Without a map, following the lone figure became difficult. As they went down a corridor, it came to a junction, with corridors leading off to the left and right.

"Which way, Cerys?" asked Rax. Cerys paused for a moment.

"Left," she motioned.

They walked down the corridor, Rax and Zane carrying the unconscious guard between them, Lena and Cerys taking the lead. As they turned left again, the oppressive silence of the corridor was occasionally punctuated by the soft groan of unconscious guards. It became clear that they were hot on the trail of the lone figure. Their breaths echoed off the walls, mingling with a creeping sense of dread.

Halfway down the corridor, Lena noticed a blinking light emanating from an alcove. She gestured to the others and they approached cautiously. It was a terminal, its screen fractured but still functioning. Displayed on it was a schematic of the Galactic Council building, but there was more.

"I think someone's tampered with this terminal," Zane murmured, his eyes scanning the strange red lines and markers littered across the screen. A blueprint, corrupted and twisted into a maze of secrecy and deceit. And in the corner, a countdown clock, relentlessly ticking away towards an unknown event. The puzzle began to assemble itself in their minds - the shadowy figure, the stolen Stellar Sphere, the incapacitated guards. It was more than a simple theft; it was a well-orchestrated scheme, hinting towards an unsettling reality.

Suddenly, a harsh metallic clang echoed from the corridor behind them, followed by a ghostly whisper of hurried footsteps fading into the distance. Their eyes met, wordlessly acknowledging the intruder's awareness of their pursuit.

"Quick, we can't lose him," urged Cerys. Yet despite their haste, they found nothing but an empty corridor when they arrived.

"Wait, I'm getting a signal!" Zane's voice broke the tension. His fingers flew across his CommLink, activating the transmission. A familiar voice crackled to life, "Alpha here, report."

Zane exchanged a brief glance with his companions. "We're in pursuit of a suspect. One guard down. Status unknown. Over."

"Hold your pursuit. Regroup at the Ceremonial Hall. Now."

"Understood," Zane replied, the uncertainty palpable in his tone. Cerys, ever the leader, stepped in. "He's right, we need to regroup. Rax, what's the guard's condition?"

Rax, who was tending to the unconscious guard, looked up. "He's coming around," he confirmed, as the guard stirred back to consciousness.

"What... happened?" the guard managed to rasp out.

"You were hit with a stun blast," Lena informed him, her voice steady yet tinged with concern. "How do you feel?"

He groaned, slowly sitting up. "Twice in a day. I'm okay, though. Where are we?"

"In pursuit of your attacker, but we've been ordered back to the hall," Cerys clarified.

"Then let's get moving," the guard grunted, struggling to his feet. They all nodded in agreement and started their journey back, their minds echoing with unanswered questions and unease.