Sojourn

By Timothy Sproule and Daniel Smyth

'Sojourn' is an epic space opera by Timothy Sproule and Daniel Smyth, unfolding a thousand years in the future. Humanity, once displaced and forced to seek refuge amongst the stars, emerges as heroes in an ancient alien conflict, only to face a resurging threat that jeopardizes their hard-won peace.

Long Description:
A millennium into the future, the galaxy has undergone unimaginable transformations. 'Sojourn,' by Timothy Sproule and Daniel Smyth, weaves a thrilling narrative set in a time when the Earth has been frozen over, compelling humanity to flee to the stars. Amidst the chaos of displacement, humans found themselves ensnared in an ancient conflict between the oppressive Krate Imperium and the peace-seeking United Alliance of diverse spacefaring species.

Despite the odds, humanity's valiant efforts tip the scales in favor of the United Alliance, cementing humans as heroes and earning their place in the galactic community. Enjoying centuries of hard-won peace, humanity finally finds a new home, a sanctuary amidst the stars. However, tranquility is short-lived as a revived malevolent force threatens to shatter the harmony once more.

'Sojourn' takes readers on an exhilarating journey through time and space, intertwining themes of resilience, heroism, and the eternal quest for peace. With humanity's survival hanging in the balance, this book poses the question: Will humans rise to the occasion once more, or will they succumb to the looming threat?

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jun 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798350909883

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Jinn Doran slowly opened his eyes, completely disoriented and confused by what was going on around him. He felt as if he had been run over by a truck. His very essence felt like it was being torn apart by an invisible force. He was in so much pain in fact, that it took him several seconds to realise where he was.

He was standing in the middle of a great black void.

Confusion and fear quickly consumed him. He couldn’t understand what was going on. He didn’t even know what this place was. But before he could even think of getting his bearings-

-the ear-piercing sounds of explosions rained all around him! It was so loud that Jinn was amazed that he was not deafened on the spot. The sounds of explosions were soon joined by the crackling of gunfire erupting around him from all directions. He instinctively dived to the floor, even as he sensed that he wasn’t actually being shot at.

Jinn was holding his hands over his ears and had his head planted to the floor, so desperate for all of the noise to stop, that he had failed to notice that he was not alone in the space. Looking up, he had no time to scream before the swooshing sounds of a sword filled the air, as a sinister, dark armoured black figure swung his blade at Jinn—BANG! 

Jinn woke with a start as he felt the room around him shake violently. For a moment, he remained bewildered, as he attempted to understand what had just happened, when-

-BANG! 

-the room rumbled again, worse than it had the first time, causing Jinn to fall from his bunk. He landed with a thud onto the cold metal floor of the ship. Looking upwards, he could see his own mirror image in the reflective roof: He was of average height, with a very thin face and lean build that bordered on being skinny. His black hair had been cut short recently at the start of his most recent tour of duty; though it had started to slowly grow back. Overall, he appeared very plain.

Now wide awake thanks to the terrible pain he was in, he heard the unmistakable sound of the automatic door to the barracks swishing open urgently. As Jinn turned his eyes to the door, he saw that a fellow soldier had entered the room: A middle aged human woman with a battle worn face, dressed in navy blue battle armour, armed with a rifle, and a sidearm pistol. 

Jinn! 

The soldier came rushing over to see if Jinn was ok, but when Jinn recognised her, his heart sank. It was Lieutenant Victor: His squad leader, and Jinn really wasn’t interested in appearing like a fool in front of her. This was his first deployment after all, and he needed to make a good impression.  

Jinn, are you alright? Victor asked as she checked him for wounds. Did you get hit? 

Jinn shuddered with embarrassment. He had just been found laying on his back half-dressed by his commanding officer. A part of Jinn held too much pride within himself to admit the reality of the situation. But at the same time, he wasn’t the kind of person who would lie to succeed in life. 

No, ma’am, Jinn replied, gingerly. I uh … fell out of bed. 

Victor simply froze on the spot, unsure if she had heard him right. You what? she asked. 

I fell out of bed, ma’am. The explosion knocked me out of bed…

Victor continued to stare at Jinn in utter disbelief, but eventually she began to see that the only discernible expression present on Jinn’s face was that of pure unadulterated embarrassment. Jinn nervously awaited the grilling he expected to receive from her, but much to his surprise, Victor’s smile widened into an amused grin, as she held out a hand to help Jinn up.

You’re never going to hear the end of this, she chuckled. 

No, ma’am, I’d say you’re right, Jinn replied, lightening up a bit as Victor helped him to his feet. 

Listen, we have no time, Victor said urgently. Get geared up, and ready to fight. 

What’s going on? Jinn asked as he ran over to his footlocker and scrambled to get ready. Is it slavers? Pirates?

Worse. 

As Jinn was in the process of putting his body armour on, he suddenly noticed out of the corner of his eye what was going on outside of the barracks window. 

Hundreds of ships, snub fighters and frigates alike were engaged in fierce space combat above the planet. Some ships that were so far out in the distance appeared to Jinn as fast-moving stars as they danced around each other, attempting to get the better of their enemy. Others were so close to the window that Jinn almost felt that he could reach out and touch them, as if they were the same toy ships that he played with as a child. It was beautiful, enchanting in a way…

But reality sunk in quickly for Jinn, as he realised that this was not a game. This was life and death. The reality passed through him like a sharp sword. He took a deep breath as he did his best to get a grip. He knew what he was in for the second that he had joined the United Alliance.

As Jinn watched the battle unfold, it dawned on him who it was they were fighting. Jinn could feel a lump building in the back of his throat. There was no worse enemy…

The Krate Imperium, Jinn said solemnly.

That’s right, Victor replied. 

Jinn knew much of the enemy that was attacking his people. They were a great and powerful empire, made up of many of the strongest space faring species in the galaxy. They warred only to conquer, and bore a deep hatred of the democratic United Alliance for as long as they had been members of the galactic community. 

What do they want with our ship, ma’am?

No idea- Victor replied.

BANG!

The sound of another ear-shattering explosion filled the room. Jinn and Victor’s gazes fell upon the dormitory window, where they could see the outlines of Krate boarding ships breaching the Sojourn’s main module.

-but that doesn’t matter, she continued. What does matter, is that when you see those faithless bastards, you hit them with two in the chest and one in the head. You understand? 

Jinn could feel the seriousness in her voice, but even as he got the last of his equipment out of his locker, including his own assault rifle and sidearm, he couldn’t help but notice that his entire body was shaking. Before Jinn could even process this feeling, Victor had walked up to him, and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

I know you’re scared. The first one is always the hardest. But you’re here for a reason, just like all of us. You earned your place here. And I know that you’ll do the right thing when the time comes. 

Yes, ma’am.

Her words were encouraging, but even still, Jinn couldn’t help but feel afraid. Not of killing others, or being killed himself. He was simply afraid to mess things up. By now, Victor had loaded a fresh mag into her weapon, and moved towards the door. 

We need to move out. Take point, I’ve got your back. 

Aye, aye. 

Jinn stacked up on the door, his heart about ready to break out of his chest as Victor opened it up-

-and everything suddenly slowed down, as Jinn got into his element. All of the training had started to kick in. He took point through the hallways, his gun ready to fire. He cautiously, but quickly moved along the corridor as the ship continued to shake from the Imperium’s attacks. The fear that Jinn had felt initially from the bombardment had dissipated somewhat, as he was now fully focussed on what was right in front of him. Jinn could feel Victor close behind him as he made his way down the hallways, through twists and turns, when-

-a gunshot flew past Jinn’s head, only narrowly missing it. Without one ounce of hesitation, Jinn turned his rifle in the direction of the shot, and fired instinctively. Jinn saw a man clad in sinister dark armour fall to the ground right in front of him, several holes in his chest from where the bullets had penetrated his breastplate. Jinn wasn’t sure what he was feeling right now inside of him, but regardless of what he felt, one thing was certain: He had just killed someone for the first time. 

He had no more time to dwell on it, as he realised that the Imperium soldier was not alone. At least six soldiers, dressed like their fallen comrade, were standing over a group of dead United Alliance soldiers littering the ground. Noticing that their ally had fallen, they turned their weapons on Jinn and Victor, who were both forced to dive behind cover, only narrowly avoiding the gunfire. It was at this point that Jinn realised that Lieutenant Victor was wearing an expression of pure animal rage. 

Those are my men! she screamed. MY MEN! You’ll die for that, you bastards!

Pouncing like a wild lion, she opened fire on the enemy soldiers, who apparently were too overconfident of their chances and had not taken cover. Two of them were cut down by Victor immediately. The rounds from her rifle blasted through the troopers in milliseconds, and they passed from life just as quickly. Realising that they were now in danger, the remaining soldiers took cover and prepared to fight back, but by now, Jinn was ready to join in. He turned  his rifle onto the enemy soldiers, opening up on them, taking another one down before he could take cover. Now, the fight is three on two, Jinn thought to himself. The firefight continued, with the soldiers on both sides taking pot shots at each other, trapped in a stalemate until someone dared to break it.

LT! Jinn called over to Victor, who nodded to show that she was listening. Using hand signals, Jinn told her that he intended to move closer to the imperium soldiers, while she covered him. Without so much as waiting to see if she agreed to the plan-

-Jinn dived from cover at a moment that he knew the soldiers were reloading. He darted forward towards their cover, totally exposed, and within seconds, (or an eternity as it seemed to Jinn) the imperium soldiers stood up, the glints of their rifles shining-

-only for them all to be mercilessly gunned down by Victor, who was ready for them. The final three soldiers fell just as Jinn made it to the next cover, exhausted. The adrenaline had finally caught up with him, and he was beginning to feel sick. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he made the mistake of looking too far to the right, and among his slaughtered squadmates, saw the mangled corpse of a once gorgeous young woman: Tanner. Jinn’s bunkmate. Jinn couldn’t help but be grieved at her loss, as he was reminded that earlier that day, the two had agreed to swap shifts…

…it was too much, and Jinn wretched and then vomited hard onto the floor of the ship, as Victor ran up to him to see if he was okay. 

It’s okay, she said understandingly. Let it all out.

I’m sorry, LT, Jinn said, panting for air.

Don’t be. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s bullshit. It’s all bullshit, you hear me? The only ones to blame for what happened here are dead. And you performed stupendously.

Suddenly, Victor’s wrist communication device started to beep, as a voice message begins to sound:

This is Commander Dante to all ship’s hands! The Imperium troops are trying to overrun our position. We won’t last long against this firepower. All hands to the bridge!

As the message ended, Jinn had managed to find the strength to stand, wipe his mouth, and pick up his weapon. Despite how bad he was feeling right now, he knew the fight was far from over. As did Victor…

However, there was no time for them to rest, as a massive bellowing explosion shook the ship and knocked them both off of their feet. As Jinn hit the ground, he saw that the module that both he and Victor were in was starting to break apart! Jinn rushed to get her on her feet. 

We need to move, LT!

Victor did not need to be told twice, as the two of them made a break for the nearest airlock. Jinn sprinted for all he was worth, as he could hear the sounds of the hull section breaking apart behind him. The sounds started to become muffled as the ship started to open to the vacuum of space. Just a little further, he thought. Further. Further. Further-

-they dived through the doors, and Victor shot the console next to it, forcing the door to seal just as the module broke apart, pulling all of the bodies, both UA and Imperium alike into the cold void. Jinn didn’t think he could feel emptier than he did before. And yet, now he did. He watched helplessly through the porthole as Tanner’s body disappeared into the darkness. He didn’t know what to say. Thankfully, Victor broke the silence…

We need to get to the bridge. On me. 

Jinn could hear the despair in her voice. Like himself, it was obvious that Victor had wanted to show more respect to their dead. But also like himself, she had seemingly realised that they needed to focus on what they could save. Jinn got to his feet, he took one glance back, and followed Victor towards the bridge.

Although Jinn knew the way and knew that they didn’t have far to go, much like the last few minutes in battle, the run felt like an eternity. Jinn felt constantly on edge as he ran, fearing that an enemy soldier would sneak up behind them or jump out from behind cover. They were being much less cautious, and were more vulnerable than they had been before. By some miracle, they met no one, neither friend or foe, and at long last, stopped just shy of the bridge door. Victor pressed her ear to the door, trying to listen for activity on the other side. For a moment, she said nothing as Jinn watched nervously…

I can’t hear anything, she whispered softly. Get ready to breach. 

Jinn nodded, and stacked up on the door. He clicked back the hammer on his rifle, making sure that his weapon was locked and loaded. Adrenaline rushed through his veins once more, as he prepared once again for that terrible sensation he had just felt…

Three. Two. One…

Victor hit the button with her fist, and both she and Jinn charged into the bridge, with their weapons raised…

…and saw their worst fears realised. It was a massacre. Everyone was dead. 

Jinn’s heart sank as he saw the bloodied bodies of both sides littered all across the floor. There had obviously been some kind of skirmish when the Imperium had arrived. For some people, the knowledge that their friends and allies had put up a fight before death would be of some comfort. To Jinn, it brought only rage and sorrow. However, it was only at that point that Jinn noticed Victor had walked over to one of the bodies that was at the far end of the bridge. Her eyes became red as she looked down on it, solemnly. 

No. The Captain. 

Jinn forgot about what he was thinking, and rushed over to Victor. She was right. There he was: The Captain, in a uniform that looked similar to Victor’s, only adorned with more medals. His eyes were wide open, and his face bore an expression of shock and horror, unnerving Jinn. The captain was known to him as a brave man, who was willing to give his life for others. The thought that he had died afraid-

Victor’s radio started to whir to life again, as static came through, startling Jinn. 

This is Commander Dante. Is anyone out there? Is anyone still with me?

Victor raised her wrist-comm to her mouth. Commander, this Lieutenant Victor of Nova squad. My team has made it to the bridge.

What’s the status of The Captain? 

He’s dead, sir. 

Shit!

The rage was apparent in the Commander’s deep voice. Jinn didn’t know the man personally, but could tell from his outburst that he and the captain were close. He went silent for a second, and when he spoke again, he did so with a calmed urgency. 

You’re the only squad left on the ship to have reported in. Most of the crew are either dead, or in pods, so there’s not much point in you guys sticking around and getting shot. I’ve set up a defensive position at the escape pods. Get here on the double. 

Copy that, Victor replied. We’re moving now-

No sooner had Victor finished her sentence, she froze on the spot. At first, Jinn didn’t see what the problem was…

But then, he felt it…

…it was a cold shiver running through his body. Like he was standing in the middle of a blizzard. His hackles rose and his muscles tightened around his chest. A primal fear, of sorts. But fear of what? 

The second that Jinn turned around; he got his answer. 

He was staring at a large man that was standing in the doorway to the bridge. He was several inches taller than Jinn, and was dressed in sleek black armour that covered his entire body including his face. The armour he wore differed greatly from those of the common soldiers. It was thinner, but to Jinn it somehow appeared stronger, and of a more advanced design. He looked like some kind of mediaeval black knight, only instead of a great sword, his hand was perched on a bladeless sheath he wore around his belt. For a second, Jinn stood paralysed by fear at what he was seeing. The Black Knight did not move. He was simply looking at Jinn, and though he was masked, Jinn could feel eyes trying to stare right through him. The Knight tilted his head slightly, as his curious gaze fell on Jinn. Then, in a flash, the Knight extended from his sheath, a massive blue bladed long katana, and held in a fighting stance. 

Jinn heard a sudden roar from behind him. He turned, only to see Victor charging at the Black Knight, her gun blazing as the rounds blasted out and rebounded off his armour like they were made of rubber- 

-and Jinn watched as the sword, in one swift movement, impaled her through the chest. She did not scream, only let out a light gasp as a pool of blood poured out of her chest. Her eyes were locked in a gaze with the Black Knight, filled with terror. Whether it was fear of the Knight himself, or because of her wounds, Jinn couldn’t tell. The Black Knight stood mute, as he pulled the sword out of her chest, and she fell to her knees. Jinn didn’t know what to do. He was frozen on the spot-

-then a terrible noise came from the Lieutenant. 

Go! Run! she coughed.

Jinn somehow was freed from his trance as he took off as fast as he could towards a door on the other side of the bridge. The last thing that he saw as he raced for the exit was the Black Knight’s long sword slash across Lieutenant Victor. She was dead before she hit the ground. Jinn made it through the door, and sealed it shut before taking off at a sprint. He was all alone now. 

CHAPTER 2

Hastati Three was hot on the tail of an enemy fighter. He bobbed and weaved as best he could amidst the enemy cannon fire, doing his best to keep his composure. With everything that was going on around him, focusing on this lone enemy fighter was proving more and more difficult. Nonetheless, his determination was unquestionable. He was not at all willing to give this enemy the chance to take the life of another ally.

The enemy ship dive bombed, desperate to escape, but Hastati three was ready for this, diving at the same time. They both fell through space at a tremendous speed, passing countless other snub fighters, frigates and destroyers. The fighters screamed with fury as the aggressive nose dive continued. Hastati Three was glad of the artificial gravity in his fighter, otherwise he knew for sure that the dive would have knocked him cold.

This thought escaped his mind however, when he saw that his foe had locked himself on a collision course with a friendly cruiser. They were seconds away from impact. But Hastati Three simply smiled. He knew what the enemy was up to. And he wasn’t backing down. He continued to dive, even as he saw himself getting closer and closer to the cruiser’s hull. Five seconds to impact…

Four…

Three…

Two…

One…

He was right! The enemy fighter suddenly pulled out of the dive, and was attempting to adjust course. But he had made one grave miscalculation: He had flown right into Hastati three’s crosshairs. He squeezed the triggers with his fingers, and watched as the bright yellow lasers erupted from his guns. And within seconds, the enemy fighter had been reduced to ash. One down, a thousand to go, he thought to himself-

BANG! 

Hastati Three’s fighter shook violently, as he felt an explosion from the back of his ship. Alarms and flashing lights suddenly appeared from nowhere all around the cockpit, just as Hastati Three started to lose control of his ship. It was at that point that he saw something that made his heart stop: Another enemy fighter flew past his cockpit, and back into the battle. He hadn’t seen the enemy fighter on his tail this entire time, and now he was paying for it.

He desperately tried to regain control of his ship, fighting against the continually failing controls with all of his might. But as he did this, he hadn’t taken the time to examine his surroundings. And when he finally looked up, the last thing Hastati Three would see was the hull of the frigate that he was now trapped on a collision course with…

…

The fighter crashed into the bridge deflector shields, shattering into galactic dust as the Sojourn rocked violently once more. All eyes fell on where the fighter had impacted, and they found themselves unable to look away for a brief moment, as they watched the debris float peacefully back into space. Fear was etched into every one of their faces, even as they looked away and returned to their stations. The bridge staff of the Sojourn were now terribly on edge, having seen that the battle outside was falling apart. For now, the only source of hope that they could see was the man standing in the middle of the room keeping it all together: The Captain.

He was the sole calming presence in the room, seemingly not at all intimidated by what was going on. As well as that, he always seemed to have an answer for any problem that the crew had when in a combat scenario. In short, he was exactly the man the Sojourn needed to stay afloat.

Red wing turrets have been disabled by fighters! one of the officers called out. 

Can we get them back online? the Captain replied calmly. 

Negative sir. With them gone, blue wing turrets won’t have the firepower to fend off those enemy cruisers.

Ensign? he addressed one of the other officers on the bridge "What’s the status of the enemy boarding parties? 

They’re well inside the ship, sir! she replied, her voice trembling with fear. Our fireteams are engaging them at every possible junction, but we don’t have the manpower to hold them off for long! They’ll be here in minutes! 

The Captain had feared that this would happen, but nonetheless was unwilling to allow the rest of his crew to see him sweat. At a time like this, they needed him to lead. But even as this conversation continued, on the far side of the room, there sat a man of great interest. 

On the surface, he looked human, but his complexion was quite dark, his skin tone not matching that of a regular human being. He was also of an older age range than most in the room, appearing to be in his mid to late thirties or maybe early forties. His face also bore several facial scars, as if he had been shot, slashed, and stabbed more than his fair share. He was poured over a commutation device, trying desperately to get in touch with other squads on the ship. He also bore a name tag that read COMMANDER DANTE. 

Dante stared helplessly at the damaged communication device that he had just tried to use, slamming his fist into it in a fit of frustration. Useless piece of shit, he thought to himself, as he tried his best to regain his composure. As he slowly started to look up from his station, he found himself staring out into the abyss of space, where the great space battle between the Krate Imperium and the United Alliance was in full swing. Dante was reminded of why he had been avoiding looking out the window since the battle had begun: They were losing. 

But despite that, Dante remained unwavering as he watched the Captain do everything that he could to keep everyone together. This was what Dante had most admired about the United Alliance: Its never-ending conviction when it came to protecting the galaxy. On his home world, Dante had learned the history of the United Alliance, as was custom to all of its citizens: 

The United Alliance was formed as a peacekeeping force in the galaxy, which worked to unify all of its inhabitants through peace. A nice sentiment, Dante had often thought, but as is commonly the case in politics, there would always be those who favour alternate means. For five hundred years, the UA had stood resolute, strong, and unbreakable.

Until now.

It was beginning to crumble, in no small part due to the Krate Imperium, which had recently re-emerged after centuries spent in the shadows. For ten years since their return, the UA had been in conflict with the Imperium. The first five years were spent in full scale war, and the most recent five were spent in a cold war. This battle they were having was a violation of a peace treaty signed between the two nations. As uneasy as the peace was, if word got out about what was going on here, the UA would be in trouble…

Dante could take it no longer. He had been assigned to the communications post against his will, and was no longer willing to watch as his brothers and sisters died around him. Getting to his feet, he marched up the front of the bridge to where the Captain was standing, still directing the other officers.

Captain, we can’t keep going on like this, Dante said to the Captain as seriously as he could. We have to do something to break free!

The Captain did not answer him. Damn it, sir! Dante barked. You need to send me to support our pilots! They don’t stand a chance out there without backup!

I can’t do that, Commander. 

The bluntness of the Captain’s response took Dante by surprise. But before Dante could retort, the captain cut him off. 

I need you to get to the escape pods and supervise the evacuation. 

These words hit Dante like a ton of bricks. He can’t be serious…

I don’t understand sir.  

Look around you, son. The Sojourn is lost, and going down with the ship won’t change that. 

Dante could feel the pain in his words as he spoke. He understood what this ship meant to the Captain, but that did nothing to placate his frustration. 

The best thing that we can do now… the Captain continued, ignoring Dante’s incredulity, …is to get everyone we can to the escape pods, so that way at least some of us might live. 

If you expect me to run-

I know how you feel, Dante.

The Captain’s tone had softened. He was speaking low enough that only Dante could hear him, and Dante understood as clear as day that what the Captain was about to tell him was of paramount importance. 

It’s not in your nature to flee from a fight. But you know as well as I do, that this battle will not be won through martial might. Nor reckless sacrifice. The more people we can get off this ship, the better chance we’ll have of fighting back. There’s no one here better suited to that task. So, please. You MUST get everyone you can off this ship safely. Secure the escape pods. And guide in who you can. 

Dante could feel the weight of his words. This was a sensation that he knew well. Having fought in many battles, and with many heroes. He understood the reality that no one else on the bridge had yet come to: The Captain did not expect to survive this day. 

This war has seen enough dead heroes, sir, Dante said, solemnly. 

I agree, the Captain replied. That’s why at least one of us needs to make it out of here alive. And you know that the Captain always goes down with his ship. 

The Captain placed a hand on Dante’s shoulder and gave him an affectionate squeeze. Dante was feeling empty all of a sudden. He had been through this before, many times. And it never got any easier…

Now go. 

Sir, yes sir.  

Dante turned resolutely towards the exit to the bridge, his weapons in hand and ready for a fight. He knew his duty. And he would not give up until his mission had been fulfilled…

…

Jinn was running for his life down the corridor, desperately searching for a way out of his situation. But despite this moment of apparent respite, it didn’t feel like it to Jinn. He was shaking. He was actually shaking! He couldn’t believe what it was that he had just witnessed. And now, he was without anyone to help him. 

Or so he thought…

As Jinn was about to run sprinting around the corner, a hand appeared and yanked him into a small recess that was hidden from the main hallway. It gave Jinn such a fright, that he let out an audible yelp, resulting in whoever had grabbed him putting a firm hand over his mouth. 

Shush!

A woman’s voice? 

It took Jinn a second to take account of what was going on to him. He nervously looked down at the hand that was stopping him from speaking. A yellow hand…? 

After a moment, the woman released Jinn and allowed him to turn around and look at her properly: She was humanoid, standing a little bit taller than Jinn, close to six feet, with thick stunning black hair, and cat-like eyes that had a nearly alluring nature about them. Her skin was dim yellow and covered in lighter stripes. Jinn couldn’t help but think she was quite beautiful. She radiated a sense of warmth that caused his fears to vanish for the moment. As Jinn continued to look at her, he noticed something: Instead of being armed with standard military equipment, such as guns and grenades, she was wearing a utility belt with a pair of sheaths. Sheathed on the belt were two swords. Unusual, Jinn thought. 

Are you alright? she asked Jinn, gently. Where’s the rest of your squad? 

The feeling of warmth vanished as the fear and sadness hit Jinn once more. For a second, he had forgotten what had just happened. He could barely bring himself to say the words, but for some reason, the girl reacted as if she had read his mind. She put her hands on his shoulders. 

I’m so sorry. I wish there was some way we could bring them back. But we need to hurry- 

Suddenly, a loud noise got their attention. They both looked back and saw that someone was trying to slice their way through the door that Jinn had just come through. A blue torch like flame warped the metal as it slowly cut through it. The girl’s eyes widened with fear. 

He’s coming, she said softly. 

The ship rumbled, and they could hear explosions and gunfire coming from behind them. The Imperium forces had found a way to flank them. 

That’s the direction of the escape pods! the girl said. They’re going to cut us off!

But despite the urgency in her voice, her eyes continued to linger on the door that was being sliced open. She clearly didn’t know where to focus her priorities. 

At that moment, Jinn decided to do something crazy. Or stupid. Or both. 

He stepped out in front of the girl, and began facing the door. 

What are you doing? she said, confused. 

You need to make it to the escape pods, he said, trying his best to sound calm. I’ll hold this guy off for as long as I can.

Don’t be stupid! He’ll rip you to shreds! 

Frustrated, Jinn pulled his pistol from his holster and copying what he had seen Lieutenant Victor do earlier, fired a round at the door controls. There was a clunk as an emergency lock engaged. In an instant, the door slicing stopped. The girl looked at him, astonished. 

I can hold him back while you clear the way, Jinn said. Once you’re clear, I’ll follow. Look… he continued, seeing her expression of discomfort, …my squad died protecting these halls, and I’ll be damned if I give less than what they gave for the Alliance.

Jinn wasn’t sure where all of this confidence or bravado was coming from, but that didn’t deter him from his intentions. He wasn’t going to let anyone else down. 

The girl looked at him, reluctant to move but further explosions and gunfire from down the hall resulted in her seeing no alternative. From her belt, she drew her pair of swords. 

You had better be right behind me. 

And with that, she took off at a sprint down the hallway, towards the escape pods…

Only as she was running away to fight, did a realisation come to Jinn: He had been talking to a XEN WARDEN.

The Xen Order were an organisation of the most powerful living warriors in the galaxy. Not soldiers. WARRIORS. Their main goal, as Jinn understood it, was to act as the main line of defence against fanatical militant groups, such as the Krate. They were the swashbuckling heroes that Jinn had heard so much about as a child. They held political power so great, it was comparable to the United Alliance itself. They had the power to take in whoever they wanted to their ranks, and train them to become the best version of themselves, and no one could stop them. You might say that they were above the law. There were even legends that some of their warriors had magical powers, but Jinn didn’t really believe that. To Jinn, they were the most badass heroes of their age, and he had just met one! He knew that they often served in UA fleets as officers, but he had never imagined actually meeting one! 

However, it was at that point that the confidence that Jinn had been feeling had totally dissipated. His absolute geek out at meeting one of his personal heroes was gone as fast as it had arrived. 

What the hell was he doing? Here he was, just a grunt, stuck as the sole line of defence for his ship against what looked to be some kind of monster. Had he just been so smitten with a girl that he was willing to throw his life away…? 

Lieutenant Victor, come in.

Jinn jumped, not ready for his comm device to come to life all of the sudden. It was the voice of Commander Dante. Jinn was frozen on the spot, too afraid to answer him for fear of the Black Knight hearing him. 

Lieutenant Victor? Lieutenant Victor! Lieutenant Victor, do you read me? This is Commander Dante! We’re running out of time! Tell me you’re close to my position! Lieutenant? 

Jinn knew that he couldn’t stay like this forever, so he slowly and carefully raised his wrist communicator to his mouth…

Commander, this is private Jinn Doran, he replied in a hushed whisper. Lieutenant Victor is dead, sir. 

"What?! Shit! Okay, where are you now?! 

Past the last checkpoint before the escape pods, sir. But sir, the thing that killed Lieutenant Victor is right behind me- 

Stay calm, private. Listen to me. You’re going to be okay. You’re not that far from my location now, but you and I are the last two crew members on this ship. I just sent on one last girl… 

Jinn felt a sudden moment of relief to know that the Xen Warden had made it. 

…she managed to clear out most of the resistance between us, so it should be a straight run. The only thing that matters now is getting to my position. Can you do that?

Jinn could still feel his blood turning to ice. He didn’t really want to move from this position. But in the end, what choice did he have? 

Can you do that, son? Dante repeated.

Yes, sir. Moving now-

Jinn jumped as heard a high-pitched screeching noise coming from behind him. His eyes darted to the door that he had just come through, and saw what appeared to be a blade piercing through it. The blade was slicing through the door as if it was made of paper. Jinn was thrown into a fright. The Black Knight was coming! Jinn took off at an incredible speed, and was around the next corner as he heard the unmistakable sound of the door being ripped apart, followed by the petrifying sound of footsteps behind him! 

Jinn ran as fast as his legs would carry him. Nothing was going to stop him. As he rounded a corner, he was in such a state of fight or flight, that he was unphased when he ran into a pair of Imperium soldiers. Without skipping a beat, he gunned them down with his rifle, and ran right past them before they had even hit the floor. He knew he was getting closer to the escape pods. Just a little further, he thought. Just one more bend. He could hear the footsteps behind him, and they were getting louder and faster! 

…

Dante was watching the security monitors, checking for any sign of life on the ship. But with every monitor he checked, he was further saddened to see nothing but corpses littering the floor. And if there was any sign of life, they were only Imperium soldiers. The rage was building up within Dante once more, and he desired nothing more than to make the Imperium soldiers pay for killing his brethren. But he knew that he couldn’t do that. This boy, private Doran, was his priority now. He was the last man on the ship, and he had no intention of failing him as he did the others. 

Suddenly, Dante heard a frantic banging on the door of the escape pod room. He raised his gun. 

Who’s there?! he called. 

It’s me! Private Doran! Please, open up!

Dante rushed over to the door and used the console to open it up. As the door swished open, the young man fell in a heap in front of him, looking terrified. Dante proceeded to help him to his feet, but this did nothing to calm him.  

We need to go! He’s right behind me!

Who is? Dante replied, genuinely confused. 

That was when he saw it. From around the corner of the hallway, the Black Knight appeared, his sword in hand. Like a beast, he prowled slowly, closer and closer to Jinn and Dante, his prey in sight. 

Dante reacted in an instant, drawing his weapon and opening fire on the monster, but was not prepared for the Knight to use his sword to intercept all of the shots that went for him. Dante was amazed. His reflexes were astounding. 

Get to the pod! he called to Jinn. 

Jinn made a dive for the escape pod, and began to programme it to launch as Dante continued to fire bursts of plasma at the Black Knight. Undaunted, he continued to walk towards them, deflecting the shots with masterful skill. As Dante’s mag ran dry, the Knight raised one of his hands, and aimed it right at him.   

Dante at first thought he was imagining it, but he could swear that