### **CHAPTER 5: SHARDS, SCHEMERS, AND SPACE-GOD DRAMA**
**The Keeper's Warship | Engine Core Meltdown Imminent**
The hyperfuel canister hit the magma vat.
"*That's* your plan?!" Ryn screamed as the room erupted into a chain reaction of explosions.
"Yep!" Kael grinned, wild and unhinged, his fused shards blazing like a miniature supernova. "Classic *distract-and-dash*!"
The Keeper howled, his mask cracking as the factory collapsed. Master Orin's cage plummeted toward molten rock. Veyra, fueled by sheer spite, lunged, her corrupted arm sparking as she tore the bars open. "Get up, traitor!"
"Missed you too, kid," Orin wheezed.
Ryn grabbed Kael's collar. "The void energy stash's in the vault—*follow me or die!*"
They sprinted through disintegrating hallways, dodging cultists and falling debris. Z-9 rolled behind them, lobbing smoke grenades and screeching, "**THIS IS FINE.**"
---
**The Vault of Hungry Shadows**
The vault door was a slab of black stone etched with Starbinder warnings. Ryn slammed her shard-arm into a slot. "Sealed with *blood-magic*. Your turn, hotshot."
Kael pressed his shard to the door. It screamed, then dissolved. Inside, shelves of glowing void-energy canisters lined the walls—and at the center floated the **fourth shard**, larger than the others, its surface crawling with black veins.
"Jackpot," Ryn whispered.
Veyra stumbled in, dragging Orin. "We need to go—*now!*"
Kael reached for the shard.
"Don't!" Orin barked. "That shard's *corrupted*. The Keeper's essence is in it!"
"Cool. More loot for me," Kael said, grabbing it.
The shard fused with his others. Power *detonated*—dark and gold light warring in his veins. Visions flooded him: the Keeper, centuries ago, kneeling before the Void Maw, begging for immortality… *and getting it*.
"He's not human," Kael gasped. "He's a *parasite*."
Ryn stuffed void-energy canisters into her bag. "We're all a little parasitic, darling."
The Keeper's voice shook the ship. **"YOU WILL BURN WITH ME."**
---
**Escape Sequence (With Explosions)**
The group bolted for the *Cypher*, now held in place by the warship's failing tractor beam.
"Z-9—override the beam!" Kael yelled.
"**REQUIRES PASSWORD,**" the droid beeped.
Ryn typed **'KEEPERSUCKS'**. The beam died.
"*How'd you—?*"
"I dated a cultist. *Moving on!*"
They crashed into the *Cypher* as the warship's core imploded. Kael punched the hyperdrive. The ship lurched into a wobbly jump, leaving the Keeper's screams echoing in the void.
---
**Debrief (With More Explosions)**
Veyra collapsed, her corruption now covering half her face. Kael jammed a void-energy canister into her arm. The black veins receded—*slightly*.
"Temporary fix," Orin said. "The Maw's hunger can't be cured. Only… *redirected.*"
"Into what?" Kael snapped.
Orin nodded at the fused shards. "Into those. The original Starbinders used them as a *battery* for the Maw's prison. But it requires all seven shards—and a sacrifice."
Ryn snorted. "*Boring.* Let's sell the shards and buy a beach planet instead."
Veyra grabbed Ryn's shard-arm. "Why'd you help us?"
Ryn's smirk faded. "The Keeper owes me. He promised me freedom. Lied. So I'm burning his empire down." She leaned close to Kael. "And you're *fun.*"
The comms crackled. A hologram flickered—a planet engulfed in a storm of living shadows. **"Nyx Prime,"** Orin said. "Fifth shard's there. Also, the Maw's *mouth.*"
Kael stared at his shards. The corrupted veins had spread to his wrist. "How long do I have?"
Orin sighed. "Till the shards consume you? A week. Maybe two."
"*Fantastic.* Let's go."
---
**Post-Credits Tease™**
**Scene:** The Keeper's shattered mask floats in debris. A clawed hand grabs it—*a hand made of stardust and shadow*.
**Voice:** **"Pathetic. I'll finish this myself."**
The figure turns—revealing **Veyra's face**, but twisted, her eyes voids.
**Cut to black.**
---
**Chapter 6 Teases:**
- **Who's the *real* Keeper?** (Veyra clone? Time travel? Cosmic prank?)
- **Kael vs. Shard Corruption: GTA-style rampage?**
- **Ryn's ex-cultist boyfriend enters the chat.**
- **Orin's secret: Hero or Hannibal Lecter?**