"Transmitting now."
I held my breath. One beat passed, then another. The moment stretched on for what felt like hours. Then Vaelix's voice broke throughthe silence.
"Transmission complete. The chips have successfully been disabled."
I leaned down to the woman whose shoulder I was touching.
"Sweetheart, I'm going to brush your hair back from your neck, okay? We sent a transmission to disable your chip, and I need to make sure it worked."
The woman whimpered as I brushed her hair back. The small chip sat dark and silent against her skin.
"The chips have been disabled," I said. "Thanks, Vaelix."
I stood and raised my voice, making sure it carried to every cell. "Listen to me! My name is Dr. Kira Vale. We're from a ship called the Starbreaker, and we're here to get you out."
Faces turned toward me. Hope and fear warring in their eyes.
"The corporations trafficked you. They held you here against your will. But that's over. As of right now, you're free. You're not property, you're people, and we're taking you home."
I paused, then pushed harder. "But corporate forces are coming, and we need to movenow. Will you trust me? Will you run with me?"
For a moment, nothing. Then one woman stood. She was tall, rail-thin, with scars crisscrossing her arms. She looked at me with eyes that had seen too much and nodded once.
"I'll run," she said, her voice hoarse from disuse.
Another woman stood. Then another. Then suddenly the entire cell was moving, women helping each other to their feet, leaning on one another.
Lyrin appeared at my side, helping a woman stand with surprising gentleness for someone his size. She looked up at him, seven feet of alien warrior in armor, and flinched.
"Easy," he said softly. "I've got you. Just lean on me."
She hesitated, then did.
I moved through the cells quickly. In the third one, I found a young woman cradling what looked like a bundle of rags. Then the bundle moved.
A baby.
"Oh my God." I knelt beside her. "How old?"
"Three months," she whispered. "They said... they said they'd take her if I didn't cooperate."
Rage flooded through me again, hotter this time. Through the Tether, I felt Kaedren's fury spike so hard it made my hands shake.
"They're not taking anyone," I said firmly. "You and your daughter are leaving together. I promise you."
I helped her stand and guided her toward the exit. Around us, Kaedren's team moved through the remaining cells—no shouting, no weapons pointed, just steady hands coaxing traumatized women toward freedom.
I ran outside to find Kaedren. "Have the corporate forces arrived yet?"
He shook his head. "We have maybe five minutes."
"Let's get everyone loaded. Now."
Reports started coming in from the other shuttles. All loaded. All ready.
I strapped into my crash couch and looked at Lyrin. "Did we get all of them?"
"Hundreds," he said. "More than I could count."
