Yin took a deep breath and stood, following the line of recruits as they filed out of the shuttle.
As soon as her snickers hit the ground, she felt the weight of the moment settle over her.
The sheer size of the Citadel was overwhelming; it was a military fortress, its towering walls and massive hangar bays a stark reminder of where they were.
The air was thick with tension, and the sound of boots clanging against the metal floors echoed through the bay.
Yin and Yang stepped out, their small bags slung over their shoulders, everyone looked nervous, some glancing around in awe at the towering warship, Invicta, held in place by gravity beams above them.
There was no time to take in the scenery. Almost immediately, a booming voice snapped them to attention.
"Form up!"
Came the sharp command.
It was him Dracula, the leader of the Iron Fenrirs. Yin's heart skipped a beat. She had seen him before in videos, but standing before him now, he seemed larger than life.
Clad in a black space uniform and beret with a sidearm Inside his holster strapped to his right hip, his crimson eyes scanning the group with a cold intensity, he looked every bit the hardened leader his reputation promised.
Flanked by his battle brothers also equipped with sidearms each, all equally intimidating, Dracula took his place at the front, arms crossed behind his back as his sharp gaze swept across the recruits.
His presence alone demanded respect, and the line of recruits stiffened instinctively.
Yin exchanged a nervous glance with Yang. This was real. This was the beginning of something they couldn't turn away from.
Dracula took a step forward, his voice echoing through the bay.
"This is your last chance. If anyone wants to leave, step out now."
The silence that followed was deafening. No one moved.
Yin's heart raced, but she didn't waver. She had nothing left to lose.
Yang, standing beside her, clenched her jaw, her face a mix of fear and determination. Leaving was not an option not after everything they had been through.
Dracula's eyes flicked over the recruits, as if he was daring someone to challenge him. After a tense moment, he gave a nod of approval.
"Good. From this moment forward, you are all fenrir pups. Follow me."
The command was simple, but its weight wasn't lost on Yin and Yang.
As Dracula and his battle brothers turned to lead the way, the recruits hurried to follow.
The clang of boots against the metal floor filled the air as they entered the colossal warship that was Invicta.
Yin and Yang followed the line through the ship's corridors, their bags feeling heavier with each step.
The cold, sterile utalitarian hallways seemed to stretch on forever, illuminated by dim lights that gave the ship an almost otherworldly feel.
Every step reminded them that they were leaving behind everything they had known. But wasn't that the point? To escape?
Eventually, they were led into Invictas medbay, a sterile, metalic room filled with medical equipment that hummed quietly.
It looked intimidating, almost like something from a horror movie, with sterile operating tables and beds lined up neatly along the walls.
Dracula turned to face them, his eyes scanning the recruits once again.
"Line up, you'll be receiving a mini bomb implant, one that ensures your loyalty. Anyone who tries to run or betray us… well, you'll find out what happens."
Dracula barked while meaningfully patting his sidearm.
Yin swallowed hard, her throat dry as she watched the first few recruits take their places on the tables.
Dracula's battlebrothers grabbed a syringe gun each and after laoding them, injected mini bombs into the back of their spines with precision.
There was a collective wince, but no one spoke. The tension was palpable.
Yin's turn came quickly. She lied down on the cold table, her muscles tense.
Yang was right beside her, trying to keep her face emotionless, but Yin could see the nervous flicker in her eyes.
Before the syringe gun pressed against her skin she felt a wet piece of cloth disenfect her skin, and after that Yin felt a sharp, sudden sting at the base of her neck.
She winced, the sensation strange and invasive. A chill ran up her spine as the mini-bomb implant clicked into place.
A few seconds later, it was done. Yin stood up, her hand instinctively reaching for the back of her neck, feeling the slight bump and a trickle of blood where the implant was now embedded.
The weight of what it meant wasn't lost on her.
Yang followed, enduring the same procedure. When she stood up, her face was pale, but she didn't say a word.
Dracula, standing by with an air of quiet authority, activated the implants with a quick thought in his mind.
"Don't worry,"
He said coldly.
"As long as you follow orders, you'll never have to worry about those implants."
The recruits were then herded through the ship once more, this time toward the barracks.
It was a large, utilitarian area with rows of bunk beds, each beds surface neatly arranged with uniforms, gym clothes, hygiene supplies, and the essentials needed for life aboard Invicta and their training.
The room was filled with recruits, men and women split into different quarters.
The buzz of quiet conversation filled the air as people began to settle in, nerves fraying as the reality of their situation sank in.
Yin and Yang found two bunks near the center of the room and quickly claimed them.
As they began unpacking their few belongings, the other women in the room started to chat quietly, sharing their stories in hushed tones.
A tall woman with cropped hair and tired eyes dropped her bag on the bunk next to Yin's. She glanced at the twins, offering a faint smile.
"You two look like you've been through the wringer."
Yin chuckled softly, the tension in her body starting to ease.
"We've seen some sh*t."
The woman nodded, her expression understanding.
"Yeah, me too. Name's Hana."
Yang, sitting cross-legged on her bed, glanced up.
"Yang. And this is Yin. So... what's your story?"
Hana shrugged.
"Debt. Corporate bullsh*t. Same as most, I guess. Thought this might be the only way out."
Another woman with a shaved head and a scar across her cheek piped up from the other side of the room.
"Better than the alternative, right? Least here, we've got a shot at something."
Yin nodded, her thoughts drifting to the mini-bomb in her spine.
"Better than the life we were living before."
The conversation shifted quickly, and soon the topic of Dracula and his battle brothers came up.
"You've gotta admit,"
Hana said with a sly grin.
"They're scary as hell, but they're not bad to look at."
The scarred woman smirked.
"Dracula? He looks like he could tear a starship in half with his bare hands. And those eyes? It's like looking at death Itself."
Yang laughed, leaning forward.
"I mean, Paul's got that whole charming troublemaker thing going on. He'd be fun to hang out with."
Yin, finally allowing herself to relax a bit, joined in.
"And Darius? That guy looks like he's made of steel."
Hana stretched out on her bunk, smiling.
"Yeah, well, at least if we're going to be stuck here, there's some eye candy."
The room filled with quiet laughter, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Yin and Yang felt a sense of belonging.
They didn't know what lay ahead, but for now, they had a small spark of hope.
"We'll make it through this,"
Yang whispered, her eyes softening as she looked at her sister.
Yin nodded, a smile tugging at her lips.
"Yeah. We will."
...
12 plus hours later.
I sat back in my new quarters aboard the Invicta, the space at least twice the size of my previous one.