The stark silence of space was shattered by the relentless cacophony of battle on the rimworld of Draconis IV. In the Orion Sector, this planet was a critical point of contention, a linchpin in the larger galactic conflict that spanned systems. I led my squad through the chaos, our mission clear and our resolve unyielding.
"Eyes up, keep moving!" I barked, my voice crackling through the comms. My helmet's HUD displayed the tactical overlay, marking our target—the communications relay that stood like a monolith amid the desolation.
"Resistance is heavier than expected, sir!" Private Kellan shouted, ducking behind a piece of twisted metal as enemy fire streaked overhead.
"No shit Kellan. Hurry with those chips!" Riley yelled, reaching over the ridge, to lay down some bolts toward the hostiles.
"We push through. No other option," I replied, my tone a mix of determination and steel. I raised my pulse rifle, picking off an enemy sniper with a single, precise shot.
We advanced, utilizing cover and suppressive fire to inch closer to the relay. The local resistance, fierce and desperate, fought back with everything they had, but my squad was relentless. We had trained for this, lived for these moments.
"Take cover!" Private Hayes yelled as a volley of laser fire erupted from a ridge ahead. We dived behind a barricade, the air crackling with energy bolts and projectile rounds. The ground around us erupted in showers of dirt and debris.
"We're pinned down!" Kellan shouted over the din.
"Stay low!" I ordered, scanning the battlefield for a way to break the stalemate. "Hayes, get ready with the ordinance."
"Yes, sir!" Hayes replied, pulling a small device the size of a ration wafer from his belt. He glanced at me, waiting for the command.
"On my mark," I said, gripping my rifle tightly.
"Three…" I synchronized our HUD markers, highlighting where I needed those explosives.
"Two…" Kellan, Riley, and Hayes exchanged nods while checking the heat meters on their rifles.
"One…" Everyone gripped a rack of micros from their belts.
"Now!" We hurled each handful towards the marked locations on our HUDS.
The explosives arced through the air, landing with a soft thud before releasing a blinding plasma and a concussive wave that shook the ground. The enemy's firing ceased abruptly, giving us the opening we needed.
"Move, move, move!" I shouted, leading the charge up the ridge. We emerged from cover, guns blazing, cutting down the disoriented defenders with prejudice.
"Clear!" Riley called out as we reached the top. "The path to the relay is open."
"Let's go, squad!" I urged, pushing forward. The relay tower loomed closer with each step, the final hurdle in our mission.
As we neared the base, more resistance emerged, desperate to protect their last stronghold. We fought through, our training and cohesion turning the tide in our favor. Pulse rifles hummed, grenades exploded, and the enemy fell back under our relentless assault.
"Riley, get that WMD ready!" I ordered as we reached the base of the tower. Private Riley nodded, sprinting towards the relay with the micro-WMD—a device no larger than a fist, yet capable of catastrophic destruction.
"Covering fire!" I shouted. The squad unleashed a barrage of firepower, pinning down the defenders as Riley set to work. His fingers moved deftly, bypassing the security protocols and attaching the device to the relay's core.
"Device is set, sir!" Riley confirmed, his voice tense but triumphant.
"Good. Exfil points marked. Three minutes!" I barked. "Dig in!"
Everyone slid into a position with cover, I dove behind a barricade. Riley crouched behind a control unit for the station. Hayes and Kellan crawled into a crater from the explosive chips. Seconds later the mechanical hums of a low-grade mobile autonomous cannon rang out from below our position.
"Kellan start up the localized energy field!" I ordered, "We've got incoming!"
He immediately dropped the package off his shoulder and began to alter its configuration. With speed only possible from repeated practice, the device shaped into a proper plasma generator.
As I reconfigured my rifle to overload its next blast, the mobile cannon unleashed a massive shell towards our location. Thankfully, the generator met the shell with a white arc of ions, pre-emptively exploding the projectile outside of a lethal range.
The plasma field continued to deny the artillery from dispatching my unit. I connected my exosuit's main power into my rifle and began to charge the shot. The receiver started to glow red hot as energy built inside of the bolt condenser. I pressed my trigger allowing the weapon to dispense the condensed plasma toward the LMAC.
The energy shot tore through the air, gathering some more energy from arcs from the generator. The cumulative force bore through the body of the hovering cannon, reducing the front into a melted lump of slag.
"Nice shot Corporal!" Kellan added as he deactivated the generator.
A low-pitched hum descended upon the battlefield. The transport had breached the lower atmosphere. We initiated the ordinance countdown and laid fire over the enemies' positions.
The transport swooped in from the carrier in orbit. We engaged our wrist-mounted grapnels, the hooks shooting up to latch onto the transport ship passing above. With a synchronized leap, we activated our rocket boots, ascending rapidly as enemy fire chased us.
As we settled into the ship, I turned my gaze to the planet below. The micro-WMD levitated, its containment field glowing ominously. In a breathtaking instant, the device expanded, transforming into a miniature star. The resulting explosion engulfed the relay, a blinding flash that turned night into day. The communications hub, once the nerve center of the local resistance, was no more.
"That sight never grows old," Hayes muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.
My eyes narrowing as the ship shook violently.
The pilot's voice crackled over the intercom. "Hang tight, we've got company!"
The transport ship swerved and dodged, evading the enemy fighters. We were tossed around the cabin, struggling to stay upright. I activated my mag-seals, feeling the reassuring click as my boots locked onto the floor.
"Hold on, people!" I shouted, gripping a support beam. "We're almost there!"
The ship twisted and turned, narrowly avoiding a direct hit. Finally, the fighters broke off, and we made our ascent towards our carrier vessel. The landing was rough, the ship skidding to a halt in the hangar.
"Everyone okay?" I called out, looking around at my squad.
"I, aye." Kellan replied, a grin spreading across his face despite the bruises and exhaustion.
I removed my helmet, letting the cool air of the transport wash over my sweat-drenched face. My dark hair clung to my forehead, my eyes reflecting the fading light of the explosion. "Good work, men. Another mission accomplished," I said, my voice filled with a mixture of exhaustion and pride.
"Just another day at the office, eh, sir?" Private Kellan grinned, though his eyes betrayed the weight of what we had just done.
I nodded, placing a hand on Kellan's shoulder. "We did what we had to. We're one step closer to unification."
As the transport ship ascended towards the stars, we took a moment to reflect on our victory as we walked back to our barrack. I entered my officer cabin while the privates headed for the commune rooms.
My personal sentient assistant unit deactivated the mag-seals on my exosuit, allowing me to remove the heavy armor. My motorized companion assembled the suit onto its charging mannequin.
Suddenly, my desk projector lit up. A holo-transmission waited for me, floating above my workspace. I changed into my civvies and sat behind the damned terminal.
"Corporal. My office. 1700." Commander Traxon's war-torn face blankly stared into the wall over my shoulder.
The room darkened again. I climbed into my bunk for two hours of shut-eye before whatever new hell awaits me on bridge.