The Starborn

Chapter 3

VERA’s voice cut through the still, arid silence. “Alpha-01, I’m detecting an anomaly. Strange readings a few miles ahead—appears to be in a settlement.”

Quinn’s brow furrowed beneath his helmet. “Coordinates?”

“Uploaded to your HUD,” VERA replied. A waypoint blinked on his visor, marking the direction. Without hesitation, Quinn began his trek across the cracked, barren wasteland, his movements steady and purposeful.

The settlement came into view like a mirage against the shimmering horizon. It was a small, makeshift town, cobbled together from scavenged materials. Market stalls lined the dusty streets, merchants hawking their wares to miners and wanderers. The air was thick with the mingling smells of burnt oil, dry earth, and the faint hint of spices from a food vendor’s stand. Traders bustled about, exchanging goods under the harsh glare of the sun.

As Quinn entered, the noise dimmed. Conversations faltered, and heads turned. The villagers stared, their expressions ranging from awe to unease. At over six feet tall, his towering figure clad in the imposing armor of the Astral Berserkers, Quinn stood out as a symbol of power and danger. His broad shoulders and confident gait made the townsfolk instinctively step aside to clear his path.

“Signal is close,” VERA informed.

Quinn’s visor began scanning, the HUD overlay narrowing down the source of the anomaly. As he passed a cluster of stalls, his helmet locked onto a target. Standing near a shadowy alley was a lone figure, their face hidden beneath a deep hood. Their posture was tense, and they looked around as if they were being followed.

Quinn moved toward them, his steps deliberate, but before he could close the distance, an explosion ripped through the market.

The blast sent shockwaves through the town, throwing dirt and debris into the air. Quinn remained standing, his enhanced reflexes stabilizing him as chaos erupted around him. Ravagers stormed the settlement, their grotesque forms moving with terrifying speed and precision.

“Ravagers,” VERA confirmed coolly.

Quinn calmly activated his comm. “Ravager attack. Sending coordinates. Move in.”

The villagers screamed as the alien invaders tore through the market, killing indiscriminately. Quinn raised his rifle and fired. Each shot was precise, the bullets punching through the Ravagers’ thick, grotesque hides with deadly accuracy. A Gralk lunged at him, its stocky frame barreling forward, but Quinn sidestepped effortlessly, grabbing the creature mid-air. With one powerful motion, he slammed it to the ground, the impact cracking the earth beneath it.

A Brutalon charged next, its tank-like form tearing through stalls in its path. Quinn switched to a heavier weapon, firing a concentrated energy blast that hit the beast in its exposed torso, sending it crashing backward. When a Slythar tried to flank him, its lithe form darting through the shadows, Quinn caught its movement with his peripheral vision. He dropped his rifle and engaged it in hand-to-hand combat.

The Slythar lunged with razor-sharp claws, but Quinn grabbed its wrist, twisting it with inhuman strength until the bone snapped. Without hesitation, he delivered a crushing blow to its skull, the creature collapsing instantly.

Amidst the chaos, Quinn’s HUD alerted him—the hooded figure was moving. His visor caught sight of them weaving through the c*****e, their cloak flaring behind them. One of the Ravager generals, a towering Brutalon with jagged armor and glowing red eyes, roared in its guttural language, pointing directly at the fleeing person.

“They’re after the civilian,” VERA noted.

The figure ran with calculated precision, their movements quick and agile, as though they had training. Quinn’s suspicions deepened.

The rest of the Astral Berserkers arrived, their armored forms descending into the fray with brutal efficiency. Sierra-03 fired her dual pistols with unnerving accuracy, each shot finding a target. Echo-04 charged into a group of Gralks, his massive fists crushing them with ease. Victor-05 barked orders, his rifle mowing down a wave of Slythars, while Omega-02 moved with the speed of a shadow, taking down targets before they even saw him.

Quinn radioed them. “The Ravagers are after a civilian. Protect them at all costs.”

“Odd,” Victor commented, his voice flat. “Ravagers don’t usually take prisoners.”

“They’re after something,” Sierra added as she gunned down another wave.

The hooded figure fought off several Gralks with surprising skill, their movements fluid and precise. But as they dispatched another Ravager with a swift strike, one of the generals aimed a weapon—a stun ray.

The beam hit its target. The figure collapsed, their hood falling partially back, revealing locks of vibrant pink hair.

Quinn’s eyes narrowed. “Cover me.”

He moved with deadly purpose, cutting through the Ravagers between him and the general. The alien brute roared, meeting Quinn’s charge with a swing of its massive blade. Quinn blocked the strike with his arm guard, the impact ringing out like thunder. He countered with a series of powerful punches, each one denting the Ravager’s armor. The general swung again, but Quinn ducked, sweeping its legs and driving his knee into its chest with bone-crushing force.

The Ravager lashed out desperately, clawing at Quinn’s armor, but he caught its arm and twisted it until it snapped. In one final motion, he grabbed the alien’s weapon and drove it through its chest, the general collapsing in a heap.

With the battle subsiding, Quinn knelt by the unconscious figure. He carefully pulled back the hood, revealing a young woman with striking features. Her short, vibrant pink hair framed her face, and her smooth, tan skin seemed untouched by the harshness of Draxis. Her plump lips were slightly parted, and her eyes—now closed—would no doubt have been as captivating as the rest of her.

“Beautiful,” VERA remarked in an uncharacteristically soft tone.

Quinn paused, momentarily taken aback by the connection he felt. It was faint, but undeniable, stirring something deep within him.

Gently, he lifted her into his arms, her slight form dwarfed by his armored frame. “We’re bringing her back,” he said, his voice resolute.

The others gathered as Quinn carried the stranger toward the ship. Whatever the Ravagers wanted with her, they wouldn’t get another chance.

Quinn stepped into the ship’s medical bay, his heavy boots echoing against the metallic floor. The young woman felt impossibly light in his arms as he gently laid her onto one of the cots. For a moment, he just stood there, staring down at her. She looked so peaceful, a stark contrast to the chaos they had just fought through.

He reached up and removed his helmet, the cool air brushing against his face. Setting the helmet aside, he ran a hand through his damp hair, his piercing eyes fixed on the girl. Her features were striking—soft yet somehow strong. The way her short, vibrant pink hair framed her face gave her an otherworldly beauty. But it wasn’t just her appearance that held his attention. There was something… unexplainable about her, a pull he didn’t understand.

VERA’s voice cut through the silence, startling him. “Quinn, your nerve blocker chip is showing irregular activity. It’s on the verge of overloading.”

“I’m fine,” Quinn muttered, brushing her warning aside.

“No, you’re not,” VERA insisted. “You’ve never shown this level of instability before.”

But he ignored her, his gaze falling back on the girl. Slowly, almost without thinking, he removed one of his armored gloves. His hand hovered over her face, hesitating as doubt crept in. Then, with a sharp intake of breath, he let his fingers gently brush against her smooth skin.

The moment he made contact, his vision shattered.

Images flooded his mind, chaotic and overwhelming.

A small boy ran through a dusty street, his face streaked with dirt and tears. Screams filled the air, building burned, and the sky above was choked with smoke. The boy stumbled, his small body trembling as he hid behind a crumbling wall.

The scene shifted violently.

The boy was no longer on the streets but in a cold, sterile room. Scientists surrounded him, their faces obscured by masks. He was strapped to a table, screaming as needles pierced his skin and machines hummed ominously. The pain was unbearable. He cried out for help, but no one came.

Another shift.

The boy—now older, leaner—stood in a training arena. Blood dripped from his fists as he fought another child, their faces equally bruised and battered. Around them, men in military uniforms watched, their expressions cold and detached.

More flashes.

He was submerged in a tank, liquid filling his lungs as he struggled. His body convulsed as the nerve blocker chip was implanted at the base of his neck. The pain radiated through every cell in his body.

Then, a final image.

Quinn, older now, stood in his Astral Berserker armor, a lifeless battlefield stretching out behind him. The bodies of Ravagers and humans alike were scattered around him, blood staining the ground. He looked at his hands, trembling with exhaustion and something deeper—something he couldn’t feel because of the chip.

Quinn’s hand jerked away from the girl’s face as if burned. He staggered back, his breathing heavy, his chest rising and falling rapidly. “What the hell was that?” he demanded, his voice raw.

“It looked like… memories,” VERA answered cautiously, her usually confident tone tinged with uncertainty. “Your memories Quinn.”

He glanced at the girl, who remained unconscious, her face serene despite the storm she had unknowingly unleashed within him.

His heart was pounding in his chest, his nerves raw and exposed in a way they hadn’t been in years—maybe ever. There was something about her, something powerful and inexplicable.

Quinn sat down heavily on the edge of the cot, his head in his hands. He couldn’t explain it, but this girl was connected to him somehow. And for the first time in a long time, he felt something other than duty or numbness.

The girl stirred slightly but didn’t wake, her breathing steady. Whatever had happened, whatever those memories were, he knew one thing for certain.

She wasn’t just a random civilian. She was important. And the Ravagers wanted her for a reason.