Alistair spent the next few days traveling south to spend time with Remo and his family, who had settled in one of the major Sanctuaries located in the now much-enlarged Dolomites. Many of those planning to join the Ryser Clan had also gathered at this Sanctuary, awaiting the arrival of the Kaiakos. Joseph and other rescuees spread the word about the Ryser Clan, attracting a significant number of people wanting to leave the planet with them. This influx of interest kept Alistair's mother and sister busy, sorting through applicants to narrow down the selection for Nessyra, whose skills made her particularly adept at detecting falsehoods and assessing a person's character.
During this time, Alistair got to practice placing arrays and, along with his mother, managed to imitate teleportation arrays the Sol's Faction was willing to share in exchange for other less valuable arrays they had acquired through the Trial rewards. The practice of creating arrays alongside other array experts led to a large upgrade in Alistair's array skill. Particularly, once they had successfully helped create a long-range teleportation array from one sanctuary to another, his skill improved from rare to epic tier as the array formations layout was added to his growing library.
Skills: Tier: Name: Description: [Epic] Array Adept
The user is able to place arrays on any surface he is capable of penetrating or inscribing upon ignoring atmospheric interference. If the user has access to the schematics through [Akashic Link] or other means, he can perfectly measure, adjust, calculate, extend, and combine arrays for a chosen area. The skill grants a moderate boost to [Control] when imprinting arrays and highlights issues with the array based on the user's [Senses] and experience. Due to the assistance of the [Akashic Link] and [Conceptual Awareness] skill, the user can create a visual overlay to simplify and double-check runic placements.
Alistair could sense Riseth approaching and knew she would arrive within the day. Having informed everyone else, he, Simon, and Remo flew to the highest mountain peak to take in the stunning views of the local mountains, valleys, and lakes. They lazed in comfortable chairs, enjoying the breathtaking scenery as Alistair brought out some of his limited supply of Spirit Orchid wine.
"Not that it isn't appropriate, but don't we only have a handful of bottles of this stuff left?" Simon asked, looking hesitantly at his bottle.
"Nope, we bought the means to propagate the orchid and produce the wine as a trial reward," Alistair said with a contented smile, lifting his bottle towards Simon, who sat in the middle.
Simon looked at him with wide eyes as Remo reached out, clinking their bottles together. "I could kiss you," Simon said before taking a long sip from his bottle.
"I know you are gay for me, but even though my family isn't the type to mind this sort of thing, I'm sadly already spoken for, and you know it," Alistair joked, trying to maintain a serious expression before cracking a smile.
As they laughed, the sun cast a golden glow over the majestic landscape, and they let the smooth, soothing liquid work its magic as they savored the moment while Alistair stroked Viv's fur as she purred contently in his lap. They watched as a trio of jets flew past nearby, a reminder of the increased patrols as the sanctuaries and enclaves filled with more and more people. The main sanctuary, New Veneto, sported a banner with a winged lion, a symbol from their old banner that had taken on new relevance in this magically inclined world. Alistair talked about how Earth now actually contained winged lions, most originating from Africa, with a few former zoo animals thriving in the less dangerous, expanded European parts of the continent. This got them wondering which other Zoo animals had managed to establish themselves, which led them down a rabbit hole as they queried the Network.
Sensing Riseth's immediate approach, they packed up and headed back towards New Veneto. Time was precious, and the longer they delayed, the more opportunity the Blackmarket Syndicates had to gather a fleet or catch wind of their plans.
A lot of curious bystanders joined them at the runway, including a handful of Sol's dignitaries, such as the local lord Giovanni, and people planning to leave with the Ryser Clan. Alistair found himself talking to members of the Fichera family while holding Viv back as she hissed at Pasha, the little Chihuahua of Fillipo's sister Giulia, who barked his little head off at Viv. As more people gathered, Viv became increasingly uneasy, so Alistair stored her to help her feel more comfortable. Alistair hadn't been stoked to learn that they would bring not just one but multiple Chihahaus with them among a lot of other pets; while he loved most animals, he wasn't a fan of the small bug-eyed creatures. As far as he knew, a lot of people joining them had reunited with their pets, most of which had taken Sol's offer for shelter. Part of him was glad they had picked up the biosphere regulator for their AI Core, as the number of cats could actually become problematic if people didn't keep them close and let their pets roam once it was deemed safe. He would have to throw some classes on summoning but was relieved to hear Fillipo had picked up the mantle and taught quite a few people in his family and friend circle how to become a summoner.
They watched as the Artemis rapidly approached, blazing through the atmosphere. As it drew nearer, its asteroid-like appearance must have bewildered many onlookers, who likely mistook it for a comet. Some even took cautious steps back as the ship continued its high-speed approach, only to suddenly decelerate and pivot on its axis, effortlessly landing before them. Alistair observed as the door opened, and Riseth, with Fluffy perched around her neck, leaped out of the Artemis. In a blink, the craft vanished into her storage. She hurried into Alistair's outstretched arms, showering him with kisses, and he lifted her in an embrace.
Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
"You never know how much you miss someone until they're a galaxy away," Riseth joked, easing up on her affectionate assault.
Alistair grinned, still holding her aloft. Pasha, true to form, continued yapping incessantly, much to Fluffy's evident irritation. The serpent looked disdainfully at the tiny dog.
"Oh, you have those too," Riseth sighed, her voice tinged with slight annoyance and resignation.
Alistair failed to stifle a laugh, not surprised a Demon planet had Chihuahuas. Giulia quickly stored the yapping critter in her storage before stepping forward to greet Riseth. The two women had bonded during their few encounters in the trial, and Alistair doubted Giulia's choice of pet would strain their relationship. Giulia was an interior designer before the initiation, and the two women, along with some others interested in the topic, had talked at length about how to decorate, design, and build structures within their future colony, mixing features from Earth and Neshan and taking the best ideas from both worlds. Most of these discussions had been headed by a Master Builder from Neshan called Braxik. Though Alistair had hardly interacted with the Libranor demon, he only knew the knowledge demon would be the man in charge of construction for their new colony. He joined the clan early on after witnessing Nessyra's business acumen and their clan rising to prominence in the Trader's Market subspace. Alistair pushed the idle thought to the side as he mentally prepared himself to leave Earth and make sure he said his goodbyes.
The whole procession was purposefully short-lived. Giovanni tried to have them stay a little longer, but they insisted that they had important matters to attend to. They exchanged only a few words before Alistair hugged his mother and sister goodbye, and Simon, James, and Jessica boarded the Artemis alongside Riseth and him. The initial plan had been for James and Jessica to join the Kaiakos, but they were now needed to help set up the railgun emplacements and space mines before switching over to the Kaiakos.
James, Jessica, and Alistair joined Riseth in the cockpit while Simon checked his quarters. Using space magic, the ship's quarters had been slightly expanded for added comfort, as the rooms had initially been quite small, except for the captain's quarters. This enhancement was a slight drain on the reactor but barely noticeable in the grand scheme of things. Alistair used his magic to root himself in place while the others took seats at different stations. The familiar smell of ozone briefly filled the air as the reactor started up. On the ship's displays, Alistair watched the small crowd outside, waving as the Artemis slowly lifted off the ground. The people grew smaller and smaller as the ship picked up speed and exited the atmosphere. He was somewhat impressed with the zoom but knew that it was technically barely adequate for their needs as they would need to enter orbit to see the surface in high detail, whereas their other sensors could only provide limited information.
"Good thing the Sol system has so many planetary bodies. It gives us plenty of Lagrange points to use, making jump calculations much faster. Flying in from the edge of that gas giant's gravitational well was a pain," Riseth commented as she finished programming the autopilot.
"By the way, I got the green light from Sol to deploy a beacon for the Kaiakos to hone in on, which should shave a lot of days of travel," James added, working at the sensor station. "Also, it looks like Sol has retrofitted some jets to work as space interceptors. I see a few patrolling nearby."
Riseth shook her head in confusion for a moment before looking at James. "Why does he need interceptors patrolling right now? It will take years before the first outsiders arrive."
Alistair, who knew the answer from talking to Giovanni, explained, "Sol isn't a fan of the Blackmarket syndicates and wants to prevent them from coming and going. Multiple cells have already been found collecting slaves."
Sensing there was more to the story, Riseth kept her eyes on Alistair, waiting for him to elaborate. "Remo's sister was captured, and I got involved in freeing her, which allowed me to learn some things about Sol's forces and earned me some goodwill with them," Alistair explained.
He expected her to be slightly upset that he had gotten himself more involved, but to his surprise, she seemed unbothered. As they continued sharing stories of their time apart, the ship reached the Lagrange point. Jessica initiated the jump drive, setting it to calculate the preplanned destination in a distant galaxy at the center of the universe. Meanwhile, James deployed the beacon and sent a message to the Kaiakos. The navigation system would take days to complete the calculations, so they each retreated to their quarters to stay busy.
Riseth gazed at Alistair with curiosity, her eyes filled with longing, and he grinned warmly as they made their way to the captain's quarters. As they settled into bed, Riseth nestled into his chest, and Alistair felt Viv scratching at the back of his mind, asking to be let out. He knew introducing Viv to Riseth in such a small space might slightly unsettle the cat, as she was unfamiliar with her. Confident that Viv would adjust in time, he planned to ask Riseth to refrain from overwhelming the shy cat with too much affection.
"I forgot to mention that I found Viv back on Earth. She waited for me in my old apartment, and I established a summoning contract with her," Alistair shared, prompting both Riseth and Fluffy, who had been resting at the foot of the bed, to perk up.
"That's wonderful! Why keep her in the shard? Bring her out," Riseth eagerly suggested.
"Just try not to overwhelm her. She's quite shy and needs time to adjust to new people," Alistair cautioned before summoning Viv onto his lap atop the covers.
Viv appeared slightly disoriented, glancing around the room and sizing up everyone present. Alistair quickly scooped her up to prevent any escape attempts, mindful of the potential complications if the void cat could pass through walls while aboard the Artemis. Viv stared wide-eyed at Riseth, who squealed with delight and dropped her veil, sending signals of affection to the cat, holding herself back from reaching out and petting the cat, which still stared at her.
"Shh, it's okay," Alistair soothed Viv with gentle strokes, explaining that they were in space and instructing her through their summoning contract not to pass through walls while aboard the Artemis or any other spaceship.
Meanwhile, Riseth disregarded his reassurances and muttered in his ear, "You taxdriver! You told me she was a small cat, not this tiny and adorable! I thought most felines were bigger than dogs!" Riseth's surprise was evident, having expected Viv to be much larger based on her previous encounter with felines. Based on her brief descriptions, Alistair was sure that the people of Neshan kept tigers and mountain lions as pets. Thinking back, he realized none of the videos they had watched had contained any house cats, and Riseth must have gotten the wrong idea from watching National Geographic.
After a moment, Riseth reached out to pet the cat. Riseth almost vibrated in delight as she stroked the soft fur, and Viv leaned into her hand. Alistair could sense through their resonance that she did her best not to just pick the cat up and smother her in affection. To Alistair's surprise, the cat stood up, planted herself on Riseth's lap, and began purring. Eventually, Riseth couldn't help herself, so she picked the cat up and squeezed her to her chest while petting her, which caused the cat to eventually turn ethereal and pass through her and jump off the bed with an indignant look, much to Riseth's visible dismay.