Xhal'Kar Takedown

Mira walked back and forth in the command center of Nomad. Main HUD screen showing Eve's POV from Visor cam.

"Commander, we need to move in now!"

"Ground Zero Clear, The floor is yours, Mira."

Mira didn't wait. "Dispatch!"

Hundreds of fighters shot out from Nomad's launch bays—streaming like fireflies into the smoky orbit above the war-scarred planet.

Vayne's face lit up the right holo-screen. "Soul Drifter—locked, loaded, baby. Ready for launch."

"You're good to go," Mira nodded. "Cover the northern strafe zone. Civilians are trapped under bio-cannon crossfire. Clear a corridor and drop evac pods."

"Copy that. Going loud."

The Soul Drifter jet screamed out of Noad hangers.

On every screen, red and blue dots shifted and blinked. The war was kinetic chaos.

On the command deck, dozens of ops officers manned their posts. Holographic maps rotated in real-time. Mira supervised the war situation.

"Nomad Platoon Five, your flank is exposed," she commanded without raising her voice.

"Copy, Commander Mira."

Likewise, officers on the floor also directed and guided the platoons. Three hours into the battle and fight was still hot.

So was Mira when she took off her jacket, loosening her white T-shirts.

"Commander, your water—"

A young ensign stepped up with a flask.

She took it with one hand. With the other, she pointed at the holomap.

"Why is that ship still hovering?"

"Alien fire pinned them down!"

"Then reroute Shield Drones. I want them moving now."

Two junior officers exchanged glances.

"She hasn't blinked in five minutes."

"And she looks sexier under pressure."

"I've never seen her this focused."

"She looks… dangerous."

Mira's high ponytail sweeping as she pivoted, violet eyes locked to the chaos in the viewport and on the screens.

"Civilians trapped in Sector 14!"

A tech shouted. "Aliens breaching bunker doors!"

"Tag their position. I want three interceptors and a stealth drone."

Anya's voice crackled on the Soul Drifter feed.

"We can reach them faster, Mira."

"Then you go." Then she barks at the staff, "I want eyes on that bunker till it's safe."

In the distance, ships exploded in flames. The entire battle pulsed through Mira's screen—every shot, every move—a cascade of light and life and death.

A radar operator leaned over. "Ma'am, heavy bruisers near Delta-14—too many for one squad."

An officer hastened to Mira.

"Commander," her comms officer frowned. "Xhal'kar Mothership—the generals are escaping."

"Track them."

An officer panicked. "Our fighters are pinned. We have nothing left to pursue. The enemy's mothership will disappear into the space before our units on the ground could even reach the Orbit."

Mira spoke, "then we meet them at the Orbit."

Then Mira turned.

"Prep my ship."

"Ma'am?"

"I'll chase them myself."

"Commander, please—you're needed here. This is dangerous."

"I said prep my ship."

Eve's voice pierced through comm: "Mira. Do not leave the Nomad."

Soul Drifter: "Commander, hang tight—we'll find a path!"

Kai: "Don't be reckless, Mira—wait for clearance!"

She tapped her headset off.

As she strode toward the launch bay, one officer ran beside her.

Her ship, The Vindicator, was already live. 12 Elite Nomad Fighters followed her in silent formation—twelve IC elite, Mira's handpicked guard.

"Nomad Tower, Mira outbound. Engaging pursuit."

And then—she was gone.

.

.

.

The alien vessel was massive. Brutal in shape, bristling with guns. Mira fired through the hull and breached herself. Landed hard inside. Vindicator was already damage, taking too much fire. Doors open. She emerged with her elite fighters, shooting at everything alien.

Her team: 12 strong.

Two minutes in: 7 remained.

By corridor two: 4.

They were ambushed in chambers and narrow halls, cornered.

"We're boarding now. Hold on, Mira!" Vayne's voice gave Mira hope. She began to fight even more rigorously.

The SoulDrifter docked hard. Eve Squad stormed in—Jax, Kai, Anya, Hannah, Axel. They sped through the ship, reaching Mira in no time. Immediate cover fire lit the ship's interior with warzone strobe.

"On your six, Mira!" Jax roared, tearing through two mutants with his tri-cannon.

They cleared room by room, and finally reached the alien command deck And stormed inside.

There they were: Skarn and Dreth: the alien commanders. Tall, spined, reptilian, armored like warlords. Waiting.

The fight was brutal. They fought for 20 minutes. Jax's and Ayna's guns were useless against their shield, Axel's plasma rifle wasn't much help either. Kai's two floating drones were downed. He used a pistol as a diversion so other team mates might do some real damage. Hannah fought hard, but her blades barely scratched their armor.

Eve squad was on the floor with injuries.

The Xhal'Kar chiefs were powerful.

Skarn out his feet on Mira's injured leg, she screamed. "Xhal'Kar will run IC dry, one planet at a time. You thought you and your little squad would take us down? How foolish! Now get ready to die."

Mira coughed blood. "Watch the skies… Pray… your eyes can catch it… when lightning strikes."

Just as the sword raised—

BANG.

The alien's wrist exploded.

Eve's exosuit hits the floor, electrical energy pulsing around her like with buzzing sounds, cocooning her entire existence. Her eyes blazed like thunder.

She stepped in through fire and smoke.

"Get away from her."

One alien's voice trembled:

"The Slayer…"

"The Doomborn…"

"Missed me!?" Her angry voice was layered by AI elements. It happens sometimes when she is mad. Feels like a machine and a human speaking at the same time.

They charged.

She didn't move. She transformed.

Hair flared white. Eyes glowed. Electricity crackled.

Xenomorphic Mode: 30%.

And what followed was carnage.

Limbs. Screams. Static.

One alien tried to flee—Eve pulled him back with her magnetic pulse and crushed his skull barehanded.

Mira, crawling, watched as the chamber turned red.

Monstrous. Unrelenting. Beautiful.

Then—silence.

Eve knelt by Mira.

"You stubborn…"

"Get me back to Nomad."

Moments later, medics from Soul Drifter arrived.

As Mira was lifted onto the stretcher, she looked at Eve.

"Next time… I'll wait."

Eve shook her head.

"Next time… I'll fly with you."