Cross

Chapter 10: The Road to Titan

Part 1 - Preparing for Battle

The Orion rocketed through space, heading toward Titan, its engines humming with a quiet intensity. Inside, the team was busy preparing, checking weapons, reviewing plans, and trying to steel themselves for the battle ahead. Nathan could feel the tension, the fear, but he also sensed a renewed sense of purpose. They had a plan now, and they weren’t going to back down.

Valdez approached Nathan as he stood by the viewport, staring at the dark expanse of space. “You think this is going to work?” she asked, her voice low.

Nathan turned to her, his expression thoughtful. “It has to. We don’t have a choice. If Marcus connects the artifacts, if he wakes up whatever’s out there… I don’t even want to think about what happens next.”

Kane joined them, a grim smile on his lips. “Well, at least if we die, we’ll go out with a bang. That’s something, right?”

Nathan managed a small smile. “Yeah, something like that.”

They lapsed into silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Nathan thought about Marcus, about the vision he had seen. He still didn’t fully understand what the artifacts were, or why they had chosen to show him that vision, but he knew one thing: Marcus was wrong. Power wasn’t the answer. Control wasn’t the answer. But how was he supposed to convince Marcus of that?

“We’re almost at Titan,” Ava’s voice crackled over the comms. “We’ll be entering their sensor range soon.”

Nathan took a deep breath, steeling himself. “Get ready, everyone. We’re going in fast.”

Part 2 - Breaking Through

As the Orion approached Titan, Nathan could see the faint lights of Marcus’s base, nestled in the jagged terrain. It was bigger than he had expected, sprawling across the moon’s surface, with ships and fortifications spread out around it. Marcus had been busy.

“Looks like he’s expecting trouble,” Ortega said, peering at the base through the viewport. “This isn’t going to be easy.”

“It never is,” Nathan replied. “But we’ve got one advantage—he doesn’t know we’re coming. Ava, initiate the jamming signal. Let’s see if we can get close without setting off every alarm in the system.”

The Orion began its approach, the jamming signal disrupting the base’s sensors, allowing them to slip closer. As they neared the landing zone, Nathan could see small patrols moving through the area, but no sign of an alarm. They had managed to get the element of surprise, at least for now.

They touched down a few miles from the main structure, using the rocky terrain for cover. Nathan stood up, addressing the team one last time. “This is it. We get in, plant the disruptor, and shut down whatever Marcus is trying to do. We don’t need to take out his entire operation—we just need to stop him from connecting the artifacts.”

“Easier said than done,” Kane muttered, checking his gear.

“I never said it would be easy,” Nathan said, a small smile on his lips. “Just necessary.”

Part 3 - The Approach

The team moved through the rocky terrain, keeping low, their movements quick and silent. They had studied the layout of Marcus’s base from Elara’s information, but Nathan knew things could change at any moment. They had to be ready for anything.

As they approached the outer perimeter, Valdez gestured for them to halt. The team crouched low, hiding behind a cluster of jagged rocks. Ahead of them, the dark silhouette of Marcus’s base loomed, the structures lit by harsh, artificial lights. Nathan could see the patrols moving along the perimeter, their helmets glinting under the dim lights.