Chapter 17

May 29th, 3030

The next morning, Itus found himself standing in the Asteroid Mining Facility's docking bay, his few possessions packed in his backpack. Connie.tchr, and Macy stood near their transport ship, preparing for departure.

"You sure about this, kid?" Connie.tchr asked, her voice tinged with disappointment. "We make a pretty good team."

Itus nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure. I think... I need to find my own way for a bit."

Macy stepped forward, his smile as charming as ever. "Well, it's been fun. Remember what I said, Itus. The offer still stands."

"Thanks, Macy. I'll keep that in mind."

Connie.tchr gave Itus a quick hug, catching him off guard. "Take care of yourself out there. And don't be a stranger, okay?"

"I won't," Itus promised, smiling. "Thanks for everything, Connie.tchr."

As he watched their ship take off, Itus felt a pang of loneliness. But he pushed it aside, reminding himself why he had made this choice. He turned and walked towards another part of the docking bay, approaching a holographic job board.

As he scrolled through listings, a voice caught his attention.

"You look like you could use an adventure."

Itus turned to see a human woman in her late 20s. She exuded confidence and a hint of mischief. Intricate patterns swirled across her arms, catching Itus's eye.

"What kind of adventure?" Itus asked, intrigued despite himself.

The woman grinned. "The kind that pays well and asks few questions. Interested?"

Itus hesitated for a moment. He was wary of offers that seemed too good to be true, but something about this woman's direct approach appealed to him.

"Tell me more," he said finally.

"That's what I like to hear," the woman replied. "Name's Zara. I need a partner for a salvage operation. Abandoned research station in the Verge Nebula."

Itus felt a thrill of excitement, quickly followed by a wave of apprehension. "Sounds... risky."

Zara shrugged. "Life's risky. But the payoff? Let's just say you won't have to work for a while."

Itus considered for a moment. This was exactly the kind of opportunity he had been looking for - a chance to prove himself, to learn, to explore. And unlike Macy's offer, this felt more straightforward, with clearer boundaries.

"I'm in," he said, surprising himself with his decisiveness. "I'm Lucas, by the way."

Zara winked at him. "Yeah, I know. I saw you last night at the bar."

Itus was caught off guard. "You... you were there?"

"I make it my business to know who's coming and going," Zara explained. "Especially potential partners."

As they boarded Zara's ship and prepared for departure, Itus felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness. He was stepping into the unknown and being carried towards a new adventure.

 Zara's ship zoomed away from the loading dock, heading towards a colorful sky in the distance. Itus found himself in the co-pilot seat, gazing out at the stars. The vastness of space stretched before him, a canvas of possibilities that both thrilled and terrified him.

Zara glanced over at him, her eyes curious. "So, Lucas. What's your story?"

Itus turned to look at her, considering how much to reveal. After a long moment, he decided on honesty. He sighed and said, "It's... complicated. I'm looking for a group called the Heralds of Vignus. Ever heard of them?"

He noticed Zara's hands tighten on the controls for just a moment before relaxing. Her voice was carefully casual as she replied, "Might have. Secretive bunch, aren't they? Why are you looking for them?"

Itus felt a flutter of hope in his chest. Could Zara be the lead he'd been searching for? "They... they might know something about my future. About who I am," he admitted, feeling vulnerable but determined.

Zara's expression softened slightly. "Sounds like quite a journey you're on."

"Yeah," Itus agreed, then quickly deflected, not wanting to dwell on his own uncertainties. "What about you? What's your story?"

A mischievous smirk played on Zara's lips. "Oh, you know. Girl meets ship, girl steals ship, girl becomes the best damn salvager in three systems."

Itus couldn't help but laugh. There was something refreshingly straightforward about Zara. 

As they flew deeper into space, colorful gases swirling around them, Zara's expression grew more serious. "Now, about this job. Here's what you should know..."

Itus leaned in, listening intently as Zara began to explain. "There she is. Otto Research Station," Zara said, pointing to a dark, ominous structure floating in space. "Abandoned for almost a century now."

"What happened to it?" Itus asked.

Zara shrugged. "Official reports say a containment breach. Unofficial whispers? Something about forbidden experiments."

Itus gulped audibly, his imagination running wild with possibilities.

“There’s a lot of good stuff in there, but we're here for the quantum processor in the main lab. Anything else is a bonus." 

Zara docked the ship into the station and they swiftly left the ship, garnered in spacesuits and gathered the supplies needed for the mission. As they approached the entrance to the lab, Zara worked on the access panel of the airlock. Once inside, they activated their helmet lights, revealing a dark corridor with debris floating in the zero-gravity environment.

As they moved through the corridor, Itus's light caught something. "Zara, look!" he exclaimed, startled.

Zara grabbed a floating datapad. "Nice catch, kid. Might be valuable intel."

They entered a large, circular room filled with advanced-looking equipment. In the center was a massive, partially dismantled machine.

"Jackpot," Zara announced. "That's our quantum processor."

As Zara began working on removing the processor, Itus kept watch. He couldn't shake the questions that had been plaguing him since their conversation on the ship.

"Zara?" he asked quietly. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot," Zara replied, distracted by her work.

"You seemed to recognize the name 'Heralds of Vignus'. Do you know anything about them?"

Zara's hands paused for a moment before continuing her work. "They're not the kind of people you want to mess with. Trust me on that."

"Everyone keeps saying that, but-" Itus started but was cut off by a loud clang echoing through the station. Both of them froze.

"We're not alone," Zara whispered.

"What?" Itus panicked. "I thought this place was abandoned!"

"Looks like someone had the same idea as us," Zara replied urgently. "Help me with this, quickly!"

As they worked frantically to detach the processor, footsteps approached. Three figures in dark spacesuits entered, weapons drawn.

"Hey! Stop right there!" one of them shouted.

"Hold on tight!" Zara yelled to Itus.

What followed was a frantic chase through the station's winding corridors. As they rounded a corner, they found themselves face-to-face with another dark figure.

"Lucas, go!" Zara shouted as she launched herself at the figure. "Get to the ship!"

Itus hesitated for a split second, then pushed on with the processor. As he emerged from the airlock, struggling with the processor, he looked back anxiously. "Come on, Zara. Where are you?"

Moments later, Zara burst out of the airlock. "Move, move, move!"

They barely made it to the ship, narrowly avoiding weapons fire from a larger ship that had appeared. As they escaped into the colorful gases of the nebula, both Itus and Zara were breathing heavily. Slowly, Zara's face broke into a grin.

"Now that... that was an adventure."

Itus looked at her in disbelief for a moment, then started laughing, the adrenaline wearing off. "Is it always like this with you?"

Zara winked. "Only on the good days."

As they caught their breath, silence fell upon them as they continued their journey onwards. After a while, Zara's expression turned more serious. She eyed the processor and the datapad they had retrieved. She paused for a second then turned to Itus.

"I think it's time we had a real talk, kid. About the Heralds of Vignus."

Itus sobered up, nodding slowly. He knew that whatever Zara was about to tell him could change everything. Itus braced himself for what was to come. His search for answers was far from over, but he felt that this was finally what he needed.

Zara frowned. "It's dangerous territory, Itus. The Heralds aren't known for their hospitality."

"Please, Zara. I need to know. If I can't find them, then all of this was for nothing. I can't go back home, please. They're my only hope."

Zara studied Itus for a long moment, then sighed. "Alright. I can't tell you exactly where they are, but I've heard rumors of a Herald's outpost on Novus Prime. It's a frontier world, barely colonized."

Itus's eyes lit up with excitement. "Can you take me there?"

Zara hesitated, her fingers tapping nervously on the ship's controls. "It's not exactly on my route..."

"Please, Zara," Itus pleaded, his voice filled with desperation. "I'll work for free. I'll do whatever you need."

Zara looked at Itus, then at the quantum processor they had risked their lives for. She seemed to have come to a decision.

"Fine. I'll drop you off at Novus Prime. But first, you're going to learn how to handle yourself out here."

Zara stood up and moved behind Itus, who was now seated at the ship's controls. Holographic displays surrounded them, showing star charts and navigation data.

"Okay, first lesson of space flight: always know where you are and where you're going," Zara instructed, pointing to a blinking dot on the star chart. "That's us. Now, plot a course to this sector here."

Itus hesitantly reached out, manipulating the holographic controls. As he worked, Zara continued to guide him.

What followed was an intense crash course in space navigation and piloting. Itus found himself hunched over complex star charts, his brow furrowed in concentration. The intricate web of celestial bodies and trade routes swam before his eyes, slowly beginning to make sense.

Zara's voice cut through his concentration. "Pay attention now," she said, activating a holographic model of their ship. "This is where it gets interesting. FTL travel isn't just about going fast - it's about bending space itself."

Itus watched in awe as the holographic ship seemed to fold space around it, jumping vast distances in the blink of an eye.

Itus continued practicing until the controls that once seemed alien began to feel natural under his fingers. Finally, Zara deemed him ready for the real thing. As Itus stood at the actual ship controls, Zara stood behind him, correcting his stance with a gentle but firm hand.

"Remember," she said, "the ship is an extension of you. Feel it, don't fight it."

Itus took a deep breath, centering himself. He initiated a complex maneuver. To his surprise and delight, the ship responded smoothly, executing the move with grace.

Unable to contain their excitement, both Itus and Zara let out a cheer.

"You did it, kid!" Zara exclaimed, clapping him on the back.

As the impromptu celebration died down, Itus realized how far he'd come in such a short time. As they continued forward, they finally reached their destination. 

"There it is. Novus Prime," Zara announced as a large, blue-green planet loomed ahead.

Itus felt a mixture of nervousness and determination. "I can't thank you enough, Zara."

Zara smiled, a hint of concern in her eyes. "Just remember what I taught you. And Itus? Be careful."

Itus nodded, his eyes fixed on the planet ahead. "I will. And I hope our paths cross again."

Zara winked at him, her usual confidence returning. "In this galaxy? Count on it, kid."

As the ship began its descent towards Novus Prime, Itus felt a surge of emotions. He was grateful for Zara's help, excited about the possibility of finding the Heralds, and nervous about what lay ahead. But most of all, he felt ready. Ready to face Novus Prime, ready to continue his search for answers.

As they entered the planet's atmosphere, Itus allowed himself a small smile. His search for the Heralds of Vignus – and for his own identity – was about to take a new turn.