The Morgan started to accelerate smoothly as the hole across interstellar space stabilized.

“We thank you, Saint Kandara Martinez, for your strength.”

“We thank you, Saint Kandara.”

Beautiful new stars were glimmering through the darkness at the center of the portal.

“We thank you, Saint Alik Monday, for your resolution.”

“We thank you, Saint Alik.”

Dellian smiled and held his breath as they traveled more than five hundred light-years in a single heartbeat.

“And lastly, we thank Saint Jessika Mye, for traveling out of darkness to guide us.”

“We thank you, Saint Jessika.”

Unknown constellations shone bright around the Morgan and its accompanying seedships. Behind it, the portal closed. Then the entanglement ended, and the mechanism died.

Dellian stared at the wondrous sweep of fresh stars outside. “The Olyix are out there, somewhere.” He said it loudly, as a raw challenge to the universe into which he was venturing. “Hiding like we used to. But we’re not hiding anymore now. We’re coming for you, fuckers!”

The Assessment Team

THE ASSESSMENT TEAM

NKYA, JUNE 26, 2204

Everyone in the lounge was perfectly still. Three targeting lasers produced small red dots on Jessika’s forehead. The only sound was the steady drip, drip, drip of blood from Feriton’s ruined skull.

Jessika kept hold of the fire axe handle, her gaze moving across the room, from Alik, to Kandara, to Callum, and finally to Yuri. In an astonishingly level voice she said: “Look at the brain.”

“What the FUCK?” Callum bellowed.

Eldlund began a high keening sound of distress, slapping hir hand across hir mouth. Loi turned his head away and threw up.

“What?” Yuri demanded. “What?”

“I said, look at the brain.”

“The…”

“Can I take my hands off the axe?”

“You move like a glacier is fast,” Alik growled at her. “You let go, and put your arms high, then link your fingers over your head. Take one step back. Understand?”

“I understand. Letting go now.” Very carefully, she released her grip on the handle. The axe sagged down as the blade pivoted around inside the skull, ripping more brain tissue. Feriton’s body began to slouch forward, only just staying in the chair.

Kandara’s face produced an expression of extreme distaste. “Mother Mary!”

Her arms in the air, fingers locked, Jessika took a step back. “Look at the brain.”

Alik and Kandara glanced at each other.

“You cover her,” Alik said.

Kandara nodded sharply, keeping her gaze on Jessika. “Got it.” Her left arm was held perfectly level, a slit of flesh along the forearm open to expose a small silver cylinder that never wavered from its lock on Jessika’s head. “Go see what the sweet fuck she’s talking about.”