The room felt suffocating as Lena stood at the center of the command post, the bright lights of the tactical map casting long shadows over her face. The team was ready, weapons prepped, shields engaged, and the defensive systems on high alert. The silence in the room was deafening, punctuated only by the soft hum of the machinery, which felt far too calm given the chaos that was about to descend on them.Lena glanced at Elias, who stood next to her. His expression was unreadable, his posture tense, as though every muscle in his body was coiled, waiting for the inevitable strike. She could feel the weight of the moment settling on her shoulders like a boulder."Lena," Elias said softly, his voice steady but carrying an undercurrent of concern. "Whatever happens next, I want you to know that I believe in you. We've come this far together, and I know we can face this."She looked up at him, her eyes softening for a moment. His words were a comfort, but they only added to the pressure. She had to lead them through this. She had to make sure they survived—that was her responsibility."I won't let you down," Lena replied, her voice firm with conviction. She turned her gaze back to the holographic map, the ships on the screen slowly moving closer to Zaltron's atmosphere. "We have to hold them off long enough to understand how to use the core. That's our only chance now."The rest of the team, gathered around the map, nodded silently. There was no need for further words. Everyone understood the stakes. Everyone knew that their survival depended on the decisions they made in the next few hours.Kira, always the optimist, was the first to break the tension. "We've got their fleet's numbers," she said, her fingers dancing over the control panel. "I've managed to scramble the council's sensors enough to give us a slight advantage. It won't last long, but it'll give us a few more minutes."Lena gave her a brief nod of approval. Every second counted. The enemy might be technologically superior, but they had something the council didn't: determination. And that, Lena hoped, might be enough to turn the tide.The sound of the alarms breaking the silence was like a punch to the gut. A red warning light blinked urgently, and the voice of the AI system crackled through the speakers.[System]: "Incoming enemy fleet detected. Estimated time of arrival: 30 minutes."Lena exhaled slowly, her heart rate spiking. Thirty minutes. They weren't ready, not yet, but they couldn't afford to waste any more time. She turned back to Elias, who was watching her with the same intense gaze that he always had, that unshakable belief in her."Get ready," Lena said quietly. "Once they arrive, we fight. There's no turning back."Elias nodded, his expression unwavering. "Together."Lena didn't respond right away. She knew there were no guarantees. But in that moment, Elias's strength, his presence beside her, gave her a small semblance of peace. She had come to rely on him in ways she hadn't expected. He wasn't just a teammate—he was her equal, her partner, in every sense of the word.