Black Dawn

Awkward silence. Settled down and ready for bed was not how she had envisioned the night going but it was how it went. Lore extended their arm around her, she leant on their shoulder but quickly recoiled.
“Blood hell Lore.” Char double checked Lore’s arm.
“What?” Lore put their hand on their shoulder. Their hand clung to the frozen surface. “Oh. Sorry. Maybe we should swap sides?”
Lore got up, allowing Char to slide across to their side, and made their way to Char’s side of the bed. Their co-ordinated black crop top and shorts contrasted against the milky white of their skin but matched the burnt metal of their arm. Char couldn’t help but smile as they reached the foot of the bed.
“What?” Lore could feel her staring.
“Nothing…” She shook her head, still smiling. “It’s just nice to see you relaxed. I was a little forward when we first met so it’s nice to know we’re finally back.” Char patted the bed, beckoning Lore to hurry.
Their journey from bedpost to pillow caused Char to double take but the warmth that Lore was bringing to the bed quickly dissuaded any further investigation. Despite the bed’s surface being rock hard, it was still comfortable to both of them. Together, they planned their weekend and what they would use their free time for, agreeing only on not visiting Char’s parents but quickly, their minds wandered and their eyelids drooped. Sleeping had been something they took for granted and often neglected. Four hours after they finally fell, Char’s eyes bolted open. Her heart beating a mile a minute and her brain buzzing with adrenaline, she jumped from the bed. She took a moment to recompose herself, she was used to it at this point. She may have never killed during the war but no one ever asked about afterwards. Her desertion had been a bloody one and haunted her dreams regularly; sands whipping around her as she took the shot that granted her freedom. She wiped her face with her night shirt as she turned to check on Lore. They were clutching their shoulder, balled up in pain. Another thing Char had seen enough to be used to. She ran her hand along Lore’s good arm before tucking them back in. Char grabbed her shoes and headed to The Destiny’s bridge.
“It’s currently two in the morning, you going back to bed or do I have to get up?” Destiny joked.
“Where’s Lore got us heading?” Char made her way to the Bridge’s fabrication unit and began to pour herself a coffee.
“We are currently on course to the second area of concern highlighted by Brian: The Valhelderen Horizon.” Destiny lifted the Bridge’s blinds allowing the outside to pour in. “Not quite what I would call a holiday spot but… to each their own.”
Before them, a tear in space itself, a black hole. Light streamed around them as it made its way into the event horizon. The Destiny’s external navigation lights joined the precession.
“It’s beautiful but where are we actually going?” Char squinted as she manually searched for any signs of life in the system ahead of them.
“This area of space is home to two species, the Vakrael and the Emraeh who have been at war since their respective planets were drawn into the Valhelderen anomaly.” Destiny started. “Originally, both species were the rulers of their own empires and systems but after a nearby star collapsed, the majority of that was destroyed leaving only the two home worlds and a smattering of smaller colonies that have become hotly contested zones.” Destiny handed Char a piece of paper. It contained the exact same information she had just relayed. “Rest of the stuff’s on there, I’m expecting a call so if you need me, don’t bother asking.” Destiny gave a smug smile as her face dissolved into the main control panel.
Char was tempted to finish her coffee in Lore’s chair but decided against it and sat in her own. From either vantage point, the view was incredible, watching as beams of yellow and orange twist and turn on their journey towards the black hole. She put her feet on the console and drained her mug. A red light started to flash as The Destiny came closer to the asteroid field that encircled the system.
“To anyone in range, I am Tay of the Alliance University on Quatarr and I’ve properly buggered up. Please respond.”
“Tay? This is Char. Where are you, What are you even doing out here?” Char’s concern was met with a groan of disappointment.
“Bugger. Hey Char.” She feigned a nonchalant tone. “What brings you to this part of space?”
“Lore. They pre-programmed The Destiny before we went to bed last night. They said they had a weird feeling about this mission.”
“Hang on, how old are you?” Tay perked up.
“Same as the last time you asked, a hundred and thirty five.” Char could hear Tay clapping and cheering to herself.
“Thank the gods. I’m saved.” She paused. “Look, I need you and Lore to come pick me up. Anthropological study went kind of awry and I’m more than a little tied up.” She took a moment to laugh at her own joke. It was a pitiful laugh but noticeable.
“We’re going to need some co-ordinates.” Char tried tracing the Breacher but realised that her modifications made that easier said than done. “Or at the very least the oscillating number at the end of your Breacher ID.”
“I haven’t the foggiest where I am but my Breacher ID is four six five oscillating four and six.” Tay rushed the last part and quickly shut up. A rabble of voices came through her communication link. “Got to go!” She whispered.
“Four six five four six. Lets be having you.” Char tapped away at the console, scanning the local area quadrant by quadrant. With Destiny on call and Lore in bed, she was able to divert more power to the sensors meaning the process took minutes instead of hours. “Got you!”
“Who’ve you got?” Lore put their hands on the back of Char’s chair. They had been there for a few minutes silently watching her work.
“Bloody hell Lore!” Char jolted slightly. “You were right about this being a weird one. Tay’s got herself trapped on an asteroid in Vakrael space.”
“Tay?” Lore jumped to their seat. “Where is she? Is she alright?” They rattled off questions almost faster than Char could hear them.
“She’s alive but we should probably step on it.” Char programmed a descent pattern for the location of Tay’s Breacher and grabbed for Lore’s hand. “She’ll be alright. Promise.” Char smiled. It did little to chisel Lore’s stony dread. Celestial Gauntlet.