The alien cruiser floated in the dark like a shadowy star, its spires faintly glowing with pulsing symbols. Kael Ardyn steered the courier toward the docking clamps, his hands steady while chaos swirled in his mind.
Behind him, Rhea Talos lounged in the co-pilot's seat, her boots up, a grin on her face. "So this is your big secret, Kael? I thought you were just exaggerating."
Lyra Veyra leaned in, her eyes intense as the cruiser's massive hull filled the viewport. "He wasn't. This isn't just a ship. It's an ark. A living structure built to last through time."
Rhea raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly is it carrying?"
Sentinel-7's voice pierced the cabin, calm and deep. "Knowledge. Power. The result of civilizations lost to your Council's history. This vessel is not for your kind."
Rhea blinked and looked around quickly. "And the creepy voice belongs to…?"
Kael smiled. "Meet Sentinel-7. Guardian, guide, and sometimes a pain in the neck."
Rhea muttered, "Great. We've got a haunted ship with attitude."
Kael ignored her and concentrated on the docking. When the courier connected to the cruiser's hull with a metallic clang, he exhaled slowly.
This was no longer just his battle. He had a crew now—broken, uneasy, but real.
The airlock opened with a hiss, and the four of them stepped into the cruiser's vast hallways. The symbols along the walls glowed brighter as if welcoming them.
Lyra's eyes widened, her fingers itching to touch the glowing script. "It's reacting to us. Or… maybe to Sentinel."
Sentinel's armored frame moved ahead, its steps deliberate and silent. "This vessel recognizes purpose. You are intruders, yet it tolerates you. Perhaps it sees… potential."
Rhea muttered under her breath, "Or bait."
Kael shot her a look. "If you're scared, you can stay on the courier."
Her grin returned, sharp and fearless. "Scared? I'm just making sure you know when we're walking into a trap."
They followed Sentinel deeper into the cruiser until the hallways opened into a massive room. Crystalline structures jutted from the floor like frozen lightning, energy flowing through them like veins of light.
At the center floated a console unlike anything Kael had seen—an orb of liquid light that shifted and swirled with alien symbols.
Lyra stepped forward, breathless. "It's a command core."
Sentinel's voice deepened. "This is the heart of the Nytheris. To awaken it fully requires synchronization. A mind capable of handling its burden."
Kael frowned. "What happens if no one can handle it?"
The AI's eyes flared. "Then the vessel consumes them."
Tension Among Thieves
While Lyra worked on scans of the command core, Kael stepped aside with Rhea.
"You brought me into this, Kael," she said quietly, arms crossed. "But I want to know—what's your plan? Are you going to sell this thing, or crown yourself king of the Frontier?"
Kael's jaw tightened. "Neither. The Council framed me, killed my brother, and tried to wipe me out. This ship—whatever it is—is leverage. A chance to fight back."
Rhea observed him, her smirk fading into something sharper. "You've changed. The old Kael would have taken the money and run."
Kael's gaze drifted to Lyra, glowing in the blue light, her face lit up with wonder. Something tightened in his chest. "Maybe I have more to lose this time."
Rhea followed his gaze and let out a low whistle. "Ah. So that's how it is."
Kael shot her a look, but she just smirked again.
Lyra's voice broke the tension. "Kael. Come here."
He approached, cautious. "What is it?"
She pointed at the symbols spiraling around the orb. "It's… choosing. Testing. I think it wants a connection."
Before he could stop her, she reached out, her hand brushing against the liquid light.
The chamber flared to life. Energy surged through the walls, and the symbols glowed brighter. Lyra gasped as the orb wrapped tendrils of light around her hand, creeping up her arm.
Kael lunged forward. "Lyra!"
She cried out but didn't pull back. Her eyes glowed faintly, her breath erratic. "I… I can see it. Memories. Maps. Entire star systems—"
Then the light dimmed, retreating into the orb. Lyra staggered, and Kael caught her before she fell.
Her pulse raced, and her skin felt cold. She looked up at him, eyes wide with fear and awe. "Kael… it showed me something. A battle. Not in our time—ancient. Entire civilizations burning."
Sentinel stepped closer, eyes glowing orange. "You touched the vessel and survived. That is rare. Dangerous. It may consider you worthy."
Kael held Lyra tighter, glaring at the AI. "She's not your experiment."
But Lyra addressed him, her voice fierce. "Kael, it's not just showing me. It's warning us. This ship isn't just a relic—it's a weapon left behind from a war the Council doesn't want anyone to know about."
Rhea muttered, "And now you've gone and woken it up."
Before Kael could respond, Sentinel's head turned sharply toward the corridor.
"Unwelcome presence detected."
The chamber's symbols flickered, shadows stretching awkwardly. A low hum filled the air, followed by the sound of boots clanging on metal.
Kael instantly had his blaster ready. "Council?"
Sentinel's eyes flared. "Not Council. Worse."
Figures emerged from the shadows. Raiders—but not like before. Their armor was pieced together but reinforced with alien plating, glowing faintly with stolen symbols. Their eyes shone with madness.
The leader stepped forward, a scarred man covered in symbols like tattoos. His voice was low and fevered. "The Ark is ours. The storm gave it to us."
Kael's stomach sank. These weren't just raiders. They were cultists.
Lyra whispered, horrified, "They've been feeding on this ship's power."
Rhea drew her pistols, grinning despite the danger. "Well, this just got interesting."
The cultists charged. Plasma bolts screamed through the chamber. Kael dove behind a crystal spire and returned fire with precision.
Rhea moved like a flash, twin pistols firing. Two cultists dropped before they could reach cover.
Lyra scrambled for her scanner, using it to overload nearby glyphs. One spire pulsed violently and exploded, sending three cultists flying.
Sentinel waded into the battle like a living tank, its armored fists smashing weapons and bones alike.
But the cult leader was different. He raised his hand, the symbols on his skin glowing. The command core pulsed in response, and energy arced through the chamber. Kael was thrown back, his blaster skidding across the floor.
"Kael!" Lyra cried, beginning to move toward him—only for the cult leader to grab her wrist.
The symbols on his arm slithered toward her, trying to bind her. "You touched the Ark," he hissed. "It chose you. Then you will lead us."
Lyra struggled, panic flashing in her eyes.
Kael surged to his feet, rage burning in him. He tackled the cult leader, slamming him into the floor. They fought fiercely, fists and fury, until Kael wrestled the man's weapon away and drove it into his chest.
The symbols on the leader's body glowed one last time—then went dark. He collapsed, lifeless.
The remaining cultists hesitated, then fled into the shadows, their chants echoing as they disappeared.
The chamber fell silent, save for the hum of the core. Kael stood over the fallen cult leader, breath heavy, blood on his knuckles.
Lyra approached slowly, her hand brushing his arm. "Kael… you saved me."
He met her gaze, something unspoken passing between them. "Always."
Rhea whistled softly, holstering her pistols. "Well. Looks like we've made new enemies."
Sentinel's tone was grim. "Not new. Old. The cult of the Ark has hunted this vessel for centuries. They will return."
Lyra shivered, clutching her scanner. "Then we have to be ready. Whatever battle this ship remembers—it might not be over."
Kael surveyed his unlikely crew: the scholar burning with curiosity, the smuggler grinning at danger, and the AI hiding secrets.
For the first time, he felt the weight of what they carried. He knew the storm ahead would make everything they faced so far look simple.