Vault World

Messier 35, the Shoe Buckle Cluster

2,938 light-years from Earth

June 19th, 2176 A.D.

Khan eyed the projection of the extremely tall and voluptuous Magnati female standing in front of him, craning his head up look at what was quite possibly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

As the Magnati woman gazed down at him with her seductive emerald-colored eyes, Khan felt an atavistic urging within himself.

It was almost as if his genetic essence recognized he was in the presence of superior genes, and it was demanding he have dozens of babies with her to increase the fitness of the species.

"What do you think, Captain? Shiela asked, standing right next to him as she continued tapping on the advanced Wan'sho pad that created the projection.

Khan smiled lecherously before putting his arms up towards the Magnati woman like a toddler.

"Give daddy uppies!"

His right arm went numb a second later as Sheila expertly punched him on the nerve cluster Republic soldiers were taught to hit to temporarily disable a human arm.

The initial numbness was followed by a radiating pain that spread outwards into his chest and neck, and the arm fell limply at his side as he gritted his teeth to stop crying out.

"Ow! What the hell, Sheila!? I was just joking!" Khan gasped out before leaping back as he saw Sheila raising her fist again with a warning look in her eyes.

His right arm was on fire now, and it laid useless at his side as he vigorously rubbed where she had hit it to get the nerve cluster functioning again.

"That was not for perving on the Magnati woman, Captain; That was for throwing the knife at me on the bridge and forcing me to stun your ass. Now, what do you think about our ancestors?"

Khan guiltily looked away from Sheila as he stepped back next to her, vaguely recalling what she was talking about as the faded memories struggled to come back to his mind. He didn't remember throwing the knife, but he did remember what he was feeling at that time.

He shuddered in disgust as he forced that evilness out of his mind; Sheila still had no clue what he was really thinking of doing when he attacked her, and he was grateful she was able to stun him in time.

"I'm- I'm sorry, Sheila; it is very frustrating trying to remember certain things. I can remember codes, missions, and my training, but I do not remember what my mom looked like or other things that I know are important to me."

The anger in Sheila's eyes faded somewhat, and she looked back down at the pad, still clearly struggling with everything she had been forced to deal with alone as he and the rest of the crew succumbed to null space psychosis.

"Yeah, well it was still a dick move, Captain. At least I got a measure of satisfaction out of watching you piss and drool like a moron after stunning you." She said quietly, still looking at the pad as she fiddled nervously with it.

Khan chuckled as he continued rubbing his arm. "Can you tell me again what Jameson said we looked like when he saw the security footage of you stunning us?"

A shadow of a smile touched Sheila's lips before she finally looked him in the eyes again.

"He said it looked like you both ate four bowls of stupid for breakfast before complaining about the stunner making him shit his pants again." She answered before quickly looking back down and tapping on the Wan'sho device.

"Well, I think that makes us even then, doesn't it?" Khan said teasingly, hoping to get Sheila out of whatever weird mood she had been in ever since he had woken up.

Sheila gave him a side-eye for the ages before tapping on the pad again. "I'm pulling up a projection of a Magnati male now, Captain."

Khan reluctantly looked away from Sheila and back at the projection of the Magnati woman, and his eyes widened as the projection shimmered before a massive giant of a man with rippling muscles and superb proportions replaced the Amazonian woman.

"Holy shit!" Khan whispered in shock, which caused the interactive quantum projection to look directly at him with its piercing gray eyes. He was not just surprised by the sheer size and physical prowess of the projection, but also by the fact that it was stark naked.

Khan felt like a little kid staring up at the big bastard, and he instinctively stopped looking it in the eyes, suddenly afraid of antagonizing the most terrifying specimen of a man he had ever seen in his life.

"Impressive, isn't he?" Sheila asked slyly as she made a pinching motion above the pad and then flicked it forward before letting her eyes appreciatively roam over the nude Magnati male.

Bio data appeared next to the Magnati in both Republic Standard and the strange flowing Wan'sho script, and Khan snorted in disbelief at the height and weight measurements being listed.

Height: 218.36 Centimeters/Weight:167.47 Kilograms

"An average sized, untrained Magnati male is approximately three times stronger and faster than an Olympic level trained human male athlete, while this fine specimen standing in front of us is an example of a Magnati male after being inducted into one of their warrior castes.

Warriors like him would have been neural-modified and conditioned to such an extent as to imbue them with six times the strength and stamina of high-level male human athletes." Sheila explained as Khan continued avoiding its penetrating gaze and tried to make sense of the facial features.

The Magnati warrior had a vaguely Polynesian look, though its skin was pale white as if it had northern European ancestry. The Magnati woman before was also strange, having had a northeastern Asian skin tone with strawberry-blonde hair, green eyes and striking sub-Saharan features.

"Why do they look...um, like this? I don't know how to say it better, right now." Khan asked hesitantly as Sheila had the projection rotate for them until they were looking at a massive V-shaped back that was packed with literal mountain ranges of muscle. God damn! This guy looks like he could rip the rear hatch off an armored IFV, Khan thought as the Magnati lifted both arms straight out at its sides as if to show off for them.

Khan did a double take as he noticed Sheila staring at the muscular ass of the Magnati and he wisely kept his mouth shut, suddenly feeling small and inadequate in comparison as her eyes roamed lustfully over the perfectly chiseled, muscular calves.

So, you're a leg gal, huh? Who's the damn pervert now, Sheila?! Khan fumed silently as he waited for her to stop leering at the Magnati male.

She finally noticed him glancing sideways at her, and she blushed before quickly looking back down at the pad and tapping it again.

The projection shimmered and now the Magnati was facing them again. This time it was fully clothed in a strange body suit, which Khan was grateful for since he was getting annoyed with having to constantly avert his eyes from the pelvic area.

"I know what you mean, Captain." Sheila answered finally as she pinched another data bundle from the pad and then flicked it out next to the bio data.

A complicated series of DNA and RNA strands appeared, along with small repeating letters and highlighted gene sequences that he didn't understand as she continued speaking.

"Protector tells me the Magnati had a genetic diversity that far exceeds our own, and they were well on their way to eliminating the last vestiges of specific ethnic characteristics when the Balrikans attacked the Federation.

Just imagine what we would look after centuries of intentional cross breeding between all the ethnicities of humanity. With so much cross breeding and genetic diversity, parents would give birth to babies that do not conform to what we humans would expect.

It would be like me and a Japanese guy having a baby that has black skin and uh... Nordic facial features. It really was a genetic lottery, and the Magnati fully embraced the randomness of it. Regional and genetic ethnicity had long ceased to be a thing for them, apparently."

"Ah, I understand, thanks for explaining. It's kind of weird to see such random ethnic features with certain skin tones and hair colors." Khan said as he wondered if asking Sheila to show him more Magnati women would earn him another punch.

Screw it; I've been on a ship with filthy pirates and only one woman for far too long, he decided as he worked up the courage to ask Sheila to display more Magnati women. Right as he opened his mouth, The flat monotone voice of Protector came over the comm system.

~ Sheila Mizrahi, I request your presence in the Primary Control Center. The Gril'nath vessel has been towed by the escorts into orbit of the third moon, and we must resume first contact protocols as outlined by the Federation Interspecies Directive. ~

"Be right there!" Sheila practically yelled out before she hurriedly handed the Wan'sho pad to Khan. "I have to be there for this, Captain; I hope you don't mind. I'm afraid things will go sideways if I do not control the negotiations."

Khan could clearly hear the pleading in her voice, and though he still did not like the initiatives she had taken with Protector and this new alien armada that was coming, he did trust her to do right by him and the crew.

"Yeah, go ahead, Sheila. I can't stand that dickhead werewolf, and you have my complete trust and faith; I only wish I was able to help you more instead of doddering around this creepy mausoleum like an old man with dementia."

Sheila gave him a searching look before stepping forward and hugging him, and he almost dropped the pad before recovering as she whispered in his ear. "Rahul, you'll be good as new soon, and you'll always be my captain no matter what happens."

She let go and then spun around before jogging off without another word, and he stood there watching her until she entered the corridor. After a minute passed, Khan sadly looked around the empty Med Bay, wondering what to do with himself now.

He had been nervously spinning the pad around in his hands, and it suddenly vibrated, startling him. Looking down at it, he saw a small hologram suspended above the tactile interface screen with Republic Standard words.

DNA verification confirmed. Founder access granted.

Fiddling around with it some more, he finally accessed the main menu and saw an option to connect his optical implants to the pad. After he selected it, there was a slight pinch behind both his eyes, and he could now see the interface system in his vision.

"Oh, this is cool!" He muttered quietly as he briefly explored the sub menus until he found what he was looking for. He selected the Quantum Projection tab and then furtively looked around to make sure the Med Bay was still empty before speaking out loud.

"Display three more Magnati women, please."

Three unique and stunning Magnati women shimmered into existence a moment later and he looked up at them, smiling stupidly for a few seconds before finally speaking.

"Hello, ladies! My name is Rahul Khan, and I am very pleased to make your acquaintances!"

Truth of Slir'lass, Trilla'Ssk-Class Scout Ship

Vault System—in orbit around 3rd moon of the Vault World

Lar'ri nervously played with the necklace prayer beads as she watched the two ominously fanged vessels finally release her ship and take an overwatch position 7,826 draks distant.

The initial signal reciprocity with the artificial intelligence in the outer system did not go well in her estimation; she found it to be abrasive and domineering, and only the presence of Shi'lah Mik'ra'hi had prevented the attempt from ending in failure or combat.

It was Shi'lah who wisely suggested they stop when Protector kept demanding to see what they looked like since it was not a living being and therefore not a violation of the false religious restrictions, which was technically true.

Lar'ri also did not understand how Shi'lah seemed to gain so much power over Protector to make it do as she demanded; this was not the usual dynamic of a hostage/captor relationship, and the artificial intelligence meekly submitted when she demanded it stop harassing her and allow Lar'ri's ship to come to the Vault World.

The only restrictions Protector put in place were all systems except for life support to be powered down and for their ship to be towed at 0.3 light speed, a journey that would take almost two full solar days.

Those two solar days seemed like ten, and now that they were finally here, Lar'ri found herself still not ready and wishing it did take ten solar days after all.

Eyeing the stifling garment neatly folded next to her, Lar'ri wondered if engaging in such deception with the artificial intelligence was a blunder.

She trusted Shi'lah enough to do as the mammalian ape wanted despite her reservations, but she still believed it would come back to bite them on the haunches.

Speaking untruths was one of the worst sins among the Bal'Ri'Sar, and she suddenly remembered the time when the Matriarch had come to visit the sacred learning places; both she and Na'las were little bigger than hatchlings at that time, but she still knew it was a special event because of how their teacher matrons were behaving.

She heard the voice of the Matriarch in her head again, clear as that time when she first listened to the words of wisdom.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

For every lie told, a truth dies;

For every hurt you inflict, a good deed vanishes;

Your heart is like a scale, little ones, so measure carefully; for good deeds weigh as feathers, and bad deeds weigh as rocks. Be mindful of what you do or say, lest you find the scales tipped against you when you are judged!

Please forgive me for these lies, Lar'ri thought as she reluctantly picked up the covering and allowed it to unfold. She carefully pulled the oppressive garment over her head and body, hissing in frustration as she tried to properly align the eye holes.

"I hate this thing! I cannot see SSka'lakka out of these infernal holes!" She screeched as the fabric got caught in her spinal feathers.

After another few inta's, she finally got the eye holes properly lined up, and she looked around for the black welding goggles, seeing them hanging off the side of the sitting bench.

Carefully donning them, she blinked rapidly as she sensed her pupils dilating to their fullest extent to compensate for the dark lenses.

She craned her head all around to make sure both the fabric and goggles were properly seated, and then she leaned forward and tapped the panel in front of her.

A holo mirror shimmered into existence above the panel, and she stared at the reflected image of herself for a long moment before angrily closing out the hologram.

She not only looked ridiculous; it was obvious she was trying to hide something, and she was certain the only reason why the subterfuge had worked at all was because Protector was prevented from pressing her too much for the truth by Shi'lah.

At least she was not subjecting any of her underlings to the deception this time, and she was alone in the command chamber as requested.

The others had almost exposed their true nature to Protector by accident several times during the initial exchange of scents. That was a risk too great to allow it to happen again; at least not until she secured a proper alliance agreement, and they could finally reveal their true selves without the risk of being attacked.

During the first signal reciprocity, Protector had asked them if they were a Theropodoid species after spotting her second's hand for fraction of an inta when he accidentally exposed it to adjust his covering.

Not wanting anymore questions of that nature, Lar'ri had the elder matrons fabricate long gloves to cover her hands and forearms during their journey to the Vault World, and she put them on for the first time, instantly abhorring the constricting feel of them.

She closed both upper hands and then moved the four fingers of each one, flexing them as much as she could to stretch out the gloves.

It helped a little bit, but they still felt very restrictive, and she found herself wondering if the workers just got used to their own protective gloves after a while.

Stop delaying, Lar'ri. It is time! She scolded herself as she glanced around the chamber one last time. After silently going through the calming mantra two times, she pulled the panel closer and focused on the task at hand.

With a trembling gloved finger, she pressed the communications tab on the panel and then lightly tapped on the blinking icon to activate the communications array.

After inputting the complicated frequencies Protector provided, she struggled to suppress the overwhelming anxiety flooding through her body again while waiting for a response.

Primary Control Center

Vault Seven, Level Four-Sector One

Sheila jogged into the massive control center and headed right for the glowing ball of light in front of the main communications array.

She tripped on the edge of the elevated platform the semi-circular bank of equipment was situated on top of, and she cursed loudly as a sharp jolt of pain shot through her big toe.

Protector morphed into the familiar werewolf form, and it opened its mouth and allowed the tongue to loll out the side, looking like it was laughing at her though she knew it really wasn't.

Still, the stupid face it was making pissed her off, and she flipped Protector off just because. Having discerned the meaning of the gesture, Protector's ears drooped as the tongue went back inside the mouth before it looked at her with sad puppy dog eyes.

"Cut the shit, Protector! Has Battle Matron Lar'ri opened a channel with us yet?"

The ears went erect again, and Protector returned to being a ball of light, clearly calculating she was not in the mood for any games right now as it answered her.

~ Affirmative, Sheila Mizrahi. I was waiting for you to arrive before connecting the channel as you had requested. I did not expect you to take such a length of time to come here after being informed of the Gril'nath vessel's arrival. ~

"Yeah, Sorry about that. I was showing the captain our ancestors and trying to bring him up to speed on everything. So far, he seems to be handling it well, though I am already noticing some concerning issues with his emotions and memories."

~ That is to be expected, Sheila Mizrahi. It has only been several solar days. Are you ready to resume first contact protocols? ~

"Let's do it. Please connect the channel."

~ I obey, Founder. ~

Sheila rolled her eyes but didn't reprimand Protector for calling her founder this time as a large blank holo screen appeared over the equipment bank.

The screen flickered for several seconds before Lar'ri appeared on the screen, completely veiled with the two ridiculous black lenses covering both eyes and red paint with religious script arrayed in concentric circles.

Before Sheila could say hello and try to control the start of the conversation, Lar'ri lifted both hands and made an unusual movement with them before holding both hands forward, palms out.

Sheila felt an initial panic until she noticed the hands and arms were completely covered this time by what looked like bright blue gloves, and she felt her anxiety abating somewhat. Smart girl, she thought gratefully as Lar'ri made another strange gesture before addressing them.

"I am honored to have been welcomed to your Vault World, Protector. May the seven blessings of the Creator wash over you and the ones you serve. Battle Matron Shi'lah Mik'ra'hi, it is a joy to share scents with you again."

Protector responded to Lar'ri before Sheila could despite agreeing to allow Sheila to guide the negotiations, and she shot him a nasty look as its voice emerged from multiple intercoms.

~ I do not require the seven blessings of the omnipotent being you worship since I am an artificial intelligence, but I am willing to accept the goodwill you mean to bestow on behalf of my Creators. Thank you, Battle Matron Lar'ri. ~

Sheila narrowed her eyes as she shot another glance at Protector, not trusting the sudden shift in its demeanor.

It had been an insufferable jerk during their first talk, and now it sounded almost cordial; like snake oil salesman cordial, which made Sheila go on high alert as she finally responded to Lar'ri.

"Battle Matron Larry- Forgive me. Lar'ree, it is a pleasure to... share scents with you again. I trust your journey here was uneventful and that your ship suffered no damage from being towed?"

After touching her right hand to her head and then her chest before pulling it back out of sight under the covering, Lar'ri responded.

"Yes, Shi'lah. All is as should be; the grappling beam technology is impressive. Perhaps an exchange of technology could be made between us to help ease the forming of this alliance. Of course, any technological gift exchanges will have to be strictly non-military in nature."

Before Sheila could respond, Protector interjected itself again as the glowing ball of light changed to a dark blue color.

~ This is a possibility I am willing to explore. I am intrigued by your ability to prevent my scanners from detecting individual life signs and determining your genetic makeup. Is this a function of a specific device or jamming system within your vessel, Battle Matron Lar'ri? ~

"We are not intentionally blocking scans, Protector. The two worlds we colonized in the same system after the Sundering Flight of our ancestors as they fled from extermination are the cause of this. There is a unique radioactive isotope on our two worlds that we have yet to come across anywhere else during our long march across thousands of light years.

It is in the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink; it is inside of us and remains there for the rest of our lives. It took our scientists and medical specialists many cycles to develop medical scanner and imaging technology to compensate for the isotope. I hope this sufficiently explains why your scanners cannot isolate and determine our life signs, Protector."

~ Your explanation is sufficient. This also explains why my scanners could not determine your genetic makeup among the wreckage of your vessels after I defeated the Bal'Ri'Kan ships attacking you. Perhaps providing me access to your medical devices will allow me to reconfigure the scanners to compensate for the isotope. ~

Sheila cleared her throat and interrupted before Lar'ree could answer, not liking where Protector was leading the conversation. "Yes, all in due time. Should we not be working out a peace treaty and possible alliance proposal first, before we begin discussing technology transfers?

We have the cart before the horse here; it seems to me this is more important than tractor beams and access to medical scanners. Protector, what is the next step in the first contact protocol? What did you call it again? The Federation Interspecies something?"

~ The Federation Interspecies Directive, Sheila Mizrahi. The arcane idiom you chose to use is not applicable to this situa- ~

Protector stopped speaking as if it was suddenly cut off. The hovering ball of light was no longer moving in the usual concentric circles as it rapidly changed colors until turning a deep, dark red before ear splitting klaxons began to sound in the Control Chamber.

Sheila doubled over, her hands over her ears as she tried to block out the incredibly painful sounds that made it feel like knives were being stabbed into her head.

She fell to her knees and retched as the room started spinning uncontrollably, and her head felt like it was about to burst like an overripe melon when the horrible klaxons ceased.

Sheila retched again as the spinning slowly subsided, and she weakly lifted her head up to see if Lar'ree was still there on the holo screen.

The screen was now blank gray, and Protector was darting back and forth across the Control Center at an almost impossible to follow speed as it spoke aggressively in the guttural Wan'sho language.

"Wha- where... is. Lar'ree... where?" Sheila gasped out weakly as she slowly crawled on her hands and knees towards the Communications array. Did Protector find out the truth? Was it about to attack her ship?

Protector heard her speaking and darted towards her so fast that she threw herself flat on the ground, thinking it was going to kill her after all for betraying it.

She was just about to scream out for Guardian when Protector stopped a meter away and morphed back into the Varcolac again, looking at her with terrifying lifeless black eyes that now lacked the distinctive yellow Wan'sho pupils.

Protector was also no longer wearing the usual red tunic, but a military looking uniform instead with numerous ornaments on its massive barrel chest along with two vicious looking bladed weapons above both hip joints.

Going down on all fours, Protector lowered itself until their eyes were level and then spoke in a menacing, guttural tone that made her skin goosebump all over.

~ The null space sentry drones detected two distinct sources of propagation waves heading towards this system. They took scans and returned here to warn me of the danger. Two large Bal'Ri'Kan fleets are coming, Founder. They are coming to assault the Vault System.

The estimated arrival time is 6.23 solar hours. I must prepare to defend the Vault World and set up the self-destruct systems to prevent our technology from falling into enemy hands. ~

Lifting a single paw, Protector pointed it at her.

~ You will order the Gril'nath vessel to depart immediately; your crew and the Magnati embryos will be transported to your ship. You will also depart as soon as all Founders are onboard.

I will not be able to protect you against such odds, Founder. Your safety is paramount and even though I will not be able to save my Creators, I will be content to cease existing knowing I saved your life and the lives of the Magnati Founders I was charged with protecting. ~

Sheila stared into those menacing black eyes, her mind struggling to grasp what Protector was saying. The Balrikans were coming, And this powerful AI with a thousand of the most advanced, powerful warships she had ever seen in her life, was now telling her it would be defeated?

A wild array of emotions flooded through her. The first was a deep sense of loss for her still untreated and comatose crew, and for the dying Wan'sho, the last of an ancient race who were so close to being saved after over a hundred thousand years of stasis purgatory.

An unbridled rage and resentment came next, directed at a universe that kept kicking them down every time it seemed like they just might get back up again.

Next came a terrible regret for not being able to repay Lar'ree for the blood debt Sheila and her crew owed to her comrades who sacrificed themselves so people they never met before may live.

There just had to be a way to save at least some of the Wan'sho, and she will not run like a coward without trying to do so.

She felt her lips forming into a feral snarl as she dumped all the hate and angst into her words, drawing strength from them while she stared at the black pits looking into her own eyes.

"How many ships are coming, Protector?"

There was a flicker in the black eyes, and Wan'sho programming code scrolled through them for a second before Protector answered her.

~ 17, 849 warships of varying classes, Founder. My calculations have determined the chances of securing a victory against the Bal'Ri'Kan at 12.493%. This is why you must go, Founder. You must save yourselves and the Magnati embryos. ~

"You have a lot to learn about my people, Protector. We will not abandon you and the Wan'sho just to save ourselves. Why are you able to send the Magnati embryos to my ship, but not the Wan'sho? Figure out a way to get them onto the Star; I can dump the cargo bays and fit at least a few dozen pods in there!"

Protector leaned forward, bringing its jaws to within half a meter from Sheila's face as more lines of code scrolled through the eyes.

~ It pleases me to see the children of the Magnati still possess the desire to fight and save others, even if it costs them their own lives. Such was the way of your ancestors, and you do them much honor by emulating them so.

As to your questions, it is not possible to disconnect the pods from the life support and power systems without the Creators dying within a few minutes. The power systems on your ship are not compatible with the pods and would require several days of retrofitting.

The stasis systems are the only thing keeping them alive right now, and if we take them out, the pathogens will kill them within two solar hours if they do not die from the shock of a rapid stasis decanting beforehand.

The Magnati embryos are protected by the specialized amniotic fluids surrounding them. They do not harbor any of the pathogens, and the power systems of your ship are compatible since the gestation sacs are powered by both micro fusion reactors and geothermal energy. It would be a simple matter to connect them to your power systems. ~

Protector abruptly stood back up on two legs and then leaned down, offering a paw. Sheila took it and allowed herself to be helped up, still trying to think of a way to save at least some of the Wan'sho.

"What about the med pods on my ship? Can they be used to-"

Putting up a paw in a very human gesture that he must have learned from her, Protector cut her off before she could finish.

~ Founder, I have calculated all possible actions and variables billions of times since receiving the warning. I am a Class-12 integrated neuronal intelligence, the most advanced one ever constructed by the Galactic Federation before it fell.

There is nothing you can do to save my Creators; I have failed in my directive, and I have also failed to reunite my Creators with their hairless littermates, whom they loved most above all. Please, Founder, do not add your death and the death of the other Founders on your crew to my failures.

If you die, the Magnati embryos will also die, and my entire existence will end with no meaning; I will have no pride and satisfaction in knowing I fulfilled at least some of the functions I was created to do before I cease to exist. You must tell the Gril'nath vessel to go; you must go as well and take the last of the Magnati with you. ~

Protector morphed back into the dark red ball of light and zipped away to the far side of the Control Center, obviously unwilling to talk with her anymore. The blank holo screen flickered twice, and then Lar'ree reappeared on it, clearly agitated despite the veil covering her entire body.

"Shi'lah! What is happening!? Hundreds of warships suddenly appeared all around my ship and then entered null space. Even the two ships that brought me here have gone. Do you know where they are going?"

"The Balrikans are coming, Lar'ree! Almost 18,000 ships, and they will be here in six solar hours, as measured by the time my people use. You have been ordered to leave the system by Protector to save your ship and your crew. Protector believes it will lose the battle, and I have to leave with my ship as well.

I will go to the star system on the stellar map where I told you to bring your people and wait for you there, okay? However long it takes, I will wait there for you. Hurry and go, Lar'ree! Go back to your fleet and stop them from coming here, or the Balrikans will follow them to that system and discover my people and their allies before we are ready to fight them!"

Lar'ree's head jerked under the veil, as if she had been slapped hard across her face, and then she took her right hand out from under the veil and pointed at the screen. "And what of Protector's creators you told me about? They are the last of their kind and in stasis, yes? Will they be evacuated in time?"

Sheila shook her head and looked away from the screen, ashamed that there was nothing anyone could do to save the Wan'sho. That was all the answer Lar'ree needed, and she uttered a single word loudly before abruptly leaning forward as the translator rendered the word into Republic Standard.

"Shit/Dung!"

Lar'ree pointed at the screen again, her gloved hand violently trembling as she spoke in a voice full of grief.

"I have passed through the great voids of death, and left a piece of my soul in every dead system; I have sang the mourning dirge in remembrance of those who lived no more so they may live again for a short time. So much death and emptiness killed my heart, And then I came across you, Shi'lah Mik'ra'hi, and my heart was no longer dead.

I would rather die than ever traverse another void of death again. I will not flee while another species is exterminated by the evil Bal'Ri'Kan. I will be back, Shi'lah, and I will not be alone."

The holo screen went blank again, and Sheila stood there staring at it as she tried to figure out what Lar'ree meant by that.

She knew Lar'ree was part of a larger fleet, but it was still several days away according to what the battle-matron had said during their last talk two days ago, and by then it would be too late to save the Vault World and the Wan'sho.

On one of the large holo screens along the far wall that had been displaying Lar'ree's ship from multiple angles, a strange glimmering light surrounded the vessel and she gasped as the ship suddenly stretch out like a piece of taffy before it blue shifted and disappeared.

She's gone FTL, Sheila realized before the abrupt disappearance of Lar'ree's ship reminded her of her own duty and how little time she had left to do it.

She spun around and ran full tilt towards the large entrance of the Control Center, wondering how the hell she was going to explain to the captain that everything she had been trying to do was about to end in complete and total failure.

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