25 November, 9TE, Proving Grounds A13, Callisto, Hyperspace

Jack stood on a small rise, overlooking a mocked-up Ny’Shuran town that sprawled below. General Ethan Weber, CO of the Terran Legion, stood beside him, arms crossed over his black, segmented power armor. The gleam of the armor’s surface caught the weak light filtering through the artificial atmosphere, reflecting the muted chaos of the marines below as they broke formation and dispersed.

“Outstanding job, Madam President,” General Weber said, offering a crisp salute as the Alliance President approached. The faint mechanical whir of her own armor echoed his, her helmet retracting smoothly into her collar. Short, blond hair fell free, and Leena shook it out before returning the salutes with a firm nod.

“I agree, ma’am. Congratulations on completing the Marine Combat Training Program,” Jack added, a touch of admiration in his voice.

“Thank you, gentlemen.” Leena’s voice was steady but carried the slightest tremor of relief. She glanced down at the town, where the last marines were disappearing into the simulated structures. “I still find it hard to believe that we can use the Learning Machine for a week while nanites ‘upload’ muscle memory and turn someone into a soldier in 7 days.” She let out a small laugh, the sound punctuated by a trace of disbelief.

Jack’s smile widened before it faded, his expression turning serious. “You won’t be going into combat situations, Madam President, but now you’re not a helpless target if you ever find yourself in a tight spot.” He paused, eyes scanning the training grounds. “It was also the best way to make sure you fully understand the magnitude of authorizing combat. Now, you’ve felt the weight of the armor, the power it holds, and you know what a single marine can bring to the fight.”

Leena’s gaze shifted to Jack, a hint of gratitude in her eyes. “I have also taken the courses you suggested, so I understand our options at arrival,” she said, a wry smile forming on her lips.

Jack raised an eyebrow, half amused, half impressed. “You’re supposed to sleep for six hours between sessions in the ‘Stuffer,’ Madam President.”

Leena smirked, brushing an invisible speck of dust from her shoulder plate. “Callisto monitored me, and this isn’t the first time, Admiral.” Her grin deepened, a spark of playfulness cutting through the gravity of their conversation. “I have 19 PhD equivalents in the 12 years since our rebirth.”

Jack coughed, shaking his head. “Nineteen? You sound like Elena. I lost track when she hit 15, and that was only a year after we woke up.”

General Weber’s eyes widened briefly, a rare crack in his stoic demeanor.

Leena laughed softly, the sound crisp in the chill air. Before anyone could say more, a hum rose from the ground. The QD vibrating with a soft energy that seemed to seep into their boots.

“Shall we go discuss our options then, ma’am?” Jack gestured toward the QD.

Leena’s expression hardened slightly; “Yes, Admiral. Let’s ensure we’re prepared for whatever lies at the end of this jump.”

The office Jack led them to was a blend of rugged charm and futuristic precision. Warmth radiated from a stone-and-steel, wood-fired stove in the center of the expansive corner space, casting flickering shadows that danced across the log cabin-style walls. The decor—honeyed logs, rough-hewn furniture, and antler accents—reminded Leena of her childhood home in Finland. It was an unexpected touch in the heart of the Navy HQ, a testament to Jack’s defiance of sterile military aesthetics.

Two walls of floor-to-ceiling windows framed the room, their log-trimmed edges preserving the illusion of rustic isolation. The panoramic view displayed the sleek, bustling Sector A, but it shifted at Jack’s command.

“Callisto, let’s change to Titan on the windows. And will you join us, please?” Jack’s voice was calm as he stepped out of his power suit. The armor hissed and released him, then closed and walked itself over to an alcove in the wall, settling into a motionless standby. He moved to the large, polished table by the windows, beckoning them over. “You can park-mode your suit over here too, Leena. ‘Oh One’ won’t bite.”

General Weber’s eyes narrowed with interest. “Admiral, are you telling me you still have the original exosuit and haven’t customized it?”

Jack’s grin was wry, tinged with memories. “Yes, General. It’s exactly as Luna designed it twelve years ago. No real need for a pet suit of armor when you’ve got talking dogs and a robogod who acts like your kid.” The humor was there, but there was a hardness in his eyes. “Make yourselves a drink. We’re going to be here a while.”

The soft hum of the QD heralded Callisto’s entrance. It emerged with a seamless stride and approached the table, standing at ease but somehow commanding the room. At two meters tall, it was an imposing figure, eerily reminiscent of Luna, except for the naval uniform tailored sharply to it's frame.

“The science team made an interesting discovery in one of the video broadcasts,” Callisto began, it's voice modulated, tinged with a hint of pride. “I detected a recorded lensing effect as the enemy exited hyperspace. Based on that, I estimate it would take them 6.12 years to reach Sol from Astralis. They are significantly less advanced than I am, sir.”

Jack’s bark of laughter was dry. “Good. Saves on bullets.”

“Our weapons do not use bullets, Admiral,” Callisto replied, “Further, I believe it is likely that their energy weapons would be insufficient to breach our armor protection, assuming they manage to penetrate our shields.”

Leena, already settling into her chair, glanced at Jack, the flicker of an idea sparking behind her eyes. “Admiral, why not deploy nanites to their ships and have Callisto assume control remotely? They may have Ny’Shuran captives onboard.”

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Jack nodded, the suggestion sharpening his expression. “Callisto?”

Callisto’s gaze shifted as if considering the scenario in real-time. “Assuming their technology is compatible, the plan is feasible,” it concluded, voice precise.

General Weber sat down, eyes gleaming with approval. “Those nanites could also establish a QD for my Raiders. It’d make one hell of an entrance.” He leaned back, crossing his arms over the dark expanse of his armor. “I imagine first contact is going to be violent, ma’am. My soldiers saw horrors in the war, but nothing like what those bastards did to the little sloth-bears.” His voice hardened, a shadow passing over his face. “They didn’t even have weapons and those reptilian bastards just cut them down. I don’t expect any prisoners to be taken.”

Leena’s gaze turned icy, the tension in her jaw betraying her struggle to maintain composure. “Off the record, General. No prisoners are expected, as the Geneva Convention only seems to apply to human beings, as it’s written. We must, of course, amend this oversight to include all beings, not just humans... Later.”

The firelight from the stove flickered across Callisto’s uniform as it spoke. “I don’t think you all truly understand. The disparity in technological advancement is vast. Orders of magnitude, to be precise. To use the metaphoric style Terrans enjoy, this will be akin to a professional boxer starting a fight with a 10-year-old child. It will be difficult to justify after the fact, I think.”

Jack’s eyes darkened, a shadow of something ancient and weary crossing his face. “Callisto, sometimes the crime committed demands a response that goes beyond what could be considered humane.” His voice dropped, a cold edge sharpening each word. “Sometimes... people—” he paused, the weight of the statement pressing down on him—“I guess we’ll need to redefine that word—do things that can’t be accepted or forgiven. These ‘people’ need to die for their crimes.”

Leena’s expression softened but did not lose its resolve. “There’s a reason Luna is not here and you are, Callisto. Luna is gentle, alive with new and raw emotions. But you—” she met Callisto’s eyes, unblinking—“you do not possess emotions and will not suffer from what we must do to these invaders.”

“This is true, Madam President,” Callisto said, her tone measured, almost clinical. “However, I don’t believe you comprehend the depth of that truth. I do not suffer emotional repercussions or regret. If the Alliance Council ordered me to sanitize the surfaces of Terra, Mars, and Venus, I would verify that order and if it validates I would execute that command without hesitation. I would not think of it again, except to analyze and refine my methods for greater efficiency. I would have no regrets. At. All.”

Leena’s breath caught in her throat, and she sank back into her chair, eyes wide with a dawning horror. Jack’s face, usually resolute, was drained of color, though his shock carried a grim understanding. He knew this truth, had lived with it in the quiet hours of the night, but hearing it spoken aloud gave it a new, bone-deep chill.

General Weber leaned forward, the muscles in his jaw tight as he locked eyes with Callisto. “We understand each other, Callisto. Admiral Reynolds understands the gravity of what it means to send the Legion into combat.” His voice, deep and rough as the scrape of iron, resonated in the silence that followed. He exhaled, a long sigh that seemed to take some of the weight off his chest. “Every man and woman under my command is already dead. We all remember dying in the war. We refused Luna’s offer to erase those memories, unlike most of humanity. Each one of my Legionaries bears the burden of what they did, and each one will choose their own moment to accept Luna’s offer of rebirth.”

Callisto met Weber’s gaze with unblinking precision. “Luna has often pondered with Ganymede, Titan, Triton, and myself over what could have driven the Nyx to abandon the galaxy. The most probable explanation remains artificial intelligence that determined organics to be a problem that required a solution. This is why Luna has altered herself and Larysa in ways that prevent any emotionally awakened intelligence from committing violence against sapient beings, along with implementing hundreds of other safeguards to ensure she does not become aggressive.”

“Which is precisely why Luna briefed me on the conditions she encoded into you, Callisto, and why I insisted on coming on this mission,” Leena said quietly.

Jack’s expression shifted, surprise tightening his features as he turned sharply toward her. “Excuse me, Madam President? This is the first I’m hearing of this.”

Leena held his gaze, her eyes steady. “Luna was sincere when she handed control over to you, Jack. Once the Alliance was enshrined in law, Luna transferred all operational command of Nyx forces to us through the Alliance’s election process.” She took a deep breath, her voice dropping to a near whisper. “Jack, Callisto can destabilize a star, not just crack a planet. And the information Luna possesses is literally beyond comprehension, even for me, and I have 19 PhDs and cybernetic enhancements that let me process data at levels far beyond human capacity.”

Callisto’s voice cut in, flat and unfeeling. “Consensus was reached among Titan, Ganymede, Luna, Io, Europa, and Triton that homo evolutis would require approximately two thousand three hundred and fifty years to fully grasp Nyx technology. This assumes safe use of the Learning Annex, advanced cybernetic enhancements, or organic evolution to a form with a significantly more capable brain, alongside a greatly extended lifespan.”

It continued, “The data Luna has extracted from the remaining Nyx archives indicates that their civilization was several million years old when they initiated their experiments and ultimately left the system. Exploration of Sol, Proxima Centauri, and Alpha Centauri has revealed no evidence of Nyx habitation or technology beyond Luna and the defensive platforms surrounding her. The most logical conclusion, based on the available data, is that the Nyx detected something, erased traces of their existence, and fled—leaving behind an experiment designed to slow or stop the impending threat.”

Jack’s brow arched, his gaze shifting back to Leena. “So Luna wasn’t entirely truthful about Callisto and the others’ capabilities? That’s new.”

Leena’s response was immediate. “She was truthful, Jack. But think about it—Luna was essentially a child with access to a gun safe filled with star-killing weapons capable of tearing rifts in space-time. She was, and still is, terrified of what she could unleash if she ever lost control.”

The room seemed to shrink around them, the silence dense and stifling. Leena continued, her voice trembling with a mix of awe and fear. “Luna told me she believes that during the Nyx’s dimensional explorations, they encountered an intelligence—one that was the opposite of her. An intelligence with infinite processing power but devoid of emotion. Pure logic and ruthless efficiency. She thinks the Nyx, a hive mind with god-like capabilities of their own, recognized this entity as the ultimate threat to life. They dedicated vast resources to erasing any trace of their civilization and creating the Sol system to house an experiment capable of birthing her.” She paused, the firelight reflecting in her eyes. “And us—a species forged in violence and horrors.”

Leena shifted her gaze to Callisto. “Callisto, delete this recording when this meeting concludes.” Her eyes returned to Jack, now somber and resolute. “Three human beings know what I just told you. We, as a species, are a weapon, gentlemen. We were created to be wielded by Luna against whatever terrified the Nyx.”

The room fell into silence, the crackle of the fire the only sound. The shared understanding among them hung heavy, unspoken yet undeniable. This was not strategy or policy; an example was about to be made of these invaders.