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

Osram Time: 14:00, February 24, 2295

Door Kaamos, Vault of Primal Urges, Mare Imbrium, Near Side, Osram

"There it is," Joon-Seok Pak said softly next to her.

"There it is," Dilinur Altai echoed, an exhausted smile crossing her face.

The crimson Dragonfort cruiser Shūn-Huáng descended toward the lunar surface, its dragon-scaled hull gleaming like blood under the pale sun. Its name meaning "Burning Sovereign", it was both a display of the Imperium's power and a claim to ownership.

The cruiser's front, shaped like a dragon's mouth, opened its loading bays. The Crystal hung suspended by steel cables, giving off a weak but steady light from its damaged core.

Bloodtroopers emerged from Shūn-Huáng in their red armor, moving in perfect formation. Behind them came the Amber-Eyes with their glowing eyes and dark robes, followed by Conjurers who chanted quietly with raised hands.

A high-ranking officer with gold-trimmed armor approached Dilinur with a salute. "Prefect Altai, the importance of your mission has reached the sacred land of China. The Emperor sends this vessel for the Moondust Crystal."

Dilinur nodded briefly, watching the crystal sway under the crane. "Thank you. Ensure no harm comes to it as it's loaded."

Joon-Seok folded his arms, a slight smirk on his face. "Your mastery of the Psi Fan is remarkable. My cousin could learn a lot from you."

Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. "You handled yourself pretty well."

Joon-Seok grinned. "Imagine what our combined power could achieve."

Below them, the Peons—Imperium laborers in pale gray jumpsuits—strained and shouted as they worked.

"Be careful, Peons!" Dilinur hissed as the Crystal swayed under the crane. Her nails dug into her palms as she watched the relic swing in Osram's low gravity.

"Pull harder!" one shouted.

"Steady now!" another called over the creaking cables.

The air filled with machinery sounds and grunts of effort. The Crystal hung above them, casting flickering shadows as the workers sweated under the red glow of the ship.

Kaori's voice came through the comm, full of arrogance: "Should I blast them with my Draconic Engine to speed things up? I need a nice long bath, and powders are much easier to carry than a stone."

The ground rumbled as the Draconic Engine appeared, trailing exhaust. The massive tank rolled forward on huge treads, its golden scales shimmering in the sunlight.

Dilinur rolled her eyes but stayed focused on the work below. "Just wait for it, Kaori."

Behind her, rows of Bloodtroopers stood at attention, their red armor gleaming. Despite their long journey, they showed no signs of tiredness. The Amber-Eyes watched from beneath dark hoods while the Conjurers stood with clasped hands.

A commotion broke out. Dilinur turned to see Thomas Mendoza fighting against his captors, his silver bionic arms straining against his bonds as the Bloodtroopers struggled to hold him, his short blonde hair damp with sweat.

"You won't hold on to it forever," he snarled. "The Terra Alliance will—"

"Maa-nik-ya Su-shup-ti!" Dilinur thrust out her hand, red energy crackling. Thomas's words cut off as invisible fingers tightened around his throat, but his eyes remained defiant.

"Already developing immunity to my spells?" she said, enjoying his exhaustion. "With just one word, I could put Xin to sleep for an entire evening. Yet you resist as I cast Dreamless Slumber on you a second time."

Thomas lifted his chin. "A big part of me isn't human anymore." His eyes showed pain and determination. "And I'm motivated to live no matter what."

"But you're mine now, Thomas." She leaned close, breathing in his scent of sweat and desperation. "And I have such plans for you."

"You can break my body, but only God can break my soul," he said firmly.

Dilinur felt desire mixed with disgust. She hated Valoran men, especially from the Alliance with their crude ways and belief in God. Yet Thomas's defiance was somehow compelling. His handsome features didn't hurt either.

She wondered if the Moondust had powers to help break him. To remake him as she wanted.

Dilinur ran her fingers along his jaw. "Soon, we will see who is stronger," she whispered, weaving psionic energy through his short blonde hair. "Your God, or my Eclipse power."

"Do your worst," Thomas said. His light gray eyes held a challenge.

She felt satisfaction. Soon, she would have it all—the Moondust's power and this man as her experiment.

Then the air shifted.

Dilinur froze, suddenly alert. The hairs on her neck stood up as she felt a subtle change in the psionic energy around them. It was almost unnoticeable—a faint disturbance that most would miss, but to Dilinur it was a clear warning.

"Something's wrong," she said, reaching for her Psi Fan.

Joon-Seok turned, his expression sharpening. "What is it?"

Before she could answer, blue light flashed at the perimeter. Bloodtroopers cried out as they were thrown back by an invisible force. Through the chaos came three figures in white uniforms.

"Alliance," Dilinur hissed, recognizing them immediately.

In the center stood an elderly man whose presence commanded attention despite his age. Tall and thin, with white hair and beard, he moved like someone much younger. His white coat billowed around him, untouched by lunar dust. Behind wire-rimmed glasses, sharp gray eyes surveyed the scene.

"Director Otis?" Thomas said, hope in his voice.

The name hit Dilinur hard. Artak Otis—the leader of SIMU. His reputation was known throughout the Inner Sol, though she never expected to meet him. Reports described him as an office worker, not a field agent. Yet here he was, with two Psi Lynx agents beside him.

"I believe you have something that belongs to me," Otis said, his voice carrying easily. "Or rather, someone."

Dilinur stepped forward, opening her Fan. "You've made a grave mistake, Director. Your agent is property of the Imperium now."

Otis's face remained calm, but something flickered in his eyes. "Property? An interesting choice of words from someone who knows the sting of being treated as such."

The comment hit home. Dilinur tightened her grip on the Fan. "What are you implying?"

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

"You were brought into this world and raised within Re-Education Camp 55 on Mercury. Your grandfather Salur was executed in Xinjiang unaware you even existed," Otis said gravely. "The Imperium painted him as a terrorist to you. In truth, he was merely someone who dared to inquire."

How could he know about her past? About the Re-Education Camp?

"Surrender," she commanded, pointing her Psi Fan at him. "And perhaps the Imperium will show mercy."

"I'm afraid I must decline." Otis gestured slightly, and his Psi Lynxes moved into a triangle formation. "I've come for my agent, nothing more."

Dilinur's Fan opened fully, red energy crackling along its edges. "Then you'll die here, old man."

Otis sighed, as if disappointed. His empty hands emerged from his coat pockets, somehow threatening despite having no weapon. "Corpus Lucidus Fiat," he said softly.

The air around him shimmered, and his white coat seemed to glow with inner light as blue energy flowed over him like water. Lunar psionics—but more refined than Dilinur had ever seen.

"Bloodtroopers! Capture them!" she ordered, then turned to Joon-Seok. "Your Highness, assist with the Crystal. I'll handle this myself."

Joon-Seok hesitated, torn between duty and wanting to see the fight. With a reluctant nod, he headed toward the loading bay.

The Bloodtroopers charged forward, their Thermal Battleaxes glowing red-hot. The Psi Lynx agents met them head-on, one firing Solar bolts while the other created a defensive barrier.

But Dilinur focused on Otis, who stood calmly amid the chaos, watching her.

"Māṁsa Śalya!" she shouted, sending a Blood Finger Spear straight at his heart.

Otis didn't flinch. "Scutum Lunaris," he countered smoothly. A shield of blue energy appeared, absorbing her attack easily. The similarity to Lorna Weiss's spells was clear—the same language, Ordovox, the same rhythm.

"So you taught her," Dilinur said aloud. "You're Lorna's mentor."

A slight smile crossed his lips. "Among other things."

Dilinur lunged forward, her Psi Fan cutting deadly arcs through the air.

"Rakta Unmāda!" Blood Frenzy flowed through her, making her faster and stronger as she closed in.

Otis remained still until the last moment, then stepped aside with surprising agility.

"Gravitas, Abesto," he said. The lunar gravity around him seemed to lighten further, letting him move gracefully despite his age.

She pivoted, slashing her Fan toward his throat. "Agni Śūla Hana!"

A flame scythe erupted from her Fan, but Otis waved it away. "Fulmen Argentum." Silver lightning crackled from his fingers, forcing Dilinur to jump back.

Their battle continued, Eclipse and Lunar psionics clashing in bright displays of red and blue. But as the fight went on, Dilinur realized something troubling: Otis was holding back. His movements were defensive, his attacks measured and non-lethal. He wasn't trying to win—he was stalling.

"You're stalling," she accused, breathing hard as she prepared another attack.

Otis tilted his head slightly, neither confirming nor denying. "Your technique is impressive, Prefect Altai. Eclipse is notoriously difficult to master."

"Don't patronize me, old man!" She sent another Blood Finger Spear, grazing his shoulder as he twisted away.

"Not patronizing. Observing." He adjusted his glasses, seemingly unconcerned by the near hit. "You fight with passion, but your control is lacking."

The warm trickle of blood from her nose confirmed his point, but Dilinur ignored it. "I have enough Aether to finish you!"

A flash of red light came from behind her, followed by the hum of a Psytum Sword. Joon-Seok landed beside Dilinur, his sword drawn and glowing with intense red energy.

"Your Highness, you were advised to defend the Crystal!" Dilinur said, eyes still on Otis.

"And you face the legendary Artak Otis alone," Joon-Seok replied, his usually playful tone now hard. "I believed that unwise."

Otis's demeanor changed slightly. His casual confidence tightened, his posture more alert as he assessed the new threat. "Prince Joon-Seok Pak," he acknowledged with a slight bow. "The Tiger of Choson. Your reputation precedes you."

"As does yours, Director." Joon-Seok angled his blade, the red energy leaving trails in the air. "Though I expected someone more...impressive."

"Appearances are deceiving. A lesson many learn too late," the elder man replied.

Joon-Seok smirked. "Let's find out which of us falls into that category." He lunged forward without warning, his sword arcing through the air.

"Lancea Infernalis!" Joon-Seok called in Ordovox, the same language Otis had been using. A spear of red flame shot from his blade's tip, extending its reach unexpectedly.

Otis barely dodged, forced to abandon his measured style for a genuine retreat. "Passus Transitus," he said, teleporting a short distance away, narrowly avoiding being impaled.

Dilinur seized the opportunity, her Fan snapping open. "Rakta Unmāda—Pravartatām!" she chanted, extending the Blood Frenzy to Joon-Seok too. Red energy flowed between them, coordinating their movements like dancers sharing a rhythm.

The effect was immediate. Together, they moved with supernatural coordination, Joon-Seok's aggressive slashes driving Otis toward Dilinur's precise strikes. The old man's defenses, previously effortless, now strained against their combined attack.

"Scutum Lunaris—Fulmen Argentum!" Otis's spells came faster now, more urgent. A shield formed to block Joon-Seok's blade while silver lightning shot toward Dilinur.

She deflected the lightning with her Fan, turning it into harmless sparks. "Not so confident now, are we?"

"Flammae in Venis Ardeant!" Joon-Seok shouted, his blade glowing deeper red. The Eclipse spell increased his speed and strength, veins visibly glowing beneath his skin as he pressed his attack.

For the first time, real concern showed on Otis's face. He was backing up, his movements becoming desperate as Joon-Seok and Dilinur gained ground. Sweat shined on his forehead as he maintained multiple defensive spells at once.

"He's weakening," Joon-Seok called out, his blade hitting Otis's coat and cutting through the white fabric.

Otis grimaced, touching the shallow wound on his side. He tapped a device on his wrist, speaking urgently. "Extraction now. Primary target priority."

Their fight was interrupted by commotion near Thomas. One of the Psi Lynx agents had broken through, holding a teleportation device, while the other created a bright flash of Mirage energy that temporarily blinded the Bloodtroopers.

"No!" Dilinur abandoned her fight with Otis, racing toward Thomas. "Kanta Kajavala!" Thorny barriers rose from the ground, blocking the agent's path.

Joon-Seok reacted instantly, swinging his Psytum Sword in a wide arc. "Procella Oblivionis!" he shouted, sending a wave of destructive Eclipse energy toward the second agent.

The agent hesitated, caught between the thorns and the incoming wave, but the delay gave Otis time to reach them. His hand shot out, a pulse of Lunar energy disabling the Bloodtroopers holding Thomas.

Dilinur's Fan slashed down in desperate fury. "Nakha Bandigṛha!"

Nail-like projections of red energy struck Thomas's left arm, severing the little finger of his bionic hand. The metal finger clattered to the ground as Thomas cried out, more in shock than pain.

But it was too late. Otis had reached them, one hand gripping Thomas's shoulder, the other activating a device similar to the one his agent carried.

"I believe we're done here," Otis said, his tone measured despite the urgency and the blood staining his white coat. "Until next time, royal servants."

"STOP THEM!" Dilinur screamed.

Joon-Seok was already moving, his Psytum Sword blazing with power. "You would dare flee from a duel!" he shouted, raising his blade. "Lancea Infernalis!"

The combined assault—Joon-Seok's Eclipse lance and Dilinur's Eclipse tendrils—converged on Otis and Thomas. For a moment, it seemed they had succeeded, the energies engulfing both figures.

Then the air shimmered, and they were gone. The psionic energies crashed together, their red against Otis's blue, releasing a shockwave that sent everyone staggering backward.

Dilinur regained her balance, rage and disbelief warring within her. Only Thomas's severed bionic finger remained as evidence of their captive, gleaming dully against the lunar soil.

Joon-Seok resheathed his sword, his expression angry. "The Alliance and their teleportation!"

"But not a total loss," Dilinur said, her voice tight with fury but also a hint of admiration. She bent to retrieve the silver digit, examining it closely. "We have a piece of Thomas at least."

"A finger?" Joon-Seok scoffed, then smiled slowly as understanding dawned. "I see your thinking. Clever."

Dilinur's lips curved into a cold smile as she pocketed the bionic trophy. "Bionic parts contain unique identifiers, energy signatures...and DNA traces from their neural interfaces."

"Might prove useful in the future," Joon-Seok concluded, his earlier anger giving way to calculation. "And the Crystal awaits us."

"Yes." She turned back to the Dragonfort, still waiting with its massive jaws open. "We have what we came for."

As they walked toward the loading bay, Joon-Seok glanced at her. "Next time, we won't let the Alliance slip away so easily," he observed.

Dilinur allowed herself a small smile.

"No," she agreed, her hand closing around the bionic finger in her ebony robe's pocket. "Next time, we'll be prepared."

The Dragonfort's massive jaws sealed shut, swallowing the Crystal whole. Dilinur smiled, savoring the taste of partial victory.