A trick

Grant knew just flashing the ticket around would be a death sentence. The Viper Gang wasn't stupid—they'd have people watching every spaceport, every merchant ship, every bribable official. If he wanted to get off-world, he had to be smart about it. Regardless of whether or not they knew he held this ticket, something like this popping up in the hands of a nobody was sure to raise some alarm bells in the gangs "Acquisitions" departments.

He turned the ticket over in his hand, watching the golden glow pulse along its edges.

"System," he murmured. "How exactly does this thing work? Is it just an entry pass, or is there more to it?"

"Analyzing... Accessing encrypted data... Partial decryption successful."

A small interface projected from the card, showing lines of text.

"Zenith Academy Candidacy Ticket – Holder: Unregistered. Access Level: Priority.Boarding Status: Approved for Academy Transport Shuttle – Docking Bay 16, Karvess Spaceport."

Grant's heart pounded. A direct shuttle to the Academy? That was perfect—except for one problem.

"There's no way I can just walk into a high-security spaceport with Ria and expect to board without someone asking questions," he muttered.

"Correct. Unauthorized personnel will be denied entry. Further, system records indicate active criminal surveillance within the spaceport district. Risk assessment: Extreme."

"Yeah, I figured," Grant muttered, rubbing his chin.

He needed a disguise. A cover. A way past security without raising alarms.

Then it hit him—

The Omni-Forge.

He glanced at the status screen, where his newly acquired 'Combat Gauntlets' blueprint flickered. If he could make basic combat gear, then why not something else?

A uniform. A fake ID. A way to blend in.

"System, can I use the Omni-Forge to fabricate a Zenith Academy flight uniform?"

"Affirmative. Blueprint can be improvised using easily accessible materials. Current stability estimate: 62%."

That was good enough.

Now for Ria.

He turned to her, gripping the ticket tightly. "Ria, if we're getting out of here, I need you to trust me."

She nodded quickly, eyes wide. "O-Okay."

"You're gonna be my engineer assistant," he said. "I'll make you a fake uniform, and we'll get you on that ship as my assigned tech support."

Ria's mouth opened slightly, clearly surprised. "You think that'll work?"

Grant smirked, though his mind raced with contingency plans. "It has to."

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The dimly lit room hummed with the quiet buzz of holo-screens, their soft glow reflecting off the metal walls. A faint haze of cheap cigar smoke curled through the air, mixing with the scent of oil and old blood.

At the center of it all, slouched in a chair that looked more like a throne of welded scrap and salvaged plating, sat Vex Darnel—leader of the Viper Gang.

A man built like a brawler but with the sharpness of a predator, Vex had ruled over Karvess' underworld for years. He wasn't the biggest, but he was smart enough to keep himself undefeated. And right now, his patience was wearing thin.

His comm-link flickered, and a ragged voice crackled through.

"Boss… we got a problem."

Vex exhaled slowly, flicking ash from his cigar. "You better have a damn good reason for calling me after screwing up, Jarron."

The voice on the other end coughed, pained. "It—it was some kid, boss. We had the girl, but he came outta nowhere. Wiped out the crew like it was nothin'."

Vex's brows twitched, his fingers tightening slightly around the armrest. "A kid?"

He flicked his hand, and one of his lieutenants tapped on a console, pulling up colony surveillance feeds. A few moments later, a grainy, low-quality image appeared—a young guy, scrappy, moving faster than a street rat had any right to.

The timestamp showed the fight. Vex leaned forward, watching it play out.

He saw the raw speed, the precision in his movements, the way the kid used an exo-frame that looked like it was held together with spit and junk metal. But it worked.

And then he saw the energy flicker—just for a second—when the kid clenched his fist. He saw him whip around cables and create gauntlets from nothing. He saw the surge of energy he exuded.

Vex's eyes narrowed.

That wasn't normal.

He leaned back, exhaling a slow breath. "And the girl? What about her? You know our client has been looking for someone like her for a while."

"Sh-she ran off with him. But boss—before we lost 'em, we saw somethin'."

"Spit it out."

Jarron gulped. "She had a ticket, boss. One of those Zenith Academy passes."

Silence.

The whole room froze. Even the low murmur of background conversation died instantly.

Vex took another long drag of his cigar. Let the information sink in.

Then he grinned.

A Zenith ticket. That wasn't just a prize—that was a golden goose. A ticket like that was worth a fortune to the right buyer. More than that, it could open doors that even the underworld struggled to touch.

And some nobody kid had it now?

He exhaled smoke and chuckled darkly.

"You said he beat you down like it was nothing?"

A nervous pause. Then: "Y-yeah, boss."

Vex rolled the cigar between his fingers, watching the last flickers of embers.

"Then that means one of two things," he said smoothly. "Either we got some undiscovered talent running around this junk heap…" He crushed the last of the cigar into the tray.

"…Or the kid's got a relic AI."

The room stirred, quiet murmurs of realization rippling through the gang members. No one but Vex had even seen a relic AI. Everyone glanced nervously at the scar running down Vex's cheek-a reminder of the one time he bumped into a relic holder.

If it was an AI, that meant power. Real power.

And Vex had never been one to let power slip through his fingers.

He stood, rolling his shoulders as he cracked his knuckles.

"Get everyone moving," he ordered, his voice low and dangerous. "Lock down the colony, watch the ports, and put a bounty on the kid. I want his face everywhere."

He turned toward one of his enforcers. "And make sure we got eyes on all the docking bays around the area . If that ticket's real, he's gonna try to use it. And when he does?"

A slow, predatory smile stretched across his lips.

"We'll be there to greet him."

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The Omni-Forge flickered weakly, sparks spitting from his gauntlet as he forced the last stitch into place. The two uniforms lay in front of him, rough but passable.

And then—

A sudden wave of exhaustion hit him like a freight hauler. His vision blurred, his muscles trembled, and his knees nearly buckled.

"Warning: Synchronization strain reaching critical levels."

He gritted his teeth, clutching his head as a sharp throbbing pain shot through his skull.

"Damn it—" He stumbled, catching himself on the edge of the workbench. His arms felt like lead, the energy that had been flowing through him just minutes ago now completely drained.

"Captain, your cognitive and physical limits have been exceeded. Further creation is impossible until recovery is achieved."

"So what—you're telling me I'm useless now?" he growled, trying to force his body to move.

"Negative. You are simply... inefficient at present."

He let out a shaky breath. Right. He had pushed himself too far. The Omni-Forge, the uniforms—his system was running on fumes.

No more machines. No more tricks.

Not until he rested.

But he didn't have time to rest.

Ria's voice cut through his haze. "Grant? Are you okay?"

She looked at him with wide, worried eyes, clutching the oversized uniform in her small hands.

He forced a smirk, despite the pounding headache. "Yeah. Just... ran a little hot, that's all."

Lying. Not like she'd believe him, but there was no point worrying her. He wondered why he even cared about this girl. Was it gratitude for her delivering the ticket to him? No, then he would've let her keep it. He had no intention of doing that. He just wanted to get her off world. So what was it then? Maybe... It was comradery. She was about his age when his parents died. He felt an urge to protect her.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus. If he couldn't build any more tech, he'd have to rely on what he had.

The uniforms. The forged IDs. The shitty gauntlets. And whatever sheer dumb luck he had left.

He pushed himself off the bench, wobbling slightly before steadying.

"Alright," he said, rolling his shoulders despite the exhaustion. "No more second chances. We move now."

Ria nodded quickly, throwing on the uniform.

Grant pulled his own on, adjusting the collar to hide the Omni-Forge's weak glow.

No backup plan. No reinforcements.

Just a half-dead street rat and a scared kid trying to slip past a gang that wanted them dead.

Perfect.

He tightened his gloves and turned toward the city lights in the distance.

Time to bet it all.

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Grant and Ria approached docking bay 16, wearing the ill fitting uniforms. Ria looked rather bizarre, a little girl wearing what seemed to be a high class academy uniform.

"heh, I look like a real school kid now" She giggled. She seemed to be opening back up after the shock of the initial fight wore off.

Grant glanced at her with a small smile. He was glad. He truly hoped she would be able to grow up with a normal life, from now on.

As Grant and Ria approached the gates of Docking Bay 16, the tension in the air grew thick. He kept his pace steady, but his mind was spinning. The checkpoint was ahead, and the moment they crossed it, they'd be exposed.

But it seemed that the Vipers had already made their move.

Out of the corner of his eye, Grant spotted two figures emerging from an alley to the side. Their ill-fitting coats and disguised expressions screamed that they didn't belong in the clean, sleek crowd of the spaceport.

They were Vipers.

Before he could react, one of the gang members—a bulky man with a scar across his neck—stepped forward, blocking their path.

"Hey, you two," he sneered, his voice low but carrying. "Where do you think you're going?"

Grant's heart skipped a beat. The other enforcer, a tall woman with a laser focus on them, kept her eyes trained on him, waiting for any sign of weakness.

Grant's mind raced. He could see the Viper tattoos peeking out from under their coats. These weren't just street punks—they were the ones with real power.

Ria took a small step back, fear flashing across her face as she clutched the fake Zenith Academy uniform closer. Grant put a hand on her shoulder to keep her calm. He wasn't sure if he could fight his way out of this. Not now.

The man with the scar sneered. "I don't think we've seen you around here before. What's that little girl doing with you, huh? She some kind of runaway?"

Grant tensed, trying to hold his composure. His stomach churned, but he held Ria's gaze, trying to communicate without words: stay calm.

"I—I'm an engineer," Grant said, his voice steady but forced. "I'm just taking her to the Academy." He gestured toward the uniforms. "She's one of the Academy hopefuls. We were just making our way through security. No harm meant."

The man with the scar laughed. It wasn't a friendly sound.

"You expect me to believe that? A scrawny kid like you? You got no papers, no backup. You're way too far out of your league, engineer."

Grant took a deep breath, keeping his hands loose at his sides. His mind was already running through scenarios, and none of them were good.

The woman behind the scarred man moved closer, her eyes narrowing. "You got something to hide, kid?"

Grant's heartbeat echoed in his ears.

Then, without warning, the scarred man reached out and grabbed Ria's arm, jerking her toward him. "Hey, I recognize you... Our boss sent out a search for yah."

"Hey!" Grant shouted, instinctively stepping forward. "Let her go!" he growled, his hands clenched into fists. The exhaustion and pain from earlier in the day now felt like a distant memory. He was clear-headed now—and he was angry.

The scarred man smirked, tightening his grip on Ria. "Make me."

The woman behind him cracked her knuckles. "This isn't your territory, little boy. You don't get to tell us what to do."

Grant's mind was racing, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, he felt the pressure of time closing in. He couldn't afford to waste any more moments.

"System," Grant murmured under his breath. "What do I have left?"

"Warning: Power levels critically low. Probability of creating anything useful is minimal."

But there was still something—something Grant could try.

His hands shook, but he didn't let it show. He reached into his coat, pulling out the gauntlet that whirred to life, morphing around his fist.

And then, with a sudden motion, Grant Slammed his fist into the side of the mans face.

"Now!"

The gauntlet exploded with a sharp bang, sending a flash of light and smoke in every direction.

The Viper reacted immediately—shouting, ducking, and stumbling back, trying to cover his face.

Grant didn't wait for the smoke to clear. He grabbed Ria's arm, pulling her along as he darted through the thick cloud.

"Run!" Grant shouted. "Run, now!"

The security checkpoint was just ahead, but Grant knew they wouldn't have much time before the Vipers regrouped. He heard the female viper say something into a communication device.

They had to move faster.

Grant's heart pounded in his chest as he pulled Ria along, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the chaos behind them. The thick smoke from the gauntlet explosion swirled around them, making it harder to see but giving them a much-needed cover. His mind raced as he calculated their next move.

"Come on, just a little further!" Grant urged, his voice rough from adrenaline.

Ria stumbled but stayed close. She was scared, her face pale, but she held onto Grant's hand with a surprising amount of determination for a girl her age.

Up ahead, the security checkpoint loomed, still distant but their only chance for safety.

Grant's eyes flicked over his shoulder. He could hear the Viper woman's voice, sharp and cutting through the noise.

"They're heading for the checkpoint!"

Grant's stomach twisted. They'd been spotted. The Vipers would be on them in seconds.

They had no choice but to move fast. The guards at the checkpoint might not let them through, but if they could get there first, they'd have a chance. If they could bluff their way through or cause enough confusion to slip past—anything.

He turned sharply, pulling Ria toward a side alley that led around the perimeter of the checkpoint. It wasn't the direct path, but it might give them some cover.

"Go, go, go!"

Grant urged Ria to pick up the pace as they rushed toward the alley, but his legs were starting to feel the strain. His body was exhausted, his energy running low from everything he'd pushed himself to do.

But they had no choice. The Vipers were closing in, and if they couldn't get past the checkpoint, there was nowhere else to go.

As they reached the alley's entrance, the sound of footsteps behind them grew louder. He risked a glance over his shoulder.

The scarred Viper was leading the chase, his eyes locked on Grant with a savage determination. The woman was right behind him, speaking urgently into her comms, directing the others to their position.

"Faster!" Grant hissed through gritted teeth. He pushed himself and Ria harder, rounding the corner just as they neared the perimeter wall of the checkpoint. He could see the guards glance toward the scarred man, Vex, and mind their own business.

Then, in the distance, he saw a flash of blue light—the gate was opening.

It was their last chance.

"We have to go NOW!" Grant shouted, pulling Ria with every ounce of strength he had left.

They were nearly there. But just as they were about to reach the gate, a loud bang echoed from behind them.

The Vipers were catching up.

Grant risked one last glance over his shoulder.

The scarred man was almost within reach. The woman was on his heels, her hand reaching for something at her side.

He pushed harder, his vision narrowing.

They were so close.

And then he felt a hard pull downward at his hand, then Rias grip loosen and let go.