Three minutes after sitting with the helmsmen, Josh hurried back to Sen and the space marines. All three of them.

Alysa hadn’t been slacking in training her Essence absorption skills while he and Sen had been with the Sundai. Not only had she been able to absorb and purify the Essence from a downed Cultivator, but she had entirely healed herself. A long way from struggling with the tiny crumbs of Essence her father’s chickens provided.

Alysa had also gotten into a spare blue and silver Hegemon-4 crew jumper and held an extra EVA suit with a space marine’s kit harvested from the Impact. All thoughtfully provided by Lobo.

Having pulled her shoulder-length hair into her standard working, I-can-kill-you-if-I-have-to-so-don’t-make-me ponytail, she took a handful of water from a canteen and quickly washed the dried blood off her face.

Josh had a thousand things to tell her, a hundred questions, and one big ask... but, as long as she was okay, it would all have to wait. He settled for drawing her into a sideways embrace as he came up next to her. Just like hugging Sophie, it was as easy as Sunday morning.

Coming together like father and daughter for a quick hug that was over in a second said all that was needed.

We’re family. If you need me, I’m right here.

Then it was back to Karma’s rollercoaster from hell that Josh was calling a life as he noticed a very uncomfortable looking Sen.

~We need to talk! I must tell you something–~

~Me first, brother. Sorry!~ Josh interrupted with a stronger nod.

~Okay... I can wait...~

Josh mentally squirted the information about his encounter with Jishin and the helmsmen.

Sen made a pruned face. ~Yes. I feel it as well. Balance now requires this of us.~

~Good! Now for the weird part.~

Josh looked to the three space marines while Alysa finished squaring herself away. He couldn’t help but note that the miracle only female military officers could pull off had once again occurred. Less than five minutes from death’s threshold and she was back in charge. Pristine, calm, and collected, hands behind her with a straight back.

Josh spoke to all three. “Guys, we are staying with the Kaizuko on this ship to rescue the destroyed Caravel’s crew.”

Alysa’s eyes screwed up, obviously getting ready to stop a deranged madman from continuing his dangerous ways—

But Josh held up his hand and tilted his head down, pressing on. “I know it sounds crazy. But we have to do this... it is... required of us– Sen agrees...”

Josh waved his hand to Senyak, who nodded and swallowed shallowly before continuing where Josh had left off. “We are being called on by Balance. Karma leads us... and we must follow– But you must make your own choice. This ship will return to the destroyed Caravel in less than ten micro-gyras to rescue their clansmen stranded by their commander when he pursued the Impact.

“If you are going to return to the Hegemon-4, go now.” Sen finished waving at the handful of flight-worthy ships that Ishan and Lobo had spared for this purpose.

Ishan and Lobo continued to look straight ahead as Alysa was now the lead of their chain of command.

Alysa looked up at Josh and Sen with her shoulders brunched under a pinched expression. “Karma... demands you save the skugs that attacked our ship, killed dozens of defenders and crew, and would have sold us all into slavery?”

Squinting his eyes, Josh picked up the answer in an I’m-really-sorry- but-it’s-happening-anyway tone. “Yes, and no... fate, destiny, Karma, whatever you want to call it... doesn’t care about wars or fighting or what we think of as good or evil. Just balance for what has been given and taken... and what will be given and taken.

“We will be there when this Brigantine rescues what is left of the Caravel’s crew. The helmsmen don’t really need us to actually save the crew. I told them we were all planning on leaving, and the ship was theirs. They want us to stick around to deal with another problem... their commander’s undead master. An energy feeder from a mercenary group called the Savoy. We need to deal with whatever threat he poses. This is why we have to go. He is our...” Josh tilted his head back and forth to find the right word. “Imbalances in Reality aren’t our fault, but they are our... Responsibility to deal with.”

Looking up, Sen considered his brother’s last statement, then nodded in agreement before he jumped in, confirming there was truth in Josh’s lunacy. “I believe these requirements arise in exchange for the rapid growth Karma, its Balance, and Reality have granted us.”

Sen looked straight into Alysa’s eyes. “We are still determining the degree of threat we will face. However, it will be hazardous in the extreme. Likely beyond our abilities to deal with, easily at least.”

Josh and Sen then stopped talking and gave the three space marines the chance to decide their own path.

Time was ticking, and a decision had to be made. None of that, it seemed, changed how Alysa handled decisions when her men’s lives were jeopardized. Her expression hardened as if time would stand still until the proper choice was made. At the very least, she would use every second she had in order to choose correctly.

Twenty seconds went by, and Josh’s fingertips had worn an impression on the steel wreckage he was leaning against before Alysa responded. “We’ll stay with you. I agree. The commanders of these vessels aren’t capable of what has been organized against the Hegemon-4. They are at the bottom of the barrel regarding conflict-applied intelligence and battle area tactics. The real threat to the Hegemon-4 is still out there using these Kaizuko as a cat’s paw. If we are positioned to do something about it before it moves against the Hegemon-4 again, then we are in the right spot.”

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Standing behind her, Ishan and Lobo continued to look straight

ahead. The firm set of their jaws confirmed their agreement.

Josh nodded. ~Karma has her now... doesn’t it?~

~There was never a doubt, brother.~

~I need to tell you about the new mind skill I discovered—~ Sen raised a mental hand.

~No. I must share with you—~

Sen raised two hands. ~This is important, Sen—~

~I saw Sophie with Alysa! She made me promise to tell you she loves you!~

Sen sent every detail of his finding Sophie with Alysa in their soul space through the Bond to his brother.

Josh experienced a torrent of emotional overload.

Surprise, fear, anger, joy, and pride each fought for space on his face as he reacted to what Sen was showing him, and for a moment, his sun rose again when he saw her smiling face in Sen’s memories.

Josh’s tears streamed over smiling cheeks. ~Sisters? They can do that? She was staying with Alysa through her torture?~

Sen spoke through their Bond, also, smile-crying. ~Yes. Yes. And yes. Sophie was a true sister in arms to Alysa. Be proud of our young warrior’s strength and tenacity. I am!~

~This means I can see her when she’s back! It must tire her out, traveling through the multiverse to this iteration...~ Josh’s expression darkened. ~Sharing the pain Dezain was causing Alysa must have wiped her out as well...~ A black look. ~Death is too good for that piece of—~

Sen put both hands up. ~Yes, yes, yes, and yes, it truly is. When the time comes, we will ensure Dezain’s walk on this path is over. But, you can sense that he is essential for how the immediate future will play out, can you not?~

~Yes, I can, and I think I have an idea as to how...~

~I am also confident that before his spirit moves through this iteration’s soul nexus, Balance requires he faces his own physical mortality.~ Sen nodded through their Bond ~Just like he made Sophie and Alysa...~

Josh’s eyes narrowed. ~I couldn’t agree with you more, brother!~

Mushroom clouds were still rising in Josh’s brain from the A-bomb Sen had set off. Sophie could travel to a soul space she and Alysa share, and I could see her there! And she loves me! Of course, she does. But gods, it feels good to hear it!

Focus, Josh! To see her, we all need to survive the next few hours!

A smiling smirk forced itself onto his face at the thought of hugging Sophie. After a deep breath, Josh took a minute to instruct Sen on the Mind Attunement Command skill, including a quick and dirty explanation of how he had Intended to impose his will on the three helmsmen when he’d... figured it out.

Sen’s brow crinkled at Josh’s choice of words, knowing the truth through their Bond. He let Josh’s version of events stand. At any rate, not having any way to practice the Command skill right now, Josh hoped he wouldn’t need it and also that he could pull it off if he did...

They would enter hyperspace in five minutes and return to the disabled Caravel’s hapless crew. It was a trip of eleven minutes and change, according to Jishin.

Another significant factor was that Kyon Shi could be waiting for them when they arrived. They needed to learn what they could about him before that happened. They only knew what Jishin had reported seeing on the bridge during Dezain’s last encounter with him.

Jishin had called the undead an ‘energy feeder’. Not a vampire. Thinking about him that way was probably best. No physical contact was required for his skills to work, which made Josh reflect on his Mind Attunement. Kyon Shi might be able to take their Essence and health through some kind of long-range mind technique—like Jishin had described happening to Dezain during his last encounter with the undead.

There was clearly more to the story than met the eye with that event. There was obviously a strong bond of debt between Kyon Shi and Dezain. Like Chase Manhattan and its 193 million cardholders, this was a bond that allowed greater liberty. Kyon Shi had more access to Dezain and his Essence than any random Cultivator. Given what Josh knew about Karma and Attunement, this scenario made more sense. But these were just theories based on very little information. It was time for Josh and Sen to learn what they could before they moved on to the main event.

As for information, they only had access to one source.

A wicked smile crept onto Josh’s lips. They were about to see how Dezain liked being the catcher for aggressive interrogations. In fact, Josh and Sen had a significant advantage in this department and they were pulling out all the stops.

Standing above the prone, blindfolded, gagged, and shackled body of the unconscious POS, Josh looked at Sen.

~Ready?~

Nod. ~Yes.~

A brief instant of focus upon Dezain’s mind, and they were there, even while both still stood over the prone and unconscious body of Dezain.

He was no longer gagged, blindfolded, or shackled. The lighting also differed from Josh’s time in Ishan’s mind on the Raptor. Instead of a brilliant, brightly lit, never-ending landscape of white space, he found a zone of twilight that surrounded them. Low light from an unknown overhead source cast uncountable shades of dark copper and gray over the vast empty expanse around them.

Josh swallowed and looked to Sen, who was already looking eagerly at Josh and waiting for guidance.

True. New powers were Josh’s area, no question there. Plus, this was obviously more political than military.

My time to shine.

No sense in arguing about it. They needed to know why the Kaizuko had attacked the Hegemon-4. More specifically, why had Kyon Shi wanted the Kaizuko to attack the Hegemon-4. They also needed to get as much information as possible about Kyon Shi and his abilities. Lastly, Josh also wanted to torture this living Karmic violation.

One step at a time.

Licking his lips, Josh none-to-gently toed Dezain’s forehead hard enough to leave a deep indentation from the treads on the bottom of his foot.

No response.

He kicked Dezain’s temple, perhaps a bit harder than he intended...

No response.

Having an idea. Josh leaned forward and shouted at Dezain. “Wake

up!” Josh’s full Intent behind the words was clear to be heard.

Upon waking, the commander’s body stirred and went through the

motions most men go through.

Josh took a half step forward and sharply kicked Dezain in the center

of the activity. The commander’s eyes went fully wide as he curled up and groaned.

“This is not a place for you to scratch your sack, pal! Why did you attack the Hegemon-4!”

“Wha... whe... where are we—”

“Listen to me! You are going to die no matter what you tell me. How much pain and discourtesy you suffer depends on what we can learn from you! Why did you attack the Hegemon-4?”

“Kyon Shi!” Dezain, now fully awake, started violently turning his head from side to side, furiously searching the barren sky above for something that Josh and Sen couldn’t see.

There was nothing there...

Turning back to Dezain, concern growing despite his best efforts to ignore the Kaizuko’s actions, Josh continued, “Kyon Shi. Yes, we know about him. Tell us about his strengths. His Cultivation. How many and what type of Essence Attunements does he have?”

A look of terror overcame Dezain’s face as a piteous whine escaped his lips. Tears leaked from his eyes, and his screams turned into the desperate bawling of a child suffering deep and inescapable pain.

“Here... hee’sss here! I... I can’t hold himm baacckkk!” Dezain’s body went rigid as his spine forcefully arched.

Tremors ran unconnected through his body, wracking him in all directions. The commander unnaturally jerked up, balanced on the crown of his head and pad of his heels. A cry from multiple different voices all at once poured from his lips for the beat of five seconds.

Josh gave Sen a questioning look. ~Do you know what’s going on?~

~No idea, brother…~ Sen shook his head vigorously. ~Be ready for anything!~

The Kaizuko’s body slammed flat to the ground. Its twitching subsided and quickly went completely limp.

Josh and Sen stood on the balls of their feet and raised their eyes from the motionless body. They started looking from side to side as the lighting in the mind space grew steadily darker, and the already deep shadows blotted out the distance entirely.

When it was too dark to see without their enhanced vision, Dezain’s eyes snapped fully open. A predatory light of eldritch hues glowed from within and was emitted from his bloodshot orbs. The sharp sounds of snapping cervical vertebrae were heard as the Kaizuko commander’s head twisted impossibly far around to take them both in. A black tongue surrounded by rotten and jagged teeth in multiple rows was seen, and a voice with rasping tones like dry reeds being snapped barked out.

“So, you are the ones who have defeated my new toy. Your bodies are forfeit as just compensation, and I claim you in bondage and servitude—until I arrive to collect you...”

A searching look took over the decidedly nonhuman and mummified features that had claimed Dezain’s previously young face. His glowing green eyes looked from under brows like dried clay and the undead raised his bone-thin fingers to rest on his shriveled lower lip.

The right idea obviously came, and a feral grin spread over the desiccated features. “Why don’t you both swim in lava?”

Suddenly, they were gone!

Instant, searing, mind-splitting agony.

Molten rock, thick as drying concrete, surrounded Josh and Sen and their feebly struggling limbs. For a moment, they could see the liquified stone hot enough to glow red all around them.

The near-infrared EM band. At least twenty-two hundred degrees Fahrenheit.

Josh’s scientific mind volunteered. Then everything went dark as the fluid in Josh’s eyes boiled, melting his sclera to vaporize in the heat.