Awakening: Chronicles of Astra Prime

In the highest tower of the Inner Circle, where crystalline windows stretched from floor to ceiling, a holographic display flickered to life. Commander Vale's silver-streaked hair glimmered under the dim glow of the monitors as he leaned forward, his thin lips curling into a delighted grin. The visuals from the drone's last moments played across the screen: a faint pulse of blue light, erratic systems collapsing, and the final energy signal flashing brilliantly before the feed disintegrated into static.

"Beautiful," Vale murmured, his voice almost reverent. He rewound the footage and watched it again, his hands resting behind his back. "After all these years... we finally have it. A glimpse of true power."

Beside him, Marcus sat motionless in his mechanized chair. The whirring of servos filled the silence as his scarred face twisted into a grimace. Half his face was a mess of burn scars, thick and uneven, reaching down to his neck and disappearing under his reinforced armor. His glowing bionic eye flickered red. His metallic fingers dug into the armrests of his chair.

"You're wasting time," Marcus growled, his voice harsh like grinding metal. "We know where to find it now. Send a team to rip that sector apart. There's no point in dragging this out."

Vale, amused as always by Marcus's predictable temper, tilted his head and smiled indulgently. "Ah, Marcus, always so eager, so *passionate.* But let's not ruin the moment with impulsiveness. That signature – *her* signature – hasn't been seen for three long years. It deserves... admiration." He shifted his gaze back to the display. "And patience."

At that mention of "her," Marcus shifted violently in his chair, the mechanical joints groaning under his weight. His glowing eye flared as he snarled, "Don't you *dare* bring her into this. That was a long time ago. This is different."

"Is it?" Vale asked slyly. His eyes glinted as he turned back to Marcus, face flushed with amusement. "Are you so sure? The resemblance is striking, wouldn't you say?" He gestured lazily toward the footage of the boy caught on drone scanners. "Blue energy, overwhelming circuits... It's almost poetic. Isn't it Marcuss...?" The name stretched on his tongue, deliberately elongated, dripping with venomous sarcasm.

Marcus slammed his metallic fist against the side of his chair with a loud crash. "I won't lose because of her *again,* Vale." His voice thickened with anger as his hand tightened into a vicious claw. "Not this time."

Watching the outburst unfold in silence was Dr. Chen, the head scientist. She stood near the corner of the room, her pristine white coat reflecting the flickering holographic light. Her face was void of expression, her focus fixed entirely on her datapad as though she were immune to the conflict erupting between the two men. But when Vale mentioned *her*, a flicker of something stirred in Chen's eyes—so quick, so faint, that it seemed almost unintentional. Hidden beneath her professional reserve was something... satisfaction, perhaps? Or maybe vindication.

But it disappeared just as quickly as it came, buried under her facade as Chen finally spoke.

"The energy signature from the drone confirms our theories," she said in her sharp, clinical tone. "The modifications worked—before the crash, it pinpointed the source of the signal to a specific individual."

Vale turned toward her, his grin widening. "And? Don't keep us waiting, Doctor."

"A boy," Chen continued, her tone steady. She tapped her datapad and the holographic display shifted, zooming in on a sprawl of crumbling buildings and narrow, shadowed streets: the decaying remnants of Sectors 7 through 9. "Approximately seventeen years of age. The artifact is near his chest—a dormant power source, most likely. It activated in response to the updated drone systems." She paused, her dark eyes flicking up briefly at Vale. "The boy didn't activate it consciously. It's... instinctive."

Vale clapped his hands together as though he were watching a spectacular performance. "Splendid! Simply splendid." He paced toward the window, his excitement growing with every step. For a moment, he stood there, staring out over the artificial glow of the Inner Circle, his hands tightening behind his back. "The Chief must know immediately," he declared.

Marcus growled low in his throat like a wolf pushed too far. "The Chief?" he spat. "We don't need to involve them yet. There's still time to—"

Vale turned sharply, his amusement replaced by a flash of annoyance. "Oh, dear Marcus," he said with exaggerated patience. "*Her* betrayal left you so... scarred. And I don't just mean your face." His lips twisted into a menacing sarcastic smile. "I must admit, though—*her* resourcefulness was remarkable. She nearly ruined everything. But now..." His grin grew broader, deliberately cruel. "Now it's all thanks to you, isn't it? Your failure taught us a great lesson. Isn't that's true Marcusss?"

Marcus surged forward in his chair, his rage palpable, radiating off him in waves. The red in his bionic eye pulsed like the glow of molten steel, and his claw-like hand twitched dangerously. "Careful, Vale," he snarled, his voice dangerously low. "You don't want—"

"Enough." Dr. Chen's sharp, authoritative voice silenced the room. All eyes turned to her. She stood straight now but calm, professional, the datapad tucked under one arm. "We have a lead. A rare, crystalline thread—and you're both too arrogant to see its fragility."

Her gaze dropped quickly to her work once more, but not before Vale smirked, charmed by her as always. "Your icy detachment always has a way of cooling the room, Doctor. Please, proceed. What's next?"

Chen's gaze flickered briefly to Marcus's, then back to Vale. "The Chief will expect results, and we need to secure the boy first. Everything else is secondary."

Repelled by the idea of ignoring him, Marcus sank back into silence reluctantly.

Vale shifted his focus smoothly, turning back to the communication console.

Stepping forward, he began inputting strings of complex access codes. A low hum filled the air as the connection established itself, billions of light-years away. Vale quickly smoothed back his unruly hair and straightened his uniform, his eyes glittering with fanatical devotion.

"The Chief must know. This discovery deserves... their attention."

Dr. Chen fixed her eyes on the console, her expression cool and measured, revealing nothing of the unease that rippled beneath the surface. Her fingers tightened slightly around the edges of her datapad—just once, long enough to steady herself—before relaxing again. To the others in the room, she was the picture of professionalism, sharp and composed. But inwardly, her thoughts churned.

She had known the artifact's signal would resurface eventually. It was inevitable—that was what she has been reminding herself for years. And yet, seeing it now, tied unmistakably to the boy, has unsettled her in a way she hadn't anticipated before.

Dr. Chen inhaled softly, her mask of composure settling back into place. Whatever she felt, whatever choices lay ahead, she would do what she always did—calculate, adapt, and stay one step ahead of the others. But as she studied the boy's image in the footage, a faint shadow passed over her expression. Just for a moment.

'Let's hope you're strong enough for what's coming, Leo.'

The holographic screen rippled as it connected to a shadowy chamber, far beyond the boundaries of Earth or this fractured society. Stars glittered in the background like shards of glasses. At the center of the transmission was a dark silhouette seated in a high-backed chair, the faint shimmer of movement betraying their presence.

Vale immediately sank to his knee, a gleam of unhinged excitement coloring his every word. "My Chief! It is my great honor to report that we have located it! The signal has re-emerged, just as you said it would!"

There was no immediate response, only a small shift in the figure's silhouette. But Vale's expression lit up as though he'd been given the greatest praise in the universe.

"Yes, Section 7 of the Outer Circle," Vale continued eagerly, speaking quickly as though he couldn't contain himself. "It's resonating in a boy—seventeen years old. The energy source is unmistakable. We will proceed as planned."

Another subtle shift in the shadows, and Vale felt his breath catch as though receiving divine purpose. "Yes, yes, of course! Patience, as always." His grin stretched dangerously wide. "The Awakening Ceremony will ensure that everything falls into place. The artifact will be delivered to you without flaw!"

With that, the hologram vanished. Vale rose to his full height, practically glowing. "The Chief is pleased," he announced triumphantly, addressing both Dr. Chen and Marcus. "Pull back the drones. Let the boy feel safe for now. The ceremony will make him ours."

Marcus said nothing, glaring at the darkened console. But Dr. Chen allowed herself a brief glance down at her datapad. Her fingers hovered for a moment, tightening around its edges as if to ground herself. Her lips pressed into a thin line, betraying the faintest flicker of thought—too subtle to name, too fleeting to linger on. Not pride, but something closer to grim acknowledgment. She had known this moment would come. She had prepared for it. And yet, it still unnerved her. Turning away without a word, her face was impassive once more, a mask set firmly back in place.

---

Miles below, far from the glittering towers of the Inner Circle, Leo stumbled through the broken streets of the Outer Circle. His heart still thundered in his chest from the earlier encounter with the drone. He'd felt the heat of the scanner beam, the pull in his chest as the necklace came alive. It had saved him—but at what cost?

"What was that thing?" Mike stumbled after him, still breathless. "That drone almost vaporized us! And then it... What happened, Leo?"

Leo shook his head, keeping his eyes forward. "I don't know," he lied. His hand brushed the cool metal of the necklace hidden under his shirt, its surface still faintly warm against his chest. Whatever had happened wasn't over.

~Far above, unseen to him, the first pieces had already begun to move in his ignorance... sending ripples across the universe.~