Chapter One: Sleep

Our cast is introduced.

A vacuum is an absence of matter. Space is a near perfect vacuum. There is so little matter as compared to the size of the Universe, that one can consider space to statistically be as close to perfect as can possibly exist. However, as perfect as may be, it is the insignificant matter that gives meaning. Particularly life.

With the comparatively rare matter in space, life is even more rare. The vast majority of planets and solar systems may never experience such a rare phenomena. The Universe collectively functions day by day, millennium by millennium, never at all being affected by the minuscule civilizations that rise and fall. That grow and collapse in the tiniest slip of time.

A civilization began not long ago, in the outer arm of a rather small and not particularly central galaxy. This civilization exploded, reaching beyond it's home planet and outwards to nearby solar systems. Struck with problematic issues that stemmed from their frailty, humans began to alter the building blocks of life.

Over time, they created a subservient race that was much more hardy. Able to tolerate greater extremes of radiation and temperature, they were created for slave labor. The Kerr were shipped from planet to planet, building colonization outposts intended for the more frail humans.

Three hundred human years pass, during which humans continued to tweak their creations. The Kerr were built stronger, more capable of labor without the assistance of limited machines and resources. They were built more intelligent in order to better cope with critical problems that arose in their line of work. The Kerr began to notice that they were more than intended. They began to display unusual mental abilities.

Over generations, their culture thrived in the shadows of the human's iron rule. In secret, the Kerr created technology that enhanced their psycho kinetic abilities. Then the time came when their technology was widespread enough to allow mass escape from their longtime owners.

The builder colony of Escarties overthrew their human watchdogs, sliding through space in ships modified to enhance their teleportation. The Kerr were too mobile for the humans to predict, and therefore to stop. Three planets were overthrown and evacuated before humans destroyed every individual of their artificial race that was still under their control. Billions were murdered.

The Kerr traveled as far from humans as they could, finding a suitable colony planet for their budding society. A planet they named Treaille. They hoped that humans would never find them, but they prepared all the same.

Their society exploded with vibrancy, built off of the entirety of their digital knowledge of human history and culture, coupled with their own unique spiritual and mental needs. They formed a true democratic society, based off of the ideal of the ancient Greeks. Every individual of age had a say.

As a whole, the young race formed societal rules and regulations. Society ruled itself. True Anarchy, in that there was no government. They agreed to control population through mandated chemical sterilization, reversible when application for child rearing was approved. Conscripted militia for every adult, training each member in the use of weaponry and weaponizing of their abilities.

Everyone was guaranteed the basics of life, and mandated contribution to the society as a member of such. Evacuation protocols were created, and practiced to perfection. A true Utopia of the kind that humans would never achieve by their own means.

More planets were colonized, spreading quickly and efficiently throughout their local star cluster. They were fully prepared when the humans found them.

Ruthless in their strides toward genocide, humans punched a hole in space and dropped in on Treaille. Within minutes, the entirety of the Kerr's defense fleet were deployed. Built around small teams, the fleet was merely to distract and harry the humans while their planet evacuated. The superior weaponry of the humans destroyed many of the defense fleet, but the evacuation was successful. The bulk of their home planet survived.

For the next 500 years, life progressed this way. The humans continually attacked, while the Kerr kept trying to outrace the humans. Planets escaped, planets were decimated. The human's superior firepower proving absolutely destructive. The Kerr could never catch up to the superior firepower, continued to increase their mobility and evasion.

It was the only way that they could survive.

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Blue light fell from organic swirls and hard lines, filling the inside of the spherical room with its gentle glow. A figure reclined in the center, pulsing blue light traveling from where she contacted her seat to the floor. Black heir streaked with dyed red fluttered under forced air, life support pumping recycled air into the room.

The blue light faded as white floor lights began to glow. Shortly, the room was lit from below with white light, and the female stretched while reclined. Pops and groans filled the room as she worked out the kinks, her vibrant purple eyes slowly opening and adjusting. The female Kerr stood from her perch,rubbing her black furred arms and legs as she regained circulation.

The lithe well toned female strode out of the room, passing through a recessed doorway into a much more technical and utilitarian control room. She stepped up to a holographic display, smacking her hand on a male Kerr's shoulder in greeting.

"We are now officially out of Telek transit, Rune. How long until we can re-enter?"She spoke bluntly, full Ship Captain.

The gray male, Rune, tapped a few interface panels before honoring her request. "We should be able to go back in tomorrow around standard sleep rotation." He eyed her appreciatively, lingering on her well formed breasts before wiggling his eyebrows at her with a smile. "Kaillee, can I help you with your downtime?"

Kaillee ignored his lewd suggestion. She knew she made a mistake sleeping with him. She's regretted it every day for the past two years. After cuffing his ears solidly she turned and strode toward the exit from the bridge, tail lashing somewhat with agitation.

"I'm getting some food, then sleep. You do the same when you switch shifts" she called over her shoulder. With this Kaillee left the bridge and entered a hallway.

Lit from the floor by white bar lights, the utilitarian hallway was a narrow 4 feet by 9 feet. However, the top foot was occupied by an easily accessible array of piping and wiring. Though only 40 feet long, the hallway was intersected twice by peripheral hallways. It was at one of these intersections that Kaillee nearly collided with her stoic engineer.

The female sidestepped quickly to avoid walking into Nes, a gray furred male that stood a few inches taller than her. His pointed ears twitched in tandem with his tail when they surprised each other, the other's footsteps hidden by their own and the sound of life support fans.

Nes smiled wryly when the pair halted, twirling a multi wrench in one hand and a holding a utility box in the other. "Long time no see, Captain. Whats it been? Two days since we went into Telek Space?"

Kaillee nodded at his greeting, thinking the time passage as he mentioned it. "I believe so, we get about a day's break and then back in." She nodded at his tools. "Readjusting the Telek-drive? You're on the ball today."

Nes shrugged his broad shoulders, utility vest jingling with various small parts and tools."I've been bored, there's nothing to do but monitor and maintain live support and combattives," he said,referring to stealth technology and weaponry. "It's time for something different."

Kaillee waved him on his way. "Don't let me stop you, I'm off for some R&R. Good to see you Nes." She waited for him to pass before continuing on her way.

Coming to the end of the hallway, she entered the mess and rec room. Striding past the casual chairs she stepped up to the kitchen interface. Scanning the options, she settled on spicy shrimp stir fry.

How did Crysta manage to sneak the shrimp on board? I'll have to thank the cook for the surprise.

A panel opened when she made her selection, her food hot and perfectly re-prepared. A small container of Crab Rangoon was also included; the cook was always providing extra calories for Kaillee after a Telek trip.

Kaillee grinned as she scooped up the food. The shrimp was arranged in a little heart on top of the stir fry. Oh yeah, Crysta definitely had a crush on her. The captain found it cute, she decided to see if her admirer was in need of a sleep rotation. As she pondered this train of thought, she carried her food to one of the comfy chairs and propped her feet on the table in front of her.

She started to scroll through the locally stored entertainment on her personal section of the ships database. She came across an ancient video series that aired in the twenty first series. Titled "Attack on Titan", the plot followed a world in which humans were constantly under threat from a race of giants whose sole purpose was to eat them. The technology in the videos was archaic, making for a very desperate struggle. The live humans confronted mediocre artificially rendered monsters in gory and violent battles. How did these people act when there was nothing there? It baffled her.

She finished her meal through the beginning of the fourth and final film of the series. She settled back, letting her body sink into the couch with fatigue. Soon, Kaillee was dozing with semi-dreams of battling carnivorous giants.

A massive hand and a roar came from above her, her awareness snapping to her as she screamed in terror and tumbled off of her makeshift bed. She glimpsed an insanely grinning titan towering above her, blue skies above it's head. Struggling to come to terms with the shock, the titan and sky disappeared to reveal the normal ceiling of the mess hall.

Terribly confused, her ears perked and swiveled toward a chuckling tiny figure standing in the second doorway to the room.

"You're a f*****g terrible b***h, do you know that Mina?" Her frustrated outburst was met with outright laughter when her voice cracked from reminiscent terror. "Don't you ever do that again!" Kaillee gasped, clutching her chest.

The small female Kerr stepped into the room, her 5 foot slim frame and innocent white fur making her bright green eyes pop. Those damned eyes were oozing pure innocence. "Who, me big sis? I would never do such a thing!"

Mina's incredulous voice was soft and musical, her claim contradicted by the hologram device that she was tucking away. As it was placed in the pouch resting on her right hip, her unusually fluffy tail swished with amusement. "I don't know what you see in those old movies. The bad effects completely turn me off." Mina made a face at the remembrance.

Kaillee ignored her comment and snapped out her arm, gripping one of Mina's comically large ears in her fingers. She really was like a lovable, yet cruel little sister. Mina's face screwed up in pain, standing on her tiptoes she was almost to Kaillee's chin. "You're staying on ship at next port. No shopping for you!"

The hurt in Mina's eyes was now mostly from her prohibition."But...but that's not fair!" she wailed, delicate hands gripping her captain's wrist. "I've been saving money for the last three pays to shop on Hestal! Please let me go?! I won't ever do it again! I promise!"Her large glistening eyes pleaded along with her voice.

Kaillee did not show her lessening anger and failing resistance. The lovable bugger could almost get her to give in to anything. But she didn't need Mina to know that. "Most definitely not! Respect for crew members is one thing that I demand."

Fighting to keep her voice hard and stern, she let go of the petite white Kerr's ear. "If it happens again, you won't ever get to leave the ship until we make home port."

Mina's eyes dropped, tears of both emotional and physical pain welling in her eyes. Kailee gently wrapped her in a hug, voice softening to a more casual tone. "It's good to see you though, Mina. Well, counting out the nearly killing me of fright."

She let her trademark wide grin fill her face, letting Mina know that she wasn't forever going to be mad. "Now, I need to get to bed. I was almost asleep."Kaillee stepped back and gained a casual tone. "Whats my Intel officer been picking up lately, before I go?"

Wiping her eyes and sniffling, Mina put on a brave face before speaking."Humans are going to be in the solar system, but our stealth is working. I'm not too worried about it. Also, Our communication problems with the colony in the Nebula are finally too much. It seems like the last relay satellite they had operational went dead. Home sent out a physical crew to tell them to abandon the colony and scavenge what they can."Her ears perked up some as she spoke, regaining her adolescent composure.

Kaillee nodded, aware of the colony's problems. She mulled over the humans, though. They shouldn't really be an issue if their stealth was active. But she needed to do something anyway. "Can you inform Rune and the rest of the crew about the humans, for me? I want everyone ready to go to defensive positions in a moments notice."

"Already done, Kaillee! I told them all as soon as I picked up the signals. I also told Crysta about Nebula, she should know that her family is going to be coming closer to the rest of the Society." She beamed proudly, hoping for praise.

Kaillee gave it. "Fantastic, Mina. Now, off to bed! See you later Lil Sis!" She waved as she turned toward her quarters. Mina grinned and bounced off into the ship.

Kaillee grabbed her utensils from eating, and turned off the screens as she walked by. The utensils were dumped in a recycling unit just inside the mess, and she exited the room.

A few short hallways later, and the ship captain stopped at her own door. It opened as she pressed her fingertips to it, sliding into the wall as her bioprint was recognized. The door closed again when she crossed the threshold. She flopped onto her cot, and promptly smacked at the control next to it.

Hitting the button for sleep, a small amount of sedative was released into the room to speed her on her way. Quickly descending into sleep was a key way to save on recycling oxygen. Shortly after, her mind dissolved into unawareness as her body settled into restful relaxation.

Author's Note

Any and all criticism welcomed!