Chapter 25: Rescue the Defector!

The Ark's war room was dim, save for the pale blue glow of the holographic map floating above the central table. Ethan stood at the head of the room, his arms crossed, eyes locked on the small, rotating moon highlighted on the display, Eryon-7. Prella, Vala, and Nova gathered around the table, the weight of the mission hanging in the air.

"Eryon-7," Nova began, her voice calm and focused. "An isolated moon, deep in Shadow Council territory. Buried beneath the surface is one of their top-secret weapons research stations, where Dr. Isara Taren has been working for years. Until recently."

Vala raised an eyebrow, leaning casually against the table, her bow slung over her shoulder. "So, she's finally decided to switch sides? Sounds risky for her."

Ethan nodded, his brow furrowed. "Risky doesn't even begin to cover it. Dr. Taren has the kind of intel that could cripple the Shadow Council's next-gen weapons program. But they caught her before she could make it out."