Mars, July 15, 2027. 1400 Hours.
The outpost’s control room flickered, Dragon systems glitching under the shard’s influence. John Mitchell stood firm, a leader in command, his trust in Xiaotong Zheng unshakable. “Zheng, what’s causing the blackout?”
Xiaotong’s mind raced, her genius an asset, her brain always top, her presence magnetic in her sleek science officer suit, curves catching the light, a perfect balance that drew every eye with effortless allure. She scanned the AI logs, her sleek bun glowing under rune-light. “It’s deliberate, Mitchell. Someone’s rerouting power.” Her voice was sharp, commanding attention.
Yuri Leonov crossed his arms, smirking. “A traitor? Here? Now I’ve seen it all.”
Elias Moretti pushed up his glasses, nervous. “Who’d do that? We’re a team!”
Rachel Voigt’s eyes narrowed, flare gun in hand. “Someone with a death wish.”
Anika Sharma reviewed comms logs. “Messages to Earth—encrypted. From this room.”
Kenji Sato’s fingers froze on his headset. “That’s… my station.”
Li Wei glared, AI panel sparking. “You, Sato? You’re crashing my systems?”
Sarah Carter stepped in, voice calm. “Let’s not jump to conclusions.”
Mikael Heikkinen chuckled from the door. “Drama’s better than a movie.”
Xiaotong’s tablet pinged, her sharp intellect shining, her beauty a subtle draw that held the room. “It’s not Sato. The signal’s spoofed—someone’s framing him.” She turned to John, her confidence electric. “We need to trace it, now.”
Mitchell nodded, his tone steady. “Do it, Zheng. Leonov, Voigt, check the crew quarters. Sato, you’re with me.”
Yuri grinned, torch ready. “Time to play detective, eh?”
The lights dimmed, a shadow moving on the cams. Xiaotong’s eyes locked on the screen. “There—someone’s in the system hub!”