Jack's mech touched down on the landing pad of the ancient Progenitor outpost, the armored giant kicking up clouds of reddish dust. The rest of his battered team followed suit, their war-torn frames creaking as they disembarked onto the arid surface.

Zyloth was already waiting for them, the grizzled Azore leader's expression grave. "This way," he urged, beckoning them towards the outpost's reinforced entrance. "Our scouts report increased Zeraxian activity in this sector. We must get inside and seal the facility."

Jack nodded tightly, his grip tightening around Zara's still form as he fell into step behind Zyloth. He could feel her shallow breaths against his chestplate, each one a reassuring whisper that she yet clung to life.

The entrance tunnel yawned before them, its smooth metallic walls untouched by the ravages of time. Jack felt a shiver run down his spine as the last rays of daylight disappeared behind them, swallowed by the outpost's foreboding depths.

The shadows seemed to shift and twist in the corners of his vision as they advanced. Jack couldn't shake the feeling that unseen eyes watched their every move from the perpetual gloom.

At length, they emerged into a vast subterranean chamber, its vaulted ceiling disappearing into the murky heights overhead. Plinths and consoles lined the perimeter, their alien geometries and glyphs a silent testament to the outpost's unfathomable age.

"We will be safe here," Zyloth assured them, his voice echoing hollowly. "The Progenitors constructed this facility to withstand any assault."

Jack remained silent, his eyes roving over the slumbering technology that surrounded them. He felt infinitesimally small amidst these remnants of a long-forgotten civilization.

His gaze finally settled on Zara's unconscious form, her face pale and drawn in his mech's armored palm. Resolve hardened within him, burning away the icy tendrils of doubt that gnawed at his soul.

No matter how vast and incomprehensible the Progenitors' legacy, he would not falter. Not when Zara's life hung by a thread. Not when the fate of all he held dear rested on his shoulders.

"Then let's get to work," he said at last, his voice a low rumble that brooked no argument. "We've got people to tend to... and a war to prepare for."

Jack surveyed the cavernous chamber, his eyes lingering on the prone forms of his wounded comrades. Zara's pallid features seemed to accuse him from where she lay, her life hanging by a thread. The weight of their mission - the fate of galaxies untold - bore down upon him like a suffocating shroud.

He drew a steadying breath, forcing himself to meet the haunted gazes of his team. These battered souls had followed him into the very maw of oblivion, their faith in his leadership unshakable. He would not fail them now.

"Listen up," Jack's voice rang out, cutting through the oppressive silence. "I know we're hurting. I know the odds seem increasingly stacked against us." His jaw set in a hard line. "But we can't afford to let doubt cloud our vision - not when we've come this far."

Murmurs of grim agreement rippled through the ranks. Jack pressed on, allowing the steely resolve burning within to harden his words. "The Zeraxians have played their final card by betraying us from within. But that just means we know their game now."

He turned his piercing gaze on Fortran's battered form, the traitor glowering defiance even as restraints bound him. "You're going to tell us everything, Fortran. Every last scrap of intel on their plans, their weaknesses - anything that can give us an edge."

Fortran spat a globule of purplish blood at Jack's feet. "I'll tell you nothing, dog of the Azores. My loyalty is to the supreme conquest of the Zeraxian Empire."

A cold smile played across Jack's lips. "We'll see about that."

He gestured to the Azore guards. "Take him to the interrogation chambers. Use whatever means necessary to pry that arrogant mind open."

As Fortran was dragged away, Jack faced his team once more. "The rest of you, see to our wounded and prep for combat. We don't know how long this facility will remain secure."

He allowed his gaze to linger on Zara's unmoving form. "But I do know this - the Zeraxians took one of our own. And there's no corner of this universe they'll be able to hide from my wrath."

Jack's words hung in the air, a silent vow that steeled the resolve of all who heard them. Though battered and betrayed, they would not go quietly into the endless night.

The counterattack was nigh, and vengeance burned bright in their hearts.

Jack stood in the heart of the Progenitor outpost, its alien geometries casting eerie shadows that danced across his battered armor. Zyloth and the other Azore leaders huddled around a flickering holographic display, their hushed murmurs echoing faintly.

Aiden's synthesized voice crackled over the comm, cutting through the tense silence. "My analysis is complete, Captain. This facility appears to have been a major research nexus for the Progenitors - a repository of advanced technology and invaluable data."

Jack felt a surge of grim hope at the AI's words. Perhaps within these timeworn halls lay the key to turning the tide against their relentless foes.

"Can you access any of the data archives?" he asked, already dreading Aiden's response.

The AI's hesitation spoke volumes. "Negative. The central databanks are heavily encrypted and shielded against remote access protocols. We'll need to find a way to physically interface with the core systems."

Jack frowned beneath his helm. Of course it couldn't be that easy. When was anything simple in the fight against extinction?

"What about mapping the facility layout?" he pressed. "Any luck pinpointing areas of strategic value? Weapons caches? Armories?"

"Working on it," Aiden replied, a tendril of its ethereal presence unfurling to caress a nearby control plinth. "The outpost's design is highly compartmentalized, with numerous subsystems and shielded sectors. It will take time to fully reconstruct the schematics."

Zyloth's gruff voice cut through their exchange. "Then we had best make use of what little time grace affords us."

The Azore leader turned to face Jack, his piercing gaze holding a mixture of grim determination and something that looked hauntingly like...fear? "The Zeraxians will not rest until they have scoured this facility from the face of existence. We must begin preparations to –"

A deafening clang reverberated through the chamber, the sound of metal groaning against metal. Jack's head whipped around as the outpost's entrance gradually slid open, exposing a hellish crimson glow that spilled inward like a viscous tide.

The air was thick with the charred reek of ozone as hunched, spindly shapes began to emerge from the fiery aperture. Jack's blood ran cold as his external sensors identified the intruders.

Zeraxian combat drones – and they were pouring into the outpost by the dozens.

"So much for the element of surprise," Jack growled, leveling his mech's cannon as the first wave of drones surged towards them with single-minded purpose. "Aiden, route all available power to forward shields! Everyone else, pick your targets and open fire!"

The outpost trembled as the first salvo of crackling energy lanced across its hallowed interior. Jack's mech staggered under the punishing barrage, armor plates buckling.

So much for making use of their time. The Zeraxians had come for them.

And this time, they would not be caught unawares.

The cavernous chamber echoed with the frantic tapping of holographic interfaces as Zara's engineering team worked tirelessly to breach the Progenitor outpost's secure data archives. Zyloth hovered nearby, the Azore leader's brow furrowed with a mixture of urgency and trepidation.

"We're making progress," one of the engineers called out, sweat beading on her brow. "But these encryption matrices are like nothing I've ever seen. It's going to take time to brute-force our way through."

Jack nodded grimly, his gaze sweeping over the scene. Zara should have been here, her brilliant mind guiding their efforts. But she lay grievously wounded in the outpost's triage bay, her life hanging by a thread after their brutal escape from the Zeraxian ambush.

Gritting his teeth, Jack pushed aside the knot of worry that twisted his gut. They didn't have the luxury of waiting - not with the Zeraxians doubtlessly closing in on their position even now.

Aiden's synthesized tones piped up from a nearby console. "I've managed to partially reconstruct one of the data clusters. Displaying it now."

A kaleidoscope of glyphs and fragmented holograms blossomed to life before them, their alien geometries seeming to shift and morph with each passing second. Jack leaned forward, studying the half-deciphered transmissions intently.

"...cceleration of entropy...reaching critical levels..." One garbled message warbled, its words clipped and indistinct. "...cosmic forces...spiraling out of equilibrium..."

Another cluster flickered into view, this one depicting a towering, unknowable shape that seemed to exist in multiple dimensions simultaneously. Jack felt his blood run cold as he beheld the ineffable presence of the entity the Progenitors had dubbed the 'Unraveler'.

"Aiden, can you clean up that visual feed?" He fought to keep his voice steady. "I need to see exactly what we're up against."

"Working on it," the AI replied tersely. "But these recordings are highly degraded. There's severe data corruption across multiple channels."

A new hologram materialized, this one depicting a planet wreathed in eldritch energies, its surface roiling and splitting asunder. Jack watched in mute horror as the world quite literally tore itself apart, ripped to shreds by the cosmic cataclysm unleashed upon it.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"By the Ancients..." Zyloth's gravelly murmur cut through the stillness. "Is this what became of their homeworld? The price they paid to stop the Unraveler's birth?"

Jack said nothing, his mouth a grim line beneath his helm. He had witnessed the destructive power of the Cosmic Entity first-hand. But to see the full, catastrophic extent of the force they battled...

A tremor ran through the chamber, shaking them from their reverie. Somewhere in the distance, the unmistakable thrum of Zeraxian war machines echoed like a death knell.

"They're closing in," Jack said quietly. "We need to keep working. If the Progenitors found a way to stop that...that thing, then we have to uncover their secrets."

His gaze settled on the haunted image of the shattered world, its scattered remains drifting through the void.

"Before their sacrifice is rendered meaningless."

The dim glow of the medical bay cast harsh shadows across Zara's face as her eyes fluttered open. A stabbing pain lanced through her skull, forcing a pained groan from her lips.

"Easy there, Red." Jack's familiar baritone reached her through the fog of semi-consciousness. "You took a nasty hit back at the extraction point."

Zara blinked slowly, struggling to bring her surroundings into focus. Jack's weathered features swam into view, his expression a mask of concern tempered by grim resolve.

"What...what happened?" she rasped, fighting against the leaden weight that seemed to pin her to the cot.

Jack's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "Fortran sold us out to the Zeraxians. If it wasn't for your quick thinking getting that shield matrix online..."

He trailed off, leaving the unspoken consequences hanging in the air. Zara felt a pang of grief cut through the lingering haze of pain and medication. Fortran had been like a brother to them – how could he have betrayed everything they'd fought for?

A series of dull thuds reverberated through the outpost, drawing Jack's attention. "That'll be the security teams prepping the outer defenses," he explained grimly. "We don't know how long this place will stay hidden from the Zeraxian sensors."

Pushing himself to his feet, Jack moved to the doorway, his armored bulk filling the entrance. "I need to oversee the preparations. You rest up and let the medics do their job, Mitchell. We're going to need you back at peak condition sooner rather than later."

As Jack departed, Zara couldn't shake the feeling that a storm was brewing on the horizon – one that would test the bonds of loyalty and sacrifice like never before.

Elsewhere in the outpost's shadowed depths, Zyloth stalked the echoing corridors with grim purpose. A contingent of Azore warriors followed in his wake, their weapons held at the ready.

"Maintain a tight perimeter," the grizzled leader instructed, his words clipped and laced with an edge of trepidation. "The Zeraxians could breach our outer defenses at any moment. We cannot allow them to advance beyond this defensive chokepoint."

Nodding acknowledgment, the warriors fanned out, taking up strategic positions amidst the corridor's alien buttresses and support struts. Zyloth came to a halt before an imposing bulkhead, its seamless alloy surface devoid of any obvious controls or access points.

"Aiden," he said gruffly. "See if you can find a way to activate this door's security overrides. I want to know what lies beyond before our forces are overrun."

In a shimmering flicker of light, the AI's ethereal presence manifested beside Zyloth. "Acknowledged. Attempting to interface with the subsystem now."

Ghostly tendrils of code lashed out, caressing the bulkhead as Aiden probed for any potential vulnerabilities in its defenses. Long seconds ticked by in tense silence, the only sound the faint hum of alien machinery.

Finally, a series of glyphs flickered across Aiden's obsidian form. "I've gained limited access," it reported clinically. "Preliminary scans indicate this chamber was used for...weapons research and development. Potentially a manufacturing hub for the Progenitors' advanced armaments."

A grim smile played across Zyloth's weathered features. "Then we'd best secure it before the enemy can lay claim to its secrets. Open that door, Aiden – it's high time we turn the Zeraxians' own weapons against them."

As the bulkhead parted with a grinding screech, Zyloth felt a surge of grim determination harden his resolve. They would not be caught unprepared this time.

The counterattack was coming – and the Progenitors' legacy would be their sword and shield against the encroaching darkness.

Tensions hung thick in the dimly lit war room, the harsh glares of Jack's teammates cutting through the oppressive silence like blades. Mutual suspicion danced in their eyes as each studied the others, searching for any telltale sign of deceit or disloyalty.

"We were betrayed from within," Zara spat, her gaze flicking from face to face. "One of us sold us out to those Zeraxian scum."

Murmurs of assent rippled through the gathered ranks, their expressions hardening into masks of grim accusation. Jack felt the weight of their scrutiny settle upon his shoulders like a suffocating mantle.

"You're certain of this?" he asked, struggling to keep his tone level. A bead of sweat trickled down his brow as the tension ratcheted higher. "We can't afford to let paranoia cloud our judgement."

Zara opened her mouth to retort, but Aiden's synthesized tones cut through the charged atmosphere. "I'm afraid the evidence is incontrovertible, Captain. My systems detected an unauthorized uplink to Zeraxian channels shortly before the ambush."

The AI's obsidian chassis pulsed with flickering code. "The signal originated from within our command perimeter – it had to be an inside job."

A deafening silence fell, broken only by the faint crackle of the holographic war table at the room's center. Jack watched as eyes began to shift toward the corner where Fortran sat bound, the disgraced warrior's features twisted into a sneer of defiance.

"You have something to say, traitor?" Zyloth's gruff bark shattered the stillness as he advanced on their captive. "Or did your Zeraxian masters neglect to provide you with an alibi?"

Fortran met the Azore leader's withering glare with a look of pure loathing. "I'll die before I talk, wretch. The supremacy of the Zeraxian Empire is inevitable – you're merely delaying the inescapable."

A low growl escaped Zyloth's lips as his hand moved toward the wicked blade at his hip. In a blur of motion, Jack was there, interposing himself between the two adversaries.

"That's enough," he barked, his tone brokering no argument. "We can't start tearing ourselves apart from the inside – that's exactly what the Zeraxians want."

Swinging his gaze to encompass the entire room, Jack allowed the full weight of command to bleed into his words. "I know tensions are running high after the betrayal. Trust me, I want answers as much as any of you."

His jaw set in a hard line. "But we can't afford to let suspicion cloud our vision or turn us against each other. Not when we're this close to ending this damned war once and for all."

Jack held their rapt attention for a few heartbeats more before continuing. "We're going to get to the bottom of this – but we'll do it together, as a united front. The only way the Zeraxians win is if we let them divide us from within."

His words seemed to hang in the air, a sobering reminder of the stakes they fought for. One by one, Jack saw the fire of accusation dim in his comrades' eyes, their conviction fortified anew.

As the tension bled from the chamber, Jack couldn't help but feel a surge of grim pride. They were battered, weary beyond measure – but they were not broken. Not yet.

And he'd be damned if he'd let the Zeraxians take that from them too.

Jack led Azorea and her strike team deeper into the outpost's shadowed recesses, their footsteps echoing off the ancient walls. Aiden's ethereal presence flitted ahead, scanning for any potential threats.

"I'm detecting a faint energy signature up ahead," the AI reported. "Consistent with holographic projectors and data storage matrices."

Exchanging a glance with Azorea, Jack gave a curt nod. "Then that's where we're headed. Stay sharp, people - who knows what we might stumble across."

Rounding a corner, they emerged into a cavernous chamber, its vaulted ceiling disappearing into the gloom above. Intricate symbols and glyphs adorned the walls, their alien geometries casting eerie shadows in the half-light.

Aiden pulsed briefly before a series of holographic projectors flickered to life, bathing the space in an azure radiance. Jack's breath caught in his throat as a towering figure coalesced amidst the kaleidoscope of light and geometry.

It was unmistakably one of the Progenitors - its features noble and austere, yet weighed down by an ineffable sorrow. As if it carried the weight of a thousand doomed worlds upon its shoulders.

The hologram's lips parted, and an achingly familiar voice seemed to resonate from all around them.

"If you are witnessing this record, then we have failed in our greatest task..."

Jack started as the Progenitor continued, its words laced with a terrible finality.

"The Unraveler cannot be stopped - only delayed. Temporarily held at bay through the focusing of our combined psionic energies."

The hologram swept an arm outward, and the chamber's walls shimmered and dissolved, revealing a cosmic vista of staggering proportions. Jack glimpsed entire star systems blossoming into existence, only to be consumed an instant later by a yawning, all-devouring void.

"It hungers," the Progenitor intoned solemnly. "A force of pure, infinite entropy - the obliteration of all that exists. We have strained against its encroachment for millennia uncounted, buying what little time we could with each successive extinction cycle."

Azorea's grip tightened on her weapon as the cosmic horror before them deepened, realities upon realities crumbling into infinite nothingness.

"But our defenses are failing," the hologram continued, its noble features etched in sorrow. "The Unraveler's influence grows stronger with each passing moment. We have consulted the ancient records, sought guidance from the First Etchers themselves..."

Its voice trembled with a desolation that transcended mere words.

"There is only one path forward that offers even a faint hope of preservation. One final, desperate stratagem to imprison the Unraveler and spare what few bastions of life remain..."

The chamber around them flickered and dissolved, revealing the breathtaking vista of a verdant, undefiled world. As Jack watched, the planet's serene surface fractured, rupturing along uncountable faultlines as energies beyond comprehension poured forth in roiling waves of annihilation.

"We will enact the Cull," the Progenitor said, its image flickering amid the cosmic maelstrom. "Unleashing the full might of our most devastating weaponries to rip open a stable singularity. One final, flawless strike to banish the Unraveler into a dimension of folded space-time, frozen for eternity."

Its haunted gaze seemed to bore directly into Jack's soul.

"But make no mistake - this is our Oblivion Gambit. Even if we succeed, the cataclysmic forces required will tear our reality asunder. Worlds will be unmade, entire galaxies consumed in the fires of dissolution."

As the hologram's image began to distort and fracture, its parting words echoed through the chamber like a death knell.

"Whoever you are that bears witness to our final days...know that we gladly embrace Oblivion in exchange for one last precious gift - the hope that the Unraveler can be stopped. That our sacrifice was not in vain..."

The hologram flickered one final time before winking out, plunging the chamber into silence. Jack felt rooted to the spot, his mind reeling from the revelations of what they had just witnessed.

The Progenitors had quite literally unmade themselves to stop the Cosmic Entity. And now...now the burden of their terrible legacy rested upon Jack's shoulders.

As Azorea turned to face him, her eyes shone with a terrible resolve. The path forward was clear.

No sacrifice would be too great in the face of such existential annihilation.

The holographic chamber flickered with ominous portents as Jack and his team absorbed the Progenitors' grim revelation. A hush fell over them, broken only by the faint crackle of residual energies.

Zara was the first to find her voice, her words laced with a dawning sense of dread. "A Zeraxian infiltrator...? Within the ranks of the Progenitors themselves?"

Aiden's obsidian chassis pulsed with coded analysis. "It would appear so. The record indicates this agent's actions compromised their defenses against the Cosmic Entity."

A muscle jumped in Zyloth's taut jaw as the implications sank in. "Which means they very nearly lost everything..." His gaze found Jack's, turbulent with barely restrained fury. "Because one of their own turned traitor."

An icy knot formed in the pit of Jack's stomach as the terrible parallel became clear. The signs had been there all along - the security breaches, the inexplicable tactical blunders, the enemy always staying one step ahead...

"Fortran," he growled, fists clenching at his sides. "That son of a kor-lak also betrayed the Progenitors.!"

Azorea's eyes went wide as she followed Jack's logic to its inexorable conclusion. "Which means the cycle is repeating itself. We're facing the same pivotal decision as the Progenitors..."

The words hung heavy between them, unspoken yet undeniable. If they failed to root out the traitor's duplicity, all would be lost - just as it had been for the Progenitors. Jack felt the weight of that burden like an oppressive mantle, suffocating in its enormity.

Steeling his resolve, he turned to face his comrades, his expression hardened into a rictus of grim determination. "We can't let history repeat itself. Not while there's still a chance to break the cycle."

His gaze swept over each of them in turn, allowing the full gravity of the moment to settle. "We need to go over every scrap of intel, every transmission log, every tactical decision made - with a fine-toothed comb. The traitor's been clever, but they couldn't have covered their tracks completely."

Zyloth nodded, the fire of conviction burning bright in his eyes. "Agreed. We'll marshal every resource at our disposal and leave no stone unturned. The path forward is clear."

"To stop the Zeraxians," Azorea intoned, her grip tightening on her weapon. "And unravel their agent's web of lies once and for all."

As the team filed out to begin their hunt, Jack couldn't help but glance back at the now-vacant holographic chamber. The Progenitors had faced this same crucible, this same existential threat - and they had failed.

But he would be damned if their noble sacrifice would be rendered meaningless. Not on his watch.