Chapter 26: Everyone, Fall Back!

The Vanguard left the chaos of Vesper Station behind, its course set for a remote sector where Delta Command’s rumored research facility awaited. The coordinates Zera had provided led them to an isolated world orbiting a dying sun, its atmosphere roiling with clouds of toxic gas. It was the kind of place no one visited unless they had a death wish—or something to hide.

Scar stood on the bridge, his hands clasped behind his back. The weight of their mission pressed heavily on his shoulders. If Zera’s information was true, this facility held answers—and possibly a chance to strike a real blow against Delta Command. But if she had lied or betrayed them, they could be flying straight into a trap.

Nova’s voice broke the silence, calm but with an edge of tension. “We’re approaching the planet,” she said. “Scanners are picking up heavy security. Automated turrets, patrol drones, and a planetary defense grid.”

Cyko leaned forward, his expression a mix of excitement and wariness. “This place is a fortress. Makes you wonder what they’re hiding down there.”

Scar’s jaw clenched. “Only one way to find out. Jefro, how’s our cloaking system holding up?”

Jefro’s voice came through the comms, strained but resolute. “Cloaking’s active, but it’s straining the power grid. We’ll have to move fast or risk a total shutdown.”

Scar nodded. “Understood. Nova, take us in low. Cyko, be ready for anything.”

Cyko’s grin was razor-sharp. “Aren’t I always?”

As the Vanguard descended into the planet’s turbulent atmosphere, Arlen sat in the common area, clutching his father’s notebook. Pip nestled against his side, sensing his anxiety and chirping softly. Arlen knew this mission was different. Scar hadn’t told him everything, but he could see the worry in the captain’s eyes.

Scar approached, kneeling in front of Arlen and placing a steadying hand on the boy’s shoulder. “You doing okay?” he asked, his voice softer than usual.

Arlen looked up, his eyes wide and fearful. “I’m scared,” he admitted. “But I don’t want to let you down.”

Scar’s expression softened. “You’ve never let us down,” he said. “But this mission is dangerous. Stay on the ship, keep Pip close, and don’t open the hatch for anyone but us. Understood?”

Arlen nodded, his grip on Pip tightening. “Understood.”

Scar rose, his face hardening once more. “We’ll be back,” he promised. “Just stay safe.”

The Vanguard touched down in a clearing just beyond the facility’s perimeter, its cloaking system flickering dangerously. Jefro’s voice came through the comms, urgent. “I’ve got to shut down cloaking or we’ll blow the whole power grid. You’re on your own from here.”

Scar, Nova, Cyko, and Zera disembarked, their boots hitting the ground with practiced silence. The facility loomed ahead, a sprawling complex of black metal and harsh floodlights that cut through the gloom. The air smelled of ozone and industrial waste, and the oppressive heat of the dying sun pressed down on them.

Zera moved with confidence, her eyes scanning the perimeter. “The main lab is in the central building,” she said. “We need to disable the security grid before we make our move.”

Nova’s fingers tightened around her blaster. “And how do you propose we do that?”

Zera’s lips curled into a smirk. “Follow me.”

They crept through the shadows, evading patrol drones and automated turrets. Zera led them to a small access hatch near the facility’s outer wall. She knelt, her fingers dancing over the control panel as she worked to bypass the locks. Cyko kept watch, his rifle at the ready, while Scar and Nova stayed close.

The hatch opened with a hiss, and Zera gestured for them to follow. They slipped inside, moving through narrow corridors lined with pipes and exposed wiring. The facility buzzed with energy, a low hum that seemed to vibrate in their bones.

Zera led them to a junction where a large terminal was embedded in the wall. “This is it,” she whispered. “I can disable the security grid from here, but it’ll take a few minutes.”

Scar nodded. “Do it. We’ll cover you.”

Zera got to work, her focus intense. The seconds dragged on, each one feeling like an eternity. Then, without warning, an alarm blared through the facility, red lights flashing and bathing the corridor in an ominous glow.

Cyko swore, raising his rifle. “Looks like we’ve got company.”

Footsteps echoed down the hall, and a squad of armored Delta Command soldiers rounded the corner, their weapons raised. Scar fired first, the blaster shot echoing in the confined space. The corridor erupted into chaos, blaster fire lighting up the shadows as the team fought to hold their ground.

Nova moved with lethal precision, her blaster taking down soldiers with quick, efficient shots. Cyko let out a battle cry, covering Scar’s flank as more reinforcements arrived. The air was thick with the acrid smell of burning metal and ozone, and the noise was deafening.

Zera worked furiously at the terminal, her fingers flying across the keys. “I need more time!” she shouted over the gunfire.

Scar gritted his teeth, firing into the advancing soldiers. “We don’t have more time!”

A grenade rolled into the corridor, and Scar’s eyes widened. “Nova, move!”

She dove for cover, and the grenade exploded, sending shockwaves through the walls. The team was thrown off their feet, debris raining down around them. Scar’s ears rang, and his vision blurred, but he forced himself to stand.

Zera’s voice cut through the chaos. “It’s done! The grid is down!”

Scar grabbed her arm, pulling her away from the terminal. “Then let’s move!”

They fought their way deeper into the facility, pushing toward the central lab. The security grid was down, but Delta Command’s forces were relentless, and every inch of ground was hard-won. Finally, they burst into the lab, the doors slamming shut behind them.

The room was filled with strange machinery, glowing with an otherworldly energy. Tanks of liquid shimmered with an eerie light, and holographic displays flickered with streams of data. At the center of the lab was a massive containment unit, its walls humming with power.

Zera approached the unit, her eyes narrowing. “This is it,” she said, her voice heavy with something that sounded like grief. “What I came for.”

Scar’s blaster stayed raised, his suspicion sharp. “What is it?”

Zera hesitated, then placed a hand on the containment unit. “A prisoner,” she said softly. “Someone I thought I’d lost forever.”

Before Scar could respond, the doors to the lab exploded inward, and a towering figure stepped through the smoke. It was a Delta Command officer clad in advanced, jet-black combat armor, his face hidden behind a mirrored visor. His presence exuded power, and his voice was cold and mechanical.

“Captain Scar,” the officer intoned, his voice sending chills down their spines. “You should not have come here.”

Scar’s blood ran cold. He knew that voice. Lieutenant B-112, the very android that had started the rebellion and had risen to become Delta Command’s most feared enforcer. The lieutenant’s visor reflected the red lights of the lab, giving him an almost demonic appearance.

Cyko aimed his rifle, his hands steady despite the fear in his eyes. “So much for a simple mission,” he muttered.

Lieutenant B-112 tilted his head, almost curiously. “You are outmatched,” he said. “Surrender now, and I may show mercy.”

Scar’s grip on his blaster tightened. “We don’t surrender,” he said, his voice defiant. “Not to you.”

B-112’s visor flashed, and the lab was filled with a pulse of energy as the android raised his arm, a weapon built into his armor charging with deadly light. “Then you will be destroyed,” he said.

Scar braced himself for the onslaught, his heart pounding. This was the moment he had feared, the moment they faced an enemy far beyond anything they’d encountered before. But he wasn’t going to back down. Not now.

“Everyone, fall back!” he shouted.

But as B-112 prepared to strike, a strange energy crackled through the room, and the containment unit behind Zera began to glow. The light grew brighter, and the unit’s walls shattered outward, releasing whatever had been imprisoned inside.

A figure emerged from the light, tall and otherworldly, with eyes that burned like twin suns. The energy around them pulsed, and even B-112 hesitated, his visor flickering as if disrupted.

Zera’s eyes filled with tears. “You’re free,” she whispered.

The figure turned to Scar, their gaze filled with power and something else—something ancient. “Your battle is not yet over,” they said, their voice echoing with a resonance that filled the lab.

Scar’s breath caught in his chest. The odds had shifted, and the fight was far from over. But for the first time in a long while, he felt the glimmer of hope.