The secondary access tunnel down to the detention block stretched ahead as Colonel Cael led MacLeod and his team deeper into the bowels of the Raeyan Security Forces Headquarters. The steady echo of their footsteps was swallowed by the oppressive silence, interrupted only by the distant and muffled sounds of explosions from above. Every rumble sent small showers of dust and debris drifting down from the ceiling, a reminder that the fragile peace above ground was rapidly crumbling.

“Kibali, get me a readout.” MacLeod ordered.

“Structural integrity is dropping fast. The power grid is unstable, and I’m picking up residual explosive signatures. We’re walking through a minefield down here.” Kibali’s eyes narrowed as she studied the fluctuating readings on her tricorder.

“Cael, how much further?” MacLeod asked.

“Another three hundred meters, give or take,” Cael replied, his voice strained. “This tunnel bypasses most of the facility’s lower defenses. It was designed for emergencies. Right now, that’s working in our favor. We also don’t have to worry about other prisoners in the detention block where the saboteur is being held.”

“If it holds. It feels like we’re one tremor away from being buried alive.” Wellborn muttered while glancing at the cracks spreading along the walls.

“Focus! We need that prisoner, and we’re not leaving without him.” MacLeod snapped.

The tunnel’s air grew staler as they descended deeper into the planet, the weight of the earth pressing down on them, making every breath feel heavier. The flickering lights overhead provided just enough illumination to see the jagged edges of the passageway.

“Captain, energy spikes are increasing the closer we get. These aren’t just random surges. Someone’s down here with us.” Kibali spoke up, her tricorder emitting rapid beeps.

“Cael, how secure is this tunnel?” MacLeod’s jaw tightened.

“As secure as it can be in a collapsing facility. If Korrin’s people are inside, they’ll be ahead, not behind. They’ll want to hit us before we reach the saboteur.” Cael muttered.

“They won’t get that chance,” MacLeod said firmly, picking up the pace. “Move.”

The team pressed on, the tunnel walls narrowing slightly as they approached the reinforced detention wing. The low hum of the environmental systems vibrated in the air, but there was something else—a subtle thrum, almost imperceptible, that raised the hair on the back of MacLeod’s neck.

“Kibali, scan the walls.” MacLeod ordered.

“Detecting electromagnetic interference, Captain. Someone’s running a cloaked energy grid parallel to this tunnel.” Kibali reported.

“They’re not just trying to bring the building down; they’re trying to trap us down here.” Wellborn said.

MacLeod clenched his fits. “We don’t have time to play their game. We push through, get the prisoner, and get out.”

The floor beneath them shuddered violently, and a deafening crack echoed through the tunnel as a chunk of the ceiling collapsed behind them, sealing off their escape route.

“Damn it! No going back now.” Wellborn cursed, staggering as dust and debris rained down.

“The detention block is straight ahead. Once we’re inside, the structure will hold. It’s reinforced for direct impact.” Cael’s said.

“Let’s hope you’re right,” MacLeod growled, motioning the team forward. “Double-time.”

They sprinted the final stretch, the air growing thick with dust as more tremors rattled the walls. The blast doors to the detention block loomed ahead, a massive slab of reinforced duranium standing between them and their target.

Cael reached the control panel and began inputting his access code, his fingers flying over the keypad. The door hissed and shuddered, but it didn’t open.

“Cael…” MacLeod said, a warning edge creeping into his voice.

“I’m trying,” Cael muttered, his face tight with frustration. “The power surges are interfering with the override. It’ll take a minute.”

“We don’t have a minute,” Kibali said sharply, glancing back down the tunnel. “I’m detecting movement. Multiple hostiles, closing fast.”

“Dick, We’re not dying in this hallway. Get that door open.” MacLeod ordered.

Wellborn shoved Cael aside, pulling a bypass tool from his belt. “Give me thirty seconds.”

“You’ve got twenty,” MacLeod growled, drawing his phaser as the rumbling grew closer. The lights flickered again, the tunnel groaning like Raeya III was preparing to swallow them whole.

Wellborn worked frantically, the door’s mechanisms grinding and sputtering as he forced the override. “Got it!”

The blast doors slid open with a loud, metallic groan. MacLeod shoved Cael and Kibali inside, following closely with Wellborn as the doors slammed shut behind them.

The detention block was dimly lit, starkly contrasting the chaos outside. It was quiet—too quiet. The reinforced walls hummed with latent energy, and the temperature dropped as they moved down the corridor.

“Where’s the prisoner?” MacLeod demanded.

Cael pointed to the far end of the corridor. “In the secure cell. Last cell on the left.”

The floor vibrated beneath them, another reminder that the facility above was slowly collapsing. Every second counted.

The reinforced duranium walls of the detention wing hummed with an eerie resonance, as though the whole place was groaning under the weight of impending disaster. They could hear the distant rumble of collapsing structures above them.

The force field shimmered faintly as they reached the cell, barely illuminating the figure inside. The prisoner—a wiry Raeyan man—sat on the floor, knees drawn up, his head resting against the wall in what appeared to be exhaustion. But something about the man set MacLeod’s teeth on edge. His posture was too still, his gaze too steady for someone awaiting their doom in a collapsing facility.

“Dick, drop the field.” MacLeod ordered, his eyes narrowing as he studied the prisoner.

Wellborn moved to the panel, his fingers flying over the controls. The hum of the force field cut out with a sharp crackle, and the prisoner slowly rose to his feet, his movements deliberate. Too deliberate.

The Raeyan stood, brushing off his tattered uniform, a slow smirk curling on his lips as he took a step forward, hands raised in mock surrender. “You’re here to save me, I presume?” His voice was calm, unnervingly so.

MacLeod’s eyes hardened. Something about the man screamed trouble, and he had no time for games. “You’re coming with us. Now.”

The prisoner’s eyes gleamed in the dim light. “Ah, of course, Starfleet. Always swooping in at the last moment to save the day.” He stepped forward, his gaze sweeping the team, lingering on MacLeod and Wellborn. “But you’re not here to save me, are you? You’re here to extract information.”

“Kibali, bind him.” MacLeod barked with thin patience.

“Well, here I am. Your prized informant,” the prisoner said, his voice smooth as silk. His eyes flicked over MacLeod and Wellborn, then settled on Lieutenant Kibali. A slow, knowing smile crept across his face. “But you’re too late, Captain. Korrin’s plans are already in motion. The clock’s ticking, and you’re running out of time.”

Kibali stepped forward to cuff him, her expression cold and professional. But the moment her hand brushed his arm, the prisoner’s eyes lit up with recognition, and his smirk widened. “You,” he drawled. I remember you. Power station, right? You’re faster than I thought. It’s a shame I missed—I could’ve sworn I had you lined up for the kill.” he said slyly and amusingly.

“Maybe your aim’s just as sloppy as your plans,” she shot back calmly enough not to give him the satisfaction of seeing her rattled. “You might’ve gotten close, but close doesn’t cut it.” Kibali’s eyes narrowed, but her hands never faltered as she tightened the restraints on his wrists.

The prisoner chuckled, a low, dangerous sound. “Oh, I disagree. Close is all I needed. You see, Lieutenant, you’re still cleaning up the mess I left behind while the real damage is already done. The power station was just the appetizer.”

“Keep talking. We’ll see how much you’ve got to say when we haul you back to the surface.” Kibali didn’t break her gaze, her jaw tightening as she yanked the cuffs tighter than necessary.

“Kibali, get him up,” MacLeod ordered, cutting through the exchange with a hard edge to his voice. “We’re not staying here any longer.”

The prisoner grunted softly as Kibali pulled him to his feet, his mocking expression still intact. “Don’t be too hard on her, Captain. She was sharp at the power station. Just a hair faster, and I’d have—”

“You missed. And trust me, I won’t.” Kibali leaned in close with a quiet, lethal whisper.

The prisoner’s smirk faltered for the first time. MacLeod saw it, and so did Kibali. But he quickly regained his composure, leaning back with a lazy smile. “We’ll see, Lieutenant. We’ll see.”

“Not another word,” MacLeod snapped, shoving the prisoner forward. The ground rumbled again, sending vibrations through the floor as another explosion shook the facility above. “Time’s running out—for all of us.”

The rumble reverberated through the narrow hallway as debris from the ceiling trickled down, the facility groaning under the weight of the collapsing structure. The lights flickered, casting long, ominous shadows against the cold duranium walls. MacLeod’s heart was racing, but he kept his focus razor-sharp as he continued pushing the prisoner forward.

“Assume point, Dick.” MacLeod barked. “Kibali, watch our rear.”

Wellborn grabbed his tricorder and began scanning. “Structural integrity’s dropping fast, Jim,” he muttered. “We don’t have long before this whole place comes down.”

MacLeod glanced back at the prisoner, who seemed unnervingly calm despite the tremors beneath his feet, even as the world crumbled around them. His hands were bound, but there was a dangerous glint in his eye—a man who knew more than he was letting on.

“I don’t think you quite get your situation. You don’t have the upper hand here.” MacLeod growled.

The prisoner shrugged, though the tightness in his shoulders betrayed him. “Maybe I don’t,” he mused, his voice slippery with confidence, “but I’m not the one with a ticking clock hanging over my head. You’re the ones scrambling, trying to keep up.”

“Dick, how far to the exit?” MacLeod asked.

Wellborn tapped at his tricorder. “Seventy meters to the surface, but there’s interference up ahead. Some kind of jamming field.”

The prisoner chuckled softly. “You didn’t think it’d be that easy, did you?”

Kibali glared at him, her grip on her phaser tightening. “One more word, and I’ll make sure that smile stays off your face permanently.”

MacLeod could see the fire in her eyes, the memory of that near miss at the power station still fresh. The prisoner had come close—too close. But Kibali didn’t forget easily or make the same mistake twice.

The ground rumbled more violently this time, splintering a crack across the floor. MacLeod felt the pressure of time slipping through their fingers like sand. They had minutes, maybe seconds before the facility became their tomb.

“Korrin’s not waiting for you, Captain,” the prisoner said casually, as though they weren’t standing in a collapsing structure. “You’re running headlong into a trap. He’s been planning this for months.”

MacLeod shoved him harder.

The prisoner staggered but kept pace, his smirk fading into something darker. “Korrin doesn’t care if you get to the surface. He’s already won. This isn’t about you or me anymore—it’s about the message.”

“What message?” MacLeod demanded.

“That no matter what you do, no matter how fast you move… you’re always too late.” the prisoner said with a low his.

Kibali’s eyes flashed as she stepped up beside MacLeod. “You think you’re clever, don’t you? Think you’ve outsmarted us? I saw what you did at the power station. It was sloppy. You missed your chance.”

The prisoner’s smirk returned, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Did I? Maybe I hit exactly what I was aiming for.”

Before MacLeod could respond, the overhead lights flickered and died, plunging the corridor into near darkness. A second later, the emergency lights buzzed to life, casting everything in an eerie red glow.

“Jim!” Wellborn called out from ahead. “The jamming field’s getting stronger. We’re not getting out this way unless we disable it.”

“Options?!” MacLeod snapped.

Wellborn tapped furiously at his tricorder. “I can try to reroute power to knock out the jamming field, but we’ll need time. And by the looks of it, we don’t have much.”

“We make time,” MacLeod growled. “Kibali and Cael, cover Captain Wellborn. Get that field down.”

“On it, Captain.” Kibali nodded, her movements sharp and precise. She positioned herself near Wellborn as Cael unholstered his weapon.

The prisoner let out a soft laugh, low and mocking. “You really think this is about getting out of here, don’t you?”

MacLeod turned, his patience finally snapping. He grabbed the prisoner by the collar, slamming him against the wall, his voice a dangerous whisper. “You’re going to tell me right now—what’s Korrin’s next move?”

“It doesn’t matter what I tell you. Korrin’s already won.” The prisoner met MacLeod’s eyes, the arrogance still there but with a flicker of fear for the first time.

MacLeod’s grip tightened further, his face inches from the prisoner’s as the tremors beneath them intensified. The prisoner’s smirk faded but didn’t disappear completely.

“Korrin’s always been ten steps ahead of you,” the prisoner said, his voice a low hiss. “You’re chasing the wrong enemy, Captain.” He leaned in slightly, the mockery in his voice just barely masking the unease in his eyes.

“You’re going to tell me what you know, or I’ll leave you here to find out how unstable this place is.” MacLeod shoved the prisoner harder against the wall, his voice low and dangerous.

A faint tremor shook the ground beneath them as if emphasizing the threat, and for a split second, the prisoner’s bravado cracked. His lips tightened, and a flash of real fear darted across his features before he regained control.

“You really think you can stop what’s already set in motion? There’s more happening than you can even comprehend.” The prisoner’s quivered with the faintest hint of desperation.

“Try me.” MacLeod leaned in closer with a harsh whisper.

The prisoner exhaled shakily, but his defiance lingered. “Even if I told you, Captain, you wouldn’t make it in time. Korrin planned for this—he planned for you. Every second you’re here, you’re already losing.”

“Dick!” MacLeod barked, the sharpness in his tone cutting through the tense air. “How long?”

“Almost there, just a few more seconds!” Wellborn didn’t look up from his tricorder.

The prisoner smiled, almost with pity. “You think you’re running the show here? The clock’s already ticking—and no one’s coming to save you when it hits zero.”

The floor beneath them shuddered again with tremendous force. MacLeod released the prisoner, his mind racing. Something was off—this wasn’t just fearmongering. There was a real threat buried in the prisoner’s cryptic words. But how deep did it run?

He turned sharply to Kibali. “Keep an eye on him. Wellborn, I need that field down now!”

Wellborn tapped furiously at his controls as he clenched his jaw. “I’m working as fast as I can, Jim! The interference is worse than I expected.”

Cael scanned the corridor, his phaser gripped tightly. “We need to move. This whole wing is going to come down any second now.”

Another tremor ripped through the facility, more significant than the last, as the ceiling groaned under the pressure. MacLeod’s mind raced. The prisoner’s words lingered, gnawing at the edges of his thoughts. Something was unfolding, something larger than just this mission—but what?

“Korrin’s a strategist,” the prisoner continued, his voice barely audible beneath the rumbling. “You think this is just about Raeya? You’re only seeing a fragment of the picture.”

Before MacLeod could respond, Wellborn slammed his fist into the panel with a grunt of frustration. “Field’s down!”

“Move!” MacLeod ordered, pulling the prisoner roughly forward as they sprinted toward the exit.

The walls around them shuddered violently as the team surged through the opening. The prisoner replaced his grin with stony silence. But even as they ran, MacLeod couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling that the prisoner’s words weren’t just a taunt—they were a warning.

The ground trembled beneath them as MacLeod and the team burst through the opening. Flickering emergency lights dimly lit the corridor ahead. The low rumble of the collapsing facility followed them, growing louder with every step.

“Kibali, cover our rear!” MacLeod shouted while dragging the prisoner forward. His grip was firm, and the prisoner’s weight constantly reminded him that time was running out.

Kibali fell back, scanning the corridor behind them for any sign of Korrin’s forces with her phaser drawn. Cael followed close behind with his weapon raised, catching every shadow and movement.

Ahead, Wellborn moved quickly with his eyes locked on his tricorder. “Exit’s close! But the structure’s falling apart fast—move faster!”

A deafening explosion ripped through the facility behind them, the shockwave sending cracks spiderwebbing through the walls. The air was thick with dust and smoke, making breathing difficult as the ceiling overhead groaned under the strain. The facility wasn’t going to last much longer.

“We’re not going to make it,” the prisoner muttered with twisted satisfaction.

“Keep moving!” MacLeod growled, forcing the prisoner forward. His mind was a whirlwind of calculations—time, distance, possible exits—but nothing mattered if they couldn’t break through the final obstacle.

As they neared a junction, the exit, a large reinforced hatch, came into view. As they approached, the walls on either side exploded inward. A squad of insurgents, heavily armed and ready for a fight, blocked their path. The sharp whine of disruptor fire echoed in the narrow space.

“Get down!” MacLeod barked, yanking the prisoner to the ground as green bolts of energy flew past, narrowly missing their heads.

Kibali and Cael immediately returned fire, taking cover behind a collapsed beam. “They’ve got us pinned!” Kibali shouted over the blaring disruptor shots.

“Dick!” MacLeod yelled, “How do we get past?”

Wellborn ducked behind a nearby column, his tricorder in one hand and his phaser in the other. “I can rewire the hatch, but it’ll take time. We need to hold them off!”

Kibali fired her phaser again, forcing the insurgents to scatter, but their numbers were overwhelming. “We don’t have time for a standoff, Captain!” she called out. “We’re sitting ducks here!”

MacLeod’s jaw tightened. Between the insurgents and the crumbling facility, there was no way out— unless they made one.

The prisoner let out a low, mocking laugh from where he crouched. “This is what Korrin wanted. You’re right where he needs you to be.”

MacLeod turned on him, his patience long gone. “Shut up, or I’ll ensure you’re the first left behind when this place collapses.”

“I’ve made my peace, Captain. Have you?” The prisoner smiled faintly while still irritatingly calm. 

Another explosion rocked the building, and the ceiling began to give way. The air was thick with groaning metal and the relentless barrage of disruptor fire.

“We need to move now, or we’re dead,” Cael shouted, returning fire to keep the insurgents at bay. “Wellborn, how long?”

“Wellborn ducked as another bolt of disruptor fire hit the column behind him. “I need another thirty seconds! Cover me!”

MacLeod gritted his teeth, eyes darting to the insurgents. They were regrouping, preparing for a final push. It was now or never.

“Kibali, Cael—keep them pinned!” MacLeod ordered, positioning himself between Wellborn and the enemy fire. His phaser blazed, keeping the insurgents off balance but not enough to break their hold.

Kibali’s shots were precise, each one forcing the insurgents to dive for cover. It wasn’t enough. “We’re not going to hold them much longer, Captain!”

“Dick!” MacLeod barked. “Get that goddamned hatch open!”

Wellborn worked frantically, his fingers flying over the access panel. Sparks flew as he bypassed the security protocols, and the reinforced hatch groaned, starting to creak open.

“Just a few more seconds!” Wellborn shouted, sweat dripping from his brow.

But the insurgents weren’t waiting. They regrouped, and MacLeod saw the shift in their movements that an aggressive push was coming. He fired off another volley of shots, hitting one of the insurgents square in the chest, but the others were already moving in with weapons raised.

“Kibali…Now!” MacLeod shouted.

Without hesitation, Kibali fired several rapid shots, forcing the insurgents to dive for cover again. It was just enough to buy Wellborn the time he needed.

The hatch finally groaned open, the reinforced door sliding aside with a screech of metal. “We’re clear!” Wellborn shouted, scrambling through the opening.

“Move, now!” MacLeod yelled, grabbing the prisoner by the collar and hauling him to his feet.

Kibali and Cael fired as they retreated through the hatch, the insurgents’ fire intensifying. The walls around them shook, and more debris fell as the facility continued to collapse. They didn’t have seconds left—only fragments of time between life and death.

“Let’s go!” MacLeod ordered, dragging the prisoner through the opening. Wellborn and Kibali were inside, pulling Cael in as the insurgents resumed their advance.

The moment they were through, Wellborn slammed his hand against the panel, sealing the hatch behind them with a loud, echoing thud.

The ground beneath them shuddered violently, and the sound of the collapsing facility deafened the other side of the door. For a moment, everything was chaos—shaking walls, the roar of falling structures, the relentless buzz of disruptors outside.

A loud crash occurred followed by a torrent of loud screams. All was silent now.

MacLeod exhaled slowly, his chest heaving from the exertion. They had made it, barely. But as he looked down at the prisoner, the man’s calm demeanor had returned, his eyes gleaming in the dim light of the passageway.

“Enjoy the moment, Captain. You may have escaped the fire, but Korrin’s just getting started.” The prisoner said with a low and mocking voice.

MacLeod hauled him forward roughly. “You’re done playing games. When we get topside, you’re going to tell me and the Raeyan Security Forces everything you know.”

“Oh, Captain, you have no idea what’s coming.” The prisoner whispered as a smile formed on his face. 

And as the tremors subsided and the reality of the near collapse set in, MacLeod knew that the battle was far from over. Whatever Korrin’s next move was, they were already behind.