Two Dawns. Planet Sothis. Sirius Star System. 2 years prior, in 2707 AD.

I stood before the sink and mirror in my bathroom with a deep frown. Staring at myself in the eyes, I took a long intake of air and whispered, "Today is the day."

With anticipation, I geared up for a mission that would plunge me into the heart of true danger.

Dismantling a cosmic drug cartel, which had been operating from a treacherous mountain hideout, had been the Cosmos Elite Patrol's most coveted mission. The big reveal of their secret hiding spot had sped things up.

I was the bastard son of the Lord Commander and a promising astroguard captain of the Cosmos Elite Patrol. It was going to be my one big mission, one that could potentially mark my career and unlock a promotion.

It was time to spice things up. I was going to shake the ground of that patronising society I lived in, proving my worth despite being a bastard. I would be leading the mission, after all. A huge weight of responsibility was on my shoulders.

I grabbed my gun, kissed the barrel with care, and put it in the holster with a decisive move.

A lot could go wrong that day. I couldn't be too prepared.

I put my palms on the white marble sink, tensed my arms, and stared at my face in the mirror as I took another deep breath.

I've got this. Everybody thinks I was slotted in by my father, the Lord Commander—but it's not true. I deserve to be an astroguard. I've worked hard for this. I've worked really hard to get things that others take for granted.

I was a fine specimen among men. There were lawful offspring who were far less well-endowed than me.

I could boast of wavy dark brown hair that danced with an untamed rhythm, framing a face chiselled with both strength and refinement. My gaze, a nexus of determination and intelligence, held an irresistible magnetism that drew attention effortlessly. Wrapped in a skin-tight suit, a harmonious blend of black and dark brown, its futuristic design sculpted around the contours of my well-built form, accentuating a physique that exuded both athleticism and grace. My badly shaved beard gave me an air of roughness.

An astroguard badge adorned my chest, a symbol of authority and prowess. I stared at it. It represented the culmination of all my efforts in life. In every aspect, I was worthy of praise and recognition.

Yet I was constantly denied those.

Then, I wiped the glass of my sunglasses clean, put them on, and rushed out of the bathroom.

A little, neon blue light glowing on the table caught my attention.

My cell phone. A trembling finger hesitated just before grabbing it. Pressing my lips into a thin line, I tapped the screen to unlock it. I was gonna regret that.

"You have... four new messages," the metallic female voice of my phone said as it displayed the first few words of those messages and the names of the people who sent them.

'Hello. Got your number from a mutual friend. I hope...' said the first.

Oh, no, please. Not these again.

I sighed with discomfort. I was tired of getting that kind of message. Messages number two and three began in a similar way.

Dumb and unimpressive. Why does Nat think it's a good idea to give my number to such pathetically coy girls? Besides, I'm the bastard son of the Lord Commander. None of these girls will ever be serious about starting a relationship with someone like me.

A fling? Maybe. Settle with me? Never. I wasn't worth being the man a girl would marry, not there in Two Dawns.

I raised an eyebrow at the fourth message.

'Hello. I'm Samantha from the front desk. I know it's not wise to use the patrol's data centre to get your private number, but I...' the message read.

I raised an eyebrow. But what? Did something happen?

'... I'm too shy to speak to you in front of so many other people. I'd love to–'

Jesus Christ. I don't want to date with women I work with. It would make things too complicated. Like...

I sighed. Forget about her, man.

Putting my phone inside the pocket of my jacket, I rushed to the garage. I climbed on my dark blue motorbike. The garage's sensor was tipped and the metallic door slowly swooshed up.

As the motorbike's engine roared at the push of the start button, I smirked. It gleamed like a celestial artefact, its metallic surface bathed in a resplendent sheen.

I put on my helmet. The bike surged forward, leaving trails of stardust in its wake as I crossed the front yard of my home and turned right.

I loved riding after it rained.

A gentle downpour had just finished falling from the purplish cloudy sky. Now the sun was shining.

The sleek, aerodynamic design exuded futuristic elegance and speed.

I slowed down when I reached the nearest intersection and stopped by the red lights. I pressed the left indicator. The handlebars, crafted with precision, featured touch-sensitive controls, adding a touch of sophistication. My bike was the closest being I had in my life. I was proud of her. I loved her.

As I neared the Cosmic Elite Patrol's headquarters, my peers joined me. They all drove on their motorbikes into the patrol's private garage in the headquarters' basement.

The last motorbike to enter was a deep red one.

Vanessa.

I grabbed the handlebars with more force than necessary as I sucked in some air.

Clad in the same dark uniform, Vanessa took off her helmet. She shook her head, making her wavy ginger hair dance in the air. By doing so, she put her beautiful face on display—a pity that her smile was hardly ever present on it.

I stared at her with my helmet still on, as if time had frozen.

"Nice day for climbing, huh?" Nathaniel said with a grin as he took off his helmet, taking me out of my reverie.

"Don't joke about today's mission, Nat," I replied as I took off mine.

Vanessa glued her eyes to mine, her eyelashes fanning in the process.

"Indeed," Mark said. "We're about to embark on a perilous journey today. We shall strike at the core of the drug trade plaguing our star system."

Always the posh one, Mark was. I rolled my eyes, trying hard to ignore Vanessa. The fancy way he spoke drove me nuts sometimes.

"No time for a chit-chat now," I said. "I want you all in the meeting room in five."

"Our destination lies hidden amidst the jagged peaks of an ominous mountain range, the Cragged Spine Range," I said in the meeting room as I displayed images of the mentioned mountains on a screen. "The climb will be treacherous, a vertical ascent that will test our physical prowess and mental resilience. That's why the six of you have been chosen for this mission."

The room was designed entirely in white and grey, very fashionable and futuristic. My subordinates were all seated around a long oval white table.

"I knew my climbing skills would come in handy someday," Ian said. "Glad I put them in my CV."

"You're all accustomed to challenges, potentially lethal missions, and performed risky rescue plans," I added. "Including myself. Now, I'll brief you on the details. Mark, Ian, and Vanessa. You'll ascent the northern slope, where the drug dealers' hideout has got the emergency exit. Nat, Yannik, and I will ascent the southern slope, where the main entrance is. Leo, as the IT expert, you'll fly the camouflaged drones and check the heat readings within their base to tip us on everything. Got questions?"

After the briefing meeting, the seven of us took our special ops vehicles.

Under the dim light of the morning under that cloudy sky, the convoy of three black, specially designed vehicles glided through the mountainous terrain with an aura of stealth and sophistication. Each vehicle, its exterior coated in a matte black finish, blended seamlessly with the shadows of the imposing peaks. The tinted windows concealed the occupants, the weapons, and the climbing materials within.

Those sleek machines were equipped with advanced off-road capabilities, their tyres gripping the rugged terrain with unwavering tenacity as we navigated sharp bends and ascended steep inclines.

The mountain air hung heavy with tension as Nat, Yannik, and I ascended the steep cliffs on the southern slope. Our trio moved with precision thanks to our ropes and climbing gear.

"Keep your eyes sharp," I muttered through the radio, my gaze scanning the rocky expanse. As we neared the southern main entrance, shadows of the drug dealers emerged, armed and ready right above us.

Damn! They spotted us? So fast? Impossible!

"Take cover!" I commanded as I lay flat against the cliff, behind a large, protruding, vertical rock. Nat and Yannik did the same.

Bullets erupted in a cacophonic symphony. As the firefight ensued, the mountain walls echoed with the staccato rhythm of gunfire. Nat, Yannik, and I unleashed a barrage of shots, determined to breach the defences.

"North team, they spotted us!" I exclaimed through the radio. "We need immediate assistance! Leo? Send the panther drones for firing support! Now!"

"On it," Leo said.

The clash was fierce. The guns and shotguns created an enormous cloud of smoke. A few minutes later, five thugs had fallen through it and down below—dead already.

But victory came at a cost—Nat clutched a wounded arm, blood staining his uniform.

"Damn it, Nat! Take cover!" I barked, frustration etched on my face as I directed suppressing fire against the remaining threats.

Yannik, seizing a risky opportunity, moved upward to secure a strategic position. "Cover me!" he called out, his silhouette blending with the shadows and the smoke.

I cursed under my breath, witnessing Yannik's daring manoeuvre. "Don't be foolish, Yannik!"

Amidst the chaos, communication with the team entering through the northern emergency exit faltered.

Damn. Where was the North team? They should've caught these thugs' guard down by then! But the more time passed, the more of them came and bullets rained down on us.

Anxiety clawed at me as I provided cover fire for Yannik. I tried the radio desperately. "North team, respond! What's your status?"

Silence.

Fear gnawed at me as I envisioned various grim scenarios—my colleagues taken prisoner, being wounded, or worse, fallen down the cliff.

"Come on, respond!" I urged, desperation lacing my words.

The mountain wind carried my words away like unanswered prayers.

The tumultuous scene took a dark turn when a series of explosions beneath our hands and feet rocked the mountain, causing a catastrophic shift in the terrain.

"IAN TRENNIK SENDS HIS REGARDS, BASTARD!" a thug yelled with a smirk before he disappeared.

The once-sturdy carabiner that anchored me to the cliff face rattled and broke. As I gripped a large, cold, unyielding rock, the previously reliable foothold betrayed me, crumbling beneath the pressure of my weight. A harrowing realisation dawned on me—my life was compromised.

Panic surged within me as I desperately attempted to regain control, fingers scrambling for a more secure hold as my body slid down the slope. Metal clinked against a rock at a sickening fast pace. I broke some of my nails, even a few fingers, as I tried to save my life.

Time slowed as gravity claimed its dominion, and I, with an anguished shout, plunged down the cliffs. Many rocks fell with me in a deadly rain. The mountainside and dense foliage from tall firs swallowed me whole in a tumultuous descent.

Fighting against the chaos, I tried to hold on to anything but failed. My lower spine bore the brunt of the collision, meeting a large, unyielding rock with a sickening thud. Pain, sharp and immediate, shot through me, an agonizing jolt that reverberated through my entire being. The mountain had become an unwitting accomplice of the drug dealers.

As I lay at the base of the cliff, pain coursed through me. I grunted and groaned. My bloody forehead bore wide and long scratches. The magnitude of my injuries included raw and grazed hands, and darkening bruises all over my body. The jagged edges of the mountain had torn through my clothes, leaving shredded fabric clinging to cuts and abrasions.

As I gingerly moved to try to get the radio a few feet from me, each motion was accompanied by the dull protest of muscles strained beyond their limits. A realisation dawned on me.

My legs. I couldn't move. I wanted to get up, but... I couldn't. Besides, I should've felt pain down there, but I felt nothing in my legs. Jesus Christ! No. Please, don't tell me I...

I forced my torso and arms to get near the radio. When I managed to get hold of it, the device broke in my fragile hands.

With a frustrated grunt, I discarded the broken bits, lay flat on the rocky ground, and closed my eyes.

"Nat?!" I yelled at the air. "Yannik?! You guys there?"

Only the breeze replied by combing the branches of the nearest trees.

I sighed. I could only wait and hope they find me.

The lower part of my spine bore the brunt of the impact, but the bitter taste of betrayal burnt inside me.

Ian tipped the drug dealers. A fellow astroguard, probably seduced by the allure of money and perks, had sold us out to those thugs. I'd kill him... if I got out of there alive.

'I hope you recover from your wounds soon.'

Short. Cold. Disengaged. What kind of text message was that?

I put down my phone with a frown after reading that discouraging text message from Vanessa. Really? Did I mean so little to her after... after... Damn.

"What's the matter, son?" the Lord Commander asked.

He leaned a bit towards me as I lay in that hospital bed.

"Nothing," I whispered in a rusty voice.

White was all around me. White bedsheets, a white hospital gown, white pillows, white furniture, white walls, white curtains... I was tired of so much white—and waiting so long to get a verdict on what was wrong with me.

Steps came closer to the door of my room. Both my father and I turned our faces to the door.

"I'm awfully sorry, Captain De Jong," healer Lee said as he came into the room. Then, he turned to my father and bowed his head with respect when he added, "And Lord Commander. The impact of the fall has caused a significant injury to the lower part of the spine. I've reviewed the imaging a few times, just to be on the safe side. I won't sugarcoat it—the damage is severe, resulting in a spinal cord injury that has affected your mobility below your hips."

A heavy silence settled in the room as I absorbed the hard truth, my eyes reflecting a mix of disbelief and anger. My clenched fists turned white.

"You're currently paralyzed from the waist down," the healer continued, choosing his words with care. "Recovery can be a long and challenging journey, and it's important to be realistic about the limitations you may face—including the possibility that you may not walk again."

I didn't need a healer to tell me that! I had come to the same diagnosis when I couldn't feel my legs in the woods.

"We don't do advanced tech and pharmaceutical treatments here," he added. "But maybe in other colonies, you could find more suitable treatments for your current condition."

Yes, I was a bastard. He didn't want me around. He saw a chance to send me away and didn't want to waste it.

Healer Lee went on, "There are surgeries, extreme rehab treatments, even... suits. But I must warn you—there's no guarantee that you will walk again. I give you a 25% chance of success tops."

Damn. That couldn't be happening to me!

"Only a suit would give you a 100% success rate, but..." the healer added with a deep frown. "I don't recommend it. I'll send for a wheelchair for you immediately."

What?! Why not? What was a suit anyway?

"Thank you, healer Lee," the Lord Commander said, eyeing me with weariness etched on his brow. "We are truly thankful for your work. Can you leave us alone for a moment, please?"

Yes, thank you for sentencing me to a life of shame and suffering. I wanted to punch him in the face. Break his legs. Anything.

The healer bowed once more and left us alone.

"What's the matter, James?" the Lord Commander asked after a brief sigh.

"What's the matter?!" I replied with indignation as my chest heaved. "I'm confined to a wheelchair—probably for the rest of my life. The mission was a mind-blowing failure, mostly because the patrol had got a mole. Ian fucking Trennik. And Vane–"

I shook my head to discard any warming thoughts about my teammate and former girlfriend.

"You're lucky to be alive," my father replied as he got hold of my hand. "You may be confined to a wheelchair. That's a challenge you didn't expect to face. But you're good at facing challenges. Recovery might be within your grasp, son."

I nodded and clenched my jaw. Maybe, but the harsh reality that the mission's failure was engineered from within weighed a ton. I considered Ian a friend, for Christ's sake!

The betrayal etched a bitter resolve on my face.

"You need to rest and take it easy. Give yourself some time," my father went on. "And now, the harsh part."

What harsh part?! I raised my face to meet my father's. The look of surprise on mine met the look of worry on his.

"I don't want you to take this personally, James," he went on. "But I'm letting you go from the force."

"WHAT?!" I exclaimed with wide eyes. The tendons in my neck protruded.

"You will perform other tasks in the Communication and Accounting department from now on."

No! "You've got to be kidding me! I worked hard to become a captain!" I slammed a fist on the mattress.

"I'm not joking." Boy, he was serious. His glare told me as much.

I scoffed. A nervous grin appeared on my face, trembling. "No, you can't do this to me."

"It's nothing personal, son. You know that. I'm the Lord Commander of Two Dawns, and therefore, your superior. I make these decisions day in, day out." The older man sighed. "Besides, you're twenty-six. You're young. There's still the rest of your life to look forward to."

"The rest of my life? What life?" My eyes unfocused and my facial expression turned cold and devoid of life. "My life is over."

Unless I found out what a suit was... and how to get one.

Hello, my sugar cubes!

How do you feel about James? Does he deserve a second chance in life?
If he does, he will need to realise that first, though.

Stay tuned!

XOXO

Mar