2298
Gertok Galaxy
Planet Celestine
The Celestine Kingdom
The Castle of Dragons
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After dinner, everyone either retired to their rooms for a good night rest or to prepare to leave in the morning for the outpost.

“I can't believe even in space they have a carbine rifle!” Logan cooed, clutching the midnight blue Lunari rifle against his chest, almost cradling it like a baby. “You know, I think I was nine when my granddad, on my mom's side, showed me how to use one of these, much to my mother's dismay.”

Summer Dawn let out a whisper, reassembling her own carbine rifle, making sure every part was cleaned and in top shape. “Nine? Wow. My parents were iffy about letting me use guns, of course they reluctantly agreed since it was part of my extra curricular course for SERA’s Defense Force, but wow, I can't imagine using anything but a pistol or glock at that age.”

“I was five when I first shot off my grandpa's rifle in the backyard. Mom was furious, Dad was proud, and Grandpa was flabbergasted.” Varian checked over the carbine, making sure it was fully loaded and every piece in working order, after having taken it fully apart and reassembled it. 

“General Nox, what does this dial on the handle do?” Summer Dawn inquired, nothing where her thumb was was a dial on the handle that clicked every time she turned it right or left.

General Nox’s hummed softly, overseeing the handling of such Lunari weapons that the Summer Dawn and Varian would use at the outpost. “The dial allows for different settings. First one is zap, second is stun, third is taze, and fourth is your average shot, immediately will cauterize anything it hits and fifth is the hottest setting and will melt anything with large beam bursts.”

"Impressive," Logan said, glancing over at the general and then at the rifle in hand. He raised an eyebrow, intrigued by their capabilities. "Lunari engineers really outdone themselves with these."

Summer Dawn nodded in agreement, running her hand down the sleek metallic surface of the rifle. "Seems like they're designed for every possible scenario," she mused. "It's an all-in-one weapon."

Varian clicked the dial thoughtfully three times. "I'm guessing '1 through 3' is the non-lethal option?" he inquired, aiming the rifle at a robotic target and firing, a beam of electric energy shot out and hit the robot which shuddered then collapsed on the ground. "Taze might be my favorite. Non-lethal but incapacitates.”

General Nox nodded in approval, pleased by the group's interest in the Lunari weapons. "Precisely," he confirmed, impressed with how easily they understood. "The first three settings are for non-lethal encounters, designed to incapacitate or subdue without causing permanent harm.” He paused briefly, "The fourth and fifth setting can even melt through steel and is capable of causing significant damage and should be used with caution. It is preferred that you avoid using those two on any living being unless your intention is to take a life.”

Logan raised his eyebrows again, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Alright, the fifth setting is a bit overkill,” he said with a chuckle. "But knowing we have that much power at our disposal is reassuring, in a way."  

Summer Dawn shot the target again, this time hitting the robot in the leg, the electric energy coursing through it, disabling it. She glanced over at the Lunari general, her eyes sparkling. "I can't wait to use it in battle during the raid on the outpost.

Varian looked up from the rifle and furrowed his brows, giving Summer Dawn a scowl. "It's not a raid, Summer Dawn. We are simply infiltrating for information, a quick in and out undetected. We don't need to attract unwanted attention to us, especially since we only have two of ten Celestial Dragons and their artifacts.”

Summer Dawn rolled her eyes, setting the rifle down on a table. "Alright, alright, it's not a raid,” she said with a smirk. "More like a reconnaissance mission.” She winked, teasing Varian with a cheeky grin on her lips. “But don't worry, I won't go in guns blazing."  

Logan chuckled, leaning against the table, taking apart the rifle once again to reassemble it. "We don't want to cause a scene, but I have a feeling things won't go as planned for us. Princess Solana is an idiot for not having any plans in case things go sideways.”

"What did you expect? Does she even have any experience?" Cheona walked in, looking absolutely disheveled, glancing at General Nox. She set her laptop on the table and a big bowl of colune jelly beside it. 

General Nox frowned, shaking his head with a small exhale. "No, she does not. Her knowledge is simply on paper. She never got a chance to lead a simulation."

Summer Dawn sighed heavily, running her fingers through her hair. "That's what's worrying me. We're about to embark on a mission, and our leader doesn't seem to have any idea what she's doing.”

"Unfortunately, Solana has a lot of influence, and she is the sole heir to Celestine. Therefore, according to our laws, we are under her authority whether we like it or not." General Nox frowned, his expression hardening as he spoke.

Cheona scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's a recipe for disaster!" she exclaimed, clearly already stressed about having less than 12 hours to flawlessly hack into alien technology.

“True,” Varian nodded in agreement, a grim look on his face. "It's a risk we have to take, as much as any of us don't like it." He glanced over at General Nox, a silent understanding passing between them.

"Easy for you to say, you will probably be able to think up a plan on the fly if needed. Summer Dawn and I can't. We're followers, not leaders." Logan let out a frustrated breath, shaking his head in disbelief. "And I don't like the idea of putting my life into your reckless hands," he groaned, resentment lacing his voice.

Cheona leaned back in her chair, her eyes flickering between the group, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Let's be honest, Logan, who here doesn't have a bit of recklessness in them? You get way too trigger happy, and Summer Dawn wants to go hand-to-hand combat any chance she gets.”

“Hey!” Summer Dawn shot Cheona a playful glare but couldn't deny the truth in her words. "Don't paint me as the one who enjoys going out of my way to start fights... I just finished them if needed… but the first rule is to avoid fights at all costs. It is a last resort.” she put her hands up in defense at the accusation.

Varian chuckled, amused by the banter between the group, but couldn't help but speak up, raising an eyebrow at Cheona. "And you, Cheona? Can you really say you're not reckless, too? The way you get absorbed in your hacking and risk your sleep schedule seems pretty reckless to me, and your sister thinks that to.”

“Alright,” Cheona rolled her eyes, but a soft huff escaped her lips. "Fair enough. I have my moments, I guess." She couldn't deny that her work sometimes became her obsession, often leading to late nights and sacrificed sleep. "Wait, did you just chuckle? Mr. Brooding and stoic chuckled?”

Varian's smirk widened at her comment, a hint of amusement in his gaze. "Seems like I'm not immune to a lighthearted moment now and then." He ran a hand through his dark hair, the usual stern expression on his face replaced with a more relaxed one for a split second. "But don't expect it very often. This is serious business we are getting ourselves into.”

General Nox couldn’t help but join in on the light-hearted moment, a small smile forming on his lips. "Yes, we may have our moments, but let us not forget just how dire the situation is." he reminded, his voice gentle and warm as hisneyes swept over the teens and Chenoa.

Summer Dawn looked over at Varian for a moment, a twinkle in her eye, before turning back to the others. "I’ll admit, seeing Varian smile for once is definitely a rarity around here...  especially when he's not smiling because of Luna~”

Varian’s expression shifted into one of annoyance at Summer Dawn’s comment, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You really need to learn to keep your mouth shut." he retorted, narrowing his eyes further at the dark-haired girl. 

Logan leaned against the table, watching the interaction with slight amusement. "Oh, come on, we all know you have a soft spot for her. She's sweet, pretty..." he teased, a smirk on his face which faded from the unimpressed look from General Nox. "... and off limits.” He added finger guns.

Varian shot Logan a disapproving look, his expression turning even more brooding. "You're walking on thin ice, Logan." he warned, his tone sharp, his irritation was evident. “She is just an acquaintance, that is all, like all of you.”

Summer Dawn giggled, unable to hold back her amusement at the sight of Varian's reaction. "Aww, look at you trying to be all grumpy. Classic Varian, he's back, everyone, round of applause." she teased, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

General Nox sighed, shaking his head at the playful banter between the group. "All right, all right, that is enough banter." he said in an authoritative tone, trying to bring the conversation back on track.

Cheona rolled her eyes, a small smirk on her lips but complied with the Lunari General's words. "Now, back on subject, we need a plan or plans in case the reconnaissance missions goes off rails.”

Pedro pushed open the doors to the common room, and Varian, Summer Dawn, Chenoa, and General Nox turned towards him. "I think I can help with that," he heard the tail end of Chenoa's conversation from outside the door.

Varian raised an eyebrow, eyeing Pedro with a mix of surprise and skepticism. “Oh, really? Where were you eavesdropping from Dora the Explorer?" he inquired, a hint of irritation in his tone.  

Pedro frowned, slightly insulted by the insinuation and the nickname, but again, it was Varian. He shook his head, stopping a few feet away from the others. “No, I didn't eavesdrop. I only heard the latter of Chenoa's conversation as I approached the door.”

General Nox nodded, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "What do you have in mind, Pedro?" he asked, his stern expression giving away his interest in the engineer’s input.

Pedro wrung his hands together, nervousness gnawing at him, but he remembered Hara's encouragement and her ultimatums if he didn't tell them. "I have a few plans… maybe more than a few… but they kinda all hinge on having the blueprint of the outpost." he began, looking between the group. "Chenoa, do you think you could send them first before downloading the outpost’s information? Please?”

Cheona’s eyes widened, her expression a mix of surprise and excitement. "I can do that, no problem." she responded, her fingers already flying across the keyboard of her laptop. "I just need to adjust the hacking sequence timeline a bit to prioritize the upload of the blueprint first.”

General Nox nodded in agreement, impressed by Pedro’s foresight. "That is a smart move. Having the blueprint will give us a better understanding of the layout and any potential weak points. Well thought out, Pedro." he said, a note of respect in his voice.

Summer Dawn’s face lit up with a smile, her eyes shining. "You're a genius, Pedro! That could make all the difference.” she exclaimed, buzzing with excitement that someone would have their back since Solana didn't.

“I… uh wouldn't call myself a genius…” Pedro quietly denied, looking down and scratching the back of his head. He was flattered by Summer Dawn's compliment, but he didn't think he was that smart. He was just average when it came to grades and IQ.

“Uh huh,” Varian crossed his arms over his chest, pushing off the table and eyeing Pedro skeptically. "Just humor me for a moment. Why are you, of all people, qualified in making plans for us? What experience do you have?”

Pedro’s confidence flickered under Varian’s intense gaze. He shifted on his feet rather uncomfortably. "Well, I have always had a knack for strategies… and uh, planning things ever since I was young. My grade school dodgeball team always won with my plans so, besides the engineering classes I took, I-I also took innovation classes." he replied, his voice wavery with his confidence slightly as Varian started to interject only to be cut off by Summer Dawn.

“Oh, come on, Varian, let's hear him out, he has impressive credentials.” A sly smirk tugged at Summer Dawn's lips, amused by Varian's skepticism and Pedro's attempt to stand his ground. "It's not like we have any other alternatives." She chimed in, leaning on one leg towards him.

General Nox nodded in agreement, his expression serious. "I understand your concerns, Varian, but we give him the benefit of the doubt and allow him ample time to prove himself." he looked at Pedro with a soft smile and encouraging nod.

Varian’s gaze lingered on Pedro for a moment longer, his expression still skeptical, but he grudged and nodded. "Fine, I'll hear you out. But keep in mind, I'm not easily sold because if needed, I could come up with a plan on the fly. I am a genius after all." He warned, crossing his arms over his chest, looking at Pedro with an expectant look.

Pedro took a deep breath, trying to compose himself, and locked eyes with Varian, his fingers fidgeting with each other. "I don't doubt you're capable of coming up with a plan on the fly… but uh, I want to be helpful, and this is an area I am skilled at.”

Logan, who had been watching the exchange with interest, butted into the conversation, a sly smile on his lips. "I have to admit, I'm kinda intrigued too. We've got our own little Blond Coconuthead, if you understand the reference, except the blond part, because Pedro has black hair.”

Varian rolled his eyes, shooting Logan an annoyed glare, while Summer Dawn snorted softly, barely masking her amusement. "I swear, Logan, always finding a way to insert a pop culture reference. You're such a weeb.”

Logan feigned offense, placing a hand over his chest in mock hurt. "Hey now, no need to insult me! I'm just trying to keep things lighthearted. And for the record, I am NOT a weeb, I simply appreciate the storytelling, the art, and animation of the anime." 

Summer Dawn shook her head, a mixture of fondness and exasperation in her eyes. "Mhm, sure, whatever you say, Mr. Anime fanatic. You sure you don't have a body pillow hidden in your closet?” she teased with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Logan's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink, his expression sheepish. "No way, I'm not that type of anime fan. I just buy manga, that's it." He defended himself against Summer Dawn's insinuation.

Varian rolled his eyes again, clearly not amused by the exchange. "Can we get back on topic, please? We leave for the outpost in the morning." he interjected, his impatience evident in his tone.

General Nox nodded in agreement, trying to regain control of the conversation. "He is right. We have more pressing matters to attend to." his voice turned serious, as did the expression on his face.

Pedro quickly took the chance to shift the conversation back to the matter at hand, his gaze shifting between everyone. "Alright, so, uh, first thing is first. If we go by sci-fi movies and shows, the Cerkoik outpost should have an entry underneath it in the middle. So, that is where you want to enter because you'll be undetected, and I doubt it is guarded since, more than likely, it'll be an escape route.”

"That makes sense. It'll give us a stealthy approach, and we'll avoid any unwanted attention." Summer Dawn leaned forward, her eyes focused on Pedro’s every word.

Varian nodded in agreement, his expression becoming more contemplative. "But we have to consider the possibility that they may have it heavily guarded for precisely that reason. We can't underestimate them.”

Pedro nodded, acknowledging Varian's statement. "You're right, but it also depends on how well-guarded everything else is. If they have all their security focused on the main areas, they may not have the resources to spare for the underside. That is why I would have suggested using a thermal camera to see how where everyone is, but I don't think we have any of that here, and Hara and I can't create and code something like that into the spaceship in the amount of time we have, so, I guess you'll be flying blind for that and you just have to take extra precautions.”

"We do have some sensor equipment that can detect motion and heat signatures to an extent. I do not know how well it works after 10,000 years, but I suppose I can go find it and give it some test runs beforehand to make sure it is in working order. I just hope it was not damaged in the Cerkoik attack." General Nox rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he recalled where he had last seen it.

Summer Dawn's eyes widened in realization. "Wait, you mean you actually have something similar to a thermal camera? I guess the phrase ‘there is nothing new under the sun’ is correct. Even so, Lunari technology is so fascinating," she asked, her eyes sparkling brightly.

General Nox tried to suppress an amused grin, threatening to break out on his face. "Alas, no, it is not Lunari technology, but Solari. There is no need for such technology for my race, so I would have to ask Princess Solana how to use it. I am unfamiliar with Solari technology." he replied, correcting the small misunderstanding.

Summer Dawn nodded as she leaned back against the table, mulling over this new information. "Solari or Lunari, either way, it's gonna be way more sophisticated than what we got back on earth and no doubt cooler." she grinned and flashed finger guns with both hands.

Varian rolled his eyes again, his expression a mix of annoyance and exhaustion. "I already regret this." he mumbled under his breath.

Logan chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "I'll admit, it does sound pretty awesome, but let's not get carried away. This reconnaissance mission is dangerous. We could get seriously hurt."

Summer Dawn nodded, her excitement fading slightly as reality set in. "I know, I know. It's just hard not to get a little excited when we're dealing with such crazy-amazing tech and stuff. But you're right. We need to stay focused. Our main priority is gathering information from the outpost and staying alive during the endeavor.”

General Nox nodded firmly, his expression growing more serious. "That is right. The Cerkoik are a formidable enemy, believe me, and we can not underestimate them under any circumstances." He looked at each of the group, meeting their eyes directly, his message clear. "They have conquered whole planets, and we do not need our presence put on the map, at least, not until we have all the Celestial Dragons in possession.”

Varian's expression becomes determined, his eyes narrowing. "We understand the severity of this. We'll be on our highest guard and won't underestimate the Cerkoik." he responded, looking at General Nox with a stoic expression.

General Nox nodded approvingly, the corners of his lips perking up ever so slightly and returned the gesture, "That I expect from you." 

Logan's excitement had not diminished despite the seriousness of the discussion, and he leaned forward. "Alright, so, we infiltrate from underneath, using the sensor equipment for guidance, if it's in working order, and we stay as incognito as possible while protecting Cheona so she can hack into the outpost’s system.” he summed up everything they had spoken about. “Sounds like an easy task.”

Summer Dawn smirked at Logan's sarcasm. "Easy? I think you and I have very different definitions of the word. It's more like a recipe for disaster with a side of adrenaline if you ask me." she retorted, rolling her eyes playfully.

Pedro smiled softly, listening and watching the Desert Sands Prep students converse with General Nox. "I should get back to helping Hara with the spacecraft," he pipped up, walking towards the door. “Thanks for hearing me out,” he flashed a small, grateful smile as everyone gave a round of nods.

Summer Dawn pushed off the table and grabbed the rifle in her hands. "I better get some sleep at least before we leave in the morning." she mused, following after Pedro.

Logan nodded, pushing off the table. "We need to be as rested and focused as possible for what awaits us." he responded, stretching his stiff muscles and then grabbing the rifle.

General Nox looked at the retreating forms of Pedro, Logan, and Summer Dawn, then turned to Chenoa as she downed some more colune jelly. "You should follow your companions' leads and get some rest.” he gently said, motioning with his hand towards the door.

Chenoa finished her last bite of jelly, a satisfied expression on her face. "I plan to, as soon as I finish this up," she replied, motioning to the empty bowl. "But I have a few things I still need to hack my way through before I sleep." She crawled off the table and gathered up the bowl and her laptop. "But I'll do it in my room. Night General Nox,”

General Nox smiled softly at her retreating figure. "Have good dreams, Cheona." he replied, his voice carrying a fond, paternal tone. 

Varian watched them leave, crossing his arms over his chest, and rolled his eyes again. "Finally," he muttered under his breath as he began to disassemble the rifle again.

General Nox stifled a chuckle, amused by Varian's impatience. "I don't suppose you plan on getting any rest before the mission?" he asked, his tone both teasing and curious.

Varian shrugged nonchalantly, his focus still on the rifle in pieces before him. "I can function on little to no sleep for extended periods of time." he admitted, but in truth, it was due to his insomnia that he probably wouldn't be able to sleep. "Besides, I'd rather prepare for worst-case scenarios than relax beforehand in case Pedro's plans fail.”

General Nox nodded, though he seemed unconvinced by Varian's nonchalance. "That may be true, but even the most skilled and experienced soldiers need rest. A clear mind is essential for making sound decisions and being able to react quickly in dangerous situations."

Varian didn't respond for a moment. His gaze remained fixed on the rifle as he slowly put the dismantled pieces together. "I appreciate the concern, but I’ll be fine." he replied, his tone bordering on dismissive.

General Nox raised an eyebrow at Varian's stubborn response, but he didn't push the matter further. "If you insist," he commented with a soft sigh, a hint of fond exasperation in his voice. "Take care, Varian," he nodded towards the boy before walking out of the room, the door closing being him.

Varian watched as General Nox left the room, and his gaze lingered on the door for a moment before returning his focus to the dismantled rifle. Each piece was taken apart with precise precision, then laid on the table neatly until all pieces covered the surface.

He began to reassemble it once again. The clinking of the pieces was all that could be heard as the room was empty now. "I have no choice but to be fine." he murmured to himself, his voice barely audible.

🌑☀️🌑☀️🌑☀️🌑☀️🌑☀️🌑☀️🌑

A/N:
I am here with another chapter. It's taking me a bit longer than I wanted to, but I've just been busy. I am working my best to get them up and done, along with the others. There is really no schedule, I just write and post whatever I'm feeling.

Chapter Talk:
If any of you get the Blond Coconuthead reference and who I was talking about, you get a cookie 🍪 I can't say their name, but I can mention one of the nicknames the fans give them.

I enjoyed writing this chapter. You'll definitely get to see more of Pedro and his skills, and him coming to the group was a lot of insisting and ultimatums from Hara, because he doesn't think he's fit to do that. He does lack confidence and Varian is still his self-assured hubris self which will come into play.

Thanks for reading!