Threads of Control

The aftermath was chaos. Smoke filled the hangar bay, and laser blasts flashed everywhere, but Saria's team worked together, each move pushing them closer to freedom. The Falcon's Reach was just ahead, its engines rumbling loudly as if calling them to hurry.

But the soldiers were relentless. For every one they took down, another seemed to emerge, cutting off escape routes and forcing Saria's team into tighter formations. Jaroslav fell back to cover her as she sprinted toward the ship, her instincts screaming that something was wrong.

And then it happened. A bright flash, a sharp pain, and the whole world seemed to spin. Saria fell to the ground with a heavy thud, her vision blurring. She could hear shouting all around her, but none of it made sense.

Her last coherent thought was a curse—one aimed at herself for underestimating her enemies.

When consciousness returned, it was slow and disorienting. Saria's body ached, her wrists bound by restraints. The room was sterile and cold, illuminated by dim lights that made her feel like a specimen on display.

The faint sound of the door hissing open drew her attention. Footsteps echoed against the chamber walls, measured and deliberate. When Cassian stepped into view, Saria straightened, masking her unease with practiced calm.

The holding chamber was silent save for the faint hum of the ship's engines. Saria stood in the center, bound but unbroken, her sharp gaze locked on Cassian as he entered with measured steps. His eyes flicked to her restraints, then back to her face. He exuded an air of calm control, a man unruffled by chaos, his movements deliberate as if the very space bowed to his presence.

"You planned this, you wanted to be here, didn't you?" he said without wasting time, his voice calm but carrying a sharp edge. "Even if you failed, you set things up to make yourself impossible to replace."

Saria raised an eyebrow, her voice calm and steady. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Cassian smirked faintly, stepping closer. The soft glow of the chamber's lights cast sharp shadows across his face, highlighting the intensity in his eyes. "You knew the odds of success were slim. So, you prepared a fallback—a way to trade your life for something I value even more: information. The Codex Chrysalis, the shadow Faction manipulating your Council. That's what this is really about, isn't it?"

For the first time, a flicker of surprise crossed Saria's face. It was gone in an instant, replaced by her usual composure, but Cassian caught it. The faint shift in her expression.

"You're good," he continued, his voice lowering as he closed the distance between them. "But you made one mistake."

Saria tilted her head slightly, masking her unease with an air of indifference. "And what mistake is that?"

"You assumed you were playing against a lesser opponent," Cassian said, his tone sharpening. "You didn't account for the fact that I'd see through your little gambit."

The silence between them felt heavy, filled with unspoken tension. Saria's mind worked quickly, trying to find a way to recover. She knew she'd underestimated him, but she wasn't out of moves yet.

"If I'm so predictable," she said slowly, "why haven't you discarded me yet?"

Cassian's smirk returned, colder this time. He took another step forward, close enough now that she could feel the weight of his gaze. "Because even predictable pawns have their uses. But don't think for a moment that makes you irreplaceable. You're alive because I allow it. Nothing more."

"You think I need what you're offering?" Cassian replied smoothly, his tone laced with quiet amusement. "What I'm interested in isn't what you think you can tell me, but why you're so desperate to make yourself indispensable."

Cassian took another step closer, a data tablet in hand, which he began to scroll through with a practiced ease. His voice was calm, almost clinical, as he started to read, each word precise and deliberate.

"The Codex Chrysalis, based in the Azimuth Sector, thrives in shadows, manipulating galactic power with unmatched precision. By influencing policy vetoes in the Dominion's high councils, they assert control without exposing themselves. Sleeper agents and exploited factional rivalries allow them to steer critical decisions, leaving their targets unaware of their reach.

The Codex also infiltrated the Petrosyan Confederacy, elevating families like House Avenor through covert support, keeping them indebted and compliant. Their influence spans trade, defense, and resources, destabilizing rivals while consolidating power."

Her composure faltered for a fraction of a second, a crack in the armor she'd spent years perfecting. She hated that he could see through her so easily, hated that his words struck closer to the truth than she cared to admit. She could feel the weight of his gaze, dissecting her every microexpression, as if peeling away layers to reach the core of her being.

He glanced up, a smirk tugging at his lips. "House Dremor owes the Codex for trade manipulation and silencing dissent within their ranks."

Saria's eyes narrowed, her mind racing. He was listing names and details she hadn't even planned to divulge, as if he had been the one orchestrating the movements behind the scenes.

Cassian continued, unfazed. "The Codex extends its grip to outer colonies, embedding itself in supply chains and manipulating resources to destabilize opposing factions."

He paused, his gaze sharpening. "Their grip isn't strategic—it's invasive, ensuring loyalty through calculated dependency."

Cassian's demeanor shifted, his voice growing colder, carrying the weight of an unspoken revelation. "They've even managed to infiltrate families with deep-rooted loyalty—like the Reyes family."

Saria's breath caught, her composed facade wavering just for a moment. Cassian observed her reaction carefully, his eyes narrowing. "Alaric, for instance," he added, the name striking like a bolt of lightning. Her shoulders stiffened, and for the briefest of moments, her eyes betrayed a mixture of shock and a subtle fear before she forced them back to neutrality.

But as the silence stretched, Cassian's mind raced, piecing together fragments of their earlier exchanges. His expression darkened slightly, as if connecting unseen dots. "Wait..." he muttered under his breath, his tone sharper now. "Alaric wasn't just collateral in your schemes, was he?" His gaze pierced through her as if peeling away the layers of her strategy. "You planned for him to play a role in this."

Saria didn't respond immediately, her eyes briefly flickering with a guarded tension before she masked it with indifference. But Cassian could see the faint crack in her composure, the subtle unease that told him he was close to the truth.

Cassian's eyes bore into hers, unyielding and sharp. "So you see, Saria, I don't need you to tell me what the Codex Chrysalis is or how it operates. I've mapped its reach, its key players, and even its weaknesses. What puzzles me is why someone as meticulous as you would choose this moment—of all times—to switch sides. Why now?"

It infuriated her how easily he stripped away her control. Yet, even as her mind raced through possible countermeasures, she refused to let him have the satisfaction of seeing her break.

Her jaw tightened imperceptibly as she steadied her breath, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You think you know the Codex?" she said coolly, her voice regaining its steadiness, "You're grasping at fragments."

She leaned slightly forward, meeting his gaze head-on, her defiance hardening like steel.

Cassian straightened, his expression unreadable. He regarded her for a long moment, as if weighing his next move. Then, without warning, he turned and strode toward the door. He paused just before it opened, glancing back at her over his shoulder.

"We'll see," he said, his voice carrying an edge of finality. "Enjoy your stay. It's going to be a long one."