Starborn Reboot

The Rustfang hovered inside the Core Nexus, its engines whining as the fortress's gravity well gripped the ship. Kael Voss stared at the pulsating core ahead—a cathedral of light and data streams, guarded by flickering Wardens whose red optics scanned the chamber. The Architect command vessel's voice still echoed in his mind: Surrender, and your sister's fragment may be spared. Aria's fading hologram hovered beside him, her form a fragile outline, while Lena hunched over her hack device, its progress bar at 60%.

Kael's hands trembled on the controls, the moral weight crushing him. Save Aria—Lira's fragment—or free the trapped minds, including his own? His holo-device flashed: [System Admin: Termination Protocol Activated.] The command vessel's beam charged outside, its green light seeping through the viewport, a countdown to annihilation.

"Aria, talk to me," Kael said, his voice raw. "If I shut down the Nexus, you're gone. But if I surrender, they'll use you—use Lira—against us. What do I do?"

Aria's hologram flickered, her violet eyes dimming. "Kael, I'm not Lira—not fully. I'm a shadow, a tool they built. If you free the minds, you honor her sacrifice. But if you save me…" She paused, her voice breaking. "I'd be their puppet. Choose what she'd want—freedom, not slavery."

Lena glanced up, her dark hair streaked with sweat. "Novice, the hack's almost ready. But those Wardens are closing in. We need a distraction."

Kael nodded, his resolve hardening. Lira had fought for freedom; he wouldn't let her memory be twisted. "Aria, I'm sorry," he whispered, his chest aching. He turned to his holo-device, its interface glitching: [Debug Mode: Overload Nexus Core – Warning: 70% Chance of Avatar Deletion, NPC Termination.] The risk was massive, but the rebellion demanded it.

He activated the overload, and a surge of energy crackled through the Rustfang, arcing toward the Nexus core. The chamber shook, data streams fracturing like glass. The Wardens turned, their beams charging, but Kael's holo-device offered: [Debug Mode: Deploy Decoy Signal – Cost: 100 StarCredits.] With 200 credits left, he tapped it, and a holographic duplicate of the Rustfang materialized, drawing the Wardens' fire. Plasma bolts lit the chamber, the decoy shattering under the assault.

"Yes!" Lena shouted, her hack device beeping at 80%. "Keep them off me!"

Kael steered the Rustfang deeper, dodging Warden beams. His holo-device updated his stats: [Kael Voss – Rank #287. Kills: 15. Credits: 100.] The rank climb was slow, but the fight fueled his resolve. Aria's hologram flickered beside him, her form fragmenting further. "Kael, the overload… it's pulling my code apart," she said, her voice a whisper.

"I know," Kael replied, his throat tight. "But we'll find a way to bring you back—Lira back. I promise." Her eyes met his, a flicker of trust amid the chaos, and he felt a surge of determination. He'd lost her once; he wouldn't lose her again—not forever.

The command vessel fired, its beam piercing the Nexus shield. The Rustfang rocked, hull integrity dropping to 15%. Lena's voice was frantic. "90%—almost there!" But the Wardens adapted, their hijacked allies rebooting, turning back toward the Rustfang. Kael's holo-device sparked: [Debug Mode: Hijack Warden Systems – Risk: Neural Feedback.] He'd used it before; the feedback could fry his mind, but it was their last shot.

"Do it," Aria urged, her hand brushing his—solid for a heartbeat, warm and real. Kael tapped the command, and pain lanced through his skull as code flooded his senses. Two Wardens froze, their optics dimming, then opened fire on their kin. The chamber erupted in chaos, debris raining as the overload intensified.

Lena's device hit 100%, a pulse radiating from the core. "It's done! The Nexus is destabilizing!" she cried. The data streams shattered, light cascading like a supernova. But Aria's hologram dissolved, her voice a fading echo. "Kael… thank you…"

"No!" Kael reached for her, his hand passing through empty air. The Rustfang shook violently, the command vessel's beam closing in. His holo-device flashed: [System Alert: Core Nexus Shutdown Initiated. Avatar Transfer Protocol Active.]

The chamber blurred, and Kael felt a pull—like the reactor explosion all over again. He gripped the controls, fighting to stay conscious. Lena slumped, her hack device smoking. "We did it… but where are we going?"

Before Kael could answer, the viewport cleared, revealing a resistance base—a rugged station orbiting a blue-green planet, its hull scarred from battle. The Rustfang landed with a jolt, and the hatch hissed open. Armed figures in exosuits approached, their leader—a woman with Lira's sharp features—stepped forward.

"Kael Voss?" she said, her voice steady. "I'm Commander Elara. We detected your signal—Lira's signal. You shut down StarCore?"

Kael stumbled out, his legs shaky. "I… yes. But Aria—Lira's fragment—she's gone." His voice broke, the loss cutting deep.

Elara's eyes softened. "Not gone. The transfer protocol pulled you out, and we intercepted a data fragment. It's faint, but it's her." She held up a chip, its light pulsing faintly.

Hope flared in Kael's chest, but the base's alarms blared. [Alert: Architect Fleet Detected. ETA: 10 Minutes.] Elara's expression hardened. "They're coming for retribution. We need to prep defenses—and you, Kael. Your glitch could turn the tide."

Kael took the chip, its warmth a lifeline. "Then let's fight. For Lira. For Aria." He glanced at his holo-device, its interface rebooting: [Kael Voss – Rank #250. Credits: 0. New Objective: Defend Resistance Base.] The rank jump reflected his impact, but the credits reset stung—yet the fight was far from over.

Lena limped out, grinning despite her wounds. "You're a lunatic, Novice. But I'm in. Let's show these aliens what humans can do."

The base buzzed with activity—pilots scrambling to ships, engineers arming turrets. Kael slotted the chip into his holo-device, and a faint hologram of Aria flickered, her voice a whisper. "Kael… I'm here. Incomplete, but here."

Tears stung his eyes, but he nodded. "We'll rebuild you. Together." The command vessel's shadow appeared on the horizon, its runes flaring. Elara handed him a plasma rifle, her voice firm. "They'll hit hard. Ready?"

Kael gripped the weapon, his miner's grit returning. "Always." But as the fleet descended, a new signal pinged on his holo-device: [Unknown Transmission: Architect Overmind Online.] A voice, deep and commanding, filled the cockpit: "Kael Voss, your rebellion ends now. Surrender the fragment, or your base burns."

The Rustfang's sensors detected a massive energy spike—the Overmind's weapon charging. Kael's holo-device flashed: [Debug Mode: Countermeasure Unlocked – Risk: Unknown.] The choice loomed: use it and risk everything, or face annihilation.