Ashen Dominion

11. Fallout

Kaevas Sorrin stepped onto the Vigilant Dawn , and the cold weight of every gaze pressed down on him. Suspicion, distrust, and outright hostility followed his every move. It wasn’t unexpected. His name had been a weapon of fear for the Dominion, and now, that reputation shadowed his every step. The people here had every reason to hate him, and he felt the palpable tension in the air as he moved further into the ship.

He squared his shoulders, his expression calm, as Commander Rynn approached. The captain’s face was unreadable, but Kaevas could sense the calculation behind those eyes, measuring every inch of him. “Admiral Sorrin,” Rynn said, his voice formal but carrying an edge. “I didn’t expect to see you here, after everything.”

Kaevas inclined his head slightly, keeping his own tone measured. “I’m not here to discuss the past, Commander. I’m here to help. The Dominion is closing in fast, and if we don’t act now, there won’t be a Resistance left to save.”

Rynn’s arms folded tightly across his chest, his expression hardening. “You think it’s that easy? You think you can switch sides and expect us to forget everything? You’ve hunted us for years. Killed thousands of our people.”

“I’m not asking for your forgiveness,” Kaevas replied, his eyes locked on Rynn’s. “But we don’t have time for grudges. If we don’t put aside the past and act together, the Dominion will destroy us all.”

The room felt colder as Rynn’s officers shifted uneasily. Tension crackled in the silence that followed, and Kaevas could feel the weight of their judgment bearing down on him. This was the resistance he had anticipated, and though it felt more tangible than he had prepared for, he remained steady.

“I’m not here to ask for trust,” Kaevas said, his voice firm but calm. “I’m here to offer what I know. The Dominion’s strategies, their weaknesses. Right now, you need every advantage you can get.”

Rynn’s lips pressed into a thin line, and he studied Kaevas for a long moment before speaking again. “What makes you think we’ll take your help? You’re responsible for half the lives we’ve lost. Entire worlds burned because of you. Why should we listen to anything you say?”

Kaevas exhaled slowly, his gaze unwavering. “Because I defected. Because I saw what the Dominion had become, and I refused to be part of it any longer. You can hate me all you want, but if we keep fighting among ourselves, the Dominion will win.”

The silence thickened, and Rynn’s eyes turned colder still. After a long pause, he stepped forward, his voice low and dangerous. “Let me make one thing very clear, Sorrin. The only reason you’re still standing on this ship is because Zerena vouched for you. She seems to think you can be useful. But if you so much as give me a reason to doubt you, I’ll put a bullet in your skull myself. Am I clear?”

“Crystal,” Kaevas said, not missing a beat. He had expected this level of hostility, and Rynn’s threat didn’t faze him.

For a moment, the two men stared each other down, before Rynn finally stepped back, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “Good. We don’t have time for this. The Dominion’s not far behind, and we need to be ready.”

Kaevas nodded, grateful the tension had diffused, at least for now. “What’s the plan?”

Rynn turned toward the tactical display at the center of the room, motioning for Kaevas to follow. “We’re setting up a defensive perimeter in the outer sectors. The Dominion will come at us with everything they have, but we’ve got a few surprises of our own. Zerena’s been working on something that might give us an edge.”

Kaevas stepped closer to the display, his mind already analyzing the layout of the defenses. “They’ll come in waves. Scouts first, to probe your defenses. Don’t commit too early, or they’ll drag you into a trap.”