Rain streaked across the interceptor's viewports as it cut through clouds.
Inside the passenger compartment, Sophie sat reviewing mission parameters on her tablet while Diana checked weapon systems and Seraleth observed the landscape passing below through the viewport.
Three recruits occupied seats along the far wall—Valencia, Marcus, and a newer member named Kira. All three wore their Eclipse tactical gear and carried the focused tension of people heading toward potential combat.
"I still think we should have waited for Noah," Valencia said, not for the first time.
"Noah, Kelvin, and Lila are handling a Category Four outbreak in the outer districts," Sophie replied without looking up from her tablet. "That contract came in this morning with immediate threat classification. Multiple witnesses reported coordinated beast attacks on a residential zone. They couldn't ignore it."
"And this dragon situation?" Marcus asked.
