Two trams, a moving sidewalk going fast enough to make Sen’s ponytail float free behind them, and a massive platform used to lift spacecraft onto an elevated hangar deck later, Josh and Sen arrived at a landing and the mechanical assistant made an announcement.

“You have arrived at the B.A.H.”

Josh raised his eyebrows. ~B.A.H.?~

Sen bobbed his head. ~The Bridge Ancillary Hangar. It is used primarily to scramble fighters to defend the bridge in close combat. As they have done today.~

Sen waved his hand and indicated to Josh several places where there were fresh scorch marks on the walls and two places where it looked like attackers had tried to cut through the three-foot thick blast doors that led to the command deck. Sen then bowed his head in respect to two dozen body-sized, black bags that were zippered and lying on a flatbed trolley just wheeled onto the deck of the lift they had come up on.

Symbal Nang, the short fiery, chinese forward section’s quartermaster and Alysa’s father, was waiting for them at the edge of the lift. A squad of space marines led by Senior Chief Ishan followed in the commanding officer’s wake, obviously protecting Symbal and the mysterious container set on the cart he was hovering over.

Seeing Josh and Sen, Symbal bowed. “My gratitude continues. I’m glad you have returned safely to the Hegemon-4.”

Sen returned Symbal’s bow.

Josh smiled as he grabbed Symbal’s forearm in a warrior’s grasp. “It’s good to be back. We’re on our way to get her. How was she before? Any issues with…” Josh raised his brows and then looked around at the space marines. “Any issues?”

Symbal nodded to Ishan, who spread his team out quickly with a splayed paw. They moved out of earshot and stood just as vigilant as before. “No troubles with Sophie, but Alysa did tell me that their ‘link’ was getting stronger and that it was easier for them to communicate with each other.”

Josh accepted the news with a silent nod. “How long ago did all this happen?” He indicated the battle damage around the B.A.H.

“Three gyras ago, give or take, but there isn’t time to brief you about it now. You’ll take Ishan and his team with you for support and liaison with the Hegemon-4 when you go after Alysa and her team of space marines.” Anticipating objection, Symbal raised both palms and stood his ground. “Aside from Alysa, he’s the man I trust the most on the Hegemon-4. He and his handpicked team are our top combat and reconnaissance squad. They will fill you in on what we know about the attackers. I’m here to give you this to pass on to Alysa... It has cost me every favor I will ever be owed, along with a future lifetime of servitude. I was saving it for her life-day celebration next week... Wish I hadn't. She needs it now!” Symbal reached over to the thick, squarish box and entered an impossibly long code on the light pad that appeared with his touch on its side.

He then placed his hand, palm down on the top of the box for a biometrics scan. The box beeped positively and a short burst of pressurized gas escaped as the top and four sides telescoped inward. An item that caused both Josh and Sen’s eyebrows to rise was revealed on a platform within.

Cocking an eyebrow at Symbal, Josh muttered, a begrudging awe seeped into his voice. “Do you know how much trouble we had to go through to get one of those?”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Symbal took in a slightly shuddering breath. “Believe me... I have some idea, but what is a doting father to do?” He smiled up through his eyes as his thoughts obviously drifted to his daughter Alysa.

Josh grabbed the item and his Probability Interface chimed.

Seismic Earth Attunement Crystal. You have already been attuned to this Essence.

Josh wasn’t sure, but he suspected the Crystal he was carrying for Alysa was worth at least as much as the entirety of the Hegemon-4 to some people. How Symbal had gotten ahold of it would be a tale Josh would love to hear when they were all safely back.

“Well... after Alysa gets this, she’ll be impossible on the training floor...” A shadow passed over Josh’s face as he continued, “But there is an... issue.”

~Tell him, Sen.~

~Me?~ Josh widened his eyes. ~Why me?~

Sen smirked. ~You’re way nicer than I am.~

~Is not the job of law-yers on your world to deliver bad news?~

Josh shook his head adamantly. ~You’re thinking of doctors… Okay, fine but I wasn’t a divorce attorney. I specialized in criminal law which is why my bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired. This one’s all you.~

~ Fine.~ Sen sighed. ~But being nicer than you is not difficult to achieve!~

Sen straightened to attention and put on a friendly smile. “Apologies, Symbal. Items such as these cannot simply be... given away. We have been informed by a very reliable source that they must be... for lack of a better word... earned. We”—Sen pointed back and forth to Josh and himself—“had to travel to a pocket dimension and rescue a Titan trapped for thousands of standard solar cycles while risking imminent death from the pyroclastic collapse of the entire realm. Then we had to call his honor into question and risk his wrath before we were awarded ours. But that is just our specific example.

“You see, the truth is, a Cultivator’s actions increase their understanding of their iteration and themselves as they advance. These understandings form Karmic ties between themselves and their iteration. I believe that the strength of these ties is determined by how much one’s actions impact their iteration and what has been risked to accomplish this impact. The greater the impact and the risk, the greater the reward in one’s favor that Balance offers at the time of Attunement.” Sen’s face grew serious as he reflected on the words he had just spoken. Then he continued slowly as if drawing a conclusion while talking. “I... don’t quite have enough information to be sure whether I am precisely correct, but whether or not I am right about this exact nuance of how balance is struck, it is certain that the connections a Cultivator forms between themselves and their iteration are the true mechanism that forge one’s physical and spiritual union, which will ultimately lead to Transcendence. Obviously, Reality and Karma are intimately involved in this process and Balance serves as the arbiter between the benefits gained from an Attunement and the Karmic ties the Cultivator has formed with his iteration. This interplay of influence and reward appears to hold true for all things.

“For the purposes of a Cultivator’s growth, this process is short-circuited when items of power are gifted to a Cultivator who hasn’t formed the necessary Karmic connections with their iteration. In such a case, Balance requires a decrease in the benefit of the Attunement from that Item of Power to match that Cultivator’s achievement in gaining that item... It is possible the Item of Power might not work at all if the ties are too weak to justify any award.”

Symbal’s eyes were wide as saucers and he had a decidedly green tone to his countenance. He stood there for ten seconds with one hand on the cart to prevent falling. With his mouth agape, the thoughts of everything he had done, promised, harangued, threatened, and strong-armed to get the Crystal for Alysa no doubt raced through his head.

He swallowed hard and got a few forced words out in his nasal voice. “You... you mean... I will have to give this back because she didn’t earn it for herself !”

Josh felt it was time to jump into the conversation and held up his hand to get Symbal’s attention.

“Hell no! I’m a lawyer, born, raised, and trained in Chicago. We understand that systems only exist to put the right people, in the right place, at the right time, for the right things. Chicago hasn’t had an honest election since Mrs. O’Leary’s cow burned the city to the ground one hundred and fifty years ago and we likely never will again. But that doesn’t matter. As long as we get the necessary result we want and need, justice is served and all is right in the iteration.” Then with a smile that would have put any used-car salesman to shame, Josh put his arm around Symbal’s shoulder and added, “I’m sure that Sen and I can come up with a workaround for this. Our girl needs it, and we’ll make sure she gets it... the right way!”

Symbal took a breath for the first time in sixty seconds and closed his eyes, silently praying to his ancestors for strength.

Sen nodded. ~How are we going to do that?~

~I haven’t a clue... but we will!~

Sen’s mental sigh was nearly audible. ~Agreed.~

Symbal had recovered to the point of having regained the power of speech. “It seems I owe you two even more than I did already. Gratitude!” He bowed at the waist, and then continued in a shaken but significantly improved tone of voice. “You had better get a move on. I’ve already prayed to my ancestors for you to bring her back safely, so I know you will.”

Josh could see that the strong facade Symbal was wearing in public wasn’t impervious. He believed Alysa was in real trouble.