Infinite Dark: Awakening
Chapter 14

The next 24 hours were rushed and disorganized. Lycon’s words kept swirling in Sarab’s head; wrong signals…

What did he mean by this?!

Sarab tried to focus on everything she could that would help their cause but could not shake a feeling of doubt; as if someone was lying to her.

She was not alone with Dantos again, anytime it seemed like they would be, Lycon or one of the other warrior Stanannoki would appear instantly.

Sarab began to be more confident than ever that they were trying to hide something from her or deny her learning about something from Dantos. She found herself looking over her shoulder constantly, wondering if she was being followed.

Callib was too immersed in his weapon and Neptian technology to offer any comfort. He seemed almost cheerful and Sarab resented that he could lose himself within his work so easily.

Sighing she left the ship and walked out into the night air of Neptia.

The Neptians had a way of using their shields to disperse the thick atmospheric clouds in the skies and at nighttime would do this for several hours so their people could gaze out at the night sky.

Sarab hadn’t been on this planet long but soon realized how much she missed looking out at the sky anytime she wished. This planet was so foreign from Cryostar and even more alien than her own home planet. She looked up now, knowing the clouds would be cleared any second.

As she waited she imagined she heard a footstep behind her, she turned and peered through the darkness but saw no one. She ignored it and looked back up.

What she saw amazed her; like a hand wiping a stain off glass, the clouds parted all at once in a sweeping motion. In place of the swirling clouds she could see the clear night sky of the cosmos.

Neptia had no moon to shine in the sky; only hundreds of small asteroids trapped in orbit around the planet and held at bay by the natural force field, the only light came from the stars themselves.

As Sarab’s eyes danced across the heavens she could not help but notice a dark area in several spots where she knew stars should be. It should take years for the light from those stars to finally diminish, but Rogue had a way of stealing the light back from the stars as he consumed them it seemed.

As she watched she saw another star; one she calculated to be only 14 light years away, fade and vanish. Rogue’s power was immeasurable, defying logic and physics.

“He knows no fatigue or weariness of any kind,” She said to no one; “It will never stop.”

“Unless we stop it,” A voice said behind her.

She turned in a flash and was shocked to see Dantos.

“What are you doing?!” She demanded; perturbed any being could sneak up behind her so.

“I needed to tell you something,” He said, nervously looking around.

Sarab glanced around also;

“What is it?” She asked, trying to sound as authoritive as she could.

“Lycon has been trying to keep us apart; I owe that man my life and respect him fully but…” He narrowed his eyes; “He has been deceiving you.”

“About what?” Sarab asked, still not knowing if she could trust either of them.

“I have always admired you Sarab,” He said genially; “I wasn’t lying when I said I looked up to you. It’s for this reason I am breaking my orders and speaking to you.”

He led her further away from the ship.

“Chancellor Lycon knew of Rogues impending attack,” He whispered; “He left the Royal Family to die while he loaded several ships with various female personnel and sent them off to the furthest corners of the galaxy, he was saving them for himself! So that he may breed a new brood of Stanannoki with himself as Emperor.”

Sarab couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“How do you know all this?”

“He ordered me to do so, he allowed the genocide of our people to occur so he could rebuild the Coalition under his direction. He assumed we’d replace a way to destroy Rogue, he waited to have us leave until the last moment in the hope you and Callib would return to us. When you didn’t he ordered me aboard the Searcher.”

Sarab glanced back to the ship; named Searcher by Rossiana.

“I had wanted to stay upon Cryostar, to fight.” Dantos continued; “I was willing to give my spot to Rossiana so she may escape.”

Sarab froze inside at the mention of Rossiana’s name and what he was telling her.

“You… no…” She said losing her breath.

“It’s weighed upon me heavily. I protested, telling Rossiana to stay in her seat. Lycon grew furious at me and pulled out a laser cannon…” His voice trailed off as guilt swept across his face.

“I.. was hit from behind by Panel, as I was blacking out I saw him shoot Rossiana as they dragged me on board and her body off the ship, the last thing I heard was…”

“Now there is no reason for you or anyone to stay…” A cold voice said from the shadows.

Dantos and Sarab turned to see Lycon emerge, and he was holding a laser cannon pointed straight at them.