A deafening explosion tore through the outer defenses, sending clouds of smoke and dust into the dark sky. The sirens wailed at full volume, shrill and piercing, drowning out the cries and chaos that quickly ensued. Soldiers rushed to their posts as ominous shadows descended from the sky—sleek, sharp shapes moving with terrifying precision.
Pier Benir had launched his assault.
The attack was swift and relentless. Benir's troops, clad in advanced armor and armed with plasma rifles, tore through the breaches in the defenses like a knife through paper. Drones hovered above the barricades, raining suppressive fire while illuminating the combat zones with piercing beams. Taken by surprise, the settlers fought back bravely, but every inch of ground seemed to be reclaimed at a heavy cost.
— All units, hold the line! Reinforce Sector 3! Don't let them reach the generators! shouted Jaxon into his communicator, his voice sharp and commanding.
Liza, stationed near the command center, coordinated the movements of workers and soldiers. Her orders were quick, precise, like the gears of a well-oiled machine.
— Evacuate the wounded to the north hangar. Mark, what's the status of the teleporter?
— The stabilizers are holding, but the power grid won't survive a direct hit! If the drones reach the transformers, we're done for, answered Mark, his hands trembling but focused, from the technical room.
Alira, standing near the central platform, observed the scene with an unsettling calm. Her silver eyes gleamed with an almost supernatural intensity.
— They won't stop until the teleporter is no longer a threat, she said, her tone steady.
— Then we have to stop them, Liza replied, her face resolute.
A mechanical roar echoed, followed by the arrival of an enemy armored vehicle that breached the defensive lines. Its plasma cannon swiveled, ready to fire on the colony's nerve center. Before it could shoot, a blinding light erupted from Alira's hands. A wave of energy radiated outward, destabilizing the vehicle's circuits and reducing it to a smoking heap of metal.
— Impressive, muttered Jaxon as he surveyed the scene, his rifle ready. — But it won't be enough. They've got dozens more like that.
— We need to focus on Pier Benir, Paula said as she shot down two drones with precise aim. — If we take him out, the rest of the troops will fall into disarray.
— Alright. But we'll need a diversion, Jaxon replied with a nod.
— I can coordinate a strategic retreat. Draw his troops toward the east hangar. The explosives are ready there, Liza said, deep in thought.
Alira regarded Liza with a mix of respect and curiosity.
— Your strategy is risky. But it might work.
As Jaxon and Paula prepared to execute the plan, Mark's voice interrupted from his post.
— Warning! Anomalous energy signatures detected near the teleporter!
The ground trembled slightly, and a glowing field appeared around the device. Nate, the artificial intelligence, materialized as a hologram.
— Warning: The teleporter is entering overload. Unknown energy is interfering with the system.
Alira quickly approached the terminal, her gaze fixed on the scrolling data.
— This isn't their technology. Something else is involved.
Liza, on high alert, grasped the situation immediately.
— The Beacon, right? The thing you mentioned.
Alira nodded slowly, her expression grave.
— Yes. It's calling something. And we don't have much time.
Gunfire echoed outside again, and Jaxon, returning at a run, addressed Alira.
— You'll have to explain that later. For now, we need to defend this damn teleporter, or we're all finished.
Liza rallied her courage and grabbed the communicator.
— Alpha Team, fall back to the east hangar. Beta Team, hold the positions around the teleporter. Everything depends on you.
The next few hours were a whirlwind of chaos and determination. The defenses slowly gave ground under the enemy's pressure, but Liza's strategy worked: Pier Benir's troops were drawn toward the trap. Jaxon, Paula, and a small squad had infiltrated behind enemy lines, ready to trigger the explosives.
As Benir, confident in his advance, approached the hangar, Jaxon whispered into his communicator.
— Now.
A series of explosions erupted, sending debris and flames into the dark sky. The enemy troops were disoriented, and Benir himself was forced to retreat, cursing into his communicator.
Meanwhile, in the control room, the teleporter was reaching critical levels. Alira placed a glowing hand on the terminal, temporarily stabilizing the energy flows.
— I can contain the overload, but not indefinitely, she said.
— Just a little more time. We're going to make it, Mark replied, exhausted but determined.
Liza placed a hand on his shoulder.
— We'll hold. We don't have a choice.
In the final moments of the battle, as the enemies retreated, the colony gathered around the teleporter, exhausted but victorious. Yet everyone knew this was only a reprieve. The real test was still to come.