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Silent Verge — Part 2
The Mission Failed. The Silence Remains.
The room emptied slowly after Mike Stuart’s sudden exit. Papers shuffled uneasily, leaving unspoken questions behind. Rhea lingered near the window, her reflection faint against the glass. Beyond it, the city of Vienna lay quietly under a soft orange dusk, calm and unaware of the storm brewing inside the building.
Aya was the first to break the silence. “So,” she said, leaning against the conference table, “we’re just supposed to hop on a spaceship and play detectives in deep space?”
Eli let out a dry laugh and ran a hand through his messy hair. “You make it sound like we have a choice.”
Malik stood stiffly, still clutching the file. “If the Verge station is operational but unmanned, that means something happened after launch. Something not in the official records.” He turned to Kael. “And you, Captain, I assume you’ve got the classified version of events?”
Kael’s jaw tightened, and he stared at the floor. “I was told nothing beyond what’s in that file.” His voice was deep and flat. “But if the Coalition’s calling back people who swore they were done with this mission, it must be worse than they’re letting on.”
Aya frowned. “Worse how?”
