The penthouse is our sanctuary, space windows casting starlight across the floor, holo-screens flickering with mission logs. I'm Alex, kicked back with Squad Zero—Fiona, Dmitri, Lyra—our bracelets buzzing with S-level access from the 5th Elder's smackdown. Fiona's twirling her staff, tossing me a grin, Dmitri's sharpening his spear, and Lyra's pacing, her Veltari agility practically sparking. Our Eldari cover keeps our human side locked tight, but the Arkvault's always got some cosmic drama brewing.
A low hum breaks the vibe. Varkis steps in, his armor catching the starlight, optics dim with something heavy. No 13th Elder—just him. That's a first.
"Varkis?" I sit up. "No elder? What's up, mate?"
He shifts, voice low. "It's personal. I need Squad Zero's help, off the books."
Fiona's staff stills. "You, going rogue? This I gotta hear."
Dmitri leans forward, spear steady. "Better be worth it."
Lyra stops, eyes gleaming. "Spill it, big guy."
Varkis's optics flicker. "My brother, Kaelis, works for the 9th Elder. He's loyal, thinks the 9th's his path to influence. But the 9th's a manipulator—lying to him, using him for dirty jobs like faking council reports to undermine rivals. I want Kaelis with the 13th Elder. He won't listen unless I prove the 9th's corrupt."
I whistle. "Family feud, Arkvault style. What's the plan?"
Varkis pulls up a holo-map. "Infiltrate the 9th's base—Habitat-733. Steal a data chip from his secure vault, proof of his corruption. Show it to Kaelis. He'll switch."
Fiona tilts her head. "Guards? Traps?"
Dmitri grunts. "How do we crack the vault?"
Lyra smirks. "Sounds like my kind of sprint."
I nod, power fist flexing. "Like a gym locker heist. We're in."
Varkis uploads an override code to our bracelets. "The 9th's security is locked to his chips. This code's a one-shot hack I got from… sources. Use it wisely."
We teleport to Habitat-733, a labyrinth of sleek corridors and pulsing reactors. Varkis's voice crackles through our bracelets: "Vault's in the core hub. The code unlocks one door. Move fast."
I lead, pistol ready. "Quiet, like dodging a gym coach."
Fiona's staff is poised. "Stay sharp for patrols."
Dmitri's shield hums low. "Trouble's close."
Lyra darts ahead, Veltari speed a blur. "Path's clear. Vault's near."
We reach a sealed chamber, holo-terminals glowing with ship data. I slot the override code, and the vault door hisses open, revealing a data chip. I snatch it. "Score."
Alarms scream. Four guards—9th Elder's crew—storm in, lasers blazing. "Stop them!" one barks.
"Crap!" I yell, raising an earth-flux wall. "They're on us!"
Fiona's arrows pin a guard to the wall. "Keep moving!"
Dmitri's shield spins a vortex, deflecting blasts. "Push through!"
Lyra's kicks drop another, fast as lightning. "Sloppy!"
I slam a guard with my power fist, blades flashing. "Like a sparring drill—let's go!"
We take them down, binding them with flux nets. The chip's data loads on a holo-screen: falsified council reports, the 9th Elder framing the 13th for power grabs. "Nasty," I mutter.
Varkis guides us to Kaelis's station, a control room down the hall. Kaelis, a leaner version of Varkis, stands at a console, optics wide. "Brother? With Eldari?"
Varkis steps up. "Kaelis, the 9th's lying to you. Look at this."
I slot the chip into a holo-reader. It flares, showing the 9th's orders: Fake reports. Undermine the 13th. Kaelis's optics dim. "He promised me a council seat…"
Fiona's voice is calm. "He's using you. The 13th's tough but fair."
Dmitri grunts. "Better than being a pawn."
Lyra leans in, smirking. "Join us, kid. We're the real deal."
Kaelis nods, slow but firm. "I'm done with him. I'm with the 13th."
We teleport back to the penthouse, Varkis in tow. He faces us, optics steady. "You saved my brother. The 13th's stronger with Kaelis on board."
I high-five Fiona. "Cosmic family fix, check."
She nudges me, grinning. "Nice work, Coach."
Dmitri eyes Lyra. "Think Kaelis is solid?"
Lyra laughs. "He's got potential, fire man."
I lean back, the squad's vibe buzzing. "Another win for the books."
Varkis nods. "The elder will know of this. Rest—for now."
The Arkvault's power games are humming, the 13th Elder's reach growing, and Squad Zero's braced for the next cosmic rep, bracelets ready for action.