing region. "What's the closest viable sector for warp access with a salvage port?"
Nyx stepped closer, lines of light crawling across her arms as she interfaced directly with the map. A secondary set of coordinates blinked into view — a dense cluster of planets.
"Here," she said. "The Cheshire Republic system. A major trade and event hub. During peacetime, it hosts multiple auctions and tournaments. Their scrap market is renowned."
Nova studied the highlighted route. The jump distance was short. Clean. Direct.
He nodded. "Then we jump."
Before he could input the final command, Anna stepped forward.
"Wait."
Nova and Nyx didn't move.
"I want to see that map," Anna said. "I've navigated this part of the galaxy. I know where we're headed better than most." She walked closer, eyes narrowing at the swirling hologram.
Her gaze followed the blinking coordinates.
Her expression changed.
"That's where you're planning to jump?" she asked slowly. "Cheshire?"
Nova didn't look at her. "It's the closest point with available materials."
Anna's eyes didn't leave the map. "You're insane."
Now Nova turned to her, and Nyx tilted her head just slightly, watching the exchange.
Anna pointed at the highlighted section. "You do know what time it is in the Cheshire Republic, right? That's not just a salvage hub right now. It's the arena site. The Inter-Galactic Tournament is about to start. The streets will be locked down, the black market will be flooded, and half the fighters in the quadrant will be killing each other for a chance at the crown."
She lowered her hand. "People die. Spectators, fighters, merchants. It's not worth it."
Nova turned back to the console.
"I didn't ask if it was worth it," he said flatly. "Only if it could be done."
Anna's mouth opened in protest, but Nyx spoke before she could.
"Warp coordinates locked. Navigation initialized. Engine stabilizers charging."
Anna stared at them both, disbelief flashing across her face. "You're really ignoring me?"
Nova said nothing.
The hum of energy grew louder as the ship's core activated. The warp tunnel shimmered faintly outside the massive viewports, space folding in on itself.
"Finalizing jump," Nyx said. "This vessel may experience structural stress due to prolonged inactivity. Recommend bracing for impact."
Anna took a step back as the ship vibrated.
And then—
The world twisted.
The warp drive ignited like a star collapsing. Space bent, light vanished, and everything outside the ship disappeared into a tunnel of shifting color and compressed time.
Even for a ship of this size, the leap was brutal.
Metal groaned under the force. Panels flickered. Aether pulses sputtered and surged. The very bones of the vessel seemed to cry out from the pressure of reality being torn open.
Anna gritted her teeth as the deck lurched under her. Her knees nearly buckled.
But Nova stood unmoving, eyes locked on the screen, as though guiding the ship through sheer will alone.
And then—
Silence.
The warp tunnel shattered.
Stars returned. Distance reasserted itself. The Cheshire Republic system appeared in the vastness of space before them — a gleaming set of planets orbiting a blue star, with massive floating cities, space stations, and arena towers all glittering in organized chaos.
Anna gripped a rail as her stomach caught up with the shift in reality. "You're… insane," she muttered.
Nova tapped the console again. "Nyx. Camouflage."
The AI's voice responded instantly. "Engaging ship-wide stealth systems. Hull resonance lowering. Visual field distortion enabled."
The ship's massive frame shimmered — not invisibility, but a distortion field so advanced it rendered them a ripple against the stars.
Nova stepped back from the controls.
"We'll approach the far-side salvage orbit," he said. "No alarms. No attention."
Anna gave him a long look, still pale. "You have no idea what you've just jumped into."
Nova looked at her, but said nothing.
She wasn't wrong.
The Cheshire Republic was a hive of violence and ambition this time of year. Fighters from across star systems would descend, and the blood spilled during the tournament would drown half the sector in chaos.
But Nova wasn't just looking for parts.
He needed to see the kind of power still moved in the universe. Who had risen in the years he slept — and who needed to fall.
And somewhere in that war-forged empire of champions and killers… he would find the next piece of his legacy.
Or burn down everything that stood in his way.
As the shimmering outline of the Cheshire Republic loomed in the distance, Anna stood near the main console, watching the distant lights of the orbiting stations flicker like stars in restless motion. She crossed her arms and glanced at Nova.
"What exactly is your plan?" she asked, her voice low but edged with tension. "What are you trying to achieve here, of all places?"
Nova didn't look away from the approaching cluster of planets.
"Survival," he said simply. "This ship is damaged. Without parts, it won't move again. Cheshire Republic is the only place nearby that has what we need."
Anna frowned. "You know this isn't just some back-alley market. It's a warzone in disguise. One wrong move and we're pulled into a conflict that won't end until someone's dead."
"I know," Nova said. "But we don't have the luxury of waiting or rerouting. This is our first stop."
"And after that?" she asked.
"We bring this ship back to life," Nova replied. "Then we take back everything that was stolen from me."
Anna stared at him for a moment longer.
There was no hesitation in his voice.
Just purpose.
And that terrified her more than anything else.