This allowed her to hold target on the enemy's torpedoes, disabling them one by one. A dark smirk on her face hidden behind her EVA-Helmet, while her bouncing curves elicited a fury within the less coordinated pirates.

Bjorn scoffed, smoldering from laser fire but ultimately unbothered and utterly focused on the tasks at hand, disabling torpedo after torpedo, as the captain had ordered and with laser-like focus.

Bella, sitting at the helm of the ship, remained focused on her task, monitoring the battles outside. "Bjorn, Tatyana, how are things going with the torpedo disarmament?" she inquired in a clinical tone over the communication system.

"Just fine, First Officer," Bjorn replied, moving from one torpedo to the next in a slow, methodical manner.

He maintained a disciplined, measured approach, which contrasted significantly with Tatyana's athletic gracefulness.

Despite his strength, there was no hint of frustration or impatience in Bjorn's tone. Each word was delivered as if etched in stone, a solemn reminder of the danger that lurked outside the vessel they all called home during the long expanses of space travel.

With each deactivation, he removed another flashing red mark from his visor, Bjorn continued, "Disarming more every minute."

"We're clear out here." Tatyana added, her soft voice carrying over the line. "Will report back in if anything changes." She ended her transmission with a parting blast into the helmet visor of one of the Pirates, rubbing a circle into, and then gently slapping her backside as she moved on. A silent victory dance in the vast expanse of freezing space; the very picture of professionalism.

A faint smile touched Bella's lips as she leaned back in her chair and tapped at a few more buttons to keep survey sensors focused on her colleagues. The captain was counting on the crew, and she wouldn't let him down.

"Captain, sensors and I agree. There's only one enemy torpedo remaining, and it's so close to you that you could reach out and touch it," Bella reported.

"Well done, everyone. Bjorn, Tatyana, get back inside and prepare to leave. I have something to discuss with Captain Zar." Nigel spoke with confidence, reassured that his crew had done a splendid job. He shifted to assess the distance between himself and the final enemy torpedo.

Bjorn and Tatyana exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. They efficiently disengaged from their tasks to return to the safety of the Titans Pillar.

Bella moved for the controls, preparing to admit them.

"Nova, be a dear an nab that last torpedo for us, please." Nigel called out to her over the speakers, his concentration still fixed on Captain Zar.

Nova nodded with a gleam of determination in her eyes. She knew the urgency of the matter, but she also respected Captain Carter enough to not want to disturb him now.

She moved with the ease and finesse of a seasoned astronaut, gliding elegantly towards the last torpedo like a bird in flight.

"Now. Captain Zar. Though it pains me not to be able to do this properly, face to face, one rarely gets to do so inside a Celestial Gate." Captain Carter started; arms crossed with the confidence of someone in a position of power. "What if I were to tell you I have no idea what Relic you are speaking of." Captain Carter said, feigning ignorance only slightly to mask his suspicions.

Captain Zar chuckled. "Come now. With our recent encounter in the Timeless Zone, I find it hard to believe you would claim ignorance, captain. And yet, faced with your dismissive attitude, I find myself venturing even further into the shadows. But let us dwell in the light for a moment, shall we?" Captain Zar quipped with a mocking smile that only deepened Captain Carter's confusion.

"I have many friends in many sects of Zealots. You may find this difficult to believe, but they all don't get along." Captain Zar continued, the amusement in his tone turning into a playful smirk as he manipulated his prey.

"I'm shocked, truly shocked by the lack of agreement between inflexible people. I'm flabbergasted, Captain Zar." Nigel remarked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "What an absolute travesty. Truly, the intolerance of some is disheartening."

Captain Zar let out a dry laugh. "The irony, Captain Carter. I'm glad we can see eye to eye. However, my point remains—my friends told me that a sect they disagreed with put a powerful Relic on your ship. They would pay me handsomely to get it for them, and I know your greedy hearts would never deny the riches we could accumulate from selling such a thing." Zar's tone was nonnegotiable, but his words also sparked intrigue within Nigel.

"See Captain Zar, that's where you are mistaken. We don't deal in stolen antiquities. I can assure you there is nothing of questionable origin on this vessel."

Nova was naively reaching for the final torpedo with the end of the rifle, failing at that, she started to reach out with her hands.

"You have an Oryctolagus as a crew member, yet claim that you are above board Captain?" Zar stated, skepticism tinging his voice as his patience dwindled, speaking in a manner meant to provoke and intimidate Nigel. "You do know that your companion is something unique and incredibly valuable, don't you?"

Nova's efforts were nearly complete as she managed to get a grip on the last torpedo merely a meter away.

Meanwhile, Nigel casually responded to Zar while keeping watch over Nova's progress, "I'm quite aware of Nova's uniqueness. Which is why it pains me to speak truthfully. She and the box she came in were the only unaccounted for items in the shipment I received." Captain Carter paused, awaiting Zar's response.

Captain Zar's tone was indignant, "There wasn't anything in her box? On her person, a bracelet, a pendant, anything?" Zar questioned, a tone of exasperation leaking into his words. He seemed increasingly agitated by Nigel's calm demeanor. Then, for a moment, his yellow, reflective Lupin eyes focused on something to the side, distracted.

Nigel followed his gaze to land on Nova, cradling the enemy torpedo, like one would a pet avian. For an instant, both Captain Carter and Captain Zar were as frozen as the torpedo Nova captured.

Nova, sensing their eyes upon her, waved and then gently extending the torpedo out with her hand, released it from her grasp. When she did, it rocketed past Nigel, through the Timeless Zone at a normal speed and connected with the Pirate Captain, sending both him and the torpedo careening into his own ship and detonating on impact.

The shockwave sent the Pirate Vessel towards the Titans Pillar only to impact her torpedoes and ignite them in an unfortunate chain of reactions. With a bright, blinding flash, the Pirate ship turned into a fiery explosion as it spiraled out of control deeper into the Celestial Gate.

Nigel acted quickly as if there was little time, "Go, go! Inside, now!" Nigel shouted his command audibly over the ship-wide intercom system. There was just enough time to avoid the enemy ship's fragments and the expanse of scorching fire sent out by the subsequent explosion.

Tatyana and Bjorn had already made their way to the airlock and inside.

Pilot Grayson's voice rang out excitedly in Nigel's helmet, "Captain! Are you seeing this?" Lucas Grayson's excitement washed over the line like a wave.

Nigel was momentarily caught off guard, not because of the question, but the weight behind it. But there was no time for his brain to wander and analyze what he'd just witnessed.

"Yes, Lucas," Nigel answered simply, letting a faint smile appear.

"It'll hit the boundary of the Celestial Gate shortly and, well I honestly don't know what'll happen then, only that I don't want to be around when it does." Grayson said with nervous excitement in his voice, barely able to contain the childlike wonder, and horror, at the sight before them.

Captain Carter nodded in agreement as his eyes fixed on the spectacle before him.

The exploding torpedoes, combined with the enemy ship, painted a magnificent show of fire and destruction as it soared toward the event horizon. He couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and dread mingling within him in equal parts.

"We're almost in, once we are, get us out of this Gate!" Nigel ordered, his voice crisp and serious as he turned away from the sight and leapt toward the safety of his ship... but fell short.

Bella did as she was told, her fingers dancing over her console. "Aye, Captain! Breaking away from the Celestial Gate now." The ship shuddered as the engines ignited, their roar deafening over the intercom.

Nigel was a mere meter away from his vessel but had fallen just short of grabbing the handles surrounding the airlock. His heart raced, and time seemed to slow down as his limbs flailed helplessly in the vacuum of space, desperate to purchase anything solid.

When a slender, white, gloved hand grazed his, he snatched it eagerly.

At that moment, he saw the inferno that was the Pirate ship contact the invisible boundary of the Celestial Gate. Light was released, bathing everything around him, and leaving it as either white or shadow. That's when Nigel saw them, inky black tendrils, flowing out from the explosion, unfurling and stretching in the opposite direction of the Celestial Gate. They reached across space, encompassing everything, including the Titans Pillar.

Nova pulled hard as Nigel grasped at the ledge. "I've got you!" she exclaimed as her figure disappeared, taking him with her through the airlock and back onto the safety of the Titans Pillar.

Safely inside, Nigel breathed a sigh of relief as he unclipped himself from his tether and regained his bearing.

As he glanced around, his gaze caught sight of Nova. She was beaming, gloved hands spread wide as if to say, “Look at what I've done!”

He couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head in admiration. Her courage in the most unexpected situations was nothing short of inspiring.

"Well done, Nova." He praised her, making sure to keep his voice steady and controlled.

"Lucas?" Nigel called, trying to get the attention of his Pilot, hoping for some good news or perhaps just anything else than the silent darkness waiting for them outside their ship.

"Already out Captain. Already in normal space, looking at some beautiful stars." Pilot Grayson happily reported.

Nigel couldn't help but feel a sliver of relief but couldn't let his emotions dictate the situation. "Good job, Lucas. Get us to the closest Junction."

"I have a decision to make."