Chapter 46

Chapter 43: The Cost of War

Selene sat at the long steel table, staring at Admiral Orin. His offer still rang in her ears.

Help the Dominion fight the Syndicate, and they’d finally be free from Lucas Raine.

It sounded too good to be true.

Her crew sat beside her. Dante was tense, his hands clenched into fists. Kade, still wounded, leaned back in his chair, watching silently. Wren tapped her fingers on the table, restless. Xara’s sharp eyes studied Orin, as if trying to read his true intentions.

Selene broke the silence. “What exactly do you need from us?”

Orin leaned forward. “You have something Lucas Raine wants. That means you have power. If you join us, we can use that power to strike where it hurts.”

Selene crossed her arms. “What kind of strike?”

Orin smirked. “A trap.”

Dante let out a bitter laugh. “You want to use us as bait.”

Orin didn’t deny it. “Lucas will stop at nothing to get that data drive. If we leak information about your location, he’ll come running.”

Selene’s stomach tightened. “And then what?”

Orin’s eyes gleamed. “Then we destroy him.”

A Risky Decision

The room went silent.

Kade sighed. “That’s a big gamble.”

Wren frowned. “What if it goes wrong?”

Orin’s expression was unreadable. “It won’t. We have the numbers, the firepower, and the strategy. All we need is the right bait.”

Selene didn’t like being bait.

But she also knew this was their best shot.

Xara spoke up. “If we agree, what’s in it for us?”

Orin smiled. “Freedom. Protection. A life without running.”

Selene met Dante’s gaze. He didn’t like it. But he didn’t have a better idea either.

Finally, she turned back to Orin. “We’re in.”

A Trap Is Set

The plan was simple. The Dominion would send a false distress signal from a remote outpost, making it look like Selene’s crew was stranded.

Lucas would come.

And when he did, the Dominion would ambush him.

For hours, the crew prepared. They were given better weapons, fresh supplies, and a briefing on what to expect.

Selene strapped a blaster to her thigh, adjusting the grip. “Everyone ready?”

Dante nodded. “As ready as we’ll ever be.”

Wren smirked. “Let’s hope Lucas is stupid enough to take the bait.”

Selene exhaled slowly.

He would.

He always did.

The Waiting Game

They arrived at the abandoned outpost, a desolate planet covered in red dust. The Dominion warships hid behind the planet’s moons, out of sight.

Selene’s crew landed the Aquila on the surface, making sure it looked damaged. Smoke poured from the engines—an illusion created by Dominion engineers.

Now, they waited.

Hours passed.

Xara paced near the entrance. “What if he doesn’t show?”

Kade shrugged. “Then we leave and try something else.”

But Selene wasn’t worried.

Lucas would come.

And he did.

Lucas Falls Into the Trap

A dark shape appeared in the sky. Then another. And another.

Selene’s breath hitched.

Three Syndicate ships.

They were outnumbered—but not really. The Dominion forces were still waiting, unseen.

Lucas’s voice crackled over the comms.

“Selene. Surrender now, and I might let you live.”

She rolled her eyes. “Same old threats, Lucas.”

His chuckle sent a chill down her spine. “I always keep my promises.”

The Syndicate ships landed. The moment Lucas stepped out, she felt the weight of his presence. His cold gaze locked onto hers.

Selene’s fingers twitched near her blaster.

Lucas smirked. “You look tired. Running doesn’t suit you.”

She forced a smile. “Good thing I’m done running.”

Lucas tilted his head. “Oh?”

Selene tapped her earpiece. “Now.”

The Ambush

Explosions erupted in the sky as Dominion warships decloaked. Fighters swarmed down, raining fire on the Syndicate ships.

Lucas’s eyes widened.

Selene grabbed her blaster and fired.

Chaos erupted.

Lucas’s men scrambled for cover as Dominion soldiers charged in. Blaster fire lit up the dark sky.

Dante took down two Syndicate soldiers with precise shots. Wren and Kade fought back-to-back, covering each other.

Selene locked eyes with Lucas.

And then he was coming for her.

The Final Confrontation

Lucas was fast. Too fast.

He lunged, knocking the blaster from her hands.

Selene barely dodged his next attack, rolling across the dusty ground.

“You think this changes anything?” Lucas sneered. “You can’t kill me.”

Selene smirked. “Watch me.”

She feinted left, then struck him hard in the ribs. He grunted but barely stumbled.

Lucas grabbed her arm, twisting it painfully. “You should’ve stayed hidden, Selene.”

She gritted her teeth. “And let you win? Never.”

She drove her knee into his stomach. He let go for just a second—long enough for her to grab her blaster.

She pointed it at his chest.

Lucas froze.

The battle around them raged on, but for a moment, it was just them.

Selene’s finger hovered over the trigger.

Then Lucas smiled.

“Go ahead,” he taunted. “Pull the trigger.”

Her hand shook.

Killing him would end this.

But something inside her hesitated.

Lucas’s smile widened. “You can’t do it.”

Selene clenched her jaw. “Watch me.”

She fired.

But not at him.

At the ground between them.

A powerful shockwave sent Lucas flying back. He hit the ground hard, coughing.

Selene turned and ran.

Escape

The battle was turning. The Syndicate forces were losing.

Dante shouted, “We need to go!”