"We come..."
Orn'om woke in a cold sweat, his sparce blankets clinging to him like a desperate lover. That sensation again. It felt so familiar in the Force, but so distant. A feeling of anxiety, stronger in his sleep than when he was awake, still clutched his heart in its cold grasp. He looked out of the viewport, his glowing red eyes watching the starlines of hyperspace pass the springhawk-class cruiser by.
A hyperlane had collapsed near Cormit. In fact, the entire region had been seeing strange astronomical events, even for the Chaos. The crossroads of the Phalanx Route, which led to Killik hives and colonies, and the Vagaari Corridor, had collapsed. In fact, reports said that the entire Phalanx had simply vanished, stranding a crew of warriors and Killik workers in the deep Chaos, surrounded by stars knew what. The Chaos was a place of spontaneously collapsing stars and newborn blackholes. Only ancient routes such as the Vagaari Corridor and Phalanx cut through its stars, charted eons ago by ancient Chiss and tenacious Sith Lords. Even still, the Asendancy thrived. Only they knew the Chaos and its true nature. Sure, other nations made use of the Navigator's Guild, but a Navigator cost a pretty penny. The Chiss relied on no one.
The vessel lurched suddenly, knocking Orn'om off his feet. The power of the vessel flickered and the starlines of hyperspace shifted to spinning stars as the heavy cruiser spun out of hyperspace as if ripped by an interdictor. Orn'om cursed, stumbling into the viewport.
"Sir," Orn'om's questis beeped, the voice of the vessel's commanding officer echoing in the small room. He stepped out of bed and pressed a thumb to the device, his biometric data unlocking the screen and projecting a small image of the man. He was human, the son of a Baron. His dark skin in the monochromatic blue and white of the holodisplay made him look like any other Chiss, save for his eyes which were darker in the hologram than in person.
"Captain?" Orn'om cocked his head. The human saluted a crisp Chiss salute.
"Its the navigator. She-" A child's wailing cut through the audio and Orn'om's frown deepened, the cry furthering the anxiety he felt in the Force. Had it been her? No, he barely knew the girl. This felt too familiar... A pull like he'd never felt. Besides, the Navigator only had a talent Third Sight.
"Where is her caretaker?"
"She... She's unconscious sir. We don't know what happened."
Orn'om was on the bridge a few minutes later, his Admiral's uniform crisp, a short shoulder cape flowing out behind him. To the starboard side of the two tiered bride a pair of Chiss Warriors stood guard over what had once been one of the Ascendancy's best kept secrets. They saluted and stepped aside for him. Behind those sliding doors was a room that looked out of place on a warship. Scattered about the room lay children's toys and games; crude, childish paintings and drawings were taped to viewports and walls. Someone strung two hammocks in a corner of the room, a questis left forgotten in the smaller of the pair.
He could hear the child sobbing in the bedroom. A backup caretaker, sometimes they worked in pairs now to serve shifts and better ensure cooperation with the sky-walkers, was huddled over the child. The caretaker was young, but exuded a mother's protectiveness when Orn'om entered the room.
"She's fine." She said. "She just needs her juice. Right Rika?"
The girl sniffled and looked up at Orn'om then to her caretaker, barely able to contain her tears.
Orn'om smiled and knelt before the girl. "I am not here to reprimand you, Navigator Rika." He looked up to the caretaker. "Where is the other caretaker?"
"The infirmary. One of the Warriors said she was mumbling in her sleep too."
Orn'om grimaced. "Does the caretaker have any... latent abilities?"
"You mean is she an Ivant? Not that I know of." The Ivant were Chiss like himself, that through centuries of testing and careful bloodline management had miraculously managed to retain their Force abilities into adulthood. Most simply chose to remain as Navigators. Others went back into the Seeker program and became Seekers or Caretakers themselves. Some, like Orn'om himself became more.
"Interesting... She must have some connection to the Force..." Orn'om looked up at the caretaker then nodded, deciding something. "Have you been hearing voices, little Rika?"
The girl sniffled and nodded, rubbing at her cheeks with tiny hands.
"How did you know?"
"What do they say to you?"
"Bad things."
"She's been having..." The little girl looked up pleading with the caretaker, her big eyes threatening to burst again. "...Navigator Rika has been having nightmares as of late. Maybe that's been effecting her work."
Orn'om sighed and stood, offering his hand to the little girl. "Come with me." Orn'om exuded calm through the Force. Rika was no savant and only had Third Sight, but if she could feel the voices in the Force too, maybe the Ascendency should reevaluate their assessment of her. Either way, she calmed visibly, a smile, unsure but determined, coming to her face. Orn'om offered his hand, and she took it, her hand wrappig around two of his fingers.
Back on the bridge, Rika's hand still in his, Orn'om ordered the bridge cleared. The captain wasted no time, reinforcing his orders by shouting over the coms. When it was clear and only the navigator, her caretaker, and Orn'om were left, he led Rika to the navigator's chair and helped her adjsut it.
"I want you to close your eyes Rika," he said, "Feel the Chaos around you."
"I'm scared."
"I am right beside you. Nothing can harm a Nightdragon's chick when its in his nest."
Rika nodded slowly and closed her eyes. Orn'om did the same.
It had been years since he had needed the Third Sight but he fell into it like riding a hover bike. His awareness flooded Rika's his vast experience frightening at first. He felt Rika shy away from his mental nudging, but eventually she allowed him to lead her through the stars.
The heavy cruiser dropped out of hyperspace over what looked to be an abandoned battlefield. Two Chiss warships were in pieces, bits of clawcraft and other floating debris expanded around what looked to be a cloud of dust from an asteroid. When the crew came back to the bridge the captain whistled.
"That's two heavy cruisers and 2 squadrons of fighters sir."
"Who did this? Where are the other fighters?" Orn'om's rage boiled in his blood. Just then, something touched his mind. That familiar presence again. Rika screamed and pain flared in his head, warm like the sun blazing against his skull. The Dark Side washed over him like a chilling wave.
"We come. The Hive comes."
The Killik had raised a new Dark Nest.
