Rift Chronicles

Prologue

Deep in space, the starship the Crimson Maw drifted listlessly. Though the starship was registered as an ordinary star freighter, it was far from it, as for years it had transported all sorts of illegal goods from slaves to weapons. Though the Great Galactic War was officially over, it still was fought in the shadows, and the Crimson Maw's crew had made their fortune from playing all sides. And the Crimson Maw's crew had made their fortune from playing all angles. But as the captain of the Crimson Maw sat slumped in his chair, the life in his eyes faded away, it was clear this ill-fated journey was its last.

The siren continued to blare as the red emergency lights flashed. An older woman led a trio down the now empty hall of the ship. They had boarded and captured the ship without ever indicating to anyone onboard how they had managed it. One of the three behind her, a pig-faced humanoid known as a Barugen, passed the lady to take the lead on scouting. He was middle-aged and heavy set, the second oldest of the group and filled with experience she trusted.

He said as he looked down the corridor, "It's clear." Then, as starship rumbled, throwing everyone off balance, he grunted, "Though I don't know how much longer this bucket of bolts will hold together."

The woman took out a scanner and pointed it toward a door on the right side of the hall. Nodding at the human male with her, who had seemingly lost half a face to burn scars long ago, she ordered, "It is in there. Go secure it."

The man nodded and without a word went to go complete his task. Turning on an earpiece communicator, she next said, "Yoshi, we have located the package. Return to us quickly. Tom doesn't think the starship will hold much longer."

A young teenage boy with long black hair stood by her side awaiting orders. A single crow hopped on his shoulder, staring with the same expectancy. "Auntie", he said softly, staring at the woman without any worry about the carnage he had witnessed, "what should I do next?"

She smiled this boy whom she had rescued from a horrible fate; he had already proved his worth and more, and this was only his first mission. He would grow into a fearsome Viper one day with her guidance. "You can aid Two as he secures the package. Though be careful to follow his lead and don't act beyond his direction."

The boy's placid face flickered with an actual smile as he ran after the burned man, and the crow flew after him with the same pep, mimicking his every mood. The kid was so creepily happy that it sent a shiver down Tom's spine. "Are you sure about that one? The kid still gives me the willies."

Auntie smiled. "He just needs direction. People like him are exceedingly rare."

Tom grunted in disgust. Having fought on the losing side of the war, he had seen firsthand what an "exceedingly rare" person was capable of. And then there was the matter of the incident. Tom cautioned, "What if he causes another calamity? We might not be so lucky next time."

Auntie grimaced as she said, "It was an important lesson. It taught the Poe the hollowness of revenge. Something you and I are all too familiar with. I am certain he won't lose control again."

The starship let out a great groan from the damage it had been dealt. The whole starship shook and for a few seconds, the sirens went silent before power kicked back on and they resumed their screech. The flashing lights, the constant noise, the shaking of the ship ... it was a situation not unlike a past experience of hers that had changed everything in her life in the blink of an eye. This was not all that unlike a past experience of hers that forever changed her world in the blink of an eye. Only this time, she was the one responsible for the carnage. The cruel irony was not lost on her. Still, somehow she managed to stay standing as the ship shook. What snapped her back to her senses was that in the brief moment the sirens had stopped, she thought she heard the whimper of an infant from a nearby room.

As she walked towards the suspect room, Tom asked out of concern, "Is something up?"

"I just need to check something. I'll be right with you. Go and make sure Poe follows Two's directions," she commanded.

"As you wish. Just try not to get killed. You're the only way off this bucket of bolts," said Tom. He knew she was up to something but now wasn't the time to confront her about it.

The quaking of the ship had broken the lock on the door and now it hung open a crack. She tried to slide it open but it was jammed, so instead, she peered through the crack and focused on what she could see. As she held her hand out, a swirling portal of purple particles swirled into existence on the other side of the door. A matching portal fanned out from her hand in front of her, and she simply walked into it and stepped into the room on the other side. Pipes were broken overhead and gas was leaking into the room. It wouldn't be long before there wasn't any air left, and then it would continue to poison the ship's supply of recirculated air. She saw four human-sized cages in the room, and though three of them were empty, one had a woman inside, slumped over with a small infant in her arms.

As Auntie knelt down to get a better view of the woman, she could see she had been impaled by shrapnel and was clearly dead. Her eyes were open, glassy and lifeless, not reacting to even Auntie's presence. But the infant was very much alive. It squirmed under the presumed mother's arms, uncomfortable but unable to support itself. Seeing the helpless child moved her. Ironic that she had been orphaned due to a situation like this, and now here she was, repeating history and giving herself an orphan to look after.

There was no time to fiddle with the lock to the cage. She opened a small portal and reached through. Lifting the cold arm of the dead mother off the infant, she gently grabbed the small infant, tenderly pulling it out of the cage. The baby was naked and crying as she made another portal to leave the room and join the others. It was clearly a boy, and although appearing to be human, his eyes and hair were unnaturally silver. She wrapped the baby in the purple silk scarf she had been wearing and gently cradled the baby in one arm. Even with a baby in her arm, she kept her other hand free in case a survivor shot at her, this way she could redirect the blaster fire with a portal.

Thankfully as she entered the room, it was clear the others had taken care of any hostilities inside. As she looked around everyone was there: Tom, Yoshi, Two and Poe. And all their eyes were fixed on the small infant she held in her arms. Even in their confusion, it was clear to all of them they were taking the baby with them. Just what sort of life did the future hold for the child ...