Destiny Among the Stars - Scifi - LitRPG - Adventure

Back at the bonfire, they'd stripped out of their combat armor and taken turns in the shower, putting on their white bodysuits that felt like heaven after the hellish delve. The fire crackled and popped as the wood burned.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Luca could actually breathe without tasting recycled air or the metallic tang of fear.

The baby Nyxocatus, which they'd decided to call Pixel, had curled up in Zoe's lap like she belonged there. The tiny creature purred with a sound like a miniature engine, her fur already showing faint traces of the bioluminescent patterns that would make her magnificent when she grew up.

If she grew up.

"We couldn't save him," Zoe said quietly, her fingers gently stroking the kitten's head. "But we can save her."

Joey nodded from where he was distributing MREs around the circle. "She's young enough to imprint on us. With proper care and feeding, she'll adapt."

"Great," Ryan muttered, tearing open his beef stew packet. "Now we're running a wildlife sanctuary in addition to everything else."

But even as he complained, Luca could see him sneaking affectionate looks at the kitten. Ryan had always been a softie under all the sarcasm and technical babble, even if he'd rather die than admit it.

Danny stretched beside the fire. "The big one fought well," he said.

"Forty hours," Chris said, breaking the heavy silence as he warmed his chicken and rice over the fire's edge. "Forty hours in that metal nightmare, and we all made it out."

"Barely," Emily added. "Though I have to admit, the loot haul was worth it."

Ryan perked up immediately, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "Did you see my kill count on the nullmaws? Seventeen direct hits with the shotgun, plus the suppressing fire that let Zoe get in close."

"Your kill count?" Danny rumbled. "I absorbed eighty percent of the damage! You were basically hiding behind me the entire fight."

"I was providing tactical support!"

"You were cowering behind the tank."

"Strategic positioning!"

Luca tuned out their familiar bickering, which was comfortable and exactly what they all needed. Instead, he pulled the cube-shaped Weapons Upgrade Mod from his utility bag, turning it over in his bandaged hands.

The thing was about the size of a Rubik's cube, but smooth and seamless, made from some kind of metal that seemed to shift color depending on the angle. He brought out his Energy Tomahawk and laid it on their folding table, hoping he could level it up.

Just like the multi-tool upgrade cube, Luca fidgeted with it for a moment, then something clicked.

The cube dissolved into a swarm of tiny components that buzzed around his hands. Each piece was smaller than a grain of rice, flying around his tomahawk like metallic bees.

A notification appeared in his HUD: [Upgrading in Progress - 45 minutes].

This was way more theatrical than the previous upgrade, which had been relatively straightforward. The micro-components were fascinating to watch, each one apparently designed for a specific task. Some were working on the tomahawk's edge, others on the power coupling, still others on the grip and balance systems. The weapon itself had begun to glow with a soft blue light, pulsing in rhythm with whatever modifications were being made.

"What's it upgrading it to?" Chris asked, leaning closer to get a better look.

"No idea," Luca admitted, but the anticipation was killing him.

Emily had been quiet through most of their post-mission debrief, but now she stood and crossed the small distance between her spot and Luca's. Without asking permission or making a big production of it, she settled onto his lap, her weight warm and perfect against him.

"I'm proud of you," she murmured, her lips brushing against his neck as she spoke.

"Yeah?" Luca asked, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer. The movement made his burnt hands angry, but he ignored the pain. Some things were worth a little discomfort.

"Mmm," she hummed against his skin before turning in his lap to face him properly. Her green eyes were soft in the firelight, tired but happy, and when she leaned in to kiss him, the rest of the world faded away.

When they broke apart, she settled back against his chest with a satisfied sigh. "We all made it home," she said softly.

Home. That's what this was, wasn't it? This collection of people who'd chosen to follow Luca into the dark and trust him to bring them back out.

The weapon upgrade components continued their work, tiny sparks of light dancing around his tomahawk as it transformed into something new. Around him, his crew was alive and whole, arguing about kill counts and cooing over an orphaned alien kitten.

Finally, the notification chimed: [Item acquired: Plasma Tomahawk - Upgraded - TL9]

Luca's fingers trembled as he picked up the weapon and activated it. A two-inch ribbon of pure plasma hissed to life along the cutting edge, shimmering with contained destruction.

The HUD overlay kicked in immediately, showing him optimal swing angles, plasma charge levels, and real-time damage estimates. But more than the technical specs, it was the weight that got him. Perfect balance, solid but alive with power.

"A two-inch plasma ribbon edge, four intensity modes," he said, his voice thick with excitement. "Auto-regen field, and Smart-Link HUD integration." His pulse skipped. He'd never been more turned on by a weapon. Christ, he was turning into Danny.

Zoe snickered, slipping her Plasma Dagger free. "Nice," she teased. "My dagger's had self-repairing fields since week one."

Luca tossed the tomahawk lightly in one hand, felt the balanced spin, then caught it again with a low laugh. "Yeah? Tell me how that works when you need to breach a reinforced door or bash a skull in one swing." He brought the blade closer, the plasma edge shimmering. "This thing's a fucking masterpiece."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

After they'd finished picking apart their MREs and let Joey's coffee kick their brains into something resembling functional, Chris and Danny took point on hauling their loot out of the Peregrine's cargo bay. The collection was impressive as hell when you saw it all laid out in the clearing.

Armor pieces glinted in the filtered sunlight, their composite materials showing the telltale blue-threaded patterns of System enhancement. Weapon mods sat in neat rows, each one promising some kind of tactical advantage they hadn't had before. Power cells were stacked like a small arsenal, enough to keep them fighting for weeks without worrying about running dry.

But the real prize, the thing that made all the pain and terror worth it, was that fucking TL-9 reactor. Even powered down and dormant, the unit hummed with potential energy that made Luca's teeth ache if he got too close.

"Okay," Luca said, pushing himself up from his chair and immediately regretting it as every muscle in his body reminded him that they'd spent the last forty hours getting their asses kicked. "Let's sort this shit out properly."

Danny looked up from where he'd been organizing power cells. "So, what's the plan for distribution? We've got full armor sets for everyone now."

The question sparked immediate interest around the fire. They'd hauled back enough gear to outfit a small army.

"Alright, fashion show time," Emily declared, clapping her hands together. "I want to see what that Centauri Phantom set can do."

Zoe chimed in, a playful gleam in her eye. "Yeah, c'mon, show us what you've got, boss man."

Luca gave an exaggerated sigh, but he grinned. Fucking finally. He wasn't used to being the center of attention like this, but after what they'd just survived, he figured they'd all earned a little celebration.

He stripped off his white bodysuit down to his underwear, and a round of teasing whistles erupted from the crew.

Ryan catcalled, "Don't get too distracted now!"

"Alright, alright," he muttered, but the excitement in his voice was clear.

He picked up the [Centauri Phantom Mk-64 Tactical Vest] first. It felt solid yet strangely light, adjusting to his frame as he slipped it over his head. The material clicked into place with a soft hum, reshaping itself and molding to his body.

"Look at those muscles!" Joey yelled with a grin, leaning over to elbow Chris.

Next came the [Centauri Phantom Mk-64 Precision Gauntlets], each piece settling and syncing with the vest. The [Centauri Phantom Mk-64 Shin Guards] locked into place, forming seamless connections. The [Centauri Phantom Mk-64 Silent-Step Boots] adjusted as he put them on, fitting him like they'd been custom-made.

Finally, he reached for the [Centauri Phantom Mk-64 Recon Helm]. A hush fell over the crew as he lifted it, placing it carefully over his head. The interior sealed with a gentle press, and the HUD lit up, filling his vision with a blue-tinted display.

Luca placed a [Power Cell] into the slot within the chest piece. The cover slid shut on its own.

A faint wave of energy pulsed through the suit. The elastic membrane expanded from each of the five pieces, covering every inch of his body. It was like a second skin, but tighter, more responsive. The membrane was thin and matte black, but he could feel its strength, its flexibility.

LEDs blinked to life, pulsing up his legs, following the lines of his torso, cresting over his chest, and dimming to a steady glow. The suit's core hummed, syncing to his heartbeat.

He took a step forward, marveling at the suit's responsiveness. It was weightless, almost as though he were walking around naked. But more than that, it was like the suit was an extension of his own body, amplifying his senses, making him feel stronger, faster, more agile.

No wedgie, he thought. Wow. Pinnacle of technology.

"Now this," he breathed, voice cracking slightly, "is a fucking upgrade."

The crew broke out into applause and cheers, Zoe grinning wide. "Knew you'd make it look good!" she teased.

Emily nodded, giving him an appreciative once-over. "Not bad, Luca. Not bad at all." Her eyes lingered with obvious desire.

Luca raised his chin and gave the crew a cocky half-salute. "All right, motherfuckers, who's next?"

After everyone had tried on their new gear, each suit integration as impressive as the last, the crew settled back around the fire. The energy was different now. Confident. They'd been through hell and come out the other side not just intact, but stronger.

"So," Danny said, settling back in his chair with obvious satisfaction, "what's next? We have a TL-9 reactor, and if I remember right..." His gaze shifted to Ryan. "There was talk of a vehicle upgrade?"

Ryan's eyes lit up with engineering lust. "The TL-9 Vehicle Upgrade Mod? The Peregrine's already a beast, but with TL-9 modifications..." He trailed off, looking toward Luca. "What do you say, boss? Ready to make our girl even faster?"

Luca considered it. Right now, they were running TL-8 systems across the board. It was decent tech, but that battleship had proved they were fighting above their weight class with outdated gear. TL-9 monsters required TL-9 defenses.

"The upgrade should improve everything," Ryan continued, his voice picking up speed. "Shield capacity, armor plating, weapon targeting systems, maybe even propulsion and life support. We could be looking at a complete system overhaul."

Danny looked skeptical. "Or it could turn the Peregrine into very expensive potato. We don't know what the upgrade will do."

Should optimize them. That was the part that made Luca's stomach clench with familiar anxiety. But then he looked at their situation. They were delving deeper into increasingly dangerous portals, facing threats that pushed their equipment to its limits and beyond. The Champion fight had been a wake-up call about exactly how outclassed they were becoming.

"Fuck it," Luca said, the decision crystallizing with impulsive certainty. "Let's do it."

Emily raised her eyebrows. "Just like that?"

"Just like that," he confirmed. "Ryan's right about the threat level. Our current systems aren't going to cut it much longer, and that upgrade mod isn't going to get any fresher sitting in storage."

Ryan practically bounced on his feet. "Really? We're actually going to do this?"

"We're actually going to do this," Luca agreed, then pointed at him with one bandaged hand. "But if you mess this up, I'm feeding you to the next nullmaw we encounter."

The crew gathered around as they approached the Peregrine. In outpost mode, it sat with sides extended, solar panels deployed like mechanical wings. In the filtered sunlight of New Dawn, it looked solid and reliable. A lot of great memories had been had in the Peregrine since that fateful day over four years ago when they took it out of the tutorial portal. It had carried them safely across multiple worlds and New Dawn.

"Okay," Luca said, pulling out the TL-9 Vehicle Upgrade Mod. "Talk me through what's supposed to happen."

Ryan took the cube-shaped device, its surface catching light in ways that made Luca's eyes water slightly. "According to the description, I need to interface it with the Peregrine's main systems while the vehicle is in compact configuration. The mod will analyze our setup and implement optimizations automatically."

Luca climbed inside to switch modes. The Peregrine's transformation began with walls folding in, ceiling lowering, compartments compressing as it morphed back into its armored travel form.

When he rejoined Ryan, one of the mod's corner pieces had sprouted a glowing button.

"Ready?" Ryan asked, hand hovering over the activation.

"Let's do it."

Ryan knelt beside one of the pieces, scratching his head. "Alright, so... we've got ourselves a high-tech Rubik's cube that just broke apart on us."

They exchanged a look. "What if it's one of those proximity things?" Ryan suggested, squinting at the glyphs. "Like, maybe if we get it close enough, it'll, I don't know, do something?"

"Sure," Luca said, a skeptical smile on his face. "Just get it near enough, and it'll magically install itself. How high-tech of it."

Ryan shot him a grin. "Hey, you've seen stranger things."

Finally, they placed the four pieces on the ground, forming a large square around the Peregrine.

A thin line of blue light burst from the cube, shooting to three other pieces around the vehicle. The light traced each side, forming a bright electric square on the ground. The cube tops split open and rose in the air, projecting the blue glow upward until it completely enveloped the Peregrine.

Ryan pulled out his Engineering Multitool, data streaming across its screen. He looked up with a grin.

"Time to completion: 24 hours."

Luca stared at the display, then at the Peregrine trapped in its blue energy cocoon. All their gear was inside. Their camp supplies, their beds, everything.

"Ah, shit," he muttered.

Ryan clapped him on the shoulder. "Guess we're pitching camp the old-fashioned way. Could be worse."

Luca looked around at his crew, all geared up in their shiny new TL-9 armor, standing in an alien forest while their ride underwent a mysterious technological transformation. Emily caught his eye and smiled, that look that promised interesting ways to pass the time.

Maybe twenty-four hours wouldn't be so bad after all.