A packed venue, cruisers jammed wherever they could find themselves room to fit. Seven felt like an atom, forcibly being squished into a CCP structure. Every turn threatened to scratch his 9th-Gen SiriusRacer. Every halt of the line brought him closer to a fender-bender. This is why he could never stand conventions.

 

Though he supposed the night's event had reason to be fuller than a winged-serpent in a rabbyt enclosure. The reveal of the millennium’s greatest invention certainly demanded a retinue of enthused science nerds and ogling civilians. Of course, the news teams had to rear their money-grubbing heads, as well. To miss out on the biggest convention in modern Neutra history would be to suffer the ultimate FOMO. Still, the amount of those in attendance was absolutely ridiculous.

 

It wasn’t as though the event were some form of celebrity pop-up. No autograph signing or live show, no, this was something that the common screen-scroller wouldn’t even know the first thing about. Seven was certain that once Old Dr. Euclid began spouting spells of “Multiple World Interpretation” and “Infinite Instances”, the rabble would begin to thin out.

 

As if the constant honks and agitated shouts from outside the cruiser weren’t irritating enough, Seven’s family, who so graciously volunteered themselves to carpool with him, insisted on whining and berating every second on the second. As if he had any control over their current position. 

 

“Seven! There was a spot right there!” His little sister, Lilliana, shouted as she rose from the back seat and shoved her face past the driver headrest.

 

“Lilliana, put your seatbelt on!” His mother hollered, voice hoarse from the previous night’s civil speech.

 

“Stars, Seven. Don’t you get, like, V.I.P privilege or something?” His oldest sister, Vivian, ignorantly spat from the passenger seat beside him. “You’re an engineer, aren’t you?”

 

Seven was just about at his wits end. “No, Vivian. I don’t have ‘V.I.P’ access. That’s not how it works.”

 

“But didn’t you work on the project? You can’t, like, make a phone call to your little nerd buddies or whatever?”

 

The leather of the steering wheel gripped hard beneath Seven’s flesh. “No, Vivian. I cannot make a ‘phone call’. My team only worked on the project briefly, very briefly.”

 

“So? Shouldn’t that be enough? Sigh, it’s not fair that Dad and Heaven get special treatment and we don’t get jack…Why’d we have to settle for you?”

 

Insufferable. Seven wondered if he could cover the damages and simply floor-it into the cruiser in front of him. “Maybe you should join the military then, if you think it’s ‘so unfair’...” He mumbled, “Get shipped off to a station in The Horris Region while you’re at it. Stars forbid you make me happy...”

 

“Don’t mind your sisters, Seven.” His mother comforted, much to deaf ears. “Just take your time and get us there safely.”

 

Seven sighed. “Yes, Mother…”

 

It was unfortunate, but someone had to do it. The Centauri’s attendance at the night’s event was non-negotiable, consisting of: A father who served, now living his life as a veteran for the people, doing the most he could for the Neutranites, even in his sickly state. An older brother who serves, currently well respected as one of the top three Captains in the Navy. Seven himself, an engineer of the Northern Hemisphere Special Corp. A mother who was an extremely vocal advocate for civil rights, a woman of the people. And two sisters who were well on their way to becoming respected scholars in their own fields. A family that shined as bright as Novia herself, their attendance was practically an expectation.  

 

But expectations commonly led to disappointment. Seven expected to have a parking spot and be well into his third spiked Betel Juice within ten minutes of arrival. Funny how things don’t quite work out just because you want them to.

 

…

Her shoes squealed with every scuff on the polished floor, but all Phetzana could hear were her own thoughts. It wasn’t just the high heels and sweaty dress that made her wish she could slip away, no one questioning just where one of the stars of the night managed to run off to. She just couldn’t stop running the upcoming events through her mind. Were they really going through with something like this?

 

Her hands were clammy and her mouth was dry by the time she finally arrived at the door housing the rest of her company. She hesitated to knock. It wouldn’t be too late to try and make a break for it. She had a duty, a duty to the people, and she knew that. But, when the night ends, and Novia rises again to usher in the new day, her life would never be the same. Bye-bye normalcy.

 

She knocked, three gentle, formal, taps. The lock icon on the door’s entry pad shifted to its unlocked counterpart with an audible beep. Phetzana waved her hand before the pad and was granted access. 

 

The whole gang was present and accounted for.

 

Armstead Mulligan Ursa-Chief Engineer for the Northern Hemisphere’s Department of Developmental Engineering. His husky form sat leaned back in one of the convention hall’s provided chairs. Sturdy things, they were. Perhaps he was performing a tension test. A few of those chairs for the lab might help cut down on replacement costs…

 

Liter Teller Orion-A colleague and friend, just about the only person in the world that Phetzana trusted with her life. A couple of grad students who found their way into something big; Tonight, they would make a name for themselves. And, just like all the times she relied on his help for exams and presentations, she would once again lean on him for tonight’s mission.

 

Finally, there was the man of the hour. Receiving a towel from Liter’s sturdy hands, the soon-to-be-famed, Dr.Rigel L. Euclid, stood by the room’s sole window- A massive screen peering down onto the stampede of cruisers fighting their way to see his presentation. A man whose genius stretched far beyond his years, whose wrinkled cheeks and fading hair served as testament to his lifetime of devotion. A true man of science, the very manifestation of a scholar. When the curtains rose on tonight’s stage, Savior would be added to his title.

 

Phetzana stepped into the room, allowing the door to close and lock behind her. Her entrance caught the immediate attention of Armstead, a man who she was sure had never been with a woman in his life.

 

“Woah-woah-Wow! You clean up nice, Goggles!” He gawked, practically undressing her with his eyes. “I digged the grungy hard-worker look, but this, this is unreal!” 

 

It was too bad the presentation was technically an off-the-clock event. Phetzana was sure she could have tacked that on to the massive list of verbal sexual harassment she accrued working with the Northern Hemisphere Special Corp. The night would be long…

 

She sighed, crossing her arms across her chest to conceal what little she could. “I pray to the Stars that I never have to work with NHSC ever again. You’re all just a bunch of wrench twirling pigs.”

 

Armstead’s hands shot up into the air. “What?! What’d I do?!”

 

Phetzana turned her focus to Liter, opting to dissociate Armstead’s presence for the night’s remainder. “I hope next time we can do something solo.”

 

Liter approached, offering his jacket, soiled with soda stains and late night sweat. “Maybe we’ll get offered something in the Southern Hemisphere next time.”

 

Phetzana accepted the jacket. How badly she wanted to wear it in place of the damp, clingy rag that offered no shield from predatory eyes. 

 

“Yeah, I’m sure you’d like that, wouldn’t you~?” She teased, “You know, I hear all the tech boys have a crush on Ms.Draco. Your chances are about .000271 percent.”

 

Liter’s cheeks burned as red as his flaming hair. “What makes you think that’s why I want to go?”

 

Phetzana rolled her eyes. She flashed him a knowing smile as she made her way to the massive window, the Doctor’s dazed form hunched before it. Liter trailed close behind.

 

“Have any trouble getting through all that?” He asked, pointing to the hodgepodge of hovering vehicles at a standstill in the parking lot below, as well as down the joining roads as far as the eye could see.

 

“I taxied here.” Phetzana answered as she admired the sheer magnitude of those in attendance. “I was told there wouldn’t be enough room for me in the limousine.” She added, passing an accusatory glance to the Doctor.

 

The old man continued on in his daze, seemingly oblivious to her presence.

 

Phetzana cleared her throat. “I said: I was told there wouldn’t be enough room for me in the lim-ou-sine. Which is why I had to come out of pocket for a taxiiiiii to drag me to a presentation I’m being forced to be in attendance for.”

 

The Doctor still did not stir.

 

“Alright, so what’s up with gramps?” She asked Liter.

 

“Ha! Alright, so you’re not going to believe this!” He smirked, “Dr. Rigel L. Euclid, head of the institution bearing his name and leading scientist in the field of stellar mechanics; A man of two-thousand years and counting, with several degrees, awards, and certifications all praising his genius…has stage fright.”

 

Phetzana stifled a laugh, but a snort still managed to escape. “Seriously?”

 

Liter nodded. “Poor Doc’s been sweatin’ ever since he got into the limo. Honestly, you’re glad you weren’t in there with us. How many of those napkins did we use, Mulligan?”

 

“Twenty-four!” Some unknown voice from somewhere in the room answered, “Plus the paper towels in the bathroom when we got here!”

 

Liter broke into a full laughing fit. Phetzana turned her attention to the distressed Doctor. He was certainly looking paler than usual, his glowing white hair blazing with frenzied flails.

 

She placed a hand atop his shoulder. “Don’t sweat it, Doc! Just picture everyone in their underwear.”

 

Liter’s laughter grew even louder, as did some unseen individual’s from across the room.

 

The Doctor finally looked up from his daze. His towel dripped with anxiety, draped casually across the back of his neck. “Oh, if only it were that simple, my dear girl…”

 

“You’ve seriously never been on stage before?” Liter inquired through the breaks in his fit.

 

“That’s right!” The Doctor responded with a faint smile. “In all my two-millenia, I have never once stepped out on stage. The very thought shakes me so deeply, why, I might just go nova in this very room!”

 

“Please, don’t.” said Phetzana. “What about all those awards and stuff you’ve won? Didn’t you have to attend events for those?”

 

“Well, I, uh- I called in sick! Hahaha!”

 

Phetzana facepalmed, instantly wishing she didn’t as she caught a whiff of the Doctor’s fright sweats on her hand. “Stars, Doctor. You’re a grown man.”

 

“Ah, but a little boy at heart, my dear girl! That’s where my passion comes from!”

 

“Listen Doc,” Liter injected, “I’m telling ya, we’ll be right there beside you the whole time. You’ve got your speech prepared-you’ll do fine.”

 

The Doctor sighed. “Oh, if only it were just that, dear boy…Speeches are one thing…but how do you announce something like this, with the whole world watching you..?”

 

Phetzana took a seat on the windowsill and gazed upon the army of cruisers once more. “You should be excited, Doc. This is your life’s work. And all these people came to see it. They’re thrilled. You should be too.”

 

Dr.Euclid rose from his puddle of sweat. He made to pacing the room, something he did whenever in deep thought. There were many nights where Phetzana made a game out of timing his pacing fits. The record was two whole hours.

 

“Don’t get me wrong, my valiant pupils. My heart palpitates with the rhythm of a pulsar hurtling through the Vast Expanse! Every scientist dreams of not only completing his life’s work, but also of sharing it before an audience of those who care. But, I’m afraid all the hype and choir for what we lot have accomplished…is for many reasons-far too many…many that I wish not to name, nor think about…”

 

The Doctor’s words resonated with Phetzana. Though the atmosphere of being surrounded by her dear colleagues, plus some unknown voice by the center table, calmed her anxious heart, she too held her reservations regarding tonight’s presentation. More specifically, its aftermath. Still though…

 

“Still,” She said, “You should still be excited. You made history, Dr.Euclid. I’m excited for you…and it was an honor working on this project with you…and even more so to be alive and responsible for its conclusion.”

 

The Doctor nodded in somber understanding. “There were…many…who didn’t get to live to see today…I owe this victory to them.”

 

“That’s right!” Liter added, “So let’s get out there and give this thing the whole ‘heart-and-hail’ for those that can’t!”

 

“Actually,” Phetzana interrupted before the Doctor could join in Liter's hype, “I need to talk to you first.”

 

Liter’s face quickly dropped from one of vigor to one of realization, as the weight of the situation finally registered within him. He nodded, understanding.

 

Phetzana rose and excused the two from the Doctor’s company. He seemed in much higher spirits, smiling at the duo and making his way to the center table as they exited the room.

 

Phetzana made sure the door shut behind her. She led Liter to the end of the hall, right beside the door to the stairwell she climbed to get there.

 

“Should we really be doing this?” She asked him.

 

Liter peaked around the corner to ensure there wasn’t a single soul within earshot. “We made a promise that we can’t go back on.”

 

“I’m not talking about that. I have every intention of seeing this through. My mind was made up when I walked into that room.”

 

“Then what are you asking about?”

 

“This. This whole presentation. All this hype and excitement and energy, wouldn’t it just be easier to do it while the whole thing is still a big ‘unconfirmed’?”

 

“We’d make less noise that way…that’s what you’re thinking?”

 

Phetzana nodded.

 

Liter slumped against the corner of the wall. He picked at his nails in quiet contemplation. 

 

“The Doc’s been working on this for two-thousand years…” He said, “Could you imagine working on something- wanting something, for one-hundred of our lifetimes?”

 

“What are you getting at?”

 

“He’s earned this, Phetz…If we’re going to shatter his heart completely, the least we could do is give him his five minutes of glory.”

 

Phetzana swallowed her reservations. Her last attempt to safeguard some amount of normal in her life-after-the-night was destroyed by words of compassion and reason. She just couldn’t say no to that face…

 

“You know there’s no going back for us after this, don’t you?” She asked, knowing full well that Liter was aware; Aware of what the two of them signed up for.

 

He nodded, and his confirmation unleashed the whirlwind building within her heart.

 

Phetzana slammed her fist against the wall, leaving it with a nice crack. 

 

“FUCK!” She shouted. The woman collapsed on herself, hands trembling as they cupped her leaking face.

 

Liter knelt down to hold her. He grabbed her hands and removed them from her mosaic of smeared mascara. “Hey-hey, I’m with you-ok?! I’m with you! We’re both here-We’re both in this-do you understand?! I’m with you…”

 

Phetzana fought to calm herself. She nodded, sniffling and quivering.

 

“Are you with me?” Liter added.

 

Phetzana stuttered, trying to grasp her words.

 

“Are you with me, Phetz?” Liter asked once more.

 

Phetzana swallowed her fears. She nodded. “I’m with you. I’m with you…”

 

…

“Why are you with me?” Seven groaned as Vivian clung to his side, the pair navigating their way through the sea of Neutranites scurrying across the convention floor.

 

“Because Lilliana’s with Mom and I want to see Heaven and Dad. That’s where you’re bee-lining it to, right?”

 

Unbelievable. As if he hadn’t suffered enough. Such is the luck of a man named Seven. Perhaps he could ditch his sister with their father while he and his older brother made a break for the confectionaries. 

 

Vivian tugged on Seven’s agitated sleeve. “This place is massive, huh? Still, I don’t think they can fit in all those schmucks outside. We should grab a spot before this place becomes too packed.”

    

Bless the stars, an opportunity to free himself. “A great idea, my little Viviana! Hey, why don’t you go find us a spot while I look for Dad and Brother?! That way, we can beat all the riff-raff! I know you don’t want some common-day-Susan rubbing her starchy frills against your fresh, new, silken dress?”

 

Vivian gasped. “Oh Stars! You’re right! Always one step ahead, that’s my big brother! I’ll go pick a spot somewhere close to the stage! I’ll box a broad if I have to!”

 

You do that. Go ahead and get kidnapped while you’re at it…

 

“Great!!!” Seven spat with venomous restraint. “Keep a look out for Mother and Lillian too! On your way, then!”

 

Vivian gave a determined salute to her snake of a brother. With a lift of her dress, she disappeared into the smorgasbord of blazing hairs and victorian attires.  

 

Free from his tethers at last, Seven resumed his search for his brother. He figured the man had to be located somewhere around the back of the convention center; That was where the crown jewel of the night would be delivered and docked for all the world to gawk at. 

 

Demographics pertaining to the young and the old, male and female, and every spectrum in between, fluttered and roared in every room, every square inch of the massive Starlight Peak Convention Center. A hall built specially in the Capital for the sole purpose of housing massive events such as tonight’s, its golden floors and white walls were crammed to bursting with pritzy dresses and dashing long coats. It wouldn’t surprise Seven if most attendees had gone out and purchased their outfits just for the night and the night alone.

 

As handsome as his Mother insisted he was, and as much as he regrettably agreed to said insistence, Seven longed to ditch the stuffy elitism of his blazer for the paragon comfort of his crisp, white, lab coat. The long coats donned by the Navy would be a nice compromise, as well. Perhaps he should have asked his brother to borrow something from his closet. Then again, the difference in frame would probably prove too baggy and equally as uncomfortable.   

 

Of course, the main event of the night wasn’t the only thing happening at the enormous center. A few much smaller gatherings and shows dressed the outskirt rooms lining the halls. A few webinars here, some local gaming meet-ups there. Some seemed as though they had been birthed in a hurry, banners and stands set up half-hazardly to capitalize on the influx of easy targets.

 

Seven was quick to scoff at a man who attempted to call him over to his obvious scam-stand, before he recognized a familiar silhouette already falling for the bait.

 

He shouted to get the woman’s attention. “Verity! Verity!!!” A futile attempt in the sound vacuum of Starlight Peak. 

 

Seven racewalked to Verity’s occupied form, the woman looking over a series of watches on display at the man’s stand. He grabbed her shoulder, not startling her one bit.

 

“Verity, what the blazes are you doing?!” He asked.

 

Verity refused to take her eyes off the watches. She seemed to be contemplating a serious purchase. “I’m buying a watch.” She responded.

 

“Verity, you’re way too smart to fall for something like this!!! How could you let this charlatan rope you in?!”

 

“Charlatan?” Verity rose to meet Seven’s line of sight. Her face was a beautiful painting of charcoal blacks and violet, choices made to compliment her flowing purple hair. “Gleam here isn't a charlatan!! This is a friend of Montigue’s, and friends help friends!”

 

Absurd. The subconscious crossing of his arms reminded Seven that he was becoming more and more like his father every year. “Friends help friends-of-friends?” He corrected, not letting the snark in his voice hide.

 

“Friends help all kinds of friends!” Verity rebutted, quickly returning to her state of contemplation.

 

Seven himself bent down to get a closer look at the watches. He could assure they were nothing special. In fact, they were less than nothing. So the question then became: For what price was this sleazebag trying to sell them for?  

 

“What in the- FIVE HUNDRED Neutrinos?!!” 

 

Seven raised the finger of justice to Gleam’s smirking mustached face. “Just what kind of con are you hoping to get away with here?!” 

 

The filthy rodent wearing the mask of a man grabbed a watch from behind his stand and presented it to the flaming Seven. “I assure you, my dear lad, these watches are an absolute bargain! They were shipped here all the way from Quoxl! Made from expensive Velvet Ore, only native to that System! Five hundred is practically a steal, I say!”

 

“I-”

 

“Oooooo, I’ll take that one!!” Verity interrupted before Seven could continue his interrogation. The energetic woman practically threw him to the ground so she could grab the watch from the shining toothed conman.

 

Verity admired her shiny new watch as she strutted through the halls with Seven by her side. He knew the woman had an insatiable appetite for the material, but he, at the very least, always thought her quite smart when it came to her purchases.

 

“I can’t believe you actually spent seven-hundred Neutrinos on that bargain-bin, kids meal, prize-inside-surprise!” He spat.

 

“Oh hush!” Verity dismissed, holding the gleaming scam up to the light for all to see. “Seven-hundred is nothing compared to the money we raked in working on that casing for tonight’s ‘World Changer’!”

 

Seven sighed. “I really wish you would come to understand the sanctity of money. ‘Tis not something to just throw around.”

 

“You’re such a Frugal Francis! Maybe if you were a little looser with your money, you wouldn't look like your mom dressed you!”

 

Seven tugged at his blazer, offended, though not surprised. “My Mother said this blazer looked good on me…”

 

“My point stands.”

 

“Well, whatever! Money is sacred! Maybe when you’re older you’ll come to understand!”

 

“Seven, I’m two years younger than you...”

 

“Mental maturity, not physical!”

 

“You’re a real character!”

 

Seven was willing to take that as a compliment. 

 

“Besides,” Verity continued with a playful bump, nearly toppling the unprepared Seven, “As long as I stick it out with you, the money’s just gonna keep pouring in, right?!”

 

A dangerous mode of thinking, but, nevertheless, Seven couldn’t help but smile. “That's right!” He affirmed with pride, “As long as you swear your undying loyalty to Beta Labs, your pockets will never know hunger!”

 

“Beta Labs?!” Verity chuckled, “Is that what we’re called now?!”

 

Seven whipped his blazing white hair in confident maturity. A “nickname” he had been blessed with in the bygone nightmare days of Primary School, no longer did it hold power over his inflated ego. “I’ve embraced it!” He announced to the uncaring world, “For every Alpha there must be a Beta! Much like the stars from which we are named, I shall be the Beta Centauri to The Alpha!”

 

Verity hid her face in second hand embarrassment. “And who’s the Alpha~” She teased knowingly.

 

Something caught Seven’s attention from beyond the crowd of stage organizers and patrons swarming the back hallway of the convention center. His face lit up like a young boy getting to ride in a star skipper for the first time. 

 

“That would be, my older brother.” He said with a smile.

 

Verity patted him on the back. “Of course it is. I’ll leave you two alone.”

 

“Hmm? You’re not staying to watch the presentation with me?”

 

“Eh, maybe. I came here with Monti and I sort of lost him at the watch stand. So I’m gonna go find him, hopefully, before the pre-sent’ begins. We’ll try to meet back up with you if we can!”

 

“Then I wish you luck. Fare thee well.” Seven saluted, to which Verity returned the salute, unprovokedly accompanied by a wink. A real piece of work, that one. 

 

Seven admired his brother from afar. A man of regal step and powerful stature, the shining example of what a soldier should be. His mane of blue, methodically trimmed so not even a single millimeter of hair was out of place. His medals, polished accomplishments gleaming testament to his ability, all pinned proudly to his uniform. He seemed to be conversing with someone just out of view in the backhall of the center.

 

“There’s my boy!”

 

A voice called out to Seven, breaking his observation. Bold and fierce, it was strong enough to cut through the waves of noise echoing through the gilded halls. There was no one else it could have belonged to other than Seven’s father; The revered Captain Marlon, so he was known before his retirement. 

 

Marlon embraced Seven with bone-cracking vice. ‘Twas his favorite thing, those spine tearing hugs of his. Nothing in all the galaxy felt warmer to Seven.

 

“Well now, what’s all this about?” Marlon asked, quite a level of genuine concern dressing his voice as he pinched his son’s collar between his mighty fingers. “Oh no…did you let your mother dress you?”

 

Never one to pull any punches, brutally honest to the bitter end.

 

“Never wearing this blazer again, duly noted...” Seven huffed. “How did you enjoy the ride in the new Aviso? It wasn’t too hard on you, was it?”

 

Marlon’s pinch of the collar moved upward to become a stern hand atop Seven’s collarbone. 

 

“Wahahahaha!!!” The mightiest man laughed, “Boy, do you even know who you’re talking to!?!? A little illness isn’t going to stop me from taking a new vessel on the old test drive! Captain HamHeign was with me so of course your old man had to show off for the youngins’! Wahahahaha!!!”

 

“Riiiiight…So you’re feeling ok then?”

 

The stern hand squeezed tighter than a coil-serpent in an ice bath. “Ha! Hell no, my boy! I’m completely bloody fried! Wahahahaha!!!”

 

Typical. 

 

“Where’s your mother?” Marlon inquired, his hand beginning to tremble. “I need to sit down.”

 

Seven sighed. His father had a bad habit of showboating when it came to the younger men in the Navy. Captain HamHeign being one of his biggest fans certainly didn’t help. Seven could only be sure that his father’s ride to the hall consisted of tough-on-his-knees dancing, bad-for-his-back shows of bravado, and terrible-for-his-illness levels of alcohol consumption. Everything he loved and admired him for.

 

“Come on, take my shoulder.” Seven gestured, “I’ll take you to go find her.”

 

“That won’t be necessary, Centauri.” Seven was surprised to see that Captain HamHeign himself actually stopped to enter the convention hall, rather than simply chauffeuring the honored soldiers of the night to its starlit event.

 

“Captain? I didn’t expect to see you here.” Seven responded, a half-baked attempt to make friendly chit-chat with his brother’s heated rival. “I heard you hated these types of events just as much as I.”

 

The massive behemoth of a man, a towering peak of a Neutranite hailing as Second Ranked amongst all Captains, scoffed at the very mention of such a rumor. “And where exactly did you hear that?”

 

“Well, sir, my brother told me.” 

 

“Tch! Typical! Can’t tell a man anything these days! Well why don’t you get on and see him. I’ll escort The Captain to the rest of your cluster.”

 

“Great idea, Hammy!” Marlon shouted with jovial guffaw, “I’ve still got a few jokes to tell ya! Seven, go on and see your brother! Tell him to stop pacing so much!! A tense soldier is a sloppy soldier!”

 

“I’ll be sure to pass it along.” Seven assured. He watched in amused perplexity as Captain HamHeign’s titanic shoulder offered itself to Marlon’s hunched form. He may as well have given the four-hundred year old man a piggyback ride. Seven was certain that if The Second Captain hadn’t come from a loving home with two amazing parents and loads of money, he would’ve offered himself up for adoption to the Centauri’s in a millisecond.

 

Nothing left in the immediate vicinity to slow him down, Seven advanced towards his brother. The shining young man gathered himself within the bustling hallway, leaning against a wall in his best attempt to appear calm. He had every right to be nervous. The invention of the millennium, the saving grace, Neutra’s future, and its guard was left solely to him. Well, he and the dozens of other soldiers and officers on standby around and within the Starlight hall, though the pressure of responsibility fell upon his shoulders alone.

 

Heaven was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he didn’t even notice his brother approaching him. Seven got his attention with an understanding hand, placing it tenderly atop his burdened clavicle. It took a moment for his presence to register in the ever-busy mind of the Third Ranked Captain, but once it did, Heaven’s face lit up with all the light of Novia. He immediately pulled his brother in for a hug.

 

“Seven, haha! Glad you made it ok! Did Mother and the girls end up riding with you? Nice blazer by the way!”

 

Seven fixed the collar to his blazer with beaming pride. “Firstly, thank you, you have excellent taste if I do say so myself. Secondly, and regretfully, yes, all three decided they wanted to ruin my night before it even began.”

 

“Aww, come on Little Bro! You know they love you to the stars and back! Vivie and Lillie are practically obsessed with you! Dealing with obsessed younger siblings is just what comes with the job description!”

 

“And what exactly are you trying to insinuate?” Seven said, crossing his arms in guarded defense.

 

Heaven chuckled, the conversation already appearing to be lifting his sullen mood. “I remember going on a certain field trip, my class exclusive, and a little white haired runt crawling out the trunk of Mother’s cruiser because he thought he could sneak and come with!”

 

“I still hold strong to that being a genius plan!” Seven defended. “Your argument fails to account for the fact that Viviana and Lillian are not obsessed with me. They simply find it amusing to push my buttons.”

 

“Maybe they wouldn’t antagonize you so much if you called them by the right names.” Heaven proposed.

 

To which Seven shrugged. “Eh, twins.”  

 

“Three years is a pretty big gap for ‘twins’.”

 

“I meant ‘twins of getting on my last damn nerve’. Anyways, I just came to see how you were doing. When’s the bomb getting here?” A simple joke, nothing more. Being one of the many hands to grace the glorious piece of revolutionary equipment, Seven knew with confidence that a bomb, it was anything but.

 

“Is that what it is?!” Heaven whispered, seemingly caught off guard by the innocent quip.

 

“What? No, that was a joke. Do you not know?”

 

Heaven leaned in close, cupping his Naval cape around his brother's ear as if to imprison the words about to exchange between the two. 

 

“I heard it was incredibly confidential.” He whispered.

 

“What?! Ahahahaha! Are you kidding me?! My team and I have been talking about it non-stop! Did they not tell you guys anything?!”

 

“Shhhhh, Seven!”

 

Heaven’s tone seemed to take quite the sudden shift. He was Heaven the Third Captain now; Stern and serious when it came to anything pertaining to the military. “Listen, you and your friends should probably stop talking about it. If they didn’t tell us in the military anything, then odds are it’s something they don’t want getting leaked. For you and their safety, your big brother is telling you to stop!”

 

Geez, not the third parent routine. It was just a harmless joke. Everyone in the Special Corp, Hell, even a few nobody’s in the smaller divisions, knew about Dr.Euclid’s grand achievement. It was nigh impossible to keep it a secret during its final stages of development.

 

“Ok, ok. It was just a joke...”

 

“It won’t be funny when you’re standing before Starliment trying to explain just what the Hell you were saying.”

 

“I said ok! I won’t talk about it anymore!”

 

“Good.”

 

And with that, Heaven the Third Captain left, the light-hearted mood of the engagement killed and burned by his unwanted appearance, and Heaven returned; His stupid dorky smile once so endearing, now only leaving Seven wanting to punch him square in it. 

 

Seven adjusted his blazer, rattled and in desperate need of a drink. “Well…” He started, searching for a way to excuse himself from the awkward tension weighing down the air. “I should probably try to reunite with my crew and relay the message.”

 

“If you see everyone else, tell them I’ll be home a little late.” Heaven added, continuing on as if he hadn’t become Mr.Killjoy mere seconds before. “His Strongest wants to see me after the presentation is over. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

 

Seven attempted to play the whole thing off, leaving his brother with a nonchalant wave of the hand. “That’s fine.” 

 

If there was one thing Seven both admired and hated his brother for, it was following in their father’s footsteps and becoming a soldier. Once a carefree kid with an aura of fun and noble distinction, now the military’s dog at the snap of a finger. Seven longed to be like his brother in many ways, but a military dog he wished to be not. He was proud enough serving his planet via the Special Corp. Anything above that simply wasn’t worth the sacrifice of self. It only pained him more that his father favored Heaven amongst all his children, even if only out of a subconscious projection of himself onto his first seed.

 

Seven had certainly earned himself a drink. Four, no, six, six spiked Betel Juices. He would take them straight to the head, then sleep the night away like any other.

 

…

“Yeah, drinking is a great idea right now.” Phetzana remarked upon seeing the disgusting pig-of-a-man, Armstead, downing his twelfth shot of Twinkling Tequila.

 

“Oi! Thought you weren’t talkin’ to me no more!” Was the only response the drunkard could manage.  

 

“Maybe you should take a few shots, Doc!” Liter joked, “Might help take some of the edge off!”  

 

The modest Doctor raised his hand in polite rejection. “I’m afraid I can’t quite hold my drinks, dear boy! I’d be a stumbling mess going out there!”

 

Phetzana looked to her communicator for a telling of the time. “Ten more minutes till showtime. How’re you feeling?”

 

Dr.Euclid took a deep breath into his being, taking the time to feel every alveoli fill with air. He let it out in a slow, controlled, exhale of anxiety.

 

“I’m ready to change the world.” He nodded with reclaimed resolve. “It’s time for Neutra to look towards the future once more!”

 

Phetzana smiled at the old man’s enthusiasm. It was at that moment her mind raced with a million escape plans, but she knew there was no getting out of what needed to be done.

 

“Phetzana?”

 

Dr.Euclid’s voice, one she had listened to through web recordings and live direction, through soul-crushing failures and momentous success, the voice that would restore hope to a people who didn’t even know they had lost it, the voice of Neutra’s Savior spoke out to her, and asked of her: “As my star pupil and personal prodigy, I’d like for you to be present on stage with me during the presentation.”

 

Taken aback, Phetzana’s mind burned to find the words. “Gramps, I…I couldn’t…This is your achievement.”

 

The old man’s face of wrinkled determination did not soften in its resolve. “I urge you, no, beg you to. As my successor, when my bones turn to dust and my components go to rejoin the stars, it will be you who carries on in my stead! It is only right that here, in the moment that changes our world, we stand side by side as past and future! Please…for the closure of such a chapter in my life…”

 

Maybe she could get away if she was crafty enough. Her and Liter both, they could just start a new life somewhere. On some faraway planet, light years from Novia’s dimming white glow. They could live the rest of their lives as fugitives, people who kept their dignity intact despite the insurmountable odds stacked against them. It wasn’t too late. 

 

But Phetzana wasn’t a very crafty girl. Book smarts could only get you so far in the cold, unforgiving void of the Vast Expanse. She would be ripped apart, atom by atom. So, she resigned herself. She looked her mentor in his eyes, lights reflecting with Neutra’s future, as gritty and rotten as it may be.

 

“I’ll do it.”

 

…

“Of course I’ll do it!” 

 

Seven and Verity watched in silent horror as Montigue C. Sagittarius, a man of genius mind and sound sanity, downed not one, not two, not six, but twelve spiked Betel Juices in under twenty seconds; His only expression of damage being a refreshing “Ah!” by his twelve glass’s end.

 

The husky techno warrior wiped his stained mouth with the sleeve of his bargain bin white button down. “See, Seven! You just gotta get a little more meat on your bones if you wanna be like your old friend Monti here!” He proudly proclaimed.

 

“Think I’m actually going to go sober after that one, my friend.” Seven responded.

 

“Think you got a thirteenth in ya!” Verity encouraged with reckless abandon.

 

Monti leaned in, burped, and stared his daring compatriot down with unflinching eye. “Pass it to me.”

 

Seven took a ginger sip of his own drink, savoring the flavor as it coated his throat. “It’s just one circus show after another with you people.”

 

Verity passed her glass to Monti, which vanished as if it were never there. “You’re one to talk! You’re King of The Freaks over here! We only follow yoouuu, our glorious leader~”

 

“Oh please. Last I checked, particles of like charge repelled one another, not attracted. Your clinging to me like sodium to chloride is definitive proof that I am the sole sane one between the three of us.”

 

“Yeah, not a very high bar!” Verity mumbled beneath hot breath. 

 

Monti raised yet another glass, one seemingly materialized by his insatiable desire to get “absolutely wasted”.

 

“Aww, so you’re saying our bond is so strong, it's ionic? Wow. That is sweet, man. I’ll raise a glass just to you my friend!”  

 

“You should write poetry, Seven.” Verity proposed, flagging the bartender for another drink of her own.

 

Seven sat his finished glass atop the polished wood with a quiet thump. “Afraid I can’t do that, my lovely.”

 

“How come?” 

 

“Too afraid to show his gooey innards.” Monti interjected.

 

“Haven’t you ever heard the phrase ‘Scientists make lousy poets’?” Seven answered with a smile.

 

Verity lifted her gaze to the ceiling, digging through her alcohol addled brain for even the slightest passing of the phrase in her glossary. “No. I can’t say that I have...”

 

Verity’s drink arrived, comfortably sat between her and Seven. Seven casually grabbed the iced ambrosia for himself, confident in his ability to slip past the drunken woman’s blurred sight.

 

“I believe it was said by the late great Dr.Sphiden, after he himself attempted to regale an audience with a thrilling epic as a warm-up routine. Went poorly, he was booed off the stage.”

 

“You don’t think something like that will happen to Dr.Euclid, do you?” Verity inquired with childish innocence still gleaming in her eyes.

 

“Hard to say.” Seven answered coldly, swirling the ice cubes against their glassen prison. “It’s a thankless world out there for people like us. What the Old Doctor has created…well, it’s bound to be controversial, if anything.”

 

Verity laid her head atop the bar in quiet sadness. The woman held quite the fondness for the old doctor, idolizing him much like a teenage girl worships her favorite boy band. Seven at the very least respected the man. To dedicate two millennia to a single pursuit was something anyone with a simple level of work ethic could admire, especially in the scientific community. Still, it was a thankless world indeed. Heroes were only recognized if they were donned in branded coats stuck like pincushions with medal after medal. There would most likely be brief cheers echoing a single night long, then, there would be silence, as Dr.Rigel L. Euclid faded away into just another man with “D R” in front of his name, his invention outliving him till the end of eternity.

 

“Still though,” Seven piped up, alerting the sullen woman, “the old man has great jokes. I’m sure he’ll be fine.” 

 

…

“Got your flashcards ready?” Liter asked the Doctor for the twelfth time in a row. 

 

“Yeah, he’s got ‘em alright…” Phetzana flipped through the cards, visibly cringing at a few. “Maybe you should leave out some of these jokes, Dr.Euclid. They’re a little…‘outdated’.” 

 

A few cards were passed to Liter’s hand for further proofing. “Yeeeaaah, Doc. Maybe just forgo the whole joke-thing and hit the people with straight facts. We get your comedy, but you’re dealing with the masses here. You want people to remember this event for its achievement, not your dad jokes.”

 

“Noted.” Dr.Euclid responded, beads of sweat beginning to form on his pasty forehead. “Phetzana, please feel free to jump in if it looks like I’m sinking, will you?”

 

“Of course, Doctor. I won’t let you drown.” Phetzana assured, a statement she regretted as soon as she said it.

 

A knock on the door alerted the jittery crew inside that it was time. Liter gave Euclid one last pat on the shoulder, hoping to pass his strength through the doctor’s crisp lab coat and collared shirt beneath. Dr.Euclid himself repeated the gesture to his twisted-stomach prodigy.

 

“Are you ready?” He asked her.

 

Phetzana nodded, forcing her lunch back into her deepest depths. Side by side, the scholastic duo left the standstill zone of the convention room and made their way to the elevators.

 

…

“C’mon, you guys, it’s gonna start soon!” Verity bolted through the sweaty gathering of Neutranites without care nor manners. Monti did his best to follow behind her, his size making it difficult to maneuver as expertly as she. Seven followed at a close distance, trying his best to avoid affiliation by proximity.

 

The event of the night was finally upon them; That cluster of jittering stars, people of science, media, and everything in between. A night that would no doubt go down in history. Being six shots in only made the experience more ethereal. To witness history; What a time to be alive.

 

Seven caught up to Verity as the tipsy toddler was forced to stop by an impassable wall of spectators. All gathered before the grand center stage, the podium for the elite. Communicators speckled the air like beacons reaching out into the night sky, their screens recording and ready. News crews practically bullied those on the outermost skirts, each vying for the perfect spot, the best angle, the optimal lighting. Neutranites of all ages whooped and hollered and whistled. Seven no longer regretted skipping out on parties during his grad years.

 

The air was charged, ionized by a mob level of excitement. The people didn’t even know what they were cheering for, but they cheered anyway. And as the roars surged and the lights dimmed; The spotlight honed in on the stage and a massive screen illuminated with all manner of charts and texts.

 

Then, he appeared. 

 

Hair thinning and fading, yet still wisping away, ready for one last hoorah. 

 

His lab coat glistening, enough to make a grown man cry with its firm press and crispy edges.

 

His eyes sparkled with youthful radiance, photons dancing off his glistening lenses, windows into the world of a genius.

 

Dr.Rigel L. Euclid, an ancient marvel, a modern renaissance man. Among the longest lived of his generation, he stood before an audience of children, young starlings, to deliver upon them words they could never hope to conceive.

 

The doctor stumbled around on stage while the sound crew adjusted his microphone, as well as brought up another. Seemed the doctor was not alone in his crowning moment. He was accompanied by a rather beautiful woman, one that Seven himself did not recognize, though her importance was clear, both to the presentation and to the doctor himself. The old man cast many a nervous look to the yellow-haired maiden, to which she responded each and every time with a gentle, kind smile.

 

After a few awkward minutes of fumbling, and the dulling of the crowd’s excitement, a few pops of the mic announced that the presentation was about to begin.

 

Dr.Euclid spoke, his first words breaking in the mic before a quick clearing of the throat saved his dignity.

 

“Good evening, my fellow Neutranites! I am honored to be able to stand before you here tonight! There were many days where I feared I would not live to see such a sight: All your eager faces patiently waiting to hear just what Ol’Dr.Rigel has dragged you here for!”

 

Alright, standard fair. Start bringing it in though, Doc, or you’ll lose them. The modern day attention span is shorter than the life of the Higgs boson.        

 

“Ahem. Well, I assure you, your patience will be rewarded. But first, my friends, I would like to give a little bit of exposition to set the stage for tonight’s reveal. It’s a bit of a history lesson, I’m sure most of you are familiar, though some may not know.”

 

This is about the time Seven figured most of the rabble would begin slowly backing away to the exits. However, much to his surprise, everyone remained attentive and patient, quietly listening like toddlers during a book reading.

 

Dr.Euclid began slowly pacing the stage, his beautiful partner remaining in her place, slightly shifting from side to side. The screen above the stage began displaying a picture of Novia-the star that shines bright across all of Neutra and beyond. At least, she used to.

 

“Approximately two thousand years ago, before many of you were born, this,” The doctor emphasized, pointing his finger upward towards the glorious picture of the shining gaseous goddess, “This is what our Novia looked like when I was a child. And this,” The photograph shifted to a much more modern depiction of the magnificent star; Her titanic form reduced to that of a dying dwarf. Her luminous glow no longer gracing the vastest reaches of the Charleton System she birthed. “This is what she looks like now. In the span of only a mere two-thousand years, a blip in the life of a star, our Novia has undergone the final stages of what past scientists have dubbed R.A.S, or Rapid Aging Syndrome. It is predicted that within another couple millennia's time, Novia’s last light will dim to inhabitable levels, and we, her people, will die with her.”

 

There was a much too polite reaction from the crowd upon hearing the news that the world may very well end in only a couple thousand years. Perhaps they couldn’t quite grasp the severity. Perhaps they simply didn’t believe the old doctor. Regardless, the old man pressed on, his entire being entering the zone, blocking out whatever anxieties he may have held in his heart.

 

“There are many theories for why RAS occurs. In recorded history, only two cases of RAS have ever been documented, both by our predecessors. One, is a star of unknown origin or whereabouts, somewhere in the farthest arm of our galaxy. The other, is our very own Novia. The theories surrounding RAS all revolve around one key culprit. One that I will pull up on the screen now!”

 

The screen now changed to display a marvelous structure, one composed of various circular frames and hexagonal plates. Within its center gleamed a brilliant bright sphere cutting through the background of a darkened void. There was a collection of audible “oohs and aahs” from the crowd upon being blessed with such an artist's rendition.

 

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” The doctor continued, “I, myself, have also never laid eyes on the real deal. By the time I was born, all that remained of this engineering marvel had been cleared from our star’s orbit. This, for those of you who aren’t absolutely obsessed with all things ancient like your old friend dusty-bones here, is what is known as a ‘Dyson Sphere’. They were large structures made to capture incredible, near unfathomable amounts of energy from host stars. Think of our civilization's crown jewels, the Miniature Star Generators, or MSG for short, but on a star-level scale. This picture you see before you was constructed from various old documents and found images in outdated textbooks. It depicts Neutra’s very own Dyson Sphere, one we possessed during the Golden Era of the First Millenium. One that was, unfortunately, lost to us near the quarter turn into the Second Millenium. One that, here, in the Third Millennium, we may have hope to rebuild.”

 

The photo remained on screen, though the doctor took to pacing the stage once more. No doubt, planning his next words. He had the audience practically eating out the palm of his hand.

 

“Now, my dear friends, why do I tell you all this? Well, I relay to you this history lesson because the leading theory to RAS, that affliction that threatens our existence and kills our Novia, is that it is the construction and use of these Dyson Spheres that manifests the anomaly in their host stars. Now, as for specifics, the science is still out on that one. Some believe that it’s due to some sort of disruption to the star’s atmosphere. Some believe it's an interference of the magnetic field. Why, some have even said that the Sphere’s ‘suck too much energy from the stars’. That guy needs to go back to school!”

 

The doctor managed a few laughs from the crowd.

 

“But, my personal theory, and you’re all going to think I'm more wack-a-doodle than you already do, is that…RAS is a punishment, a halting hand from unforeseen forces that drive our reality. For when civilizations come to wield stars like hammers, perhaps that’s just going a little too far. An act of God, I suppose, is what my theory is, but I digress.”

 

You’re doing great, Doc. 

 

“My dear Neutranites, today I bring to you, not these words of depressing pessimism or a crushing reality! Today, I bring you hope! For if it is divine punishment that oppresses us, then we shall rise against God Himself! And we’ll do it, with this:”

 

The screen now changed, once more, to depict it. The massive, heavily cased, unit of pure technological genius sitting comfortably outside behind the convention hall, armed men standing guard around her perimeter. She was no bigger than one, maybe two star cruisers, but her majesty laid not in her size, rather, her ability.

 

“This, ladies and gentlemen, is Eterna Core, our ticket to immortality!”

 

Claps rang out across the crowd. Whistles, hoots, hollers. Even without a further explanation, all assumed that Eterna Core meant hope.

 

“Eterna Core seeks to deny the hand held against us by bending further realities to our will! I won’t get too in-depth, but if you’re interested, please check out the numerous docs and papers that will be going public after this event concludes! Simply put, Eterna Core was designed to  pump life back into our star! Utilizing the technologies laid out by Dr.Sphinder, inventor of Quantum Leap-the engine that allows us to travel well beyond the limit of light, we at Euclid Labs have developed a device capable of punching through to the 10th level of Quantum Interpretation. Much like how QL allows our mightiest vessels to transcend to the next level of particle existence, Eterna Core allows for the accessing of a layer of reality where identical matter exists in equal measure to our observable universe. Eterna Core essentially punches a hole into this deeper reality, then, much like an I.V. drip or a straw, sucks the matter from this ‘unobservable universe’ directly into our own. Using this, it is possible to gain access to Novia’s unseen twin waiting, unphased, beyond the quantum horizon. With her sacrifice, we will pull this 10th level matter directly into Novia’s core by positioning the device directly in the Star’s center. Essentially, what we are doing is breathing life back into Novia, by having it drink its pre-existing doppelganger. It operates much on the same mechanics as a star in a binary system feeding off of its partner. An exchange of matter, where the loss of one means the gain of another!” 

 

The crowd surged with jubilations from all rays of the light. Scientists applauded for the official welcoming of Eterna Core into the world. Civilians clapped upon hearing their futures, their children’s futures, and even their children’s children’s futures were secured. News outlets scurried the floors for closeups, even going as far as to begin swarming the stage for first contact interviews with the incredible Dr.Rigel L.Euclid. The doctor’s hushed voice boomed over the microphone, trying his best to reclaim everyone’s undivided attention. Eventually, the rabble calmed, and the stage was his to make his final announcement.

 

“I’m sure you’ve all noticed this beautiful young woman who has stood beside me on this night.” 

 

The stunning woman, hair of blazing sunflower, timidly stepped into the spotlight. She took up her mantle to the doctor’s left, nervously cradling her microphone with a crooked smile.

 

“My Neutranites, I would like to introduce you all to my rising star, Phetzana Zonis Lyra. She is currently valedictorian at Euclid Institute of Science and Progress, and is one of the many divine minds who have made tonight’s accomplishment possible.”

 

Formal claps fused with whistles as Ms.Phetzana waved gingerly to the masses. “Hello everyone. It’s an honor to be here, and to be one of the lucky few to touch the final phases of the Eterna Core’s development.”

 

“Phetzana here is in line to be my direct successor.” The proud doctor continued, “I would like to ask for all of you to give your support as she makes a name for herself in the wonderful world of science! Neutra’s future is in the hands of young bucks such as herself. They are our shining light!”   

 

Amen to that, Doc.

 

“Now, let us all move forward into a bright new age! One where our name can shine as bright as Novia herself, once more! Glory to Neutra! Glory to the Future!!!”

 

And with his closing statement, Dr.Euclid left the crowd in pure elation. Celebratory hoorahs rang out, reverberating off the walls of the Starlight Peak. It was as if all of Neutra were singing salvation.

 

…

Seven stumbled through the doorway to his family home with clumsy step. Those six shots were really starting to hit hard. Vivian rolled in shortly behind him, tossing the keys to his SiriusRacer on the living room sofa. Their mother followed with Lilliana dozing upon her back. Marlon stormed in, hooting and hollering, as the goons Verity and Monti helped him into the home, small cases of shot bottles in their free hands.

 

“WoooHooo!!! Sharlette, I am whacked-out, my dear!!! How’s about puttin’ on some of the old records and we show these youngin’s how to really party, Wahahahaha!!!”

 

Sharlette, Seven’s mother, sighed at her goof of a husband. “Didn’t you just get finished telling me how your back’s been feeling a bit stiff? Absolutely not, Marlon.”

 

“Wha-awww…”

 

“I’m going to go put Lilliana to bed, and then you and I are heading upstairs so we can work out your knots. You don’t want to twist up like a pretzel in your sleep, do you?”

 

Marlon relented, quickly losing the battle to mother’s reason. “Aye…”

 

Sharlette made her way up the home’s dimly lit stairway. Seven took to crashing on the couch, the room spinning around him as if he were a star of his own. Vivian parked herself on their father’s recliner, opting to spend her final moments of consciousness scrolling through her communicator. As if her feeds wouldn’t be filled to bursting with the events they had just witnessed. The entire night, and possibly even the morning after, would consist of nothing but re-posts of different perspectives, as every Neutranite in attendance believed their experience to be the best one.

 

Seven felt two massive lumps fall to either side of him on the couch. Incessant voices rang through the cloud of his own drunken mind.

 

“Who’s ready for round twooooo~” One sang obnoxiously.

 

“Come on, Seven! Don’t tell me you’re tapping out already!” The other egged destructively.

 

Seven could feel himself fading. Dr.Euclid’s presentation ran through his mind one final time. As he was drifting, he couldn’t help but think of his brother, for only a moment. That silly worry-wart was stressed about nothing…

 

…

That following morning, Seven awoke to the sound of the TV blaring; Some gobbledygook on the news or whatever. Sleep inertia be damned, it made it hard to focus in right away. 

 

“Oh, Seven, it’s awful!” Vivian cried out from her spot on the recliner, an act that it was way too early for.

 

Seven’s head pounded from last night’s bad decisions. Still, he tried his best to focus on his sister. “Wha…?” Was all he could manage.

 

As his focus improved, it became obvious that he and Vivian were not the only two present in the room. Seven’s mother stood clasping a hand across her mouth as she stood before the TV, her bedrobes still tightly wrapped around her. His father stood in the kitchen doorway off the living room to Vivian’s left, his arms defiantly crossed like a General in contemplation. Lilliana sat with her knees curled against her chest beside Seven on the couch; She didn’t seem too distressed, not like everyone else. Most disturbing of all was the realization that two heavy-clumps-of-useless, were nestling by his legs beneath the couch. Seemed Verity and Monti decided to have a little sleepover, though they were still out cold.

 

The whole Centauri family was gathered before the living room TV, watching the news. A sight not too uncommon in the household, but there was something different about today’s congregation. Something was up, and as Seven’s hungover brain fought to find reason or cause, his communicator rang.

 

“Seven, it’s me.” His brother’s voice, stern and serious, rang in his ear. “I’m sorry to wake you, but how quick do you think you could meet me at Capital Hall?”

 

Seven dragged his dirty fingers through the corners of his eyes, wiping them free of their drowsy crust. “You want me at Capital Hall? What for?”

 

“I’ll explain the situation to you when you get here. ETA?”

 

Way too early for any of this. “Give me thirty.” Seven responded. 

 

Without so much as a hail, good morning, or even a cup of coffee, Seven was in his shoes and out the door. The barely functional man flew down residentials in his cruiser, knowing that, if his brother called to meet with him, especially at Capital Hall, it was bloody damn important.

 

Seven found Heaven outside the hall waiting for him. The man was still fully geared, just as he had been the night before. He was sipping from a styrofoam cup of coffee, with another held carefully in his other hand. It wouldn’t surprise Seven if his brother never even made it home upon the night’s conclusion.

 

Seven parked his cruiser in front of the building and approached his brother. “So what’s all this about?” He yawned.

 

Heaven passed the second cup of coffee to him. Seven took to sipping it without a moment’s hesitation.

 

“I take it you didn’t have time to catch the news this morning?” The Third Captain began.

 

“Nnnnope. The words all blurred together for me.”

 

“Then here’s the rundown: The Eterna Core, it’s been stolen.”

 

Seven nearly choked on his revitalizing nectar. Stolen? 

 

“How?!” Was his first response. The Eterna Core wasn’t exactly something you could fit into your pocket and just make off with. It was a 2400 kg, industrial cased hunk of metal the size of a living room. Not to mention, guarded on all sides; Seven himself saw that with his own two eyes. With his brother in command, nonetheless.

 

“No one knows how.” His brother said with venom stinging his tongue. “A couple hours after the event ended, footage shows all the cameras in and outside of the hall, even down the street at the filler station, going completely dark; No audio, no anything. Approximately five hours later, they all come back online and the damn thing is gone, vanished.”

 

“They aren’t blaming you for it, are they?”

 

“Thankfully, His Strongest has been vouching for me all morning; Since I was attending a meeting with him at the time.”

 

Seven could hear the quiet rage boiling in his brother’s throat. This wasn’t about the Eterna Core being stolen. His wrath came from a place of personal responsibility, as if the incident were an attack on him directly.

 

“Does Dr.Euclid know?” Seven inquired, empathizing for a fellow scientist’s loss.

 

“He was the one to officially phone in the theft, though His Strongest and I already knew, as it was missing upon our arrival back to the Hall.”

 

“What about all the men that were stationed outside? There were dozens! I can understand the cameras, but how could someone slip past all that muscle?”

 

Heaven seemed to wince at the question. Another thing he likely felt personal responsibility for. “HamHeign said he would take over the watch with me. He excused all the men and I was stupid enough to believe him!” 

 

Seven finished his cup and sat it beside the pillar he and his brother stood before. “Where was HamHeign?”

 

“His Strongest urged him to attend the meeting after seeing he was with me.”

 

“And no one thought to tell him that the Core would be unguarded?”

 

Heaven clenched his fist in silent rage. Seven decided not to press any further. He wasn’t some detective or interrogator anyways.

 

“So why did you call me here? Surely you don’t think I could be of any help in this investigation?”

 

Seven felt that such a thing should have gone without saying, though his concerns truly took root when his brother looked to him with an eye of peculiar contradiction.

 

“Let’s go inside.” The Third captain ordered, to which Seven reluctantly obliged.

 

The two brothers took their seats within the Hall’s cafeteria. Heaven got straight to the point, wasting no time, a trait that earned him the rank of Third.

 

“His Strongest has been calm about this on the surface, but he’s fuming underneath.” He began, “He doesn’t blame anyone in the military or security, but he is pissed. For starters, he’s aggravated that the media managed to get their hands on this news, especially as quickly as they did. Personally, I think he wants to strangle the Doctor for being such a loudmouth about it.”

 

“That’s a joke, right?”

 

“You never know with His Strongest. This, of course, leads to a dangerous civil matter. Once this shit spreads like wildfire, we don’t know what the reaction will be. It’s safe to say that pandemonium is very much in our immediate future. Then, obviously, there’s the overwhelming issue of some unknown assailant being in current possession of Neutranite technology, especially a device as volatile and dangerous as the Eterna Core. His Strongest fears that this may have been an organized strike to weaken Neutra, and he also fears that the perpetrators may very well be Neutranites themselves.”

 

“Inside men? I suppose that would make the most sense.”

 

“We can’t rule out the fact that Dr.Euclid’s public declaration of Armageddon last night is now free in airspace. It’s completely possible that someone somewhere was alerted that way, but I don’t believe that theory, and neither does His Strongest. He’s adamant that this was an organized attack from the inside, and that Neutra is now facing a potential threat somewhere in the stars. To alleviate this threat, to reclaim the Eterna Core, His Strongest has assigned me to its recovery. But here’s the catch, Seven, and this is where you come in: His Strongest doesn't want to stir the proverbial pot when it comes to Neutra’s enemies, or even our state as a planet in the present. We’ve been heavy into isolationism since the end of the 1st Millenium, minus our current engagement with Horris. His Strongest fears that this event may provide an opening for outside forces to take advantage of, should any flags be raised as to our current status. It is for this reason that we can’t simply send a fleet out into the Vast Expanse.”

 

“What…the Hell are you asking of me, Heaven?” Seven asked, but he had a funny feeling as to where the conversation was heading. But surely such an obscene decision was unquestionably out of the cards. 

 

Heaven leaned in close. He looked his brother in the eyes; His cold blue waves reflecting Seven’s own diamonds of white. “The Eterna Core must be retrieved, Seven. I can’t go, so I’ve been trusted to find someone who can, and there isn’t a single person in all the galaxy that I trust more than you.” 

 

“Heaven, are you insane!?”

 

“You’re the only one I can count on for this mission, Seven.”

 

Seven couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all. “Heaven, you aren’t serious, ri-ight?! I can’t be tasked with some…military grade operation such as this-I’m just an engineer!”

 

“And a damn fine one at that. I already ran it over with His Strongest. He agrees. Your reputation speaks for you, and I know you can do it. You’re my man for the job.”

 

Insane. Senile. “Heaven, I’m telling you that I can’t do something like this-I’m not like you! What would you have me do?! Fly around in the Vast Expanse hunting for some criminal who could very well be light years away by now?! And just with what experience am I supposed to do that with?!”

 

“Seven…I know it’s a big ask, and it’s coming out of nowhere, but right now we don’t have many options. Starliment is in a frenzy about this and His Strongest is breathing down my neck for quick results-I need you! You’d be doing your people a service.”

 

“I already am doing my people a service-That’s why I signed up for the Special Corp!”

 

“But you wanted to sign up for the Navy, didn’t you.”

 

A quick rebuttal, one that Seven could not deny. Maybe as a kid, maybe then he had dreams of something bigger, something greater. To be like his brother; To follow in his father’s footsteps. To be recognized, praised, to be more than just the “weaker brother”. To be more than “The Beta Centauri”...so he had been known throughout all his fragile childhood days. To call upon such a twisted memory, such a gut-wrenching insecurity, was an act of scum that only the Third Captain would be capable of; Not his brother, not Heaven. Still, an opportunity was staring him down with aquatic eyes. What would he do after he turned down such an offer? In truth, the regret would eat at him. And what of his family? Surely they would never look at him the same way again.

 

Your planet is calling on you, boy! His father would berate without discussion.

 

Your people need your help, Seven. His mother would argue.

 

Why do you always have to be so lame? Vivian would insult.

 

It’s ok, Seven! Heaven can take care of it! Lilliana would sting. 

 

And then, what of his team? To leave them high and dry, surely they could manage. Seven stared into his brother’s abyssal pearls. His answer was decided for him the moment he answered his communicator. It was guaranteed to all but himself. But, Seven Raymondo Centauri wasn’t that same little runt he used to be. He had embraced his past, and grown strong.

 

“I’ll do it.” He told his brother, his conviction flaming white.

 

The Third Captain’s hard scowl softened into a dorky smile, and Heaven returned. “Thanks, Little Bro. I can always count on you.” Relieved of the weight that had been crushing him, non-stop, since the presentation, Heaven rose with all the ease of helium in the air. “Let’s go report to His Strongest! After that, we’ll hit the house and grab a few things before sending you on your way.”

 

“Do I…do I get to say goodbye?” Seven asked, knowing full well that such a privilege was not granted to dogs. When they were needed, they were needed now- a stinging, heart breaking truth he had been on the receiving end of every time his brother left for some unknown mission without so much as a “see you later”.

 

Heaven shook his head, somber empathy flowing to the lids of his eyes.

 

“Let’s not sweat that then.” Seven dismissed as he rose from his seat. “Well then, Onwards! Destiny waits for no man for she is a fickle and impatient wench!”

 

…

The day blew by faster than a QL-Engine on a 10th gen Starsloop. Phetzana’s anxieties seemed to accelerate the world around her as if she were approaching the Event Horizon. And perhaps she was, for surely her life could never go back to normal now. She was on a crash course towards obliteration. What’s worse, she ended up roping Liter into the whole ordeal deeper than she intended. Her only solace came from the thought that she did the right thing. She saved lives, she was certain of it. Even if it meant hers was over, it was a worthy sacrifice. Looking out into the open sky above Neutra, Phetzana found some particle of peace within her heart. She only prayed that her end would come quick; Quick and painless. She believed she earned at least that right. 

 

And on cue, the Devil rang.

 

“We need to talk.” A text message that assured her, her fate was sealed.

 

…

Novia began her daily descent as the Centauri brothers gathered at the launch site for Seven’s mission. His sloop, a beautiful vessel all for him, sat patiently in the launch dock, ready to carry her new master toward his daunting endeavor.

 

Heaven was the only official in attendance. The entire day had been filled with moments of secrecy and deceit, and it would only continue as Seven ventured out into the Vast Expanse; A world he knew nothing of outside of textbooks and documentaries.

 

“Got everything you need?” His brother asked him. As if the list were very long.

 

“Travel light!” Seven assured, tapping a hilt attached to his belt with confidence. “I’ve got Solaris here to keep me company and watch my back! What more do I need!?”

 

The sword passed down to him from his father; His most prized possession. Boasting a retractable blade and comfort standard hilt, she was the perfect companion for any voyage into dangerous waters. 

 

“Fair enough!” Heaven smiled, “Here, I want you to take these, too.”

 

Exchanged from Heaven’s hands to Seven’s were a bundle of clothes; Night black in their hue and expensive in their composition.

 

“These,” Heaven went on to explain, “Are our previous gen stealth cloaks. They were primarily used for reconnaissance back when our war with the Horris Region was just a Cold one. Wear them at all times to keep your identity concealed. Light Refraction Mode, activated by a press of the cloak's right collar beneath the chin, will make you completely unseeable to the naked eye for upwards of thirty minutes per recharge. Don’t be afraid to use it.”

 

Seven accepted the gear. It was fashionable enough, particularly a fan of the cloak’s “flowiness”, but he was unsure why he needed to go through such lengths.

 

“Why do I need to hide my identity? Shouldn’t we want the enemy to know that I’m a Neutranite official?”

 

“Only the one that counts.” Heaven said, flatly.

 

Seven didn’t quite understand.

 

“Listen to me Seven.” Heaven placed his tough hands on his brother’s shoulders. He wasn’t quite the Third Captain in that moment, but he was certainly a more strict Heaven. “The Vast Expanse isn’t like the history books. Out there, you’ll find that things are…‘different’ from what we may have been told growing up. All I ask of you, as your brother, is that you stay safe…and come back alive. Promise me that.” 

 

Seven grabbed his brother’s hands. It was nice to know that no matter how much of a mutt he became, somewhere deep down that same loving, caring, sentimental older brother was still there. He would always be there, even if his appearances became far and few between. 

 

“I promise.” 

 

Seven promised, and he had no intentions of ever going back on said promise. He would retrieve the Eterna Core, and he would return home; A hero donned not in pincushioned coat, but in the crisp, white, binding of a science man.

 

Heaven escorted his brother to the sloop. “She doesn’t have a name yet!” He said with a loving tap on the ship’s hull. “Feel free to give her one while you’re out there! She’s yours till mission accomplished!”

 

“I’ll be thinking up a storm on the way to my first lead.” Seven said, “Speaking of which, got any for me? Monet forgive me, but I’d rather not run in blind.”

 

Heaven whipped out his communicator. A few taps of the screen and the trendy device was reintroduced to the pocket of his coat. “I sent over all the files we have. Use that channel to keep me updated. I want to know everything, all the time. And I’ll always be available for on-the-ground assistance, so use me.”

 

Seven checked his communicator to ensure the files went through. “Duly noted.” He confirmed.

 

Tension hung in the air as the brother’s struggled to wrap up their last goodbyes. One knew he may very well be sending his only brother to his death, hurtling him head first into the unknown abyss. The other trembled with anticipation, a hope of a golden opportunity, and a fear of what lay in wait for him.

 

Not able to swallow his fears, not able to shrug them off like his father or his brother, Seven reached for one last embrace from Heaven. It was warm, and it was gentle.

 

“Remember, come back safe is in your orders.” Heaven reiterated, “Soldiers always follow orders, no matter what, Seven.”

 

“I understand, Brother. I won’t fail you; Any of you. I’ll get our future back, you can count on it!”

 

The release was bittersweet. Seven made his way to his sloop’s entrance. He stopped to pass one last look at his brother, at his Heaven.

 

“What are you going to tell the others?” He asked.

 

“As much as I can.” Was all Heaven could say to answer.

 

That was good enough. It wasn’t like he would be gone forever. His mission would be swift. That’s just his luck, that man named Seven.

 

Seven’s determined form disappeared into the sloop. Moments later, the engine whirred to life and lifted into the air. Heaven retreated to a safe distance. He watched with helpless heart as his brother slowly became nothing more than a shrinking white dot in the sky. With nothing else to do from his end at that moment, Heaven offered his strength in the form of an honorable salute.

 

And he held that salute, sending with it his prayers to the stars. With a messy future of struggle approaching, a singularity ever encroaching, a world of uncertainty growing brighter and brighter as the world raced to zero, Heaven only had one desire:

 

“Protect my family…wherever they may be.”