Dawn broke over Pegasi 51 b, casting a pale light over the ravaged landscape. The rebels, weary but triumphant, surveyed the aftermath of their raid. The convoy lay in ruins, a testament to their defiance. Jax stood tall, surveying the scene, his heart still racing from the adrenaline.

Chela approached him, her expression somber. "We lost three good people," she said, her voice low.

Jax nodded gravely. "We'll honour their memory by keeping up the fight."

Zephyr, examining the wreckage, called out, "Jax, look here!"

Jax joined Zephyr, finding him crouched beside a damaged transport. "What is it?"

Zephyr indicated a cryptic message written in the transport’s ledger: "Echo-1 at risk. Project Nightshade compromised.”

Jax's eyes narrowed. "What does it mean?"

Zephyr's gaze met his. "That’s what we need to find out."

Jax's eyes locked onto the cryptic message, his mind racing. "Echo-1 at risk. Project Nightshade compromised." The words echoed in his thoughts.

"What does it mean?" he asked Zephyr, his voice low and urgent.

Zephyr's expression turned grave. "It could be related to the Dominion's secret projects. If Project Nightshade has been compromised, their entire operation might be at risk."

Chela joined them, her eyes scanning the wreckage. "Could this be connected to the elite soldier?" she asked.

Jax's grip on his rifle tightened. "I don't know, but we need to find out. Zephyr, can you hack into the Dominion's comms? See if you can uncover anything."

Zephyr nodded, pulling out a small pulsating orb from beneath his cloak" It will take time, their security is tight."

As Zephyr got to work, Jax and Chela surveyed the surrounding area, ensuring they hadn't missed any vital intel. The sun climbed higher, casting a golden glow over the desolate landscape.

Suddenly, Zephyr's eyes snapped up from the orb.  "I'm in," he whispered. "And I've found something."

Jax and Chela gathered around him, their hearts racing in anticipation.

"What is it?" Jax asked.

Zephyr's voice dropped to a whisper. "Project Nightshade. It's a classified bio-tech experiment. The Dominion is developing enhanced soldiers, like the one you fought."

Jax’s eyes widened. "Using biological enhancements?"

Zephyr nodded grimly. "Worse. They're experimenting with merging human and animal DNA."

Jax's stomach twisted. "That's monstrous."

Zephyr's eyes locked onto Jax. "There's more. Echo-1 is one of their lead scientists."

Jax's grip on his rifle tightened. "We need to find Echo-1 and expose Project Nightshade.

Zephyr nodded. "It’s time you took the fight to the Dominion's doorstep."