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22. Back Home

It was too late for Grayson to slow down. He’d already kicked up enough dirt and debris to alert the ship’s crew. Accepting this, he released his grip on the incline and allowed himself to descend quickly. His boots hit the crater floor with a heavy thud, sending out another plume of dirt. Without wasting a second, he unslung his rifle and aimed it at the ship.

A small lift was descending from the ship’s underbelly. Grayson saw three pairs of feet first, then legs, and finally the full forms of the soldiers aboard. Each one was armed with Imperial rifles, their postures rigid and alert.

He glanced back at the trail of dirt and smoke he’d left behind. The evidence of their presence was unmistakable—there was no way the Imperial soldiers wouldn’t notice.

Grayson gritted his teeth, exchanging a quick glance with Katherine. Both of them understood. This was earlier than planned, but it was the moment they had to act.

They steadied their rifles. Grayson’s targeting system locked onto the soldier on the far left, while his visor indicated Katherine had targeted the one on the far right. Grayson exhaled slowly, his finger gently pressing against the trigger.

The soldier he aimed at suddenly stiffened, his head turning toward the disturbance as he raised his hand to signal his squad mates. That was all the confirmation Grayson needed.

He fired.

The caseless round shot out with precision, the rifle emitting only a quiet thump against his shoulder. The soldier crumpled to the ground instantly.

At the same moment, Katherine’s target was hit. The impact sent the soldier falling backward, tumbling over the lift’s railing.

The remaining soldier in the middle stood frozen, his face a mix of confusion and shock. He didn’t even manage to raise his weapon before Grayson and Katherine both adjusted their aim, firing in unison. The combined shots struck him squarely, and he collapsed, his rifle falling uselessly to the ground.

The lift stopped at the bottom of the crater, its railing sliding open with a quiet hiss. Its occupants lay motionless, no longer in need of its service. After a brief pause, the railing slid shut again, and the lift began its slow ascent back toward the ship.

Grayson and Katherine exchanged a quick glance before bolting toward the lift. They had to move fast—this was their one chance to get inside.

Katherine reached the lift first, but it was too high for her to reach on her own.

“Quick,” Grayson said, dropping to one knee and stacking his hands together, ready to give her a boost.

Without hesitation, Katherine stepped onto his hands. She was far lighter than any of his usual squad mates, and Grayson launched her upward with ease. Katherine grabbed the edge of the railing, her movements precise and fluid. She pulled herself up onto the platform and immediately leaned over to check on Grayson’s progress.

He waited below, his weapon still ready, when suddenly, the lift descended again. Katherine’s face reappeared in his line of sight, her expression softer now, a genuine smile spreading across her lips.

“Not bad,” she said, her voice carrying a hint of approval.

Grayson smirked and stepped onto the lift with her. Together, they tossed the lifeless enemies off the platform to clear the space.

As the lift began its ascent, the two operatives readied their weapons, standing shoulder to shoulder.

Once inside the ship, nothing could stop them. Their cover was already blown, and time was against them. Surely, the ship was already transmitting an emergency signal to the rest of the Imperial fleet. Grayson and Katherine left the lift with guns blazing, meeting resistance at every turn. Soldiers waited for them in the corridors, at every corner, determined to block their advance.

The two operatives worked seamlessly, covering each other as they cleared the hallways.

Despite the constant firefight, neither ran out of ammunition. They not only kept track of their own ammo counts but also remembered each other’s.

“Reloading,” Katherine called, dropping to a crouch as she ejected her empty magazine.

Grayson stepped in front of her, firing two quick shots that dropped two soldiers advancing from his direction. He swung around to the rear, dispatching another with a precise burst before turning back to Katherine.

By then, Katherine had slammed a fresh magazine into her rifle. Without missing a beat, she fired two shots over Grayson’s shoulder, taking down a soldier rushing toward them from down the corridor.

Together, they pushed through the ship, clearing corridor after corridor with precision and efficiency. Finally, only the bridge remained.

They stood in front of the locked bridge door, its red light signaling it was sealed from the inside.

Katherine tried the touchpad beside the door, but it refused to respond. “They’ve locked it from the inside,” she said, her tone sharp with frustration.

“Don’t worry,” Grayson replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. He cracked his knuckles and jammed his fingers into the narrow seam of the sliding door.

Katherine raised an eyebrow, half laughing. “Wait, what do you think you’re going to do? Pull it open? That door weighs at least—”

The door creaked loudly, interrupting her. Grayson grunted with effort, his muscles straining as the reinforced metal groaned under the force. With a final push, the door slid open.

Katherine stared in shock. “Well, I’ll be damned,” she muttered, quickly raising her rifle and aiming at the defenseless bridge crew inside.

“Surprise,” Grayson said with a smirk, stepping into the bridge alongside her, his own rifle raised.

---

"And needless to say, both of us were awarded for our outstanding performance on that mission," Commander Grayson said proudly, his tone carrying a hint of nostalgia. "We received high honors and were given opportunities to become officers. And that," he added with a small, satisfied smile, "was how the two of us first met."

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It was clear from his voice that this memory was one he held in high regard, a defining moment in his career that he valued deeply.

“So, what happened?” Ivan asked, his voice curious as he maneuvered the ship toward its landing coordinates. Kai recognized the familiar landscape coming into view. “You said earlier that you wanted to stay away from the Space Force. Did something happen?”

Commander Grayson’s proud grin faltered, his expression growing solemn. “Perhaps I’ll share that story another day,” he said quietly, brushing off the weight of his own thoughts with a slow shake of his head.

The Black Swan touched down gently on the landing pad where it had departed nearly a week ago. Waiting below was the ground crew, ready to refuel and resupply the ship. As the rear ramp lowered, the crew exited together, Baiyan among them. His recovery was nearly complete. He moved carefully, his eyes scanning everything on this unfamiliar planet.

Kai felt a sense of relief as his boots sank into the familiar soft red sand of Drakmoor. Beside him, Eliana took a deep breath, and the two of them shared a moment, soaking in the comforting desert air. The temperature was perfect, the time of day balanced between the heat of the sun and the chill of the night.

Kai noticed Eliana’s face light up as a sleek luxury car approached the pad—the same one they had taken when they first arrived.

The car came to a stop, and a man stepped out. Kai immediately recognized him as Mr. Draco. He smiled and gave a welcoming wave.

Eliana, however, didn’t hold back her excitement. She rushed toward her father, wrapping him in a warm embrace. Their reunion was filled with the unmistakable joy of family, and Kai could see the glimmer of tears in Eliana’s eyes. She wasn’t used to being away from her family for so long, and this moment clearly meant the world to her.

Then, Kai noticed Kevin’s gaze shift, landing on Baiyan, who stood slightly behind everyone else. Kevin's eyes lingered for a moment, and Kai recognized the same expression he had when first met with Commander Yang—a mix of surprise, uncertainty, and perhaps a hint of fear. However, decades of business dealings had taught Kevin to conceal his emotions well. If he felt uncomfortable in Baiyan’s presence, he didn’t show it.

“You must be Mr. Baiyan,” Kevin said warmly, stepping forward with an easy smile that seemed sincere. “I’m Kevin Draco, head of the mining company here on Drakmoor. You can call me Kevin, as all my friends do. Welcome to Drakmoor.”

Baiyan nodded politely. “It’s nice to meet you, Kevin. I hope my presence does not alarm you.”

“Not at all,” Kevin replied with a hearty laugh. “I’m a businessman. Physical appearances don’t concern me—it’s what’s inside that counts.”

Baiyan chuckled along, the tension in the air easing slightly. Kai relaxed as he watched them interact, grateful that things seemed to be going smoothly.

Kevin’s eyes lingered briefly on Baiyan’s uneven posture, a subtle sign of the injuries he was still recovering from.

“Ah, right,” Kevin said, his tone shifting to one of concern. “You were hurt during that daring escape—Commander Grayson mentioned it to me. Don’t worry, I’ll have someone take a look at that as soon as we’re back in the city.”

Baiyan gave a small nod of gratitude.

Behind Kai, the voices of the ground crew suddenly picked up, growing louder and more frantic. He turned to see what was causing the commotion.

On the horizon, a wave of red loomed large. At first, Kai thought it was a mountain range he hadn’t noticed before. But as the details sharpened in his vision, he realized it wasn’t mountains—it was a sandstorm, massive and fast-moving, heading straight for them.

In the four months Kai had spent on Drakmoor, there had been only one sandstorm, and he’d been underground in the mines when it hit. This was his first time seeing one out in the open. Drakmoor’s flat, barren landscape offered no resistance to storms like this, allowing them to pick up immense speed and power.

“Well, let’s not wait any longer,” Kevin said, motioning toward the vehicles.

Kai hurried alongside Eliana, both climbing into the car with Kevin. The rest of the crew, including Baiyan, piled into another vehicle, preparing to head back to the city. Engines roared to life, and the convoy sped off, racing against the storm bearing down on them.

---

Mama Mo sipped her tea, a faint smile on her lips as the warmth traveled down her throat. The pu'er tea, grown only in small batches, was a rare treasure she rarely shared with guests. But Kai was different. The young man represented her last hope for saving her people from the impending doom that loomed ever closer. If the council continued to cling to their old ways, she would take it upon herself to ensure the survival of Chinatown’s citizens.

Her serene moment was interrupted by a loud crash. The wooden door splintered as a man smashed through it, sliding across the floor until his limp body stopped just in front of her.

It was one of her guards.

Mama Mo sighed, snapping her fingers. The comforting illusion of the tea room dissolved instantly, leaving behind the cold, sterile grey of the simulation chamber.

Smoke billowed from the shattered doorway. Footsteps followed, heavy and deliberate, echoing ominously. Three men emerged from the smoke, clad in full black armor. Their helmets had no visors, only twin red sensors where eyes should have been, glowing menacingly in the dim light. Rifles were trained on her, steady and unyielding.

The lead soldier raised his fist, halting the others. He let go of his rifle, letting it hang by its sling, and reached up to remove his helmet.

His face was a grim sight. Bald and clean-shaven, it was marred by scars and burn marks, his hawk-like nose betraying European ancestry. Even Mama Mo flinched slightly at the sight of him, her hand trembling just enough to cause her tea to ripple. She recognized him immediately—he was the Inquisitor, leader of the True Kin’s most elite soldiers.

Still, she smiled faintly. If he was here, it meant they hadn’t yet caught up with Kai and Baiyan.

“Mama Mo,” the Inquisitor said through the speaker in his helmet, his voice low and gravelly. He stepped forward, his imposing figure casting a shadow over her. “You know why we’re here. Where is the boy?”

Mama Mo shrugged lightly, her expression calm. “That, I have no idea. He was only here for a cup of tea. I didn’t keep him long.”

The Inquisitor spat on the ground, leaning closer to her. “The council wants that boy, and you protected him. You know very well what treason means for the True Kin.”

Mama Mo didn’t flinch, instead raising her cup to take another sip of tea. “All I know is that the council has changed. Isolation has made them fearful of the outside world. We were meant to reunite with humanity. Isn’t the Gifted One what we’ve been waiting for all along?”

The Inquisitor didn’t give her the chance to say another word. He raised his rifle and fired. The shot struck Mama Mo squarely in the forehead. Her body snapped backward and collapsed to the floor.

Then, her figure shimmered and dissolved into pixels, vanishing completely.

“of course. A hologram, in her simulation room.” the Inquisitor growled, his expression twisting with frustration.

One of his soldiers hesitated. “Sir, what should we do now?”

The Inquisitor’s frustration melted into a sinister smile. “No worries,” he said, his tone dark. “We’ll just find out where the boy went.”

---

The sandstorm caught up to the convoy just as they reached the city. Visibility outside the car grew worse with each passing second, and Kai could hear the relentless patter of sand pelting the vehicle. The streets were deserted; everyone had sought shelter, leaving the city eerily quiet despite the storm’s roar.

Kai felt a wave of unease but glanced at Eliana and Kevin. They seemed unfazed, as if this were just another ordinary occurrence.

“What happens to the city during sandstorms like this?” Kai asked Eliana.

Eliana smiled, her demeanor calm. “Sandstorms like this are a lot of work to clean up afterward, but they’re relatively safe compared to what people on other planets have to endure.”

“Right,” Kai said, recalling something he’d read about another planet where residents lived underground year-round to escape constant acid rain.

The convoy turned into a downward ramp, heading into the underground parking lot of the Draco building. The garage was packed with cars, all seeking refuge from the storm above.

Their vehicles stopped in front of the underground lobby, and everyone began to disembark.

Kai glanced over at Baiyan. The man seemed a bit shaken, his posture slightly rigid as he stepped out of the car. Kai guessed this might have been his first real experience with life outside the asteroid belt. A storm like this, so different from the cold, controlled environments of space, must have given him a new perspective.

“You okay?” Kai asked as he walked over.

Baiyan nodded after a moment, offering a small smile. “Just… getting used to how unpredictable planets can be.”

Kai chuckled lightly. “You’ll get the hang of it.”