Kai sat down with a full plate of food. Eliana was on the opposite side of the table. They had the galley all to themselves, and both wore easy smiles. Their small victory in the training simulation had deepened the bond between them.

“Thank you for saving me during the training,” Eliana said, her voice light. “I didn’t think they’d come from above.”

“Neither did I,” Kai admitted. “I only realized it when the stomping of boots stopped directly overhead. Holding off the elevator was still a good idea, though. We took out three of them before they even got a shot off.”

“Thanks, Kai,” Eliana said, enjoying her tea. She set her cup down and grinned. “Speaking of which, how about we go for another round of sparring? Now we both know a bit more about each other’s skills.”

“Why not,” Kai replied with a shrug. “Tonight—well, I mean ‘night’ according to the ship’s simulated time. It’s confusing, don’t you think? Not having a real day and night out here.”

“Commanders can set their own time zones,” Eliana explained. “That’s why there’s always someone on the bridge. Anything can happen at any moment.”

“Like right now,” a familiar voice interrupted. Ivan stood in the doorway to the galley, arms crossed and grinning. “Come on, we’re about to jump again.”

Kai’s gaze fell to his untouched plate of food, then back to Ivan with an annoyed sigh.

“Yeah…” Ivan said with an apologetic shrug. “I wouldn’t eat that until after the jump. You know, considering what happened last time.”

Kai groaned and pushed the plate away as Eliana stifled a laugh behind her cup.

“You’ll get used to it eventually,” she teased, standing up and brushing her hands together. “One jump at a time.”

Kai shot her a look but stood as well, reluctantly following Ivan and Eliana out of the galley. His stomach grumbled in protest as he braced himself for the FTL jump again.

Everyone else was already on the bridge when Kai arrived. Teresa had set the course and completed the calculations to ensure the jump would bring them as close to the Corsair drop ship as possible. Ivan had returned to his seat, while Kai and Eliana stood just behind Commander Grayson.

Kai had already taken the pill on his way to the bridge—it was supposed to ease the post-jump effects—but he still felt nervous. His hand instinctively clenched the side of his pants. That was when he felt Eliana’s fingers lightly brush the back of his hand.

She was looking at him, her face calm and reassuring. “Take my hand, Kai. You’ll be fine.”

Kai nodded, his expression softening as he took her hand. He straightened his posture, willing himself to stay strong. Even if he had to fake it, he refused to show weakness to Eliana again.

“Engaging jump drive. Jumping in three... two…” Ivan’s voice was steady, calm.

“Deep breath,” Eliana whispered.

“One…”

Kai inhaled deeply. This time, he kept his eyes open and watched it happen.

The stars outside the viewing port stretched into long, glowing lines as the ship jumped. A slight distortion rippled through Kai’s view, and that familiar, drunk feeling crept back in. The discomfort returned, but it was nowhere near as intense as the first time. Gritting his teeth, he focused on his breathing. Inhale... exhale... inhale...

A misty aurora began to shimmer around the ship, swirling in shades of blue, green, and violet.

“What are the lights?” he managed to ask, enduring the discomfort.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Eliana said, her gaze fixed on the ethereal glow. “These are quantum.”

Kai’s eyes widened. “Wait… aren’t quantum supposed to be extremely small?”

Eliana nodded. “Yes, but during a quantum jump, you can see them like this. It’s almost as if they’re here to say hello.”

Kai couldn’t tear his eyes away from the colors as they danced across the viewing port. Slowly, the mist began to fade, signaling the end of the jump. He let out a breath of relief. He had done it—he had made it through without losing his composure.

“Thank you, Eliana. Really, for being so supportive,” Kai said, his voice light with happiness.

“You made it on your own, Kai,” Eliana smiled. “I just said a few encouraging words.”

Kai opened his mouth to respond, but his stomach let out a loud, unmistakable growl that echoed in the quiet bridge.

Eliana chuckled, a teasing glint in her eyes. “Come on, let’s go finish your meal.”

---

Mr. Draco sighed deeply as he gazed out at the endless ocean from the balcony of his mansion—a traditional Drakmoor-style estate made from red bricks crafted from the planet’s iconic red sand. The rhythmic sound of crashing waves echoed against the cliffs below.

“What are you thinking, hun?” a soft, familiar voice asked behind him.

Kevin turned slightly to see Amelia standing there, a steaming cup of tea in her hands. “Oh, Amelia, I was just thinking about our daughter,” he said, his voice heavy with worry. “Aren’t you worried about her too?”

“Of course I’m worried,” Amelia replied gently, walking up to him. “But I also believe in her. Just think about all the wild things we did when we were her age.” Her eyes sparkled with the warmth of loving memories.

Kevin smiled faintly, his gaze drifting back to the horizon. “Like the time we ran that blockade on Valora Prime because you had to see that concert?”

Amelia laughed softly. “Exactly. And your father had to bail you out afterward, but because of it the concert became so memorable.”

Kevin chuckled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. After a pause, he turned to her, his brow furrowed. “And that Kai fellow… What do you think of him? Do you think he’ll keep Eliana safe?”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“I haven’t met him,” Amelia said thoughtfully, handing Kevin the cup of tea. “But Eliana seems fond of him. She says he’s got a good heart, and he’s proven himself capable. Sure, he’s young, but Eliana said there was something about him that’s different. I think he has potential.” She placed a hand gently on Kevin’s arm. “Let them be, hun. They’ll figure things out. Just like us when we were young.”

Kevin exhaled a long breath and nodded slowly. “You’re right. You always know how to make me feel better, Amelia.”

Amelia smiled warmly. “That’s because I love you, Kevin.” She leaned into him slightly. “Now, drink your tea before it gets cold.”

---

"Kai, here. Have some tea," Eliana said, setting a steaming cup down on the table beside him.

Kai looked up, his mouth stuffed with food. He quickly chewed and swallowed, chasing it down with a sip of tea. "Thanks, Eliana."

"It’s a special mix of herbs to help with post-jump discomfort," Eliana explained as she sat beside him. "Speaking of which, how are you feeling now?"

"A lot better than the first time," Kai said proudly, setting the cup down.

"Good. That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear," Eliana replied with a smile. "You’ll feel even less discomfort next time, and eventually, it becomes tolerable. You’d be surprised how adaptive we humans are."

Kai nodded, finishing the last bite of his sandwich. “Alright. I’m ready to head back to the bridge.”

“Me too,” Eliana said, standing up. “Let’s bring some tea for the rest of the crew as well.”

The bridge door slid open, and Kai and Eliana entered with cups in both of their hands. Kai was about to announce that they’d brought tea for everyone, but the mood on the bridge wasn’t one for casual chit-chat.

He could sense the tension in the room. Teresa was typing furiously at the console, Ivan pressed a headphone tightly to his ear, Robert had his VR goggles lowered over his face, and Commander Grayson stared intently at the screens in front of him.

Kai and Eliana quietly placed the cups down and approached Commander Grayson’s side.

“What’s happening?” Kai asked in a whisper.

Commander Grayson didn’t turn to acknowledge him. He simply replied, “We got a match to the Corsair drop ship, and it’s not far from here.”

Kai glanced around the room again. “What’s Ivan doing?” he asked, puzzled.

“He’s listening for the jump drive residue of their ship,” Commander Grayson answered. “Every jump distorts space slightly, leaving behind an almost static-like signature. We track them using a device similar to old sonar systems.”

“I found them, sir,” Ivan said.

“Course has been calculated,” Teresa added a moment later.

“Initiate CTL jump,” Commander Grayson ordered. “All posts combat ready.”

“You two,” he added, turning slightly toward Kai and Eliana, “sit down and get strapped in. Watch and learn.”

Eliana and Kai nodded, quickly taking their seats beside the command post and securing themselves.

The ship executed a small jump that brought them to an asteroid belt.

“New contacts, 3 o’clock high,” Teresa reported.

Ivan adjusted the ship’s orientation. A medium-sized vessel, similar in scale to the Black Swan, entered view. Kai leaned forward in his seat to get a better look, his eyes narrowing as he studied the ship. Then he noticed the screen in front of him mirrored the view Robert was seeing.

Kai watched as Robert zoomed in for a closer inspection. The ship, despite being comparable in size, looked nothing like the Black Swan.

The Corsair drop ship was rigid and blocky, built with a utilitarian design that prioritized function over form. Its exterior was covered in thick, reinforced platings, clearly designed to endure damage during ground assaults. A massive bay door stretched across its belly, allowing it to transport and deploy vehicles directly onto a battlefield. The four VTOL thrusters were massive, mounted awkwardly on either side of the hull, built for raw speed rather than maneuverability. Scars of previous battles covered its frame, from burn marks to patched armor plates. Clearly it's a vessel built to deliver troops and vehicles into the thick of combat, where beauty and elegance held no use.

Then, Kai noticed the three smaller ships. He was surprised—and a little disappointed that he couldn’t recognize the make or model of the ships. Then it hit him why: there were no official make or model. These were pirate ships—small, single-seat fighters to be exact. They were cobbled together from whatever parts the builders could scavenge. The frames were mismatched, barely holding together, but each was outfitted with oversized weapons meant to deal devastating damage.

The pirate ships hovered above the drop ship, circling like vultures as their heavy guns fired bursts of bullets at the VTOL thrusters. The drop ship, sturdy as it was, lacked firepower on its top side. Kai watched as a single, small remote turret tried to defend, but it was quickly destroyed under concentrated fire.

These pirates knew exactly what they were doing, Kai realized. Their plan was simple: disable the engines, cripple the ship, and then board it. It was eerily similar to the simulation Commander Grayson had prepared for him and Eliana.

“Neutralize the pirates,” Commander Grayson said calmly, his voice cutting through the tension.

Kai turned to look at him, stunned. Neutralize the pirates? They had finally caught up to the attackers—the murderers responsible for the attack at the mine—and now they were about to help them?

His gaze snapped back to the screens as Robert launched three missiles. Two pirate fighters were caught completely off guard, obliterated in a fiery blast. The third fighter reacted in time, pulling an evasive maneuver that shook the missiles off its tail. The ship vanished behind a nearby asteroid as the missile hit the asteroid, breaking pieces of rocks that scattered in all directions.

Kai searched for the pirate on the screen, his eyes darting over the feed, but it was nowhere to be found. Then, out of nowhere, a barrage of shots rattled against the Black Swan’s thick armor. The pirate had flanked them somehow.

Robert instantly responded, locking onto the nimble fighter and firing bursts of his own. The pirate ship twisted and rolled, barely dodging the shots before disappearing behind another asteroid.

Kai gritted his teeth. These pirates weren’t just scavengers; they were skilled pilots, and they were fighting for their lives.

"Teresa," Robert said, his tone sharp and focused.

"On it," Teresa responded quickly. "Just keep it busy for a little longer."

The pirate ship emerged again, darting out from behind the asteroid. Robert didn’t hesitate—he fired another barrage of rounds, forcing the nimble craft to duck back behind cover.

"Done. Target ship disabled," Teresa announced.

Ivan immediately rolled the Black Swan, maneuvering it with precision. The ship surged forward, angling toward the pirate fighter's last known position. Kai leaned closer to the screen as they cleared the asteroid. The pirate ship came into view—hovering like a trapped insect. In Robert's display, Kai could clearly see the pirate pilot through the fighter's canopy. Though their face was obscured by a helmet, Kai could picture the look of shock and fear behind the visor.

Robert didn’t wait. As the Black Swan performed its flyby, he unleashed a relentless barrage of rounds. The pirate ship's hull crumpled and shredded under the force of the large-caliber fire.

The tension in the room dissipated somewhat, but Kai was still puzzled. How had Teresa disabled the pirate ship without using an EMP like the one they’d used on the Corsair bomber? He glanced toward Commander Grayson, hoping for answers.

The commander caught his look and smiled, as if he had already anticipated the question. “You’re wondering how we disabled that ship without a pulse, aren’t you?”

Kai nodded.

“Teresa hacked into their ship’s system and disabled it,” Grayson explained. “Compared to Drakmoor. The space provides an excellent environment for capturing digital signals. All Teresa had to do was intercept the target ship’s broadcast and infiltrate its systems. Pirates, as you can imagine, typically don’t spend their money on cybersecurity.”

Kai nodded again, finally understanding. Ship-to-ship combat wasn’t just about shooting and hitting your target—it was about strategy, precision, and using every asset at your disposal to make the fight as easy as possible.

He smiled faintly, a new sense of pride swelling in his chest. He was aboard the Black Swan—a ship with a professional crew, the kind of people he could learn a lot from.

However, the battle was not over yet. Kai’s eyes shifted back to the main screen. There was still the Corsair drop ship they needed to deal with.