Tales From the Unending Void

This is a sexy space story. The NSFW content will be hidden behind a password. Click on images to view the full-size screenshots. Click on links and use password to view hidden screenshots. Let the story begin:


"From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire... old age should burn and rave at close of day... length of the sideal year: fixed star to fixed star 365.26 days... Life's but a walking shadow, a Robin Red breast in a cage puts all Heaven in Rage Right... Petrus Plancius watched C-beams glitter in the ascension 12h 36m 25.46s Delcination +62deg 14'31.4"11.09..."


"We passed the school where children played, their lessons scarcely done, the all-beholding sun shall see no more... I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. She burns so brightly in the cleansing fire... In the dying light of triple suns... I hum a binary tune... My ears shatter as the great bear roars... And my feet touch dust and bone... As I walk across a ield of ancient hubris and conceit... In the abyss of birds... When the augur strikes the anvil of ingress... Hippolyta births the singularity... While chaos rides a metal warhorse... My desiccated mouth tastes of ashes... My aberrative mind shatters... As I abscind and coalesce... In the throes of supreme vicissitude... I awaken, foever toen... Between Tartarus and Cucaniensis..." "I've heard enough. Burn it all. "At once, milord."


"It cleanses! It... It... cleanses!"

Space is a vast, cold place... Space is a fucking lonely place... It all started when I was having some fun on one of the moons of Kepler XIV...


No wait. I should start properly. At the beginning. My name is Camran Agust Valenmann de Lonval, or just Cam for those who know me a little better. I come from a long line of galacric nobility. Not that it's worth a damn, but having a title always impresses the ladies.


Until the tender age of sixteen I lived with my parents and my twin sisters in a mansion on Tuolovi, a small green planet orbiting Typhon - once poetically called HD 10180 b. The mansion was what you would call 'grand,' a vision of what an 18th century European rococo palace should look like in the modern age. Lots of synthetic marble, curly gilded ornaments and far too many rooms. A mediocre architect's wet dream.
Ours wasn't the largest house on Toulovi, much to my father's ire, but that's what you get for wanting to live on a world for people with boatloads of money.


So, my father: Agust, Algerone, Arlington Valenman de Lonval, wealthy bigwig of the trading and manufacturing company VLCo. The company has been in the family for ages, a successful venture, passing from father to son. The money really started flowing in when Agust fully took over from my granddad. There are rumors about that money though...
Let's just say the incarnation of Lco under the guidance of A.A.A Valenmann de Lonval likes to operate in the morally grey areas of intergalactic trade.
In his role as fruitful entrepreneur, my father married a pop singer when he was really young. I guess everybody does stupid things during that time boys think more with their dicks than anything else...

Anyway, that pop singer was my mother Yve. She wasn't all that talented as an artist. Not like Maria Callas, Ella Fitzgerald or even Britney Spears in her post-human persiod. But Mom had a small hit back in her heydays and her share of fans, most of whom shared her bed sooner or later. I guess wealth also has its share of devotees, so my father never came home to an empty bed. Yve was never in it after we were born, that's for sure. Calling Mom and Dad's marriage loveless is an understatement. But my sisters and I were the product of it, so I guess it wasn't all bad. I was Mom and Dad's first child and my twin sisters soon followed.


They're twins, but Eva and Lilly couldn't be more different. Eva is what you call a kind soul. Not that she's soft or anything, she can hold her own in a fight, but she's so open and understanding. I don't think there's anybody who didn't like her back on Tuolovi. Eva and I were often mistaken for twins, because we were always playing together when we were younger.


Now Lilly is a different story. People say that her fiery hair matches her volatile character and they're right. I would go even further and say she's a bitch, or was a bitch... I do't know. Let's just say lilly and I have a complicated relationship. The fact that mother and father mostly doted on her, the youngest of us three, while ignoring us mostly, didn't help at all. All the positive attention Lilly got from Agust and Yve didn't change the fact that she, like me and Eva, was sent to the Terran Galactic Naval Academy in Alpha centauri at the age of sixteen.


I was the first to go. Eva and Lilly followed a year later. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, which might have involved insulting a senior officer, I ws forced to repet the first year. I actually didn't mind, because I got to be with my sisters again. We were still the youngest at the academy, as most students enroll at age eighteen. But Agust and Yve made it very clear to us that they were eager to see us gone as soon as legally possible.

I was told naval academy would teach me some much needed discipline, but I'm not sure what the excuse was in Eva and Lilly's case. At any rate, we all weren't very happy at the academy. Eva originally dreamed of going to university to become a scientist and Lilly probably just wanted to stay on Tuolovi with Mummy and Daddy and annoy the living hell out of people.


After two years of training, the Terran Galactic Navy traditionally sends its fresh recruits on a training expedition. Think of it as summer camp, but with heavy weapons training. We were flown by the Battle Cruiser TGN Ypotryll to a dreary moon in a system neighboring the academy to do some humanitarian field work. That's when everything turned to total and utter shit...


It all started innocently enough. As soon as the Ypotryll was in orbit of Lanan, commander Szuzume ordered all recruits to the shuttle bay where transport to the surface of the moon was already waiting for us.


"Listen up everyone. Today is your first real assignment. You've trained for this and you are ready, or you better be. You'll be divided in groups and shuttled to Lanan P-10, where you will be given your assignments. Contact with mission control is forbidden until completion of your assignment or in case of absolute emergensies. Small injuries or homesickness do not, I repeat, do not count as valid reasons for reaching out to mission control. If you want to cry for mommy or daddy, do it at night when eveyone else is asleep. Now, your names will be called and you will assemble at the relevant shuttle. Good luck out there. Group Alpha: Baudrillard, Kristera, Kofman..."
Commander Calista szuzume didn't like me from the start. It was clear she didn't like me as a naval cadet, nor as a friend to her son Kit and her daughter Celine. I don't know when I ended up on her shit list, but she made it clear that my name was up there in shiny golden letters on many occations. Commander Szuzume probably didn't appreciate that I liked to play fast and loose with the rules at the academy from time to time. Like shaking up the troop roster for a training mission.
"Group Kappa: Valenmann de Lonval, E. Vlanmann de Lonval, L. Valen... What the?! Valenmann de Lonval, C. Szuzume, K. Szuzume, C. and Von Skandersfelt, T. Get your asses to that shuttle. We'll talk about this organized fuckup later, whomever is responsible..." the commander said.

"I think you managed to piss my Mom off... again," Kit said. "She didn't seem very happy, but I really wanted to do this first assignment with you guys," Camran said. "What the fudge did you do, Cam?" Lilly said. "I have persuaded a certain someone with considerable computer skils to change the group assignments..." Camran said. "You moron! There'll be hell to pay once we get back, for you and her both! The commander made that much clear," Lilly said. "Let's just board the shuttle, the others are already strapped in. By the way, how did fucking Thim end up with us?" Kit said. "A coincidence or a touch of sadistic humor on account of my illustrious hacker...," Camran said.
The shuttle brought us swiftly to the surface and left us in a clearing where we were supposed to set up our tents.


So I've mentioned Celine already, the commander's daughter and sister to Kit. You could say we had a thing for each other, which is probably one of the reasons her mother hated my guts.
"Hey Camran. I understood from Kit you got us all together on this mission?" Celine said. "I just wanted to do this with my friends." "That doesn't explain Thim being here," she said. "He sure wasn't on my wish list." "Maybe the local wild life will devour him in his sleep." "Let's pray for small miractel," Camran said.
"You're enjoying yourself too much, Camran," Eva said. "Is it that obvious?" "The smirk on your fave is a dead giveaway." "What can I say, I really like it when I can make things go my way by doling out a little booze here and there," Camran said. "You're going to get into trouble, Commander Szuzume made that much clear before we disembarked." "I'm not really worried. Graduation is just around the corner, after that Szuzume won't have any hold over us anymore." "Not so fast, brother, we need to accomplish this mission first. And there's always the possibility of us serving under the commander as ensigns after graduation," Eva said. "The horror..." "Better stock up on some more booze, maybe you can bribe your way into an admiralty." "Great idea!" Camran said.

Our camp was no expedition, at least not in my case... In preparation for the busy day ahead, Lilly and Eva must have gone to bed early, as they were already sleeping when I came by their tent. After being separated for over a year from my sisters I was struck by their beauty when they finally joined me at the academy. When I left, both girls were typical lanky teenagers, but the Eva and Lilly that greeted me on the first day of the new school year were powerful gorgeous women.


Sure, Mom and Dad got the n´best gene treatment for their fetuses, but the well-toned bodies of my sisters were only in part due to modern-day genetics. I could have admired the exquisite curves of Lilly's ass or the perky magnificence of Eva's breasts all night, butt spying on family members in the middle of the night is still considered 'not done' in human society...
I admit my heart was beating heavily in anticipation as I approached Kit and Celine's tent. I'm pretty sure Kit was okay with Celie and me being an item, but actually diddling his sister in his own tent is of course another matter... Kit's rythmic snoring bolstered my confidence when I slowly pulled the zipper of the tent upward.


"Hey..." "Sssh, get over here. Quick!"
I carefully crawled next to her while Kit was still snoring away. Celine closed the tent again and turned her attention to me. Both feeling we had little time to waste, Celine and I entangled in a passionate embrace, her mouth on mine.


She giggled softly as I bit her earlobe and dotted her nek and breats with kisses. Our caresses became more eager as the girl freed my erection. I took her small, but firm breasts in my hands and brushed my lips against her nipples.
"Ooooh, Camran..."


We frofe momentarily as Kit made a noise and seemed on the brink of Awakening. We let out a sigh of relief, when he turned his back on us.


Celine smiled at me and took a firm hold of my penis, moving her hand slowly up and down.

The feeling of my hard henis in her small warm hand had a hyptotizing effect on me and I stared at her, lust burning in my eyes.
"Do you want me, Cam?" I do!"
Smiling, the girl bowed her head and kissed the tip of my penis while stil slowly jerking it. Her kisses turned into exploratory licks, sending shivers through my spine.


When she took one-third of my member inside of her mouth, she began to suck greedily. It was a sensation so intense, I had trouble keeping quiet and celine couldn't help but smile.
I could have easily laid back and let the girl finish the job, but I wanted more, so I gently pushed ger back on the bedroll.
"My turn."


Celine looked at me with a mixture of giddy anticipation and a tinge of nervousness, not uncommon in the first interplay between new lovers. I massaged her breasts again and she sighed in absolute contentment.


As I licked her erect nipples, I slipped a hand between her legs and caressed the soft flesh of her thighs.


The girl bit her lip when my fingers inched closer towards her slit. She let out a muffled breathless cry as I pressed my fingers against her labia.


When I parted them and ran a single finger between her lips it came back dripping wet. By the time I reached her clitoris, her nails were digging into my arm and she whispered vile things in my ear. Using two fingers I flicked her bean until every fiber of her body was taut with pleasure. Kit was still very much asleep and blissfully unaware of the state of arousal his sister was currently in. I held Celine, kissing her as I got closer to the edge.



"fudge Cam, fudge, oh fudge yes!"
The string of expetives petered out as her body suddenly turned rigid. She shuddered again, her entire frame quivering madly under the oncoming wave of a powerful orgasm.


Her hands clasped onto mine frantically, pressing my fingers into her clit in an effort to hold the peak of the climax forever.


As her powerful orgasm finally subsided, she collapsed against my chest. She stroked my skin, until her hand lazily crept down, slowly approaching my rigid penis.
"We're not done yet, are we?" she said.

The girl had me erect in seconds and guided my penis towards her vagina. My penis pushed against Celine's entrance, slick with her moisture. she gasped as I pressed the top of my shaft past her labia. I paused. Celine grasped my arm to encourage me to go deeper.
"I need you, Camran."


Her voice was barely a whisper and her moans just as soft as when we started intercourse.


It was weird and exiting at the same time. The possibility of Kit waking up and catching us in the act actually enhanced our passionate lovemaking.


I licked Celine's hard nipples and fingered her, while my penis was still inside her. The stimulation of so many eregenous zones at once finally sent her over the edge.


The girl shuddered and bit on my hand to suppress her orgasmic moans, which in turn ushered my orgasm. I tried to muffle my delirious cry in the musk of her hair as I shot my seed inside her.


"Hmmmmm, I'd ask you to stay, but then we'd have too much explaining to do in the morning," she said. "I know," Camran said. "We should do this another time." "That sounds like a great idea." "Okay, when we're back on the Ypotryll I'll show you something," she said. "I can't wait to hear you moan out loud," Camran said. "I can scream too, be warned!"


I kissed Celine goodnight and hurried back to my tent. Lucky for me, Thim was still asleep. As soon as my body hit the bedroll I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.


We awoke early in the morning and broke up the tents, expecting that we wouldn't have to spend another night on Lanan.

After a quck breakfast of the provided rations, we headed out to the settlement.


"According to the map it shouldn't be far from here," Eva said. "I didn't notice those smoke plumes yesterday," Celine said. "Those stupid peasants are probably burning stuff to keep warm," Thim said. "There sure is a lot of smoke..." Lilly said. "Those are big fires, I doubt it's just a cooking fire," Camran said. "Let's leave our baggage here and get closer," Kit said.


"What the..." Camran said. "Are those... people?!" Eva said. "Vurnt to a fucking crisp," Thim said. "Show some fucking respect, Thim," Camran said. "It's a massacre," Lilly said. "We should investigate. See if there are any survivors," Kit said. "Not so fast. Let's contact mission control first. Celine?" Camran said. "Errr... yes? What?" "You're carrying the radio. Could you please contact mission control?" "Right. You're right. Sorry."


"Don't apologize, just focus. We'll have time to grieve thee poor people later," Camran said. "N-nothing. There's nothing but static," Celine said. "Do you have the right frequency?" Kit said. "Yes! Something seems to be jamming all frequencies," she said. "fudge, that means the people who caused this slaughter are still on the moon's surface," Camran said. "What should be do?!" Celine said. "This settlement might actually be a defensible position. We need to clear every building, and search for any remaining threats or survivors. Lilly, Eva, Thim, you clear the outer perimeter. Kit, Celine and I will investigate the buildings and keep trying that damn radio," Camran said.


Most buildings were alredy reduced to cinders or too dangerous to even enter because of all the fire. Two houses were more or less intact and empty.

It wasn't until we searched the huts at the back of the settlement that we found our first sign of life. The man hiding in the dirty hovel was clearly too shocked to say a word. The relief was visible in his eyes, though, when he was guided from his former home, supported by Kit. In the next hut, we encountered a similar scene. Two girls were hiding beneath a table, shivring with fear and unable to speak. They clearly didn't consider us a danger and came with us to the entrance of the settlement.


"What now?" Kit said. "We wait for the others to return. Check if any of the survivors need medical attention," Camran said.
Right at that moment we were shocked by the sounds of gunfire from the vicinity where I sent Lilly, Eva and Thim.
"What the fudge as that?!" Celine said. "The other group is under fire. Hurry!" Camran said.


We ran towards the commotion, ready to shoot at anything. What we found was a mixture of both horror and comedy. Lilly was being threatened by a muscular womn dressed in outrageous armour, carrying a huge sword. It was as if she had walked straight out of some bad fantasy movie. But the threat was real. Another similarly clad woman stood close to Thim, who sat slumped against a tree, unconscious or dead. Both women were looking at us, grinning, as if daring us to make a move.


"Hold your fire!" Camran ordered. "Camran! Look!" Celine said.
That's when I saw another warrior carrying Eva on her shoulder towards the jungle.
"Eva!"


Probably driven by instinct, Kit tried to do something heroic. He rushed towards Eva... And found himself impaled on a sword.

"Don't try anything stupid," the warrior said.
Her accent was thick, but I understood her well enough.
"Let her go!" Camran demanded. "I'll let this one go, if you behave," she said.
I stood helpless as the woman disappeared with my sister in the wilderness, my gaze alternating from Lilly to Kit bleeding on the ground.
"I'll take my leave now," the warrior said.
She slowly backed away, still grinning. We all stood motionless until she disappeared.


"Lilly! Are you okay?" "J-just a little rattled," she said. "Don't you feel that nasty cut near your neck?" Camran said. "What? No... Cam, they took Eva!" "I know, we'll get her back. Hold on tight, I have to check on Kit first."


"Kit?! Why did you run towards her?!" Celine said. "How bad is it?" Camran said. "She stabbed him through his guts, if he doesn't get medical attention he'll die! We need to get to a transport ship immediately!" "But Eva! Goddammit!"


"She's gone man. Nothing you can do about it." "Look who's decided to conveniently wake up! Shut the fudge up, Thim," Camran said. "It... It feels so cold..." Kit said. "fudge! Celine, Thim, can you carry Lilly and get the villagers?" "No problem, Cam," Celine said. "Yes," he said. "Good, I'll carry Kit. Try the radio again Celine, we might get lucky and get through to mission control," Camran said.

Celine and Thim moves faster than I could, dragging Kit along, who was bleeding like crazy. When I reached the settlement, the man and the girls were still standing where we left them, too stunned to act on their own.
"The radio is working again! And mission control senr us coordinates. They sounded pretty tense," Celine said. "Yes, this sure isn't normal procedure for a training mission. I bet nobody expected an all out surprise attack so close to human space," Camran said. "Who were those women?" Thim said. "Beats me. I'm pretty sure we'll find out when we're debriefed by the brass once we're back on the ship," Camran said.


When we arrived at the rendezvous point, several other groups of trainees had already checked in. Many of them carried wounded, or even lifeless bodies with them. The incursion of the warriors seemed to have happened simultaneously on the surface of the entire moon. An officer motioned us to enter a transport ship and after what semed like ages we were finally lifted off the surface on Lanan to the safety of the Ypotryll.


Everyone was silent during the return trip, except for the moans of the badly injured. As soon as we landed in the belly of the Ypotryll and the doors of the transport opened, medical personnel streamed in. They began to take care of the many wounded, concentrating on the most critical first. I slipped out, making room so that they could accomplish their tasks. A little disoriented, I decided to retire to my bunk.

Before I could lie down properly and collect my thoughts I heard the door slide open.
"Master Camran? Are you okay?"


Ah, Jade. Lovely Jade. My personal attendant, since my sixteenth birthday when Dad bought her for me as a coming-of-age birthday present. She's a Twi'll.


Officially she's called Jade'anna N'ec L'ordann va T'olnec, but Jade is much shorter when I cry out her name during sex. Twi'lls, females and males, are a valuable commodity in modern dat society. They're commonly held as sex slaves. Despite the fact that the whole Twi'll race is portrayed as a degenerate species by the Department of Intergalactic Exploration, people sure want to fudge them real bad. Their intelligence, well-toned humanoid bodies and fantastic skills between the bedsheets really speak volume against any claim of degeneracy, but who am I to judge...


The Twi'll were the first species mankind encounterd, during the first intergalactic explorations. They're a peaceful race, not accustomed to warfare, so naturally we laid waste to their planet, kille nearly eighty percent of their population and enslaved the rest. Most people treat their Twi'll slaves like shit. I try not to be an asshole to Jade and show her some respect, that seems to have worked out for us so far.


"I'm fine. I think. Hell, I don't know. I think she's gone, Jade..." Camran said. "Who is?" "My sister." "Mistress Eva?" she said. "Yes, we were ambushed on Lanan and they took her." "Where?" "To their ships, I don't know," Camran said. "I should have cancelled the whole mission while I was in their systems." "Jade... You're good with computers, but you're not that good." "I know... But surely the navy is going after them, to intercept those vessels," she said. "I don't think they will, they wre as surprised as we were." "But she was still alive when you last saw her?" "she was," Camran said. "Don't lose hope then," Jade said. "I'm trying."

"Can I do something to make it easier?" she said. "I'd like a massage, to alleviate the tension a little." "Certainly."


Jade received training as an attendant, but you could tell she had skill as a masseuse which can't be obtained by just training. It was almost as if she could attune herself to your body.
"Do you want me to go further?" she asked. "Yes, please."


Her soft hands touched my penis as she focused all her attention on brining me pleasure. Jade's handjobs, like every sex act with her, were a work of art. She knew just how to apply the right amount of pressure, a little squeeze at just the perfect moment. She was never just pumping you absentmindedly, but seemed to always know when you were about to explode, often stopping right at the height of your pleasure, sowing down and meticulously building that perfect orgasm.


I was sistracted by the events of the past day, but she had me spilling my seed after just a few minutes of complete nirvana.


"What would I do without you, Jade?" Camran said. "Probably doing the same by yourself, but poorly," she said. "You can be very arrogant, you know that?" "I know where my strengths lie and the proof of it coats my chest in abundance."


"Will you lie with me for a while?" "Of course!"
I embraced Jade and just took in her smell, laying there for almost an hour.

My bunkmates came and went, ignoring us mostly, some even had sex with their own attendants. I dozed off, waking up hours later, feeling the distinct hum of a starship at full throttle immediately. The Ypotryll was still in orbit of Lanan when I went to sleep, but now we wre moving at a brisk speed.
"Go clean yourself up, I have some things to take care of," Camran said. "Thank you, master." "Thank you, Jade."
I decided to head to the sickbay and see how Lilly and Kit were doing. Kit's wound was very bad, but if the medics got to him in time he might have made it.


The sickbay was packed to the brim with wounded recruits. Commander szuzume was coming out of one of the private medpools, probaly the one where her son was lying.
"Commander." "Valenmann." "Is Kit going to make it, ma'am?" Camran said. "The doctors say he will. They had him in a medically induced coma, but now he's sleeping," she said. "What happened on Lanan..." "Was a terrible tragedy." "We are going back for the others, aren't we, ma'am?" Camran said. "I will not comment on the orders we received from Central Command." "But they have my sister, we have to do something!" "Don't take that tone with me, boy, or I'll have you thrown into the brig. I haven't forgotten that little stunt you pulled before flying out to Lanan. I'll deal with you later," she said.


The recent event sure didn't bring Commander Szuzume and me closer together... I decided to ignore her for the moment.
"Hey Thim, how are you?" "Like you care," he said. "I do, actually." "Go fudge yourself, Camran."
Obviously pissed off at me, Thim just stare into the distance.


"How are you feeling?" "Fine... Eva! Where is she?!" "They took her, Lilly..." Camran said.


"Is she dead?" Lilly said. "I don't know. They left with her," Camran said. "Than woman knocked me out. Eva tried to fight her, but there were too many." "They stabbed Kit. What happened back there, Lilly?" "We were checking the perimeter, like you ordered. And suddenly they came streating out of the forest, screaming like demons. Demons with swords, straight from those movies about the Middle Ages. We tried to shoot them, but they were upon us in seconds. Thim was knocked out against a tree and someone hit me with the flat of a sword. That's all I remember," she said. "We found you just after that happened. They took Eva and left. And we carried you back to the transports. I think this happened all over the moon, one large ambush." "But why?" "Beats me, but I intend to find out. We seem to be going somewhere as well. I sure as hell hope we're pursuing those Medieval bitches," Camran said. "We'll figure something out together. The doctors say I'll be out of here in a day or two. Please don't do anything stupid," Lilly said.
Of course I was planning on doing just that.
"I'll try to stay out of trouble."

Kit was lying peacefully and Szuzume said he would recover, but everything still loooked so very frail.


"You stupid, stupid ass! We're going to shoot those deet or climb some stupid rock you're always ging on about. Just don't die on me!"
I felt a soft hand on my arm as I was about to leave the infirmary, it was one of the girls we rescued from the village.


"You're Camran, right? I wanted to thank you for saving us," she said. "No problem, it was the least we could do. How are you feeling... eh... miss?" "I'm okay." "And the others?" Camran said. "We lost track of each other when we disembarked." "They were your family? I could go look for them?" "No, other people from my village. My family got taken by those women," she said. "fudge, that's harsh. They got my sister." "What's going to happen to them, Camran?" "I don't know..." "There'll be a rescue operation, won't there? They have to do something!" she said. "I'm going to find out. I'll let you know as soon as I know more." "Thank you." "You're welcome..." Camran said. "Vess, my name is Vess," she said. "You're welcome, Vess."
I decided to pay Commander Szuzume a visit on the bridge, perhaps in a fool-hearted attempt to play on her emotions and convince her to help the abductees.


"State your business." "I have a message for the Commander," Camran said. "You can deliver it to me," the guard said.

"It's for her ears only," Camran said. "Commander Szuzume has explitically forbidden any interruptions while we travel back to the academy," the guard said. "We're going back to the academy?! But the attack on Lanan? Why are we not pursuing the attacker?! You have to let me in." "You're testing my patience, boy. We have our orders from high command, you will be briefed as soon as we reach the academy."
I could have punched that smug bastard in the face. Every minute we traveled any hope of finding a trace of Eva dwindled. Instead, I said nothing and just walked away.
"Hey, soldier?! Didn't you have a message for the Commander?" the guard said.


I sat in the mess hall, barely touching my food and listening to the conversations of the people gathered there. I already knew the attacks happened everywhere on Lanan and came out of nowhere. Several recruits lost a team member, a lot of them women, but a fair share of men were also abducted. The atmosphere of resignation finally became too much for me and I retired to my bunk.
I tried to get some sleep again, but instead I remained awake, a desperate plan forming in my head. I went back to the medbay immediately, expecting to find Lilly and a comatose Kit there. Instead, Lilly and celine were hovering around Kit's bed. Both Thim and te girl, Vess, were nowhere to be found, they were probably released from the medbay earlier.


"Kit?! How did you?" Camran said. "Superior genes," he said. "Somebody rammed a sword through you, I somehow doubt that your perfect genes would have any sifnificant effect." "The doctor say I'll make a speedy recovery, provided I rest enough." "Great! I hate to ask this, but can you walk?" Camran said. "Wak? Why?" Kit wondered. "He just said the doctors told hi to rest enough," Lilly said. "I know, but this is important. Are you able to walk, Lilly?" "I think so. What are you playing at, Camran?" she said. "Meet me at hangar deck 2 at midnight, I'll tell you then." "I'll be there, man. You'll carry me, right, Celine?" Kit said. "I'm sure we can find a wheelchair somewhere," she said. "I hadn't thought of that." "Of course you didn't." "Cut me some slack, sis, I wonder how quick your mind works when they puncture you with a big-ass sword," Kit said. "Will you be there, Lilly?" camran said. "This is crazy," she said. "Lilly?" "Fine. I'll be there. But just to hear you out." "Fair enough," Camran said.
I'm sure I left them a little confused and very worried...


On the way back to my bunk I messaged Jade to come to the meeting point. The hours until midnight slowly passed by.

As the crew of the ship retired for the night I headed out to the hangar deck.


"Camran? What are you doing out here at night?" Thim said.
Of course he had to be there...
"I could say the same of you." "Fair enough. I'll leave you alone then." "Good."
After making sure Thim went his way, I sped to the hangar deck, only to be interrupted by another familiar face.
"Camran?" "Vess? What are you doing here, late at night?" "I was looking for you. Do you have any news? Is there going to be a rescue mission?" she said.


"No, there isn't. We're going back to the academy and there'll be a debriefing and that's that." "But all those people we lost?" she said. "I know, Vess." "It isn't fair!"
When she burst into tears like that, I just couldn't leave her there. Some say that women are a man's greatests weakness, I was no exception in that regard.
"Listen, don't despair. High command might not give a shit about all those people, but I do." "You do?" she said. "I'm going to try. Come with me, we're meeting some of my friends."
Together with Vess, I heaed to the hangar to find my friends and sister already there.


"Is that the girl from the village?" Kit said. "This is Vess, she lost her family during the assualt on Lanan." "I want to help," she said. "Help with what? Are you going to tell us what all this cloak and dagger is all about?" Lilly said.


"Yes. We've lost someone today. And high command apparently doesn't give a shit. We're going back to the academy and there's probably going to be a memorial service for the abductees who're presumed lost. I don't accept that. So I intend to get Eva back myself," Camran said. "You what? How?" Lilly said.

"I'm going to commandeer a ship from this very hangar deck." "You've gone mad," Lilly said. "Don't you want her back, Lilly. Do you accept the fact that we're moving away from Lanan without even knowing what has happened?" "They'll debrief us as soon as we land." "That's too fucking late. She could be dead by then," Camran said. "Maybe she already is..." "Don't you dare say that." "I'm... I'm sorry Camran," Lilly said. "So, are you with me?"


"What are you asking us exactly, Cam?" Kit said. "I'm going to take command of a small ship and I'd like you to be my crew. I can't do this alone and I know you loved Eva as much as I did." "You're asking us to desert from the navy to come with you on some mad rescue mission?" "That sounds so... Yes," Camran said. "I'm in." "Kit! What are you doing?" Celine said. "That means a lot, Kit. What about you, Celine?" "Shit, Camran. You're asking a lot. But if you and Kit are going... Yes I'm in," she said. "I'm with you too," Vess said. "Great! What about you, Lilly?" "I'm sorry Cam, but you're crazy. This is exactly the juvenile, irresponsible plan I would expectt from you," she said. "So you're out?" "Of course I'm out and you should all be. This is going to end miserably for you all and..."
At that moment I noticed a figure standing in the doorway, eavesdropping on our conversation. When I sprinted towards the door the culprit revealed himself. Thim, with a fucking 'h'.
"You're so fucking dead, Camran. SECURITY! DESERTERS IN THE HANGAR BAY!"
Before Thim could sprint to the nearest guard station, Jade was upon him clubbing him on the back of the hed with a wrench.
"That should shut him up," she said.


"Wow. I thought..." "You thought I was only good at fucking?" Jade said. "I was going to say that I thought you weren't capable of violence, but stil... Is he breathing?" "Yes." "Good. Thanks to him we need to hurry," Camran said.

I carried Thim's body back to the hangar where Kit and the girls were looking at me in shock.


Sirens began to blare. Thim's cries must have reached the guards.
"Hurry! They'll be upon us any minute. Help me drag him to that corvette over there." "Is he alive?" Celine said. "Yes, unfortunately."
Together with Jade, I dragged Thim's body to the nearest ship, while Celine pushed Kit in his wheel chair.


"Jade, try to override the docking clamps!" "On it," she said.
Jade hurried to the hangar bay controls to release the docking clamps and start the sequence to open the doors of the hangar bay. Smashing the controls for good measure seemed like a good idea before I sprinted back to the ship's cockpit.


Celine was already seated in the co-pilot's chair and I took the captain's chair. We had some basic flight training, so the controls weren't that unfamiliar.
"We're really going to do this, aren't we?" Celine said. "We can't go back now, not after what happened to Thim." "In that case, ready when you are, captain."
As I closed the outer doors of the spaceship, several guards streamed into the hangar bay, guns at the ready.
"We've got company," Kit said.


"They won't stay long, the hangar bay doors are about to open."
The whole hangar lit up as a warning that a hard vacuum was about to open. The security guards scrambled out of the hangar bay and the security doors shut.

"Initiating launch sequence," Celine said. "Don't do it, Cam. Break it off," Lilly said.
I ignored her as an unfamiliar voice sounded through the ship.
"This is ship security to the persons commandeering the TGN Enfield. You're in direct violation of the Terran Navy Code. Abort launch and power down your engines. Once we establish control of the hangar bay you're to come out of the ship with your hands in the air and kneel in front of the hull." "Ignore them." "Five seconds to launch," Celine said.


"Stop now and live. As soon as the vessel you illegally commandeered comes into firing range of the TGN Ypotryll you wll be fire upon. This is not an idle threat," the security officer said. "All systems ready," Celine said. "Let's take this bucket for a ride."
Controlling a ship was a little different than in a simulator and we nearly hit a bulkhead, but using the board computer we managed to fly through the opened hangar doors.
"We're going to make it!" Celine said. "What are e doing?! Take us back! Please!" Lilly said.
As we left the Ypotryll behind us, a new, more familiar voice sounded through the ship's speakers.
"Crew of the TGN Enfield, this is your commander speaking. Power down your engines and return to the hangar deck." "Shit, it's Mom!" Kit said. "If you do not comply we will be forced to shoot you down. I repeat: power down your engines and turn the ship around," Calista continued. "She won't shoot at us, will she?" "It's Mom, we're talking about..." Celine said. "she totally will," Kit said. "fudge." "What did you think would happen, Camran? That they wouldn't notice a ship leaving their sphere of influence?" Lilly said.


"If that fucking Thim had kept his mouth shut..." "Is there a way to talk to the Ypotryll?" Celine said. "I guess, they're talking to us, aren't they?"
Celine fiddled with the controls of the ship's radio and began to speak.


"Mother? Mother, it's me. Celine," she said.
There was a very long silence in which everybody seemed to hold their breath.
"Celine? What the fudge are you doing up there?" Calista said. "I'm leaving, Mom. We're going to look for Eva and the others. We can't leave them behind," Celine said.

"Celine. I want you to think hard about what you're doing. This is desertion. Even I can't save you if you're tried by military court. Celine? Is your brother with you? Don't tell me he is," Calista said. "Yes, Mom, I'm here," Kit said. "Not you as well? You didn't think up this misbegotten plan, did you?" "No, I didn't, but I believe we can make a difference," Kit said. "It's that fucking good-for-nothing boy, isn't it?"
It was rather clear to everyone the commander was talking about me.
"You have two minutes to comply with my demands," she said. "fudge, she's really going to fire upon us? Knowing that you're on board?" "I don't know..." Celine said. "This is kind of a first for all of us, Cam," Kit said.
That was the first moment I truly panicked. Before, I rode on an adrenaline high and didn't really think about the consequences of my actions. The harsh words of Commander Szuzume were a wake-up call. Celine and Kit must have noticed the look of fear and doubt in my eyes.
"I'm with you all the way, Cam," Kit said. "We all knew what the consequences of desertion were when we signed up earlier," Celine said. "You're fucking crazy," Lilly said. "So. No turning back?" "No," Kit and Celine both answered. "Yes," Lilly said. "Your two minutes are up. Turn back at once," Calista said. "Let's fire those enginesand see if we can outrun them." "The Ypotryll is massive, Camran. It has fucking rail guns, missiles... This is suicide!" Lilly said. "Turn back. Celine. Kit. Please..."
That last statement brought tears to the eyes of Celine, but she wiped them away and concentrated on steering the Enfield. The radio became eerily silent. And then the combat scanner lit up and an angry siren sounded.


"What's happening?" "She did it... She actually did it...," Celine said. "Are those?" "They've locked onto us... Three missiles approaching..." she said. "How long until impact?" "Less than two minutes," Celine replied. "fudge!"


"Can't we outrun them?" Kit said. "Not at this speed. We could... No," Celine said. "Say it!" "We could burst our drive..." she said. "That's suicide!" Kit said.

Every Terran ship comes equipped with a so-called Sylas-Karzen drive, named after the two scientists who built the first prototype after many centuries of development. The Sylas-Karzen drive allowed mankind to finally travel faster than light, opening up the galaxy for exploration.
The Ypotryll had powered down its S-K drive as soon as it reached the habitable zone of Alpha Centauri, to avoid high-speed collision with the many stations in the system. It also allowed us to escape the hangar bay on the Enfield. Celine's proposal was extremely risky. By burning up the entire fuel reserve of the S-K drive we would 'burst' away at tremendous speed towards an unknown destination. Bursting no longer constitutes linear travel at the speed of light, but is more akin to a hyperspace jump. A random hyperspace jum in total darkness, that is. There is no way of knowing how far a ship will travel when it bursts its drive. The chances of ending up somewhere in an uninhabited cluster without any fuel left are far too great. This is the main reason why almost every specie in the known galaxy uses the relatively safe jump-gates for hyperspace travel. No sane captain would consider bursting their drive, but we didn't have many options.
"Do it."
Celine gritted her teeth and began punching in the sequence to overload the drive.
"Thirty seconds to impact," she said.


A button lit up and began blinking an angry red.
"I love you all, guys. I..." Kit said.
At that moment I smashed the button and the entire ship began to hum.
"Fifteen seconds to impact," Celine said.
By that time we were shaking in our seats and the noise of the drive overload became almost too much to bear.


"T-ten..." Celine said.
The ship began to accelerate, accompanied by a heavy groan from the ship as the weight of an enormous amount of G's threatened to tear it apart. We wouldn't have survived that amount of force if it weren't for the ship's shields and our genetically enhanced bodies. A great booming sound started vibrting through the Enfield, overwhelming all of our senses. In the corber of my eye I saw Celine slumping in her seat, as she lost consciousness.


The stars visible through the window outside became illuminated smears and the ship groaned as it was nearly ripped apart. That's when the missiles hit.

Everything went black.


I was the first to regain consciousness. Celine still sat slumped in her seat and Lilly and Kit lay on the floor, but the ship showed seven lifeforms present. Ignoring the life support systems, I checked on Celine and Kit first.


Kit was still out, so was Lilly, Celine stirred as son as I touched her shoulder.
"Are you okay, Celine?" "Ugh, my head. I think I'm fine. How are the others?" she said. "Still out." "Are Jade and Thim still back there?" "Oh fudge, some cargo wasn't tied down when we jumped... I'll check on them."
Bracing for the worst I went into the small cargo bay of the ship to look for Jade and Thim. It didn't take me long to find Thim.


Vess and Jade were huddled over Thim's body. The ship's systems had already told me he was alive, but he might have received further injuries when we performed the burst.
"Are you both okay?" "Yes, Master Camran," Jade said. "I think so," Vess said. "And Thim?" "He doesn't look any worse for wear than when we dragged him onto the ship," Jade said. "When the engines began to spin we strapped ourselves to storage containers," Vess said. "Good thinking." "What happened?" Jade said. "We burst our Drive." "You did what?" Vess said. "Long story. Short version is we were pursued by rockets, we overloaded our engine, jumped to an unknown location and now we seem to be safe. For the moment." "Unknown location?" Vess said. "Yes." "So we could be light years away from Lanan?" she said. "We would be dead otherwise and let's not jump to conclusions. Just wait here until I check on the others again." "Yes, master," Jade said. "If you say so..." Vess said.


"How are Thim and the girls doing?" Celine said. "They're all fine."
When I turned towards Kit I caught the furious look on Lilly's face. A contempt that I had never seen before.
"You stupid fudge! You selfish fucking bastard!" Lilly said.
She stormed at me, surprising Kit and Celine, and tried to hit me.

Her fists rained blows on my chest until the grief that was clearly eating at her finally overtook her. Not sure what to do, I held her tight while sobs wracked her body.


"I'm sorry, Lilly. I didn't mean for this to happen. All I wanted..." "You wanted what?!"
It took a while for her to wrestle herself out of my arms, as if she didn't realize the person she hated held her close.
"All you did was create a big fucking mess. Like I said you would. We don't know where we are. We're deserters now. And the fucking ship is shot up beyond repair," Lilly said. "Is that true?" "We took a hit from the detonation of the first rocket. Could be worse, but our thrusters are fried," Celine said. "Tell him about the fuel, Ce," Lilly said. "Yes, we have a small reserve left, but it's not going to take us far, especially with the thrusters being down," Celine said. "That's bad. Any inhabited planets in this system? What system is this anyway?" "Just one. We're somewhere in Alpha Vulpeculae... Plabet's called Vulpes Velox according to the computer," Celine said. "That doesn't sound like it's controlled by the Sovereignty." "It isn't, it appears we're way out of human space," Celine said.


"Can we get there, to Velox, I mean?" "I think so. Though landing is going to be a challenge," Celine said. "Then that's our destination." "Just like that... What about saving Eva? Your big fucking plan to save everyone? Now we're just going to fucking float to the nearest planet and just see where we go from there?" Lilly said. "I get why you're angry, but that's exactly what we're going to do, because it's the only thing we can do right now." "Not good enough, brother. fudge it, I'm going to check on that bloody stowaway you've saddle us with," she said.


Lilly walked out, slamming the entry hatch behind her.
"She's really pissed," Kit said. "Yes, thank you, Captain Obvious. Now, that planet. How long until we get there?"


Celine conjured up the necessary calculations using the ship's computer and after a few minutes we were crawling toards our destination using only our secondary thrusters.