Chapter 1: Scattered Stars
A dull, rhythmic thrum echoed in Aarav’s ears as his consciousness clawed its way back to the surface. The taste of copper filled his mouth, and the air around him burned with acrid smoke and ozone. When his eyes cracked open, the world blurred into a smear of gray and orange—ashes swirling like ghosts above a scorched wasteland.
His chest ached with every shallow breath. Somewhere, the guttural groans of collapsing metal punctuated the desolation. He tried to move, but his body rebelled. Sparks danced along the remains of his combat suit, its once-pristine armor now little more than charred fragments clinging to his battered frame. His thoughts swirled in confusion. Where was he?
And then it struck him—the Vishwaroopa Mode.
Memories surged like floodwaters breaching a dam: Vedara’s light blazing as it ascended to its godlike state, the sheer devastation that followed. Entire Dominion battle groups erased in moments. The sudden silence when the light faded, leaving only this wasteland in its wake.
Aarav’s voice cracked as he whispered, “How many…?”
The question hung in the air, unanswered, as he forced himself to sit upright. Pain radiated from every nerve, but he had to move. The remnants of the colony stretched out before him, a tapestry of ruin. Jagged spires of blackened metal jutted from the earth like broken teeth, and beneath them, the twisted forms of Dominion and Vaikuntha ships lay in smoldering heaps.
The ground crunched beneath him as he staggered to his feet. Vedara stood nearby, silent and still, its metallic frame half-buried in rubble. The astramech’s once-radiant gold and obsidian plating was scorched and cracked, its divine aura replaced by an ominous stillness. Aarav pressed a trembling hand against its massive leg.
“Maitreyi?” he called out, his voice hoarse.
For a moment, there was no response. Then, a faint hum rippled through the air. A flicker of blue light danced across Vedara’s surface, resolving into the holographic form of Maitreyi. She appeared dim, her usual calm expression replaced by something that almost resembled exhaustion.
“Jeevadhara,” she said softly. “You are… alive.”
“Barely.” Aarav coughed, clutching his ribs. “What happened? The last thing I remember—”
“Vishwaroopa Mode,” Maitreyi interrupted, her voice tinged with an uncharacteristic gravity. “Its power exceeded even my projections. The devastation here…” She hesitated. “I regret to inform you that this colony—Vaikuntha’s and Dominion’s alike—has suffered irreparable loss.”
Aarav’s stomach churned as he surveyed the ruin. Smoke rose in serpentine plumes across the horizon, and distant screams echoed faintly through the ash-choked wind. Survivors? No, it couldn’t be. Not after what he had unleashed.
“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” he muttered, his fists trembling. “Vedara was supposed to protect. To preserve balance. Not—”
“Balance is not without cost,” Maitreyi said, her hologram flickering. “This is the weight of your role as the Jeevadhara. To wield such power is to accept its consequences.”
Aarav staggered back, his head spinning. He couldn’t accept that. Not this.
The sound of shifting rubble jolted him from his thoughts. A figure emerged from the smoke, coughing and stumbling. Aarav’s breath caught—a child. A young girl, no older than eight, clutching a tattered blanket. Her face was smeared with soot, her eyes wide and filled with terror.
“Help…” she whispered, barely audible.
Aarav rushed toward her, ignoring the pain that screamed through his body. He knelt before the girl, his hands trembling as he reached out.
“It’s okay,” he said, his voice shaking. “I’m here. You’re safe now.”
The girl stared at him, uncomprehending. Behind her, more figures began to emerge from the ruins—men and women, their faces etched with despair. Survivors.
Aarav’s heart sank. These people had endured the unthinkable, and he was the reason they had suffered. As he looked into their hollow eyes, a heavy realization settled over him.
The Vishwaroopa Mode had saved the galaxy from Ravana’s forces—but at what cost?
The girl hadn’t moved from Aarav’s side. Her small hand gripped the edge of his torn sleeve as if letting go would cast her back into the chaos that surrounded them. Her blanket, riddled with burn marks, clung to her frail frame, and her lips quivered in a silent plea.
The other survivors had begun to gather in a loose circle, murmuring to one another in hushed tones. Their expressions ranged from hollow to accusatory, their gazes flickering toward Vedara’s massive form looming in the distance.
“It was him,” a man said, his voice hoarse and bitter. He was older, his face lined with ash and grief. “He brought that thing here.”
Aarav felt the words like a punch to the gut.
“That ‘thing’ saved you,” Maitreyi’s calm voice cut through the tension, her holographic projection materializing at Aarav’s side. The survivors recoiled, startled by the sudden appearance of the AI.
“Saved us?” the man snapped, his voice rising. “Do you call this salvation?” He gestured to the ruins around them. “My wife… my son… gone. This colony—what’s left of it—burned to ash! All because of that machine!”
“I’m sorry,” Aarav said, his voice trembling. “I didn’t—”
“You didn’t what?” the man interrupted, stepping forward. “You didn’t mean to? You didn’t think? Or maybe you just didn’t care?”
The crowd’s murmurs grew louder, their anger and despair coalescing into a palpable tension. Aarav raised his hands in a placating gesture, but the weight of their accusations pressed down on him like a vice.
“Enough.”
Maitreyi’s voice carried a quiet authority that silenced the crowd. Her translucent form glided forward, her eyes—calm yet unyielding—meeting the man’s glare.
“Vedara’s activation prevented the Dominion from annihilating this colony entirely,” she said. “Without the Vishwaroopa Mode, you would all be dead.”
“And what about the ones who are dead?” the man shot back. “Who speaks for them?”
“Balance is a cruel necessity,” Maitreyi replied. “The Dominion sought to wield power without restraint, to consume all who stood in their path. Vedara’s intervention was the only way to prevent their complete domination.”
“And now we’re supposed to just thank you for destroying what little we had left?” a woman in the crowd said, her voice breaking. “Our homes… our families… everything’s gone.”
Aarav’s heart ached as he looked at the faces before him. He saw not just grief, but a mirror to his own doubts. They were right—how could he justify this destruction?
“I’m not asking for your forgiveness,” Aarav said, his voice low but steady. “I know I can’t give you back what you’ve lost. But I swear… I’ll find a way to make this right.”
The girl tugged on his sleeve, her wide eyes meeting his. “Make it stop,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “The hurting… make it stop.”
Aarav knelt before her, his hands trembling as he placed them on her shoulders. “I’ll try,” he said softly. “I promise I’ll try.”
The survivors began to disperse, some shaking their heads, others too exhausted to continue their protests. Aarav watched them go, their broken forms disappearing into the haze of ash and smoke.
Maitreyi’s hologram flickered as she turned to him. “Jeevadhara,” she said, her tone softer now. “This pain is a burden you must carry, but it need not consume you.”
“How can I protect balance when I can’t even protect these people?” Aarav muttered, his voice raw.
“Balance is not about perfection,” Maitreyi replied. “It is about preserving what can be preserved, even in the face of loss.”
Aarav looked back at Vedara, its towering frame motionless against the backdrop of devastation. For the first time, the astramech felt less like a divine guardian and more like a curse—a constant reminder of the cost of wielding its power.
The girl’s quiet sobs broke through his thoughts. Aarav rose, lifting her into his arms. She weighed almost nothing, her fragile frame a stark contrast to the enormity of the responsibility now resting on his shoulders.
“We need to move,” Maitreyi said. “Dominion forces will return soon. This colony is no longer safe.”
Aarav nodded, his jaw tightening. “Where’s the nearest Vaikuntha outpost?”
Maitreyi’s hologram flickered as she accessed Vedara’s systems. “Twenty kilometers to the north. Commander Vasuki may still hold a forward position there, but the status is unconfirmed.”
Aarav took a shaky breath, his legs protesting as he began to walk. Each step was a reminder of the destruction left in his wake, but the girl’s weight in his arms grounded him. He couldn’t undo what had happened here, but he could keep moving forward.
He had to.
The sun was a dim ember on the horizon, choked by thick clouds of ash that painted the landscape in hues of gray and orange. Aarav trudged forward, every step a battle against the weight in his arms and the guilt in his chest. The girl clung to him like a lifeline, her shallow breaths warming the crook of his neck.
Behind him, Vedara followed, its enormous frame casting a jagged shadow over the desolate terrain. It moved with an eerie grace, its servos hissing softly as it navigated the debris field. The astramech had gone silent, its once-resplendent presence dimmed, as though it, too, bore the weight of the destruction left behind.
Ahead, the remnants of a shattered skyline came into view—a cluster of scorched buildings barely standing against the wind. Aarav squinted, trying to discern any signs of life.
“Maitreyi, are you sure this is the outpost?” he asked, his voice barely audible over the crunch of ash beneath his boots.
“I detect residual Vaikuntha energy signatures,” Maitreyi replied, her holographic form flickering into existence beside him. “If this was a forward command post, it may still contain survivors. Or supplies.”
“Or traps,” Aarav muttered.
As they approached, the faint hum of a shield generator became audible, a low, steady vibration that seemed to pulse in rhythm with Aarav’s heartbeat. A faint shimmer of light rippled over the ruins, revealing the faint outline of an active energy barrier.
“That’s Vaikuntha tech,” Aarav said, his spirits lifting slightly.
Maitreyi nodded. “It appears to be a containment shield. Likely designed to keep Dominion forces at bay. Proceed with caution.”
Aarav adjusted the girl in his arms, his muscles burning with fatigue as he approached the edge of the barrier. “Hello?” he called out, his voice hoarse but firm. “This is Aarav Rishi of the Vaikuntha fleet. I’m… I’m with Vedara.”
For a moment, there was only silence. Then, a harsh mechanical whine cut through the air as a turret pivoted toward them, its targeting systems locking onto Aarav’s chest.
“State your clearance code,” a voice crackled through an unseen speaker. It was low and gravelly, tinged with suspicion.
“I don’t have a code,” Aarav admitted, his jaw tightening. “But I have survivors here. We need shelter. Let us through.”
The turret whirred as it adjusted its aim, the barrel now centered on Vedara’s head. Aarav tensed, shifting the girl behind him instinctively.
“Identify yourself,” the voice demanded again. “Or you will be fired upon.”
Maitreyi stepped forward, her holographic form standing directly in front of the turret. “This unit is Vedara, designated astramech of the Jeevadhara. By Vaikuntha protocol, it supersedes all local command authority. Lower your weapons.”
The silence that followed was deafening. Then, with a faint hum, the barrier shimmered and parted, revealing a narrow path into the ruins.
“You’d better be who you say you are,” the voice growled. “Commander Vasuki doesn’t like uninvited guests.”
The interior of the colony was a grim reflection of what Aarav had left behind. The surviving buildings leaned precariously, their walls blackened and cracked. Makeshift barricades and weapon emplacements were scattered throughout, manned by weary Vaikuntha soldiers whose faces were streaked with soot and exhaustion.
As Aarav stepped through the shield, the soldiers eyed him warily, their fingers hovering over the triggers of their rifles. Their attention flicked between him, the girl in his arms, and Vedara’s imposing silhouette.
“Stay close,” Aarav whispered to the girl.
A tall figure emerged from the shadows, his armor scorched but intact. His weathered face was marked by a jagged scar that ran from his temple to his jaw, and his piercing eyes betrayed no emotion.
“Commander Vasuki,” Maitreyi said, her tone neutral.
The man’s gaze flicked to the AI before settling on Aarav. “You’re the one who brought that… thing here?” he asked, gesturing toward Vedara.
“I didn’t have much of a choice,” Aarav replied, setting the girl down gently. “This colony was under Dominion attack. Vedara intervened.”
Vasuki crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. “And in the process, you turned it into a graveyard.”
“I know,” Aarav said, his voice heavy with guilt. “I didn’t come here to argue. I came to help.”
“Help?” Vasuki barked a bitter laugh. “You’ve done enough. Half my men are dead, and the rest are barely holding this place together. We don’t need more destruction.”
“I didn’t want this,” Aarav said, his hands curling into fists. “But the Dominion isn’t going to stop. They’ll come for this colony again, and when they do, you won’t survive without Vedara.”
Vasuki stared at him for a long moment, the tension between them thick enough to cut. Finally, he sighed and gestured to one of his soldiers.
“Take the kid to the med bay,” he said. “The rest of you, keep your eyes on that mech. One wrong move, and I want it disabled. Understood?”
The soldiers murmured their assent, and the girl hesitated before reluctantly letting go of Aarav’s hand.
“I’ll come find you soon,” Aarav promised her.
She nodded silently, her wide eyes lingering on him before she was led away.
Vasuki turned back to Aarav, his expression hard. “If you’re staying here, you follow my orders. And if that machine of yours goes out of control again…”
“It won’t,” Aarav said firmly.
Vasuki raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He turned and walked away, his soldiers falling in behind him. Aarav watched them go, the weight of their distrust settling heavily on his shoulders.
Beside him, Maitreyi’s hologram flickered. “You have their attention, but not their trust,” she said. “You’ll need both if you wish to survive here.”
“Trust isn’t exactly something I’m good at earning these days,” Aarav muttered.
“Perhaps,” Maitreyi replied. “But it is worth earning nonetheless.”
Aarav sighed, his gaze drifting to Vedara’s looming form. “Let’s see how long we can keep this place standing.”
The crackle of distant gunfire echoed through the ruined colony as Aarav stood near the edge of the makeshift encampment, his eyes scanning the horizon. The Vaikuntha soldiers moved like shadows through the wreckage, reinforcing barricades and calibrating rusted weaponry. Their faces were masks of exhaustion, their movements robotic.
From his perch atop a pile of rubble, Aarav could see the full extent of the devastation. The ground was scarred with deep craters, some still glowing faintly from residual energy blasts. Entire blocks of buildings had been flattened, their skeletal remains jutting out like broken bones. Smoke hung in the air, smothering what little light managed to pierce the thick clouds above.
This wasn’t a battlefield. It was a graveyard.
Behind him, Vedara stood in solemn silence, its massive form blending into the desolate backdrop. The astramech’s once-glorious radiance had been dulled to a smoldering shadow of its former self. Aarav could feel its presence, a faint hum at the edge of his consciousness, but it offered no comfort.
Maitreyi’s voice broke the silence. “Dominion forces are regrouping. Their scouts have been sighted less than fifty kilometers from this position.”
Aarav turned to find her hologram materializing beside him. Her serene expression was unchanged, but there was a note of urgency in her tone.
“Then it’s only a matter of time before they hit us again,” Aarav said grimly.
“Indeed,” Maitreyi replied. “Commander Vasuki is preparing for an imminent assault. However…”
Her voice trailed off, and Aarav frowned. “However, what?”
Maitreyi hesitated—a rare occurrence. “There is discord within the Vaikuntha ranks. Many of the soldiers blame Vedara for the destruction of the colony. Their morale is… tenuous.”
Aarav clenched his fists. “I’ve noticed. They won’t even look me in the eye.”
“They are grieving,” Maitreyi said softly. “Grief often seeks a target.”
Before Aarav could respond, heavy footsteps approached from behind. He turned to see Commander Vasuki ascending the rubble, his scarred face set in a hard scowl.
“We need to talk,” Vasuki said curtly, his voice low.
Aarav nodded and followed him down the other side of the mound, away from prying eyes. The two men stopped near a shattered comms tower, its cables sparking faintly in the gloom.
“I’ve been hearing whispers,” Vasuki began, crossing his arms. “Some of my men think you’re a liability. That Vedara’s more dangerous to us than the Dominion is.”
“They’re not wrong,” Aarav admitted, his tone bitter.
Vasuki’s eyes narrowed. “So you admit it?”
“I didn’t say I agree,” Aarav snapped. “Look, I know what happened here. I know what Vedara did. But without it, this colony would’ve been wiped off the map.”
“And yet here we are,” Vasuki countered, gesturing to the ruins around them. “Barely standing. You tell me—was it worth it?”
Aarav stared at him, the words catching in his throat. Was it worth it? He didn’t have an answer.
Vasuki sighed and ran a hand over his face. “The Dominion’s coming. We both know that. But if this place falls, it won’t just be because of them. It’ll be because we were too broken to hold the line.”
“You’re saying I’m the one breaking it,” Aarav said flatly.
“I’m saying you need to figure out where you stand,” Vasuki shot back. “You’re not just a pilot anymore. You’re the Jeevadhara. People look to you whether you like it or not. And right now, they’re looking for someone to blame—or someone to follow.”
Aarav exhaled sharply, his shoulders slumping. “And if I can’t be what they need?”
“Then you’d better hope Vedara’s power is enough to save us, because nothing else will,” Vasuki said.
Before Aarav could respond, a sharp whistle rang out from the camp. Both men turned to see a soldier sprinting toward them, his helmet askew and his face pale.
“Commander!” the soldier shouted, skidding to a halt. “We’ve intercepted a transmission. Dominion forces—they’re mobilizing!”
“How many?” Vasuki demanded.
The soldier hesitated. “Enough to overwhelm us. Rakshasa units are confirmed in the vanguard.”
Vasuki’s jaw tightened, and he turned to Aarav. “You wanted a chance to prove yourself? Here it is.”
Minutes later, the camp was a flurry of activity. Soldiers scrambled to reinforce barricades and load ammunition, their movements frantic but precise. The tension in the air was palpable, a storm building on the edge of the horizon.
Aarav stood near Vedara, his mind racing. He could feel the astramech’s dormant power humming beneath his skin, a constant reminder of the destruction it was capable of. The weight of it pressed down on him, threatening to crush him beneath its enormity.
Maitreyi appeared beside him, her holographic form flickering. “The Dominion’s Rakshasa units are formidable,” she said. “Their armor is enhanced with regenerative systems, and their firepower rivals Vedara’s own capabilities.”
“Great,” Aarav muttered. “Anything else I should know?”
“Their pilots are trained for precision strikes,” Maitreyi continued. “They will target critical infrastructure and command units first. This colony’s defenses will not withstand a prolonged assault.”
Aarav looked over his shoulder at the soldiers scrambling to prepare. Their faces were set with determination, but he could see the fear lurking beneath the surface. These were people fighting for their lives, not soldiers prepared for an all-out war.
“They’re not ready for this,” Aarav said quietly.
“No,” Maitreyi agreed. “But you are.”
Her words hung in the air, and Aarav closed his eyes, drawing a deep breath. When he opened them again, his gaze was steady.
“Then let’s make sure this colony sees another sunrise,” he said.
The air crackled with tension as the sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting long shadows across the ruined colony. Aarav stood atop the makeshift command post, Vedara looming behind him like a silent sentinel. In the distance, faint tremors rippled through the ground—steady, unrelenting. The Dominion forces were closing in.
Around him, Vaikuntha soldiers scrambled to fortify their positions. Sandbags, plasma shields, and salvaged mech parts were hastily assembled into barricades. The murmurs of hurried conversations and shouted orders filled the air, punctuated by the metallic clatter of weapons being prepped.
Aarav turned to Maitreyi, her holographic form faint against the dimming light. “How long until they’re on us?”
“Ten minutes,” Maitreyi replied. “Their vanguard will consist of light reconnaissance units, but the Rakshasa mechs will follow shortly after. If we fail to neutralize the initial wave, the colony’s defenses will collapse.”
Aarav glanced at the soldiers, their grim faces illuminated by the flickering light of field generators. These weren’t hardened warriors—they were survivors, barely clinging to hope. And now they were looking to him.
He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Patch me through to their comms.”
Maitreyi nodded, and a faint chime signaled the connection. Aarav’s voice, amplified by Vedara’s systems, echoed across the camp.
“Listen up,” he began, his tone steady despite the turmoil inside him. “I know most of you don’t trust me. I know you’ve lost more than I can ever understand. But right now, none of that matters. What matters is what’s coming for us. The Dominion doesn’t care about your pain, your grief, or your survival. They’re here to finish what they started.”
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. The soldiers had stopped moving, their eyes fixed on him.
“But we’re not done yet,” Aarav continued, his voice rising. “This colony still stands. You still stand. And as long as we’re here, we fight. Not just for survival—but for everyone who couldn’t make it out of the rubble. For every life they’ve taken. For balance.”
A murmur rippled through the crowd, faint but growing. Aarav took a deep breath. “You have my word—Vedara and I will hold the line. But I need you with me. Together, we can show them that this colony isn’t just another target. It’s a statement. We won’t be broken.”
The murmurs grew louder, turning into scattered cheers. Aarav caught a glimpse of Commander Vasuki, his arms crossed and his expression inscrutable. But when their eyes met, Vasuki gave a single, firm nod.
Maitreyi’s voice cut through the growing noise. “Incoming transmission from the Vaikuntha fleet. Source: Tara Ishani.”
Aarav’s heart skipped. “Patch her through.”
A holographic display flickered to life, and Tara’s face appeared, framed by the battered interior of the Amaravarti. Her features were sharp, her auburn hair tied back tightly, and her eyes burned with intensity.
“Aarav,” she said, her voice clipped but relieved. “You’re alive.”
“Barely,” he replied. “I take it you’ve heard about the Dominion.”
“We intercepted their comms,” Tara said, her tone grim. “It’s worse than you think. This isn’t just a skirmish—they’re making a statement. If they take this colony, it’ll crush what’s left of Vaikuntha morale.”
“Then we can’t let that happen,” Aarav said.
“You’re outnumbered and outgunned,” Tara warned. “Even with Vedara, this isn’t a fight you can win alone.”
“Who said anything about fighting alone?” Aarav shot back.
Tara’s lips twitched into a faint smile. “Good. Because reinforcements are en route. It’s not much—just a few squadrons and a support cruiser—but it’ll buy you time.”
Aarav’s shoulders sagged with relief. “When can we expect you?”
“Thirty minutes,” Tara replied. “Hold the line until then.”
“We will,” Aarav said.
Tara’s expression softened for a moment. “Stay alive, Aarav. We’ve already lost too much.”
The transmission cut off, and Aarav turned back to Maitreyi. “You heard her. Thirty minutes.”
“Understood,” Maitreyi said. “I will deploy Vedara to intercept the vanguard.”
Aarav nodded, his jaw tightening as he climbed into Vedara’s cockpit. The interior was dark, save for the faint glow of the control panels. He slid into the pilot’s seat, the harness locking into place around him. The familiar hum of Vedara’s systems coursed through his veins, a living, breathing connection.
“Jeevadhara,” Maitreyi said, her voice resonating within the cockpit. “Are you prepared?”
Aarav closed his eyes, his fingers curling around the controls. The memories of Lanka Prime flashed through his mind—the light, the devastation, the screams.
This time would be different. It had to be.
“Let’s do this,” he said, his voice steady.
Vedara’s systems roared to life, its golden eyes igniting like twin suns. The ground trembled as it took its first step forward, the soldiers parting to let it pass. Aarav could see their faces as he moved through the camp—some filled with awe, others with fear.
The tremors beneath the ground grew stronger, and on the horizon, dark shapes began to materialize. The Dominion’s vanguard had arrived.
Aarav tightened his grip on the controls.
“Time to hold the line.”