The blare of the perimeter breach alarm was a savage, metallic scream that ripped through the tense quiet of Sub-Station Epsilon. Red emergency lights, newly installed by Shift, pulsed rhythmically, casting the control room and its occupants in an infernal glow. The holographic display, moments before showing the arcane symbols of "Project Griffin," now flashed with urgent tactical overlays of the North access tunnel. Multiple hostile signatures, depicted as angry crimson icons, were pouring through the breach created by Cerberus's seismic charges.
"They're through the outer plasteel reinforcement!" Breaker roared, already hefting a heavy, scavenged riot shield in one hand and his massive stun baton in the other. His knuckles were white, his powerful frame tensed for combat. "That charge was bigger than expected. They mean business."
"Indeed," Roric said, his voice a blade of ice amidst the sudden chaos. He stood before the main holo-display, his usually impeccable attire now seeming almost like a general's uniform. His eyes, sharp and analytical, darted across the incoming data streams from Shift and Elara. "At least twelve hostiles in the initial wave. Standard Cerberus heavy assault gear – pulse carbines, concussion grenades. They're moving fast, disciplined. No immediate sign of MODs in this first group, but assume they have specialists in reserve. Their target is almost certainly the Project Griffin data. They must have had a tracker on one of those chips, or one of the Static Runners talked before expiring."
Kai felt a surge of adrenaline, a familiar cold fire igniting in his chest as his Draconic Power Source responded to the imminent threat. His Draconic Energy Reserves were at 88%, the integration of the Old Republic energy from Aurelia now at 70%, making his power feel more potent but still carrying that undercurrent of instability. He needed control, precision, not just raw power, especially if Cerberus had MODs of their own waiting in the wings. [SYSTEM ALERT: HOSTILE INCURSION DETECTED. FACTION DEFENSE PROTOCOL: ACTIVE. CURRENT OBJECTIVE: REPEL CERBERUS ASSAULT FORCES. PROTECT SUB-STATION EPSILON AND FACTION ASSETS (PROJECT GRIFFIN DATA-CHIPS).] [Daily Quest Update: 'Trial by Fire' – Successfully defend Faction HQ against a superior invading force. Rewards: Substantial EXP, Faction Standing (The Ember Knights): Solidified, +1 Tactical Advantage (Random – e.g., enemy intel, specialized gear schematic).]
"Kai, Breaker," Roric commanded, his voice cutting through the din. "The North tunnel junction, the one we fortified – that is our primary chokepoint. You hold them there. Shift has rigged that section with a few… surprises from her toolkit. Use them wisely." "Elara," Roric continued, his gaze flicking to the holographic image of his sister, "I need real-time analysis of their movements, any attempts to flank or find alternative entry points. Disrupt their local comms if possible, sow confusion. Focus on their squad leader's frequency if you can isolate it." "Working on it, Roric!" Elara's voice, though young, was surprisingly steady. "Their comms are encrypted, military-grade, but their tactical frequencies are showing predictable hop patterns. I can try to flood them with ghost signals and targeted static bursts with my signal jammers."
"Shift," Roric said, turning to their tech expert, who was already a blur of motion at her console, her cybernetic eye glowing with focused light as she interfaced with Epsilon's defense grid. "You are our eyes and ears within Epsilon's network. Monitor their progress, activate secondary defenses on Kai's command, and be ready to support him with any system overrides you can manage – door locks, emergency lighting failures, atmospheric shifts in non-critical sectors to herd them. Lyra," he addressed his stepmother, who had entered the control room, her expression serene but her eyes like chips of ice, "your… unique insights… and calming presence will be needed here in command if their morale begins to waver, or if they deploy unconventional tactics or psychological warfare." Lyra simply inclined her head, a silent acknowledgment, her gaze already fixed on the tactical display with an unnerving stillness.
"Let's move, Breaker!" Kai said, his voice a low growl. He donned his Umbra mask, not for anonymity this time, but for the psychological edge and the protection it offered. The crimson and shadow of his Ember Knight jacket felt like a battle standard. He activated his "Dermal Plating Manifestation (Rank 2)," the obsidian scales flowing smoothly across his forearms, chest, and shoulders, the faint azure tracery within them now more pronounced, almost pulsing with a contained energy. [Dermal Plating (Rank 2 – OR Infused) Active. Draconic Energy Cost: Moderate. Resilience: Enhanced. Minor Energy Dispersive Properties noted.]
They raced through Epsilon's corridors, the alarms still blaring. The North tunnel junction was a narrow, reinforced passage, barely wide enough for two men to stand abreast. Breaker had overseen its fortification meticulously: welded plasteel baffles angled to deflect fire, a floor deliberately slicked with industrial lubricant in key spots, and, as Roric had hinted, several pressure-activated stun mines Shift had expertly crafted from scavenged parts and her own advanced components, hidden beneath thin layers of debris.
They reached the junction just as the first Cerberus soldiers, moving in a tight, professional formation, rounded the corner from the breached outer tunnel. There were six of them in this point squad, their pulse carbines already spitting deadly flechettes. "Contact!" Kai yelled, shoving Breaker forward. Breaker roared, slamming his heavily reinforced riot shield (a recent upgrade from Roric) into the ferrocrete floor, creating a near-impenetrable barrier. Pulse rounds sparked and whined off its surface and his own heavy, layered combat armor. He held his ground, a mountain of defiance, his immense human strength and resilience on full display.
Behind Breaker's shield, Kai focused, the world narrowing to the advancing Cerberus soldiers. He could feel the thrum of their weapons, the tension in their movements, the faint, almost undetectable scent of their fear mixed with their aggression. His Draconic Senses, amplified by his Level 3 enhancements and the lingering Old Republic energy, were sharper than ever. The siege of Epsilon had begun. And The Ember Knights, outnumbered and outgunned, were all that stood between Cerberus and the forgotten, dangerous secrets of Project Griffin.