The Battle for Serai

The cold hum of the Alliance Flagship's engines reverberated through the floor beneath Lena's boots. She stood at the center of the war room, her eyes glued to the holographic display of the approaching battle zone. The fleet was ready, the atmosphere tense, and the battle against the Rhytil loomed large.

Lena's hands gripped the armrests of her seat, knuckles white, as the Alliance fleet prepared for its assault on Serai. The strategic mission was simple: disrupt the Rhytil's supply lines and cut off their vital resources. However, the complexity of the mission lay in its execution—and the risks involved. General Jorvik stood beside her, his face set in stone, eyes never straying from the map.

"We have one shot at this," he said, his voice low and commanding. "Our fleet will move in on Serai's outer defenses and engage their fleet head-on. Lena, you'll be in the strike team, using the core to infiltrate their communication relay and disable their command structure."

Lena nodded silently, her heart racing. The power of the core pulsed beneath her skin, the alien technology that had both saved her and burdened her with its influence. She could feel it calling to her, an unspoken promise of power. Yet, she knew better than to rely too heavily on it—it was dangerous. Every time she tapped into the core's energy, it pulled her closer to losing herself to it.

But the stakes were too high.