60 minutes before landing
“So very interesting…” Ms. Tesse murmured, studying the detailed report displayed on the console. The report, prepared by Finch and his assistant, Emily, highlighted a high-energy emission radiating from the planet below, the first planet they encountered in the Nexus Galaxy. It was a source unknown to even The Republic's advanced technology.
Through her floor-to-ceiling window, Ms. Tesse gazed at Planet 11, a planet shrouded in wonder. Vast space stretched endlessly around it, as if guarding its secrets. “We’ll leave you to it, Ms. Tesse,” Finch said with a polite bow, leaving the room before her curt nod. She barely noticed their departure, her mind already deep in plans and calculations.
The landing pod—a custom-built Model PZ23—waited in the bay. Sleek, black, and deadly, with a golden ray slicing through its center to display The Republic’s logo, it was a masterpiece of war engineering. The condensed work of decades of research and engineering, the pod could carry Bron, his ten elite agents, Ms. Tesse, Finch, Emily, and the pilot—all with room to spare.
“Our SpaceBase cannot get any closer without risking detection,” Bron had explained earlier. “The pulse drained most of our energy reserves. Cloaking the ship is out of the question.”
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Ms. Tesse had dismissed his concerns with a sharp tone. “I’ll accompany you personally, Bron.” Her voice carried the authority of The Republic.
“Madam, it’s unsafe. Let my team perform a preliminary check before you proceed,” Bron had objected.
But Ms. Tesse was adamant. This was the first promising result in over a year of searching, and she would not be left behind. A few cold words had made her intentions clear, leaving Bron with no choice but to prepare for her safety instead. His agents—all top graduates from the Andromeda Military School—were handpicked for their loyalty and combat expertise. The pilot, too, was no ordinary recruit, but Bron’s personal choice from thousands of Elite Space School graduates.
Now, in the passenger lounge, Ms. Tesse checked her obsidian armor, its surface glinting faintly under the pod’s interior lights. She carried a small arsenal of weapons—ranging from automated defenses to lethal close-combat arms.
“You seem unusually eager, Madam. Not your usual calm self,” Bron observed.
“Am I?” she replied, her tone measured as she forced herself to project composure. Patience, she reminded herself, was a cornerstone of success.
The intercom buzzed. “Ms Tesse, Mr. Bron, the pod is ready for launch.”
The launch bay doors opened below the PZ23, revealing the void of space. The magnetic claws released the pod, and it drifted free, the SpaceBase’s bulk retreating into the distance. The hum of the engines grew to a sharp whir as the pod powered up, beginning its descent.