Halver's Reach rose from the emptiness like a rusted jewel, its structures clinging to a fractured asteroid. Towers of steel and glass stretched along its damaged surface, patched together with salvaged plating from centuries of wreckage. Flickering lights marked airlocks and docking ports, but half the colony seemed to be held together by hope and stubbornness.
Kael Ardyn guided the courier toward the docking bay, his hands steady despite the storm inside him. The Council ambush had shaken them. Rhea's betrayal still felt fresh. Yet, Halver's Reach offered something he hadn't felt in months: possibility.
"Docking bay two is open," Lyra murmured as she scanned her console. Her voice was soft but tense, exhaustion lingering from her connection with the Ark.
Kael glanced her way. Her hair was pulled back messily, dark circles shadowed her eyes, but her focus never faded. She was strong under pressure, and he admired her more with every passing hour.
Rhea slouched in the co-pilot's seat, arms folded, a smirk on her face as if nothing had happened. The bruise on her jaw from Kael's earlier outburst was faint but still visible.
"You sure about this, Captain?" she asked, her tone light. "Halver's Reach isn't really known for a warm welcome. Last I heard, they shoot first and bargain later."
Kael's jaw tightened. "Then we'll give them a reason not to shoot."
The courier settled into the docking clamps with a dull thud. Outside, the bay buzzed with activity: cargo haulers coming and going, mechanics in tattered suits shouting over the hissing of decompression vents.
Kael rose and checked the charge on his blaster. "Let's move. Stay alert."
The airlock hissed open and released the heavy, metallic scent of recycled oxygen. The docking bay was vast, illuminated by harsh neon lights. Workers paused to watch as Kael, Lyra, and Rhea stepped out. Their stares were not curious; they were wary.
A group of armed guards approached, rifles slung across their chests. Their leader, a broad-shouldered man with a scar down his face, stopped a few steps away.
"Identify yourselves," he barked.
Kael kept his hands visible and spoke calmly. "I'm Kael Ardyn. We're here to talk. Heard Halver's Reach doesn't bow to the Council."
The man narrowed his eyes. "Ardyn. The Council has a bounty on that name big enough to buy this whole rock."
Murmurs rippled through the dockworkers. Lyra stiffened, her hand brushing against Kael's sleeve.
Kael didn't flinch. "That bounty exists because I crossed them. If you're really independent, that should matter to you."
The man studied him for a long moment, then laughed harshly. "You've got nerve, I'll give you that. Come with me. The Overseer will decide if you live."
They were escorted through twisting corridors into the heart of the colony. Halver's Reach thrummed with activity: markets filled with traders selling alien tech, children weaving between stalls, mercenaries drinking from cracked flasks in shadowy corners. But there was tension, a simmering unease beneath the surface.
The Overseer's chamber was a repurposed mining hall, its walls lined with banners of faded red cloth. At the center sat a woman on a raised platform, her presence commanding despite her slim frame.
Her hair was streaked with silver, her eyes sharp as broken glass. She wore no armor, only a long coat lined with worn insignias from forgotten wars.
"So," she said, her voice smooth but cutting, "the infamous Kael Ardyn walks into my Reach. Bold. Or foolish."
Kael nodded slightly. "I came to offer something worth more than the Council's bounty."
The Overseer raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"
Before Kael could respond, Rhea stepped forward with her usual grin. "An ancient alien warship with guns that make the Council piss themselves."
Lyra's eyes widened in alarm. "Rhea—"
But it was too late. The chamber erupted in whispers, hungry and dangerous.
The Overseer leaned forward, interest shining in her eyes. "A warship, you say?"
Kael shot Rhea a glare that promised fire later, then turned back. "It's not just a ship. It's a chance. The Council nearly destroyed us once already. But with allies—people like you—we can push back."
The Overseer studied him, tapping a finger on her armrest. Then she smiled, thin and sharp. "Perhaps. Or perhaps I turn you over to the Council and take the ship for myself."
The guards shifted, rifles half-raised. Lyra moved closer to Kael, her voice steady but slightly trembling. "If you do that, the Council won't stop with us. They'll come for Halver's Reach. They'll burn it to the ground to keep their secret."
The Overseer's gaze snapped to her. "And you are?"
"Lyra Veyra," she said, lifting her chin. "Xenobiologist. I've touched the ship. It's alive. And it doesn't respond to anyone who hasn't earned its trust. Not me. Not Kael. Certainly not the Council."
Silence fell. Then the Overseer laughed, a low, delighted sound. "You've got fire, girl. I like that."
She leaned back and waved a hand. The guards lowered their rifles.
"Fine," she said. "You'll stay. We'll talk. But understand this—Halver's Reach bows to no one. Not the Council, not your warship, not you."
Kael nodded, though his gut twisted. This was no alliance. Not yet. Only a dangerous game.
That night, Kael found himself in a cramped bunkroom assigned to them. The hum of the colony's generators seeped through the walls. Lyra sat at a small desk, pouring over her notes, while Rhea sprawled on her bunk, humming a tune.
Kael leaned against the doorframe, watching them. The tension was thick, every word edged with unspoken accusations.
Finally, Kael broke the silence. "You almost got us killed today, Rhea."
She didn't look up. "And I almost saved us. The Overseer wouldn't have given you the time of day without some bait."
Lyra slammed her datapad shut, anger flaring. "You don't get it, do you? You can't just gamble with secrets like that. If they turn on us—"
Rhea sat up, her eyes glinting. "Then maybe you shouldn't have woken up a ship that puts a target on all our backs."
The words struck deep. Lyra's face paled, her jaw tightening.
Kael stepped forward, his voice low but firm. "Enough. Both of you. We can't afford this."
Rhea's smirk returned, though it was weaker now. "Whatever you say, Captain."
She flopped back onto her bunk, but Kael noticed the flicker of something in her eyes. Not just defiance. Fear.
Later, when Rhea was finally asleep, Kael sat beside Lyra at the desk. Her hands shook slightly as she scrolled through alien symbols on her pad.
"You're not wrong," Kael said quietly.
Lyra glanced at him. "About what?"
"About the risk. About the Ark. It's dangerous. It could destroy us just as easily as save us."
Her shoulders sagged. "Then why do you keep pushing?"
Kael hesitated, then reached out, brushing his fingers lightly against hers. "Because I believe in you. You're the only one who's managed to touch it and survive. If anyone can guide it, it's you."
Lyra's breath caught as her eyes met his. "And if I can't?"
"Then we'll face it together," Kael said simply.
For a long moment, they sat in silence, their hands touching, the storm of Halver's Reach muffled by the thin walls.
The peace shattered with the blare of alarms. Red lights flared through the corridors, and the Overseer's voice crackled over the intercom.
"Council ships inbound! All fighters to stations!"
Kael jumped to his feet, blaster in hand. Lyra's eyes widened in fear.
Rhea groaned from her bunk, already strapping on her pistols. "Guess they followed your trail after all, Captain."
Kael's stomach dropped. This wasn't a coincidence. Someone had tipped them off.
And he had a sinking feeling he knew exactly who.