[[AUTHOR NOTE: Random question, but to save me going back through the chapters, can any of you remember how many drones Adam lost in the fight against the mech in the sphere, the scorpo and then Drot?]]
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"It was," Adam nodded before continuing, "However, she has a plan that can get us home, though it's risky."
"Let's hear it," Rowena replied.
"Spector believes she needs a piece of tech from Solarian Prime," Adam replied, causing Rowena and Celeste's eyes to widen in surprise.
[OrangeeyedStace (Felinia 7): The Solarian homeworld?]
[OfficialLorelie (Felinia 7): They plan to travel to Solarian Prime?]
[DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): How interesting. I wonder why they need a piece of Solarian tech specifically.]
[Beinglittleisnotadisadvantage (Strathorp 7): The Solarian race is one of the most advanced races when it comes to tech, even back then, since Princess Liluth Solar was already inventing new technologies and making upgrades to existing ones.]
[NonpareilRaphilia (Aaru): That's true, but it would be a long trip of several months even when using the jumpgates since they would have to cross into an entirely different sector of the universe.]
[HackerSu (Trillion): I think you are all forgetting one thing. Adam looks like a Terran and Terrans were not welcome on Solarian Prime eighteen years ago.]
[Tessisdabest (Imperial Down): You make a good point there.]
"Solarian Prime?" Rowena asked.
"You know it will take months to get there, right? Even using the jump gates," Celeste asked.
"I do," Adam nodded before adding, "That's why we have two choices in how to get there."
[Thewhitesoverign (Felinia 7): Why is it always two choices with you?]
[OfficialMuriel (Aqua Primus): What do you mean?]
[Thewhitesoverign (Felinia 7): Back during the Siege of Fenix Nest, Adam gave me two choices as well.]
"Two choices?" Rowena asked curiously.
"The first choice is that we use the jumpgates to travel to Solarian Prime, which, as Celeste stated, will take several months."
"Is there a faster way?" Rowena asked.
"What's wrong with using the jumpgates?" Celeste asked.
"Stacey," Rowena replied, causing Adam to understand her meaning.
"You just saved her life, she's not in any more danger, right?" Celeste asked in confusion.
"Not the Stacey at this time, but the one from the future," Rowena replied while giving Celeste a look that, after a moment, caused her eyes to widen before she nodded and said.
"I understand."
[HackerSu (Trillion): Understand? Understand what? What's this about Stacey? @Whitehorn, what did you mean?]
[Whitehorn (Darah 5): Sorry, but I can't tell you. If you want to know, you will have to ask Stacey.]
[OrangeeyedStace (Felinia 7): …]
[HackerSu (Trillion): Stacey, what's she talking about?]
[OrangeeyedStace (Felinia 7): 😮💨I will call you later and explain in person. It's not something I want the entire universe to learn.]
[HackerSu (Trillion): Fine, but you better keep your word.]
[OrangeeyedStace (Felinia 7): Sure, sure.]
"The second and faster way is to use the experimental drive to travel to Solarian Prime," Adam stated.
"The experimental drive?" Rowena asked with a frown before adding, "If memory serves, this is the same experimental drive that sent us back here, right?"
"Correct," Adam replied while nodding.
"And you want to use that to travel to Solarian Prime?" Rowena asked.
"Correct," Adam replied again.
[Prestigious3horns (Vinox 2): That's a dumb idea.]
[Superior4horns (Vinox 3): Definitely a dumb idea.]
[HackerSu (Trillion): Sounds like a dumb idea to me.]
"That's a dumb idea," Celeste remarked.
[HackerSu (Trillion): See, even she agrees, 18 years ago.]
[Whitehorn (Darah 5): …]
"I'm inclined to agree with Celeste that it's a dumb idea," Rowena commented.
[NonpareilRaphilia (Aaru): White Dragon Tephe, I'm curious to know if the streamer's ideas back during the Siege of Fenix Nest were also dumb.]
[Thewhitesoverign (Felinia 7): Hmmm, that's difficult to answer. Upon suggesting the two ideas, it was the one I insisted on and the one we ultimately chose that was the dumb choice out of the two. Only now do we know that it was the better of the two choices since the one that seemed more sensible would have led to the eradication and extinction of the Phoenix race.]
[Phoenixempress (Fenix Nest): …]
[OfficialMuriel (Aqua Primus): I love dumb ideas.]
[OfficialAphrodite (Felinia 7): Agreed, let's go with the dumb idea. It sounds more interesting.]
"I can't deny that it sounds like a dumb idea," Adam replied while sighing before adding, "But it would also be our quickest way to reach Solarian Prime."
"What are the risks?" Rowena asked.
"Anything from nothing happening to us being randomly flung through time and space to who knows when and where."
"Oh, so nothing serious," Rowena replied sarcastically while flashing her signature smirk.
"You're not seriously considering that idea, are you?" Celeste asked.
"I'm not sure we have much choice," Rowena replied while shrugging.
"You're both nuts," Celeste said with a sigh.
"I guess we go with the dumb idea then," Adam said before adding, "Spector, come pick us up."
[[Affirmative.]]
"You're bringing your ship here?" Celeste asked in shock before adding, "Aren't you afraid people will see it?"
"No need to worry, his ship is cloaked," Rowena replied while flashing her signature smirk.
"Cloaked?" Celeste asked while looking at Adam and asking, "Who exactly are you? You travel around with divas, one of whom you're dating, you have the guts to threaten a progenitor and you even have a ship that has a cloak."
"Finally realised how amazing I am?" Adam asked with a smirk that was awfully similar to Rowena's signature smirk.
"Bah, as if," Celeste retorted dismissively before changing the subject and asking, "So where did you park your ship? Will it take long to arrive?"
[[Arrival in five seconds.]]
"She's already here," Adam replied while activating the wings on his anti-gravity armour.
Just before flying into the air, he said, "I'm not sure if I can say it's been a pleasure as you were calling me a pedo half the time, but I will say thanks for the help, Celeste."
As he finished speaking, Adam flew up into the air and followed the directions on his HUD in order to find Spector, which was still cloaked.
"Hmph," Celeste pouted while watching Adam fly away.
"Haha," Rowena laughed lightly before saying, "Perhaps the next time you meet him, you can be a bit more mature and welcoming."
"If he stops being a pedo, sure," Celeste replied stubbornly.
[Whitehorn (Darah 5): UGGGHHHHHH I'm so embarrassed. Fuck my past self.]
[OfficialAphrodite (Felinia 7): Maybe if you had asked me back then, I would have been interested, but now I'm afraid I can't. 😏]
[Whitehorn (Darah 5): What? No, that's not what I meant.]
[OfficialAphrodite (Felinia 7): I know. 😹]
[Whitehorn (Darah 5): …]
"Well, I hope to see you in eighteen years or so, Celeste," Rowena said before suddenly hugging Celeste, which surprised the woman, though she quickly returned it.
"Yeah. Make sure to let me know when you get back to your own time, ok?" Celeste replied.
"Sure," Rowena said while breaking the hug and adding, "Remember to follow the instructions on the data drive exactly."
"Of course," Celeste promised while nodding.
"Good girl," Rowena said with a smile while stroking Celeste's hair for a moment.
Soon she unfurled her own wings and took to the sky while waving before she turned and flew after Adam.
Celeste watched them depart until they suddenly vanished from sight, after which she sighed before turning around and heading back towards Horn Manufacturing.
Vlad stood atop the temple of blood, observing Adam and Rowena as they flew up into the sky, before being surprised as they suddenly vanished and from both his sight and his senses, which covered the entire planet.
"So I was right, his ship is not only stealthed, but it is somehow able to block even my perception, which is why I didn't detect them when they entered the atmosphere. If he really is capable of launching a planetary annihilation weapon from his ship as he claimed, then I might not be able to stop it since I might sense it too late.
Rowena, your granddaughter has found herself one powerful boyfriend. I kind of pity that group of girls for what they have coming."
"Was it wise to have Spector hover over Nyxburg and pick us up?" Rowena asked as she entered Spector and landed next to Adam.
"Probably not, but I have a feeling that Vlad has been observing me since our last conversation, so I figured I should give him one final warning," Adam replied before adding, "Spector, take us into orbit and prepare to activate the experimental drive."
"Affirmative," Spector replied
"Why would you think that?" Rowena asked as she followed Adam towards the mess hall.
"It's what I would do if someone threatened they could use weapons of mass destruction," Adam replied.
[Whostolemyduck (Earth): Streamer, I think planetary annihilation weapons go beyond weapons of mass destruction.]
[1000yearsofdeath (Earth): Weapons beyond mass destruction then? Kekeke.]
"We have entered orbit, standby for activation of experimental drive.
Target destination: Sector Two, Galamedees Galaxy, Solarian Prime.
[[Initiating activation of condition purple]]
[[Activating condition purple]]
[[Weapons systems offline]]
[[Shields to maximum]]
[[Energy output to maximum]]
[[Redirecting energy output]]
[[All hands brace for Jump]]
"ALERT ALERT."
"Not again," Rowena sighed.
[1000yearsofdeath (Earth): I knew something would fuck up. Kekeke.]
"What's wrong?" Adam asked with a frown.
"Unexpected reaction from the dark matter."
[[All hands brace for Time Jump]]
As Spector finished speaking, the stream switched to an external view of Spector, where the chat saw for a brief moment Spector decloak before suddenly vanishing.
On the bridge of one of the Brood Space Force ships that was keeping an eye on all the ships arriving and leaving Darah Five, one of the sensor operators suddenly said, "Huh?"
"Is something wrong, officer?" A Brood Commander asked as they were passing behind the brood sensor officer.
"I'm not sure, sir. I could have sworn I saw something on sensors for a moment, but then it vanished as quickly as it appeared," The brood sensor officer replied while fiddling with his controls.
"Did anyone else detect anything?" The commander asked while turning to look at the other sensor operators, who all shook their heads.
"You're probably just tired, officer. I believe you have been on duty for several hours now without a break. Why don't you head down to the mess hall and get some food before getting some rest?" The commander instructed.
"Thank you, Commander, I think I will do just that," The officer replied before getting up and heading for the mess hall for some much-needed food.