L`Univers:

Big and scary

    “You guys go to the ship, I have one more thing to do,” said the captain.                                                                                                                             

“All right but hurry this place is not friendly anymore,” Azra warned him.

    Benedict quietly closed the door and entered the hut which was dark inside only a couple of sun rays struggling through the holes, the table was full of herbs and a bunch of different flowers and potions, which the defined the smell of mint and rotting wood.                                                                                                  

“The captain finally decides to visit,” said the old lady as she was turned with her back on Benedict.                                                                                                        

“What are those things that I must know?” Benedict asked her.

“You are happy, you have your crew,” she started.                                                                                

“Yeah well, what about them?” Benedict was losing his patience.

”They are happy as well your mission went well you are celebrating…” she stopped for a moment. “You`ve captured Caty,” she smiled.

“How are you so sure that we are going to capture her easily?” he asked.

“Captain… you have no idea of what`s coming, Caty is merely a joke, I suppose you have been informed about Professor H?” asked the old lady.

“Well…” Benedict gulped down. “You seem to know a lot, why don`t you tell me who he is?”

“Some things must remain as they are in order to preserve our timeline am I right?” she asked as if Benedict had any idea what she was talking about.                                                                                                                            

“What then!?” Benedict was impatient.                                                             

“BOOM! Something big and scary is coming for you, it will affect you and your crew!!!” she warned him. Benedict freaked out and he was not certain if she is crazy or she is telling the truth.

“Look, lady, I`ve had enough of foreshadowing and superstitions in this period,” he looked at the lady as the hut`s door opened it was Simon calling for him because they have to leave. “This is not about Professor H, it`s something else,” said the lady before Simon dragged him out of the hut.                                                                                                                               

“What are you doing?” Benedict asked him.                                                           

“No! What are you doing?” Simon asked him. “You are wasting time, keep in mind Caty still has Jackson under her claws and on top of that we need to catch her!” Simon yelled at him as Benedict had no comeback to this, he knew Simon was right and just followed after him. As they moved, Benedict told everything to Simon to the detail the things that the woman told him, Simon carefully listened to him.

“Come on, do you seriously believe any of this?” Simon asked him.                                                         

“Well no, but there was something strange, the way she told me, it is as if a force something or somebody is telling or forcing me to believe that it is,” Benedict gave Simon a very strange look that he had never seen before.                                                                                                                           

“Alright” nodded Simon. “Let`s just get back to the ship first.”                                 

“So you and Clara huh?” smiled Benedict.                                                       

“Yeah…” Simon brushed his hair.                                                                                         

“I thought you told me that you couldn`t get over the girl from high school, oh s**t…” Benedict stared at him.                                                                                    

“What?” asked Simon who became frightened from Benedict`s reaction.

“Please tell me you are not with her because she reminds you of her,” said Benedict.                                                                                                                

“No…no it`s not that,” Simon was relieved. “I like her character, somehow she enchanted me with her love and affection so much so that I cannot explain,” said Simon.                                                                                                                            

“Yeah well you were to one always telling me that if you like a girl for her character then it`s serious,” said Benedict.                                                                             

“Well, there you have it,” nodded Simon. John stood on the ramp lifting and replacing some cargo around the hangar of the ship as he saw that the two of them returned to the ship and told them that they should immediately go.

    On Tereshkova, Caty injected Peter the same fluid she did to Jackson as she then tried to make a radio connection to the Star Fury from Tereshkova, and of course, did not get an answer, and tried again.                                                           

“Lenov I know you can hear me, so you should answer!” her voice sounded angry.                                                                                                                                  

“What do you want?” asked the captain.                                                                          

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend; I know we are at war.”                                

“This war does not concern me nor my crew,” Benedict seemed that he does not care what is at stake.                                                                                              

“But the human race is at stake or do you not care about it as well?” Caty asked him. “Have you no emotions captain?” Caty angered him, he knew that is not true but it’s the other way around, which that question led him to snap.                                                                                                                          

“Me as well my crew proclaim ourselves as Teresian`s from planet Tera!” replied Benedict whilst making a face to everybody on the bridge, Clara did not understand much what Benedict meant with it, yet she knew that they were from Earth, so Dave explained that they were bluffing with the enemy. Caty was getting angry from the replies she was getting from Benedict and thought it was time to pull out the bigger guns.                                                                                                                           “If you come to talk, I will allow you to free one of your crew members along with the antidote.”                                                                                                        

“What antidote?” asked Benedict.                                                                                 

“Your friends are here and yes they are poisoned,” said Caty brazenly. “Say hello to your captain,” she turned toward both of them.                                              

“Captain…” said Peter weakly.                                                                                 

“Peter?” Benedict`s voice broke down, but he picked up the radio again. “Stay strong my friend I am coming for you,” he comforted as Caty warned him not to conduct any plans because things won`t go well for them. Dave stood in front of the captain and looked at him angrily.                                                                    

“The first chance I get I will kill Caty,” as he walked away. “It won`t be like the first time no one will stop me.” Benedict took some time to process all of that.                                                                                                                     

“No…NO!! You will not shoot at anybody!!!, get back here I give the orders here!!!” the tensions were rising as Dave walked in his room, but Raven showed up out of nowhere and stopped Benedict from arguing with him.                                                                                                       “Fine!” said Benedict angrily and pushed away Raven`s hand that was holding him and turned to see everybody up on their feet and surprised. “What are you guys looking at?” he asked.                                                                                            

“Raven,” said John.                                                                                                       

“By the way Zack survived, he is resting,” Raven looked at Benedict angrily and left the bridge.                                                                                                                

“Raven please…” but it was futile the door slid closed, she was not coming back anymore as Benedict sat down on the chair and exhaled as he stood up and left the bridge without saying a word.

    “Hey,” said Azra as she leaned on the door frame with her arms crossed.                                                                                                          

“Hey,” replied Benedict.                                                                                                       

“Are you drinking?” Azra asked him as she entered the room and turned on the lights. “Wow this is what is expected from a captain,” she lifted the fully empty bottle of champagne a strange choice indeed.                                                          

“It`s a special occasion,” said Benedict.                                                                                   

“It is?” asked Azra.                                                                                                                   

“I resign as a captain and I am appointing you, here sit down I`ll bring a glass we will celebrate,” said Benedict as he stood up and tripped from the chair as he fell on the ground.                                                                                                      

“Benedict, what is going on?” Azra asked him while helping him get up.              

“I can`t keep doing this, it`s hard,” he looked at Azra. “I don`t have a plan and I made a promise that I cannot keep, and now everybody is going to die, now when I need the support my crewmates they go against me, and yes Azra, that answers your question something is going on,” he finished angrily. “I mean I am out there busting my ass trying to prevent a war that I did not cause, and over here everybody does as they please and for some reason, they are mad at me,” he stood up and looked out of the window towards the stars.     

“Well what did you expect?” asked Azra.

“What?” he looked at her.

“When they appointed you captain, did you expect it to be a walk in the park? Like buying ice cream? Stealing candy from a child?” Azra said every quote she could think of as she lately studied the history of Earth and the humans. “Great leaders often are faced with tough decisions, their allies running off doing whatever they want to do, an imminent threat is coming their way, so what do they do? Do they give up in the middle of all the chaos, and let everybody down?” she looked at him as he listened carefully. “Take the Brits and Winston Churchill for example,” she said as she stood up and walked toward the door. “If it`s of any use… I do believe and trust you, and I believe that you will come up with something of how we are going to deal with Caty and Soldana, and you will have my support in every decision,” she looked at him standing in front of the door.                                                                                                            

“Really?” he asked her.                                                                                             

“Yes,” she answered shortly and nodded. “Now let`s get you to bed you need to clear your head and get some rest,” she smiled at him as he instantly fell asleep like a little kid.

    The next day, the captain went into Raven's ambulance and asked her how Zack was, she told him that he would soon recover.                                                    

“I am about to go and meet with Caty,” he told her.                                                 

“I know, I heard that you are taking Dave with you, do you think it`s wise?” she asked him.                                                                                                                           

“It`s not, but if things go south he will make sure that Caty is dead,” he explained. “Listen Raven I am sorry about yesterday I was really mad I couldn`t control myself.”                                                                                                          

“Apology accepted,” she smiled as she walked toward him and whispered something in his ear that left him surprised and confused at the same time. “Be careful,” she smiled again.

    “Well Caty wasn`t joking that things won`t go well for us,” said Viktor to the others as he was looking at the bunch of ships that surrounded the Star Fury.                                                                                                                            

“It matters not, she will soon be dead!” Dave told them all as he was preparing his gun.                                                                                                                                   

“Are you crazy!?, Look at this!! We`d be dead in seconds from all that firepower, and you plan to kill their leader!?” Sarah yelled at him, as Dave only looked at her and did not even flinch.                                                                                       

“Perhaps Benedict has a plan,” Alexander assumed.                                              

“Nah... I don`t think so this time,” John doubted.

    Benedict told Dave to get ready and it was time for him to take action, as Dave only gloomily looked at him and put the equipment on himself. After they arrived, Caty welcomed them and asked them who they wanted to release first, Benedict told them that he would take Peter with him. Dave laughed at what he thought everything was hopeless and that everyone would die, of course, as Benedict used the opportunity to whisper something to Jackson. Caty gave Benedict the antidote and let Peter go with them both; they first want to ensure that Peter is secure as they will return and discuss for the war, and if they do not return in a short time Caty will destroy the ship. After they returned to the ship Benedict handed over the antidote to Raven, as Dave just looked at them confusedly.                                                                                       

“What the hell took you guys so long?” Simon asked as he handed them weapons.                                                                                                                             

“All right enable the electric shock we don`t want to kill anybody,” Benedict ordered them. When Dave saw Zack he was standing he was even more surprised and still could not understand what was going on.                                  

“Oh… yeah, I was fine two days ago,” Zack noticed that Dave was confused.                                                                                                         

“You know I should punch you for this, right?” Dave looked at Benedict.                        

“Yeah, I kind of deserve it don`t I?” Benedict confirmed and promised to tell him the plan along the way.                                                                                                         

“Yeah, but why didn`t you tell me before?” Dave felt like he was left off.

“Yeah? Well, where`s the fun in that?” Benedict asked him. Clara suddenly ran to hug Simon, telling him to be careful, and before they split and kissed him on the lips.

“Bring him back alive,” she looked at Benedict and walked away. They teleported to Tereshkova, Benedict told the plan to Dave that was created before they went after Peter. That plan was everything to be done normally without anyone noticing anything. Take Peter with the antidote, so Raven whispered to Benedict she could make a duplicate from the antidote and also whispered Jackson to stay away from the wall.

    On the bridge of Tereshkova, Caty was starring at the Star Fury as she was growing impatient by how slow Benedict is as Jackson started laughing like a maniac. “Something funny?” Caty asked him as she walked toward him Jackson sprang his head up and looked at her with his big smile replied:                                                                                         “The funny thing is that you think you have this situation under control, but you don’t have any control.”                                                                                             

“Ma`am the sensors are picking up an intruder alert aboard,” said one of the crewmen.                                                                                                                

“What!?” she walked toward the computer screen as Benedict gave the order to Zack to plant the charges and detonate them. Before Caty could comprehend what Jackson is talking or what the computer screen is saying the charges exploded pushing everybody to the ground. While Zack untied Jackson, Simon injected him with the antidote and raised him to his feet. Before Caty could give the order to attack the Star Fury, Dave shocked her with his weapon, immobilizing her completely.

    In the next moment, Soldana`s ships teleported right next to the Star Fury and outnumbered Caty`s ships. Soldana ordered them to stand down or things would get ugly, but there was no response as at one point the Tereshkova turned off the guns and lowered the shields. The generals were confused because they didn`t yet get a direct order from Caty but it seemed to be clear as one by one they as well did the same and stood down. Soldana teleported on Tereshkova and informed Benedict that Caty's ships were neutralized, and Benedict handed Caty as he promised.                                                                                                                            

“You are a man of your word captain, all right take her away!!” Soldana ordered. Dave and Zack on the other hand were confused about what was going on, Benedict explained that he had a little chat with Soldana when her kingdom was attacked so that there was no war, but that he would give her Caty so that the act "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" will be fulfilled.                                                                                                                   

“BENEDICT!!!” screamed Caty. “You can`t!!! You can`t, leave me to these savages!” she looked at him with tears in her eyes.                                             

“Oh… but I will,” Benedict replied walking closer to her. “You are an evil person and you deserve to feel bad or whatever they do to you on that planet,” he looked at her with coldness in his eyes and without giving off any emotion as he then walked away. Benedict stood in front of Tereshkova`s bridge window and stared into space as Azra joined him.                                                                                                               

“You alright?”                                                                                                                      

“She managed to f**k everything up,” he turned toward Azra. “She killed every governor remaining on Earth and appointed herself as head of IASA,” Benedict told her.                                                                                                                               

“But why IASA? She could be president of the bloody planet,” said Azra.       

“She knew we`d be back at IASA, the things she did they were all just to get close to us,” explained Benedict.                                                                                     

“But why?” asked Azra.                                                                                                 

“Sarah may be right, I`m not sure whether it was her or rather she was controlled by someone…” Benedict looked at Azra.                                                                        

“You mean…Profesor H?”                                                                                          

“Whatever or whoever it is, it does not bode well, all aside now that this is settled how would you like to be the head of IASA?”                                                 “Me?” Azra was surprised.                                                                                               

“Yes, you have the most experience and you come from an advanced civilization, what say you?”                                                                                           

“If you think I am the most eligible for this then sure,” accepted Azra as Benedict was really happy to hear it knowing that he will be in safe hands rather than have Caty chase them around.

    “So does the offer for the planet still stand?” Sarah asked Soldana.                    

“Well of course but the demand is still the same one of you must stay with me!” she replied.                                                                                                                         

“I will go,” Jackson surprised everyone.                                                                          

“Wait, what?” Peter was confused.                                                                         

“Look they are an advanced civilization, think about all the discoveries I can make with their technology,” Jackson explained. “Not just build a shuttle and go to the moon,” he laughed together with Peter. “I hated my job on Earth, I`ll be damned if I go back there, I just can`t,” he finished, Peter just looked at him starring straight into his eyes and walked toward him, they hugged and shook hands with each other. He thanked everybody from the crew for risking their lives in order to save him even though they didn`t know each other that much, they said their goodbyes and he left together with Soldana.

     “So captain you want to go to the frozen planet?” Alexander asked.

“What frozen planet?” Benedict had no idea what he was talking about.

“The third planet that you found, didn`t they tell you it was frozen?” Alexander explained to him. Benedict liked that idea and gave the order as they set course for the planet as Azra took Tereshkova back to Earth given that she now had to be head of IASA as she said goodbye to everyone as well.