The interface shimmered with soft light, casting a pale blue glow across the command platform. Adam stood alone in the Spire's upper chamber, eyes fixed on the translucent console hovering before him.
[MILESTONE ACHIEVED]Title: "Interplanetary Readiness"Objective: Establish Infrastructure for Galactic Interaction and DiplomacyStatus: CompleteReward: [UNIQUE EPIC SUMMON] – Interstellar Fleet Package [Classified Tier]Fleet Origin: UNSC (Halo Universe)Contents: Multi-Vessel Deployment | Fully Staffed | Battle-Ready | Integrated Trade ModulesNote: This is a one-time fleet-class reward. Future Epic Tokens will be non-fleet based.Would you like to activate now? [Y/N]
Adam stared at the prompt.
He had activated dozens of summons before—troops, citizens, specialists. Even high-tier individuals. But this was something else entirely.
A fleet.
The weight of it pressed down on him.
"Fully manned… fully operational…" he murmured aloud, his voice lost in the silence. "This isn't just a gift. It's a declaration."
He paced once. Twice. His thoughts spun.
Was now the right moment? Would this provoke attention before they were ready?
No. They were ready. This was the reason they had prepared.
He turned to the interface.
And accepted.
[EPIC SUMMON – ACTIVATING…]
The light didn't explode.
It opened.
Above Elysiar, the clouds parted without thunder. Space twisted—not violently, but with purpose. Lines of blue-gold energy carved the sky into a dome, and within that dome, reality cracked.
What emerged was not a single ship.
It was a fleet.
The first vessel—a UNSC Autumn-class heavy cruiser—broke through the clouds like a leviathan. Its hull gleamed with reinforced titanium alloy, long and angular, emblazoned with the sigil of the United Nations Space Command. Flanking it were four Paris-class frigates, their missile pods glinting in the upper atmosphere. Behind them came two Epoch-class carriers, their hangar bays already humming with deployed support craft.
And then, like a stormfront of steel and purpose, came the full complement:
A formation of Sabre interceptors screamed through the upper air.
Pelicans descended in graceful arcs, ferrying personnel between ships.
Oni-pattern stealth craft took silent orbital positions, hidden but ever-watching.
A fleet born of war and forged for precision now hovered over a city of balance and mystery.
And every ship—every deck, every command chair, every AI core—was fully crewed.
No one panicked.
But across Elysiar, everyone looked skyward.
Nexus Spire – Command Platform
Tywin arrived first, followed by Mara and Serin.
Adam stood motionless, eyes locked on the grand holographic display showing each ship's formation.
"The system has logged each one," Tywin said calmly. "Chain of command confirmed. Integration successful. No anomalies."
Mara crossed her arms, gaze flicking from the display to the growing shadows outside. "You really did it."
Adam let out a breath. "I didn't know it would be like this."
"You've just established orbital dominance," Serin said, half in awe. "This is no longer a defensive city. This is a capital."
Outside, the fleet began to settle into high-atmosphere formation. A single pulse ran through the network—synchronizing positioning and alerting planetary defenses of friendlies.
[Fleet Registered: Elysiar High Orbit Command – "Silver Flame Protocol"]
Fleet Commander: Adam [Primary Authority]Secondary Command: System AI Integration ActiveFleet Class: Exploration / Defense / DiplomacyStatus: Ready
And then, as the echoes of the fleet's arrival rippled outward—
A signal.
[Unregistered Vessel Approaching – Single Occupant]Origin: Unknown | Configuration: Non-hostileTrajectory: Controlled Descent to Entry Corridor 3Force Signature: Present – Active
Mara's head snapped up.
"They're here," she said quietly.
Department of Interplanetary Relations – Arrival Hall
The chamber was pristine, glowing softly with Elysiar's signature aesthetic—arched pillars, integrated crystal panels, a mix of natural stone and reinforced alloy. The shielded landing platform outside began to hum as the shuttle descended—a small vessel, not much larger than a transport pod, shaped like a crescent and lightly weathered.
Adam stood near the center of the chamber, flanked by Mara, Tywin, and Serin. Spartan security stood just behind, calm and unreadable.
The shuttle touched down.
Silence fell.
A moment passed.
Then the hatch opened.
A single figure stepped out—hooded, unarmed, clothed in neutral gray robes marked with no faction. Their presence in the Force was unmistakable—not blinding or oppressive, but deep. Focused.
They removed their hood.
A Zabrak. Male. Eyes calm, golden. Not Sith. Not Jedi. Something else.
He approached slowly, hands visible, expression unreadable.
"I don't know why I came," he said, voice low. "Only that I was meant to."
Mara stepped forward, eyes narrowing slightly.
"You felt the pull."
He nodded.
"I dreamed of a place that stood between light and dark. And when I woke up… my ship was already in hyperspace."
Command Chamber – Later
The Zabrak sat calmly in a neutral chamber, a single stone table between him and Adam. Mara stood nearby. The system ran quiet diagnostics, scanning his ship, his vitals, his behavior.
He was clean.
But strange.
"Do you have a name?" Adam asked.
The man hesitated.
"I was called Revas once," he said. "But I left that name behind when I left my temple."
"Which temple?"
He gave a quiet, wistful smile.
"All of them."
Above them, the fleet shimmered in formation.
Below, the city prepared.
And far across the galaxy, other Force sensitives stirred.
The sky had opened.
And Elysiar was no longer alone.