Juno Reyes' Starship, The Black Dagger – Exiting Uncharted System
Year 9783 C.C. – Three Days After the Trial
*****
Kael slumped against the cold interior of the ship's cargo bay, his breath still unsteady.
The metal walls hummed around him, the distant sound of thrusters adjusting course vibrating beneath his boots. The Black Dagger was smaller than the Dominion warships he had trained on—compact, reinforced, designed for maneuverability over brute force.
Juno had kept her word.
But he wasn't safe yet.
'One problem at a time.'
He glanced down at his hands, fingers still stained with dust and dried blood. His stolen weapon lay on the floor beside him, its charge depleted. He had no armor, no backup, and now, he owed a favor to a woman who clearly had her own agenda.
The ship's comm system crackled to life.
"Get your ass to the cockpit, Veyrin."
Kael exhaled slowly. Here we go.
*****
The cockpit was cramped but well-worn, a space built for function over luxury. The main control panel flickered with holo-displays tracking ship diagnostics, hyperspace coordinates, and Dominion patrol routes.
Juno sat in the pilot's chair, boots kicked up on the dashboard, a half-eaten ration bar in one hand. Her auburn hair was messier than before, a few strands falling across her scarred jaw as she lazily monitored the ship's trajectory.
She didn't look up as Kael stepped inside.
"Strap in, princeling. We're about to hit the Rift."
Kael frowned. "The Rift?"
Juno rolled her eyes. "Right. Nobles don't take backdoor routes. I forgot."
She gestured toward the viewport, where the vast darkness of space stretched before them.
But ahead—something shifted.
A massive swirling distortion, like a wound carved into reality itself, pulsed in the void.
Kael's grip on the chair tightened. "That's not a natural hyperspace gate."
"No shit," Juno said with a grin. "It's an unstable Rift—how we smuggler types avoid Dominion checkpoints."
Kael narrowed his eyes. "You're taking me through an unregulated Rift jump?"
"Unless you wanna dock at a Dominion-controlled port and get shot on sight, yeah."
Kael didn't answer. He had no choice.
'Trusting her is dangerous. But staying in Dominion space is worse.'
Juno smirked at his silence. "That's what I thought."
The ship's AI beeped, indicating final approach.
Juno stretched. "Buckle up, princeling. You haven't seen chaos until you've ridden the Rift."
Kael exhaled, securing himself into the co-pilot's chair. "Just don't get us killed."
"No promises."
And with that, The Black Dagger plunged into the Rift.
*****
For a moment—silence.
Then, gravity warped. The ship lurched violently, pulled into a swirling mass of shifting colors and fractured light. The Rift wasn't a stable hyperspace lane—it was a raw tear in space, unpredictable and untamed.
Kael clenched his jaw as the ship's hull groaned under the pressure. His Celestial Archive flickered erratically—even the system struggled to track their position.
'This isn't normal space. It's something else entirely.'
Juno, by contrast, looked completely at ease.
"You're gripping the chair like it's gonna save you."
Kael ignored her. "How often do you take these jumps?"
She smirked. "Not often. I like my ship intact."
Kael's system flashed a warning.
[Celestial Archive – Spatial Disturbance]
► Warning: [Unstable Gravitational Field Detected]
► Status: [Temporary Navigation Blindness]
► Estimated Exit: [32 Seconds]
Juno tapped the controls, making minor adjustments as a shockwave rippled through the hull.
Kael inhaled sharply. "Are we about to—"
"Relax, Veyrin. This ship's seen worse."
Kael wasn't convinced.
Thirty-two seconds had never felt longer.
Then—suddenly, the Rift spit them out.
The ship stabilized, returning to normal space. Stars stretched out before them once more, and the chaotic pressure of the Rift was gone.
Kael released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
"I hate that."
Juno laughed. "Yeah, well. You survived. First time's always rough."
Kael shook his head, shifting his focus. "Where are we now?"
Juno brought up the navigation chart. A holo-map of the Outer Reaches unfolded before them, a vast web of uncharted planets, hidden trade hubs, and lawless stations.
"Welcome to nowhere," she said. "We're outside Dominion space. That means you're officially off the grid."
Kael nodded slowly.
'For now.'
*****
Juno stood, stretching her arms. "Now, about that favor."
Kael exhaled. "I knew this was coming."
She grinned. "You're quick. Here's the deal—I got you out, and now you work for me."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Doing what, exactly?"
Juno shrugged. "I need an extra gun on a job. Simple escort mission. Get in, get out, don't die."
Kael crossed his arms. "And if I refuse?"
Juno leaned against the console. "Then I sell your coordinates to the nearest Dominion warship and let them finish what they started."
Kael's muscles tensed. "That's not much of a choice."
"Sure it is. You can choose to live or die. Up to you."
Kael narrowed his eyes. She was playing him, but she needed him alive—at least for now.
He exhaled. "Fine. I'm in."
Juno smirked, satisfied. "Good boy. Now get some rest. You look like hell."
Kael didn't argue. He turned, leaving the cockpit.
'One problem at a time.'
He was off-world, but nowhere near safe.
And whether Juno was a temporary ally or another danger entirely—he'd find out soon enough.
*****