The sounds of battle echoed across the barren surface of Hypheris. Dust and debris kicked up as explosions rocked the landscape, sending tremors through the moon's cracked ground. The UOP mercenary team had breached the outer perimeter of the CMC compound, and the assault was far from over. Dominic led the charge, with his team close behind, weaving through the debris and dodging fire from the scattered CMC forces.
"We're almost at the main hangar!" Kade shouted over the comms, his voice urgent. "If we can take that down, their mechs will be stuck in the field. We can cut off their reinforcements."
Dominic gripped his weapon tighter as they approached the entrance to the hangar, a massive structure built into the side of a mountain. The CMC had clearly underestimated the UOP's resolve to push them out of this sector. Every step Dominic took felt like a countdown. His mind raced through the possibilities. Every corner, every shadow could hide another enemy. He had to keep moving, keep ahead of his thoughts, or they would consume him.
"We need to clear this area fast," Dominic said, signaling to Varra, who was already setting up her sniper rifle. "Get the high ground. Kade, you're on the front."
The two split off, as Dominic led the rest of the team into the fray. The ground shook again, this time from the heavy thud of a CMC mech stomping towards them. Its silhouette emerged from behind a cluster of boulders, a hulking mass of metal, its massive footfalls shaking the ground beneath them.
"Watch out!" Kade's voice crackled through the comms, "Titan-class approaching! We can't let it reach the hangar!"
The Titan-class mech—a towering behemoth armed with heavy artillery and reinforced armor—locked onto their position. Its enormous cannon swivelled towards them, preparing to fire.
Dominic's heart beat faster as he glanced around, looking for any tactical advantage. He had only moments to react.
"Varra, can you get a shot on its reactor?" Dominic barked into the comms.
Varra's calm voice came through immediately. "Got it. Hold tight."
"Now, Kade!" Dominic shouted. "Move!"
Kade didn't hesitate. He sprinted forward, his heavy weapons firing at the Titan's legs, trying to cripple it. The Titan's cannon fired back, a blast of energy that sent Kade tumbling to the ground. His armor absorbed most of the impact, but it was clear that the assault was brutal.
"Damn it, Kade, get up!" Dominic's voice was sharp, but the urgency in his tone was not just for Kade. It was for himself. If the Titan made it to the hangar, they would be overwhelmed.
Varra's sniper rifle fired, the high-pitched whine of the bullet cutting through the air as it hit its target. The Titan staggered back, smoke pouring from a rupture in its reactor.
"Yes! Direct hit!" Varra shouted over the comms. "It's down! But it's not dead yet, we need to finish it off!"
Dominic didn't waste a second. He sprinted toward the downed Titan, his pulse pounding in his ears. With his combat knife in hand, he dove beneath the fallen mech, avoiding the wreckage and sparks flying from its damaged joints. He slashed at the cooling system on the underbelly, knowing that if he could rupture the core, the Titan would be useless. He gritted his teeth and drove the blade into the exposed panel.
The mech jerked violently, releasing a deafening screech, before going silent. The heart of the Titan had been neutralized.
"Good work," Dominic said into the comms, standing up as Kade limped to his feet.
"I could've used more backup, you know," Kade said, wiping blood from his brow. "But I'm not dead. Let's finish this."
With the Titan-class mech neutralized, they pushed on toward the main hangar. The CMC forces, now aware of their incursion, had begun to regroup, but the element of surprise was still in their favor.
As they entered the hangar, the massive doors clanged shut behind them, sealing them inside. The space was filled with rusted, half-finished mechs—behemoths of metal and circuitry that seemed to pulse with the ghosts of their creators.
"Don't get distracted," Dominic ordered. "We're here to do one thing: Disable their mech production."
He motioned to the central control console. "Varra, cover me while I access the system. Kade, secure the perimeter."
The mission was almost complete, but Dominic couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. The cold air in the hangar felt too still. The mechanical hums were louder than they should have been. His instincts screamed at him—this wasn't going to be as easy as it seemed.
Suddenly, the doors to the back of the hangar slammed open, and a new mech—a sleek, dark machine—stepped into the room. Its movements were unnervingly fast, a complete contrast to the slower, lumbering Titan-class mech. The new machine was a hybrid, built with advanced stealth tech and faster servos, making it nearly impossible to track.
"Shit, it's a prototype," Dominic muttered, his voice low. "Get ready!"
The mech launched itself at them with blinding speed. Its weapons deployed in an instant—a flurry of energy blasts cut through the air, forcing Dominic and his team to take cover behind the nearest mech carcasses. Kade's heavy weaponry fired in retaliation, but it didn't seem to have much effect.
"This thing's too fast!" Kade shouted, frustration creeping into his voice.
Varra fired a high-velocity shot, but the blast missed as the prototype mech weaved out of the way. It was too agile, and its armor was practically impenetrable.
"Dammit," Dominic cursed under his breath. "We need to take it down before it activates the backup mechs."
They were outgunned, but Dominic wasn't about to back down. He grabbed a nearby piece of scrap metal—sharp and heavy—and tossed it toward the prototype, aiming for its sensors. As it veered to dodge, Kade took his shot, hitting the machine's leg joint and momentarily halting its momentum.
The mech growled in protest, but it was enough. Dominic, using the distraction, rushed in, tearing through the smoke and debris toward the prototype's exposed reactor core. He was close enough now—close enough to finish this fight.
With a grunt, Dominic jammed a blade into the machine's core. The mech's lights flickered, and it shuddered as the central power supply began to destabilize. It would take moments—seconds, maybe—but it would explode if he didn't get out fast.
"Move! Now!" Dominic ordered.
His team bolted as the prototype's power core began to overload. The entire hangar shook as the core erupted in a violent explosion. A massive fireball ripped through the center of the hangar, throwing the team to the ground.
Dominic's ears rang as the world blurred around him. He was alive, but the mission wasn't over yet. He staggered to his feet, eyes scanning the now-smoldering wreckage. The CMC base was on the verge of collapse.
"We're not done yet," Dominic muttered to himself.
There was still one more task to complete.