Page 42 of Stars in Nova

He clenched his jaw, waiting for the telltale signs of rejection—tightening muscles, surging heat—but instead, he felt his full strength returning.

‘It’s working,’ he muttered, his viridescent eyes flicking to the infirmary’s holo display.

The diagnostics confirmed his vitals were stabilizing, the subtle disruptions from the toxin fading into nothingness.

‘Of course it is,’ Mirage said, her voice carrying a smug edge. ‘You’ll be back to your intense self in no time.’

Kisan rolled his shoulders, the tension easing as the antidote settled.

He pushed himself to his feet, the polished floor of the med bay cool beneath his boots.

‘One problem solved,’ he gritted, heading toward the weapons hold.

It was a stark, utilitarian space, its walls lined with racks of well-maintained armaments.

Kisan stepped inside, the scent of machine oil and scorched metal pungent in the air.

The ship’s systems vibrated through the deck as he ran his hand over the steel of a kinetic rifle, his fingers brushing the precision-engineered surface.

He checked the plasma cartridges, ensuring their charges were full. Under the overhead lights, rifles and lasers gleamed, their barrels polished and ready.

Satisfied, he moved to the cockpit, the 360-degree plex display lighting up as he entered. The stars beyond hyperspace were a blur, the ship’s sensors monitoring the path to Orilia XIV. He leaned against the console, his aqua eyes scanning the data streams.

‘Anything stirring out there?’ he asked.

‘Quiet so far,’ Mirage replied, her holographic form flickering into view. ‘Though I’d wager it won’t stay that way for long.’

Kisan nodded, his jaw tightening.

He reached for a nearby station, brushing the cool surface of the connection port. ‘I need a moment,’ he said, his tone curt.

Mirage tilted her head, her silver and gold eyes narrowing. ‘Shutting me out, are we? I’m hurt.’

‘You’ll survive,’ he said dryly, disconnecting the node.

Her presence vanished.

He activated the comms system, his fingers moving fast across the interface.

The signal encrypted itself as it bounced through a cascade of relays, each step masking its origin and destination.

The process took seconds, but the layers of security made it feel like an eternity.

After a beat, the holo flickered to life.

A cowled man appeared onscreen, his silhouette a shadowed contour against the backdrop of his austere surroundings.

The rough-hewn masonry behind him was unadorned save for the outline of a Paladian amulet hanging on the far wall, illuminated by a single flickering candle.

His face remained shrouded in darkness, though his tone commanded authority, hoarse and husky with graveled power.

‘Brother,’ the man growled. ‘This is unexpected. It’s been a minute since we last spoke.’

‘It has,’ Kisan rasped.

‘You look well.’

‘I am.’

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