The harsh winds of Talvoth whipped through the cracked desert plains, carrying with them a sense of impending doom. The resistance had long relied on the strength of its unity, but now, cracks were beginning to show. Rumors of betrayal, whispered behind closed doors, had begun to infect the ranks like a poison. Morale was plummeting.

Kyren Axalor stood at the edge of the makeshift command center, looking out over the dimly lit camp. The once vibrant energy of the Talvoth Resistance had slowly given way to whispers of discontent. Men and women who had fought side by side for years now eyed each other with suspicion. Everyone was asking the same question—who could they trust?

“What’s going on, Kyren?” Vexara Lurenthis asked, her voice soft but filled with concern as she approached him. “The soldiers… they're not the same. Their eyes—they’re distant.”

Kyren’s jaw tightened. “It’s the Technocrats. They’ve found a way to get inside our heads, undermine us without firing a single shot.”

Vexara nodded grimly. The Technocrats had been relentless, using every trick in the book to sow discord among the ranks of the resistance. It wasn’t just weapons or force they wielded now—it was psychological warfare.

Kyren turned, his mind already moving to their next steps. “We can’t let it get to us. We’ve been through worse. But we need to know if this is a widespread issue or just a few rotten apples.”

As they walked deeper into the heart of the camp, the tension was palpable. The resistance's leadership had been fractured in recent weeks, and there were whispers of factions within factions. Kyren had tried to suppress the dissonance, but it was growing louder, like the hum of an electric current, ready to snap.

The door to the command tent creaked open, and Thalira Vorneth entered, her face hard with resolve but betraying a weariness that had grown over the past few weeks. Behind her, several of the senior officers shuffled in, their faces tight, their eyes scanning the room as if they were waiting for something.

“We need to talk,” Thalira began, her voice steely but tinged with a hint of frustration. She motioned for Kyren and Vexara to sit.

“About what?” Kyren asked, taking his seat across from her.

“About the Technocrats. They’ve launched a full-scale assault on our supply routes. They're already in our blind spots. It’s not just the forces on the ground—they've infiltrated the city, and I suspect someone from within our ranks is feeding them information.”

Vexara’s breath caught in her throat, her fingers gripping the table in front of her. “Betrayal?” she whispered.

Thalira nodded, her eyes darkening. “It’s possible. I’ve been hearing things—rumors about one of the commanders. We need to find out who it is before they destroy us from within.”

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Kyren’s heart sank. He had been a mercenary before all of this, and he knew the signs of a traitor when he saw them. The shift in the air, the sudden withdrawal of certain individuals, the half-finished plans—these were the hallmarks of someone playing a dangerous game.

But who? The faces of the commanders flashed through his mind. Could it be one of them? Or was it someone closer to home?

“We need to act fast,” Kyren said, his voice low. “I’ll start pulling the strings on our end, see who’s been slipping through the cracks. If there’s a mole, I’ll find them.”

Thalira’s eyes locked onto him. “Be careful. Whoever it is, they’ve been working in the shadows for a long time. They won’t give up easily.”

Just then, a sharp, mechanical voice crackled through the room’s comm system. It was the voice of a scout, strained and urgent.

“Commander! We’ve detected a Technocrat shuttle coming in fast—heading directly for the heart of Talvoth! They’ve launched a covert strike.”

Kyren’s heart raced. This was no coincidence. The traitor, whoever they were, had just played their final card.

Thalira’s hand slammed onto the table, her knuckles white. “We need to move, now! Get everyone to the outer defenses, and make sure the blockade is reinforced.”

The chaos of the impending attack was a cold reminder of the stakes. The Technocrats weren’t just fighting for control—they were trying to erase everything the resistance had fought for. And if they succeeded in breaking Talvoth’s last stronghold, there would be nothing left standing to oppose them.

As Kyren and Vexara hurried to the command center’s exit, he turned to her with a hardened expression. “We need to prepare for the worst. I’ll coordinate with the outer defenses. Stay close, Vexara.”

Vexara nodded, though a deep uncertainty clouded her eyes. As much as she hated to admit it, the situation was far worse than anyone could have predicted. If the Technocrats had infiltrated the resistance this deeply, no one was safe.

Minutes later, the warning klaxons blared through the camp. Soldiers scrambled in every direction, weapons in hand, preparing for what could be their final stand. The stars above Talvoth seemed to darken, as if they, too, sensed the danger approaching.

Kyren moved swiftly through the chaotic camp, giving orders and pushing for the outer defenses to be reinforced. He couldn’t help but feel the weight of the moment. If the Technocrats breached Talvoth, it would be the end. The resistance would fall, and the galaxy’s last hope for liberation would crumble into dust.

As he reached the comm station, Kyren hesitated. Something was off. The transmission was coming in too clearly, too fast. It felt like the Technocrats were waiting for something, or someone. The shuttle that had been detected—was it part of the larger scheme, or was this just a distraction?

“Kyren!” Vexara’s voice broke through his thoughts as she caught up to him. “I think I know where the traitor is. I’ve been analyzing the data. Whoever is feeding the Technocrats information... they’re close.”

Kyren’s mind raced, the pieces clicking into place. If the shuttle wasn’t just a random strike... If the Technocrats had been tipped off about their every move...

“Tell me who it is,” Kyren said urgently.

Vexara’s face paled as she spoke, “It’s not just one person. It’s—”

The loud crash of an explosion interrupted her, shaking the ground beneath their feet. The sky above Talvoth turned red with fire as the first wave of Technocrat forces descended upon the city.

And in that instant, Kyren knew: this was only the beginning.

As the ground trembled beneath them and fire rained down from the skies, Kyren’s worst fear was realized. A figure, cloaked in the shadows, watched from a distant rooftop, the traitor’s identity still just out of reach.