The standoff in the crumbling hallways of Orion Nexus felt like an eternity. Dominic's heart pounded in his chest, his eyes locked on Sera as she slowly reached for her sidearm. The familiar metallic click of her hand meeting the weapon's grip echoed ominously in the silence.
Every instinct screamed at him to fire, to end this right now. But he couldn't. Not yet. The data he carried was too important, and the risk of an open confrontation was too great. He had no idea how many others might be lurking in the station, or how long it would take for Sera to call for backup.
Dominic's mind raced, calculating his options. The old station's layout was a maze, but he knew it well enough to find a way out. There was one thing Sera had underestimated—his ability to think on his feet.
"Is this really how you want it to end, Sera?" Dominic said, his voice cold and controlled. He kept the plasma rifle trained on her but took a half step back. His gaze flickered to the hallway behind her. He couldn't afford to hesitate any longer. There was still time to turn the tables.
Sera's lips twisted into a thin smile, the same smile that had once made Dominic think they were on the same side. The betrayal still stung, but he had no room for emotions now.
"You always were the predictable one, Dominic," she said, her tone almost amused. "So sure of your plan. But this time, you're out of your depth."
Dominic didn't respond. He didn't have to. He was already calculating his escape route.
His eyes darted to the side, catching sight of the loading bay doors that led deeper into the station. There, parked in the dim light of the docking bay, was a new ship. A sleek, state-of-the-art transport that had clearly seen better days. But it was still operational. It was a risk, but it was the only chance he had.
Sera seemed oblivious to Dominic's movements as she kept her weapon trained on him. Her focus was solely on him, assuming he was cornered. And maybe, in a sense, he was. But Dominic wasn't the type to stay down for long.
"Look, Sera," Dominic began again, his voice steady but with an edge. "This isn't you. The CMC? They've been using you. You don't have to be their pawn. There's still time to walk away from this."
Sera's smirk faded, replaced by an unreadable expression. For a split second, Dominic saw something in her eyes. Regret? Doubt? It was fleeting, and just as quickly, it was gone.
"I'm not like you, Dominic," she said sharply, her hand tightening around her sidearm. "I've made my choice. You're the one who's been playing games. It's too late to back out now."
Before Dominic could react, Sera fired. The blast narrowly missed him, grazing the metal wall just beside his shoulder. He ducked instinctively, his mind going into overdrive. He needed to move fast—he couldn't let her corner him here.
Without a second thought, Dominic bolted for the hallway, his feet pounding against the cold metal floor. He didn't have to outrun her—just outsmart her.
Sera's voice came over the comms, her words cold and filled with venom. "You won't make it out of here alive. You'll never escape the CMC."
Dominic didn't respond. He was already running. The distant rumble of the ship's engines reached his ears as he turned down a narrow corridor and made his way toward the docking bay.
The hallways seemed to stretch on endlessly, each turn a potential dead end. But Dominic was quick on his feet, navigating with the practiced ease of someone who had spent countless hours in situations like this.
He reached the docking bay doors and accessed the old control panel beside it. The screen flickered, and with a few rapid key presses, the doors slid open. Inside, the transport ship waited, almost mocking him with its pristine appearance. It looked like something the CMC had built for high-ranking officers—a powerful, fast vessel that could outrun anything in the fleet.
Dominic didn't waste time admiring it. He sprinted toward the ship, slipping inside through the side hatch. The cockpit was a mix of outdated and cutting-edge technology, a perfect blend of salvageable parts and high-tech systems. Dominic quickly powered up the ship's auxiliary systems, fingers flying over the controls, syncing with the ship's neural interface.
Just as the engines hummed to life, a loud thud echoed from behind him. Sera had followed him, and she wasn't giving up that easily. The sounds of her boots echoing through the docking bay grew closer, but it was too late.
The ship's engines roared to life as Dominic punched the throttle, lifting the transport off the ground and into the cold, dark vacuum of space.
He glanced over his shoulder one last time. Sera stood in the doorway of the docking bay, her gun raised. But she hesitated. She knew she couldn't catch him now—not with a ship that fast.
With a swift motion, Dominic engaged the ship's cloaking system, blending into the vastness of space. The stars outside faded into a blur of motion as he pushed the ship into a high-speed warp. The CMC would track him eventually, but for now, he was safe.
Dominic leaned back in the captain's chair, taking a deep breath. His pulse was still racing, but he had done it. He had escaped.
But the battle was far from over.
He had the data, and he knew what he had to do with it. The CMC would stop at nothing to get it back, and Sera would be after him for the rest of his life.
But that was a problem for another day.
For now, he set the course for a remote location, far from the CMC's reach. The war had just begun.