The Lockdown Looms

The Lockdown Looms
Setting:
The city of London is on the verge of complete lockdown. Imperial airships circle above, casting long shadows over the cobblestone streets. Checkpoints, manned by exosuit-wearing soldiers, spring up around each major intersection. The rebellion has scattered; if Liora's not to see the Iron Divide collapse completely, she will need to move fast.

Page 1-2:
The chapter opens with Liora and Kale hiding in the narrow confines of an old train depot. The place is pretty dark, with the rhythmic clanking of patrols going on around them. Liora studies a crudely drawn map of the city, considering the next move.

Kale:
"We're running out of options, Liora. They've sealed the southern bridges, and we can't move the supplies without exposing ourselves."

Liora:
"Then we go underground. Ezra's disruptor is our best chance, but we'll need parts-ones you can't find in a scrapyard."

This bit of dialogue illustrates the nature of their mission-urgent and impossible. Kale appears sheepish as he senses that Liora's tactics are getting a bit too brazen and could end up costing them.

Page 3-5:
Switch to an Imperial Barrack
Captain Elric Graves briefs his task force on the mission at hand. Soldiers, garbed in cutting-edge steam exosuits, listen intently.
Elric:
"Ashcroft is no ordinary insurgent. She’s a tactician, a fighter, and above all, a symbol. We’re not just hunting rebels—we’re dismantling their hope. Bring her in alive if possible. If not… burn the city to find her."

The soldiers’ response is a resounding, synchronized salute. The scene emphasizes the Empire’s ruthless efficiency and Elric’s relentless determination.

Page 6-8:
Back in the workshop, Ezra tinkers with the steam disruptor, his mutterings filling the air. Liora and a small team set out to scavenge the parts Ezra needs. Their target is a heavily guarded Imperial storage facility in the heart of the city.

The heist gets underway under the cover of night. The rebels, using a mix of stealth and sabotage to get through, breach the facility. Tense, silent panels show them weaving through steam-powered security drones, disarming tripwire traps.

As they reach the central storage unit, Liora spots a crate marked with an unfamiliar sigil: a crescent gear surrounding an eye. The part of her mind that houses instinct screams at her to leave it alone, yet curiosity gets the better of her. She pries the crate open, revealing a strange, pulsating core of energy unlike anything the Empire has shown before.

Kale (whispering):
"What the hell is that? Doesn't look. Imperial."

Liora (grimly):
"It's not. But whatever it is, it's dangerous."

Page 9-11:
The rebels barely have time to question the artifact before an alarm blares. A squad of Imperial soldiers storms the facility, led by none other than Elric Graves.

Elric:
"You can't run forever, Ashcroft. Surrender now, and I might let the others live."

Liora steps forward, her mechanical arm sparking as she prepares for battle.

Liora:
"Funny. I was about to say the same to you."

A fierce battle erupts as Liora displays her acrobatic skills in combat. She swings throughout the facility using her grappling arm and lures soldiers into traps. Kale and others are supposed to get the parts, but they get pinned down by gunshots.

The battle intensifies: Liora confronts Elric. The fight between them is brutal and equal. The metal clashes against metal in this huge space.

Page 12-13:
In the chaos, Kale initiates a hidden escape route and signals for the team to fall back. Liora, already wounded, manages to get in a solid hit on Elric's exosuit, disabling it temporarily.

Liora:
"This isn't over, Graves."

Elric (smirking):
"No, Ashcroft. It's only just begun."

The rebels make their way into the tunnels, victorious but not triumphant. The artifact they'd uncovered weighs heavily on Liora's mind, its origin and purpose an unsettling mystery.

Page 14:
Back at the workshop, Ezra looks at the artifact; his expression goes from interested to afraid.

Ezra:
"This… isn't just energy. It's alive. And if the Empire has more of these, we're in deeper trouble than we thought."

The chapter ends with a last, ominous panel: a shadowy figure looking on as the rebellion makes their escape. The same man with the glowing mechanical eye steps into view, expression unreadable.

Mysterious Figure:
"So, they've found it. The pieces are finally falling into place."

To be continued…