We find proofs of runic knowledge and usage dating to Antiquity. Way before the Unknown Era and the first planetary settlements. It is common ground between the Empire’s scholars to theorize that it was as much a corner point of society back then that it currently is. Many theories guesses about their origins, but the truth is that we don’t know. I find it ironic that we harness so much power and possibilities yet we know about nothing about runes’ nature

“Treatises on History of the Empire : Reflections on technomancy" by Archmagister Quintus Valerian - Great Empire’s Library.

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The intensity of the battle surged as Dray and Voss fought valiantly through the onslaught, desperately trying to reach the boarded Pegasus. Both men, hardened Imperial veterans, were pushing their limits, using every ounce of skill and strategy to evade and counterattack the pirates’ Harpies surrounding them.

“The ship’s been boarded!” Voss shouted over the comms, his voice filled with urgency.

Fueled by the gravity of the situation, Dray clenched his jaw. “They’re stalling us! Let’s remind them what veterans of the Empire can do! Cover me!” He maneuvered his Harpy deftly, each movement purposeful. Voss immediately pressed forward, hacking through the attackers to clear a path, his halberd flashing with runic energy as it slashed through enemy units.

Dray took advantage of the opening, leaping onto a nearby asteroid to steady himself before launching towards an enemy Harpy. Grabbing hold of its leg, he drove his halberd deep into its hull, using the damaged Harpy as a shield against incoming fire. The pirates’ formation scattered momentarily, giving Dray just enough time to maneuver closer, using the compromised Harpy’s bulk to deflect a spray of deadly gatling fire from the pirates.

Behind him, Voss continued his relentless assault, parrying strikes and darting around enemy Harpies with precision. He was preparing for a counter-attack when he felt a sudden, cold weight lock onto his back. A strange device, humming ominously. In an instant, he spun around, driving his halberd into his assailant, moments before a blinding, fiery detonation engulfed them both. The runic blast splintered them into fragments, sending a violent shockwave through the battlefield.

Dray, reeling from the impact, felt the blast throw him off course. He barely registered Voss’s fate, the sight of debris clouding his vision as his own Harpy slammed against a nearby meteorite. He tasted blood, coughing violently as a red mist stained his visor. His senses blurred, the noise of the battle fading to a dull hum as he tried to regain focus.

It was in this dazed state that the pirates overpowered him. Disoriented and drained, Dray could do little as they disarmed and restrained him, forcing him to watch helplessly as the massive frame of the Reaper cast its dark shadow over the battlefield. Its gigantic hangar doors yawned open, and with grim inevitability, he watched the Pegasus being swallowed into the maw of the pirate’s monstrous Mastodon.

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It took Thalric several minutes to realize he was being followed. A rune-embedded Harpy was tailing him, moving through the asteroid field with alarming precision. Hiding behind a massive meteorite, he set up a runic mine, activating it with a tap of his fingers before drifting downward to use the floating rocks as cover. His pursuer triggered the mine as they closed in, releasing a shockwave that sent them spinning off course. Thalric seized the opportunity, pushing himself further out of range, his breath coming fast and shallow as he put as much distance as he could between himself and his pursuer.

Vale, he thought bitterly. Why had she betrayed them? Was it under orders from the Order, or was it something else? He shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. This was not the time to second-guess. He had a mission, and he needed to get the Empire’s treasure to safety, away from anyone's greedy grasp. The faint memory of the Pegasus’ rear leg blowing out reminded him how formidable these pirates were - nothing like the small-time bandits they’d encountered the last months.

A pang of doubt crossed his mind. Should he trust Vale with the fragments? No, he thought, steeling himself. He had orders, and he would see them through. But disoriented by the sudden ambush and the gnawing implications of Vale’s betrayal, he failed to notice how quickly she’d closed the gap again.

An energy beam whizzed by, grazing his left forearm with a jolt, severing it. Barely managing to grip onto a nearby asteroid. As he regained his balance, Vale’s Harpy was already upon him, her presence oppressive.

“You don’t have to die here, Thalric,” Vale’s voice crackled through the comms, smooth and unsettling. “Just give me the chest, and I’ll let you live.”

He gritted his teeth, fighting through the pain. “D... don’t... make me laugh,” he spat, his voice thick with resentment. “You... you were with us... all along... Traitor.”

Vale’s gaze through her visor was hard, calculating. “What you’re carrying belongs to the Order of Athena,” she said coldly. “I’m only taking back what’s ours.” She paused. “If you want to blame someone, blame the Emperor. He’s the one who put you in this position.”

She drew closer, closing the distance between them until their faces were only inches apart, separated by the clear glass of their helmets. “Don’t be foolish, Thalric. Hand it over, and I promise you’ll live.”

He stared back, unyielding, taking in her expression. A glint of something unsettling in her eyes, an intensity that bordered on mania. “Go to hell,” he said, defiant.

With that, the runes on his Harpy began to glow a searing red. Vale’s eyes widened, realizing what he was about to do, and she hastily threw up an energy barrier just as the blast detonated, engulfing them both. The impact flung her backward, her shield barely holding against the force of the explosion. When she stabilized and scanned her surroundings, Thalric had vanished into the asteroid field.

Her jaw tightened, and she steadied herself. He might have slipped away, but he hadn’t gone far. She wasn’t about to let him escape with the Order’s belongings.

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Cassian stood over the excavation site on the battered remains of the Iron Pegasus, his eyes narrowed with a mix of frustration and weariness. The mission had cost him dearly. A large number of his men were gone, and the prize that had driven them all to risk their lives still eluded him. His thoughts flickered to the Harpy he’d seen escaping just as they’d been preparing to board the Imperial Mastodon. He had sent Aristis after it, but there had been no word since. A cold tension ran up his spine; if that Harpy was carrying something valuable and he failed to secure it, this entire operation would have been for nothing.

Around him, the crew muttered and cast uneasy glances, their faces reflecting the creeping doubt that had started to infest the ranks. They had gambled everything for a prize, but so far, all they had to show for it was a nearly empty ship and a handful of prisoners. Supplies were low, and the thrill of the raid had turned into bitter frustration. The crowd’s uneasy murmurs began to grow louder, carrying a weight of defiance that Cassian could feel even without hearing the words.

“Buster’s dead,” Lark’s voice came from behind, a grim reminder of the toll the raid had taken. Cassian’s face tightened, a shadow passing over his features.

“A shame,” he muttered, his voice rougher than usual, laced with a hint of regret. “He was a good man.”

“Were... were we wrong, Cap’ ?” Lark’s tone was uncharacteristically subdued, her usual confident demeanor giving way to concern. “Feels like a disaster waiting to sink us.”

Cassian’s gaze remained fixed on the restless crew below. “We need to give them something to hold on to,” he said, his jaw set. “We’re close, Lark. We need time. Aristis is out there for a reason.”

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His words settled over her like a silent command. She nodded, taking in the weight of his expression. “Alright, Cap’. I’ll see what I can do to keep ‘em steady,” she replied, her own voice touched with determination.

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Aristis was fully focused, his gaze steady on two distant Harpies. A fleeing Imperial and a determined pursuer. The comms buzzed with Cassian’s voice. “Aristis, did you catch that? The Order’s after that vault! Go after them.”

Without shifting his eyes from the chase, Aristis tightened his grip and pushed forward, his mind locked on the mission. He briefly checked on the Iron Pegasus only to confirm that the Shield Breaker he’d devised had done its job, successfully breaching its defenses. Good, he thought, satisfaction flickering before he redirected his attention.

Ahead, the Imperial Harpy darted from one drifting rock to another, trying to lose its relentless pursuer. Aristis kept a strategic distance, observing the escapee's maneuvers. A mine went off, detonating near the Order’s Harpy, sending it tumbling off course. The old Sophar allowed himself a grim smile.

With practiced efficiency, he activated the gravity runes embedded in his Harpy’s arms, letting the gravitational pull slingshot him closer. Keeping low behind the cover of floating rocks, he stealthed his approach with a whisper of runic energy, turning nearly invisible against the backdrop of space.

He drew close enough to catch snatches of their voices, muted but clear through his Harpy’s sensors. The Imperial was accusing the other of betrayal, while the Order’s agent spoke coldly about reclaiming something that belonged to Athena’s Order. Aristis felt the weight of the situation settle heavily on him. Whatever the Empire had locked away in that vault was no ordinary prize. If I fail here, all this will be for nothing, he thought.

He watched as the Imperial Harpy’s runes began to glow a fierce red. Is he a Sophar ? No. a Synapt. Aristis wondered. He tensed as the escapee unleashed a powerful blast, sending the Order’s Harpy careening back, buying precious seconds. Seeing his chance, Aristis activated the gravity rays again, shifting the asteroid debris, the Imperial Harpy’s remains and its unaffected vault Order’s Harpy further out of the Order’s Harpy's reach.

With practiced precision, he transmitted his position to the Reaper in a pulse of runic energy, a subtle signal that he was closing in.

The Order’s Harpy, however, picked up on the rune pulse. Its head swiveled sharply in his direction, visor gleaming ominously. The chase was far from over.

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“Buster’s dead, Lark! And what for? A damn empty hull? We could have all been wiped out there!” A ruffian’s - Loonis was his name if she remembered right - voice accused the second-in-command. The ruffian’s frustration was palpable, his face flushed with anger as he gestured wildly, and a low growl of agreement rumbled from the gathered crew behind him.

“Calm down, Loonis. It’s not over yet. Aristis is onto something,” Lark replied, steeling herself against the mounting anxiety that twisted in her gut. She stood firm, determined to quell the unrest, though she felt the weight of their collective disappointment pressing down on her.

“We knew what we were getting ourselves into,” Thorne interjected, his voice deep and steady. He stepped closer to Lark, his imposing figure a protective barrier between her and the agitated crowd. “If you're not happy about it, you could have stayed on Testudo,” his brother added, standing shoulder to shoulder with Thorne, ready to defend their own.

“You don’t care at all, do you?” Loonis accused, his voice dripping with contempt as he glared at the Blades’ brothers. “The people who died… I knew most of them. It was all for naught!” His words ignited a chorus of murmurs from the crew, their anger bubbling to the surface as they rallied behind Loonis.

The tension in the air crackled, and the Blades brothers instinctively drew their infamous twin blades, their polished edges glinting ominously in the dim light. They stood ready to defend themselves, their expressions hardening as they prepared for a potential confrontation.

“Stop this.” Cassian’s voice boomed across the room, calm yet commanding. It cut through the growing unrest like a knife, drawing the crew’s attention. While it didn’t completely quell the anger, Lark took the opportunity to climb atop a high crate, securing herself in a position of safety.

“We just got a signal from Aristis. Everyone, gather to your posts,” Cassian continued, his authoritative tone leaving no room for argument. “I’ll face the consequences of this after it all ends.” His words resonated with a grim finality, cutting right through the crowd's fury and scattering them back to their duties.

Lark let out a sigh of relief as she scrambled down from the crate and dashed back to her captain. “You’re serious about that?” she asked, concern etched on her features, but Cassian offered no reply, his gaze fixed ahead as he turned away and headed to the command room.

_______________________

“And who are you exactly?” Vale’s voice echoed sharply through the comms, her gaze narrowing as she locked eyes with Aristis across the floating debris. The old Sophar held her gaze, knowing he needed to buy time. He wished he knew more about her abilities, but time was on his side. The Order’s woman seemed to catch on quickly, her Harpy’s arm and hand runes glowing with a fierce light.

“It doesn’t matter. A Sophar working with pirates… a filthy traitor!” she spat, her voice filled with venom. Beams of energy fired from her arms, but Aristis was already moving. He activated his gravity ray, propelling himself downwards just in time to avoid the blast. Spotting a floating rock farther in, he used it to push himself closer to the Imperial vault. Vale closed in on him in seconds, the runes on her legs flickering as her propulsion boosted her forward. Propeller runes, Aristis noted, his mind racing.

Vale’s blade clashed in a series of rapid strikes, Aristis precise use of his shields barely holding against her relentless attacks. With a quick twist, he activated a gravity pulse, sending her spiraling back. But before he could regain his footing, a scorching ray struck his side, searing through his armor and biting into his flesh. He gritted his teeth against the pain, activating repair runes to stop the air leak, then shifted tactics. Focusing his gravity runes, he maneuvered nearby asteroids as shields, keeping himself concealed behind a large rock as he activated his stealth runes, dimming his presence and runic signature.

Breathing hard, Aristis darted from one rock to another, setting up small runic devices along his path while keeping his eyes on the vault. She’s powerful, he thought, and probably holds a high rank within the Order. But his thoughts were cut short as a serie of scorching ray shattered his makeshift shields, slicing dangerously close to his position. His repair runes kicked in again, but his reserves were dwindling fast, and his pierced body screamed in pain.

Vale landed on a nearby asteroid, her triumphant smirk visible through her visor. She stepped forward, her runes flaring, only to freeze as all the glowing runes on her Harpy abruptly dimmed. Realization dawned on her face as she saw Aristis activating the device she stepped on. Rune breaker field. Shit. Was the last thought that ran through her head.

“Goodbye,” Aristis said quietly, his voice steady despite the pain. “You fought well.”

He activated the runic trap beneath her, and a massive asteroid careened down, crushing her immobilized Harpy under its weight.

With the path now clear, Aristis staggered to the vault, clutching it tightly. He sent out a signal of distress, but as he felt his strength ebbing, darkness began to close in, and the last thing he saw was the faint glow of the Reaper approaching.

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Concern etched lines into Cassian’s face as he watched Aristis's unconscious body pulled in through the Reaper’s airlocks, the old Sophar still clutching the vault case. The moment the airlocks opened, Cassian rushed to his friend’s side, his eyes scanning the wounds puncturing Aristis’s battered frame.

“Ash, Thorne. Medical bay. Now.” Cassian’s voice held an edge of urgency as he tapped the Harpy’s runes, disengaging the cockpit and releasing Aristis. The brothers moved swiftly, lifting the Sophar’s limp form, and Cassian pressed two fingers against his friend’s neck. There it was. A faint, fragile pulse. Relief softened his expression for just a moment.

Steadying himself, Cassian turned back to the battered vault, its surface marked with softly glowing runes of protection and durability. Carefully, he freed it from the Harpy’s grip and lifted it out of the airlock. As the door sealed shut behind him, Lark was already there, her eyes flickering between the case and Cassian, curiosity barely masking her tension.

“So, this is what it’s all about?” she murmured, her tone skeptical yet drawn to the mystery.

“Aristis thought it was worth his life.” Cassian’s gaze held a quiet resolve. “Good thing we got to him when we did,” he added, noticing the grief shadowing Lark’s face.

Nearby, a few crew members who had been stirred by recent losses now eyed the vault with wary interest.

“This better be worth it, Cassian,” Loonis’s voice rumbled, heavy with doubt.

______________________

The meeting room was wrapped in an eerie silence, broken only by the faint hum of the consoles.

Cassian sat deep in thought, his gaze unfocused. Lark, Milo, and Mila were in their seats, their anxious eyes fixed on Saran Caro, the ship’s doctor.

“He will live,” Saran said, her voice steady but weighted. “He was deprived of oxygen, and his body took severe trauma. It’ll take time, but we got to him soon enough. There’s a strong chance he won’t suffer lasting damage.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Lark said, her voice cutting through the tense quiet. Relief settled over the room as Saran nodded and left, her words lingering like a fragile promise.

“Well.” Cassian began thoughtfully, his gaze fixed on the green-glowing, rune-etched fragments laid out in their vault, now open at the center of the meeting room’s table. “The Order sent someone strong enough to bring Aristis to his knees… and the Emperor trusted Gladius himself to transport this.” His eyes gleamed with barely-contained interest.

“I’m not sure it was worth it, sir,” Milo said, a hint of hesitation in his voice, cut off by Mila. “Half our fleet, Cassian,” she added, anxiety threading through her words.

“So, this means it’s valuable, right?” Lark ventured, sounding uncertain.

“No, Lark. This means it’s invaluable,” Cassian replied, his voice edged with gravity.

“We’ll have both the Order and the Empire on our tails!” Milo snapped, with Mila quickly adding, “And who knows who else!”

“Enough.” Cassian’s voice was sharp, firm. “As far as we know, few people were even aware of this cargo,” he continued, his rough tone laced with an unusual steadiness meant to calm them.

The twins exchanged wary glances, shoulders tense and fingers fidgeting.

“So what’s the plan, Boss?” Lark asked, her gaze steady yet pensive.

“We’re heading to Nexus 73. The Vulture will find someone with deep enough pockets to make this worth our while,” Cassian replied, his tone leaving no room for debate.

“Right. Got it, Captain,” Lark responded with a nod.

“I just hope we survive this,” Mila murmured, her words casting a faint shadow over the gathering.