Soaring with Blazing Andromeda's thrusters, we skimmed just above the ground as ash intermingled with snow descended from the sky. Simultaneously, Andromeda held Boötes securely in his arms while we navigated through the darkness.
"I expected to see more patrols in this area," I murmured after glancing at the threat scanner.
"Most of the Freiheit forces are concentrated behind the warships hovering above where the factory is located," Alex replied. "On this side of the planet, it's mostly outposts, signal jammers, and orbital cannons. There are occasional aerial patrols looking for crash survivors too."
Curious about how he came by this information, I asked, "How do you know all this?"
"At the onset of the war over Duradel, we executed an orbital drop wave with the Noblesse Oblige legions, sacrificing a warship as a shield against the anti-aircraft cannons. General Rafellan led the operation himself. Unfortunately, the bots ended up dropping an entire warship on us, along with half the planet's military, making it impossible to push forward. After retreating to the atmosphere with 70% casualties, we altered our tactics to eliminate most of the warships before attempting another drop. So far, it has been effective."
"What about strike teams targeting the factories or cannons?"
"The ODCs intercept almost everything. The warship we sacrificed was the only reason the initial forces could land before. There are lines of them covering every square kilometre of airspace around each continent. That's why our warships remain above the planet's exosphere to avoid being shot down. Anything trying to enter can't escape."
As we flew over a hill, I spotted the orbital defence cannons he had mentioned. They loomed impressively over a military base, surrounded by numerous anti-aircraft defence guns. It felt as if a divine entity had positioned its weapon there, watching the Nymphas fleets in the atmosphere, ready to strike if one ventured too close.
"Let's change that situation." Descending slightly to maintain stealth, Boötes' feet almost brushed the ash and snow-covered ground. "Did the general share all of this with you?"
"He brought me along to tactical meetings with the Noble legions as a guard-slash-apprentice," Alex said nonchalantly, relaxing in Boötes' cockpit. "While they debated strategies, I picked up bits of useful information here and there. It's the one decent thing he has done for me. I even got some good food from a captain there sometimes."
A ping on the scanners caught my attention. Initially thinking it was a Freiheit patrol, I was taken aback when I recognized the ally signal-ID. [Pilot, there seem to be allies entrenched nearby,] Andromeda informed.
Boötes cautioned, [It could be a trap.]
"How are we picking up the signal? The jammers should still be operational," Alex remarked, now noticing it too. "Do you want to scout it out, Firefly? If they are survivors from the initial assault, they will need assistance. Still, it's puzzling how we're receiving their signal."
After pondering for a moment, I began to gradually turn Andromeda toward the signal's source. "We'll investigate. Quietly and from a distance. If they are allies, they might know how to contact the fleets. If not, we'll head straight for the cannon."
As we approached the beacon, Andromeda set Boötes down gently, and he quickly retrieved his scythe, diving into the snow to peek over a ridge.
Andromeda landed softly, his thrusters powering down with a loud creak as his knees absorbed the impact. Despite the noise, he remained stable, crouching beside Boötes as Andromeda focused his visual cameras on the signal's origin. It led us to a trench system located just outside a cave, directly facing the orbital cannon yet concealed by the snowy trees.
Scanning for heat signatures, Andromeda detected two lookout figures, presumably humans, camouflaged within the ash and snow, their grey and white military attire blending seamlessly into the surrounding darkness.
"Survivors? Actual survivors?" Alex exclaimed, mirroring my shock. "I-I don't understand. The bots never leave survivors. How are they here?"
[They likely made the strategic choice to avoid combat since they became stranded here, Pilot Cyonis,] Andromeda explained.
"True, but this area is thousands of miles from the drop zone. It's too odd."
As Andromeda scanned the vicinity, he identified vehicle tracks and displayed them for me. [The scans reveal tire imprints in the snow. They have probably been here for only a few days while evading pursuers. Most likely, they are using a biofuel all-terrain IFF-tumbler capable of carrying up to 24 men—40 if everyone squeezes in.]
"They're friendly." Climbing out of Andromeda, I stepped onto the snow, feeling the biting cold against my pilot suit. "They might get startled if they see the knights and mistake us for Freiheit forces. We'll approach on foot while Andromeda and Boötes monitor the perimeter. Let's ask the survivors how they managed to send a signal so we can request orbital support."
Gritting his teeth as he exited Boötes, Alex followed me closely. "H-hold on! Why are you so sure they won't shoot you on sight? They could be androids designed to lure us into a trap!"
"Andy's thermal detection software can differentiate between natural and artificial heat. No android could fool him."
Making our way through the snow, we progressed toward the snowy trenches at a steady pace until the cave came into view. Spotting a trap hidden beneath the snow, I halted Alex and pointed it out, ensuring we both sidestepped it.
Clearing my throat before reaching the trenches, I called out, "There are rations in my pockets if you're in dire need."
Alex shot me a confused look, but the two lookouts, too hungry to remain alert, suddenly sprang to life as a line of men emerged from the cave, eager enough to leave their weapons behind before realizing I was a stranger.
"W-who are you?" One of the lookouts asked, shivering, struggling to steady his gun.
Raising my hand in a gesture of peace, I quickly opened a Velcro pouch on my waist, pulling out ten ration bars, causing all 17 men—including the lookouts—to drool. "We are here to help. We saw your beacon and came to ask how you managed to send a signal. Who is the commanding officer here?"
"M-me!" Stepping forward, the most famished of the 17 soldiers introduced himself. "Lance-corporal Evan's. Please, give my men the food first. We've been starving for weeks."
Jumping across the trench, I handed him the first ration bar. "Thank you for enduring this long, Lance-corporal. Eat first, and we will talk shortly. Alex, share your ration bars as well. I'm short by seven."
"Y-yeah." Alex complied, distributing his ration bars while the soldiers eagerly consumed them. I continued to pass mine out until I had only two left, and Jason.
"Thank you, but this will only sustain these men for a short while," Lance-corporal Evan said, having finished his ration bar quickly. "Let's move into the cave. It's warmer there. We'll be safe until rescue arrives."
"We are the rescue, I'm afraid, but not just yet," I replied flatly, observing the soldiers retreating into the cave for warmth and to retrieve their weapons. "I am Knight Pilot Firefly, and he is Knight Pilot Cyonis. Our mission is to destroy the orbital cannon. Answer my two questions, and we'll be on our way immediately."
"S-seriously? You're both knight pilots?" Evan's asked, and I nodded. "Then you might have a chance. Ask away! Please."
I started with a straightforward inquiry. "Your signal beacon. It's how we located you; how is it operational despite the jammers?"
"It's working?" Evan's seemed surprised. "I-I'm sorry, but I couldn't tell you. It's been on since we got stranded here. We thought no one would come until now."
"There must be no jammers near the orbital cannon," I speculated. "Final question: Do you believe your men could assist us in the assault on the orbital cannon? There are bound to be survival supplies in there that you need."
"S-sorry, but no. My men are too weak and sick to even lift their guns. We've been hunting what game we can find, but nothing larger than a fox. We still have two shots loaded on the transport if you need RPGs."
After a moment of consideration, I devised a plan. "Keep those for emergencies. We will blast our way into the base of the ODC. In an hour, load up your men and watch for a blue flare. We'll either have captured or destroyed the cannon by then. Support should arrive from orbit to take you and your men home, Lance-corporal."
"Thank you, pilot. Thank you. I'll pray for your success as best as I can. I wish I could assist, but my men would probably collapse just from the journey."
"It's fine. Stay warm and stay hidden. Also, turn off the signal beacon for safety." As I prepared to leave, I jumped back over the trench. "Remember, only approach the cannon if you see a blue flare in the sky after an hour."
Alex, following me, couldn't mask the disturbed look on his face. He had witnessed the malnourished condition of those men and their dire state. "How can you be okay after seeing that?" he asked.
"I've experienced it before."
Recollecting memories from the Fallen Moon facility, I remembered the skeletal bodies during training—children who hadn't eaten for days because they failed to meet the required standards. Briefly, I had been one of them but managed to push harder before I became like them, either collapsing during training or missing the next day entirely.
[Pilot Firefly, the enemy forces have detected the beacon. They are advancing toward your position.] As Andromeda and Boötes dashed through the trees, they emerged from their cover, racing toward us.
Boötes reached us first, sliding across the snow and grabbing Alex, pulling him into his embrace. Andromeda came directly for me, and as I leaped, I teleported into his chest, where he grabbed a tree to stabilize himself.
[Knees are close to disassembly. Any more heavy movements, and the lower legs will disconnect,] Andromeda reported while righting himself using the tree for support.
"We'll have to manage," I said. Igniting his thrusters, Andromeda began to hover among the trees, igniting the nearest one. "For now, let's focus on those attackers. Stay behind me, Alex!" As we soared toward the cannon.
"Hey, you're faster than I am!" Boötes exclaimed as he raced after me across the snow, shaking off the snow from the branches he passed.
Racing toward the enemy transport, Andromeda surged forward, slicing through the snow with his emerald sword, creating a smoking crater as he sped toward the steel wall of the Freiheit military base.
"Fire all rockets," I commanded.
[Targeting AA emplacements and heavy weaponry.] Locking onto his targets, Andromeda's back opened up, launching twelve smoking projectiles ahead of us.
The machine guns atop the walls had already detected us but were too sluggish to react as three rockets obliterated them. Seven more rockets struck the anti-aircraft weapons, igniting them one after another. The final two rockets detonated against the steel wall, demolishing it as Andromeda charged right through.
With the thermic railgun in Andromeda's right hand, I squeezed the trigger, firing at all priority targets he marked. Several vehicles, hulks, and tanks fell to my assault. Gripping the green sword in his other hand, Andromeda used it as a shield against heavy laser fire before cleaving through a building.
[Pilot, I have detected the data stamp marker nearby. It's mobile, located inside the orbital defence cannon's control room right beneath it.] Highlighting its location on the screen, Andromeda began to hover toward it, sending debris flying from the ground below.
The Fall of the ODC – A Knight's Struggle
"Firefly!"
Boötes burst through the wreckage of the wall, arriving just as his pilot, Alex, called out for me.
[Pilot Firefly, this attack strategy is overly reckless,] Boötes cautioned, his tone calm and measured.
[We had the element of surprise, and we possess sufficient firepower. All major threats have been neutralized,] Andromeda countered, his colossal fist shredding through the turret of a tank like it was mere paper. The vehicle exploded in his grip, scattering fiery debris across the battlefield. [Your orders are to neutralize all remaining personnel and secure the command room.]
"Wait! Damn it, just let me catch up!"
But Andromeda had already landed, his thrusters powering down as he advanced, methodically carving a path through the turmoil. He flung armoured vehicles aside with swings of his sword, their hulls screeching as they collided with walls. Werewolf-droids scrambled to respond, their weapons unleashing streaks of red-hot plasma. But their fire merely ricocheted off Andromeda's reinforced exterior before he engulfed them in purging flames from his shoulder-mounted incendiary cannon.
The Orbital Defence Cannon loomed ahead, a colossal structure—half the size of a warship cruiser. Its imposing concrete firing platform spread out in an 'X' formation, crowded with turrets and shield generators.
At its core stood a massive vault door, towering as high as Andromeda himself.
This was it—the enemy's final stronghold.
Boötes reached my side, kicking over a robotic car equipped with a mounted machine gun. Without a second thought, he raised his massive handgun and fired at the surrounding structures, blasting holes in nearby buildings.
"What are you doing?" Alex snapped, frustration evident in his voice. "They'll call for reinforcements now!"
"They always call for reinforcements," I replied matter-of-factly. "That's the first thing they do when they spot Knights."
Andromeda's sensors swept the area, scanning past the vault door. A group of enemy foot soldiers lay in ambush beyond it—along with a solitary enemy Knight, its power readings spiking like a predator ready to strike.
"Haven't you been in active service longer than me?" I asked, glancing at Alex. "Then you should know—the faster we seize this ODC, the sooner we'll get reinforcements. That means less time defending the base ourselves."
"Ugh..." Alex gritted his teeth, searching for a counterpoint. "Still, we need to be wary of anti-Knight weaponry. If they unleash too many hits on us too quickly, we won't last long enough to take the cannon!"
[The weapons depot containing those armaments has already been ignited,] Andromeda stated calmly.
He gestured toward a collapsed building engulfed in flames. Within the wreckage, I could see the twisted remains of missile launchers and railgun batteries protruding like the bones of a fallen beast.
We were already one step ahead.
[Boötes,] Andromeda continued, [utilize your Constellation Drive to breach the vault door and ambush the insurgent Knight within. I will elevate my pilot and create an entry point into the command room.]
Without another word, Andromeda magnetically secured his railgun and sword to his back. Then, digging his fingers into the concrete, he activated his thrusters, propelling us both upward. The force rattled through my bones as he drove his elbows into the structure, securing his grip.
We ascended rapidly.
The command centre was just ahead.
In a single, sweeping motion, Andromeda launched a punch through the wall.
We crashed into the room—a spacious, sterile area lined with control terminals and holographic displays. At the centre stood the commander droid, its lupine frame twisted and rusted with age, its red optics narrowing in fury at my intrusion.
I teleported out of Andromeda's cockpit mid-air, landing in a roll. My handgun was drawn before my boots even touched the ground.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
One by one, the droids fell, their heads exploding as my shots struck true.
Silence enveloped the room.
Or nearly silence—because one remained.
The commander droid stirred, dragging itself up from behind the central control terminal. Its glowing red eyes locked onto me with predatory rage.
"Filthy. Ape!!" it growled, its voice a guttural snarl. "Dependent on the metal we are crafted from—"
Bang.
I fired two more rounds into its skull. The droid's words fizzled into a garbled hiss as its headless body slumped forward onto the console.
Without hesitation, I retrieved an EMP grenade from my belt and tossed it down the stairwell. Sparks and crackling energy illuminated the space below as the remaining droids were instantly fried.
"Target neutralized," I reported. "Andy, where's the targeting console?"
[Central terminal. Right where the commander droid was located.]
I vaulted over the holo-screen, pushing the droid's corpse aside. Grabbing the rim of my helmet, I extracted a data wire and plugged it into the console.
Andromeda's systems synced instantly, his digital presence spreading through the terminal like wildfire.
Above, the orbital warships of Freiheit hovered, locked in combat against our forces.
Our reinforcements needed this cannon to shift the balance.
Below, the entire room shook—Alex and Boötes were still engaged in combat, their clash rattling the very foundation of the base. The structure groaned under the weight of their battle.
"Should I assist him?" I asked, hearing the screech of metal against metal from below. "It sounds like he's struggling."
Andromeda completed his system override. The screen displayed our new targets.
[That is ill-advised,] he replied. [You were fortunate that the Knight on Helios Station pursued you into an enclosed space and was only tactical-grade. The enemy pilot here is significantly more formidable.]
"How dangerous?"
[Seraphim-grade.]
The control room trembled again—another impact, heavier than before.
Seraphim-grade.
The words sent a chill through my veins.
"A-Alex won't be able to handle it," I said, my voice tight with anxiety.
Andromeda turned his head slightly, observing me closely from outside. He understood what I was about to do.
I knew it was reckless. I knew it was foolish. But I couldn't leave Alex to face certain death.
[...I will provide support as best I can,] Andromeda finally conceded.
I took a deep breath, tightening my grip on my weapon. Then, I dashed down the stairs.