The resemblance was uncanny.
Lady A's features, the way she carried herself—it all mirrored Alicia, the woman Rey had loved and lost. Memories of her flooded his mind, unbidden and painful. Alicia's laughter, her strength, her unwavering resolve… and the moment she was taken from him.
His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his nails digging into his palms.
It couldn't be her.
Alicia was gone.
He had seen it with his own eyes. But the resemblance was too striking to ignore.
As Lady A continued walking, acknowledging the crowd with a slight nod, Rey found himself rooted to the spot. His mind raced with questions, but no answers came.
'Who the hell is she?'
And why did she look so much like the woman he thought he'd never see again?
*********
[Later That Day]
Several hours later, Rey received a summons to a briefing room.
The message was brief and formal, indicating that all Supervising Officers were required to attend. It seemed routine, but Rey couldn't shake the lingering unease from earlier.
The briefing room was large and well-lit, with rows of seats arranged around a central platform. As Rey entered, he noticed several officers already present, most of them engaged in quiet conversations. His sister, Lisa Skylar, stood near the entrance, her polished appearance as precise as ever.
She smiled when she saw him and gestured to an empty seat beside her.
"Rey, over here. You should sit with me."
He hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "I'm fine. I'll find my own spot."
Lisa's smile faltered slightly, but she didn't press him further.
'My actions might seem cruel, but I know what you are, Lisa… and I don't trust you.' Rey thought, even noticing the many disapproving gazes he received from everyone else.
He understood how many of the staff in HQ perceived him.
'Many people believe I stole Ezra's position through some underhanded methods, and I'm sure Lisa had something to do with the proliferation of that rumor… but I don't care.'
He had other important things on his mind.
Rey walked toward a seat near the edge of the room, away from most of the chatter. He preferred to observe from a distance rather than be drawn into meaningless small talk.
As he settled into his chair, the murmurs in the room shifted.
People were turning toward the entrance, and when Rey looked up, his breath caught.
Lady A had entered the room.
The effect was immediate. Every officer straightened, their attention drawn to her as if she carried an unspoken authority. The sound of applause filled the room as the officers clapped to acknowledge her recent success in taking down pne of the Dragon Emperor's strongholds.
Lady A nodded in acknowledgment, her expression calm and composed as she walked toward an empty seat.
Rey didn't clap.
He couldn't.
His mind was still caught in the image of her face and the striking resemblance to Alicia.
To his growing discomfort, she chose the seat directly beside him.
As she sat down, Rey felt an unusual tension settle over him. Her presence was overwhelming—not just because of her reputation, but because every movement, every subtle expression, was a reminder of someone he had lost.
Lady A seemed to notice his unease.
She turned to him, her violet eyes meeting his with quiet curiosity.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, her voice low but clear. "I noticed you've been staring at me strangely for a while now. I also… haven't seen you around, though you appear familiar."
Rey stiffened.
Her voice was familiar too—eerily so.
It was a tad deeper, perhaps, but the cadence and tone mirrored Alicia's.
For a moment, he couldn't find the words.
Then, managing to steady himself, he replied, "You… resemble someone I know."
Lady A raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable.
"Is that so?"
Their brief exchange didn't go unnoticed.
Around the room, other Supervising Officers exchanged glances, surprised by the interaction. Lady A was known for being reserved and distant. Few could claim to have held a conversation with her, and even fewer had drawn such direct attention.
Lisa, seated on the opposite side of the room, frowned slightly.
She had been trying to engage with Lady A since her promotion but had received little more than polite responses. Yet now, the Resistance's strongest operative was speaking to Rey as if he were an old acquaintance.
Before the exchange could continue, the door opened again, and the atmosphere shifted once more.
Admiral Zach Skylar entered, his imposing presence commanding immediate silence.
He scanned the room, his gaze briefly lingering on Lady A and Rey seated beside one another. A flicker of surprise crossed his face, but he quickly masked it.
Whatever thoughts he had about the scene, he kept them to himself.
"Good afternoon, everyone," the Admiral began, stepping onto the central platform. "Let's get started."
The meeting began with a sense of gravity that hung over the room, the kind of tension that came with discussing matters of great consequence.
"I believe it's only right that you hear the details directly from the one who experienced it." Admiral Zach Skylar took a step back after a brief introduction, gesturing toward Lady A.
"The floor is yours."
Lady A stood, her commanding presence pulling the room's attention to her effortlessly. Rey found his gaze locked on her again, though this time, he forced himself to focus on her words rather than her uncanny resemblance to Alicia.
"Our recent success at dismantling one of the Dragon Emperor's major strongholds provided us with critical intelligence," Lady A began, her voice firm yet calm. "Among the reports we've decoded, we've discovered alarming patterns. There's been a significant concentration of resources—materials, personnel, and even magical energy—funneled into a location we've identified as a 'Production Center.'"
She paused, letting the weight of her words settle.
"The purpose of this center is not entirely clear. However, what we do know is that it's producing something of immense power. The scale of the operation suggests that whatever is being created there could shift the balance of power in the Dragon Emperor's favor."
In essence… things were looking very bad for humanity.