**Captain's Log, Supplemental**
**DDSN-X100 USS Discovery**
**Captain James Nolan recording**
**48 hours to Black Fleet Landfall**
A plea echoes through steel and light.
Morality meets the calculus of survival.
An enemy from the east demands a choice.
The forest waits for our answer.
Jasmine's impassioned plea hung in the air of the command center like a living thing, raw and unfiltered. Tears still glistened on her cheeks as she held Nolan's gaze, her voice trembling but resolute through the emotion. The weight of her words pressed against every soul in the room—the last ruler of a fallen kingdom, carrying the lives of five hundred and sixty-seven survivors on her shoulders, begging not for herself but for her people.
Nolan stood motionless for a long moment, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the rotating globe of Terra floating above the central holo-table. The implications unfolded in his mind with clinical precision. Five hundred and sixty-seven additional souls would strain every resource they had. The residence blocks were still under construction, food production was ramping up but far from self-sufficient, and the base was only beginning to establish a sustainable footprint on this world. Yet the holo feeds from the east painted a stark picture—three massive black-sailed fleets moving westward like a devouring plague, one heading for the northern coast, one for the central, and one for the southern, forty-eight hours out and closing fast.
He could shelter them. Logistically, it was possible, though difficult. Morally, he could not refuse. An unyielding, barbaric enemy had already revealed itself in this world, one that showed no mercy and negotiated only with steel. Turning away survivors from such a threat would make the Discovery expedition no better than the monsters they had fought on Earth. The silence stretched. A.L.I. stood quietly to his left, her luminous eyes patient. Vasquez watched with quiet empathy, while Voss remained professionally neutral, though her posture betrayed the same internal calculation.
Finally, Nolan exhaled slowly and met Jasmine's tear-filled gaze. "We can shelter your people, Princess. It will not be easy, and it will take time to integrate them safely, but we will not turn away those fleeing the same darkness we fought on our own world. We faced that evil on Earth—we did not flee from it. We fought it. And we will not stand idle while it spreads here." Jasmine's shoulders sagged with visible relief, fresh tears slipping down her cheeks. "Thank you," she whispered, voice cracking. "Thank you, Captain Nolan. You have no idea what this means to us."
Nolan gave a small nod, already shifting into command mode. He turned to the large holo-table and zoomed in on the western coastline, his fingers tracing a point approximately forty miles north of Ebonridge Harbor. "There—an isolated natural cove. Deep water access, natural cover from the cliffs, and far enough from major settlements to keep the operation discreet. That will be our landing zone. We move the Rothguard fleet north immediately to a cove forty miles north of Ebonridge. Based on their current speed and weather, the first Rothguard ships could make landfall in approximately twelve hours if they leave immediately."
He continued outlining the strategy with crisp efficiency. "Condor Heavy Shuttles will be kitted for passengers to ferry the most vulnerable first. VS-22 Jackals will provide close air support, Switchblades will maintain air superiority over the extraction corridor. Marines and Delta teams will handle ground support and security during the landing and transfer. We'll establish a temporary perimeter at the cove until we can move everyone to Shire Base in controlled batches."
Jasmine listened intently, her expression shifting from relief to focused determination. "My dragons can travel far ahead of the fleets. We should have several hours before any scout reaches the observation range of the western coasts. That gives us a narrow window to move the fleet north without being spotted."
Nolan nodded sharply. "Then we use every minute. Hayes, make it happen. We move the Rothguard fleet north immediately to a cove forty miles north of Ebonridge." Hayes gave a crisp salute. "Understood, sir. We'll get it done." Jasmine stepped forward, her voice thick with emotion as she addressed the Marine NCO. "Thank you, Sergeant. Every life you help save… my people have already lost so much. Your willingness means more than I can express." Hayes gave her a firm nod. "We don't leave people behind, ma'am. Not on our watch."
Nolan turned back to the holo-table, zooming in on the eastern seas where the three black fleets continued their inexorable advance. "This is no longer just about passage—it's about getting your people behind our perimeter before that fleet reaches the western coast. We start with the most critical cases—the wounded and children. The Condor Heavy Shuttles will handle large groups, and the Jackals will provide air cover."
Jasmine watched the holographic images of burning ports and marching armies, her tears drying as resolve hardened in her eyes. She reached for her communication crystal, fingers steady now as she activated it. "Sebastian… It's Jasmine. We have help. Tell the fleet to make for a cove twelve leagues north of Ebonridge immediately. We're coming for you."
The dragon from the east was coming.
But now, at least, they would not face it alone.
The green watched from the ridge.
The strangers built in the meadow.
Two worlds had begun to stand together.