Main lair of the Lithari resistance extended deep underground, in a irradiated sector that had to be abandoned to avoid population mutation.
Over time, and after building adequate isolation suits, they could use that disaster as perfect camouflage for their operations.
The cavernous chamber carved into those contaminated rocks extended over 5 kilometers below the sector's subsurface, adorned with condensed humidity, which dripped from the rocky ceiling with a hypnotic rhythm.
Kaelen-Thor observed the holographic map floating above the central table, and a barely contained fury remained tightly clenched in his chest.
"Damn it," he whispered. "Damn those elders, damn their indecision, in the name of the ancestors, why?" He said to himself among his dejected and furious companions, but even they had the same questions.
His arms remained crossed over his torso, while his gaze stayed fixed, observing without focusing on anything, just thinking.
A dozen trusted Lithari remained silent, their quadruple pupils reflecting the bluish light of the data blinking before them.
It was supposed, it was believed, that today would be the moment they would give their lives for the vengeance prophesied for over 1,350 years. But at the last moment, they simply ordered the suspension of the great judgment, and gave no apparent reasons.
"The plan was set; not executing it today could have meant excessive danger. What would have happened if I had activated it prematurely?" he said, his voice deep and tired. "Our hope could have simply bounced off the tower defenses and... and... I expect a good explanation because I'm starting to believe everything is in vain."
Veth-ak nodded, his jaws clenched, and began to explain more or less what had happened at the last moment.
"I have news that the Dorymathos changed their patrol schedules," he replied, hitting the table with a fist. "The Viltrumites have intensified surveillance in the upper levels without just cause, and have modified the instructors' exits. Something is happening, but they keep everything top secret."
"Could it be some premature rebellion?" asked one of its members, Seril-kor, from the back.
Everyone considered this possibility, but shook their heads. The last rebellion on the planet lasted less than a segment, and the entire race of the instigating leaders was completely eradicated to absolute extinction.
"I don't think that's the reason," admitted Kaelen-Thor. "But our spies' reports indicate they have summoned instructors from all towers. There is massive training underway, something related to the born of the new generation. Possibly they will be taken to space, but until then, we cannot execute the mission with these strange movements."
"Damn it," murmured one of the eldest Lithari present. "Two hundred years of planning, and now... we may not get another chance. Our race cannot endure another 200 years."
Kaelen-Thor sighed, laughing to himself at the irony. The empire that had enslaved them was now causing them problems for reasons they didn't even understand.
However, they could no longer wait. There were many reasons why they couldn't, but the most fitting was the fact of the bomb. It was unstable, and every moment it remained inactive, the energy reserves containing it dwindled. So, if that happened, one of two things occurred. Either it exploded due to lack of containment, or it simply didn't, wasting unique resources they would never find again because they simply had run out of time.
"We can, we can create a premature new insertion point to execute an alternative. But we need..."
His words went unfinished because a thunderous noise caught his attention, as well as everyone else's. They all startled, alarmed, by that sudden intrusion that could pose a serious security risk to the base.
That thunderous noise made the entire chamber vibrate, tearing a rain of dust from the ceiling.
Something had slammed against the main gate of the base, filling everyone with anxiety and anticipation.
The Lithari tensed instantly, moving into defensive positions with their battle axes, shields, and swords. Kaelen-Thor raised a hand asking for calm, though his Lithari heart beat strongly in his chest.
In one of his hands, a plasma weapon was charged to fire a series of shots in case he could not recognize the intruder(s). Even if it were their own people, they could not afford to be discovered by anyone.
"Open the gate," he ordered, his throat swallowing dryly.
The gate rose with a metallic screech, revealing the darkness of the outer tunnel. For an instant, they saw nothing, but then they distinguished a humanoid shape that seemed to be crawling with difficulty.
Fortunately for them, it was not some empire purger. Those monsters, the purgers, were the terror of the entire slave class across the galaxy. The fact that it was not those demons brought great relief, both to him and to everyone. But he also grew anxious upon discovering the figure's identity.
"Damn the gods," he spat, quickly approaching the wounded one. "Lower your weapons, lower your weapons. It's one of our own," he explained.
The body of that humanoid being was slender. Compared to the robust Lithari, this one was almost fragile, with long, aerodynamic limbs.
His skin had a bluish-gray tone, speckled with luminous veins that flickered weakly. On his torso, held by a gauze stained with a purple liquid, was an open wound that seemed to keep spilling the being's vitality.
His suit appeared destroyed, not to mention that, apparently, it seemed to be covered in burns that simply looked very pitiful.
"By the ancestors," whispered Veth-ak. "What, what happened to you, my friend?"
Kaelen-Thor knelt beside the being, ignoring the blood that began to stain him everywhere. He looked at the being who was smiling, while letting out a hint of pain. One of his two arms was broken, probably from crashing into the door.
"I got carried away by emotion, my friend. I'm so sorry," he said, while coughing an exaggerated amount of blood from the corners of his mouth. "I let my guard down and was intercepted by those traitorous dogs," he explained, his voice losing strength with each weak breath.
Those words spoken by his friend, Seril-kor, caused everyone to tense up with a persistent unease.
The traitor dogs, the hounds of the empire, were the only enslaved race with a higher status within Viltrumite civilization. They were the elite slave race, exclusively destined to carry out repression against the other enslaved races, disguising all of this under justifications of imperial order control.
They were a terrifying race, surpassed only by the Viltrumites themselves. They possessed extremely impressive physical capabilities, second only to the Viltrumites, but even more peculiar, they seemed to possess the ability to project energy through their eyes, as well as absorb energy to recover and maintain their strength. They were despicable and feared beings on both sides.
For that reason, fear did not delay in coming from the members of the resistance.
"By the ancestors. What if they got in? What if they are in this very place? Cursed gods, we are surrounded."
"Cursed gods, calm down, calm down," Veth-ak shouted. "We are not being surrounded. Nothing has happened. Calm yourselves." He said, showing the sensors all around the entire area. "We are safe, don't worry."
"No—no they didn't," added the weak voice of Seril-kor, with a genuine smile. "They are—ve-very slow." He said, weakly but firmly.
His large eyes fixed on Kaelen-Thor.
"I left them behind. I ran faster than ever, but the radiation... I no longer have any hope of getting out alive. They might be close, but the contamination will delay them for a while."
"That is even more concerning! You could reveal the secret of the resistance!" One of the Lithari shouted furiously.
"We will all die in a few days, is it worth being so meticulous?" Seril-kor replied back, before coughing uncontrollably.
"Damn it, have you gone mad?"
"Enough!" Kaelen-Thor interrupted them, looking at everyone seriously.
After calming the members, he turned his gaze toward Seril-kor, hoping he would give him an answer.
"In the name of the cursed gods, Seril-kor, a Celorian like you. What made you end up in such a pitiful state?" He asked, because he knew that this guy, as a rule, never got himself into trouble as serious as what he had experienced.
"Ha, I am asking myself the same thing," Seril-kor replied with a smile. "But actually, I believe this risk was worth it. This risk, this information, is worth it, my friend. It is worth everything."
"To give your life for information. What is worth so much that you would give your life?" a Lithari asked him with a frown.
"Hope," Seril-kor replied back.
Everyone remained silent at that response. Hope? What hope did they have at this moment? They only felt raw, unfiltered hatred, and all that remained for them, in these ruins where they had been confined, buried, was revenge. Nothing more.
Almost one segment passed before Seril-kor was stable enough to speak clearly. The Lithari had done everything possible to stabilize him, using an obsolete tissue sealant and a cardiac stimulant formulated for their own physiology, which by some miracle worked.
When Seril-kor could sit up, leaning against the wall, Kaelen-Thor knelt before him.
"You said you had information for us," he said, awaiting answers.
Seril-kor nodded weakly. His trembling right hand extracted a data crystal from a sealed compartment in his suit. The crystal glowed with a faint light, and was engraved with ancient Lithari symbols.
This surprised those present.
"This is a message," he said. "From the Lithari who wait, hidden at the borders."
At those words, everyone remained astonished, in absolute silence.
However, beside him, Veth-ak began to shake his head.
"Your words make no sense, my friend. Outside this demonic planet, there are no Lithari anywhere. Neither at the border, nor in the most horrible sectors of the empire, nor outside the galaxy," said Veth-ak, his voice barely a whisper. "They were all executed centuries ago, you know that, my friend. In ancient times, we were powerful enough to pose a threat to the demonic race; allowing us to see the sun and reproduce outside strict supervision could pose a potential danger to the empire. That is why we are here, dying, slowly in this hell."
Despite those arguments, Seril-kor smiled at him, shaking his head.
"I tell you it is not so, my friend. Rejoice, at least your race still lives; I am the last of my species, and soon I will see my family again," Seril-kor said offhandedly, feeling his body begin to die, very slowly. "I am just buying time, for the good news. Your people still live, though they dare not stick their heads out."
One of the Lithari thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"No, I... I find it hard to believe that such a fact exists. We have sent so many messages, so many encrypted ones. So many."
"They were answered, every single one of them. But things are precarious both here and where they are hidden. The Viltrumites wanted you to believe you are the last, because they fear you," Seril-kor replied. "Some escaped during the great purge of the resistance, and they hid in an asteroid belt. They have been waiting for decades, waiting for an opportunity to escape the imperial borders."
Kaelen-Thor took the crystal with trembling hands. Upon activating it, images began to project directly into his mind. His eyes filled with clarity, even becoming moist from the entire vision presented in this crystal.
Everything was true; there was hope.