Aboard the Starpiercer, silence lingered like a fog.
Jiang Chen stood before a vast holographic projection in the strategy chamber, its translucent blue interface depicting the known regions of the Serpentine Sector. The map pulsed with life: trade routes blinked in red, green for allied systems, and a growing swath of yellow that marked the territories influenced by the newly emergent Tri-Spiral Consortium—an organization cloaked in neutrality, yet quietly amassing power.
"Double-check that shipping lane near the Halcyon Drift," he said to Lira, who stood beside him. "They've rerouted two convoys in the last five days. That smells like blockade maneuvering."
"They're dancing too carefully to be random," Lira replied, fingers swiping through projections. "Tri-Spiral's not just building an economy—they're choking anyone who won't sell through them."
Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes. "Then it's time to pull the veil off their little masquerade."
The Catalyst
