STARLIGHT UNBOUND by Deus Ex Machina - HTML preview

STARLIGHT UNBOUND

Harun shot her a playful glare. “You’re all gonna owe me drinks when these things save our asses. ”

Lyra rolled her eyes, a faint smile tugged at her lips.

Lucien leaned over the table again, focusing on the crumbling guidance center marked on the map.

It starts here.

Not just fixing a place.

Not just building a sector.

Building a future.

One where people could finally choose.

***

Lyra circled another location near the outskirts. “Jaris, I need you and your team to head back to the safehouse. We left too much gear and equipment behind. Bring everything useful you can find – tools, tech, anything Harun can use to set up a proper planning hub here.”

Jaris nodded, already mentally assembling his team. “Consider it done.”

Lyra paused then continued. “And while you’re out there, scout the streets. Get a feel for what’s happening in the city. I want to know how the people are reacting, not only in this sector but everywhere. ”

Aarik glanced at Jaris, then at the rest of the group. “If we see anything that looks like trouble, you want us to report back immediately? ”

Lyra frowned, thinking. “Yes. If there’s unrest brewing, we need to know before it reaches us.”

Selene grinned. “Don’t worry. If we spot anything, we’ll send up a flare.”

Jaris shot her a wry look but didn ’t respond. Instead, he turned back to Lyra. “We ’ll be back by nightfall. Anything else?”

Lyra shook Jaris’s hand. “That’s all. Be careful.”

Jaris gave a curt nod and motioned for Aarik and Selene to follow him.

Lucien turned to Lyra. “Let’s hope they don’t run into too much... trouble. ”

Lyra leaned over the map again, circling another location with a pen. “The

apartments will take weeks, maybe months, to rebuild. In the meantime, we need to focus on getting electricity restored. Without power, we won ’t be able to support any large gatherings – or even keep the lights on.”

Lucien nodded, already scanning the schematics for the sector’s electrical grid. “The grid’s a mess, but the main hub isn’t far from here. If we can

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