Chapter 44: A Price on His Head and a New Threat

The revelation of the hidden data chip and the Harbingers' unsettling proposition sent a shockwave through the already tense atmosphere aboard the Aethel Spear. Vel, his face a mask of anger and disbelief, slammed his fist on the bridge console."A bounty on my head?" he roared, his voice echoing in the tense silence. "This is madness!"Lyra, her hand still resting on his shoulder, squeezed gently. "We don't know for sure if it's true," she said, her voice calm despite the storm brewing within her. "It could be another ploy by the Harbingers to sow discord."Anya, her gaze fixed on the holographic table where the bounty poster had flickered moments ago, shook her head. "It's too convenient. The timing… the knowledge of the data chip…""They're trying to turn us against each other," Vel growled, his eyes flashing with frustration. "But we won't let them win."Captain Rinn, ever the pragmatist, stepped forward. "Regardless of its truth," she stated, her voice devoid of emotion, "the bounty complicates matters. It weakens our position and fuels suspicion.""Indeed," Anya agreed. "We need to find the source of this leak, and fast. But how?"Suddenly, a piercing alarm blared on the bridge, red lights flashing ominously. A Dominion soldier rushed in, his face pale."Captain!" he stammered, his voice tight with urgency. "We have detected an unidentified vessel approaching… heading straight for us!"Vel's heart hammered against his ribs. Another complication? Just what they needed."Can you identify the vessel?" he demanded.The soldier shook his head. "Negative, Captain. It's heavily shielded, cloaking technology unlike anything we've encountered before."Anya narrowed her eyes. "The Harbingers wouldn't be so bold…""Perhaps not," Captain Rinn conceded. "But there are other factions in the galaxy who might be interested in a captain with a hefty bounty on his head."A cold dread washed over Vel. The Harbingers' revelation had not only exposed a potential traitor but also made him a target for bounty hunters across the galaxy."Open a channel," he ordered, his voice firm despite the tremor of fear within him. "We need to identify this vessel… and their intentions."A tense silence followed as the communication channel crackled to life. A gruff, female voice filled the bridge, laced with a hint of amusement."Well, well, well," the voice drawled. "Looks like I found myself the golden goose."Vel's blood ran cold. He recognized that voice, a voice that echoed from a past he thought he had buried."Wanda Yoo?" he breathed, his voice barely a whisper.The amusement in the voice deepened. "Bingo, Captain Vel. Looks like the Protectorate finally decided to put a price on your head. Seems old grudges die hard, wouldn't you say?"A collective gasp rippled through the bridge. Wanda Yoo, a notorious bounty hunter with a reputation for ruthlessness and a past that intertwined with Vel's own, had arrived. The situation had just gone from precarious to downright dangerous. Vel, facing not only a potential traitor within but also a vengeful bounty hunter from his past, knew this was just the beginning of a whole new fight.