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Captain Marlena set up Eastros’s workshop a floor underneath the bridge. She wanted him close by when he would find a suitable dying star for them.
“Commander, did you get everything Eastros needed for his workshop?”
“Yes, he didn’t ask for much.”
Captain Marlena wanted to visit Eastros and see how he was doing. But she needed to be on the bridge if he found something.
She said, “Can you patch me in to Yaddle?”
“Go ahead,” Commander Giles said.
“Yaddle,” she said, “are you ready?”
“Yes, I also boosted your ship’s engines. You needed a higher output of magical crystals. I have everything ready,” Yaddle said.
“Good,” Captain Marlena said.
She said, “Patch me into Eastros.”
Commander Giles nodded to her.
“Eastros, do you hear me?”
“Yes, Captain Marlena.”
“Do you know how to use Merlin’s Amulet?” She said.
Eastros was quiet for a moment. “No, but I think the Amulet will work without my assistance.”
“Do you know what will happen?”
“Not really,” Eastros said, “I did find an exploding star. And it is close. But we have to travel through Vvong space.”
“Don’t worry about that. We can handle it,” she said.
Eastros said, “Give me a milli-cycle. I will find the coordinates.”
“Good,” Captain Marlena said. She and her crew were prepared.
She said, “Commander Giles, please show the Vvong ships on the screen.”
A map appeared at the front screen. It depicted the Solar system and then all the Vvong ships. Something doesn't look right.
“Oh no,” she said. “Is this right?”
“Yes,” Commander Giles said. “I heard the order. The fleet are getting ready for an attack. We are ordered to stand down.”
Captain Marlena said, “We cannot do that.”
Commander Giles said, “We are commanded to stay with our own plans.”
Captain Marlena thought about the spy. But this attack in her mind supports that a spy heard about their plans to get to Earth and they want to intercept the fleet. She hoped the Vvong didn’t know about their plans to find a dying star.
Captain Marlena saw the Hive’s battle ships moving into formation. The Vvong ships flew directly at them. She didn’t want to voice it, but it was going to be a slaughter. Captain Marlena hated that she had to wait back here. She clenched her fist.
“Captain Marlena,” Eastros said, “I have found a star. We have to leave now. I’m giving you the coordinates now.”
She nodded. The dying star was not close and should take several warp jump to get there.
“Captain Marlena, I can create a portal with your help,” Eastros said. “It would be faster and we don’t have to fly through the Vvong ships.”
“Ok, I’m coming down.”
Eastros said, “You don’t have to go down to me. Just focus on me and then give me some of your magical powers.”
Captain Marlena said, “When Eastros creates the portal, fly into it.”
“Aye, Commander.”
Marlena closed her eyes and started to focus on Eastros. She started to feel her magic flowing downwards moving toward the old wizard. It felt different from the time when she gave the Alpha Mage, Lazarus, her power. It was easier and less jarring. Also Eastros didn’t take most of her power like Lazarus did.
A glowing portal appeared before her ship.
“Captain a Vvong ship is quickly coming toward our position.”
“Get into the portal,” she said.
Captain Marlena saw several large ships coming toward her. The enemy ships started to fire.
Commander Giles said, “Shields up.”
Her ship was hit several times by several blasts by the large Vvong ship.
Eastros said, “Let me help.”
Captain Marlena didn’t want the old wizard to use his magic. He already expanded his power to create the portal. Her ship was hit again and jarred toward the side.
“Eastros, don’t, we can handle this,” Captain Marlena said.
She saw another large Vvong ship hovering almost on top of them with thousands of red lights appearing underneath it. It was smaller Vvong ships.
Captain Marlena said, “Fire at will.”
They were not going to make it through the portal. Then she felt a blast radiating coming from her ship.
Captain Marlena said, “What was that?”
The blast destroyed all the smaller enemy craft and also the Vvong battle ships. She knew who did that.
“Eastros, are you there? Are you ok?” She said.
“He will be fine. He needs to rest,” Sloan said.
Marlena’s ship reached the portal. Her ship was instantly transported to another galaxy. On the front screen was a planet. It was dark with orange red lines erupting from its surface.
“Commander Giles?”
“The planet is going to explode and become a supernova.”
“Yaddle, are you ready?”
“Yes,” the old dwarf said. “I hope this will work.”
Yaddle created a device which would tunnel the dying planet’s blast into the amulet. Captain Marlena understood. If the amulet doesn’t take the power from the dying planet, then her ship would explode when it becomes a supernova.
Captain Marlena said, “How’s our shields?”
“We’re at full strength.”
The planet started to implode on itself.
“Commander, have you seen this before?”
“Only on our Holo books,” Commander Giles said.
“This would be my first as well.”
Suddenly, the planet turned into a large fireball, creating an explosion brighter than anything she ever seen. The ship started to shake violently.
“Captain, the shields are losing power. We are at half power now,” Commander Giles said.
The only thing she saw in the screen was bright red and orange light. They were very close to the blast radius of the dying star. She couldn't do anything. If she tried to fly away, they would still be destroyed. The ship shook so violently. A few of her crew fell from their seats. She grabbed hold of the chair and held on. Suddenly, the ship stopped shaking. And the front screen showed empty space.
Somebody behind yelled, “Hurray!”
