The jump to Koo L’Koom was a cold, lonely affair. Vanbrook and Raivyn spent their waking hours together when they could, but their mutual nervousness about the situation kept them talking in hushed voices if they spoke at all.

There was little food to be had, though it turned out the nutrient goo used to feed the star tree during extended trips was edible. Raivyn had found it near the roots and Vanbrook had taken a two-fingered scoop of it, making a face but muscling the nutritious substance down. Part of Raivyn was grateful for his willingness to take the risk and part of her wanted to strangle the idiot for eating unfamiliar goo on an enemy ship. When he didn’t die horribly in the next few hours, everyone else gave it a try as well.

Vanbrook and Raivyn were taking their daily sludge ration, as they had come to call it, when a chirping alert sounded.

“I’ve got to get back up to the control room,” said Raivyn. “It sounds like we’re getting close.”

Her head pounded terribly. It had been doing so for most of the last two days, but it was getting progressively worse. She knew deep down that it was Koo L’Koom’s aura, and that she’d be likely to start hallucinating soon.

"Van, I need you to lock me in the brig if I start acting weird," she said.

"You mean weird like asking to be locked in the brig?" asked Vanbrook, raising an eyebrow.

"You know what's going to happen," said Raivyn, looking down at the floor.

Vanbrook sighed contemplatively. "Look, you're the only pilot we've got. D'Jarric can help you. You've got this."

Raivyn looked up and Vanbrook saw tears in her eyes.

"I don't want to be brave anymore," she said. "Not right now."

He smiled wanly at her. "I know you too well to worry about that. You can't help but be brave, Rai."

She nodded, wiped the tears from her eyes and walked up to the control room.

The jump was nearly over when she reached the controls, and she gave permission to the ship to start the process of slowing down.

"We'll be out of the jump and–in theory–close to Koo L'Koom in a few moments," Raivyn said.

All five of them had gathered in the control room in response to the chirping alarm. Seeing her wince from another wave of skull-splitting headache, D'Jarric put a hand on Raivyn's shoulder.

"Are you going to be able to fly?" asked Trebor calmly.

Vanbrook stared daggers at him, and opened his mouth to say something when Darvik suddenly cried out and went limp.

"What now?" asked Vanbrook, furious.

"I believe he's psychic," said D'Jarric simply.

"Really?" asked Trebor, looking at Darvik’s collapsed form with renewed interest.

"I suspect he does not know it," said D'Jarric. "Regardless, he's reacting to Koo L'Koom's aura." The Solaran looked pityingly at the former cultist. "Take him to the brig now, Vanbrook. Trebor, you should go with him. He could get violent."

"What about you?" asked Vanbrook.

"I need to stay with Raivyn," replied D'Jarric.

"We're… here," said Raivyn, gripping her head in her hands.

All eyes turned to the membranous screen above the control panel. A massive creature took up the majority of the screen. Its maw was lined with shark-like teeth, its eight crimson eyes glowed like dying stars and its serpentine body was lined with two rows of claw-like arms. The tail ended in a tall fin that fanned out vertically, like a shark's. It swung its long tail back and forth, inexplicably pushing itself through the aether. Koo L'Koom.

"Koo L'Koom, Koo L'Koom, Koo L'Koom," chanted Darvik, his eyes now matching the beast's.

Raivyn cried out in anguish, and D'Jarric took her by the shoulders and studied her face, a worried look on his own.

Darvik turned, snarling, and leapt towards D'Jarric. Trebor intervened, tackling Darvik. The two spun off higher into the room. Darvik landed a nasty blow across Trebor’s jaw, but the RTS agent pulled out a small, pistol-like object and jammed it into Darvik’s arm, pulling the trigger. There was a faint, sharp hiss, then Darvik howled and began convulsing, but the red in his eyes faded to a dull glow.

“T-blocking drugs,” explained Trebor. He tossed the pistol to Vanbrook, nodding towards Raivyn. “As a last resort.”

Vanbrook nodded solemnly.

“Darvik,” said Hoon-Kra’s voice over the comms. “You made it! Now, it’s a shame you’ve become a liability, but here we are. Congratulations! I’m sacrificing you to Koo L’Koom in the flesh! You, my champion, will rot away on the very back of our mighty god. Goodbye, Darvik.”

A series of shots blasted into the star tree, and alarms sounded throughout it. With the psychics out of commission, the ship began to spiral towards Koo L’Koom.

“If we use the T-blockers on Rai…” started Vanbrook, trailing off.

Trebor shook his head, grabbing Darvik’s legs and indicating to Vanbrook to grab his arms. “She would be unconscious for at least a half hour and we’d have no pilot. We’d better let D’Jarric try it his way.”

***

Raivyn found herself on a dark, misty plane, being chased by something. There was a red glow behind her, and an impression of teeth, claws, and eyes, though she couldn’t make them out if she tried to study them. She was dressed in a Navy private’s uniform, the patch of a golden T on a blue shield adorning her shoulder indicating she’d graduated from the psychic academy. It was what she had worn when she saw Trebor lure that psychic into a trap.

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She realized she’d stopped running, and looked back to see that the presence behind her hadn’t caught up to her. She fought the instinct to run away, confident that she’d been here before, even overcame the predatory presence, but she couldn’t put the pieces together.

"Raivyn."

She turned and saw D'Jarric standing by her side.

"You're not running this time," he said. "Good."

Things started to click into place.

"I'm… on a star tree," she said haltingly. "I'm on a star tree and that's… that's Koo L'Koom." She turned back towards the swirling menace behind her.

D'Jarric nodded. "It's how you perceive his presence."

"How do you know this stuff!?" demanded Raivyn.

He smiled. "The Solarans are a truly ancient race."

"Fine," said Raivyn. "But someday you're going to start answering questions. Now how do I get back to the star tree?"

D'Jarric nodded, his face turning stern. "There is no overpowering Koo L'Koom. Not by mortal means. You must rely on the Progenitor for the ability to overcome such a force of nature.

"The problem we often face when dealing with that which is beyond our strength is that we try to meet force with force, hoping vainly that we will prevail by chance or skill. That will not work. Instead, you need to give up entirely."

"What?" asked Raivyn, her face twisted in confusion.

"You stopped running," said D'Jarric. "That was a good first step. Now face the beast. Know that it's going to rush over you and let it do so."

"Just… let it take me?" asked Raivyn doubtfully.

D'Jarric shook his head. "No. Fall back into the Progenitor's arms. Trust that he will catch you. The threat will break against you like a wave and pass by."

"I need practical help. This sounds like a theology lesson," remarked Raivyn.

"This is both," said D'Jarric. "The two usually are. Your enemy and ally are both beyond your understanding; it stands to reason that your solution is as well."

Raivyn breathed out, closed her eyes and spread out her arms, facing the aura of Koo L'Koom. A sensation of helplessness rushed over her and she called out to the Progenitor. She felt as though she was tumbling, but she clung to her faith that the great creator of the aether and its many worlds would spare her.

Her eyes snapped open and she found herself floating in the control room of the star tree, sirens chirping all around her.

D'Jarric tossed her from where she hovered down to the controls and she immediately began trying to right the star tree.

"This doesn't look good," she noted as the controls failed her and she saw the full scope of the situation.

The tree was turning lazily as it careened towards Koo L'Koom, the screen showing the star-specked, pitch black of the aether and then the purple-gray of the great aether beast's hide, which seemed closer at every pass.

Raivyn fought with the controls, literally willing the thrusters to work. A few of the multitude of the root-like thrusters cooperated, and she was able to stabilize their fall, but not bring them out of it.

Koo L'Koom came ever closer. Scales the size of islands became visible, the rows and rows of overlapping peaks that made up the hide–or surface–of the creature.

Vanbrook and Trebor returned from securing Darvik in the brig, but Raivyn didn't even think to ask them where they'd been. She was absorbed by the landscapes unfolding before her eyes. Large lakes or small oceans of an ochre liquid were coming into view at the bases of the scales, and she thought she may have even seen some kind of green and dark purple blotches, possibly indicating plant life.

"Rai!" exclaimed Vanbrook, running to her side. "You're okay!" He looked her in the eyes, relief written all over his face.

"Except for the crashing, yeah," she answered.

"She is okay for now," said D'Jarric. "More waves will come, but she's overcome the influence of chaos once and she can do it again."

"Again, more concerned about the imminent crash," said Raivyn. "Everyone buckle up."

Roots burst out of a nearby wall. They had gone unnoticed before, tucked away in a decorative swirling pattern, but were now reaching out like arms. An additional root climbed up Raivyn's back as if to reinforce her spine, and tendrils came from the sides of the root and wrapped around her like an exterior ribcage, lashing her in place.

"Did you do that?" asked Vanbrook.

"I… think so?" said Raivyn. "I believe those are seat belts."

"What about Darvik?" asked D'Jarric.

"What about him?" asked Vanbrook, voice full of hostility.

"Is he going to be secure for the landing?" asked D'Jarric.

"We tied him to the bunk in the brig," said Trebor. "He should be about as safe as we are." He walked hesitantly over to one of the sets of roots and it wrapped him gently, holding him against the wall. Vanbrook and D'Jarric followed suit.

A single scale now took up the majority of the screen. It grew larger and larger, until the striation that ran from the base of the scale to the rear point began to look almost like dunes of purple stone.

"Brace for impact," said Raivyn. "I'm slowing us down as best as I can, but this is gonna be rough."

The ground rushed up to them now. Their journey ended suddenly, jolting them violently as the star tree crashed on to the back of Koo L'Koom.

***

Hunt was pacing nervously on the bridge when Jasken walked in.

"Admiral," said Hunt. "I didn't know you were cleared for duty."

Jasken waved a hand dismissively. "It was hardly a bump. Mairen worries too much." He looked around to make sure the Communications Officer wasn't in earshot.

"She's in the galley," said Hunt with a smirk.

Jasken nodded, feigning confidence. "Reinforcements are going to be joining us shortly. The Executor has been making sure there's a solid backstop of forces backing us up, and he's going to push some of them out this way." He paused for a moment. "I'm going to be joining with the cavalry on this one."

Hunt looked at him dumbfounded for a moment. "You're leaving me in command of the Wingspan?" he asked once he'd found his voice.

"That's correct," said Jasken. "The Blue Griffon Fleet will be under your command, and you will be under Admiral Drai's."

"Thank you, Sir," said Hunt. "But may I ask why?"

Jasken looked uncomfortable. "We don't need two Admirals in this armada. I could be better used on the battlefield."

"I look forward to your return, Admiral," said Hunt with a salute.

Jasken smiled kindly at the young man. "Thank you, Captain. That's good to hear."

***

Jylik paced thoughtfully in the command room aboard his star tree. The Republic's withdrawal worried him. Surely they were planning another assault. He'd sent a few exploratory craft to prove their defenses, but they had been turned back quickly, a few of them even destroyed.

"We should wait for them to return to us, my Emperor," said Trilia.

She had been advising caution. The Shairet had laid siege to their position on the surface, and their psychics had proven to be difficult to counter. Short of leveling the area with great eye blasts–an option Jylik was considering–they seem unable to shake the nuisance. They seemed to be joined every day by another tribe from some other part of Gateway. He had overlooked it as a trivial matter to be dealt with later, but now their resources were tied up in this stalemate with the Republic.

"And what of Hoon-Kra and the stolen star trees? Will they return to us as well?"

Trilia shook her head. "The star trees are a loss, to be sure. But Hoon-Kra's absence, along with the death of Cevla and the flight of Darvik, has allowed me to solidify my leadership over the Koomites. Hoon-Kra had commanded their loyalty, but now I can directly."

"Very well," said Jylik. In truth, he was sorry to have missed out on the previous battle. His mother tree has been upgraded significantly since the last time it had seen combat. "We stay the course for now. This time I'll be waiting for them."