The atmosphere in the Resistance base on Talvoth was tense. The whispers of the Technokratium's newest weapon had reached Thalira Vorneth hours ago, but now, the reality of the situation loomed. A high-priority alert had just confirmed the worst: a fleet of Technokratium dreadnoughts equipped with the mysterious "Black Sun" weapon was en route to Aegis Prime.

Thalira stood in the center of the war room, her hands gripping the edges of the holographic display table. Around her, the leadership of the Talvoth Resistance exchanged grim looks. The projections showed the Technokratium fleet, a mass of red icons, advancing toward their position. The Black Sun’s capabilities were unknown, but its reputation as a city-destroyer preceded it.

"We can't face them head-on," said General Valtir, his voice laden with frustration. "Our forces aren’t equipped to counter a weapon of this scale."

"Retreating means abandoning Aegis Prime," Thalira retorted sharply. "If they secure the Astralis technology, the galaxy is done for." Her eyes flicked to the hologram of the Technokratium’s fleet. This is a gamble we cannot afford to lose.

Kyren Axalor, leaning against a wall, arms crossed, finally broke his silence. "Then we don’t fight them directly. We delay them."

Thalira’s piercing gaze locked onto him. "And how do you propose we do that?"

Kyren pushed off the wall, stepping forward. "We lure them into Aegis Prime’s orbital debris field. Their fleet may be powerful, but it’s not invulnerable. We use the terrain against them."

Valtir shook his head. "That would require precision coordination, not to mention leaving key areas undefended. It’s suicide."

"Maybe," Kyren admitted. "But it's better than watching them roll over us with that weapon. If we can draw their fire, we might be able to uncover the Black Sun’s weaknesses."

Before Thalira could respond, Vexara Lurenthis rushed into the room, clutching a data tablet. Her face was pale, but her eyes burned with determination.

"I’ve found something," she said breathlessly. "The Black Sun—it’s not just a weapon. It’s powered by Astralis fragments."

A murmur spread through the room. Thalira stepped closer. "Explain."

Vexara tapped on her tablet, projecting schematics onto the central display. "The Technokratium has integrated Astralis fragments into the core of the Black Sun, amplifying its destructive capabilities. But that also makes it unstable. If we can disrupt the energy flow—"

"It’ll implode," Kyren finished, his voice grim. "And take half the fleet with it."

Valtir frowned. "How do you suggest we get close enough to disrupt it? They’ll be guarding that thing like it’s their crown jewel."

"That’s where I come in," Drayk Zenaros said, striding into the room. The Phantom Syndicate agent’s presence drew mixed reactions—trust was a rare commodity in the Resistance, and Drayk’s allegiances were always suspect. But his knack for surviving impossible missions couldn’t be denied.

"I’ve got a ship fast enough to breach their defenses," Drayk continued. "Get me the schematics, and I’ll plant the charges myself."

Thalira eyed him warily. "And why should we trust you with this?"

Drayk smirked, his expression unreadable. "Because if the Technokratium wins, the Syndicate loses its playground. Chaos is good for business—totalitarian control isn’t."

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The room fell silent. Finally, Thalira nodded. "Fine. But you’ll have a team with you. Kyren, Vexara—you’re going too."

Vexara’s eyes widened. "Me? I’m a scientist, not a—"

"You’re the only one who understands this weapon," Thalira interrupted. "If something goes wrong, we’ll need you to fix it on the fly."

Kyren gave a resigned shrug. "Guess I’m your babysitter, then."

Hours later, the small infiltration team launched from the Resistance base in Drayk’s stealth ship, Shadow’s Edge. The ship cut through the void like a blade, its sleek design built for speed and evasion. As they approached the Technokratium fleet, the enormity of their task became apparent. The Black Sun weapon, mounted on the lead dreadnought, pulsed with an ominous red glow, a testament to its Astralis-powered core.

"This thing’s a monstrosity," Kyren muttered, staring at the weapon through the viewport.

"Focus," Drayk said, adjusting the ship’s trajectory. "We’re running dark, but their sensors are top-notch. One slip, and we’re space dust."

Vexara was seated at a console, her fingers flying over the controls as she analyzed the weapon’s energy patterns. "The core’s output is fluctuating," she said. "If we time this right, we might not even need to destroy it outright. A targeted disruption could overload it."

"And if we time it wrong?" Kyren asked.

Vexara didn’t look up. "We die."

"Comforting," he muttered.

The ship slipped past the fleet’s outer defenses, weaving through a swarm of automated patrol drones. The tension in the cockpit was palpable. Every beep of the sensors, every flicker on the radar, sent a jolt of adrenaline through the team.

As they neared the Black Sun, Drayk brought the ship to a halt, cloaked in the shadow of a nearby asteroid. "This is as close as we get without being noticed," he said. "We go in on foot from here."

The team donned their EVA suits, exiting the ship and propelling themselves toward the dreadnought’s underbelly. The silence of space was oppressive, broken only by the sound of their breathing over the comms.

They reached an access hatch, and Drayk went to work on the controls. Within moments, the hatch hissed open, and the team slipped inside. The interior of the ship was a maze of metallic corridors, dimly lit by red emergency lights.

"Stay sharp," Drayk whispered. "They’ll have patrols."

The team moved cautiously, avoiding Technokratium guards as they made their way toward the weapon’s core. The air grew warmer, charged with the hum of energy. When they finally reached the core chamber, Vexara stopped in her tracks, staring at the pulsating mass of Astralis energy.

"It’s… beautiful," she murmured.

"It’s a death machine," Kyren said. "Let’s finish this and get out."

Vexara snapped out of her reverie, setting to work on the core’s control panel. "Give me five minutes," she said. "Cover me."

As she worked, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the corridor. Drayk and Kyren exchanged a glance before taking up defensive positions.

"Looks like we’ve got company," Kyren muttered.

Drayk smirked, drawing his weapon. "Wouldn’t be a mission without a little excitement."

The first wave of guards rounded the corner, and chaos erupted. Blaster fire lit up the chamber as Drayk and Kyren held off the attackers. Vexara worked frantically, her fingers flying over the controls as the core’s energy patterns shifted.

"Almost there!" she shouted over the commotion.

Just as the last guard fell, an alarm blared throughout the ship. "They know we’re here," Drayk said grimly. "We’ve got maybe two minutes before reinforcements arrive."

Vexara pulled back from the panel, her face flushed with triumph. "It’s done. The core will overload in five minutes."

"Then let’s move!" Kyren said, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward the exit.

The team raced back through the corridors, the alarm’s blaring intensifying with each step. When they reached the access hatch, they launched themselves back into space, their thrusters propelling them toward the waiting ship.

As they boarded the Shadow’s Edge and sped away, the Black Sun weapon began to glow brighter, its energy spiraling out of control. Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted, consuming the dreadnought and several nearby ships.

"That’s one way to make an exit," Kyren said, slumping into a seat.

But their relief was short-lived. As the shockwave subsided, a new sensor alert pinged on the console. Vexara’s face paled as she read the data.

"Another fleet is arriving," she said quietly. "And they’re bringing something even bigger."

The viewport filled with the ominous silhouette of an enormous ship, unlike anything they’d seen before.

The shadow of the massive vessel loomed over the debris field, its presence a harbinger of devastation.

Kyren’s voice was barely a whisper. "What in the galaxy is that?"