Finally. It is time. All of OtaGS and OtRaTtW led to this. The gang finally made it to the portal, and what a portal it is! Fun fact, Quemari is a play on "Quesar", which is what you call a supermassive black hole that feeds on space gas in distant galaxies. Meanwhile, cool portals aside, seems Hunter is (as usual) jealous of Crosshair getting affection over him while it seems like trouble is brewing with regards to the aftermath of Trust Shattered. Will this cause angst in the future? Well, I'm the one writing this story, so of course :D
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Also, the image of the Gatekeeper can be found on my Insta (link in bio)!
CW: Language, jealousy, non-explicit sexual content, sexual teasing
It'd been quiet for a while, but earlier he could hear faint laughter drifting through the cockpit doors. Which was good. It showed that Crosshair had in fact accepted Shadow's presence, which meant their relationship was definitely on the road to recovery.
But the subtle yet recognizable smell that drifted into the cockpit…
That was something else entirely.
Crosshair really hadn't gotten to see that side of Shadow like Wrecker and Hunter himself had, and was no doubt trying to catch up, so the sergeant tried to not feel too jealous. But Hunter would be lying if he said it didn't rub him the wrong way seeing Shadow and Crosshair more or less fast track what took him days to build up to. Shadow was more comfortable now, yes, and Hunter himself had claimed a decent amount of firsts with them. Namely marking them as his before any of his brothers could, not to mention he was the first one they kissed even if it was just on the cheek. But he wanted to make Shadow feel good in the more intimate way that Crosshair was clearly doing.
"You are pouting again."
Hunter glared at Tech, tightly gripping the arms of the seat. "I am not poutin'."
Tech rolled his eyes. "Yes, and I am not a soldier of the GAR. Honestly, Hunter, I am surprised you remain in denial of your obvious jealousy."
Don't you have anything better to do?
"Stow it, Tech." Hunter sunk down into his seat, folding his arms over his chest. "Shadow's happy and Crosshair is warmin' up to 'em. That's all that matters."
With Crosshair now freely showing Shadow affection, the squad could all advance with them as the Realm Walker grew more comfortable and open to physical affection. No longer would Shadow feel as if they tread on thin ice in order to keep Crosshair happy, which would help in other areas, not just intimacy. There was the squad trust to consider, and it was easier to fight as a team when you knew where you stood with each of them.
"You are still distressed, regardless of their progress together and perhaps your agitation stems from that very progress." Tech spun in the chair to face him. "Instead of moping around."
Hunter gave him another glare.
"You could talk to them about what is upsetting you. Openness in all aspects is key with Shadow, lest you make the same near-fatal mistake as Crosshair did."
"Squeak's very understandin'!" Wrecker said, lounging in a seat with his arms crossed behind his head. "They're doin' their best to give us all equal affection, I know they are!"
"Never said anything about 'em not bein' equal," Hunter remarked.
"Shadow technically cannot give us equal affection," Tech countered. "Aside from the imbalance of one versus four, we desire different amounts of romantic affirmation. I myself do not need constant reassurance."
"And I do?" Hunter grumbled.
Tech gestured to his crossed arms. "I thought that was obvious."
"Don't worry, Sarge!" Wrecker said, punching Hunter's chair. "You can have Squeaky bunk with you tonight since you're upset!"
"I am not upset," Hunter growled through clenched teeth as he regained his balance.
"False," Tech said. "You are showing obvious signs of jealousy."
Fine, so what if I am?!
He hadn't gotten to cuddle, really cuddle, with Shadow since the first night on the trail. There had been some instances, yes, but those had all been to comfort the Realm Walker after some fallout. There'd been no cuddling for the sake of cuddling. Even the first trail night didn't really count as they went to sleep soon after. He wanted a nice long cuddle session with them. Shadow was doing their best, he knew, but it was clear the Realm Walker had a favorite right now and it wasn't him.
No, Crosshair currently held that honor.
While the pair of commandos got along now, and trusted each other with their lives, rivalry still ran deep between Crosshair and Hunter. Starting back in their cadet days, when Crosshair resisted any and all authority including Hunter himself, the pair had a rough beginning that only grew worse when Hunter was named the leader and not Crosshair. It was only after years of training together and even a few close calls on their first missions that the two men began to see eye to eye.
Seeing Shadow now constantly pick Crosshair over Hunter himself? It reopened old wounds. Wounds that Hunter did not blame Shadow for in the least, yet the animosity remained all the same despite his best efforts to quell it.
"You are not being fair to Shadow," Tech said, as if he could hear Hunter's thoughts. The sergeant honestly wondered sometimes if the engineer actually could. "They are trying to keep all four of us happy. Which, may I remind you, is no easy task."
"I've led this squad long enough to figure that out," Hunter said dryly.
"Then extend some grace towards Shadow. They're trying."
"Squeak's just trying to mend things with Cross!" Wrecker said with a smile. "Don't worry!"
Worry? He wasn't worried.
Hunter just didn't like the scent and barely audible sounds from earlier that told him exactly how the Realm Walker was trying to mend things.
Look on the bright side. Means Shadow's warming up to more intimacy.
And he certainly would not complain about that, even if it took a while for the desires-in-action to reach him. Because when he did get his chance, and of course Shadow's blessing to go farther, he was going to take full advantage of it.
His pants tightened at the thought of seeing Shadow beneath him, their soft skin bare and his hands on their wrists as he matched their smirk. Silken covers beneath them. Dim lights. Soft music. Seductive eyes. Perhaps a small coil of soft rope to one side, ready for use. Shadow raising their head up as he himself and leaned closer and closer to-
The ship jolted slightly as they dropped out of hyperspace, tearing him from his fantasy and nearly drawing a curse from his lips.
Shit. This black hole better be worth-
His thoughts cut short at the sight before him. "Get Shadow," he ordered Wrecker as the demolition expert and Tech both gasped. "Now."
-Shadow PoV-
How was this man so karkin' heavy?
Crosshair dozed off around fifteen minutes or so ago, and my legs quickly followed around ten minutes ago. Felt like the damn rice channel down there, static and all. Twig or not, he was almost six and a half feet and a very fit commando with Tem genes. I'd be surprised if he was an ounce under 200lbs, given the amount of lean muscle on him.
I shifted under the sleeping marksman as the space outside the window began to look like, well, space. Guess we'd arrive at the coordinates we nearly all died trying to I guess given the loss of a life on my end, I really did die for these coordinates.
When Crosshair grumpily jabbed me in the ribs for moving, I prodded his shoulder. "Twiggy, we're out of hyperspace."
"Noted," he mumbled, snuggling closer and burying his nose into my neck again.
I rolled my eyes and withheld a wince as his nose brushed the now sensitive bruise forming where his teeth had been earlier.
Footsteps, heavy and quick, reached my ears and I turned to look at the doors as I prodded his shoulder again. "Incomin'."
Crosshair growled but lifted his head as the doors opened to reveal Wrecker. "What?" the sniper demanded.
"You… Shadow… gotta see this!" Wrecker gasped, pointing towards the cockpit.
I glanced at Crosshair, then at the startled demolition expert. "Wrecker, what's wrong?"
"C'mon!"
Shrugging at the disgruntled Crosshair as the man muttered some curses and shimmied off my lap, I stood and stretched before jogging after Wrecker. "Aight, man, what's the big-" I halted as I entered the cockpit, barely noticing the acrid smell of arousal within the small space as my eyes landed on the window. "Oh."
"What's… karkin' hells!" Crosshair exclaimed softly.
"Shadow," Hunter said, gesturing stiffly towards the viewport and the cosmic being beyond. "Do you know what this is?"
I nodded. "Boys, this is a Gatekeeper."
Deep, violet colored clouds of space gas merged and intertwined into a solid mass, giving the creature the corporeal torso of a bear with massive paws. The head of a saber-toothed lion with the ears of a wolf, horns of an impala, and antlers of a moose sat upon its shoulders. The ends of its mane slowly wavered as the tips disappeared into the inky background. Its moose-like antlers cradled immense lakes surrounded by lush mountains of pine and spruce, the water cascading down from its antlers and dissipating in the vacuum of space. Blue, yellow, purple, and green nebulas spiraled out from the base of the torso, dotted with tiny stars and asteroids. An immense, blue star hovered above its head between its curved horns while various planets, each corresponding to a certain element, floated above the moose-like antlers. The three eyes of the creature were closed, but once they opened, the black-hole would become a true wormhole and ships could safely pass through.
And there, between its paws, lay our target: a black hole roughly ten times the size of the largest starship in the Republic fleet.
"And you… created this thing?" Hunter stammered, indicating the "thing" with his head.
"Aye," I said, still staring at the Gatekeeper.
"How?"
I grinned and made a rainbow motion with my hands. "Imagination."
"Weren't kiddin' about your imagination bein' hyperactive, Squeak!" Wrecker said, eyes still glued to the Gatekeeper. "Karkin' hells, that's sick!"
"How do they work?" Tech prompted, datapad at the ready. "That black hole, what does it do?"
"Once the Gatekeeper knows where you're going, they manipulate the black hole into a wormhole. Bend space and time in a way that's safe for travel."
"So they're like Star Swimmers?"
I shook my head. "No… they're older than them."
"How are Star swimmers created again?"
Insert the 'Good Question!' meme from Shrek.
"I don't have a concrete way, but currently they are the result of nuclear fusion found only in collapsing super-stars."
"How do they gain consciousness?"
I sighed. "Mate, I don't even understand consciousness myself, don't ask me that."
"Ah. But they are a form of hyperspace, then! Or, at least, that portal within their paws is. Like Purrgils?"
"Yes and no." I flicked my tail at the window. "These guys guard the gates between galaxies. Only a Star Swimmer can open them."
"Do we know a Star Swimmer?" Hunter asked.
"No, but they know you."
We jumped and spun around to face…
Me?!
At least, an older me without the tail and ears and…
Wait, no. Not me. Last I checked, I didn't have indigo eyes that lacked pupils and shone with the light of a supernova. I also lacked purple cloud-hair that resembled distant nebulas full of new stars. I also didn't have an aura flickering around my entire body, or starlight pooling at my extremities and shining within my chest, highlighting my bones and veins.
No, this wasn't me.
"Nova," I breathed.
"Who is Nova?" Hunter demanded, reaching for his blade.
"Me, obviously," Nova replied, light emitting from their mouth as they spoke. They did a sweeping bow, grinning up at us. "Star Swimmer of Kelusia and the Goddess of Storytelling, Knowledge, Truth, and Wit."
"This is trippy," I said, still not used to hearing my voice or seeing myself not in a mirror. Well, it wasn't exactly me, but the point still stood.
Was it Mary Sue/arrogant of me to make one of the most powerful entities in my stories look like me? Maybe. But it was my own little chaotic realm, so reality could be whatever I wanted.
With as many characters as I've offed, I might as well be Thanos.
"I can shift into my true form, if you'd prefer," Nova said as they straightened up. "But I don't think I'd fit in your ship here."
"Do not damage my ship!" Hunter barked.
Nova raised their hands. "Chill, I said I wouldn't!"
"So… uh." I rubbed the back of my neck and gestured vaguely. "You followin' us?"
"My son is the main one keepin' up with you."
"Your son being…?" Crosshair growled, hand twitching near his belt despite his holster being missing.
"Max," I answered. "This is his mom. They go by she/they though." I turned back to Nova. "You gonna help us open the gate or…?"
They crossed their arms and tilted their head to the side. "Should I?"
"Well, it would be rather helpful seeing as we cannot access it," Tech replied, crossing his arms.
"You can't." Nova pointed at me. "They can."
I blinked in surprise. "Me?" I exclaimed, pointing at myself too.
"Yes, you. You have no idea just how powerful you can be once you stop giving a shit about bein' a Mary Sue. The abilities locked up in your own unconfidence is honestly shocking." They chuckled. "But you'll learn what you're really capable of soon."
I'd learn what I was really capable of soon? After the last learning escapade that was the hellish mission on Planet 42, I wasn't sure I wanted any more learning.
I stand by my statement at the beginning of this mess when I first woke up at the Outpost. My and my last remaining braincell will happily stay in the unknown.
"Ain't that ominous?" I huffed.
Nova gave me a mischievous half-smile. "Just as my creator intended." They nodded to the Gatekeeper. "This is Quemari. Approach and call out to 'em. Tell 'em what planet you want. They will do the rest. But you already knew that."
"Thanks." I scratched the back of my head. "Do I like… bow to you?"
"You created me to be laidback, so what do you think?"
"No."
"Correct. Now, enjoy the ride." With a two finger salute, they were gone, leaving behind only wisps of starlight and space dust.
"Welp!" I said, clapping my hands together. "Who's ready for tomfoolery?"
"What did they mean about givin' a shit about bein' a Mary Sue?" Hunter asked as Tech scurried over and tried to trap some of the stardust in a vital he pulled from… somewhere.
"Honestly? No clue." I watched Tech hurry back to the stern of the ship before turning my attention back to Hunter. "Could mean anything. But I know one thing." I looked out the viewport. "We have one hell of a journey ahead of us."
"Shadow, what's in there?"
I smiled, excitement swelling within my chest. "Somethin' I can't wait to see." I turned to Tech. "Got your recorder ready? Gonna wanna remember this."
Tech nodded and set up his helmet on the dashboard. "I also keep a log from the various cameras stationed at the cockpit, bunk room, main area, and rear turret."
Cameras in the bunk room? Remind me not to get frisky with anybody back there. Wait, the rear turret?!
Tech tilted his head. "Are you alright? You turned red."
Son of a-!
Crosshair chuckled behind me, earning himself a very strong elbow to the gut.
"Shadow?" Tech asked again.
"Er, nothing. Nothing. Any outside?" I asked, desperate to change the conversation.
"Yes!" Tech chirped, happily moving on as Hunter raised an eyebrow in my direction. "One on each side of the dorsal stabilizer fin, one above the cockpit viewport, and one above the rear turret."
"Got all the angles!" I laughed nervously.
Do not look at Hunter, do not look at Hunter.
"Of course!" Tech tilted his head. "Should I approach the Gatekeeper?"
Yes, so we can please get off the topic of cameras in the turret.
I nodded. "Just stay away from the antlers. Star Treaders may be around and those guys spit pure energy. They're about twice the size of a Venator class ship."
Tech's eyes widened. "And you are certain we cannot investigate one up close?"
"Yelled at Shadow for comin' out near a Maw," Crosshair growled. "Now you want to get close to a space dragon?"
Crosshair calls black holes a Maw?
An interesting yet fitting name for dark gaping mouths so ravenous that not even light could escape them.
"Now that I know what we are up against-"
"Fellas," Hunter interrupted. "Bicker later."
"But Hunter! I may never again get a chance to log these creatures! Shadow only directed us here by chance, thus the odds-"
"You're doubtin' Shadow?" Crosshair spat, squaring his shoulders and drawing himself to full height as he scowled down at Tech.
Tech puffed his chest out and faced off unflinchingly against the much taller sharpshooter. "Well, that is a rich statement coming from you-"
"OK!" I said forcefully, clapping my hands together. "Time to jump!"
"Shadow-"
"You ready to record or what, Techie?" I asked, voice strained as I kept the forced smile on my face.
The last thing I wanted or needed right now was to diffuse another argument or mop up whatever mess their bickering made. Didn't have the energy, no way no how. The last book was full of angst, and I needed a fucking break. The building pressure threatening to erupt was a problem for future Shadow and future Batch. In the meantime, we were all gonna play nice and that was the end of it!
Tech continued to glare at Crosshair before he scoffed and moved to the viewport. "I am ready to record the jump."
Nodding and flashing a 'drop it' look at Crosshair, who still stood ready to fight in the middle of the cockpit, I took a deep breath and yelled, "Quemari!"
Glowing white eyes snapped open, shining with the might of miniature suns. The head ever so slightly tilted towards us, tendrils of space dust spiraling off into the void.
"Kelusia," I said, bracing myself for what came next.
A pause, then their paws shifted to either side of the black hole. What had been empty space warped and twisted, the event horizon glowing orange, gold, and red as the dark speck green became larger and larger until it could easily engulf a fleet of Venator class cruisers.
I glanced at the men, hand on the hyperdrive. "Are we ready?"
They all nodded.
Facing the black hole, I inhaled deeply, held it, let it out, and activated the hyperdrive.
A loud hum.
A violent tremor.
The Gatekeeper and all the stars blurring as everything zoomed into one point.
The Batch crowding around me.
Everything outside the singularity vanishing into obscurity.
And then…
Bliss.