Tony walked into the personnel warp chambers, a smattering of pads and panels were spread across the muddled space. Splotches of dried blood told a story of failed escape attempts during Tolik's onslaught. Tony pushed the imagery building in his head down. Those people had been avenged through Tony's action, for better or worse.

They're all in the respawn queue, there's nothing else I can do about that right now, he justified. He needed to get away from the damn ship. Everywhere he looked there was death and while Arach was where this whole mess really got out of hand, it was where he found Maximus and Jorogu.

That was another thing he had to figure out, the sword Jorogu gave him.

Jorogu's Marital Blade Rarity: Unique (1 of 1) Durability: 100% Enchantments: Concealed (Social Link 5) Slashing Damage: Exceptional Thrusting Damage: Good Parry: Good Riposte Multiplier: 3.75x

The item name suggested that it was a kind of marriage contract. Tony thought back on what Jorogu said when she gave him the blade.

"Since I separated these legs from my body and lost the duel, I cannot re-assimilate them. It is only right that you should take it with you."

"It is only right..." Tony repeated. Did besting Jorogu in the duel mean she had been obligated to propose? He scratched the back of his head as he stepped onto one of the warp pads.

"Please enter Warp Coordinates," the ship's AI chirped through the panel. Tony swiped his hand at the screen and it followed the motion, gliding into arm's reach. He tapped "Arach" into the destination screen and it flashed an annoyed red at him.

"You must enter a more specific location," the AI scolded.

Tony rolled his eyes and tried tapping in 'Ascendant Crash Site,' another irritated flash. Frustration welled up in his chest and for an instant, Tony considered putting his fist through the panel.

I just want to get out of here!

He took some deep steadying breaths. Breaking the panel wouldn't get him off the ship. Tony studied the screen, there were fields to enter traditional coordinates, keyword searches, dropdowns for systems, planets, hemispheres, and quadrants, but they had to be selected sequentially and he didn't know which system Arach was in. He swiped through the pages and nearly shouted with glee.

Sigil Entry

Tony rolled his arm over to get a good look at the mark Jorogu had given him, the sword with four sharpened prongs, and drew it in the Sigil window.

Sigil Accepted

Destination: Arach Empire Capital

WARNING

Warp Pads at Destination are not configured for return transport. Haght'anak access Key Required.

Tony paused. A one-way trip was not what he had in mind. He scrolled through the remaining pages to see if there was an access key listed, he even searched for it in the system. No dice. An idea sprang to mind as he stepped off the pad and approached one of those that were severely damaged.

Maybe the access key is a physical component?

He flipped over one of the panels and planted his rear on the floor to study it. Tony turned the damaged tech over in his hands, examining its exterior. He'd scrapped cars for a short time to make money before landing his third shift work assignment and housing. Tony was in no way a mechanical genius, but, if he could take something apart he could usually figure out how it worked.

A thin but sturdy metal casing kept the interior from view, the glass screen was severely cracked, and none of the buttons responded to his prodding. He didn't think that Auren or Vasna would be able to repair the damaged panel, let alone be in a civil enough mood for him to ask. This was a panel he could break. He grabbed a scrap of metal from the floor next to him and used it to pry the glass off, gaining only a couple of small cuts on his fingers for his efforts. The guts of the panel reminded Tony of the inside of a PC more than he expected. Common components like RAM sticks, a CPU, Power source, and even a Hard Drive were easily identified. The parts he didn't recognize, Tony used the system to identify.

Essence Alternator: A piece of technology that converts battery charge to Essence

Guest Filter: A piece of technology that allows the owner of the Warp Pad to scan and either accept or reject incoming guests

Access Key Reader: A chip that resonates with a Pad Access Key to gain additional Warp Locations

Jackpot.

Tony tossed the remnants of the panel aside and got to his feet; he'd need to get into the guts of a pad to find an access key. He nudged the defunct pad with his foot. Without a panel, it wouldn't function so there was no harm in eviscerating the thing. He squatted low and wrapped his fingers around the bottom of the pad; flexing the muscles in his legs and glutes, he stood and flipped the thing with a grunt.

Fortunately, the bottom was open, providing immediate access to the components. Not wanting to waste time, he used the system to find the Pad Access Key. It looked more like a spike with a dim green glow to it than a mechanical piece. He pried the few connecting wires from the key and pulled it free from the pad. "That should do it," he muttered.

Tony ventured back to the pad waiting for him to confirm the warp. Maximus sat there waiting, his curled tail thumping softly against the metal. Tony hoped that the Pad Access Key would allow him to return freely, otherwise, he'd have to use the Respawn option he'd seen in the menus and wait in the queue. He pocketed the spike and confirmed the warp. The odd sensation of movement while standing still settled in, this time vertically, unlike when Auren had teleported them. The light swirled from purple to blue, then red and the familiar orange starscape of Arach's system. His feet slammed into the blue-green grass, delightfully free of spilled spider ichor. Maximus staggered around, clearly less accustomed to interdimensional travel than Tony was. He scooped the small dog up in his arms and cradled him. A cold, wet nose pressing into his armpit made him jump and then smile.

Tony looked up to see two spider guards approaching him. They were in the same evolutionary state as Ama, the medic from the duel: spider bodies with humanoid torsos covered in shining chitin sprouting from the cephalothorax where the mandibles would be. The pair leveled sword spears at him, Naginata if he remembered correctly. Their mouths opened and a series of clicks and hisses came out. He couldn't tell what they were saying, but it didn't sound like they were happy to see him. Maximus's head popped out of Tony's armpit with a snarling growl and bared teeth.

Little guy's got some fight in him! Tony thought.

"I am here to see Princess Jorogu. I mean no harm," he spoke slowly, hoping that the soldiers would understand him. They hesitated for a moment before one of them twisted their abdomen, spinnerets pointed directly at Tony. He sank into a ready stance on reflex and shielded Maximus's snarling face. He wasn't here to fight, but he'd be damned if anyone was going to go after his dog.

There was an eerie moment of stillness before a small spider, about the size of a chipmunk, skittered up onto the guard not pointing their web end at Tony. The guard craned its neck as if listening to a secret being whispered into its ear. It nodded once, twice, and a third time, then held three fingers up at Tony and clicked at the other guard, who relaxed.

Tony gave it a two count before relaxing himself and scratched Maximus behind the ear, calming the savage beast. The guards waved him forward, indicating that he was to follow them. He walked forward and the two guards circled him, looking him over thoroughly before he held up his arm with the mark. They stopped immediately, embarrassed surprise overwhelmed their facial expressions and they beckoned him urgently forward again.

Tony followed.