them deeper. It wasn't yet clear how they would escape their frozen burial chamber.
For a time, they didn't say a word. Yes they were being bombed, but the world had changed. A writhing darkness had devoured an entire galaxy. It was continuing through the universe. Who knew what was capable of or what it was. The rules to living were different now. It was more about escaping the path of whatever that thing was. And sitting motionless on this planet only meant it was getting closer.
Then there were the Ruverans out there trying to kill them. Without the force drive again, they were essentially trapped in a snowball.
And so they stood there, the three of them warming their hands in the cargo compartment as even their breath looked like it was turning to ice. Boost came down, oblivious to the cold, the attack on them, and the universe eater.
"I got it!" Kaida said suddenly, through chattering teeth.
The two men looked at her through freezing-cold hoods.
"I solved one of the algorithms. The answer was easy once I thought about it."
Nathan threw a few more pieces of wood into the fire, secretly apprehensive to get another piece of the alien's puzzle. The first part of what the alien had whispered had proven true. The darkness was real. But the second part was still too unbelievable.
Kaida's hands were shaking, but she still managed to pull the Nymarian's data pad out. She fat-fingered the solution in. One of the three sliders on it moved over and unlocked. A small compartment on the side opened up. She set the pad down.
"It's a hologram," she announced.
A burst of light jumped out of the pad and unfolded into a figure. The creature turned out to be a robed Eckelion. They had encountered some in their travels. They were a sea people, blue-scaled and about three feet tall. This one was dressed as a robed Scribe, which meant he worked with an armored Absolver. One took life while the other atoned for it and recorded the history of what they both accomplished.
"Greetings, Cleph'thera. I hope this message finds you well. I am Raxus, Scribe of Azel. By the light of the stars, my people are glad to assist yours in these dark times." The Eckelion bowed.
Trevor turned his back to the fire and kept watching as the Eckelion paused.
"A few days ago, we came across a Salarian emergency beacon. My Absolver, Azel, and I decided we should retrieve their holy relic back for them. We attacked a Ruveran ship and stole it back from them. Now I know I shouldn't have, but when we had it on board I touched it. Oddly, the moment I did, it showed me a vision. I saw many things of the present and the future. It was then I understood that the Salarian was trying to get it away to a specific person. I can't explain it, Cleph, but it has chosen someone to battle a great darkness—to protect us from being erased from existence. I believe that, somehow, we are supposed to help search for this person."
The Eckelion pulled a small orb out from his robes.
"Here it is, the Void Star, the most powerful weapon in the universe."
Nathan walked back with more wood. He didn't look like he was paying much attention. His eyes caught on the little device, and his mouth grew thin.
"I coded this pad in a specific way. The first solution is the easiest and why you should be seeing this first. The second is more difficult and gives the coordinates to where I am. The third, should all else fail, is nearly impossible and tells who the chosen one is. The one with the terribly scarred eyes. Even if Ruvera gets their hands on this, it'll take them forever to break into it, since they aren't familiar with our sciences or math. I will have to move locations should it take you longer to find where I am in order to protect this." Raxus the hologram appeared to be nervous about being caught. "Each solution will show
For a time, they didn't say a word. Yes they were being bombed, but the world had changed. A writhing darkness had devoured an entire galaxy. It was continuing through the universe. Who knew what was capable of or what it was. The rules to living were different now. It was more about escaping the path of whatever that thing was. And sitting motionless on this planet only meant it was getting closer.
Then there were the Ruverans out there trying to kill them. Without the force drive again, they were essentially trapped in a snowball.
And so they stood there, the three of them warming their hands in the cargo compartment as even their breath looked like it was turning to ice. Boost came down, oblivious to the cold, the attack on them, and the universe eater.
"I got it!" Kaida said suddenly, through chattering teeth.
The two men looked at her through freezing-cold hoods.
"I solved one of the algorithms. The answer was easy once I thought about it."
Nathan threw a few more pieces of wood into the fire, secretly apprehensive to get another piece of the alien's puzzle. The first part of what the alien had whispered had proven true. The darkness was real. But the second part was still too unbelievable.
Kaida's hands were shaking, but she still managed to pull the Nymarian's data pad out. She fat-fingered the solution in. One of the three sliders on it moved over and unlocked. A small compartment on the side opened up. She set the pad down.
"It's a hologram," she announced.
A burst of light jumped out of the pad and unfolded into a figure. The creature turned out to be a robed Eckelion. They had encountered some in their travels. They were a sea people, blue-scaled and about three feet tall. This one was dressed as a robed Scribe, which meant he worked with an armored Absolver. One took life while the other atoned for it and recorded the history of what they both accomplished.
"Greetings, Cleph'thera. I hope this message finds you well. I am Raxus, Scribe of Azel. By the light of the stars, my people are glad to assist yours in these dark times." The Eckelion bowed.
Trevor turned his back to the fire and kept watching as the Eckelion paused.
"A few days ago, we came across a Salarian emergency beacon. My Absolver, Azel, and I decided we should retrieve their holy relic back for them. We attacked a Ruveran ship and stole it back from them. Now I know I shouldn't have, but when we had it on board I touched it. Oddly, the moment I did, it showed me a vision. I saw many things of the present and the future. It was then I understood that the Salarian was trying to get it away to a specific person. I can't explain it, Cleph, but it has chosen someone to battle a great darkness—to protect us from being erased from existence. I believe that, somehow, we are supposed to help search for this person."
The Eckelion pulled a small orb out from his robes.
"Here it is, the Void Star, the most powerful weapon in the universe."
Nathan walked back with more wood. He didn't look like he was paying much attention. His eyes caught on the little device, and his mouth grew thin.
"I coded this pad in a specific way. The first solution is the easiest and why you should be seeing this first. The second is more difficult and gives the coordinates to where I am. The third, should all else fail, is nearly impossible and tells who the chosen one is. The one with the terribly scarred eyes. Even if Ruvera gets their hands on this, it'll take them forever to break into it, since they aren't familiar with our sciences or math. I will have to move locations should it take you longer to find where I am in order to protect this." Raxus the hologram appeared to be nervous about being caught. "Each solution will show
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