Mars, July 15, 2027. 1700 Hours.
The outpost’s control room smoked, the guardian’s explosion leaving scorch marks on the dragon-motif walls. John Mitchell stood tall, his leadership a steady anchor. “Status, team?”
Xiaotong Zheng dusted off her science officer suit, her genius a brilliance, her presence magnetic. She checked her tablet, her sleek bun catching the dim light.
“Guardian’s down, Mitchell. But the shard’s still active.” Her voice was sharp, commanding respect.Yuri Leonov wiped soot from his face, grinning. “Told ya I’d make it dance.”
Elias Moretti adjusted his glasses, shaken. “That explosion… we’re lucky to be alive.”
Rachel Voigt holstered her flare gun, frowning. “What about the saboteur? They’re still out there.”
Anika Sharma scanned the logs. “System hub’s offline. They covered their tracks.”
Kenji Sato rubbed his neck, relieved. “At least I’m not the suspect anymore.”
Li Wei rebooted the Dragon systems, tense. “AI’s stabilizing, but we’re vulnerable.”
Sarah Carter checked injuries. “Minor burns, John. We got off easy.”
Mikael Heikkinen leaned in the doorway. “Ship’s intact. Next time, I’m driving.”
Xiaotong’s tablet pinged, her mind racing. “The shard’s sending a new signal—off-planet.” Her sharp focus drew every eye, a subtle allure that kept the team inspired.
Mitchell met her gaze, trust unwavering. “Off-planet? To who?”
She frowned, her confidence electric. “Unknown. But it’s not Sumerer. We’ve got bigger problems.”
Yuri raised an eyebrow. “Bigger than a killer robot? You’re killing me, Zheng.”
Mitchell’s voice cut through. “Focus, Leonov. Zheng, keep tracking that signal. We’re not done yet.”