Butterflies of the Dark Star

6 (REVISED)

Nova held on when the landing sequence started, with the Overseer leaving them behind while the beams from the research station guided them into the spaceflight terminal. On the outside, a painted S splashed across the bulkhead of their first destination — the southern command of the B.H Supernova for arrivals and departures.

Their transport hovered into the arms of the outstretched clamp. Energy zipped around to catch them and direct their path into the terminal, where their transport landed with a thump in the docking bay. The Overseer went down the rows to help people out of their seats or to give them pick-ups for the more drowsy, ashen student interns. Nova hauled herself out of her seat with Neo, directed out of the ship to give room for the Overseer to assist the worst cases of FTL sickness.

"How are you feeling?" she asked Neo as they stopped by a soldier, who stood in a relaxed position with their phase rifle strap wrapped around their shoulders. Neo glanced at the rifle with a deepening frown, and he laced his fingers together to brush them from side to side. "Neo?"

"Just trying to think if I forgot anything else," he said while the rest of the students gathered in a huddle, out of place in the mechanical flow of work.

A pair of engineers dragged metal crates on rollers, where a sign directed them into the droid bays. Her heart leaped at the first sight of what she'd spend her time observing on the space station. Another person rushed to catch up with them, a datascroll in their hands while they wrote stuff down. Activity hushed while the PA system called out the next shift. Conveyors brought their luggage off the transport, but Nova straightened herself out when a massive reptilian individual approached them with a sturdy, unmovable gait. Their scaled tail curled and wrapped around their knees until settling behind them. Four stars wrapped in a galactic nebula lined their shoulder clasps, at their side, a Xel'nod, where their furry ears flicked at the sides of their head while their tail thinned out into a small puff at the end.

"Welcome to the B.H Supernova," the reptilian said with a hiss, dipping their head and maw forward. "I am Admiral Mythrai of the GAC. I've been given designation of the B.H Supernova for this mission until we've achieved our goal of learning more of what happened to the D.S Butterfly when they were sent to research the anomalous readings from the nebula." He hid his teeth behind plated scales, and his nostrils flared with a misty huff. "I know many of you must have questions about the work you will undergo in your internships — but there are several things we need to make clear." He motioned to the Xel'nod at his side. "This is Izerva, and they will take you to the southern meeting dome where one of the senior research staff will explain the current directive, and I shall be laying down some rules standard for space stations."

Excitement dropped into Neo's face as Izerva bowed their head and flicked their tail for them to follow. Admiral Mythrai shambled past them to speak in a hushed voice to the transport overseers and pilot. Students from their college and some others whispered to their friends or classmates, but Nova stuck close to Neo at the overwhelming multitude of voices, full of joy and opportunity. Izerva took the lead of their pack of fresh-faced scientists, engineers, AI programmers and other techs of the field. Anything a space station needed to run well, and in a galactic community full of the unknown, important to their society. Neo trembled in the shoulders when he wrung his hands and rubbed them in one constant motion, where he examined every entrance way and glowing signpost.

Izerva shuttled them inside a briefing dome, where they took their seats in the semi-circle line of tables. Datascroll in hand, she slipped it into the slot for upload of any important documents, and Neo copied the movement with a smile. It's really happening. Tardy disbelief stretched through her fingertips when she set her arms around her datascroll while the massive holoboard lit up with their temporary numbers along the side, but the entire build of the space station took center stage, where lines stretched from areas to denote center command and the arms of the subcommands.