Charyd was never one to have a digital frame of photos or videos constantly playing, but for once he wished he saved that. To watch the joy of his crew on repeat. Even Scooball was a delight to be around, he was the perfect amount of salt and seriousness needed to balance out the crew. In the video, he had been sulking by the water tower. Obsessed with hydration. 

He would get them all back. Officer Charyd talked openly about this mission with envy at the bar. After spending months in Cadoon’s dark alleys trying to figure out how to get his crew back, Flight Officer Charyd was a drunk blessing. Captain Charyd’s family was in prison, awaiting execution. He would never leave them behind like that. They were his people, with him through thick and thin. Even back before they were branded traitors and forced to turn to piracy just to make ends meet. Not like that one blood relative that caused this whole mess in the first place.

The Darkstorm’s hologram appeared on top of the navigation board and began to take a casual stroll across everyone’s station. He looked right at Charyd when he strolled across those monitors then looked up and above, his hands behind his back. “The lazy pirates never went there. They used me for a delivery ship or stealing from freights. They did not know my true noble purpose.”

“Short story,” Posey interrupted. “They never went to the hideout before we caught the thieves. We have tried interviewing all the pirates but no one will tell us the location. Now we are going to the prison to offer one of them a chance to stay alive in exchange for the base location.”

Tony was now standing at Saar’s station. His arms were spread out, a large smile on his face. “They can join us! The Vice Admiral and Cadoon’s government have approved them to stay alive only if under our constant watch!”

It was a secret mission to persuade a pirate to join the military. They were not testing the Lightening Strike. Not yet. First, they had to figure out where to aim it. And the Exec carrier ship would make the perfect target.

“Captain.” Articulated the human Lieutenant Commander. “This has to be temporary, right? We are hard-working citizens who swore to help protect the innocent and our galaxies. They better be joining as the janitor.”

That got some chuckles from the crew. Posey's face was perfect for a poker match, the opposite of Tony’s open mouth. “We should always welcome everyone aboard our ship who wishes to serve.”

“Our galaxies,” Charyd scoffed out under his breath. When he saw Posey looking at him, he cleared his throat and looked back at the screen. The Darkstorm’s AI hologram was winking at him out of one corner of his screen. It pointed to a timer in the middle and then quickly disappeared.

“T-minus one minute until we’re in uncharted waters,” Charyd reported the numbers the Darkstorm gave him. This fucking ship wasted his time. He started to reach for the controls to steer the Darkstorm. He was about to test his luck on piloting the Darkstorm in the worst area of space. He had to do it, to save his crew and get them off that damned planet.