The battlefield's tension reached its breaking point as the team rallied for one final push. The towering mech, still frozen from Valek's critical shot, stood as an imposing reminder of their mission's stakes. Its glowing visor flickered weakly, and the team knew this was their moment to end the fight.
Lira, still battered and bruised, pushed herself out of cover with a fierce determination in her sharp green eyes. Blood streaked her face, and her movements were slower than usual, but her hands remained steady. With a practiced motion, she drew another pair of knives, their polished blades glinting in the harsh simulated sunlight.
"This is for Ryker," she growled, her voice low and filled with resolve.
With a snap of her wrist, the knives flew through the air. Both hit their mark, slamming into the mech's damaged visor. Sparks erupted as the mech shuddered violently, its systems faltering under the onslaught. The glowing visor dimmed further, its once-bright light now a sputtering flicker.
"Finish it!" Lira shouted, falling back into cover as her strength waned.
From his position at a distance, Valek steadied his sniper rifle once more. His normally calm demeanor cracked slightly as he took aim, his jaw set tightly. The loss of Ryker hung heavy in the air, fueling his focus.
His finger squeezed the trigger, and the rifle barked sharply. The shot streaked across the battlefield, slamming into the mech's flickering visor with pinpoint precision. The impact was immediate and catastrophic.
The mech let out a low, metallic groan as its systems failed. Its massive frame swayed unsteadily, sparks erupting from its joints and seams. Finally, it collapsed forward with a deafening crash, the ground shaking beneath its weight. Smoke and faintly glowing embers rose from the wreckage, a testament to the team's combined efforts.
As the mech's systems died, a ripple effect spread through the remaining automatons. One by one, their movements stilled, their glowing eyes fading to lifeless black. The battlefield fell eerily silent, the hum of machinery replaced by the crackle of the wreckage.
Aventus emerged cautiously from his position on the ridge, his indigo eyes scanning the field. He moved toward the fallen mech, his daggers still drawn, as if expecting a final trick. When none came, he exhaled slowly, tension easing from his wiry frame.
Jax's voice came over the comms, tired but steady. "The mech's down. Automatons powered off. It's over."
Lira leaned heavily against a boulder, her breathing ragged. "Not a moment too soon," she muttered, wiping blood and sweat from her face. "We're lucky to be alive."
Valek lowered his rifle, his sharp gaze lingering on Ryker's unmoving form. "Not all of us," he said quietly, his voice heavy with regret.
Aventus stormed toward the downed mech, his boots crunching against the scorched ground with each step. His usual calm, measured demeanor had cracked, replaced by a fiery rage that burned just beneath his skin. Reaching the hulking wreck, he lashed out with a powerful kick, the impact echoing with a metallic clang. Sparks sputtered from the ruined machine, but Aventus didn't care.
"What the fuck was that?!" he roared, his voice raw and unrestrained, cutting through the heavy silence of the battlefield. He spun around, gesturing wildly toward the carnage. "Why didn't we know this motherfucker was going to be here? Whose job was it to find that shit out?"
His words reverberated off the rocky walls of the environmental zone Braza, anger spilling out unchecked. The team stood in stunned silence, the weight of Ryker's death and the brutal fight holding them back from responding. Aventus's chest heaved with each breath, his hands clenched into trembling fists at his sides.
He stopped suddenly, his head dipping forward as he ran a hand through his sweat-slicked hair. His breathing slowed, though the tension in his body remained. When he finally turned to face the team, his expression had shifted. The fire in his indigo eyes was still there, smoldering beneath the surface, but his face was once again composed—a mask of calm over the seething fury underneath.
"Get your friend," Aventus said, his voice low and cold, the words cutting like a blade. He pointed sharply toward Ryker's still form. "I'll get the objective."
Without waiting for a response, Aventus turned and moved toward the cargo they'd fought so hard to secure. His steps were purposeful, each one carrying the weight of his anger and the bitter taste of loss. He forced himself to focus on the task, pushing down the thoughts of what had just happened and the questions that still burned in his mind.
Behind him, the team remained motionless for a moment longer, Jax's expression dark, Lira pale and trembling, and Valek quietly staring at the wreckage. Slowly, they moved to recover Ryker's body, the air thick with grief and tension.
Aventus didn't look back. The job wasn't over—not yet.
Aventus approached the cargo ship that had been the mission's target, his movements sharp and deliberate. The massive transport vessel loomed like a silent sentinel, its loading bay still open from when its automatons had deployed. He ascended the ramp quickly, his indigo eyes scanning the area for threats as his anger simmered just below the surface.
The interior of the ship was dimly lit, the faint hum of dormant systems the only sound as Aventus moved deeper inside. The walls were lined with secured crates, some marked with corporate logos, others bearing the nondescript labels of anonymous shipments. He passed them without a glance, his focus on the objective.
At the heart of the ship's cargo hold, a reinforced container stood apart from the rest. Its surface was smooth and unmarked, but the faint glow of an integrated locking mechanism indicated its value. This was what they had come for.
Aventus approached the container, his hand brushing over the locking panel. A small holographic interface appeared, displaying a rotating sequence of glyphs. He studied it for a moment before pulling a compact hacking tool from his belt. With practiced ease, he attached the device to the panel and let it work.
As the tool decrypted the lock, Aventus stood tense, his mind racing. Ryker was dead. The team had been blindsided by defenses they hadn't been prepared for. Someone, somewhere, had dropped the ball—or worse, withheld critical information. He clenched his jaw, forcing the thoughts aside as the lock disengaged with a soft click.
The container's lid slid open, revealing its contents. Inside was a sleek, cylindrical device, about the size of a forearm, encased in protective foam. Its surface was a polished black, with faint blue lines of energy pulsing along its length. Aventus didn't know what it was—he hadn't asked, and he didn't care. All that mattered was completing the job.
He carefully lifted the device from the container, its weight heavier than expected, and secured it in a padded compartment in his gear.
Aventus closed the container and glanced around the cargo hold, his sharp indigo eyes scanning for anything else of value. His gaze landed on a pair of mounted repeaters near the far wall, their sleek, heavy designs suggesting they were worth a small fortune. He approached quickly, running his hands over the first weapon's surface. The mechanisms were pristine—practically new.
With a grunt of effort, he unlatched the first repeater from its mount and slung it over his shoulder. The weight settled against his back, but Aventus barely noticed, his mind already calculating its resale value. He moved to the second repeater, repeating the process and securing it alongside the first.
"Better than leaving them for someone else," he muttered to himself. The repeaters were a gamble, but they could be worth a lot more than the risk of carrying them out.
Satisfied with his haul, Aventus retraced his steps, his movements swift and deliberate. He descended the ship's ramp, the battlefield outside coming back into view. Smoke still rose from the ruined mech, the eerie silence a stark contrast to the chaos that had raged moments before.
The team was where he'd left them. Jax stood near Ryker's lifeless form, his rifle slung over his shoulder and his posture tense. Lira leaned heavily against a rock, her knives sheathed but her face pale and streaked with sweat. Valek crouched near the remnants of his drone, his expression unreadable as he sifted through the wreckage.
Aventus approached, his steps firm and unyielding. "Package is secure," he said, his voice cool as his eyes flicked to Jax. "Found a couple of repeaters in there too. Figure I'll sell one, unless we want them for the next time someone screws us with bad intel."
Lira managed a weak smirk, but Jax's expression remained grim. He glanced at the repeaters, then back at Aventus.
Jax nodded silently as Aventus finished speaking, his gaze heavy with the weight of the mission's cost. Without a word, he pulled out his handheld device, the faint glow of its interface casting sharp lines across his weathered face. His fingers moved with practiced efficiency, transferring the agreed-upon payment to Aventus's account.
Aventus's own device buzzed faintly, confirming the deposit: 10,000 credits received. The sight of the balance should have brought satisfaction, but it barely registered. His indigo eyes remained steady, his sharp features unreadable as he tucked the device back into his coat.
"Deal's done," Jax said, his voice low and steady. He gave Aventus a nod, but there was no hint of relief. "Let's get out of here before more trouble shows up. This place is bad enough without more heat."
Lira, still leaning against the rock, pushed herself to her feet with a wince. "Couldn't agree more," she muttered, her voice laced with exhaustion. "This desert's got nothing but death and sweat. I've had enough of both."
Valek stood as well, his movements precise despite the tension in his expression. He cast one last glance at the smoldering wreckage of his drone before stepping toward the group. "Extraction point's still clear," he said, his tone clipped. "We need to move now. Braza's security won't take long to send reinforcements."
Jax motioned toward Ryker's body, his voice softening just slightly. "We don't leave anyone behind. Help me with him."
The group worked quickly, their movements quiet and somber. Aventus watched for a moment, his jaw tightening before he turned away. He adjusted the repeaters slung over his shoulder, their weight a small reminder of the work he'd done to ensure this mission didn't end in total failure.
As they left the battlefield, the artificial sun of the environmental zone bore down relentlessly, the oppressive heat mirroring the heavy silence among the team. The horizon was dominated by the shimmering edge of the city of Gtora—a sprawling metropolis that promised safety, at least for now.
Aventus walked slightly ahead, his steps purposeful but weighted. The desert behind them faded into memory with each step closer to the city, but the scars of the mission—both physical and emotional—remained.
There was no satisfaction in this victory, only survival. And in the unforgiving expanse of the galaxy, that would have to be enough.