Two hours after returning from the Fourth Brigade encounter, the entire faction gathered in the main briefing room.
Noah had insisted on it—every member present, from the newest recruit to the founding team. Eclipse Faction wasn't building a military hierarchy where decisions flowed down from the top. They were building something different. A family, however dysfunctional. Everyone got a voice.
The room was packed. Forty people crammed into a space designed for maybe twenty-five. Some sat on equipment crates. Others stood along the walls. The founding team occupied the front—Noah, Sophie, Diana, Kelvin, Seraleth, and Lila—while Sam stood near the holographic displays with data already queued up.
Valencia, Marcus, Chen, and Kira sat together near the middle, still processing the migration contract that had turned into a political ambush. The other recruits murmured among themselves, confusion evident. They'd heard Fourth Brigade had shown up, but details were scarce.
