THE SHADOWVERSE

Conflicting Destinies

Ledarius flipped more glowing switches and dropped out of warp, the ship jolting forward as its speed reduced to zero. The engine purred as the others walked into the cockpit.

"How's it going?" Johnny asked, resting his arm on the co-pilot's chair. He looked out to see the view from the Octavian's cockpit. "W-What the hell is that?!"

"Holy shit!" Ryan exclaimed. A hive of smaller craft scurried about and around the Octavian.

"That is the Titan, the main freighter in Titan's fleet," answered Ledarius. Another sizable ship passed their view, but once away, the behemoth was in plain sight for all to examine again. It loomed above like some beast—a sleeping giant.

"Are you telling me you cruised us right up to his big Kahuna?!" Ryan replied.

"I think that's what he's telling us," Dustin confirmed.

Jane turned to Johnny, who was awestruck and worried at the same time. "What are we going to do now?"

He gulped. "I know what we won't do. We will not back down and we are definitely going in there."

"I'm sorry, but when did you get so brave?" Sam asked.

Before Johnny mustered a retort, a message transmitted from the Titan. "Greetings from Lord Titan! Please dock in 7P, be aware of light traffic."

"I guess light traffic means an entire throng to aliens, huh?" Dustin joked weakly. He checked everyone's faces, but nobody laughed. "Dammit, a sour, untimely joke. Sorry all."

The ship was gargantuan in size. The Tetra's construction crews had shaped its frame like a diamond, only a sliver of room at the top constructed with only transparent material. Giant warp generators dominated on the opposite side. This monstrosity had a width of five miles, a depth of one mile, and a height of three miles. It resembled a whole city in space. As for the color, Titan had chosen a plain, deep gray. There was no need to be flashy when everyone knew who he was.

Ledarius taxied the Octavian to Dock 7P. The bay was swathed in a stark white color.

"This is . . . amazing," Dustin said, his eyes glued to the scene before him. "It's beautiful."

"I have goosebumps," Sam chimed in. He was frozen still, overwhelmed.

"How is it beautiful?" Ryan snorted.

"He's right," Jane said. "It's . . . incredible."

Each person absorbed the incredible view, as they weaved through traffic and into the bay.

Once parked, Johnny and the others fully prepared their suits. "All right Jane, just remember what you learned," Johnny said.

"I'll try."

"You'll have to. We can't lose you."

With those words, the team slipped on their ninja-like face masks.

The Octavian rumbled once. Then again. With each, Johnny and Jane both felt their hearts skip a beat. Here they all were—a bunch of humans, among a dozen species, in the flagship of—apparently—the most powerful being in the universe. Jane so badly wished her parents could have been here with her. Johnny, feeling the same, turned to see her face contorted in fear.

He grabbed her hand in a comforting way. "It'll be OK. Together, we are one." The back door unlatched like a cargo bay, and a large soldier equipped with a humongous scythe stood, his stance threatening. He wore black armor and a helmet fashioned with an opaque face cover. He had to be at least seven feet tall.