The alien cruiser drifted silently in the eye of the storm, its glyphs glowing faintly like the heartbeat of some ancient god. Kael Ardyn stood at the courier's viewport, watching lightning ripple across the void. His reflection stared back at him—tired, scarred, but alive.
Behind him, Lyra Veyra worked at her console, her scanner spread open like a surgeon's tools. She was muttering half to herself, half to the ship.
"If I can cross-reference these glyphs with known pre-Council archives, maybe we can map out energy nodes… the resonance alone could rewrite propulsion theory."
Kael smirked faintly. "You sound like a child at a festival."
She shot him a look, though her lips twitched. "And you sound like someone who doesn't realize he's standing inside the most significant discovery in centuries."
"Discovery's great," Kael said, turning back to the storm. "But it won't mean much if we're dead."
Sentinel-7's voice echoed through the chamber, calm as ever. "Your assessment is correct. Raiders will regroup. Council forces will triangulate this position. Survival probability decreases the longer we remain."
Kael rubbed the back of his neck. "Which means we need allies. And fuel. And supplies. Preferably before the next storm wave eats this ship alive."
Lyra frowned. "And where exactly do you plan to find allies out here? You're an exile. I'm… well, technically a fugitive now. And Sentinel is—" she gestured vaguely at the AI "—a walking Council nightmare."
Kael's grin was sharp. "I know someone. If she hasn't gotten herself killed yet."
The courier detached from the alien hull, slipping back into the storm. Kael guided it with steady hands, threading through arcs of lightning until the storm thinned into open void.
Their destination: Veyra's Drift.
It wasn't on any official map. A free port built into the shattered remains of an asteroid, it was a place where smugglers, mercenaries, and exiles bartered survival. Kael had passed through once, years ago. And there had been one face he hadn't forgotten.
As the Drift came into view, Lyra leaned forward, eyes wide. "It looks… alive."
The asteroid spun slowly, hollowed out and webbed with structures welded haphazardly onto its surface. Lights flickered like fireflies, and ships of every shape drifted in and out of docking bays. The entire place pulsed with a kind of dangerous energy.
Kael smirked. "Welcome to the heart of nowhere."
Sentinel's voice resonated from the ship's core. "Caution advised. This port operates outside of all laws. Survival is not guaranteed."
Kael muttered, "Story of my life."
The docking bay stank of fuel and sweat. Kael led the way, blaster at his hip, eyes scanning for threats. Lyra walked close behind, hood drawn low. Sentinel remained aboard the courier—its hulking frame would have drawn too much attention.
The Drift was chaos. Merchants shouted over each other, selling weapons, fuel cells, and black-market tech. Drunken mercenaries stumbled through the crowd. A group of insectoid traders clicked and hissed, exchanging glowing crystals.
Lyra's voice was low. "And this is your idea of safe?"
Kael smirked. "Safe? No. Useful? Definitely."
They wound their way through the maze of stalls until Kael stopped before a neon-lit bar wedged into the asteroid wall. The sign above the entrance flickered: The Black Nebula.
Inside, the air was thick with smoke and music. Holo-projectors painted shifting constellations across the ceiling. Smugglers and raiders crowded the tables, deals made with dice rolls and drawn blades.
And at the center table sat the woman Kael was looking for.
She leaned back in her chair, boots up on the table, a half-empty glass in her hand. Her dark hair was shaved on one side, the other side tied back in a braid. A scar curved across her jaw, but her smile was wicked and alive.
Kael's grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Well, I'll be damned."
Rhea spotted him instantly. Her smile widened. "Kael Ardyn. I thought the Council had spaced you by now."
Kael slid into the chair across from her. "They tried. Didn't stick."
Rhea's gaze flicked to Lyra. "And who's the firebrand?"
Lyra stiffened, but Kael's smirk didn't fade. "Lyra Veyra. Scientist. Trouble magnet. She saved my ass."
Lyra gave him a sideways look. "That's one way to put it."
Rhea laughed, sharp and warm. "I like her already."
Drinks were poured, though Kael barely touched his. He kept his eyes on Rhea, knowing her games.
"I need supplies," he said. "Fuel, food, spare parts. And information."
Rhea arched a brow. "Information costs extra. And you're not exactly swimming in credits these days."
Kael leaned forward, voice low. "I've got something better. Access to a ship. Alien. Powerful. The kind the Council doesn't want anyone to know exists."
For once, Rhea's smile faltered. "You're serious."
"Deadly."
Lyra jumped in, eyes fierce. "If the Council gets it, they'll bury the Frontier. Entire colonies wiped out, just to keep the secret. We can't let that happen."
Rhea studied them both, swirling her drink. Finally, she smirked. "You always did know how to find trouble, Kael. Alright. I'll play. But my help comes with conditions."
Kael sighed. "Here it comes."
"First," Rhea said, ticking it off on her fingers, "I don't work for free. If this ship of yours is real, I want a cut of whatever it's worth."
Kael snorted. "Worth in credits or in power?"
"Both."
"Fine."
"Second," she continued, "you don't get to play captain. You never were good at taking orders."
Kael leaned back, smirk sharp. "Good thing I'm not asking for orders. I'm asking for trust."
Rhea's eyes flicked to Lyra, then back to Kael. Something unspoken passed in that glance, a mix of warning and curiosity.
Finally, she extended her hand. "Deal?"
Kael clasped it firmly. "Deal."
Trouble at the Drift
The deal was barely sealed when the bar doors slammed open.
Armored, armed, visors glowing blue. The room fell silent as they scanned the crowd. Then their leader barked:
"By order of the Interstellar Council, surrender Kael Ardyn immediately!"
Kael's gut clenched. He'd expected raiders, maybe bounty hunters—but not the Council, not here.
Rhea cursed under her breath. "You brought them here?"
Kael drew his blaster. "They follow me everywhere these days."
Lyra's hand flew to her scanner, but Kael pulled her behind cover as the troopers opened fire. Plasma bolts seared across the bar, shattering bottles and tables.
Chaos exploded. Smugglers dove for cover. Some drew weapons, others fled. The bar became a battlefield.
Kael fired back, dropping one trooper. Rhea moved like lightning, flipping the table for cover and blasting two more.
Lyra crouched beside Kael, breathless. "They won't stop, Kael. They'll kill everyone here just to get to you."
Kael's jaw tightened. "Then we don't let them."
Fire and Flight
The fight raged through the bar. Kael's blaster sang, every shot precise. Rhea fought with brutal efficiency, her laughter cutting through the smoke.
But more troopers poured in. Too many.
"Back exit!" Rhea shouted, pointing. "Move!"
Kael grabbed Lyra's hand, pulling her toward the door as Rhea covered them. They burst into the narrow corridors of the Drift, the sound of blaster fire echoing behind them.
Troopers gave chase. Kael fired over his shoulder, dropping another. Lyra clung to his arm, her hood falling back, hair wild in the chaos.
Finally, they reached the docking bay. The courier waited, Sentinel already powering it up.
"Go!" Kael shouted.
They sprinted up the ramp as troopers stormed into the bay. Plasma fire raked across the hull. Sentinel activated the shields, deflecting the worst of it.
Kael dropped into the pilot's seat, Lyra beside him, Rhea right behind. Engines roared to life.
"Hold on," Kael growled.
The courier blasted out of the Drift, troopers firing uselessly after them.
Silence fell as the stars swallowed them. The Drift shrank into the void, Council pursuit fading.
Kael's grip loosened on the controls. He leaned back, chest heaving, sweat dripping down his temples.
Lyra touched his arm, eyes wide with concern. "You okay?"
He managed a grin. "Better than them."
Rhea dropped into the seat behind them, laughing breathlessly. "Kael Ardyn, you bastard. You just dragged me into the biggest mess in the galaxy."
Kael smirked. "And you love it."
Her grin widened. "Damn right I do."
Sentinel's voice filled the cabin. "Council forces will not relent. You now require constant vigilance."
Kael nodded, glancing at Lyra, then Rhea. His crew—small, chaotic, but a beginning.
For the first time, he felt the shape of something larger forming. Not just survival. Not just vengeance. A fight.
And he wasn't alone.