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S hadows of Cryon II:

The hum of Cryon II’s artificial atmosphere and gravity was constant, an ever-present static that vibrated through the metal walls and narrow service corridors. Zoak moved through the less traveled passages, his steps silent, his breath measured. He had been on this moon base for days now, learning its arteries, tracing its pathways, and memorizing the movements of its most influential occupant—Dorane LeGaugh.

The man was an enigma, a self-made power in a galaxy dominated by old blood and military rule. A shadow king ruling a metal kingdom. Many underestimated him—like the bumbling Melskarian bounty hunter who had tried to kill Dorane this evening. Zoak did not.

He crouched low against a grated walkway, his four-fingered hands flexing with anticipation as he peered down into one of the many observation lounges scattered throughout Cryon II’s core district. Below him, the glow of holoscreens illuminated Dorane’s angular face, his hazel eyes flickering as he absorbed the intelligence reports his second-in-command, Asta Ma’Tran, was feeding him.

Zoak watched, waiting.

A lesser assassin would have made their move by now. A quick shot. A clean kill. A moment of satisfaction and then nothingness. But Zoak did not kill for simple contracts. He killed to be remembered.

He wanted a story worth telling.

And what greater story than the dismantling of the Ancient Knights and the men who would see them rise again?

His communicator buzzed softly against his wrist. A secure line. No traceable link. Zoak sighed inwardly, irritation flickering through him as he flicked it on. The moment he saw Coleridge Landais’s face, his mood darkened.

“Andri is your new target, Zoak,” Coleridge’s voice rasped, his tone clipped. “Kill him and you’ll have a fortune greater than your wildest dreams. The credits are being transferred as I speak. You now have the funds to be the assassin you’ve always wanted to be. In addition to the Director, I have included funds and resources for the termination of General Roan Landais and The Ancient Knights of the Gallant. My brother has already funded Dorane LeGaugh. They’re yours. Every last one of them. Make it count, Turbinta, and your name will never be forgotten.”

Zoak barely contained his smirk. A fortune? A name to be remembered? The very things he had always craved.

And yet, as he watched Dorane now—pacing, restless, unknowingly playing a part in Zoak’s masterpiece—he felt something close to satisfaction. Not yet. He wasn’t ready to kill him just yet.

Zoak’s gaze flicked to the holoscreens where Asta and Jammer were more than likely discussing the Legion’s failed attack. The fallout of Tesla Terra had sent ripples across the stars, the story relayed and retold across the galaxy.

Zoak leaned in, eyes narrowing on Dorane’s face through the scope he was looking through. The man had been staring at the screen before he threw his head back and started laughing. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together. Dorane’s amusement could only mean one thing.

Roan Landais had survived.

A slow exhale left Zoak’s lips. Asta and Jammer did not seem to realize what that meant. He did… and so did Dorane. They had seen men cheat death before. They had both done it. It took a certain madness, a specific will.

It took a legend.

My name will echo through the galaxy when this is done.

Zoak settled further into the shadows, his fingers drumming absently against the casing of his rifle. Soon. Not tonight, not while Dorane was still maneuvering, still fighting shadows he didn’t even know were circling him. No—he wanted Dorane to know he was being hunted. It would make the kill more satisfying. He wanted Dorane to feel the weight of inevitability pressing down before the blade slid between his ribs.

He had a list now. Dorane. Roan. The Ancient Knights. And finally, Andri.

All pieces in the final act.

Zoak stepped back into the shadows, a satisfied hum vibrating low in his throat. There was no hurry. If Roan Landais was indeed alive as he suspected, he would come to see Dorane. If Zoak was lucky, Roan would bring the female Ancient with him.

“Perhaps I will rearrange my list to accommodate her first. So many choices. So many trophies,” he chuckled in a rare moment of enjoyment.

Whichever order he decided, when he was finished, the galaxy would never forget his name.

Three days later, the soft hum of the freighter surrounded Mei, a constant drone that had become oddly familiar over the past weeks. She sat on the small cot in the cabin Tiv had claimed for her, fingering the fabric she was sitting on. The room carried the faint hint of stale air and dust, but beneath her was the crisp scent of clean fabric—a small luxury she hadn’t had in far too long.

The cabin was a forgotten space, tucked away in the upper level of the freighter, used only when a paying passenger booked passage, which was rare, given the ship’s battered state. The room had been filled with crates of things the captain didn’t know what to do with but didn’t want to toss—half-functional equipment, odd trinkets from past hauls, and bits of tech too outdated to sell but too valuable to discard.

It had given her a place to be, to exist without constantly looking over her shoulder.

Tiv had helped her, bringing her food during the late-night rotation when no one was around. During those quiet moments, Mei had learned more about the war brewing across the stars.

The fight between the Legion and the Gallant was escalating. There had been battles—entire fleets torn apart in the vacuum of space, planets shifting alliances, outposts vanishing without a trace. And then, the rumor.

A new Ancient Knight had been discovered.

A woman.

One who had stood up to General Landais.

Mei’s fingers had curled into the fabric of the sheets as she processed those words. Landais—the Legion General. The one everyone had feared? Dead? An unknown woman.

Her breath had hitched, the realization striking her like a live wire. They had survived. All of them. Sergi. Julia. Ash. Josh.

The crew of the Gliese wasn’t just alive. They were fighting.

A shuddering breath had left her lips as she sat there, staring at Tiv in disbelief, struggling to breathe past the storm of emotions rising inside her.

Relief. Grief. Hope.

For the first time since she awoke, she understood the purpose of her survival. She needed to find them… and stand beside them in the war they had been drawn into. Her gaze was drawn to the image filling the viewport.

Outside, Cryon II loomed—a colossal, moon-like structure, vast and sprawling, an artificial world suspended in the void. It wasn’t natural, wasn’t a planet formed by time and the cosmos. It was built, piece by piece, a testament to the raw ambition of those who ruled this corner of the galaxy.

Metallic plates formed a patchwork over its surface, interlaced with glowing seams of energy conduits. Docking stations jutted out like skeletal arms cradling incoming ships, each one vanishing into the labyrinthine corridors of the station’s interior.

It was staggering.

She had seen cities before, but this? This was something else.

An entire world, floating in space.

The realization of the difference from Earth was mind blowing. She had always been a survivor, but she had survived in what she had known—a realm bound to Earth, with its rules, its limits. This place had no limits.

For the first time since waking up, she felt small.

Not weak, but small—a single thread in a galaxy-wide tapestry.

The thought was terrifying.

And yet… exhilarating.

Her grip on the edge of the cot tightened. She was about to step into a place she didn’t understand, among people who didn’t know her.

But… the others have found their destiny. I will too.

A shuddering breath slipped from her. Josh, Ash, Sergi… even Julia, sweet, compassionate, nerdy Julia, had fought to stand against the Legion. Mei had thought she was alone, but she wasn’t.

The door hissed softly as it slid open an hour later. Mei emerged out of the bathroom where she had taken refuge when she heard footsteps approaching. Tiv stepped inside, her sleek exoskeleton reflecting the dim light. Her mandibles clicked together lightly, and her multi-jointed hands rested on her hips.

“We’re almost there,” she said, her voice carrying that familiar calm amusement. “Less than an hour.”

Mei nodded, exhaling.

“You ready?” Tiv tilted her head.

Mei’s lips twitched. “Are you?”

Tiv chittered in laughter before stepping further inside. “I’ve arranged everything. You’ll be hidden inside a container, standard cargo, nothing suspicious. Once we dock, they’ll move it to the loading bay. That’s where you’ll slip out.”

Mei arched a brow. “Just like that?”

Tiv’s mandibles twitched with mischief. “It is a very busy place. No one will notice.”

“Anyone still looking for Grak?”

Tiv let out a soft chitter. “After the initial search, they decided he accidentally ejected himself out of the trash tube. He was very drunk.”

Mei blinked, then snorted. “Are you serious?”

Tiv’s eyes twinkled. “I may have… manipulated some of the vidcom and data logs.”

Mei laughed. “You rewrote the records?”

Tiv shrugged with all four of her shoulders. “Since no one smelled anything, they accepted it. Lorik swore us all to secrecy.”

Mei shook her head and raised her eyebrow. “And the captain?”

“He scrubbed all records of Grak from the system.” Tiv’s eyes gleamed. “Paperwork is annoying.”

Mei chuckled. “They would’ve made good politicians back on my world.”

Tiv’s mandibles flicked, her version of a grin. “Perhaps. But there is no paperwork in space. I must go. There is much work before we dock.”

Mei exhaled, shaking her head. This galaxy was ridiculous. Sergi must love it here.

After Tiv left, the weight of what came next settled onto Mei’s shoulders. She had no plan. No contacts. No idea how she would find the others.

Mei had to remind herself that she had survived an impossible journey. She had woken up in an unknown galaxy through an alien gateway that shouldn’t have existed.

And yet, here she was.

Plus, she wasn’t alone anymore. Tiv had offered to help, and her brother might as well.

Mei drew in a deep, calming breath. She would find her friends, her… family. She let her eyes drift shut, recalling the whispered assurances of her mother.

“You hold the power to make your own destiny, Mei Li. Even when the odds are against you.”

The words wrapped around her like armor, strengthening her resolve. She opened her eyes, rose, and gathered her survival bag and katana. Her eyes were drawn back to the viewport. She lifted her chin as Cryon II filled the circular window.

This was it. She would make her own destiny. She would find the others. And she wouldn’t just survive, she would thrive.

A short time later, she emerged in the loading bay where she and Tiv had agreed to meet. The area was a chaos of metal and movement, the hum of machinery interwoven with the shouts of workers as cargo and space junk was shuffled between transports. The heavy scent of heated metal, fuel, and lubricant filled the air, mixing with the ozone tang from the power grids overhead.

Mei crouched low behind a towering stack of discarded parts, her pulse steady, though she was hyper-aware of her surroundings. Tiv had told her exactly where to go. Now she just had to wait for the moment.

Across the busy floor, Tiv worked easily among the crew, blending in as she unloaded carts of scrap metal with practiced efficiency. Mei watched as the insectoid woman maneuvered a heavy-laden cart near the crates where Mei was hidden, Tiv’s movement casual, unhurried, but purposeful.

Then, as if adjusting the load, Tiv lifted a sheet of dull metal, exposing a small, shadowed gap in the cart beneath. There was a nondescript metal crate tucked under the layers of junk. Tiv didn’t look around, didn’t make eye contact, but her mandibles twitched—her way of signaling.

Now.

Mei didn’t hesitate. She slid forward, her movements a whisper of motion, folding herself into the cramped space between the stacked metal. The darkness swallowed her, her breath slow and measured.

Tiv bent as if retrieving something, murmuring under her breath, “Yi is waiting to unload this. He will hide you in his transport. You’ll stay there until his shift ends, then he’ll take you to our home.”

Mei gave a silent nod, gripping the translator collar Tiv had given her, ensuring it was ready if she needed to listen in.

With a last glance around, Tiv draped the metal back into place, sealing Mei inside just as the sound of clanking machinery and hydraulics roared to life. The entire cart lurched forward, the vibration humming through the metal beneath her.

Everything was going according to plan.

At least, until the shouting began nearly ten minutes into her journey. Mei tensed when the cart jerked to a sudden stop, nearly knocking her into the side of the crate. Her grip tightened on her sword as she stilled, listening.

Muffled voices. Angry. Disputing.

Mei quickly adjusted the translator collar, twisting the frequency until?—

“This shipment isn’t scheduled for the lower dock. It’s been reassigned.”

Yi’s voice, firm but tense. “I don’t have any such orders. This is my shipment.”

“It’s been reassigned,” the other voice insisted. “Orders came down this morning.”

A pause. Mei could almost feel Yi’s frustration. He was nervous—she could hear it in his voice.

“I was told to take it to the recycle field. Check your damn logs again.”

A sharp huff. “I don’t need to. I know what I saw. You’re taking this to the Legion’s holding bay.”

Mei’s gut twisted. The Legion?

She could feel the weight of the metal above her shift—a deep, mechanical groan. She braced her hand against her side and her feet against the wall when high-powered magnets almost ripped her sword out of her hand. Behind her, she could feel the tug on her duffle bag as the metal inside it was pulled upward.

Her mind calculated the distance to the floor. If the magnet engaged, the entire crate could be pulled upward, leaving her vulnerable. She needed to move.

Carefully, she eased toward a crack in the crate’s wall, peering through the narrow slit. The bay stretched before her, a massive space filled with stacked cargo, machinery, and pathways carved between towering crates.

There. A pile of crates behind the cart. Small enough that she could slip behind them without being seen. Now all she needed was a distraction. Yi was still arguing with the men. He was insisting they show him the change of orders.

Her chance came when the harsh metallic clang of the magnet stopped. Mei felt the cart shudder, almost as if it were relieved to no longer have the pressure pulling at it. A second later, there was the sound of a crate crashing nearby, followed by angry shouts as metal tumbled across the floor.

Mei moved. She slipped out and rolled behind the stacked crates. She pressed her back against them, her breath even, but her muscles tensed.

From her vantage point, she saw Yi still arguing with the workers who had stopped him. The hairs around his face stood on end and were flushed with frustration.

The two men stepped toward Yi. Her eyes narrowed when one man grabbed Yi’s lower arm and twisted it around his back. Yi snapped his mandibles in pain. The clicking of his voice rose with fear when the second man drew a glowing blade and stepped forward. Mei’s fingers twitched toward her weapon. She had no choice but to reveal herself. She couldn’t let those men hurt Tiv’s brother, especially after everything else her new friend had been through. She moved to step out when an unknown voice cut through the chaos.

“That’s enough!”

Everything stopped—including her. Mei warily watched as the two men immediately froze. They took one look at the man striding towards them and they bolted.

Mei slid back into her hiding spot and focused on the tall, dark-skinned man who suddenly came into her field of view. Her breath caught as her gaze swept over him, cataloging every detail. She noted the rich coloring of his mocha skin, his thick, black curls, cut short on the sides, but thick on top, and his firm jaw. He was a cross between Ash and Sergi. He had Ash’s lean physique and Sergi’s broad shoulders. He also moved like Sergi, with a confidence that wasn’t forced, it was absolute.

His hazel eyes scanned after the retreating workers. Her lips twitched when she noticed that his ears weren’t rounded, but had a slight point to them, almost like an elf. They weren’t like the cute images she had seen of Santa’s elves, more like those of an elven warrior from the animes that she had occasionally watched.

His eyes were framed by thick black lashes. They were sharp, intelligent, and held more than a touch of danger.

“Are you alright?” The man’s voice was smooth, unshaken.

Yi stammered slightly before regaining himself. “Yes. Yes, sir.”

The man’s gaze flicked to the cart. “Where did this shipment come from?”

Yi pointed toward the freighter.

The man turned, his eyes narrowing into a thoughtful expression. Mei watched as the man studied the ship before he turned when a woman’s voice rang out. Mei had been so focused on him that she had missed two more individuals. She silently cursed her distraction.

You will not survive long in this world if you can’t keep your mind on what is happening around you, she silently admonished.

She returned her focus to the scene, studying the new arrivals. The two were obviously with the man. The first was a slender woman with calculating eyes, while the second was a thickly built man who radiated silent intimidation.

“Jammer, check the logs. Asta, I need you to follow those two men and find out where they are going and who they are reporting to,” he ordered.

“You know we are supposed to be protecting you, not running around doing?—”

The woman’s disgruntled reply ended abruptly when the man with the hazel eyes stared back at her in silence. She pursed her lips and muttered a long string of curse words in at least four different languages, but took off in the direction the two workers had disappeared. Mei blinked when she noticed the woman had a long tail, similar to a cat, when she turned.

“I’ll be at the docking bay office. Don’t leave without one of us. I hope you know Asta is going to be twitchy tonight,” the man named Jammer replied.

“She’ll get over it if you scratch her belly,” the man with the hazel eyes retorted.

“Smart-ass,” Jammer muttered before he turned and strode back the way they came.

Mei was surprised by the big man’s deep voice. It was surprisingly smooth and filled with wry humor. The man with the hazel eyes turned back toward the freighter. Mei watched him, drawn to the way he moved—effortless, precise. A man used to being obeyed.

When he paused near her hiding place, she stopped breathing and melted back into the shadows. His hazel eyes flickered across the crates, his sharp gaze searching.

Could he sense her watching him?

For a tense moment, he lingered—then, with a subtle shake of his head, he turned and continued forward.

Mei exhaled silently, a mix of disappointment and curiosity curling in her stomach as she moved along the back of the crates, tracking his movements.

Who was he?

There was a sensation of command around him—of power and reverence. He could either be an opponent she would need to be wary of, or an ally who could stand beside her. The question was—which one?

She would have to wait for Tiv to get off, which wouldn’t be for several more hours. Until then, she had a question to answer. Who was the man who had come to Yi’s aid? If she wanted to find out, she needed to move undetected among the residents of this alien world.

Her focus moved briefly to the man who was climbing the platform. Her lips curved in a slight, predatory smile when she realized that her next move had just become far more interesting.