Helza stood before the holographic map — an artificial valley displayed in sharp, zoomed projection.
Volkran's voice cut through the room, low and intense.
Volkran (coldly):"So, tell us… how exactly will you save our soldiers?You just admitted going there is the same as walking into certain death."
Helza turned slowly, her gaze steady and calm.
Helza (firmly):"If we send one of our commanders to the decoy base…Zargan's forces will believe it's the real one — the very heart of the Resistance.
If they see a commander there, they'll be convinced they've completed their mission.They'll destroy that base and assume they've eliminated our leadership.
That illusion will buy us a small window of time…and in that time, we can evacuate our remaining forces and resources safely from here."
The room went completely silent — as if her words had struck like a hidden shockwave.
Ronan (stepping forward, voice like steel):"You mean… one of us risks our life.A commander walks into that fake base,and stays long enough to delay Zargan's army?"
Volkran (looking around at the others):"Fine. Then we decide… who goes."
Almost instantly, every commander stepped forward.
"I'll go.""I'm ready.""I'll volunteer."
Grivon raised his voice over them.
Grivon (serious, measured):"This can't be decided on emotion.It has to be based on mission requirements.Only the one most suited for this task should go."
Helza nodded once.
Helza:"Then let's feed the data into FIREN."
[INT. AI VAULT – FIREN CORE MODULE ROOM]
The room's lights dimmed as a massive supercomputer pulsed to life — FIREN, the Resistance's deep neural war-model, trained to calculate tactical matchups for survival and victory.
System Voice (calm, mechanical):"Upload commander biometric, cognitive, and historical parameters…"
One by one, screens flashed with data:
Battle Experience
Muscle Density & Strength
Survivor Index
Combat Reflex IQ
Close-Combat Victories
Emotional Threshold in Sacrifice Scenarios
The profiles were uploaded. FIREN began running its calculations.
FIREN OUTPUT:
Commander Suitability Matrix
Helza: 32%
Volkran: 37%
Grivon: 29%
Ronan: 71%
Recommendation: Commander Marshal Ronan
Rationale:Highest combat intelligence, proven survivability under overwhelming odds, unmatched close-range leadership, superior physical resilience, emotional detachment in the face of extreme loss, and high mission-sacrifice viability.
[INT. STRATEGIC CHAMBER – BACK TO WAR ROOM]
The result appeared on the main screen. The room went dead quiet.
Helza (softly):"FIREN has spoken…"
Ronan's jaw tightened as he stared at the screen.
Ronan (steady):"I'll go."
Volkran walked over to him, speaking quietly but with weight in his voice.
Volkran:"You understand what this means?"
Ronan:"Yes.It could mean my death.But if I can buy the time we need…the Resistance will survive."
Grivon's voice was gruff, but there was emotion behind it.
Grivon:"You've always been the sword of the Resistance.Today… you're becoming the shield."
[EXT. BASE EDGE – NEAR LOADING ZONE – EVENING BLEEDING INTO NIGHT]
Lady Seraphina — with Ransoku still trapped inside her body — stood at the far edge of the base.Her face carried a tired, conflicted look — a battle raging inside her between emotion and survival instinct.
Inner Voice (Ransoku):"At first, I thought I was here for a purpose…But now… it feels like this might be my final stop."
"…I just… want to survive now."
He glanced around. Soldiers, engineers, and technicians were moving faster than usual — ducking into shadows, hauling heavy crates, shifting weapons, and sealing supply boxes.Craxillon energy tubes glowed with a sharp, crackling light as they were loaded into transport containers.
Ransoku (frowning):"What's going on?Why are they moving so many supplies — food, weapons, radars… everything?If this is their main base, shouldn't they keep these here?"
Just then, two soldiers passed by.Ransoku stepped back into the shadows, listening.
Soldier 1 (whispering):"I saw it downstairs — a massive spacecraft being prepped.They're even transferring Craxillon reactors onto it…"
"Looks like the commanders are relocating… building a new headquarters somewhere else."
Soldier 2:"Yeah. I spotted a chunk of the Resistance army leaving through the south shaft.Probably sent to guard the construction site."
Soldier 1:"Keeping the commanders alive is the top priority.As long as they live… the Alliance lives."
Soldier 2 (firm):"And our job… is to hold Zargan's army here.Buy them enough time to make the shift."
Soldier 1 (with quiet pride):"Right.If our sacrifice keeps them alive… they'll fight for the future.
We'll die — but tomorrow's sun will rise because of them."
Ransoku listened in silence.His face remained still… but inside, something shifted.
Inner Voice (slowly, almost in disbelief):"These people… they're willing to die — happily — to save just a handful of lives."
(Pause)
"…If they value those lives that much…then surely, one more life is worth saving too."
(Realization growing)
"If they're ready to die for their commanders…then maybe I should at least make sure one more person survives.
And maybe…that person is me."
The camera lingered on his face.A slow blink.A serious thought taking root.
Then, a faint smile — laced with sarcasm, pain… and a hint of gratitude.
Ransoku (quietly, to himself):"Well…So this is how becoming a hero starts?"
💭 One commander has been chosen to walk into certain death. One reluctant traveler has just felt the first spark of resolve.
When the decoy plan sets into motion, whose choice will decide the fate of the Resistance — the shield's sacrifice, or the stranger's awakening?
🔥 Chapter 11 – "The survivor's way" – coming next…