Author's Note: My sincerest apologies over the delay. I had to rewrite this chapter about four or five times to get it how I wanted. Add in busy work and school schedule, and you get the large time delay. I hope to have the next chapter out in November sometime, maybe sooner. Thanks to Spartan303 (JonHarper) and Ash's Boomstick (Bob Regent).

Chapter Three

Settling In

PROSPECT SITE 2 / PRODROMOS COLONY / EOS / MAY 15TH 2017 (AST) / 10:00 HOURS

When living on Eos one became accustomed to the wind, the forlorn call and hiss and whisper of the omnipresent forces around them seemed destined to break one, should it be allowed. Even in the newly-excavated bunkers, designed to survive orbital bombardment, the skeletal howl could still be heard and through it, felt. Transports and flights were bumpy and brutal, and even spaceships sometimes were affected by the howling force as they breached the envelope of the planet's atmosphere.

Governor August Bradley secured the goggles over his eyes and stepped out of the bay of the Kodiak dropship. The plateau in front of him was wide and flat, seeming to stretch onto the infinite horizon and curve of the desert world. Pale tan and rust met robin's egg blue interspersed with puffy white blobs or pale streaks of cloud formation. Rain was becoming sporadic, small pockets here and there gradually growing over the months since the activation of the Vault. It didn't seem to be occurring at a rate to ease colonization however, even with the radiation that had once permeated the entirety of the planet gone, there were still a variety of issues to be addressed. These ranged from lack of fertile soil, continued attacks by Remnant technological artifacts, Kett raids and even what had been coined as 'prairie madness.' He knew what that felt like. They were relatively isolated out here, two thousand colonists alone in a desert living under a siege mentality, he only hoped that once the Jien Garson launched that they'd be able to better combat the Kett, For now it was a slog at the best of times.

What they had found in the desert, on what was being called Prospect Site Two, might just change all of that. Pinching the horizon he found the device in question, it was a great black ring just under seven meters in diameter, with a variety of runes and colors etched into the mirror like finish. Scattered around it, in an almost religious like formation were the remains of the Kett that had been killed securing the site, since then an APEX fireteam had been sent from the Nexus along with a handful of infantry fighting vehicles, an AAA battery and a number of other defenses. A square and squat command and research facility sat about twenty meters distant.

Bradley waved to the pilot and walked down the steps feeling his boots sink slightly in the sand, two security officers nodded to him, Avenger assault rifles cradled in their hands. Their white armor was stained with sand and dirt, almost as if it were meant to be desert camouflage. He stopped near the closest one, a young man, his eyes locked forward behind his sunglasses with his chin up. Bradley instantly pegged him as a former Alliance Marine.

"What's your name, Son?" Bradley asked.

"Corporal Tom Callo." He was a slow talking Marine from down south.

"Semper Fi."

"Semper Fi, Sir."

Bradley gave a nod and continued on his way. Snaking his way through the layers of defenses, scientific equipment, and buildings that had been obscured by the command centre, he finally found himself close enough to appreciate the device. It was a polished, sleek metal, with soft white runes and seven above-ground deltas, the horizon was framed perfectly in the large void at the center of the ring.

"Reminds me of the Galaxy Frame on Thessia." The voice of a Salarian drew his attention.

Bradley glanced back, finding a regal blue skinned Salarian slowly walking up behind him, his red eyes peeked out from his large goggles, carefully studying everything. Senior Researcher Ralla Trow had been assigned to the artifact since it had been discovered. "Doctor Trow."

"Governor," the Salarian offered his hand. "It's good to see you here. I take it you have read all of my reports regarding this strange, strange band?"

Bradley shook the Salarian's hand. "That I have, Doctor. It's interesting to say the least, so you believe it can act in a manner similar to the Prothean teleport that Commander Shepard found all those years ago?"

Trow gave a nod. "In a manner of speaking yes, the specifics and technical background for the device here are completely different to Prothean technologies but I believe it to be relatively the same concept. Essentially a pin-point trans-locator, based off the energy requirements I would say it would be more capable of sending a person across a solar system or possibly even across a galaxy."

"Via a wormhole, correct?" Bradley asked as he walked forward, raising his hand he laid his palm against the smooth metal of the band, it seemed to warm to his touch, as if inviting him to step through.

"That's the assumption at the moment. However the energy requirements for such a thing are significant and we are working on installing one of our fusion reactors as the power source. From there we may be able to attempt a dial, so to speak, activate the band and discover what lays beyond it." Trow mulled the worlds, his lanky fingers dancing across his omnitool.

"Is it Kett? Remnant?" Bradley asked. At a certain angle, you could see the entirety of the cluster and the angry smears of the Scourge framed in the sky through the band. "Or something else?"

"Something else. It's truly old. Millions of years, at least. From the time of the Jardaan, yet there is not a trace of element zero within its folds and slabs." Trow shook his head, clicking his tongue as he did so. "No, no. Whatever this is, it is something far from what we have discovered in either the Milky Way or Heleus thus far."

Bradley nodded, studying the ring. "Tell me something, Doctor."

"Hmmm?"

"Is it Reaper?" Bradley looked him in his large, sympathetic ruby eyes.

Trow swallowed. "No. I don't believe it is. I would hope that the cursed menace had no tendrils, thought, or reason in his new domain. Not even the Reapers, and all of their great black ships and esoteric magic, would be able to craft such a device."

"Then let us hope that whoever built this," Bradley swept his arm across the ring. "Is long buried."

BRIDGE / USS PIONEER / HYPERSPACE / MAY 16TH 2017 (AST) / 10:00 HOURS

Syena had yet to become accustomed to the swirling maelstrom of hyperspace with all its intricate streaks and shapes, much less had she become accustomed to being aboard the Pioneer, even after two days of being onboard she had yet to fully come to terms with what these humans were. On the surface they were identical to the ones she knew from the Initiative and the life she had left behind in the Milky Way, yet there was a sense of maturity and duty in each one of them. This was not a crew of vagabonds, volunteers, and people without a place to go—like that of the Initiative—these people wanted to be here and were the best of the best. They had stopped at Atlantis for a day, both to repair her shuttles, meet the leadership of Atlantis and prepare for the coming meeting with the Nexus.

Doctor Woolsey, the bespectacled ambassador and diplomat who had been talking to her almost nonstop stepped up to the window, he smelled of peppermint and a touch of cologne. At first glance he appeared to be nothing more than a man in a suit with a demeanor somewhere between lawyer and accountant, yet Syena had seen something within him, something in his eyes. He was as battle tested and war hardened as even the oldest Krogan, with the scars to prove it. Perhaps they weren't visible externally, but she had noticed his gait, how he behaved around other military members. When there had been snaps or cracks or thuds, his pupils had widened and muscles flexed, as if he were ready to fight. His eyes scanned a room, almost taking its tactical value before preceding into it.

"Ms. T'Loak," Woolsey said. His voice was smooth, calm, and poised. "We're about five minutes from dropping out of hyperspace. We'll be on the very edge of the system before approaching the Nexus, as to not spook them."

"Smart," she responded. "You're taking what I told you to heart, Tann will likely jump the gun, maybe the Asari Pathfinder too. Kandros will want to hold back and analyze and Kesh too."

"That's exactly our thoughts," Woolsey stated. "Now, I have a proposition for you."

Syena's eyebrows raised. "Is that so? What is it?"

"As you know, the original plan was to have you fly the Kodiaks out alongside our dropships. I was wondering if you'd instead prefer to be onboard the Condor? It would help our position if instead of an exclusively human and heavily armed delegation landing first, you'd be the first face they saw. A more…Asari touch if you will." He gave a nod, watching her. "So?"

Giving the thought weight, Syena gave a light nod of her head. "Very well, Mr. Woolsey. I agree."

Woolsey smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."

"The look on that son of a bitch Tann's face…" she grinned like a Cherisher cat.

"Ambassador," Colonel Marks said. "We're dropping out now."

"Thank you, Colonel."

Marks turned away from the two, gliding over to his command chair. Locking his eyes forward he steeled himself. First contact. In a new reality. In a new galaxy. In a new reality. Not exactly routine.

"Approaching hyperspace transit point." Lieutenant Colonel Hailey called out.

"Commence transition."

"Yes, Colonel."

The pilot reached forward, flicking the switches they sent the Pioneer screaming into the depths of normal space in a burst of light, it was a pale star field, with few stars blinking or burning. The gray, gold-laced smear of the Scourge reached up in great bands, twisting and turning into intricate formations that blocked out the stars themselves.

"Report," Marks called out. He stepped away, maneuvering himself to the bow of the bridge and in-between Syena and Woolsey.

"Sun is a class two blue giant, I'm detecting four planets all in varying orbits, none are habitable but there are significant deposits of naquadah and element zero, that new material, within the system." Hailey said, her eyes locked onto the sensor officer's screen. "Nexus is in orbit of the star, length is fifteen point four seven kilometers, diameter of three point five kilometers. Mass is several trillion metric tons, detecting multiple kinetic barriers, armor systems, and several hundred laser, railgun, and missile batteries. Threat level is medium."

"Identify on target board," Marks said, looking back. "Any other ships in system?"

"Yes, Sir." Hailey brought up a heads-up-display on the bridge's main viewscreen. Dozens of small ships, ranging from shuttle sized to hundred meter auto-freighters were streaming in and out of the Nexus with orderly precision. "One hundred and seventy three vessels, ranging from Kodiak class ships to large freighters carrying precious and ferrous materials, a few are armed. Although there is one vessel, frigate sized, currently under construction along one of the shipyard arms. Based off scans, it is nearing completion, threat level is minimal."

"Maintain shields and battle readiness. Comms, standby to open a channel, translate into Asari, Salarian, Krogan, English, and anything else we might have in the system." Marks returned his vision to the star field. "You guys sure do build big," he commented, looking over at the Asari.

"Trust me," Syena said. "Talk to one of the administrators and you'll see why, half the space is to keep them from killing each other. The rest is to hide the bodies."

Marks raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like the Security Council at times."

"Indeed," Woolsey stated.

"Comms ready."

"Alright, Doctor, time to put on a show." Marks patted him on the shoulder and moved back to the command area.

Woolsey turned his chin up and tapped his ear piece. "This is Ambassador Richard Woolsey, speaking onboard the Earth ship Pioneer to the command staff and people of the Andromeda Initiative. As your sensors are likely picking up now, we are on the very edge of the system awaiting your approval to approach your beautiful space station. We come in peace and wish to open a dialogue between our two peoples for mutual cooperation and benefit so that both of our civilizations flourish under the light of new stars. In addition, we have several team members from your mining station who are eager to see their friends and family again, I hope that you'll take our offer of friendship seriously and I eagerly await your response."

"Good speech," Syena stated. "I'd vote for you."

"We're receiving a message."

"This is Nexus Command to the vessel claiming to be the Pioneer, maintain your current distance and await instructions. Any action contrary will be considered hostile and responded to with force." It was a Turian's voice, with the signature vocal after affect. Syena, if she remembered correctly, placed the voice to that of Kandros; the Secretary of Defense for the Nexus.

A harsh shrill came across the bridge. Hailey looked over to Marks. "Multiple weapon systems just came online across the station and targeted us. Shields are up and holding, as are our jamming fields."

"Smooth and steady," Marks said with a raised hand.

"They have launched a squadron of fighters as screens, along with some..." Hailey's expression soured. "...Gunships. They're about fifty meters long, multiple mass drivers and a missile rack, multiple Kodiaks too, I'm guessing that they are expecting us to standoff with missiles.''

"Keep shields raised and jammers on, but otherwise do nothing." Marks said. "Keep our birds in the bays, let's show them that we're harmless."

"For now," Hailey muttered. "Yes, Colonel."

"Syena," Woolsey said with a cock of his head. "Do you by chance know who that is talking?"

Syena looked over for a moment, "It sounds like Secretary of Defense Tiran Kandros, he's pretty much the military commander of the Nexus. Good, a bit hard-nosed and has a stick up his ass sometimes, but he can be reasoned with and he'll operate within reason."

"Understandable. Would you be up for possible going over with your shuttles and crew? A measure of good faith…" Woolsey waved his hand. "Perhaps defuse this situation entirely."

"Sounds good."

"Alright then." Woolsey tapped his earpiece again. "We copy you, Nexus Control, perhaps a show of good faith would help relieve the tension? I can't help but notice that you have several weapons batteries targeted at my ship, would it be allowable if we were to release the personnel we saved from the Kett?"

The Nexus' speaker paused for a moment, likely in conference with whomever was with them. Finally, Kandros' voice came through. "That would be agreeable. No fighter escorts and they are to follow along the path we're piggybacking onto this transmission."

"Very well." Woolsey said. "Colonel?"

"Syena, Master Sergeant Greggs will escort you down to the starboard flight pod. Good flying."

ATLANTIS ISOLATION ROOM /PIER FIVE / ATLANTIS / MAY 16TH 2017 (AST) / 12:00 HOURS

The three Kett that had been beamed onboard the Alan Shepard had dwindled to two, and then one, as the capture engrams activated within the brains. One had killed them-self by repeatedly bashing their head against the smooth, stainless steel wall, the second had charged a Marine Security Officer's position and been filled with trinium hollow point rounds, the third, the Primus, was now alone. The humans had stripped her of her attire, instead relegating her to a constricting orange jumpsuit that seemed to be made of something fit for beasts of burden, not a Kett of her standing.

She had taken the captured Initiative transport in an attempt to circumvent the constant attacks on Kett shuttles and shipping by the Initiative, for a moment there had been hope that the sensor spoofing technology would allow her to regroup with Kett assets within the region. That plan however, had evaporated as soon as their randomized FTL jump had dropped them in front of an enemy cruiser, now it had been a constant cycle of inconsistent day and dark, a handful of meals and the soft buzz of overhead lights.

The door hissed open with a crack, stainless steel melting into a darkened hallway where two large, armored humans stood. A female of the species entered flanked by two other large males, all were armed and the female seemed to be in command, with an aura of authority emanating throughout her bones and plain walk. Just under two meters tall, the woman had long blonde-brown hair pulled back in a pony tail and a pair of typically human but soft eyes, she wore an armored vest and sidearm.

"I'm Major General Samantha Carter, commanding officer of the joint command authority of Atlantis. How are you holding up?" She surveyed the cell. It was a spartan affair, with a cot, a toilet, and a small bookshelf embedded into the wall. Even at full speed, Primus would not be able to cross the distance before being gunned down. Perhaps she could wrap her fingers around the woman's throat and wrench it apart, no, the human knew that she could. There was other trickery at foot.

The Primus blinked, running the divided tongue across the hard lips. "Have you come to kill me too?"

"It is unfortunate," the General said. "About what happened to your subordinates. Our medical professionals did everything possible, but those memory engrams were simply far too powerful and the damage too great. But kill you? Hardly."

Primus smirked, "So you lock me in a cell, deprive me of sleep and refuse to give me station or board for someone of my status?" Lifting up her shackles, that had survived multiple attempts to be broken, the Primus gave them a shake.

"Those are for your safety, as much as they are for ours." The General looked down at her in a manner that the Primus had to tens of thousands of Angara, it was not of pity or of remorse, it was that of power. "We are aware that you are able to generate a bio-electric field, one that might very well pose a threat."

"The Kett," the Primus began. Perhaps posturing would allow her to escape this situation, or at least allow her some degree of respect. "Are willing to overlook this discrepancy in judgement, this period of mistrial…"

"We know that you assimilate other sentient beings," the General said, almost bluntly. The Primus recoiled as if struck.

"We uplift them! Make them ascendant to the greatness that is the Kett genetic lineage." The Primus waved her hands in wide arcs. "You will see this too one day… when our great swarm dances across the stars and lays siege to this world…"

One of the heavily armored and armored humans leaned over to the General. "Sounds familiar," he muttered. Their language was different than that of the Humans in the Initiative and the keen ears of the Primus detected such abnormalities, this was a new party on the stage, another actor.

The Primus cocked her head, nasals flaring. "I don't sense the same feeling of dread and fear in you as I did in the other humans that dare tread on the greatness that is Kett. Is it blindness? Is it simple ignorance of what will happen to you…what has happened from here to the other edge of this great sea? No…."

The human seemed unamused with the Primus' sleep-deprived ramblings. "Your randomized FTL jump and the capture of your ship has given us a treasure trove of information; diagnostic informations, navigational data, weapons research, fleet formations. You can do a lot with information."

"Yes you can…"

"We have identified one of the worlds that you have launched raids from, we have already sent a fake transmission urging the crew to evacuate, all with your voice and authority. When our ship arrives in orbit, it will commence bombardment on the world and burn it. No longer will you be able to attack the Initiative, nor will you pose a threat to us." The General kneeled down to the Primus' level, matching the Kett's gaze with unmatched ferocity. The Primus had seen such determination before, from a dozen leaders, all had fallen into dust and ash. But this female? She was different, these humans would stand against the dark. "Your war…ends here."

The Primus bowed her head. "Many have said that, yet all have rushed into what I am certain are their graves. Some have been given the ultimate gift, being made ascendant and into Kett. Many more, unfortunately, have been reduced to dust and ash for their insolence."

"We've heard that before," General Carter said slowly.

"I bet you have" The Primus leaned back. "All this has happened before, you realize? The same play, different actors. Once, it was the Anuar that dared resist us, now they too are Kett. Same with the Rea, they now serve under the guidance of the Ascendancy, their bones and minds formed to adhere and serve us."

"We're not them." Carter stood, moving over to Sheppard. "John, tell the Captain that Operation: First Strike is a go. Let Council Intelligence know that they can do what they want now to the asset."

Sheppard gave a nod, a grim line forming on his lips. "Yes, Ma'am."

COMMAND STATION / KETT INSTALLATION 'PINNACLE OF DIVINITY' /MAY 16TH 2017 (AST) / 13:00 HOURS

He had once had a name, back when he had been impure. Now, his name was Sar Del Archon. Once his skin had been blue and purple, with graceful elegant spots along the bony crests of his breastplate and eyes that dreamed of reclaiming all that his ancestors had lost when the Scourge had struck. It all seemed like a distant memory now, that past life, now his body was changed. Stronger, faster, smarter. The Kett had improved him in ways never before seen or believed by the foolish Angaran scientists and skeptics and schemers.

They had received the call from the Primus, one that had been an impersonation. With an attack lingering on the very fringes of the Commandant's mind, they had reinforced the world, but had seen fit to disperse the forces of most importance and power across the rest of the Kett's foothold in Heleus. Should this world fall, as unlikely as that was, the Kett would be able to respond with overwhelming, divine force.

A great flash occurred up in the sky, erasing the black of night with brilliant light. The six Kett cruisers in orbit, ships by their own right capable of stripping a planet of civilization, detonated in brilliant flashes of light. Smaller pinpricks and stars signaled the demise of their escorts and charges, tens of thousands of blessed ones were erased in seconds, as if they had never existed at all.

Alerts were already blaring throughout the command center, Sar felt adrenaline pump through his veins, almost stopping his hearts. The screens showed hollow gray shells where the defense force had been and a single, lone ship in orbit, it blinked softly, targeted by the extensive networks of defensive batteries on the surface and in orbit. One by one, those too went silent and dark as night, the vessel was eliminating them with almost contemptuous ease.

The Sub-Commandant licked his lips and keyed something onto the screen, the face of a pale-skinned beast snapped on, with a back drop of an ugly, utilitarian bridge unmarred or blessed by the elegance of Ascendency. The beast spoke in an alien tongue, beady blue eyes dancing across like a stealthy predator.

"Evacuate now. I intend to destroy your installation. I say again, evacuate now. I intend to destroy your installation. This is your only warning."

"All defensive fortifications are gone!" A lower charge called out. "Our great shields have been broken."

"Scramble the fighters and silence the beast's call." The Commandant roared, his elegant crimson and gold robes hanging just centimeters off the ground as he held himself aloft with a glimmering field of biotic capability. "We will burn this pest from the sky with cannon or tooth!"

Sar looked back at the feral maw, the impure in him would have retreated to fight another day, to harrow and make the enemy grow haggard with chasing ghosts. The Kett however, never surrendered, they never retreated. To do so would indicate inferiority, something that was sacrilege to even be thought of, bowing his head Sar admonished himself with vitriolic chants and returned to his duty. There were still kinetic barriers arrayed across the entirety of the base and he carefully kept them oscillating to allow the missile silos to fire uninterrupted.

"Fighters have left the atmosphere…" The charge's voice dropped off as the hundreds of fighters winked off in three large swaths. "All forces are expended. Missile silos are thirty percent expended."

"Enemy ship is firing!" Sar called out. He tried to manipulate the kinetic barriers but the lights to the command center flickered off and the screens went dark, it was as if a great hand had reached down and ripped the light away, instead dosing them in thick, flooded velvet.

Snapping to the last operational camera which maybe by chance or choice was still operational, Sar watched as a single blue beam of almost negligible size lanced down and scattered as it touched atmosphere, the clouds burned away as the atmosphere was ripped apart and vaporized. More beams followed suit in an unending crescendo, stripping the planet of its carefully staid protection, the Kett armies, hundreds of thousands arrayed in phalanxes around landing zones and manning posts, choked and died as they clamored for the now-sealed doors. Those who hadn't been outright vaporized or immolated now choked and screamed as radiation, heat, and the unbeatable need for oxygen made them wither and die.

The Commandant had closed his mouth and the burning fury in his eyes had long since subsided into emptiness. "Charge, maintain the atmospheric locks on the command center. We will not allow ourselves to be annihilated like our brethren outside."

Sar bit his bottom lip, his three digits forming into a crude fist. He was scared, had he been made ascendant only to be cast down by an unseen, unknowable foe? The pale skins had been thought to be weak and easily dealt with, but yet a single one of their ships had blown through their defenses as if they were nothing and immolated the surface of the world, wiping it of life. What had once been fields filled with life and the pinnacle of Kett machinery and knowledge, were instead turned into above-ground mass graves.

"Yes, Master," the Charge said. There was a hint of a hiss in his voice, had his impure side slowly begun to creep back forth, away from the smog and veneer of uplifting? "The enemy ship is firing again."

"What are they firing at?" The Sub-Commandant growled. "There is nothing left."

"They are targeting fault lines and the super volcanoes," Sar said with resigned sadness. Large swaths of continents were already winking away, with oceans boiling and stones running like water.

"They are sending a message," the Sub-Commandant muttered. "To all the other Kett."

"Silence yourself," his superior responded calmly.

Sar heard screams on the speakers as the targeting systems alerted the command center to the looming attack. "They are targeting the command center. Kinetic barriers are at maximum."

A single blue beam screamed down from the air, making contact with the mountain. For the briefest of seconds Sar felt unlimited heat suffuse his body as it bore down, permeating every molecule of his very being, even as he was molecularly disassembled, he felt the same warmth he had when he had been kidnapped off of Elaaden all those years ago.

UNKNOWN LOCATION

The Intelligence cast great shadows on the moon as it passed along the path of the sun's rays; a sceptered star with a dagger shadow dancing across the pale face of the moon. Banking slowly, the Intelligence guided the ship away from the star and towards the forlorn and distant siren song of origin. Atlantis gleamed a brilliant star from where there had only been dark and silence.

Within the darkened halls of the Intelligence rows of pods sat, silent and blue they hummed softly with their charges deftly and daintily held in stasis. Years then centuries then eons had passed, the crystal clear pseudo-glass protecting them from the inescapable realities of entropy and death, awakening protocols surged forth, identifying the pods of the most needed crew and slowly stirring them from their slumber.

The lead one snapped open revealing Colonel Everett Young, his black uniform was coated in tiny ice crystals and he let out a hoarse, heavy cough. Still momentarily blinded, his cold palms clamored about in an attempt to find purchase and did so on the grated metal floor, coughing again, a thick strand of saliva and water came spilling out from his lungs and slipped through the holes of the grate, pooling below with an echoing drip.

"Colonel Young." Doctor Rush's familiar Scottish accent sliced through the grind of millennia-old machinery and the confused mutterings of awakened crew.

Young looked up through clouded vision and took the Doctor's out stretched hand, pulling himself up the Colonel steadied himself against the metal archway. "Rush…what happened?"

"It appears that we have been awakened from stasis." Rush surveyed the surroundings with a keen eye. "But not all of us. Seems to be sequential. You, myself, Lieutenant Johansen and Scott…" Rush cut himself off as he dashed out of the room, Rush cleared the hallway and made his way to the observation deck with Young a few steps behind him.

"Rush!" He barked, "Hold on."

The doors hissed open, revealing the towering panes of glass that gave an unfettered view of the star field they were now caught within. The stars were a different color; a hauntingly gorgeous spectre of blue, purple, and silver, each hung delicately and deliberately in the vast darkness of space, interspersed in vein-like formations were bands of gray and gold, flickering dimly. Rush stopped in his tracks and looked up.

"Rush," Young panted. "Where are we?"

Rush studied the field in front of him, attempting to find some sort of place mark or order amongst the disarray and chaotic star field.

"Rush!" Young barked.

"I have to idea where we are, Colonel." Rush looked back. "But we are alive."