Archive of Our Own ^beta

The ship almost seemed to judder around them as it raced across thousands of lightyears in the span of seconds. Frazie grit her teeth and gripped Chloe’s seat, praying everything wouldn’t spontaneously fall apart, but the little captain sat completely calm while stars and worlds whipped by in a flash.

 

Just as quickly as it’d started, the vehicle stopped on a dime. The planet Frazie had scouted so far, far away suddenly filled up the ship’s window. Just like she’d seen through the eye of the satellite, it was very Earth-esque, covered in trees and dirt, and yet so different. There was very little water to be seen - thank goodness - mostly concentrated in one spot while forest and mountains covered the rest.

 

A soft ‘wow’ escaped Frazie. Sure, it wasn’t real... but the sight took her breath away nonetheless. This was the next best thing to actually going to space.

 

While Frazie took in the beauty of a whole new world, though, Chloe paid it little mind, more interested in the various readings on her monitor. “Hmmmm. My scanners aren’t picking up any lifeforms on the planet, despite its atmosphere being entirely habitable. How strange...”

 

“No one’s on it?” Frazie asked. “Sooooo, it isn’t your home planet?”

 

“It seems not,” Chloe answered with a hint of dejection. “But, for some reason, the signal being broadcasted to me is being routed here. Something down there is responsible, and your mission is to go down there and see what it is.”

 

She’d been conscripted into Chloe’s intergalactic crew, so if the captain ordered it, Frazie would obey. She just needed more information first. “Alright... any idea what I’m looking for?”

 

“At a glance, the world seems rather primitive in nature. Despite the lack of water, similarity to Earth, and the signal triangulation having lead here, there's little to no metal to be found on this planet. You’d need something particularly advanced to redirect radar waves across the galaxy, so I imagine the cause will stick out like a sore thumb.”

 

Soooo, look for something technological and out of place. “Got it.”

 

“Also, while this planet may be hospitable,” Chloe added as she reached under her desk, “you should still take precautions. Plus, we need a way to keep in touch. So here... take this.”

 

The kid pulled another helmet out, offering it up to her subordinate. Frazie took it with both hands, turning it to peer inside. “Thanks, but don’t I need a suit to go with this or something?” She was the exact opposite of a space expert, but even she knew that.

 

“I don’t have anything in your size.”

 

Frazie blinked. “That’s... never mind.” That didn’t answer the question at all, but you know what? Forget it. This was a mindspace, not actual space. She probably didn’t even need the helmet, but she’d keep it to have a way to stay in contact.

 

She just had to... find a way to get it to fit over her massive tufts of hair. It fit snugly over most of her face, but in the end, her sidetails were stuck jutting down out of the helmet. Well, this was a fashion disaster, but she’d deal with it.

 

At least Chloe seemed to approve, giving her a thumbs up. “Looking good. Now let’s get you down to the surface to investigate.”

 

Frazie nodded. “Allllright. And how do you plan to do-“

 

Bweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeem!

 

---

 

“-that?”

 

In the blink of an eye, a pillar of white light descended on her and swallowed her up. One second, she’d been up in the atmosphere, the next, she was talking to thin air. She’d been teleported. “Ah. That’s how.”

 

Frazie straightened back up, taking in everything through her helmet. Up close and personal, she very quickly pieced together what this world was all about.

 

Pine trees surrounded her, and underneath her feet, clear-cut dirt paths marked routes around the area. Small wooden huts dotted here and there, nothing extravagant, yet still very familiar.

 

It was the camp, on a global scale.

 

It was like someone had taken Whispering Rock and both stretched and shrunk it simultaneously. The camp was blown up to encompass the entire planet, and yet that planet wasn’t all too big to begin with. She estimated if she rolled nonstop on her levitation orb, she could circle the globe in a few minutes.

 

But if it was camp... where was everyone?

 

Frazie spun in a circle, arms held out, gesturing over the empty clearing. “Hello?” she called. “Anyone here?”

 

“I told you,” Chloe’s voice suddenly crackled in her ear, making her jump. “The planet’s empty.”

 

“But there’s buildings here!” Frazie pointed out.

 

“Hmmm... perhaps the remnants of a species that moved on somewhere else?” Chloe suggested. “Fascinating.”

 

Frazie found it more strange than fascinating, but she was speaking from the viewpoint of someone outside the mindspace. Then again... she didn’t even see any figments of campers. It was like this place had sprung up and never been inhabited.

 

Frazie shook her head, focusing elsewhere. Whatever it meant, that wasn’t important. What was important was finding some sort of doodad amidst the woodland. Now where to start...?

 

She took a step towards the cabins to begin with... an unusually springy step. She paused and hummed, bouncing on her feet. What would normally be a couple tiny hops pushed her a good half foot off the ground. “Whoa!”

 

Experimenting, Frazie leapt, soaring higher than she ever had before. Flipping slowly through the air, she descended gently, touching back to the ground like she’d been gently set down. “This is awesome!” She was living an acrobat’s dream.

 

A good few low gravity backflips, twirls, and swings later, Chloe’s voice crackled in her ear again. “Frazie. The mission. Focus.”

 

Oof. Chastised by a child. “Right, right, sorry.” Returning to earth, Frazie found the cabin again and headed for it. “Now let’s see here...”

 

She checked thoroughly. Under tables, beneath counters, even taking the (welcome) opportunity to high-jump up to the roof and check there. Not a thing. Nothing even remotely close to technological, just wood, wood, and more wood.

 

From there, Frazie spread her search out, hopping on her orb and rolling through the trees. While she went, she peered up, noticing the sun had shifted quite a bit from when she’d first arrived. It seemed the orbit here was a lot faster than normal.

 

Hoping to scan the entire sphere before night fell, Frazie rolled in all directions, steering clear of the miniature lake and the Galactic Galochio that no doubt lurked within as she rolled all over the wrap-around camp. No luck.

 

By now, it was already late afternoon. With the sun setting and her options dwindling, Frazie stomped down on her ball and shoved up off the ground, almost rocketing straight up into the stratosphere as she took a bird’s eye view of the planet.

 

“Hmmm...” Her eyes swiveled from the trees to the nearby mountains, inspecting closely...

 

There.

 

Atop one of the peaks, something metallic gleamed in the setting sunlight. Redirecting herself, Frazie popped her sphere and floated down towards it with a bubble.

 

Up close, she found something not too unlike the satellite that’d guided them here in the first place. Smaller and rounder, but it still had that big ol’ eye that made Frazie shudder. “Hey, you...” Frazie greeted with a grimace, getting a blink in response. Holding it in one hand, she used the other to tap the side of her helmet. “I think I found it, Chloe.”

 

“Hold it up a bit higher so I can pick it up.”

 

Frazie lifted it up and stared right into its unerring gaze, waiting until Chloe’s voice finally broke their staring contest. “Yes, this is it. It’s not creating the signal, but its being used to extend it.”

 

“So this planet was a bust?” Frazie asked.

 

“No, no... this might not be the right beacon, but I still detect the main signal. It’s closer now. If you deploy this little satellite, you should be able to use it to direct us closer to the source.”

 

“Soooo... throw this thing up into the sky and use Clairvoyance on it to find another planet?”

 

“Precisely.”

 

Frazie looked down at the little satellite in her hands and shrugged. “Alley-oop!” Crouching low, she flung it skyward, letting the low gravity do the rest.

 

It rose higher and higher until it finally settled up in the darkening sky. Pressing fingers to her temple, Frazie used her new trick to see through its eye.

 

Another sprawling snapshot of the universe stretched out before her, somehow similar and different to the last one. Once more thrown off by her massively improved vision, Frazie glanced around until she spotted the steadily pulsing signal beam and narrowed her focus on it.

 

When she saw their next destination, she had to double check she had the right place. The planet was... strange, to say the least. It was very flat and dark, like a giant black doughnut on its side. Did that even count as a planet? Well, it was where the signal was coming from, so Frazie narrowed her borrowed gaze on it and read off the coordinates that appeared.

 

“Section TE3 Double E Victor...” Chloe repeated. “Good job, cadet. Give me a moment to lock it in.”

 

“Gotcha.” While Frazie waited, she glanced out over the landscape, watching as night finally fell across the planet. It might’ve been a familiar sight, but seeing it rearranged and given its own place in the cosmos gave it a sort of unnatural beauty.

 

At least until night fully fell... then things took a sharp turn for the worse. Frazie flinched as a beastly howl rang out far down below. “W-wait, wasn’t this place empty...?”

 

She was thankfully high up above, but glancing down at the trees below, she could make out shadowy figures creeping through the darkness. Large lumps and small lithe creatures prowling about, blending in with the shadows, crawling on all fours.

 

Okay, it was a helluva lot less beautiful now. “Uh... Chloe? Can you speed it up a little?” Frazie called tersely.

 

In response, she was thankfully whisked away from her safe perch and beamed back aboard the ship.

 

“Phew...” Frazie put her hands on her knees and breathed a deep sigh of relief when she found herself back amongst the robot crew. She wasn’t sure what Chloe had seen lurking around the camp at night, but whatever it was, it was pretty scary.

 

Still over in her seat, Chloe raised a brow behind her helmet. “Are you alright? Let me know if I should delay takeoff. Having to clean puke out of your helmet would be unpleasant.”

 

“No, no,” Frazie insisted, taking a breath and grabbing onto the nearest chair. “Please, get us out of here.”

 

“Roger.”

 

Once more, the ship hummed to life, and a second later, the girls and their robot crewmates were hurtling onwards to their next destination.

 

---

 

Once more their spacecraft slowed to a stop, defying all known laws of physics as it braked smoothly at trillions of miles per second.

 

The newest planet hung in front of the ship. At a closer glance, it looked like some kind of hub - spaceships of all kinds sat docked around its rim, with various metal structures poking up here and there on both sides of the disc.

 

Immediately, Chloe leaned forward in her seat, spotting the various signs of advanced life. Her hands darted to her keyboard, her screen reflected in her visor. “I’m picking up radio signals!”

 

Surprised, Frazie raced to her side. “What does that mean? Did we find Cygnus?”

 

“I don’t think so. The signal’s stronger, but not coming from here. But it means there might be lifeforms here we can communicate with...!” Fingers practically trembling, Chloe typed in a few more commands, changing her feed to a video call. “This is Captain Chloe, sending a call to any local sentient species. Do you copy?”

 

For a moment, the screen stayed blank. And then, it flashed, lighting up with an image from down below. It looked like a busy market, with bizarre figures strolling by in the background, strange creatures of all shapes and sizes with all manners of parts.

 

In the center of the screen sat a squat green creature, with mismatched eyes on stalks and a massive set of fringed lips spreading out past its face.

 

Frazie’s jaw dropped. “Holy crap... aliens, Chloe! Aliens!!!”

 

Chloe’s hands were clenched with the barely restrained urge to jump for joy. When confronting extraterrestrial life, one must remain calm and composed. Taking a deep breath, the young captain simply nodded in response before addressing her caller.

 

“Greetings,” she said, spreading four of her fingers into a V shape. “We come in peace. I just have a few questions to ask, if it isn’t any trouble... primarily, have you received any correspondence from Cygnus A?” And then, she started gushing. “Also, what are your customs like? Your species? Your home?”

 

The alien blinked at her, and then waved, saying nothing.

 

Chloe paused, then tapped a few more buttons. “My sincerest apologies, I must have had the volume off. Feel free to speak your mind. Over.”

 

Again, the creature remained silent, simply shrugging.

 

Perplexed, Chloe seemed frustrated as she tried one last thing. “I promise, we mean you no harm, don’t be afraid to communicate. Ahh... have you, by chance, seen a quasigalactic multiamplifying beacon?”

 

At that, the alien snapped its fingers and started rummaging offscreen. A second later, it returned, holding up a little satellite identical to the one Frazie had found on the last planet.

 

Chloe smiled, a bit lopsidedly. “Yes, that. If you’d be so kind as to hold onto that for us, I’ll send someone to come barter for it...?”

 

She received a thumbs up in response, and the broadcast finally cut out. Groaning, Chloe held her head in her hands.

 

Confused, Frazie reached down to rest a hand on her back. “What’s wrong? I thought you wanted to find aliens.”

 

“I do, but I was hoping for ones I could, you know... communicate with.” Chloe sighed, sitting back up. “No matter. I detect fuel on the planet, and we know there’s another beacon beaming Cygnus’ signal to us. I’ll bring us down and refill the tank while you go find its owner.”

 

Letting her go, Frazie tipped her head. “Aye-aye, cap’n.”

 

Disappointed, but resolute, Chloe guided their ship forward again at a much more manageable pace, sending it drifting down to join the many other ships in galactic port. Once more the teleportation beam swallowed Frazie and sent her down - this time, with Chloe at her side.

 

On the surface, everything looked a lot more bustling, with bizarre creatures walking about hither and thither, circling around the big hole in the planet’s center as they went on their way. Once more, Chloe called out to a nearby group of aliens, and they all waved in response.

 

Grumbling, the kid gave up and walked over to the nearby fuel station that looked suspiciously like an Earth gas pump. “Hrm... if you’d be so kind as to go find that merchant, Frazie?”

 

The older girl saluted. “I’ll be back in a flash.” With nothing more to be said, she jogged off into the throng of planetary pedestrians.

 

Frazie hadn’t been in too many crowds before, unless you counted the rare ones at her family circus - but being in such a hugely varied one really took the cake nonetheless. There were aliens twice her size with thick stomachs and thin heads, teeny ones that were basically sliding blobs, and everything in between.

 

It’d be hard to find the correct stall on such a busy street. “Has anyone here seen a guy with a beacon?” she tried calling out among the silent throng. “Small, metal, has a really creepy eye sitting on it. Come on now, don’t all speak up at onc-“ Her words cut off as she suddenly bumped into one of the aliens from behind. “Oof! Sorry...”

 

The creature turned to face her - squat, yet stout, a little big bigger than her and much wider. It had tentacles for legs and arms, and a speckled green face with three eyes behind a pointed glass helmet. Those eyes promptly narrowed as it suddenly growled at her through sharp fangs.

 

Frazie took a step back, holding her hands up as the angry alien advanced on her. “Hey, relax! It was just an accident.”

 

Her plea fell on deaf (non-existent?) ears... and before she could protest further, red sigils sprouted up all around the creature, spewing out little men in spacesuits. Censors, howling their usual catchphrase behind their helmets.

 

Frazie gasped and quickly switched to a fighting stance, pointing at the snarling brute. “Wait a second... you’re not an alien, you’re with them!”

 

Obsession

Hard to ignore.

 

Crud. The crowd around them split apart, making room for the sudden street brawl between her, this unknown threat, and its lackeys. Already the censors were hopping towards her, low gravity slowing their approach a bit as they jumped her way.

 

Fine by her. Taking out the small fries first was always a good idea. Pulling her fist back, Frazie channeled her energy into it and struck out at the nearest goon...

 

...And her punch swerved, barely doing a thing as it slammed into the Obsession’s side.

 

“What?” Before Frazie could process what’d just happened, she felt a sharp sting in her stomach as the censor’s stamp slammed into it.

 

“Ghhh...!” Clutching her shirt, Frazie backed off as both the victorious censor and its tanky friend chortled at her. Ticked off now, Frazie once more swung towards another censor, only to once more find her attack unusually drawn towards the biggest foe there.

 

Sidestepping the counterattack this time, Frazie glared at the big fella. She wasn’t sure how, but its mere presence was forcing her to focus on it. Which meant the normally easy-to-dispatch cannon fodder now had free reign to ruin her day.

 

She didn’t have much choice. “Alright, fine! You want my attention so bad? You can have it!”

 

Rolling into the fray, Frazie kicked at it, unleashing a fierce flurry of psychic blows. No longer laughing, the creature shielded itself with its tentacles, blocking each hit with a grunt. It was durable, but she was wearing it down.

 

In a fit of desperation, it swung its arms out wide, catching her midswing. Knocked off her feet, Frazie yelped and threw her shield up as low gravity sent her wrapping around the outer rim to the flipside of the planet.

 

The barrier was a good call. After a few second’s flight, she crashed into a large metal booth, hanging upside down over a table of displaced goods. “Ugh.” Dropping the shield, she sat up...

 

...And found herself face to face with a huuuuge pair of lips.

 

A short scream escaped her. Thankfully, the creature wasn’t bothered by her rudeness. Even better... she recognized that massive maw from Chloe’s video screen.

 

“Hey!” she said once she recognized it. “Hey, you! It’s me, from the call! Listen, I’m sorry for the barging in like this, but I need that beacon and I need it in...” She glanced back to see the angry mind defenders approaching over the horizon. “...The next five seconds. I can give you, uh...” She rummaged in her pockets. “A dream fluff wrapper, some smelling salts... no, wait, I need that...”

 

Her rummaging was suddenly interrupted as the alien held the device up to her. It shook its head and smiled a bit wider, offering it for free.

 

“Really?” Frazie took it gingerly, the construct’s eye popping open to inspect her. “You’re a lifesaver.” She’d never been so grateful to an imaginary creature before.

 

Sadly, it was only a metaphorical lifesaver, not a literal one. There was still an angry crowd on its way, and Frazie needed to get out of there before they took their frustration out on the kind merchant’s stall.

 

Tucking the beacon under her arm, Frazie ducked low, preparing a potentially stupid plan. “Thanks again!” Frazie called to the shopkeep before leaping back outside - running straight for the Obsession.

 

It spread its tentacles wide as if to catch her, flanked on both sides by its back-up censors ready to pummel her silly. Gathering heat in her mind, Frazie charged ahead fearlessly, waiting for the right moment.

 

Finally, face to face with the beefy brute, she jumped and let the fire loose at the same time. A burst of pyrokinesis exploded around her as she leapt high over it, catching the creature and some of the space lawyers in the blast. It could steal her attention, but it couldn’t block an attack that hit everyone.

 

Frazie could hear the Obsession and the few censors she’d caught succumbing to the flames, but there were still a bunch more squabbling angrily as they gave chase. And from the sound of it, more portals were popping up to deposit reinforcements. Keeping her focus up front, she hopped on her levitation orb and made a run for it, rolling back to the disc’s other side.

 

She easily outsped her pursuers, but she was stuck on this planet with no escape. They’d catch her eventually... unless she and Chloe got out of there ASAP.

 

Dodging around curious cosmic civilians, Frazie spotted her captain pulling a nozzle out of the slot in her spacecraft’s side.

 

“Start the ship, Chloe! Start the ship!” she called. Chloe turned to ask why, only to spot the crowd of tiny astronauts and a couple angry aliens stampeding after her.

 

“Oh, quasar.” Dropping the pump, the handle clanked to the floor as she quickly closed the fuel port and then disappeared in a flash of light. A moment later, the angry clamor behind Frazie vanished as the same light teleported her away.

 

“To your stations!” Chloe barked, startling a bunch of loitering robots into action. The whirr of rolling treads and the hum of hovering screens filled the air as they prepped the ship for launch.

 

Only once the ship pulled out of port and flew a safe distance away did Frazie finally relax. She chuckled sheepishly. “Eheh... sorry about the unwelcome surprise,” she murmured, “buuuut... I got it.”

 

Frazie pulled the little satellite out from under her arm and handed it over to the little captain. Chloe took it, humming with approval. “You’ve proven yourself trustworthy, cadet. Keep it up, and there may be a promotion in store for you.”

 

Frazie didn’t really expect to stay here long enough to capitalize on that, but more importantly, they had the key to carry on their quest. Chloe held the beacon up, and in a flash, it was teleported right outside the main window. “Now you just have to-”

 

“Clairvoyance and scout; yep, yep, I’ve got it.” Knowing the routine by now, Frazie dove into the satellite’s vision and began her search.

 

Their next location: Section HU0 Double E Sierra, a rocky and barren lump of a planet. There was an unusual structure on it, though, one Frazie would need to be closer to inspect. As she returned and read the coordinates off, she wondered if this jump would take them somewhere important.

 

In a way, it would be.

 

---

 

One spontaneous case of galactic speeding later, their next locale rotated in front of the ship.

 

It was so... bland. One big spinning brown dirtball with only a few caves and cliffs adorning it. It made its one noteworthy feature stand out all the more: some sort of pristine temple, situated at the top of the globe.

 

Well, at least Frazie had a good idea where to start searching if she needed to go beacon hunting again. And on that note... “Did we finally make it?” Frazie asked.

 

Some quick typing brought up rows and rows of data for Chloe to analyze, and the child studied them for quite awhile. “I’m... unsure. The signal here is strong, but I don’t know if it’s strong enough.I’m picking up lifeforms here, but I can’t send a message to them. You’ll need to go down and check for any signs of intelligence. One way or another, we’re close.”

 

If this wasn’t the right place, the next would be. That was reassuring at least. Nodding, Frazie twisted her helmet a bit, hoping it wasn’t ruining her hair too much. “Ready when you are, then. Just gimme a sec, all this teleporting’s starting to get a bit disorien-”

 

In a flash, her feet were on solid stone instead of steel. “Thanks,” she quipped to her radio.

 

“Sorry.”

 

Once she was ready, Frazie prepared to set off across the barren plains. There was only one thing here worth checking out, and she was determined to find it.

 

But before she could... she was surrounded.

 

Either she’d landed among them or they’d snuck up on her while she was still recovering, but she was waist deep in a small crowd of little creatures. She twisted back and forth, on the defensive. “Hey...! Back off! I can start fires with my mind and I’m not afraid to do it!”

 

She prepared some psi blasts for firing, only to dismiss them when she realized the creatures weren’t aggressive. If anything... they were curious. Small, square-faced aliens with thick brows and vacant stares, all dressed up in tattered rags. Like a buncha little cosmic cavemen.

 

Mumbling in incoherent grunts and gibberish, they poked and prodded at her, a couple batting her ponytail around while one picked up her foot and inspected the sole. “What are you... ahahahaaa!” A burst of laughter slipped out of her as a couple others nudged her ribs. “Stop it, that tickles!”

 

Some of the creatures imitated her, giggling and clapping in what she could only assume was approval. A strange bunch, but a harmless and inquisitive one.

 

That was worth a report to the captain. “There’s a buncha goofy little guys down here,” she filled her in over the radio. “Are these what you were looking for, Chloe? They seem pretty friendly to me. Not very bright, but friendly.”

 

After a moment, she got a response. “No. They’re friendly... but primitive. Too unintelligent to hope to glean anything from them. We’re not at Cygnus A yet. We need to keep going. Whatever’s trying to reach me is smart enough to broadcast its own signal... we just need to find them. We’re almost there. I can feel it.”

 

Welp. “Sorry guys, but I gotta go,” Frazie apologized as she tried to step over them. It took a bit of wobbling, but she finally hurdled over a couple. Instead of taking the hint, though, the crowd of Cro-Magnons huddled behind her, mumbling and following even as she tried to walk away.

 

It looked like she had an entourage now. At least they made the trek over this drab desert more interesting. Frazie couldn’t help but giggle as they waddled behind, occasionally playing with each other or trying to view her from another angle. She’d take this over the earlier scuffle, any day.

 

...And as if in retaliation, portals popped up in front of her. More Censors spilled out ahead and an Obsession suddenly sprouted up from the floor, snarling. They weren’t alone. A couple Regrets and Doubts poured in from above and below, filling the barren landscape with a violent mob in seconds.

 

She just had to open her big, fat mouth. The last planet’s merchant would be jealous.

 

Behind her, her followers screeched and squawked in panic, scrambling away from the intruders. But as scary as they were, it was Frazie they wanted. Determined to protect them nonetheless, Frazie swung a hand down, calling out to the defense force. “Come on! I’m not running away this time!”

 

Like it or not, the big guy had to go first. But if she was smart... she could multitask. As they rushed her, she flipped to the side, positioning a Censor between her and the Obsession. Before it could realize her plan, she lashed out, aiming for the big baddie and hitting its grunt in the crossfire. She kicked the little gremlin like a football, cracking the alien’s glass when their helmets collided.

 

Rinse and repeat. Her newest foe might draw her attacks, but it couldn’t stop her from hitting anything between them. Alternating between psi blasts and psychic strikes, she wiped out the Censors, their cries vanishing with them into thin air as she chipped away at the Obsession in the process. She flipped again, ready to finish them off...

 

...Only to get stuck fast. Underfoot, purple sludge held her fast as an orange face leered up at her. “Eck!” Strings of gunk clung to the bottoms of her shoes as she strained to step off.

 

She couldn’t do it fast enough. Frazie only had enough time to make out the shrill whistle of something falling overhead before a hefty weight smashed down on her helmet.

 

Her glass cracked, she heard a sharp staticky noise, and the Regret that’d pegged her buzzed away to reload. While her vision was splintered by the split in her visor, she was thankfully (mostly) unharmed. Her headgear had absorbed the majority of the blow.

 

Still, she had to get out of there before things got worse. The Obsession was approaching, the Regrets were swarming, and the Doubts were slowly preparing to lunge. Frazie strained and strained, trying to burn away the puddle beneath her while she did. At the last second, she felt her legs pull free as she propelled herself high into the sky.

 

Low gravity carried her up and the Regrets gave chase, the only creatures capable of aerial pursuit. They buzzed and squeaked below her... and below her was right where she wanted them. Pouring all her energy into her foot, she pushed herself back down with one powerful psychic stomp.

 

Squashing the Regrets like the bugs they were, she rocketed downwards, smashing clear through the Obsession’s fractured helmet and crushing it into oblivion. With a little pyrokinetic clean-up, the remaining Doubts were a cinch to deal with.

 

Chest rising and falling from the exertion, Frazie took a second to make sure the coast was clear. Already, her primitive pals were poking their heads out from behind rocks and from inside holes, looking relieved she was alright.

 

If only she could see them properly. Her cap had been thoroughly wrecked in the fight, and it wasn’t going to suffice anymore. Frazie tugged her helmet off, her long suppressed hair springing back into place.

 

Like she’d predicted, she didn’t immediately die a horrible death (thankfully), instead taking a deep breath of fresh air. Peering through the cracked glass, she spotted the little radio inside with its wires knocked loose. Broken beyond repair.

 

“...Ah, dang it.” How was she going to get in touch with Chloe now? She supposed she could use her smelling salts to hop out of the mind and back in, returning to the ship.

 

But before she could so much as reach for the capsule, the speaker crackled to life... inside her head.

 

“Frazie, come in.” Surprised, Frazie let the helmet slowly float to the ground as Chloe’s concerned voice tickled her brain. “I heard sounds of conflict. Is everything alright?”

 

Was she alright? Yeah. But whatever was happening right now clearly wasn’t normal. “Uh... Chloe?” Frazie spoke aloud, not sure if she’d get a response. “How are you talking to me?”

 

“Through the radio. How else? ...Did you hit your head?”

 

Yes, but not in the way Chloe thought. As her alien buddies gathered around her again, Frazie shook her head, scooping up her broken helmet to hold onto for now. “No, no, I’m... I’m fine. Forget it. Just ran into a bit of trouble.”

 

Something was off, and she wasn’t sure if it was wise to let Chloe know or not. For now, she’d keep this little revelation to herself. “Roger,” Chloe replied. “I assume you took care of it. Any news on finding the beacon?”

 

Frazie glanced up into the sky, where Chloe’s ship hovered far, far, faaaaar away. “...Nothing to report yet,” she lied. “I’ll let you know when I see something.”

 

Her head went quiet, and she prepared to set out again. No sooner than she’d taken a few steps, a bright glow lit up the horizon. “What the...” She stopped in her tracks, but the light kept coming, and soon, she could make out a silhouette amidst it all. Whatever it was, her cave crew wasn’t afraid of it like they were the mental defenses... instead, they ooo’d and aaa’d and even started to run towards it.

 

The light died down a bit, but it still hung over the figure like a shroud. It was humanoid, but not fully. Very tall, dressed in a flowing robe, hairless, feminine, a bright beacon of calming light amidst an otherwise empty rock. Frazie was still uneased, but lightened up a bit when the creature spoke in a soothing voice. “Ah... so you’re the one who protected my children. Thank you, kind stranger.”

 

A couple cavepeople nudged Frazie forward, and she let them, no longer worried as she looked up into the figure’s warm gaze. “I, ah... I guess I did,” she murmured sheepishly, rubbing her neck. “If I can ask, though... who are you?” Or what?

 

The figure bowed down to her level, eye to eye. “You may call me the Matron. It would honor me if I could call you our guest. Come... I would like to give you something for your assistance.”

 

Maybe it was because Frazie had a hunch it’d get her what she needed, maybe it was because the Matron was just so warm and welcoming, but declining the offer didn’t even pop into her head. The Matron offered her a hand, and she took it. “Alright, lead the way.”

 

It felt strange, being guided by the hand by an alien creature, but the aura she put off just made it feel right. It reminded her of all the times her own mother would hold onto her while she taught her to cartwheel when she was young. All the little cavelings hopped and squabbled around the Matron as they walked, some clinging to her robe affectionately.

 

Before long, a large bright spot appeared on the horizon. The temple she’d spotted, finally up close, its golden rooftop pointing up into space in a few spots. Its walls were pure white - Frazie ran her fingers over them as they stepped inside, finding a smooth material unlike any she’d ever felt before.

 

The inside was equally bright, with a few beds and rugs scattered about amidst the white background. As soon as they were inside, the little Neanderthals promptly scattered, some playing, others hopping into bed and bouncing around, all whilst the Matron let Frazie’s hand go and guided her to the back of the building.

 

“Ah... here it is.” The alien stopped before a splash of green amidst the white, an upside-down memory vault dozing comfortably. “This is our sacred treasure. I offer it to you... may it guide you on your journey.”

 

Frazie glanced up at her, an unsaid ‘are you sure?’ in her eyes. The Matron nodded, and she took a breath, quickly knocking the safe open with a quick slap. Inside, she found two things: another beacon, staring out at her from its dark confines.

 

And as usual... snippets of the past.

 

 

---

A Visitor From Beyond

 

“Zkkkt... num... five... din... hrrrrrt... fries... brrrrrr...”

 

Chloe shut her eyes even tighter, concentrating with all she had. Ever since she could remember, these snippets of distant conversation would pop into her head at any given moment. At first, it was scary... but the more it happened, the more it felt like something was trying to reach her. Something far away, something intangible, something speaking words she could only sometimes understand.

 

Aliens.

 

Now, whenever she picked up one of their messages, she dropped everything she was doing and focused, trying desperately to glean some meaning from the babble.

 

She just wished she had a less distracting environment.

 

Childish laughter broke through her thoughts, and she huffed in annoyance. A second later, she could feel a dull tapping as someone poked at her helmet. “Chlooooe? Are you asleep?”

 

Irritating earthlings. Chloe finally sighed and opened her eyes, turning her head to see a little boy grinning goofily at her through gap teeth. Just another of the many other children that lingered around here, though Chloe preferred to think of them as distractions.

 

“No,” Chloe griped, already feeling the voices slipping away. “I’m performing important research to try and form a connection with extraterrestrial life. What do you want?”

 

“Oh.” The boy clearly had no idea what she was saying. “Welllll, if you’re done with that, wanna come play with us?” He gestured to a bunch of other kids behind him, giggling and gearing up for what looked like some pillowfort building.

 

Play? There was no time to play. Even now, there was someone out there that wanted to reach her. To communicate. And right now, she was leaving them hanging. “No, thank you. I need to get back to work.”

 

He stuck out a tongue. “You sound like a grown-up. But alright!” He turned to go, waving farewell. “If you change your mind, you know where to find us!”

 

Finally. Peace at last. Chloe shut her eyes once more and concentrated with all her might, but the connection had slipped away into a dull, meaningless hum.

 

Damn it. She’d lost the trail again. Every day she could make out more, but she still hadn’t a clue what the aliens wanted to tell her. But she’d keep trying. One day, she’d decipher their ruminations. One day, she’d find a way to converse with them, to bridge the gap between man and spacekind.

 

But for now - she’d earned a break. Because at the moment, she was picking up a familiar, pleasant brainwave heading towards her from somewhere a couple blocks away. The only event almost as exciting as making extraterrestrial contact.

 

Ignoring the kids still preparing to play behind her, Chloe got up and jogged out of the room, passing several others just like it on her way through the hall and down the stairs. Her house was huge, but that was because it had to hold so many people.

 

Right as she made it outside, a car was pulling in, and she already knew who was driving it. As it parked, she ran to the driver side and stood on tiptoes to try and see through the window. “You’re back! What did you find?”

 

The door gently opened, and she stepped back to let the driver step out, a tall woman in a long dress that chuckled softly at the sight of her. “Easy now, my child... let me get out first. I swear, you’re somehow always the first out to greet me.”

 

That would be because Chloe had a little psychic advantage - and because she was the only person around here Chloe was actually eager to see. That, and Chloe knew she had some special info to share this time. “I’m sorry, it’s just... what did you find out? I need to know!”

 

The woman shut the door behind her and knelt down, placing a gentle hand atop Chloe’s helmet as she smiled down at her. “The counselors weren’t too eager to let a ‘civilian’ look around, but I let them know I wouldn’t let you come unless I was sure it’d be a safe and productive venture for you. I think the camp will be a good fit. It should be just the thing to help you hone your gift.”

 

Chloe bounced on her heels with glee. “So I can go?! Did they have an observatory?! Or at least a Zero G research facility?”

 

Laughing again, the woman shook her head. “Chloe, my dear, it’s a summer camp, not a space camp. Even if it is one for psychics. Now come...” She stood and offered Chloe a hand, which the kid eagerly took. “I need to get dinner started for all you little ones. We’ll talk more about it after. If everything goes well... I should be able to drive you out to camp next week.”

 

Chloe hadn’t felt this excited in ages. Sure, her alien outreach had failed, but with luck, Whispering Rock would be exactly what she needed to finally close the gap between them. She was one step closer to finding a place where she truly belonged.

 

Clinging to the woman’s hand, Chloe eagerly fired question after question at her as she guided them up the stairs back into the orphanage.

 

---

 

“...” Frazie shut her eyes, sitting in pure silence for a moment.

 

“Frazie, come in. Did you find anything? You’ve been quiet awhile.”

 

She’d almost forgotten Chloe amidst the new alien’s arrival and the new vault. “No! Nothing! Nothing at all!” she yelled, flinging the photos back into the vault.

 

A pause. “...You’re acting unusual. You didn’t happen to pick up any brain slugs on your head while you were out, did you?”

 

Frazie tilted her head. “No, no, I’m good. I got the beacon, I’ll be ready for pick-up in a minute.”

 

“Oh, that’s good. But seriously... check your scalp for anything green, clingy, and mentally draining.”

 

Yeah, Frazie was pretty sure she was okay. Instead, she gently shut the vault again, patting it apologetically, and stood to turn back to the Matron. “Thank you,” she said, tilting her head towards the beacon. “And, uh... I know you’re not real and all... but thanks for taking care of Chloe, too.”

 

The alien seemed perplexed, but no less friendly, finally just smiling and nodding serenly. “I do not follow... but you are most welcome. Tell this Chloe that she is always welcome to come visit my children and I any time she’d like.”

 

Frazie bit her lip, but finally nodded. “Yeah... IIIIII’ve gotta go. Thanks again.” She quickly threw her helmet on and turned to take her leave, only to almost trip on a couple more little cavemen clinging to her skirt. Offering them a sorry smile, she gently peeled them off and made for the door while a few chased after her, wanting to play. “Chloe!” she shouted out into the air.

 

And in a flash, she was gone.

 

---

 

Back on the ship, Chloe was quick to notice Frazie’s damage. “Your helmet! Shoot, why didn’t you tell me? I’ll get you a new one and-“

 

Frazie shook her head, turning her down. “It’s fine! We’re almost at the end anyway, right?” It wasn’t like she actually needed the radio in it or anything. It was useless. She was just going to take it off as soon as they landed again, anyway.

 

Chloe relented, and sent the satellite out for one last reconnaissance. Their next jump, and hopefully last, immediately grabbed her attention. Section BR1 Triple N Alpha. A big, stony brain, hovering in an empty void.

 

That just screamed important. Or maybe that was just Chloe screaming in delight beside her. “This is it, Frazie! The signal’s at its strongest point! The next jump has to be Cygnus A!”

 

Frazie put on a smile for her, but inside, she wondered if that was really the truth. Something strange was going on ever since her radio had broken. And this last planet might help her find out what.

 

A few moments later, Frazie was sent down to the planet, promptly yanking her helmet off and tossing it to the side to let it float away. “I can’t look, Frazie,” Chloe’s voice whispered in her ear from far above. “Tell me... what do you see? Big cities? Technological marvels? A welcoming party? Is there cake?”

 

None of the above. “I don’t really see much of anything,” Frazie answered, seeing nothing but rocky cracks in the ground.

 

“...That can’t be right. The signal is 100%, most definitely, coming from right here. Keep looking. There must be something.”

 

Frazie planned to do just that.

 

Hopping on her levitation ball, Frazie rolled across the surface, occasionally bumping along the veins in the ground. At long last, after some brief scouting, she finally found something.

 

A radio tower. Pointing high into the sky, its girders criss-crossed as they held up a massive radar dish. Just being near it made Frazie’s hair stand on end - the energy this thing was outputting was massive.

 

All the pieces were finally starting to come together. The fact Chloe could speak with her no matter the distance. Her ability to detect her matron coming from streets away. This structure casting incredibly strong waves out into the furthest cosmos. Chloe’s devotion to finding someone she’d always heard, but never seen.

 

Her telepathy was cranked to the max. And, odds were, stuck there as well.

 

This radio tower must’ve been a symbol for Chloe’s powers. So long as its output was full capacity, Chloe was picking up thoughts and feelings from incredible ranges. But as powerful as her ability was, there was no way she was getting messages from outer space. She must’ve been unintentionally reading minds from a mile around her and attributing them to aliens.

 

Frazie rolled closer to get a better look. At the base of the tower sat a lone lever, shoved waaaay up past all the labeling notches it had. Tentatively, she hopped off her ride and reached out to touch it.

 

“BACK AWAY FROM THE STRUCTURE. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DISABLE HER POWERS.”

 

She yelped as a loud robotic voice suddenly boomed out across the planet. Her head whipped back and forth - nothing there. “I’m not trying to disable it, I’m trying to help her!” Frazie protested to empty air. On edge now, determined to repair this and skedaddle, she grabbed the lever again and yanked.

 

It didn’t budge an inch. If she could just get it unstuck, Chloe should be able to turn her powers off if she wanted, finally getting a break from the voices. She kept trying, straining and straining...

 

Until the earth quaked beneath her.

 

“WARNING IGNORED. DEPLOYING DEFENSIVE UNIT: D3-F3ND3R.”

 

Frazie wobbled back and forth as the entire planet shook, and in front of the tower, a hole slid open. Everything went quiet, the globe stilled... and then a massive metallic claw shot towards the sky, careening back down to anchor itself with a boom.

 

Two more shot out, and whatever mechanical monstrosity they were attached to hoisted itself up out of the ground. Like a giant alien tripod, the three claws supported a big egg-shaped structure, the entire thing bigger than the radio tower itself. Its core turned to face her, a bright red eye glaring down at the frozen acrobat down below.

 

“TARGET LOCKED. EXTERMINATION IMMINENT.”

 

Frazie took a couple steps back, face falling. “Can’t I ever just help someone out without something giant wanting to kill me?!”