I have a Plan

Selene's exposure to space became the greatest event in her life. Even more impactful than not attending her Naming Ceremony, at least for the moment. For now, she had a distraction that would make her forget everything else. Even the fact that her time on the ship was limited and not at all in her control.

But regardless she would make the most of the time she could spend there. Synthia had become a true friend to her in record time. At first, she often referred to Synthia as one of the spirits of the flame, which had confused Synthia for a while. But after Selene explained it to her, although she could not scientifically explain the animal spirits seen during the naming ceremony or make sense of what happened with the markings, she could explain what she was and that she was not a spirit of the flame.

Synthia's attempted explanation of what she has led them through several tangents, which in turn led to the two becoming close to the point there were barely any secrets left between them.

Selene walked through the corridors of the ship with Synthia by her side. Both women were beyond jubilant as Selene skipped down the hall while Synthia floated. They did the same thing they'd done for days.

"So what if someone walked out there right now? Would they just float away or would they fall?"

"Well, normally most beings in the nearby galaxy would perish. Unless they have the proper equipment."

"E...Equip...Equipment, what is that, and why would they perish?"

"Hmm, how do I explain- Oh, the armor and clothing you said your people wear to shield you from the sun on your world, that is equipment. Most of the lifeforms in the closeby galaxy need oxygen a compound of elements on their worlds. It makes space travel and finding habitable worlds difficult for them."

"Then how about my people, could the Stral make it to space?"

"Yes, given time you could and I suspect your people can thrive. If they are like you and have the will to learn and accept things in the universe, your people can become a beacon for something great."

"I'll make them when I figure out how to get back."

Synthia stopped walking staring at the back of Selene who continued skipping along. Selene had inadvertently reminded her of something important.

"Selene, I had been enjoying our time together, since as you can imagine I do not get many visitors. Much fewer extra-galactic ones with so much to share, so I have not asked but I think it's time. How did you get her?"

Selene froze, her smile left her face and the air around her grew heavy. Just as Synthia had forgotten to ask her how she got to Pantheon, Selene had also forgotten. Not how she'd gotten there, but that her time was limited and it was out of her control. Now that she was reminded of that fact her joy and curiosity fell significantly.

"I was abducted and I am forcefully being trained to be a Spider- a Fateweaver they call it. I was told to read a book and was pulled in, now I am falling into strange places like here."

Selene told Synthia the entire tale, the history of Fateweaver's as she knew, the deal she made with the Planeswalker, and her desire just to go home and complete her ceremony. Synthia was shocked to put it lightly. To put it mildly, she was close to having a full programming meltdown, and candidly the Patheon came very close to self-destruction as a way to express the current state of its ruling AI.

Synthia stood in silence as Selene continued to tell her of things so far beyond her knowledge. The computational power it took for Synthia to just understand the concept of fate and predetermination was already stressful enough on her CPU. But it would've remained manageable for her to do this and run the ship without problems. But she also embarked on another task, one that would have a lasting effect on Synthia if she continued. She knew this and still, she ran a very specific simulation several million times over.

The lights on the ship flickered and Selene intermittently found herself quickly switching between weightlessness and carrying a mountain on her back. Along with the intermittent gravity was intermittent hearing loss, or rather no sound traveled at all like when she first arrived.

She was a bit astonished that Synthia seemed to be losing control over the ship, but in the time they spent together she developed a certain degree of faith in her friend. That faith was unshaken until Synthia's holographic projection began to flicker. It was at this point that she realized one of them may be in trouble though who it would be only time could tell.

The ship went dark and unlike when she arrived and there were few lights still functioning, this time she was left in the near pitch black dark. There was no light, no gravity, and except for the faint stars outside, there was nothing for her there.

'What is this? Is she okay? Will she come back? Am I going to just float like this until my time is up here?'

A myriad of questions flowed through her mind, distracting her from the tears that coalesced in her eyes. All those questions distract her from the one she wanted to ask, in fear that she would again arrive at that same answer she got when abducted from her home.

"I have an idea, but you have to be sure you want to do this and understand you will never be the same again if it works."

Selene's eyes shot open so wide that even the dark another person under some strain may have seen them. But for the person that spoke she would've seen Selene no matter what so long as she was on the ship.

"Y...Your...You are back," Selene stuttered and spoke in what was barely a whisper. Tears veiled her eyes once again and rolled down her cheeks.

"Why would I not be this is my ship, and I refuse to leave any guest as great as you unsatisfied during their stay. Even more so when that guest is a friend," Synthia stated as if it were only a matter of fact.

Selene wiped her eyes and looked at the projection of Synthia that reappeared.

"What is the plan you were talking about?"

"It's only an idea and I could be wrong. But to your people, one of the most important things is the body you are born into and the blessings it receives at birth. But if we were to change your body could we remove the mark of the Spider as you say?"

"No, absolutely not! If I changed my body I would lose the blessings of the wolf, I would never be able to have my naming ceremony," Selene roared.

Synthia stood staring at Selene. She realized what she was asking her to do but there was also another part that she hadn't told Selene about yet. The Vanis is a spaceship and Synthia had gathered the knowledge of several nearby galaxies. Knowledge that could not be obtained by remaining stationary and scanning deep space. Vanis could move and although she could not bring Selene home as she had no idea where it was, she could do something else.

Selene would soon realize what Synthia had done if her thought process was correct she would feel it. Soon she would know and if she was proven right, the secrets of the stars would soon open up to even her.