PERIHELION

JUNE 17, 2223 | 12:28 AM UTC

Kaluin turns around the chair in their office, turning their head upwards to gaze at the stars speckled across the vast darkness of space. They allow themself a moment to breathe—so to speak, considering that they don't actually have lungs in this state—before turning their gaze inwards. 

Every now and then, Kaluin enjoys sinking into the Phelion hivemind connection. There are thousands of them, Phelions, across the universe by now—exploring, discovering, living, thriving. Flutters of emotions and thoughts come and go, ambiguous and decentralized. The quiet contentment of seeing the view of a beautiful alien planet. The delight of discovering something new. The fond frustration of a researcher with a moody creature. The exhilaration of a spar. 

Yet. It is, in a sense, quiet. Currently, there are no active Aphel attacks—there haven't been any for a week. The peace is pleasant, but Kaluin can't help but feel a sense of foreboding, a feeling that has slowly crept in with the passage of time. 

That unease was well-placed, as it turns out. Being in this state, Kaluin can sense when several Phelions enter a distressed, muddled state, their connection to the Phelion hivemind filling with noise. From the senses of other Phelions, Kaluin watches as several Phelions keel over where they stand, becoming unresponsive to any who try to get their attention. 

It's the Aphel-touched, Kaluin realizes. They've seen this before—they enter such a state moments before an Aphel attack. However, they've never seen symptoms as severe as these, and they've never occurred for all Aphel-touched at the same time.  

Before Kaluin can formulate a response, they become aware of Aphels arriving at an outpost. Prodding at the Phelions there allows them to show Kaluin what's happening—and Kaluin sees a wave of hundreds of Aphels closing in, launching into battle. It's not just there, either. Within seconds, more outposts are hit, an invasion spreading across space like a wave. Kaluin stands just as a wave arrives at the Academy, sending a message across the Phelion hivemind. 

An intergalactic Aphel invasion is targeting Phelions across the universe with aggressive force. Those qualified in Defense, organize into offensive groups and defensive groups. Offensive groups will intercept arriving Aphels. Defensive groups will remain with all other Phelions to defend them if any Aphels slip through. The Aphel-touched are experiencing severe symptoms; take them to the safe zones with the others.

Kaluin senses the acknowledgement of Phelions across their connection before they decide to join offensive efforts, jumping to a less well-defended side of the Academy. As they hover in space, they take a moment to register the scene: the vast darkness of space is now speckled with countless red dots, some of which streak towards the Academy. A crimson starscape of alien invaders.

Kaluin wastes no more time. They expand the size of the hard-light structs of their wings, turning them into blades that melt Aphels with a single slash as they fly through their rank, taking out several in one sweep. 

Kaluin keeps track of the other skirmishes across the Academy as much as they can without losing their focus in battle. Calla is handling another side of the Academy, and several others are taking out hundreds of Aphels each second. However, with their numbers, enough of them slip through to accumulate damage to the Academy's shield. As if sensing their progress, another massive wave of Aphels arrive. 

They've breached Perihelion's shield, Kaluin announces. Be vigilant.

Then, it's chaos. Kaluin alternates between focusing on battle, checking on other Phelions, jumping in to assist when needed, then going back to the front lines. Unfortunately, they can't be everywhere at once, and they bite back their pain whenever they sense another Phelion struck, another Phelion fallen. Many of the Aphel-touched have been able gather their wits and fight back, but one after another, they're subdued and surrounded, preventing others from drawing near. 

Then, noise fills the Phelion hivemind once more. The Aphels move suddenly—all those that have captured the Aphel-touched vanish in a flash crimson light, and shortly after, the other Aphels return to their pod forms and retreat. Even when Kaluin chases after some, destroying a few pods before they could escape, they pay Kaluin no mind.  

They're leaving, Kaluin realizes, communicating with the hivemind. But they have taken many of the Aphel-touched with them all at once.

Kaluin sweeps across the Academy's area before scanning the hivemind connection for information on the status of other Phelions. Their casualties are great, far greater than those in any other attack, between the abducted, Aphel-touched, and Fallen. A devastating loss. 

Kaluin centers themself for a moment before reaching out once more. The Aphels show no further signs of attacking at all locations across the universe, they say. Those outside Perihelion, please return to the closest base to rebuild and prepare for any further attacks. Those in Perihelion, return to the base. We will discuss a course of action.