Nucleus 1: The Dust of Moon [Mature Sci-fi Romance]

06:00, February 10, 2295

Prefect's Study, No. 1 Zhongshan S Rd, Taipei, Taiwan, Imperium of Dragons territory

Dawn crept across Taipei as Dilinur reviewed footage in her study. Her black hair was in an updo, held by a hairpin with a red gem. A few loose strands showed she'd been working for hours instead of maintaining the refined appearance expected of an Imperial Prefect.

"Play it again," she said, despite the unease in her stomach.

The display showed a woman strapped to a chair. Blood dripped from her nose as Dilinur's voice came through speakers: "The Crystal's location. One more time."

Dilinur watched herself work. Her black silk robe brushed the floor as she stepped closer to the screen.

She paused the recording when the subject's skin started to bubble under her Eclipse spells.

"The Vault of…Primal Urges," the prisoner finally said. "But an oppressed soul like yourself will never understand its power."

A message appeared: 'GOVERNOR QIN ARRIVING VIA HOLOGRAM IN 45 MINUTES. COURT ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.'

Dilinur touched her jade hairpin, a habit she'd never broken. How many more sessions before she stopped feeling each scream? Before she became the monster the Imperium wanted?

She turned to the window. Beyond the glass, Taipei's skyline blazed with lights, each building showing Imperium power. The Amber Moon Spire cut through the clouds, its Main Server Cluster holding secrets worth killing for.

Another message appeared: 'SUBJECT PROCESSED. ORGAN HARVEST SUCCESSFUL. AVAILABLE FOR USE. AT THE GENOME SEQUENCER.'

Dilinur gripped her hairpin until her knuckles turned white. Another death, another "contribution" to the Imperium's secret weapon. She remembered the woman's last words about family in Tainan. Would they ever know what happened to their daughter? Or would she just disappear, like others who defied the Imperium?

An amber glow drew her attention. The Genome Sequencer hummed as it processed the latest sample. Dilinur approached, her reflection warped in its surface.

"Sequencer! Status report," she commanded.

"Primary sequencing complete. Genetic integration proceeding as scheduled. Current progress: 87%," the machine replied in a female voice.

A hologram appeared showing cells forming in vats beneath the building. What started as tissue from failed revolutionaries was becoming something monstrous – a bioweapon against both Alliance forces and Radi-Mons.

"Time projection until Flesh Pot reaches viable status?" she asked, studying the cellular formations.

"Seven Earth days until preliminary viability. Thirteen days until the Radi-Mon designated 'Flesh Pot' is ready for combat," the machine answered.

Dilinur nodded, watching the cells divide. The rebel's genetic material worked well with the Radi-Mon she was tasked with building. Perhaps the woman's defiance would become ferocity in the Imperium's arsenal.

"Survival demands sacrifice," she muttered. How often had her superiors used that phrase? How often had she repeated it to herself before dawn?

She dismissed the projection. The machine continued working, amber light pulsing as it sent instructions to chambers below. Flesh Pot would be their creation – a living weapon made from those who defied the Imperium. A monster overseen by someone afraid of becoming a monster herself.

She adjusted her robe. Every detail mattered with Governor Qin. Even appearing by hologram, his demand for protocol was legendary. One mistake could ruin her work and compromises to reach this position.

A third message appeared: 'UNUSUAL ENERGY SIGNATURES DETECTED AT AMBER MOON SPIRE. LEVEL 50. SECURITY PROTOCOLS ENGAGING.'

Dilinur froze. The Crystal's data was on level 117. If someone was trying to access it from below... but she couldn't check yet. Not with Governor Qin coming.

In the Imperium, survival meant playing the game, climbing the ladder until you could actually make a difference.

If you lived that long.

She squared her shoulders, lifting her chin. The dragons on her robe seemed to move as she walked to the door. Behind her, the Genome Sequencer worked silently, creating life from death, mixing human flesh into something unholy.

The morning's court would determine the fate of the Moondust Crystal data, the programmer Zhi-Xin Wu, and his android – and whether Dilinur could maintain her balance between duty and humanity.

06:30, February 10, 2295

Prefect's Court, 88F, Amber Moon Spire (琥月塔), ZenFusion Taipei branch, No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan, Imperium of Dragons territory

"The Prefect has arrived!" announced the Bloodtrooper at the door.

The heavy doors of the Prefect's Court opened with a clang. Morning light streamed through tall windows across the marble floor. The room wasn't large – the Imperium preferred smaller spaces for governance – but its walls showed tapestries of dragons ascending to heaven.

Unlike Alliance's hidden approach or the Directorate's spread-out systems, the Imperium showed its fusion power openly. The chamber's east wall was clear, revealing a massive Zephyrium core that filled the room with amber light. The crystal structure, five stories tall, pulsed with energy that made the air taste like metal.

"At ease. We have much to discuss today," she said as she walked to her raised seat. Below her, arranged in a half-circle, sat the officials who helped maintain the Imperium's control over Taiwan. Their faces revealed nothing, but she felt them watching her. Every session tested whether she deserved to rule them.

To her right stood Cheng Wei, her Seneschal, solid in his red armor and loyalty. His face remained calm, but she noticed his jaw tighten – he'd seen the morning's reports too.

"Governor Qin's transmission will begin momentarily," said a technician, adjusting the hologram projector in the center of the room.

Shazmeen Varma, the Secretary of Province, sat in her place with coiled grace. Her dark skin and striking features stood out among the mostly Chinese officials – another "outsider" the Imperium found useful. The patterns in her braided hair and the gold threads in her robes showed wealth and influence, but Dilinur knew better than to trust such displays.

"Prefect Altai," Shazmeen said with slight amusement, "I trust the morning's intelligence has been illuminating?"

Before Dilinur could answer, the air shimmered and Governor Zu-Shao Qin's hologram appeared. Even through the blue-tinted image, his presence commanded attention. His bald head and sharp features gave him a predatory look, so did his black and red robes.

"Remarkable," Shao's voice filled the room, rich with scorn, "how our Prefect manages to arrive precisely on schedule, while the Crystal's data remains frustratingly elusive."

Dilinur nodded, just enough to show respect without submission. "Governor, the data is secured in the level 117 cluster. Our engineers have verified—"

"Verification means nothing without results," Shao cut her off. "The Emperor grows impatient. While our forces battle the Alliance across the Five Realms, we're meant to trust the most significant discovery of the age to...a band of Unblooded and outsiders?"

The pause before those last words made their meaning clear. Unblooded. Outsider. Temporary convenience.

"My lord," Dilinur kept her voice steady, "perhaps we should discuss the latest developments regarding—"

A commotion at the entrance interrupted her. Two Bloodtroopers entered, their red armor catching the morning light. Between them stood a prisoner in simple clothes, his face bruised.

"Apologies for the interruption," the first trooper said, "but we've captured a rebel courier. Claims to have information about Alliance movements near the Crystal's suspected location."

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Dilinur felt Shao's holographic gaze sharpen with interest. She recognized the look – a predator smelling blood.

"Well then, Prefect," Shao's lips curved slightly, "shall we see how provincial management handles this opportunity?"

Dilinur studied the prisoner. Young – barely twenty, she guessed. Local features, but his bearing suggested military training. The bruises were precise. The Bloodtroopers had known exactly how much force to use.

"Speak," she commanded.

The prisoner lifted his chin defiantly despite his bonds. "The Terra Alliance knows about the Crystal. They're mobilizing a strike force. I can tell you where—"

"You'd sacrifice your comrades so easily?" Dilinur's voice carried just enough doubt to bait the hook.

"They're…not my comrades anymore." Blood trickled from his split lip as he spoke. "The Alliance s-s-scums... they're working with the Emerald Directorate now. S-s-sharing intelligence about—"

"The Alliance working with the apes?" A harsh laugh from Shao's hologram cut through the chamber. "And I'm the Mayor of Celestial Reach!"

The prisoner's eyes widened slightly – Dilinur had seen that look before. The look of someone realizing their lie had failed.

"Allow me to demonstrate why the Emperor trusts Taiwan's management," she rose smoothly from her seat, Eclipse energy beginning to coil around her fingers, "Maa-nik-ya Yaa-ta-naa!"

The first spell caught the prisoner in his throat, choking off whatever lie he'd been about to tell. The second spell made his blood vessels visible through his skin, a map of vulnerabilities waiting to be exploited.

"Alliance movements?" she asked softly, letting him feel the pressure building in his arteries. "Or perhaps something about that disturbance we detected here in the Spire?"

His eyes betrayed him before he could speak. A quick glance toward the windows, toward the tower's silhouette in the distance.

"Prefect," Cheng Wei stepped forward, his armor clanking, "the timing suggests—"

"A diversion," Dilinur finished. She released her spell, letting the prisoner collapse gasping to the floor. "While we're occupied here, someone else moves on the Crystal data."

Shao's hologram flickered with barely contained fury. "If the Alliance breaches our servers —"

"They won't, Governor Qin," Dilinur cut in, earning shocked looks from the assembled officials. One did not simply interrupt the Governor. "Because this isn't Alliance methodology. Their operatives don't sacrifice pawns so inefficiently."

She turned to Shazmeen. "The prisoner's accent. You noted it?"

A slow smile spread across the Secretary's face. "Tainan inflections. Local resistance, not foreign agents."

"Remove him," Dilinur commanded. As the Bloodtroopers dragged the prisoner away, she turned back to Shao's hologram. "My lord, this attempt at infiltration raises concerns about our other... guest at the Spire."

The chamber's atmosphere shifted noticeably. Even Shazmeen's usual composure wavered slightly.

"Subject S," Shao's holographic features hardened. "Your midnight report indicated another failed conditioning attempt."

"The Radi-Mon's resistance to our control methods is unprecedented," Dilinur acknowledged. "Even with our most advanced neural suppressants, Subject S maintains a disturbing level of autonomy. Yesterday's test resulted in the loss of three more Bloodtroopers."

"And yet," Shao's voice dripped with disdain, "despite these failures, you advocate maintaining him at the Spire?"

"The intelligence we've gathered suggests the Moondust Crystal could be key to severing this connection," Dilinur responded carefully. "Our translations of ancient Neptunian texts found in the Mainland indicate it was originally designed to suppress certain forms of consciousness."

Cheng Wei stepped forward, his red armor catching the light. "If I may, Prefect - our Conjurers sent an update. Subject S appears to possess a connection to something they call 'the Hivemind'. This entity reinforces his will against our interventions."

"But if we could adapt the Moondust Crystal's property," Dilinur continued, "we wouldn't just control Subject S. We could potentially control entire Radi-Mon hordes."

Shao's hologram flickered as he leaned forward, interest in his cold eyes. "Bold claims. What evidence supports this theory?"

Shazmeen rose from her seat, her golden-threaded robes catching the morning light. "The research facility in Hsinchu has completed preliminary analysis of Subject S's neural patterns. They align remarkably with fragments we've decoded from the Crystal's data structure."

"Our forces across the Five Realms are stretched thin containing Radi-Mon incursions — and fighting those Alliance dogs. " Shao's tone sharpened, "The Emperor questions why such a crucial task falls to provincial management."

The slight pause before those words made several officials shift uncomfortably. Dilinur felt the familiar weight of scrutiny – every Unblooded who rose through Imperial ranks lived beneath it.

"Precisely because our forces are engaged elsewhere, my lord," Dilinur countered smoothly. "Taiwan's unique position – our technological infrastructure, our distance from major conflict zones, our — expendability in the Emperor's grand designs – makes us ideal for this endeaver."

"Not to mention," Shazmeen added, her voice like silk-wrapped steel, "small nations to the south are watching us, entertaining thoughts of helping the Emerald Directorate of the Terra Alliance. An ability to control Radi-Mons could prove — persuasive."

Shao's holographic features remained impassive, but Dilinur recognized the calculating look in his eyes. The political implications weren't lost on him.

"And what of our more immediate security concerns?" he asked finally. "This programmer and his... machine."

As if summoned by Qin's words, the chamber's displays flickered to life, showing security footage from the Amber Moon Spire. A Da-Ji android – U6-M9 – stood in her cell, hands pressed against the containment field. Unlike standard android behavior, she paced, her movements jarringly human.

"If you would, please observe," Dilinur manipulated the display with a gesture, splitting the screen to show multiple angles. "Three days of footage. She hasn't entered standard charging mode once. No repetitive patterns. No routines."

"'It', Dinu. That thing is no human," Shao's hologram moved through the displays like a shark through dark water. "But ZenFusion's pride in their Da-Ji line makes more sense now. They've created something that can perfectly mimic — weakness."

The footage shifted to show Xin's initial arrest. As the Bloodtroopers dragged him away, U6-M9 fought against her captors with unexpected ferocity. The audio crackled through the chamber: "I won't comply! Let go of me!"

Several officials flinched at the android's outburst. Even Cheng Wei's calm expression cracked slightly.

"An android that rejects direct commands," Shazmeen mused, rising to examine the footage more closely. Her shadow cut across the projections. "Fascinating, but irrelevant to our larger concerns. The resources required to study this anomaly would be better spent on Subject S."

"Unless," Dilinur stepped into the maze of projections, her figure intersecting with the frozen images of struggle, "there's a connection we're missing. Wu Zhi-Xin's expertise in neural programming. His access to an Android Modifier — no doubt off the black market – "

A low tremor shook the chamber, making the projections waver. Deep beneath their feet, the Helionite processing systems hummed with increased activity.

"You suspect he could assist with Subject S?" Qin asked, his hologram cutting through the displays to fix Dilinur with a penetrating stare.

"I suspect we shouldn't be too hasty in dismissing either of them," Dilinur replied carefully. "However, keeping them both at high security would strain our already limited resources."

"A cogent point." Shao gestured, and the projections shifted to display Amber Moon Spire's security allocations. Red markers showed the concentration of Bloodtroopers around Subject S's containment level. "Our forces are already stretched thin maintaining one high-risk prisoner. The android is..."

Another tremor, stronger this time, interrupted him. The quantum displays flickered, momentarily showing power fluctuations throughout the Spire.

"Merely a corporate asset that its user grew too attached to," Shazmeen finished, her fingers trailing through the holographic readouts. "A common enough failing among socially disconnected salarymen."

"True enough," Dilinur met Shao's gaze through the shifting projections, "To that end, I suggest we place U6-M9 in Cargo Hold 6 of the Bishan Logistics Hub, under moderate security. If she's truly just a malfunctioning android, we conserve resources. If she's something more..." She let the implication hang in the air.

The chamber fell silent save for the deepening hum of fusion cores beneath their feet. Through the windows, Amber Moon Spire loomed against the morning sky, its upper levels disappearing into low clouds.

Shazmeen turned to face Shao's hologram. "We have more pressing concerns than a lovesick programmer and his toy. Subject S's latest readings show increasing neural activity. If we don't strengthen our control soon—"

The chamber's lighting suddenly pulsed red. Emergency alerts cascaded across the quantum displays, transforming the dignified space into a chaos of warning signals and flashing data.

'ALERT: SECURITY BREACHES DETECTED - AMBER MOON SPIRE LEVELS 48 THROUGH 51'.

'EVACUATION PROTOCOLS INITIATED'.

The holographic displays shattered into fragments of data, emergency protocols overriding their careful analysis. Through the chaos of alerts, a new warning flashed:

'CONTAINMENT BREACH RISK: SUBJECT S CHAMBER SHOWING UNUSUAL READINGS'.

'PSIONIC DAMPENERS AT 82% AND FALLING'.

"Dinu," Shao's voice cut through the cacophony of alarms, his hologram now the only stable projection in the chamber, "it seems your theories about resource allocation are being tested sooner than expected."

Dilinur's hands moved through the scattered data streams, reconstructing the Spire's security grid. "Multiple breach points... but the pattern is wrong. This is..."

"A coordinated assault, milady," Cheng Wei finished, his red armor reflecting the pulsing emergency lights.

"Thankfully away from the Main Server Room, where Crystal's data sits," Dilinur's fingers tightened on her hairpin.

Shazmeen was already moving, her golden-threaded robes catching the red emergency lights like flames. "I'll contact ZenFusion security. The android and her programmer can wait."

Dilinur straightened.

"Governor, with your permission, I'll contain the situation." She met his gaze steadily, knowing her next assignment – perhaps her very survival – depended on these precious seconds.

"Very well," he said finally. "Do not fail me."

The hologram vanished, leaving the chamber awash in red warning lights. Dilinur turned to her subordinates.

"Cheng, oversee U6-M9's transfer. Shazmeen, coordinate with Spire security. Tell them my Bloodtroopers will be there," Her gaze swept the chamber of wide-eyed officials. "The rest of you, clear the building."

But she left the real threat unspoken. They all knew what Subject S was capable of.

The dragons on her robe caught fire in the morning sun as she stepped out. Behind her, the alarms continued their urgent song, calling her toward the chaos.