The Shadowfang glided through the calm expanse of space, the turbulence of the Vexis Nebula fading behind them. Yet, the air aboard the ship remained tense. The shard, now secured in a containment unit in the cargo bay, pulsed faintly, as though alive.
Arkan sat in the dimly lit lounge, staring at his hands. The Neo-Ki that coursed through him felt different—stronger, yet volatile. Something about the shard's energy had resonated with him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that it was changing him.
"You look like you've seen a ghost," Kyra said, leaning against the doorway.
Arkan didn't look up. "Maybe I have."
A Mysterious Past
Kyra sauntered into the room, plopping onto the couch across from him. "You're not the only one with a past, you know," she said, her tone lighter than her words.
"Is that so?" Arkan replied, finally meeting her gaze.
She shrugged. "Let's just say the Vow and I have history. They took something from me—a lot of somethings, actually. Now I take from them."
"Revenge, then?"
"Call it... even the score." Her smirk returned, but it didn't reach her eyes. "And you? What's your deal, conduit?"
Arkan's eyes narrowed. "What do you know about conduits?"
Kyra leaned forward, her expression suddenly serious. "More than you'd think. I know you're not just a regular guy playing hero. That power of yours—it's Nexus tech, isn't it?"
Arkan's silence was all the confirmation she needed.
The Next Shard
In the ship's cockpit, Kairo and Iris worked to triangulate the location of the next shard.
"The shard we found in the nebula had coordinates embedded in its energy signature," Iris explained. "It's like a breadcrumb trail, leading to the next piece."
"And where's it leading us?" Luna asked, her tone skeptical.
"An uncharted planet on the edge of Syndicate space," Iris said, bringing up a holographic map. The planet was marked with a faint red glow, its name unknown.
"Great," Luna muttered. "Uncharted planets are always safe."
"Better than staying here," Kairo said. "The Vow's probably regrouping as we speak. We need to move."
A New Threat
As the Shadowfang prepared to jump to the planet's coordinates, alarms blared throughout the ship.
"Incoming vessel!" Luna shouted, pulling up the external feeds.
A massive Syndicate dreadnought emerged from hyperspace, its cannons already charging.
"How did they find us so fast?" Kairo barked.
"They didn't," Kyra said, entering the cockpit with Arkan. "That's not the Vow. It's the Syndicate."
"Same difference," Luna muttered, gripping the controls. "They're not here to make friends."
The dreadnought launched a swarm of drones, their sleek forms buzzing toward the Shadowfang.
"Looks like they want the shard," Kairo said. "We can't let them have it."
Arkan stepped forward, his Neo-Ki flaring to life. "Open the airlock."
"What?" Luna turned to him, incredulous.
"I'll handle the drones," Arkan said, his tone firm.
The Sky Burns
The airlock hissed open, and Arkan launched himself into the void, Neo-Ki radiating from his body like a second sun. The drones swarmed him immediately, their plasma weapons lighting up the darkness.
Arkan moved like a blur, his energy blades cutting through the drones with surgical precision. Explosions erupted around him, the shockwaves rippling through the vacuum.
Inside the cockpit, Kyra watched the battle unfold with a mix of awe and concern. "He's good," she admitted. "But he won't last forever out there."
"Then let's make sure he doesn't have to," Kairo said, activating the ship's weapon systems.
The Shadowfang opened fire, its turrets tearing through the drones that Arkan couldn't reach. Together, they began to push back the Syndicate's assault.
A Dangerous Gamble
Onboard the Syndicate dreadnought, a commanding officer watched the battle with growing frustration.
"Focus all fire on the Shadowfang," they ordered. "The conduit will fall once his ship is destroyed."
Back on the Shadowfang, Iris picked up the energy spike on her scanner. "They're targeting us directly!"
"Not for long," Kyra said, taking a seat at one of the consoles. "I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."
"What are you doing?" Luna asked, her hands flying over the controls to dodge incoming fire.
"Jamming their targeting systems," Kyra replied. "And if that doesn't work... well, let's hope it does."
A Narrow Escape
As the Shadowfang weaved through the Syndicate's onslaught, Arkan delivered a final, devastating blow to the remaining drones. His Neo-Ki flared one last time, and a shockwave of energy ripped through the swarm, disintegrating them instantly.
"Arkan, get back here!" Kairo shouted over the comms.
Arkan propelled himself back toward the ship, landing in the airlock just as the Syndicate dreadnought prepared to fire its main cannon.
"Brace yourselves!" Luna yelled.
Before the cannon could fire, the Shadowfang jumped to hyperspace, leaving the Syndicate dreadnought behind.
A Quiet Moment
In the aftermath of the battle, the crew gathered in the lounge. Arkan sat silently, his energy drained but his resolve unshaken.
"That was close," Kairo said, slumping into a chair.
"Too close," Luna added, glaring at Kyra. "And who invited her again?"
Kyra smirked. "You're welcome for saving your asses back there."
"Enough," Arkan said, his voice cutting through the tension. "We've got a bigger problem. The Syndicate and the Vow both know about the shards now. They'll stop at nothing to get them."
"Then we'd better make sure we find them first," Kairo said.
Arkan nodded, his gaze shifting to the shard glowing faintly in the corner. "We have no choice. This isn't just about us anymore. If the Vow gets all the shards..."
Kyra finished the thought, her smirk fading. "They'll have enough power to rewrite the galaxy."