The planet Ashmar hung in space like a red jewel. Desert. Endless sand dunes. Rocky formations jutting from the ground like ancient teeth. Twin suns blazed overhead, turning the landscape into a furnace.
But above the planet, the real spectacle had begun.
Massive spacecraft. Dozens of them. Media vessels the size of small cities, bristling with communication arrays and broadcasting equipment. Each one representing a different sector, a different network, all scrambling for the best angles.
Hover cameras. Thousands of them. Swarming like metallic insects across the sky. Positioned at every conceivable vantage point. Wide shots. Close-ups. Aerial views. Ground level. Every moment would be captured. Every fight. Every elimination. Every triumph and failure.
This wasn't just a tournament anymore.
This was the most watched event in the galaxy.
Chrono Sector, Public Viewing Center
Hundreds of Cephalari crowded around massive holographic screens. Cheering. Shouting. Waving banners.
"C'LUPPO! C'LUPPO!"
Their local hero's face appeared on screen, and the crowd went WILD.
Outer Rim, Small Colony
A modest home. A blonde woman and a small red-haired girl sat on a worn couch, staring at their holographic display.
"Is that him?!" Juno pointed excitedly. "Is that Juli?!"
Her mother Mary smiled, tears in her eyes. "That's him, sweetheart. That's your brother."
"HE LOOKS SO COOL!"
"He does, doesn't he?"
They held hands, watching. Waiting for it to begin.
ARMADA Command Centers, Various Locations
In darkened rooms across the galaxy, figures sat in chairs. Some alone. Some with their officers. All watching the same feed.
Silhouettes. Impossible to make out details. But the weight of their presence was undeniable.
The squad captains.
One leaned forward slightly, fingers steepled. "Interesting crop this year."
Another reclined, arms crossed. "We'll see."
A third said nothing, just watched with intense focus.
They were shopping. Scouting. Hunting for talent that would shape ARMADA's future.
And the Crucible would show them exactly who was worth recruiting.
Broadcast Feed, Main Commentary Booth
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! BEINGS OF ALL SPECIES! WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME TO THE MOST ANTICIPATED EVENT OF THE ENTIRE GALACTIC CALENDAR!"
The voice EXPLODED across every feed. Every screen. Every device tuned to the tournament.
Larry, the human commentator, was a force of nature. Mid-forties, salt-and-pepper hair slicked back, bright white teeth, wearing a garish suit that somehow included every color at once. His energy was MANIC.
"I'M YOUR HOST, LARRY VENKMAN, AND OH BOY DO WE HAVE A SHOW FOR YOU TODAY! THE CRUCIBLE! TWO DAYS! FORTY-EIGHT HOURS! HUNDREDS OF CADETS ENTER! ONLY SIXTEEN LEAVE! THE STAKES HAVE NEVER BEEN HIGHER! THE COMPETITION HAS NEVER BEEN FIERCER! AND THE GALAXY IS WATCHING!"
He gestured wildly at the camera, nearly knocking over his datapad.
"These young warriors have TRAINED! They've BLED! They've STUDIED! And now? NOW THEY FIGHT FOR GLORY! FOR HONOR! FOR A SPOT IN THE FINALS! AND JOINING ME TODAY TO BREAK DOWN ALL THE ACTION—"
The camera panned.
Sitting beside Larry, looking completely out of place in his duster jacket and cowboy hat, was Jango.
"—IS NONE OTHER THAN RETIRED VICE CAPTAIN JANGO, FRESH FROM TRAINING ONE OF OUR MOST TALKED-ABOUT TEAMS! Jango, welcome to the booth!"
"Thanks for havin' me, Larry," Jango drawled. His clouded eye focused on the camera while the other tracked something off-screen. "Good to be here, I reckon."
Transport Ship, Team 9
Juli was DYING.
He clutched his stomach, tears streaming down his face from laughing so hard.
"IT'S JANGO! JANGO'S THE COMMENTATOR!"
Kade was grinning despite himself. "The old cowboy on galactic television. This is magnificent."
Tessa giggled. "He looks so uncomfortable."
Pam shook her head, but she was smiling. "Only Juli would find this funny."
"IT'S HILARIOUS!" Juli wheezed. "Look at him! He's just SITTING there while that Larry guy's losing his mind!"
Broadcast Feed
"SO JANGO!" Larry practically vibrated with energy. "You've been training cadets for DECADES! You've SEEN generations of fighters! Tell us, what makes THIS crop special?!"
Jango took a slow sip from what was definitely soda in a coffee mug. "Well now, Larry, I gotta say—this bunch of greenhorns? They're somethin' else. Best I've seen in years, if I'm bein' honest."
"OH?! High praise from the legendary Jango!"
"Yep. These kids got heart. Got grit. Got that fire in their bellies that ya can't teach." Jango's eyes focused on the camera. "Future of ARMADA's in good hands with this lot. Real good hands."
"SPEAKING OF!" Larry leaned forward conspiratorially. "Who should we be watching? Who are your FAVORITES to dominate the Crucible?!"
Jango scratched his chin. "That's a tough one. Lotta talent out there. But if I had to pick..."
He held up five clawed fingers.
"Five cadets. Any one of 'em could win this whole damn tournament, far as I'm concerned."
The screens shifted. Holographic profiles appeared.
"First off," Jango said. "Julian Weiper."
Juli's face appeared. Blonde spiky hair. Red eyes. That signature cheeky grin.
The crowd across the galaxy ROARED.
"Kid fought the Blue Butcher and lived. That alone tells ya everything ya need to know. Got instincts sharper than a vibroblade. Kicks like a missile. And he don't know the meanin' of the word 'quit.'"
Larry was practically frothing. "THE BLONDE BRAWLER! THE RAGNAR SURVIVOR! FAN FAVORITE ACROSS TWELVE SECTORS!"
"Next," Jango continued. "Polo Rossi."
Polo's face appeared. Red hair. Black eyes. That neutral expression. The flame crest on his cap.
"Brother to one of the Four Great Titans. Got that bloodline. That trainin'. That cold precision. Dangerous kid. Real dangerous."
"THE RED PRODIGY! TACTICAL GENIUS! SOME SAY HE'S EVEN MORE TALENTED THAN HIS LEGENDARY BROTHER!"
"Third. Kade the Fifth."
Kade's profile. Orange and black stripes. Golden eyes. Tail visible in the photo.
"Felinari warrior from Claw Sector. Same place that produced Ragnar, mind ya. Fast. Strong. Smart. Got that predator instinct bred into him. Don't sleep on this one."
"THE CLAW SECTOR BEAST! ALREADY MAKING WAVES!"
"Fourth. Stone Jackson."
Stone's image. Cybernetic enhancements gleaming. That confident grin.
"Cyborg kid from Terra Sector. Half human, half machine, all fighter. Adaptable. Relentless. Got tech integration that'd make most veterans jealous. He's gonna surprise folks."
"THE CYBER SOLDIER! TECHNOLOGY MEETS TENACITY!"
"And fifth..." Jango's mouth twitched upward slightly. "Lyrielle Xistrith."
The screen showed an image that made everyone pause.
She looked like something out of ancient warrior legends mixed with cutting-edge technology. Full elvish features, sharp and ethereal. Silver hair that flowed past her shoulders, contrasting beautifully against her slightly tanned skin. Strange blue tribal markings decorated her face and visible parts of her body, intricate patterns that seemed to glow faintly. Pointed ears. Eyes that were simultaneously calculating and fierce.
In her hands, a high-tech bow. Sleek, metallic, with energy conduits running through it. Advanced but elegant.
"Quiet one, this gal. Don't hear much about her. But I've seen her scores. Seen her combat footage. She's a complete package. Strength, speed, strategy, and Resonance control that's scary good for her age. Mark my words—she's the dark horse."
"THE SILENT HUNTRESS! THE OVERLOOKED PRODIGY! LYRIELLE XISTRITH, EVERYONE!"
All five faces appeared on screen together.
Julian Weiper. Polo Rossi. Kade the Fifth. Stone Jackson. Lyrielle Xistrith.
"THESE FIVE!" Larry shouted. "JANGO'S PICKS TO WATCH! ANY ONE OF THEM COULD TAKE IT ALL!"
Transport Ship, Team 9
Pam's expression had darkened.
"Not on the list," she muttered.
Nara, visible on a nearby ship's screen through their communication feed, looked equally displeased. "Neither am I. Interesting."
Tessa looked nervous. "Is that bad?"
"Means we're underestimated," Pam said coldly. "Which is fine. Let them sleep on us."
But her jaw was tight. Her pride was wounded.
Kade, meanwhile, looked smug. "Third place. Not first, but respectable."
"You're not even first on the list!" Juli pointed out.
"Details."
"I'M first on the list!"
"Also details."
Then Kade's eyes caught on the fifth profile.
His golden eyes widened. His tail went completely rigid. His ears perked up.
"Who... who is THAT?" His voice was different. Almost breathless.
Juli followed his gaze. "The bow girl?"
"The... the silver-haired..." Kade couldn't finish the sentence. He just stared.
Pam's blind eyes seemed to focus despite themselves. "Lyrielle Xistrith. Someone we should be worried about."
"Worried... yes... very worried..." Kade's face had gone slightly red under his fur.
"Are you BLUSHING?" Juli grinned.
"I AM NOT!"
"You totally are!"
"I am merely... appreciating her tactical potential! Her form suggests excellent combat capability! The tanned complexion indicates outdoor training which means endurance and—"
"You think she's HOT!"
"I THINK SHE'S A FORMIDABLE OPPONENT!"
Nara's voice came through the comm, amused despite her earlier annoyance. "Oh my. Someone has caught the kitty's attention."
"SHUT UP!"
Pam just shook her head. "Boys."
The countdown timer appeared on all screens.
CRUCIBLE BEGINS IN: 00:10:00
Ten minutes.
The galaxy held its breath.
The stage was set.
And the strongest generation of cadets in decades was about to collide.