"The cargo ship will be coming from the north," she began, her tone sharp. "It will circle through the animal districts, not the forests themselves, but close enough to skirt their borders. From there, it will pass through Zoner territory before reaching the Royal Kingdom district. It will be heavily guarded by Delta robots. That's why we'll need to be quick and precise."
Soldier "How did you get this info Madam?"
Lanni "We have spies that watch every movement the Royals make outside of their distrcts."
She leaned back, eyes narrowing.
"I'll handle the Delta units. The rest of you focus on securing the ship. Inside is food, enough to sustain the Zoners for at least a month. More importantly, the ship carries the parts we need to repair the converter machines."
The soldiers nodded, silent but resolute.
"Remember," she added, her voice low and commanding, "I'm counting on all of you."
One soldier raised his hand. "Madam Lanni... will the other Zoner Knights be joining us?"
Lanni shook her head. "No. This mission is only me."
And still, they nodded. Being alone with Lanni was enough. Her strength was legend among the Zoners, her presence, a shield against despair.
Training Grounds
Meanwhile, Jett walked the lines of training soldiers. Men and women stood in the dirt yard, striking again and again with wooden spears and swords. Sweat ran down their faces as they moved methodically, yet their spirits were dim.
"Remember!" Jett barked. "Your enemies can be swift. Faster than you expect. So you must strike first but, peace is the way to resolution not violence so be wise when you use the skills of my training."
But his words bounced off weary faces. One soldier lowered his weapon, anger breaking through his exhaustion.
"Peace? What about this looks like peace? Look around us! Our people are starving. Our children are dying. The Royals treat us like scum, and you still speak of peace?"
Jett froze, his eyes narrowing. "Excuse me? Do you mean to say peace isn't worth fighting for?"
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The soldier hesitated, realizing he may have gone too far. But still, he spoke.
"Peace doesn't fill empty stomachs. They've neglected us. No food, no resources. If things continue like this, we'll be wiped out."
The training yard fell silent, all eyes turning to Jett.
His jaw tightened. "You must calm yourselves. If we spread fear, it will only destroy morale. As Zoner Knights, we vowed to protect the people, and I will honor that vow. I've reached out to the Royal Zeta Branch, requesting Delta engineers to repair the converters. It's not hopeless. All we can do now is endure."
But his words rang hollow. The soldiers' faces remained grim, unconvinced. His sense of duty could not smother their gnawing hunger.
Food Converters
At the Food Lounge, the converter machines sputtered and clanked, half-functional, half-dead. Lines stretched for blocks, hungry people pressing forward.
"Please! Please calm down!" Ms. Mary shouted over the chaos, sweat dripping down her face.
The crowd grew restless. Someone hurled a bottle at her. Another man, wild with grief, raised a rock in his hand.
"My son is dying!" he screamed. "Fix the converters! Feed us!"
The rock never fell.
A blur struck him across the face, sending him crashing to the dirt. The crowd gasped. As he looked up, dazed, a shadow loomed over him.
It was Lanni.
"If you dare raise your hand to an innocent woman," she declared, her sword drawn and glinting in the light, "I will strike you down myself."
The man scrambled away, terrified.
Lanni turned to the people, her voice cutting through the heat.
"People of the Zoners! There is only one enemy, and that enemy is not each other—it is the Royals. Do not waste your strength tearing yourselves apart."
"But we're hungry!" a voice cried. "All we want is food!"
Lanni's expression softened, but her eyes burned with conviction.
"I know. And I promise you, by tomorrow, you will eat. In the name of Joan of Arc, I swear it!"
The crowd hushed. For the first time in weeks, their despair shifted into awe. Lanni was more than a Knight, she was their savior.
Zoner Gates
At the district's edge, Raffi and Euly stood guard. Dust swirled around them, the horizon cracked with heat.
Euly crossed his arms, sighing. "Things are getting worse. I don't know how much longer the people can take it."
Raffi leaned against his spear, gaze heavy. "Yeah. I know. Feels pathetic, standing here while they starve."
Euly grills Raffi "Ya know you should just ask her out already."
Raffi "Oh, I don't know, may when conditions around here get better."
Euly frowned. "If they ever do, we're supposed to be working with the Royals. Protecting the people. But where are they? We haven't seen food imports in weeks. At this point, I wonder if they're trying to erase us. Genocide, even."
Raffi chuckled bitterly. "Genocide, huh? Don't know about that... but you're right. No food, no aid. Maybe they don't need to kill us directly. Just let hunger do the work."
Euly "You ask Lanni she'll say take one old Zeta's hostage."
Raffi breaks out in laughter.
Euly "That's why the people love her so much, she's willing to go to war if it means protecting all of us."
The two fell silent, the weight of their words sinking in. The desert wind howled through the gates, as if mocking their despair.