The Ark moved out of the asteroid field, engines burning low and silent, like a predator stalking its prey. Kael stood at the helm, staring at the navigation display where faint red markers pulsed ominously.
"Three Council destroyers. One carrier. And a whole mess of drones," Rhea said as she scanned the incoming data. "That's not a patrol. That's a forward detachment."
Kael's stomach tightened. He understood the implication. "Taren's fleet."
Lyra stood beside him, her fingers lightly touching the glowing console. The Ark pulsed slightly, as if it sensed the danger. "If this is just the detachment, the full fleet must be huge."
Kael nodded, grim. "And it's heading straight for the Frontier colonies."
Rhea leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "So what's the plan, Captain? Are we going to charge in and get blown to pieces? Or do you have something less suicidal in mind?"
Kael forced a tight smile. "Less suicidal. For now. We're not taking on his fleet head-on. We'll slip in, gather intel, and get out before they even know we were here."
Rhea raised an eyebrow. "An infiltration mission. My favorite kind of near-death experience."
Lyra shot her a sharp look, but Kael chuckled softly. "We'll need your skills to pull this off."
The Ark glided quietly toward the enemy formation, its hull cloaked in energy-warping fields that obscured its presence among the stars. Lyra sat cross-legged on the command center deck, her eyes closed, her body trembling lightly as she merged with the Ark's systems.
Kael watched her, worry gnawing at him. She had pushed herself too hard in the last battle, and though she wouldn't say it, he could see the toll it took. Each time she reached deeper into the Ark, it cost her.
Rhea noticed his gaze and smirked. "Careful, Captain. Staring at your lady love while she's saving our lives? That's distracting, don't you think?"
Kael shot her a glare. "Focus on the scanners, Rhea."
But Lyra opened her eyes, faint amusement in her tired expression. "She's right, you know. You're worried about me more than the fleet."
Kael's throat tightened. "Because I can lose a fleet. I can't lose you."
Her gaze softened as she reached up to touch his hand. "Then you won't. Not while we're together."
Rhea groaned. "Stars help me. If you two start kissing during an infiltration run, I'm ejecting myself out the airlock."
Kael laughed despite himself. The tension in his chest eased—just a bit.
The Ark slipped between two massive destroyers, their black hulls lined with cannons. Kael's hands were steady on the controls, but his heart raced. The Ark's cloak flickered once before stabilizing.
Lyra's voice was faint. "Almost there… just a little closer…"
Through the viewport, Kael saw it—a vast carrier ship at the center of the formation. Its hull displayed the insignia of the Council, but Kael recognized the modifications. Sleeker cannons. Reinforced armor. At its prow, a dark figure stood silhouetted against the stars.
Taren.
Kael's breath caught. His brother seemed unchanged from the man he remembered—yet something about him felt hollow, something cold in his demeanor. Even from a distance, Kael felt the weight of his presence.
Rhea muttered a curse. "That's him. The Ghost Admiral."
Kael clenched his fists. "We're boarding his ship."
Both Lyra and Rhea turned sharply.
"What?" Lyra whispered.
"You've lost your mind," Rhea added flatly.
Kael's voice was firm. "We need proof. Evidence of what he's planning. Something the Frontier can rally behind. If we're ever going to stop him, we have to know what he's building."
Lyra swallowed hard. "And you think you'll find that on his flagship?"
"I know I will."
Silence filled the deck, broken only by the hum of the Ark. Finally, Lyra sighed, resigned. "Then I'm coming with you."
Kael's heart twisted. "No. It's too dangerous."
Her chin lifted stubbornly. "You'll need me. The Ark won't respond to anyone else. If something goes wrong, I can buy you time."
Rhea leaned back, smirking. "Well, looks like it's a family field trip. Don't worry, Captain, I'll keep you two lovebirds alive."
The Ark attached to the carrier's underbelly, mag-clamps digging silently into the hull. A hatch opened with a hiss, exposing the dark corridors of the Ghost Admiral's ship.
Kael led the way, blaster in hand, his breath steady but tense. Lyra followed closely, her palm glowing faintly as she maintained a link with the Ark. Rhea brought up the rear, grumbling about how reckless this all was.
The corridors were empty, almost too empty.
Kael frowned. "Something's wrong. Where are the guards?"
Lyra's eyes flicked nervously. "Kael… I don't like this."
Before he could answer, a voice echoed through the halls—smooth, commanding, and all too familiar.
"Welcome aboard, brother."
Kael froze, his heart pounding.
From the shadows ahead, Taren stepped into view. His uniform gleamed with Council insignia, but his eyes—those eyes burned with something darker. Something that wasn't entirely human.
Lyra gasped softly. Rhea raised her blaster instantly.
Kael's breath came fast. "Taren."
Taren's smile was cold and humorless. "You shouldn't have come. But I knew you would. You've always followed me into fire, Kael. Always."
The standoff felt like a taut wire, every breath sharp with tension. Kael raised his blaster, his hands shaking.
"Why, Taren? Why betray everything we fought for? Why betray me?"
Taren tilted his head, as if amused by the question. "Betray? No, Kael. I've embraced truth. The Council is weak. The Frontier is chaos. Only strength can shape the galaxy into what it was meant to be. And I will be that strength."
Lyra stepped forward, her voice firm. "You'll tear the galaxy apart!"
Taren's eyes snapped to her, narrowing. "Ah. The girl. The Ark's chosen. So this is what holds you back, brother? A woman? Softness? Love?"
Kael's fists clenched, rage boiling in his chest. "Don't you dare speak about her."
Taren chuckled darkly. "You've grown… predictable."
With a snap of his fingers, the corridor filled with red beams. Dozens of armored soldiers emerged from hidden alcoves, blasters aimed at them.
Rhea swore under her breath. "Called it. Trap."
Kael's blood ran cold. He had led them straight into Taren's snare.
Taren's smile widened. "Now, little brother… you'll finally see the galaxy as I do."