"We need the traitor alive," Xavier said. "According to intel so far, he knows the location of the next fragment. A blast like that kills him and destroys our only lead."
Rin raised a hand. "What about the bots we stole from the raid on Crimson Haven?"
Xavier shook his head. "Their trackers are still active. Activating those units alerts the Empire's warship to our position in seconds. We are in no position to deal with that kind of heat."
Kylus adjusted his skeletal grip on a rifle. "Should we send drones?"
"That base is a ghost," Xavier replied. "It is shielded on all sides and built to withstand orbital strikes. There is zero signal output. The drones will accomplish nothing."
Silence settled over the group.
Kylus looked up. "We are out of options, Captain. You give the order."
Xavier sighed loudly and dragged his hand through his hair with a dramatic flair. "In the end, I have to do everything myself."
