Chapter 25: A Galaxy Divided

The weight of the decision pressed down on me like the vast emptiness of space itself.

In one direction: the war against the Kha’reli, a battle we were already fighting, one where victory meant survival—but at a cost.

In the other: an enemy beyond comprehension, a force that even the Kha’reli feared. If we turned our attention to them, we might be able to stop something far worse.

But that would mean working with the very species that had tried to destroy us.

My crew was watching me, waiting. Tor’Vek’s fists were clenched, his warrior instincts screaming for battle. Ny’Vara’s tail flicked in nervous agitation. Sa’Kari remained still, unreadable.

I took a breath.

“We can’t fight two wars,” I said finally. “If we keep attacking the Kha’reli without understanding what’s coming, we could be dooming everyone.”

Tor’Vek scowled. “You would have us ally with them? After what they’ve done?”

I met his gaze. “If we don’t, the galaxy burns.”

He growled but didn’t argue further.

Sa’Kari nodded approvingly. “Then we must move quickly. The Kha’reli will not trust us. And if they learn what we know, they may act first to silence us.”

Ny’Vara’s ears perked up. “We could try to make contact with one of their warlords. Someone high-ranking, but not too entrenched in their ideology.”

I considered the idea. “Do we have any leads?”

Sa’Kari tapped the holomap. “There is a Kha’reli fleet moving through the Andarra Corridor. They’re not on a direct warpath—likely regrouping. If we send a message, we may have a chance to negotiate.”

Tor’Vek muttered a curse. “Or they may just fire on us the moment we arrive.”

“Maybe,” I admitted. “But we don’t have another option.”

The choice was made.

We would try to negotiate with the enemy.

The Gauntlet of Trust

The journey to the Andarra Corridor was tense. No one on board was fully comfortable with the plan—not even me.

G’Lan kept the ship on high alert, scanning for any sign of Kha’reli reinforcements. The last thing we needed was to walk into a trap.

As we approached the sector, our sensors picked up the fleet: one Kha’reli dreadnought, two battlecruisers, and a dozen escorts. A force large enough to wipe us out if they chose to.

I opened a comm channel.

“This is Captain Harper of the G’Tarok. We request a parley with your commander. We have information that concerns the fate of your people—and the entire galaxy.”

Silence.

Then, the reply.

A deep, guttural voice filled the bridge. “You are bold, human. And foolish. Give me one reason why I should not order your destruction.”