- Reality G-5326733: Etoile Sector.

The sound of a single person''s chewing was the only noise present on the bridge of the Order''s unfairly large fleet ship.

Shin absentmindedly gnawed on the straw of a disposable juice pouch.

Out in front of the chaotic vastness of space was a real clusterfuck if he had ever seen one.

All around him, stars were so big that they could practically bump into each other.

Several black holes had already been closed by his brigade since their arrival, and the damage they had been able to undo was only partial, but it was better than nothing.

Tracking the source of the anomaly led the Order to a relatively uncharted universe in an equally uncharted region of space.

Flashing pings indicated that the planet in front of them was furthest along in it''s process of unification. Meaning this had to have been the first planet to have been transformed and the source of the fusion.

Their scans indicated it was quite a large world. Before the melding it was already roughly the size of Jupiter, but now it was ten times bigger and less than fully stable.

Scanning also revealed a brand of magic was present on the planet, but it was strangely pure... usually this either indicates that magic is either new to the land, or uniquely powerful within it.

Obviously, one would have been easier to deal with than another... but Shin usually made it a point not to get his hopes up too far in one direction or another.

The job was the job. It had to be done either way.

*Alert! Alert! Alert! Alert!*

Flashing red lights drowned out every corner of the bridge. The sound of Shin''s chewing intensified.

"Director...?"

*Incoherent grumbling.*

Shin removed the ruined piece of plastic from his jaw and chucked it into the wastebasket aggressively.

"Cut it off. Just drop the shields."

The attendant who had been standing beside his chair punched in a few commands into her tablet.

The alarm ceased but his headache was only just beginning.

"The air here is so unwelcoming. One could almost think that you still have your reservations about working with us."

Shin rolled his eyes at the disembodied voice.

"I''m sure I don''t know what you mean, your highness. I''m just skeptical as to whether or not my humble bridge can adequately entertain someone as magnanimous as yourself."

"A good thing it doesn''t have to then. We can always make our own accommodations."

That was honestly the best thing Shin had heard all day.

As intimidating as he was from across the room, he was even worse when you were standing right in front of him.

She was only able to meet his gaze directly for less than a second before dropping her head and holding out her hand.

"I am honored to meet you in person. I''ve heard a great deal about your exploits."

Abaddon stared at Fiona''s hand for an uncomfortably long time.

Shin was about to say something when Abaddon finally beat him to it.

"Quite a lot of hostility you''re swallowing there. Odd, since I don''t recall doing anything to you."

Fiona flinched.

Shin rushed to put some space between his daughter and the dark dragon. "That''s enough of that now. You''ll find very few people onboard this vessel who aren''t hostile to you, so-"

"Did you send your daughter to seduce my brother?"

Fiona had never seen anything like Aj''s latest behavior before.

Day in and day out, her brother just fluttered about the house with mist and wonder in his eyes like some kind of ditzy butterfly.

Courtney texted me this, Courtney called me to say that...

She was sick of it!

To make matters even worse, he was talking about spending his own money on the girl to take her out on a date!

Fiona couldn''t allow him to wine and dine the daughter of the manifestation of conquest!

There was no way her brother had just naturally attracted the attention of someone who looked like Courtney!

Fiona loved Aj to death but her brother was a solid 6/10 at best!

Abaddon''s gaze was so dry it asked for foreplay. He looked back and forth between Shin and his daughter like he couldn''t figure out who he disliked more.

"Tell me... are you sure you aren''t related to this old man by bloo-"

The entire ship suddenly heard the sound of what seemed like an avalanche out in space.

The planet they were hovering a safe distance from was undergoing a startling metamorphosis that honestly shouldn''t have even been possible.

"I... What is it doing?" Fiona was breathless in a state of horror.

Shin was clearly just as confused, but he placed a hand on his daughter''s shoulder so that she wouldn''t be alarmed.

"Incredible..." Lailah said in genuine interest. "The planet is... re-mapping itself."

No sooner had the words left her mouth did the entire planet split apart into segments like a pile of LEGOs..