I need to slow this down. My brain is still catching up to the part where I might be getting drafted into an underground revolution, and Nova is looking at me like she expects some grand declaration. I panic, latching onto the first thing I can think of.

  "Uh, what about the sponsors?" My voice comes out a little too quick, a little too eager. Distraction. Yes. Let’s talk about the sponsors instead of, you know, toppling an alien empire.

  Nova’s luminescent patterns shift to a deeper, more intense blue as she takes another sip of the stellar nectar. She watches me for a moment, like she’s weighing how much to say.

  "The sponsors are the true power in this system," she explains, creating a light construct that shows various alien forms, each with distinct characteristics. "Different species, different factions, all part of a vast interstellar coalition. Some are warriors themselves, others are merchants or scientists who've never personally seen combat."

  She manipulates the light to focus on a particular alien form, taller than the others, with an elongated skull and six-fingered hands.

  "The Shard Collective controls most of the high-tier combatants. They believe enhancement should push toward intellectual evolution rather than just physical dominance. Their fighters tend to develop more sophisticated power applications."

  The image shifts to a bulkier alien form with iridescent plating along its body.

  "The Krex favor brute strength and endurance. Their sponsored fighters rarely lose, but they're often... damaged by the experience. The Krex view enhanced humans as disposable assets, meant to be used up and discarded."

  She dissolves the display, moving closer to me.

  "Each sponsor has their own facility access, their own enhancement technologies, their own political agenda within the alien hierarchy. The right sponsor can mean the difference between being treated as a prized asset or as expendable entertainment."

  Nova traces a finger along one of her luminescent markings. "These aren't just decorative. They're biomolecular signatures indicating ownership. Every victory in the arena strengthens the connection between fighter and sponsor, giving them greater influence over your enhancements."

  That sounds ominous…

  Her eyes lock with mine, intense and serious. "When a sponsor claims you, they gain partial access to your biological functions. They can amplify your powers during matches, suppress pain receptors, even trigger adrenaline responses remotely. The more matches you win for them, the deeper their control becomes."

  I involuntarily shudder at the idea of some alien controlling me like that.

  She moves to the viewport, gazing out at the alien landscape. "I belong to the Luminar Conclave. They value spectacle and artistry in combat, which suits my abilities. They've been... relatively benevolent as masters go. Others are not so fortunate."

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  Nova turns back to me, her expression grave. "Choose carefully tomorrow. Some sponsors will burn you out in a year for quick profit. Others will invest in your development for the long term. Study the aliens observing you—their gestures, their reactions. You may not get to choose directly, but you can influence their interest by displaying attributes they value."

  She steps very close now, the light from her skin casting an intimate glow between us. "Or you could join our coalition and work toward ensuring no sponsor ever owns another human again."

  Her hand reaches up to touch my face, leaving tingling trails of light across my skin. "What will it be, Gary? Their champion... or humanity's liberator?"

  Again, asking me to fight the aliens? Desperate for another distraction, I blurt out, "Uh, what about the other humans?"

  Nova's expression turns calculating as she moves to a concealed panel in the wall, activating a holographic display that shows different sections of the facility. The light from her skin dims slightly, becoming more focused.

  "The human factions here are as complex as the alien ones," she explains. "We've organized ourselves in different ways to survive this system."

  She gestures to various highlighted sections on the display:

  "The Ascendants are the official hierarchy, those who've fully bought into the aliens' propaganda. They believe that by excelling in the arena, they'll eventually earn freedom or even positions of authority when we are reintroduced to Earth. They're collaborators, but dangerous ones. Many have developed frightening abilities and will eliminate anyone they see as a threat to their advancement."

  The display shifts to another section of the facility.

  "The Sovereign Collective formed about six months ago, enhanced humans who've learned to resist the biomolecular control of their sponsors. They focus on developing mental barriers against alien influence rather than raw combat power. They believe liberation comes through breaking the physiological bonds with sponsors."

  Nova creates a light image showing humans with various glowing markings similar to her own.

  "The Chimera embrace the enhancements, pushing for more extreme modifications even beyond what the aliens offer. They trade favors and secrets with the research division aliens, volunteering for experimental procedures. They don't want freedom—they want to transcend humanity entirely."

  She moves closer, her voice dropping lower.

  "My coalition—we call ourselves the Luminous Path—works toward more direct action. We've been mapping the facility, identifying weaknesses, gathering intel about Earth's current condition. We're smaller but more focused than the other factions."

  The holographic display shows what appears to be a transport hub deep within the facility.

  "There are also the Nulls—those whose enhancements failed or who broke under the pressure. The aliens keep them in lower levels for basic labor and occasional experimental subjects. Some say they've developed their own society down there, with abilities that don't register on alien scanning technology."

  Nova deactivates the display with a gesture.

  "Then there are the true threats—the Hollow Ones. Humans whose minds fractured during enhancement, creating psychic predators who feed on the mental energy of others. The aliens use them as enforcers when enhanced humans get out of line. Even sponsors fear them."

  She creates a small light construct showing a human figure with a dark, empty core.

  "If you encounter one, don't engage mentally. Their power lies in creating psychic links they can exploit. Physical combat only—and finish it quickly."

  Nova steps closer to me, her luminescent patterns pulsing with intensity.

  "Everyone must choose a faction eventually. The unaligned don't survive long here. The politics of power make neutrality a death sentence."

  She runs her fingers along my arm, leaving tingling trails of light on my skin.