The Starborn

Chapter 15

The heavy thud of boots echoed through Miranda’s dome-like home as Aegis soldiers stormed in, rifles raised and scanning for threats. The beams of their helmet lights illuminated every corner, casting long, jagged shadows along the walls. The air crackled with tension as the Astral Berserkers entered next, their imposing figures dominating the room. The ceiling barely cleared their armored forms, their presence suffocating.

Dr. Elias Morven followed behind, his steps deliberate and measured, a faint smirk playing on his lips. He looked around as if admiring the craftsmanship of the home, though his gaze lingered on Miranda with a mix of amusement and condescension.

“Miranda,” he said smoothly, spreading his arms as though greeting an old friend. “It’s been a long time. You haven’t lost your touch—this place is… quaint.”

Miranda stood in the center of the room, arms crossed, her chin tilted defiantly. “Morven,” she replied, her voice laced with sarcasm. “Still playing puppet master, I see. How’s that working out for you?”

Morven chuckled, stepping closer but keeping his hands clasped behind his back. “Better than hiding in the middle of nowhere, clinging to relics of the past. I assume you know why we’re here.”

“I have a pretty good guess,” Miranda said, her sharp green eyes narrowing.

Morven’s smile faltered, his tone hardening. “You’ve been harboring Alpha-01 and a highly classified fugitive. That’s treason, Miranda. I’d advise you to cooperate before this situation escalates.”

Miranda’s lip curled in disdain. “Treason? Spare me the theatrics, Morven. You and I both know Aegis stopped playing by the rules a long time ago. What you’re doing—executing civilians, hunting down children—you’re the traitor.”

The soldiers stiffened at her words, but Morven merely sighed, as if dealing with a stubborn child. “We’re protecting humanity, Miranda. That’s what Aegis does. We eliminate threats before they spread.”

“Threats?” Miranda snapped, taking a step closer. “Nova is a girl, Morven. A scared, orphaned girl who’s seen more horror than anyone her age should. And Quinn—” She pointed at him accusingly. “—he’s not some mindless weapon. He’s more human than you’ll ever be, chip or no chip.”

One of the Astral Berserkers, Victor-05, shifted slightly, his dark eyes watching Miranda carefully. Morven noticed but didn’t react, keeping his focus on Miranda.

“You’ve grown sentimental,” he said, his voice dripping with disappointment. “It’s clouding your judgment. Quinn is property of Aegis, nothing more. And the girl—she’s dangerous, Miranda. You don’t even know what she is, do you?”

Miranda’s expression tightened, but she stood her ground. “No, I don’t. But I know enough to see that she’s special. And I’ll be damned if I let you or Aegis turn her into another one of your experiments.”

Morven’s patience seemed to snap, his smile disappearing entirely. “Enough of this,” he growled. He nodded toward Victor-05 and Echo-04. “Search the premises. Tear it apart if you have to. Find them.”

The two ABs moved with mechanical precision, their footsteps reverberating through the dome. Soldiers followed, overturning furniture and scanning every room with handheld devices.

Miranda stepped in front of Morven, blocking his path. “You’re wasting your time,” she said coldly. “They’re long gone.”

Morven leaned in, his voice a low whisper. “I don’t believe you.”

The tension between them crackled like static, the room silent except for the sounds of soldiers tearing through her home. Finally, Miranda smirked, tilting her head.

“You should,” she said.

Morven straightened, regarding her with a calculating look. “You’re going to regret this, Miranda,” he said quietly.

Miranda’s expression didn’t falter. “I regret ever trusting you. Now get out of my home.”

Morven’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before he turned to his men. “Secure the area. We’ll find them. One way or another.”

As the soldiers continued their search, Miranda’s mind raced. She knew the longer they stayed, the greater the risk. She just had to hope Quinn and Nova were far enough away by now.

Dr. Morven’s sharp eyes scanned the room, narrowing as they landed on a flicker of light coming from Miranda’s workstation. Among the scattered files and overturned equipment, a monitor still hummed with power, displaying Nova’s readings. The intricate data streams and fluctuating graphs hinted at something extraordinary.

His VERA, embedded in his neural interface, chimed in with a calm but measured tone. “Analysis complete, Dr. Morven. Subject Nova exhibits traits consistent with ancient Oracle species. Probability: 99.8%.”

Morven’s breath hitched for a moment, his face shifting from calculated annoyance to something colder, sharper. His fingers twitched at his sides as he processed the revelation. “An Oracle…” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

Victor-05 and Echo-04 returned, their massive forms towering over him. “No sign of Alpha-01 or the girl,” Victor rumbled, his voice like gravel grinding against metal.

Morven didn’t respond immediately, his gaze still fixed on the monitor. Finally, he inhaled deeply, straightening his posture. A dark smile spread across his lips.

“Well, this changes everything,” he said softly. He turned to face his Astral Berserkers, his voice steady but laced with steel. “Forget the old orders. The girl is no longer just a fugitive—she’s a priority asset. Capture her alive, no matter the cost. She is to be brought back to Aegis intact.”

Victor-05’s brow furrowed slightly. “And Alpha-01?”

Morven’s smile faded, replaced by an icy resolve. “Alpha-01 is expendable. If he interferes…” He let the implication hang in the air for a moment, then continued. “Terminate him.”

Victor and Echo exchanged a brief glance. For a split second, something unspoken seemed to pass between them, but their training quickly took over. Both nodded in unison.

“Understood,” Victor replied.

Morven turned back to Miranda, who had been silently observing him, her face a mask of defiance. “You’ve been playing a dangerous game, Miranda,” he said, his tone almost conversational. “Hiding an Oracle? Shielding Alpha-01? Did you really think you could outmaneuver Aegis forever?”

Miranda smirked, though her knuckles were white as she gripped the edge of a nearby console. “Outmaneuvering you? No. Distracting you long enough for them to escape? Absolutely.”

Morven’s jaw tightened, but he quickly regained his composure. “It won’t matter. We’ll find them. And when we do, you’ll wish you hadn’t wasted your breath defending a couple of lost causes.”

“Lost causes have a way of surprising you,” Miranda shot back.

Ignoring her, Morven turned to his soldiers. “Sweep the perimeter. Scrub her entire system for data. If there’s a trace of where they’ve gone, I want it.”

His VERA added, “Coordinates to nearby systems have a high probability of containing their escape trajectory. Initiating predictive analysis.”

Morven’s eyes gleamed as he addressed the room. “They won’t get far. Let’s move.”

As the soldiers and Astral Berserkers stormed out, Miranda stayed behind, standing firm. She watched as Morven gave her one last look—a warning and a promise.

“Goodbye, Miranda,” he said coolly. “Enjoy your last moments of relevance.”

He turned and left, his footsteps fading into the chaos outside. Miranda exhaled slowly, her defiance unwavering, but her heart heavy with dread. She just hoped Quinn and Nova were already far from danger.

Dr. Morven walked through the wreckage of Miranda’s home, his boots echoing ominously on the cold concrete floor. He paused just outside the door, turning back to the squad of Aegis soldiers still stationed inside.

“End this,” he said flatly, without a hint of emotion.

The soldiers nodded, raising their weapons in unison. Miranda, still standing near the consoles, met Morven’s gaze one last time, her defiance unbroken.

“You’re making a mistake, Elias,” she said, her voice steady despite the finality in her words.

Morven didn’t flinch. “Mistakes are a luxury I can’t afford.”

Before she could respond, the sharp cracks of gunfire rang out. Miranda’s body jerked backward as the shots struck her, and she collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Morven’s face remained impassive as he turned to his VERA. “Retrieve everything—every file, every fragment of data. I want no trace of her research left behind.”

His VERA replied, “Confirmed. Downloading all accessible systems now.”

The soldiers moved quickly, sweeping the lab and collecting all of Miranda’s equipment. Hard drives, monitors, portable devices—everything was stripped and loaded into their transport.

“Dr. Morven,” VERA’s voice chimed in his mind. “Alpha-01’s nerve blocker signal is weak but traceable. The tracker embedded within is active, but interference in the surrounding systems is delaying a precise lock.”

Morven tilted his head thoughtfully. “How long?”

“Estimation: thirty minutes to stabilize the signal and pinpoint his location,” VERA answered.

“Good.” Morven adjusted his coat, his expression sharpening. “Let me know the moment you have him. It’s time to bring this to a close.”

With the lab stripped and Miranda’s body left behind, Morven signaled the squad to regroup. He stood at the base of the shuttle ramp, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

His VERA interrupted his thoughts. “Shall I prepare the report for the High Commander?”

Morven nodded, his lips curling into a cold smile. “Yes. Let her know the Oracle is confirmed and in the hands of Alpha-01. Inform her of my revised orders—capture the Oracle at all costs, even if it means eliminating Alpha-01. And tell her…”

He paused, savoring the moment.

“…the game is almost over.”

As the shuttle doors closed and the engines roared to life, Morven leaned back in his seat, a dark satisfaction settling over him. Nova and Quinn might have slipped away for now, but he knew it was only a matter of time before the noose tightened.