Vanbrook woke, his eyes opening groggily to see a dark sky before him, the aether pricked by twinkling stars. It was warm, even muggy. The night sky was framed by twisted, splintered wood. The grogginess he'd felt melted away suddenly as he remembered the crash.

He was breathing, which meant that Koo L'Koom must have a suitable atmosphere, which was a plus. He was on the ground, which meant his restraints had either failed or released him automatically, and he could stand up with relatively little pain, so he must not be too badly injured, he hoped.

He looked around and found Raivyn, hanging limp in her restraints. He rushed over and looked for a way to release her from her restraints. She woke up, her eyes fluttering and coming into focus, looking into his eyes.

"Van?" she asked. "The others…"

Vanbrook looked around, saw D'Jarric rising to his feet in one corner, and Trebor breathing heavily in the middle of the room.

"They're alive," said Vanbrook. "Don't know about Darvik."

"I made it," said the former cultist, stumbling up the broken stairs. "The cell I was in was pretty busted up, the ropes took a little longer to shake off."

Vanbrook nodded. "Now what?"

Trebor struggled to his feet, holding his side. "Now we deal with them," he said, pointing out into the rough, purple landscape.

Vanbrook looked out of the splintered remains of the star tree and saw a large gathering of yellow forms crawling towards them, their foremost limbs holding spears and swords. His hand drifted towards his revolver.

***

Crush walked onto the bridge of the Pinion, nervous about boarding a Republic ship, despite the fact that they were steadfast allies. The instincts of a pirate were hard to give up. She stopped herself from running over to Jasken when she saw him, his relatively familiar presence a welcome sight. Thankfully, he waved her over.

"Admiral Crush," he said. "Good to see you."

"You too, Admiral Jasken," she replied.

"Welcome, Admiral," said Drai. "Thank you for coming. I am Admiral Drai, you know Admiral Jasken." He then indicated the others present. "This is Grand Brother Treskt of the PIC, Captain Fenrik of the Griffon Republic Army, and Captain Grepk of the Griffon Republic Marines.

"Treskt, Fenrik, Grepk, and Jasken will be leading our ground assault, while you and I lead the naval assault. That's the broad brush strokes. Let's talk details."

***

The creatures had four salamander-like legs on either side of their long, flat bodies and flattened, triangular heads with eyes that stuck up like a frog's. Their forelegs doubled as arms, and most of them were postured so that they held a primitive weapon with their arms as the six hind legs carried them across Koo L'Koom's back.

More of the yellow lizard-like creatures seemed to pour over the ridges every moment, their bodies whipping back and forth in a serpentine motion as they charged the crash site.

"Do we think they may be friendly?" asked Trebor.

A spear was launched by one of the creatures, embedding itself in the wall between Trebor and Vanbrook.

Vanbrook looked at the spear and then at Trebor and said, "No."

Vanbrook and Trebor pulled their pistols, and Darvik drew his saber.

"Hold your fire," said Raivyn. She closed her eyes in concentration.

Obeying, the men ducked down to avoid the spears that were being flung with increasing regularity into their position.

Raivyn created a shield and the spears began to crash into it, bouncing away harmlessly.

Peace, came Raivyn's voice into Vanbrook's mind.

The creatures did not stop charging, the foremost of them now pounding on the shield with clubs and swords.

Explorers. Peace, said Raivyn.

She was growing tired. She had not truly recovered from fighting her collar in prison or from the battle to escape. The few days on the star tree had been far from restful, and had culminated in her confronting a primal psychic force. The shield she was making would soon fail. Then they would be overrun.

I demand to speak with your leader! she called out.

You gave up such rights when your people murdered mine upscales! came the response.

Raivyn faltered, the shield almost failing. She was doing it. She was communicating beyond the language barrier, just as Rehkna had prophesied.

The great ship that came from the aether? asked Raivyn.Those aboard killed your people?

Yes, responded the voice. And you will not do the same without consequence.

The shield blinked out of existence.

We pursue those who killed your people! cried Raivyn. They are our enemies, too!

For a moment, spears continued to rain down into the star tree, but they quickly tapered off.

"Put down your weapons," said Raivyn, turning to the others.

They obeyed hesitantly.

I am coming aboard, said the voice.

That is good, said Raivyn. She dropped the psychic connection and crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

***

When Raivyn awoke, she found herself wrapped in a thin blanket, still fully clothed, and lying on the ground in a small tent, evidently made of a similar material to her blanket.

She stood up, feeling sore but rested. Walking out of the tent, she saw Vanbrook standing with D'Jarric, Darvik, and a couple of the local creatures she had spoken to psychically, all standing around a warm, glowing crater or geyser of some kind, filled with an opaque, bright yellow liquid. One of the creatures looked over to her.

Hello, she ventured.

Hello, answered the creature. He was older than the others, and his skin sagged with the years, though his eyes were remarkably clear and bright. I am Chief Tru'ik of the Kooans. Welcome to Koo L'Koom.

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"Here," said Vanbrook, running over as soon as he saw Raivyn was up and moving. He proffered a spongy red orb. "It's some kind of fungus, I think. It's not bad, beats the sludge we've been eating the past couple days. Oh, and stick close to these craters, or pores, or whatever they are. They seem to be the reason there’s heat here, despite the lack of sunlight, and possibly where the breathable atmosphere comes from, as well."

Raivyn took the offered fruit gratefully, realizing at the sight of food just how hungry she was. She took a bite. It was sweet and musty, with a chewy texture that made Raivyn feel like she'd just taken a bite out of a couch cushion. She'd eaten worse.

She nodded to Tru'ik. Thank you.

You are welcome, said Tru'ik. I do not mean to rush you, but we must talk soon about your plans and your enemies.

Raivyn nodded. If I may speak with my companions for a moment, and enjoy this… fruit? I will speak with you as soon as I am able.

That will be fine, nodded Tru'ik. The "fruit" is called a breadcap, if you were curious.

Thank you, said Raivyn.

She turned to Vanbrook. Where's Trebor?

"Uh, can we do this out loud?" asked Vanbrook.

"Oh! Yes, sorry," said Raivyn. "Where's Trebor?"

Vanbrook jerked his head towards another tent. "In there. He's pretty banged up. His prognosis is good, as far as I can tell, but he's not going to be hiking any time soon."

"That could be a problem," said Raivyn. "We have to get to Hoon-Kra as quickly as possible. The star tree is wrecked beyond repair, especially considering none of us are tree priests, so the Swamp’s Pride is the only way off this world. Or… beast or whatever."

"You and Darvik seem to have your whole 'in Koo L'Koom's aura' thing figured out," said Vanbrook. "No headaches or homicidal tendencies, so far as I can tell."

"Darvik is heavily medicated, and Raivyn will face the beast again," said D'Jarric. "Time is of the essence."

Vanbrook’s face soured at the prospect of Raivyn going through her ordeal again, but Raivyn kept her countenance calm and her words measured.

"We have to talk to Chief Tru'ik," said Raivyn, indicating their host.

D'Jarric nodded. Vanbrook shook his head and arms as if loosening up, trying to prepare himself for the awkwardness of psychic conversation. Raivyn swallowed the last of the breadcap and faced Tru'ik.

Chief Tru'ik, she began. Thank you for allowing us to stay with you.

You are welcome, replied Tru'ik. Now, please tell me who you are, who your enemies are, how you came to be here, and why you are traveling with one of the lesser gods.

I am no god at all, said D’Jarric. Those who claimed godhood have been defeated and banished to their stars. My kind now seeks and shares wisdom with the other sapient races. I seek and share wisdom with these friends of mine.

And we are with a nation called the Griffon Republic, said Raivyn. We are travelers, going from star to star, exploring the galaxy. Our enemy, Hoon-Kra, is the leader of a cult that worships Koo L’Koom.

Tru’ik shook violently. The tone of his thought was grim. To worship Koo L’Koom is as futile as it is evil. Thankfully we found you and not those of the Kooans who would worship with this… Hoon-Kra.

Hoon-Kra seeks to spread the aura of Koo L’Koom beyond its natural limits, said Raivyn. We must stop him.

Yes, you must, agreed Tru’ik.

How do you know of Hoon-Kra? asked D’Jarric. Is he close?

He is a long way from here, said Tru’ik. Our signal system, which flashes light from outpost to outpost across the scales, informed us of Hoon-Kra’s violence, but not of his designs. You must travel to him to stop him.

Will any of your warriors go with us? asked Vanbrook.

No, answered Tru’ik definitively.

Will you tell us the way, then? asked D’Jarric.

Tru’ik pointed. Two scales, travelling maward.

Maward? Asked Raivyn.

Towards the maw. Opposite of tailward, explained Tru’ik. Your sick and injured may stay with us. With that he turned away.

“I guess the conversation is over,” said Vanbrook with a shrug.

“Trebor needs someone to stay with him,” said D’Jarric. “I will. You three need to go as soon as you’re able. Raivyn is ready to face the beast without my guidance. I am not the one who helped her anyway, ultimately.”

***

Reclan spent her days in the Wingspan's workshop, tinkering with her drones and trying to keep her mind off Van, Rai, and DJ. She hated splitting up like this. She'd tried to step up and provide some leadership, but she didn’t know what that should even look like when the team was in down time, anyway.

“Hello, Specialist,” said someone from the shop’s doorway.

Reclan’s crest rose slightly in surprise and she turned to see Captain Fenrik.

“Hey, Captain,” she said, turning back to her work.

“Prepping for the assault?” he asked.

“Uh, yeah, you?” she asked.

“Yes, I like to go over my rifle pretty thoroughly before a large engagement like this,” he said, placing his weapon down on the bench beside hers.

“What kind of mods you got on it?” she asked, looking at the rifle with a scrutinizing eye.

“Oh, none at all, I prefer the stock model,” he answered.

“Big fan of mods and fabrications myself,” she noted, tapping the floor of the shop with the claw of her mechanical foot.

“Heh, I suppose you are,” said Fenrik. “You missing your folks?”

Reclan paused. The remainder of Talon Squad would be leaving for Gateway shortly, joining Yellup, Grepk’s Marines, and Kwa-Kwa’s scouts as a special strike force to spearhead the ground assault. She looked forward to sticking it to the Astralbians and felt confident that the strike force would be more than a match for whatever the Astralbians had waiting for them, but she would have felt more comfortable if she had Van at her side, not to mention Rai and DJ. She hoped to hear from them soon.

“Yeah, I really am,” she said at length.

The two worked in silence for a while.

“Well, nice chat, Specialist,” said Fenrik as he finished reassembling his rifle. “Best get some rest while you can. It’s going to get pretty busy down there.”

***

Vanbrook wasn’t sure how long the three of them had been walking. He didn’t want to check his comms device to find out, since he was sure it was less time than he’d hoped. The first part of the journey had been extremely challenging. The camp they were housed at had been at the lower, maward end of a scale. Evidently that was where the pores were most common, which meant warmer temperatures, denser atmosphere, and more of the bioluminescent yellow lakes and pools that dotted the landscape. The pools provided light and supported the fungal growths that were grown for food or crafted into fabrics. However, traveling further maward meant climbing the sheer face of a rear-pointing scale. The climb had been treacherous, but Vanbrook, Raivyn, and Darvik were prepared for the challenge. Once at the top of the scale, they found themselves in a colder, darker world with a thinner atmosphere.

“Down this side and up another and we should be able to see the ship,” noted Raivyn.

She’d done most of the talking since they’d left the camp. Vanbrook’s disdain for his company was palpable, and Darvik made no move to try to smooth things over.

“What’s that, moving up the scale?” asked Vanbrook. Out of instinct he reached for his flashlight, but that had been among the items that the Astralbians had confiscated.

“More of our Kooan friends,” said Raivyn, peering into the darkness.

She took a step towards them and a spear landed at her feet. Rasping voices began to fill the dark air with a chant.

“Koo L’Koom. Koo L’Koom. Koo L’Koom.”

Raivyn reached up and clutched her head in sudden agony.

***

Hacksaw sat in his cabin aboard the bridge of the Liberty, sifting through intel and mulling over the twists and turns Crush had led him through. There was no denying that they had enjoyed some successes, but Crush’s strange attachment to their supposed homeworld and the death of Tank had Hacksaw very uncentered.

A message came through on his comm. He recognized the signal, but he certainly hadn’t expected it.

“Captain Hacksaw,” said Admiral Grim. “I have a proposition for you.”