Reborn as a Spaceship

PoV Lynn

I had never been more grateful for Chunkyboy's stealth system. Without it, we'd have tripped at least a dozen patrols and hidden listening stations by now, each bristling quietly in the dark like concealed daggers. Most were Kall-e, their distinctive angular silhouettes cloaked in shadows, watchful and wary.

Having T'lish aboard had dulled my memory of just how much her people still despised humans. The quiet tension of slipping through enemy space made the transition into human-controlled territory feel like finally releasing a breath we'd been holding for far too long.

Yet, being back in familiar space brought with it new challenges like finding our parents. Mum and Dad had always been restless, never staying in one place longer than it took to pick the bones clean of salvageable scrap. The only messages we'd exchanged had been short and vague, back when Kel and I had first signed on with Lazarus. But since then our lives had spun out beyond human space and we had gone dark. To them, we might as well have disappeared altogether.

Kel leaned over the console, tapping nervously at the sensor screen. We had just synced with a message relay. "No recent messages from them, Lynn. Not in weeks. But look it seemed they were getting desperate for us to check in".

I felt a pang of guilt as message after message checked on our well-being and asked for confirmation of our safety.

Kel frowned, clearly uneasy. "We should swing by Uncle Brant's station first. He always knows where Mum and Dad are working."

I nodded in agreement, my stomach twisting just a bit. Uncle Brant ran a recycling station that orbited an aging gas giant, a solid, reliable landmark amid shifting tides. It was the closest thing we had to a permanent home.

When Chunkyboy finally docked with Brant's station, we emerged to the familiar, chaotic symphony of grinding metal, hissing welding torches, and heavy boots clanging against decks. Uncle Brant stood waiting on the platform, towering over everyone around him, seven feet of broad shoulders and muscular arms. He grinned, a bearded titan of grease-stained overalls, and strode forward, scooping Kel and me up effortlessly into a massive embrace.

"By the stars, look at you two!" Brant laughed, his deep voice echoing. "Thought we'd lost you for good!"

He squeezed tight, as though making sure we weren't illusions, then set us down gently.

Kel laughed, shaking himself loose. "We're tougher than that, old man."

"Damn right," Brant agreed warmly, slapping Kel on the back so hard he staggered forward a step. "But still, should've sent word sooner. Your parents, well, they're gonna lose their minds."

Stewie and Mira stood wide-eyed at the display. Mira leaned toward Stewie, whispering not-so-subtly, "Is that a giant?"

Stewie shrugged helplessly. "At least he's a friendly giant."

Over lunch we had a hearty stew that tasted like pure nostalgia and family gatherings. Brant settled back, scratching his beard. "So, tell me, kids. What are you up to these days? Been off the radar a long while."

Kel glanced at me briefly before answering. "We found steady work out near Alliance space. Good contracts, steady pay."

Brant raised an eyebrow, his gaze turning shrewd. "Alliance space, huh? Keeping yourselves out of trouble?"

I smiled innocently. "We're always careful, Uncle."

He snorted, clearly not convinced. "Careful, huh? Sure, kid. Anyway, stick around a bit. Your folks should arrive soon. They have got a haul due from some recycling scrap they're hauling now. Turns out your parents signed on with one of your old competitors. Probably still adjusting to working for somebody else."

I caught Kel's expression darkening slightly, and I knew what he was thinking it was what he always thought when reminded of our parents' career change. If only he'd done a more thorough scan on that abandoned ship, our parents might still be their own bosses instead of working freight routes. I reached over quietly, squeezing his wrist under the table. Kel forced a quick smile, shaking the guilt away.

The next few days passed in a whirlwind of reunions. Cousins filtered through, eager to meet Stewie and Mira, the newest members of our makeshift family. They quickly fell into the rhythm, laughing easily, trading stories, and marvelling at the sheer volume and noise a salvage family could generate.

When our parents' hauler finally docked, the whole station seemed to hold its breath. Mum emerged first, her eyes widening as they landed on us, quickly filling with tears. Dad followed closely, his face a stunned mask that slowly shifted to disbelief, then to profound relief.

"You're alive…" Mum breathed, her voice breaking slightly as she reached for us, hands trembling. "All this time, we thought"

Her voice failed, and she gathered both Kel and me into a fierce embrace. Dad joined quietly, his broad arms encircling us all, holding tight as though afraid we might vanish again if he let go.

Finally releasing us, Dad's voice cracked slightly. "Why'd you stop messaging?"

Kel looked down, guilt creeping back into his expression. I squeezed his hand and spoke gently. "We've been working deep in Alliance space. Communication's tricky out there. We have only just got back to human space"

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Mum nodded slowly, wiping tears from her eyes. "Alliance space? Doing what, exactly?"

Kel chuckled softly, easing back into a confident grin. "Believe it or not—I'm officially a diplomat."

Dad blinked in genuine surprise. "A diplomat? You?"

Stewie laughed, nudging Kel lightly. "Don't underestimate him, sir. Kel has a natural gift for smiling his way out of trouble. It's almost scary."

Mum's eyes twinkled slightly, some humor returning. "And you, Lynn? What role did they give you?"

I smiled slyly. "I'm officially our trade officer. I handle negotiations."

Mira burst into laughter. "Yeah, you should see her in action. She's a devil incarnate that is unless it's that one guy she's been seeing. She melts like—"

I shot Mira a look sharp enough to peel paint, and she quickly swallowed the rest of her words. Around us, the family burst into laughter, delighted by the familiar teasing.

"Seems like you picked up more than jobs out there," Dad said, clearly pleased. "Though, I'll admit it's strange hearing my kids talk about working legitimate corporate roles."

Mum squeezed Dad's hand gently, smiling warmly. "Maybe strange but I couldn't be prouder. You're both making your way. That's all we ever wanted."

The warmth in her voice erased months of guilt and worry in an instant. We were home, with our family, accepted and safe. Now, all that remained was sharing our big idea of the jump buoy project with them.

But that conversation could wait a little longer. For now, we savored the simple comfort of laughter, teasing, and the unconditional love we'd missed so deeply.

The day of the family meeting finally came. Our relatives crowded around, seated comfortably yet curiously, eyes fixed on the strange object Stewie and I had placed carefully at the center of the room was a prototype jump buoy, softly glowing in its dormant state. I stood up, clearing my throat and adopting my most professional trade-officer tone.

Dad chuckled quietly, shaking his head with amusement. "Well, damn, Lynn. You really do sound like a trader."

"Thanks, Dad," I replied dryly, fighting the urge to smile. "Now, first things first, I assume you have heard about slipstream travel going offline?"

My uncle Brant grunted. "Who hasn't? Big news everywhere. People are panicking about what'll happen if we can't move fast enough to respond to threats."

I nodded. "Exactly. Warp drive isn't cutting it. But we have something that might help or at least partly replace slipstream."

At this, Stewie stepped forward, clearly nervous but determined. He started quietly, but his confidence quickly grew as he explained the technical details. "It's basically an instantaneous point-to-point jump. You deploy a jump buoy at the destination, then create an energy tunnel linked to your ship's entry point. We've tested it extensively and it works beautifully within its limits."

"What kind of limits?" Mum asked gently, leaning forward.

"It requires precise timing, careful calibration, and careful placement of the buoy. You can't just jump anywhere spontaneously but it's still significantly faster than warp," Stewie clarified.

I was about to offer a demonstration when Dad suddenly raised a hand, stopping me. "No need for a demo. I get the idea."

Instead of excitement, I saw tension ripple across his features. Mum exchanged worried glances with Uncle Brant. My stomach tightened, realizing something was deeply wrong.

"What's the matter?" I asked carefully, feeling dread rising. "Aren't you excited? This is revolutionary. We could make a fortune!"

Dad shook his head slowly, his eyes dark with concern. "It's not about excitement, Lynn. This technology, it's dangerous. If we try to sell or distribute this, we'll have every military fleet and corporate security force breathing down our necks in no time."

I stared at him in disbelief. "So? We're traders. That's the whole point we can sell it to them."

Mum reached out gently, touching my shoulder. "Honey, it's not the same. This isn't just salvage tech. This changes everything. People will kill for this. They'll make us disappear, Lynn. Us, you, your brother and everyone in this room."

Kel's face fell, clearly understanding before I did. He sighed, resignation evident. "I'm sorry. You're right, Dad. Forget we showed you anything."

I turned to Kel in shock. "Are you serious? After everything we've been through, after everything we did to get here, you're just going to give up?"

"Lynn…" Kel started, his voice calm but firm. "They're right. It's too dangerous."

"No!" I exploded, frustration boiling over. "You don't get to say that! We worked for this. This could clear our debts and give Mum and Dad their lives back! Don't you all see how perfect this is?"

Mum stared at me sadly, eyes glistening. Dad's face hardened but not in anger, but in deep sadness and worry.

"Lynn, we are happy how we are. You don't need to worry about us" he said.

"No, you are working for a competitor, you are hauling scrap, it's not ok!" I yelled. This was all wrong, this was not how it was meant to go.

Stewie stepped up quietly beside me, whispering gently, "Come on, Lynn, let's go outside and cool off."

"No! This matters!" I shouted, tears burning my eyes. I hated myself for losing control, but the frustration was too raw, too overwhelming. "Why can't any of you understand? I did this for all of us!"

Kel grabbed my arm firmly, but gently. "Enough, Lynn. Let it go."

I struggled weakly, but Kel's grip was gentle yet unyielding. Stewie gently took my other arm, guiding me toward the door, Mira trailing behind, murmuring apologies to the stunned family members.

As soon as we were outside the room, away from everyone's shocked eyes, my fury crumbled into hurt. Hot tears spilled over my cheeks, my anger giving way to helplessness. I leaned heavily against the corridor wall, fighting back sobs.

Kel stood beside me, silent and supportive, gently rubbing my back until my breathing steadied.

"I will smooth things over," he finally said quietly. "They will understand why you reacted that way."

"But they're afraid," I whispered, voice breaking. "They won't even consider it."

Stewie stepped forward gently, speaking softly but firmly. "Lynn, they're afraid for a reason. We've spent so long with Laz, Laia, and T'lish that we have gotten used to a different kind of normal. Our scale of danger is totally warped."

I looked up at Stewie's earnest face, his sincerity finally breaking through my stubbornness. "Maybe," I admitted, voice quiet. "But I still believe in this. I just wanted them to believe too."

Kel squeezed my shoulder gently. "We know you did. But this is bigger than all of us. They're just protecting us."

I sighed, leaning back against the wall, the fight drained from me. "Maybe you're right."

Before anyone else could speak, alarms suddenly blared, shrill and jarring. Emergency lights flashed urgently along the station corridor, casting harsh, pulsing shadows.

"What the hell?" Kel said sharply, pulling out his communicator.

An automated voice echoed over the speakers, crisp and calm but with an unmistakable undercurrent of tension. "Warp signature detected—unidentified vessel inbound."

Fear clawed my chest. Mira's eyes widened in alarm. Stewie visibly paled.

"It can't be," I whispered. "Not here. Not now."

But there was no mistaking the ship on Kel's communicator screen. It loomed large, ominous, and unmistakably familiar.

John's ship.