Installing a pre-made warp drive was one thing, however making one from scratch was another beast altogether. Zarados had his fair share of mechanical and chemical experience, but this was just beyond him. Even with the instructions in his possession finding where to begin was a challenge, let alone finishing the entire thing. Zarados would need to put together his new warp drive using the parts available in the shipyard of the station. After making he knew exactly which parts to retrieve, Zarados flew his vessel to the yard, this would be the perfect opportunity to allow his ship to refuel itself. The yard was barren except for an abandoned ship which looked like it was having it’s rear thrusters replaced as well as some genetic modifications. After he located where the drive was, Zarados got to work removing it and transferring the drive into his ship. The transfer was relatively easy, however when it came time to wire the drive into his ship’s motherboard, Zarados found the task highly challenging. He had to restart many times, rewiring this and that. After a while, he got it right and the warp drive signalled that it had power and connection. Zarados re-read the instructions again, before step by step he made progress. 

When he was finished, the warp coil had an odd glow to it, despite the liquid being blue the glow was a yellow light which gently illuminated the area. Zarados knew that he had no way to test if this worked other than to enter into FTL flight. After guiding his vessel to a safe distance from the station he began the FTL initiation sequence. After ensuring that everything was in proper working order, Zarados sat there silent. Thoughts were racing through his mind, scenarios of him flying into a black hole or being stuck in perpetual FTL flight for eternity ran across his imagination. Zarados felt fear creeping up inside his gut towards his throat. As he hovered his finger over the ignition button which would send him hurtling into FTL flight. Perspiration ran down the back of his neck and he shivered with anticipation. Without thinking... he pressed the button and held his breath.

At first nothing happened, as if the damned coil was broken. Zarados ran some diagnostics over it, everything looked in order, but there had not been any sound, movement or feeling of change. His environment still looked like it had before. No wait a moment, the station was gone! Scanning around with his external cameras, Zarados could not find it. Perhaps FTL flight was meant to be silent. As Zarados ran over the data he heard a booming voice from all around him.

"So, you've done it? Ey Zarados?"

He froze, a feeling of utter dread ran over him as he struggled to reply.

"It's alright Zarados, you're in the warp now," the voice came again, seeming to echo inside Zarados's head.

Zarados could not answer, his vocal cords seemed frozen,

"It is alright, I am here now to answer your question. Your question of who the grey one's were, is that correct?" the voice sounded calm, without judgement of Zarados's paralisis.

"Y-Yes," said Zarados, trying to sound calm.

"Well, to answer that, we are the primordial creators of everything. Some call us the big bang, others name us God, however we simple just are. We embody the laws of nature, physics, time, and material properties. The grey ones were physical beings however we have retreated into our primordial void where none can find us. We have left the universe to its devices, our work was finished almost five eons ago. There simply is nothing more to create or to do." the voice explained,

"So, that was it? That was the answer?" said Zarados, feeling a deep relief surging within him like an electrical storm.

"Indeed, it may be under or overwhelming, but that it. It simply is fact that we started the universe but now the universe is complete, there simply is nothing else needed, all the ingredients for perpetual continuation are there." the voice explained almost philosophically.

"Well, what now?" said Zarados, unsure of what to do. He had his answer, but now had nothing to chase.

"Now, I send you where you want to go. Where is it you'd like to go, Zarados?" the voice boomed soothingly,

"Home, somewhere free from pain, and conflict. Somewhere far away where everything is better," said Zarados,

"Of course, I know just where," the voice said, "Good luck Zarados,"

Zarados felt a shift as his vessel left FTL flight and emerged into a unitary star system. The star in front of him burned a bright yellow. There were nine planets in this system according to his navigation computers. Zarados felt a strange feeling as he read the text which cited his heading. "On course for: Earth." Could this be it? Was this Earth the home of humanity? It had to be! As his ship moved in closer towards it, he could see it all. The blue marble, where it all began. Zarados felt tears running down his cheeks and dripping into his scraggly beard. He was going home.

End of "The Great Dark."