To Brightest Light

[Dusk]

Cologne —> Zurich —> Champagne —> Ile-de-France
11.01.836 AS

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After her previous journey, Crimson Veil needed several days to recover. It seemed she hadn't felt such physical weakness since her time on Pittsburgh. But then again, it was hardly surprising when you're traveling to pulsars and black holes; AIs and giant aliens are toying with your nervous system; and omnipresent enemy forces constantly forcing you to fight for your life.

Perhaps it was just that. Fatigue.

She would have rested more, prepared better, but... She knew she couldn't wait any longer. She had to act while she still had the chance. Given what had happened last time, Crimson Veil wasn't sure how long this... Harbinger... would toy with her before he simply decided to end her and everything she had created.

So, during her recovery, she did everything she could to prepare. Upgraded her Anubis, ensuring a deeper conntection with her vessel. Managed to secure the help of Revenant of the Technocracy, as well as obtain a radiation-resistant suit from Katherine Pennybrooke, design from which she used to upgrade her own suit. Crimson Veil had mixed feelings about both women, for various reasons. But Emilia couldn't deny that they were... at the very least, useful connections.

What she didn't expect was that, in addition to Revenant herself, they would also be joined by an unusual cruiser, apparently belonging to the Leviathan, which Veil had heard about from her brother, as well as a Technocracy fighter, Serpentis. Considering that for this expedition, the most dangerous one, Crimson Veil couldn't allow herself not to enlist the support of Civil Servant and bring Chevalier along... It all felt more like a combat team than a research expedition.

This increased the risks of being seen. But at the same time, it offered a greater chance of breaking through by force. Crimson Veil couldn't yet say for sure how positive this change was.

The original plan to fly through Thuringia was deemed unnecessarily dangerous, so it was decided to fly through Gallic territory instead. These were truly beautiful places that perhaps lacked the presence and touch of Bundschuh...

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[Dusk]

Ile-de-France —> Picardy —> Burgundy —> Tau-44
11.01.836 AS

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As always, beauty and grandeur came at a price. Gallia was no exception. To their credit, space here looked far better than the vastness of Liberty or, even more so, Bretonia. But the group, moving along a stealthy trajectory, still had to fly through debris clouds. Every cloud has a silver lining, though—they'll surely provide shelter for those in need many more times in the future. But they themselves were an unpleasant reminder of humanity's propensity to sawing off the very branch on which they perched.

The flight was noisier than usual. Due to the number of people, there was constant chatter; Crimson Veil preferred to listen rather than speak, absorbing potentially useful information about the identities of her current companions. However, she did offer some words: for example, she encouraged Chevalier that her missed homeworld, Lorraine, might still be found in the future.

She also asked if Tau-44, bordering Gallia, reminded her fiancée of home. Judging by the photographs of that lost system, it was quite... White. However, this place only evoked in Chevalier associations with the extermination of the Crayterians. It seemed no one here had a positive opinion of that group, though Emilia herself had heard little about them. Perhaps only that they were, de facto, vassals of Liberty that often conflicted with the Technocracy.

Perhaps one day she would learn more.

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[Dusk]

Tau-44 —> Tau-37
11.01.836 AS

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The group managed to reach Freeport 10 without any skirmishes or difficulties. It was quite a long journey, but thanks to the lack of stops, it didn't take that much time. Now, however, the group needed to resupply and take a break.

Freeport 10 was the last point where they could find shelter. Beyond that lay the Outcast territory, where there would be no rest for them. And then... Then, something that had appeared to Crimson Veil in dreams, a place of blinding, dazzling light, awaited them.

She was afraid, even if she tried not to show it.

Until now... Neither a cosmic maw nor a pulsar could have given her such a premonition of something terrible. And yet, after what had happened near Saverne, she couldn't retreat. It was all or nothing.

Chevalier seemed to share this feeling. While the group finished their break, the two had time to talk for a bit. Chevalier had expressed her concerns about what was coming, and... Crimson Veil wanted to seize on that. She would have been happy if her fiancée had been waiting here in relative safety. Which is what she offered. The offer, of course, was not accepted.

They continued on their way together.

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[Dusk]

Tau-37 —> Omicron-Alpha
11.01.836 AS

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As they departed for Omicron-Alpha, Crimson Veil knew it was too late to turn back. She had to see this through. Decisively, quickly, and without hesitation. Steeling her resolve, she could only hope that her upgraded suit would protect her from the potential effects of the place they were heading to.

Omicron-Alpha, the Outcasts' lair, was a grim place. It was the homeland of humans enslaved by the orange substance, bent on spreading their curse upon all of humanity. The remains of their dormant ship still lingered in the system, a silent monument to what might have been.

They flew quickly, avoiding any contact with the Outcasts. Emilia was wary of these people: unlike their Cretan brethren, they could no longer integrate into the human race. They had become an alien element, dangerous by their very existence. Cardamine was like a cancer; Those who spread it for profit and power had no place in the world she wanted to build.

But all of this was but a minor distraction compared to where they were headed today.

The location where, according to Crimson Veil's source, the cargo they were interested in had disappeared was a dark, murky cloud at the edge of the system. The scattered debris boded ill. Revenant had legitimate doubts about this venture, but Emilia, having already made her decision, tried to put on a brave face.

Only when she saw the boundless light as they went through the jump hole they'd discovered did she begin to truly understand what awaited them...

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[Dusk]

Omicron-Alpha —> Omicron-Psi
11.01.836 AS

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She'd never seen anything like it before. She couldn't even imagine anything like it.

This place, radiating the brightest light, was filled with... Them. Every pebble here bore the trace of alien creatures, every glimmer of light carried their presence. It was quiet, but she knew it was only a temporary lull. They'd already known the group was here, the very second they'd entered the system.

The girl could barely contain herself. Inner One scraped its claws against the walls of Emilia's mind, like a furious, cornered beast. It was a mixture of terror and rage, and although Crimson Veil's upgraded suit somewhat eased the impact of this place... She realized that every second spent here was pushing her further and further away from her own mind.

The group couldn't help but notice. Especially CS, Falke, and Chevalier. The latter suggested heading to the desired object alone, much to Crimson Veil's horror. However, she understood that in this state, she would become more of a burden. Reluctantly agreeing, she asked Civil Servant to accompany Chevalier. Ultimately, however, the group decided to proceed to the object together, leaving Crimson Veil to wait for them.

And though she had never truly been alone... The absence of any voices around her made the incessant ringing of the light of this place louder than her consciousness could bear. Without realizing it, the albino piloted her fighter toward the nearest star in the system, muttering to herself words about her final destination.

She wasn't deterred by the voice that came over the comms, announcing that they had managed to retrieve the cargo lost here. However, when Crimson Veil didn't respond, the group hurried back. Crimson Veil's whispers of destination was interrupted by a Civil Servant's exclamation, like an electric shock jolting her out of her trance.

Hardly regaining her bearings, she sensed... the approach of those who wanted to drown them all in their light.

And they came. In boundless, blazing fury. While the larger ships of the group drew enemy fire, they advanced toward the exit, trying to cover each other. This was especially true for the Chevalier, which seemed determined to fend off the enemy until Emilia left the system.

Crimson Veil couldn't leave without making sure her fiancée was safe. After all, it was Emilia who had brought her here. So she resorted to a dangerous ruse: instead of entering the jump hole, Crimson Veil activated her cloaking device.

When Chevalier leaped out of the system... Emilia found herself alone with the colossal creatures for a few seconds. They couldn't see her, but they sensed her. Just as she sensed them. With the last of her strength, Crimson Veil pulled herself out of this paralysis and rushed toward the transition point to Omicron-Alpha.

She managed, albeit barely.

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[Dusk]

Omicron-Psi —> Omicron-Alpha
11.01.836 AS

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This wasn't the end.

Although it initially seemed as if they had lost the Nomads' forces by escaping the mysterious system of Brightest Light, aliens quickly caught up with the group, moving at impossible speed. It wasn't hard for the Crimson Veil to guess whose servants were pursuing them. Harbinger, though not personally revealed, continued his hunt.

Meanwhile, the Chevalier's gunship engines began to malfunction again, much like they did at the Everlasting Ebb. The Nomads didn't attack yet, though they kept close. As if awaiting a silent command from their master. And despite the delay, that command eventually came.

Although the group had managed to approach the gateway to the Tau systems, they were still forced to engage in combat, fending off clusters of maneuverable and extremely fast pursuers, as well as enraged Outcasts firing on both sides of the conflict. It was a brutal battle, testing the strength of Emilia's fighter's shields and hull.

But ultimately, they couldn't win. Scanners detected the approach of a group of particularly large Nomads. There was no chance of destroying those. The group had no choice but to flee through the passage to the Tau-37.

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[Dusk]

Omicron-Alpha —> Tau-37
11.01.836 AS

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After the jump, the group didn't slow down until they were in close proximity to Freeport 10.

In the ensuing lull, barely catching their breath, the group began asking her questions. Of course, this was expected, given what they had all been through. Why hadn't Crimson Veil warned everyone in advance where they were going? How did she know about this place? Was it all worth the risk?

Even though she was still shaken, she couldn't help but answer. Too much was at stake now to remain silent.

The albino couldn't have warned them in advance. What exactly was hidden in this place remained a mystery to her until they got there. The source of the information about the cargo was someone within the Core, whose name Emilia had refused to reveal for now. And if it was all worth it... Crimson Veil wouldn't have plunged into the unknown so quickly unless it was justified. Alas, the threat posed by Harbinger was too great to delay.

By and large, what was said was true. Only about the fact she had seen that bright light before in her dreams... Crimson Veil chose not to reveal.

There was less time for conversation than they had expected. A large strike force from the Core was approaching Freeport, clearly also interested in the cargo. Of course, it would be naive to think they were the only ones with information about it.

The ensuing battle was brutal, but brief. Unlike the Nomads, the Core had no reinforcements. Deciding not to wait for their superiors to correct this oversight, the group moved on.

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[Dusk]

Tau-37 —> Tau-23 —> Tau-31 —> Leeds
11.01.836 AS

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It took them some time to finally decide on a route. Returning the same way was risky: to move quickly, they would have to act more openly, risking the wrath of the Gallic war machine. A route through Kusari and Liberty was sheer madness, given the fortified borders. Ultimately, the decision was made to head through Bretonia and the nearby Omega systems.

The journey through Tau-23, a sort of interstellar crossroads, was relatively uneventful. The constant radiation was unpleasant, but nothing their equipment and ships couldn't withstand for a long time. However, Crimson Veil couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

And, of course, it turned out to be true. At the jump gate to Leeds, their group was ambushed again. This time, the silent adversaries were Kusari forces. Considering the chance appearance of such a large group was, to put it mildly, unlikely, Emilia could only chalk it up once again to the Nomads' influence. After all, according to Sinclair Protocol, Kusari was one of the two most exposed to alien influence Houses.

After finishing the battle, they passed through Leeds, the cemetery system, the site of one of the greatest tragedies in human history. Crimson Veil spent most of the journey in silence. However, that didn't mean the place didn't matter to her. The albino saw it as one of the most painful defeats of the human race as a whole: the hatred of a few led to the loss of so many lives.

This is why power must never remain in the hands of only one. Something she must remember fot the sake of herself and those around her.

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[Dusk]

Leeds —> New London —> Cambridge —> Omega-3 —> Omega-7 —> Stuttgart —> Cologne
11.01.836 AS

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The road after Leeds was unremarkable. Avoiding Bretonia patrols was easy, and the group spent the rest of the journey to Cologne in idle chatter. After everything they'd experienced today, simply being alive brought happiness.

After crossing Bretonia and the nearby Omega systems, the group flew through Stuttgart and finally returned to their starting point in Cologne. Some of the Technocracy forces, understandably tired from the long journey (or perhaps rushing off to their own business, which they were in no hurry to discuss), left the main procession. Emilia was planning to return to Saverne, but... Suddenly, she discovered that there was a small crystalline artifact in her cabin, faintly pulsing with purple light.

She couldn't remember how it had gotten there. She could only assume that she had somehow acquired it while she was not quite herself in the system of Light.

The crystal seemed to pulse more intensely when moving in a certain direction. Deciding that this couldn't be left unchecked, Crimson Veil alerted her allies and headed toward the point the artifact was "pointing" to.

This point turned out to be... a collapsed jump hole in the asteroid field. For about a minute, the artifact began to pulse more and more intensely, clearly drawn to the deadly object.

And then... They emerged from the collapsed passageway. Creatures resembling clots of energy, with some kind of dark objects swirling around them. After a few seconds, they attacked, but returning fire had little effect... Until the group figured out how to fire specifically at the swirling objects.

The battle was brief. Still, these creatures were unlike anything Emilia had encountered before. Were they related to the Nomads... or were they something else entirely? It seemed no one present knew the answer. Or, at least, had no intention to reveal it. The artifact, meanwhile, crumbled into tiny fragments, much like broken glass. Emilia saved these remains for later study.

A rest awaited them all. And then... Lots of work.

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