Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15: BREACH AND BETRAYALSeraph’s desperate search for an alternate entry paid off. A forgotten maintenance conduit, rarely used and tucked away behind a lesser-known sanitation hub, offered a narrow, perilous path into the Catalyst chamber."We’re in, Chancellor," Seraph reported, her voice raspy with exertion. "We are directly above the containment field. The Catalyst… it’s massive. And radiating immense energy."Thiurate felt a surge of relief, quickly followed by a new wave of apprehension. The Catalyst was within reach. But so was the ultimate betrayal."Arcan, monitor Admiral Kaelen’s fleet meticulously," Thiurate ordered. "Any deviation from our agreed-upon objectives, any shift towards seizing the Catalyst themselves, and our deal is off."As Seraph’s team prepared to disable the final containment protocols, a new, unsettling development emerged on the strategic display. A smaller, faster USOF strike group, previously unassigned, broke away from Kaelen's diversionary fleet. They were heading directly for the Catalyst containment facility."Chancellor, the USOF auxiliary fleet is making a direct course for the Catalyst!" Arcan exclaimed, his voice laced with alarm. "They’re not moving to support Seraph; they’re moving to capture!"Thiurate’s jaw tightened. "Kaelen, what is the meaning of this?!" he demanded over the comm.A static-filled chuckle answered him. It was Lord Dreius’s voice, cold and triumphant. "Meaning, Chancellor, that alliances of desperation are easily broken. You provided the scalpel. We provide the hammer. And now, the hammer takes its prize. Did you truly believe we would allow such power to remain outside USOF control, or worse, in your hands?"Thiurate felt a surge of white-hot fury. Dreius had played them, manipulated their desperation, and used Asson’s stealth capabilities to pave the way for his own betrayal."Seraph, abort the disengagement!" Thiurate roared. "The USOF is moving in! Do not allow them to seize the Catalyst!"Seraph, already mid-sequence, hesitated. "Chancellor, we can still disrupt the core containment. But if we do, the Catalyst will be unstable! It could detonate!""Do it!" Thiurate commanded, his voice raw. "If we cannot have it, no one will. We will not allow Dreius to unleash that horror upon the galaxy."On the holoscreen, the small USOF auxiliary fleet accelerated, their weapons powering up, ready to blast their way into the facility once Seraph had weakened its shields. It was a race, not for possession, but for destruction, a desperate act to prevent an even greater catastrophe. The cosmic divide had never felt so stark, or so personal.