Prologue

Out in dark corners, in the vast oceans of space, there are planets that house oases. Planets that remind you of innocence. Planets so peaceful and serene, that you might travel there just for a single breath of its crisp, clean air, and find yourself so at peace that you never leave its warm and comforting embrace, instead, letting it hold you like a child as you sink into its never-ending comfort.

This story is not about one of those planets. This story is about the escape of a planet that is precisely none of the above. Or at least, that is how this story begins.

A motley assemblage of parts forming a spectacle of a ship quickly barrels its way from a dark planet into the unfamiliar starry depths, the furthest its crew had ever been from their homeland - Just now exiting the stratosphere for the very first time.

"We're almost there..." one of the members aboard murmured, as if afraid to be too hopeful.

"Don't get lost in that thick skull of yours, Mal," xhis lookalike barked from the ship's controls, clacking xher pincers together. "We're not out yet. Keep your focus and your guard up!"

'Mal' nodded, adjusting xhis grip on xhis weapon with carapaced fingers, and turning xhis focus back towards the rear window.

The third and final member gazed out and upward at sights revealing themselves beyond the scope of the windshield. Pinpricks of light, thousands of them, coming into view beyond the thick smog that had blanketed the skies its whole life. It leant up towards these beautiful lights, stretching its sluglike body upwards in a quiet reverence. Thinking of how it had never seen anything so brilliant, so promising.

"What if..." Mal's hesitant voice interrupted the brief silence. "It doesn't..."

"Don't even say it, Malachra." hissed the one at the control panel. "We can't allow ourselves to fail. You know what happens if we fail, and... its..."

"Its going to work," said the stargazer. The other two retracted their argument, mutually deciding they should believe the same as it.

The individual at the control panel flicks switches and pulls levers with a furious determination, making use of both xher sets of arms, both the piked and the opposable. But xhe pauses, one of xher hands resting upon one last button.

Xhe lifts her head to gaze at the other two. Waiting.

Malachra nods without another word, and so does the stargazer.

Before xhe makes the final push, xhe allows xher expression to relax a little, making one last declaration.

"I... love you guys."

The others hesitate before responding, but only briefly.

"You too, Biskos," says the stargazer.

Malachra simply nods, but even without words, it brings a smile to Biskos' face.

Feeling more sure of xherself, xhe pushes the button down.

The ship sputters. It rattles. It throws all three of them off balance, and they grab at nearby walls to try and steady themselves. Every single one of them feeling the same intense sting of terror wrack their abdomens.

And the next moment -

Tangible silence, and only a dark void where the ship once flew.