Author’s Note: Unedited Chapter --------- Estela stepped forward and shoved the other Lieutenant aside before tapping on the communication console. "You have a one-hour headstart. After that, we will take necessary actions to bring you into custody, with or without your cooperation," She voiced with conviction. Her decision sparked an immediate backlash among her officers. Lieutenant Kael, visibly agitated, voiced his concern loudly. "Commander, this is a mistake! He is manipulating the situation. He’s a fugitive, a destroyer of worlds!" Lieutenant Mora joined in, his voice a deep rumble. "I must agree with Kael, Commander. Giving him a headstart could compromise our mission. Gustav is the villain here, not a hero. He needs to be detained now." Estela turned to face her crew, her stature commanding and resolute. "I have made my decision. We will give him the hour. It is not just his fate at stake but the lives of thousands. We must consider the broader implications of our actions." She paused briefly before taking a glance at every single one of them. "We are pursuers of justice, not blind enforcers. We must see beyond the surface. Gustav Crimson’s capture is important, but so are the lives of the oppressed on those spacecraft." -Back in the Present- As Gustav’s spacecraft surged forward, breaking away from the gravitational pull of the Nereus Sector, Estela’s ship remained a silent sentinel among the fleet. Her eyes stayed fixed on the receding spacecraft. ’Gustav Crimson, who are you really? An architect of war or a harbinger of peace?’ Estela thought to herself as she prepared to bridge the vast distance between them, not just in space but in understanding. As the room buzzed with reluctant compliance and whispered discontent, two lieutenants, Kael and a lesser-known officer named Serin—a sleek, silver-skinned humanoid with delicate features and piercing yellow eyes—exchanged glances. Their discontent with Estela’s decision was clear and a silent agreement passed between them. "We cannot let him get away," Serin whispered, her voice a sibilant hiss. "We should follow him discreetly." Kael nodded in agreement, "Yes, we’ll organize a stealth tail. Commander Estela won’t know, and we’ll be ready to act if he tries anything." Undisclosed to Estela, Kael, and Serin quietly directed one of the smaller, faster alliance spacecraft to follow Gustav’s ship at a safe distance. The vessel, equipped with cloaking technology, slipped away from the main fleet, its presence masked by the vastness of space. Aboard their stealth ship, the crew worked silently, the tension palpable. The pilot, a nimble, dark-veined Thulian named Jax, maneuvered the ship with expert precision. "Cloak engaged. We’re invisible to their sensors," he murmured, his four eyes scanning multiple screens. From within the craft, Kael and Serin monitored Gustav’s path, their resolve firm but fraught with the risk of their rogue operation. As Gustav’s ship moved steadily towards its destination, the alliance stealth ship trailed behind. Kael and Serin watched cautiously, their plans a precarious gambit that could sway the balance of this high-stakes confrontation. While Gustav stood at the helm, gazing out at the cosmos, the stars streaking past as they approached their destination. "Command, we are approximately three hours from Planet Solquix," the spacecraft’s AI announced, its voice a calm, neutral tone that contrasted sharply with the tension aboard. Gustav nodded, tapping the console lightly as he pulled up the coordinates for Planet Solquix. The display showed a vibrant blue and green orb, a commercial hub planet known for its strict governance and strong alliance presence, making it a haven for those in need. "Why did the alliance give us a one-hour headstart?" Gustav mused aloud, his brow furrowed in suspicion. "It’s unlike them to show leniency." Ria, who had been coordinating the care of the rescued individuals, joined him at the console. "Maybe they’re starting to see reason." Gustav shook his head, unconvinced. "Or maybe it’s a calculated move to get what they want without a fight. We need to be careful." As they spoke, unknown to them, the rogue fleet led by Lieutenants Kael and Serin was closing in. Despite Commander Estela’s orders for no approach till after an hour mark, they were driven by their convictions that Gustav must be stopped at all costs. On the stealth ship, Lieutenant Kael stood beside the pilot, his eyes fixed on the sensor array. "Increase speed. We need to catch up as soon as possible." Serin, her features tense with anticipation, checked their weapons systems. "Arming disruptors. We won’t let him slip through." Back on Gustav’s ship, as they neared Planet Solquix, the atmosphere around the rescued individuals was a mix of anxiety and hopeful relief. The planet itself was a hub for intergalactic trade and safety, its cities sprawling with diverse cultures and its markets a bustling testament to its economic vitality. "Preparing for a descent into Planet Solquix. Please secure all cargo and personnel," the AI instructed, its voice an urgent prompt amidst the growing uncertainty. The planet stood before them in space as Gustav turned and spoke to Ria firmly, "Get everyone ready." Just then, a warning blared through the spacecraft. "Incoming projectile detected!" the AI alerted. Gustav’s eyes widened as he rushed to the defense controls. "Brace for impact!" The ship shuddered violently as a disruptor blast from the stealth ship hit, temporarily disabling the engines and sending them drifting. The cabin lights flickered, panic rising among the passengers. "Report!" Gustav barked, gripping the console to steady himself. "We’ve been hit by an energy disruptor, systems are down but slowly recovering. It’s an ambush," the AI responded. On the stealth ship, Kael smirked, his plan unfolding. "Keep firing. This ends now." Gustav, assessing their dire situation, activated the ship’s emergency defense protocols. "Deploying countermeasures," the AI complied, releasing a burst of dense smoke and electromagnetic pulses, designed to disorient and delay the attackers. Gustav’s ship, enveloped in clouds of smoke and electromagnetic waves, became a ghost amid the cosmos. The stealth ship commanded by Lieutenant Kael struggled to regain its bearings, its sensors blaring with false alarms and distorted readings. "Can’t get a lock on them!" shouted the pilot, frustration evident in his voice as he toggled switches, trying to pierce through the deceptive fog Gustav had deployed. Kael, standing rigid with determination, peered through the haze on their monitors. "Keep at it! They can’t have gone far. Boost the sensor gain, filter out the ECM noise." Meanwhile, inside Gustav’s ship, the situation was growing desperate. The engines had been knocked offline by the disruptor blast, and the AI’s calm voice belied the urgency of their plight. "Engine reboot in T minus twenty seconds." Gustav, his hands firmly on the manual override controls, felt the weight of every second as they ticked by. "Hold on, everyone. Just a bit more time," he muttered as he coaxed the ship’s systems to respond. The passengers, sensing the tension, clung to whatever they could as the spacecraft jostled and shook. Ria, assisting by securing some frightened children, called out, "Gustav, how long?" "Almost there, Ria. Keep everyone safe just in case," Gustav responded, his focus unyielding. With only five seconds remaining for the engines to come back online, the stealth ship’s sensors finally cut through the interference. "Target reacquired!" the sensor operator exclaimed, relief laced with triumph in his voice. Kael didn’t hesitate. "Fire all forward batteries! Take them down now!" Kael didn’t care that there were innocents on board. All he knew was that he couldn’t relent in a chase against the infamous Gustav or it would mean his end. Find exclusive stories on Freewebnovel Now that the universe had given him an opportunity where Gustav was vulnerable because of his current actions, he would use it to the best of his ability. The commands were executed with chilling efficiency. Gustav, sensing the impending attack, reacted instinctively. He leaped upwards, his body morphing as he activated his Iro Silk ability. From his skin, diamond-like icicles spread rapidly, encasing the spacecraft in a shimmering, protective shell. The stealth ship’s weapons discharged a barrage of energy pulses, each one designed to overwhelm and destroy. As the pulses struck, Gustav’s ship began to spiral uncontrollably, the force of the impacts magnified by their disabled state. The interior of Gustav’s ship trembled violently, the sounds of creaking metal and the roar of energy impacts filling the air. Passengers screamed, their voices mingled with the ship’s alarms. Gustav, his form shimmering with the icy sheen of Iro Silk, struggled to keep up with constantly reactivating the ability to cover up dents in the barrier. "Hold on!" he shouted over the din, his voice a beacon of hope in the chaos as he navigated the spacecraft physically from within. Each hit strained his ability to regenerate the protective ice, the Iro Silk shattering and reforming under the relentless assault. Kael, observing the resilience of their target, gritted his teeth. "Increase power output! Break through that defense!" Back on Gustav’s ship, the AI announced, "Engine reboot complete. Manual control required." With no time to spare, Gustav dashed back to the helm, his hands flying over the controls to stabilize their harrowing descent. "Re-engaging engines, now!"