Story - Elder Fate

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Her vision blurred from the jolt, Zephyr took a moment to shake her dazed state.

"Zephyr, Turbine, Lotus, does anyone read me? This is Apogee. Please someone… respond!" a voice came from the comms.

"Yeah this is Zephyr..." she managed out in pain. "Zephyr responding."

"Oh thank god. Anyone else… open channel, this is Apogee."

"Apogee, this is Turbine. I'm intact but I think we lost Lotus in the jump".

As Zephyr looked around her, she could make out large stone branches winding around a huge structure. It was made of glistening white stone mostly covered by crimson foliage. This place was completely alien to her, but something in the back of her head made her feel calm.

Finally, shaking her impact, Zephyr opened on comms "This is Zephyr, all calls respond status."

"Apogee responding orange." "Ordinal responding orange as well." “Turbine here with the doc, orange.”

"Yeah my dash is lit up like a Christmas tree as well," Zephyr said, looking at her overwhelmed instruments, "Does anyone know where we are?"

Doctor Cal piped up from Turbine’s comm, "No, but… my deep level scanner is picking up a gateway. A strong one. Its output is easily 10... No, 15 times that of the previous gates!"

"Yeah, and I have the bad news." Ordinal said, like a rock was stuck in their throat, "I think I have visual contact with a Hunter carrier, looks like they jumped to follow."

The news, while awful, seemed to bounce off Zephyr. That was just how it went. They had always been followed, no matter what they tried. That had been the mode of operation the whole time for those blasted hunters. Her ragged band was out of time and needed to find a way to break the chase. For good.

~...you are welcome here…~

A vivid chorus of feeling rushed through Zephyr, her instruments resetting and clearing.

"Uh, guys, did anyone else's ship just reset?" Apogee exclaimed, confused.

"We don't have time for resets, they’re here!" Ordinal said, rushing his vessel back to the group, weaving through the winding arms of the structure.

~...they…are not… ~

“I think we’ll be okay…” Zephyr said calmly, seemingly without knowing it, “let’s just focus on getting that gate open and getting through.”

“Acknowledged.” “Confirmed.” “Yeah, let’s get to it.” The team sounded off, those with working comms at least.

As the carrier entered the region and dispatched two hunter teams, one of the large arms of the structure sprung out with stunning speed, wrapping itself around the carrier. Just the impact buckled sections of the hull. Then it began to squeeze.

Another massive, ancient branch rose from the darkness below and intercepted an entire team with one sweep.

Completely awestruck, Ordinal asked, “So uh, anyone else seeing the giant space tree fighting back?”

“Like I said,” Zephyr reaffirmed, “if we can get that gate open, we’re going to be just fine. One last jump.”