"You two sure fucked it up!" Elsa chuckled, her mask falling to the ground, "It's harder to keep things undercover here when you're in Caera, especially with you two being here.......my god.......you finally stopped dying your hair."

Issac wrapped his friend into a short hug. It had been too long since he'd seen her, years had past and he'd definitely aged. Obviously, she didn't due to her looking like a teen for most of his life.

They pulled apart after a few seconds, Elsa exchanged him a smile. One that was laced with fake annoyance, but happiness shone. Truly, she was the same as he had remembered her. 

She'd pointed out the fact that years ago Brystal used to dye her hair. It was only green or blue before she decided her hair was fine just the way it had been. That had been a long time ago when she was still unsure about what she wanted to do.

But now......she was seeing Elsa for the first time in years once again. She looked the same as she did when she'd left Starfleet. Of course, that was because of the non-aging serum that Arik had given her friend centuries ago.

"Thanks for noticing," Brystal smiled, "You look the same though."

"Kind of part of the not being able to die and stay young forever!" Elsa reminded her teasingly, looking to Issac, "You kept the beard? Wow! You really do have the bad boy assassin complex."

Zach was helped up by Brystal, huffing in panic, "That was not even possible! How did I not die from falling from that height?!? Or even broke a bone?!?"

"Oh......yeah," Elsa remembered there was a kid there, "Cute kid."

"She may have tampered with the landing," Issac told him, Zach's eyes widened.

"You're Elsa Engstorm!"

"In the flesh," Elsa smiled, opening up her arms like a greeting.

Zach looked as if he were about to pass out from the shock, but Brystal kept him steady. Her hands firmly on one of his shoulders to keep him from falling down. The poor kid acted like he'd just seen a ghost.

His words came out into mumbles instead to himself. Almost as if he was trying to calculate and put puzzle pieces together before his eyes. Scrunching up the news that had just hit him in those few seconds.

"I'm guessing you two were looking for the Abronath? Like I was?" Elsa asked.

"Yes," Issac answered.

"And we should've known Arik wouldn't give it up so easily," Brystal added, "We almost let him get to our heads."

"That's his talent. I'm just glad I got here in time," Elsa commented, "Before you guys ended up in deeper shit. You were all looking in the wrong place to begin with."

"Yeah, we kind of guessed that," Issac huffed out, seeing Elsa start to make her way across the metal ramp in fine of them to hard steady ground instead.

He felt giddy.

No maybe just happy.

He was seeing one of his friends again. It took so much energy and containing out of him to just blabber away and ask her dozens of questions. Wondering what she'd been doing over the years since she left. 

But his mind also wandered back to their conversation with Arik. Going over every word he'd said that ended up true. That he did have a chance to reverse time, but didn't take it.........or how he should be angry at George Kirk's son.

"Especially with that stupid dinner," Brystal added, "I couldn't take another minute in there!"

"Trust me! I know exactly how you feel!" Elsa responded, "Dining with him is like dining with your worst nightmare! Oh! Wait, he is my worst nightmare."

The two had to hold back a chuckle. Knowing when Elsa hated someone, they'd probably be the first on her list of people she wanted to kill. Which there were probably many of people on that list of hers.

Her left hand's finger curled into a ball. Igniting a brilliant flame, shining a light all around the four. The dark room looking much less unknown than it had been before.

But they saw one thing that was the same form earlier.

There was a huge deep cavern below, light beaming down. Heat waving onto their faces, the sounds of machinery more evident now. Confusion finally settled in, realizing there wasn't a normal thing.

"What's that at the bottom?" Brystal asked, sending Els to turn back to them.

"It's the planets core," Zach answered, quickly, "A star."

"A planets core can't be a star," Issac stated before he fell silently, "Wait...... this planet.....it's always been......"

"A machine," Elsa answered, "You could say this was one of best things he designed. But the only worry would be when that star implodes. It could implode in a few hundred years.......or less."

"When did you find that out?" Brystal questioned.

"Years ago, but that was because I started to devise a plan that could maybe stop Arik one day. It's still kind of in the works," Elsa answered in a small guilty tone.

"Well, you may have to spill it to wherever they come from!" Zach added, pointing at Issac and Brystal.

"You mean Starfleet?"

"STARFLEET? ..........that actually makes sense," Zach shouted before it turned calmer and filled with the answer he was looking for. 

"Arik knows you all are here," Barrett told the three after they recovered from the loud shrieking in their earpieces, "However he did, he's going to come looking for you and you're going to need my help."

Grace was quick with thinking his plan through. She saw no signs of a betrayal ahead instead in his eyes she a parent, who was worried sick. He was worried about the kids safety downstairs more than his own life.

She'd judged him too quickly when he read reports about him. Reminding herself that not all of Arik's followers were so faithful. Not all of them stayed, some left him to get a better life far away from the life he'd made them.

"Where are you planning on going?" Grace asked.

"There's floor 27. It's where I can get you all out of here. It's a transporter room area and a security room," Barrett explained, "But you can't get up there without me."

"Brystal and Issac already blew their cover!" Callum exclaimed, picking up the datapads from the floor, holding up Barrett's datapad, "We don't need him."

"We have every single passcode built in there," Olivia added.

"But what if there's a facial identify?" Jim instead sided with Grace this time, who took a moment to realize he actually was choosing to try an trust Barrett.

A boulder of weight seeming to final settled on her.

It was her choice now.

Her worries were now set on the whereabouts of their teammates. The radio earpiece silence seemed to have been the reason they were found. Using them would just signal a bunch of Arik's soldiers.

Cautiously, she went behind the pole, fingers sticking into the rope knots. Untying the rope that had been tightly wrapped around Barrett's hands. Once the loops of the ears of the knots fell, Barrett released himself from his restraint.

Though. she reminded herself to take the precautions to not letting him in a loose chain. She wasn't stupid to think he'd do everything she said. This time she'd have to be the intimidating one, something she incredibly had no experience on being one.

As he gently felt around his right wrist that had received rope marks, Grace quickly withdrew her phaser to point at him, "No funny business or tricks. Get us up there."

The doors of the room parted at the sound of footsteps from outside. Sending two guards guarding around a pedestal turn immediately. They were met by a group of four, fire brimming and crackling in one's hand.

The other two taller figure held up their phasers, having acted like they waited for hours. Prepared for the guards strike or swing at them. 

"Hi!" Elsa smiled, menacingly before the guards rushed at her. 

Without hesitation, she waved her hand down onto the ground. Fire sparking out and spiraling up the guards. Tumbling down to the floor not too long after Elsa's simple action, one that sent her opponents to a simple death.

"Damn, and you'd think after all theses years that Arik should've fireproofed his guard in case I stopped by," Elsa commented.

"I'm just glad nobody attacked me," Zach spoke up from hiding behind the door as they stepped across the threshold.

Zach's words hit like a cold dagger against Elsa's skin. His fear matching the same she felt years and years ago when she served Arik, but was more of tortured to do his bidding. She was afraid then what he'd do to her if she failed.

Now, knowing for a few years he'd been experimenting on children, who were born form Hybrids and Recreations. Maybe even children left for dead were given to his will for experiments and projects. He somehow always got what he wanted.

It was never fair.

His terrors and torture should've ended years ago. Starfleet should've done more to stop him, but he always disappeared off the radar. Traveling to Caera would be a death wish to some if they coming to kill Arik.

"Where's a damn light switch?" Issac cursed under his breath as he searched the walls for a switch to flick.

Elsa huffed out a breath, shining a flame a fire formed from her palm onto the walls. Issac's eyes seemed to shoot a thank you towards Elsa. Finally, finding a dark black switch in the dark of the room.

The room's lights above them flickered to life. A low indigo blue glowed around them, showing off a display pedestal. Showcasing an oddly shaped metal............the Abronath.

"Holdup," Brystal immediately ordered the two before they took a step forward. She tore a piece from the hem of her skirt that had been hanging by a thread. It looked worse than it had originally looked as to look like a regular party goer.

Throwing it onto the ground. Right before their eyes as soon as it floated down towards the ground, red lights shot out. The smell of burning fabric as the last bits of the torn piece of dress lay on the cold floor.

Issac held back a smile, "Seems you picked up on some good skills  back when you were training."

"Learned from the best."

Elsa huffed annoyance, "We can thank each other later when we get what we're looking for."

Zach stood back watching everything they did, finding himself actually impressed. Having lived most of his life buried in solving equations and shots being pressed into the temple of his brain. An enhanced brain for a six year old.

But in truth, he'd been looking for a way out of his daily routine of serving Arik. Big man or just Barrett had been one of the few who actually cared about that fact. Considering every chance he got on getting everybody out of Arik's reach.

He wanted to be free.

Elsa extended her hand outward, "I'm going to need you all to stand back."

"You sure? I mean you could pass out-" Issac's questioning was shot down.

"Issac.........you know that after those years, I kind of became a bigger deal and able to catch myself," Elsa smirked, confidently.

She turned back towards the array of lasers surrounding the room now before them. The strip of floor left for theme to stand was enough for all four, but she decided not to stall. Every second ticked by faster and faster.

Fire swarmed around her hand like a tornado before it sputtered outward at the lasers. Static and sparking shot out everywhere. A path carved, glitching in and out towards the pedestal of Abronath.

Brystal didn't have a second thought as she rushed in. Careful not to slip or even go too close the lasers that barely touched her skin. Looking down at the Abronath, gently unhinging it from its confinements.

Cold metal hitting against her warm hand, making her quickly dash back towards them. Her eyes cat aching a glimpse of Elsa's hair slightly floating off her chest. No signs of exhaustion even hinted on her face.

Her hand fell back to her sides as soon as Issac caught Brystal's hand and pulled her back over to their side. The lasers glitched away from the pressure. The pedestal was now completely empty......but the sound of voices under them.

"Wait........." Zach muttered, looking down at the floor, "That's where we are.....that means.......wait!"

It caught everyone's attention.

"Something wrong, Zach?" Brystal asked.

"Project Z........this is the room we hear the screams come from. Listen! Or be quiet!" 

Silence from everyone crept in, but that's when a different sound pierced the air. Footsteps scattering and the sound of young voices below them. Elsa wa style first to speak, her voice coming out with a slight inch of surprise, but hope.

"Of course! That's where the bastard would hide them.........wait........there's more of your group, right?" Elsa looked over at her two old friends.

"Sir, we will need an ID scan," A young guard told Barrett, gesturing towards Jim, Olivia, Grace, and Callum behind him. Having followed the secret keeper up to the 27th on the elevator. Every part he'd planned out had seemed okay until now.

They'd gotten to the floor of the security room only to see it was blockaded with guards. There was not even a tunnel or some sort of secret passage. It was a covered path of guards surrounding the area.

Barrett huffed, knowing his plan was on the line. This could turn into a brawl if he didn't think smart to draw the young guard away from his duty. To allow entrance into the security room that overlooked the gambling and dance floor area.

Levels of precaution had been taking years ago to prevent the busy building from erupting into chao. Though, he grew irritated with how much security in upper floors. This pace was supposed to make things not look entirely suspicious.u

"They don't need it they are with me," Barrett persisted.

The guard looked his superior straight in the eyes, "Sir, you know as well as I do that without authorized identities, they can not enter the room-"

"Look!" Barrett inched closer, his voice coming out in a boom as the young guard flinched at the change in tone, "I'm not gonna ask twice form you. These four are with me and have been for weeks! Arik hasn't printed out the ID's yet. So! Now if you don't move, you're not going to end up too far from what happened to the last few who trespassed me."

The young guard gulped down hard his fear. His fingers trembling against the datapad ever so slightly at Barrett's threat. A few seconds later, he handed him back the datapad,  opposing himself back to look calmer.

Opening the door to the room by pressing a button behind him, "You all are good to go."

The four were left slightly confused at the sudden change in the guard. Having thought this would take longer than anticipated. But Barrett had found a way to scare the guard into letting them into the room.

As they entered, finding themselves in a room filled with screens and keyboards. Old-fashioned, but knowing Arik's history, he was all about the old-fashioned earth ways.

"How exactly did you get him to back down?" Jim questioned.

"Let's just say that years ago, I kind of went on a small rampage and demolished a few guards when I first met Arik," Barrett rushed a bit, but the last part came out very clear to everyone.

This man was not afraid to kill anybody.

Callum slightly clutched her phaser harder, in a silent way of calming himself down. That sense of panic had caught in his lungs, but quickly died down. He hated it so much when it felt like a sudden panic attack would hit him.

"You know how to work these?" Jim found some words as he looked over at Grace.

"I was taught very little how to by Ms. Merlin-Sanchez, but I think I can," Grace informed him.

"Look for two people......where ever the hell those two are!" Olivia tried, but exclaimed in a slight irritation.

Quickly, she tapped her fingers across the keyboard, clicking sounding off. Images of dancing or quietly guarded rooms appeared on screen. But the room that Issac and Brystal were supposed to be in was instead laid with the bodies of the guards that tried to stop them.

No trace or sign of them from any angle. Images of others came on screen, but no traces of a tall and raven black haired, Issac and a dark brown haired, Brystal. Something definitely felt off in those screens.

The others looked on screens that spread throughout the room. Searching for even a trace to where their friends could be. But one thing caught Olivia's eye at a camera she found herself watching. 

Guards were coming up elevators to find them.

This was not good. So much for being somewhat stealthy.

"Um........guys?" Callum called to them, causing Olivia to turn around to the camera above him and below him.

There was a series of two giant holes blasted through the ground, large enough for someone to escape. But who would've been able to make the same hole on even the floor above. Even, she looked to her side, seeing that some rooms had this as well.

"We are going to have company," Barrett muttered, seeing the guards filing up the miles across the hall.

Grace took glimpses at all the screens. The same hole in every room......most of them at least was there. It was going up and up.

And before they could do anything, the sound of the metal floor around the breaking. A large hole now filled the middle of the room. Instead of some unnatural horror, they came face to face with two familiar and two unfamiliar faces.

Issac and Brystal looked as if they'd been through hell. But for some reason there was a little kid looking like he'd seen some horrors. While the other woman, now it was obvious to them all who was with them.

"You!" Jim pointed at the red haired woman, having recognized.