The screen flashed. Light returned.
Their father's face appeared again. But his eyes looked tired now. The same voice, but something behind it had changed. Something heavier.
"Listen up. You're getting your first mission as Team Vortex."
Kael's grin spread. His eyes lit up with something sharp. His foot tapped against the stone floor, fast and eager.
Max leaned forward. His body stilled, all focus now.
"What's the situation?"
A pause. One breath long.
"An asteroid. It's Massive and it's Headed your way."
Kael's grin twitched.
"It's not going to hit, is it?"
Max's eyes stayed on the screen. The gears in his head already turning.
"No... but it's huge. Bigger than anything we've tracked before."
'Huh... how is that a problem?'
Ash watched his father's face. The silence in his pause felt heavier than any answer. His gut coiled, tight.
"Then why does it matter?"
His father's next breath was slower. The lines on his face pulled deeper.
"You didn't let me finish."
A grainy feed sputtered to life. Not just a rock. This thing was a giant—its jagged form crawling across the black. Craters carved into its surface ran for miles, like deep wounds. The faint shimmer of stars outlined its hulking shape, but barely. It looked wrong.
Ash stared, chest tight.
'What the hell is this... this isn't just big. It's huge.'
No one said a word. The cave felt smaller.
The pale light from the screen brushed across their faces as their father's voice returned.
"We need to investigate this asteroid. Its movement is... unnatural. If it alters course, it could threaten the moon, or worse."
Kael didn't blink. His eyes stayed fixed on the image. The asteroid moved slow, rolling through space. Its surface caught bits of light, but nothing stayed long. Shadows crawled over it, hiding whatever was buried inside. Dust spiraled around its edges, drifting off into the black.
His fingers twitched.
"So we're stopping it?"
Ash leaned forward, brows furrowed.
Kael crossed his arms, a half-smile curling on his face.
"Blowing it up, obviously."
'Blowing it up?' Ash blinked, trying to picture that.
Max turned his head sharply.
"That's the worst plan possible. A blast that size would break it into pieces. Thousands of them. Each one crashing down like bullets through the sky."
"Then what, genius? Let it float past like it owns the place?"
Max didn't flinch. His eyes locked on the console as numbers scrolled by. His hands stayed steady.
"Based on the current path, it's not going to hit anything. So yes, If it were just the asteroid, I'd say leave it alone."
'yeah... I was thinking the same. It's not coming for us. We don't need to mess with it.' Ash thought.
Their father's voice cut in, sharp.
"That's not the problem."
All eyes turned to the screen. The display changed again—new lines, new signals. One tiny blinking dot near the asteroid's surface.
"A scout ship from Apex has been circling it for days. At first, we thought they were watching. But now? A whole fleet of warships is moving in."
Max stood straighter. His hand hovered near the console but didn't touch.
"What are they after?"
"That's what you're going to find out."
Kael's grin stretched, heat behind his eyes.
"Leave it to us, Dad. We'll handle it."
"ok, good luck and stay safe"
The image blinked out. The glowing V returned, pulsing like a heartbeat in the dark.
A beat passed. The air felt heavier.
Max rubbed his chin, eyes still on the screen.
"Something's on that asteroid."
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"Something? Got more than that, or are we just guessing?"
"We'll find out when we get there."
His gaze shifted across them, sharp now.
"This is our first mission as a team. No screw-ups."
His eyes locked on Kael for a second too long. Kael dropped his arms to his sides.
"What? Why are you looking at me?"
Max didn't answer. But a smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth.
"It's finally time to give you your suits."
Ash lifted his head. For once, his calm slipped.
Kael punched the air, grin wild.
"Finally! No more training gear—I better get something badass."
Max chuckled, already heading deeper into the cave.
Max led the way, his steps firm. They stopped at a door set into the wall, smooth and silver. He pressed a hand to the panel beside it.
A soft hiss followed. The door split open and slid out of sight. A pale blue light spilled out, brushing their faces as they stepped through.
The room opened wide. Circular. The walls pulsed with thin lines of energy, tracing patterns that shifted like veins. In the center stood rows of tall glass cylinders. Inside each one, a mannequin stood still, wearing armor.
The lights above sent thin shadows crawling across the floor. The suits gleamed beneath the glow, like soldiers frozen in time.
Kael let out a whistle. His eyes jumped from one suit to the next. His hands twitched like he wanted to touch everything.
Ash moved closer. His eyes narrowed, tracing the lines and shapes.
One suit looked like a walking tank—thick plates stacked over thicker plates. The shoulders were heavy, shaped to take a hit. The helmet didn't show a face, only a blank silver mask.
Another suit hugged the body tight. Its dark surface shimmered, cut through by thin streaks of glowing lines. The legs ended in sleek boots with vents at the heels. It looked made to fly.
A third had curved wrist guards. Thin slits glowed at the edges, like something hidden inside. The fingers ended in sharp points. Small emitters sat on the backs of the hands, built-in weapons waiting to be used.
Kael dashed between tubes, his voice echoing through the space.
"This one's got gauntlets! Probably strong enough to punch through a wall!"
He zipped to another.
"And that—wrist cannons!"
Max stood with his arms folded. His voice came cool and even.
"You don't get to pick. These were designed for us."
Kael let out a groan but didn't stop. He paused at a suit twice his size, the armor thick and ridiculous. He threw his arms wide, chin raised.
Kael dropped the act and shuffled back, muttering under his breath.
Ash cracked a small smile. Kael's energy never ran out.
"Fine, fine. But we need to hurry up and pick. I'm ready to test these out."
Max didn't move. He stared at the suits like he was seeing something they couldn't.
"I already know which ones are yours."
Ash and Kael looked at each other.
The room fell quiet. The suits stood waiting. The mission loomed ahead, just past the stars. No one said it, but they all felt it—once they wore the suits, nothing would be the same.