The room empties in a rush as everyone scrambles into motion. Within minutes, the silence is broken.
[Intelligence Wing] Phones ring. Commanders shout over holocalls. Emergency icons light up every screen.
Scarlet is pointing, "Janyne, start moving around. Watch how cases are handled, and don't stand still."
Janyne- "Uh, okay!"
She sprints between desks—fetching files, prepping interrogation rooms, and running info from office to office, dodging cups of coffee and datapads along the way.
[Hangar] Buzz Blade, the 17th Great, walks up to a group of new recruits including Roger and Billix. He's in light armor, casually spinning his helmet by the chin strap.
Buzz Blade- "Alright, rookies—time for your first real mission. It's a simple assist. A remote base is under demon attack. We're the cavalry."
Billix, cracking his knuckles, "Sounds easy enough."
Roger, grinning, "I can't believe I'm going into battle with a Great."
Buzz Blade grins.
Buzz Blade- "Don't get starstruck. You'll see soon enough—it's not about titles out there. It's about survival."
[ Equipment Room ] The equipment floor roars with movement—boxes of ammo, energy cores, and weapon parts are being moved around at breakneck speed. Recruits and veterans are trading out damaged gear and grabbing replacements between assignments. Claus, now sweating but determined, hoists a heavy crate of plasma batteries and carries it across the room.
Blade, grinning, "You've made yourself useful down here."
Claus dropped the crate with a thud, "Yeah—I see why they call this place The Forge."
A mechanic yells from across the room, Mechanic- "Rookie! Help me get the media room powered up!"
Claus wipes his hands, "Catch you later, Blade."
[ STF HQ – Executive Office] Vex, wearing a slim recording drone like a floating accessory, walks into the sleek office where Ian and Optimus are working. The drone records as he narrates,
Vex, to the stream, "Day in the life at STF HQ—let's see what the big dogs are up to."
Vex, to Ian and Optimus, "So, what are y'all working on?"
Ian, focused, "Trying to figure out where a demon portal might be active."
Optimus- "The hard part is finding someone who actually knows how to track one—and will talk."
Vex leaned against the wall, "Why not ask Drunnith?"
Optimus- "He's been silent. We can't force him without risking a containment breach."
Vex raises an eyebrow, "Then what'd his bloodwork show?"
Ian- "He's millions of years old. Older than recorded civilization."
Vex- "Well… that's horrifying. What about those smugglers who deal in demonic weapons and drugs? They might know something."
Optimus nodded slowly, "That's not a bad idea."
Ian- "I've tried digging into that ring before. They cover their tracks too well."
Vex- "Then use the new intel recruits. Let 'em cut their teeth on something real."
Optimus, looking at Ian, "He's not wrong. It would be a good experience for them."
Ian sighs, "Fine. I'll put a team on it. Let's see what they can find."
Transport Ship, En Route to Demon-Overrun Base. Smoke floods the interior of the dropship. The engines rumble as it descends toward the war-torn planet below. Through the haze, the distant surface burns with flashes of red and orange.
Buzz Blade yelling over the comms, "Listen up! We're dropping through the smoke and clearing out those demons that overran the base! Lock in and move fast!"
Billix to Roger, shouting, "You still seem excited?"
Roger, grinning, tightening his gear, "How are you not? This is our first real battle!"
The bay doors burst open. Buzz Blade dives out first. One by one, the squad jumps into the chaos below, landing hard on the base airstrip surrounded by smoke and screams. Buzz Blade is already barking orders, pointing and leading the charge.
Intelligence Floor – STF HQ Ian stands in front of a large display of maps, portal data, and intercepted transmissions. He gestures to Shadow, Scarlet, and a team of recruits.
Ian- "We need to find the location of the demon portal. I'm assigning this case to you."
Scarlet turns to the team, all business.
Scarlet- "Alright. We're digging into smuggling networks—specifically anything tied to demonic weapons and narcotics. We think that's how the demons are slipping through."
Janyne- "You mean D.S.?"
Shadow, raising an eyebrow, "Yeah. What do you know?"
Janyne: "Aren't they basically a private army? Weapons, security, black market exports"
Shadow, "Exactly. That's why the Night Team usually handles them. But you're here now, so suit up. You're gonna learn fast."
Claus rushes down the hall, arms full of gear. As he rounds a corner—bam!—he crashes directly into a towering metal chest. He looks up slowly. It's Voltron, the 8-foot cybernetic juggernaut. His glowing eyes pulse as he looks down.
Voltron, in his deep, robotic voice, "Watch where you're going."
Claus freezes, nearly dropping his equipment in fear.
Blade calling from down the hall, "Voltron! Stop giving the recruits heart attacks!"
Voltron, calmly, "I was just getting to know him."
Blade- "Try doing it without the death glare. They need you in the hangar for something."
Voltron walks off, every step shaking the ground slightly.
Blade, turning to Claus, "Come on. Let's get you to the common room."
Claus sits with a bottle of water, catching his breath.
Blade, "So how's your first day going?"
Claus, "Exactly what I expected. I heard the team's cracking down on the portal investigation."
Blade, sighing, stretching, "Yeah. Ian's leading it himself. Lucky for me, it's my week off. No missions. Just sleep, lifting, and maybe a movie night."
Buzz Blade and his squad returns back
Buzz Blade- " you guys go take a break and hit up the recovery room"
[ Recovery Room – STF HQ] Steam rises from the mineral pools as Roger leans back, letting the heat soak into his muscles. Roger, relaxed, "Finally a break." His watch buzzes. He glances at the screen.
Roger- "…Already another mission."
Billix, sighing, standing up, "Yep. Time to dry off."