STARLIGHT UNBOUND by Deus Ex Machina - HTML preview

STARLIGHT UNBOUND

reacting anymore —they were hunting. He glanced at Lyra, but she remained focused on Corin, her expression unreadable.

“You made it,” she said, gesturing for him to sit. “That’s what matters. Sit down. You ’ve earned it.”

Corin hesitated, his eyes sweeping over the room—the data drive on the table, the tension still thick in the air, the exhaustion written on their faces. He pulled up a chair with a sigh, rubbing a hand over his face. “So? What’s on it?”

Harun poured himself a glass of water, rocking back on his chair with a tired grin. “Proof. Everything we thought was true—and worse.”

Corin’s eyes flicking to Lyra. “And the plan?”

Lyra’s gaze hardened with resolve, her fingers tapping against the edge of the table. “We get it out there. To everyone.”

Lucien blinked. “You mean... expose it?”

Harun leaned forward, his expression thoughtful but cautious. “Exactly. AstroSYS controls the official networks, but the central relay —the one that manages all public data streams —has an independent subsystem. If we can breach it, we can upload the truth where everyone can see it. It’ll be out in the open before they even know what hit them. ”

Corin let out a sharp laugh, shaking his head. “And then what? You think people are just going to see it and rise up overnight? Most of them will write it off as propaganda, or worse, the Order will spin it into something we can't control.”

Lyra’s eyes narrowed. “And what do you suggest? Sit on this information while more people disappear? Let them keep shaping reality while we do nothing? ”

“I’m saying we need a better plan. Uploading this stuff is one thing, but we need to make sure it sticks. Otherwise, it’s just another message lost in the noise. ”

Lucien looked between them, his mind racing. “It’s not only about showing people. It ’s about making them believe it. If we can get this data out there, we can force them to question everything. Even if only a fraction of the population starts asking the right questions, it could be enough to tip the balance.”

Harun nodded. “Exactly. Once the seed is planted, it’ll grow. We don’t need everyone to believe us all at once—we just need enough doubt to spread.”

Corin sighed. “And what about the risks? The minute we do this, they’ll come down on us harder than ever. The Spire will go into lockdown, patrols will double, and they'll hunt us down like animals.”

She leaned forward, her voice soft but unrelenting. “They already are, Corin.

136