Night fell as the desert sands of the abandoned mining district gradually settled. Starlight penetrated the dusty haze, casting mottled shadows on the surface. Near the Dawn, a newly lit bonfire illuminated six exhausted yet determined figures. The flames licked at the dry wood, crackling as if recounting the silent history of this desolate land.

  Ethan Cross sat cross-legged before the fire, which outlined his angular profile and revealed the undisguisable resolve in his eyes. He drew a deep breath, holding in his hand a badge he had brought from the Federation Company. The metal was worn, but the characters for "Federation" were still discernible. Once a testament to his joint venture with Victor, it had now become a symbol of a different mission.

  "Today," his voice deep and powerful, each word seemingly squeezed from the depths of his soul, "we officially form the Rebirth Squad." He looked around, his gaze falling on each person's face—a look both gentle and resolute. "Our goal is to overthrow the Federation Company's tyranny and rescue those who have been enslaved. The path is difficult, but we must walk it."

  The firelight danced across his face, carving deep shadows. He tossed the badge into the fire, the metal gradually deforming in the high heat, as if past oaths and ideals were being melted down and reforged into new convictions.

  "I cannot guarantee that we will win," Ethan continued, his voice made more solemn by the crackling of the flames, "but I would rather burn to ashes than remain silent in darkness. Even if there is only a glimmer of hope, it's worth trying."

  Jake Riley tapped his wrench lightly with his knuckles, the rhythm steady like an echoing heartbeat. His callused fingers stroked the worn metal surface of the wrench, his gaze steady and calm, like every engine he had repaired—reliable and enduring.

  "I follow Ethan's path," he began, his voice hoarse yet warm, "Years ago, he said he would change the galaxy. I believed him then, and I believe him now." Jake looked up, the firelight dancing on his scars. "Always following, never turning back."

  Nick huddled a short distance away, quietly oiling his gun barrel with precise, rhythmic movements. He never liked flowery speeches, but tonight, he raised his head, his gaze cutting through the flames directly at Ethan. "I agree with your principles," his voice low but clear, "The colonial military gave me no path to survival, but now you've given me a purpose." He finished inspecting the gun chamber and gently closed it. "This is better than living like a rat. At least I know that if I die, it will be for the dignity of those still living."

  Rebecca remained silent, her head lowered in thought. Her delicate appearance had been affected by the journey, her face smudged with dust, but her gaze was more determined, as if a new resolve had been tempered in the firelight.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  Tara suddenly stood up, her steps unsteady yet full of explosive power. The wounds on her body had not fully healed, and the bloodstains seeping through her bandages looked particularly jarring in the firelight. She gripped her steel blade, which reflected the flames, sending cold glints in all directions.

  "The Federation Company killed all my family and burned everything I had!" Her voice carried undisguisable rage. "I will make them pay blood for blood!" She swung her blade, her movements so sharp they seemed to cut through the night sky. "We will win!"

  Lila sat in the shadows, her gaze sharp as a knife: "You're all deluding yourselves. The Federation Company controls half the galaxy, and you don't even have proper weapons. What are you going to fight with?" She glanced at Ethan. "A ragtag bunch, really thinking they're saviors."

  The bonfire suddenly erupted, sparks flying everywhere.

  Tara's temper flared as she pointed at Lila angrily: "Your mouth needs fixing! If you weren't somewhat useful, I'd have thrown you out long ago!"

  Jake also frowned, muttering, "Lila, stop being such a downer. We're all in the same boat now."

  Ethan simply rose quietly and walked to the center of the bonfire. The firelight cast his shadow on the Dawn behind him, stretching it long, like a silent call.

  "Lila is right," his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable force, "Our path is difficult, our chances slim. But precisely because it is difficult, we must be more united." He surveyed everyone, his gaze as fierce as the fire: "We're not pursuing certain victory, but doing our utmost to save those enslaved by the colonial military. We are here today because we have all seen the true face of the Federation Company, all experienced the pain of being crushed."

  He crouched down, picked up a stone, and placed it in the fire. The stone gradually turned red from the high temperature but did not crack.

  "We are like this stone—fire can forge us, but it cannot break our determination. Even if there is only a glimmer of hope, it's worth giving everything. That is the meaning of 'rebirth'—rising from the ruins with new strength."

  There was a moment of silence, then everyone's gaze gradually hardened. Even Lila raised her head, a flash of something inscrutable in her eyes, her lips pressed tight as if engaged in a silent struggle with her own doubts.

  Jake stood up, raising his wrench above his head: "For rebirth!"

  Tara immediately lifted her blade: "For revenge!"

  Nick and Rebecca exchanged a glance, also slowly rising. "For justice," Rebecca said softly, "For Evan, and for all those who were sacrificed."

  The night wind blew, the bonfire wavered, and the flames illuminated the faces of these six people—resolute, steadfast, wounded, hopeful—each different yet equally ardent. In this desolate ruin, the seed of "Rebirth Company" was sown, like a spark of fire, small yet containing infinite possibilities.

  The firelight fell on the rust-covered hull of the Dawn, the abandoned ship that had now become a symbol of rebirth. Its name—"Dawn"—gleamed with a faint metallic luster in the reflected fire, as if making some mysterious promise to this newborn team: dawn will eventually come, no matter how long the road ahead.

  "Training begins tomorrow," Ethan finally said, "Everyone needs to master basic tactics and weapon use. We will gradually grow stronger, starting from here, step by step."

  The bonfire swayed in the night wind, and starlight fell through the haze, baptizing this newborn team. Their journey had just begun, full of hardships and uncertainties, but tonight's spark had been ignited, and would not easily be extinguished.