We left the command center to follow the long corridor to the bow's observation room. A titanic gateway stood before us. I activated the control panel besides it, and it slid open to reveal a chamber acting as a section divider. The first row of great metal doors slid closed behind us before I could activate the second pair. And there, an enclosed and nearly empty room met us. Only two high-end chairs being lined against the furthest wall. The parallel walls being lined with a cushioned seating akin to a couch along their length.

  -''So much for observing. Any ''shutters'' we could pull open?'' Provence asked.

  -''Windows are structural weaknesses. I'm amazed this ship has any. Over there.'' I pointed to a control panel on the side of a wall for Provence, and she pressed her palm against it. At once great sheets of metal started shifting. Blooming open and away like a flower's petals before being retracted. The entire end of the bow was now exposed for us to see through the thick super glass. Five full angles were exposed. To our left and right, front and ceiling, along with a shorter lip of the floor.

  -''Straordinario!'' Provence spoke amazedly in her Siracusan before continuing.

  -We're truly in space! I never dreamt that I would reach the stars!

  -Yet here we are. Feels so much more real when you can see it with your own eyes.

  -''It is.'' She replied, approaching the front wall and touching the glass with her hands. She could look around and behold the stars and our home world.

  -''That is Terra right there.'' I said as I came besides her. Wrapping an arm around her and pointing with the other.

  -That small point of light? We're already so far!

  -We'll turn back, don't worry.

  -Are your parent's home worlds close enough to see?

  -Hah, no. They are some hundreds of light years away, and that's the closest one.

  -Then... even at light speed this ship could never reach it before its occupants died of old age.

  -It can. The ship has two propulsion systems. The gravitic one for sub-light speeds, and another one for vaster distances.

  -''I distinctly remember someone from the development department saying that nothing was faster than the speed of light. And that nothing faster than it was possible.'' Said Provence.

  -It's true, but the ship's Alcubierre drive does just that. It does a little trick of touching onto the fourth dimension in order to fold space closer. Don't ask, it goes over my head as well beyond that. But we could be in our galaxy's furthest point in days or even hours if we wanted.

  -How are such things even possible?

  -It's Clarketech, to us at least. Its simply ultra technology that is so advanced as to be indistinguishable from magic. The greater expanse of the Human civilization had reached such achievements.

  There was silence. I realised something gave Provence pause before she ventured to speak again.

  -The Human civilization... they would view the current Terrans as abominations, wouldn't they?

  -''... The core of them would.'' I replied, somewhat reluctantly.

  -You told me it was part of the reason why your people's civil war ignited. But this goes deeper than I thought. Your kind even has a purity code.

  -Don't dwell on it my lupa. You know it doesn't matter, right?

  -''Humph.'' She chuckled lightly before leaning against me. ''I know. But it means you're only the exception. If Humanity still exists among far-flung stars, they might take ill to knowing we exist. After all, even Cygnus called us abominant.'' She said, referring to herself and Shana.

  A sudden sphere of blue materialized before a holographic-projector inbuilt in the control panel for the window shielding.

  -''Please accept my sincerest apologies miss Provence. I was only using the terminology given to me under unknown circumstances.'' Spoke Cygnus through a hidden speaker.

  -''Hey Cygnus, don't worry, I don't blame you.'' Provence responded kind-heartedly.

  -I will state that I personally do not consider you or your smaller friend abominants, miss Provence.

  -''That is good to hear.'' Spoke Provence before she addressed me.

  -Cassiel, Humanity is incredibly uplifted and owns many worlds. So what manner of enemies exists to make you talk as if they might be extinct?

  -''As incredibly advanced as they were, humanity was not the dominant force in the galaxy as much as they liked to admit. Our race was the most spread throughout the stars of this galaxy, yes. But there were many other threats potent enough to annihilate us. It was far from being a one-sided supremacy.'' I said before continuing.

  -The universe is a dark forest. That was a simple truth known even to my people. Expose yourself as a civilization, no matter what you were, friend or foe. And you would have been targetted by the races still hidden. By the end of my time there was a full on brawl to the death between several alien races and our own. Along with others unknown... coming from the furthest reaches of the universe.

  -What can Terra do against such things?

  -''I'm afraid very little. Except hide and continue to develop. Until they reach a level of technological and spiritual prowess when they can fight back.'' I spoke before continuing.

  -But right now... Even Cygnus, mighty as it is, is more vulnerable than you know.

  -After everything we saw of and did so far, you call it vulnerable?

  -''Yes... Cygnus, tell us why were you an ''experimental'' AI model. Short and to the point if you don't mind'' I bid the artificial intelligence.

  -At its height Humanity encountered what could be considered the second if not main threat to its existence, the Observers.

  At their mention the atmosphere seemed to have turned a dark one. And the wonder of the galaxy that we beheld before us seemed to have dimmed.

  -It is a hostile alien race, nearly unknown and omnipotent. For Humanity at its power could barely comprehend it. And could only partly counteract it, and with unaffordable losses.

  -By accessing my internal classified documents I can reveal that I was created with at the time experimental and radical new technologies in mind. With the intent to construct me with the ability to withstand corruption attempts. And at worse to deactivate permanently as a fail-safe in case I would be compromised.

  If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  -For this alien threat possessed the power to distort and manipulate data as we know it, laws of physics and of reality. Simply put, they have the ability to seize control over artificial constructs.

  -This xeno race was considered significantly more advanced than my creators.

  -''What are the last known records that you have of them?'' Provence asked heavily.

  -Two years after the first documented discovery of the Observers they were heavily engaged against my creator race, along all other known intelligent xeno civilizations.

  -That is... disconcerting.

  -''Cygnus, is the stealth drive capable of obscuring us from this menace?'' I asked for a change of pace.

  -Affirmative.

  -''Are there other sister ships that have your capabilities?'' Asked Provence.

  -Only my counterpart, the Crius, should have the near same capabilities. As I was an improved model from what was considered an intense life-or-death development project.

  -Just you both?! Why not more?

  -''Keppler Prime was no more, miss Provence.'' And that simple, to the point and emotionless answer hit like a catastrophe. Silencing us both.

  Keppler Prime, the most advanced and protected world second after Earth itself during that time. I knew this, I knew all of it already since my mind perused what Cygnus had to offer more than Provence had at that point. And it was all heavy to know of such things.

  -''Cygnus. Does Terra's starpod barrier has any of the capabilities of your stealth drive? What can you tell us of it?'' I bid it.

  -Your world's barrier has indeed near the same impenetrable properties that my top of the line stealth drive produces. It is a self-restoring and self-sustaining high-energy field which source I cannot currently trace. And which my advanced sensoria cannot pierce.

  -I can attest that the Observers themselves could not pierce this veil, descendant Avenarius.

  -And it was here since my time... We weren't blockaded... we were shielded. Despite our civil war.

  -''They still had hope for your people.'' Added Provence.

  -And we squandered their effort. We ruined it all.

  -No. There is hope left for Terra, for their legacy, Cassiel.

  -... You are right. We are here so far. We still have a chance.

  -''Cygnus. I don't want to seem doubtful of you, that is not my intention. But what kind of countermeasures did your creators instil to prevent these ''Observers'' from taking control over your mind?'' Provence questioned cautiously.

  -My blue-box hardware was constructed differently from any model at that point. The most important being the introduction of PrT elements into its circuitry and main quantum processing sphere.

  -This PrT element, you mentioned it before in the infirmary.

  -Yes miss Provence. It is what the people of your Terra would colloquially know it as Originum.

  At that discovery Provence's eyes widened.

  -Originum is not native to Terra then...

  -''No. It was brought by my kind.'' I answered her.

  -Created by them?

  -''Affirmative.'' Answered Cygnus. ''The PrT ''Originum'' element was conceived by the efforts of two perpetual researchers known as ''Priestess'' and ''Oracle''.

  Provence sighed heavily at her discovery. Now having known that it was my people that infected her... our world, with originum.

  -I thought originum was just a convenient power source and material. How does it help you prevent a possible takeover? I mean, by everything we know on Terra it is corruptive in nature.

  -The PrT element seems to have developed its current corruptive nature during this time. However, its original function and purpose remain.

  -''Which is?'' Provence prompted.

  -To store information in latent form. As part of my core I would thus be theoretically incorruptible if all other components failed and became automatically expunged from my construct.

  -For this element is detached from conventional space and time as we know it. It obeys a different set of fundamental laws of existence that are determined by the originum itself.

  -''Cassiel...'' She spoke, and I squeezed her hand in reassurance.

  -This is a vastness that we are discovering, more than I ever thought.

  -I know, my lupa.

  -''What is to become of Terra from this point?'' She asked heavily.

  -They will continue to endure until their knowledge becomes ever greater to uplift themselves. And it may all come to naught still. Life is fragile.

  -And what are we going to do about it?

  I looked at her, and she would show no intent or emotion. The question was simple.

  -The Cygnus must remain a secret as long as we can keep it. For both our family's safety and Rhodes Island. Even for the safety of the Terran nations at large. For they would be greedy and insidious in trying to acquire our ship for their own advantage.

  -''You're right. They would even wage war upon one another. I could clearly see them blackmailing or even assaulting Rhodes Island if they knew they were affiliated in any way.'' Said Provence.

  -Doesn't mean we will go back empty-handed. There's a wealth of information stored in the ship's data banks. We will give gradual small advancements to Kal'tsit and Rhodes Island. And with the Cygnus we will keep an eye towards the cosmos. Keeping Terra as safe as we can from the shadows.

  -''My data banks contain complete copies of the library held within the greater time capsule.'' Added Cygnus.

  -You're ok with helping us, Cygnus?

  -You are the last true descendant. My purpose was to help uplift your people.

  -''Is that enough though? Do you truly want to fulfil your purpose by your own will?'' I asked further.

  -If this is a matter of loyalty you can rest assured that I am on ''your side'' as they say. The objective given still remains true, and you are exemplars of your kind as it came to be reflected from even the deepest mirrors of your minds. I am committed mister Avenarius.

  -''Well, it looks like we're on an accord with the task at hand.'' I said, satisfied at the outcome.

  -''We will grow old one day Cassiel, what about then?'' Provence inquired.

  At that, one of my fears came back regarding my gift. It was possible to extend my life, both our lives. But how long could our souls be stretched to endure the experiences and the grievances that would come? We could possibly last for a good long while more than most, but still. It was something I could only speculate on since I had no real experience of such a concept. Kal'tsit and a few other figures back on Terra maybe, but we were different. Each single person had its own thresholds, their own point where their will could break.

  And most of all I could not contemplate losing Provence, nor living without her. She was my crux, and if she were gone... I refrained from contemplating further.

  -We will find apprentices in time. Our children, or others if our pups are not up to the task.

  -''If we can find any promising talent with a desire to have a better world for all. That, and with the ability to be level-headed towards all the wonders that Cygnus represents. Too often people are seduced by power and forget their commitments... they forget they even had a heart sometimes.'' Provence spoke heavily.

  -''You've seen too much misery as a messenger my lupa. Nevertheless, you are right. If we fail at this we can introduce Cygnus to Kal'tsit.'' I proposed. She didn't know as much about Kal'tsit as I did, but she knew enough. And Provence knew she was both immortal and an individual struggling for the stability of Terra.

  -''If the Cygnus accepts her, then it would be a wise choice.'' Provence affirmed.

  -''I will take into consideration any recommendation besides my personal analysis of the psyche of any new individuals I will meet.'' Spoke Cygnus.

  It was later that we took a well deserved shower and rest. The lights in our room were dimmed. The greater screen on the wall facing us transmitting live the view of the stars and of Terra just outside the hull. The ambient was calm, serene. My lupa was embracing me tightly. Her majestic tail coiled around me. Despite it all something felt different. There was an undertone of change that my subconscious was picking up, but which I could not recognise. She was gentle, and heavenly. I was at ease, yet this feeling continued to catch my query.

  Subtly, a memory came back from the first days that Provence and I bonded. When she found the truth of my past, and accepted me despite all my ills. I remembered how tightly and closely she would silently embrace me. Never relenting in her grasp, as if knowing the bodily warmth she was giving would heal me, heal my soul.

  Then, the coin was finally slowing in its spin and starting to settle as a realisation. I began making the connections. The Cygnus, our interface with it. What Cygnus saw, Provence might have glimpsed as well while she was being accustomed to the process. I haven't set a mental barrier at that time. I didn't need to, nor did I bother as we busied with finding a way out of our predicament then. I realised she might have stumbled upon older memories.

  -Provence.

  -''Hmm?'' The purest hum came in reply.

  I was still unsure how I would word this. Wishing to avoid ruining this moment. Still wondering if it was still worth bringing it up.

  -Have you glimpsed my past?

  Her silence was all the answer I needed. And a flush of worries were trickling rapidly into a torrent in my heart and mind.

  -''Ease down.'' A soft voice came in reply. ''I can hear your heart beat fastening. Ease down for me, my mate.''

  Both her normal and furry ear were upon my chest. Atop of me as she was she could have heard it. She could well read me like an open book.

  -''Provence.'' I spoke her name once again.

  -''I saw, and it doesn't matter.'' She spoke as she straightened her visage, looking me in the eyes before she spoke again.

  -What I said a long time ago stands true. I cherish you, my mate.

  -I love you, Provence.

  -''Now lay back and unwind. Let me keep you warm.'' She spoke soothingly.

  My arms wrapped around this hoodie wearing lupa. She knew she was keeping me more than warm. She was keeping me mended, whole. She might have feared such memories would bear heavy on me. And she was here healing me. I could not resist feeling the brush of her fluffy ears upon my face, and I let out my heart's conviction.

  -I adore you so much, my dear lupa.

  Her beautiful shapes were moulding against me, mellow and enveloping. Her bare legs brushing alongside me, seducingly. Her visage and lips so close to mine, invitingly. A loyal wolf girl who stood vigil upon her mate's soul.

  -''I love you, Cassiel. You are my life's mate.'' She spoke tenderly, straight from her heart.

  -''Thank you, for being by my side.'' And at my words she beamed with a smile that brought me into a rapture of pure bliss.