All the excitement and anticipation for space vanished for Kai after his first Quantum Jump. He had only experienced Close to Lightspeed travel when he escaped Velmorra, which had left him feeling like he’d downed a few bottles of cheap booze. Now he learned that CTL travel was nothing compared to Faster Than Light travel. FTL travel felt like getting drunk and then being shoved into an industrial-sized laundry machine on full spin.
“Jump drive at 100 percent, alignment complete,” Ivan announced from the pilot's seat. “Jumping in three, two…”
Kai’s eyes widened in excitement. This was a dream come true—being on the bridge to witness a jump. He imagined the view: stars streaking past at lightning speed, the universe warping into a blur before disappearing altogether.
“One.”
The moment Ivan said it, Kai’s stomach dropped. It felt like his insides were being ripped out, twisted, and shoved back in. He barely had time to cover his mouth before bolting straight for the washroom. Even though the actual jump only lasted a few seconds, Kai didn’t reappear for nearly an hour.
Commander Grayson and Eliana waited for him outside in the galley, each sipping on a cup of hot tea to ease their own post-jump discomfort.
“You never told me it was his first time,” Commander Grayson said, raising an eyebrow at Eliana.
“Well,” Eliana muttered, avoiding his gaze, “I just assumed everyone over sixteen had experienced it at least once.”
“Yeah, in your world maybe,” Grayson replied, shaking his head. “The truth is, most people in the galaxy will never experience FTL travel in their entire lives. You know we have pills for first-timers, right?”
“I didn’t think…” Eliana started but trailed off as the washroom door slided open.
Kai finally emerged, looking like he’d aged ten years in the last hour. His face was pale and clammy, sweat dripping from his brow. His usual confident posture was gone, replaced with a slouch as he leaned against the wall for support. His hair stuck out in all directions, and his steps were unsteady, like a newborn foal learning to walk.
“Oh, Kai,” Eliana said with concern, rushing to his side. She took a small bottle on the table, popping out a pill. “Here, take this—it’ll help.”
Kai groaned softly but didn’t argue, swallowing the pill as she slipped an arm under his to steady him. “Come on, big guy,” she said gently. “Let’s get you to bed.”
Commander Grayson chuckled over the rim of his tea as he watched Eliana and Kai stumbled out of the door. “Welcome to life among the stars, kid.”
Eliana helped Kai into his room and gently put him on the bed.
"How are you feeling right now?" Eliana asked.
"Not... not too good," Kai managed to say before hurriedly covering his mouth with his hand.
"Alright, give it a little time for the pill to kick in, then you’ll feel a lot better." Eliana patted Kai on his back. "Let me get some water for you."
Kai nodded silently and watched as Eliana got up. He felt vulnerable and exposed, hating the thought of Eliana seeing him like this, but he was too weak to protest or do anything about it.
Eliana returned a moment later with a cup of warm water and an empty bucket. “Just in case you don’t feel well again,” she said, placing them down next to him.
"Sorry," Kai muttered weakly.
"Hmm?" Eliana tilted her head, not quite catching what he said. She sat beside him on the bed, her voice softer now. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was your first time. I meant jumping.”
Kai managed a faint smile in response. “You’re fine,” he murmured.
Eliana smiled back, her eyes kind, before gently pushing Kai down until he lay flat on the bed. “You should get some rest now.” As she spoke, she reached for his jacket, carefully trying to pull it off.
Kai blinked in surprise, a mix of embarrassment and confusion flashing across his face. “What are you—?”
“Just the jacket,” Eliana said with a small chuckle. “Keep your dirty mind to yourself.”
She carefully slid the leather jacket off his shoulders, her movements cautious and gentle. But as her hand brushed against his torso, her fingers unintentionally grazed the firm outline of his abs through the thin shirt. Her cheeks flushed a soft pink as she froze for a brief moment.
Kai noticed her hesitation and raised an eyebrow slightly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips despite his exhaustion.
Eliana quickly pulled the jacket away, clearing her throat and looking anywhere but at Kai. “I told you—just the jacket,” she muttered, feigning annoyance and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
She placed the jacket neatly beside his bed and took a moment to regain her composure. When she glanced back at him, his eyes were already half-closed, tiredness lingering on his face.
“Sleep, Kai,” Eliana said softly, brushing her blush aside as she stood up and left the room.
Indeed, the pill had worked. Kai woke up a few hours later feeling much better. Aside from a faint nausea, there was no other discomfort. He sat up and swung his legs off the bed, noticing his leather jacket neatly folded beside him. He couldn’t remember everything clearly, but he did recall how kind Eliana had been to him.
Three soft knocks on his door pulled him from his thoughts.
“Come in,” he called.
The door slid open, and Eliana stepped inside, holding a pile of neatly folded clothes.
“Hi, good morning, Kai,” she said with a cheerful smile, before glancing out the window at the vast emptiness of space. “Well, I mean, it’s about morning time on Drakmoor, so... Oh, here—your uniform.” She handed the clothes to Kai. “I’ll wait outside.”
Kai nodded, taking the uniform and watching as Eliana stepped back and let the door slide shut behind her. He unfolded the uniform and inspected it. It was sleek and professional—just like the others he’d seen the crew wear. A black, form-fitting suit with silver lining along the seams and shoulders. On the left chest was the insignia of the Draco mining company.
The fabric felt surprisingly comfortable, far from the stiff uniforms he expected. Kai slipped into it easily, fastening the high collar and smoothing out any creases. He glanced at himself in the small mirror in his room. For the first time in a long time, he looked like he belonged somewhere—part of a crew.
Kai opened the door, and Eliana was waiting patiently outside. When she saw him, her eyes lit up with approval.
“Wow,” Eliana said, smiling brightly. “You look good, Kai. The uniform suits you.”
Kai’s lips quirked into a small grin. “Thanks.”
“So, what’s the plan for today?” he asked, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves.
“Well,” Eliana replied, leading him down the corridor, “everyone’s doing their tasks on the bridge. The quantum drive’s still cooling down, so we’ve got a bit of downtime until the next jump. Commander Grayson said we should use the time to do some training in the training room.”
“Training, huh?” Kai echoed, feeling the faint twinge of excitement. “What kind of training?”
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“You’ll see,” Eliana teased, throwing him a playful look as they made their way to the ship’s training deck.
Commander Grayson was already in the training room, tinkering with the controls on the central console.
“Ah, Kai, how are you feeling today?” Grayson greeted as Kai entered. He gave an approving nod. “You look good in that uniform.”
“Thank you, Commander, I feel fine now” Kai replied with a small smile. “Eliana mentioned you wanted us to use the wait time for a bit of training.”
“Indeed,” Grayson said, his tone serious but welcoming. “Now that we’re in space, combat will become part of the norm—especially with pirates lurking in every system. I’ve set up a ship defense scenario for the two of you. You’ll be defending the Black Swan from a pirate boarding attempt.”
Kai’s gaze drifted to Eliana, who was already strapping on a set of VR goggles and stepping onto one of the circular training pads. She tested it, walking and jogging in place. No matter how much she moved, she remained perfectly centered.
Kai grinned. This could be fun.
He stepped onto the pad next to Eliana’s and pulled on his own set of goggles. The moment they settled over his eyes, the scenery changed in an instant.
He was no longer in the training room. In the immersive view of the VR, he stood on the bridge of the Black Swan, the world around him feeling so real it was uncanny. He took a tentative step forward, and it felt as if he was genuinely walking, his brain easily tricked by the realism. There was no delay in his movements—everything felt perfectly natural.
“Kai.”
He turned to see Eliana standing nearby, also in VR. She motioned for him to come over. Kai approached her as she crouched by one of the pilot seats, pulling out a small pistol from underneath.
“Here,” Eliana said, holding the gun out to him. “Emergency weapons are stored under the seats on the Black Swan. Always good to know.” She spun her own pistol with a playful smirk.
Commander Grayson’s voice boomed over the PA system, “Please don’t play with your guns, Eliana. And remember—aim away from your friends. Keep your trigger finger off the trigger until you’re ready to fire.”
Eliana shrugged sheepishly, lowering the weapon.
“Now,” Grayson continued, “I’ll load up a simple shooting range for you both. Get used to handling the weapons before we move on to the real challenge.”
Kai tightened his grip on the pistol and nodded, his excitement building. The training pad vibrated slightly under his feet as the environment shifted again, this time a simple grey box. Targets appeared downrange, some stationary and others bobbing and weaving like real enemies.
Kai glanced at Eliana, who flashed him a competitive grin as she raised her pistol.
“Hope you’re ready to lose,” she teased.
Kai smirked back, lifting his weapon. “We’ll see about that."
The buzz sounded, and Eliana immediately took a shot, hitting the stationary target closest to her. Kai raised his weapon and pulled the trigger, but nothing happened.
“Remember to turn off your safety—it’s on the left side of your pistol,” Commander Grayson reminded.
Kai fumbled for the safety, his thumb brushing over a small protrusion on the side of the gun. He flipped it down and aimed again. This time, the gun fired, though the shot missed its mark by inches.
In the time Kai had wasted figuring out the safety, Eliana had already taken down two more stationary targets and even clipped a moving one. Kai glanced her way, and although he couldn’t see her face fully behind the VR goggles, he could tell from her stance that she was grinning.
Gritting his teeth, Kai refocused, took aim, and fired. The shot hit a stationary target dead center. He could feel the familiar tingling in his hands—the strange liquid inside him subtly working to steady his aim and improve his reflexes.
He fired again, this time hitting another target with ease. Moving targets popped up faster now, weaving unpredictably across the simulated space. Kai took them on, adjusting his aim instinctively. He quickly ran through his magazine, then ejected it and reloaded in one fluid motion. Each shot became more precise, his confidence growing with every trigger pull.
The second buzz sounded, signaling the end of the exercise. All the targets disappeared.
“Results are in,” Commander Grayson announced. “Kai: thirteen stationary targets and five moving targets. Eliana: fifteen stationary targets and six moving targets.”
Kai glanced at Eliana, who was already looking his way, her stance smug with victory. She lifted her chin playfully and grinned. “Looks like I win.”
Kai shrugged, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You’re a good shot, no excuses here.”
“Don’t worry,” she teased, “you’ll get there—eventually.”
Kai chuckled and nodded. There was no denying Eliana’s skill, but the practice had ignited something in him. He’d make it a point to return to the training room as often as possible. With time, he’d improve, and next time, he’d give her a real challenge.
"Now let’s practice the ship defense scenario," Commander Grayson said, his voice calm but firm. “But remember, this isn’t about who can shoot the most pirates. It’s about teamwork. Watch each other’s backs, communicate, and don’t get killed. You only have one life here, and the time starts… now.”
The environment shifted instantly. The grey box disappeared , replaced by the simulated interior of the bridge. The overhead lights flashed red in sync with a blaring alarm, warning of a hull breach. A deep rumble echoed through the ship—pirates had blown a hole in the cargo bay.
“Breach detected. Cargo bay compromised,” an artificial voice announced.
Eliana bolted forward, her weapon ready. Kai rushed after her, adrenaline surging through him.
“Where are we going?” Kai asked, gripping his pistol tightly as they ran out of the bridge
“We’re heading to the midship elevator,” Eliana replied without missing a beat. “It’s the narrowest choke point. If we hold that, we can stop them from reaching the bridge.”
Kai nodded, following her lead as they sprinted down the corridor. The sound of metal boots hitting the floor echoed through the halls, growing louder. The pirates were already inside.
Eliana glanced back at Kai. “Get ready, this is about to get messy!”
Eliana and Kai ran to the elevator and peered over the railing. They could hear boots clanging against metal on the lower floor, but no one had reached the elevator yet. They waited, the sounds of the pirates approaching growing louder. Kai took a few deep breaths, calming himself. Finally, a helmet appeared, followed by three pirates wearing worn-out armor as they entered the elevator. Luckily, none of them looked up.
Eliana took the first shot, neutralizing the pirate on the left. Kai followed with his own shots, quickly taking down the other two. The pirates crumpled to the ground. Eliana and Kai exchanged a quick smile, a small moment of victory.
Then came the distinctive sound of an explosion, followed by boots clanking on metal above their heads. Another breach.
“We’re surrounded,” Kai muttered, his ears straining as the footsteps stopped directly overhead. He realized what was about to happen just a moment too late. Without thinking, he leaped toward Eliana, tackling her to the ground as a second explosion ripped through the ceiling exactly where they’d been standing. Shrapnel rained down, bouncing off Kai’s uniform with surprising resilience. He could feel the sharp impact but no pain.
He rolled off Eliana, his back hitting the floor, and saw her already firing. A pirate who had jumped down was hit mid-air, his body dropping like a ragdoll.
The sound of the elevator rising made Kai wince. He grabbed Eliana’s arm, pulling her up while firing at another pirate that was dropping down. They bolted for the bridge as bullets zipped past them, close enough to hear the deadly hum as they pierced the air.
Kai slapped the emergency override on the bridge door, and it slid shut just as the pirates' shots hit where they’d stood.
“Five of them, I saw five of them” Kai said breathlessly as the pirates pushed forward, firing short bursts. “They’re coming.”
“What’s the plan?” Eliana asked.
“Take cover here. I’ll flank them from above,” Kai said, motioning toward the small personal lift. Eliana gave a quick nod, understanding the plan.
Kai took the lift up to the third level. The corridor was empty except for a gaping hole in the hull from the breach. Moving quickly but quietly, Kai approached the hole on the floor and laid down beside it. Peeking over, he saw the pirates gathered outside the bridge door. One of them was setting up an explosive charge.
Kai’s mind raced. He couldn’t take them all at once—two, maybe three before the rest would turn on him. He only hoped Eliana was ready.
He braced himself, supporting his weight with his legs as he dangled his upper body over the edge. From above, he had a clear shot. The pirates, focused on the door, didn’t notice him.
He waited for the right moment.
BOOM.
The explosion went off, masking the sound of his shots as he fired in rapid succession. Two pirates dropped immediately. He squeezed off two more shots, taking down another pair. The last pirate spun around, realizing what had happened, and fired wildly. Kai ducked back just as the bullets whizzed past him.
A single shot rang out.
Everything went quiet.
Kai cautiously peeked over the hole again and saw the last pirate sprawled lifeless on the floor. Further down, Eliana stood with her pistol raised, grinning as she waved at him. Kai grinned back, gave her a thumbs-up, and dropped down through the hole.
The two of them met in the corridor, both panting and smiling.
The overhead PA system crackled to life. “Simulation is over. You can take off your goggles now,” Commander Grayson’s voice echoed through the room.
Kai removed his VR goggles and saw Eliana doing the same. They looked at each other and burst into laughter. Both had sweat on their foreheads, their hair messy from the simulated actions, but neither of them cared. The shared victory brought a sense of exhilaration neither had felt in a long time.
Commander Grayson clapped his hands as he approached. “Well done. You successfully defended the Black Swan against the pirates. Good job to you both.”
Eliana patted Kai on the shoulder, her grin wide.
“Kai,” Commander Grayson said, “good thinking using the personal lift to flank them. Always try to surprise your enemy. Outthink them, set traps, and keep them off balance.”
His expression turned serious. “Now, there’s something important we need to address. Since this was a simulation, you didn’t have to worry about oxygen. Real boarding actions often happen in the vacuum of space.” He pointed to a box on the wall. “The Black Swan is equipped with these emergency supply boxes. They contain helmets that integrate with your suits to protect you from depressurization and provide oxygen.”
Kai and Eliana exchanged guilty glances. Neither of them had even thought about that.
Commander Grayson’s stern look softened slightly. “Next time, we’ll train in a zero-gravity environment to simulate a gravity generator failure, and you’ll learn to fight in space. For now, you’re dismissed.”
He gave a small smile. “Again, well done. You both have potential.”