The Starlight Lancer

Chapter 136: The Message

"Rare is it that life will give you exactly what you seek; but seek all the same. The path you end up on may not be the one you first intend, but tread it all the same. Seek something in this life, in this Nova Rim, and whether you find it or not, life will bring you adventure."

—Famed Explorer Kida Likirda in her memoir, A Life of Seeking

The journey to Bazo Spire was quick and easy—it was difficult to miss the abandoned military installation. The spire was incredibly long, like a giant needle in space, with a two-thousand foot diameter and hundreds of landing zones.

Luckily, Baeus had already found the one closest to their destination. Zaina made sure her breathing mask was secured before opening the ship's hatch—Bazo Spire hadn't had breathable air for a few hundred millennia at this point.

They emerged to an empty, desolate wasteland of rusting metal and trash. Bazo Spire had existed for almost a million years, originally serving as a border installation for the Alliance of Worlds against the Singa Empire in the Era of Proving. Now it was a home for squatters and pirates.

We're not out of danger yet. I have to stay alert.

They wandered through a maze of empty hallways, stairwells, and corridors, with Baeus directing them whenever they came to a split path. Zaina's heart pounded in her chest, and her stomach felt ready to jump up her throat. They were almost there—almost to Gir's secret.

Once we know what it is, it'll all be worth it. It has to be.

A beep came from the map displayed on the inside of Baeus's bed-pod.

"We're almost there," he said. "Left here."

They turned and found a door to an uncovered landing zone. It had been left open by the last people to touch it. Aside from food wrappers, empty bottles, and an abandoned bag, there was nothing but the platform and its guardrails. The stillness of everything struck Zaina—it was surreal.

She looked up—stars decorated every inch of the sky. There was a sullen aura to the spire, but it was certainly beautiful.

Kazlo said something happened to Gir here. I wonder what it was?

A glint of metal caught her eye—she stooped down to find its source and picked up a scrap bead. Looking back to the door, the wall was pocked with burn marks.

Guess I'll never know.

"Okay," Baeus said. "Okay—this should be it. Bring Gizmo right over here and see if it works."

Zaina took a deep breath, readying herself for whatever happened next. No matter how desperately she wanted this to work, she still had to be ready for it not to.

She glanced at Gizmo in her palm and said, "All right, buddy. We're almost there."

The moment they moved closer to Baeus, Gizmo stirred. He chirped and beeped in a mad storm, his blue light glowing brighter than ever. "Gizmo, Gizmo, Gizmo, Giz—zzz—mo—"

Zaina tenderly set him on the platform and said, "Gizmo? You okay buddy?"

"Bzzzt. Coordinates accepted. New lock accessed. Input passphrase."

She closed her eyes. This was it—everything they'd been through, all the heartbreak they'd endured would be worth it once they found out what Gir thought was so important. Only a one word phrase was between her and her late friend's last will and testament, which might just somehow save the entire galaxy.