Shanae, Pauline, Tammy, and Tim sat in his office. They’d been discussing how things had gone over the last few days. Tim thought back to the difficulties they had surmounted.

“Captain to the bridge!” shouted Mayio, her voice filled with terror, over the intercom.

Tim stood up with a startled expression on his face, and the three women followed him to the bridge. Stepping onto the bridge, Tim saw everyone staring at the monitor. He saw that the monitor was blurry and out of focus. He asked, “Sarha, is there an issue with the monitor?”

“No, Tim, it’s something outside the ship,” Sarha said as she materialized next to his seat, her figure shimmering into view.

“Code red,” Tim said, turning to face the pilot.

The lights on the bridge went pale red, and the ship’s alarms started sounding. Everyone was making rapid progress toward their assigned posts. Shanae, Pauline, and Tammy all headed to their respective posts.

As he took his seat, Tim inquired, “Do we have any idea what it is?” Sarha left his question unanswered.

“Sarha, do you have any reading?” Looking at the screen, Tim pondered what it might be.

“Shields are up; weapons are online,” Mayio said. “The target is five hours away, directly in front of us.”

Tim voiced his request, saying, “I want probes to be sent out.

Sarha quickly checked the readings and reported back, “It appears to be a massive, unidentified substance, sir.”

Tim nodded in response, his mind racing with possibilities of what they might be facing. “Tell the other ships to stop and wait for further orders.”

Sarha quickly relayed the message to the other ships, instructing them to halt their progress. Tim reclined in his chair, biding his time until the probes began providing feedback.

As the probes began to transmit their findings, Tim was eager to uncover the composition and origin of the unidentified substance. The control room fell silent as everyone awaited the crucial data that would determine their next course of action.

“Sarha, what are the reports showing so far?”

“Tim, it is a thick cloud. The density increases as we move closer. It appears to be emitting a high level of energy as well.”

Tim’s brow furrowed in concern as he processed the information, realizing the potential danger they could be facing. He asked, “Is it affecting the probes?

“They seem unaffected by it.” Sarha said, hesitating, “They are moving through it slowly.”

Tim knew they needed to make a decision quickly, but without more information, it was a risky move. He turned to Sarha and said, “Let’s analyze the data further before we proceed.” He turned to Mayio and said, “We’ll hold here for now; let the others know!”

Tim rose from his seat and said, “Sarha, please let me know how big the area is and when the probes have passed through.” He then returned to his office to review the data collected so far.

Tim sat back in his chair, contemplating the risks involved in their next move.

Sarha appeared in Tim’s office and said, “Tim, the probes have passed through the cloud. There don’t seem to be any unusual readings or anomalies in the area. They completed the pass-through in two hours.

Tim nodded, feeling a sense of relief but remaining wary of potential dangers. He knew they needed to proceed with caution, despite the seemingly clear data. He picked up the intercom and called Mayio. “Mayio, I want to proceed with thrusters only. Notify all ships.”

“Yes, captain, should we stay on red alert?”

“No, go to yellow, until we get through this cloud.” Mayio acknowledged Tim’s orders and proceeded to relay the instructions to the other ships.

Tim watched the ships on his office wall monitor, their course changing as they approached the mysterious cloud with caution.

Tim hears, “Captain, we’re five minutes from entering the cloud.” Tim rose and headed for his seat on the bridge. He sat down and looked at the monitor, and he wondered if he was doing the right thing.

Mayio said, “Sir, two minutes to entry.” As she and the entire crew watched the cloud on the monitor, Tim felt a sense of unease wash over him, but he knew there was no turning back now. The crew braced themselves for whatever lay ahead as they ventured further toward the unknown cloud.

Mayio said, “One minute to entry,” As everyone watched the monitor, the cloud started to turn a light blue.

Tim shifted his gaze away from the screen and said, “Keep an eye on your panels and inform me if there are any changes.”

All eyes were glued to their panels, each hoping nothing would change. A few were saying a silent prayer. With a tightening of his shoulders and a firm grasp on his chair, Tim sat there and thought, ‘It was the moments leading up to the event that he detested the most.’

“After a minute in the cloud, nothing has changed,” Mayio said. Take a look at your panels, everyone. Tim heard a sigh of relief ripple through the room as everyone checked their panels and confirmed that nothing had changed. The tension in the room began to ease as they realized they were in the clear for now.

“Tim, I have searched my database; there is only one entry in reference to a blue cloud in space,” Sarha said as she stepped up to Tim’s seat. “A temporal storm was the name given to it.”

Tim sat there and asked, “Did the entry say what happened?”

Sarha nodded. “It appears that the temporal storm caused disruptions in the space-time continuum, leading to unpredictable consequences for any ships caught within it.”

Tim’s heart sank as he realized the potential unknown danger they were facing. He then addressed Mayio, telling her to “go to red alert and stay there as long as we are inside this cloud.”

Again, the lights on the bridge went pale red, and the ship’s alarms started sounding. Everyone was making rapid progress toward their assigned posts.

In the hopes that nothing would happen, Tim sat in his bridge seat. As the ship continued to navigate through the cloud, Tim couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease that lingered in the air.

Tammy walked back onto the bridge and stood there, staring at a figure standing just behind Tim’s seat.

The figure did not move or utter a word; it simply stood and looked around. Tammy’s heart raced as she realized that no one else seemed to notice the mysterious figure. She recognized that it may have been an older version of her species. Tammy’s curiosity got the best of her as she cautiously approached the figure, trying to get a closer look without alarming anyone else on the bridge. The figure turned towards her, revealing familiar eyes that sent a chill down Tammy’s spine.

His likeness appeared in their chronicles. More than 2,000 years old, this was a replica of a monarch. He was carrying a harpe, a sword with one edge cut like a scythe.

Tammy’s heart raced as she realized the significance of the figure standing before her. The monarch’s presence raised questions about the history of her species and their connection to this ancient ruler.

Tammy made a sound to let Tim know that something was wrong. Tim turned around, and his eyes widened in shock at the sight of the monarch. The figure raised his harpe, ready to strike.

Tim moved between the monarch and Tammy. The harp was slicing across Tim’s chest.

Tammy screamed as Tim fell to the ground, blood pooling around him. The monarch’s eyes gleamed with a mix of triumph and malice as he advanced towards Tammy, his harpe stained with Tim’s blood.

The monarch stopped seeing Tim’s wound, which began to heal. Confusion flickered across the monarch’s face as Tim’s wound miraculously began to close before his eyes. He dropped to his knees and laid the harpe at Tim’s feet. “I ... I thought you were mortal,” the monarch stammered, awe and fear mixing in his voice.

Tim looked up at him with a faint smile on his face. “I am not like other humans,” he replied softly.

The monarch’s expression softened as he realized the true nature of Tim’s abilities. “You are more than mortal,” he whispered, a newfound respect in his eyes. “You are a God.”

Tim simply nodded, knowing that his nano-bots were a gift and a responsibility. Tim lowered his hand to help the monarch up.

As he stood up, the monarch took Tim’s hand and remarked, “You have a great destiny ahead of you. Only a god would offer a hand to one who tried to kill him.”

Tim’s heart swelled with pride at the monarch’s words, knowing that his powers were meant for good. With a humble smile, he replied, “I will use my abilities to protect and serve those in need.”

Tammy stood there, just staring at the monarch, and wondering how old he was and his name. The books just called him the cruel one. “Could you tell me your name, majesty?” she inquired.