We crouched, the command centre doors just ahead of us. The corridor bore scars of a recent fight, burn marks, and bullet holes marred every surface. Streaks of blood that still looked wet didn’t help to quell the rage that was doing its best to break free. I took a deep breath, trying to calm it. My Nexus was causing my hands to shake; I struggled to control each movement as the inhibitor Jax gave me was almost worn off. It was barely holding the flood of energy in check now.

Jax nodded as we reached the door, which was slightly ajar. The faint murmur of voices filtered through, low and tense. Jax and Zara exchanged glances before we slipped in, moving cautiously. Inside, the space was makeshift—what had likely been an officers’ lounge now served as a triage centre. Beds and medkits were hastily set up, injured soldiers lying in rows, their uniforms dark with blood, and their faces pale with shock. The stale air smelled of antiseptic and iron.

Looking around, I noticed a woman standing in the centre of it all. She wore a white coat, and though it was smeared with blood, it still screamed out a doctor. Her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, her hair tied back. She moved with swift efficiency, a deep frown creasing her face as she worked over a soldier. Across from her stood a military commander, judging from the uniform, his gaze fixed on the doorway we’d just come through with steely coldness as if he’d been expecting us.

The doctor looked up, her gaze drilling into me the second she noticed me. I watched as she took a steadying breath, clenching the medical instrument in her hand so hard her knuckles whitened. She cast a sharp look down at the soldier beneath her care; he winced, but I couldn’t tell if it was from the pain or her tense energy. She finished wrapping his bandage with almost mechanical precision, her eyes flicking back to me every few seconds like she was daring me to say something.

Once she’d finished, she straightened, her shoulders taut, and let the instrument drop to the nearby tray with a harsh clink. She crossed the room quickly. “You,” she hissed, her lips pressed into a thin line. Her voice was low and controlled but brimming with fury. Her hands found their way to her hips, fingers digging in as if holding herself back.

Hearing the hate in her voice hit like a punch. Her tone dripped with accusation, and she didn’t bother to hide the anger in her eyes. “Do you even realise the mess you’ve created? The station overrun, citizens hurt, and now rumours and lies paint you as some kind of hero for the Drakara rebellion.” She crossed her arms, jaw clenched.

I didn’t flinch, but her words bit deep, each one slipping beneath my defences. “I didn’t cause this. I have never even been to the planet’s surface,” I replied, my voice low. “I came here to take up my post as ruler. I found that the station was under attack. I am not here to lead a revolution. Why would I want to have a revolution against myself?” My gaze dropped to a wounded officer lying nearby. His face twisted in pain as he clutched his injured leg. “I never asked for any of this.”

She shook her head, disbelief etched in every line of her face. “It doesn’t matter what you asked for, Baron,” she spat. “They believe in you. The people of Drakara have been fed stories about you, about a warrior who’s come to free them from the Empire’s chains. And whether you like it or not, they’ve put their faith in that lie.”

I wanted to snap back, to tell her she didn’t understand, but the truth settled heavily in my stomach. I met her gaze, the resentment in my chest simmering alongside the rage that was still there. “You think I wanted this? The false hope, the lies? I don’t need to be some ridiculous symbol to people I don’t even know.” The words were quiet and raw, but I couldn’t bring myself to back down.

The commander watched us with a stony expression, his arms folded across his chest. He stepped forward, his voice cold. “You’re no liberator, Baron. As far as I am concerned, you’re a threat. And you’re exactly what these rebels want: a figure to rally behind, a name that ignites their anger.” His eyes narrowed, his voice filled with quiet anger. “I don’t trust you. And if I had it my way, you wouldn’t be within ten light-years of this station.”

I held up my hand to stop Jax as he stepped forward. The commander’s words had set him off. I shook my head at him before turning back to the two. The accusation had stung, but I forced myself to keep my voice steady. “I didn’t come here to stir a rebellion. I came to take up the position that the Emperor gave me,” I replied, though the words sounded hollow, even to me.

The doctor’s gaze softened slightly, though her jaw stayed tight. “Useless,” she said, almost a whisper. “You want to help, then own up. Stand in front of the masses and explain. Explain that you are not the one calling for revolution. Otherwise, the chaos that is currently happening on the planet's surface? It’s only going to get worse. As far as I’m concerned, you’ve caused it. Don’t hide from what they believe you to be. You can’t ignore this.”

For a moment, silence settled over us, broken only by the muffled sounds of the injured soldiers and the station's distant, almost mechanical hum. Her words hung in the air, pressing down on me, rooting me to the spot.

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I clenched my fists, trying to find a balance between the rage and the guilt that gnawed at me. “You don’t understand,” I said quietly, barely able to meet her gaze. “I don’t want them looking at me as some kind of saviour. I’m just trying to keep everyone alive. Do you know what the Emperor will do once he learns that the planet is trying to revolt? I can tell you. He will wipe the planet. Orbital bombardment. Complete and utter destruction.”

The commander scoffed, turning his back to us, his voice dripping with disdain. “Then maybe it’s time you start telling the citizens of Drakara that you are not leading a revolt. Because right now, this place is teetering on the edge of collapse, and every second you waste trying to clear your name, these rebels dig their heels deeper.”

Jax stepped in, his voice tense but steady. “Look, whether or not you think he’s responsible, Alex is the only one here with a shot at taking this station and the planet back. The rebels aren’t fighting for a cause. They’re fighting for a fantasy.” He shot me a quick glance, his expression hard. “But if we stand any chance of retaking control, we’ll need everyone working together.”

The commander’s eyes flicked over Jax, and finally, he gave a short nod, crossing his arms. “Fine. But I won’t have him or my soldiers. He’s nothing but a tool for their propaganda.” His gaze shifted to me as he leaned forward. “And I’ll be damned if I let that cost me any more.”

I gritted my teeth, nodding, though the anger still simmered. “Then let’s get to work,” I said, turning toward the doors we had walked through. “We need to regain control of the operations control room, right? I’ll handle the rebels there and prove to you that I’m here for the people and planet of Drakara. Not for the cause of these rebels.”

I watched as the doctor said something to the commander before she turned. “I’ll show you the way.” I followed her toward the door. Just as we reached it, the commander called out behind us.

“Wait.” He shouted, walking towards us. “Lyra. I’ll go with you. I don’t trust these three.”

The commander’s eyes held a distrust as he fell in step beside Lyra. I kept my jaw tight, ignoring his lingering glare, and we all moved into the dim, narrow corridors of the station as I noticed the constant hum of the station vibrating through the floor.

After a few minutes, we heard the distant echo of gunfire growing louder. Jax and Zara sped up as I moved to follow them. A couple of corners later, we found a group of soldiers huddled behind makeshift barricades constructed from supply crates and twisted metal. Their faces were taut with exhaustion. I could only guess how long they had been here fighting. Their uniforms were wrinkled and smeared with blood, fresh injuries visible on a few of them as they braced themselves against the cover, rifles at the ready.

The commander raised a hand as he called out to them. They shifted their weapons toward us, then relaxed. Until their eyes settled on me. One of the soldiers, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek, gave me a hard, pointed glare as if he could see through every lie the rumours had painted about me. He didn’t flinch, didn’t even try to hide his contempt. The others stared, and one muttered under his breath, not bothering to conceal his scorn.

I clenched my fists, willing myself to stay steady. Jax shot me a look, a silent question. Holding him back with a raised hand, I shook my head, though my patience was wearing thin.

The commander stepped forward, addressing his soldiers. “Report. What’s the situation here?”

The soldier with the scar glanced at me again, a sneer still tugging at the corner of his mouth, then back at the commander. “Heavy fire from the rebels down that hallway, sir. They’ve fortified their position in front of the ops centre. They have set up barricades just like ours.” He hesitated, eyeing me. “I’ll be honest, sir, morale is low here. Even worse, now we have him here. Most of the men think…” He trailed off, his gaze flicking between me and the commander, a question lingering unspoken.

“Enough,” the commander snapped. “Your job is to hold this station, not gossip. We push through, and you follow orders.”

A glimmer of hesitation crossed the soldier’s face, but he nodded, muttering a stiff “Yes, sir” as he turned back to face the corridor.

I nodded as Jax took a step forward, hefting the Gauss rifle onto his shoulder with a casual confidence that bordered on crazy. He glanced down the hall, narrowing his eyes as he caught sight of the barricade on the other end. “Ready to stop wasting time?” he asked, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. Without waiting for a response, he raised the rifle, bracing his shoulder as he aimed down the length of the corridor.

With a sudden whirr, the Gauss rifle charged, a soft glow building at the muzzle. Then, a deafening crack split the air as a screaming noise launched down the hall, piercing straight through the enemy barricade with a burst of searing energy. The clatter of gunfire from the other side fell silent.

For a moment, there was nothing but the eerie quiet of the hallway. One of the soldiers muttered from behind. “Fuck me… Where did they get a Gauss rifle? Aren’t they normally only issued to elites?”

I ignored them as Zara stepped forward with Jax. Both of them moved forward as the soldiers behind us looked on with respect and maybe a flicker of unease as they glanced between me and Jax. The scarred soldier threw a final look my way, the sneer gone, replaced by an uncertain glare.

Lyra moved ahead, not caring, as she raced down the corridor. Her gaze was cold but steady as she took in the scene at the opposite end. “Let’s keep moving,” she ordered finally, not waiting for any acknowledgment as we advanced carefully. Each step measured, our breaths quieted, and we finally neared the heavy doors of the operations control centre.

The commander stopped, exchanging a final, wary glance with his soldiers. Then, nodding at me, he signalled to push forward. I took a deep breath, fingers tingling as I felt the faint stir of Nexus energy slipping past the weakened inhibitor.

We hit the button, and the door slid open with a soft whoosh. A voice from within the room called out. “Finally. Baron Alex. I see you have decided to grace me with your presence.”