The stars outside the cockpit window blurred into streaks of light as the Eagle's Talon accelerated through space. Dominic's hands gripped the controls with surgical precision, his mind racing. The ship's targeting system flashed in his line of sight, indicating multiple contacts approaching fast from the CMC forces. These weren't the hulking behemoths of the Juggernaut class, but smaller, agile mechs designed for hit-and-run tactics. Fast, lethal, and hard to pin down.
The ship's crew, a mix of veteran tacticians and gunners, were already preparing their stations. Dominic's role was clear: he would be the eyes and ears, guiding the crew to their targets, ensuring the Eagle's Talon stayed out of range of enemy fire while they picked off their foes one by one.
The air was thick with tension as the comms crackled to life.
"Target lock confirmed," said Zara, the ship's lead gunner. Her voice was steady, but there was an edge to it. "I've got a line on one of their scouts. Taking the shot."
Dominic didn't hesitate. He activated the ship's long-range targeting systems, his gaze fixed on the approaching group of mechs. They were coming in fast, flying in tight formations, their engines thrumming like the hum of a swarm. In the distance, he could make out the outline of their leader—a sleek, nimble mech, its frame built for speed. It had to be the key to their strategy.
"Focus fire on the lead mech," Dominic ordered, his voice low but firm. The crew responded immediately, weapons locking onto the target.
"Firing," Zara's voice echoed through the comms. A massive energy beam shot out from the ship's forward cannons, the blue glow streaking through space like a comet. It connected with the enemy mech, but the target swiftly darted to the side, narrowly evading the blast.
"Damn," Dominic muttered, quickly adjusting the ship's course. The enemy was too fast. The Eagle's Talon was powerful, but it couldn't match their maneuverability.
Before he could react, a second group of mechs burst from the shadows of a nearby asteroid field, flanking the Eagle's Talon. They were coming in fast, their weapons primed for a devastating assault. Dominic's eyes narrowed as they locked onto his ship.
"They're trying to box us in," Dominic realized, the familiar knot of dread tightening in his chest. He had to act fast.
"Prepare evasive maneuvers!" he barked. The ship veered sharply to the left, engines roaring as they pushed the vessel into a violent spin. The asteroids outside seemed to blur in an instant as the Eagle's Talon rocketed between them, evading enemy fire that lit up the blackness of space.
"Deploy countermeasures," Dominic ordered, activating the ship's defensive systems. A flurry of flares and decoy drones shot out from the Eagle's Talon, distracting the incoming fire. The first volley of missiles exploded harmlessly against the decoys, but more were coming.
Suddenly, a loud crash reverberated through the hull of the ship.
"Shields at 75%," the ship's systems reported in a calm, mechanical voice. "Hull integrity compromised. Minor damage to the aft section."
"Get us out of here," Dominic hissed, his heart pounding. He slammed the ship's thrusters to full power, forcing the Eagle's Talon into a violent roll. The ship corkscrewed through space, barely dodging another round of missiles. The crew's faces were tense, eyes glued to their stations as they adjusted their weapons and tactics on the fly.
Dominic locked onto the lead enemy mech once more. It was a sleek, almost insectoid design, built for speed and stealth. It darted between asteroids with unnatural precision, its pulse guns firing relentlessly at the Eagle's Talon. The ship's shields flared as the pulses hit, crackling with energy, but they held for now.
"Fire now," Dominic shouted. Zara didn't wait for a second command. She unleashed a devastating salvo of plasma torpedoes. They streaked through space, trailing heat and light, until they struck the enemy mech. The explosion was immense—bright enough to briefly light up the dark expanse of space.
But the mech didn't go down.
"Shit," Zara cursed. "It's got advanced shielding! We can't break through from here."
Dominic's mind raced. He needed a new approach. His hands flew across the controls, eyes darting between multiple readouts. The Eagle's Talon wasn't designed for close combat, but it was agile, and it was fast. Maybe they couldn't take the enemy out at range, but they could force a fight at close quarters.
"All right, we're going in close," Dominic announced. "Prepare for a dive. I'll get us into the asteroid field."
Without waiting for confirmation, Dominic pushed the ship's throttle, and they shot forward into the dense asteroid field, weaving between rocks and debris. The enemy mechs, eager to finish the job, followed suit, closing in fast. The sound of their engines screaming behind them was deafening.
"Target locked," said Zara, her voice sharp as a blade. "Taking the shot."
The Eagle's Talon launched another barrage of plasma rounds, but this time, they were more concentrated, less spread out. The first few shots hit their target, chipping away at the enemy mech's shields. But the mech wasn't backing down. It was fast, too fast, dodging and weaving through the asteroid field.
"They're outclassing us in maneuverability," Dominic said, clenching his teeth. "We need a distraction."
He quickly flipped a switch, deploying an EMP pulse from the Eagle's Talon. The shockwave surged outward, disrupting the enemy mech's systems just for a split second. It was enough. In that moment, Dominic locked onto its weak spot, the mech's central energy core.
"Now!" he shouted.
Zara fired a focused energy beam, and it tore through the enemy mech's chest, sending a shockwave through the cockpit. The mech's systems flickered, and it began to tumble toward the asteroid field. One of its arms snapped off as the torso exploded in a shower of sparks, before the entire machine was engulfed in a violent explosion.
The Eagle's Talon shook with the impact, but they had done it. The enemy's lead mech was down.
But there were still more—so many more.
Dominic's eyes scanned the rest of the battlefield. The remaining mechs were closing in, but they had bought themselves some time. With the Eagle's Talon still intact, they could turn the tide.
"Get ready," Dominic muttered under his breath. "This isn't over."
The next wave of CMC mechs was already on their tail, and the Eagle's Talon was the only thing standing between them and the UOP fleet.
The battle was far from over.