Number Seven //Book Two// - Dark Matter - COMPLETED

But First, We Save the Galaxy

"Eos 7 wasn't chosen by accident." Truffault tells the team in the mess, bringing up a hologram of the space station. Seven stares at it, intrigued. "It is one of the most secure facilities in the galaxy. It is surrounded by a vast network of satellites at a distance of approximately seven light minutes. Now, working in concert these satellites can generate what's called an Aslanov Exclusion Field, which, for those of you who might not be aware..." She looks to Three and Seven who gives her a look.

"Can disrupt an FTL window." Three says

"That's right." Truffault says

"So any ship trying to pass through the field will drop out?" Two asks

"Still hours away from the station at sub-light speeds, which would give the GA ships that are cruising the perimeter of the field plenty of time to react." Truffault says. "Once the delegates have arrived the field will be activated, and no one will be allowed in or out for the duration of the conference."

"Except with the blink drive we could pass right through it, and no one would ever notice." Nyx says

"And with all of their resources at the perimeter they'll never know you're there." Truffault says.

"If we're going to find that bomb we're going to need access to all internal systems." Two says. "Sensors, camera feeds, everything they have."

"That won't be that easy." Truffault says. "Like I said, it is a GA facility."

"Well, if you can get one of us on the inside we can tap in directly, like we did on Balda 9." Six suggests

"I suppose I could forge Mikkei credentials for a few of you." Truffault says

"We'll go." Five offers for her and Seven. Everyone looks at the two. "Well, it's either me or the Android, and personally I'd rather have her here in case anything goes wrong."

"No offense, Christmas, but you're not exactly the corporate type." Truffault says

***

"You sure about this?" Six asks Five as the three walk down the hall.

Seven bites her nails.

"I can handle it." Five tells him. "I'm not a kid."

"I know, but you can't blame me for being a little worried." Six says. He looks back to Seven. "Seven looks terrified."

"We work better together." Five says. "I wasn't sending either of us alone."

"You're volunteering to go on board a station that has a good chance of blowing up." Six says

"Well, that's the whole point isn't it?" Five asks. "We've got to find the bomb and stop it from going off."

"I know, but..." Six trails off

"What?" Five asks

"Milo said the Seers predicted corporate war within six months, right?" Six says. "And in the alternate reality, the war started with the bombing on Eos 7, but how do we know in this reality it doesn't start some other way? How do we know it's not inevitable?"

"Well, I guess we don't." Five says

"Exactly." Six says. "Which means you two could be risking your life for nothing."

"It's not nothing." Five says. "Look, Milo also told me that there are moments in history when things become more fluid. Patterns change, and in those moments the actions of even a single person can make a huge difference. If there is even a chance that we could stop a war from happening we have to try."