Chapter 89: Strengthening the Foundation
With the asteroid base now firmly under his control, Raizen wasted no time in securing its resources. The syndicate's former members were given a choice—swear loyalty to him or be exiled into the void. Most wisely chose the former. The few who refused were escorted to the airlock, their silence sealed with the cold vacuum of space.
Liana worked swiftly, integrating the station's systems into the Shadow Fang's network. "We've restructured their security grid. No one gets in or out without our say."
Joran leaned against a console, grinning. "So, what's next? We turn this rock into a fortress?"
Raizen crossed his arms, scanning the data. "Not quite. We make it an asset. It's a perfect staging ground for trade, smuggling, and logistics. The nobles won't realize how much control we have until it's too late."
A Meeting with Sera Volkan
Back on the refinery station, Raizen met with Sera in her private office. She stood by the viewport, watching the endless expanse of space. "You work fast," she remarked.
Raizen smirked. "I don't believe in wasting time."
Sera turned to face him, her sharp gaze studying him carefully. "That asteroid base was a problem for a long time. You took it down in a matter of hours. That makes me wonder—how much bigger do you plan to go?"
Raizen's golden eyes gleamed. "As big as the galaxy lets me."
Sera chuckled. "Ambitious. But I respect that." She walked over to her desk, tapping a holo-display. "I'm holding up my end of the deal. Your fleet gets priority access to refined minerals. And… I have something else that might interest you."
A new set of coordinates appeared on the display. "There's an abandoned shipyard in an old war zone. It's been derelict for decades, but the rumors say it still holds salvageable ships. High-grade ones."
Raizen raised an eyebrow. "And no one's claimed it?"
Sera smirked. "The region is unstable. Factions fight over scraps, but no one has the strength to hold it. If you get in and secure whatever's there, you'll gain another foothold."
Raizen's interest deepened. An entire shipyard? If even a fraction of those ships were operational, it could change everything.
"Send me the full details," he said. "I'll handle it."
Sera nodded. "Then I look forward to seeing what you do next."
A New Objective
Back aboard the Shadow Fang, Raizen briefed his team. The coordinates were far, but the risk was worth it.
"This isn't just salvage," Liana said. "It's a potential fleet."
Kain grinned. "Sounds like our kind of mission."
Raizen's gaze hardened. "Then let's move. We're claiming what's ours."