Despite supposedly being the hidden safehold guarding the Stellaron, nothing about the room looked special. No outstanding defense mechanisms to protect the Stellaron. No guards protecting the location. No cameras overlooking the entrance. It wasn't even secured by the Herta Space Station security system. The room was isolated to the point it was invisible on the station's systems.

Yet her partner was able to pinpoint its location accurately.

"As expected of our genius hacker. We're really lucky to have you on our side, you know."

"Shove it, Kafka. I don't want your praise."

"That hurts. After all the time we've worked together?"

Silver Wolf grumbled a few words under her breath about how distracting her superior was. Not that much though, the banter didn't affect her progress on hacking the independent electrical grid of the Stellaron's containment chamber. Within a few minutes, the hack was completed and the containment chamber's protection system was disabled.

"Herta programmed an entire system from the ground up just for this Stellaron. I've downloaded a copy of it to review once we return. Best do your thing quickly and leave." Silver Wolf pulled up another hologram screen and played with the codes for a little. "Setting the Receptacle's coordinates to be sent to ours. Activate it and she'll be sent here- ready to receive the Stellaron." She slid the control screen over to Kafka for her clearance.

"Elio has seen the future. From today onwards, everything will change."

Kafka typed the master password that would activate the long-awaited plan.

"Everything is now in your hands...Stelle. The future is yours to decide."

The Receptacle was teleported through space- and into the Stellaron chamber. Kafka and Silver Wolf watched as the Seed of Disaster bonded with the Receptacle in a flash of golden light.

"To think there would be someone out there who would synchronize with Stellaron so well..." Kafka commented while watching the process.

"It's abnormal that's what. Not even I considered the possibility." Silver Wolf remarked.

...

"Is...is that supposed to happen?"

Kafka was equally stunned when the golden glow started forming a second figure in its center.

"Elio didn't mention anything about this..." Kafka brought up her orders and swiped through the contents.

Silver Wolf checked her own screen to watch over the Receptacle's vitals. A warning appeared on top of the screen, notifying her of the appearance of a secondary set of vitals that matched the Receptacle.

"S-something's happening! T-there's two Receptacles on my screen!" Silver Wolf exclaimed while going over the new information.

The new DNA readings matched the same records they had of the original Receptacle.

Kafka looked over her panel and pressed her lips together hesitantly.

This wasn't part of their leader's projection. This was entering unknown territory.

"Can you stop it?! This isn't going according to plan!" Kafka urged while watching the golden glow slowly complete the second figure. It was still halfway to completion. Maybe they could interrupt the process and stop an unknown result that could end up in disaster.

"N-no! The Stellaron is blocking all my attempts at separating the Receptacle!" Silver Wolf panicked while fighting the data of reality. She was coding information into the aether plane to manipulate the data being produced in real-time, but the Stellaron was overpowering her code.

Kafka made a snap decision. She jumped at the Stellaron and tried to pull Stelle away from the Seed of Disaster. A loud bang was heard and Kafka was blown backwards by a shockwave. Silver Wolf snapped her head sideways only to see Kafka slam against the opposite wall in a heap. She didn't look for long, quickly returning to her screen to fight the Stellaron- not that it did much.

Her superior climbed back to her knees while staring at the Stellaron finish the merge. Silver Wolf gritted her teeth anxiously as the golden glow died down. Her efforts had done nothing against the power of the Stellaron. Whatever it did was clearly outside of their calculations if Kafka deemed it necessary to disrupt the process.

It was too late now.

Silver Wolf looked over the scene in worry. The distressed expression on her superior said it all. Kafka was staring apprehensively over the second body that appeared right beside Stelle.

"Silver Wolf, what's the report?!"

"The readings- the Stellaron's signal is coming from both of them! It's as if there are 2 Stellarons in the room!"

Kafka could only stare in shock at the outcome.

===

"Dan! There's two people here!" March called out after entering the hidden compartment.

The false facade had been disabled once the independent power grid was shut down. The room was now exposed to any people passing by- if there were any. The Antimatter Legion attack had the personnel evacuated to other safer areas. Fortunately for March, she and Dan had been running around to help people.

"They aren't hurt. But they are unconscious." March explains after a short check.

"We can't leave them here. It's too dangerous. Bringing them back would also be difficult if we carry them. Let's try waking them up first." Dan Heng starts nudging the unconscious male. "March, go wake up his sister."

The boy's eyes fluttered open after a few more shakes. He looks around in confusion while March does the same for the girl.

Dan Heng kneels in front of the boy and raises two fingers. "How many fingers have I raised?"

"Two." Mumbles the stranger.

"Ok you look fine. We're going to get you out of here ok? We'll just make sure your sister is ok too."

"...sister?" The boy looks over March who was rambling in front of an alarmed girl.

Hold on. Why did they look similar? He didn't remember anything about having a sister.

The girl was looking around as well, her eyes settling on him and both of them staring at each other in surprise.

"The memory loss must've been that bad hmmm...they can't even recall each other." Dan Heng mumbled with concern before increasing his voice. "We'll help you recollect your memories later. For now, let's bring you both out of here."

"Uhhh...Dan? They've found us." March shouts as one of the Antimatter Legion monsters appeared. She fires an arrow at it, but the mob blocks the projectile using an arm.

"Can any of you fight? If not, get behind us!" Dan shouts while dashing forward with his spear. He dives forward and lands a few strikes on the monster, each one parried with the dual-wielding...arms? March provides cover from behind, flanking and shooting arrows at the knees and legs to make it fall. Behind them, the two teens stumble around in an effort to find something to protect themselves with.

The girl finds a bat.

The boy...?

"DUCK!"

Dan crouches on the ground and hears something whizz over his head. He catches sight of one expensive-looking monitor flying through the air one second before it smashes straight into the face of the Legionnaire.

"What the heck?!" March fumbles an arrow while staring at the stunned monster. Another large object flies in the air- this time a CPU- and crashes on the enemy, bringing it down on the ground.

"Haaaaa!!!!" Jumps in the girl, smashing the bat over the unfortunate soul. Dan stares in shock at the savage swings as the girl unleashed blows on the downed monster. Metal clangs could be heard as the body jerked after each blow on its head.

The boy jumps in with a chair, breaking the object over the monster's head- before finishing it off with a roundhouse kick...where the sun doesn't shine.

The Legionnaire promptly shattered into motes of light- unknown whether it had reached its limit from damage or from the blow to its groin.

Dan didn't even want to imagine how much pain it would've done to a normal person.

"Aha...guess you can fight too...?" March scratched her head after the chaotic display.

The monitor, CPU, and chair laid on the ground in varying states of damage.

"...okay. Let's get out of here before more of them come!"

Dan couldn't agree more.

.

.

.

Horror dawned on March and Dan the longer they spent around the two amnesiacs. They were absolutely sure that the two were siblings, even if they didn't remember. Both of them just synced together in all the right ways. The group had not talked much, focused on treading past all the Antimatter Legion monsters in the station.

During their escape, the two perceived siblings settled on a silent routine. Somehow, along the way, a quiet agreement was made.

The boy ambushed, and the girl would go to town on the unfortunate monster.

It.

Was.

Horrifying.

Another poor monster found itself the target of the duo when it appeared to block them from their destination.

"Can't we find him a proper weapon?!" March whispered while watching the flying potted plant smash into the Legionnaire's head. The poor soul didn't even manage to turn around after being stunned before the boy tackled his legs right out from underneath him. His final moments, filled with a bat being repeatedly whacked straight into his face.

When he didn't disintegrate, the boy promptly hauled him over the bridge edge and pushed him over.

The sound of falling metal followed by the painful clang on the bottom might've ended his pain, the Star Rail Trailblazers didn't know.

"If we can find any. They synergize pretty well."

Dan and March looked back just in time to see the boy pick up a long lamp and lug it around as a makeshift weapon.

"You can't be serious." March uttered.

It was a lamp.

What were you going to do with a lamp?!

Both siblings looked at the pair to continue leading them. They had no idea where to find a map of the base, and if they did find one, they didn't know where the safe areas were. The Antimatter Legion would sooner find them than they would find a safe haven to bunker down.

"Ignore their antics for now. We're close to the Herta Space Station's main bridge." Dan changed the topic. "We can ask for an update from the personnel there."

The group of four ran through a few more hallways on their way to the specified evacuation area. The main bridge was one of the strongholds designed in the station's blueprints in the case of emergencies, and it was the primary bunker of the facility. It contained important control systems that warranted Herta to prioritize its defense.

"We haven't actually introduced ourselves properly. You've heard our names. I'm March 7th! He's Dan Heng. What about you two?" March initiated some conversation while they travelled the station interior.

"Stelle."

"Caelus."

The two supposed siblings looked at each other inquisitively while exchanging names. For some reason, they remembered their names- but not much else.

"You two must've banged your heads really hard if you can't remember each other."

"I...don't know?"

"I've never met this man in my life."

March sweatdropped at the girl's answer. Caelus sighed. He didn't know how to respond to that. It could've been the truth if their shared resemblance wasn't so obvious.

"We're here." Dan interrupted.

The ragtag group of misfits slowed down once they passed through the entrance to the main bridge. Guards lined the sides, standing guard should any Antimatter Legionnaires attempt to breach the gateway. They let the teens through, a few staring at the battered lamp being carried by Caelus. If anyone took a guess, it looked as if the boy grabbed the closest object he could find and used it as a weapon.

This was a research station. Not a military base. Weapons were rare, and making do with what you could find was better than walking around unarmed. Especially when Antimatter Legionnaires were attacking the base.

"Let's head for the central command. They should have a grasp of the situation." Dan explained while leading ahead. "You can stay here if you want. It's still too dangerous to go out with all those monsters around."

"I hope everyone else is safe. We haven't heard from the others ever since communications broke down." March tapped on her phone, checking for a signal.

Caelus and Stelle remained quiet until they reached the central bridge where the command was observing the status of the research station. Multiple personnel manned different stations while shouting updates to a woman standing in the middle. In the center was a 3d hologram of the space station. Most of the hologram remained blue, with large segments lit up in yellow. A few areas were colored red, along with blaring warning signs that intruders had breached several areas.

Two were black. No more information was received from those areas.

"Ma'am Asta! More Antimatter Legionnaire portals are appearing! Another wave is coming based on our sensors!" One personnel warned while reading through the scanners.

"Shut down the energy to all tertiary sections! Reroute power to shields and defenses! In those sections, only life support systems must remain online should there be stragglers!" The lady in the middle shouted.

"Rear energy shields have been razed by the Doomsday Beast! It's currently tearing through the hull composite armor! Hull breach is imminent in sections 34 through 38!" Updated another.

"Push the fusion reactor's energy output to 150% and recharge rear energy shields! We cannot let the Doomsday Beast damage the thrusters!"

The station shook as another debilitating attack smashed into the rear of the station. Many people fell to the ground, others clinging to walls and machines to stay balanced.

"Critical hull damage! Sections 35 and 36 have been breached by the Doomsday Beast! Sections 34 and 37 have activated lockdown mode to prevent the atmosphere from leaking out!"

Another segment of the research station hologram went from red to black. Signaling a complete loss of control over the sections.

"Ma'am! The Doomsday Beast has damaged one of our rear thrusters! Station mobility is down 5%!"

"Fusion reactors nearing critical threshold! Rear energy shields have been reactivated to 10% of capacity!"

"Asta. An Interastral Peace Corporation Fleet is en route to your location. Warp ETA is in 30 minutes. Please hold out until then." The holographic image of a small girl appeared on the screen.

"M-Miss Herta?!" The leader in the middle of the group raised her voice after receiving a piece of good news. "Everyone! We must hold out for 30 more minutes! IPC is coming in with a fleet to save us!"

The news didn't draw celebrations from the crowd of personnel managing the station's defense. Each minute continued to pile more and more reports of damage and breaches as the Antimatter Legion sieged the base.

...

Outside, an army met the base's defenses head-on. Electric railguns burned from overuse as hyper-accelerated projectiles tore through invading Antimatter Legionnaires. Photon particles were compressed and directed at the waves of mobs, the laser burning through them. Missile systems released missile after missile in the direction of the enemy. The missile cartridge splitting into multiple smaller explosives that burst into shrapnel, essentially releasing clusters of death in programmed angles on enemy groups.

Yet throughout it all, the Antimatter Legion pushed through.

The Herta Research Station blasted its thrusters in full propulsion in an attempt to escape the siege, hurtling through space at hundreds of kilometers per second. But it was a research station, not built for movement and complex maneuvers like normal ships. Its speed was extremely slow compared to the average starship, prioritizing the stability and protection of its research projects, and this massively played against its survival.

Energy shields flashed as the damage accumulated, and composite armor broke off in areas where the Legion had breached the hull. Explosions erupted on the hull as defenses fell and more holes opened, swarms of Legionnaires flooding through breaches.

A significant chunk of the rear had been torn away as the Doomsday Beast continued to aim for the station thrusters. The Astral Express streaked behind, pummeling the beast with its own weapons to draw it away from the base- much of its efforts disregarded.

...

Back at the command bridge, March and the group loitered around. They didn't want to distract the personnel from their work, especially when the station was reaching a critical peak.

"Dan! What do we do?!" March asked worriedly.

"Nothing. Unless you like risking yourself out there." Dan frowned. "We can try rescuing other stragglers now that we know the Astral Express has joined the battle. PomPom, Miss Himeko, and Mister Yang would be on the train controlling it. Outside of that, there is not much else to do."

"What about the breached sections? Are there people nearby?" Caelus couldn't help but ask.

"You! Astral Express crew, right?" A call interrupted their conversation.

The group of four looked at the source, a woman leading the personnel. Her name was Asta if Stelle and Caelus recalled correctly, based on what the woman in the hologram called her.

"If you can fight, please rescue the engineers in sections 34, 37, and 38! They were busy managing the thrusters until the Doomsday Beast broke the shields! We've ordered them to retreat to the other thruster bays, but their area is now streaming with Legionnaires!"

"Will do. March, come with me. Let's help the engineers."

"If you're going, then we're coming." Stelle steps up. "You saved us, so we'll help you." Caelus nods in agreement behind her.

"A retrieval force has been sent ahead to where the engineers are! Support them and rescue our personnel!" Asta informed while swiping the research station map in front of her. Platoons of station guards were shown as blinking dots moving en route to the highlighted sections where the engineers were sending out S.O.S. signals.

"Don't you worry! We got this!" March flashed a thumbs up.

"As long as we don't take too many risks..." Dan mumbled while eyeing the two grey-haired members of their improvised party. Sure, they could fight. But the way they took to combat was completely unexpected and wild from his point of view.

Surely the station wouldn't foot the repair bill on the Astral Express since the two weren't a part of their crew...

.

.

.

"Huh...that also works." March mumbled while watching Stelle forcefully close an access port on a Voidranger. The poor monster was crushed on two sides as the doorway closed on him, squeezed from sheer hydraulic pressure.

Dan Heng on the other hand watched as Caelus threw aside his battered lamp and picked up the dropped spear after the enemy disintegrated.

"I don't recommend using that...it could have adverse effects."

Caelus swung the weapon around, trying to replicate Dan's moves clumsily and ended up dropping the spear.

"It's only until we're safe. If being near these things are harmful, then why haven't we felt sick from the Legionnaires?"

Dan considered the idea. It wasn't a bad observation- and there was research about the Antimatter Legion, but no published records of adverse effects when in contact with them.

"Okay then. Better that than...your lamp." The poor battered object had seen better days. The light source and its shaft had been warped from all the impacts it sustained against monsters.

One of