Spotty and Fred – A Leap into the Stars
Fred’s mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions as she stood there, hands gripping the edges of the crate she’d been leaning against for support. This day had already been overwhelming—learning the truth about the multiverse, hearing about Illyria, watching Spotty and Ila casually obliterate everything she thought she knew about power, and now… now this.
Spotty’s crystalline blue eyes locked onto her, amusement flickering in their depths. “Do you have the authority to represent your people?” she asked, her tone that perfect blend of serious and casual, as if she already knew the answer before Fred had even considered it.
Fred hesitated. Did she? The truth was, the humans had leaders—elders who had done their best to guide them through the hell their world had become. She wasn’t officially in charge, but she had been the one communicating with Spotty and Ila since they arrived. She had been the one to tell them about the fall of her world. And more than that—she wanted to see this through.
But before she could properly form a response, Spotty’s lips curled into a knowing, mischievous smile. “I believe the fleets I ordered should have arrived by now, and we’ll need someone to represent your people for the final meeting before we strike.” Then, her voice dipped slightly, a teasing warmth creeping into it. “Plus, you’d get to see Earth from orbit, a vast armada of ships, and all the shiny tech on my flagship, the Zmajcica-h.” Spotty leaned in just slightly, her voice laced with that playful charm that made it impossible to say no. “I bet you’d love it.”
Fred felt her breath hitch. Oh, god.
She was already weak for science and technology, but this? This was straight-up temptation, and Spotty knew exactly how to bait her.
Fred’s mind instantly flooded with images of what awaited her—massive, sleek battleships bristling with technology far beyond her comprehension, data cores filled with knowledge she’d never even dreamed of, machines so advanced they’d make Earth’s pre-apocalypse tech look like stone tools. And Spotty’s flagship? That was the crown jewel of it all.
Fred barely even realized she was nodding before words started tumbling out of her mouth. “I—yes! I mean, I—uh, I will represent my people.”
She winced at how eager she sounded, but the look on Spotty’s face told her the Empress had expected this outcome all along.
Spotty’s smirk deepened. “Well, in that case,” she said smoothly, turning on her heel with an effortless grace, “we better get going.”
With a wave of her hand, a shimmering portal ignited in the air before them, swirling with a mesmerizing display of blues and silvers. The gateway into the unknown. Spotty gestured toward it, motioning for Fred, Ila, and Elizabeth to step through.
Fred took a deep breath. Her heart was racing with excitement, nerves, and a deep sense that her life was about to change forever.