11:00, February 10, 2295

  Azure Mount Logistics Hub, extension of Songnei Starport, No.31, Bishan Rd, Neihu District, Taipei, Taiwan, Imperium of Dragons territory

  Jabari's heartbeat was the only drum in the steel interior, a rhythm punctuating their stealthy infiltration. The container, nondescript and sealed, hid them well, even as it jostled along on the hover pad's silent glide through the Azure Mount Logistics Hub. Seydou's slender fingers skittered across the container, while Celine's gaze, sharp and searching, never ceased scanning for threats beneath her hooded eyelids.

  "High-value cargo in a shipping container ," Jabari whispered, more to himself than to his companions. His biceps tensed against the wall, the cool metal a stark contrast to the heat that coiled within him. "Well…hope this works."

  "We will make it work," Celine murmured, her voice a low thrum in the confined space, "Remember, our goal is to retrieve U6-M9 without resorting to violence."

  Through the one-way glass, the workers outside appeared more like machines than humans, their eyes glued to their tasks.

  "How intriguing. Literal forced labor. My Gyata hoverbike would have easily passed through unnoticed," Seydou commented darkly. "Although I doubt she could fit in these small boxes."

  Jabari's frown deepened as he turned to Seydou. "Seydou, the script just doesn't sit right with me," he said. "Do we really expect these Imperial Peons to simply comply when we point a gun at them? Wouldn't they fight back?"

  Seydou's grin faltered slightly as he responded, "Did my research. These Peons are usually poor folks abducted then resocialized in those internment camps on Mercury before coming to these factories. Minimal food, barely humane treatment from their Overseers – "

  "That’s just wrong!" Jabari’s eyes widened.

  "They’re harmless and can be made to cooperate. As long as you don’t go shooting up the place." Seydou raised a hand.

  "Alright, cut the chatter," Celine commanded, and with an almost imperceptible hiss, the cargo container's side panel eased open. They stepped out into the hangar, a vast cavern of metal and motion, and merged with the flow of workers and machines. Their hunched forms were in uniforms that matched those of the Imperium of Dragons - onyx and red, though the wear and tear were perceptible.

  Jabari's fingers tightened around the grip of his rifle, pulling it out from behind his back. The weight of the gun was comforting to him amidst the buzzing energy in the air. Jabari stepped confidently out of the shadowy container, brandishing his weapon.

  The golden Plasma Rifle gleamed under the dim lighting, its sleek, polished surface catching the ambient glow and reflecting it in tiny glimmers. Intricate engravings ran along the barrel while the core pulsed with an otherworldly green energy, visible through the transparent chamber embedded in its center. The rifle hummed with a barely-contained ferocity that promised devastation at the pull of the trigger.

  "Okay. Nobody needs to get hurt," he declared loudly over the noise. "We're here for Cargo 69."

  The Peon standing nearby, wearing stained overalls, turned and immediately registered fear on his face. The other workers froze, unsure of what to do.

  "Oh no, please, my lord, what have I done wrong?" the Peon pleaded, visibly shaking. Jabari could see the man's pulse racing in his neck, sweat beginning to form on his brow. He knelt down and raised his hands in surrender. "Please, I'll do anything! My lord, I have a wife, a son, a family to take care of. I need this job!"

  "You have a family?" Jabari kept his Plasma Rifle aimed at the Peon while glancing at Celine.

  "Likely false memory implanted to keep him going," Celine's tone grew almost lamenting as she looked down at the kneeling Peon. "Imperium Peons are seen as expendable. Many undergo forced brain surgery to receive fabricated memories so they can believe they have a future."

  Jabari sighed, his tone modulating to one of calm assurance as he continued. "Alright. Lead us to Cargo 69. I won’t shoot."

  "Cargo 69. Right, C-cargo 69." The worker nodded, his movements jerky with adrenaline-fueled compliance.

  "Yes. See what you can do," Jabari kept the gun trained on him, a necessary threat, while his spirit recoiled at the intimidation.

  11:11, February 10, 2295

  Cargo Hold 6, Azure Mount Logistics Hub, extension of Songnei Starport, Bishan Forest, No.31, Bishan Rd, Neihu District, Taipei, Taiwan, Imperium territory

  "Just a few more lines of commands — oops, they’ve changed the decryption algorithm — wait, the same as the Alliance’s back channel password last year? You Imperials, so unoriginal. And — got it," Seydou breathed, his slender fingers danced over the terminal with fervor. The terminal, a reluctant sentinel, capitulated under his relentless assault, its screen blooming with the triumphant glow of access granted.

  Jabari watched, his rifle now holstered, his heart drumming an anxious rhythm against his ribs. His warm brown eyes rested on a gray cryogenic container — a monolithic casket containing their target.

  A faint hiss of mist escaping was the only warning before the container's seals disengaged with finality. The lid opened slowly, revealing a delicate and feminine head through the small gap.

  Jabari's heart skipped a beat. "Oh," he uttered softly, his words swallowed. "I thought this U6-M9 was a male."

  He stood frozen in awe as the cryogenic container slowly hissed open, releasing a thin mist that curled around the edges like the breath of some ancient beast awakening from slumber.

  Inside, bathed in the ethereal glow of the cryo container’s lights, lay an Imperial woman, her petite form seemingly untouched by time. Her eyes were closed, the soft contours of her face were framed by her raven-black hair that was cut in a sleek bob falling just above her shoulders. The strands contrasted the exquisite paleness of her skin — a complexion like the finest porcelain. Her lips, soft and full, were slightly parted, as if she were merely caught in a tranquil dream.

  Jabari’s gaze continued downward, captivated by the intricate details of her attire — a traditional kimono, its fabric as dark as the night sky, adorned with delicate, golden embroidery that depicted scenes of mythical creatures and swirling clouds. The robe cinched at her slender waist with a sash that accentuated her feminine curves. Her hands, folded neatly across her midriff, were as delicate as the rest of her.

  For a moment, time seemed to stand still as he stared at her, his mind racing yet unable to form a single coherent thought. He didn't know her name or her story, but in that instant, all that mattered was the inexplicable pull he felt toward this sleeping figure. Jabari had seen many things in his life, but nothing had prepared him for the sight of her.

  "U6-M9," he murmured almost reverently. "A Da-Ji android, just like the ones at Maurice’s shop."

  Then, eyelids fluttering, her consciousness clawed its way back from the abyss of cryogenic oblivion. She drew a ragged breath, her chest heaving with the effort as she emerged into a world suffused with dim light and cold metal. The heavy air clung to her skin, laden with the sterile tang of artificial atmospheres.

  "Hey, e-easy," Jabari's voice trembled a little. "You've been asleep for a long while?"

  "Where…am I?" Her voice fractured the silence like thin ice underfoot, each word a shard of confusion.

  "Somewhere safe," he tried to assure her, though the weight of his gaze spoke of storms brewing beyond the horizon. Jabari could not remember the last time he had seen such a beautiful being. Perhaps he never had. "Can you move? We're h-here to bring you back from, umm, death I think? Y-you were slated for a mind-wipe, s-something like that."

  "Hey, Jabari, did a crocodile bite off your tongue?" Seydou paused his typing in the background to tease.

  A pause stretched between them. Then, unexpectedly, a ghost of a smile touched the woman’s lips — a tight, mirthless curl that held no joy.

  "Mind-wipe," she repeated, tasting the words as if they were a delicacy laced with poison. Her light brown eyes, large and shimmering like pearls, locked onto his. "Let it happen. I don’t mind it."

  "Wait, you…" Jabari's fingers twitched involuntarily, resisting the urge to drum out a rhythm against the container's side as he absorbed her desolation. Her apathy struck him with the force of a blow, an unexpected divergence from the mission parameters that had defined her rescue. "You don’t mind it. What?"

  "There is no purpose in my existence. No place where I belong," U6-M9 lay there as she spoke, her voice was silky but devoid of energy. "If I die, so be it."

  "No no, wait. Your life has value," Jabari insisted, but his words seemed to dissipate before they were uttered, dampened by the nervousness that enveloped his spirit. "Your memory. Someone planted something important there. It could help us save the world. Uh, I forgot what it is."

  "The Moondust Crystal’s location," Seydou’s teasing continued as he resumed typing. "I guess they don’t teach public speech at the Prep School, huh?"

  "Save the world…" the android woman murmured, her voice as weak as a whisper. "I used to have so many things to do. Now there is nothing. Why would I want to save this boring and meaningless world?"

  The intensity of her resignation hung heavy in the air, a tangible thing pressing against his chest. Jabari knew battles, understood the language of gunfire and steel, but this quiet surrender was foreign soil — one that even his training hadn't prepared him for.

  "You know, I’ve never seen an android as pessimistic as this one. Maybe we should give her a motivational speech?" Seydou quipped as he typed away.

  "I’m Jabari, and this is my comrade, Seydou," Jabari said while placing a hand on his chest plate and standing up straight. "What about you? Do you have a name?"

  "Ume," The woman muttered as her gaze met Jabari’s. "But I don’t see the point."

  "Right. Pleased to meet you, Ume," he said, his tone sharpening as he attempted to bridge the chasm of her despair. "Do you have a, you know, hobby?"

  "I don’t understand," Ume’s almond-shaped eyes narrowed, surprise lacing her voice.

  "Anansi’s ass, Jabari. She’s an android!" Seydou interrupted his typing to look at Jabari with disbelief.

  "But, you know, you’ve got to have something. Something you do even when no one tells you to?" Jabari persisted. "Like, I play the djembe drum. It’s an, uh, instrument."

  "I like to watch the sun. Whenever Xin went outside for work, I’d go to the windows and watch the sunlight. But it's rare to see it here in Taipei with all the rain," Ume shared. Her black eyes were filled with thoughts and emotions as she tilted her head slightly to show curiosity. "Does that count?"

  "It does," Jabari leaned in closer, feeling a connection between them. "I come from a place where the sun shines bright. If you come with us, we can go and watch it together."

  Ume's voice. "We can?"

  "Yeah, watch the sun together," Jabari affirmed, scratching his head.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Suddenly, Ume let out a small chuckle before continuing. "You’re so weird."

  "Yeah, I mean, uh," Jabari shrugged as he smiled. "I guess I am."

  "Alright," she echoed, as if tasting the word, rolling it around her full lips as she rose from the container, sitting up straight. "I’ll come with you."

  "By Roog," Jabari said, tapping out an instinctive cadence against his thigh. "I can’t believe that worked."

  "And just in time," Seydou confirmed, turning away from the console. "I managed to hack into the surveillance system. All of the cameras and recorders are down. Record deleted, too. Just need to hijack a Cargo Vessel then we’ll be good to go."

  Then, without warning, an alarm — a shrill cry slicing through the hub's artificial tranquility — unleashed pandemonium. Workers scattered, their bodies a blur against the stark, utilitarian backdrop of the Azure Mount Logistics Hub.

  "Chineke!" Seydou's curse was a guttural bark, the unexpected attack fracturing his concentration. "We've got company!"

  Jabari whirled, drawing his golden Plasma Rifle from his back, holding it with both hands. His muscles tensed, prepared to fight.

  "Wilhelm here. I have visual of Radi-Mon movements in the Bishan Forest," Wilhelm's voice came through loud and clear in Jabari's earpiece.

  "Celine here. I’m seeing the monsters. What's taking you two so long?" Celine's voice chimed in on the communication channel.

  "U6-M9 experienced a — slight malfunction, let’s say," Seydou pushed the earpiece he was wearing as he looked at Jabari. "But Jabari took care of it with his super smooth talking skills, am I right?"

  "Hurry up," Celine urged impatiently. "Seydou, do you have our Cargo Vessel?"

  "It'll take me a few minutes," Seydou replied as he returned to typing on the terminal. "There's a ship in the next bay that looks to be in good condition. I’ll hijack that one."

  "Get your Scarab, Jabari. It's in Cargo Hold 5." Celine’s voice came.

  "Stick with me," Jabari instructed as he watched Ume exit the container and follow behind him. His eyes scoured the place, seeking the source of the disruption through the gritty haze of adrenaline and uncertainty.

  But then, just as they stepped out of the Cargo Hold, he felt a tap on his back.

  "Do you have a gun I could use?" Ume asked, looking up at him. The height difference between her petite frame and Jabari's was noticeable.

  "You...want a gun?" Jabari was taken aback by her request.

  "My programming tells me it’d be helpful to have a personal weapon in this situation," Ume explained, scratching her head and causing her sleek bob of hair to move with the motion. "That’s what a gun is, right?"

  It took a few seconds for Jabari’s mind to register Ume’s words. Finally, he nodded solemnly, and his hand instinctively reached for the sidearm holstered at his hip — a meticulously crafted Plasma Handgun that matched the regal design of his rifle.

  The weapon’s emerald and gold finish shimmered in the low light, exuding a sense of lethal precision, the textured surface of the handle ensuring a steady hold. The pistol's barrel was short but robust, with intricate circuitry embedded along its sleek contours. A small, glowing indicator on the side pulsed rhythmically, signaling that the gun was charged and ready for action.

  "Thank you," Ume took his handgun and nodded, a perceptible smile on her porcelain countenance.

  A guttural roar tore through the air, reverberating off steel and concrete, as Radi-Mons breached the perimeter of their vision — a grotesque phalanx of Bone Fiends skittered forward, their skeletal forms a macabre line of death.

  "Contact!" Wilhelm van der Merwe's voice cut through the chaos as he emerged from behind a stack of containers, his Plasma Carbine already tracking the nearest threat. His imposing figure stood tall in the emerald Directorate uniform, the fabric's intricate golden trim catching the ambient light. His chiseled features and platinum blonde hair, styled in a military crop, projected an air of calculated confidence. The high collar of his fitted jacket framed a face that seemed more suited to Venus's elite social circles than a battlefield, yet his ice-blue eyes held the sharp focus of a seasoned warrior.

  "Helionite leak from Bay 3." Wilhelm called out, his accent sharp with urgency as he eyed a dashboard affixed to a wall. "That's what drew them here. Bastards must’ve been nesting here and getting comfortable."

  "Here they come!" Jabari raised his Plasma Rifle and aimed it at the approaching monsters, the verdant glow in the barrel intensifying with a fierce hum. "For the Directorate!"

  His weapon responded, plasma bolts streaking across the void to meet their targets. Wilhelm's Carbine joined, his weapon a masterpiece of Directorate engineering. Its golden-plated frame housed an advanced targeting system, the scope's emerald display providing pinpoint accuracy. The elongated barrel, adorned with precisely machined cooling vents, channeled plasma with devastating efficiency. Each shot from the rifle sent a pulse of green energy streaking through the air.

  Beside them, Ume's slender fingers tightened around her Plasma Handgun. Her eyes, wide orbs reflecting the chaotic light, flickered with nervous energy. The gun trembled slightly in her grip.

  "Steady, Ume," Jabari's voice cut through the din. "Aim and breathe."

  But as Ume fired her weapon, chaos asserted itself with a wild eruption of stray plasma bolts. They careened off the walls and machinery, igniting sparks and flames that cast a hellish glow over the battlefield. The Bone Fiends, sensing weakness, screeched their bloodthirsty delight.

  "Controlled bursts," Wilhelm instructed, his voice steady as he picked off another creature with surgical precision. "Lieutenant, take the left flank! I'll handle the right."

  "Understood!" Jabari stood his ground. One by one, the Bone Fiends collapsed, their brittle frames disintegrating under the unyielding onslaught.

  "The Helionite's making them aggressive," Wilhelm observed between shots, his carbine never wavering. "We need to seal that leak or they'll keep coming."

  Jabari turned just in time to see Ume, her slender frame rigid with tension. Her plasma handgun spat out bolts with a wild abandon, her eyes screwed shut.

  "Ume!" Jabari's voice was a thunderclap that cut through the cacophony. "Stop! Open your eyes!"

  The barrage ceased abruptly as Ume's eyelids fluttered open, revealing pools of deep brown, now glazed with uncertainty. She looked down at the weapon in her hand as if it were an alien thing.

  Jabari closed the distance between them in three long strides amid the smoking remnants, his patience wearing thin. "You cannot — you must not fire blindly, Ume!" The edge in his voice was sharp, betraying his mounting frustration. "That could have killed us all!"

  Ume tilted her head slightly. "I know," she whispered weakly, struggling to make her voice heard over the chaos around them. "There is a... disconnect within me. A logical part of me knows I should aim and fire, but it feels so satisfying to ignore that. I can't explain it."

  Jabari ran a hand over his face, at a loss for words.

  "Look, you need to —" he began, but the words felt hollow even to him. "How do I say this? It's not — it's not that hard."

  "Easy now," Wilhelm's voice cut in as he approached, his carbine held casually but ready. His ice-blue eyes held an understanding that came from years of watching good soldiers struggle with their first battles. "Jabari, check our six. I've got this."

  Wilhelm knelt before Ume, whose Plasma Handgun hung absently in her delicate synthetic hand. "Being human isn't about being perfect," he said gently. "It's about feeling everything – even the parts that hurt."

  And then suddenly, tears welled up in Ume's almond-shaped eyes and streamed down her porcelain cheeks. "Being human," she choked out between sobs, "is so painful. This freedom... It's so hard. I hate it!"

  Jabari watched from his position, feeling torn as Wilhelm placed a steady hand on Ume's shoulder.

  "The path of fear and struggle is well-trodden,," the Valoran said. "It leads to places of strength we never knew lay within us. Seen it countless times."

  "It doesn't make sense!" Ume continued to cry.

  "It's not supposed to," Wilhelm replied, using his thumbs to draw soothing circles on her shoulders. "That's what makes us human. Every challenge shapes the soul. And you, Ume, you have a soul. That's why you feel pain."

  "I have a soul?" she asked softly, her voice barely audible against the sounds of distant explosions and machinery humming.

  Jabari watched the exchange, a new respect for Wilhelm forming in his mind.

  But a bone-chilling shriek split the air again. He spun around, rifle raised, just as a Bone Fiend – larger than any he'd seen before – burst through a stack of containers. Its elongated skull bore fresh scars, and its serrated claws left deep gouges in the metal floor.

  "Large Radi-Mon!" Ume's voice cracked. "Like the ones from old world movies—"

  "Focus!" Jabari commanded, defaulting to what he knew best. He unleashed a withering barrage of plasma fire, but the Fiend absorbed the hits, its reinforced bone structure glowing with heat but refusing to yield. The sight made his stomach turn – he'd seen what these variants could do to an unprepared squad.

  "That's an Alpha. Usually mutated after feeding on enough Helionite," Wilhelm's carbine sang out in precise three-round bursts beside him. "Target the joints! Ume, watch our pattern!"

  Jabari noticed Ume's hands steady as she raised her weapon again. Her next shot, while not perfect, found its mark on the Alpha's feet, kneecapping the creature. Something like pride mingled with his anxiety – at least she was trying now.

  "Hmm. Bay 3," Wilhelm mused as he delivered a killing shot to the Radi-Mon’s head. "I’m going there. 30 Atomic Dollars say I can’t shut it down with the next 10 minutes."

  Jabari's mind raced. He watched Wilhelm walk smoothly away. The veteran had clearly done this before.

  "You sure, Wilhelm?" Jabari asked, trying to keep the worry from his voice as more screeches echoed from deeper in the facility.

  "I’ve seen a few episodes like this before, Lieutenant." Wilhelm turned to grin before vanishing through the corner. "Catch you in a minute or two."

  And then, the Valoran man left. Silence settled between Jabari and Ume as their eyes met.

  "Well," Jabari assured her despite his own uncertainties. "I’m not good with words. But when we return to the Directorate, I’ll teach you. Walk you through – whatever you don’t know. You can always come to me with questions. Anytime."

  "Thank you," she breathed, a fragile smile attempting to break through the clouds of her turmoil as her tears stopped.

  Jabari nodded, recognizing the resilience taking root within her—the first steps toward a future.

  Before Ume could fully collect herself, the clatter of more approaching Bone Fiends echoed through the cargo hold. Jabari's sharp gaze cut through the dimly lit expanse.

  "Remember!" he shouted, swiftly unslinging his Plasma Rifle. "Every action must be purposeful!"

  Four Bone Fiends, their white skeletal frames glistening with a sickly hue, barreled into view. Their jaws snapped hungrily, and their twisted limbs propelled them forward with terrifying speed.

  Jabari rooted himself into the ground and activated his Plasma Rifle, unleashing a stream of precision shots that found their targets with ease. The Bone Fiend was obliterated in an explosion of fragments and guts before its remains disintegrated into a small green pool.

  Beside him, Ume steadied herself. She raised her Plasma Handgun, her fingers no longer trembling. "Purposeful," she said to herself. "Every action must be purposeful."

  Her first shot was precise, a direct hit to the second Bone Fiend’s head. It collapsed in a heap of charred remains, its eyes dimming into lifeless orbs.

  "That's it! Keep it up!" Jabari's encouragement was a lifeline in the storm.

  The third Bone Fiend lunged towards them, its gaping maw ready to tear through anything in its path. Ume's synthetic heart raced, emitting a whirling hum from somewhere within her chest as she aimed and fired a barrage of plasma bolts at its torso. The creature staggered, wounded but still determined to attack.

  Jabari trained his rifle on the injured creature. Plasma bolts lanced through the air, converging on the monster with deadly precision. Their combined firepower tore through its exoskeleton, reducing it to a smoldering heap.

  His gaze then snapped to the last Fiend, its clawed foot caught in a tangle of wires as it turned around and attempted to run. It flailed, a grotesque pantomime of panic, before tripping over a fallen piece of equipment. With a sickening crunch, the creature toppled into the maw of a nearby grinder. Metal shrieked against bone, and then there was nothing left of it.

  "Right, umm…clear!" Jabari announced hesitantly, lowering his weapon as the monsters lay vanquished at their feet. His chest heaved from exertion, the adrenaline still coursing in him. He turned to Ume, only to find her gaze locked on the gruesome remains.

  "Hey. Are you hurt?" he asked, concern lacing his words.

  Ume shook her head, the movement causing a few stray hairs to brush against her cheek. "No, I... I am fine, Jabari," she murmured, though her trembling lips spoke of something words did not convey.

  "Okay. Good." Jabari nodded, his attention momentarily drifting back to the charred remnants of their foes, his golden rifle cooling in the dim light of the Logistic Hub. "When I first studied at the Reserve Officer School, seeing blood and gore used to scare me too. So I understand if you feel weird about it."

  "They were whole creatures. And now...they're just green goo," Ume remarked matter-of-factly, like describing a new finding in a lab research, looking up at Jabari as she repeated herself. "Green goo."

  "Oh, that." He studied her for a moment longer, grinning with pride. "Yes, that's normal. The plasma bolts fired by my people's weapons have that effect sometimes. It happens when you land a critical hit or something."

  "Green goo!" Ume suddenly burst into laughter after saying it for the third time, all traces of sorrow and nervousness gone. "It's so fun!"

  "Well, I mean," Jabari replied, laughing along. "Our Directorate weapons really pack a punch." he shifted slightly, casting a protective shadow over her delicate form.

  "It would seem so," Ume nodded timidly, calming down.

  "I've got to power up my Scarab," he explained, his words clipped with the urgency of their mission. "Can you hold this position?"

  Her eyes, once a pool of trepidation, now reflected back the sparks of resolve. She gripped her Plasma Handgun tighter and replied firmly. "Yes."

  "Good. I’ll be back soon," Jabari gave Ume a nod before he turned around and pivoted on his heel, the sound of his boots against the metallic floor a staccato.