Chapter 30: The Last Stronghold
As dawn broke, the team huddled together, the weight of their previous victories settling around them like a heavy mist. They had taken down two of Orion's critical supply depots, and now only one target remained—the most heavily fortified stronghold. Victory here would sever Orion's last tie to Earth.
Lila studied the holographic map one final time, tracing the route to the heart of the enemy's defense. "This is it," she murmured, her voice calm but steely. "Once we take this place down, Orion will have no way to keep their forces operational. We can force them off Earth for good."
Malik stood beside her, eyes narrowing as he analyzed the fortifications. "We're going up against more than just drones this time. Orion's elite guard is stationed there. We'll have to hit them fast and hard, and there won't be much room for mistakes."
The gravity of his words hung in the air, but there was no turning back. Aegis scuttled forward, its antennae buzzing. "The colony is prepared. We will adapt to whatever defenses Orion throws our way. Victory is near."
Sonova, silent up to this point, stepped forward, her eyes glowing faintly. "We'll need to disarm their energy shields before we breach the stronghold. I can disable the shields long enough for Aegis and the colony to infiltrate. But we must move swiftly."
Lila looked over her team—each of them ready to lay everything on the line. "This is our last stand. We fight together, we win together."
With the plan set, they moved out under the cover of darkness, toward Orion's final bastion of control.