The T231's thrusters roared to life, flames spewing from their nozzles as the ship slowly ascended. Within seconds, it stabilized and adjusted its course, accelerating away from the doomed Belloq Starport.
In the cockpit, the general who had seized control barked orders. "Get us out of Belloq's orbit at maximum speed!"
The captain—a weathered man with deep lines of tension etched across his face—remained silent, his eyes fixed on the scanner display. Despite being a civilian vessel, the T231 was equipped with functional systems, including a decent sensor array. The screen was a nightmare of red dots, each representing a potential threat.
Yet something felt off. The ship responded with uncanny precision, its navigation system suggesting optimal escape routes with eerie efficiency. The controls were smoother than they had any right to be, as if an unseen hand was guiding them.
Meanwhile, in a dim storage room, a ventilation grate clattered to the floor. Qianlong dropped down, exhaling sharply. Phantom's directions had been accurate. Crates of mechanical parts surrounded him, likely maintenance supplies for the ship. He pried open an unsealed one, confirming its contents—
Then the ship lurched violently.
Alarms blared as the T231 shuddered from an external impact. Qianlong barely kept his footing.
In the cockpit, the captain fought to stabilize their trajectory. The general and his men braced themselves—not from an attack, but from the shockwave of another fleeing ship exploding mid-flight. The blast had rattled them, but the T231's systems gradually recalibrated. Without hesitation, the captain pushed the engines to full thrust.
The sudden acceleration pressed everyone back into their seats.
Qianlong flattened himself against the storage room floor as the force spiked. The ship was fleeing at maximum speed—good. The sooner they left this nightmare behind, the better.
His father's warnings echoed in his mind: Never engage the Xenomorphs without a full military force. Their numbers are beyond comprehension.
Back then, it had been abstract. Now, it was horrifyingly real.
The T231 breached the atmosphere, leaving Belloq behind. Space stretched before them, vast and indifferent.
No one relaxed.
The scanners still flickered with red markers, but by some miracle, the swarms ignored them, surging instead toward the planet's surface.
Qianlong slipped into the corridor and pulled up an external feed on a wall display.
Belloq shrank in the distance, its blue-green hue marred by tendrils of smoke. A handful of ships dotted the void—lucky survivors, a pitiful fraction of the planet's population. The speed of its fall had been unimaginable. No resistance. No chance.
Were these really just ordinary Xenomorphs?
A hollow weight settled in his chest. His father had known too much. The answers lay with him—wherever he was. If he still lived.
Exhaustion crashed over Qianlong. He slumped against the wall, suddenly adrift. Where was this ship even going? Phantom was silent now, dormant. Alone, with no destination and no plan, all he had was the aftermath of annihilation.
Three hours passed.
The cockpit crew finally exhaled as the scanners cleared. No more red dots. No more immediate threats.
Relief warred with grief. They had escaped. Their home had not.
A portly nobleman in opulent robes barged in, mopping his brow. "Jiawei! Are we safe?"
The retainer, Jiawei, bowed. "Yes, young master."
"Then where are we headed?" The noble's voice still trembled.
Jiawei turned to the captain. "What's this ship's destination?"
The captain activated the star chart without a word. His voice was rough. "We're fortunate. Fuel reserves are full. Our plotted course is set for Borosi—a rearward colony. Let's hope it's untouched."
Jiawei's expression darkened. "What are you implying?"
The captain didn't flinch. "The swarms came from behind us. Borosi's direction."
The nobleman recoiled. "Nonsense! The bugs breached from the front! The Filaris defense corps failed! They—"
"And yet here they are," the captain said quietly. "Where they shouldn't be."
Jiawei stepped in, guiding his master out. "Rest, young master. We'll handle this."
Once alone, he turned back to the captain. "How likely is your theory?"
The captain laughed bitterly. "I don't know."
Jiawei's jaw tightened. He snapped at the soldiers nearby. "Watch them."
As he left, the captain's words clung to him like a curse.