Page 64 of Honor Bound

Roan nodded. “There is. Each containment unit has an emergency neutralization system—a chemical dispersal agent designed to kill the parasite on contact. The problem is that it only works if you can access each, individual control panel and trigger it manually. This was done as an attempt to preserve the parasites. If one or two containment units failed, they would still have the others. If the lab locks down, each containment unit is locked down separately.”

“And that’s where we come in,” Julia murmured, her eyes narrowing. “If we can get to those panels and activate the dispersal agents, we can destroy the parasite before it has a chance to spread.”

Roan’s fingers tightened around the edge of the console. He hated the idea of Julia being anywhere near those containment units, but he also knew she was the only one who could figure out the appropriate order required to release the dispersal agents. There was a lock out sequence. The wrong combination would trigger a lockout and release. It had been an added lockdown measure to prevent what they were planning. Most military missions like this didn’t include a skilled scientist.

“Once we’re inside,” he said, his voice low and steady, “stay close to me. We’ll have to move fast. The ventilation system will be crawling with security sensors, even if Bantu manages to disable them. If we’re caught?—”

“I know,” Julia interrupted, her eyes meeting his. “We won’t be.”

Her confidence sent a flicker of warmth through him, easing the tension in his chest. He reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. “You are an amazing woman.”

Julia’s lips curved into a faint smile. “You’re pretty amazing yourself, General Landais.”

A soft chime broke the moment. The fleet of Legion warships was upon them.

* * *

The Legion Battle Cruisers loomed like black daggers against the glow of Tesla Terra. Dozens of ships moved in perfect formation, their sleek hulls reflecting starlight and the nearby sun, while their engines burned with an ominous red glow. They cut through the darkness with a predatory grace, surrounding the massive space lab that hovered just ahead—a city of steel drifting through space, glowing with clusters of blue, red, and green lights.

The shuttle hung in the void, a ghost cloaked in shadow, hidden by the specially treated reflective paint that bent light around it. From the viewport, the view was surreal, the silence almost deafening, disturbed only by the soft sound of the environmental system and their breathing.

Roan stood just behind La’Rue, his eyes narrowed, scanning the fleet below. A tight knot of tension coiled in his chest, every instinct in him screaming to act—yet knowing that one wrong move would doom them all. His jaw clenched, and his thoughts turned briefly to his father and uncle. He knew they were watching, ready to unleash destruction.

He turned his head slightly, studying the others in the shuttle. Sergi sat at the rear console, his face illuminated by the pale light of the monitors, his eyes focused and calm, though his fingers drummed an uneven rhythm against his thigh. Bantu leaned over his station, lips pressed in concentration as he worked to access their connection with the space lab’s systems once they were within reach.

Josh and Cassa stood behind Packu who had taken over the co-pilot seat. Their eyes were trained on the massive space lab. He could see a muscle twitching in Josh’s jaw and didn’t miss the way the man reached down to grip Cassa’s hand in his.

Julia stood at his side, her fingers resting lightly on the edge of the console, her eyes fixed on the approaching space lab, her thoughts unreadable. The glow from the massive warship’s lights reflected in her eyes. Her face had a haunted expression. For a moment, Roan wondered if she was remembering what had happened on Plateau.

He reached out, resting his hand lightly over hers, drawing her attention back to the present. She looked up at him, her eyes steady, her resolve clear.

“We’ll stop it,” she whispered.

Roan nodded once, his lips tightening into a determined line.

* * *

Minutes passed before the full breadth of the space lab came into view. Roan watched as the space lab slid beneath them, an enormous structure of gleaming metal, its surface dotted with small observation windows and clusters of thrusters that emitted soft bursts of blue light as it adjusted its course. Power conduits ran along its spine, pulsating faintly as they directed energy to various sections of the lab.

It was more than a ship—it was a fortress, a massive scientific outpost brimming with potential death. Roan’s stomach tightened at the sight of it, knowing what was housed inside, knowing what would happen if they failed.

The Legion Battle Cruisers encircled the lab like protective predators, their cannons idle but primed, ready to annihilate any threat that dared come close.

“It’s time,” Roan said quietly, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife.

La’Rue nodded, her eyes sharp, her hands moving with practiced ease across the controls. “Engaging forward thrusters.”

The shuttle drifted forward, gliding silently over the top of the space lab. The surface of the lab loomed just meters below, a vast sea of reinforced metal plates, interspersed only by the occasional cluster of antennae, sensor arrays, and defensive gun turrets.

The hull lights of the lab pulsed in rhythmic patterns, giving the illusion of breathing—an unnerving reminder of the monstrous living weapon that lay beneath its metallic skin.

La’Rue’s fingers tightened around the throttle, guiding the shuttle downward in a slow, careful descent. The proximity alarms on her console flashed yellow, warning of their dangerously close position to the lab’s hull. La’Rue threw Packu an appreciative glance when he quickly silenced the noise.

“Steady,” Roan murmured, his eyes flicking between the viewport and La’Rue’s hands. “Bring us in soft.”

“I got this,” she said.

“Piece of cake,dusha moya,” Sergi murmured.

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