“You need them,” I counter.
“I need alignment.”
We reach a central plaza carved into the asteroid’s core. Above us, a massive aperture opens to space, shielded by a translucent energy barrier that casts faint starlight down into the chamber. Clan insignia mark the walls—etched, not polished. Functional pride, not ornamentation.
A comm signal flashes across Kael’s wrist unit.
He glances down.
“What?” I ask.
“Challenge,” he replies.
My stomach tightens. “From who.”
“Clan Threx leadership.”
“Public?”
“Yes.”
“Of course it’s public,” I mutter.
He activates the transmission.
A holographic projection flares into existence before us, depicting a broad-shouldered Reaper with darker armor and heavy crimson markings.
“Kael of Ardyn,” the projection says, voice amplified for gathered onlookers. “You return under Alliance accusation and parade a human through civilian sectors.”
“She is diplomatic witness,” Kael replies.
“She is weakness,” the rival counters.
Murmurs ripple across the plaza.
“She is evidence,” Kael says evenly.
“You hide behind her,” the rival continues. “You abandon raid cycles. You negotiate with fringe worlds. You erode strength.”
“I build sustainability.”
“You build dependency.”
The word lands hard.
Several warriors around us shift subtly.
Elbows lock.
Spurs angle outward.
“This is political,” I murmur.
“Yes,” Kael replies without looking at me.
The rival’s projection leans forward slightly. “Council convenes in one hour. If you cannot justify this human presence and your restraint policies, Clan Threx will motion for leadership review.”
Leadership review.
