Habitat-733's reactor zone pulses with heat, pipes hissing and lights flickering in the maze of metal. I'm Alex, leading Squad Zero—Fiona, Dmitri, Lyra, Kaelis—in a desperate chase for Rykor, the 4th Elder's right-hand man. Our mission is to capture him alive to seal the 13th Elder's alliance, but this guy's a legend, maybe S-rank, dodging our every move. Our Eldari cover keeps our human roots hidden, and our upgraded gear—my power fist, Fiona's staff, Dmitri's spear, Lyra's scanner, Kaelis's hacking tool—is all we've got against him. Rykor's shadow darts ahead, optics glinting like a predator's.
I grit my teeth, fist ready. "This guy's a cosmic dodgeball champ. Let's box him in!"
Fiona's staff shifts to bow mode, her eyes locked on Rykor. "We'll wear him down."
Dmitri grips his spear, fire sparking. "He's not outrunning us forever."
Lyra's scanner beeps, tracking his heat. "He's circling back—let's cut him off."
Kaelis taps his hacking tool. "I'll jam his exits. He's ours."
We sprint through the reactor maze, pipes rattling. Rykor's a blur, leaping over a conduit. I swing my power fist, flux boost humming, but he twists mid-air, landing with a smirk. "Still trying, Eldari?" he taunts, tossing a stun grenade.
Fiona dives, firing an arrow that grazes his leg. Rykor barely flinches, countering with a kick that sends her stumbling. "Nice shot, but weak," he says.
Dmitri roars, spear thrusting with amped force. Rykor grabs a pipe, swinging over it, and lands a spinning kick to Dmitri's chest. Dmitri crashes into a console, groaning. "Bloody hell," he mutters, out cold.
"Dmitri's down!" I yell, charging. Rykor sidesteps, slamming me into a wall. My ribs scream, but I roll back up.
Lyra blitzes in, Veltari speed a streak, aiming to grapple. Rykor anticipates, ducking and flipping her over his shoulder. She hits a pipe, dazed, scanner clattering. "Not fast enough," Rykor says, already moving.
Kaelis hacks a steam vent, blasting hot air. Rykor weaves through, untouched, and hacks back, shorting Kaelis's tool temporarily. "Clever," Rykor says, "but I'm better."
I pant, wiping sweat. "This guy's an S-rank nightmare!"
Fiona's back up, firing arrows in a flurry. Rykor dodges, weaving like he's dancing, and trips her with a low sweep. "Three left," he says, optics gleaming.
Kaelis reboots his tool, locking a door to trap Rykor in a tight chamber. "Got him cornered!" he shouts.
I rally Fiona and Kaelis. "Like a gym gauntlet—teamwork, now!"
We charge together. I swing my fist, Fiona's arrows fly, Kaelis drops a flux net. Rykor's too fast, dodging and countering with precise jabs, keeping us on our heels. He's one guy against three, but it feels like we're fighting a storm.
"Keep pushing!" I yell, landing a glancing blow. Rykor stumbles, but recovers, smirking. "Almost had me."
Fiona's staff whirls, pinning his arm briefly. "Got you!" she says, but Rykor twists free, shoving her back.
Kaelis hacks a ceiling panel, dropping debris to slow Rykor. It works—he pauses, optics narrowing. I seize the moment, hurling a flux net that catches his legs. Fiona fires an arrow, pinning his arm to a pipe. Kaelis sprints, slapping a stun patch from his tool onto Rykor's back. Rykor slumps, optics dimming, but still fighting the stun.
"Hold him!" I shout, tackling him. Fiona binds his arms with her staff's cord, Kaelis securing his legs. Rykor's still, finally.
I pant, grinning at Fiona. "Cosmic relay champs, babe."
She laughs, breathless. "Nice tackle, Coach."
Kaelis's optics flash. "My patch clinched it."
Dmitri and Lyra stagger over, bruised but awake. Lyra smirks. "Took you three long enough, fire guy."
Dmitri grunts. "He's a beast. S-rank for sure."
We secure Rykor, his optics flickering. "Not bad," he mutters. "4th Elder'll be impressed."
The reactor hums, the Arkvault's alliance closer, and Squad Zero stands battered but victorious, Rykor in hand.