Without A Thousand Stars: Part II

Chapter 12

In the sterile confines of the briefing room, Captain Crux stood before a hologram screen, the room's lighting reflecting off his crisp uniform. He tapped the holo pad, and the image of Onyx flickered to life on the screen.

"Onyx Cassius," Crux's voice cut through the murmur of anticipation. "The leader of the Obsidian Reapers. Orphaned at the age of six, raised by the deceased rebel leader, Kai Perseus, former Chief of Defence at AlphaCorp before he defected and vanished. Onyx's gang is believed to be behind the attack on AlphaTower five years ago. Since then, he's claimed the Core as his territory."

The hologram zoomed in on Onyx's stern face, his eyes cold and calculating. Crux continued, "Our technologies and supplies remain within the Tower. We have no concrete intel on the size of his gang or the extent of their weaponry. Previous missions to reclaim the Core have failed. Tomorrow, Lieutenant Quinn will lead a recon mission. Your orders are clear: observe, report, but do not make contact."

A chorus of "Yes, sir" echoed through the room, the soldiers' voices a unified pledge of compliance.

Jax's eyes locked onto the holographic image of Onyx. As the figure's features became clearer, a strange sensation washed over him—a disorienting blend of familiarity and unease. He began to see flashes of memory: the smell of cigarette smoke, Onyx's grin, his booming laughter as he patted Jax on the back. Jax frowned, struggling to reconcile these vivid impressions with the reality of a man he'd never actually met.

He shook his head, trying to dispel the unsettling connection. The memories felt like echoes of a past that didn't belong to him. He couldn't understand why he'd have such vivid recollections of a terrorist leader he had never encountered. The images persisted, making Jax question the truth of his own memories and their relevance to the mission ahead.

He took a deep breath and glanced at the soldiers bustling around him, their faces grim but focused. They had been here longer than he had—knew the terrain, the enemy, the stakes. Jax felt the creeping doubt of whether he could measure up, but there was no time for uncertainty now.

As the squad dispersed, Jax found a quiet spot at the edge of the camp, looking out over the ruins. The shadows of the broken city seemed to pulse in the twilight, the once-great structures now hollow and filled with danger. Somewhere out there, Onyx's forces were watching, waiting.

Jax tightened his grip on his rifle, the chill of the evening settling in his bones. Tomorrow would be his first true test as a lieutenant. And failure wasn't an option.

—

Onyx took a slow, deliberate puff from his cigarette, the smoke curling around him in a cloud. He exhaled, letting the embers glow in the dim light. "Nora, Raye. It's been a long time."

Ivy, who had been standing in the background amongst the crowd, glanced between Onyx and the two, with a mix of surprise and curiosity. She hadn't expected this connection.

Raye stood frozen, their mind racing through the fragmented memories of their last encounter—a passionate kiss at the hyper train station, quickly followed by Onyx's harsh shove and their separation. The emotional sting of that moment was still fresh in their memory.

Nora, meanwhile, was grappling with a swirl of conflicting emotions—relief at seeing Onyx alive, anger at his past actions, and sadness for their unresolved issues. Her initial reaction was a surge of anger.

"What the fuck, Onyx?" Nora stepped forward, her voice sharp and accusing. The gang of gunmen immediately raised their plasma guns, aiming at her with unwavering precision. Nora's heart pounded as she was forced to stop in her tracks.

Onyx raised a hand, a signal for the gunmen to lower their weapons. They complied, but their eyes remained vigilant.

"I've been told you want to set up a trade," Onyx said, his voice calm and measured as he took another puff of his cigarette.

Nora's anger flared again, but she reined it in. She clenched her fists, her resolve hardening. One of Onyx's men tossed Nora's bag at her feet. With a deep breath, she reached into her bag, the gunmen's eyes following her every move.

She pulled out the water bottle, fresh water from the lake, and tossed it towards Onyx. One of the men stepped forward to retrieve it, carrying it over to Onyx, he held the bottle in his hand, looking at the reflections of the water inside the bottle.

Onyx smirked, his eyes gleaming with a hint of challenge. "What makes you think I won't just come and take it?"

Nora's mind raced. She knew Onyx knows their location, he's been there countless times, which made her uneasy. Despite a moment of panic, she forced herself to stay calm. "Because if you wanted to, you would have done it by now. And you're not that big of an asshole." She gave him a smirk of her own.

Onyx let out a low, amused laugh. "So, what do you need?"

Nora took a steadying breath. "Food, mostly. And some medicine."

Onyx's gaze remained fixed on her. "How much?"

"Enough for five people and a cat." Nora replied without hesitation.

Onyx nodded thoughtfully, his cigarette still burning steadily. "Tomorrow, my men will follow you back to the checkpoint with the supplies and wait for the water. Every week, we'll meet you there. Twenty gallons. Do we have a deal?"

Nora, feeling the weight of the moment, nodded in agreement. "Deal."

Onyx's demeanour softened slightly. "You're free to stay tonight. We'll head out in the morning." He turned to his gang. "These two are off limits."

The gang members relaxed their stances, though their watchful eyes remained fixed on Nora and Raye.

Nora, still feeling uneasy, glanced at Onyx. "And our weapons?"

Onyx raised an eyebrow. "You'll get them back when you leave."

He then signalled Ivy, who stepped forward to guide them. "Ivy will show you to some quarters."

As they walked through the labyrinthine corridors of the Tower, the oppressive silence was only broken by their footsteps. Ivy, glancing back at Nora, couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. "How do you know Onyx?"

Nora's expression hardened slightly as she replied, "We have history." Her tone was clipped, revealing little, but the weight of her words hung heavy in the air between them.