Elite

Story

The Avalonia, a merchant ship, sets sail from Lave. Young Alex Ryder longs to visit the planet, but his father Jason, an experienced trader, reminds him of the strict regulations. The Ryder family has a long history in trade, but Alex is still uncertain about his future, torn between adventure and stability. As the ship prepares to enter hyperspace, a heavily armed Cobra-class freighter follows them unnoticed. The Avalonia jumps into Witch Space, a mysterious and dangerous realm, but Jason soon realizes they are being followed. When they emerge near Leesti, they are attacked. With the ship doomed, Jason forces Alex into an escape pod and utters the cryptic word "Raxxla" before the Avalonia is destroyed. The Cobra fires on the escape pod and sends Alex drifting towards the planet. Alex survives the destruction of the Avalonia thanks to his RemLok mask, which shields him and sends a distress signal. When he is rescued by a hospital ship, he vows to avenge the death of his father, who had apparently foreseen the attack. Later, Alex receives a mysterious HoloFac message from Rafe Zetter, an old friend of his father. Rafe reveals to the surprised Alex that his father was more than just a trader - he was an elite fighter. When Alex mentions "Raxxla," Rafe explains that it's a legendary ghost planet, suggesting that Jason's death is tied to a larger mystery. Before he disappears, Rafe instructs Alex to visit Starpilot Fleischer's grave in Tionisla's orbital cemetery for important information. Alex arrives at the eerie, vast orbital cemetery of Tionisla. Following Rafe Zetter's instructions, he searches for Starpilot Fleischer's grave and discovers a battered Cobra-class ship with a flashing signal telling him to land. Inside the Cobra, he finds only a body at the controls and a woman named Elyssia Fields. Elyssia is an astute fugitive from the clone world of Teorge and reveals her plan: to steal the abandoned ship that once belonged to Henry Bell and use it to launch a trading career while secretly preparing for revenge on the Cobra that killed Alex's father. With little fuel and weak defenses, they must act and upgrade their ship before they can take on their enemy. Alex Ryder is now in possession of a ship and, with the help of Rafe Zetter, prepares for a dangerous journey to avenge his father's death. Rafe explains that Alex's father Jason was part of the legendary Dark Wheel, a secret group that searches for hidden truths in the universe. Jason's death was not caused by pirates, but by someone who wanted to protect a secret he had discovered. To uncover this secret and follow in his father's footsteps, Alex must achieve elite fighter status, which means seeking danger and being a bounty hunter. Despite the shock, Alex is determined to honor his father's legacy. In the meantime, various battles showcase Alex's skills in combat. For three months, Alex and Elyssia work aboard their rebuilt Cobra Nemesis to turn their ship into a combat-ready vessel, but they're running low on cash. As they weigh risky trade options, they are interrupted by a cryptic message from Patrick McGreavy. McGreavy, who is disfigured by parasites and has a shady past, warns Alex that he is being watched and manipulated, even by Rafe Zetter. He urges Alex to visit the dealer center in South City on the Coriolis station. In the seedy underworld of illicit trade, Alex meets McGreavy at the Magellan Building, where he is offered a trade in rare creatures called Mymurths, revered by the Ciragians. With limited funds, Alex buys them in hopes of selling them for a sizable profit - money that brings him one step closer to arming the Nemesis for his ultimate mission: revenge. As Alex and Elyssia approach Cirag, an unregistered and dangerous planet connected to Alex's father's past, it's crawling with criminals. They are ambushed by pirate ships. In the ensuing battle, Elyssia skillfully evades and destroys several fighters. During the pursuit, Elyssia is injured and Alex takes control. They manage to escape to a Coriolis station, but then discover a disturbing truth: the Mymurths they have been transporting are infected with Tharglets, the deadly larval form of the infamous Thargoids. When they realize they've been framed and their cargo is more dangerous than they thought, Alex's mission takes on a new urgency. In the heat of battle, Alex finally comes face to face with the Cobra that destroyed his father's ship. Driven by revenge, he engages in desperate hand-to-hand combat, but soon realizes that the Nemesis is outmatched. He uses the sun's radiation to his advantage and fires a missile disguised by solar interference, which hits the Cobra and destroys it in a fiery explosion. After his victory over the Cobra and the pirates, Alex Ryder is recognized by the Galactic Police and receives the prestigious status of "Lethal" - an impressive feat for someone his age. Rafe Zetter reappears and reveals more about Jason Ryder's connection to Raxxla - a legendary, possibly alien Ga