Resonance in the Void

CHAPTER 17: A Pursuit Through the Stars

As they soared through the vastness of space, the sense of freedom was palpable, but so was the danger. Lapis couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, and her instincts were proven right when the ship's proximity alarms blared to life.

"Jasper's ship," Peridot muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing as she quickly pulled up a visual on the screen. Sure enough, there it was: a massive, looming warship bearing down on them from behind.

Lapis' heart raced. "She must've tracked us somehow."

Peridot gritted her teeth, her fingers flying across the control panel. "I didn't think she'd be back this soon. We have to outrun her."

The ship jolted as Peridot pushed the engines to their limit, the stars streaking past them as they raced away from Jasper's pursuing ship. But the warship was faster, and it was gaining on them.

"We're not going to make it," Lapis said, her voice tense as she watched the distance between the two ships shrink.

Peridot's mind raced, her thoughts a blur of calculations and possibilities. She could feel the weight of Jasper's presence bearing down on them, the warrior's fury palpable even from a distance. But then, a flicker of an idea sparked in her mind.

"I have an idea, but it's risky," Peridot said, her voice tight with concentration.

Lapis raised an eyebrow. "Riskier than being blown to pieces?"

Peridot didn't smile. "I'm going to reroute power to the ship's cloaking device. It'll hide us, but only for a short time. If we don't lose her quickly, she'll see through it."

Lapis nodded, gripping the armrests of her seat. "Do it."

Peridot's hands flew over the controls, rerouting power from the engines to the cloaking device. The ship flickered for a moment before disappearing from view, blending seamlessly into the backdrop of space.

For a tense moment, everything was silent. The proximity alarms stopped, and the warship slowed, its sensors struggling to find their target.

"It's working," Lapis whispered, her voice barely audible as they watched Jasper's ship drift past them, unaware.

Peridot let out a shaky breath, her body slumping with relief. "But not for long. We need to get to Earth. Now."

With the ship cloaked, Peridot guided them toward their destination, the blue planet growing larger in the distance. Lapis watched the stars blur past them, her mind racing. They were almost free. Almost.