The hover truck sputtered as it neared the outpost, barely holding together after the ambush. Ethan Walker had fought off more than his fair share of bandits during his relatively short time as a mercenary, but this was different. The sheer coordination of the attack, their advanced weapons...it all pointed to something bigger than random raiders. The Black Sun Syndicate was clearly ramping up its assault on Kynara, and Ethan had just walked into the middle of it.
The outpost came into view, nestled against the cliffs, with smoke billowing from its defensive turrets. Explosions echoed across the barren landscape, and Ethan could see the walls shaking under the relentless barrage of enemy fire. This wasn't just a raid. It was an extermination.
"Iris, status on the truck?" Ethan asked, steering the vehicle toward a small opening in the defenses.
"Power reserves at critical. One more direct hit and the hover truck will be inoperable," Iris reported coolly.
Ethan clenched his jaw, but didn't waste time asking for more details. He knew the situation. This close to the outpost, they could probably salvage the truck later, if they survived.
He slammed the vehicle to a stop near the east gate, vaulting out before the dust settled. The laser pistols on his hips hummed to life as he activated them, and the plasma dagger strapped to his thigh flickered with a deadly blue glow. His armor adjusted with each step, syncing with his movements to enhance his speed and agility. But even with all his gear, this fight was going to be a deadly one.
The gate opened just enough for Ethan to slip through, and inside, chaos reigned. The outpost was overrun with bandits. Bodies of defenders lay strewn across the ground, and the few remaining outpost guards were fighting a losing battle against a well-armed bandit force. The air was thick with the smell of burning metal and ozone from laser fire.
Ethan ducked behind a crumbling wall and assessed the situation. The bandits had broken through on the south side, overwhelming the guards. A narrow gap in the defenses was all that remained between them and complete destruction.
"This place is about to fall," Ethan muttered to himself. He wasn't here to play hero, but leaving now would mean certain death for everyone inside, including himself. He had to act fast.
Taking a deep breath, Ethan holstered one of his pistols and pulled out a small, metallic sphere from his utility belt. He activated it, tossing it into the fray. The EMP device detonated mid-air, sending out a pulse that temporarily disabled the bandits' energy weapons and vehicles within range.
For a few precious seconds, the tide of battle stalled.
"Let's go," Ethan growled, sprinting toward the breach. He fired his laser pistol with deadly precision, taking down several disoriented bandits who were scrambling to reactivate their weapons. His shots were rapid and controlled, striking at the exposed parts of their armor. Each hit was lethal.
As Ethan closed in on the bandits' main line, a hulking figure emerged from the smoke—a bandit captain, covered in heavy armor and wielding a plasma axe that glowed menacingly in the dim light.
"So, you're the one messing up my plans," the captain snarled, swinging the axe toward Ethan with brutal force.
Ethan barely dodged the first blow, feeling the heat of the plasma blade searing the air where he had been standing just moments before. He countered, slashing at the bandit's exposed side with his plasma dagger. The blade cut through the armor like a hot knife through butter, but the captain shrugged off the wound and came at Ethan again.
"You'll have to do better than that!" the captain roared, swinging the axe wildly.
Ethan ducked, rolled to the side, and fired point-blank at the bandit's helmet. The shot cracked the visor, and the captain staggered backward, momentarily blinded.
Ethan didn't wait for the next move. With a swift motion, he lunged forward, driving his plasma dagger into the gap between the captain's chest plate and neck armor. The energy blade hissed as it met flesh, and the bandit collapsed, his axe falling uselessly to the ground.
Before Ethan could catch his breath, more bandits poured into the breach. This wasn't a ragtag group; these were fighters outfitted with high-grade tech. Whoever was funding the Black Sun Syndicate had deep pockets.
Ethan's mind raced. He couldn't just keep picking them off one by one. He needed to shift the balance of the battle. Quickly.
"Iris, get me an updated map of the outpost's layout," he ordered, already scanning his surroundings.
His information tablet flashed to life as Iris displayed the schematics. Ethan noticed a series of fuel tanks near the perimeter fence, partially hidden behind some rubble.
"If I can ignite those tanks, I can take out a good chunk of their reinforcements," he thought, formulating his plan. "But I've only got one shot at this."
Ethan sprinted toward the tanks, zigzagging between cover as lasers zipped past him. He returned fire as he moved, dropping bandits with well-placed shots to buy himself some time. His armor absorbed several glancing hits, but he ignored the pain, focusing on the goal.
Once he reached the tanks, Ethan wasted no time. He set a timed charge on the largest one, calibrated to give him enough time to get clear before the explosion. Then, he dashed back toward the center of the outpost, shouting to the guards as he passed.
"Fall back to the inner defenses! The south wall's going down!"
Some of the remaining guards looked at him with disbelief, but they didn't have time to argue. The bandits were closing in fast, and Ethan's plan was their only hope.
Just as the bandits breached the wall in full force, the charge detonated. A massive explosion rocked the outpost, sending a shockwave through the battlefield. Flames erupted from the fuel tanks, consuming the advancing bandits in a fiery inferno. The outpost shook as debris flew in every direction, and the bandits' assault ground to a halt as chaos engulfed them.
The tide had turned.
Ethan wiped the sweat from his brow, his chest heaving. The explosion had bought them time, but the outpost was still on the brink of collapse. He turned to see a few remaining guards holding the line, battered but alive.
As Ethan surveyed the survivors, his gaze landed on a familiar face among the mercenaries. He blinked in surprise.
"Malek?" Ethan called out, walking toward the man.
Malek looked up, his face smudged with soot and blood, but recognition flashed in his eyes. "Ethan?" He grinned despite the chaos around them. "I'll be damned, I didn't expect to see you here."
Ethan smirked, holstering one of his pistols. "Last I saw you, we were sharing drinks at the guild. What brings you to this mess?"
"Same as you, I suppose. Got myself a contract, only to end up in the middle of this disaster," Malek said, breathing heavily. "Didn't expect things to go south this fast."
"Yeah, this is no ordinary raid," Ethan replied, his tone more serious now. "Black Sun's behind this. Looks like they're stepping up their game."
Malek nodded grimly. "It's worse than I thought. I've been fighting here for days, and these bandits… they've got military-grade weapons. Whoever's pulling the strings has serious backing."
Ethan frowned. He knew Malek from the guild, had shared drinks and mercenary stories with him, but seeing him here, in the middle of such a dangerous situation, was unexpected. Malek wasn't the type to back down from a fight, but the intensity of the attack surprised even him.
Before they could discuss more, the outpost's commander appeared, limping slightly but still holding his weapon at the ready.
"You saved our hides," the commander said, his voice gruff. "But there's more at play here than just these raids. The Syndicate's movements are getting bolder, more coordinated. They're not just after resources, they're after something specific."
Ethan narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"
The commander wiped his brow, glancing toward the horizon. "We've got intel that a group of survivors from another outpost, they know something. But they've gone missing. If we don't find them, we won't know what the Syndicate's really planning."
Ethan's mind raced. This was bigger than just a supply run. The Syndicate was up to something, and if he didn't act fast, the entire sector could be in danger.
"I'll go after them," Ethan said, already thinking through his next move. "Where are they?"
"Last we heard, they were heading toward the old mining tunnels," the commander said, pointing toward the distant mountains. "But that's deep in uncharted territory."
Ethan glanced at Malek, who shrugged. "Looks like I'll be sticking around a bit longer," Malek said with a half-smile.
Ethan grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. "Good. I could use the help."