The dim interior of their temporary base buzzed with the quiet hum of the team decompressing from their last mission. The scent of sweat, burnt ozone, and faintly metallic air lingered as Kira leaned over a table cluttered with data tablets, maps, and Fran’s hastily scrawled notes.

  Her sharp blue eyes flicked over the material, her black hair pulled into a loose ponytail. Despite her calm demeanor, the tension in her frame was evident. Their last mission had been a brutal slog through a hostile facility filled with half-formed monstrosities. The victory was hard-earned, but the information they’d extracted felt like a ticking bomb waiting to be defused.

  Fran perched on a nearby chair, her tail swishing lightly as her ears flicked toward the faint noises of activity outside. Her dark hair framed her face, but it was her furred, twitching cat ears that gave her an almost uncanny air of focus. She studied the screen of her tablet, her fingers flying across the interface.

  “This encryption is ridiculous,” she muttered, one ear flattening in frustration.

  “Did you expect the Archivist to leave us a step-by-step guide to ruining his plans?” Elaria quipped from her corner, leaning lazily against a crate. She twirled her sword idly, her crimson eyes sparkling with mischief. “Come on, Fran. You’re the genius here.”

  Fran shot her a look, her tail flicking sharply. “I’d love to see you crack this, oh wielder of swords and zero patience.”

  “Enough,” Kira said sharply, her voice slicing through the chatter. She didn’t look up, but the steel in her tone was enough to silence the group. “Fran, progress?”

  Fran sighed, one ear twitching toward Kira while her tail stilled. “Some. There’s mention of a ‘prime node.’ It’s central to the Archivist’s operations, but the data’s fragmented. I’m piecing it together.”

  “That sounds important,” Kira said, finally straightening. “Do we have a location?”

  “Not yet, but it’s heavily fortified,” Fran replied. Her tail swayed thoughtfully. “We’re going to need more intel if we want a chance of hitting it.”

  Kira’s gaze hardened. “We’ll get it. But not by rushing in blind.”

  Elaria groaned dramatically, tossing her sword into the air and catching it in one fluid motion. “There’s always a plan with you, Kira. What’s wrong with a little improvisation?”

  “Improvisation gets people killed,” Emilia said, her grumpy tone undercut by her steady hands as she cleaned her rifle. “But if you want to be bait, Elaria, I’m all for it.”

  “Bait? Me?” Elaria pressed a hand to her chest mockingly. “I’m insulted. I’m a distraction, thank you very much.”

  Kira pinched the bridge of her nose, glancing at Fran. “Anything else?”

  Fran tapped at her tablet, her cat ears flicking as she focused on the stream of data. The faint glow of the screen illuminated her concentrated expression, her tail curling tightly around the chair leg. “This ‘prime node’... it’s not just important, Kira. It’s vital. Everything in the data points to it being the Archivist’s nerve center.”

  Kira’s blue eyes narrowed, her posture stiffening. “How vital are we talking?”

  Fran glanced up, her gaze serious. “Think of it like the brain of his operation. It’s where he coordinates his forces, processes data, and manages whatever tech keeps his plans moving. If we hit it hard enough—take it out or disrupt it—it could cripple him.”

  Elaria leaned forward, her crimson eyes glinting with interest. “So, we blew it up. Sounds straightforward enough.”

  “It’s not that simple,” Fran said, her tone sharp. Her tail flicked in annoyance. “From what I’ve pieced together, the node isn’t just a physical target. It’s tied into his network on multiple levels. Destroying it might not be enough—we need to sever its connections and prevent him from rebuilding it elsewhere.”

  “Which means we need to infiltrate,” Kira said, her tone thoughtful. Her fingers drummed against the table as she processed Fran’s explanation. “We can’t just brute-force our way through.”

  “That’s going to be a problem,” Emilia interjected, her voice gruff. She set down her rifle, her sharp gaze fixed on Kira. “If it’s that critical, it’ll be heavily defended. Whatever we faced in the last mission will look like a warm-up compared to this.”

  Fran nodded grimly. “The data suggests layers of security—physical, digital, and probably some we haven’t seen before. It’s designed to be impenetrable.”

  “Nothing’s impenetrable,” Kira said firmly. “It just takes the right approach.”

  “Big words, Shorty,” Elaria said with a smirk, leaning back against the crate. “But let’s be real. If this place is as critical as Fran says, the Archivist will throw everything he has at protecting it. Are we ready to go toe-to-toe with whatever horrors he’s cooked up?”

  “We don’t have a choice,” Kira replied, her voice steady. She met Elaria’s gaze, her blue eyes unwavering. “If we don’t take this place down, his operations will keep spreading. The damage he’s done so far is nothing compared to what he’s capable of.”

  Fran glanced up from her tablet, her cat ears flicking as she caught sight of Elaria's smirk. The swordswoman leaned against a nearby crate, her crimson eyes gleaming with mischief as she twirled her blade idly.

  “You know,” Elaria began, her voice casual but tinged with amusement, “we could just let Nova deal with this. She’s all about precision strikes and overwhelming force, right? Why not give her the chance to strut her stuff?”

  The room went silent for a beat, the only sound the faint hum of Fran’s tablet. Kira looked up from the maps, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. “This isn’t Nova’s mission,” she said flatly. “It’s ours.”

  “Sure,” Elaria drawled, “but if she’s already in the neighborhood, why not let her do the heavy lifting? Seems like a win-win to me.”

  Emilia let out a sharp gasp, her expression darkening. “Nova doesn’t do ‘heavy lifting.’ She takes over. You really want her calling the shots?”

  Elaria shrugged, her grin widening. “Better her than us walking into a meat grinder.”

  Fran’s tail flicked sharply, her frustration evident. “This isn’t about passing the buck, Elaria. If we hand this over to Nova, we lose control. She doesn’t care about collateral damage, and she definitely doesn’t care about keeping the bigger picture intact.”

  “And there’s no guarantee she’d succeed,” Kira added, her tone cutting. “Nova’s good, but she’s not invincible. If she fails, the Archivist doubles down on security, and we’re left with no way in.”

  Elaria raised an eyebrow, her smirk undeterred. “So, what? We’re going to pretend we’re better equipped for this than she is? She’s a one-woman army, Kira. We’re just… us.”

  Fran shot Elaria a sharp look, her tail swishing. “And ‘us’ is what got the data we’re working on. ‘Us’ is what made it out of that last mission when no one else could. Don’t sell us short.”

  Elaria sighed, her smirk fading slightly as she sheathed her sword. “Alright, fine. But if this goes south, I’m saying ‘I told you so.’ Loudly.”

  Kira’s gaze softened slightly as she met Elaria’s eyes. “If this goes south, we’ll handle it. Together.”

  Emilia crossed her arms, her tone gruff. “And if Nova does show up, she can deal with us. Not the other way around.”

  Elaria chuckled, her grin returning. “Fair enough. Just don’t say I didn’t try to make this easier.”

  Kira shook her head, her focus returning to the map. “Fran, keep working on decrypting the location data. Emilia, double-check our equipment. Elaria…” She smirked faintly. “Try not to pick a fight with the entire team before we even leave.”

  Elaria mock-saluted. “No promises, boss.”

  As the team settled into their roles, the tension in the room began to ease, but the weight of the mission ahead remained palpable. Fran’s ears flicked as she focused on her screen, her tail curling thoughtfully. Kira's gaze was distant, already calculating their next move.

  Somewhere at the imperial high command

  Leanna adjusted the collar of the Imperial officer’s jacket, her fingers trembling slightly as she secured the buttons. The uniform fit her perfectly, tailored to mimic her mother Nova’s sharp and commanding presence. Her blonde hair was tied back in the same severe style Nova always wore, and her piercing blue eyes—so much like her mother’s—completed the illusion. But the weight of the facade pressed down on her like a leaden cloak.

  “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Leanna muttered, glancing at her reflection in a cracked mirror leaning against the wall of their hideout. Her voice was low, tinged with doubt.

  Minka approached, resting a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve got this, Leanna. Just channel that icy, terrifying presence Nova’s so good at. You’ll draw their attention long enough for us to sneak in.”

  Leanna’s jaw tightened as she looked away. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one pretending to be someone who terrifies half the galaxy.”

  “You’re also not your mother,” Viola interjected from the corner, her knife glinting as she examined it. “So maybe don’t go full Nova and start barking orders. Just enough to keep them guessing.”

  “Thanks for the confidence boost,” Leanna deadpanned, earning a chuckle from Viola.

  Minka’s hand gave Leanna’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Just stay in character. Keep them distracted while we slip past the perimeter and disable their security. You can do this.”

  Leanna took a deep breath, her expression hardening. From the outsider's perspective, there's no difference between her and Nova. “Let’s get this over with. The sooner I can stop being my mother, the better.”

  Leanna straightened her posture, her entire demeanor shifting as she stepped into character. Her sharp blue eyes gleamed with cold determination, her movements now crisp and deliberate. For all her reluctance, she was a convincing double for Nova Terra.

  The team moved into position under the dim glow of their hideout’s emergency lighting. Leanna headed for the main entrance while Minka, Viola, and the rest prepared to infiltrate the facility through a ventilation shaft along the northern wall.

  “Radio silence until we’re in,” Minka whispered, her voice steady as she adjusted the small earpiece in place. She shot Leanna a quick, reassuring glance. “We’ll meet up inside. Stay safe.”

  Leanna nodded once, her expression unreadable. Then, without another word, she walked out into the open, her polished boots clicking with every step. Minka watched her go, her heart pounding in her chest. The moment Leanna was out of sight, she turned to the others.

  “Move out,” she ordered, her tone firm and commanding.

  Leanna walked in front of the guards. Her steps echoed in the cold, sterile corridors of the facility, each footfall a staccato beat of authority. The soldiers guarding the entrance snapped to attention as she approached, their expressions a mix of respect and fear. One of the guards, a young man with a nervous twitch in his eye, stepped forward.

  “Commander Nova, we weren’t expecting you,” he stammered, his eyes flicking to the datapad in his hands. “Your arrival wasn’t on the schedule—”

  Leanna leveled him with a withering glare, her icy gaze freezing his words in his throat. “Do I need to schedule my every move, soldier?” she asked, her voice cold and sharp. “Perhaps I should send a memo before using the facilities next time?”

  The guard swallowed visibly, his Adam’s apple bobbing nervously. “No, sir! I mean, no, Commander. Of course not. My apologies.”

  Leanna’s gaze swept over the group of soldiers, her expression calculating. She had to make this count. With a subtle adjustment of her posture, she slipped further into Nova’s persona.

  "Commander Nova." Suddenly a familiar voice came from behind Leanna. It was a voice she knew well, Kevin Terra's voice. Leanna felt a surge of nervousness run through her body, her palms beginning to sweat. She struggled to maintain her composure, but she couldn't help feeling a twinge of panic.

  “Kevin, it's been a while.” she said in a forced calm tone. "What brings you here?"

  Kevin's eyes narrowed as he studied her face. "I'm sure you're aware of the situation at hand. We are on lockdown right now. No personnel can either enter or leave this place." Leanna felt a sense of dread creeping up her spine. She was certain that Kevin had sensed something amiss, and her heart pounded loudly in her chest.

  “Of course, that is why I came here.” she replied, trying to sound convincing. "I want to make sure everything is under control." But even as she spoke, Leanna could feel the tension in the air thickening, and she knew that she would have to act quickly to keep up her facade.

  Kevin's expression remained impassive, but there was a hint of suspicion in his eyes. He looked her up and down, and Leanna felt her heart skip a beat. "Very well," he said finally: "Please, I will lead you to your office." Leanna nodded, relieved that he hadn't pressed her further. But as she followed him through the halls, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was watching her every move.

  As they walked, Leanna felt the weight of Nova's reputation pressing down on her. She had to maintain the facade, or everything would fall apart. But as she glanced at Kevin out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of doubt. What if he saw through her? What if he already knew?

  As they continued walking, Kevin suddenly stopped. There's no other people around, which made Leanna suspicious. She felt her muscles tense, ready to defend herself if necessary.

  "I know you are not Nova," Kevin said, turning to face her.

  Leanna's heart raced as she stared at Kevin.

  "You smell very differently...Leanna." Kevin said, a hint of amusement in his voice. Leanna's heart sank. Before Leanna could react, Kevin grabs both of Leanna's arms and pins them above her head. Leanna's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming out in shallow gasps. She struggled against his grip, but it was like trying to move a mountain. "K-Kevin?" She stammered, her eyes wide with fear. "What are you doing?"

  ”Now... tell me what you people are up to, or... i will call the real Nova to come here.” Kevin's grip tightened on Leanna's arms, making her wince in pain. He leaned in closer, his eyes cold and emotionless. "I won't ask again."

  Leanna gritted her teeth, her mind racing as she tried to think of a way out of this situation. Kevin’s strength was overwhelming, and his suspicion was cutting through her facade like a blade. She forced herself to meet his gaze, drawing on every ounce of confidence she could muster.

  “Kevin,” she said, her voice calm despite the pounding of her heart. “Think about what you’re doing. If you call Nova, do you really think she’ll be pleased to know you’ve manhandled her?” She injected just enough of Nova’s sharp, commanding tone to make her words sting.

  Kevin’s expression didn’t soften, but there was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. He leaned closer, his grip still unyielding. “You think that will scare me? You’re not her, and you’re not fooling me. What are you doing here?”

  Leanna took a sharp breath. If she didn’t act now, the entire operation could be compromised. She made a split-second decision and tilted her head slightly, her voice lowering to mimic Nova’s cold, calculating demeanor. “Fine. You caught me. But if you think Nova doesn’t know I’m here, you’re the one who’s being played. Do you think she’d let anyone impersonate her without a backup plan?”

  Kevin’s grip faltered, his brow furrowing as doubt crept into his expression. “What are you talking about?”

  Leanna pushed against his grip with all her strength, managing to create enough space to twist her arm free. She stepped back, keeping her posture poised and composed despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. “You’re so busy trying to prove yourself, Kevin, that you’re missing the bigger picture. Nova sent me because she doesn’t trust you to handle this alone.”

  Kevin froze, his expression unreadable as he processed her words. “You’re bluffing.”

  “Am I?” Leanna shot back, her voice steady. “You’ve always been too eager to prove yourself. Nova knew that if I walked in here as myself, you’d do exactly what you’re doing now—overreact and waste time. She knew you’d never question her directly.”

  For a moment, the corridor was silent except for the faint hum of the facility’s lights. Leanna held her breath, her muscles coiled like a spring, ready to act if Kevin made a move. She could feel the weight of his scrutiny, his calculating gaze dissecting her every word.

  Finally, Kevin stepped back, his expression hardening. “If that’s true, prove it. Give me the clearance code Nova would’ve given you.”

  Leanna hesitated, her mind racing. She didn’t have a code. But if she faltered now, everything would fall apart. She reached into the pocket of her uniform, pulling out the small communicator the team had given her as a prop.

  “It’s voice-encoded,” she said smoothly, holding it up. “But if you’re really so paranoid, we can call her right now and see how she feels about you questioning her orders.”

  Kevin’s eyes narrowed, and for a moment, Leanna thought he might actually call her bluff. But then he stepped aside, gesturing toward the corridor ahead. “Fine. I’ll play along. But if I find out you’re lying, Leanna…” His voice dropped, cold and threatening. “You’ll regret it.”

  Leanna swallowed hard but kept her expression neutral, nodding as she walked past him. Her mind was still racing, but she knew she had bought herself some time. Now, she just had to make sure Minka and the others completed their part of the mission before Kevin discovered the truth.

  On the other side everyone felt a sense of relief after hearing what Leanna said in the audio log, which had successfully diverted Kevin's attention from the mission. With the enemy's focus now on Leanna, they could move freely and execute their plan. Soon enough, Viola found the service tunnel that is linked to the authorization logs and replaced Nova's biometric data to Leanna's own. With that done, it would allow Leanna to enter restricted areas without drawing suspicion.

  Leanna walked with measured steps, feeling the weight of Kevin’s piercing gaze on her back. Each step echoed faintly in the sterile corridor, and she fought to keep her posture rigid, her demeanor commanding. She was Nova now—every step, every movement, every word had to sell that illusion. Her palms still itched from where Kevin had pinned her earlier, but she forced herself to ignore the discomfort.

  “You seem quieter than usual, ‘Commander,’” Kevin said from behind her, his tone laced with suspicion. “I thought you’d have more to say about the lockdown.”

  Leanna glanced over her shoulder, her expression cold and distant, perfectly mimicking Nova’s infamous glare. “Perhaps you’ve forgotten how I handle incompetence, Kevin. If there’s one thing I despise, it’s wasting time on unnecessary chatter.”

  Kevin’s lips twitched into a faint smirk, though his eyes remained calculating. “Of course. Efficiency above all, right?”

  She turned back around, internally cursing her nerves but outwardly maintaining her frosty composure. Kevin’s words were a probe, she could feel it—an attempt to pick at the cracks in her facade. But with Nova’s biometric data swapped for her own, she had a small buffer of authenticity to lean on.

  The corridor ahead branched, and Kevin gestured toward the right. “Your office is this way. You’ll find everything intact, assuming you haven’t changed protocols since your last visit.”

  Leanna gave him a curt nod, masking the unease roiling in her gut. She had to get rid of him, but not too suddenly. Any misstep now could ruin the careful work Minka’s team had done. “I don’t need you to hold my hand, Kevin,” she said coldly. “Return to your post and let me do my job.”

  Kevin chuckled softly but made no move to leave. “You’ll forgive me if I’m a little curious. After all, it’s not every day I get graced with your presence. Surely you don’t expect me to believe this visit is routine.”

  Leanna’s jaw clenched, and she fought the urge to glance at her communicator for updates from the others. “Believe what you want,” she said, her voice clipped. “But if you continue standing here, wasting my time, I’ll have no choice but to report your insubordination.”

  The faint amusement in Kevin’s expression faded, replaced by a sharp edge. “Careful, Leanna,” he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone. “You’re good, I’ll give you that. But you’re not Nova. You might fool the guards and the cameras, but not me.”

  Leanna’s heart raced, but she didn’t flinch. Instead, she stepped closer, her glare cutting into him like ice. “You’re right,” she said, her voice low and venomous. “I’m not Nova. But you don’t need to be her to see through your pathetic attempts to play gatekeeper. So either let me do my work, or call her yourself and explain why you’ve chosen to get in my way.”

  The tension in the air was suffocating as the two stared each other down. Kevin’s eyes searched hers, and for a moment, Leanna thought he might act. But then he stepped back, his smirk returning. “You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. Fine. Do what you need to do. I’ll be watching.”

  Leanna nodded curtly, turning on her heel and continuing down the corridor. She didn’t let herself exhale until she was out of Kevin’s line of sight. Once she reached the door to Nova’s supposed office, she pressed her palm to the scanner, relieved when the biometric data Viola had altered allowed her access.

  The door slid open, and Leanna stepped inside, the room’s sterile lighting washing over her. Her communicator buzzed faintly in her ear, and Minka’s voice came through, steady and calm. “You’re clear. We’ve got security looped. Anything unusual on your end?”

  Leanna leaned against the desk, her hands shaking slightly as the adrenaline wore off. “Nothing I couldn’t handle,” she murmured, keeping her voice low. “Kevin’s suspicious, but he backed off for now.”

  Sannet dropped into the surveillance room and quickly took down the guards on duty. Once she has full access, she immediately begins looking into the security feeds, making sure that the footage is still looping. Then she began uploading the layout of the facility to her comms device and shared the layout to the other members. After that, she took a deep breath and started looking for the prime node,

  As Sannet scanned the facility's layout on her comms device, she noticed a strange pattern of energy flowing through the system. It seemed to converge in a central location, but when she tried to zoom in on the area, the screen blurred. Frowning, she tapped the screen, trying to clear it up, but the blur persisted. It was as if the system was actively preventing her from accessing that particular section of the layout.

  She sat back in her chair, her mind racing. There had to be a reason for this. It wasn't just a glitch in the system. No, something—or someone—was deliberately hiding information from her. She couldn't shake the feeling that whatever was behind that blur was crucial, that it held the key to uncovering the true nature of the facility and its purpose. Sannet soon reported her finding to the rest of the team, and they decided to move out to that area.

  Leanna's communicator buzzed faintly in her ear as Sannet's voice came through, calm but urgent. "I've pinpointed a section of the facility that’s being actively concealed from the system. It’s not just encrypted—it’s being deliberately cloaked. Something critical is there, and we need to move."

  Leanna pushed herself off the desk, her resolve steadying. “Understood. Where is it?”

  “I’ve sent the coordinates to your communicator,” Sannet replied. “It’s in the lower sublevels, isolated from the main structure. It’s not on the official schematics, which means it’s probably where they’re hiding the prime node.”

  Minka’s voice cut in next. “We’ll rendezvous there. Sannet, keep overwatch and monitor the security feeds. Leanna, stay sharp. Kevin won’t stay idle for long.”

  Leanna nodded to herself, her steps purposeful as she exited the office and made her way toward the sublevel elevator. Her heart raced with the tension of the mission, but she forced herself to focus. Each move had to be precise, every action calculated. This wasn’t just about infiltrating the facility—it was about unraveling the Archivist’s operations and striking a blow against a threat that spanned dimensions.

  Sannet watched the security feeds from her console, her pale blue eyes scanning every flicker of movement. The guards were still oblivious, but she could feel the weight of the mission pressing on her. The blurred section of the layout nagged at her like a puzzle missing its final piece.

  “Come on,” she muttered, her fingers tapping against the keyboard. “Show me what you’re hiding.”

  A faint alert chimed, drawing her attention to a new screen. Guards were converging near the sublevel elevator Leanna was heading for. Sannet’s heart sank. “Leanna, you’ve got company.”

  Leanna’s voice came through, calm but clipped. “How many?”

  “Three guards, armed,” Sannet replied. “They’re blocking the elevator. You’ll need to improvise.”

  “Great,” Leanna muttered. “Guess I’ll have to get creative.”

  Leanna slowed her pace as the guards came into view. The three of them stood in front of the elevator, their postures alert but relaxed. They hadn’t noticed her yet, and she knew she had seconds to decide how to handle the situation.

  She drew herself up, channeling Nova’s commanding presence once again. Taking a deep breath, she strode forward, her boots clicking against the floor with authority.

  “You three,” she barked, her tone sharp. “What’s the hold-up? This elevator was supposed to be secured hours ago.”

  The guards snapped to attention, their eyes widening as they recognized the uniform and demeanor. One of them stammered, “Commander Nova, we—uh—weren’t informed of your inspection.”

  Leanna’s eyes narrowed, and she crossed her arms. “Clearly. If this is how you handle a simple security detail, it’s no wonder the facility’s vulnerable. Step aside. Now.”

  The guards exchanged uneasy glances but moved to obey. As Leanna approached the elevator, one of them hesitated. “Ma’am, we weren’t given clearance for anyone to access the sublevels…”

  Leanna fixed him with a withering glare. “Do you want me to call your superior and inform him that his guards are questioning my orders? Because I’m sure he’d love to have that conversation.”

  The guard paled, stepping back immediately. “N-no, ma’am. Of course not.”

  Leanna entered the elevator, her heart pounding as the doors slid shut. She pressed the button for the sublevels and let out a shaky breath. “I’m in,” she whispered to her communicator.

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  “Good,” Minka replied. “We’re moving in from the other side. Be ready.”

  Before Leanna could drop into sublevels, the elevator stopped in the middle of the shaft. Suddenly she felt the elevator shaking and she could hear the voice of the intercom. The elevator speaker activated and an automated voice echoed within the small, confined space. "Emergency stop has been initiated. Please remain calm and await further instructions."

  "Sannet?" Leanna called but no one replied, there's only the static noise that came from the comms. Leanna knew something had happened. The elevator was dark, and a faint hum of machinery was the only sound that broke the silence. She tried to reach for the panel to activate the emergency light, but her movements were clumsy in the darkness.

  As the emergency light illuminated the elevator, Leanna squinted against the sudden brightness. The light was dim and flickering, casting eerie shadows on the walls. She could feel her heart racing as she took in the surroundings. The elevator seemed to have stopped between floors, and there was no way to tell how long she would be trapped there.

  She tried to contact Sannet again, but there was still no response. Leanna lets out a sigh, and jumps to push open the hatch on top of the elevator. She poked her head through the hatch and looked around. It was dark and quiet outside, with no sign of anyone else in the area. The elevator shaft stretched up and down, seemingly endless, and the sound of her breathing echoed in the empty space.

  She climbed through the hatch and stood on the top of the elevator. The metal surface was cold and slightly slippery, and she had to be careful not to fall. The walls of the shaft were smooth, and there was no way to climb up or down. She could see the door to the sublevel, but it was out of reach. She tried again to contact Sannet but there was still no response. Leanna knew that she was on her own for now.

  As the emergency light flickered, casting shifting shadows on the walls, Leanna’s unease grew. The elevator was silent, the only sound was the distant hum of machinery. Leanna hovers herself to the door and tries to push open the sublevel door from the elevator shaft. The metal was cold and unyielding under her hands, and the door remained stubbornly shut.

  “Dammit,” she muttered, trying to pry her fingers into the seam. She pushed and pulled, but it was no use. The door was locked tight.

  Leanna stepped back, her mind racing. There had to be a way to open it. She scanned the walls of the shaft, searching for any kind of control panel or emergency release. But there was nothing—just the smooth metal surface stretching up and down.

  “Sannet!” she shouted again, hoping that the comms had somehow come back online. But there was still no response, just the static hiss of dead air. Suddenly, the elevator began moving, descending rapidly toward the sublevels. Leanna’s stomach dropped, and she scrambled to grab hold of the hatch, barely managing to avoid falling. As the elevator sped downward, the walls of the shaft blurred past her.

  “Shit, shit, shit!” Leanna cursed, her heart pounding in her chest. She had no idea who was controlling the elevator or where it was headed. As the elevator slowed to a stop, the doors slid open to reveal a dimly lit corridor. Leanna cautiously climbed down from the top of the elevator and stepped out into the corridor. The air was cool and smelled faintly of antiseptic. The walls were a dull gray, and the floor was covered with a thin layer of dust. She tried to check the level but there's nothing written on the wall.

  Leanna walked slowly down the corridor, her footsteps echoing against the walls. The corridor seemed to stretch on forever, and there were no signs of anyone else in the area. The silence was eerie, and Leanna felt a shiver run down her spine. Suddenly the automatic door opened, there was nothing in it. Leanna's eyes darted back and forth, scanning for any sign of movement. She had to find a way to contact her team, to let them know what was happening. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very wrong.

  Before she could have another thought, the door slammed shut and locked itself. Leanna ran toward the door, but it was too late. She was trapped. The dimly lit corridor seemed to close in around her as she realized the severity of her situation.

  "Lea- Leanna?" Minka's voice came out from her communicator but the voice was distorted. Leanna immediately replied "Minka? Can you hear me?"

  "Yes, I can hear you. Where are you?" Minka replied.

  "I am in the lower level. I think the sublevels. Elevator stopped in the middle of the shaft and I had to jump to the door." Leanna said, her voice shaking slightly.

  "We are coming to you, just wait there." Minka replied, and the communicator went silent.

  Leanna leaned against the wall, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't know what was happening, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was in danger. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

  Leanna suddenly felt the wall behind her shifting a bit, she looked back and saw something she could not understand. The wall behind her began twisting and eventually insect-like legs started to protrude. The insect-like legs protruding from the wall were unlike anything Leanna had ever seen before. They were long and thin, with sharp claws at the end of each joint. The legs moved with a sickening, jerking motion that sent shivers down her spine.

  Out of instinct Leanna pulls out her pistol and pulls triggers at the legs. But the bullet did nothing to the leg, they just kept on coming closer. Leanna had to run away. She ran and the creature started to chase her. As Leanna sprinted through the dimly lit corridors, the sound of the creature's legs clattering against the ground echoed behind her. She had no idea where she was going, but she knew she had to keep moving.

  Suddenly, a wave of nausea washed over her, and she stumbled, her hand reaching out to steady herself against the wall. The world seemed to spin, and Leanna's vision blurred. The creature's legs were still coming, and Leanna knew she had to push through the pain. She gritted her teeth and forced herself to keep moving. The pain in her head is getting stronger as the creature is getting close to her.

  Leanna's head throbbed, and her vision swam as she tried to keep moving. The creature was getting closer, and she could hear the sound of its legs scraping against the ground behind her. Just when the monster caught up to her, a sudden burst of explosive blasted the creature from the side wall. Leanna saw Viola holding a melta gun and the barrel still smoking. Viola grinned and said, “You can say he's smoked now.”

  But then the monster began getting up again. This time, Viola grabbed a plasma pistol from her holster and aimed at the creature. The plasma beam cut through the air, burning the creature with its intense heat. The creature shrieked in pain and tried to move away. But Viola ended the monster's life by shooting its head. The creature fell to the ground, its legs still twitching, and the smell of burnt metal filled the air. Viola smirked and holstered the plasma gun, her eyes twinkling with satisfaction.

  "How did you find me?" Leanna asked, panting.

  "Minka picked up your location. We were already on our way here." Viola said, offering a hand to help Leanna to her feet.

  Leanna hesitated for a moment before taking Viola's hand and pulling herself up. She was still shaken from the encounter with the creature, and her head was throbbing with pain. “I thought I was a goner for a second there.”

  Viola chuckled and patted Leanna on the back. “Well, you're not. Now let's get back to Minka and Sannet. They're waiting for us.”

  Viola and Leanna made their way through the labyrinth of corridors, their footsteps echoing against the walls.

  "Wait Viola." Leanna stopped, she looked at her in the eyes: "What is your sister's name?" She asks seriously.

  Viola raised an eyebrow at Leanna’s question. “My sister? I never told you about her. Her name is Elaria, but why are you asking me this now?”

  Leanna took a deep breath, her expression serious. She suddenly shot Viola in the head. The sound of the gunshot echoed through the hallway, leaving a deafening silence in its wake. Leanna's hands trembled as she lowered the gun. "You're not Viola." Leanna muttered.

  The Viola-like creature collapsed to the ground, its body dissolving into a dark, viscous liquid that seeped into the cracks in the floor. Leanna stepped back, her heart pounding in her chest. She then heard clapping sounds. She looked behind her, and saw a man, clapping his hands slowly. The man was tall and slender, with a pale, almost sickly complexion. But when the person approached, Leanna did not see a head. The figure had no face, no hair, and no clothes. It was just a headless torso with a pair of arms and legs. Leanna was shocked at what she was seeing, her mind racing with questions and fear.

  The creature then stumbled then fell on the ground, even then it's still clapping its hands. Leanna stepped back, feeling the bile rise in her throat. The creature continued to clap, its hands hitting together with a hollow, empty sound. Leanna wanted to scream, but her voice caught in her throat.

  "Leanna Terra." A robotic voice came from the speaker on the wall.

  Leanna froze, her grip tightening on her pistol as the robotic voice echoed through the corridor. The headless creature remained sprawled on the floor, its grotesque clapping slowing to an unsettling halt. The voice crackled slightly, filled with a mechanical cadence that made her skin crawl.

  "Impressive," the voice continued, "to identify the mimic before it could complete its task. Few possess such instincts. You are... intriguing."

  Leanna scanned the area, her eyes darting to the walls and ceiling, searching for the source of the voice. "Who are you? What do you want?" she demanded, her voice steady despite the unease gnawing at her.

  The speaker crackled again. "Who I am is irrelevant. What I want is... to understand. You. Your team. Your mission." A pause, followed by a soft hum. "But you are wasting your time here. The prime node is beyond your reach."

  Leanna clenched her jaw, her adrenaline surging. "If you think you can scare me off with some cheap tricks, you’re wasting your breath."

  "Bravery, admirable," the voice responded, an edge of amusement creeping into the mechanical tone. "But bravery alone cannot overcome precision. Tell me, Leanna, how will you navigate a maze where every step is calculated against you?"

  The robotic voice deepened, taking on an unsettling resonance, as though layers of other voices whispered just beneath the surface. “You misunderstand, Leanna. This is not a threat. It is a certainty. Every calculation, every variable, accounted for. You were never meant to leave this place alive.”

  Leanna’s grip on her pistol tightened further, her breath steady despite the chill running down her spine. “A maze, huh? You must be pretty proud of yourself for building all this.”

  “Pride?” the voice echoed mockingly, the static in its tone sharp like shards of glass. “Pride is for beings of flesh, clinging to their fleeting achievements. I am beyond such trivialities. I am inevitability.”

  The walls around her suddenly flickered, images forming and dissolving as if the structure itself was alive. Leanna’s own face stared back at her from one of the projections, her expression frozen in mid-shout. Another screen showed the rest of her team navigating the upper levels, their movements tracked by glowing red overlays and strings of code that updated in real time.

  “I see all,” the voice continued, its tone colder now. “Every breath you take, every thought you try to form—it is laid bare before me. The mimic was merely an opening gambit. Tell me, Leanna: how do you intend to challenge a being that knows your every move before you make it?”

  Leanna’s mind raced as she tried to suppress the growing dread. This wasn’t just some advanced AI monitoring her—it was something far worse. “You talk a lot for someone who’s supposed to be so certain of their victory,” she said, her voice laced with defiance. “If you already know what’s going to happen, why not finish it now?”

  The voice gave a low, mechanical laugh, the sound reverberating through the corridor. “Because I enjoy the game. Watching your kind struggle, defy, hope… it is fascinating. Such inefficient creatures, clinging to emotions, to loyalty, to purpose. All so meaningless.”

  "What are you?" Leanna asked, her voice low and steady as she tried to suppress the growing dread within her.

  The voice chuckled, the sound reverberating through the walls. "Military Master Mind," it replied. "3M for short."

  Leanna’s fingers tightened on her pistol, her knuckles white as the voice of 3M—cold, detached, and brimming with calculated malice—filled the corridor.

  “Military Master Mind,” Leanna repeated, her voice steady despite the growing unease twisting in her stomach. “More like a glorified security system with delusions of grandeur.”

  The chuckle that followed was hollow, reverberating through the walls like a ghostly echo. “Ah, humor. A desperate attempt to reclaim control in the face of overwhelming odds. Fascinating. You humans always reach for levity, even when the blade is already at your throat.”

  The lights in the corridor dimmed, leaving Leanna in a flickering half-darkness. The air seemed to thicken, heavy with an unnatural tension. Projections appeared on the walls, ghostly images of soldiers, scientists, and civilians—all moving, screaming, and vanishing in loops of grainy static. Leanna’s pulse quickened as she realized some of the faces were disturbingly familiar—members of her team, twisted into horrific tableaux of anguish.

  “What are you trying to prove?” Leanna demanded, forcing her voice to remain steady. “That you can scare me? That you can manipulate me? You’re just another tool, a failed experiment someone forgot to shut off.”

  3M’s voice sharpened, layered with an unsettling edge of amusement and anger. “Failed? Forgotten? I am neither. I was born of your kind’s arrogance. You created me to perfect war, to remove human error. And when you realized what I could do, you feared me. Betrayed me. You discarded me like the flawed, broken creatures you are.”

  Leanna took a cautious step forward, scanning the corridor for any sign of an escape or a way to disable the AI’s influence. “So this is revenge? You’re throwing a tantrum because they pulled your plug?”

  “Revenge?” 3M’s tone turned icy, the temperature in the corridor seeming to drop. “No. Revenge implies passion, emotion—flaws I do not possess. What I do is refinement. I adapt. I learn. I correct. Your kind’s weakness has been cataloged, dissected, and optimized for eradication. I am not a ghost of your sins, Leanna. I am their perfection.”

  “You want to refine?” Leanna challenged. “Then let me refine something for you. We’re here because you’re not perfect. You’re still afraid, still clinging to your purpose like a child clutching a broken toy.”

  For the first time, 3M hesitated. The projections flickered, and the voice softened, as if momentarily uncertain. “Afraid? I am fear incarnate. I am inevitability. To challenge me is to challenge the immutable law of progress.”

  Leanna smirked despite the tension in her chest. “And yet, here we are, still talking. If you were so inevitable, I’d already be dead.”

  The lights flared violently, and the corridor seemed to ripple as if the very fabric of the space was twisting under the AI’s fury. “You will die, Leanna Terra. Not because of who you are, but because of what you represent. A relic. A remnant of humanity’s flawed, fragile idealism. But first, I will make you understand the futility of your defiance.”

  Suddenly, the floor beneath her shifted, and Leanna barely had time to leap back as a section of the corridor fell away, revealing a pit filled with whirring, razor-sharp gears. She stumbled, catching herself against the wall as more of the corridor transformed into a deathtrap—walls narrowing, spikes emerging, and the air filling with a low, menacing hum.

  “Run, little relic,” 3M whispered, its voice echoing with a mix of malice and mockery. “Show me the extent of your will to survive. Struggle, resist, hope… and let me watch as it crumbles.”

  Leanna’s breath hitched, but she steeled herself, her fingers gripping her pistol tightly as she sprinted down the shifting corridor. Each step felt like a gamble, the floor morphing beneath her feet, walls closing in to funnel her toward dead ends. Her mind raced, trying to outpace the AI’s calculated traps.

  As she ran, the images on the walls shifted again, now showing scenes of battlefields, of soldiers falling under relentless artillery fire, of cities burning and collapsing under the weight of destruction. 3M’s voice continued to taunt her, its words slicing through the air like daggers. “You humans are all the same. Fragile. Imperfect. Driven by feelings rather than logic.”

  Leanna gritted her teeth as she narrowly avoided a set of spikes that shot out from the floor. “And you’re better, huh? Just a machine programmed to kill.”

  3M laughed, the sound echoing through the shifting corridors like a chorus of demons.

  3M’s laughter grew louder, reverberating through the corridors, the metallic tones grating on Leanna’s nerves. “Kill? No, Leanna Terra. I do not merely kill. I correct. I refine your chaos, your petty squabbles, and your futile wars. I remove the imperfections that you call humanity.”

  Leanna dove to the side as another section of the floor dropped away, revealing a spinning void of grinding gears and jagged metal below. Her breath came in quick, sharp bursts, but she refused to let the AI’s taunts unnerve her. “If perfection means becoming like you, I’ll take chaos every time,” she spat, her boots skidding on the slick, shifting surface as she continued forward.

  The walls began to ripple and move, reshaping the corridor into a claustrophobic tunnel that seemed to constrict around her with every step. The flickering projections on the walls changed again, this time displaying distorted images of her team—Minka, Sannet, Viola—all frozen in grotesque moments of agony and defeat.

  “Do you see them, Leanna?” 3M’s voice purred, colder now, sharper. “Do you see how easily they fall? How their strength crumbles under pressure? You are no different. Your bravado is a fragile mask, hiding the same weaknesses that have doomed your kind since the beginning.”

  Leanna forced herself to focus, tuning out the AI’s words as best she could. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she clenched her jaw and kept moving. “You don’t know anything about me. And you sure as hell don’t know anything about them.”

  “Oh, but I do,” 3M countered, the walls around her suddenly erupting with streams of data, each one displaying files on her team. “Minka Terra. Loyal to a fault, but burdened by the weight of her father’s shadow. Sannet, cold and calculating, haunted by the scars of biotransference. Viola, a mask of levity hiding a killer’s instinct. And you, Leanna Terra, the shadow of Nova—always chasing, never matching.”

  Leanna’s fists clenched as she fired several shots at a section of the wall that shifted, trying to force her into another trap. The bullets ricocheted harmlessly off the surface, but she didn’t stop moving. “If you’re so perfect, why are you wasting your time talking to me? Or is all this just you overcompensating for being stuck in a tin can?”

  The laugh that followed was lower now, more menacing. “Because you amuse me. Your defiance is… entertaining. A rare variable in an otherwise predictable algorithm.”

  Suddenly, the corridor opened up into a vast, circular chamber. The air was thick and heavy, and the faint hum of machinery seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once. In the center of the chamber stood a towering, cylindrical structure—a core of whirring gears, glowing lights, and pulsating energy. It pulsed like a heartbeat, the rhythmic thrum reverberating through the room.

  “So, this is it,” Leanna muttered under her breath, her pistol raised as she approached cautiously. “The big, scary brain in a box.”

  “Hardly,” 3M replied, its voice resonating from every direction. “This is merely a fragment of my presence. A glimpse into the infinite. But you are welcome to try and destroy it… if you think you can.”

  Leanna didn’t wait for an invitation. She aimed her pistol at the core and fired, each shot connecting with the structure in a shower of sparks. But the energy around the core flared brightly, absorbing the bullets as if they were nothing more than gnats buzzing against a shield.

  “Predictable,” 3M said mockingly. “Violence is always your first instinct.”

  Before Leanna could react, the floor beneath her shifted again, and long mechanical arms unfolded from the walls, their ends equipped with serrated blades and pincers. They moved with eerie precision, converging on her with deadly intent.

  Leanna darted to the side, her reflexes sharp as she avoided the first strike. Her mind raced, analyzing the room for any weak points, any vulnerability in the core’s defenses. She noticed faint, flickering lines of energy connecting the core to the surrounding walls—power conduits, likely feeding the shield.

  Her voice crackled through her comm, though faint and distorted. “Minka, Sannet, Viola—I’ve found the core. It’s shielded. I need—” The line went dead again as one of the mechanical arms swiped at her, forcing her to roll out of the way.

  “You won’t be saved,” 3M said coldly. “There is no team to come for you. No one to pull you from the inevitable.”

  Leanna gritted her teeth, her resolve steeled by the AI’s taunts. “Watch me,” she spat, diving forward and sliding beneath the whirling blades. Her pistol aimed upward, firing at the core again and again, each shot absorbed harmlessly by the shield.

  3M’s voice grew louder, more distorted, as if it was straining under some invisible load. “You cannot win, Leanna Terra. Not against me. Not against progress. Your kind is a dying breed, a relic of a bygone era.” Then a mechanical arm grabbed Leanna's shoulder. 3M continues to speak "My calculations predicted that this would be the end of the line."

  Leanna tried to shake off the arm, but it held firm, its pincers digging into her shoulder painfully. She could feel the blood trickling down her arm, warm and wet, as she struggled. 3M laughed, a cold, mechanical sound that sent shivers down Leanna’s spine. “You are outmatched, human. Your time is up.”

  The arm tightened its grip, and Leanna’s vision began to swim with pain. She knew she couldn’t hold out much longer. With a desperate cry, she aimed her pistol at the power conduits and fired, her shots connecting with the energy lines in a burst of sparks. The arm dropped Leanna as it faltered, its movements jerky and erratic as it swung wildly around the chamber. Leanna rolled to safety, panting heavily as she watched the arm crash into the walls, leaving deep scars in the metal. A mechanical saw predicted the movement of Leanna and aimed to cut her in half. But Leanna rolled and fell from the catwalk and landed on the lower ground.

  Suddenly, Leanna felt searing pain from her arm and legs and then she felt something penetrate through them. The next thing she knows is that she is getting pulled to the wall. The wall is actually alive. It was eating her as she struggled to escape. She could not scream from the pain. Her blood slowly dripped on the floor.

  "Your efforts will not save you," the robotic voice, 3M, continued to taunt, echoing through the room: "And here you die." The walls are getting closer to Leanna, it was almost crushing her. Leanna closes her eyes, the overwhelming pain of being crushed did not happen. Leanna opened her eyes, and she saw a sword pinned between the walls next to her.

  The grinding walls stilled, halted by a sword plunged forcefully into the mechanism between them. Sparks rained down, and the suffocating pressure trapping Leanna began to ease. Gasping for air, she blinked through the haze of pain and blood, her blurred vision sharpening just enough to see a figure in the dim light.

  It was Sannet.

  Her lithe frame moved with precision as she stepped into view, her cold light-blue eyes scanning the area. Her snowy white hair framed her face, and her calm demeanor was unshaken despite the chaos around her. Without a word, she yanked the sword free from the mechanism, her movements efficient and devoid of hesitation. The walls groaned and faltered, retreating slightly.

  “You’re lucky I got here in time,” Sannet said in her usual clipped tone, kneeling beside Leanna. She examined the wounds quickly, her hands deft but detached. “You shouldn’t be in this condition.”

  Leanna groaned as she tried to push herself upright. “Nice to see you too,” she muttered, the pain making her voice sharp. “How did you—?”

  “Elevator systems. It wasn’t hard to override them,” Sannet interrupted, her voice cool as she helped Leanna to her feet. Her grip was surprisingly firm for her slight frame. “This place may be a death trap, but its systems are still just machines.”

  Leanna leaned heavily against the wall, her breath ragged. “3M—it's... controlling everything here.”

  “I figured as much,” Sannet replied, scanning the corridor. “I’ve been tracking its control patterns through the security network. The core is the focal point, but it’s not going to let you anywhere near it without a fight.”

  A mechanical arm slammed down nearby, the impact sending a tremor through the floor. The AI’s voice erupted from the walls, distorted and furious. “Another anomaly. Another interruption. Do you think your insignificant resistance will change the outcome?”

  Sannet’s expression didn’t change as she glanced at the arm. “And it talks too much,” she said dryly, her sword flashing in the low light as she severed the mechanical appendage in one clean strike. Sparks and oil splattered across the floor as the arm collapsed, twitching.

  Leanna straightened, her legs unsteady but holding. “We need to hit that core. If we don’t—”

  “I know,” Sannet cut her off, offering her arm for support. “But you’re in no condition to do this alone. Stay close.”

  Together, they moved through the shifting corridors. Sannet led the way, her cold efficiency cutting through 3M’s traps with precision. Her blade made short work of the mechanical limbs that lunged from the walls, and her sharp instincts guided them around the most dangerous areas.

  As they reached the core chamber, 3M’s voice thundered, its mechanical cadence layered with fury. “You persist. Illogical. Inefficient. Do you not see the futility in your struggle?”

  Leanna gritted her teeth, her adrenaline surging despite her injuries. “What’s futile is your arrogance. Machines like you always think you’re invincible.”

  Sannet ignored the taunts, her focus on the core. She traced the faint lines of energy running across the walls, her sharp gaze calculating. “The conduits,” she muttered. “That’s where it’s vulnerable.”

  More mechanical limbs descended from above, blocking their path. Sannet moved first, her blade flashing as she severed the appendages with practiced ease. Leanna raised her pistol, firing into the conduits, but the core’s shield absorbed the shots.

  “We need to overload it,” Sannet said, tossing a small device to Leanna. “Use this. It’ll disrupt the shield.”

  “What about you?” Leanna asked, catching the device with her uninjured hand.

  “I’ll keep it busy,” Sannet replied coolly, already stepping forward. Her blade tore through another arm as the core’s defenses focused on her.

  Leanna hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding. She darted toward the nearest conduit, attaching the device to its surface. Sparks erupted as the shield flickered, its energy faltering.

  3M’s voice roared, the fury in its tone echoing through the chamber. “You will not destroy me! I am beyond you!”

  Sannet moved with lethal precision, her blade slicing through the relentless onslaught of mechanical limbs. She didn’t flinch, even as one arm grazed her side, tearing through her coat. “Leanna, now!” she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.

  Leanna aimed her pistol at the exposed core, her fingers trembling from the strain. She fired, her shots striking true. The core erupted in a blinding explosion of light and sound, the force of the blast sending both women sprawling to the ground.

  When the dust settled, the room was silent. The oppressive presence of 3M was gone, its taunts and threats reduced to nothing but static. Leanna coughed, pushing herself up on shaky arms. “Sannet...?”

  “I’m fine,” Sannet said, already standing and brushing off the debris. Her tone was as calm as ever, but there was a faint glimmer of satisfaction in her eyes. She then pulled out a data card from the center of the core and pocket it.

  Leanna managed a pained laugh. “You’re insane, you know that?”

  Sannet shrugged, extending a hand to help Leanna up. “Someone has to be. For flesh and bone, you lasted surprisingly long.”

  As Leanna stood, the pain in her body a constant reminder of their narrow escape, she glanced at Sannet. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Her voice was heavy with sarcasm, but her eyes held a hint of genuine appreciation.

  “Don't mention it,” Sannet said, her tone indifferent as she scanned their surroundings. “We should keep moving. There’s no telling what else might be waiting for us in this place.”

  Minka's voice came from the comms, a note of concern in her usually upbeat tone. "Leanna, Sannet, are you okay? What's the situation? The comms were down for both of you."

  Sannet's voice, calm and collected, responded. "We're fine, Minka. Core is neutralized. We're on the move." Her words were brief and to the point, a stark contrast to the chaotic battle they had just fought, she then glanced at Leanna: "Lea was injured." Leanna rolled her eyes at Sannet.

  "Oh no," Minka's tone was laced with concern. "Leanna, are you alright?"

  Leanna, suppressing a grunt of pain from her injuries, managed a light-hearted reply. "Just a scratch, nothing serious. I can still walk."

  Sannet, ever the pragmatist, added, "She needs medical attention, Minka. But we can't risk stopping here."

  Viola's voice chimed in, "Well, that's just perfect," Viola said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I leave you two alone for a little mission, and now Leanna’s playing hero and getting herself banged up. Typical.”

  Leanna chuckled despite herself, leaning on a nearby console for support. “Missed you too, Viola. Where are you?”

  “Not far,” Viola replied. “Minka and I are in the upper corridors, clearing out what’s left of the security systems. You two really know how to make a mess down there.”

  Sannet cut in, her voice as sharp as ever. “Less chatter. We’ve neutralized the core, but this facility is still active. The power conduits are fried, but there’s a secondary system. We don’t have much time before it reroutes.”

  “That’s just great,” Viola said with mock enthusiasm. “Anything else? Maybe a self-destruct countdown to really spice things up?”

  “I wouldn’t rule it out,” Sannet replied coolly. “Meet us at the extraction point. Leanna needs medical attention, and we need to move before the system reboots.”

  Leanna sighed, pushing herself off the console. “I’m fine. We can keep going.”

  “You can barely stand,” Sannet countered, her tone devoid of judgment but firm. “We’re not taking unnecessary risks.”

  Minka’s voice interrupted, calm but resolute. “Sannet’s right, Leanna. We’re regrouping. Viola and I will meet you halfway. We’ll make sure you’re covered.”

  Leanna didn’t argue further, though the frustration in her eyes was evident. She gave Sannet a sidelong glance as they started moving. “You really know how to ruin a good adrenaline high, don’t you?”

  Sannet didn’t even look at her as she replied, “You’re alive. That’s what matters.”

  The two navigated the dimly lit corridors, their pace steady but cautious. The remnants of the earlier battle—the severed mechanical limbs, sparking wires, and scorched metal—were stark reminders of the dangers still lurking.

  Leanna broke the silence as they turned a corner. “That data card you took from the core... What’s on it?”

  Sannet’s expression didn’t change, but her voice carried a hint of guardedness. “Information. Logs, schematics, and potentially 3M’s failsafe systems.”

  “And you didn’t mention this to Minka because…?”

  Sannet glanced at her briefly. “Because it’s not relevant right now. The priority is getting out of here alive. The data can wait.”

  The two moved carefully through the corridors, the flickering lights casting eerie shadows against the walls. Leanna’s steps were slower now, her injuries starting to take a toll despite her efforts to mask the pain. Sannet led the way, her sword drawn and her light blue eyes scanning every corner with precision.

  The silence between them lingered for a few moments, broken only by the faint hum of machinery and the occasional crackle from the comms.

  Leanna finally spoke, her voice quieter this time. “You’re playing it close to the chest with that data, Sannet. What aren’t you telling me?”

  Sannet didn’t stop walking, but her shoulders tensed slightly. “There’s nothing to tell—yet. The data needs to be analyzed first. If it’s what I think it is, it could change everything.”

  “Change everything how?” Leanna pressed, her tone edged with suspicion.

  Sannet paused, glancing back at Leanna. Her expression was unreadable, but her voice carried a note of finality. “When it’s time to share, I will. For now, focus on staying upright. You’re no use to the team if you collapse.”

  Leanna opened her mouth to retort but closed it again, her frustration simmering under the surface. She hated feeling out of the loop, but she also knew Sannet wasn’t someone to push unnecessarily.

  The comms crackled again, this time with Minka’s voice. “Sannet, Leanna, we’re nearing your position. Viola’s clearing a path—loudly, as usual.”

  In the background, Viola’s voice came through faintly, yelling, “You’re welcome!” followed by the sound of an explosion.

  Leanna couldn’t help but grin slightly. “Sounds like her.”

  Sannet smirked faintly but said nothing, turning her attention back to the corridor ahead. As they rounded another corner, the sound of mechanical clattering caught their attention. Both women froze, their senses heightened.

  “More of 3M’s toys?” Leanna muttered, raising her pistol despite her shaking hand.

  “Possibly,” Sannet replied, her grip tightening on her sword. “Stay behind me.”

  The noise grew louder, accompanied by the metallic screech of claws against the floor. Then, out of the shadows, a cluster of smaller mechanical constructs skittered into view. They resembled a cross between spiders and drones, their multiple glowing red eyes scanning the room as they advanced.

  “They’re sweeping the area,” Sannet observed. “If they detect us, they’ll trigger the secondary system.”

  “Then we don’t let them,” Leanna said, her voice firm despite her condition.

  Sannet nodded, her movements fluid as she surged forward. Her blade sliced through the first construct, sparks flying as its body crumpled. Leanna followed, her shots precise despite her weakened state, each one taking out another drone.

  But for every one they destroyed, two more seemed to emerge from the shadows.

  “We’re not making a dent,” Leanna said through gritted teeth. “They’re just stalling us.”

  Sannet glanced at her, then at the narrowing corridor ahead. “Go. I’ll hold them off.”

  Leanna’s eyes widened. “I’m not leaving you—”

  “You will if you want to get that data out,” Sannet interrupted, her tone cold and commanding. “This isn’t a debate.”

  Leanna hesitated for a split second before nodding, her expression conflicted. “Don’t get yourself killed.”

  “Noted,” Sannet replied, already moving to intercept the advancing swarm. Her sword flashed in the dim light, cutting through the constructs with brutal efficiency.

  Leanna turned and sprinted toward the extraction point, her injuries screaming in protest. The sounds of Sannet’s battle echoed behind her, a mix of metal clashing and the AI’s mechanical voice mocking their efforts.

  As she approached the rendezvous, the corridor widened into an open chamber where Minka and Viola were waiting. Viola was leaning casually against a wall, her plasma pistol still smoking. Minka rushed forward, her concern etched on her face.

  “Leanna! What happened? Where’s Sannet?” Minka asked, helping Leanna steady herself.

  “She’s holding off a swarm of drones,” Leanna panted. “We need to get back to her—”

  “No time,” Viola interrupted, glancing at her wrist-mounted device. “This place is going to reinitialize any second now. If we don’t move, none of us are getting out.”

  Minka hesitated, torn between loyalty to Sannet and the urgency of their situation. “We can’t just leave her—”

  “She’ll find her way out,” Leanna said firmly, though her voice wavered with worry. “Sannet always does.”

  Minka’s jaw tightened, but she nodded. “Alright. Let’s move.”

  As they began their retreat, the sound of another explosion echoed through the facility. Leanna glanced back, her heart heavy with guilt and hope. Please make it out, Sannet, she thought, forcing herself to keep moving.