Fleet Admiral Xiana Bel'Kairan carried herself with the same composure that came with her illustrious position. Even in the privacy of her office at the fleet base, she did not let the mask of rigidity slip. Only the slight twitch at the corner of her eyes, followed by a subtle bite on her lower lips conveyed to Vierna, the internal distress flooding her wife.

"How is that child's condition?" asked Xiana.

"She has a name. Aria. You could call her by that," replied Vierna. Or rather, came her voice from the projected hologram.

"Not untill, she formally introduces herself and I know for certain she loves Astra."

"Oh, she loves Astra... a lot. Trust me on that."

"Is there something that I should know?" Xiana raised a lone questioning eyebrow at her wife.

"When I got the notification of Astra's presence, I immediately rushed. I saw her but couldn't talk to our daughter. She was busy. So I left."

"Well, if she was busy then, you should have interrupted her." Xiana couldn't control the stone-scarring scowl from showing on her face. The inevitable effect of the knowledge that her wife could see her daughter, while she missed the opportunity, spilled.

"She.was.busy." One corner of Vierna's lips stretched in a one-sided grin, followed by a click of her tongue. Then she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "That, kind of busy."

The mask of composure temporarily slipped off the Fleet Admiral's face. Xiana's mouth formed a big 'O' shape with the revelation. "So, what are we going to do now?"

"Love, the issue as I understand is this: Aria was with Astra when they both got pulled. Our VBrane world was configured only to let our family members inside, since she is a Bel'Kairan, she was granted access. Obviously, two entanglements could not be sustained over insecure channels. One snapped, and Astra was pushed while Aria was held inside."

"I surmised that much on my own, but why is she still trapped? Does not explain the instability with her phasing in and out."

"Something happened to the device she interfaced with. That is my conjecture. Hence, her consciousness could not return. Trapped."

"Anyway," said Xiana, turning to other practical matters. "Where are you anyway? Our family is facing crisis, and I want my wife beside me."

"Love, I am in the middle of the plague infested region. It would take me a few jumps before I could get safely back to you," said Vierna. "Just stay put, alright? Will you?"

"Just come back to us, soon." Xiana dismissed the hologram of her wife, and rubbed her tired eyes. With a fresh new determination, she commanded. "Liriel, get me Commander Ska'rlok of the Fleet Intelligence."

---

Sheer chaos dominated the patient room, where Aria lay. Angry voices, desperate screams and prejudiced words spilled in generous measure, prompting the hospital employee to call the escorts.

"I told you she is depraved," shouted Jake. "Her current state is just a punishment for her immoral indulgence."

"You don't know that. She just married her for tax benefits, probably," shouted Emiliana.

Only Adria stood, holding back tears in a desperate state. Even the lifeless devices, the pulse oximeter connected to her sister and the feeding pump, worked relentlessly to keep her alive, but not her family. They bickered. Held on to their sense of vanity. Protected their self-righteousness. A pit of vipers devouring their own offspring. Adria stormed off.

Taking a few moments to compose herself in the corridor, Adria took her mobile. Her fingertips almost grazed the name Astra, but at the last second, an unseen ethereal hand of odd reasoning tugged her. She composed a small message to Travis, imploring him for help.

And then, stifling a sob, she called Astra.

---

When Astra strode through the entrance of the hospital, she met the scorn of many a familiar face.

"You have no right to be here. Leave." Emiliana blocked her path. "You dragged my daughter through a loose path. It is all your fault, that she lies in her current state."

"Look, Astra," said Jeremy in a voice calm and measured. "This is a period of trial, for the whole family. As an outsider, I would request you to have the basic decency to stay out."

"She is my wife." Tears strained Astra's face. "I have every right to be there. With her."

"Ma'am," said the hospital Legal Assistant, surrounded by a well-briefed team of guards and some uniformed officers. The smug grin of Jake hid among them.

"I am Astra, Aria's wife." Sobs rippled through the Vajran's frame.

"Ma'am, if you are, I would need to see some physical identifications before we can proceed."

Astra had none.

"Ma'am, none can visit the patient except her immediate family. If you are, please show us some valid identification card, passport, driving licences..." The legal assistance stuttered. She felt a tiny sliver of pity for Astra's state, but the confines of her position allowed no liberty.

Astra's chest began to convulse violently, forcing more tears out of her tightly clenched eyelids. Her body started to lose her balance. She tried to regain control, desperately willing herself back into the land of sane.

No. Her Mind refused to accept. This cannot end like this. Aria had already refused her offer. Astra's only solace lay in the mere days she would spend with her wife before her bargained year and a day would end. And she was robbed of those tiny morsels of comfort.

At that moment, the storm in Astra's heart burst forth in uncontrollable anguish. Sweat broke out all over her body. Her teeth gritted together. "I am Astra, and that, lying inside, is the woman I love. You have no right to stop me!"

Jake pushed through the crowd of uniforms, and leaned forward, lips twisted in a malicious snarl. "Nobody knows you. You claim to be her wife, but we are her family, and no one can identify you. You are no one." Turning to the hospital staff, Jake added. "We do not know her. This woman is not related."

The words pierced Astra's mind like a deadly needle of frost. Her grip on reality, slipping, yet she refused to let go. Astra was powerless against the overwhelming urge to dissolve into a sobbing mass of despair.

"I vow for her. She is family. In fact, my sister's only true family."

"Aidan, have lost your senses," Emilana screamed. "She brought your sister to ruin."

Adria ignored the taunts and the insults. In the midst of flaring emotions on all sides, someone had to ground their senses to do the needful.

"My sister-in-law lost her wallet on a train ride, a weeks ago, and hence the lack of papers. A complaint has been filed with the authorities. Would you mind making a concession in her case? My sister's life is too important to be gatekept by bureaucracy."

"A complaint has been filed, you say?" Jake scratched his chin, hiding the scowl. "Let me contact the relevant police authorities, to verify your story."

"I can even provide you the details of the officer assigned to the case. Special Agent Travis. I am sure he would corroborate the story. In fact, he should be dropping by soon."

Jake leaned closer. Rage-fuelled spittle flew through his tightly clenched teeth. "Aidan, you think you are fucking funny."

"No because, you are the clown here."

Astra strode forward unhindered. None dared to block her path, despite Jake's insistence. All they saw was a woman desperately trying to reach her ailing wife. Some even felt bad at wielding the law to prevent the right thing.

Astra found Aria laid on a hospital bed, pale and listless. She stared down at Aria, a veil of fear and concern clouded her face. Just when she reached to touch her fragile form, Sidra announced with urgency.

"Captain, you should listen. Her VBrane interfacer is missing. Most possible scenario. Her consciousness is trapped elsewhere, and cannot return."

"Where is the chain on her neck?" growled Astra to Adria who followed close behind.

"The hospital gave all her articles and clothing to Mom. When Dad found out, he threw all her belongings away in a rage," said Adria.

"That is more than a simple chain. She cannot be saved without it. It is our only chance."

"It is a long shot," said Adria, shackled with trepidation. "But I can show you his disposal ground."

Astra's hand reached her wife's palms, weak and so devoid of life. The radiant warmth in them replaced by a tiny kernel of spark struggling to exist. But when Astra was pulled by Adria, she found Aria's palm clench, barely perceptible to any but her. Even unconscious, Aria's hand sought her, and Astra had to gently unfurl the hold, before she followed Adria out.

---

When Adria mentioned her father dumping Aria's things, Astra expected to dumpster dive in a small disposal unit. Instead, Adria let her to an enclosed compound, isolated from the city. Filled with all manner of construction waste and metal scraps, it was wide enough to be a parking lot of a mall.

"Dad uses it as a temporary dumping site for work," said Adria.

Astra stared at the mountains of piled up rubbish and with the realisation that somewhere in the there, buried, was the only thing that could save her wife.

"It would take months to comb through these," continued Adria.

No. Astra did not have time. Without the constant connection to her physical body, she knew, Aria's consciousness tethered to an unstable state in the VBrane world.

"Don't you have any alien technology to just scan this area and pinpoint it?" asked Adria with a faint hope in her eyes.

"Sadly, no," said Astra. "I do not have any."

"But I could help in that regard." The woman who appeared bore a disarming smile. Miles and Kyle trailed behind her. "I go by Aileen Shor and Captain Bel'Kairan, it is an honour to finally meet you."

"When Aileen informed us about Aria, we came as fast as we could," said Kyle.

"The modified VBrane interface is lost somewhere here." Astra was in no condition to turn away help. No position to judge motive or question the integrity of the one who called herself Aileen Shor. "It is the only way to get Aria back."

"Find it? Among this junk?" Miles's forehead furrowed in concern.

"I might have a solution there." Aileen removed her bracelet and held it in front. "My device would be able to detect the weak energy signatures from the interfacer. The signal is too weak and with all these distortions from the scrap metals, it cannot pinpoint the exact location, but we should be able to narrow the search parameters."

"Thank you," replied Astra with eyes filled with tears of gratitude. "With this, I have a chance to save my wife."

"Astra, you are not alone," said Kyle. "You have us. You have more hands joining your search."

As the hunt for the elusive chain began, Adria cleared her throat. "I should get going. Someone has to watch Aria at the hospital, and also keep an eye out on my family." Despite her heart not in it, Adria knew what must be done, and she left the enclosure.

Almost as if waiting for Adria's departure, the camouflaged silhouette, like a mirage moving through, more akin to a transparent liquid confined to a form, morphed to an opaque figure.

Aria stiffened, and stood to attention. The silver and brown insignia emblazoned on the suit, and the face of the newcomer hidden behind a deep reflecting helmet, could not be trifled with.

"Captain Astra Tor'Veola Bel'Kairan." The tone was meant to be respectful. But it wasn't. Instead, it was demanding and imperious.

"Commander Ska'rlok." Astra kept her stance. There could be only one reason for the Fleet Intelligence to arrive. Her. "Please return to your ship. I will be joining you shortly."

"Denied. My orders are to escort you back, immediately."

"My Mo... The Fleet Admiral is aware of my circumstance. Please open a comm link to her office. You will have your fresh orders."

"The orders came from her office. The Fleet Admiral was precise. You are facing serious charges, and the Fleet Intelligence will regard you as such till the hearing."

"I refuse," denied Astra, her stance firm and unyielding. "Besides, I am Captain. All officers are granted time to attend to family emergencies."

"Granted. That is the operational word, Captain. You were not granted, you disappeared from your post."

"Commander Ska'rlok!" warned Astra. "I am not stripped of my position. And you will not order me. Right now, Aria needs me."

"I am not giving you a choice."

Astra realised the implied meaning, a bit too late to respond, and she was beamed out of the planet.

Commander Ska'rlok turned to regard the three figures standing in silence. Neither making an attempt to move. Eventually, Ska'rlok spoke from behind the confines of the helmet. "The Fleet Admiral was insistent in the orders, never to establish contact with the natives, but you three are not humans."

Only Aileen willed herself to take a step forward.

"The request was strange, especially coming from the Fleet Admiral." Commander Ska'rlok tossed an enclosed cube to Aileen. "It is meant for one human girl by name Aria Bel'Kairan. I suppose you know how this functions."

Aileen's fingertips traced the contours of the object expectantly. A universal attuned VBrane adapter capable of increasing the signal strength and seamlessly integrating with any VBrane Interface. Aileen knew it well.

"This is a very specific model, attuned to a particular wavelength and almost infinite range and stability," spoke Command Ska'rlok.

Aria's chances of being saved had rising significantly, if only they could find another VBrane interface, which, they could not.

"I suppose, could I trouble you to ask for another VBrane interface?" asked Aileen.

"Find yourself a trader or a salvager. The mission directives of the Fleet Intelligence are always precise and well-defined. Barter is not on the list." With that, Commander Ska'rlok beamed out.

"We might still be able to save her." Kyle placed his hand on the shoulder of Aileen. "As much as it pains me to see Aria in a vegetative state, we are her only odds of success now."

"Not we." Aileen liberated herself from Kyle's gentle hands. "There are others who care about her as well."

Taking her mobile from her pocket, she reached out.

By the evening, short before sunset, two vehicles drove into the compound. Hallie, Jorge and Jurgen got out of the first vehicle. Leandra accompanied by Nguyen and Mukund followed from the second.