Vortex war of nine skies

Chapter 1 - Checkmate

The Arclight moved silently through the darkness of space. Beyond the wide windows of the main hall, countless stars stretched across the black sky, slowly disappearing behind the ship.

The hall was quiet. Some of the crew were talking among themselves, while at one of the tables, Caden Ray sat across from Shin with a chessboard between them.

Shin studied the board for several seconds before finally moving one of his pieces.

"I heard you're very smart and brave," he said.

Caden glanced at him. "You heard a lot about me."

"I did."

"And you still agreed to play chess with me?"

A faint smile appeared on Shin's face. "Chess has nothing to do with bravery."

"Then what does it have to do with?"

"Thinking."

Caden leaned closer to the board. "Then you should know who you're playing against."

"That is exactly why I'm playing."

For a moment, the only sound between them was the quiet movement of the chess pieces.

Caden had heard plenty about Shin before they ever met. He was a prisoner who had escaped from an unknown facility and somehow managed to avoid the police long enough to disappear. Even after he was captured, he remained unusually calm.

There was something about him that Caden couldn't understand.

"I've read your police report," Caden said.

Shin's hand stopped above the board.

"Have you?"

"You escaped from a facility. The police searched for you, but they couldn't find you for a long time."

"That is what the report says."

Caden noticed the way Shin said it.

"You don't agree with it?"

"The report doesn't contain everything."

"What was left out?"

Shin moved another piece. "Some things were never meant to be written down."

Caden's attention shifted from the board to Shin.

"You mean the facility?"

Shin remained silent.

"What kind of place was it?"

"You don't need to know."

"I'm the captain of this ship. I'd say I have a reason to ask."

Shin finally met his eyes.

"Maybe you do."

Caden gave a small smile and returned his attention to the game.

"You never told me where you came from."

"I came from somewhere."

"That isn't an answer."

"It wasn't supposed to be."

Caden shook his head. "You're difficult."

"I've been told that before."

The game continued.

Caden moved his queen into position, confident that he had finally cornered Shin.

"You're trapped."

Shin took his time before responding. He examined the board one last time, then looked up.

"You are smart, Caden."

Caden waited.

"But you're low on luck."

Shin moved a piece.

"Checkmate."

Caden froze.

He looked over the board again. The move had been so simple that he had completely missed it.

Before he could respond, the lights in the hall suddenly turned red.

A loud alarm filled the ship.

WARNING. FUEL LEVEL CRITICAL.

The conversations stopped immediately.

Caden pushed his chair back and stood.

"What happened?"

The warning repeated.

WARNING. FUEL LEVEL CRITICAL.

One of the crew members hurried to the control panel and began checking the ship's systems.

"That can't be right."

"How much fuel do we have?" Caden asked.

"Almost none."

Caden frowned. "Check it again."

"I already did."

The ship suddenly shook.

People grabbed the nearest tables and walls as the floor moved beneath them.

"What was that?" someone shouted.

The crew member stared at the controls.

"I don't understand. The fuel is gone."

"Gone?"

"It was there before."

Caden stepped toward the controls. "Run a complete system check."

The warning changed.

WARNING. FUEL MISSING.

Another violent tremor ran through the Arclight.

The lights flickered.

Outside the windows, the stars began shifting rapidly.

"We're losing altitude!" someone shouted.

"Can you regain control?"

"I'm trying!"

The ship tilted harder.

Caden grabbed the edge of the nearest table while the crew struggled to stabilize the controls. Objects slid across the floor and crashed into the walls.

Then Caden noticed Shin.

Unlike everyone else, Shin wasn't shouting or trying to reach the controls. He stood beside the chessboard, watching the chaos with the same calm expression he had worn throughout the game.

"Shin!"

Shin looked toward him.

The Arclight shook again.

A deep metallic groan travelled through the ship.

Caden turned toward the windows.

His expression changed.

A planet filled the view ahead.

The Arclight was falling directly toward it.

"Everyone, brace yourselves!"

The ship entered the atmosphere.

Fire spread across the windows as the hull began to shake violently. The alarm became almost impossible to hear over the sound of tearing metal.

Caden was thrown from his feet.

The last thing he saw was the burning surface of the planet rushing toward them.

Then everything went black.