In the dead silence of the hospital ward, Cohen and the other two lying in their beds suddenly stirred, turning over as if pulled by an invisible thread. Their faces were set like stone, full of hardened resolve.
"Send the command—emergency battle readiness, now!" Chuck ordered, voice steely and decisive.
Cohen buttoned his uniform with swift, sure movements. Then he shot a glance at Kogar. "Did the distress signal go out?"
Kogar shook his head, grim and frustrated. "Our comms were obliterated in the attack. Repairs are underway, but it'll be a while."
On Wyrmtrace, the communication base was a shared lifeline, used by the military, government, and trading caravans alike. With it offline, they were totally cut off from the Alliance.
To make matters worse, the Empire had managed to steal the star map, leaving them stranded and exposed.
Unease spread through the ranks, tightening like a noose around every heart.
