A heavy silence hung over the cockpit, broken only by the steady breathing of Commander Elliott Isaac, despite the storm raging inside him.
He slowly raised his head, his blue eyes, accustomed to reading star charts, now bearing an immeasurable weight.
In a low voice, he seemed to whisper to himself before giving his clear order, which carried a strong bitterness: "Octavia, display the mission information and incoming data. I want a comprehensive report, with all the details."
Octavia, the F01's advanced artificial intelligence, responded immediately.
A faint blue light emanated from the central panel, and the complex data materialized into transparent three-dimensional images floating in the air in front of the commander. Her melodious, emotionless voice began to recite the facts that weighed heavily on his heart:
[ Octavia:
Mission name: Destroy the planet Toram - Operation Rain of Fire
Mission issued by: Universal Galactic Union - Supreme Security Council
The mission was assigned to: Commander Elliott Isaac, Commander of the 9th Fleet, and the crew of the combat exploration ship F01 Shadow Swift.
Mission details:
Confirmed intelligence reports indicate that members of the ruling royal family of the planet Toram, located in the heart of the vibrant Milahta Galaxy, have begun preparations for a large-scale rebellion against the authority of the Universal Galactic Union. This rebellion is not merely an internal movement; it is receiving serious logistical and military support from the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance, known for its brutality and loyalty to nothing but money. This alliance aims to destabilize the eastern sector of the galaxy, threatening the security of the entire cosmos.
Accordingly, Commander Elliott Isaac and his crew aboard the F01 have been given orders to immediately advance toward the Milahta Galaxy. The objective is to destroy the entire planet of Toram, including all its infrastructure and any life on it, in order to decapitate the rebellion and prevent it from spreading. This is a comprehensive cleansing operation, intended not only to eliminate the threat but also to send a deterrent message to anyone who dares to challenge the authority of the Union.
The current population of Toram: is 7,878,365,900.
Penalty for failure:
If the mission is not completed successfully, or if any attempt is made to circumvent orders, the penalty will be conviction for disobeying Union orders, and a sentence of five years of continuous combat in the battlefields of the Makb Galaxy, known as the cosmic hell, where only the strongest survive and dignity is buried under the sand of endless battles.
Mission progress: 90%
Number of personnel remaining: 5
Reasons:
(1) Nash Elliott's rebellion:
First Lieutenant Nash Elliott, commander of the 7th Squadron, suddenly withdrew the members of the royal family aboard the ship. His motives were not entirely clear at first, but it appears to have been a combination of his refusal to carry out harsh orders to destroy inhabited planets and his belief that there are other ways to end the conflict. This rebellion has critically disrupted the mission's progress.
(2) Nash Elliottt's disobeying orders from Commander Elliottt Isaac.
(3) System error:
Security systems hacked.
(4) System error
(5) System error
.
Commander Elliott was silent, his eyes staring at the glowing numbers and the virtual images of destruction. The report was more than just data; it was a mirror reflecting failure, loss, and the heavy burden of a mission that could not be reversed. Five men... He had to finish what was left, whatever the cost.
"Where are Zara and Nash now?" the commander asked, rubbing his temples to ease the headache that was beginning to gnaw at his head, addressing the first assistant beside him.
Larena raised her glasses, her piercing eyes watching the monitors, and said in a businesslike voice, "Zara, commander of the first squad, is now advancing toward the ship's hold to secure the remaining personnel. The commander of the seventh squad will arrive here in a few seconds."
She had not finished her sentence when they heard the door burst open and a figure rush into the control room, ignoring strict protocols.
"Dad!" Nash Elliott shouted, his voice echoing through the hall, as two security guards rushed after him, raising their weapons in a ready position, their faces reflecting their surprise at his audacity.
"Commander of the Seventh Division, don't forget where you are!" Larina shouted in a sharp tone, taking a step forward, her eyes flashing. This was, after all, the cockpit, the beating heart of the ship, not his home where he could call the commander "Dad" in such a loud manner!
"Commander, Larina, there's no need for all this commotion. They're peaceful, they haven't done anything, and they didn't know about their family's desire to rebel!" Nash Elliott shouted, his words racing, desperate to save the five individuals who had been captured, trying to justify their desperate situation.
"Silence. You will receive the appropriate punishment for disobeying orders, while the five individuals will be executed," said the commander coldly, his icy eyes staring at his son Nash Elliott, commander of the Seventh Division as if looking at a stranger. His words were like a death sentence, irrevocable.
"This is not fair!" Nash Elliott shouted, his voice rising as he tried to refute the harsh decision, but his words were met with a wall of absolute silence.
"Silence! Nash Elliott, for disobeying the commander's orders to carry out the orders issued by the Galactic Union, I sentence you to exile to the Makb Galaxy for five consecutive years!" said the commander, as two security forces stepped forward, their steps decisive, to surround Nash Elliott, their weapons pointed at him.
"Father, please don't do it!" Nash Elliott cried out imploringly, his eyes begging for mercy, but his words were met with a cold exhale from the commander as if they were nothing but meaningless air.
"Let's go, Seventh Squad Commander," said one of the security forces in an emotionless voice, raising his weapon toward Nash Elliott in a clear sign of obedience.
"Is this what he deserves for saving a few people? Damn the Galactic Union mission, these people deserve to live!" These were the last words in Nash's mind before he was led away, leaving behind the commander and the command room, which was now enveloped in an even heavier silence.
...
In the dark prison cell, lit only by the faint light from the corridor, First Squad Commander Zara stood with a broad smile on his lips, facing his soldiers who surrounded the cell tightly, their weapons raised to prevent any desperate attempt to escape by the five detainees. The atmosphere was tense with anticipation, and the sound of their footsteps echoed in the narrow corridor.
Ring, ring!
At that crucial moment, a sharp ringing sound pierced the silence, breaking the tension that filled the room. First Squad Commander Zara raised his wrist, revealing a state-of-the-art communication device with advanced technology that allowed for multi-way communication, glowing with a faint blue light.
"First Squad Commander Zara!" Commander Elliott Isaac's voice came from the communication device, his tone carrying a weight that Zara feared, a weight that suggested orders that were not to be questioned.
"Yes, sir!" First Squad Commander Zara shouted immediately, raising his hand in a quick military salute, even though the commander was not in front of him. Military discipline was ingrained in him, but behind that discipline lay something else.
"New orders. Eliminate the five individuals and confirm their deaths, then transfer the commander of the seventh squad to the Makb galaxy." The commander's voice came through the communication device again, sharp and brooding, brooking no argument.
"Yes, sir!" shouted Zara, First Squad Commander, remaining standing at attention, but with a strange gleam in his eyes.
Beep!
The communication device was immediately shut off, leaving Zara alone with his dark thoughts.
'My luck, now this is what I call a perfect opportunity,' thought First Squad Commander Zara, as he slowly moved his tongue over his lips, his smile widening to reveal a malicious intent. The Makb Galaxy was famous for its wormholes capable of imprisoning one forever in endless labyrinths, as well as being a brutal battleground due to its unexplored parts, which the Universal Galactic Union had not yet been able to fully control. For Zara, this seemed like an opportunity to get rid of Nash Elliott, whom he saw as an obstacle to his rise to power.
"Forward, boys! You heard the commander!" First Squad Commander, Zara, laughed with maniacal enthusiasm, then raised his heavy weapon and opened the ship's cell with the push of a button,