Mars, July 15, 2027. 1200 Hours.
The outpost’s control room hummed, dragon motifs casting a red glow. John Mitchell stood tall, his leadership unwavering, Xiaotong Zheng at his side—a vision of brilliance, her sleek bun framing a face that captivated, her figure a draw for fans, intellect sharper than ever. She placed the shard on a scanner, her voice steady. “Let’s see what you’re hiding.”
Yuri Leonov leaned against a console, smirking. “Hope it’s a treasure map, Zheng. I need a win.”
Xiaotong’s eyes flicked to him, teasing. “Keep dreaming, Leonov. This is bigger.” Her tablet hummed, decoding runes—IQ over 150 at work.
Elias Moretti adjusted his glasses, curious. “Sumerer tech… it’s like a puzzle.”
Anika Sharma traced the shard’s runes. “It’s a warning. ‘Guardian rises, intruders fall.’”
Rachel Voigt frowned, arms crossed. “Guardian? That hologram wasn’t bluffing.”
Kenji Sato’s comms crackled. “Dragon systems are glitching again. Power dips, random.”
Li Wei adjusted the AI panel, tense. “It’s the shard. It’s… interfering.”
Sarah Carter checked vitals. “Crew’s stable, but we’re on edge, John.”
Mikael Heikkinen lounged by the door. “Ship’s fueled if this gets ugly.”
Xiaotong’s scanner beeped, revealing a Sumerer message. “It’s a log. They sealed a guardian below—a protector. We woke it.” Her beauty shone as she spoke, a fan magnet.
John met her gaze, respect clear. “Can we stop it, Zheng?”
She nodded, confident. “If we understand it. But someone’s tampering with the AI.”
Yuri’s smirk faded. “Sabotage? Here?”
Mitchell’s voice was firm. “We find out. Now.”