One Giant Leap
Rex is approached by some syndicate members who have a proposal, they want to copy the Destiny, as in the AI itself. He refused. They ask for a meeting with the Destiny or Deca. He passes it along, but does not expect them to agree, and indeed they do not. They do find that a bug was planted on Rex's shoe.
Deca decides to take the Destiny for a spin doing some maneuvers in the system. All are aboard except Psyche. Some drills are done by most of the crew, including Rex and Anna.
Psyche continues her investigation into the Dark Drive techj with her friend Dale. She eventually catches a ride with Dale's ship (The Aurora) to catch up with the Destiny.
Deca gets a call on a channel from Oberon, using a trump to talk on a channel. He advises them to leave the Ascendency space, as Finndo is planning to create a [Buffer. Soon after a massive reality wave wipes over everything, after which the Phoenix Empire is not much farther away from the Ascendancy and The Dark.
The crew starts to ponder how to get back to the Phoenix Empire.
Dale gives Rex information on where the Dark creates creatures like him. Some independent, some servant creatures. It is on a plant called Kittorak, in some caves (the "Caves of Kittorak").
Dale volunteers a key to a gate that could get us back to other gates to get us back to the Phoenix Empire.
In discussing potentially leaving the Ascendendy, the subject of the Ear Worms comes up. Rex asks his to leave so Anna can study it. She discovers that it records everything you say and hear. and that his data had been accessed 3 times. Psyche then establishes contact with hers and and finds it has also been accessed, twice, by (data redacted). Anna then finds that Rex already has a new one in his ear, standard procedure when one leaves. He removes it using shapeshifting. and bleach. Psyche confronts Dale, and he tells her that she needs an upgrade, two security patches. She gets hers upgraded.
Rex starts to study on how these can be used to attack someone with one.
Dale offers to come with Psyche. Psyche wants him to come with us on the ship, says she might be in love with him. Deca is reluctant. Destiny says he is 85% likely a spy. Deca eventually says he cannot trust Dale enough to allow him on the ship. Dale accepts this.
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