I drifted awake to the sounds of chatter and smell of coffee—real coffee, not the rubbish we'd been drinking for weeks.

"Who smuggled gold aboard my ship?" I yawned and stretched, my back clicking as I did. Ow….

"Markov brought supplies across from the Pogue," Lia answered me. "That included several bags of actual coffee beans. He said, and I quote, If we're going to save the universe, we're doing it properly caffeinated."

I sat and opened my eyes. There on the small desk across from me was a steaming mug. Perfectly placed so I had to get out of bed to fetch it. "I guess the best part of owning a smuggling ring."

"Those were Lev's exact words when he woke up twenty minutes ago."

"He's already up?" Damn I was slow. I barely recalled getting in the bunk near him those many hours ago. Who wanted Captains quarters…. We were better together and knowing they were close was exactly what I'd needed to fall asleep. Sound asleep.

Of course I'd noticed the 'double bundle in one bunk' Lev and Sorrel were sharing, but they were also both fast asleep. I'd drifted off with the sound of my friends in the background and it was exactly my kind of safety net.

"How long was I out for?"

"Eight hours and thirty-two minutes. I handled the overnight watch with admirable competence, Mac also slept nearly eight hours, though he did complain about you snoring."

"I don't snore."

She turned internally. <<The ship's internal sensors suggest otherwise. I have recordings if you'd like—>>

"Absolutely not." I threw back the covers and grabbed the coffee. There I inhaled its glorious smell before I took a long drag. It was the right temperature and it was perfect. "Wait. Nine hours? We should be—"

<<We are coming into Sigma-Seven. Mac is about to drop us out of full engine burn. You have approximately four minutes before things get busy once again.>>

I had slept in my uniform, nothing unusual in combat situations, but I did worry I might stink. I'd shower when we were in Sigma-Seven. When we had that respite. It was so close I could taste it. No, I could taste the coffee. I savored the brew while pulling on my boots. Four minutes of peace. Four minutes of normal. I'd take that.

The comms chimed. "Captain to the CIC." There was edge of anticipation rather than alarm in his tone, that was a damned good sign.

"On my way." I finished the coffee in two more gulps. I wondered where to put it, but left it on the table, I'm sure someone would find it and clean up. The speed which I drank was probably a crime against quality beans, but priorities. I headed out almost at a jog.

I met Lev in the corridor, also looking more human than he had in days. He was actually smiling. "I was coming to wake you if the coffee smell hadn't."

"I need to thank Markov," I said.

"We all do that was the best sleep and wake up since…. Well. A long time."

"Sleep well?"

"Better than I have in months." His brows furrowed. "Sorrel threatened to knock me out if I didn't sleep. I believed her."

"Smart man." I let out a chuckle. "I'd have believed her too. Besides she has access to all the drugs to do just that."

He nodded. "Stupid AI though," he glanced upward. "Lia let us both sleep right through all transition preparations."

"You do know I can hear you," Lia echoed around us. "But I'll let you off."

"You were meant to hear me," Lev replied. "Consider it positive feedback."

"I'll note that in my logs: 'Security Chief appreciates being treated like a human being who needs sleep.' Revolutionary insight."

"She's getting sassy again," I observed. "Think she's feeling better too?"

"Maybe, or it's Sorrel's influence," Lev rolled his eyes, but at least he was still smiling.

It wasn't long till we reached CIC. The doors opened to reveal everyone was here but us. They all looked good though, not quite 'well rested' but the sheer exhausted desperation of recent days was replaced with a little pep in their step.

Mac looked over and grinned at us. "You both sleep good?"

"We both did," I replied, sliding into my seat. "A little too well, apparently."

"Nonsense," Lia said her physical form appearing with perfect timing.

"Wait, you told her I snore?" I asked.

"Well, you did wake me up," Mac said. "Lia tried whispering in your ear to get you to stop or to turn over. But it was too already too late for me. So, I got up. Good job I did."

"Problems?"

"I had everything under control." Lia bounced back.

"Till you didn't," Mac smirked, not something he did very often.

"Define 'didn't?'" She crossed her arms under her chest.

"I'm not falling for your traps again," he said and sat back in the command chair also crossing his arms.

"It was strategic timing. I wasn't panicking."

"Lia..." I tried to sound stern, but I failed.

"We're all good," Mac said, pointing back to his screens. "Engine's are disengaging in thirty seconds. We're dropping into Sigma-Seven's system."

The coffee rush in my veins felt like the last moment of comfort before... I sucked in a breath. "All ships, general quarters," I announced. "We don't know what we're dropping into. Be prepared for anything."

Around us, other crew members moved to combat positions. Lev nodded my way from his station, his face all business.

The Faulkner shuddered as our engines slowed, then our quantum drives disengaged. Reality snapped back into focus around us. Everything was blurred at first, then the displays populated with red contacts, and the scope of what we were facing became brutally obvious.

"Mother of god," Mac breathed.

"We're far enough out to see the whole thing." Lia said and I saw her shiver.

The area of space around Sigma-Seven wasn't just a strong hold or a battle zone—it was an industrial-scale war spanning distances that challenged everything I'd thought possible. Seeing it here, now, I swallowed. "I never believed how big this was," I said.

"I don't think any of us did," Mac replied.

The main engagement stretched across three light-hours, with ship formations that resembled star clusters on the long-range sensors. Entire sectors of space flickered red and greens. Their weapons fire created rainbow patterns of destruction that were both beautiful and horrifying.

"We're far enough away, right?"

"They won't have even noticed us drop into their lap." Lia said. "We're far enough away. Yes."

"Sensors?" I asked. "What are you seeing?"

"Completing," Lev reported. "I'm reading over thirteen thousand active ship signatures. Enemy forces..." He paused, rechecking his readings. "Thirty thousand, with more arriving every hour."

Mac whistled. "Well now, that's unfair."

I shrugged at him, "When has fair ever followed us around?"

"Good point." He brought his view in closer. "New plan everyone. Don't die."

"Excellent plan," I said. "Lia?"

"Updating our mission parameters with Mac's new plan. 'Don't die'."

Mac faked a laugh. "Mock me all you want." He waved around the rest of the crew. "See anyone arguing?"

I shook my head. He had a point. "Zoom in on visual," I ordered, needing to see with my own eyes.

The main display shifted to show telescopic views of the battle front. Huge Coalition ships exchanged fire with weapons that carved visible channels through space itself. And everywhere, debris fields of destroyed vessels created clouds of metal and ice that caught and reflected all of it. It was horrifying and yet visually beautiful all at the same time.

"Debris field analysis indicates at least seven hundred ships destroyed in the past seventy-two hours," Lia reported. "Wreckage composition suggests casualties favor the enemy forces, but Coalition losses include larger vessels with higher crew complements."

"Can you reach Admiral Kuba?" I asked.

"Not as yet." Lev replied.

The reason why was obviously clear. In the hour's it had taken us to get here, things had taken another nosedive.

"Several of Admiral Kuba's shipyards are under siege," Lev reported. "Orbital defenses are doing their best, but down to twenty-nine percent operational and declining fast. Multiple Coalition ships are venting atmosphere damaged beyond repair."

"What, who?" I asked and pointed to the far screens. "The main forces are on the frontlines, they've not moved."

We all exchanged a look. "Brakers?" I prompted.

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Lia nodded. "Confirming there are Braker vessels engaged with those at the shipyards."

It was not looking good, not at all. We needed those facilities.

"How many?"

Laid out before us, I could see the Sigma-Seven shipyards. These massive construction facilities had been building vessels for decades and they were now surrounded by Brakers forces. Their defensive platforms hung broken in space. Weapons silenced. Docking bays that should have had ships under construction instead held nothing but burning hulks.

This was straight out of a nightmare. More disturbing were the ships that weren't destroyed but that were drifting powerless.

"Consciousness extraction?" I asked.

Lia nodded. "I'm sorry, but yes."

Their crews had been reduced to vegetables. Their hulls intact but their people gone. Just like Torres.

"How are we supposed to deliver our research into that?" Sorrel asked her voice low.

Before I could answer, our communication array activated.

"Faulkner, this is Admiral Kuba aboard the CNS Defiance. Your arrival is desperately needed."

"We're a little way out yet, Admiral." I replied, noting our distance.

His face popped up on our main display and he looked even more tired than he had the last time we spoke. Had he no rest at all?

<<Unlikely,>> Lia replied.

"What's your current status?" Lev asked.

"Status?" Kuba's laugh carried nothing but an edge of hysteria. "We've been holding them off, waiting for you. But every hour more and more showed up. We're overwhelmed."

"Not anymore," Nyx stepped through the doorway into the CIC. He moved to Mac's side and stood firm.

"Tell me about it," Lia bounced back at him.

"Lia," Nyx said. "Ignitiate engine burn again, I need to be in range of those ships."

"Las?" I asked. "Can you fire the engines up again?"

"Yes, but I don't think they'll hold for much longer."

"Get me in range, tht's all I need."

I nodded to Mac who confirmed. "Firing engines once again."

"Fleet wide," I called. When it bipped I spoke clearly. "We're heading in, you—"

"Engines are firing," Derek reported. "Where you go, we go Captain."

Confirmation from my fleet lit up the console, all bar Silent Thunder. "We're not going to make that," Havlock said. "We'll slow you down."

"Iron Covenant will remain with Silent Thunder," Keating said.

"Bring them into us," I replied.

"Affirmative," Keating said.

"Engine burn in three, two, one."

The Faulkner's CIC shuddered, and Nyx had to hold onto the back of Mac's chair.

"We're incoming," I reported. "Hold on for us."

"Can't do anything else. Captain."

New intelligence from Kuba's fleet populated the true scope ofwhat was going on in the system. Coalition forces were retreating on all fronts, their formations shattered.

"What about your shipyards?"

"Forty-three percent destroyed. Some are under enemy control. Even if we could retake them, reconstruction would take years."

Sorrel spoke up from medical monitoring. "Extraction casualties? What's your medical situation?"

"Doctor… there are over fifty-eight thousand Coalition personnel in various stages of neurological damage. Our medical facilities were overwhelmed weeks ago. They've been doing basic life support and hoping you'd have some answers. That the people they care about aren't 'ost."

Fifty-eight thousand more people requiring constant care while their minds remained trapped or destroyed. Fifty-eight thousand people like Torres. I shook the memories off.

"How long before you're forced to abandon this whole system?"

"Twelve to eighteen hours."

"Where would you go?"

He struggled with this, it was clear, he touched the growing lump on his head. "Son, I don't know."

Lia moved to stand by Nyx at Mac's other side. "We will not abandon this system. Admiral, the research we're carrying—It worked. We can counter the extraction weapons. Commander, throw me out of the airlock if you must, but get me to the first facility you can. I promise you… all of you. We can do this."

Hope flickered in Kuba's expression. "Deployment timeline?"

"We will have everyone covered in 12 hours."

"Closing in on the first installation," Mac said. "Lia get to the hanger."

Lia dipped her head to him and went to move casting one look at me. "Go," I said. "This…. I trust you."

Then she was gone, and I suddenly felt alone.

<<You are not alone, ever, I am always here, just not present physically.>>

It didn't make me feel any better, but the fact she said it mattered.

"How close?" I asked him.

Nyx's voice vibrated all around us. "Admiral, I need authorization. Will you let me?"

Kuba's expression shifted—suspicion mixing with desperate interest. "I—I"

"I can provide immediate assistance. Real-time tactical analysis, attack countermeasures, formation optimization, target prioritization—everything needed to counter Braker's attacks on your facilities, but…" he paused. "I need it now."

"Nyx isn't Braker owned any longer." I almost whispered. "You asked him here, you hoped."

"Seeing him in the flesh…" Kuba's face pained.

"They did it on purpose," Nyx said. "I know I look like him."

I glanced between them, "Like who?" I asked.

<<You never saw any images of Marcus, did you?>>

I swallowed. "You're telling me Nyx…"

"Is the spitting image of my Son, that…"

"I'm sorry," Nyx said and lowered his head. "They did it to put you off, psychological warfare."

"It's working." He replied.

"Would it help if I grow a moustache or beard?"

"No, keep the face you have," Kuba said. "Just make sure the enemy sees it when you destroy them."

Nyx nodded. "That I can and will gladly do for you."

"You can really manage twelve thousand ships?" Kuba leaned forward, studying the AI's face.

"Quantum-encrypted tactical networking with no light-speed delays. I can process and coordinate tactical data faster than any networking system Braker Corporation has deployed."

"What happens if you're compromised? If they find a way to turn you against us?"

"Lia made sure my core programming prevents hostile action against all Coalition personnel. Additionally, I maintain human command authority—I provide tactical recommendations and coordination, but final decisions remain with ship commanders. I'm a tool, not a replacement for human judgment."

Kuba was silent for a long moment, his face showing the large weight he carried, much more than any of us, or was it? "Transmit, fleet wide." He ordered. A moment later we got the pings from several satellites. "Fleet Zeta, activate."

Lev's eyes lit up and I checked the screens, every dormant ship in the whole system flickered to green.

"Zeta awake." Came the uncanny voice of thousands of AI.

"Reach out to them," Kuba said.

"I am. Connecting now," Nyx replied.

"Fleet Zeta," Kuba said. "Command status transfer to Nyx, authorization. AK and MK 0175527."

"Voice activation command transfer initiated." The thousands repeated.

Nyx actually wobbled on his feet, but then in the next breath he dropped to his knees with a yell. Mac moved to help, but he held a hand up stopping him dead. "Fleet Zeta handshake complete. I am in command." He stood, his whole body alight with blue fire. "Initiating countermeasures now."

Our tactical display exploded with activity. Twelve thousand sleeping ships came alive simultaneously. What had once been dark hulls drifting in defensive formations, suddenly blazed with power signatures. Their weapons systems lighting up in astounding rainbow of colors, as they primed. This was coordinated movement that defied any human capability. Because… and I stared at him in awe, he wasn't.

"Jesus Christ," Mac said, letting out a breath. "They're all moving together."

Not just moving, they were dancing. The unmanned fleet shifted into attack formations with such precision it made any human counterpart look clumsy.

Frigate squadrons wove between capital ships. Destroyers formed geometric patterns that created overlapping fields of fire, and thousands of corvettes streaked toward Braker positions like schools of piranha.

"Nyx," I said and watched the perfect synchronization. "Are you showing off?"

"He absolutely is," Lev confirmed. "Look at that formation, its not just tactical precision. It's also aesthetically pleasing."

Nyx smiled at him, pride oozing off him. "We've got this, right?"

"Yes," I grinned. "Too fucking right we do."

"Braker forces are responding," Lev reported, then he laughed. "They're deploying extraction weapons against an unmanned fleet."

"Do they know its unmanned?"

"I don't know," came his reply. "Maybe they don't?"

"They think we're hiding life signs?"

Mac shrugged. "Possible."

I leaned forward, watching the enemy's countermove. Platforms appeared—several massive ones.

"They're designed for harvesting minds and storage." Lia said.

They positioned themselves to target Nyx's incoming ships. The neural assault beams lanced out, with the same intent that had reduced Torres and thousands of Coalition personnel to empty shells.

I didn't want to watch, but I had to, I needed to know they couldn't be used as anything else that they would just bounce off on through the ships with nothing to attach to.

The beams hit the unmanned ships in tandem and... and nothing happened.

Nothing at all.

Everyone in the CIC laughed. "No effect," Lev said, with relief. "The extraction weapons aren't affecting them at all."

"Of course they aren't." Lia said. "You can't harvest consciousness from ships that have no crew. There are no minds to steal. There are no neural patterns to disrupt."

Brakers forces had built their entire tactical doctrine around a weapon that was completely useless against AI-coordinated vessels.

It was glorious.

"They're panicking," Nyx said. "Their coordination is breaking down. They don't have countermeasures for this—for me."

On the display, the enemy formations fragmented as they realized their primary weapon had become irrelevant. And they did panic, splintering away in the next breath.

"Where's Ranger?" I asked.

"He must still be behind us," Lev said.

"Any ideas how far?"

"It would be hours," Lia confirmed. "Certainly far enough away they'd have no say in this defeat."

As Nyx continued his fight we watched.

The unmanned fleet didn't just turn to defend us—it hunted them.

The frigate squadrons bracketed Braker destroyers with coordinated fire that stripped away shields and carved through hulls in moments reducing them to nothing but slag. The corvettes swarmed in and overwhelmed several extraction platforms. Thousands of small ships converged on the massive vessels and then they too were space debris.

"Braker heavy cruiser Domination is also taking critical damage," Lev reported. "Hull breached. Power systems are failing. Now they're venting atmosphere."

"Three more platforms down," Mac added. "Nyx is prioritizing those, taking them out in case they turn towards our manned vessels."

Smart. Remove the threat then mop up everything else. Another platform exploded. Only several more to go.

"Admiral Kuba's forces are also counterattacking," Lev said. "They're using Nyx's coordination to push them back."

The tactical display showed his ships that had been barely holding defensive positions now moved with a new confidence. They weren't fighting alone anymore.

"Are you doing both?" I asked.

"Negative Captain, this is quite a lot to manage without talking to hundreds of real people as well. At least for now."

"One Braker formation trying to retreat toward the system's outer edge. They're regrouping for a coordinated counter."

Nyx anticipated the move though. And his unmanned destroyers appeared in their path, cutting off any viable escape routes. His frigate squadrons harried their flanks and his Capital ships moved to stop them from above and below.

"They're trapped," Mac said with pure satisfaction.

Everything they tried Nyx was faster. For every move they calculated, he'd already prepared three counters. He was brilliant, and watching it in real time. Holy hells I'd never felt more hope more alive than right now.

"Enemy flagship is attempting to jump to hyperspace," Lev reported. "Quantum drive charging."

"Not happening," Nyx replied, and it was as if a thousand corvettes were on them in the blink of an eye.

"Hyperspace attempt aborted." Lev said. "They're dead in space."

More Braker ships tried to disengage, but Nyx's fleet was everywhere. They moved with perfect coordination, creating funnels that left the enemy in kill zones. Every move forced the enemy ships into impossible choices. Then there was only stay and fight or retreat to where other Kuba waited. There was no win for them. They were done for.

"Where is Ranger?"

"Repositioning," Mac announced, bringing up a new trajectory.

Nyx glanced at him. "Thank you," he said.

"I've got your back," he said. "You keep Zeta going."

"My pleasure."

"All enemy ships are falling back."

"Good. Let them," I said. "Let them report that their unstoppable consciousness extraction weapons have met their match. Let them tell their commanders that the tide just turned."

On the display, we all watched as the enemy ships suddenly scattered.

Nyx wasn't letting up though. "Let them go, Nyx," I said. "Fall back positions."

"Admiral Kuba is on comms," Lev said.

The main display shifted to show Kuba's face—still exhausted, still blood-stained, but now he was showing something new. Not just hope. Victory.

"Captain Tachim, thank you," he said, his voice steady for the first time since we'd made contact. "Braker forces are in full retreat. The shipyards are secured."

I looked at Nyx, still standing beside Mac's station, his form glowing with that same blue fire just less intense, he was clearly exhausted. Mac stood and actually let him sit down. Likely before he fell down. "Thank Nyx, Admiral. And thank your daughter's research."

Kuba dipped his head to Nyx and there were audible cheers from the Admiral's CIC. "We're clearing approach vectors for you to Sigma-Seven Prime. It's time we met in person."

The channel closed and for a long moment, the CIC was silent. I couldn't even hear anyone breathing.

Then Mac let out a breath that turned into a laugh. "I can't ebeleive we actually did it."

"Twelve thousand ships," Nyx said from Mac's chair, still glowing faintly. "I coordinated twelve thousand ships and we won."

Around the CIC, exhausted crew members were grinning, I mean really grinning.

My heart soared. "We're here Ashley," I whispered. "And I get to meet your father."

"Peyton," Lia said. "We really did it. Nyx was on fire…"

I tapped for fleet comms. "All hands," I said over our fleet channel. "Braker forces are in full retreat. The shipyards are secured. We just changed this war." I paused, letting myself smile. "Welcome to Sigma-Seven. We made it."

For the first time in what felt like my whole life, we weren't running.

We were winning.

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