"Alright, you heard that. Our work is officially done, so strap in. We're going home,"
I said with a grin, my good hand already moving across the control panel, flipping switches one after another.
Invicta hummed as the systems powered up, lights flashing in sequence as the corvette came to life.
The main thrusters roared to full power, shaking the ship slightly as I activated the navigation systems and set our course back to the Citadel.
"Primary engines online,"
I muttered to myself, checking the readouts.
"Reactor stable. Hyperdrive systems standing by."
The rest of the crew began to strap themselves into their seats, securing harnesses and checking their consoles. Darius stretched with a groan, clearly ready to be off this hellish planet.
"Finally,"
Paul muttered, buckling himself in next to Julian, who was busy adjusting the seat's built-in HUD.
Julian grinned, shooting me a quick glance.
"I swear, I better not have to touch another damn slug for the next month."
I chuckled.
"No promises, man. You know how life Is. One day it's slugs, the next it could be worse."
"Please don't tempt the universe,"
Darius said, shaking his head.
With everything set, I gripped the flight controls and eased Invicta into a slow ascent. The molten surface of Med Karash I disappeared beneath us as we climbed higher into the atmosphere.
"Engaging afterburners"
I said turning on the afterburner module for extra burn to the protest of our stomachs, watching the readouts as we gained altitude.
"We'll break the atmosphere in three minutes, and then once we escape the system's gravity well we're hitting the hyperdrive straight to the s*lar system."
"Music to my ears,"
Paul grinned, leaning back and closing his eyes.
"Let's get the hell out of here."
As the ship powered toward space, the gang settled in for the ride. I kept an eye on the instruments, my mind already thinking ahead to the next potential job.
...
Lilith sat in her yachts receptions halls throne, her s*xy legs crossed as she lounged back in a lavish, high-backed throne.
Her surroundings were fitting for her status as the grand Imperial duchess of the Demon Star Realms, deep red velvet drapes hung from the ceiling, and dark, intricate designs were etched into the walls, swirling around displays of ancient demonic knight suits and weapons.
But at this moment, she couldn't have been more bored.
The endless bickering of the ambassadors echoed through the hall, their droning voices filling her head as she mentally scrolled through the Galactic Net in her HUD view.
"Your Demihuman coalition does not have the military might to rival the Vampirian Imperial States you filthy furry"
One ambassador dressed In victorian era gothic clothes from the Vampirian side spat, his fangs bare for all to see.
"And yet, you stand here filthy bloodsucker, seeking our alliance, because you fear our growing influence,"
Came the retort from the demihuman who apart from his animal ears and tail looked no diffrent than a human apart from being much taller and bigger than an average human male dressed In a traditional kimono with a katana and wakizashi at his hip representative.
Lilith rolled her eyes. Same argument, different day. She barely paid attention to their petty squabbles anymore.
Politics bored her to no end unless there was drama or Intrique involved. She needed something to break the monotony.
As she lazily swiped through various trending topics and random news stories, something suddenly caught her attention.
Iron Fenrir Project: Death Chain.
The headline glowed in her mind's eye, and with a simple mental command, she opened the video. Her HUD filled with the screen, and as it loaded, she raised a delicate eyebrow.
A black, Iron Fenrir burned into existence, its jaws snapping shut as it coiled to bite its own tail.
The symbol of an unbroken cycle. And then, the heavy metal hit, powerful and raw, as scenes of blistering combat flooded the screen.
Bullets flying, explosions bursting, and a group of space mercenaries tearing through enemies with ruthless efficiency.
Lilith smirked, intrigued by the sheer aggression and spectacle of it. The music, the editing, it was all so raw and untamed.
As the video continued, her amusement turned to recognition. In one of the chaotic firefights, she seemed to recognize a familiar figure despite not seeing his face somehow she could tell It was him, he was leading the charge only to end up In CQC with a slug mercenary in exoskeleton armor.
She paused the video, her smirk widening into something more dangerous.
"Well, well, well... What have we here?"
She purred to herself.
"It seems my newest toy has been busy."
She tapped her fingers idly on the armrest, her eyes gleaming with interest as the video played out the rest of the battle.
The editing was sharp, the music perfectly timed to every explosion and death. It was a symphony of violence and Dracula was at the center of it.
"I wonder if he did this to gain my attention, or if he simply cannot resist the lure of blood and fame,"
She mused aloud.
She glanced at the video's poster name: Terranum Imperium PMC Dracula Von Death.
Her eyes narrowed as she confirmed once more that this was her newest toy's private military company as she did a low, throaty chuckle escaped her lips.
"Oh, Dracula,"
She murmured.
"You get more interesting by the day."
The ambassador's argument faded further into the background as her focus zeroed in on this unexpected discovery.
She leaned forward slightly, watching the final moments of the video as Dracula kept twisting his combat knife Inside the slug's neck despite his wrist getting crushed.
Lilith couldn't help but raise her eyebrow in approval.
"Truly a barbarian"
She looked up briefly at the bickering ambassadors, and with a dismissive shake of her head decided to Ignore them completely, she had more important things to focus on.
Perhaps it was time to pay a little more attention to her newest "toy."
With a sly smile, she leaned back and resumed scrolling through the video, already mentally scrolling through her schedule.
...
The Orion Dynamics headquarters loomed over the sprawling cityscape, a towering monolith of steel and glass.
Its sleek, futuristic design made it stand out even among the other skyscrapers that dotted the skyline.
The top floor, the seat of power for one of the most influential mega-corporations in the UNOE, was a place where high-level deals and decisions that shaped the UNOE took place. And today, it was all about revenge.
Inside the lavish office, Julian Hunter, the cold and calculating CEO of Orion Dynamics, stood behind a massive mahogany desk, hands resting on its polished surface.
His sharp, hawk-like eyes were fixed on the holographic display floating in front of him. The logo of Terranum Imperium flashed on the screen, followed by clips from the now-viral Iron Fenrir video.
Lionel Hunter, his father and head of the Hunter family's private operations, sat across from him, leaning forward in his chair, watching the footage closely.
The heavy metal soundtrack thrummed through the air, accompanied by rapid cuts of brutal combat, Dracula and his crew tearing through enemies with merciless precision.
The video ended with the chain standing victorious, bloodied but unbroken.
Julian clenched his jaw as he deactivated the holo-feed. The room fell silent, save for the soft hum of the skyscraper's energy systems.
"This Is the man and his accomplices that attacked our John"
Julian began, his voice low but seething with barely restrained fury.
"Seargent major Dracula Von Death and his so-called 'Death Chain.' A bunch of patients from a Second Chance facility... and they humiliated our family."
Lionel grunted, leaning back in his chair. His eyes were cold and calculating, but there was a flicker of rage beneath the surface.