The final moments before the cannon's launch felt like an eternity. On the UOP flagship Resolute, every officer, every soldier, every technician, felt the pressure mounting. The silence in the command center was thick, broken only by the low hum of machinery and the occasional soft beeping of a console.
Dominic stood by a side wall of the command room, his gaze fixed on the holographic display of the CMC fleet approaching. His mech, still undergoing repairs, was useless in this moment. He could only wait. Yet, the stillness within him was deceptive; underneath, his mind raced, turning over the implications of the Stellarbane's power. If this weapon did what it was designed to do, it could change the course of the war in a single, catastrophic moment. But at what cost?
His thoughts drifted to Zara—the woman he'd lost not long ago—and to the countless others who had been swept into this war. How many of them had been just like him, soldiers fighting in a cause they didn't fully understand, pulled into the tide of a conflict that had already spiraled out of control? He thought of the Stellarbane's raw power, capable of erasing entire fleets in one strike, and the countless lives it would take with it.
"Fifteen seconds to launch," the voice of Commander Voss cut through his thoughts, calm but unwavering. "All ships, brace for impact."
Dominic's heart pounded in his chest. His hands, sweaty and clenched at his sides, ached with the tension. He stepped toward the console, watching as the countdown continued.
"Ten seconds," Voss continued, her voice tight with determination. "We've made our choice. Now, let's end this."
[On the Battlefield]
Out in the cold void of space, the CMC fleet had reached the edge of the UOP's defense perimeter. They were ready for the final push—hundreds of juggernaut-class mechs lined up in formation, shields raised, weapons primed. The CMC general, on board the flagship Scythe, stood at the command podium, his eyes narrowing as he observed the UOP's movements. He knew what was coming.
"Prepare for battle," General Telmar's voice crackled through the comms. "Once we break their defenses, we'll push straight to their heart. Leave nothing alive."
He had no idea that the UOP had one last weapon in their arsenal. The Stellarbane was still cloaked, its power gathering within the moon's core. It was their final ace, and the CMC was about to walk right into its firing range.
[Back on the Resolute]
The countdown hit zero.
"Firing," Commander Voss announced with a voice that held no room for doubt.
In an instant, the Stellarbane came to life. The enormous cannon, its massive barrel pointing toward the incoming CMC fleet, unleashed a blast of energy so intense that the very fabric of space seemed to warp around it. The air in the command center vibrated with the power of the weapon as the shockwave tore through the silence.
The blast, a concentrated beam of energy, shot across the void like a bolt from a dying star. Its intensity was beyond comprehension—brighter than a thousand suns, consuming everything in its path.
[The CMC Fleet's Final Moment]
General Telmar's eyes widened as he watched in disbelief. The energy beam from Stellarbane shot through his fleet, cutting down juggernauts and battle cruisers with ease. The massive ships disintegrated into clouds of molten debris, their weapons systems and shields failing in an instant.
"Evacuate!" he shouted, his voice cracking through the comms as chaos broke out across the CMC fleet. Ships exploded in rapid succession, their crews unable to react fast enough to the oncoming destruction. The beam from the cannon cut through the heart of the CMC forces, shattering their front lines, and continuing its devastating path toward the rear guard.
For the first time in years, the UOP fleet had a clear path to victory.
[On the UOP Flagship]
As the Stellarbane continued to fire, the UOP command center erupted in cheers. But for Dominic, the sense of victory felt hollow. He watched the destruction from the safety of the Resolute, but the faces around him seemed numb, as if the very scale of the devastation was too much to process.
"Prepare for the next phase of the operation," Commander Voss ordered, her voice still calm despite the chaos around her. "We must secure the remnants of the CMC fleet before they can regroup."
But Dominic's attention was elsewhere. His mind drifted again to the nightmare he had lived through—the memories of the war, of Zara, and of the countless soldiers whose lives had been consumed in this conflict. How many lives had just been wiped away in an instant?
The rest of the crew continued to work, their attention now focused on the remaining CMC ships, their desperation clear as they tried to retreat. But for Dominic, this victory felt like another step closer to the abyss. He had known all along that war was brutal, but seeing it play out on this scale, seeing the sheer power of Stellarbane, left him feeling like a mere pawn in a much larger game.
[The Aftermath]
In the days that followed, the remnants of the CMC fleet were dismantled, and the UOP celebrated what they called a decisive victory. But behind the celebrations, there was a deep, unsettling quiet. For Dominic and many others, the question lingered: had they truly won? Or had they simply become the same as those they fought against?
The Stellarbane had shattered the CMC, but in doing so, it had left a trail of destruction that could never be undone.
Dominic stood on the observation deck of the Resolute, gazing out into the vast emptiness of space. The stars twinkled, distant and cold. He wondered how many more battles there would be—how many more sacrifices. He had won, yes, but at what cost?
And somewhere in the back of his mind, the seeds of doubt began to grow. The war was not over. Not yet.