The bridge was a marvel of sleek, minimalistic design, with smooth, dark panels wrapping around the control consoles. The soft blue glow of the newly installed comms equipment lit the space, casting long shadows over the barely finished walls. A series of holographic displays flickered in and out of readiness, tracking systems that had yet to be fully activated. The viewport stretched wide, framing the barren landscape of the mine outside, a stark contrast to the advanced technology within.

The bridge was a testament to how far they had come. The interactive displays embedded in the consoles glowed softly, casting their multi-layered projections across the room. Aria stood at the central console, the holographic ship rotating slowly in front of her, the fine details of Samir’s designs coming to life in crisp layers of light. The hull was almost complete, but they were far from finished.

Kai stepped forward, gazing at the ship’s schematics hovering in mid-air. The progress was undeniable, but it felt fragile, as if everything could collapse with one wrong move. He ran his hand through his hair, tension in his voice as he broke the silence.

“Do you really think it was Thom who tipped off Stanton?” he asked, his voice quiet but edged with frustration. “Feels like we’re chasing shadows.”

Aria didn’t respond immediately. She brushed her hand over the hologram, zooming in on the unfinished sections of the ship. “It has to be him,” she finally said, her voice hard. “He knew too much, and the timing... it lines up.”

Kai’s expression tightened. “It doesn’t make sense. He was with us from the start.”

Aria glanced at him, her eyes unreadable. “People do desperate things when they’re scared.”

The room fell into a heavy silence. They both knew what Thom’s betrayal meant—not just for the mission, but for the crew. Trust had always been thin, and now it felt paper-thin.

The soft hum of the bridge was interrupted by the crackle of the comms. A moment later, Samir’s voice cut through the silence, cool but carrying a weight that hadn’t been there before.

“You’re both still alive, I see. That’s something.”

Aria stepped closer to the console, her eyes narrowing at the projection. “Barely. We’ve got everything set here, but the reactor and propulsion are still missing. You said you had intel on where we could find them.”

A brief pause followed, the static stretching between them. “I do. But you’re not going to like it,” Samir replied. His tone was clipped, hurried, as if his focus was elsewhere.

Kai exchanged a glance with Aria. “We’ve never liked any of it,” he muttered. “What’s the catch this time?”

“You’’ll be cutting it close,” he said, his tone cautios. “Both locations have upped their security since your raid on the Navy Yards. That guard’s death didn’t go unnoticed.”

Kai frowned, a knot forming in his throat at the mention of the guard as he leant in closer to the console. “We expected as much. Where exactly are we hitting this time?”

Samir’s voice sharpened. “Two places. The propulsion systems are at an industrial storage site outside the main district. Low-profile, but security’s tight. They’ve started rotating personnel and running extra checks after what happened at the yards.”

“And the reactor parts?” Aria asked, her gaze fixed on the holographic display of their unfinished ship.

“Military depot,” Samir replied, and though he tried to hide it, a hint of worry slipped into his voice. “Not quite as fortified as the Navy Yards, but they’ve got guards on high alert now. Nothing finished—just parts—but you’re not going to have much time in either place before they realize what’s happening.”

Aria and Kai exchanged a glance, the tension settling between them. “You’ve been feeding us more and more intel lately,” Aria said, her voice edged with suspicion. “What’s going on over there, Samir?”

A pause. “Let’s just say I’ve had to get more involved. Things in the core are... complicated.” He exhaled, and the sound of it came through heavy with frustration. “More eyes on me, more heat. The government’s cracking down, and I’m not sure how much longer I can keep running these operations from behind the scenes.”

Kai’s brow furrowed. “You getting compromised?”

“Not yet,” Samir snapped, the frustration giving way to tension. “But don’t expect me to be able to pull off miracles forever. If this goes bad, I won’t be there to bail you out.”

Aria straightened, her eyes narrowing. “Then we’ll make sure it doesn’t go bad.”

Kai crossed his arms, a frown deepening on his face as he considered the locations. “We can’t afford to hit them one after the other. They’ll be watching for us.”

Aria nodded, her brow furrowed. “We split up.”

Kai shot her a sharp look. “That’s going to spread us even thinner. We’ve barely got enough people as it is, and you want to divide the crew?”

Aria sighed, running a hand through her hair. “We don’t have a choice. The longer we wait, the more Stanton tightens his grip. We’re already stretched thin, but we need those parts, and we need them now. You’ll take the storage site for the propulsion systems, and I’ll head to the military depot for the reactor parts.”

Kai hesitated, the weight of the decision settling in. “Splitting up means doubling the risk. If one of us gets caught...”

“We won’t get caught,” Aria said firmly, though her voice carried an edge of tension. “We can’t afford to.”

The silence that followed hung heavy between them, both of them fully aware of what was at stake. The ship was so close to being finished, but the closer they got, the more fragile everything seemed.

Samir’s voice cut through the comms again. “It’s risky, but she’s right. If you hit both sites at once, it’ll split their attention, and you’ll have a better chance of slipping through. But don’t fool yourselves—security’s ramped up. You’ll need to be fast and quiet, or you’ll draw every eye in Ironport.”

Kai exhaled, nodding slowly. “Alright. We’ll do it.”

“Good,” Aria said, her voice hard. “Get ready. We move out tonight.”

The two industrial vehicles idled in the shadow of a nearby warehouse, hidden among other delivery trucks in the industrial yard adjacent to the military depot. Their cover: a late-night shipment, falsified papers claiming the vehicles were bringing maintenance supplies for the depot’s support structures. Zaya had handled the paperwork—just enough to pass a cursory check.

Aria stood outside the lead vehicle, her breath barely visible in the cool night air. Zaya was beside her, scanning the guard rotations again. “We’re still on track. If we hit the main checkpoint now, we should be able to slip in with the next maintenance crew.”

“Let’s hope the papers hold up,” Aria muttered, glancing back at the trucks. The vehicles were large, heavy—exactly what they’d need to transport the reactor parts, but far from subtle.

Zaya smirked. “They’ll hold. It’s the guards I’m worried about.”

With a quick nod, Aria signaled to the other crew members to follow. They moved in sync, walking alongside the trucks as if they belonged there, using the maintenance crew disguise to pass through the outer gates unnoticed.

The guard at the main checkpoint barely glanced at the falsified papers before waving them through. They all held their breath as the convoy trundled into the depot proper, the hum of the engines barely masking their tension.

Once inside, they parked the trucks in the shadows of a large storage building, well away from the main depot structures. Zaya slipped out first, signaling for Aria and the others to follow. “We’ll leave the vehicles here. The real challenge is getting to the reactor parts without raising alarms.”

Up ahead, the depot’s main building loomed, where the reactor parts were stored. Aria’s pulse quickened.

They moved quietly through the depot, the cold metal of the facility contrasting with the tense heat building inside her chest. The sounds of distant clanging and the low murmur of guards echoed off the high, steel walls, making every step a careful, deliberate choice.

“We’ll split here,” Aria whispered, glancing back at the others. The two other crewmembers nodded before slipping toward the shadowed corner where the trucks were parked, ready to move on her signal. Aria and Zaya, meanwhile, edged toward the storage area, where the reactor parts were supposed to be housed.

The depot felt like a maze, every turn revealing a new row of crates or another guard’s footstep in the distance. Aria's heart thudded in her chest, though her face remained set, calm, focused. Zaya led the way, her eyes constantly scanning the ground, the walls, for any sign of danger.

Zaya held up her hand. “Careful,” she murmured, nodding toward something along the floor. Aria followed her gaze, a faint red glow flickered near the base of the door they allmost walked through—a motion sensor, almost invisible in the dim light. her pulse quickening at how close they had come to triggering it.

“Detour?” Aria asked, already knowing the answer.

Zaya nodded, pulling a small tablet from her coat, mapping out another route on the depot’s layout. "This way," she whispered, leading them through a narrow passage between two towering storage units.

As they rounded the corner, the large crates of reactor parts came into view. But what they saw made Aria’s stomach drop. The parts were far larger than anticipated, bulky and awkward. Moving them would take longer than expected, and time was not on their side.

“We’ll need the others,” Aria muttered, eyes narrowing. Zaya simply nodded, already signaling to the rest of the crew through comms.

The low rumble of the trucks echoed faintly from outside, hidden behind the depot’s main storage building. Aria’s heart raced. The vehicles, though disguised as maintenance transports, were far too noticeable for comfort. They’d need perfect timing to bring them in without drawing suspicion.

After a moment, the crackle of static broke through the comms as one of the crew members whispered, “We’re in position. Ready when you are.”

“Hold until I give the signal,” Aria ordered. “Too much movement now and we’re caught.”

They moved carefully through the depot, sticking close to the shadows. Ahead of them, Zaya squinted at the motion of two guards emerging from a security post not far from the reactor storage. “We need to time this right,” she muttered. “If they make their round now, we’ll be pinned down.”

Aria watched closely as the guards passed by, their footsteps echoing faintly. “Let’s move,” she whispered, signaling to Zaya. They pressed forward, slipping past the guards unnoticed.

Finally, they reached the towering crates of reactor parts. Aria’s jaw clenched. “It’s going to take longer than we thought,” she said quietly.

Zaya nodded grimly, already lifting her comm to signal the vehicles. “Start moving in. We’ll cover you.”

As the trucks trucks rolled cautiously into position, the crew hurried to load the first set of reactor parts. The crates creaked under their weight as they maneuvered them into the trucks, the sound sending chills up Aria’s spine. Each second felt like a lifetime.

Just as the second set of crates was being loaded, Zaya froze, her gaze fixed ahead. “Guards,” she hissed.

Aria took a deep breath, glancing between the still-loaded reactor parts and the exit. “Finish up here. I’ll see if we can create a distraction.”

Zaya’s eyes widened. “No explosives, right?” she joked, but her tension was clear.

“No explosives,” Aria confirmed with a half-smile.

Zaya hesitated but nodded. As Aria slipped toward a nearby stack of crates, she knocked one deliberately loose, causing a loud clang to echo through the depot. Instantly, the guards stopped, their heads snapping toward the noise.

“What was that?” one of them muttered, starting in their direction.

“Go check it out,” the other guard ordered.

Aria crouched, her breathing steady as the guard crept closer. The heavy thud of boots against the concrete floor made her pulse quicken, there wasn’t much cover left.

She held her breath as the guard’s flashlight swept over her hiding spot. Too close.

Just as he moved past, the clatter of Zaya’s voice over the comms startled her: “We’re loaded up. Let’s move!”

The guard stopped in his tracks, turning sharply. His flashlight flicked back toward Aria’s position. “Hey! Who’s there?”

No time.

Aria darted from the crates, sprinting toward the truck. The guard shouted, his hand already reaching for his comm. Aria barely made it to the passenger side when she heard the sharp, unmistakable blare of the alarm. The depot was waking up.

“Go, go!” Zaya barked, slamming the truck into gear. The vehicle lurched forward just as the outer gates started to close.

The other truck followed closely behind, both vehicles roaring toward the exit. But as they neared the gate, a group of guards ran into their path. “We’re not stopping,” Zaya hissed.

“Don’t!” Aria shouted, her voice tense.

The guards, eyes wide, barely jumped out of the way as the trucks barreled past them. A second alarm blared, and the gates began to close faster. Zaya gritted her teeth, slamming the accelerator down hard.

Just a few more feet.

The truck squealed as it barreled through the narrowing gap, the heavy gate scraping along the side as they shot through. The second truck wasn’t so lucky—the gate clipped the back, sending sparks flying. But they made it.

“Move!” Zaya shouted, as they tore through the depot’s outer perimeter. The vehicles sped into the industrial zone, the distant whine of patrol sirens growing louder.

“Keep them off us!” Aria urged, glancing at the rearview mirror. Zaya nodded, swerving down a side street, narrowly missing a patrol vehicle that was now in hot pursuit.

They weren’t out yet.

The chase was on. Zaya took sharp turns through narrow alleyways, the truck shaking with every jolt. Behind them, the patrol vehicles grew closer, their lights flashing violently.

Aria’s grip on the door tightened as they swerved down another street, dodging between shipping containers. “We need to lose them before we hit the main roads.”

Zaya grinned, her eyes narrowing. “Already ahead of you.”

She veered off down a narrow side street, using the industrial maze to their advantage. The truck screeched around a tight corner, barely squeezing through. The patrol vehicles weren’t so lucky—one slammed into the wall, metal grinding as it came to a stop.

“They’re falling back,” Aria muttered, relief flooding her voice.

Zaya glanced at her, flashing a quick grin. “Told you we’d make it.”

Kai kept his eyes fixed on the looming structure of the propulsion depot ahead. The cold metal exterior was stark against the night sky, the hum of machinery creating a distant, unsettling drone. Bakari, standing beside him, moved with silent purpose. For Kai, however, the silence weighed heavier than usual.

“Stay focused,” Bakari murmured, pulling Kai out of his spiraling thoughts. They both knew the stakes—the Navy’s presence in Ironport had increased tenfold since the incident at the yards, and every patrol felt like a potential disaster.

Kai nodded, though his grip tightened slightly. They moved in sync toward the back of the depot, slipping into the shadows cast by towering storage crates. Bakari got to work on the service door’s control panel, while Kai kept an eye on the perimeter. But his mind wandered, drifting back the factory—the moment he and Aria had taken down Stanton’s man. The lifeless body, the crack of bone as they’d thrown him into the wall.

Kai’s stomach clenched. His fingers twitched at his side, as if expecting the weight of something heavier than the air. The cold bite of that night still lingered, the silence that had followed after the man stopped moving. He hadn’t meant for it to go that far. But it had.

Bakari worked quickly on the panel, moving wires, a few sparks flying. The service door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing the dimly lit interior of the depot. Kai took a breath and followed Bakari inside, their footsteps light on the cold floor.

The propulsion system parts were massive, crated in sections that towered above them. Moving them would be a logistical nightmare without raising alarms.

“Loading bay’s on the far side,” Bakari muttered, scanning the area. “We’ll have to use their cranes and loaders. No other way.”

Kai hesitated. “How do we do that without tripping every alarm in the building?”

Bakari shot him a quick look. “We’ll have to time it. Shift change is coming up. If we’re lucky, they’ll be short-staffed for a few minutes.”

They waited for a couple of minutes before Bakari checked his wrist comm, his voice barely a whisper. “Shift change in one minute. We’ll move the trucks in and load while they’re transitioning. If we time it right, they won’t even notice.”

The industrial hum from the depot softened momentarily, a faint echo of guards finishing their rounds. Bakari gave a quick signal, and the other two crewmembers, still waiting outside, started up the vehicles, their engines kept low to avoid drawing attention.

As the trucks moved into position, Bakari activated the automated crane. The arm extended with a low mechanical whir, and Kai winced at the noise, praying it wouldn’t alert any remaining guards. He guided the crane’s hook into position over the first crate, slowly securing the cargo.

“We’re running tight on time,” Bakari muttered, keeping an eye on the guard rotation.

Kai nodded, his focus squarely on the task at hand. The crate hovered for a second before lowering into the truck bed with a dull thud. One down.

The second truck pulled in behind the first, and Bakari shifted the crane to begin the next load. But just as the hook latched onto the second crate, a pair of guards came into view, walking their last round through the depot.

“Hold up,” Kai whispered, freezing.

Bakari shot him a look. “Keep it moving. We can’t stop now.”

Kai’s heart raced as the guards approached, their footsteps unnervingly close. They had noticed the trucks. Though they werent exactly out of place the guards slow pace and curious glances made it clear that something wasn’t right. Bakari’s eyes flicked between the guards and the crane, his hands working quickly to finish loading the last crate.

“Keep them busy,” Bakari hissed under his breath.

Kai swallowed hard, stepping forward, forcing a calm smile onto his face as he waved at the guards. “Hey! All good over here,” he called out, his voice a little too casual.

The guards stopped, their expressions a mix of confusion and suspicion. One of them, the taller of the two, stepped forward. “You’re not on the schedule. What’s this about?”

Kai’s mind raced. “Maintenance delivery. Last minute,” he said, stalling. “You know how it is, things get moved around.”

The second guard narrowed his eyes. “At this hour?”

“Yeah, orders from the top. They want everything prepped for the morning shift. No big deal.” Kai forced a laugh, hoping to lighten the tension. “We’ll be out of here in just a few minutes.”

The taller guard didn’t look convinced. “Let me see your work order.”

Kai’s stomach twisted. He glanced quickly over his shoulder at Bakari, who was still working the crane. “Uh, work order? Sure, let me grab that…”

He fumbled with his comm, stalling for time, but the guards were already closing the distance, their hands inching toward their sidearms. The first truck was fully loaded, but they weren’t done yet. Kai could feel the pressure building, the seconds slipping away.

As he continued fumbling with his comm, the second guard leaned over, his eyes narrowing. “You’re stalling. Show us the work order or we’re taking you in.”

Kai’s pulse spiked. “Look, it’s just—”

Suddenly, the crane clanked as the last crate settled into place. Bakari gave a subtle nod from behind the trucks, signaling that they were ready to move. Kai’s heart pounded as the guards caught sight of the fully loaded vehicles. Their eyes widened with realization.

“Wait a second…” one of them muttered, his hand going for his weapon.

“Now!” Kai shouted, lunging toward the trucks. Bakari gunned the engine, and the trucks roared to life.

The trucks roared to life, the screech of tires echoing through the depot as Bakari slammed the accelerator. Kai scrambled into the passenger seat just as a sharp whistle cut through the air—a bullet, grazing the metal door inches from his hand. His heart raced as he saw the guards fumbling for their radios, shouting for reinforcements.

“Get us out of here!” Kai shouted, adrenaline surging through his veins.

Bakari swerved the truck hard around the corner, narrowly avoiding another shot that ricocheted off the ground. Behind them, the second truck barreled forward, its engine straining under the weight of the loaded cargo.

The depot’s outer gate loomed ahead, closing fast as the alarm blared. The patrol vehicles were already in motion, their lights flashing as they gave chase. Bakari’s face was set, his eyes fixed on the narrowing gap.

“We’re not going to make it!” Kai shouted, gripping the dashboard.

“We will,” Bakari muttered, his foot pressing harder on the pedal.

The truck hurtled toward the gate, the engine roaring as it hit top speed. Just as the gate’s metal bars slid into place, Bakari veered sharply to the side, the truck scraping through the narrow opening with a screech of metal on metal.

The second truck followed close behind, but not fast enough. The driver didn’t hesitate—he floored the accelerator, sending the truck barreling toward the gate. With a deafening crash, the truck smashed through the metal barrier, sending shards of steel flying in all directions. Sparks lit up the night as the gate buckled under the impact, but the truck broke free, skidding slightly as it careened onto the open road.

As they hit the open road, Kai’s relief was short-lived. A searing pain shot through his arm, and he realized with a shock that a bullet had grazed him during the escape. Blood seeped through the sleeve of his jacket, the wound sharp but shallow.

“You hit?” Bakari glanced over, his voice tense.

“Just grazed,” Kai muttered, gritting his teeth. “Keep going.”

The trucks sped down the darkened streets, their engines roaring as the guards' patrol lights flickered to life behind them. Kai twisted in his seat, catching sight of the flashing lights rapidly closing in.

“They’re gaining on us!” he shouted, gripping the dashboard.

Bakari's eyes were fixed on the road ahead, the industrial zone’s narrow alleyways barely giving them enough space to maneuver. "Hold on!"

He swerved sharply, taking a hard left down a side street, the back of the truck fishtailing dangerously. The second truck followed, its tires squealing against the pavement as it struggled to keep pace. Behind them, the guards weren’t letting up—two patrol vehicles now trailed them, their sirens blaring through the night.

“Cut through the yard!” Kai pointed ahead to a maze of industrial warehouses.

Bakari nodded, taking another sharp turn and racing through a tight alley between two towering buildings. The trucks barely squeezed through, their mirrors brushing the walls. The guards weren’t so lucky—one of the patrol cars tried to follow but clipped the corner, spinning out in a shower of sparks.

Kai let out a breath, but the relief was short-lived. The second patrol car was still behind them, its siren wailing louder, closer.

“We’re not shaking this one,” Bakari growled. He glanced at Kai, his face set with determination. “You better hold on.”

Kai barely had time to brace himself before Bakari jerked the truck sharply to the right, smashing through the fence of an abandoned industrial lot. The vehicle jolted violently as they bounced over uneven ground, their cargo rattling loudly in the back. Kai’s heart leapt into his throat as they barreled toward a series of concrete barriers, but Bakari didn’t slow down.

They hit the barriers at full speed, the truck bouncing up off the ground for a split second before slamming back down with a bone-jarring thud. Kai’s head snapped back, but they kept moving, dust and debris swirling around them. Behind them, the second patrol vehicle tried to follow, but it hit the barriers too hard, skidding out of control before crashing into an old metal structure.

Bakari didn’t stop. He gunned the engine, the truck surging forward as they sped toward the outskirts of the industrial zone. The second truck followed closely behind, its rear bumper still dragging from the earlier gate collision, but they were clear. The patrol vehicles were out of sight, and the city lights faded into the distance.

“We’re clear,” Bakari muttered, his grip relaxing slightly on the wheel.

Aria’s body ached as she climbed down from the truck, her legs heavy with fatigue. The low rumble of the engine cut out, leaving a suffocating silence in its place. Every muscle screamed from hours of tension, the adrenaline that had kept them going finally draining, leaving only exhaustion in its wake.

Zaya leaned against the truck, eyes half-closed. “We’re running on fumes,” she muttered, her voice raspier than usual. “I don’t know how many more of these runs we can pull off.”

Aria didn’t respond, her gaze settling on the crates. The mission had been a success, but the cost was starting to show. The crew moved slowly around her, sluggishly securing the reactor parts as if each movement took double the effort.

Aria moved with leaden limbs, her boots scuffing against the metal floor as she made her way inside the ship. The air inside felt heavy, like it carried the weight of their collective fatigue. Zaya followed silently, her usually sharp eyes dull with exhaustion. As they stepped onto the bridge, the faint hum of the ship’s systems barely registered in their tired minds.

They slumped into their respective seats, the half-finished consoles flickering around them. Aria rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the lingering tension when the comms crackled to life.

“Captain, are you there?” Samir’s voice cut through the silence, strained and urgent.

She reached for the controls, forcing herself to focus. “We’re here, Samir. We’ve got the reactor parts. What’s going on?”

There was a brief pause, then a sigh on the other end. “Good. You’re going to need to finish this faster than we thought.”

Aria frowned, exchanging a glance with Zaya. “What do you mean?”

Samir’s voice grew tighter, more tense. “Things in the core are getting worse. I don’t have much time left. The government’s on to me. They’re cracking down hard. I can’t guarantee how much longer I’ll be able to help you from here.”

A chill ran down Aria’s spine. “You think they’re closing in on you?”

“They’ve already started,” Samir replied, frustration and fear laced in his tone. “My network is compromised. If you don’t get that ship operational soon, I won’t be able to provide the intel or resources you need. And if I’m taken, you know what happens.”

Aria’s grip on the console tightened. “We’ll make it. We have to.”

Samir’s voice softened, but the urgency remained. “Captain, listen to me—if you fail, I’m as good as dead. You’ve got to push harder. Time’s running out for all of us.”

She leaned back, staring at the incomplete ship displayed in the holographic projection. “Understood,” she sighed finally. “We’ll make it work.”

The rumble of engines outside signalled Kai’s return from the other run.

End of Episode 6