Joranis, Southern District – Ritterheim Command Post
H-Hour +1 after the Imperial Edict
Stavos closed his eyes for a moment.
"Thermal scan of Sector 7-G: objective achieved at 98%," reported a metallic voice from one of the officers in the control room. Dozens of bluish screens cast sharp shadows across his angular face.
On the monitors, red silhouettes moved frantically through a maze of tunnels. Green dots surrounded them with mechanical precision, unfazed by the improvised projectiles bouncing off their armor. A close-up captured a mother clutching her child, mouth twisted in a silent scream—the cameras picked up no sound. The image jolted as an incendiary grenade exploded nearby.
"We could've evacuated them..." murmured a young operator at her console, fingers hovering above the holographic keyboard.
The crisp smack of a leather glove on metal echoed through the room, making everyone jump. Stavos had turned. His grey eyes pierced straight through her.
