Dale, Reynold, and Seraphim didn't question Kingsley's words. If he had said it, then it was true.
The realization hit like a quiet storm, each of them was at the Ecliptic rank, veterans hardened through experience and time. And yet, standing before them were two soldiers bearing the insignia of the Private rank… who were stronger.
'What the hell is the Blue Planet turning into?'
The unspoken thought echoed in all their minds like a collective cry. It had been over three decades since they last set foot on their home planet, a time that predated even the births of Anthony and his mysterious subordinates.
They couldn't bring themselves to believe that raw resources alone, even if provided by someone like Anthony, could elevate a person to the Ecliptic rank or beyond by the mere age of nineteen.
