Enemy Lines I

The universe feels so alive and detailed—I'm curious whether it was built from scratch or inspired by existing sci-fi worlds. How did the author approach creating this backdrop?

The characters are so layered, especially in their loyalty and doubts. Did the author intend to challenge typical hero tropes or was that a happy accident?

The pacing keeps me engaged, but I wondered whether the story was planned to focus more on character arcs or the larger space battles from the start.