Chapter II

The cold tendrils of nothingness loosed their biting grip upon the vessel with fierce reluctance.  Cascades of neutral energy grated across its hull as the ship pulled into the nebulous clouds of thought and dream.  It picked up speed, charging through the mire of myth and legend, thrusting with wild abandon in its final burn towards the obsidian shoals of reality.  Screaming past the point of no return, it erupted through the veil, leaving a scorched trail of anti-matter tumbling in its wake.

The ship changed during the journey, its skin morphing into a coarse and blackened metallic husk, while sweeping fins and sharply curved wings blossomed from its flanks.  As always, it restructured itself for the optimal configuration of this reality, a universe it had never visited before.   

The view from the bridge stirred Cozy’s soul.  The coronas of energy and storms of rupturing matter lashing the viewport had felt like a baptism, their unbridled ferocity breathing fresh life into him.  In his early days here, when he’d had fewer responsibilities and craved nothing more than to renew his purpose in life, tripping the veil had always given him this rush, this surge of vitality.  In recent years that thrill had dissipated. For the first time in a long time he’d taken the time to appreciate it, and felt shadows of that old surge again.  

Missions had been coming in fast and furious lately and this small dose of rejuvenation did him good.  Breathing deeply in the afterglow, he allowed himself a moment of serenity before turning to his crew and considering the mission at hand.  He stretched, breathing the cool air of the bridge deeply, balling his hands into fists while arching his back with a long exhale. Before him lay their destination: a glowing sapphire sphere turning silently while basking in the heat and light of its yellow sun.

His quarry would be there, and he’d ensure that he and his crew were ready.  On the surface, the operation seemed simple enough, but sometimes potential consequences didn’t reveal themselves until you were evaluating all contingencies on site.  And the fact that they had gotten such an unusual amount of lead time on this one had been eating away at the back of his mind. Premeditation was the only logical possibility, but with the nature of their secret sciences, Cozy knew that was nearly impossible.  That quandary would have to wait until later since no other explanation fit the facts. That meant today’s action would likely be only the first step on a very long road.