The decision to shoot the advertisement live had moved up their timeline considerably, turning what should have been a methodical preparation into a frantic scramble. Helena had been inspired by the authenticity concept and was already making arrangements to film at Hecalon 5, the largest blue gas giant in the Hallow Empire. Which so happened to be on the way toward the show.
"It's perfect," Helena explained during their emergency planning session. "Hecalon 5 has the most spectacular storm systems in known space. If your ship can handle those conditions, it can handle anything. The marketing impact will be enormous."
"But that means we need to leave tomorrow," Amara noted, checking her tablet with obvious stress. "The show is in three weeks, and we'll need time for filming, editing, and distribution before the event. Plus we still need to finish preparing all the other vessels for transport."
Tanya felt a familiar pang of homesickness before she'd even left. "Tomorrow? That doesn't give us much time for preparations."
"The best opportunities rarely do," Helena said with the kind of smile that suggested she thrived on impossible deadlines. "Don't worry. I've handled more complex logistics on shorter notice."
The workshop became a hive of activity as they prepared not just the Avdrulla Stela, but the complete fleet they planned to showcase at Trexlor. The beacon technology drones had to be carefully packed with their alternative components, while the navigation black box required specialised shielding to protect its delicate components during transport. Well that was official story, it was to stop possible snooping.
"The Nova Theseus is ready for loading," Cameron reported, consulting his checklist with methodical precision. "All systems secured, power systems charged, documentation complete."
"And the Vanguard?" Tanya asked, watching Janet supervise the careful handling of the beacon drones.
"Already loaded," Cameron replied.
The siblings had also been busy preparing their own vessel. The Explorer 2 sat alongside the other ships. Janet was making final adjustments to its systems with the kind of focused intensity that suggested family pride was at stake. They had decided to add it to our display as a demonstration of the Fall Kingdom technology.
That evening, the Furrows had organised a going-away party that was both more elaborate and more chaotic than Tanya had expected. The familiar dining room table groaned under the weight of dishes contributed by various family members, and the house buzzed with conversation and laughter.
Her parents were there, of course, along with her brothers Marcus and David with their wives Sarah and Lisa. Her niece Sophie bounced around with endless energy, but the real star of the evening was the newest Furrow—little Brett, only four months old but already the center of everyone's attention.
"Oh, look at you," Tanya cooed, carefully holding her tiny nephew while he made the kind of faces that only babies could manage. "You're going to be such a heartbreaker when you grow up."
"He's got the Furrow chin," Marcus observed. "Poor kid."
"Hey!" David protested. "The Furrow chin is distinguished."
"It's certainly distinctive," Sarah said diplomatically, which earned her good-natured protests from both brothers.
Both Cameron and Janet were present at the party, though each was handling the boisterous family dynamics differently. Cameron seemed slightly overwhelmed but was gradually relaxing as he realised the teasing was affectionate. Janet, meanwhile, was charming everyone with stories about her exploration adventures, fitting into the family chaos with surprising ease.
"So Cameron," Marcus said with the kind of grin that meant trouble, "how are you liking life as the third Furrow brother?"
"I'm not—" Cameron started, turning red.
"Oh, he's definitely fitting in," David added. "Mum's already trying to fatten him up, Dad's teaching him about crop rotation, and Tanya drags him everywhere."
"Don't forget Janet," Lisa added with a mischievous smile. "She's been helping with the community potluck planning. Very thorough. Everyone is impressed"
"Organisation is important," Janet said with mock seriousness. "You can't have a successful potluck without proper logistics."
"Leave them alone," Tanya said firmly, though she could feel heat rising in her own cheeks. "They're employees. Consultants."
"Consultants who live in our guest rooms and have dinner with the family every night," David pointed out.
"And who my daughter has already decided are her favorite aunt and uncle," Marcus added, nodding toward Sophie, who was currently showing Janet her collection of toy spaceships while Cameron provided technical commentary.
Amara, who had arrived fashionably late with Red and his family, immediately picked up on the conversation. "Oh, are we discussing Tanya's expanding professional relationships? How delightful."
"We are not discussing my professional relationships," Tanya said, passing baby Brett to Lisa before the teasing could escalate further.
Red's wife Valentina chuckled from across the table. "She's protesting awfully hard for someone who claims it's just business."
Even Red's daughters Emily and Lucia were giggling at the adult drama unfolding around them.
"This is exactly why I don't bring colleagues to family dinners," Tanya muttered, though she was smiling despite her embarrassment.
"Because we'd immediately adopt them?" her mother asked innocently.
"Because you would immediately start planning their lives," Tanya corrected.
The evening continued in that vein, it was warm, chaotic, and filled with the kind of gentle teasing that only family could provide. Both Cameron and Janet gradually relaxed. By dessert, they were contributing to the conversation instead of just enduring it.
"So tell us about this gas giant you're flying to," her father said as they shared her mother's famous apple pie. "Is it dangerous?"
"All atmospheric flying has risks," Tanya admitted. "But the Avdrulla Stela is designed for exactly these conditions. It should be fine."
"Should be?" Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"Will be," Tanya corrected firmly. "I built it myself. I know what it can do."
"Just promise us you'll be careful," her mother said, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand. "I know you're brilliant, sweetheart, but even brilliant people can have accidents."
"I promise, Mum. Besides, I'll have Cameron, Janet, Red, and Amara there, so I'll be too busy keeping them out of trouble."
"I think it might be the other way around," Cameron said quietly, which earned him another round of laughter from the table.
As the evening wound down and people began to say their goodbyes, Tanya felt the familiar mixture of excitement and melancholy that came with leaving home. These people, this place, this comfortable chaos had always been her anchor in an increasingly growing universe.
"We're proud of you," her father said before heading off to bed. "Whatever happens out there, remember that."
"And remember to eat properly," her mother added. "I've packed enough food for a week."
"Mum, we'll be on a military cruiser. They have their own food service."
"Military food," her mother said dismissively. "That's not real food."
The next morning came far too early. Tanya found herself standing in Eden-Five's main spaceport, watching as an impressive convoy of vessels was carefully loaded onto waiting military cruisers. The Avdrulla Stela looked somehow smaller surrounded by military hardware, but no less elegant. The Nova Theseus and Vanguard were secured nearby, while the beacon drones and navigation equipment required their own specialised transport containers.
"She's beautiful," Cameron said, standing beside her with their luggage as they watched the Avdrulla Stela being secured.
"Wait until you see her fly," Tanya replied, feeling the familiar thrill of anticipation.
Janet was overseeing the loading of the Explorer 2 with the kind of protective attention usually reserved for family heirlooms. "Our father is very particular about transport protocols," she explained when she noticed Tanya watching. "This ship represents years of our family's work."
Captain Davidson appeared at their group, looking as professional as ever despite the early hour. "We'll be providing escort with a single cruiser for now," he explained. "The other two ships will meet us later after running some decoy operations."
"Decoy operations?" Tanya asked.
"Standard procedure when transporting valuable assets," Davidson said diplomatically. "Nothing for you to worry about."
As they boarded the cruiser and prepared for departure, Tanya took one last look at Eden-Five through the viewport. At the island where her workshop used to be, but now it rested in storage within her multitool. Sage had suggested that she take it with her.
They arrived at Hecalon 5 after a three-day journey, and the sight took Tanya's breath away. The gas giant's brilliant blue dominated the entire system, a swirling marble of azure and sapphire that seemed to glow with its own inner light. It was the largest planet in the Hallow Empire, though not the most dense as its sheer size came from being surprisingly light for a gas giant, so gravity couldn't compress it further.
"Magnificent, isn't it?" Helena said, joining Tanya at the observation deck. "The storms here are legendary. That blue spot you can see? It's been raging for over two centuries."
Helena had somehow managed to get a full filming crew there before they arrived, complete with specialised spacecraft equipped with advanced recording equipment. Tanya wasn't entirely sure how she was paying for all this, but she hoped the final product would justify the expense. She really should have consulted Amara before demanding to shoot it live.
"We will have multiple cameras placed inside the cockpit for different angles," Helena explained as they toured the Avdrulla Stela's newly modified interior. "External tracking cameras on the support ships, atmospheric probes for environmental shots. We're going to capture everything."
Tanya had been subjected to a full makeup session that morning, complete with Helena fussing over her appearance and insisting she wear a specially designed flight uniform.
"Presentation is everything," Helena had declared while adjusting Tanya's collar for the tenth time. "You need to look competent, confident, and just a little bit dangerous."
Cameron had been surprised when he saw the final result. "You look... different," he said, studying her with obvious confusion. "Not bad different, just... different."
"Is that all you can say, brother? No, you look good," stated Janet while giving her brother a teasing poke.
"It's called marketing," Tanya replied dryly. "Apparently, I need to look the part of a daring test pilot."
The filming plan was ambitious to the point of seeming insane. The first scene would show the Avdrulla Stela skipping off ice chunks from the planet's single ring system like a stone across water. Then it would flip over and enter the famous blue spot, the iconic storm that had been photographed by countless ships but never penetrated.
"Once you're inside the storm, we want you to extend the wings and execute a helix dive to the lower atmospheric layers," Helena explained, gesturing at the tactical display. "The wind will suddenly shear in the opposite direction, and the ship should roll to let the stabiliser take the brunt of the directional change."
Tanya studied the flight plan with growing nervousness and wondered who had made the plan. "Helena, I'm not sure I have the piloting skills to execute all of this. These are some pretty advanced manoeuvres."
"You'll be fine," Helena said dismissively. "You built the ship, so who knows it better than you do?"
"Exactly, that's why I don't think I can do it."
"Let's try, and if you feel uncomfortable, you can abort," Helena said with more than a touch of annoyance.
What Helena didn't know was that Sage would be operating the ship remotely while Tanya mimed the actions for the cameras. She'd already discussed the arrangement with her AI companion, though she felt somewhat hypocritical about it.
"I'm happy to fake my part in the advertisement," she'd told Sage privately, "but not the ship's performance. That has to be real."
//Your logic is inconsistent. If authenticity matters, why accept any deception?//
"Because people are buying the ship's capabilities, not mine as a pilot," Tanya had replied. "The ship needs to prove itself honestly."
//Acknowledged. Though I note the philosophical inconsistency, I do see this as a good educational learning challenge on human marketing practices.//
The actual filming took most of the day, with Helena demanding take after take until she was satisfied with every angle and every manoeuvre. They had to stop multiple times for the power systems to recover. Tanya found herself grateful for Sage's precise control, as the alien AI could execute manoeuvres she wouldn't have dared attempt on her own.
"More aggressive on the helix dive," Helena called through the comm during their fifth attempt. "You're surfing a storm, not taking a leisurely cruise!"
//She is remarkably demanding for someone who has never piloted a spacecraft,// Sage observed as they executed another perfect spiral through the storm's eye.
"She knows what looks good on camera," Tanya replied, adjusting her expression to show focused concentration rather than the mild boredom she was actually feeling.
The ice ring sequence required seven attempts before Helena was happy with the visual impact. The ship's quantum-enhanced hull made the ice chunks bounce off dramatically, creating spectacular spray patterns that would look amazing in slow motion.
"Beautiful!" Helena called as they completed the final take. "The way the hull shimmers when it makes contact, pure poetry."
By the time they finished filming, Tanya was exhausted from maintaining her pilot facade, and even Sage seemed slightly strained from the constant precision flying.
"That's a wrap!" Helena announced finally. "Ladies and gentlemen, we've just captured something that's never been done before. That is a complete atmospheric surfing demonstration in one of the most dangerous storm systems in known space."
As they prepared to return to the military cruiser, Tanya felt a mixture of pride and guilt. The ship's performance had been genuine with every manoeuvre, every graceful dance through impossible conditions had been real. But her own role as the pilot was as artificial as the makeup on her face.
"Don't look so conflicted," Cameron said quietly as they watched the Avdrulla Stela being secured in the cruiser's bay. "The ship did everything they filmed it doing. That's what matters."
"I know," Tanya said. "It's just... complicated."
"Most worthwhile things are," he replied with a slight smile. "Besides, when they see that footage, no one's going to care about anything except getting their hands on a ship that can do what yours just did."
Tanya wasn't ready for the storm they had unleashed across the extranet. Helena had launched what she called a "guerrilla marketing campaign," uploading different segments of the raw footage from multiple anonymous accounts across various platforms, planning to release a more formal advertisement closer to the show.
The clips had been seeded with cryptic comments like "Military surfers at Hecalon 5?" and "Anyone know what's going on out there?" Some accounts pretended to be tourists who had witnessed the atmospheric display, while others claimed to be atmospheric researchers analyzing the storm patterns.
It had worked beyond Helena's wildest expectations. The holovids had gone viral within specific communities. Such as extreme sports enthusiasts, atmospheric scientists, military aviation forums, and wealthy adventure seekers. Each group had their own theories about what they were seeing.
"Look at this," Cameron said, showing Tanya his tablet as they sat in the cruiser's mess hall. "This atmospheric physicist is breaking down your storm entry frame by frame, trying to figure out how the ship didn't get torn apart."
Tanya peered at the screen, reading the detailed analysis. "She's actually not wrong about the stress calculations. Too bad she doesn't know about our energy shielding."
Janet slid into the seat beside them, carrying her own tablet and looking thoroughly entertained. "You should see the conspiracy theories," she said with obvious amusement. "Half the deep space exploration forums think you're using stolen alien technology."
"Are they wrong?" Cameron asked with a slight grin.
"Technically accurate but missing context," Janet replied. "My favorite thread has someone claiming the whole thing was filmed in a studio using miniatures and forced perspective."
"And here's my favorite," Cameron continued, scrolling to another video. "This guy is absolutely convinced the whole thing is fake and he's made a twenty-minute breakdown of why it's 'obviously an AI deepfake.'"
The reaction videos had spawned their own ecosystem of content. Engineering students were attempting to recreate the maneuvers in simulators. Atmospheric physicists were debating whether such flight patterns were theoretically possible. Wealthy thrill-seekers were already placing bets on when they could book passage on similar vessels.
"This one claims you're part of some secret military test program," Cameron said, showing her another thread. "Apparently, you're either a cyborg or the Empire's most classified pilot."
"The irony," Janet said dryly, "is that some of the military forums are arguing about whether this represents a security leak. They're trying to figure out if they should be worried about their own classified projects."
Tanya felt her stomach twist with guilt. "The piloting praise is the worst part. People are calling me brilliant, saying I've redefined what's possible in atmospheric flight. But it wasn't really me flying."
"The ship still did everything they saw it do," Cameron reminded her gently. "And you built it. That's what actually matters."
Janet nodded thoughtfully. "You know, in exploration work, we use automated systems all the time. The ship's capabilities are what matter, not whether the pilot has perfect reflexes. Most of our best discoveries happen when we let the ship's systems handle the dangerous flying while we focus on the science."
"Your ship has its own fan forums now," Cameron observed, scrolling through yet another discussion board. "They're calling enthusiasts 'Storm Riders' and creating detailed technical analyses of every visible component."
"This is insane," Tanya muttered, watching a reaction video where a professional pilot was attempting to break down her supposed technique. "I never expected it to spread this fast."
"Helena knows her business," Cameron said. "She's created genuine curiosity and excitement without revealing too much. People want to know more."
"Plus," Janet added with a mischievous smile, "some of the reaction videos are hilariously wrong. There's this one expert who's convinced your ship uses conventional ion drives and is trying to calculate fuel consumption. He's off by several orders of magnitude."
Before Tanya could respond, Red appeared at their table. "Sorry to interrupt, but you're needed for a briefing. Captain Davidson wants to discuss the situation before we reach the trade show."
As they made their way to the conference room, Tanya couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the attention her ship was generating. The viral footage had accomplished exactly what Helena intended and it was creating massive anticipation for the Trexlor Ship Show reveal.
But it had also painted a target on her back that was growing larger by the hour. Every view, every comment, every analysis was pulling her further into the spotlight she'd never really wanted, even if she understood the underlying need for it. She wondered if this was Sage's plan all along with the mission.
"Ready for this?" Cameron asked as they approached the briefing room.
"No," Tanya admitted. "But I don't think that matters anymore."