The smoke still lingered in the air as the last remnants of the CMC prototype mech smoldered in the aftermath of its explosion. The hangar was in ruin—pieces of scrap metal and twisted machinery scattered across the ground, but the mission was far from over. Dominic stood amidst the wreckage, his heart pounding, adrenaline still coursing through his veins. The smell of burning metal and scorched electronics filled his nostrils. He was exhausted, but his eyes were sharp, scanning every corner of the hangar for any remaining threats.
"Everyone okay?" he called out, his voice echoing across the damaged hangar.
"I'm good," Kade responded, limping toward him, his face grim. "Varra?"
"I'm fine," Varra's voice came through his comms, but she sounded strained. "That last one was close. I think we've bought ourselves some time, but we need to move fast."
Dominic nodded. They couldn't afford to waste another second. The CMC was bound to send reinforcements soon, and if they didn't get to the control room and disable the systems, this operation would have been for nothing.
"We're heading to the control room. Kade, Varra, stay sharp. If anything moves, take it out."
The trio moved swiftly through the wrecked hangar, stepping over debris and broken mech parts. Dominic led the way, the cool air biting at his skin, and his mind racing with calculations and contingencies. The sooner they completed their mission, the sooner they could get off this damn moon.
As they reached the control room's entrance, Dominic signaled for them to halt. The door was heavy, reinforced with layers of armored plating. He quickly tapped into the terminal beside the door, hacking the access codes with practiced ease. His fingers flew over the keys, the display flickering briefly before the door slid open with a hiss.
Inside, the room was stark and cold, filled with rows of terminals and glowing screens. The walls were lined with data storage units and security systems, but what caught Dominic's attention was the large central console—the heart of the CMC's operations on Hypheris. It controlled the entire production line, from mech manufacturing to the deployment of reinforcements.
"We're in," Dominic muttered, stepping inside and approaching the main console. His fingers danced across the controls, accessing classified data with ease. The encryption was strong, but not strong enough for someone with Dominic's skills.
"Varra, Kade, cover me," he ordered, his voice low and focused. "This could take a minute."
Varra and Kade took positions near the door, weapons at the ready. Their eyes darted around the room, alert for any signs of movement. It was silent, too silent.
Dominic's screen flickered as he bypassed another layer of security, and then—he had it. The central command node came online.
"Got it," Dominic said, his voice low but full of satisfaction. "I'm disabling their production line now."
A series of beeps filled the room as the systems began to shut down, one by one. The massive assembly machines that had once churned out CMC mechs now stood motionless, their lights dimming as their power was severed. It was a victory, but only a small one. The real fight would come when they had to leave.
Suddenly, a loud clanging noise echoed through the room. Dominic's heart skipped a beat as the door slammed shut, and the lights in the control room flickered before turning red. A deep, mechanical voice resonated through the speakers.
"Warning. Intruder detected. Security protocols activated."
"Shit," Kade cursed under his breath. "We've got company."
"Time to move, now!" Dominic barked, grabbing the data pad with the last of the operation's crucial files. "We've got what we came for. Let's go!"
As they turned to head for the exit, a series of heavy footsteps reverberated through the walls. The ground shook, and the door to the control room slammed open with a deafening crash. A squad of CMC soldiers, heavily armored and armed with pulse rifles, poured into the room, their weapons trained on Dominic and his team.
"Stay down!" Varra shouted, immediately taking cover behind one of the nearby consoles. Kade opened fire, his weapon roaring as he suppressed the enemy forces.
Dominic didn't hesitate. He dove toward the side of the room, narrowly avoiding the incoming fire. The CMC soldiers were well-trained, but they were too clustered, too predictable. Dominic's mind was already racing, analyzing the situation.
"Varra, can you get a shot on their commander?" Dominic asked, peeking from behind his cover.
"I've got the angle!" she replied. "On it."
With a precise, calm movement, Varra fired a round that slammed into the soldier's helmet. The commander fell, lifeless, and the rest of the squad hesitated, their moment of coordination shattered.
"Now, Kade!" Dominic shouted, and Kade took full advantage, laying down a suppressive barrage that forced the remaining soldiers to retreat.
"Dominic, we need to go—NOW!" Kade shouted as the door to the hangar opened again. More reinforcements were pouring in.
"Varra, cover our exit," Dominic said as he sprinted toward the hangar's exit, the weight of the stolen data pad heavy in his hand.
Kade and Varra followed close behind. As they made their way toward their transport, Dominic's mind raced. They were deep in enemy territory, and the CMC wouldn't let them leave without a fight.
The hangar doors slammed open, and they were met with the sight of a dozen more CMC mechs, their red eyes glowing as they locked onto the team.
"This is it," Dominic muttered to himself, his pulse quickening. "We need to buy time for the ship to launch."
Varra and Kade stood firm, their weapons ready.
"Let's make them regret this," Kade said, his grin widening despite the odds.
Dominic's eyes hardened, steely resolve taking over. There was no turning back now. The fight was far from over, but they had made it this far. They weren't about to stop now.
The battle raged on, but Dominic knew one thing for sure: no matter how many enemies stood before him, he would fight to the bitter end.