Starborn Reboot

The Rustfang groaned under the strain of Zorak's plasma net, its hull integrity teetering at 1% as the resistance fleet limped toward the base. Kael Voss gripped the controls, his gray eyes locked on the viewport where Zorak's remnant fleet loomed—sleek ships with rune-scarred hulls, their leader's exosuit glowing ominously. Aria's faint hologram flickered beside him, her whisper from the chip—"Kael… fragments… scattered… find me…"—a fragile lifeline. The holo-device buzzed, its interface glitching: [System Alert: Critical Failure Imminent. Deploy Override Now?]

"Kael, we're seconds from breaking apart!" Lena shouted, her hack device sparking as she wrestled with the net's frequency. "That relay's still online—Zorak's powering it from his flagship. Take it out!"

Kael's mind raced, the reset's aftermath still clouding his thoughts. The Ultimate Override had wiped his credits and memories, leaving only fragments of Lira's laughter and Aria's warmth. But the relay—Zorak's power link—was their chance. His holo-device offered: [Debug Mode: Target Relay – Risk: Overload Risk.] Overloading could fry the Rustfang's systems, but the net's grip tightened, sparks raining from the console.

"Do it," Aria whispered, her form fragmenting further. "For me…" Her violet eyes met his, a flicker of trust that steeled his resolve. Kael tapped the command, and a surge of glitch energy arced from the Rustfang, targeting the relay on Zorak's flagship. The ship shuddered, its engines screaming as the energy drained, but the beam struck true. The relay exploded in a burst of green flame, the plasma net dissolving in a cascade of static.

"Yes!" Lena cheered, her hack device stabilizing. "We're free—hull integrity holding at 2%!" The resistance fleet broke formation, fighters scattering as Zorak's ships faltered, their coordination lost. But the flagship's comms crackled, Zorak's sneer cutting through the static. "Nice trick, Novice. But I've got your fragment. Catch me if you can!"

Kael's chest tightened. Zorak had one of Aria's pieces—her voice had confirmed it. His holo-device pinged: [Fragment Trace Detected: Source – Zorak's Flagship, Fleeing.] The flagship veered toward the nebula's edge, its engines flaring as it outpaced the damaged Rustfang. "He's getting away!" Kael growled, pushing the throttles. The ship lurched, alarms blaring, but the engines sputtered, crippled by the overload.

Aria's hologram dimmed, her voice faint. "Kael… he's taking me… hurry…" Her form fragmented, pieces of light scattering like stars, and Kael's heart sank. He couldn't lose her again—not after the reset, not after Lira's memory had been her anchor.

Lena adjusted her device, her fingers trembling. "I can boost our sensors—track his warp signature. But we need repairs first, or we'll never catch him." She tapped the holo-device, and a new option appeared: [Debug Mode: Emergency Repair – Cost: 1,000 StarCredits, Risk: System Lockout.] Kael had 5,000 credits from the Overmind Prime's defeat, a windfall now critical. He authorized the repair, and the Rustfang's hull sealed with a hiss, engines stabilizing at 20% power. The cost dropped his credits to 4,000, but the ship was mobile again.

"Head to the base," Kael ordered, his voice firm. "We'll regroup and hunt him down." The Rustfang limped toward the resistance base, a rugged station orbiting the blue-green planet, its defenses powering up. Commander Elara's voice crackled over the comms. "Kael, you made it! Zorak's fleet scattered, but he's got a fragment. We've got repairs ready—get here fast."

The base loomed closer, its hangar doors opening to welcome the fleet. Pilots cheered as the Rustfang landed, but Kael's focus remained on the chip. He pulled it from the holo-device, its faint pulse a reminder of Aria's plea. "Hang on, Aria," he muttered, slotting it back in. A crackle answered, her voice broken. "Kael… he's… rewriting me…" Her hologram flickered, a ghost of silver hair, then vanished as the chip's light dimmed.

Lena frowned, scanning the device. "The fragment's signal is fading—Zorak's tech is overriding her code. We need to move before he fully corrupts it." She handed him a data pad with Zorak's warp trajectory, pointing to a sector near the nebula's core. "He's heading there—probably a remnant stronghold."

Kael studied the map, his resolve hardening. Zorak had taken Aria's piece, a violation of everything Lira had fought for. His holo-device updated: [New Objective: Pursue Zorak, Recover Fragment. Reward: 2,000 StarCredits, Fragment Stabilization.] The rank remained #1, a testament to his Overmind victory, but the credits reset loomed if he failed. He couldn't let that happen.

Elara approached as the hatch opened, her sharp features softened by relief. "Good work out there, Kael. The fleet's shaken, but we've got ships prepping. Zorak's a problem—we need to hit him hard." She handed him a plasma rifle, its weight familiar from the mining days. "Your glitch is our edge. Lead this."

Kael nodded, slinging the rifle over his shoulder. "For Aria. For Lira." The base buzzed with activity—engineers repairing ships, pilots suiting up. But a new alarm blared, and the tactical map updated: [Alert: Remnant Reinforcements Detected. ETA: 15 Minutes.] Zorak wasn't alone—his stronghold was rallying.

Lena adjusted her hack device, grinning despite the tension. "Looks like he called backup. We've got time to prep, but we'll need a plan. That relay trick won't work twice." She pulled up schematics of the nebula core, highlighting a defense grid around Zorak's base.

Kael studied the grid, his mind racing. The overload had saved them, but it had cost precious time. His holo-device sparked: [Debug Mode: Analyze Defense Grid – Risk: Signal Jam.] He tapped it, bracing for pain. A flood of data hit—turrets, drones, a shield generator—followed by a sharp jolt as the jam kicked in. The holo-device glitched, cutting off Aria's trace, and Kael cursed under his breath.

"Lost the signal again," Lena said, her tone grim. "Zorak's jamming us. We'll need to get inside to find her."

Elara rallied her crew. "All hands, battle stations! Kael, we'll launch a diversion—draw their fire while you breach the grid. Your glitch can disable it." The hangar doors reopened, fighters lifting off, their engines roaring against the remnant threat.

Kael climbed back into the Rustfang, Lena at his side. The ship's repairs held, but the hull bore fresh scars from the net. His holo-device offered: [Debug Mode: Breach Grid – Cost: 2,000 StarCredits, Risk: Hull Breach.] He had 4,000 credits—enough to risk it. He authorized the breach, and the Rustfang surged forward, a beam of glitch energy slicing through the grid's outer layer. The ship rocked, hull integrity dropping to 5%, but the path opened.

"We're in!" Lena shouted, her hack device syncing with the breach. But the viewport darkened as remnant ships closed in, their turrets locking on. Zorak's voice sneered over the comms. "You're persistent, Novice. But this fragment's mine—watch it burn." A hologram flickered on his flagship—a distorted version of Aria, her voice warped into a mechanical laugh.

"No!" Kael slammed a fist on the console, his heart pounding. The Rustfang took a hit, alarms wailing, and his holo-device flashed: [Hull Integrity at 3%. Deploy Override Now?] Aria's corrupted laugh echoed, and Kael's resolve hardened. He wouldn't let Zorak twist her into a weapon.