To Everlasting Ebb

[Dusk]

Omega-55 —> Omega-43 —> Omega-2
02.01.836 AS

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Crimson Veil had kept the identity of the third participant in this venture a secret until now. Partly to avoid unnecessary controversy, and partly... simply out of curiosity about how Chevalier would react. Considering the question of whether she should be jealous, she hardly expected their companion to be an AI who had been in contact with the Platform for some time. And indeed, it seems this managed to surprise Chevalier slightly, much to Crimson Veil's delight. Novak didn't keep them waiting long at the cloud of fiery rocks blocking the way to Deep Omegas. The AI ​​still didn't understand why Crimson Veil needed its presence, but that would soon be revealed.

For now, their path lay through something that threatened to melt the hulls of their ships if delayed. Having overcome this (relatively small compared to what was ahead) obstacle and jumped to the near edge of the unmapped regions, the group was almost immediately attacked by ships with an unknown signature. The attack was swift and desperate: the alien thralls attacked with truly suicidal persistence, using their entire arsenal. Whatever lay in these systems, it was important... And yet, Crimson Veil wasn't here for their secrets.

Their flight took the group through two systems that were as beautiful as they were dangerous. Along the way, in addition to the unidentified ships, they encountered Corsairs — the greed of the unrecognized Empire was as great as its reach. Fortunately, uncoordinated attacks were barely enough to overcome the firepower of a gunboat escorted by two fighters.

The road, however, led to a far more dangerous place, where the very space around them would try to kill them.

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