It was a long journey.Not only because of the great distance between the two systems,but because of our recent encounter.Maz's words played in my head. He will stop at nothing to get the orb, even if he has to destroy half the galaxy to do it.

"Sir?"I was jolted back to reality by a voice.I turned my head to see one of my officers talking."We've reached Mars,sir.Will be landing now."

I nodded.Getting up,I strode off towards the restroom.Cupping water in my hands,I splashed it to my face.

God,let me wake up from this nightmare.

I heard a soft thud as the ship landed.Wiping my face,I walked back and instructed my crew to get off the ship.As I reached for the oxygen mask to help me breathe in the Martian atmosphere,Glen approached me."Sir?"
"Yes?"
"The orb was in the vault when they caught us.But how was it that they couldn't find it?"
I managed a faint smile."I told Max to hide it somewhere they wouldn't find it. Let's go now."
As we departed,I heard Glen asking Max where he kept it.I suppressed a smile.
"Ew,man."Glen crunched his nose."And you couldn't find a more nastier place? I'm not touching that thing."
Instructing my crew to head to the main hall,I walked across the hangar.Reaching the turbolift,I went down to the lowest,and most secure floors,where the superiors stayed.

Exiting the lift,I made my way to the office."Sir,if I may?"
"Come in, Captain Fleming. I'm glad you and your crew made it out."
I stood dumbfounded.Vice-Admiral Runcan?How was he alive?

As if reading my thoughts,he said"My and several of the other officers could make it out before they destroyed us."

Stupid me.I nodded."The mission didn't go well either,sir."
He shook his head."I've bigger things to deal with now."Motioning to the various papers on his table,he continued."This sudden attack by the Klingons is unexpected.They broke the peace treaty we had with them.This one incident has set a lot of wheels rolling."
I thought for a while."But sir,why should they?"
"I suspect you already know the answer."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Do you still have the orb I gave you?"
I slipped my hand into my jacket pocket and brought it out.I had remembered to wipe it very thoroughly after getting it from Max.

"We can't let that fall into their hands.Right now,I need you to take it somewhere else.But later."
I looked at him with questioning eyes.He sighed and sat down."What I'd like to know is that how they managed to breach our defenses in such a short.."
"Maz Wabrey,sir."
His eyes shot up to meet mine."What?"
"Maz betrayed us,sir.I met him on the Klingon warship that intercepted us.He sold us out."

The Vice-Admiral clenched his fists."If I could get my hands on him...."he relaxed."I'm due for a meeting soon.If the enemy has infiltrated us.."
"Enemy, sir?Not just Klingons?"

He gave a grim smile."It wasn't only Yorktown which was destroyed, Captain. Simultaneously, all of our western contacts have been eliminated by the Garoglanthians and the Redwoods."

I stood frozen.Maz's words played in my head."Since now,we all STRIKE BACK!!"

"So we can't keep the orb in Nova territory."The Vice-Admiral's voice jerked me back to reality."There is no way to know how much they have infiltrated us.We are already at the backfoot.I need you to take the orb to Jeddah."

My throat became dry."Jeddah?But sir.."

"I'm aware of the fact that it is a planet out of our system and is controlled by an enemy federation.Nevertheless,that is the only hope."He shook his head sadly.

I slowly nodded.I was disliking this mission with every minute.But I knew I had no choice.

"It will be done,sir."I walked towards the door.
"Captain."I stopped."As soon as you keep the orb safe,I need you to return.We are going to need everything we have got if we have to survive."
I nodded.

It didn't take me long to gather my crew and depart.As the Jackal left the Martian atmosphere,I couldn't help but feel that our luck was leaving us too.

Maz was right. A war has started,and its end was far and bleak.

Sooo..... I'm back,with a fresh chapter of "Galaxias".This chapter may seem a little too much of conversation,but I felt it necessary to portray the circumstances in the universe.Promising on more chapters and more action.
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