The sight of the mangled escape pod, a familiar scar of Imperial technology against the alien rock, sent a jolt through Haruto. For weeks, he had operated under the assumption of singularity. Now, that assumption was shattered. He raised a hand, halting the group's advance about two hundred meters from the crevice. The wisp of smoke confirmed recent activity, but it also broadcasted their position to anything else watching from the peaks.
"Kaito, Riku, take up an overwatch position behind that cluster of rocks," Haruto commanded in a low, authoritative tone, pointing to a natural defensive position. "Set your pistols to wide dispersal. If anything other than a human emerges from that wreck, suppress it. Do not use lethal force unless I command it."
The two guards nodded, their faces grim, and moved with a practiced efficiency that was a testament to Haruto's recent training. They were no longer just royal guards; they were a fire team.
"Himari, stay with me," Haruto continued. "Your scanner is our eyes. Keep it focused on the crash site, but also sweep our flanks. We don't know if they're alone, or if something has been drawn by their beacon."
She nodded, her knuckles white where she gripped the device. The initial elation of finding the source of the signal was now tempered by a cold, tactical caution. Who had survived? And in what condition?
**
Two survivors. Good. He unslung his plasma rifle, holding it in a low-ready position.
"This is Officer Haruto of the Imperial Exploration Vessel Icarus," he broadcasted over a wide-band military frequency, his voice calm and clear. "I am approaching your position. Identify yourselves."
For a long moment, the only reply was the mournful sigh of the wind through the mountain peaks. Then, a crackle of static, followed by a voice, strained but sharp with military discipline. "This is Sergeant Akane, Special Operations Unit 734. Maintain your distance and transmit your Imperial service code for verification. Now."
Haruto didn't hesitate. "Code is Sierra-Kilo-Niner-Seven-Three-Tango-Alpha."
There was another pause. He could picture the survivor on the other end, cross-referencing his code on a datapad, her finger likely hovering over the trigger of her own weapon.
"Code is verified, Officer," the voice, Akane's, returned. The tension lessened by a fraction. "You are a long way from home. What is your status?"
"Sole survivor of my pod. I've established a secure base camp to the south. I'm here to render aid and escort you to safety," Haruto replied, beginning to walk forward slowly, his movements deliberate and non-threatening.
As they cleared the final rock formation, the camp came into full view. It was a desperate scene. The cockpit was a ruin of torn metal and shattered composites. A makeshift tent had been fashioned from a survival blanket, and a small, smoky fire struggled for life in a ring of stones.
Two women stood beside the fire, both clad in the tattered remains of Imperial black-ops undersuits. They were identical, with sharp features and short-cropped, practical black hair, a clear sign they were from a military clone batch. Both held plasma rifles, their aim steady despite their obvious exhaustion. One, presumably Akane, had a crude bandage wrapped around her upper arm. The other, her twin, stood slightly behind her, her eyes scanning their surroundings with a chilling intensity.
When they saw Himari, Kaito, and Riku, their professional calm shattered for a second. Their rifles immediately snapped towards the natives, their expressions hardening into masks of suspicion.
"Officer, who are the civilians?" the second clone, Sakura, demanded, her voice a low growl.
"They are my allies," Haruto said firmly, stepping partially in front of Himari. "This is Princess Himari Celestine, and her guards, Kaito and Riku. They are under my protection. Stand down, Sergeant."
Akane's eyes flickered between Haruto's calm, authoritative face and the strangely dressed locals holding weapons that looked like a bizarre fusion of a sword and a gun. She saw the deference Kaito and Riku showed Haruto, and the trust in Himari's eyes. Her military mind struggled to process the data. This was not a standard rescue operation.
After a long, tense moment, she lowered her rifle, and Sakura reluctantly followed suit. "Our pod's navigator and long-range comms were destroyed in the ejection," Akane explained, her voice rough with fatigue. "We've been stranded for thirty-seven standard days. Our primary power cell is failing, and we're down to our last two ration packs. We thought we were the only ones."
"You're not," Haruto said, his gaze softening slightly as he took in their condition. He walked forward and offered Akane a high-energy ration bar from his pack. "Now you're not."
The simple act of offering food broke the last of the tension. Akane took the bar with a hand that trembled slightly, the disciplined soldier giving way to the starving survivor. For the first time, Haruto allowed himself a moment of genuine relief. He hadn't just found survivors. He had found soldiers. His mission, and the future of everyone on this planet, had just become infinitely more complex, and infinitely more possible.