Mars, July 15, 2027. 1630 Hours.
The Sumerer guardian loomed, its rune-covered frame shaking the outpost, eyes glowing like twin suns. John Mitchell crouched behind a console, his leadership a beacon. “Zheng, how long?”
Xiaotong Zheng worked fast, 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 synced the shard to the outpost’s power grid, her sleek bun catching the rune-glow. “Two minutes, Mitchell. I’m amplifying its frequency.” Her voice was sharp, commanding respect.
Yuri Leonov sprinted across the room, torch blazing, drawing the guardian’s fire. “Hey, ugly! Over here!”
Rachel Voigt fired a flare, the burst lighting up the beast. “Keep moving, Leonov!”
Elias Moretti’s scanner shook in his hands. “Its core’s overheating—it’s working!”
Anika Sharma shouted over comms. “Runes say ‘core critical.’ It’ll explode!”
Kenji Sato’s voice crackled, strained. “Comms are back—barely. Outpost’s on alert.”
Li Wei wrestled with the Dragon systems. “Grid’s at 90%. We’re close!”
Sarah Carter monitored vitals, tense. “Yuri’s heart rate’s spiking—he’s pushing it!”
Mikael Heikkinen prepped the ship. “We’re one call from takeoff, Mitchell!”
The guardian swung, a rune-lit arm smashing a wall. Xiaotong’s tablet beeped, her mind razor-sharp. “Frequency’s locked! It’s overloading!” Her beauty shone under pressure, a fan magnet.
Mitchell nodded, his tone steady. “Good work, Zheng. Leonov, Voigt, fall back!”
Yuri dodged a blast, grinning. “Not my worst dance partner!”
The guardian’s core glowed red, runes flickering. Elias yelled, “It’s gonna blow!”
Xiaotong grabbed Mitchell’s arm, her confidence electric. “We need cover—now!”
Mitchell led them behind a barrier as the guardian erupted, runes shattering in a burst of light. The outpost shook, but held.