L`Univers:

The funeral

    Benedict and Zack moved in a dark crenelated tunnel as they navigated through the corridors with their flashlights until they found themselves in a big room, Benedict flipped the switch and the lights illuminated the room that was empty only a table in the middle and a body covered with a white sheet. The room was freezing as Benedict and Zack moved toward the table, Zack moved the sheet just enough to reveal his face, it was Dave`s dead body, Hex had killed him too, Zack cried over his body but Benedict couldn`t take it, it was too much death for him over a short period. He was in Khan`s office which was now Azra`s, he looked at the stuff around the room feeling a lot of nostalgia, the first time when he walked inside presenting his finding the planets he picked up a plane model and placed it on the table right away as he saw Zack standing on the balcony and walked right out.               

“I`ve been thinking we should bury him here in the courtyard,” said Zack.

“Okay,” Benedict looked at him. “Are you all right?”                                               

“I`ll be fine, I must be,” Zack turned toward Benedict. “But we will get him, you said he will get what`s coming for him, right?”                                                  

“Zack… I promise you.”                                                                                             

“Good,” Zack nodded as he turned to see a shuttle from the Tereshkova landing in the courtyard. “They`re here let`s get to work.” Azra and Simon were the first ones to come out and made their way inside the facility.                                                                                                                     

“As I recall, you shot him,” Zack stood next to him and pointed at Simon.   

“Yes.”                                                                                                                                             

“You shot your best friend?” Zack looked at him.                                                

“Yes…but no hard feelings, after all this is welcoming,” he tapped him on the shoulder and walked inside. Zack starred as the rest were coming outside Tereshkova and saw as Alexander and Viktor were carrying Jackson`s body wrapped inside a white bed sheet, he was yet another victim of Hex.                                                                                          

     Alexander, Benedict, and Zack injected themselves with his pure blood sample to remove the blood that was polluted with the chips as the lay in bed and instantly fell asleep. The crew gathered in the courtyard as Zack gave an emotional speech about Dave and Jackson. Benedict and Simon grabbed the coffin on the opposite side as they looked at each other and didn`t say a word. They lowered the coffin in the ground as Zack threw the first shovel at it and turned toward Azra.  “We need to talk,” he whispered as he walked away, Benedict walked toward the shovel as Azra did too they were racing as to who is going to grab it first but they met halfway and it got awkward.                                                                       

“Azra.”                                                                                                                     

“Lenov,” both of them looked at each other for a while as they hugged each other. “We did it,” said Azra.                                                                                             

“Thanks to you,” Benedict thanked her. “I need to find Simon and set things right with him.”                                                                                                                  

“He is upset, but eventually he will realize we have a common enemy and he`ll come around,” said Azra.                                                                                                

“Thank you…again, I`ll keep that in mind,” Benedict picked up the shovel threw the dirt in one and then the other as he walked away too.                                                                         

    “Is it about Hex?” asked Azra as she approached Zack who was standing next to the warehouse where the Star Fury was built. “It`s always going to be about him isn't it?”                                                                                                                       

“You saw what he`s done and he won`t stop, he is just starting,” warned Zack. “And now that you are the director of this thing,” Zack looked around IASA. “Funny who would have thought an alien would be in charge of anything, but Benedict…”                                                                                                                          

“Benedict is a good guy,” Azra interrupted.                                                                           

“Yeah I know, I know,” said Zack. “I just don`t get it how is he okay with all of this?”                                                                                                                                       

“He is shocked just as you are.”                                                                                              

“Do you know that he was our classmate to both of us?” asked Zack.                   

“No,” all of a sudden Azra understood why Zack was so emotional. “Come on now,” she hugged him and tapped him. “What did you wanted to talk to me?”                                                                                                                    

“Azra…” he starred at her. “Dangerous times are coming, perhaps it would be best if you had stayed here…” he looked at the building. “And be a director instead.”

“What are you saying, Zack?” Azra was confused.

“Hex is dangerous and you shouldn`t be putting yourself at risk…” he spoke again wishing he had never opened his mouth because now he had no idea how to finish it, he was confused just the same as her. Azra looked at him strangely still unable to comprehend what the hell he was talking, she looked over his shoulders and saw how Benedict was approaching Simon and Clara.

“I need to…”

“Go,” nodded Zack, she ran towards them to diffuse the situation if it needs to be. Zack punched a fist in the wall, he ignored the pain afterward because he couldn`t believe himself what he did, how could he embarrass himself like that? He just couldn`t admit his feelings towards her, not yet.                  

    “There they are!” she slightly yelled as Benedict and Simon looked at each other and Benedict just opened himself up for a hug, Simon left him hanging for a while but then he smiled as both of them hugged it out.                                          

“We good?” he asked.                                                                                                              

“That Hex is going to get it,” nodded Simon.                                                                       

“Couldn`t agree more,” he tapped Simon on the shoulder and turned toward Clara.                                                                                                                                      

“So when are you guys due?” he asked.                                                               

“What?” both of them said at the same time.                                                           

“The baby!” Azra reminded them.                                                                            

“Oh yeah well now you see…she is not pregnant,” Simon barely mouthed. 

“Yeah we just told you that because we wanted to be alone,” Clara added.                                                                                                       

“WHAT!!!?” Azra and Benedict cried out in unison.         

    A couple of days later and the crew was ready to set on an adventure again not that any of them wanted it at this point, but they knew that Hex will not rest now and something had to be done about him. Everybody walked up to their post and sat down only Dave`s desk was empty, nobody had the skill nor knowledge to replace him. Benedict sighed and turned his gaze away from Dave`s desk as he looked at Azra who filled in the shoes for Jackson he nodded at her and positioned himself for the speech he was about to give.                                                                                                                               

“So far we`ve had misunderstandings between each other, had our differences even, but now things have changed, we`ve been warned but we didn`t take it seriously and we`ve paid dearly for it. Now we can all fight each other to see who is right and wrong or we could put everything aside and bring Hex to justice, We took a hit…,” he paused. “And it`s time to hit back, thank you.” Simon just nodded and tapped him on the shoulder leaving the bridge.                                                                                                

“I am staying with you,” Azra stood next to Benedict as Benedict nodded and looked at John. “Let`s go.” John pushed the lever and the Star Fury was gone in an instant.

    Above Dave`s tombstone hovered a shadow of what seemed to be a hooded figure, the mysterious figure approached it and placed his hand on the grave as it created some sort of an effect that made the ground shook.