Tensions among the Seedkeepers simmered dangerously as Gray, frustrated by the survivors' infighting, began collaborating with a local tech leader named Rylan. The meeting took place at Rylan's stronghold—a fortified warehouse stacked with glowing K'tharr artifacts, pulsating faintly in the dim light.
When Emma and the team arrived, the atmosphere was heavy with unease.
"They're doing more for Earth than we are," Gray said bitterly, standing beside Rylan, a wiry man with a calculating stare. His voice was tight, his frustration palpable. "We can't save everyone, Emma."
Emma faced him, her expression hardening. "We're not here to pick sides, Gray. We're here to help everyone. That's the mission."
"Help?" Rylan interjected with a scoff, crossing his arms. "You Seedkeepers disappeared when we needed you most. Now you swoop in like you own the place? We've been protecting our people—using this tech to survive."
Emma didn't flinch. Her tone remained calm but resolute. "You're hoarding it. That tech is dangerous. It's driving the Touched mad and fueling wars between survivors."
Rylan stepped forward, his gaze sharp and unyielding. "And it's keeping us alive. You don't get to tell us how to survive."
"I'm not here to fight you," Emma said, raising her hands slightly. "I'm asking you to share the tech. Together, we can neutralize its dangers and protect everyone—your people and ours."
"Why should I trust you?" Rylan asked, his suspicion thinly veiled. "You abandoned us once already."
Emma's voice softened but carried an edge of determination. "Because we're here now. We've seen what K'tharr tech can do—its potential and its dangers. Let us help you use it safely. We can do this together—for everyone's sake."
Rylan glanced at Gray. "What do you think? You've been working with us. Do you trust her?"
Gray hesitated, his gaze flickering toward Emma. For a moment, it seemed like he might turn away completely. But then he sighed, his voice subdued. "I… I do. She's stubborn, sure, but she's committed. We can do more together."
Rylan grunted. "Fine. But if this goes south, it's on you, Gray."
As they left the stronghold, the rift between Gray and Emma remained tangible. Later that evening, Gray approached her by the campfire.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly, his posture uncharacteristically tense. "I just… I thought they were doing more than we were. It felt like we were spinning our wheels while they were actually helping."
Emma met his conflicted gaze. "I get it," she said, her tone firm but understanding. "But we need to stick together, Gray. That's the only way we're going to get through this—by trusting each other."
Gray nodded, but the tension lingered in his expression.
Later, Emma met with Lucas to discuss the Touched. Lucas's holo-display illuminated the dim space around them, lines of data crisscrossing like a web.
"We've noticed a pattern," Lucas began, pointing to clusters on the map. "The Touched are drawn to K'tharr artifacts. It's like the tech is… calling to them."
Emma frowned, her jaw tightening. "A failsafe?" she asked. "Something designed to keep Earth in chaos?"
"Exactly," Lucas said grimly. "The K'tharr anticipated their own defeat. The Touched and the tech—it's all interconnected, meant to destabilize any chance of recovery."
As Lucas's words sank in, Markus approached, his expression tense. He carried a portable scanner displaying fluctuating energy readings.
"These spikes," Markus said, gesturing to the display. "They're coming from the solar system's edge. The Void Rangers, the Quantum Schism—they're moving, Emma. It's only a matter of time before they're here."
Emma inhaled deeply, her resolve steady as steel. "We're not leaving yet," she said. Her voice was calm but unyielding. "We help Earth first. That's the priority."
Markus's frustration was visible in the tight set of his shoulders, but he said nothing more.
As the night deepened, the WoodDust's hum grew louder. It pulsed rhythmically, a warning from the void, whispering of dangers yet to come.