Planet Gorov Star Map Draftsman II: Fate of the Galaxy

Only after the white-haired man’s landing craft had vanished into the atmosphere did Dawn Lucius and Sandra pilot their own craft down to the planet’s surface. Over-industrialization and haphazard construction had left the world trapped in a paradox of desolation and opulence—wherever human activity stirred, colossal silver-gray structures loomed overhead.

Dawn and Sandra spotted the white-haired man’s landing craft tucked behind a spherical building, so they set down nearby. Stepping from the barren, sandy terrain into the structure’s perimeter, they found themselves on a floor so cold and polished it mirrored their shadows. Looking up, they saw the building resembled a massive rectangular block lying on its side, its exterior carved with enormous animal figures as ornamentation. Directly beneath the creatures’ clawed feet were the building’s entrances, each glowing with a faint blue light—a sign of impenetrable security, accessible only to authorized personnel. At the far end of the building rose a giant sphere shaped like an astronaut’s helmet, half-embedded in the main structure. Where the two colossal forms met, there was a circular opening—clearly designed for starships to pass through, not humans. Beyond it, sand dunes rolled like mountain ranges, their peaks blanched to black and white by the refraction of the planet’s atmosphere.

The planet boasted a fully functional atmosphere, breathable for all carbon-based life. Dawn and Sandra moved forward cautiously, until they spotted a hovering transport vehicle descending from the building’s entrance. A group of people climbed out, and once a welcoming party from inside had greeted them, they all filed into the building, leaving the area once again silent and lifeless.

“Dawn, slow down,” Sandra said, tugging at his hand. Only then did he realize he had been nearly running toward the spot where the group had vanished.

“Hey.” Dawn slowed his pace, turning to look at her. He gently brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, trying again when it refused to stay tucked away. “Are you tired?”

“No. I just think we should take it easy. Moving too fast will only get us noticed.” Sandra took a deep breath to steady herself, then glanced down at her comm device.

“Five minutes,” Dawn said, wrapping an arm around her waist and urging her forward. Sandra relaxed a little, feeling his warmth seep through his shoulder, down his arm, and settle around her waist. She squeezed his hand, hoping to calm his nerves—but with Stacean Lucius kidnapped, Dawn’s anxiety was impossible to soothe. Their pace did not slow; if anything, it quickened.

Just as Sandra began to relax, Dawn froze abruptly.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, following his gaze. A group of people dressed in bright orange uniforms were marching out of the building, their steps and movements perfectly synchronized. If they were not soldiers, they were certainly trained and commanded like soldiers.

The group marched to the opposite side of the building and disappeared behind a wall Dawn and Sandra could not see past. Who are these people? Sandra wondered, but Dawn paid them no mind. His eyes were fixed on the building’s entrance, his target clear: the white-haired man. If that man slipped away, Dawn would lose his only direct lead to Stacean. Even though General Duncan was doing everything in his power to help search, the universe was vast—his efforts were like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Dawn thought back to the moment the white-haired man had scanned the Star Source. The man had seemed utterly ignorant of its true power—either out of professional discretion or genuine cluelessness about Dawn and the device embedded in his arm. Otherwise, he would not have looked so afraid when Dawn had summoned dark matter into his palm. No matter what, Dawn could not let the white-haired man escape. His muscles tensed, adrenaline surging through his veins, his calves coiled like springs. He was an arrow nocked and ready to fly.

“Look, Dawn!”

Following Sandra’s gaze, Dawn saw the white-haired man emerge from the building. But walking ahead of him was a tall, thin man dressed entirely in black, carrying the case that held the Star Source data. The black-clad man was gesturing toward the wall where the orange-uniformed group had vanished—apparently, that was where they were headed, too. From the way they talked, the man in black seemed far more like the white-haired man’s employer, and both appeared perfectly satisfied with the outcome of their mission. The man in black was even gesturing excitedly, as if already envisioning the power or wealth that awaited them—rewards that undoubtedly had everything to do with Dawn Lucius, and the Star Source.

“We have to follow them,” Sandra said, quickening her pace and pulling Dawn toward the wall.

As they drew closer, they finally saw what lay beyond the barrier: a hidden artificial sky stretched overhead, shielding the towering structures below from view. No wonder they had not spotted any of this from their landing craft. Stepping into this hidden space, they found two rows of massive buildings stretching from near to far, all uniformly gray-white, like the abandoned rockets of an ancient industrial era—their smooth cylindrical bodies tapering to conical tops. The only exceptions were two smaller rectangular buildings connected by an overhead walkway, where the orange-uniformed group was now patrolling.

“There!” Dawn pointed at the walkway, and they picked up their speed. The main street running beneath the walkway was lined with small, rugby ball-shaped buildings facing the direction they were running. Each had an oval door glowing with orange light, looking less like a physical entrance and more like an energy field, with flickering lights visible inside—suggesting they were either control rooms or, more likely, laboratories.

“Wait, Dawn,” Sandra said, pulling him to a halt. They watched as the orange-uniformed group descended from the walkway and lined up beside one of the rugby ball-shaped buildings. The white-haired man and the man in black followed closely behind, walking straight to the glowing orange door. It slid open, and one by one, all of them stepped inside.

“Quick!” Dawn grabbed Sandra’s hand and ran after them.

Under Mr. Pepson’s guidance, Jonathan and Ailven—the rising star of the Defenders’ Alliance—had forged a temporary alliance of convenience. A brief exchange of information in the council chamber was all it took for them to recognize each other as ideal partners.

Ailven was an idealist. Upon learning Jonathan’s identity as the Moreth Steader, he immediately saw the value of this partnership. Even if Jonathan held no real political power, his unlimited access to Star Bridge activation codes and potential connections to other resources were exactly what Ailven needed. The Defenders’ Alliance had granted him permission to continue his research, but not the funding or materials to make it happen.

For Jonathan’s part, he had been perfectly upfront with Ailven. If dark matter could flow, it could be controlled—and he needed Ailven’s expertise to figure out how to do it. His ambitions went unspoken, but Ailven seemed to read them all the same.

“We need to go there,” Ailven said, once they had reached an agreement. Standing at the council chamber’s entrance, he pointed to another planet in the Gorov system. What they did not know was that, at that very moment, Dawn Lucius was crouching outside a rugby ball-shaped laboratory, watching the scene unfold inside.

“Why there?” Jonathan asked, following Ailven’s gaze.

“Have you ever stopped to think about something?” Ailven replied, avoiding the question to fix Jonathan with an intense look.

“What?”

“The Ashton Federation controls White Crystal. It is refined from dark matter—or at the very least, it is inextricably linked to it. You know that, right?”

“I do. But Madam Winifred destroyed the entire planet’s supply. What are you getting at?”

Ailven waved a hand dismissively, then clenched his fist, speaking slowly and deliberately. “She controls dark matter.”

“Oh—you mean…” Jonathan’s eyes widened in realization. Of course! Dark matter and White Crystal—he had been so focused on the latter that he had never considered the former was the core technology behind its creation. “So if Madam Winifred can control dark matter, she cannot be the only one. There must be others who can do it too.”

“Exactly!” Ailven confirmed with a nod.

“I think this is definitely connected to Madam Winifred,” Jonathan said. “Even if she is not directly involved, she must know why dark matter is disappearing. At the very least, she has clues.”

“Absolutely.”

“Unfortunately, no one can get into Visadio Planet now. Otherwise, I could confront her face-to-face—not that she would be happy to see me anyway.”

“Moreth Steader!” Ailven stepped closer, clapping a hand on Jonathan’s shoulder. He had been testing Jonathan’s reaction; if Jonathan had pulled away, it would have signaled that the alliance held little value for him. To Ailven’s surprise, Jonathan leaned in slightly, eager to listen. Satisfied, Ailven withdrew his hand, clasping his hands in front of his stomach. “There is a third person who knows how to harness dark matter. I have heard rumors that you once tried to bond with a Star Source, though you failed. Tell me—what do you think it takes to control dark matter?”

“The Star Source,” Jonathan said, confused—but then he caught on, turning to face Ailven fully. “Are you saying it is a tool to control dark matter?”

Ailven did not answer, just nodded with a satisfied smile.

After a few more minutes of discussion, they boarded their landing craft and lifted off into orbit. Ailven had already arranged for a starship to be waiting for them, and they set a course for the very planet where Dawn Lucius was hiding—arriving sooner than either of them expected.

“No security guards, no weapons detected,” Sandra whispered, after scanning the exterior of the laboratory where the white-haired man had disappeared. “The door is a soundproof energy barrier, but it can be bypassed.”

“No military presence either,” Dawn added, scanning the sky. “There are starships in low orbit—no way to tell if they are mercenaries or not. Either way, we move fast. Grab the information, find out where Stacean is being held, then get out of here.” His eyes never left the door as he spoke.

“Got it.” Sandra pulled out two blasters, checked them quickly, and handed one to Dawn.

“I don’t need it.”

“Take it. You need to protect me.” Her tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.

Dawn hesitated for a moment, then took the weapon, gripping it tightly. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll handle the white-haired man and the one in black. You take the orange-uniformed guards. If they resist, we shoot to disable—not to kill.”

“Understood.”

“Let’s go.”

They sprang to their feet, crossed the energy barrier in an instant, and burst into the laboratory. Sandra fired two quick shots at the floor near the guards’ feet, yelling, “Don’t move!” She then darted to the back of the room, pressing her back against the wall to keep all of them in her line of sight. Meanwhile, Dawn moved before the man in black could even turn around, wrapping an arm around his neck and pressing the blaster to his ribs. He dragged him backward until they collided with a piece of lab equipment, pinning him there.

The white-haired man, now facing the second time he had been held at gunpoint—and having already exposed his employer’s location—looked less afraid than he did furious, his face drained of color. For someone in his line of work, blowing a client’s cover was an unforgivable mistake—one that would cost him more than just his livelihood.

“You,” Dawn snapped, nodding at the white-haired man. “Against the wall. Hands where I can see them.”

The white-haired man locked eyes with Dawn, then slowly backed away, joining the orange-uniformed guards huddled in the corner.

“Now it’s your turn.” Dawn released the man in black, shoving him forward before stepping in front of him, a blaster aimed directly at his chest. “Where is my son?”

The man in black stared at Dawn, saying nothing.

“I’ll only ask once more.” Dawn pressed the blaster’s muzzle to the man’s forehead, his jaw clenched so tight it hurt. “Where is my son?”

“I’ll tell you,” the man said, finally breaking his silence. He reached up and pulled off his hat, revealing his face.

“It’s you?” Sandra gasped, her voice filled with shock.

Dawn glanced at her, surprised by her reaction. The man in black was short and slender, with silver-white hair cropped so short it stood up like the spines of a hedgehog. Thick eyebrows arched over calm, dark eyes, set above a small nose and thin lips. He looked at Sandra, his expression unchanged, and spoke in a slow, deliberate tone. “Hello, diplomat.” He nodded at her, half-turning his body in a gesture of acknowledgment.

“Why are you doing this?” Sandra demanded, her blaster never wavering.

“Why not me?” the man countered with a cold laugh. He glanced at Dawn, and from the confusion on Dawn’s face, it was clear he had no idea who he was dealing with.

As Dawn struggled to process this, the man in black walked past him, heading straight for one of the lab’s central workstations.

“What are you doing?” Dawn snapped, hurrying after him and pressing the blaster to his back once more.

“Calm down, Star Map Draftsman,” the man said, not even bothering to turn around. “I know you won’t shoot. The reason is simple—if I die, you will never find your son. So I suggest you lower the weapon, and we can talk.” He let out another disdainful chuckle.

“If anything happens to my son, I will hunt down everyone who hurt him—and make them pay tenfold.” Dawn’s right hand clenched into a fist, and faint purple energy began to swirl around his fingers.

“Easy, Star Map Draftsman. It is an honor to finally meet you.” The man bowed his head slightly, then straightened up, making a gesture of respect. “The first time I detected a surge of dark energy, I knew someone had successfully bonded with a Star Source. But I never imagined it would be someone from a Level Zero civilization. We always thought it would take at least a Level Two civilization to leave their home system—and thus, have a chance to find a Star Source. You have surprised me. I have often wondered, ever since the last Moreth Steader vanished, where the Datheon—or rather, their emissary—had hidden his Star Source. I always hoped I would get the chance to study its inner workings. And now…” He smiled, his eyes drifting to the Star Source embedded in Dawn’s arm. “I have no interest in wielding its power. I am a scientist. I only want to know its secrets. For years, the Ashton Federation has been refining White Crystal—and it has only made me more curious about how to control dark matter, this infinite source of energy. Unfortunately, the Ashton Federation could not care less about that. They only care about White Crystal’s profits. Or rather, Madam Winifred does.” He trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid.

“Who are you?” Dawn asked, his voice cold and sharp.

“Hamilton,” the man replied, meeting his gaze directly.

Dawn’s eyes widened in recognition. This was the Ashton Federation’s Chief Scientist—the brilliant mind behind the most advanced starships in the Orion Arm. But Hamilton was supposed to be dead. He had been on Visadio Planet when Madam Winifred had destroyed Malea Planet, announcing to the galaxy that she had eliminated all traces of White Crystal.

“Why did you kidnap my son? Where is he?” Dawn demanded, his voice rising with rage.

“Patience. Your son is fine—resting comfortably on a luxury mobile space station, I assure you. There seems to be a misunderstanding.” Hamilton glanced at the white-haired man, then turned back to Dawn. “I sent someone to invite him to join me for a chat. But your son has a much shorter temper than you do. There was… a scuffle. But do not worry—his injuries have already been fully treated. He is practically as good as new.”

“Let him go.”

“Not yet.” Hamilton shook his head. “I need you to stay here for a while. It will not be long. Once we have finished our work, he will be free to return to the Solar System and resume his duties as Norm.”

“I’ll stay,” Dawn said, forcing himself to calm down, his tone now almost conciliatory. “Whatever you need—so long as it does not involve fighting or hurting anyone, I will cooperate.”

“Whatever we need?” Sandra shouted, her patience finally snapping. “What is it you are really after?”

“No need to get worked up.” Hamilton laughed loudly, reaching out as if to pat Dawn on the shoulder—but hesitated mid-air before pulling his hand back. “Someone cares very much about your life, so you are in no danger. My request is simple: I want to study the Star Source’s inner workings. I just need you to stay here while I collect some data and run a few experiments. Once that is done, you are free to go. And I give you my word—I will not harm you. I remember hearing rumors that some people wanted to cut off your arm just to get their hands on the Star Source. How foolish. They have no idea what they are dealing with.”

“If I stay, how can I trust you to let my son go?”

“Why would I not let him go?” Hamilton countered, feigning innocence.

“You tell me.” Dawn stared at him, his eyes cold and unyielding.

“Your son has nothing I want. To me, his only value is as leverage to ensure your cooperation—so I can study this.” He nodded at the Star Source on Dawn’s arm.

“Do not speak of my son as if he is some tool,” Dawn snarled. “He is my entire universe.”

“Is he now?” Hamilton said, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Well, your entire universe is in my hands. And all I am asking is for you to stay for a little while. That is a small price to pay for getting him back, is it not? And I have given you my word. I am the Chief Scientist of the Ashton Federation—I do not break my promises.”

“Do not trust him, Dawn,” Sandra warned, moving to his side with her blaster still raised, her eyes locked on the orange-uniformed guards by the door.

“I want to know—what is the purpose of your research?” Dawn asked, narrowing his eyes. He suspected Hamilton’s motives were the same as Jonathan’s: to control dark matter and seize power for himself.

“Do not overcomplicate things. I am simply fascinated by dark matter. I never thought I would live to see the day when it is actually disappearing. This is my chance to finally understand what it is—and what secrets it holds. I have no idea what we will find. If the research yields nothing, then it will have been nothing more than a curious experiment to satisfy my own curiosity.” He smiled.

“Dark matter is disappearing?” Dawn and Sandra exchanged a surprised look—this was news to them.

“Ah, so you did not know,” Hamilton said, a note of satisfaction in his voice. “It changes things, does it not? Speaking of changes… Sandra, my dear diplomat. Your original mission was not to team up with a Star Map Draftsman, was it? I seem to recall that both Madam Winifred and Jonathan—the Moreth Steader—gave you very specific tasks. But none of them involved this.” He gestured between her and Dawn. “And yet, here you are. Working together quite well, it seems.” This time, there was no trace of humor in his voice—his thin lips pressed into a hard, flat line.

“She is nothing like you,” Dawn shot back, stepping in front of Sandra protectively. “We protect each other’s families. That is why we are together. You, on the other hand, are threatening mine. Put aside the so-called ‘cooperation’—for this alone, I will make you pay, sooner or later.”

“Fine, fine—no need for empty threats.” Hamilton waved a hand dismissively, turning away from them and walking toward one of the lab’s holographic workstations. The three orange-uniformed guards standing nearby stepped back to give him space. He pulled up a blank canvas on the transparent screen, then dragged several geometric shapes from the toolbar on the left side, arranging them into a series of nested circles. As he input data into each circle, numbers began flashing rapidly on the right side of the screen. After a few more adjustments, a three-dimensional sphere materialized in the center—its outer ring glowing pale blue, its core a swirling mix of purple and white, dotted with tiny orange specks. Satisfied, he glanced over his shoulder and waved Dawn and Sandra over.

“What is this?” Sandra asked, pointing at the numbers on the right side of the screen as they approached.

“Excellent question. But first, let me share my hypothesis.” Hamilton gestured at the sphere. “What you are looking at is our current understanding of the universe. But I believe there are countless other universes just like ours—each one a separate sphere, existing in the same dimensional plane. I have heard that the Moreth Federation’s Chief Scientist proposed a similar theory many years ago.” He paused, staring at the sphere as if lost in thought—as if he were standing at a crossroads in his memories, greeting an unexpected old friend. The moment passed quickly, and he turned back to Dawn. “This model is the result of years of research by my team. At first, we were unsatisfied with it. It seemed too… simple. The universe could not possibly be this straightforward, we thought. But then you appeared—and the surge of dark matter you generated made me realize that this ‘simple’ model might actually be the truth. We were never certain… until Madam Winifred let Lord Winifred escape.”

“Lord Winifred tried to assassinate her,” Dawn interrupted sharply. “I was there. I saw it with my own eyes. It was no act.”

Hamilton shook his head, his gaze shifting to Sandra.

“You do not understand Madam Winifred at all,” he said, then turned back to Dawn, his finger hovering between them. “The Ashton Federation was chosen by the Datheon long ago to design the Star Map Draftsman’s starships. The technology behind them—far beyond our current understanding of aerospace engineering—was meant to be shared with the entire galaxy. But Madam Winifred hoarded it for herself. She also kept the secret of how to harness dark matter to herself. Then White Crystal appeared. And honestly—no one knows for sure if she really destroyed all of it. Only she holds the key to its refining process.”

“Lord Winifred’s assassination attempt did not look like a hoax,” Sandra added, her voice laced with doubt.

“I do not claim to know the truth,” Hamilton said, shaking his head. “But our dear Madam Winifred is, without a doubt, the most calculating person in the entire universe.”

“Even if we believe you,” Dawn said, glancing at Sandra—who had lowered her blaster, her expression telling him that Hamilton’s words aligned with what she knew of Madam Winifred—“why did you kidnap my son?”

“It is simple. The Star Source.”

“What do you really want?”

“I want to make this technology easier to bond with, easier to use. I have never had such a strong, terrifying intuition before—one that tells me I need to study the Star Source, and I need to do it now.”

“Then you could have just asked me. You did not have to kidnap my son.” Dawn’s voice was filled with barely contained rage.

“Great achievements require great methods,” Hamilton said, his tone cold and pragmatic. “Besides—if I had come to you directly, would you have believed me?”

“I do not care about your so-called ‘great achievements,’” Dawn snarled. “The last time I trusted someone who claimed to be working toward something ‘great,’ all I got was betrayal. Let my son go, and I promise you—I will stay here as long as you need me to. I will let you study the Star Source to your heart’s content.”

Hamilton said nothing, turning back to the workstation and sinking into a chair. He stared at the screen, lost in thought, twisting a circular pendant on his left wrist between his fingers. The pendant was a deep, glowing red, strung on a simple cord—not a piece of advanced technology, but something that clearly held great personal significance for him. On the screen, the numbers continued to tick downward—and he looked afraid. Where is the dark matter going? That was the question he so desperately needed to answer. The Star Source could absorb dark matter and convert it into visible, destructive power—but there was no indication that it could create anything new, or bring anything back to life. Was continuing his research really the only way forward?

“Very well,” Hamilton said, finally breaking his silence. He stood up and walked back to Dawn. “However—there is a condition. Our diplomat here will need to go to retrieve him. My partners will only release your son to someone they consider trustworthy. After all, there are far too many people in the Orion Arm who would kill to get their hands on a Star Map Draftsman’s child. If someone were to intercept him before he is returned to you… it would be a disaster for all of us. So we need someone reliable to bring him back.”

“And how do I know this is not just another one of your tricks?” Dawn asked, his voice cold with suspicion.

“You seem to have misunderstood,” Hamilton said, his expression suddenly turning serious. “We only care about the Star Source. We have no time for anything else. Frankly—no one in this universe has time for anything else anymore.”

“Dawn,” Sandra said, stepping to his side and placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll go. I can protect Stacean better than anyone else. I’ll take him back to the Solar System, then come right back to you.”

Dawn said nothing, just stared at her. He wished more than anything that he had never bonded with the Star Source—that Stacean would be safe, unharmed. But then again… if he had never found the Star Source, he would have never met Sandra. She was his future. His everything.

“Dawn,” Sandra said, shaking his shoulder gently. “Say something.”

“Okay,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

Sandra took the data card Hamilton handed her, trying to activate it—but only a standby screen appeared, displaying encrypted information and a single, fixed navigation route.

“The encryption will only be lifted once you reach the destination,” Hamilton explained. “It will serve as your identification. Once you present it, they will release Stacean to you. I have also added some extra galaxy coins to your account—should help make the trip a bit smoother.” He nodded at two of the orange-uniformed guards, who immediately began stripping off their uniforms, revealing the Ashton Federation military insignia underneath. Their belts were lined with weapons. After a quick check of their gear, they stood at attention behind Hamilton.

“Escort the diplomat and the Star Map Draftsman’s son safely,” Hamilton ordered.

“I don’t need an escort,” Sandra said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Hamilton hesitated for a moment, then smiled—he understood her reluctance. “Do not worry. They are not there to spy on you. They are there to help. Now that the Star Map Draftsman has agreed to stay, we have no reason to cause any trouble. Besides—if he wanted to leave, there is nothing we could do to stop him. But I trust his word.” He nodded at Dawn.

“Take them,” Dawn said, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face. “I just want you both to come back safely.”

“Okay. I’ll do as you say.” Sandra turned and walked quickly toward the door, desperate to leave before her tears could fall—desperate to give Dawn a reason to stay calm.

The two soldiers followed closely behind her. They rounded the corner of the building, disappearing from Dawn’s sight—and only then did he allow himself to breathe again.

“What is the real purpose of your research into the Star Source?” he asked, turning back to Hamilton, his voice cold and sharp.

“Ah—patience, my friend,” Hamilton said, a knowing smile playing on his lips. “Our guests are about to arrive. We will discuss it together then. By the time they get here, everything will make perfect sense.”

As he spoke, Jonathan and Ailven’s starship slipped silently into the planet’s low orbit—and their landing craft was already being prepped for descent.