Salvation

by voroshilov

The Great Void

Cain had recorded all of what they had said. Although Penumbra didn’t understand the method by which he did so, or the reasoning for doing so; she did understand that the WarSynth was hard at work with the information it had received. Whatever it was doing was no doubt important - or would be at some point.

The Great Void? Penumbra had heard that name used before, though she couldn’t immediately remember where. It was then she remembered back to the War in Heaven, during the raid on the rebellious outpost in the Krivin system - at least she thought that was its name - when she had discovered a set of seemingly innocuous reports. What the Glow sisters had described was in surprising detail, detail they could absolutely not have known about had they been lying.

“I highly advise the Glow sisters travel with us,” it said, “we must locate the world from which this shall begin.”

The two unicorns nodded in sync. They were cooperative, but Penumbra was almost certain it was partly due to Astrid’s magical meddling.

“I think I know where it is,” Penumbra said, “or thereabouts, anyway.”

She didn’t know the exact location of the system, nor even its name. But, she had a hunch. As she had found out, her hunches were rarely random - something seemed to be almost guiding her. Plus, there was no doubt in her mind Astrid could assist her too, the two of them combined could hardly be wrong; if they could, then it was unlikely they would find this planet regardless.

“Penumbra,” Ablazed Glory said, like a teacher explaining a simple concept to a child, “we have been over this: space navigation is done with complex sets of coordinates, it’s not as simple as ‘turn left at Procyon, if you hit Rigel you’ve gone too far’. Unless you have definite coordinates, we should wait.”

Ablazed Glory would not accept Penumbra’s hunch, even if she knew it to be correct - she knew enough about space-travel to warrant more than a touch of concern. However, Ablazed Glory didn’t have to accept it, only Astrid and Cain did. If they did, then a course could be set and the planet located regardless of Ablazed Glory’s protests.

“Coordinates,” the Glow sisters echoed, “we know them.”

Ablazed Glory hung her head in defeat - or exasperation, it was hard to tell. “Of course you do,” she mumbled, “fine, fine, fine. Let’s just get to the ship and get on our way. If these coordinates are wrong you’ll be vented into space.”

Penumbra shot her burning companion a look - the Glow sisters had been hard enough to wrangle without Ablazed Glory’s antagonisms. Her companion flicked her mane, which spun lazily in a funnel before settling again as she walked off back to the Retaliator, expecting her fellows to follow.

Of course, they did, there was little need to remain on New Horizons. Especially not with so much potentially at stake. Penumbra did not, however, go quickly. She preferred the slow walk, taking in the sights and sounds of a - seemingly - ordinary pony village. It was nostalgic - if a little frightening - to see how little everything had changed.

It took the Glow sisters well over half an hour to get the coordinates to Ablazed Glory. Though, that was mostly due to Ablazed Glory’s overly sarcastic tone, and her propensity for at least semi-genuine threats - combined with the distance she had to keep the unicorns at to keep them from burning.

In the meantime, Penumbra lay back on her captain’s chair. For an ostensibly functional piece of furniture - one designed for a species very different to her own - it was surprisingly comfortable. There was enough support that she remained firmly in place, but enough give that she could almost sink into it and let the tightness in the muscles on her back melt into it, and her wings lazily wrap around her front. The cushions were also soft - strange given that even the pillows of Penumbra’s bed could be considered fairly hard.

As she let herself soften into the chair, she cast an eye forwards. They were going to the Great Void. At least, to its edge. Her adventure, which had begun accidentally when she received the message from Sanctum, was entering its final stage - that she was certain of. She had been chosen by Nicholas for a reason, for her strength, mental fortitude, and magical ability. All would come in useful when the time came. But, she couldn’t help but think it wouldn’t be enough. Sure, she had her friends with her, to help, but they could only do so much. Nicholas had chosen her, but for something entirely different; had even the Emperor known of what was to come?

“The next number,” Ablazed Glory yelled, “the next bloody number!”

Ablazed Glory. Was she Penumbra’s niece? Or, had Nicholas’ actions created a genetic rift between them that their relation was more virtual? Regardless, she was Penumbra’s friend. Both of them knew that. She was strong, very strong, stronger than she often let on. Penumbra wouldn’t tell her that, of course, it would only make her companion more cocky than she was. Regardless, she admitted it in her own head - and both knew it too - it would serve them well in future.

Astrid. She was an enigmatic one, for sure. Penumbra knew little about her powers, her origins were - quite literally - mythical and her physical appearance was most likely one she put on; like the armour Penumbra wore everywhere she went. Penumbra had known her a few days, yet she still considered her to be a friend. Whether or not Astrid had tampered with her in some way to make that possible, she couldn’t say, but the Archon had proven herself to be enjoyable company thus far.

Her other three companions: Cain and the Glow sisters, had either kept to themselves or just arrived. Cain was a counterbalance to Ablazed Glory; whilst she was bold, and brash; it was far more logical, collected, and considerate. Though they had - figuratively, of course, violence within the group wouldn’t be tolerated by anyone - come to blows previously, Penumbra hoped the two of them could become better friends. The combination of the two of them could be deadly. The Glow sisters, meanwhile, were not what Penumbra had expected - to say the least - given she had expected two separate entities and not one in two bodies. She wanted to understand them, but deigned to save the soul searching for later - there was work to be done.

Ablazed Glory heaved a sigh of exasperated relief, almost too exasperated to be considered real. “We’re done!” She let herself fall back into her chair. “Ready for Rift engage, captain,” she mumbled, head bent over the chair’s back.

“Engage!” Penumbra gave her order as many theatrics as possible, energised anew for the journey ahead.

The aforementioned journey did not take long, with the swirling colours of the Rift fading to reveal a grey, barren, rocky world, orbiting a small red star. Beyond the planet, hung the Great Void, a wall of pure darkness stretching as far as the mortal eye could see.