Kai stood at the edge of the Tugboat, gripping the cable tightly as the asteroid hurtled upward, speeding towards them. The ship adjusted its angle and speed, its VTOL thrusters roaring as they synchronized with the trajectory of the target. The vortex below swirled in chaotic brilliance, its distorted lights a cacophony of motion and color.

The rock grew larger in his vision, but Kai’s expression remained calm. Something had changed within him, something undeniable. The liquid coursing through his veins had done more than enhance his physical abilities—it had altered his very perception of fear. The vortex, once a terrifying abyss, now felt like nothing more than a puddle beneath his feet. The thought of possible death didn’t bother him anymore.

Suddenly, a faint sound filled his comms, growing louder. It was drumbeats—quick, thrilling, relentless. A sharp guitar riff followed, fast and aggressive.

“Some music, it’ll help calm your nerves,” Johnson’s voice crackled through the comms, lighthearted but sincere.

Kai listened, the heavy metal music surging into his ears, its raw energy making his blood pump harder. The vocalist’s growling lyrics reverberated in his mind, the perfect accompaniment to the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He looked down at the rock below, then at the chaotic maelstrom surrounding it. The distorted lights twisted and shifted frantically, almost alive, as if they were daring him to flinch.

The corner of his lips curved upward into a smirk. If the maelstrom wanted to challenge him, he would meet that challenge head-on.

“Louder,” Kai said.

“Huh?” Johnson responded, momentarily confused.

“I want to hear the music louder,” Kai clarified, his smirk widening.

The music surged, the volume rising in his ears. Every detail became sharper—the pounding drums, the shredding guitar, the raw, guttural vocals. It wasn’t chaos. It was a symphony of defiance.

Kai shifted his focus back to the rock, calculating its trajectory with precision. It was nearing, but this time he wouldn’t hesitate. He wouldn’t waste a second.

“Now!” Earl’s voice rang through the comms, but Kai was already in motion.

He leaped from the ship, his arms wrapped securely around the cable as their combined mass propelled him downward. The windless void of space enveloped him, the maelstrom’s distorted lights rushing past in a frantic blur. There was no sound beyond the heavy metal roaring in his ears, no more hesitation, no more fear.

Kai shifted his weight and activated the thrusters, canceling his momentum. He landed on the rock and shoved the device into the mineral vein with a firm push.

Red flashes.

It didn’t matter. He scanned the jagged terrain until his eyes caught a smooth surface not too far away. Taking a few careful steps, he crouched and peered at the vein beneath him—a reflective darkness glinting faintly under his visor's light.

"Obsidian," Kai murmured. "This should do."

He pressed the tube firmly onto the dark surface. This time, the light flashed green, and he felt the cable tighten with a satisfying jolt. Raising his head, he gave a thumbs-up to the crew aboard the Tugboat. All set.

"Good job. Now let’s get out of here," Rachel’s voice crackled through the comms.

Kai glanced back as the massive VTOL thrusters roared to life, their glow shifting to a bright blue as they reached full power. The timing was perfect—this time, the rock was still on its upward trajectory.

The ship began its pull, and Kai could feel the tension in the line as it fought against the gravitational pull of the cosmic maelstrom.

He looked around, noting their progress—they were already gaining a lot more distance than last time. For the first time in a while, he felt hopeful. The momentum was going to push the rock out of the gravitational field, and they’d score a hefty chunk of rare metal. Enough, maybe, to finally upgrade the Black Swan.

But then, a sudden flare of electrical energy surged through the ship. It struck from behind, a shimmering wave that radiated like a storm. The music in Kai's ears cut off, leaving him in the silence of vacuum.

The engines flickered, sputtered, and then faded out completely.

A few seconds later, he could hear a faint static in his ear as partial communication returned.

“We ju....got hit by an elect...magmatic spike. All systems .... offline,” Johnson reported.

“How long until reboot?” Rachel asked, though a slight tinge of concern crept into her usually calm tone.

Kai’s mind worked quickly as he watched the engines fail and the rock’s momentum slow. The pull of the maelstrom was relentless, and they were rapidly losing their ground. They needed power—and they needed it now.

“Johnson, can you divert power from the secondary systems to jump-start the engines?” Rachel asked, her voice sharp and focused.

“No good,” Johnson replied. “The spike fried the auxiliary circuits too. We’re dead in the water until I can get the main reactor back online.”

Kai’s gaze shifted to the tethered rock. It was massive, and its mineral veins were glinting with an eerie luminescence. He understood now, it was charged from the maelstrom’s energy. An idea sparked in his mind, though it was going to be a dangerous one.

“What if we use the rock to power the ship?” Kai said suddenly.

Rachel frowned. “What?”

“The rock is charged with energy from the maelstrom. If I can rig a direct connection between the rock and the ship’s power core, we might be able to give the engines enough of a jolt to get us moving again.”

“That’s insane,” Rachel said. “You’d be handling unstable energy. If it overloads—”

“We’re dead anyway,” Kai interrupted. “This is our best shot.”

Rachel hesitated, then nodded. “Fine. Do it.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Kai didn’t wait for further approval, he felt no hesitation, and definitely no fear. He grabbed a portable energy conduit from the ship’s emergency supply locker and leaped onto the rock. The surface was jagged and unstable, but his boots magnetized securely. His HUD scanned the mineral veins, identifying the most concentrated energy source.

“Johnson, I’m sending you the connection points. Be ready to channel the surge,” Kai said over the comms.

“Got it, but this better not blow up the ship,” Johnson replied, his voice nervous.

Kai knelt on the rock and clamped the conduit into place. As soon as the connection was made, his suit’s sensors went wild. The energy coursing through the rock was erratic, pulsing like a living thing.

“Stabilizing the flow,” Kai muttered to himself, adjusting the conduit’s settings to regulate the surge. Sparks flew as the energy fed into the ship, the lights on the Tugboat flickering back to life.

“We’re getting power!” Johnson shouted. “Engines are spooling up now!”

“Hold it steady, Kai,” Rachel warned. “The engines need a clean stream or they’ll blow.”

“I know,” Kai replied, his voice calm despite the chaos. His hands moved quickly, recalibrating the conduit as the energy flow fluctuated. He felt the strange liquid inside him danced with rhythm he never felt before, raving and craving for more.

Perhaps Eliana was right, what inside of him might really be Nano-machines.

Finally, the engines roared to life, their VTOL thrusters flaring bright blue. The ship surged upward, the tether pulling the rock along with it. Kai disconnected the conduit and activated his thrusters, leaping back to the Tugboat just as the rock cleared the vortex’s edge.

He landed hard on the deck, breathing heavily as Rachel grabbed his arm.

“Are you insane?” she asked, her tone a mix of anger and relief.

Kai grinned faintly. “It worked, didn’t it?”

Rachel watched as the young man in front of her shrugged off the danger he’d just faced like it was nothing. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something about Kai had changed. Or maybe it was her perception of him. At the start of the mission, she’d been quietly hoping he wouldn’t slow the team down. Now, he’d just saved the ship—and everyone’s lives.

She studied him, puzzled. Who was this young man, really? How could someone stand at the edge of death and show no fear?

Kai sat down, letting out a long breath as the tension in his body melted away. Relief washed over him. He was just glad they’d managed to pull it off and bring home what they had. But he had to admit—what he’d done back there was pretty awesome.

The ship eased into safe space and began its steady journey toward the station. The rock they’d brought back was massive. They had to detach and fly behind it, reattaching to guide it carefully. Slowing its momentum required precision, and they started decelerating well in advance to ensure it didn’t overshoot the station.

Finally, they stopped the rock near the docking bay. Scavenger ships wasted no time swarming the giant mineral hulk, cutting it apart with laser tools and machinery.

Kai stepped off the Tugboat into the hangar bay, his boots clanging softly against the metal deck. Eliana was there, waiting for him. She ran up, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace before kissing him deeply. When she finally let go, her eyes sparkled with pride and relief.

“Good job, Kai,” Commander Grayson said, stepping forward and clapping him on the shoulder.

“Yes, Kai, good job,” Rachel added with a rare smile. “I have to say, what you did back there was more impressive than anything I’ve seen in a long time. Honestly, I’d invite you to stay on the team if you didn’t already have something going on.” She glanced toward Eliana and grinned knowingly. “But it looks like you’ve got a crew—and a pretty important mission ahead of you.”

-----------------------

The FSS Eclipse hung in orbit above Drakmoor, a beacon of the Federation’s power and influence.

Kevin stepped into the meeting room aboard the flagship, his boots echoing against the pristine floor.

At the far end of the table sat Admiral Katherine Steele, the fleet commander of the Federation, her sharp gaze piercing even before she spoke.

"Mr. Draco," Steele greeted him with a nod, her voice measured and authoritative. "Thank you for joining us."

Kevin took his seat, glancing around the room. High-ranking officers flanked Steele, their faces marked by the same tension he felt in his gut. They all knew why they were here—Drakmoor was standing on the precipice of invasion, and a possible all out war between the Federation and the Empire.

"So," Kevin began, his tone steady despite the anxiety simmering beneath the surface, "what does the Federation plan to do about Drakmoor?"

Steele leaned back slightly, her hands clasped on the table. "We’re working on something," she said carefully. "A failsafe. If it succeeds, it could stop the Empire’s fleet before they reach orbit."

Kevin’s brows furrowed. "And what exactly is this failsafe?"

Her expression hardened, though it wasn’t hostile. "I’m afraid that’s classified, Captain. It’s too early to discuss the details, but rest assured, when the time comes, you’ll know."

Kevin didn’t press further. The discussion shifted, and the mood in the room darkened as the conversation turned to the possibility of failure. Steele’s voice was somber as she laid out the grim reality.

"If the Empire breaks through our defenses," she said, "the situation on the ground will be dire. In that scenario, evacuation would be the only viable option. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but we have to consider the lives of Drakmoor’s people above all else."

Kevin’s jaw tightened. "Evacuate? You’re asking us to abandon our home?"

"It’s not a decision I take lightly," Steele replied. "But survival sometimes requires sacrifices."

Kevin shook his head firmly. "We can’t just run. Drakmoor is more than just a planet to us—it’s everything. There’s no way we’re leaving, not without a fight."

Steele studied him, her sharp eyes narrowing. There was something in his tone, a weight to his words that hinted at more than just stubborn resolve. "You’re holding something back," she said finally. "What is it?"

Kevin hesitated for a moment, the room falling silent. Then, with a deep breath, he decided to lay his cards on the table. "There’s something buried on Drakmoor," he began, his voice low. "A ship. Not just any ship—something ancient, important. And it’s tied to the True Kin."

The officers around the table exchanged uneasy glances, but Steele didn’t flinch. "The True Kin," she repeated, her tone heavy with skepticism. "I have heard that name only in rumors, and the talk about them are frowned upon. So that’s quite the claim, Kevin."

"It’s more than a claim," Kevin said. "We’ve uncovered information that proves their existence, and that ship buried on Drakmoor could change everything. That's why the Black Swan had taken off with Commander Grayson and his crew a few days ago, they are going to uncover the truth. So all I'm asking is the assistant of the Federation to provide protection if the True Kin unveil their existence."

Steele leaned forward, her gaze intensifying. "You realize what you’re asking, don’t you? It could send shockwaves through the Federation. The panic, the political fallout… this isn’t a small matter, Kevin. You’re throwing me a challenge that could bring chaos."

"I know," Kevin admitted, his voice tinged with both urgency and defiance. "But the Empire isn’t going to wait for us to sort out our fears and doubts. We need every advantage we can get, and this ship might be the key."

Steele sat back, the weight of the revelation settling over her. She tapped her fingers lightly on the table, deep in thought. Finally, she spoke. "I’ll see what I can do. But this isn’t just my decision. There’s the parliament I’ll have to deal with, and you can bet they won’t take this lightly."

Kevin nodded, grateful.

As the meeting drew to a close, Steele rose from her seat, signaling the end of their conversation. Before Kevin could leave, she addressed him one last time.

"Kevin," she said, her tone softening slightly, "I need you to understand something. Even with this failsafe, even with everything we’re doing, there’s a very real chance we could lose. If that happens, Drakmoor’s people will need to be evacuated. I suggest you start preparing for that possibility now. Don’t let pride blind you to reality."

Kevin turned back to face her. He hesitated, but nodded at the end.

If the day of defeat comes, he will make sure that the secret of the buried ship doesn't get discovered by the wrong had.

But before then, he was counting on the Black Swan to success.