Author's Note: Unedited Chapter
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"A Triton guard?" Gustav's tone shifted from confrontational to curious, his grip loosening just enough to allow the guard to breathe more easily.
The guard catching his breath, quickly tried to leverage the mont.
"Yes, yes! I'm—I'm not here to cause trouble. I recognized you, Gustav Crimson, and curiosity got the better of . I ant no harm!"
Gustav set him down but didn't release him completely, his hand firmly on Sael's shoulder.
"Curiosity? Or were you planning on outing my location?" Gustav's suspicion was evident.
The guard, realizing that honesty was his best chance at walking away unscathed, nodded hurriedly.
"It's true, I thought about it—but I swear, I haven't told anyone! Please, I have no interest in crossing soone like you."
Gustav studied him for a mont longer, then finally released him, stepping back.
"What is a Triton guard doing here anyway? Don't you guys specialize in transporting criminals?"
The guard still catching his breath from the encounter, responded with a mixture of relief and apprehension.
"I—I was assigned to patrol this area, not by choice but by orders. My superiors… they sent to keep an eye out for Vlaid Zenith."
The ntion of Vlaid Zenith caused Gustav to narrow his eyes in surprise and suspicion.
"Zenith? Why?"
Realizing that evasion might only provoke another confrontation from which he might not walk away, he hurriedly complied.
"We were tasked to recover a stolen item—Rion—and to recapture an escaped prisoner, Karis..."
"You're here for Karis and the Rion?" Gustav knew Triton would try to make a move but he hadn't expected it to be so quick.
Sael nodded, eager to cooperate, perhaps to curry favor or simply to avoid further physical persuasion.
"After the incident with one of our transport vessels and theft, our intelligence traced Karis's path to the Nereus Sector. We believe Karis and Zenith might be collaborating, which makes him a person of interest in multiple violations."
Gustav processed the information, "And I'm guessing a team has been ford to process retrieval?"
"That's right," Sael continued, shifting uncomfortably under Gustav's intense gaze.
"Engagent without backup is deed too risky. Zenith has resources and allies that far outweigh what I could handle alone. My role was reconnaissance only—observe and report back."
Gustav mulled over the details, "Since you guys are here now, there's no need for to ddle anymore."
"Are you saying you're here for the sa reason as us?" Sael asked, his voice laced with disbelief.
"To retrieve the Rion and apprehend Karis?"
Gustav, his expression somber, nodded. "Partially. I was at the scene of the wreckage. That's where we found Eyhrum. He pleaded for help, claiming the Rion's danger was too great to ignore. We saved him and did in fact co here to help, but now I think we should leave the rest to your team."
Sael's confusion deepened, his eyebrows knitting together as he processed Gustav's words.
"But… Gustav Crimson, the fugitive? You're not the monster stories across the universe make you out to be."
Gustav gave a wry half-smile, the kind worn by those who'd long accepted the weight of the world's misjudgnts.
"Stories often find a life of their own. Eyhrum is with us, I'll tell him to join you guys."
Sael's surprise turned to shock.
"Officer Eyhrum? He's one of the leaders of our retrieval operation. He was the sole survivor who called for backup imdiately after the wreck. You're saying he's with you?"
Gustav's confusion mirrored Sael's.
"Eyhrum is with us, yes. He has been aiding in our efforts to locate Karis and the Rion. Are you sure we're talking about the sa person?"
Sael shook his head, disbelief etched across his features.
"There must be so mistake. After the wreck, Eyhrum coordinated with our command to organize this mission. He couldn't have been with you."
The implication hung between them like a charged cloud ready to burst. Gustav's mind raced. An imposter? The pieces didn't fit.
"This is what happened according to your command after the wreck?" Gustav prompted, needing to hear the full story.
"Yes," Sael started, his voice steady with the cadence of recited facts.
"Eyhrum transmitted a distress signal shortly after the wreck. He reported that Karis had orchestrated an escape, leveraging the chaos to steal the Rion. Command mobilized a response team based on his coordinates and intel. He's supposed to be embedded with the recovery team, overseeing the operation from a command post not far from here."
Gustav's thoughts churned. The man they'd rescued had seed genuine enough at the ti. Could they have been deceived so easily? "If he's with the command team, then who have we been harboring?" Gustav mused aloud, more to himself than to Sael.
Sael looked equally troubled, the security implications of an imposter deep within their operations dawning on him.
"We need to verify this, imdiately. If there's an imposter, it could compromise the entire operation. And if he's after the Rion..."
"Then we may have inadvertently been aiding an enemy," Gustav concluded, the gravity of the situation settling over him.
"You said you found him in the wreckage?" Sael tried to confirm.
"Nearly dead at that. There is no doubt that he was there when the incident occurred but must have chosen a fake identity... Because he isn't on the right side of this," Gustav imdiately pieced everything together.
"Do you an...?" Sael seed to understand what Gustav ant.
"Where is that command team of yours located?"
...
Gustav and the guard, Sael, walked briskly through the dimly lit corridors of the Nereus Sector, making their way to a concealed command post established by the Triton guards.
The sector's usual cacophony faded into a muffled echo behind thick, reinforced doors that led to a series of storage facilities, cleverly repurposed into a strategic base of operations.
The command post was starkly utilitarian, with exposed pipes running across low ceilings and harsh LED lights casting stark shadows.
Screens and digital maps flickered with the constant stream of data, and a palpable tension filled the air, compounded by the urgent murmurs of Triton operatives moving briskly about their duties.
Upon entering, Gustav was greeted by a humanoid male with a rigid military posture, wearing the distinct crisp uniform of a Triton officer. His hair was peppered gray, and his glowing eyes, sharp and assessing, quickly took in Gustav's asure.
"Officer Eyhrum, I presu?" Gustav mumbled.
"That's correct. And you must be the infamous Gustav Crimson. My subordinate briefed on the comms," Eyhrum's voice was even, but his eyes were wary.
Gustav nodded, getting straight to the point.
"As much as I do not wish to further involve myself, the imposter pretending to be you might prove to be a problem."
Eyhrum's brow furrowed, and he signaled for the others to gather around.
A small group of operatives joined them, forming a semi-circle around a central holo-table.
"Can you describe him?" Eyhrum inquired.
"SJ," Gustav called out.
Zing~
The sacred jewel appeared in place and flashed a bright light from its circular visage.
The light ford the features of the fake Eyhrum.
The group imdiately took note of the physical features of the fake Eyhrum and began working to identify him.
Images flickered into view, and after several monts, the real identity of the imposter was revealed—
Eyhrum's expression hardened.
"Thalos. I should've known..."
...
...
...
-The Next Day-
In the shadowy underbelly of the Nereus Sector, within the confines of a heavily fortified warehouse at the eastern docks, a clandestine eting was taking place.
The warehouse was a sprawling maze of crates and cargoes, dimly lit by flickering lights that cast long, ominous shadows across the cold, concrete floor.
At the center of the secretive assembly stood a large, sturdy table littered with digital displays and holographic projectors, illuminating the area with soft, pulsing light.
Standing at the head of the table was Vlaid Zenith, a figure of imposing stature and commanding presence.
Zenith was a striking blend of humanoid and alien features: his skin bore a tallic sheen, reflecting the light in iridescent waves, while sharp, angular ridges ran along his jawline and forehead, giving him an intimidating appearance.
His eyes were a piercing silver, devoid of any visible iris, exuding a cold, calculating intelligence.
Around him were gathered his lieutenants, each wearing tech masks that obscured their faces but enhanced their sense, and connected to the various data streams flowing in from their operations around the sector.
They were not ordinary criminals; they were specialists in espionage, smuggling, and high-stakes theft, handpicked by Zenith for their skills and loyalty.
"Boss, the latest shipnts have cleared the outer checkpoints. We've moved the contraband through the Tesseran Rift without any Imperial entanglents. The profits are exceeding projections," reported a lieutenant, his voice modulated through the mask.
Zenith nodded, his expression unreadable.
"Good. The markets are hungry, and our supply lines are holding. What's the status of the Rion acquisition? Has there been contact yet?"
Another lieutenant, a female with sleek cybernetic enhancents visible at the nape of her neck, chid in, "Still in play. There has been no contact yet, but we are chasing certain leads. However, boss... There have been sightings of powerful forces present in the sector."
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