The great hall of Talabor was filled with the joyful sounds of drunken laughter, debates, and stories told around the fire. King Alexander stood in a throng of his captains and knights, retelling stories of war and triumph, met with thunderous applause and shouting. Professors Thaddeus and Cirilla were surrounded by the shamans, and great minds of Talabor. Thaddeus stood on top of a table, reciting Shakespeare, while Cirilla gazed at him smiling, the other learned men and women enwrapped in the tales of romance and battle.

Nameless sat with Yuri Anatolievich, Spider seated across from them, all three men seemed calm and composed. As the feast raged around them, the three of them where hunched over, deep in discussion.

“Everything is ready, we can begin tomorrow,” Spider said softly.

“Yuri, you’re on point. I want security at the maximum while we administer the doses,” Nameless said sternly.

“No Dark Axium fucks will break through walls,” Yuri grinned in a deep Russian accent.

“We’ve done a lot this past year boys, let’s not waste it by fucking up now,” Nameless sighed, leaning back in his chair.

“And so she finally attends her own feast,” Yuri arched an eyebrow.

“What?” Nameless asked, sipping his mug of ale.

“Your dark raven has reappeared,” Spider grinned slyly.

Nameless turned in his seat, to see Rachel had returned to the feast. She had disappeared for a good hour or two, and it wasn’t his place to question it. This was her new home, and these were her adoptive people, still odd though. A party meant for them all, her included, and she had barely attended, drifting off into the shadows for some odd reason.

Nameless swiveled back around in his seat, shrugging.

“So what? Not my business,” Nameless sighed.

“You should talk to her. She is important, both to the mission, and you. No?” Yuri smiled.

“Just the mission,” Nameless sighed.

“As you say,” Yuri cackled, sipping his mug of ale.

“Go talk to her, friend. I can’t stand the sight of you sulking. The plans are in place, we have the best people in the cosmos on it, go enjoy yourself,” Spider said.

Nameless sighed and stood up. As he left the table, he saw Rachel was smiling, listening to King Alexander drunkenly recite his great deeds. Her long raven black hair, soft green eyes, perfect form, she was a sight to behold. Even from across the hall, Nameless was captivated.

He walked forward, trying to figure out what he would say to her. Out of nowhere, Nameless slammed into a person, sending them tumbling to the ground. Nameless’s mug of ale splashed all over his front, the person he had toppled now covered in their own drink and plate of food they had been carrying.

As embarrassment erupted inside him, his face beet red, Nameless instinctively reached down, trying to help them up. It was a woman, in a smart Earth blue military uniform. One of the first candidates selected by Earth for the mission. And Nameless had just inadvertently knocked her down.

She had blue eyes, dark blonde hair wrapped up in a bun with a silver broach, soft tanned white skin, with a delicate face. And she was covered in ale and food, thanks to Nameless.

“I am so sorry,” Nameless blustered, trying to pull her up.

“Don’t touch me!” the woman spat.

The woman wiped ale and food from her face, trying to brush off her uniform which was now ruined.

“I just got promoted too,” the woman groaned.

“I’ll pay for all of it, I swear, again, I am so sorry!” Nameless stuttered, shame and horror filling him.

The woman grimaced, frustration glowing from her face as she continued to wipe off her fancy uniform.

“It’s fine, really it’s fine. God are there any tailors on this planet?” the woman sighed, giving up on trying to wipe off her uniform. She looked up, and they locked eyes.

“Oh,” she said softly.

“Seriously, it’s completely my fault, I really wasn’t thinking. Let me buy you a new uniform,” Nameless said hurriedly, his eyes wide.

She sighed and held out her hand. Nameless abashedly reached down and pulled her up. She looked at him and laughed.

“I know, it was so stupid,” Nameless groaned.

“No, no, just not every night I run into a War Captain. Literally,” she chuckled.

“I-uh-well, um yes, I’m sorry what’s your name?” Nameless asked.

“Second Lieutenant Erikson, call me Sarah, sir,” the woman smiled.

“You don’t have to call me sir,” Nameless nervously chuckled.

“You’re the most senior officer here, hell if half the stories are true, you have every right to be called sir,” Sarah laughed.

“People just like to talk,” Nameless sighed.

“Mhm,” Lieutenant Sarah scanned him like a barcode.

“So, do you just slam into every gal you meet, or is there something special about me?” Sarah laughed.

“Um, no, I wasn’t, not what, seriously it was a mistake. Can I make it up to you?” Nameless sputtered.

“You can buy me a drink,” Sarah winked, walking away.

“The drinks are free,” Nameless called confused.

Sarah swiveled on her feet, twirling her arms as she smiled.

“So let’s make it a few drinks,” She grinned.

What was happening? He had just ruined her fancy uniform, sent her hurtling to the ground, now she was smiling and acting nice. Was she going to stab him later? Or set him up? A thousand scenarios whirled through Nameless’s mind as he tried to figure out what was happening.

“Well?” Sarah called.

“Yeah, yeah um okay, uh, here follow me,” Nameless said.

Nameless sped through the crowd, trying to find the nearest bar counter. Sarah followed behind him.

“Slow down, or do you want to keep slamming into people?” Sarah laughed.

Nameless slowed down, as she caught up. She smiled and head nodded to the bar counter across the room. They wound their way through the massive crowd, ducking and weaving between groups. Finally, they reached the bar counter. Nervousness was overwhelming him.

“Relax, I’m not mad. I am taking you up on that offer though,” Sarah chuckled, leaning on the countertop.

“The drinks?” Nameless blustered.

“Well that, and the new uniform, these threads aren’t cheap, you know?” Sarah smiled.

Nameless sighed, thoughts speeding through his mind at the speed of light. He slowed down his breathing, the surprise and embarrassment slowly residing. How had he been so stupid? He was a War Captain of Zion, the man in charge of this entire operation. Yet everyone had seen him smash into a subordinate and had laughed. Now he would be remembered for this mistake before the initiative had even begun. As the initiative’s details came back to Nameless, he now remembered Erikson from the files presented to him of the Earth candidates.

Second Lieutenant Erikson had graduated top of her class from Earth’s war college, the most prestigious military academy in the solar system. She had a whistle clean record, with several flawless missions where she had overseen several humanitarian, and security efforts combating pirates in the asteroid belts.

Earth had chosen her as one of their candidates to receive the element known as XM-801. The synthetic accelerant that unlock a person’s stored energy deep within their DNA, allowing them to particle manipulate. It was going to be an extremely risky process, with a high margin of error. This hadn’t been done since Mar’s great war. Only the best and brightest could receive the dose, and now Nameless had embarrassed himself and her in front of the entire chain of command before this historic mission.

“You look like you’re going to have a stroke,” Sarah laughed.

Nameless shook his head, focusing on her.

“Sorry, just a lot,” Nameless sighed.

“It was an honest mistake, besides, look around. No one noticed.”

“They all were laughing at me.”

“They’re all drunk. Besides, I don’t think anyone will remember. And let’s be honest, I doubt our little scuttle will be the last drunken mishap tonight.”

This was odd. Nameless felt uncomfortable, every woman in his life had berated him. The only ones who had been sympathetic to him were already taken. Where were the jabs and insults, why wasn’t she calling him stupid, or a child?

“You’re just being nice, cuz I’m in charge,” Nameless half smiled.

The bartender slid them both pints of ale, his rough bearded face smiling as he walked away.

“Shouldn’t you be?” Sarah asked.

“Huh?” Nameless asked, surprised.

“And yeah I mean, if we are being honest, I’m definitely cutting you some slack for being higher up than me. But even if it wasn’t a war captain, mistakes happen. Why do you doubt yourself?”

“Who said I was doubting myself?” Nameless asked incredulously.

“I can’t really read minds, but I can tell when someone is hyper fixating on trivial bull. It’s what gets people killed in the counterintelligence community,” Sarah grinned, sipping her new pint.

Great. She was a professional people reader.

“I don’t doubt myself,” Nameless spat.

“Uh huh,” Sarah sighed.

She held the wooden mug with both hands. As Nameless looked over her shoulder, he saw Rachel was getting up, as if she was about to leave. He needed to talk to her, try and get to know her more, somehow break through that stoic wall she had put up between them.

“I did my research on the War Captains, there’s no reason to think you’re not up to the task,” Sarah shrugged.

“What makes you say that?” Nameless arched his eyebrow.

“An entire lifetime spent in the wastes of Mars. Took up arms and led an insurgency at twenty years old. I saw the recording of how you formed the council of Mars, and when you lay siege to the city via combined arms. Really a stunning tactic, all though it was a miracle your people even made it through the defensive lines.”

“Martians are built different,” Nameless scoffed.

“True, you people literally are born with less bone density from Mar’s gravity and pressure, along with mutations thanks to the abhorrent diet and radiation. Not to mention the dog-eat-dog society, and hierarchy based off of strength. But even still, I got to train along the Wolf Company, and see your soldiers as they trained on Zion. Using them as the control, you are still the unique result.”

“You lost me; fancy words are kind of beyond me.”

“I don’t believe that. I think you act dumb, so people underestimate you.”

Nameless shook his head studying her. He then looked over, and saw Rachel walking away, out the doors of the great hall. He sighed, then leaned in on the counter. Fine, if he was stuck here, he might as well get some answers.

“You know so much about me, but I barely know you,” Nameless arched an eyebrow.

“So let’s change that, what would you like to know?”

“Why volunteer for this initiative?”

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

“So we don’t repeat the past.”

“I thought Earthers where proud of their big navy bombing us back into the stone age?” Nameless scoffed.

“Hundreds of years of propaganda and attempting to justify why your reality caved in on your collective heads tends to lead to such conclusions.”

“So you people grew a conscious over the last few centuries?”

“Do you actually think every man, woman, child born on Earth stood at the helm of those ships and pressed those buttons?”

“No.”

“Did it ever occur to you, that just like on Mars, the everyday person on Earth has hardly the slightest impact on how the solar system works? The decision, to bomb you all back into the stone age, was made around a table in a dark cigar smoke filled room, by men older than most citizens. Driven by flags, and currency symbols. The rest of us just watched in horror as neighbors, cousins, brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers that had left our planet for a better life were snuffed out in the blink of an eye.”

Nameless sighed. He had gone his entire life thinking of Earthers as warlike demons who feasted off of the despair of Mars. This new perspective was troubling to say the least.

“And now here we are, handing it out like candy. Too bad we couldn’t have thought of this three hundred years ago,” Nameless sighed.

“We didn’t have humanity’s greatest war on our doorsteps,” Sarah nodded.

“You people actually believe in Alpha Centurion?” Nameless arched an eyebrow.

“You all do. Earth underestimated Mars once. We don’t intend to do it a second time. If you people are so genuinely intimidated by a probability, we should at least play along for a while.”

“And what does the everyday person think of him?”

Sarah chuckled.

“Our scientific community is still trying to convince some people that the Earth is round! Some people think Zion is a psy-op by our wealthy elite to generate more income for the military industrial complex, others think Mars is fake, some religious folk are saying your return to us is a sign of the end times. Most people are just going to work and trying to pay their bills. It’ll take years, maybe decades for Earth to fully understand Zion, let alone some obscure tyrant trillions of light years away.”

“Fair enough, and you?”

Sarah was silent for a moment.

“You wouldn’t be here if there wasn’t some credible threat.”

“You put a lot of faith in a twenty-year-old,” Nameless chortled.

“Twenty-one, your birthday was yesterday. Happy birthday, by the way, how did you celebrate it?” Sarah asked kindly.

Surprise filled him, he had forgotten when his own birthday was. They had never really celebrated it in the camp growing up.

“I, uh, spent it with a friend,” Nameless sighed.

“Good, they’re hard to come by these days. Everyone has an agenda,” Sarah smiled.

“What’s yours?”

“To pass the gauntlet on to the person who replaces me. If they can be better, then I did my job well,” Sarah shrugged.

Nameless nodded. He took a swig of ale, then looked at her.

“Still don’t understand all of the faith in me. I’ve just gone with the flow since I started all of this,” Nameless said.

“Alexander the Great was twenty when he became Hegemony of Macedonia, Joan of Arc was sixteen when she gave her prophecy to the Dauphin, Muhammad bin Qasim was seventeen when he invaded ancient Pakistan, Scipio Africanus got his first command at eighteen, Okita Soji was eighteen when he assumed leadership. I wonder, what will they say of you when you are gone? You’re off to a great start,” Sarah grinned, raising her mug.

“Are you flirting with me?” Nameless blurted.

Sarah stared at him, then erupted into laughter. Nameless blushed, as he pressed his lips.

“You don’t talk to a lot of women do you?” Sarah asked lightly.

“I talk to lots of women!”

“Was it before or after they tried to kill you?”

Nameless shook his head defeatedly.

“Besides, you’re a little high up on the ladder for the likes of me. You’re one of the main commanders in the solar system, try not to forget that,” Sarah smiled.

Nameless could feel his face glowing, the embarrassment and alcohol not helping.

“Tell you what, you can practice with me. Professionally, of course. We can’t have humanity’s next great military protégé talking to women like a middle school boy now can we?”

“That’d be nice,” Nameless mumbled.

Sarah smiled, as she swung herself off the stool, standing up.

“Tomorrows a big day, and I need a new set of clothes, be seeing you around, sir.”

“See ya,” Nameless called, watching her walked away.

Nameless turned back around and stared into his nearly empty ale. What just happened? Chuckling caught his attention, and he looked up to the bartender smiling.

“Another drink for the young lord?” the bartender asked happily.

“Please,” Nameless begged, exhausted.

Metal lights hung from the cement walls of the bunker hallway, flickering. Nameless’s booted footsteps echoed as he propelled himself rapidly forward, Yuri and King Alexander in tail. All three men were deathly quiet with purpose in their eyes. They eventually met the large metal door at the end of the bunker hall, guarded by two Zion troopers in full battle kit. Dark grey ballistic armor, tactical clothes, and face masks with blue visors. The guards nodded, and one of them swung open the door.

Inside the door was a large medical observation bay. One side of the room had large glass windows that looked down over a subsequent floor. The lower floor was dived into a grid like structure of smaller rooms, each with a medical station and bed. The ceilings of these smaller med bays where glass, so the observation deck could monitor everything from above.

The observation bay itself was spacious, with numerous long rows of desk and seats. In the back of the room was several panels manned by Spiders in orange uniforms.

As the three men entered the room, the room’s occupants sprang up.

“Attention!” a man’s voice called.

Nameless was silent as he studied the room full of people. Each person was dawned in their native uniform. Earthers, Neptians, Asteroid Belt Colonists, Martians, Zions and Talaborians. In the far corner of the room, alongside the Spiders, where several Professors and Librarians, with Thaddeus and Cirilla standing at the forefront. AJ, Sammy, and Hera had yet to arrive, still tending to the Queen back home. It was better this way, Nameless didn’t want them here in case this went wrong. They would receive their doses once all the quirks had been worked out.

He noticed Rachel darkly staring at him from the far corner of the room, while Sarah was brightly looking at him from a desk.

“Thank you everyone for being here, it is my privilege and honor to stand before you all, and welcome you to project Solar Retaliation,” Nameless said.

He walked through the room, talking as he went, the people parting for him.

“Over the past two years, our solar system has experienced drastic changes. Mars has once again became a solar power, our resources and people once again intermingling with Humanity. Then, Zion came. A space station that drifts between the very gaps of the dimensions of our universe, a citadel that sails upon the ocean that we know as time and space. And with it, brought the Laydren, the Sema, the Emur, the Spree, the Gurgen, the Dark Axium, and the Ethereals.”

Nameless looked at them all, studying their faces.

“I suspect that many of you started this adventure like me: a normal person who just wanted to get by, thrust into the theatre of war on a scale of which you probably thought was impossible. And now, here we are. Once again administering the serum known as XM-801, but this time as equals. This serum will not divide Humanity as it once did, but rather save us.

“With this administration of the XM-801, we will expedite Humanity’s defense, across all dimensions we inhabit. We will be able to ensure Zion returns to its former glory, and we will able to stand among our galactic peers as equals. This is the next big step in our evolution, and I am thankful to be here with you all.

“Professor Thaddeus, any words before you administer the first dose?” Nameless asked.

“None, my boy,” Thaddeus smiled.

“Very well. All in attendance today, know this: you are now the cosmic vanguard. You are what stands between the darkness, and light. It is your sword and shield that will ward off any threat from deep space. With new task-forces, and a combined humanity both from our own dimension and beyond, Zion will ensure life is safe from any threat that may be lurking out there,” Nameless called.

Thoughts of Alpha Centurion came back to his mind as he talked. The severity of the moment was not absent from his mind: his dimension, along with Talabor and Armenium, were now the sole representatives of the defense of Zion. It would be the Vagabonds that rose up to face the dark space forces, and adversaries like Alpha Centurion. He just hoped they were ready.

“You may begin gentlemen,” Nameless said.

Professor Thaddeus nodded, exiting the room, going down the stairs, and entering into the first medical bay. Spider went over to the main control console and ignited bright blue energy arms that extended from his rib cage, which inserted into the machine.

“First volunteer for the XM-801, please step forward,” Cirilla called.

A woman with blonde hair stepped forward, in her new smart military uniform.

“Name, rank, and organization,” Cirilla called, looking at her holographic notes.

“Sarah Erikson, Second Lieutenant, Earth Naval Counterintelligence, scourge dose,” Sarah said.

“Very well, next please?” Cirilla called.

As the volunteers stepped forward, Professor Thaddeus led Sarah to the first med bay.

“Abdul Munshi, staff sergeant, Asteroid Belt Marines, scourge dose,” a dark man said.

“Thank you darling, next?” Cirilla called.

Nameless studied the volunteers as each was led down the stairs, into their own medical bay by a Professor and Spider. As the trios of people situated themselves, the Martian Spiders inserted their metal hands into the surgery devices.

“By my mark, two scourges, fourteen assaults with micro doses. Should this batch be successful, we can begin full integration with the rest of the volunteers. War Captain Nameless, Champion Rachel, King alexander, do I have authorization to proceed?” Spider buzzed from the overhead intercom.

As he spoke, the volunteers laid down on the beds, the professors carefully extracting the serum with medical needles from vials, the bright blue substances glowing. The Spiders expertly whirled machinery around the volunteers, clamping down their limbs with metal restrains, and inserting tubes and IVs to ensure life support if anything went wrong.

“I would like to also volunteer,” King Alexander called.

The room was stunned, as Rachel pushed herself off the wall, eyes wide.

“Alex,” Rachel said softly.

“I must have the power to protect my people, I ask for the scourge dosage,” King Alexander said firmly.

Spider nervously looked at Nameless.

“These are um, I hate to say it, but these people are Guinea pigs your majesty. A lot can go wrong here,” Spider said.

“Have you noticed any Talaborians down there?” Alexander asked.

“No, but my lord-” Nameless blurted.

King Alexander held up his hand.

“I forbade my people from taking the dose, until I have taken it. I will be the first of my kin to embrace the power of the stars. If any from my planet is to suffer from the affliction of the star serum, it shall be I,” Alexander said firmly, taking off his crown.

“Very noble, your majesty,” Cirilla nodded.

“Very stupid,” Rachel grumbled, arms crossed.

“Take heart, I trust you shall guide my people if anything happens to me, Goddess of War,” Alex nodded.

“Yeah, but that’s not going to happen, cuz you’re going to be fine. Right, Spider?” Rachel growled.

Spider nervously shifted his weight.

“The scourge dosage is substantial, your majesty,” Spider mumbled.

“I insist. I give permission, let us begin,” Alexander said as he walked towards the stairs.

“I also authorize this,” Rachel sighed.

Spider looked at Nameless with wide eyes.

“Let’s light this candle,” Nameless shrugged.

He admired the King, a ferocious warrior, noble and kind, it was like King Alexander had been plucked from a story book and placed in front of them. And now he wanted to be the first incase anything went wrong.

Nameless stood beside Spider, watching as the volunteers all lay on the beds, the professors gingerly holding the syringes of XM-801, the Spiders carefully monitoring the subjects. King Alexander stoically sat down and lay on the bed, the metal clamps taking hold as Cirilla herself came down and prepared to administer the serum. Rachel stood beside the King; her eyes narrowed as her face paled.

“Ironic, isn’t?” Spider asked softly.

“What is?” Nameless arched an eyebrow.

“Almost two years ago, a runaway group of slaves adopted a stuntling boat captain. Now, here we are, forging the next chapter in our civilization’s history.”

“Been a hell of a ride brother. Let’s just hope all of this is for nothing, and we just wind up with a bunch of powerful protectors for no reason,” Nameless smiled.

Spider looked at Nameless, his eyes narrowed.

“Personally, I do not believe in Alpha Centurion. I find the notion of such a being, rather, fanciful. But I do see the necessity in having a vanguard of enhanced beings. Just promise me you will not allow their newfound power to go to their heads,” Spider said calmly.

“You where there, you saw him!” Nameless growled.

“We saw a figure comprised of red mist. Of all the fantastic things we have encountered, is it too much to surmise that perhaps that was merely energy projection of some Dark Axium member? Fear is a great motive, and a powerful tool. The mere threat of such a being may drive reasonable people to do unthinkable things.”

“We’re doing the right thing, we need more people out there, Alpha Centurion or not. Zion’s taskforces weren’t enough, you saw it!” Nameless seethed.

“We also need checks and balances for these new demigods,” Spider said darkly.

“That’s what we’re here for brother,” Nameless nodded.

“And who keeps us in check?” Spider arched an eyebrow.

Nameless was silent, looking down at Cirilla, Rachel, and Alexander, then Professor Thaddeus and Sarah.

“They will,” Nameless said softly.

“I foresee conflict arising from such a proposition,” Spider grumbled.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there, just start this,” Nameless huffed.

Spider nodded.

“Professors and Spiders, administer the doses,” Spider’s voice thrummed from the announcement speakers.

Simultaneously, the professors inserted the syringes into the recipients arms, and pushed the serum into their bodies.

“How many of these doses will fail?” Nameless asked quietly.

“Assault micro dose has a fifteen percent margin of error,” Spider said.

“And scourges?” Nameless asked.

Spider looked at him grimly.

“Seventy five percent.”

“Gods above,” Nameless sighed.

“We killed most of our gods, remember?” Spider chuckled.

“It’s sentimental man,” Nameless said darkly.

Below them, all of the recipients seemed normal.

“All doses administered, sir,” a spider’s voice echoed from the console.

There was a heavy, silence filled pause as they observed from the console deck. Suddenly, a man in the far-left room started twitching.

“Number fifteen, status update?” Captain Spider barked.

“Stand by,” the room’s Spider intercommed.

The man began screaming, blood dripping from his mouth and ears, his veins glowing.

“Evacuate that room, now!” Spider shouted.

“I can save him!” the female professor called, activating her energy.

“Exit right now damn it!” Spider roared.

The screaming man erupted into flames, encasing the medical bay in bright red fire as the professor and Spider also where consumed. The walls internal fire suppression system activated, smothering the roaring flames as Spider shook his head.

“Fuck,” Nameless whispered.

“That’s just the beginning,” Spider seethed.

“All bays, exfil as soon as symptoms show,” Spider ordered.

The rest of the bays’ occupants acknowledged. Nameless studied Sarah and King Alexander. Both where pale, their eyes shut tight as they hyperventilated. Another assault in the upper right corner of the floor screamed, her skin beginning to crack as her eyes glowed green. The room’s Spider and Professor ran, jumping out of the room as arcs of electricity ravaged the medical bay, the recipient screaming as their body vaporized.

“Two down, ten left,” Spider murmured, his energy arms furiously adjusting buttons and controls on the console.

“What about the scourges?”

“Erikson, Alexander, and Munshi, status update,” Spider intercommed.

“All nominal sir,” a spider thrummed from the radio.

Nameless leaned forward, studying the three. The three people’s veins where glowing, Alexander gold, Munshi green, and Sarah’s white. Rachel nervously stood in the corner, her eyes glowing grey as she prepared for the worst.

Slowly, the remaining recipients’ veins simmered down, each person gasping as sweat poured from their bodies.

“Subject bodies stabilizing,” a spider reported.

“Is that it?” Nameless asked cautiously.

“They need to stay in isolation for a week, we need to carefully monitor their bodies, but yes I’d say so,” Spider said as he worked.

Nameless clicked on the intercom.

“How are you feeling, your majesty?” Nameless asked.

There was a pause as Alexander gathered himself.

“The power of the gods flows through my veins, I can remember everything,” Alexander gasped.

“You get used to it man, glad you’re okay. Erikson, Munshi, how you guys holding up?” Nameless’s voice echoed from the radios.

“I’m good sir,” Munshi gasped from his table.

Nameless looked down at Sarah, her pale face shimmering with sweat. She smiled, her eyes glowing white.

“Just peachy down here sir,” Sarah said.

Nameless shook his head, relief filling him as he saw the rest of the volunteers seemingly fine.

“Welcome to the Vanguard, ladies and gentlemen,” Nameless said over the radio.