Reborn as a Spaceship

The transition was rough, it was one of the roughest we've had since using dimensional shifting as a method. One moment, we hung in the void near Tacci Station; the next, reality reshaped itself around us. There was a sudden lurch and a nauseating disorientation as the fold of spacetime spun us around. I checked with Laia and Wayfarer to see if we had done anything differently, but we hadn't. So it had to be something about the system.

Damn Greys—why didn't they let us use their wormhole? They'd left the location data in the package they sent, but it didn't show anything that should have caused this.

I watched the crew as they slowly stirred, groaning and blinking like they'd just been hurled through a blender. Mira was the first to sit up, rubbing her temples and muttering something I couldn't catch. Stewie pushed himself upright next, wincing as he looked around the bridge. "Okay, what gives?" he asked, voice hoarse.

I responded keeping my tone steady. "I don't know," I admitted. "That was rougher than expected, I think something about this system interfered with the shift." T'lish was already running scans, her tail twitching as she muttered diagnostics to herself, while Kel sat on the floor with his head tilted back, eyes closed like he was trying to reassemble his internal organs. Lynn, pale but composed, was already checking on the others, one hand braced against the wall for balance. "Well," she muttered dryly, "let's not do that again."

"Arrival confirmed," Laia announced, her voice calm, like we didn't just do a triple flip. "Welcome to System Designation TX-0734, otherwise known as 'The Crucible.'"

Wayfarer manifested his holographic avatar beside Laia and me on the physical bridge. The humanoid form pulsed softly, continents and oceans swirling across its surface. "Crucible," Wayfarer mused. "A place of severe test or trial. Apt."

Before us lay a spectacle that defied simple description. Six suns dominated the view, locked in a complex gravitational ballet. "Hierarchical sextuple system," Laia elaborated, projecting a dynamic orbital map beside Wayfarer's avatar. "Two inner binaries, designated Binary A and Binary C, orbit a common barycenter. A third, more distant binary, Binary B, orbits the entire inner quadruple."

Binary A, dubbed 'The Forge,' was a searing inferno of two massive blue-white stars, their fierce radiation bathing nearby planets in sterilizing energy. Farther out, Binary C, 'The Nursery,' consisted of two cooler, reddish stars nestled within the wispy remnants of a stellar nebula, rich with unformed matter. And encompassing it all, revolving at a majestic distance, was Binary B, 'The Assembly Point,' with two steady yellow stars—the designated location for the Traxlic mediation.

"Fascinating," Wayfarer murmured, his planetary form mirroring the celestial dance outside. "Such intricate balance. I feel the Harmonics have a hand in this."

"I didn't think something like this could even exist," Kel murmured, pressing a hand to the glass. Mira let out a low whistle, eyes wide as reflections of starlight danced across her cheeks. "It's like watching the universe show off." Even Lynn, ever the pragmatist, stood silently beside them, awe softening her usual calculating gaze. "The mathematical model for this system must be insane," Stewie added under his breath. T'lish simply stared, expression uncharacteristically reverent, as if witnessing. A sacred truth. None of them had to say it—but I could feel it in their silence: this was not just another system. This was something rare.

As we approached The Assembly Point, the scope of the gathering became clear. A fleet hung suspended in the relative calm between the twin yellow suns. Dominating the formation were several imposing Traxlic battlecruisers, their silvery-grey hulls radiating quiet menace. They maintained a perimeter, enforcing the truce.

Within their cordon drifted three distinct flotillas. One consisted of vast crystalline structures, geometric and modular—the ships of the AI contingent, whom the Traxlic briefing had designated the 'Core Collective.' They seemed less like vessels and more like mobile processing units, silently observing.

Laia scanned them. "They're not my people. Must be another AI collective." She seemed relieved, but I was worried, I could've used my relationship with Laia to help in negotiations if it had been them but now I was starting from zero.

Contrasting sharply were the ships of the 'Phased Kindred.' These interdimensional beings piloted craft that glittered and warped at the edges, appearing translucent or slightly out of sync with reality, their forms defying conventional understanding. Their mere existence probably contradicted many human understandings of the universe.

Finally, there were the 'Children of the Mother'—huge, organic insects whose gothic cathedral-like bodies pulsed with internal bioluminescence. Monuments to their fervent beliefs grew from their backs. We had met them before, and it hadn't been a friendly encounter—but it seemed we had only met the foot soldiers. If we had met this delegation back then, we wouldn't be now.

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The tension was palpable, even across the vacuum.

"Well," Kel breathed from his station, breaking the silence on the bridge. "Looks like the party's already started."

"And we're the guests of honor," Lynn added dryly, her eyes already scanning the tactical display, assessing.

"Traxlic lead vessel hailing," Laia reported.

"On screen," I instructed.

The image resolved into the face of a Traxlic official. Its features were fine-boned, grey-skinned, and conveyed an air of aloof superiority. Its large, dark eyes held an unnerving stillness.

"Arbiter Lazarus," the Traxlic stated, its voice smooth and devoid of inflection. "You have arrived. Proceed to the designated coordinates. Mediation Station Epsilon awaits. Maintain protocols."

"Understood," I replied. "The Arbiter is en route."

The channel closed. I turned to the crew. "This one's on me," I said. "I'll take point on the negotiations. But I'll need all of you sharp." I glanced at Kel. "You're with me. Keep an eye on the social dynamics and any subtle shifts, pressure points, anything I might miss." He gave a tight nod. "You got it, Lazarus." I looked to Lynn. "I'll rely on you for analysis and strategic insight as well and if anyone tries to play games, I want to know."

I turned to look at T'lish, who straightened. "Sensors and threat detection. You'll have to be my eyes and ears out here." Finally, I turned to Stewie and Mira. "Keep our systems stable. If something goes wrong in that chamber, I'll need full control of the ship with no delays, no surprises."

"Got it, Laz," Stewie confirmed, already running diagnostics. Mira nodded, her expression serious.

T'lish's body a slight twitch. "Scanning all vessels now. Their energy signatures… are highly unusual."

Kel straightened his uniform jacket, adjusting his collar. "Right. Time to go make nice with the galaxy's most reclusive and potentially dangerous species. And their friends."

Mediation Station Epsilon was a marvel of Traxlic engineering it was vast, symmetrical, and radiating an aura of sterile order. We were guided to a specific docking bay, the process overseen with silent, unnerving efficiency by Traxlic drones.

The mediation chamber itself was immense. A circular platform floated in the center of a cavernous space. Projected fields shimmered, creating distinct projections of each delegation. In the center stood a single, imposing podium.

For safety and ease, each delegation used secure internal communication lines to participate in the virtual meeting which was a fortunate circumstance, as I was unable to leave the ship without assistance from the Old Ones.

The projection of the Traxlic mediator, the same one from the transmission, stood waiting. As our projections arrived, representatives from the three conflicting races turned towards us. The mediator spoke again.

"Let there be no misunderstanding," the Traxlic mediator stated, its voice cutting through the initial chatter. "System TX-0734 resides within charted Traxlic territory. Our historical claim is indisputable, predating the arrival of all current petitioners. By rights, your presence here is tolerated, not welcomed. The Assembly does not share its sovereign space lightly, nor do we suffer intrusions gladly. However."

It paused before continuing its dark eyes sweeping across the representatives, "Extensive strategic projections indicate that unilateral enforcement of our claim against your combined presences would result in… inefficient resource expenditure and strategically unacceptable attrition rates for all involved parties. Therefore, against our preference but in accordance with inescapable logic, this mediation is deemed necessary to avert wider, counterproductive conflict. Proceed with your arguments, bearing this foundational reality in mind."

In other words, they wanted everyone to get out, but they were outgunned and outnumbered.

From the Core Collective zone, a complex holographic lattice resolved into a vaguely humanoid shape composed of shifting light patterns. Its synthesized voice was melodic but flat. "Greetings, Arbiter. I am Unit 2231, Speaker for the Collective. We require access to the silicate nebulae of the Nursery system for core component synthesis. We can not grow without it"

Trust an AI to get straight to the point. At least I knew their reasoning.

From the shimmering zone of the Phased Kindred, a being emerged that seemed sculpted from solidified twilight and shifting static. Its form was unstable, its voice a chorus of whispers that Traxlic instantly translated. "We are Emanation-Prime of the Kindred. The unique graviton shear and exotic particle flux within the Forge system are essential for our stable manifestation in this dimensional stratum."

So this system was the sole means by which their manifestation in our reality could be achieved. But why do they need to manifest in the first place?

And from the zone filled with humid, spore-laden air, a towering insectoid creature unfolded intricate, iridescent wings. Its chitinous exoskeleton bore elaborate carvings. It clicked its mandibles—the sound sharp in the chamber—and its translated voice resonated with fervent conviction. "I am High Priest X'lartek of the Children! The Mother demands the sacred dust of the Nursery! It is the catalyst that fuels our souls' connection to the Great Energy Lattice! It is ours by divine right!"

Three races. Three irreconcilable needs, focused on two distinct parts of this complex star system. The Traxlic mediator turned its impassive stare toward me.

"Arbiter Lazarus," it stated. "As Judge, you are tasked with finding resolution where none seems possible. The stability of this sector and perhaps more rests upon the outcome. Begin."

Wow, no pressure, sure, I will solve this Gordian Knot.

I took my place at the central podium, Laia and Wayfarer's consciousnesses a steady presence alongside mine. The weight of the 'Judge' title felt heavier than ever. Looking out at the disparate, demanding faces of the AI, the Interdimensional, the Bug, and the grey. I drew a slow, internal breath.

This was going to take time. A lot of time.

"Representatives," I began, my voice calm and steady, echoing in the vast chamber. "Let the mediation commence."