The End Of the Beginning

The stars stretched into long streaks of white as the Ravenblade soared through hyperspace, its sleek frame cutting through the void with effortless precision. Inside the cockpit, the hum of the ship's engines provided a steady background rhythm, a calming counterpoint to the clacking of controls and the occasional beep of diagnostics.

Asus sat in the pilot's chair, his posture relaxed but his focus razor-sharp. His fingers danced over the console, pulling up holographic panels and adjusting settings with practiced ease. The Ravenblade was a far cry from the battered craft he'd piloted before; its systems were responsive, its weaponry cutting-edge. Still, he wasn't one to take things for granted. Hours spent running simulations ensured he was as sharp as the ship itself.

Crystal sat in the co-pilot's seat, a thick manual spread across her lap. The edges of the pages glowed faintly, the text shifting and reconfiguring as she swiped her fingers across the interface. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she studied the diagrams and instructions, her brow furrowed in concentration.

"Page ninety-eight," she muttered to herself, flipping to a new section. "Anti-ballista countermeasures... plasma emitter recalibration..." She sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Why do they make these things so dense?"

"Because they assume everyone's an engineer," Asus replied without looking up from his console. His tone was light, teasing, but his focus remained on the holographic simulation running in front of him. A swarm of red markers lit up the display, representing enemy craft as he maneuvered the ship through increasingly tight turns and evasive maneuvers.

Crystal glanced over at him, her lips quirking into a small smile. "And I assume you just know all of this already?"

Asus smirked, tapping a button to release a volley of simulated plasma bursts that annihilated half the swarm. "Not all of it. But enough to keep us alive." He glanced at her, one eyebrow raised. "Besides, you're doing fine. Most people don't even bother trying to learn this stuff."

Crystal rolled her eyes, flipping back to the beginning of the manual. "Yeah, well, most people don't find themselves stranded in the middle of space with someone who expects them to pull their weight."

"You're not stranded," Asus said, pulling the ship into a tight roll as the simulation escalated. The maneuver was smooth, seamless, and the holographic enemy fighters broke formation in response. "You're on a mission. There's a difference."

Crystal watched him work for a moment, her chest tightening slightly at the ease with which he handled the controls. He was in his element here, completely at home in the chaos of simulated combat. She couldn't help but feel a pang of envy—and admiration.

"You make it look easy," she said softly, her fingers brushing against the edge of the manual.

"It's not," Asus replied, his tone matter-of-fact. "Took years to get this good. And even then, I've still got to practice." He gestured toward the simulation, where another wave of enemies was closing in. "This ship's got different systems, different handling. If I don't stay sharp, we'll both pay for it when it counts."

Crystal nodded, her grip tightening on the manual. "That's why I'm reading this. I don't want to be dead weight out here. If something happens, I want to be useful."

Asus paused, turning his chair slightly to face her. His expression softened, the hard edge of his focus giving way to something more understanding. "You're not dead weight, Crystal. You've already proven that."

She blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in his voice. "I just... don't want to mess up," she admitted, her gaze dropping to the manual. "I don't want to let you down."

Asus leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Listen," he said, his voice steady but firm. "Everyone screws up. Even me. Hell, especially me. But you've got the right attitude. You're learning, you're trying—and that's more than a lot of people can say."

Crystal let his words sink in, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Thanks, Asus. That actually helps."

"Good," he said, turning back to his console. "Now, flip to page one-twenty. There's a section on auxiliary power routing you'll want to know. Could come in handy if we ever take a hit to the main systems."

Crystal chuckled, flipping through the manual until she found the page. "Alright, teacher. Let's see what I can do."

Hours Later

The cockpit lights dimmed slightly as the ship settled into the quiet hum of autopilot. The simulation had ended, leaving Asus leaning back in his chair with a satisfied expression. Crystal had made her way through several sections of the manual, her confidence growing with each new concept she grasped.

She glanced over at Asus, who was stretching his arms behind his head. "How'd the simulations go?"

"Not bad," he said, a hint of pride in his tone. "This ship's a dream to handle. A little tricky on the turns, but once you get a feel for it, it's solid."

Crystal closed the manual, resting it on the console. "Think we'll need to put all that practice to use anytime soon?"

"Hope not," Asus said, his voice softening. "But out here, it's better to be ready for anything."

Crystal nodded, her gaze drifting to the viewport. The stars outside were no longer streaks of light but distant pinpricks scattered across the black expanse. Despite the vastness of space, the cockpit felt safe—steady. She glanced at Asus again, her chest tightening briefly before she pushed the feeling aside.

"Thanks for letting me tag along," she said suddenly, her voice quiet.

Asus looked at her, his brow furrowing slightly. "Tag along? You're part of this, Crystal. We're a team. Don't forget that."

Her smile returned, small but genuine. "Alright. Team it is."

The two sat in silence for a while, the hum of the Ravenblade filling the space as they prepared for the next leg of their journey. Both of them knew the road ahead wouldn't be easy, but for the moment, they allowed themselves to breathe, the weight of the galaxy held at bay by the quiet of the stars.

The soft hum of the ship's engines filled the cockpit as Asus leaned over the console, his eyes locked on the holographic display in front of him. The starfield outside the viewport was calm, serene, but his mind was anything but. Rows of numbers and trajectories scrolled across the screen as he worked through calculations, his lips moving slightly as he muttered to himself.

Crystal sat in the co-pilot's seat, quietly watching him. She had her manual open but had barely glanced at it in the past ten minutes. She knew better than to interrupt when Asus was like this—focused, intent, his mind turning like the gears of a well-oiled machine.

Finally, he leaned back in his seat, rubbing his temples as the numbers settled in his head. "Alright," he said, breaking the silence. "Here's the situation."

Crystal straightened, closing her manual. "What's the verdict?"

Asus tapped the console, bringing up a three-dimensional map of the galaxies they needed to cross. Thirty-six glowing markers appeared, each representing a jump point. "We've got enough fuel to make about fifteen consecutive galaxy jumps before we hit critical reserves," he explained. "After that, we'll need to stop for refueling."

"Fifteen?" Crystal frowned, her gaze darting over the map. "That's not even halfway."

"Exactly," Asus said, his tone calm but firm. "The Ravenblade is efficient, but even with its optimized drives, crossing this much space isn't something you can do in one go. We're looking at at least two stops for refueling, maybe three if conditions aren't ideal."

Crystal nodded slowly, her brow furrowed. "Okay... but what's the timeframe? How long until we're out of fuel entirely?"

Asus tapped a few buttons, pulling up a new set of numbers. "Assuming we maintain optimal velocity between jumps, the fuel reserves give us about nine standard months of continuous operation. But that's under ideal conditions—no heavy maneuvers, no extended combat, no emergency power draw."

Crystal winced. "And if things aren't ideal?"

"Then we're cutting it closer to seven months," Asus said bluntly. "Which is why I'm planning around the worst-case scenario."

He leaned forward, pointing at a cluster of galaxies on the map. "This stretch here," he said, highlighting a glowing pathway. "It's about twelve jumps in. There's a system called Erelis Delta. It's got a mid-sized trade hub and plenty of fueling stations. That'll be our first major stop."

Crystal studied the map, her finger tracing the route. "And after that?"

Asus switched the display, showing the second half of the journey. "We'll push as far as we can toward the next viable refueling point—probably in the Zarathen Expanse. That one's another thirteen jumps after Erelis Delta. By then, we'll have crossed more than two-thirds of the distance."

Crystal tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly. "And the final stretch? Is there a backup plan if something goes wrong?"

Asus's lips twitched into a faint smirk. "There's always a backup plan," he said. "If something goes wrong after Zarathen, we've got options. A few uninhabited systems in the Harwen Fringe have mining colonies we can barter with for fuel. Not ideal, but it'll keep us moving."

Crystal let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "So... we should make it within a year and a half, give or take?"

"Give or take a couple of months," Asus confirmed. "If everything goes according to plan, we'll make the full journey in about sixteen months. But space doesn't always play nice, so we'll have to stay flexible."

Crystal leaned back in her seat, her gaze drifting to the stars outside. "Sixteen months," she murmured. "That's a long time to be out here."

"It is," Asus agreed, his tone quieter now. "But it's not just about the time. It's about making sure we get there in one piece." He glanced at her, his expression softening. "That means keeping the ship in top shape, making smart stops, and staying sharp. No shortcuts."

Crystal nodded, her resolve hardening. "Alright. Let's do it."

Asus smirked, tapping the console to lock in the initial route. "That's the spirit. Now, let's get to Erelis Delta before we start worrying about the next leg. One step at a time." As the holographic map disappeared, the two of them settled into a comfortable silence.

The small break room aboard the Ravenblade was a cozy, utilitarian space tucked between the cockpit and crew quarters. A modest couch took up one side of the room, its cushions worn but comfortable, while the other side housed a compact kitchenette stocked with vacuum-sealed meals and a microwave that hummed quietly as it worked.

Crystal lounged on the couch, her legs stretched out and a datapad resting against her knees. She scrolled idly through a list of ship systems she'd been studying, her finger occasionally pausing to jot down a note. The faint aroma of something vaguely resembling grilled meat wafted from the kitchenette, mingling with the ever-present hum of the ship's systems.

Asus stood by the microwave, arms crossed as he waited for the timer to finish. "I don't think I'll ever get used to the taste of these things," he remarked, his voice carrying over the soft hum.

Crystal smirked without looking up. "Better than starving, right? Besides, I thought you military types could eat anything without complaint."

"We can," Asus said, glancing at her with a raised brow. "Doesn't mean we enjoy it."

The microwave beeped, and he pulled out a steaming tray of what the packaging optimistically called "beef stew." He set it on the counter and started heating a second meal. "What about you? Thought you'd be buried in that manual you're always lugging around."

Crystal tilted her head toward the datapad. "Still studying. Just needed a break from staring at power routing diagrams. Figured some light reading about weapon systems would be a nice change of pace."

Asus chuckled, grabbing a pair of forks from the drawer. "You call that light reading? Most people would take a nap."

"I'm not most people," she quipped, setting the datapad down and sitting up. She stretched, her arms reaching over her head as she let out a small sigh. "Besides, I need to keep up if I'm going to be useful on this ship."

Asus walked over and handed her one of the trays, taking a seat on the edge of the couch with his own. "You're already useful," he said, his tone matter-of-fact. "But if cramming manuals makes you feel better, I'm not going to stop you."

Crystal took the tray, poking at its contents with the fork. "You know, for space food, this doesn't look half bad."

"Don't let it fool you," Asus said, taking a bite of his own meal. He winced slightly but kept chewing. "It's better if you don't think too hard about what it's supposed to taste like."

Crystal laughed, shaking her head as she took her first bite. Her expression mirrored his, a mix of resignation and acceptance. "Okay, you were right. This is... not great."

"Told you," he said, smirking.

They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes before Crystal spoke again. "You ever think about what you'd eat if you weren't stuck out here?"

Asus glanced at her, his smirk fading into a thoughtful expression. "Fresh bread," he said after a moment. "With real butter. The kind that melts the second you spread it."

Crystal raised a brow, surprised by the specificity. "Bread? Really?"

"Yeah," Asus said with a small shrug. "It's simple, but it's real. You don't get much of that out here."

Crystal smiled, a flicker of warmth crossing her face. "That's... oddly poetic for you, Asus."

He chuckled, finishing the last bite of his meal. "Don't get used to it."

Crystal leaned back against the couch, her gaze drifting toward the ceiling. "For me? Probably a big slice of pizza. Something with way too much cheese and every topping imaginable."

Asus shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You'd regret that halfway through."

"Worth it," Crystal said with a grin.