Page 13

12

“ H oly Mother of Mayhem! Mei! I can’t believe it! I can’t wait to tell the others.”

Mei threw herself in Ash’s arms when he opened them. She didn’t care that this was completely out of the ordinary for her, that it was undignified. Ash was alive, a familiar face, and she’d missed the hell out of him.

A half-laugh, half-shaky breath escaped her as she buried her face into his shoulder, gripping the fabric of his jacket as if to make sure he was real. He crushed her against his chest, burying his face against her hair like he would never let her go. Unfamiliar tears burned her eyes at his huge bear hug.

“I thought you were dead,” he murmured, pulling back slightly to cup the sides of her face. He searched her eyes, scanning her like he wasn’t sure if she was real.

She gave a wry, unsteady smile. “That makes two of us. I’m so glad I was wrong.”

“Come in. I want you to meet Kella. Don’t let her intimidate you. She’s really a sweetheart under all the knives and blasters,” he said without a trace of irony, stepping aside to allow her to enter the apartment.

Mei breathed out a shaky laugh. She wasn’t sure if Ash knew her background. Julia had, but her gut told her that Julia had kept the information to herself as a ‘need to know’ if things went south on their return to Earth.

Mei stepped into the foyer and glanced around. She could appreciate the safeguards Dorane had incorporated into the structure. His headquarters wasn’t just a fortress; it was a testament to his empire—a kingdom carved from the bones of a spaceport, refined into a palace of wealth and calculated luxury. The living quarters she entered was no exception.

The main apartment stretched across an entire level, seamlessly blending sleek industrial architecture with opulent comfort. Glass-paneled walls overlooked the jagged skyline of Cryon II, neon reflections dancing across the surface in the distance. The floor was obsidian stone, polished until it gleamed like dark water, broken by strategically placed rugs—thick, woven creations from artisans on a multitude of planets within the star system. Their deep crimson and gold patterns whispered of old royalty, of power reclaimed and repurposed.

The central sitting area was a contrast to the cold efficiency of the rest of the headquarters. A massive, low-slung sectional sprawled in a loose semicircle, its dark leather cushions looked impossibly soft and were meant to swallow anyone who dared to sit too long. A holographic fire burned in a sleek, suspended hearth—the holo-ambiance looked and felt real. The scent of it, mixed with the lingering spice of imported liquor from the stocked bar, gave the room a warmth Mei hadn’t expected.

Mei paused at the top step leading down to the sunken living room. A woman with dark green skin stood poised near the couch. Mei knew immediately the woman was assessing whether she was a threat. Lean and athletic with piercing, almond-shaped, dark brown eyes not unlike her own. Her eyes—and her movements—were the only similarities between them. Mei was facing a warrior. She gave Kella a slight bow of respect. A flash of uncertainty swept across Kella’s face before she bowed her head in return, her short, choppy brown hair falling forward to brush against her cheeks.

“I see you’ve settled in,” Dorane dryly commented, looking at the security feed for the building on the large holoscreen.

“Kella was bored,” Ash said with a wink.

“I’m sure she was. I’ll have to have a talk with Asta,” Dorane dryly replied.

Kella smiled. “She is the one who helped me. She said, ‘if Dorane is inviting assassins to stay, why does he need security?’ ”

Dorane groaned and shook his head. “It’s going to be a long talk with Asta.”

Mei laughed. Dorane and Asta reminded her a lot of her and Sergi. She descended the steps and sat down on the couch next to Ash. Kella sat down on the other side of him, and Mei’s lips twitched when Ash absently reached for both of their hands as he turned to face Mei.

Dorane reclined in a leather chair, one leg crossed lazily over the other, but Mei wasn’t fooled. He was studying them. Thinking. Calculating.

“Tell me where you woke and how you ended up here,” Ash quietly requested.

Mei tilted her head as a chill ran down her spine, and she casually pulled her hand free and rose, walking toward the windows. Dorane murmured a command and the windows changed, allowing her to see out while no one could see in, or so Dorane informed her.

“Safety,” he gruffly murmured, their eyes locking for a brief moment before he looked away.

“Thank you,” she replied, turning to stare out the window. Her gut instinct warned her that Zoak was out there. Watching. Waiting in the shadows.

I can almost feel him.

She turned and wound her arms under the cloak she was still wearing.

“I woke over a month ago, ten days after the Gliese broke apart,” she began.

When she finished with the first part of her story, Ash furrowed his brow and asked, “ That’s how your pod end up with a dead alien on Turbinta? Sergi damn near had a heart attack when he found your escape pod!”

Mei started with surprise. A low mutter that sounded suspiciously like ‘Good for Sergi’ caused her to look under her eyelashes at Dorane. He had a disgruntled expression on his face. He had been unusually quiet since they left Deek’s.

“ Sergi found it?”

“ Oh yeah ,” Ash said emphatically, eyes glinting with amusement. “And he nearly died trying to get to it.”

Mei’s stomach dropped. “What happened?”

Ash leaned back, one arm draped over the couch as he smirked. “La’Rue was looking for the pod to help pay off a debt, but it turned out that she wasn’t the only one. Sergi’s pod had landed on Turbinta too. They had a little disagreement, but they worked things out. Anyway, I guess your pod landed on the Leaning Tower of Turbinta in a badass ravine. Long story short, there was grappling hook, flood, and a massive storm involved. Sergi pushed off the rock that had fallen on the lid, opened it up, and found a big-ass, very dead alien inside instead of you. They got out of there in the nick of time, and then they met up with me and Kella. We were there trying to kill her old Turbinta Master. She was a very nasty piece of work,” he added with a wink.

“We left her in Sergi’s pod,” Kella added with a sniff.

“Sergi was relieved,” Ash continued, ”to find the dead alien you left in your pod, you know? Those pods do seem to be handy places to stash bodies?”

Mei stared. “He was relieved to find my dead alien?”

Ash snorted. “Hell yeah. He was like, ‘ If Mei was in there, she’d be dead.’ He found a video of you kicking some ass. You forgot to remove the onboard video chip.’”

“Yes, I did. I’m glad it was Sergi who found it,” she softly replied.

“So, how did you get off the freighter?”

Mei looked at Dorane when he asked the question. His eyes were a dark greenish color. She vaguely wondered if they changed colors with his moods—and if they did, what color would they be when he was locked in passion.

A delicate flush rose to her cheeks as the image of them together, mixed with twisted sheets, flashed through her mind. The slight curve of his lips told her that he could see what she was thinking—and it had nothing to do with escape pods and freighters.

“Tiv hid me in a crate under some scrap metal. Two men who worked for the Legion wanted Yi to deliver the metal to their docking bay. I slipped out while Yi argued with them. You saved him,” she said, turning to Dorane. “They were about to hurt him when you came along,” she quietly explained.

Dorane’s eyes widened. “I remember that day. Word had just come in on the escape pods the Legion was searching for. I spoke to the captain, but he said they hadn’t seen anything. I had each ship and all the scrap that came in checked.”

Mei nodded. “After we loaded Grak’s body in the pod, Tiv placed a directional thruster on it and aimed the pod for Turbinta. She figured if the Legion was stupid enough to go to the planet, they would get what they deserved. How funny that it was Sergi who found it.”

“Ah yes, Sergi again. And who is this Sergi to you?” Dorane asked.

Ash snorted. Mei shot him a glare when he raised an eyebrow, pointed a finger between her and Dorane, and mouthed ‘Couple?’

Kella was not so subtle. She frowned and sat forward, then said, “You sound jealous. Sergi is not with Mei. He is with La’Rue. You do not need to be jealous. You can have Mei,” Kella stated with a wave of her hand.

Ash didn’t bother trying to hide his amusement when Mei looked at Dorane with a startled expression while Dorane had a very pleased expression on his face.

Distraction. That was what she needed. Good ol’ redirection of the conversation.

“Kella… do you know anything about a Turbinta named Zoak?”

Kella’s expression sharpened. “Yes.”

The energy in the room shifted, just as she’d hoped. She could handle dealing with danger—as long as it wasn’t the kind that included her heart.

Dorane straightened slightly, his gaze flicking toward Kella as she exhaled through her nose.

“I have explained to Dorane that Zoak kills for legacy, not credits.”

Mei nodded slowly, her mind clicking the pieces together. “That fits. He’s been watching Dorane, but he’s also targeting his people. I think he’s testing your security.”

Ash frowned. “What do you mean ‘his people’?”

Mei met his gaze. “Asta, Jammer, and I imagine he knows that Ash and Kella are here. If he seeks legacy, he will want to kill someone he considers his equal, and an Ancient Knight would qualify. The Legion has announced that we are a valuable target of great interest.”

The room fell silent.

Then Ash, ever the optimist, grinned and stretched. “You got this, don’t you, honey?”

“Of course I have this,” Kella replied, shaking her head.

“And Asta thinks I’m bad?” Dorane scoffed with a shake of his head.

Mei’s lips twitched with amusement before she turned to look out the window again. The smile faded as she stared out across the moon base’s landscape. For once, she sent a small thanks to her father. If he had not done what he had, she would not be who she was.

“Our life paths may not always be clear, Mei, but the universe will give us the tools we need to protect us. Your father teaches you to fight with your body. I teach you to fight with your mind and spirit. There will be no threat you cannot overcome.”

You’re right, māma. I will need all three to protect those that I have come to love.

In the reflection of the glass, her gaze turned to Dorane as the last word flashed through her mind. Their eyes connected, and once again, she felt as if the universe tilted around her before realigning.

Deep in Legion Territory

The ice planet Crysta loomed in the distance, a frozen wasteland trapped in the perpetual twilight of its distant sun. A smooth expanse of white with dark red bands stretched across the planet’s surface, its unforgiving storms swirling like ghosts of forgotten worlds.

Cold. Barren. Unyielding.

It had been the perfect place to create the lab that would develop the iROS, a parasite that could wipe out entire worlds.

And it suited Andri’s mood now.

From the bridge of his Battle Cruiser, Andri Andronikos stood in silence, his hands clasped behind his back, his fingers curled so tightly that his nails dug into his palms.

His reflection in the viewport stared back at him—a face he barely recognized anymore. His once-sharp features had grown thinner, harder, his jaw clenched with a tension that never eased. The weight of command pressed on him, a constant, suffocating presence. It had worsened since Coleridge’s death. His brother’s final message whispered through his mind like a toxin, seeding doubt, curling through his thoughts, twisting reality.

“Who can you trust, Andri?”

“They will betray you, just as they betrayed me.”

“Zoak is coming for you. I made sure of that, brother.”

His fingers twitched toward the weapon at his waist. He carried it always now. He trusted no one. Even now, guards stood outside his door, their presence both necessary and suffocating.

Can I even trust them?

With a slow, measured breath, Andri walked over to his desk and keyed in the secure transmission.

A moment later, the holoscreen flickered to life, revealing the sharp, gaunt features of General Stronauss. The man’s face was lined with age, his hair thinning, but his posture remained rigid with military discipline.

“Director Andronikos,” Stronauss greeted with a bow of his head. “We are prepared for your arrival.”

Andri’s voice was cold, clipped. “I expect a full report upon my descent. Ensure the lead scientist is waiting for me.”

“He will be, sir.”

The transmission ended, the screen going dark. Andri grabbed his cloak, pulling it around him as he turned away from the viewport and strode toward the exit. The guards fell into step as he moved through the pristine halls of his Battle Cruiser, their footsteps echoing in perfect rhythm.

The shuttle ride to the planet’s surface was silent. Outside, jagged glaciers towered over barren wastelands, their crystalline formations catching the dim sunlight like fractured glass. The Legion’s top-secret laboratory was a stark contrast—a fortress of steel and ice, its sharp angles and reinforced walls built to withstand the relentless storms that battered the planet.

As his shuttle descended onto the landing platform inside the sealed hanger, Andri stepped out into the biting cold, his breath misting in the air. General Stronauss and Lead Scientist Quar stood at attention, flanked by guards and a contingent of researchers in dark uniforms.

“Director,” Stronauss said, his expression unreadable.

Andri barely acknowledged him. His gaze flicked to Quar, a thin, anxious man with nervous eyes and hands that twitched at his sides.

“You,” Andri said, his voice cutting through the howling wind echoing from outside the hanger. “With me.”

Quar swallowed hard and nodded, falling into step beside Andri as he brushed past Stronauss without another word. The general stiffened but said nothing, watching as Andri disappeared into the depths of the lab.

Inside, the air was sterile and cold, the walls lined with terminals and containment units. Scientists moved like ghosts, their gazes darting toward him before quickly averting.

Fear. Good. Let them fear.

Andri stopped in the center of the lab. His eyes swept over the massive room—over the rows of empty cryo tanks lining the walls, their glass interiors dark, hollow. A cold rage coiled in his chest.

“Where is it?” he demanded.

Quar’s hands trembled as he gestured to the empty tanks. “Director… all viable iROS specimens were taken aboard the Legion Space Lab before its departure. Dr. Mella oversaw the final phase of the project personally.”

Andri’s gaze snapped to him. “And why haven’t you replicated his success?”

A bead of sweat trickled down Quar’s temple. “We… we have tried, Director. But large portions of Dr. Mella’s research data are missing. We suspect he deliberately withheld crucial details—possibly to prevent unauthorized use.”

Andri’s fingers flexed at his sides. “Then why are you not using the data you do have?”

Quar hesitated, glancing at the other scientists. “Without Dr. Mella, we cannot fully reconstruct the process. We are working tirelessly, but?—”

“Enough,” Andri cut him off. He turned, his cloak swirling behind him as he stared at the empty cylinders, their presence a stark reminder of failure.

Of Coleridge’s failure. Not mine. Never mine. Coleridge promised he would not fail, but he did. He is responsible.

Andri breathed in a deep breath, his words careful, measured. “You mean to tell me, that in all your brilliance, all your resources, none of you have been able to make progress?”

Quar stammered. “We—w-we were solely focused on iROS. There was nothing else— It’s just that Dr. Mella–Dr. Mella insisted that none of us know exactly what he was doing. He—he regularly rotated us so we couldn’t learn his process.”

Andri’s breath came slow and deep. He bowed his head for a moment, the silence stretching unbearably. Then, without another word, he turned on his heel and walked out.

Stronauss was waiting for him in the outside corridor. “Director, I?—”

Andri didn’t stop. He brushed past the general as if he were nothing more than an insect, his pace unwavering as he stepped onto his shuttle.

By the time he returned to the Battle Cruiser, his decision was made.

He strode onto the bridge, his expression blank, his voice devoid of emotion.

“Destroy it.”

The bridge officers froze.

One of them swallowed. “Sir?”

Andri’s eyes burned like dying embers. “Obliterate the facility. Nothing is to remain.”

A silent, horrified pause. Then the order was relayed.

Andri watched.

From the viewport, he observed the planet below, the faint glimmer of the lab barely visible against the ice. Then?—

A surge of blinding energy erupted from the cannons of the Battle Cruiser, streaking down toward the surface like the fist of an angry god, cutting through the intense winds and heating the freezing air.

The lab stood no chance. Explosions rippled across the facility, metal crumpling like paper, entire sections disintegrating as fire and plasma consumed it whole. The shockwave spread outward, shattering ice and rock, sending massive clouds of debris spiraling into the atmosphere.

Inside Andri’s mind, the voices rose.

“They will betray you, just as they betrayed me.”

“Zoak is coming for you.”

“They whisper in the shadows, questioning your strength.”

His hands curled into fists, his nails cutting into his palms as Coleridge’s mocking voice echoed through his mind. His vision blurred as rage and paranoia churned inside him, an ever-growing storm with no outlet. He was in control. He was in control. No one would take that away. The Legion belonged to him.

“You are wrong brother. I am the stronger one,” he breathed out.

A faint chuckle ghosted through his mind, like Coleridge was right there beside him, whispering in his ear. Andri ruthlessly pushed his brother’s mocking laughter from his mind. He would not let his brother’s lies trick him. He would destroy everything that defied him. Everything that failed him.

His mind sharpened. His breathing steadied. The destruction below was only the beginning.

He turned, his voice quiet but deadly.

“Set course for Cryon II.”

If the Ancient Knights had returned, they would need help, and who better to help them than Dorane LeGaugh, with his vast empire and powerful personal army?

Dorane only thought he was powerful.

When Andri was finished, there would be no other empire but the Legion standing—Ancient Knights be damned.

He would burn every star in the sky before he allowed them to rise again.