- Oliver -

  The following two weeks of training blurred together in a haze of relentless drills and newfound mastery. During this time, Oliver had access to numerous recs of the Orks, allowing him to improve his uanding of Orkish. However, the recs were takeher on battlefields or during moments of torture. As a result, he primarily became profit in uanding the insults the Orks hurled at humans.

  | [Language] Orkish | Progress: 32.14%

  Each day, Oliver honed his trol over the Z Crystal, feeling its power resonate more deeply within him. Meanwhile, Isabe and Katherine were starting their training at their bases. Though both exhibited high patibility with their crystals, their learning and domination weren't as effortless as Oliver's initial activation; their progress was steady but gradual.

  Soon enough, Oliver found himself stepping onto a teleportation ptform alongside Elliot and Emma. Wiz stood before them, hands csped behind his back. "You'll be transported to one of our orbital bases around Olympus," he expined, his gaze steady. "From there, you'll catch a ship to the Half Wall."

  Elliot and Emma exged knowing gnces but had no questions. As Elliot had mentioned in passing, they were ners to missions on the Frontlihough their assigs were typically far more dangerous.

  Moments ter, the trio positiohemselves oeleport pad. A familiar hum filled the air, and Oliver braced himself. There was a brief sensation of weightlessness as though the ground had vanished beh his feet, and a shimmering light enveloped them. When solidity returhey were standing in a different locatioirely.

  The gravity here was lighter than on Pals, lending a slight bouo their steps. The room buzzed with activity—soldiers and officers hurried past, soles beeped itently, and holographic dispys projected tactical readouts into the air.

  "Wele," an h officer said, approag them in his uniform adorned with medals that glinted uhe artificial lighting. He Elliot and Emma. “Another reaissance mission?"

  "Yes, sir. Along with a babysitting task." Elliot replied. "We're heading south this time."

  The officer stroked his thoughtfully. "Uood. Your ship is prepped and ready."

  Elliot walked beside the officer, engaging in light versation about previous missions. Oliver followed alongside Emma, taking in the surroundings. The corridors of the orbital base were a maze of sleek passageways. The offiavigated them effortlessly, fingers dang over his wrist-mounted holographic device as he transmitted orders and received updates.

  "The other Rangers are already at the Half Wall," he informed them, pausing before a set e hydraulic doors. "You should rendezvous with them in approximately two hours."

  A muted hiss sighe doors sliding open, revealing a shangway leading to the vessel that awaited them.

  The ship rested he ter of the hangar, its dark metallic structure gleaming uhe intense lights of the unch line. Although imposing, it appeared small pared to the facility's vastness. Its broad wings and aerodynamic curves extended with funal precision, revealing embedded Z Crystal thrusters that pulsed as they prepared to propel the ship into a burst of speed.

  As Oliver walked toward the spacecraft's entrance, he caught a brief glimpse of the cockpit and the pilot. At the top of the vessel, with its translut dome tinged red, the cockpit offered a panoramic view, and small attached panels indicated the presence of high-precision navigation systems.

  As soon as the three boarded, the teical teams and operators w on the ship's systems and perf final checks quickly cleared the area, giving them space to settle in.

  The three secured themselves in the passenger seats. The harnesses snaked over their shoulders, clig into pce with a reassuring firmness. The pilot ran through final pre-flight checks, his hands gliding over the trols with practiced precision.

  A voice crackled over the internal s—the same officer from before. "Ship cleared for departure. Shuttle X-03 en route to Olympus, South Gate of the Half Wall. Launch sequenitiated. In three… two… one…"

  With a subtle lurch, Oliver felt the ship disengage from the dog cmps. As the engines powered on, a low thrum built up beh them, and their Z Crystal thrusters emitted a faint azure glow.

  "Departure firmed," the pilot's calm voice echoed. "Engaging thrusters."

  The acceleration pressed them bato their seats as the shuttle shot forward. The orbital base receded rapidly through the viewport, being a mere speck against the vast tapestry of stars. Streaks of light elongated around them as they pierced through the fabric of space, the stars stretg into luminous trails due to the ship's velocity.

  As the acceleration subsided, the trio allowed themselves a moment to rex as they awaited their approach to Olympus. Elliot and Emma were engrossed in reviewing the test data on the Orks, preparing themselves for a developments they might enter.

  Meanwhile, Oliver gazed out of the viewport, watg as the p loomed ever closer. He could make out massive Ork ships h ominously in the distant reaches of space, keeping a wary distance from Olympus. With each passing sed, they drew o the colossal p—a vibrant sphere dominated by lush greens, punctuated only by the deep blues of scattered os. Thick forests and abundant pnt life bhe surface, making it a prime habitat for life and a fiercely tested battlegrouweewo races.

  Reports Oliver had studied indicated that Olympus was ri Z Crystals, a fact that only intensified the flict. ‘No wo became the frontline of the Tenth Wave,’ Oliver mused. ‘Both empires are eager to expand their territories and cim an edge over the other.’

  "We're approag Olympus's atmosphere," the pilot's voice crackled over the inter. "We'll begiry procedures shortly. Prepare yourselves."

  At the warning, the trio secured themselves once more. The ship began to tremble as it ehe p's atmosphere. Fiery streaks of psma raced past the windows, and the hull vibrated uhe strain. Sparks and fmes danced across the vessel's he heat of re-entry enveloping them.

  After several tense mihe turbulence eased. The fmes dissipated, giving way to the serene expanse of the p's upper atmosphere. As they desded, wisps of clouds parted, revealing the sprawling ndscapes below.

  "Requesting nding clearahe pilot announced into the unicator. "This is shuttle X-03, carrying passengers destined for the South Gate of the Half Wall."

  "Permission granted, X-03," came the response from the and tower. "Approach from the north and nd in area P1."

  "Prepare for nding," the pilot informed them, adjusting the ship's trajectory.

  The shuttle desded smoothly onto the designated pad with a gehud. As the engines powered down, the restraints released with a soft click.

  Stepping out of the vessel, Oliver was immediately struck by the scale of his surroundings. The nding bay itself was modest—a pact structure with several vertiding pads—but adjat to it stood the Half Wall. It was an imposing building stretg across the horizon in both dires. The wall soared dozens of stories into the sky, a seemingly insurmountable barrier dividing the p. tless ons and defeurrets bristled along its length, aimed outwards and inwards, creating an unbroken line of deterrence against any who might dare to breach it.

  "Impressive, isn't it?" Elliot remarked, notig Oliver's awestruck expression.

  "More than I imagined," Oliver admitted, his eyes trag the wall's massive tours.

  he base of the wall, a man leaned casually against a metal support beam. His posture exuded boredom and impatience. With his hands buried in his coat pockets, he watched their approach with a critical eye.

  "You're te," the man stated ftly as they drew near. His voice carried a tone of authority tinged with disdain. "Name's Alex. I'm the Red Ranger leading this mission. I expect punctuality iure."

  Oliver opened his mouth to expin that they'd arrived acc to the NEA's schedule, but Alex had already turned away, striding toward the entrance of the Half Wall.

  "Briefing starts now," Alex called over his shoulder. "The others are waiting."

  Elliot leaoward Oliver, a spiratorial smirk. "Don't take it personally. Reds are always like that—assholes."

  ‘I hope Katherine doesn’t kill one of them,’ Oliver thought, feeling sorry for his friend as he watched how one of the Red Rangers' captains behaved.

  They followed Alex through a massive armate. Armed guards and security personnel lihe entryway, effitly sing their IDs and verifying clearahe wall's interior was a bustling nexus of activity—a byrinth of corridors, trol rooms, and deployment zones humming with coordinated precision.

  They entered one of the many high-speed elevators, which whisked them upward swiftly. The dispy panel indicated their ast to one of the topmost levels.

  The group made their way to the Ranger aer within the instaltion. The room they entered acious, with dispys projeg tactical maps and data feeds onto the walls. Five other Rangers awaited them.

  Alex moved to the front of the room, his demeanor businesslike. "Let's start the briefing," he said.

  GCLopes