This wasn’t luck.
The way time had slowed, the way his body had moved before he could even think—it defied everything he knew about combat.
But war didn’t wait. Gunfire cracked through the air. Explosions roared, their shockwaves rattling his bones.
“Brat! Stop standing around and move!”
The sharp voice snapped him back to reality. Mr. Cooper. His neighbor—no, a former officer—stood there, rifle raised, his gaze hardened by experience.
Varen’s breath hitched as he scanned the battlefield. More and more pirates surged forward, their gunfire tearing through the chaos.
He couldn’t hesitate.
“I need to save my family!” Varen shouted, a renewed fire surging through his veins.
A strong hand grabbed his shoulder, yanking him back.
“They’re safe. At home,” Cooper said, his voice firm and steady. “But listen to me—bunkers aren’t safe anymore. Pirates are hitting them first. Where’s Anara?”
Varen’s stomach twisted. His mistake hit him like a punch to the gut.
“She—she’s on her way to the bunker with the soldiers,” he stammered, panic creeping into his voice.
“Brat, go home! I’ll get Anara,” Mr. Cooper snapped, his tone leaving no room for argument. His eyes, sharp and unwavering, carried the weight of countless battles. “Your family needs you. Now move!”
Varen hesitated, his grip tightening on the rifle. But... I need to save Anara. The words stuck in his throat. He could already see the chaos—the bunkers swarming with terrified civilians, pirates cutting through defenses like a blade through cloth.
“How do I just leave her?” His voice was barely above a whisper, but the doubt clawed at him.
“You don’t.” Cooper’s expression softened, but only for a second. “You trust me. That’s what soldiers do.”
Cooper reached into his jacket, pulling out a small metallic card, and shoved it into Varen’s hands. “If I don’t return in an hour, go to the basement of my house.” His voice was firm, unwavering. “There’s a ship there. Do not hesitate. Get your family, and you get off this rock.”
Varen stared at the card, his pulse pounding. “What? No, you’re coming back—”
“Listen to me.” Cooper’s expression darkened, his eyes like steel. “I’ve been in enough battles to know how this plays out. If I don’t make it back, you don’t wait, you don’t fight, you don’t be a hero. You make sure your family is safe. That’s an order.”
For the first time, Varen saw something in Cooper’s gaze that terrified him—finality.
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Varen sprinted through the once-pristine streets of Arun, now filled with burning debris and corpses. Explosions thundered in the distance. Alarms blared throughout the city.
A security droid, once a marvel of human engineering, lay in the rubble—its sleek metal plating scorched, circuits flickering weakly. Nearby, a group of civilians huddled behind its shattered frame, their last line of defense reduced to a broken husk.
Varen finally reached home. Signs of battle littered the entrance—scorch marks from plasma fire, shell casings scattered on the pavement. His breath caught as he took it all in. It must have been Mr. Cooper.
As Varen stepped through the doorway, the sharp click of rifles greeted him. Cold barrels locked onto his chest, ready to fire.
“Is that you, Varen?”
The familiar voice cut through the tension—warm, steady, safe. His mother.
Varen exhaled, his grip on his rifle loosening. “Yeah, it’s me, Mom. Are you all safe?”
His mother lowered her weapon, relief softening her features. The moment their eyes met, the weight on his shoulders felt just a little lighter.
“Where’s Mr. Cooper? And Anara?” Anara’s mother asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Varen hesitated, his throat dry. “We split up... He went to get Anara from the bunkers.” His fingers curled into a fist, unease settling deep in his chest. This was his call. And now, he had to live with it.
“We need to get to the basement. Now!” Varen commanded, stepping into a role he wasn’t sure he was ready for—but had no choice but to take. “A ship is waiting for us. We have to move fast.”
The family hurried down the steps, the distant echoes of gunfire rattling through the walls. At the bottom, a sleek card reader glowed, its metallic surface gleaming under the dim basement lights.
Varen swiped the card, heart pounding.
“Scanning… Card Verified. Security system disabled.”
The door hissed open, the deep rumble of mechanical gears echoing through the chamber. A rush of cold air escaped as lights flickered to life, illuminating the space in a sterile white glow.
Then, Varen saw it—his breath hitched.
Nestled in the center of the underground hangar was a Void ship, its sleek, midnight-black hull absorbing the light like a fragment of the cosmos itself. Intricate gold-lined circuits pulsed faintly along its surface, whispering with energy.
This wasn’t just a ship—it was a gateway to the stars. Their salvation.
As Varen led his family into the ship, his hands moved on instinct, touching the unfamiliar controls. Every second stretched, his mind torn between preparing for the launch and waiting for Mr. Cooper.
Varen’s gaze landed on the console.
12:00 PM.
His breath froze. It had been an hour.
The weight of his decisions crashed over him. Guilt gnawed at his mind. His choice to tell Anara to stay with the soldiers—had it doomed her? Had it doomed Cooper?
If I don’t return in an hour, go.
The ship had already drawn attention.
Through the hangar’s security feed, Varen saw them—pirates swarming toward the house, weapons raised. They’d seen the power core activate. They knew.
A deep, metallic clang.
The outer doors shuddered. The pirates were trying to force their way in.
His mother clutched his arm. “Varen, we have to go. If we wait any longer—”
“No!” Anara’s mother spun toward him, her eyes wild with panic. “We can’t leave! Anara is still out there!”
Varen’s throat tightened. She’s right.
Another BOOM. The blast doors buckled inward. Sparks rained down.
“She’s with Mr. Cooper,” Varen snapped, though the words felt hollow. “He said he’d bring her back!”
“That was an hour ago!” Anara’s father shouted. “She could be—” His voice caught. He didn’t want to finish the sentence.
Varen’s eyes flicked to the console.
His mother grabbed his shoulder, voice trembling. “Varen, if we don’t go now, we might not get another chance.”
Anara’s mother grabbed his other arm. “If we leave without her, I will never forgive you.”
A deep snarl echoed through the speakers—pirates breaching the final door.
Varen’s heart slammed against his ribs.
He had to choose. Now.