Thar, Thil, and Thas, triplet worlds orbiting triplet suns, far from the safe Axiom lanes of Prosperous Space. Thar is a wild planet, full of mystical wonders and rich in natural beauty. Many races call this planet home, for it is warm and welcoming. The Counsel of Trine rule Thar with benevolence and mercy.

Thil is a chaotic and dangerous place, an ocean world with a few small landmasses. Tidally locked, Thil’s oceans are divided by time zone, its people nomadic, sailing vast ships across the oceans from time zone to time zone. Ruled by a singular monarch, the Queen of the Hours, Thil is a wild planet under an iron fisted, yet fair rule.

Thas is a wartorn world of high mountains and deep crags. The native races of Thas are ideologically opposed on almost every major issue. Incapable of reconciling themselves, they war over every piece of land available. Thas has no ruler, but each race does have its own chieftainess.

Unknown to most of the peoples of the Trine planets, a terrible evil lurks, watching, waiting, planning. Yes, a terrible doom hangs over these worlds, and only one person is aware of it.

Allghra, the All-Mother, paces nervously back and forth across the vast room of the Orrery. The Power had whispered to her of something new among the vast galaxy, a new Race, young and eager to prove themselves. A race of monsters from the darkest hell the galaxy had, a place where the power was banished, leaving all within its scope in darkness and death. And yet, from these monsters, from the darkness, beyond life, this selfsame race was one of heroes.

Heroes, warriors who looked death in its naked eyes without flinching, who never gave up, no matter the odds. A race who looked upon impossible tasks as nothing more than tests to overcome. Champions of life who, when on their last breaths, used them to shout their defiance to the heavens themselves. In short, they were exactly what was needed.

As Allghra sat in a meditative pose, and began the chants that would summon the heroes to her, as the Power built into a cacophony of intent, will and desire, she imbued the maelstrom with one, desperate need:

“Send me an angel!” The quartet belted out, the song sung with precision and skill. “Send me an angel, right now! Empty dreams can only disappoint, in a room behind your smile!” Sam Glenn, lead singer, waved his ebon locks as he sang to someone who wasn’t there, the heat in his eyes transferred into his husky, low voice. Guitarist Thomas O’Malley flew his pale freckled fingers over the strings, crimson hair falling in a curtain around his face. Bassist James “Jim” Morris stood behind Tom and Sam, bobbing his golden haired head in time to the driving backbeat, while drummer Andy “Black Angus” Freeman played his drums with drive and heart.

An anomaly among the sailors and soldiers of the Undaunted, the musicians of “The Cruelspace Heartbreakers” had spent most of their off time perfecting their art. The four had met during the long voyage through the Null, and had maintained their sanity by playing their favorite songs together. Rather than go on dangerous adventures, they had practiced daily to become the first intergalactic rock band, the first such phenomenon to ever leave earth.

In the year since the Dauntless had landed on Centris, they had amassed a small but dedicated following, mostly from the few illicitly taken videos of their practice sessions taken by a few daring Cloaken “infiltrators” before they were thrown out.

The band was primed to hit the galaxy by storm.

“You’re looking for love, calling heaven above!” Andy and Jim played a dramatic riff as Sam paused the lyrics for effect.

“Send me an angel! Send me an angel, right now! Right- whu?” The band stopped as the Axiom built around them, wavering and sparking as a massive effect built up.

“What’d you do this time, Jim? I swear if you try that whole ‘Axiomatic Music’ thing again…” Sam threatened.

“Like, wasn’t me man. Haven’t even touched the stuff. I was just playing pure bass beat.”

“Well it wasn’t any of us.”

“Y’all, I don’t think it’s stopping.” Andy said, his eyes darting back and forth around the circle of the Axiom effect.

“Och, well. It was bound to happen to us sometime fellas.”

“Waddaya mean, Tom?”

“Everyone else on this ship has been dragged into some chicanery or other out in this madhoose. I was kinda wondrin when it’d be our turn.”

“Dammit Tom, why’d you jinx it?”

But before anyone else could answer, the Axiom effect built higher and higher, until the fab foursome vanished into thin air. As alarms and alerts sounded all through the Dauntless, as the security team responded and the ships camera logs were scrutinized, the four young men from Earth were warped somewhere…. else.

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