SATUS ARC FINALE: A Second Chance

This wasn’t Abara…

No, it was dark and cold. In place of the sands was the falling snow. The tree he stared at was not from Satus… It was from Earth. He remembered this place like he had visited just the other day but, Earth was dead. Blown to pieces, all part of the stardust. He remembered the dark oak he sat on, and the pond just ahead with golden fish flashing by.

It was home.

Behind him, the door slid open and his father joined him staring at the stars above. He looked so much smaller than he remembered…

It seemed his father noticed him staring. “I come here often, you know. When I want to reflect on everything.”

“Your business?” He had assumed this was a memory, a very strange one but a memory nonetheless. His father looked a little perplexed for a moment but laughed.

“My business? No, that’s long gone, like I’d worry about it now!”

“No…” He continued. “When I think of Prota and Ghrian, when I think of your mother.”

Hoshi realised this wasn’t just something he recalled, this didn’t happen, how else would his father mention Prota? They were amongst the last aboard the Iris, Earth was gone as the ship reached the warp point. It dawned on him, The Vagrants on Abara and Sao’s attack… the wound he received…

“Am I… dead?”

This too gave his father quite the chuckle, louder than he ever remembered him laughing. “No, kid, you aren’t. Well, I don’t think so anyway… suppose if Astra or Greaves don’t bandage you up properly you’ll be in trouble…”

“How do you know them?”

A grin graced his face, but he ignored the question. “You’re getting close now, Hoshi. Thornpoint is the start of it all. Just like we planned.”

All of it flooded back to him bringing a torrent of emotion, powerful enough he couldn't hold back the tears. “No. It’s not like we planned at all. Ghrian’s chasing me down, I’ve got no way past the Roses… and you aren’t here. You’re still buried in those sands, still chained to that shithole… because of me.”

His father placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him. “We are not the bodies we inhabit, Hoshi. You buried a memory, and I became a man I could be proud of. My son, I gave my everything so that you could reach this stage and further.”

“Past the warp gate, and into the unknown serenity.”

He awoke in cold sweat and pain. Clutching his stomach and breathing slowly as he came to his senses. They were back on the ship, in his room with blood soaked bandages balled up and tossed around the room carelessly. The sting of the wound making itself known as he tried to sit up.

Leaving his room eventually, Hoshi found an absent cabin. Astra’s room was dark, the door open but ajar. She was also bandaged and passed out, her skin pale and her face troubled.

“Hoshi.” He heard. Greaves was at the other end of the hall with fresh meds and water. “You’re up” Greaves said quietly, sounding relieved. He handed him a bottle and quietly wandered past into Astra’s room to tend to her wound. “Astra’s looking a bit better now, her fever was really bad a few days ago but it looks like it’s come down a lot.” Turning his attention to Hoshi he glanced at the wound on his stomach, seeing him still clutching at it slightly. “How are you feeling?”

“I’ll live… thanks, Austin, really. If you and Yuri weren’t here we…” as he said it he noticed the red under Greaves’ eyes. “Speaking of which, where is he?”

Greaves still had contact to the old man but… in between tending to both Astra and him, Yuri would have been the first thing on his mind… to leave someone that’s been there for you for so long, it grinded him down even more than he already was. He didn’t even need to answer for Hoshi to understand, instead the former Vagrant apologised, trying to help however he could.

*-*-*

About a good half hour later they had sat back down in the cabin. Hoshi had gone back to change and Greaves cleaned up in between. Hailey greeted him back as cheerful as always and they relaxed for a short while, going over the events on Abara.

“Sao… so, that weird guy was your subordinate?” Greaves asked. “Explains why he was so creepy with you.”

“I just hope Artemis is okay.”

“She’ll be fine. She’s annoying and an ass, but she’s tough as old boots. Yuri too.”

Hoshi could see the worry in him. But he knew what he said was true, Yuri wouldn’t go down so easy, and the Vagrants would be more interested in following them instead… a quick glance to the radar and nothing really happened, another moment of calm. “We’ll get to see him again. As soon as we shake Ghrian we’ll go back and drop you off.”

Greaves looked confused, “go back?”

Before Hoshi had a chance to reply, Hailey gleefully booted up. “We’ve reached our destination! The ship is now in orbit and will land in approximately 15 minutes!”

“We’re landing?” Hoshi questioned. “Austin, where are we?”

“Welcome to Thornpoint!” Hailey interrupted. Instantly the stress clutched him again and his wound throbbed so hard he dropped back into his chair, Greaves jumped up to check on him.

“Greaves… by Thornpoint…” he looked on expectantly, awaiting a completion to his incomplete question

“…We’re at the Warp Point…”

*-*-*

Landing was the easy part. They opened the hatch expecting some guard to come barrelling in guns blazing and end their journey there and then. Seemed it was a quiet day, however. No guards, no gunshots, just dust and wind.

“Well… that’s slightly anticlimactic…” Hoshi commented.

“Would you have preferred a fiery welcome?”

“Suppose there’s less tension in that.”

Just ahead was the central hub, walls made from worked stone from the planet with a rusty red tone. Dark oak doors lead into limestone halls with the iconic Rose at the heart. The boys peered in from what they deemed relative safety, close enough to look in but also close enough to the ship to allow for a quick escape. Still, not a movement more than the swaying of reeds in the wind.

“Think they’re out?” Greaves asked quietly.

“If we’re lucky. Let’s get back to the ship” Greaves agreed and they hurried along back to their vessel, reaching the steps up. “We should scout around, see if there’s anyone around…”

“Hi there…”

It certainly wasn’t Hailey, the shade in the cabin covered them in darkness but they were there, and it was a voice most unfamiliar. Stepping closer removed the shadow and revealed the form of a young man. Short red hair with black at the roots, messy enough to look like vines. Piercing black eyes the centrepiece of a well defined, if not slightly fox like face. He was sitting in the captain’s seat, his black leather and steel capped boots resting casually on the dash.

“Nice ship. A bit messed up here and there but decent.”

“Uh…” Hoshi just about managed.

The stranger got up quick enough and sauntered his way to face the boys. He was taller than them, and held an uneasy aura. “You must be the captain.” He held out his hand, gesturing to shake.

Unable to really figure out what was happening, Hoshi just decided to play along and take his hand…

Next he knew he was tasting the floor.

Greaves eventually realised what happened and tried to help Hoshi but the young man kicked him completely out of the ship and onto the hard red stone below. Only the sound of the thud and his breath escaping his lungs remaining of him on the ship. Hoshi felt the stitches stretch and the blood flow from his wound, screaming as he felt it tear. The boy was atop him, heel against the back of his neck.

“One might have thought that painting yourself bright red surrounded by bulls would be a stupid idea… a Vagrant landing on Thornpoint without a word of warning, especially with recent events in mind… now that’s downright mad, wouldn’t you say so?” He had a handful of Hoshi’s hair, pulling his head up.

“Who…” he squeezed through the heavy breathing and gritted teeth. “…are you?”

“Oh. I do apologise, where are my manners.” Without warning he let go of Hoshi, his head slamming back down onto the deck. The mystery man knelt down facing him, with a thin knife at his throat. “My father would be quite disappointed now wouldn’t he?”

“Fuck you…”

“Ooh, temper. My friend, you speak to the heir of this cesspool you now find yourself atop.”

Like a light bulb clicking on, the information gathered quick and Hoshi realised their guest was in fact their host. One of the most dangerous nomads in the stars…

“Ethan Rose, at your service.”

*-*-*

They were moving, that much he was sure of. The feel of his feet scraping the ground and the wound of Greaves struggling were the accompaniment to the darkness.

Eventually they reached their destination, and he was sat down, the bag over his head removed. Ethan smiled at him as he passed, “wakey wakey.”

Greaves was still with them and conscious. He’d gathered a few cuts from his flight down the stairs but despite it he was okay. They had been sat at a dinner table fit for a country it seemed. Ethan was on the other side beside an older man… THE older man.

“David Rose…” he muttered, only audible to Greaves beside him.

The patriarch of the century old crime family nonchalantly cut his roast like a surgeon, paying no heed to his new guests.

Everything he did screamed luxury, everything he owned was an expensive import. Suits made of the finest silks woven together by the universe’s finest. His decor, the artwork splayed out on his walls, more expensive than even their ship. Man had long since lost the need for wristwatches, technology had advanced much further since those days and yet, one was there on his arm… he was a true man of tradition. Still, he didn’t have the look of a man to be feared. His once fire red locks had burnt to an ash grey, his sharp features marred with old wounds and wrinkles. Yet, Hoshi knew the sort. The unassuming kind were always the worst of them, Liu was always wary of them even as one of the strongest in the Vagrants… how he would view the patriarch of the Roses, he wasn’t certain.

“So.”

So sudden his trance was broken he felt as if he’d been physically hit by the word. Ethan watched both like a hawk sitting beside his father. Waiting, hoping one of them would give him the reason to snap.

“What brings you to our table?” He asked.

“Uhh… you? You did.” Greaves replied with sass, it was not appreciated by Ethan but he ignored it.

“I mean, what brings you to Thornpoint? If Ghrian sends his messengers then I’d suggest you return home and tell him to see us himself.”

“We’re not Vagrants.” Hoshi declared.

Ethan looked taken aback but also amused at the same time. “And yet, you fly a vagrant comet, wearing vagrant clothes. I didn’t realise Ghrian was handing out merch, I hope you got a good deal.”

“I was one. I don’t think you’ll remember but I have been here before. I would have only been a kid then but I was with Liu, back when the Serpids were messing with us.”

“I do recall a child at the meeting.” The first words uttered by the old man.

Hoshi felt like he’d seen a chance to get closer. “Look, I left the Vagrants because of Ghrian. We took their ship and escaped. But Ghrian found us on Abara, and he’ll be coming here next. All we want is to use the Warp Gate to get to the next galaxy.” Pleading with the old Rose, still chewing his rough roast.

“We are neither enemy or ally to the Vagrants. If Ghrian is after you, you will be handed back to him.”

Irritated, Hoshi leaned forward, close to David. “He’ll kill us!” It didn’t sit well with the father’s son.

A smell most foul was the only warning he received, permeating through the air… bloodlust. Blink an eye and it’d have appeared as though the young Rose teleported from his seat to Hoshi’s, a knife through the chair where his guest’s head was. Hoshi just about moved in time, had he not, he’d have lost an eye at the very least. His reward for dodging was that, along with a nice graze on the ear.

“Rather rude to speak at my father like that, especially when we’ve been so welcoming. You’d best watch your tongue before you lose it.”

“Enough, Ethan.” The old man spoke finally. “Our galaxy has seen peace for 15 years. Three families stand on equal ground, not allies but not enemies. The ground we stand on is fragile, and something as small as letting go of another group’s prisoners means a break of trust.”

“What peace?” Greaves asked, disgusted at the mere suggestion. “People are robbed, kidnapped, assaulted, murdered… all of it in your territories, all of it by the soldiers you control.”

He got a glare from Ethan as a result, but it didn’t deter him. “You should have seen it before. Kaftars, Roses, Vagrants.. we all came to be in the days of Lawless. Like a Phoenix from the ashes we brought order. Sacrifices have to be made unfortunately, but, that is simply business.” The old man took a sip of the tea at his side, the last drops of it. “And I’m not willing to risk what was built here for a few runaways that couldn’t play their parts”

A dejected Hoshi dropped his head. The most crucial part of their journey was always going to be here, that was before he became Ghrian’s most wanted. Now, without money, without time… This was the finish line, the last hurdle and falling meant failing.

Desperately he searched his mind for a solution. Money? No, they had none and the Roses had it all. Could he turn them against each other? It wouldn’t make sense keeping the trio alive at that point. Maybe they could be tricked… a look at the old Rose ruled that one out.

The light in his eyes was fading as his ways out were. Until he realised there truly was no running anymore, and the future faded to black.

Ethan pulled them away, all while the patriarch finished his meal and Greaves called out for Hoshi in vain.

The plan… his dream replayed that idea, the plan he and his father had. It was nothing more than a joke now. They’d escape from Prota on a ship of their own and get through the warp point into untold possibilities. Here he was stuck at step 2 with no hope of making it further, it was hilarious to him…

Sting and sound. His cheek ached, somehow he was behind bars with a pissed off looking Outlaw with his hand raised. “Wake up! We’re stuck in here, Astra’s in the ship, there’s Rose guards everywhere and Vagrants on their way. You really think giggling like a fucking school girl is helping?!”

It wasn’t, not one bit but, what was the alternative? “We’re fucked anyways.” He replied, resting on the bed and nursing his wound. He could see Austin’s view of him change, any respect he had was burning away but he didn’t care anymore. “If we could get out, we’d be caught. Every time I get this close to making it through I get pulled back. I’m sick of being a fuck up… I’m done with it all.”

He wanted desperately to sock him. To beat him til he couldn’t move and drag him back to the ship. Either way Hoshi was useless now. “After everything. Catching Astra, getting help from us on Abara, all of it was for what? So you could sit here moping? I’ll probably never see Yuri again, because of you. Astra will probably never make it home, because of you.”

“That’s why I’m staying.” Silence fell on them. “There’s no way out for us anymore, Austin. But you and Astra aren’t who Ghrian wants. He wants me, I just got you two so close to dying over the last few days, I don’t want it to happen again.”

“If we move it wont happen!”

“Austin! Listen to yourself, even you don’t believe what you’re saying. What matters more to you? Me, or Astra and Yuri? Go, get to the ship and head back to Abara. Ghrian is heading this way anyway, if you time it right you’ll get back unseen and never have to worry about them ever again.”

*-*-*

On the other end of the Villa of Thornpoint, David simmered in his office with a cold glass of whiskey and a scowl, a hyperline facing him. He’d put it off long enough, put away his drink and dialled.

“…”

“…”

“You’ve got some nerve.”

“Ghrian. How long has it been?”

“Evidently not long enough you dried up fuck.”

“The meteor that attacked your compound was not under my command.”

“Then why was it flying your emblem?!”

“Use your head, Ghrian. You and I are far from friends, but we both know war isn’t good for business. Either of us could have attacked the other over the years and we never have, what possibly could I gain from it now?!”

He could practically hear the grin on Ghrian’s face. “You’re getting old, David. That son of yours is counting the days until you keel over, but he’s green as summer grass.”

“My son has been under constant surveillance at Thornpoint for the past fortnight I can assure you, the ship that attacked you is not from my fleet which means someone is trying to play the field. You get rid of me, I get rid of you, and the doors are open for the next lose cannon to take our spot and fuck it up. We need to discuss this in person, come to Thornpoint and we’ll discuss the next steps.”

“Oh, don’t you worry. See, I’ve been dealing with some pests recently and it seems they’ve found their way to your neck of the woods.”

“I’m aware. We have them in custody. Think of it as a peace offering.”

“Good… I’ll be arriving in an hour. And if I see any signs of a double cross Rose, I’ll make sure my men pluck your boy’s leaves away slowly, and as painfully as possible.”

The line went dead and the old man cursed quietly, completely ignorant to the reflection in the distance. cascaded light through the glass windows, a ship in the wrong direction from Abara, instead it was coming from the edges of the galaxy…

A meteor… with the mark of the Rose.

*-*-*

“Past the warp gate… into unknown serenity…” Hoshi mumbled. Every memory from that day to now played over and over in his head like a movie constantly repeating. Parts bled together but there were moments like hammer strikes, his father’s death, his failure on Prota, Sao… and how Austin looked at him just moments ago…

Approaching footsteps brought him out of deep thought, they stopped at the broken bars, processing the scene. “And this is exactly why I told we needed a refurb.”

Hoshi knew it was Ethan, he didn’t even bother to turn over to face him. “Shouldn’t you be chasing him?”

“He won’t get far. Your ship’s been moved to the hangar, if your friend wants to get there he’s got a decent chance. Flying it out, now that’s a different story completely.”

Friend, he heard that and curled up. “We aren’t friends.”

“Aww… had a falling out? Explains why you’re still here. Must have been tough on you, making it all the way here only to fall short. Now your friend throws you under to save his own skin.”

He was expecting a bite but Hoshi didn’t give him the satisfaction. “Here I was hoping we could come to an arrangement, you and I… but, you look dead already, you aren’t worth the trouble.”

“You can’t offer me anything anyway.”

“A chance to escape?” Ethan proposed, the question piquing Hoshi’s attention. “I’m not sure your feelings on Ghrian, but his head would be on offer as well, providing my father doesn’t want it for clay pigeon”

His hands clasped the bars before his brain had noticed, instincts had kicked in. “Your father doesn’t want war…”

“My father wants an unchanging third of the stars, for it to be passed onto me and to my kids, then their kids and so on so forth. I don’t want to settle for some shithole, we were the first gang in Satus, then your lot made waves and demanded your little Prota. No, my rule will be over the entirety of these stars and its people. Ghrian will fall… and you will get your revenge.”

Revenge. A word so sweet but poisoned. Everything he went through was because of the commander and the vagrants, he hated them down to the last bone in his body but… there was Sao and Liu. People that made him who he was now, surely he couldn’t call it all bad, he couldn’t wish for their downfall… Revenge, is that really what this was really for? He pondered. The anger bubbled away and then everything that had lead to this moment, and the people he had met, Yuri, Artemis, Hailey, Austin… Astra. What do I fight for?

“I’m not stopping, Astra. I’m going past the warp gate, past the Empire and into the unknown. Do you trust me to get you home?”

…

“I want to be a hero.”

…

You live for your dreams, you’ve got me this far through pain and loss… what do I fight for?

Revenge?

Or Salvation?

Astra woke in pain, hearing the door to the ship open slowly, and someone shushing Hailey during her regular peppy welcome. She struggled up and out her room, seeing Greaves creeping around and peering out the glass of the doors.

“What are you doing?”

Startled he almost pulled his pistol but thankfully held back. “Astra!” Had this been any other day he’d have jumped at her, professing his undying love for her in her morning wear… but there were much more pressing matters at hand now, and that lack of goof confused Astra. “We’ve got to go.” He explained, moving quickly to the cockpit and taking Hoshi’s seat.

“Go? Where to? Where are we now for that matter? And where’s Hoshi?”

“Astra… I need you to calm down. I can explain everything when we’re gone but for now you just need to trust me.” Quick as he could he fired on the circuits, keeping an eye on the outside which was still calm for now but he knew taking off would bring in unwanted attention.

Astra was not giving up with that however. “Where is he? Austin.”

If he didn’t tell her now, she’d have fought her way off the ship and gone to find him. “They got him. Roses took us hostage, he let me go. The Vagrants are 100% on their way here.”

“We aren’t leaving him!” She ordered, ready for a fight, but Austin didn’t back down either.

“You two seriously need to stop being so similar, its kind of freaking me out. Is everything ready, Hailey?”

“Yes Sir!” Instantly, the ship’s weapon systems unleashed their full potential, gatlings on both wings, rockets at the bow and a targeting system under the control of the Last Outlaw. “We gotta go… cause we dont have the fire power to take on the Vagrants as well!”

The old Rose looked away from his whiskey for a mere moment and saw them in the distant stars. A fleet of Comets headed their way. “Ghrian.”

“Hold onto something! Once we start there’s no going back” Greaves explained.

But the moment before he could begin, she noticed something in the distance. A light amongst the dark… closer, closer…

“Austin?”

He saw it as well…

A meteor with a Rose…

“We’ll get there someday, Hoshi. To…” The words cutting off in his memory, but that alone was like the break of glass, the words he needed to hear most in the world, finally… he knew what it was all for. “I fight, for our freedom.”

And mere seconds later, the entire compound was reduced to rubble.

*-*-*

Fireballs fell from the sky. Comets belonging to the Vagrants fought the Meteor above to no avail, and Ghrian watched his fleet like flies around a swatter. Only he and Sao’s ships remained.

“Get us on land!” He commanded. “Come in, Rose!” He called through the coms, but not a sound came back.

The initial shot had hit high up, colliding with the wall just below David’s office. Ethan was nowhere to be seen, and Hoshi was free but feeling the pain from his wound reopened. The difference of outside and inside were now just a concept but he had been flung a far distance from what was formerly the cells. Lucky for him, Astra and Greaves found him first and dragged him to his feet, finding the ship.

The warp gate… a triangular frame the size of a mansion, finally they stood before it. Astra placed Hoshi back on the ship for Hailey to work her magic on his open wound, restitching it however without the time to anesthetise he felt the full brunt of it. As the operation was underway it was left to Austin to turn on the warp. The Meteor was still looming overhead but for now, it seemed more preoccupied with the gnats flying around it.

Ethan had been sifting through the rubble for a while when he found his father. He was under the broken brick and mortar, completely out. No movement, no breathing. The boy held his father close, seeing now what his wish would cause, and fury filled his broken heart.

Sao’s ship had been hit in the fire against the Meteor. Unlike most, he could control the ship to crash into the rock below, and though he survived he was down and out.

Ghrian stumbled out of his ship. It was still operable but some of the systems were fried. There would be no chase beyond the warp now, his ship couldn’t take the journey anymore. It needed to end here and now.

“RYŪ!”

Hoshi and Astra turned and finally, written in the stars they saw eye to eye once more, one more time here at the end of the road. Ghrian had his golden pistol, Astra and Hoshi had nothing and were in no condition to fight anymore.

“All of this. Stealing my ship, struggling on Abara and here. Dragging countless people into your little temper tantrum, and for what? You’ve known me all this time, known what happens when you face me.” The hammer cocked back and the barrel aimed at the former Vagrant’s now defenseless self. “I always win.”

As he said it, the warp turned on, colouring the sky a deep violet, a low hum ringing in the atmosphere. “The warp…”

“Astra! Hoshi!” It was Greaves on his way back, running to take Ghrian away from them but, at this distance he was nothing but background noise. Ghrian cackled, changing his target to the oncoming Outlaw, both Astra and Hoshi screamed out and reached for Ghrian, all of it in vain as the trigger pulled…

… and nothing?

“What?” Ghrian checked the firearm, taking another shot but again, just a click. He got frustrated and broke it in his hand. Greaves got within range in that time, drawing his own weapon.

Just before he could even so much as threaten the commander, his target’s knife clashed with his gun. Flinging it wayward. Ghrian drew another blade and looked to delete another threat, that knife flew out his hand as a bullet ripped through his palm.

Ethan. Dripping in blood and barely conscious yet stumbling forward cursing his name. “Ghrian! Ghrian!” He growled. Just about able to raise his gun again, he too heard the click. Ghrian capitalised quick, a high knee to the nose knocking the young Rose out, and another blade to slice his neck.

Another shot blasted through Ghrian’s flesh, flying through his back and out his abdomen. The commander gritted his teeth and went to stand again to face his enemy, but another shot knocked the wind from him. Hoshi held the smoking gun now.

No more knives, no more guns and no more power in those legs to pounce. Ghrian was toothless, knelt clutching his wound with his former underling stood over him with all the power.

The commander… how he feared that all this time. As a child he heard the stories of the brutal warlord running the wastes, he was the terror parents told tales of at night. When his father worked as a Vagrant, it was the name his father said with sweat on his brow and terror in his voice. As a Vagrant himself, every chance encounter, every meeting was a chance all his plans would go up in smoke. Even as recently as their escape, he was the man he feared.

And now? This loathsome man with nothing but threats… he didn’t fear this man.

“Come on Ryū, let’s see if you’ve grown a pair since last time!”

All those times he thought of ending him, and for what? The pain of it, the hate? What now? What was he to him… nothing. “You don’t get it, Ghrian. For the longest time, I thought what I wanted was revenge, to get you back for my father. But, when I think about it now… I don’t want revenge.”

“My name isn’t Ryū, or Ryūsei… my father named me Hoshi. And this story isn’t about payback, commander, nor is it running away… it’s about breaking the chain and moving on” He threw the gun in his hand, the gun he had taken with him since Prota. Everything that reminded him of his life before this moment would be left here, it was time to begin the next chapter. But Ghrian hated it, beaten and betrayed, mocked and still saved? No, that’s not how it was supposed to go!

“RYŪ!” One final desperate attempt, he clutched at the jacket, tearing it away from Hoshi, the Vagrant eagle landing beside him. The next try was met with one final beat.

Astra, with all her strength, almost falling on him, smashed her elbow into the commander’s jaw, taking his consciousness from him.

“Goodbye, Ghrian.”

*-*-*

As soon as the warp was done, the ship calmed. There were no tremors, no blaring radar and no radio contact anymore… it was just a silence.

Hoshi was the first to open his eyes, tentatively so.

For years, he spent gazing up at the sky from Prota dreaming of the day he’d see this. For years he’d told himself it was all worth it…

A true abyss.

“Past the warp gate and into the unknown serenity.” He thought he heard his father say… it was enough to draw tears.

Every sleepless night, every mission he thought he’d never come back from, days where he covered away fearing someone would come for him… those days were finally over…

No. This isn’t the time for tears. He wiped them away and looked deeply into the darkness. Pure dark in his mind betrayed him, in its stead was an ocean of colour and light. Distant stars gleamed, and planets of red, green and yellow danced in the sunlight. Ships flew by and blinked forward into another part of the nothing.

This was the abyss, this was what he looked up and saw in the dirt.

“We did it, dad.” His quiet words reaching the rest of the crew who smiled his way. Greaves wrapped his arm around his captain’s shoulders.

“This is just the beginning, Cap. Everything you see out there, we’ll go there, until we find something to make our own.”

“Sounds exhausting…” Astra joked, backfiring as Greaves took her hand.

“Of course, I can carry you around.”

She pulled his hand away slowly. “Yeah… I’m good.”

Hoshi couldn’t keep his eyes off those lights in the dark, countless worlds and wonders beyond comprehension. “Everything” he remembered, these the words he spoke on the Iris all those years ago. “I want to see everything.”

“Where to, Captain?” Hailey had reactivated after the warp, controlling their new drive she held the reigns to their destiny.

He simply looked on to the endless stars ahead. “Where else but there…”

“To Our Eternity.”