The battlefield was quiet, save for the occasional crackle of scorched debris. The defenders had pulled back to Base Beta, exhausted but victorious. Swarm bodies littered the half-moon corpse wall, a grim monument to their desperation and ingenuity.
Ace leaned against his mecha, catching his breath. His gaze drifted to the Titan, now standing dormant on the western edge of the base. Its massive artillery form had reverted to its humanoid shape, but the faint glow of its eyes suggested it wasn't entirely at rest.
Techie approached, wiping grime from his face. He looked both exhilarated and drained. "That... was something," he said, gesturing toward the Titan.
"Something doesn't even begin to cover it," Ace replied. "What's the story with that thing, Techie? It's more than just a weapon, isn't it?"
Techie hesitated, his hand lingering on the BIO strapped to his wrist. "I've been digging into its systems, but there's a lot I don't understand. The design... it's like nothing I've ever seen. The power core alone could run this entire base for years."
"And Vega?" Wolfe interrupted, stepping forward. His face was tight with worry. "She's still connected to that thing, isn't she? What's happening to her?"
Techie winced. "She's... integrated. The Titan's systems needed a neural interface, and Vega was the only candidate we had. She's conscious, but I don't think she's fully aware of what's going on. It's like she's in a dream state, guiding the Titan without realizing it."
"Dream state?" Wolfe growled. "That sounds like a fancy way of saying she's trapped."
"She volunteered," Techie said defensively. "We were out of options, Wolfe. You know that."
Before Wolfe could retort, Captain's voice cut through the tension. "Enough. We don't have time for this."
She stood at the edge of the command deck, her gaze fixed on the horizon. The main swarm force was still out there, regrouping. Shadows moved in the distance, a reminder that their respite was temporary.
"What's the status of the base?" Captain asked, turning to Techie.
"Repairs are underway," he replied. "Turrets are back online, but we're low on ammunition. We've salvaged what we could from the battlefield, but it's not much."
"And the Titan?"
Techie hesitated. "Operational, but it needs time to recharge after that last fight. It's got enough power for another transformation, but after that..."
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Captain said firmly.
As the team gathered for a strategy meeting, Korrak and the Rigers stood apart, their golden eyes observing the humans with quiet intensity. The leader of the feline warriors finally spoke, his deep voice breaking the silence.
"You fight with courage, but courage alone will not save you," Korrak said. "The swarm is relentless. They will adapt to your tactics."
"And what do you suggest?" Captain asked, her tone sharp.
Korrak's tail flicked, a hint of amusement in his expression. "You have a weapon of great power, but you wield it without understanding. That Titan is more than a tool. It is a key."
"A key to what?" Ace demanded.
Korrak didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stepped closer to the Titan, his hand brushing against its metallic surface. "Your Architects were not the first to create machines like this. There are stories among my people—of weapons that could reshape worlds, built for beings far greater than us. If this Titan is what I think it is, then your fight is only beginning."
Ace exchanged a glance with Captain, his unease growing. "You're saying there's more out there?"
Korrak's eyes narrowed. "Much more."
Later that night, Ace found himself alone near the Titan. The rest of the team was busy fortifying the base, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The Titan's frame loomed over him, its surface almost alive with faint pulses of light.
"You've got secrets," Ace muttered, running a hand along the cold metal.
As if in response, the Titan's eyes flickered. A low hum resonated from its core, sending vibrations through the ground. Ace stepped back, his hand instinctively moving to the hilt of his blade.
"Techie?" he called through his BIO. "I think the Titan's... doing something."
Techie's voice crackled back, laced with concern. "What do you mean 'doing something'? Is Vega awake?"
"I don't know," Ace said, his heart pounding. "But it feels like it's... calling to something."
Inside the Titan's neural interface, Vega floated in a sea of light and sound. She was aware of her surroundings in a hazy, dreamlike way, but something new was stirring at the edges of her perception.
A voice—not quite a voice, but a presence—whispered to her. It was vast and ancient, filled with both power and sorrow.
"You are incomplete."
The words echoed through her mind, leaving her breathless. She reached out, trying to grasp the meaning, but it slipped through her fingers like smoke.
"Find the rest... and awaken."
At Base Beta, alarms suddenly blared. Techie's voice came through the comms, panicked. "Ace! We've got incoming signatures—big ones!"
Ace turned toward the horizon, his blood running cold. Massive shapes were emerging from the shadows, their forms barely visible against the night sky. These weren't swarm units. They were larger, more complex—like mechas, but twisted and organic.
"Everyone to defensive positions!" Captain's voice rang out. "This isn't over!"
As the team scrambled to prepare for the new threat, the Titan's hum grew louder. Its eyes flared to life, and its limbs began to shift once more.
Ace watched in awe as the Titan transformed, its frame folding into a massive artillery cannon. But this time, it felt different. The energy radiating from the weapon was almost overwhelming, as if the Titan itself was alive and aware.
"This isn't just a machine," Ace muttered, a sense of foreboding settling over him.
The Titan's cannon fired, its beam illuminating the battlefield like a second sun. The first of the new enemy mechas disintegrated under the blast, but more were coming.
And somewhere, deep within the Titan, Vega's voice echoed softly.
"Find the rest... and awaken."