V

>>Force Eject<<

Jikein coughed blood after he was spat out by his pod. He took a moment to assess what is happening. With blurred sight, he swiveled his head and saw figures moving around in haste.

"Our scanners are not showing any readings!" As soon as Jikein heard Ender's voice, he immediately got up but almost fell down after a turbulence disrupted their graviton emitters.

"Did you say that our scanners are disabled?!" Jikein guided himself to Ender and the others who are all out of their pods, all consulting their Falcon-piece.

"Let me see!" Jikein shouted and everyone moved out from his way, "This better not be a blackhole!"

When Jikein synchronized with the scanner system and lowered its scanning range, a holographic image popped up showing their current location, orbiting an anomaly.

They all sighed in relief after seeing the complete description of the anomaly.

"It's an Ion Storm!" Bane sniffed, before synchronizing with the ship's AI core for status report. After a moment, he immediately cursed, "Crap! We have a hull breach!"

However, everyone were not concerned about a hull breach right now. Although, this is a combat designed ship, it is also a reconnaissance and science ship.

"The AI core might have thought that this is a place to resupply its energy." Ender murmured.

"We have fussion cells that can last for a decade," Flint, one of the Red Series, shook his head, "This ship is just too resourceful!"

"Alright! We need to slowly get out of the Ion Storm's outer ring so we don't damage our crystal engine." Jikein's fingers snapped consecutively, "Bane, take control of the navigation system."

Everyone were silent as Bane returned sanity back into the ship and redirected its route. When the ship finally escaped the clutches of the storm, Jikein started to bark orders.

"Flint, Quill and Gab! I need you guys out there."

The three suited up to inspect the damaged hull. Possibly, to engage in Quantum Epitaxy and Electron Bonding.

"Just like we suspected," Ender said, his full attention directed on a panel his Falcon-piece projected, "There's too much disturbance in this sector. We can't use our continuum drive so we can be done with this shit!"

"Just focus on instructing the AI core a safe path to the research station." Jikein turned to Bane's location and was surprised to see the man talking to someone.

"Hey SARB! You have a quite unique series just like our leader back there. Why don't you take the nano mask off so we can see your face. We're all brothers here. No need to be secretive." Bane spread his arms in a friendly gesture.

The figure who was left observing in a corner from the beginning of their mission, hesitated, but eventually spoke in a muffled voice, "Red and Blues do not reveal their identity."

"Huh?" Bane raised a brow, suspicion started to fill his eyes.

"Leave her be, Bane." Jikein cut in.

"Her?" Bane repeated, eyes turning wide.

"Female Rygorant Special Units don't reveal their faces." Jikein explained and was about to leave when the woman asked him her own question.

"How 'bout you?" The woman disabled the device that muffled her voice, "Green and Red are special units for espionage and sabotage while the elite blue is mostly tasked as peacekeepers and bodyguards. What is the black series?"

Jikein paused when constant flashes of light triggered a memory.

He was once a member of the first generation of Stormtroopers trained for planetary assaults including orbital drops and bombardments.

The taste of dirt he can't spat out is still fresh in his mind. The countless war crimes he had committed under the pretence of a vengeful soldier.

"Jikein!" Ender's call gave Jikein the excuse to remove himself from the topic.

"What is it?" Jikein stood beside Ender only to find the other man's puzzled expression.

Ender immediately snapped out of it and started rebooting the Vult. "I just received a faint distress signal. Perhaps, this one's broken in the storm."

"Did that signal came from one of our ships? If not, do I even have to guess?" Bane said from behind.

"Did it came from the Research Station?"

"Yes." Ender calmly answered but only caused the crew into hastily synchronizing with the coms. If this distress call reached the fleet, their mission would be jeopardized, and Syndicate Rygorant is always first in everything.

"This is not possible!" Kim scanned the panel infront of him. "It was confirmed that this station is offline and everyone was presumed dead!"

"Perhaps, the fusion reactors are still active." Ender said with a shrug, "And kept the transmission going even when everyone is dead."

"No matter," Jikein turned his attention outside their vessel, "After a month, we'll be the first there. Cedar and Velcaz must make do of what's left."

There was a variety of chuckles when Quill's image popped out in their vision.

"Hull's repaired. We are good to go!" With a thumb's up, Quill let the support cable pull him back into the ship.

-----

The purging of an alien fauna caused a widespread of protest. People from every fleets are demanding Life and Death 2217-D and Hate and Love 2219-O to stop.

In his room, Erik stared at the protesting people with an amused smile. The moral conviction of humanity had been a hindrance to the militaristic Xallum Syndicate for decades. However, due to its alliance with Clan Gao, there's nothing that can stop both from doing what they want.

A sigh left Erik after realizing that officials from the Coalition would certainly seek Rygorant's peacekeepers. He's gonna get busy trying to deny every offers until the most profitable deal is presented.

With that, a voice gave notice of an incoming transmission.