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

12:37, February 10, 2295

Terminal 5, Songnei Starport (松內星港), No. 340-9, Dunhua North Road, Songshan District, Taipei, Taiwan, Imperium of Dragons territory

Lorna moved through the dimly-lit corridors of Terminal 5, dizzy and unsteady. The lights above flickered, casting strange shadows. Her hand reached for the silver cylinder in her beige trench coat – what was it called again? The name was just beyond her grasp.

A pack of Bone Fiends emerged from the shadows ahead, their skeletal forms lit by the pulsing lights. But instead of attacking, they stopped. Their heads tilted in unison, studying her curiously.

"Welcome, sister," a voice echoed in her mind, ancient and vast. "Your transformation begins."

Lorna stumbled backward, her hand trembling as she drew her 10mm Magnum. The weapon felt strange in her grip, suddenly unfamiliar. She aimed at the nearest Bone Fiend, but something kept her from pulling the trigger.

"What…what's happening to me?" she whispered. The Bone Fiends approached slowly, almost gently. A Skuggr emerged from behind them, its insectoid form moving casually as it bowed to her.

The throbbing in her head grew worse, with visions of purple and red skies. The world began to blur and shift around her. She fell to her knees, dropping her gun as tears ran down her face.

"I won't... I can't..." she sobbed, shaking. The creatures gathered around her in a protective circle. The voice in her head grew stronger.

"Embrace what you become. The hunger. The power. They are yours now."

She reached for the fallen weapon – what was it called? Something with numbers. Her fingers wrapped around the grip of the... the white L-shaped gadget. Why couldn't she remember its name? She put it back in her coat pocket.

"Your old tools mean nothing now," the voice whispered. "Let them go."

New sensations flooded her as the air hummed with energy she'd never noticed before. Her body felt lighter, stronger. Without thinking, she channeled power outward.

A wave of blue psionic energy burst from her hand, stronger than any spell she'd cast before. The corridor's metal walls buckled under the force. The display should have drained her, but instead, she felt energized.

"Such strength," she murmured, staring at her hands. "But who am I? What am I?"

The Radi-Mons remained docile, almost admiring. A larger Skuggr approached, lowering its head as if submitting to her. The sight filled her with both disgust and fascination.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the corridor, along with the sound of armored boots. The Radi-Mons tensed around Lorna. Through her hazy vision, she saw approaching figures – Bloodtroopers in crimson armor.

"There she is! Lorna Weiss, the Psi Lynx!" one shouted, raising his weapon.

Ten Bloodtroopers formed a semicircle, their rifles aimed at her. The Radi-Mons hissed but didn't attack. They seemed to be waiting for her command.

Lorna felt power surging through her again, stronger this time. Her mind told her to use the L-shaped gadget or the silver cylinder, but she couldn't remember how. Instead, she let the energy flow freely.

"Take them," the voice urged. "Show them your true power."

The Bloodtroopers advanced, their shouts filling the air, their red armor clanking. Bone Fiends leaped forward while Skuggrs charged from the shadows.

"No...they're too strong for you. They…" Lorna whispered, watching the Radi-Mons rush toward the soldiers. She raised her hand, pointing at the Bloodtroopers.

"Glacies Lunae Fulgur!" The spell flowed from her lips as her eyes rolled back. A bolt of frosty blue energy shot from her fingertips with incredible force. The enhanced spell caught two Bloodtroopers, freezing their armor and sending them crashing into the wall.

A Bloodtrooper's Thermal Battleaxe cut through a Skuggr, and the creature's death cry strangely pained Lorna. She watched in horror as the soldiers efficiently killed the monsters.

"Your family falls," the voice in her head growled. "Will you let this stand?"

Another Bloodtrooper charged at her, Thermal Battleaxe raised. "Die, Alliance bitch!"

"Scutum Lunaris!" Lorna's shield formed around her, but something was different. As the axe struck her barrier, frost crept along its heated edge. The weapon's glow dimmed and died.

"Dragon's dong!" The Bloodtrooper stepped back, staring at his useless weapon. "What the fuck are you?"

"Fulmen Argentum!" Lightning exploded from Lorna's fingertips, no longer a single bolt but a web of destruction. The spell chained between three Bloodtroopers, making them scream in agony.

As Lorna's eyes returned to normal, she saw the remaining Radi-Mons quickly fall to the other soldiers' axes. Each death sent waves of anguish through her. Tears streamed down her face.

"They were... they were just..." she choked, her rational mind fighting with new, alien instincts. These creatures were her enemies, yet their deaths felt like losing family. "Why? Why do I feel this way?"

The five surviving Bloodtroopers regrouped. Lorna's enhanced abilities had left her tired, her breath ragged. The voice in her head grew distant.

"The Psi Lynx is alone," one Bloodtrooper called out. "Form up!"

The Bloodtroopers advanced in formation, their Thermal Battleaxes humming with heat. Despite her exhaustion, Lorna felt power surge within her again. She wondered why she wouldn't use the blue potion to replenish her spent Aether.

"Glacies Lunae Fulgur!" The enhanced frost bolt burst from her hands, catching two Bloodtroopers. Where her normal spell would have just slowed them, this version froze them completely. Their armored forms shattered as they fell.

"By the Emperor..." one of the remaining soldiers whispered. "Monster!"

The voice in Lorna's head returned. "Show them your glory, my soon-to-be Hundkynda."

Her vision blurred as another wave of dizziness hit. The corridor seemed to twist, its walls pulsing with impossible colors. Through the haze, she saw the three Bloodtroopers circle her.

"Fulmen Argentum!" The lightning that came forth was different - not just stronger, but transformed. Silver-blue energy formed into tentacles that reached for her enemies with terrifying intelligence. The soldiers tried to dodge, but the lightning pursued them.

For a moment, time seemed to stop. The Bloodtroopers hung suspended in the crackling energy. Then, with a thunderous crack, the spell exploded. The blast sent their smoking forms flying, leaving only the smell of ozone and burnt metal.

Lorna fell to her knees, trembling with exhaustion, her blue eyes rolling back. Each breath hurt, and dark spots appeared in her vision.

"What's...happening to me?" she gasped. The dead Radi-Mons lay scattered around her, their presence still tugging at her altered consciousness.

That's when she noticed a new scent. The sweetness of sakura perfume mixed with something darker, more masculine. Heavy footsteps echoed from the shadows.

Two figures emerged into the flickering light. The Imperial man had an artificially youthful appearance, his muscular build enhanced by cybernetic modifications. Red sunglasses hid his eyes.

Beside him stood a woman with Imperial features, her amber eyes fixed on Lorna. Her jet-black hair was styled in an intricate updo with traditional hairpins, and her black silk robe whispered against the ground. Compared to Dilinur, this woman was shorter, had more prominent eyes, and seemed more arrogant.

"Well," the woman spoke, her voice rich despite the underlying menace. "What do we have here?"

"Who the fuck are you?" Lorna asked, focusing her gaze on the pair.

"I am Kaori Ouyang," the woman announced. "And this is Iron Roach. Though introductions hardly matter now."

"Any last words before you die?" Roach taunted.

Lorna struggled to her feet, her legs weak. The world swam in shades of purple and red. But as she stood straight, she grinned. "It is you who've come to die."

"Made quite a mess here, huh?" Roach observed, nudging a fallen Bloodtrooper with his boot. "Ten of Dinu's finest, and all those Fenris dogs too. Impressive."

"Do you know this name?" Kaori asked sharply. "Lieutenant Jun Wang?"

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The name stirred something in Lorna's foggy memory, but everything before today felt distant. She shook her head, touching her forehead as sweat ran down her cheek.

"Two years ago, assassination mission in Shanghai," Kaori continued, her composure cracking. "You put a bullet through his head after getting him to sleep with you. He was more than just my superior officer. He was..."

"I can't remember," Lorna gasped, the effort of speaking sending pain through her chest. "I don't fucking care..."

"Of course you don't," Kaori's laugh was bitter. "Just another mission for Lorna Weiss, the murderous slut. But Jun meant everything to me. And now..." She drew her Thermal Daggers in a fluid motion, their edges glowing with heat. "Now I'll make sure you remember."

"Bitch is acting crazy. Eh, Kaori?" Roach sneered, reaching for his weapon. A silver-red Electrified Nunchaku unfolded with a crackle, blue electricity arcing between its segments. "Keeps looking at the sky, rolling her eyes. What, you high?"

The voice in Lorna's head stirred again. "Fight them, my prize. Do not let them take you."

Lorna's hand moved to her coat, seeking the cylindrical object – a sword of some kind? But her fingers couldn't grasp it properly. Everything felt wrong. Her enhanced powers had left her drained.

"Diego," she whispered, pressing against the Psi Shield Device on her left ear. "Terminal 5. Engaging two enemies. Imperials."

"Copy that," Diego's voice came through. "Xin's already en route. Hold on."

Kaori lunged forward, her daggers leaving trails of heat. "Enough talking. This is for Jun."

Iron Roach circled to Lorna's left. "Don't worry," he grinned. "We'll make sure you stay alive long enough to really feel it."

Lorna raised her trembling hands, trying to summon what remained of her power. But the words of her spells felt heavy on her tongue, and the world continued to blur around her.

"Glacies Lunae Fulgur!" The spell burst from Lorna's lips with desperate intensity. A massive bolt of frost erupted toward her attackers. Kaori barely dodged, the spell freezing part of her robe, while Roach rolled to the side.

"Such power," Kaori said, her eyes widening at the gouges the spell had left in the walls. "But at what cost?"

Lorna staggered, her vision swimming. The enhanced spell had drained more of her remaining Aether than expected.

"Fulmen Argentum!" Silver-blue lightning exploded from her hands, filling the corridor. The electricity seemed alive, pursuing her opponents. Roach's cybernetics sparked as he barely evaded, while Kaori's daggers absorbed some of the power.

"The fucking Nucleus Virus," Roach growled, his sunglasses reflecting the fading lightning. "Make you strong. But unstable. Sloppy."

He was right. Each enhanced spell left Lorna more drained, her breaths ragged. The world tilted around her as she tried to stay on her feet. The voice in her head had faded to a distant whisper.

Kaori struck first, her Thermal Daggers leaving trails of fire as she closed in. Lorna tried to reach for her sword again, but her fingers wouldn't cooperate. Instead, she summoned what remained of her power.

"Scutum Lunaris!" The shield materialized, stronger than ever before, but the effort sent waves of pain through her skull. Kaori's daggers struck the barrier, their heat dissipating in a hiss of steam.

But Roach had circled behind her. His Electrified Nunchaku caught her across the back, sending electricity through her body. Lorna screamed, her shield shattering as she fell to one knee.

"Jun died quietly," Kaori advanced, her daggers humming with heat. "You won't have that luxury."

Lorna tried to resist, to summon one more spell, but her body betrayed her. Her muscles spasmed as darkness crept at the edges of her vision.

Iron Roach advanced with a grin. He used an electrified cord to bind Lorna's wrists behind her back. A jolt of electricity surged through her as he pushed her against a stone pillar.

"Fuck!" Lorna winced from the pain in her neck, feeling blood trickling down her spine. Roach secured her to the pillar, leaving her barely conscious.

Kaori watched with satisfaction. "I wonder if there's someone important to you," she said. "It'd be such pleasure to make them watch before you die."

Roach laughed as he tightened Lorna's bindings. "Pure Alliance arrogance," he sneered. "To assume you could come to our land and do whatever you want."

Lorna's eyes showed defiance, but her voice was weak. "You won't…break me."

"Won't we?" Kaori stepped forward, her Thermal Daggers burning brightly. With a searing flash, she traced the heated blade on Lorna's cheek, leaving a line of pain. Lorna bit down on a scream, her fingernails digging into her palms.

"Your bounty is 60,000, right?" Roach asked mockingly. "But Governor Qin mentioned something about 'needing experimental subjects'. Last foreigner infected with the Virus was worth 100,000."

"And she'd deserve it, too," Kaori replied, her eyes shining as she examined Lorna. "My, the way you squirm is…satisfactory."

As Lorna's vision blurred from the pain, she heard the distant sound of an engine approaching fast. As the glass wall broke to reveal a green car, hope flared within her. Xin, she thought.

"Imperial Legion scum!" A familiar voice rang out, followed by the car plowing into Roach, crushing him beneath its weight.

"Xin!" she cried out, relief washing over her despite the pain in her face. He emerged from the vehicle with his deep green 10mm Magnum drawn. Lorna could hear the hum of AI-assisted aiming system in the pistol, though no shots were fired yet.

"Thomas! Lorna…" Xin shouted, anger in his voice as he saw her tied up.

"Get her out of here!" Thomas roared back, fighting Kaori in hand-to-hand combat, his bionic arms whirring with each blow while Fist Blades emerged from them.

As Xin rushed to Lorna's side, she could barely focus on him through the haze of pain and exhaustion.

"Sorry, Lorna. I wish I could drive faster…" His hands trembled as he removed the restraints, and she collapsed against him, sobbing.

"Thanks, Xin…" she whispered.

"Lorna...where's your..." his voice trailed off as he knelt down.

"Medi-Vap," she gasped through the pain. She struggled to stay standing as Xin supported her. "In my chest pocket."

With trembling hands, he pulled out the small device from her coat. "Hold on," he urged, holding it to her lips.

Lorna inhaled deeply, feeling the cool mist fill her lungs. As she breathed out, she felt the burning pain start to fade, replaced by a soothing warmth.

"Keep breathing, okay?" Xin whispered, his eyes never leaving hers.

Suddenly, a bloodied figure emerged. Iron Roach, with his sunglasses shattered and his eyes showing as red slits, heaved himself up from beneath the crumpled car, growling in rage. Blood dripped from his mouth and from a wound on his cheek. He approached them like a wounded animal.

Xin tensed, turning to face the man. He raised his 10mm Magnum with both hands, targeting Roach's chest. The AI-assisted targeting system locked on, but when Xin pulled the trigger, the bullets bounced off Roach's body.

"Think that basic gun can scratch my hide?" Roach's eyes showed his intent. "Don't know who you are. Don't care. You won't live to see another sunrise." He staggered forward.

Lorna held onto Xin's arm, breathing in shallow gasps. Her turtleneck was torn and stained with blood, but she stood up. Her blue eyes showed pain and fear, yet she refused to show weakness. Not in front of Xin.

Sweat beaded on Xin's forehead as he gripped his pistol tighter. He glanced at Lorna, his voice heavy. "Lorna, I'm here. I can hold him off while you — "

But Lorna's attention was drawn upward as the roar of a StarWhale shuttle filled the air, descending toward them. The shuttle's sleek cobalt blue form hovered overhead, its four rotors spinning as its aerodynamic shape cast a shadow over them.

Diego piloted the shuttle with precision as the side hatch opened, revealing Emmanuel framed in the doorway. The Meridian man's locs swayed in the wind.

"Baw-lah-eh See-kah!" Emmanuel jumped from the StarWhale, his Lunar-enchanted Kinetic Submachine Gun firing. Each shot was infused with silver blue energy.

Kaori dodged Emmanuel's bullets, bumping into Iron Roach.

"Thomas, now!" Emmanuel shouted, providing cover fire.

Thomas lunged at Kaori. As their fight sent her and Roach flying backward, Lorna rose from the floor.

"Thank you," she whispered to Xin. The vulnerability in her eyes spoke volumes.

"I'm glad," Xin replied, his gaze steady.

Suddenly, roars and scraping claws announced the arrival of more Radi-Mons from the Fenris Horde. The twisted creatures emerged from the shadows, surrounding both the SIMU team and their enemies.

"Shit," Lorna hissed, looking between the monsters and her teammates. Pain coursed through her body, but she ignored it. "Need to move...now!"

"Now or never!" Thomas said as he and Xin supported Lorna, their arms around her waist. They half-ran, half-staggered toward the StarWhale.

"There goes my appetite, seeing these at lunch time." Emmanuel joked grimly as he fired at the approaching horde. He provided cover as the rest retreated, then turned and jogged after them, boarding the shuttle.

"Diego!" Lorna called out, her vision blurred with pain. "Do the takeoff, now!"

"Understood," Diego's voice came through their comms as the StarWhale's engines revved, taking them skyward. Lorna looked up at a sky that remained purple and red.

"Next time, Alliance filth!" Roach shouted from below, grinning as he turned to face the monsters. Kaori stood beside him, her Thermal Daggers glowing in the air. The two Imperials charged into the fight, leaving the SIMU team to escape.

13:00, February 10, 2295

Inside StarWhale V2-15, 1,000 meters above Songnei Starport

The StarWhale's interior lights shone on Lorna's face as the shuttle's ramp closed behind them. Her breathing steadied as she sat in the cyan seat, recovering from their escape.

"Guys. Thanks," Lorna managed to say, her voice hoarse. "Couldn't have made it without you. All of you."

Thomas sat across from her, his metallic arms shining in the dim light. "We're just happy you're alive," he said.

"Beautiful sun, huh?" Emmanuel said as he looked out the window, wiping his gun with a tissue. "This tropical blue sky almost makes me homesick."

But a chill ran down Lorna's spine as she turned toward the window. Outside, the sky remained purple and red. Instead of the noon sun, there was a black void.

"I can't see blue," Lorna said tearfully. She was covered in sweat and shaking as the cold feeling grew worse. "All I see is red and purple..."

"Lorna, are you okay?" Xin asked with concern as he sat next to her. Sunlight streaming through the window reflected off his glasses, but even that light darkened as Lorna looked at him.

"Mother of god. Don't tell me you've..." Emmanuel's voice trembled as he turned to look at her.

"Diego!" Thomas yelled toward the cockpit. "Have you contacted Doctor Nikki?"

"Already have, Tom. Flying as fast as I can," Diego replied, but Lorna could barely hear him over the pain in her body.

"It's happened," she whispered, panic rising in her throat. She tried to steady herself, but her legs gave way.

Xin caught her, surprising her with his strength. Lorna's head fell against his chest, her cheek pressing against his green hoodie. She could hear his heartbeat.

"You'll be okay, Lorna. I'll — " Xin's voice was full of concern as he held her.

"No, Xin. I'm not okay..." she clung to the sound of his heartbeat as she felt herself slipping into darkness. "You need to…stay away from me..."

"No. No, I won't," he promised, though dread filled his voice. "I'm here for you. I mean, we are here with you."

"Xin," she whispered weakly, feeling herself pass out as the StarWhale's engines hummed around them. "You don't understand..."

Her eyes closed, her world fading to a single point of dimming light.