Paleon.

  A planet where secrets lay buried beneath miles of rock and dust. This world had once thrived as a mining colony, veins rich with rare minerals coveted by empires and corporations alike.

  Those mines now lay abandoned beneath the blazing orange skies, the structures were left to rust in the harsh, dry winds that howled across the surface. It was as though the heavens themselves wept for the forgotten lives once there.

  Arros's eye scanned the barren landscape below.

  “We can’t let the Nexus reach it,” he muttered under his breath.

  “Arros,” Kelix, the commander of his marines, said. “We’re ready. Locke and his mercenaries have fortified the lower tunnels, and the marines are on high alert. We’ll be prepared for whatever comes.”

  Arros remained silent for a moment. His gaze was still fixed on Paleon’s surface.

  “And yet...I feel we’re not prepared at all.“

  Arros let his mind drift back to the start of the war. His fleet having been decimated by the Nexus. That wasn't what bothered him, though.

  He abandoned his people. Watching the refugees from the other planets entering the Val' Dara starport, but not his own. He had left them to their fate on Horizon. Not including the crew of Praetor, he has not met anybody else from his homeworld. He couldn't shake the faces of those he had once known, the apparitions haunting his dreams.

  He had replayed the moment of failure over and over in his mind, searching for something he could have done differently. Some way he could have saved them. No matter how many times he ran through the events, the outcome was always the same.

  Now, on Paleon, he faced another impossible situation. The Nexus was coming. This time, he wouldn't run. Even if it meant sacrificing himself in the process.

  He turned to face Kelix. “I'm heading down there,” he said. “Jump the fleet out.“

  “Sir? Without the fleet, all of you will be stuck down there,” Kelix replied. “We won’t be able to get reinforcements to you in time. It’s a death sentence.”

  Leaving the fleet above was a gamble. Arros couldn’t let them risk annihilation. As he saw it, dying on Paleon is restitution for the dead.

  He rested his hand on Kelix's shoulder. “This is the only fleet left to protect the people. Everybody down there knows what they signed up for.“

  Kelix hesitated, then nodded. “Understood, sir.”

  Arros made his way to the shuttle that would take him to the surface.

  As the engines roared to life, he allowed himself one last glance at Paleon’s desolate surface. This was his chance to atone—not just for Horizon, but for all the lives lost to the Nexus.

  >>>>>***********************<<<<<

  As the lift descended, the temperature dropped, and the air grew heavier. It was filled with the scent of ancient dust and machinery long abandoned.

  When the lift doors opened, Locke stepped into the darkness of the lower tunnels. His company, mercenaries that he had worked with before the war, had already begun setting up defenses. The tunnels stretched out before him like a maze, twisting and turning in ways that even the most advanced sensors couldn’t fully map.

  Big D was there, directing the placement of sentry guns and motion detectors. The mercenaries moved with the experience of men who have fought against the odds on battlefields across the galaxy. Every passageway and every alcove, they left nothing to chance.

  “We’ve locked down the main entrances,” Big D reported as Locke approached. “If the Nexus tries to come through here, they’ll be walking into a death trap.”

  “Yea—You've said that before,” Locke replied, his eyes scanning the tunnel.

  Big D chuckled. “You don't have to trust me. They're your guys,” he said.

  Like a shadow creeping closer, the anticipation of this fight wasn't just about Paleon's secrets. It was about survival—their future.

  “It’s not just the Nexus we have to worry about,” Locke said. “We don't know what's down there. We need to be ready for anything.“

  “We’ll hold 'em back,” Big D replied, picking up a rifle. “I won't make you do all the work this time. Besides, they won’t stop until they’ve ground us into meat piles—and I'm grade A.”

  That reality settled between them like an unspoken pact. Both knew what this meant—this wouldn’t just determine the fate of Paleon. It could be the turning point in their war with the Nexus.

  As Locke moved deeper into the mining complex, the narrow corridors began to close in around him. The silence was punctuated only by the distant rumble of generators and the occasional shuffle of his soldiers. Every step Locke took sent waves through the darkness, only amplifying his thoughts.

  He thought about Varelion, his homeworld. He had built a life a paid gun could only dream of. The rolling hills, vast lakes, and peaceful sunsets painted a serene picture far from the chaos of the galaxy.

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  Locke wasn't just some avaricious soldier of fortune. He was a father and a husband. His family was the center of his world, and Varelion was their sanctuary.

  Though his work took him to the far reaches of the galaxy, it was always the place he returned to. He was drawn to the tranquility it offered. Contracts came and went, each one a job that kept the family secure. It was always the life at home that held priority. He had seen too much death, too much conflict, to ever want that for them.

  It had escaped the worst of the galactic wars, remaining a peaceful, hidden gem. Locke intended to keep it that way. He thought of leaving that part of his life behind. He had enough savings to make it work.

  His reputation as one of the finest sharpshooters in the galaxy had ensured a steady stream of contracts, and his skills were unmatched. The work was in his blood—it was hard to walk away completely, no matter how much he wanted to.

  Peace, he had learned long ago, was fleeting.

  Would Paleon be any different?

  Would he stand here, days from now, watching another world crumble because of his inability to stop the Nexus?

  His hand tightened around his rifle—the extension of his will.

  No. This time would be different.

  As he reached the main command center, a small group of his most trusted officers awaited him.

  “We’ve fortified the primary entrances, and the sentries are in place,” one reported.

  Locke nodded, his gaze changing to another. “What have you found?”

  “The energy signatures are stronger now. There’s definitely something deeper,” the officer replied.

  “Can we reach it?” Locke asked.

  “We can try. We’ll need time,” the officer said.

  “We don’t have time,” Locke replied “If we’re going to find it before they do, we have to get on it.”

  The officer nodded. “I’ll get the crews working. Locke, whatever’s down there, the energy levels are crazy. We should be careful.”

  Arros entered the command center. He stepped forward, his face hidden beneath his helmet.

  “Once the Nexus reaches the deck, they won't delay. They'll hit us, and it'll be hard,“ he said.

  Locke looked down at his laces. What if, despite their best efforts, the planet fell?

  He walked to the edge of the tunnels where the faint glow of the surface could still be seen in the distance. He could feel it coming, a sense of foreboding that wrapped him like a cloak.

  Big D joined him, standing silently for a moment before speaking.

  “Word just came through,” he said quietly. “The Nexus fleet is in orbit. Arcturus is leading the assault.”

  The two men stood in silence, watching the sun sink below the horizon. No matter the odds, no matter the losses, he would fight. He would fight for the memory of his home—of his family.

  As the Nexus fleet pierced the atmosphere, dark skies loomed over Paleon.

  >>>>>***********************<<<<<

  Aetherveil wasn't sure where she was. The city was bustling with activity. She shoved past a group loitering in the walkway, their angry shouts trailing off as they turned away.

  She hadn't experienced a normal day since the war began.

  “This galaxy belongs to us now.“

  Arcturus's voice pealed in her thoughts like a death knell. Those words had torn through her, making her question why she didn't just listen to Lilyon. If she had just stayed within her borders, would the Nexus have even known? Or cared?

  Was she truly as strong as she had believed? Had her confidence been nothing more than an illusion built on the back of a power that was no longer hers?

  All of these thoughts made her feel small—weak. It was in a way that terrified her.

  The cacophony of voices and horns overwhelmed her ears. The vivid blues and greens of the neon signs flickered, stirring a memory long buried—a different chaos from a life before this one.

  Her mind whisked her away, dropping her into a formation beneath the towering structure of an alien auditorium.

  Its bright blue lights reflected off the polished surfaces. A man in familiar luminescent armor stood behind a podium, his commanding presence dominated the space. Lanky, colorless beings flanked him. Their inky dark eyes seemed to devour the light around them, their height reducing her six-foot frame to insignificance.

  The sight of them sent a shiver down her spine. It was a reminder of how small she had felt beneath Arcturus's inscrutable gaze.

  “We have one mission now,” the man said, his voice carrying across the vast hall. “If we fail, the galaxy will be lost to the Katabrothans. The conduit is nearly complete, and we must protect it at any cost.“

  It was a puzzle piece she hadn’t known she was missing.

  “The conduit. That's how I beat Arcturus.“

  His head turned toward Aetherveil, his gaze focused on her.

  “Where can I find an outfit like that?“

  Aetherveil blinked. “What?”

  She blinked harder. When they opened, she was back in the busy construct. In front of her stood a woman, barely in her twenties. Her face was lit with excitement.

  “I was wondering where I can get an outfit like that,” the woman repeated, oblivious.

  “It's not for you,” she snapped through gritted teeth, brushing past the woman without another glance. The woman’s shocked expression lingered in her mind for only a bit before something far more pressing pushed it aside.

  “What about the beacon?” she contemplated as her boots clicked against the pavement. An invisible force began to creep around her. It was a subtle aura that made her stomach churn with dread.

  “That's because they never told you about it,“ Cryptorax said.

  Aetherveil stopped in front of a shop window, staring at her reflection. The glass shimmered faintly as the neon glows distorted her image.

  “How am I supposed to turn it on if I don't know anything about it,” she murmured, ignoring the glances of passersby. “I don't even know how the conduit works.“

  “You're the only one who can interact with this technology,“ Cryptorax replied. “You are the only one left. Without you, the conduit will fail.“

  Aetherveil exhaled sharply, her breath fogging the glass in front of her.

  “So, I am just a tool,” she muttered.

  “No—” Cryptorax said.

  The construct around her flickered. She could feel the eyes staring at her.

  “These simulations were built for his cyborgs. You’re a guest here,” it continued. “Each one is isolated to prevent disruption. Interact as little as possible.“

  “What will happen?“ she asked. “Where am I supposed to go?“

  Cryptorax materialized in the window, replacing her reflection with his own.

  “These simulations are vast. You won't be noticed unless you draw attention to yourself,“ it replied. "Failsafe terminals are still present from legacy Nexus. We have modified them to include access to the quantum gateways."

  Her jaw tightened, her hands trembling at her sides. "I can't use the gate like this," she said.

  Her memories clawed their way out of her subconscious, searing like a hot poker. “The conduit was built to shut down the quantum gateways,” she continued.

  Cryptorax began to fade, his outline dissolving into the glass.

  "You can. We will return you when you are done."

  Aetherveil hesitated, her reflection reappeared as his presence vanished.

  Slowly, she turned and continued walking. Her steps smacked faintly against the pavement.

  “How can I trust the Tyrant.“

  The question lingering in her mind as the city lights stretched endlessly ahead—offering no answers.

  “Don't trust the Tyrant—trust yourself, Aetherveil. Your creators gave you the strength for this. Use it.”