Chapter 73: The Scent of Command, the Stink of Politics
I walked toward the Centurion with the kind of authority that only comes from either a deep familiarity with chaos or a profound disregard for consequences. In my case, it was both. Each step against the asteroid's alloy floor rang with intent — not aggressive, not deferential, just... inevitable.
The woman waiting at the heart of this ceremonial farce was six feet tall in heels, yet she carried herself like she owned gravity itself. It wasn't the kind of confidence earned by skill — it was deeper, more dangerous. A well-honed predator's posture wrapped in regality. Her armor was custom-forged, gleaming in deep reds and sharp golds, every curve adorned with engraved filigree that radiated legacy and unspoken threat.
It wasn't military standard. This was personal. Political. A message etched in alloy: I am important, and I can afford to make you disappear.