Falling Stars

Chapter-13 : Rise of LuxVorax

The Celestial Elimination Department buzzed with its usual chaotic energy—dozens of missions being coordinated, researchers rushing between labs, and occasional bursts of laughter or frustration from the training yards. Gabriel leaned against the wall of the break room, sipping a rather questionable cup of coffee. His mind was half on the flimsy file folder in his hand labeled "LuxVorax," and half on the peculiar events of the past few weeks. His gut told him there was something more going on, something linking the bizarre string of events that had led them here, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

As he took another sip, Mark sauntered in, his usual mischievous grin plastered on his face. He grabbed a donut from the counter and plopped down next to Gabriel, casually glancing at the folder.

"So, what's the secret mission this time? Gonna shoot more space rocks, save a planet, maybe wrestle a rogue comet?" Mark asked, taking an exaggerated bite of his donut.

Gabriel rolled his eyes, setting the folder down on the table. "Oh, you know, the usual. Save the galaxy before lunch. But this one… this one’s different."

Mark raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Different how? Are we finally getting those jetpacks you promised me, or is this another glorified rock hunt?"

Gabriel handed the folder to Mark, who opened it with the same nonchalance with which he opened his morning cereal. As Mark scanned the pages, Gabriel watched his expression shift from casual amusement to a more serious, albeit confused, look.

"LuxVorax?" Mark said, struggling to pronounce the name. "What kind of stupid name is that? Sounds like a brand of vacuum cleaner."

Gabriel chuckled, rubbing his temple. "Yeah, that’s what I thought too. But it’s not a vacuum or a creature. It's… a phenomenon. And a very dangerous one at that."

Mark blinked, then burst into laughter. "Wait, so we're chasing a phenomenon? Like, what does that even mean? Is it some kind of cosmic weather event or a fancy term for space radiation?"

Gabriel laughed, but there was an underlying tension in his smile. "I wish it were that simple. But LuxVorax isn’t something you can see or touch. It’s this... force or occurrence that’s been causing all sorts of cosmic havoc. And now, they want us to track it down."

Mark’s laughter faded as he processed the connection. "Wait, you’re telling me the thing that’s been swallowing up stars is a phenomenon? How does a phenomenon eat a star? This just keeps getting better."

Gabriel nodded. "Yeah, and apparently, it’s on the move again. We've got to figure out where it’s headed next, or worse, what it’s going to impact."

Mark set the folder down, his grin returning. "Okay, I’m in. But I swear, if this thing turns out to be a bad solar flare, I’m quitting."

Before Gabriel could respond, Hank waltzed into the room, humming a tune and twirling a clipboard like it was a baton. He spotted Gabriel and Mark and headed straight over, an amused glint in his eye.

"Morning, boys!" Hank chirped. "Did I hear something about space flares? Because I’m all in for some cosmic fireworks."

Mark snickered. "No fireworks, just the usual cosmic drama. You know, stars disappearing, spaceships vanishing. All in a day's work."

Hank’s eyes widened with faux enthusiasm. "Ooh, star vanishers! Haven't dealt with one of those since... well, never. Sounds like a blast. When do we leave?"

Gabriel smirked, shoving the folder back into his bag. "Soon, apparently. But first, we’ve got a briefing with the big wigs. They’re pulling out all the stops for this one."