---
**The crimson emergency lights pulsed across the screen.**
Sean, gripped the arms of his command chair, his knuckles white. Beside him was, Nyx, who's monitored the rapidly depleting core energy readings. The ship, usually a beacon of power, was now sputtering like a dying star.
"Energy levels critical, Captain," Nyx reported, her voice steady despite the chaos. "Whatever hit us… it drained the core faster than anything I've ever seen."
"Prepare for emergency landing, team," Sean barked, his voice echoing in the tense silence. "Specimen Planet. It's our only chance."
The planet, a swirling mass of green and brown below, loomed large in the viewport. Their mission to collect DNA samples had become a desperate race for survival. The metallic figures of their attackers, a chilling memory, were a stark reminder of the danger that awaited them, even on this seemingly uninhabited world. The landing would be rough, and their survival was far from guaranteed. But for now, it was all they had.
******
**"We're descending too fast!"** Sam called out, his voice clipped but controlled. "Stabilizers aren't responding."
"We'll hit hard at this rate," Ava said, scanning the descent trajectory. "Options?"
"Wide open plain, forty clicks south," Nyx offered. "We can try to glide in."
"Too far. We won't make the angle in time," Ava said, shaking her head.
Sean leaned over the console, eyes locking on the jagged terrain below. A sprawling three-pronged mountain range jutted through the clouds. Dangerous—but it could work.
"We'll use the mountain ridge to bleed speed," Sean said, calm but firm. "Skim the peaks, drag the hull—convert descent into lateral momentum."
Nyx frowned. "That's threading a needle with a loaded gun."
"It's that or crater ourselves into the surface," Sean replied. "We ride the edges, keep the nose steady, and pray the hull holds."
No one argued after that.
---
The impact was brutal—but it worked. The ship skidded along the mountain slopes, metal screaming as sparks erupted across the frame. When it finally came to a stop, it was half-buried in a scar of torn earth and smoke.
The crew climbed out, coughing through the haze. The ship was in pieces. But they were alive.
Ava paced near the wreckage, her tone tight but even. "That maneuver... was on the edge."
Sean wiped soot from his face. "Yeah. And it kept us breathing."
"Next time, how about giving us a heads-up before trying something suicidal?" Sam muttered, inspecting his damaged weapon. "My seat nearly became shrapnel."
"We were out of time. I took the only shot we had," Sean said.
Aster stepped between them, calm but firm. "It held. No one's dead. Let's not waste energy on blame."
Nyx was already scanning the terrain with her visor. "Ship's dead. We're grounded. We need shelter and a defensible perimeter—fast."
Sean nodded. "Split into teams. Salvage what you can. Regroup in thirty."
The others moved quickly, falling into their roles, but the weight of the situation pressed on Sean harder than the gravity of this strange planet.
**"This is why I hate having a team,"** Sean muttered under his breath.
"Sean, where are you going?" Nyx asked.
"Just don't follow me. I need some time alone," Sean replied, his voice strained. "I need to think in peace. I need to find a way to solve this problem."
Sean handed her two sealed capsules. "Start the mission. Split these between the others. I'll take care of the last one."
*(Capsules: Specialized containers used to store and preserve organic blood samples from living lifeforms.)*
"Are you going to be alright?" Nyx asked, concerned.
"I'll be fine," Sean answered, though his tone didn't quite convey confidence.
*****
Sean frantically tried to activate his gauntlet's communication system, but the device sputtered and malfunctioned.
"Please work, damn it!" he hissed. He suspected the malfunction was caused by the recent raider attack.
He continued to try, frustration mounting with each failed attempt. "Seriously, damn it, please work!"
He paused, taking a deep breath. The question echoed in his mind: If my father were in this situation, what would he do?
He shook his head, silencing the familiar voice of doubt. "Stop thinking like my father," he muttered, "Think for yourself."
---
***
---
**Three figures emerged from the shadows behind the Minister.**
"We failed, Ministro," one of them said, their voice metallic and subdued.
They stepped into the light—revealing themselves as the same attackers who had ambushed Sean's squad. Their armor bore scorch marks and battle damage. They lowered their heads in shame.
The Minister said nothing, his gaze fixed beyond them.
A new presence entered the room—impossible to ignore. The air grew heavier. Power radiated through the chamber like a pulse of gravity.
"As expected," the Minister murmured. "Given Sanders' bloodline."
The fourth figure approached—towering, fully metallic like the others, but marked by crimson plates along his shoulders. His movements were precise, his presence unnerving.
"You want me to finish what they couldn't?" the figure asked, his voice low and calm.
"I have complete faith in you," the Minister said, turning to face him. "You've waited years for this moment. Now is your time."
The figure—35—lowered himself to one knee.
"Leave it to me," he said.
---
***
---
Sean walked toward the forest's center, adjusting his gauntlet. A strange event unfolded in the sky, invisible from a distance, but Sean was close enough to witness it. He suddenly felt a force field nearby. Something appeared before him, a nano technological form coalescing from the ground, bit by bit, into a black-red metallic humanoid figure—identical to the raiders who had attacked them.
Sean raised his gun. "What do you raiders want?" he demanded.
"I am not a raider," the figure replied, rising and transforming a hand into a gun. "I'm here on orders. Don't make this difficult," 35 said.
"Who are you? I'm not easily handled," Sean retorted.
"Then I'll be forced to take you," 35 replied.
Before either could act, the ground trembled. A massive wild beast crashed through the trees, roaring as it lunged toward them.
Sean dove to the side, narrowly evading the creature's claws. 35 wasn't so lucky—he was struck, sent skidding across the ground—but recovered almost instantly. His armored feet dug into the earth, burning a scorched trail through the grass as he halted his momentum.
The wild beast stopped before Sean, its gaze fixed on him, ready to attack like any predator that had found its prey.
A sudden projectile caught the wild beast's attention. It was shot by 35, who continued to fire projectiles.
"Don't interfere with my mission," 35 said.