Ash Fortress trembled.
Red lights bathed the ruined control chamber as the kill switch core pulsed erratically.
[System Fragmentation: 38%][Dual Authority Detected – Instability Rising]
Raine collapsed beside the console, blood on her lips, vision blurred.
Nira crouched beside her, applying pressure to the wound. "You're not dying on me now."
Raine tried to speak. "We... we're not alone."
Nira blinked. "What?"
Beyond Earth
Far beyond the Dominion's reach, deep within the void, a black ship stirred.
Its shape was jagged, grown—not built.
Inside, creatures with obsidian skin and glowing eyes gathered around a crystal interface.
"Signal confirmed," one hissed.
"Lucian failed," said another. "The humans broke the chain."
"Then it is time," the leader growled, voice like shattering stars.
"We reclaim the experiment. We cleanse the infestation."
The Transmission
Back in Ash Fortress, the AI let out a sharp screech.
[Incoming Signal – Designation: VULTARI PRIME]
[Translation Incomplete]
[Message Logged: "Failure Detected. Termination Engaged."]
Raine's face went pale.
She turned to Nira.
"They were watching us the whole time. Lucian was just a... handler."
"For who?" Nira asked.
Raine looked to the sky.
"Something worse than any tyrant."
Incoming Threat
A Dominion satellite blinked out of existence.
Then another.
Then five.
The sky above the eastern sea glowed purple—then opened.
[Orbital Disturbance Detected – Energy Signature: UNKNOWN]
[Estimated Impact Time: 19 hours]
Raine struggled to her feet.
"We were fighting the wrong war."