PROJECT: CAYRO

Captain Edwards:

September 4, 2025

18:57 CST

The Death Reckoning

15,000 feet over Barksdale Air Force Base, LA.

It had been nearly eight days since our recon mission over San Antonio. After meticulously combing through the data, the conclusions were clear: the SAF had indeed picked up the elusive Dr. Zaraki, just as we had anticipated. Their meeting with the state governor seemed to be a convenient cover for the doctor’s quiet boarding. While some crew members were engaged in diplomatic pleasantries, the rest took advantage of the situation to discreetly load equipment and the doctor’s personal belongings onto the ship.

What caught my attention was the volume of equipment being loaded. It was more than just a few crates; it looked like Dr. Zaraki was moving in permanently. The drones didn’t just capture the logistics, though—they also got us something far more valuable: visuals of our target. Star Zaraki was piloting one of their so-called skycars, patrolling over the Autumn’s hydrogen bladders. But the real gem was the young man in the co-pilot’s seat.

This young man, barely out of his teens, bore a striking resemblance to someone we knew—or rather, someone we thought was long dead. One of the drones had managed to capture a crystal-clear image of his face. When we ran it through the government’s facial recognition database, we got a hit that sent shivers down my spine: a 65% match with Captain Jacob Bracton, a man who was supposed to be six feet under.

I’d just finished reviewing the ship’s status reports and our intel on the SAF Autumn’s current location when I sent an update to the Colonel. He had made it abundantly clear that we were to avoid any direct conflict while the SAF was over Texas soil; the last thing the U.S. Government needed was to spark a civil war. So, the Death Reckoning had been lying low, parked above Barksdale Air Force Base. The Colonel had even secured permission to continue using the drones out of Dyess to track the Autumn as it flitted between Texas and Mexico, gathering supplies and making deliveries.

At one point, I was almost certain the SAF had sniffed us out when they made a delivery near Texarkana, but our ruse with the drones out of Dyess seemed to throw them off. Keeping the Death Reckoning at Barksdale ensured we stayed well out of their radar range. After another round of surveillance review with my first officer and the special operations team leader, it became clear that any premature move could blow our chance to capture Star Zaraki.

I stared at the photo of the young man on my tablet one last time before closing the file. It couldn’t be… Captain Bracton’s son, Christopher James Bracton, was reported dead years ago. So, who the hell was this kid? Standing up from my desk, I pocketed my tablet and stepped out of my ready room onto the bridge.

“Where’s the current location of the Autumn?” I barked, settling into my captain’s chair.

“The SAF Autumn is fifty miles off the coast of Mexico, near South Padre Island. They’re currently stationary, sir,” my tactical officer reported.

“What’s our status?” I demanded.

“Sir, we’re ready to depart at your command,” my executive officer responded crisply.

“Set a course for Lake Charles Airport. Keep our speed low; I want us to appear as if we’re completely unaware of their presence. We can’t afford to spook them.”

“Roger that, Captain,” my navigation and helm officers confirmed in unison.