Private Ryker DeVries crouched behind the wreckage of an old battle cruiser, his fingers tightly gripping the assault rifle. His helmet was scratched, the visor cracked from the earlier firefight, but he didn't care. It was just another day in the endless war, just another piece of junk that wasn't his problem. What mattered now was survival. His heart was pounding in his chest, adrenaline pumping through his veins as explosions rocked the void around him.
The CMC forces had been preparing for this offensive for months, if not years. They had the numbers, the firepower, the tech—the UOP didn't stand a chance. Ryker had been part of the recon squad, tasked with gathering intel on the enemy's movements. He was no officer, no big shot pilot, but that was just fine with him. He wasn't interested in politics or strategy—he was just a soldier. A grunt.
He adjusted his rifle's sights, focusing on the distant flashes of light coming from the UOP forces. The UOP's stealth technology had made their mechs nearly invisible, but Ryker had trained for this. He knew how to spot the subtle disturbances in the battlefield. His squad had been positioned here for a reason. They weren't here to win; they were here to buy time.
"Status check, DeVries," came a crackling voice over his comms.
Ryker glanced around, taking in the small group of soldiers with him. They were hiding in the shadow of a massive wrecked ship, trying to avoid detection. The UOP's mechs were everywhere—swift, deadly, and quiet. His squad's job was simple: keep the enemy busy, disrupt their lines, and survive long enough for the big guns to arrive.
"All clear for now, Lieutenant," Ryker replied, his voice steady despite the pounding of his pulse in his ears.
"Good. We've got backup coming soon. Just hold the line until then."
He grunted in acknowledgment, his eyes never leaving the enemy movements in the distance. He could see flashes of fire, mechs soaring through space, but the UOP hadn't committed their heaviest hitters yet. That was fine. He wasn't ready for that either. Not yet.
A heavy rumble shook the battlefield, and Ryker felt the ground beneath his boots vibrate as another explosion rocked the air. He turned his head just in time to see a massive CMC juggernaut-class mech surge through the field, its colossal frame imposing even at this distance. A pair of CMC Titans—one of them Ryker's personal target—advanced slowly behind it, locking into formation.
The soldier's blood ran cold. These were the real beasts. This was why they were here.
He keyed into his comms, reaching out to his commander, who was monitoring the situation from a command ship orbiting above. "Command, we've got a Titan-class mech coming in. It's heavy—might be one of the UOP's better models. Orders?"
"Engage it head-on, DeVries," the commander's voice came back through his helmet, calm but firm. "We need to see what we're up against. We can't afford to back down now."
Ryker swallowed hard, taking a deep breath. They were cutting it close. The UOP's mechs weren't exactly pushovers, especially when they used stealth to their advantage. He knew if they waited too long, their position could be overrun. They needed to be fast.
"Understood," Ryker muttered, turning to his squad. "We're going in. Follow my lead—keep your heads down, hit them fast, and hit them hard."
The squad moved quickly into formation. Their tactics were simple: use their agility and the wreckage for cover, strike fast, and don't give the UOP a chance to retaliate. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
Ryker squeezed the trigger of his rifle, sending a barrage of rounds at an approaching UOP scout mech. It was a small target, but it wasn't fast enough to avoid the onslaught. It staggered, flames erupting from its side as it collapsed into a heap of twisted metal. The victory was small, but it sent a message: CMC soldiers weren't going to be intimidated.
But before Ryker could celebrate, the air around him went cold. The unmistakable hum of a UOP stealth mech passed by too close for comfort. He ducked instinctively, a moment of instinct over reason, as the mech's sensors had clearly locked onto him. His squad had to scatter. There was no time to think—only to move.
"Move, move, move!" Ryker shouted into his comms, taking off at a sprint, his rifle aimed at the shadows where the mech had disappeared.
The battlefield had turned into a labyrinth of death. His heart raced as he weaved through wreckage, doing everything he could to stay unseen. It was madness. Chaos. And somewhere in the middle of it, he had to remind himself: He was just a soldier.
Another flash of light, and the ground shook once more.
Ryker whirled around just in time to see one of the CMC juggernaut mechs open fire on a group of UOP mechs. The explosion ripped through the void, sending debris flying in all directions. Ryker ducked as a chunk of metal slammed into the ground next to him.
"Stay down!" his lieutenant barked over the comms. "We can't keep this up forever. We need to fall back."
But it was too late. The UOP forces had already begun to regroup. Ryker glanced over to see a new threat emerging. A massive titan-class mech had joined the fray, its enormous frame outclassing everything in sight. If that thing reached them, it would be the end.
"Incoming!" Ryker shouted as the enemy mech turned, its weapons tracking them with unnerving precision.
The comms crackled once more, a single, deadly voice filling his ears.
"This is Sergeant Armitage. All units, fall back! Reinforcements are en route. We need to buy time. Fall back to the rally point, now!"
Ryker didn't hesitate. His squad moved in perfect synchronization, retreating back toward their designated rally point. The titan-class mech followed them, relentlessly firing as they ran. Ryker's heart was pounding, his mind racing to keep up with the chaos.
They had no choice but to run.