LOCATION: INTERSTELLAR SPACE

DATE: 2403

Grand Commander Thesska sat in his command chair, ready for violence to unfold at a moment's notice. Their quarry had fled, and their mode of transit was far faster than the Shican's, but his fleet had doggedly pursued the strange alien's trail until the sensor ships finally located the endpoint.

The humans had proven to have some tactical acumen, so suspecting a trap, Thesska parked his fleet a light hour short of the emergence point and sent one of the scout ships ahead.

When the ship communicated back that there was nothing there, his anger flared momentarily before he shoved it back down.

A good hunt requires patience.

The rest of the fleet rendezvoused with the lone sensor ship, and they loitered in the area for a few days until the sensor ships mapped every spatial anomaly they could.

"Report!" Thesska growled at the video window showing both low-born clone sub-commanders aboard the sensor ships. "If I'm not satisfied with your excuses for wasting two days, I'm going to order your people to toss you both out the nearest airlock," he added.

Both sub-commanders had their heads pressed to the floor in deference. Thesska believed it was the one from the ship he sent to scout ahead who spoke first, but they were identical clones, so he couldn't be certain. Not that it mattered.

"Our deepest apologies, Grand Commander. We needed the additional time to ensure the human systems were giving us the correct data."

The human ships were crude, and the sensors were never meant to work with such systems, but he didn't fully believe the man. Still, he let the clone continue. For as much as Thesska boasted about having them replaced, he didn't have that luxury to do so at the moment. He still needed the sensor ships.

"And?" he growled menacingly, keeping his thoughts to himself.

"T- The subspace distortions do indeed end here. We picked up some very weak gravity disturbances, but they are too old to get a clear picture of which direction they went in."

Thesska barked out a laugh, startling the sub-commanders, whose ears fluttered in agitation. He didn't bother explaining his amusement to the sensor operators before cutting the call.

"Subordinate," Thesska said coldly.

"Yes, Grand Commander?"

"Tell the commanders they are ordered to attend a meeting with me in ten minutes."

Thesska watched his subordinate go. He could have ordered them to respond immediately, but he suspected they were dealing with plenty of bloodlust-related issues since no battle was forthcoming.

A few fights had broken out aboard Thesska's ship as well. He didn't order them to be broken up, but punishments would be handed out if the victor killed the other member involved. Fighting and challenges were how you kept strong. He despised weakness in his crew, but he would not tolerate anyone reducing his chances for a successful hunt.

His screen lit up as the four commanders connected. All four individuals bowed slightly in acknowledgement of his station.

Once proper obedience was shown, Thesska began. "Our prey has lured us out here to a dead end in hopes of us losing their trail."

The commanders growled softly at that.

Thesska continued. "It appears the hunt will be more amusing than I thought. The enemy has fled using conventional warp drives to try and throw us off the trail, but it will only slow us down. Our prey might think they are smart, but they have given away too much by heading in this direction. They are hiding within this STO space, of that I am certain. Commander Veshaan and Nyjak, I am ordering you to take your sub-commanders and one of the sensor ships and scour the systems and surrounding space for any odd readings. If nothing is found, move on to the next system and repeat until we have our prey's coordinates. I expect reports before any action is taken. If I suspect you acted without my direct order, I will skin you alive and use your hide to decorate my cabin. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Grand Commander," the two growled softly.

"What of supplies?" Commander Veshaan demanded. "We're nearly out."

Thesska's eyes bored into the impudent commander, but Veshaan's gaze didn't waver. That was good. A weak-willed commander was not one that Thesska would tolerate.

Instead of lashing out at the commander, Thesska decided to impart some wisdom on the fool. It would also become a lasting lesson about angering those above his station. "Are you familiar with the hunts of old, Veshaan? Not the ones shortly after our founder unified the planet, but long before that. Back when our species was little more than roaming tribes, fighting over good hunting spots."

"I don't see how that's germane to my question," Veshaan responded tersely.

"That is exactly why you are a commander and I am the Grand Commander," Thesska responded coldly. "You lack wisdom, so let me impart some into that thick skull of yours."

Veshaan growled but otherwise didn't respond.

"In the hunts of old, when our people were forced to travel long distances or chase prey for weeks on end, they had to carry everything they needed to survive with them. When those supplies ran out, the weakest two members would be pitted against each other. The winner got to continue the hunt, and the loser became sustenance for the hunt to continue."

"Cannibalism?" Veshaan balked. "The people in my fleet are part of my family, not some low-caste serfs or clones. You go too far, Grand Commander."

Thesska leaned forward and slammed his fist on the arm of his chair, denting the sturdy metal. "And you don't go far enough, Commander," he spat back.

"I gave you an order, and you will see it carried out, even if you have to cannibalize your crews to make it happen." Despite not being physically present, both of the Commanders that he had chosen for the mission flinched back at the vehemence in Thesska's tone.

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Seeing they understood, Thesska sat back in his chair and continued as if nothing had happened. "Or you could find supplies among the human worlds or stations in the systems you visit. I assume they will try to stop you, but that shouldn't be a problem. I would suggest you feed on human flesh, but it is not compatible with our biology. I don't care which method you go with to fill your supplies. What I care about is finding where the silver ship aliens have run off to. You will remain on that task until you have pinpointed their location. You have your orders, go," he gestured before ending the call.

Commander Veshaan and Nyjak departed with their ships shortly thereafter. Veshaan was down a ship thanks to his sub-commander's foolish mistake in the human system, where they struck at the mining vessels, but that was his own damn fault.

Thesska knew it would take time to locate the enemy's nest, but they were bound to make a mistake at some point, giving away their location. Another reason for splitting up his ships was to give them some combat to cool the growing bloodlust and resentment aboard the fleet. He wasn't blind to that issue.

"Your orders, Grand Commander?" his subordinate asked.

"We will return to the edge of this STO territory and wait for the next sensor ship to reach us. While we wait, we will slake our thirst on some of the human facilities along the path." Thesska would prefer to go back to that human world where the aliens had been hiding, as that would offer the most challenge, but that was a foolish gamble while the fleet was split. Easier prey might not be as fulfilling, but it would be plentiful amongst the human-occupied systems.

Over a month ago, he received a report that the Shican Armada had engaged with the humans. They had quickly dispatched those vessels and were now heading in his direction. His window for capturing the silver sphere aliens without those bumbling fools put in place by his brother was shrinking.

If he didn't have the aliens' position before the armada arrived, he was going to be extremely annoyed. If he wasn't already planning on killing off all the humans, he would have used the armada to raze all of human space on principle alone.

***

LOCATION: COLLECTIVE HEADQUARTERS

Alexander stumbled out of the silver sphere and onto a constructed surface. A quick survey showed he was standing inside a massive room or cavern. He left his opinion open because he couldn't see the far wall or ceiling as it was lost to darkness, but enormous columns, that put the ones back on Eden's End to shame, disappeared into the distance. The floor looked to be fitted with gravity plating, making him think he was on some enormous vessel.

His focus shifted to the silver sphere as Rush appeared.

Alexander was still furious about Rush putting Yulia in that molecular lock, even if he said it wouldn't harm her. He whirled on the man, or alien, or whatever Rush truly was. "Take me back!"

"I'm afraid that's not possible," Rush responded. "We dallied too long, and our flight from Unokane drew the Shican's attention. If we go back, the Shican will find this place or simply follow us back to Unokane. In fact, I believe our flight from your system has actually helped your people."

"I believe in my people, and I don't care if the Shican find your little refuge," Alexander growled, preparing for a fight, even though these strange aliens had already proven that was a pointless venture.

Rush sighed. "You should care. If the Shican find this planet, we won't be the only ones to suffer." He gestured around the room. "I'm sure you've had time to process the environment. What do you see?"

Despite his anger, Alexander couldn't help but ask. "You said this was a planet? Why is the floor filled with gravity plating?"

Rush smiled, which made Alexander's mood only sour further. The bastard knew Alexander couldn't pass up on the opportunity to learn more and had probably brought him here to try and distract him.

"You must think yourself clever, but I will get my answers eventually." Alexander chose not to mention that he would find a way to free himself as well. If there was a way in, there was a way out.

"I apologize. I'm just excited to have you here, but we'll get to that later. Go ahead, pick up one of the plates and examine it."

Alexander didn't have much choice but to play along until he could find a way to escape, so he reached down and yanked one of the plates off the ground. It immediately powered off as it was separated from the others.

He had studied the gravity plating at length, and had the designs memorized, and images he could pull up in his mind-space.

All of the plates he had studied were identical, which made sense since they all performed the same function. There were also half and quarter plates, but all of them had the same general configuration.

The plate he was holding did not. It was almost identical, but everything was reversed. He could rule out anti-gravity because he wasn't floating across the room.

"What is this?" Alexander asked, despite knowing Rush was baiting him.

"No guesses?" the man asked teasingly.

Alexander adjusted his avatar to glare at the man.

"Right," Rush said. "Not the time for light-hearted teasing. I'll make a note of that. While I have spent more time among humans than my siblings, most of that time was spent as the Chairman of Gravitational Solutions. That didn't leave a lot of time for friendly banter, so I'm not an expert when it comes to complex social interactions."

Alexander continued to stare at the man, waiting for him to continue. If the alien was uncomfortable and awkward, Alexander would weaponize that to his advantage.

Rush cleared his throat. "As I'm sure you've noticed, these plates are not producing a gravity field. Think of them like a point of reference."

"For what?" Alexander asked, although he was starting to suspect he already knew. He just had no idea how it would be possible.

"Gravity," Rush said, picking up another plate. "If you had a tool to measure the gravity on this world, you would find it to be an exact match for the gravity plating on every single human vessel and station. Within a minor margin of error for slightly denser or lighter areas of gravity in certain spots on the planet."

"And if this place is destroyed, all of those plates stop working," Alexander said in understanding.

"Precisely," Rush smiled again.

Alexander looked around before focusing back on Rush. "How is that possible?"

"That's the second secret behind why humanity never figured out gravity plating. Despite having the basis for the technology, they never took it beyond transmitting data. It's a shame, really."

"Quantum entanglement?" Alexander asked in confusion. "How the hell would that work?"

"Quite easily," Rush chuckled. "Well, maybe not exactly easily. It does require entangling solid matter instead of just particles and forming the resulting material into a transmitter and receiver, but the underlying principle is the same as with the FTL communications that humanity uses. If you power both sides of the connection, gravity can pass from one side to the other."

Alexander suddenly felt very stupid. He thought the design of the gravity plating looked familiar, but dismissed it as an antenna because there was no incoming or outgoing signal from the plates. None that humanity or he had ever detected anyway. Now he knew why nobody had been able to detect the signals. Then a horrible thought occurred to him.

"Can the connection be sensed through sub-space like the comm nodes?"

"It can, but don't worry. The Shican don't have the ability to sense subspace signals on the higher frequencies. They can barely detect the ones used in comm nodes, at least for now."

"For now?" Alexander asked in alarm, skipping over the revelation that there were higher frequencies of subspace. He needed to remain focused. If the Shican ever figured out how to detect gravity plating, every ship would have to abandon the technology or act as beacons for both the ship and this planet.

"Yes," Rush said somberly. "We suspect the Shican created their own gravity plating, which is how they bypassed the gravitational disruptions to reach your mining ships. In another decade or so, less if they catch us, they will have the ability to detect higher sub-space eddies. You understand why we had to leave now?"

"Yes, but you still haven't explained why you abducted me," Alexander replied.

"We did it to save you. Unfortunately, time is short, so we will have to discuss the specifics later. My siblings have finished the device."

"Device? What device?"

"You're not going to like it, but you need to trust us."

Alexander hurled the plate at Rush, then bolted as fast as his body could move. He didn't trust these shiny bastards even a little bit.

Unfortunately, he couldn't outrun the silver orb that brought him here. The thing engulfed him before he even realized it had moved.

The last thing he heard before his consciousness faded was Rush saying, "Once again, I'm sorry, but this is for your own good."