PEGASUS (FARSIDE SAGA: BOOK TWO)
Chapter Nineteen: First Move Played

"Your jump ships have been returned to their proper places unharmed. I will continue my part as your stardrive until we meet with...what did you call it...the Other? We're actually known as Anisterians but that works, for it anyway." Star said.

Suddenly, the Impala was back in normal space floating next to Hugo's massive cube-like ship.

"Sir, the stardrive is back online. It's even coordinated for primora 7." The navigation officer said.

"I believe you said that was your next stop." Star said.

"Correct, but first I have to grab a few things." Hugo said.

He closed his eyes and after a few seconds, a small pod rocketed down from Hugo's ship towards the Impala and landed in the hanger bay.

"Heeey, I got a roommate." Danny suddenly said.

Pegasus reappeared on the bridge in a more solid looking form but still with very little details, almost looking like a glowing blue version of Nano.

"We think we can do this now,..." he said in a single voice, no longer sounding afraid. "...We've learned to control us. We are now parallel with your systems."

"It's like you got two super computers working side by side. The ship is actually overlaid over the Impala, but it's signature is something unique." Danny said, almost excitedly.

"Yes, and if I'm picking this up right, I believe it is that of our original predecessors...I wonder," Nano said, floating off the ground as he inwardly scanned this new energy signature. "Captain, with your permission, I would like to retrieve your little ones. I will return very shortly."

"By all means." Jason said as he gestured toward the lift.

Instead, Nano burst into a dark cloud and exited through the ceiling panels. A few seconds later, they saw him enter a spacial rift on the view screen. Before Jason could make a comment on the departure, another spacial rift opened just as quickly. A large dark swarm emerged and quickly covered the Impala.

"There's my little guys..." Danny said as he examined himself excitedly. "...wait, something's happening."

Suddenly, electrical surges began to encircle Danny, at the same time the Impala was going through the same thing.

"Hehehe...this tickles!" Danny said as he danced around, rubbing his ribs up and down. The ship gently vibrating with each rub.

The Nanites quickly spread across the ship, covering it completely. However, instead of them retracting into their stationary ports, the outer hull and the wings began to disintegrate. Electrical charges sparked and surged throughout the mist until it began to glow a bright blue. The light grew so intense so quickly, that anyone looking at it would be blinded. The bright blue light suddenly blinked out, leaving behind a newly redesigned Impala.

Slightly reduced in size, the jetblack ship looked almost like a 20th century hydroplane boat with a large set of delta wings angling from the twin electrodes at the front. A smaller set rested towards the rear. The bridge sat more towards the front behind the turbine, almost like the cockpit of a jet fighter, its nose cone extending slightly past the two electrodes. A neon blue rectangular strip of light ran from the back of the bridge towards the rear between the inward slanted tailfins. It split in two and angled into the rear triangular thrusters before reappearing and tracing the outer edges of the ship, giving it the appearance of a 3d blueprint.

"I liike...I liiike!!" Danny said with a wide smile as everyone looked at the new spade-like design through the scout drone's camera.

"Now I understand," Nano said as he reappeared back onto the bridge.

"Pegasus's energy signature is the original energy pattern of our predecessors. Your little ones are a direct descendant of the original Xienian system. It's almost as if all of this has been prophesied, and someone is leaving you pieces of...something, to help you." He finished as he looked at the Captain.

Once again Jason was reminded of Frankie and wondered if he was an extra piece in the puzzle. Then that means something in the puzzle doesn't sit right, and he may have a pretty good idea of what it is.

"I see, and I think I might know who, but I have to let this play out some more to be sure....take us to Primora 7." Jason said, the last to the navigator.

"Sir, I was caught up in the excitement that I hadn't noticed it until now, but...the consoles changed. Don't get me wrong it's easy to read, but...you have to see for yourself." The navigation officer said as he looked at the console with a puzzled look.

"It's seems I'm no longer needed for your slipstream travels." Star said over the intercom as she materialized on the bridge next to Nano.

The Captain stood up and walked past her to the console, wondering what she meant as he looked down at the screen.

The ship's navigation system was rerouted to a new section along the rear of the bridge. He designed the original system to run off the arc generator relays. This new section was tied into a different propulsion system labeled Light Drive. 'That explains the night lights.' He thought to himself. Like the navigation officer said, it's almost child's play to read it as he set course for Primora 7. Returning the console back over, he returned to his seat.

"Ok, course set...engage the Light Drive." He ordered.

The neon blue outer lights began to brighten as the ship angled itself in the direction of it's destination. The lights grew brighter and brighter, but instead of the ship streaking forward or entering slipstream, it just simply disappeared in a sparkle of neon blue discharges. Just as quickly, Primora 7 sat pristine as they reappeared in orbit above the planet's shield.

Jason was happy this teleport was a lot better than the first one he experienced as he looked around at everyone, making sure they were ok.

"Does anything about this look odd to you guys?" Mike asked as he looked at the view screen.

"The waters are calm!" Hugo said, wide eyed, as he looked at the stillness of the water planet.

"Is that a big problem?" Jason asked, fearing he already knew the answer.

"That depends on whether or not if all of the Valerians left." Hugo said, leaving the unsaid thought in the air.

"Sir, I'm picking up a distress signal, Seventeen kilometers under the surface. Someone named...AT'Gru?" The communication's officer said.

They looked out the view screen as the planet slowly rotated around to reveal a large jagged hole in the planet's sheilding.

"Take us in." Jason ordered.

Being the pilot of the Ebonice, the helmsman was expecting to hit rough turbulence once he entered the broken shield. Instead, he was met with a complete calm as he lowered the ship and sat it down on the glassy surface of the water. Allowing the weight to settle, the ship sank below the surface as he engaged the the sub thrusters and headed towards the blinking dot on his screen.

"I feel a bit constricted, but otherwise...ok." Danny said after a while of descending through the darkness.

Creaks and groans sounded throughout the bridge as the nanite shielding compensated for the pressure against the ship's hull. The view screen changed to a computer generated image of the outside environment, giving them a better view of what's around them.

Nothing.

"What happened to the gildens?" Kuri asked.

"That's a good question." Hugo answered.

"Sir, we're approaching the signal." The helmsman said.

Slowly, a small squid like craft came into view as the Impala settled next to it. The view screen changed to what looked like a water walled cave, with AT'Gru standing in the middle.

"It is good to see your face again Captain..." AT'Gru started. "...and at such a time. We must leave...now. I'll explain once we're safe."

"Docking bay..." Jason started, but then remembered his ship was just redesigned.

"The big door on the bottom." Danny cut in as he opened the hangar bay doors, then looked at the Captain.

The squid like ship swam to the bottom and docked inside the hanger. Danny had just closed the doors when the ship was suddenly rocked violently.

"What the hell was that?" Jason said as everyone looked around.

Danny launched a recon drone and immediately regretted it. It caught a glimpse of something dark purple and large heading for a second strike just before it crashed into it.

"Get us out of here!" Jason urgently ordered.

The helmsman quickly engaged the thrusters and had just moved out of the way before the orb hit them again. He put the thrusters at full power and quickly headed for the surface. AT'Gru, watching from onboard the squid like craft, disengaged what was left of the shielding just as the Impala broke the surface and headed out to open space, the orb hot on its trail. Pegasus and Danny both looked at each other.

"You fly, I'll shoot." Danny said.

"No, you fly. We have a score to settle." Pegasus said.

Danny raised an eyebrow with a slight smirk in admiration as he took over flight controls. Pegasus disappeared.

The surface of the Impala rippled, and suddenly they were flying backwards, orb in full view and gaining. The twin electrodes began emitting electrical discharges as the center turbine started spinning. There was a neon pulse traveling the edges of both wings that ran up to the electrodes. The pulse met at the tips as the turbine shot off a large blue electrostatic plasma beam at the orb, stopping it dead in it's tracks. The orb began to fold in on itself until it imploded into pieces of pinkish purple flesh. In the background, the planet had just finished bleeding out until it was only a simple thread of water.

"It took the whole core processor." AT'Gru said sadly as he stepped off the lift, dropping to his knees, watching what's left of the planet dissipate into the void.

"First move played." Jason said.

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