And then, another vessel came streaking through the dissipating fireball of the destroyed ship. It knifed through the atmosphere with impossible grace for its size, its dark hull drinking in the light of the stars.

  Alex felt a surge of hope, of renewed determination. He didn't know who this new player was, but right now, any enemy of his enemy was a friend.

  His double saw it, too and snarled with anger, clearly recognizing the ship. He launched himself at Alex again, determined to end their fight before the new arrival could tip the scales.

  They crashed together like runaway trains, trading blows with renewed ferocity. Alex felt his ribs crack and blood vessels burst in his eyes from the sheer force of the impacts. But he pushed through, fighting with a desperate, savage fury, knowing this was his last chance, his only chance, to end this.

  He accomplished a crushing blow to his double's knee with the crack of shattering composites. A brutal hammer fist to the side of the head rocked him sideways. An opening, just for a heartbeat, but it was all Alex needed.

  He rushed forward, slamming into his doppelgänger with a roar, jets flaring as he carried them across the synthcrete. With a final, titanic effort, Alex heaved his enemy up and over, throwing him into the force field surrounding the base.

  The other Alex spasmed and writhed, screams of pain and fury escaping his lips. He clawed at Alex weakly, still trying to fight, still trying to kill, even though he couldn’t quite reach him. Even as his flesh began to cook and smoke billowed from his failing armor.

  All his struggles went for naught. It was over. His armor was shattered, his body broken and dying. He could do no more than twitch one last time as Alex staggered to his feet, standing over him, blood dripping from the wounds beneath his battered armor.

  Alex looked down at his defeated foe, a well of emotions churning in his chest. Anger, revulsion, pity...and a strange, unsettling sense of familiarity and loss. Whoever and whatever this doppelgänger was, he was undeniably connected to Alex somehow.

  But before he could begin to process what that might mean, the thunder of powered armor drew his attention. The remaining enemy Marines were closing in, weapons raised. They had been content to watch the brutal duel between the two Alexes, but with their champion fallen, they were clearly intent on finishing the job.

  Alex braced himself, knowing he was in no condition to fight them all. His armor was barely functional, his body pushed to the limits of endurance. Nearby, the other Scorpions were in even worse shape, with Sarah and Jackson still motionless.

  It seemed like the end, like all their struggles and sacrifices had been for nothing. Alex raised his fists in a final, defiant gesture, ready to go down swinging.

  Then, a deafening roar split the air, drowning out the pound of approaching footsteps. Alex snapped his gaze upward, widening at the sight of the unknown ship looming directly overhead. It was massive, easily dwarfing any vessel he had ever seen enter a planet's atmosphere.

  Its railguns swiveled, locking onto targets below. And then, with a thunderous report that shook the very ground beneath Alex's feet, the guns opened fire.

  A hail of hypervelocity rounds chewed through the enemy's ranks like they were made of paper. The enemy Marines fell in droves, cut down before they could even scream.

  Those who survived the initial onslaught broke and ran, their courage shattered by the ship’s overwhelming firepower.

  They scattered into the jungle, seeking whatever cover they could find. But the great ship's guns tracked them relentlessly, picking them off one by one until only smoking corpses and shattered trees remained.

  Silence fell over Fort Brix, a stunned, disbelieving quiet broken only by the hiss and pop of cooling metal and the distant thrum of the ship’s counter-mass generator.

  Alex struggled to his feet in difficult, exaggerated movements, his power unit all but dead. He removed his helmet and dropped it to the ground before swiping a hand over his face to wipe the sweat and blood away before staggering over to his squad. His heart in his throat, he checked each one for signs of life. Sarah stirred as he approached, her eyes fluttering open behind her cracked visor. Jackson remained still, but the twitching of his hand told Alex he was still alive.

  “Damn, Gunny,” Malik said, approaching with Zoe, both of them carrying their beat-up helmets. “That was the most badass fight I’ve ever seen.” He reached out, embracing Alex. Zoe snuck in, too, wedging herself under both their arms.

  “I’m happy you won,” she said. “But Sarah, Jackson…”

  “They need help—medical attention—but they’re alive,” Alex replied.

  Malik pointed up. “Maybe they can help, whoever the hell they are.”

  The great ship above began to rise, its counter-mass generator deepening in pitch as it powered the ascent. But as it climbed, a smaller shape launched from its hangar bay. A shuttle arced down before landing gently on the now-cracked tarmac.

  Alex watched as the shuttle’s hatch yawned open. Three figures stepped out, their faces obscured by the glare of the shuttle's running lights. The lead figure paused momentarily as if scanning the battlefield before his eyes settled on Alex. The tall, muscular man set off at a run toward Alex and his fallen squad. The other two followed at a more leisurely run.

  As the first figure drew closer, Alex felt his heart stutter. He knew that run; had seen it a thousand times before.

  “Dad,” he said softly, his mind-numbing fatigue allowing his emotions to surface. Malik and Zoe looked on in confusion as Alex limped forward, ignoring the screaming protest of his battered body, his heart swelling with a rush of emotions he couldn't even begin to untangle. Joy, relief, confusion, love—they all blended into an overwhelming wave that threatened to bring him to his knees.

  It took all he could manage to stay on his feet and get to his father. When they met, he threw his arms around Soren in a careful embrace, "Dad," Alex choked out, his voice a ragged whisper as he clung to him—the man who had always been his rock. "What the hell is going on?" he asked.

  "I don't know, son," Soren murmured, his voice thick with emotion. He held his grown boy tight despite his bloody armor, one hand cradling the back of his head like he had when Alex was a child waking from a nightmare. “But we're going to find out. I promise you; we'll get to the bottom of this. We have something on board that might help provide some answers.”

  “And…Dana?” his heart clenched as he asked the question. She would have come down with him if she were on board his father’s ship. “She wasn’t on the other ship, was she?”

  “No. I wouldn’t have destroyed it if she were. We believe she’s still alive. But we haven’t found her yet.”

  “We will,” Alex said.

  “Of course we will,” Soren agreed.

  For the first time since this nightmare began, he allowed himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, everything would be alright.

  The two others behind his father rushed past them to help the fallen Scorpions. He recognized them both. Keira and Ethan as stalwart and reliable as always. The sight of them, of his father's crew stepping in without hesitation, only solidified that budding hope in his chest.

  The Scorpions weren't alone anymore. Whatever came next, whatever dark truth or looming threat awaited them, they would face it together.

  Alex allowed himself to sag into his father's embrace, just for a moment, letting the exhaustion and pain and grief wash over him. He had lost so much, seen and done things he could barely begin to process. The appearance of his doppelgänger, the attack on the base, and the deaths of Diego and so many good men and women all swirled in his mind, a kaleidoscope of horror and confusion.

  But here, in his father's arms, he found a moment of solace. A brief respite from the storm, a chance to catch his breath before the next battle.

  And there would be a next battle. Alex had no doubt. The enemy, whoever or whatever they were, would not give up so easily. They had come to the Jungle with a purpose, a plan that extended far beyond capturing a small Marine base and its attached settlement.

  Soren pulled back slightly as if sensing his thoughts, looking deep into Alex's eyes. In that gaze, Alex saw the same steely determination and unbreakable will that had made his father a legend.

  "Let's get your squad patched up," Soren said, his voice steady and sure. "And then, we need to talk. There's a lot for us to discuss. About what's happening. About why I'm here." He glanced up at the sky to where the massive ship had steadied in low orbit, a silent guardian against the stars. "And about that," he added, a hint of pride in his voice.

  Alex followed his gaze, a flicker of awe sparking in his chest at the sight of the great vessel. He had never seen anything like it.

  "What kind of ship is she?" he asked, his voice hushed with wonder.

  Soren smiled, a glint of mischief in his eye. "That, my boy, is the Wraith. And she's going to help us set things right."

  “How?” Alex asked. “We don’t even know what’s going on.”

  “You have wounded,” Soren said, glancing at Sarah and Jackson before looking at him. “You’re wounded, too. We need to get you on board. Asha can fix you up, good as new. Then we can figure everything out. Together.”

  “Wait. What about Hut? The settlement. The people there are fighting. They need medical help and…” He trailed off when Soren shook his head.

  “The fighting there is over, son. The enemy is defeated” Soren smiled up at his taller son, his eyes glistening with moisture as he clapped a hand to his armored arm. “I don’t know how much you and your squad had to do with that, but I imagine it was significant. I’m damn proud of you, son.”

  “Thanks, Dad. And thanks for coming when you did. We wouldn’t have made it any longer.”

  Soren nodded, a pained look reflecting how close he had come to losing his son crossed his face, and then he turned his attention to the others. “Excellent work, Scorpions,” he told them. Gather your wounded.” He motioned to the shuttle. “It’s time to go.”

  CHAPTER 46

  The stillness of space enveloped the Wraith as she maintained her orbit over Jungle. Inside the ship, an air of tension and anticipation hung heavy. The revelations of the last twenty-four hours had left everyone on board in shock, struggling to understand what any of it meant while at the same time knowing that the future held only more trials and tribulations.

  Soren and Alex sat opposite one another in the conference room, their postures mirrored, leaning forward with elbows on the scuffed metal surface. Lacking other options, Alex was dressed in Navy utilities. He had put off time in the healing pod for now. Instead, his face remained bruised and puffy, his left arm was in a sling, and his ribs had been wrapped, every breath sending pulsating pain rippling through him. The two of them had just finished recounting their respective journeys, trying to fit their pieces together into a narrative they could use to help determine what came next.

  As Jack had said, the game was afoot.

  The door to the conference room slid open with a soft hiss, admitting a group of familiar faces that Soren had asked to join them. Lina, Ethan, Tashi, Wilf, Zoe, and Malik filed in, their expressions both curious and concerned. Zoe and Malik came to attention upon entering, saluting Soren as the ship’s commanding officer, while the others, more familiar with how he ran the ship, found seats without delay.

  “At ease, Marines,” he said, rising to his feet and gesturing toward two empty seats next to Alex. “Please, sit.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Malik said, sitting next to Alex, with Zoe to his left.

  "Thank you all for coming," Soren said, his gaze sweeping the room. “I know it's been a hell of a day. A hell of a month, really. Since some of you are new to one another, I assume introductions are in order. I believe you all know who I am. Let’s just go around the table so you can speak for yourselves. Ethan?”

  Ethan started the introductions, and they went around the room, each crew member and Marine giving their name and rank, if they had one. It was a simple task and only took a few minutes to complete, but Soren could sense the tension and anticipation building with each passing second. They all knew why he had called them to the conference room. It wasn’t just so they would recognize one another when they passed in the passageways or berthing.

  “Did you have a chance to check in on Sarah and Jackson?” Alex asked his squad before explaining why they were all there.

  “We just came from sickbay,” Malik answered. “They both have time scheduled in the healing pods. They’ll make full recoveries.”

  “That’s excellent news,” Alex replied, visibly relieved. “I’ll go see them as soon as we’re done here.”

  “Captain,” Ethan said. “I’ve completed the damage assessment as you ordered. We have enough components to repair minor damage to the shield generation systems and a couple of transformers that look ready to burn out. We got lucky with that first volley we took. The warping of the hull is minimal and didn’t seem to affect the nano-coating, which is good because we have no way to patch or repaint it if it’s compromised.”

  Soren absorbed this news with a tight nod. He was still angry with himself for freezing at the outset of the battle against the Komodo. He couldn’t afford to let himself be taken by surprise like that again.

  "Understood. We'll make do. Our mission is too important to do otherwise.” He eyed the assembly. “And that’s why we’re here. To discuss the mission.” His gaze settled on Alex. “If you choose to accept it. It’s no secret that we’re operating outside military channels. A rogue ship, as it were. Considering the consequences, to remain on board will probably mean sacrificing your careers with the Marines, and possibly lead to a full court-martial, assuming any of us survive whatever comes next. However, whatever that will be is sure to have implications for all of the FUP and the galaxy as a whole. We might not know everything that’s happening here, but we do know that the threat isn’t coming from the outworlds or from a shadowy reformation of the Coalition of Independent Planets. And I would venture a guess it isn’t coming from within the FUP either. We know the Federation is behind the eight ball here. They aren’t moving quickly enough to determine the true threat before it may be too late. Which means it’s up to us.”

  Alex nodded, turning to Zoe and Malik. “I’m only speaking for myself here, but I’m staying. It’s not a question for me. Not when Dana is still out there. Not when so much seems to be at stake.”

  “Do you remember how we used to lament that we never saw real action?” Malik asked him.

  Alex smirked. “Of course.”

  “I changed my mind about that. I’m ready to retire.” He grinned. “But, all thoughts of receiving a pension aside, I guess I’ll have to stick around to cover your ass, Gunny.”

  “Or so you can keep covering ours,” Zoe said. “If there’s going to be war, who better to go to war with than the Wraith and his son?”

  “I just want to reaffirm my commitment to the cause, too, Captain,” Tashi said. “Despite everything, and I know it sounds strange, but this is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.”

  “Me, too,” Wilf said, fingers nodding in agreement. “I feel like I’m making a real difference here. Like I matter.”

  “Because you do,” Soren replied. “You all do. And I appreciate your faith in me, and in what we’re trying to accomplish. Lina, if you would?”

  Lina tapped on her data pad, and the display screen on the bulkhead flickered to life. The bridge of a Valkyrie class ship snapped into focus, visibly serene but with an underlying sense of tension and terror. At the center of the frame was a face that sent a jolt through every person present, especially Soren and Alex.

  "Dana," Soren breathed, his eyes wide with shock and hope.

  The Dana on the screen was just as he remembered, her uniform just so, her auburn hair in a tidy bun protruding from under her cover, her posture authoritative but calm. It was her eyes that got to him. They burned with a fury and fear that he’d never seen in her.

  "This message is for the Wraith, Captain Soren Strickland,” she began, her voice trembling slightly with urgency. "If you are not Soren Strickland, I implore you, for the sake of your entire universe, find him and deliver this message to him.”

  She paused, visibly gathering herself.

  “Captain Strickland, I imagine you’re confused right now. You’re watching a video of a person you believe to be your daughter, Dana Strickland. And you’re right to be confused, but not exactly in the way you might think. Because my name is Dana Strickland, and I am your daughter. Although, not in the way you might think. What I’m about to tell you will change everything you’ve ever thought you understood about the universe and reality. It may or may not be hard to believe. If you’ve already encountered my father, then it may be easier for you than I know at this moment in time.”

  “Commander,” one of her bridge crew said from offscreen. “We just picked up a new contact on the long-range sensors. It may be the Basilisk.”

  Dana nodded. “Our plan remains the same.”

  “Aye, Commander.”

  She turned back to the camera, proceeding to tell a tale that left them all stunned, their faces reflecting a growing horror and disbelief. She spoke of being from a parallel universe and of a cataclysmic event that threatened to unravel the very fabric of both realities.

  “We call it the Convergence," she explained. “Our two universes, inexorably drawn together at an accelerating rate, coalesce into a single reality. A convergence of not just matter and energy but of consciousness and identity. The loss of self, subsumed by a greater whole. I know you’re an intelligent man. I’m sure you can guess where this path is leading.”

  “War,” Soren said softly.

  “My father didn’t come to your dimension on his own. He’s acting under orders from our Federation of United Planets. Those orders are, foremost, to kill this universe’s Soren Strickland. You. Because of who you are in our universe, the FUP believes you to be the greatest threat to their ability to conquer this universe. My father also wants to kill your Alex, believing that if he’s half the Marine my brother is, then he’s a tremendous threat as well.”