General Voss sat at his desk, the dim glow of the holo-map casting eerie shadows across his stern face. The CMC headquarters, deep within the StellarForge system, was a cold, clinical place where war was a constant. The hum of machinery filled the room, and the flickering data on the holo-display seemed to pulse with an almost malevolent energy.
The war had been long, and now, the CMC had the upper hand—at least for the moment. The UOP had made a dent in their ranks, and the loss of a few of their juggernaut-class mechs had stung, but Voss knew the truth. The UOP was not prepared for what was coming next. They thought the worst was over, but they were wrong.
He glanced at the reports flashing on his terminal. The destruction of their research station by Dominic's strike team had been a setback, but it had also spurred them into action. The prototype weapon they had been developing, which was now destroyed, was only one piece of a larger plan. The real offensive was about to begin.
"Commander Halix," Voss called, his voice cold and commanding.
The door slid open immediately, and Commander Halix, a tall and broad-shouldered officer, stepped inside. His uniform was immaculate, his posture rigid with discipline. He was the kind of soldier who followed orders without question. The kind of soldier Voss needed for what was coming next.
"Sir," Halix said, standing at attention.
Voss gestured to the holo-map, where the locations of the UOP's most vital fleet positions were displayed in intricate detail. "It's time to act. The UOP believes their latest victory has given them a breathing room, but we know better. They've overextended themselves, and it's only a matter of time before they realize the storm that's about to hit them."
Halix nodded, taking in the information. "You have something in mind, sir?"
Voss smirked, a rare glint of excitement in his eyes. "I've already spoken to the StellarForge engineers. The latest batch of juggernauts is ready for deployment. But we're not sending them to the frontlines just yet. We're going to hit them where they least expect it."
He tapped the holo-table, and a new image appeared—an orbital station belonging to the UOP, positioned near the border of their most secure fleet. It was a prime target for sabotage. "This is the Aegis Station," Voss said. "It's one of the UOP's supply lines, crucial to their ability to fight in the outer sectors. If we cripple it, their frontlines will collapse. We'll sever their logistics, and their fleet will be stranded, unable to receive reinforcements or supplies."
Halix stepped forward, his eyes narrowing at the projection. "How do we plan on infiltrating it? It's heavily defended."
Voss leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepling together. "We have a secret weapon—a fleet of stealth-class ships. They've been retrofitted with cloaking technology, and we've installed a new kind of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) device that will disable their defense grid long enough for us to send in our juggernauts. Once we land on the station, we'll take it from the inside. Afterward, we'll disable their comms, so they can't call for help."
"Will the juggernauts be able to handle the resistance?" Halix asked, raising an eyebrow.
Voss nodded. "We've made adjustments. These aren't the same mechs the UOP fought before. Their armor has been reinforced with adamantium plating, and their weaponry has been upgraded to deal with their stronger defenses. The UOP won't stand a chance."
Halix's lips curled into a smile. "Sounds like a plan, General. When do we move out?"
Voss looked at the timeline on his display, his eyes calculating. "Within the next few hours. The Aegis is vulnerable during its routine maintenance cycle, which gives us the perfect window to strike. We'll rendezvous with the stealth fleet in the outer rim and make our approach under the cover of darkness. The EMPs will take down their defenses, and we'll breach the station's hull. Then, we move in, take control, and shut them down for good."
Halix nodded sharply, his confidence growing. "Understood, sir. I'll prepare the team."
Before Halix could leave, Voss raised his hand. "One more thing, Commander."
Halix turned back, waiting.
Voss's gaze was steady, almost cold. "We cannot afford failure. If anything goes wrong, we'll have no choice but to enact the final phase of the operation. Do you understand?"
Halix's eyes widened slightly. "I understand, sir."
Voss's voice grew quieter, more intense. "If the mission is compromised in any way, we will trigger the fail-safe. The station will self-destruct, and we will not leave a single trace behind. The UOP will not know what hit them."
Halix gave a sharp salute. "It will be done, sir."
As Halix left to assemble his team, Voss stared at the hologram of the Aegis Station once more. His fingers hovered above the map, tracing the path of destruction he would soon unleash. The UOP had no idea what they were up against. This would be the beginning of the end for them.
Voss's lips twisted into a cruel smile. Let them think they have the upper hand. We're about to show them what real power looks like.