Chapter 6: Fractured Bonds and New Faces

"We fought in fields of grass and in fields of stars, brothers bound by blood and rivalry alike."

Reyan Kaul pressed his forehead against the cool glass of the training dome's observation port, watching simulations flicker across the floor below. But in his mind, he was ten years old again, laughing and pulling Aarav through the meadows of their family's estate on Pallas Prime.

They chased each other beneath twin suns, their breath hot against the crystalline air. Reyan tackled Aarav into fields of tall silver grass, and they rolled, fists soft, smiles wide. When Aarav pinned him, triumphant, Reyan let out a breathless laugh—only to see Aarav's grin flash into a competitive gleam.

"Again!" Aarav had shouted, springing up and placing a gauntlet on Reyan's chest. "This time, I win!"

Reyan had shoved him off, and they grappled until dusk painted the sky in bruised purples. Their mother called them home at dinner, voices carrying on the wind, and they had raced one final time—through the fields, bound by brotherhood and rivalry both.

That laughter had vanished the day fate broke.

Reyan's fingers tightened on the glass. He remembered the crash—metal twisting, wind savage, voices screaming in static. His world had torn apart when the first Rift opened above Kairav's extraction site. He'd seen his younger brother trapped in the blast's fringe, panic etched deep in those youthful features.

"Reyan!" Kairav's cry had been a blade in his chest.

He'd dived through shards of light to pull him free, but the Rift's pull was stronger than iron. Kairav staggered, eyes empty, a wound bleeding cosmic energy across his chest.

Reyan had screamed for the med-teams. Bent over his brother, he felt the Rift's echo pulse through Kairav's veins—an infection of memory and time. Doctors told him Kairav would live, but he would never be the same.

That day, something in Reyan had snapped. He felt the guilt coil around his ribs like a living thing. He vowed then—if the Rift would take nothing else, he would become its master. Control it. Bend it. Never let another person he loved become a casualty of its hunger.

He blinked, the memory dissolving into the neon glow of the simulation. Three years had passed since his promotion to leading cadet. He had sharpened himself into a weapon, honing every skill until his emotions lay buried under discipline and purpose.

Mira's voice broke through the reverie.

"Report," she said softly, stepping beside him.

He turned, steady once more.

"All sectors stable," he replied. "Analysis complete."

She nodded, eyes gentle.

"You're carrying old ghosts," she observed. "Let them go."

He gave her a measured glance.

"The Rift doesn't let you."

Mira said nothing, but her hand lingered on his arm. For a heartbeat, Reyan allowed himself a flicker of warmth—before shutting it away again.

Later, Council Briefing Room

General Kaul's emblem blazed on the holo-screen behind him. Only the highest-ranking officers gathered here. Reyan stood at attention, dossier in hand. Next week's mission would probe an unstable Rift conduit near Ceres Station—Class 3 anomalies expected. Perfect for a tactical infiltration.

He knew exactly which cadet to bring.

Mira had to brief the Council on reconnaissance. Reyan watched her prepare. Her violet scarf draped over her shoulder, her expression calm and assured. She caught his eye and gave a slight nod. They were a partnership forged in urgency.

When the Council deliberated, Reyan spoke first.

"I propose a dual-team approach," he said, voice clear. "Phase one: remote scan. Phase two: infiltration by elite pairs. We can minimize exposure and map the conduit in half the expected window."

Heads turned, voices murmured.

"Effective," the Councilwoman intoned. "But risk to cadets remains high."

Reyan met her gaze evenly.

"I volunteer the cadets under my command. Their training profile matches the mission parameters."

Another officer frowned. "Name them."

He took a breath. "Cadet Saira Myles and Reyan Kaul, lead infiltration; Cadet Mira Veil and Cadet Aarav Veil will cover extraction and support."

A hush fell. Saira Myles—unknown to most here—was a ghost in the cadet records: unmatched in stealth sims, but emotionally unreadable.

General Kaul's eyes gleamed.

"Approved. You have your team."

Reyan bowed. As he left the chamber, he felt the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders.

Sometime Later – Gear Bay

The hatch to the Rift conduit shimmered; Ceres Station's battered industrial wreckage loomed behind it. Reyan and Saira stood side by side. He examined her for the first time: tall and silent, uniform spotless, dark eyes focused. No gauntlet at her arm, but small resonance nodes strapped across her forearms — her personal sync tech.

She didn't glance at him.

"Your plan," she said simply, voice low and steady.

Reyan laid out the approach: remote drones, signal jammers, two-minute window. Each step rehearsed mentally as he spoke. She listened, nodding precisely on cue. He felt a spark of something inside him — admiration, respect… perhaps more.

"Ready?" he asked finally.

She faced him then, eyes unreadable.

"Always."

A thrill of anticipation shot through him. In that moment, everything clicked: the guilt of the past, the drive to control the Rift, the unexpected comfort of Saira's quiet assurance.

He gave her a single nod.

"Let's move."

Together, they stepped through the shimmering gateway—into the unknown.

End of Chapter 6