"Did we interrupt something?" Elara asked calmly, her presence alone making the air feel heavier.
Kaito glanced over to Kaeline. Her face remained neutral, but her fingers twitched ever so slightly at her side.
"No you did not… captain." She replied.
Nara on the other hand, was completely oblivious to the tension in the room. She blinked while whipping her head back and forth between them.
"Uhhhh… Why does everyone look so serious?" She muttered out hesitantly.
Kaito let out a forced chuckle.
"Oh, you know. Just… talking about life and space and… stuff."
A drop of sweat rolled down his back to his ass.
"Oh shit! Did she hear us? How long were they there? Shit shit shit shit shit shit! What kind of timing is that?"
Elara's fierce red eyes lingered on him for a short moment. For Kaito, it felt like an eternity. Her head tilted to the side slightly.
"Hmmm. Well then… If that's the case, you won't mind us joining the conversation. We were looking for you, Kaito."
Kaito's eyes blinked rapidly.
"You were looking for me? B–But why, captain?" He stammered out.
"I wanted to explain the star traveler license exams. That's where we're headed next, to register you, Finn, and Nara as official star travelers. Now, we're just waiting on—"
Before she could finish, the main door behind her hissed open. Finn panted, bracing himself against the doorframe.
"I'm… here… Captain." He wheezed out.
"Sorry for taking so long… Jinx and Rorik ate so much I had to stay in the kitchen longer than expected…"
Elara slightly turned her head around just enough to see him in her peripheral vision.
"Good, you made it just in time, Finn. Come in and listen up. It's important that you all understand what you're about to go through in these exams." She said calmly, before turning her attention right back to Kaito.
Finn nodded before walking in and standing beside Kaito. Nara stood next to Elara with her arms crossed.
"Captain, why do we need a star traveler license anyway? What's the point of it?" She asked bluntly.
Elara looked over to her.
"With a star traveler license, you three will gain access to missions with rewards and profit, exclusive star routes for trading and travel, access to restricted spaces and worlds, and many other benefits. More importantly it is mandatory under intergalactic law. If you travel through space without one and aren't on a commercial transport, you'll be arrested on sight. The Space Rangers oversee this law throughout the cosmos."
Kaito perked up.
"Space rangers? Never heard of them before." He muttered out curiously.
Elara looked over to him.
"The space rangers are a multi-galactic independent organization made up of some of the most powerful star travelers in the known universe that believes everyone should have the right to travel through space. They oversee the safety of intergalactic and interstellar travelers in all galaxies in the known cosmos and enforce laws that apply to all, whether you're a lone traveler, part of a crew, or even working for a major government like the Accord."
Kaito's eyes bulged open slightly.
"A group that protects intergalactic travelers and enforces laws for everyone… like a universe police force." He muttered to himself.
Kaeline, standing slightly off to the side of him, smirked slightly before jumping into the conversation.
"Sounds familiar, doesn't it, Kaito? The space rangers are rumored to have been created long ago by the original King of the Stars."
His head snapped over to her.
"Wait… really? I never heard of that before."
Elara nodded.
"That's what the rumors say. Most people don't believe it, but no one can truly prove who or what founded the organization. Regardless, that's a discussion for another time. What you all need to be worried about are the exams you'll have to pass."
Nara waved a hand dismissively.
"Come on captain. How hard could those exams really be? Don't you think you're overreacting a bit?" She said casually, crossing her arms.
Kaeline shot her a sharp glance.
"She's not overreacting. In fact, she's underselling it. Most of those exams aren't designed to help people obtain a license. It's the opposite. They're designed to fail as many testers as possible." She said sternly.
Kaito, Nara, and Finn all looked over to her in shock.
"Wait… What do you mean designed to fail testers? Isn't that, like, illegal or something!?" Finn asked in a panic.
He looked around for an answer before Elara spoke up.
"It's not actually. Up until recently, the only way to obtain a star traveler license was through one of two methods—either by being part of a governmental military force who purchases one for you, like the Accord, or attending and graduating from a star traveler academy like Talon and I." She explained calmly.
Kaito's eyebrows scrunched up slightly.
"Okay… so what changed exactly?" He asked.
Elara's gaze drifted over to him.
"Because of this system, if you were born on a planet or moon under a government's control like the Accord, or come under their control, the only way to legally travel between stars outside of commercial means was to serve in their military. If you weren't under a government's rule, your only alternative was attending a star traveler academy. But attending one isn't exactly cheap…"
She turned to the large window bay at the far side of the room, her eyes becoming distant.
"In the past, academies were meant to be the standard route for those who wanted to become licensed star travelers without joining the military. But over time, due to corruption and increasing costs, they became exclusive to the wealthy and powerful. The average person was left with no realistic way to obtain a license. That's why the rangers stepped in. They formed an agreement with various governments and the academies to create an alternative. A way for those who aren't born into power or wealth to have a chance at becoming a licensed traveler… The Star Traveler License Exams."
Nara tilted her head.
"Then why make the exams so hard? If the rangers wanted to help people, shouldn't they make it easier for more people to pass?"
Kaito nodded his head in agreement.
"Yeah, that is pretty weird. If the space rangers are supposed to be the 'good guys,' why would they design exams meant to fail as many people as possible? That kinda goes against their whole philosophy, doesn't it?"
Elara turned back towards them.
"You're right, in a way…" She uttered calmly.
Kaito's face scrunched.
"What do you mean 'in a way'? I don't understand captain."
Elara let out a small sigh, folding her arms across her chest. Her eyes hardened a bit as she looked at him.
"At the end of the day, traveling through space is inherently dangerous. As much as many like you and I may love it, space isn't a place where the life of a mere mortal is meant to exist. If anything… anything goes wrong on a ship while we're out here, we're dead. No ifs, ands, or buts… There's no miracle rescue, no second chances. No matter how powerful you think you are… the universe will always win."
Kaito's eyes widened a bit. He gulped hard, eyes drifting to the floor for a long moment. His clenched fists trembled, but deep down he knew she was right.
"I–I never thought about it like that. Or… maybe I have and just chose to ignore it. My love for space, my curiosity, my dream… they blinded me from seeing the reality of my goals."
Elara continued.
"Because of this reality, the enormous cost of hosting the exams, the logistical nightmare of maintaining licensing stations and regulating star travelers throughout countless galaxies—the space rangers, alongside several major governments and almost all academies, agreed on limiting the number of licenses issued per station. Once a station's supply runs out, it has to go through multiple layers of authorization to receive more, a process that can take a half of a stellar cycle to hundreds if not thousands, longer than many of you have to live. That's why these exams are designed to be extremely difficult. They want to ensure that only the most capable and worthy individuals receive a license."
Nara groaned, rolling her eyes.
"Ugh, if the exams are this tough, how the heck do you expect all of us to pass?" She shot a very direct glance towards Finn.
"And what happens if one of us doesn't?"
He caught onto her implication immediately. His shoulders tensed and his head lowered slightly. Kaito saw the subtle shift in his expression. Before he could say anything, Elara dropped a bombshell.
"Whoever fails… will be kicked from the crew."
A heavy silence crashed into the room. Kaito looked over to her, his trembling eyes wide in disbelief.
"HUH!? What do you mean?! You're saying if one of us fails, you're just gonna throw us away? Just like that? What kind of shit is that?! That's not right!" He blurted out, veins beginning to bulge from his forehead.
Elara's face remained calm.
"You're correct. It's not right. And truthfully? I don't want to do this. But I have no other choice." She replied calmly, but blunt.
"If you don't want to, then why the hell are you doing it?! What are we to you, just—"
"Kaito. Relax." Kaeline's voice cut through the rising tension in the room.
His eyes shot over to her, meeting her sharp gaze.
"You may not like what she's saying, but she has her reasons. Listen to the captain before you let your emotions take over." She said sternly, but relaxed.
He clenched his jaw, then exhaled slowly, averting his eyes to the floor shamefully.
"…You're right. Sorry about that. It's just—"
"I understand Kaito… I truly do. If I were in your shoes, I'd be upset with me too." Elara cut him off, her voice a tad softer now.
"But the reason for this decision is exactly what I explained earlier. There are only a select number of licenses issued to each station at a time, and like I said earlier, the process to obtain new ones can take an extremely long time. And the next nearest station with available licenses isn't even in this galaxy."
"Wait… are you serious? The next nearest one after this is that far?" Kaito replied, face full of shock.
"Now you're beginning to understand why, aren't you? If any of you fail, and you continue traveling with us, you'll be breaking intergalactic law. If the space rangers catch us with unlicensed star travelers, not only will you be thrown into an intergalactic prison, but every single member of this crew will be as well. That's why I need you three to understand just how important these exams are… You cannot fail."
Kaito lowered his head, feeling guilt creeping into his chest.
"…I see. I didn't know about all of that. I'm sorry for letting my emotions get the better of me, captain." He muttered out.
Elara's eyes softened slightly for a short moment observing him before hardening again.
"It's okay. I understand why you reacted the way you did. But don't make a habit out of it. Not being able to control your emotions is a weakness. And it's a weakness that people will try to exploit, time and time again. That doesn't just apply to you Kaito... but you two as well Nara. Finn." She said firmly, looking over to the two.
"Understood?"
Both of them straightened up.
"Yes captain." They said simultaneously.
Elara nodded.
"Good. Now pay attention to everything I'm about to tell you. You only have one shot at this… There are three exams you all must pass in order to obtain a license. The first exam changes every single class and no station has ever had the same first exam ever in history."
"Wait, why is that captain?" Finn asked
"Remember what I said about them trying to fail as many individuals as possible? This is the exam designed for that exact purpose. Each first-round test, no matter which station, has always appeared to be a timed event where it's every person for themselves. Over ninety percent of the participants usually get dropped during the first exam."
"Ninety percent…" He repeated, his face paled.
"That's insane. Those odds of passing are crazy low."
"That's true, but that's why you three have an advantage most participants don't… each other. The majority of others go in alone. You three won't." She replied.
"Even if we have allies, it might not help if we don't know what the actual exam is." Nara butt in with.
Kaito suddenly lifted his head.
"I might have an idea of what it could be..."
All eyes in the room turned to him.
"Wait, you do Kaito?" Finn asked curiously.
"Well kinda…" Kaito muttered out, rubbing his chin.
"Based on what the captain said about every first exam being an 'everyone for themselves' type of test… it sounds like it could be a battle royale game of some sort."
Nara's eyes lit up.
"You're probably right! That sounds just like the game Jinx and I played in VR!" She blurted out.
Elara's eyebrow raised slightly.
"A battle royale game? What exactly is that?"
Kaito turned to her, a slight excitement in his eyes now.
"It's a type of game where a bunch of people are thrown into a large arena, and the goal is to be the last one standing. Usually, there are resources or weapons scattered around the battlefield, and people have to fight or survive until only one person or team remains."
Finn's eyes widened.
"That actually makes a lot of sense! It sounds exactly like something these stations would do to eliminate as many people as possible right away."
Elara tapped her fingers against her arm, nodding.
"Based on your explanation Kaito, you might be right." She mumbled out.
Elysia suddenly wrapped her arms around Kaito from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder.
"Nice job, Kaito dear! Who knew all those gaming sessions with Jinx might actually pay off? Say, can I play a video game with you next time? I want to try the Mortal Kombat one. Oh! Or Dark Souls!"
Kaito's cheeks turned slightly red as he let out a nervous chuckle, glancing over to her.
"Well… we don't know for sure if I'm right. And of course you can. Just stop by any time you'd like. Rorik and Jinx come over sometimes or we head over to the ship's game room."
Kaeline smirked slightly.
"Even if you aren't, your way of thinking, applying something as simple as a video game to a real-life scenario is useful. Unorthodox thinking like that will take you far as a star traveler without knowing it."
Elara nodded in agreement before looking back over to him.
"But either way, you three must stick together and help each other through the first exam. If you pass that, then comes the second."
"What's the second exam like captain?" He asked
"The second exam is usually some form of team-oriented event. The size of the teams depends on the number of participants remaining. Most of the time, you're allowed to choose your teammates. As long as the three of you stick together, you should be fine for that one."
"That doesn't sound too bad." Nara said, rubbing a smudge of something off her horns.
Elara's eyes darkened slightly.
"That's not it though. The one you do have to worry about… is the third exam." She said menacingly.
"What's the third exam…?" Finn asked nervously.
"The third exam requires all remaining participants to clear an entire C-ranked cosmic well and defeat its head guardian." She replied bluntly.
Kaito and Finn's eyes shot wide open, turning to each other in shock.
"A cosmic well?!" They both repeated.
Nara raised an eyebrow.
"Wait. That's a reservoir of cosmic essence that's protected by those things called guardians like in the holographic notes you told me to read, right, captain?"
"That's correct." Elara replied.
"How strong are these guardians, though? Like… what do you mean by C-ranked?"
"There are six different rankings a cosmic well can fall under. E-ranked being the weakest, S-ranked being the most powerful and rarest. These rankings are determined by the amount of cosmic essence within the well, as well as any additional resources found around it."
"Resources like what?"
"Aetherium crystals, the primary fuel source for faster-than-light travel and other advanced technology. Medicinal flora that can heal most diseases and injuries. Cosmic artifacts. Rare minerals. And… in the rarest cases, even a codex fragment."
"A codex fragment?! You can find them in cosmic wells too?!"
"Yes, but considering there are only twelve of them rumored to exist in the entire universe, the odds of finding one in a cosmic well are nearly impossible. Each terrestrial planet and moon has anywhere from a few to thousands of cosmic wells scattered across its surface. The guardians and head guardian exist to protect them. Their strength scales based on the well's rank. An average C-ranked head guardian has a CPI of around…"
Kaito's eyes lit up.
"Woah… they kinda sound like dungeons in a way." He thought to himself, absentmindedly.
Elara continued.
"…500,000."
His throat tightened instantly, the stars in his eyes dying off.
"Huh… 500,000?! Shit man... This is going to be way harder than I thought… I need to train. I need to train now. I won't let them down… Not after coming this far."
Finn, who had been quiet, also looked visibly shaken as his thoughts began to flood his mind.
"500… thousand? That's…"
His thoughts were cut off as Nara's curiosity flared up.
"Wait, then how strong is an S-ranked one captain?" She asked casually.
"No one knows." Elara replied dryly.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Kaeline turned towards her.
"No one knows… because no one has ever survived an S-ranked cosmic well to tell anyone." She said bluntly.
Silence fell over the entire room.
"You mean… Absolutely no one? Like ever?" Finn asked.
Kaeline nodded, glancing over to him.
"Mhm. Not a single person in known history. But, S-ranked cosmic wells are so rare that the likelihood of any of us ever seeing one in our lifetime is slim to none."
Nara puffed up her cheeks.
"Awwww, that's no fun! I wanted to find one and fight the head boss thingy!"
Elara let out a small chuckle at her pouting and disappointment.
"Let's focus on surviving the C-ranked one first, shall we?" She said casually.
"UGHHHHH, Fiiineee… whatever you say, captain." Nara scoffed out.
The ship's intercom crackled to life.
"Captain, we're about to clear the oort cloud. Should be ready to lock onto the licensing station soon." Jinx stated.
Elara pressed a button on the medical bay's console near the door.
"Understood. Remember, we aren't jumping near the station itself. Set our jump coordinates for four astronomical units out, at the outskirts of the system."
"Roger that, cap." Jinx replied before the intercom cut out.
"Wait, why aren't we jumping directly to the station? Wouldn't that save us time?" Kaito asked.
She looked at him as she walked back over.
"Because we have some time, roughly ten planetary cycles, before the first exam begins. Nara and I will be using that time to train."
"They're training before the exam?" Kaito thought to himself.
"Hmmm… is that so…? Kaito." Kaeline called out.
"Y-Yeah?" He stiffened up slightly, looking over to her.
"Get some rest. We begin training the moment you wake up."
His entire body locked up.
"HUUUUHHHHHHHH!??!?!?! Wh–Why did she say that in front of the Captain?! Is she trying to one-up her or something?!"
Elara's eyes widened slightly.
"You two… are training together?" She mumbled out.
"That's right. Kaito asked me to be his mentor." Kaeline replied, her tone completely flat.
Kaito's head pivoted on his neck at light speed over to her.
"EH…!? KAELINE! WHAT ARE YOU–"
Elysia suddenly spoke over him.
"Oh, but that's not all, captain. Kaito dear plans to challenge you one day to become a captain of his own crew. And when he does, he wants miss Kaeline and I to join his crew after he beats you." She said teasingly, hugging him tighter from behind.
His head shot over to hers on the shoulder.
"EHHH!?!? THAT'S A LIE! YOU ASKED ME—"
But before he could finish his sentence—
"Kaito." Elara muttered out calmly, yet it felt like that single word cut through the air like a knife.
The room fell into absolute silence. Kaito's body went stiff as he slowly turned his head toward her. Her eyes were completely covered by the bangs of her silver hair, masking her expression.
"Is this true… Kaito?" She mumbled, just loud enough to be heard.
He took a deep gulp, his heart pounding against his ribcage. But as the weight of her words settled in, his panic began to subside. Slowly, he straightened his posture, taking a deep breath before looking over to her with true resolve in his eyes.
"…Yes, captain. It's true. My dream is to become the King of the Stars one day. And in order to do that, I need my own crew. I can't follow you forever, because once you achieve your goal, mine dies… That's just the truth. I know I have no chance of beating you as I am now. But I swear to you, captain, one day I will. And until that day, I will train… Day in and day out. Until my body gives out. Until I'm unable to walk. Unable to talk. Even if I die, I'll resurrect and keep training until I beat you. I don't care how long it takes… I will defeat you, captain."
Nara's jaws nearly hit the floor.
"Wait… he's actually serious about this? This guy…" She thought to herself, her usual not giving a damn demeanor momentarily absent.
Kaeline and Elysia exchanged glances and subtle smirks. But before either of them could speak—
"Hehehe…"
It was a chuckle… from Elara.
"Heheheheahahaha…"
It grew louder until—
"AHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAHAAHAAHAAAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHAAAHAHAHAHAHA!"
It was a laugh as if he told her a funny joke, but there was no joke. He felt a shiver crawl down his spine. Even Nara took a nervous step back.
"Uhhhhhhhhh… Captain? Are you good?" She asked nervously, sweat dripping down the scales on her face.
Her laughter gradually subsided, but when it did, her essence ignited like a wild fire around her, but this time streaks of gold wove through the red.
She finally lifted her head. Her once pure red irises now had a golden vortex, spiraling outward from the center of her pupils.
"…This red and gold essence. That eye pattern. So that's the real you isn't it… Elara, the Destroyer." Kaeline thought to herself with a slight analytical gaze.
Kaito's heartbeat pounded in his ears as he studied her expression—
Thud-thud thud-thud
"The captain looks excited …Even more excited when she confronted Nara back on her home world. Her breathing changed too… It's slower, heavier."
His hands clenched.
Thud-thud thud-thud thud-thud thud-thud
"…Seeing her like this… it's—"
Elara suddenly raised her fist and his thoughts came to a sudden halt. He looked down at it.
"You better keep your damn word… you hear me, Kaito?" She said, her voice slightly trembling.
He felt his body react before his mind caught up. His own purple essence flared around him… as if it resonated with her in a way. A determined smile crept across his face.
He raised his trembling hand before clenching it into a fist then fist-bumping hers.
"Don't you worry… I will, captain. Just you wait." He uttered calmly, his brown eyes full of fire.
They stared deep into each other's eyes for a long moment before her essence dwindled down to nothing. She turned away, beginning to walk toward the exit.
"Nara, come. We have training to begin." She commanded calmly.
Nara blinked before quickly following after her.
"Y-yes, captain."
Kaito stood there, watching her walk away.
"Just you wait, captain."
As the med-bay door hissed closed behind them, he turned toward the unconscious Aqua, his eyes hardening.
"…And just you wait too, Aqua."
Later that same night in the medical bay, Elysia was doing her final checkups on Aqua before getting ready to leave for the night, but then she heard the door hiss open. She turned around and saw someone she didn't expect to see.
"Talon? Is everything okay?" She asked, face full of surprise.
Talon didn't say anything for a moment, instead her eyes gravitated over to Aqua lying unconscious in the bed as she casually walked in, her hands in her jacket pockets.
"Yeah, I'm fine… but there's something we need to talk about."
[END OF VOL 2] - The Draconis Liberation Arc
Next up: Volume 3 - The Star Traveler License Exams Arc!