* Date: January 24, 2183

* Time: 7:00 AM

* Location: Lumina Capital of Eden

Guarding the defense center facility were several Kaynian guardians accompanied by a Knight. Only eight guardians guarded the entrance of the facility. However, unbeknownst to them, an Infantry Fighting Vehicle with Marines slowly approached their position to reactivate the city's defenses.

[Contacts, spotted. Eight Kaynian guardians on the entrance.]

The sergeant major stated as he aimed the seventy-six-millimeter Ultra autocannon at the unsuspecting aliens. Meanwhile, his fellow Marines are preparing their weapons inside the troop compartment.

[Lieutenant, we're about to engage the Kaynians.]

''Understood, Ethan.''

Jackson looked over his men, clearly eager to get the mission done. With the plan already discussed beforehand, the Lieutenant was about to reiterate it.

''Alright, Marines, this is it. However, to make sure we're on the same page. I'm going to say the plan once more.''

The tracks rumbled outside as the IFV neared its destination, and the Marines inside focused their attention on their Lieutenant.

''The sergeant major will engage the Kaynian guards on the defense center facility, killing all of them. Afterward, the IFV drops us off, and we enter inside. When we do that, the sergeant major will get the attention of the Sentinel nearby and lure it to the business sector of Lumina. Meanwhile, we infiltrate the facility, eliminate any Kaynians, and reactivate the defenses to destroy the Sentinel...''

''...This sound clear to you, Marines?''

''Yes, sir!''

The Marines shouted in unison as they quickly equipped their helmets and activated their systems. Weapons ready, plans drawn, and targets on sight. Lieutenant Jackson Domes only waited for the engagement that would soon follow. Meanwhile, outside the IFV, the Kaynian guardians noticed the approaching human armored vehicle and got into position. Eight guardians sprung and pointed their weapons before firing at the Hound IFV.

[Lieutenant, Kaynians are opening up on us.]

''Shields?''

[Eighty percent.]

''Alright, light them up.''

[Understood!]

The remote-controlled turret of the Hound pointed at the line-up of aliens and then opened fire. Seventy-six-millimeter rounds peppered the Kaynian line, silencing them. However, three survived the barrage and hid behind rubble. Not wanting to let them live, the sergeant major fired the coaxial twenty-millimeter Peashooter autocannon at the surviving Kaynians. The combined firepower of the autocannons would eventually take out the remaining aliens and obliterate their cover.

[Lieutenant, Kaynians down! You're clear to dismount!]

''Very well...''

''...Marines! Oorah!''

The Corporal and the Privates responded with their own ''oorah!'' as they dismounted the IFV. Boots first onto the concrete road, the Marines immediately sprinted to the defense center facility. Upon reaching the entrance, the Lieutenant and the Corporal were on the left side, while the Privates were on the right side, hugging the wall with their backs and the entrance between them. The Marines waited as their superior accessed the terminal, which opened the sealed entrance.

[ACCESSED GRANTED.]

The terminal stated as the entrance opened. The Lieutenant and his Marines immediately pointed their weapons inside the facility as they anticipated enemy fire on their position. However, no energy beams would impact their shields, but an all too familiar stomp did alert them.

[Holy shit! Lieutenant! It's the Sentinal!]

The sergeant major shouted over the comms as Jackson saw in the far right avenue of the road the Kaynian Sentinel watching intently at the IFV.

''Ethan, get out of here! Lead the damn thing to the business sector!''

[Affirmative!]

Immediately, the Hound IFV kicked its engines into gear and sped through the road. Meanwhile, the Kaynian siege engine followed behind and steadily strode to the IFV's position. The armored vehicle would rotate its turret backward and aimed at the following Sentinel. Seventy-six-millimeter and twenty-millimeter autocannon rounds peppered the energy shield of the thirty-meter-tall walker.

''Marines, it's up to us to pick the pace!''

''Yes, sir!''

With the Sentinel taking the bait, Jackson and his Marines had limited time to reactivate the defenses. Taking the lead, the Lieutenant and his men stormed inside the facility. Sprinting at breakneck speeds, they hurried to their objective. Loud stomps echoed throughout the quiet hallways of the facility as the Marines followed the waypoint on their heads-up display.

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''Sir, contacts on the radar!''

Corporal Daniels informed, and the Lieutenant raised his hand to halt their advance. Hugging the walls of the hallway. They heard the footsteps of eight Kaynian guardians passing by just in front of them. Luckily, the aliens neither heard nor cared to look at the hallway they were in.

''Corporal, aim for the lights. Privates, Ying and Yang, aim at the Kaynians...''

''...Ready, execute.''

Immediately, the Corporal took out the lights, making the passing aliens blind. The Lieutenant and the Privates took four out of the eight guardians. Meanwhile, the surviving Kaynians instantly aimed at the corner, waiting for the Marines to show themselves.

'Well, looks like you alien bastards are waiting for us, huh? No worries, I'll fire a rocket.'

Jackson thought as he and his men approached the end of the hallway and hugged the left wall. Knowing that if they turned around the corner, they'd be met with energy beams, the Lieutenant engaged his third arm system to peak over the corner and fired a rocket. The Kaynian guardians, not expecting the third arm system's capability of peaking over corners, saw the eighty-four-millimeter rocket headed for them. When the projectile made contact with one of the guardian's energy shields, it exploded, killing two and shattering the shields of the others.

''Marines, move in!''

Hedding their Lieutenant's orders, the Marines turned the corner and opened fire on the concussed Kaynians on the ground. Their fifty-caliber rounds easily penetrated the light armor of the guardians, leaving holes in their bodies before thudding to the ground.

''Kaynians down, let's move!''

Moving forward, the Marines followed the waypoint to another corner, and as they turned, they found the sealed entrance to the control room of the defense center facility.

''Target is right in front of us, Marines.''

Upon reaching the entrance, the Lieutenant and the Corporal were on the right side, while the Privates were on the left side, hugging the wall with their backs and the entrance between them. Immediately, Jackson accessed the terminal and inputted the override codes to pry open the sealed door.

[ACCESSED GRANTED.]

The terminal stated as the entrance opened. The Lieutenant and his Marines immediately rushed inside the control room. There, they saw several computers lined up with holo screens indicating which defenses were destroyed, disabled, or still functional.

''Privates, guard the door...''

"...Daniels, check on the defenses that are still operational."

Nodding at their orders, the Marines executed them without hesitation as the Privates had their weapons pointed at the entrance. The Corporal was busy checking over the operational defenses present within Lumina. Meanwhile, Jackson accessed the main terminal of the control room, inputting his override codes and successfully gaining control of the defenses.

''Alright, we got the defenses online. The question is now, what defensive measures aren't destroyed...''

''...Daniels, what do you have?''

''Lieutenant, we got one missile platform still operational near the business sector.''

* Date: January 24, 2183

* Time: 7:20 AM

* Location: Lumina Business Sector

[Marine! Pedal to the metal!]

''Aye, sir!''

The roar of the Hound Infantry Vehicle echoed through the quiet, empty roads of Lumina. It has been several minutes since they dropped off the Lieutenant and his Marines at the defense center facility to reactivate the defenses. After being spotted by the Sentinel, the IFV immediately drove off to lead the Kaynian siege engine to the business sector for their trap.

''Sir, hang on! We have to take a turn!''

The driver informed as Ethan braced for the sudden right turn of the armored vehicle. And by doing so, left them unaffected by the energy cannon fire of the Kaynian Sentinel. The nearby building collapses as the potent alien weaponry targets the IFV's last position after it makes a right turn.

[Holy shit! That was a close one!]

Cursing under his virtual breath, Ethan saw the aftermath of the explosion that collapsed the building just behind them. Then, he saw the glowing silhouette of the Sentinel, the alien siege engine bursting out of the walls of another building with its weapons still aimed at the fleeing IFV.

[It's still on us!]

''Damn it! We're taking a left! Sir, hang on!''

The driver informed Ethan as he turned the IFV left, which kept them unaffected by the energy cannon fire from the Kaynian Sentinel. However, the nearby building collapsed as the energy beams targeted the IFV's previous position after it made the left turn.

''Ethan, this is Jackson. Do you read me?''

Hearing the Lieutenant's voice over the comms, the sergeant major quickly established the connection.

[I hear you loud and clear, Lieutenant!]

"Listen, we have reactivated the defenses, specifically a missile platform, to destroy the Sentinel. Where are you right now?"

[Sir, we're approaching the trap. Damn thing almost vaporized us with its energy cannons!]

''Good to hear that you're still in one piece then...''

''...Get to the trap, Ethan. I'll redirect the missiles to the trap's position. They'll be airborne in a few minutes, so get there.''

[Understood!]

The connection would be terminated as the sergeant major redirected his focus on the waypoint on his heads-up display.

''Sir, did we lose it?''

Asked the Marine driving the Hound Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

[Well, I sure hope not because- Argh!]

Ethan grunted as an energy beam impacted the energy shielding of the IFV. Following where the attack had come from, the sergeant major saw a flying Paladin.

''Shields at seventy-five percent! What hit us, sarge?''

[A wing pattern Paladin! Keep driving! I'll get it off our tail!]

''Understood!''

Complying with the sergeant's orders, the driver kicked the gear of the IFV to the maximum, gaining a burst of speed. Meanwhile, Ethan turned the turret housing the seventy-six-millimeter Ultra autocannon with its coaxial twenty-millimeter Peashooter autocannon and opened fire on the chasing Paladin.

[Get some!]

A barrage of autocannon fire sprayed the flying Paladin as its shields took most of the damage. However, the chasing alien aimed its energy lance at the IFV and opened fire, releasing another energy beam.

''Shields at fifty-five percent!''

[Damn it...]

[...Alright, you son of a bitch. Let's see if you could survive a missile!]

Locking onto the chasing alien, the sergeant major fired two one hundred eighty-three millimeter anti-tank missiles at the Paladin. The flying alien tried its best to maneuver and evade the incoming projectiles but failed. Two explosions erupted as the corpse of the Kaynian crashed and landed not long after, with a loud thud echoing as the wing pattern Paladin was destroyed.

[Paladin down!]

Shouted the sergeant major as he witnessed the Paladin crash harshly to the ground. After getting the satisfaction of bringing down the alien unit, the sergeant immediately checked his heads-up display and noticed that he was on the designated spot where the Kaynian Sentinel should be attacked from three angles. The question was, where was the alien siege engine?

[Where the fuck is the Sentinel? Aw, don't tell me it got lost-]

Cutting the sergeant major off was the Kaynian Sentinel busting through a building just several meters in front of the IFV. Concrete, metal, and various objects from within the building fell to the road as the structure collapsed.

[Holy mother of mercy.]

Ethan uttered as he saw dead ahead; only by a few meters was the thirty-meter-tall Sentinel. Its focus was immediately on the lone IFV.

[Wait a minute, we're on the spot...]

[...Shit! We're on the spot! Reverse!]

''Aye, sarge!''

Immediately, the IFV reversed and increased its speed as the Sentinel. It didn't help that the Kaynian siege engine was preparing to fire all three energy cannons at the tracked vehicle. However, unbeknownst to the Kaynian operating the Sentinel, he was now in the spot where the Marines of Cobra Company wanted him to be. Suddenly, multiple explosions erupted on the back of the Sentinel. The energy shielding enveloping the siege engine was destroyed as it struggled to hold its footing.

''This is Lieutenant Jackson. Hope you like my present.''

The Lieutenant spoke through the comms, and every Marine who witnessed the missiles that shattered the energy shield of the Sentinel was about to give the alien machine a taste of its own medicine.

''Marines, you're clear to engage. Light that bastard up!''

Hedding their superior's command, the Marines hiding on the establish opened fire on the Kaynian, and at the same time. The two more Hound Infantry Fighting Vehicles unleashed hell on their unshielded target. Missiles of multiple calibers were loosed as autocannon and small arms fire peppered the armor plates of the alien siege engine. From the Kaynian Sentinel's perspective, the sheer firepower damaging and tearing apart its armor plates was so severe that it couldn't return fire on the Marines, even if it wanted to.

''Ghost Team. You're clear. Sentinel's shields are down and being distracted.''

''Understood, Lieutenant.''

Meanwhile, several floors above the building where the Marines were hiding. The Ghost Team leaped out of the windows and fell rapidly. However, they wouldn't land on the ground; they aimed to land directly on top of the Sentinel. Without its energy shielding, the Ghosts managed to do so while the Sentinel was currently under fire by the Marines.

''We're on the target, Ghosts engage!''

The commander stated as he took out his BMR and started firing on the chassis of the Kaynian siege engine. Nomad, Bishop, and Tale followed suit as they unleashed their weapons. Inserting themselves into the body of the Sentinel, the Ghosts managed to deal damage to its systems by destroying several components. It wasn't long before explosions peppered the back of the Sentinel as missiles and rockets from the Ghosts were utilized at its weakest section.

[Take it down!]

Intensifying their firepower, the Marines poured everything into the siege engine. Internal explosions soon erupted from the Sentinel's chest as its reactor reached a critical level. The massive Kaynian machine stumbled to the ground as it thuds loudly on the roadway.

[Lieutenant, it's done.]

To Be Continued.