Jonah stood at the base of the boarding ramp, looking back at the Academy one last time. From this height, the huge complex looked almost peaceful.

"Are you having second thoughts on this?" Vanessa asked beside him. She carried two bags of equipment, filled with every tool and diagnostic device she thought they might need.

"A million of them." Jonah tried to smile. "But we are doing it anyway."

Princess Ariana walked down the ramp behind them. She carried nothing except her sword. "The Empress sent me a message," she said. "She reminded me that I am representing our nation on this journey."

"No pressure, right?" Vanessa said.

"Only the fate of two worlds." Ariana made a small smile, showing she was joking.

"No pressure at all."

Above them, Nomad was held in its dock. The huge ship looked healthier than it had in weeks. Its solar sails were folded but gleaming, ready to catch starlight.

Jonah felt the connection through his God Mark. Nomad was nervous. He could sense it.

"I know, buddy," he whispered. "I'm scared too."

A group of people walked towards them across the platform. The Headmaster was walking slowly with his cane. General Ironwood was in his full military dress. Seraph and Draven, looking like they hadn't slept in days.

"Final briefing," the Headmaster said. "Though I suspect you all know what's at stake."

"If Sterling activates the Nexus, game over," Draven said bluntly. "We need to find Haven, take whatever super-tech the ancient people left behind, and get back before that happens."

"Exactly." Ironwood pulled up a holographic display. "Based on Silas's intelligence, we estimate you have about three to four weeks before the Nexus is fully up and running. It could be less if Sterling speed things up."

"And the ground war?" Jonah asked.

"We'll hold." Seraph answered. "People are leaving Sterling's human military and joining us. The resistance is growing. We'll buy you the time you need."

"Just make it count," Draven added. He stepped forward and hit Jonah on the shoulder. "And come back. I didn't save your life at that factory just for you to die in space."

"I'll do my best."

The Headmaster approached him last. He looked older than Jonah had ever seen him.

"I know what I'm asking of you," he said quietly. "All of you. This is not a student assignment. This is not an exam you can retake if you fail."

"We know," Vanessa said.

"Then go with my blessing." He put his hand on Jonah's shoulder. "And remember that you carry more than just your own hopes. You carry the dreams of everyone who believes in a better future."

Great. No pressure at all.

They said their goodbyes. Seraph gave Vanessa a hug. Draven and Jonah exchanged a warrior's handshake. The Headmaster simply nodded, his face showing both trust and concern.

Then they climbed the ramp into Nomad.

"Sealing the cockpit," Vanessa said, moving to her station. "Pressurization holding steady. Life support at optimal levels."

Ariana took her position at the navigation station. "I have the star-chart loaded. The route will take us through three jump points to reach Haven's coordinates."

Jonah sat on the pilot's seat. It was more like a throne that molded itself to his body, connecting him to Nomad through dozens of crystalline contact points.

The moment the connection was made, he felt it. Nomad's consciousness merging with his own.

"Ready?" he asked aloud.

Ready, Nomad responded in his mind.

"Academy Control, this is Nomad," Vanessa said into the comm. "Requesting clearance for departure."

"Nomad, this is Control. You are cleared for launch."

The docking clamps released with many metallic sounds.

Jonah felt Nomad's body move, adjusting to the release of the clamps.

"Taking us up," he said.

It wasn't like piloting a normal ship. There was no steering wheel or throttle. Jonah simply thought about where he wanted to go, and Nomad responded. They rose smoothly from the platform, the Academy shrinking below them.

People had gathered to watch. Students on balconies. Teachers at windows.

"Altitude increasing," Vanessa reported. "Entering upper atmosphere. Preparing for atmospheric exit."

The sky outside changed from blue to dark purple and then, to black. Stars appeared, bright and clear.

"Deploying solar sails," Jonah said.

He felt Nomad's body respond. The sails unfolded from the ship's sides, catching the sun's radiation and converting it to pure energy.

Light covered the cockpit as the sails began to glow.

"Power generation at maximum," Vanessa said, watching her displays. "We're ready for the first jump."

Ariana pulled up the star-chart. It appeared around them as a 3D map of space, showing their current position as a blue dot and Haven as a red one.

"First jump point is three light-hours away," she said. "The path takes us through the asteroid field far out. We have to be very careful steering the ship."

"Understood." Jonah took a deep breath.

"Engaging Phase Drive in three... two... one..."

The universe seemed to spin and bend out of shape.

It didn't cause pain, but it felt wrong. Space itself seemed to fold around Nomad. The stars stretched out into long lines.

Then everything turned back to normal.

They were somewhere else. Surrounded by slowly tumbling asteroids, each one the size of a mountain.

"Jump successful," Vanessa said, her voice shaky. "That was... intense."

"Yeah, it was." Ariana responded. "I have trained in teleportation magic for years, and that was unlike anything I've experienced."

Jonah just nodded, too busy keeping his breakfast down to comment.

"Next jump point is six light-hours ahead," Ariana continued. "But we need to find a way to through this asteroid field first."

"I can work with that." Jonah reached out through his connection with Nomad. The ship's senses were far better than any human scanner. It could feel the gravitational pull of each asteroid. Sense the electromagnetic fields.

They moved through the asteroid field smoothly. It was slow at first, then faster as Jonah learned to trust the connection. To let Nomad guide as much as he controlled.

"You're getting good at this," Vanessa said, watching him work.

The journey continued. Jump after jump, taking them farther from home than any human had ever traveled.

Dead solar systems where planets had been destroyed by ancient wars. Nebulas that glowed with colors that had no names.

"Final jump point ahead," Ariana announced. "Haven should be on the other side."

"Or it should be empty space and we'll have wasted our entire trip," Vanessa added helpfully.

They lined up for the final jump. This one was longer than the others. More complex. The star-chart showed warnings about gravitational anomalies and spatial distortions.

"Everyone strap in," Jonah said. "This is going to be a rough one."

The Phase Drive activated.

This time, the folding of space felt violent. It felt like being squeezed through a tight tunnel that was stretched too thin. Nomad shook hard. Alarms went off. Vanessa quickly worked on her controls, trying to keep the ship's systems stable.

Then they were through.

Before them, filling the entire view, was a nebula unlike anything they'd ever seen. Gold and purple gases swirled in spiral patterns, lit from within by some unknown source.

"Scanning," Vanessa said. "The nebula is generating some kind of interference field. Anything inside would be invisible to long-range sensors."

"A perfect place to hide something important," Ariana said.

As if responding to their presence, the nebula began to separate. The swirling gases pulled back like curtains, showing what was hidden within it.

It was a huge structure. A ring of white and gold metal built around a small star that burned with steady light.

"That's not natural," Vanessa whispered.

"No." Ariana's smile was pure wonder. "That's Haven."

PING.

A signal came through Nomad's communication systems. A pattern of energy that made Jonah's God Mark pulse with recognition.

Then a voice. Speaking into their minds.

[Scanning incoming vessel... Energy signature recognized... Classification: Life-Weaver Progeny, Grade Six... Welcome, Inheritors. Haven has awaited your arrival.]

Lights appeared along the massive ring structure. Docking bay doors, each one large enough to fit a dozen ships like Nomad, began to open.

[Please proceed to Bay Seven for automated docking. Medical facilities and resource allocation will be provided. Welcome home.]

Jonah looked at Vanessa, then at Ariana. All three of them wore the same expression of shock and hope.

They'd found it.

After everything. After the war and the losses and the impossible journey through space.

They'd actually found Haven.

"Taking us in," Jonah said, guiding Nomad toward the open bay.

As they approached, the true scale of the structure became clear. The ring wasn't just big. It was a city.

And it had been waiting. Preserved and automated. Ready for someone to come and claim its legacy.

The ship entered the docking bay. Then, the massive doors shut loudly behind them, sealing them inside.

They'd left their world to find a weapon.

Instead, they'd found something far more valuable.

They'd found hope.

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