The shadow of the far side of the moon loomed large as the Shadowstrike made its approach. From where they were, all the crew could see was a thick veil of darkness covering its surface, save for the flickering lights of the abandoned star station directly ahead of them. To a normal person, the facility might've just looked like another relic from the time when humanity was first stepping off into space. However, to Elias Thorton and the crew on board the Shadowstrike, it was the venue of their final battle against the Specter and its crew of rogues.
The ship's crew had a good feeling about the mess they would surely encounter the moment they set foot inside the dilapidated facility. Places like this were always riddled with traps and tricky obstacles to keep their inhabitants safe. And more often than not, those same traps had a habit of dealing out lethal consequences to those who were unfortunate enough to fall victim to them.
"Is everyone good to go?" Elias said as he secured the final latch on his helmet.
The man then looked behind him to inspect the people that would be joining him on this boarding action. All of whom were the Marines who served as the Shadowstrike's primary law enforcement detachment whenever they encountered a potentially hostile vessel. They were the people whom the green-eyed man had the utmost confidence in whenever it came to these kinds of situations. The ones he could always count on to have his back when things got tough.
Everyone here knew what was at stake. Every decision, every movement, could mean life or death.
"Ready when you are, sir," Replied Sergeant Regina Hawke, one of the Shadowstrike's Marines. Her tone was steady, but Elias could still hear an edge of anticipation beneath it.
Elias then turned to face the rest of the crew. "This is it. No room for error. We're not just going in to arrest these clowns, we're ending their entire operation. Our objectives are to secure the Specter, neutralize its crew, and secure any evidence that we can find. Today, we make sure that these hooligans never threaten the safety of the colonies ever again."
"Aye, aye, sir!" Corporal Jace Riordan, another one of the Shadowstrike's Marines, said with a grin. "Just promise to leave some bad guys for the rest of us this time."
Elias nodded as he scanned the faces of his team. They were a tight-knit group that experienced many tough times together. However, this mission was different. Too much was riding on it for them not to succeed.
"Once we breach the station, we'll split into two teams. Hawke, you and Ozil are with me. We'll take the command center and lock it down. Riordan, you, Miller, and Khadira will go to the lower decks and secure the ship. We can save everything else in between for later, once we know that these losers won't be able to escape. And for the record, no one leaves this station alive unless we say so."
"Understood, sir." Hawke said, her voice firm.
Elias took one final breath as he waited for the Shadowstrike to finish docking with the star station. The moment the air lock was secured and the green light appeared on the access panel, the man then gave the crew one final nod before opening the latch and advancing forward.
-(o)-
As the airlock hissed open, Elias led his team into the darkness of the decrepit star station. The interior was eerily silent, save for the occasional creak of the station's rusted inner structure. And the faint glow of the nearby emergency lights barely illuminated the decaying corridors.
"These psychos seriously live like this?" One of the younger Marines, Ozil, said with no small amount of disgust in his tone.
"We gotta move fast!" Elias ordered while keeping his voice low. The shadows seemed to stretch before them, hiding traps and danger at every turn. "Stay sharp. We don't know what kind of surprises they've got waiting for us."
The team moved quickly while managing to keep each step careful and each breath measured. All while expertly navigating through the maze of rusted corridors and dusty hallways. The Specter's crew wasn't just a group of small-time smugglers, they were dangerous criminals with the resources and willingness to fight back. Which meant that Elias and the others would be foolish to underestimate them.
Not that they would even get the chance to....
The first sign of trouble came from above. A sudden crash echoed from the ceiling as a trapdoor slammed open, and a hail of gunfire suddenly poured down on Elias and his team. The lieutenant instinctively ducked out of the way, his many years of training instantly kicking in as he aimed his weapon at his foes in response to their attack.
Just as quickly, his team returned fire, doing their best to suppress the attackers while keeping them from maneuvering around them. Just then, the apparent smuggler in charge, a tall and lanky man with a wild look in his eyes, decided to shout down at them.
"You're too late, bastards! You're not leaving here alive! And the ship's set to leave in a few minutes!"
Elias gritted his teeth; something like this was bound to happen. The Specter was trying to escape, but that wasn't going to happen as long as he was here.
"I'm moving forward!" Elias then shouted while signaling for Hawke to cover him.
With remarkable swiftness, the green-eyed man sprinted up a nearby ladder. By the grace of the gods, the lieutenant somehow managed to reach the top before any of the smugglers even knew what he was doing. Once he was in position, Elias quickly scanned the area to see what the situation was before he decided on his next move. At the same time, the smuggler's lankly leader, was already scrambling toward the control panel.
"Take another step and I'll put a bullet in your head!" Elias declared with authority. The smuggler froze barely a meter away from the control panel with his back to Elias.
"You don't understand!" The man said, turning slowly toward Elias. "I'm not the real enemy here! You don't know who's really pulling the strings. We're just pawns! We-"
"Save it for the interrogators!" Elias cut him off. The cold edge of his voice cut through the smuggler like a knife. "Now, get on the ground. And no sudden movements."
Despite the lieutenant's warning, the smuggler tried to reach for what Elias assumed to be another weapon on his back. So without any hesitation, Elias shot the man in the abdomen, completely immobilizing him. The smuggler crumpled to the ground, his attempts at bargaining cut short.
At the same time, the rest of his crew had managed to encircle the remaining smugglers. Even with the slight numbers advantage, it was clear that these criminals were no match for troops with actual training and experience. Then again, very few people were capable of handling a team of Marines in a situation like this one.
As Elias approached the smuggler's leader, he could hear the faint whine of the Specter's engines in the distance. It was clear that whoever was left from the smugglers' group was still trying to launch the ship and get away.
"Team two, status report?" Elias asked Corporal Riordan via their radio link.
"We just secured the lower decks, sir." Riordan reported. "We managed to get the entire crew of the Specter before they could all board the ship. Four in total. No casualties on our side."
Elias allowed himself a brief moment of relief before refocusing. "Bring them to the docking bay. Good work, team two. But we're not done yet."
-(o)-
To say that the raid had been a success would be putting it mildly.
In one fell swoop, the members of the Shadowstrike were able to capture the Specter's entire crew, seize their cargo, and secure the station's communications logs. Thousands of kilograms of illegal drugs, weapons, and other types of contraband were safely cataloged and were currently being transported to headquarters for the Colonial Navy to begin its investigation. An investigation that also included the Specter itself.
With the hunt for the Specter now officially over, Elias could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
He had done his duty and hadn't lost a single person in the process. That by itself meant more to him than whatever secret technology the now-captured ship was using. The fact that everyone on board his ship would be able to go home to their families and enjoy some much-needed time off was exactly the kind of way he liked to end a tough mission.
-(o)-
Three weeks later, Elias and his crewmates were standing before his aunt, Fleet Admiral Kara Howell. Their chests swelled with pride as the light reflected off the new awards that were now hanging off of their uniforms. Each of them was more than happy to receive such an honor in front of their families, friends, and peers as their actions were both celebrated and admired.
To Elias, the entire ceremony had been a blur. Especially the part where his mother and father pinned his new rank on his shoulders. With his family and girlfriend watching, the green-eyed man had managed to achieve yet another milestone in his career. As of this moment, Elias Thorton was officially a Commander. Someone who would be trusted with the responsibility to captain his own ship and lead troops into battle.
"It still took you a year longer than me to get it." His aunt jokingly whispered as she shook his hand and posed for a nearby camera. " Don't worry, brat, there's still a chance that you might make Captain before you're thirty."
"If I do, you have to buy me a new ship." The man replied in an equally joking fashion.
This moment was just as wonderful as Elias imagined it to be. And the fact that he could share it with those he loved made it all the more meaningful to him. His parents were present, as were his two older sisters and his girlfriend, Marida. All of whom were cheering him on from their spots in the front row of the auditorium. But even now, Elias couldn't help but acknowledge how bittersweet this moment was.
Just like he had predicted, his new rank came with the fact that Elias would have to leave the Shadowstrike behind. He would no longer get to spend time aboard the ship where he had started his career. At this very moment, a new chapter in his life was beginning. One that would take him away from the crew he had come to consider family.
Fleet Admiral Howell's voice broke through the green-eyed musings as the woman began to speak. "Alright, everyone! Let's give another round of applause for the wonderful men and women standing before you!"
The applause that followed was deafening, but Elias barely heard it. In that moment, his gaze drifted toward the stars beyond the towering windows of the Colonial Navy's headquarters. The vastness of space still beckoned to him, just as it had done all those years ago. Even now, he can practically hear the stars calling out his name as they dared him to come closer.
Although he had grown during his time in the Navy, at heart, Elias Thorton was still that same little boy who looked upon the cosmos with wide-eyed wonder. It's just that now he had become something more. A man with a purpose beyond his simple dreams. Someone who was determined to keep space safe for all those who shared in his dream.
And yet, somewhere deep inside, a part of him still longed for the adventure that awaited in the unknown.
As the members of the top brass came by to shake his hand and congratulate him, Elias felt the gravity of the moment begin to settle in. He was ready, but the stars would never look the same again. His newest journey had only just begun, and he had no idea what awaited him in the future.
While continuing to look out at the stars, Elias couldn't help but wonder: Was he ready for whatever happened next?