It didn't take long before the first reactions started flooding in.
A ping from the galactic tuber app lit up my display.
Comment from user @Bullet_Junkie13:
Holy sh*t! Is this for real? These guys are insane! Instant sub!
@Vaporwave_Vanguard:
The music? The action? It's like a movie but these guys are actually doing it!*
@XenoHunter2020:
Are these guys for hire? Cuz I got a little pirate problem on the edge of Axtara…
I laughed, scrolling through the comments as more poured in.
Views started skyrocketing, the numbers rising faster than I'd expected.
@CosmicBerserker:
Bro, that heavy metal during the firefight and Its almost two centuries old? Chef's kiss. These guys are brutal.
@WartechHustle:
Yo, how do I join Terranum Imperium Death Chain?
@MercFanatic:
The dude took down a slug merc In an exoskeleton armor with nothing but a nanocomposite alloy combat knife and made it look easy. These guys are legit. Props to the editing!
As I scrolled through the dozens of comments that kept flooding In, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
Not only was this turning into a potential side hustle, but it was also putting our name out there in a big way.
"Looks like we're going viral, boys,"
I muttered, leaning back in my chair, watching the view count climb.
Then, as I continued scrolling, one comment caught my eye.
@UrianPrimeSlugs4Lyfe:
I hope these punks get what's coming to them. Disrespecting Urian Prime like that? They're dead men walking.
I snorted.
"Yeah, good luck with that, slugface."
I couldn't help but mutter sarcastically as I opened another file and started filling out the mission report.
...
A few days later.
I sat in the Invictas command chair, my good hand steady on the controls as I carefully maneuvered the corvette over the barren landscape of Med Karash I, cutting through our ships fuel reserves like drinking water.
The planet's molten surface bubbled and hissed far below, sending plumes of smoke into the air. The reddish-orange glow of the lava illuminated the bridge, casting eerie shadows across the interior.
Invicta hummed under my control, and I glanced at the holographic displays, checking our position.
"Alright, we're directly over the dropship",
I called out over the ship's comms.
In the hangar, Darius, Julian, and Paul were in their space uniforms, helmets on and comms active, directing the operation from the hangar bay.
They were hooking up the industrial chains to Invictas' dropship, preparing to reel it into the hangar for extraction.
"Steady, Drac,"
Darius' voice crackled through the comms.
"You're a bit too close to that ridge. Pull her up just a notch."
I made a slight adjustment, pulling Invicta up as we hovered above the molten planet. The ship's thrusters flared, compensating for the planet's gravity.
"That's better,"
Julian chimed in.
"Okay, we've got the chains hooked. Start the winch."
I flicked a few switches on the control panel, activating the industrial winch. The ship groaned as the chains slowly began reeling in the dropship.
"Easy does it,"
Paul muttered over the comms.
"This thing's heavier than it looks."
"Yeah, no s*it,"
Darius grunted.
"Keep her steady, Drac. One wrong move and this thing's taking a dive into the nearby lava."
I clicked my toungue In annoyance at my battlebrothers antics, keeping the ship stable as the winch continued reeling In the dropship. The clinking of the chains reverberated through the ship, accompanied by the occasional jolt as the dropship swayed.
"We're almost there,"
Julian said, his voice strained.
"Hang on... just a bit more."
I adjusted the ship's position again, compensating for the weight of the dropship.
"Got it!"
Paul shouted, excitement evident in his voice.
"Reeled in, and she's secure."
"Good job,"
I said, my voice steady as I exhaled, relieved.
"Closing the hangar doors."
With a flick of a switch, the massive hangar doors began to close, sealing off the volatile atmosphere of Med Karash I from the rest of the ship.
Invicta shuddered slightly as the hangars bottom doors clanged shut, locking the dropship in place.
"We're secure,"
Darius confirmed over the comms.
"Hangar's locked down."
I nodded to myself, glancing at the planet's surface again before settling Invicta down near the wreckage of the crashed supply transport ship. The ground beneath us rumbled with the planet's tectonic activity, but the ship's stabilizers compensated, keeping us level.
"Touchdown,"
I announced.
"Time to scavenge the rest of this wreck."
The gang grabbed their smart rifles and moved quickly, their helmets' built-in HUDs scanning the area around the crashed transport ship once they jumped out from the side airlock.
We were on a barren world, so we weren't expecting anymore hostiles, but it paid to be cautious.
My battlebrothers scavenged what they could from the wreckage: spare parts, fuel cells, anything worth a penny. But they left the cargo alone, after all it wasn't ours to take.
Just as I was about to signal for us to pack it in, the comms crackled to life. A transmission came through, pinging on our main console.
"Incoming communication request from AMS Trident,"
The ship's computer announced.
I raised an eyebrow and tapped the console, accepting the request.
"This is Dracula Von Death the commander of Terranum Imperium PMC what the f*ck do you want corpo?"
The holo-display flickered to life, revealing the sharp, holographic image of an Aegis mega-corporation officer. He was dressed in the standard Aegis corporate uniform, his expression unreadable but professional.
"Commander Dracula, this is Captain Tyrell of the AMS Trident. We are the collection ship tasked with retrieving the cargo you've secured on Med Karash I. ETA: five minutes, here are our credentials"
I nodded after checking the credentials which confirmed that Indeed our up till now mysterious employer was In fact the Aegis megacorporation.
"About f*cking time the faster you collect the faster I and my boys can get off this s*ithole of a planet"
I barked already annoyed by the constant molten scenery, I've seen enough for a decade at least.
"Believe me merc I have no wish to stay here a second longer than needed either,"
Tyrell rebuked back clearly having a distaste for mercs and for good reasons after all we weren't the most sociable bunch.
"That makes two of us"
I responded.
"Tell me then we can leave"
The transmission ended, and I leaned back in my chair.
"Alright, boys, you heard the man,"
I called out over the ship's comms.
"The AMS Trident will be here in five. Let's wrap this up."
"Got it,"
Paul's voice crackled through the comms.
The gang finished up the last bit of scavenging, grabbing the few remaining useful parts from the wreckage before heading back to the ship, once everyone was back In the ship they all joined me on the bridge.
Outside, the planet's molten surface continued to churn, casting a red-orange glow across the barren landscape.
Moments later, the AMS Trident appeared on our sensors, as It did numerous shuttles started descending from orbit with precision.
The massive collection ship In orbit dwarfed our corvette, its sleek, corporate design a stark contrast to the rugged Invicta.
"Robots huh,"
Julian muttered, watching the hundreds of civilian grade humanoid robots enter the transport ship and come out carrying crates of high quality minerals that would be turned Into alloys or consumer goods.
"I wonder how many jobless people there are because of those things"
Darius added not hiding his distaste for the machines.
"It's Inevitable, a robot doesn't need a salary, It can work 24/7, and unless Its a programming error It will never make mistakes"
I voiced out my thoughts while watching the fully packed shuttles ascend the orbit one by one until the transport ship got emptied as It did another communications request appeared.
"Commander Von Death, cargo collection is complete,"
Captain Tyrell said.
"On behalf of Aegis Corporation, we appreciate your assistance. Your payment will be transferred momentarily"
And with that, the transmission disappeared.