The command deck of the Stellar Nomad was eerily quiet. The usual hum of machinery, background chatter from officers, and data stream pings were now replaced with an oppressive silence. Noah stood at the center, gazing out at the massive viewpanel. The asteroid belt of the Surnos Expanse glittered like shards of broken starlight—but Noah's focus was elsewhere.
Before him floated an orbital factory ring that belonged to the Varn Consortium—one of the last independent industrial powerhouses resisting his ever-expanding trade empire.
"Status?" Noah asked, eyes narrowing.
"Factory Ring 3 has gone into full lockdown," Eliza reported from the tactical console. "They've activated auto-defense drones and sealed all ports. No transmissions coming in or out except for their encrypted internal pings. They're expecting us."
Noah's expression hardened. This wasn't a negotiation anymore—it was a siege. "Patch me into the relay again."
