Preserve the charade.

Rivulets of ink, burning.

Pangs of danger; indescribable pain.

Elsewhere….calls….

Chapter 3

            Aubrey tapped away on her console. Addi had moved to the comms console. Kannan stood next to her. They were speaking quietly to each other in Dyaa and scanning through the holos. Kannan would point something out, and Addi would tap away on the console.

I flipped the medallion between my fingers. I turned it on its side. There were some symbols etched on the edge. I held the medallion out to Gabriel. “What does this say?” They held their hand out, not taking the medallion from me. I looked at them for a good few clicks before realizing that they didn’t have their gloves on. I bit my lip and dropped the medallion into their hand. A slight smirk played on their lips.

They flipped the medallion between their fingers, running along the etchings on the front. “This is carass metal,” they said softly. “It’s extremely rare. They say it originates from Volaris.” They held the medallion up, looking at it. “It’s the letters L, H, K, V.”

“Does that mean anything?” I asked them.

They shrugged slightly. “It could be someone’s initials.”

“Does it have any history?”

Gabriel closed their hand in a fist around the medallion. Their eyes fluttered closed. They shook their head. They held out their hand to me. I held my hand out, and they dropped the medallion into my palm.

I ran my fingers over the medallion again. “Carass metal? Like Aisling’s armor?”

They chuckled slightly. “Yeah. The Skidbladnir, the original starship in the World Ship, was made of carass.”

Jev stumbled back over. “Legend says that the Skid belonged to Aisling.”

“Are you a follower of Aisling?” I asked him.

He nodded. “My mother was a Star Walker. She followed Aisling and Éabha. She believed in Drust.” He slipped into the jump seat next to me. “What about you two?”

“My mother was a follower of Aisling,” I said. “My father, I think, was a believer, but he never participated in any of the rituals my mother did.”

Jev nodded. “What do you believe?”

I looked down at my hands in my lap—the medallion glinting in the light. “I believe in Aisling. I’ve always lived in the shadows. Aisling, to me, has always been about surviving.”

“Aisling is the survivors,” Jev said softly. He leaned forward a little and looked over at Gabriel. “What about you, Gabriel?” Gabriel reached up and pulled the tie from their braid out. They wrapped the cord around their wrist.

“Follower of Aisling.”

I furrowed my brow at them. “I didn’t know that.”

They shrugged slightly. “You never asked.”

“To the Stars we rise,” Jev said.

“To the Great Beyond we traverse,” Gabriel replied.

Jev laughed. “That was my mother’s mantra. There’s a story behind it. I’ve never met anyone that’s known it.”

“That’s one thing I remember,” Gabriel said, “from my life before Aten.” I turned slightly in my seat and looked at them. Their past was a mystery to us all. They suddenly stood up and walked away from Jev and me.

“Did I strike at a nerve?” Jev asked me.

“I don’t know,” I replied.

“I didn’t mean to upset them.”

“When it comes to their personal life,” I told him, “Gabriel is very…detached.” I stood up and walked after Gabriel. I reached out and caught the sleeve of their jacket. “Briel?” I asked. “Are you okay?”

They pulled away from me without saying anything. I noticed their jaw was clenched, and their hands were shaking. I let them pace away—their back to me. I could feel eyes on us.

Gabriel?

“Gabriel?” Jev said. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m sorry.”

I don’t know what I expected Gabriel to do. They were so unpredictable. That’s what made them so dangerous.

My body went cold. The cold seeped deep into my bones. The blood in my veins felt like ice. I couldn’t move. Gabriel turned around. Those silver-grey eyes pierced right through me. I tried flexing my muscles, but I could barely breathe—blood control. Gabriel was controlling my body. They broke my gaze with a slight side gaze before disappearing.

I pried through the ice in my veins. I grabbed at the electricity built up along the fabrics that we wore, the static along the floors, and the electricity slowly bleeding from the ship's systems. I pulled that electricity into myself, letting it jolt my muscles. I clenched my fists.

Kannan and Zeb, realizing what was about to happen, started to move. I spun around. Jev was pressed against the far hull wall. Gabriel, directly in front of him, with a hand raised. A bare hand. I kicked off the floor and sailed over the comms console; Addi staring at me with wide eyes.

“What are you?” I heard Gabriel hiss. Jev stared at them with wide eyes. Gabriel caught Jev’s chin in their palm.

“STOP!” I screamed. Electricity ran up my arm—the hiss of cracking electricity filled the ship. Gabriel looked over their shoulder, their eyes piercing right through me. I pulled my arm back as I started to fall, sparks flying from my fingertips.

Jev’s eyes flickered to me briefly before jumping back to Gabriel.

Nothing.

Nothing was happening to Jev. He wasn’t screaming out in pain or crumpling to the ground. He just stood there staring at Gabriel.

“He’s Human!” Gabriel yelled at me.

I knew better.

Gabriel caught my fist as I collided with them. Instantly pain racked through my body. Screams tore from my throat. I fell to my knees; Gabriel’s hand still wrapped around my first. Every inch of my body felt like it was being ripped apart, sliced apart. Fear pounded against every part of me. My heart hurt. I was going to die. Gabriel was going to kill me.

Burning lines of electricity snaked through me. I let them surge.

Gabriel dropped my hand, and I crumpled the rest of the way to the floor. My vision was cloudy. It was only a few clicks of contact, but the longest they had ever touched me. It wasn’t just a warning. They had meant to hurt me.

Samirah’s voice was whispering calmly in my ear. Her hands running along my back. Cool tendrils of power curled around me and enveloped me. Samirah was helping to heal me. I finally took a deep breath. There was a deep ache in every part of my body. My healing factor had little effect. Samirah wrapped her arms around me and helped me up into a sitting position.

Addi’s voice cried out in what I can only assume was a Dyaa curse. “What the fuck?!” She yelled. Kannan held out his hands to her, trying to calm her. “What did they do to her? How did they know Jev was Human?” Aubrey, hiding behind her sister, peered over Addi’s shoulder.

I looked over at Jev. He had slid down to the floor. His hands were shaking. Zeb had Gabriel pinned to the wall next to Jev. Zeb’s elbow pressed into Gabriel’s chest, his weight keeping them pinned. My brother dropped to his knees next to me.

Kannan sighed. His calmness was unsettling. “Gabriel can absorb the life force of others. They can’t control it. Touching their skin will cause the power to activate.” Aubrey’s eyes jumped to me. I could see the concern in her eyes.

“I’m fine,” I said. Or tried to. My voice was very hoarse. “I have a healing factor. It has saved me from much worse.” Aubrey’s eyes softened at that.

“How did they know Jev was Human?” Addi demanded. “I know he isn’t always super convincing, but you had no proof he wasn’t Zahren.”

“Earlier,” Gabriel said quietly, there was a shakiness in their voice, “back by the cavern when we met. When the other ships were attacking, he grabbed my wrist instead of my hand. He was in contact with my skin, and nothing happened to him.”

Addi turned to face Aubrey. They spoke quietly to each other in Dyaa. Aubrey gave her sister a nod and slipped back into the pilot’s seat.

“Addi,” Kannan said. He reached out to her. She hissed at him in Dyaa.

Jaymes leaned closer to me. “Are you okay?”

I gave him a nod.

He slapped me. My skin stung. “Are you wanting to die, Nash?”

“That hurt,” I hissed at him. I pressed my palm to my cheek.

“You’re reckless. That’s going to kill you.”

Zeb took several steps away from Gabriel. He leaned down and held his hand out to Jev. Jev shook his head and waved Zeb off. Gabriel pushed off the hull and pushed past Zeb. They slipped through the bulkhead door and disappeared down the corridor.

Kannan and Addi were still conversing in Dyaa in hushed tones. I looked back at my brother. He looked more disappointed in me than usual. I guess he had every reason to be.

I’m sorry, I thought to him.

He shook his head at me. I’m not the one you need to apologize to. He nodded towards the bulkhead door before standing up. He walked over to where Samirah and Zeb were standing.

A ping from Aubrey’s console cut through the silence and awkwardness. Aubrey turned her attention from Kannan to her console. She tapped away as a map of Aten appeared across the windscreen. She glanced up briefly before resuming her tapping. Dots began appearing on the map.

“Course mapping is halfway complete,” said Aubrey. “I have an idea on which region will be safe for us to wait for the next half rotation or so out.” One dot flashed. Aubrey raised her hands. The console screens glowed in response. I could feel the veins of electricity surge briefly as the ship began to bank and rise higher through the atmosphere.

The turquoise sky along the horizon was starting to fade—the sol setting behind us. Hints of black were inking up from the mountains. I couldn’t name the mountains; we had flown far beyond the region I knew. There were a few twinkles of stars beginning to shine through the atmosphere. The ship leveled out. The mountains below looked like sand dunes.

I pulled myself up and walked to my brother. Neither of us had ever left Aten. We had only been in a starship a handful of times. This was such an odd experience. We had lived in the mountains just like that, and now we were so far above them. I leaned against Jaymes resting my head on his shoulder.

“It’s beautiful,” he said softly. “This dying planet has a unique beauty to it.”

“Even dead things have purpose,” Aubrey said. She was sitting in her seat staring at the windscreen with her hands resting in her lap. The console in front of her flashing through different program screens. “Aten has always fascinated me,” she said. “This planet has been technically dead for millennia, but life still thrives here.”

Addi sighed. “I always wanted to know what the Saeris saw in this place. There’s not much here. The planet is dead after all.”

“A highly moldable population,” Kannan said. “A dying people on a dying planet is a population in need. The Saeris saw that and took advantage of that need.”

“Trusting people are also very moldable,” Aubrey added. Addi sighed and walked to her sister putting her hands on her shoulders. Aubrey reached up and pressed her fingertips into her temples. She muttered something in Dyaa. Addi squeezed her shoulders.

The light was quickly fading. Streaks of dark purples and deep reds and oranges began to spread across the sky. Deep navy blues and blacks rose from the mountains on the horizon. The stars starting to shine brighter. The sol would fade from the sky any tick, and the world would be plunged into darkness. There was something calming about the darkness.

Aubrey tapped on her console, and the cabin lights dimmed. “The scan should be complete in twenty ticks. It should also be fully dark by then. We’ll need to decide on to keep orbiting or land for the night.”

“You make the choice,” Kannan told her. “You know the skies the best. This region is usually calm and lightly patrolled.”

Aubrey nodded slightly. “I’d rather land and give the ship's systems time to fully reset and charge. Orbiting would require someone to be at the helm through the night. I think we all need the rest. I can set the scanners to remain on, and we’ll be alerted if there’s anything out there.” She looked over her shoulder at Kannan. “I’ll find a place I feel comfortable staying for the night. You all can get your things together and settle into the cabin.”

Addi squeezed Aubrey’s shoulders again. “I will get some food ready.”

At the mention of food, I became more aware of the churning ache in my stomach. I hadn’t eaten today. Jaymes looked over at me. He reached out and slipped his arm through mine. He pulled me along towards the bulkhead hatch. The lights in the corridor had gone off. Only thin lines of dim lights along the floor lit the corridor. We exited into the cargo hold.

I let go of Jaymes. I walked over to the crates where I had seen my bags. Jaymes walked off in the other direction. I grabbed my backpack and slung it over my shoulder. I picked up my duffle and turned back towards the bulkhead hatch. I caught a glimpse of blond hair in the far corner. I set my bags back down and walked towards the corner.

The cargo hold curved opened up into what was the second crew cabin. The bulkhead had been rebuilt so that it had a wider blast door. That blast door was open, and the exterior wall was lined with shelves and lockers. There were different things organized and secured along the shelves. Most looked to be gear and personal items. Sitting on the floor in front of a large open locker was Gabriel. They were sitting on the floor cross-legged with their hands in their lap. Their head bowed slightly.

I carefully picked my way around the smaller crates and walked to where Gabriel was sitting. As I neared, I could see what was in the locker clearly. I stopped just outside the doorway. It was a shrine of sorts. Icons to the Star Walker deities. Relics to the Star Walker deities. Candles. Texts; three worn bound books. A vase with a brilliant red flower, long drooping petals, and deep emerald leaves. A crystal-like stone that reflects the low light. A double-edged dagger with a leather-wrapped handle. A gunmetal silver pendant in the shape of a starburst was laid in the center of everything.

Gabriel held their hand out and waved me over. My heart began to beat faster. I inhaled deeply. I held my breath in for a few clicks before exhaling. I walked over to Gabriel and kneeled next to them. I looked at the shrine. I had never seen relics to the deity Drust before. The moon, icon, and the dagger were relics that represented the strife and vengeance of Drust. The Saeris were the only ones that worshiped Drust.

“This is Aubrey’s reliquary,” Gabriel whispered. “Dyane can be very devout. Acknowledging the Three.” They raised their hand and pointed at the dagger. “I’ve seen icons and texts of Drust in temples. But never weapons.”

“The stone, what is it?” I asked, leaning closer to Gabriel.

“I don’t know,” they said. “I haven’t seen anything like it before.”

“Is it a relic of Aisling?” I asked. Aisling did not have many relics. The starburst was the most well-known and used symbol of theirs.

Gabriel nodded. “I think it’s a clairvoyance stone.” I looked over at them. Their stormy sliver eyes were bright in the low light, the flecks of grey dark. Storms in their eyes. “Clairvoyants use stones to interpret the wills of the deities.”

“The Clairvoyants?”

“They’re the priests and scholars,” Gabriel replied. “They’re the ones that wrote the texts,” they pointed to the worn-down books. “Well, some of them. It’s believed the deities themselves wrote the Ultimatums.”

I leaned closer to Gabriel, looking at the dagger. The blades were sharp, showing little wear—no nicks or scratches in the blades. The leather-wrapped around the handle was worn as if it had been held over and over. The dark silvery metal shimmered in the light.

Energy surged around us. The ship shuttered, and I felt my stomach drop as the ship descended fast. Gabriel’s hand wrapped around my forearm, steadying me. I heard my bags slide across the floor and whack against a crate. The ship began to slow. I could feel the energy rising off the sands below us. Gabriel let go of my arm as the ship’s movements steadied. I carefully pulled myself to my feet. I looked back out into the cargo hold. The last rays of light were filtering in from the bay door window. The faint glow from the engines illuminated the emptiness outside. I looked back at Gabriel. They were standing next to me.

I opened my mouth, the apology on my tongue.

“Don’t apologize,” Gabriel said. “You have nothing to apologize for. I have everything to apologize for.” They looked over at me, their eyes dark in the low light. “I am sorry, Natalia. I never wanted to hurt you.” The sincerity in their voice made my heart ache. I knew they never wanted or even intended to hurt me. They didn’t have a choice, though.

I reached out and caught their tunic sleeve. Their eyes widened as I pulled them closer. I slipped my arms around their waist and laid my head on their shoulder. “Don’t apologize, Briel. Don’t apologize for things you cannot control.” I felt their arms snake around my waist; their fingers pressed into the small of my back. And as soon as we had embraced, they pulled away and slipped past me.

I wrapped my arms around myself, my fingers pressing into my forearms. A shadow beginning to creep into my mind; anxiety beginning to pierce through my chest. I inhaled and held that breath for several clicks. I slowly exhaled. I repeated that pattern a few times. Inhale, hold, exhale. Inhale, hold, exhale.

I let out a much louder sigh than I intended. I stepped back into the cargo hold. My bags had relocated halfway across the hold, almost where they had been originally. I grabbed them from the floor and walked back to the bulkhead hatch. The hatch at the other end of the corridor was open. I could see several of the others crowded around the pilot’s console. I set my bags down next to Jaymes’ just inside the bulkhead hatch next to the jump seats.

In front of us, through the windscreen, the rugged and sharp landscape of the mountains rushed past. Aubrey was expertly maneuvering through the twists of the range. She swung the ship out into a large ravine. She tapped on her console before letting the ship sink into the sands of the ravine. The engines' glow illuminated the rugged landscape; long and scraggly shadows were cast high on the rocks.

Aubrey tapped away at her consoles. The energy flowing throughout the ship began to restrict, only flowing to critical systems. Graphs and maps popped up on the windscreen. Aubrey glanced at them as she tapped away. Addi slipped from the co-pilot’s seat and walked to the comms console.

“Do you want to monitor the comms frequencies?” she asked, looking back at her sister.

Aubrey nodded. “Scan up to fifty clicks away. Set it at medium monitoring. This area seems to be pretty dead. I don’t expect anything to really show up.” Addi nodded and tapped away on the console.

Jev slipped around the weapons console. “The usual defenses?” he asked. The holo display popped up in front of him, symbols across the display. Aubrey gave him a nod without looking away from her own work. Jev tapped away on the console. Green dots appeared next to the symbols on the display as Jev turned on systems. Energy flowing to more locations throughout the ship.

Aubrey spun in her chair. “Everything is set. We are cloaked from scanners and radars. Comms frequencies are monitored. Scanners, local and long-range, are going. All alarms set.” She dropped her hands into her lap. “With all these systems going, the energy demand is high. I would rather not have to run the heating systems any higher. I’ve restricted the heating to the cabin and the fresher. Other than that, the ship is going to be cold. Just a warning. You probably don’t want to walk around barefoot.” She stood up and slipped between Kannan and Samirah. “But we do have one problem.” She waved for us to follow her.

We filed after her down the corridor. She slipped into the crew cabin. She walked across the cabin to the exterior wall. “These cabins were designed for a crew of eight. We are a crew of nine.”

“Oh,” Samirah said. She glanced at Kannan.

Addi slipped into the cabin and walked to her sister. “Aubrey and I don’t mind sharing a bunk.”

 “You shouldn’t have to share,” Samirah said. “This is your ship. We’re the guests here.”

Jaymes bumped against my shoulder. I glanced over at him, and he gave me a slight nod. “Jaymes and I can share,” I said. It wouldn’t be the first time my brother and I shared a bed. When we lived in Astrid and Halen with Cortana, Jaymes and I would share the bed, and Cortana would sleep on the floor or in the lounge chair.

“Are you sure?” Aubrey asked.

I nodded.  “He’s my brother. I can put up with him.” There were several laughs.

Aubrey gestured to the bunks around us. “You can choose which bunks you want.” She pointed to the left side of the cabin. The set of bunks against the interior wall had blankets and pillows piled on them. “Addi and I are there.” She pointed back to the right. The top bunk on the exterior wall was made up the same way. “Jev is over there. All the other bunks are free.” She stepped back to the lockers against the exterior wall. “Blankets, pillows, storage space. There is some storage under the bottom bunks too.” She looked at Addi. “I call the shower!” She took off running from the cabin.

Addi blinked a few times before realizing what just happened. “Fuuuuuck!” She stomped after her sister. “I call second!”

The rest of us looked at each other. Samirah made the first move. She walked over and tossed her jacket up on the top bunk next to Aubrey and Addi’s. Jaymes bumped my shoulder again. He nodded towards the bunk to our left, and I nodded back. Jaymes dropped his satchel on the bottom bunk. I walked around the end of the bunk and sat down on the cushion. It was much thicker than I anticipated. I sunk down into it. I looked around the bunk. Several long shelves were running the length of the bunk. There was a thin line of lights that ran around the bottom of the upper bunk. They were dim, and the panel above the head of the bunk seemed to be where to control them.

Jaymes sat down next to me. There was a lot of headroom. Both Jaymes and I could sit up without hitting our heads. Zeb had settled in the bottom bunk across from us. He was already messing with something on the bottom of the top bunk. Jaymes watched him for a tick or so and then leaned back. He made a sound almost like a sigh. He held his hand up and tapped the bottom of the top bunk. A screen lit up. It showed many of what the console in the cockpit displayed. Jaymes flipped through the screens until he found what looked like the scanner’s radar. The screen dimmed but still displayed the data.

“It’s a lot fancier than the hostels in Astrid,” I said.

Jaymes laughed. “This is luxury.” He ran his hands through his hair. I was almost impressed that no sand brushed out. “Dyane are always good at integrating comfort and tech into their designs.” He sighed and laid back onto the cushion.

Something dropped onto the cushion on my left, startling me. It was my duffle bag. I looked up; Gabriel was standing in front of me, holding out my backpack. Their hands still bare. I took the bag from them and muttered a thanks. They slipped Jaymes’ backpack off their shoulder and set it on the floor next to Jaymes. I reached out and caught their sleeve. I pulled them down next to me.

“You’re in the bunk above us,” I said to them.

I heard them exhale loudly. “Lucky me.”

Jev cleared his throat from over by the lockers. “You all are the lucky ones; I snore. I apologize in advance.” There were several groans, mainly from myself. I noticed a faint smile tugging at the corner of Gabriel’s mouth.

The clanging of metal echoed down the corridor into the cabin. Addi stepped through the hatchway. She was carrying a deep tray filled with tall cans. She walked over and stood in front of us.

“It’s not much,” she said, holding out the tray, “but it’s actually really good.” Jaymes reached out and grabbed one of the cans. There was a picture of several vegetables in a bowl on the side. It was a soup. I took a can from her. It was hot to the touch. I bumped Gabriel with my shoulder. They reached out and took a can also. Addi moved over to Zeb and then the others.

I popped the can top. The smell of stewed vegetables wafted up. The savory scent made my mouth water. I put the can to my lips and carefully took a sip. The soup was hot but did not burn my mouth. The flavors were strong; vegetables and spices twirled together. It reminded me of the soup Cortana would make Jaymes and me. All it needed was some more salt.

Kannan turned towards Samirah. “Was there any bread or carbs in our supplies?”

Samirah nodded as she sipped her soup. “I think there was some wheat bread left. Toast would be great with this.” She took another sip before continuing. “I know I put something in the crates. I’ll go look.” She stood up and walked to the hatchway. Addi following along behind her.

Zeb sighed from his bunk across from us. “We really need to get the trekker back. I doubt that the Saeris have found it. They’d be too worried about the wreckage of their ship.”

“Buuut,” my brother said, “that would also prevent us from getting anywhere near the trekker. That entire area has to be crawling with soldiers by now.”

“We won’t even be able to get into that sector,” Jev said. Kannan walked over to the lockers and leaned back next to him. “Saeris pride themselves on being the most advanced military organization out there. Honestly, no one can compare to the Angels or Siphons, and if the Dyane weren’t so trusting, they could have destroyed the Saeris. They are going to be combing the entire region not only for more rebels but also the ship that took out one of their fighters.” Jev set his soup can down on top of the lockers and crossed his arms over his chest. “That wasn’t an average patrol fighter either. There have been fighter variants showing up.”

“We need the trekker,” Jaymes said. “That was a month of supplies, at least.”

“We have some data on the military’s movements in the region,” said Jev. “We might be able to find a gap in coverage.” He looked up at the ceiling. “I don’t know anyone on the inside out there that could help. That entire region is going to be crawling with the military. Halen has probably been locked down. That’s how they probably found your compound. Followed the path you can into Halen back to the mountain range.”

“How long until their investigation is complete?” I looked over at Gabriel. They were staring at the soup can cradled between their hands.

“Protocol says at least three days,” Jev replied. “My guess is a week. They’ll want to recover every piece of that fighter. The Saeris are not a lot of things, but their science corps kind of are. They steal all their tech from others, but they use it well for their cause, unfortunately.”

“But,” Kannan began, “if they targeted our compound in the mountains, would they go after the trekker?”

Jev shrugged. “If they know it is there. There were no outgoing transmissions from the fighter from when it took off to when it was destroyed. The Saeris might know it is there, and they might not.”

“They will start searching all the ranges,” Gabriel said. “The trekker needs to be retrieved as soon as possible.” Their fingers running around the rim of the can.

Jev nodded. “Easier said than done, though.” He sighed and picked his soup can back up. He pressed the can to his lips and slurped.

“We will figure out a plan,” Kannan said. “We’re all tired and should rest before we go making any more decisions.”

“I agree,” Samirah’s voice came. She and Addi appeared in the hatchway. Both empty-handed. “There was bread, but Addi said that they have some eggs, and I would much rather have toast with eggs in the morning.”

“I’m fine with that,” Kannan said. Samirah giggled as she walked over to her bunk and sat down.

“Does this mean I have to get up early?” Jev asked.

“Yup,” Addi responded instantly. “You are the chef.”

Jev groaned. He held the can up and slurped the last of his soup, crushing the can. Addi held up her hands, and he tossed her the can. “I am going to bed then.”

Addi gave him a nod. “Aubs is done. You can shower next if you want.”

Jev turned around and pressed his hand to one of the lockers. The front panel glowed and popped open. He rummaged through the locker. “If I have to get up early, I’ll shower then. I do want to wash my face.” He pulled out a small bag and a towel. He held up his index and middle fingers. “Peace,” he said as he walked out of the cabin.

Addi made a sound between a sigh and a scoff. “You are the oldest nineteen-year-old I have ever met!”

“I am a quarter of the way through my species’ lifespan. I am old,” Jev called from the corridor. I saw Addi bit her lip. Humans had the shortest lifespan out of all the universe’s inhabitants. They were so fragile. I often forgot how long I could live if I wasn’t constantly fighting for my life. The oldest Zahren lived to be around three hundred. Most Zahren alive now haven’t even lived half of their lives yet.

Aubrey swept into the cabin; her silvery hair hung in wet waves around her face. She was wearing a plain grey long-sleeved tunic and matching trousers. She flopped onto the bottom bunk and pulled the blankets around her. The display panel above her glowed slightly and then went dark. The overhead lights dimmed slightly.

Gabriel stood up and disappeared out the hatchway. I squeezed my soup can. The metal crinkled a bit. I held the can to my lips and sipped the last of the soup. Next to me, Jaymes crushed his can between his hands. I held my can out to him. He rolled his eyes at me as he crushed that can too. He stood up and left the cabin. I crawled back and leaned against the wall. Addi walked over to the locker and pressed her hand to one of the panels. Glowing, it popped open. Addi pulled out several blankets and walked over. She set two blankets down next to me and tossed one on Gabriel’s bunk.

Jev slipped back into the cabin. His face was flushed, and the ends of his hair were wet. He tossed the bag and towel up onto his bunk. Addi asked him for help in gathering the rest of the bedding. He gave her a nod before kneeling next to Zeb’s bunk. He pulled the locker under the bunk open and pulled out pillows. He handed one to Zeb and tossed one up onto Gabriel’s bunk. He grabbed two more pillows and turned to me. He tossed one at the top of the bunk and handed the other to me. He turned back to the locker and pulled out several thicker blankets. He did the same with the blankets. Addi had distributed pillows and blankets on her side of the cabin.

“You won’t always need the heavy blanket,” Jev said. I looked up. I couldn’t tell who he was talking to. “It can get really cold, and it’s nice to have.” He turned back to his things, putting them back in his locker. He kicked off his boots and set them at the end of the bottom bunk. He climbed up the railing on the end of the bunk and flopped down. He wrapped the blanket around him.

My brother and Gabriel walked back into the cabin. Jaymes sat down next to me. I threw my pillow at him. He laughed and threw it back. Gabriel chuckled from the end of the bunk. They were leaning against the bunk’s framing. I tossed the pillow next to Jaymes at the top of the bunk. I pulled at the laces on my boots. I loosened the laces and kicked my boots off. I let them thud to the floor. I slipped my socks off and stuffed them in my boots.

Jaymes tossed me my blankets. I unfolded the lighter blanket and crawled next to Jaymes. He had taken his boots off and had unfolded his blankets. I wrapped the blanket around myself and laid down. My body sunk into the cushion. I hadn’t slept in a bed like this in years. Cortana was still alive the last time I had slept on anything this comfortable. I pulled the blanket tighter around me and rolled onto my side, facing the wall. I heard Gabriel climb up onto the bunk above us. They barely made any noise.

The overhead lights dimmed to a faint glow before turning off. Only the glow from the reading lights. Those lights eventually faded into darkness. The sounds of the others breathing and moving kept me awake. I could feel the energy rushing around me. The ship’s systems still very active even though the crew wasn’t. I tried to let myself relax. After living on the run for so long, it was strange to have some safety and peace finally.

I didn’t know what to do. I had spent so much of the past years only sleeping when completely exhausted, unable to physically continue. My skin tingling from the energy continually rushing around me. I laid there trying to let my body relax. I could hear my own heart thundering in my head. My fingertips went cold and numb. Needles pressed deep into my chest.

I inhaled deeply. I held my breath for several clicks. The exhaled slowly. Inhale deeply. Hold. Exhale slowly. Inhale. Hold. Exhale. Inhale… Hold… Exhale…

Inhale…

Exhale…

Inhale…

Exhale…