A girl with secrets. Secrets on which the very fabric of space and time are threatened of their existence. "What she did was a crime"- is what they'd all say. But was what she did, really what she is being accused of? Is she really a criminal; a Mul...
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Bright light filtered through eyelashes and onto a dilated pupil, catching it off guard and scrunching up the forehead. When dared to be opened again, they beheld blurry figures, faces looking at them, words could reach the ears, but remained unprocessed. It was all white noise.
He sensed he was in a bright and comfortable environment. As his senses came back, he could smell the aroma of fresh bedsheets, numerous organic compounds and something... feminine.
His nostrils traveled in the direction of the curious smell.
"Wakie, wakie hero." Sierra smiled at him.
A hand was placed over his. But it was not hers. He looked to her side to see Lily sitting there. Her eyes teary, dark, yet happy, delighted.
"Oh, Jayden. You made it back. Congrats!" she embraced his hand to her face. A shiver ran through his body.
He tried to form words. "How long have I been out?"
"Almost two days," Sierra was quick to reply. "You were overdosed on chloroform from the planet's atmosphere. Some contaminants had invaded your body and it was really a lot of uncertainty that we faced as to if you'd ever recover, but I had faith and so had Lily." She smiled, looking at her. "And here you are finally awake." Her teeth glinted at him in their purest form.
"You shall rest for a bit. We'd catch you up with everything later, but most importantly Jayden- we won. We did it. And your act of bravery is being celebrated all across the Union of Worlds," said Lily with much pride.
A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Really?" His voice was hoarse and a whisper.
"Really."
They got up and let the nurse take over as Jayden closed his eyes again. It was like waking to a world you knew once upon a time. It was serene, and how he was feeling right now could not be expressed in words. It was an experience. An experience he never wanted to forget.
__________
When Jayden felt normal again, his team sat by him. As his duty, Sandoo explained to him how he had been rescued.
"It was a very narrow escape, I must say," began Sanduo. "The Galactic Patrol had emerged at our side of space just in time. Markus had swictched on the emergency beacon of course. We would have have to have their help either way. Anyways, when they arrived, they had noticed your position near the centre of the planet. They had at once teleported to your location and rescued you. But you were already unconscious. Hopefully, as their equipments are finer than us, they got rid of the contaminants on your suit in no time. But it was then, that they noticed the crack on your helmet."
He paused. "But, as it turns out, miracles do happen and 'impossible' is just an illusion we force ourselves to perceive. We did finally manage to get you back. Your body didn't suffer any permanent damage. Your internal organs suffered from inflammation. Specifically your lungs. But, it's been treated. You would be good to go soon, son." He smiled as he patted his shoulder.
__________
It was two days before Jayden could leave the hospital. Reunited by friends and loved ones alike, it was reassuring and heartwarming. It felt like years since he had seen them. He also learnt that Sharlotte would accompany them for a bit more till all formalities were dealt with.
What surprised him was how eager Jarka was in joining them. It took little thinking to understand it was only obvious of him to do so, as he had nowhere to go now. Juvo had imprisoned him for so long... What greater purpose could he serve than fight alongside the ones who defeated him?
Sierra finally made it back home after more than a year and her parents couldn't be prouder of their daughter and what she and her team had achieved. They were celebrated heroes now.
"Hey Jamie. I'm your big sister," she smiled at the child who spoke all gibberish but cackled when he looked at her. The touch of his small fingers on her face was the most divine sensation she'd ever had. She almost cried.
But at the same time her mother and father embraced her from behind, and she knew all her worries were gone now.
In a similar fashion, everyone else caught up with their kin. Markus won numerous awards for his data retrieval and analysis of the symbiotic planet called Woofan. He even publicly announced that he'd write a book on it. It was guranteed a bestseller on the spot, by numerous people both from the publishing and astrobiology departments.
When all these affairs had been over, they finally had a meeting with Admiral Zhim.
He told them all about how he managed to send in reinforcements for them in the afterlife, and that there was a higher being guiding them.
"Lord Kahaden," Sharlotte smiled.
"I guess he is called that, then."
"He is the one who controls time. It was all because of him that I got to know what Juvo was upto. He guided some of us on the way. Namely, Jarka, me and... even Saaret. Oh right, you don't know him. He was the one waiting on us in Afterlife."
"It's all so bizarre when merely listened to, but I personally sent in that robot army so I know how true and real it all actually is." He paused to sip his dark energy drink. "I also happened to pick up on Juvo's case. I got in touch with this Bleb and Mockie and a few others that he took help from. But alas, he is been lost to the core of that planet. We shall never see him again," he smirked.
"Well, so what now? What becomes of us?" Drio asked, a bit tentatively.
"I'll be damned! You passed your first mission with flying colours and even saved the multiverse! I don't know what bigger achievement there is. You'll be working full time now, like before, and you'd have a handsome pay this time since you've proved yourselves. And the Interstellar Traveller will get a massive upgrade. Others will jump off their spaceships in envy, trust me." He grinned. "She's going to turn into a fine fine boat! Also, your robots will get upgrades as well. Except for B.O.5, B.O.8 and Droop who'd get their memory disks back now. Yeah, the Gods personally handed them over to us. It's hilarious."
The IMG chuckled and looked at each other in surprise. "Yeah, I noticed that Droop was not responding to me and I couldn't figure out how his memory disk could have been lost. So I had to run him manually while I dealt with Juvo's followers. They having a good time?"
"Oh yes. They are serving like the infamous slaves on various systems. They'd have impressive muscles and prove to be the best labourers around in no time!"
"And do we get a vacation now?" Markus asked, hungrily.
"You need to ask for that?"
He clicked a switch and within moments, Samara came in with the tickets.
"We are freaking getting a chance to visit Zeve? Two days in Dashtic?! Oh my god, is this happening for real?!" Markus could not believe what he was seeing. They had got their vacation in the same place Mockie and Deina had their honeymoon in.
"Admiral sir, you're the best!" Markus got up from his seat to hug him.
"Hold your horses, boy."
Markus hugged him regardless.
The IMG had now finally gained the fame and recognition they had deserved. They were officially the number one private organisation on approval of the Galactic Patrol operating within the Union of Worlds, for any situation that needed attending to. What once was only a dream was now their duty of everyday, and they breathed it like their respiratory gases.
It was the end of one mission, and the beginning of numerous new ones. And the IMG was ready for whatever the galaxies had in store for them. They were determined, and they were not backing out! Their job had only just begun!
