The starship hummed with a steady rhythm as Evren took his seat in the cockpit of the training mech. It wasn’t much to look at—a blocky, standard-issue frame with faded paint and a clunky interface. Railguns mounted on its forearms and a shoulder-mounted autocannon were all the firepower he had to work with. The heads-up display (HUD) flickered to life, painting the dim cockpit with a glow of diagnostic readouts, targeting reticles, and mission parameters.
“Alright, recruits,” boomed the voice of the commanding officer over the comms. “You’re about to experience a simulated skirmish near the storm-covered planet. Your objective: eliminate the opposing team and secure the battlefield. Stick together, and watch each other’s backs.”
Evren flexed his hands around the twin control sticks. The interface was intuitive but demanded precision. His feet rested on pedals that controlled the mech’s speed and directional thrust, while his fingers hovered over triggers for weapon activation. Every movement had weight; even in this virtual environment, the developers had made sure the machines felt as cumbersome and powerful as their real-world counterparts.
The other recruits—a trio of avatars standing at attention on his screen—piped up over the squad channel.
“Let’s not embarrass ourselves,” said a female voice, her avatar tagged as "AuroraLight." She piloted a sleek, agile mech with a smaller frame and faster movement. “First impressions matter.”
“Yeah, try not to die out there,” added a gruffer voice, belonging to a pilot named "IronFist." His mech was heavier than Evren’s, built for close combat with reinforced armor and melee weapons. “I don’t feel like babysitting.”
“Focus up, people,” interjected a calm, authoritative voice—their squad leader, tagged "ShadowVanguard." His mech was balanced, a jack-of-all-trades design that carried a mix of mid-range weaponry and a deployable shield. “New guy, you’re going by ‘AetherStrike,’ right?”
“Yeah, that’s me,” Evren replied, his voice steady despite the nervous churn in his stomach. He didn’t plan on letting them down.
The countdown ticked away. Five seconds. Four. Three.
With a deafening roar, the launch bay doors opened, and the squad’s mechs were ejected into the void. The sensation of weightlessness was jarring at first, but Evren adjusted quickly, using his thrusters to orient himself. Below them, the planet churned with violent storms, its atmosphere a swirling mass of electric chaos. Forks of lightning danced across the dense clouds, illuminating the dark expanse like fireworks.
“Form up on me,” ShadowVanguard ordered. The squad converged, their mechs moving in tight formation. Ahead, a debris field loomed, the remnants of some forgotten battle. It was the perfect place for an ambush.
The enemy squad appeared on their sensors moments later. Four Lunaran mechs, each painted in sharp, menacing patterns, darted through the wreckage with practiced ease. They were equipped with similar weaponry, though one carried a sniper rifle, hanging back while the others advanced.
“IronFist, draw their fire. AuroraLight, flank right. AetherStrike, stick with me,” ShadowVanguard instructed.
IronFist grunted an acknowledgment and surged forward, his heavy mech a tempting target. As expected, the Lunaran squad turned their focus on him, opening fire with railguns and autocannons. Sparks flew as rounds ricocheted off his armor.
“Now!” ShadowVanguard barked.
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AuroraLight’s mech darted to the right, weaving through the debris with incredible agility. She fired bursts from her railguns, catching one of the enemy mechs in the flank and forcing it to retreat. Evren—AetherStrike—followed ShadowVanguard’s lead, taking aim at another Lunaran and peppering it with suppressive fire. His shots weren’t as precise as he’d like, but they served their purpose.
The battle quickly devolved into chaos. AetherStrike’s hands moved instinctively on the controls, dodging incoming fire and returning shots whenever he saw an opening. The feedback from his mech was visceral; every impact rattled the cockpit, and every weapon discharge sent a satisfying jolt through the controls.
“I’ve got one on my tail!” AuroraLight’s voice crackled over the comms.
Evren glanced at his radar and spotted her pursuer. Without thinking, he broke formation and accelerated toward her position. The Lunaran mech was closing in fast, its weapons charging for a lethal shot.
“Hang on!” he shouted.
He fired his autocannon in rapid succession, the rounds slamming into the enemy mech’s side. The Lunaran staggered, turning its attention to him instead. AetherStrike’s heart pounded as he juked to the left, narrowly avoiding a railgun shot that would’ve taken him out.
“Thanks,” AuroraLight said breathlessly, regaining her position.
“Don’t mention it,” AetherStrike replied, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“Focus, AetherStrike!” ShadowVanguard snapped. “Stay with the squad!”
Before he could respond, a new alert blared on his HUD. One of the Lunaran mechs—the sniper—had repositioned and was taking aim at IronFist. The shot would be devastating if it landed.
“IronFist, move!” AetherStrike shouted, but it was too late.
The sniper’s railgun fired, the projectile streaking through space. IronFist’s mech tried to dodge, but the shot grazed his thrusters, sending him spinning out of control.
“I’m hit! Thrusters are down!” IronFist growled.
The Lunaran squad pressed their advantage, focusing their fire on the disabled mech. AetherStrike’s mind raced. He could see IronFist’s trajectory—he was tumbling dangerously close to the planet’s atmosphere. Without functional thrusters, he’d be pulled in and incinerated.
“I’m going after him,” AetherStrike said, ignoring ShadowVanguard’s protests.
“Are you insane?” ShadowVanguard shouted. “You’ll never make it back!”
Evren didn’t answer. He pushed his thrusters to maximum, hurtling toward IronFist. The heat from the planet’s atmosphere was already starting to register on his sensors. He had seconds to act.
“IronFist, I’m linking up!”
Using his mech’s grappling system, AetherStrike latched onto IronFist’s frame and activated his own thrusters to stabilize them. The strain was immense; his mech’s systems screamed in protest as they fought against the planet’s pull.
“You’re not gonna make it!” IronFist shouted.
“Watch me,” AetherStrike shot back, teeth clenched.
But then, another alert blared. One of the Lunaran mechs had pursued him, firing a well-placed shot that severed his grappling line. The sudden jolt sent both mechs spinning out of control. AetherStrike’s thrusters sputtered, and he felt the unmistakable pull of gravity as they broke through the atmosphere.
“AetherStrike!” ShadowVanguard’s voice was the last thing he heard before the comms cut out.
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The descent was a blur of fire and turbulence. AetherStrike fought with the controls, trying to stabilize his mech as it plummeted toward the planet’s surface. Warning lights flashed across his HUD, and the cockpit grew unbearably hot.
Through the chaos, he caught glimpses of the planet below. What he had assumed would be a barren, storm-ravaged wasteland was anything but. Dense jungles stretched as far as the eye could see, glowing faintly with bioluminescent light. Massive rivers snaked through the landscape, their waters shimmering with unnatural colors. And above it all, the storm raged, casting the world in an eerie, shifting twilight.
AetherStrike’s mech crashed into the jungle with a deafening roar, carving a path of destruction through the trees before finally coming to a halt. The cockpit’s emergency systems kicked in, extinguishing small fires and deploying stabilizers. He groaned, his body aching from the impact.
“System status,” he croaked.
The AI’s monotone voice responded. “Severe damage sustained. Mobility reduced to 35%. Weapon systems offline. Communications offline. Power core at 60%.”
Evren exhaled slowly, his hands shaking. He was alive. That was a start.
Outside the cockpit, the jungle was alive with sound. Strange, otherworldly creatures called out to one another, their cries echoing through the trees. The air was thick with moisture, and faint motes of light drifted lazily through the canopy. It was beautiful and utterly alien.