The heart of Ship 1, the lead vessel of the Verdalian fleet, pulsed with quiet tension. Inside the Advanced Command Chamber, flickering holograms hovered mid-air—twenty-eight glowing green projections, each displaying the face of a Verdalian captain, all stationed on different ships scattered across the zones of Vokar-17.
Only Captain Shin stood there in person—tall, composed, his deep green skin glimmering beneath the blue-tinted lights of the room. His silver hair was tied tightly behind, eyes sharp and weary. He was the only one physically present, while the rest attended as flickering avatars from their respective ships. At the room's rear, Lina, the skilled navigator, silently monitored scanners and planetary feeds.
Shin stepped forward, standing beneath the central projector. With a slight hand gesture, the holograms stabilized, and all conversation ceased.
"Captains…" His voice rang out, calm but cold.
"We have a problem."
A murmur spread across the holographic faces. Worry began to form in the captains' eyes.
"Jason Amberdenk, our Commander and the lead of this mission, is missing."
Some holographic captains leaned forward, expressions shifting from concern to shock. Captain Jigo's image flickered as he clenched his jaw. A few demanded clarification. Shin raised his hand and silence fell again.
"He was last seen eliminating a group of androids—fifteen confirmed kills—on foot in the Upper Eastern Sector. His communicator is destroyed, and his signal has gone dark."
The room dimmed slightly as a display projected a terrain map of the Upper Eastern Sector, zooming in on a red-marked crater.
"This was the last ping."
He turned back toward the others.
"As you know, our fleet of 30 ships was blocked by the Vir Empire during transit. One ship was lost. Twenty-nine landed—scattered across 10 planetary zones on Vokar-17, in the Liliput Star System."
He tapped the center crystal again, highlighting Ship 1 (his own), Ship 11, and Ship 20.
"I'm issuing new orders. These three ships—1, 11, and 20—will stay behind in this zone and coordinate efforts to locate Commander Jason."
A pause.
"The rest of you—continue the relive mission. Deploy your resources, assist the rebels, collect essential supplies, and begin establishing order across the 9 other planets of Liliput."
"As a reminder—Verdalia is under threat. Our return journey will take two months, but with the situation worsening at home, we must complete this mission in seven days. No exceptions."
He glanced at Lina, then looked back at the glowing faces.
"Political instability here is rising fast. Each of you will operate under maximum alert. No diplomatic handshakes. No blind trust. If the Vir Empire or android forces intercept you—engage only if necessary."
He took a breath.
"Remember… we are not invaders. We are Verdalians—sent to relieve, not rule. Aid the people. Finish the mission. Then return home."
One by one, the captains saluted with a green fist over their heart. Each hologram blinked out with purpose—until only one remained.
Captain Jigo, a stern-faced warrior with a long scar across his left cheek, lingered in the projection field.
"If Jason's still breathing," he said, voice gravelly, "I'll drag him back with my own arms."
Shin gave a faint nod.
"Good. Now go."
As Jigo's hologram faded, Lina stepped closer, her brows furrowed.
"Sir… new readings. Thermal echoes from the eastern ridge. Small—moving fast. Possibly alive."
Shin's eyes lit with renewed focus.
"Prep the land scouts. We're going after him."
Beneath the crumbling ridge of the Aghat Cliffs, the dim light of Vokar-17's dusty sky filtered through broken slabs of metal and stone. Inside a hidden alcove, Targan, the fiery leader of the rebellion, lay on a tattered cot—his six arms motionless, his red Zypherian skin pale and cracked, blood oozing from the blaster wound just below his chest.
A small group surrounded him, tense and alert.
Outside, the wind howled through the jagged desert, carrying with it the distant but unmistakable sound of marching—Vir Empire boots and the whirr of android limbs. Commander Roouch's troops were closing in.
Ka'roth, Targan's loyal right-hand man, stood near the entrance, his four eyes flicking rapidly between the distant silhouettes of enemies and the wounded leader behind him. The rebellion's time was running out.
He turned sharply toward a tall, lean Zypherian with battle-worn armor and a calm expression.
"Krith," he said, voice low but urgent, "You've always been someone I trust more than my own blood. I need you to escort Targan to our Hidden Spire base in the Ashen Mountains. Take nine of our best. No hesitation."
Krith nodded, bowing his head slightly with all six arms in unison—Zypherian respect for the sacred.
"He will live. On my name."
Ka'roth gripped Krith's shoulder, then turned to another, broader Zypherian—Bill, a gruff, older warrior with deep scars and a voice like cracking stone.
"Bill, I leave the fire here to you. Rally whoever remains in the Eastern Sector. Delay Roouch's forces, create diversions, trap their scouts, anything to buy us time."
Bill nodded, cracking his thick knuckles.
"They'll wish they never followed us here."
Ka'roth glanced at Targan one last time. The rebel leader's breathing was shallow, but his spirit hadn't dimmed. The mission wasn't over—not yet.
Ka'roth turned and motioned to five other protestants, each cloaked in dust-colored robes, blending into the wasteland shadows.
"We head west—to Narlak's Maw. If anyone can shift the tide, it's Rovin and the Scorched Branch. We'll bring his people into the fold or die trying."
The group slipped into the desert, leaving behind the last hope of one rebellion—and the burning fire of another.
Far behind them, in the rising wind and blood-colored haze, Roouch's vanguard advanced—merciless, efficient, and unaware that the spark of resistance was already moving beyond their reach.
Inside the towering obsidian hall of the Royal Palace of Vokar-17, the air shimmered with holograms and the buzz of encrypted transmissions. At the heart of the command center stood Commander Kroouch, a formidable Zypherian warrior—Lower B-Class and twin brother to the infamous Roouch. His six arms rested across his armored chest, four eyes flicking with sharp focus across the blinking tactical display that floated before him.
The ten zones of Vokar-17's surface blinked in pulsing red—each one now confirmed to have landed Verdalian ships. The enemy was not waiting. They were moving.
He raised his voice, and all the commanders in the palace turned to listen.
"The Verdalians are mobilizing. Their mission is not relief—it is infiltration. I will not allow this infestation to spread across the Liliput Star System. Every minute we wait, they grow stronger."
Holographic images of all high-ranking Zypherian assault leaders sparked into existence around him.
"You will depart to your assigned zone in less than thirty minutes. No delays. I want coordinated strikes in all ten locations. Move before they dig in."
He then tapped a glowing mark on the upper eastern region.
"And to my forces in the Upper Eastern Sector—you have a special task. The Scorched Branch has already been routed in your zone. You will find and capture the two remaining targets."
He gestured, and two glowing markers appeared on the map—one labeled "Unknown Verdalian Warrior", and the other:
"Mek'lar, Father of Rovin."
"This Verdalian is dangerous. His features match the foreign race—green skin, silver hair. He took down fifteen androids alone. I want him alive if possible, but neutralized if necessary."
"And as for Mek'lar, he's the only card left for the Scorched Branch. If we hold him, we can crush their morale and drag Rovin to the negotiation table—or the execution pit."
He turned to an android maintenance officer.
"Refill all oxygen synthesizers and airborne gas units. The Verdalians rely on pure air—we will choke them out if we must."
The room nodded in obedience. A few soldiers saluted with all six arms before sprinting to their launch pads.
Kroouch leaned over the console, eyes glowing with battle-lust.
"This is no longer a planetary skirmish. This is a war for control over the Liliput Star System—and we will remind them who rules it.