"The Fallen."
Commander Elara Vance's words settled over the ruined command room, leaving Gamma Squad staring at her in silence.
Outside, the recovery operation continued. Medical personnel moved through the damaged outpost, collecting equipment and preparing the dead for transport. Occasionally, the distant sound of metal striking metal carried through the broken walls as military engineers worked to restore the perimeter defenses.
David barely noticed.
His attention remained on the seventeen casualty reports spread across the operations table.
Eight soldiers below Level Fifteen.
Nine soldiers above it.
The lower-level soldiers had died from injuries sustained during the attack. Their bodies had been left untouched afterward.
The others had suffered the same kind of combat injuries, but someone had deliberately drained their blood after they were dead.
And hundreds of soldiers were still missing.
Lucian broke the silence.
"The Fallen attacked all three outposts?"
"That's what the evidence suggests," Vance answered. "The damage patterns are consistent with a coordinated military assault, and the blood removal gives us a strong indication of who was responsible."
June looked toward the reports.
"Well, that explains the blood. It doesn't explain why they bothered attacking three outposts when there's an entire planet full of creatures they could be hunting."
"Because they aren't here simply to hunt creatures," Vance replied.
David studied her expression.
"You think they're trying to take Kharos Vale."
"I think we need to consider that possibility."
Nyra folded her arms.
"Then they're competing with us for planetary conversion."
"Exactly," Vance said. "Until Kharos Vale completes Whitefall or Greyfall, neither humanity nor the Fallen has exclusive ownership. Both sides can establish military operations and fight for control."
Castiel stood near the damaged doorway, his Shadow Blade resting at his hip.
"So attacking the outposts doesn't violate the treaty."
"No," Vance answered. "Kharos Vale is contested territory. The treaty protects planets that have already completed conversion. A Whitefall planet belongs to humanity, and a Greyfall planet belongs to the Fallen. Neither side can invade the other's converted worlds without violating the agreement."
June frowned.
"Which means they can kill our soldiers here, take our outposts, and keep fighting until somebody wins the planet."
"Yes."
"Wonderful arrangement."
"The treaty ended a galactic war, Cadet Kade," Vance replied. "It didn't eliminate the competition for unclaimed worlds."
David looked toward the casualty reports again.
"Then why drain the blood from only nine soldiers?"
Vance turned one of the reports toward him.
"Look at their levels."
David examined the information.
"Seventeen. Nineteen. Twenty-one."
He moved to the next report.
"Every soldier whose blood was taken was above Level Fifteen."
"And the eight below that level were left untouched," Mira observed.
Vance nodded.
"Because their blood was less valuable."
Lucian frowned.
"Valuable how?"
"To the Fallen, human blood is a delicacy. They don't require it to survive, but they prize it. The higher a human's level, the sweeter the blood becomes."
June looked disgusted.
"So we're expensive wine to them?"
"That's one way to describe it."
"Somehow, I preferred not knowing."
Vance continued.
"There's another reason they target higher-level humans. If a Fallen drinks the blood of someone whose level exceeds their own, they can obtain that higher level."
David slowly lowered the report.
"Then the stronger the soldier, the more valuable their blood becomes."
"Precisely."
Nyra looked toward the covered bodies visible through the doorway.
"They killed those soldiers and took their blood to make themselves stronger."
"Possibly," Vance answered. "Or they collected it for someone else. We don't know who ultimately received it."
Lucian's expression hardened.
"That explains the dead. What about everyone else?"
David looked toward the tactical projection hovering above the table.
Three outposts.
A trail of destruction stretching east through Sector A-08.
And hundreds of soldiers who had disappeared without leaving enough bodies to account for them.
"The missing soldiers weren't all killed," he said.
Vance looked toward him.
"Explain."
"If the Fallen wanted blood from higher-level soldiers, they could have taken it from everyone they killed. But there are hundreds missing, and we haven't found their bodies."
Mira nodded slightly.
"Prisoners."
"That's what I'm thinking."
June glanced between them.
"You're saying they captured an entire military force?"
"Not necessarily all at once," David replied. "The soldiers from Outpost One withdrew to Outpost Two. The survivors from Two reached Three. Whoever attacked them could have been driving them into one location."
Vance studied the projection.
"And once the defenders were concentrated, the Fallen overwhelmed them."
David nodded.
"Then took whoever survived."
Nyra looked toward the eastern edge of the map.
"Which means some of them could still be alive."
Vance remained silent for several seconds.
Then she enlarged the terrain beyond Outpost Three.
"We found signs of organized movement leading east. Our recovery teams haven't followed the trail far enough to determine where it ends."
"Then that's where we go," David said.
Vance looked at him.
"You're recommending we pursue an unknown Fallen force into territory we haven't secured?"
"I'm recommending we find our soldiers before the Fallen decide what to do with them."
For a moment, the two held each other's gaze.
Then Vance nodded.
"Agreed."
She turned toward the doorway.
"Lieutenant Mercer!"
The recovery commander appeared a moment later.
"Commander?"
"You're taking responsibility for Outpost Three. Secure the perimeter, restore communications, and establish a defensive position capable of holding until reinforcements arrive."
"Understood."
"Captain Ellison and the medical teams will remain here. Continue recovering our dead and preparing the wounded for transport."
Mercer glanced toward Gamma Squad.
"And your orders, Commander?"
"I'm going after the missing soldiers."
"With Gamma?"
"Yes."
Mercer hesitated.
"Ma'am, if the Fallen have enough personnel to overwhelm three outposts, six cadets aren't going to be enough."
"They won't be going alone."
Vance stepped away from the table.
"I'm accompanying them."
Nyra looked surprised.
"Personally, Commander?"
"Those are our soldiers out there, Cadet Valecrest. I'm not sending you into a situation like this while I sit behind a command table."
Mercer straightened.
"Understood, Commander."
Vance turned back toward Gamma.
"Twenty minutes. Check your equipment, replenish your supplies, and prepare to move."
June glanced toward the damaged ceiling.
"Twenty minutes to prepare for a rescue mission against an unknown number of Fallen. That's generous."
"Would you prefer ten?"
"No, Commander. Twenty is excellent."
David was already heading toward the doorway.
"Gamma, move."
***
The eastern gate of Outpost Three stood beneath a section of damaged perimeter wall.
Beyond it, the jungle stretched into the distance, its enormous trees rising above thick undergrowth and winding streams.
The morning air was warm and damp.
David stood beside the gate, checking the mechanisms of his Claw Gauntlets.
Each folded blade extended smoothly before retracting into its housing.
Satisfied, he secured the weapons and looked toward the others.
Nyra was examining the edges of her Twin Wind Crest Swords. The fading morning light caught the silver-white strands of her hair, illuminating the soft pink threaded through it and gathering more prominently near the ends.
She noticed David watching.
"Something wrong?"
"No."
"Then why do you look like you're expecting another disaster?"
David glanced toward the jungle.
"Because the last few days haven't exactly gone according to plan."
Nyra gave a small smile.
"That's becoming a habit with Gamma."
"Not one I'm particularly proud of."
She sheathed her swords.
"At least we're still together."
David looked toward her.
For a moment, he remembered the unknown planet, the collapsing stargate, and the enormous creature that had nearly killed them.
He remembered pushing Nyra through the gate while the world collapsed around him.
She seemed to recognize where his thoughts had gone.
"David."
He looked at her.
"We got through that."
"I know."
"And we'll get through this."
He nodded, although he wasn't certain either of them could make that promise.
Nearby, June was attaching a portable long-range transmitter to his equipment harness.
Lucian watched him.
"Did you remember everything this time?"
June didn't look up.
"Yes."
"The transmitter?"
"Obviously."
"The power cells?"
"Yes."
"The emergency backup?"
June paused.
Then he opened a compartment and checked.
Castiel laughed quietly.
"Excellent preparation."
June pointed at him.
"I was going to check that."
"Of course you were."
Mira walked past them.
"Check the battery."
June stared after her.
He looked down at the transmitter.
Then checked the battery.
Lucian folded his arms.
"Anything else you forgot?"
"My appreciation for this squad."
David approached them.
"Everyone ready?"
"Ready," Castiel answered.
Mira nodded.
Lucian adjusted the Bloodcrest Blade at his hip.
Nyra joined them.
June secured the final compartment.
"Ready to make several questionable decisions in hostile territory."
"Good," David said. "Because we're leaving."
Vance approached from the command building.
She wore a reinforced combat uniform rather than her usual Academy attire. A short sword rested at her left hip, while a folded defensive shield was secured along her opposite forearm.
David noticed the equipment immediately.
He had seen Vance demonstrate defensive techniques during training, but never in an actual battle.
Vance caught his glance.
"Something on your mind?"
"Your shield, Commander."
She raised her arm.
With a series of mechanical clicks, the overlapping metal sections unfolded into a broad defensive surface. A faint blue energy field spread across its edges.
"Modified military equipment," she explained. "Designed for close-quarters engagements."
Lucian examined it.
"Most officers prefer longer weapons."
"Most officers haven't spent as much time fighting stronger opponents as I have."
She collapsed the shield against her forearm.
"A longer weapon gives you reach. A shield gives you another opportunity to survive when that reach isn't enough."
June looked toward the jungle.
"I'm starting to think everyone knows something about this mission that I don't."
Vance passed him.
"Then pay attention, Cadet Kade."
David gave the signal.
Gamma Squad moved through the eastern gate.
***
The trail led through dense jungle, following a gradual descent toward the lower terrain of Sector A-08.
Enormous trees surrounded them, their roots spreading across the ground like twisted walls. Thick vines hung from the branches overhead, while broad leaves formed overlapping layers that reduced the sunlight to scattered patches.
The jungle remained alive with movement.
Small creatures leaped between branches. Insects with translucent wings gathered around flowering plants, and distant animal calls echoed through the canopy.
David found the ordinary wildlife strangely reassuring.
Whatever had driven the hostile creatures from H-09 hadn't emptied A-08 of its native life.
Castiel and Mira moved ahead as scouts, remaining close enough to communicate through hand signals.
Nyra traveled beside David.
Lucian and June followed behind, while Vance observed their formation from the center.
They had been moving for less than an hour when Mira raised her hand.
Everyone stopped.
She crouched beside a cluster of crushed vegetation and lifted something from the ground.
A broken restraint.
David approached.
"What is it?"
Mira turned the object in her hand.
"Not military issue."
June examined it.
"That's a reinforced locking mechanism. Looks like it was designed to restrain someone with enhanced strength."
Lucian frowned.
"Why would the Fallen leave it here?"
"Maybe someone escaped," Nyra suggested.
"Or the restraint broke and they replaced it," Mira replied.
Vance took the object and examined the damaged locking mechanism.
"Either way, it supports the prisoner theory."
David looked farther down the trail.
"Then we're going in the right direction."
Vance handed the restraint back to June.
"Keep it. We may be able to identify the manufacturer later."
June slipped it into a storage compartment.
"Another wonderful souvenir."
They continued.
As the hours passed, additional signs of organized movement appeared along the route.
A discarded medical wrapping lay beside a shallow stream.
Farther ahead, they found a torn section of military uniform caught beneath a fallen branch.
The fabric was stained with dried blood.
Nyra crouched beside it.
"Someone was wounded."
Vance examined the material.
"Standard Defense Command issue."
David looked along the trail.
"They were moving injured prisoners."
"Possibly," Vance replied. "But we still need to determine where."
The route eventually crossed a wide stretch of exposed stone before descending into softer ground.
There, hundreds of impressions covered the damp soil.
David crouched beside them.
"These aren't soldiers retreating."
Vance approached.
"What makes you say that?"
"The movement is too organized. Look at the spacing."
He indicated a series of deeper impressions running along both sides of the main trail.
"Two lines of armed escorts, with the prisoners between them."
Mira studied the tracks.
"Several groups passed through here."
Lucian looked toward the eastern jungle.
"How many?"
"Enough that the ground hasn't recovered," Mira answered.
David stood.
"We need to move faster."
Vance studied him.
"Carefully."
"Commander, if they're transporting prisoners, every hour matters."
"I agree. But rushing into an ambush won't save anyone."
David glanced toward the trail.
Vance stepped beside him.
"You're leading Gamma, David. Your responsibility isn't simply reaching the objective. It's making sure your squad survives long enough to complete it."
He considered her words.
Then nodded.
"Castiel. Mira. Advance ahead of the main group. Identify any enemy movement, but don't engage unless necessary."
Castiel rested a hand against the hilt of his Shadow Blade.
"Understood, D."
Mira gave a short nod.
The two disappeared into the vegetation.
Vance watched them go.
"Good decision."
David looked toward her.
"I thought you wanted us moving carefully."
"I do. That's why you sent scouts instead of charging ahead."
She continued down the trail.
"Leadership requires knowing when to move quickly and when to let someone else take the first step."
***
By early afternoon, the terrain had begun to rise.
The jungle grew darker beneath the thickening canopy, and the trail narrowed between enormous stone formations.
David was preparing to signal another halt when a sharp cry sounded from somewhere ahead.
A moment later, something crashed through the undergrowth.
"Contact!" Castiel's voice came over the communicator.
David immediately raised his gauntlets.
"Gamma, defensive formation!"
A large creature burst from the vegetation.
It resembled a heavily armored quadruped, with six powerful limbs and a narrow head protected by overlapping plates. Long hooked mandibles extended from either side of its mouth, while dark spines rose along its shoulders.
Its hide was scarred.
Several deep cuts marked its flanks, and a section of armor near its neck had been burned away.
The creature staggered into the clearing.
Then another emerged behind it.
And another.
Three in total.
All wounded.
All fleeing from something farther ahead.
June stared at them.
"Please tell me they're not coming this way."
The nearest creature saw Gamma and immediately changed direction.
Its mandibles spread.
David moved forward.
"Lucian, left! Nyra, right! Don't let them break through!"
The creature charged.
David activated his Claw Gauntlets, the folded blades extending from their housings with a sharp metallic click.
The creature charged, its powerful limbs tearing through the undergrowth as its mandibles snapped toward him.
"Predator Step!"
System:
Weapon Ability Activated — Predator Step
David's movement accelerated as he shifted sharply to the side, narrowly avoiding the creature's snapping mandibles.
He slipped beneath its leading limb and drove the claws of his gauntlet into the exposed underside.
The creature shrieked as the blades tore through its flesh.
Nyra moved in from the opposite direction.
"Tempest Dance!"
Blue energy swept around her Twin Wind Crest Swords as she struck twice in rapid succession, carving through the damaged armor along its shoulder.
The creature stumbled.
David drove his second gauntlet into the exposed opening.
It collapsed onto its side.
Behind them, Lucian intercepted another creature.
"Blood Weave!"
Crimson energy spread from his Bloodcrest Blade, forming thin strands that wrapped around the creature's forward limbs.
It struggled, dragging him several feet across the ground.
"June!"
"On it!"
June surged forward.
"Kinetic Step!"
He crossed the distance in a blur, bringing his Kinetic Baton down against the creature's exposed joint.
"Momentum Break!"
The impact released a concentrated burst of kinetic force.
The limb buckled.
Lucian tightened the crimson strands and pulled the creature off balance.
Vance moved past him.
Her shield unfolded with a metallic snap.
The creature struck it with enough force to send a tremor through the surrounding ground.
Vance held her position.
Then she stepped inside its reach and drove her short sword into the gap beneath its armored throat.
The creature convulsed before collapsing.
The third attempted to escape.
Mira appeared from the vegetation ahead of it.
Her twin blades flashed.
"Prediction Field."
Her eyes followed the creature's movement, anticipating the angle of its next step.
She shifted aside before its forelimb struck.
"Echo Strike!"
Her blades cut across the same vulnerable section in rapid succession.
Castiel emerged from the shadows behind the creature.
"Rend!"
His Shadow Blade struck the damaged joint.
He repositioned immediately and delivered a second strike to the exact same location.
The reinforced armor split.
The creature fell heavily against the ground.
Silence returned to the clearing.
June slowly lowered his baton.
"Well. That was unpleasant."
Lucian examined the fallen creatures.
"They were already injured."
David looked toward the direction they had come from.
"Something attacked them."
Mira crouched beside one of the bodies.
"These wounds weren't made by another creature."
Vance approached.
"Explain."
Mira indicated a long, clean cut across the armored flank.
"Blade damage."
Castiel looked toward the other bodies.
"Energy burns, too."
David studied the jungle ahead.
"Fallen patrols."
"Most likely," Vance answered.
June looked toward the trail.
"Then whatever they're guarding is probably close."
David nodded.
"Everyone check for injuries."
The squad quickly confirmed that no one had been seriously hurt.
David looked toward the three fallen creatures.
"Before we move, harvest the cores. No sense leaving them behind."
Lucian approached the creature Vance had killed and drew his Bloodcrest Blade.
"I'll take this one."
"Mira, Castiel, get the other two," David instructed.
Castiel glanced toward the jungle.
"Hopefully nothing else comes looking for them."
"That's why we're making this quick," David answered.
Mira knelt beside the creature she and Castiel had brought down. With practiced precision, she opened the protective tissue surrounding its core.
A faint glow emerged from beneath the armored flesh.
She carefully extracted the core and wiped it clean.
"One."
Nearby, Lucian recovered another core, while Castiel finished extracting the third.
June opened a storage compartment on his equipment harness.
"I suppose I'm carrying these?"
David looked toward him.
"You're already carrying the collection container."
"Of course I am. Technical genius, communications specialist, and apparently Gamma Squad's personal storage unit."
Nyra smiled faintly.
"You're very good at it."
"That's the nicest thing anyone's said to me all day."
Mira handed him the first core.
"Don't drop it."
June looked at her.
"Now you're just trying to ruin the moment."
David waited until all three cores were secured.
"Three cores recovered. We'll identify their rarity and distribute them when we return to the Academy."
Vance nodded.
"Good. Recovering resources is part of an explorer's responsibility, but don't forget why we're here."
David looked toward the trail.
"The prisoners."
"Exactly."
Vance examined the direction the creatures had fled from.
"These animals were driven out of their territory. The Fallen may be clearing the area around a military position."
David looked toward Castiel and Mira.
"Can you continue scouting?"
Castiel wiped his blade clean.
"Of course."
Mira nodded.
"There's a ridge ahead. We can use it to observe the lower terrain."
"Do it," David answered. "And don't let anyone see you."
Castiel gave him a faint smile.
"We'll try not to announce ourselves."
June glanced toward the dead creatures.
"Could've fooled me."
The ridge overlooked a sheltered basin surrounded by enormous trees and weathered stone formations.
David reached the upper slope shortly before evening.
Castiel and Mira were already waiting beneath a broad section of exposed rock.
Neither spoke when Gamma approached.
Castiel simply pointed toward the valley below.
David crouched beside him.
Then he saw it.
A Fallen military camp.
Dark shelters stood between the trees, their surfaces designed to blend into the surrounding vegetation. Reinforced barriers divided the interior into separate sections, while narrow paths connected supply stations, command structures, and guarded checkpoints.
Elevated platforms overlooked the perimeter.
Fallen soldiers moved between the structures in organized patrols.
Some wore dark fitted armor and carried powered blades. Others were equipped with heavier protective gear.
David counted fifteen Fallen soldiers moving throughout the camp, including those guarding the prisoners and patrolling the perimeter.
And near the center of the camp stood several large holding enclosures.
Human prisoners crowded behind the barriers.
David's expression hardened.
"We found them."
Nyra moved beside him.
Her eyes widened as she studied the prisoners.
"Those are our soldiers."
Some wore damaged Defense Command uniforms.
Others sat against the barriers, their heads lowered.
Several appeared badly injured.
A man with one arm supported in a makeshift sling struggled to remain standing while another prisoner helped him.
Nearby, two Fallen guards were escorting a small group toward a covered structure.
One prisoner stumbled.
A guard struck him with the flat of his weapon.
The man fell to his knees.
Nyra's hand tightened around her sword.
Lucian leaned forward.
"Give me five minutes down there."
David shook his head.
"Not yet."
"They're beating our soldiers."
"I see it."
"Then why are we waiting?"
"Because if we charge into that camp, the prisoners will be caught between us and the Fallen."
Lucian looked toward the holding enclosures.
His jaw tightened.
Then he slowly released his grip on the Bloodcrest Blade.
"Fine. What's the plan?"
Vance moved beside David and raised a compact optical device.
She examined the camp for several moments.
"At least forty prisoners visible. Possibly more inside the structures."
June frowned.
"Forty? There were hundreds missing."
"I know."
David studied the layout.
The holding enclosures were positioned near the center, protected by several layers of security.
Beyond them stood a row of larger structures.
Near the eastern perimeter, Fallen soldiers were moving equipment toward a broad clearing.
David couldn't identify what the clearing was being used for.
But the number of guards stationed around it suggested something important.
"Commander," he said quietly. "Look east."
Vance adjusted her optical device.
"I see it."
"What are they doing?"
"Moving supplies. Possibly preparing for transport."
June unfolded his portable scanner.
"Let me take a look."
He adjusted the device and examined the camp.
A faint projection appeared above its surface.
"Perimeter sensors. Several of them. They've got a detection grid covering the main approaches."
"Can you disable it?" David asked.
"Not from here without risking an alarm. But I can identify the gaps."
Castiel studied the western perimeter.
"There's a supply route behind those storage shelters."
Mira nodded.
"Two guards at the entrance. Another patrol passes every few minutes."
David looked toward them.
"You've been watching the patrols?"
"Since we reached the ridge," Mira answered.
"Any sign of the missing soldiers?"
"Only the ones inside the holding areas."
Vance lowered her optical device.
"We need someone inside."
Nyra looked toward her.
"To free them?"
"First, to determine their condition and how they're being held. If we attempt a rescue without understanding the security arrangements, the Fallen could begin killing prisoners before we reach them."
David studied the western supply route.
Then he looked toward Castiel.
"Cass."
Castiel turned.
"You're thinking Shadow Veil."
"Can you get inside?"
Castiel examined the camp.
"The western approach has enough cover. If I time the patrols correctly, I can reach the storage section."
"And from there?"
"Depends on what they've got guarding the holding area."
David nodded.
"Then you're our best option."
"Agreed," Vance said.
She turned toward Mira.
"But he won't be going alone."
David followed her gaze.
"Mira?"
"Yes."
David considered the decision.
Mira was one of Gamma's most precise fighters. Her Prediction Field allowed her to anticipate enemy movements, and her twin blades were devastating at close range.
But infiltration was different from fighting.
"Commander, Castiel's Shadow Veil makes him the obvious choice. Mira doesn't have that ability."
"No," Vance answered. "But she has something equally useful."
David looked at her.
"What?"
Vance studied him for a moment.
"How much do you know about the Solen Clan?"
David blinked.
"The Solen Clan?"
He glanced toward Mira.
"I know she's from the clan. I don't know much beyond that."
June slowly lowered his scanner.
"Oh, this should be interesting."
Lucian looked toward him.
"What?"
June gestured toward Mira.
"Have none of you ever wondered why I keep calling her an assassin?"
Castiel raised an eyebrow.
"I assumed it was because you enjoy annoying her."
"That's only part of it."
Mira looked toward him.
"June."
"What? I'm not revealing anything."
"You're about to."
"I was considering my options."
Vance turned toward David.
"The Solen Clan isn't one of the Twelve Great Families. Publicly, its influence appears limited. Most civilians know very little about it."
She paused.
"That's intentional."
David listened carefully.
"Why?"
"Because the Solen Clan built its influence through work that was never meant to become public."
Vance glanced toward the camp.
"Before the Great War, its members conducted covert operations for powerful organizations and influential families. Espionage, reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, political operations, and targeted assassinations."
Lucian looked toward Mira.
"Assassinations?"
"Among other assignments," Vance replied. "The clan was known for completing objectives that conventional forces couldn't accomplish without attracting attention."
Castiel studied Mira.
"That explains why you're so quiet."
Mira looked at him.
"Not everyone needs to talk constantly."
June raised a finger.
"I feel personally attacked."
"You should," Mira replied.
Lucian laughed under his breath.
David remained focused on Vance.
"And after the war?"
"Their work changed. They began operating alongside government intelligence agencies on classified assignments."
"What kind of assignments?"
Vance hesitated.
Then she activated the identification device secured to her wrist.
A small holographic display appeared.
"Commander-level authorization."
The device responded with a confirmation tone.
Several lines of restricted information appeared above her wrist.
Vance reviewed them.
"What I'm about to tell you is classified. You will not repeat it outside this squad."
David nodded.
"Understood."
The others acknowledged her order.
June raised a hand.
"Does that include jokes?"
"Especially jokes, Cadet Kade."
He lowered his hand.
"That's unfortunate."
Vance continued.
"The Solen Clan conducts operations on Fallen-controlled worlds."
David's attention sharpened.
"Fallen worlds?"
"Yes. Intelligence gathering, reconnaissance, infiltration, and the elimination of specific military targets."
Lucian frowned.
"How important are those targets?"
"Lieutenants. Command officers. Generals."
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
David slowly turned toward Mira.
"Your clan assassinates Fallen generals?"
"When assigned," she answered.
Her voice was calm.
Almost indifferent.
David found that more surprising than the answer itself.
Vance dismissed the display.
"The Solen Clan has spent generations perfecting methods of entering heavily defended locations, completing an objective, and leaving without being detected. Their training emphasizes discipline, loyalty, silence, and precision."
Castiel glanced toward Mira.
"And you've been trained in those methods?"
"Since I was young."
June folded his arms, looking thoroughly vindicated.
"I've been telling you people she's an assassin since the Academy. Nobody listens to me."
David looked toward Mira, then back at June.
"You knew about this?"
June shrugged.
"I knew enough to stay on her good side. That's called survival instinct."
Mira glanced at him.
"You should practice it more often."
"See?" June gestured toward her. "Terrifying."
Castiel chuckled, shaking his head.
"Considering how often you annoy her, I'm beginning to question whether you have any survival instinct at all."
June pointed toward him.
"There's a difference between being brave and being stupid, Cass."
Lucian raised an eyebrow.
"And which one are you?"
June considered the question for a moment.
"That depends entirely on whether Mira is listening."
"I'm listening," Mira replied.
June slowly lowered his hand.
"Then definitely brave."
Despite the tension, Castiel smiled.
David glanced at Mira.
"Why didn't you ever tell us about any of this?"
She considered the question.
"You never asked."
June stared at her.
"That's your explanation?"
"It's accurate."
Castiel laughed quietly.
David shook his head.
He should have expected that answer.
Mira had never been someone who volunteered information about herself.
She spoke when something needed to be said.
And rarely before.
Vance folded her arms.
"The Solen Clan includes blood relatives, trained members, and recruits. Not everyone serves in the same capacity, but their training standards are exceptionally demanding."
She looked toward Mira.
"Your personnel ranking indicates that you're qualified for advanced infiltration assignments."
Mira nodded.
"Yes, Commander."
David looked between them.
"Then you're recommending Mira accompany Castiel."
"Exactly. His Shadow Veil provides concealment. Her training provides the precision needed to move through a guarded position without exposing either of them."
Castiel studied the camp.
"Sounds like a reasonable combination."
Mira looked toward him.
"As long as you follow instructions."
Castiel raised an eyebrow.
"Your instructions?"
"If you want to remain undetected."
June covered his mouth.
Lucian looked toward him.
"What?"
"I'm trying very hard not to laugh."
David returned his attention to the holding enclosures.
The prisoners were still there.
Still alive.
But the Fallen were becoming increasingly active around the camp.
A group of guards had begun moving several prisoners toward the eastern structures.
David watched them disappear behind a row of shelters.
He didn't like it.
"We're running out of time."
Vance followed his gaze.
"I agree."
David turned toward Castiel and Mira.
"Your objective is to infiltrate the camp and eliminate every Fallen guard without raising an alarm."
Castiel studied the camp below.
"Fifteen soldiers. That's a lot of ground to cover without anyone noticing."
"Which is why we're sending both of you," David replied. "We can't afford to let even one of them alert Fallen command."
Mira examined the patrol routes.
"The outer guards are separated from the main camp. If we eliminate them during their patrol intervals, we can move inward without drawing attention."
Castiel nodded.
"Shadow Veil should get us through the perimeter. Once we're inside, we'll work our way toward the holding area."
David looked between them.
"Take out the isolated guards first. Work together, keep the bodies concealed, and don't give anyone a chance to sound an alarm."
"Understood, D," Castiel answered.
David continued.
"The last group will be the guards protecting the prisoners. We can't risk them using the captives as hostages."
Mira nodded.
"We'll make sure they don't."
Vance stepped closer.
"Remember, this isn't simply about rescuing the prisoners. If Fallen command learns we've discovered this camp, they could order reinforcements or begin moving the captives before we can secure them."
She looked toward the holding enclosures.
"Every guard must be eliminated quietly. No alarms, no warnings, and no opportunity for anyone to contact their superiors."
Castiel rested a hand against the hilt of his Shadow Blade.
"Understood, Commander."
David glanced toward the others.
"The rest of Gamma will remain concealed until Castiel and Mira finish clearing the camp. Once the guards are eliminated, we move in and secure the prisoners."
Lucian looked toward the perimeter.
"And if they're discovered?"
"Then we move immediately," David answered. "Our priority becomes stopping the alarm and protecting the prisoners."
Nyra nodded.
"We'll be ready."
June examined his scanner.
"I can monitor the perimeter sensors and communication signals from here. If someone tries to activate an alarm, I should be able to detect it."
"Can you stop it?" David asked.
June studied the readings.
"I might be able to interfere with the signal, but I wouldn't count on it. If their alarm uses a different frequency or a direct connection to Fallen command, I may not have enough time."
Vance nodded.
"Then we don't rely on electronic interference. The operation succeeds through stealth."
David looked toward Castiel and Mira.
"Fifteen guards. Every one of them. Quietly."
Mira adjusted her twin blades.
"We understand."
Castiel glanced toward her.
"Looks like we're going to have a busy evening."
Mira studied the camp one final time.
"Then we'd better get started."
Castiel looked toward him.
"Can you keep the communication channel secure?"
June gave him an offended look.
"Of course I can."
Lucian folded his arms.
"You forgot the transmitter."
"That was one time!"
Mira looked toward the scanner.
"Focus, June."
He sighed.
"Yes, assassin."
David examined the camp again.
"Lucian, you're with me. We'll identify the quickest route to the holding area in case we need to intervene."
Lucian nodded.
"Good."
"Nyra, help Commander Vance prepare a defensive position along the western approach. If we free those prisoners, some of them may need to be carried out."
Nyra looked toward the wounded soldiers.
"I'll make sure we have somewhere safe to bring them."
"June, monitor the sensors and keep communications open."
"Already working on it."
Vance nodded approvingly.
"Once Castiel and Mira report, we'll determine how to proceed."
David turned toward the two infiltrators.
"Any questions?"
Castiel shook his head.
Mira checked the positioning of her twin blades.
"No."
David studied them for a moment.
"Then let's get our people out of there."
The sun was beginning to disappear behind the western ridge.
Below them, fifteen Fallen soldiers guarded the camp, unaware that Gamma Squad was watching from above.
David turned toward Castiel and Mira.
"Eliminate all fifteen guards quietly. No alarms, no warnings to Fallen command. Once the camp is secure, signal us."
Castiel rested a hand against the hilt of his Shadow Blade.
"Understood, D."
Mira adjusted her twin blades.
"We'll handle it."
Vance studied the camp one final time.
"If either of you is discovered, Gamma moves in immediately. We cannot allow the Fallen to alert their command or harm the prisoners."
David nodded.
"Everyone else, stay concealed and prepare to move."
June checked his scanner.
"I'll monitor their communications. If anything changes, you'll know."
Castiel glanced toward Mira.
"Ready?"
She looked down at the guards patrolling the perimeter.
"Ready."
David watched as the two moved toward the tree line.
"Both of you come back."
Castiel glanced over his shoulder.
"That's the plan, D."
Mira gave a small nod before following him into the shadows.
David remained beside Vance, watching the place where they had disappeared.
Fifteen Fallen soldiers stood between Gamma Squad and the prisoners.
By morning, David intended to have every one of those soldiers freed.