Captain Dorian Reeve stood at the entrance of the Iron Horizon, gazing at the seemingly infinite expanse that stretched before him. The metallic surface shimmered faintly under the dim light of Jumbar’s dying sun, and the strange symbols etched into the bridge’s structure glowed faintly, as though daring him to press forward. The air was thick with tension, but Reeve felt only the cold clarity of purpose. Kara Voss was out there, somewhere ahead, and he was determined to catch up to her. But his mind was on more than just vengeance. The end of the bridge held promises—promises of wealth, power, and perhaps the key to unlocking the mysteries that had plagued this world since the Soomites vanished.

“Vek, what’s our distance?” Reeve asked, his voice low and deliberate.

Vek, standing a few paces behind with his sniper rifle slung across his back, checked a small device on his wrist. His icy blue eyes narrowed as he scanned the data.

“Two kilometers ahead, no sign of stopping. They’re moving cautiously but steadily,” Vek reported, his tone emotionless, as always.

Reeve’s lip curled into a satisfied smirk. He knew Kara well enough to predict her moves. Cautious, methodical, unwilling to take risks unless absolutely necessary. That gave him the advantage—Reeve thrived on chaos. His team was built for it.

Beside him, Lira Xathen was unusually quiet, her hands idly fidgeting with a small, sharp blade. Her dark eyes flicked to Reeve, then back to the endless bridge ahead. The animosity between her and Kara ran deeper than Reeve’s own grudges. Lira wanted blood, and though Reeve had no interest in personal vendettas, he would use Lira’s desire for revenge to further his own goals. Kara and her crew were expendable, but the secrets at the end of the Iron Horizon? Those were priceless.

“We’ll catch them soon,” Reeve said, turning his attention to the plan that had formed in his mind over the past few days. “Once we do, we won’t engage immediately. We’ll let them do the heavy lifting—let them unlock whatever defenses or traps the Soomites left behind. When they’re worn out, we move in and take everything.”

Lira’s lips twitched into a sly smile. “And what about Kara?”

Reeve’s eyes narrowed. “She’s useful—until she’s not. If she can get us closer to the end of the bridge, I’ll allow it. But once we reach the point where the real prize is in sight…” He trailed off, leaving the implication hanging in the air.

 

Vek nodded in silent agreement. The sniper had no love for prolonged conflict, preferring clean, efficient outcomes. His loyalty to Reeve was absolute, driven not by sentiment but by shared goals: power, control, and the fortune waiting for them at the other side of the Iron Horizon.

The tales of those who had attempted to traverse the bridge before were filled with talk of strange relics, untold riches, and the possibility of advanced Soomite technology—technology that could shift the balance of power not just on Jumbar, but across the galaxy. Reeve’s heart raced at the thought. While Kara’s idealistic crew might be searching for answers or some deeper meaning, he sought only wealth and power. He would plunder whatever secrets the Soomites left behind, and nothing—not Kara, not the mysteries of the bridge, and certainly not the shadowy figures rumored to haunt its mist—would stand in his way.

As they began their advance across the bridge, Reeve couldn’t shake the feeling that this journey was more than a simple race to riches. The bridge’s eerie silence, broken only by the distant creaking of its vast structure, seemed to whisper warnings. But Reeve was not a man easily deterred by fear. He would press forward, whatever the cost, because at the end of the Iron Horizon lay the fortune he had always dreamed of—and he would claim it, no matter who or what tried to stop him.

For now, his only concern was catching Kara, using her, and discarding her once her usefulness ran dry. And when the final moment arrived, he’d be standing over the spoils while she and her team lay broken in the dust. The Iron Horizon was his for the taking.

“Move out,” Reeve ordered, his eyes fixed ahead, his mind already plotting the next steps.

And so, they marched, shadows in pursuit, the lure of unimaginable wealth driving them toward the unknown.

 

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