Along The Way

Orion hesitated for a moment before climbing into the back seat. The interior of the vehicle was stark yet functional, with padded seats and a dashboard glowing with holographic controls. As soon as they were strapped in, Adi tapped a few buttons, and the vehicle emitted a low hum before gently lifting off the ground.

The vehicle glided effortlessly through the narrow tunnel system, its anti-gravity engines making barely a whisper. Outside the reinforced windows, Orion caught glimpses of the lunar township. It was both awe-inspiring and unsettling. Domed structures dotted the landscape, connected by pressurized walkways that glowed faintly in the artificial twilight. Workers in exosuits moved about, some carrying tools, others overseeing large robotic machinery that seemed to extract minerals from the lunar soil.

Orion leaned forward. "So, are you going to tell me what's really going on, or are we just taking a scenic tour of the Moon?"

Adi glanced over his shoulder. "Patience, beta. We're almost there. I need to get you to safety first. Then we'll talk."

Shiv, seated in the passenger seat, was busy scanning a holographic display. His brow furrowed. "We've got company," he muttered, his voice tense.

"What kind of company?" Adi asked, his grip tightening on the controls.

"Federation patrol. Two vehicles tailing us, about half a kilometer back," Shiv replied. "Looks like they're trying to stay out of sight, but they're not exactly subtle."

Adi cursed under his breath. "I knew this would happen. They must've flagged Orion's arrival."

Orion's heart began to race. "Wait, the Federation? Why would they be following us? What do they want with me?"

Adi didn't answer immediately. Instead, he flicked a switch on the dashboard, and the vehicle suddenly accelerated, pressing them all back into their seats. The hum of the engines grew louder as the craft darted through the tunnels.

"Hang on!" Adi shouted, taking a sharp turn into a side tunnel. The vehicle tilted precariously, and Orion gripped the edge of his seat.

"Adi!" Orion yelled. "I'm going to need some answers now! Why are these people chasing us? What's so important that you had to drag me to the Moon for it?"

Adi sighed, his face grim. "Your father didn't just disappear, Orion. He was working on something—a technology that could change everything. The Federation has been hunting for it ever since. And before he vanished, he made sure it would stay out of their hands. The only problem? He hid it in the one place no one would think to look."

Orion's stomach sank as realization dawned on him. "You're saying... he hid it in me?"

Adi nodded. "Yes. And now they know you're here."

Shiv interrupted, his voice urgent. "They're gaining on us, Adi. We need to lose them."

"Hold on tight," Adi growled, slamming another button on the console. The vehicle surged forward, and a faint shimmer surrounded it as a cloaking field activated.

The patrol vehicles grew distant on the scanner, their signals fading as the anti-gravity craft slipped into a side tunnel that led away from the main township. The glow of the lunar settlement dimmed behind them, replaced by the raw, jagged expanse of the Moon's surface visible through the windows.

Finally, they reached their destination—a small outpost built into the lunar rock, camouflaged and barely visible to the naked eye. Adi brought the vehicle to a halt, and the hum of the engines faded as they touched down.

"We're here," Adi announced, exhaling sharply. "This is the safest place for now."

Orion unbuckled his harness, his mind spinning with questions. As they stepped out onto the rocky surface, the faint glow of Earth hung in the black sky above them, a haunting reminder of how far he'd come.

"Welcome to Pratirodh," Adi said, his voice a mix of pride and caution as they stepped into the underground chamber of the outpost.

Orion's eyes adjusted to the dim light, and he took in his surroundings. The place was bustling with activity—people worked on advanced machinery, plotted maps of lunar territories, and tested strange devices. But there was something off about them. Their movements were unnaturally precise, their focus razor-sharp. Orion couldn't shake the feeling that this was more than a regular resistance group.

"These people…" Orion began, glancing at a man who moved with an almost mechanical efficiency as he calibrated a holographic display. Another woman nearby seemed to have her hands on a screen, but instead of tapping it, the controls responded to faint pulses of sound emanating from her fingertips. "They're different.

Adi nodded.

"They are. The members of Pratirodh have enhanced capabilities, but not in the way you're thinking. This isn't magic or evolution—it's technology. Cybernetic enhancements, genetic modifications, and neural upgrades. Each member here has been altered, upgraded in some way. The Federation calls us outlaws and abominations. But we call ourselves 'The Balancers'."