As Sylas prepared to begin his descent, a sharp chime echoed through the cockpit—an incoming transmission.
"Sera, patch it through," he commanded.
A crisp, professional voice filled the cockpit, carrying the unmistakable authority of a well-trained military unit.
"Unidentified vessel, you are entering restricted airspace under the jurisdiction of Vanguard Industries. Identify yourself immediately and state your purpose. Failure to comply will be considered an act of aggression, and you will be engaged accordingly."
Sylas smirked slightly. They were well-trained, just as he hoped. 'Well technically they were retired soldiers.'
"This is Sylas Vanguard," he responded calmly.
There was a brief pause before the voice returned, this time with a sharper edge.
"Authentication required. Transmit your clearance code now."
"Alpha Omega 001SV," Sylas replied without hesitation.
Another moment of silence. Then, the tone shifted.
"Authentication confirmed. Welcome back, Lord Sylas. You are cleared for landing. Designated landing zone is marked on your HUD. Proceed at your discretion."
"Understood," Sylas acknowledged.
A waypoint appeared on his display, directing him toward a large landing zone adjacent to the command center.
He maneuvered the starfighter smoothly, guiding it down onto the cleared platform with precision.
The landing gears hissed as they made contact, stabilizing the craft on the solid ground.
Beyond the landing zone, the Genesis Ark, once a massive colony ship, now stood repurposed into the headquarters of Vanguard Industries.
Originally the Genesis Ark was repurposed with a massive cargo area so it could carry around load several times the regular load.
Since the Colony ship couldn't be used for battle, Sylas and Sera had decommissioned it.
Since it could take several years to build an actual palace, Sylas and Sera decided to strip out the unnecessary starship components and retrofitting the structure into a permanent command centre.
The advanced propulsion systems had been carefully removed and repurposed for other projects, while the massive cargo bays would be converted into offices, research labs, and strategic planning rooms.
The docking bar would converted to repair station and storage units. But that would change eventually to Sylas personal lab.
As the cockpit hatch lifted, Sylas and Sera stepped onto the landing pad.
The warm desert wind greeted them, carrying the faint hum of machinery from the massive Command centre.
A figure approached swiftly—Allison, one of his trusted personnel.
She wore a fitted uniform, her demeanor professional yet familiar.
"My Lord," she greeted with a nod before her gaze shifted to Sera. For a moment, surprise flickered in her eyes.
"Lady Sera?" she asked, as if confirming what she was seeing.
The last time Allison had interacted with Sera, she had been a holographic projection never in a physical form.
Now, standing before her was a strikingly human figure and she looked just as beautiful if not more than she did while she was an hologram.
Yet, despite her curiosity, Allison asked no further questions.
If Sera was no standing in the flesh before her now, she knew better than to pry.
Instead, she refocused on Sylas.
"Your arrival was unexpected, but the team is ready for your orders. Shall I prepare the command briefing?"
Sylas gave a small nod. "Yes. Let's get to work."
With that, they strode toward the repurposed Genesis Ark.
*******
The first thing Sylas did upon returning was indulge in a long, much-needed bath.
The water was hot, the air thick with steam, and for a brief moment, the weight of empires and war lifted from his shoulders.
His body relaxed, but his mind remained sharp—calculating, always watching.
Meanwhile, outside the quarters, Sera and Allison waited in silence within the command centre.
The soft hum of electronics filled the room, and the faint flicker of holographic displays danced across the walls.
Allison stood with her hands behind her back, posture stiff but thoughtful.
Her eyes occasionally flicked toward Sera—Sera, now with a body.
A presence.
No longer just a voice guiding their operations, but a physical entity, elegant and calm.
He left to bring her back, Allison thought. It has to be the same Sera.
She wanted to ask—but didn't.
She wasn't in that inner circle yet. Not where secrets were shared, not where answers came freely.
So she stayed silent and watched.
Nearly an hour passed before Sylas returned.
He stepped into the command chamber with an air of calm confidence, dressed in a baggy clothes.
His hair still damp, his posture relaxed, yet his eyes were sharp as blades.
He lowered himself into the command chair at the centre of the room.
"Status update," he said, voice low and firm.
Allison instinctively turned to Sera, assuming she would speak.
After all, she had already transferred the full report to Sera's datapad. But Sera only gave her a subtle nod.
"You take the lead," Sera said softly.
Allison stiffened. She wasn't expecting that—but she stepped forward anyway.
"Yes, My Lord," she began. Her voice was steady, though her nerves betrayed her in her posture.
"We've successfully linked the base to the central energy source. The Genesis Ark's main aether power cell has been repurposed into a backup power cell—ready to activate in case of a grid failure."
Sylas nodded, mentally checking that off.
He hadn't even listed that as a priority before his journey to Zelathar's Veil—impressive initiative.
"We've also begun construction on living quarters in the southern section of the base. Foundations are in place. Framing is ongoing."
She tapped on her datapad, sending the schematic to Sylas's screen.
"The city-wide security array is about seventy percent complete. That's how we were able to intercept your starfighter on entry. We estimate full functionality in three days, maybe four."
"And the droids?" Sylas asked.
"They've completed their recharging cycles. Rotation protocols have been followed to ensure no system-wide downtime."
Sylas gave a small approving nod. "You've done well, Allison. You've exceeded expectations."
Her expression remained professional, but her chest rose slightly with pride at his words.
Then he turned to Sera. "It's a good start. But it's not enough. We need more—resources, manpower. It's time we start claiming planets."
He leaned forward. "Find one. Something with value and potential but we can easily claim."
Sera's eyes flashed faintly blue as she activated her internal systems.
"Understood. I'll begin the search immediately."
Then Sylas shifted his gaze back to Allison.
"Call your father," he said. "Tell him I want to see him."
Allison blinked once, surprised. "Yes, My Lord," she said with a bow.
She turned and swiftly exited the chamber, boots echoing down the metallic corridor.
Reaching her communicator, she activated the encrypted channel.
"Father," she said when the line opened, "Lord Sylas has requested your presence."
The voice on the other end responded with silence at first, then a calm, rumbling tone.
"I'll be there shortly."