BET YOU THOUGHT YOU'D SEEN THE LAST OF ME, EH? Well, too bad you infinitely respawning reasons why I'm likely to become an alcoholic in a few years! Fusionfall is back and it is here to stay! And with classes nearly completed, I am gonna have WAY more free time than ever before…until I get a job, but semantics. Onto the show!

After being made to recite the majority of her life, Kira rubbed the sleep from her eyes before looking back up at Abelardus. He had yet to answer the question she posed to him, which she believed rather pressing; was she or was she not somehow part of an ancient race of space Spartans?

Abelardus was asleep. And judging by the drool, he fell asleep some time ago.

Kira went deadpan. "I'm sorry, am I boring you?" she asked through gritted teeth.

Abelardus awoke with a snort. "Huh? Whozzat?" he mumbled. After a good shake of his head, he remembered where he was. Abelardus wiped the drool from his mouth. "Sorry, that felt way longer than it should have."

Kira pounded her fist on the metal table. "Look, numbnuts, am I a Terra-whatever, or not? Because I think that's information I need to be made aware of!"

Abelardus didn't react, merely watching her finish her tantrum with a bored expression. "Kira," he said, clasping his hands together on the table. "To be honest, I'm not sure. There's not much in your story to go on."

"Then why keep me here?"

Abelardus leaned forward. "Why did you activate that beacon? What were you so interested in?"

Kira sat back in her seat, but kept her eyes on Abelardus. "Some old fabled weapon. The Orion's Hammer." The table flew across the room and Abelardus lifted Kira up by her shirt collar to look directly into her ruby red eyes.

"How. Do you. Know that name?" Abelardus growled. His presence alone threatened to suffocate Kira. All casualty from mere seconds ago had dissipated. Abelardus had returned to the frightening beast that had dominated them back on Earth. Kira was trembling in his grip.

"T-that's the artifact the rich asshole wanted to find. I-it's supposed to be on Earth somewhere."

Abelardus tossed Kira to the ground and activated the comm device on his wrist. He returned to his Terran tongue to speak to the person on the other end. Kira sat up to look up at Abelardus, but he merely glared down at her, silently ordering her to stay down.

The door opened, and in walked another terran. This one was visibly younger than Abelardus, and sported a mop of reddish orange hair. His armor was lighter than the armor she had seen on Earth, and covered in pockets filled with tools. "Novis," Abelardus said, returning to English. "Escort Kira back to her cell. I must speak with the commanders."

Novis saluted Abelardus; left fist behind back, right fist on thigh, then chest, then forehead. "Yes, my king," he said. Novis walked over to Kira and pulled her to her feet as gently as he could. "Please, right this way."

Kira could only nod, and Novis led her out of the room. The door closed behind them right as a crash echoed from the room into the hallway. Kira and Novis looked back, shocked. "Ancestors preserve me…" Novis mumbled under his breath. "I've never seen him this angry. What did you say to him?"

"I just answered his questions," Kira said as Novis hurried her along the hall. "You ever hear of the Orion's Hammer?"

Novis, though still walking with her, grew silent and still. Kira turned to Novis. "That a yes?" She asked.

"Little one, I won't lie to you," Novis said. "You're in a lot of trouble."

"Kira!" Ed shouted as Kira was led back into the cell.

Once over the blue line at the entrance of the cell, the bright blue energy from before shot out of Kira's cuffs and reattached themselves to the wall. Novis stepped back to the doorway. "Look, just stay here until we're ready for you. Hopefully we…we'll figure this all out." With that, Novis shut the cell door behind him and walked away.

"Kira, are you alright?" asked Jack as he and Ed helped Kira to the bed. Once seated, Kira ran her hands through her bone white hair.

"Yeah, I…I'm fine, I'm fine. How are you?" Kira asked, putting on a smile.

Ed shrugged. "Eh, a bit hungry, but otherwise I can't complain." Jack elbowed Ed in the arm. "Sorry. Kira, what did they do to you?"

"Nothing," Kira replied. She went on to explain her experience with Abelardus, including his outburst at her mention of the Orion's Hammer. "Then he had the one guy on this tugboat who's been nice to me throw me back in here. And here we are."

The door opened. "Ah, yes, that was Novis. Nice man, bit immature, rather endearing I must say." The voice was cool as a glacier and moved at rapid fire pace. Kira, Ed and Jack all turned around to see, standing in the doorway, yet another Terran. This one was like what would happen if a snake rapidly grew arms and legs, put on a suit of light metal armor, then painted it every garish color of the eye sore rainbow for the hell of it. His hair, like shredded metal, was combed backward and neatly cut.

Kira stood up from the bed and glared at the newcomer. "What now?" She growled.

The Terran held up his hands defensively. "I understand your hostility. Rest assured, Lord Abelardus has…calmed. I am his assistant, Ventus, I came to fetch all three of you. Lord Abelardus would like to have a word regarding the Orion's Hammer."

"He gonna keep his hands to himself?" Kira asked, arms crossed.

Ventus gave a curt bow to Kira. "I will see to it personally."

Kira smirked. "Oh now you decide to play nice. Alright, c'mon boys."

"Wait, you're serious?" asked Ed.

"We don't have much of a choice," Jack said, shrugging.

Ed's head and shoulders slumped, followed by a groan. "Fine, but if he starts talking about wanting a better view of Venus, I'm gonna say I told you so."

"Well," said Kira, who walked past Ventus. "You heard the man, lead the way."

Ventus led the three out of their cells and down the halls of the ship. Along the way, Kira was given the ol'side-eye by every Terran they passed. Some were in armor, patrolling up and down the halls, whereas most were dressed in more casual attire. Men and women, all Amazonian in size and stature went about their day around them. Kira finally decided to ask. "So, you guys all look—"

"Like your species, yes," Ventus interrupted. "We have some theories on that, but nothing concrete yet."

"Lovely," Kira murmured. Then another Terran approached. The armor was identical to the others, but Kira recognized the dent in the side of their helmet. The soldier Ed punched. The soldier stopped right in front of Kira and looked down at her. Then, off came the helmet, revealing an older woman with platinum blonde hair. She smiled down at Kira. "Hello little sister in arms," she said in that warm molasses voice reserved only for grandmothers and Jo Wyatt.

Kira chuckled nervously. "Um, hi," she said. "Sorry about earlier."

"No need my dear, your friend barely scratched me. My name is Mora, by the way." Mora shook Kira's hand heartily. Kira could only manage a nervous smile.

Ventus patted Mora on the shoulder. "Alright, we're all introduced, Mora. Now, if you would?" Ventus gestures to the side, and Mora saluted her superior. She gave one last wink to Kira. "Don't worry about Abelardus, he blusters, but he's harmless."

Kira's smile loosened. "Thanks." Mora passed them and continued on her way. Kira looked back at Ventus. "Sister in arms? So, are we calling this little theory of your boss's a solid yes already? Because he just said he had no god damn clue."

"It's mixed," Ventus replied. "Some believe it, some don't. Although, Mora has seen more battle than most of the veterans on this ship, let alone the young bloods. And if I know anything about her after all these years-" Ventus stopped in front of a large circular door. Onyx black with glowing blue veins running along it. Ventus looked back at Kira. "—it's that she knows a Terran when she sees one." Ventus laid his hand on the door. The door opened with a soft fwoosh. Ventus stepped out of the way of the door and gestured inside for Kira. The three tentatively entered, the door fwooshing closed behind them.

It was completely pitch black, no light whatsoever. Ed jumped with a "Yipe!" when a bolt of purplish-blue lightning raced across a window on the other side of the room with a deafening boom. Silhouetted against the window was Abelardus, who was merely watching the storm. The light from the flash died down, shrouding him in shadow again. Then, a small circle of lights came up from underneath him, illuminating him as well as the window. He still did not turn to face Kira. Ed stepped closer to Kira, while Jack clenched a fist. "The Orion's Hammer…" he said. "A name I never wanted to hear again. A weapon so devastating, that even our proud warrior race could not bring ourselves to use what we had created."

Kira crossed her arms. "Then why make it at all?"

Abelardus chuckled humorlessly. "A bad enough war makes anything seem like a good idea if it means your family gets to stay alive." Abelardus looked back up at the storm raging outside. "Do you know where we are? From what I gather from your species' satellites, at least the ones we hacked into, we are in the largest storm on the planet of Jupiter." Kira, Ed, and Jack's eyes all went dinner plate wide.

"J-Jupiter?" Kira stuttered.

"Impossible," said Jack. "The pressure alone should crush this ship into dust."

"You'll find the Heaven's Lament is made of sturdier stuff." Abelardus turned, finally, to face Kira. "It is a sufficient hiding place, until such time as we will need to reveal ourselves."

"Which will be…?" Kira asked.

"Right now, if you refuse my offer." Abelardus walked up to Kira, the lights on the floor followed him, illuminating his path. He stopped directly in front of her. "Through your satellites, we have seen your world. Your war. Finding the Orion's Hammer in your world's current state would be hampered with endless distractions and obstacles if we were to come down and do it ourselves. So my offer is this: Find me the Orion's Hammer in one month, or my people will come down and do it our way."

"A month?!" Kira shouted. "There's no way I can find that thing in a month!"

"Why? You found the beacon in one day. You know your planet better than anyone on this ship, so if anyone can, it's you." Abelardus placed his hands on Kira's shoulders. "And when you do find it, you will destroy it."

"After I destroy planet fusion, sure thing," Kira said with a shrug. Abelardus' grip tightened.

"No. You will find it, you will destroy it. Or you will be destroyed with it." He glared right into Kira's eyes. A furious storm of emotion radiated from his gaze. "I will not see that weapon activated ever again. I care not for your reasons, it is too powerful to risk temptation. You will destroy it, understand?"

Kira clenched her fist to the point of drawing blood. Every fiber of her wanted to argue, to scream and shout. Instead, she lied. "Fine."

Abelardus released her, but kept his glare. "Good girl," he muttered. "And to ensure your success and loyalty…" Abelardus pressed a button on his gauntlet. Kira and the boys flinched at a poke in the back of their heads. The pain then grew immeasurably, dropping all three to the ground, writhing. After five seconds, the pain dissipated instantly.

"What the hell did you just do to us?!" Kira shouted.

A necessary precaution, Said Abelardus, inside the three's minds. Every crew member on this ship is equipped with what is now inside your brain, we call it the nanocomm. A telepathic communicator that allows instantaneous communication, regardless of distance. However, for you three, your probes have been modified. To demonstrate… Abelardus gestured to a screen that lowered from the ceiling. The screen crackled to life, revealing a crude recreation of your run of the mill cooking show. The three turned to Abelardus, "Um," said Kira. "WHAT?"

"We've, uh, also been monitoring your 'internet', it is quite amusing," Abelardus replied. Ventus entered the cooking room from off screen, to a track of canned laughter.

"Now who else has had this problem?" Ventus asked as he put on an apron that said 'come near the cook and you die'. "You're stuck having to search a backwater planet for an ancient, all powerful superweapon before it falls into the wrong hands, and you gotta trust some hotheaded native with finding it so you don't cause too much of a fuss." Another track of blatantly fake laughter. "I know, if I had a nickel for every time. I mean, she used a bow and arrow for ancestor's sake! Luckily, we here at the Heaven's Lament have got you covered." From under the table, Ventus pulled out an orange, melon like fruit, and a syringe filled with silver fluid. "Behold, "the blender"! Same model as our usual nanocomms, but observe." Ventus injected the melon with the syringe, pushing the fluid inside. "These nanomachines have been outfitted with a special protocol, completely under Abelardus' control. If the native does something our king doesn't like, or threatens to reveal the true nature of her mission, take it away, boss!" Abelardus pressed another button on his gauntlet. The melon rapidly vibrated, almost falling off the table. Ventus then pulled out a small bowl and knife. He cut a small incision in the melon, and smoothly poured out its now liquidized contents into the bowl. "As you can see, Ms. Niste, we can, and will, liquefy you and your cohorts' brains if you endanger the mission in any way! Next week, we'll be showing how to dig out a kneecap with the end of a ballpoint pen. Don't forget to contribute to my patre-" Abelardus turned the screen off.

"He's taken to the internet more than most," Abelardus said. "So, in short-" he leaned in, returning to his menacing glare. "—do not disobey, do not reveal our presence, and you do not die. Can you do that?"

Ed gulped audibly, Jack glared daggers at Abelardus, and Kira just took a deep breath. "Yeah, I can do that."

Abelardus backed off again. "Good, go to the shipyard, your new pilot is waiting to take you back to Earth. Your one month begins the minute you make planetfall. You may leave." Abelardus walked back to the window.

Any other man would've killed themselves if they were under the glare Kira had been giving her new master. She turned and stormed out of the room, Ed and Jack close behind.