Bright light surrounded the shuttle and they both felt a wave of energy ripple through the shuttle. A brighter flash and they were gone, catapulted across thousands of kilometers into space.
“We have made it into Tash-Murkon Prime”, Ga’len spoke with the sound of relief in his voice, “We need dock at a station here and refuel. Do you have any preferences?”
“The station at Planet II, Moon 1, the Kaalakiota Corporation Factory?” asked Leainati, “That should do well. The computer shows that there is a very active market there. We can get fuel and anything else we need.”
As Ga’len read the status panel on the navigation display, the shuttle lurched violently. Sparks flew out from the control panel, fire sprang forth from another panel to his left and the cabin was filled with alarm sounds.
Ga’len could barely hear himself above the din as he yelled, “WE NEED TO GET INTO THE EVA SUITS, THE HULL IS BREAKING OPEN!!!”"
As the hull tore open, there was nothing but silence. The peaceful quiet of deep vacuum was all around as the wreckage of the shuttle flew apart.
***
Beep…….Beep…….Beep…..Beep….., the sound pierces the darkness. Slowly, Ga’len opened his eyes. The blurry world that surrounded him was dark, but things were coming into focus. He could see blackness all around him. In the distance, the stars were beginning to pierce the blackness that surrounded him. He moved his arm to rub his eyes, but his hand hit the face glass of his helmet.
I am floating in space…, Ga’len thought. Quickly, he checked the datapad on his sleeve, his suit was working properly. The emergency locator beacon was working, signaling for any rescue ships to come retrieve him. The scanner showed that he was near the stargate, debris was all around him.
Thoughts were racing through his mind, What happened? Where was Leainati? Opening the comms array on the suit he yelled, “Leainati! Are you there?!?!”
All Ga’len could hear was static. He was alone, alone in the black. Alone waiting for the Amarr Navy rescue ship to close the distance and bring him to safety.
The coms on his EVA suit sprang to life, “Attention pilot, this is TMP patrol ship 265. We are moving in to retrieve you. Are you injured?”
“I don’t think so,” Ga’len replied, “Do you have the woman who was aboard the shuttle with me?”
Ga’len’s heart sunk as he listened to the response from TMP patrol ship 265, “We are sorry, we have picked up numerous emergency beacons as there are several ships that were destroyed by the pirate attack near the stargate. We are a bit overwhelmed at the moment and doing what we can. We will retrieve you shortly, standby.”
As Ga’len waited his turn to be rescued, he began to survey the carnage that lay before him. Floating in the emptiness were pieces of wreckage, pieces of what could only be bodies and almost 300 ships with the DED banner on their hulls. Something had happened at the stargate that CONCORD sent a large presence to the location.
What could have loosed such destruction in Empire space?, Ga’len’s thoughts continued to wander, Leainati, where are you? Are you safe? Why don’t you answer?
***
The room was darker now, the light of the Otou star no longer filled the window. Ga’len was still sitting in his chair, still reading the datapad and his disbelief was turning to joy.
She was alive, Ga’len thought to himself, Alive and well.
“So my sister,” Ga’len whispered as he looked out at the stars, “So, you are alive. I need to find you.”
Ga’len put down his datapad and activated the console on the desk. He began looking through the database and reading all the Scope news reports about the incident in Yulai as well as the new war between the Minmater and the Amarr. Empress Jamyl I had abolished slavery, but the atrocities continue against the Minmater people.
The Neo Spartans have been good to me, but perhaps it’s time for a change, Ga’len’s thoughts spring to and fro, Perhaps it’s time to strike out on my own again. Throw caution to the wind and wander as I once did. I need to find Leainati. It’s time…”
