The three of them had traveled only about two hundred light-years before finding traces of Phoenix's former presence. The star in this system was gone, leaving behind only the debris of planets after they exploded.
Countless chunks of rock formed an explosion-shaped ring around the center of the system, the result of the stellar matter "bursting like an egg."
The star's disappearance also meant the disappearance of its gravity. The ring was no longer rotating, but the ship's sensors showed lingering heat signatures outside.
Looking directly through the cockpit window, they saw tiny red flames scattered throughout the pitch-black ruins of the system, bobbing and drifting like ship lights on the sea.
Someone had fought Phoenix head-on here. Though it was impossible to tell who had won or lost, the gap in the ring clearly marked the direction in which both sides had departed.
"Burp. Looks like we got here too late?"
Peter let out a burp that smelled of grass. He looked thoroughly satisfied. The enemy was too powerful; failing to catch up was a good thing.
"Someone forced Phoenix back? Interesting. Was it truly overwhelming strength, or did they use some underhanded trick?" Su Ming ignored the boy and pushed him farther away. "Go check the star map, Dancer. Look at the direction of the gap in the debris ring."
Peter tossed the empty box aside, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, then walked to the weapons officer's station in the rear and began working the terminal.
After entering the coordinates and angle, overlaying them onto the system-wide star map, and tapping several points on the holographic touchscreen, Dancer quickly gave an answer:
"The direction is the Andromeda Great Nebula. More precisely, roughly toward the M31 galaxy."
"The territory of the Shi'ar Empire, then?" Su Ming smiled and