Chapter 72: Krëptenkh of the Rebels

**Analysis Room — A Few Minutes Later**

The case now sat at the center of a reinforced table, bathed in a bluish glow. The walls thrummed softly from the various scanners, and Evelyn was already typing away on a secondary console.

Vykhor stood behind her, arms crossed, watching the holographic projections form in layered waves.

"Can you crack the first layer?"

"The case is locked with triple biometric security. I have to bypass it without triggering any alert. Otherwise, it won’t just beep at me—it’ll go full plasma-field and boom."

"Charming."

Evelyn smirked, focused.
"I’ve seen worse. Well... not often, but still."

She activated a desynchronization pulse.

Vykhor stepped closer, laying a hand on her shoulder.
"Take your time. We're home."

She glanced up at him and briefly touched his fingers in return.
"I know. But I’m curious."

A soft beep confirmed the first layer had just given way.

**Hangar — At the Same Time**

Zeynn nudged a supply crate into place with his foot, setting it next to an empty barrel. He took two steps back. Blue, sitting like a statue, watched him intently.

"Alright, listen up, furball. This game is called… Rebel Krëptenkh."

Blue blinked slowly.

Zeynn continued, dead serious, like a general briefing his troops.
"Simple rules. Three balls—or the closest thing we’ve got. Three targets. One winner. Whoever gets closest wins. The loser…"
He turned to a box filled with rags and pulled out an old maintenance helmet covered in neon paint and terrible stickers.
"...has to wear the Helmet of Shame for one hour."

Blue let out a soft growl—then pounced. With a sharp flick, he sent a training ball rolling... right to the base of the first target.

Zeynn stared, mouth half open. Then a feline grin spread across his face.
"Okay, you wanna play? You're about to witness greatness, you oversized royal fuzzball."

And just like that, Rebel Krëptenkh became an official sport aboard the Narak'Tharr.

**Analysis Room — Return**

Evelyn stepped back slightly as a panel on the case finally slid open. A soft glow spilled out, revealing a small crystalline artifact, sculpted like a living geode. Carved lines pulsed with ancient energy.

Vykhor leaned in, frowning.
"This isn’t just a valuable object."

"No... it’s a transmitter. An old one. But with a very modern encryption. And I’ve got a feeling it hasn’t said its last word."

They exchanged a look.

"We’ll analyze it in detail later. For now, let Zeynn think we’re ignoring him while he turns the hangar upside down."

A distant BANG echoed through the ducts, followed by a muffled giggle from Zeynn.

Evelyn sighed.
"Too late."

"I told you. A lone Kael’tarien, a brilliant scientist, a mutant feline, and a rebellious teenager… it was bound to end in chaos."

She smiled softly, artifact in hand.
"That’s the Kael’seth pack."

**Nightfall — Aboard the Narak'Tharr**

The ship drifted silently through stellar currents, its hull humming gently under the influence of the distortion field. Dim lighting cast long shadows across metal walls. Every corner of the Narak’Tharr seemed asleep... but in two cabins, thoughts were very much awake.

**Zeynn’s Cabin**

The young Nytherian lay on his back, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. His room now bore his touch: a few draped fabrics on the walls, two stolen and vaguely decorative objects hanging above the bed, and an old ration box converted into a secret stash. At the foot of the bed, Blue was curled up in a ball, one eye half-open—keeping watch, just in case.

Zeynn let out a long breath.

He wasn’t afraid. Not really. He’d known much worse, much darker. But this feeling—this quiet pressure in his chest—he didn’t quite know what to call it.

A mix of anticipation and warmth.

He was no longer in a cage. No longer in some filthy alley. He was no longer merchandise.

He was… part of something.

And for the first time, he wanted to fight to stay.
Not to survive.
Not just to steal another day.
But to be worthy of this strange, moving, disorganized... and incredibly strong home.

Evelyn. She listened. She understood, even when he didn’t speak. She treated him as an equal—not a kid. She saw what he could become, not what he had been.

And Vykhor…

Zeynn chuckled silently.

The big Alpha was still stiff as a plasma rifle, strict, intense… but he was there. Steady. Watchful. And if Zeynn had to rely on a wall to keep the world at bay, Vykhor would do just fine. Even if the man had the charisma of a molten anvil.

He closed his eyes, fingers gripping his blanket.

He didn’t want to be alone anymore. And now, he knew what that feeling was worth.

**Vykhor and Evelyn’s Cabin**

Vykhor wasn’t sleeping.

He never slept much anyway.

He sat at the edge of the bed, shirtless, leaning toward the built-in locker where his blade rested, as polished and sharp as ever. A ritual. A precise gesture. He wiped the metal clean, calming his thoughts with every stroke.

Evelyn was curled under a light blanket behind him, her breathing slow and peaceful. From time to time, he turned, just to watch her.

And every time, he wondered how she’d done it. How she’d breached his walls. Made him laugh. Made him speak. Made him lay down his weapons, sometimes, with just a glance or a whisper.

And now…

There was a semi-mutant feline sleeping at their feet, and a stubborn teenager under their roof. His pack. His.

He had never felt so vulnerable.

But never so strong, either.

Because he wasn’t just fighting for himself anymore. He wasn’t just guarding his pride or his life. He was protecting them. Evelyn. Blue. Zeynn.

And by Kael’Zhar, he would do it until his last breath.

Vykhor sheathed the blade.

Then slid under the covers, gently, without waking Evelyn. She stirred just slightly, instinctively seeking his warmth, and curled into him.

He wrapped an arm around his My’Lari. His star. His anchor. The one who had pulled him so far from the warrior he once was… and so close to the man he was becoming.

He closed his eyes.

Tomorrow, they’d continue the mission. Together.

And he knew none of them would back down. Not even him.

**Morning — Narak'Tharr’s Common Room**

Sunlight from a distant star filtered through the reinforced windows, casting a warm glow on the metallic surfaces. Evelyn, already at work, was hunched over the transmitter from their last mission. She’d dismantled the main housing, exposing the inner circuits, mentally noting each frequency variation.

Zeynn, cross-legged on the table, watched her with fascination, chewing on a sweet ration like he was watching a magic show.

"And that’s… a long-range tracker?" he asked, pointing at a tiny component.

Evelyn raised a brow.
"Not bad. Almost. It’s a secure relay for encrypted transmissions. But close."

Zeynn grinned. Learning was way more fun than he’d expected... especially with Evelyn as a teacher.

Blue, half-sprawled across the bench, looked utterly unimpressed. His tail swayed slowly, rhythmically, and his ears twitched from time to time. Was he listening? Maybe. But he sure didn’t show it.

Then, suddenly, a low growl rumbled from deep in his throat.