The cloud of quantum residues left the viewport, fading into the darkness of space. The excitement and anticipation on the bridge settled down, leaving only the crew on duty present. Eliana had already left to take care of Derniere, who was still struggling with post-jump discomfort.
They had traveled roughly 70 light-years in their first jump, using just over 18% of their quantum fuel. That meant after every four jumps, they would have to find a suitable star system to refuel using the fuel scoop installed in The Forge.
Kai checked the list of contacts on his display, finding nothing but an empty screen. No stations, no outposts, not even a single ship detected in the system.
He pulled up the system’s information and saw that it had been discovered some time ago by an Imperial terraforming ship, but aside from a basic scan, nothing further had been done.
The system hosted a G-type main-sequence star, more commonly known as a yellow dwarf. These stars were known for their higher potential to form habitable planets, but in this case, every planet was either too far or too close to the sun, making their temperatures too extreme for practical, and more importantly, profitable terraforming.
Kai then checked the historical records of ships that had passed through this system. Only three had registered their presence in the past ten years.
That didn’t necessarily mean only three ships had visited—just that only three had logged their travels after returning to human space. Many independent ships or unauthorized vessels wouldn’t have reported their movements at all.
Kai pressed his finger on the display to bring up the newest entry. It was from eight years ago, recorded by a Federation expedition ship. He traced the date back and realized it was around the time when the Federation was still actively expanding, competing with the Empire for dominance. It wasn’t surprising that they had stumbled upon this system, only for it to later be officially logged by the Empire.
Closing the tab, Kai switched his display back to the Black Swan’s status. Ivan had already plotted their next course—another 70 light-year jump to a different system.
However, there was no urgency to leave yet. They would wait 12 hours for the first jump drive to recharge to about half capacity before using the second jump drive. This method ensured minimal stress on the power plant while also giving Derniere as much time as possible to recover before the next jump.
Robert stood up from his seat, stretching his arms. "I'm heading to the training room to work on my trigger discipline. Apparently, I burned through ammo way too fast during that drone fight."
Commander Grayson turned his attention to Kai. "You're dismissed too, Kai. There's nothing more to do here until the next jump. Get some R&R before then."
"Thank you, sir," Kai said as he unstrapped himself and stood up.
He was about to leave when Grayson called after him. "Oh, one more thing."
Kai stopped and turned back.
"You should help Eliana with moving. I just reassigned her room to Derniere—she needed a space of her own."
Kai nodded. "Then where will Eliana be staying?"
"With you, of course," Grayson said, smirking. "Unless you’ve got a problem with that. But it was Eliana’s request."
Kai stood frozen for a moment, his face heating up slightly. His thoughts drifted—staying with Eliana, sharing a room, the things they could do together…
Grayson chuckled at his reaction. "Enjoy your time, Kai. And if you do get kicked out in the future, just remember—there is an extra bed in the brig and it is surprisingly comfortable."
His loud laughter followed Kai as he exited the bridge, the automated door sliding shut behind him.
Kai's heart was pounding as he walked down the corridor. Eliana hadn’t mentioned moving in with him, and now he could hardly think of anything else. He picked up his pace, heading toward her room.
He spotted her in the hallway, arms full with a precariously stacked pile of clothes. The bundle wobbled dangerously, looking like it could collapse at any moment.
Kai stepped in quickly, taking the pile from her hands before disaster struck.
Eliana blinked in surprise before recognizing him, her eyes lighting up with a warm smile.
"Kai! Sorry, I was just…" She hesitated, her cheeks tinting slightly.
"Moving to my room?" Kai grinned.
"Yeah, that!" Eliana let out a small laugh. "I meant to tell you, but I only got the request from Commander Grayson this morning. I figured you wouldn’t mind… I hope you don’t mind."
"Of course not! This is actually a really pleasant surprise," Kai said, adjusting the clothes in his arms. "Here, let me help you move."
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She nodded, looking relieved as Kai took the rest of the pile from her.
It took some time, but they eventually got the room set up together. The move itself had been simple—Eliana’s old room was just across the hall from Kai’s. Most of the effort went into rearranging and decorating the space to suit both of them.
Kai had always kept things minimal. His room was bare, his belongings few, his style practical. But with Eliana now moving in, the space transformed. It felt cozier. Warmer. Like an actual home instead of just a place to sleep.
Kai picked up a small plushie Eliana had placed on their bed, examining it for a moment before setting it back down.
Eliana stood in the middle of the room, hands on her hips, surveying their work with a satisfied look. "So? What do you think?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
Kai looked around, then back at her. The room wasn’t just his anymore. Now it was their's.
"I think it’s very lovely," he said with a smile. "You actually made it feel like a room that people live in."
Eliana smiled. "That was what I was aiming for."
Kai stepped closer, taking her hand. Their eyes met, and for a moment, everything else faded. There was something about being near her that made him feel warm, steady. He leaned in, and they shared a quick kiss.
"I booked the training room for the next two hours. Care to join me for some exercises?" Eliana asked, her tone light but inviting.
"Why not? I could use some cardio. What scenario do you have in mind?" Kai asked.
"I was planning to do some grip strength training, so I'll probably work on vertical climbs," Eliana said.
Kai’s eyes lit up. "Oh! Have you tried the Madison Climb Challenge yet?"
"No, not yet. What's that?" Eliana asked.
Kai smirked. "Just wait. You're going to love it."
----------------
By the time Kai and Eliana arrived at the simulation room, Robert was just finishing his session. His face glistened with sweat, beads of it rolling down his forehead. He slung a damp towel over his shoulder and grinned when he saw them.
"Yo, guys. Sorry, but I'm heading out now," Robert said.
"How did your training go?" Kai asked.
Robert sighed, shaking his head. "Started fine, but then I just started blasting every target that popped up. Ended up shooting a few hostages along with the bad guys. And when I ran out of ammo, I had to scavenge enemy weapons to keep going."
"I'm sure you'll get better at it," Eliana reassured him.
"Yeah, but it's frustrating when you have a limited ammo count. Never had that problem running the ship's turrets." He wiped his face with his towel before heading for the exit. "Anyway, enjoy your session. And try not to get too competitive." He winked before disappearing through the door.
Kai chuckled and turned to the control panel. He searched through the simulation database before selecting the Madison Climb Challenge. The system whirred to life, generating the necessary environment and equipment for them.
The room dimmed, and the walls around them shifted. First, the simulation projected an ocean in the distance, then jagged mountains forming on the horizon. The ground beneath them transformed into rough, rocky terrain.
In front of them, a massive rock face grew, rising higher with every second. Its photorealistic texture had been generated using actual geological data, accounting for natural erosion, weathering, and even wildlife impact over time.
Finally, their climbing equipment materialized. A waist harness appeared on each of them, fitted with a small bucket of chalk clipped to the belt. The fine powder inside was meant to increase friction on their fingers, improving their grip.
Kai dipped his hands into the chalk bucket, rubbing the powder between his fingers. It felt real, down to the texture of the granules between his skin. The level of detail in the new simulation tech was incredible. He had a feeling he’d be spending a lot of time here.
Eliana was the first to start climbing. Of course, she was no stranger to outdoor activities. Growing up with wealth and resources meant she had received the best training in all kinds of sports—including rock climbing.
Since it's only a simulation, she wore no safety equipment, and took a long look at the rock face in front of them. Mentally calculating her path, she took a few steps back, then sprinted toward the wall, using her momentum to propel herself up.
It was an impressive start. She covered a lot of ground in seconds.
Kai grinned. He wasn’t about to let her leave him behind. If she got too far ahead, the simulation room might run out of space before he could catch up. And that would be embarrassing.
He quickly mapped out his own path and dashed forward. Using his enhanced strength, he jumped higher than Eliana had, grabbing onto a ledge much further up. He didn’t stop there—he threw himself upward with one arm, using sheer power to launch to the next grip point.
"That’s cheating!" Eliana called out, laughing as she hurried to catch up. She had a wide smile on her face, enjoying the competition.
Kai moved with ease, climbing the nearly vertical rock face like the mountain goat he saw in the encyclopaedia. His fingers dug into natural cracks in the stone, pulling himself up even as his momentum began to slow.
Up ahead, an overhang awaited him—a section where he’d have to rely solely on his arms to keep moving forward. He paused, reaching into his chalk bucket one hand at a time, refreshing his grip before snapping the lid shut.
The entire process took only a few seconds, but when he looked back, Eliana was already catching up.
"That was fast! Got any tricks I should know?" Kai asked, impressed.
Eliana smirked. "You might have more strength than me, but I chose the better path. Every contact point was calculated based on my body’s reach, so I never had to overextend or leap."
"Smart," Kai admitted. "I’ll keep that in mind."
"In that case, you should take your abilities into account too," Eliana pointed out. "If you can skip a few grip points and finish the climb faster, do it."
Kai nodded, glancing upward. "Ladies first."
Eliana narrowed her eyes playfully. "Or are you just trying to get a better view of me?" She flashed him a mischievous smile before reaching for the next handhold.
Kai smirked as he watched her move. Well… the view sure was nice.
Shaking his head, he reached up for the next crack in the rock and climbed after her.
----------------------------------
"Sir! You should take a look at this," Ivan said, eyes locked onto the radar contact that had just appeared on his screen.
Commander Grayson turned toward him. "Send it my way."
"Already did, sir." Ivan tapped a few commands, transferring the data to the main display. "Looks like a ship tried to make a jump into the system but ran into some kind of problem. It never completed the transition."
Grayson narrowed his eyes as he studied the data. The ship was drifting, its distress beacon broadcasting a steady mayday signal.
"It’s still transmitting," Ivan added. "Might be recent."
Grayson exhaled through his nose, thinking for a moment. "We should at least take a look." He straightened and gave the order. "Plot a course toward the ship in distress."
"Roger that, sir." Ivan’s fingers danced over the controls. "Adjusting heading. ETA in five minutes."
