After her confrontation with the crew, Skylar had retreated to her quarters, preferring solitude to confrontation. Exhausted and drained, she sat down against her bed, meditating on the recent events. Fatigue had even prevented her from crying, and although the blood on her hands and face itched, she didn't have the strength to wash it off. The white dress stained with red would be a constant reminder of this day. An inner strength had finally pushed her to take a shower.
After nearly an hour under the water, she emerged, dressed in black leggings, thick matching socks, and a loose gray sweater. The space, already cold, seemed even more icy now.
Just as she sat back down on the floor, her hair still damp, there was a knock at her door.
"Skylar? It's Qidell."
She chose not to respond, feeling the anger rise just by hearing his voice.
"I know you probably don't want to see me or talk to me, or any of us for that matter. But please, let me in for just a moment..."
The emotion in his voice betrayed genuine regret. Skylar hesitated, then got up painfully to open the door for him. Qidell seemed surprised by her response but entered after seeing Skylar sit back down with a groan of fatigue. He took a seat beside her, establishing a tense silence before breaking the silence.
"Skylar, about what happened..."
"I don't want to hear anything," she cut him off, more drained than angry.
"Please, I know that simple apologies won't be enough to make us forgive. Actions are what matter to you, isn't it?"
Qidell's direct gaze showed an unusual sincerity.
"Yes."
"I really want to make amends, by any means, but I know you need time and space. I understand."
"Then why are you here?"
"You're not doing well, Skylar. As the ship's Doctor, it's my role to ensure the physical and psychological well-being of the crew. You haven't allowed any other doctor of the Admiral to examine you. Please, let me do it. You won't have to talk to me, I assure you."
A silence fell. Exhausted, Skylar consented. Qidell managed a smile, more comical than sympathetic, and helped her up carefully, realizing how weakened she was. Silence accompanied their path to the infirmary. There, Qidell laid her on an examination table, administered a sedative, and placed sensors on her head and heart, seeking vital information.
He would stay by her side for as long as necessary, fulfilling his role as the ship's doctor.
For two Earth weeks on Emere, the Krœnos remained still. Each member of the crew was individually questioned. Skylar, torn between anger and pride, refused to speak to anyone except the Doctor, the only crew member she tolerated.
When the time finally came to leave, Skylar was torn between missing Earth and realizing that space had been missed more than she had thought. Although her anger subsided, she still refused to speak to them out of pride. Qidell gradually helped her recover, although most of the time, he simply made her sleep in the infirmary, monitoring her vital signs.
The Krœnos set off to explore the galaxy without a specific purpose. After the events of the past weeks, they had decided not to plan a precise exploration. As long as the human didn't speak to them, it was difficult to organize a special outing for her. Sarek, regretting having lost Skylar's trust, wondered how to make amends. Qidell's answer was simple: time and space, but in the confined space of a ship, even one as large as this, it became complex.
"I don't think she ever trusted us," Vahrak said as she and Sarek were alone in the Command post.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know, something in her gaze and the way she acted towards us makes me think she didn't trust us."
"She suspected something even before boarding. I don't think I was a good liar this time."
"Things are not going to get better, Sarek. It's only going to get worse."
"No, I don't think so."
Sarek looked at Vahrak, who had stood up and was now facing the large window. The Captain got up as well and joined her. They stood there for a moment, gazing out into the void of space, when an alarm from the Communication post snapped them out of their thoughts. Vahrak went to sit at the console.
"It's Admiral Chennai. He's contacting us," she informed.
"Again?" he wondered, looking at the screen.
The determined face of the Admiral appeared on the screen. Sarek had not taken his seat, preferring to remain standing.
"Captain Sarek," he began by way of introduction, "I have a mission for you."
"A mission? What kind?"
"We have lost contact with the OLGA Research Station on Prean for the past two rotations. You and your crew will ensure that everything is in order. The last time we contacted them, they reported communication problems."
"Prean is on the opposite side of our position, Admiral. And if it's just a communication issue, why not send a young officer? I don't think this is a mission for veterans like us."
"For once in your life, Captain, you will follow my orders and go to Prean. It's a mission for both a new Captain and a veteran. The primary purpose of the Academy and its graduates is to explore, assist, and protect. Have you forgotten that?"
The Admiral paused. He knew that this kind of mission was usually entrusted to the least experienced, but he had a message to convey to the members of the Krœnos, and this was the moment.
"You're right, Admiral," Sarek replied. "We are changing course for Prean."
"I await your report."
He cut off the communication. They had acted like beginners, so they would be treated like beginners. The Admiral would treat them as such until they were worthy of his respect again. Sarek gently massaged his temples. He thought they would easily get away with it, but that was not the case.
The Admiral had let them go without putting them under arrest, but that didn't mean everything would be as before.
"What does this mean?" Vahrak asked as he joined him.
"It means we are still in the hot seat."
Sarek sighed and sat down at the Communication post.
Skylar was in her quarters, lying on her bed, her cell phone in hand. She was taking advantage of the last few percentages of battery to look at her photos. She missed Earth, even her family was starting to miss her, but the worst part was missing her friends. She had left without a word, without saying goodbye. The silence and muteness she had been hiding in lately had not been beneficial to her. She was looking at a photo of them when Sarek's voice resonated throughout the compartment.
"Attention please, the OLGA Research Station based on Prean is no longer emitting, we are currently heading there. Our mission is simple, we need to make sure everything is okay there and restore communications as soon as possible. Since its position is opposite to ours, we will be traveling at superluminal speed. Given the risk involved, I order you to return to your posts. Qidell, Skylar, join the kitchen," he said to them, "strap yourselves in properly. No one leaves their post without being invited. Sarek, over."
The communication cut off. Skylar groaned. She wasn't sure what superluminal speed was, but it sounded dangerous. Without waiting for another second, she got up, put on her oversized gray sweater and black socks over her leggings, and then ran out of her cabin. She passed Craarrain and Qidell who were also running. It had been many weeks since it had been this hectic on board.
Craarrain continued to the Command post while Qidell and she entered the kitchen. He helped her strap in and then sat opposite her. She only now realized that seat belts were inserted into the seats. A silence fell. The vibrations of the ship were so familiar to her. Everyone must be at their posts now, thought Skylar. And she wasn't wrong. The vibrations intensified, but from her point of view, the speed hadn't changed. She glanced at Qidell, who didn't seem reassured.
"Have we really accelerated?"
"Yes, to my great despair..."
"Is traveling at superluminal speed really that dangerous?"
Qidell took a few seconds to think. It had been a long time since he had had a conversation with her. He wasn't an engineer, but he knew enough to understand the principle of superluminal speed and its risks.
"On the long term, it can be, yes, he finally answered as the vibrations intensified. The body is not made to withstand the stress for very long, the risk of implosion is very common, especially on old ships that are rarely serviced. We often see it on the Academy news channels..."
"So the Krœnos could implode at any moment?" Skylar asked, a little panicked.
"No, no, don't worry! The ship is often updated, and we rarely travel at superluminal speed. Sarek is a good captain, he wouldn't take that risk."
"Just like he wouldn't take the risk of selling a member of his crew, right? Too much risk of it going wrong."
Qidell fixed her gaze intensely into Skylar's eyes. Just when he thought things were improving between them, she found a way to contradict him. Lowering her eyes, a heavy silence settled in again.
An Earth hour passed, and it seemed to Skylar that the ship was about to split in two. However, the vibrations calmed down, and the ship slowed. Qidell and she waited, as Sarek had been clear: no one leaves their post without his approval.
"Attention please," the Captain's voice resonated. "To avoid overheating of the core and implosion, we will navigate through jumps. The next jump will occur in 30 minutes. At this rate, we will be on Prean in less than 10 hours. Skylar, Ilki will come to fetch you, we need someone else as an engineer, you will receive quick training; Qidell, you have 30 minutes to stretch your legs. Sarek, over."
"A quick training?" repeated Skylar. "I'm not an engineer, I'm a doctor in anthropology!"
"Now you are," said Qidell, helping her to detach.
"Sky," Ilki intervened from the doorway. "Ready?"
The human nodded and followed the engineer to the engine room. It was the first time she had been there, and it was at that moment that a new passion was born.
The following hours were identical. While Ilki was in the engine room, Skylar took over the position of Engineer at the Command post, supervised by Sarek. To be honest, it did them all good, including Skylar. Being busy prevented them from brooding over the events of the past few weeks.
When they arrived on Prean, they realized too late that what was just a routine mission would turn out to be much more complicated.
The OLGA Research Station had the sole purpose of thoroughly exploring the planet. It was neither a defense station nor an attack station, so there were only scientists and a few guards responsible for maintaining order on board.
Prean was a small terrestrial planet similar to Earth, with the same gravity and landscapes. The Krœnos penetrated the atmosphere. The station was not in orbit, but on the planet, it seemed to blend into the environment, although that was not the case.
They couldn't establish communication, yet the station allowed them to land. It was not very large, just enough to explore a planet.
As the spaceship began its landing phase, Skylar, still at her post as Engineer, started to have a bad feeling. She gazed out the large window: no one was outside to greet them, no one was outside at all… A strange sense of fear made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Something was not right. It was too quiet.
The familiar vibrations of the spaceship coming to a stop abruptly pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Alright," Sarek began, standing up, "get ready, we're going out."
"I'm staying in the ship," Skylar inquired, getting up as well. "I don't want to go outside."
A silence. Sarek waited for the others to leave the Command post before responding to her.
"I know you still hold a grudge against us, but you can't keep avoiding us like this."
"This time, it has nothing to do with you, it's just… something is off about this station, I don't want to go there."
"Could it be paranoia?"
"I'm not crazy, I'm warning you, something is wrong."
"Alright, alright… Stay here if you want," Sarek conceded.
The Captain turned on his heels and was about to leave when Skylar intervened.
"Sarek… be careful down there."
He acquiesced and went out to join the others. Only Skylar had chosen to stay on board. Her intuition about the Market had not failed her, why would it fail her now?
Still sitting at the Engineer's station, she saw them heading towards the entrance of the station a few minutes after they had left, but still no one in sight. She couldn't possibly be the only one feeling that something was off, could she?
About ten minutes passed when movement outside caught her attention. A group of four people, armed to the teeth, had just come out of the station. They were heading towards the ship. Fearful, Skylar crouched down, even though from here, it was impossible for them to see her.
"Computer," she whispered, "what's going on? Those people are armed!"
"It seems that the station has been taken over by pirates."
"Pirates? Why didn't we see anything when we landed?"
"They must have hidden from view of the ship."
"Sarek, the crew, and everyone else are trapped!"
"Everyone except you."
Silence. The Computer was right, at least at first glance she must be the only one not held captive. She had no choice but to try to help them. But she wasn't trained for this...
"What can I do?" she whispered, still hiding behind one of the stations.
"You will need to arm yourself and kill the pirates."
"Kill? No way."
She had already killed enough people like that...
"I can't do that, I can't..."
"Then free the Captain. If you can do that, you can get out of this," the Computer informed her.
"Okay, I don't think I have a choice..."
"I will guide you. Get an earpiece so we can communicate," he ordered, as she took one from the Communication post. "Be careful. The pirates are about to enter the building. Get out and go down to the armory. You'll need to be quick."
Skylar got up quietly and left the Command post as fast as she could. She ran to the armory and armed herself with a blaster as instructed by the Computer. The pirates were on the opposite side of her position, the Computer had locked all the doors except for the one in the kitchen.
"Wait for my command to come out. Are you ready to run?"
"I'm in socks..." she stammered painfully.
"I will lock them in the kitchen," he said, disregarding her response.
"How do you know they will go in there?"
"Because it's the only open room."
The Computer was right. A few seconds passed when the pirates finally entered the kitchen. The Computer ordered Skylar to run. At first glance, no one was guarding the door, but it was too dangerous to enter through the main entrance. The Computer had time to explore the layout of the station, and it would have her enter through another entrance. It couldn't do better. Once inside, it would be up to her to take care of the rest.
Skylar ran towards the spaceship's exit as fast as she could, but in socks, she slid more than she moved forward. As for the pirates, they were banging on the door in the hope that it would give way.
"This darn door!" shouted one of them.
"There's still someone on the ship!"
"How do you know that?!" exclaimed another.
"Why do you think we're locked in?!"
During their dispute, Skylar silently exited the spaceship.
"Are you there?" she asked, touching her earpiece.
"I'm here. The door won't hold out much longer, they know there's still someone on the ship, you need to hurry up and get into the station."
"Okay..."
"Go around the building in front of you, avoid the cameras if there are any."
Skylar advanced, holding her weapon firmly. From where she was, she could see cameras, but none were moving or showing any sign of functioning.
"You don't see what I see, do you?"
"Outside the spaceship, no."
"The cameras are off."
The Computer took note of this information and guided Skylar to the station's secondary entrance. She was doing well in terms of discretion, but her trembling would not help her aim well if she was attacked.
The inside of the station was bright and well-lit. The smooth white walls were bordered with golden trim forming floral patterns. The corridors were wide and clean, giving no hint that it was a research station, let alone that it was in the grip of pirates.
The Computer guided her from corridor to corridor, their goal being to reach the surveillance room. She had not yet encountered any pirates.
Skylar managed, not without difficulty, to turn the cameras back on. She quickly realized that the pirates were more numerous than she had hoped. A few were patrolling the empty corridors, but most were in the station's control room. Some prisoners were also there, but the rest of the crew was not. It was only after a few seconds that she finally saw them, they had been gathered in the mess hall. Skylar counted less than a dozen, which was already too many for her. Yet she had to free them. She would come up with a plan along the way, as a group of pirates would soon find her. She destroyed the surveillance station before running towards the mess hall, still guided by the onboard Computer.
A few meters from the cafeteria, she slowed her pace and tried to breathe as quietly as possible. She held her weapon firmly in her hand and approached the door frame. The hostages were sitting at the back, against a wall, with the pirates occasionally pointing their weapons at them. No one had seen or heard her. She tried to locate Sarek. He was also sitting down. She could almost feel his anger at being caught like a beginner. He seemed to briefly meet her gaze but initially didn't pay attention. Then, when he realized he wasn't dreaming, he couldn't contain himself.
"Skylar...," he whispered, looking in her direction.
"What did you say?" a pirate hurriedly responded.
"Nothing."
But his response was not convincing, and as the pirate tried to glance at Skylar, she quickly hid.
"What do pirates want with Prean?" Sarek asked to attract attention. "Hey!"
"An outpost so far from Siirus and so poorly guarded is a treasure for us, and there are others like it scattered throughout the galaxy," he chuckled.
"Shut up!" a second pirate intervened, giving him a tap on the shoulder. "Can't you see this guy wants you to talk!"
And silence fell. The pirate had moved on. Meanwhile, Skylar was thinking but seemed unable to find a solution to her problem. She was alone facing about a dozen enemies; she could take down one, maybe two, but not more. A few seconds passed when the pirates in the room became agitated.
"There's still one person on the loose!" exclaimed one of those who had been trapped in the ship through his communicator. "She's wandering somewhere in the complex! Find her and bring her to me!"
Skylar barely had time to hide in the adjacent corridor before most of the pirates left the cafeteria running. They went to the right, but none passed by her side. After a short moment, she looked at the remaining number. Two. Only two pirates remained. If she wanted to free the hostages, now was the time. She had to act before the others returned.
She took a deep breath, wiped her sweaty hands, and firmly gripped her weapon. If she could avoid killing them... She peeked out; they had their backs turned. She moved towards them in the utmost silence. The hostages and the crew quickly realized what she intended to do, but none would stop her. In less than a second, she shot them, and they fell backward. They weren't dead, but it would be enough for now.
"Skylar!" exclaimed Sarek and the others as they stood up.
"Shh! They must not be far!" she replied, untying her teammates one by one.
"I suggest we listen to the human more often," Vahrak said, massaging his wrists.
"That's true," Sarek conceded. "I'm sorry for not listening to you."
"It's okay, you're all safe, that's what matters."
A silence fell over the group. The few personnel, scientists, and guards were trying their best to keep quiet, but panic was starting to set in. They had gathered behind the crew. Vahrak and Craarrain took the weapons from the pirates, tied them up, and gagged them, then stood guard while waiting to come up with a plan.
"What's the plan now?" she asked.
"First, I'll take this weapon. You've done enough, it's our turn now," Skylar said as she handed the weapon to Sarek.
"How did you manage to get this far without getting caught?" Grige asked.
"Difficultly, but mostly thanks to the Computer. It guided me," she replied, touching her ear.
"Well done."
"No time to discuss," Sarek intervened. "Have you been able to see how many of them there are?"
"About twenty in total. The majority are being held in the control room. But now that they know they haven't captured everyone, they must be scattered all over the station."
Sarek took a moment to think. They didn't have much time to act. They needed to get rid of these pirates. He knew the Admiral would be surprised to learn what had happened here. After this incident, security should be significantly increased on the most remote stations. The activity of pirates and smugglers was intensifying day by day.
First, free the station, they would deal with the rest later.
"We need weapons primarily," he finally said, addressing the Guards. "My crew can handle these pirates, but not without weapons."
"There are some in the Guard room, not a lot, but..."
"It will be enough," Sarek cut in. "Is it far from here?"
"In the left corridor."
"Perfect. Vahrak, Craarrain, you and the Guards go get the weapons. I'll stand guard here. Don't take too long."
They nodded, and without waiting, they headed there, with the three Guards present here following them. A few minutes passed when the group returned with weapons in their arms.
"We encountered two on the way, more will come," Vahrak informed.
Sarek took note of his information as he took a weapon handed to him.
"Only those who know how to use a weapon should take one," he ordered.
While the personnel and scientists present stayed back, Ilki, Grige, and even Qidell took one.
Skylar looked at the weapon being offered to her by a Guard. She took a moment to think and then took the weapon. Sarek and the others gave her a look, but she chose to ignore it. They had a mission to finish.
Sarek took the lead of the impromptu squad. Those who didn't know how to use a weapon had gone to hide in a room far from the mess hall, while the others followed him silently. They didn't really have a plan, but they needed to free the hostages at all costs.
Armed with simple pistols, the small group advanced slowly through the station. They hadn't encountered any other pirates, which meant they had probably all gathered in the same place.
But a few corridors away from the mess hall, the confrontation took place unexpectedly. The Pirates emerged from the shadows, armed to the teeth. Gunfire erupted, bright flashes tearing through the darkness. The shots whistled through the air, and the echoes of the weapons reverberated in the corridors.
Sarek was a blur of movement, aiming with precision and neutralizing the Pirates with well-placed shots. Vahrak maneuvered skillfully, covering his teammates with suppressing fire. Craarrain advanced with fierce determination, raining down blasts on the Pirates. Ilki and Grige coordinated, eliminating threats on each side.
Skylar and Qidell, on the other hand, hung back, offering valuable support with precise shots for Qidell, and slightly less for Skylar. The Guards provided cover, shooting with military efficiency, creating space for the rest of the group.
Each member of the Krœnos was an essential piece of this operation. Their tight formation and silent communication were their strength. The Pirates, taken by surprise by the unexpected resistance, desperately tried to fight back.
The gunfire seemed to continue endlessly. The Pirates were not lacking in numbers, but the Krœnos team was coordinated and determined. The sound of energy weapons echoed through the corridors, mingling with Sarek's terse orders.
Suddenly, a pirate aimed and fired at Skylar. She had seen it before the shot reached her. Caught off guard, she tried to dodge but slipped because of her socks, barely managing to avoid the shot. Sarek reacted quickly and took down the pirate who had shot at Skylar. This fight had to end, and now. There weren't many pirates left.
Alert, Sarek joined Skylar as she quickly got up. The shot had narrowly missed, but they didn't have the luxury of letting the Pirates regain their positions. The group reorganized, now out in the open in a wide space, and prepared for the final assault.
A heavy silence enveloped the area. The members of the Krœnos stood, breathing rapidly, their weapons smoking. The Station was finally free from the Pirates' grip. The scientists and staff, still shaken but now safe, emerged from their hiding places.
Sarek glanced at Skylar.
"Well done," he said, as she responded with a tired but sincere smile.
They secured the Station, disarming the traps left by the Pirates and ensuring that no corner was overlooked. The mission was a success, but the members of the Krœnos were exhausted, both physically and mentally. Once they were certain that everything was settled, they bid farewell to the team stationed on the station, promising to contact the Admiral once in space, and finally boarded the ship.
What was supposed to be a simple routine task had turned into a much more complex adventure. Without Skylar's keen intuition and the ingenuity of the onboard computer, the situation could have quickly escalated.
Sarek prepared to write his report for the Admiral, aware of the need to improve the security of outposts and stations. They had become too easy targets for pirates roaming the galaxy. The changes over the centuries did not all seem positive.
Back at the Command post, including Skylar, it was time to contact the Admiral. But before doing so, Sarek turned to Skylar.
"Skylar, I think we owe you more than just an apology. Between what has happened in recent weeks and today... You didn't deserve all this."
"Sarek is right," Vahrak interjected.
A faint smile appeared on Skylar's face. The past few weeks had not been easy for everyone, she was beginning to realize that it wasn't just her who had suffered. She had many reasons to be angry and resentful towards them, but if she wanted to move forward with them, she needed to take a step towards them, just as they had taken a step towards her.
"It's okay, really. I did what needed to be done to save you, and I would do it again without hesitation."
"Skylar...," Sarek insisted.
"No, really, I'm fine, I assure you. What we did today was meaningful. That's also part of our mission."
Grige, visibly concerned, asked, "And what about what we did to you?"
Skylar took a moment to think. She couldn't grant them her forgiveness immediately, but she felt ready to take a step towards them. She was now part of the crew, and to move forward, she needed to try to accept what had happened.
"I will need some more time to digest everything, although I'm starting to understand what led you to do that. It was clumsy of you, but I'm starting to understand. I think we need to learn to live together. And to start with, I suggest that you address me informally."
Her final words sounded like an assurance that everything would be fine, meaning that she said it sincerely. Each of them nodded in silence, aware that mutual understanding would not come overnight. They knew that smooth communication would take time, but they were determined to form a real crew.
Sarek looked at her, understanding that saving their lives constituted a significant first step towards reconciliation.
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