CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Six Years Ago

The captain goes through the messages and reports of the day, sitting at the desk in his private quarters on the exploration vessel, the Seraphim. He has this smaller space for more intimate conversations, and a larger office to conduct official business. Most of the ship's interior is bright with shiny surfaces, but his office and personal lodgings are made to his particular taste of dark-walnut walls and leather furniture. It's cozy, which isn't a feeling one typically experiences in space, but being captain has its benefits.

Captain Aldrenn Anton is one of the youngest star captains the Space Exploration Association has seen in the last hundred years, and even at his young age, his reputation precedes him. It wasn't only his natural talent as a pilot that got him noticed at the mere age of twelve, it was also his natural ability to lead. The academy rarely accepts students under the age of fifteen, but they'd made an exception for him based on academic scores, aptitude tests, and the drive he possessed to succeed at such a young age. Not just anyone can be accepted into the Space Academy, and it is even more rare to excel above and beyond. If you can't last in the academy, you won't last in the uncertain and dangerous arena that is space. The single purpose of the Academy is to find the best of the best, because that's what one needs to be to venture into the cosmos and worlds beyond Earth. Aldrenn is one of those special officers who was educated, molded, and trained to the extremes so he could reach his full potential—and he has done just that, and more.

He lost his mother when he was a baby and his father at sixteen. He follows in the footsteps of his father, who was a distinguished captain in his own right. It is strange to think that Aldrenn has been part of the SEA longer than he has not. Maybe that's what makes it easier to go on, to fall back on the life that he is so much more familiar with than those distant memories of when he was a young child being raised by his grandparents. He had persevered through it all, and now, after seven years at the academy, then another six years on various missions, he has made a name for himself. His exploits are nothing if not revered. Now, here he is, captain of his own ship at twenty-five years old.

His crew has reached the one-year mark of their three-year mission, and just like all other Star Exploration voyages, the mission is to explore unmarked space and establish alliances and peace with other human civilizations. Only the best crews are selected for deep space exploration. This is completely uncharted territory in the galaxy, and this crew, under Captain Anton, is no stranger to the challenges of completing such a task.

His agenda for the day is full, having been tasked with putting together a year-end report for his superiors, and just finished his check-in with the paleontologist team. But he still has to check in with the leads of a few more teams before his report is finalized.

Suddenly, there's a knock at the door. "Pardon me, Captain Anton?" says a voice, mockingly, on the other side.

The captain rolls his eyes. He has come to know that voice well over the last ten years. It's the voice of his closest friend, Nathan Hayden. They met during their early years in the academy, and have remained close ever since. Nate is also one of those select, overachieving officers who, like the captain, spent a majority of his life with the SEA.

No matter how much time has passed, hearing Nate call him "Captain Anton" never feels right. Of course, in the company of others, they always put on a good show, and only a few members of the crew know of their brother-like friendship. Nate is one of a handful of others who know him simply as "Renn." While being captain has its many privileges, being addressed as "Captain" or "Sir" day in and day out has become monotonous. He has to admit, he sometimes wonders what it would be like to be just Renn. It's a sort of daydream that he often finds himself wandering through on those long days of moving through the great, infinite plane of space.

"I'm alone, Nate. Come in."

Nate enters the low-lit cabin and immediately flops onto the cushioned leather chair in front of the captain's desk. "Man, did you see the new group of lingos that transferred over yesterday?" he asks happily.

Renn shakes his head, sighing. "Of course you had to be right there to welcome them to the crew." The ship frequently receives transports dropping off or picking up goods. Occasionally, officers also transfer on and off the ship, and linguistic officers are vital.

"It's part of my job! I told them right where to find me if they needed anything." He smirks.

"I don't remember seeing anything in the first officer and lead software engineer job description about being part of the welcoming committee."

"Actually, I think it's implied as your second in command, and if their tech for some reason isn't working properly, they know who to come to."

Renn glares at him. Knowing Nate, he'd probably purposefully do something to their tech that would cause them to have to come to him in the ship"s technical bay to fix it. Nate is brilliant. He's truly a genius in the tech field, and also a little bit of a troublemaker, but this playboy act is exactly that, an act. Nate has never fully gotten over his first real girlfriend, and as crazy as it was, being only nineteen years old at the time, Renn really thought Nate had found his person. Not that he will ever tell him that. It isn't really worth the trouble, and he is in no position to give relationship advice, having been in exactly zero serious relationships himself. Honestly, he's never had the time. As cliche as it is, he has spent every waking hour for the last thirteen years dedicated to getting to this point in his career. He had the occasional hookup from time to time, and it was usually with women who had no idea who he was. It was always a one time thing, never serious, even when there were times he might have wanted it to be. The only romance in his life at this point is when he has to manage the occasional crew quarrel of who slept with so and so's boyfriend.

Workplace drama is not his favorite aspect of being captain. It only makes him less motivated to date, and besides, how does one date in space anyway? He assumes that he'll meet someone later in life whenever he retires. People in this field usually settle down back on Earth or another allied territory at some point. The job is, in general terms, a lot on a person, and to be realistic, he doesn't feel like he could ask someone to wait for him while he is away for, sometimes, years at a time. He knows from personal experience. His father was away most of his childhood, and he knew somewhere deep inside that his mother would have been proud of the choice he made to become a captain like his father. He always understood that this position is so much more than a job. It is life—sometimes an overbearing and lonely one, and he doesn't want to do that to someone. He doesn't want to leave a wife and family behind.

"So," Aldrenn says, locking his fingers behind his head as he leans back in his chair, "how are things going, by the way? I guess I haven't officially checked in with you for the report."

Nate sets his feet on the desk, crossing his legs at the ankle. His uniform is the same style and color—dark blue—as Renn's, the only difference being the ranking pin on his shoulder. The color complements his brown skin well.

"I'm happy to say, with the crew now at two hundred and seventy-four, everything is running smoothly. Would you honestly expect anything else with me in charge?"

Renn rolls his eyes again.

"I'll send you an official report by tomorrow, I promise," Nate adds.

They both sit in silence for a minute or two. It is an aspect of their relationship that Renn has always appreciated. They know when the other needs to talk, but also when being in each other's company is enough. It makes life feel more grounded, something they can always count on. They never feel the need to fill the quiet moments with unnecessary noise.

The captain rises from his chair to gaze out the large window that takes up most of the office wall. "Do you ever find yourself thinking about home?" he unexpectedly asks, staring out into the great beyond of never-ending starlight.

"What do you mean? Like, Earth?" Nate asks, amused.

Renn turns to face him, nodding his head, hinting that he's serious about the question.

Nate removes his feet from the desk, sitting up to answer. "Man, what is home? We spent seven years in the academy and then out here," he says, motioning to the window. "When was the last time you were actually on Earth?"

Renn purses his lips in thought. "It's been a long time. I had a captain's council at a nearby station before we headed out a year ago. Never actually made it all the way back, but I wish I would have."

"Why? Is there really anything to go back to?"

"Truthfully, not really. I don't have any family there anymore, so there's no reason to, I guess." He immediately thinks of his grandparents, and even though they passed away years ago, he hopes wherever their souls are now that they are proud of him.

"Me either."

Renn continues to stare out the window, lost in thought.

Nate studies his friend's face for a long beat before he says, "What is it, Renn?"

The captain shrugs.

"You know, it's completely normal to feel a little off after spending such a long time out here. You should go down to the health bay. We have those for more than just accidents and emergencies."

He isn't wrong. It's crucial for every crew member to get a mental health evaluation a couple of times a year. Space can be a very solitary place, it's easy to get lost in your own mind.

"It's not that, but thank you. I swear I feel fine," he says with a heavy sigh. "But maybe ask me again in six months," Renn adds with a reassuring smile, knowing that Nate will most definitely check on his mental state if he needs him to.

"Are you nervous about the admiral coming in the next couple of days?"

Renn shakes his head. Admiral Grey has been a great mentor to Aldrenn throughout his career. He served as his first officer for a couple of years, and he owed a lot of his success in moving up the ranks so quickly to the admiral. He isn't so much nervous as he is stressed. This will be the first time the admiral will see Renn in charge of his own crew, and he wants to make him proud.

"Well, whatever it is that's got you in this mood, you know I'm here."

Before Renn can respond, a tone sounds from the console on his desk.

"Oh, good," he says, sounding dreadful.

"What is it?"

"I'm meeting with Locke in five minutes. That was my reminder, as if I needed reminding. I've been dreading it all day—all week, actually." He lets out a heavy sigh.

"Understandable. I really hate that guy."

"You're telling me. How he ever made his way through the academy without killing someone, or someone killing him, is beyond me."

Nate scoffs. "It's because of his family. That's the only reason. If they weren't so wealthy, and didn't fund so much of the association, I doubt he would've ever been accepted into the academy. Plus, don't forget about all the planets they've generously offered to supply with goods," he says with sarcasm. They aren't strangers to the fact that the Locke's have a long-standing reputation within the association in many ways, good and bad.

Renn nods his head in agreement. "You're not wrong. I'm tired of all the politics. If you ask me, they're starting to intervene too much with the association."

Nate hums in agreement, jumping out of the chair and stretching his arms over his head. "Well, you'll have to tell me how it goes later. I don't want to talk to him if I don't have to."

"I envy you, and I will."

"See you later, Renn," Nate says, letting out a small chuckle before leaving the office and shutting the door behind him.

Alone once again, Renn gazes out the window at the endless universe for a few more seconds before returning to his desk. He runs a hand through his short hair before placing his elbows onto the desk, interlocking his fingers so he can rest his chin on top of them.

No more than thirty seconds later, there's a single knock on the cabin door.

"Come in," Renn calls out, and the visitor steps inside, no urgency in his steps—practically dragging his feet.

Colin Locke's black hair and cold, dark eyes make him appear nothing short of menacing. He's one of those men who thrives on being the alpha. He revels in putting people down because he's stronger; it makes him feel good. There is no question as to why he pursued a career in combat, and there were many times over the years when Renn questioned his tactics. Locke has a reputation, and not a good one as far as Renn is concerned. He's aggressive and brutal. Unfortunately, he carries other characteristics that make him very good for his type of work. He's strong, determined, and skilled in what he does.

It doesn't happen a lot, but not every encounter on these missions are friendly. The main goal of Locke's team is mostly protection for the crew, but Colin and members of his team often find excuses to involve themselves with negotiations on other planets, and they rarely end well. It's why Renn personally requested that Locke was on his crew. It isn't because he likes working with the man, it's to keep an eye on him. And over the past year, Locke has pretty much behaved himself.

"Hello, Lieutenant Locke. Please take a seat." Renn gestures to the chair Nate was sitting in earlier. Locke still says nothing as he strolls over and sits. His uniform is a dark green—Head Lieutenants wear green, while the rest of the crew mostly wear black and gray—and he has a gun strapped to his hip. "First things first, is there anything you want to discuss with me before we dive into your report?"

Locke's emotionless face looks at Renn's, shaking his head once in response. Renn is used to this behavior from Colin; there's a mutual understanding that they don't like each other, so they keep their relationship strictly business.

"Alright then. I looked through your report, and everything looked pretty standard, but I did have one question."

Locke crosses his arms in front of him before letting out a cold, "And?"

Renn makes note of the arrogant tone but goes on like it doesn't bother him. "I saw that you requested an additional ten security officers. Why?"

Locke's eyes narrow, challenging Renn to balk, but he holds his gaze, undeterred. "We are getting further into deep space. I thought it wouldn't hurt to have some extra support in case we encounter something hostile."

Renn leans back in his chair, not surprised in the slightest at the response, but thinks for a moment on how to react without being condescending. "We haven't had any issues this last year."

Locke seems to puff out his chest as he narrows his gaze at his captain. "As you are aware, Captain, you never know what can happen out here."

Another challenge. Renn could tell him "no" and it would be the end of it—his orders are final. But he still has two years working with Locke, and he doesn't want the rest of their time together to be miserable if it doesn't have to be.

"What if we cut it to four?"

Locke clenches his teeth, but to his credit, he holds in the anger no doubt bubbling beneath his skin as he says, "If that's your order then . . . it will do."

Renn smiles wide, trying not to enjoy the reaction. "I'll put in the request today for four more officers. If there isn't anything else, you are dismissed." Before the last word is completely out of his mouth, Locke is already standing, heading for the door. "Aren't you forgetting something, Lieutenant?"

Locke pauses, turning slowly, facing his superior, and it's flat-out painful as he says, "Thank you, Captain." Saluting Renn, his posture is stiff, as if he's fighting with his limbs to give his captain the respect he deserves. Renn nods, and Locke slips out the door.

Renn lets out a long sigh, shaking his head. "Trouble," he says aloud to himself.

Colin Locke is more trouble than he could have realized.

After making the rounds through the ship and spending time on the bridge, Captain Anton eats dinner in the dining hall with some of the crew. He enjoys the downtime he gets with them and likes getting to know them on a more casual level. At times like these, when it's been quite some time since coming across a new planet, relationships are more vital than ever. Instead of feeling uneasy in the overwhelming sense of drifting through space, the crew actually enjoys each other's company; well, most of them. Renn notices as dinner is winding down that he hasn't seen Nate anywhere. It's very unlike him not to make an appearance, especially when most of the crew is gathered together, so he makes a point to send him a message when he returns to his quarters.

The captain stops for a final check-in on the bridge—everything is quiet and normal, so he lazily makes his way to his quarters, saying a few goodnights to the crew members he passes. The lights in his cabin are dim as he enters, evoking a sense of night to ease the transition into sleep. Renn performs his nightly routine of tossing his worn clothes neatly into the bin for laundry, doing a quick workout in his personal gym, taking a shower, brushing his teeth, and ends by sliding into bed with his handheld tablet so he can look over a few more messages and stats before falling asleep.

He types in Nate's name to find where he's currently located on the ship. The crew have their wrist devices for communication that also track their whereabouts. The wrist devices are worn mostly in case of emergency or to ensure they don't leave anyone behind if they ever venture onto a new planet. Nate doesn't come up anywhere on the ship; it isn't alarming, but odd. Just as he's about to message his friend, a beeping tone sounds, indicating that someone is at his door. Again, not unheard of, but odd at this time of the day. Renn makes his way to the door swifty but calmly, then pushes the button to speak to whoever is on the other side.

"Who is it?" he asks softly.

"Renn. Open the door. Quick." Nate's hurried voice comes through the speaker, and Renn doesn't hesitate to push the button to slide the door open. Nate bursts inside and locks the door behind him by pushing a few buttons on the keypad.

"Nate? What is—"

"Shh," Nate whispers, cutting him off. "Not yet. In your office, where it's private."

Renn's eyebrows knit together in concern as he follows Nate into the office they were in earlier that morning. Nate runs a hand over his face, and Renn secures the door behind them. When he turns, he notices that Nate has a sheen of sweat on his forehead, his breathing uneven.

"Nate? What's going on?" Nate doesn't say anything, covering his face with his hands, trying to take deep breaths. "Nate?"

Nate finally looks at Renn, and Renn almost takes a step back out of shock at the fear and panic he sees in his friend's eyes—something he's never seen before in all the years he's known him.

"I found something," Nate says slowly.

Renn carefully studies his friend, trying to get a sense of what he means, and when he can't think of anything he asks, "What did you find?"

Without a word, Nate strides over to the captain's desk. "I'm putting a security block on your computer."

Renn doesn"t ask questions. He trusts Nate completely, but why he needs to do this leaves him confused. After rapidly typing away on Renn's touch-screen keyboard, Nate slowly pulls out a small, square, photon drive and sets it on top of the desk where the files can be read easily just from the touch screen-like surface.

"I didn't want to mention this earlier, because I didn't know what it really meant, but I started looking into outgoing messages being sent from the ship. Not just official reports, but personal messages from the crew." Renn cocks his head to the side in disapproval, but is still curious. "I know, but listen. I was just doing my normal check on the systems including the ICM, but I noticed an enigmatic signal." The ICM—Interstellar Communication System—is vital, especially in deep space, so Aldrenn knows routine checks are needed, but looking into messages is something else. Renn gives Nate a wary glance. "I know, I know."

"Nate," Renn says, shaking his head, "do you know how much trouble you could get in? Cyber intrusion, cyberstalking—both are criminal offenses."

Nate offers him a half-hearted smirk. "Oh, come on. It's me you're talking to. Like they could ever trace it back to me." Renn opens his mouth to say something else, but Nate stops him by saying, "Just wait." The look of panic resurfaces in his eyes, forcing Renn to snap his mouth shut. "At first, I found nothing, but then I started seeing a pattern of messages being sent from someone on the Seraphim to a user outside of our system."

Renn leans forward as the messages start popping up on the screen. All the messages seem to be fairly short, one or two sentences at the most, and all appear to be signed by the same person.

"Who are Z and X?" Renn asks quietly.

"I don't know, I couldn't track it down, or at least not yet."

Renn quickly reads over a few of the messages.

Two more sites have been identified. Coordinates will be sent soon. All is well.

- Z

This is good news.

- X

I predict at least five more sites by the end of this cycle.

- Z

Proceed with Project Abyssal.

- X

"What is Project Abyssal?" Renn asks softly. When Nate doesn't respond he looks at his friend's face and sees nothing short of pure horror. "Nate?"

He still says nothing, but Renn watches him as he pulls a file up onto the screen. "It took me a good four hours to hack it, but . . ." Renn places a hand on his shoulder to steady him. "I have no words, just look for yourself."

Renn pulls up the folder and taps it open with his finger. Images and star maps flash up onto the screen. At first, it doesn't seem like anything concerning, but as he takes a closer look, the realization hits him like a punch to the face.

"Oh my God."

What appears in front of him is absolute destruction and death. Videos and images depict humans on planets across the galaxy being killed or imprisoned in what appears to be hostile takeovers. As Renn scans the maps, he sees certain planets have been marked as targets, and he realizes that many of them are places he and his crew have been this past year. The planets that are being hit in particular are classified as Primitive Planets, meaning that they are home to life forms that have no advanced technology or civilization. They are, in general terms, not to be touched. It's against regulations to disturb the internal development of these planets. They're strictly to be observed and never intervened with. It would be more of an invasion if the association were to try to create a connection with planets such as these, because first and foremost, the mission of the association is to establish peace throughout the galaxy.

"I don't understand. Why would someone do this?" Renn asks. He means it more as a question to himself, and isn't really looking for Nate to answer.

"That's not all I found," Nate says as he pulls up another file.

He taps it, and the documents that flood the screen are familiar—written orders that Renn has seen countless times over the years. He himself has written many orders as a captain. They have the title Project Abyssal on the top, a classified tag, and then a command typed below. All the orders are instructions to invade, capture, and detain, with the planet name and coordinates. But what makes Renn step away from the screen in utter disbelief is that every single order is signed by someone named A.T.G.

It can't be, but the first name that pops into Renn's mind is Admiral Thomas Grey. He runs a hand across his face, his mind running wild, his body feels like it will collapse.

"It can't be. There has to be an explanation for this."

Nate says nothing, his eyes still glued to the screen in front of them, but clearly, Nate has come to the same conclusion.

Renn doesn't know how much time has passed when he finally says, "So, you're telling me that Grey and someone on the Seraphim have been working together on, what? Taking over planets?"

Nate nods slowly. "All of the proof is right here."

Renn moves around the desk and sits down, holding his head in his hands. He feels like he's going to be sick. If what they're assuming is true, then not only do they have a traitor on the ship, but he's a high level leader, meaning there are probably others. Something like this couldn't be brought to fruition by two people.

"This is just the surface, from what I can tell. Who knows who else is involved, or how long this has been going on," Nate states simply. When Renn still says nothing after a minute or so, Nate speaks up again. "What are we going to do?"

Renn finally looks up at his friend, and he sees the desperation and fear etched in his deep brown eyes. "This is on me as captain of this crew and a commanding officer. It's my responsibility to do what's right." Nate waits for him to go on. "We can't tell anyone about this. We need to find out who the informant on the ship is first." Nate gives him a knowing look. "I know what you're going to say."

"Renn, it has to be Locke. He is a menace, and not to mention a total asshole, and it can't be a coincidence that Grey is coming here."

"But what if we're wrong? We don't even know for sure if Grey is involved. It's just an assumption."

"A pretty convincing one, if you ask me."

"You're right, but still, if we confront Locke, he won't take it well. Even if it isn"t him, he will act out of anger." Renn continues to talk slowly and calmly. "The admiral, on the other hand, may be more understanding if I confront him about it. If it's true, then I need to make sure the safety of the crew will be insured."

Nate stands and moves to sit on the edge of the desk in front of Renn. "But that means you'd be sacrificing yourself." Renn nods. "You don't think they would actually kill you?"

The captain pinches the bridge of his nose. "I don't know what they're capable of. I thought I knew this man. I trusted him with my career, my life, for years, yet I see this in front of me, and now nothing makes sense."

Nate shoots to his feet before pacing the room. "What have I done?" His voice is panicky and uneven.

Renn stands and grabs his friend by the shoulders to stop him. "You did the right thing. Now it's my turn." Nate sighs deeply. "Whatever happens, we are in this together. But my orders are orders. You must do whatever I say. If it means keeping everyone else alive, then that is what needs to be done," Renn says.

Nate gives him a sad smile. He steps away from Renn, straightens, and salutes. "Always, Captain. Always."

Renn feels tears prick at his eyes. Their world has been flipped upside down in a matter of minutes, and yet Nate is still loyal and willing to stand by his side despite the unknown ahead.

"Thank you, Nate."

Nate eases and then pulls his friend into an embrace.

They hold onto each other for a long moment until Renn steps back. "Okay, this is what we're going to do. We still have two days before the admiral arrives. We will proceed as normal." He pauses. "In the meantime, see if you can find anything else about Project Abyssal and who is involved. And don't dare reach out to anyone until we know for sure who we can trust. This is uncharted territory. Until then, say nothing to anyone. If something comes up, call me. No messages until we know more."

"Will do."

They keep their goodbyes brief, then Aldrenn strolls into his bedroom. He doesn't even make it to the bed before he breaks down, falling to his knees, praying that he's doing the right thing and that he, but most importantly his crew, will be alive by the end of it all.

Renn hardly sleeps that night. He finally drifted to sleep for about an hour, but it still felt like minutes. He pulls a fresh uniform out of the closet the next morning, and as he's buttoning the captain's insignia onto his shoulder, the alert of someone hailing him from the bridge rings throughout the room.

"Answer call," he says aloud, and a hologram comes through.

"Good morning, Captain. This is Officer Johnson from the bridge. You are receiving an urgent message from Admiral Grey. He wishes to speak with you immediately."

Renn's heart rate accelerates, but he keeps his voice calm and face neutral, like he isn't at all fearful of what this unexpected call could mean. "Send him through to my personal office please. I will take his call there."

"Very well, Captain," the officer says quickly and then is gone.

Aldrenn can hear his heartbeat thumping in his ears, but he casually makes his way to the office and sits down in the chair with his head held high and posture straight. He taps on the screen, and the admiral's face appears.

"Good Morning, Admiral."

Thomas's face is relaxed as he smiles at Captain Anton. "Morning, Captain. Thank you for taking my call." So far, nothing seems off, maybe this really is all a misunderstanding.

"Of course, sir. I'm looking forward to seeing you in a couple of days."

The admiral's eyes narrow slightly. "That's actually why I'm calling. There's been a change of plans. My officers and I will be arriving at the Seraphim within the hour."

Renn's heart drops in his chest, but he pretends to play dumb. "Oh, very good, sir. I will let the crew know to expect your arrival today."

As Renn looks at the face of the man who has been a mentor to him for many years, he feels a chill shoot down his spine as he now looks back at Renn with a wicked smirk that he's never seen before.

"Come now, Captain Anton, let's stop with the charade. I know you know about Project Abyssal."

For a split second, Renn thinks about acting like he knows nothing, but the strategy doesn't seem to work on the admiral. They know each other too well, or at least Renn thought he did.

"Tell me it's not true, Thomas. Tell me there must be a mistake."

The admiral chuckles darkly. "Oh, Renn, how dare you think you can address me so casually. However, that wasn't your first mistake." He glares at the captain as he goes on. "I had such high hopes for you, but when I realized you thought more with your heart, I knew I couldn't recruit you to the cause."

Renn's blood boils underneath his skin. "And what cause is that exactly? Murdering innocents?"

Thomas shakes his head in disgust. "Even now you can't see it, can you?" Renn says nothing as he clenches his teeth. "The galaxy is only expanding, Captain Anton. Do you really think everyone is going to play along peacefully? It's only a matter of time before one of them decides they want all the control. I'm ensuring that Earth will rule this galaxy. You should be thanking me."

Renn scoffs and then stands. "This is insane. You really think you can rule an entire galaxy through death and destruction—"

The admiral puts up a hand, interrupting him. "Oh, it's not just me, Renn. I think you'll be surprised how many people within our association agree with me, and have from the beginning."

Renn slams a fist on the desk. "Traitor!"

The admiral only smiles wide back at him. "Oh, how wrong you are, my boy. Now, listen carefully to what I am about to explain to you." Renn feels like his skin is on fire, his heart so heavy that it is making it difficult to breathe. "First of all, I want to know what you did with those files, and I want them back immediately."

It takes Renn about three seconds to know that Nate, in his cleverness, did something with them. What, he isn't sure, but he's proud nonetheless. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

"You know, the more you lie, Captain, the more difficult this will be for you and your First Officer. I know he's involved in the disappearance of the files."

Renn huffs out a laugh. "I don't care about what happens to me. My crew is all that matters."

The admiral seamlessly ignores Renn's response as he speaks through clenched teeth. "Locke and his team will be arresting you and Lieutenant Hayden for treason, and upon my arrival, you will both be escorted to my ship"

Nate was right. Locke, of course, is the mystery informant corresponding with someone off the ship. Damn him.

"And what about my crew?"

The admiral leans in closer from his side of the hologram. "This crew no longer reports to you. You are no longer captain. If you play along nicely, then I will spare the crew. Do we have an agreement?"

Renn calculates the possibilities in his head of how he can fix this—how he can save everyone and expose the treachery, but he can't see any options that won't result in the death of his crew. It's clear from the images he saw that they are capable of anything.

"Yes, we have an agreement."

"Very good. You will remain where you are and await further instructions."

Renn nods once in response.

"It really didn't have to be this way, Renn. I hope you can live with the choice you've made."

Renn stands, never faltering as he stares the admiral down. "The only mistake I've made, Thomas, is that I trusted you."

"We shall see, won't we."

The admiral's face dissolves as the hologram disappears. Then the tone of an incoming message sounds throughout the entire ship.

"Attention: Crew of the Seraphim. This is Admiral Thomas Grey. I come to you with an announcement that bears some troubling news. Your captain, Aldrenn Anton, and first officer, Nathan Hayden have been found conspiring against the association and have been charged with treason. They will be arrested and detained upon my arrival, and they will be transferred off the Seraphim immediately. You are in no danger as long as you follow orders. Until my arrival, please follow instructions from Lieutenant Locke and his team. This is a direct order from your commanding officer. I apologize for this shocking news. Thank you for your time."

Renn walks over to the window. He can almost feel the panic buzzing throughout the ship. He plays the events of the last twelve hours over and over, still in utter disbelief that this is happening. How many planets has he unknowingly handed over to these monsters? Has he wasted thirteen years of his life to come to this? What kind of a man is he now?

He does the only thing that he can think of that will maybe give some hope, he pulls up a new video to add to his captain's log. He straightens his uniform once more and hits the record button.

"Captain's Log, Earth date five-seven, year twenty-two sixty-four. This is Captain Aldrenn Anton. Whoever sees this message, there is a real possibility that I am dead. Please listen carefully to what I am about to tell you. Classified files were discovered by a member of my crew. These files contain proof of illegal activities happening across the galaxy. Primitive planets are being targeted and taken over by members within the Star Exploration Association. At this time, I do not know who is all involved, but I know these orders have been approved by Admiral Thomas Grey and involve information provided by Lieutenant Colin Locke while he has been under my command. It is my hope that the rest of the traitors will be uncovered and receive judgment for their crimes against humanity. For those of you who were unknowingly involved as I have been, I hope that you will not stand for this treachery. I hope that the integrity of this association is not lost. Godspeed. Anton out."

Aldrenn saves the message and hopes that someone will find it eventually. A sharp rap sounds from the door, and he doesn't have to guess who it is. He grabs a stun gun from the desk drawer, but then sets it down on the desk. It won't do any good to cause a panic, and he will be outnumbered. He walks toward the door and presses the button to open. He is not at all surprised that Locke's face is the first one he sees as it slides open.

"Well, Captain. Are we doing this the easy way or the hard way?"

"You can go to hell," Renn replies flatly.

Locke smiles, pure evil delight flashing in his eyes. "The hard way. Got it." He punches Aldrenn hard in the stomach, and before he hits the ground, members of Locke's team catch him. "Captain Aldrenn Anton, you are under arrest for treason." Renn gasps for air as his arms are placed behind his back and cuffed. "Take him to the bridge," Locke commands, and Renn is dragged down the hall without a word.

Once on the bridge, Renn is forced to his knees. To his left, Nate is already there in the same position, only, his nose drips with blood. There are no other members of the crew on the bridge besides Locke's team.

"Renn, I . . ."

"Shut up!" Locke rages. "You've already said enough." Locke stands in front of them while the rest of his team is behind. "I had safeguards in place in case anyone came snooping around. I should have figured it would be you, Hayden. Did you really think you could uncover all that information and there wouldn't be consequences? You are not the only one with brains in that department."

"I beg to differ," Nate says, followed by Locke's knee colliding with his face. He falls backward, his body in an uncomfortable angle thanks to the cuffs securing his hands.

"The admiral should be here any minute, so don't worry, your suffering won't be long," Locke says, pacing back and forth.

"So, what do you get out of this, Colin? Money? Prestige?" Renn asks. He prepares for a violent blow like Nate, but instead, Locke sqauts down in front of him.

"All of it, actually. Including a few planets all to myself. There's plenty to go around." The dark pits of his eyes are nothing but cold voids of unfeeling as Renn stares back.

"You're sick," Renn says.

Before Locke can respond, an explosion near the entrance to the bridge engulfs the room. Smoke and debris fly through the air, hitting some and scattering the others. Renn and Nate try their best to look around to see what's going on. Guns fire and men fall, then a pair of hands grab Renn and pull him away from the chaos. The smoke fills in his lungs, causing him to cough uncontrollably.

"You'll be fine, sir. Just let us get you to safety." Renn recognizes the voice of Officer Johnson. Once they are finally away from the explosion, the captain gazes around the room to see several members of his crew, including Nate. "Captain, what's going on?" Johnson asks as someone else undoes the cuffs from their hands.

"Did you not hear the announcement from Admiral Grey?" Renn asks, trying to clear his throat the best he can.

"We did, sir," another officer speaks up. He turns to face Officer Kent as she steps forward. "But we knew something wasn't right. Locke instructed us to remain in our cabins, but we saw them take you and Officer Hayden, and we knew we had to do something." The captain doesn't know if he should laugh or cry, but as he looks around at the crew members, he feels an overwhelming sense of pride. "They are contained on the bridge for the moment, but not for long," Officer Kent adds.

Everyone looks at Aldrenn. "Tell us your order, Captain, and it will be done."

Each and every one of them, including Nate, waits for his command.

"I don't know any other way to get out of this alive. If you do what the admiral says, you will be spared." They look at each other.

"But why, sir? What has happened?" a female officer, whose name is Alisha, asks.

They all look at him with trusting eyes. At this point, they are already out of time, so lying to them won't change anything. He tells them the truth as transparently as he can in the short time that they have left. "Lieutenant Hayden and I learned of some illegal activities happening across the galaxy. We confirmed Admiral Grey and Lieutenant Locke are involved, but there are many others." The crew members look at each other wide-eyed then back to him.

As if on cue, the tone indicating a message sounds through the ship one again. "Attention: Crew of the Seraphim. This is Lieutenant Colin Locke. Those of you involved in aiding Captain Anton and Lieutenant Hayden will receive the same fate as they will unless you return them immediately to the bridge. For the rest of the crew, remain where you are and await further orders from Admiral Grey." The message ends, leaving them solemn, a few of them have tears in their eyes. Renn smiles, trying to reassure them, but he knows it won't change what is happening.

"Thank you for your courage. Each of you. All I ask is that you help the rest of the crew remain calm. We don"t have much of a choice until we can find out who we can trust."

For a few seconds, no one moves or speaks until Officer Johnson stands up straight and salutes the captain. "It's been an honor, sir."

One by one, they all follow suit, even Nate.

"Thank you." His voice breaks for a moment. "Now, return to your stations."

They file out of the room until it's only Renn and Nate. Renn types on his wrist device to broadcast to the entire ship, then lifts it to his mouth to speak. "Attention: Crew. This is the last time I will be speaking to you as your captain. It has been my honor to serve with you, but in light of the current circumstances, things have changed. I ask you to not panic. This will be my last command. Stay strong. Goodspeed. Anton out." There is a moment of finality after he speaks. He can feel it to his very bones.

"Let's go," Renn says. They walk out into the ship corridors where some crew members are lingering, but Renn pays them no mind, instead facing ahead. It's the only way he can manage to keep his expression neutral. Locke is waiting for them outside the bridge, a new pair of handcuffs in hand.

"The admiral has arrived. Let's move." Locke waits for his team to detain them again before they make their way to the transport vessel taking them to the admiral's ship. No one says a word, but Locke keeps his eyes on Renn, a smirk on his face during the few minutes it takes for them to disembark the transport onto the Zenith—the admiral's ship. Renn knows he's enjoying this, mostly because he finally has what he's always wanted: an advantage over him after being second for so many years in all aspects. They are taken directly to the bridge where the admiral lounges in his chair like it is any other day.

"Ah, there you are, Aldrenn." Renn searches his face for any signs of the man he thought he knew. The last time he saw him in person, he was pinning a captain's pin to his uniform at his induction ceremony. He wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't experienced it first hand. Nate is placed next to him, both forced back onto their knees, holding back grimaces as they practically shove them down. "Now, let's not beat around the bush. Where are the files, Aldrenn? I thought we decided to do this the easy way." Renn feels Nate shift slightly beside him.

"Ensure the crew will not be harmed, and then I'll tell you where the files are."

Nate is looking at him now, but he keeps his eyes on the admiral.

"You are not in the position to make demands. Tell me. Now."

Renn holds his glare, his mind working out what he can do, but Nate interrupts his thoughts. "I have them!" Nate shouts.

Renn turns to him, his face etched in disbelief. Grey nods to Locke, and he pulls Nate onto his feet and begins searching his jacket until he finds the small photon drive.

"Locke, if you would." Colin shoves Nate back to the ground before placing the drive on the admiral's console, and immediately, the files appear. "Very good. Thank you, Lieutenant Hayden. At least one of you has some good sense." Nate gives Renn a quick glance before turning back to the admiral, and Renn doesn't see defeat, but rather a mischievousness in his dark eyes. He has a plan. Renn's anxiousness eases a little, knowing he should have never doubted him.

"Okay, you have what you want. Now let the crew go. Let them return to Earth unharmed." The admiral scans Renn's face for a moment, pursing his lips in thought. Every second that passes makes Renn more unstable.

"Officer Green."

A man stands, bringing his attention fully to the admiral. "Yes, sir?"

Without taking his gaze off Renn, he gives the order. "Set all weapons on the Seraphim. Fire on my command."

"NO!" Renn hurls forward only to be punched in the stomach again, dropping him to the ground. Instead of being dragged back up onto his feet, Locke holds him down, only allowing him to turn his head. The officer doesn't so much as flinch at the order. Neither do any of his crew sitting at their stations. They must all be in on it.

"You son of a bitch!" Nate struggles beside him, seething, trying to break loose. "We gave you what you asked for!" he yells.

"And how do I know you didn't tell anyone else on your crew what you found, hmm?" Grey says as he stands to move closer. "Locke filled me in on your attempted escape. I told you to follow my orders and no one would get hurt."

"They know nothing," Renn begs. It kills him to do it for these monsters, but he will beg if he has to.

"Unfortunately, your life is of very little value to me now, and the same goes for your word," Grey responds.

"Target is locked, Admiral. Ready to fire on your command," Officer Green flatly announces, like they aren't all about to witness the destruction of an association ship and an entire crew. They are supposed to be allies to the galaxy. This is so very wrong. It makes bile rise in Renn's throat. They are helpless—it's going to happen, and he can't stop it.

"Get up." Locke drags him to his feet. "Say goodbye, Captain," he hisses into his ear. Aldrenn could look away or shut his eyes, but he can't bring himself to do it. He wants to watch and remember it all, that this is his fault. Somehow, some way, they will all pay for what they have done.

"Fire."

There is no sound, or if there is, Aldrenn can't hear it as the beams of lasers and missiles hit the Seraphim again and again and again. He feels like he stands there for an eternity, but it must only be a few minutes before the ship is nothing but floating debris scattering through space. If it weren't for the sudden blaring alarms and lights flashing, he isn't sure if he would have been able to look away.

"What's happening?" Grey shouts over the noise. The admiral's crew starts typing frantically on their consoles and screens.

"Sir! There seems to be some kind of virus taking over all our systems," an officer calls out. Renn meets Nate's eyes full of fire and revenge.

"The drive!" Locke exclaims. He lets go of Renn and walks over to the screen where the files were moments before, but now, nothing is there. "They're gone! What the fuck did you do?" Locke screams at Renn, and he isn't sure what happens first, his head colliding with Locke's face, or someone firing a gun, but all at once, utter chaos erupts on the bridge.

He doesn't need to wait for a signal from Nate to understand what is going on. This is their one and only chance to escape. They run toward the doors. Nate has somehow gotten out of his cuffs and picks up a photon gun.

Lasers start blasting for a moment until the admiral screams over the noise. "Don't shoot! We need them alive!" It's all a blur, but somehow, they both end up in the lift, hitting the button to move down. Lights and alarms are still echoing throughout the ship.

"That was genius," Renn says through heavy breaths while Nate releases the cuff still around his wrists, making a loud clang as they fall onto the floor.

"I figured we were dead anyway, so I wasn't going to let them have all the information, but I didn't . . ." Their chests heave in and out from the effort of fleeing and the devastation they just witnessed. "I didn't think he would do that, Renn. I am . . . I am so sorry." His eyes well up, but Renn grabs him roughly by the shoulder.

"Don't you dare say sorry. None of this is on you. This is on me."

Nate gulps down his emotion. "Renn, you can't—"

"Stop." Renn cuts him off. "We don't have time for that right now. We need to get out of here."

"Here, take this." Nate bends down, removing something from his boot, then stands with two small photon drives and hands one to Renn. "I removed all the data from their servers, obviously, and split all the data from the report onto these. I also erased traces of the planets we mapped over this year and placed them in here. We have to split up, and if one of us is caught, then at least they won't get all of the data."

"You're brilliant," Renn says, taking one of the drives and placing it inside his pocket. "This is our responsibility—to make sure this gets to the right people."

Nate nods. "Agreed. But first, we need to get off this ship." The lift slows as the door starts to open, placing them in the engine bay that houses the ship's generators and other mechanical systems. They exit cautiously, Nate has his gun raised. "There should be weapons near the docking bays. If we can make it there, we should be able to get some supplies and find a ship to steal."

"Let's go," is Renn's only response as they make their way through the corridors. They see some crew members running about, but they don"t notice them. Clearly, the ship is still in disarray, helping them stay undetected as they gather additional guns and other supplies.

"How much longer do we have until they fix this?" Renn asks, checking around a corner.

"I estimate two more minutes at the most." They turn the last corner, heading toward a set of large blaster doors leading into the docking bay. The moment the door slides open, they are met with blasts.

"Shit!" Nate shouts, lasers shooting toward them. They duck inside the doors, making attempts to fire at the group when they can.

"Damn it. I should have known they would have guessed we would come here," Renn shouts over the noise. Nate pulls out a smoke detonator from his pocket that Renn didn't notice before.

"We only have one shot. We need to get you out of here." Nate adds.

"Hold your fire!" Locke's voice rings out. "Haven't you learned your lesson yet, Aldrenn? You don't stand a chance. Hand over the files!"

Renn holds up a hand, signaling Nate to pause. "You really think the rest of the association is going to stand for this?" he calls out.

"Not everyone will, of course, but we have enough at our disposal to take care of those who don't want to follow. We control so many planets already, and this is only the beginning."

They have to buy more time, so Renn keeps him talking. "And how are you going to explain how the crew of the Seraphim died?"

"A tragic accident."

"You're insane. You won't get away with this," he yells as Nate hands him another detonator. "What about you?" he whispers.

He gives him a smirk. "I've got an idea. Don't worry about me."

Renn gives his friend a worried look.

Nate nods to the drive in Renn's pocket. "The drive also holds a signal that can only be traced by me. Turn it on as much as you can, and I will try to find you. Get far, far away from here, and don't look back."

Aldrenn feels a stabbing in his chest, realizing that this could be the last time he sees his friend. They both could be dead soon, but they aren't going to die without trying.

"Stop fucking around, Aldrenn. Surrender now, or I will kill you both."

"Aren't you supposed to bring us back alive, Locke?" he yells back.

"Accidents happen. Any last words from the famous Captain Aldrenn Anton before he's blown to pieces?"

Renn's finger hovers above the button ready for his touch. "Yeah, just a few." He pauses looking at Nate one last time.

"Ready, Captain?"

Aldrenn nods, and they both push their detonators and throw them into the madness. "I'll see you in Hell."

"RUN!" Nate shouts as they both stand, firing at anyone they see through the smoke. Renn spies the outline of a ship in the fog, running as fast as his legs can carry him. He sees a few people fall from his blasts, but he doesn't stop until his feet hit the metal ramp and he's inside the ship. He doesn't look back to see where Nate has gone, and he doesn't waste a second as he powers up the ship and flies out through the docking tunnel.

Thankfully, his ship's shields are up, because he enters directly into the wreckage of what is left of the Seraphim, and it shatters his heart just as much as the pieces floating around him. He doesn't have a single moment to give his crew the respect they deserve. One year was all he had with them, but it might as well have been a lifetime, and now the beautiful ship, in a blink of an eye, is nothing but broken metal and dust. He closes his eyes before he powers up the thrusters to send him into the vastness of darkness.

Darkness like the state of his own heart.