Mars, July 15, 2027. 1600 Hours.
The outpost shook, red dust raining from the ceiling. John Mitchell gripped the console, his leadership a rock for the crew. “Zheng, report!”
Xiaotong Zheng’s focus was razor-sharp, her genius a fixed brilliance—IQ at 150, her presence magnetic in her sleek science officer suit, curves a subtle draw, captivating with effortless allure. She analyzed the cams, her sleek bun catching the rune-glow. “It’s below us, Mitchell. The guardian—it’s waking.” Her voice was steady, commanding respect.
Yuri Leonov checked his plasma torch, smirking. “A giant Sumerer bot? Now we’re talking.”
Elias Moretti’s scanner beeped, his voice shaky. “Seismic activity… it’s massive!”
Rachel Voigt reloaded her flare gun. “We can’t fight that down here.”
Anika Sharma’s comms crackled. “Runes confirm it’s a protector—designed to purge intruders.”
Kenji Sato adjusted his headset, tense. “It’s jamming our signals. We’re cut off.”
Li Wei fought the Dragon systems, sparks flying. “AI’s overloaded—it’s targeting us!”
Sarah Carter checked vitals. “Crew’s heart rates are spiking, John.”
Mikael Heikkinen prepped the ship. “We leaving, or fighting, Commander?”
The ground split, a massive Sumerer construct rising—rune-covered, towering, its eyes glowing. Xiaotong’s tablet pinged, her mind racing. “It’s tied to the shard. We can’t outrun it.” Her beauty shone under pressure, a fan magnet.
Mitchell met her gaze, trust absolute. “Options, Zheng?”
She nodded, her confidence electric. “We overload its core with the shard’s frequency. But we’ll need a diversion.”
Yuri grinned, torch flaring. “Diversion’s my middle name!”
Mitchell’s voice cut through. “Leonov, Voigt, draw its fire. Zheng, with me. Move!”
The guardian roared, runes blazing, as the team scattered.