Chapter One: Red Velvet Lenny

"System engines have gone critical, sir."

The feminine voice of the station's mainframe sounded above the groaning metal and flying sparks. Max Silver hissed in pain as he leaned on the guardrail of the catwalk, a wave of vertigo rushing over him when he looked down the endless shaft to the reactors. Red and gold emergency lights pulsed all around the metal chasm.

"Why'd they program you with a foreign accent?" he complained, limping onward across the bridge.

"I don't understand," was the computer's reply.

Max rolled his eyes, reaching the already opened door to the lower escape deck.

"I know, you're just here. They don't tell you why or where you come from. Some things don't change." Once inside, Max jammed his palm on the switch and the door closed behind him.

"I came from a programming facility on Laridas One," the computer said. "My express function is to provide directional and diagnostic support to all registered occupants of Millennium Station."

"Well, your express function is about to be in little pieces floating through space."

"I don't understand," the computer said.

"Good," Max bit back. "'Cause the day they give machines a sense of humor is the day I retire."

Holding on to the overhead rails, Max lifted himself to slide feet-first into the capsule. The joint in his knee burned with pain as his weight came off of it.

"I've been programmed with a select number of jokes. Would you like to hear one?"

"No," he barked. "Just shut up and transfer the distress code to the pod."

"Beacon transferring now. Is there anything else you need, sir?" The computer's voice was more immediate now, coming from the pod's speakers.

Max sighed, settling into the confined tube.

"I could listen to some guitar," he said. "Is there anything left from the purge?"

"Red Velvet Lenny is the only artist in the catalog, sir."

"That'll do alright. Send it over."

The music began playing as the door sealed and the pod slid from the dock. It was one Max hadn't heard, but he recognized the band's sound. He sighed over the simple waver of the guitar, the capsule drifting around to watch the station fall apart.

Finally, connection to the computer lost, Max Silver relaxed into the music, waiting for his rescue.

** ** **

Natalia Ramond once again found herself lost in thought.

She stood in front of the captain's helm, staring at the infinite space ahead. A feeling had come over her--as had become more and more common lately--a feeling of moment, as if lines of some illusive plan were about to collide and shower across the universe. If she looked deep enough, she even thought she could see the lines, like strings of light running on in the distance, getting gradually closer to each other as they did.

Talia blinked, but she remained consumed by the limitless space before her. When had she begun to think like this? She spared a glance at several of the crewmates, hoping she didn't appear too lost in her thoughts. Should she even be thinking this way? A captain is honest with his crew but, if she tried speaking to any of them about these thoughts, surely concern for her sanity would spread. She breathed, burying the feeling.

"A distress signal, Captain," said Ensign Gram. He sent the ping to her control deck.

"Good," Ramond said. "Let's hope they're still alive."

She moved back to the helm, transferring the location to the frontal viewport.

"Adjust heading, Ms. Harlem. Let's pick them up." With that, the ship began a veer to the right, increasing its speed.

The SC Starlight Nautilus had been circling the wreckage of Millennium Station for the last forty six hours, searching for the only escape capsule that had come up unaccounted for. Ramond had tried not to show her worry, but the pods were rated for only forty eight hours before levels of oxygen were critical, so tensions aboard the ship had been growing higher nonetheless.

Finally, when they were approaching the ping, Ramond saw a capsule drifting alone.

"There it is," she said. "Mr. Teracles, your drone."

The technician already had his hands strapped in the remote apparatus. "Sending out drone."

Ramond activated her com. "Docking, prepare to receive the escape capsule."

Ramond stood up from the command console to watch from the viewport the pod being carried in. Clasping her hands behind her back, she sighed in relief.

"How far are we from the site of the Millennium?"

"Approaching three hundred kilometers, Captain," Harlem said, glancing easily at her display.

"And positive, every other pod is accounted for?"

"Yes, Captain," said Mr. Ackard from the XO's chair, behind and to the right.

"Good," Ramond nodded, breathing out. She stared out the viewport, unwinding as she let the crew wait for orders... until a message from docking came over the intercom.

"Captain, you'll want to see this," the voice of Ms. Camilla said.

Ramond replied. "What is it?"

"It's Admiral Silver, ma'am."

Ramond's heart stopped for a moment, and there was silence on deck as several of the crewmates exchanged wide-eyed looks.

"Who else?" Ramond said.

"The other five slots are empty, ma'am."

"I'll be right there." She closed coms, her chest suddenly pounding. "Stand by, Mr. Ackard."

"Yes, Captain."

The door hissed open as the captain left the deck, her boots echoing through the hallway approach. She took the lift to the lower deck then, stepping off when the doors opened, she rounded the hall to the docking bay.

"He's unconscious," said Ms. Camilla, meeting her just outside. "The medics are already checking him over."

Entering the bay, Ramond walked immediately to the three medics kneeling over the man on the floor, the escape pod behind them standing at twice any of their height. Ms. Camilla was just behind her.

"His oxygen levels were nearly empty. It looks like damage to the pod caused a malfunction, keeping oxygen from rerouting from the other bays."

"Thank you, Ms. Camilla," Ramond said, now standing over the medics.

The man's breath was evening out, and he muttered and moaned words that sounded oddly melodic, his stark gray hair standing out against the floor. When his eyes opened, they moved lethargically from one medic to the next. When they found Talia the man looked surprised, then he smiled.

"Natalia Ramond," he said, his wry voice only slightly slurred. "The Fox of Oberon herself."