Maya Chen
The substation loomed ahead, a fortress of steel and concrete amidst the sprawling ecumenopolis. Its main steel hatch was closed but that was not an issue for the
Ramirez Salvage Crew. They dismounted their hovercycles and Jax had taken the lead, his engineering expertise critical to open the doors to the substation.
Then, suddenly, there were shouts. A man and a woman emerged from the shadows, brandishing weapons. Jax stepped forward, his hands raised in a placating gesture.
"
We don't want any trouble," he said, his voice calm but firm. "
We're just here for the advanced energy regulators that we believe are still in the substation."
The man, Kyle, was clearly agitated. "
This is our territory," he shouted. "
You can't just come in here and take what you want!"
Jax remained composed, trying to defuse the situation. "
We have no interest in your territory and this area cannot be settled according to the planetary laws. We're only after the regulators. Let us take it, and we'll leave peacefully."
But Kyle wasn't listening. Fear and desperation flashed in his eyes, and he turned to the woman, Kira. "
Shoot their bikes. Make them leave."
Maya had barely registered the command when Kira lifted a mag pistol and fired 3 times. The sharp cracks of the shots rang out, and their hovercycles shuddered as the bullets hit. Sparks flew, and Maya felt a surge of anger and alarm. They were being forced into a fight they didn't want.
Jax stepped forward again, his voice rising with anger. "
Stop this nonsense! You don't own this substation. We're taking the components, and there's nothing you can do to stop us. We outnumber and outgun you."
Before he could finish, Kyle grabbed him, and a struggle ensued. The two men grappled, their voices a mix of shouts and grunts. Maya moved to intervene, but then she heard another shot. She turned just in time to see Jax collapse, a look of shock and pain on his stuface. Blood pooled around his legs, staining the ground.
Maya's heart pounded in her chest. "
Jax!" she screamed, rushing to his side. The scene descended into chaos. Kyle and Kira retreated, leaving Jax bleeding on the ground.
"
Fall back!" Captain Elena Ramirez ordered, her voice cracking with urgency. Maya got Jax. He was hurt and bleeding, but, by them, she thought he would survive.
Trade Era 1235, Day 163. 14:00 UTC
Electrical Substation DC-45T, Zyronis
The Celestial Voyager crew had struck swiftly and ruthlessly. There were no signs of hesitation or mercy. The attackers had left no survivors, ensuring that there would be no further resistance. It was a stark reminder of the harsh realities of survival in this desolate region. Guilt gnawed at her; despite their aggression, they hadn’t deserved to die like this.
Maya’s gaze shifted to the previously damaged
hovercycles. They had been repaired and were now fully functional. It was a small victory amidst the chaos, a glimmer of hope in their dire situation. However, the
gravsled told a different story. It was clearly
dismantled, its parts scattered around the substation floor. Reassembling it could be straightforward—or it could be an insurmountable task. Maya was not an engineer, and the intricacies of the gravsled's mechanics were beyond her expertise.
James and Corbin were already on it, but it would take a while.
Either way, she had work to do. As she approached
Hank with her medkit, and
before he could check the surveillance or
Mercer could properly care for the bodies, a damaged relay, sparking intermittently at the control room, caused a major electrical short circuit and
everything was plunged into sudden, complete darkness. The hum of the transformers ceased, leaving an unnerving silence in its wake.
Douklan, with the HMG already pointed towards the main entrance, was now even more worried about the whole wing at his back.
