06:00, February 10, 2295

  Prefect's Study, No. 1 Zhongshan S Rd, Taipei, Taiwan, Imperium of Dragons territory

  Dawn crept across Taipei, dispersing shadows from the corners of Dilinur's study. Her raven-black hair was gathered in an elaborate updo, secured by a hairpin bearing a blood-red gem that caught the light. A few strands had escaped, betraying hours spent reviewing the footage rather than maintaining the immaculate appearance expected of an Imperial Prefect.

  "Play it again," she commanded, her voice steady despite the churning in her stomach.

  The central display flickered to life, showing a woman strapped to an interrogation chair. Blood trickled from the subject's nose as Dilinur's recorded voice spoke through speakers: "The Crystal's location. One more time."

  The real Dilinur watched herself work, each motion a reminder of what survival in the Imperium demanded. The black silk of her robe whispered against the floor as she stepped closer, its dragon embroidery catching the light from the displays.

  She paused the recording at the moment the subject's skin began to bubble under her Eclipse spells. Her own reflection in the screen showed eyes that matched the prisoner's – haunted, trapped, yet unable to stop playing their assigned roles.

  "The Vault of…Primal Urges," the prisoner finally relented. "But an oppressed soul like yourself will never understand its power."

  The image zoomed, revealing eyes dilated with terror. But there – just before the screaming began – a micro-expression that hadn't registered during the session.

  "She knew what I was," Dilinur whispered. "What we both were – servants pretending to be masters."

  A message pulsed on her fusion-powered terminal: 'GOVERNOR QIN ARRIVING VIA HOLOGRAM IN 45 MINUTES. COURT ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.'

  Dilinur's fingers traced the outline of her jade hairpin, an old tell she'd never quite eliminated. How many more sessions would it take before she stopped feeling each scream? Before she became the monster the Imperium wanted?

  She turned instead to the window. Beyond the reinforced glass, Taipei's skyline blazed with fusion-powered lights, every building a testament to Imperium dominance. The Amber Moon Spire pierced the clouds like a blade through flesh, its Main Server Cluster holding secrets worth killing for – or dying to protect.

  A soft chime before another message popped: 'SUBJECT PROCESSED. ORGAN HARVEST SUCCESSFUL. AVAILABLE FOR USE. AT THE GENOME SEQUENCER.'

  Dilinur's hand tightened on her hairpin until her knuckles whitened. Another death, another "contribution" to the Imperium's endless appetite for progress. She remembered the woman's last words – something about family in Tainan. Would they ever know what happened to their daughter? Or would she simply vanish, like so many others who defied the Imperium's will?

  The amber glow from across the room drew her attention. The Genome Sequencer hummed quietly, its circular interface cycling through data as it processed the latest sample. Dilinur approached the machine, her reflection distorted in its polished surface.

  "Status report," she commanded.

  The Sequencer's neutral feminine voice responded: "Primary sequencing complete. Genetic integration proceeding as scheduled. Current progress: 87%."

  A three-dimensional holographic projection materialized above the machine, displaying the cellular structure forming within the subterranean vats beneath the building. What began as simple tissue samples harvested from failed revolutionaries was evolving into something monstrous – a bioweapon that could turn the tide against both Alliance incursions and Radi-Mon threats.

  "Time projection until Flesh Pot reaches viable status?" she asked, studying the grotesque cellular formations.

  "Seven Earth days until preliminary viability. Thirteen days until the Radi-Mon designated 'Flesh Pot' is ready for combat," the machine responded.

  Dilinur nodded, watching the cells divide and mutate. The rebel's genetic material was proving exceptionally compatible with the Radi-Mon they'd recovered from the last battle on Osram. Perhaps the woman's defiance in life would translate to ferocity in her contribution to the Imperium's arsenal.

  "Survival demands sacrifice," she murmured, the words bitter on her tongue. How many times had her superiors used that phrase to justify their cruelties? How many times had she repeated it to herself in the dark hours before dawn?

  She dismissed the projection with a wave of her hand. The machine continued its work, amber light pulsing rhythmically as it transmitted instructions to the cultivation chambers below. Flesh Pot would be her creation – a living weapon born from the remains of those who had defied the Imperium. A monster crafted by someone who feared becoming monstrous herself.

  She adjusted her robe, ensuring the dragon embroidery aligned perfectly. Every detail mattered when dealing with Governor Qin. The man might appear via hologram, but his appetite for protocol was legendary. One wrong move, one slip in etiquette, and all her careful work – all the compromises she'd made to reach this position – would crumble.

  A third message flashed: 'UNUSUAL ENERGY SIGNATURES DETECTED AT AMBER MOON SPIRE. LEVEL 50. SECURITY PROTOCOLS ENGAGING.'

  Dilinur's hand froze on her hairpin. The Crystal's data was stored on level 117. If someone was attempting to access it from below... but no. She couldn't investigate yet. Not with Governor Qin's audience looming. The court would have to come first – another performance in the endless theater of power that kept her people safe. Or at least, that's what she told herself each time she donned the Prefect's robes.

  In the Imperium, survival meant playing the game, climbing the ladder, until you reached a position where you could actually make a difference.

  If anyone lived that long.

  She squared her shoulders, chin lifting with practiced dignity. The dragons on her robe seemed to writhe in the dawn light as she moved toward the door. Behind her, the Genome Sequencer continued its silent work, creating life from death, weaving together flesh and technology into something unholy.

  The morning's court session would determine not just the fate of the Moondust Crystal data, that rogue programmer, and his android – but whether she could maintain this precarious balance between duty and humanity.

  After all, fear knew no ethnicity. And Dilinur Altai had learned to weaponize her own terror long ago.

  06:30, February 10, 2295

  Prefect’s Court (知府院), No. 1, Zhongshan S Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Taiwan, Imperium of Dragons territory

  "The Prefect has arrived!" The Bloodtrooper manning the door declared.

  The heavy doors of the Prefect's Court swung open with a resonant clang. Morning light streamed through tall windows, across the marble floor. The chamber wasn't large – the Imperium preferred intimacy for its acts of governance – but its walls were adorned with tapestries depicting dragons ascending to heaven, a reminder of divine mandate that felt more like a threat.

  Unlike the Alliance's underground approach or the Directorate's distributed systems, the Imperium displayed its fusion prowess openly. The chamber's entire eastern wall was transparent, revealing a massive Zephyrium processing core that bathed the room in ethereal amber-hued light. The crystalline structure, easily five stories tall, pulsed with barely contained energy that made the air taste of ozone and possibility.

  Dilinur had always found it telling that the Imperium positioned their fusion cores where everyone could see them - symbols of power meant to inspire awe and submission. Helionite disposal tubes snaked through the building's architecture like luminous green veins, their glow mixing with the morning sun to cast everything in an otherworldly hue.

  "At ease. We have much to discuss today," she said as she strode to her elevated seat, each step measured. Below her position, arranged in a crescent, sat the various secretaries and officers who helped maintain the Imperium's grip on Taiwan. Their faces were masks of careful neutrality, but she felt their scrutiny. Every session was a test of her worthiness to rule them.

  To her right stood Cheng Wei, her Seneschal, a pillar of crimson armor and unwavering loyalty. His sharp features remained stoic, but she caught the slight tension in his jaw – he'd seen the morning's reports too. The dragon motifs on his armor caught the light as he shifted, a mirror to her own robes' embroidery.

  "Governor Qin's transmission will begin momentarily," announced a technician, adjusting the holographic projector at the center of the chamber.

  Shazmeen Varma, the Secretary of Province, sat in her designated place with coiled grace. Her dark skin and striking features stood out among the predominantly Han Chinese officials – another "outsider" the Imperium had found useful. The intricate patterns in her braided hair and the golden threads in her robes spoke of wealth and influence, but Dilinur knew better than to trust such displays.

  "Prefect Altai," Shazmeen's voice carried a hint of amusement, "I trust the morning's intelligence has been... illuminating?"

  Before Dilinur could respond, the air shimmered and Governor Zu-Shao Qin's hologram materialized. Even through the blue-tinted projection, his presence commanded attention. His bald head and sharp features gave him a predatory aspect, while his robes – black and crimson, like dried blood on shadows – seemed to absorb the light around them.

  "Remarkable," Shao's voice filled the chamber, rich with scorn, "how our Prefect manages to arrive precisely on schedule, while the Crystal's data remains frustratingly elusive."

  Dilinur inclined her head, just enough to show respect without submission. "Governor, the data is secured in Amber Moon Spire's level 117 cluster. Our engineers have verified—"

  "Verification means nothing without results," Shao cut her off. "The Emperor grows impatient. While our forces battle the Alliance across the Five Realms, we're meant to trust the most significant discovery of the age to...a band of Unblooded and outsiders?"

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  The slight pause before those last words made their meaning clear. Unblooded. Outsider. Temporary convenience.

  "My lord," Dilinur kept her voice steady, "perhaps we should discuss the latest developments regarding—"

  A commotion at the chamber's entrance interrupted her. Two Bloodtroopers entered, their crimson armor catching the morning light. Between them stood a prisoner in simple clothes, his face bearing fresh bruises.

  "Apologies for the interruption," the first trooper announced, "but we've captured a rebel courier. Claims to have information about Alliance movements near the Crystal's suspected location."

  Dilinur felt Shao's holographic gaze sharpen with interest. She recognized the look – a predator scenting blood.

  "Well then, Prefect," Shao's lips curved in what might have been a smile, "shall we see how provincial management handles this opportunity?"

  Dilinur studied the prisoner. Young – barely twenty, she guessed. Local features, but his bearing suggested military training. The bruises were precise, methodical. The Bloodtroopers had known exactly how much force to use.

  "Speak," she commanded.

  The prisoner lifted his chin, defiant despite his bonds. "The Terra Alliance knows about the Crystal. They're mobilizing a strike force. I can tell you where—"

  "You'd sacrifice your comrades so easily?" Dilinur's voice carried just enough doubt to bait the hook.

  "They're…not my comrades anymore." Blood trickled from his split lip as he spoke. "The Alliance s-s-scums... they're working with the Emerald Directorate now. S-s-sharing intelligence about—"

  "The Alliance working with the apes?" A harsh laugh from Shao's hologram cut through the chamber. "And I’m the Mayor of Celestial Reach!"

  The prisoner's eyes widened slightly – a tell no amount of training could hide. Dilinur had seen that look before, in her surveillance recordings. The look of someone realizing their performance had failed.

  "Allow me to demonstrate why the Emperor trusts Taiwan's management," she rose smoothly from her seat, Eclipse energy beginning to coil around her fingers, "Maa-nik-ya Yaa-ta-naa!"

  The first spell caught the prisoner in his throat, choking off whatever lie he'd been about to attempt. The second spell made his blood vessels visible through his skin, a map of vulnerabilities waiting to be exploited.

  "Alliance movements?" she asked softly, letting him feel the pressure building in his arteries. "Or perhaps something about that disturbance we detected in Amber Moon Spire?"

  His eyes betrayed him before he could speak. A quick glance toward the windows, toward the tower's silhouette in the distance.

  "Prefect," Cheng Wei stepped forward, his armor clanking, "the timing suggests—"

  "A diversion," Dilinur finished. She released her spell, letting the prisoner collapse gasping to the floor. "While we're occupied here, someone else moves on the Crystal data."

  Shao's hologram flickered with barely contained fury. "If the Alliance breaches our servers —"

  "They won't, Governor Qin," Dilinur cut in, earning shocked looks from the assembled officials. One did not simply interrupt the Governor. "Because this isn't Alliance methodology. Their operatives don't sacrifice pawns so... inefficiently."

  She turned to Shazmeen. "The prisoner's accent. You noted it?"

  A slow smile spread across the Secretary's face. "Tainan inflections. Local resistance, not foreign agents."

  "Remove him," Dilinur commanded. As the Bloodtroopers dragged the prisoner away, she turned back to Shao's hologram. "My lord, this attempt at infiltration raises concerns about our other... guest at the Spire."

  The chamber's atmosphere shifted perceptibly. Even Shazmeen's usual composure wavered slightly at the implicit reference.

  "Subject S," Shao's holographic features hardened. "Your midnight report indicated another failed conditioning attempt."

  "The Radi-Mon's resistance to our control methods is unprecedented," Dilinur acknowledged. "Even with our most advanced neural suppressants, Subject S maintains a disturbing level of autonomy. Yesterday's test resulted in the loss of three more Bloodtroopers."

  "And yet," Shao's voice dripped with disdain, "despite these failures, you advocate maintaining him at the Spire?"

  "The intelligence we've gathered suggests the Moondust Crystal could be key to severing this connection," Dilinur responded carefully. "Our translations of ancient Neptunian texts found in the Mainland indicate it was originally designed to suppress certain forms of consciousness."

  Cheng Wei stepped forward, his crimson armor catching the light. "If I may, Prefect - our Conjurers sent an update. Subject S appears to possess a connection to something they call 'the Hivemind'. This entity reinforces his will against our interventions."

  "But if we could adapt the Moondust Crystal’s property," Dilinur continued, "we wouldn't just control Subject S. We could potentially subjugate entire Radi-Mon hordes."

  Shao's hologram flickered as he leaned forward, interest kindled behind his cold eyes. "Bold claims. What evidence supports this theory?"

  Shazmeen rose from her seat, her golden-threaded robes catching the morning light. "The research facility in Hsinchu has completed preliminary analysis of Subject S's neural patterns. They align remarkably with fragments we've decoded from the Crystal's data structure."

  "Our forces across the Five Realms are stretched thin containing Radi-Mon incursions — and fighting those Alliance dogs. " Shao's tone sharpened, "The Emperor questions why such a crucial task falls to provincial management."

  The slight pause before those words made several officials shift uncomfortably in their seats. Dilinur felt the familiar weight of scrutiny – every Unblooded who rose through Imperial ranks lived beneath it.

  "Precisely because our forces are engaged elsewhere, my lord," Dilinur countered smoothly. "Taiwan's unique position – our technological infrastructure, our distance from major conflict zones, our — expendability in the Emperor's grand designs – makes us ideal for this endeaver."

  "Not to mention," Shazmeen added, her voice like silk-wrapped steel, "small nations to the south are watching us, entertaining thoughts of joining the Emerald Directorate: the Republic of Bharat, the New Indonesian Kingdom, and more. Our ability to control Radi-Mons rather than merely destroy them could prove — persuasive."

  Shao's holographic features remained impassive, but Dilinur recognized the calculating look in his eyes. The political implications weren't lost on him.

  "And what of our more immediate security concerns?" he asked finally. "This programmer and his... machine."

  As if summoned by Qin's words, the chamber's displays flickered to life, showing security footage from the Amber Moon Spire. A Da-Ji android – U6-M9 – stood in her cell, hands pressed against the containment field. Unlike standard android behavior, she paced, her movements jarringly human.

  "If you would, please observe," Dilinur manipulated the display with a gesture, splitting the screen to show multiple angles. "Three days of footage. She hasn't entered standard charging mode once. No repetitive patterns. No routines."

  "’It’, Dinu. That thing is no human," Shao's hologram moved through the displays like a shark through dark water. "But ZenFusion's pride in their Da-Ji line makes more sense now. They've created something that can perfectly mimic — weakness."

  The footage shifted to show Xin's initial arrest. As the Bloodtroopers dragged him away, U6-M9 fought against her captors with unexpected ferocity. The audio crackled through the chamber: "I won't comply! Let go of me!"

  Several officials at their seats flinched at the android's outburst. Even Cheng Wei's stoic expression cracked slightly.

  "An android that rejects direct commands," Shazmeen mused, rising to examine the footage more closely. Her shadow cut across the projections. "Fascinating, but irrelevant to our larger concerns. The resources required to study this anomaly would be better spent on Subject S."

  "Unless," Dilinur stepped into the maze of projections, her figure intersecting with the frozen images of struggle, "there's a connection we're missing. Wu Zhi-Xin's expertise in neural programming. His access to an Android Modifier — no doubt off the black market – "

  A low tremor shook the chamber, making the projections waver. Deep beneath their feet, the Helionite processing systems hummed with increased activity.

  "You suspect he could assist with Subject S?" Qin asked, his hologram cutting through the displays to fix Dilinur with a penetrating stare.

  "I suspect we shouldn't be too hasty in dismissing either of them," Dilinur replied carefully. The dragons on her robe seemed to dance through the intersecting projections. "However, keeping them both at high security would strain our already limited resources."

  "A cogent point." Shao gestured, and the projections shifted to display Amber Moon Spire's security allocations. Red markers showed the concentration of Bloodtroopers around Subject S's containment level. "Our forces are already stretched thin maintaining one high-risk prisoner. The android is..."

  Another tremor, stronger this time, interrupted him. The quantum displays flickered, momentarily showing power fluctuations throughout the Spire.

  "Merely a corporate asset that its user grew too attached to," Shazmeen finished, her fingers trailing through the holographic readouts. "A common enough failing among socially disconnected salarymen."

  "True enough," Dilinur met Shao's gaze through the shifting projections, "To that end, I suggest we place U6-M9 in Cargo Hold 6 of the Bishan Logistics Hub, under moderate security. If she's truly just a malfunctioning android, we conserve resources. If she's something more..." She let the implication hang in the air.

  The chamber fell silent save for the deepening hum of fusion cores beneath their feet. Through the windows, Amber Moon Spire loomed against the morning sky, its upper levels disappearing into low clouds.

  Shazmeen turned to face Shao's hologram. "We have more pressing concerns than a lovesick programmer and his toy. Subject S's latest readings show increasing neural activity. If we don't strengthen our control soon—"

  The chamber's lighting suddenly pulsed red. Emergency alerts cascaded across the quantum displays, transforming the dignified space into a chaos of warning signals and flashing data.

  ‘ALERT: SECURITY BREACHES DETECTED - AMBER MOON SPIRE LEVELS 48 THROUGH 51’.

  ‘EVACUATION PROTOCOLS INITIATED’.

  The holographic displays shattered into fragments of data, emergency protocols overriding their careful analysis. Through the chaos of alerts, a new warning flashed:

  ‘CONTAINMENT BREACH RISK: SUBJECT S CHAMBER SHOWING UNUSUAL READINGS’.

  ‘PSIONIC DAMPENERS AT 82% AND FALLING’.

  "Dinu," Shao's voice cut through the cacophony of alarms, his hologram now the only stable projection in the chamber, "it seems your theories about resource allocation are being tested sooner than expected."

  Dilinur's hands moved through the scattered data streams, reconstructing the Spire's security grid. "Multiple breach points... but the pattern is wrong. This is..."

  "A coordinated assault, milady," Cheng Wei finished, his crimson armor reflecting the pulsing emergency lights.

  "Thankfully away from the Main Server Room, where Crystal's data sits," Dilinur's fingers tightened on her hairpin.

  Shazmeen was already moving, her golden-threaded robes catching the red emergency lights like flames. "I'll contact ZenFusion security. The android and her programmer can wait."

  Dilinur straightened. The dragons on her robe seemed to writhe in the pulsing emergency lights, their golden threads catching fire with each new alert.

  "Governor, with your permission, I'll contain the situation." She met his gaze steadily, knowing her next assignment – perhaps her very survival – depended on these precious seconds.

  "Very well," he said finally. "Do not fail me."

  The hologram vanished, leaving the chamber awash in red warning lights. Dilinur turned to her subordinates.

  "Cheng, oversee U6-M9's transfer. Shazmeen, coordinate with Spire security. Tell them my Bloodtroopers will be there," Her gaze swept the chamber of wide-eyed officials. "The rest of you, clear the building."

  But she left the real threat unspoken. They all knew what Subject S was capable of.

  The dragons on her robe caught fire in the morning sun as she stepped out, their golden threads blazing against the black silk. Behind her, the alarms continued their urgent song, calling her toward the chaos of Amber Moon Spire.