The sky above the Martian colony was a deep crimson, streaked with veins of gold as the twin suns dipped below the horizon. Kaela Torrin adjusted the hood of her thermal cloak, the fabric a deep emerald green that shimmered faintly in the low light. Her boots crunched against the brittle red ground as she darted between the shadows of domed habitats and towering solar arrays. She was running out of time.
The comms device on her wrist buzzed insistently. She glanced at the screen, her sharp jawline tightening. "Kaela, they’re onto you," a voice crackled through, low and urgent. It was her contact, Renn, his tone laced with the fear she’d come to recognize over the years. "The Overseers have already sealed the eastern sector. You’ve got five minutes, maybe less, before they lock down the entire colony."
"Understood," she replied tersely, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Her emerald cloak billowed as she picked up her pace, her lean frame weaving through the labyrinth of structures. She could hear the distant hum of patrol drones, their scanners sweeping the area. Kaela’s hand instinctively went to the hilt of her plasma blade, strapped to her thigh. Her fingers brushed the intricate carvings on the handle, a relic from her past life—a life she’d left behind when she chose to fight for the rebellion.
The memory of that choice flashed through her mind like a comet streaking across the night sky. She’d been a pilot for the Martian Fleet, her ship cutting through the void with precision. But then she’d seen the truth: the Overseers’ iron grip on the colonies, the exploitation of the workers, the lies sold as progress. She’d abandoned her post, her rank, and her name, becoming a ghost in the system. Now, she was just Kaela, a thorn in the side of the very empire she’d once served.
Her boots skidded to a halt as she reached the edge of the eastern sector. The massive blast doors were already descending, their gears grinding with finality. Kaela’s dark eyes narrowed as she surveyed the area. There was no time for stealth. She reached into her cloak and pulled out a small, cylindrical device—a plasma charge. She activated it with a deft twist of her fingers and hurled it toward the base of the blast doors. The explosion was deafening, a burst of azure energy that tore through the metal like paper. Smoke and sparks filled the air as the doors buckled inward, their mechanisms shattered.
Kaela sprinted through the gap, her cloak singed at the edges. The eastern sector was a maze of narrow alleyways and abandoned warehouses, remnants of the colony’s early days. She knew this terrain well—it was where the rebellion had started, where she’d first met Renn and the others. But now, it was a trap. The Overseers had anticipated her every move.
She ducked into a shadowed alcove as a patrol drone passed overhead, its scanners sweeping the ground below. Her breath came in shallow gasps, her heart pounding in her chest. She reached into her cloak again, this time pulling out a small data chip. The information on it was invaluable—a detailed blueprint of the Overseers’ new weapon, something that could turn the tide of the war. But getting it off Mars would be the hardest part.
"Kaela," Renn’s voice came through again, more urgent this time. "There’s a transport leaving from Bay 12 in three minutes. It’s your only way out."
"Bay 12," she whispered, mapping the route in her mind. It was on the other side of the sector, past a dozen patrols and security checkpoints. But she’d faced worse odds—and survived.
She moved out of the alcove, her steps silent despite the urgency. The alleyways were eerily quiet, the usual hum of machinery replaced by the distant whir of drones. She rounded a corner and froze. Two Overseer soldiers stood at the end of the alley, their sleek black armor glinting in the low light. They hadn’t seen her yet, but it was only a matter of time.
Kaela’s hand tightened on her plasma blade. She could take them out, but it would draw attention. She needed another way. Her eyes scanned the area, landing on a rusted maintenance ladder leading to the roof. She moved quickly, her boots barely making a sound as she climbed. The soldiers passed beneath her, their voices muffled by their helmets. She exhaled once they were out of sight and continued along the rooftops, her movements fluid and precise.
Bay 12 came into view, a massive hangar bustling with activity. The transport was there, its engines already whining as it prepared for liftoff. Kaela hesitated at the edge of the roof. The hangar was crawling with soldiers and drones, their patrols tightening around the transport. She’d have to move fast.
She leapt from the roof, her cloak billowing behind her like a pair of wings. Her boots hit the ground with a soft thud, and she was moving before the guards even registered her presence. Her plasma blade ignited with a low hum, its cerulean glow cutting through the dim light. She took out the first guard with a single strike, the blade slicing through his armor like butter. The second guard raised his weapon, but Kaela was faster, her blade finding its mark before he could pull the trigger.
The transport’s ramp was lowering as she approached, its engines roaring to life. She sprinted toward it, her cloak catching the wind. A patrol drone swiveled toward her, its scanner locking on. She hurled a plasma charge at it, the explosion sending shards of metal flying. The blast knocked her off her feet, but she was up again in an instant, her boots slamming against the ramp as it began to rise.
Hands reached out to pull her aboard as the transport lifted off, the hangar disappearing beneath them. Kaela collapsed onto the floor, her chest heaving as the adrenaline began to ebb. Renn knelt beside her, his expression a mix of relief and concern.
"You made it," he said, his voice barely audible over the roar of the engines.
"Barely," she replied, clutching the data chip in her hand. "But I got it. We’ve got what we need."
As the transport ascended into the Martian sky, Kaela allowed herself a moment of rest. The fight was far from over, but for now, she’d won. And as the colony grew smaller in the distance, she couldn’t help but smile—a ghost in the system, haunting the empire she’d once served.
The Source...check out the great article that inspired this amazing short story: Top Causes of Gallstones & Effective Treatment Options Explained by Dr. Berg
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