“Safer? May I remind you who won the war?”

“That was only because Palpatine was an idiot and overconfident in himself. If he would have been at least a little smarter, the Rebels would have been wiped out at Endor.”

“Well, lets not drag up a bunch of old hostilities. Do you think we'll find anything out there in another Galaxy?”

“I don't see why not. There are thousands of different species in this Galaxy. Why not another?”

The rest of the week zipped by. All in all there were around 25,000 randomly determined people who would be going on this mission. Balto and Jenna had convinced Boris, Muk, and Luk to come with them. They were assigned to the Nebulan-B frigate 'Nome'. Jenna was very happy because she was allowed to dock the 'Anchorage' to the docking clamp on the 'Nome' and was thus allowed to take the ship with her in a way.

Finally came launch day. “You ready?” Balto asked Jenna.

“Yeah. I'm ready for adventure!”

The fleet took off from the spacedock and within minutes activated their hyperdrive and went streaking toward the Sorsus Galaxy.

“This trip is SO BORING!” complained Jenna.

They had been traveling for almost three weeks and they were ALMOST half way there. So far nothing had happened.

“Well, going on this trip was your idea don't forget.”

Jenna glared at Balto.

“But I agree with you” said Balto. “It IS boring. Is there anything you want to do?”

“Like what Balto? We've already read all the books we brought along.”

“True.”

They stood at a viewport staring out into space. Boris walked up and asked “So what are you two doing?”

Balto looked over at Boris and said “Nothing. We're just staring in space. Literally.”

“Me, Muk, and Luk are getting a sabacc game together if you want to join.”

“Want to?”

Jenna thought about it for a second and said “Sure.”

They started following Boris when Balto turned back to the viewport.

“Hey, boychick. What's the hold up?”

“Guys, come here for a second.”

Jenna and Boris walked up. “What is it Balto?”

“Right there, over to the left a little. Do you see that?”

“See what?”

“It looks a little like an asteroid. Or, a gray blob.”

“Oh, I see it. Yeah I think it's just an asteroid.”

Boris asked “Which direction is it heading?”

“I can't tell. I think I'm going to go up to the bridge for just a second to see if they have it on the sensors. You can go ahead and play sabacc if you want. I should just be a few minutes.”

“Okay. Playing sabacc sounds like more fun than looking at an asteroid. Come on Boris.”

Balto watched them go for a second then turned and made his way to the bridge.

Jenna looked at her cards and then looked around the table. She was playing against Boris, Muk, Luk, a husky named Kaltag, and his two buddies Star and Nikki. This was the second hand and Jenna was starting to get bored already. Boris was too readable, Muk and Luk just argued with each other and barely played, Star and Nikki were the same. Only they didn't play. They just argued. And finally, Jenna was pretty sure Kaltag had joined the game because she was playing. 'Sometimes I really hate being pretty.'

Balto arrived at the bridge and walked up to the Captain of the ship. “Excuse me sir but, did you pick up an asteroid on your sensors about 5 minutes ago?”

“No we didn't. And how did you get on the bridge? Only officers are allowed up here.”

“Oh, I'm sorry. The doors were open so to speak and so I just walked in.”

“Hm. Well, you aren't supposed to be here so I must ask you to leave.”

“Yes sir. But I would suggest looking for that thing.”

“Why? Why should we be interested in an asteroid?”

“Well we are outside of our own Galaxy now. We don't know what might be out there.”

“Right. Now, would you please....”

“Sir” said one of the officers. A Sargent it looked like. “We are picking up something on the sensors. It has propulsion.”

“It's moving on it's own power?”

“Yes sir. It is a vessel of some kind. Neither we, nor the Imperials can recognize it.”

The Captain turned and looked at Balto. “What is your name?”

“Balto.”

“Do you have a ship that you brought along?”

“Yes. It's a Corellian Engineering YT-2400 freighter. Like what Dash Rendar had. It also has dual laser cannons on the top and bottom of the ship so we are capable of defending ourselves if nessicery.”

“Are you it's Captain?”

“No, my wife Jenna is.”

“Alright. How would you like to take a group of people out there to that thing?”

“I would be more than happy.”

“Good. By the power invested in me, as commander of this ship, I am making you and your wife lieutenants in the New Republic and making you commander of this flight.”

“We will leave immediately.”

“Good. I'm glad that the doors were open.”

Balto ran as fast as he could down to the bar where Jenna and Boris were playing sabacc.

“Say do you think I could take you out to dinner tonight?”

Jenna thought about rolling her eyes but didn't. She was getting very tired of Kaltag right now. She looked past him toward the entrance of the bar. She smiled when she saw Balto coming. “Oh, sorry Kaltag, but I'm afraid I can't.”

“Why not doll?”

She thought about hitting him right then. “Because my husband is coming.”

Kaltag turned around and saw Balto walking up. “Well you could have told me you were married sooner.”

“Nah. It's more fun this way.”

Balto walked up to Jenna and said “We need to go.”

This got Jenna by surprise. “Go? Go where?”

“The sensors picked up a vessel moving under it's own power. I was up in the bridge when they detected it. Since I was there already, the Captain chose us to go investigate it.”

“Balto, only people in the military are allowed to do stuff like that.”

“Look at this” Balto said showing her the badges of rank that he received. “We are now considered lieutenants in the army of the New Republic. But, we need to go now. That thing is moving fast.”

“Well let's go.”

They arrived at the docking port and met the people they would be transporting with them. Scientists and various diplomats and linguists. Jenna quickly got the engines warmed up and detached from the docking port. They followed the signal of the alien vessel for several minutes before finding the ship. At least they thought it was a ship. It looked more like a hunk of rock with black stripes. The thing was quite large. Almost the same size as an Imperial Star Destroyer. They cruised around the ship for a little bit, looking for a docking port.

“Hey Jenna, look down there along the side of the ship. It looks like red and blue, tentacles or something. I wonder what those are for.”

“If you ask me, this thing looks like it's alive. It's giving me the chills.”

“Turn on the transmitter and send a greeting in every language we know.”

“Alright.”

She hit the send button, and waited.

And waited...

And waited...

Finally Balto sighed and said “Either they can't answer us, they don't want to answer us, or they have no idea what it was we just said.”

“What do you expect? If there is sentient life in that thing they are probably a little nervous of us.”

“Ha! They have a ship the size of an Imperial Star Destroyer and we have a ship the size of a Star Destroyers cannon. What is there to be nervous of?”

“The unknown.”

“Deep.”

The passengers in the back were getting cranky.

“Come on! Is anything happening?”

“We should just go in!” shouted one of the Senators.

“No!” said an Ambassador “That would be horrible for diplomacy!”

“Yuck!” yelled another person “You're starting to sound like Princess Leia!”

“It's Senator Leia now you idiot!”

“Oh shut up!”

Jenna looked at Balto and said “Can we dump them on this thing? Please?”

“I don't think that would be good for diplomacy.”

After 45 minutes they decided to head back. After they had redocked, Balto made his way to the bridge. As he walked in the Captain looked up and said “Ah. Lieutenant Balto. How was your first mission?”

“Wheee.”

“Nothing huh?”

“Yep. I think we should follow it though. It could lead us to where it came from. I have a bad feeling about it though.”

“Following it does sound like a good idea. It's headed into the Sorsus Galaxy at the same point we are going to be entering. It's almost as if it knew where we're headed.”

Over the next few weeks, the vessel became a everyday view. Some people had started getting annoyed at having to look at a large hunk of rock all day. Balto was curious about the object. He would spend hours standing at a viewport looking at the ship thru a magnifier. And the more he looked, the more curious he became.

One day he was looking at it and noticed something very interesting. He called Jenna and asked her to meet him at their quarters. She showed up and asked “What is it? You said this was urgent.”

“I was looking at the ship thru a magnifier and saw something very interesting. I made a recording of it.”

Jenna looked at the screen and saw the vessel.

“Do you see it?”

Jenna looked up. “Do I see what?”

“Here. I'll magnify it.”

Balto reached over and pressed a couple of keys. A section of the vessel enlarged.

“Okay. Watch this section right here.”

Jenna watched... and saw what Balto was talking about.

“Did I just see that?”

Balto smiled. “Yes. You saw

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