Page 112 of Stars in Aura

‘The first image is of the munitions fire patterns from the celestial assailant. The other, an ancient, fractured data set, is from the Paladian ruins that are centuries old.’

Ki’Remi’s entire body tensed.

He leaned forward, studying the overlay. It wasn’t just similar. It was identical.

His intonation fell into a timbred burr, edged in steel. ‘You’re saying this mystery ship, which fired on my team and me, is linked to the weapons identifiers found in archaeological Paladian sites?’

Kainan and Mirage exchanged glances.

‘I am,’ the Sable Group AI confirmed.

Mirage tapped the screen again, enlarging sections of scorched Paladian relics.

Ki’Remi’s brow arched at the sigils burned into old ruins, fragmented historical records showing entire deities vanished overnight, civilizations erased, integral star maps rewritten.

‘If the energy signatures match,’ Ki’Remi muttered, ‘whoever these people are, they were fighting with or against the Paladians.’

Kainan’s voice was grave. ‘They either helped erase them in a galaxy-level extinction war, fought alongside them, or sent them running.’

Ki’Remi stared at the projection, mind racing.

Kainan sucked his teeth. ‘This is a foreign enemy. An ancient threat operating in the shadows of Pegasi for millennia or from some unknown dimension. Now, for whatever reason, they have resurfaced.’

‘Fokk,’ Ki’Remi rasped.

Mirage folded her arms. ‘You, my dear, are our closest link to figuring out who they are.’

His jaw flexed. ‘What do you need me to do?’

Mirage’s expression didn’t shift. ‘Your lover, Issa. You said she knew who they were.’

His stomach tightened. He didn’t like where this was going.

‘She shared.’

‘What has she told you?’

Ki’Remi sighed, then repeated Issa’s saga to the pair.

He let loose on the Sacran planet, the Sedevan Ascended deities, and the Savatti demi-gods.

Also, the Ssisigan warriors, the Saatifa guardians, Issa’s family, and what they endured at the hands of a Divine Immortal deity with no mercy.

Finally, what she had been forced to do since.

‘So she stole from the most precious treasure to the divinities of Sacra and ran with it?’ Kainan rasped.

‘Ki’Remi huffed. ‘For good reason.’

‘A freakin’ justification for the Ssigis venators to come hunting her again.’

He nodded at Mirage’s assertion. ‘True.’

‘Then you must find out more. Like whether they have plans to stay thefokkwhere they are for eternity or if they intend to bother us if she doesn’t hand over their shit,’ Kainan growled.

‘Likewise, if they come knocking again and demand her return, you somehow need to ensure she takes you with her so you can have a look-see and report,’ the AI added.

His body went still. ‘You asking me to spy on her?’

---