The spacecraft of Jaxon Rhylis descended gently onto the gray, dusty surface of the Moon. The thrusters adjusted their power to compensate for the low gravity, and a puff of dust rose under the silver hull, enveloping the vessel in an ephemeral cloud. The blinking lights on the dashboard cast a ghostly glow on the captain's focused face.
— Landing zone clear, Captain, Nate reported. External temperature, minus 173 degrees Celsius. Wind, none.
Through the porthole, the mining complex appeared to be in good condition, though silent and deserted. The processing station domes, intact, faintly reflected the sunlight. The drilling towers stood tall, their metallic structures glinting under the sun's rays. Mining vehicles were neatly parked, aligned as if waiting for the workers' return.
An orange glow shone on the horizon, where the setting sun gently illuminated the flat gray plain. Jaxon Rhylis opened the airlock door, his spacesuit rustling as he stepped onto the ramp. The deep, absolute lunar silence was broken only by the steady breath of his own respiration.
Nate murmured into his helmet:
— Captain, I'm detecting weak energy fluctuations from a complex thirty-two kilometers away. Jaxon turned towards the silver-domed building indicated by Nate. It had not been spotted by the enemies huddled in their dome.
As he moved forward, his steps raised small clouds of dust that settled gently in the low gravity. The complex seemed perfectly preserved, as if the miners had left only the day before.
Jaxon continued to advance, the sound of his breathing resonating in his helmet as his steps marked the dusty lunar ground.
Nate continuously updated him on the remaining distance:
— Twenty-eight kilometers left, Captain. The silver-domed complex shone in the low sunlight, a fixed point on the gray, deserted horizon.
The air was cold in the spacesuit, but the adrenaline rising within him warmed him as he approached his destination.
Nate murmured again:
— Movement signals detected in the complex.
Jaxon stopped and scanned the surroundings with his infrared binoculars. Shadows moved discreetly inside the silver-domed building, just visible through the dusty bay windows.
The enemies were hiding, huddled in their shelter, their silhouettes indistinct in the light. Jaxon descended behind a lunar dust ridge, taking care not to be spotted. His hand brushed the handle of his energy weapon, his faithful companion in these desolate lands.
He murmured to Nate: — Analyze the movements and identify the targets.
Seconds passed in tense silence, only broken by the slight hum of the life support systems.
— Three individuals on patrol. Armed with light weapons. No other presence detected outside.
Jaxon quickly devised a plan. He would flank the dome to enter from the rear, hoping to avoid the patrol and surprise the enemy. He moved, half-crouched, to stay out of sight. Each step raised a bit more dust.
After a long, silent approach, he reached one of the service doors at the back of the complex.
— A ship is going to attack the dome! Nate alerted.
Jaxon looked up at the lunar sky where a ship had appeared, as if conjured by magic above the silver dome. This ship, with sleek lines, had used highly sophisticated camouflage, evading radar and visual surveillance, even that of the enemy.
Suddenly, a flash illuminated the sky, shining with blinding intensity. The ship and the dome fired their energy salvos simultaneously, the beams crossing in a deadly ballet of pure power. The ensuing explosion, though silent in the vacuum of space, was of unprecedented violence, projecting a shockwave of light that reverberated across the lunar plain.
Jaxon's helmet reacted instantly, the protective visor automatically darkening to shield him from the blinding flash. Even with this protection, he could feel the raw power of the explosion, like a mute thunderclap resonating within him.
When he reopened his eyes, the ship had vanished, replaced by a dense cloud of dust slowly settling on the lunar surface. The particles sparkled in the residual light of the explosion, creating a rain of scattered lights floating gently towards the ground.
Jaxon knew the time to act had come. The chaos caused by the explosion provided perfect cover to infiltrate the dome. He straightened, his movements measured and precise, and rushed towards the service door, his calculated steps raising a light cloud of lunar dust in their wake. The silence of space was broken only by his breath in the helmet and Nate's continuous murmur providing real-time updates.
The service door was at the back of the dome, partially concealed by a dusty mound. Jaxon leaned against the metal panel and activated the adjacent security terminal. Nate, connected to the system, disabled the lock in an instant, releasing an audible click through the helmet. The door opened silently, revealing a dimly lit corridor.
Inside the dome, everything was immaculate and fully operational. The control panels emitted their familiar glow, and the instruments seemed on standby, as if the miners had planned to return at any moment. The cold lights of the metal ceilings cast elongated shadows on the floor, creating a strangely peaceful atmosphere in this deserted place.
Jaxon advanced cautiously, weapon in hand, ready to react. He passed through several automated airlocks, each passage bringing him closer to the control center. Nate continued to murmur in his helmet, monitoring potential thermal signatures, but the corridors remained eerily silent.
Finally, he reached the main control room, where a large dashboard surrounded by multiple screens and levers stood. The room was intact, testifying to the complex's rigorous maintenance. On a central screen, gauges and graphs showed the site's energy levels, confirming that the vital systems were still operational.
But now, an enormous weapon was being powered, rising in the control room. A massive skylight had been cut into the ceiling to introduce the cannon.
Jaxon remained frozen, observing the monumental weapon rising at the center of the control room. The massive, menacing cannon seemed ready to unleash phenomenal power, while a spectral light escaped from the immense skylight cut into the ceiling. Jaxon knew he had to neutralize this threat and capture those operating it to understand their intentions.
He moved stealthily in the shadows of the control panels, seeking a favorable position to gain the upper hand on the three individuals maneuvering the weapon. Nate murmured in his helmet: — The targets are concentrated around the cannon. Use the element of surprise.
Without hesitation, Jaxon aimed at one of the operators and pulled the trigger of his weapon. A swift energy beam crossed the room, hitting its target who collapsed to the ground. The other two turned, their weapons pointed in Jaxon's direction.
Shots crackled in the control room, illuminating the darkness with intermittent flashes. Jaxon dodged the first projectiles, diving behind a console for cover. The beam from his pistol lit up the concentrated faces of his enemies as he returned fire with precision, forcing one of them to retreat under a rain of debris and sparks.
The other assailant circled the panels, seeking to flank Jaxon. A glint in Jaxon's peripheral vision alerted him just in time to avoid the deadly shot. The captain rose and dove for cover, feeling a wave of heat brush his face.
However, in the chaos of the fight, Jaxon couldn't dodge the last shot that hit his weapon, shattering it into pieces and instantly disarming him. Disoriented, he stood up just in time to see the remaining two operators approaching, their weapons aimed straight at him.
— Don't move, one of them growled, his face half-lit by the screen lights.
Jaxon raised his hands in surrender, his eyes fixed on the cannon still slowly pivoting towards its next target. The captain showed no sign of fear, even in this desperate situation. The three individuals stood before him, triumphant, their imposing silhouettes cast in the consoles' glow.
One of them stepped forward, weapon aimed at Jaxon.
— Who are you? Why are you here? he demanded in a harsh voice.
Jaxon took a deep breath, measuring each of his words.
— What is this cannon for? And who are you really?
The operators exchanged cautious glances, assessing the situation. The cannon continued to turn slowly, ready to unleash its power.
---
The ship, a sleek black silhouette with tapered wings, pierced the thin lunar atmosphere in a fraction of a second, its engines roaring as it rapidly descended towards the dome. Its hull glinted in the harsh sunlight, revealing sophisticated optical camouflage that made it almost invisible until its sudden descent.
Inside the cockpit, Paula Strix monitored her instruments with a sharp gaze. She saw the dome approaching rapidly, a giant structure standing like a silver sentinel on the barren terrain. Scanners indicated a powerful energy signature preparing to fire from the dome, but Strix remained calm. She knew her only advantage would be speed and precision.
— Weapons clearance ready, she murmured, her cold voice breaking the silence. She activated the controls, and the cockpit panels lit up with a red glow. The ship's cannons automatically pivoted towards the dome, targeting its defenses.
With a swift motion, she pressed the firing control. Energy salvos burst from the ship, illuminating the sky with blinding flashes as the dome retaliated almost simultaneously. The crossfire lit up the lunar darkness, casting dancing shadows on the dusty plain.
But the dome's defenses were powerful and precise. The deadly beams converged on the ship in an instant, striking its hull and tearing through its shields like paper. The ship trembled under the impact, every internal system flashing red. The ship's hull shredded into pieces, scattering sparkling debris in all directions.
The onboard robot initiated the emergency procedure for Paula Strix just in time. In a fraction of a second, she found herself enveloped in an armored capsule exactly as the hull began to tear apart. The armored capsule was immediately ejected from the ship, propelled at a breathtaking speed away from the explosion. The capsule sliced through the darkness, its armored walls protecting her from the swirling debris storm around her.
Inside, Paula had lost consciousness due to the capsule's incredible acceleration. She remained still, every muscle tense, while the capsule floated in the silence of space, slowly drifting away from the glowing cloud left by the explosion.
After a few minutes, she regained consciousness, looked at the instruments, and saw the green light indicating a secure landing in the next moments. The capsule plunged into the lunar dust and landed smoothly a short distance from the dome. Paula unlocked the top hatch and climbed out of the capsule, her gaze fixed on the shining structure ahead.
The silence of space was total, interrupted only by the muffled hum of the life support systems in Paula Strix's helmet. She stood up, her feet sinking slightly into the fine lunar dust, staring at the bright dome in front of her. Despite the spectacular explosion of the ship, the dome still stood, unmoving, like a silver monument on the gray horizon.
Her breath quickened as she approached the entrance. She knew the formidable weapon inside the dome had to be neutralized before it could cause more damage. Clutching her pistol against her chest, she headed towards a side door, an apparently abandoned service entrance.