The silence of the command center was suffocating, the air thick with the tension that hung like a storm cloud. Jack Ryder stood before the holographic map, his fingers tracing the glowing lines of the galaxy grid. He had always relied on his instincts, trusted his people, and believed in the cause they fought for. But now, everything felt... wrong. There was a shift, a subtle change that he couldn't quite place. And then it happened.
Betrayal.
It all started with whispers, rumors that slowly morphed into shouts. An encrypted transmission intercepted by Mira, but the truth that came to light shattered Jack to his core. One of his most trusted allies, a member of his inner circle, had been feeding information to their enemies. The revelation sent shockwaves through the team.
"Jack," Mira's voice was soft but urgent as she entered the command room. Her face was pale, her eyes filled with a mixture of disbelief and sorrow. "It's true. Drake... he's compromised."
Jack stood motionless, his hand hovering above the map, unable to move, unable to react. Drake. A man who had fought alongside him for years, who had proven himself time and again. How could this be? How could someone so close, someone he trusted with his life, betray him like this?
"How?" was all Jack could manage, his voice barely a whisper.
Mira stepped closer, her eyes meeting his with grim understanding. "The transmission... it came from Drake's secure channel. He's been giving battle strategies, troop movements... everything. And not just to a regular enemy, Jack. To the Galactic Council members we've been trying to expose. To the dark forces. He's been working with them from the inside."
Jack's mind spun. Everything felt blurry confusion, disbelief, and an anger that was hard to suppress. Betrayal was something Jack had prepared himself for, in some ways. He knew there were enemies in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. But having someone from within his own ranks, someone he had trusted... that was something he hadn't prepared for.
"We have to confront him," Jack said, his voice cold and controlled, though his fists were clenched. "Now."
Mira nodded, but there was hesitation in her eyes. "We need to be careful. If he's working with the dark forces, confronting him directly could put us all in danger. We don't know how deep this betrayal runs. There may be others in the team involved."
The weight of her words hit Jack like a physical blow. The idea that others might be involved, that this betrayal could extend further, was a nightmare he wasn't ready to face.
"I don't care," Jack said, his voice growing louder. "If he's a traitor, he has to face the consequences. I won't let this tear us apart."
Mira took a deep breath, her expression conflicted. "Jack... I know this is hard, but we need a strategy. If this betrayal goes all the way to the top, we could be walking into a trap."
Jack's words hit like thunder in the room. He had always been the one to lead with strength, to trust his people and expect loyalty in return. But now, that trust was fractured. His inner circle, the ones he had relied on the most, were starting to feel like unreliable allies in a war that was already complicated enough.
"Bring him to me," Jack said finally, his resolve hardening like steel. "I'll handle this my way."
Hours later, the command center was buzzing with activity as Jack and his team prepared for the confrontation. The air was thick with an unspoken tension, but Jack's focus remained sharp. He had to face Drake, understand what had driven him to make this choice, and figure out if anyone else was involved.
Drake sat in the interrogation room, his hands shackled to the chair, his eyes avoiding Jack's gaze as the door slammed open. There was no expression on Drake's face, no sign of guilt or remorse. He had always been a man of few words, but today, there was something colder about him a cruelty that Jack had never seen before.
"Jack," Drake spoke calmly, his voice tinged with a hint of disdain. "I knew you'd come for me eventually."
Jack froze, his mind racing with questions. "Why, Drake? After everything we've been through, why betray us? Why betray me?"
Drake met his gaze for the first time, his eyes not full of regret, but something darker. "You think you can win this war, Jack? You think you can save the galaxy from the dark forces? You're naïve. All you're doing is prolonging the inevitable. The dark forces will win. They always win."
Jack's chest tightened at the words. His anger was now joined by a sense of disbelief. Betrayal was one thing, but to hear it from someone who had been by his side for so long? That was another thing entirely.
"You've compromised everything," Jack said, his voice colder than he intended. "Not just us. You've helped them destroy everything we've fought for. You've condemned innocent lives."
Drake's smile curled slightly. "Innocent lives? You're fighting a war you can't win, Jack. You're just pawns in a game that's already been decided. The dark forces... they've already won. I'm just... accepting it."
Jack's heart sank. There was no remorse in Drake's voice. No hint of regret. Only resignation. Jack began to understand that this betrayal wasn't just about power or personal gain. It was something deeper something about Drake's own beliefs. Perhaps he had been manipulated by the dark forces, or perhaps he truly believed they had already won. Either way, Jack knew one thing for sure: this was not just a personal betrayal. It was a symptom of something much larger.
"You're wrong, Drake," Jack said, his voice quiet but resolute. "I won't accept that. I won't let you destroy us. I'll fight until my last breath."
Drake's smile faded, replaced by something almost like pity. "Maybe you will. But in the end, it won't matter. They always win."
Jack turned and walked out of the room, his mind racing. Drake wasn't just a traitor he was a man broken, consumed by despair. And in that moment, Jack realized that Drake wasn't the only one who had been manipulated by the dark forces. The war they were fighting wasn't just against an external enemy it was against a growing sense of hopelessness that threatened to consume everyone.
Jack would lead them into battle. He would fight for his team, for his galaxy, for the future. But the road ahead was darker than ever.
The betrayal had been revealed. But this war was far from over.
Terjemahan Indonesia:
Keheningan di ruang komando begitu mencekam, udara terasa tebal dengan ketegangan yang menggantung seperti awan badai. Jack Ryder berdiri di depan peta holografik, jari-jarinya menelusuri garis-garis bersinar dari grid galaksi. Dia selalu mengandalkan instingnya, mempercayai orang-orangnya, dan percaya pada tujuan yang mereka perjuangkan. Namun kini, semuanya terasa... salah. Ada pergeseran, perubahan halus yang sulit dijelaskan. Lalu, pengkhianatan itu datang.
Semua bermula dengan bisikan, desas-desus yang perlahan berubah menjadi teriakan. Sebuah transmisi terenkripsi yang disadap oleh Mira, dan kebenaran yang terungkap menghancurkan Jack hingga ke dasar hatinya. Salah satu sekutunya yang paling dipercaya, seorang anggota dari lingkaran dalamnya, telah memberi informasi kepada musuh mereka. Pengungkapan ini mengguncang seluruh tim.
"Jack," suara Mira lembut namun mendesak saat dia memasuki ruang komando. Wajahnya pucat, matanya dipenuhi campuran ketidakpercayaan dan kesedihan. "Itu benar. Drake... dia telah berkhianat."
Jack berdiri tanpa bergerak, tangannya terulur di atas peta, tak mampu bergerak, tak mampu bereaksi. Drake. Seorang pria yang telah bertempur bersama dengannya selama bertahun-tahun, yang telah membuktikan dirinya berulang kali. Bagaimana ini bisa terjadi? Bagaimana seseorang yang begitu dekat, yang dia percayai dengan hidupnya, bisa mengkhianatinya seperti ini?
"Bagaimana?" hanya itu yang bisa diucapkan Jack, suaranya nyaris berbisik.
Mira melangkah lebih dekat, matanya bertemu dengan matanya, dengan pemahaman yang suram. "Transmisinya... datang dari saluran aman Drake. Dia telah memberikan strategi pertempuran, pergerakan pasukan... semuanya. Dan bukan hanya kepada musuh biasa, Jack. Kepada anggota Dewan Galaksi yang kita coba ungkap. Kepada kekuatan gelap. Dia telah bekerja dengan mereka dari dalam."
Pikiran Jack berputar. Semuanya terasa kabur kebingungan, ketidakpercayaan, dan kemarahan yang sulit ditahan. Pengkhianatan adalah sesuatu yang sudah dipersiapkan Jack, dalam beberapa hal. Dia tahu ada musuh di balik bayangan, menunggu saat yang tepat untuk menyerang. Tapi memiliki seseorang dari dalam barisannya, seseorang yang sudah dia percayai... itu adalah hal yang belum dia siapkan.
"Kita harus menghadapinya," kata Jack, suaranya dingin dan terkendali, meski kepalanya terkepal. "Sekarang."
Mira mengangguk, namun ada keraguan di matanya. "Kita harus hati-hati. Jika dia bekerja dengan kekuatan gelap, menghadapi langsung bisa membahayakan kita semua. Kita tidak tahu seberapa dalam pengkhianatan ini. Mungkin ada orang lain di tim yang terlibat."
Berat kata-kata Mira menghantam Jack seperti pukulan fisik. Ide bahwa mungkin ada orang lain yang terlibat, bahwa pengkhianatan ini bisa lebih jauh, adalah mimpi buruk yang belum siap dia hadapi.
"Aku tidak peduli," kata Jack, suaranya semakin keras. "Jika dia pengkhianat, dia harus menghadapi konsekuensinya. Aku tidak akan membiarkan ini merusak kita."
Mira menarik napas panjang, ekspresinya bertentangan. "Jack... aku tahu ini sulit, tapi kita perlu strategi. Jika pengkhianatan ini sampai ke puncak, kita bisa berjalan ke dalam jebakan."
Kata-kata Mira menghantam seperti petir di ruangan itu. Jack selalu menjadi orang yang memimpin dengan kekuatan, mempercayai orang-orangnya, dan mengharapkan kesetiaan sebagai balasannya. Tapi sekarang, kepercayaannya retak. Lingkaran dalamnya, orang-orang yang paling dia andalkan, mulai terasa seperti sekutu yang tak dapat diandalkan dalam perang yang sudah cukup rumit.
"Bawa dia padaku," kata Jack akhirnya, keteguhannya mengeras seperti baja. "Aku yang akan menghadapinya."
Beberapa jam kemudian, ruang komando sibuk dengan aktivitas saat Jack dan timnya mempersiapkan konfrontasi. Udara dipenuhi ketegangan yang tidak terucapkan, namun fokus Jack tetap tajam. Dia harus menghadapi Drake, memahami apa yang mendorongnya untuk membuat pilihan ini, dan mencari tahu apakah ada orang lain yang terlibat.
Drake duduk di ruang interogasi, tangannya dirantai ke kursi, matanya menghindari tatapan Jack saat pintu terbuka dengan keras. Tak ada ekspresi di wajah Drake, tak ada tanda penyesalan atau penyesalan. Dia selalu menjadi orang yang sedikit bicara, tetapi hari ini, ada sesuatu yang lebih dingin tentangnya kekejaman yang belum pernah dilihat Jack sebelumnya.
"Jack," kata Drake dengan tenang, suaranya mengandung sedikit penghinaan. "Aku tahu kamu akan datang padaku suatu saat nanti."
Jack membeku, pikirannya berputar dengan pertanyaan. "Kenapa, Drake? Setelah semua yang kita lewati, kenapa kamu berkhianat? Kenapa berkhianat padaku?"
Drake menatapnya untuk pertama kalinya, matanya tidak penuh penyesalan, tetapi sesuatu yang lebih gelap. "Kamu pikir kamu bisa memenangkan perang ini, Jack? Kamu pikir kamu bisa menyelamatkan galaksi dari kekuatan gelap? Kamu naif. Yang kamu lakukan hanya memperpanjang yang tak terhindarkan. Kekuatan gelap akan menang. Mereka selalu menang."
Dada Jack sesak mendengar kata-kata itu. Kemarahan sekarang bergabung dengan rasa ketidakpercayaan. Pengkhianatan adalah satu hal, tapi mendengarnya dari seseorang yang sudah bersama dengannya begitu lama? Itu adalah hal yang sama sekali berbeda.
"Kamu telah mengorbankan segalanya," kata Jack, suaranya lebih dingin dari yang dia maksudkan. "Bukan hanya kami. Kamu membantu mereka menghancurkan segalanya yang telah kita perjuangkan. Kamu telah mengutuk kehidupan orang-orang tak bersalah."
Senyum Drake sedikit melengkung. "Kehidupan tak bersalah? Kamu sedang berperang melawan sesuatu yang tidak bisa kamu menangkan, Jack. Kamu hanya bidak dalam permainan yang sudah ditentukan. Kekuatan gelap... mereka sudah menang. Aku hanya... menerima kenyataan."
Pikiran Jack tenggelam. Tidak ada penyesalan dalam suara Drake. Tidak ada tanda-tanda penyesalan. Hanya penerimaan. Jack mulai memahami bahwa pengkhianatan ini bukan hanya soal kekuasaan atau keuntungan pribadi. Itu adalah sesuatu yang lebih dalam sesuatu tentang keyakinan Drake sendiri. Mungkin dia telah dimanipulasi oleh kekuatan gelap, atau mungkin dia benar-benar percaya bahwa mereka sudah menang. Bagaimanapun juga, Jack tahu satu hal pasti: ini bukan hanya pengkhianatan pribadi. Ini adalah gejala dari sesuatu yang jauh lebih besar.
"Kamu salah, Drake," kata Jack, suaranya pelan tapi penuh tekad. "Aku tidak akan menerima itu. Aku tidak akan membiarkan kamu menghancurkan kami. Aku akan bertarung sampai nafas terakhirku."
Senyum Drake memudar, digantikan dengan sesuatu yang hampir seperti belas kasihan. "Mungkin kamu akan. Tapi pada akhirnya, itu tidak akan berarti apa-apa. Mereka selalu menang."
Jack berbalik dan keluar dari ruangan, pikirannya berputar. Drake bukan hanya seorang pengkhianat, dia adalah seorang pria yang hancur, dimakan oleh keputusasaan. Dan pada saat itu, Jack menyadari bahwa Drake bukan satu-satunya yang telah dimanipulasi oleh kekuatan gelap. Perang yang mereka perangi bukan hanya melawan musuh eksternal ini adalah melawan rasa putus asa yang semakin mengancam untuk menguasai semua orang.
Jack akan memimpin mereka dalam pertempuran. Dia akan bertarung untuk timnya, untuk galaksinya, untuk masa depan. Tetapi jalan di depan semakin gelap dari sebelumnya.
Pengkhianatan telah terungkap. Tetapi perang ini masih jauh dari selesai