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

Osram Time: 12:20, March 20, 2295

Low Orbit above Mare Cognitum, Osram

The desolate expanse of Osram stretched beneath the Dragonfort Shūn-Huáng like an endless sea of rust and shadow. Above, the distant sun cast pale light through the thin atmosphere, while below, packs of Radi-Mons moved across the lunar surface in chaos.

Dilinur watched the mess unfolding on Mare Cognitum's surface below—her controlled Radi-Mons now scattered and confused, some still attacking the fleeing Directorate and Sand Lotus forces, others turning on each other.

The Dragonfort Shūn-Huáng shuddered as another explosion rocked its hull.

"Ship control, report!" she barked, pressing a hand to her temple. The headache from losing the Crystal shard still pounded behind her eyes.

"Hull breach on deck seven sealed, Prefect," a technician called out. "But…lost primary weapons control to sections four through nine."

"Wake more Peons up. I want those repaired before we set course for Yosemite." Dilinur pointed.

"Cha!" The technician's response was instant.

"Those Sand Lotus terrorists are pretty good, aren't they?" Kaori muttered from her station, amber eyes narrowed as she tracked the enemies below. "That one called Thorin. There's a dangerous aura about him."

Dilinur's fingers curled around the remaining Moondust Crystal, its broken surface cold against her palm. Through it, she could still feel the stolen shard—like a torn-away piece, carried by that Directorate pilot. Jabari Adomako. Even his name sent an unwelcome flutter through her chest.

That's when she caught it. Moondust's consciousness and hers were wrestling for control. And with a shard cut away, she felt more herself.

Focus! The Crystal's voices commanded her. He's nothing but a thief!

I am the one in command! Dilinur's mental voice shot back. You serve me, Moondust.

But of course. The Crystal relented just a bit. Lead us to our next task.

"Fuckers trying to escape!" Iron Roach growled, his cybernetic eyes whirring as he moved to pick his crimson sunglasses from the floor. The cyborg's systems had mostly recovered from Fuuka's solar assault, though sparks still occasionally jumped from his modified joints. "Hey Dinu! Come look at this."

"What?" Dilinur turned to the man, trying to hide her annoyance as she walked towards the viewport.

"That brown boy's Scarab is barely functional. We can catch them!" The cyborg pointed at the landscape below.

"Then we shall." Dilinur turned to face Prince Joon-Seok, who stood rigid beside them, his dark eyes fixed on the fleeing enemies below. "Your Highness, I request permission to pursue personally while you watch over the bridge for me."

Joon-Seok's gaze shifted to her, something unreadable flickering in those careful eyes. "You're injured. The Crystal's backlash is severe."

"It's manageable, milord." She straightened, ignoring the way the room tilted slightly. "They have our property. I won't let them escape with it."

For a long moment, they stared at each other. She wondered if he could see through her facade—the way her hands trembled slightly, the effort it took to keep her voice steady. But whatever he saw, he merely nodded.

"Kaori can watch the bridge for us. Marisol's already in position on the surface." His hand moved to the pommel of his Psytum Sword. "We'll use the Dragonstone Pods to descend."

"Prince, you shouldn't risk—" Dilinur began, but he silenced her with a gesture.

"That shard is too important to leave to chance. We strike before their reinforcements arrive." He paused, and for just a moment, his composed mask slipped. "Trust me, Dinu."

Her heart soared despite herself. Having Joon-Seok by her side would make it all so much better.

She inclined her head and turned toward the launch bay. "As you say, milord."

"Kaori! Keep things in order while we handle things below. Roach, come with us." Joon-Seok raised his voice as he turned to the side.

"With honor!" Kaori made a fist before her chest as she responded crisply.

"About time!" Roach fell in with Dilinur's steps as soon as he replied.

Dilinur nodded in silent gratitude as they followed Joon-Seok to an area below the bridge.

The Dragonstone Pods waited in their cradles like human-sized eggs, each one a masterpiece of Imperium engineering. The pods' surfaces gleamed with black heat-resistant ceramics, etched with crimson motifs.

Dilinur ran her hand along the nearest pod's surface, feeling the slight warmth from its pre-heated systems. These weren't the crude drop pods used by lesser forces. Each Dragonstone Pod was equipped with its own miniature fusion core, dampeners, and even limited thrusters.

"Team Dragon, move back." Marisol's voice sounded over the voice comm, still coordinating their forces. "Tiger, disengage from that Scarab."

"Lady Mary? The Scarab pilot—" A male voice came.

"The Prefect will deal with him. Reinforce our rear. Feral Radi-Mons over here." Marisol ordered.

"Cha!"

"Prefect." Kaori appeared at Dilinur's elbow, her ballistic silk robes fluttering. The younger woman's amber eyes held their usual confidence and excitement. "Shall I have the Draconic Engine on standby?"

"No." Dilinur sealed her own robe's collar. "We don't need devastation. Ensure the Peons repair our system before I return."

Kaori's lips pursed in disappointment, but she nodded before dashing away. "Very well."

Iron Roach checked his Hemorrhagic Shotgun one more time, the weapon's dragon motifs seeming to leer in the bay's crimson lighting.

"Let's paint the moon red, eh?" he rumbled, crimson sunglasses glinting in the indoor lighting.

Dilinur smirked as she stepped into her pod, the interior lighting up with holographic displays. The seat molded itself to her form as she strapped in, neural interfaces coming online with a soft hum. Through the pod's systems, she could see the battlefield below—the disabled Scarab, the scattered Directorate forces forming a defensive circle, and there, highlighted by the pod's targeting systems, the pulsing signature of the stolen shard.

"Dilinur here. Pod ready," she said, her hands dancing across the control surfaces.

"Joon-Seok here. Pod ready," Joon-Seok's voice came through the comm, calm and controlled.

"Roach. Pod ready."

"Dragonstone Pods Hana, Dul, Ses, activated. Launching in three... two... one..." Kaori's voice came.

The acceleration slammed Dinu's back into the seat despite the dampeners. The Dragonstone Pod shot from the Shūn-Huáng's belly like a falling star, Osram's gray surface rushing up to meet her. Through the pod's viewport, she watched the stars wheel overhead, the distant Earth a blue marble against the void.

The pod's AI highlighted optimal landing zones, but Dilinur overrode it. She wanted to land close—close enough to see Jabari's eyes when she reclaimed what was hers.

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The retro thrusters fired, slowing her descent. The pod struck the lunar surface with enough force to crater the ground, sending up a cloud of gray dust that hung in the low gravity like frozen smoke. The hatch blew open with explosive bolts, and Dilinur emerged into the lunar battlefield.

Bodies littered the cratered surface—Bloodtroopers, Krypts, Ologuns, Radi-Mons all tangled together in death.

Ahead, the Scarab mech knelt like a wounded beast, two of its six legs dragging uselessly. Through her psionic senses, she could see movement in the cockpit—and felt the Moondust shard's presence in her mind.

"Move in," she ordered as Roach emerged from his own pod nearby.

Prince Joon-Seok's pod struck the surface twenty meters away, its impact sending a fresh shockwave through the ground. He emerged with his Psytum Sword already ignited, crimson energy crackling along its length. Without a word, he strode toward the Scarab, each step deliberate and purposeful.

"Your Highness, wait for—" But he was already moving, and Dilinur had no choice but to follow.

The defensive circle around the Scarab was pitifully small. Less than a dozen Directorate marines, their green armor scarred and pitted. The Sand Lotus monk, Thorin stood at their head, golden Psytum blade held in a guard position. Beside him, the android U6-M9 leaned heavily on his shoulder, her steel-gray combat suit torn in multiple places. A Maridian witch doctor also stood among the group, but Dilinur could not recognize her.

"Directorate forces. You're outnumbered and outgunned." Joon-Seok called out, his voice carrying clearly through the comms. "Surrender the shard, and I'll let you live."

Thorin's weathered face was defiant, green eyes steady despite the odds. "The Moondust Crystal belongs to no empire, Joon-Seok. This is only the beginning."

"Of what?" Joon-Seok's eyes narrowed.

"Of restoring the Crystal and eventually returning it to its rightful place." Thorin stood his ground. "The core of Osram, where Moondust has always belonged."

"Then pay with your lives." Joon-Seok raised his sword, the crimson blade casting hellish shadows across the lunar dust.

He moved like lightning, closing the distance in bounds that took full advantage of the low gravity. Thorin met him halfway, their blades clashing in a shower of gold and crimson sparks. The two Psytum Sword masters circled each other, testing each other with quick strikes.

Around them, the Imperium Bloodtroopers engaged what remained of the Ologuns, while the others, coordinated by Marisol, fought off any Radi-Mon not on their side.

Dilinur used the distraction to circle around, Roach flanking her. Focusing her will, she could see into the Scarab's cracked cockpit. Her breath caught.

Jabari sat in the pilot's seat, blood streaming from his nose. Across his lap lay Fuuka Natsukawa, the Sand Lotus priestess who'd helped steal the shard. She was unconscious, maybe dying, her white-orange robes stained crimson.

And in Jabari's hand, pulsing with cyan light, was the Moondust shard.

Her shard.

Even from here, their eyes met. The connection flared to life, raw and immediate. She felt his exhaustion, his desperation, his determination to protect those around him. And underneath it all, that same bewildering attraction that made no sense, had no place in this battlefield.

"Give it back!" She shouted, knowing he could hear the words despite the Scarab's chassis separating them. "The Crystal belongs to the Imperium!"

"I know how it works, Di-li-nur." Jabari's voice sounded from the Scarab. "I have enough Radi-Mons to fight yours!"

"It's causing you and Fuuka pain!" The words left Dilinur's lips before she could stop it. Why? Of all the responses she could have picked, she did the one that sounded the most empathetic—and the most pathetic.

His response was wordless.

"Last chance, Maridian boy. Give us the shard, or die!" Next to Dinu, Iron Roach demanded in a sharper tone.

"No." The Scarab responded.

"Then you leave us no choice." Dilinur commanded. "Now, Roach!"

Roach charged with a roar, his Hemorrhagic Shotgun drew from his belt. The shotgun boomed, the weapon's rounds thundering as they struck the Scarab's armor.

Dilinur's Psi Fan snapped open as she bounded over. One leap carried her to the Scarab's hull, her high-heeled boots clamping onto the damaged armor. Another leap brought her to the cockpit level, where twisted metal provided handholds.

Through the cracked transparisteel, she could see Jabari struggling with the controls, trying to get his crippled mech moving. Their eyes met again, and time seemed to slow.

Behind her, Joon-Seok had gained the upper hand against Thorin. The prince's crimson blade wove patterns of death, each strike precise and economical. The older man gave ground, his defensive style no match for Joon-Seok's aggression.

"Jabari Adomako," Dilinur said, her voice carrying through both the thin air and their mental link. "Surrender the shard. You're killing yourself for nothing."

He looked at her through the cracked cockpit glass, and she saw recognition in those golden-brown eyes—not just of her, but of what lay between them. This impossible connection made no sense.

"Can't," he managed, blood bubbling on his lips. "Too many things...depending on..."

Dilinur dropped through the breach, landing in a crouch beside the pilot seats. Up close, she could see how badly Jabari was suffering, his nose bleed persisting. The shard's power was tearing him apart from the inside, just as it had done to Fuuka. But still he held on, fingers locked around the crystal.

Movement caught Dilinur's peripheral vision—a figure in steel-gray pushing herself up from the lunar dust, one hand pressed against her ribs where the Bloodtrooper's axe-butt had struck. The android. U6-M9.

That thing. That pathetic apartment. Xin's defiant eyes as he claimed to have freed a sentient being.

The android's amber eyes locked onto Dilinur's position, and in them burned something that shouldn't exist in synthetic constructs—pure, crystallized hatred.

"Get away from my Jabari!" She dove for something half-buried in the dust—a Plasma Handgun. Dilinur recognized it immediately; intel reports had flagged it as a Directorate sidearm with charged shot capabilities. The android's fingers closed around the weapon's grip, and she rolled to her feet with inhuman grace despite her injuries.

"YOUR Jabari, U6-M9?" Dilinur said, her voice carrying both recognition and curiosity.

"My name is Ume!" The android's voice trembled with fury as she advanced, the plasma weapon trained on Dilinur. "You're the one who tried to take me and have me scrapped."

The Plasma Handgun began to whine, its distinctive charging sound filling the air. She was building for an explosive shot—the kind that had ravaged three Bone Fiends earlier.

"So, Xin freed you only to have you abandon him and join the Directorate." Dilinur murmured, her Psi Fan still open, raised to chest height. "I cannot think of more poetic irony."

Something dangerous flashed in Ume's eyes. "I made my own choice."

"Did you?" Dilinur's voice hardened. "A property, making a choice—"

"I'm not a property!" Ume's shout coincided with her pulling the trigger. The charged plasma sphere erupted from the Plasma Handgun with devastating force.

Dilinur barely got her Psi Fan up in time, the metal blades channeling her will into a crimson-hued barrier. 'Kanta Kajavala!'

The explosion washed over her shield in waves of green fire, forcing her back a step. Through the dissipating energy, she saw Ume already moving, using her android reflexes to flank, declaring something unexpected. "Jabari cares about me! You'll see!"

A weakness?

Dilinur quickly glanced between the android, Jabari, and Fuuka's unconscious form on his lap, then it dawned on her.

"Roach, stay back," she commanded as the cyborg moved to intervene. "This one's mine."

"Sure about that, Dinu?" Roach's mechanical eyes whirred with concern.

"Completely." Dilinur's lips curved in something that wasn't quite a smile. Because she understood now—understood what she was seeing in those amber eyes. Not just anger over past grievances, but something far more human. Far more familiar.

Jealousy.

Ume was already firing again, quick shots meant to keep Dilinur moving. Each green bolt sizzled past with millimeter precision, herding her away from the Scarab's breach.

"You care for Jabari," Dilinur observed, deflecting another plasma shot with her Fan. "Not just as a comrade."

"I do!" Ume's response was immediate, visceral. A charged shot—this one aimed directly at Dilinur's center mass.

Dilinur sidestepped, using the low gravity to bound over the attack. She landed closer to Ume, close enough to see the micro-expressions playing across those synthetic features. The dilated pupils, the minute tremor in her trigger finger, the way her left hand clenched and unclenched around the pistol grip.

"Xin freed you thinking you could feel," Dilinur continued, circling the android like a predator. "But he never taught you what feelings are. How it burns, wanting something you can never have."

Ume's next shot went wide—actually wide, not intentionally herding. She was rattled.

"I feel just like humans do!"

"Do you?" Dilinur's voice went soft, dangerous. Through the shattered Scarab cockpit nearby, she could hear Jabari's labored breathing, feel the echo of his presence through the Crystal fragment. "We appear similar, you and I. Both of us shaped by forces beyond our control. Both of us wanting things we shouldn't."

She struck while Ume was processing—the sharp leaf of her Psi Fan whirling in a silver arc, aiming for her neck. Ume barely dodged, her android reflexes the only thing saving her from decapitation. But the movement put her off-balance, and Dilinur pressed the advantage.

"The difference is," Dilinur said as her Fan caught Ume's emerald gold handgun, sending it spinning away again, "I know what I can become, while you pretend to be something you never will be."

"No…you're wrong!" Ume's response was pure instinct. She struck with mechanical force, forcing Dilinur to give ground. But it was empty, passionless. The fire from moments before had dimmed.

"That's why Jabari will never choose you," Dilinur said, the words slipping out exactly as intended. "Maybe the Lotus priestess. Maybe someone else. But never something that's only a toy for entertainment."

Ume froze mid-strike, amber eyes wide with something beyond hurt. In that moment of vulnerability, Dilinur could have ended it. Should have ended it.

Instead, she found herself hesitating, caught by the naked pain in those synthetic features. It was too familiar. Too much like looking in a mirror.

The feeling of being unseen.