Carmen:
"We were so close before the John A. Warden's signal disappeared," Carmen said, her tone bitter but composed.
Johnny Rico:
"After analyzing the signal scatter, estimating their route and velocity, and calculating the last known coordinates... we still haven't found it," Johnny replied patiently. "But if you want to go after it-I'll authorize it."
Carmen:
"Fine. I'll do it."
She paused. The tension in her face was unmistakable, but her resolve was solid. She knew that the only way to reclaim her ship was to be there herself.
Carmen:
"But... this isn't about saving that damned Carl. I just want my ship back," she said sharply, turning to leave the room.
Johnny Rico:
"Be careful. We need you back in one piece."
Carmen:
"Thanks, Johnny."
She glanced back at him, her expression unreadable-torn between memories of the past and the weight of her current duty. Emotion swirled behind her eyes, but she said nothing more. She just walked away.
Johnny Rico:
"Hey, Carmen... when this is all over, how about we meet up on Zim?"
His voice was barely above a whisper, as if reaching for something long lost.
But Carmen had already stepped through the threshold, too far away to hear the invitation in full. Johnny let out a quiet sigh, murmuring under his breath with a bitter edge,
"Yeah... great timing."
In the command center of the Alesia, Kenthelion stood tall before the main tactical display. His eyes moved quickly across streams of data and visual feeds coming in from strategic sectors throughout the ship. Everything was unfolding according to plan. The operation to reclaim the John A. Warden was about to begin.
Kenthelion
"USS forces, stand by. All units to combat alert. We move in minutes."
His voice echoed through the internal comms, triggering combat protocols throughout the ship.
---
Meanwhile, in Room E-the prep zone for the Mobile Infantry units-Teams A-01 and K-12 were gearing up.
The room was alive with the thud of heavy boots, the hum of powered armor systems, and the sharp clicks of metal as armored plates locked into place. The tension was palpable, but the atmosphere remained disciplined and focused.
Deborah sat alone on a steel bench in the corner, her helmet resting beside her. In her hands, she held a small photo-herself and her daughter, both clad in full uniform, grinning wide amid the dusty grounds of a training field. Her gaze softened for a moment, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
Without a word, Kenthelion approached from behind and sat next to her.
Kenthelion
(flatly, but with honesty)
"Your daughter, right? She's beautiful."
Deborah didn't turn. Her voice came sharp, but tired.
Deborah
"None of your damn business, asshole."
Kenthelion chuckled quietly, unfazed. He looked ahead, then lightly tapped the plating on her armor.
Kenthelion
"As your future husband-whether you like it or not-I'm just reminding you: don't go and die like an idiot out there. Getting gutted by a damn Arachnid isn't a good look."
He stood and walked away without waiting for a reply, his steps steady and unhurried.
Deborah's eyes followed his back, her expression unreadable. Beneath that cold exterior, her thoughts churned.
"Does he actually care... or is this just another one of his games? That bastard... can't he be serious for once? Get a grip, Deborah. Don't let him in. He's still an asshole."
Tia Durer
"What were you doing with Deborah?"
Tia couldn't help herself. Her eyes were sharp as blades, fixed on Kenthelion as he emerged from the direction of the room Deborah had been in.
Kenthelion
"Nothing major. Deborah held up her end of the deal."
He looked straight at Tia, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, as if he were hiding something.
"Now it's your turn. When are you going to fulfill yours?"
He hadn't expected Tia to come looking for him first-not before he had the chance to approach her himself.
Tia Durer
"That's impossible. Deborah would never do that."
Her voice changed. The tremor in her tone betrayed the shock rippling through her. She had heard the implication loud and clear-that Deborah had slept with him. But in her mind, that couldn't be true. She knew Deborah.
Or at least, she thought she did.
Kenthelion
"If you don't believe me, go ask Deborah yourself."
Tia Durer
"Oh, I will. But if it turns out you're lying..."
-She slowly raised her sniper rifle, leveling it at Kenthelion with a cold, steady gaze-
"...I'll blow your head off with this."
Kenthelion
"Then I guess you'll be waiting... empty-handed."
He replied with a casual smile, as if her threat was nothing more than idle chatter, then turned and walked away without looking back.
Tia Durer
"Did she really... sleep with him?"
The words escaped in a faint whisper, meant for no one but herself. Doubt began to coil tightly around her thoughts.
Part of her needed to know.
But another part... wasn't ready for the truth.
And so she stood there, frozen in place, her body still.
---
Aboard the Command Center of the Alesia Warship
Jonah
"John A. Warden, this is the Alesia. Repeat, this is the Alesia. Please respond if you can hear this transmission..."
His voice was steady, authoritative-but beneath the surface, a creeping unease laced each word. Several minutes had passed, and still no reply.
The command deck doors hissed open. Captain Carmen Ibanez strode in with quick, commanding steps. Her eyes swept across the main screen, then over the restless communication officers scattered around the deck.
Carmen
"Have we received any response from the John A. Warden? That's my ship."
Her voice was cold and cutting-like a blade freshly honed.
Communication Officer 1
"Negative, Captain Carmen," one of the comm techs replied.
"We've tried every channel from Alesia: voice, radio, even optical signals via Morse lamps. No response. Dead silence."
His tone betrayed his rising frustration.
Carmen
"Zoom in on their command bridge."
The main display shifted into a close-up of the John A. Warden's bridge. There were no visible signs of damage... but also no movement. Status lights blinked in sequence, unchanged and unmanned.
Carmen stepped forward and reached for the manual pager device. Her fingers moved with precise, practiced motion as she keyed in a direct transmission.
Carmen
"They might be able to hear this... and if they do, they'll know exactly why we're here."
She took a breath, then pressed the transmit button again.
Carmen
"This is Captain Carmen Ibanez of the John A. Warden. If you're receiving this, send any kind of signal-any kind of response. If there's no reply, we will board the vessel for direct investigation."
Silence. Seconds passed like hours. The bridge remained eerily lifeless.
Carmen
"Board that ship. Now... it's no longer mine."
She turned slowly toward Jonah, but gave no further orders. Instead, she paused-waiting. For something. Or someone.
Footsteps echoed across the command deck. Kenthelion entered, eyes immediately scanning the room, assessing the atmosphere in an instant.
Kenthelion
"Understood. Jonah, bring the Alesia into close range with the John A. Warden. Prepare the Mobile Infantry and Terran Marine units. Board the ship and secure it."
He'd only just returned, but instinct told him everything he needed to know. Carmen had already made her decision-and this was the moment to move.
Jonah
"Understood, Captain!"
With a single nod, he relayed the command to the bridge crew.
Kenthelion
"Captain Carmen, the Alesia will depart this location the moment you board the John A. Warden. I suggest you and your team stay sharp."
His eyes locked on Carmen, standing tall in her Terran Federation uniform-sharp lines and polished metals outlining her figure with military precision. Her face was striking, calm yet fierce, framed by a short haircut that mirrored her no-nonsense efficiency.
Kenthelion
"I've already laid out my plan."
Carmen
"Why, Captain Kenthelion?"
Her voice was laced with disbelief. She hadn't expected him-that bastard-to abandon her just like that. His decision felt abrupt, cold, and calculated. If anything happened on the John A. Warden, how were they supposed to handle it without backup?
Kenthelion
"Captain Carmen, I don't know who-or what-is currently in control of the John A. Warden. This ship, the Alesia, wouldn't last a minute if that vessel turned its guns on us. I can't take that risk... unless you gain full control over it."
In his mind, memories from another life flickered-Starship Troopers: Invasion (2012). The moment the John A. Warden came back online, it had been commandeered by the Arachnid Queen. It fired on the Alesia without hesitation, obliterating it in seconds. Even with recent modifications made by the Adeptus Mechanicus under his command, the Alesia remained a light cruiser. Caution was the only defense.
Now, as the Emperor masquerading as a captain in the Terran Federation Navy, Kenthelion had plans for the Alesia-it would become a piece of his own creation, part of the Imperium Caelestis he was quietly building.
Carmen
"If we're forced to evacuate... will you come back for us?" she asked, holding on to a sliver of hope.
Kenthelion
"No. As I said, we won't return... unless you regain full control of your ship. I'll leave this communicator. You can contact me if-when-you succeed."
He nodded to Anisha, who handed him a small comm device. Kenthelion passed it to Carmen without hesitation.
Carmen
"You really are a coward."
Kenthelion
"Hmph... If only my ship were a heavy cruiser, I wouldn't have to retreat so quickly from the John A. Warden. But this is serious. If the Alesia-my ship-gets too close... it'll be obliterated on the spot."
He exhaled quietly, continuing in a flat tone that barely veiled his concern.
"My ship is just the Alesia-a light cruiser. There's nothing I can do if the Warden turns and opens fire."
Kenthelion looked at Carmen in silence, as if daring her logic to challenge the bitter truth. Carmen said nothing. She had never truly considered that the John A. Warden-her ship-was five to six times larger than the Alesia in light volume. In a straight firefight, it wasn't just a mismatch-it was suicide.
Kenthelion
"And one more thing..."
He paused, his voice softening, laced with something dangerously close to charm.
"Don't die, Carmen. You still owe me one night."
Carmen
"You shameless bastard! I never promised you anything back then!" Carmen snapped, her voice spiking an octave higher-betraying a panic she didn't want to show.
Kenthelion
"But you didn't say no, either, Carmen. And if you were really against it... why did you attack me that night?"
He looked at her with a half-smile, barely stifling a laugh. The amusement in his eyes only infuriated her more.
Carmen
"Perverted asshole!" she hissed, then turned on her heel and strode off, heading straight for the boarding ramp of the John A. Warden.
Kenthelion
"Jonah, I'm going with them aboard the Warden. You now have full command of the Alesia."
Jonah
"Captain, the Warden could be dangerous! You can't just walk in like that!" Jonah protested, clearly alarmed by the sudden decision.
Kenthelion
"I'm not going alone. I'll be taking Mobile Infantry and Terran Marine units with me."
His gaze sharpened.
"Wait until we've fully boarded the Warden. Then pull the Alesia away from its perimeter. Do not return unless I explicitly order you to. Understood?"
He knew Jonah was too soft to make hard calls, so he made the order ironclad.
Kenthelion
"And one more thing-deploy Tarkin's troops to the quarantine zone in AQZ. Intercept and capture all surviving Federation ships still loitering there. Let's give Earth a little... show."
Jonah
"...Understood, Captain. But... please, be careful."
Realizing Kenthelion wouldn't be swayed, Jonah finally relented.
Jonah
"Alesia initiating docking procedures."
Comm Officer 1
"Program execution halted."
Comm Officer 2
"John A. Warden's channel is open. Upper corridor's cleared."
The Mobile Infantry moved in swift formation down the connecting corridor. Kenthelion followed close behind, flanked by USS units and ten massive containment crates brought along for this specific op. Once the last soldier had crossed over to the Warden, Jonah gave the command to pull away.
Now drenched in nervous sweat, Jonah stood alone on the bridge. He knew exactly what this meant:
That man-Kenthelion-was about to seize Terra. And that moon-sized warship was heading straight for the AQZ quarantine zone.
He didn't know exactly what Kenthelion was planning... but one thing was clear:
Kenthelion was more terrifying than the entire Federation.